NO TIME TO DIE – Back in the day, I was a fan of James Bond books and films. Nowadays, not so much, especially the films. The non-stop action and gun violence gives me anxiety and a headache. However, I was recently on a flight where viewing options were limited and this film stood out as the best choice. Plus I had never seen Daniel Craig portraying Bond, and as this is his swan song in the role, I figured I might as well check it out. It’s typical James Bond fare. Daniel Craig isn’t my favorite Bond, but he does a good job. It’s also very long – almost 2.5 hours. That’s a lot of action and gun violence. But what I liked about it was the relationship between Bond and his lady love. This wasn’t typical of the sex kitten women and one-time flings most associated with 007. The little French girl who plays their 6-year-old daughter is darling and quite good. I was also surprised (and surprisingly sad) at the ending. Definitely not typical, but perhaps fitting. The family dynamic adds a new dimension to Bond who has always been such a one-dimensional character. This story of real love, sacrifice and redemption made the film worth seeing. But don’t despair diehard Bond fans. There’s plenty of action and violence. As for the peeps, Dana and Kelly liked it. Francine wasn’t impressed. Cheers! Boyfriends – 0; Girlfriends – 1.

THE TIME TRAVELER’S WIFE – I started watching this series because of Rose Leslie and continued watching due to Theo James. I never read the 2003 book and the 2009 movie was a bore, so I had zero interest until I became aware Rose was playing the lead character. She was great as Ygritte in Game of Thrones, but as I said, it wasn’t her performance that captured my attention. The series has been updated for 2022 which is one of its pluses. She and Theo (both Brits) deliver spot-on American accents and excel at the rapid-pace dialogue. Some of that dialogue is corny among all the characters, but Theo’s dialogue as Henry is usually engaging. Henry is sardonic, funny and kind (older Henry that is, younger Henry is sardonic, funny and hot). And that is another big change in the story. Since Henry randomly time travels anywhere at any age, we often see two Henrys together. These are my favorite scenes. And it doesn’t hurt that Theo is extremely attractive. The rest of the cast, including the kids, turn in good performances. There are a lot of flaws, however, which is probably why this show didn’t resonate with more viewers. Sandi was done after the first episode. Kelly liked it, but found it a mind bend, and she and I agree the premise alone is a bit questionable – an adult man repeatedly traveling back in time to visit his wife as she grows from age 6 to 18 (even though he behaves honorably). There are other problems too. The story line of Clare (Rose’s character) being assaulted and Henry willing to literally kill the assailant is ridiculous. The actor cast as the best friend, Gomez, is completely wrong for the part. The two “references” running throughout – that Henry is an asshole (overused) and is able to have sex with himself due to time travel (stupid and overused) fall flat. I also felt Clare’s character often came across mean and uncaring, probably a fault of the writing. All that said, I loved watching Theo’s work and enjoyed several clever wedding twists in the final episode. I was hoping for a season two, but alas I suspect there were too many negatives to overcome. Cheers! Boyfriends – 1; Girlfriends – 1.

ELIZABETH: A PORTRAIT IN PART(S) – A fun documentary on Queen Elizabeth presented in a whimsical fashion. Historic events are interspersed with vintage movie and TV clips of celebrities detailing the Queen’s life in a lighthearted, sometimes outright comical, presentation amid some somber moments in time. Quite a clever take on Her Majesty! I enjoyed it. Cheers!! Boyfriends – 0; Girlfriends – 1 (The Queen, of course)

VIKINGS: VALHALLA – Dana watched the original Vikings series and liked it a lot. I didn’t see it (although it was always on my list), but since there is very little of interest on NetFlix these days, I decided to watch this sequel. It’s historical fiction, which we all know is right up my alley, and apparently most of the characters are based on real folks with Leif Eriksson standing out as a name most of us remember from history books. Of course there are supernatural elements involved (reminiscent of Game of Thrones) which I always enjoy. The cast is attractive (naturally) and mostly decent actors. The season is only eight episodes and worth viewing if you are a fan of the genre. Believe it or not – nobody rates on the boyfriend/girlfriend meter, but they do come close. Cheers!

