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Reviews
Reign (2013)
Historical mumbo-jumbo but a whole lot of fun
For all the people whining about this not being true to history, go read a history book. I am finding this series very enjoyable. The costumes are out of date but simply gorgeous, the hairstyles are straight out of the 70s, but lovely, all the characters are very young like right out of a teen magazine, except the "adults" who are still quite young. The first season was a little hard to get into as I felt it was more like a TV daytime cereal. But as it rolls on, it gets much more interesting, something you can actually sink your viewing teeth into. I love seeing the transition of both Francis and Mary, the two leads, from little kids to adults with a purpose. I especially love the character of Nostradamus. And Catherine is a hoot. If you can just sit back and treat this as the historical romantic fantasy that it is, you'll have a wonderful ride.
Tár (2022)
Brilliant!
This movie is not for everyone. It starts rather slowly, however if you stay with it the momentum builds to an incredibly climactic ending. And I recommend staying with it just for the amazing performance of Cate Blanchett. You never see the actress in this movie. She embodies Lydia Tar, in fact, she is Lydia Tar. This is a cleverly drafted story about the abuse of power. And power isn't always in the hands of men. Lydia is brilliant and brash and bold but very self-centered and conceited. The way she treats people is abominable and she denies everything about what she does and who she is until someone finally has the strength to stand up to her abuses. Yes it's long, but I would watch it again.
The Musketeers (2014)
A rollicking good time
A 17th century tale told with a modern twist. I loved it. Sat through all three seasons in a few days. Casting was spot on, costumes were absolutely gorgeous, and the locales were perfect. I especially loved that Porthos was black, as was Dumas himself. Aramis was delightful eye candy and very good actor. In fact all the "boys" were delightfully handsome and well trained actors. Milady was wonderful going back-and-forth from the sweet girl that Athos married to the deadly assassin and back to his love. Constance was terrific, a modern woman in a 17th century story. I honestly think that knowing Dumas' personality, he would've loved her portrayed this way. All the supporting cast were excellent, especially Hugo Spear, Peter Capaldi and Ryan Gage. I honestly have to say the weakest link was the sweet young lady who played the queen. She tried but I was never truly convinced that she could've been a queen. All in all I found it to be a lot of fun and would watch it a second time, as I did Merlin, which I also loved.
The Lord of the Rings: The Rings of Power (2022)
Ignore the haters
This is not a Peter Jackson film. It's a stand alone and it's excellent. Galadriel is not the Cate Blanchett creation; this is a warrior who shows us Galadriel as a much younger woman. Anyone who doesn't like her strength doesn't like strong women (this is what happened to Daenerys in GOT). She knows in her bones that something is wrong and that others are ignoring the warnings. She risks her life to save Middle Earth. Kudos to all the actors, director and production stuff. Gorgeous to watch; sumptuous costumes; beautiful backgrounds. I couldn't ask for more. And I for one am looking forward to seeing where this journey goes.
Thirteen Lives (2022)
Outstanding!
I remember this rescue as if it was yesterday. I think it's amazing what Ron Howard and all of the cast and crew did to condense almost a month into a two hour show. Excellent work. Perfect casting, especially the Thai casting. IMHO I don't think it could've been any better than it was. Kudos to everyone involved.
The Morning Show (2019)
Season one outstanding; season two meh
Season one really hit all the right notes. Season two tripped and fell. Alex needs a good whack upside the head. And what happened to Bradley? She's a totally different person. Cory has become inept window dressing. And Chip needs better lines than uh I'm sorry um. The little Asian girl is obnoxious. One of the best characters is the Italian reporter! I have grown tired and weary of the bickering and backstabbing and who is going to blame who. Basically the show just needs to grow up.
Magnum P.I. (2018)
Magnum PI = Tom Selleck
The setting is the same, the car is the same, the dogs, the helicopter, and the sidekicks are similar. And while Jay Hernandez is kind of cute, he is no Tom Selleck. He lacks the charm, wit, and tongue-in-cheek boyishness. This was a foolish mistake with bad casting, bad acting, and an unfortunately weak leading man. Need I say more?
Love You To Death (2019)
Deadly love called Munchausen
This TV docudrama based on the lives of Dee Dee and Gypsy Blanchard was at times very difficult to watch. The abuse from the mother, Camille (Marcia Gay Harden), was frightening. She was very scary and relentlessly in control. And Harden was amazing as always. Emily Skeggs (Esme) did the best she could with what she had and Tate Donovan was wasted, which was too bad. What was missing in this movie was some kind of revelation as to why people suffer from Munchhausen Syndrome. It only shows the effect on Esme. Having a look inside the character of Camille might have made this a little more interesting. While definitely not a major motion picture, it was entertaining.
Grace and Frankie: The Alternative (2019)
Worst episode ever
After a very strong episode 12, this episode felt like a filler. It would've been better to leave the fractured relationship as a cliffhanger rather than trying to wrap it up with this absolutely nonsensical episode. I was very disappointed and in fact angry enough to want to throw something at the TV set. Shame on the producers for allowing this episode to happen.