The Ministry of Ungentlemanly Warfare

Action adventure by Guy Ritche that is historical fiction, mostly fiction. Based on the WWII Operation Postmaster, a small group of rakish men sail a fishing trawler around west africa into the "neutral" colonies. They are seeking to sink a German U-boat supply ship which will finally make it possible for the U.S. to cross the atlantic and enter the war. Of the key characters, the kill ratio is probably 100:0, with only one injury (fiction). But we get the typical small group chemistry and banter throughout. I would characterize this as "glittering generalities" propaganda. 

3 stars (out of 5)

Avatar: The Last Airbender (serial)

Season 1 & 2

Aang is an air bender and the selected next avatar. The avatar is a keeper of balance, able to master bending of the four elements (air, earth, water, fire) and holds the mission of keeping the nations in harmony. Unfortuantely for him, the Fire Nation attacked the Air, annihilated all and by chance, Aang was thrown into a 100 year hibernation in the north. When he awakes, he befriends two from the Southern Water Tribe, and learns of the trauma of the past 100 years without an avatar. This series is the progression of Aang's development into an avatar. Learning to bend, learning to care, learning to control. Effectively, a a morality tale unfolding in the fantasy world. I bought in to the story telling and the world building, I overlooked the "fantasy hallmark" feeling, embraced the YA targeted dialogue and preaching. I only wish it had been complete before I started. Now I need to wait a year for the final season to drop. Hope I don't forget...

3 stars (out of 5)

Ellis (serial)

Season 1 & 2

British TV drama where DCI Ellis is a London ringer who is sent to outlying districts when the locals are ill equipped to manage a particularly big case. She is brilliant, eccentric, and dogged in her pursuit of truth. She is sent in, and so rarely welcomed, and battles through it all to find the culprit. Her discovered help in the first case (DS Harper) becomes her go-to assistant for the rest of the season and their ongoing interactions, working relationship and discovery of each other is also a slow burn. Fantastic.

4 stars (out of 5)

Enola Holmes 3

In this 3rd installment, Enola is getting married to Tewksberry in Malta. Once there, Sherlock is kidnapped and the detecting begins. It is Enola coming into her own as a detective with the full confidence of everyone around her. Moriarty returns, as does Mom Holmes (the always excellent Helena Bonham Carter) and Dr. Watson. So while this is a relatively entertaining detective storyline, I will say that I don't remember quite so much breaking of the 3rd wall in prior movies. Enola spends 20% of her time talking directly to the camera to "bring the audience up to speed". I guess it is a different way to do voice over, but I found it either annoying or not in character enough to feel seamless. Too bad since I like the Enola Holmes concept, but liked this one less than the prior. 

2 stars (out of 5)

Renoir (serial)

Season 1-10

French police procedural with Candice Renoir as the protagonist. She is a detective in the crime division and has been recently been appoint Commander and team leader in Sete. She is taking the job after 10 years away from the force to raise a family and follow her husband in his job. She finds the team was promised to Antoine, so tension is high from the start. And Candice is a eccentric detective, so her methods are effective yet strange. 

This is a 10 year series, and as the team evolves and develops chemistry, it is an absolute pleasure to partake. A combination of her investigative brilliance, her ongoing imposter syndrome in life and the struggles of everyone with personal and professional stress. I love that the stressors are real feeling, and not hyper exaggerated for dramatic effect. Makes the whole thing hold together. And since the series went off the air as planned, it has a really well done wrap up. Highly recommend.

5 stars (out of 5) 

The Last Woodsmen (serial)

Season 3

Logging outfit owner Jared has made a deal to buy a "forever claim", but needs to earn $2 million before the end of the season. This provides the dramatic pressure around which to tell the story. Opening up other claims to earn extra money, getting the mechanic to flip a tug for quick cash, etc. Just fun to watch the variety of events...

My biggest disappointment is that in the end, after the claim is purchases, the tag line for next season is something like "What do we need to do next to expand the empire". Why, after buying a forever claim, can you not just log the claim forever, giving jobs to the crew. Why does expansion need to be the goal?

4 stars (out of 5)

Mother's Day

A story of several friends who are mom's of different varieties. Jennifer Anniston leads the group as a single mom, who finds her husband marries a much younger woman, and has to come to terms for the kids sake. The friends are all dealing with some other "culturally sensitive relationship". High message movie that plays as a rom-com. So ... meh...

2 stars (out of 5)