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‘Kill the Messenger’ lacks a compelling message

If you can imagine Nixon resigning in the middle of All the President’s Men, with the remainder of the film dedicated to Woodward and Bernstein fighting their editor, you have a pretty good idea how Kill the Messenger plays out. It’s not a bad film, but it is a sloppy one that squanders a firecracker start and a terrific performance from Jeremy Renner. As Gary Webb ponders whether to publish his inflammatory story, he is advised that, “Some stories are just too true to tell.” Such is the case with some scripts, which, in their admirable haste to relate the truth, forget the requirements of compelling storytelling. If you want to find the heart of Webb’s story, you’ll have to dig a little deeper.

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The Nostalgia Files: ‘Last Action Hero’ (1993)

Last Action Hero Written by Zak Penn, Adam Leff, Shane Black, and David Argott Directed by John McTiernan USA, 1993 The concept of a film within a film is an idea that provides for truly interesting cinema. Films that are self-referential, satiric, and make fun of their own genre are often hilarious, thought-provoking, and downright …

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Sons of Anarchy, Ep. 6.04: “Wolfsangel”: It’s a bloodbath in Charming

Sons of Anarchy, Season 6: Episode 4 – “Wolfsangel” Written by Kurt Sutter and Kem Nunn Directed by Billy Gierhart Airs Tuesdays at 10pm ET on FX If there was a feeling of dread and death hovering around the Sons of Anarchy characters in last week’s episode, the reckoning of that came to fulfillment in last …

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Last Resort, Ep 1.13: “Controlled Flight into Terrain” ends the series in fine form, wrapping up several threads without shortchanging any of them

Last Resort, Season 1, Episode 13: “Controlled Flight into Terrain” Written by Karl Gajdusek and David Wiener Directed by Michael Offer Airs Thursdays at 8pm (ET) on ABC It’s never easy to say goodbye to a show, especially one that has run for a long time, allowing the audience to build an emotional attachment with …

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Last Resort, Ep 1.12: “The Pointy End of the Spear”puts together all the necessities for a thrilling finish to the series

Last Resort, Season 1, Episode 12: “The Pointy End of the Spear” Written by Ron Fitzgerald Directed by Paris Barclay Airs Thursdays at 8pm (ET) on ABC It’s always difficult watching the abrupt final episodes of a show with big ideas, such as Last Resort. Too often, such episodes end up becoming unwitting eulogies for …

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Last Resort, Ep 1.11: “Damn the Torpedoes” sees forces gathering for major change both on and off the island

Last Resort, Season 1, Episode 11: “Damn the Torpedoes” Written by Patrick Massett and John Zinman Directed by Clark Johnson Airs Thursdays at 8pm (ET) on ABC Before the show’s winter hiatus, Chaplin had formed an uneasy alliance with the Chinese for supplies to the island in exchange for cooperation. The terms of the negotiation …

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Last Resort, Ep 1.02: “Blue on Blue” examines the emotional and global impact of the sub’s actions

Last Resort, Season 1, Episode 2: “Blue on Blue” Written by Karl Gajdusek Directed by Kevin Hooks Airs Thursdays at 8pm (ET) on ABC Sophomore episodes can often be a better barometer of a show’s quality than series premieres. It is often understood that premieres are what really draw viewers in, leading to increased marketing …

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