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Bob's Burgers: Torpedo (2011)
Funny starter season
This review contains spoilers.
'Torpedo' is the season one finale for Bob's Burgers. The Belcher family are spectating a baseball game with Torpedo Jones playing.
The episode is funny enough with a generic sit-com plot regarding morality. The family have to deal with Torpedo Jones' cheating and it rubbing off on Gene Belcher.
I would recommend "Torpedo".
Grade: B
Bob's Burgers Season One
This is a solid introductory season, though it feels as if there are a few holes. The opening season sets up the characters well and we see how each of the family dynamics work. Each of the characters in the Belcher family feel distinct and fresh. The side characters all seem fun and interesting with things to add to the main story.
The season is overall solid with the highlight episode being "Lobsterfest".
I would recommend the first season of Bob's Burgers.
Grade: B.
Avatar: The Way of Water (2022)
Visually stunning with a simple story
This review contains spoilers.
Avatar: The Way of Water is a science-fiction movie that premiered in 2022. The movie is a sequel to 2009's Avatar and takes place on the same planet of Pandora. The humans from Earth have returned to Pandora. Jake Sully, now a Na'vi, fights against the colonizing humans. Along the way, the humans have grown avatars that have implanted memories of deceased colonizing humans in the last movie.
Avatar: The Way of Water is a visually impressive follow-up to 2009's Avatar. Much like its predecessor, this movie takes a large step forward in technology. Avatar: The Way of Water's main feature visually is the water effects. The movie blends the water, human, and Na'vi actors all seamlessly. The movie that is present here feels like an experience on an alien world. A world that is at times vibrant and other times hostile. This movie captures this feel visually. The movie also does well with making the Na'vi actors and actresses more expressive. This has to be owed to the improvements in technology.
Avatar: The Way of Water expands on an already impressive universe by introducing a new tribe of Na'vi that specialize in water. The water is heavily explored in this movie. It is introduced roughly one-third of the way into the movie and the movie stays in this new realm. This is impressive as it has much to show. However, this ends up feeling meandering. The story in this movie feels like an excuse to explore the world of Pandora rather than an independent story. Part of this could be the middle entry in a series as the movie attempts to setup more in the future. The world is great however the plot is lacking.
The main villain in this movie is Colonel Miles Quaritch. The colonel returns as a Na'vi with memories of his previous life. This return feels lazy as Quaritch was killed in the previous movie. His inclusion here feels like the writers wanted another villain similar to 2009's Quaritch but could not differentiate them. They settled instead on resurrecting Quaritch.
The movie follows Jake Sully and his wife Neytiri. Since the end of the first Avatar movie, Jake Sully and his wife are raising a family on Pandora. The movie is setting up the Na'vi family by having them trying to integrate with the water tribe. This story offers new characters for the audience to follow. For the most part, the new characters are interesting and I am interested to see where this leads. This movie brings in a human character named Spider that flip flops between helping the humans and helping the Na'vi. The movie feels meandering and the plot is not clear and present.
I would recommend "Avatar: The Way of Water" directed by James Cameron.
Grade: C.
Avatar (2009)
Impressive visuals with a simple story
This review contains spoilers.
Avatar is a science-fiction movie that premiered in 2009. The movie is set in the 22nd century with humans visiting a planet named Pandora. The planet is the home of the Na'vi, a humanoid species that occupies a valuable region of Pandora. The movie follows Jake Sully, played by Sam Worthington, as he explores the world of Pandora.
Avatar is a groundbreaking movie. This movie excels in the visual department. The movies is able to flow between visually impressive computer generated imagery and real actors. The real effects and computer generated effects blend together seamlessly. The ability of the movie to blend these elements together is a cornerstone for the audience to immerse themselves in the world.
Avatar's world of Pandora is a wonder to behold. It is clear that the world is the center focus. The audience follows Jake Sully, a disabled military veteran. He is new to the planet and is offered a position where he can inhabit an avatar to talk with the Na'vi. The movie introduces the environments, animals, and aliens to the audience. This is an impressive world to behold. The world of Avatar has impressive visuals such as a bioluminescence tree, Pandoran wildlife, and lush forests.
The character of Jake Sully is the audience surrogate. The audience follows his journey into Pandora and the audience can discover Pandora. However, Jake Sully is a bland character. His background as a disabled former Marine is interesting but the movie does not expand upon it besides using it for his motivation. Jake Sully is a stale and bland character. Like many soldiers in the human expedition follows orders from their leaders. The other characters that Jake interacts with are much more interesting.
The plot of Avatar is nothing new. Many movies that explore Native American culture have similar tropes and plot with Avatar. This is not an original story and the plot is the worst aspect of the movie. The plot is an excuse for the visuals and world to be shown. The Na'vi themselves are the center element with their culture being similar to primal civilizations.
I would recommend "Avatar" directed by James Cameron.
Grade: C.
Edge of Tomorrow (2014)
Fresh concept and execution
This review contains spoilers.
Edge of Tomorrow is an action movie that premiered in 2014. The movie is a high budget movie that has aliens invading Earth in Europe as an expeditionary force is dispatched to repel them. The movie features a few gimmicks that help the main character become an action hero.
Edge of Tomorrow is a quintessential action movie with a gimmick. Tom Cruise plays Major William Cage, who starts off as someone that is far away from an action hero. Due to some luck in his first mission he kills a hostile alien mimic that can time travel. This forces William Cage to go into a loop where he has memories of his past encounters with every reset. This allows him to improve his combat ability. Along the way William Cage encounters Rita Vrataski that seemingly is aware of Cage's predicament.
The story of Edge of Tomorrow is fresh and enthralling. This is primarily owed to the casting of the two leads and sharp writing. Edge of Tomorrow thrives in the scenes with these two leads. The scenes have all the genres in them such as comedy, drama, and action. The movie uses these two leads well with how dynamic they become. There are so many scenes that these two leads are involved with and this is the core of the movie.
The action in this movie is excellent. The action is primarily between the humans and the alien mimics. These mimics are enigmatically strange and have a lot of fluid movements. These scenes have the aliens fighting against the heavily armed humans. These battles are impressive and the movie does an excellent job with how different all of the battle scenes are.
