I’m not exactly sure how I found this recent fictional podcast. But I recall it ranked quite high and was narrated by some film and TV actors. I don’t think I’ve listened to any fictional podcasts before but it was from the same producers of Dr. Death (non-fictional) that was very well done.
So Blood Ties. Tasty setting, modern plot, evil theme and good audio atmosphere (hey, there’s probably a foley guy that deserves some credit). That’s it. Sorry. It did kill some time while walking my dog, heading to the gym and doing dishes, but come on...give me a twist at least. It was truly soap-operaish. I’m not sure what they were aiming for or who this was intended for, I’m just glad it was only 6 short episodes. But wait, there’s more...a cliff hanger. You could see it coming a mile away, oh please.
I don’t know how I fell for this, genius marketing, boredom, social-media AI, doesn’t matter. Don’t waste your time, there’s so much real and worthwhile entertainment available. Or you could just write your own better story.
Tuesday, January 14, 2020
Saturday, January 11, 2020
Generator Toronto 2020 with Chris Hadfield
My wife saw this event last year and got tickets for both of us for this year’s version. Although main draw, headliner Chris Hadfield only had three appearances, the variety, depth and quality of the other presenters and artists was top notch. From leading edge science, maths comedy and societal commentary, there was so much I enjoyed. The venue was the still awesome Roy Thompson Hall, the setting was casual and quirky, but the content was delivered with a strong level of integrity and relevance.
Accompanied by the techno groove of TWRP, Chris’ son Evan Hadfield started off the evening and relayed the themes of positivity, scientific integrity and the value of honest dialogue (I didn’t take notes, but that’s what I took from his opening and the presentations). Rob Ince was the fast-paced humourous Brit host and kept the series of speakers and artists moving along nicely.
It wasn’t all serious science, and Second City (with some sing-a-long), Aaron Chen (from Australia) and Matt Parker (loved the math laughs and now recall I’ve seen him on YouTube previously) interjected a good amount of comedic material and even Jae Rhim Lee (of mushroom death suit fame) and Shari Forbes (with an explanation of a body farm) lightened the heavy topics of mortality and human remains. Some of the presenters had appeared on Ted Talks, including Adrian Owen and Brendan Frey who enlightened the audience with their important and innovative advances in health sciences. The night concluded with Simone Giertz adding youthful fun with personal seriousness in a conversation with Chris Hadfield.
But it was Chris Hadfield that we all came to see and he didn’t disappoint. He delivered a nice acoustic rendition of The Animals’ House of the Rising Sun after the break, but his main contribution was on the topic of map history and science. His is one (rare) of those people that can make any topic interesting in his passion, delivery, humour and intellect. Those few minutes were worth the price of admission alone.
It wasn’t all serious science, and Second City (with some sing-a-long), Aaron Chen (from Australia) and Matt Parker (loved the math laughs and now recall I’ve seen him on YouTube previously) interjected a good amount of comedic material and even Jae Rhim Lee (of mushroom death suit fame) and Shari Forbes (with an explanation of a body farm) lightened the heavy topics of mortality and human remains. Some of the presenters had appeared on Ted Talks, including Adrian Owen and Brendan Frey who enlightened the audience with their important and innovative advances in health sciences. The night concluded with Simone Giertz adding youthful fun with personal seriousness in a conversation with Chris Hadfield.
Friday, January 10, 2020
American Factory
American Factory is a fascinating documentary film available on Netflix that delves into the culture clash and factory labour conditions when a Chinese auto glass manufacturer takes over a shutdown GM assembly plant in Ohio.
There is a follow-on short on Netflix where the Obamas interview the filmmakers Steven Bognar and Julia Reichert. This answered a few questions I had about inside access, explained the natural telling of all corners of the story and managing to avoid independent commentary (which must have been very difficult to resist).
Beautiful cinematography foundation with honest, insightful and heartfelt interviews, intriguing business angles and opening up a dialogue about the impacts of globalization and automation (although I disagreed with the doom & gloom written comments towards the end).
Loved how they got access to factories and people in China (putting aside the likely government controls) - any Westerner who watches this should come away with some level of deeper understanding of global cultural and work differences.
Well worth your time, not just a well made doc, but a view into the challenging times for the globe's working classes. 9/10
The Two Popes
After seeing the Golden Globe Award nominations included The Two Popes, I thought I should give this new Netflix docu-drama a chance. Although I'm not a religious man (but married in a Catholic church and both my children are baptized), I was curious about the history and the mystique of the papacy. Of course, I also went into the film with some trepidation due to the many serious sexual misconduct charges and crimes that continue to damage the church's status and teachings.
I loved it. I was amazed how the filmmakers got access to the real-world locations and the cinematography was simply stunning. I was also incredibly impressed by Hopkins' and Pryce's acting in as many as 4 different languages (English, Italian, Spanish and Latin - Hopkins' also spoke German in the film). Their portrayals of the two famous popes was magnificent. I'm not certain how close to reality it was, but I really like how we got to learn something behind their grand public personas, how different they are and how "normal" they could be. I kept asking myself, who in the Vatican approved this film, how did they get the access to these very special places. The inclusion of real-world TV footage and social media bits was a nice balance with the fictional and speculative elements. And how did they handle the controversy? - quite well I think - some may say too soft, but it was enough to say there are serious issues underfoot, but not enough to distract from the beauty of their world and the touching human story. Even the soundtrack was lovely, who knew Pope Benedict was a gifted pianist. And bring in some Argentina versus Germany footy and you get a tasty mix of art, history, geography, humanity, religion, news, drama and personal reflection. Well done 9/10.
