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)”
Dog Days of September: The American League Belongs to the Underdogs
Dylan Moses Griffin on Small Ball Strategies
An Abrupt Ending: Hannibal ‘The Wrath of the Lamb’ (Recap)
“If The Wrath of the Lamb doesn’t quite work as a series finale, it’s only because it wasn’t really supposed to be one.”
Obscuring and Clarifying Evil: Hannibal ‘The Number of the Beast is 666’ (Recap)
“Another week of Hannibal, another gripping second act septic.”
Personalizing Murder: Hannibal ‘…And the Beast from the Sea’ (Recap)
“Instead of merely asking viewers to care about a victim with whom we have no ties, Fuller tugs on our heartstrings by having his antagonist target the family of the protagonist we’ve gotten to know for nearly three full seasons.”
True Detective ‘Black Maps and Hotel Rooms’ (A Vague Visages Staff Recap)
A Conversation Between Vague Visages’ Q.V. Hough, Dylan Moses Griffin and Max Bledstein
Looking Wider: Hannibal ‘And the Woman Clothed with the Sun…’ (Recap)
“If last week’s “The Great Red Dragon” was centered around the two killers who now share the villainous duties on Hannibal, “And the Woman Clothed with the Sun…” has a broader focus.”
True Detective ‘Black Maps and Motel Rooms’ (A Vague Visages Staff Precap)
A Conversation Between Vague Visages’ Q.V. Hough, Dylan Moses Griffin and Max Bledstein
Vaguebande: Three Steps to Figueres
Vaguebande 1
Back to the Beginning: John Cassavetes’ ‘Shadows’ (1959)
The Fifth and Final Installment of “Tightrope Cinema: John Cassavetes’ Highwire World” by Phuong Le
Inside the Minds of Murderers: Hannibal ‘The Great Red Dragon’ (Recap)
“The sound of Hannibal has always been one of its strongest elements, thanks in large part to Brian Reitzell’s terrifying score, and the auditory depiction of Dolarhyde’s plight is no exception.”
Blue Balls in Your Heart: True Detective ‘Church in Ruins’ (A Vague Visages Staff Precap)
A Conversation Between Vague Visages’ Q.V. Hough, Dylan Moses Griffin and Max Bledstein
Transplanting Sympathies and Influence: Hannibal ‘Digestivo’ (Recap)
“Digestivo” feels almost like a bottle episode due to its concentration on Mason’s Muskrat Farm, and the close quarters are the perfect setting for seeing the characters play off one another.
A Vague Visages Colloquy: True Detective ‘Down Will Come’
A Conversation Between Q.V. Hough, Dylan Moses Griffin and Max Bledstein
Transformation, Resurrection and Close-Ups: Hannibal ‘Dolce’ (Recap)
“Perhaps the water from the beginning of the episode points more towards resurrection than forgiveness, and if the rest of the season is as strong as “Dolce,” one can only hope Hannibal’s fate will point in the same way.”
Understanding the Reveal: True Detective ‘Maybe Tomorrow’ (Recap)
“Don’t allow yourself to be fooled by the “reveals” of True Detective.”
Recap: Hannibal ‘Contorno’
“As the plot of Hannibal continues to move forward, it also won’t stop looking back.”
Review: Charlie Manton’s ‘Beneath Water’ (Short Film)
“Charlie Manton (The Imitation Game) shows incredible promise as a filmmaker with Beneath Water, as the visual techniques and character staging project someone in command of their own personal style.”
The Readiness Is All: True Detective ‘Night Finds You’ (Recap)
“As a creative whole, the second episode of True Detective was darker than its predecessor, and Nic Pizzolatto’s blatant dialogue ensured that casual viewers would get the hint.”