I would recommend "Edge of Tomorrow" directed by Doug Liman.
Grade: B.
Valkyrie (2008)
Covert war thriller
This review contains spoilers.
Valkyrie is a historical war thriller movie that premiered in 2008. Valkyrie covers the July 1944 plot to assassinate the chancellor of Germany and take over the German government. The movie follows Colonel Claus Schenk Grat von Stauffenberg as he becomes disillusioned with German leadership leading to his organization of the coup.
Valkyrie is a tight thriller movie. At 121 minutes of running time, the movie covers years of history to fill the background of von Stauffenberg's disillusionment. The movie had a lot to cover with all of the German officers involved in the coup. For the most part the movie succeeds at delivering a thriller and an accurate movie. The sets and props feel authentic. The casting choices are great.
Valkyrie's shortcomings are also its inaccuracies. The movie opts for a theatrical approach to showing events rather than a historically accurate approach. This is disappointing as the movie is already slow paced. The movie could have been a historically accurate portrayal of the plot as it is tense by itself.
I would recommend "Valkyrie" directed by Bryan Singer. The movie is a more entertaining account of the July 1944 plot, but it contains an all star cast that drives the entertainment.
Grade: C.
Im Westen nichts Neues (2022)
Nightmarish misery
This review contains spoilers
All Quiet on the Western Front is a 2022 anti-war movie that was produced in Germany. The movie is based off of the 1929 novel All Quiet on the Western Front written by Erich Maria Remarque. The movie is about a German soldier's experiences during the first World War.
All Quiet on the Western Front is a much more intense movie than its 1930 or 1979 predecessors. The movie has much higher visual and audio enhancements. The movie captures the chaos and intensity once the battle begins in a captivating and eerie way. The visuals and audio help drive home the message that war is hell. Any romantic notions of an adventure are dispelled by the sheer chaos with which an average German soldier is killed. The movie portrays this with so much production value that it makes the viewer feel that they are present in the midst of chaos. These scenes are the highlight and drive the fear of the characters and audience. The experiences are raw and tense.
The casting choices are excellent. Each of the characters are portrayed by native German speakers and this is the best way of experiencing the story. The cast immerses themselves into the role and they portray the horror and camaraderie in the movie.
All Quiet on the Western Front differs from the earlier film adaptations. The 2022 adaptation has an additional storyline with the signing of the armistice. The movies before this never featured this storyline however it was always alluded to with the armistice being months away. The characters in the older versions would despair at fighting a war that was already ending. The armistice storyline in this version was well executed but it felt distracting to the focus on the soldiers. The movie focuses more on the upper echelon of officers that leads many enlisted men to their deaths.
The movie's weakness is with its multiple storylines. The previous versions have a more defined focus by only presenting Paul Baumer and his comrades in the army. The comradeship that is present in the older movies felt better as the squad had more time to develop together. The older movies had more development on characters that were part of Paul Baumer's journey.
All Quiet on the Western Front portrays the futility and misery in a palpable way for the audience. This adaptation doubles down on the intensity and horror from the industrial conflict of World War One.
I would recommend "All Quiet on the Western Front" directed by Edward Berger.
Grade: A.
All Quiet on the Western Front (1979)
Detailed and updated
This review contains spoilers.
All Quiet on the Western Front is an epic television movie that premiered in 1979. The movie was primarily filmed in Czechoslovakia and is based on the novel by Erich Maria Remarque by the same name. The movie follows Paul Baumer, an 18-year old student, as he enlists in the German military to fight the Great War. Along the way, the movie follows the exploits of Paul and his classmates as the reality of war creeps in.
All Quiet on the Western Front is a fantastic movie. This is owed primarily to its source material. This movie is one of the more accurate adaptations of the book. The movie captures the spirit of the source material well and adapts each of these to the encounters that Paul and his friends have. The movie does have its flaws in the budget. The lower production values that are due to the television nature of the movie are clear to see. However this does not detract much from the experience. This is an acceptable way for any audience member that wants to learn about Erich Maria Remarque's book to experience.
This movie will no doubt draw comparisons between the 1979 and 1930 movie. The 1930 movie is much more focused with some scenes omitted. The 1979 movie goes into more depth with the day-to-day actions for the German army. The movie emphasized the awfulness in trench warfare and it does not deemphasize the horror. However the movie has problems with its delivery. The movie's primary flaw is with its execution. I found the 1930 movie more effective in its execution and it may be owed to the casting choices in the 1930 version compared with the 1979 version.
I would recommend "All Quiet on the Western Front" directed by Delbert Mann.
Grade: B.
All Quiet on the Western Front (1930)
Harrowing war experience
This review contains spoilers.
All Quiet on the Western Front is a 1930 anti-war movie. The movie is based off of the novel All Quiet on the Western Front written by Erich Maria Remarque. The movie covers the experience of the Lost Generation in Germany as World War One erupts. The men in school are impassioned to join the army and serve their country. The movie follows the group of students as they continue their journey throughout the war.
All Quiet on the Western Front is an epic movie and a masterpiece. The movie is both an engrossing story and a deep character analysis. The movie succeeds at both of these difficult concepts. These concepts prove the superior filmmaking on display. Although the movie is showing its age, the filmmaking on display is nothing but extraordinary. This movie feels like a modern movie story albeit with some stiffness. The movie is way ahead of its time. The movie does excellently with telling the story by keeping the scenes simple.
All Quiet on the Western Front does an excellent job with the characters. The characters are given a surprising amount of depth. The characters begin as students that must confront the terrifying realities of war. Each of the students comes to their own resolution on the war. The movie's true focus is on Paul Baumer.
Paul Baumer goes on an odyssey in this movie with the Great War. The movie pulls no punches in making Paul's experience of the war miserable. From the beginning of the movie, Paul and his friends are manipulated by their professor to enlist in the army. The students are whipped into such a fervor that any student that is not enlisting is seen as unpatriotic. Paul and his friends had no scenario where they could avoid enlisting. From that point onwards, Paul's life spirals into misery as his friends die and the miserable conditions of trench warfare set in. The movie goes to lengths on Paul's experiences and it shows how traumatizing each soldier had it. The movie has a break period where Paul returns home. This return is particularly well done with showing the audience how disillusioned and detached he has become. Everything has become changed with Paul and all the items that were significant in his life are no longer the same. It is truly heart wrenching to see Paul no longer care about himself as he tries to find some semblance of beauty in the world.
