The Dueling Cavalier: ‘Magic Mike XXL’ is the Most Progressive Hollywood Movie in Ages (and It’s a Total Blast!)
A Column by Max Bledstein
Max Bledstein
Max is a freelance writer, musician, and world-renowned curmudgeon. He writes on all things culture for a variety of fine North American publications. His highly anticipated debut novel will write itself one of these days, he assumes.
Recap: Hannibal ‘Contorno’
“As the plot of Hannibal continues to move forward, it also won’t stop looking back.”
Recap: Hannibal ‘Aperitivo’
“This week’s hour was the first of the season not directed by Vincenzo Natali, and his aesthetic sensibility/attention to detail feels missing throughout the episode.”
Recap: Hannibal ‘Secondo’
“Hannibal’s origins become comparable to the Joker in The Dark Knight: there are possible explanations for why he is the way he is, but none of them seem to be wholly accurate…”
Recap: Hannibal ‘Primavera’
“After the intense aesthetic focus of last week’s “Antipasto,” Hannibal’s shift in character focal point for this week’s “Primavera” brings with it a different thematic center: religion.”
Recap: Hannibal ‘Antipasto’
“Without a definite timeline to hold onto, we’re left to focus on the visual minutiae, and, as always, this might be the most fascinating aspect of Hannibal.”
Recap: Louie ‘The Road Part 2’
Max Bledstein on the ‘Louie’ Season 5 Finale
Recap: Louie ‘The Road Part 1’
“One assumes that C.K. won’t spend the entire season finale depicting the further redemption of his protagonist, so it’s certainly conceivable that “The Road: Part Two” will bring new dimensions to the arc. As of now, though, it doesn’t appear to offer much.”
Recap: Louie ‘Sleepover’
“Given the time and care C.K. has been dedicating to the development of stories recently on Louie, the vignettes of “Sleepover” almost feel like they all could’ve been the subject of their own episodes.”
Recap: Louie ‘Untitled’
“In “Untitled,” C.K. uses surreal imagery to depict truths about his character’s fears which more realistic storytelling methods never could.”