A flawlessly told story of a young woman’s escape from the psychological and physical clutches of the ultraconservative Satmar Hasidic community in Brooklyn. In four episodes (with no sequel to follow), we watch Esty, played brilliantly by Shira Haas, grow from a shrinking and confused misfit into, somewhat improbably, a talented musician with great friends, […]
A gripping and revelatory 10-part docudrama about the abduction and brutal murder of a 15-year-old Palestinian by three West Bank settlers that gives voice to many, if not all, sides of the tragic conflict between Israelis and Palestinians. There are good people and not-so-good people on both sides, and the pressures tearing them apart are […]
After a stunning setup in the first three or four episodes, the 7-part series drifts toward soap opera territory, which is cemented when the season finale turns from a true finale to a teaser for Season Two. Part of my letdown may also be due to the diminished role of Kasia, the Polish barmaid, who […]
A remarkably effective, and affecting, four-part documentary on the rise and fall of Hillary Clinton. Despite the participation of Hillary herself, the series presented a balanced view of her career, such that the feelings of loss I experienced were for the political decades we’ve lived through, not for Hillary herself. I’ll never forgive her for […]
If two of your favorite genres are Japanese yakuza and British crime, this binational 8-parter is for you. Or if, like me, you can’t get enough of Kelly Macdonald’s Scottish accent and dark sense of humor, it’s all you could want, as well. Keeping track of who’s who, especially within the rival factions of the […]
Based on a sequel to the source of the movie of the same name, this gripping 8-parter casts a skeptical eye on both the German war machine, U-Boat division, and the French Resistance located in the port city of La Rochelle. Vicky Krieps is sensational as the plot’s fulcrum, caught between her roles as the […]
Robbie Robertson may be a great musician, but as a documentary narrator he is ponderous. As in Ain’t Too Proud to Beg, the story of a five-man band suffers from being told solely from one member’s perspective. Performance clips breathe some life into the film, but with only one great song to The Band’s credit, […]
After a rather slow first hour, we come to know the residents of Highbury and derive some pleasure in this familiarity – particularly with Mr. Knightley, a true gentleman. The settings and costumes are gorgeous, but the story – much like the superior Little Women – plays like the 19th-century novel it is. If there […]
There’s a lot of Kristen Stewart in this film, which is a pretty good thing, as well as a reminder that the U.S. Department of Justice has suffered from a political agenda in the past. The movie is based on a true story, which is its only reason – besides showcasing Stewart – for existing. […]
Here was a world I knew well, from The Irishman, Narcos, Sopranos, The Godfather and many more. As in The Irishman, the central figure, Tommaso Buscetta, was a “soldier,” but as played by Pierfrancesco Favino he is the dominant figure you want to watch, everything De Niro wasn’t. This, too, was a true story, which […]
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