Kaka

Too bad Motherless Brooklyn isn't as solid and dense technically as it is in terms of story, acting, and narrative value. Norton plays the outsider well, but Alec Baldwin is superb as an ambiguous character who fits the parameters of an exceptional villain who isn't really a villain. It is remarkably easy to identify with his views, attitudes and motivations. Thus, Norton avoids a one-dimensional retro style gangster tale of good guys and bad guys, and systematically and coherently puts together a conspiratorial little gangster, little drama, little dense procedural about a battle for the future of a big city. It's a great shame that he can't manage a better visual aesthetic, because the film looks like a terrible TV movie at times.

A film that pulsates thanks to the charisma and sex appeal of Jennifer Lopez, who completely dominates not only in the dance scenes, but also with her riveting drive and pull in virtually any situation. You can feel her immeasurable vitality, zest for life and joy in what she does, the triple threat of music, film and dance. It is easy to argue about the juiciness of the script and some unnecessary passages (the Asian grandmother, Cardi B), but at the same time, apart from the main star, Hustlers describes the operation of a strip club in a very unobtrusive without any of the basic clichés, and at times flies past the main characters with an almost documentary-like camera. It doesn't have much of a narrative value, except for the working slogan "you mustn't steal", but it's hard not to root for these quite likeable cats and a trip to the bar with them is actually quite nice. And with the credit car safe at home by the TV, it’s very watchable.

The promised battle for Norway didn’t work out, it was cluttered, stilted and unnecessarily full of annoying, sometimes surreal flashbacks. The creators, incapable of putting together a proper battle, limit themselves to mindlessly hacking infantrymen with the swords and axes of the main characters. Boring to watch, though of course solidly crafted, it's highlighted a bit by juicy details like a hand being amputated in the shot when Lagertha walks past the wounded, etc. The question remains, when will the grand finale really happen and will the cards be shuffled?

Another trip in time. Having many weeks, if not several months, passing in two successive cuts is not exactly a good idea to speed up the saga, when it's thrice the crap it should be.

A battle that doesn't have the right ingredients or directorial skill, unfortunately. And actually, not much happens in it.

The Bishop and Ivar play chess and philosophise, while the rest are properly getting ready for the battle. Not much will happen if you skip this episode.

If this episode has any flaws, it’s the way they play with time. In other words, it looks as if everyone travelled from one place to the other at supersonic speed. GoT had the same issue, but here it was is pronounced.

Another egregious carnage, which is again embellished with mini-stories (a warrior with a hammer) that give it an even more intense character. This episode probably has the best action so far, and the popularity of the series and its generous budget are finally starting to show. Floki is considerably off, but well acted.

A low-end Kingdom of Heaven.

The second Battle of York is thankfully a different cup of tea, and it is certainly one of the most impressive of the series ever. The highlight is the demonic Ivar, who looks like an outcast from hell. The best episode of the fifth season so far, which overall feels brisker than the previous one. We’ll see what happens.