Seemingly made-for-TV moving about a NY detective who doesn't like people who is paired with a new partner detective just moved up from Atlanta. Slow, deliberate, angsty. Plays like a serial with very little actual arc of tension. Just another high tension day at the office, with the net effect being that these detectives are definitely going to be alone and burnt out in another 5 years.
2 stars (out of 5)
The 2000 Russel Crowe vehicle that tells the story of Maximus, the star Roman general of Marcus Aurelius. After conquering the germans, Aurelius dies and his sociopathic, tyrant son names himself emperor. Maximus becomes a slave/gladiator who works from that stage to support the senate and overthrow the emperor... of course. Subtly touches on the meaninglessness of war, just enough to be able to say it is not a warmongering movie, but not enough to really shine through the warmongering movie that it is.
3 stars (out of 5)
Season 2
It has been awhile since I saw the first season, so I didn't really remember any of the characters. Apparently this season has a few changes, although Scooter and Rabbit still play prominently. Otherwise, the characters themselves only play minor roles in this reality series. The real star this season is that in the 10 or so cars that are restored and flipped, they are all wildly different genres. Without a characteristic style that the team needs to live up to, they can be creative in new ways and make the project fit the car. So in that way, I liked this season.
3 stars (out of 5)
A former CIA assassin (code name The Painter) gets pulled back into the life when his daughter tracks him down and people start trying to kill them both. Sort of like Hanna with a child abduction, trained assassin vibe. Actually pretty ordinary in terms of spy thrillers and pretty low quality in terms of motivation for action. Most of the painter killing CIA agents is gratuitous for the sake of action. I suppose there is some hope for a follow-on series (also a la Hanna the series) where the child assassins are tracked down and rescued from the life while father and daughter renew their relationship and find common ground in a shared skillset.
2 stars (out of 5)
Season 1
A new car restoration series paid for by Netflix. The team takes regular people rides and dresses them up. It is a fun twist on the genre and the team is great. Chris Redd, not so much.
4 stars (out of 5)
Season 6
Back to basics. Burnt in the past season, the team returns to building fun cars that they enjoy and have their stamp on them. Basically pursuing artistry instead of the monster payout. Better.
4 stars (out of 5)
French version of Jumanji, but set in a medieval village instead of the wild. A "normal" family gets pulled into a game that is basically a real-life version of werewolf. Cute, just clever enough.
3 stars (out of 5)
Pixar animation about the emotions that are inside all of us. In this case, the emotions Joy, Anger, Disgust, Fear, Sadness are all characters in the life of a 12 year old girl who moves with her family across the country. The moral of the story, Joy can't always win in order to be a complete person. Well written and for its target audience, an important (probably revelatory in some cases) message about how to think about and manage emotions. Even so, for me it was pretty message heavy and once I got the message, the impact wore off, meaning it was an "on in the background" kind of watch.
3 stars (out of 5)
Four Seasons
Andy Samberg is the lead in this Brooklyn cop comedy with one of my all time favorite actors Andre Braugher in support. So over the top, but every episode was entertaining and novel in some way. I am sure they had a blast filming it and that oozes through to make if fun to watch. Every character was spot on fun. And the series ended in a way that I am sure no series has ever ended, for better or worse.
4 stars (out of 5)
Nine Seasons + Italian Family Season
A reality show featuring a group friends who rebuild cabins in Maine. Partly this is fun because of the creativity in design and construction that Chase Morrel shows. Partly it is fun to see Maine. Partly it is fun because it really is just a bunch of craftsmen that love hanging out with each other. Not an arrogant soul or "heel" character in sight. So overall, just fun.
4 stars (out of 5)
Season 3
Finally got around to watching it and boy, it still doesn't disappoint. Every episode was emotional and meaningful. I particularly enjoyed the Amsterdam episode and the team and individual connections that were portrayed. Just good comedy and likely irreproducible (although I know they'll try -- over and over...)
5 stars (out of 5)
All 7 (8) films
So clearly a binge, but once I started, I didn't stop. I suppose the early films were novel at the time and the books were such a part of the zeitgeist that anything on screen would have been amazing. Now, the first few are remarkably stilted in terms of dialogue and plot. Clearly they were following the recipe of the book and working with young actors. The final episodes (The Deathly Hallows) were a clear LOTR vibe and felt like a different series. Again, probably not noticeable over the decade of actual release, but within a weekend, obvi. That leaves my favorite of the series (this time) -- Order of the Phoenix. Most clearly captures the camraderie of the young crew, the mysticism of magic, coming of age. Maybe I'll do this again in another decade.
