MENUMENU
Chris Osterndorf

Chris Osterndorf

Chris Osterndorf is an entertainment reporter and movie critic based in Los Angeles. He holds a degree in cinema from Chicago’s DePaul University. His work has appeared on the Daily Dot, Mic, the Script Lab, Salon, the Week, xoJane, and more.
Netflix’s latest foreign acquisition, ‘Happy as Lazzaro,’ is a troubling Christ figure story
—
The film's commentary on capitalism is flawed at best.
‘Sabrina’ doesn’t even work as an entry in the possessed doll genre
—
It's an extra cheesy, extra clunky B-movie.
‘Homecoming’ is another paranoid thriller from the creator of ‘Mr. Robot’
—
Julia Roberts and Stephan James shine in this slick, albeit emotionally sterile, series.
The end of ‘House of Cards’ feels as fitting as it does oddly inevitable
—
The show's final season asks whether feminism in conjunction with acts of evil is still feminism.
In ‘100% Fresh,’ Adam Sandler returns to his old, funny self
—
Sandler's new Netflix special pays a heartwarming tribute to the late, great Chris Farley.
In Matthew Weiner’s new miniseries, ‘The Romanoffs,’ privilege is inescapable
—
It's no 'Mad Men.'
Hulu’s ‘Light as a Feather’ delivers on its title in every respect
—
It's a decent blend of silly and spooky.
‘Big Mouth’ is the best-kept secret on Netflix
—
Season 2 is must-watch adult animation full of sex-positive education.
Maya Rudolph, Fred Armisen shine in mystery dramedy ‘Forever’
—
The Amazon Prime series is 'Master of None' meets 'The Good Place.'
The second season of The Deuce drops us in 1977, picking up a few years after the first one ended, and from the opening credits (formerly soundtracked by Curtis Mayfield’s "If There's a Hell Below We're All Going to Go," now replaced by Elvis Costello’s “This Year’s Girl”), it’s clear a lot has changed since then. New York, Times Square, and 42nd Street, aka “The Deuce” are still as seedy as ever, but now that seediness has become a full-blown artform. In addition to street prostitution, massage parlors, and peep shows, the production of pornogrophy has expanded, both in New York and out west, where the L.A.-based adult film industry has exploded. The increased demand for porn has given Candy (Maggie Gyllenhaal) more chances to make a name for herself behind the camera as a director and producer, though she still performs from time to time, too. Meanwhile, the Martino brothers (both played by Franco) have grown their mobbed-backed mini-empire, opening more parlors and bars as Vincent continues to chase down Frankie amidst his constant gambling and shady business decisions.
Maggie Gyllenhaal becomes the glue that holds ‘The Deuce’ together
—
James Franco's presence is distracting, but David Simon's porn drama smartly shifts focus.
‘Ozark’ season 2 is merely good—and that’s the problem
—
Jason Bateman's 'difficult man' schtick is still fun, if unoriginal.
‘Searching’ is the perfect movie about living online
—
When we disappear, the internet makes ghosts of us all.
The stars of ‘To All the Boys I’ve Loved Before’ speak on teen rom-coms, social media’s impact
—
It's a slightly different take than what John Hughes offered, though.
Catching up with George Takei, social media statesman
—
The internet icon on Trump, history, and 'moving on.'
‘Ordeal by Innocence’ is no ordeal at all for mystery lovers
—
This is a satisfying way to spend three hours.
‘The Package’ is a Ben Stiller-produced gross-out comedy that cuts
—
The comedy is funny despite its wildly sophomoric setup.
Netflix’s ‘I Am a Killer’ is true crime at its most brutal and banal
—
The 10-episode docuseries follows 10 inmates on death row.
In ‘Orange Is the New Black’ season 6, the end is near
—
Though not as dynamic as it used to be, the Netflix series is plenty moving.
1 2 3 … 17

Recommendations