Reviews

COOL! That is the best adjective to describe this series. Conrad has created one of the coolest dramedy series in recent memory. He also pens and directs some episodes. This series has superlative direction, writing, cinematography and settings. However the soundtrack and acting are outstanding. This series gave me a new appreciation for folk music and had me dusting off my Dylan and Simon & Garfunkel vinyl. I also dusted off my Beasties, "Paul's Boutique" and "Ill Communication". If the soundtrack was available on vinyl, I would have purchased it immediately. All of the actors such as O'Quinn, Chernus, Opheim, McClaren, Junior, Winger and Fitzpatrick just to name a few are superb. I found Dorman and Smith to be commanding. John is described as a sad man in a suit and Dorman absolutely nails it! He is also a folk music artist in real life. The plot is pretty simple. Or is it? John Tavner is a worn down non-official cover operative. His latest mission which is assigned to him by his father Tom is to deliver a bag of cash from point A to point B. Point B is Luxembourg and the drop will prevent Iran from having nuclear capabilities. John knows it is never as simple as it seems and never has been. His cover is to become an engineer at the Milwaukee based industrial piping company McMillan because the company does business in Luxembourg which does business with Iran. McMillan moves sources from point A to point B via the Structural Dynamics of Flow. An example is Donnely nut spacing and cracked system rim-riding grip configuration, using a field of half seized sprats and brass-fitted nickel slits, bracketed caps and splay-flexed brace columns vent dampers to dampering depths of 1/2 meter from the damper crown to the spurv plinth and so on. Not so simple. In fact it's apparent the process is complex and it is symbolic of John's bag drop and the plot. Right from the get when John has to push his competitor for the McMillan job in front of a bus his mission gets compounded and continues to do so throughout the series. John attracts the attention of Dt. Agathe in Luxembourg when he has to kill one of five Brazilian jiu-jitsu brothers. Most importantly he catches the attention of his supervisor at McMillan Leslie who could blow his entire cover. The bottom line is John's mission turns into a beguiling and zany adventure. The events unfold during a time period from 2012 to 2017. We learn of the events through deposition tapes of Tom. The series also jumps back and forth in periods of time. We are introduced to a slew of vivacious characters; his brother Cool Rick, wannabe spy Dennis, security guard Birdbath, Icabod who has an uncanny resemblance, Gregory who wonders why John has an extra number in his social security card, Rob Saperstein who is his former folk singing partner and many more. I could examine themes and scrutinize this series, but it is just so lighthearted I don't feel like getting into it. I felt like I was watching a Wes Anderson film in a few episodes. It's very amusing. I enjoyed it for the entertainment and it made me feel chilled and relaxed, although it is thrilling at times. The premise is extremely intriguing. My inherent curiosity did ignite a desire to do a bit of research. In 2014 a Wisconsin project on nuclear arms control report by Lincy & Milholin based on international atomic energy agency data concluded Iran could produce weapons grade uranium. Just an interesting fact and by no means is it meant to take away from this delightful series. My favorite episode was season 2, ep. 6 when we see John smiling and enjoying time with friends and family. This series is cathartic, quirky, insightful and hysterical. It is ingenious and at the very top in it's genre. It's so cool!

I was reluctant to write a review on this series for one major reason. The reason is that I would have to step outside my normal format as this series deserves more. I've only done this once before. So I'm just going to let it flow as far as this series because I do not believe a format would show the respect this series deserves. This series had my mind thinking on so many different levels. I'm not going to go into detail regarding the plot or storylines as this series transcends that. There is a bigger picture. I was 19 years old when this horrific incident and trial took place. I remember seeing it on the news and having it capture my attention. I am embarrassed to say, but it was brief as I was more concerned with Nintendo and street hockey as opposed to social injustice. That is the truth however and I admit it. That is what this series exposes, TRUTH. Taking into consideration dramatization this series probes the truth about racism, the justice system, corruption, politics, media and the general state of this country in 1989. The same types of injustice were exposed in the riveting and controversial, "Paradise Lost" documentary series. In that instance three innocent boys, the West Memphis 3, had to plead guilty via an Alford plea after serving over 18 years in prison. Millions, including the state of AR, believed a new trial would have completely exonerated the WM3 based on new exculpatory evidence. This occurred in 1993. Sadly enough these conditions still exist today. I do want to say that Ava DuVernay has created a bravura series. Everyone involved in this series should be applauded for their bravery. This series has ingenious direction, writing, cinematography, soundtrack, settings, props, costume and acting. The veteran actors such as Farmiga, Leguizamo, Williams, Huffman and Sadler to name just a few are superb. As far as the younger actors, I can not recall any film or series where I have been more impressed than with Harris, Blackk, Herisse, Jerome and Rodriguez in this series. Their portrayals are emotive powerhouse performances. This series evoked every emotion I can think of from this viewer including sadness, shame, joy, hope, disgrace and so on. I can't even list the entire envelope of emotions. As I've grown my beliefs have held fast, however my overall worldview has evolved. I believe the majority of this country is comprised of decent human beings. When they refer to the Central Park 5 as animals, that is the minority in this country. I don't mean minority as in race, I mean it in the sense of few. In this viewer's opinion it does not matter if your African American, White, Asian, Latino or any ethnicity when it comes to hatred. Hatred is something hidden deep inside. Whether it be the brain, heart or soul is arbitrary. It can be inherent or taught. One thing is for sure, if hatred is practiced by an individual then the individual lacks human cognition to decipher between right and wrong. Spike Lee showed us this in, "Do The Right Thing". This series ranks right up there with Lee's best joints. This series brilliantly examines racism, discrimination and the destruction that follows. It scrutinizes the affects on the individuals, their families, their friends and their futures. There is symbolism such as when Kevin blows on his trumpet after the verdict. It's symbolic of a bugle reveille, as in wake up America! This series tackles monumental subject matter with such boldness that if the message is not clear then something is not firing properly. With that being said, I thought my eyes were wide open. This series has me thinking perhaps my eyes are still half closed. I know it is a wake up call for me. The fight for social justice continues to this day which is what makes this series resonate and makes it so relevant. I wonder if the word Us is a sort of subtle homograph meant to represent the 5 as well as the U.S. as a whole? This is a nearly flawless masterful dramatic series.

