Seen in August

Never look a gift horse in the mouth… look in the belly.

Summer brings the sun, the lightning, the bugs, the ice cream, the hay fever, the bike rides and the movies.

The Odyssey
Christopher Nolan’s imagining of the classic 2000-year-old story of Odysseus as told by Greek poet Homer is suitably epic. It apparently took over 12 hours for Homer to recite his poem, so critics should excuse Nolan for leaving some stuff out. While the original poem touched on themes of homecoming, longing and resilience, this modern take depicts “the cunning” Odysseus (Matt Damon) as a softened, damaged war veteran. The visual experience of the film is hard to deny, but there are moments of dialogue that sound a bit like a first draught. It’s very believable that Nolan writes his film chronologically in one sitting - perhaps without rewrites. Despite that, there are scenes, such as warriors hiding in a wooden horse, the depiction of Circe’s (Samantha Morton) witchcraft, and the vision of Cyclops that were wholly new and powerful. Odysseus’ stay with Calypso (Charlize Theron), however, as others have said, felt more like a beach holiday resort. I actually prefer The Return with Ralf Fiennes as a rumination of the effect of war on those touched by it, but there’s no denying Nolan’s monumental achievement regardless of how much it may be praised or criticized.

A holiday never looked hotter.

La Piscine (The Swimming Pool)
Criterion Channel
I’m not sure a sexier cast has ever been assembled for this French thriller/sexual drama. Jean-Paul (Alain Delon) and Marianne (Romy Schneider) are enjoying a sunny St. Tropez summer holiday in a fantastic villa with a beautiful pool when Marianne receives a phone call and casually invites her ex-lover Harry to join them. Harry (Maurice Ronet) appears with his teenage daughter. The flirty interactions with Harry and Marianne put Jean-Paul’s nose out of joint. It doesn’t help that Harry’s daughter, Penelope, is the striking Jane Birkin, who draws Jean-Paul’s gaze. There are some dated sequences and maddening plot turns that may put off some viewers. Yet, it’s the measured pace that gives this film its summertime vibe and adds tension between the characters. A recent remake (or film inspired by) with Tilda Swinton and Ralf Fiennes, A Bigger Splash, injects a lot more tension and viability to the whole proceedings in my opinion, and it’s also got a great summer tone set on an Italian island instead of the French Riviera.

Pluribus S01
Apple TV+
Imagine a zombie/alien invasion film where the zombies and aliens turn out to be really nice. The premise of this series is that an alien virus has turned most of the world’s population into a very pleasant hive mind, which is to say everyone is really just one. Except for a dozen people with natural immunity, including our protagonist and the rest of Earth’s antagonist, Carol Sturka (Rhea Seehorn). This is my favourite kind of sci-fi. There are no laser battles, lovable green aliens or artificial gravity, but the story keeps trying to address the “What if?” questions that get murkier and murkier.

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Seen in July

Some kinds of encounters are better than others.

July had torrential rain, extreme heat, wildfire smoke and these entertainments.

Close Encounters of the Third Kind
Crave
After seeing Spielberg’s latest film, Disclosure Day, I thought it would be fun to revisit his previous version of close encounters. Close Encounters of the First Kind is a classic Spielberg film full of broken families, curious kids and inquisitive adults, along with government conspiracies and car chases. The film focuses on Roy Neary (Richard Dreyfuss), Jillian (Melinda Dillon) and her young son Barry (Cary Guffey), who have experiences with UFOs that leave Roy and Jillian with visions of a mysterious mountain. Meanwhile, two government experts (curiously enough played by François Truffaut and a very young Bob Balaban) are chasing down connected phenomena that lead them to believe an alien race is attempting contact with humanity. The whole thing is wrapped up in human consciousness (artworks created by those who can’t get the images out of their heads), wonder (the mesmerizing special effects), and human connection (scenes of a mass gathering in India). Interestingly, Spielberg likes to recreate genuinely scientific-looking moments alongside the arts like paintings, sculpture, and music as equal explorations into the unknown. It’s not just a nostalgic trip to enjoy this older film but one that is also simply a great piece of filmmaking.

The view from the summit.

The Summit of the Gods
Netflix
A beautifully animated film of a mountaineering mystery based on a graphic novel by Jiro Taniguchi, which is based on a novel by Baku Yumemakura. The story blends the fictional with the real. A photojournalist, Makoto Fukamachi, tracks down a reclusive but talented climber, Habu Joji, who may be in possession of the camera of George Mallory. Mallory, along with Andrew Irvine, may have been the first to have reached Everest’s summit, but both disappeared and were believed to have perished during the attempt in 1924. It’s a tale of feats of daring, of man versus nature as the film attempts to capture the obsession of climbers who tackle the world’s tallest mountains. It is stunning and captivating in its beauty.

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Seen in June

City Choir performing at Rosedale United Church

More free time has not, unfortunately led to more movies but here’s what was seen in the last 30 days.

City Choir
Rosedale United Church
There’s not much better than hearing a choir of human voices singing together in a beautiful setting on a warm June night.

