Bryan Cranston, Aaron Paul and Anna Gunn in the Vince Gilligan television series ‘Breaking Bad’

Just recently I watched the neo-Western crime drama television series Breaking Bad (2008-2013). The core story of the series is how underpaid and demoralized chemistry teacher Walter White, diagnosed with an advanced stage of cancer to begin the series, teams with former student Jesse Pinkman to sell crystal meth in Albuquerque, New Mexico. Vince Gilligan created and produced the series.

(From left, Bryan Cranston as Walter White, Anna Gunn as Skyler White and RJ Mitte as Walter White, Jr. in the Vince Gilligan television series Breaking Bad).

As the series begins, Walter White lives in the family’s one-story ranch house with Skyler White, his wife, and Walter White, Jr., his son. Bryan Cranston, Anna Gunn and RJ Mitte portrayed husband, wife and son, respectively, in the series. The initial impetus for entering the drug trade for Walter White was to financially provide for his family in the face of his cancer diagnosis. The process began as a small operation with small batches, made in combination and then distributed with the aid of former student Jesse Pinkman. Aaron Paul portrayed Jesse Pinkman.

(From left, Aaron Paul as Jesse Pinkman and Krysten Ritter as Jane Margolis in the Vince Gilligan television series Breaking Bad).

Comedic dysfunction ensued in the relationship for Pinkman and his former teacher in getting their business off the ground. Distribution is an initial consideration, with issues in manufacturing and distribution, with the engagement of Krazy-8, as portrayed by Max Arciniega, offering a dramatic sequence of events for the opening season. Jesse Pinkman’s strained relationship with his parents, as portrayed by Michael Bofshever and Tess Harper, added some depth to this storyline. Sharing Walt’s cancer diagnosis to Skyler’s sister Marie Schrader and DEA agent brother-in-law, Hank Schrader, introduced some of Walter’s extended family. Dean Norris and Betsy Brandt portrayed Hank and Marie, respectively.

(From left, Dean Norris as Hank Schrader and Betsy Brandt as Marie Schrader in the Vince Gilligan television series Breaking Bad).

The second season plants the fodder for the larger narrative for where the five seasons of Breaking Bad will go. Introducing Tuco Salamanca, as portrayed by Raymond Cruz, at first introduces an element of realism and risk for what the illegal meth business means. Keeping the notion separate from family, with the introductions of mortal risk alongside a love interest for Jesse with Jane Margolis, demonstrating complexity on the front that is only the tip of the iceberg. Krysten Ritter and John de Lancie portray Jane Margolis and her father, Donald Margolis, respectively. The recreational vehicle and meth lab for Walt and Jesse, in their own ways, bring problems between Jesse and his parents, Hank Schrader and the criminal enterprise, and familial ties that aren’t readily apparent at this of the story. The season really ends with a bang.

(From left, Matt Jones as Brandon ‘Badger’ Mayhew, Rodney Rush as Christian ‘Combo’ Ortega, Charles Baker as Skinny Pete and Bryan Cranston as Walter White in the Vince Gilligan television series Breaking Bad).

Season three introduces many elements of fallout from the second season, including introductions to relatives of Tuco Salamanca through Saul Goodman. Bob Odenkirk, Mark Margolis, Daniel Moncada and Luis Moncada portrayed Saul Goodman, Hector Salamanca, Marco Salamanca and Leonel Salamanca, respectively. Goodman also brings Mike Ehrmantraut into the relationship of Walter and Skyler White, with an aim to protect the criminal enterprise that Jesse and Walter. Walter White and Jesse Pinkman had brought Goodman into their enterprise in what was to become a growing crystal meth operation. It’s through Ehrmantraut, as portrayed by Jonathan Banks, that we are introduced to chicken manufacturer Gustavo ‘Gus’ Fring of Chile and his industrial strength crystal meth manufacturing plant. Giancarlo Esposito portrayed Fring.

(From left, Jonathan Banks as Mike Ehrmantraut and Bob Odenkirk as Saul Goodman in the Vince Gilligan television series Breaking Bad).

