Kaka

A reflective Fincher. Technically still on top of his game, directorially still as methodical and minimalist with attention to every detail. That the screenwriter chose a simpler plot without unnecessary twists or shocking points doesn't matter much. It doesn't have to be in every one of his films. In fact, Fassbender's assassin is such an interesting and well-portrayed character that it is he who is the center of the film, and around him revolves a kind of plot with changing locations and meeting interesting people. Worth mentioning is the fantastic action in Florida, which I wouldn't have expected from Fincher. A meditative, simmering crime drama where everything works very well, just not brilliantly.

A love letter to the American western. Taylor Sheridan does with cowboys and untamed nature something similar to what Christopher Nolan did with Batman: he gives it a third dimension – the human dimension – making him flesh and blood, vulnerable, mortal. Sheridan works in a similar way with the heroes here. It's not just about gunslingers in cool clothes and classic shootouts in saloons, or in the streets in front of them, as we know from most gunslinger flicks, save a few honourable exceptions. 1883 goes much deeper, and is much more visceral, and sensitive, than it first appears. Fans of Yellowstone will love this one, but all the attributes and directorial touches suggest that this miniseries will appeal to everyone in general. A uniquely blended collage of fragility, poetics (voice-overs), and uncompromising wilderness survival with a yet-to-be-formed society.

Game of Thrones of the Wild West, mixed with the best of Dallas. A neo-western that actually has almost everything: great family drama, political scheming, wit, charm, and of course an emphasis on the cowboy lifestyle, portrayed in a just-right entertaining yet information-rich way, where the viewer gets a peek under the hood of this complex microcosm with its own rules while getting a taste of the idyllic flavour of untamed nature. The peak is on the cusp of seasons two and three, when the whole thing takes off like a runaway train, but even though the latter episodes slow down considerably and instead of a rich plot it's more like a Marlboro commercial, it's still easily the most likeable western world in a long time. I'd venture to consider Costner and Hauser as absolute gods on whom this stands and falls, regardless of how the ending turn out in the fifth season.

At first glance, the same symptoms The Irishman had. In his latest films, Scorsese is no longer able to escalate, or at least keep the pace of the story and thus the viewer engaged. Add to that the monstrous running time and we have a problem. Although Killers of the Flower Moon has unquestionable narrative value, an artistic signature and dramatic ambition, those 200 minutes were for the most part plodding, despite the fact that DiCaprio and De Niro literally give an acting tour-de-force.

The Game of Thrones with cowboys, has become more of an advertisement for cowboys, or for the magical landscape of Montana and the customs and traditions of the local ranchers. The fourth season is still damn good filmmaking, but it lacks originality of the first one, and the punch of second. It comes closest to third season because it doesn't really set a new story or stage, but continues the situation already outlined. Some of the new side characters and an old familiar crew that entertains from the start are a good. On the other hand, the surreal scenes with wolves poison the otherwise quite down-to-earth and relatively raw undertone of the series, which is based entirely on real-world foundations. The character of Beth has already been overplayed by the creators. If it weren't for Kelly Reilly and her acting prowess, it would have been over the edge long ago.

It's hard with this season. After the second season, which at times felt like a gunfight in the wild west, the third one is much more sedentary, with an emphasis on family ties and the feuds outside. This is especially true of the first half of the season, which moves along very slowly, with no major surprises. Everyone we love are just the way we love them. In addition, the creators managed to cast the supporting roles well. Q'orianka Kilcher, the fragile girl from The New World, is almost unrecognizable here, and the same goes for Will Patton, but both fit their roles perfectly. And just when it looks like we won't be seeing any butcher shop commercials like we did in the epic second season, the final episode comes along to convince us otherwise. I won't deny that some of the scenes are too over-the-top and fold in a bit of adrenaline rush towards the more mainstream viewer rather than functional and realistic, but it's still true that Yellowstone has brilliant writing and, within limits, realistic plots with twists and cliffhangers that mostly make sense. Plus, with its emphasis on old and modern traditions of a way of life, it's something to cherish it for more than just as consumerist entertainment.

Ahsoka has a great rollout, but a cranky, basically stumbling finale, in which several crucial things don't make much sense or are not explained, and those expecting an epic ending in the style of Episode 3 will be very disappointed. The opening has high ambitions. It has an excellent atmosphere and honours some of the traditions of the older Star Wars. Likewise, the fights are decently filmed. However, from the halfway point on, it's a stereotypical rehash without any invention or directorial initiative. Basically a weaker copy of the more entertaining The Mandalorian. The Hayden Christensen gimmick is not enough, although it is used solidly.

A grossly underdone finale with no proper denouement, no dramatic arc and not much suspense. Instead, we're served zombies, lots of magic that doesn't really belong in Star Wars, and it's crowned by the fact that most of the main characters make bizarre decisions that don't make much sense. The Jedi fights ring hollow and become monotonous over time.

The creators are dramatically running out of ideas and it starts to become a template piece with generic action and a loop of repetitive fights and wannabe cool scenes. A little bit like The Witcher, a little bit The Mandalorian, the fatalism is gone, plus we've got Jar Jar Binks-like critters. And mentioning that the in-universe scenes largely replicate the fantastic seismic charge sequence from Episode 2 is actually redundant.

Looks like a mix of The Mandalorian and Dune, but without the soul of either. It just copies and replicates some moments, visual ideas, or story construction verbatim.