Rated TV-MA – Best Case Reviews.

The Last of Us – Episode 1: “When You’re Lost in the Darkness”

When you’re lost in the darkness look for the light

The Last of Us Official Trailer HBO

When it was announced that Naughty Dog’s The Last of Us was going to be adapted for the silver screen, fans of the game were simultaneously overjoyed and worried. There is a long-standing “curse of the video game adaptation” where fans have been let down over and over again by adaptations of their favorite video games. Luckily for us fans, that unease can be laid to rest, as Neil Druckmann (Uncharted 4: A Thief’s End, The Last of Us: Part I & II) and Craig Mazin (Chernobyl, The Hangover Part II & III) have delivered in every possible way. The Last of Us follows Joel, a black-market smuggler living in the Boston QZ (quarantine zone) and Ellie, a young girl with a shocking secret, through a post-apocalyptic America that has been overrun by a Cordyceps outbreak. Cordyceps, a real fungus that infects ant populations, has somehow transmitted to human beings decimating the entire world, and those who are left live in an dystopic world void of all humanity.

There were several elements of the game, all equally important, that were key in bringing this story to life in a multi-episode format. The Last of Us is a sprawling narrative, which unfolds throughout several different locations and seasons across America, is easily one of the best video game stories ever written. In order to bring that to life, the writing, aesthetic, sound design, and performances all had to be on point. Rest assured, all of them hit the mark, if not exceeded it. Druckmann and Mazin have beautifully adapted this story which encompasses everything from tragedy and horror to comedy and poignancy. While certain story elements have been added or altered, so far, the show has followed the game’s storyline closely, which is crucial when dealing with such a revered work of art. It is clear that Mazin is a fan of the game and Druckmann has put his whole faith into their combined effort to bring the game to life.

The aesthetic of The Last of Us is so good because of its’ delicate balance between the destruction of the old world and the oddly beautiful way that nature has retaken its’ claim over the landscape. One of the most impressive shots of the first episode comes near the very end when we see the characters move forward into the desolate wasteland as lightning strikes, revealing two skyscrapers that have collapsed into one another, which the VFX team brought to life. Ksenia Sereda (Chernobyl: Abyss, Beanpole), the cinematographer and the art department, led by Nicolas Lepage (300, Jonathan Strange and Mr Norrell) have brought this world to life, and I am so excited to watch the show to see how they bring more of the game to life. There were so many times I looked at my wife and excitedly said, “That shot was in the game!”. While she is probably sick of it, it’s undoubtedly one of the best visual adaptations I have ever watched.

No matter how good any film or series looks, without sound it is worthless. Luckily the sound design has also been adapted gracefully from the game, which boasted some of the greatest dialogue, action sequences, and creature FX in recent memory. Chris Terhune (The Batman, Prey) has seamlessly integrated some of the more memorable SFX from the game into this adaptation. Having experienced the gameplay experience through countless replays of the game(s), I am truly looking forward to some of the SFX that will undoubtedly surface, including the sound design of the Clickers, a version of the Infected that hunt by sound and make blood-curdling clicking sounds and other things that go bump in the night that I’d rather not spoil.

*Pedro Pascal and Bella Ramsey in a promotional image for ‘The Last of Us’ (photo: HBO)*

While I understand the viewpoint of critics who don’t love film scores, I heartily disagree with them. The Last of Us game had an outstanding score from Gustavo Santaolalla (Babel, Biutiful). It was gritty, raw, and features easily the best main theme of any video game I have ever played. It was a gift that he was able to recreate his score for the series as well. The combination of acoustics and synths in his score compliment the scenes so beautifully, whether it is a moment of utter tragedy, beauty, or horror. Paired with the stunning cinematography and sound design, Santaolalla’s score brings to life one of the most important parts of the game(s).

Last (of Us), but not least are the performances. The thing that most people really latched onto with the game were the incredible voice performances level-set by Troy Baker (Uncharted series, Batman: Arkham Knight), Ashley Johnson (The Avengers, Fast Food Nation), & Jeffrey Pierce (Call of Duty: WWII, Bosch). I could go on and on, as all of the performances from the game were outstanding, but it is a true testament to the casting director, Victoria Thomas (Once Upon a Time in Hollywood, Django Unchained) that she was able to carefully select the cast of the series to portray some of the most enduring characters in video game history.

