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The Complete PATREON Essay Archive
🕑 Added 2023-08-25 21:26:20 +0000 UTCSo I’m completely indebted to this amazing service, but the one thing that is hardest for you when navigating Patreon is managing the UI / search functions on this site (plus, they show up in google results really weird). So I thought it was high-time to re-do a whole big organized archive for easy searching! I also realized how much dang stuff I’ve written / forgot I wrote. This was also the most annoying process in the world.
I organized these by essay type, but instead of putting them chronologically, I’m organizing them by ones that I think might be the most fairly informative about larger subjects (or I just like them the best). Because in the end, the entire goal of all of this crud is just to be helpful.
TABLE OF CONTENTS.
- Food Writing Stuff
- Big General Subject Essays
- Industry Essay Talk
- Big Pieces on Filmmakers / Their Careers
- Best of the Year Lists
- 2019-ish / Earlier Movies
- 2020 Movies
- 2021 Movies
- 2022 Movies
- 2023 Movies
- The Ani-Me Series
- Youtube Video Essays
- Video Games
- Television - Big Pieces / Recaps
- Star Wars Stuff
- The MCU Stuff
- Book Club
- Live Event
- Short Obituaries
- Smaller Subjects / Short Note Essays
1. FOOD WRITING STUFF
Putting this first just because I think it’s different, recent, interesting and helpful.
You Can Cook - A giant post for if you are interested in starting cooking and encouraging the simple philosophies while ignoring the myths! Really happy I got to write
THE BEAR, Fine Dining, and The Finer Art of Putting Out Fires - Technically a giant piece on the TV show, but really it’s a deep-dive into the restaurant world and traumatic family experiences / dynamics.
Favorite Food In Los Angeles - Master List - This was a big request after that piece on The Bear and so I thought it would just be helpful to share!
With that, let’s get to proper film / TV criticism!
2. BIG GENERAL SUBJECT ESSAYS!
The REAL Reason Film History Matters - a look at how the power that be use consumers relative ignorance against their own self interests, often in the name of racism and capitalistic gain https://www.patreon.com/posts/real-reason-why-88879917
Why Cinematic Success Depends on Interiority & Information - A look at why clarity of what’s going on inside a character’s head is so fundamentally important.
The (Much Needed) Therapeutic Evolution of Media - this analyzes the important modern changes to the ways that storytellers are approaching conflict and resolution.
“Believing The Joke” The Importance of Baseline Reality in Comedy - Prompted by a discussion within Wandavision, this is a look at how tension and baseline reality, clarity are SO IMPORTANT to narrative comedy and why sketch logic often can’t translate.
And it's sequel column: "Marrying the Joke: The Crucial Art Of Narrative Comedy" https://www.patreon.com/posts/real-reason-why-88879917
Answering the Question: How Do I Become A Better Critic? It’s a question I get asked so often and always felt unable to really help, but thought it might be worth jogging down all my larger thoughts on the matter.
Good Romance! Emotional Depth Vs. Literal Depiction - Or, why characters while project a romance on two feuding characters like Bucky and Cap and find all the demonstrative queer Marvel characters to be lackluster .
When a Film Seems to “Hate” You - Reflecting on the Prism of Confrontational Art
When Did Exposition Become A Dirty Word?
On Clarity, Set-Ups, The Dirty Word of Movie “Manipulation” - this is me realizing I used Dirty Word in a headline twice fairly close together, haha
The Lingering Haunts of Horror Catharsis - analyzing all the different ways you can end a horror movie and what those endings imply
The “Bad Guys Close In” Problem - A look at one of the most over-relied on tropes of action films and the lack of dramatic tension behind it.
David Byrne, Adam Corolla, Dying Cowboys And Old Men On Bikes - A weird essay about two radically different figures who represent the choices we make to change with the world or drag our heels against it.
Semiotics, Sabers, and Star Wars, Oh My! - How online jokes about “the piss saber” turned into a larger discussion of in text and out of text symbols and what that says about both storytelling and fandom!
