"Women Talking"

An absolute gem.  This film, about a group of Mennonite women addressing a serious issue of concern is like an epic poem, unfolding with lyric beauty over the course of the tale.  It's striking, thoughtful, powerful.  Uplifting even in the dark, it shows what women can do when left to themselves.  Yes, they argue, they fight.  But they listen.  They reason.  They give weight to the experience of their elders and allow their minds to be opened to new possibilities by the voices of their children.  Without being detailed in the abuse they suffer they make it perfectly obvious how hurt, enraged and torn apart they are.  A stunning cast, a quality script and shots which look like art gallery paintings, this one is my new classic for the year.  Simple and brilliant.

"The Whale"

If the point of a cinematic feature is to connect to the viewer, elicit an emotional response and make them think, this film hits on all marks.  I smiled, I identified, I reached for kleenex.  Based on a play it has the top-notch script of a literary work.  There is humor, tension, sadness.  It's not nearly as depressing as I thought it would be.  This is in great part due to the work of the cast.  Brendan Fraser, as usual, approaches the difficult character with compassion and light.  He has range as an actor but so many of his roles include a sense of warmth and a spark of joy.  That is the case here, and it brightens up what could be a very dark tale.  Hong Chau plays the perfect foil and brings even more humanity to the piece.  Why she isn't listed as main supporting actor is beyond me.  The cast rounds out, mostly, with Sadie Sink playing a problematic teen and Ty Simpkins, whose character allows for a real discussion of faith at the brink of death.  There are other actors, including a small role of a pizza delivery driver which brings yet another touch of humanity to a layered story.  It's beautiful.  And real.  And goes to the top ten of my best-of-the-year films.

"The Patient"

This ten-part psychological thriller goes quickly, in part due to the fact that these are short episodes, not full hours.  Not sure why but these short takes do allow a level of tension to build.  Steve Carell, who I blasted in "Space Force", rises above in this production.  I've always liked his dramatic work far more than his comedy.  In the serious pieces he is thoughtful and reflective.  You can see pain and struggle etched in his face.  After "Beautiful Boy" I felt that he is perhaps one of the more underrated actors around these days.  He is able to move through darkly written works almost effortlessly, seemingly understated and doing little, but making a tremendous impact.  This is not a happy series.  There is virtually no light here.  Reflections on Judaism, on Carell's character's past, fill up some of the bleak moments but it is regret, not joy.  Taken in small bits, it's worthwhile but I can't say I liked it.  It ends badly.  But then it was never going to end well, was it?

"The Bear"

Started watching the award-nominated series and "The Bear" is near the top of the list.  It's a fictional version of a Chicago restaurant trying to turn itself around.  Most of the action takes place in the kitchen and there are a number of subplots, involving suicide, family, and more.  I watched two episodes but don't see myself returning for the rest.  It's not that it's bad, it's just not my thing.  I don't watch the "reality" chef shows -- the ones where the kitchen is frenetic and there is a lot of yelling.  I don't like the tension.  I don't like peeling back the curtain.  I go out to restaurants for a treat.  A special occasion.  I'm sorry that the behind-the-scenes isn't what it should be but honestly, I don't really want to watch it.  So, you can imagine that watching it in a scripted show, one where the tension is heightened, where the screaming is constant, would get on my nerves.  So, yes.  It's a good show.  For people who like this sort of thing.  

"Keep This Between Us"

Clearly, this is not an easy watch.  But I have a tendency to force my way through documentaries which are "important", including "One Child Nation" and "The Day I Will Never Forget".  Too many women's stories are skewed, if they are told at all.  When they are told, we need to listen.  Really.  In this four-part series director Cheryl Nichols tries to work through the sexual abuse she faced from a teacher.  As many of us know, you can put one foot in front of the other for decades after something like this but the damage is creates is pervasive.  The series doesn't just focus on what happened to Ms. Nichols but on the way this kind of thing continues to happen because of a society which: a) sexualizes young girls, b) blames the young girls, not the predatory men, c) tries to diminish and dismiss the actions of the adult men against young women as something acceptable and widespread, d) covers up and hides the actions of these men in institutions like schools.  The series creates some lasting questions -- including at what age does a woman have the capacity to recognize what is happening to her and is able to walk away from a situation which is not healthy?  The series makes it clear that this is not something you "get over" but something which becomes a part of you, something which impacts how you interact with the world.  It was a brutal viewing for me, in many ways.  But it is important.  Very important.

"Alert"

This is a mixed bag.  First, you have amazing actors -- really really love Dania Ramirez and Scott Caan.  There is fast pacing and unique storylines.  It's strucutred in a way to get your heart pumping.  On the flip side, there is ... sloppy? ... writing.  Timelines, critical to the story, were messy in the first episode.  Somehow, a flight to Las Vegas was wound into a few hours???  In the second episode, a kidnapping is witnessed via a webcam but nothing about the location can be determined (did the writers never hear of IP addresses?).  A victim's death by a fentanyl is determined by the amount of drug administered but not by his body weight or metabolism.  Naloxone is administered, and, like in too many TV shows, it is seen as the "cure" (it's not).  A child is found after a lot of years -- and no DNA test is made.  The show just pushes you to accept a lot on faith.  There is also a considerable amount of personal backstory, which I like, but it borders on being too much.  In a critical car chase, the couple argues about family drama.  Really?  So, I kinda sorta like it but feel like they need to keep polishing the scripts and tighten things up.  We'll see.

"Space Force"

After plowing through another depressing award-nominated film, I needed something fluffy and light.  I chose "Space Force" and regretted it.  This might be the first time I stopped watching a streaming series after two episodes.  To be honest, I didn't like it after one episode but I thought it might improve so I gave it a second shot.  Unfortunately, it didn't grow on me.  It's like that first date with someone who is trying way (way, way, way) too hard.  There aren't just slapstick jokes, there is a need to hit the viewers over the head with stupid.  The main character (Steve Carrell) isn't just obnoxious, he's truly hateful.  The jokes about the former POTUS date the show and when, in the second episode, there was a crack about a dog-eater and the Chinese in the same sentence, I bailed.  Watch at your own risk.