The show stars Pedro Pascal (The Mandalorian, Game of Thrones) and Bella Ramsey (Game of Thrones, Hilda) as the main protagonists Joel & Ellie. Rounding out the cast are Nico Parker (Dumbo, Reminiscence) as Joel’s daughter Sarah, Gabriel Luna (Terminator: Dark Fate, Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D.) as Joel’s rambunctious brother Tommy, Anna Torv (Mindhunters, Fringe) as Joel’s smuggling partner in the fallen world, and Merle Dandridge (Half-Life 2, The Last of Us) who reprises her role of Marlene, leader of the revolutionary Fireflies from the game. All of the cast brought their A-game to bring these fantastic characters to life. One of the shining moments from episode 1 is Joel and Sarah’s beautiful father-daughter relationship, which I can relate to as a (fairly) new father. Their relationship made the utter collapse of the world into disarray that much more poignant and tragic.

In addition to everything I have touched on, the show also boasts a brilliantly done opening titles sequence, which HBO is now known for, as well as some other really cool moments for fans of the game. Whether it was completely new additions, like the 1968 prologue, which sets the tone for the show, or subversions of sequences fans of the game expected to see play out, The Last of Us is a brilliant adaptation for longtime fans and newcomers alike. I expect great things from the rest of this series based on how strong the first episode was. All this talk of The Last of Us has really made me hungry for another replay of the games, so I think I will go ahead and excuse myself to go replay The Last of Us: Part I.

‘The Last of Us’ – “When You’re Lost in the Darkness” Review by Alex Ledebuhr

MPAA Rating: Rated TV-MA for sex & nudity, violence & gore, profanity, alcohol, drugs & smoking, and Violence & Gore, Profanity, Alcohol, Drugs & Smoking and frightening & intense scenes
Runtime: 1h 21m
Produced by: HBO & Naughty Dog

‘The Outsider’ — Episode 4: “Que Viene el Coco”

Holly Continues to Uncover the Mystery Between the Similar Child Murders

‘The Outsider’ Episode 3 — “Dark Uncle” closing scene (video: HBO)

Finally some of the mystery begins to unravel in this chilling episode of The Outsider. After Jack’s spooky encounter with “The Outsider” at the barn, he begins acting very odd, disappearing and doing random tasks literally to try to save his own neck. Holly begins connecting Terry to other similar cases in Dayton and New York. While investigating in Dayton Holly met a security guard named Andy Katcavage, played by Derek Cecil (House of Cards, Recount). He becomes a larger asset in this episode as Holly continues to connect the dots, all the while reporting back to Ralph, Howie and the gang.

Holly (Cynthia Erivo) thinking at the hotel bar in ‘The Outsider’ (photo: HBO)

This episode is one of the creepiest thus far. I don’t know if anything can top the horror of Frankie Peterson’s crime scene, but this ep gave it a run for its money! One of my friends even described the episode as “devilish,” as it touches on some folk lore relating to the title of the episode. Without giving anything away, there is some disturbing imagery late in the episode as Holly digs deeper and deeper. Concurrently Glory begins to face more and more fallout from Terry’s death. Her kids have been “asked to leave” the school they attended, and Glory has an incredibly hard time trying to find a legitimate home schooler without any ulterior motives. The tragedy of her husband’s death is increased by the fact that people are hurling threats, in person, at both her and her children. While Howie and Ralph continue to stick up for her, her situation is clearly spiraling quickly.

Ralph (Ben Mendelsohn) poring through security footage in ‘The Outsider’ (photo: HBO)

Again, one of the things I liked most about the episode is seeing how Holly works. Cynthia Erivo does such a great job at maintaining all of these little, weird personal quarks that make Holly who she is. Her investigative mind is further opened up as she opens up more to Andy, who actually happens to be an ex-police detective, which I admit is extremely convenient as far as plot devices go. That being said, Andy is a genuinely nice character and Cecil brings a subtle, polite softness to the character.

Jack Hoskins (Marc Menchaca) and Detective Tamika Collins (Hettienne Park) in ‘The Outsider’ (photo: HBO)

This episode does a great job of finally inserting some of King’s classic supernatural characteristics, which causes some conflict between Holly and Ralph, as he is a skeptic. I think this episode is one of the best looks we will get into our villain’s mind, seeing how truly evil and depraved he really is. The groundwork for Jack’s role in the story really starts to be laid out quite succinctly. “Que Viene el Coco,” yet again, elevates the shows to new (or lower if you’d like) heights keeping the audience thirsty for more. Luckily the next episode is titled “Tear-Drinker,” so I think we’ll have plenty to drink, but I doubt we’ll like what we taste. Until next time, have a wonderful evening, and do make sure to check those windows are closed and the doors are locked.

