Movie #1933 ........................."The Handmaid's Tale" (Hulu) Season 1, 10 episodes, 55 mins. each

Movie #1933 "Handmaid's Tale" (Hulu, Season 1, 10 episodes, 55  mins. each
I have been wanting to see this t.v. series for a  long time, ever since it came out, because I respect the book a lot.  However, after  watching the first 10 episodes (Season 1), I can say that I have seen enough, I think.  This series is so grim ---- lacks any humor at all ---- the pacing is soooooo slow; just waiting for something to happen, I have fallen asleep several times and had to watch things over.  It rarely changes in the slow pacing --- there's lots of gaps and pauses, and Joe Fiennes and his wife say all their lines the same.  This series definitely showcases Elisabeth Moss, whom I have been a fan of since "West  Wing."  But because it is stretched out into so many seasons, with 10 episodes each, for 50 minutes each episode, they fill it with more characters and more plot and more violence than the book had.  Maybe it is just me, and maybe it is the fact I am watching this show during a pandemic, but I feel this is too close to the reality we are facing now every day, so I don't need to see the rest of this series at this time.  I would rate it 4.  And I'll move on to something else.

"HANDMAID'S TALE"   10 episodes, 50+ minutes each, season 1 on hulu

Set in a dystopian future, a woman is forced to live as a concubine under a fundamentalist theocratic dictatorship.

Creator:

 Bruce Miller

Stars:

 Elisabeth Moss, Amanda Brugel, Madeline Brewer  |

Movie #1932 ........................."Gavin & Stacey" - Christmas specials and Season 3 (Amazon Prime)

Movie 1932 "Gavin & Stacey" - Christmas Special, Season 3, another Christmas
Special (Amazon Prime) ---- continued to love this show as they go through the trials and tribulations of Gavin moving to Cardiff, in Wales, much closer to Stacey's relatives.  They try to  have children and Smithy tries to parent from the  UK, while his kid grows up  in Wales.  Stacey applies for jobs, and the two families get together for a number of reasons.  We highly recommend this comedy, and can't wait until it continues some day in the future.  very memorable quirky characters here --- and James  Corden continues to impress me with his bountiful talent!  5 out of 5


"GAVIN & STACEY
Christmas Special  - 12 Days of Christmas 2008
The Barry folk come to Billericay for the holiday. Gavin surprises his mum and Smithy with news of his promotion in the company's new operation, located in Cardiff.

Season 3 ---- 6 episodes   2009
Gavin gets used to new job, Gavin  and Stacey  try to get pregnant, And there's a wedding

Christmas Special -- 2019
15 years later --- updates us on how everyone has changed (or not) when everyone comes to xmas at Essex and the Brits --- this one ends up in the air so we suspect another season  or christmas special to come?

Creators:

 James Corden, Ruth Jones

Stars:

 Mathew Horne, Joanna Page, Alison Steadman, James Corden, Ruth Jones 

Movie #`1931 "Collateral" - netflix streaming - miniseries with 4 episodes

Movie #1931 "Collateral" (netflix streaming - miniseries with 4 episodes)  I watched this because I really like Carey Mulligan , and the story gripped me from the opening.  But then the interest in it petered out for me because in  my opinion, there were way too many characters on the fringe of the story that were introduced and we were forced to follow them for no real good reason.  Maybe one of them was a witness, etc.  It was, to me, a way of stretching this story that could have lasted maybe a movie length, at most.  It just wasn't all that interesting to me, so I don't recommend it as a must see.  Strong in acting by Mulligan (not a surprise) but the script gave her little to do.  I'd give this a 3 out of 5.

"COLLATERAL"  2018   ---- 4 episodes, about 50 minutes each -- some nudity and violence

London detectives investigating the seemingly random murder of a pizza delivery man uncover a convoluted case of interlocking circumstances amid a cross-section of British society.

