A Quick Word on AppleTV's "Disclaimer"

by Eric Blume

We at The Film Experience couldn't let an opportunity go by to post about the new AppleTV series Disclaimer since it stars two-time Oscar winner Cate Blachett, Oscar winner Kevin Kline, and Oscar nominees Lesley Manville, Sacha Baron Cohen, and Kodi Smit-McPhee.  Plus, it's written and dirtected by mutli-Oscar winner Alfonso Cuarón (who's won Oscars for Directing, Editing, and Cinemtography).

That's a highly-pedigreed project, and this group of artists have created a probing, sometimes bizarre, curious, and difficult piece of television.  There is no way to have any deep discussion about this project until you've seen it all the way through.  So I won't divulge the turns and ambitions of Disclaimer too much, but if you haven't seen it at all, stop reading now...even a cursory dive into the show requires a few reveals...

Click to read more ...

TV Review: "Mary and George" Serve Up a Sexy Good Time

No bond is greater than that of a baby gay and Julianne Moore.By: Christopher James

It’s once again the age of the nefarious bisexual twink and his domineering mother.

Starz’s latest prestige limited series, Mary and George, is not your average historical period piece. It’s a sensational tale of sex and deception woven by the most nefarious queer mother-son pairing this side of the English Channel. Julianne Moore and Nicholas Galitzine sink their teeth into all complicated aspects of their titular characters. All seven episodes of creator D.C. Cooper’s drama fly by with gusto and ease. It’s hard not to get caught up in the intoxicating machinations of Mary and George’s rise to power. Still, underneath all the meme-ifying and actress-sexual worshiping, the show presents us with two fully dimensional characters we can empathize with as they claw forward against a harsh world...

Click to read more ...

Streaming: "Heartstopper" Delivers An Equally Strong Season Two

by Christopher James

Who’s ready to get emotional? Season one of Heartstopper won raves for bringing to life the acclaimed graphic novels, which present a coming-of-age queer love story between the nerdy and shy Charlie Spring (Joe Locke) and the sensitive jock Nick Nelson (Kit Connor). Alice Oseman’s tale does a wonderful job of capturing the butterflies and emotions of falling in love for the first time, while centering it within the anxieties of coming out and defining one’s sexuality. Though it's meant to appeal to a teen audience, Heartstopper excels at placing adults back in their teenage years, where every text and fleeting glance can feel like an earth-shattering event.

Season two has not lost any of the magic. In so many ways, it examines what happens after “happily ever after” in teen worlds. Charlie got the guy that he wanted, but anxieties and hangups don’t vanish after one triumph. The show’s lovely, delicate touch never gets in the way of tackling hard topics in a realistic manner. Thus, season two is just as deep, emotional and swoon-worthy as its predecessor...

Click to read more ...

Review: The Afterparty Offers Up More Creative Genres in Season Two

by Christopher James

How often can one person stumble into a murder? This question plagues the comedy Only Murders In The Building, though it has the conceit of a murder podcast to justify it. Season one of The Afterparty has a similar problem to solve but it won many fans thanks to its multi-genre Rashomon style while capitalizing on the murder mystery craze of the moment between The White Lotus and Knives Out. Still, the modular design of the show - changing tone every episode - kept it from being a runaway success like its fellow murder mystery projects.

Season two presents a brand new mystery, but the same episode structure. Does it work better the second time around?

Click to read more ...

Drag Race RuCap: "Grand Finale"

CLÁUDIO ALVES: It’s over. RuPaul’s Drag Race has finished its fifteenth season, crowning one of its best winners yet while putting on a show full of musical interludes, political messaging, and gorgeous gowns. Though the excitement of lipsync tournaments à la season 9 is somewhat missed, the queens seem happy with a repeat of the season 14 format, where each finalist presents a solo number before Ru picks a top two to lipsync for the crown. Anyway, that’s a matter for later. First, dear Nick, tell me your general thoughts on the finale...

Click to read more ...