"Obi-Wan Kenobi"

Okay, so there is nothing new here.  Lots of heart-pounding action but the storyline is a virtual rip-off of Episode Four, with entire lines of dialog repeated throughout.  Obi-Wan is depressed, there is a cute kid and a couple cool droids, and apparently rescuing Leia from the Empire's grasp is what we do.  I don't mean to throw a lot of shade.  The acting is fine and the series definitely moves but I don't see how these six episodes add to the story.  Yes, we find out about what happens to Jar-Jar, and yes, there is a little insight into Leia's life path, but beyond that, the only thing this series does for me is open a hole in the original narrative.  In Episode Four, Uncle Owen doesn't know who Obi-Wan Kenobi is, claiming only that Ben Kenobi is a crazy old man up in the hills.  But at the end of Episode Three, Obi-Wan gives baby luke to Owen and his wife.  So, willing suspension of disbelief, maybe Kenobi didn't share his name with Owen.  It's a short scene.  Maybe Obi-Wan just showed up and said, "please take this child, no questions asked."  But in this series it becomes clear that Owen knows exactly who Kenobi is ... so ... ???  In any case, Moses Ingram, who was wonderful in "The Queen's Gambit", is intriguing here.  I see a spin-off ...

"Will Trent"

I tried.  I really did.  It's a top-notch cast, strong if not derivative writing (yes, we've seen this in "Psych", "Elementary" and half the detective series on television) and great production values.  There is just one thing.  Okay, maybe two.  First, it's dark.  Darker than it needs to be.  Even with the graphic violence kept outside of the frame the characters are haunted and sad.  Second, and the bigger factor here -- it's serialized.  The entire first season is a single case.  A kidnapping, no less.  The urgency in dealing with a kidnapping is lost when you spread it out over weeks and weeks.  Sorry.  If I wanted another "24" ... well, I don't.  And if I do, I'll binge the whole thing on Hulu after all the episodes are out.  In the meantime, will be giving a spin to the ~two~ other new shows which deal with kidnappings.  Hopefully in a less dour and more time-efficient manner.

"Good Luck to You, Leo Grande"

I kind of adored this quiet, short film.  It was funny, sad, touching, sweet, and thoughtful.  It stuck with me for a good while after viewing.  Brava Bravo to Emma Thompson and Daryl McCormick, who are so connected and vibrant you can't take your eyes off of them.  The script is outstanding and the subject matter ... something important.  Really important.  People say, and I've always strongly disagreed, that "Thelma and Louise" is a feminist film.  It isn't.  And I would argue the point but this film is, in my humble opinion, one of the most feminist films I've ever seen.  It's about empowerment, choice, love -- of others and of self.  It really got to me.  No other words.  It's pretty much perfect. 

"Reba McIntire's The Hammer"

This Lifetime movie, clearly a kick-off for a new mystery series (with a judge as the investigator, which is a twist), exceeded expectations.  Given that Reba McEntire was the star, I figured it would be good.  She really can do no wrong.  No matter what project she is involved in she brings charm, sparkle, and a grounded, warm feeling.  The balance in story-telling was also terrific.  There is fun, seriousness, a little social justice, you name it.  Melissa Peterman folds into the cast perfectly and the twists were just enough to be a little surprising.  Reba even gets to sing!  (Please, please, make this a feature of every film she makes).  My only minor complaint is that this feels a lot more like Texas than Nevada, but that's being picky.  It was a great way to spend an hour and a half (after you speed through the commercials).  More please.

"The Banshees of Inisherin"

Don't really know where to begin with this.  Was billed as a black comedy but it's not ... exactly.  What it is is very very very Irish.  There are some smiles throughout.  Sad smiles.  But it's dark.  And lingering.  There is death.  Of course there is.  Resignation.  A pervasive sense of the hopelessness of it all.  Long, stunning shots of a beautiful countryside and a simple people, locked in a paradoxical dance.  It's brilliant, of course.  It has hugely gifted actors and is written and directed by Martin McDonagh and is infused with deeper messaging -- about depression and self-care, about politics, you name it.  And it almost never went where I thought it would go.  But I didn't like where it went.  So does that make it a good film or bad?  Hard to say.  This is definitely one of those "eye of the beholder" things.  Viewers will get different things out of it depending on what they bring to it.

"Love, Victor"

"Love, Simon" was a great film.  A rom-com just the way I like it.  The series, "Love, Victor" is a completely other tale, and better in many respects.  As a series, it can delve deeper.  And it does.  "Love, Simon" was, all-in-all, a kind of simple story.  Victor's path is nowhere near as clear or easy.  Religion, race, and family relationships all fold in and none are easily defined.  A big thumb's up that the parents aren't two-dimensional.  All of them have edges and frailties.  They are human.  Victor's journey, and the journey of those around him, isn't just the typical teen drama, it is the building blocks of growing up and trying to figure out the world.  It is a hugely bingeable series, one which will have you hesitating to pick up the remote.  As you connect to the characters there is a real need to see what happens next.  This is an everyman's journey -- with something to connect to no matter what role you play in life.  Bravo, brava.  Outstanding.

"Glass Onion: A Knives Out Mystery"

It's fun.  More fun than the first film, with many (many, many) call-outs to our modern society and pop culture.  Like the first film, however, the who-did-it isn't hard to figure out and the over-the-top portrayals, particularly Daniel Craig's heavy-handed New Orleans drawl, can be grating.  It's a worthwhile watch but there is nothing deep here.  Something enjoyable to view while drinking a high-end cocktail on a Saturday night (you'll get that when you see it).  

"Guillermo del Toro's Pinocchio"

Brilliant in more than one way, it is easy to see why this one is up for numerous awards.  It should be.  Beautiful, sad, touching -- it's all in there.  Far more on point than the Disney version, this one returns to the true Italian roots of the story and has dark moments and true pathos.  It's not a tale of black and white but of the subtleties which can come with fathers and sons, creators and their creations.  There is true joy and delight in young Pinocchio and real questioning of the world around him.  He comes to conclusions which are definitely not correct but come from his heart, which is saying something about a wooden boy.  There is magic and, inexplicably some songs.  They aren't musical numbers which will stay with you.  Rather, they are the kind of melody-less tunes which spring forth now and then when simple words won't do.  The narrator/cricket takes on an entirely other persona here, being both wise and a helpless observer of the world around him.  The striking impact of the stop-motion and the art of the entire film would leave you breathless even if the script wasn't good, which it is.  This work gets it right on every level.  Bravo, Guillermo del Toro.  A tender, quietly powerful tale.

