Sat, 2020-Sep-12 18:58 (BST)
I'm currently watching through all the seasons of Red Dwarf on Netflix. Any fans? For those that have never heard about it, it's a UK TV sci-fi sitcom that started in the late 80's, It's kind of like the Rick & Morty of its day.
I have mixed feelings going back. I do like the way they'll end an episode with no resolve though. Sometimes I feel we can work to hard too try and button up a plot when it's really not needed.
The crazy thing with Furiousa is that they had it right there in the palm of their hands with the ambiguous rumors of how Furiousa killed Dementus. It was a brilliant idea to end on, and then they fumbled it by having such a ridiculous and campy truth.
Squid Game - Season 2
The first two episodes are slow going, then it livens up.
I'm somewhat jaded with tv at present so have switched to reading CJ Box's books. He writes thrillers set in Wyoming. His hero is a Game Warden whose best friend is a Master Falconer. Why do I find his books so alluring? I don't hunt, own a gun, ride horses nor do I ever wish to visit Wyoming. The answer is because they are so darn interesting and well written. Michael Connelly is a fan and I love his books too.
Last night, I rewatched Killer Joe and The Big Lebowsk, two brilliant and very funny films.
Zombieland and Zombieland: Double Tap last night. I thought the sequel was brilliant. I did have a look at the IMDb reviews first which were trashing it, along with a poor Metascore, This has solidified in my mind that IMDb is just full of bots, trolls, and pretentious nerds.
Last night it was Get Out and Natural Born Killers.
Get Out was good. Felt like a well-produced indie horror film with an original take. I don't see what made it an Oscar winner in terms of story. It didn't even make a lot of sense to me.
Natural Born Killers just gets better with age. It really has something to say and, much like Fight Club, what it has to say only seems to get more and more relevant. Beautiful looking film too.
I watched Little Shop of Horrors last night. Holy crap, the cinematography and puppetry are just incredible. I never fully appreciated it as a kid.
Riviera — Netflix
Third attempt at watching and finally got past episode 1. Series 2 is pretty good — and the stolen Nazi art, etc., interesting.
Years ago I received some information about two stolen works of art, part of the Beit Collection, originally stolen by the IRA in the 70s (Rose Dugdale etc.) and later by the infamous Dublin criminal known as The General. Anyway, I was expecting to find the canvases, a painting by Rubens (worth then circa £6 million) and a Palamedez, rolled up. Being a philistine, I had no idea canvas didn't exist back in Rubens' day, or if it did, it wasn't universally used. Both masterpieces were painted on board and propped up against a wall hidden behind a sofa. The writers of Riviera also slipped up.
Series 3 beckons.
Update: Series 3 is dire.
Recently re-watched "Goodnight Mister Tom" with John Thaw. A story both beautiful and achingly sad. You will cry. It's not in the least sentimental or schmaltzy just very well done.
"The Search for One-Eye Jimmy". Quirky and strange. A movie about making a low-budget, (no-budget) movie in the grungy Bronx circa the 70's I enjoyed it, thought it a bit Pythonesque. Apparently many of the actors were later cast in The Sopranos.
"Hard Eight." Philip Baker Hall headlined. ( I always think of him as Mr Bookman the Library Cop in an episode of Seinfeld. He made Seinfeld break character as he kept him laughing so hard.) Also appearing were John C Reilly, Samuel L Jackson, Philip Seymour Hoffman and Gwyneth Paltrow who plays a slutty waitress/whore very believably. This movie starts out lulling you with amiable scenes between PBH and JCR then shocks you as it does a 360 and descends into violence and murder. Great ensemble cast.
Last night watched "Des". The true story of serial killer Dennis Nilsen. Chillingly acted by David Tennant. I was able to watch the three episodes because it was mainly about the police investigation and did not re-enact any of the actual murders.
"Postcards from the Edge". Screenplay written by and adapted from Carrie Fisher's biographical book.
Starring Meryl Streep, wonderful as always with a golden singing voice, too. She reminds me of The Judds, both mother, Naomi and daughter, Wynona.
Also starring Shirley Maclaine as the Mom. Stellar performance as per usual.
Yellowstone — addictive, but so many plot holes and unexplained threads.
(I used to work with the father of the actress who plays Beth.)
Kelly Reilly, Beth in Yellowstone, has been in a ton of stuff. I've seen her in "Above Suspicion": " Prime Suspect 4": "Bramwell": "Poirot"
"Sherlock Holmes": "Flight": "Last Orders": and four other minor roles in various things.
She's lovely and talented. Interesting that you worked with her Father in law enforcement. Her parents must be very proud of her achievements.
"Jimmy Carter, Rock 'n Roll President". Absorbing documentary featuring footage of the Allman Brothers, Willie Nelson, Bob Dylan, Johnny Cash and many more including Jazz greats, Dizzy Gillespie. Chick Corea and Herbie Hancock.
A good Man with an engaging big smile. He befriended many musicians who proudly donated their time and talents into helping him get elected.
Rest In Peace Jimmy.
i usually try to avoid series and limited series because i feel, rightly or wrongly, that my time is better spent watching six different stories, than one long story ... but i occasionally break the rules
i was looking for that “Bodies” horror/black-comedy (actually *Bodies, Bodies, Bodies*) – when i came across the British sci-fi limited series *Bodies*
best to go in knowing as little as possible, but the hook is: the naked body of a man is discovered in the same laneway in London, across four different time periods
aside from how the mystery unfolds, i love how the series manages to make the benign expression, “Know that you are loved”, into something bleak and chilling
btw – *Bodies, Bodies, Bodies* was a fun watch
WAKEFIELD, a brilliant Aussie series I caught on Kanopy. Set in the Blue Hills, the scenery alone is worth the watch.