I Like Me
Prime Video
This documentary about John Candy is pretty standard stuff: talking heads, archival interviews, and film clips. The problem, as Bill Murray articulated, Candy is too nice a guy to make a thrilling film about. Candy was simply a talented, amiable, family-oriented and good person, who grew up in Toronto (not far from our current home). He lost his father at a young age, which led to a lifetime of feeling responsible for all those around him. That is the suggestion here, that Candy’s anxiety, and work ethic (too many films and projects), came from the loss of his father and led to his early death from a heart issue. Too soon. We miss you John Candy.

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Seen in May

Recreation in Marty Supreme.

Unexpectedly, I had more time on my hands than usual this month. Unhindered by labour as it were, it was also a wonderful time to be outside and enjoy the warmer weather with which we’ve been bestowed. These two competing interests, one enjoyed in a dark interior room, the other under our sweet and warming sun, did not deter me from seeing some of the more enjoyable entertainments on offer.

Still on an Icelandic glacier in Time and Water

Time and Water
Hot Docs
A strangely introspective and personal reflection of the death of an Icelandic glacier based on the writings of Andri Snær Magnason. For Icelanders there was a belief that the glaciers were always there and would always be there, so the announcement that the smallest of the glaciers had shrunk away and disappeared was a shock. The clear evidence of climate change, that seems at times unstoppable, has become not just an existential crisis but also a spiritual one for Icelanders. Near the end of the film, we see a ceremony like a funeral where a plaque is installed with Magnason’s words, asking the question to future generations, “Did we do the right thing? Did we do what was needed?”

The Boys S05
Prime Video
The final season of this very grown-up, violent and purposefully toxic comic book series that throughout took a satirical and critical view on corporations like Disney and Marvel, and the conflation of celebrity, politics and religion currently happening in the US. What would it be like if a large corporation controlled media, politics and the military and could create actual enhanced human super-heroes? Probably terrible. In the end there is some redemption but enough loose ends to continue another series if they desired (and they do; a ‘prequel’ is already being advertised).

Supremely Marty Supreme.

Marty Supreme
Prime Video
I can see why this film garnered so much attention and praise. Excellent performances from Timothée Chamalet and Odessa A’zion, full of surprising cameos, a great script and lively direction and editing all make this an entertaining ride. Marty Mauser (Chamalet) is a table tennis talent and champion and also a classic American hustler based on the real life story of Marty Reisman. It’s postwar 1940’s US and America is riding high on the world stage, but that doesn’t mean life is any easier down in the boroughs of New York. Marty is talented salesman, which is pretty much the same thing as a hustler and he’s determined to make table tennis as big in the US as it is in Asia. I don’t think the story wants a black-and-white hero versus villain but it’s easy to see this is the same America that created Death of a Salesman. In some ways it feels like a companion piece to Death of a Salesman and Glengarry Glenn Ross. Marty is overconfident and aspires to greatness by being number one in the world. The fact that he may only be the second best table tennis player in the world isn’t enough. There’s also a bit of “you can fool some of the people, some of the time, but not all of the people all the time,” lessons in this film. While the movie is great, I found it a little hard to find someone to root for and care about. On one hand you get caught up in Marty’s own self-belief, but on the other hand, he leaves a trail of burned bridges and broken dreams to try to achieve his goals. There’s an equal amount of desperation to go with his aspiration.

A different kind of super-hero show.

Wonderman S01
Disney+
I’m not that familiar with the original Wonder Man comic but I don’t think it matters much. In the Marvel TV-Verse, Simon Williams (the very talented Yahya Abdul-Mateen II), is a struggling actor in LA, trying to keep his super abilities a secret. In this world, Hollywood won’t hire ‘enhanced’ individuals (explained in an episode about the Doorman Clause). Ben Kingsley reprises his comic role as Trevor Slatterly (aka The Mandarin), sprung from prison to assist the Department of Damage Control. It’s a different kind of super-hero show, because much of it is more about the dynamic of Simon and Trevor, both of whom are carrying heavy secrets, but leveraging those personal pressures in their acting. It’s a part of the Marvel Universe you sometimes see, and what really separates Marvel from DC.

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Seen in April

The Orion spacecraft was a big thing on TV.

Another brief month with only a single film seen. This is becoming a pattern. It'd be fine if I was, I don't know, reading more, or learning to play a medieval instrument, but tis not the case.

David Sedaris
Massey Hall
One of America's most prolific and successful humorists, Sedaris got a late start as an author. He was in his mid-thirties working odd jobs when he was discovered by radio producer and host, Ira Glass. Within a few years, he published his first of a string of bestselling collections of essays. It was from Sedaris' writing that I first heard the term, "creative non-fiction," to describe his oeuvre. He weaves ideas and humour from anecdotes based on his own life. Part of his success is undoubtedly his live shows where he reads from past or current works, a bit like a touring Charles Dickens. His show is full of humour, which at times can be on the dark side, but also a tinge of bitterness or heartache. There's the beauty of it, and we were glad to witness it.

