• TV

    Monthly TV – April 2023

    May 4, 2023

    “You” Season 4 – I was really hoping this would be the last season because this show has been going for too long. This show is so over the top and stupid that I expect it every season. I actually liked this season relative to the others because of the setting and the cast. I really hope Joe gets what he deserves in the last season.

    “The Mandalorian” S3 – I loved this season much more than the general consensus it seems. There was one episode I found boring (and it wasn’t the Plazir 15 one). The finale felt a bit rushed but it ended on a happy note. I am not a devout Star Wars fan. I have seen all the movies. I didn’t watch The Clone Wars or Rebels, only a few eps here and there. I’ve dabbled even in the fandom. I do find the Filoni and Favreau shows consistently entertaining for me to stick through with it. The action is great to watch and I’m glad we have cinematic TV. It’s not perfect writing all the time but it’s entertains stuff.

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  • TV

    Monthly TV – March 2023

    April 8, 2023

    I mainly watch shows after the season airs and binge them afterwards. This can be good because I find myself invested like I would a book or movie. I do want to give weekly show drops a chance to see if it’s better.

    Weekly Watching:

    “The Mandalorian” Season 3 – I like adding Bo Katan (Katee Sackhoff) as an addition. I watched Battlestar Galactica and Sackhoff’s acting on that was good even though she often plays characters who are emotionally limited which is common in sci-fi. This show benefits from having more than Din and Grogu, but I don’t find myself particularly enamored with the Star Wars shows as world building so much as the characters, the acting, and in this show’s unique case, the puppetry.

    “Ted Lasso” Season 3 – Seeing as this is the last season, I wanted to see if it would be good week to week.

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  • TV

    Monthly TV – February 2023

    March 16, 2023

    “The Flatshare” (18 02 23) – As a TV show, it was okay. As an adaptation, it was below average. I would like more London set adult shows that aren’t too dark but this one sorta missed out on some of the good and darker aspects of the book. I liked the acting I guess.

    “Ted Lasso” S2 (19 02 23) – Not all of S2. Just the last few eps which I didn’t up finishing in 2021. I had to finish it now that S3 has been announced soon. There were a lot of father issues on this season though which I guess is a nice change from mother issues on some other shows. Not as tight arc wise as S1 but I still think this show has its bonuses. I like its earnestness. I hate Nate though.

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  • Monthly Movies,  Movies

    What I Watched – Autumn and Holidays 2022/23

    January 25, 2023

    Rick & Morty Season 6 – This was the only show I was watching in the autumn.

    Free Guy (13 11 22) – Fun. Sweet rom com. Great cast. Mindless entertainment

    Knives Out: Glass Onion – Very fun! I thought Janelle Monae was great in this and I continue to adore Daniel Craig’s Blanc character. I am so happy that this series is living up to the first film.

    My Kitchen Rules AU – I was actually really pleased by the winners.

    Only Murders in the Building season 1 & 2 – Funny. We loved this. Growing up I remember watching a lot of Steve Martin movies and his comedy style is silly and often wholesome. A bit predictable for me as someone who reads mystery but the comedy is top notch. I also like the chemistry between the three leads.

    Julia Season 1 (13 01 23)- Started on plane and finished at home. Very great plane watching as it has some of my favourite things: food, mid-century decor and fashion, female characters, and a great cast! Uplifting and sweet. Also as someone who loves Frasier, the many scenes between Bebe Neuwith with and David Hyde Pearce feels like a spiritual successor to Frasier. The show’s writing is not perfect and the artistic license taken with the lives of real people and the social issues is clunky. However, relationships and acting and design are one point.

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    What I’m Watching Lately – August 2022

    September 8, 2022

    “Emma” (2020) – This was okay. The Romola Garai 2006 mini series is still the best. I think Anna Taylor Joy can act but her and the script did not make her Emma sympathetic enough at the start. Emma is very annoying in the book but you still get a sense of how much she loves the people around her. This one showed her as a tad too manipulative of Harriet. Everyone seemed more miserable and they played it laughs which I did not find as funny. There was too much crying in the second half. I liked the supporting actors like Bill Nighy and Miranda Hart. The movie did look good with its costumes, settings, and decor.

