"Guardians of the Galaxy, Vol 3"

Not sure why there is a hate-fest for this film.  I enjoyed it.  I do see some downsides.  After endangering, and saving, the universe on one or two occasions, it becomes difficult to top that with "something greater".  This film doesn't bother.  It simply goes in a different direction.  We have the back stories of every character.  Except for Rocket.  And this is, truly, Rocket's story.  It's sad and brutal to watch at times.  There are predictable losses (he's a pretty cantankerous character and now I get why).  It was so heavy that, yes, I reached for a tissue now and then.  And I know that's not what people want in a superhero film.  And so there are battles and fisticuffs and the like.  Enough to make this a regular old Marvel film.  But it's got a darker side.  Not a "Deadpool" darker side, but a touch-your-soul-just-a-bit dark side.  And maybe that's just too much feeling for your average action fan.  There is also the issue of the music.  The first film has, in my humble opinion, one of the best scores I've ever seen in a movie.  The second film has "good" music.  The music here ... with exception ... is "okay".  Yes, there is Heart and Florence + The Machine but overall, the music choices leave me with the belief that the tunes of my youth far outweigh contemporary music.  The 70s stuff ... it has stuck around for 50 years.  It is music which speaks to you.  Which can bring a memory in with force.  You can sing along with it.  Not so much the stuff that followed.  In the first film the music is like a character.  Take it away and the movie is lessened.  By the time we get to the third film, we are supposed to wax poetical about Beastie Boys?  I think not.  All that aside, the two and a half hour movie entertains and uses hordes (and hordes and hordes) of baddies to create real risk for our leads.  But it's just not as big.  Chukwudi Iwuji brings a Shakespearean gravitas to his role and there are real themes about true religion vs false prophets.  But it's not world-in-peril stuff (ironic, because there is a world in peril).  That becomes an almost secondary plot.  The bigger question is how our personal challenges, and loss, shape us.  Do we become bitter or rise above?  It's a lot of thinking for a Marvel film, but in this case, that was something I didn't dislike.  Critics be darned.  Give it a chance.

"Let's Explore Diabetes with Owls: Essays, Etc" by David Sedaris

Recent travel gave me time to explore this older collection of Sedaris works.  Funny, profane, reflective and enjoyable, I could hear the author's voice coming through loud and clear.  It was interesting, and worth thinking about, how his childhood both formed and damaged him.  His overseas adventures figure prominently here and are a good example of how world travel for both him, and me, has a tendency to change you.  The one confusing note, initially, was the inclusion of fictionalized mini-stories with the personal essays.  Once I was oriented to them, I was fine but there were some "huh, what is happening?" moments.  These stories are a Jonathan Swift homage, with various characters engaging in extreme reactions to the day-to-day.  Like Swift, Sedaris is making a point by pushing the boundries.  It is funny, if you like bitchy and sardonic.  Which I do.  The perfect companion on a long flight.

"Unstable"

Rob Lowe is pretty much Rob Lowe in this Netflix miniseries.  Which is to say he's liberal, quirky, quietly funny and trying to connect with his adult son despite the lack of mom's presence.  Obsessed with aesthetics and personal fitness, his character in "Unstable" looks a lot like his character in "9-1-1: Lone Star" (and not unlike the character in "West Wing").  Which is not to say the show it bad.  It's not.  Lightning fast dialog with a good deal of pithy dry humor makes for a very watchable series.  The fact that Lowe's real son is playing his son helps with the layered, challenging relationships.  (Lowe has been performing with family lately -- his brother Chad Lowe had a terrific turn in "9-1-1: Lone Star").  The supporting cast all rises to the high bar.  There's Sian Clifford, playing an icy CFO of the mythical tech company.  She embraces all of the emotions ... frustration, dedication, determination.  Rachel Marsh and Emma Ferreira are hysterical as geeky science types.  Aaron Branch is perfect as the too-soft manager and Fred Armisen does a cute turn as a psychiatrist who clearly doesn't know his business.  The result is a few life lessons delivered with a lot of smiles.  Worth it.

"Appropriate Behavior"

This 2014 film was listed as one of those small films you may have missed.  I certainly did.  It's the tale of Shirin, a young woman in NYC who does pretty much everything twhich ~isn't~ appropriate.  She is struggling with a breakup and the short film wanders back and forth between her miserable present and her falling-in-love past.  She's funny, in a dry wit sort of way.  Sometimes it lands with the other characters.  Often it doesn't.  She tries too hard, she's lost in her own stuff.  As a viewer, I found it endearing and not cringy.  The movie is very slice of life with minimal musical scoring and a fair amount of sex (which seems appetizing but ends up disappointing for the hapless Shirin).  What I like about her is that she is just out there, being sex positive and unashamed.  She is who she is, warts and all.  And there is something powerful in that.

"Eternals"

Judging Marvel movies these days is a little like comparing Twinkies to HoHos.  The films are like fluffy cotton candy which doesn't leave much of an impression.  They all tend to be too long, too short and/or have too much or too little action.  Every once in a while the whole thing comes together and you get a really great superhero film, but mostly it is entertaining pablum to watch when you don't want to think too much.  Not for nothing, Marvel films are great choices for long flights.  

All that being said, "Eternals" has possibilities.  Which are mostly squandered.  But before I slam it, let's talk about what works.  It's got a terrific cast and many of the "underwritten" roles work because the actors make them work.  There are themes which, if expanded upon, could be intriguing.  Quick mentions of war and peace, natural selection vs. saving those in need, and those nice grey zones where you aren't sure who the good guys and the bad guys are.

