Babylon (2022)

The beginning of Hollywood, through the lens of a young man fascinated by cinema, an actress who wants to become a star and a fading star.

"Babylon" is an artistic, dramatic film, that can be difficult to describe. Full of fantasy, and fascination for the decadent period that led the film world in its silent beginnings, it shows freedom, limitless expression as well as the forgetting in easy life, various addictions and cheap admiration. With ideas similar to 'Singing in the Rain', the parallel between the two films is mentioned almost at every step. Fascinating, but also sad.

Director:  Damien Chazelle      

With: Brad Pitt, Margot Robbie, Jean Smart, Olivia Wilde, Diego Calva, Flea, Eric Roberts, Li Jun Li, Max Minghella, Tobey Maguire, Samara Weaving

Rating: 8/10

Fargo (2014– ): Season 2 (2015)

A naive couple causes a war between 2 mafia families after a car accident in which the son of one of the families loses his life.

Season 2 of 'Fargo' follows the same recipe as the first, and presents as true he story of a mafia war in the 70s. Somewhat harsher and more merciless than the previous one, season 2 deserves attention for the interesting characters (the main police guy being one, as usual), the lack of predictability (in the sense of a predictability that's less vague than "everyone will die") and the connection with the characters from the first (if you don't pay attention to the names, the connection won't be obvious from the beginning).

Director:  Randall Einhorn, Adam Arkin and others

Production:  FX   

Creator:  Noah Hawley   

Duration:  the second season of 4, with 10 episodes (53 minutes each)   

With: Kirsten Dunst, Patrick Wilson, Jesse Plemons, Jean Smart, Ted Danson, Cristin Milioti, Jeffrey Donovan, Bokeem Woodbine, Brad Garrett, Kieran Culkin, Nick Offerman, Michael Hogan, Zahn McClarnon, Angus Sampson, Adam Arkin

Rating: 8/10

Legion (2017-2019)

David is diagnosed with schizophrenia but gradually discovers that he has supernatural powers, which changes his world completely.

An extremely original series, although it is based on the X-Men (Marvel) comic book series starring Legion. Fantastic both literally and figuratively, the series mixes genres, styles, Sci-Fi, slasher horror, comedy and musical, in an intelligent and very effective mix that maintains a stylistic and narrative balance quite difficult to obtain. The magnetism of the characters is undeniable and the evolution of the story is attractive until the end, despite a subtle quality decline due to the obsession with style over substance that results in a couple of filler episodes.

Directors:  John Cameron and many more   

Production:  FX   

Creator:  Noah Hawley   

Duration:  3 seasons of 8/11 episodes (50 minutes each)   

With: Dan Stevens, Rachel Keller, Aubrey Plaza, Jean Smart

Rating: 9/10 (s1-10, s2-9, s3-8)

Watchmen (2019)

Intr-o realitate alternativa, politistii poarta masti pentru a evita crime de ura, iar justitiarii mascati sunt scosi in afara legii.

Un serial de scurta durata (doar 1 sezon) bazat pe romanul grafic original Watchmen, ce prezinta o alternativa la realitatea curenta, cu o creanga a istoriei determinata de evenimente intense cauzate de rasism si intoleranta, in care personajele cunoscute din Watchmen sunt gradual adaugate si conectate de povestea principala desfasurata pe ecran, ce o implica in primul rand pe Angela Abar, o politista fortata sa poarte masca pentru a-si continua munca pentru care a fost nascuta. Intriga este prezentata in primul episod dar conexiunile cu restul personajelor nu sunt evidente pana spre final, cand de fapt publicul afla si telul neasteptat al fortelor inamice. Inteligent, bine scris, concentrat pe portretizari de personaje interesante, Watchmen este usor de vizionat fara frustrare cu atentia satisfacuta cu usurinta de distractiile momentului curent.

Regia:  Nicole Kassell, Stephen Williams si altii

Productie:  The WB   

Creator:  Damon Lindelof   

Durata: 1 sezon de 9 episoade (>60 minute fiecare)   

Cu: Regina King, Yahya Abdul-Mateen II, Tom Mison, Sara Vickers, Jeremy Irons, Jean Smart, Louis Gossett Jr., Don Johnson, Tim Blake Nelson

Rating: 8/10

Also read in English