You Can’t Be Less Wicked Than Your Enemy – The Spy Who Came in from the Cold (1965) Criterion Blu-ray

The Spy Who Came in from the Cold (1965)

First published in 1963, John le Carré’s The Spy Who Came in from the Cold was designed as a corrective against the far-fetched espionage fantasy of Ian Fleming’s popular James Bond series. A movie adaption followed two years later, released right at the height of Bond-mania. While perhaps not cultural milestones on quite the same… Read More You Can’t Be Less Wicked Than Your Enemy – The Spy Who Came in from the Cold (1965) Criterion Blu-ray

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I Rather Thought It Would Be You – A Spy Among Friends (2022) Series Premiere

A Spy Among Friends (2022)

Damian Lewis and Guy Pearce star in the espionage thriller A Spy Among Friends. With its Cold War setting, incredibly complex plotting, and very slow-burn atmosphere, the series is decidedly more John le Carré in tone and style than James Bond – even if Ian Fleming happens to show up as a character in the… Read More I Rather Thought It Would Be You – A Spy Among Friends (2022) Series Premiere

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A Festival of Zeroes – History of the World Part II (2023) Limited Series

History of the World Part II (2023)

Mel Brooks’ 1981 comedy History of the World Part I was never actually intended to have a Part II, but here we are four decades later and Hulu decided to make one anyway. Being so late in coming is part of the joke, I suppose. If anything, the time gap may actually benefit the show,… Read More A Festival of Zeroes – History of the World Part II (2023) Limited Series

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It’s Good to Be the King – History of the World Part I (1981)

History of the World Part 1 (1981)

The title itself is probably the funniest thing in Mel Brooks’ History of the World Part I. After his razor-sharp parodies of Westerns (Blazing Saddles) and classic horror movies (Young Frankenstein), Brooks was practically the king of cinematic comedy. When his next two efforts (Silent Movie and High Anxiety) fizzled a little with audiences, the… Read More It’s Good to Be the King – History of the World Part I (1981)

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The Illusion of Justice – Perry Mason Season 2 Premiere (2023)

Perry Mason season 2 premiere (2023)

HBO’s Perry Mason reboot is certainly not the flashiest offering from the network’s current slate of prestige dramas. The second season, which premiered this past Monday, could easily fly under the radar even of fans who enjoyed the first when it aired nearly three years ago. That would be an injustice. This show deserves, and… Read More The Illusion of Justice – Perry Mason Season 2 Premiere (2023)

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Nearly Almost Famous – Daisy Jones & the Six (2023) Series Premiere

Daisy Jones & the Six (2023)

Based on a 2019 novel by author Taylor Jenkins Reid, Amazon Prime Video’s musical drama series Daisy Jones & the Six takes viewers back to the 1970s, a time when a light pop-rock act in the vein of Fleetwood Mac could dominate album sales and become the biggest band in the world. Given the milieu,… Read More Nearly Almost Famous – Daisy Jones & the Six (2023) Series Premiere

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Never Trust a Pirate – The Mandalorian Season 3 Premiere (2023)

Even for as contentious as Star Wars fandom can be, just about everybody seems to like The Mandalorian. While Disney’s other streaming series from the franchise have met with mixed to outright hostile reaction, most fans still eagerly awaited the return of beloved characters Mando and Grogu. Now that it’s back for a third season,… Read More Never Trust a Pirate – The Mandalorian Season 3 Premiere (2023)

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Well, This Was a Disaster – True Lies (2023) Series Premiere

True Lies (2023)

Nostalgia reboots of old movies are so common right now (Fatal Attraction coming imminently to Paramount+!), one can hardly blame CBS for trying to revive James Cameron’s 1994 blockbuster True Lies as a weekly spy/action series. That it would be terrible should also be no surprise, given the network’s history. The trailers certainly looked awful.… Read More Well, This Was a Disaster – True Lies (2023) Series Premiere

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