“Hou Hsiao-Hsien made a wuxia film. That career choice makes logical sense in a vacuum: Hou is positively obsessed with history, and history, more so than fantasy, is wuxia’s bread and butter. But there’s little in Hou’s body of work aside from his preoccupation with the past to suggest an interest in swordplay. He’s made … Continue reading
“Religion has played at least a subtle role in The Bastard Executioner from the beginning, but “Behold the Lamb/Gweled yr Oen” puts the misdeeds of the church at its forefront. Maybe that can’t be helped: the return of that dastardly archdeacon naturally courts episode-shaping discussions of God and belief, which begin immediately as Toran struggles … Continue reading
“If you’ve felt that Brooklyn Nine-Nine’s third season has underused Amy Santiago and Rosa Diaz, now we know why: They’re too busy passing their juicier cases on to Major Crimes and putting together The Vulture’s social events for him. The former ignominy, at least, is one the entire squad suffers, but “The Oolong Slayer” treats … Continue reading
A Constant Visual Feast 