Movie Fail

We have opinions.

  • Reviews
  • Op-Eds
  • Interviews
  • Academic
  • Television
  • Podcasts
    • Ghostwood Radio (Twin Peaks)
    • Hoopleheads (Deadwood)
    • Stark Contrast (Game of Thrones)
    • Ember Island Airwaves (Avatar/Korra)
    • Dueling Reviews
    • Søren and Josh’s Oscarcast
  • All
  • Meet Our Staff
  • FAQs
Television

Hoopleheads: Episode 37 “Deadwood: The Movie” with Emily VanDerWerff

by Esther Rosenfield, Søren Hough and Emily VanDerWerff

http://collider.com/deadwood-movie-review/

Deadwood: The Movie presents an overtly contrasting final message to the one it gave us over a decade ago, each finale borne of its political moment.

Television

Hoopleheads: Episode 36 “Tell Him Something Pretty” with Harry Edmundson-Cornell

by Esther Rosenfield, Søren Hough and Harry Edmunson-Cornell

https://www.hbo.com/deadwood/season-03/12-tell-him-something-pretty/

Deadwood concludes with “Tell Him Something Pretty,” a challenging finale which refuses to give its scrappy underdogs any victory, moral or otherwise.

Television

Hoopleheads: Episode 35 “The Catbird Seat” with Ben Siler

by Søren Hough, Esther Rosenfield and Ben Siler

https://www.hbo.com/deadwood/season-03/11-the-catbird-seat/

“The Catbird Seat” releases the pressure valve on Season 3’s tension as the town coalesces on one side of the thoroughfare, Hearst and his goons on the other.

Television

Hoopleheads: Episode 34 “A Constant Throb”

by Esther Rosenfield and Søren Hough

https://www.hbo.com/deadwood/season-03/10-a-constant-throb

Hoopleheads Podcast: W. Earl Brown pens one of Deadwood’s most focused episodes, “A Constant Throb,” the thrust of which concentrates on Al regaining his faculties in his existential contest with George Hearst.

Television

Hoopleheads: Episode 33 “Amateur Night”

by Søren Hough and Esther Rosenfield

“Amateur Night” closes off several storylines as it consolidates its focus on broiling conflict between the camp and George Hearst.

Television

Hoopleheads: Episode 32 “Leviathan Smiles”

by Esther Rosenfield and Søren Hough

https://www.hbo.com/deadwood/season-03/8-leviathan-smiles

Hearst greedily chases new gold mining opportunities, Steve’s horse-minding career comes to an end and the Earps arrive in Deadwood as “Leviathan Smiles.”

Television

Hoopleheads: Episode 31 “Unauthorized Cinnamon”

by Søren Hough and Esther Rosenfield

https://www.hbo.com/deadwood/season-03/7-unauthorized-cinnamon

“Unauthorized Cinnamon” is a fantastic episode that provides some of the most exciting revelations and funniest moments in Deadwood thus far.

Television

Hoopleheads: Episode 30 “A Rich Find”

by Esther Rosenfield and Søren Hough

https://www.hbo.com/deadwood/season-03/6-a-rich-find

Deadwood winds itself up tight in “A Rich Find,” placing newcomer Odell square in the lion’s den as he seeks out Hearst against his mother’s wishes. Esther and Søren discuss.

Television

Hoopleheads: Episode 29 “A Two-Headed Beast”

by Søren Hough and Esther Rosenfield

https://www.hbo.com/deadwood/season-03/5-a-two-headed-beast

“A Two-Headed Beast” is a showdown between Deadwood’s two chief rivals – but it also features the conclusion to one of the saddest, and most prescient, storylines in the series so far. Esther and Søren discuss.

Television

Hoopleheads: Episode 28 “Full Faith and Credit”

by Esther Rosenfield and Søren Hough

“Full Faith and Credit” delicately balances Deadwood’s racial dynamics while offering some deeper introspection about who its leading characters really are. Esther and Søren discuss.

