The Movie Journal

Better Call Saul: Season 1, Episode 10 "Marco" April 06, 2015 After last episode’s fast-paced nature that featured a shocking revelation, “Marco” ended the first season on a quieter, but still high note. I keep mentioning how gifted Vince Gilligan and Peter Gould are at their craft. They created characters that you could never, ever forget. Peter Gould directed this episode, and it is a work of art. He was very meticulous and patient, because this episode involved a big con that Jimmy used to do. He spent time showing how everything works. It was like Martin Scorsese directing this episode. The payoff is great, the ending is great, and now Jimmy McGill is through with taking crap from anyone. Jimmy is heartbroken over Chuck’s actions and words. He learned that Howard was not the pig he thought he was since Chuck was pulling the strings. Jimmy is now depressed with no clear plan. His bingo affairs at the elderly home is filled with bitterness. He says goodbye to...

Better Call Saul: Season 1, Episode 9 "Pimento" March 30, 2015 Better Call Saul’s ninth episode, “Pimento” is an amazing episode. It is a transitional character for Jimmy McGill. A set of events have been set in notion leading up to the reveal of Saul Goodman. This episode is exciting as it is bleak. There is an ultimate betrayal for Jimmy that broke my darn heart for him. All he wanted to do was get into his brother’s good graces using the law, but that ain’t gonna happen. If you wanted a Jimmy/Chuck teamup, you can throw that thought out of the window. Both Jimmy and Mike have some very excellent storylines-which were expertly written and directed by Thomas Schaunz. Jimmy and Chuck continue to work on the Sandpiper case, but the case is just too big for just the two of them. Their lawyers are pushing out hundreds of documents before Chuck can even review them, plus Chuck still has to deal with his illness (space blanket-lined suits, anyone?) Chuck suggests th...

Better Call Saul: Season 1, Episode 8 "RICO" March 23, 2015 How does an episode (or a series for that matter) that features so much boring law can be so enticing? This is an episode that probably has a billion law terms scattered throughout, and yet I was gripping the edge of my seat in anticipation. Gilligan and Gould really created amazing characters, didn’t they? This episode is about Jimmy’s rise into the world of law, but also about how everyone doubts him. Jimmy proves he will work his butt off to get what is needed to be done, but no one will care. Will anyone care enough that Jimmy dove into a dumpster to get the necessary paperwork? No, he probably broke the law. The cold open here broke my heart. Jimmy works in the mailroom of HMM and passed his bar exam on this third try. After expecting good news, Howard tells him they will “reassess in six months,” breaking the poor man’s heart. I felt so bad for him. But regardless of any obstacles pushed towards Jimmy, h...

Better Call Saul: Season 1, Episode 7 "Bingo" March 16, 2015 As Better Call Saul grinds itself towards the end of the first season, Vince Gilligan gave us yet another superb episode. How is a prequel series to one of the best shows on television ever is keeping up with that series? It’s just the remarkable gift that Gilligan has. The script, the acting, the music-all outstanding. Gilligan really understands the human condition as we see with James McGill in this episode. After last week’s emotional episode with Mike, the series goes back to the adventures of McGill and company. This episode is all about Jimmy and his shrewd cleverness. It’s also about how he wants to do the right thing, especially in the eyes of Kim Wexler and Chuck McGill. Bob Odenkirk is on his game this episode. In this episode “Bingo,” Jimmy has ideas of starting his law firm and taking Kim away from HMM so they can team up and practice elder law. Jimmy is already looking at offices. Kim has to ...

Better Call Saul: Season 1, Episode 6 "Five-O" March 09, 2015 “Five-O” is an amazing episode and a very important episode. It helps if you have knowledge of Breaking Bad because you will need to apply it here. In that second season, we are introduced to Mike, Saul’s cleaner. Mike instantly became a fan favorite and is essential piece for the father series. This episode, directed beautifully by Adam Bernstein, is the episode we have all been waiting for. The backstory of Mike and how he came to be. It is a haunting story with performances you’ll never forget. Mike is a former Philadelphia cop and he relocated to Albuquerque after his son, Matt was murdered. He wanted to be close to his daughter-in-law Stacee (Kerry Condon) and his granddaughter Kaylee. Mike, who possessed poor morals as a Philly cop, was partners with Matt. He said corruption is necessary to survive in the precinct, which ultimately led to Matt’s death. He later seeks revenge on these cops. Mont...

