Archive | May, 2017

The Leftovers “The Most Powerful Man in the World (and His Identical Twin Brother)” Review (3×07)

28 May

“It doesn’t make any sense!”

“International Assassin Part 3” opens with Kevin and Nora in a bathtub, back in the good ‘ol days when they could joke about how they wanted to dispose of their bodies post-death. It’s a wonderful little scene, and though the subsequent hour goes on twists and turns of epic proportions–something this show is familiar with–it all comes back to that scene in the end. Of course, it may not be that scene in particular, more so what that scene stands for: the pairing of Kevin and Nora, two people who are perfect for each other precisely because of how messed up both of them are. And thus, by circling back around to the Kevin-Nora relationship at the end of this wild, surreal adventure, The Leftovers once again makes it very clear that this is a character-driven show about grief.

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The Leftovers “Certified” Review (3×06)

21 May

“I want fucking closure.”

At the beginning of “Certified”, Laurie sits in her office talking to a woman who lost her child during The Departure. In fact, this is the same woman we saw in the very first scene of the series, and seeing her again here transports us back to the good ‘ol days of season one. We’re transported back for a very good reason, though: witnessing Laurie’s story come full circle. She hasn’t simply done a 360; she’s grown and changed and regressed and struggled, a process very true to life (and especially true to life under these extraordinary conditions). However, she is at the point of suicide once again.

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Baywatch Review

19 May

The opening scene of this movie is one of the best of the year. It follows The Rock in all his suave, muscular glory as he jumps into the water to save a drowning beachgoer. It features a glorious overuse of slow motion, random unnecessary closeups, and a huge title card rising out of the water as he carries a limp body to safety. It’s beautiful in a way that inspires confidence in the rest of the movie, namely confidence in its clear understanding of the outlandish nature of the story. Unfortunately, this incredibly refreshing opening is squandered immediately, and the rest of the two hour runtime only contains flashes of that bold “who gives a shit” attitude.

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The Leftovers “It’s a Matt, Matt, Matt, Matt World” Review (3×05)

14 May

“Ta da. You’re saved.”

The Matt-centric episodes have been some of the best hours this series has produced thus far, and though I’m probably in the minority when I say that this one doesn’t resonate quite as much with me, it still features some top-notch scenes throughout. It’s a fascinating setup: Laurie and Matt going at it, two ways of thinking clashing amidst the strangeness of a lion orgy on a ferry from Tasmania to Melbourne. The episode mines a fair bit of humor from the scenario, and the show once again strikes a nice balance between sheer absurdity and profound character drama.

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The Leftovers “G’Day Melbourne” Review (3×04)

7 May

“Then you should go be with them.”

I feel like I say this every week, but what a gut punch of an episode. This show is simply operating on another level than the rest of television at the moment, and it’s truly a marvel to watch as we approach the end. “G’Day Melbourne” in particular is a masterclass in writing: it’s a brilliantly structured slow collapse, i.e. we see the end coming from a mile away, but there’s absolutely nothing we can do about it. Obviously, there was a reason Nora and Kevin were in love in the first place, but we see that their mindsets are taking them in separate directions. We see it during the sex scene in the airport bathroom, during their actions alone, and even during their more light-hearted interactions. Nora referring to their relationship as a “toxic, co-dependent” one is extremely accurate, even if she says it in a joking manner.

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