(SPOILERS)  The challenges begin with how much they try to stuff into less than two hours.  There is an entirely new foundation which has to be built, a culture to create, ten characters to introduce and an amorphous big bad.  The flashbacks to give context are both helpful and superfluous.  There are inconsistencies.  They need a spaceship to get to earth but apparently can breathe in space (and some can fly there).  In the final battle, characters take sides -- but one is conspicuously absent and nothing is said when he reunites with the crew at the end.  There is an unstoppable monster who gets stopped ... fairly easily.  Character development is extremely limited.  Good actors like Gemma Chan, Salma Hayek and Ma Dong-Seok seem to be oddly restrained.  Powerful female characters are beset by insecurity and self-doubt.  Angelina Jolie's character has more mood swings than "The Three Faces of Eve".  "The most powerful of them all" is killed in seconds, leaving the viewer to wonder if they were truly strong.  Lauren Ridloff is also a favorite actor, but it seems like the producers didn't know what to do with a deaf actor so she is literally relegated to Flash-like running and living in an abandoned spaceship eating junk food and watching DVDs.  Kumail Nanjiani manages to be truly funny, bringing needed warmth.  Lead Richard Madden is stoic and dour.  Actor Barry Keoghan is equally dour but not stoic.  The one bright star is young Lia McHugh, who is given a lot of dialog and makes the most of it.  Brian Tyree Henry is also good, when he is given a chance, being the voice of the superhero struggling to balance a home life.  And those scenes were the ones I liked the most.  When superheroes try to fit into the normal world.  If they had more of that, which is amusing and grounded, it would be more interesting to me than battling a big stone-like head in the sky.  

"Quantumania"

Paul Rudd is funny and sweet, Michelle Pfeiffer is luminous, Michael Douglas does curmudgeon well, Katy O'Brian makes a lot out of little, Evangeline Lilly fades into the background and Kathryn Newton steals the show.  And I miss Michael Pena.  There are little wink-winks to other works, such as Star Wars, Star Trek, and a host of classics.  All-in-all, not the best Marvel entry but by no means the worst.  It's fast paced, heavy on action and effects, and has some twists which you only kind-of see coming.  I liked it.  But there isn't anything new here.  And, like all Marvel films these days, it mostly exists to set up the next two sequels.  And the problem with that is Jonathan Majors.  He's the big heavy in this film, and, presumably in the next two.  But he goes on trial for sexual assault in August.  And women are coming out of the woodwork to accuse him of being violent with them.  So now what?  I guess they recast.  It is, after all, a make-believe multiverse.   

"Alex Rider"

If you are looking for a faithful rendition of the books, you are out of luck.  There are dramatic changes from the novels.  Like most "book-to-TV" transitions the lead character is older, the story is much darker, and, because this is visual, the violence more visceral, the losses more emotional.  Beyond that there are substantive changes to the book narrative.  Events are rearranged and characters are heavily re-written if not utterly new.  There are contemporary comments ("Social Media allows people to take your rights and have you thank them for it") as well as AI and cellphones integrated into the tale (which didn't exist when the first books were written).  All that being said, this series is good.  Really good.  I blasted through the first two seasons in three days.  Action is well-paced and engrossing.  Storylines have nice twists and the cast is, like all British productions, outstanding.  Unfortunately it's on "Freevee" which means that commercials (ones you can't speed through), interrupt the storyline.  But it's good enough that even though my attention tends to wander with the breaks, I focused right back in after each.  The only other complaint, which is minor, is that the entire cast is British -- with some actors playing Americans, but unable to really nail the accent.  It's okay.  American actors have been butchering British accents for years.  Turnabout is fair play.  A special shout-out to Otto Farrant, who encapsulates the heart of a lost 16 year-old even though he is more than ten years older than the character.  He and the rest of the crew get snaps for VERY physical committment to the show.  It's clear Mr. Farrant is doing most of his own stunts and they are impressive.  Can't wait for season three.

"Raya and the Last Dragon"

This little animated gem was one of many missed films during Covid.  It's a shame.  Had it premiered in the "before-times" it probably would have been a hit.  The story is a completely made-up South Asian legend which feels very authentic.  Female forward and with a pacifist message, there are a good number of fisticuffs but a fair amount of fodder for the Disney-haters.  I can't help thinking, however, that a message about learning to trust each other, to love your enemy -- it's not just biblical, it's kind of what we need in this day and age.  I also appreciate that the characters aren't lily white and don't break out into song periodically.  That being said, it's not perfect.  The aforementioned dragons are a little too "My Little Pony" for my taste (although Awkwafina's boundless energy and humor bleeds through in every scene, making the movie extremely watchable) and the inevitable hard sacrifices take on less meaning when Disney goes for the picture perfect ending.  Nonetheless, I did have a tear in my eye.  This film is good.  Quite good.  I didn't get the least bit ancy and hesitated to hit the pause button when I needed to step away for a moment.  Brava.  If you are looking for newish fare over a slow summer, go for it.  

"Pelosi in the House"

This documentary has been dismissed as a puff piece.  It's not.  I mean, it is biased.  Of course.  Nancy Pelosi's daughter made the thing.  And it is, if nothing, an homage to her mom.  There are plenty of shots of Alexandra's children, playing in offices as she films her mother working.  But the story she is telling has layers.  Watch closely and you will see what it takes for a woman to succeed in a man's world.  You will see the dedication, and effort, that Nancy Pelosi put in to do a job which can be impossible.  Watching the "sausage get made" you realize that government is all about time.  The time Pelosi puts into every piece of legislation, every phonecall.  And yes, for most of this film, she is often on the phone.  And wearing makeup.  And in heels.  Clearly, she is a driving force.  What couldn't have been foreseen was January 6th.  Alexandra was filming that day.  It was a big day.  After four years of crazy, there was light on the horizon.  But it wasn't to be.  Re-watching this attack on our country was hard.  Brutally hard.  According to the documentary, Pelosi was cool as a cucumber.  As always.  But was she?  Her eyes, behind the Covid mask, flickered, just a bit.  Her hands shook.  But only for an instant.  An instant we were allowed to see.  Yes, the documentary was good.  It was interesting, informative and engaging.  I couldn't help but wonder, however, what we might have seen if we had been allowed to.  Nancy Pelosi was and is an icon.  Her strength and determination will live on.  But the human being inside?  That will remain forever private.

