Movie #1941........................."Time of Death" (Amazon Prime streaming)

Movie #1941 "Time of Death (Amazon Prime  streaming)  I was looking for a good mystery the other night and came up with  this one.  It was intriguing to me that the murderer was killing people at 10:44 exactly, and I wanted to know why.  An FBI lady comes in and takes over the investigation from the local law and order people, and they resent it.  One young guy is assigned to the case with her (because he is new) , and they go from a hate to love attitude toward each other --- she usually works behind a desk and is just there to see if the government deal they were going to have with this CEO who was murdered would go through, but once the answer was given, she decided to stay on and finish the investigation, mostly because her work clicked with the young guy (she notes that he is very good at this job) and it becomes mutual admiration.  I liked it --- I think that some people might say the love relationship is lame, but I am a Hallmark Christmas fan, so it didn't bother me --- it just added interest to the already interesting mystery storyline.  I would give this 3.5 out of 5.  And I recommend it if you are just looking for an intriguing mystery with some good action and love scenes.

"TIME OF DEATH"     2013        one hour and 45 mins
Following the death of CEO Robert Loring at precisely 10:44 pm, the FBI sends in Jordan Price, one of their best and brightest to solve the case. As other key executives are murdered at exactly the same time, Jordan finds herself investigating the past in order to solve the case. She quickly discovers the ultimate cover up and is under the gun to solve the mystery before the next victim is killed.

Director:

 Frédéric D'Amours

Writers:

 Tom Gates, James Phillips (rewrite) 

Stars:

 Kathleen Robertson, Gianpaolo Venuta, Sarah Power 

Movie #1940 ........................."Defending Jacob" (miniseries on Apple) 8 episodes, about 50 mins each

Movie #1940 "Defending Jacob" (miniseries on Apple - 8 episodes, 50 mins each) --- this was riveting as was the book to me.  This is the kind of show I get involved in, wondering how it will end --- trying to guess with every twist and turn along the way.  This was a dark, cold, tense watch, though, so maybe not your cup of tea.  Once Jacob gets charged with the murder (which happens quite quickly), you are there in the house facing what they face on a daily basis.  He's an only child and he seems to have a great relationship with the two parents, and they seem to be good at dealing with what I would call (as a teacher) a challenging high schooler.  He doesn't laugh much --- he is very polite to his folks --- he is very cerebral and it's hard to guess what is on his mind --- he answers questions they ask him (yes he is bullied at school, yes,  he had homework and he does it), but he's a kid who tests boundaries, lives on the computer and loves video games --- but that's typical.  This actor Jaeden Martel I have been watching since he was the little guy in "St Vincent with Bill lMurray, and worked so well with Murray --- and I have heard he isn't that easy to deal with.  He worked with the little guy from "Room" and ran that movie very capably ("The Book of Henry),  was with Clive Owen in "Confirmation,"  and in two seasons of "Masters of Sex" playing Michael Sheehan's son, and played a younger Chris Evans.  And now he is with Chris Evans as his son -- I really think this is a tough part to play because he has to straddle the line of possibly being guilty AND possibly being innocent.  The parents are good, esp. the mom Michelle Dockery (Downtown Abbey) --- she goes through quite a bit here and she's very convincing.  Chris Evans is okay --- I got used to him --- I wanted to shake him once in a while to know what he was thinking (he stares off a lot in space) --- Overall, in this film  I liked a glimpse of what it was like to be famous in a moment in time, esp. for this seemingly solid family who kept to themselves much of the time.  But what I really liked about the book and the movie is the idea that the father KNOWS everything that's going to happen in this investigation --- how the district attorney and the police will play it, how the defending attorney should play it, every angle except the possible perpetrator's point of view.   And being on the other side is hard for him and enlightening on so many levels. And This isn't giving anything away (because if you google the differences in book and movie, you will get this answer), but the ending is different here from the book.  and I'd be happy to  discuss why you thought they changed it.  But I don't want to ruin it for anyone reading this blog --- but it would be interesting to see what you thought about the ending they did here.  (whether you read the book or not)  I liked both, really.  To be honest, I couldn't remember the ending of the book until I was reminded in the internet articles (that's something I do a lot, so it's nothing against the book).  But I remembered that I really loved the book -- gave it 5 stars out of 5 because it was such a quick read and I bought all the twists and turns, and thought it was a good thriller.  Here, I'm giving it a 4.5 because I spent more time with this family, and so that gave me a different emotional feeling about the story, and I saw it as more of an investigation on parenting, manipulation of evidence in a case, how we really might not know the people we live with and see on a daily basis, how some things we can never be sure, and a lot more things.  Bottom Line, I thought there was more to the story that I watched unfold in the film in comparison to the book, which was more "by the book" if you know what I mean.  I highly recommend it, and it is worth the time, which goes by pretty fast.  That's what I always want to know before I invest much time in any of  these miniseries.  4.5 out of 5.



