Kaka

Absence of good guys, unpredictability, machinations and intrigues in the world of big finance. The characters will probably go a long way in future episodes, and the whole thing will probably go back and forth 20 times, but the pilot already lays it out so well that it will be fun to watch every twist and turn. Let’s get on with it, then.

Dark Waters benefits primarily from three things. A portly, boisterous, and superb Mark Ruffalo playing an attorney who doesn't look like much at first, but the longer the game plays out, the more adamant he eventually becomes. An excellent, almost Chernobyl-like gloomy atmosphere, and of course the fact that it all takes place in a long time span and is based on a true story. A remarkable procedural that might have benefited from a slightly sharper pace at times, but the message speaks for itself.

Entertaining, funny, playful, here and there informative and even truthful, with bits of reality, but in every angle as cinematically polished as possible. A must-see for people in the industry, for others it will be a weekend treat that won't offend and, except for a few delicious passages with Samuel L Jackson, probably won't even completely delight. We can expect some interesting and ambitious stuff from Apple production in the future, and Banker certainly didn't disgrace them in any way.

At times unobtrusively and sophisticatedly funny and cynical, at times thoroughly convoluted and superbly acted. Perhaps only Daniel Craig was irritating with his crazy accent. Apparently they exploit everything that could be exploited from a murder in an opulent mansion. I reckon most of the 40 million-dollar budget went to the cast, because the visuals were very economical, sometimes too much (the car chase). A good one off, but no deal-breaker.

Ritchie is a bit restrained this time and delivers a witty action-comedy with direct, typically British humour, which is not for everyone, but it has a sophisticated script and McConaughey as an alpha-male who is hard not root for. A film about drugs presented in such a way that it makes you believe it’s cool to be in the business. Of course, as long as you don’t complicate things, as is the case here. Among the superb, I would put Hugh Grant on top. After the insane mangling of the classic King Arthur, this is finally a return to waters Ritchie understands and relishes. The result does look accordingly, too.

The umpteenth take on the Vietnam War, this time from the perspective of the Australian military, with the involvement of Australian filmmakers and actors. The visuals are OK, but there is no groundbreaking style of filmmaking to speak of. Danger Close shines with the precision and directorial virtuosity of Mendes (1917), in contrast with a routine editing and limited budget. Fans of war films will watch it, and that’s about it.

Impressive. These small independent low-budget raw American dream stories are filmed in such quality and thank God for every such contribution. This one has some similarities to American Honey, only that it’s shorter, faster and less sprawling, so it's more focused on the interaction of the main characters and their ensuing transformation. It is rare to see such a brilliant and perfectly coherent consistency of a strong "cinematic" story and at the same time a very interesting look at the real issues of contemporary American teenagers (social networks, easy access to drugs). It’s not getting five stars only because the first half is a class better than the “farewell” second half. Still, it's a powerful, sensual experience, artfully supported by an electrifying soundtrack and Trent Reznor's typical nervous tones.

A procedural that, thanks to its extremely soft sensitive topic, seems to be angling for the Oscars, but it’s not that sensational. It's just one of the many corporate American #metoo type of stories that has great performances, timing and editing, moves very quickly and actually has a solid narrative value, but will eventually be forgotten because something other than militant feminists vs. conglomerates, or flamboyant Trump, will be in vogue.

A bit weaker and less gripping than the first season, but the ending builds an interesting bridge between Season 1 and 3, with something that Felix started grandly, only to (probably) lose control of in the third season. Luna is terrific once again, and the writers aren't afraid to show with lucid clarity the few clean mistakes made by the otherwise great drug kingpin and business visionary Gallardo. I’m looking forward to the next season.

The best episode of the whole series and just a hair short of a full rating. This is how I imagine the plot and its outcome. Two over-the-top dialogue scenes and the overlap of Felix's capture will be on full display in the next, third series, where things will get unleashed.