Archive | January, 2014

Community “Geothermal Escapism” Review (5×05)

23 Jan

???????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????I’m going to miss you, Troy Barnes.

When Troy sails off on the Childish Tycoon at the end of this episode, it’s hard not to get choked up; he’s been an integral part of this show and a beloved character, and it’s not easy saying goodbye. But alas, people come and go, and that’s a major theme tonight. When do we decide that we need a change? When do we have to let go of our pasts, to reinvent ourselves without losing hold of who we are inside? When do we decide that we have to fall into a pit of lava in order to come out unscathed on the other side? For, that’s the very choice Troy has to make in “Geothermal Escapism”, and it’s a big one.

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American Horror Story: Coven “Go To Hell” Review (3×12)

22 Jan

14136636-mmmainMan, that picture up there looks a lot more exciting than how it really played out, eh?

That’s really emblematic of this entire season, which, thankfully, is over next week. As for this episode, although the plot finally starts to motor forward a bit, the problem is: I just don’t care. I don’t care who the next Supreme is. I don’t care if anyone is killed off. I don’t care about any of these characters.

It’s sad, really, especially coming after Asylum, which was a truly great season of television. There, the stakes felt high. There, when something happened, it affected the outcome of the season. There, when we finished the finale, we felt like we’d seen a whole story. Going into the final episode of Coven, what exactly has changed? Fiona’s heading on out and we’re about to pick a new Supreme. Hooray.

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Justified “Good Intentions” Review (5×03)

21 Jan

JUSTIFIED-Season-5-Episode-3-Good-IntentionsPUT YOUR FOOT DOWN, DEWEY CROWE!

I’m really enjoying Boyd Crowder, motivational speaker this season, and I’d like to use that quote to segue into a little something about Dewey Crowe: Damon Herriman does some great work tonight with the more dramatic scenes. For the most part, he’s been used as comic relief, but here, I really feel bad for the guy because of the situation he’s in; he’s just started started to believe he’s making something for himself, but in the end, he winds up finding out he’s been manipulated and taken advantage of. The season’s done a good job of conveying a sense of desperation and loss of control for several of our characters.

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The Top 20 Film Scenes of 2013

20 Jan

Gravity-Scene1Welcome to the third installment of my year end lists. Today, we’re taking a look at the top 20 film scenes of 2013. This list is unranked.

THE FIGHT, “BEFORE MIDNIGHT”: This is easily one of the best-acted, most devastating scenes of the year. It starts out fine, then progresses into a small argument that later becomes a full-blown, ugly verbal war. It’s not cliche at all, and it’s the pinnacle of a fantastic movie.

BELFORT VS. DENHAM, “THE WOLF OF WALL STREET”: When Jordan Belfort invites FBI Agent Patrick Denham to his yacht, what results is a lengthy verbal showdown between the two. The undertones, the veiled threats, the fake cheeriness…what a fantastic scene for DiCaprio and Chandler.

THE ENDING, “CAPTAIN PHILLIPS”: This scene, by itself, elevates this movie to a whole other level. It’s a cathartic, devastating scene that showcases Hanks at his best, and it’s not the kind of ending you’d expect from a thriller.

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Sleepy Hollow “Indispensable Man/Bad Blood” Review (1×12/1×13)

20 Jan

Sleepy-Hollow-TV-Series-image-sleepy-hollow-tv-series-36428397-595-412This is not what I expected this show to turn out to be.

What I expected was a mediocre, cliched, and utterly silly hour each week, but what I got was a highly entertaining, well-crafted, and downright fantastic show that I look forward to. The finale only cements the show’s reputation.

The first episode is more of a set-up, but it’s still filled with intriguing moments; for example, the show does a great job of showing us that Ichabod and Abbie are different people. Although they’re on a similar mission, they each have people they love. They each can sometimes let their own desires and their own agendas seep into their decision-making process, as we see when Ichabod memorizes the map. There’s a moral complexity to this two-part finale that I find incredibly compelling, and while Ichabod does make up with Abbie later on, it still foreshadows a bit more tension later on.

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True Detective “Seeing Things” Review (1×02)

20 Jan

episode-02-10241-640x360I have to say, this show is intoxicating.

I love how it’s handling the two characters in relation to the case and the setting. It’s all character based, but that extends to their surroundings. It seems as if while they’re trying to solve the case, they themselves are trying to mend their own psyches, their own situations. The imagery is essential to this show, and both episodes so far have been impeccably shot. In particular, Cohle’s flashbacks are mesmerizing, drawing us in and conveying so much through the visual touches and McConaughey’s acting. The show’s doing a great job of placing us into a world seemingly between reality and fantasy; it’s hypnotic, really.

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The Top 15 Television Performances of 2013

19 Jan

breaking-bad-series-finaleHere we go with the second installment in my 2013 End of Year series; check out the “Top 20 Film Performances of 2013” here: https://polarbearstv.com/2014/01/17/the-top-20-film-performances-of-2013/

*Note: this list is unranked.

BRYAN CRANSTON, “BREAKING BAD”: Cranston’s final run as Walter White is as perfect as everything that came beforehand. While the first half of season 5 reflected his time on top, the second half showed us someone trying to hold onto a crumbling empire and a crumbling family, and Cranston handles this perfectly.