    “Call my Agent! / Dix Pour Cent” Season 4 – I really like this show and I’m glad I caught up. My French is so rusty now! In any case, this was was suppose to be the final season and there seemed to be great character development with all the characters. We am cancelling Netflix for awhile but maybe I’ll get it back for this in the future.

    “Running Man” (primarily 2010-2013) – I have watched a couple of eps of this show before and it’s unavoidable if you know East or South East Asia media. I never really got into it until now. The Yoon Eun Hye teasing was one of the reasons I wanted to try the earlier episodes. I’ve seen a number of episodes in the last couple weeks. I’m still in the sub 200 ep range. I will not watch everything and there are resources to tell me the best eps thankfully. It’s been a fun journey.

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    What I’m Watching Lately – May and June 2022

    August 16, 2022

    I watched everything in May and June except the end of Stranger Things. I did not watch much in July.

    Shiva Baby (24 05 2022) – I saw a short scene from this many months ago on Youtube and didn’t know the name of the film. I saw it again on a film analysis video and I decided to watch some clips of it on YouTube before watching the film. I really enjoyed how tight the script was and how it was shot. You could tell a lot of work was put into it and the tone of the movie was chaotic and tense. The movie got a lot of pathos from everyone in a short time. I was not surprised that was it from a short film and am glad the director-writer was able to make it a feature.

    “Stranger Things” Season 4 Volume I – After the first two eps, I spoiled myself and basically watched it in the background. I am not a fan of horror but I continue to watch this show. Also, some of these actors are good. The hopper and jock storyline were so weak that I fast forwarded to them.

    “You” Season 3 – The appeal of this show for me is about 75% Penn Badgley and the other 25% being the writing and the location shooting. Everyone is so hard to like on this show but it’s played for dark comedy. I think I like this season more than the second one. I like that show changes locations every season and the next one is already shooting in London should be fun.

    “Stranger Things” Volume II – Overall still fun. It was not a bad season. Too gory and violent at times though.

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    Monthly Movies & TV – Nov and Dec 2019

    January 4, 2020

    I was been watching a lot of shows or movies this past autumn. November and December did bring more some better shows.

    Movies

    Hobbs & Shaw – I have not seen a Fast & Furious movie in a long time, but we both enjoyed the trailer of this movie way back in the spring. It was fun. I spent the whole time making candied peel for my stollen. It was the perfect movie to bake or cook to.

    Murder on the Orient Express – See review here.

    Knives Out – Mystery whodunnit kind of holiday flick. Loved this. Everyone did a great job and I look forward to seeing more Benoit Blanc mysteries. I really hope this means the return of more mysteries in theatres and original franchises.

    TV

    “Midnight Diner” Season 2 – This is such a cozy TV show if you like Japanese shows. I found a couple of the episodes in the season didn’t work as well as Season 1 but I still love this show overall. It has a real ambiance and vibe similar to some sitcoms, but quieter in the Japanese style.

    “The Crown” Season 3 – I did find the writing and storylines in Season 3 less engaging than the first two seasons. There was a lack of character development on the Queen. I did not like the “woe is me” narrative that Charles had. Acting is still very good. My favourite episode was probably “Bubbikins” and “Aberfan”.

    “Masterchef The Professionals” Series 11 – This is one of my favourite shows. Pure comfort in watching professionals competing without drama.

    “The Mandalorian” Season 1 – One of my favourite new shows in the year. “Baby Yoda” (or Not Yoda) is adorable. I love the body language acting by Pascal and the doubles. The writing and episodic nature are tight. Most of all, the music is some of the best TV soundtracks I’ve heard in awhile.

