Better Call Saul: "Wine and Roses"/"Carrot and Stick”

These reviews assume you watched all of Breaking Bad. If you don’t want to risk spoilers, don’t read this article.

Coming off of it's best season yet, Better Call Saul has proven to be equal to Breaking Bad in nearly every way, if not more so in certain areas. While not as fast-paced as it's predecessor, the show has proven the art of the "slow-burn tragedy". We know what happens to Jimmy and Mike in Breaking Bad, yet there are enough elements at play to keep us guessing as to how their journey unfolds. Rhea Seehorn's Kim Wexler is one of the best female characters on television and watching her character arc unfold has been both exciting and dread-inducing. The cartel storyline, while occasionally feeling like fanservice, has only grown in quality thanks to the inclusion of Lalo Salamanca (played by a menacing Tony Dalton), easily one of the best antagonists in both shows. Add all of that along with the same level of writing, performances and directing of the parent show and Better Call Saul is a recipe for success.

The two-episode premiere continues the level of quality we’ve come to expect from this show. Nacho is on the run following the assassination attempt, not knowing that Lalo is still alive and coming after him. This is easily the most action-packed and intense part of the episode, as Nacho anxiously awaits for help from Mike, only to have to take matters into his own hands once he realizes he's on his own. Michael Mando's performance has never been as noteworthy as Odenkirk or Seehorn's, but he shows how far he's come from a character and performance standpoint as he escapes the motel he's stationed at in an excellent action sequence.

Meanwhile, Jimmy and Kim plot to take down Howard Hamlin by getting Cliff Main to doubt his long-time friend's professionalism. The scheme unfolds in typical Better Call Saul fashion, letting us slowly fill in the blanks as Jimmy breaks into the country club Howard and Cliff go to and planting "cocaine" in Howard's locker. Jimmy and Kim then recruit the Kettlemans from Season 1 into their plan, tricking them into thinking that their embezzlement lawsuit is open for a civil case which leads to them going to Cliff to accuse Howard of drug use during their case.

Kim is still the biggest question mark of this show. Given how Season 5 threw a curveball by implying she'll "break bad" rather than simply leave Jimmy, the premiere continues this by having her spearhead the plot to take down Howard. Her ruthlessness is further shown when she blackmails the Kettlemans into staying silent about their scheme as well as shutting down their tax returns scam. Jimmy is shown to be increasingly disturbed by her behavior, leaving the conclusion to her journey being able to go in any possible direction. Whatever her outcome is, it'll be both exciting and heartbreaking to watch.

Notes and observations:

* While each season has opened with a black and white sequence of post-Breaking Bad Saul living his life as Gene Takovic, this season opens up with a full-color sequence of the police exhuming Saul's house of all his possessions. Not only is it exquisitely filmed and scored, it's also hilarious and true to character to see how self-indulgent Saul was (the golden toilet was the cherry on top). It also opens the door to the possibility of a Gene-focused episode in the future.

* Lalo continues to show how crafty and sociopathic he is, paying a visit to a couple he is on friendly terms with the goal to kill them and use the husband's corpse to trick Gus into thinking the assassination attempt worked. For a relatively late addition to the show, Lalo has proven to be one of the best and most terrifying characters in the Breaking Bad/Better Call Saul universe.

* Kim makes a point of heaving the “Best Lawyer” mug she gave Jimmy back in Season 2, now riddled with a bucket hole from last season's "Bagman". If that’s not a signifier that the end is coming, I don’t know what is. 

* The scene at the country club where Jimmy loudly accuses a resentful Kevin and the tour guide of antisemitism is a brilliant comedic showcase by both Bob Odenkirk and James Urbaniak, as well as puts Saul's Jewish credentials to effective use.

* "Our children have to go to PUBLIC school!" I'm so glad the Kettlemans came back.

* Mike is disturbed by Gus' lack of consideration for Nacho's life and is clearly conflicted, before eventually drawing his line in the sand by refusing to use Nacho's father as leverage. Given how Mike's character ends up on Breaking Bad, it wouldn't surprise me if it's Mike who ends up pulling the trigger on Nacho's life.

* It's not a coincidence that the second episode, which contained the excellent motel shootout, was directed by Vince Gilligan, who also directed last season's "Bagman" and the movie El Camino. His Western chops are on full display at this point and it makes me beyond excited for the penultimate episode of the series, which was both written and directed by him.

* The note of panic in Gus’ voice as he lets Mike know that Lalo’s alive is perfectly played by Giancarlo Esposito. Only the Salamancas can ignite that reaction in him. 

*Kudos to Jonathan Lack on Twitter for pointing out the significance of H.G. Wells' The Time Machine, which appears in both episodes. I've already mentioned his podcast The Weekly Stuff Podcast on here, but go follow him on Twitter if you want to hear more from him.

