Cuisine is a weapon in this sharp as a butcher knife gourmet horror comedy.
You know you’re in for it when Lord Voldemort is your host. In The Menu the audience and the unassuming patrons of Hawthorn, the finest of fine dining restaurants, are treated to a haute cuisine meal that’s every course is filled with more and more shocking twists and turns. Luckily we are left far more satiated and satisfied than the ill tempered, ill fated on screen diners.
The Menu is one of the smartest thrillers of the past year and its exclusion from the awards rhetoric was a sin worthy of Chef Slowick’s harshest judgment. It’s extremely well written with an original, unpredictable plot and character driven dialogue the tells us exactly who these people are without the typical drudgery of boring exposition. It is perfectly paced, each development exquisitely presented and every surprise delighting the palette with its inventiveness.
The cast is full of incredible performances, most notably from lead Anya Taylor-Joy. She’s a gifted actress with the remarkable ability of making authenticity seem effortless and she’s at her relatable best here, serving as our non-foodie proxy just as confused by the reverence and adoration for the chef and for food in general as we are. Ralph Fiennes is magnetic and terrifying as Chef Slowick, a now iconic horror villain whose approach is one of apathetic malice and nuanced vengeance. The rage that bubbles under his blase, unaffected exterior is threating and entrancing at the same time. It’s a Hannibal Lector level performance and I again lament the indefensible snubs of the various awards shows.
The entire ensemble is wonderfully assholeish, giving us delicious satisfaction when each receives their comeuppance. As Slowick’s right hand woman Hoang Chau is enigmatic and cruel, ghoulish and frightening as she puts the doomed diners in their proverbial places. John Leguizamo is hilariously self parodying as a fading Hollywood star and Judith Light, an underrated actress, is a welcome presence but underused here. Nicholas Holt is supremely believable as the supremely douchey Tyler who’d rather put his meal on Instagram than in his belly.
There is much room for interpretation and analysis, making this a film that will keep you talking long after the credits have rolled. It’s themes and symbolism sticks with you like your favorite meal. I enthusiastically recommend The Menu. It is a unique and provocative story that is truly not to be missed.
This is only my list not any type of “correct” list. If I left your favorites off I’d love to hear about it. This list only includes shows from 1980 forward as I wasn’t around to watch anything before that. What are your favorites?
10 – Herman’s Head
I’m sure many of you are saying ‘the hell is that?’ This was a short lived show from the early 90’s when Fox had yet to establish itself among the major cable networks. In this proto Inside Out, we see inside the unassuming Herman’s brain and get a look at four characters who manifest his feelings – Angel, Animal, Genius and Wimp. I was an avid fan when this was on television although it has faded in my memory over the years. The Simpsons stars Yeardley Smith and Hank Azaria appear as Herman’s real life friends and I remember being a big fan of Smith not just from her work as Lisa Simpson but from the film The Ballad of Billie Jean, a childhood fave of mine. Also with a name like Yeardley she’s pretty difficult to forget.
9 – Cheers
I wasn’t old enough to fully appreciate this show in its first run although it was a weekly staple in our house. I have memories of spreading out the “green thing,” a ratty old blanket to protect the carpet from crumbs, and having dinner in front of the TV so my mom could catch up on the weekly Sam and Diane (and later Sam and Rebecca) will they/won’t they drama. The fact that the show was just as funny to my elementary school sensibilities as it was to my parents speaks to the quality of comedic writing and the hilariously talented ensemble. Of course I was tickled that I shared a name with one of the major characters and Cliff, Carla and Norm’s banter, bickering and chemistry made them my favorite characters in that famous place where everybody knows your name.
8 – Family Ties
Sit Ubu sit. Good Dog. Woof! This is another show that’s headier, adult themes went a bit over my head but still had many elements that I connected and related to. While I had no real comprehension of the liberal politics at the core of the show, I understood Alex and Mallory’s hilarious reads of one another and I connected with Jennifer’s feelings of being different and left out. Alex’s overachiever vibes also resonated with my aspirations of all A’s and student government domination. I remember feeling like this TV family, with their mix of constant gentle teasing and genuine love, was most like my own.
