When ranking the best TV of 2023, I have to mention once again that, while I’ve done better than years before in TV watching, there are still some major titles missing from this list. I do plan to get around to shows like Shrinking, Abbott Elementary, Reservation Dogs, and The Righteous Gemstones, but that day is not today. Judge the following list accordingly.
Continue reading Top 10 TV Shows of 2023
The Iron Claw
It’s human nature, when in the aftermath of an unexpected, tragic event, to ask ‘could this have been prevented?’ It’s a kind of coping mechanism to try to make sense of the unimaginable, a way to find some peace of mind when answers may not be readily available. Biopics tend to attempt to find their own answers, whether by re-contextualizing the facts, or unveiling what was previously forgotten.
Continue reading The Iron Claw ReviewThe Indiana Film Journalists Association has named “Poor Things” the best film of 2023, a strong showing that also included Best Lead Performance for Emma Stone, Mark Ruffalo for Best Supporting Performance, Best Director for Yorgos Lanthimos, Best Adapted Screenplay (Tony McNamara), Original Vision and Best Ensemble Acting.
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“Sleep, Dearie Sleep”
Warning: Reviews of The Crown season 6 will contain spoilers.
There’s many reasons why I’ll never be the show runner of a television series, but one major factor is the anxiety of crafting a series finale. The show runner has to balance a great number of things when making a series finale: fan expectations, lingering plot threads, and providing a sense of finality that fits the overall tone of the show. Thankfully Peter Morgan was given the leg room to end The Crown on his own terms, as opposed to any number of shows that end prematurely. That he had real-life events to fall back on doesn’t hurt either.
Continue reading The Crown Season 6, “Sleep, Dearie Sleep” Review“Hope Street”
Warning: Reviews of The Crown season 6 will contain spoilers.
The Crown has made its reputation with its use of juxtapositions. How Peter Morgan has taken seemingly disconnected stories and finding a thematic connective tissue has paid off tremendously throughout its run. This batch of episodes hasn’t utilized the stylistic choice so explicitly yet, so it’s a bit curious to see the juxtaposition within Hope Street, as the results don’t always work.
Continue reading The Crown Season 6, “Hope Street” Review“Ritz”
Warning: Reviews of The Crown season 6 will contain spoilers.
You had to wonder when The Crown would ever give Leslie Manville’s Princess Margaret the spotlight. You don’t cast a celebrated actor like Manville and have her sit in the background, occasionally delivering a line or two. And, given the show’s fondness for stories of Margaret, you had to wonder if there would be one final send-off for her before the finale. Thankfully we have Ritz, which examines Margaret’s still exorbitant lifestyle as she struggles with her health, and gives Manville the runway to deliver some Emmy-worthy moments.
Continue reading The Crown Season 6, “Ritz” Review“Alma Mater”
Warning: Reviews of The Crown season 6 will contain spoilers.
How did Kate Middleton and Prince William become entangled? I can only speak for myself, as someone who tuned out much of the royal family tabloid fodder of the early 2000s, so it’s been a bit of a curious mystery. What Alma Mater posits is that, as with many machinations throughout the course of the show, their meeting was never really something left up to chance.
Continue reading The Crown Season 6, “Alma Mater” Review“Ruritania”
Warning: Reviews of The Crown season 6 will contain spoilers.
Two episodes into the final stretch and it kind of feels like The Crown is playing the hits. Willsmania dealt with classic familial conflicts, albeit from an entirely new perspective. With Ruritania, the show returns to Elizabeth’s ever-evolving relationship with a new Prime Minister, this time in Tony Blair (Bertie Carvel). The head of state rightfully hasn’t factored into the show much lately, so when it became clear early on that Blair would dominate this episode, a flood of memories came rushing back. The Crown has mined great material out of Elizabeth’s dealings with the various Prime Ministers over the years, and Blair is an important historical figure, so hopefully Ruritania won’t be a one-off affair.
Continue reading The Crown Season 6, “Ruritania” Review“Willsmania”
Warning: Reviews of The Crown season 6 will contain spoilers.
Sounds plays an unexpected, minor role in Willsmania in getting into Prince William’s (Ed McVey) head space. In the opening moments, it comes as William drowns out the morning noise with music, followed by the ambient clicks and clacks as his father makes and eats his breakfast. But it’s all quickly eclipsed by the maniacal screams of William’s female fans, which dominates the episode.
Continue reading The Crown Season 6, “Willsmania” Review
Chicken Run: Dawn of the Nugget
Nostalgia can be a deadly weapon. More often than not, our fondness for the pop culture of yesteryear can propel us to tack on an unecessary coda to what was already a perfectly fine artistic statement, whether it be a prequel, sequel, or spin-off. Though there are, of course, exceptions to this rule, like last year’s Top Gun: Maverick. I have tremendous nostalgia for 2000’s Chicken Run, as the VHS was on constant rotation on family road trips, so I greeted the news of a sequel, coming 23 years later and dropping on Netflix on December 15, with reserved skepticism.
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The Movie State 