THE MUSTANG – Robert Redford produced this film which screened at the Sundance Film Festival. Starring one of my favorites, Matthias Schoenaerts, and featuring Bruce Dern, the film is a fictional story based on a real inmate rehabilitation program available at certain prisons in the west. Wild mustangs are captured, tamed by prisoners and sold at auction to the US Border Patrol. As horses and humans both learn to live within prison walls, bonding with these animals teaches inmates patience, kindness and understanding which they will one day take with them to the outside world. Cheers! Boyfriends – 1; Girlfriends – 0.

TOP GUN:MAVERICK – This is a ride!! And there’s no need to have seen the original movie to enjoy this one thanks to its almost identical format and storyline. The inclusion of photos and snippets from the first film helps, too, and is one of the things Kelly and I enjoyed the most. The movie is a bit long with dogfights going on forever. Some of the plot twists are predictable and the fighter jets’ trajectory through a long narrow corridor to reach their target seemed a throwback to the X-Wings in the first Star Wars film as they traveled through a similar maze on their mission to destroy the Death Star. That said, it is a fun adventure to experience in a theatre as we emerge from covid’s grip. I loved feeling the rumble of the seats and hearing the roar of the engines surround me – not to mention some spectacular flying (these pilots are a breed unto themselves) and no use of CGI. Cruise, at 59, is still gettin’ it done. The cocktail peeps break down this way – Sam was bored, Alex and Francine liked it, Kelly and I liked it a lot, Steve loved it. Cheers! Boyfriends – 0; Girlfriends – 0.

KNIVES OUT – Typical murder mystery with lots of familiar names like Daniel Craig (who does a great southern drawl), Jamie Lee Curtis, Don Johnson and Christopher Plummer to name a few. Personally, I was intrigued by the chair made of knives reminiscent of the Iron Throne in Game of Thrones. Agatha Christie fans will enjoy the similarities and homage to her novels. Cheers! Boyfriends – 0; Girlfriends – 0.

BROTHERS BY BLOOD – Character study into childhood events affecting adult choices within the dynamics of a small-time Irish crime family in New York. Matthias Schoenerts, one of my faves, delivers his usual subtle (but intense) performance. I always find the thoughtfulness of his work interesting. I didn’t quite understand the final scene, but I liked this film nonetheless. It has an artsy Cannes Film Festival feel to it and very little violence for a mobster movie. Cheers! Boyfriends – 1; Girlfriends – 0.

GEORGE CARLIN’S AMERICAN DREAM – The life and times of iconic comic George Carlin are honestly revealed in this two-part HBO documentary. It’s excellent. Featuring commentary from his daughter, his first and second wives, many comics who were his peers in the industry and even George himself, we get a true picture of the human being behind the stage persona. As is often the case, hidden personal drama and pain allows for the creation of biting humor and truthful (albeit acerbic) observations in front of an audience. I learned a few things about the man I first discovered in college. And it’s astonishing how much of the bullshit he called out on stage way back when continues today. I miss the voice that was silenced in 2008, and I’m left pondering how George would have worked the intervening years of bullshit into his act now. There is certainly no shortage of material. Cheers, George and thanks!

GASLIT – Splendid new series on Starz revealing behind the scenes drama among major players in the Watergate scandal, both personal and political. I suspect that a decent portion of the story is fabricated, but it’s intriguing and great entertainment nonetheless. Everyone delivers stellar performances, but the three leads are exceptional. Sean Penn is completely unrecognizable as himself transforming seamlessly into John Mitchell, Nixon’s Attorney General. Julia Roberts as his wife, Martha Mitchell, is outstanding. But my favorite is Dan Stevens, (Matthew from Downton Abbey) as John Dean. I always look forward to his scenes and wonder if the real John Dean was as manic, naive and full of himself as he is being portrayed. He is also a chronic liar which, if accurate, probably came in handy during the Nixon administration, although if memory serves Dean was largely responsible for bringing Nixon down. Unanimous toasts from the peeps! Cheers! Boyfriends – 1; Girlfriends – 0.