I highly recommend "All Quiet on the Western Front" directed by Lewis Milestone.
Grade: A.
Resident Evil (2022)
Messy series with some redeeming qualities
This review contains spoilers.
Resident Evil is a Netflix drama horror television show that premiered in 2022. The television series spans eight episodes and features two timelines being portrayed. The television series centers around Jade Wesker and her sister Billie Wesker as they discover a conspiracy as students and try to survive the post-apocalypse as adults.
Resident Evil is an incredibly messy show. The series has many moments of unintentional comedy. Some of these moments are hard to understand whether the television production intended this or if the production crew overlooked it. One of these moments is when Baxter, an Umbrella operative, arrives to capture Jade Wesker. Baxter's introduction has him almost falling down the stairs as intense music plays. Another moment is Jade and Billie making a video call to someone with Paint software and no Internet connection. These mistakes are laughable and baffling for a Netflix show with a budget for Lance Reddick and Paola Nunez.
The writing for the television series is astoundingly weak. The television show has strange considerations for plausibility. The Umbrella Corporation is written as an encompassing corporation with a paramilitary element. The Umbrella Corporation leaves so many dangerous creations around in an unsecure lab. This does not make sense even in the context of its own story. By the time the story starts, Albert Wesker states that there had been outbreaks in Raccoon City and Tijuana. The Umbrella Corporation continued to station no guards or a fast response team in New Raccoon City on purpose. Two of Wesker's daughters were able to walk into the facility and trip an alarm without the entire facility entering into a lockdown on an infected dog.
The story with Billie and Jade Wesker was not interesting. The story in the past unfolded as a teenage drama. The important aspect of Joy and how the outbreak starts was not explained. The series was missing the horror aspect besides the cheap jump scares. The past story is badly missing genuine horror as the television series pivots to teenage drama.
The television series has a present storyline that centers around Jade Wesker. The series is seemingly trying to portray Jade as a hero and on an important mission. Jade is unhelpful to characters that help her and even gets them killed. Baxter, an Umbrella operative, decides to help Jade and in return dies a grisly death because Jade could not let go of her mission. Jade also returns back to a safe ship but brings a live Zero for the ship. She does not tell anybody about this and it results in a bystander being killed. The series is confusing in this aspect as it appears Jade is almost meant to be the villain.
Overall, the casting worked well in the series. Lance Reddick is seemingly miscast as he does not resemble his original character. However, I bought into his performance completely. Lance Reddick portrays a frustrated father, an insane scientist, and the psycho original Albert Wesker in a fantastic fashion. He carried the series as he became one of the few reasons to watch the series. Paola Nunez plays Evelyn Marcus, the CEO of Umbrella. She does a good job playing an unhinged leader of a corporate conglomerate with a messy history.
I would not recommend "Resident Evil" developed by Andrew Dabb. The series has too many problems with its writing.
Grade: D.
Letterkenny: A Fuss in the Back Bush (2016)
Quick Firing comedy
This review contains spoilers.
Letterkenny's season one finale is entitled "A Fuss in the Back Bush". The episode is not related to the earlier episodes in the season. In Letterkenny, Stewart and the Skids find themselves at the receiving end of a revenge that costs the townsfolk.
This episode is hilarious. Wayne and Katy are anchors to Stewart and his goth gang's plans. This episode has the town coming together in a meaningful way and attempting to defend Stewart and his gang. This is the centerpoint of the episode and it is handled well.
I would recommend "A Fuss in the Back Bush", the sixth episode of the first season of Letterkenny.
Grade: B
Letterkenny Season One
Letterkenny's first season ran for six episodes at about 25 minutes each. This is a situational comedy television show that takes place in the Canadian rural town of Letterkenny. The town has a population of 5000 and has various interesting characters. The series centers around Wayne and Katy who run a small farm. The residents that the show focuses on are Stewart and his goth gang of drug dealers, a local ice hockey team, and a closeted town minister.
All of the episodes are common in theme. The setting for Letterkenny is drastically different from other situational comedies. Letterkenny is an incredibly quick firing comedy that requires the viewer to pay attention. The lines and reactions are quick. The season does well to introduce different characters and groups in Letterkenny.
I would recommend the first season of Letterkenny.
Grade: B.
Collateral (2004)
Taut and tight thriller movie
This review contains spoilers.
Collateral is a neo-noir thriller movie that premiered in 2014. The movie stars Tom Cruise and Jamie Foxx in an intense night in Los Angeles. A taxi cab driver picks up a fare that is revealed to be a contract killer hunting targets through the night.
Collateral is an incredibly tight and focused movie. At 120 minutes of running time, the movie focuses almost entirely on the dynamic between Tom Cruise's character and Jamie Foxx's character. This dynamic is the main draw of the movie as it forms the backbone of the movie. Both Max Durocher, played by Jamie Foxx, and Vincent, played by Tom Cruise, interchange off of each other. Max has to come to an understanding with his future goals. Vincent is playing off the passivity of Max to get to his targets. The movie can be seen as Max gaining confidence to confront Vincent and his own desires in life.
The action scenes in this movie are tightly and firmly executed. The talent that Tom Cruise brings to the role is stunning. Tom Cruise embodies a hitman on the screen by his cold and efficient actions. Vincent is no slouch to coldly execute his targets once there is an opening. Something that happens plenty of times as Max and Vincent drive through the night. Of note is the dance club scene where three factions are at play. Vincent is able to overcome all of it in a believable manner to get to his target. This is a credit to the direction from Michael Mann.
I would recommend "Collateral" directed by Michael Mann.
Grade: B.
Interview with the Vampire: The Vampire Chronicles (1994)
Gothic movie lacking in horror
This review contains spoilers.
Interview with the Vampire is a gothic horror movie that premiered in 1994. The movie stars Tom Cruise and Brad Pitt as vampires throughout the centuries. The movie is based on the book of the same name by Anne Rice.