3. INDUSTRY ESSAY TALK
The Sundance Shuffle - A rare moment of talking about industry insight and the trends of what actually busts out as a success
The Troubling Truth of Streaming Numbers - I saw people talking about ballooned streaming numbers and I had to throw down on a lot of nonsense the industry puts up with this stuff, and more importantly, how it’s used for gross union busting ends.
Mega Mergers, Silicon Valley, and Our Union-Busted Future - in which I talk about all the things that led to the strike about two years prior...
4. BIG PIECES ON FILMMAKERS / THEIR CAREERS
Wes Anderson - “Brining The World: To Kansas: The Stark Emotional Insight of THE FRENCH DISPATCH - One of my three favorite things I’ve written in the last five years or so. It’s a deep-dive on Wes’s modus operandi and why I think this is one of the deepest, most insightful movies of the last decade.
Seeing the Stars In and Above ASTEROID CITY - this is a bit of an extension of the last essay, examining the way Wes takes some methods and applies them to his latest film, also exploring what he’s saying with that incredible, yet seemingly-evasive ending.
Crystal Skulls, Secret Unicorns, and Spielberg’s Directorial Spark - I had happened to watch three of Spielberg’s less-popular later run blockbusters and talked about what still makes aspects of them so special, but a lot of this precursor to the following giant piece.
Spielberg, The Writer - another of my favorite pieces I’ve written in the last six years, it’s a giant essay analyzing the three films that Spielberg wrote on (and didn’t just direct) which mean it is him at his most “auteur” - it analyzes the arc in the understanding of himself and his parents as relates to Close Encounters, A.I., and his latest, The Fablemans.
Fincher, MANK, and the Games of Being Gauche - Maybe it was the cryptic title and the fact that few people saw MANK, but this was probably the least-read big essay I’ve ever written, hahaha. The truth is you don’t really need to see the film? The entire essay is more an excuse to FINALLY write an in depth exploration of Fincher’s career and how his latest informs / betrays / upholds what he does. One of the few things I felt was really helpful in the larger Fincher discussion.
The Emperor Only Has Groove - the immediate reaction to RISE OF THE SKYWALKER and unpacking how JJ Abram’s entire career of mystery boxing is a go-nowhere excersize. He always says he’s good at beginnings, but he’s not. Because beginnings are meant to be set-up. If you’re not setting anything up, you’re not beginning anything. This proves it.
James Cameron and the Art of Fine-Tuned, So-Called “Simplicity” - James Cameron always gets knocked for being “simple” by people who don’t realize it’s literally his greatest strength.
Ari Aster : Feeling the Forever Shapes of Fear of BEAU IS AFRAID - A deep dive into the semiotics of this movie along with Ari Aster’s whole approach to filmmaking.
NOPE and the Art of Splitting The Semiotic Difference - Like above, this film analyzes Jordan Peele’s incredible knack for semiotical storytelling and how he finds a wonderful happy medium with it in his latest effort.
The Indulgence Thief: Why M. NIGHT SHYAMALAN Made The Superhero Trilogy We Need - A look at the daring thematic throughlines of Unbreakable, Split, and Glass.
Finding War & Peace with Zack Snyder - A look on Snyder’s entire career, along with the ins and outs of his DCEU work and the thematic hiccups.
Three NOLAN pieces: THE DARK KNIGHT RISES is Nolan’s Camp Masterpiece - A Susan Sontag deep dive tied into Nolan? On Dear!
TENET and The Troubles of Tricking Yourself - an extension of the old Nolan piece and the push / pull of spending too much time keeping the audience behind the 8 ball.
More recently, I wrote about OPPENHEIMER and the Horror of The Long Timeline.
Modern PIXAR and the Crux of Complex Catharsis - It’s weird to think of PIXAR as “a director” but it feels like an apt one to explore .
On DUNE: Villeneuve, Vibe, and Verisimilitude - Looking at the director's style and how it applies to a blockbuster like this.
Malick, A HIDDEN LIFE, and the Hypothetical Soul of Belief - a recent one about Malick’s career and the way religion plays into our collective morality, for good and ill.
The MANY SAINTS OF NEWARK, David Chase, and the Art of Giving Certain Fucks - A look at The Sopranos legacy movie, which is actually one of the most sneaky brilliant, audience disappointing things that Chase is so damn good at.
