Moonlight Review

When you arrive a little late to a party that everyone has gone out of their way to hype as extraordinary, it's difficult to not be at least a bit concerned that it might be a let down. It seemed like a day didn't go by without someone new I spoke with seeing and praising the critically acclaimed Oscar contender Moonlight, directed by Barry Jenkins, and I was dreading a picture that would be crushed by its own weight, or at least the weight I put on it through building expectations.

The phrase "turn your brain off" is used quite often in regards to viewing both cinema and television, usually referring to content one might find fun as long as they don't think too hard about it, because with each thought a poor performance or a plot hole will rear its ugly head and bring the experience down a notch. So when I say I had to turn my brain off before taking my seat to finally see Moonlight, don't misunderstand me and believe I mean it in the same realm as watching a Transformers sequel. I simply had to turn off the part of it that held all of that noise, all of those voices heaping praise and bouquets at the film while I could only wonder why and when I would find out for myself.

It's easier said than done, blocking out the noise, but looking back upon my viewing experience of Moonlight, I really did it. I don't recall ever thinking about what others had said or the awards it had won or what it could win in the future. I was swept up almost instantly by the grace of the film, the tender way it approached the heavy subject matter of a boy becoming a man, always trying to find himself while feeling lost in a world that will not accept him for who he is. He won't accept it himself, and you could feel the internal struggle from all three actors that brilliantly portray Chiron.

When the film starts, he isn't Chiron just yet. It's his legal name, sure, but when we first meet him he's a young boy who goes by the name "Little", played by Alex Hibbert. "Little" is growing up in the 1980's and we are introduced to him as he is being chased by a group of bullies. We don't know why and we don't need to, as Jenkins is establishing what this young man is going through without having to say a word. He finds safety in the form of an abandoned motel, and he is discovered there by Juan (Mahershala Ali), a local crack dealer. When "Little" is asked where he lives, he won't answer. In fact he won't say a word, so Juan takes him home to be with him and his girlfriend to make sure he is safe. After being fed and told he can spend the night, "Little" starts to speak, and the following day Juan brings "Little" home to his emotionally abusive, addict mother Paula (Naomie Harris).

The entire film is masterful but the first scene that made me swoon happens during the "Little" first act of Moonlight, a scene in which Juan takes "Little" to a beach, teaches him how to swim and has a superbly written conversation with the young boy about figuring out who he is and making his own path through life. It's the moment I realized that what I was witnessing was truly an eloquent, tender, beautiful picture, one that wouldn't need to manipulate or pander in order to make me feel something. Nothing after this moment proved this realization wrong.

Moonlight is split into three acts, each named after Chiron representing different stages of his life, "Little", "Chiron" and "Black". The second, "Chiron", takes place during his teenage years (Chiron now played by Ashton Sanders) and the bullying is still plaguing his life, only now he can't outrun them and hide with one classmate Terrel (Patrick Decile) being the main facilitator of the harassment. Chiron's only friend being the same one he had as a young boy, Kevin (played by Jaden Piner, Jharrel Jerome and Andre Holland throughout the film) whom he shares his first sexual experience with one night on the beach together. We learn during the third act called "Black" which follows Chiron (now Trevante Rhodes) as an adult that that night, along with what happens the very next day had a profound impact on his life.

Not one word of what I was told before I had seen Moonlight turned out to be false or hyperbolic. It's incredible cinema, directed with such a precise focus and artful sense of emotion and humanity, photographed by James Laxton whom will almost certainly be nominated for an Oscar for his work, written by Barry Jenkins based on a play by Tarell Alvin McCraney called In Moonlight Black Boys Look Blue,  performed across the board by actors that clearly had a passion to work with Jenkins and the material he provided them. Moonlight is what it looks like when artists tell a story to the best of their abilities and everything, and I do mean EVERYTHING, comes together, and after the unforgettable final shot of the film left the screen, I literally said "wow" aloud, quietly to myself. Moonlight is a wow kinda film.