Rating: TV-MA (Mature Audiences Only) for Adult Content, Adult Language, and Nudity
Running Time: 60 Minutes
Produced by: HBO

‘The Outsider’ — Episode 3: “Dark Uncle”

Terry Maitland’s Death Causes Glory to Spiral and Ralph to Question his Judgement

Terry Maitland’s Death in ‘The Outsider’ (video: HBO)

In “Dark Uncle,” we witness the fallout of Terry Maitland’s assassination. While Ralph is put on Administrative Leave and ordered to go to trauma therapy, Marcy, who will further be known as Glory (don’t get me started on this one), deals with the fallout tenfold. Not only has she lost her husband, who she believed to be innocent, but now she and her children begin to suffer as threats pile up against the Maitland family. Ralph, feeling terrible about Terry’s last words, “I didn’t do it, Ralph. I didn’t do it,” continues to investigate Frankie Peterson’s murder and Terry’s possible involvement. In desperation he turns to Howie and his research assistant Alec Pelley, played by Jeremy Bobb (Russian Doll, The Kitchen) to get to the bottom of the deepening mystery, who connect him (finally!) with Holly Gibney. Concurrently, Jack continues to prove himself to be somewhat of a jerk, and also has a chance encounter of eerie proportions at the barn crime scene.

The GBI (Georgia Bureau of Investigation), led by Yunis Sablo (Yul Vasquez) investigates the barn in ‘The Outsider’ (photo: HBO)

Honestly, the show just keeps getting better. I remember reading The Outsider a few years ago, and I remember thinking that Stephen King has gotten extremely good at mystery novels, and the adaptation is a testament to his writing. The mystery element to the show is fantastic, keeping the audience guessing each episode. The supernatural elements of the show are slowly creeping into the light of day, creating an excellent combination of mystery, thriller, and horror. As The Outsider slowly unfolds, I am continuously reminded of season 1 of True Detective. The cinematography, editing, and chilling score really help elevate the show to fantastic heights.

Alec Pelley (Jeremy Bobb) introduces Ralph (Ben Mendelsohn) to Holly Gibney (Cynthia Erivo) in ‘The Outsider’ (photo: HBO)

In “Dark Uncle” Ralph and Glory have another confrontation and Mare Winningham finally gets some time to shine as the mediator between the two. The interactions between Ralph and Glory are just wonderful to watch. Julianne Nicholson does a fantastic job of playing the emotionally drained Glory. She is unrelentingly and unapologetically antagonistic, rightfully so, towards Ralph. Ultimately, Mare Winningham’s Jeannie has to play middle-woman between the two in order to get the answers Ralph needs for his investigation. The stand-out actor of the episode was Cynthia Erivo as Holly Gibney. Her portrayal was utterly intense and true to character. Holly is a troubled woman, who has a keen investigative mind, but also has severely crippling social anxiety/skills. Her performance leaves nothing to be desired, as she nails it on every front. I’m excited to see what her character brings to the table as the series unfolds.

Unknown person’s bloody hand in ‘The Outsider’ (photo: HBO)

The show is on track to be a great addition to HBO’s already stacked wheelhouse. Jason Bateman and the producers have done a fantastic job in adapting one of Stephen King’s scariest novels of all time. Even having read the book it’s exciting to watch the series unfold. It’s a testament to HBO for knowing what stories to tell and which cast and crew members to combine together in order to create the best possible product. I really can’t recommend this show enough, but make sure the kids are asleep, because this tale is way too scary for them.

Rating: TV-MA (Mature Audiences Only) for Adult Content, Adult Language, Graphic Violence, and Nudity
Running Time: 60 Minutes
Produced by: HBO

The Outsider: Episode 2 – “Roanoke”

The Second Episode of the Two Part Premiere of HBO’s ‘The Outsider’

It is clear why the show had a two-episode premiere. While “Fish in a Barrel” raises the stakes for all the characters, “Roanoke” brings them all crashing down. The biggest and most important development is by far the slow deterioration of the Peterson family. Their youngest son becomes victim to a truly heinous crime, but further tragedy befalls the rest of the Peterson family, setting in motion an unstoppable chain of events. Ralph begins to question whether or not his very public arrest of Terry was a good idea, while Terry’s defense assures him the case will be thrown out at his arraignment, given the circumstances of the evidence placing him out of town on the day of Peterson’s murder. Meanwhile, the supernatural aspects of the show take form as the Maitlands’ youngest daughter, Jessa, played by Scarlett Blum (Reprisal, The Walking Dead), begins talking to an “imaginary man” in the Maitlands’ home.

Ralph Anderson (Ben Mendelsohn) and Jeannie Anderson (Mare Winningham) in ‘*The Outsider*‘ (photo: HBO)

If the first episode of the show was a volley, the second episode is a spike. Brilliantly written and directed, the episode introduces some new characters, while peeling back some of the layers of the main characters. Ralph secretly visits Terry in jail to further question him, creating one of the best one on one scenes yet. The scene in question showcases Mendelsohn and Bateman’s acting chops are prominently displayed in arguably the most emotional scene we have seen yet in the series. The music and cinematography remain consistent, although it will be interesting to see what happens in the next episode, “Dark Uncle,” as there will be a shift in almost all of the major creative roles. Essentially the only consistency will be the score, which will still be composed by Bensi and Jurriaans.