The Real Adam Sandler Always Stood Up - A look at HUBIE HALLOWEEN believe it or not and the life and times of the actor who genuinely always was who he was.
Loading The Chambers of IN & OF ITSELF - a personal meditation on Derek DelGaudio’s incredible, haunting, moving stage show, now on HULU.
I’M THINKING OF ENDING THINGS and the Jarring Fatalism of Charlie Kaufman - a look at how Kaufman is undoubtedly brilliant and provocative, but how I’m becoming increasingly divorced from his worldview and hang-ups.
THE WATERMELON WOMAN and the Movies that are Not “For” You - revisiting Cheryl Dunne’s 90’s classic and the examining your identity when watching films that express an identity so different from your own (which is a reductive way of putting it to say the least).
CRIMES OF THE FUTURE: Cronenberg Looks Outward, Inward, Behind, and Forward
HAIL, CAESAR! And why there is no such thing as “lesser” Coen Brothers
A Short Note On The Turn of Adam McKay - a look at how one of the best comedy directors keeps shooting himself in the foot by getting way too serious and didactic.
George Miller and The Hoping For Longing - what do you do when a director you adore makes a film you don’t really connect with?
THE TRIAL OF THE CHICAGO 7 and Aaron Sorkin’s Internal American Opera - I think Sorkin is a big old goober whose version of America pretty much exists in his own head and represents a now exhausted brand of liberal boomerism.
Jim Henson’s 80’s: When Movies Were Whiplashingly Weird - I’ll be honest, I don’t think this essay ever figured out what it was about! But I did like the subjects I was writing about!
On Loving FAST & FURII - A Retrospective - not a director, but I think it counts if you think about them as Vin / Justin’s tug of war series
5. BEST OF THE YEAR LISTS
Screw the Oscars! Here are the REAL Movie Awards for 2019 - I really don’t like year end lists except for the fact they are a decent place to talk about movies you didn’t write larger essays about. This year had thoughts on incredible films like Midsommar, Parasite, Last Black Man in San Francisco, etc.
2020 - Didn’t do one because it was too depressing.
Best Movies of 2021 - touching on wondereful films likes Pig, C’mon C’mon, and Drive My Car.
Favorite Movies of 2022 - touching on Everything Everywhere, RRR, and a surprising number one…
6. 2019-ish / earlier MOVIE ESSAYS
ONE CUT OF THE DEAD, One Takes, And A Beautiful Fuck You To Criticism
JOKER and the Problems of Narrative Framing - a big old criticism of “look at what you made me do!” thinking I.E. why you can’t treat films as some kind of real-life documentation, but instead a series of choices created by the authors (that are really about living out some gross inclinations).
Frozen II And the Movies That Hide Themselves - A deep dive on the ways that movies so often hide information and motivations behind vague non-mysterious mysteries and all the problems that come barfing out of that.
THE LIGHTHOUSE, Art Films, and Feelings of Servitude - a look at the way feelings, dynamics, and visceral imagery often emotionally drive us to “understand” art films in a way we may not logically.
MARRIAGE STORY and the Myopia of New York - Often devastating in its specificity, but I had the weirdest takeaway to this one with regards to the way the city can cause someone to overly hang onto their identity with it / hurt others in the process (but really, it’s true of any place one calls home).
CATS! Same As It Ever Was and So Much More - A look at one of the silliest musicals of all-time and how it got one of the most absurdly horrifying, misguided revamps ever. Oh, Tom Hooper!
7. 2020 MOVIE ESSAYS
ONWARD, Storycraft, and Building The Moment of Transcendence - A deep dive into Pixar’s story philosophy, some bold choices, the problems of certain framework.
The Universal and Unique of MINARI - a look at my favorite film of the year and how we all have universal and unique experiences but with others and on our own.
THE KING OF STATEN ISLAND and the Struggle to be Present - I was surprisingly and deeply-moved by Apatow’s latest with Pete Davidson (CW: Suicide)
Bill and Ted and the Odyssey of Comedic Direction - A quick look at the way direction and intention effected each entry of the Bill and Ted trilogy
NOMADLAND, SULLIVAN’S TRAVELS, and the Oscillating Optics of Authenticity and Wealth - I feel much more assured of my feelings in that I think this movie might be kind of gross and usary.