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  • Misc & Site

    Monthly Movies/TV – August 2019

    September 7, 2019

    Avengers: Endgame (04-05 08 2019) – I was thoroughly spoiled, but I haven’t been able to watch it since the release. It was a bit long and it had a bit too much fan service, but it was good for the most part. I think the endings fit for most of the characters except I was not satisfied with two of the most important ones. Oh well. I have my favourites from this series and will follow them through.

    TV

    “Jack Ryan” Season 1 – I watched most of these episodes as my partner got a Prime trial. We both like John Krasinski and it was a nice to see Abbie Cornish.

    “What We Do in the Shadows” Season 1 – Funny. Nadja is my favourite. There is some good character work as well in this for a an unconventional comedy. I really enjoyed and am looking forward to the next series. Lately, Taika Waititi can’t do wrong.
    Plot, characters, perfect sitcom

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    Monthly Movies/TV – April and May 2019

    June 7, 2019

    Movies

    Hail Caesar! (16 04 2019) – I remember seeing the trailer a couple years ago and looking forward to it but the reviews were not great so I put it off. The pacing in this movie is odd. It’s lacklustre and often times feels like a bunch of random scenes rather than a cohesive movie. I didn’t hate the movie but it did drag for the most of it. Good points is that every scene looks great. I love this era in the film and you can tell the Coen’s do too as they put effort in the look and of course the great casting. All in all, I still gave it a thumbs up on Netflix but I wouldn’t recommend it.

    Bumblebee (24 04 2019) – Much better than anything Michael Bay could ever do. Sweet and easy popcorn flick. I hope the transformers franchise changes for the better.

    Solo: A Star Wars Story (20 05 2019) – I needed to wash my brain after that GoT finale and see Emilia Clarke in a character with nuance. I put off watching this for awhile mostly because I knew it would be a decent popcorn flick. I watched it while doing chores, having lunch, and making Swedish cinnamon rolls. Maybe it’s because I knew going in that the movie had some weak areas, but I liked it. I thought it had a great cast and that everyone got to do something interesting.

    The Death of Stalin (21 05 2019) – This is such an odd movie. It somehow manages to balance the inherent anxiety and fear of the time with black comedy. It’s very unique in its very dark themes and plot, but it is done well. Fantastic cast and acting. It is entertaining and thought provoking. While not completely historically accurate, it probably does capture the gist and spirit of history. A good watch.

    TV

    April:

    “The OA” – We started this late March/early April. We watched it slowly for about five episodes but I wanted to move ahead so I binged the rest of Part 1 and all of Part 2 around April 22. I really liked this show. Good acting, very well shot, but it has a very interesting premise and world building. It is very slow so I am wary to recommend it to anyone, but I enjoyed weird shows like this.
    “Line of Duty” Series 5 – Have not even seen series 1-4. I liked it and can see why it’s good, but some of these interrogation scenes were very long. End felt a bit dragged out.

    May:

    “Game of Thrones” Season 8 – I don’t want to talk about it.

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  • Monthly Movies,  Movies

    Monthly Movies/TV – March 2019

    April 3, 2019

    “Dix pour cent (Call my Agent!)” Season 3 (05-07 03 2019) – French comedy series on Netflix that I have been following. My French has been dropping off lately and I haven’t been watching as many French things. I try to do it while knitting so this helped me finish the Pavement sweater.

    “Russian Doll” Season 1 (07 03 2019) – I like the time loop trope. I went in unspoiled and am so glad. I like how well written and acted it was. While it was sometimes crass and crude, the heart of it is about empathy and human connection. Good stuff.

    Ant-Man and the Wasp (07-08 03 2019) – Enjoyable largely because of the cast. Wish it had more Pffeifer!

    “Plan Coeur (The Hookup Plan)” Season 1 (11-12 03 2019) – Not as good as Dix pour cent. So many unlikable characters but at least the two leads and some of the supporting characters are OK. They hooked me with the cliffhanger ending. I wouldn’t recommend it to everyone though.