Thursday, January 09, 2020
Movie Review: Knives Out
I went to see Knives Out with my daughter who’d likes a good mystery and can tolerate some potential scares. I didn’t have a lot of expectations, but thought I’d heard it was a good classic murder mystery and was up for an award or two (it was).
I really enjoyed it. It took a few scenes to buy into Daniel Craig’s ridiculous accent, but the setup, the killer combinations and the quirky cast got the ride moving quickly. Great bits of humour and just the right amount of twists delivered a great, classic whodunit.
Wednesday, January 08, 2020
The TOY Project
TOY - Thinking of You.
Shouldn’t that be the price of admission for being human. At a minimum, should we not take pause to think of our family, friends and colleagues on a regular basis.
I’ve been using TOY as a prefix acronym for a while and a few people recognize it without a reminder.
When my senses remind of something or some place that reminds me of someone, it’s a beautiful thing. Those personal experiences and people immediately appear in our visual minds and in most situations brings a smile to our face. There are of course times when the emotion is more melancholy, but I feel it all shows proof of our humanity and connection with each other.
There may be some cynics that feel that sharing a TOY moment is self-satisfying, but I disagree. When these moments materialize in your world, recognize what it is and share a TOY moment with that distant cousin, an old friend or a forgotten acquaintance.
It would be great to see #TOY trending, no?
Shouldn’t that be the price of admission for being human. At a minimum, should we not take pause to think of our family, friends and colleagues on a regular basis.
I’ve been using TOY as a prefix acronym for a while and a few people recognize it without a reminder.
When my senses remind of something or some place that reminds me of someone, it’s a beautiful thing. Those personal experiences and people immediately appear in our visual minds and in most situations brings a smile to our face. There are of course times when the emotion is more melancholy, but I feel it all shows proof of our humanity and connection with each other.
There may be some cynics that feel that sharing a TOY moment is self-satisfying, but I disagree. When these moments materialize in your world, recognize what it is and share a TOY moment with that distant cousin, an old friend or a forgotten acquaintance.
It would be great to see #TOY trending, no?
Idea: A Living Memoir
Part 1. We have a living photo frame at home - a old picture frame re-purposed with some wires and clips to hold standard size (4x6, 5x7) printed photos. It changes every few months and suits the time of year or mood.
Part 2.
mem·oir
/ˈmemˌwär/
noun
- 1.a historical account or biography written from personal knowledge or special sources."in 1924 she published a short memoir of her husband"
- 2.an essay on a learned subject."an important memoir on Carboniferous crustacea"
Who has time to write a book? Maybe when I retire, I would contemplate writing my memoir. Maybe if I was to give up my good-paying job and write a book about getting the most out of life, or some bullshit title like that. But seriously, who has time to write a book. Maybe I can cheat.
I think I have some insights about life, about sports, about technology and how movies, TV and music colour my life (reviews?).
A few times a year I consider the possibility of writing a book (or starting to), but struggled with the potential structure. What if the structure could incorporate blog posts, tweets and shared social media opinions into the narrative. A quick compartmentalization would group content into my thoughts on:
- What makes us happy
- Sports
- Why pay attention to the news and politics
- Beauty and art
- Memories
- Family
- friends
- Drama and story
- Technology
- Work
- Travel
Creating these boxes to organize my thoughts, ideas and impressions is a simple but important step. Whatever is on the list defines us, reveals what’s most important to us and frames our personal life story.
Some of these ideas came shortly after the death of my work friend's wife and sadly, how fast her life ended - which triggered something many have thought about before - what do I want to leave behind?
It’s not what happened when, or a log of personal activities. It’s more a reflection, a personal retrospective and dare I say, the meaning of (my) life.
So what about putting a living memoir onto this blog platform?
There is a problem however with a living, ever-changing book - how does the reader know when they are done? How do they keep track of what they've already read and then piece it all together to make sense of it all? Coloured hypertext links may help, but some "bread crumb" mapping is needed to compliment this new form of storytelling.
I think I'm going to try and group common theme content from this blog and other channels as links, excerpts or maybe summaries, but add reflection of what all this means, now. Let's give it a try...
Movie review: 1917
I saw this at the “legacy” Manulife cinema (I later found out that the movie was in preview only and isn’t officially officially released until Jan 10 here in Canada) a few hours before the Golden Globe Awards. I try to see some of the nominated films ahead of the awards and will be adding a few more (The Irishman) ahead of the Oscars.
1917 lived up to the billing of a high-action, stressful, cinematic masterpiece, but for me, that was about it. The screenplay was ok and the acting good, but to me it fell way short of some of the wonderful films of the last 12 months in originality, screenwriting and wow factor. I’m sure it deserves it’s fair share of technical awards, but I didn’t think it deserved the best drama movie at the Golden Globes.