"Andor"

"Andor" has gotten tremendous praise for being a powerful drama.  And it is.  There are speeches.  Lots of speeches.  Powerful speeches.  Motivating speeches.  However.  It's a prequel to "Rogue One" and I didn't care for that film, so watching a series with the same tone is ... difficult.  It's not just dark, it's bleak.  It's sad.  And, much like the film it's based on, it's fatalistic.  There is death.  A lot of death.  It's dressed up in the "grand gesture" of sacrifice for the greater good but that doesn't change the fact that there is little joy here.  I guess the big question is, if it only took two hours to tell the end of Andor's story, why does it take some 12+ hours to provide the lead-up?  Because the producers are trying to fill in a million different shadings.  It's not enough to talk about Andor, they have to tell a broad tale, of politics, revolution and more.  Authoritarianism, a vicious military, the struggle of feminism even among the bad guys, the impact of old traditions, the lack of caring about the poor, the rise of an incompetent and mentally imbalanced young man, using prisoners for slave labor, unbridled ambition being rewarded, questionable moral decisions, you name it.  It's all crammed in there.  It's grand and epic.  And it works, a bit.  Taken in small doses, the acting, script and high production values make an impact.  I guess the question is, is it a tale we need to hear?  And that's the point.  The OG Star Wars was escapism.  Fantasy.  A boy comes of age and rescues a princess.  "Andor" is, like Trek, very contemporary.  In our modern age, where oppression and fascism is on the rise, we are urged by a lead character here to stop sleeping, to fight back.  Regardless of the cost.  Because freedom cannot be taken away.  It is, oddly, a propaganda piece.  I recognize all of it.  Whether viewers will respond will be a factor of how much they recognize the themes, I think.  It's complicated.  We'll see what season two brings.  I imagine it will have something to do with the world stage.  Our world.

" A Hollywood Christmas"

Ending my annual review of holiday films with a winner.  "A Hollywood Christmas" is funny.  It's tongue-in-cheek.  It's meta.  It's a Christmas movie about a Christmas movie.  Maybe I like it because of inside baseball -- I spend a good bit of time on film sets and recognize the challenges in that environment.  But it is a quality production.  Leads Jessika Van and Josh Swickard are nicely grounded and the supporting cast ain't bad, either.  Elf-like Anissa Borrego's odd voice is an irritation at first but her narrator-like cuteness grows on you.  The ending is, of course, expected.  But the movie is still fresh and sweet (but not too sweet).  All-in-all, enjoyable without being perfect (you will get that if you watch it).  Makes my #1 of the new offerings this year.

"The Noel Diary"

Calling this a "Christmas movie" is a stretch.  It's about as far from the typical Hallmark fare as you could get.  It's not G rated, there is no "let's save the Christmas farm/hotel/store/tradition, etc."  There is no meet-cute or cute kid (although there is a cute dog).  There isn't a focus on a small town or any indication that true love can only be found by giving up on the big city.  Christmas is there, but plays in the background.  There is no cookie-baking contest, no hot chocolate sipping.  Justin Hartley returns to familiar territory.  Very familiar territory.  Tell me if any of this sounds familiar:  A good-looking, famous 37 year-old is a little tired of his fame and has a difficulty forming lasting relationships due, in part, to his daddy issues.  (And, although Justin can pull it off, 37 is way in his rear-view mirror).  A young Black woman, adopted by parents of different races, feels the need to find her birth mother to close a gap in her life.  The film is mostly a road trip, touched by pathos and longing.  Yeah, it's kind of "This Is Us:  The Holiday Edition".  It's good.  It's unexpected.  And it is packed with top-notch actors.  In addition to Mr. Hartley, with have triple-threat Barrett Doss ("Station 19"), James Remar and Bonnie Bedelia ('nuff said).  It's a quiet tale, one of people searching for belonging, for family (cue the kleenext ... this really is "This Is Us").  There isn't a single sickly-sweet moment, not a single two-dimensional portrayal.  There are, unfortunately, some script/production issues.  They are minor, but distracting.  It's little things.  When Hartley's character is in a remote cabin trying to make up with his dad, his lady-friend and dog are left out in the cold, literally.  They sit in a car during a snowstorm, for ... hours?  Later, the couple lands at a hotel in the middle of nowhere and has a romantic dinner.  Ms. Doss' hair is suddenly straightened and styled -- unlikely.  Hours later she is back to her natural curls.  It's just sloppy bits like this.  These kinds of details take a lovely story and make it look pedestrian.  It was a noble effort, and I appreciate something different, and something with just a touch of class.

"Holiday Harmony"

This is very country, which is not my thing.  But it got good reviews, so I gave it a shot.  And then I wondered what the reviewers were smoking.  Yes, young Annelise Cepero can sing.  Beautifully.  And waiting for the next song helps push it through.  There is some minor sparkage between the leads but the script is uneven.  It's plodding at one point, rushing through needed foundation in other sections.  The acting is ... strained.  The kids are great, of course.  And somehow Brooke Shields gets roped into the thing which gives it a bit of gravitas.  Well, a smidgen anyway.  Like so many other "Christmas fail" films of late, there is a lot of sadness here.  It's dour.  Loss, grief and a lack of snow make for a pretty bleak story.  I appreciate the effort to find new plot points but this ain't it, kids.  

"A Christmas Mystery"

This had real potential, I think, in concept.  You have the "Enola Holmes" films, which show that a perky young woman can solve mysteries.  The problem here is casting and tone.  At the least, it's muted and low energy.  At the most, it's dark, depressing and sad.  No one smiles.  There is no snow.  You are in for an hour before the young lead shows any real punch.  When a neighbor is accused of stealing the miraculous bells of a small town, our girl goes to town to prove his innocence.  She is faced, at almost every turn, with a sense of hopelessness felt by the adults around her.  Many of the actors speak in a kind of muted whisper.  There is an irritating moment when a main character mispronounces the name of a well-known river.  It picks up in the last half hour but is it worth the wait?  I would say no.

