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Reviews
The Big Lebowski (1998)
This film actually gets better with age
I occasionally go back and watch old favorites and am frequently disappointed in how they haven't held up.
The Big Lebowski is one I've watched a few times since its release and liked it more with each viewing. If you aren't familiar with the Coen Bros. Then the film may initially strike you a little bit "WTF?" It can be bizarre, but it's totally entertaining.
Side story: My family scattered my father's ashes in 2016 at his favorite place in the world, Squaw Valley, California (now Palisades). We were at the top of the mountain and the wind was ferocious. So when I opened the container, we all got dusted with ash. And we all shouted "Lebowski!" The dude abides.
1883: This Is Not Your Heaven (2022)
Yeah, I cried like a baby
I think we all knew after Elsa was gut shot by an arrow she was gonna die. Yes, there were some implausible scenes: Elsa riding point into the fort, looking fresh as a daisy while in a downward spiral. But the way she and her father interacted in the final scenes crushed me. As a dad with a daughter, it hit SO close to home. Great series, great series finale.
Line of Duty (2012)
Excellent British crime drama
My wife and I generally enjoy British crime dramas, and Line of Duty is one of the best we've seen. The acting is great and the storylines are engaging.
I will admit, however, that it requires a healthy suspension of disbelief regarding the speed and efficiency of UK internal affairs investigations. Perhaps it helps that we're American and can pretend the British criminal justice system is far more capable than ours.
It also helps us to watch this series with closed captions enabled because the delightful northern English and Scottish accents and.slang can sometimes make the dialogue difficult to understand.
I've seen criticism about what some consider the excessive use of police jargon. Personally, I find it interesting and easy to figure out given the context.
The Gentlemen (2019)
A very enjoyable crime caper with wonderful dialogue
This movie is two hours of pure fun. The dialogue is clever and witty; Hugh Grant is fantastic. It's great to go to the theater and watch an intelligent movie.
Get Shorty (2017)
Fun show; great writing, great acting
I stumbled upon this on Netflix and was instantly hooked. The characters are great and the writing is really clever. One of my favorite shows in recent years.
The Last Kingdom (2015)
Great show; solid characters and good writing
So many action/adventure/dramas set in this period are fantasy-based and awash in gratuitous violence and gore. The Last Kingdom is thoughtful (and I think somewhat based on history). The characters are well developed and the writing is really solid. The CGI and live action are seamless. The show really paints a picture of what an awful time this would have been to be alive-- but how it was necessary for England to evolve as it has.
Lost in Space (2018)
I tried to watch with an open mind-- but I'm done after one
This show is just awful and completely lacking logic. One of many examples: Deep water freezes almost immediately because of extreme cold but then it starts raining? I'm always willing to suspend disbelief for a good story that follows its own rules, but the people behind this production make it impossible. In addition the characters are unlikeable and the story is stupid.
And Then They Came for Us (2017)
Heartbreaking and enraging
Your heart will break as you watch this film. And you'll be enraged by the blatant racism that put 120,000 Japanese Americans in concentration camps for most of WWII.
The documentary also examines the parallels between the mass incarceration of ethnic Japanese and the anti-Muslim hysteria that exists in the United States today.
Broadchurch (2013)
Damn, I love British crime dramas!
I just stumbled upon Broadchurch on Netflix and I love it!
Sometimes US crime dramas seem fake to me, so perhaps my lack of understanding of the UK criminal justice system helps me suspend my disbelief.
I also enjoy how British TV dramas allow the characters to develop without the need to force the story along.
The acting is great and the pacing is perfect. I Googled "Broadchurch" to see if it's a real town and discovered it's fictional, and so is Wessex.
I enjoy the tension between the lead detective and his subordinate, the longtime resident of Broadchurch.
Great show.