Finley helms a substantial debut dark dramedy / thriller. The film has ambitious direction, screenplay, setting, costume and acting. Taylor-Joy, Cooke and the late Yelchin deliver superlative performances. Their characters compliment eachother perfectly mostly because they each have different skill sets. The plot revolves around two friends who are reunited after several years apart. Lily is an affluent rich girl with too much time on her hands and Amanda has become a social outcast surviving on her intellect and guile. Lilly needs to get rid of her stepfather who is going to cut her off and ship her away to boarding school. Amanda is the girl with the plan and will benefit financially and socially by assisting. Neither wants to get their hands dirty so they enlist the naive Tim who is enamoured with the girls. Tim proves to be somewhat inept and this is where where the thrilling joy ride begins. The plot is crisp, clever, witty, unique, duplicitous, blazing and has a cathartic ending. There's something about two sociopaths plotting the demise of a despicable narcissist that seems so right in this movie. The film definitely examines the definition of friendship. There are many memorable scenes and quotes in this film. This viewer's favorite quote is when Tim says to Lily, " You got a creepy friend". It's uproarious to believe Amanda is the only one looked at as being creepy. This is a daft and penetrating film in it's genre.

Cooper has helmed a masterpiece. This film has excellent direction, screenplay, cinematography, editing, acting and soundtrack. Bridges, Duvall, Gyllenhaal and Farrell deliver top notch performances. Bridges was born to play this character and delivers one of the finest portrayals of his career. He delivers a sensational emotive performance and was finally awarded a long overdue Oscar for Best Actor. The plot revolves around a former country music star, Bad Blake who has now become the proverbial down on his luck alcoholic. He is reduced to playing gigs half wasted in seedy joints across the country. Eventually he runs into a reporter, Jean Craddock in one of the towns he stops in who has an interest in his life story. That interest eventually blooms into a love interest on both ends. Eventually sobering up the singer is on the rise again and comes to a crossroads in his life. He is given an opportunity by his once protege Tommy Sweet. The plot is surreal, intense, realistic, heart wrenching, redeeming and has a cathartic ending. The film examines relationships and at what cost redemption can be achieved. It almost questions whether the cost and sacrifice is worth absolution. The love story along with the accompanying music is one for the ages. This is a true work of art. I look forward to Cooper's next effort. This film is at the very top in the drama genre.

Mackenzie helms his best film to date. Sheridan's screenplay is flawless. This film has excellent direction, cinematography, screenplay, settings, score and acting. Pine, Foster and once again Bridges deliver superlative performances. This is a virtuous drama / thriller set in modern day Texas. Pine and Foster portray two characters at the opposite sides of the spectrum but whose brotherhood outweighs all else. Toby is a divorced honest father and his older brother Tanner is an ex-con. The film starts out explosive as the two brothers set out to commit a series of bank robberies in order to save the family ranch. Toby is in it strictly for his family but Tanner is in for more. He is a thrill seeking reckless outlaw. The brothers pull off a series of daring well planned robberies which catches the eye of a Texas Ranger. Bridges portrays Marcus, a cunning retiring Texas lawman whose seen and done it all. Marcus' innate abilities quickly put him on the trail of the bandits. The brothers have laundered the stolen money, buried the getaway car and returned to the family ranch. They ingeniously have a check made out to the bank that holds a mortgage on the ranch which has now been discovered to be rich in oil. Toby is hell bent on keeping the ranch in the family so that his ex-wife and children can live comfortably. The plan is to now rob one last bank which is a branch of the bank that holds the mortage that they deposited the check into. It is a brilliant duplicit act of justice for the brothers. Eventually Marcus, having the gut instinct to be at the right place at the right time, catches up to the brothers after the heist goes awry and innocent people are killed by Tanner. An epic western showdown occurs with only one brother surviving. Marcus visits the ranch at the end, which is now producing more money in a month from it's wells than all the robberies combined. He has a candid conversation with the surviving brother and the brother suggest they continue their conversation soon which leaves the ending ambiguous. In this viewer's opinion Marcus and Toby will meet up again come hell or high water. It's a masterful examination of the lawless versus the law. This film is intense, gritty, raw, blazing, realistic, violent, poetic, memorable and has a cathartic ending. This is a bravura work of art and one of the finest films in it's genre.

