The Dueling Cavalier: Contrasting Effectiveness of the Long Take in ‘The Tribe’ and ‘Birdman’
A Column by Max Bledstein
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.”
The Dueling Cavalier: Proof of Premise in ‘Inside Out’
A Column by Max Bledstein
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
The Dueling Cavalier: ‘Tangerine,’ ‘Toy Story’ and Technology in Storytelling
A Column by Max Bledstein
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
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.”
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.”