AMERICAN SPORTS STORY: SEASON ONE - AARON HERNANDEZ Starring: Josh Rivera, Jaylen Barron, Lindsay Mendez, Ean Castellanos, and Tammy Blanchard Creator: Stuart Zicherman PAIGE Although some of the plot points depicted in the show feel a bit fabricated and over the top, I, as a Patriots fan and Massachusetts resident, remember watching this all unfold in real time. I must say, the overall approach of the story delivers interesting nuance to the bigger picture of what was possibly happening behind the scenes in Aaron Hernandez's (Josh Rivera) life. It’s a fascinating and gripping show that does an admirable job of examining Hernandez as a man fighting his innermost personal demons. Plus, Rivera blew me away with his portrayal of the famous tight end. QUENTIN As a fan of the Patriots and football-themed stories, American Sports Story: Aaron Hernandez kept me compelled and engaged even though I had already seen Netflix’s documentary Killer Inside: The Mind of Aaron Hernandez . That said, it’s not without some flaws that could ruin it for those without my biases. Josh Rivera is great as Hernandez, aptly conveying the double life and inner conflict that troubled Hernandez, but bit supporting players who play the likes of Tim Tebow, Rob Gronkowski, and Urban Meyer are laughably ridiculous, as are the cheap-looking in-game sequences. Still, if you can look past that, it’s worth a watch.

1883: SEASON ONE Starring: Sam Elliott, Tim McGraw, Faith Hill, Isabel May, LaMonica Garrett, Marc Rissmann, Audie Rick, Eric Nelsen, James Landry Hébert, and Noah Le Gros Creator: Taylor Sheridan QUENTIN Let’s call 1883 what it is: Oregon Trail: The Series marked with the Yellowstone brand. That doesn’t make it a bad show, but something about the unnecessary synergy sours me for some reason. That weird personal gripe aside, the series is best when it focuses on the ex-soldiers (Sam Elliott, Tim McGraw, and LaMonica Garrett) leading the group west. However, they take a backseat to main character Elsa Dutton (Isabel May), a free-spirited 18-year-old girl who falls in love way too easily and narrates the series with an awful accent and laughably cheesy monologues. That narrative choice threatens to derail an otherwise watchable western.

INTERVIEW WITH THE VAMPIRE: SEASON TWO Starring: Jacob Anderson, Sam Reid, Delainey Hayles, Eric Bogosian, Assad Zaman, and Ben Daniels Creator: Rolin Jones QUENTIN After two seasons, Interview with the Vampire remains one of the most beautiful shows on television, featuring a twisty, lavish, and gothic love story that one can’t help but to be invested in. That said, Season Two isn’t quite as good as Season One, almost exclusively because of the absence of Sam Reid’s Lestat, who is little more than a recurring guest character this season. However, with Season Three already greenlit, and the announcement that it will be based on The Vampire Lestat , the second book of Anne Rice’s The Vampire Chronicles , the small complaint of not enough Reid seemingly will be remedied with haste.

