Justified: City Primeval (2023)

15 years later, Raylan's vacation with his teenage daughter is interrupted by local events that require his attention.

'Justified: City Primeval' is an event season that resumes the story of Raylan Givens, 15 years later than we last saw him in the last season of Justified, and introduces a more modern, complex and rapidly developing context. And so Boyd Holbrook enters the scene in an intriguing and nuanced role, not qite as nuanced as everyone's favorite antagonist (Boyd Crowder), but a close attempt. However, the rest of the context loses a bit of its weight, plausibility and authenticity. Just enough. A shame, but still worth watching.

Director:  Michael Dinner and others   

Production:  FX   

Creator:  Dave Andron, Michael Dinner   

Duration:  1 special season of 8 episodes (48 minutes each)   

With: Timothy Olyphant, Boyd Holbrook, Aunjanue Ellis-Taylor, Vondie Curtis-Hall, Marin Ireland, Vivian Olyphant, Terry Kinney

Rating: 7/10

Justified (2010–2015)

Raylan Givens is a US Marshal who's reassigned to the rural Kentucky area he comes from, as punishment for bending the rules during his Miami service.

An American action series that is much more than its covers suggest. For those who expect a new Walker - Texas ranger, Justified is so much more: it faithfully represents a way of life, with all the bad, good and ugly, it is a rich source of interesting dialogue, very entertaining,  and rich humor, both the subtle and less subtle kind, and it has a variety of well-written, well-characterized characters that are either in tune with the environment or extremely contrasting in the most satisfying way. The main character is an imperfect hero, the more so loved by the audience for this predilection he has for reinterpreting the law in his own way.

Director:  Adam Arkin, Jon Avnet and others   

Production:  FX   

Creator:  Graham Yost   

Duration:  6 seasons of 13 episodes (44 minutes each)   

With: Timothy Olyphant, Nick Searcy, Walton Goggins, Joelle Carter, Jacob Pitts, Natalie Zea, David Meunier, Jere Burns, Damon Herriman, Jeremny Davies, Kaitlyn Dever

Rating: 9/10

Santa Clarita Diet (2017-2019)

O sotie devine zombie si intreaga familie isi schimba viata pentru a isi controla si apara noul stil de viata.

Un serial de comedie neagra foarte eficient, bine scris si cu personaje ce plac automat. Chimia familiei intregi este de netagaduit, iar elementele horror nu servesc decat pentru a intari efectul comic. Timothy Olyphant si Skyler Gisondo sunt lipiciul ce sustin intreaga echipa si sursele umorului celui mai bine pus la punct.

Din pacate Netflix a decis ca nu va continua cu un al patrulea sezon, dar serialul va oferi destule jumatati de ora de delicii.

Productie: Netflix

Cu: Drew Barrymore, Timothy Olyphant, Liv Hewson, Skyler Gisondo, Mary Elizabeth Ellis, Natalie Morales, Alan Tudyk, Nathan Fillion, Ricardo Chavira

Rating: 9/10

Also read in English

This Is Where I Leave You (2014)

Patru frati foarte diferiti sunt nevoiti sa petreaca o saptamana impreuna sub pretextul unui ritual religios declansat de moartea tatalui lor.

Un film din categoria de-familie-dar-de-familie-disfunctionala. Placut de vizionat si bine scris, poate parea ceva mai incet pentru cei ce nu sunt fani ai genului. Cu tipicul subiect al lectiei de viata invatata la o varsta adulta tarzioara, contine destule elemente si actori ai momentului ce ar trebui sa atraga varii tipologii de public.

Jason Bateman si Tina Fey sunt deja veterani ai genului comic cu mesaj iar Adam Driver este cunoscut publicului curent cel mai bine din ultima serie de Star Wars desi face treaba foarte buna si in multe filme mult mai putin comerciale. Jane Fonda nu are nevoie de introducere.

Corey Stoll si superba Connie Britton vor parea familiari din The Strain si din American Horror Story respectiv.

Regia: Shawn Levy

Scenariu: Jonathan Tropper

Cu: Jason Bateman, Tina Fey, Jane Fonda, Adam Driver, Rose Byrne, Corey Stoll, Kathryn Hann, Connie Britton, Timothy Olyphant, Dax Shepard

Also read in English

A Perfect Getaway (2009)

Un cuplu de proaspat casatoriti cauta si gasesc aventuri in insulele din Hawaii.

Un thriller decent, entertaining si cu actori charismatici. Cadrul natural ofera imagini majestice, ritmul actiunii este bine calculat si ofera o proportie satisfacatoare de intriga versus detalii introductive, iar deznodamantul ofera si suprize twist-uitoare.

Regie: David Twohy 
Scenariu: David Twohy 
Cu: Milla Jovovich, Steve Zahn, Timothy Olyphant, Kiele Sanchez, Marley Shelton, Chris Hemsworth