Faith and Superstition: The Leftovers ‘Lens’ (Recap)
“I suppose it’s a testament to the quality of The Leftovers that a less than spectacular episode can feel like a letdown.”
Out of Respect for the Dead: Fargo ‘Fear and Trembling’ (Recap)
“In Noah Hawley’s show inspired by the Coen brothers’ 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.”
The Book of Job: The Leftovers ‘No Room at the Inn’ (Recap)
“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.”
SPECTRE: Where Can James Bond Go From Here?
“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.”
Review: Guy Maddin’s ‘The Forbidden Room’
“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.”
Pushing Boulders: Fargo ‘The Myth of Sisyphus’ (Recap)
“Gallows humor is a trademark of just about all of the Coens’ work (and Fargo in particular), and Noah Hawley and his writers have done a brilliant job of coming up with gags worthy of their show’s namesake.”
No Miracles in Miracle: The Leftovers ‘Orange Sticker’ (Recap)
“Understandably, “Orange Sticker” sacrifices grand thematic focus in favor of pushing the story forward but still manages to meditate on a certain idea.”
Dudley’s World: My Summer with ‘Seinfeld’
Dudley’s World is a Vague Visages column by Jordan Brooks.
Review: Cary Joji Fukunaga’s ‘Beasts of No Nation’
“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.”
It Really Tied the Plot Together: Fargo ‘Before the Law’ (Recap)
“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 show’s disparate narrative elements.”
Recap: The Leftovers ‘Off Ramp’ (Who Wants a Hug?)
“On The Leftovers, returning to your old self isn’t as easy as going from Point A to Point B, it’s a constant struggle and effort.”
VOD Review: Todd Strauss-Schulson’s ‘The Final Girls’
“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.”
Capturing the Coens: Fargo ‘Waiting for Dutch’ (Recap)
“The little side comments throughout “Waiting for Dutch” 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.”
Recap: The Leftovers ‘Axis Mundi’ and ‘A Matter of Geography’
“Damon Lindelof and company don’t need to give answers if they’re asking the right questions.”
Review: Andrew Haigh’s “45 Years”
“45 Years is unconcerned with the “cuteness” of love — Haigh wants to know what makes it tick.”
Vague Visages’ Q.V. Hough and Max Bledstein Discuss ‘Narcos’
A Conversation about Netflix’s Polarizing Series
Struggling to Portray Evil: ‘Narcos’ Episodes 1.6-1.10
“Narcos resorts to cheap tactics to depict just how ‘bad’ these characters are.”
Not Fall Apart: The New York Mets and September Collapses
“Someone pull Don Draper off his office couch, it’s time to meet the Mets.”
Limited Omniscience: ‘Narcos’ Episodes 1.1-1.5
“Netflix’s 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.”
Review: Brian Helgeland’s ‘Legend’
“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)”