7 – Will and Grace
Obviously the gay representation in this show was important to me but I’ve always thought this show was funny way beyond it’s portrayal of LGBTQ issues. Karen Walker may very well be the most hilarious character ever on television with Jack McFarland falling on the list not too far behind. While the show was called Will and Grace it was Megan Mullaly’s Karen and Sean Hayes’s Jack that made the show worth watching every week. Looking back the stereotyping of Will and to a much larger extent Jack were in many ways regressive and not exactly groundbreaking but their simple inclusion in the prime time lineup ultimately feels like a giant step forward for the community.
6 – Parks and Recreation
Years ago I received a bit of direction that reverberates to this day – make the positive choice. The concept applied to keeping the mood buoyant when presenting comedic insults or sarcasm as true spite and vitriol tends to wear an audience down. This approach is central to the success of Parks and Recreation. Protagonist Leslie Knope is unabashedly positive and even though she’s surrounded by cynical bastards they would do anything for her even while constantly rolling their eyes and making snarky remarks under their breath. Their taunts and jeers are presented with love, with positivity, and it’s this juxtaposition that is the core of Parks and Rec’s considerable humor and heart.
5 – The Good Place
The Good Place is one of the smartest shows ever to be on television. Period. What’s remarkable is that a show that introduces deep academic concepts and forces its audience to really think can at the same time be laugh out loud hilarious. Kristen Bell is absolutely hysterical and relatable as Eleanor, a terrible human being who’s path to enlightenment comprises the central narrative of the show. Ted Danson employs every bit of his considerable charm as a otherworldly entity tickled to death by all things mundanely human. The cast is a wonderful mismatch of human foibles and frustrations and their journey is to self awareness is one helluva entertaining ride.
4 – Three’s Company
I wasn’t born yet when this show originally aired but lucky for my generation TBS played back to back episodes in the after school hours and I fell absolutely in love with it. This is comedy 101. Clowning. Slapstick. Farce. And John Ritter is the master of this particular brand of humor. His pratfalls and funny faces never failed to crack me up. The homophobic undertone to many of the madcap situations – Jack living with two women is okay because he’s well, you know – has aged like a glass of milk. However the misunderstandings and mistaken identities are borrowed from Shakespeare and the ancient Greeks proving that some things always have and always will generate big laughs.
3 – Sex and the City
While the ladies and the archetypes they represent are directly derived from another show on the list, the impeccable writing and the talent and chemistry of the principal cast, not to mention the show’s fashion and cultural influence, make Sex and the City one of the best sitcoms ever. Everyone believes themselves to be a Carrie or Miranda or Samantha or Charlotte and everyone hopes to find their Big or Steve or Smith or Harry. Benefiting from the freedom of content provided by appearing on HBO, this show dominated the zeitgeist to a level few others have ever achieved.
2 – The Office
While we often hear drama classified as character driven we rarely hear of character driven comedy. I mean it’s right there in the word sitcom. We expect the comedy to come from the situations. The Office subverts the formula by asserting that not much about the workplace is funny however the people you work with are likely hysterical. Most of the comedy in The Office comes from the idiosyncrasies of each character clashing with each other. The writing is unique, a groundbreaker in the mockumentary and cringe comedy style that has become de rigueur. The ability of the creators and cast to bring to life singular, specific characters that are also familiar and relatable is the greatest strength of the show and the key to its success.
1 – Golden Girls
Picture it. Hollywood. 1985. This show wasn’t supposed to be the hit it became. It wasn’t supposed to be a hit at all. Executives didn’t think audiences would connect with a show about ladies of a certain age. Executives are stupid. Because the universality of the show is one of its most distinctive characteristics. I’ve never met anyone that doesn’t have the fondest memories of this show and these characters and actors. It’s well done classic comedy, a series of set ups and punchlines, but the expertise and abilities of the lead actors elevated it beyond its already impressive writing and storytelling. It’s mix of the smart one, the sexy one, the dumb one and the smartass has been replicated time and again, to varying degrees of success. Its rewatchability and longevity are a testament to its excellence. The Golden Girls perfected the sitcom format making it my favorite and a real contender for the greatest of all time.
An acrophobic adventure filled with silly thrills.
I thought I only had one worst nightmare. Being stranded in shark infested water. Period. I couldn’t imagine anything more terrifying than that. Until today. Thanks a lot Fall. Now as easy as it is to avoid shark infested waters it is even easier to avoid the nightmare Grace and Hunter find themselves in. As a matter of fact I can guarantee I will never, ever be in this situation. Because Grace and Hunter are idiots.
