September Binges: Legends and Tommy & Tuppence

As September winds down, do you find yourself curled up on the couch seeking tales of British crime? Well, I've got you covered with a true story and an Agatha Christie adaptation (of sorts). What more could you want!

Legends: Created by Neil Forsyth, this six-part miniseries tells the true story of how a small team of British customs employees (played by Tom Burke, Hayley Squires, Aml Ameen, and Jasmine Blackborrow) were tasked with bringing down a heroin smuggling ring that was plaguing Britain in 1990. Lacking any prior undercover experience, they applied for the job and under the command of Don Clarke (Steve Coogan), they are taught the basics of undercover work, given new identities, aka "legends," and set out on a very dangerous mission. These people are all seeking something different from their mundane jobs, but all for very different reasons, and what initially feels like a bit of a thrill starts to evolve into something far more dangerous. They might have bitten off more than they can chew, but our heroes are going to get the job done, right?

While the series is definitely a bit of a hagiography, it is still wildly tense and entertaining. All of the actors are doing wonderful work, and it's always great to see Steve Coogan in a dramatic role, playing a hard-bitten and world-weary man who still has that characteristic dark humor underlying it all. This is the perfect kind of thriller for a rainy afternoon, eminently bingeable and satisfying, and it tells a very unique and compelling story. Plus, it's just one miniseries, so you get sucked in for six hours and then never have to worry about Season 2. Isn't that the dream?

Tommy & Tuppence: I have been a massive Agatha Christie fan since childhood and the five books she wrote featuring the (eventually) married detectives of Tommy and Tuppence Beresford are very charming and fun. So creator Phoebe Eclair-Powell has decided to create a contemporary adaptation starring Josh Dylan and Antonia Thomas as the titular detectives. In this first season, they are presented as exes who decide to start a detective agency together after they spend the first two episodes solving a murder. It's a six-episode season, so you'll get two more mysteries that they need to solve, alongside their own personal will-they won't-they drama that arcs over the whole series.

Is this a very charming show? Yes. Does it have little to nothing to do with the original books? Also yes. Apart from the names of Tommy and Tuppence, everything is so updated for the modern era that I find it hard to understand why we even need to call this a Christie adaptation. Perhaps if I re-read the original books, I would spot lots of Easter eggs and could take delight in that, but otherwise, this is a perfectly frothy and serviceable mystery show with two engaging leads. There are a lot of romantic complications, so I do think I'll keep watching Season 2 to see how all of that gets resolved, but this is more of a "binge for distraction" show, not one that fully demands your attention. 

August Movies Part 5: The Magic Faraway Tree & Good Luck, Have Fun, Don't Die

August is nearly at an end, but did I cram in a few more movies to finish out the month? You know I did!

The Magic Faraway Tree: Let's get this out of the way first. This is expressly a movie for people who grew up reading Enid Blyton's Magic Faraway Tree series and have extreme nostalgia for it. Or for people who have very small children who believe in fairies and enchantment and would be captivated by this film. Otherwise, just move along, you're not going to remotely understand why I watched this film.

Directed by Ben Gregor with a screenplay adapted by Simon Farnaby, this is a very silly but charming movie that fully taps into the nostalgia of Blyton's novels but tries to drag them into our modern age. Andrew Garfield and Claire Foy play Tim and Polly, a couple that live in the city with three children (played by Delilah Bennett-Cardy, Phoenix Laroche, and Billie Gadsdon) but then uproot the family and move to a desolate barn in the countryside when Claire quits her job and Tim decides that what they need is "the simple life." As you can imagine, their modern children who are very used to having cellphone signal and Wi-Fi are horrified by this turn of events. That inability to access technology, however, is what is needed for these children to decide to amuse themselves by heading into the Enchanted Wood and go up the Magic Faraway Tree, where they will meet Silky (Nicola Coughlan), Moonface (Nonso Anozie), Saucepan Man (Dustin Demri-Burns), Dame Washalot (Jessica Gunning) and all the rest. 

No, I'm not having a stroke. Again, if you read these books, you'll know exactly what I'm talking about, but otherwise, just stop reading already! I have to say, none of the characters are exactly how I pictured them from the books, but the set-up of the Faraway Tree itself made me instantly flashback to being a little child who was delighted by the idea of sitting on a cushion and getting pulled up into its branches, then climbing a giant ladder to get to whatever magical land was at the top of the tree that day, and then coming back down by sliding down the Slippery-Slip that runs all the way down the inside of the tree. God, it was all so charming. 

The movie itself feels like a very British pantomime, and every actor seems to be dialing it up to a 100. Garfield is ridiculously lovely as the father figure though, and while he doesn't feature for much of the film, every time he's on screen, I couldn't help wishing this guy did more romcoms; I could watch him all day long.  Overall, did I think this movie was particularly good? No, it was entirely too cheesy for my liking. But did it absolutely unlock a primitive part of my brain that had been locked away since childhood. Hell yes.

Good Luck, Have Fun, Don't Die: Directed by Gore Verbinski and written by Matthew Robinson, this is one of those increasingly shocking things in our current filmmaking times: a thoroughly original movie not based on any existing IP. Instead, it is a gleeful and almost Matrix-y bit of science fiction that tackles the problem of AI and social media addiction. What more could you want?

The movie opens in an LA diner when a seemingly crazy man (Sam Rockwell) storms in, claims he is from the future, and needs to recruit a group of people from this diner to help him prevent the creation of an AI that destroys humanity in his future timeline. He is strapped to a bomb and will blow everyone up if they don't do as he says. Also, this is the 117th time he has delivered this speech to this group of people, because every previous attempt he made has failed; he has yet to find the right combination of people who could help him on this mission. It's very Edge of Tomorrow, and I was here for it.

The subsequent cast of characters that he recruits are a great group. You have two teachers, Mark and Janet (Michael Pena and Zazie Beetz), a grieving mother, Susan (Juno Temple), an Uber driver, Scott (Asim Chaudhry), and a woman who is literally allergic to technology, Ingrid (Haley Lu Richardson). As the movie progresses, we will flashback to understand how technology has specifically been ruining each of these peoples' lives, and what they will now be able to contribute to this insane mission to save the world.

I can't give away more plot because you have to let the whole wacky thing unfold for yourself, but it's brilliantly inventive and compelling. This is exactly the kind of scaremongering I want to see from Hollywood about how technology is going to destroy us all. The third act does go a bit off the rails with the AI plot, and you will start to wonder exactly how high the screenwriter was when he wrote this script, but it's still a thoroughly entertaining and engaging movie that will legitimately make you laugh out loud with its audaciousness. There was a major plot twist that I saw coming from a mile away because of the way that a certain scene was filmed, but it was still fun to see it unfold. I love a time travel movie and I hate AI, so inject this movie directly into my veins. 

August Movies Part 4: Midwinter Break, GOAT, The Super Mario Galaxy Movie, Anaconda

I recently flew to LA for a short trip, which means plenty of hours of in-flight entertainment. Which now means you’re about to read some short reviews of movies I watched on my trip because I never saw them in theaters. Which ones would I actually recommend? Read on, it’s a surprise!

Midwinter Break: Directed by Polly Findlay and written by Nick Payne and Bernard MacLaverty (who adapted it from his 2017 novel), this is a supremely vibey movie about an older couple, Stella and Gerry (Lesley Manville and Ciaran Hinds) who decide to go to Amsterdam for a short vacation. While they are there, we watch the accumulation of hurts between these two people who have silently been bearing slights for years (well, more like the wife has been silent while the husband has been oblivious) but have now reached a tipping point. 

We slowly unravel their backstory and the dramatic incident in Belfast during the Troubles which led them to uproot their lives and move to Scotland, but overall, there really isn't much plot in this film. It looks pretty and stars two powerhouse actors but as the end credits rolled, I was left with a feeling of, "That's it?!" I enjoyed seeing all the tourist attractions in Amsterdam as I had just been there last year, but other than that, I can't say I have much to recommend about this movie. Though I might be persuaded to get the book and see if there was a whole lot more plot in there.