"Shiny Happy People: Duggar Family Secrets"

I never watched any of the Duggar family series or specials.  But I did watch this three part mini-series.  It is part of an ongoing quest of mine to understand these extreme Christian faiths and the people who are involved in them.  Watching it was far more of a roller coaster of emotions than I expected, and the content was far more ranging than just the Duggar family.  I began with a sense of bemusement -- how could anyone buy into what the IBLP was selling?  But, like all cults, there was an appeal.  Safety in a scary world.  Security that you are surrounded by people who support you and love you (so long as you tow the line).  The promise of a reward, albeit after death, for the suffering we experience.  Okay.  As the series went on, it became both interesting and more personal.  The breakdown of the IBLP was fascinating.  I liked how the producers made it clear that the structure of the organization almost invited abuse (and agree with that premise).  It was interesting to hear from the spectrum -- those who had left the organization ranged from sad Christian to very angry atheist.  In the end, I connected more than I realized.  In my dysfunctional childhood there was a veneer of propriety.  I don't think there were many people outside of my family unit who knew what was going on behind closed doors.  This documentary is kind of an indictment of the "Father Knows Best" and "Leave it to Beaver" idealization which is still hailed by conservatives.  They glorify a lie which they see as truth.  And maybe that's the core of these kinds of religions.  Believing what you are told instead of what you actually experience.  Which is ... not a happy place.

"If These Walls Could Talk"

This 1996 film is now living on HBO Max and I have to say, watching it on a streaming service is probably better than doing so in a theatre.  It is a film about abortion, complete with really difficult, cringey scenes.  I had assumed it was pro-choice but after viewing it, I'm not sure.  I mean, yes, the folks who created it are pro-choice but they do a pretty good job of showing all sides of the issue.  And not for nothing, the most violent parts are those where abortions occur.  I would say you will take away what you bring to it.  If you are pro-choice, you will see those arguments, if you are pro-life you will see the opposite.  Taking place in the same house in three different time periods, 1952, 1974 and 1996, it shows the struggles of three women wrestling with unexpected pregnancies.  And it is the thoughtful reflections of these women which is the point.  The real point.  Abortion is not a simple subject and is the case nowadays it has been reduced to hashtags and platitudes.  The reality is much messier.  The brilliance of this film, if it has brilliance, is found in the subtle, amazing performances by a seasoned and well-known cast.  The weaknesses have to do with poor cinematography and an over-the-top ending which isn't unrealistic but ends up being too much.  That being said, this had more substance than I expected.  It isn't clean-cut.  And for this subject, it never is.  

"Kiss Today Goodbye, the Sweetness and the Sorrow ..."

It's that time of year.  The time to say goodbye.  To shows I watched but was so-so on -- like "Andor".  To shows I stopped watching a good while back, including "The Blacklist" and "The Flash".  To shows I liked but which came to an expected end, like "New Amsterdam" and "The Umbrella Academy".  There was also, of course, "A Million Little Things".  This kleenex show went out as came in ... with grace, gravitas, and a few laughs.  I saw it coming with some shows I liked, such as "Call Me Kat" and "Fantasy Island".  I didn't see it coming with other shows I liked, such as "Kung Fu".  Or shows I loved, like "The Company You Keep".  Or shows I was just getting to like, such as "East New York".  

Oddly, the show I'm having the hardest time bidding adieu to is "The Marvelous Mrs. Maisel".  Beyond really liking the amazing cast, the smart and fast-paced dialog, the incredible clothes; I really liked the messages.  About women and power.  It's also ... weird.  The series began in 2017.  When I look at how my life has changed since 2017 I am a little dumbstruck.  It is as if I watched season one in another life and I have been completely reborn since.  It's as if the person watching season five is a completely different person.  It's almost dystopian.  But not.  In any case, as they say, it's not over until it's over.  Finales for "The Crown", "Stranger Things", and "The Handmaid's Tale" are coming.  But thanks to the WGA strike, and possibly the SAG strike, it could be a while.  Probably have another year before having to mourn yet again.

"How to be an Antiracist" by Ibram X. Kendi

Loved, loved, loved this book.  Tore through it.  Mr. Kendi does a wonderful and hugely personal job of explaining the Black experience and drawing conclusions from it.  In addition to better understanding life from the point of view of a Black person in America, it brings true humanity to the stories told.  Unlike "White Fragility" it is a book which mostly avoids the blame-and-shame tactics and drills down into facts, drawing ideas and thoughts from the facts, and weaving them into solutions.  In other words, it's not a book about complaints, it is a book which encourages readers to do more than think.  It pushes readers to act.  The book is thoughtful, powerful, gentle.  I could read it over and over.  The main premise, one I have espoused for a long time but never articulated as well as Mr. Kendi, is that "we" are a "we".  Not "us" and "them", but simply humans.  People, who are as unique and special as any individuals.  The challenge of the book is to step away from ever referring to Blacks as a monolithic group.  To see each person as a human being who has their own stories, their own backgrounds.  We are challenged to stop assigning any kind of attributes to a person based on race and culture.  Which can be difficult, even for the most enlightened.  Even for Mr. Kendi himself.  This is also a book which pushes the idea of intersectionality.  We have more in common than we are different.  Paradoxically, Mr. Kendi also brings up the essential inequities of those who are Black, explaining structural racism.  He explains it very well and uses data (my favorite thing in the whole world) to support his statements.  It's a simple, clear book.  You read it (and then read passages over and over again, as I did) and see so much.  It's like Haiku.  Every word, every phrase is understandable, but together they provide something which is so much "more".  Yes.  Read it.  Re-read it.  And reflect on it, as I did.  What is it really saying?  And why does it scare people so much?

"Strange World"

It's a good film, and very Disney.  After all the controversy, I had to see it for myself.  It's typical fare.  The kid (and dog) are smarter than the adults.  There are plenty of laughs for the kids and snickers for the adults.  There is a terrific score and great animation.  There are more than a few "nods" to other works:  Indiana Jones, Star Wars, Horton Hears a Who, ET, even Hieronymus Bosch.  It pushes peace and cooperation, even in the midst of family drama and daddy issues.  And, of course, there is a lot for conservatives to hate.  The kids reject their parents.  Forcefully.  The core family is interracial.  The teen is gay (this has been fixated on but it such a minor plot point it takes up little screen time and has no impact on the story outcome).  A shop-keeper and the ubiquitous dog are differently abled.  Women of color are in charge.  And the "kill everything" mantra of the pseudo Yukon Cornelius character is soundly trounced by an eco-message.  "Just because we can take from the planet, maybe we shouldn't".  This is quickly followed by "Maybe we should understand how to live in concert with other life forms" (yeah, this is actually stated).  It's all very nice and upbeat and ends happily.  Two characters bond over a brewsky (no one has complained about this, BTW).  And they all lived happily ever after.  Unless you are a teacher in Florida who dared to show the film to students.

