The Newsroom “Election Night Part 1 and 2” Review: Love and marriage

It's election night on The Newsroom 

A review of the final two episodes of season two of the Newsroom coming up after I sign that book….

Gahhhh! Ok before I burst let’s get right to the bullet points:

• Will is getting married to Mac. Yeah so after the sexist, egotistical, jerk essentially tells Mac off for two years straight (and it gets even worse in these two episodes even) she just goes ahead and says yes. With very little hesitation none the less. I have to say that is brutal in every way possible! Why am I supposed to buy that this is a thing? Why does this happen right at the end, after everything had been going ok as well.  Oh and guess what it’s not the worst part of the finale either….

• Because of our good friend Jim Harper! Man was that scene with Lisa bad, I mean really, really bad. So bad that it was worse than the Will and Mac scenes. I mean seriously the whole “I can’t be right for you because you’re too smart for me” was one of the single worst things of last season and it got brought back. Out of the blue, just like that. Why? Why, if this show hadn’t brought it up all season (and was for the better for it) must it be brought up again? Who cares? Whoever cared? Jim just looks like a total douche in every way and it’s just another example of how Sorkin cannot write for females to save his life!!

• Why is a book signing so important again? Sorkin really made Sloan look like a total ditz in that sequence. Why would she care about a book signing on election night? I mean the Wikipedia thing was already a little bit off and the book signing thing was even worse. The worst part of it too is that it led to a Sloan and Don relationship being set up. Seriously no one wants this… Sorkin why are you ruining your best character?!

• Oh yeah and it’s all Jerry Dantana’s fault again. Looks like the team just gets off scot free again, and no one had to blink an eye!

Okay back to paragraph form. This finale as I’ve said before was awful and made me again question whether or not I’m going to come back to the show (that is if Sorkin has time to make another season). The answer to that is that yes I will be coming back because the middle of this season gave me hope for where this series could go. Not much hope all things considered, but maybe this finale got all of the stupid relationship storylines out of the way for close to good. Either way I’m going to give the potential new season a few episodes, but if it keeps going like this I may dump it really fast.

That’s just me though. What did everyone else think?

Breaking Bad “Ozymandias” Review: Stripped away

Walt is devastated while on the phone on Breaking Bad

Full spoilers ahead!

A review of tonight’s Breaking Bad right after I put a baby in a fire truck…

“What the hell is wrong with you? We’re a family… We’re a family!”

-Walt

Breaking Bad is a show that has never been a light watch. It’s never been a show that shies away from all the violence and destruction both physically and emotionally Walter White’s downfall. Never though in the history of the show has it been as brutally gut wrenching and disturbing as over the course of yet another masterpiece of an hour “Ozymandias.” Walter White has now officially hit rock bottom and all we can do now is sit and watch his punishment unfold.

Let’s start with Hank, or rather Rest in Piece Hank. Really the only thing that worried me the more I thought about last week’s cliffhanger was whether they were going to let Hank live or not. At this point it seemed like Hanks turn to die, he had his moment in the sun and it was his time to die a tragic death (as this is for all intensive purposes a tragedy). I had my doubts as “Ozymandias” opened with everyone’s favorite DEA agent still alive and sort of well (he did have a bullet in his knee). But as usual the show didn’t disappoint and in one of the most devastating opening sequences in the show’s entire history, Jack puts a bullet into Hank’s head right after Walt tells him where all his money is. Of course the Nazis being evil and all take all of Walt’s money, save for one barrel of eleven million dollars that they left for him (because of Todd). The whole sequence is devastating down to the final moments where Walt tells Jessie that he watched Jane die as strange sort of revenge as Jessie is being taken away to cook for the psychopath Todd.

The worst of it is that this is only the first ten minutes of an episode that was about to get more and more disturbing over the course of the hour. After being pestered by Marie Skyler has to tell Walt Jr. that his father is a drug dealer in a scene that is as dark and devastating as any the series has done. Poor Walt Jr. is completely crushed as he can’t believe that all this time he was being lied to by so many people. It’s one of the final straws in the White household, now Walt’s own son is against him and the family seems like a lost cause.

And it keeps getting more and more devastating as the episode goes on. Walt comes home only to have Skyler yell out “Where’s Hank?” and as Walt is trying to leave tries to attack him with a knife and calls the police. Walt then in one of the most brutal scenes in Breaking Bad history takes baby Holly and leaves, while Skyler runs after the car only to collapse in tears in the middle of the road, devastated by the turn of events that has passed and the evil that has just passed by. It’s a tragic sequence one that reaches a whole new level of emotional rock bottom for a show that has seemingly hit it a few times over the course of its fantastic run.