GOAT: If plot is what you seek, then director Tyree Dillihay and writers Aaron Buchsbaum and Teddy Riley have you covered with this animated movie about a small goat named Will (voiced by Caleb McLaughlin) who aspires to play the highly competitive and physical game of Roarball. Unfortunately, everyone mocks his ambitions because only big animals play Roarball, including his idol, a black panther named Jett (Gabrielle Union). Through a series of (un)fortunate events, Will gets recruited to play for his hometown team, the Vineland Thorns, alongside his hero Jett, and a motley crew of other animals voiced by Aaron Pierrs, Nicola Coughlan, David Harbour, Nick Kroll, and Stephen Curry himself. 

The Thorns have been playing terribly and one of the big issues is that Jett doesn't trust her teammates, feeling like she needs to score all the points herself. So of course, this is a movie that's about delegation, trusting others, and learning to work together as a harmonious team. It's wildly inventive, beautiful to look at, and has a brisk pace that will keep you engaged from start to finish. Given the Knicks' recent championship win, I couldn't help but think of who all these characters would be if they were Knicks players, so that is another fun side quest as you watch this film. You're welcome.

The Super Mario Galaxy Movie: Love animation but looking for a nostalgia boost with existing IP? Mario's got you covered. Directed by Aaron Horvath and Michael Jelenic and written by Matthew Fogel, if you loved The Super Mario Bros. Movie, you can rest assured you'll enjoy this one too. You'll get a rollicking adventure across the galaxy as Mario, Luigi, Toad, Yoshi, and Peach (voiced by Chris Pratt, Charlie Day, Keegan-Michael Key, Donald Glover, and Anya Taylor-Joy) attempt to save Princess Rosalina (Brie Larson) from Bowser Jr. (Benny Safdie), who is just trying to save his dad (Jack Black). Along the way there will be plenty of audio and visual gags to remind you of the video games and scratch that primordial itch in your brain. 

The animation is colorful and stunning, the voice cast is spot on (Glen Powell shows up as a very Powell-esque character as well), the Lumas are cute as can be, and the story just rollicks along at a breakneck pace so you never get too bogged down in unnecessary details. It's fun and funny, and you already know if you're the target audience for it. So if you are, go forth!

Anaconda: Written by Kevin Getten and Tom Gormican, who also directed, the premise of this film is that a group of friends who love the 1997 movie Anaconda decide to remake it, despite not having a lot of money or filmmaking talent. The friends consist of Doug (Jack Black), Ronald (Paul Rudd), Claire (Thandiwe Newton), and Kenny (Steve Zahn) and when they get to Brazil, they enlist the help of Ana (Daniela Melchior) to take them on a boat down the river, and Carlos (Selton Mello), a snake handler who supplies a snake for their venture.

Of course, once they get into the jungle, it turns out there's an actual Anaconda on the loose that starts hunting them, and everything gets very meta. I cannot say I paid ANY attention to this movie. My friend, who is a fan of the original Anaconda, seemed to derive a great deal of enjoyment from it, but she had also never seen the trailer, which seemed to give away about 50% of the plot of this film. I guess all I can say is, if you love Anaconda and enjoy extremely silly comedies, this might be the movie for you. But unless you're in that very niche audience, give your eyes a rest. This movie is not worth it.

August Movies Part 3: Tony & The End of Oak Street

Did I celebrate my birthday with a double feature at the movie theaters? You know I did! And both were excellent movies, so read on for my recommendations for why you should be heading into a double feature yourself!

Tony: Directed by Matt Johnston, who co-wrote the screenplay with Matthew Miller, Todd Bartels, and Lou Howe, this movie adapts maybe the first 50 pages of Anthony Bourdain's 2000 memoir Kitchen Confidential (this is according to my husband who has read the book - I have not). As such, this is more of a romance or coming-of-age story - the cooking scenes are almost incidental. Dominic Sessa plays the young Tony, a bit of a wastrel who is obsessed with a girl called Nancy (Emilia Jones) and is desperately trying but failing to impress her. When he doesn't get a writing fellowship he applied for, he heads to Cape Cod because he knows Nancy is spending her summer there and ends up working in the kitchen of a local seafood restaurant as a dishwasher.

The restaurant is owned by a chef played by Antonio Banderas, who is a bit of a character but decides to take Tony under his wing. Tony also befriends Sal (Leo Woodall), the restaurant's oyster shucker and resident bad boy. Needless to say, Sal is a bad influence, and our hero is easily led astray, but there's just something about the chef's work ethic and the food he serves at this restaurant that captivates Tony. In addition to the free room and board he is getting on the chef's porch, of course.

All of the performances are excellent, but this movie is mostly just vibes. The vibes are also excellent and given that we know how Anthony Bourdain's life turned out, this movie is a sweet reminder of how he started out. There's so much hope and promise and optimism in this movie, even as it also gives us the seedy "culinary underbelly" that Kitchen Confidential exposed. Ultimately, it's a fitting tribute to Tony and everything he managed to accomplish in his life.

The End of Oak Street: Written and directed by David Robert Mitchell, this is a dinosaur movie, and damn, it's a great dinosaur movie. The premise is absurd - set in 1982, we follow the Platt family, consisting of Denise and Greg (Anne Hathaway and Ewan McGregor) and their children, Audrey and Brian (Maisy Stella and Christian Convery). Denise and Greg are in a rocky spot in their marriage and things are looking bleak. But things get a bit bleaker on one night when their entire neighborhood is suddenly transported into prehistoric times and now there are dinosaurs running through their previously innocuous little suburb.

How did this happen? A wormhole or some such, that's not really that important. What's important is that now for 90 minutes this family is going to be running around trying not to get eaten by dinosaurs and seeing if there is any way for them to get back to 1982 and resume their quiet American lives. There is so much action, some eerie horror-esque moments, and plenty of humor to keep the tone light and breezy throughout. There was one genuinely shocking turn, but at the end of the day, this whole thing feels like a Spielbergian cross between The Goonies and Jurassic Park and I was 1000% here for it. 

Anne Hathaway is having quite the year, and apart from The Odyssey, this is definitely my favorite movie she's been in this year. All the actors are having such a rollicking good time, and the plot is rapid and kinetic and keeps you engaged until the very end. This is not a serious movie that's about to win a dozen Oscars, but this is exactly the kind of movie I want to be watching in the middle of August. It's entertaining, surprising, funny, nostalgic, and sweet. It's exactly why you go to the movies in the summer.

July Movies Part 3: The Dink & Spider-Man: Brand New Day

July is nearly at an end but I managed to squeeze two more movies in. Want to go to the theater or want to stay on the couch? I've got both options covered!

The Dink: Written by Sean Clements and directed by Josh Greenbaum, this is a very silly and fun movie about what happens when a bunch of pickleball enthusiasts demand more courts at a tennis club. Ed Harris plays Chuck Boyd, the owner of the tennis club, while his son, Dustin (Jake Johnson) is a tennis player who injured his wrist early in his career and now has to make do as a tennis instructor at the club. He still thinks of himself as being an elite player (with a lot of beef with Andy Roddick), but really he's just a sad little man who needs to boost his ego. 

Due to various circumstances, Dustin is forced to start playing pickleball, a sport he regards with the utmost contempt. Further, he is playing with three older women, and his partner is Candace (Mary Steenburgen), a divorcee who has taken up a lot of hobbies to try and get on with her life. My favorite thing about this movie is that there ends up being a little bit of a May-December situation between Distin and Candace, which is amazing, because come on, Mary Steenburgen's still got it. Putting that storyline aside, however, this is ultimately just a movie about a showdown between pickleball and tennis. If you're a pickleball enthusiast, there will be a lot of references and jokes that I'm sure will delight you, but if you only have a passing familiarity with the sport (like me), this movie may seem pretty mid. The actors are fun, the premise is wacky - it's a perfectly acceptable way to pass an afternoon. But it is definitely some serious pickleball propaganda.

Spider-Man: Brand New Day: I don't know why, but I keep forgetting that Spider-Man is from New York (specifically Queens - Let's Go Mets!) but this movie absolutely does not let you forget that fact. It is SUCH a New York movie and has such beautiful shots of the city throughout every amazing action sequence or just those wonderful shots of Spidey commuting around by slinging webs at tall buildings. Even the end credits are this lovely little ode to New York - according to my husband, the only thing missing was a shot of Zohran as Mayor. So yes, I loved this movie immediately, just for that.

