|
|
 |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
cats16
Half-elven
Sep 25 2022, 5:10pm
Post #1 of 24
(1075 views)
Shortcut
|
|
What are you watching: the somehow almost October edition!
|
Can't Post
|
|
Howdy, folks! Another summer looks to be in the books for some 'sibs, who are reporting some cooler temps (that'll be me in a few weeks, I hope!).
Here are a couple of things I've been watching lately:
The End of Summer (an appropriate title!): An Ozu movie I hadn't seen before. It's a bit tricky to follow who exactly all of the characters are and how they're connected to one another, but in an Ozu film this kind of confusion doesn't prevent one from still being able to enjoy the experience. I always feel relaxed after having seen one of his films.
Blue Collar: Paul Schrader (writer of Taxi Driver) made this one as his directorial debut, which it appears was an absolute mess behind the scenes. But on screen it's a striking movie about down-and-out automotive workers who are fed up with their lack of respect and purpose, and decide to get back at the union that doesn't really have their back all that much. A fairly pessimistic movie that's anchored by three rock solid performances. You can feel the oil, sweat and dirt on everyone's faces throughout this movie, which feels very lived-in.
Of course I've also been watching RoP, which everyone's welcome to summarize their thoughts of here too! I've decided to wait two more weeks til the end of the season to actually share where I'm at on things - seems only fair at this point.
So, what have you been watching?
Join us every weekend in the Hobbit movie forum for this week's CHOW (Chapter of the Week) discussion!
(This post was edited by cats16 on Sep 25 2022, 5:10pm)
|
|
|
Annael
Immortal
Sep 25 2022, 6:23pm
Post #2 of 24
(1014 views)
Shortcut
|
Liking some things, unsure on others . . . no definite opinion yet. I do have to say that the colorblind casting is working for me, as in "it doesn't take me out of the story one bit." I AM bothered by how little the actor who plays Elrond resembles Hugo Weaving.
I just watched the first episode of the reboot of "Quantum Leap" and I'm in. The actor who plays the genius scientist is the same one who played Desire in "The Sandman," Mason Alexander Park, and I'm happy to see them get another good role - very impressed with them.
NCIS - Season 20, still has not jumped the shark even without Mark Harmon.
I've gotten sucked into some Korean fantasy dramas on Netflix. Favorite so far is "Hotel del Luna," about a hotel that caters to ghosts who aren't quite ready to pass on to the next plane. Also been watching some Icelandic shows, most notably "Trapped." Tried some other Scandinavian procedurals/mysteries - boy are they dark.
I enjoyed this season of "Making the Cut" more than the first two, because of the amazingly talented designers they found. Very happy with the outcome. I am also enjoying the latest "Great British Bake Off" - ditto with the talent, and Paul seems to be mellowing slightly, or am I imagining that?
I am a dreamer of words, of written words.
-- Gaston Bachelard
* * * * * * * * * *
NARF and member of Deplorable Cultus since 1967
|
|
|
Eldy
Tol Eressea
Sep 25 2022, 8:30pm
Post #3 of 24
(1000 views)
Shortcut
|
...I also recently watched the first episode of House of the Dragon. Sadly, the DirecTV login I used to watch the final season of GoT stopped working since I last used it to watch football, and I'm no longer on speaking terms with the relative it belongs to. :P I was able to watch the first episode since HBO Max offers it as a free preview, and it was good enough that I'd like to continue. I have a possible lead with a friend who can hopefully let me keep watching more or less legally, so we'll see how that goes. But as for the episode itself, it definitely surpassed my expectations, which were low due to my feelings about the entire back half of GoT (not just the final season).
I'm familiar with the source material for HotD--Martin's Fire & Blood, known before publication under the facetious working title The GRRMarillion--but I honestly don't care for it that much. I feel weird saying that, because in a vacuum I'd expect to enjoy a work that leans so heavily into the very Tolkienesque conceit of being written by an in-universe historian. Unfortunately, the in-universe historian in question, Archmaester Gyldayn, is prissy, prejudiced, and not very good as a historian or a storyteller. Which is weird, because Martin is very good at both those things when he wants to be, but much of Fire & Blood came across to me as a joke that fell flat. The TV adaptation, on the other hand, depicts events with the immediacy characteristic to its medium, which allows us to get to know the characters better, without being filtered through another character's biases. Fortunately, the cast was a delight in the premiere, with Matt Smith as the surprising but undisputed standout in my opinion. I didn't really buy him as Daemon Targaryen from the promotional photos, but seeing him in action, he's fantastic. Every bit the tremendous, and tremendously entertaining, asshole Daemon should be. lol I don't know if the show will be able to keep up that level of quality, but I look forward to finding out.