Technically I guess you could call them thrill seeking free climbers. Not to pass judgment on extreme sports people in general but watching Grace and Hunter’s situation unfold you can’t help but feel a tremendous sense that they were asking for it. Nobody forced them to climb the rusty, decrepit 2,000 foot tower they get stranded at the top of. Idiots.
Joking aside I was viscerally affected and completely invested in this film even when it pushes the boundaries of plausibility way past the breaking point. The tension is literally gut wrenching and the camera work really gives you a sense of instability and vertigo. The acting is serviceable but it’s the stunt work that is truly remarkable. Death defying. It’s an uncomfortable watch and a thrilling one at the same time.
Fall is an adrenaline rush to be sure. I was struck by how much it gave me a similar feeling as Open Water did. The powerlessness of being overwhelmed by your surroundings. The increasing hopelessness as each plan for salvation miserably fails. It’s an anxiety overload that may not be for everyone. In fact I’m still not sure if it was for me.
Nothing new in this snoozy M. Night Shyamalacolypse.
Are there any real M. Night Shyamalan fans left out there or are we all doing some form of hate watching at this point? Even when the twists are mildly entertaining, as is the case with Knock at the Cabin, they’re so on the nose and inelegantly presented it’s embarrassing. Shyamalan made one great movie 24 years ago and has brought pretty much nothing but garbage to the runway ever since. Throw another one on the pile.
The major mystery of Knock at the Cabin is obvious early into the first act. That doesn’t stop our Christlike protagonist from spelling it out in painful detail at the movie’s climax. It’s the equivalent of ‘if you have to explain your joke it’s probably not that funny.’ There’s a bit more action than usual and the stakes are apocalyptically high but it all just wraps up into an unsatisfying and kinda dumb conclusion.
There are okay performances by Jonathan Groff and Ben Aldridge as a couple whose love is uniquely perfect and pure. Or so we told. If you say so Shyamalan. I applaud the casting of LQBT actors in LGBT roles but the lack of chemistry between these two made the film’s central conceit a bit tough to swallow. But they are individually charming and likable enough to carry us through this slog of a story.
The four strangers that kick off the story’s events are hit and miss in their color coded apocryphal characters. Dave Bautista is a big, very big, cringe inducing miss, giving major ‘linebacker giving the drama club a try’ energy. He’s great in Guardians of the Galaxy as the emotionless, oblivious Drax but not so great in his estimation of actual human feelings or behavior. Stick to the MCU, Davey. And direct from The Burrow, Mr Ronald Weasley himself, it’s Rupert Grint and it’s hard to tell what’s worse, his character’s attitude or sketch Southern accent. I’m not here to read Ron the icon, he’s actually quite good in this brief, bombastic role.
Another Brit, Nikki Amuka-Bird, is the strongest in the cast, her theatre background and commanding presence serving the melodramatic stakes well. And Abby Quinn fills out the foursome with a sensitive, capable performance. Overall the cast does their best to save a ham-handed, confusing screenplay but it just isn’t enough. It all amounts to a resounding, bored eye roll.
I wouldn’t recommend this one. I didn’t connect with any part of it. For a film about the end of the world it’s a big snooze.
Bingeable Beyoncé satire is batshit crazy, brutal and beyond believable.
First off, give me a full season that’s seven 35 minute episodes and I’m in. Easy peasy. Let’s do this. Give me one that’s created by Childish Gambino Donald Glover, features a fascinating and wonderfully strange lead performance and a wiggety wack, infinitely surprising premise and I might just become a Stan. This show is a buck wild exploration of the toxicity of fan culture and internet discourse with a style and presentation that is unusual and unique. And very cool.
I don’t want to spoil a thing because the unpredictability of the narrative is one of its biggest strengths. The show implies in title cards that the story is based on true events and it’s unclear to what extent this is true. Completely fictional or not the story is deeply grounded in reality or rather the surreal world of superfan culture. It’s a pathological sendup of the profound loyalty of fandoms like Taylor Swift’s Swifties or more specifically Beyoncé’s Bey Hive.
Ni’jah stands in for Beyoncé here and Dre is her number one fan. I can’t say enough about Dominique Fishback and her riveting portrayal of Dre. It reminds me of Uzo Aduba’s astonishing, Emmy-winning work as Crazy Eyes in Orange is the New Black with her ability to demonstrate a deep humanity through layers of psychosis. I was captivated by every unexpected acting choice each one coercing us farther and farther into Dre’s insanity. It’s masterfully done and I’d expect we’ll be hearing Fishback’s name more and more in the coming years and rightfully so.