7/10
1917 lived up to the billing of a high-action, stressful, cinematic masterpiece, but for me, that was about it. The screenplay was ok and the acting good, but to me it fell way short of some of the wonderful films of the last 12 months in originality, screenwriting and wow factor. I’m sure it deserves it’s fair share of technical awards, but I didn’t think it deserved the best drama movie at the Golden Globes.
7/10
2019, Best of...(Music)
An annual tradition, shared various ways, not all new releases of 2019, but stuff I discovered in the past year that kept rattling around my ears and playlists. The YouTube playlist has some great finds of the video versions, some didn't have videos, so there's a cover photo stand-in and I also chose some live ones as a preference. There's a pretty broad variety in this year's list again - I hope there’s something for everyone. Enjoy. For those of you on Apple Music, the playlist is there too.
Monday, January 06, 2020
Favourite TV shows from 2019, plus deeper look into the past decade
Digging up this one that was drafted back in July - no way I can deliver on its title, but after the Golden Globes, there’s a few clear additions. The original title was “ Emmy triggered thoughts and reviews of favourite TV shows EVER”.
The 2019 Emmy Award nominations were announced this week and I was pleased to see a few of my favourite get nominations (and pleased more were nominated for Golden Globes). I also used it to consider the nominations are tips for future viewing and in fact for that very reason, I watched a few episodes of Schitts Creek while having dinner. Funny, but not Modern Family funny (and now enjoying something a little similar and a recommendation from my daughter - Life in Pieces).
The 2019 Emmy Award nominations were announced this week and I was pleased to see a few of my favourite get nominations (and pleased more were nominated for Golden Globes). I also used it to consider the nominations are tips for future viewing and in fact for that very reason, I watched a few episodes of Schitts Creek while having dinner. Funny, but not Modern Family funny (and now enjoying something a little similar and a recommendation from my daughter - Life in Pieces).
This also gives me a chance to comment on the state of TV in 2019 (and 2020) - if we can actually call it TV these days (Wikipedia appears to include "television signals...via the internet"). I believe that when TV was first introduced, as long as you had a TV set and were in the vicinity and range of the over-the-air signal, then you could watch a TV program. Today, that is a very different situation and only 1 of the 8 nominations for best drama series is on "regular" TV. All the others require the viewer to pay for a premium channel and in some cases, may not be able to see the show at all if the channel is exclusive to the US market. I believe that even though you may not have access to a particular channel, most, if not all, shows should be available for purchase via iTunes or your favourite video purchase platform.
Although I do watch quite a lot of TV (and movies), I perhaps watch only half of the nominated shows.
So without further ado, may I have the envelop please - favourite PJMixer shows this past year that are also nominated for an Emmy (and some for a Golden Globe):
- Bandersnatch (Netflix, Black Mirror TV movie) - a new interactive TV experience that's worth the setup
- Bodyguard (Netflix) - intense and surprising
- Fleabag (Prime Video) - incredibly funny and edgy, but also deeper than you'd think
- Ozark (Netflix) - not one likable character, but you're kind of still rooting for them, especially Ruth
- Russian Doll (Netflix) - mind bending fun with great soundtrack
- The Daily Show with Trevor Noah - yes, too much Trump, but so well written
- The Marvelous Mrs. Maisel (Prime Video) - superb writing, pacing and cast
Favourite PJMixer shows this year that are not nominated for an Emmy or are just older/newer shows that may not qualify
- The Umbrella Academy - lots of wacky superhero fun with a killer soundtrack
- Formula 1 - Drive to Survive (Netflix) - supposedly making new F1 fans in the US - super, alternate video content, amazing sound, but most importantly, great behind the scenes stories of the drivers, the team, the history. And yes, they’re finishing up season 2 for the 2019 F1 season.
Adding newer ones since this was first drafted...
- The Morning Show (Apple TV+) - massive cast delivers the goods, modern story and complex characters
- For All Mankind (Apple TV+) - fun alternative history space action drama
Where does one start with best TV shows EVER, maybe let’s narrow this down to the past decade. Of the shows above, I think it’s include The Marvelous Mrs. Maisel, especially since it’s one I share with my wife. Others that shouldn’t really need much explanation:
- Breaking Bad (2008-2013) - some work to get into it, but once onboard I loved the ride.
- Mad Men (2007-2015) - yes, awkward at times, but superb period piece with gobs of style and humour
- Black Mirror (since 2011) - the one some people still haven’t heard of - highly recommended creations of never future tech mostly going wrong, some episodes much better than others - please do NOT watch season 1 episode 1 first
- Downtown Abbey (2010-2015) - say no more
- Modern Family (since 2009) - keeps my laughing (with my daughter)
- House (2004-2012) - so much to love, but mostly the complexity of House
- Entourage (2004-2011) - guilty pleasure
Stay tuned on this one as I’m sure I’ll think of a few others as soon as I turn in for the night.
I did find an older post that includes some of the above with even older shows too - Television.
NFL (playoffs) - wacky imagery and favourites
Drafted this a few weeks ago, so I had to make a few edits now the playoffs are mapped out.