8. 2021 MOVIE ESSAYS
MORTAL KOMBAT and the Potential Pitfalls of Prequel-itis - a recent one on the dueling fan fiction instincts between expanding the worlds (good!) or getting trapped in lore establishment and the world as it is (not so good!)
The Meaningful Mirroring Delirium of Bo Burnham’s INSIDE - on what is one of the only acceptable pieces of "pandemic art"
Getting Back In the Saddle with F9 - The Fast Saga
ANNETTE and the Uncanny Art of Ugly Artifice - Leos Carax's movie is so ugly on purpose I love it.
Five Quick Thoughts About NO TIME TO DIE
Breaking Down Barriers with Nicholas Cage and PIG
The Wins, Losses, and Lessons of THE BATMAN
A short note on DEEP WATER and the Art of the Uncanny - I hate that I use this word a lot.
9. 2022 MOVIE ESSAYS
The Three Narratives of TOP GUN: MAVERICK
BARBARIAN and the Timing of Information
The Pan-Like Pinnacle of Del Toro’s PINOCCHIO
The Incredible Specifics and Unsaid of AFTERSUN
10. 2023 MOVIE ESSAYS
SKINAMARINK: Experimental Film and the Point of Patience
The Wins and Losses of JOHN WICK 4
(I'm sorry I've been copying links for daaaaays I'm gonna clean this up later, I just want to get it up now while there's still time on Friday cheers)
Why The DUNGEONS AND DRAGONS Movie Works So Well https://www.patreon.com/posts/why-dungeons-so-81383164
SUPER MARIO BROTHERS: Regurgitation, Riff-Trax-ing, and The Problem With Lampshading Motive https://www.patreon.com/posts/super-mario-riff-81485898
Discussing The Gifts and Gambles of ACROSS THE SPIDER-VERSE https://www.patreon.com/posts/discussing-gifts-84077003
Indiana Jones and the Dial of Destiny and the Endearing Art of Mistakes https://www.patreon.com/posts/indiana-jones-of-85537671
Fighting The Fates In MISSION IMPOSSIBLE: DEAD RECKONING - PART ONE https://www.patreon.com/posts/fighting-fates-85948861
The Impossiblities of Being and Making BARBIE https://www.patreon.com/posts/impossibilities-86662446
PAST LIVES and the Quiet Art of Yearning https://www.patreon.com/posts/past-lives-and-86865383
TMNT: Mutant Mayhem and the Earnest Teenage Dream https://www.patreon.com/posts/tmnt-mutant-and-87319694
11. THE ANI-ME SERIES
You got me to watch anime! I love most of it! Here's my discoveringszs!
Neon Genesis Evangelion - So I did this before the series, but it was sort of the foundational experience that made me want to do this. Also, this piece had an amazing editor who I will thank until the end of time, but please understand I did NOT write that headline (I do not think anything terrible a "perfect year" for anything) and good granola did even that age poorly.