The backstory of the industrial plant takes the audience into the past crystal meth manufacturing ambitions of Gus Freng. This history shows a longstanding relationship between Fring and Hector Salamanca, culminating in the manufacturing storyline under the laundromat. Dynamic interpersonal dynamics become exceedingly more complex from this past, and with the cook who assembled the plant the parts for the plan in the first place, Gale Boetticher. David Costabile portrayed Boetticher, whose overall story leads to the fulfillment of many storylines for Breaking Bad.

(From left, Mark Margolis as Hector Salamanca and Giancarlo Esposito as Gustavo ‘Gus’ Fring in the Vince Gilligan television series Breaking Bad).

The Salamanca storyline around vengeance for Tuco runs contemporaneous to the laundromat, the introduction to Gus’ ambition, and explaining to outward appearances for the ability to afford Walter White’s cancer treatments. We meet the character Ted Beneke, a creep from Skyler’s past portrayed by Christopher Cousins. Meanwhile, we dynamics with Jesse’s distribution ring leads to troubles for Christian ‘Combo’ Ortega, as portrayed by Rodney Rush. The fallout of this leads to significant issues for Walter and Jesse with Mike Ehrmantraut and Gus Fring, with the relationship that Jesse has cultivated with Andrea Cantillo and her son, Brock Cantillo, on Jesse’s mind. Emily Rios and Ian Posada portrayed Andrea Cantillo and Brock Cantillo, respectively.

(From left, Christopher Cousins as Ted Beneke, David Costabile as Gale Boetticher and Emily Rios as Andrea Cantillo in the Vince Gilligan television series Breaking Bad).

The third and fourth seasons of Breaking Bad were among the best I’ve seen in a television series. The trajectory for so many relationships along with the development of the histories that informed so much of the motivation for characters were tremendous. That we truly began to see the true nature of who series long characters were during this timeframe. The stepping up of ways that DEA agent Hank Schrader continued not knowing that his brother-in-law was in drugs, as prolonged as could be possible with some ingenious interventions, were artfully done. This said, the sharing for how the stories of so many characters worked themselves out by the fourth season, and through some tying of loose ends with the fifth season, made the fifth season feel a bit anti-climactic at points for me. The introduction of Holly White was an interesting touch along the way, which served purposes for the relations between Walter and Skyler White, Hank and Marie Schrader, and between the Schraders and the Whites.

(From left, Jesse Plemons as Todd Alquist and Laura Fraser as Lydia Rodarte-Quayle in the Vince Gilligan television series Breaking Bad).

The storylines for the fifth and final season of Breaking Bad introduced needs to bring resolution to relationships with questions unresolved. Would members of the cast continue with the criminal enterprise? Would folks get caught? Would Hank catch the criminal that he’d been after since the beginning of the series. These questions are answered with clarity and depth, though the true emotional impact for some of these questions rested earlier in the series. The functions of Todd Alquist and Lydia Rodarte-Quayle became necessary, though these characters didn’t get the screen time to resonate as completely as others, including Brandon ‘Badger’ Mayhew and as Skinny Pete. The discrete closure for specific characters, and how things were left open for our imaginations for some characters, was an interesting choice. That this led the Better Call Saul (2015-2022) television series as well as the El Camino: A Breaking Bad Movie (2019) movie occurred, due to this, in my opinion. Matt Jones, Charles Baker, Jesse Plemons and Laura Fraser portrayed Mayhew, Skinny Pete, Alquist and Rodarte-Quayle, respectively.

(From left, director Vince Gilligan and actor Aaron Paul preparing for a scene for the Vince Gilligan television series Breaking Bad).

The overall experience of the Breaking Bad television series was entertaining. There are definitely parts of the movie that explored the motivations for who characters were, with the end result being a clear speaking to the full character that was Walter White. I give Breaking Bad as produced by Vince Gilligan 4.75-stars on a scale of 1-to-5.

Matt – Wednesday, August 10, 2022

James Mason, Shelley Winters, Peter Sellers and the Stanley Kubrick movie ‘Lolita’

It was nearly four years ago that Matt Lynn Digital reviewed the Vladimir Nabokov book Lolita. It was in the time of movie censorship over erotic content in the United States that Stanley Kubrick offered the movie Lolita (1962), a film whose genres range from crime to drama to romance to comedy. Rightly defining the end result remains difficult. The psychological elements of criminally erotic motivations are clear in the film, clearer in the book, and noted in the beginning for this movie review.