Artemis Il Mission
YouTube, Netflix
I'm too young to have seen the Apollo moon landing, but old enough to remember it being part of the zeitgeist. I'm also old enough to have seen that interest and fascination wane. The space program has faced the absurdity of conspiracists and the trials of dwindling funding but seemed re-energized by the Rover missions to Mars. Seeing the headline on the cover of a newspaper that "we" had landed on Mars is an enduring one for me. Now seeing four astronauts, including a Canadian, venture further from Earth than any human has before has again re-ignited our collective passion. Seeing the ease at which we could partake via streaming video belies the difficulty of the mission itself. Regrettably, just as NASA has achieved one of its greatest successes, we've never seen a more anti-science stance from an American administration, and the funding restrictions currently threatening the agency could effectively stall the momentum they've built.

Steve Carrell as Greg Russo.

Rooster S01
HBO, Crave
Steve Carell’s new show has him playing an author, Greg Russo, who writes a popular series of pulpy "beach reads" whose protagonist is named Rooster. Russo accepts the role of a visiting writer-in-residence at a small East Coast liberal arts college in a deal with the dean. The deal is to save Russo's daughter's job, who teaches there. So it's a sort of fish-out-of-water/workplace comedy (Russo's popular novels are generally looked down upon by other faculty). There are other complications, but let's just say Carell’s charm, the depth of the cast, and quality of the writing all make for an enjoyable show.

Alan Tudyk as Harry.

Resident Alien S01
Netflix
Alan Tudyk stars as Harry Vanderspeigle but also not Harry Vanderspeigle. Harry is simply the cover of an alien who has crashed on Earth during a mission. The alien stumbles into the human Harry's cabin, kills him, and takes his form and identity. Basically, it's like Mork & Mindy updated (even sharing a Colorado location - why does Colorado have all the luck?) as "Harry" tries to navigate complicated human relationships while trying to recover the missing equipment that would allow him to complete his mission. It's (mostly) harmless fun as Tudyk portrays the alien as an arrogant but clueless stranger in a strange land. It does occur to me that in the context of the popularity of Love on the Spectrum, that has introduced so many viewers to the variety of those on the autism spectrum, one wonders if this show had been made a few years later, how different it might have been. Meeting someone behaving oddly, people familiar with autism might kindly assume the individual was on the spectrum and accept him as such, but where's the fun in that?

Paul McCartney: Man on the Run
Prime Video
As previously said, I'm too "young" to have been around when the Beatles were at their greatest fame, but old enough to constantly hear their music. I also recall the odd slights and derision of Paul McCartney's follow-up act, Wings. It was odd because I could see adults lightly brushing off a band that was also remarkably popular. Plenty of the band's songs were on the radio constantly, including the simple but classic “ Mull of Kintyre.” Seeing this movie about those early years following the demise of the Beatles makes a compelling companion piece to the 10-hour documentary, “ Get Back.” We see McCartney struggle, stumble, and succeed, and the importance of Linda and his kids in his finding his way back to the stage. The documentary is almost entirely told through home movies and family photos. It helps if you want to tell the story of a famous musician if they are married to a talented and accomplished photographer. It's that intimacy that makes this film worth seeing.

Seen in March

Taking it to the streets in One Battle Afer Another.

I don't think that much of the Academy Awards… or at least I didn't think I did. Then I discovered exactly how few people even think about the Academy Awards at all. I certainly wouldn't say it was a hallmark of cinematic excellence, as the focus is very much on the American film industry. Yet, with the expanded "Best Film" category to ten nominees, it does make me realize how few films I've seen in recent years. At the very least, it's a list of stuff to check out. Here's what I checked out.

Michael B. Jordan and Michael B. Jordan in both his roles as Smoke and Stack.

Sinners
Crave
A Ryan Coogler joint that continues a string of films by Black Americans that use the horror genre to explore themes of race in America. This film, on its surface, is about twin brothers in the 1930s who have decided to take their ill-gotten gains from their time in Chicago to open a juke joint back in their Mississippi home. They cut deals with locals, including a clansman sheriff, to get their enterprise off the ground, only to have their business beset by vampires on opening night. But you know, it is the Jim Crow South, so it's really about more than just vamps. It's an extraordinarily looking film, and in one much-talked-about sequence, also illustrates the spirit and lineage that make up American music. It's a wild time with great performances from a charismatic cast, such as Michael B. Jordan, who plays both twin brothers in his Academy Award-winning turn.

Love on the Spectrum S01-02 (Australia)
Netflix
Someone said that what the Great British Bake Off was during the pandemic, this show is the feel-good lift we need during the current news cycle. The premise of this reality-documentary series is simple: follow people who are on the neurodiversity spectrum as they look for love. Yet, it is handled so warmly and respectfully, you'll not only learn about their lives but also about yourself as we all have to navigate a world of sometimes confusing social norms. You'll find yourself rooting for these folks as they face the challenges ahead of them.

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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.

Seen in January

Stranger Things cast take their bow, and their chainsaw,  stick with nails and dynamite etc.

It is in the deepest and darkest days of winter when we seek comfort. I know as a Canadian I should embrace winter’s wild winds, the caress of its cold, and the silence of its snow cover, but another way to appreciate winter's breath is to have gratitude for the hearth. This has been one of the coldest and snowiest Januarys in Toronto in almost 90 years. I'm fine hibernating. I feel no shame in it. I have felt the hot glow of the television, and this is what glowed from our screen.