#1 Summer Wars
#2 Your Name
#5 Promare
#7 Akira
#8 Perfect Blue
#9 Paprika
#10 The Girl Who Leapt Through Time
#12 - Riding The Tides With WEATHERING WITH YOU https://www.patreon.com/posts/ani-me-12-riding-51134340
#13 - Grooving To That COWBOY BEBOP (Ep 1-13) https://www.patreon.com/posts/ani-me-13-to-ep-51758925
#14 - Fully Loving That COWBOY BEBOP (Ep 14-20) https://www.patreon.com/posts/ani-me-14-fully-52258154
#15 - Going Out On Top With That COWBOY BEBOP (Ep 21 - Finale) https://www.patreon.com/posts/ani-me-15-goin-52384361
#16 - Cowboy Bebop: THE MOVIE & Final Thoughts https://www.patreon.com/posts/ani-me-16-cowboy-53886033
#17 - Doing Emotional Horny Cocain With FLCL and Chuck Jone’s Ghost https://www.patreon.com/posts/ani-me-17-doing-54149984
#18 - On Remaking, Remixing, and Rebuilding EVANGELION https://www.patreon.com/posts/ani-me-18-on-and-55645451
#19 - Going Beyond Your Limits in A PLACE FURTHER THAN THE UNIVERSE https://www.patreon.com/posts/ani-me-19-going-56442601
#20 - LUPIN III and the Joy of the Suave Idiot https://www.patreon.com/posts/ani-me-20-lupin-57659205
#21 Everyone Cravin’ That VAMPIRE HUNTER D https://www.patreon.com/posts/anime-21-cravin-58183064
#22 - The Plain Faced Devestation of GRAVE OF THE FIREFLIES https://www.patreon.com/posts/ani-me-22-plain-59066825
#23 - The Ambitious, Half-Threaded Needles of BELLE https://www.patreon.com/posts/ani-me-23-half-61976653
#24 Nausicaa and Living In A Doomed World https://www.patreon.com/posts/ani-me-24-and-in-62753063
#25 Feeling Out Shonen With FullMetal Alchemist (Ep 1-38) https://www.patreon.com/posts/feeling-out-with-65474132
#26 Pom Poko Asks You To Consider The Racoon https://www.patreon.com/posts/ani-me-26-pom-to-68436452
#28 FullMetal Alchemist And the Solace of a Teenage Heart https://www.patreon.com/posts/ani-me-28-solace-69722619
#29 HAIKYU! Gives You A View From The Top https://www.patreon.com/posts/ani-me-29-haikyu-70566466
#30 Finding Flight with PING PONG: THE ANIMATION https://www.patreon.com/posts/ani-me-30-flight-71253766
#27 (should be) Chainsaw Man Art of the Old School Pilot https://www.patreon.com/posts/quick-take-man-73234216
#31 MADE IN ABYSS and the Horror of Want https://www.patreon.com/posts/made-in-abyss-of-73775058
#32 The Tricky Art of Trash Art: KILL LA KILL, SARAZANMAI, and RENT-A-GIRLFRIEND https://www.patreon.com/posts/tricky-art-of-74494159
#33 - My Neighbors The Yamadas https://www.patreon.com/posts/ani-me-33-my-75323323
#34 - Feasting On FOOD WARS and LAID BACK CAMP https://www.patreon.com/posts/anime-34-on-food-76176743
#35 - CHAINSAW MAN: Bleakness Is Easy, Toast Is Hard https://www.patreon.com/posts/chainsaw-man-is-76508487
#36 - The Tale of Princess Kaguya and The Anguish of Existing https://www.patreon.com/posts/ani-me-36-tale-78140576
#37 - Five pieces on Romancing the Anime: Fruits Basket, Horimiya, Welcome to the NHK, Love Is War, and YURI!!! On Ice! https://www.patreon.com/posts/romancing-anime-78795642
#38 Attending DEMON SLAYER Season 3 premier! https://www.patreon.com/posts/surprise-i-demon-79019702
#39 Fondly Feeling the Music of BOCCHI THE ROCK and KIDS ON THE SLOPE https://www.patreon.com/posts/fondly-feeling-81096430
#40 SUZUME and the Tricky Task of Story Resets https://www.patreon.com/posts/suzume-and-task-82101219
#41 - My Hero Academia https://www.patreon.com/posts/ani-me-41-highs-84523315
#42 - Demon Slayer https://www.patreon.com/posts/why-is-demon-so-86354353
#43 - The First Slam Dunk - Quick movie diary, SHAMPOO and LA HAINE https://www.patreon.com/posts/quick-movie-on-87535932
#44 - Sailor Moon https://www.patreon.com/posts/timeless-of-moon-87856713
12. YOUTUBE VIDEO ESSAYS!!!
I started doing mega youtube essays with editor extraordinaire, Landon! https://twitter.com/LandonSDu Most of them are full “Why It Works” type breakdowns of the writing and conflict management in amazing movies.
Star Wars: A Scene By Scene Breakdown - taking a deep dive into one of the greatest films ever and ignoring all that Hero With A Thousand Faces misunderstood crap to look at the reasons it REALLY works.
Cinematography 101 - One of the most helpful things you will come across, I swear. It’s a glossary of all the kinds of film shots and how they effect an audience / what it communicates.