(From left, James Mason as Humbert ‘Hum’ Humbert and Sue Lyon as Dolores ‘Lolita’ Haze in the Stanley Kubrick movie Lolita).

Lolita begins as a movie not with the central focus on the relationship between Humbert ‘Hum’ Humbert and Dolores ‘Lolita’ Haze, as portrayed respectively by James Mason and Sue Lyon. Instead we are introduced at first to Humbert ‘Hum’ Humbert shooting Clare Quilty, who was drunk, incoherent, and playing a piano. The scene occurs near the end of a four year span covered by the movie. Peter Sellers portrayed Clare Quilty.

(From left, Peter Sellers as Clare Quilty and Shelley Winters as Charlotte Haze-Humbert in the Stanley Kubrick movie Lolita).

The film then takes the audience to the beginning of the story. Humbert comes to the fictitious town of Ramsdale, New Hampshire to spend the summer prior to teaching at fictional Beardsley College, Ohio. Humbert seeks a place to stay, and comes a room offered by Charlotte Haze, a widow seeking companionship from a male suitor. Humbert at first rejects the accommodations, that is until 14-year-old Dolores ‘Lolita’ Haze is realized the live in the same house where Humbert would stay. Humbert decides to take the room.

(From left, Marianne Stone as Vivian Darkbloom, Peter Sellers as Clare Quilty and James B. Harris as Jack Brewster in the Stanley Kubrick movie Lolita).

A love triangle of sorts commences, with Charlotte Haze-Humbert at first having not been being married to Humbert ‘Hum” Humbert. Charlotte, as portrayed by Shelley Winters, pursues the bachelor professor with zest. To this end, Charlotte sends Dolores, or Lolita as Humbert takes to thinking of her, to an all-girl camp for the summer. As Charlotte takes Dolores to camp, Charlotte’s made presents Humbert with a letter declaring Charlotte’s love for Humbert and demanding that he vacate his room unless he feels as Charlotte does. Humbert laughs while reading the letter, yet agrees to marry Dolores’ mother.

(From left, Sue Lyon as Dolores ‘Lolita’ Haze, James Mason as Humbert ‘Hum’ Humbert and Shelley Winters as Charlotte Haze-Humbert in the Stanley Kubrick movie Lolita).

Humbert becomes withdrawn in the immediate aftermath of the marriage. This is demonstrated in a dance attended by Clare Quilty, Vivian Darkbloom, and Jack Brewster, wherein Humbert does much to refuse interest in reciprocating feelings Charlotte has for him. Marianne Stone portrayed Darkbloom, whereas James B. Harris portrayed Brewster. Quilty, Darkbloom and Brewster all note the frigidness between Charlotte and Humbert. With Humbert’s true love interest at camp, he takes to expressing his strong feelings for Dolores and his severe feelings about Charlotte in a diary.

(From left, director Stanley Kubrick and actress Sue Lyon on set for the Stanley Kubrick movie Lolita).

The discovery of the diary by Charlotte led to respond with pain and hurt. Charlotte’s acts severely, leading to an accident in the street that kills her. Humbert picks Dolores up from Camp Climax, and the two aim to spend the night at a hotel with an overflow of police officers that force the two to share a single room. A man makes advances on Humbert as Dolores, aka Lolita, sleeps in the room. Later, Lolita introduces Humbert to a “game” she learned at camp, wherein the clearest expression of an erotic encounter between Lolita and Humbert is expressed. The story progresses from there, with the basis for Quilty and Humbert dispute that centered on Lolita coming to the forefront.

(From left, Sue Lyon as Dolores ‘Lolita’ Haze and James Mason as Humbert ‘Hum’ Humbert in the Stanley Kubrick movie Lolita).

The movie’s conclusion for Lolita largely brings the book’s conclusion for Lolita to bear, largely offering the clear suggestions of largely alarming and inappropriate motivations from many adults toward one another and toward a child through the course of the story. Much of the psychological drama of the film comes through, along with some truly dark humor of an erotic nature expressed throughout. With the storytelling constraints in play, my feeling is that Stanley Kubrick did remarkably well with the Lolita story. It is with this background that I give Lolita 3.75-stars on a scale of 1-to-5.

Matt – Saturday, September 18, 2021