Finally there is Walt’s final phone call to Skyler, also known as perhaps Bryan Cranston’s finest acting moment in his entire career. Walt plays one last acting card and acts up Heisenberg over the phone to her while the police are listening seemingly to take all the blame off of Skyler and place it firmly on him. It’s a moment that is gut wrenching in so many different and at times opposite ways. The conversation starts out devastating on Skyler’s end as Walt is just laying into her like she is nothing, but as the conversation goes on it’s clear to us (as well as Skyler I think, I think she understands what Walt is doing after a little bit) that this is just Walt’s last bit of master acting and that he still, even in a moment of total evil has family in mind. Don’t get me wrong it’s still a cruel, cruel way to go along with keeping his family blameless but ultimately as Walt is losing everything it is a way.

That leaves us with the final moments of the episode as Walt begins to set up a new life for himself. We know where it’s going to lead us as the near the end of the series (a machine gun and some ricin) and it’s going to be devastating. In this episode alone, Hank (and poor Gomez) are dead, Jessie has got to cook for a psychopath, Walt Jr. has found out about the drug dealing, the family is in complete shambles, and Walt is off on a new, most likely tragic downfall. What a beautiful, devastating, emotional, disturbing, powerful, and amazing hour of television this was.

And the best part is we still have two episodes to go….

What the heck could possibly happen now….

Some other musings:

• The best directors to ever grace this show are all returning! This episode was directed by the fantastic Rian Johnson who directed an amazing episode last year (“Fifty-One”) and also directed my favorite film of last year Looper. Johnson always has an amazing flair to his episodes and this was no exception. This episode looked absolutely beautiful in every way.

• What a brilliant flashback to open up the episode. Reminds us of a time in the past where things were only starting to go wrong and weren’t in a perpetual state of destruction. Hack the sequence even provided some amazing humor with Jessie playing with a stick in the background of Walt phoning a then happy Skyler.

• This has to be Brian Cranston’s Emmy episode. This whole episode shows every iteration of what he did throughout this series whether it is cold and haunted, to happy and guilty (cue the flashbacks), to being in tears, to being cold and deadly and in tears at the same time. Wow what an acting clinic he put on this week, perhaps it’s the best he’s ever being.

• Hopefully Todd doesn’t drink from the cup that Jessie drank out of in the same way he did with Lydia last week.

• I would have never expected that we would get the Jane revelation right from Walt’s mouth in such an unforgiving way. That was so devastating in ways I can’t even describe and it’s going to be curious where they go with Jessie’s emotional state after both this and cooking for Todd.

• Note that it seems (I couldn’t really tell on the crappy TV that I watched this episode on) that Marie is wearing black (or a very dark purple) as the episode goes by. Subtle enough symbolism I guess.

Wow! Again this episode was so fantastic. It’s the best episode so far this season (and that says a lot) and one of the best and most brutally painful hours this series has ever done.

That’s just me though. What did everyone else think?

The Summer Movie Awards 2013

 A mix of many of the films of the summer

Photo Credit: Screencrush.com

It’s that time of year again! Time to break down the best that this summer in films had to offer! In general, blockbuster wise at least, I’ve got to say this wasn’t a very good summer at all. Most of the films that came out this year were disappointments and ultimately the summer felt really flat. On the other hand the indies saved parts of the summer as there were a few fantastic little films that really caught my attention (and I say this not having seen The Spectacular Now, Blue Jasmine or Short Term 12). As usual, and unfortunately more so than this year, I have not seen all the films that this summer has to offer (again see the list of films above that I desperately want to see and that’s only the beginning) so bear that in mind while reading this. But hey this is supposed to be laid back and fun anyways because well it’s the summer we’re reflecting upon! So without further a due here they are the Summer Movie Awards 2013:

*Mild Spoilers Ahead*

Best Action Sequence:

Robots and monsters clash in the middle of the city (Pacific Rim):

One of the biggest pleasant surprises of the year was Pacific Rim. Its energy and fun factor were unmatched amongst this year’s crop of blockbusters. Plus it’s just great to watch a well shot, well plotted, and perfectly choreographed fight between giant robots and giant monsters happens! The scene was great in general because it took everything that the Transformers series did wrong in Robot action, ie confusion and lack of character, and got it as right as possible. The sequence was filled with so much energy, heart, and power that it really packed an amazingly fun punch! Oh yeah and Robots were fighting monsters, and it was good! That in itself is a feet!