But of course, there's a whole story we need to discuss so let's get into that. Written by Chris McKenna and Erik Sommers, and directed by Destin Daniel Cretton, this movie picks up after the events of Spider-Man: No Way Home, so poor Spider-Man/Peter Parker (Tom Holland) is no longer remembered by his best friend Ned (Jacob Batalan) and girlfriend, MJ (Zendaya) after Dr. Strange cast a spell to make them forget him (don't question the Marvel logic, I don't remember any of the previous movies either). Now, he's very sad and depressed, working closely with NYPD Detective Jean DeWolff (the delightful Liza Colon-Zayas), and eschewing any work-life balance whatsoever in his unrelentless quest to put criminals away so he doesn't have to think about his complete lack of a personal life. He's also reluctantly working with Frank Castle (Jon Bernthal), a man with some sort of dark past who is now a vigilante with a lot of guns (apparently this character is the Punisher - a fact that completely blew past me while watching this movie).

There's Michael Mando as Scorpion, but then it turns out there's a different villain who can mind control people, so they become slightly more important to deal with. Just rest assured there's some great action, a lot of emotion, and it will be worth your time. I thoroughly enjoyed this movie, but also, Instagram has been constantly serving me reels of Holland and Zendaya so I just spent this movie swooning over those two as my favorite Hollywood couple. I don't know if this is a movie that comic lovers and Marvel purists will care for (there ARE some great cameos from certain Avengers), but if you're simply looking for spectacle and good ol' fashioned Hollywood razzle-dazzle, this movie serves that up in spades.

July Movies Part 2: The Invite & The Odyssey

This week I watched two of my favorite movies of the year. They were spectacular and you need to jump on the bandwagon right away. What are you waiting for?!

The Invite: Adapted by Rashida Jones and Will McCormack from a Spanish film, Sentimental (that was itself adapted from a play), and directed by Olivia Wilde (who also stars), this movie is an incredible cringe comedy that had me and my husband gasping and laughing out loud for 100 minutes straight. Wilde and Seth Rogen play Angela and Joe, a couple that have been married for too long and can't seem to stop bickering with each other. Angela has invited the upstairs neighbors over for dinner, a fact that she failed to mention to Joe, so they're fighting about that as the neighbors, Pina and Hawk (Penelope Cruz and Edward Norton) arrive. Which already makes for an awkward start to the evening, but you have no idea how much more awkward things are going to get from there.

If all four of these actors receive an Oscar nomination next year, it would be welcome. The dialogue being bandied about back-and-forth is exhilarating. It's like watching a very tense tennis match with occasional pauses to burst out laughing. I can't get into the plot because you need to just experience it ratchet up and escalate continually for yourself. But what a well-made movie! It's beautifully shot, with every scene meticulously framed and composed, and the music by Devonte Hynes offers up a perfect accompaniment to these couples and their chaos. There's one scene in particular, that is set to Habanera from Carmen, and I definitely want to watch a masterclass when Wilde dissects how she perfectly choreographed the dialogue, music, and blocking to create a visually stunning and hilarious piece of cinema. 

Fair warning, this is a great movie to watch if you're in a stable relationship but may bring up some uncomfortable discussions if you're on the rocks and arguing all the time. But maybe even in that case this movie will bring you both together because you'll finally be laughing as one. Get to the theater - you have received an invitation.

The Odyssey: Written and directed by Christopher Nolan (based on Homer's epic poem, of course), there was a lot of hype around this film, and what can I say? The hype was thoroughly well-deserved. This movie is three hours long, but with this deft script that keeps weaving in and out like Penelope's loom through all of the different scenes of Odysseus' journey, the Trojan War, and the troubles in Ithaca, you simply won't notice the time passing by. It's a singular cinematic achievement and I can't begrudge all the Oscars it's bound to receive next year.

The cast of this film is pitch perfect. I had my doubts about Matt Damon as Odysseus, but he does an incredible job - he is just the right amount of old and weary but still has a trick or two up his sleeve to try and survive this perilous journey home. Tom Holland is wonderful as his son, Telemachus, who has to protect his mother, Penelope (Anne Hathaway, in what is definitely her best role this year), from the greedy suitors (including Robert Pattinson as the very evil Antinous) who have posted up at their palace in Ithaca and want to marry Penelope so they can be king. The other big-name stars in this movie mostly have extended cameos, but damn do they deliver in their scenes. I was particularly astonished by Samantha Morton as Circe - there was something so eerie and menacing about her voice that even if you didn't know anything about this character, you'd suss out within ten seconds that something very bad was about to happen to Odysseus's men.

I've been obsessed with Greek mythology since I was a child; I've taken many courses on it and read The Odyssey as well as modern retellings of Homer's work, so I have a great familiarly with this story and the various characters and settings. I don't know if someone with zero knowledge of The Odyssey would love this film as much as I did, but I think they would still be completely mesmerized by the spectacle of it. The extended sequences with the Trojan horse are stunning, watching the sailors get tossed around on a vengeful ocean is harrowing, interacting with the varied cast of characters is a constant delight. I found myself astonished simply by the armor that different characters wore - Agamemnon in particular, has the most foreboding armor I've ever seen, and it chilled me to the bone every time he was on screen. And is it weird that everyone has an American accent? Sure, for about ten minutes. Then you just put that aside and let yourself be swept away by this ancient tale. The locations are dazzling, the practical effects are glorious, the script is immaculate, the actors are captivating. You can see the blood, sweat, tears, and love that went into every frame of this movie and the result is truly a wondrous thing. Nolan went on quite the odyssey to give us this film, and I'm so glad he did.

July Binges: Maximum Pleasure Guaranteed & Nemesis

This month I have binged two very different but rather entertaining shows, both of which end on a cliffhanger that promises much more hijinks for a second season. Ready to add yet more shows to your schedule? Follow me!

Maximum Pleasure Guaranteed: Created by David J. Rosen, this show stars Tatiana Maslany as Paula, a divorced woman in Queens who is going through a messy custody battle with her annoying and hapless husband, Karl (Jake Johnson). She's fighting to get a promotion at work, she's fighting to retain custody of her daughter, so amidst all that stress, the lady naturally decides to have a few online sessions with a camboy named Trevor (Brandon Flynn) to relieve some of that tension. 

Unfortunately, Trevor then gets violently attacked during one of their sessions. Paula records it all on video and reports it to the police (specifically to a detective played by Dolly de Leon, an actress I have loved since I first saw her in Triangle of Sadness, and who continues to be excellent here) and is told that it is probably all just part of a scam. When Paula gets a call demanding money, or else Trevor will be killed, she is mad that she did fall victim to such an obvious scam. But then...turns out Trevor IS dead. So what's going on?

For ten episodes, you're in for a twisty treat, where more and more shadowy characters come into play and the conspiracy around this whole nightmare keeps spiraling into oblivion. In the meantime, she still has to keep up appearances at work and with the other soccer moms. Maslany is an incredible actress and her ability to portray a woman who is holding on by her fingernails as she investigates criminals, coaches kids' soccer, battles with her ex, and dodges murderers is brilliant to behold. And lest I forget, this is a very funny show. It's not all just thrills and murder, so you'll have a nice chuckle as you get swept along for the ride. It's well worth your time, and given how everything ends, it's going to be well worth your time for Season 2.

Nemesis: Created by Courtney A. Kemp and Tani Marole, this is a very twisty cops-and-robbers show about a criminal mastermind named Coltrane Wilder (Y'lan Noel) and LAPD Lieutenant, Isaiah Stiles (Matthew Law), who is determined to arrest Coltrane and put his small gang of co-conspirators behind bars once and for all. Isaiah has been tracking Coltrane's crimes for a few years, convinced that there is one small group of four criminals who have been orchestrating incredible heists in the LA area that all seem unrelated. His boss and partner all think he's crazy, but he knows he's right, and he also has a personal vendetta against them to up the stakes.

