Breaking Bad (Season 5.5/ also known as 6)

Let the debate begin. How great is this cautionary tale about a High school Chemist teacher turned Master Meth chief drug lord? Only time will tell but as great television finales go this one will make many top ten lists. I have rarely been this satisfied watching a show unfold from season to season. Here Walter White must finally confront his greatest truth while facing the inevitable collapse of his empire. Jesse Pinkman will suffer his own hell while attempting to destroy the very monster he went into business with and Hank Schrader will become the hero we always knew he could be. I bow my head in gratitude to Vince Gilligan and team for this gift of storytelling. Just when I thought it impossible for them to continue to conjure the kind of memorable scenes this show is famous for they do and brilliantly leave a gaping hole I desperately hope can be filled someday. Time for withdrawal for one of the best television programs ever produced.
A+

Spoiler Talk
Did Walter win at the end? Many might assume that he does and find some moral conflict within. But make no mistake, Walter White lost and lost big time. The scene where he looks across at his son returning home from school, now living in some low-income apartment, is all you need to show how much Walter destroyed everything. His son will forever hate him. His entire family will be forever marked as that family of the crazy Meth kingpin known as Heisenberg. Sure he was able to get a portion of his money to them; and yes, it will help some, but it’s more to stabilize their lives instead of supporting them as he had originally hoped. Then why is it so satisfying at the end when he collapses and dies, smiling at the very instruments that led him to his doom? Simple, it’s because Walter stopped lying to himself. He honestly admitted that all of it was for him, that he risked everything for some legacy only he in his delusional, prideful mind could see as something positive. But he couldn’t turn himself into the authorities because he needed to fix two wrongs that only he could fix and that was to take down Lydia and end the distribution route of his deadly blue Meth and then rid the world of the bastards who killed Hank, to simultaneously avenge his brother-in-law’s death and set himself free. And when he saves Jesse’s life, discovering he had been used as a slave, he releases not just a former false son but release all the hatred he had for someone who was trying to atone for all his wrongs and doing the right thing by punishing this mentor. What an excellent and complex group of characters.

The Switch (2012)

Jennifer Aniston and Jason Bateman star as best friends who unknowingly parent a child together when Bateman’s character replaces Aniston’s sperm donor’s “sample” with his own. Surprisingly, this romantic comedy is a winner, turning out way more entertaining than I had hoped. What makes it so enjoyable is because it’s not just a good love story but a wonderful drama about a father bonding with his son. This is an emotionally rewarding entertainment that I wish had been better marketed as a dramedy than a comedy for while it is funny it’s less comedic than the ads would make you expect. Only after watching this did I realize it was inspired by the Jeffrey Eugenides’ story The Baster, which I’m going to have to read because I love Eugenides. Grade: B+

In the Realm of Senses (1976)

This is the most erotic sex film I have ever seen. Nagisa Oshima develops a fictional inspiration on the Sada Abe affair, the true story of a woman who kills her lover by strangling him to heighten his sexual orgasm and then proceeds to castrate him after he dies. That’s right, this actually happened. Warning: if you are offended by nudity or any kind of sex in a film do not watch this. This is a very explicit film with pretty much the entire film a sex scene. I’m very open to what Oshima attempted to do and was impressed by the brave performances by his two principle actors, Tatsuya Fuji and Eiko Matsuda. Ultimately once the shock wears off the narrative kind of stretches out and it’s the character work that keeps the film from becoming a boring exercise in sex. Grade: B

Dexter (Season 7)

One of my favorite shows continues and it’s starting to feel like the story has run its course. Dexter Morgan aka The Bay Harbor Butcher and his sister Debra deal with the aftermath of last season and Dexter becomes romantically involved with another serial killer named Hannah McKay, played by the beautiful Yvonne Strahovski. Knowing that this is the second to last season I get the feeling that this stretch of story is all set up for what I hope turns out to be a stellar ending. This show deserves a great ending and I don’t believe the writers will fail me. The plot line though that is the heart and soul of this season deals with a closeted Ukrainian Mob Boss played by Ray Stevenson who wants to kill Dexter for the murder of his lover. Yet where the suspense really starts to heat up is when LaGuerta begins an investigation into Dexter, one that will forever change the show. Grade: A-

Project A (1983)

Martial Arts Master Jackie Chan stars, writes and directs a goofy Kung Fu comedy about policemen investigating a criminal enterprise between a corrupt Hong Kong leader and sea pirates. This is a very enjoyable action film with fight stunts so entertaining you’ll forget there is an actual plot to all the madness. Grade: B+

Insidious: Chapter 2 (2013)

