Thanks - Credits

Thanks to Bad In Latin and Nathan Fillion Online who I "borrowed" most of the images from. And imdb.com for some of the Content Descriptions (i got a tad lazy as time went on!)

The instability of my career (ie. extra time on my hands at the moment), plus Tuesday night's screening of Serenity added with the admiration I felt for the blogger when I stumbled upon The Patrick Dempsey Film Guide one night has lead to the creation of this blog. And the decision to view - or in most cases re-watch - every Nathan Fillion feature I can get my hands on.

Whether best known as Johnny from Two Guys, Caleb on BtVS or Mal on Firefly, Nathan Fillion can be best described as "the entire package: dramatic, comedic, romantic." (thank Joss Whedon for that quote. I haven't had the fortunate opporunity to meet the Captain...yet)

So come now gentle readers and join me as we journey into the career of a man who has not only been called the next Harrison Ford but can make the clergy look pretty *damn* sexy.

Captain Tightpants, I salute you.

Rating System:
Each feature has been rated out of 25, as explained below.
Content (out of 5): The overall plot of the film/television program or featured episode.
Production (out of 5): The writing, themes, direction, score of the feature.
Acting (out of 5): NF's acting, those in his scenes and anyone else who graces the screen.
Hair (out of 5): Captain's overall attractiveness in the scalp/facial region. What can I say? I'm a girl who likes a man with a good haircut.
Bonus (up to 5): These include any little things worthy of extra points, ie. shirtless/sex scene, demonstration of a extraordinary talent. Or a little moment where the glint in Captain's eye gets us all giddy with joy.

Serenity

SERENITY (2005) - Mal

Mal: Do you want to be Captain?

Jayne: Yeah, I do.

Mal: Oh. [beat] Well, you can't!

Content (4): 500 years in the future, the crew of Serenity find themselves running from a skilled Alliance operative who will stop at nothing to retreive River, a telepathic teenager who can shed the truth on 'Miranda'.
Production (5): Coming from the creator of Buffy and Angel you know Serenity's going to be up there with wit, timeliness, comedy and drama. And the everlasting theme of family/togetherness and heroic individuals coming together to battle a greater force. As someone who has seen few sci-fi features I was impressed with the design and special effects.
Acting (5): He sitting next to me during the movie leaned over at one point all giddy, "he's like a young Han Solo in both looks and acting!" I agreed. NF's acting was the best I've seen. His commanding force, the pain, the humour. In addition, it's funny that two actors that bugged me in Angel were interesting and appealling in this movie. Now i know it was the characters written for them in Angel, not the actors that bugged me. Cast do a great job.
Hair (5): Nicely tousled. And ruffled in certain scenes. Two thumbs up. The bloodied left eye post climatic fight scene was a tad freaky but didn't deter from the Captain's charm.
Bonus (3): Shirtless scene, humourous incognito outfit (who knew red gowns looked so good on men) and the tight pants are all worthy of a bonus point each.

Total: 22

Up next Dracula 2000...

Dracula 2000

DRACULA 2000 (2000)- Father David

Father David: I'm sorry Mary, she never told me. Not a thing.

Content (2): Modern day adaptation of the classic Dracula story.
Production (2): Don't really understand why the dvd case says '2000' yet the opening credits of the movie display 'Dracula 2001'. Direction, typical of the horror genre.
Acting (2): Not much to work with but believable portrayal of Father David. It's a shame Christopher Plummer left the Von Trapp family in the Austrian Alps considering the unfortunate fate her met in this film. And don't get me started on the other actors - most of them are B-grade for a reason.
Hair (2.5): Short, neat and tidy. No doubt a pre-requisite for joining the priesthood.
Bonus (1): Two scenes hardly seems worth the $1.50 I paid to rent it, but NF's survival is worth an extra point.

Total: 9.5 That's 99 mins of my life I'll never get back.

Up next Saving Private Ryan...

Saving Private Ryan

SAVING PRIVATE RYAN (1998) - Minnesota Ryan (Private James Fredrick Ryan)

Pvt. James Fredrick Ryan: [starts sobbing] Oh, my God, my brothers are dead. I was gonna take 'em fishing when we got home. How - How did they die?

Captain Miller: They were killed in action.

Pvt. James Fredrick Ryan: No, that can't be. They're both - That ... That can't be. My brothers are still in grammer school.

Content (4.5): Following the D-Day invasion, a squad of American soldiers are assigned the mission to find Private James Ryan whose three brothers have been killed in combat.
Production (4.5): Brutally realistic and historical, Saving Private Ryan is worthy of the 5 Academy Awards it won in 1998 (Best Director, Cinematography, Film Editing, Sound and Sound Effects Editing).
Acting (5): As Minnesota Ryan, NF is limited to only one scene which is nonetheless pivotal to the entire film. You can see the heartbreak in his eyes and hear it in his voice when he thinks his grammer school brothers have been killed. Entire squad is well cast and portray each soldier with the respect their real-life counterparts deserve. Additional thumbs up to Ed Burns for the resentment he conveys towards Ryan and the mission.
Hair (3.5): Better than Dracula 2000, not as good as Serenity. Standard military-issued haircut but the Captain wears it well.
Bonus (1): No use of the rifle he's holding or even taking part in combat but gotta give him a bonus point for the cute little trip over the rock without falling flat on his face!