"Christmas With You"

Finally, a good one.  A decent script and more of the quiet, gentle moments which can make these things work.  Which is not to say there isn't cliche -- yes, there is an escape from New York which ends in a snowy small town and there is the inevitable montage of "gee, I fell in love" about ten minutes from the end.  But it works.  It's gentle.  And nice.  Charming, delightful, engaging Aimee Garcia pairs with grounded, sweet Freddie Prinze, Jr. for this warm, delightful holiday film.  It feels real(ish).  The supporting cast is far better than usual and the tamale baking scene alone will make you smile.  Worthwhile way to spend an hour and a half before the big day.

"Falling for Christmas"

From the beginning I was a bit cringy.  The movie literally opens with a woman getting a wake-up call at her hotel.  Excuse me, but who, in this day and age, uses a hotel desk service instead of a cellphone as an alarm?  Then there is the color scheme.  The spoiled uber rich wear glaring neon colors, the "townies" wear normal, found-in-nature colors.  Then came the slapstick.  Lindsay Lohan's boyfriend is an over-the-top idiot.  Everything is heavy-handed.  The "gentle magic" of a possible Santa is made obvious rather than hinted at.  The plot, a huge "Overboard" ripoff, is predictable.  Lindsay Lohan, with her unmoving plastic face, looks much older than her costars, Chord Overstreet and George Young, even though she isn't.  Please, please, if there is a God, stop these Hollywood women from using so many injectibles.  It's just too broad, not subtle, and didn't draw me in.  Oh well.

"A Christmas to Treasure"

Seriously "meh".  A bunch of 40 somethings play characters which should have been played by 20/30 somethings.  They haven't been home since graduation (they are talking about high school graduation) and some are still getting their careers started.  There is only one couple (who are oddly wrapped around each other in every scene) and no one has kids.  Their parents are played by actors only a dozen or so years older than them.  The opening is confusing, the script is weak.  Characters refer to San Francisco as "San Fran" (No.  Just no.).  And there is a blonde character named Tipper.  'Nuff said.  In an attempt to find something fresh, Lifetime goes with a "Big Chill" meets "Christmas Movie" meets "Locke and Key" with a dash of "Harold and Maude."  It could have been interesting.  It's not.  Mostly, it feels like something dreamed up by a person on Xanax.  I literally fell asleep while I watched it.

"Beauty and the Beast: A 30th Celebration"

This is a clever retelling of the classic tale, which mixes production information with clips of the original film and live action.  The blend is delightful and engaging.  A live audience helps build the energy and the choreography is outstanding -- mixing traditional big Disney musical-style dancing with some new and innovative pieces.  There is "hand-dancing" in the opening segment and innovative modern dance to represent the fading rose.  Casting choices show that Disney is "all in" on inclusive casting ... every kind of inclusivity.  Race, ethnicity, body size, you name it.  It works beautifully.  Rita Moreno's dulcet tones, as narrator, are a welcome thread holding it all together.  My very minor complaint comes with H.E.R. and Shania Twain.  Both have the vocal chops and H.E.R. has some real skill in acting.  But neither woman is used to singing in this style.  Both tend to "croon" -- sliding into and out of notes.  It was a distraction.  This kind of music needs super-clear consonants and the notes need to be attacked directly and cleanly.  See the work of Josh Groban and Joshua Henry as the Beast and Gaston, respectively.  You could cut glass with their specificity while singing.  It's a style issue, not a lack of skill per se.  In any case the production was incredibly entertaining.  More so than many of the holiday films.  Worth the watch.  (PS, as a giggle, I found it ... interesting ... that they referenced the Broadway show but not the live action remake.  Just sayin'.)

"Diary of a Future President"

On one hand, it's kind of adorable.  Young Tess Romero hits the perfect notes as a tween caught between childhood and the more complicated world of adults.  She's engaging and real.  It's also great to see Selena Leyva ("Orange is the New Black") back and fabulous, as always.  The show explores a lot of difficult transitions, including a gentle tale of a boy coming into his own and a widowed mother trying to figure out how the new man in her life can fit into her family.  The struggle is nuanced and treated with respect.  There are clever ties between our current political climate and the possible early steps of a young future President.  The failures of the series, which are minor, come from the "Disney-fying".  It borders on the saccharine.  Problems are miraculously solved in 22 minutes.  It's never clear why the mother's assistant is also her best friend.  The show had a lot of potential and lived too short a life but it rose above the expected in the quiet moments.  Brava.

"Must Love Christmas"

CBS has waded into the Christmas programming wars with specials and a number of films.  Unlike last year I'm being fairly circumspect about how many of these things I'm going to spend time on.  This one was very middle-of-the-road.  It's good.  Good enough that it kept me from scrolling my email while I watched.  But it's not "fabulous".  Like so (so so so) many of these things, supporting actors are sometimes weak and the whole thing feels rushed -- low production values, tired actors pushing through.  All that being said, I'm a fan of Liza Lapira and she doesn't disappoint.  Neither does her co-star Neal Bledsoe.  There is also fresh face Ian Collins, who does a lot with a little.  The story is sorta/kinda fresh, which I appreciate.  A small town does feature and there are no unexpected plotlines, but the big city isn't the enemy and the twists you see coming are enjoyable.  When Ms. Lapira's character says, near the end, "I can't believe I didn't see it," there is a small groan.  We all saw it, honey.  But it's not bad.  It didn't feel like a waste of two hours.  And that's the best I can say.

"Reindeer in Here"

CBS is going all out on Christmas this year.  They have Hallmark-worthy movies (complete with identical and forgettable plots) and new specials which include this hour-long animated story.  It's cute.  It's entertaining.  But it's not, as they say, "a new classic."  There is nothing objectionable here.  There is also not a lot which is memorable.  Offbeat characters let you know that "different is just fine" and help save the day.  The bad guy isn't all that bad, just misguided, and there are more than a few shout-outs to "Rudolph the Red-Nosed Reindeer."  Viewers over a certain age will note the very subtle jabs at a certain mega-shipping company, whose name rhymes with "lamazon."  The animation is okay but not great.  Lead character Blizz has a face which has that weird flatness of the balloons at the Macy's Thanksgiving Day Parade.  The characters are all smooth looking, with little to no texture.  It's like a metaphor saying "we are here but a tad two-dimensional."  It's okay.  It's just not ... charming.  And that's interesting.  You look at all the Christmas classics and they have a certain amount of childlike delight.  And they are all older.  The Rankin-Bass classics?  1960s.  "Miracle on 34th Street", 1947.  "It's a Wonderful Life", 1945.  The best versions of "A Christmas Carol" -- mostly all before 1970.  It's like we've lost our ability to find pure joy, to create simple tales which touch the heart.  And maybe there is a reason for that.  Which I'll skip for now and just say that we live in complex times.  For me, it's back to my DVDs -- Grinch and Drummer Boy, you are up next.

