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Reviews
WarGames (1983)
A Thriller Lost within a Teen Comedy
The idea that juvenile delinquents could hack into NORAD's computers and accidentally start WWIII is a perfect subject for a technological thriller, which is what this film tries really hard to be. The casting of Matthew Broderick and Ally Sheedy, two of John Hughes's future stars, and the fact the missile-controlling robot, Joshua, has a cute face go against the more serious messages of the script as well. Its cartoonish structure of nerds/outcasts vs. the military-industrial complex makes the film feel like an episode of Captain Planet, with only the onscreen charm of Broderick and Sheedy holding the very simple plot together. John Badham would go on to direct Sheedy in SHORT CIRCUIT three years later, which does a much better job at combining a cute-faced robot and maniacal government officials. With one of the most intense missile-launch opening-scenes I've seen outside of a Tom Clancy or James Bond film, I felt disappointed the script didn't maintain that momentum.
Mr. Robot: eps1.4_3xpl0its.wmv (2015)
Elliot Succeeds and Fails Spectacularly
Elliot's first fsociety mission, the infiltration of Steel Mountain, Is filled with tense failure and surprising redemption. His successive oversight when it comes to his personal relationships makes this episode perfectly balanced in terms of building stakes for Elliot's future. Angela's father also makes his first appearance and I really hope nothing horrible happens to him.
Mr. Robot: eps1.3_da3m0ns.mp4 (2015)
Too Early for Character-Specific Metaphors
Hallucination-based episodes are commonplace in modern dramas and they almost always help develop character subtext and are filled with easter eggs that are elaborated-upon in later episodes. Placing one of these stories only four episodes in, however naturally brought on by Elliot's morphine withdrawals, seems rushed and leads to confusion. We don't know Elliot, Mr. Robot, Shayla, or Angela enough to feel the imagery's potency. Even though Mr. Robot and Elliot have a bonding moment, this episode would've better been suited at least a season in the future.
Mr. Robot: eps1.2_d3bug.mkv (2015)
Elliot Tests Out a Normal Life
This episode feels more like a "what-if" story that shows what Elliot's life would be like without fsociety. We get to see Elliot experience happiness for a change and develop the healthier parts of his relationships, but of course the joy doesn't last for long. This is contrasted by Tyrell's increasing acts of American Psycho-esque violence when his career plans don't go as planned. A character-building episode rather than a plot-building one.
Mr. Robot: eps1.1_ones-and-zer0es.mpeg (2015)
The Stakes Go Up
Where the pilot presented Elliot with the chance to start a revolution by eliminating debt's stranglehold on the 99%, this episode shows the violent sacrifices Mr. Robot's fsociety is willing to make for their mission. Elliot's personal relationships also get darker and more complex as his dependency on morphine reaches a new level. One scene with his therapist came off as a little too presentational, but everything else this episode sets up made Elliot's world a lot more intense.
Mr. Robot: eps1.0_hellofriend.mov (2015)
Excellent World-Building from Scene One
Rami Malek couldn't have landed a more perfect role that appeals to his own unique persona. Elliot Alderson immediately cements himself as the Robin Hood or Dexter Morgan of data hackers. His paranoia about "Evil Corp's Men in Black" and the ghost-like presence of Christian Slater's Mr. Robot team fills this debut episode with mystery. And the New York City in the show feels like it's somewhat in an alternate universe, making its commentary on corporate corruption and class warfare allegorically captivating.
Rick and Morty: Pilot (2013)
An Unbelievably Fast and Clever Pilot
A mass extinction threat, a spaceship built in a garage, and a teenage bully being frozen to death all happen within the first minutes of the most entertaining animated pilot in years (perhaps ever). Packed with jokes that subvert Doctor Who and Star Trek tropes, it's hard not to revel in Morty's misery and complete helplessness wherever/whenever his grandfather Rick takes him. Morty's other family members also have a level of absurdity about them that promises hilarious subplots. Rick's erratic, belch-filled dialogue is so quick and spontaneous that re-watching this episode might be necessary, but no less enjoyable.