This is an edited review from one posted by this viewer over three months ago. At the time I gave this film a thumbs up, but I was not completely fair and did not offer the review in my complete format. This was because of having previously viewed Krasinski's, "A Quite Place". After writing hundreds of reviews this was the first time I can recall ever comparing two films directly. That is why it was unfair. This viewer has always treated films / series as individual works of art. Hence follows my review. Bier has helmed an exceptional thriller. Excellent direction, cinematography, screenplay, score and acting. All the artists involved deliver superlative performances. In particular Bullock and Malkovich stand out. The plot revolves around a women named Malorie who is independent, content with solitude and pregnant. Right from the beginning we learn that an ominous presence has created a world of madness, destruction and suicide. We learn that there is however a safe community from the presence that is accessible by river, but it is unwise to involve children in the trip. We then flash back to five years earlier when the chaos is just beginning around the world and then hits home. This ends up landing Malorie at the home of Douglas, who seems to know that danger is eminent. The plot then flashes back and forth between the trip down the river and the time spent at Douglas' home. Random individuals seek safety at the home, one being another pregnant women, and the individuals collectively determine that sight is the key to the presence driving people insane. As people come and go from the home danger always seems to follow and Douglas' self preservation is constantly being tested. On a blind trip to a supermarket an incident occurs which tips off Malorie to the fact that birds can sense when danger is near. Both Malorie and the other women deliver their children, a boy and a girl. Eventually a visitor arrives and Douglas' instincts are confirmed. This individual destroys the safe haven leaving only Malorie, the two children and Tom left. Some survivors of the presence have embraced it as beautiful and have become psychotic wanting all to experience the beauty. An encounter with these individuals leads to the film focused completely on the river, as now only Malorie and the two children known as boy and girl, and have been navigating at this point for nearly two days. During their journey the three remain blindfolded and carry a box with birds in it to warn them of the presence. Their travel down river includes an encounter with a psychotic embracer of the presence, gathering supplies, running into an obstacle which overturns their boat and finally the treacherous rapids which are a indicator that the safe community is just beyond if they can get past the rapids. The plot is crisp, unique, clever, thrilling, sublime, poetic and has a powerful ending. This is one of the best films Netflix has dropped. It is memorable and a magnificent film in it's genre.

This is an edited review this viewer originally posted from over three months ago. This viewer's first review was concise labeling this film a muddled mess of a concept. I didn't even bother to follow my standard format. It wasn't fair because this viewer really didn't give the film a chance as it was somewhat out of the norm for Ayer, but sometimes humans make mistakes. On occasion this viewer will revisit a film, which I did earlier this evening. Sometimes the review, which is essentially an opinion, won't change and sometimes it will. The latter applies here. Ayer has directed a great fantasy film. Excellent direction, screenplay, cinematography, special effects, score and acting. All of the artists involved deliver the goods. In particular Smith, Worthington and Rapace are superlative in their portrayals. Without getting into the politics, racism and other underlying themes, which are made clear and would be an insult to the intelligence to review, the plot is set in a futuristic Los Angeles and revolves around two police officers named Ward and Jakoby. Ward is a human being and Jakoby is an orc. The differences and tension between the two is immediately made clear. After a shooting incident that attracts the attention of Internal Affairs the partner's brotherhood is tested. After an arrest following the shooting, Ward and Jakoby have been enlightened with a prophecy which they brush off due to their seemingly delusional captor.The partners are betrayed by their own colleagues due to their involvement in another incident where they stumble upon a Bright named Tikka and a magic wand. This Bright and the wand are the possible key to the future of the world as the Bright and wand can prevent the rising of the Dark Lord. Throughout their journey to save the world the duo face advesaries from every direction seeking to obtain the magic wand. This includes gangs, a magic task force, elves, their own kind and more. More importantly both men truely learn about each other's struggles and a strong bond is formed. The banter that goes on between Ward and Jakoby, both serious and comedic, is spot on. The plot is duplicit, crisp, unique, clever, action packed, imaginative, intelligent, and has a poetic ending. This viewer did learn to not be so quick to judge. Bright is a very good fantasy film with a one of a kind play on the buddy cop genre.

This is an ingenious mystery drama. This series has excellent direction, writing, cinematography, setting, soundtrack and acting. The entire cast deliver top notch performances. In particular Chandler, Mendelsohn, Spacek, Cardellini and Shepard are superb. The plot revolves around the Rayburns and the dark secrets that are hidden from their Florida Keys community of which they are considered a seemingly perfect family and pillars of the community. When the family's estranged son Danny is welcomed home by some, the secretive tight knit family begins to crumble. As the series and the mystery unfolds family lies, broken bonds, a hidden past and a mysterious murderous crime involving all of the family members is revealed. The series scrutinizes family dynamics, social status, politics and absolution. The plot is unique, clever, disturbing, violent , captivating, sterling and has a cathartic ending. The creators of the show Kessler, Zelman and Kessler have offered a mesmorizing and memorable series. It remains one of the best in it's genre.

