Displaying items by tag: Melissa Leo

I never got hooked on Lost, it was too confusing after a while. I am not a fan of The Walking Dead or Fear of the Walking Dead. Both are filled with too much gross, face eating bloody gore for my taste. I disliked Twin Peaks which was creepily sexist and unsettling to me. 

My theory for the reason this generation of young people are especially intrigued with increasingly more scary and realistic looking horror films, video games and TV shows is because the world around them is filled with the news of real human against human atrocities every day and these films make them feel safe. As if saying to themselves when they turn off the TV, "Hey my life is difficult, there are innocent people and animals suffering all around the world but at least I’m not being chased every day by flesh eating zombies! 

I probably would not have even watched "Wayward Pines" in its entirety, but after interviewing the extremely nice and forthcoming show's star Matt Dillon and Wayward Pines' executive producer/director, M Night Shyamalan, at Chicago's most popular TV and fiction fan nerd fest, C2E2, I became intrigued. 

First of all, the entire cast was extremely impressive with amazing Oscar nominated supporting cast members like Melissa Leo, Juliette Lewis ,Toby Jones, Carla Gugino, Terrence Howard and of course the show's star, the still handsome and fit Matt Dillon. Dillon, nominated himself for an Oscar for his work in the 2004 film "Crash", is known primarily as a film actor who had not really been seen much on the big screen since his explosively funny portrayal as a blundering private eye in the hit "Something About Mary”. Putting all this great, mature, experienced talent together along with the involvement of wunderkind M Night Shyamalan and I figured there wasn't a way this show could flop unless there was something seriously wrong with the plot. 

The series was adapted for television and written by Chad Hodge. Now, I haven't read the successful series of books by Blake Crouch it was adapted from, which is apparently okay, as Matt mentioned in our interview that the cast was also instructed they need not read the books in order to experience the story fresh as written. 

Hodge did a fantastic job on the script, especially given that he was limited in certain elements by the ten episode series being picked up by FOX instead of a more freewheeling, R rated cable channel like Showtime, HBO or AMC. I asked M Night about this choice of networks and he felt that the limitations of prime time television actually helped the story immensely as it required the writers to infuse the script with sensuality where possible, not nudity and intelligent suspense, not constant gore, which made the show palatable for a huge mainstream audience. After seeing all ten episodes I completely agree.

Of course,  because of M Night's groundbreaking twist in his hit film the "Sixth Sense" I feared that "Wayward Pines" might try and pull off an easy and unsatisfying "this was all a dream" or "everyone is really dead" type of plot curve.  I really enjoyed that the major "secret" underlying Wayward Pines existence (which was revealed around episode five) that the entire town was actually still on earth far into the future ala "Planet of the Apes". 

There were and still are some major holes in the story, like how did Dr. Jenkins, played with mind bending creepiness by veteran actor Toby Jones keep going back and forth in time to get more groups of people?

Also, if someone told you that you and your family had been spared an end of civilization death (albeit without your permission) and forced to live in a nice little town where all the money is fake and you only need to eat, drink and show up for your fake job then enjoy your brand new house and be merry - why would so many go nuts and kill themselves? 

And the biggest hole that many Matt Dillon fans have pointed out online was that with all that super advanced scientific technology and Dillon's character's exceptional defense and fighting skills, why he wasn't able to figure out a way to detonate the bombs remotely that saved the rest of the town without blowing himself up in the process?

I don't want to dwell on those minor plot glitches because Hodge includes many very interesting and relevant ideas about the problems the human race faces right now including how these problems are affecting the minds and actions of today's youth and future generations. 

The Wayward Pines website sets the scene with this quote about the mysterious town and the "Rules" which must be followed by its citizens under threat of execution;

“Imagine the perfect American town, beautiful homes, manicured lawns, children playing safely in the streets... Now imagine never being able to leave. You have no communication with the outside world. You think you’re going insane. You must be in Wayward Pines."

"Do Not Try to Leave. Do Not Discuss the Past. Do Not Discuss Your Life Before. Always Answer the Phone if it Rings. Work Hard. Be Happy. And Enjoy Your Life in Wayward Pines."