The entire ensemble is incredibly strong. Chloe Bailey is luminous and lovable as Dre’s doomed sister Marissa. Heather Sims brings humor and warmth as Detective Loretta Green. Billie Eilish is hilariously mystical and moony in her acting debut. A Different World’s Cree Summer and Broadway’s Norm Lewis pop up as comically progressive elites in one episode. And maybe most surprising is Paris Jackson, daughter of Michael, in a role I won’t spoil but only to say she’s hysterically funny and it hints at an endearingly authentic self awareness. Theres truly not a bad performance in the series.
This is a fresh, inventive show that goes to places you’re never expecting and shocks and surprises at every turn. It’s jaw droppingly outrageous in the best of ways. I highly recommend it. Heads up, it is most certainly for adults only. Enjoy!
Early Coen Brothers classic proves they had the knack from way back.
The Coen brothers are the modern arbiter of the tall tale. Only rather than superhumans like Paul Bunyan or Johnny Appleseed the Coen’s have chosen petty criminals, assorted crooks, and small town cops as their protagonists to tell the story of today’s America. Raising Arizona is one of their earliest efforts and their signature style and humor are already on display.
It’s Lo-fi sensibilities and awkward brand of comedy are so fresh it feels like as it could’ve been made last year and not 36 years ago. The term ‘ahead of its time’ is overused but it fits here really well. The authenticity of Raising Arizona’s production design would be impossible to replicate today but it doesn’t stop many art directors from trying. The look and sound of the world the Coen brothers create is singular, reality but a bit askew. Or maybe rather, realer than real.
The cast is filled with actors on the verge of superstardom. Nicolas Cage and Holly Hunter create one of film’s most iconic duos as H.I. and Ed, the most likable kidnappers this side of Peter Pan and Tinkerbell. Cage’s charisma and Hunter’s chutzpah are perfect matches, it’s impossible to imagine any other two actors playing these roles.
John Goodman, just a year before his starmaking turn as Dan Conner on Roseanne, and William Forsythe are hilarious as H.I.’s escaped convict buddies looking for one last heist. Sam McMurray is at his sleazy best as H.I.’s swinging boss Glen and Francis McDormand is unrecognizable as his feckless wife Dot. The entire ensemble is having a great time bringing this IQ deficient menagerie of colorful crooks to energetic life.
There’s a reckless joy in watching these misguided miscreants bump into one another both literally and figuratively. I’m glad I decided to give this gem a rewatch. It’s filled with poetically rich dialogue and some of the best character work, certainly of the 80’s but quite possibly of any decade. It was fun seeing these future Oscar winners cutting up and getting stupid and I got a few belly laughs in the process. Check it out and see for yourself how well it’s held up over time.
This is only my list not any type of “correct” list. If I left your favorites off the list I’d love to hear about it. I haven’t watched several of the series that top many online lists like The Sopranos or Breaking Bad or The Wire. You can see by my picks I’m pretty partial to a strong female lead and I think that’s a testament to all the strong ladies I’ve known and loved. What are your favorites?
10 – Weeds
The softer side of Breaking Bad, the arc of Mary Louise Parker’s Nancy Botwin makes for a wild ride through the underbelly of the pre-legalization California marijuana market. Show-runner Jengi Kohan crafts an outrageous but grounded story played to perfection by an outstanding cast. In addition to Parker who is truly one of the greatest of her generation, Justin Kirk is pathetically perfect as freeloading loser uncle Andy. Elizabeth Perkins absolutely slays as Celia, a holier than thou proto-Karen. As much comedy as drama Weeds takes some strange turns and becomes the TV equivalent of the how it started/how it’s going meme.
9 – Scandal
Admittedly this show lost its way a bit in the last couple of seasons but boy did it start off well. I’m not transgendered but I am trans-Olivia Pope. I’d give anything for her charisma, deep intelligence and style. Girl, the style! Creator Shonda Rhimes and Kerry Washington combine their substantial talents to bring to life one of the most iconic TV characters of all time. A soapy response to The West Wing, Scandal is a thrilling behind the scenes look at the most powerful people in America and the Presidents and politicians that they keep out of trouble.