There's also a lot of family drama that both men are experiencing with their wives. Coltrane's wife, Ebony (Cleopatra Coleman), recently had a miscarriage and no longer wants to help out with any of his heists, even though her sister is the woman who comes up with these jobs for him and his gang to execute in the first place (yeah, it's really a family affair). In the meantime, Candice (Gabrielle Dennis), is very frustrated with Isaiah's obsessive devotion to his job instead of showing up to his son's basketball games and is seriously contemplating a divorce. And oh yeah, somehow these two women know each other socially and become friends. That's not going to complicate matters at all, right?

It's all very tangled and delicious. It's also a very Black show, so your mileage may vary if you have opinions on how often you want to hear the n-word deployed. Also, the white characters who show up to play cops might be the most hilariously stereotypical white actors I've seen in a while. The whole thing reminded me a bit of a Bollywood movie - a little larger than life, a little too much emotion, but damn if I wasn't thoroughly entertained for eight episodes. If you're looking for something engaging and slightly ridiculous to while away the hours, you may have found your next binge!

July Movies Part 1: Supergirl & Moana

July is here, with a brand-new set of summer blockbusters. We have the latest superhero offering from the DC Universe, and then Disney's latest live-action remake. Looking for original IP? Move right along!

Supergirl: Written by Ana Nogueira and directed by Craig Gillespie, this movie stars Milly Alcock as Kara Zor-El, aka Supergirl, who is Superman's cousin. She is turning 23, so you may ask, why is she a "girl" and not a "woman"? That is a meta question this film also seeks to ask and answer. But first, we must give our poor heroine a purpose, because as this movie opens, she is on an epic pub crawl and has no desire to save the universe.

This film is only 108 minutes long, so I won't give away scads of plot. There's a young girl, Ruthye (Eve Ridley), who is seeking revenge after the brutal murder of all the members of her family, and she crosses paths with the reluctant Kara, who is persuaded to help her for her own reasons. Naturally, our heroine is full of ennui and doesn't think there's any point to being a superhero, but she will eventually get her redemption arc and start to crawl out of her depressive funk. Prepare for lots of action sequences, many repetitive rescues of the hapless naif, and some cameos from a very concerned Clark Kent (David Corenswet) as he video calls from Metropolis to keep tabs on his wayward cousin. Oh, and also Jason Momoa shows up as an alien mercenary character called Lobo, for some reason.

This movie is rather forgettable. Now that James Gunn runs the DC Cinematic Universe, you can see his fingerprints all over it in terms of random music choices during various scenes and a desperate attempt to keep things light, even when we're talking about a lot of heavy themes. Alcock and Ridley are a great duo, and they are both very personable, even whilst their characters are being extremely angsty, and the action choreography is wonderful. But overall, this movie thoroughly failed to captivate me, and I almost forgot I watched it a few days later. It exists, and that's about all I can say about it.

Moana: Written by Jared Bush and Dana Ledoux Miller and directed by Thomas Kail, if you're a fan of the original animated film, then you'll be perfectly happy with this live-action remake, i.e. just like my husband. I do not care about Moana as much as he does, but I still found myself captivated by this movie. 

If you've never seen the original before, I suppose a short plot summary is in order. Catherine Laga'aia plays the titular Moana, the daughter of the chief of Motonui, a Polynesian island. Her whole life, she has been forbidden from venturing too far out into the ocean, but her grandmother (Rena Owen) believes the ocean has chosen her for a crucial journey. When the island is stuck by a blight, she tells Moana that she needs to set sail and find the demigod Maui (Dwayne "the Rock" Johnson who voiced this character in the original film), who can then help her restore the heart of Te Fiti, the goddess of Nature.

The cinematography is beautiful and enchanting, the songs (both English and Polynesian) are rousing and wonderful, and the actors are fully committed and having a great time - it's particularly great to see the Rock do his thing in live action this time around. Is it almost identical to the animated film? Of course. Did that dampen my enjoyment at all? Nope. Disney is gonna do its thing, but when they do it with a movie this beloved, it's hard to really screw it up, you know? There has been a lot of uproar about why we need this remake, which is the same uproar we have been getting for every single Disney remake to date, but I found myself bopping along for the ride. I know most critics are in absolute disagreement with me on this one, but I don't care. Sometimes it's just nice to get some Polynesian comfort food.

June Binges Part 1: The Boroughs & Spider-Noir

Another month is flying by, and there's still so much new TV to watch! I recently had surgery, and unfortunately, I've been using all my recovery time to nap instead of bingeing and blogging as I anticipated. But, I am now on the mend, which means it's time for me to finally tell you about all these epic shows you should be watching. Let's dive right in.

The Boroughs: Created by Jeffrey Addiss and Will Matthews (with an executive producer assist from Stranger Things' Duffer Brothers), this is a very bizarre and fun show about a group of older folk in a retirement community in the middle of nowhere who discover that maybe something rather sinister is going on. Something sinister that may involve...aliens? 

Frankly, that's about all I want to tell you about the plot. There are only eight episodes, and you'll have to figure out how things unfold from there. The cast boasts people like Alfred Molina, Geena Davis, Alfre Woodard, Clarke Peters, and Denis O'Hare, who are all people I have been watching for long enough that I was a little startled to realize that they are now old enough to be playing retirees. But these are all impeccably excellent thespians and man are they having fun. Older actors rarely get the chance to showcase their chops like this, and at one point I realized this show felt like The Goonies but for sixty-somethings. It has that crazy Spielbergian vibe of a group of people going on an adventure, and something weird and wonderful is afoot, and they're gonna band together to solve the mystery despite all the obstacles in their way.

The sci-fi element means that this show is probably not going to be everyone's cup of tea, but the plot is compelling, the actors are brilliant, and it's just so unique and unusual that I was riveted throughout. It's a quick and dirty binge that should keep you enthralled for the entirety of its runtime, so give it a shot. There's a lot of fun lurking in those boroughs!

Spider-Noir: Developed by Oren Uziel, this show is set in the 1930s New York in an alternate universe where Spider-Man is the alter ego of a world-weary hard-boiled detective named Ben Reilly. Who is played by Nicolas Cage. What more do you need?!

My husband and I watched this show in black and white as God intended. There is also a color version available for heathens; we did watch a few minutes of that version and begrudgingly accepted that it was still shot in an old-timey technicolor kind of way that still made it feel retro. But, come on. The show is called Spider-NOIR, what are you even doing if you watch it in color? The cinematography and production design is truly out of this world and it's an immersive and dazzling experience if it's been a while since you last watched a classic movie.

Cage is hamming it up brilliantly in this role, complete with a Cagney/Bogart-esque accent that is cleverly explained in the script. Karen Ruiz is wonderful as his weary secretary, Janet, while Lamorne Morris is his trusty friend and journalist, Robbie. There's a mystery involving a sudden rash of folks with superpowers who are taking over Manhattan and committing crimes, and of course, our hero has a tragic backstory and doesn't ever want to don his spider costume again but will eventually have to. There's some romance, beautifully choreographed action set pieces, and a whole lot of humor. It's an absolute vibe from start to finish, and even if you're not a superhero person, you should watch this show if you're simply a cinema person who wants to indulge in this world for a little while.

April Binges Part 1: Bait & Taskaree

Haven't been watching enough TV about South Asians? Well, here I am with two VERY different miniseries. One is a British comedy-drama about the pressure of representing the South Asian community (and particularly Muslims) in the UK, while the other is a classic Bollywood action-drama about the customs officers at Mumbai's International Airport. Fasten your seatbelts, it's gonna be a bumpy ride!

Bait: Created by and starring Riz Ahmed, this is the story of a struggling British actor named Shahjehan "Shah" Latif (Ahmed), who is auditioning to be the next James Bond. Obviously, this role comes with a lot of meaning - Bond is considered a quintessentially British role, that has hitherto only been played by white male actors. Naturally, it would be a coup for Shah, a British Pakistani Muslim, to get this role. But the significance of it leads him into a spiral of self-sabotage. We are also introduced to his family, consisting of a doting mother, Tahira (Sheeba Chaddha), jokey father, Parvez (Sajid Hasan), and two cousins who were raised with him, Zulfi (Guz Khan) and Q (Asiya Shah). 