Previous Next August 8, 2023 WRITTEN BY: JACOB In the vast history of the cinematic art form, much has been written regarding the idea of firsts and lasts. Yet, for all the authored ruminations on the audiovisual firsts and lasts present in movie history, there remains a distinct lack of material exploring the idea of the final glance shared between two characters, an idea I like to call “Last Looks.” For obvious reasons, this piece comes bearing a hefty SPOILER WARNING. TRIUMPH CASABLANCA (1942) Our start takes place in 1942, with the release of what I believe to be the quintessential old Hollywood classic, Casablanca . There are more than a few iconic moments both leading up to and immediately following this film’s Last Look, from Humphrey Bogart’s delivery of “Here’s looking at you, kid,” to his final line of the film, when he says to Claude Rains’ Louis Renault, “I think this is the beginning of a beautiful friendship.” But it’s what happens between those two lines that draws our focus with respect to this idea of mine. Just after the first of these exchanges, but just before the latter, Ilsa (Ingrid Bergman) and Rick (Bogart) share one final look. If one glances deeper, this look is revealed not to be one of mere love or loss, but of triumph – costly, tragic, and all too bittersweet. As Rick and Ilsa look into each other’s eyes, one can see the idea of victory come across each of their faces. A wisdom that the end of the war and a defeat of the forces that keep them apart is in sight, even as their view of it remains years away. Triumph over evil – in each meaning that takes – is on the distant horizon. DEFEAT THE GODFATHER (1972) On the opposite end of the spectrum, we come to perhaps the most famous film in this piece. Francis Ford Coppola’s The Godfather , for all the subsequent praise and criticism thrown its way since its release in 1972, remains one of the great achievements in movie history, both from an adaptational perspective and as one looks upon its oceans of influence. Everyone remembers the more famous lines and sequences from the film, but few talk about that last shot, where Kay (Diane Keaton) looks, not to Michael (Al Pacino) as he ascends to the status of Don, but to Al Neri (Richard Bright) as he closes the door. It is, in every respect, a glance of defeat, with Neri’s return glance an acknowledgement that Kay will never truly win Michael out of this life that has now been cemented into his legacy. Despite any aversion to it that Michael has attempted, and despite any allure that Kay may represent away from this love affair with organized crime… there is simply no victory that can pull Michael from his ultimate fate, and there is no safeguard against destiny. LOVE THE LORD OF THE RINGS: THE RETURN OF THE KING (2003) As I sat in a movie theater some months ago watching the 20th Anniversary re-release of Peter Jackson’s epic conclusion to The Lord of the Rings trilogy, I was struck by something in the film that I had not noticed before – or, if I had noticed it, had never been quite so attentive to – and that moment is what became the inspiration behind this piece: the Last Look between story protagonist Frodo (Elijah Wood) and his three Hobbit friends on the shores of the river that would carry Frodo to The Grey Havens, thus ending his time in Middle Earth forever. There is no dialogue accompanying this gaze, no final declaration or quippy joke; there is only the beauty of the score and an almost imperceptible zoom on Frodo’s face as his eyes communicate to the others that he loves them, and always will. This is especially punctuated as we cut from Frodo’s gaze to Sam’s (Sean Astin) and understand that, though the look is given to all three of the Hobbits standing on the cobblestone, it is especially meant for him. Within Frodo’s gaze, we see a love not only given to the other Hobbits, but directed towards Sam specifically as a final farewell and reassurance that – in Sam’s heart – he will never truly leave. HOPE SING STREET (2016) As we turn to more obscure material through the mid-2010s, and as the 2010s themselves become laden with blockbuster entertainment slightly less concerned with unabashed sincerity, we come upon subtler but all-too-potent examples of the Last Look that began to permeate the indie filmmaking scene. One such instance is in John Carney’s severely underrated Sing Street . Throughout the film, we come to understand that Jack Reynor’s character, Brendan, may never truly attain the life he so badly needs to rise above his own station, but that he would do anything to help his brother Conor (Ferdia Walsh-Peelo) achieve a better life. In one of the film’s sweetest moments, Conor decides that he and newfound love Raphina (Lucy Boynton) are to leave their island on a boat bound for England so that they can achieve their musical dreams, a move that Brendan is made aware of just prior to its occurrence. One could focus on the final glance between Conor and Raphina, but in this particular case, I find the final look that Brendan gives Conor most compelling, not simply because of what it represents, but because crucially, this is the one example in this piece where the look is not mutually given. As Brendan looks out to the water, and as Conor and Raphina sail on, we are able to see in Brendan’s eyes a kind of hope, not only for Conor’s future, but for any life outside of the island they’ve occupied. As low as Brendan has been for most of the film, the central power of hope is in how it is gifted to other people, and it is evident in Brendan’s gaze towards the distant vessel that whatever hope he has, he is sending towards his brother. TRAGEDY PORTRAIT OF A LADY ON FIRE (2019) Celine Sciamma’s work is destined to be remembered as some of the finest filmmaking in the entirety of French cinema, but I find it unlikely that any of her films will be so revered as her masterful 2019 hit Portrait of a Lady on Fire . The film’s delicate ballet of heartache – mirroring the Greek myth of Orpheus and Eurydice – sets the stage in its first 90 minutes for a final look between the two main characters that can only be understood as tragedy. As Marianne (Noémie Merlant) is set to leave Heloise (Adèle Haenel) behind to a marriage she does not want with a man she does not know, she begins to exit the premises in which she had been commissioned to paint a portrait of Heloise. However, unlike the tale of Orpheus and Eurydice, the viewer understands something infinitely more heart-wrenching: whereas in the ancient tale, Eurydice (Heloise, in this case) is given the option to escape; in this version, there is nothing that can be done, which renders Marianne’s final turn – a look back at her one love in ghostly white – a profound and inescapable tragedy. Therefore, we understand that it is not necessarily the character’s Last Look towards Heloise that informs this idea, but the viewer’s. It is our gaze that sees Heloise and understands that just as Marianne is helpless to rescue her, we are helpless to do anything but watch. CLOSURE PAST LIVES (2023) As luck would have it, Past Lives was not originally part of this piece. In fact, when this idea was conceived, the film had not yet debuted in theaters. How fitting, then, that it would show up just as the text is set to end, giving us one last reference point… and perhaps the most emotionally poignant one of all. As Hae Sung (Teo Yoo) is set to go back to Korea, Nora (Greta Lee) walks him to his Uber, where the two share one Last Look. It lasts for nearly a full minute before the glance is broken, but within that minute, everything is wordlessly communicated, including that this look - this moment - is it for them. They are likely to never meet again, and this chapter has come to an end. This is the wordless catharsis both Nora, and we the audience, have been longing for over the course of the film, and even if the work is barely seven months old, it remains one of the finest examples I can give of the idea behind Last Looks. Photo Credits: Photo 1 - Warner Bros; Photo 2 - Paramount Pictures; Photo 3 - New Line Cinema; Photo 4 - Lantern Entertainment; Photo 5 - Pyramide Films; Photo 6 - A24