5/5

The Small Screen: Taboo Episode 1 "Shovels and Keys"

Tonight on FX, the brand new miniseries Taboo from creators Chips Hardy, Steven Knight and Tom Hardy (who also stars) debuted. The series follows James Keziah Delaney (Hardy), a man who has returned to London in 1814 after being away and presumed dead for 10 years. The reason for his return is the death of his father and his desire for vengeance, and upon his return he learns he has inherited the family shipping empire.

Some brief thoughts about the premiere:

- The show will certainly not work for some on a tonal level, being that it is a dark and rather morose episode, but it is absolutely right up my alley.

- Are you a fan of Tom Hardy? If so, you will love him here. His character feels like a blend of others he has played before, an imposing figure like Bane in The Dark Knight Rises, fitting into an 1800's setting like his Oscar nominated performance in The Revenant, and a bit of the wonderful crazy that shined in Nicolas Winding Refn's Bronson.

- While not an action packed nor a typically "exciting" start, this first episode is well written and excellently performed, and typically a premiere is meant to set the table for the rest of the season.

-  I absolutely love the dark, shadowy aesthetic of the show, and it is beautifully photographed by Mark Patten. The preview of what's to come during the rest of the season showcases that this will not change, with so many gorgeous shots.

- The second billed star of the show is actress Oona Chaplin, granddaughter of the iconic and incredible silent film star Charlie Chaplin. Just a fun nugget.

- While I am a huge fan of binge watching a series of Netflix with their dumping all episodes of a season at once release format, I will say there is something fun about the traditional weekly installments. The tease of wanting to see what will happen next but having to wait a week, having something to look forward to and knowing that a new show will take 8 or more weeks to get through rather than being a lazy Sunday away from being completely done with it reminds me of being a kid and I would count down the days until the next new X-Files episode.

Count me in for the limited run of Taboo. It wasn't a perfect premiere and I am not sure this specific episode will prove to be very memorable, but I can't shake the notion that we will see something special going forward.



Episode Grade: B-

Always Shine Review

"It's a woman's birthright to be attractive and charming, in a sense, it is her duty...She is the bowl of flowers on the table of life." - John Robert Powers

The opening frame of the film is that quote, and after doing literally no research in advance of watching Always Shine, I instantly wondered what I was in store for. 

A tremendous, unnerving, cold slice of a dark thriller with a whole lot to say, as it turns out.

The very next shot after the quote is a close-up of a screaming woman, begging for her life. Her name is Beth (Caitlin FitzGerald), but don't be alarmed for she is only auditioning for a role in a film. The camera looms on her face and we are subjected to her being forced to react and stay composed as the men creating the picture speak of their expectations if she is to get the part. Extensive nudity is demanded, and if she isn't comfortable with that she better not waste their time. "Don't worry, sweatheart. We'll make sure you look beautiful.", says the disgustingly patronizing voice of one of the men. I cringed watching Beth try not to do the same.

Next is a close-up of Anna (Mackenzie Davis) seemingly also at an audition, demanding an explanation as to why a repair was done to her car without her permission. The camera lingers solely on her face much like it did with Beth, only this time instead of feeling objectified and horrified for the way the men are speaking to her, Anna won't be pushed around. When the camera finally pulls back, we see this isn't an audition but rather real life. Also an actress but minus the success, Anna pays only for the repairs she authorized, broke and struggling to make any income off of her passion.

Beth and Anna are best friends, although their relationship is clearly strained, quite possibly because of their similar career goals yet differing paths to meeting them thus far. They decide to go on a trip together to Big Sur, and on the way up Beth is recognized by a fan who requests a picture, handing Anna the camera to take it. We see the jealousy, the resentment that comes with success and failure between close friends, and it only adds fuel to the fire when Anna discovers a magazine featuring Beth in its Young Hollywood edition.

Between this film and the Black Mirror masterpiece of an episode "San Junipero", Mackenzie Davis went from not even on my radar to being at the top of any sort of people to watch list, playing the Anna role with perfection, with even just the most subtle facial expression and mannerism making a frame more uncomfortable yet I was never truly scared of her. In fact I was always empathetic, which I think was the intended goal of writer Lawrence Michael Levine and director Sophia Takal. Sure, some will find the ill-will towards her successful friend misguided but I don't think the character is meant to be torn down but rather the culture of the business itself, ironically the very one required in order to make a film like Always Shine happen in the first place. I was reminded of the themes of The Neon Demon while watching this movie, the criticism of the modeling industry and the way it pits young women against each other to the point that it almost feels abusive. I would imagine when it comes to getting their foot in the door, acting is quite similar.