This is a short and sharp show, only six episodes, under thirty minutes long, so I don't want to get into much detail. You have to let the wildness of the show unfold for yourself, but suffice to say, it does a brilliant job of capturing the South Asian immigrant experience, the particular nastiness of the racism faced by South Asians in Britain (be prepared for the P-word to be deployed a lot), and the difficulties of straddling both your brown community and the white one you're trying to integrate into. 

All of the scenes with Shah's family felt like something that could have been filmed during any of my family gatherings (well, with slightly less drama and destruction, of course), and at the center of it all, we have Riz Ahmed, with those big, expressive eyes, conveying a world of hurt, humiliation, and confusion as he tries to navigate this very weird situation he has been put into. The show was not as funny as I wanted it to be, but it was certainly a chaotically good time and a wonderful addition into the TV genre of layered South Asian representation. If you're looking for something fresh and new, this is exactly what you seek.

Taskaree: Are you looking for layers? Then move right along. With this show, created by Neeraj Pandey, you're going to get a rather typical Bollywood masala action romp, with a little dash of romance and plenty of police brutality. This show thoroughly lacks any nuance, but it's still a very fun ride with plenty of twists and turns, so you will have a good time, as long as you turn your brain off first. 

Emraan Hashmi plays Arjun Meena, a customs officer in Mumbai's International Airport who has a reputation for taking his job seriously and being incorruptible in a profession that is otherwise well known to be full of people who are willing to look the other way if offered a nice little bribe. When a new commissioner, Prakash Kumar (Anurag Sinha) is brought in to crack down on all the international smuggling that goes through the airport, Arjun and his most trusted colleagues are brought together on a task force to help bring down a criminal syndicate headed by Bada Choudhary (Sharad Kelkar). Bada has couriers operating out of Al Dera (for some reason, a fictional city that is just a stand-in for the UAE), Ethiopia, and Milan, so what follows is a very international escapade told with a great deal of Bollywood flair. 

The story is fast-paced, every episode ends with an amazing cliffhanger, and as long as you suspend your disbelief at points, you are promised a great time. It's only seven episodes long and makes for a quick and dirty binge, so settle down on your couch. Also, your Hindi vocabulary is really going to expand as you learn more about smuggling terminology and the layers of Indian intelligence bureaucracy than you could have ever expected. So, it's fun AND educational!

February Binges Part 2: A Knight of the Seven Kingdoms & Wonder Man

So many new shows to watch, so little time. This month, my husband and I miraculously found two shows we both wanted to watch and have now finished them, so it's your turn to give them a try!

Wonder Man: Yes, it's another Marvel show, but I swear, it's great! Created by Destin Daniel Cretton and Andrew Guest, this is a short and sweet eight-episode miniseries about Simon Williams (the divine Yahya Abdul-Mateen II), a struggling actor in LA who has been waiting to get his big break for years, but keeps getting the rug pulled out from under him. It probably doesn't help that he gets way too into his own head and his acting process and can become a tad difficult to work with, even if he just has a bit part. Enter Trevor Slattery (the divine Ben Kingsley), the man who was assumed to be the terrorist, the Mandarin, in Iron Man 3, only for the world to discover he was just a struggling British actor who auditioned for this terrorist role and had no idea he was colluding with actual villains. Do I remember any of this from a movie that came out in 2013? Hell no. But did I happily just go along with it so I could watch this hilarious odd couple run around LA doing auditions for a new superhero movie called Wonder Man? Hell yes.

This is a very LA show and a very fun insight into how actors struggle to find work, and all the changes wrought by the pandemic, like self-tape studios. There's a lot of discussion about process, as Trevor tries to help Simon loosen up some more so he can show the world just how great an actor he is. But of course, there's still a lot of action and drama, because it turns out Simon's powers may not just be limited to his acting ability. The show has many twists and turns, so I'll let you wind your way through them for yourself. Episode 4, Doorman, is a particularly odd and wonderful extravaganza. This show is a Marvel TV classic, kind of kooky and fantastical, but grounded in great characters with actors doing their best work and having a lot of fun. It's a short and sweet treat and I highly recommend it.

A Knight of the Seven Kingdoms: Yes, it's a spin-off of Game of Thrones, but it's nothing like Game of Thrones or House of the Dragon. Created by Ira Parker and George R. R. Martin, it's based on a series of novellas by Martin, and takes place 90 years before the events of Game of Thrones. It tells the very small but potent story of Dunk (Peter Claffey), a gangly, poor, and naive hedge knight who is making his way to a tourney to see if he can joust his way into glory. Along the way, he picks up a young, bald urchin named Egg (Dexter Sol Ansell, giving the performance of a lifetime), who desperately wants to be Dunk's squire and will not take no for an answer.

The show is only six episodes long, and each episode is about a half hour, so it goes down smooth. It's quite comical, because Dunk has no idea what's he doing, he and Egg are frequently exasperated with each other, and yet you are fervently rooting for them to succeed in this wild and terrible world where everyone is just scrabbling for a better existence. There are a lot of vibes, but when the action gets going, it gets going with a bang and you'll be on the edge of your seat. I can't wholeheartedly recommend the show, because I did find the pacing to be a little stop-and-start and I am not that invested in the wider Thrones universe. But I loved the actors and the (mostly) lighter tone of the proceedings, so I will certainly tune in to Season 2 when it comes out.

February Movies Part 3: Send Help & Crime 101

Are you currently trapped at home in a blizzard? Once you leave, are you ready for a fun time at the movies? Well, I've got one comedy horror for you, and one slick action heist movie. Pick your poison!

Send Help: I had not seen a single trailer for this film, but from seeing the movie poster and hearing the hype, I knew Rachel McAdams was in it and that it was kind of bloody and kind of funny. Sold. More surprisingly, my husband really wanted to see this film, and I was confused as to why. Well, within the first ten minutes, it became clear, because one of the plot points is that Linda Liddle (Rachel McAdams) is a huge fan of the reality TV show, Survivor, as is my husband. This becomes a good thing for Linda, because when she is flying on a private jet with her odious boss and his nepotistic cronies, there is a storm and they crash on a remote island, where they now have to survive and hope to be rescued.

The boss, Bradley (Dylan O'Brien), is a typical frat bro with a punchable face, who inherited the company after his father died, and thinks Linda is an unattractive, boring accountant who doesn't deserve a promotion. Meanwhile, like many women in corporate America, Linda is the woman who runs the show and knows how to crunch the numbers, but the men around her keep taking credit for her work. When she and Bradley are stranded on this island as sole survivors of the plane crash, she is finally in a position of authority where maybe she will be able to command respect from Bradley. But you can't teach an old dog new tricks, and she struggles to get him to see her worth, even as she provides, food, water, shelter, fire, and medical aid during their first few days there. 

Things start to spiral even further, and while Bradley is the villain of the piece, let's just say that eventually Linda does her own share of psychotic things. I mean, I still support Linda, but girl. You got issues. Written by Damian Shannon and Mark Swift and directed by Sam Raimi, this movie is a mindless, fun, gory romp, and while there are some twists you'll see coming from a mile away, there are still plenty of fun jump scares and laugh out loud moments to keep you entertained for a solid two hours.

Crime 101: Written and directed by Bart Layton, this movie features a truly all-star cast that you rarely get to see outside of a Marvel movie or Ocean's Eleven. Chris Hemsworth stars as Mike, a man who excels in conducting jewelry heists with extreme precision and minimum harm. No one ever gets hurt when he robs them, but he walks away with a ton of money, which the police and insurance companies are not happy about. One of those policemen is Detective Lou Lubesnick (Mark Ruffalo, playing another sad, shlubby detective like his character in Task), who is obsessed with finding this jewel thief, particularly because he is the only person who believes all these crimes are the work of one single individual. Determined to find a pattern, he figures out that all the crimes seem to take place alongside the 101 freeway, which explains the title of the film.

