‘On Earth We’re Briefly Gorgeous’ is a haunting auto-fictional debut
Ocean Vuong’s debut 2019 novel, “On Earth We’re Briefly Gorgeous,” has been widely agreed to be one of the best books of the year. The book is written in the form of a letter from a son (known to most as “Little Dog”) to his mother, an American-raised child to his Vietnamese war refugee parent. […]
‘Fleabag’s’ perfection proves Phoebe Waller-Bridge’s genius
Where to start with the smart, snappy and sorrowful show that is Phoebe Waller-Bridge’s 2016 to 2019 creation “Fleabag?” Originally a one-woman play conceived, written and performed by Waller-Bridge, “Fleabag’s” story translates seamlessly into genre-defining and boundary-pushing television. The show’s trajectory follows a young London-based woman dubbed Fleabag (played by Waller-Bridge herself) as she deals […]
‘BoJack Horseman’s’ final season serves the depressing conclusion the show deserves
The first half of “BoJack Horseman’s” final season premiered on Netflix this past week. The episodes are sincere, funny and surprisingly hopeful. “BoJack Horseman” is an animated show created by Raphael Bob-Waksberg, which follows BoJack Horseman, an aging man/horse actor, and the wacky (read: sad) cast of characters that fall in and out of his […]
Trust us: ‘Trust Exercise’ is a truly great book
“We almost never know what we know until after we know it,” Susan Choi writes in the midst of her novel, “Trust Exercise.” This sentiment gets to the heart of her novella, a finalist for the 2019 National Book Awards Longlist in Fiction, and a book my soul could have written if it had the […]
‘Into the Dark’ is a bright light in horror anthology
On Sunday, the premiere of the second season of Hulu’s horror anthology, “Into the Dark,” hit Hulu. “Into the Dark” has been a fascinating ride since I discovered it a couple weeks ago. The series is a further attempt by producer Jason Blum (“Insidious,” “Get Out,” “Paranormal Activity,” “Happy Death Day”) to make himself the […]
Glee-watching: Season 1
Re-watching Ryan Murphy’s 2009 creation, “Glee,” was an accident at first, then a happy choice. Some might say this follows the same trajectory as the show itself. At the time the show was airing, I don’t think I made it further than season two. I got tired of the contrived plot lines and song covers. […]
Ready or not: a stunning tale of the ultra-rich where no one wins (except you!)
“With family, one hopes for the best,” the Le Domas matriarch, Becky (Andie MacDowell), remarks sympathetically to our main character, Grace (Samara Weaving), as she sips a glass of wine. With this line, she simultaneously sums up the humor and the horror of “Ready or Not,” co-directed by Matt Bettinelli-Olpin (a founding member of the […]