This is Duffy's first feature film and it is obvious. The film is all around overrated. The film has fair direction, screenplay, cinematography and acting. The actors do their best, which isn't very good, in this over the top film. Defoe is especially disappointing as he tries to overcompensate for the shoddy script or perhaps he was just off his game. I can just say it is not the Defoe this viewer has grown to appreciate. The plot revolves around twin brothers who set out to rid South Boston of inept mobsters through their own brand of justice and their faith. On the vigilantes trail is an eccentric, offbeat and weird detective. He is accompanied by a bumbling police force. The twins become local heroes to many especially those practicing faith. The plot is flawed, outrageous, unrealistic, unintelligent and silly. I can only try to guess that the film was attempting to scrutinize whether vengeance in the form of violence is acceptable in a faith based community. That is if there was any message Duffy was trying to convey to begin with. Sometimes over the top films work for entertainment purposes and sometimes they don't. This film falls under the latter in this viewer's opinion and is completely forgettable. At the same time it is not absolutely abysmal and some might find it entertaining.

Dinner and Moore have developed an ingenious science fiction thriller anthology series. Based on Philip K. Dick's short stories I was fascinated to learn that most of these short stories were published between 1953-1955. Just being based on the stories it is amazing that Dick was so far ahead of his time with the basic premises of the stories. This series has outstanding direction, writing, cinematography, special effects, custome, settings, soundtrack and acting. The entire cast deliver bravura performances and includes the likes of Howard, Buscemi, Cranston, Paquin, Kinnear, Enos, Farmiga, Temple and many more stellar artists. The series is a tapestry of futuristic stand alone tales that are thrilling, perplexing, crisp, intelligent and full of satire. Using technology as a source of paranoia, the stories explore the collective anxious state of mind of the world. Each story features it's own cast of prodigious and mystifying characters. The plots for each episode are clever, unique, thought provoking, insightful, duplicitous, cathartic and have stunning endings. It's a refreshing look at how technology can turn on society when in today's world people feel like they're missing out on or aren't part of something bigger if they're not participating in some form of social media. The series also scrutinizes technology turning on itself, humans using technology to turn on eachother and humans using technology to turn on themselves. My favorite episodes are, "The Hood Maker" because of it's neo-noir feeling. The second is, "Kill All Others" because it resonates in today's world. The main character sees the truth about political propaganda being spread using technology to eliminate any dissenters. This is a captivating, mesmorizing and memorable series that is at the top in it's genre.

This is a sublime dramedy series. No politically correct topic is safe from satire. It's no holds barred. This series has excellent direction, writing, soundtrack, cinematography, setting and acting. The entire cast deliver outstanding comedic performances. Macy is commanding in a superlative portrayal. His timing, delivery and facial expressions are priceless. The plot revolves around Chicago's, if not America's, most dysfunctional family the Gallaghers. In the absence of the family's father figure, the almost always inebriated Frank and who is most of the time self serving, the eldest daughter Fiona assumes the role of matriarch. She raises the family in the most unconventional manner to keep them afloat and together. All the family members are willing participants to scheme and do whatever it takes, legal or otherwise, to contribute in keeping the family home and themselves together. There is also Kevin and Veronica who live downstairs in the family home ,but they are more part of the Gallagher family than Frank if you were to ask the family. Throughout the series we see most of the main characters develope and there are always different storylines occurring at the same time. The series is clever, witty, outrageous, raunchy, uproarious, memorable, cathartic and unique. It makes one question the definition of family and what it means to be part of one. The series is a fun filled joy ride that has offered nine seasons of hilarious entertainment so far. It is one of the very best in it's genre.

Brooker has created a virtuous science fiction drama anthology. This series has outstanding direction, writing, cinematography, special effects, custome, settings, soundtrack and acting. The entire cast deliver bravura realistic performances and includes the likes of Howard, Hamm, Plemons, Kaluuya, John-Kamen, Atwell, Flynn and many more stellar artists. The series is a tapestry of futuristic and modern-day stand alone tales that are thrilling, perplexing, crisp and full of satire. Using technology as a source of paranoia, the stories explore the collective anxious state of mind of the world. Each story features it's own cast of prodigious and mystifying characters. The plots for each episode are clever, unique, thought provoking, insightful, duplicitous, cathartic and have stunning endings. It's a refreshing look at how technology can turn on society when in today's world people feel like they're missing out on or aren't part of something bigger if they're not participating in some form of social media. The series also scrutinizes technology turning on itself, humans using technology to turn on eachother and humans using technology to turn on themselves. This is a one of a kind, captivating, mesmorizing and memorable series. I look forward to viewing what the series has in store for next season.