One of the things I like about American football is that there isn’t many games in the season. One of the things I really dislike about American football is how long a single game lasts and how little action there truly is in a single game. I went to high school in Windsor, Ontario (Canada) across the river from Detroit and since we don’t have an NFL team in Toronto (my current home), I am a Detroit Lions fan (perhaps supporter is a better word). I’d argue that the Lions are an exciting team to watch and had more than their fair share of tight losses this season.
So, now we’re close to the NFL playoffs. I kind of appreciate the safety of watching sports without rooting for a favourite, but it’s just not the same. You need to invest a little in the game to feel something. So with the Lions eliminated some weeks ago, who do I cheer for? For me, there has to be some connection with a team. Perhaps a place you’ve visited and met the love of your life (high stakes), or a place where you always feel at home, or from where you know friends or colleagues. But please don’t say it’s the colour of the jerseys.
So, the way I see it:
One of the things I like about American football is that there isn’t many games in the season. One of the things I really dislike about American football is how long a single game lasts and how little action there truly is in a single game. I went to high school in Windsor, Ontario (Canada) across the river from Detroit and since we don’t have an NFL team in Toronto (my current home), I am a Detroit Lions fan (perhaps supporter is a better word). I’d argue that the Lions are an exciting team to watch and had more than their fair share of tight losses this season.
So, now we’re close to the NFL playoffs. I kind of appreciate the safety of watching sports without rooting for a favourite, but it’s just not the same. You need to invest a little in the game to feel something. So with the Lions eliminated some weeks ago, who do I cheer for? For me, there has to be some connection with a team. Perhaps a place you’ve visited and met the love of your life (high stakes), or a place where you always feel at home, or from where you know friends or colleagues. But please don’t say it’s the colour of the jerseys.
So, the way I see it:
- Green Bay Packers - Lions division revivals and a city I I’ve never been to. Awful colours and cheese theme.
- Baltimore Ravens - never been to he city, curious perhaps about living under a stigma of street violence.
- Minnesota Vikings - like the city with odd downtown hamster above-ground tunnels for winter comfort but another Lions division rival. Dodgy colours.
- Houston Texans. I’ve spent a little business time in Houston over the last few years and I prefer it to Dallas, but can’t relate to their football team. Remind me, why aren’t they the Oilers?
- Tennessee Titans - based in Nashville, which I love and I’ve seen the stadium from the river, but can’t relate to their team.
- Kansas City Chiefs - weird airport but good BBQ (including the airport). I’ve been to KC on numerous biz trips and always feel I smell of a BBQ when I leave. But I am friends with a ex-colleague who is one of the good guys. Their QB is young and cocky and I kind of like that.
- San Francisco 49ers - they play at Levi’s Stadium (where I’ve had a guided tour) and is walking distance from our Santa Clara office. An old work friend has season tickets (but complains it’s too hot).
- Seattle Seahawks - the Lynch comeback story, one of my most viewed photos on Flickr, but most importantly, my daughter’s boyfriend’s favourite team.
Wednesday, January 01, 2020
Movie Reviews 2019
Old Man & the Gun - Really liked this film. Lovely, peaceful, relaxed pace perfectly portrayed by Redford and a superb supporting cast. Some good music bits and wonderful creative cinematography. The story reminds me a saying I’ve been using for a little while now “love what you’re good at”. I thought Elizabeth Moss’ short scene was magical - but I’m kind of a fan. Odd she really reminded me of an old boss - TS (never noticed before). 8/10.
Bird Box - Well done in the new Netflix modest budget kind of way. Good level of tension throughout and made better by the strong cast and Bullock again is in survival mode (a la Gravity). Simple scary plot without jump the shark shit. Maybe trying to say something secondary but kind of lost in the noise. 7/10
Bandersnatch - So many thoughts as I talked though it afterwards with my viewing mate and told the family about such a cool concept - that worked. Loved the clever “you're in control” - truly interactive fun worked well watching with a mate. Fun, laughs, mystery and a new immersive experience. Solid acting by the young Fiona Whitehead. Great soundtrack and setting. A few loose ends perhaps but one hell of a ride. 8/10
Can You Forgive Me? - Superb casting that made me see past these two superb actors into the rich characters of a tricky tale. A gem of a sad, tragic and naughty story. Clever creative ending. Touching soundtrack and perfect level of New York production value. 8/10