"A Christmas Princess"

I've seen a lot of mediocre holiday films.  This might be the absolute worst.  And that's saying a lot.  The predictable plot meanders and wanders around, with little point or purpose.  The dialog is wooden, the acting is a complete contrast to anything energized.  Performances, in addition to being lethargic, are so unconvincing it's hard to believe anyone is buying into their characters.  The accents (mostly super-fake British, a bad french and some mish-mashy generic European) are horrendous.  Somehow, real actors Erin Gray and Gaylin Gorg got roped into this very slow, very dull trainwreck.  Every trope is explored, including the belief that real Christmas can't be celebrated in a city setting and a Prince must marry a blonde, model-looking mean-girl Duchess.  By the time the Prince realizes his true love is the caterer (in a badly scored music montage, 13 minutes before the film ends), one doesn't care.  The Queen's meaness to the young woman of interest dissolves away when she takes a bite of the caterer's food.  An instant later, the young woman has mysteriously changed from her caterer garb to a fashionable dress with a huge diamond necklace.  It's as unbelievable as every other moment.  This isn't a film to put on while cleaning the house, it's a film to forget.

"Harry and Meghan"

As usual, I am on the opposite side of popular opinion.  Reviewers on both sides of the pond have universally panned this Netflix miniseries about the former royals (or, former royal and his wife).  I like Meghan.  I liked her a long time before her union with the adorable British lad.  She is a self-actualized, confident, outspoken woman.  So, since I don't see her as the devil incarnate or a bully (two of the most-used epithets used against her), maybe I was able to watch this tale with a little less vitriol than most of those decrying it.  I do find the current press attacks as unfair as everything else they have published about Meghan.  The the press says that she and Harry "talked out of school" in the Oprah interview, insulting the royal family, and now they say this series is rubbish because it doesn't reveal enough of the inside drama.  Pick a side, people!  In any case, what Harry asks for, in the opening moments, is the chance to be seen as the people they are.  Real people, human beings, who can be surprisingly normal.  Who just want what everyone wants -- family, security, love.  Given that plea I tried to watch this series as if these were not the people we all think they are.  I tried to watch and just see two individuals.  Given that bar of measurement, the series isn't bad.  It shows pieces of their childhood, helping to round out the idea that they aren't two-dimensional figures but that they are whole entities.  This is successful, particularly in filling out Harry's understandable hatred of the paparazzi.  The look in his eyes as he talks about facing cameras in every part of his life is a visceral experience.  The show fails, if it fails at all, on the following point: it's difficult, in an age of fiscal belt-tightening, to listen to any really rich person complain about any part of their privileged life.  The production is also slick.  Perhaps too slick.  Many have wondered if it isn't an attempt to gloss over things by having the conversation cherry-picked.  On that note, I'm willing to give the couple a pass.  Plenty of negative things have been said about them.  Too much, in fact.  Letting them punch back by showing the other side of the coin is their right.  There are also awkward moments, the most notable being Meghan's discussion of her own race -- stating that she was never treated like a black woman until she was involved with Harry.  In any case, I've always seen this whole thing as a love story.  And on that point, the series succeeds.  In any case, most viewers will come to it with their opinions pre-formed.  It's not about changing minds as much as it is about letting them say their piece.  And I don't mind hearing it.  

"Derry Girls"

Honest-to-goodness, it's been decades since I've laughed this hard while watching a comedy.   In the short few days it took to binge this series, I guffawed until I was hoarse.  Maybe because it's because I'm kinda Irish?  In any case, a roared.  I laughed until I cried.  I laughed until I almost peed my pants.  Basic plot:  Four girls and one guy living in occupied Derry (1990s) are true terrors.  They have constant schemes which go about as badly as they can.  The parents of the teens, who have their own hysterical situations, aren't much help.  Add in a everyone's least favorite uncle, a nun with a bad attitude and a terrific 90s playlist and this show pretty much has it all.  Including layers.  The show may be (very) broad comedy but it is also subversive.  "The Troubles" plays out in the background throughout every episode.  It's an aside.  But it's not.  It's baked into the lives these people have, and is a foundation for the uproar and rebellion.  The show is freakin' brilliant and, had it not be for Covid interruptus, it would have been a huge award winner.  Every character is not only unique but indelible.  Quite frankly, it's far funnier than any of the so-called comedies which are Emmy darlings.  I'm still reflecting back on it a week after finishing all 19 episodes.  And oddly find myself talking with an Irish accent.  Watch it.  Slainte!

"Disenchanted"

