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Mr. & Mrs. Smith (2024)
Slow but has potential
John and Jane Smith, in this rendition of the concept, are not your usual spy movie characters. They aren't glamorous, quasi-omniscient, or even particularly competent. So far so boring. And yet, these very contradictions were enough to interest me. Early on, we learn (but John doesn't) that Jane was rejected for a job at the CIA. Both of their motives are murky for applying the job that turns them into Mr and Mrs Smith. Why are they there? Why were these utterly ordinary, not very likeable, people picked for this job? The nature of their employer is unclear. Is he/she/it good? Bad? Just messing with them?
There is some humor in the concept, although I'm not sure about the execution. Jane and John (but particularly Jane) have a very bland, mundane way of interacting with each other, as if they are not spies in a high stakes job at all, but just office coworkers trying to get through the workday without awkward interactions. Indeed, at one point, Jane watches a clip that appears to be from the reality show "Naked and Afraid", and that's when it struck me that the rhythm of the characters' discussions was like contestants on a reality show. Just ordinary people, stuck in an awkward situation, created by their own (somewhat questionable) choices.
I think the main problem with the show isn't the acting. It takes skill to be as dry and closed off as Jane is; I think the actress actually does a nice job here . Meanwhile, John is emotionally open enough that I felt like there was some decent conflict and contrast between them. For me, the problem was the pacing. It really was just too slow. I think this comes from the characters. The characters have a mission to do and we don't see them prepping for their mission at all. Even not-very-competent spies should realize, once they've caused on explosion, that they really should be working out some game plans, maybe a few visual signals, have some discussions about how to mitigate risk, who will carry the serum, etcetera. Instead they talk about bagels. It might be important character development that we are being shown these people are too stupid to prep for their mission. But, I would rather watch them just prep for their mission, otherwise why am I watching a spy show?
I'm not completely uninterested in these characters. There's a scene in an early episode where Jane interacts with a neighbor. It's got some good mystery-building in it, but what I liked was that we saw Jane through someone else's eyes. I can't relate to Jane, or John, from inside their own perspectives. They aren't likeable enough. But I liked the idea that you could have these neighbors, they live in a nice house, they seem to work normal jobs, but you're pretty sure the woman lied to you when she said she didn't have a cat. You don't understand how they live in such a nice apartment, in an upscale area, for what their jobs are. They seem like very cold and untalkative people. You and your wife (or husband) joke that maybe their regular jobs are just a cover. Maybe they're actually professional hitmen. You laugh together as you sip your coffees. Then you shiver a bit and wonder if it would be better to sell up and move somewhere that's not near to them.
A Million Miles Away (2023)
Well done
I really enjoyed this movie. I watched it with my husband and 14 year old son, but it would have also been fine if younger children were present. The movie is well designed for family fare, with characters of many different ages. His romance with his wife is presented chastely, but chemistry swirls under the surface where only adults can see it. Their relationship is realistic and appealing for ordinary married couples. There is a good mix of emotion in the film: some sadness, some beautiful and inspiring moments, and some belly laughs.
I watched this movie because of Michael Pena but even he probably could not have carried this film if it were sappy. The difficulties of being a family of migrant farmworkers were presented fairly, I thought, neither romanticizing their hard work, nor demonizing the middle-class Americans who surround them. As a result of this balanced viewpoint, the film is inspiring and thought-provoking, rather than manipulative or twee.
Great movie, probably will watch again.
Shiny Happy People: Duggar Family Secrets (2023)
Interesting but seemed a bit biased
I was interested to see this because I wondered what Jill Duggar Dillard would say about her childhood once she was out of the control of her parents. I wanted to know how close the reality show was, to the substance of what her childhood was like. That aspect of the documentary was very interesting.
She also spent some time talking, in a guarded way, about what it was like to have her victim experiences be exposed to the public. That was very sad to see as she clearly was very sad at the exposure of her private and painful experiences. However, I think it was valuable that people be able to see that this was a real thing that happened to her, and not something made up to get vengeance on the IBLP or to smear the Duggars. Again, I think it's important that what she said in the documentary was said when she is independent of her parents.