Roma - I think it worked because as it built, you became more connected to Cleo and the life around her. A true rollercoaster of mood, movement and drama - from extremely quiet slow beauty to intense chaos and heightened emotions. The B&W cinematography was gorgeous. Edits and sound were mesmerizing (but what do I know). 8/10
Williams - Really enjoyed the fascinating story of Frank Williams and his family and friends. I shed a tear at the end more for his wife’s tragedy more than Frank’s. I’d say a must-see for any F1 fan - Frank clearly demonstrates the passion of the sport. 8/10
Murder on the Orient Express - Not bad. Classic Christie but with no surprises. Solid cast, lovely production value, eccentric characters. Mildly entertaining. 6/10
If Beale Street Could Talk - Hope and fears - like the Keane album. Powerful simple storytelling with superb cast. Such beautiful hope for a better future, for the joy of love of family. But such vivid fear of an unfair, cruel world with only broken dreams and suffering. Hoping for less pain and suffering in this world. 8/10
Nocturnal Animals - Intense fiction with a real hard bite of consequences and inner conflicts. The violent fiction was very scary and almost was a non-starter (unusual for me, but shows how well it was portrayed). Gimmicky scares worked perhaps as a balance with the high production sets and vivid scenery and kept the film tack sharp with a much more subtle touch of its storytelling. Pacing seemed a little off at times, but who am I to say - I think this is what may be termed art and cinematography. Then let’s call it weighty, valuable art. Oh and that opening scene. That’s was quite striking. 7/10
A Quiet Place - Had to turn the clock off. Very, very good. Simple premise, really well executed. Wow. Rock solid casting, monster and what else...editing? Whatever it is, Krasinski and co got it right. 9/10
Vice - Very very good. Stellar cast at the top of their game. Engaging production mix make for a dizzying mind game of political spin and villainy. Stomach turning for many reasons (including eating too much rich food in AC executive class). How many more players are there to take advantage of a confused public. Took note of the quote about power - something people want to take away. 8/10
Stan & Ollie - Charming. The shared joy of humour and movie history. Superb portrayals - Coogan and Reilly disappeared behind the famous duo. Loved Nina Arianda as Stan’s wife (and loved her in Goliath). 7/10
Annihilation- Quite the mash up of horror, suspense, mystery and sci-fi. Although rather slow, I liked the hypnotic tone and the science was a decent hook, it was reasonably entertaining. But I think the plot angles were a little acute towards the end. 6/10
Apollo 11 - So much to love - incredible clarity for film technology that is 50 years old, a production that creates just the right amount of tension and drama without cringe relativity TVism. Great bits of humour and pure joy at the scientific and technical achievement. It does a marvellous job at reminding us just how remarkable the project was. So many things had to work flawlessly, designed and built by so many people - I’m not certain of the backup systems, margin for error and alternate plans were available, but regardless the moon landing of Apollo 11 must stand as one of the most daring, challenging and significant projects ever done. 9/10
Wonder Woman - I liked it until the fight got super-hero silly. Fun for the most part, but I think I’ve moved past the wonder of the super hero theme. Fun historic setting, beautiful background island set, some decent humour and above average for the genre but missing a sense of purpose. There’s the usual moral undertones but they’re about as genuine as the costume. Action packed and entertaining when you’re struggling to find something better. 6/10
Yesterday - Really enjoyed hearing The Beatles like it was new. Great casting and music arrangements. Some great comedy and romance. But the ending didn’t feel truly satisfying. 7/10
The Favourite - On a AC Rouge flight to Orlando, enjoying an upgrade and a complimentary iPad, I decided to give it a try knowing others had given it a thumbs down. Highly unusual, quirky, weird, funny, sophomoric and tragic. Now I wonder how the story relates to the history of Queen Anne. There was enough cutting humour and naughtiness to keep me entertained. 7/10
Once Upon a Time...in Hollywood - Superb #9 from Tarantino. Everything came together perfectly and met my high expectations. So many great scenes, clever cuts, magical soundtrack and a trademark Tarantino spin. The violence was saved to the end and was as brutal as you’d expect. So much to absorb and digest that I may go back for seconds. Faultless and monumental filmmaking. 10/10
Minimalism - Like the premise, questions about the practice, but get the promise. Too much to take in one sitting, just take a little off the edge to make it real for the committed observer. An important adjustment in this bizarre device driven pseudo connectiveness we think we need. Worth watching. 7/10.
