Alci Rengifo
Netflix’s ‘The Lincoln Lawyer’ Makes a Case for Network-Style Legal Thrillers With Binge-Worthy Zest
Features • Published on May 2022
The legal thriller is alive and fun in Netflix’s “The Lincoln Lawyer,” a show that feels both fresh but also rather old-school. It’s a throwback to the kind of weekly procedural that…
‘Firestarter’: Stephen King Remake Fails to Find a Spark
Features • Published on May 2022
It was only a matter of time before someone got around to remaking this one. “Firestarter” is the latest revamp of a Stephen King novel that was already turned into a…
‘The Essex Serpent’: Claire Danes Chases Monsters Real and Imagined in Richly Layered Apple TV+ Drama
Apple TV Plus • Published on May 2022
The best monster stories are really about people. Creatures created in our imagination tend to channel how we feel or see the world. As its title promises, “The Essex Serpent” has a…
‘Pleasure’ Challenges the Male Gaze Through the Shattered Dreams of an Aspiring Porn Star
Features • Published on May 2022
Like countless other internationals, Bella (Sofia Kappel) has left her native Sweden to seek fame in Los Angeles. She isn’t attending one of the city’s prestigious, pricey film schools or looking for…
HBO Max’s ‘Hacks’ Hits the Road for a Second Season of Winning Comedy
Features • Published on May 2022
You don’t really get to know someone until you’ve traveled with them. The second season of HBO Max’s “Hacks” explores how this is quite true when it comes to mentors. While the…
‘This Much I Know to Be True’ Delves Into the Music of a Changed Nick Cave
Andrew Dominik • Published on May 2022
Sometimes when capturing a musician on film, it is wise to let the music do the talking. Such is the approach of director Andrew Dominik when filming Australian music icon Nick…
‘Candy’: In Hulu True Crime Drama, Jessica Biel Quivers With Unnerving Guilt
Candy • Published on May 2022
Just when it seems like there was too much true crime overload in streaming, we get a series like Hulu’s “Candy,” again proving why the genre has become such a cultural obsession.
‘Along for the Ride’ Adapts Sarah Dessen’s Novel Into a Sweet Romance
Along for the Ride • Published on May 2022
Netflix’s “Along for the Ride” is another one of those YA adaptations about a teenager who feels they’ve missed out on all the good stuff. What makes this one a rather endearing…
‘The Wilds’ Season 2 Expands Its Roster of Marooned Teens for a Battle of Genders
Amazon Prime Video • Published on May 2022
When we’re teenagers the adults can feel like some all-seeing eye of God. We’re entering the first real phases of independence in our lives, yet don’t have total control. Amazon’s “The Wilds”…
‘Happening’: French Abortion Drama Harrowingly Makes a Case for Freedom of Choice
Audrey Diwan • Published on May 2022
Even if the disturbing development of the Supreme Court’s desire to overturn of Roe v. Wade had not taken place, Audrey Diwan’s “Happening” would remain a compelling, urgent film. It says…
‘Doctor Strange in the Multiverse of Madness’ Twists the MCU Into a Campy Madhouse
Benedict Cumberbatch • Published on May 2022
The Marvel Cinematic Universe is doing more than ample justice to its name with each new title. “Doctor Strange in the Multiverse of Madness” traverses different universes and will work best for…
‘Star Trek: Strange New Worlds’ Cheerfully Returns to the Roots of Its Franchise
Features • Published on May 2022
Everyone else is getting sequels and prequels, might as well include one of TV’s most iconic franchises. Paramount Plus’ “Star Trek: Strange New Worlds” is one of the most faithful reboots to…
‘The Staircase’ Builds an Addictive Case of True Crime in Suburban America
Antonio Campos • Published on May 2022
As an audience we cannot help but continue to be compelled by the shocking ways American privilege can spiral into bloody crime. A sense of social reassurance is shattered when we learn that…
Jane Fonda and Lily Tomlin Say Goodbye to ‘Grace and Frankie’ With a Little Help From Dolly Parton
Dolly Parton • Published on April 2022
They really don’t make stars like this anymore. Saying goodbye to Netflix’s “Grace and Frankie” is almost the equivalent of marking once again the passing of a generation, if not an era.
Netflix’s ‘Ozark’ Finales Its Web of Corruption With Masterful Intensity
Features • Published on April 2022
The final episodes of Netflix’s “Ozark” almost confirms that some Peak TV can come close to achieving what was once called “the great American novel.” If these episodes had been a book,…
‘Undone’ Season 2 Travels Through Time and Painfully Complex Generational Trauma
Amazon Prime Video • Published on April 2022
If we could travel back in time the experience would probably be more emotionally shattering than suspenseful. Amazon’s “Undone” traverses timelines to profile the inner workings of its characters. Few showrunners have…
‘Memory’ Sends Liam Neeson to Texas to Shoot His Way Through Familiar Territory
Features • Published on April 2022
It’s getting to the point where you can watch a “new” Liam Neeson action movie and automatically turn it into a drinking game. Take a shot every time Neeson tosses away a…
‘Under the Banner of Heaven’ Recounts a Disturbing True Story of Faith and Murder
Andrew Garfield • Published on April 2022
FX on Hulu’s “Under the Banner of Heaven” tells a different kind of true crime story. Its reach is quite broad as it recounts a 1984 murder that somehow connects to the…
‘Gentleman Jack’ Season 2 Expands Its Romance and Drama Into Even Richer Territory
Anne Lister • Published on April 2022
HBO’s “Gentleman Jack” is yet another televsion series that doesn’t miss a beat despite taking a three-year break. It is still stylish, witty and emotionally stirring. For newcomers, the basics are that…
‘Barry’ Season 3 Takes Aim With a Deadlier and Funnier Bill Hader
Barry • Published on April 2022
HBO’s “Barry” gets so bleak on the emotional side in its third season that it’s almost a miracle it’s actually brilliantly funny. Shows like this remind us why tragedy and comedy are…