Now that I am thinking about it, The Neon Demon and Always Shine will make one hell of a double feature. I will put that on my absolutely needs to happen list.

Davis isn't the only star here, with Caitlin FitzGerald playing off of her as the one finding success but doing so sheepishly, afraid of offending her friend to the point where her quiet nature and forced modesty are, ironically, offensive. It's expert casting on display, putting these two actresses on the screen together and allowing them to play characters that clash perfectly, essential to making Always Shine work. That, along with the incredible direction from Takal who clearly gets how to expertly build tension and utilize tone, are what elevates what could have been merely just another good film to greatness. There is one scene in particular in which Beth is on the phone with her boyfriend and the camera frantically follows her back and forth as she paces that will prove to be unforgettable. I was quite literally nervous the entire sequence, and even if we see the pay off coming, not knowing when proves to be plenty to make our skin crawl.

Always Shine is one of the best surprises of 2016, an absolute winner that was difficult to even get made due to working with such a tiny budget. The film required a Kickstarter campaign to gather the funds just to be able to finish post-production, and I am so glad it did. Sign me up to contribute the next time Sophia Takal needs a little help completing such an accomplished piece of cinema.

4.5/5

A Monster Calls Review

When I was a kid, I only associated death with being old. I would hear stories from either my parents lips or the news of a tragedy blaring through the speakers of the television, but none of it would resonate with me. Sometimes I am jealous of that version of me, the one who wasn't scared of anything because even if I didn't consciously think in these terms, I know now that I thought I was invincible.

I don't remember the exact moment this changed. I recall in middle school a murder-suicide happened in my town, a father taking the lives of his wife and children before turning the gun on himself. They named a little league baseball field after the young boy to honor his memory, and I still remember staring at the new sign and the finality of it all sinking in. I remember trying to understand how a dad could do that. I remember being plagued by the thought that that little boy and his sister were probably terrified before their lives were cut so painfully short. Maybe that's when I stopped feeling invincible, when I acknowledged that we are not guaranteed any set number of years. We aren't even guaranteed tomorrow. I remember having a nightmare about a baseball field named after me.

There was a time when my own mortality was the most horrifying thought I could have. That changed when I had a daughter. I never understood fear until I had to be afraid for her safety. Suddenly the world that I once felt invincible living in seemed so scary, with a new and unthinkable danger around every corner. Everyone talks about nonsense like changing diapers and not getting enough sleep at night, but that stuff is so trivial and easy. The first time I truly felt like a parent was when I had to let go, even just a little. When she was invited to play at the neighbor's house and she walked through their door and I didn't follow. When I dropped her off at school and had to trust that the people inside that building would keep her safe, that she would run out of those doors hours later and give me a hug and tell me what she had learned and whether or not she made new friends.

When I read the novel A Monster Calls by Patrick Ness, I ran through the first half of the book at home one night and I brought it with me to work the next day to finish it. As the words printed on those final few pages began to seep into my brain, I can still remember the tears falling from my eyes, sitting at my desk with colleagues sitting nearby. This was especially memorable because I had never really been moved by literature before. I am frequently emotional while watching films, easily broken down by the artistry of visual storytelling, but even when dealing with the saddest material imaginable, reading never could get me there until I lost myself in the tragic devastation of A Monster Calls. 

Ness adapted his own novel into the screenplay for the new film from J.A. Bayona whom previously directed movies like The Orphanage and The Impossible, and the cinematic version of A Monster Calls does not disappoint, earning those very same tears all over again through terrific performances from talented child actor Lewis MacDougall, Felicity Jones and Sigourney Weaver, along with an essential vocal performance from Liam Neeson. The story revolves around a young boy named Conor (MacDougall) who is forced to cope with the circumstances around him, a mother (Jones) battling cancer and facing the prospects of having to move in with his grandmother (Weaver) whom he has never quite bonded with. One night when the clock flips to 12:07, a giant tree monster (Neeson) appears and begins speaking with Conor, informing him that he will tell him three stories, and after he is done the fourth story will come from Conor himself, a story revealing his truth, the dark secret he keeps locked up inside but needs to get out if he is ever to properly deal with his grief. Bayona is a master of storytelling on a visual level, frame after frame beautifully composed and the decision to feature mini segments of animation to portray the stories told by the monster added a welcome colorful flare. Ness wrote a beautiful, unforgettable novel and Bayona was a terrific choice to make sure it translated naturally utilizing the possibilities of cinema.

