Sitcoms, like every other TV genre, start off with something Buzzy and Conceptual to grab audience attention, before jettisoning it, to some extent, to get down to the business of what the show is actually about. Which, more often than not in sitcom-land, is the dating misadventures of a group of friends in a large …
It is a crime against the film world to label David Fincher’s newest, ‘Gone Girl,’ with only one word or phrase. There are elements of “thriller” here, an essence of “police procedural.” There’s a teaspoon of “black comedy”, a dash of “recession-related social relevance” and a heaping helping of “media satire”
Based on Gillian Flynn’s novel of the same name, Gone Girl’s literal translation and loyal adaptation acts as the film’s best friend and worst enemy. Some of the best parts of the novel work great on screen, while others are hard to portray. Since the majority of the audience is fully aware of what’s going on, widespread alterations are inevitably taken with caution, no matter how big or small. If too much of the storyline is given away too hastily, the appeal is lost before its midpoint. Unfortunately for director David Fincher, what’s left is a campy shell of a plot extracted from any remnants of wit and mystery.
Fincher is an expert chemist when it comes to concocting the nastiest tales of cynicism and darkness. Gone Girl may not be the culmination of his efforts to date, but it’s undoubtedly a sinister piece of work. There’s an oppressive air within the film, from its meticulously created soundscape and score (from Fincher alums Trent Reznor and Atticus Ross) to its plasticized aesthetic. The cynical attitude is evident from the first frame, as the camera looks at the top of Amy’s (Rosamund Pike) head and Nick (Ben Affleck) says he’d like to “crack [his] wife’s head” to reveal the secrets lying in her labyrinthine brain. From that kickoff, we understand this is not a happy marriage. Maybe Fincher feels no marriages are happy.
When Happy Endings debuted in the spring of 2011, it was largely written off, either as yet another subpar Friends clone (in a spring that was strangely full of them) or a “hang-out” sitcom with not enough meat on its bones. It didn’t help matters that much of the abbreviated first season was aired out …
Happy Endings, Season 3, Episode 10: “Kickball 2: The Kickening” Written by Beth McCarthy-Miller Directed by Jackie Clarke & Gil Ozeri Airs Sundays at 10pm (ET) and Tuesdays at 9pm (ET) on ABC Who wants to play kickball?! That’s the main and pretty much only focus on Sunday’s episode of Happy Endings. The episode (which …
Happy Endings, Season 3, Episode 9: “Ordinary Extraordinary Love” Written by Daniel Chun Directed by Michael A. Price Airs Sundays at 10pm (ET) and Tuesdays at 9pm (ET) on ABC We find the group sitting around their usual table and having a casual drink with each other when Max comes running in complaining about his …
Happy Endings, Season 3, Episode 8: “Fowl Play/Date” Written by Sierra Teller Ornelas Directed by Rob Greenberg Airs Sundays at 10pm (ET) and Tuesdays at 9pm (ET) on ABC Enter Alex into the diner with Tyler, the racist parrot, follow it up with some crazy quips that only those six lovable weirdoes can provide, and …
The Guilt Trip Directed by Anne Fletcher Written by Dan Fogelman USA, 2012 At the holidays, family members are bound to reunite, catching up and swapping presents after a year away from each other. And you’re likely to wind up at the movies, too. Though you’ll have your pick of many genres at the multiplex, …
Happy Endings, Season 3, Episode 5: “P & P Romance Factory” Written by Beth McCarthy-Miller Directed by Erik Sommers Airs Tuesdays at 9pm (ET) on ABC No Holiday Specials? No extra-long finales? That can only mean one thing. Those six, crazy, dorks are back in action. After being preempted for a week, Happy Endings has …
Happy Endings, Season 3, Episode 3: “Boys II Menorah” Written by Dan Rubin and Lon Zimmet Directed by Eric Appel Airs Tuesdays at 9pm ET on ABC Max probably takes on one of his funniest and probably most fun job that we’ve seen in the past two seasons. An emcee for bar mitzvahs. The episode …
Happy Endings, Season 3, Episode 2: “Sabado Free-Gante” Written by Josh Bycel and Jonathan Fener Directed by Stuart McDonald Airs Tuesdays at 9pm (ET) on ABC Who wants to go as the Jackson 5 Marionette? Yeah, that would be the award winning costume that our six abnormally weird friends go as for Halloween this year …
Happy Endings, Season 3, Episode 1: “Cazsh Dummy Spillionaires” Written by David Caspe, Matthew Libman & Daniel Libman Directed by Fred Goss Airs Tuesdays at 8pm (ET) on ABC Crazy one liners? Check. Absurd situations? Check. Six lovable, goofy dorks? Check. That can only mean one thing. One of the underdog comedies of television is …