lssking

I'm watching this movie right now and trying to pace myself through my Sunday whiskey-and-sodas. This film is so slow and boring; much of it is devoted to panning through the faces and dialogue of angst-ridden characters in a desolate 22nd century landscape (or whatever sad future era this is). The rest is nonsensical. The characters are pretty flat and the little plot is setup for future blockbuster sequels. We all get that the future of mankind is bleak. This has been covered by thousands of books and movies before this one, with no sign of slowing. I'm just glad I won't be around for 22nd century cinema, if this is the type of film that gets an 80+% rating on spoiled potatoes.

I saw Maleficent with my mom and we loved it. We're both huge fans of Angelina Jolie. Aside from all the challenging duties of her personal life, Ms. Jolie always brings her mega life force to her screen roles. In Maleficient, she's fully aware that she's playing for children but her role isn't a cutesy one. She's a larger-than-life figure who feels the most human emotions and experiences - hope; self-awareness; betrayal; tragedy; conflict; love found, lost and rediscovered - and she plays it all with great drama and intensity. All the actors do an excellent job in their roles and the visual effects and music are typical Disney first class. I'm as anti-corporate as anyone, but I have to give Disney props for always providing great entertainment with a promising message.

True Detective is sublime television programming. If you are at all entertained by crime drama, murder mystery, film noir or Southern Gothic, you will likely be mesmerized by this show. Matthew McConaughey and Woody Harrelson just slam-dunk their roles as reluctant partners on an increasingly winding case in Louisiana. The crime aspects are as disturbing as the real-life atrocities they mirror. And homicide investigations can only ever tear open whatever wounds their pursuers are nursing. You get to follow their home lives, hear personal histories, witness the social underbelly they trudge through and the office politics they have to maneuver. There's comic relief in their banter, deep philosophical introspection and plenty of suspense and action as they risk their lives to get the bad guy. It's content that's familiar to the fan viewer but delivered with powerhouse acting, vivid local color and stirring music that pulls the viewer all the way in. I post few rave reviews because the professionals do it better, but I just had to help spread the word on this one. It's a single-season case so there's no reason to miss out this year or any other. The writer and director might be new to television but what amazing talents; I sincerely hope to see more from them. I rooted for the true detectives with every precarious step, and did not walk away emotionally unaffected. This one stayed with me.