Meanwhile, Halle Berry plays Sharon, an insurance broker who is increasingly disillusioned with her job of insuring the possessions of eye-wateringly rich and obnoxious folk in the LA area. When Mike approaches her for some inside information for a potential heist, she debates if crime might be better than corporate America. Much like Linda Liddle, I suppose. Monica Barbaro also stars as a woman who is dating Mike and assiduously ignoring all of his red flags (the dating scene is ROUGH y'all), while Barry Keoghan also shows up as a criminal who is haunting Mike and trying to score off his robberies. He is a psychopath who seems to have no qualms about hurting people, so how's that going to pan out for everyone? You'll have to watch to find out!

This is a classic Hollywood heist movie, told with flair, and actually filmed in LA, so it's even more Hollywood than most. The actors are all on top of their game and it's fun to follow this game of cat-and-mouse to its inevitable conclusion where everyone gets a happy ending of sorts. It's two and a half hours long, but you really don't feel that run time as there are plenty of car chases and robberies to keep you entertained. It's a good afternoon at the movies if you're in dire need of some escapism.

February Binges: Agatha Christie's Seven Dials, His & Hers, Ponies

There's been a lot of new TV recently and the weather has been freezing. So I stayed on the couch and got through a lot of binges. Join me, why don't you?

Agatha Christie's Seven Dials: I fell in love with Agatha Christie mystery novels when I was a teenager and have watched many TV and movie adaptations of her work. So naturally I was going to binge this three-episode miniseries to my heart's content. Written by Chris Chibnall and directed by Chris Sweeney, like all great British period dramas, this adaptation boasts an all-star cast and some impeccable costume and production design. 

Our main protagonist is Lady Eileen "Bundle" Brent (Mia McKenna-Bruce), a young socialite who has fallen on hard times after the death of her father. She and her mother (played by THE Helena Bonham-Carter) have rented out their house to an odious "new money" couple for a house party one weekend. Of course, that's when tragedy strikes, with the death of a man that Bundle was especially close to. The verdict is suicide, but Bundle knows that cannot be right, leading to a murder investigation that will require the sleuthing skills of Superintendent Battle (played by Martin Freeman). 

I have read the book this series was based on, but I must admit I have no recollection of the plot being quite so convoluted. It does appear there were certain additional twists and turns that make it less than a faithful adaptation, but it's certainly a fun one and an excellent way to kill three hours of a dreary afternoon.

His & Hers: Based on the 2020 novel by Alice Feeney, William Oldroyd has developed this adaptation alongside showrunner Dee Johnson, moving the action from England to Georgia and pulling in heavy hitters like Tessa Thompson and Jon Bernthal to star. Thompson plays Anna Andrews, a local news anchor who disappeared for a year after some tragedy but has now returned and is determined to get her job back. She's been replaced by Lexy Jones (Rebecca Rittenhouse) but Anna thinks she can prove her skills by working as a field reporter on a recent murder that took place in the town where she grew up. Who is the detective investigating that homicide? Her estranged husband, Jack (Bernthal). 

Turns out Anna also has a connection to the victim, and things just keep getting twistier from there. This is the type of mystery where absolutely everybody is a suspect, and yet, in the final half hour, you'll discover that you were wrong all along. Is it kind of ridiculous? Yes. But was it also the absolute perfect six-episode binge for my friend Laura and I to indulge in while I was over at her house for a grown-up sleepover? You bet!

Ponies: Created by Susanna Fogel and David Iserson, this is a weird and wonderful show set in 1977 Moscow. We follow Bea and Twila (Emilia Clarke and Haley Lu Richardson), the wives of two US CIA agents, who mysteriously die while on a mission. The two women are desperate for answers, so they petition the CIA to let them become undercover spies, as the KGB will never suspect the Americans are now using women to do their dirty work. These women have absolutely no experience in spycraft, but they are scrappy and intelligent (Bea went to Wellesley, godammit!), and they are determined to figure out who is responsible for the death of their husbands. So what follows is an elaborate cat-and-mouse game as they cultivate Russian assets and learn to become spies, while reconciling with their own grief and feelings of personal inadequacy. 

In only eight episodes, there are so many twists and turns, but the whole thing ends on a bit of a cliffhanger, so prepare to feel unsatisfied. These actresses are delivering killer performances, and the story is wildly engaging, but the tone also veers all over the place, sometimes feeling extremely serious and dramatic, but oftentimes featuring a lot of comic shtick that can make you wonder if they really even miss their husbands at all. It's an odd but scrappy little show, much like its central protagonists, and while it may be an acquired taste, I'll certainly be tuning in for Season 2.

January Movies Part 3: Blue Moon & The Rip

This week I've watched one Oscar-nominated film and one movie that will definitely not be nominated for any Oscars. We call that range!

Blue Moon: Written by Robert Kaplow and directed by Richard Linklater, this is one of those delightful films that you already know has Oscar written all over it once you're ten minutes in. Ethan Hawke stars as Lorenz Hart, half of the famous songwriting duo Rodgers & Hart. However, the action picks up in 1943 when Rodgers has paired up with Oscar Hammerstein to write Oklahoma! instead, tired of working with the alcoholic and temperamental Hart. The entire movie takes place in Sardi's restaurant, during the party to celebrate Oklahoma!'s opening night, and it mostly consists of watching Hart talk to various people like the bartender, Eddie (Bobby Canavale), E.B. White (Patrick Kennedy) who also happens to be at Sardi's, Richard Rodgers (Andrew Scott), who wants to resume their working relationship but only if Hart can promise to be sober and dependable and stop mocking the Americana naivete of Oklahoma!, and Elizabeth (Margaret Qualley), a 20-year-old college student that Hart claims to be in love with, despite everyone thinking his tendencies lie elsewhere. And there's the sergeant piano player, Morty (Jonah Lees), constantly in the background, tickling those ivories and treating us to all the incredible standards that Rodgers & Hart brought into our lives.

The most apt comparison I can come up with is the Before Sunrise trilogy, also directed by Linklater and starring Hawke, that all take place in one day and where you learn all about your protagonists from the art of conversation. In this film, Hawke delivers a tour-de-force performance as the funny, sarcastic, bitter, yet hopeful Hart, who is annoyed that Rodgers has moved on to a new partner, but confident they can team up together again for more greatness. And Kaplow's screenplay has so many pithy one-liners that my husband and I kept quoting at each other that it's no wonder he and Hawke are both nominated for Oscars this year. As audience members, we know that Hart is going to die less than a year after this night, but this movie is only concerned with this one night, making it both melancholy and captivating in equal measure. Like one of the songs Hart wrote, as you watch this movie, you may find yourself bewitched, bothered, and bewildered.

The Rip: There's a reason this movie is on Netflix. Written and directed by Joe Carnahan, this is a police thriller about a team of cops on the Tactical Narcotics Team of the Miami-Dade Police Department and what happens when their captain, Jackie Velez, is shot and killed and no one knows who did it. Matt Damon and Ben Affleck star as Dane and JD, members of the team who are determined to figure out who killed Jackie. Right before she died, she texted Dane with the address of a stash house with a huge amount of money. So Dane decides to raid the house, but also use this raid as an opportunity to flush out a potential cop killer. What could possibly go wrong?

Teyana Taylor, Steven Yuen, Catalina Sandino Morena, and Sasha Calle round out the cast, so you can't complain about the acting, but boy is this script weak. If you're the sort of person who likes to yell out what they think is going to happen next, this is precisely the movie for you, because that's what I found myself doing for much of this film. It's very twisty, but very predictable, with one piece of casting that immediately told me who the bad guy would be. The final act also features a lot of unnecessary action that could have done with some judicious editing - if this movie had been a tight 90 minutes, I probably wouldn't have minded as much, but it is slightly too bloated to just be a fun action romp. If you want to laze on the couch and watch Ben and Matt reunite, go for it, but if you're expecting quality filmmaking, you're out of luck.

December Binges Part 1: All Her Fault, Mr. Scorsese, Down Cemetery Road

I have binged many shows this month, and the last two weeks of the year are prime couch potato season, so here are some recommendations. Plop down with the remote and get ready!