* I'll be reviewing both Better Call Saul and Barry this month. It's a great time for television!

Check out my short film

A year back ago, I made a documentary for a class detailing the lives of people during the COVID-19 pandemic. Here's the link to my Youtube if you're interested: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ndqtP09clMg&t=6s

Weekly Log 3-13-22

It's been a pretty rough week for me overall. Briefly caught a bit of stomach flu and realized that I need a new mattress but on the bright side, I saw a bunch of Batman movies so I can't really complain that much.

MOVIES:

Batman (1989)

Tim Burton's 1989 reimagining of the Caped Crusader is considered a classic for a good reason. The beautiful Gothic structure of Gotham City, Michael Keaton and Jack Nicholson's excellent performances, Danny Elfman's iconic score, etc. The second half is definitely weaker than the first in my opinion, the revelation of the Joker being the murderer of Bruce's parents feeling rushed and the final confrontation not using much of Kim Basinger's Vicki Vale other than being the typical damsel in distress archetype, but this is still a great movie that earns its reputation.

Batman Returns

Free from the studio's control, Burton goes completely off the rails in the sequel to his 1989 film, not so much a Batman movie as it is a twisted character study chockful of German Expressionist imagery and Freudian energy. Michelle Pfeiffer and Danny DeVito are the standouts in an excellent cast as Catwoman and Penguin, and Danny Elfman's score reaches new heights, especially during the climax. This is definitely a bleaker movie than the '89 film and not suitable for children, but it's also the better movie overall.

The Batman

Taking as much inspiration from '70s crime thrillers as it does from various Batman media, Matt Reeves' adaptation exceeds expectations. Robert Pattison may very well be the best live-action Batman, capturing the character's imposing stature and detective side as well as his arrested development, and is buoyed by an impressive supporting cast led by Zoe Kravitz, Paul Dano and Colin Farrell. Greig Fraser's cinematography depicts Gotham in a way that is unique from other films and Michael Giacchino's score is suitably grim yet epic. The film falters a bit in the third act, as it's climatic set piece diminishes the neo-noir atmosphere the movie had going for it, but it also serves as an excellent capper to Batman's character arc. It's definitely up there with Batman Returns and The Dark Knight for the best Batman film and a film I'm looking forward to revisiting in the future.

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Let me know in the comments!

Weekly Log #3

One of the reasons I didn’t makes a Best of List last year for 2021 is that I personally feel like I didn’t consume enough media to make an adequate list, last year being a dry year for me in terms of film and television shows especially (sill kicking myself for missing Succession!). I’ve been slowly getting back on the wagon this year with a goal to catch up on the films and shows I've missed out on. 

TV:

Euphoria

A lot of critics have complained that it's a step down from Season 1 (which I haven’t seen) but having watched the last three episodes, I actually like it a lot, rumors about Sam Levinson aside. While there are some weird narrative choices, it’s one of the most visually and tonally ambitious shows I’ve seen in quite some time and supported by great performances from Zendaya and the rest of the cast.

South Park

Lackluster premiere aside, Season 25 has churned out some pretty great episodes. I especially loved the one with J.R.R. Tolkien and the way it retconned one of the show's longest-running jokes. Shows like South Park usually run out of steam after twenty-five seasons, but Trey Parker and Matt Stone are still finding new ways to poke fun at the audience and real-world events

Better Things:

Those who have read my previous blog will know of my love for FX's heartwarmingly funny comedy-drama, which has only gotten better each season. Having seen the first two episodes of the final season, I can safely say that the magic has not dissipated, with Pamela Adlon being at the top of her game regarding writing, direction and performance. 

Movies:

West Side Story

Other than knowing that it's a retelling of Romeo and Juliet set in New York, I had never seen the original film or play, so this was a revelation for me. Steven Spielberg's directing is as extraordinary as ever and the entire cast is excellent, Ansel Elgort aside. I plan on watching the 1961 film at some point.

Books:

The Eyes of the Dragon

I'm not very familiar with the works of Stephen King, having only read The Institute and parts of Carrie and It, but I really like what I've read so far. It's not an entirely original fantasy story, but King plays with perspective really well and writes some really complex characters with an interesting plot.

But What I Really Want To Do is Direct

I got this book per recommendation from Leonard Maltin and so far, I have loved every second of it. Ken Kwapis has a lot of stories from his years of experience as well as some very useful advice for those looking to break into the industry.

Video Games:

Elden Ring

Even if you don't play FromSoftware games, you'll have heard of Elden Ring, the latest game in Hidetaka Miyazaki's Soulsborne series with writing by George R.R. Martin. While it is as difficult as ever, it's also FromSoft's most accessible game yet, boasting a truly beautiful open world that constantly rewards exploration and allows the player to carve their own path. I've put ten hours into the game and feel like I've barely scratched the surface. Truly an early GOTY contender and a blueprint for open-world games in the future.

