Lady of the House 1.4 - The Offer

Lady of the House - The Offer

Genre : Dark Comedy / Erotic / Thriller

Director : François Ozon

Writer : Chad Taylor

Cast: Linda Cardellini, Ezra Miller, Alfred Molina, Maia Mitchell, Ray Wise and Anne Archer

At the factory, Frank (Alfred Molina) is his usual self while Mary (Maia Mitchell) has a ghost-white stoicism resulting from her encounter with Polly (Linda Cardellini) She receives news through the office mail that George Crowe, the national president of the textile company, is coming to Milwaukee to visit his factory. They assume this if for a general audit and this sends Frank into a nervous panic as production has not been up to his standards as of late. He takes his heart medicine out of precaution.

At home, Otto (Ezra Miller) and Polly argue about Mary’s visit. Otto stands up for Mary, someone who clearly cared about him. She defends herself, saying that they couldn’t risk being caught. And she successfully defused the situation and prevented just that. She then reminds him that it was her idea for Mary to tutor him, anyways.

When Frank arrives home, he informs Polly of his boss’s trip to town while pouring himself a drink. While he worries about it, Polly recommends that they invite the president and his wife over for dinner. Frank says that is actually a great idea but she better behave. Otto listens through the floor and is bumfuzzled at Polly’s nerve. To show Frank's being serious, he slaps her multiple times and tells her to cover it up before their visitors arrive. 

Otto starts to deal with the effects of his long periods of solitude and his paranoia grows. Apart from his fiction writing, he starts writing a personal memoir that details his truly unique immigrant experience. He records his concern that Polly is going to use Crowe’s visit as an opportunity to reveal their relationship - thus humiliating her husband and all of his integrity. While he enjoys Polly’s company and the way she takes care of him, he is starting to worry that he is just a pawn and she doesn’t actually care about him.

George Crowe (Ray Wise) and his wife Martha (Anne Archer) arrives in Milwaukee by train and Frank greets him warmly. He travels with them to the factory and they give him a tour. Crowe comments on the rather unfriendly nature of his secretary, which Frank says seems to be a recent thing. Crowe suggests he fire her and get someone more friendly and they both let out a belly laugh, although Frank is unsure if Crowe is being serious.

At dinner, Polly puts on a fake delightful demeanor, which Frank finds obvious and this angers him. He whispers in her ear that he warned her. During a lull in the conversation, Polly inquires about The Crowes’s sex life, making Martha immediately flustered. Frank starts heating up, tugging on his collar. Surprisingly, George answers and says that they are still managing to try new stuff into their golden years. Polly looks to Frank with a smile, impressed with what she has gotten away with. Otto, listening in, chuckles at George’s answer, which was slightly be heard from underneath. Frank rolls his eyes and tells Crowe he thinks there is a bat up there but he is too lazy to head up there. Crowe offers to help him with that but Frank declines - there is no way he’d let another man accomplish something he can’t in his own house.

Polly, eager to change the subject, asks if George is planning on retiring any time soon. George asks why - does Frank have an eye on his role as president? Polly says “maybe”. Frank finally talks over all of them, definitely taking control of the conversation. Upstairs, Otto is sweating nervously - feeling that Polly is testing her limits and is about to reveal their secret. He starts considering ways for him to escape the house, if he is danger.

Crowe excuses himself from dinner and asks if he can talk with Frank in his parlor. Meanwhile, Polly leaves Martha to look through her library collection while she heads up to the attic. Otto is freaked out - asking what Polly’s plans are. She shimmers out of her dress and starts stripping down, telling him she needs him right now. Otto stills finds her irresistible but he tries to hold back his desires. Suddenly, they hear something from the parlor area and realize they can hear Frank’s conversation. They both crouch down on the floor to listen.

Frank attempts to impress Crowe by showing off his valuable collection including vintage revolver and an expensive golden watch. Crowe, even richer than Frank is, seems rather unimpressed. Crowe reveals to Frank the true reason he came to Milwaukee. The company has approved the construction of a new plant in Los Angeles and they want Frank to move there and head it. He is blindsided by this - pointing out that his age is not an ideal time to just move across the country. Crowe retorts by saying that Frank built their Milwaukee factory from scratch into one of the strongest in the country. Frank lingers on the offer before shaking Crowe’s hand and accepting.

