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Fargo: The Law of Non-Contradiction (2017)
Excellent episode that sucked me into the season
I have been watching the show since it premiered and this has to be the best of the current season so far. It was very well-directed and a bold experiment for a TV show whose main focus is an ensemble cast. People may say this episode was pointless since all she does is find out Ennis' (Thaddeus') backstory, and the plot resumes at the end of the episode. I don't see it as that. I see it as a great episode for character development for Gloria. We get a glimpse into her character in her fish-out-of-water experience, where we see just how cut off from the rest of the world she is.
Let's not forget The Planet Wyh story line, where a fictional sci-fi book written by Thaddeus is narrated and shown to the audience via 2D animation. This might have turned people off of the episode, but I can't see why. The concept of the story itself was neat, and the themes of the book tie in well to the themes of the episode.
If anything, this is the episode is the one that hooked me for season 3. People who disagree also probably crap on True Detective Season 2 because it was "different". Anthology shows are becoming popular in American TV and we have to get used to change and not get bogged down by the greatness of a first season of a show. The producers are making the show they want to make, and frankly, Fargo is doing eons better than any other TV show on the air that was adapted from a film. I can't wait to see the rest of the season :)
Operation Avalanche (2016)
Johnson's sophomore effort is an impressive period piece
Matt Johnson previously directed The Dirties which was shot for less than $10,000, blew away audiences at Sundance and nabbed an exclusive distribution from Kevin Smith's company. I personally was very impressed with the gritty independent style of the film, and it left me wanting more from the filmmakers.
With Operation Avalanche, Johnson is 2 for 2, delivering another solid film through his directorial style and performance. I'm not sure whether the film was shot digitally or on 16mm, but the cinematography throughout the film thoroughly immersed me in that 1960s environment. The other actors, Owen Williams and Josh Boles deliver authentic performances as CIA agents faking the moon landing.
The film's dramatic tension is key here; scenes which are otherwise simple moments in an operation are brought to life by the film's unique staging and editing methods. In terms of historical accuracy, it's obvious that the film is merely faction, that is, taking archive footage of real people working at NASA in the 60s and seamlessly blending them into the narrative while still maintaining many details from the moon landing conspiracies. The script is structured in such a unique way that it's apparent how powerful editing can negate a bigger budget.
Johnson has proved again that he knows the mockumentary format and how to keep a viewer on edge throughout a film. Even though the dialogue in the movie was mostly improvised, it feels completely organic. The film's real strength is in its tension, specifically the car chase at the climax of the film. Its staging and execution solidified it as one of my favorite all time chase scenes in a movie, without a doubt. I can't wait to see what Johnson and co. make next!
Bindlestiffs (2012)
Hilarious.
And I can say that with confidence. Bindlestiffs is the funniest movie I've seen in a long time. I don't often laugh out loud at movies by myself, but I did during the first screening. I've since seen it 6 more times. The pure nucleus of the movie is a group of teenagers making a movie with hand-held cameras for very very cheap. And they do it brilliantly. The plot itself is original, three teenagers heading out into the city to experience life, doing crazy stuff along the way. Comparing this movie to Superbad or The Hangover is just wrong, because they are SO different. If anything, the film shows elements from Clerks, Kevin Smith's first independent movie, who later picked up the movie for distribution. The fact that this is an award-winning independent movie just makes me love it more. When I set out to make films, this is essentially the film I'd want to make, Andrew Edison and his buddies just put it all together. The flick is hilarious, in the most literal sense of the word, and deserves at least a theatrical release that's not part of a tour or something. Rent this movie if you can, because it's definitely worth it.