Much like the Cubanos and three-cheese Paninis created throughout the film, Chef warms the soul like a favorite comfort food. The underlying story of the film revolves around reuniting a father and son — a relationship lost to long hours and busy schedules. After a social-media shouting-match, writer/director/character Jon Favreau loses his job and follows […]
“The U.S. financial markets had always been either corrupt or about to be corrupted,” writes Michael Lewis in his new book Flash Boys. The shadow-casting book about high frequency traders hit the publishing arena as the feds were simultaneously hitting the streets to uncover the secretive, billion-dollar world. The Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC), the […]
Despite having the deadly combination of an inspiring true story and a remarkable cast, The Monuments Men has that all-too-familiar feel of a Hallmark movie-of-the-week. George Clooney stars, directs, and co-writes the film, with writing partner Grant Heslov (The Ides of March; Good Night, and Good Luck.). The Monuments Men present a unique situation where […]
Meryl Streep, Julia Roberts, Chris Cooper, Ewan McGregor, and Sam Shepard lead the remarkable ensemble that pick and drag their self-centered, infectious bodies through the captious county of Osage in August. Adapted from her Tony and Pulitzer-winning play by the same title, Tracy Letts pairs with director John Wells (The Company Men, Showtime’s Shameless) to […]
“Let me give y’all a little news flash,” begins Ron Woodroof, after being diagnosed with HIV. “There ain’t nothin’ out there can kill Ron Woodroof in thirty days.” Matthew McConaughey portrays the part-time electrician and full-time hustler, forced into the mainly homosexual muster of AIDS patients in 1981 Dallas, Texas. Nominated for Best Performance by […]
It’s difficult to determine if there is simply an ingredient missing or if something is wrong with the entire recipe. In Charlie Countryman, originally titled The Necessary Death of Charlie Countryman, Shia LaBeouf (Transformers, Lawless) plays a traveling nomad who falls deeply in love with a foreign cellist player, portrayed by Evan Rachel Wood (The […]
Following up his pre-financial crisis film, Margin Call, writer-director J.C. Chandor’s second film, All is Lost, hits indie theaters like a storm. The film opens with a voice over and quickly jumps to a sleeping Robert Redford who is awoken from a collision with a shipping container. Floating amidst the Indian Ocean, Redford seems effortlessly […]
With most shows, viewers spend countless hours discussing possible endings for the series. With Breaking Bad, however, there were certain truths that had to happen and most of us were able to sit back and let Vince Gilligan and his crew lead us to salvation. As writer and director of the final show, “Felina,” Gilligan […]
The penultimate Breaking Bad launches with Saul entering his own version of witness protection. Played by Robert Forster (Jackie Brown, Mulholland Drive), Ed sets up Saul with a new identity and then escorts him below his vacuum store cover business where Walter is also hiding out with his barrel of money and a tornado of […]
Over the past few episodes, Dexter fans have been forced to ride a range of emotions. While a roller coaster of heart-pumping reactions are expected from a series finale, the problem with Dexter’s final season is that most of the emotions are from lacking plot points and cringing storylines. “Remember the Monsters?” premiered on September […]
With one episode left to go, it appears that Dexter has deluded himself into thinking that everything will work out for a perfect Argentina ending. If he had been able to give up some of his ideals, it may have worked out, but it seems that his inability to give up his morals may mean […]
Designed to remind us of how far we’ve come, “Ozymandias” begins with a flashback. Before things got so complicated, Walter and Jesse cooked in a Winnebago in the middle of the desert. In his trademark whitey-tighties, Walter the teacher bores Jesse with his extensive knowledge of chemicals before calling Skylar with a planned story of […]
Dexter Morgan is dangerously close to leaving Miami. As personal fans, viewers are torn between seeing our hero slay the evil Oliver Saxon to protect Dr. Vogel and seeing him leave the madness, to start a real life with Hannah and his son, Harrison. The personal vendetta between Dexter and Oliver doesn’t seem as real […]
Breaking Bad is arguably one of the greatest shows on television. This week, the writing staff and creators have actually topped themselves with one of the best episodes they have ever aired. Vince Gillian once described the show as a “modern western,” and that has never been truer than in episode thirteen, “To’Hajiilee.” In this […]
The last episode ended with Jesse pouring gasoline on Walt’s carpet and soaking the living room furniture. “Rabid Dog” begins from Walt’s point-of-view as he pulls up to the house with Jesse’s car parked diagonally in the front yard. Somewhat hesitant of the possibility of having to shoot Jesse, Walt enters through the bushes from […]
As the end of Dexter crawls to a close, it’s difficult to focus on specific incidents within each episode when viewers can’t help but wonder exactly where these actions are headed. The two aspects that make up nearly episode thus far are those concerned with a stable life and those with absolute, rock-bottom devastation. Characters […]
Since the beginning of Breaking Bad, there has been a growing hatred towards the character of Skyler White. She began as a character with a strong backbone and firm set of morals and seems to have become a target of ridicule and general loathing. On August 23, Anna Gunn sent in an op-ed piece to […]
“Are We There Yet?” is by far the best episode within this final season of Dexter. The last seven episodes have been somewhat murky in terms of any real resolution. The theme of family has been building for some time now and the payoff was worth the wait. We’ve finally moved past Deb’s downward spiral […]
Within the realm of Breaking Bad, nothing is too peculiar. In last week’s episode, when Jesse was flinging out $10,000 wads of greenbacks like a paperboy (while fighting back tears of guilt), it seemed like his rock-bottom-moment was about to pass. On the contrary, it turned out he was only circling the drain. “Buried” begins […]
Chuck Klosterman is a genius in ways that do not really matter—like how your high school buddies know where every linebacker went to college, which has little to do with their current employment at Tastee Freez. Unlike your old friends, however, Klosterman has earned a soapbox to shout from. As a writer for the likes […]
Beginning moments after the previous episode, “Dress Code” opens with Dexter waking up in the middle of nowhere. On the other side of town, his phone vibrates from Dr. Vogel’s call and wakes him. Remembering that he saw Hannah McKay during the possible poisoning, he quickly hung up to take another call from Deb. His […]
Directed by Bryan Cranston, “Blood Money” began much like the first episode of the first half of season five, “Live Free or Die,” which showcased Walter White’s lonesome Denny’s birthday. Set approximately one year in the future, our loveable anti-hero—with hair—visits his abandoned former home to find a few local kids playing Lords of Dogtown in the […]
Halfway through the final season of Showtime’s Dexter, audiences are invited to meet a new Dexter protégé as well as reminisce with a past lover. “A Little Reflection” begins with Dexter continuing to trail Zach, the rich son that is most likely a maid killer. Young Zach also has a fascination with blood as well […]
A huge revelation happened at the end of this week’s episode that is almost good enough to cover up all of the unsatisfying bits and pieces that were tied up in a neat little bow. In last week’s episode, Deb tried to kill herself along with Dexter in a car-flying-off-a-ramp-into-a-pond stunt. In the first few […]
The trailer for Only God Forgives is absolutely remarkable. Stylized cinematography with a glowing rufous aura of revenge is cloaked in tension-rising techno that shadows the slow-reactions of actor Ryan Gosling. With a firm R-rating, the two-minute trailer introduces a samurai-sword-carrying-killer-cop and a mother asking her youngest son to avenge the murder of his older […]
As a series, audiences were encouraged to view a type of Harry Morgan (James Remar) that was pure fantasy—a creation within the mind of Dexter. Upon the introduction of Dr. Vogel, we finally see actual recordings of Harry, who is a man that doesn’t have all the answers and who questions the experimental code he […]