Us - Very creative (Peel) mix of style, dark dark themes and awkward humour. Half way thru and I’m going WTF - but it got really good and...you’ll see. 7/10
Rocketman - Loved it. Really wonderfully put together with unexpected musical moments and life turns that I wasn’t familiar with. Outrageous costumes and sets apparently were close to historic fact. But the music, with new adaptations was front and centre and perfectly captured Elton’s journey. Some may disagree, but I think it was better than Bohemian Rhapsody. 8/10
The Hate U Give - THUGLIFE - Quote From the scene with the uncle “We live in a complicated world...No, it doesn’t seem that complicated to me”. And Starr is right. There is clear injustice in the lives of African Americans and it should be talked about clearly. But I hope that can be done without violent escalation. I think it painted a picture of many of the challenges, packaged into artistic, dramatic and softer edged components. It could have easily gone too far and lost an audience segment, but it went far enough to add integrity to an platform of understanding and transparency. 7/10
The Great Hack - controversial documentary about Cambridge Analytica with new characters and cross overs into stories that deal with privacy, unfair politics, modern-day propaganda and tech villains. With so many dodgy characters, its hard to believe everything, but as I say with movies like this, even if half of this is true, it’s mind-blowing. 8/10
Letter to the Editor - I went to see this superb doc at TIFF with my wife. The doc was a sad farewell to the newspaper, but told the story with thousands of still photographs. [we went for lunch after the move and recorded our thoughts so, may drop the voice memos in at some point]. 9/10
I, Tonya - Reminded me of a Coen Brothers film, balancing that line between tragedy and awkward comedy. You think it’s your typical wrong side of the tracks story, but it’s setting and it’s serious moves make you take pause. As previously commented, if it’s even 50% true it’s still a gripping story. Loved it. 8/10
Jackie Brown - Once I got over the gun-happy criminal flavour it was a pretty cool ride that only Tarantino can supply. Oozing style, intense and comedic dialogue and perfectly paced storytelling. Enjoy the ride. 8/10
Always Be My Maybe - Charming heartfelt story with a traditional foundation but had a modern and substantive feel. Clean good fun love. 7/10
It - Really, really well done. Laughed at real humour and the joy of a scare. Jumped once. Bloody, violent, gory, and very scary. Pre-dates Stranger Things I think and is x2 all categories. But here there are no good adults. Almost forgot, killer soundtrack. Classic King. Having a restless dog in the basement with you adds another scare element. How do those kids sleep at night? 8/10
The. Death of Stalin - Mesmerizing and original. Very grim and very funny in a very dark way. Great chaotic pace, superb characterizations, historically enlightening - what an odd but brilliant mix that walks a fine line. And I think Iannucci pulled it off. Funny like a history teacher with a lisp. Or Gervais or Carlin like. Liked it a lot. Can’t remember who recommended it (maybe one of the Lake Huron lads) but thanks. 8/10
The Master - Strong performances for certain. Complexity beyond my comprehension. At times joyful, at others bewildering. Beautiful visuals kept my eye while my mind wandered and wondered. A different kind of mystery. 6/10
Parasite - There is so much I love about this movie. But I’m saddened to think there will be few people who’ll actually see it. Let’s say it’s a modern story with Korean culture essence brought to life by a timeless triad of Shakespeare, Hitchcock and Tarantino. What I liked? Everything. It’s gorgeous. The acting is superb. The dialog witty and intense. Pacing perfect. Storytelling massive. I claim this as a classic. One of the best I’ve seen in recent times. A film that’’ll revive your passion of film. 9/10
Downton Abbey - Beautiful and irresistible. Big dollops of humour and touches of touchy subjects. Royalist? Romantic? Historian? English? Tipsy? You’ll love it. 7/10
Echo in the Canyon - a wonderful mix of documentary and re-imagined modern performances of classic music from a important 5 years in the late 60’s, Southern California style. It filled in many gaps in my music knowledgebase and put a few tracks on my favourites for the year. Cheeky interviews, memorable performances, classic clips - all just beautiful music. 9/10
Laundromat - very creative and entertaining way of explaining the complexities of the problems with wealth and influence today - especially with the surprise reveal at the end. Note sure if there’s anything positive to comment on or whether it’s just a hard lesson in an unfair world. I found out that the film has some controversy after reading some reviews afterwards. 7/10
Jojo Rabbit - A real wild ride. Wes Anderson like but balanced on a knife edge of the horrors of Nazi Germany. Superb brave performances from a brilliant cast. Lots of real comedy, awkward laughs and shocked silence. 8/10
Brooklyn - Although one plot element threw me, it didn’t distract from this beautiful film. I couldn’t help but feels a personal connection with the story of an immigrant to a foreign land and the mixed emotions shared among the family. Charming portrayals, lush sets and colourful costume design (but too much green) created a rich piece of nostalgia. 7/10
The Report - Another classic example of the importance of move making when it comes to cementing an important historic news story. Great acting, even by the bad guys, but the torture scenes were hard to watch. But they are crucial to understanding the weight of the content. I even got a good bit of story telling for work from the redaction vs the psuedonymization of sensitive data. I didn’t capture all the plot moves, but satisfied it was close as you’ll ever get to something resembling the truth. 7/10
Ad Astra - Psychological profile: off. A rather uneasy feeling watching this creepy psychological space adventure while at 30,000’ in the sky and away from home. A theme of loneliness was a constant depression. Some new space action fx were great, but I found it hard to believe some of the tech elements and logic. I liked the voice command and report style - calm and collected (at most times). A Hollywood ending, but it’s what the doctor ordered. 7/10