(This post was edited by Eldy on Sep 25 2022, 8:31pm)
|
|
|
sevilodorf
Tol Eressea
Sep 26 2022, 1:53am
Post #4 of 24
(959 views)
Shortcut
|
|
Barbarian // The Outfit // Blithe Spirit
[In reply to]
|
Can't Post
|
|
C- and that's being generous.
Not certain how this thing has managed a $29 million box office which actually makes it a money maker.
Every possible horror trope is here....you find yourself yelling at the "heroine" WHY are you doing that? (really truly..the two ladies that were in the theater with me did exactly that.. more than once)
Bill Skarsgard (Pennywise) is here but not in the role you expect.
The story jumps three timelines.... abruptly -- which while not a bad thing took a moment to readjust.
On the other hand..... The Outfit is an A-
I saw the trailers and wanted to see it in the theater but it never actually showed up in the local theater (still trying to figure that one out) so I was glad it popped up on Amazon Prime.
Very well done with enough twists and turns to keep the audience amused and then nodding as they think back on the clues that were deftly laid out if we'd only been smart enough to see them.
Blithe Spirit -- local community theater production of the 1941 play -- it's entertaining but a trifle long winded at 3 hour run time. Basically - story of author holding a seance to get info for his book and his long dead wife's ghost answers the call and wrecks havoc on his life.
Fourth Age Adventures at the Inn of the Burping Troll http://burpingtroll.com
Home of TheOneRing.net Best FanFic stories of 2005 and 2006 "The Last Grey Ship" and "Ashes, East Wind, Hope That Rises" by Erin Rua
(Found in Mathoms, LOTR Tales Untold)
(This post was edited by sevilodorf on Sep 26 2022, 1:54am)
|
|
|
Kimi
Forum Admin
/ Moderator
Sep 26 2022, 3:24am
Post #5 of 24
(953 views)
Shortcut
|
Some police procedurals, which we seem to watch quite a lot of, among them.
1. The Responder - A police officer who's been demoted, is hugely stressed, and is really not coping. I tried it because Martin Freeman is the lead. But oh! It's unremittingly dark. What *should* be a lightening element, his warm and loving relationship with his wife and young daughter, somehow made it even darker, because I had had a very strong feeling that would go horribly wrong. Only managed one episode (seriously, this one made "Wallander" feel like a musical comedy).
2. Sherwood - contemporary, and nothing really to do with Robin Hood, although he's mentioned several times. Two murders in Nottinghamshire, and their wider implications. The murders appear to have their roots in the miners' strokes of the 1980s - and I can say no more about that without getting political, so I won't. How to do dark without being bleak - serious stuff, with little to no comedy, but I found it ultimately uplifting. Out of the sorrow come elements of forgiveness and reconciliation.
3. Magpie Murders - a "cozy", and much lighter. An author dies in mysterious circumstances just after handing over a manuscript that's the last in a long and hugely successful series - and the last chapter is missing! The main character, played by the excellent Lesley Manville (who's also in "Sherwood") is a book editor, who uses some of those skills to figure out the mystery. A lot of fun.
4. (Currently watching) The Suspect - Aidan Turner as a psychologist caught up in a murder case, who himself may or may not be innocent. Engrossing.
5. (Currently watching) The Twelve (only a very little like "Twelve Angry Men") - I do like a good courtroom drama. This is an Aussie production with our very own Sam Neill as one of the leads. It's about the case itself, what happened within that family in the years leading up to it, and also about the tangled lives of several of the jurors. Really good.
Just to leaven things with a little light frothiness, I watched "Enchanted", which I thoroughly enjoyed (again).
The Passing of Mistress Rose
My historical novels
Do we find happiness so often that we should turn it off the box when it happens to sit there?
- A Room With a View
|
|
|
Starling
Half-elven
Sep 26 2022, 4:03am
Post #6 of 24
(948 views)
Shortcut
|
I have vivid memories of the news coverage during the strikes. I really like David Morrissey and always will give something a try if he is in it.
I am finding The Suspect a bit irritating and manipulative, but not enough to actually stop watching!
|
|
|
Starling
Half-elven
Sep 26 2022, 4:09am
Post #7 of 24
(948 views)
Shortcut
|
I highly recommend this series.
It's set in a psychiatric hospital in the Blue Mountains, and follows the lead character Nic, who is a nurse in the unit. There is a core cast of staff and patients, plus others who are in and out.
Nic is going through some tough stuff, and this starts to impact on him heavily.
It's quite bleak at times, but also moving and very, very funny.
If you liked This is Going to Hurt, I found it similar.
