Good evening movies lovers, and members of the CineTV community. What a day has it been, today has been so stressful but since it's weekend, it also means its movie night. Before watching a movie, I took some of the recommendation from the community but I am not here to talk about that, let's talk about this week contest. We are to talk about a movie that makes us laugh.

After reading context of the contest, I remember a collection of Tyler Perry's movie that I have and they are my go to watch anytime I want to watch something funny. One of the movie I watch from his collections that made me laugh so much is

Madea: A Family Funeral.

Image source

This movie is pure comedy from beginning to end. The storyline is simple but crazy, what was supposed to be a family reunion ended up turning into a funeral, and trust me, only Madea can make a funeral look like a comedy show. The family came together to celebrate, but then secrets started coming out one by one, and boom—it turned into total chaos. Let me explain to you what happened. So there was meant to be a family reunion, while Madea and the rest of the family are on their way to the family house, the stopped at an hotel because that's where they will be stay not to make the family house too crampy with people.

While at the hotel, the discover the head of the house died while having an affair with the family nurse or so, while still at the hotel, the first son of the family head was also having an affair with his little bro girlfriend, Madea, and just a few family saw this, and it was drama all along.

Madea, with her usual sharp mouth and savage lines, was the main reason I laughed so much. The way she talks to her family members, especially when they try to act holy but their dirty secrets start showing, had me rolling on the floor. At some point, you even forget it's supposed to be about a funeral because every scene feels like something you’ve seen in real life, families pretending to love each other but fighting at the same time.

I think what made it extra funny is how real it felt. I could actually imagine some of these things happening in my own family (minus Madea of course). I remember when one of my closest uncle died, it was a sad time for the family. I felt so bad for my cousins because we were so close, we spend most of the holiday together, one thing that happen at my uncle funeral was opening of the casket for a final look.

When my cousin looked into the casket and burst into cry, his facial was so funny I almost laughed. My other cousin from another uncle saw this, then looked at me and I knew he was gonna laugh at a serious time. I covered my face with my hands so that people don't think I was weird. After the burial, we cheered him up, then reminded him of how he cried, we all laughed about it but deep down we were sad.

This was just like what happened at the madea family funeral, so many variable to make people laugh and trust me, if you watch this, you will laugh. If you need a comedy that you ca watch with your kids, family or spouse, then Madea: A Family Funeral is that movie.

I will rate it a 8/10 and I would recommend it to anyone anytime.

Thanks for reading. My name is Fashtioluwa.

Just finished season 2 of the show, and Oh boy!!! I have some things to say.

SPOILER ALERT: I am going to bash the series for the disappointment it is. Will be going over the plot and character development. So if you haven't seen the show, go watch it and then join me in the bashing.

Oh Man!!! Where do I begin with this? It was like the writers were specifically asked to tone down the horror a bit and crank the drama to 11. Because that's what season 2 can be summed up to. I was expecting the same level of horror and suspense that the show offered in Season 1, but here it was off and a little too loud.

Let's start with the problems, and there's literally a busload of them. I am not joking. The series picks up from where it ended. Introduced us to a busload of characters, and they added them into the background. What's the point of adding these many characters who are just going to be in the background as extras? 1-2 of them were given some dialogue and character. But that's about it, the only exception was the Randell dude played the part of annoying prick and troublemaker to perfection. Source

Not only did they add the busload of people into the mix, but they went ahead and ruined my favourite characters, too. Especially the ladies. Like Fatima, in season 1, she was presented as a very nice, joyful and bright, and likeable personality. So well written that her mere presence on screen brings hope. But in season 2, all that is gone and now she's pregnant and confused. Not only that, but the ruined Kristy, too. Again, season 1 has a great, strong character, a medic. And everyone knows how important medics are in the survival genre. I mean, the character was written nicely, her will-they-won't-they chemistry with Kenny was nicely done. Only to be ruined in season 2, she revealed to be gay, and her fiancé showed up. With a drug problem. All this shifted her focus from being a main doctor character to being a side doctor character with personal drama. And finally, Julie. Another interesting character they left out. Hardly any dialogue, mostly a support act. Source Now, coming to the key letdown was the shift in the horror, from a physical threat of the monsters towards a psychological one. The monsters were perfectly fine, but it seems like the writers were trying to make the music box the main villain. Dont get me wrong, I love psychological thrillers, but in this case, it wasn't impactful. Instead, the show was loud with the scary sound and screaming. Season 1 was all about the creepy-looking smiling monster, but in the second one, it's about monsters, hallucinations, music box, dreams, worms and insects. Character being tormented like possessed people. People getting offed in sleep. The first 6-7 episodes of season 2 were just a slow buildup to all this. The show did pick up the pace in the last 2-3 episodes and ended with a nice cliffhanger. So ya, I am up for season 3. The only condition is just leave my man Jade alone. Dont change anything about him, he is awesome.