All Her Fault: What a terrifically weird show. Created by Megan Gallagher, based on the novel by Andrea Mara, the show stars Sarah Snook as Marissa, a woman who shows up to a strange woman's house one day, assuming that this is where her son went for a play date. Turns out, the boy is not there, and what follows is her worst nightmare as the police have to treat this as a kidnapping case and have no idea where her son might be. Dakota Fanning plays Jenny, a mom whose son attends the same school as Marissa's son, and when she discovers her nanny might be involved in the kidnapping, she is overcome with guilt and wants to help Marissa in any way she can. Meanwhile, Marissa's husband, Peter (Jake Lacy), is the typical straight husband, a man who thinks parenting has been Marissa's responsibility all along, and therefore everything that is now going wrong is...all her fault.

This show makes for a great drinking game. Just drink anytime a woman is annoyed at a man. Shots when someone literally goes "this is all my/your fault!" No spoilers, but my absolute favorite part of watching this show was in the final episode when a character literally screamed, "It was not my fault...it was YOUR fault!" This is not a good show, and yet I was genuinely surprised by twists and turns in the final episodes that finally brought every character's motivation to light. If you want a soapy, silly drama to while away the day, this is absolutely the show for you. But expect to be giggling a lot while you watch.

Mr. Scorsese: Are you a fan of Martin Scorsese? Then director Rebecca Miller has put together a 5-part documentary miniseries just for you. Chronicling the man's asthmatic childhood that led to him playing indoors a lot and thereby becoming enamored of filmmaking, to his exposure to the Italian mobsters in NYC that led to his many movies about them, as well as a certain bravery when it came to negotiating with studio heads. Watching this miniseries made me realize that I have no knowledge of early Scorsese movies - it was only in the fifth and final episode, when we get into his long collaboration with Leonardo DiCaprio, that I started nodding my head along. Of course, I've heard of all those early films, but gangster movies have never been my genre. And yet, I was fascinated all the same.

The series is an incisive portrait of a celebrated filmmaker, and it has a lot of access to people who knew him well and could speak candidly about all of his struggles as well as his incredible successes. His three daughters get to chime in about the extremely different fathers they had when growing up - his older daughters were used to never seeing him as he was too busy on set, while by the time he got around to having his youngest as an older man, he certainly made much more of an effort to be a family man. Miller is also keen to interrogate if Scorsese has a woman problem - Sharon Stone speaks about her experience struggling to get time with him in Casino, while Margot Robbie seems to have had a very collaborative time with him in The Wolf of Wall Street. This is a great series for any cinephile but also if you're just curious to go behind the scenes of some iconic and memorable movies and understand all the drama that was brewing beneath the surface. Merry Christmas!

Down Cemetery Road: Created by Morwenna Banks and based on the novel by Mick Herron, this show stars Emma Thompson as Zoe Boehm, a woman who teams up with Sarah Trafford (Ruth Wilson), after an unexpected gas explosion in Sarah's neighborhood kills a family and leads to a missing child. I won't give away more details than that, because this is one of those twisty mysteries where every single episode ends in a frantic cliffhanger where you suddenly suspect all the lead actors have died and you might have been following the wrong story all along. There's a very elaborate government conspiracy that starts coming apart at the seams, and it's all very British and dry.

Fans of Slow Horses (another Mick Herron series) would probably eat this show up with a spoon, but much like that show, I found myself unable to sustain my interest. The trouble is that the show is rather densely plotted, and in this day and age, unless I can binge it, I find myself flummoxed by watching week to week and completely forgetting everything by the time the next seven days roll around. There's also something about Herron's plots, where everything is always a little bit shadowy and high-stakes. I prefer an Agatha Christie-esque plot where humans have personal motivations for their evil deeds, as opposed to whole government agencies getting involved in criminal activity. But again, you do get to watch Emma Thompson and Ruth Wilson be a kick-ass duo, so that's worth the effort. Right?

November Movies Part 2: The Running Man, Die My Love, Wicked: For Good

There are a lot of movies to watch this month so let's dive right into two blockbusters and some arthouse cinema!

The Running Man: This film was directed by Edgar Wright, who also co-wrote the screenplay with Michael Bacall (adapting Stephen King's 1982 novel, which already had a film adaptation in 1982, starring Arnold Schwarzenegger, which I have not seen, so this review will not help you with any comparisons). This is classic dystopian fiction about a man who is forced into a brutal game for the entertainment of the masses while he is just trying to win a fortune so his family can live a healthy and comfortable life. In this case, the man is Ben Richards (played by the charming as ever Glen Powell), a troublemaker who is always chafing against the restrictions placed by his capitalist corporate overlords, and who is therefore blacklisted from various jobs and struggling to make ends meet. In desperation, he applies to be on The Running Man, a TV show where contestants must try to hide and evade public capture for 30 days, winning money for every single day they are successful. But of course, no one has ever made it all the way to 30 days. Will Ben be the first to succeed?!

There are a lot of parallels to The Hunger Games, with Josh Brolin playing the evil executive who runs the TV network and is all about manipulating this show to garner huge audience ratings, i.e. President Snow; while Colman Domingo is having a whale of a time as the host of the show, giving it his best Caesar Flickerman energy. But overall, this movie is a bit of a disappointment. Yes, there are some good action sequences and fun chases, and the production design by Marcus Rowland is grand, but it certainly starts to overstay its welcome and has a very weird tone throughout. It's occasionally trying to be a comedy, but then the subject matter is quite dark and earnest, and I don't think Powell quite figures out how to make his performance work. He does get quite unclothed in one scene though, so I guess the studio executives figured that would be enough to satisfy audiences. This is not a great movie, but if you enjoy dystopian action, this is certainly not the worst way to spend your afternoon.

Die My Love: Directed by Lynne Ramsay, who also co-wrote the screenplay with Edna Walsh and Alice Birch, this is a wild movie about a couple, Jackson and Grace (Robert Pattinson and Jennifer Lawrence), who move from New York to a rural home in Montana and have a baby. And then Grace absolutely loses her shit, presumably in post-partum psychosis, but also maybe just from living a life of seclusion with only Jackson's family for company.

I have just read the Wikipedia plot summary of this film in preparation for this review and now have a better handle on what it was I actually watched for two hours. If it's not clear yet, I did NOT like this movie. It is supremely vibey, with the vibes being, having a baby and an absent partner and living in the middle of Montana makes life hard, which...duh. Lawrence spends the entirety of this film either being horny, angry, naked, or inflicting grave bodily injury upon herself, which is not a particularly fun experience after the first hour. Lakeith Stanfield is also in this movie, very briefly, and I honestly cannot tell you what the point of his character was. This is definitely a gorgeous movie that is shot beautifully and has very interesting and unsettling set pieces. But was I interested in the story at any point? Nope. 

Wicked: For Good: Director Jon M. Chu is back with the long-awaited sequel of last year's Wicked: Part 1. And as expected, it's not as good as the first movie, as the musical's first act is famously much stronger than the second. So, if you go into it with those mediocre expectations, you should be in for a perfectly good time. Honestly, you could just read my review of the first movie and apply that here - I was still stunned by the production design, and those costumes continue to bewitch me body and soul. But boy is the music lacking in this installment. There's a reason it's subtitled "For Good" - that song is honestly the only one that sticks in my memory from the entire movie.

Of course, the acting continues to be top notch, and we get to see Ariana Grande and Cynthia Erivo really sink their teeth into these characters and bring out all their complexities, particularly Galinda who is walking an insane tightrope of being complicit with the evil Wizard and Madame Morrible, and trying to justify all her actions despite the continual danger they bring to her best friend. Jonathan Bailey, newly crowned as People's Sexiest Man Alive, certainly lives up to the moniker in this installment, basically swanning around as Anthony Bridgerton and being perfectly swoon-worthy. Overall, this is a satisfying movie and a worthy kick-off to the onslaught of holiday blockbusters. It's the most wonderful time of the year!

October Movies Part 2: The Smashing Machine, Roofman, The Woman in Cabin 10

Another week, another slew of movies in theaters and on streaming to dive into. Huzzah!