Stranger Things S05
Netflix
Was the wait worth it? Well, I guess that depends on whether or not you cared for this show and its characters. I, for one, did enjoy the show and was surprised by how quickly I wanted to get back to the town of Hawkins. Other series that either delayed or divided the last season in two, such as Mad Men and Game of Thrones, lost a step or simply a lot of momentum. That wasn't true with Stranger Things. Despite the characters having aged significantly or having been forgotten about, the series picked up from its slumber and brought us back to the storyline with urgency. Also, the series ended with a definite win for the good guys and didn't somehow drag a character back from the dead like an unstoppable zombie, so there was a good deal of satisfaction. Even the slightly schmaltzy epilogue, which felt a little tacked on, didn't seem to create any schism of what we saw with what may have happened. It gave hope or perhaps a positive way to think of grief as a reminder of having lost a loved one, but at least you had a loved one to lose.

Agnes and William

Hamnet
Speaking of grief and loss, Hamnet is the story of how a man named William Shakespeare (Paul Mescal) and his wife Agnes (Jessie Buckley) grieved for their son, lost as a young boy to illness. The premise is that Shakespeare pours his sadness into his masterpiece, Hamlet (the names "Hamnet" and "Hamlet" were considered interchangeable at the time). It's important to remember that this is a complete fiction, based on the novel of the same name, threaded together by what is known about Shakespeare and his life. Shakespeare and his wife had three children: a daughter and twins, a boy and a girl. There are some nice and (not so) subtle hints of the origins of Shakespeare's writing with twin siblings switching places, or of Agnes' "witchy" knowledge of natural remedies. While I felt all the feels of two people dealing with the loss of a child and the climax of Agnes realizing how Will has channelled his pain into his writing, it's not without its flaws. For me, Mescal doesn't really seem like the kind of guy who could write such poetry, and Agnes seems strangely supportive of her husband without really knowing much about poetry or theatre.

The Diplomat S1-3
Netflix
The fun part of this show is the fascinating geopolitical machinations of US Ambassador Kate Wyler (Keri Russell) and her husband, former American Ambassador, Hal Wyler (Rufus Sewell). The first two seasons are a series of worsening interconnected crises that are really the same crisis. The third season stalls with awkward and less interesting interpersonal dilemmas. We came for geopolitical drama, not "drama drama". Hopefully, season four can get back on track.

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Seen in December

We're at the center of the Earth gents, so it's shirts off!

There was a time when I formulated and curated a Christmas watch list, but these days are busier and more prone to finding a moment to sneak in a little screen time. That seems odd given just how much down time there was when I was more prone to being in a prone position, but here's what I saw in the darkest hours of the year.

Elves away!

Prep & Landing: Snowball Protocol
Disney+
The latest in the series of Pixar/Disney Christmas animated shorts with elves Wayne (Dave Foley) and Lanny (Derek Richardson), and their misadventures. The stories revolve around Santa's helpers depicted as paramilitary strike forces, and each Christmas being a memorable campaign. In the context of ICE raids, that doesn't sound so great. The other part of the stories are centred on Wayne's anxiety about getting a promotion and the office politics of Santa's workshop. In other words, it's a very American take on the Santa mythos. 

Dames, not damsels.

Down Cemetery Road S01
Apple TV+
For those of you waiting for the next installment of Nick Herron's Slow Horses, don't worry, Mr. Herron has another reprobate character in his canon of murder mysteries set in Oxford, England. Instead of an exiled MI5 agent, our protagonist is Zoë Boehm (Emma Thompson), a private detective more accustomed to tracking down cheating husbands than uncovering a government conspiracy. A gas explosion in a house without a gas hookup, a missing girl, and the murder of her husband set Boehm and an Oxford art restorer, Sarah (Ruth Wilson), on a perilous path that leads to a remote, abandoned military base in Northern Scotland. Like Slow Horses, the plotting and pace are crisp, the dialogue is sharp and funny, and the characters are flawed and human. If you enjoy Slow Horses, you'll enjoy this.

Go with God, or at least have a clever detective to help.

Wake Up Dead Man, a Knives Out Mystery
Netflix
Like other Knives Out mysteries, this film is a clockwork of curiosities that combines the eccentricities of a Hercule Poirot detective with the complications and characters of a Ms. Marple story. The film is packed with so many notable and recognizable faces you'd be forgiven for thinking it was a SAG convention, but that's all part of the fun. Daniel Craig as Benoît Blanc is in fine form, as is newcomer (to American audiences), Josh O'Connor as Father Jud, the worried young priest struggling with a past guilt and present dilemma. Buckle up, it's a bumpy ride.

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Seen in November

Two greats of British cinema don't always see eye to eye in Slow Horses.

It's been a busy month or so, when not much was watched or seen and finding time to post was difficult. Before the year ends, here's what was seen last month.

