CASTLEVANIA: NOCTURNE, s1 (2023)

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Loath to compare NOCTURNE to its predecessor, the Warren Ellis-scripted CASTLEVANIA, but I can't help it: while I enjoyed much of that run, everyone sounded like Warren Ellis doing his standard, world-weary and wearying schtick (as is the way in much of Ellis's work – though I will freely admit to loving some of it, FELL and MOON KNIGHT and, as I said, much of the original CASTLEVANIA series and his JUSTICE LEAGUE/UNLIMITED episodes, specifically, are utterly brilliant; when he's on, he's on); NOCTURNE, on the other hand, shows what CASTLEVANIA could have - should have – been from the start.

Guided by a fantastic cast of characters (including THE WOMAN KING's amazing Thuso Mbedu and LONGMIRE, WESTWORLD, and RESERVATION DOGS's Zahn McClarnon) – all of whom feel real –, their hopes and hurts and wants and desires and fears and loves and weaknesses and strengths and spirits colliding with the reality of a seemingly hopeless situation for which they are, one and all, woefully underprepared – but damn if they don't give it everything they've got (and then some).

As for that ending? One of the rare deus ex machinas that had me cheering. Sign me up for season two – I can't wait to see where this goes.

CYBERPUNK EDGERUNNERS (2022)

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Bar none, the finest world expansion and exploration in recent memory.

Added an emotional depth to the world of Night City that was lacking in my playthrough – maybe I was going too fast? – through a deeply-felt exploration of the pain and agony of cyberpsychosis (a mini-game within the game itself) and the lengths one will go to to save a found family.

When I load up and replay 2077 for the 2.0 upgrade and PHANTOM LIBERTY expansion, I'll – thanks to these ten episodes, to these characters, to their story – be playing a wholly different game. Powerful, powerful stuff; recommended even if you haven't played the game.

THE WOMAN KING (Prince-Bythewood, 2022)

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(Directed by Gina Prince-Bythewood from a script by Dana Stevens; starring Viola Davis, Thuso Mbedu, Lashana Lynch, Sheila Atim, and John Boyega. Released 16 September 2022; watched 2023w10 via Netflix)

Action-packed and featuring one of the best film debuts in years in Thuso Mbedu's turn as Nawi, a career-best turn from Lashana Lynch, and a near-best from Viola Davis (her best being, for me, in Steve McQueen's WIDOWS – I really want to see that again), all wrapped in a propulsive and emotional narrative backed by one of Terence Blanchard's best scores, THE WOMAN KING is a hell of a movie.

As brilliant and profoundly thrilling as THE WOMAN KING is, I can't help but wonder if, had the film delved deeper into the historical reality of its milleux (as explored in Lupita Nyong'o's WARRIOR WOMEN documentary, the making of which is surmised to have led to her dropping out of a starring role in this film), beyond subtextual broadstrokes would the film have been more or less effective? As a rousing two-hour piece of mythology probably the latter – even the best don't always / easily allow for circumspection and the exploration of nuance, particularly when it comes to their heroes; as a multifaceted cinematic epic, I don't see how the film wouldn't have benefitted from the exploration of these harsher truths.

That being said, what we're left with is an awesome mythological story that needed to be told that deserves both its detractions and its accolades. Highly recommended.

THE PAPER TIGERS (Tran, 2020)

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(Directed by Tran Quoc Bao from a script by Tran; starring Alain Uy, Ron Yuan, Mykel Shannon Jenkins, Jae Suh Park, Matthew Page, and Roger Yuan. Released 07 May 2021; watched sun/20230129 via Netflix)

A happy surprise thanks to Polygon's list of films leaving streaming services at the end of the month: a feel-good revenge story (this may be my first time writing that) featuring a memorable cast of characters - all of whom (including Carter) I miss now that the movie's over – whose travails through middle age stand toe-to-toe with COBRA KAI on reckoning with lost glories, nostalgia for times that used to be but never were, and the gift of someone willing to help you down the path to being a good, virtuous person. Leaves Netflix 04 February, so catch it this week. Loved it.

Update/20230205: It’s no longer available on Netflix, though you can either rent it or keep abreast of its streaming availability via Just Watch. More than worth the rental.

PEAKY BLINDERS, Series Six (2022)

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(watched: mon/20220711->fri/20220826 via Netflix; created by Steven Knight and starring Cillian Murphy, Natasha O'Keefe, Sam Clafin, Sophie Rundle, Anya Taylor Joy, Amber Anderson, Finn Cole, Paul Anderson, and Tom Hardy; original airing, 20220207->0403)

In spite of a few last-minute and left-field additions (a last minute addition who is, fortunately, an absolutely perfect last minute addition (kind of reminds me of Klein in Ellroy's WHITE JAZZ); wish we'd had him longer (though perhaps my required re-watch of the series will yield a forgotten setup earlier on)) to the cast to set up the abso-fucking-lutely required film continuation, I'm hard-pressed to recall a better, more fitting finale in recent memory (no I haven't seen BETTER CALL SAUL: I'm only now playing catchup with all the things I've missed; just now started watching JUSTIFIED, ten years late and we've been between the sixth and seventh seasons of SONS OF ANARCHY for at least eight years): the loss of Helen McCrory is handled deftly and tragically, Pol's presence in Michael's every seething glare and vow of revenge and in every machination of Tommy as they hurtle towards one another in a hopelessly (for Michael) unbalanced blood feud; Anya Taylor Joy, Finn Cole, Sam Clafin, Amber Anderson, and James Frecheville make a formidable antagonistic force – though Cole's Michael is most certainly in over his head, not only being on the unbalanced side of that Tommy/Michael blood feud but acting as something of a fall guy for the rest of them; and Natasha O'Keefe, Sophie Rundle, and Paul Anderson prove themselves to be three of the finest actors working today, just as they have in every series prior - Arthur always breaks my heart. Highly, highly recommended.

P.S: the only thing I missed was hearing Nick Cave's original "Red Right Hand" rendition, so here it is.