The concept of mortality haunts every inch of A Monster Calls, and as I both read the novel and watched the film I couldn't shake the reminder that nothing is guaranteed, a lesson I learned so long ago, derived from an incomprehensible tragedy. What if something happens to either myself, my wife or both of us? I hope to be there for that beautiful little 9 year old girl for as long as it's humanly possible, but just in case she needs it, I hope she has a monster by her side to grieve with and show her how to be brave.



4.5/5

10 Best TV Series of 2016

I move into 2017 with a goal to increase the amount I write about television throughout the year, and I recently published my list of my favorite episodes of 2016 (list can be found here). One more list in regards to last year feels necessary, that of course being my favorite shows of the year, and then the page will turn to a new year full of more television options than ever before, with web series, streaming services and pretty much every cable network imaginable getting into the original content game.

I will probably be able to expand this into a top 20 come next year at this time, but for last year I watched just enough good shows to do it but it wouldn't feel right. A bit of a stretch making a top 20 list if you watch roughly 30 shows total.

My favorite shows of 2016:

10. Black Mirror

The British series Black Mirror aired its first two seasons on Channel 4 before the third season moved to Netflix, and the 6 new episodes debuted in 2016. One of them, "San Junipero", was at the top of my list for best single episodes, an installment that I watched twice over the course of 12 hours and have not stopped thinking about since. The reason the show itself ranks at the bottom of my top ten is because it's all good, really good in fact, but none of the other five episodes resonated the way "San Junipero" did. None are bad either though, there isn't a single total misfire in the bunch, so I still give the show as a whole a confident recommendation, but at the end of the day I am left not thinking about the whole package but rather one brilliant part. Even at its worst though, Black Mirror is still an entertaining, crazy science fiction experience that never loses it's edge, and the anthology aspect of storytelling lends itself to letting creative minds craft really fascinating short films. 

9. This is Us

Okay I have to be honest here: my wife was a lot more confident that this freshman network drama would be a good show than I was. I didn't doubt it would have its merits based on the trailer, but I was concerned that the obviously sticky, syrupy aspects of the family-based stories would be too melodramatic and make me cringe. I am all for a bit of that stuff with my television experience, but typically that would be the type of thing that would keep it off any best of list I might make. This is Us completely proved me wrong thanks to really smart writing from creator Dan Fogelman and others and great performances, must notably from Mandy Moore and Sterling K. Brown, fresh off his multiple award wins for his portrayal of Christopher Darden in The People v. O.J. Simpson: American Crime Story (and you might be seeing something about that show shortly on this list). Ten episodes in and these characters and their relationships have not lost a thing, and the way the show is edited to flow between two completely different eras seamlessly is a treasure. 

8. The People v. O.J. Simpson: American Crime Story

I have to wonder if this series would be even higher on my list had I not already seen the incredible 7 and a half hour documentary O.J.: Made in America prior to watching, because I learned so much from that film that made some revelations on the show far less explosive. Regardless, The People v. O.J. Simpson: American Crime Story does basically everything right aside from some silly things early on where creator Ryan Murphy just had to toss in cute little Kardashian jokes because of the fame the family has achieved since father Robert served on O.J.'s lawyer dream team. Performances are incredible, the drama works despite knowing exactly how the case plays out, and for those who did not see O.J.: Made in America, there will be a lot to chew on regarding how race and media manipulation played such huge roles in the acquittal of a man who almost certainly committed the crime.

7. House of Cards

Four years into House of Cards and it has not lost any of its luster with me, and given the political landscape that we witnessed in 2016, does the show really feel that silly and/or unrealistic anymore? I actually found the fourth season to be a major bounce back from the slight let down that was season three. Despite my love for all things Underwood, I do hope the show has a plan in place to wrap itself up soon with a great ending rather than overplay their hands for multiple more years and lose steam. The upcoming season five or a season six at the absolute most should close it out, and I can't wait to see how they do it.

