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Reviews
Northern Exposure: Jules et Joel (1991)
The one episode of this great show to skip
I'm a huge northern exposure fan! Unfortunately, unlike every other episode of this fantastic series, this episode has almost no continuity to the rest of the show. Feel free to skip. Every plot and subplot leads to nowhere. Although it gives Rob Morrow a chance to stretch his chops as an actor, his alter-ego is just a cliche, stereotypical New Yorker straight out of a Scorsese parody. There IS a reiteration of the romance between Maurice Minnifield and officer Barbara Semanski, but by the next episode we're already back in it. If you've seen Avatar; The Last Airbender, it's the "Great Divide" of Northern Exposure.
Lady Ballers (2023)
Insightful, clever, and funny
If you're a fan of the Daily Wire and their stable of commentators, this is a solid 10. Much like how early Kevin Smith movies were enhanced by an audience's familiarity with his "veiwaskewniverse", the instant recognition of the DW talent, and the issues explored in the film, strike a chord with anyone who considers the "DW Backstage" their Oscars ceremony.
The script is also reminiscent, if not a little sharper and more mature, than early Kevin Smith films. In fact, this may be a film whose script is more entertaining to read than to see played out on screen.
The biggest surprise of the film is a breakout performance by DW's god/king, Jeremy Boreing. I never would have guessed he could pull off a male lead, but his portrayal of the ne'er-do-well divorced former high school basketball coach in desperate search of one last win, is played with just the right mix of cynicism and integrity.
The message of the film is timeless, even if the frame it's built on is a modern social issue;
"Winners are just losers that do the right thing"
The Sinner: Part IV (2020)
Bad writing
This episode, and most of this season, sound like it was written by a fourteen year old after sitting in on one day of a philosophy class. I get the feeling they're trying to recreate Dexter without understanding anything about what made that show work.
Blown Away (2019)
Elitist pretension meets shallow reality TV
Some very good glass blowers, who are also mostly flakey, postmodernist types, compete for the title of "most socially progressive artist" through pretentious exhibits. Missing personality and fun.
Mank (2020)
Ironically lacks irony
The fact that Upton Sinclair is portrayed as merely the victim of political propaganda and not THE pioneer of modern socialist propaganda, betrays the film's lack of any historical context and lack of any sense of irony.