Miscellaneous:

The Weekly Stuff Podcast

For the past two years, I've been listening to Jonathan Lack and Sean Chapman's weekly podcast where they discuss the latest news in film, television and games. Both Jonathan and Sean have an excellent rapport and a strong knowledge and love for media. In addition to their regular podcast, they have a second podcast called Weekly Suit Gundam where they review every entry in the Gundam franchise, as well as other anime shows on occasion (recently they did a two and a half hour discussion on Kimetsu No Yaiba Season 2). Definitely give a listen on whatever platform you get your podcasts from.

Shonen Jump

I finally made the leap to Shonen Jump after wanting to get into manga for the longest time, and boy am I glad I did. The app boasts an impressive library of current and past manga that's constantly updating and has a crisp, clear display, all at $1.99 a month. Definitely a steal if you're looking to get into manga.

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Feel free to share your own experiences or thoughts in the comments section!

Cobra Kai Season 4

In an era of legacy sequels and film-to-TV continuations, Cobra Kai stands head and shoulders over it's competition. While last season was good, I was worried that the flaws of Season 3 would prove to be ever-growing cracks in the show's formula. Luckily, my fears were allayed after watching the fourth season, which for my money is the show's best season since the first.

Johnny and Daniel's rocky relationship is the show's main foundation, so their inevitable team up makes for exciting drama. As they try to find a way to make their new arrangement work, Johnny's student and surrogate son Miguel grows closer to Daniel, while Daniel's daughter Sam picks up Johnny's "Strike first" mentality and seeks to gain independence from her father. Watching these new relationships helps revitalize a storyline that is in danger of being repetitive, as Johnny and Daniel struggle and are ultimately unable to work together, leading to the midpoint of the season where they split their dojos once more and jeopardize their chances of winning the tournament.

Cobra Kai is an extremely ridiculous show when you look at it fully. The dueling dojos storyline is a prime example of that, and Season 4 seeks to inject some adrenaline into it by reintroducing Terry Silver, played by Thomas Ian Griffith. The main antagonist of The Karate Kid III, Silver was easily one of the film's worst aspects, a mustache-twirling villain that made Kreese look subtle by comparison. Here, Silver is a man who has put the past behind him and has seemingly moved on, only for Kreese to dredge up old wounds and compel him to return. The relationship between Silver and Kreese is fun to watch, as well as giving Kreese some depth after last season's mostly failed attempt at flashbacks.

One of my main complaints about Season 3 was how it gave certain characters the short shrift, making them either unsympathetic or making their arcs feel unearned. Season 4 rectifies that by giving two characters much need development: Tory and Hawk. After last season depicted her as a one-note psychopath, Tory is depicted with much more sympathy here, as she deals with helping her struggling family and ends up receiving some unexpected aid in the form of Amanda LaRusso (Courtney Henlegger finally gets to do more than dryly comment on the absurdity of the situation her husband has landed her into). Hawk meanwhile, struggles to earn his friends' forgiveness for his previous actions as well as what his identity is after an attack leaves him scarred both physically and mentally. Peyton List and Jacob Bertrand give their best performances and their characters' storylines pay off in spades in the finale.

Cobra Kai works best when it deals in shades of gray, and this season does so in a way that hasn't been seen since the first season. New character Kenny is a bullied middle-schooler thar joins Cobra Kai and gains a mentor in the form of Robby, Johnny's son and Daniel's former protege. What could've felt like a retread of Season 1 instead proves to be a brilliant inversion of the first film with the revelation that Daniel's son Anthony is one of Kenny's bullies. This subplot is an excellent commentary on the cyclical nature of bullying, while finally integrating Anthony into the main story after serving as comic relief for the first three seasons.

All of this sounds extremely heavy, but as always, the show has a large amount of humor and heart. Scenes like Johnny Googling "How do I tell my student I'm banging his mom?" and attempting to recruit female members into his dojo by pretending to be a feminist is as humorous as always and the relationship between him and Miguel continues to be the heart of the show even as their bond is strained. Cobra Kai always straddles the line between seriousness and levity, and this season may be it's best effort yet.

The show has always excelled when it comes to its finales and Season 4 is no different. The two-episode finale is an emotionally charged pair of episodes that pay off several relationships and storylines while teasing new ones for Season 5, as well as including a cameo that nearly had me whooping with joy. Cobra Kai is a show that always runs the risk of running out of steam, but this season proves that it's still got some wind left in it's sails.

The Graduate

As a socially awkward, neurotic young adult who graduated from college a couple of months ago and has no idea what to do next in life, I have to say that I identified with Dustin Hoffman's Ben more than I would have liked to.