Stars:

 Carey Mulligan, Jeany Spark, Nicola Walker 

Movie #1930 ........................"Gavin and Stacey" - t.v. series , seasons 1 and 2 +Christmas special

Movie #1930 "Gavin and Stacey", t.v. series from  Amazon Prime -- Seasons 1 and 2 plus Christmas special. This was a wonderful find, full of lots of laughs --- quickly spoken, they never wait for the laughs, full  of quirky characters, and there isn't a show that goes by that we don't laugh out loud several times.  It's  that funny to us.  Hope it will be to you, too, if you take this recommendation and watch it.  It is very popular on the BBC, so it's terribly British, and sometimes makes references that we "yanks" don't get, but what I really like is that it is a mixture of Welsh and Brits, and I haven't really experienced any of those differences before.  The whole show deals with Stacey (Welsh) and Gavin ("Brit) who meet up after talking on the phone for a few months --- they bring traveling companions with them for that first date (Corden and Jones, the writers of the show) and the date is  a doozy and changes all 4 of their lives.  The rest of the shows in Season 1 lead up to a wedding, and Season 2 shows  lead up to a break up of sorts --- it deals oftentimes with the meetings of the two families, so  there's a lot of universal humor, but also, because they are quirky, out- in- left- field kind of moments that we delight in.  Check it out, and see what you think.  But it was so popular, Corden and Jones after 15 years put together a Christmas reunion show Dec; 2019 and it was such a hit, that they plan to do a season 4 in the future.

"GAVIN & STACEY"    2007-2010, each show about 30 minutes

Gavin and Stacey have been continuing their romance on-line and by telephone for the last six months. Now they want to be together but will their friends and family let them?

Creators:

 James Corden, Ruth Jones

Stars:

 Mathew Horne, Joanna Page, Alison Steadman, James Corde, Ruth Jones 

Movie #1929 ........................."Anne with an E" Season 3 - Netflix streaming

Movie #1929 "Anne with an E" Season 3 - netflix streaming --- Oh, no, it's over.  I really am going to  miss this enjoyable series.  This season covered quite a bit:  Anne becoming 16 starts her thinking about her genealogy  and her real parents; there's a death of a close friend she has to deal with, plus her confusing feelings toward Gilbert (and vice versa), taking the queen's exams, moving away from the Cuthbert and going to a new school, dealing with the cruelty our government gives to her native american friend, dealing with being a woman and the rise of feminism, and freedom of the press.  That's quite a bit for the season, add to that a very satisfactory ending that had me in tears (of joy) and I would give this season a 5 out of 5.  

"ANNE WITH AN E"  Season 3, 10 episodes, each about 50 minutes 2019

The adventures of a young orphan girl living in the late 19th century. Follow Anne as she learns to navigate her new life on Prince Edward Island, in this new take on L.M. Montgomery's classic novels.

Creator:

 Moira Walley-Beckett

Stars:

 Amybeth McNulty, Geraldine James, R.H. Thomson 

Movie #1928 ........................."Barry" Seasons 1 and 2 (Amazon Prime)

Movie #1929 "Barry" Seasons 2 and 2 (Amazon Prime)  It took quite a span of time to see this entire two seasons but we finally completed it.  We started watching it on FX and then didn't stick with it then, so when we came across it again, and with the pandemic had the time, we finished it.  I liked the  humor, and I am all over the theatre stuff that Barry gets into --- but I don't like the violence at all.  I know it is the whole other part of his life and the reason for his inner suffering through both the seasons, but there are some scenes I just have to look away ---- they are done with so much dark humor --- blood squirting out of the top of a guy's head  -- it's meant to be bizarre, and because we don't like the guy, it probably is being played for humor, but it's pretty gruesome for me to laugh at it.  However, Hader is doing an excellent job of getting the torment across of this guy who has been suffering with PTSD for a long time.  He  has found a job he is finally good at but now wants  to get out  of it --- and the audience can't help but root for him to do that.  To be continued in Season 3...... I give this 3.8 out of 5.  It is not for the faint of heart .


"BARRY"    26-35 minutes each episode,  Season 1, 8 episodes, Season  2, 8 episodes

A hit man from the Midwest moves to Los Angeles and gets caught up in the city's theatre arts scene.

