The Lion King Remake Corrodes Its Legacy
The Lion King adds nothing. All it does is subtract.
Solo: The First Ordinary Star Wars Movie
Solo is the first Star Wars film – sorry, Star Wars Story – to feel ordinary.
Adventure Time Season 5
Writing about Adventure Time’s fourth season last year, I described it as both “fantastic and slightly disappointing” due to its reluctance to continue to expand creatively. But if season four maintained the level of quality and creativity of its prior season, season five ups the game by embracing the show’s potential for melancholy and complexity…
The Martian is the Anti-Alien – an Optimistic Paean to Science and Nerddom
Three-and-a-half decades ago, Alien established Ridley Scott as a director to watch. Drawing on the conventions of the increasingly-popular slasher film and rejecting the Star-Trek-esque optimism of the sci-fi films of that era, he created a chilling classic. But his potential as a director has dribbled away somewhat in the years since; while I don’t…
Childish Gambino, Big Day Out (20 January 2013)
I got into Childish Gambino thanks to Donald Glover’s acting and stand-up, and was impressed at the quality of his major label debut Camp. It was unexpectedly good, catchy stuff from someone primarily known for being funny. His live show was equally unexpected, with Glover possessing a furious energy and command of the stage. He…
Girls – “I Get Ideas” (Season 2, Episode 2)
For a show that just won a Golden Globe for Best Television Series – Comedy, it’s easy to forget just how funny Girls can be. Well, until you watch “I Get Ideas,” which is filled to the brim with laugh-out-loud moments. Most of which involve Hannah (who was largely sidelined in the premiere) – whether…
Girls – “It’s About Time” (Season 2, Episode 1)
The premiere of Girls’ sophomore season (arriving roughly the same time as its Golden Globes win) is smart to set most of its action at a hazy apartment bash, since the episode matches the meandering, feverish feel of a drunken, crowded party. It feels a touch rushed compared to the careful pacing of Season 1…