The first film of this new horror franchise was a complete surprise, a spooky twist on the haunted house (or possession) story that really packs a scary punch.   If the first film was inspired but films like Poltergeist, here it seems James Wan and Leigh Whannell were inspired by The Shinning.   Patrick Wilson and Rose Byrne return but it’s Patrick who must deal with his past (demon) while Rose investigates more into the history of Parker Crane.   I found this to be a very clever sequel.   It’s not as scary perhaps but that’s more to do with the problem that we, the audience, understand how the spirit world works this time around and so the mystery aspect of the story is taken away.   Yet it’s a very satisfying continuation.  Grade: B+

Richard III (1955)

Laurence Olivier returns to Shakespeare to play the Bard’s greatest anti-hero.   While I didn’t enjoy this one as much as his adaptation of Henry V it’s still a grand work of ‘50s cinema.  Olivier plays to the camera and while I didn’t really love the way he played Richard I do think it is an effective choice.  For me the wig was a distraction.   Ultimately I’m holding out that someone comes along and gives us a great version of this play.  The 1995 film starring Ian McKellen is probably the best right now (with Looking for Richard starring Al Pacino another wonderful mediation on the play) I’m hoping we can someday experience this story with most of the text intact.  Grade:  B+

2 ou 3 Choses Que Je Sais D'Elle [2 or 3 Things I Know About Her] (1967)

I’m usually a fan of Jean-Luc Godard’s work but this film is pretty tedious and kind of a mess.  There are some great moments such as the twist of seeing the house wife go to work as a prostitute, dropping her child off at some kind of weird daycare slum but as avant-garde films go this one feels like it’s trying too hard to make a throng of statements, both politically and socially.   Instead of focusing on a single idea to make a powerful message which resonates with the viewer, Godard decides to throw everything at you.   This is not the film I’d have a Godard virgin watch and have a hard time recommending it.   It’s an experimental film that is frozen in the sixties instead of being ahead of its time.  Grade: C-

Heaven Can Wait (1943)

Usually with this kind of film you’d have the hero standing before Heaven’s gate trying to convince the Head Angel why he deserves to get inside, but not with this wonderful and clever fantasy from Ernst Lubitsch.  Here our hero, Henry stands before Hell’s entrance trying to get in because he believes he doesn’t deserve Heaven.   Don Ameche stars along with Gene Tierney in a film that covers the life of a man and the woman he loved.   Not surprisingly I really enjoyed this film and thought it was very moving.   I’d actually love to see this film remade because it’s a very promising concept.   Just please, if someone does, don’t make it a cheesy Adam Sandler like comedy.  It’s too good a story to be given a crass and overly slapstick treatment.  Grade: B+

Note:  My film favorite titled Heaven Can Wait (1978) was a remake of Here Comes Mr. Jordan (1941) not this film.  I was confused when I first saw Here Comes Mr. Jordan because I had assumed this was the original to the Warren Beatty film.   To be honest I’d have called this film Deny Me Heaven or something like that.  Heaven Can Wait doesn’t really work for this film’s plot, if you think about it.

Taking Chance (2009)

This is an impressive look at the attention to detail and the honor we give our fallen soldiers as well as an intimate account of one man’s emotional journey to copy with his own feeling of inadequacy as a Marine.   Kevin Bacon gives an Oscar worthy performance (although because it was made for HBO it didn’t qualify) and I can imagine he’s really proud of his work in this film.   The story is a true one, about Marine Lt. Colonel Michael Strobl who escorts the body of Private First Class Chance Phelps back home to his family for burial.   What I embrace about this tribute more than anything is that it remains respectful to the memory of Phelps and the military while refusing to take sides.  This is not a pro-Iraq War film or an attack on our government’s actions across this globe.   It’s an artful document on this country’s long tradition and dedication to honor those who gave their life for this country. Grade: A

Jack the Giant Slayer (2013)

I really did think this film was going to turn out just fine even with all the rumors of its spiraling budget.  I mean, you have Brian Singer directing (who before his failed Superman movie had done no wrong), Ewan McGregor and Bill Nighy starring and a promising concept of redoing the Jack and the Beanstalk fable.  What went wrong?  I wouldn’t call this a bad movie in the sense that I was amused by parts of it but it is a very flawed film.  The worst part of it is the special effects.  The giants are so generic and boring looking.  I just don’t understand why they had to make them so dopey looking.   The bean stalk looked okay but at times I felt it could have been better.   The bean stalk world from Puss N’ Boots was better looking and more interesting than the cave man like version we have here.   What kept me entertained was the love story between Jack and Isabelle but still this was a predictable storyline that could have used a few more twists.   Maybe in another decade someone will actually give us a Jack and the Bean stalk film we deserve, one where the giants don’t look like cartoon cave people.  Grade: B-