6. Atlanta

I had seen Donald Glover in a few things, but his comedic genius was completely lost on me until I witnessed his very personal, unique television series Atlanta when it debuted on FX in 2016. Every episode seemed to play by its own rules, and I admire FX for the way they let their showrunners actually run the show however they see fit rather than loom over them with suggestions and concerns about pandering to an audience. This level of hands-off collaboration was first apparent to me with the show Louie and it certainly continued on with Atlanta, a funny, insightful, smart and at times surreal new series that has been recognized already with some well deserved awards, and I can safely assume more are on the way.

5. Horace and Pete

A web series that initially could only be found on Louis C.K.'s website early in 2016 (it is now available to stream on Hulu), don't expect big laughs from this one despite the creator and top-billed star being a comedian. The series in its entirety plays like a really tragic play, utilizing minimalist set pieces and dialogue driven sequences to deliver its emotional moments and themes. Horace and Pete was one of the smoothest and most moving binge watch sessions I had last year, watching all 10 episodes over the course of two days. Whatever C.K. does next, I hope he brings as much passion to it as he did here.

4. The Night Of

Sure, this HBO miniseries may have ended on a note that didn't really feel as strong as it should have, but I said the same thing about The Night Of that I did after the first season of True Detective: how would you have ended it? What I mean is, when a show is this great and only tells its story over the course of 8 episodes, it's really a challenge to deliver an ending that packs enough of a wallop to feel worthy of everything that came before it. The Night Of, created by Richard Price and Steve Zaillian, is masterful when it was at its best, and the first episode titled "The Beach", which I ranked as my #2 of the year behind only the previously discussed "San Junipero", is just that.

3. Stranger Things

The third and final appearance of a Netflix Original on this list, Stranger Things is a show designed to invoke a nostalgic feeling in its viewers who loved an era of storytelling found in the 1980's. My goodness does it work, but it shouldn't be dismissed as being nothing more than a warm blanket to those looking to live in the past. Stranger Things is like an amalgamation of the work of Steven Spielberg and Stephen King and it never misses a beat, helped by great writing and direction, a terrific musical score and a terrific cast of young actors.

2. Game of Thrones

It's pretty remarkable how not only has Game of Thrones not lost any of what has made it great for years now, but it got even bigger and better during it's 6th outstanding season, featuring a few of it's most memorable episodes yet (two of which made my ten best list). I mean, what really needs to be said about this show at this point. If you aren't watching it yet, you probably have little interest to, and if you are you already know what happens and how epic it was. With only two shortened seasons to go before the show signs off, I am happy that Game of Thrones will be going out on its own terms at the top of its game.

1. Mr. Robot

I know it's a cliche at this point, but seriously, there is nothing else quite like Mr. Robot on television. It's a remarkable, bizarre, wonderful series that just gets better and better, with a lead performance from Rami Malek that deserves every award he can possibly win for it. It's not only great acting, it's essential, to portray a character like Elliot Alderson with such brilliance and dedication to nailing every bit of nuance needed to make it work. Creator Sam Esmail delivers amazing episodes weekly and I am already checking the calendar wondering when I can sink my teeth into a third season, and word is he is going to adapt the incredible silent film classic Metropolis into a modern re-imagined miniseries? Holy lord I'm in. Sign me the hell up, and if you haven't seen Mr. Robot yet (ratings suggest you haven't), stream it to catch up. Just an incredible piece of storytelling, the best on television.

La La Land Review

As I was sitting there in the second row, looking up at that giant screen, I was lost in wonder. A gentleman sitting near me stood up and moved past and for a split second out of the corner of my eye I saw he was looking at me. It occurred to me how dumb I probably looked, a grown man of 32 years grinning like a child as the light of the film danced through the theater, but it flowed in and out of my mind so quickly I barely skipped a beat. A deservedly fleeting concern.