I'm also sort of hate watching the current series of The Handmaid's Tale
|
|
|
Kimi
Forum Admin
/ Moderator
Sep 26 2022, 4:22am
Post #8 of 24
(945 views)
Shortcut
|
about "The Suspect" - I do have a few "Oh, come on!" moments. But the good parts are good enough to let me put those aside.
I like David Morrissey, too. He's believable and engaging, and manages to be both vulnerable and solid.
The Passing of Mistress Rose
My historical novels
Do we find happiness so often that we should turn it off the box when it happens to sit there?
- A Room With a View
|
|
|
dernwyn
Forum Admin
/ Moderator
Sep 28 2022, 12:46am
Post #9 of 24
(903 views)
Shortcut
|
I've seen that Graham McTavish is in HotD, does he have a decent role in it?
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
"I desired dragons with a profound desire"
|
|
|
Eldy
Tol Eressea
Sep 28 2022, 1:56am
Post #10 of 24
(892 views)
Shortcut
|
|
He doesn't have a major role...
[In reply to]
|
Can't Post
|
|
...although it's much more than his character had in the book, and I enjoyed his performance. It was neat to recognize him from TH. 
|
|
|
cats16
Half-elven
Sep 28 2022, 7:38am
Post #11 of 24
(868 views)
Shortcut
|
|
I'm still two episodes behind...
[In reply to]
|
Can't Post
|
|
...but I thought based on the pilot that he would have a much more prominent role (but interesting to know that even this is more fleshed out than the character is in the book!).
Join us every weekend in the Hobbit movie forum for this week's CHOW (Chapter of the Week) discussion!
|
|
|
cats16
Half-elven
Sep 28 2022, 7:44am
Post #12 of 24
(867 views)
Shortcut
|
|
Hope you get access again soon!
[In reply to]
|
Can't Post
|
|
As I mentioned a post ago, I'm a couple of episodes behind the release schedule for HotD, but I've been surprisingly engaged thus far. For me, it all feels like an impressively intimate play, like watching Orson Welles's film adaptation of Othello, if you've seen it. I'm not one to automatically fawn over any tale of palace intrigue/deceit, but when done well it can be quite impressive.
I'll second your praise about Matt Smith. I hadn't seen him in much prior to this show, but he's proving to be up to the task.
Join us every weekend in the Hobbit movie forum for this week's CHOW (Chapter of the Week) discussion!
|
|
|
Greenwood Hobbit
Valinor
Sep 28 2022, 9:49am
Post #13 of 24
(863 views)
Shortcut
|
|
One good thing I've been watching
[In reply to]
|
Can't Post
|
|
is a kind of documentary led by Simon Reeve. He's made several series, delving beyond the 'front pages' of the places he visits to the stories not so often heard about. It's fascinating. His empathy and down-to-earth attitude with the people he meets makes it very involving viewing. (He's also quite easy on the eye, but that's beside the point!) He's working his way down the American continent in this one. Here's the write-up on the latest episode: 'You can never accuse Simon Reeve of sticking to the tourist trail. This week, he joins an armed patrol in very real danger of ambush by narco gangs as they raid a coca farm in Peru's so-called 'Cocaine Valley'. In fact the nearest he comes to tourism is amid the Inca ruins of Machu Pichu, where so many visitors are endangering the fabric of the site. Then, heading across the border to Bolivia, Simon discovers how the indigenous women known as cholas have battled for increasing influence and representation.'
|
|
|
Aunt Dora Baggins
Immortal
Sep 28 2022, 9:56pm
Post #14 of 24
(858 views)
Shortcut
|
It's a crowdfunded miniseries about Jesus and the disciples. I don't call myself a Christian anymore, but I still love Jesus movies, and this one is right at the top.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
GNU Terry Pratchett
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
"For DORA BAGGINS in memory of a LONG correspondence, with love from Bilbo; on a large wastebasket. Dora was Drogo's sister, and the eldest surviving female relative of Bilbo and Frodo; she was ninety-nine, and had written reams of good advice for more than half a century."
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
"A Chance Meeting at Rivendell" and other stories
leleni at hotmail dot com
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
|
|
|
ElanorTX
Tol Eressea
Sep 29 2022, 5:48am
Post #15 of 24
(826 views)
Shortcut
|
|
Most of my Christian friends are enthusiasts
[In reply to]
|
Can't Post
|
|
Haven't seen it myself, as I have no equipment, though I hope to catch up.
"I shall not wholly fail if anything can still grow fair in days to come."
|
|
|
ElanorTX
Tol Eressea
Sep 29 2022, 5:50am
Post #16 of 24
(820 views)
Shortcut
|
|
Matt Snith is one of my favorite Doctors
[In reply to]
|
Can't Post
|
|
You can't really say "was" about a Doctor.