Slow Horses S05
Apple TV+
If this was the only show worth watching on Apple TV+, the subscription would still be worth it. It's a plot that feels ripped from our own conspiracy laced multimedia drenched world in which a few malevolent characters wreck havoc on a society preoccupied with its own reflection. Jackson Lamb (Gary Oldman) and his team of fallen MI5 agents are still in fine form, even if their form is never really that fine. In this season, a group of disaffected terrorists (which I guess is redundant to say) concoct a scheme using MI5 tactics against MI5. This season, Roddy Ho (Christopher Chung) comes to the foreground as the honey-trapped agent, as does the eerily quiet Coe (Tom Brooke), who is the first to discern the strategy in play. Meanwhile, the most MI5-iest of the Slow Horses, River Cartwright (Jack Lowden) is at his worst. He makes mistake after mistake while still believing he's above the rest of the rabble. Despite some critics saying the show has lost a step, I disagree. I'm particularly fond of the agent Shirley (Aimee-Ffion Edwards), who is still the most effective Slow Horse while struggling with addiction, and the indomitable Diana Taverner, played with such confidence by Kristin Scott-Thomas.

Only Murders in the Building S05
Disney+
This unlikely murder mystery comedy starring Selena Gomez, Steve Martin, and Martin Short returns like a comfy old cardigan you don a few times a year. It's a little old, a bit musty and predictable, but you can rest easy knowing it's there for you. There are the usual outrageously underused cameos, a series of misdirections and red herrings, but it all works out in the end. What I find odd is that the comedy in the show is so much safer than Martin and Short's live shows, but that's fine.

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Seen in October

Robert Redford was a natural in The Natural

There is a trend line in my viewing statistics that I appear to be seeing fewer and fewer films. I'm not tracking it per se, but it's pretty plain to see. Am I being more selective? Unlikely. Here's what I saw in October.

He may be a hero, but he still needs a ride.

Peacemaker S02
Crave
John Cena will surprise you as Chris Smith, aka Peacemaker. Peacemaker is basically a killing machine with a heart of gold, and James Gunn has continued his way of finding fringe superhero characters and re-imagining them with more humanity and purpose. Peacemaker might be a big lummox, but he really will be your best friend when you need him the most. This HBO series, based on the DC character that time forgot, is similar to Gunn's Guardians of the Galaxy. It's funny and silly, but it is grounded in characters you will come to care about. In this season, Peacemaker accidentally kills himself from another dimension (he has an altercation with a parallel universe version of himself). He discovers in that universe his racist father and brother are both still alive. Unfortunately, it's not as "rad" or cool as he initially thought, and his friends risk themselves to bring him home.

Colin from Accounts S01
CBC Gem
A "broken dog mends broken people" story? Pub owner Gordon (Patrick Brammall) and med student Ashley (Harriet Dyer) meet when she crosses in front of his car, "distracts" him, causing him to run over a stray dog. The pair bond when they can't bear to have the dog put down and decide instead to split his incredibly expensive surgery. They then rename the dog "Colin… from Accounts" and so their story begins. This Australian comedy finds a balance between sweetness and sourness.

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Seen in August and September

The Ballad of Wallis Island

Most of this summer has been non-stop packing and planning. Between boxes, hospital visits, financial maneuvers, and getting rid of what we didn't need, this is what we saw.

Murderbot

Murderbot SO1
Apple TV+
What if in the future, a security robot gained self-awareness, hacked its protocols, thus providing it the freedom to think for itself? Also, what if this bot knew it could kill any of its human bosses, but instead, preferred watching stupid melodramatic serial television shows? That's basically the premise of this futuristic sci-fi comedy adventure series, with Alexander Skarsgård as the self-named "Murderbot". It's a nice bit of fun and may make us ask what we expect from our own AI creations, though I doubt it.

The Ballad of Wallis Island
Prime Video
Charles (Tim Key) lives alone on a remote island off the Welsh coast and has seemingly organized a music festival that reunites his favourite folk duo, McGwyer & Mortimer (Tom Basden and Carey Mulligan). It quickly becomes apparent that Charles, a two-time lottery winner, hasn't organized a festival at all but is basically paying the two to reunite to play privately for him. Unknown to him is how the pair split up, and their reunion isn't as simple as hoped. It's a funny, odd little movie that makes you think about your own regrets, nostalgia, and sentiment of your own life, and what brought you to where you are today.

Agatha All Along SO1
Disney+
Agatha Harkness (Kathryn Hahn) from the WandaVision series gets her own show, where she wants nothing more than to regain her witchy abilities. She eventually convinces other local witches to join an impromptu coven to join her quest. Like WandaVision, nothing is quite as it appears in this show, and that's the fun of it, I guess. If you enjoyed WandaVision, you'll like this.

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Seen in July

Chadwick Boseman as Jackie Robinson Jr.

A busy and hot month full of boxing, selling, donating and recycling an old life, led to a shallow watch list. Here's what I saw.

42
Crave
Chadwick Boseman is Jackie Robinson Jr. as the ball player who broke Major League Baseball's colour barrier. It's a fairly typical biopic - good but perhaps not as powerful as a documentary might be. It's strange how you can feel the difference, but this film has that "made for TV" feeling. I'm not sure what makes me say that other than every scene has a certain formulaic economy to it, as though what we are seeing are a first run-through without any rehearsal. Particularly Harrison Ford, who portrays the larger-than-life Brooklyn owner Branch Rickey as a kind of one-note good-natured curmudgeon.

Alan Cumming's Most Luxurious Train Journeys: Scotland
TVO
Well-known actor and Scotsman, Alan Cumming was paid to sleep on a train with a group of older tourists all enjoying an unbelievably fancy sleeper train through some stunning Scottish landscapes. Not everyone can afford such a holiday, but everyone can have a wee holiday from their couch.

