House of Cards – Season 2

House of Cards - Season 2

If the first season of House of Cards made one thing clear it was that Francis and Claire Underwood (Kevin Spacey and Robin Wright) want to be at the top of the political foodchain. They are both predators who together set up their plan of attack and don’t hesitate to use any means necessary to achieve their goals. Criticism is something they don’t allow and opponents (whether political or in the media) have to play along or face the consequences of their lust for power personally. It was exactly the reason which made the first season of House of Cards so fascinating and compelling. Political allies were play things who could be swept aside without emotion if it meant an advantage for the Underwoods. Reporter Zoe Barnes (Kate Mara) knew to gain the trust of Francis, which made her a rising star in journalism because she always received the latest information straight from Capitol Hill.

As Netflix released the whole first season in one day it was possible for fans to devour a whole season in just a few days. The last episode left people hungry for more and since Valentine’s Day the fans have been able to enjoy 13 new episodes. With their ruthless methods Francis and Claire succeeded in creating many enemies. The question is whether they will be a threat to them in this second season. Continue reading

State of Play (2009)

Cal McAffrey (Russel Crowe) is working as a journalist for The Washington Globe. He’s been in the business for years. The rise of blogs written by staff of the Globe are a threat to him as they are mostly gossip with no proper investigation done.
When he was still in college he was close with Stephen Collins (Ben Affleck), who has managed to become a succesful senator and is leading a public hearing about the privatisation of the army. When Collins’s assistant suddenly dies it becomes very clear that she meant a lot to him. The media swarm him and as he needs to escape all the attention he turns to his old friend McAffrey.
When he convinces McAffrey that the death of his assistant was no accident the journalist decides to investigate the true reason of her death. It’s the start of uncovering a big story in which he has to go to the limits of his friendship in order to discover the truth. Continue reading