"DEFENDING JACOB"    2020    miniseries      8 episodes, about 50 mins each

The limited drama series is a gripping, character-driven thriller based on the 2012 New York Times best selling novel of the same name by William Landay. An assistant DA's world is shattered when his beloved son gets charged with murder.

Creator:

 Mark Bomback

Stars:

 Chris Evans, Michelle Dockery, Jaeden Martell 

Movie #1939 ........................."Love on Safari" (on Hallmark, of course)

Movie #1939 "Love on  Safari"  (on Hallmark, of course)  I know it isn't Christmas, but I happen to see this on tv  when looking for the news and well, old habits, I left it  on in the background while I did some computer work.  It was your typical romantic comedy from Hallmark, but what made this one different was the South African filming.........I just loved seeing all the giraffes, elephants, it was really well filmed ,and that's what kept me watching.  Actually, the love story was really of very low quality, mostly because the guy she ended up with  kept mumbling all of his lines --- I am usually used to walking around the room and continuing to do chores while listening to these Hallmark things, but he made it impossible ,and  I resented the heck out of him.  She is one of my favorite Hallmark rom-com people -- of course, she plays the same part every time, but I don't mind it because she comes across as honest --- and very low key.  And we of the Hallmarkian world like that (esp. when living in this crazy world of today in 2020) but the guy ---actually both of her choices  -- yikes!  I'd stick with the giraffe and the elephant she gets crushes on in this film.  And  I'd give it 3.5 because of the photography and the lead actress --- and the wonderful safari village we get to take a glimpse of and spend time with in this film.



"LOVE ON SAFARI"     2018   1 hour and 24 minutes

Web designer Kira in Chicago inherits a wildlife reserve in South Africa. There she meets head ranger Tom. Will she sell it and return to her accountant boyfriend Brat or...?

Director:

 Leif Bristow

Writer:

 Elizabeth Stewart

Stars:

 Lacey Chabert, Jon Cor, Brittany Bristow 

Movie #1938 ........................."Mrs. America" (hulu)