Hi Folks, This is going to be my 11th post this month. Around 2 and a half posts a week, still short of my 3-4 posts a week aim. But it's much better than the 1 and a Diwali bonus post per year. And I am happy about it. I am trying my best to get the 3-4 posts a week target. Lets see how far can I take this writting. And as always, it wouldn't be possible without the support from IndiaUnited and BeAwesome friends. Big Hug to you all. See you in the next blog.

• IMDB: https://www.imdb.com/title/tt16311594/

Rottentomatoes Rating

The technical aspects of this movie are so contradictory to what real life is and its very frustrating because its like nobody did any real research about how Formula 1 actually works, starting with the cars themselves which are supposed to be these precision engineering marvels but in the movie they are shooting flames out of the exhaust like some kind of Fast and Furious fever dream. Real F1 cars don't do that unless something is seriously wrong with the engine, but I guess they wanted to make things look cool for the trailers so they just said screw accuracy and went with whatever looked most dramatic on screen, something that was heavily talk about after the first Fast and Furious movie, the famous "Manifold Damage". Then there is the Apex GP team that feels like a lazy copy paste of the Mercedes team, you got Javier Bardem playing this German Team Boss basically Toto Wolff with a similar accent and the whole relationship between him and the drivers is similar to what we see with Mercedes and their drivers, he is the one calling the orders. The racing scenes look pretty good thanks to the IMAX cameras and all the money they threw at the production but when you know anything about F1 you can spot all the things that make no sense, like how Brad Pitt's character can somehow warm up his tires by hanging back on the formation lap and then magically get this amazing start that puts him ahead of everyone else, cheeky move that most likely can be penalize so drivers just dont do it and its infraction after infraction.

The story itself is so predictable that you can see every twist coming from miles away, especially when it comes to the romance side story between Brad Pitt and the technical director played by that actress who was good in other things but gets completely wasted here. From the moment she comes up to the screen you know exactly how this is going to play out, she is going to be all professional and resistant to his charms at first and he did good by putting a stop to Hayes but then it was all over after a few drinks, slowly warm up to him as he proves himself on the track and eventually they will have some kind of romantic moment that feels completely forced and unnecessary to the larger story. The whole thing feels like someone took a template for sports movies from the 1990s and just changed a few details to make it about racing instead of boxing or baseball with some classic liche like the young hotshot who needs to learn humility, the evil corporate suits who want to shut everything down and the big climactic race where everything comes together in the most convenient way possible. What makes this even worse is that the movie had access to real F1 races and locations, so they had every opportunity to create something authentic and exciting but instead they chose to go with the most generic storyline.

The ending of this movie is what made me think they saw drive to survive sucess and decided to make a movie copy pasting from other F1 races, the ending is basically just a recreation of the 2021 Abu Dhabi Grand Prix where Lewis Hamilton lost the championship to Max Verstappen in controversial circumstances, except here they flip it so that the underdog American team wins instead of the established champion. Its like they watched that race and thought hey this was dramatic, lets just copy it exactly but change who wins so people feel good about it, which shows such a lack of creativity and I could extend to lack of respect for the sport but I think I have rant enough and dont want to over extend things. The whole red flag situation that gives Brad Pitt's character a chance to get back in the race after crashing is a very Hollywood like event that I can appreciate as a twist before the ending, honeslty it did change things because it was almost certain he was out, it feels like divine intervention rather than realistic racing but Im fine with that, its a movie after all not a documentary. There are so many incredible real stories from F1 history that they could have used as inspiration, like Niki Lauda coming back from his horrific crash or Lewis Hamilton's rookie season where he nearly won the championship but instead they chose to just recycle recent events and present them as fiction. There are so many drivers who actually lived through those moments and fans remember how emotional and significant that 2021 season finale was, because now its just being used as cheap drama in a Hollywood movie, I feel sad for Lewis, insert here meme "Not Like This".

