Last night I went and saw Late Night! I know there is still half of 2019 left, but I think I may have just found my favorite film of the year! It just had such a nice mix of everything and a stellar cast. And the hair on my arms stood up towards the end, which I don’t recall happening during any other film I’ve seen so far.
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TV Review: The Society
You guys! I binge-watched a show! And to me, that means I finished it in a week, which is pretty darn good if you ask me! I watched the newest Netflix hit, The Society, and I totally understand why it’s catching.
The show focuses on a very large group of high school students who are on their way to a field trip when a storm turns them around back towards their homes in West Ham, Connecticut. Although it only looks like their hometown, because their parents are nowhere to be found. After realizing that they may be in some sort of alternate universe, they band together to form some semblance of normalcy, or in this case a socialist society. After Allie’s older sister gets murdered, she takes over as the town’s leader, sort of acting as a dictator, but not in a malicious way. They have a guard and assigned jobs and shared housing. Allie’s main concern, after realizing they aren’t going “home” anytime soon, is how to survive the winter.
In the midst of all that are some pretty restless and resentful rich kids who just want their stuff back, oh yeah, and Allie’s diagnosed psychopathic cousin, Campbell who decide they want to run the town instead. The 10-episode run ends with Campbell and his laggies arresting Allie and her right-hand man/boyfriend, Will. A group of teens, including my personal favorite character, Grizz, just made it back from an expedition that found farmland and animals for food to sustain them through the winter. And just when that cliff-hanger shows itself, we learn that all the parents are still alive in the real West Ham with yellow ribbons and a plaque sporting the names of the “missing” teens.
Other characters trajectories are minor, and there are so many cast members, it’s sort of hard to keep track. They do tackle issues such as an abusive relationship, teen pregnancy, and addiction, along with something that is still a struggle for some today, a closeted jock coming to terms with himself.
With all that story line in such few episodes, there are plenty of theories going around about The Society. The most fascinating I’ve seen skittering across the internet involves the fable of the Pied Piper and the town of Hamlin. In this fable, the Pied Piper rids the town of rats, but is not paid for his services. In retaliation, the Pied Piper returns to lure the kids out of the town, never to return. We learn in the show that before the kids of West Ham left for their trip, some of the parents are arguing with a man named Pfiffer about not paying him for ridding their town of a mysterious smell. In German, the name Pfiffer stands for piper. We also learn that Pfiffer was one of the bus drivers. Creepy. So the theory is that Pfiffer took the kids as revenge on the parents. So does that mean the kids are dead?
A few other strong theories include an alternate universe or that they are all dead and in purgatory. Their time in “New Ham” and how they behave will determine whether they go to Heaven or Hell. There are plenty of clues to support each of these theories, but my favorite has to go to the Pied Piper. Whatever the outcome, we better be getting a second season!
TV Binge Review: This Is Us
Just like in the fall, I did the same thing this spring: I let all remaining episodes of This is Us pile up on my DVR because I was too conflicted to watch them. I just know sadness awaits, and I just feel like I’m never ready for that on a weekly basis.
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No theater movies this weekend (gearing up for all the time I’m about to spend there for Avengers: Endgame), so I vegetated in a recliner and streamed some movies instead!
Read moreMovie Review: Five Feet Apart and Avenues
My sister and I decided to torture ourselves this weekend by going to see Five Feet Apart, a story centering on two teens with Cystic Fibrosis who fall in love. Now, I am slightly more educated on Cystic Fibrosis, as one of my friend’s children is conflicted with this disease. Having that background, I know that these two teens can’t be together, especially given their particular severity. I’m going to keep this short, but spoily: cute and romantic dates, breaking the rules, someone dies from their recklessness, and then they have to separate or really they will both also die. It was sad, but not Fault in Our Stars sad.
On the other end of that spectrum, I watched an indie film written and directed by Michael Angarano (the uncle you love to hate, Nicky, from This Is Us), called Avenues. Michael teamed up with his Sky High and tennis buddy Nicholas Braun (Succession) as two friends who reconnect around the holidays, shortly after a brothers death essentially walking around the city and talking at each other. They meet up with two girls and hang out through the evening. Maybe I was missing something, but the dialogue was odd and even more terribly delivered by Michael Agangaro. It was a short film, but even so, I don’t recommend putting it on your list to watch.
Weekend Movie Review
Trying really hard to get all of the Oscar nominees and movies that I genuinely want to see in before this coming Sunday, so here is what the weekend in movies looked like for me.