Television

Hoopleheads: Episode 27 “True Colors”

by Søren Hough and Esther Rosenfield

https://www.hbo.com/deadwood/season-03/3-true-colors

On a technical level, “True Colors” is often bizarre and always interesting; narratively, this is some of the most exciting material we’ve seen in Deadwood.

Television

Hoopleheads: Episode 26 “I Am Not the Fine Man You Take Me For”

by Esther Rosenfield and Søren Hough

https://www.hbo.com/deadwood/season-03/2-i-am-not-the-man-you-take-me-for/

“I Am Not the Fine Man You Take Me For” is an episode that makes a frightening declaration about who Hearst is and what Seth and Al are up against.

Television

Hoopleheads: Episode 25 “Tell Your God to Ready for Blood”

by Søren Hough and Esther Rosenfield

In “Tell Your God to Ready for Blood,” director Mark Tinker revels in Deadwood’s brewing conflict between George Hearst, Seth Bullock and Al Swearengen. Esther and Søren discuss.

Television

Hoopleheads: Episode 24 “Boy the Earth Talks To”

by Søren Hough

https://www.hbo.com/deadwood/season-02/12-boy-the-earth-talks-to

After last week’s dirge, Deadwood closes out Season 2 with the fantastic “Boy the Earth Talks To.” Director Ed Bianchi is back and it’s immediately apparent. His clever use of depth of field and of framing immediately permeate event he more mundane scenes. Tonally the show also strikes a contrast with its predecessor, trading day […]

Television

Hoopleheads: Episode 23 “The Whores Can Come”

by Søren Hough

https://www.hbo.com/deadwood/season-02/11-the-whores-can-come

Watching “The Whores Can Come” in such proximity to the finale, “By the Earth Talks To,” draws a striking contrast. This episode is a funeral: a sunny daytime tale where black clothes contrast with a bright backdrop. The joy of its successor is nowhere to be found; Seth (Timothy Olyphant) and Martha (Anna Gunn) languish […]

Television

Hoopleheads: Episode 22 “Advances, None Miraculous”

by Søren Hough

https://www.hbo.com/deadwood/season-02/10-advances-none-miraculous/

J and I both enjoyed “Advances, None Miraculous” from writer Sarah Hess and Deadwood film director Dan Minahan, J going to far as to call it their favorite episode. The episode features a distinct technical touch, embracing techniques like rack focus and dolly shots to set emphasize characters and set scenes, respectively. These little moments […]

Television

Hoopleheads: Episode 21 “Amalgamation and Capital”

by Søren Hough

https://www.hbo.com/deadwood/season-02/9-amalgamation-and-capital

Director Ed Bianchi does excellent work with “Amalgamation and Capital.” The episode focuses on Seth’s (Timothy Olyphant) nephew and adopted son, William (Josh Eriksson), whose amiable interactions with different players in the camp put a lighter spin on the Deadwood cast. To build the tension of several plot threads, Bianchi uses clever editing reminiscent of […]

Television

Hoopleheads: Episode 20 “Childish Things”

by Søren Hough

https://www.hbo.com/deadwood/season-02/8-childish-things

“Childish Things” is outstanding television. Director Tim Van Patten and writer Regina Corrado offer beautiful vignette-like portraits of human relationships within Deadwood. Meanwhile, the denizens of the camp — enemies and allies alike — coalesce around a charming wager as to whether or not Tom Nuttall (Leon Rippy) can ride his newfangled bicycle across the […]

Television

Hoopleheads: Episode 19 “E.B. Was Left Out”

by Søren Hough

https://www.hbo.com/deadwood/season-02/7-e-b-was-left-out

“E.B. Was Left Out” is a generally fantastic episode of Deadwood, even if both J and I found the subplot about the new prostitutes in the Chinese part of camp to be distasteful in presentation. Director Michael Almereyda adds small touches here and there to keep things interesting, particularly in his framings of otherwise ordinary […]

