DEATH TO 2020 – The peeps are split on this parody of the horrendous year we all just endured. I was hoping for lots of laughs. It certainly looked like this piece would deliver based on the cast and trailer. It definitely satisfied my friend Mirith. She thought it was hilarious and laughed her ass off. I was disappointed. There were a few funny bits that made me laugh out loud, but for the most part, I found the humor lacking….which in itself is a testament to 2020. On to 2021. One toast, one no-toast and zero boyfriends/girlfriends.
MANK – this film is a character study into the psyche of Herman Mankiewicz, the actual screenwriter of Citizen Kane. It takes place over the two-three weeks Mank was writing the film and reveals much of his background through flashbacks. I had never heard of Mank or the drama behind the writing of Citizen Kane until I saw this movie. I have no idea if Gary Oldman captures the true mannerisms and behavior of the real person or not. I do know Oldman gives an excellent performance and I suspect he did his homework and is delivering an accurate picture of the man. Filmed entirely in black & white to be indicative of the era, it is a snapshot into 1930s Hollywood. I loved seeing the old movie studios, sets and moguls of the time. The cinematography intentionally employs much of the technique used in the Citizen Kane film which I thought was genius. William Randolph Hearst’s castle is also accurately depicted as are the personalities of Louis B. Mayer and Orson Welles. The performances are top-notch and it was a treat to see Charles Dance as Hearst after seeing him portray Tywin in Game of Thrones for several seasons. Two toasts for this film. No boyfriends or girlfriends necessary.
THE SOCIAL DILEMMA – Everyone needs to see this film. It is a stark warning to all of us using any type of technology. The film weaves scripted storyline into documentary info provided by the wizards who created our social platforms and cell phone capabilities. Even though we are all somewhat aware of the workings of these platforms and the risks involved, the film provides details of exactly how social media captures our information and uses it against us. Informative, scary, depressing, and somewhat hopeful, it is well worth the hour and a half of viewing time. The genie is out of the bottle on this issue, and there is no putting it back in. We are only going to become more dependent on technology going forward. All the more reason to begin employing the tools suggested in this film now. If we do, we have a chance to combat the situation ever so slightly and protect ourselves as much as possible. Daunting though it may be, we have no choice but to try. The alternative is unthinkable. Cheers to all the tech experts who gave an honest account of our predicament (and their part in creating it) and offered encouragement and solutions as we navigate this journey together.
THE CROWN 4 – I’ve already blogged about how much the peeps and I have enjoyed all seasons of the Crown. Excellent work all around even if some creative license has allegedly been taken. Or maybe a lot. Some have claimed it’s downright fiction. Still, it’s top notch entertainment. I would only add for this season Gillian Anderson as Margaret Thatcher and Emma Corrin as Princess Diana are wonderful, both in likeness and talent. I was especially surprised at Gillian’s ability to capture Margaret Thatcher – a challenging role and a huge stretch from anything I have seen her do before. Super casting and great work. Unanimous toasts from the peeps. Cheers!
THE UNDOING – this HBO mini-series who-dunnit got rave reviews. Starring Nicole Kidman and Hugh Grant, the performances were quite good. I felt the story was slow and anti-climatic at the end. I also felt not much was happening throughout the 6 episodes. A bit of a letdown. I was expecting more. Dana loved the whole thing. Toasts – 1 from Dana, 0 from me. Boyfriends/Girlfriends – 0.
THE QUEEN’S GAMBIT – this is an interesting delve into the secretive world of chess and the psyche of Beth Harmon, a gifted but troubled chess prodigy. It took me one or two episodes to become engaged, but once I was, it was a fascinating ride. A true character study series, it moves with the pace of a chess game (that’s a compliment and quite appropriate). I also liked the use of chess terminology as titles of each episode. As an intermediate chess player myself, I was unfamiliar with many terms and moves and actually learned something about the game. I particularly like the characters of the adoptive mom and the many friends who help Beth along as she journeys through talent, celebrity, addiction and despair. The arc of Beth’s character is honestly portrayed by Anya Taylor-Joy who I had never heard of before. Mike loved her performance, although he is a bit biased because he finds her beautiful. He loved the whole mini series so much he binge watched it, which is something he never does. We both enjoyed watching Beth envision moves in her head by seeing the pieces move in fast-paced, ghostly fashion on the ceiling of her room. The last episode and ending are perfect. A hearty toast from Mike and me! Boyfriends – 0. Girlfriends – 1 (That’s from Mike). Cheers!
KNOCK, KNOCK – I started watching this movie on a whim. Trending in the top ten on NetFlix and starring Keanu Reeves, I thought it might be worth a look. I was wrong. Ryan walked through the room and promptly said, “That stupid thing. Don’t waste your time.” He was right. Don’t waste your time. Zeros all the way around. Zero story, zero boyfriends, zero girlfriends and zero toasts.
THE VAMPIRE DIARIES – Okay, y’all know how much I like The Originals. Through that viewing, I discovered Vampire Diaries which is actually the prequel to The Originals. In fact, the Originals storyline begins in Vampire Diaries and continues into their own show. I didn’t think I would like Vampire Diaries at all. It appeared to be a teenage series about high schoolers (although most of the actors playing those roles are older) And at first I didn’t. I was only viewing it to get a better understanding of the Originals. It’s also melodramatic (which usually loses me right away), but as I continued to view it, I found I didn’t care. It was drawing me in. I liked the humor, the music, the vampires and most of all – the relationship between two of the main characters played by Nina Dobrev and Ian Somerhalder. The chemistry between them is palpable and I found myself rooting for them all the way. In fact, I basically watched all 8 seasons to the end solely because of these two characters. Even the melodrama had me bawling in one episode – and that most definitely never happens to me. It’s epic! Boyfriends – 1; Girlfriends – 1; Cheers!
THE HAUNTING OF BLY MANOR – To say the second season of this Haunted House series is a disappointment is an understatement. All the peeps agree – slow and boring. The first season, The Haunting of Hill House, was one of the scariest stories I have ever seen on screen (both film and TV). So we were expecting a frightening adventure as Bly Manor is written by Mike Flanagan, who also wrote Hill House, and features some of the same cast. Sadly no frights here. Most of the cast is quite good and Oliver Jackson-Cohen does an excellent Scottish accent. The kids are excruciatingly annoying and the story would have been better served had it been written without including the children. Of course, this would have completely changed the premise, but it needed a major overhaul anyway. Kelly said she was overjoyed she was finally on the last episode. Then she discovered she had one more to go. She bagged it. Mike said the whole thing was so-so with not much going on. Dana binged the entire season, but claims it’s hours she can’t get back. I’m on episode four. It’s doubtful I’ll be able to hang until the end, but I’m hoping some sort of plot will be revealed before I bolt for good. If you want something scary and engaging to watch for Halloween, replay Hill House. Boyfriend/Girlfriend Meter – 0. Toasts – 0.
LUCIFER 5 – I wasn’t impressed with the first few episodes of the fifth and final season of Lucifer. About halfway through the first eight, I found it delightful. There is a clever departure from the typical scenario with a film noir episode, allowing the actors and audience to enjoy role play and enabling the cast to reveal previously hidden talents. Episode eight ends with a fun, surprising twist. Lucifer’s season drops in segments on NetFlix, so we will be waiting a bit to see how this twist affects the storyline. But, they have once again recaptured my attention. Cheers! Boyfriends – 1, Girlfriends – 0.