This description of their "government" enforced lifestyle along with these eerily intrusive and nonsensical rules for living are in and of themselves a marvelous description of how many Americans and especially young people feel every day. People look at their mindless jobs, their endless struggle to make ends meet, to take care of ailing family members etc., while feeling very alone and almost as if they are going insane in a mad world they did not willingly "choose" to live in. The modern world seems - to young and old alike - to be full of rules written by privileged white men, some of which are highly intrusive, threatening, useless and even deadly.

In "Wayward Pines" Abbies (short for "aberrations") is the nickname for the creatures, once "normal" humans, who have somehow deteriorated into cannibalistic, mindless yet somewhat clever and predatory monsters.

I also enjoyed Hodges' choice that the "aberrations" were once human, not some made up aliens or animals that have suddenly become violently carnivorous, because that is exactly what is happening now all around the globe.

On an international level the Isis members who attacked all those innocent citizens in Paris which would normally be the Wayward Pines or civilized "safe place" while the Isis members are the aberrations.

In India where a woman or female child is raped every 22 minutes, the village center or city is thought to be the "Wayward Pines" (safe place) while men, rapists from these same towns who recently gang raped and in the process murdered two three year old toddlers would be considered the Abbies of that area.

In America, on a community level, the young man who walked into the Sandy Hook day school and killed 26 women and children would be the Abbie. On a family level, in any country, the family home or unit seems to be the "safe place" our youth can grow and  blossom in - but the incestuous relative or stranger rapist/serial killer who attacks and "consumes" children or kills other family members would be the Abbie, etc., etc. 

At the very end of the final episode we find out that even though the children, or "First Generation” as they are proudly called, know the truth about their imprisonment, they continue to idolize the now dead Dr. Jenkins and his methods of watching everyone on hidden cameras and publicly killing those that even speak of resisting. It was a surprising if depressing plot twist but probably realistic that vulnerable, prideful young minds once programmed for violence will continue to practice and propagate this type of behavior rather than try to revolt and create their own peaceful utopia.

Matt Dillon was a brilliant casting choice for the lead in this new type of TV mini-series, partly because of his physical ability at the age of 51, to still realistically play an action character. Dillon has proven in the past that he is both a fine dramatic and comedic actor and also because he has wisely chosen interesting roles here and there that have kept him from becoming over exposed or identified with a lot of B quality projects. Dillon had a fiercely protective and intense presence throughout that kept the show from becoming stagnant or boring. 

In this case, from a talent agent's point of view, not a critic, I think Dillon wisely agreed or even suggested to be killed off at the end of the show, that way if Wayward Pines was a flop, he would be instantly onto the next project, no harm no foul. If Wayward Pines turned out to be a huge success, the writers could easily dream up some way to revive his character from the past, perhaps even through flashbacks alone, which would put Dillon in an excellent bargaining position for future episode rates. 

The final episode seemed to imply that the actor Charlie Tahan who played Matt Dillon's son was going to follow in Dillon's footsteps as the lead actor of the second season. However, Tahan, as good as he is as a sensitive young actor, is just not appealing, sexy or strong enough to carry this show. But who knows? Hot, new, young characters may be introduced that will effectively preserve the show's adult "sexy" factor. 

If the writing and major adult, character actor involvement in the plot lines continues, I am convinced that a second season of Wayward Pines will be a hit even without Matt Dillon's presence. However I agree with many other viewers who have expressed their opinions through social media that they will have little or no interest in the show if Dillon's character is actually finished. Matt Dillon's sexy, strong and urgently heartfelt portrayal as the rescuer in Wayward Pines will not be easy to replace, especially if he and others are replaced by less mature actors in their 20's to just satisfy a younger audience. 

Dillon's next project is Zach Braff’s remake of “Going In Style”. Matt Dillon will costar alongside Michael Caine, Alan Arkin, Morgan Freeman and the ageless Ann-Margaret due out in May of 2016. 

Also, after our interview Dillon expressed a strong desire to direct again as he did quite well critically by writing, directing and starring in his directorial debut "City of Ghosts" which also starred James Caan and Gerard Depardieu. Dillon has also been working on a documentary about Afro-Cuban musician El Gran Love.  

Wayward Pines is a production of FX Productions. The series was developed for television by Chad Hodge and executive-produced by Donald De Line, Ashwin Rajan Hodge and Shyamalan. Hodge wrote and Shyamalan directed the premiere episode and the second season is set to debut in the summer of 2016.