"American Born Chinese"

Almost unrecognizable from the award-winning graphic novel, this is still an impressive and timely take on the tale.  In the book, Jin Wang, the titular "American Born Chinese" is a middle schooler who deals with an unending barrage of racist behaviors and comments.  He is filled with self-loathing and experiences dissociation regarding his role among his peers.  This results in three stories being told which interweave.  There is Jin's thread, the thread of the Monkey King (drawing heavily on Chinese mythology) and a hyper-stereotype, drawn as a 1940s movie character.  The Disney miniseries updates Jin to a 10th grader (in order to cast a 23 year-old actor) and plays with the racism in a more subtle way which is both powerful and layered.  The character of Jin isn't clear about his feelings, or even who he is.  Well-performed by actor Ben Wang, Jin is a mountain of confusion, frustration and struggle.  I think he would be very identifiable to most teens, particularly those of color.  Newcomer Jimmy Liu creates an equally dimensional foil for the Jin character and a certain amount of chaos insues.  The three threads are overlap well, with the mystical element fitting in better, I think, in this live action production.  The stereotype tale is smaller, due to major plot changes, but provides Ke Huy Quan a lovely moment or two.  It also gives the Jin character an opportunity for a lot of reflection, which isn't scripted (and doesn't need to be).  This is not a series for little kids.  There are real parental issues, alcoholism, some intense fight scenes and a lot of Chinese subtitled sections, including most of episode #4.  It is, however, a great series for reflecting on how Asians are viewed and treated in our world.  In any case, I liked it a ~lot~ and watched the whole thing in one afternoon.  And yes, a second season is coming.  This is Disney, after all.

"Unorthodox"

Based ~very~ loosely on a autobiographical novel, this is the tale of Esty, a 19 year-old NYC Hasidic girl who tries to serve in the role she is born into but is consistently called to independence.  Things don't go well.  In a drastic move, she tries to escape and find herself.  This choice she makes, also, is filled with challenges.  But she perseveres.  It's a powerful four-part miniseries.  The performance of Shira Haas, a wisp of a young woman, makes it brilliant.  Through her eyes we see the struggle, the unknowing, and the overwhelming world in front of her when she makes the leap.  It's touching, engaging and worth binging in a single day.  Is it reality?  Not exactly.  But it's real enough, and the ambiguous ending leaves you with the understanding that Esty's place will always be a little tenuous.  That's okay.  By the finale, you see the strength she carries which so many others miss.

"American Factory"

You probably missed this Academy Award-winning documentary, and first offering from the new production company set up by Barack and Michelle Obama.  I did.  It came along just before Covid and there we were in our sweatpants watching "Tiger King".  A thoughtful documentary wasn't really on the menu.  That being said, this film is extremely well-done and is provocative in a nice, quiet way.  Set in the GM plant near Daytona, OH, which closed in 2008, the documentary shows how a Chinese businessman re-opened the plant as an auto glass factory, Fuyao American.  Billed as a look at the cultural challenges of American workers working alongside Chinese workers, it is actually more of a story of the changing nature of blue collar work in our increasingly disparate economy, and the struggle of workers to negotiate proper workplace conditions.  There is cultural clash, but this is more about the workers on the floor vs the men in power.  It's an old tale, and no (spoiler alert), it doesn't end well.  That being said, there is a lot here to learn about.  And a lot to unpack.  The very rich corporate owners can easily be dismissed as the bad guys.  But one, once he is ousted, recognizes that the workers need support.  Another lives in luxury but muses, however briefly, that his work helps to destroy the environment.  Every featured person has shadings and angles.  The documentary makers did a great job of stepping back and just filming.  They don't paint the picture for the viewer, they just show it all to you.  As someone who watched it, I could tell that much of what you get out of it will depend on what you bring to it.  My life experiences and politics definitely colored how I viewed the events of the film, and I did think about it a good long while after viewing it.  In the end, the hardest thing for the Americans to get their head around?  The Chinese belief that the purpose of life is work, not joy or affirmation.  While I recognize the difference (thanks to a month-long trip in China), I have to say ... it makes me sad.

"Pretty Baby Brooke Shields"

This two-part documentary is very well done.  Nicely structured and unexpectedly layered, it hits on a lot of topics of interest and weaves them through the narrative with the voices of Ms. Shields, friends, colleagues and ... experts.  Mental health experts, feminists, you name it.  These voices are critical and provide a strong context for the information being presented.  The work ranges from being analytical to personal and connects the points in a smooth quilt of a rich life.  As said in the documentary, Brooke Shields is a human being but she is often seen more as a symbol or an icon rather than an individual.  People see themselves in Ms. Shields -- a mirror reflecting their interests, needs and experiences rather than actually seeing her.  Ironically, the documentary paradoxically shatters this idea and reinforces it.  By the end, I learned much more about Brooke Shields than I was ever aware of.  But I also responded to the work because of my own connections -- a complicated relationship with a parent, growing up with an alcoholic, being treated as a "thing" on a film set rather than a fully realized person.  Perhaps the message here is that nothing is simple.  We are all kaleidoscopes.  The different colors come out depending on the light.  That's one of many lessons to consider in watching this.  Brava, Ms. Shields.  Keep speaking your truth, woman.

