What does a person do after they achieve their greatest ambition? This question rests near the heart of How to Be a Latin Lover, a film whose first five minutes portray the outline of a familiar story: a young child…
TV Review: Agent Carter (2X05) “The Atomic Job”
I’ve been fairly outspoken with how disappointed I’ve been with this season of Agent Carter. Sure, there have been high points, but they’ve been buried underneath a great deal of muck that feels much more evocative of its shark jumping…
TV Throwback Review: Party Down (1×09) “James Rolf High School Twentieth Reunion”
There is a moment in “James Rolf High School Twentieth Reunion” in which Lizzy Caplan’s performance reaches heights traditionally associated with prestige dramas or higher-brow sitcoms like [early seasons of] The Office. It’s an absolutely devastating dramatic moment, and both…
TV Throwback Review: Party Down (1×08) “Celebrate Ricky Sargulesh”
Now that’s more like it. If you’ve been following along with my Party Down reviews, by any chance, you’ll remember that I was let down by the last couple of episodes. I didn’t find them comedically satisfying. Last week’s episode,…
TV Throwback Review: Party Down (1×07) “Brandix Corporate Retreat”
There’s one truly great sequence in “Brandix Corporate Retreat.” It comes along well into the episode’s running time, just as all of the members of the Party Down crew show up for a team building exercise Ron has insisted they…
TV Throwback Review: Party Down (1×06) “Taylor Stiltskin Sweet Sixteen”
Given that Whiplash was my favorite film of 2014, I was delighted when I pressed play on “Taylor Stiltskin Sweet Sixteen” and was immediately reminded that J.K. Simmons basically plays his Whiplash character in this episode of Party Down. Like Terence Fletcher, Leonard…
TV Throwback Review: Party Down (1×02) “California College Conservative Union Caucus”
In last week’s “Willow Canyon Homeowners Annual Party,” the perceived failure of Henry Pollard is contrasted with the perceived success of Gordon McSpadden. In “California College Conservative Union Caucus,” the innate laziness behind Henry’s decision to quit acting is examined…