Better Call Saul: Season 1, Episode 5 "Alpine Shepherd Boy" March 02, 2015 “Alpine Shepherd Boy” is the midpoint of Better Call Saul’s first season. It’s a calm, collected, and very informative episode. The pacing is slower from previous episodes, but that’s okay because its essential for the viewers to see Jimmy McGill at practice. I also like the dynamic between Jimmy and his brother, Chuck. With Chuck in the hospital for the majority of the episode, its proven to us how much Jimmy cares for his elder brother. There are moments of hilarity, sweet lines of dialogue, great direction from Nicole Kassell, and an unsuspecting ending. After the publicity stunt Jimmy pulled, he receives voicemails from potential clients. It turns out these clients are not useful. There’s a psycho political client and there’s an inventor who is trying to invent a toilet designed…with a purpose. His last client is an older lady who wants to create a will. Kim offhand suggests to Jimmy...

Better Call Saul: Season 1, Episode 4 "Hero" Vince Gilligan is a genius! How he is able to come up with these plot points and excellent line of dialogue is either the work of a madman….or a genius. The fourth episode of the first season, “Hero” is yet another work from this Albert Einstein of television. One wouldn’t think that this prequel would ever come close to the adventures of Walter White….well I think it has. This particular episode does play down the drama and ups the comedy, but we are in for a treat. In addition to Bob Odenkirk, Michael McKean as Chuck stands out this episode. He provides many of the comedic lines, but also delivers a very tense running sequence wrapped in a space blanket. Finally, the episode shows you how clever Jimmy McGill really is, pulling off some complicated cons. The episode’s opening starts off with one of those cons Jimmy used to do against people in an alleyway. Very clever, I gotta admit. Then, we roar right back to presen...

Better Call Saul: Season 1, Episode 3 "Nacho" February 16, 2015 Well, “Nacho” is a great episode. Fans of Breaking Bad were hit-and-miss on the first two episodes because of its mandatory setup, plus they thought it was slow and boring. Not me! I thought the first two episodes of Better Call Saul , while capturing the tone of the father series but standing on its own, continues down that righteous path. This episode is engaging, tense, and has a good sense of humor. Once again, the acting remains great as always. Bob Odenkirk really kills it as Jimmy, doesn’t he? The episode is also noticeable for the teaming up of Jimmy and our favorite Mike and really giving us an insight on the show’s main female character, Kim Wexler played wonderfully by Rhea Seehorn. The episode starts off with a cold open. This show is good at those, huh? Chuck visits his brother in prison, and we learn more about Jimmy’s past this way. Flash forward to the show’s present tense. The last...

Better Call Saul: Season 1, Episode 2, "Mijo" February 09, 2015 The first season of Better Call Saul is starting off with a bang thanks to a wonderful blend of old and new characters. This episode, “Mijo” notches up the tension a level or two with the events that transpired here. Facing death in the eye, we see that Jimmy is no Walter White. Jimmy trying to bluff his away from a horrible situation is funny….and ultimately pathetic. After an episode solely designed for character building, the episode goes right into the action and excitement. I was clinging to my chair the entire first half due to everything going on. I wouldn’t think that Jimmy would be facing death in Episode 2, but this might be the moment that truly opens the door on his criminal proceedings. Also, do NOT mess with Tuco’s abuelita! When the last episode ended, the skateboarders Jimmy hired to scam Betsy Kettleman were captured and hogtied by Tuco. Jimmy comes along to the rescue and the skat...

Better Call Saul: Season 1, Episode 1 "Uno" February 02, 2015 When AMC announced that there would be a prequel series to the fantastic Breaking Bad , I thought they were setting themselves up for failure. There would be no way they could make this series, especially one that is focused on the pathetic Saul Goodman, anywhere near as good as the father series. People, I was wrong. Not only with this episode but in episodes to come, Vince Gilligan/Peter Gould created a series that while similar to Breaking Bad and features some of the same characters but has its own heart and able to stand on its own. Let’s talk about the series premiere, “Uno” which was directed by Vince Gilligan. The episode starts off in a very cold, detailed open. It’s all black-and-white which you can assume this takes place after everything happened. Saul is now the manager of a Cinnabon in a mall. You catch all the details including the making of the dough, but there is this one guy who has a...