"I shall not wholly fail if anything can still grow fair in days to come."
|
|
|
Aunt Dora Baggins
Immortal
Sep 29 2022, 8:53pm
Post #18 of 24
(789 views)
Shortcut
|
|
I've watched some of it on my phone
[In reply to]
|
Can't Post
|
|
though it's more fun on the TV screen. I ended up buying the DVDs for season 1 and 2, mostly to support the makers.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
GNU Terry Pratchett
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
"For DORA BAGGINS in memory of a LONG correspondence, with love from Bilbo; on a large wastebasket. Dora was Drogo's sister, and the eldest surviving female relative of Bilbo and Frodo; she was ninety-nine, and had written reams of good advice for more than half a century."
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
"A Chance Meeting at Rivendell" and other stories
leleni at hotmail dot com
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
|
|
|
Annael
Immortal
Sep 30 2022, 3:36pm
Post #19 of 24
(747 views)
Shortcut
|
finished off the first season of "Strange New Worlds." I thought they erred a bit at first by trying to do too many shows giving us the origin story of all the major characters before we were invested in them - rather like TMI on a first date! But then they settled down to some solid episodes. They have claimed that they are doing self-contained episodes, not sustained story arcs as with "Star Trek: Discovery," but that's not altogether true, and the arc of Pike's coming to terms with his fate has provided some of the best episodes so far.
I also am working through the latest season of "The Orville" which has happily outgrown its adolescent phase and likewise settled down to some solid storytelling - not very subtle at times, that's not Seth McFarlane's mode, but the actors are providing more nuanced performances now. Especially J. Lee - he doesn't get a lot of screen time but you can see how his character has grown with each time he gets a line.
I am a dreamer of words, of written words.
-- Gaston Bachelard
* * * * * * * * * *
NARF and member of Deplorable Cultus since 1967
|
|
|
sevilodorf
Tol Eressea
Oct 1 2022, 3:32pm
Post #20 of 24
(708 views)
Shortcut
|
|
Rockaway// The Worst Person in the World
[In reply to]
|
Can't Post
|
|
Rockaway is a 2017 film on Prime that is based on incidents from the screenwriter's life. It's in the genre of Radio Flyer /Stand By Me/
Well acted and focused but predictable.
The Worst Person in the World 2021 Norwegian film which won all sorts of awards but is definitely too filled with millenial angst for me. The ending is a big confusing and the on line explanations don't really fit. So my interpretation is we are seeing two alternatives to her life.
Fourth Age Adventures at the Inn of the Burping Troll http://burpingtroll.com
Home of TheOneRing.net Best FanFic stories of 2005 and 2006 "The Last Grey Ship" and "Ashes, East Wind, Hope That Rises" by Erin Rua
(Found in Mathoms, LOTR Tales Untold)
|
|
|
SirDennisC
Half-elven
Oct 1 2022, 6:20pm
Post #21 of 24
(710 views)
Shortcut
|
… at least that’s what I call this series of ghost-hunter type documentaries made in and around Saginaw, Michigan. It’s not a series in the usual sense, though there are several “episodes” produced over the last decade, at a rate of 1 per year. They catch quite a lot of “evidence” in every episode: things moving, falling over, doors opening, vaguely human-looking ghostly manifestations. There is so much activity, far more than the next most active show in the genre, that it has lead some critics to say it’s proof that the shows are fake. Still I liked the four or five hI’ve watched so far; if the evidence is staged, it’s well done, iow spooky. Whether you believe what you’re seeing or not, it’s entertaining, and the eye witnesses and investigators all bring an endearing earnestness to the enterprise.
Available on prime.
|
|
|
Kelly of Water's Edge
Rohan
Oct 4 2022, 3:20pm
Post #22 of 24
(668 views)
Shortcut
|
As a Universal Monster fan, I'm really enjoying this. Like seeing all the classic Gothic Victorian characters weaving in and out of eachother's stories. Definitely not for the kids, though, for several reasons.
|
|
|
ElanorTX
Tol Eressea
Oct 6 2022, 5:35am
Post #23 of 24
(656 views)
Shortcut
|
|
I lived in Saginaw for several years
[In reply to]
|
Can't Post
|
|
but never had ghostly experiences, except when my toddler daughter made the checkbook vanish. We never did find it 
"I shall not wholly fail if anything can still grow fair in days to come."
|
|
|
Annael
Immortal
Oct 6 2022, 3:05pm
Post #24 of 24
(638 views)
Shortcut
|
|
"It took me four days to hitch-hike from Saginaw"
[In reply to]
|
Can't Post
|
|
now I have that in my brain . . .
I am a dreamer of words, of written words.
-- Gaston Bachelard
* * * * * * * * * *
NARF and member of Deplorable Cultus since 1967
|
|
|
|
|
). Daemon is certainly a change of pace! 