Tell me no Lies

The irrepressible and egoistical Cal Lightman (Tim Roth) challenges the world at large to Lie to Me (TV Series), as the Lightman Group uses visual clues to uncover human deception. With a team consisting of partner Gillian Foster (Kelli Williams), Eli Loker (Brendan Hines), Ria Torres (Monica Raymund), and the occasional appearances of Lightman’s ex-wife Zoe (Jennifer Beals), Lightman uses natural talent at interpreting microexpressions, and applied psychology, to solve anything from hostage situations and other national crises, to marital disputes. Cal’s character is loosely based upon the character of pre-eminent applied psychologist Paul Ekman, and the series widely uses the Facial Action Coding System and other branches of applied psychology. I was hooked by the first few episodes – which was the general reaction to the series, as well. On the other hand, Lie to Me does begin to flag into the third season, with a marked paucity of ideas for underlying cases, and a hackneyed cast

16/20

Bring Home the Book

Eli (Denzel Washington) is a lonely man in a post-apocalyptic dystopia. He hunts his own food, and works his way westwards across the wasteland that America has become. Also, he carries a King James Bible – The Book of Eli – and through many readings of it comes to know of its power to motivate, and it becomes his purpose to hand the book to that which lies west. On the way he reaches a hick-town dominated by one tyrant – Carnegie (Gary Oldman) – who is in search of the book himself, as he looks for a means to control the minds of people. On threat of much pain to the mother (Jennifer Beals) he sends daughter Solara (Mila Kunis) on an errand to find out more about Eli. Eli and Solara end up destroying the little evil empire of Carnegie, and deliver the Book into safe hands that hopefully hold the key to humanity. Very clearly a very Catholic movie for the God-fearing kind, the morality tale does not fall through because it never is pretentious nor pompous, but continues in the even dark backdrop and, adjusted for our general cynicism with all things religious, leaves us with a spattering of hope

12.5/20