Let's face it, the original "Enchanted" was not a perfect film.  It had terrific moments -- mostly that amazing dance number in Central Park -- but Patrick Dempsey and Amy Adams had zero chemistry.  And the ending was ... stupid.  In my humble opinion.  But it was sweet and fun and a movie which wasn't too taxing.  So here we are fifteen years later, with a sequel.  Like the original there are good moments and the whole thing was a decent way to spend two hours.  But it's what I call a "cotton candy" film.  It is watchable but quickly after viewing it just fades away into nothing.  And it's smaller, somehow, than the original.  It feels more like a TV movie than something one would put on a big screen.  Amy Adams is, as in the first film, the one to watch.  Her singing, which was tenous in the first film, is strong and confident here (and Patrick Dempsey still can't sing but gets a quick Rex Harrison/"My Fair Lady" moment, speaking his way through a verse of one song).  Ms. Adams also makes her transitions from sweet heroine to evil villian with a smoothness which is impressive.  And the chipmunk is cute.  The chipmunk is always cute.  The supporting cast ranges from the brilliance of newcomer Gabriella Baldacchino taking over the role of Morgan, to an surprisingly subdued performance by Maya Rudolph.  Ms. Rudolph's been working a lot lately, and I have to say she has been better in everything else I've seen her in than she is here.  Her character's minions are more entertaining and interesting than Rudolph's evil queen character.  There are more songs in this film than in the first one but the volume of musical numbers does not make for better.  Unlike "That's How You Know ..." there is no breakaway hit.  There are two decent pieces, one being young Morgan's "Beauty and the Beast" ripoff and the other is a duet between the two evil queens, "Badder".  (Yes, there are a ton of Disney classics easter eggs here).  Weirdly, diva Idina Menzel sings hardly a memorable note in the whole thing.  There are also strange paradoxes.  Disney tries to recognize how feminism has impacted the world by having the evil queen ask her mirror who is the most powerful of all, rather than who is the prettiest of them all.  That being said, there is concerted effort to make the female actors look liked they have hardly aged in 15 years but no effort to hide the men's aging (and both Dempsey and James Marsden, who plays Edward, are in desperate need of a shave).  Giselle's clothing company, shown at the end of the first film, isn't mentioned.  She has returned to being a Samantha-level house-frau, who worries about burning toast or fitting in with the committee moms at the local school.  So much for feminism.  All of these criticisms are picayune.  This isn't meant to be a classic.  It's meant to entertain.  And it does.  Play it in the background while wrapping packages.

"Lopez vs. Lopez"

It's just ... bad.  Full of tired tropes and forced sitcom laughter, none of the characters are dimensional and poor Mayan Lopez (George's daughter) is stretched to her acting limits.  It's cheesy and pointless and I barely made it through one episode before I bailed.  There is a reason NBC premiered this on Friday night.  It's the night shows go to die.

"Ms. Marvel"

In the "why didn't we have something like this earlier?" category comes the delightful and engaging Disney/Marvel production, "Ms. Marvel".  Layered family drama mixes with Islamic culture to create a story of a young woman who is brave, confident and body positive.  It's less of a superhero show and more of a human being show.  The cast, particularly Iman Vellani, are uniformly outstanding.  The storyline is not simple (that's a good thing) and the episodes don't go where you might expect (that's a better thing).  The production is a bright, cheery, artistic explosion of color and creativity.  I really didn't have a single qualm with this series and tore through it in a matter of days.  Can't wait until season two.

"Catherine, Called Birdy"

This is one of those rare instances when the movie might have improved on the book just a tad.  The book, by Karen Cushman, is good.  In diary form, it tells the tale of a very normal 14 year old girl.  Except she isn't normal, exactly.  She is the daughter of a destitute lord in the year 1291.  The man needs to marry the girl off to save his lands.  She is not amenable.  In the book, we see Birdy's feelings through her writing.  Yes, there is a spirit of rebellion but it is subtle.  This is a young woman, in a period of time, who can think what she wishes but in the end must bend to convention.  In the book, she does.  Resigning herself to her women's role in a man's world.  In the film, things are more complicated.  By seeing people, expressions, we learn that there are shadings, edges to the characters not explored in the diary form of the book.  Birdy is more openly rebellious.  Her father is both beastly and human.  No one fits into the mold.  Directed by Lena Dunham, this movie manages to straddle the modern and ancient by retaining language and dress but includes a contemporary soundtrack and adds in a few anachronistic bits.  The bridge works well and makes the whole thing very approachable and real.  Viewers of today will not only see Birdy's plight, they will feel it.  Lead Bella Ramsey, the intriguing Andrew Scott as her father, and the engaging, layered Lesley Sharp as the nurse are only the beginning of an outstanding cast.  Every actor brings something to the table.  It's bravas all around and ten thumbs up.  

"The School for Good and Evil"

As this is Netflix and not Disney this seeming "mean girls set in fairy tale" isn't very clean-cut.  A well-done production, it creates a raft of challenging questions and digs deep for answers.  Are people truly good or evil?  Is good just as bad as evil?  What is the difference between those called evil and true evil?  Has goodness become superficial?  Are we all teetering on an imaginary line, an action away from falling into one side or the other?  Are there truly sides?  What is true love?  Is it always a romantic thing?  Some of these questions are answered in the narrative, others are not.  And not everyone who watches this will get the many layers.  But it is a worthwhile effort, only slightly marred by turning the fight scenes into music videos.  There is a surface thing here.  The script is light, some of the performances are over-the-top.  The film is anchored, however, by the themes and young Miss Sofia Wylie, who has the most subtle yet important duties in her role.  It was an engaging two and a half hours and I didn't get ancy, as I sometimes do these days, sitting through it.  And yes, there are just creepy-enough moments to satisfy those who want to watch movies appropriate to the season.  Not a ten, but certainly worth an afternoon.  And some "deep thoughts".

"Professionals"

The latest CW import is "Professionals" (not "The" Professionals).  Tom Welling is the spy for hire with a portly Brendan Fraser as the multimillionaire tech genius.  They become entangled in international intrigue, jumping from one nation to another to unwrap an increasingly layered mystery.  It's good but it's not riveting.  It's very European.  Overbearing music doesn't counteract that the slower pacing, which is set by dialog and discoveries.  You see more exploration than car chases with bullets flying and lots of edits (although there is the obligatory car chase and a few fisticuffs).  The exposition is not a bad thing.  Could mean that this is a "smart" production, rather than just an action series full of explosions.  But some of the dialog is stilted and it's hard to tell whether it's bad writing or poor acting.  In the end, you watch it for Tom Welling and Brendan Fraser (who is delightful in, like, everything).  Only time will tell if that will be enough to sustain interest.

"Mo"

This fairly autobiographical series, starring Mohammed Amer, is comedy but it is also just very, very real.  An Arab guy who doesn't have his green card struggles to stay employed and take care of his family in an America which doesn't want him.  He is American, in almost every sense of the word.  He has no accent, he speaks Spanish as well as English, and all he wants is to be able to keep his widowed mother under her roof and buy cat food for for his mentally challenged brother.  He also has a girlfriend he loves, and jobs he can't keep because of his immigration status.  Nothing, and I mean nothing, is easy for this guy.  That being said, it's not a downer.  Mohammed has an ironic sense of humor and a "one foot forward" mentality.  And, of course, there are the challenging issues with moms and aunties.  So it has family wrapped up in politics wrapped up in a kinda sweet guy just trying to get by.  Highly, highly recommend. 