F1 The Movie feels like it was made by people who have never actually watched Formula 1 and just assumed they could wing it based on what they think racing movies should look like, which results in something that looks expensive and professional, I had to admin the movie looks good and feels good if all you are focus in the sense of speed and the race but the drama felt cheap even though if I knew nothing about F1. The performances are fine I guess, Brad Pitt does his usual charming older guy stuff and the supporting cast tries their best with the material they are given, they do shot the movie during actual races to make it feel real, they also shot it on McLaren HQ and use some of the rooms to make everything feel real but its more like a tourist trip to the McLaren building, but you can't polish a turd no matter how much money you spend on cinematography. They had all the resources and access it needed to create something special that could have introduced new fans to the sport while also satisfying existing enthusiasts, they had fkn Brad Pitt but instead they chose to play everything safe and generic, resulting in a movie that only might satisfied those who know nothing about F1, considering is a growing sport in America. The racing scenes look good enough if you don't think too hard about what you are seeing but the moment you start paying attention to the details you realize how little effort they actually put in understanding the sport they were trying to celebrate, which makes the whole experience feel hollow and disappointing. I give this movie a 7 out of 10, and that is being generous because at least it looks cool and there are adrenaline moments, but as an F1 fan I can't recommend this to anyone who actually cares about the sport because it will just make you mad about how wrong everything is.

#skiptvads, #inleo, #hive, #formula1, #bradpitt, #movie, #racing, #review, #disappointing, #hollywood, #motorsport, #fake, #predictable, #unrealistic, #mercedes, #apex, #drivers, #cars, #exhaust, #flames, #technical, #accuracy, #plot, #romance, #ending, #hamilton, #verstappen, #generic

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Hola, mis queridos amigos de internet! Espero estén muy bien! Hoy estoy nuevamente por aquí para compartir con ustedes una de mis películas favoritas, se trata de Kimi no Na wa (Your Name) la cual es una película japonesa estrenada en 2016. Espero les guste!🩷

Mitsuha y Taki son dos jóvenes cuyos destinos se unen cuando que de repente empiezan a intercambiar sus cuerpos. A medida de que pasan los días ellos comienzan a acostumbrarse y consiguen una manera de comunicarse entre ellos usando una aplicación de notas en sus celulares, y también va creciendo el anhelo de conocerse en persona y se enamoran mutuamente. Sin embargo, ellos no saben que sus tiempos son distintos y cuando Taki viaja a la pequeña ciudad de Itomori para conocer a Mitsuha, se entera que en realidad allí cayó un meteorito hace tres años y en realidad ella ha estado muerta todo el tiempo. Taki hace todo lo posible para volver a ver a Mitsuha a pesar de que sus líneas de tiempo están separadas por tres años, y cuando lo logra, vuelve al cuerpo de Mitsuha el día del accidente del cometa, por lo que intenta advertir a todos del desastre que está por ocurrir, y Mitsuha despierta en el cuerpo de Taki en el presente y cuando sale del templo en el que estaba, ambos sienten la presencia del otro pero no pueden verse hasta que lo logran gracias a la hora mágica. Luego ambos comienzan a olvidarse del otro pero, Mitsuha logra hacer que la gente evacue el pueblo, salvándose mucha gente luego de la caída del meteorito, ella incluida. Ambos pierden los recuerdos del otro, sin embargo logran reencontrarse luego de cinco años, donde ambos se preguntan sus nombres.