Spider-Man: Into The Spider-Verse: A Scene By Scene Breakdown - A look at one of my favorite movies ever made, celebrated for it’s incredible style, but some of the best writing and relationship foundations are behind its success.
Mission: Impossible FALLOUT: An Action Breakdown - After writing for years, being able to actually SHOW the clips feels so revolutionary. This is a look at how to construct “the writing behind all the best dramatic action scenes.
Why MAD MAX: FURY ROAD Works - A mega deep dive on one of the best action films ever. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8K2YdftsywM&ab_channel=FILMCRITHULK
13. VIDEO GAMES
Hades and the Beauty of Attempt - What an incredible game. One that fully captures the spirit of what “trying” really means.
Yeah, Why Does Ratatouille Have A Nightmare Difficulty Anyway? https://www.patreon.com/posts/yeah-why-does-60999197
OUTER WILDS, SUBNAUTICA, and The Existential Dread of Exploration https://www.patreon.com/posts/outer-wilds-of-54284948
The Soulsy-ful Satisfaction of SEKIRO: SHADOWS DIE TWENTY BAZILLION TIMES - an insanely detailed recap with what might be my favorite game of all time.
ELDEN RING Brings FromSOFT To The Open World https://www.patreon.com/posts/elden-ring-to-69359514
The Remix and Renewal of ZELDA: TEARS OF THE KINGDOM https://www.patreon.com/posts/remix-and-of-of-84266374
The Maddening Maze of MAJORA’S MASK https://www.patreon.com/posts/zelda-totk-maze-82762411
DESTINY Is Bestiny https://www.patreon.com/posts/destiny-is-69061117
SPIDER-MAN: MILES MORALES and the Totally Troubling Conservative Cognitive Dissonance Dance - A silly title that is really just an examination of the head-scratching choice of a game that lovingly puts Black Lives Matter and cultural nuance front and center... and yet has you run missions for the cops to get ex-cons and even use criminal backgrounds and hacking to “identify” the perps in question. To say these are incompatible ideas is an understatement.
Surrendering To The DEATH STRANDING - a look at Hideo Kojima’s gonzo headspace / video game that some how crests into a deeply moving experience.
Jolyfully ReTraversing THE OREGON TRAIL (Remake 2022) https://www.patreon.com/posts/joyfully-re-2022-75587618
THE LAST OF US PART II and the Problems of Being Included in the Apocalypse - a deep-dive into the game’s troubling structure, equally troubling backlash, and the thematic issues of depicting violence against queer people.
The Cognitive Pains and Pleasures of PERSONA 5 - one of the most enjoyable games that is also at times completely reductive and infuriating. But I STILL dream about getting coffee and studying.
Assassin’s Flack, Design Choices That Stack, and Not Looking Back - A deep look at the ASSASSIN’S CREED series. Yup, every game, and examining the ways little choices make a big difference, while accepting that its been treading water for so, so, so long.
