J.J. Abrams’ torturous embrace of determinism and nostalgic imagery sinks what might have been a triumphant Star Wars finale.
Reviews
Star Wars: The Last Jedi
“Let the past die,” says Kylo Ren (Adam Driver) to Rey (Daisy Ridley) at a pivotal moment in The Last Jedi. It’s a surprising line to hear … Continue Reading
Austin Film Festival 2017: Lady Bird
Lady Bird is more than a time capsule. Writer-director Greta Gerwig plumbed her own Sacramento adolescence for a work of fiction that’s … Continue Reading
Top Stories
Hoopleheads: Episode 37 “Deadwood: The Movie” with Emily VanDerWerff
A beautiful thing about recording a podcast dedicated to a show as old as Deadwood is that we have the advantage of jumping more than a decade into the future to see its eventual finale. This is Deadwood: The Movie, … Continue Reading
Hoopleheads: Episode 36 “Tell Him Something Pretty” with Harry Edmundson-Cornell
Well, anyways: the "Tell Him Something Pretty," the Deadwood series finale. For thirteen years, this the sum total of what fans of the show have had to conclude a fantastic three-season run. Here to assist us in … Continue Reading
Hoopleheads: Episode 35 “The Catbird Seat” with Ben Siler
It's hard to know who's sitting in "The Catbird Seat" by the close of this episode. After last week's near miss, Hearst (Gerald McRaney) lands his attack on the townsfolk as he sics his Pinkerton goons on poor … Continue Reading
Hoopleheads: Episode 34 “A Constant Throb”
I called it. I'm not proud of it, but I called it. "A Constant Throb" was a phallic title if ever I saw one. Yet most of this week's episode, penned by W. Earl Brown (Dan Dority), focuses on Al (Ian McShane) … Continue Reading
Hoopleheads: Episode 33 “Amateur Night”
"Amateur Night," AKA "Gay Fiesta," in some ways hearkens back to the simple pleasures of Tom Nuttall's (Leon Rippy) bicycle in "Childish Things." Here again a common attraction brings all of the camp together for a … Continue Reading