    Le Jeu (Nothing to Hide) (12 03 2019) – French film that about boring middle aged French married couples having problems stuff. Mostly boring and full of unlikable characters. It was short at least.

    Bienvenue a Marly-Gormont (The African Doctor) (19 03 2019) – Better than the last French movie but had some second hand embarrassment from the first hour or so.

    Le Monde est a toi (The World is Yours) (19 03 2019) – I need to take a break from these French movies. I think I’ve watched most of the ones available on Netflix now. This one also had a bad start and the script is not great. The actors made it bearable. Vincent Cassel and Isabelle Adjani are in it. The best thing about this movie was the small moment of genuine friendship between an older guy and a little girl who experiences being abused by their parents.

    Your Name / Kimi no Na wa (24 03 2019) – Beautiful. I’ve been meaning to watch this for awhile. I use to grow up watching a few anime series but I feel like the best ones lately and for most part are the movies.

    Hidden Figures (30 03 2019) – A nice period piece with lots of good acting. There is aspect of feel good Hollywood but at least it’s about Women of Colour.

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    Monthly Movies/TV – February 2019

    March 9, 2019

    King of thieves (18 02 2019) – We watched this for the great cast and while there are some funny moments due primarily to the cast chemistry, the script and pacing was off. Tone was a bit weird too; it was darkly funny but then other times it couldn’t balance the darker moments.

    Spiderman: Into the Spider-Verse (22 03 2019) – Very fun and worth the praise and help. This movie uses the animated medium to the best of storytelling. Great music and soundtrack and probably the best Sony spider-man movie ever. Will rewatch some of my favourite parts.

    TV shows currently watching:

    • Masterchef UK
    • My Kitchen Rules
    • Great British Sewing Bee
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  • Monthly Movies,  TV

    Monthly Movies/TV – January 2019

    February 2, 2019

    Movies

    Fantastic Beasts and Where to Find Them (04 01 2019) – Finally got around to watching this. It was on the long side but enjoyed most of the movie and its characters.

    Jumanji: Welcome to the Jungle (06 01 2019) – Very fun. I love the jokes about video games and its tropes. Jack Black really stole his scenes. The cast was all great except Kevin Hart played himself. Definitely in for a sequel.

    Bohemian Rhapsody (19 01 2019) – The casting including the stellar Rami Malek and the last Live Aid scene was good, but this isn’t the best film I’ve seen in awhile. The script and directing were both lacking and I know Singer had to drop out (never liked him any way). The movie felt a bit staid bordering on having that manufactured biopic filming. I enjoyed it overall but it’s a testament to Queen’s music and the great cast.

    Me Before You (25 01 2019) – Yes, it has taken me years to watch this film after reading the book. I liked the book and I adore Emilia Clarke, but I put this off because I knew the ending. I managed not to cry by basically watching most of this while preparing for and eating dinner. Then cleaning up. Clarke and Sam Claifin have a lot of chemistry. I’m glad they didn’t make the sequel as I hated it, but I wish Clarke and Claifin were in more things overall and together.

    TV

    I forgot to track this but I think I got most of it.

    Tidying up with Marie Kondo (01-03 01 2019) – I liked the books. I found the show relaxing except for a couple of home owners. I wish there was more of Marie and Iida.

    Strike (27 01 2019 to 01 02 2019) – All three series: Cuckoo’s Calling, the Silkworm, and Career of Evil. After reading Lethal White, I realized I hadn’t watched the BBC adaptation of the first three. I watched it with my SO and he’s never read the books but expressed an interest in the show. We really liked all three of them. I’ve always liked Burke and Grainger and I think the show did a good job of cutting out the angst of their relationships. It’s also an easy procedural to watch; maybe a bit too easy. It’s not trying to be cutting edge or different than other TV, but since it’s a BBC production, it’s still very good. I look forward to the Lethal White one.

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