Aren (Justice Smith) with his mentor Roger (David Alan Grier).

The American Society of Magical Negroes
Prime Video
It's become a popular trope in many American films of a character, a Black American, who appears to support the protagonist - always white - to reach their full potential, often using a little magic or magic realism to help the character along. The one that comes to mind for me is the Coen Brothers' The Hudsucker Proxy, wherein Tim Robbins' small-town stooge is aided by a custodian who maintains a large clock, which he uses to stop or start time to save Robbins' character from certain death. The conceit in this film is that there is a real society of magical negroes who are trained to help make white people more comfortable and support them in their goals. It's a funny idea, but along the way, you begin to wonder, isn't the love interest in this movie just another kind of "Magic Pixie Dream Girl" stereotype, until the end, when you find this has been intentional all along. Thus, the film deconstructs one stereotype while using another.

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Seen in June

K2SO reporting for duty.
It looks like I watched a lot more than I did this June but much of this list are shows that were, "already in progress", as they say. It was a busy month, (aren't they all?), but time was found to watch some good stuff.

Andor S02 (+Rogue One)
Disney+
This show has received a lot of well-deserved and positive press, so it doesn't need more from me. I will say that if Star Wars doesn't interest you, don't worry. There's not a lot of laser swords, space religion or whatnot here. This is more like John le Carré wrote a novel set in the Star Wars universe. At times, it's a heist movie, a jail break movie, a WWII French Resistance story, and it often speaks to our own time. I've kvetched a lot about the rise and influence of very right-wing or autocratic governments and politics, but nothing has helped me understand those on the other side as much as this show. Throughout, we see the baddies, who, of course, never see themselves as baddies, worrying that a rebellion would lead to chaos and that only the strong hand of the Empire can bring order. Meanwhile, we see oppressed populations so beaten down by the Empire that they think their only option is to rise up and resist. That is the essential story of Star Wars more broadly. We witness the clumsy indecisiveness of diplomacy versus the strong-willed focus of the Empire's regime. We see mid-level managers in the Empire trying to rise the corporate ladder and the rebels who've given too much and want to be done with the fighting. The through line of it all is the film Rogue One and the original Star Wars film, A New Hope. Knowing those stories helps you see the threads that are loosened or tugged at, but this show is entirely entertaining on its own.

Comics come alive in Daredevil.

Daredevil: Born Again
Disney+
Daredevil is back, but as lawyer Matt Murdoch (Charlie Cox), who hopes to resist his most violent urges to fight against the rise of The Kingpin, Wilson Fisk (Vincent D'Onofrio), who has become mayor of New York. Is Fisk a reformed right-wing politico or a crime boss hoping to enrich himself in a new position of power? Why not both? Like Andor, this show also highlights those in power as seeing themselves bringing order to a chaotic world and the heroes who rise against them as conflicted about the ends justifying the means. This is a great and grown-up version of the comic book, but perhaps a little too violent for a wider audience.

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Seen in May

Ralf Fiennes as Ulysses in The Return.

Ok, so this May I did see more than this, but re-watching Conclave, and Andor S01 doesn't count for a "seen in…" mention. Also, I'm still watching Andor S02, The Studio and Daredevil: Born Again. Furthermore, May is the month I was trying really hard to get in shape for the Bike for Brain Health charity ride and watched a very entertaining Giro d'Italia, so that made a short list even shorter.

Circusboy
Hot Docs
A young boy doesn't have to run away to join the circus when he's born in it. This is a very charming documentary about three generations of a family who all live, work and perform in a family-owned and operated circus. In many ways, this seems like a dream life for a kid. Growing up surrounded by family, extended family living close by, climbing anything climable, hanging out with animals and learning to ride a dirt bike. Yet, they basically live out of a trailer, move from town to town every two weeks, going to a new school every two weeks and never really being settled anywhere. Despite all of this, and what I may have thought as a "carnie" existence, our young protagonist is a thoughtful, smart, funny, bright and kind little fellow. It's fascinating and captivating.

The Gardener and the Dictator
Hot Docs
An endearing portrait of the filmmaker's grandparents and her grandmother in particular. It's fascinating to meet the filmmaker's grandparents, who raised her until she was 5 or 6, which explains her closeness to them. It's also engrossing to see regular people, living regular lives in an aging neighbourhood in China, while the government is trying to encourage residents to move to a different city with new buildings. Of course, this couple, who have lived in this apartment and neighbourhood for decades aren't keen on leaving but that is really a side note to meeting this couple.

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Seen in April

A dog and a robot become fast friends.

Last One Standing UK
Prime Video
Ha! Why is everything funnier in a British accent? This reality show contest fills a room with comedians who attempt to not laugh at the shenanigans of their counterparts. The first one to laugh is kicked out, the last one laughing is the winner. This show has American and Canadian versions, but the British one is superior… because of those accents!

Robot Dreams
Crave
Oh, do you remember that night in September? A lonely dog living in New York City orders a robot companion. They become fast friends until an incident at the beach separates the two. This animated film, without dialogue, says a lot about relationships, friendship, memory and moving on. 

