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Reviews
Nathan for You: Dumb Starbucks (2014)
The eternal brilliance of Dumb Starbucks
Revisited it again recently. It is really one of the most masterful comedic moments in television (excuse the hyperbole).
If you haven't heard of it, the setup is basically Fielder convinces a local Los Feliz coffee shop owner to "re-brand" his shop by establishing himself under a "parody law", arguing that calling it "Dumb" Starbucks would not get him into trouble because it would clearly be seen as a satirical "installment".
I won't spoil it here, but the rest, as they say, is history. (i.e. Check Yelp). It's the "true" parts of this episode that make it stand above the other ironic, sardonic and irreverent content out there. What Fielder accidentally stumbles into, we witness in real time...
And it is glorious.
Birdman or (The Unexpected Virtue of Ignorance) (2014)
Michael Keaton's Comeback
Everybody loves a great comeback story. This was Michael Keaton's turn. Although he became recognizable in 1989 for starring in the blockbuster hit "Batman," his career had faded in recent years. But "Birdman," placed Keaton back in the public eye with a compelling performance that is clearly a standout in his 40-year career.
Keaton plays a washed-up actor known for his role as the superhero Birdman. The parallels to Batman are meta, of course, and this is one of the great examples of life imitating art. It's also mapped out with a seemingly singular "one-shot", with no visible cuts for the entire film (a la "Rope").
When it was released, the snobs claimed "Whiplash" was the superior independent film. They were wrong. Though Whiplash is certainly a wonderful movie, it doesn't have the epic artistic scope, story depth, or cinematic mastery of this masterpiece.
Breaking Bad (2008)
Best Character Arc in Television
Walter White: From simple, high school science teacher to notorious meth cook and gangster - rarely has a show explored a singular character with so much depth and flare. One of the very few shows that checks off all the boxes; cinematography, charters, tension, and family.
As the season progresses, Walter (Cranston) navigates his partnership with Jesse (Paul) with love, hate, manipulation and mentorship. It's their tumultuous relationship that anchors the.chemistry of the show, and their journey together that makes this simply the best television series of all time.