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This is a throwback to films like Stone's "U Turn" about strange goings-on in small, eccentric desert towns but it's a mess in terms of execution. Eckhart, Jones and Graham try gamely to keep it rolling but the camerawork and editing are manically erratic as if the director didn't understand basic film grammar. They seem to have been going for a loose gonzo style with no idea of how to maintain continuity or coherence. In terms of story, it completely unravels in the final third. The overwrought and ominous musique concrète score actually creates a vibe at times, but the alleged Native songs with pop arrangements are annoying and nonsensical to the point I had to turn the sound off until they faded out. That being said, I watched the whole thing precisely because it was such a curious kind of disaster. It's not every day you get to see Tommy Lee Jones in the equivalent of a low-budget student film. Comparisons to No Country For Old Men are truly disturbing. There are bad takes of him that should never have ended up in any film, showing just how important direction and editing are to constructing a performance.

The Thaw is well-written and acted, esp. Kataryna Wajda as Det. Zawieja. The cinematography featuring a dreary Polish port city is suitably creepy. My main criticism is the "bad mother" motif. The single mom detective who can't look after her child is the most tired trope in Euro-Noir. It slows everything down and adds nothing except canned bathos. There's always a dead husband who the woman is grieving and the kid is a mess because of it. Then there's the mother or grandpa guilt-tripping the bad mom. Really annoying and unnecessary. Grieving and torment are fine for noir leads but the whiney kid has to go.

A noble effort with a strong performance by Driver and an unconvincing one by Gerwig, but in the end what can't be captured that makes White Noise a great novel is the writing-DeLillo packs more observations into one chapter than most writers put together in their whole careers. The story is merely a means to an end in his books. If you haven't read White Noise, the dialog must sound false in some places because it's lifted from the novel and is literary rather than cinematic. It's not intended to sound naturalistic, it's meant to be read. I understand the impulse to make a film of the novel, but it was a mistake. DeLillo's genius is language, thought and the inner dialogue that narrates our every waking moment. Baumbach just can't conjure it up on film. So read the book, it's terrific. The film has nothing to add.

The Bureau was a terrific show for almost 5 years until Eric Rochant handed over the last two episodes to a complete imbecile who trashed everything the show had artfully crafted over that time. The finale in particular makes no sense, fails to finish several remaining threads and ends with almost incomprehensible stupidity. I'm at a loss to imagine how such a disastrous non-sequitar of an ending could be tagged on to this show. A show that deserved an 8 or 9 collapses to a zero. It's that bad.

What homicide detective goes to work every day looking like she has a hot dinner date? The spikey heels, tight skirts, half-buttoned blouse and salon coiff suggest that Armstrong was auditioning for a completely different film. She looks so disinterested and bored like she can't wait to get back to a posh cocktail party in Chelsea. Every once in awhile she casually mentions her hatred of men but with the same blank expression she wears while questioning witnesses. For some reason, young cops can't wait to jump her bones even though she's twice their age. She won't even get undressed when they do, presumably so she doesn't give up the game.

The guy responsible for writing and directing this mess even quotes Margaret Atwood's infamous line about women being afraid men will kill them. Well yes, serial killers are known for that, but oddly enough, this guy's wife harbors no such fear. Quite the contrary. The cop calls her stupid (she's working class, y'know) but the guy is such a milquetoast around the wife, who can blame her? He's also a lousy killer, making mistakes so stupid you assume he must have done it on purpose as a joke.

From what I've read here, it only get worse later on, so try something better like Marcella or Dark on Netflix.

Since when does being present at a suicide get you arrested w/o even being questioned first? Is this a Czech legal thing or just a weak story element?

Otherwise, solid writing, acting and directing. Prague looks suitably moody.

The premise to this series had potential, but the dialog gets clunkier and more mindlessly repetitive (everyone keeps saying "I'm sorry") until the final episode when you may start throwing things at the screen. During the alleged climax, there are endless cutaways from the only thing you care about to various characters who are sitting around wringing their hands. One of them even says, "This is pointless", seemingly referring to the series itself.

Bordertown features Ville Virtanen as Det. Kari Sorjonen in an engaging performance along with his underlings Niko and Lena (in a compelling role as well). Original and unpredictable plots keep the show riveting from one episode to the next. What doesn't work so well is Kari and Lena's annoying teenage daughters who create one problem after another with their stubborn idiocy. Kari's wife Paulina's subplots are not that interesting (though they eventually pay off), while both her and her daughter Janina inexplicably gripe constantly about Kari's dedication to his work (i.e. saving lives). You begin to dread every time he comes home because you know they're going to give him a load of attitude. As with the other great Finnish Noir series, Deadwind (aka Karppi), you wish the detectives were single and childless. Maybe there's a common perception in Finland that teenage daughters are unbearably full of crap, but it's esp. distracting in Bordertown which is otherwise excellent.

The first episode sets up what could be a very weird season. Some seem to think the show is being politically biased, but in reality it's just using the supreme weirdness of the election and its aftermath as an element of character development. Rather than a fault, this already makes the story complex and of the moment. Looking forward to next episode. And who doesn't love Twisty and the other Krazy Klowns?