Interview with the Vampire is a strange movie. This movie is intended as a gothic horror movie but is more suited as a drama with vampires at its core. The movie follows the vampires through the centuries as they grapple with immortality and the curse of vampirism. This movie has romance and tragedy at its center. The movie wants the audience to care for Louis and his journey. For the most part, this succeeds. This is owed to Brad Pitt's acting performance.
The story in this movie can be uninteresting to some. This is a slow and meandering story that in the movie takes centuries to resolve. The main conflict is between Louis and Lestat, played by Tom Cruise. The comparison between these two was clear to end in conflict eventually. Lestat especially becomes obsessed with tracking down Louis for revenge despite failing many times. The pair eventually bring in Claudia, a little girl that is turned into a vampire. The story gets exciting but it feels meandering. One story event that shows this is Claudia and Louis traveling across Europe and the Mediterranean to find other vampires. They find none so they settle in Paris where they ultimately find other vampires. There is the obvious question of what was the point of venturing everywhere only for the characters to find what they were looking for.
I would recommend "Interview with the Vampire" directed by Neil Jordan.
Grade: B.
Tron: Legacy (2010)
A soundtrack movie
This review contains spoilers.
Tron: Legacy is a science-fiction action movie that premiered in 2010. The movie is a sequel to the original Tron that premiered in 1982. The upgraded visuals in this movie makes for a prettier experience but the movie lacks on the story aspect.
I am part of the audience that has not watched the original Tron movie. The movie had a tough task with creating a sequel to Tron, an introduction to the world of Tron, and an original story. The movie does not succeed at all of these goals. The movie introduces the world of Tron in an approachable way but the movie does make the plot interesting. The plot and characters are not interesting. This is a generic plot and characters for the audience to experience the world of Tron.
The villain is Clu who is played by Jeff Bridges and is a digital duplicate of Kevin Flynn. This villain has a simple goal and only drives towards action scenes.
The visuals and sound are easily the best aspect of the movie. The soundtrack is masterfully done by French duo Daft Punk. The sound is mixed near perfectly by the editing and production. Audiences can easily justify a viewing of this movie as a soundtrack movie. The movie fits this bill perfectly.
I would recommend "Tron: Legacy" directed by Joseph Kosinsky. Audiences should not expect much from the movie's plot. The movie's soundtrack is easily one of the best across the decade.
Grade: C.
Oblivion (2013)
Dystopian action discovery
This review contains spoilers.
Oblivion is a post-apocalyptic action-adventure movie that premiered in 2013. The movie takes place in a post-apocalyptic 2077 Earth. Jack Harper is among those that work maintaining combat drones in orbit. Jack works with a partner named Victoria Olsen as the pair maintain combat drones.
Oblivion is a movie with great production values. The sets, and visual effects are at an excellent level. The movie uses this to great effect with the adventure being palpably seen. There are many different backgrounds and settings that make Oblivion feel fresh as the action is more or less the same.
Oblivion falters on the script and plot. This kind of story is not unique. The story was setting up the scavengers to be an enemy when it was clear from the start that they were innocuous. The real enemy was Jack Harper and the fleet of combat drones. The presentation of this story was not unique and was a source of repetition. The story is neatly structured. This is a strange choice that made the story feel too clean for a movie about surviving an alien invasion and apocalypse.
The casting for the movie was excellent. Each of the main and supporting cast members did a great job in the movie. However, there needed to be more for the movie to feel unique.
I would recommend "Oblivion" directed by Joseph Kosinski.
Grade: C.
Top Gun: Maverick (2022)
A rare sequel
This review contains spoilers.
Top Gun: Maverick is an action drama movie that premiered in 2022. The movie is the sequel to the original Top Gun that premiered in 1986. The movie follows Pete "Maverick" Mitchell, who trains a group of Top Gun graduates to undertake a dangerous mission. Characters from the original Top Gun return in the sequel.
Top Gun: Maverick is a rare sequel that succeeds on multiple factors. This is a movie that feels like the original Top Gun did. This is a movie that expands upon the characters we last saw in a meaningful way. The sequel also brings in something new with the modern state of air warfare. The movie feels like a Top Gun movie and it feels like hardly any time has passed since the last movie.
The mission in this movie is hazardous and forms the bulk of the conflict in this movie. The mission is the reason for Maverick to be involved with training the next generation of pilots. The training scenes are remarkably tense and the audience can see both Maverick's skill and the trainees' learning. Surprisingly there is a lot more depth to the side characters that show them eventually overcoming the mission requirements.
The movie is gorgeously shot. The action scenes have a palpable feeling to it with how the scenes convey the jerkiness in a jet cockpit. The same jerkiness is present and exaggerated once real aerial combat comes. These action scenes are the star of the movie and the action scenes absolutely deliver. This movie could be watched exclusively for the action scenes and it will be worth the price of admission.
Top Gun: Maverick is a light-hearted romp that does avoid the conversation of enemy casualties. The movie does avoid the humanization of the enemy by not even stating who the enemy are. The movie was never about the politics of the world. The movie ignores enemies being killed.
I recommend "Top Gun: Maverick" directed by Joseph Kosinski.
Grade: B.
The Last Samurai (2003)
Exploration of Japan
This review contains spoilers.
The Last Samurai is an epic historical drama movie that premiered in 2003. The movie stars Tom Cruise as a United States army captain named Nathan Algren. He is dispatched to the island of Japan to modernize its army.
The Last Samurai is a period drama set during the Meiji Restoration. The movie nails the look well with its sets, color, and casting. This is one of the best aspects of the movie with its setting and cinematography. The movie portrays a Japan that is set on joining the Western Nations in industrializing. This is a movie that captures the theme of change in both the setting and characters.
The character of Nathan Algren serves as the audience's eyes and ears into the culture of the Samurai. Nathan Algren is not an interesting character. He is too similar to other protagonists portrayed by Tom Cruise. The character just does not have any depth besides past trauma. He wishes to make amends but ultimately the movie's portrayal of the Samurai color this in a way that makes it too romantic.
The samurai in this movie are depicted with only positive traits and no negative traits. They are traditionalists that refuse to modernize. The movie portrays tradition as preferable and better than the modernization route. There is not a balanced viewpoint. The movie chose to give Nathan Algren plot armor in order for the audience to understand Japanese traditions better.