Runner Up: Fighting on a bullet train (The Wolverine)

Worst Action Sequence:

Alien beings fight in the middle of the city for half of the film (Man of Steel)

The most disappointing action sequence of the year was also the worst. It wasn’t a poorly shot, edited, nor produced piece of work, but plot wise it crushed the film. The last half of Man of Steel ruined Man of Steel as it turned the film from uplifting origin story about acceptance and everyone’s place in the universe into a poor man’s Independence Day. The plot stopped and the film just turned into a mishmash of disappointment. Anytime you take a film that in its first half looks like something special and make it average by the end is a sin on every level, thus making the worst action scene of the summer.

Runner Up: Wait it all comes down to a fist fight? Seriously? (Star Trek into Darkness)

Prettiest film (Best cinematography/direction):

The Bling Ring

Yeah it wasn’t big nor was it full of action sequences, but boy can Sophia Coppola ever make an amazingly flashy film. The whole look of the Bling Ring just gave it such an energy and flair that just wasn’t present in many films so far this year. Ultimately what makes the film the best direction wise is that the visuals in the film propelled the film higher than it had any right of being. Great stuff all around!

Runner Up: Pacific Rim

Most Unnecessary Sequel:

The Hangover Part 3

Why do things have to make so much money? They really should have stopped making these after the first film and the world would have been a much better place. Do I need to say more?

Runner Up: Red 2

Most Underrated:

The Bling Ring

Seriously this was a good movie. I don’t understand how as many critics just outright panned it like they did. For one there are no likable characters because it’s a social satire and the point of the film is for the crowd to not like these people. Also sure it wasn’t as good as Spring Breakers but that doesn’t mean it isn’t good (boarder lining on very good).

Runner Up: Elysium

Most Overrated:

Star Trek into Darkness

Let’s get this out of the way right now, I liked Star Trek into Darkness it just shouldn’t have been called “the film of the summer” as it was by many critics. Sure the film is good but it has serious troubles near the end as it veers more and more into the territory of Wrath of Khan. Again it’s a solid blockbuster but it sure isn’t great by any standard.

Runner Up: Man of Steel

Most Disappointing:

Man of Steel

Really I’ve said enough about this. This one is by far the most crushing disappointment mostly because how much I wanted to like this film. It looked fantastic in short bursts and even within the first 30 minutes it really caught my attention. And then the city began to blow up and it all went downhill from there.

Runner Up: Star Trek into Darkness

The Little film that could:

Before Midnight

While no one this summer saw Before Midnight the impact it left was fantastic. Between the conversations that are so natural that they might as well be real, the true development of these characters, and the darkness and pain that can come with a long term relationships Before Midnight had so much amazing in it. The film pulled the weight of a thousand blockbusters in an hour and a half in a way no other film has been able to so far this year. Now people just need to watch this movie!

Runner Up: Fruitvale Station

Best Blockbuster:

Elysium

The most ambitious of the summer blockbusters was also the best. Elysium may not have been perfect, not even close for that matter but it was a film that took chances something that couldn’t be said for many films this summer. It had a message and ideas and while they didn’t always work, when they did they were fantastic. Drop in a fantastic final 40 minutes and you’ve got a very good thriller.

Runner Up: Pacific Rim

Worst Film:

R.I.P.D.

Why was this film made? Cheap, pathetically written, and awfully acted R.I.P.D was just an absolute mess in every way. Let’s just it was awful and leave it at that. But hey no one watched it so that’s a positive.

Runner Up: The Hangover part 3

Best Film:

Before Midnight

I’ve pretty much said everything I can about this film. It’s so touching, funny, and darkly powerful. Perhaps the last bit of praise I can bestow upon this gem is that I believe that it’s most likely going to be the best film of the year. I just can’t see myself seeing anything better period.

Runner Up: Elysium

Breaking Bad “To’hajiilee” Review: Master chess players

 Walt stares out the window on Breaking Bad

Photo Credit: AMC TV

A Review of tonight’s Breaking Bad as soon as I set my ringtone to “She Blinded Me With Science”…

“It’s over!”
-Hank

I’m still shaking and the episode has been done for a while.

“To’hajiilee” was an hour in which I had to consistently remind myself to breath and afterwards I had to remind myself that, yes an hour of my life had just passed. “To’hajiilee” was an hour of television so tense and engaging that a bomb could have gone off or I could have been given a million dollars and I wouldn’t have noticed. The whole episode felt like it took only an instant yet it felt like an eternity (thank you extreme tension). This is television at its most powerful, tense, and epic and it’s an honor to be along for the ride.