4 stars (out of 5)
Season 2 & 3
A great, low key detective series with a british spy ex-pat in Italy. More relation building in these seasons compared to season 1. I do wonder how realistic the travel is because it did seem like there were a couple of 1-hour driving trips from one coast to the other, or day trips to Rome and back. Maybe that is realistic? Or maybe that is like a movie version of driving to a lunch meeting from Pasadena to San Francisco...
3 stars (out of 5)
Racism is ugly. I am always surprised by just how ugly. This movie is set up as a guy trying to get his cousin out of a tight spot. But as a black man traveling through an ultra racist and corrupt southern town, there is no chance that it will go smoothly. And we just accept that as true, having become almost a trope in filmmaking. The storyline is solid and the action quality, but the intro scene and the basis of the story is highly disturbing. If only it weren't so real.
4 stars (out of 5)
A John Woo remake of his original 1989 film of the same name. This version is set in France where a contract killer (known in street lore as Queen of the Dead) makes a decision not to kill a young singer in a nightclub who she sees as collateral damage during a hit. This decision drives the entire rest of the plot, bringing conflict with her own ethic, her boss and interactions with the police (played by Omar Sy whom I loved in Lupin). This is largely a formulaic assassin movie with great fight scenes and shoot outs, but not much novel (I mean, it is a remake). Probably need to add the original to my watch list just for fun.
3 stars (out of 5)
A highly disturbing (on many levels) war thriller. The story features a radicalized U.S. Muslim man who has built and planted nuclear bombs in 3 U.S. cities. He is captured and the entirety of the film is the interrogation drama that unfolds to find where he has hidden the bombs. Seems like it is basically a window into "enhanced interrogation techniques" (i.e. torture) and the effect on all the people involved. Truly horrible from all points of view. You leave this wondering one thing: how are humans capable of being so in-human? Or is our aspirational ideal of "humanity" just naïveté and the real surprise is those who move away from in-humanity? I don't recommend this movie.
2 stars (out of 5)
Recruited straight out of law school to work for the CIA, Owen is trying to understand what it means to work at a place where everything is secret or suspicious. He stumbles on a case of a former asset wanting to get out of jail in return for not exposing CIA operatives. A nice 8-episode series that has Owen traveling all over the world, and back and forth between DC and Phoenix quite a bit, while he learns who he can trust and how to do the job of lawyering. Effectively he is a combo lawyer/action hero - with only a bit of bumbling. I experienced the script to be pretty tight, not stringing me along just to get another episode in. I definitely binged this one.
4 stars (out of 5)
A husband and wife have secrets. This Korean action film tells the story of the wife, who is an ace special detective in the police, and the husband, who is the perfect stay-at-home husband. Until trouble comes their way and husbands past life as a military special forces operative comes back to life. The two work together to take down a threat to the country. Pretty basic storyline, but well written and streamlined. We get enough to know the characters without massive dialogue backstory, etc.
4 stars (out of 5)
Berry and Wahlberg join forces as a professional spy and regular guy out to save the world. The story device uses "the union" as the novel take on an independent, extra-governmental spy agency that saves the world from bad guys. Union because the recruits are regular people with blue collar jobs. Genres of buddy cop, rom com, spy action thriller all fused into one. Somehow it mostly works. Not a work of art, but entertaining and engaging in all of its trope-y-ness.
3 stars (out of 5)
Sequel to the My Spy of a few years ago. This time Sophie is a teen and JJ (Dave Bautista) is a desk analyst in order to be able to stay home and be present for Sophie. But that doesn't work out so well. On a trip to Italy with the school choir, the two work together to save the Vatican from nuclear destruction. And they learn a bit more about each other along the way. Low key fun.
3 stars (out of 5)
Aaron Eckhart is a former CIA black ops guy who got out and has a regular job. But then the CIA needs him to fix a problem. So he does, in his regular guy way, but this lots of explosions, etc.