MICHAEL CUDLITZ, “SOUTHLAND”: In the criminally underrated TNT drama, Michael Cudlitz gives a virtuoso performance as cop John Cooper; the cast is strong, but Cudlitz is the anchor. His performance is absolutely heartbreaking, and it’s a shame we can’t see more.

HUGH DANCY, “HANNIBAL”: Dancy plays Will Graham, a gifted criminal profiler who comes across a cannibalistic psychologist in Hannibal Lecter. The relationship is a marvel to watch, and Dancy gets increasingly better as Graham’s psyche starts to shatter.

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Saturday Night Live “Drake” Live Blog/Review (39×11)

18 Jan

140115-drake-saturday-night-live-620x340Here we go. Check back in every 10-15 minutes for updates.

PIERS MORGAN LIVE: Well, we’re back! This sketch gets off to a fairly regular start–with Bobby Moynihan as Chris Christie–but it quickly escalates into something a lot funnier. Drake is Alex Rodriguez, and he’s suing everyone, Jackie Robinson and his iPhone included. Kate McKinnon is Justin Bieber, and her Bieber-esque actions are absolutely hilarious. Solid cold open. GRADE: B+

MONOLOGUE: Drake certainly succeeds at bringing the energy, and while his actual monologue is a bit shaky, the flashback to the bar mitzvah is funny, introducing a slew of black/Jewish rhymes by the rapper. I wasn’t completely sold on the sketch, but I do appreciate the way Zamata was introduced (they didn’t make a show of it, unlike the way they did it for the last few months…). GRADE: B

HIP HOP CLASSICS: BEFORE THEY WERE STARS: I definitely like the sketches that just allow the cast members to trot out a bunch of impressions, and I’ll give a shout-out to both Beck Bennett’s Mr. Wizard and Drake’s Lil’ Wayne. I also absolutely love the idea of Rick Ross as the red Teletubby. GRADE: B+

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The Top 20 Film Performances of 2013

17 Jan

2014-oscar-predictions-best-actor-actress-1252013-124706Hey, everyone. Welcome to the first installment of my 2013 Year-End Lists, which will be doled out over the next few weeks. I never understood the reasoning behind doing these halfway through December, so I’m starting out now. Enjoy. Today, we’ll be looking at the Top 20 Film Performances of 2013. Note: This list is unranked; I have no idea how I’d rank these performances.

See my top 15 television performances of 2013 list here: https://polarbearstv.com/2014/01/19/the-top-15-television-performances-of-2013/

*Yes, there are 21 performances on this list, and technically 22. I just couldn’t take anyone off.

CHIWETEL EJIOFOR, “12 YEARS A SLAVE”: Ejiofor’s portrayal of Solomon Northup in “12 Years A Slave” is one for the ages. Whether we’re watching him play a violin, take a beating, or ruminate by himself, we always feel connected to his character, connected to his journey down a dark and unflinching road.

SCARLETT JOHANSSON, “HER”: Sadly, she’s viewed as “ineligible” for many awards, which is a damn shame; with just her voice, she conveys heartbreak, seduction, and genuine emotion, and her work is absolutely brilliant. Samantha seems like she’s truly human.

BRIE LARSON, “SHORT TERM 12”: Larson is absolutely magnificent here, delivering a heartfelt performance that helps us sympathize with her in every scene. She perfectly captures the need to maintain a tough exterior while a whirlwind of emotions are bubbling up inside, and Grace’s relationship with Kaitlyn Dever’s Jayden is beautiful.

LUPITA NYONG’O, “12 YEARS A SLAVE”: In a film of truly excellent performances, Nyong’o plays a young slave named Patsey subjected to the beatings and sexual abuse of her master, Epps (played by the fantastic Michael Fassbender). It’s a layered and complex performance that showcases an actress who we’ll hear a lot about over the coming years.

ROBERT REDFORD, “ALL IS LOST”: In a one-man film, Redford is impeccable, delivering a performance almost completely devoid of dialogue; we see his story through his mannerisms and emotions expressed on his face, as well as in his body language.

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Community “Cooperative Polygraphy” Review (5×04)

16 Jan

????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????One of the greatest Community episodes ever created was “Cooperative Calligraphy”, a season 2 bottle episode that highlighted the show at its very best; it delivered the laughs and the brilliant character interactions we’d grown to love, and it was an absolute masterpiece.

“Cooperative Polygraphy” is no different. This is one of those episodes that highlights exactly how well the writers and the actors understand their characters and just how well crafted they are, and it still delivers a hilarious half hour of television. It’s a simple premise, but sometimes simple premises are the best outlets for genuine emotion, for brilliant character interactions and callbacks and a group of people sitting around a study room table. The characters dictate the direction of this episode, not the plot.

Considering the way Pierce’s character was handled at certain times while he was alive, the show could’ve easily done the same with his goodbye. However, this episode is a hell of a send-off, both for him and for Troy, and I love how each gift stays true to Pierce’s relationship with each character. It isn’t overly sappy; it’s raw emotion, and that’s what makes this episode so brilliant.

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