I'm not saying that I would jump in bed with a married family friend or aggressively stalk her daughter, but I understand Ben a lot more than any other character in the film. We both come from a relatively well-off family and have spent the majority of our lives living on the straight and narrow with the adults around us pressuring us to consider the next step in our lives. When presented with the opportunity to rebel against this way of life, Ben hesitates because of what his parents would think. The resulting montage, which shows Ben distancing himself from said parents while lazing around the house and fully committing to his affair with Mrs. Robinson is a powerful sequence, scored to the Simon and Garfunkel score which signifies the beginning of the film's next act.

Upon meeting Elaine, Ben finally finds one good thing in his life that is pure and innocent. Even then, his love for her is immature and reckless, with his decision to propose to her after one date and stalking her at her college after she discovers his affair with her mother. The ending, where Ben crashes Elaine's wedding and takes off with her on a bus, is infamous for a reason. The camera lingers on Ben and Elaine's faces as they slowly stop smiling and look perturbed, having just burned their bridges with their family and friends, uncertain of the future that lies ahead.

Having originally started out in theater, Mike Nichols' second feature is a masterwork of craftsmanship and editing. Each role is expertly cast and performed, with Anne Bancroft's Mrs. Robinson being one of cinema's greatest villains. The film zips from one scene to the next without any filler or fat on it's bones. Having now seen the film in it's entirety, I can safely say that The Graduate has earned it's cultural touchstone as one of the most important American films of all time.

Weekly Log #2

I know, it's been an unforgivably long time since I last posted, but with my last semester of college and work, it was hard for me to get inspired to write on this blog. Hopefully, this will change in the coming summer, as my main worries so far involve trying to get an actual job.

                                                                  VIDEO GAMES:

Resident Evil Village

Holy fuck, this game is good. If Resident Evil 7 was a homage to the first game's survival horror approach, then Village is a homage to the action-oriented fourth installment. The game throws so many ideas all at once, making you feel like an unstoppable badass as you progress while also making you feel intimidated by the sheer number of enemies you face throughout the game. It's not quite as scary as the previous installment (save for one section that has blown up the Internet), but what it lacks in scares it makes up for in pure spectacle.

Nier Automata

After putting off this game for who knows how long, I finally decided to go ahead and give this a play. I'm still relatively early on in the game, but what I've seen so far has been stellar. The game has a unique science-fiction plot with post-modern themes as well as the stellar combat you can expect from Platinum Games. I can definitely see why people consider this a great game.

Ratchet and Clank 

After starting the 2016 reboot and abandoning it once I finally got my PS5, I decided to give the game another spin with the 60 FPS update and boy, am I glad I did. This game is so much fun to play whether it's the humorous story, the insane gameplay or the breathtaking graphics. The game gives you several options in the form of different gadgets you collect throughout, allowing you to create different strategies as to how to take out enemies.

Baldur's Gate

After dying so many times in this game, I finally decided to go ahead and put the difficulty on Story Mode (noticing a pattern here?). After all, my main reason for playing Baldur's Gate was for it's storytelling and characters (back when Bioware actually cared about that sort of thing), and the game is known for being notoriously difficult in its early stages, so why not skip the combat altogether? As for Baldur's Gate 2, I'll cross that bridge when I get to it...

                                                         TELEVISION:

Demon Slayer

I'm more than halfway through the first season and so far, my experience with it is decidedly average. It's far from a bad show, with top of the line animation and voice acting, but only a few episodes have wowed me so far.

Mythic Quest

Season 2 is much tighter and more focused this season, compounding on the relationship between Poppy and Ian, as well as Rachel and Dana to create an emotionally touching yet extremely funny workplace comedy.

                                                        MOVIES

The Matrix Reloaded/The Matrix Revolutions directed by the Wachowski Sisters

Love or hate these movies, it's hard not to admire the audacity of the Wachowski twins, whether it's an extended sequence of worldbuilding with Zion interspersed with Keanu Reeves having sex or the twenty minute battle sequence that permeates the third film. The sequels to the 1999 classic go for broke in terms of fight sequences and visual effects, even when the story falters. 

Hot Fuzz directed by Edgar Wright

As I said on Twitter, this is a perfect film. The directing is as fast-paced and zany as you'd expect from an Edgar Wright flick, while the script penned by both Wright and Simon Pegg is littered with jokes and foreshadowing. I'm so glad I saw this film before it left HBO Max.

                                                          BOOKS

One Piece by Eiichiro Oda

I'm currently halfway through the second volume (I know, I'm a slow reader), but what I've seen so far is pretty good.  Oda has a clear grasp of the art style and world he's creating and the characters are endearing and funny. Now all I have to do is work up the nerve to buy a subscription to Shonen Jump...