Esta es una de mis películas favoritas de anime. La vi por recomendación de una de mis mejores amigas y enserio me gustó. La historia me parece muy bonita y bastante original, también considero que los personajes se desarrollan muy bien a medida que avanza la película y me agradó que contaran con las voces de actores como Ryūnosuke Kamiki y Aoi Yūki los cuales han trabajado en varias películas y series que me gustan.

El estilo de animación me parece bastante bien, usa una paleta de colores que funciona a la perfección y el diseño de los paisajes y locaciones también es muy bueno. Realmente me gustó como se desarrolla la historia, todo el tiempo me mantuvo a la espectativa y me gustaron muchas escenas, pero diría que mi favorita (y la que me hizo sollozar) es cuando ellos se encuentran en "la hora mágica" a pesar de que sus tiempos tienen 3 años de separación, me pareció muy conmovedor todo lo que Taki fue capaz de hacer para evitar que Mitsuha muriera en el accidente, y la valentía de Mitsuha para salvar a la gente de su pueblo. El final también me pareció muy lindo, me alegró saber que tanto Mitsuha como su familia y amigos se pudieron salvar, y también el encuentro entre Taki y Mitsuha tiempo después.

El soundtrack de la película también me pareció muy lindo, compuesto por Yojiro Noda siento que se adaptó muy bien a la película y le dió un toque increíble. Cabe destacar que esta película se basa en una novela escrita por Makoto Shinkai (quien escribió y dirigió la película también) y realmente he quedado con ganas de leer la novela ya que la película realmente me pareció increíble, la recomiendo sin dudas.

Bueno queridos amigos, esto ha sido todo por hoy espero les haya gustado y entretenido mi post. Muchas gracias a todos como siempre por su atención y apoyo a mi trabajo, les mando un fuerte abrazo a todos y ya nos reencontraremos en un nuevo post.

La imagen de despedida fue realizada por mí con el editor canva y las fotografías utilizadas son screenshots de la película también tomadas por mí.

Historia sobre detectives amateurs, que tienen como característica el ser vulnerables, pero a la vez cuentan con la inteligencia y perspicacia para resolver misterios, es uno de los géneros que me gustan de ver, cada una de esas características presenta "The Thursday Murder Club", nueva película de Netflix, basada en una serie de libros escritos por Richard Osman, que relatan la historia de cuatro personas que viven en un hogar de cuidados de ancianos y que se reúnen para resolver misterios que todavía no se han resuelto y que en un inesperado día, deberán poner en práctica todo lo aprendido cuando deban resolver un verdadero misterio.

Stories about amateur detectives, who are vulnerable but also have the intelligence and insight to solve mysteries, are one of my favorite genres to watch. Each of these characteristics is present in The Thursday Murder Club, a new Netflix movie based on a series of books written by Richard Osman, which tells the story of four people living in a nursing home who get together to solve unsolved mysteries. One unexpected day, they must put everything they have learned into practice when they have to solve a real mystery.

Este film fue dirigido por Chris Columbus, de quien he visto varios de sus trabajos entre los 80', 90' y 2000, todas dedicadas al disfrute familiar y justamente está película cuenta con ese aspecto lo cual me pareció genial porque me hizo sentir cierta nostalgia por series de TV que son parte de ese género como por (el siempre) ejemplo la serie "La Reportera del Crimen" "Murder, She Wrote"; ahora, ese aspecto del film el cual le hace ver como una producción televisa, es lo que más ha generado críticas negativas, pero creo que está no es ja producción que cuente con un alto presupuesto, así que el experimentado director hizo más que un trabajo simple en dónde si puedo señalar el nulo suspenso de algunas de las escenas en dónde era necesario que existiera ese factor, pero creo que para el tipo de historia y el mantener ese formato familiar, posiblemente se decidió hacerla simple, sin tomar ningún riesgo alguno.

El guion escrito por Katy Brand y Suzanne Heathcote, es regular, está es una película con una duración de dos horas y por momentos tuve la sensación en que el liderazgo o predominio del tiempo lo tengan dos de los cuatro protagonistas de esta historia; otro aspecto que me ha parecido correcto aunque mal desarrollado es la simpleza del misterio a resolver, a pesar de que existe o se demuestra las bases para el crimen y la serie de sospechosos, creo que lo referente a qué actor es más relevante que otro, afecta el cómo se van presentando en escena y eso hace afecta el relato de la historia, ya que a tener una presencia rápida, no hay un desarrollo adecuado; otro aspecto negativo puede ser la resolución de muchos misterios, todo es muy casual y posiblemente estoy profundizando mucho en buscar aspectos negativos, pero creo que son muchas resoluciones en tan poco tiempo que en mi opinión afectan la historia. 

