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‘Madea’s Destination Wedding’ Offers No Answers About How These Things Keep Getting Made
The Madea franchise remains one of the most confounding mysteries in all of cinema. Madea’s Destination Wedding is the thirteenth – count ‘em! – entry,...
The Ending Of ‘Murderbot’ Finally Gets The Human Element Right
I’ve had more problems with Murderbot than most, but you have to give credit where it’s due. I was right, at least, in my prediction that the...
In Episode 4, ‘Smoke’ Becomes Far Too Ridiculous To Be Taken Seriously
Smoke has been a risky show since the beginning, especially since it waited until the final scene of its second episode to become interesting.
The Ending Of ‘Leviathan’ Is David vs. A Literal Goliath To Decide World War I
It’s a great surprise that Leviathan ends as conclusively as it does. For one thing, it’s a Netflix series, and those are notorious for never...
Netflix’s ‘Leviathan’ Adaptation Puts Its Focus In All The Wrong Places
You’d need both hands and at least half a foot to count all the cool stuff in Leviathan, Netflix’s anime adaptation of Scott Westerfeld’s World...
‘Brick’ Ending Explained and the Unanswered Questions
Brick (2025) is a thriller set in an apartment complex in the city of Hamburg. A group of characters is trapped behind an impenetrable wall of...
Netflix’s ‘Brick’ Is Not as Thrilling as the Trailer Suggests
Occasionally, there’s a situational thriller, like say, Panic Room, that pays off with a supporting premise. Unfortunately, the same cannot be said for Netflix’s Brick...
The Ending Of ‘Ziam’ Sets Up A Potential Sequel, But Is There Enough Meat On Its Bones?
It’s an unwritten rule that no Netflix movie can ever truly end. With streaming content being what it is, the possibility of a sequel must...
In ‘Ziam’, It’s Muay Thai vs. the Dead, But the Surface-Level Pleasures Are All You’re Getting
Even if it wasn’t my job, I’d still find myself watching a movie like Ziam. As played out as zombies might be these days, the...
Netflix’s ‘Building the Band’ Has a Brilliant Twist—And One Big Flaw
As someone who grew up in the early 2000s with a music-obsessed mother who introduced me to various music reality TV series, such as Pop...
‘The Buccaneers’ Season 2 Cycles Through A Lot Of Plot In Episode 4
To give credit where it’s due, I didn’t expect The Buccaneers to rocket through Season 2’s overarching plot the way it does in Episode 4.
‘Stick’ Finally Introduces Timothy Olyphant In Episode 8, And It Was Worth the Wait
I knew this already, but Stick is a nice reminder that nobody plays smug better than Timothy Olyphant.
The Crowd Work Conundrum: Are Comedians Funnier When They Don’t Write Material?
Nate Jackson: Super Funny is a very good special by all the usual standards, but it’s fascinating in one specific, new-ish way. Bookended by perfectly funny...
‘Nate Jackson: Super Funny’ Had Me In Tears For Good Reasons
I’m ashamed to say that I know of Nate Jackson through TikTok, a platform that’s a hotbed for comedians to promote their best work, thanks...
Invite Only: Fan-Casting The Craziest Project X Party Ever
If you’re old enough to have been a teenager in 2012 or thereabouts, you no doubt remember Project X, a teen comedy based on a...
‘Trainwreck: The Real Project X’ Is An Impressive Example Of How To Make A Wild Party Painfully Boring
Netflix’s run of recent Trainwreck specials has been a mixed bag, wavering wildly in tone to the extent that it’s often unclear whether you’re supposed...
‘Smoke’ Focuses On Michelle In Episode 3, Leaving Proper Examination Of Its Best Twist For Later
Jurnee Smollett is very good in Episode 3 of Smoke, which I think is important to point out, since I spent most of it being disappointed that more attention wasn’t being paid to Dave.
‘Murderbot’ Goes All-Action In Episode 9, And The Simplicity Helps It
Murderbot is a weird show. I’m pretty sure I’ve said that before, but it’s worth reiterating, since even this deep into the season – Episode 9 is the penultimate outing – I’m still not sure what works best about it.