I also found it interesting to listen to the experiences of other ex-IBLP members, especially when they talked about the reality of what marriage was like, the extent of submission expected of women and girls to boys and men, and the way it turns the women and girls into perfect victims who can almost never escape.
If the documentary had remained focused on the issue of how the concept of authority and Christian doctrine was distorted and misused to victimize girls and women, or the other issue of the way the money was handled in the family (i.e. The income from the show), I think it would have done its major work. However, the documentary went farther and seemed quite political and ideological. Videos of pro-life protests pictured with ominous overtones and so on. At one point, a statement that the IBLP was training young men to "infiltrate" politics, and other things to that effect, worded to sound very creepy. But, if you break down what they are actually describing, it's basically US citizens getting into US politics and asking their fellow citizens to vote for them, or lobbying their elected officials, or engaging in perfectly legal protests. So, in fact, engaging in perfectly normal, constitutionally protected activity. This made me distrust the documentary. What else did they pick and choose to create a certain effect that is driven by ideology? In any case, it came across to me as very anti-Christian. Why weaken a perfectly good documentary by overreaching to push an ideological position?
The documentary talked about the IBLP (or ATI - apparently Gothard was very much into acronyms) having lots of money to put into redirecting politics and the culture, playing the long game so their way of thinking could become dominant. Considering that the documentary was done in a very professional, even slick way, and is being shown on Amazon, one of the most powerful platforms currently in existence, I couldn't help but find it ironic.
I'm glad to hear from Jill and I hope she thrives in her new life.
1923 (2022)
Very silly
I enjoyed Mayor of Kingstown, quite liked 1883, and have heard good things about Yellowstone, so I looked forward to 1923. I'm not impressed. Some of the casting is very good but the characters are very black-and-white in a way that feels silly and caricature-ish. The Catholic nuns and priests are so unremittingly evil that they should have little horns on their heads, or perhaps forked tails. (Just in case you didn't get the extremely blatant message, Catholicism is evil, folks.) The Dutton men are all uber-masculine, especially the young Duttons, whose muscles ripple in the sunlight and whose women run adoringly across the grass to meet them, perhaps dressed in flowing white garments through which the last light of the setting sun shines, making them glow like angels. The women have no interest in the world other than to make the wonderful Dutton men happy and to be loved by them. To these women, their own deaths would be as nothing. The death of their man, however - well, after that, how could life be worth living? There is lots of looking deep into each other's eyes and kissing as the dusk falls.
Mainly my thoughts as I was watching were: Spencer is gorgeous (and if gorgeous Spencer is enough for you, then, by all means, watch this show, and, yes, he does spend a lot of time without a shirt), it's unfair to the rest of us women that Helen Mirren is still this pretty, and Timothy Dalton is much more fun to watch than I ever gave him credit for.
You might enjoy this show but you have to accept an awful lot of silliness if you do watch it.
The Recruit (2022)
Darkly Funny
My husband and I really enjoyed this. It's a bit like Chuck, but for an older audience, with an M rating, and a darker theme. Everything that happens to the hero is unbelievable, and I don't get the impression that you are supposed to take it all literally. At least I HOPE the CIA isn't that bumbling. I think we're not meant so much to suspend our disbelief, as accompany the main character in his. The main character is 24 years old, so he's Generation Z. I think there is some satirical commentary here about how the generations interact with each other, as well as about the lack of trust we all have in each other in our culture right now. Metaphors aside, the twists and turns are a great deal of fun, if you can immerse yourself into the craziness in which our hero finds himself.
I would say one weak spot is the music, which feels rather generic and is not, as yet, particularly appealing.
The Wheel of Time (2021)
ok
I was willing to give this series a lot of leeway, since the Wheel of Time books are dense and long. It would be difficult to condense them. I can see why some of the choices were made to change things from the books so that those who have never read the books will be able to get into the show, and I'm willing to trust that those aspects will come back to canon in due time. There were a few key moments that were done beautifully. I could tell that there was some visual groundwork being laid, very quietly, to support some of the exciting plot points from the books that are going to be a big deal later on. The scenery was beautiful.