I would recommend "The Last Samurai" directed by Edward Zwick.
Grade: C.
Better Call Saul (2015)
Successful prequel
This review contains spoilers.
Better Call Saul is a crime and legal drama television series. The television series follows Jimmy McGill played by Bob Odenkirk as he enters the criminal world of Albuquerque. The television show follows an assortment of characters such as Mike Ehrmantraut, Kim Wexlter, Howard Hamiln, Nacho Varga, and Chuck McGill. These characters all interact with either the criminal or lawyer world. Better Call Saul is the prequel to 2008's Breaking Bad and it premiered in 2015. Better Call Saul ran for 63 episodes spanning six seasons. The seasons progress across different timelines.
Better Call Saul is a slow burn. Inevitably as the series is the spin-off from Breaking Bad and developed by the same producers, this will draw comparisons. The series as a whole is a slower moving drama centered around Jimmy McGill. There is a criminal element present that the audience follows with Nacho Varga and Mike Ehrmantraut. All of these stories are engaging but the television series lacks focus. It is only until the end when these storylines begin converging. The television series deserves patience.
The series rewards patience with some of the best writing and performances on television. The writing in Better Call Saul is incredibly solid. There is not a wasted scene in the series even though the series runs for 63 episodes. All of these episodes center around the criminal rise of Jimmy McGill amidst crime and family drama. This series is rich in themes and characters. The characters are multi-faceted and are written in a way that shows the audience they have a lot of depth. The characters in both the protagonists and villains have an incredible amount of nuance to them. For example Charles McGill, Jimmy's older brother, has a strange allergy to electricity. At first glance, this seems quirky and gimmicky. However as the series progresses, the audience understands more about the diseased mind of Charles Mcgill. This show would not have been able to explore the nuance without the slow burn.
The television series gets better as time goes on. The writing in Better Call Saul has many uses of reincorporation from the earlier season. The series is slow and viewers should be patient to see all of the plot threads pay off.
The comparison between Better Call Saul and Breaking Bad is inevitable. Both of the television series are set in the same universe and are also created by the same team. The comparison is more apples to oranges. Breaking Bad has more life and death stakes which aided the tension. Better Call Saul has sharper writing and drama. Better Call Saul is a series with a pairing that embark on a poisonous romance. Breaking Bad is a series with a journey to the top of the criminal world. Both of the series are great but the mainstream appeal will likely be with Breaking Bad. Better Call Saul has better dramatic scenes.
I highly recommend "Better Call Saul", created by Vince Gilligan and Peter Gould.
Grade: A.
Better Call Saul: Saul Gone (2022)
Satisfying conclusion
This review contains spoilers.
Better Call Saul's thirteenth episode in the sixth season is entitled "Saul Gone". The episode is the finale of the sixth season and is the series finale. Jimmy McGill as Gene Takovic is fleeing from the authorities after being reported by Marion in the previous episode.
The episode is a fantastic conclusion to the Better Call Saul series and season. This episode does not have an explosive ending like its predecessor Breaking Bad but it has excellent drama. Jimmy McGill, Saul Goodman, and Gene Takovic are all on display in this episode. Jimmy McGill has been pushed to a corner and all of his personas come into the light in this finale. This is the best aspect of the episode as the writing's on display showing the depth of Jimmy McGill. Jimmy McGill shows how deep of a character he is. This is entirely owed to Bob Odenkirk's range and understanding of his character and the fantastic writing.
The finale has predictable and unpredictable aspects. It contained surprises such as Marie Schrader's appearance. Betsy Brandt reprised the role perfectly and it was a surprise seeing her in a scene with Bob Odenkirk. This was something that many audience members would not have expected. The episode closed the curtain on Jimmy's criminal career by his arrest. It was a series return and call back to the series' beginning as Jimmy started in the courtroom and the story would end in the courtroom. The scene with his plea deal had Saul Goodman dominating the courtroom.
The most heartfelt theme in the finale is the theme of regret. The episode takes important people that interacted with Jimmy and asks what they would do if they had a time machine. Jimmy McGill talks with Mike Ehrmantraut, Walter White, and Charles McGill. Ultimately it showed Jimmy as a person with regrets. He had been running from his regrets that he pulled off on significant relationships. His answer of greed for all three cases showed he was in a defensive persona of Saul Goodman. This reinforces the central theme in Better Call Saul of change.
This is a satisfying finale as it focuses on the two characters of Jimmy McGill and Kim Wexler. This series is a love story amidst the themes of change, regret, and trauma. The episode nailed the landing for these characters and offered backstory to characters in the show Breaking Bad.
I highly recommend the episode "Saul Gone", the series finale of Better Call Saul.
Grade: A
Better Call Saul Season Six
Better Call Saul's sixth season continues the story from the fifth season. Lalo Salamanca is hot on the heels of Gustavo Fring's secret. Ignacio Vargo attempts to escape Mexico. Jimmy and Kim attempt to bring down Howard.
The sixth season of Better Call Saul is not only one of the best seasons in the series but also one of the best seasons in television history. This season wraps up many of the plot threads that were started in previous seasons. All of these plot threads are resolved respectfully and in an exciting way. There are many twists in this season but all of it pays service to the series Breaking Bad.
Tony Dalton's performance as Lalo Salamanca reaches an apex in this season. Lalo is in full force in this season and it shows why he is feared by his opponents. Lalo exudes a natural chameleon-like charisma as well as an intelligence that rivals Gustavo's. Lalo's end at the hands of Gus is fitting and it was only with luck that Gus would win.
The final episodes in the series concern the effects of Howard's murder at the hands of Lalo. Since that point, Kim and Jimmy go their separate ways and deal with regret differently. This is reflected in the entire Gene Takavic storyline. These final episodes are a great conclusion to not only Better Call Saul but the criminal universe the writers have set up.
I highly recommend Better Call Saul season six.
Grade: A.
Better Call Saul: Plan and Execution (2022)
Intersecting plans
This review contains spoilers.
Better Call Saul's seventh episode in the sixth season is entitled "Plan and Execution". The episode functions as the finale to the first part of the sixth season. The episode takes place after the conclusion of the previous episode where Jimmy McGill and Kim are fixing their plan to ruin Howard Hamlin. Meanwhile Lalo Salamanca has arrived in Albuquerque and investigates Gustavo Fring's secret facility.