Movie #1938 "Mrs. America" (Hulu)  9 episodes, 1 hour each -- I really enjoyed this, but I'm not an expert on  how factual this was --- esp. with the Tom Snyder interview (which I have a feeling was doctored a bit, just by what is being written on line)  But it was so absorbing of a show --- I just sat and took it all in --- I forgot that Rose Byrne had an accent and she was now Gloria Steinem, and Margo was a great Bella, and right down the line, such believable acting --- when emmy nominations come out, a few will come from here, I'm sure.  The lead and the lynchpin to this whole show is Cate Blanchett as Phyllis Schlafly , the woman who sought to take down the ERA movement state by state.  I can't say enough about her portrayal ---- her relentlessness  to stop at nothing until she achieves, and she's willing to wait and wait and wait for her move --- kind of like a huntress or some kind of animal ready to pounce, waiting for her chance --- Gloria (Rose Byrne) was such a symbol of the sexual revolution, the  "pretty one" who could melt anyone's heart until she gets screwed on the democratic national convention floor by Mondale and others.  Shirley (Uzo Aduba) the brave one who wanted to push for a black female president candidate, when others told her it was not the time (too soon! well, we are still waiting!) ---- Margo as Bella, with the hats and outlandish wardrobe, pushing pushing pushing and always the pragmatist when it comes to politics while others had their heads in the clouds.  I want to do one shout out to Sarah Paulson who inhabited the character of Alice McCray --- a Phyllis follower, until she saw what the outcome of the anti-ERA movement  was for women all over the country and  she finally stood up to her mentor.  There wasn't an inspirational,  optimistic ending --- because we all know the ERA hasn't passed ...........yet.  But the  way the story unfolds, we see baby steps that we gain appreciation for, that balances the crushing defeats that we see, as well.  But for  those   pro ERA, there's a crushing defeat  (albeit, little in the vast scheme of things) at the end that we can smile about --- so I guess the show is as optimistic as it can get.  I know the story isn't finished, but it does seem to come to an end after episode 9 ---but  it would be interesting to follow these people a bit further. However,  it doesn't have to --- this was an amazing show in and of itself,  and I loved it.  One more thing -- Episode 8 is just titled "Houston" , but it  really should be titled "Alice",  because that's what it is concerned with .  Alice, ever the homemaker who comes up with the idea to get to the men of the senate by baking bread, gets a bit tipsy in this one at the convention in Houston , and we in the audience follow her thought process as she goes from one convention room to another --- It is almost done as a soliloquy but without words from Sarah Paulson  at all.  And if there's one emmy I would give besides to Cate Blanchett, it would be to Sarah Paulson.  She does such a slam bang job in this miniseries!  I would give this miniseries a 4.5 out  of 5.


"MRS. AMERICA"    2020    9 episodes, each 1 hour in length

Conservative activist Phyllis Schlafly leads an unexpected fight against the Equal Rights Amendment movement during the 1970s.

Creator:

 Dahvi Waller

Stars:

 Cate Blanchett (phyllis) , Rose Byrne, (Gloria)  Uzo Aduba (Shirley), Margo Martindale (Bella) , Elizabeth Banks (jill) , Tracey Ullman (Bettey), Sarah Paulson (Alice McCray)

Season 1:  episode 1 (Phyllis), episode 2 (Gloria), episode 3(Shirley), episode 4 (Betty ), Episode  5 (Phyllis & Fred, Brenda & Marc), Episode 6 (Jill), Episode 7 (Bella), Episode 8 (Houston) and Episode 9 (Reagan)

Movie #1937 ........................."Mrs. Wilson" (PBS)

Movie #1937 "Mrs. Wilson" (PBS) (3 episodes about 1 hour each) -- good suspense, and what story!  Every time she think she understands her dead husband's other life, there's still another twist in the story.  And to think this is a true story and it happened to the actress's grandmother (Ruth Wilson's grandmother) !!  What I liked about the writing, too, is that as the dead husband's true identity is pealed like an onion, so is Alison's character exposed.  We see how cold she was, in dealing with her kids, etc.  And how she oftentimes had to fend for herself because of her husband who was doing a "Job" he wasn't supposed to talk about, supposedly.  I don't want to give much away here, but sufficeth it to say this is a good mystery.  And we didn't plan on city down and watching all three episodes in one night, but we ended up doing just that because it was so intriguing.  I'd give it a 4 out of 5.

"MRS. WILSON"     PBS

A grieving widow discovers that her seemingly ideal husband lived many secret lives.

The drama follows Alison Wilson who thinks she is a normal, happily married woman. But when her husband Alec suddenly dies, a woman turns up on her doorstep, claiming that she is the real Mrs. Wilson. Alison is determined to prove the validity of her own marriage - and Alec's love for her - but is instead led into a world of dark and troubling secrets. Alec was a British spy and a best-selling novelist and Alison is pushed to the very brink to find out the truth.This is a true story of what happened to the actress Ruth Wilson's grandmother.