8 – The Boys
This show is buck wild! One of the few currently airing shows to make this list this show is one wackadoo, damn good time. It brings the superhero concept into modern reality, detailing the regulations and revenues superhumans might be up against in capitalist, corporate America. It’s completely unhinged, crashing through any sort of PC boundaries and always shocking in its plot development. It’s a great concept really well produced and well performed by a stellar cast and it’s one of the most insane and unique shows on television.
7 – Grey’s Anatomy
I recently ended my abusive relationship with this show at the beginning of the current season. It’s 18th season. 18! At this point I don’t even know what they’re doing anymore and sadly, neither do they. What started as a sexy, character driven medical drama has unwound into a directionless mess with few if any relatable characters left on the roster. Shonda Rhimes is one of the best TV creators out there but apparently she just doesn’t know when, or how, to call it quits. This show makes the list for the magic it once had, for the good old days, even if they’ve been gone for a really, really, reeeeaaallllllly long time.
6 – Queer as Folk
I was very freshly out of the closet when this show came out and it was important to my process of self acceptance. I haven’t seen the reboot and I probably won’t but the original will always stand out in my mind for the way it made me feel part of a larger community. At this point I’ve intersected with many of the situations covered by the show’s writers and can personally attest to the truth and honesty of the narrative. The acting is spotty, some of the central characters are downright cringey, but this doesn’t interfere with the show’s dramatic and cultural impact.
5 – Orange is the New Black
Another Jengi Kohan joint, this show boasts some of the best writing and one of the best overall casts on the list. The show’s structure, with most episodes flashing between present day and how a particular inmate ended up in the prison, allows us to intimately know every character and to deeply understand their objectives and motivations. It’s such a shining example of true ensemble work that it feels wrong to single out any one performance over another. This show is the very definition of character driven drama filled with haunting and heartbreaking performances that stick with you long after the final episode.
4 – Six Feet Under
This show would make the list for its finale alone as it’s one of the finest TV episodes in history. But the quirky point of view and beautiful dialogue make this show a provocative must watch throughout. Centering on a family run funeral home, death is essential to the show and informs the storytelling and theming throughout its run. Creator Alan Ball has a knack for pulling truth and beauty from the most macabre and depressing of places and this show is his meditation on what death can teach us about living. Filled with fantastic, robust performances particularly from Francis Conroy, Michael C Hall and Lauren Ambrose, it’s heavy premise can make for a difficult watch but take your time. Watch in small doses. You’ll be so glad you did.
3 – The Handmaid’s Tale
Elizabeth Moss is one of the greatest actors not just on television but working in Hollywood today. She is riveting in every frame of this adaptation of Margaret Atwood’s prophetic novel. Her performance alone would be reason enough to watch but she is given worthy scene partners who match her both in skill and intensity. Ann Dowd, Yvonne Strahovski, Bradley Whitford, Joseph Fiennes, Madeline Brewer and Samira Wiley all give masterful performances. Add to that a stunning, filmic production design and incredibly chilling, upsettingly familiar world building and this is one of the best shows ever on television.
2 – Game of Thrones
Yeah. The ending was weird. Not great. Surprising in the worst way. But it seems weirder still to toss a show of this magnitude and level of excellence because it didn’t end well. HBO pulled out all the stops for this one. You wanna talk production design-whew chile. Special effects? Hu-nny! Those dragons looked like real dragons to me. Those white walkers scared the poop outta me. A cast of thousands and I honestly can’t think of a weak performance. This show was like an eight season long film. Epic. Girthy. I’m not alone in ranking it among the best in TV history and for obvious reasons. Every aspect just shines with excellence. Although the swords and sandally-ness of it may not seem like your thing, there is truly something for everyone here. And House of the Dragon is shaping up to be just as epically excellent so get on it.
1 – Buffy the Vampire Slayer
If you haven’t seen Buffy then you’re probably surprised to see it at number one. And I get it, I was once like you. The title sounded too silly, too adolescent, I couldn’t possibly imagine being able to relate. But that irony is at the core of what is essentially an archetypal hero’s journey. How could anyone take a chick named Buffy seriously? But Buffy is the slayer, the chosen one, the only person who can protect and save the world from all the evils of Hell. She’s a badass boss lady whether you get it or not. Joss Whedon is a genius myth maker and world builder and the fantastic world of Buffy is a rich and deep gift to anyone who’s ever felt an outsider. There’s never been a tv show that’s affected me so much, never a hero I’ve rooted for more. Frankly it hasn’t aged super well, the special effects are in that pre CGI era that looked a little off then but look absolutely absurd by modern standards. But I urge you to suspend your disbelief enough to get through all that and get to the brilliant storytelling, the zippy dialogue and the heartfelt characterizations that make this show my all-time number one.