I go see a lot of films at the cinema and it's always exciting, but an experience like this only happens a few times each year at most. Last year it was Mad Max: Fury Road and Star Wars: The Force Awakens. The year prior it was really only Boyhood. It's not that there aren't a bunch of other great films from those years, it's that not all greatness is created equal and boiling down exactly what I mean by that is challenging. It's more than just assigning a score or letter grade to every aspect of what goes into filmmaking. It's something you feel sitting there as the light of the screen dances across your face, lost in wonder, grinning like a child.

32. I'm starting to feel like I am entering that age range where I'm not really old nor am I young, and I know plenty of people who would read that and immediately think I am crazy because any number in the 30's is still young, but I don't feel like it like I once did. Truthfully though, how we view age is so reliant on perspective. When I was a kid and my Chicago Cubs addiction was beginning to flourish, the players on the team felt larger than life. Even the youngest players were grown men that towered above me, and being like them one day felt impossible. Now, coming off their first World Series title in 108 years, their opening day starting lineup in 2017 will feature only one person older than me, and that's based on the notion that Ben Zobrist will be in there that day which isn't a guarantee. For the first time in my life, watching my favorite sports team makes me feel old.

The other day I revisited Whiplash, the 2014 film written and directed by Damien Chazelle. It's a great film elevated to a higher level of excellence by a thrilling, pitch-perfect final sequence that is so sublimely directed and edited, it feels like the work of a cinematic master. I went to sleep shortly after the movie ended, woke up and went to the theater to see La La Land, the new film by Chazelle and somehow it managed to be even better than Whiplash in every conceivable way, including the ending which is really saying something. La La Land is one of those films for me, this year's Fury Road or Boyhood, the type of masterful work that comes together in such a special way I can't help but get lost in wonder. I can't help but grin like a child and drown myself in the magic of movies.

Damien Chazelle is going to be 32 years old in a couple of weeks, and for the next few months we will share the same age. When a baseball player reaches 32, he is believed to be exiting his prime years. It's typically downhill from there. Baseball makes 32 seem old. For a writer/director to be only 32 and already have created Whiplash and La La Land, it's remarkable. It's incredible. It's hard to believe. I look at his age and it feels like we have decades ahead of us to experience and appreciate what he is capable of as a storyteller, and I can't help but wonder if we still haven't seen the best of what Chazelle can deliver. Whiplash feels like an adrenaline rush and La La Land makes me want to get up and dance, but cautiously because I don't want to faint as I fall in love with the music and the magical movements of Ryan Gosling and Emma Stone. After one viewing, I'm totally in love and I fell hard. I have been humming "City of Stars" since I walked out of the theater and I don't want to stop.

Damien Chazelle and his movies make me feel young.

La La Land tells the story of Mia (Emma Stone) and Sebastian (Ryan Gosling), a couple of dreamers who dare to dream big. For her it's acting, and she tries to stay focused on her goals despite audition after audition that end poorly. For him it's jazz, the goal to keep his love for the music alive by opening his own club where he will play the style he has cherished forever rather than be forced to adapt to modern sensibilities. La La Land is a musical that borrows from the past but never feels weighed down by it, a completely original and magnificent piece of cinema that always feels romantic and not solely due to the blossoming relationship between Mia and Sebastian on screen. It's a love story and also a love letter to what makes a musical great, starting with an opening number titled "Another Day of Sun" staged during a traffic jam on a sun soaked freeway, a delightful long-take beginning full of color and perfect choreography. We are only minutes into the picture and have yet to even meet the main characters but a smile was already plastered across my face, and the crazy thing is it only gets better from there.

The story unfolds seasonally, but regardless of if it's winter, spring, summer or fall, the color palettes of the production and costume design never lose their warmth, ranging from the breathtaking shot of Mia walking through some slowly falling fake snow to an homage to an iconic Singin' in the Rain set piece featuring a street lamp emitting a subtle glow as the day reaches dusk. The performances are perfect thanks to Gosling and even more so Stone, and their chemistry is essential to make La La Land work. I could see both of them up for Oscars this year, but for Gosling it would feel like recognition just to be nominated where as Stone has a chance to actually bring it home. Throw as many awards and bouquets at this immaculate film as possible. I won't complain. I certainly hope and expect to see Best Song boil down to a battle between "City of Stars" and the moving "Audition (The Fools Who Dream)", and the score by Justin Hurwitz will be bringing home the gold statue. Count on it.