Nez Perce 1.4 - Confrontation

Nez Perce : Sorrow
Genre : Historical
Showrunner: Scott Cooper
Writer : Dwight Gallo
Cast: Adam Beach, Matthew Rhys, Martin Sensmeier, Gil Birmingham, Forrest Goodluck, Tatanka Means, Zach McClarnon, Ben Schnetzer and Mark Boone Junior

Plot:1877. Chief Joseph (Adam Beach) stands beside his brother Ollokot (Martin Sensmeier) and Toohoolhoolzote (Gil Birmingham) in the grey light of early morning. They look tired, but focused. They watch as Looking Glass (Zahn McClarnon) rides up to them on horseback. He is chief of a Nez Perce settlement along the nearby Clearwater River. Looking Glass tells them that the news of Eagle Robe's death has filled his heart with sadness. He asks how Wahlitits is doing. Joseph says that his burden is heavy, but that Wahlitits has promised to honor his father's wishes and has sworn no acts of vengeance will follow. Toohoolhoolzote asks Looking Glass if there are white men along the Clearwater River. Looking Glass says there are not any yet.

Joseph, Ollokot, Toohoolhoolzote, and Looking Glass ride up upon the Lapwai Garrison with hundreds of warriors, all with faces painted red and in full battle dress. Captain David Perry (Ben Schnetzer) and the soldiers of the garrison look nervous. The Nez Perce warriors circle the perimeter of the garrison. Joseph dismounts, then raises his hand. With that signal, every warrior disarms. Rifles, bows, knives, arrows are thrown to the ground. Even Red Grizzly (Tatanka Means) reluctantly disarms.

In the garrison, General Oliver O. Howard (Matthew Rhys) sits at a table. Perry stands nearby at attention. The Nez Perce sit on the ground, Joseph front and center. Joseph tells Howard that they will not sell their land. The land is their mother, and you do not sell your mother, so they will not sell the land. Howard tells Joseph that it is his understanding that the land was already sold to the U.S. by a Nez Perce Chief in 1863. Joseph tells Howard that it was not Chief Lawyer's land to sell, that he did not speak for the entire Nez Perce nation. Joseph tells him that their people have inhabited this land since the beginning of time, and that the white man arrived less than seventy winters ago. He knows this because his own father was there when the Nez Perce kept Lewis and Clark from starving. Joseph approaches Howard's table, and says that all the Nez Perce want to do is live in the land of their ancestors. They don't care about gold, they have not made war like the Lakota or the Crow, when some of their people chose to adopt the white man's ways they let them go and live their lives how they saw fit. Joseph says that even his own father converted to the white man's religion and named him Joseph. The Nez Perce just want peace for all. Howard asks for time to explain because it is a complicated situation. Joseph tells Howard that lies are complicated, truth is simple. Howard tells Joseph that the Nez Perce have not had any legal claim to the land since they sold it in 1863, and that he stands here at the request of the President and on his authority. His orders are simple and will be executed. Howard orders Joseph and his people to leave this valley and go to the reservation at Lapwai. Howard says he's not here to buy Joseph's land, he's here to throw Joseph of of America's land. Joseph asks what if they refuse. Howard says he'll use force if need be. Toohoolhoolzote can take no more. He stands and approaches. He demands to know what man dares to tell another where he can go and how he can live. Howard looks right at Toohoolhoolzote and tells him that he is that man. Toohoolhoolzote swings at Howard. Howard ducks, grabs Toohoolhoolzote's arm, twists it behind his back, and slams Toohoolhoolzote down on the table. Howard orders his men to stand guard. The nearby soldiers take aim on the unarmed Nez Perce warriors. Howard tells them to not underestimate him. He may be missing an arm, but he will have all of them put down. He then orders nearby guards to lock up Toohoolhoolzote in the jail. The guards take Toohoolhoolzote away. Joseph tells Howard that they do not desire war. Howard looks at Joseph long and hard, then walks away.

Later in the Nez Perce village, a roaring fire blazes, illuminating the bodies of Nez Perce warriors and elders. Joseph and Ollokot stand before the tribe. Looking Glass is present as well. Red Grizzly demands to know what action Joseph plans to take. Joseph tells him they must try to keep the peace. Red Grizzly argues that there is no peace to be had. Eagle Robe is dead. Toohoolhoolzote is in jail. The whites are all over the land. He feels they are already at war, whether Joseph likes it or not. Joseph asks Red Grizzly if he is really so eager to on the warpath. Red Grizzly says that the white man can be beaten, that Sitting Bull beat them, so they can beat them too. War is the answer. Joseph insists that war is never the answer.