Creators:

 Alec Berg, Bill Hader

Stars:

 Bill Hader, Stephen Root, Sarah Goldberg 

Movie #1927 ........................."Hollywood" (streaming netflix - limited series)

Movie #1927 "Hollywood" (streaming netflix) mini series ---we binged this week on this mini series " Hollywood "--- actually, it  should be called "Dreamland" --- since  this series came out these past couple of weeks,  perhaps you've seen or heard about the not -so- free service gas station that Dylan McDermott (kind of a pimp) runs in Hollywood that the new kid , Jack, gets a job at, and subsequently  makes a successful  connection with Patti Lupone, one of his many customers, who happens to be the wife of Rob Reiner who is the head of Ace Pictures in this fictional place --- the password to get there is "Dreamland" -- I like that title better because you need to know this is a revisionist tale of Hollywood (not a true biography)  --- a what if account -- what if there's a black writer who has written a story about the sad actress who jumped off the Hollywood sign and is able to  persuade an  up and coming  young guy who happens to be dating an outstanding black actress to direct it (because he could make her the lead -- ahah!) , and they in turn persuade a closeted gay (through the gas station)  to get the green light for the production --- and then that film (showing an interracial relationship, this would be in early 1950s Hollywood) would win several Oscars?  What would Hollywood be like now?  Because this  still hasn't happened in real life (see what I mean about the title should  be "dreamland"?)  .......... so I think the series is saying, we are way behind, folks.  There's another big part of the movie and that is the gay issue --- Now, in this me-too movement, it seems like creator Ryan  Murphy (of "Glee")  wants to remind us just how tough it was for people like Rock Hudson, Guy Madison, George Cukor, and a host of others who were trying to deal with Hollywood pressure to stay closeted for a host of reasons.  So we see that climate here --- how dangerous it was, how pressuring for men, too (in addition to the couch auditions we've  heard about for the women)  --- The male side of it is a topic not brought up a lot but is covered quite well here.  Disclaimer --- there is a lot of sex in this show, and the acting is just okay with some of the "newer" actors (the tried and tested ones are great, though) and the dialogue is clunky at times, but I applaud the effort  -- the story needs to be told , and  I'm glad I watched it.  I'm  not sure I would recommend it, though --- not unless the topic seems appealing to you.  I'd give it 3.5 out of 5.



"HOLLYWOOD"   7 episodes, about 55 minutes each , 2020     rated R

A group of aspiring actors and filmmakers in post-World War II Hollywood try to make it big - no matter the cost.

Creators:

 Ian Brennan, Ryan Murphy

Stars:

 David Corenswet, Darren Criss, Laura Harrier , Patti Lupone, Rob Reiner, Holland Taylor, Dylan McDermott, Jeremy Pope, Joe Mantello, Jim Parsons, Mira Sorvino

Movie #1926 ........................."Anne with an E" Season 2 (netflix streaming)

Movie #1926 "Anne with an E" season 2 (netflix streaming) --- I sailed through season 2 quite quickly and am still enjoying this series.  In fact, I am starting on  season 3 tonight.  I really enjoyed season 2 even more than 1 basically because I am more  used to Anne's personality, and I find her less annoying (and she is getting older, and that helps).  I also liked the secondary characters even more in this season, such as:  Bash, and his girlfriend Mary,  Ms. Stacy (the new teacher,)  and there's more development of Diana's aunt Josephine  and Cole, a gay student friend of Anne.  This season  started with a  "gold rush" precipitated by  the boarders.  Then  the story went back and forth between the gold rush  and  Gilbert's meet up with african american best friend Bash , working on ships and then   settling down for a time in Trinidad and starting to think about going back to Gilbert's farm to form a partnership working on that.  As Anne experiences growing pains and spin the bottle games and weddings, Marilla and Nathaniel Cuthbert experience  some medical problems. and a rather unique Christmas show performed by the kids.  Anne and Cole form an alliance when he refuses to go back to school and they hunker out in a shed where Cole decorates with the products of his sculpturing .   Back at school with the new teacher, there are fights, experiments, and a big brouhaha over the new teacher that almost gets her ousted; that is, until Anne hatches an idea to save her job.  Anxious to see what's in store for the Cuthberts and the rest of the Anne with an E family in this last season.  I give this season a 4.5 out of 5.  More fun watching the growth of the characters here, and they are becoming more beloved to me --- I will hate to see them go, I think.