Terry Maitland (Jason Bateman) and Ralph Anderson (Ben Mendelsohn) in ‘*The Outsider*‘ (photo: HBO)

What I am excited for most is the introduction of Holly Gibney, who will be played by Harriet star Cynthia Erivo (Bad Times at the El Royale, Widows). Her character also featured in both the novel and tv Mr. Mercedes series, and is one of King’s best written characters. Her uniquely idiosyncratic personality makes for a very awkward individual with a keen, investigative mind. Where she lacks in her social skills, she most definitely makes up for in her Sherlockian brilliant mind. It will be interesting to see how she interacts with Ralph Anderson, a self-identified skeptic of the supernatural.

Jeannie Anderson (Mare Winningham) and Ralph Anderson (Ben Mendelsohn) in ‘*The Outsider*‘ (photo: HBO)

The two-part premiere does a fantastic job of setting up the rest of the series, which will air every Sunday night at 6 PM PST. The Outsider is a supernatural murder mystery, written by Stephen King and published by Scribner on May 22^nd, 2018.

Rating: TV-MA (Mature Audiences Only) for Adult Content, Adult Language, Nudity, and Violence
Running Time: 60 Minutes
Produced by: HBO

The Outsider: Episode 1 – “Fish in a Barrel”

Stephen King’s ‘The Outsider’ Begins With the Discovery of a Grisly Crime-scene

The Outsider Official Trailer

So I would like to try and review more than just movies, and I believe HBO’s The Outsider, which is one of Stephen King’s (The Shining, It) most recent novels, is a great place to start. The first thing I want to note is how well adapted this series is already turning out to be. Aside from a few characters’ names being altered, the show is almost a shot for shot recreation of the book. I’m sure that is partially due to Stephen King being getting a screenwriter credit, according to IMDb. He shares this duty with Richard Price (The Night Of, The Wire) who has a good relationship with HBO, working on many of their most acclaimed projects. Together they have written an impeccable show based on a despicably horrifying novel.

Ralph Anderson (Ben Mendelsohn) and Terry Maitland (Jason Bateman) in ‘*The Outsider*‘ (photo: HBO)

In The Outsider, Detective Ralph Anderson, played by Ben Mendelsohn (Rogue One: A Star Wars Story, Captain Marvel), investigates a grisly crime scene. A local 10 year old boy, Frankie Peterson, is found mutilated and violated in the woods, and all the physical evidence leads to one person: local baseball coach, Terry Maitland, played by Jason Bateman (Arrested Development, Ozark). The only problem is that there is also physical evidence which shows Terry was over 60 miles away on the day and time that Frankie was horrendously murdered. Ralph Anderson, with the help of DA Bill Samuels, played by Michael Esper (Ozark, Ben is Back) hopes to convict Terry with this terrible crime. Meanwhile Terry’s wife Marcy (or Glory?? They’ve called her both, so it may be a nickname), played by Julianne Nicholson (I, Tonya, Black Mass), and the family lawyer, Howie Gold, played by Bill Camp (The Night Of, Joker), hope to clear Terry’s name.

Terry Maitland (Jason Bateman) and Marcy Maitland (Julianne Nicholson) in ‘*TheOutsider*‘ (photo: HBO)

For the sake of entertainment, I’ll leave it at that, but the story gets crazier and crazier, and all of that has been played out on screen. The opening scene of the show sets the bar for the absolutely gorgeous cinematography we are going to get over the 10 episode limited series. Set to Mozart’s hauntingly beautiful “Piano Concerto No. 23: II. Adagio,” it builds up the suspense, slowly revealing the indescribably grotesque crime scene. As for the score of the series, it is dark and sinister, composed by Danny Bensi and Saunder Jurriaans (Boy Erased, Enemy).

Frankie Peterson’s shoe in ‘*The Outsider*‘ (photo: HBO)

Jason Bateman is an executive producer in addition to starring, as well as directing the first two episodes. “Fish in a Barrel” really demonstrates Bateman’s excellent direction. Every second feels necessary, with nary a wasted second. Jack Bender (Under the Dome, Mr. Mercedes) is the other primary executive producer, who clearly has plenty of time playing in Stephen King’s demented sandbox, and he is also going to EP for the upcoming mini-series for Stephen King’s latest novel, The Institute. I am loving the direction this show is going and the introductory episode does a great job at setting the tone for the series going forward.

Rating: TV-MA (Mature Audiences Only) for Adult Content, Adult Language, Graphic Violence, and Nudity
Running Time: 61 Minutes
Produced by: HBO