Joffe has created and pens an ingenious crime drama. This series has exceptional direction, cinematography, writing, settings, soundtrack and acting. All of the artists involved deliver appreciable performances. In particular Hendricks, O'Reilly, Lawrie, Coopersmith, Heyerdahl and Podemski stand out. It is Roth who commands the series. The plot is set in Little Big Bear which is a peaceful town in Canada. The arrival of a new Chief of Police Jim Worth and his family seems to be going swimmingly as he fits right in with his congenial demeanor. The series starts out blazing as there is a failed assassination attempt on Jim which results in the death of his son. While this is going on the arrival of North Stream Oil company is occurring with the intent of exploiting the areas rich resources. With the arrival of North Stream comes an influx of migrant workers who are assumed to have an affect in an increase of drugs, alcohol and violence. North stream has a head a security, the cunning Louis Gagnon who promises the town to keep things in check along with North Star's PR representative Elizabeth Bradshaw. We soon learn that there is another side to Jim which comes out when you simply add alcohol. Typically ones finds courage in a bottle, but in this case we find Jim's alter ego Jack and you can drop the cou from courage because he embodies pure RAGE. Jack is summoned by his wife Angela because she knows he'll get the job done in finding their son Petey's killer. We learn of Jack's backstory in that he was a former undercover operative in London prior to moving to Canada. During his time undercover he got in too deep and became an addict with very little regard for the law. His task was simple. Get the job done at any stake. This created a vendetta with a man from his past Frank Keane in London who follows Jim to Canada seeking retribution. As the season progresses we learn more and see the development of the main characters. In the end the storylines come together, the worth family dynamics are tested and Jack finds his man. The first season has a sort of, "Hell On Wheels" feel to it. My favorite scene is when Jim starts to drink and is looking in the mirror only to see the savage stare of Jack looking back at him. It reminded me of Jack Torrance sitting at the bar in, "The Shining". As season two starts the Worth family has been divided and the daughter Anna lands in a religious Ammonite community led by Pastor Johan. We soon learn that Johan does not practice what he preaches and has gotten himself into some serious trouble with a drug cartel. As the season progresses Jack must now contend with getting his family back, dealing with Frank and trying to protect the Ammonites from impending doom. The Ammonites are not just in danger from the cartel, but they are in danger from Jack as Liverpool has dispatched a team to dispose of Jack, his family and anyone else who stands in their path because of Jack's past. Season two almost has a, "Witness" feel to it. At the end of the season a bombastic and brutal old fashioned showdown occurs which can only end with one man standing. The series is gritty, insightful, brutal, duplicitous, sterling, cathartic and has an ambiguous ending. There are many themes explored. I enjoyed the examination of family and loyalties as well as the scrutinizing of vengeance. Can killing for vengeance absolve a man from his pain and suffering? In this viewer's opinion this is a sublime crime drama and one of the better series in it's genre. I'm hoping the ending of season two leads towards a third season.

Lorre once again proves he is a masterful creator of the comedy genre. Excellent direction, cinematography, writing, settings, soundtrack and acting. All of the actors in the series deliver fine comedic performances but none are better than Douglas and Arkin. This viewer has seen both of these veteran actors in comedic roles before when they have offered great portrayals. With that being said, as a duo, the two have never been better and they are absolutely hilarious. Both actors convey their dialogue perfectly in sometimes subtle, sometimes sarcastic and sometimes flat out in your face ways. The plot revolves around a seasoned actor and his agent who have remained best friends long after their heydays. The two are reluctant to aging in a town where youth and beauty rule the stage, Los Angeles. One still runs a talent agency and the other an acting studio. During the series the men deal with their own separate issues often times lean on each other for advice which is occasionally good, bad and periodically unwelcome. The series deals with life, death, family, relationships, illness, the new breed of budding actors and much more. The plot is crisp, funny, loving, heartwarming, insightful, clever and addictive. One could easily binge this series and through pure enjoyment not realize how quickly time passed. This series is a fun filled joy ride and dominating in it's genre. This viewer looks forward towards more to come.

Leonetti helms an ample horror film. The film has adequate direction, cinematography, screenplay, settings, score and acting. This film reminded me of a good old fashion Saturday morning creature double feature when I had a few hours to be entertained before going outside. The film is like "Pitch Black" meets "The Birds" The entire cast deliver tolerable portrayals of petrified characters. The plot revolves around flying creatures known as Vesps that hunt their prey based on sound. The Vesps are accidentally released from a deep cavern in the Appalachian Mountains. A family is introduced which includes a daughter named Ally who is deaf and has a heightened sense of everything that is happening around her. Her father Hugh tells her it is a gift. Through the news the family learns that there is a state of emergency issued due to the Vesps having an appetite for humans. Through social media they learn that the key to survival is silence. The Vesps are soon spreading throughout the entire Eastern Seaboard. The family flees the area and soon has their first encounter with the creatures. This encounter teaches them how to avoid becoming a main course with the sacrifice of a family member. The family seeks refuge at a ranch but in the process the mother, Kelly, suffers an injury from a Vesp attack which leads to a life threatening infection. This forces Hugh and Ally to venture out for antibiotics and they stumble across a deserted town. There they encounter a mysterious man known as The Reverend. He writes in a book inviting Hugh and Ally to join his flock. Hugh and Ally are not interested and return to the ranch. The Reverend shows up again with his flock of maybe six? He must not be a convincing prophet. Anyway, he offers the family an opportunity to join him one more time which they refuse. Ally learns through the limited communication that still exist that the Vesps do not thrive in desolate areas with no power and cold temperatures. The Reverend returns to kidnap Ally and a battle ensues. The plot is droll, daft, flawed, passable, lethargic and has a less than cathartic ending. This film is meant to be entertaining with the intention of evoking some chills and jolts. If there are any worldly themes meant to be conveyed this viewer didn't catch them other than humans having the ability to adapt. There are a few thrilling scenes but none of which are hair-raising, spine-tingling or will cause sleepless nights. I'm on the fence whether to like or dislike this film. I'm going with dislike for two reasons. First, there is much better content available right now that delivers horrific and nightmarish chills. Secondly, just because the film was nostalgic for this viewer does not mean it was time well spent. I could have been revisiting, "Stranger Things" in preparation for the next season in July. As a note I have reviewed several hundred films / series on three major sites. Becoming exceptional at one's passion is a learning process. One lesson I learned is to not compare two works directly, even if the premise is the same. Whose to say a viewer might not enjoy or gather insight from one film as opposed to the other and vice versa. This is why you will never read a 'Must Watch' or 'Don't See' in my reviews. I leave that up to the reader to decide as it is a matter of opinion which is what a review is essentially. Again that's just my opinion.