Saint-Pierre SO1
CBC Gem
Like Murdoch Mysteries in the 21st century, on a French Island off the southern coast of Newfoundland. It's a little hard to believe so many murders happen in a place that had only a single shooting during the rum-running days, but suspend disbelief and enjoy the view.

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Seen in March

A short list of a long look. Sasquatch Sunset was one of the highlights.

This is a short list. Why? It's short because we're in the midst of watching series that continue. It's a drip of entertainment instead of a flood. But it's a good drip, not a dark site water torture drip.

It's all over now, baby blue.

A Complete Unknown
Fascinating look at the explosive first few years when Bob Dylan (née Robert Zimmerman) fell first into the burgeoning folk scene before later becoming rock and roll royalty.

"It's all over now, baby blue" also applies.

Sasquatch Sunset
Kanopy
Like a funny version of Quest for Fire. We follow a group of Sasquatch as they make their way through the forest finding more and more human curiosities along their route. There's a reason it's Sasquatch Sunset and not Sasquatch Sunrise.

The magic of the show Hilda.

Hilda S03
Netflix
Still a wonderful comfort to me, this animated show about a young girl growing up in slightly Scandinavian place where magic, trolls, elves and witches are part of the natural world she and her friends love to explore. Based on a comic book by a British artist, voiced by British talent like Bella Ramsey yet animated by a small Ottawa studio, this show is beautifully designed and well written.

I am Not a Robot
YouTube - New Yorker Channel
Oscar winning short narrative film in which a woman makes a startling discovery in the most benign way.

Rosencrantz and Guilderstern, or is it Guilderstern and Rosencrantz?

Rosencrantz & Guilderstern are Dead
Hoopla
Secondary characters and childhood friends of Hamlet find themselves stuck, existentially speaking, in Tom Stoppard's film adaptation of his own play. There's a lot to be said of this oddity of a story that is described as "absurdist", and is both a challenge and a comedy, mostly due to the performances of Gary Oldman and Tim Roth (or is it Roth and Goldman?).

Seen in February

Sex, drugs and dance clubs in Anora.

Now that the Celebrity Super Bowl, AKA, The Oscars is done, I'll address what we saw this month. Out of 11 films, 4 were actually seen in a theatre. Though when Sean Baker, 4-time winner for writer, director and editor of Anora took the stage and implored people to see movies in theatres, I may have blushed a little. Of the four Best Film nominees that we saw, we only experienced one in the theatre and rented the other three. Despite being Canadian, I think the trek outside in the deepest darkest days of winter proved our downfall. In warmer times, we're a bike hop away from all the screens, but in winter, that trudge outside is one dog team too many.

The Brutalist, in name and runtime.
The Brutalist
Great film, but not great enough to justify the runtime of over 3-1/2 hours (or maybe its commendations). It never had a chance of winning the Academy Award for editing. I will say the film looked fantastic and along with memorable performances, it had a very memorable score. László Toth (Adrien Brody) is a Hungarian Jew who escaped post-war Europe to go to America, where he would find menial labour jobs while waiting for his wife (Felicity Jones) and her niece to join him. Toth is also an accomplished architect but without connections, he depends on a cousin who has not only anglicized his name but married a Catholic and left his Jewish past behind him. Through a small contract to improve a personal library, Toth comes to the attention of a wealthy industrialist (Guy Pearce) who discovers his credentials and engages him in building his own major project. Thus begins the tortured relationship in which commerce literally screws the artist. The film, in many ways, feels like it is trying too hard to be an art film. There are so many avenues it follows that are unnecessary to the main theme, and, to be honest, it spends too many moments paying homage to other films that it becomes the bloated runtime it is now known for. There's also a lot of chatter from architects that talk about how much the film gets wrong from an architectural history point of view, which misses the point of the film. It's not about "Architecture/Architects", it's about filmmaking or more broadly when artists and commerce clash, which misses the point about architecture. So yes, I'm saying this is a film about an architect by a filmmaker, who misunderstands architecture being reviewed by architects who misunderstand filmmaking. It's like the ego of the two professions prevents them from realizing how wrong they both are. When we saw this in the theatre, there was a 15-minute intermission. It didn't need an intermission. It needed an intervention.

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Seen in January

Vengeance is most fowl.

It's winter. It's cold out. We warmed ourselves by the glow of the television.

Rebel Ridge
Netflix
While this film is pretty unique, it reminded me of some classic action movies with a similar violent, vengeful bite like 1973's Walking Tall ("Walk tall and carry a big stick), or 1971's Billy Jack ("I'm going to take my right foot and whomp you on that side of your face…") but unlike those righteous flicks, this is a civics lesson wrapped inside of an action movie. We see a black man, Terry (Aaron Pierre) riding his bicycle (I already like him) get run off a small rural road by a police car (I already don't like them). Under the guise of a local bylaw they search him, find a sizeable amount of cash intended as bail for his cousin, and seize it. This is a story that is playing out all over the States, as municipalities can't afford to fund local police services, those services have been incentivized towards corruption. Terry finds himself up against the corrupt sheriff (Don Johnson) with only a local court clerk on his side (AnnaSophia Robb). What the sheriff discovers is that Terry is ex-military, and was an instructor in a particular kind of warfare. This leads to the only kind of conflict that Hollywood finds interesting. It's worth the watch and the issues addressed.