2 stars (out of 5)
Back story first I guess. This is the development of how a group of "spider women" get their powers from a spider cult clan deep in the amazon jungle and how they overcome the wierdness of their situation to save the world from a bad guy. A new character for me (and most I would guess), so Marvel was right to make this a backstory movie.
3 stars (out of 5)
I like Tig. This 1-hour comedy special is exactly what you expect, with humorous stories and slice-of-life happenings that make you laugh. Nothing that I will actually remember a month later, but enjoyable in the. moment.
3 stars (out of 5)
Season 3
This is one of the best Star Wars series, IMO. Omega got captured at the end of last season, and opens in prison on a secret planet. The season goal is to rescue Omega and learn more about why she is so important. We get a little bit of info about project necromancer, but really I feel like I am only a part time fan and that a true fan already knows the whole story, with dialogue droppings functioning as easter eggs. Regardless, great story, pacing and characters.
5 stars (out of 5)
Action, war thriller set late in the Bosnian conflict. A U.S. special forces team is tasked with seeking out and eliminating genocidal leaders. In the process, a team member falls in love with a local, and said local has a secret history. Her grandfather told her about a cache of Nazi gold that only they can help rescue and make a difference in thousands of lives. So they do. Far fetched and physically inaccurate action sequences are par for the course in order to move the simple story along. You definitely get bang for your buck here, but not much else.
3 stars (out of 5)
Zuko is a regular guy, trying to be a good father to his girlfriend's son. But his past catches up with him. He was a black ops, special forces guy for the South African democracy movement during the transition out of the apartheid system. And now a presidential candidate is running who has deep roots in corruption and siphoning off resources for his own gain. Only Zuko can do the right thing for the country. In doing so he must navigate both sides of humanity - ultra violence and tender care for those he loves. It's a movie, so eventually everything works out, but Zuko will always be questioning the benefit/cost balance.
4 stars (out of 5)
Historical fiction story of the Nissan sponsored contest to find e-sports drivers who could make the jump to real-world racing. All the tropes show up, but it is still a fun watch.
3 stars (out of 5)
Season 2
Following up the first season, Master Chief and his group of spartans is trying to stay one step ahead of the Covenant. This season is more about exploring the humanity of John-117, and uncovering the connection he has with the Halo. We get the humanity, and the spartan mystique wears thin. But we end with just as much mystery at the end -- which makes a good serial. Thoroughly enjoyed this
4 stars (out of 5)
A young women is betrothed to a foreign prince. It is a political match, a necessary sacrifice for the good of her people during a time when famine is widespread. What she finds out later is that it really is intended as a sacrifice -- the foreign politics require "donation" of royal blood to a dragon as part of an ancient pact. What the dragon does not expect is that Millie Bobbie Brown (as Elodie) wants no part of sacrifice. Classic fantasy tale.
3 stars (out of 5)
Season 4
Another season in the Blown Away series. The challenges are tougher and everything is bigger. The artists continue to be astounding. This season every artist is a potential winner and it simply depends on performance on any given episode.
4 stars (out of 5)
Late 1990's release: George Clooney is a serial bank robber who does all his work with charm and charisma. Of course, having robbed over 200 banks, it is inevitable that that you spend some time in prison. But that is not the life for George so he breaks out and heads straight to his next score. Unfortunately (or fortunately), during the escape he encounters US Marshal Jennifer Lopez and the chemistry is immediate. The rest of the movie is her chasing him and him chasing her. A nice little dance. Can't believe I haven't seen this before.
4 stars (out of 5)
Set at an upper crust private high school, the headmaster is arrested for embezzling money from the schools endowment. To overcome the family shame, his son and a mismatched cohort devise a plan to steal from the U.S. Mint and replenish the endowment. It's the only way to keep the school open ... right? While being both improbably and unrealistic and overly simplistic, this plays as a poor cousin to The Breakfast Club in terms of teen ensemble movies.
3 stars (out of 5)
Historical fiction story of Freddy Steinmark, an undersized underdog who played safety for a couple years for Texas in the late 60's. He was the heart and soul of a national championship team and played through tremendous physical adversity. Classic feel-good sports bio.