The mid season finale of Better Call Saul is phenomenal. The episode forms an intersection of Jimmy's criminal life and his life as a professional lawyer. The previous seasons suffered from the professional life and criminal life being distinct and never intersecting in a clear way. This episode changes that with Lalo Salamanca's interaction with Howard Hamlin. This interaction was unexpected and it made perfect sense with all of the character motivations.
The episode ends with Howard Hamlin's death at the hands of Lalo Salamanca. The moment is shocking and it helps drive that feeling of unsettling tension. Howard Hamlin in the previous seasons changed into a tragic character. He is a character that had pushed the protagonists in Jimmy and Kim in a villainous way, but he had good reasons. Some of these reasons were either siding with Chuck or that his business demanded it. When an event happened, he wanted to do better and had offered Jimmy a job opportunity. He always stayed professional and wanted to resolve everything amicably. Howard met a tragic end and the writers delivered this shocking moment fantastically.
Lalo Salamanca continues being one of the most frightening villains in all of Breaking Bad and Better Call Saul. Lalo Salamanca is a highly unpredictable and yet intelligent character that manages to capture any scene he is in. He continues being a great character in this episode and it is exciting to see where he will end up in the second part of the season.
I highly recommend "Plan and Execution", the mid-season finale of the sixth season of Better Call Saul. Although the episode ends on a cliffhanger, the episode leaves the second part of the sixth season open.
Better Call Saul Season Six Part One
The first part of the sixth season of Better Call Saul is composed of seven episodes. The first part deals with the aftermath of Lalo Salamanca's assassination attempt, and Jimmy and Kim's efforts to bring down Howard.
The performances in this season's first part are excellent. Michael Mando delivers a rousing performance as Nacho Varga in Rock and Hard Place that gave his character the best conclusion possible given the situation. Likewise, Patrick Fabian's performance as Howard Hamlin is excellent as he enters into the trap set by Jimmy and Kim.
The first part of the sixth season touches on Lalo and it really does show how Lalo is the most dangerous of the Salamanca family. This is greatly owed to the charm brought by Tony Dalton where he exudes natural charisma on the screen. He is impossible not to be charmed by his line delivery.
I highly recommend Better Call Saul season six part one.
Grade: A.
Better Call Saul: Something Unforgivable (2020)
For Revenge
This review contains spoilers.
Better Call Saul's tenth and finale episode in the fifth season is entitled "Something Unforgivable". The episode takes place immediately after the ninth episode with Lalo leaving Saul and Kim's residence. Lalo returns home to Mexico and Nacho must abide by his agreement.
The finale episode is an important development in the intersection between Saul Goodman and the criminal world. This episode features a culmination of Lalo and Gus' feud as Nacho is used to destroy Lalo. The scenes with Lalo and the assassination is frought with much tension as the ninth episode. These scenes were easily some of the best as Lalo played by Tony Dalton does an amazing job in the role. He makes the psychopathic Eduardo Salamanca palpable.
The finale is a great ending to the fifth season and leaves the sixth season to be highly anticipated.
I highly recommend the finale of the fifth season of Better Call Saul, "Something Unforgivable".
Grade: A
Better Call Saul Season Five
The fifth season for Better Call Saul takes place after the fourth season. The season has Jimmy McGill or Saul Goodman as he refers to himself returning to practicing law. The season also focuses on Lalo or Eduardo Salamanca as he tries to destroy Gus Fring's business.
The fifth season of Better Call Saul is excellent. The connection to Breaking Bad and the characters in Breaking Bad are ever clearer. The season makes for a clearer connection between the different storylines that Better Call Saul's third and fourth seasons lead into. This season there is a clear connection between Jimmy McGill's story and the criminal world that Mike Ehrmantraut, and Nacho are involved in. The season makes these scenes where the criminal world intersecting with Jimmy McGill's life thrilling.
The biggest surprise in this season is Tony Dalton's portrayal of Lalo Salamanca. This is a dynamite of a character. Lalo Salamanca steals almost every scene that he is in. From his late introduction in the fourth season, Lalo Salamanca is given a lot of screen time in the fifth season and it makes for exciting television. Lalo Salamanca brings a charming psychopathic quality to the Salamanca crime family that distinguishes himself from the other Salamancas. In addition, he has the insightful quality that makes Gus Fring such a dangerous kingpin.
I highly recommend the fifth season of Better Call Saul.
Grade: A.
Better Call Saul: Winner (2018)
A tamer build-up
This review contains spoilers.
Better Call Saul's fourth season finale is entitled "Winner". The tenth episode is a follow-up to the storyline of how Jimmy McGill wants to pass an interview to get reinstated. At the same time, Gus' superlab construction is completed but there are loose ends.
Winner is a tamer finale to the fourth season. The episode concludes the construction of Gus' superlab and Jimmy McGill's reinstatement as a lawyer. Like the previous season finale, the episode focuses on two storylines that do not have much to do with each other. There are no tying elements with Jimmy McGill's story and Mike's story.
Jimmy McGill's story has him begin his transition to Saul Goodman. Jimmy uses every tool at his disposal to tell a story to the appeal hearing. The episode does well with Bob Odenkirk portraying Jimmy as he makes the transition into Saul Goodman. This episode makes this transition both believable and it takes that step of no return for Jimmy. Jimmy also presents his beliefs to students that are visiting HHM. This is a nice return to the firm as Jimmy has things to say to these students. The story does not feel contrived and is a reflection on Jimmy's own situation.
Mike is tracking down Werner and is in a race against time to find Werner before Lalo does. The episode has Mike executing the construction architect in a way that is incredibly similar to how Mike was going to execute Walter White in season three of Breaking Bad. The episode does not fixate too much on the execution of Werner but the superlab that audiences know from Breaking Bad is constructed.
I would recommend the season four finale of Better Call Saul.
Grade: A
Better Call Saul Season Four
The fourth season of Better Call Saul takes shortly after the conclusion of the third season. Chuck McGill has died and Jimmy McGill must deal with the consequences. The season also features the construction of Gus' superlab that audiences from Breaking Bad will recognize.