TULSA KING: SEASON ONE Starring: Sylvester Stallone, Andrea Savage, Martin Starr, Jay Will, Max Casella, Domenick Lombardozzi, Vincent Piazza, A.C. Peterson, Garrett Hedlund, and Dana Delaney Creator: Taylor Sheridan NICK Tulsa King isn't a great show. In fact, it's actually a fairly generic mob story, but, man, does Sylvester Stallone elevate the material. In his best original role in years, he commands the screen as Dwight Manfredi. Series creator Taylor Sheridan must have written this role with him in mind because few actors would have the same level of success with it. Unfortunately, there are some tonal issues throughout, and the series ends a little flat, failing to build hype for a sophomore season. In spite of this, it’s still an entertaining and worthwhile series I’ll return to. QUENTIN Coincidence or not, as prolific series creator Taylor Sheridan adds more shows to his Paramount+ empire, one can really start to feel how thin he has stretched himself. Although I enjoyed Tulsa King quite a bit, every ounce of credit goes to the screen presence and charismatic magnetism of Sylvester Stallone. Outside of Sly, who honestly isn’t doing anything all that special, the series has a level of camp and cheesiness that is a little goofy, while, somehow, the characters and plotlines are both underwritten and overwritten at the same time. Plain and simple, this show does not work without Stallone, who remains infinitely watchable. JTE Tulsa King is the newest series from Yellowstone creator Taylor Sheridan, starring Sylvester Stallone as a New York mobster who is exiled to Tulsa, Oklahoma. Anyone who is familiar with me knows I grew up a huge Stallone fan, so to say this show was high on my must watch list is an understatement. Thankfully, the show is exactly what I was hoping for. Sly has never looked so at ease or excited to play a role; he commands the screen, carrying the show on his bulky shoulders. It's the ultimate dad TV show.

MACGRUBER: SEASON ONE Starring: Will Forte, Kristen Wiig, Ryan Phillippe, Sam Elliott, Laurence Fishburne, and Billy Zane Creators: Will Forte, John Solomon, and Jorma Taccone QUENTIN It’s hard to say if the uninitiated will fall for MacGruber ’s dumb-funny charms, but for fans of the 2010 movie, this sequel series hits the sweet spot by being absurd and nonsensical in the best of ways. It’s the type of movie where a character, completely straight-faced, says “We are the fucking cavalry!” while struggling to put The Club on a mid-90s Mazda Miata. Ultimately, MacGruber is to Rambo as Austin Powers is to James Bond, and this show should be on your radar if you love over-the-top, lowbrow humor. Plus, Maya Rudolph’s opening recap song is a hilarious banger.