This series captures the essence of Joseph Heller's anti-war novel which I've read many times. Mike Nichol's tried to do so in his 1970 film, but fell short because of, in this viewer's opinion, the limitation of two hours not being enough time to adapt the novel. I believe the novel is a brilliant commentary on the lunacy of war as Heller saw it, which was ahead of it's time. This dark dramedy does an exceptional job displaying the satire and insanity that is expressed in the novel. This series has excellent direction, settings, soundtrack, costume and acting. However the cinematography is outstanding as well as the writing of Michod and Davies. All of the actors deliver superlative performances. In particular Abbott, Laurie, Stewart and Pullman stand out. Clooney's limited time in the series as Lieutenant Scheisskopf is worth it. His dialogue delivery, facial expressions and gesticulations are absolutely priceless. The same goes for Chandler as Colonel Cathcart throughout the series. The plot is set during WWII in Italy and revolves around a squadron of bombardier pilots with the central character being Yossarian A.K.A. Yo-Yo. He is the one man that seems to understand how egregious his situation is and the war is in general, pun intended. With the Germans retreating, Yo-Yo figures out that by convalescence he can get out of completing his required flight missions which starts out at 19. This is where Catch-22, which was coined by Heller, comes into play. Catch-22 is a diabolical military rule which states that if a man declares he is insane to get out of duty, well then he must be a sane man because you'd have to be crazy to fly bombardier missions to begin with therefore you are sane and you can't be discharged from duty. Essentially for all you readers that are unfamiliar with the phrase, it is a situation that is impossible to get out of. To top this off the maniacal Cathcart keeps upping the number of missions needed to complete one's duty and it always happens when a man is just a few missions from completing his duty. The series has all of the main characters from the novel; Yo-Yo, Cathcart, de Coverley, Scheisskopf, Milo, Aardvark, Nurse Duckett, Major Major Major ( that's not a typo) and more. The series does a marvelous job examining certain characters such as de Coverley as he navigates the war in the background as sort of a neutral character who hides in plain sight, Mess Officer Milo as he escapes flying missions by becoming a war profiteer, Major Major Major Major as he gets by solely because of having a name that was given to him as a practical joke by his father and Nurse Duckett who is on Yo-Yo's side but sees right through him.. As the missions grow from 19 to 25 to 30 to 55 the stakes get higher for Yo-Yo as he continues to try to find ways to beat the bureaucracy such as flying 11 missions quickly and handing in paperwork all at once before the missions can be raised again. We see the men during down time tying to enjoy a normal life during the most sinister of times. The series scrutinizes what lengths men are pushed to during the stress of war time and what lengths they'll go to in order to rid themselves of the madness. There are so many memorable quotes and scenes in the series. If I had to choose a quote it is when Scheisskopf asks a stenographer to read me back what I just said and the stenographer replies, "Read me back what I just said". The look on Scheisskopf's face is uproarious. My favorite scene would have to be when Cathcart is berating the squadron on how they missed this huge target in Rome only to have one of the men point out that it is Vatican City. The series is crisp, insightful, captivating, cathartic, duplicitous, gritty, daft, certifiable and blazing. In this viewer's opinion the series does a pronounced job in adapting the novel and respectfully conveys Heller's message. Catch-22 is beguiling and superior in the dark dramedy genre.

Blackman and Slater have created a fantastic superhero series. I'm not a comic book, DC or Marvel universe viewer typically, but I have watched both films and series of the genre so I do have something to compare to. I was hooked and binged this season in one day. Excellent direction, writing, special effects, cinematography, soundtrack and acting. All the actors involved deliver top notch performances so for once I won't single anyone out in particular. The plot revolves around a dysfunctional family of superheroes brought back together by their father's death. Some in the family believe his death was not natural and that's where the mystery begins. We learn how the family was formed, we learn about their mother who actually named them, we're introduced to their advisor of sorts who is a chimpanzee, we meet a detective and most importantly we learn about each character's power and flawed past. All the characters are different in their own ways but compliment eachother perfectly. While this is happening one of the superheroes who had been missing for sixteen years returns through a time portal and is being hunted by two mysterious killers hell bent on taking him down and the others as collateral damage. The superhero who returns has aged mentally but physically appears as he did when he disappeared. His power to jump through time has shown him an apocalyptic future amongst other things. His goal is to change the future and save all of humanity including his family. The plot is unique, clever, dark, funny, action packed, violent, gritty, quirky and has it's twists. This is a captivating and mesmerizing series. It is one of the very best this viewer has seen on film or television and is superior in it's genre.