This is a no holds barred, unsentimental story set in an asylum following the various storylines of both the inmates and nursing staff.
Definitely a Binge Watch.
Elizabeth
perhaps in a similar vein to *Wakefield* is the limited series, *The Clearing* – it stars Miranda Otto (who you may know as Éowyn from LotR trilogy) as the leader of a cult in a fictionalised account of the Australian religious group called 'The Family' – it was made for Disney+, so hopefully it's still there and hasn't been dumped for a tax right-off
Hi robert, I have just read an article about The Family. Amazing what Hamilton-Byrne got away with and heartbreaking what she subjected the children to. Typically, she was never held to account for her crimes, (much like you know who here in the states)
If only these messianic types used their powers for the good of mankind. Instead they use them to dupe, fleece and control people.
I don't have Disney+ so I'll read the book it was based on.
thanks for the tip
Elizabeth
I've been rewatching Season 1 of Wolf Hall in preparation for Season 2 on PBS tomorrow night. Engrossing series, superlative cast, etc.
As the spoon salesman ( Mr. Hutchinson, played brilliantly and hilariously by Bernard Cribbins) said in an episode of Fawlty Towers " it will be a televisional feast".
Turned on tv this afternoon and was tickled to find that Double Threat, written by CJ Walley was in the line up. My husband left off what he was doing and watched it with me. It's a rollicking shoot em up with lots of exciting car chases. Danielle C. Ryan, pretty as a picture, whomped the baddies and made 'em bite the dust!
Awww, Elizabeth, you're too kind! I have a lot of love for that little movie, which I found out was in the top 500 films streamed on Netflix in the last half of 2024!
We watched Blow the Man Down last night. Very tight plot written and directed by Bridget Savage Cole and Danielle Krudy. They won Best Screenplay at Tribeca Film festival in 2019 and were nominated for a Best First Script by Indie Spirit Awards in 2020.
The film gets lots of kudos from reviewers for featuring women in traditionally masculine roles.
I think the FARGO series is the best written show on TV !. In order my top three is FARGO,BREAKING BAD and DEXTER .I've noticed that all have main characters that get away with things every episode, by the skin of thier teeth.
Hi Glenn, I haven't watched FARGO, the series, but enjoyed the movie of the same name back in the day. Vintage Steve Buscemi who does off-beat comedy so well.
I recently watched Trust 2022 written by and starring Jennifer Levinson. Here are three widely differing takes of the film.
IMDB: depressing slow moving.
ROTTEN TOMS: emotionally compelling.
MIAMI JEWISH FILM FESTIVAL: hair-raising family drama.
I found it engrossing. You can't beat a Jewish family gathering at a funeral for sheer entertaining nuttiness.
Also watched TRUTH with Cate Blanchett and Robert Redford. Very smart and insightful.
Bring out the pop corner, both movies are well worth watching!
Hi Elizabeth, I will keep an eye out for TRUST and TRUTH. The best film I have recently seen is SASQUATCH SUNSET, a no dialouge movie. Jesse Eisenberg not talking for a change !
Fargo is genuinely brilliant and I would argue (having recently rewatched it) better than the original movie. Season 3 was the peak for me.
SASQUATCH SUNSET beautiful cinematography. I prefer some dialogue. Unless of course it's a Benny Hill sketch!
Any fans of Midsommar and Hereditary ?
I've never posted on this topic before, so here goes - something that I hope will pique your curiosity to check out this particular film. It was really well done, probably highly disliked given its year of production. A dark but pretty likable assassin character. Plenty of humor. And a peculiar, sparse score that reminded me of that of The Third Man.
Tonight's viewing gem was Vince Edwards in Murder by Contract, 1958: https://youtu.be/fvXtw7X1BWc
I've been watching a lot of old movies lately. One thing you often see is how they did something that was done in a much more recent film, something that we thought was totally original and never done before.
There is one scene that caught my attention because I think it foreshadows a similar scene in the classic No Country for Old Men, a mere 49 years later: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=opbi7d42s8E
Here's the scene in Murder by Contract; I think there are lots of parallels. It has an assassin dressing down not a gas bar owner but a waiter: https://youtu.be/fvXtw7X1BWc?t=1185
Interestingly, the WikiPedia article on Murder by Contract talks about how it influenced filmmakers, not the Coen Bros. classic, but Martin Scorsese's Taxi Driver. Read about that similar element here: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Murder_by_Contract#Reception
Just thought all of this was pretty interesting! As writers, we get influenced from all places and all directions. It's just important that we put our distinct spin on things.
*Murder by Contract* sounds interesting, thanks Steve
B'twixt Now and Sunrise (Authentic Cut) written, directed and produced by Francis Ford Coppola. IMBD only scores it either 4.8 (original) or 5.1 ( the recut ) with Val Kilmer, Elle Fanning, Ben Chaplin and Bruce Dern. It's odd and fascinating like Alice in Zombieland leaving the viewer without a full explanation although clues are sprinkled here and there.
Apparently he based it on one of his own dreams and it does have that dreamlike quality.
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