The fourth season of Better Call Saul is more of a setup season. There are many things that the season sets up but does not resolve. Better Call Saul season four is still the leadup into Jimmy McGill becoming Saul Goodman. The season does not complete the transformation but instead it adds more elements that aid in the transition. The season has callbacks to earlier seasons. These callbacks are mainly there to reinforce an already existing idea that the audiences have. It does not offer many new insights into Jimmy McGill that the audiences do not already know. The season does have more flashbacks and scenes that take place during or after the events of Breaking Bad.
The story also picks up with Gus' introduction from the third season. Gus expands his ambitions and seeks to create a super lab in Albuquerque, New Mexico. Mike's story is completely disconnected from Jimmy McGill's story in this fourth season. This story does serve more as a leadup into the events of Breaking Bad rather than more of a look into Jimmy McGill. This has been a problem for Better Call Saul's third and fourth seasons. For a television series that is called Better Call Saul, there is a lot of runtime that is devoted to characters that do not interact with Jimmy McGill. In Breaking Bad, the criminal aspects of Albuquerque have always been there. In this season and the previous one, Jimmy McGill does not get direct exposure to the criminal world. The criminal exposure feels more forced and more of a fan service inclusion rather than a distinct element.
I would recommend the fourth season of Better Call Saul.
Grade: B.
Better Call Saul: Lantern (2017)
Fiery finale
This review contains spoilers.
The finale of the third season of Better Call Saul is entitled "Lantern". The episode is the tenth in the season and picks up where the previous episode had left off. Chuck and Jimmy have split up and went their separate ways. Kim is still recovering from her car accident. Chuck begins to relapse into his mental illness. Nacho begins to deal with the Salamanca family.
The multiple storylines that Better Call Saul have converged in this finale episode. The creators of Better Call Saul know how to interleave many story arcs together in an episode. However they have a problem tying things together. The Nacho storyline is completely separate from Jimmy McGill's storyline. These two storylines do not have anything tying them together besides the character of Mike Ehrmantraut.
The story of Chuck comes to an interesting conclusion in this finale. It can be heartbreaking to know that the end of Chuck had been brought about by his own choices as well as his conscious choice to tear down what Jimmy McGill had built. This choice was built up to in the seasons prior and it turned the previous seasons on their head. It made every interaction between Chuck and Jimmy more interesting to watch knowing the dynamic that Chuck always had seething underneath him. Despite all of this Chuck liked Jimmy in his own way, but he never wanted to see Jimmy succeed.
The story with HHM firm more or less comes to a conclusion here. With Chuck's departure and more of the characters having less to do with the legal firm, the series is moving away from the firm. The three seasons that the firm was on display have been nice and it served as a good counterpoint to what Jimmy and Kim were after.
Nacho's story is more of a setup for the next season. This finale does not resolve anything besides introducing more Gus to Nacho. The finale has Nacho attempting to execute his plan to kill Hector Salamanca.
I would recommend the finale of Better Call Saul season three.
Grade: A
Better Call Saul Season Three
Better Call Saul's third season premiered in 2017. The third season continues following Jimmy McGill played by Bob Odenkirk, and Kim Wexler played by Rhea Seehorn. The tape that Chuck McGill recorded at the end of season two comes into play in this season. Mike Ehrmantraut encounters another criminal organization that is headed by Gus Fring.
The third season of Better Call Saul is an excellent season. The conflict that was built up between Jimmy and Chuck McGill come to a head in this season. The third season masterfully uses the conflict between Jimmy and Chuck McGill to create dramatic scenes. These scenes were some of the best across both series of the prequel Better Call Saul and Breaking Bad. The episode absolutely has a finale on this story arc in the fifth episode of "Chicanery". That episode is a must-watch for anyone interested in Bob Odenkirk's performance and Michael McKean's performance. It was a solid hour of television that should not be missed.
The season loses steam after that point and has Jimmy McGill attempting to recreate his legal and sales career. It has Jimmy become more like Saul throughout the season by having the character undertake more borderline illegal activities. The audience can see how Jimmy McGill obtained Saul Goodman's contacts this way. It also made sense thematically as Jimmy always saw how to best exploit a situation.
Nacho's storyline has him become more involved with the Salamanca criminal family. The actor Michael Mando does a good job but it is hard to become more invested. The storyline is not as fresh as the storyline that Jimmy McGill and Chuck McGill are involved in. The storyline had already played out in Breaking Bad and the audiences already know the conclusion. In addition, we know that these characters meet a gruesome end at the hands of Walter White. The audience knows how the characters operate. The storyline is better than most in the world of television but audiences of Better Call Saul and Breaking Bad are expecting more.
I would recommend the third season of Better Call Saul.
Grade: A.
Better Call Saul: Klick (2016)
Sibling rivalry
This review contains spoilers.
The finale of Better Call Saul season two is entitled "Klick". The episode is the tenth episode and continues the story with Chuck suspecting Jimmy of fabricating the Mesa Verde documents. The episode continues where Chuck goes unconscious after confronting a clerk at the copy store.
Klick is a great conclusion to the second season of Better Call Saul. This episode has great tension and drama that came to characterize Breaking Bad's later seasons. Chuck played by Michael McKean does a phenomenal job. Chuck was initially a strange but slightly likable character in the first season. In this season, his worst parts of increased and moments in the first season with Jimmy and Chuck take on a sinister tone. This episode is a culmination of the problems between Chuck and Jimmy. It was delivered in a fantastic way with Chuck luring Jimmy with his own imagined sickness.
Klick also features Mike Ehrmantraut as he intends to kill Hector Salamanca. This is interrupted by a mysterious person that stops Mike's assassination attempt. The story with Mike and Hector does not go anywhere and only hints at how Gus might be introduced in the third season.
I would recommend the finale of Better Call Saul's second season.
Grade: A
Better Call Saul Season Two
Better Call Saul's second season premiered in 2016. The second season continues following Jimmy McGill played by Bob Odenkirk, and Kim Wexler played by Rhea Seehorn. Along the way Mike Ehrmantraut begins his descent into the criminal world and runs into the Salamancas.