This film was directed by Chris Columbus, whose work I have seen several times in the 80s, 90s, and 2000s, all dedicated to family entertainment. This film has that same aspect, which I thought was great because it made me feel a certain nostalgia for TV series that are part of that genre, such as (the ever-present) example of the series Murder, She Wrote. Now, that aspect of the film, which makes it look like a television production, is what has generated the most negative criticism, but I don't think this is a high-budget production, so the experienced director did more than just a simple job. I can point out the lack of suspense in some of the scenes where that factor was necessary, but I think that for this type of story and to maintain that familiar format, it was possibly decided to keep it simple, without taking any risks.

The script, written by Katy Brand and Suzanne Heathcote, is average. It's a two-hour film, and at times I felt that two of the four protagonists of this story dominated the screen time. Another aspect that I found acceptable, although poorly developed, is the simplicity of the mystery to be solved. Despite the fact that the basis for the crime and the series of suspects exist or are demonstrated, I believe that the question of which actor is more relevant than another affects how they are presented on stage, and this affects the telling of the story, since they have a brief presence and are not adequately developed. Another negative aspect may be the resolution of many mysteries. Everything is very casual, and I may be digging too deep to find negative aspects, but I think there are too many resolutions in such a short time, which, in my opinion, affects the story.

A pesar de tener una queja sobre el tiempo en escena de sus protagonistas, estoy completamente seguro que la elección del grupo de actores que lideran está producción, es lo mejor del film; todos son grandes actores, reconocidos, con una carrera amplia en el mundo del entrenamiento y verlos conformar está película me pareció excelente; Helen Mirren lidera el cast, ya que está historia está relatada desde el punto de vista de "Elizabeth Best", personaje el cual ella interpreta; ella es una líder nata, una mujer fuerte, consciente del peligro, pero sin demostrar miedo a nadie y eso sí, con un sentido correcto hacia la justicia; a ella la sigue Pierce Brosnan quien interpreta a "Ron Ritchie", un hombre correcto, con un alto sentido de luchar y exigir por lo justo para él y sus compañeros, es un personaje bastante agradable porque se aleja de esa imagen de elegancia y caballerosidad que siempre representa Brosnan; en tercera posición tenemos a Celia Imrie quien interpreta a la dulce, pero también fuerte "Joyce Meadowcroft", nueva integrante del grupo que está decidida a encajar en un grupo de personas que tienen una gran actividad, ella es de mis personajes favoritos del film junto al de "Ibrahim Arif", interpretado por Ben Kingsley quien es el actor con menos tiempo en escena lo cual me pareció una gran perdida para la película, ya que en los pocos momentos que aparece demuestra profesionalidad, es divertido y muy inteligente; como ven este es un gran cast para liderar está película que considero lo mejor de la producción, pero a la vez por un no tan buen guion se pierde la oportunidad de disfrutarlos por completo.

Despite having a complaint about the screen time of its protagonists, I am completely sure that the choice of the group of actors who lead this production is the best thing about the film; they are all great, renowned actors with extensive careers in the world of entertainment, and seeing them come together in this film was excellent. Helen Mirren leads the cast, as the story is told from the point of view of Elizabeth Best, the character she plays. She is a natural leader, a strong woman, aware of danger but showing no fear to anyone, and with a strong sense of justice. She is followed by Pierce Brosnan, who plays "Ron Ritchie," an upright man with a strong sense of fighting for and demanding what is right for himself and his colleagues. He is a very likable character because he moves away from the image of elegance and chivalry that Brosnan always represents. In third place we have Celia Imrie, who plays the sweet but also strong "Joyce Meadowcroft," a new member of the group who is determined to fit in with a group of people who are very active. She is one of my favorite characters in the film, along with "Ibrahim Arif," played by Ben Kingsley, who has the least screen time, which I thought was a great loss for the film, as in the few moments he appears, he demonstrates professionalism, is funny, and very intelligent. As you can see, this is a great cast to lead this film, which I consider to be the best part of the production, but at the same time, due to a not-so-good script, the opportunity to enjoy them fully is lost.