Silly as it seems, at times I feel old. Damien Chazelle, La La Land, Mia and Sebastian all made me feel young again, delivering a slice of sublime entertainment that made me want to sing and dance, if only I could do either. I feel inspired to try. I feel inspired to keep trying, keep believing and keep dreaming. I have seen a lot of great films from 2016, including what is my favorite documentary of all time, but La La Land is that first truly special experience that doesn't happen often. I have learned to cherish the hell out of it when it does.



5/5

10 Best TV Episodes of 2016

As I sit here writing this on New Year's Day, I have been thinking about my goals for 2017, and not just the personal stuff like my eating habits and motivating myself to stand up and exercise every so often. One thing that is going to change in the new year is a focus on writing about both television and movies, because I have come to the realization that I spend an awful large amount of time watching really inspired, brilliant programming yet never putting any of my thoughts down about it. I dabbled in it in 2016, a few posts about shows after I had finished watching the entire season, but the plan is to expand on television thoughts and criticism far more going forward.

What I can do now though is put out a list of the single best episodes of television released in 2016, at least from what I watched. Let's face it, with all the different streaming services and networks putting out original programming these days, it's impossible to see it all, and if I didn't include your favorite shows on either this single episode list or my upcoming best shows of the year list, let me know so I can put it on my radar.

These were my ten favorite television episodes of 2016:

10. House of Cards Season 4 - "Chapter 49"

My love for House of Cards remained strong despite a weaker Season 3, at least in comparison to the first two. The fact that I didn't waiver rewarded me with an excellent fourth season, and the highlight of it for me was "Chapter 49", an explosive and absolutely riveting hour of television that centered around the Democratic National Convention. For those who initially thought that the political landscape featured in the series was too campy and absurd compared to reality, how did the 2016 presidential election season treat you? 

9. Black-ish Season 2 - "Hope"

The word sitcom almost sounds vulgar sometimes with so much lazy, recycled nonsense being broadcast over the years, so when a show like Black-ish stands above the crowd it deserves recognition. Sure, plenty of the episodes are little more than cleverly written, humorous filler for 22 minutes, but even those are good because they are, well, cleverly written and humorous. The episode "Hope" from the second season though, now that was really something special, taking place almost entirely in the living room of the Johnson family as they watch news coverage of a grand jury's decision to not indict a police officer accused of brutality against an African-American man. The dialogue is powerful, moving, sincere and so smart, flowing with honesty about how such incidents have impacted the black community. Truly an unforgettable episode.

8. Horace and Pete - "Episode 10"

Horace and Pete, now available to be streamed on Hulu, is a tragic, somber, brilliant series that plays like a stage play, driven by dialogue from characters occupying minimalist set pieces. Created by and starring Louis C.K., along with Steve Buscemi, Edie Falco and Alan Alda, I ran through the series in no time because I was addicted to the performances and the sneaky depth to everything unfolding and there is no better example of this than the events that take place during the final episode, the best of the limited series and one of the best things to be on this year. You have to watch it all to understand just how perfect of a closing episode it is, so do so. The journey is so worth it.

7. Game of Thrones Season 6 - "Battle of the Bastards"

For many I would imagine the penultimate episode of the sixth season of Game of Thrones is their favorite, and it's certainly not a poor choice. It made my list of the best things to air this year, after all, yet this will not be the only appearance from the series for me because one other episode actually managed to (barely) outdo it. "Battle of the Bastards" is incredible entertainment though, with one of the most satisfying battle sequences filmed in recent memory.  Jon Snow vs. Ramsay Bolton. We knew the day would come eventually, and it proved to be glorious. 

6. Westworld Season 1 - "The Original"

The whole of Westworld was really good, a strange and at times frustratingly baffling experience, but in the end it never rose to the level of its incredible first episode titled "The Original". Perfectly crafted and one of the most intriguing starts to a series, when this one ended I instantly wished it were on Netflix or Amazon rather than HBO so I could start the second hour immediately. Westworld proved to be flawed but admirable because of its enormous ambitions. "The Original" was that beautiful moment when the ambitions were evident but it was still possible it would achieve them all without even so much as a hiccup. 