Television

Hoopleheads: Episode 18 “Something Very Expensive”

by Søren Hough

https://www.hbo.com/deadwood/season-02/6-something-very-expensive

“Something Very Expensive” is an explosive episode that finally delivers on the foreboding promise of Mr. W (Garret Dillahunt). Here we finally see his truest colors, only hinted at before. He sees the world as transactional; there are proclivities he would like satisfied, and George Hearst provides the capital to cover for his indulgences. Sometimes […]

Television

Hoopleheads: Episode 17 “Complications” (Formerly “Difficulties”)

by Søren Hough

https://www.hbo.com/deadwood/season-02/5-complications-formerly-difficulties/

Following a more by-the-numbers episode last week, Deadwood is back with a vengeance in “Complications” under the excellent direction of Gregg Fienberg. Al (Ian McShane) has risen from the near-dead and summoned Bullock (Timothy Olyphant) back into the fray. But as their yin and yang begin to take shape again and set the camp to […]

Television

Hoopleheads: Episode 16 “Requiem for a Gleet”

by Søren Hough

https://www.hbo.com/deadwood/season-02/4-requiem-for-a-gleet/

“Requiem for a Gleet” lives up to its name this episode, highlighting a deeply agonized Al (Ian McShane) as he struggles to hold on to consciousness in the face of extreme pain. Indeed, this episode serves as a finale to the Kidney Stone Arc, as it were, finally offering Al a gleet-ful release from his […]

Television

Hoopleheads: Episode 15 “New Money”

by Søren Hough

https://www.hbo.com/deadwood/season-02/3-new-money

After a two-part transition from Season 1 to Season 2, we’re finally off to the races with “New Money.” This episode sees the unlikely return of Garret Dillahunt to Deadwood. He previously portrayed the coward Jack McCall, but here he debuts an equally consequential character: Mr. Wolcott, also known as Mr. W. He enters the […]

Television

Hoopleheads: Episode 14 “A Lie Agreed Upon, Part 2”

by Søren Hough

https://www.hbo.com/deadwood/season-02/2-a-lie-agreed-upon-part-2/

If “A Lie Agreed Upon, Part 1” is the mountain of conflict, “Part 2” is the valley. The episode plays like a series of deflations. As Bullock (Timothy Olyphant) slowly makes his way across camp to retrieve his weapon and badge from the Gem, he’s waylaid by friends and supporters who do what they can […]

Television

Hoopleheads: Episode 13 “A Lie Agreed Upon, Part 1”

by Søren Hough

https://www.hbo.com/deadwood/season-02/1-a-lie-agreed-upon-part-1

After a literal year away from the mic, J and I are very happy to be back! For the next few weeks, we will be covering Season 2 of Deadwood, beginning with “A Lie Agreed Upon, Part 1.” Since last we entered the frontier town, a lot of news — both positive and negative — has emerged around the show. This […]

Television

Gracepoint: Episode Eight

by Hailey Duran

http://www.david-tennant-news.com/wp-content/uploads/2014/11/gp_sc836_0055_hires2.jpg

After every tragedy there comes a time when we have to pick our lives back up once again. In its eighth episode, Gracepoint and its citizens attempt to do just that – even though Danny’s killer is still on the loose. This week the Millers get back what the Solanos did not: their son. Rev. Paul (Kevin Rankin) […]

Television

Gracepoint: “Episode Seven” Review

by Hailey Duran

http://nextprojection.com/wp-content/uploads/2014/11/GP-7.jpg

We’ve all lost someone before. In a mall, a crowded street, a fair or even at the grocery store. You search frantically over the heads of people in the crowd, retrace your steps and finally breathe easy as you find your friend, partner or child. Even if the moment lasts for only a split second, the […]