Marriage Story - not for everyone, but you can’t beat the top drawer acting and expert handling of a very personal, modern family drama with such style. Yes, it’s a little slow at times, but sometimes you can’t rush a well told story. High quality film depth. 9/10
Bird Box - Well done in the new Netflix modest budget kind of way. Good level of tension throughout and made better by the strong cast and Bullock again is in survival mode (a la Gravity). Simple scary plot without jump the shark shit. Maybe trying to say something secondary but kind of lost in the noise. 7/10
Bandersnatch - So many thoughts as I talked though it afterwards with my viewing mate and told the family about such a cool concept - that worked. Loved the clever “you're in control” - truly interactive fun worked well watching with a mate. Fun, laughs, mystery and a new immersive experience. Solid acting by the young Fiona Whitehead. Great soundtrack and setting. A few loose ends perhaps but one hell of a ride. 8/10
Can You Forgive Me? - Superb casting that made me see past these two superb actors into the rich characters of a tricky tale. A gem of a sad, tragic and naughty story. Clever creative ending. Touching soundtrack and perfect level of New York production value. 8/10
Roma - I think it worked because as it built, you became more connected to Cleo and the life around her. A true rollercoaster of mood, movement and drama - from extremely quiet slow beauty to intense chaos and heightened emotions. The B&W cinematography was gorgeous. Edits and sound were mesmerizing (but what do I know). 8/10
Williams - Really enjoyed the fascinating story of Frank Williams and his family and friends. I shed a tear at the end more for his wife’s tragedy more than Frank’s. I’d say a must-see for any F1 fan - Frank clearly demonstrates the passion of the sport. 8/10
Murder on the Orient Express - Not bad. Classic Christie but with no surprises. Solid cast, lovely production value, eccentric characters. Mildly entertaining. 6/10
If Beale Street Could Talk - Hope and fears - like the Keane album. Powerful simple storytelling with superb cast. Such beautiful hope for a better future, for the joy of love of family. But such vivid fear of an unfair, cruel world with only broken dreams and suffering. Hoping for less pain and suffering in this world. 8/10
Nocturnal Animals - Intense fiction with a real hard bite of consequences and inner conflicts. The violent fiction was very scary and almost was a non-starter (unusual for me, but shows how well it was portrayed). Gimmicky scares worked perhaps as a balance with the high production sets and vivid scenery and kept the film tack sharp with a much more subtle touch of its storytelling. Pacing seemed a little off at times, but who am I to say - I think this is what may be termed art and cinematography. Then let’s call it weighty, valuable art. Oh and that opening scene. That’s was quite striking. 7/10
A Quiet Place - Had to turn the clock off. Very, very good. Simple premise, really well executed. Wow. Rock solid casting, monster and what else...editing? Whatever it is, Krasinski and co got it right. 9/10
Vice - Very very good. Stellar cast at the top of their game. Engaging production mix make for a dizzying mind game of political spin and villainy. Stomach turning for many reasons (including eating too much rich food in AC executive class). How many more players are there to take advantage of a confused public. Took note of the quote about power - something people want to take away. 8/10
Stan & Ollie - Charming. The shared joy of humour and movie history. Superb portrayals - Coogan and Reilly disappeared behind the famous duo. Loved Nina Arianda as Stan’s wife (and loved her in Goliath). 7/10
Annihilation- Quite the mash up of horror, suspense, mystery and sci-fi. Although rather slow, I liked the hypnotic tone and the science was a decent hook, it was reasonably entertaining. But I think the plot angles were a little acute towards the end. 6/10
Apollo 11 - So much to love - incredible clarity for film technology that is 50 years old, a production that creates just the right amount of tension and drama without cringe relativity TVism. Great bits of humour and pure joy at the scientific and technical achievement. It does a marvellous job at reminding us just how remarkable the project was. So many things had to work flawlessly, designed and built by so many people - I’m not certain of the backup systems, margin for error and alternate plans were available, but regardless the moon landing of Apollo 11 must stand as one of the most daring, challenging and significant projects ever done. 9/10
Wonder Woman - I liked it until the fight got super-hero silly. Fun for the most part, but I think I’ve moved past the wonder of the super hero theme. Fun historic setting, beautiful background island set, some decent humour and above average for the genre but missing a sense of purpose. There’s the usual moral undertones but they’re about as genuine as the costume. Action packed and entertaining when you’re struggling to find something better. 6/10
Yesterday - Really enjoyed hearing The Beatles like it was new. Great casting and music arrangements. Some great comedy and romance. But the ending didn’t feel truly satisfying. 7/10
The Favourite - On a AC Rouge flight to Orlando, enjoying an upgrade and a complimentary iPad, I decided to give it a try knowing others had given it a thumbs down. Highly unusual, quirky, weird, funny, sophomoric and tragic. Now I wonder how the story relates to the history of Queen Anne. There was enough cutting humour and naughtiness to keep me entertained. 7/10
Once Upon a Time...in Hollywood - Superb #9 from Tarantino. Everything came together perfectly and met my high expectations. So many great scenes, clever cuts, magical soundtrack and a trademark Tarantino spin. The violence was saved to the end and was as brutal as you’d expect. So much to absorb and digest that I may go back for seconds. Faultless and monumental filmmaking. 10/10
Minimalism - Like the premise, questions about the practice, but get the promise. Too much to take in one sitting, just take a little off the edge to make it real for the committed observer. An important adjustment in this bizarre device driven pseudo connectiveness we think we need. Worth watching. 7/10.