The Smashing Machine: Written and directed by Benny Safdie, this is a biography of the wrestler and MMA fighter, Mark Kerr (played by Dwayne "The Rock" Johnson, who doesn't have to stretch his acting chops too much here, but still does a fine job). Starting in 1999, the movie chronicles his struggles with opioid addiction, his challenging relationship with girlfriend Dawn (Emily Blunt, who seems destined for a Supporting Actress nomination), and his long friendship with Mark Coleman (Ryan Bader), a man he has known since they were both on the college wrestling circuit and now they compete together in UFC. Most of the action centers around a Japanese Pride Fighting League Championship and we watch as Mark ruins his initial chances in this league, but then stages a comeback after going to rehab.

I was invested in this movie from start to finish. What can I say, I'm a sucker for any sports movie. The fights are choreographed beautifully, capturing all the brutality and intricacy of the sport, and I was cringing in my seat with every punch and kick, assuming that at any moment, Mark was going to get a life-threatening injury. The score by Nala Sinephro is jangly and unsettling, which heightens your sense throughout the movie that something abjectly awful is about to transpire at any moment. 

I knew nothing about Mark Kerr prior to watching this movie, so I thought this was a wonderful biopic, well-acted and well-told, and keeping me completely absorbed for two hours.  Folks who know more about Kerr would presumably not be as surprised as I was by every turn of events in this film, but this is still a fine example of filmmaking and a fairly moving story about a man who was always nice to everyone around him (to the point where he eventually does need to learn to exercise some boundaries), and fought his demons both on and off the ring.

Roofman: Directed by Derek Cianfrance, who also co-wrote the script with Kirt Gunn, this is another true story about Jeffrey Manchester (played to charming perfection by Channing Tatum), a divorced US Army veteran who is struggling to re-integrate into society and earn enough money to provide for his three young children. He has keen powers of observation and decides that the only solution to his problems is to start robbing local stores by breaking in through the roof at night, holding up the employees in the morning, getting them to open up the safe and give him all the money, and then making a run for it. He does this for two years, earns the nickname "Roofman," but eventually is caught. However, he then escapes from prison and ends up hiding in a Toys "R" Us as he figures out his next steps. Which is where the majority of this movie takes place.

Kirsten Dunst plays a Toys "R" Us employee, Leigh, who becomes the object of Jeffrey's affections. I won't get into how that could even happen when the man is a fugitive, but let's just say it's all very inventive and amazing, and all the more insane for being a true story. This man is so effortlessly charming and wonderful, and the entire movie is just a light romantic comedy that has an undertone of sadness because you know that the good times simply cannot continue in the way that they are going.

I only knew this was a Tatum movie and had completely missed that Cianfrance was the director. This movie is not remotely as devastating as his other films, but it certainly has its melancholy beats accompanied by a beautiful score by Christopher Bear. It's a sweet, quiet, lovely little tale, and I found myself thoroughly invested in these characters for two hours. Now I need to go read up more about the Roofman.

The Woman in Cabin 10: This movie is based on a book by Ruth Ware, and I devoured the novel when I read it a few months ago. Unfortunately, the movie slightly pales in comparison. Directed by Simon Stone who adapted the screenplay with Joe Shrapnel and Anna Waterhouse, the movie stars Keira Knightley as Laura "Lo" Blacklock, an investigative journalist who needs a break from reporting intense stories and decides to do a bit of a fluff piece that would involve a trip on a billionaire's luxury superyacht. What could go wrong?

Well, as you can imagine, a lot goes wrong. Lo wakes up in the middle of the night after hearing a disturbance in the cabin next to hers (Cabin 10, of course), and when she goes out onto the balcony, she sees someone fall overboard. She raises the alarm, but the crew confirm that everyone is accounted for on board, and that no one was ever staying in Cabin 10. We then get a twisty psychological thriller about everyone gaslighting Lo while she tries to prove that she did in fact see someone in that cabin and that something is deeply wrong.

This plot works great as a book, but I think the film treatment exposes some of the rather ludicrous elements of the story. The film also gets a bit rushed and chaotic towards the end, unlike the novel that has an opportunity to keep ratcheting up the tension and make us root for our intrepid heroine. This movie is certainly an acquired taste, but it's also a perfectly adequate Netflix afternoon movie. So, if you're lazing around and want something mildly diverting, you certainly could do a lot worse.

September Binges: The Paper & Duster

Yes, it's October 1, but I've been travelling, and I did watch these two shows in September, so indulge me, OK? 

The Paper: Created by Greg Daniels and Michael Koman, this is ostensibly a sequel to The Office, with the same behind-the-scenes documentary crew now having moved on to filming the staff of a struggling newspaper in Toledo, Ohio, called the Toledo Truth Teller. A new editor-in-chief has just joined the paper, Ned Sampson (Domhnall Gleeson), and he is certainly no Michael Scott. But he is also a bit of a nepo baby, who was previously a star toilet paper salesman, so there is understandably a lot of doubt as to how this man is going to turn this newspaper around. He is full of gusto, filled with a love for proper journalism, and determined to return the Truth Teller to its former glory as a prestigious local paper that features original reporting instead of a hacky click-bait venture that has nothing substantive to say. 

Obviously, there are going to people that support his cause, like former Army soldier and Stars and Stripes reporter, Mare (Chelsea Frei), and then people who hate everything he's doing and want him to fail, like Esmeralda (Sabrina Impacciatore), the interim editor-in-chief who was usurped by Ned's arrival and has no interest whatsoever in his brand of journalism. But the majority of the staff are just people trying to work a 9-to-5, who will go along with the new guy's plans because they just need to take home a paycheck. As the ten episodes of the first season progress, however, you can start to see these people come together and maybe understand Ned's vision. And of course, there will be a healthy mix of their personal and professional lives before the season ends.

There's nothing particularly revolutionary about this show, but it has a wonderfully charming cast and goes down real easy. These characters are all relatable, and if you loved The Office, there's no reason you won't fall in love with this show too, as it has many familiar beats but also feels updated for 2025. The only returning cast member is Oscar Nunez, so you will get some fun asides with him as he tries to avoid the camera crew abut spectacularly fails as he gets more invested in the Truth Teller's journey. This show is telling a relevant story about the importance of local reporting and the need for real journalism in a world that is increasingly prone to lazy reporting standards. But overall, it's a light and breezy comedy that will give you plenty to laugh about.

Duster: I binged all eight episodes of this show on a single plane ride back from Amsterdam. It was the best seven hours of my life. And I was devastated to then learn the show was cancelled after a single season, probably because it took people like me so long to get around to watching it. Alas. But I am now here to exhort all of you to watch it as well. Who knows, maybe if more eyeballs get on it, it'll magically come back to life? But even if it doesn't, it makes for a riveting miniseries that will have you on the edge of your seat from the first episode to the last. Created by J. J. Abrams and LaToya Morgan, and set in 1972 Phoenix, this show is unlike anything else I've seen on TV for a long time.

The charming Josh Holloway stars as Jim Ellis, a getaway driver who works for Ezra Saxton (the brilliant Keith David), a mob boss who was in the war with Jim's father and who has known him all his life. Jim essentially regards the Saxtons as family, but all of that is about to change with the arrival of FBI Agent Nina Hayes (Rachel Hilson), the FBI's first Black female graduate, who has specifically requested to work on this case. Nina has a personal axe to grind against Saxton, and with the help of her new partner Awan (Asivak Koostachin), she sets out on a mission to recruit Jim as her inside man to help her get the dirt she needs to arrest Saxton.

All of these actors are doing incredible work, and the scripts are tight and propulsive. No bloated 1+ hour runtimes here - each episode usually lasts 50 minutes or so and it's a wild ride every time. The characters are all interesting and lived in, and there are constant twists and turns where you will get little doses of information at a time that completely upend your understanding of what has been happening all along. While a work of fiction, the show will also randomly involve actual historical figures, like Elvis Presley, Howard Hughes, or Richard Nixon, and it's so wildly inventive and delightful that I had a big smile on my face the whole time I was watching it. It's insane to me that more people have not been raving about this show, but now here I am, and I suggest you watch it so you can rave about it alongside me. It does end on a huge cliffhanger to set up the (now-cancelled) Season 2, but it manages to wrap up most of its plot lines neatly and heartily satisfy you for this one glorious season. You can't always get what you want - but this show is exactly what you need.