CliqueClack

Breaking Bad’s finale was what we wanted, not necessarily what made sense

I think it’s safe to say that the majority of fans of Breaking Bad are satisfied with how the series concluded. The final handful of episodes were some of the best must-watch television moments in recent years. Though the final episode itself didn’t necessarily culminate in a breathtaking final few minutes, it gave some very good closure to everyone we’ve cared about (and didn’t care about), and in a way that made sense.

Walt was able to find a way to get the final word with his ex-Gray Matter colleagues, while using them to funnel money to his family. It didn’t 100% work out the way I’d predicted (I said he’d blackmail them), but pretty darned close. But for Walt, the most important thing he came to grips with — and I daresay the best part of the entire final season — was admitting to himself and Skyler that he’d been doing the meth cooking for himself all along; the money he’d made while doing it was just a positive consequence of his actions, and one he had been able to latch onto as a righteous reason for “breaking bad.” Being parted from most of his money — and from his family — allowed him to realize that.

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Score free movie passes to Studio Movie Grill’s grand opening in Indianapolis

Offering a blend of American film and dining at its best, Studio Movie Grill will be ushering in a new location in Indianapolis on the city’s north side on Oct. 1. Located at 3535 West 86th Street, the College Park Studio Movie Grill will be showing first-run new releases, as well as the occasional favorite cult or family film. Part of an innovative national chain, SMG provides a unique movie-going experience in that patrons can visit its bar and lounge areas to grab a drink and socialize before or after a show. The theater also serves food and drink inside, and you can even place your orders before your arrival.

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The Mentalist’s Jack Plotnick on Brett Partridge’s true fate

First of all, let me explain that photo above. I’m including that here because I have no freakin’ clue what it is, thought it’s apparently whatever Red John used to kill Brett Partridge. Or to hurt Lisbon. Anyone have an idea? Anyway, onto the point of this post. …

I — alone with many other believers in Brett Partridge as Red John — was pretty damned disappointed in the latest episode of The Mentalist, as we saw the creepy forensics man taken down by the real Red John. (Not disappointed in the episode itself, but that outcome of it.) I didn’t want to believe it. I replayed the scene over a few times, tying to see if there was a chance Partridge was faking it. That maybe he was the one who pulled Lisbon aside in the dark. Then the promo for next week’s episode hit: “the list is now down to six Red John suspects.” What?! No! Partridge could still be alive, dammit!

“I know! I’ll ask the actor, Jack Plotnick himself! He’ll know!”

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Breaking Bad – Series finale liveblog/chat (LiveClack)

Win passes to an advance screening of The Summit in DC

CliqueClack has partnered with IFC Films and Allied Integrated Marketing to offer readers in the DC area the opportunity to attend an advance screening of the critically acclaimed documentary The Summit on Wednesday, October 2nd, 7:00 PM at Landmark E Street Cinema. The film by Nick Ryan written by Mark Monroe (Chasing Ice, The Cove) that chronicles the deadliest day in modern mountain climbing history. 25 Admit Two passes are available for this screening on a first-come, first-served basis. All you have to do is leave a comment on this post and we will send your passes by email. It’s that simple!

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Binging and purging Breaking Bad

I’m halfway through season two of one of the greatest shows of television’s second Golden Age – Breaking Bad. And avoiding spoilers (the “purging”) about Walt and Jesse is about as difficult and unrealistic as hopping onto the 405 and expecting clear sailing to your destination. The story of the cancer-riddled meth kingpin culminates this Sunday on AMC, and if I want to preserve my innocence in completing the series, I have two options. I can either employ Netflix and various other options for catching up, trying to burn through two and a half more seasons by Sunday night … or I can elect to take my time and go dark on social media for the next week (at least).