"ANNE WITH AN E"        netflix streaming, 10 episodes each about 40+ mins each

The adventures of a young orphan girl living in the late 19th century. Follow Anne as she learns to navigate her new life on Prince Edward Island, in this new take on L.M. Montgomery's classic novels.

Creator:

 Moira Walley-Beckett

Stars:

 Amybeth McNulty, Geraldine James, R.H. Thomson 

Movie#1925 ........................"Europa, Europa" (netflix dvd )

Movie #1925 "Europa, Europa" (netflix dvd) I had wanted to see this oscar nominated foreign film from 1990 for a long time, and when it finally popped up in my netflix queue, I sent for it.  I was very disappointed in the film.  The story was difficult to believe all the way through -- that he was thought to be a german solider when he was a jew, taken into the Hitler youth, and doing all kinds of nazi actions that would clearly go against so much his culture, his religion, his family, etc.  for such a long time (about 4 years) was again hard to believe.  I guess if he was a charmer of sorts, but I never saw that in the actor --- I felt he was weak in acting and I never got pulled in to his endeavors.  As a result I was never pulled into the movie, and I would give it 3 stars out of 5.  More background information would have helped somewhat, and if we got introduced more to the family instead of just the sister who has a tragedy occur in the first scene.  One thing I did like, though, was that the film tried to explain about the Russians and their part in the first takeover of Poland from the east coast --- I think that could have been done more clearly, too.

"EUROPA, EUROPA"     1 hour 52 mins              1990

A boy in Nazi Germany, trying to conceal that he is Jewish, joins the Hitler Youth.

Director:

 Agnieszka Holland

Writers:

 Agnieszka Holland, Solomon Perel (memoir: Ich war Hitlerjunge Salomon) 

Stars:

 Solomon Perel, Marco Hofschneider, René Hofschneider 

Movie #1924 ........................."Anne with an E" - t.v. show netflix streaming - Season 1

Movie #1924 "Anne with an E"  - Season 1, netflix streaming  --- I have never seen nor know much about "Anne of Green Gables" (just saw a 1940s film on  TCM a long time ago) , and this was recommended to me, and I am enjoying it.  Being well into Season 2 by now, looking back at Season 1 and I had a reservation or two about it --- one is the lead girl --- she is playing this ebullient child who talks constantly --- never running out of questions or romantic philosophical comments about life --- at first she came across as a bit too much, and I wasn't quite sure how the show could get past that, but it did.  I find her story of being a product of the abusive  foster care system/orphanage  in  Canada in the 1890s and then being adopted by a brother and sister who really expected to get a boy who could do heavy work on the farm very intriguing.  What adds to  the story is how talkative she is, when the brother and sister are so quiet and keep to themselves.  And they are all awkward in social norms --- Season 1 includes Anne's first experience at school, where she is picked on constantly  --- she decides not to go back, but then the reverend's comments on girls not needing education and to know their place, gets her to rethink and  do the opposite of his advice and go back to school.  As a newbie in society, she makes mistakes a lot, and cries a lot, but when push comes to shove and there's a tragedy in the community , she shows her capability to think on her feet (esp. with a fire and the little sister of her new best friend) By the end of this season, she has earned the right to the Cuthbert name but there's so much more coming in Season 2.  I would give this 4 out of 5.  It takes getting used to the lead character --- who constantly talks and feels she is ugly because she is  a red head and has freckles. P.S.  the production values of this show are terrific --- love the costumes, hair/makeup, set decorating, locations, etc.  It reminded me of "Little House on the Prairie" as far as production values.

"ANNE WITH AN E"    t.v. show season 1 --- 10 episodes, 45 mins each, 2017

The adventures of a young orphan girl living in the late 19th century. Follow Anne as she learns to navigate her new life on Prince Edward Island, in this new take on L.M. Montgomery's classic novels.

Creator:

 Moira Walley-Beckett

Stars:

 Amybeth McNulty, Geraldine James, R.H. Thomson