Stars:

 Ruth Wilson, Iain Glen, Calam Lynch

Movie #1936 ........................."Trevor Noah: Son of Patricia" (streaming netflix)

Movie #1936 "Trevor Noah:  Son of Patricia" (streaming netflix)  This was a little over an hour comedy special Trevor did that  covers racism, snakes, and esp. his mother Patricia.  If you enjoyed his book, you would enjoy this, or vice versa.  He has such ease in doing voices, accents, that it reminds me of humorous interpretation in high school forensics.  Some of this was in his shows ( when I got to see him  live in Arizona a couple of years ago) and a little from the book , but otherwise, there's some good new stuff I hadn't heard him do before.  And while driving our 13 hours last Sunday back to Illinois, it was fun to listen to this for a short time .  I'd give it 4.5 out of 5 and recommend it.

"TREVOR NOAH:  SON OF PATRICIA"  2018   1 hour and 3 mins
Trevor touches on tacos, runaway snakes, camping, racism immunity, and lessons he learned from his mother, Patricia.

Starring :  Trevor Noah

Movie #1935 ........,................."Hannah Gadsby: Doug (netflix streaming)

Movie #1935 "Hannah Gadsby:  Douglas" (netflix streaming)  This is the same comedienne who wrote and delivered the very clever "Nannette" a year or two ago, and she's back on fire here.  She outlines what she is about to perform, and then she hits every markas she does it,  but the clever thing about it is that by previewing what we will see, that makes it even funnier.  She takes chances and she succeeds, and it's pretty fun watching that.  What a writer she is ---- but once again, this is not a show for everyone --- the language and situations are pretty raw at times.  She esp. has a part in here with famous paintings and she makes crude observations about them --- This was a 4.5 to me out of 5, not quite as on  point  as "Nannette" and not as poignant, but it was really full of lots of feminist observations and truth.

"HANNAH GADSBY:  DOUGLAS"   1 hour and 12 min    2020

Hannah Gadsby ("Nanette") returns for her second stand-up special and shares her latest takes on popularity, identity, language, feminism and more.

Writer:

 Hannah Gadsby

Star:

 Hannah Gadsby

Movie #1934........................."The Dead Don't Die"

Movie #1934 "The Dead Don't Die" (dvd from  netflix) - well, here's a movie we hadn't seen  with one of our favorite people , Bill Murray, and it was billed a comedy, so we rented it.  We don't recommend it unless you are way into zombies, which we are not.  There are some deadpan moments between sheriff Bill Murray, and equally deadpan assistant sheriff Adam Driver --- and the assistant to the assistant. also  deadpan , Chloe Seveigny.  Those three are a hoot.  And Steve Buscemi and Danny Glover becoming zombies is pretty funny, too, for a few minutes, but after a while --- it was just too silly for us.   But, that's just us.  We are sure this could be a cult favorite with several people.  Oh, one thing, I want to share about this film.  Through the whole movie, Driver keeps saying lines of dialogue that go something like this: "This  isn't gonna end well."..And then Murray asks him, "How do you know that?"  And I while watching it kept answering the t.v. in the pause  with "He read the script" --- well, at the end of the movie, Driver says that exact answer to Bill Murray, and they have  a discussion which breaks the 4th wall about the script and that the director didn't give the   whole script to Murray.  That was the best part of the film to me.  So that tells you there wasn't much  here.  I give it a 3 out of 5  for the effort.

"DEAD DON'T DIE"   2019     1 hour and 44 mins

The peaceful town of Centerville finds itself battling a zombie horde as the dead start rising from their graves.

Director:

 Jim Jarmusch

Writer:

 Jim Jarmusch

Stars:

 Bill Murray, Adam Driver, Tom Waits