The second season of Better Call Saul is a fun follow-up to the first season. The season like the first season creates and expands on the criminal world of New Mexico. Simultaneously, Jimmy's relationship with HHM and Chuck McGill is explored. This season does well in showing audiences this as they can find out more about the Salamancas and state of affairs in New Mexico. However, this requires the audience to be interested and, anybody that did not like the Salamanca plotline will be bored.
The main story between Jimmy and Chuck McGill absolutely comes to a head in this season. This season continues the story are that was started in the first season much of this is explored here. Jimmy and Chuck plot against each other which is reflected well in its directing. It is heartbreaking to see these two brothers begin hating each other. Both of these actors do a magnificent job portraying this conflict and this season really does make season one more enjoyable knowing Chuck's relation.
The story with Mike and Nacho working together is enjoyable to watch. It makes narrative sense but the story is executed with enough twists that make watching this season worth it. Mike Ehrmantraut is an awesome character and this is reflected in this season. Outside of this story arc, Mike and Jimmy do not interact much at all.
Overall, I would recommend the second season of Better Call Saul.
Grade: A.
Better Call Saul: Marco (2015)
Creeping criminal
This review contains spoilers.
The finale of the first season of Better Call Saul is entitled "Marco". The episode features a flashback where Jimmy says goodbye to Marco. He explains that he is going straight and away from his criminal past. Jimmy's criminal past is brought up again as Jimmy returns back to Cicero.
Marco is a somber end to the season. The season does not end with Jimmy becoming a criminal but rather one of self-reflection. Jimmy laments that he could have gotten the Kettleman's money and what had stopped him was that desire to become a lawful citizen. There are elements in this episode where the Saul Goodman that audiences knew from Breaking Bad creep in. Moments such as these are where Bob Odenkirk excels with his character. The subtle moments of when Saul Goodman creep into Jimmy McGill characterized this season and finale.
The finale is also surprisingly funny with its use of Jimmy being so popular with the senior citizens. The episode has Jimmy deliver senior center events and Bob Odenkirk does a great job in these scenes.
I would recommend the finale of the first season of Better Call Saul.
Grade: B
Better Call Saul Season One
The below contains spoilers for the first season of Better Call Saul.
Better Call Saul's first season premiered in 2015. Bob Odenkirk reprises his role as Jimmy McGill/Saul Goodman. The first season has Jimmy McGill stumble into the criminal world of Albuquerque, New Mexico. The first season is very much a study on how Jimmy McGill's character is different and how he will become Saul Goodman. There are many side plots that do not have any bearing on Jimmy McGill. This can be considered a good thing as this makes Better Call Saul different from Breaking Bad. There are many small story arcs that feed into how Jimmy McGill develops. Some of these arcs are the missing Kettlemans and the Sandpiper Crossing lawsuit.
One of the nice surprises of the season is Chuck McGill, played by Michael McKean. Chuck McGill is Jimmy's older brother and allegedly suffers from electromagnetic sensitivity. Chuck is an interesting character as audiences will see how the two McGill brothers' dynamic changes through the season. The season finale culminates in a revelation on the relationship between Jimmy and Chuck. This dynamic is worth the price of admission.
Two characters in Mike Ehrmantraut and Nacho Varga, played by Michael Mando are focused on the criminal side of Albuquerque. These stories are completely separated from Jimmy's story and are fun adventures to watch. Mike Ehrmantrant is played by Jonathan Banks and continues to impress in the role. These stories do distract and can remove the viewer from being involved with Jimmy McGill's story.
Overall, I recommend the first season of Better Call Saul.
Grade: B.
El Camino (2019)
The Pinkman Epilogue
This review contains spoilers.
El Camino: A Breaking Bad Movie is a movie set in the Breaking Bad universe that takes place after the main series of Breaking Bad ends. The movie is a crime thriller that premiered in 2019 on the streaming site of Netflix. Aaron Paul, Jesse Plemons, Krysten Ritter, Jonathan Banks, and Bryan Cranston reprise their roles from the television series in this movie. The movie is directed and written by Vince Gilligan and follows Jesse Pinkman as he hides from the law.
El Camino: A Breaking Bad Movie is a good epilogue for Jesse Pinkman's chapter. Many elements that were present in Jesse Pinkman's life re-emerge in this movie either in flashbacks or when he tries to secure his future. El Camino is completely anchored by Jesse Pinkman with audiences being required to watch Breaking Bad in order to have empathy and follow Jesse's story well. There are many plot elements that Jesse Pinkman knows that are never brought up first in this movie. Almost everything in this movie was something that was already introduced in an episode of Breaking Bad.
Aaron Paul's performance anchors the movie completely. Aaron Paul does incredibly well as Jesse Pinkman and he is able to offer a great range of emotion in this movie. The movie frequently flashes back from when Jesse is in captivity to his freedom. Aaron Paul does incredibly well with how he portrays someone imprisoned in the neo-Nazi compound to someone that is required to be one step ahead of law enforcement. Aaron Paul provides the emotional center that the movie utilizes incredibly well.
Any fans of Breaking Bad will enjoy watching the world of Breaking Bad unfold again. The movie brings back Ed Galbraith as the disappearer that was Saul Goodman's contact. The movie's main drive is Jesse finding enough money to utilize the services of the disappearer. In the meantime, Jesse wants to find the money that Todd had stowed away. Jesse Plemons returns as Todd and the two of these characters have interesting moments as flashbacks. The scenes with Todd have a simple purpose but are more drawn out. I was not bothered by this but for casual viewers, they might be sad to see how tedious some of the scenes in El Camino might be.
El Camino's flaw would be that it suffers from being a superfluous movie. Breaking Bad was much more direct with its story elements. El Camino is much slower in its story. There are plot points that take a while to introduce when it becomes clear in the story what the characters are after. The shootout between the autobody employees and Jesse Pinkman was a nice action scene but it felt superfluous. The point was already made that Neil, the autobody owner, wanted to steal all of Todd Alquist's money. Jesse becoming his own man after this felt superfluous as any person that watched Breaking Bad would see that Jesse had made a massive change over the events of the television series.
I would recommend "El Camino: A Breaking Bad Movie" to any fans of Breaking Bad that want to see a conclusion to Jesse Pinkman's story.
Grade: A.