Happy Death Day 2U – I wasn’t quite sure how a sequel was going to be made of the original, but it was done and I’d say they nailed it. Success came in the form of a parallel universe and more use of two of the original film’s supporting characters. And her roommate wasn’t a psycho killer this time! Ultimately Tree is left with the tough decision of choosing her still alive mom in this alternate universe, or love with Carter in her current universe. No spoilers here, but I did recently learn that the plan for this film is a trilogy and I want to see that happen, so flock to the theaters for this one please!
Isn’t It Romantic – The “anti-romantic comedy, romantic comedy” is a mostly accurate description for this fun film starring Rebel Wilson as the lead Grinch of love/rom-coms. Living an okay life, Natalie is convinced by her co-worker to open herself up to love, a move which results in Natalie getting mugged and knocking herself unconscious. When she wakes, she finds herself in a PG-13 romantic comedy with all the fluff of a perfect apartment, being the star employee and her own gay best friend (played wonderfully by Brandon Scott Jones). She comes to the conclusion that in order to escape someone must fall in love with her, but in the process of getting wooed by Blake (Liam Hemsworth), Natalie realizes she loves her best friend Josh (Adam Devine, the Pitch Perfect reunion none of us realized we wanted) who is about to get married to someone he just met (Priyanka Chopa, unironically?)! It all works out in the end and we get two quality musical numbers in between.
Roma – Holy shit was this movie boring. I went in trying really hard to like it, but in black and white, subtitled, and clocking in at over two hours about the life of a house maid means I definitely fell asleep in the middle of this. Don’t get me wrong, the parts I did see validated my opinions that it will win Best Picture this Sunday at the Oscars. It’s someone’s cup of tea out there…just not mine.
The Favourite – The last of the Oscar nominees I needed to watch and it was definitely worth the wait! Coming off the heels of The Lobster and The Killing of a Sacred Deer, The Favourite was perhaps the least strange film to come from Yorgos Lanthimos. It was still strange, though and that’s why it was fantastic! The cast was stellar with its trio of leading ladies, led by the magnificent Olivia Coleman, but I was most fond of the comical supporting performances of Nicholas Hoult and Joe Alwyn. I would say my “favourite” part of watching this film was the audience reaction. Clearly no one had educated themselves on Yorgos’ previous films or the meat of what this one would be about. More fun for me that way!
Hello Again – What a terrible musical film! But seeing as I’m newly obsessed with Roswell, New Mexico I had to watch it for Tyler Blackburn! I will say the rest of the cast was pretty intriguing, and I know most of them can sing, but not in this film apparently. It was even a good concept, but good grief! Don’t waste your time.
Television Review – Week 2/11-2/15
Here to recap all the television I watched this week! I’ll keep it brief, too!
I Am the Night – Three episodes into this limited series and I feel like I have more questions than answers. India Eisley’s Fauna is awkward and looks terrified all the time, and Chris Pine’s Jay is a hot mess. It’s all still just vague enough to keep me interested, and the fact that it’s based around the Black Dahlia murder makes it a must-see. Hopefully more exciting news in the weeks to come.
Drunk History – Switching it up this season means that sometimes host Derek Waters isn’t actually interviewing anyone, but some of his friends are. I’m okay with it and so should you because it’s still the same drunk mess that actually makes learning about history (sort of) tolerable. This week’s episode focused on love, since you know, Valentine’s Day, and notable guests included Josh Hartnett and Alison Brie.
Will & Grace – Grace and Jack try a crash diet for Jack’s upcoming nuptials and so they won’t split any more of their pants. Will is trying to be a more exciting professor after getting some negative reviews, so he ends up doing a mock case Judge Judy style between Karen and one of her former step children who actually liked her. Hilarity ensues!
Brooklyn Nine-Nine – Rosa sports a plethora of hairdos (ridiculous) and Jake makes a promise to a victim’s mom that he’ll solve her son’s murder case. he can’t and goes crazy trying to solve it, talking to “olive Rosa” and walls. Eventually they do manage to find the culprit, after some hilarious dialogue and a fantastic turn by CSI agent Daryl (“very uncool name, Daryl!”).
How to Get Away With Murder – Five seasons in and this show is ridiculous but still so darn compelling! Only two episodes left and I’m still not sure what’s going to happen. This week saw a Christmas gathering with Annalise’s mother, played by Cicely Tyson, and some of her firm friends. her boss is awkward, but not as awkward as dinner with the Keating Five (now that Oliver is a part of it) and Conner’s mom. Bonnie thinks she might be pregnant, but she’s not. The feds are onto Annalise and all she’s been up to these past five years, but Tegan’s potential lady-crush on Annalise ends up saving her some time and gets her case reassigned. Side note: I am all on board for Frank and Bonnie to be a thing already!