The Thursday Murder Club, es un correcto film, perfecto para el formato del cual fue creado y estrenado, es una producción familiar, con un misterio no tan difícil de resolver o muy mal desarrollado en su tercer y final acto y eso me decepcionó un poco porque estuve entretenido por una gran parte del film, pero lamentablemente está película entra en esa ya larga lista de producciones originales de Netflix que a pesar de ser entretenidas, tienen un final que no es para nada placentero o satisfactorio, aunque eso sí, espero que pronto se confirme la realización de otra historia más basada en estos personajes que contando con el primer libro en el que se basa este film, faltarían cuatro más para realizar y solo espero que se pueda contar con un mejor desarrollo del guion dando equivalencia a sus protagonistas, que tengan libertad para hacer cambios necesarios en los misterios a resolver lo cual seguramente hará aún más entretenida estás historias.

The Thursday Murder Club is a decent film, perfect for the format in which it was created and released. It is a family production, with a mystery that is not too difficult to solve, although it is poorly developed in its third and final act, which disappointed me a little because I was entertained for most of the film. Unfortunately, this film joins the already long list of Netflix original productions that, despite being entertaining, have an ending that is not at all pleasant or satisfying. However, I hope that another story based on these characters will soon be confirmed. Based on the first book on which this film is based, there would be four more to make, and I just hope that the script will be better developed, giving equal weight to its protagonists, who will have the freedom to make necessary changes to the mysteries to be solved, which will surely make these stories even more entertaining.

Cover image edited in canva; the image was taken from the following source

Hola mi gente, les deseo un feliz fin de semana para todos, espero que esta ediciòn del dia de hoy sea de su agrado, y yo se que estan esperando los dramas que ustedes vieròn y conocen, pero poco a poco estamos trayendo todas esas historias.

La Loba se estrenó en 1973 en Venevisión, como secuela directa de la exitosa telenovela La mujer prohibida. Inspirada en una historia original de Manuel Muñoz Rico, esta producción superó a su predecesora tanto en popularidad como en duración y complejidad narrativa. Su arranque fue inmediato: el primer capítulo se transmitió apenas un día después del final de La mujer prohibida. La conexión fue revelada hacia el cierre del episodio, cuando Marcos Villena, interpretado por Martín Lantigua, pronuncia su nombre, consolidando el vínculo entre ambas producciones.

-Título: La Loba. -Canal: Venevisión. -Año de emisión: 1973. -Origen / Libretista: Historia original de Manuel Muñoz Rico, adaptada para televisión. -Formato: Secuela directa de La mujer prohibida, con elenco mayoritariamente nuevo, pero conservando solo a algunos personajes como Virginia Galván, Marcos Villena, Lotario y La Waica. -Protagonistas: Ada Riera como Virginia Galván / Angélica de Montemar (rol doble), Martín Lantigua como Marcos Villena.

Elenco destacado.

Cuenta con un elenco coral destacado, uno de los primeros ejemplos del género en Venezuela, incluyendo a:

América Alonso, Amelia Román como La Waica, Zoé Ducós como Erika Heller, Herminia Martínez, Elena Farías, Orlando Urdaneta, América Wan-Chu, entre otros.

Este reparto diverso permitió que la historia se desarrollara desde múltiples perspectivas y profundidades actoralmente complejas.

La trama se centra en Virginia, protagonista fuerte que también encarna una dualidad como Angélica de Montemar, mientras enfrenta intrigas en torno a su familia y el misterioso legado de la llamada “loba”. El relato dio paso a esta nueva entrega con personajes enigmáticos y suspenso constante, fusionando drama, identidad dividida y secretos familiares, en un ambiente lleno de tensiones emocionales e históricas.