CULT OF THE LAMB: Stacking Mechanics and Cute Horror https://www.patreon.com/posts/cult-of-lamb-71934104
14. TELEVISION - BIG PIECES / RECAPS
The 12 Tenets of BARRY (And What It’s Not) https://www.patreon.com/posts/twelve-tenets-of-83798110
The Proud and Pitiful of SUCCESSION https://www.patreon.com/posts/proud-and-of-59920889 - Wrote about the core essence of the show after the third season then followed up on the last season with pieces on the big episode here https://www.patreon.com/posts/short-note-on-81329336 and the FINALE https://www.patreon.com/posts/short-note-on-83704642
OUR FLAG MEANS DEATH - “Our Flag Means A Lot Of Things” https://www.patreon.com/posts/our-flag-means-66015548
Circling The Drain: THE WHITE LOTUS, Mike White, and the White Existential Fishhook https://www.patreon.com/posts/circling-drain-55065812
MARE OF EASTTOWN and the Specter of Small-Town Murder Shows https://www.patreon.com/posts/mare-of-easttown-51987407
I Think You Should Leave Season 2 Power Rankings https://www.patreon.com/posts/i-think-you-2-53391303 Season 3 Power Rankings https://www.patreon.com/posts/i-think-you-3-84187334
Last of Us - wrote about pilot and adaptation here https://www.patreon.com/posts/short-note-on-of-77381692 and my not-so-popular take on Episode 3 here https://www.patreon.com/posts/last-of-us-3-77978201
A Muther Fuckin MACGRUBER Christmas https://www.patreon.com/posts/m-therf-ckin-60289705
The Rehearsal Discussion https://www.patreon.com/posts/rehearsal-thread-70805251
Ted Lasso - Season 2 - All Episodes Tagged Here https://www.patreon.com/filmcrithulk/posts?filters%5Btag%5D=Ted+Lasso
THE LEGEND OF KORRA
Season 1 - Episodes 1-3 - Episodes 4-7 - Episodes 8-9 - Final Episodes
Season 2 - Episodes 1-4 - Episodes 5-8 - Episodes 9-12 - Final Episodes
Season 3 - Episodes 1-4 - Episodes 5-9 - Final Episodes
Season 4 - Episodes 1-2 - Episodes 3-7 - Episodes 8-10
Series Finale and Final Thoughts
BOJACK HORSEMAN - I covered this show for Vulture for a few years (those recaps are here), but looking for a space to write about the new season was the reason I actually started this Patreon, for which I am deeply thankful. I’ve always been meaning to return to write the recaps on the very end of the series, but it’s pretty heavy stuff to say the least. I will when my brain can handle it, I promise.
Episode 601 - A Horse Walks Into A Rehab - Episode 602 - The New Client - Episode 603 - Feel Good Story - Episode 604 - Surprise! - Episode 605 - A Little Uneven Is All - Episode 606 - The Kidney Stays in the Picture - Episode 607 - The Face of Depression - Episode 608 - A Quick One, While He’s Away
15. STAR WARS
ANDOR And The Real Work Of Rebellion https://www.patreon.com/posts/andor-and-real-75035029 earlier ep on “saying it without saying it” https://www.patreon.com/posts/andor-and-short-74245006
Opining on OBI-WAN - Read me having a full on Breakdown! Part I and II https://www.patreon.com/posts/recaps-of-star-i-67018255 Part III https://www.patreon.com/posts/opining-on-obi-67218451 Part IV https://www.patreon.com/posts/opining-on-obi-67527967 Part V https://www.patreon.com/posts/opining-on-obi-v-67835154 Finale https://www.patreon.com/posts/opining-on-obi-68130106
The BOOK OF NOT BOBA FETT - so much existential despair! I never had so many friends write “are you okay?” after I published an essay hahahaha https://www.patreon.com/posts/book-of-not-boba-62359427
THE MANDALORIAN - Season 1 - Full Season One Breakdown Here
Season 2 - Chapter 9 - The Marshall, Chapter 10 - The Passenger, Chapter 11 The Heiress, Chapter 12 - The Siege, Chapter 13 - The Jedi, Chapter 14 - The Tragedy, Chapter 15 - The Believer, Chapter 16 - The Rescue
Didn’t cover season three after Boba Fett made me lose my mind.
16. THE MCU
A Goodbye to GUARDIANS and Galaxies https://www.patreon.com/posts/goodbye-to-and-82622131 - looking at the final capper to the Guardians trilogy - the silent pin of what’s “killed” the MCU - and questioning where we go from here.