Farrelly steps outside his normal films somewhat to helm one of the finest comedy dramas in recent memory. Excellent direction, screenplay, cinematography, soundtrack, settings and acting. The entire cast delivers the goods. In particular Ali and Mortensen are superb. Their portrayals of the characters and their friendship are so convincing, they emit a real life feeling. Based on a true story, the plot revolves around Dr. Don Shirley who is an African American prodigy pianist. By his own choice Shirley decides to embark on a concert tour in the Deep South during 1962. Knowing he will need protection, Shirley hires Tony Lip whose reputation as a fast talking, tough bouncer proceeds himself. Lip is an Italian American who resides in the Bronx and is currently unemployed due to renovations at the Copacabana. So as fate has it, the two men from completely different sides of the proverbial spectrum start a unique road trip. Despite their differences in culture and ethnicity, which is revealed through their constant banter and time spent alone together, the men form a special bond. This all occurs while the two men face danger and racism during an era of segregation. The plot is clever, crisp, insightful, thought provoking, heartwrenching, heartwarming and has a wonderful ending. There are many memorable scenes and quotes in this film. Lip's quote, "Don't worry 'bout it. I been working nightclubs in New York City my whole life. I know it's a complicated world." rings true today. That is what adds to making this an eventual timeless and classic work of art, which is symbolic of the friendship that was formed.

I enjoy "The Deuce" for what it is. A dramatic series based on real individuals and a real setting, West 42nd St. ,Times Square. All of the actors involved deliver believable and superlative performances with Franco and Gyllenhaal standing out. All of the actors have done an excellent job in developing and growing their characters over the first two seasons. James Franco has proven himself once again to be a sublime and versatile actor by portraying the twin brothers. He has also proven himself to be a great actor in past roles as well as being an above average writer, director and producer. The writing, directing, soundtrack and especially the costume and setting are superb. The series explores the seedy, corrupt, violent and cutthroat experiences of West 42nd St. in the 70's with the pornographic industry as the main attraction, pun intended. George Pelecanos, David Simon and Richard Price deliver an accurate portrait and examination of this slice of life, as unappealing as it may be to some. This is an ingenious series in the drama genre.

Farr has created an exceptional thriller series based on the 2011 film of the same name. This series has excellent direction, screenplay, cinematography, settings, score and acting. The choreography is ample and not the best I've seen. All the artists involved deliver considerable performances. Creed-Miles does a fine job portraying Hanna which is not easy to do after Ronan's performance. It is the reuniting of Kinnaman and Enos that is commanding. They are as good as their portrayals in, "The Killing". There is just something about the chemistry between these two artists on screen that is captivating. The plot revolves around a 15 year old girl, Hanna who was raised in the wilderness of Poland by her father, Erik who is a rogue ex-CIA operative. Erik used to work for a CIA program, UTRAX which enhanced DNA creating female military assassins. During her time in the wilderness Hanna is trained in military combat as well as being tutored about civilization with topics ranging from music to mammals to literature and most importantly her identity. After 15 years in the forest Hanna starts to stray beyond the boundaries of the forest when she meets a teenage boy and ultimately catches the attention of Marissa who headed up the UTRAX program. Marissa's mission is to eliminate Erik and Hanna. Hanna's ventures have caused both her and Erik to flee and they make plans to reunite in Berlin. Hanna is captured and taken to an underground CIA facility in Morocco. Through her training and chicanery Hanna manages to escape, but not before leaving some bodies in her wake. After being chased through the desert Hanna meets a family on vacation which befriend her and she hitches a ride with the intent on reaching Berlin. She bonds with the daughter of the family Sophie and we start to see Hanna come of age during her time with Sophie. During her journey Hanna has come across some information that has her confused as to who she really is. Marissa is always in tow hunting down Erik and Hanna and Erik captures her. Erik uses this opportunity to try to negotiate a deal to get Hanna and himself out of Berlin. At the same time Hanna learns that Erik is not her biological father. Hanna returns to Sophie in London, but things go south when Hanna learns a lesson in life about boyfriends and girlfriends. Marissa also catches up with Hanna at Sophie's and Hanna voluntarily leaves with her initially. At this point Hanna does not know who to trust. Erik has been captured and tortured in the meantime. During Hanna's time outside the forest she has been exposed to things she only heard about or read in books and she simply wants to know the truth about who she is and what her past is. Erik finally takes her back to Romania where they find out that the experiments that created Hanna are still persisting. Erik informs Hanna of her real mother and he decides to rescue the girls that are inside the facility and destroy the operation while sending Hanna away to escape. At this point Marissa has had a change of heart probably because UTRAX tried to have her assassinated and she feels guilt about the first time UTRAX was supposed to have been shut down. Now she wants to help both Erik and Hanna as well as put an end to UTRAX. The plot is action packed, thrilling, violent, clever, insightful, duplicitous, blazing, cathartic and has an ambiguous ending. In this viewer's opinion the major theme is that once introduced into the real world, Hanna turns out to be more humane than humanity. Again she has been trained to survive and kill but seems to have an inherent will to be a normal teenage girl and we find out she is not the only one of her kind that feels the same way. This is a substantial series in the thriller genre and one of the better adaptations of a film into a series as we get to learn more about the backstory of all the characters, most importantly Hanna. That's what makes the series succeed and I will continue to follow the series should a second season drop.