"She-Hulk: Attorney at Law"

The Marvel projects with female leads are ... different.  Some ("Captain Marvel") are flops, while others ("WandaVision") are brilliant.  I would put "She-Hulk" in the latter category.  Like most female takes on the superhero genre, it gets dragged by reviewers -- mostly young males.  One, in my area, dismissed it as action-lite and boring.  Well, yeah.  If you are a guy who has seen 35+ Marvel films and love the "bad guy -- destruction -- make a plan -- stop bad guy with lots of fisticuffs" kind of viewer.  Personally, I turn these films on and check my email while they play in the background.  The good Marvel female-made productions?  They explore things in a deeper way.  "WandaVision" was about the persistence of grief.  "She-Hulk" is about some of the essential issues of womanhood.  I love an early line -- Bruce's cousin reveals her new identity and is asked who she is.  She doesn't respond with "She-Hulk".  She says "Jennifer Walters, Attorney at Law."  The statement is powerful.  The point is that she is an educated, hardworking professional.  Her personhood is full and complex, not something to be boiled down to a catch phrase.  This sets up the struggle of the first season.  It is expected that a woman, a professional woman going into an office environment, will have attractive, well-fitting clothes.  That she will have groomed hair and wear heels and have makeup on.  This differs from men, who can show up with beer bellies, ketchup stains and stinking of whatever they choose to smoke outside the office.  It's a different standard and women know it.  Women are seen and judged, men are not.  Which leads to confusion.  Is this persona in the mirror an illusion?  Are women "who they are" based on their outward appearance?  It's a never-ending morality play, performed brilliantly by Tatiana Maslany, who turns to the camera and breaks the fourth wall with sassy asides.  In this first season she works to find her center not because of the Hulk persona, but because she can't figure out whether people want the superhero or the woman.  In the course of becoming Hulk she realizes she is losing herself.  Men reject her, use her, and she doesn't know how to direct her life.  The season ender is ironic and perfect in that sense, collecting all of these threads and encapsulating them well into something ... fresh and unexpected.  Will your average rock em sock em Marvel fans be drawn to this series?  No.  And Disney is doing it no favors by releasing only one half-hour episode a week (not to mention the beyond-irritating lack of a prompt to skip recaps and credits).  But the series resonates a bit with those it is actually targeting -- women.  Which explains why reviews are all over the board.  Either you get it or you don't.  

"Rosaline"

I thought this would be really light and fluffy and silly.  It's not.  It is funny -- laugh-out-loud at times -- but it's also smart.  Really smart.  A rom-com with a brain.  It has an amazing cast (in addition to the engaging, attractive leads there are luminaries like Bradley Whitford and Minnie Driver in supporting roles).  With the actual Italy as a backdrop the characters move through complex emotions, layered into equally challenging situations.  It's "Romeo & Juliet" as a comedy.  Really.  And it works!  Lovers of Shakespeare and of classic films will enjoy a number of Easter Eggs, including homages to the Bard's other works and movies like "The Graduate".  I didn't know how they were going to take this well-known tragedy and turn it into something else.  But they did, and we have an entertaining film which has gentle lessons about mature love, as opposed to infatuation.  As someone who has always had "issues" with the original tale, I approve, heartily.  The contemporary language and musical score works seemlessly with traditional costumes and the occasional iambic pentameter.  It's kind of brilliant.  And fresh.  Brava.

"Reginald the Vampire"

Again, like so many other things these days, this show is a surprise.  Thought it was just a funny take on vampires.  It's not.  The hour long episodes are layered.  There is humor, pathos, wonder, and a little grief.  Jacob Batalon (Spider Man franchise) brings his sweet, engaging personality.  Trapped in a world he never imagined he alternates between being horrified, outraged, and thrilled.  Mandela Van Peebles (this is the second vampire show this season with a hot, gay, Black vampire ...?!?) plays the unexpected maker and mentor.  Points are made about "fitting in" regrading Batalon's weight.  They translate well into the issues modern society has with those who don't look like the people in magazine ads and on social media.  It's gory -- overly so at times -- but that factor is balanced well with true storytelling.  Much more meat (pun not really intended) than you might imagine.  Give it a shot.  Or a bite?

"Downton Abbey: A New Era"

Title aside, there isn't a lot of new stuff here.  Mary still has man-problems, the children of the characters don't seem to play much of a role in their lives and the downstairs people still have dreams.  For fans this is a lovely coda.  It wraps up storylines.  That being said there isn't a lot of story.  There are attempts at story -- a family secret, once revealed, leaves one person wondering whether their life is on the right course.  Several issues do arise, and then evaporate into thin air.  A movie-maker and his cast come to Downton, which creates the potential for new relationships and new appreciations of the modern age.  Downton continues to  wrap historical notes into the production to underscore the uncertainty of the noble class.  I've always marvelled at the fact that few viewers seem to realize this.  In any case I enjoyed watching it but I do think we are "done".  Unless they want to jump ahead to the 1950s, when the invisible kids have grown up to have peccadilloes of their own and Downton is just a big old building in the countryside.  Or not.  It was a great series and a nice movie or two but anything more would just be beating a dead horse.  Enough.

"Hocus Pocus" (OG and 2)

Attempting to get into the Halloween mood I decided to watch the new "Hocus Pocus" on Disney.  However, once again, I somehow managed to miss the original version of this film way back in 1993, so I had to watch it before watching the new one.  They were ... well ...

They aren't bad, exactly.  The OG film is a bit dated, the kids okay (with the exception of a very young Thora Birch, who is fabulous).  The focus is on the witches.  They are kind of funny, but the movie literally opens (SPOILER ALERT) with the murder of a kid.  So, not so funny.  The talking cat is cute and you want to laugh at the witches trying to figure out modern times, but you don't.  They adapt quickly, without any seeming help, and are finally vanquished at the very last minute.