Us - Very creative (Peel) mix of style, dark dark themes and awkward humour. Half way thru and I’m going WTF - but it got really good and...you’ll see. 7/10
Rocketman - Loved it. Really wonderfully put together with unexpected musical moments and life turns that I wasn’t familiar with. Outrageous costumes and sets apparently were close to historic fact. But the music, with new adaptations was front and centre and perfectly captured Elton’s journey. Some may disagree, but I think it was better than Bohemian Rhapsody. 8/10
The Hate U Give - THUGLIFE - Quote From the scene with the uncle “We live in a complicated world...No, it doesn’t seem that complicated to me”. And Starr is right. There is clear injustice in the lives of African Americans and it should be talked about clearly. But I hope that can be done without violent escalation. I think it painted a picture of many of the challenges, packaged into artistic, dramatic and softer edged components. It could have easily gone too far and lost an audience segment, but it went far enough to add integrity to an platform of understanding and transparency. 7/10
The Great Hack - controversial documentary about Cambridge Analytica with new characters and cross overs into stories that deal with privacy, unfair politics, modern-day propaganda and tech villains. With so many dodgy characters, its hard to believe everything, but as I say with movies like this, even if half of this is true, it’s mind-blowing. 8/10
Letter to the Editor - I went to see this superb doc at TIFF with my wife. The doc was a sad farewell to the newspaper, but told the story with thousands of still photographs. [we went for lunch after the move and recorded our thoughts so, may drop the voice memos in at some point]. 9/10
I, Tonya - Reminded me of a Coen Brothers film, balancing that line between tragedy and awkward comedy. You think it’s your typical wrong side of the tracks story, but it’s setting and it’s serious moves make you take pause. As previously commented, if it’s even 50% true it’s still a gripping story. Loved it. 8/10
Jackie Brown - Once I got over the gun-happy criminal flavour it was a pretty cool ride that only Tarantino can supply. Oozing style, intense and comedic dialogue and perfectly paced storytelling. Enjoy the ride. 8/10
Always Be My Maybe - Charming heartfelt story with a traditional foundation but had a modern and substantive feel. Clean good fun love. 7/10
It - Really, really well done. Laughed at real humour and the joy of a scare. Jumped once. Bloody, violent, gory, and very scary. Pre-dates Stranger Things I think and is x2 all categories. But here there are no good adults. Almost forgot, killer soundtrack. Classic King. Having a restless dog in the basement with you adds another scare element. How do those kids sleep at night? 8/10
The. Death of Stalin - Mesmerizing and original. Very grim and very funny in a very dark way. Great chaotic pace, superb characterizations, historically enlightening - what an odd but brilliant mix that walks a fine line. And I think Iannucci pulled it off. Funny like a history teacher with a lisp. Or Gervais or Carlin like. Liked it a lot. Can’t remember who recommended it (maybe one of the Lake Huron lads) but thanks. 8/10
The Master - Strong performances for certain. Complexity beyond my comprehension. At times joyful, at others bewildering. Beautiful visuals kept my eye while my mind wandered and wondered. A different kind of mystery. 6/10
Parasite - There is so much I love about this movie. But I’m saddened to think there will be few people who’ll actually see it. Let’s say it’s a modern story with Korean culture essence brought to life by a timeless triad of Shakespeare, Hitchcock and Tarantino. What I liked? Everything. It’s gorgeous. The acting is superb. The dialog witty and intense. Pacing perfect. Storytelling massive. I claim this as a classic. One of the best I’ve seen in recent times. A film that’’ll revive your passion of film. 9/10
Downton Abbey - Beautiful and irresistible. Big dollops of humour and touches of touchy subjects. Royalist? Romantic? Historian? English? Tipsy? You’ll love it. 7/10
Echo in the Canyon - a wonderful mix of documentary and re-imagined modern performances of classic music from a important 5 years in the late 60’s, Southern California style. It filled in many gaps in my music knowledgebase and put a few tracks on my favourites for the year. Cheeky interviews, memorable performances, classic clips - all just beautiful music. 9/10
Laundromat - very creative and entertaining way of explaining the complexities of the problems with wealth and influence today - especially with the surprise reveal at the end. Note sure if there’s anything positive to comment on or whether it’s just a hard lesson in an unfair world. I found out that the film has some controversy after reading some reviews afterwards. 7/10
Jojo Rabbit - A real wild ride. Wes Anderson like but balanced on a knife edge of the horrors of Nazi Germany. Superb brave performances from a brilliant cast. Lots of real comedy, awkward laughs and shocked silence. 8/10
Brooklyn - Although one plot element threw me, it didn’t distract from this beautiful film. I couldn’t help but feels a personal connection with the story of an immigrant to a foreign land and the mixed emotions shared among the family. Charming portrayals, lush sets and colourful costume design (but too much green) created a rich piece of nostalgia. 7/10
The Report - Another classic example of the importance of move making when it comes to cementing an important historic news story. Great acting, even by the bad guys, but the torture scenes were hard to watch. But they are crucial to understanding the weight of the content. I even got a good bit of story telling for work from the redaction vs the psuedonymization of sensitive data. I didn’t capture all the plot moves, but satisfied it was close as you’ll ever get to something resembling the truth. 7/10
Ad Astra - Psychological profile: off. A rather uneasy feeling watching this creepy psychological space adventure while at 30,000’ in the sky and away from home. A theme of loneliness was a constant depression. Some new space action fx were great, but I found it hard to believe some of the tech elements and logic. I liked the voice command and report style - calm and collected (at most times). A Hollywood ending, but it’s what the doctor ordered. 7/10
Marriage Story - not for everyone, but you can’t beat the top drawer acting and expert handling of a very personal, modern family drama with such style. Yes, it’s a little slow at times, but sometimes you can’t rush a well told story. High quality film depth. 9/10
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