I find it a little disturbing how The Soprano’s themes seem to have culminated in the election of our current President.
Television
WATCH CLOSELY: Ted Bundy, Archetypal Sociopath
What is admirable about Conversations with a Killer is that it is as compelling an exploration of the monster’s victims as it is of Ted Bundy.
Television Review: Art Lives on But Dealers Die in “Velvet Buzzsaw”
Jake Gyllenhall and company will survive this broad satiric lark, as will the art world.
Television Review: “Sex Education” — Making Love in High School
One of the key reasons that Sex Education works is due to its frank depictions of what sex, or lack thereof, is actually like in high school.
WATCH CLOSELY: New and Old Spring Shows Worth Being Excited About
Here is what a smart, savvy viewer who likes high-quality entertainment is looking forward to on TV this year.
Television Review: “Shtisel” — A Charming Look at Jerusalem’s Ultra-Orthodox
Shtisel offers a humane glimpse into the lives of people who would normally be shrouded from me by all sorts of religious and political barriers.
WATCH CLOSELY: Sabrina’s Solstice, and Other Dark Seasonal Gems
Where do you go once you’ve watched the classic Xmas films? Some suggestions.
WATCH CLOSELY: Orson Welles — “The Other Side of the Wind”
The Other Side of the Wind may inspire brooding melancholy in some, but it’s also pretty damned fine.
WATCH CLOSELY: The Coen Brothers and the Enchanting Western
The Ballad of Buster Scruggs demonstrates the Coens’ consummate skill for reinventing classic genre tropes, dovetailing deep affection with inspired re-interpretation.
Television Review: “Jane Fonda in Five Acts”
The more we hear Jane Fonda’s homilies about needing to be “whole” and “self-actualize” the more her personal journey sounds more like a succession of carefully calculated branding exercises.