Ralf Fiennes in Conclave.

Conclave
Apple TV+
Could there be anything more boring than a bunch of Catholic clerics sequestered to pick a new pope? Oh contraire, mon ami, this film starring Ralf Fiennes as Cardinal Lawrence and Stanley Tucci as Cardinal Bellini, is as tense as any thriller you might watch. In some ways, it reminded me of the HBO series, The New Pope in its depiction of turmoil within the Catholic church between those seeking a progressive pope and those seeking a return to traditional church values. Personally, I doubt such a struggle exists but what do I know of what happens behind those cloistered hallways full of fine art and piety? The politics and machinations of these cardinals and bishops, with their devious twists and turns, are fascinating. The acting, directing and the score all manage to keep your mind spinning.



Feathers McGraw.

Wallace & Gromit: Vengeance Most Fowl
Netflix
The return of cinema's greatest villain, Feathers McGraw, should be heralded from upon every mountaintop. Our animated clay heroes, Wallace and Gromit are in fine form as Wallace has invented an autonomous garden gnome to help out in the garden where help is least wanted. The plot is about how much technology invades the most peaceful aspects of our lives but is mostly a way to give us another fantastical chase scene with our favourite criminal mastermind and penguin, Feathers.

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Seen in November and December

Explaining the 3-body problem, is much harder than explaining 3 Body Problem.

With all the goings on in November and the holidays, I've combined these two months in an effort to catch up. Let's get real for a second and admit there is so many movies and shows to watch that, "getting caught up" is genuinely impossible and beyond the concept of time and space but maybe you'll note something here you'd like to see.

Tom Papa: Home Free
Netflix
You may not be familiar with Tom Papa. Though he has hosted at least a couple of game shows and 4 standup specials on Netflix, a raft of producing credits, a boatload of writing credits, and a veritable barge full of film appearances, you should, right? Yet, one Instagram clip led me to this special. I know him as a "comedian's comedian," meaning that while we might not recognize him, other comedians regard him highly. So should you. He is very funny.

The Draughtsman's Contracts
Kanopy
This 1982 film was Peter Greenaway's first narrative film. Produced for Britain's Channel 4, it's a sort of sex comedy/drama set in late 17th century England with a murder mystery served as a side. The draughtsman of the title is Mr. Neville, a handsome, young, and talented artist who's commissioned to make a series of drawings of a grand country house by Mrs. Herbert, who intends the drawings as a gift for her overbearing husband. A caveat of the contract for the drawings not only includes a sum of money but also that Mr. Neville shall meet with Mrs. Herbert alone for his pleasure. This odd arrangement begins with Neville making many demands about how the house should appear as he draws it and with his aggressive and insensitive behaviour during his sexual congress with the lady of the house. Unknown to Neville is that Mrs. Herbert tolerates his treatment of her to meet some other agenda. She is unhappy in her marriage and has perhaps made plans for her husband to meet with an accident on his travels from the estate. Furthermore, Mrs. Herbert's daughter, Mrs. Talmann, is unlikely to inherit any fortune from her mother's husband until she has an heir. Because her husband is a bit of a sop, Mrs. Herbert makes other plans to get pregnant. Those plans include a second contract with Mr. Neville. It becomes clear (sort of… after my second viewing of this film) that while the low-birth artist, Neville, revelled in what he assumed was his abuse of the two high-born ladies, he is, in fact, only a cog in their greater schemes to sideline their husbands and secure a family fortune. There are many comedic yet obtuse conversations and innuendo that make this film difficult but entertaining. For me, the draw is certainly the starring role of the pictures Neville creates (actually the drawings by the director Greenaway), the sumptuous costumes, and the fantastic score by Michael Nyman. It is an odd film full of curiosities and eccentric choices, but that's what makes it so fascinating.



It's a little creepy how accurately a show about super-heroes depicts our current politics.

The Boys, S04
Prime Video
This series about what a world might really be like with nearly indestructible superheroes is growing more and more frightening. The way the story baldly steals from real life is one of the scariest depictions of our current socio-economic, political, and pop culture climate I've seen. Chomsky has fretted that his worry about AI is that it will increase income disparity to such a point that it creates a ripe and fertile climate for fascism. Yet, do you need AI to create a populist splintering of society? It doesn't appear necessary. Far-right, authoritarian, ultranationalistic, and hyper-capitalistic thinking can happen just about anywhere, anytime. The corporation that created "Supes" in The Boys is akin to a company like Disney that has merged with Walmart and BlackRock financial and has its hands in everything from the Internet, entertainment, retail, travel, government, and the military, and this show paints a pretty bleak picture of what a world like that looks like. Let's hope The Boys come out on top.



Our nameless hero.

Flow
This remarkable, beautiful, and wordless adventure follows a small black cat living alone on what appears to be an island once inhabited by people and now abandoned due to the threat of flooding from climate change. This unnamed cat takes a perilous trip with a very calm capybara, an excitable lemur, a golden retriever, and a large heron-like bird. Where are they going? We don't know, but we do know they have to find a way to work together if they're going to get wherever they are going safely.

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