The Wins, Losses, and Lessons of SPIDERMAN: NO WAY HOME https://www.patreon.com/posts/wins-losses-and-60078229
DOCTOR STRANGE 2 Thank The Devil, It’s The First Love It / Hate It Marvel Movie in Years https://www.patreon.com/posts/doctor-strange-2-66106534
10 Things I Liked About SHANG-CHI https://www.patreon.com/posts/10-things-i-chi-55892465
Thor: Love and Thunder - It’s Not About Taika: On See-Saws, Raimi, Corny Code Words and De-Powered Fantasies https://www.patreon.com/posts/its-not-about-on-69309508
Seven Thoughts About The Wonders of WAKANDA FOREVER - talking about a movie that had an almost impossible job https://www.patreon.com/posts/seven-thoughts-74539112
MS MARVEL and the Daunting Disney Plus Question: How Do You Keep Something Special Forever? https://www.patreon.com/posts/ms-marvel-disney-72340954
Hangin’ With HAWKEY ep 1 and 2 https://www.patreon.com/posts/hanging-with-1-2-59110537 ep 3 https://www.patreon.com/posts/hanging-with-ep-59410917 episode 4 https://www.patreon.com/posts/hangin-with-ep-4-59699226 episode 5 https://www.patreon.com/posts/hangin-with-ep-5-59966959 Finale https://www.patreon.com/posts/hawkeye-season-60213467
Lounging With LOKI all posts tagged here https://www.patreon.com/filmcrithulk/posts?filters%5Btag%5D=Loki
Watercoolering With WANDAVISION - Episodes 1 and 2, Ep. 3 Now In Color, Ep. 4 We Interrupt This Program, Ep. 5 The 80’s, Ep. 6 All New Halloween Spooktacular, Ep. 7 Breaking the Fourth Wall, Ep. 8 Previously on... , Ep. 9 Series Finale
FALCON AND THE WINTER SOLDIER - Episode 1 Flyin’ High!, Ep. 2 A Whole Lotta Captains!, Ep. 3 Power Breakin!, Ep. 4 Red White and Blood, Ep. 5 A Million Fuzzy Ideas, and Ep. 6 Oh No!
17. BOOK CLUB
Tomorrow and Tomorrow and Tomorrow https://www.patreon.com/posts/88156800?pr=true
18. LIVE EVENT
I went To My First KPOP Concert and All I GOt Was This Wonderful Time https://www.patreon.com/posts/i-went-to-my-k-i-66604446
19. SHORT OBITUARIES
Ivan Reitman Passing https://www.patreon.com/posts/ivan-62568825
Betty White obit https://www.patreon.com/posts/betty-60563179
20. Smaller Subject / Short Note Essays
MAC AND ME and the Prism of “Badness” https://www.patreon.com/posts/mac-and-me-and-77480668
A Short Note on Episode 6 of Watchmen - an incredible episode, but one where I still examine the problem of “one take” directorial instincts and how they may make something feel "graceful and masterful" but subtly prevent the most dramatic version of events possible.
Have you seen The Chris Gethard Show’s One Man’s Trash? - Basically a recommendation for this magic 40 minutes of television and an endorsement of the show / Gethard’s work all together.
A Short Non-Spoiler note on HOW TO: WITH JOHN WILSON - Same kind of recommendation for HBO’s new series that’s somewhat in the vain of NATHAN FOR YOU.
Movies to Watch: ATTACK THE BLOCK - Just briefly remembering a classic.
A Short Note about THE BATMAN, The Trailer, and The Aesthetics - I wrote a trailer reaction! It happened! But mostly it was an excuse to talk about aesthetics.
the lost year. - Just writing about a shitty pandemic year and talking to you about how you’ve been.
Holding Anger In The Up is Down - same kind of thing as as above, looking at the fascist insurrection of 1/6 without any analysis, just talking about the feelings of intense anger as a result of it.
A Trip Through Random DVDS I bought from 1998-2005 - a goofy look at a few weird films from the only era where I ever collected movies!
A Short Note about The Strike https://www.patreon.com/posts/short-note-about-86001465
Please let me know if any of these links break for whatever reason and I’ll keep updating this archive periodically!
But I sincerely hope it helped.
<3HULK
Comments
Chances are it was BMD but damned if I know where or if its still available as those servers are off in the wild west.
You are a genius and it is done (why didn't I think of that).
Jacob
Thank you so much. Is there anyway to pin this to the top?
Hey HULK - Thanks for putting this together! Really looking forward to diving into the David Byrne piece. American Utopia was an early pandemic *lifeline* for me but i totally missed this one. Separately: All the Oppenheimer chatter triggered a memory of a piece you wrote, probably 10-11 years ago, about the death of shooting on film that I've been struggling to find recently. (I specifically remember breaking down the lighting in a trailer for Rock of Ages of all things) Do you happen to remember which outlet this was for? If it might still be readable somewhere?
