Seen in February

Retirement Plan

This is a pretty paltry watchlist. I don't know why? Was I reading more books? Nope. Exercising more? Volunteering at soup kitchens or retirement homes? Nope. I have no idea what I was doing other than watching the so-called "idiot box," but here's what I did see.

Forevergreen
YouTube
A sweet Oscar-nominated animated short film about an orphaned bear cub raised by a tree in a forest threatened by human encroachment and wildfires.

The kind of film that makes you ask, "What would I have done?"

Papillon (Butterfly)
YouTube
Painterly animated short film, also Oscar-nominated, about French-Jewish swimmer Alfred Nakache. In Nazi-occupied Vichy France, Nakache, who was a celebrated competitive swimmer, was stripped of his citizenship and ability to compete. Hand-painted cells are combined with an innovative technique of oil on glass to provide a watery special effect, appropriate for this poetic meditation on Alfred Nakache's life from famed athlete to persecuted Jew who lost both his daughter and wife in the Nazi death camps.

Ricky Gervais: Armageddon
Netflix
Not really "shock comedy" unless you consider the shock of how unfunny it is. Gervais’ celebrity from his unquestionably great TV work has given him too many opportunities for mediocre standup specials.

Tom Papa: You're doing great
Netflix
You got yourself dressed up and out of the house to see the filming of a comedy show? Don't worry about anything else, you're doing great! That's the message Tom Papa wants you to know in this funny and enjoyable show.

Ethan Hawke as Lee Raybon.

The Lowdown
Disney+
Lee Raybon (Ethan Hawke) is a bookshop owner and self-titled "truthstorian". Part investigative journalist, part private eye, and 100% pot-stirrer, Raybon enjoys exposing Tulsa's powerful and wealthy families for the bottom dwellers they are. Raybon's gonzo journalism is the perfect vehicle for a funny and compelling mystery such as this. "It'll either be a good time or a good story." is Raybon's mantra. Hawke has matured from playing lovelorn youths to crusty rapscallions without losing a step. This show is like a funny film noir showcasing Tulsa's underbelly and surprisingly diverse communities.

Retirement Plan
YouTube (New Yorker channel)
Another Oscar-nominated animated short, which happens to be my favourite of this year's contenders, which means it doesn't have a hope in Hades. We hear a narrator list all of the things our protagonist will complete once he has retired, from answering neglected e-mails, working through his list of unread books, to living by the sea. Its minimal, economic style and humour make it a winner in my Academy Awards, but the Academy does not respect my opinion.