FIVE DAYS AT MEMORIAL Starring: Vera Farmiga, Cherry Jones, Cornelius Smith Jr., Robert Pine, Jessica Greco, Adepero Oduye, Julie Ann Emery, Michael Gaston, and Molly Hager Creators: John Ridley and Carlton Cuse JACOB It’s a tad structurally unsound, especially with the editing in the seventh episode and some plot placements, but Five Days at Memorial is nevertheless a thoroughly engrossing story, particularly for those unaware of its lesser known aspects. Those who remember Hurricane Katrina and its aftermath will be familiar with many of the newsworthy elements, but this series succeeds by focusing on the human elements that we didn’t witness. Standout performances from a terrific ensemble (notably Cherry Jones, Jessica Greco, and Robert Pine) elevate the series beyond simple dramatization into something truly special, and I would recommend it to anyone asking. QUENTIN Five Days at Memorial is a tough miniseries to review without sounding slightly heartless. The writers make Hurricane Katrina (and its aftermath) the star of the show over actual characters, attempting to appeal to viewers’ lowest common denominator of humanity; however, by telling the story through virtually nameless and undeveloped characters, it’s hard to make personal connections outside of recognizing the tragedy of it all. It’s too matter-of-fact, like a Wikipedia article come to life. Questions about medical ethics and morality are certainly interesting, but in being more about “general people” than “specific persons,” it didn’t move me as much as it probably should have.

SHINING GIRLS Starring: Elisabeth Moss, Wagner Moura, Phillipa Soo, Chris Chalk, Amy Brenneman, Jamie Bell, and Christopher Denham Creator: Silka Luisa QUENTIN Although boasting solid performances, an interesting serial killer hook (at least early on), and the right atmosphere for this kind of show, Shining Girls eventually buckles under the weight of its supernatural elements. It’s not that those aspects are silly (I mean, they are definitely silly, but you roll with it for the most part), but more so that the writers do a piss poor job of explaining the how and why of it all. It’s hard to talk about without getting spoilery, but the constant reality shifts minus those explanations make for a mostly confusing, nonsensical, and frustrating narrative. Perhaps the book is better.

THE MORNING SHOW: SEASON FOUR Starring: Jennifer Aniston, Reese Witherspoon, Billy Crudup, Marion Cotillard, Mark Duplass, Karen Pittman, Nestor Carbonell, Greta Lee, Nicole Beharie, Boyd Holbrook, Jeremy Irons, William Jackson Harper, Jon Hamm, and Aaron Pierre Creator: Jay Carson NICK Although Season Three soured me on The Morning Show , I caught up with the latest season and was glad I didn’t walk away for good. Season Four is a bit of a rejuvenation for the series thanks to its latest power dynamic storyline and a new cast of characters. Actors such as Marion Cotillard, Jeremy Irons, and Boyd Holbrook breathe new life into the show as it navigates new pathways for its original characters. Although there’s no guarantee Season Five will pick up where Four left off, I have a lot more faith in The Morning Show ’s future. Check out our reviews for Season Three HERE .