La Loba fue más que una continuación: representó la consolidación del estilo coral de telenovela, donde cada personaje tenía peso narrativo propio, alejándose del protagonismo exclusivo. Ada Riera brilló en su reto de doble papel. Martín Lantigua continuó siendo una figura central con base sólida. La atmósfera era de misterio: sospechas, aullidos nocturnos, tensiones intensas, un enfoque más oscuro y psicológico del melodrama tradicional. El público respondió de inmediato; la telenovela se convirtió en una de las más recordadas de la época, con repeticiones exitosas en horarios vespertinos.

La Loba (1973) destaca como una telenovela clave que elevó el género hacia narrativas más complejas y colectivas. Fue pionera en adoptar un libreto coral, con múltiples personajes bien desarrollados, suspenso psicológico y heredera de una historia anterior que supo superar. Sigue siendo un referente dramático por su ambición narrativa y su audacia emocional.

Bueno mi gente hasta aqui la ediciòn del dia de hoy, espero que sea de su gusto esta historia y nos vemos en una una ediciòn con mas de estas grandes historias de la tv venezoalana. Bendiciones.

....English Version....

....Versión En Español....

Sentencing (S01E13)

Airdate: September 8th 2002

Written by: David Simon & Ed Burns Directed by: Tim Van Patten

Running Time: 56 minutes

From its very inception, The Wire defied television convention to seize the mantle of instant classic. Its first season shattered expectations not merely through the exceptional calibre of its writing, acting, and direction – though these were undeniably superb – but through a commitment to brutal, unflinching realism that rendered previous American police procedurals quaintly theatrical by comparison. This radical unconventionality extended even to its narrative architecture; eschewing the customary explosive climax, the season’s true denouement arrived not in the penultimate episode with Avon Barksdale’s capture, but in the comparatively subdued, consequence-focused finale, Sentencing. Far from a triumphant victory lap, this concluding chapter meticulously dissects the fallout of the investigation, revealing a world stubbornly resistant to meaningful change. It is a profoundly bittersweet coda, confirming the series’ central thesis: the game endures, individuals are merely pieces moved upon the board, and the institutions that govern Baltimore remain fundamentally unaltered, regardless of the ostensible victories claimed within them.

Avon Barksdale’s incarceration, the ostensible triumph of the Lieutenant Daniels' task force, is immediately revealed as a pyrrhic victory, masterminded by the chilling pragmatism of his lieutenant, Stringer Bell. Avon enters prison, yes, but Stringer’s calculated manoeuvring ensures the Barksdale organisation, though diminished, survives. The true architect of this outcome, however, is Maurice Levy, the amoral defence attorney whose brutally efficient strategy epitomises the systemic rot. Levy doesn’t contest the evidence; he exploits the very fear and loyalty binding the street hierarchy. By pressuring incarcerated underlings to shoulder full responsibility for crimes ordered by Avon and Stringer, Levy secures shockingly lenient sentences for the kingpins. Avon walks away with mere years, a temporary inconvenience in the grand scheme of the drug trade. This legal legerdemain lays bare the gulf between the letter of the law and its application, where power and manipulation, not justice, dictate outcomes.

This dynamic is tragically crystallised in the fate of D’Angelo Barksdale. Initially, D’Angelo represents a flicker of hope, a young man yearning for escape from the suffocating, violent world he inherited. His poignant declaration that he felt more free in prison than navigating the treacherous streets of Baltimore – speaks volumes about the crushing weight of the game. His tentative willingness to cooperate, seeking simply an exit, is the investigation’s most promising lead towards toppling the organisation. Yet, the system’s counter-attack is swift and devastatingly personal. Brianna Barksdale, Avon’s fiercely loyal sister (Michael Hyatt), weaponises family obligation. Her visceral appeal shatters her son's resolve, reminding him that betrayal within this world carries a death sentence far more certain than any prison term. Broken, D’Angelo recants, accepting a crushing twenty-year sentence. His final, futile act – aiding the arrest of Wee-Bey Brice – only underscores the tragedy. Wee-Bey, the organisation’s remorseless assassin, embodies the system’s absurdity: he gleefully confesses to numerous murders, including the politically sensitive killing of crime witness William Gant which he demonstrably did not commit, solely to avoid the death penalty. His casual admission of false guilt highlights how the machinery of justice incentivises lies and sacrifices truth for expediency.