"Infernal Affairs" is a superb film and so is this ingenious remake. I didn't think Scorsese could top two of his previous gangster masterpieces, "Goodfellas" and "Casino" but he has. This film has superlative performances by all the actors involved. The plot revolves around two moles, one who infiltrates South Boston's well known criminal organization and the other who infiltrates the police investigating the organization. Once it becomes known by both sides that these moles exist the cat and mouse fight for survival between the two begins. For years Scorsese worked with DeNiro which earned him a Best Actor Award for "Raging Bull". However Scorsese has been continuously snubbed for a Best Director and Best Picture Award which he has deserved many times over. Recently he has taken DeCaprio, an excellent artist, under his wing and finally the favor was returned. At last Scorsese has been rewarded for bringing out the best performances from his actors. This film does an outstanding job examining the mobster lifestyle, authority, politics and corruption. This film has masterful acting, directing, cinematography, editing and screenplay. It is one of the finest in it's genre and a bravura film by Scorsese. Bravo Academy! You finally got it right.

Cooper helms a substantial crime drama based on real events. This film's narrative mirrors the real life documentary based on Bulger's trials in the outstanding documentary, "Whitey: United States of America V. James J Bulger" by Academy Award- nominated director Joe Berlinger which adds to the realism and accuracy of this film. This film has excellent direction, screenplay, cinematography, soundtrack, settings and acting. All artists involved deliver superlative performances. Depp, Edgerton and Cumberbach in particular stand out. However it is Depp that truly commands the screen. The plot revolves around real life infamous gangster James "Whitey" Bulger who terrorized South Boston as the leader of the 'Winter Hill Gang' and his brother Bill who is a powerful leader in the Massachusetts Senate. Set in Boston during the 1970's, the Irish hoodlum Whitey pursues a life of crime using ruthless and brutal tactics. Eventually he is approached by FBI Agent John Connolly and is convinced to help the agency fight the Italian mob and take out his competition. Soon enough their unholy alliance ends but Whitey continues to increase in power and evade capture becoming one of the most dangerous and deceiptful gangsters in U.S. history. There are many memorable scenes and quotes in this film. This viewer's favorite is when we see how brash, feared and vicious Whitey was when he guns down a victim in broad daylight surrounded by witnesses. He then strolls away without a care in the world as if nothing happened and it's just part of his normal day. The film is duplicitous, gritty, violent, intense, realistic, formidable and has a cathartic ending. The film is mesmerizing, captivating and is one of the better films in it's genre.

Newell helms one of the best crime dramas based on true events in recent memory. This film has excellent direction, screenplay, cinematography, settings, costume, soundtrack and acting. The entire cast deliver superlative performances. Depp and Pacino in particular are superb and command the screen. The plot revolves around undercover FBI Agent Joe Pistone who infiltrates one of the major New York mafia families. He lives life as Donnie Brasco. While undercover Brasco develops a relationship with mafia hit man "Lefty" Ruggiero in order to get deeper within the organization. Soon enough Brasco and Lefty develop a real life friendship. This ultimately puts Brasco in a life and death choice between doing his job or honoring his friendship. The plot is gritty, intense, violent, captivating, insightful, duplicitous and has a cathartic ending. This film is outstanding in scrutinizing the lines that get blurred between friendship and justice when a human being is forced to live two separate identities. There are so many memorable scenes and quotes in this film. My favorite scene is when Lefty is telling his wife he is heading out To meet someone and he leaves all his jewelry behind. To this day you'll hear fans quote lines such as, "I never said you were a rat. You's my best friend". This is a a timeless classic and one of the very best in it's genre.

Again the " A Star Wars Story" series continues to deliver. With Howard at the helm and Kasden back in the writers seat this film delivers. This film has excellent direction, cinematography, screenplay, special effects, score and acting. It's an action packed thrilling fun ride. Learning the origins of Han, Chewy and Lando's relationship is marvelous. And let's not forget the Millennium Falcon. I hope there are a few more films in this stand alone, yet prequel story, to come. The plot is crisp. clever, insightful, cathartic, gritty and has an ambiguous ending. I also hope there continues to be new blood involved in the creative side of this series. Both films in this series are the best since " The Empire Strikes Back" as far as the overall franchise is concerned. However Episodes 7 and 8 have returned some much needed glory to the "Star Wars" saga. I guess what I'm trying to convey is that in this viewer's opinion, I view the franchise as the, "Star Wars" saga and "A Star Wars Story". Both are equally appreciable and remain at the very top in the science fiction genre with Episode V of the, "Star Wars" saga being a masterpiece and the best ever in the genre.