Total: 19.5

Up next Buffy the Vampire Slayer...

Jade Empire

JADE EMPIRE (2005) xbox - Gao the Lesser

Gao the Lesser - "There are always victims, always weaklings. You could live a thousand lives, and still someone would be begging for your help."

Content (3.5): After their martial arts school burns down in a violent attack, an orphan embarks on a journey through the Jade Empire, taking on thieves, assassins, pirates and angry ghost spirits ... not that I personally reached any of this. The Spirit Cave was hard enough for me!
Production (4): I'll be honest - this is the first RPG game I've played. And I didn't take to it. Too wordy with all the Q&A sessions and I was left wondering 'what could've been' if I picked an alternate question/answer. Or even a different starting character. Nonetheless, controls are easy for the beginner to pick up, characters are designed and voiced realistically and the landscape/surrounds are beautifully created. Extra point for Bioware's creation of a 'new' ancient Asian language.
Acting (3.5): Son of Gao the Greater, Gao the Lesser is the school's arrognant and cocky student that views himself above everyone else. While there are the tiniest hints of his natural twang, NF plays up Gao's arrogance and provides voice to a bad spirited character. Funnily enough, John Cleese, Will Friedel (older bro from Boy Meets World) and Armin Shimerman (Principal Synder) also provide their talent to the game ... not that I can list which characters they were!
Hair (1): Well obviously the character in the game doesn't look like NF since it is set in a mystical and ancient Chinese kingdom. Gao's hair is long, tied back and to be honest, makes him look like a prissy nob!
Bonus (-1): Game came with a bonus 'making of' disc with sadly no NF footage in it. Minus points for that!

Total: 11 I can't play RPG. And so I'll wait til Sierra or EA makes another Buffy game (that features Caleb) or better still, a Serenity/Firefly game.

Up next Miss Match...

Miss Match

MISS MATCH (2003) - Adam Logan

Seven episodes (#1.11 - #1.18)

Kate - "And you, how many times do I have to say no. You're over-bearing, bullish and you're having a freaking baby!"

Adam - "But you like me."

Kate - "Actually ... no I don't."

Content (3.5): Divorce lawyer, Kate Fox runs a successful match-making business in between cases, only to find herself falling for one of her clients.
Production (4): I get the feeling I was one of the very few Australians that watched this show, considering any mention of it to those I'd be talking to would result in childish giggling and amazement that I'd sit through it. But hey, what's not to like? Cool Macy Gray theme song, Alicia Silverstone in a corporate Clueless role and two hotties in the form of the Captain and David Conrad vying for Alicia's affections. Could be considered a predictable take on the romantic comedy genre but script is witty and timely, so I liked it.
Acting (4): The majority of NF's scenes are with Silverstone and Conrad and the three have a dynamic chemistry. Another cocky character, he's smart, rich and a major flirt - NF plays it perfectly! No complaints about the rest of the cast's range. Also, good to see another Buffyverse actor (Charisma Carpenter) pop up in the series in an amusing reaccurring role.
Hair (3.5): The man looks good.
Bonus (4): Some lip-locking and bedroom scenes. Plus as arrogant as his character was, NF's charm and cuteness were undeniable. And David Conrad deserves an extra point too - how can that man not have his own series?!

Total: 19 I wish they never axed this show.

Up next BtVS sometime soon...

Buffy the Vampire Slayer

BUFFY THE VAMPIRE SLAYER (2003) - Caleb

Five episodes (#7.18 - #7.22)

Buffy/First - "Do you think I'm God?"

Caleb - "I certainly do not. I am beyond concepts like that."

Buffy/First - "But you still wear the outfit."

Caleb: "Man can't turn his back on what he come from. Besides, black is slimming. Everyone knows that."

Content (5): If you haven't at least heard of BtVS, you've been living under a rock. Chosen to fight demons and save the world. Into every generation a slayer is born. The Chosen One.
Production (5): You did good Joss. VERY GOOD.
Acting (5): Ah the role that made me wake up and see the talent of Mr Fillion (no offence, Two Guys and a Girl). There was just something about him: the accent, the preaching, the evilness, the cockiness, the beating the $hit out of those annoying potentials. And he saved season seven from the brink of crapness...c'mon we all know it went downhill after Graduation Day.
Hair (2): Well he has it, so that's something. But the flattened fringe makes him look more like the 6th member of the Beatles than a hottie.
Bonus (3): Southern accent, kicking Buffy's arse, being the first male Big Bad to look attractive - well not counting Angelus...and yes, Harry Groener I'm sure you were a hottie back in the day. No points for poking out Xander's eye cause that just started him on a endless progression of humourless eye jokes!

