The Movie Journal

  Maniac: Episode 10 "Option C" “Option C” provided an engaging finale for Maniac . It is hard to say if the series reached or surpassed my expectations because I honestly did not know what to expect. I knew there was talent behind the camera in Cary Fukunaga and in front of the camera with Jonah Hill/Emma Stone. I dug the weird vibes in terms of production design and the story itself. The writing could have been better especially when trying to incorporate mental health themes which is a tall task in itself. While the crux of the action happened last episode, this episode ties everything up. One thing that I was immediately surprised with is how the show did not force a romance between Owen and Annie down our throats. Subtle hints, perhaps. Now the opposite is true for James Mantleray and Dr. Fujita, who ends up having an amazing car. In this mostly-satisfying finale, Mantleray and Fujita must face the CEO of Neberdine’s after the failed trial. Meanwhile, the trial is fini...

  Maniac: Episode 9 "Utangatta" September 21, 2018 Maniac’s “Utangatta” is a chaotic episode that has much going on and little that one could actually understand…yet it still is lots of fun. Both Emma Stone and Jonah Hill deliver excellent performances. One could be annoyed with Hill’s accent, but he has some truly amazing lines. As I try to decipher the plot, I liked the spy angle with a sci-fi twist. Of course, Russia had to be involved. The episode reminded me of 2001: A Space Odyssey as we see who GRTA truly is and the race to shut her down. Like I said, this episode is filled with delicious chaos. Fukunaga may not have the super glue from the previous episode, but still managed to make the episode somewhat coherent. Fukunaga does a solid job wrapping up the main plot as we will focus on resolutions to end this series. As a side note, I liked how this episode tackled mental health and I was moved during the scenes where Annie interacts with Ellie and admits she has been l...

  Maniac: Episode 8 "The Lake of the Clouds"  September 21, 2018 “The Lake of the Clouds” continues the storyline of the last episode, almost as if it were written as a two-parter. Once again, both storylines impress at times. The fantasy section remains the strongest as we learn more backstory and Julia Garner’s performance continues to be awesome, but the mafia story improved. Jonah Hill’s acting is not the greatest here (although I love his “Annie, I’m a hawk” line.) That story has some solid twists and turns regarding betrayal. I did not see this act of betrayal happening. Also, the episode ends on a sense of terror. GRTA, which is the pathology of Greta, does something you will never forget. I did not feel as if the episode is as well-paced, so it did feel a little slow at times. In this episode, the mob story turns into The Departed . Owen’s dad believes that one of his brothers is the rat, but the true rat is someone you would least expect. He orders the cops to be m...

 Maniac: Episode 7, "Ceci N'est Pas Une Drill"  September 21, 2018 “Ceci N’est Pas Une Drill” is a very interesting episode of Maniac . It sets up the effects of the C-Pill as it takes our characters into different directions; Owen into the mafia world and Annie into the land of fantasy. The episode is very short (a brisk 22 minutes) but it sets up everything well. Upon further watch, this episode is deep and more thematic. I had to watch once more but I got the message how stability within a genre works well as coping mechanisms, which is why Fukunaga decided to use these two genres to get the point across. I think the fantasy world works better for me. No offense to Gabriel Byrne and his “hippocampus” drill method, but Annie and Ellie elven story is a sweeter, more relatable part. Plus, Jonah Hill looks like he is trying to impersonate Post Malone with those tattoos and hair. Annie and Owen are now taking the final C pill. In Owen’s story, his dad wants him to the tak...

  Maniac: Episode 6, "Larger Structural Issues" September 21, 2018  “Larger Structural Issues” is the episode that pushes Maniac towards the finish line. Plenty happens here! The “C pill” begins to take effect. Dr. Mantleray’s mother, Greta appears in human flesh form, GRTA machine turns into a killer being (which may be going a little overboard, in my opinion). I mentioned last episode how Sally Field shines in her roles. Well, she is the winner of this episode. From her introduction by kissing her son intensely on the lips to her snipping about Azumi, everything she said or touches is gold. In fact, I love her pre-introduction. The way Mantelray clamors up and his facial expressions when mentioning his mother had me laughing hilariously. The titles of her published books? Yeah, that is some really cool stuff. As for the rest of the story, it is decent. This time around, Annie believes in the true connection between her and Owen. Owen wants to leave and have a normal life, s...