"Marcel the Shell with Shoes On"

In the style of a documentary this short and entertaining stop-motion film does the impossible ... it takes an ordinary object and instills it with oodles of life.  The film is absolutely charming.  Marcel, the shell, is an adorable fun creature who will grab your heart.  Dean Fleischer Camp created the character and envisioned the story, but Marcel's biggest asset is his voice, performed by Jenny Slate.  His awkward, humble nature comes out with every word.  There is also so much said in his pauses.  You will find yourself identifying with his unsureness of the world while his eagerness and innocence all speak to you.  You can be inspired, saddened and learn a lot about life while watching this little guy.  I smiled, laughed, and shed a tear.  For a nothing kind of story, I found myself on the edge of my seat, unable to look away.  It only took moments for me to become so attached that I was praying there would be a happy resolution.  It's a special thing ... a tiny tale which says so much.  Big thumbs up.

"Mrs. Harris Goes to Paris"

This remake of the 1992 TV film has a lot to offer.  It's less about the humor and more grounded.  It's fun, engaging and has a few subtle messages along the way.  It's gentle and sweet, touching and warm.  In a "interesting" time, this film has true charm.  Much of that comes from the performance of Lesley Manville, who plays the titular character with layers upon layers.  Yes, she is working class, but no, she's not stupid.  Yes, she wants a dress far beyond her means, but not because of material greed.  Life has handed her a good number of lemons.  She has the courage to dream of something more and is quietly determined to stick to her dreams no matter what others say.  And she is genuinely kind.  Surrounded by a strong cast we discover that these aren't caricatures, but people with their own secret yearnings and struggles.  I was completely sucked in and when Mrs. Harris gets her heart broken (more than once), I ached for her.  And then I smiled as she navigated a world which appeared so different from hers, but did so with more grace than those around her.  Brava.  Well worth watching.

"Anne Boleyn"

This streaming mini-series has a lot to offer, not the least of which is an amazing script.  I almost fell out of my chair laughing at the following exchange:  Queen Anne Boleyn, to Lady Jane Seymour, regarding a winning hand at cards, "Well, it seems the Mouse was ahead all the time".  Seymour, "I don't really understand the game".  Boleyn, "Well then, perhaps you shouldn't play".  Brilliant.  The series gets into a lot, including showing the complexities, and intelligence of Anne.  Often portrayed as a tart, a temptress, and unattractively power hungry, this show captures the grey areas.  Yes, Anne had pride and hubris, and, to some degree, it was an element in her downfall.  But the absolute truth of the matter is that England of the 1530s couldn't deal with a woman who spoke her mind.  As she is told, bluntly and cruelly, her power is in her belly, not her head.  Did she, like Icarus, reach too far?  Perhaps.  But I like this nuanced version.  One where she makes the mistakes she makes, but sees it all as it comes tumbling down -- albeit too late.  The deck, as they say, was stacked.  On a final point, I welcomed Jodie Turner-Smith as Anne Boleyn, and Paapa Essiedu in the lead characters of Anne and her brother George, as they are warm, talented actors who both connected deeply with the roles.  My issue with the "color blind" casting is that it wasn't.  They were the only dark-skinned Blacks in the production.  Which made a story which isn't about race (it was very much about sexism and about religious intolerance), about race.  Feel like they could have gone further, done a "Hamilton" and just cast people across the racial spectrum, which would have made the story more holistic and less about pushing "the point."  Just my humble opinion.

"The Satanic Verses" by Salman Rushdie

I tried.  I really did.  I love to read banned books, if for no other reason, than to tell book banners "nah nah nah nah."  However.  This book is dense.  Really dense.  It begins with two men falling out of a crashing plane.  It's metaphorical, symbolic, and most of the references are from Indian mythology or (semi) contemporary Indian cultural customs.  I understood none of it.  I plowed through.  The story swings.  In time, from character to character (seemingly unconnected).  I just couldn't keep track.  I tried to skim through.  To find a connecting thread.  I read the end before finishing it, something I NEVER do.  I still didn't get it.  I'm sure the book is brilliant.  I'm sure it's a classic.  I just didn't get one itty bitty little bit of it on any level.  So I put it down.  Which I almost never do.  But I had no choice.  This novel may have been translated into English, but the essence is of a world which I know nothing about.

"The Stranger" by Camus

Somehow I missed reading this classic.  On a ship without wifi for 12 days, I picked it up.  A short tale, I read it in a matter of hours.  And then thought about it far longer.  The story is told from the point of view of Meursault, a Frenchman living in Algiers.  His mother has died.  We drift from the funeral, to his meeting a woman, to his vacation on a beach.  Events occur and Meursault ends up on trial for murder.  In the telling, Meursault is impassionate and factual.  He relates the events as if he is not a participant, and the only emotion he ever seems to express is a slight annoyance at human proclivities.  In modern standards he might be seen as a sociopath, a psychopath, a narcissist, or someone who fits any number of other diagnosis from the DSM V.  But this wasn't written recently.  It was written by Camus at the end of WWII.  Many of the literary works which came out at the time had a dehumanizing element (people waking up as cockroaches, for one).  I have to think, given the horrors of the German occupation of France, those who survived it had to find a way to explain true evil.  They came up with characters who weren't fully human.  Meursault's ability to divide his self from his acts is one way to look at the actions of the Germans.  They desensitized themselves to the genocide they perpetrated.  They walked through the world without making connections to other people.  They set themselves apart.  Perhaps.  Who knows what Camus' real intent was?  I'm sure there are a thousand college professors with a thousand different takes on this story.  One final note.  The original French title was "The Outsider" -- which is far more accurate than "The Stranger", in my humble opinion.  The title was changed so as not to be confused with S.E. Hinton's "The Outsiders" novel.  But the original title seems more on point.  Meursault was a stranger to himself, but he was an outsider to society.

