You thought I forgot about you, my fellow badboy fanatics. Didn’t you? Well, I didn’t. Because today, we’re celebrating: Gaston. I guess I’ve been a bit off ever since birth (or at least soon after) because I remember watching Beauty and the Beast when it first came out – and when I saw Gaston, I ignored how into himself he was and thought Belle was a dumbass and a half.. Read More
Root for the villain: The Joker (and Ledger)
For our next RFTV, let’s give Heath Ledger’s “Joker” a round of applause. This character was one to root for two fold because the story had legs to it. And those legs were rooted in a sad reality, even though we see the final product of a fantastical classic narrative – which also has layers: a comic hero (Bale’s Batman, “The Dark Knight”) and his nemesis played to perfection by.. Read More
Root for the villain: Lester Ballard
Quickly answer this: Could you identify with a necrophiliac? Aha! Because I’m psychic, I know that your first thoughts just went to Ted Bundy, didn’t they? Indeed, it’s hard to break away from the associations that icons – be they infamous or just famous – usher to the forefront of our minds. We know that Dahmer ate biceps because he was too lazy to go to the gym and make.. Read More
Root for the villain: Dexterrrrr
… tonight we root for Dexter. Or, ya know. We can just start now while it’s still sunny. Mmmyes. The creators of Dexter got this so very right – and they did an epic job of laying the emotional groundwork from the outset. Season one, episode one shoots an empathy arrow straight into the cardiac cavity of the audience watching with bated breath. It would be quite an undertaking to.. Read More
Root for the villain: Alex DeLarge
Welcome to a new series, where I encourage you to root for the bad guys of film. Feel confused about that animal attraction you have to the sociopathic rapist? Shh… shhh. Don’t try to fight it. I can help you understand why cinema psychos are your bread and butter. And speaking of dairy food, we’ll start with the milk-drinking droog of Kubrik’s A Clockwork Orange. It’s hard to hate Alex.. Read More