At the same time, there were also some trouble spots. Some of the younger actors in the main cast seem very inexperienced to the point of almost seeming like cardboard. Chemistry between key pairings of actors was lacking. And even with the modifications made by the screenwriters, so much context was missing that my husband (a non book reader) was unable to follow what was happening. I had to stop and explain things to him several times, trying not to spoil upcoming big reveals.
If Rosamund Pike stays with the show I might continue to watch. If not, well, I'm not sure.
Only Murders in the Building (2021)
A cozy mystery
I don't know what it is about this series that works but it does. It's not solely a mystery and not exactly a comedy. It's like... a cozy mystery. The kind of show you can curl up with on a cold night and a cup of hot chocolate. I cannot wait for Season 2.
Cobra Kai (2018)
Brilliant
This is how you update a beloved classic. Basing the show on Johnny was brilliant, allowing a moral ambiguity that makes the episodes interesting for both children and adults. The creators have made a number of wise decisions, such as gradually bringing in new youth characters in each season so that there are always characters for younger viewers to invest in. The series brings the ethos of the original show into the present, giving respect to older fans and newer ones. I think for me, as a fan of the original movies, the part I like most is the way Ralph Macchio and William Zabka have collaborated to produce this delightful show, while continuing to play each other's nemesis on-screen. All my children, from the little one to the older teenager, love this show, as well as me and my husband. It is relatable and laugh-out-loud funny.
Dix pour cent (2015)
Addictive
This was so much fun to watch that after I finished the last episode in Season 4, I started all over again from the beginning. The chemistry of the core cast is just wonderful and I really enjoyed the way the famous actors (male and female) who guest-starred were willing to lean into portraying the less flattering aspects of being an actor. I would be happy if this series went on forever.
Upload (2020)
Quite dark
There's a lot to like about this show. The worldbuilding is interesting and specific. The jokes are funny. The cast is wonderful. Each person makes their character interesting and distinct. Nathan and Nora have nice chemistry. Ingrid is deliciously hate-able, even as you feel a bit sorry for her. Aleesha is hilarious as Nora's long-suffering friend at work, and Lucy is the corporate drone boss we all recognize. Luke and AI Guy are annoying in just the right ways.
The problem is that all of it is based on a dilemma so dark that I just can't get past it. It's not that the show is unaware of this, it's that, at least to me, it's so clear that there's no way out. It just seems a bit hopeless and depressing.
Inventing Anna (2022)
Ok
This was my first experience with a Shondaland show. I like Julia Garner so I watched all the episodes, but the characters were all so unlikeable that I couldn't bring myself to care that Anna was ripping them off. I found Anna Chlumsky's character grating to the point of being almost unwatchable.
The Proposal (2009)
didn't quite gel
I like both these actors so I feel I should have enjoyed this movie more than I did. Their chemistry was ok, if a bit stiff, and the first half of the movie worked ok for me. I liked the way the power dynamic between the two leads shifted when they went to Alaska. But I felt the promise of that shift wasn't followed through in the second half. Most of their time in the second half was spent with other people, and they never seemed to have a moment of true connection. It was as if they were in two separate movies, with most of the focus being on their individual interactions with the secondary characters. The whole way through the movie I kept thinking it was going to be like "My Best Friend's Wedding" where they learn the lesson that what they really need is to be apart. I feel there was the potential for this to be a really good movie and somehow it didn't quite come together for me.
The Tomorrow War (2021)
Silly but fun
Plot logic was silly but overall the movie was fun. The supporting cast were good, especially Sam Richardson. Lovely to see Yvonne Strahovski again. The pacing was odd in that it seemed a bit long, somehow. Maybe it could have used some editing there to keep things tighter.
Flack (2019)
ok
Anna Paquin is great, love watching her, but the character is not interesting somehow. Her boss is hilarious. The other two characters in the main four are a bit bland. I liked the British setting and her character being an outsider but I found the whole package a bit predictable.