This is that time of the year when I’m distracted by
festivals, disillusioned by politics, and dependent on television
for screen entertainment. Thus, you get two
months of movie going and TV blog for the price of one.
Midnight Special – 9
There’s nothing wrong with a little genuine science fiction film making,
and this one’s pretty cool. It involves
a religious cult trying to recapture a very gifted young boy who may or not be
of this world. This movie works as a
thriller, a chase movie, and most importantly as a supernatural ride with a nifty final explanation.
The chase takes place across Louisiana, so you know it’s
going to be strange.
10 Cloverfield Lane – 8
There’s nothing wrong with a little end of the world science
fiction, and this one’s very good too.
John Goodman has built himself a neat little end of the
world bunker, where else but in Louisiana, and he saves a young girl (or does
he?) after she wrecks her car while fleeing the “war.” It feels like a post apocalyptic "Room" and I just wish I hadn't spent most of the movie trying to figure out who the other actor in the bunker was. (I knew him from The Newsroom.)
Whiskey Tango Foxtrot – 7
Tina Fey plays a war correspondent in Afghanistan in this
not-much-comedy story. She exerts her
unusual charisma, and the main thing I got out of this movie was a burning desire
to spend an hour with Tina Fey someday. Her star power carries a less that nifty movie, although the presence of Margot Robbie doesn't hurt.
Scanning the Satellite
Nothing Left Unsaid – 10
If I’ve ever seen a more engrossing documentary than this HBO story of Gloria Vanderbilt and her son Anderson Cooper, I can’t remember
it. I couldn’t have even told you a
thing about Gloria Vanderbilt before I watched this, but talk about a full
life - Her ups and downs are such
pinnacles and devastations that it made me feel like I’ve been sleep walking
through life. What a story. I never intended to watch this, but it caught
me by surprise, and by the throat.
Vinyl – 9
This HBO miniseries is hard to watch because of the constant
drug use, but a lot of fun because of the amazing actors they got to play a
plethora of rock stars. Whoever did the
casting is the star of this show. The
music is fun. The performances are wild.
American Idol - 8
Gone for now, but just for fun I'd thought I'd do an approximate ranking of some of my all-time favorite contestants, Feel free to give me yours:
Kelly Clarkson, whom I missed in that first season. Having now watched all of her performances I wander if AI would have been as big without her. What if there had been a lesser winner in season one?
Jordan Sparks, the only winner I picked right out of the gate.
Haley Reinhardt
David Cook
Allison Iraheta, unfairly maligned by Simon Cowell.
Katherine McPhee
Casey Abrams
Pia Toscano
Chris Daughtery
Siobhan Magnus
Angie Miller
Joshua Ledet
Melinda Doolittle
The Good Wife - 10, 10, 10
Next Sunday is the final episode of another series I never expected to like. Somehow we got caught up in this amazing drama. Fantastic weekly scripts were the hallmark of this story of a law firm, Chicago politics, families, and love affairs. This has been a masterpiece of story telling.
It now ranks, not that anyone cares, as my second favorite network drama of all time, behind the legendary Hill Street Blues.
Billions – 10
This Showtime series is magical for one reason. You’ve got the great Paul Giamatti as the Federal Prosecutor trying to pin crime and punishment on a flashy hedge fund manager played by Damian Lewis (Homeland) a Showtime Golden Boy. Malin Ackerman is also terrific as Lewis’ equally gutsy wife. But the magic here is in the performance of Maggie Siff who absolutely blows them off the screen as the wife/psychiatrist caught between the battling testosterone of the two male leads. She is riveting and amazing and I don’t pick the Emmys, but if I did, the race would be over already. She’s that good. Just as Carrie Coon blew me away on The Leftovers, and has been justly rewarded, watch for Maggie to be.