Previous Next January 3, 2024 WRITTEN BY: PAIGE Beantown has so much rich history ingrained into its roots that, of course, some of the best films ever made have this city as its backdrop. Now, before you jump ahead, I’m not saying all the films listed below belong in the “best films ever made” conversation, but they certainly do feel like the most authentic films set in Boston, from the accent (there’s nothing a Masshole hates more than a bad Boston accent) to the aesthetic of the city and its culture as a whole. Plus, some of these simply are amongst my favorite films, and they just so happen to be set in the best city in the world. Being born and raised in Massachusetts, these films hold such a special place in my heart, and they have influenced my overall love for cinema. Whether they are about our legendary sports teams or crimes set in the city, they do something that many films don’t, which is capture the stories’ setting in such a way that it is almost another character within the movie…and Boston is certainly a main character in all the films listed below. So, go park your car in Harvard yard and check out my favorite Boston-based films… FEVER PITCH (2005) Fever Pitch is one of the best Beantown comedies because so many Boston sports fans can relate to Jimmy Fallon’s character. We’re a die-hard sports city, and we’re dedicated to our teams, whether we win or lose, just like Fallon’s Ben Wrightman. And while, yes, we’ve been blessed over the last 20 years with stellar sports teams, it wasn’t really until around the time Fever Pitch was being made that we became blessed with our baseball team. In a sense, this movie has become a good luck charm for us and the Red Sox. We hadn’t won a World Series in more than 80 years, so when the Sox finally won the World Series in 2004, our city rallied around this movie. They even had to rewrite the ending to capture that special feeling and excitement of finally winning. It makes the movie truly something special to rewatch, even when some of the jokes don’t hit it out of the park. SPOTLIGHT (2015) While Spotlight is more of a journalism movie than a full-blown Boston movie with regard to its aesthetic, it is based on the true story of several Boston Globe reporters working together to blow the lid off the biggest criminal corruption that had been occurring within the Catholic church. Frankly, it’s no wonder this film won Best Original Screenplay and Best Picture at the Oscars. It’s extremely unsettling, but also a powerful film that reveals the truth of this tragedy. It does a fascinating job depicting this real-life story, and through its phenomenal writing and perfectly balanced ensemble, including Mark Ruffalo, Michael Keaton, and Rachel McAdams, this gem really elevates the reputation of the reporters to hero status. Although these horrible crimes happened across the U.S., the fact that a Boston newspaper was able to break the case shows that Bostonians aren’t only tough badasses, but also are wicked smart. GONE BABY GONE (2007) This gritty mystery proved that Ben Affleck has what it takes to step behind the camera and become one of the best filmmakers working today. In his directorial debut, based on Dennis Lehane’s book, we get the other Affleck (Casey Affleck) as a private investigator looking into the disappearance of a little girl with the help of his girlfriend, played by Michelle Monaghan. Gone Baby Gone is one of those films that won't be gone from your mind after you see it. It’s a gripping crime thriller that is full of twists and turns you won’t see coming. Plus, it’s filled to the brim with dynamite performances from Ed Harris, Morgan Freeman, and Amy Ryan (who was nominated for Best Supporting Actress), all of whom help bring Boston’s working class to life with their lived-in and raw portrayals. I must say Ben Affleck truly found his calling with this film, and it’s making stellar movies set in Boston. MYSTIC RIVER (2003) One of the most gripping Boston-set films is Clint Eastwood’s Mystic River . This Best Picture nominee has such a captivating story of three childhood friends (played by Sean Penn, Kevin Bacon, and Tim Robbins) whose lives are forever altered after a tragic occurrence. But Mystic River isn’t just another gritty film revolving around a criminal act in Boston; it’s so much deeper than that. The film explores themes of revenge, loyalty, and trauma that are delivered so well through its writing and performances, especially by Penn, who won Best Actor for this role. This is personally my favorite Eastwood movie, and while some of the Boston accents are hit and miss (I’m talking to you, Tim Robbins), there’s no denying that this film captures a rawness that a lot of Bostonians can relate to. THE FIGHTER (2010) Not only is The Fighter one of the best movies set in Boston, but it’s honestly one of the best boxing films to date. This sports biopic based on the professional boxer Micky “Irish” Ward, played by the Boston bad boy himself, Mark Wahlberg, is such a soulful story that will punch you right in the gut. This character-driven drama is heartbreaking and inspiring all at once, and it’s more than just a boxing movie - it's a movie about the struggles within this family unit. While the actual fights may take place in the ring, the real battle is going on outside the ropes amongst the family members, which is what really draws your attention to this stellar story. With a knockout cast including Wahlberg, Christian Bale, Amy Adams, and Melissa Leo, there’s no denying you're in for a treat. Both Bale and Leo won Best Supporting Actor and Supporting Actress, respectively, for their work here, giving maybe the best performances of their careers. They deserve all the praise for nailing the Boston accent too, which makes us Bostonians extremely proud. THE DEPARTED (2006) Contrary to popular belief, The Departed is not based on the famous Boston criminal Whitey Bulger, even though it sure feels like it. It’s actually a remake of the Hong Kong film Internal Affairs . This riveting gangster drama stars some of the biggest names in Hollywood, from Jack Nicholson and Leonardo DiCaprio to some of our favorite Bostonian actors, Matt Damon and Mark Wahlberg. In addition to its phenomenal ensemble (I'm still baffled at how Mark Wahlberg was the only actor in this masterpiece to get nominated for an Oscar), it’s directed by the legendary Martin Scorsese, who directed the fucking hell out of this film, leading it to not only win Best Picture at the Academy Awards, but also netting Scorsese his first and (to date) only Best Director Oscar. This movie drips with authentic Boston vibes, from its nitty-gritty underground gangster crime story to casually throwing the F-bomb around 237 times. And, oh man, while that ending shot may be considered divisive (which baffles me), it’s personally one of my favorite symbolic endings in any film. At the end of the day, not only is The Departed a top-tier Scorsese film, it’s a top-tier Boston flick. GOOD WILL HUNTING (1997) The movie that birthed two of the biggest Boston names, Matt Damon and Ben Affleck, catapulting them to Hollywood success, is Good Will Hunting . Without this film, we may have never gotten these two brilliant and talented men, a duo that ended up winning Best Original Screenplay for this gem. What they were able to capture in this coming-of-age story is not only raw but elegantly masterful. We also got one of my favorite performances from my favorite actor, Robin Williams, who deservedly won an Oscar for his portrayal as the therapist to Damon’s character. This story about a few guys from Southie learning the importance of thinking for themselves and overcoming the trauma in their lives is something that many can connect with, even if you're not from our neck of the woods. Overall, this film opened the floodgates to the Boston scene, and its existence has influenced many Boston-set films. I don’t know about you, but I sure as hell liked them apples and this movie! THE TOWN (2010) The most wicked awesome Boston movie on my list goes too… The Town ! In my opinion, it’s the most authentic Boston-based film, from the raw performances and stellar accents (Jeremy Renner gets two thumbs up in my book for the best Boston accent from a non-Bostonian) to attempting to pull off the most epic heist in robbing Fenway Park. Having shot these brutal action sequences in and around the neighborhoods of Boston makes this flick all the more rich and magical. Ben Affleck does a phenomenal job in front of and behind the camera in what I consider his best film to date, and what he’s able to capture in this tense and exhilarating drama makes it one of the best modern heist films. Loosely adapted from Chuck Hogan's 2004 novel Prince of Thieves , The Town follows a group of guys from Charlestown who gravitate towards a life of crime, robbing banks and armored cars, and the difficulties of being unable to escape their circumstances. The filmmakers even managed to work with real-life Boston criminals to provide in-depth details to make the story and robberies feel that much more enhanced and real. If that ain’t Boston enough for you, I don’t know what is. Photo Credits: Photo 1 - 20th Century Studios; Photo 2 - Open Road Films; Photo 3, 7 - Miramax Films; Photo 4, 6, 8 - Warner Bros. Pictures; Photo 5 - Paramount Pictures