If only Hank capturing Walt could have been the end of this series. It’s the ending to the show that most would have envisioned as being a near perfect one as well. Sure it isn’t a happy end for anyone (Walt’s life is basically over, the family is ruined, Hank’s career is done etc.) but it feels like the ending that most viewers envisioned for the show and actually wanted the show to take. It also seems like one of those endings that Vince Gilligan had envisioned himself when they were in the writing room.

It’s never that simple though, not on Breaking Bad that is. Last week Jessie stated that everything about Walt always ends up going the opposite way that you think it’s going and ultimately that seems to be the case for the show too this week. Hank has to take the time to call Marie and brag about getting Walt and Uncle Jack had to (probably rightly so) still come despite Walt (sketchily) telling him not to and it all has to go to hell. Nothing on Breaking Bad is ever as simple as Hank getting Walt, as Jessie getting to see the moment in piece, and Walt getting locked up right before he dies. Nope, like the train heist from the first half of the season on a much larger scale, something always has to reset the table, bring us back to the drawing board, and make us wonder collectively what is going to happen next?

Boy what a way to do that as well. The shootout between Hank, Gomez, and the seemingly endless amount of Neo Nazis was as thrilling and stunning as a television action sequence/cliff hanger can get in every way. If I didn’t breathe earlier in the episode then reminding myself to breathe at those moments proved nearly useless (nearly since I am alive now). I mean the sequence topped what could have potentially been the climax of the entire series for goodness sakes. The series could have been satisfactorily over after Hank arrested Walt (okay maybe there needed to be one more denouement episode afterwards) and that sequence was so perfect that it was much better. It was a brilliant reminder that we’ve still got three more hours of this show left to go and that it’s not going to be as simple as we initially thought it was going to be.

As for the rest of the episode, boy are Bryan Cranston and Aaron Paul ever fantastic actors. That sequence where Walt is driving to the site of the money while having to listen to Jessie go on on the phone is as fantastic as Cranston has been all season. The mix of panic, sadness, confusion, and utter rage present on Cranston’s face is sheer brilliance in utterly every way. Walt, as we’ve learned this season can be one of the best liars ever if he’s got a clear script to follow, but when he’s under pressure he’s an utter mess. It never occurs to him that this is a trap in any way or that he shouldn’t fall right into it. Then there is Paul who is just as fantastic if not more so in the sequence where he, with very little to say, gets to put on an equally fantastic mix of emotions when Walt finally gets put into the van with his hands firmly behind his back. These are long sequences but because of all that is going on, and how fantastic these actors really are, they go by so very fast.

Also Michelle MacLaren is the best television director working currently period. Someone needs to let this amazing talent loose on a feature film right away (yes the Alan Taylor treatment). This episode, especially that final shootout, looks so fantastic, as is the standard with MacLaren. Every frame just oozes with tension and every moment is made even more fantastic through the power of her direction (not taking anything away from the script which is equally as fantastic). Every shot has such detail, the amazing coverage when Walt is speeding towards Jessie, the angles of the shootout, and the open yet completely claustrophobic version of the desert which Walt and Jessie have been to so many times in the past.

Breaking Bad is on an unforgettable role at the moment and this episode was the best of the bunch. “To’hajiilee” was full of series highs and the final moments of the episode were unforgettable in every way. Heck if the show had of ended two minutes before this episode it would have been a very satisfying series finale and what followed was even better. Every moment was unforgettable and breathlessly perfect, tensions were higher than ever, and this show tops every great moment with one that’s even greater. I can’t wait for the most likely crazy and awe inspiring ending that I’m assuming that Gilligan has in store for the audience.

Only three episodes left…

Some other Musing:

• That opening sequence (which after that ending almost seems utterly forgotten) was fantastically creepy as well. Todd is as creepy as it gets in that interaction with Lydia. I mean first off the whole trying to get overly close to Lydia in general is very creepy. Then on top of that he drinks out of the cup that she has lipstick (which I’m assuming is as close to kissing her as he’s ever going to get). On the one hand he has decent intentions but he’s Todd so everything that he does has a creepy undertone to it.

• Speaking of Todd I laughed out loud when it was revealed that his ringtone was “She Blinded Me With Science”. Seems like a thing for post Walter White Todd would have as a ringtone.

• Hank was a brilliant chess player with poor Huell this week. Oh and if Hank and Gomez don’t survive who is going to come back for him.

• Even if you don’t like spoilers (which there isn’t in this one) the next time on Breaking Bad segment is absolutely brilliant. It’s a monologue delivered by Skyler cut over top of the final scenes of this episode makes the cliffhanger even more unbearable and perfect.

Now excuse me while I try to stop shaking like a mad man. You can find me in the fetal position until next week roles around...

That’s just me though. What did everyone else think?