"Cloud Cuckoo Land" by Anthony Doerr

This book is so many things it is difficult to create a succinct summary.  Multiple storylines wrap around a core -- a lost Greek book about an unhappy man who leaves his home to find Utopia.  The tale is told through many eyes and many time periods.  Young people in Constantinople near the end of the Ottoman reign, a soldier in the Korean War seeks to find meaning, an old man directs children in a play about the Greek story, an unhappy young man's life spools out to the point where he is intent on doing harm, a young girl pursues a mission in a space station ... alone except for a slightly judgy computer.  There are flashbacks and flashforwards and careful reading is needed to keep track of it all, lest you be lost.  All that said, the story is both literary and accessible.  It is also sweet, sad, funny and touching.  Despite the major events unfolding this feels like a quiet story, a personal tale.  Doerr is kind of brilliant in the way he weaves symbolism and myth into each of the narratives.  It's subtle and sometimes you don't see it until everything is laid out.  Chapters are short, pacing is good and I tore through it in days.  Bravo.  A terrific addition to Mr. Doerr's impressive catalog.

"Lessons in Chemistry" by Bonnie Garmus

This reads like a kind of cleaned up memoir.  A woman talks about her mother's challenging path as a female scientist of the 1950s.  But it's not a memoir.  It's 100% fiction.  The fact that it reads so realistically is a credit to author Bonnie Garmus.  She connects to the reader by making the prose accessible and the character, while a bit difficult, oddly approachable.  The book also has a good deal of humor, which is unexpected given the serious life-challenges of lead character Elizabeth Zott.  It is, perhaps, the quirky character of Ms. Zott which makes the whole thing work.  Ms. Garmus has done something terrific -- she has written a seemingly simple novel which has sneaky layers and inferences.  Even the title has a half-dozen meanings.  It was a fast read and a thoughtful story.  If some of the threads come together in a convenient manner it doesn't really matter.  I felt a connection to the tale, and will make a bet that most readers, particularly the ladies, will feel the same.  Favorite quote:  "(Men) either wanted to control her, touch her, dominate her, silence her, correct her, or tell her what to do.  She didn’t understand why they couldn’t just treat her as a fellow human being, as a colleague, a friend, an equal, or even a stranger on the street, someone to whom one is automatically respectful until you find out they’ve buried a bunch of bodies in the backyard."

"Fairy Tale" by Stephen King

Honestly, I thought this was "Fairy Tales" -- a series of short stories.  On a cruise, I was looking for an easy read.  And, while I'm not a fan of horror, this one fits into King's fantasy books, not his gory fare.  It's wonderful.  A lengthy page-turner, I read it in record time.  There is a story inside a story.  The first third of the book is set in the normal world.  A teenage boy, an old man, and a dog.  And then it takes a turn.  One I didn't fully see coming.  There is travel to another world, classic fantasy and fairy tale mythology, and, of course, some battles leading to the ultimate "good vs. evil" fight.  But it's a fresh take and not one where you see things coming.  The writing is rich, the characters layered, the images described in incredible detail.  I enjoyed it thoroughly, particularly in that it was wrapped up realistically, but not neatly.  Such is the world.  Any world.  Another Bravo to a man who makes writing these brilliant books look like child's play.

"She Said"

It is almost impossible to make a film about a current news event with any kind of tension because the resolution is a given.  That being said, ever since "All the President's Men" people have tried.  "She Said" portrays the long (long, long) effort of two NY Times reporters to get to the root of the Harvey Weinstein scandal.  In terms of creating any kind of "what will happen next" energy, this film doesn't quite get there.  But it does rope you in.  Credit goes to Zoe Kazan.  She interviews woman after woman.  Hears their stories.  Identifies, feels their pain.  You see it in her face, over and over.  And because of her performance, you feel what she feels.  The hurt, anger and hopelessness builds until the viewer wants to reach through the screen and DO SOMETHING.  It's also an interesting inside view of a newsroom -- and how legality rules everything these days.  So, not perfect, but not a bad outcome for a tale where we know exactly what happens.  

"Armageddon Time"

An amazing cast heads this film which is about ... not sure.  It's one of those slice-of-life things.  The filmmaker recalls a time in his childhood when he befriended a Black kid and his grandfather tried to give him life advice.  It's awesome to see Anne Hathaway in a role which is less sweet than her normal fare and Anthony Hopkins is, well, Anthony Hopkins, but mostly it's just NYC working class Jews yelling at each other.  If there was a payoff for the kid from his life experiences, we didn't see it.  The whole movie is just a snapshot.  Interesting but not fufulling.  And the title is never explained.

"Lyle, Lyle, Crocodile"

Absolutely adorable crocodile and cute kid.  Interesting element with a creepy Javier Bardem character.  But the storytelling is weak.  There is decent background but then the story kind of plows into nothing.  The build, and resolution, come out of nowhere.  It's like it was going to be a layered, thoughtful tale but turned into a kid's film.  Which is sad, because there was clearly potential here.  Short and sweet, it's watchable but I couldn't help but think it could have been so much more.  I hate wasted potential.

"Black Adam"

This one will thrill the superhero fans who like action.  It's nothing but.  One battle after another battle after another battle.  There's a minor point about underserved communities and minor character development.  Wouldn't say I'm looking forward to a sequel (which it was obviously teeing up for).  In any case, all signs point to this franchise being dead on arrival.  I don't disagree.

"See How They Run"

Maybe it was watching it at, like, 3am on an overnight flight.  Or not.  It's got a terrific cast.  But this murder-mystery lite doesn't really hit the mark.  Set in the past, it doesn't have the panache the setting would indicate.  The solutions come a little too easily and the whole thing seems have been edited to a fault.  One of the few movies which could have been longer.  Steps are skipped to get to the end.  Best parts come from Saoirse Ronan outsmarting Sam Rockwell ... a lot.  Didn't leave much of an impression.

"Ticket to Paradise"

It's got Julia Roberts and George Clooney and manages to avoid a cliche or two.  It's entertaining and sometimes fun.  It's fast-paced and short.  All that being said, it's forgettable.  Good airplane popcorn.

"Bros"

Travel has allowed a lot of viewing and reading.  Top of the list was "Bros".  This so-called romantic comedy is ... really different.  It's supposed to be.  In a meta moment, the film opens with the lead character explaining to a network exec that a rom-com with two guys can't be all Hallmark because two men are not the same as a guy and a gal.  The film proceeds to make the point.  It's not G-rated and the sexual exploits, language, and behavior are far rougher than you might expect for this genre.  But it works.  It doesn't look anything like a TV version of these things.  It looks significantly more real.  Genuine.  Even though the essential elements ... meet-cute, attraction, obstacle and reconciliation ... are there.  It's just in a different -- a very different -- package.  Pun intended.  And that's the point.