Wahlitits (Forrest Goodluck) lurks in the shadows of the forest. He hears the sounds of drunken laughter. There is a cabin in a clearing up ahead. Larry Ott (Mark Boone Junior) sits on the porch with his buddies, drinking whiskey. Wahlitits raises his rifle, taking aim. His finger tightens around the trigger. His breathing grows heavy. His arms begin to shake. He lowers the gun and drops to his knees. He can't do it.

The James Morgan Show (S1E8)

Another week in the books for Last Resort Television means another edition of the James Morgan Show!

Our third week had some holes in it, but hopefully, our dedicated viewers didn't forget to watch our shows… 

1. Rolling Stone : 7.68 (-5%)
2. Hitman: 7.20 (-4%)
3. Gauntlet : 5.70 (-2%)
4. Miami Vice : 5.33 (-8%)
5. Nez Perce: 5.30 (+7%)
6. Survivor (Part 2) : 4.75 (+1%)
7. Survivor (Part 1) : 4.7 (-6%)
8. Drive: 4.35 (-6%)
9. Lady of the House : 3.87 (+1%)
10. Leaving Everything : 3.80 (+6%)
11. Brimstone : 3.45 (-10%)

Mo Buck's reaction: Most of shows are down this week (again), so I can't be surprised next week when all the ratings are down, it looks like it's the norm right now. Let's hope the ratings will improve over time.

With the midseason rapidly approaching, I was able to obtain classified documents about upcoming renewals for the second season, so joining the already renewed Rolling Stone and Hitman are…

The revival of the classic television series has been able to find a good audience and it's always near the top of our weekly standings, so it should not come as a surprise for anyone.

This one is a hit that I haven't seen coming. Gauntlet took our network by storm, achieving the highest weekly ratings for a show airing during the week three consecutive times and it absolutely deserves to get a second season.

One of the only show to achieve an almost perfectly-steady rating week-after-week, the reality show is one of the most talked about show on the network and it is cheap to make, so it's a no-brainer to renew it.

I wasn't able to find out anything about the new shows this week, so perhaps next week I'll have something to say. I only thing I can say at the moment is that we still have plenty of available spots.

Now, for the Trivia section!

Kingmaker Chronicles : The cast of this film is literally filled with actors who appeared in comic book adaptations. Tom Hardy, of course, plays Venom, Christoph Waltz portrays Doctor Diehard in the LRF DC Universe, Tim Roth plays Blue Jay in the same universe. Robert Sheehan is Klaus Hargreeves, or number 4 in Umbrella Academy, Ian McShane is Trevor Bruttenholm in Hellboy, Ifans played the Lizard in The Amazing Spider-Man, Arnold Vosloo was Galactus in Mark Newton's Silver Surfer.

Red Farm : This is director F. Javier Gutiérez's second English-language film, following 2017's Rings. His previous films were in Spanish, where he was a controversial presence in film festivals. He took an unexplained nine-year hiatus between Rings and his final Spanish film, Before the Fall.

Beartown : The mostly unknown French Canadian actor Antoine Olivier Pilon actually plays hockey in real life. He learned to play more intensively for his role in the first ever three-dimensional film in Quebec history, where he portrayed a young pee-wee hockey player. He won the Young Artist Award for Best Actor for his role in that film. He still plays hockey to this day.

See you next week!

Rolling Stone 1.3 - Cumberland Blues

Rolling Stone - Cumberland Blues

Genre: Drama

Director: Oliver Stone

Writer: D.R. Cobb

Based on the Rolling Stone magazine

Cast: Josh Hartnett, Karl Glusman, Aimee Teegarden, James Urbaniak, Ross Butler, Alicia Witt, Dora Madison Burge, John C. McGinley, Ned Bellamy, Dan Fogler and Maria Thayer

Plot: January, 1970. Brady Conroy (Josh Hartnett) enters the office of Rolling Stone publisher Jann Wenner (Karl Glusman). Jann tells Brady that he has decided to make his article covering the disaster that was the Altamont Free Concert the cover story for the latest issue of the magazine. Brady thanks him for his confidence in his work before heading out into the lobby. Office manager Kylee Hargrove (Alicia Witt) gives him a check on his way out the door, telling him it is a bonus for his article being made the cover story.