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The Bridge – It’s not heroin, but I might be hooked

Serial murder, cartel dealings, and a talented cast drive the show, while the modern-day racial tension and injustice of sister cities that meet at a highly contested Mexican/American border adds a compelling relevance. The Bridge had a strong and mesmerizing beginning, despite a somewhat off-putting initial performance by female lead Diane Kruger (The Host, Inglorious Bastards), as El Paso police detective Sonya Cross. It’s not that Kruger was bad, or even unbelievable as the socially inept detective; I don’t know, maybe it’s that the actress wasn’t sure how to play a character that apparently suffers from Aspergers, a condition that falls on the higher-functioning end of the Autism Spectrum. Or perhaps it’s that she played the part too well. Either way, the German-born actress was a little hard to watch in the early parts of that first episode, but as things progressed, so did Kruger’s performance and the natural feel and flow of the show. Now, when she’s on screen, it’s hard to look away.

The gritty appeal of the The Bridge owes its thanks to a few others as well; Sonya Cross isn’t carrying this thing all by herself.

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Agent Carter short film is a hit on the Iron Man 3 BluRay & DVD

It has often been said that behind every great man is a great woman. No one seems to know this better than the folks at Marvel Entertainment. If you ask me, those writers know a thing or two about crafting strong female characters. Let’s momentarily take the focus off of Captain America, Iron Man and those other two super-powered guys in that little summer blockbuster that came out last year. Instead, let’s place a little emphasis on their love interests – the strong, outspoken, assertive women that aren’t only beautiful, but have purpose.

Leading the pack, in my humble opinion, is Peggy Carter, Captain America’s main squeeze and card-carrying bad ass. Ask any of my nerd friends, and they’ll tell you that Peggy’s always been my favorite of the Marvel ladies. Pepper’s spunky, Betty’s clever and Jane is inquisitive. Conversely, Peggy is the one to call to get the job done. To that end, you can imagine my delight when I discovered that she was the star of her very own short film – Agent Carter – found on the recent Blu-Ray release of Iron Man 3. Ah, how happy I was.

You see, the thing you need to know about Peggy Carter is that she doesn’t take any crap. Period. Fans, including myself, were left hanging at the end of Captain America: The First Avenger when the star-spangled superhero found himself in modern-day New York City after having been frozen and leaving Peggy behind in the 1940’s. I was always curious about what became of Peggy. Did she move on? Was she depressed? Was she exposed to gamma radiation? Continue reading 'Agent Carter short film is a hit on the Iron Man 3 BluRay & DVD' »

Grey’s Anatomy – The superstorm takes its toll

In last year’s finale, Grey’s Anatomy left Grey Sloan Memorial Hospital in all kinds of turmoil. Sure, Meredith gave birth to a healthy boy and Jo and Alex have found their happy place, but the poo was hitting the proverbial fan. The weather was playing havoc with the hospital, Bailey was barely able to walk into the OR, Arizona cheated, Kepner declared unrequited love … and Richard Webber was lying injured in an electrified puddle in the basement. The two-hour season premiere proved that Grey’s Anatomy’s storm was far from over.

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Rush is pure adrenaline … 70’s style

To me, Days of Thunder has always been the quintessential “racing” movie (don’t talk to me about Talladega Nights; it doesn’t even pass Stroker Ace for second place). While the Tom Cruise/Tony Scott NASCAR send up did a solid job introducing the mindset of the drivers that – to steal a line from a different Cruise/Scott project – “feel the need for speed.” But where Thunder was an introduction, Ron Howard’s Rush might be a master’s class, exploring the driver’s motivations and doing nearly everything right along the way (save for the selection of the “wrong” version of Steve Winwood’s “Gimmie Some Lovin’” – Thunder got that right).

Rush reintroduces the world to Formula One stars James Hunt and Niki Lauda, in the forms of Chris Hemsworth and Daniel Brühl. The pair had an interesting rivalry that defined racing in the 70s. Rush explores their relationship from its origins, how one’s growth affected the other’s. Olivia Wilde appears as Hunt’s wife Suzy Miller and Alexandra Maria Lara as Lauda’s wife Marlene. The rest of the cast is filled out with a few familiar faces, primary of which – at least for this reviewer – is Game of Thrones and Elementary’s Natalie Dormer as an early fling of Hunt’s (I’m a bit of a fan).

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