"True Lies"

Still on the fence with this one.  There is a ton of action and the familial bickering between the two leads brings a terrific level of "fun" to this spy drama.  But I'm not sold on the cast.  Steve Howey has grown up a lot since his "Reba" days and let's hear it for casting older actors like Bevery D'Angelo, who brings a gravitas simply by walking into a room.  Love Omar Benson Miller in, well, anything and everything.  He brings a great energy to every project.  But the other characters are ... a bit generic.  And I'm not buying the highly-trained covert operator who is always freaking out in the truck when things don't go as planned.  Will give this a few more tries to see if it takes.  

"The Company You Keep"

A top winner for new shows.  It's not deep, and it requires a level of "suspension of disbelief" which is impressive.  But who cares?  An energic cast of strong actors makes this very watchable.  It's sexy, action-packed and fun.  It's got the good con and has overtones of "The Thomas Crown Affair".  Bottom line, it completely takes me away for 45 minutes a week.  Worth it.

Say Goodbye

In terms of mid-season shows there are some hits and some misses.  As the DVR fills up, I make it a habit to analyze whether I really want to keep watching the shows which are always on the bottom of the viewing list.  These didn't make the cut.

"Animal Control".  I mistakenly thought this would be a soft and fuzzy sitcom, not unlike "Call Me Kat".  It is, as noted by the title, a show which should feature a lot of furry friends.  It didn't live up to expectations.  It's a dumb workplace comedy which looks a lot like every other workplace comedy (with a weird fixation on food ...).  The animal scenes are stupid, with stuffed animals and unrealistic animatronic creatures.  Think "coked out bunnies".  This was a fast NO.

Also on FOX, there is "Accused".  I tried.  I really did.  I like a good legal drama and the guest stars are ... amazing.  The style of bringing in viewers without much of the information was unique.  But here's the thing ... I don't think people are essentially evil.  I mean, people aren't born evil, in my humble opinion.  I would say that evil exists, certainly, but it is far more rare than certain TV networks (and so-called "news" stations) would have us believe.  I think most people get caught up in the criminal justice system for a lot of complicated reasons.  Poverty, poor education, addiction, trauma, abuse.  All of it leads to impulsive behavior and bad decision-making.  And people end up in prison.  Shows like this, which highlight the rare and the perverse, are not my cup of tea.  I'm far more interested in the complexity of how people come to commit crimes than being a voyeur of the dark and disturbed.  Again, I have to say "Columbo" remains a favorite.  He never judged.  And the perpetrators were not always awful.  They were just human.  

Not new but glad to say "bye" -- "La Brea".  Maybe, with age, comes a certain lack of patience.  I always try to support Sci Fi shows, because they don't get the backing I think they should.  But of all the sci fi out there ... why this one?  There are plot holes, in every episode, big enough for Mack Trucks.  I kind of had it.  "Alert:  Missing Persons Unit" has similar issues, but I like the cast more.  For now, anyway.  We'll see.  In any case, watched to the end of season two for "La Brea" and took a breath of release when I cleared it from my DVR queue.

"Mayfair Witches"

I usually give new shows at least three episodes before ditching them.  In this case, I gave it four.  It didn't help.  The violence and gore are plentiful but the plot is confused and meandering.  Capable actor Alexandra Daddario floats through looking lost.  The dialog doesn't have a hint of the lyric poetry in the other AMC/Anne Rice production, "Interview with the Vampire".  In many ways, this show looks weaker by comparison.  None of the brilliance of the former is present here.  It's just dark and dull and moves slower than a daytime drama.  And so, after episode #4, I said goodbye.

"Accused"

This anthology series is taken from a British show ... which might have been a reboot of an old American show???  In any case, the changing cast of really big names from week to week is a draw, as is the format, which can be intriguing.  Each show opens with the attention on the accused but we know nothing of their guilt or innocence, or even what crime they are accused of, until the whole episode unspools.  It's kind of a brilliant concept.  Unfortunately, in the first three episodes there has been a darkness I don't care for.  Two of the three episodes have seemed more like horror films than crime procedurals.  Not to say there is gore.  There isn't.  Bad events are referred to but rarely shown.  No, it's rather a matter of the topics they are covering.  Yes, there are evil people in the world who do inexplicable things, but the choice to feature true evil, rather than troubled people falling on hard times, is one I don't care for.  It's as if the show is produced not for the thought-provoking Hobson's choices these characters face, but for the voyeuristic need of the audience to explore something extreme.  I like a show which challenges me intellectually.  I don't care for watching things about the inherent depravity of man.  So I'm on the fence with this one.  I'll watch a few more episodes to see where it is going.  Given that it is on FOX, which delights in glorifying depravity, I don't have high hopes.  But we'll see.

And the Award Goes to ...

Every year there seems to be a theme in the award nominations.  I’m not sure if it is part of the national zeitgeist but it never fails that there are threads running through these projects, connecting them, weaving them into a tapestry of … well … us.  Last year was of note, as the impact of Covid created stories of isolation, even by characters surrounded by people.  Which leaves me struggling with the crop of projects this year.  Serial killers and cannibalism, sometimes both at the same time, dominate.  Death is omnipresent and pervasive in these tales, even in the comedies.  (Frankly, I haven’t enjoyed most of the nominated comedies these past few years.)  It was a parade of unending horror.  If these films reflect the national mood, what does that say?  There are exceptions, of course.  Escapism – “Avatar”, “Everything Everywhere All At Once.”  But overall, there is a darkness to this year’s works I never thought possible. 

Another item of note this year were stories which could be told in movies being stretched into mini-series.  Not a fan.  It was a year when I felt the actors were being nominated more for their body of work than for the quality of the production.  It is also notable that there were some rave reviews for Will Smith’s “Emancipation,” but it was utterly ignored by every award body.  What can I say?  Karma’s a bitch, and sometimes she’s manmade.  Awards are as much about politics and the power of industry movers and shakers as they are about quality work.  As to the other “big conversation”, I do think we should get rid of the gendered award categories. 