Straightforward true crime analysis with just enough cheek.
Interest in true crime content seems to have skyrocketed recently. It’s not surprising, murder cases are inherently compelling, filled with human drama, deception, twists and turns—all elements of a great story. YouTube is overrun with true crime content, so much so it can be hard to sift through the amateurish garbage and get to the good stuff. And make no mistake That Chapter is the good stuff.
Our host is Mike, just Mike, an affable Irish fellow who guides us through a new case in every video employing a mixture of media that always feels complete. His narration alternates between voice over and on camera and his genuine, conversational approach make his vids easily understandable. I be so American that, embarrassingly, it took a couple of videos to attune my ears to his lilting Irish brogue but my patience paid off. The sense of authenticity he manages to create makes him one of my top content creators in the genre.
The video production is excellent too and always manages to include the relevant 911 calls, police interrogation, news clips and press conferences to create a fully dimensional understanding of each case. They’re edited well, always moving along at a good pace and never dragging. And typically clocking in around 30 minutes they’re perfectly digestible “TV” episodes.
If you’re into true crime content this is the perfect channel for you. All of the evidence, presented clearly and succinctly by a relatable host. I watch many true crime YouTube channels and this is my go to when I want the facts. Check it out!
Nic Cage stars as Nic Cage in this overlooked comeback comedy. Not that he went anywhere.
Nicolas Cage has become somewhat of a meme king and this film proves once and for all he is in on the joke. In this highly stylized, refreshingly original caper comedy Cage is at his pathological, self-parodying best. It’s a high camp metatheatrical romp through the ego of one of Hollywood’s most versatile performers. And it’s one helluva good time.
Just when you think you’ve got this movie figured out, it surprises with an unexpected turn adding layer upon layer of complexity while maintaining an easy, light action comedy vibe. It’s cleverly plotted and beautifully shot, it’s hard to understand why it was a flop when it was released in theaters. It’s also hard to understand how the screen can even contain the combined charisma and charm of Cage and costar, the moment himself, Pedro Pascal.
There’s so much movie star magnetism on display you couldn’t look away if you wanted to. The two are obviously having the time of their lives, the bromantic chemistry is positively off the charts. And of course when the time finally arrives, when Cage takes on his most fully unhinged, most Nic Cagiest form, it is indeed glorious. It’s truly a career best performance for the acclaimed actor.
The rest of the cast is filled with awesome supporting and cameo appearances. Neil Patrick Harris pops up as a typically sleazy Hollywood agent. Irish actress Sharon Horgan is wonderful as Cage’s over the shit onscreen wife and Tiffany Haddish is great but to give away her role would spoil too much. Same with Demi Moore but she is looking stunning in a blink and you’ll miss it bit part.
This film has wide appeal, something I think the whole family could even enjoy. Maybe a little over the head of younger kids but tweens and teens would dig it. It’s a unique action adventure with some absolutely laugh out loud moments and incredible performances from two of Hollywood’s most lovable legends. 10/10 would recommend.
Oscar winning doc shines light in Russia’s darkest corners.
Russia is a scary place. But the bigger question asked by this fascinating Academy Award winning documentary is: is Russia all that different from the rest of the world? This is a story of absolute power, absolute corruption and the media that loves – and lies for – them. It hits way too close to home.
It’s remarkable how well documented this moment in world politics has been by this film crew. The action kicks off months before Alexei Navalny’s doomed poisoning and wraps up just as he’s being arrested by the Kremlin upon his return home after coalescing in Germany. Like in the airport. Scary stuff.
It was supremely beneficial to see these events replayed in an efficient chronological narrative as for me the specifics were lost in the shuffle of 2020’s world turned upside down news cycles. Navalny’s investigation into his own poisoning concludes with his on camera phone interrogation of the men involved. I can’t recall another political documentary that’s caused me to literally hold my breath in suspense. Pardon my French but Mr. Navalny has balls. Big ones. Elephant sized ones.
This is an important film. Both as a light shining on the injustice of Navalny’s imprisonment as well as a cautionary tale. If you think, “it can’t happen here” this film proves that in many ways, it already is.
Cliff’s Notes: Rotted & Relatable Reviews 