Television

Gracepoint: “Episode Six” Review

by Hailey Duran

http://www.david-tennant-news.com/wp-content/uploads/2014/10/gp_sc638a_0259_hires2.jpg

The way people respond to secrets is intriguing. We can fall head over heels for a person romantically or platonically, but the moment we find out they’re hiding something from us, we immediately change our view of them. It’s a classic trope used in everything from thrillers to romantic comedies. In the latter especially, the […]

Television

Gracepoint: “Episode Five” Review

by Hailey Duran

http://www.geekbinge.com/wp-content/uploads/2014/10/gp_sc556_0246_hires1.jpg

Last time on Gracepoint, inn owner Gemma Fisher (Sarah-Jane Potts) aptly remarked, “Everyone’s got something to hide.” This statement, while obvious, became oh-so relevant this week. Some of the many secrets Gracepoint’s citizens have to hide come to the surface in Gracepoint‘s fifth episode. We have reached the halfway point of this Fox series, and […]

Television

Gracepoint: “Episode Four” Review

by Hailey Duran

http://collider.com/wp-content/uploads/gracepoint-virginia-kull.jpg

We’ve established that secrets are a ubiquitous factor in our lives. But we also like to assume that those closest to us will share their skeletons. Discovering the true malevolent nature of people you thought you knew is an unimaginably scary thought. The fourth episode of Gracepoint preys on this innate fear along and communicates it through the show’s voyeuristic lens. Carver […]

Television

Gracepoint: “Episode Three” Review

by Hailey Duran

http://collider.com/wp-content/uploads/gracepoint-season-1-episode-3-michael-pena.jpg

There is a sense of camaraderie and community in small towns. But in aid of maintaining that picturesque setting, dark secrets begin to grow because everyone has something to hide. Small towns can be scary, a theme this week’s episode of Gracepoint seeks to prove. Apparently Danny knew his killer well. The implication of that knowledge is astounding. If Danny knew […]

Television

Gracepoint: “Episode Two” Review

by Hailey Duran

http://collider.com/wp-content/uploads/Gracepoint-David-Tennant-Anna-Gunn-2.jpg

Grief is a funny emotion. Everyone suffers through it differently. Some hole up and shut everyone out, others act as if nothing ever happened and some blame and point the finger at those they care about the most. My hometown has a population of about 10,000 people; that’s not tiny, admittedly, but it’s small enough that […]

Television

Gracepoint: “Episode One” Review

by Hailey Duran

http://blogs-images.forbes.com/merrillbarr/files/2014/09/GRACEPOINT_FIN10.jpg

The first episode of ten episode Gracepoint miniseries opens with a lazy pan over a sleepy town of the same name. With a quick cut, we see a boy standing on the edge of a cliff. Everything is quiet – too quiet. The slow, rhythmic music combines the ambient sounds of the town to give us an ominous […]

Debate

Breaking Bad and the Protagonist Problem

by Søren Hough

http://media.boingboing.net/wp-content/uploads/2013/09/heiz.jpg

This discussion began with a focus on the episode “Ozymandias,” but then extended to a broader debate on Breaking Bad, Deadwood, and Game of Thrones. For the record, both Søren and I enjoyed this show – I just liked it a bit more than he did. And this should go without saying, but this conversation […]

Pages: 1 2 3 4

Fight the Power: Interview with Cyril Schäublin, Writer/Director of Unrest

September 14, 2022 By Søren Hough

Pastries, Freedom, and Love: An Interview with The Artist Airidescence

August 17, 2022 By Søren Hough

Prehistoric Planet Review

July 25, 2022 By Patrick Murphy

Large Association of Movie Blogs Listen on Spotify

About Us            Meet Our Staff             FAQs             Privacy

Creative Commons License
Movie Fail is licensed under Creative Commons.
Permissions beyond the scope of this license are available at http://moviefail.com/faqs/.

Copyright © 2012–2023 Movie Fail · Magazine Pro Theme · WordPress