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.
John – if you liked *They Cloned Tyrone*, which i did – great fun – you will also like *Sorry to Bother You* – terrific stuff
Border (2018 Swedish film)
This is a strange film I've watched twice.
Tina works for the Swedish Customs Service and uses her heightened olfactory sense to detect contraband, as well as human emotions such as guilt and shame. She has a strongly Neanderthalic appearance and lives in a secluded house in the woods with Roland, a dog trainer. One day at the border, Tina sniffs out a memory card containing child pornography, and her superior asks her to help with the subsequent investigation.
Watch this and you'll never be the same...or at least, it had a strong effect on me. YMMV.
I've been watching the hell out of Amazon Prime over the past year. Here are some of my fave finds:
The Booth at the End
Mandy
Conclave
The Better Sister
Better Man
Deadloch
Outer Range
Swarm
Homecoming
Undone
The Girlfriend
The Invitation
The Monkey
The Hunt
Heretic
Immaculate
The Vast of Night
Deadloch got a mixed reaction here in Oz – some audiences found it "a bit much" or "cringe" as teh kidz say – and other audiences thought it was too woke – i thoroughly enjoyed it – there's a sequel coming that moves the action from Tasmania (southern Australia) to Darwin (northern Australia) – fingers crossed
That tracks, Robert. It is campy, over the top, and keen on social commentary. I questioned some bits, but admired it overall. I'll certainly watch the next season.
I just got back on Netflix.
Started with Monster and Squid Game. Disappointed with both. I felt the former was disrespectful to the truth, and the latter really did not live up to the hype at all.
However, I watched The Perfection last night and thought it was brilliant.
What Are You going to be Watching?
Remember, remember, the fifth of November.
V for Vendetta returns to the big screen next year: 261105
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3ge0navn9E0
Recently watched "The Tree" set in Queensland, I think. Great performances from the children and a doozy of a storm.
Finished Midnight Mass the other week. Wow. Certainly some of the best TV I've seen. Bleak, slow, and deep. Currently watching The Haunting of Hill House but, despite it also being by Mike Flannagan, the tone isn't as much for me.
GUNLESS Action, Western, Comedy. Actually watching this one a second time: In 1878, a hardened American gunfighter Sean Lafferty (Paul Gross), known as the Montana Kid, has a bounty on his head for killing eleven people across the western United States. He arrives in a small town in the foothills of the Canadian Rockies, a place that doesn't understand or appreciate the brutal code of the American Wild West. After being helped off his horse by a young Chinese girl named Adell (Melody B. Choi), he goes to the town general store. After leaving the store, he finds his horse gone and accuses Jack (Tyler Mane), the blacksmith, of stealing it, even though Jack was simply replacing the horse's damaged shoes. After unsuccessfully trying to intimidate the blacksmith, the Montana Kid decides to call him out to a duel. However, since the blacksmith has no gun, Sean can't shoot him because the Kid lives by a code of ethics that prevents him from killing unarmed men.
After loving Midnight Mass, I moved on to The Haunting of Hill House. I found that very generic. Watching Gerald's Game, Midnight Mass, and The Haunting of Hill House has been really insightful because they are all from Mike Flanagan and star many of the same actors. While I find them all very good in two of those productions, I find them all exceptional in Midnight Mass. This really demonstrates to me about artists getting into their stride in terms of tone.
After that, I moved on to Archive 81, which was compelling, with amazing cult world-building, but ultimately ended flat and confusing. I think this was because it got cancelled. What sadly stuck out was how dull the lead character was. It also had this odd habit of just putting keys in characters' hands when they needed them.
Then I finally watched Chernobyl. I actually paid for this. First thing I've paid for (outside of a subscription) in years, and it was money well spent. Lived up to all my expectations and may have actually exceeded them. I've read Voices From Chernobyl, and it did it justice. I'm not Craig Mazin's biggest fan, but I'm so happy for him that he's been so vindicated as a writer. I know people used to mock him for his credentials before. There's an important lesson in all this about validation and being able to show how good an artist we can be.
Wayward was the next series that caught my attention. That started brilliantly and I was particularly impressed with Alyvia Alyn Lind. Very funny. That got more and more interesting, but then seemed to leave too much open. Very dissatisfying, but maybe with the intent to explain more in a second season.