Conversely, the "winners" within the justice system are the losers in professional terms. Detectives McNulty and Pearlman’s initial euphoria over the prosecutions curdles into profound disillusionment as they grasp the scale of the compromise: low-level soldiers incarcerated, kingpins minimally inconvenienced. Their desperate turn to federal authorities (FBI, DOJ) only deepens the wound, revealing a higher echelon of corruption far more interested in prosecuting political malfeasance than drug kingpins. The feds’ willingness to offer Avon and Stringer the very leniency that enrages McNulty – transforming killers into co-operators – is the ultimate betrayal of their investigative labour. The system retaliates swiftly and vindictively against those who threatened its equilibrium. McNulty is exiled to the Marine Unit, a professional Siberia, orchestrated by the vindictive Major Rawls. Lieutenant Daniels, despite his integrity, is passed over for promotion, a clear message that playing by the rules within a broken system yields no reward. The chilling irony peaks with Detective Carver’s revelation as Deputy Commissioner Burrell’s mole; the seemingly loyal officer is now elevated as Burrell’s protege, a stark illustration of how institutional self-preservation rewards betrayal over truth.

Crucially, while individuals face consequences, the world they inhabit remains utterly unchanged. The drug trade in The Pit seamlessly continues under Boadie and Poot, the relentless rhythm of the corners undisturbed by the arrests downtown. Bubbles, the tragic addict striving for redemption, succumbs once more to his demons, his relapse being hidden from his friend Kima Greggs, who lies in a hospital bed, her slow, painful recovery straining her relationship with Cheryl. The institution of the police department grinds on, indifferent to individual suffering or sacrifice. Yet, amidst the pervasive gloom, The Wire offers slivers of muted hope, characteristic of its refusal to succumb to nihilism. Herc, the previously gung-ho and reckless detective, demonstrates unexpected growth, now serving as a grounded authority figure for rookies – a small but significant evolution. Lester Freamon, the quiet genius sidelined for thirteen years, achieves a quiet triumph, returning to Homicide, his intellect finally recognised while his charm wins the heart of former stripper Shardene Innes. And in a moment of perfect, resonant fan service, creators David Simon and Ed Burns gift the final word to the series’ most iconic figure: Omar Little. His defiant declaration, "It's all in the game" as he continues his stick-ups in the Bronx, is the ultimate encapsulation of the season’s theme. The game persists, indifferent to individual fates, demanding constant adaptation.

Sentencing cemented The Wire's reputation for its "novelistic" approach, a term frequently used by critics in the early 2000s to distinguish it from the episodic, self-contained nature of traditional broadcast procedurals. This finale operates entirely as the concluding chapter of a meticulously constructed narrative arc; its power and meaning are utterly dependent on the preceding twelve episodes. References to Wee-Bey’s confessions, D’Angelo’s internal conflict, Levy’s machinations, and the intricate web of loyalties and betrayals within the task force are meaningless without deep investment. This demanded an audience willing to engage with complexity over convenience, rejecting the anthology format for a sustained, novelistic exploration. Yet, the series’ immense popularity and enduring cult status proved audiences were ready for this challenge. Sentencing functions flawlessly as the end of Season One’s self-contained story – the Barksdale case is "closed," albeit unsatisfactorily – but its true genius lies in the space it leaves open. The unresolved tensions, the unbroken cycles of the drug trade, the simmering institutional corruption, and the lingering question of whether any individual can truly escape the game, all provide fertile ground. David Simon seized this opportunity masterfully, using the bittersweet, systemic realism of Sentencing not as an ending, but as the essential foundation upon which the next four seasons would build an even more expansive, devastating, and ultimately unparalleled portrait of urban America.

RATING: 7/10 (+++)

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I am the author of the books: "A Banquet of Ashes," "Behind the Skin," "On This Side of Death," "The Natural Order of Things," "The Blood of the Marabou," "The Sixth Kansas Cavalry," "Infinite Nothingness," among others

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