Faith and Superstition: The Leftovers ‘Lens’ (Recap)
“I suppose itโs a testament to the quality of The Leftovers that a less than spectacular episode can feel like a letdown.”
“I suppose itโs a testament to the quality of The Leftovers that a less than spectacular episode can feel like a letdown.”
“In Noah Hawleyโs show inspired by the Coen brothersโ work, a high body count and a willingness to laugh at it have been no less a part of the universe, in some ways serving as the most direct connection between the series and the film.”
“With The Leftovers being a show about faith and hope, and the desperation in holding onto such ideals, Matt deems Mary’s relapse into a comatose state as a test of his faith.”
“Regardless of what comes next for our beloved spy, let us never again speak of (or be subjected to) that opening montage with the trashy, tentacle-porn horror show.”
“Phantasmagoric and heady, The Forbidden Room is a film torn from the past, as Guy Maddin journeys even further into his own imagination, drawing out an original and enthralling journey through a kaleidoscope of different locales, time periods and genres.”
“Gallows humor is a trademark of just about all of the Coensโ work (and Fargo in particular), and Noah Hawley and his writers have done a brilliant job of coming up with gags worthy of their showโs namesake.”
“Understandably, โOrange Stickerโ sacrifices grand thematic focus in favor of pushing the story forward but still manages to meditate on a certain idea.”
Dudley’s World is a Vague Visages column by Jordan Brooks.
“As an empathetic machine, Beasts of No Nation tries too hard to convey the unimaginable, leaving in its place a sense of cold insouciance towards a system that is shown to be irreparably broken.”
“Beyond being a neat stylistic trick and an effect that would make Abel Gance proud, the use of split-screens in the first two episodes of Fargo Season 2 has the helpful narrative role of directly uniting the showโs disparate narrative elements.”
“On The Leftovers, returning to your old self isnโt as easy as going from Point A to Point B, itโs a constant struggle and effort.”
“A surprisingly funny and sharp-witted caricature of mass-produced horror, The Final Girls is the product of cult film iconography and our culture’s obsession with the ironically good.”
“The little side comments throughout โWaiting for Dutchโ keep the episode light on its feet, but never in a way which overwhelms the story or characters, making for a fantastic start to the season.”
“Damon Lindelof and company donโt need to give answers if theyโre asking the right questions.”
“45 Years is unconcerned with the โcutenessโ of love — Haigh wants to know what makes it tick.”
A Conversation about Netflix’s Polarizing Series
“Narcos resorts to cheap tactics to depict just how ‘bad’ these characters are.”
“Someone pull Don Draper off his office couch, itโs time to meet the Mets.”
“Netflixโs new series Narcos begins with a quote regarding the birth of magical realism, and its point of emphasis reveals quite a bit about the series it precedes.”
“Little more than an extravagant, blood-soaked and alcohol-fueled story, Legend fulfills its title; an overinflated piece of bar room folklore better told over a cold pint of Guinness (or several)”