The second film is a virtual blueprint of the first, making the ending kind of predictable.  But the focus is more on the kids than the witches, with Whitney Peak and Belissa Escobedo bringing energy and freshness to make the whole thing a little more engaging.  There is a single twist I didn't see coming but the script, like in the OG version, it is weak overall.  As for the witches, the biggest change in 30 years is that Sarah Jessica Parker seems to struggle with playing the childlike, ditzy witch from the first film.  She's in her 50s and the lightness was gone.  One of the few really enjoyable characters is Billy Butcherson played by Doug Jones ("Star Trek:  Discovery").  He is really a gem who makes the most of his tiny role.  Otherwise, both movies are about as watchable as a Hallmark holiday movie, but that's it.  

All that being said, some numbnuts in Texas are saying the films should be banned, so they will probably get a lot of viewership.  I would recommend having something else to do while you and the kids watch.

"The Humans"

An underdog award nominee last year this one is a quiet little film with some big stars.  It's simple -- one set, one night, one story.  A family comes together at Thanksgiving.  The location is a dumpy apartment in New York City.  The hosts are a young couple, the attendees are the sister, the mother, father and grandmother.  Let the depression begin!  Everyone has issues and most of those issues are hidden.  The passive-aggressive side remarks dig and dig until they come oozing out.  In other words, your standard family holiday.  It's artsy and has silent passages meant to convey -- well, things viewers could debate about.  Based on a play I'm not sure it translates well into film.  Under two hours it feels much longer.  One element of story, they say, is the path the characters are on, internal or external.  What barriers do they find in their quests?  How do they change in the course of the tale?  The answers to those questions are not evident here.  One reviewer stated "I'm not sure of what I just watched."  I get it.  I understand ... there is drama, family drama, personal drama.  There is horror, sort of.  Early on, one character notes that aliens visiting earth realize the monsters are actually us.  The film seems to lean into that with dark lighting and various creatures skittering along the walls.  But it's too much symbolism and not enough meat (pun intended).  It's "good acting" but beyond that there isn't a lot to hang your hat on.

"Death on the Nile"

Not what I expected ... at all.  The previews left me thinking that this might be a farce of some kind, a funny "take" on an old classic.  It's not.  A class-A cast comes together to make a taut film.  Poirot is a troubled, layered, sad man.  The deaths are numerous, the growing tension palpable.  Even if you know the "who" behind the "whodunit" of the tale it's very watchable.  Characters say little of their real feelings but their faces are portraits of struggle and deceit.  It's pretty to look at, engaging to watch.  Brilliant and prolific Kenneth Brannagh directs as well as stars.  Now I have to go back and watch his take on the Orient Express.

"Flee"

Finally got to see this unique and brilliant film which was nominated for several awards last year.  It's a documentary, an animated film, a commentary on the immigrant issues of today, a nod to the struggles faced by the LGBTQ+ community.  It's beautiful and powerful and should have won over "Encanto" but it's not the most uplifting film and its unicorn status probably confused Oscar voters.  Combining personalized drawings with audio commentary and gut-wrenching live footage the movie drew me in.  I couldn't look away.  I was touched, and changed, by it.  With a run-time of only one and a half hours, it is simple, compact and powerful.  Watch it.

"East New York"

As suspected, this is on the gritty side.  More than I like.  I'm kind of a "The Rookie" person (being broadcast on the same night, at the same time, on ABC).  But it's good, and the cast is great.  There isn't a lot of original here (it's on CBS, of course).  Just your basic cop show.  But there is heart.  And storytelling.  And some people trying to do good, but maybe not for the right reasons.  In the vein of "Hill Street Blues" the line of morality is muddied ... a lot ... in this production.  The one interesting thing is the post #BLM influence.  Most of the cast, including the talented lead, Amanda Warren, are people of color.  It may be one of the most diverse casts of a cop show I've ever watched.  And that's key.  The second episode features a tale of two murders -- a white Wall Street guy and black kid from the projects.  The points are made, beautifully, without hitting you over the head.  Brava.  If I know CBS, this one will nudge viewers to widen their world without being overly pushy.  That might be a good thing, allowing people to buy in rather than tune out.

"Interview with the Vampire" (2022)

AMC takes on this classic with the kind of high-end production values we have come to see from them.  An outstanding cast -- Jacob Anderson mesmerizes and Eric Bogosian plays a perfect foil -- makes you feel like you are watching a film, not a TV show.  The story veers a good deal from the book but the quality of the script remains the same ... very rich and layered.  It can also, at times, be laugh-out-loud funny.  It is a series with layers.  This is a show you watch, not work out to.  Two episodes in, it is seriously growing on me.  There is one major caveat.  AMC, known for "Walking Dead", is pulling out the stops on the gore factor, which is deeply not my thing.  In the end it will come down to great acting and storytelling vs being physically repelled by the violence on the screen.  Which will win out, I do not know.

"Elvis"

Must be the season "for your consideration".  Few things are Oscar bait like a good biopic, and in two weeks time we have two blockbuster films -- one about Marilyn Monroe, the other about Elvis.  It's interesting, because they had a lot in common.  Both got their first big breaks in the 50s.  Both were a little innocent and deeply abused and used up by the people around them.  Both came to dislike their public personas.  Both were accused of inappropriate sexuality and both died far too young ... far, far too young ... from overdoses.  Given all of that the two movies could not be more different.  "Blonde" is a hazy, disconnected, internal view of the world from the mind of a troubled woman.  Norma Jeane is the unreliable narrator and history is "twisted" to tell the story the creators wanted to tell.  "Elvis" is a Baz Luhrmann production.  It's loud and bright and fast-paced.  Contemporary music is intertwined with tunes of the times (yes, that is Doja Cat).  At times there are as many as 12 cuts per minute.  There are split screens and the narrator isn't Elvis.  We never get inside his head.  The tale is told by a different kind of unreliable narrator -- Colonel Tom Parker, on his deathbed.  Needless to say, the man doesn't have any regrets and tries to justify all of it.  Elvis and Parker, played brilliantly by Austin Butler and Tom Hanks, are spellbinding.  The strong script has you hanging on every word, even though we all know how things are going to go.  Funny, "Blonde" was raw and personal.  This film was not.  But both made a real impression.  And I cried a bit more at the end of "Elvis" than "Blonde".  Much like my visit to Graceland I found the individual person in this tale, not the icon.  The humanizing of these people is, perhaps, the greatest gift these movies give us.  In any case, it's going to be hard to make the call during award season.