THE MANY SAINTS OF NEWARK has been one of the most highly anticipated prequels of the last several years and this SOPRANOS origin doesn't disappoint, at least in the long run. Sure it's flawed up the gabagool, here is no way in hell this project was ever going to satisfy everyone. David Chase's iconic mob series had such a high standard that any follow up, be it sequel or otherwise, would be torn to shreds. I do think that Chase forgot he was writing a one shot movie, trying to cram too much in without room to breathe. Still, by the end credits, it felt like a totally satisfying meal and made me want to re-visit the original series which I have. Maybe that was Chase's intention all along since there may be more to come which is fine by me. However, I still want to talk to him about the series finale.
See blog post WHADDAYA GONNA DO?
Mike Flanagan's MIDNIGHT MASS on Netflix is anothe rone of his patented slow burn stories like THE HAUNTING OF HILL HOUSE/BLY MANOR, but, like those, it pays off like a Gothic slot machine. Sure, it has too much speechifyin'. Writer/director Flanagan tends to go all Oprah for his cast "You get an overlong monologue! And you get a monologue!" As above, it all comes together by the end and Flanagan delivers yet another nice piece of horror. And big kudos belong to the breakout star of this excellent cast-Mr. Hamish Linklater. Bravo, sir. Same to you, Mr. Flanagan. In a few short years, you're already in the Horror Hall of Fame. If there's an award, please keep your acceptance speech to a minimum.
AMERICAN CRIME STORY: IMPEACHMENT on FX is nowhere near as sharp as the OJ Simpson recreation. In fact, it's almost Mad magazine cartoony. The execution, especially in the writing, is pretty trite and obvious. Some of the performers, who are probably wearing their ideology on the sleeves, would do better without the SNL like caricatures. But, Sarah Paulson as Linda Tripp is flat-out brilliant. Her portrayal is almost vampire-like, preying on Monica Lewinsky like her last meal and damn near salivating in the process. There has been this good of a performance under that much prosthetic makeup since John Hurt as THE ELEPHANT MAN. She's the main reason I keep coming back for more. Sarah Paulson is the heir apparent to the Meryl Streep throne.
Damn. No wonder I'm behind on this blog. I watch too much frickin' TV.