4 stars (out of 5)
Awkwafina remains one of my favorite actresses. Here she is paired with Sandra Oh. The two sisters are put in a position where they need to come up with a bunch of money to bail their mom out from some gambling debt. But this premise is really secondary to the relationship building that adult siblings do. Awkwafina is the awkward, people fearing, trivia savant who needs her sister to push her into doing something that she loves and is good at. Will Ferrell brings a nice, subtle supporting role as the quiz show host.
4 stars (out of 5)
2 seasons
In a small Aussie town, the Coroner works with her police seargent friend to investigate and solve murders. In the same vein as New Tricks and Murder in Paradise, this is a feel good, low tension murder investigation series.
4 stars (out of 5)
An car salesman in rural England (meaning non-London) has been making small private loans to those in his community, functioning as a micro-lender/micro-bank. In order to be legal, he applies to the banking regulators to be approved as a small bank. They don't want it (it could break capitalism) but his Ted Lasso level of optimism pushes forward. Every character is charming (except the bankers of course) and we get a big concert fundraiser at the end.
3 stars (out of 5)
Documentary short featuring four vignettes of workers in the LA Unified School District instrument repair shop. The district provides band instruments to its students, resulting in frequent damage. But this is really more about the workers, their passion and how they got to the shop. only about an hour - feel good biography
4 stars (out of 5)
For a feel good, underdog sports story, this was one of the most slow developing plots I have seen in awhile. And even so, not a surprise was in sight. Ricky Hill has always dreamed of being in the majors, but his degenerative bone disease was an obvious impediment. We get to follow his fight to the top, overcoming all the sports naysayers as well as his own southern, itinerate pastor father. Guess what, in the end he makes it. So surprises, and pretty OK.
3 stars (out of 5)
Snoop Dogg is the retired NFL franchise player with an ego the size of Texas. In his attempt to stay in the limelight after his career, he makes a few bad choices and ends up with community service back in his hometown of Long Beach. Which leads him to coach the local Pop Warner football team. All the stereotypical fish-out-of-water interactions take place, and the F-bomb count rivals a John Wick body count. But somehow appropriate for a Snoop Dogg vehicle. At its roots, this is a classic underdog sports film and I am a sucker for them.
3 stars (out of 5)
Kevin Hart is a hapless entrepreneur who never gets it right. He gets mistaken for a master assassin (the titular Woody Harrelson) and then entwined in the plot to kill and simultaneously a sting operation by the feds. His bumbling self makes him unwittingly remarkably good at both. And the net effect is a remarkably mediocre action comedy.
3 stars (out of 5)
Season 3
Astrid is well ensconced in the Crime Squad and becomes essential to their every case. The only way she can continue to work with them is to attend the police academy courses for forensic analysis. So that thread wanders the entire season. Otherwise, it is the same genius show that the prior seasons showed.
5 stars (out of 5)
Season 2
Similar to the books, this installment is completely detached from Season 1 with only small connective threads. This season we get lots of backstory as the plot pulls the old Special Investigators team from the 110th together. This is fun to see Reacher history. I will be curious how future seasons continue to follow the books and whether they are able to capture the solitary nature of Reacher. This season was definitely an ensemble piece (and unusual for it).
3 stars (out of 5)
A new short series in the Marvel Universe, shortly after Hawkeye. In this case, Maya Lopez is the protégé of Kingpin, only to feel betrayed by him and bring a war home to her Choctaw Nation lands in Oklahoma. I like the character of Echo (new to me), but I am not really sure what Marvel is doing here. Clearly she is the protagonist, but I like my superheroes to have cleaner intent. By that I mean I want to know whether I am rooting for a tortured bad guy or a tortured good guy. Here, I am never sure which way she will go. I suppose that is part of the "plot drama", but I don't really watch Marvel for plot drama, so...
3 stars (out of 5)
Kevin Hart is the brains and glue that holds together a team of international thieves. We open with a high stakes auction theft stealing an NFT (I know...). When they are sort of caught, they are pulled into an Interpol scheme to steal 500 million worth of gold from a really bad guy to prevent terrorism. A pretty solid effort, if you accept ridiculous technology and after the fact explanations that completely change the heist shown.
3 stars (out of 5)
Denzel Washington reprises his role helping out those who can't help themselves. This time its in Sicily where chasing down a drug ring mixes him up with the Mafia. Exactly what you expect.
3 stars (out of 5)