And as if watching twelve shows simultaneously wasn’t enough I decided to add two more to the mix this week!
Miracle Workers – This limited series where Daniel Radcliffe and Geraldine Viswanathan play angels answering prayers and Steve Buscemi is God has some serious potential. Daniel Radcliffe’s character has been answering prayers for centuries and is really good at finding keys and gloves, but anything other than that gets sent up to God. Meanwhile, God has the news on 24/7 and is sick and tired of seeing how awful it is that he plans to destroy earth. In walks the newest angel, played by Viswanathan, hellbent on saving earth by answering one of the “impossible” prayers: helping two people fall in love. Very interested to see where this half hour comedy goes!
Roswell, New Mexico – I discovered this show at five episodes in, so naturally I binged them all Monday in order to be caught up for Tuesday’s new episode! Yes, this was a series in the late 90s, but besides the name and book as source material, these are distinctly different imaginings. This series takes place ten years in the future with a more cultured cast. Primary focus is on Liz trying to figure out what actually happened to her sister Rosa’s mysterious death a decade ago. Pretty quickly she realizes three siblings are aliens, but being a scientist now, they mainly just fascinate her. The aliens, Max, Isobel, and Michael, couldn’t be any more different but they all love each other fiercely and would like to keep their identities a secret, especially from the government who just moved into town for some secret project. My favorite characters so far in the series are Liz & Rosa’s best friend, Maria, and Michael and his former lover Alex (favorite ship, as the kids would call it). I recommend!
A Brief Movie Review
Yesterday I managed to squeeze in three movies after work before my eyes gave up on me. Rather than giving any major plot points away, I decided I am going to give the briefest gut instinct review I had after watching them. You’re welcome.
- Replicas – Good grief was this bad. Not even Keanu Reeves could make this better. Like at all.
- On the Basis of Sex – Man was this inspiring, and Armie Hammer as supportive husband?! Yes, please.
- Velvet Buzzsaw – Besides the badass title, there was death by colors and the creepiest art display ever, called “Hoboman.”
If I had to choose one for an audience to see, my vote is for On the Basis of Sex. Go see it! You won’t regret it!
Weekend Movie Reviews: The Upside, What They Had, All About Nina
Unfortunately, weather got in the way of my movie plans this weekend, so I only managed to sneak in one new one. Although I think it was a pretty solid choice! A few friends and I went to go see The Upside, a remake of the 2011 French film The Intouchables (based on a true story), starring Kevin Hart and Bryan Cranston. Cranston plays quadriplegic Phillip who is in need of a new caretaker, although he is sort of fed up with life. Cue the hiring of ex-con Dell, played by Kevin Hart. At first the two are at odds with each other, but then essentially become the best of friends. I mean that is a very general overview, but what else would you expect to happen here? With both Hart and Cranston, the laughs were consistent throughout, and Nicole Kidman as Phillip’s executive, Yvonne, she was a light and nice touch to the ensemble. Definitely would recommend!
Since Saturday was a bust, I headed over to my local video store and rented two newer releases. The first I watched was What They Had, about a mother with Alzheimer’s and a father whose love is too strong to let her go to a facility. The film starts with a frantic call to siblings, played by Hilary Swank and Michael Shannon, that their mother has run out in the middle of the night during a blizzard on Christmas Eve. Two things I took away from this film: 1 – this family is messed up and 2 – this movie was freaking sad! Hilary Swank has a terrible relationship with, well, everyone, and Michael Shannon is a jerk because he’s around dealing with all of their parents’ health issues but isn’t the executor. She finally learns she has to make her life not to please people, so she separates from her husband and reconciles with her daughter. Michael Shannon finally gets his father’s approval for his livelihood. And then the saddest part – the father dies of a heart attack! Although Blythe Danner put it best, “I think now was the perfect time. Any sooner and I would have been too sad, and any later I wouldn’t have remembered him.” Tears. All the tears.
Next I popped in All About Nina. Which was just okay. Aside from the decent stand-up, I’d say this was definitely more of a drama. Nina, played by Mary Elizabeth Winstead, is only about sex and sabotages anything even remotely close to relationship. She moves to LA in order to get away from an abusive married man she was having an affair with, and also to get on Comedy Prime. In the midst of all her efforts she runs into smooth talker and general nice guy Rafe, played by Common. Nina is willing to go all in with this relationship, but something from her past keeps butting its ugly head into it, until she finally blows during a set. By the end you are pretty sure things are good with her relationship, but not so sure about her stand-up.