Devil in Ohio looked appealing, but delivered something that felt very Hallmark-esque; Characters over-explaining everything, far too much focus on stuff that means nothing, forced tension, and really unrealistic behaviour. Lots of stuff I find frustrating about contemporary low-budget filmmaking. I don't like to talk badly of others' work. It feels like interference, rushing, or confusion, which I totally empathise with. Feels like the tail's wagging the dog.
Currently on Mindhunter and loving it. I know I'm far behind the curve on that one.
I'm watching Patrick Walsh's podcasts on You Tube. He gives clear and concise tips and advice on every aspect of writing a novel with examples from manuscripts he's read, then shows how it can be improved.
I'm enjoying reading Bill Bryson's e-book The Home. What a wealth of interesting information written with his wonderful sense of humor.
I'm deep into Mindhunter at the mo. It was recommended to me by ChatGPT (based on stuff I liked), and I'm loving it. Deeply enthralling.
Mindhunter was brilliant, so it was no surprise to learn Netflix killed it off. Such a shame to invest in yet another series that's left open-ended.
Moved onto Taboo. Brilliant. Remarkable writing. $30M budget! Same as above. Invested in it only to be left with questions and no sign of another season.
His & Hers was good, if a little contrived with its twist ending.
I just started The Rookie with Nathan Fillion. I'm 4 seasons in and staying up way too late watching and have become a daytime zombie. Worth it.
Baltimore (Imogen Poots), released in the USA as Rose's War.
A disappointing film; mundane and historically incorrect.
Furthermore, Rubens painted on wooden panel, not canvas. It took me both hands to lift The Dominican Monk.
Motored through Zero Day and found it very watchable. It could have done with being a longer series, I think.
Now onto After Life and enjoying it a lot.
Watched Hillbilly Elegy last night and was surprised to see how negatively it was received by critics, especially when it just felt like Blue Valentine.
Finished After Life. Very profound and soaked in British stoicism. Heavy going overall, but also quite moving.
After a short stint trying to find a good series to binge, I'm now onto Yellowstone and enjoyed the pilot.
This year I made a resolution to watch only Good TV/Film.
I started by watching everything nominated for an Oscar for Best Screenplay (Original/Adapted) and then reading the screenplays online. I thought most of them were excellent. And more importantly, I'm trying to figure out what makes them work so well and how I can apply those techniques.
Now, I'm tracking down Emmy winners for best original screenplay of the past few decades, watching those episodes, and tracking down the screenplays. Then trying to figure out what techniques I can use and what makes the scripts so strong.
Rinse. Wash. Repeat.
I love how this resolution is working out; I feel like I'm making some breakthroughs.
Binge-watched four seasons of Yellowstone and will happily continue as long as Beth Dutton remains a main character.
Watched 1883 and it was a bit of a slog in comparison. 1923 had its moments.
A strange experience overall, as there were a few episodes
I recently watched the Marx Brothers' "A Night at the Opera". I thought it would be hammy and boring but instead I enjoyed the clever stunts with split-second timing, funny gags and musical talent of Chico and Harpo on the piano.
Kitty Carlisle, who played an opera singer in the movie, was, I later found out, a famous opera star.
I'll try not to have negative preconceptions about movies in the future.
Min and Bill, 1930, in Black and White. What a story,
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Min_and_Bill
I recently watched LIMBO ( 2023) this the Australian Indie. It has a 91% rating on Rotten Tomatoes and well deserves it. What a landscape, parched, barren and treeless ,where the independent prospectors either live in a trailer or the caves left after excavating for opals.
The Limbo Hotel is deep underground and I felt claustrophobic just watching our jaded detective protagonist crash out in there.
There are few houses, few residents and fewer amenities. I won't be booking my hols there!
The film is riveting and totally realistic. I didn't feel as though anyone was "acting" .
I watched season 25 of Midsomer Murders. Total opposite of the above. Nuff said!
Rewatched Season 1 Ep.1 of Prime Suspect. made in 1991 it still holds up and for me is one of the best police procedural that I've followed. Helen Mirren and the entire ensemble cast are perfect.
There's another movie titled LIMBO. That one (2020) is set in Scotland. Haven't watched it yet but it sounds interesting.
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