Aarcflick

 The second season of The Amazing World of Gumball continues to deliver wacky, bizarre, and genuinely funny episodes, along with that cliffhanger finale. The return of the Watterson family has had me on cloud nine since the first season of The Amazing World of Gumball, and I'm happy to report that the second season is just as thrilling. Having had an early look at six episodes of the upcoming second season, I continue to be excited by its ability to maintain its essence while simultaneously modernizing. Creator: Ben Bocquelet Stars: Alkaio Thiele, Hero Hunter, Teresa Gallagher As a longtime fan of the original The Amazing World of Gumball and the stellar first season of this revival, seeing Gumball and Darwin back in action will mean the world to me. The best thing about this season is undoubtedly its ability to incorporate modern themes into the series in a relatable way. The show has always worked as a reflection of the absurdities of everyday life, but the second season leans he...

Alpha, by Julia Ducournau, is a body horror coming-of-age film centered on a deadly epidemic. Contracting the disease meant turning into a marble sculpture and eventually dying. Patients transformed into almost living tombstones, helplessly awaiting the moment they would turn to dust.  The sick were ostracized and met with looks of contempt if they went outside, and perhaps only a few, like 13-year-old Alpha, felt a fascination with the living sculptures. As a child, Alpha wasn't frightened by the needle marks on her uncle's body; instead, she used them to create a pattern.  Director: Julia Ducournau Writer: Julia Ducournau Stars: Tahar Rahim, Golshifteh Farahani, Mélissa Boros Alpha was someone who found beauty in the unexpected. What began as a teenager trying to cope with prejudice against the sick soon takes a "dream within a dream" turn. At a house party, a stranger gave Alpha a tattoo. She barely remembered the event and didn't even know if the needle used w...

For a long time, my idea of ​​espionage, counterintelligence, and infiltration of national or international gangs was based on the adventures of James Bond, Ethan Hunt, and Jason Bourne. Since these franchises covered a wide range of tones and styles, I assumed I had seen it all when it came to this profession. But after watching films like Tinker Tailor Soldier Spy, Bridge of Spies, and The Courier, I realized that this occupation can be deadly boring, complicated, and problematic all at once.  That's when I started reading about the politics behind these series and how they act as recruitment ads for intelligence agencies, glossing over all the problems in the name of nationalism. That's why I've been drawn to series like The Sympathizer, Butterfly, Prime Target, and, of course, Task, because they acknowledge the importance of security services but also address how far they've strayed from their true purpose. Now, The Copenhagen Test joins this illustrious list. Creat...

 The series follows Kang Sang-woong, an ordinary civil servant whose superhuman strength depends entirely on the amount of cash he carries, forcing him to balance heroism, money, and daily survival. I started watching Cashero expecting something light, a little silly, and forgettable. Instead, I found a series that is very aware of how ridiculous its premise sounds and uses that awareness to its advantage. This is a superhero series that doesn't care much about destiny, prophecies, or chosen ones. It cares about budgets, savings, job security, and the very real anxiety of watching your bank balance dwindle while the world demands bravery. That tension is the core of Cashero, and for the most part, the series navighes that landscape successfully. Stars: Kim Hye-jun, Kim Hyang-gi, Lee Jun-ho Kang Sang-woong isn't written as a traditional hero, and that's the series' smartest decision. He's cautious, polite, a little neurotic, and visibly stressed by responsibility eve...

NUREMBERG recounts the events leading up to the first of the twelve Nuremberg trials held by the Allies against the Nazi party. Many film buffs will be familiar with these trials thanks to Stanley Kramer's film JUDGMENT AT NUREMBERG, which takes place during the third trial, known as the Judges' Trial.  Based on Jack El-Hai's book THE NAZI AND THE PSYCHIATRIST, James Vanderbilt's new film is unique because it focuses on the important role played by Dr. Douglas Kelley (Rami Malek) in the trials, a figure who has been largely omitted from cinematic portrayals until now. Interestingly, the 1990 Emmy-winning television miniseries, also titled NUREMBERG, about the Göring case, only features psychologist Gustave Gilbert, the professional the army hired after Kelley (played by Colin Hanks in Vanderbilt's film). Director: James Vanderbilt Writers: James Vanderbilt, Jack El-Hai Stars: Michael Shannon, Russell Crowe, Rami Malek It's the end of World War II, and Reichsmini...

 The final season of The Closer ended (to no one's surprise) with serious unresolved issues for Deputy Chief Johnson (Kyra Sedgwick). Johnson had been hit with several lawsuits, as a number of suspects had died while in her custody or shortly after being released. Captain Raydor (Mary McDonnell) was also investigating a leak within the department.  The first episode of the new season opens with a dramatic crime scene. Captain Raydor bursts onto the scene, asking many questions, taking notes, and taking charge of the situation. The crime itself is the shooting death of a high school principal while he was driving his car. It is soon established that there was a similar shooting involving a car of the same make, in the same location, and with the same type of weapon. Suspicious! Creator: James Duff Stars: Kyra Sedgwick, J.K. Simmons, Corey Reynolds The principal's wife tells the LAPD investigators that she had begged her husband to stop changing jobs: he would take positions at ...