THE PERFECT COUPLE Starring: Nicole Kidman, Liev Schreiber, Eve Hewson, Dakota Fanning, Jack Reynor, Billy Howle, Meghann Fahy, Donna Lynne Champlin, Michael Beach, Ishaan Khattar, Sam Nivola, and Mia Isaac Creator: Jenna Lamia QUENTIN The latest in the recent trend of “Nicole Kidman plays an unhappy, rich white woman with secrets,” The Perfect Couple feels too much like other shows to stand on its own. If you’ve seen Big Little Lies or The White Lotus , you’ve already seen everything this series has to offer…and seen it done better. However, at only six episodes, it’s not a waste of time. The whodunnit is interesting enough, and while I wouldn’t call it twisty, there are enough well-timed revelations to reel you in despite the underdeveloped characters. Overall, it’s like a dime-store beach read — an instantly forgettable yet easily entertaining (and predictable) distraction.

THE THING ABOUT PAM Starring: Renée Zellweger, Josh Duhamel, Judy Greer, Gideon Adlon, Sean Bridgers, Suanne Spoke, Mac Brandt, Katy Mixon, and Glenn Fleshler QUENTIN Between Renée Zellweger’s cartoonish performance as a murderous “Karen” (not to mention the distracting prosthetics) and a mishmash tone that seesaws between overly quirky and pseudo-serious, I wouldn’t call The Thing About Pam prestige television despite starring a two-time Oscar winner; However, it is oddly addicting in a guilty pleasure sort of way. It’s like Fargo (the series) mixed with the trashy tone of Tiger King . Given how ridiculous the true story is, the over-the-top flourishes weirdly work, but it takes an episode to fully buy what the series is selling. But once you do, it’s a wild ride.