Elated, Brady decides to head down to Berkley to pick up Celeste after class and take her out to lunch. While he waits outside for the class to end, Brady runs into the man who fired him from the university, Dean Alan Smalling (John C. McGinley). Smalling is wondering what Brady is doing on campus, and Brady tells him he's waiting for someone. Smalling inquires what Brady is up to these days, and Brady tells him he's writing for a magazine. Smalling wishes Brady well and walks away. A few moments later, campus security approaches Brady and tells him he can't be loitering on campus. Brady tells them he's waiting for his girlfriend and that her class is just about to get out. They ask to see some identification, but Brady insulted, refuses. He tells them that until recently he was a professor there, but they don't believe him and ask him to keep moving or they'll be forced to call the police. Brady starts yelling at them to go ahead and call the cops, that he has every right to be there. Just then, Celeste exits a building and sees the commotion. Brady points her out to the security and walks over to them. They walk away from the building and Brady gives the security offers the finger.

Brady and Celeste eat lunch and drink coffee at a local cafe. A folk singer, Lexi Davenport (Dora Madison Burge), plays for the customers eating and conversing. After their meal, Celeste tells Brady that she has to head back to campus for a lecture and gets up and leaves. Brady watches Lexi's performance as he sips his coffee at a counter at the cafe. When Lexi finishes her set, she sits down next to Brady and orders a cup of coffee herself. Brady tells her he liked her music. She thanks him and gives him a flier to see her play at a local folk club the next week. Brady thanks her and leaves. In the lecture hall, Celeste and the other students wait for the professor to arrive. She overhears two students talking about how some former professor was kicked off campus earlier for stalking some girl. Celeste, embarrassed, slumps down in her seat.

Brady heads into the Rolling Stone offices, finding it mostly empty. One of the editors, Ralph J. Gleason (James Urbaniak), greets him and asks if he wants an assignment since no one else is around. Brady shrugs and says why not. Gleason tells him to head to Oregon to do a story on a hippie compound up there. Apparently lots of notable counter culture figures have been hanging out up there, but information has been vague so far. Gleason gives him a plane ticket and tells him to get going. Brady trades in the plane ticket for two bus tickets and heads down to Berkley. He surprises Celeste on her way out of class and asks her if she wants to go on a one of a kind date. Since it's the weekend, she agrees, and they head to the bus station. They ride the bus from San Francisco to Eugene, Oregon. From the bus station they hitchhike to a farm outside of town. When they get there they find a communal farm and are greeted by Wavy Gravy (Dan Fogler), a hippie clown. Wavy welcomes them and shows them around the farm where people live, love and work together as one. They meet Mary Jane (Maria Thayer), who takes an immediate liking to Brady, much to Celeste's annoyance. Finally, at the end of the tour they meet the owner of the farm, Ken Kesey (Ned Bellamy). Kesey inquires about Brady's notebook sticking out of his pocket and asks if he's a writer. Brady says he is, but does not mention working for Rolling Stone. Celeste tells Kesey that until recently Brady taught journalism at UC Berkley, but Brady doesn't want her telling people about it. Kesey tells him there is no judgment here, and invites them to a party that evening.

That evening, everyone dances around a camp fire next to Kesey famed bus, Further. Some of the hippies take turns going into the bus to have sex. Wavy entertains the people sitting around the fire by blowing bubbles. Mary Jane starts dancing on Brady. Celeste interrupts her, and says she's dating Brady. Mary Jane says that's okay, that she's dating Wavy and a few other guys at that. She asks Celeste to stick her tongue out. Mary Jane then places an acid tab on Celeste's tongue, before giving her a kiss. She then does the same thing for Brady. Mary Jane, Brady and Celeste retire onto the bus where they all have sex together.

In the morning, Brady wakes up with Celeste and Mary Jane on either side of him. He carefully gets up, trying not to wake them and exits the bus and finds Kesey reading his notebook. Brady freezes. Kesey says Brady should have told him he wrote for Rolling Stone Magazine. Brady apologizes, but Kesey says it's alright and that he's a fan of the publication, especially the latest issue and article on the tragic events at Altamont. Brady confesses that he wrote that article. Kesey is impressed and offers Brady some coffee. Kesey asks Brady if journalism is always what Brady wanted to be doing, but Brady says no. He always wanted to write poetry, but his family convinced him to get into journalism instead so that he could actually make a living, as they said.

When Brady and Celeste get back to San Francisco, Brady takes her back to her dorm building. She thanks him for the weekend trip and kisses him goodbye. Brady then heads over to Rolling Stone and begins typing out his notes. Ben Fong-Torres (Ross Butler) and Jann Wenner read some of the notes while Brady types. They caution him against getting too close to his subjects. They already have one Hunter S. Thompson working for the paper, doing drugs and becoming a part of the story. They don't need another. Jann asks Brady to remove himself from the story and focus on Kesey, rather than his own experiences at the farm. Brady agrees and begins re-writing his article.