All that being said, I watched it all – sometimes through closed eyes (sorry, “Dahmer”) and these are my picks.  And no, my picks don’t always win.  In fact, they rarely do.  But that doesn’t matter.  There’s a lot of good out there, so I like to think of this as sharing the wealth. 

Favorite films were:  #1  “Women Talking”, #2 “The Whale”, #3 “The Woman King”, #4 “Everything, Everywhere, All At Once”, #5 “Black Panther:  Wakanda Forever” and #6 “Elvis”.  Shout-outs to “Good Luck to You, Leo Grande”, which should have been nominated for something, and for Guillermo del Toro’s brilliant “Pinocchio”, which doesn’t fall under SAG nominations.

Film

·       Outstanding Performance by a Male Actor in a Leading Role – Colin Farrell was very un-Colin Farrell in “The Banshees of Inisherin” proving that he isn’t just an action hero, he’s an actor.  Young Austin Butler was great as Elvis.  That being said, Brendan Frasier, in “The Whale”, was incredible.  He has my vote.

·       Outstanding Performance by a Female Actor in a Leading Role – It is hard not to vote for Michelle Yeoh, from “Everything Everywhere All At Once”.  She’s been here forever, done terrific work, and has never won any big awards.  And I love her in every project she’s ever done.  Ms. Yeoh will likely win this one, and possibly, the Oscar.  And she deserves it.  But I’m voting for Viola Davis, who has a shelf full of statues.  “The Woman King” took my breath away and her transformation into a 19^th century warrior was layered and powerful.  You can’t take your eyes off of her.

·       Outstanding Performance by a Male Actor in a Supporting Role – Ke Huy Quan in “Everything Everywhere All At Once.”  He’s just great and it wasn’t a competitive category, IMHO.

·       Outstanding Performance by a Female Actor in a Supporting Role – Truly the hardest category for me.  One of those times I wish I could just give an award to everyone who was nominated.  Rating these performances against one another is impossible.  Kerry Condon was quietly brilliant in “The Banshees of Inisherin”.  Stephanie Hsu and Jamie Lee Curtis were both amazing in “Everything Everywhere All At Once” – in incredibly different ways.  Angela Bassett will win, and she deserves to.  Her work in “Black Panther:  Wakanda Forever” was far more than a supporting role.  She also has that body-of-work thing.  She is a woman in her 60s, working like crazy, morphing from role to role and producing shows like 9-1-1.  The woman totally rocks.  That being said, my vote is for Hong Chau in “The Whale”.  If the definition of a good supporting actor is that you can’t see anyone else playing the role and that the role is integral to the production as a whole, then she is the one.  That being said, she won’t win.  In this pool, being outstanding isn’t enough.

·       Outstanding Performance by a Cast in a Motion Picture – “Women Talking”.  Talk about an ensemble.  Jesus!  And yes, I mean that with true praise.  “Everything Everywhere All At Once” will win this award, along with many others.  But “Women Talking” deserves to be seen … and talked about.

·       Outstanding Performance by a Stunt Ensemble in a Motion Picture – “The Woman King".  “The Batman” sucked, I don’t do “Top Gun” and everything in “Avatar” and "Wakanda Forever" is digitized.  

Television

·       Outstanding Performance by a Male Actor in a Television Movie or Limited Series – Steve Carell in “The Patient”.  He won’t win but it is past time for his dramatic work to be acknowledged.  It’s brilliant.

·       Outstanding Performance by a Female Actor in a Television Movie or Limited Series – Niecy Nash-Betts in “Dahmer”.  Again, she isn’t seen for the totality of her talent.  Often portraying loud, funny women (“The Rookie:  Feds”), she was unrecognizable here, and had creepy layers appropriate to the production.  Isabel May, from “1883” should have been nominated.  She wasn’t.  Had she been, it would have been a run-off, in my humble opinion.

·       Outstanding Performance by a Male Actor in a Drama Series – Jeff Bridges in “The Old Man”.  Adam Scott is the only real competition here, IMHO, and Mr. Bridges just deserves it.  He’s been to hell and back in the past year and then he returns with this … a wicked challenging role.  Bravo.  (PS Amy Brenneman should have been nominated, too).

·       Outstanding Performance by a Female Actor in a Drama Series – I could barely get through one episode of “Euphoria” but Zendaya deserves this award for her body of work.  Which is saying something for a 27 year-old.  Here’s hoping this talented, driven woman can keep herself together in the swamp of Hollywood.

·       Outstanding Performance by a Male Actor in a Comedy Series – Bill Hader, “Barry”.  Honestly, I haven’t kept up with most of these series, but he is the only one playing a character different from himself (I hope).  He plays a hired killer with layers.  Make of that what you will.

·       Outstanding Performance by a Female Actor in a Comedy Series – Me love Rachel Brosnahan in “The Marvelous Mrs. Maisel”.  Jenna Ortega is supercool as Wednesday Addams.  Jean Smart is fab in everything she touches and would have been a serious consideration had she been nominated for “Babylon”, but she wasn’t.  This one, however, has to go to Quinta Brunson, who doesn’t just play an adorable, thoughtful character in “Abbott Elementary,” she created the fricking show … the first in a long time to portray education realistically.  Warts and all.  Brava.

·       Outstanding Performance by an Ensemble in a Drama Series – “The Crown”.  Truthfully, this is the only one of the nominated series I actually like.  It probably won’t win. 

·       Outstanding Performance by an Ensemble in a Comedy Series – “Abbott Elementary”.  This series is pure joy.  The other nominated “comedy” series have real darkness in them.

·       Outstanding Performance by a Stunt Ensemble in a Television Series – “Andor” didn’t have a lot of action.  “The Boys” is vicious but, like “The Rings of Power” and “House of the Dragon” much is digitized.  The same is true of “Stranger Things” but the cast of “Stranger Things” is notably young, making physical stunts more thoughtful.  I’m going with “Stranger Things”.  (It won’t win.)