The Thing from Another World (1951)
Not John Carpenter's Classic, but Still Fun
"The Thing" immediately brings to mind John Carpenter's classic film about a fleshy, shape-shifting monstrosity. The Thing in this film is nowhere near as terrifying, but the care the screenwriters take in describing its biology make it a unique creature in its own right.
As soldiers from the U.S. Air Force investigate a sunken aircraft in the North Pole, they foolishly thaw the ship's sole inhabitant and quickly plan on destroying it. Thanks to a sled dog's sharp teeth, they get an alien arm that, after examined, leads the alien to be described with entertaining adjectives like "thorn-fingered" and "super-carrot." An impervious vegetable man is much less gruesome than John Carpenter's alien, but generational conventions and censorship laws did have a drastic effect on how scary horror movies could be in the '50s.
Speaking of generational conventions of the '50s, Nikki, the only woman in the whole cast, is merely fodder for Captain Hendry's romantic quips. This would be less annoying if it was only present in the introductory scenes of the film, but those lovebirds flirt with each other even after the super-carrot sucks the blood out of two soldiers' bodies like it was eating Go-Gurt.
Due to the heightened paranoia surrounding nuclear war at the time, this film joins the ranks of television and cinematic sci-fi focused on military-might versus invaders. Scientific reasoning acts as an equal antagonist against the soldiers, led by a Freud-Darwin hybrid, Dr. Carrington, who secretly wants to save the alien. Having this mind vs. brawn dynamic adds some depth to a very thin script.
It may not need Kurt Russell to blow it up, but this Thing's memorable veggie powers and weaponization of a wooden beam makes it a standout movie monster from a decade of campy frights.
The Assassination of Jesse James by the Coward Robert Ford (2007)
A Modern Western Masterpiece
What a gorgeous film. Andrew Dominik channels Terrence Malick in every scene, highlighting the wilderness of the Midwest and how its desolation seeps into each character's daily life. This film is built on a ladder of tense moments, culminating in Jesse James's death. Robert Ford's infamous stardom afterwards is a depressing denouement that fits his lifelong failure at gaining trust. Brad Pitt's Jesse James is the alpha dog, radiating a supernatural sense of awareness that is both menacing and respectable. But this film belongs to Casey Affleck, whose cracked voice and shifty face forces you to join in with the gang's harassment of the reluctant assassin. If you ever wanted a Ken Burns film that included sorrow-packed dialogue, then every hour of this film is worth watching. And a supporting cast that includes Sam Rockwell, Mary Louise Parker, Sam Shepard, and Jeremy Renner. Come on.
The Murder Man (1935)
Spencer Tracy Can Improve Any Film
Despite 90 minutes of dialogue being packed into 60, this is a surprisingly captivating artifact of the film-noir era. Spencer Tracy's unwavering screen-presence drives what appears to be a predictable murder-for-insurance story, but the twist ending's effectiveness rests solely on his ability to hide subtext under his "everyman" demeanor. Jimmy Stewart also makes his second film appearance in a small reporter role, so this short mystery has no lack of star power.
Rachel Getting Married (2008)
A Depressing Wedding You Can't Help but Love
I can only think of a handful of films that have such a large cast of characters so fully-realized that everyone, even Anne Hathaway, disappears into their role. Hathaway had some daunting competition for a Best Actress Oscar in 2009, but considering I'll forever associate her with Kym now, I wish she got every award she was nominated for. Having been the best man to my brother in the past two years makes this story exceptionally fresh, but luckily my family isn't as dysfunctional. This doesn't mean that every attendee at Rachel's wedding isn't instantly recognizable. Jonathan Demme has proven his talent several times over and it's amazing he can take Jenny Lumet's brutally honest dialogue and still convey a lovable, realistic family.
Silicon Valley: Minimum Viable Product (2014)
Mike Judge Creates another Gang of Underdogs
The set-up - a group of misfit programmers at a Google-esque tech giant, Hooli, who take a chance on their super-fast search algorithm - is ripe with potential for satirical commentary. More like OFFICE SPACE than Mike Judge's animated projects, this pilot is immediately populated by diverse characters trapped in a nerdy workforce, whose passion to run their own lives makes them instant underdogs. It's undeniable that the combination of Thomas Middleditch, Kumail Nanjani, and T.J. Miller set this series on a firm bedrock of comedic intuition.