Hitman 1.3 - Jaguar

Hitman: Jaguar

Genre: Action

Director: Francis Lawrence

Writer: Dwight Gallo

Based on the video game series

Cast: Ed Skrein, Charlotte Riley, Christian Berkel, Iain Armitage, Ulrich Thomsen, Gabriel Bateman and Andrew Divoff

Plot: At the ICA base in Greenland, ICA director Erich Soders (Ulrich Thomsen) discusses the success of the Hong Kong job with Diana Burnwood (Charlotte Riley). Soders asks Burnwood if she thinks 47 is ready for more of a covert challenge. Burnwood tells Soders that 47 might as well be a robot with the precision and coldness in which he executes his tasks. Her evaluation pleases Soders, and he tells Burnwood to brief 47 on his latest mission.

Agent 47 (Ed Skrein) sits in his bare room in the ICA barracks. Burnwood enters the room and sits down across from 47. She asks 47 if he likes the heat. He tells her he has no temperature preferences. Burnwood rolls her eyes and tells him that his next job will be in the sweltering jungles of Colombia. His target will be Colombian drug lord Pablo Belisario, who is hiding out at a hidden compound in the jungle. He will need to locate the compound and kill Belisario. Burnwood tells him there will no need to create a cover or make it look like an accident. Nobody will be surprised by the murder of a drug lord, after all.

Flashback: Young 47 (Iain Armitage) and 6 (Gabriel Bateman) sit at different tables while eating lunch in the cafeteria at the asylum. They continue to converse in morse code while appearing to most that they have stopped conspiring together.

Agent 47 parachutes out of a plane over the Colombian jungles. He walks into a village where they warn him about being out in the jungle at night. 47 inquires why and the locals tell him the legend of the Jungle God, a beast that preys on those who wander into the jungle at night. 47 tells them that there's no such thing as monsters and heads into the darkness of the jungle to find the entrance to Belisario's compound.

47 heads into the jungle where he hears a roar. He sees a set of yellow eyes staring at him. 47, not to be intimidated, keeps moving. The beast lets out another roar and 47 shoots at it with a silenced pistol several times. The beasts moans and collapses. 47 moves closer to check out his kill, revealing not a monster or god, but a large jaguar. 47 keeps moving and finally finds the hidden entrance to the compound as it begins to rain.

As he enters the tunnel to the compound he hears Diana in his ear telling him there is a new objective. After killing Belisario, he is to blow up the compound's drug lab so that no one else can take over Belisario's operation. 47 sees a guard up ahead and silently kills him and takes his uniform. Now in disguise as one of Belisario's soldiers, 47 can move somewhat freely throughout the compound as long as he keeps his head down.

47 exits the tunnels and walks out into the compound. He heads through a gate and begins searching for the drug lab. He finds what looks like a barn and heads inside. He observes the workings of a large scale cocaine processing and packing operation. Making a mental note of the lab's location, 47 leaves the building and starts walking toward a large mansion on the compound. Surely, Belisario would be located there.

Pablo Belisario (Andrew Divoff) is seated in his mansion in front of a huge mountain of cocaine. Clearly he's made a habit of dipping into his own supply. 47 enters the mansion and begins taking the guards out with his knife. Belisario, paranoid from the cocaine, grabs his gold-plated AK-47 and points at the door, thinking he's heard something. He fires at the door. 47 watches as the guard watching the door to Belisario's bedroom is riddled with bullets. 47 peeks through a bullet hole in the door, and Belisario fires again. 47 narrowly dodges the shot. 47 takes a deep breath and opens the door. Belisario begins firing again, until he is out of bullets. While Belisario looks for another clip of ammo, 47 silently enters the room and hides behind a pillar. Belisario, now re-loaded, begins searching the large room for 47. He fires a barrage of bullets at all of the furniture. 47 sneaks up behind him and slits his throat. With Belisario dead, 47 plants a C4 charge on a vat of chemicals in the drug lab. 47 drives out of the compound in a jeep as the drug lab explodes.

Young 47 and 6 continue to communicate via morse code through the wall between their cells. Dr. Ort-Meyer (Christian Berkel) is once again watching from the surveillance room. Now though he has rigged the rooms for sound. He listens to the taps and takes notes to figure out what they are saying.

Agent 47 returns to his room at the ICA barracks and finds a note on his bed. It says: Two down, three to go. 47 isn't sure what it means, but decides to keep it to himself. He hides the note when he hears someone walking down the hall.