Upload, S3 - Amazon | This sci-fi thriller-comedy jumped the shark in season three. Still a few laughs as the writers had fun with AI run amok, but the conspiracy stuff and who owns whose consciousness didn’t really hold up.
Welcome to Wrexham, S2 - Hulu | It felt like a foregone conclusion that Hollywood’s favorite Welsh soccer club would win the division and get promoted in the second year of ownership by actors Ryan Reynolds and Rob McElhenney. But while season two certainly tells that story, it also diverges and focuses on the town and its residents, weaving their stories into the success of their beloved football club.
The Marvelous Mrs. Maisel, S5 - Amazon | Creator Amy Sherman-Palladino (all hail, “Gilmore Girls”!) ended her story about a Jewish housewife-turned-stand up comedian her way, jumping into the past and the future to reveal the fates of characters, then back to the series’ central 1960-70’s era timeline to fill in key plot points. The acting was high level throughout and it’ll probably win a couple more Emmys, deservedly so. One of my favorite comedies of the last five years.
Come & Get It by Kiley Reid | A fun read by a young author. Some real funny scenes and a great ear for dialogue. I think I enjoyed it in part because it’s set at a college (University of Arkansas) and the main characters are all women who live together in a dorm (and their RAs), which made me feel closer to the missing college student in my life. | My AP Review.
Ethan Frome by Edith Wharton | Had some time between book reviews and picked this early 20th century Am Lit classic off the shelf. Enjoyed the story as far as it went, but can’t imagine what Wharton would make of modern-day relationship mores! I certainly don’t think a 21st century Frome would put up with such a domineering wife.
The Best American Sports Writing 2023 edited by Richard Deitsch | The 32nd edition of this annual anthology was heavy on the hard news — female soccer players fleeing the Taliban in Afghanistan, Texans/Browns quarterback Deshaun Watson asking every massage therapist to get sexual, even a school shooting in Oxford, Michigan, that other than the fact that one of the victims was the star quarterback didn’t even have a sports connection. But it’s still one of my favorite annual reads and it now takes up almost an entire bookshelf in our home.
The French Connection - Max | Effective app curation by HBO (“Award-Winners”) made me watch this 1971 Best Picture champ, which was also a Jeopardy question recently. Kind of wild how little plot there was compared to today’s films. Inspired by a true international heroin smuggling ring, the action was largely Gene Hackman and Roy Scheider (“Jaws”) tailing French suspects in New York City by any means necessary. Some innovative camera work for its time. But the audio was very garbled.
Barbie - Redbox | Very late on this bandwagon, but don’t really think I missed much of a ride! Maybe blame my Y chromosome, but I just didn’t find it terribly entertaining. America Ferrara’s speech was great and I agree with every word, but I’m also blessed to be married to a woman and have a daughter who refuse to be put in any sort of box, whether it’s made by Mattel or anyone else.
Kandahar - Hulu | I’m a sucker for Gerard Butler in war zones with a particular set of skills, but this made-for-streaming flick didn’t do much for me. Didn’t care enough for the characters and there was no central villain to root against.
When I watched "The French Connection" earlier this I wrote: "Another entry into my long list titled 'They don't make 'em like they used to." I agree there's no plot and terrible sound mixing (I remember the score being odd/bad at times, too), but still a good watch! "Barbie" didn't grab me as much either, any other reasons why it didn't work for you?
ReplyDeleteI guess I didn't find it all that compelling, story-wise.... maybe because it got so much hype and coverage I'd already seen most of the funny lines so it didn't strike as fresh as it might have had I seen it last summer with everybody else?
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