5. Game of Thrones Season 6 - "The Winds of Winter"

When I finished watching "Battle of the Bastards", I didn't think the finale could top it. I was wrong. "The Winds of Winter" may just be the greatest thing the series has ever done, although to be fair I can barely remember a lot of the first couple of seasons at this point so perhaps I am forgetting the show's one shining moment. Not only was this episode perfectly paced and deliciously entertaining, but it leaves you wanting more. So much more. The craziest thing is knowing that the series is winding down, with 13 more episodes total before it ends. With that in mind, when we witness the final scene of "The Winds of Winter" unfold with the knowledge that the show is approaching its conclusion, it seems unbearable to know that even now as I write this we still have 6 more months before we can see what happens next. 

4. Atlanta Season 1 - "B.A.N."

Donald Glover's Atlanta is such an amazing series, with a top notch first season and the most memorable piece of the initial run is the bizarre, experimental and flat out awesome episode titled "B.A.N.", which stands for the Black American Network. Even for a show with deeper, essential themes popping up throughout, this was without a doubt the most political Glover wanted to get. What he is putting under the microscope here is that it would be ideal if, rather than immediately jumping to anger and outrage over an opinion that differs from our own, we could have a discussion to understand and appreciate where the other party was coming from. Rather than policing every little bit of speech and lighting the torches to burn those that offend you, maybe we can take a step back and ask them, why do you feel that way? 

Trust me, you have never seen anything like "B.A.N." and that's a very good thing. I deeply admire when a creative mind is willing to take risks and make a subtle but essential statement through experimentation while knowing it will rub a lot of viewers the wrong way.

3. Mr. Robot Season 2 - "eps.2.8_h1dden-pr0cess.axx"

For two years now, Mr. Robot has been one of the most exciting, fascinating and unique programs on television, with creator Sam Esmail giving us something memorable and wonderfully weird every single week. I find myself pausing the show at least once in every episode to appreciate the way Esmail frames his subjects which is unlike anything I have seen before. The highlight for me from the incredible second season was the 10th episode. although really every single moment of the show could be featured in a best of list and it would always feel right. While the entirety of this episode is immaculate, the final scene is what puts it as my favorite compared to the others, a static shot from a camera stationed across the street from a cafe. I won't go into too much detail as to ruin it for those still behind on the series, but that one scene is peak television. 

2. The Night Of - "The Beach"

Much like Westworld, the best episode of The Night Of was the first one, and "The Beach" is masterful. I loved watching all of The Night Of and spoiler alert, it will appear on my best shows of the year list as well, but it was almost impossible to create a show capable of sustaining the level of bone chilling quality that came with its first installment. "The Beach" expertly lays the groundwork for the entire season by demonstrating how many pieces of the puzzle a suspected killer leaves at a brutal crime scene, even if he isn't actually the guilty party. But if Naz didn't do it, who did? You will be left wondering exactly that and wanting so much more when "The Beach" ends, an incredibly memorable and well made episode of television.

1. Black Mirror Season 3 - "San Junipero"

There was a lot of great TV on in 2016, but the one absolute masterpiece can be found on Netflix. If you aren't familiar with the show Black Mirror, it is an anthology series with each episode being its own singular story with a beginning and end. So much of Black Mirror is terrific and insightful, all focusing in on the dark side of the advancement of technology and what makes it so great is that even if it is currently science fiction, everything seems at least slightly plausible that it could become science fact. 

"San Junipero" is an absolutely perfect hour of television, an ingenious concept brought to life with great writing, spot on performances to deliver it and a storytelling structure that makes each minute better than the last. Known for being the only episode of Black Mirror with an optimistic ending but even that is debatable if you really put the decision made by the characters under a microscope. Despite being in season 3, I had not watched a single moment of Black Mirror until this year and the binge sessions were unstoppable given how addictive the series is, and while I was catching up I was told repeatedly that "San Junipero" was the absolute peak of the show thus far. Even going in with those raised expectations, it didn't disappoint. Not even close. In fact, despite being warned, I was still blown away by what is without a doubt the single best episode of any TV I watched in 2016.