  Maniac: Episode 5, "Exactly Like You" September 21, 2018 “Exactly Like You” is a more complicated, darker episode of Maniac . While the last episode was a breezy caper, this episode is a brooding episode with an exceptional séance scene that takes place in the 1940’s. There is also the complication of betrayal. This episode is told from the POV of Annie, but Fukunaga makes it known that both Annie and Owen have the potential to betray each other. As this series move forward, so does the plot. The fate of Annie’s younger sister was left ambiguous, but now confirmation exists that she did indeed perish. Sally Field as GRTA was fully introduced for the first time. When the ominous music came on at her arrival, I was a bit surprised she will be used as the villain from here on out. But she is such a gifted actress and I already like what she is doing. The performances remain excellent. Emma Stone absolutely nails it yet again. Justin Theroux provides some necessary comedy and I...

  Maniac: Episode 4 "Furs by Sebastian" September 21, 2018 “Furs by Sebastian” is a very odd trip inside the mind of Maniac . Odd, but delightfully odd. I thought we were finally moving upon a tangent line, but Fukunaga decided to take us on another line…inside the effects of the B pill. What this episode mainly focuses on is a Long Island caper with a lemur at its center. Yes, strangeness is abound here folks. Despite Jonah Hill and his questionable fashion choices (geez, that mullet. Seriously?), this is a truly fun and unique episode. I am not sure if it advances the plot much, but I did enjoy the weird energy this episode gives off. There also happens to be many amusing moments. My favorite is when that one dude was trying to sell Hill’s character a bulletproof fur jacket. So, the gist of the plot involves Hill’s Bruce and Stone’s Linda as a married couple that seems to be in the gutter. Bruce is more of a muted character, but Linda is a wacko with plenty of intelligenc...

  Maniac: Episode 3, "Having a Day"  September 21, 2018 “Having a Day” is a solid episode that shows the direction the show wants to go in. The first episode focused on a wide variety of “genres,” but this episode veers towards dark comedy. The episode has some dark themes, but some incredible laughs. We see Owen describe one of the worst days of his life, where his brother sings a cringy version of “Every Breath You Take” to his fiancé with some nose bops mixed in (ugh). He jumps out the window but manages to even get that wrong! I could not help but laugh. Also, this episode finally introduces us to Justin Theroux’s Dr. Mantleray. The introduction…is out of this world. I will not spoil but be prepared to be charmed by this pathetic man who used to be an item with Dr. Fujita. Theroux’s performance is top-notch. As always, the episode still manages to be weird. The production design still continues to be thoughtful. The script is not the most fresh, but Fukunaga continues to ...

  Maniac: Episode 2 "Windmills" “Windmills” drastically improves from Maniac’s first episode. It still is a bit long and clunky but has some interesting characters. No offense to Jonah Hill, but Emma Stone’s Annie character has a better story because she has an emotional, more traumatic background. Although both characters are antisocial, I would rather see Annie’s outbursts rather than Owen’s depression. There are some absolutely bonkers and funny moments such as Annie’s line, “but I am a recreational drug user” (check out the context of this line), Annie’s friend playing chess with a robotic koala, and Fujita reading William Blake poems to the drug study’s machine named GRTA. Cary Fukanaga has a keen mind and does a good job turning weirdness into something that is relatable. In this episode, this story runs parallel to Owen’s adventure in the premiere. Annie steals money from her father to visit her sister in Salt Lake City and she is very keen on taking this mysterious ...

  Maniac: Episode 1 "The Chosen One!" September 21, 2018 Cary Fukunaga’s newest series Maniac has potential. It feels like some sort of hybrid of Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind and Memento . With Jonah Hill and Emma Stone as the lead actors, there is a strong core in place in terms of characters. With “The Chosen One!,” I liked the style, the visuals, and the performances. My main concern is that the episode seems lumpy and just meanders. With the advent of Netflix and streaming, commercials are not used to break up an episode…which I believe goes against this episode. There are too many things happening or sequences that go on for too long. But with any premiere to a series, there are kinks to be worked out. There is plenty of promise and intrigue and I do enjoy these weird vibes. Fukunaga also balances his work with a hefty balance of drama and comedy, so that was a nice surprise considering I did not expect much comedy based on the synopsis. Owen Milgrim (Jonah Hi...