Total: 20

Ordeal in the Artic

ORDEAL IN THE ARTIC (1993) - Master Warrant Officer Tom Jardine

MWO Jardine: Switch places with me it might be a little warmer.

Content (3): In 1991 a Canadian military plane crashes in the Artic, with survivors struggling to stay alive with minimal supplies, dim hopes of rescue and a storm approaching. Based on true events.
Production (2.5): Snow, wind, ice, and a crashed plane. Plenty of b-grade 'made for tv' acting and a lot of cold actors rugged up in beanies, snow jackets and ugg boots.
Acting (2.5): His first professional acting job. Barely recognisable when he's dying in the snow. Also, is it strange that every actor in the movie sounded more like The Captain than NF himself? I knew every country has a different accent but I didn't realise the Canadians had such a different twang to the Yanks.
Hair (2): Early 90s boy band haircut. Enough said.
Bonus (1): Well his character's early death doesn't warrant any bonus points (since he was in the movie for like 10 mins) but the fact it was better than Dracula 2000 is worthy of something...

Total: 11.5

Up next Firefly...

Firefly

FIREFLY (2002) - Captain Malcolm 'Mal' Reynolds

Jayne: [into radio] Testing. Captain, can you hear me?
Mal: I'm standing right here.
Jayne: [into radio] You're coming in good and loud, too.
Mal: 'Cause I'm standing right here.

Content (3.5): Five hundred years in the future, a renegade crew aboard a small, mobile, spacecraft tries to survive as they travel the unknown parts of the galaxy and evade warning factions as well as authority agents out to get them.
Production (3.5): TV show isn't as slick as the movie (as can be expected) but it's Joss Whedon so can't complain. At first, the only drawcard was The Captain but the more I watch it the more I'm starting to feel for the other eight characters...even craazzy River!
Acting (5): Second to BtVS as the best acting I've seen by The Captain. Rest of the barely known cast hold their own. And in the words of Chandler Bing, could Alan Tudyk (and his little dinosaurs) be any cuter?!
Hair (4): First up, what the hell is that mullet thing The Captain is growing in the behind-the-scenes featurette?! (On a side note, there seemed to be a constant theme of mullets on both females and males at this year's ARIAs so maybe they're back in??) But back to The Captain, I don't approve of the mullet, but to all the guys I've ever met please take note: shiny goo in one's hair ie. gel does not look attractive. Please just accept that the frat-boy haircut is universally attractive and model your hairstyle on Captain Tightpants! (Or at least replace the gel with wax)
Bonus (5): The episode Trash, the gag reel, the cross-dressing, audio commentary (singing the theme song with Alan Tudyk), speaking Mandarian, the tightpants, the tales of getting dirt in one's tightpants! Oh heck, the list could go on forever. No wonder NF ranks Firefly the best job he's had - he explored a bigger range of acting and behind the scenes opportunities in this Joss Whedon production than in all his other projects put together!

Total: 21

He's all kinds of naked!

Blast From the Past

BLAST FROM THE PAST (1999) - Cliff

Cliff: Well, well, well. Don't we clean up nice?

Content (3): Romantic comedy about a naive man who comes out into the world after being in a nuclear fallout shelter for 35 years.
Production (3): Cute, little movie and script that is complimented by it's set/costume design and musical score (the 60s meets the 90s).
Acting (3): NF yet again portraying that cocky charmer (cough*bastard*cough) he does so well. What happened Dave Foley? You were once so funny in Newsradio, now it's just really bad gay characters. Standout is the Coal Miner's Daughter herself - Sissy Spacek.
Hair (2): He looks like he's still carrying around a bit of babyfat, but looks good in a suit. Another floppy 90s boyband do. Eek!
Bonus (2): Have to give him a point of withstanding Adam's (Brendon Fraser) defensive attack and who doesn't love a good ole dance scene ... even though the Captain was not involved.

Total: 13

Water's Edge

WATER'S EDGE (2003) - Robert

Robert: If I own up to this and explain myself, I'm doing it by phone from my lawyer's office in New York.

Molly: Look at her.

Robert: Look at me. I've got blood on me, from two different people.

Content (3): An author and his wife find themselves in a web of deceit, murder and sexual conspiracy when they stumble upon a woman being beaten in the woods by a smalltown sheriff.
Production (2.5): Musical score is soulful, instrumental piano pieces. Issues of morality and justice are raised but overall the film is a typical Under $10 movie.
Acting (3.5): Good to see NF in a starring role (and not a two scene appearance), shame it was opposite some b-grade actors. The Captain successfully portrays heartbreak, pain and anger in the character of Robert. Chandra West gives a good portrayal of a mother heartbroken from the loss of her daughter.
Hair (3.5): A tad longer than Mal but not as fringey as Caleb, NF's hair is looking mighty fine. Have you ever noticed that NF has a Homer Simpson-like six o'clock shadow that is the darn cutest thing?! Bonus (3): Couple of shirtless and kissing scenes, and a few scenes featuring the Captain running.

Total: 15.5 In terms of a NF movie, it was worth every penny spent on it.