Disc Type

Who was John Evans? That is one of the many questions that American Interior addresses that you never knew you wanted to be answered. The more you learn about John Evans and his story, the more you will come to appreciate the beautiful intricacies woven into the tapestry that is our country’s history. In addition to a unique history lesson, the film also treats you to very stylized images and color schemes, keeping spectators engaged in both story and screen. Part narrative documentary, part concert film, part animation, and part music video: this charming film is a surprisingly pleasant ride with a Welsh musician and a dead-eyed puppet. 

Directed by Dylan Goch, American Interior stars Gruff Rhys (front man of the band Super Furry Animals), who also wrote the film’s content. Having learned he is the descendent of the Welsh explorer John Evans, who came to America in search of a specific tribe of Native Americans, Gruff embarks on a unique concert tour that follows his ancestor’s trail. The concert consists of songs inspired by John Evans, as well as a slideshow about his story, as narrated by Gruff. The farther Gruff follows the specter of John Evans, the more content he adds to his performances.

“You will be severely punished for your disobedience.”

Yeah, there is plenty of that going on in this film. What a fragile construct the mind can be, or at least that is how it appears in Bedlam. As the movie progresses, it becomes harder to tell who is more mad, the patients or the people in charge. However, the film does teeter between the line of real insanity and comical insanity.

"When history looks back, I want people to know the Nazis weren’t able to kill millions of people and get away with it."

Those words were spoken by Simon Wiesenthal. Wiesenthal was an architect living in Poland in the 1930's. He was witness to the systematic persecution, isolation and eventual slaughter of the Jewish population of which he was a member when Germany's Nazi troops invaded Poland. He and his family ended up in a concentration camp and into forced labor. When Hitler instituted his "Final Solution" most of his family members were killed. He barely survived after an unsuccessful escape attempt; he would have surely been killed if not for a sudden turn in the Nazi forces. He and his wife managed to survive the Holocaust.

Well, it looks like Comedy Central is still searching for a viable replacement for the loss of The Chappelle Show almost a decade ago. The newest attempt to recapture the former fan base has to be Inside Amy Schumer. I must confess a blissful ignorance to Mrs. Schumer’s rise to fame; I had no knowledge of her existence in recent years, never glimpsing a cameo of her in a television series or movie (or least one that I was aware of), and then all of a sudden it was like she was everywhere. Television, commercials … she even now has made the transition into film with several projects set to be release in the coming year, and my first response to seeing her was, who is Amy Schumer?

More to the point, Inside Amy Schumer is a sketch comedy show geared towards Schumer’s specific brand of comedy, which is, in a word, raunchy. I believe that is the best word to sum up Schumer’s style, as many of the sketches focus on a sexualized point of view; however, in an interesting twist of fate, this time it is the point of view of a woman. I will say that was most likely the most intriguing aspect of the entire series. Her brand of comedy failed to resonate with me; however, I did have an appreciation for the opportunity to peek behind the veil and see an honest female perspective of raunchy ideals. Granted, I’m sure there are plenty of other female comedians out there who could provide the same perspective, but I doubt it would be in the same way as Schumer.

If I were to tell you The Comedian is a dramatic character study, you would expect it to have some comedic elements, right? Unfortunately, that is the exact mindset I entered the film with. While the film does provide characters and concepts, it left me feeling disappointed. Written and directed by Tom Shkolnik, The Comedian tells the story of Ed (Edward Hogg), a middle-aged man who feels himself slipping away at his dead-end job. In order to cope with his unfulfilling lifestyle, he performs stand-up comedy at his local nightclub. One night, Nathan (Nathan Stewart-Jarrett) approaches Ed and praises his performance. The two quickly develop an intimate relationship, livening up Ed’s daily monotony.  Eventually drama unfolds when Ed’s flat-mate Elisa (Elisa Lasowski) confesses her love for him.

Ed is a rather peculiar character. Yes, he has an unfulfilling job, but what really draws you into the character is his standup routine (or lack thereof). You see, Ed seems to be a regular comic at the nightclub, but all he ever does on stage is scream at the top of his lungs. At times people laugh, but more often than not, they stare at him intently, as if listening to a lecturer. That being said, I was looking forward to a character study involving this angry, enigmatic comedian. Unfortunately, the film did not satisfy.

The Mentalist was once the highest rated drama on television. There was a lot to like here, as I'll discuss throughout this review. But I think most of us had gotten a little sick and tired of the Red John story. The show milked the single case for over five years, and the fan base had dissolved to the point that the once #1 show has been on the bubble for the last two seasons. Fans' patience had worn thin, but at long last the show's producers discovered what we've known since the second season. It was time to get Red John gone and move the show in another direction. If the show was going to survive, it was now or never. What you likely didn't see coming was a two-year jump in time and a retooling in the middle of an ongoing series. Alas, it was not enough, and The Mentalist finished its final season with just a dozen new episodes.

The CBI has been disbanded because of its corrupt leader, and our characters have all gone their separate ways. Rigsby (Yeoman) and Grace (Righetti) are married with kids and running their own security firm. They do return very briefly for the show's finale.