STREAMING/BINGING and what’s left of Network Television
Apple Cider Vinegar – 10
The Search for Instagram’s Worst Con Artist - 8
A truly stunning piece of work, Apple Cider Vinegar is the story of Belle Gibson, an Australian
viral celebrity who claimed to be a brain cancer survivor and built a huge
following via an app. Chronicling her
rise and fall, the incredible Kaitlyn Dever plays Belle, and she captures her
deviousness and manipulatory nature with perfection. It’s one of the greatest performances you
will ever see
Belle Gibson started her Instagram and her app on how she was beating her cancer with healthy living. In 2013 Apple awarded the Whole Pantry the “health app of the year.” -They even preloaded her app on the Apple watch. The Whole Pantry was her healthy recipe cookbook. How she conned the public and pocketed money intended for charity, is only part of the story.
Besides the compelling story, the director Jeffrey Walker frames the story like a social media post, complete with floating effects. It gives it a surreal atmosphere. The story is enhanced with two other strong characters who are battling cancer.
Netflix is going all in on this story and has also released a documentary about this story (The Search) and seeing the real person doesn’t make this any more palatable.
These renditions are not fun, they’re not enjoyable, and
they are jaw dropping. It is an
indictment of the “influencer” phenomenon, and it shouldn’t be missed.
Landman -9
If there was ever a doubt how entertaining an actor Billy Bob Thornton is, it
is alleviated in about 10 one-liners in another Taylor Sheridan (Yellowstone)
production. BBT rips through the script
like he wrote it, except when he’s speechifying about the relevance of the oil
business like he’s filming an Exxon commercial.
Ali Larter plays his ex-wife and she’s so over the top as to be
ridiculous, but you can’t take your eyes off the two of them.
There are a couple of problems here, like Jon Hamm in a
thankless role, and Tommy (BBT) getting kidnapped, hooded, and beaten, not
once, but twice. Guess the Texas oil
fields are still the wild, wild west. I
broke down and got a Paramount+ subscription just to watch this, and was glad I
did.
Let's say this is your first exposure to Billy Bob. Here are some essentials: The first season of the series Fargo, the series Goliath, the movie One False Move, and the movie Sling Blade.
The Pitt - 8
We’ve watched 9 graphic episodes out of 15 of this HBO mini-series about a Pittsburgh Emergency Room. It’s set in real-time over 15 hours and is gross, and enthralling most of the time. I’m not big on ER dramas because they bear no resemblance to any emergency room I’ve been in.
The good: Most of the
characters are interesting and well-drawn.
Noah Wylie plays the head and he’s excellent.
The bad: There’s an
extremely irritating character, the administrator of the hospital, who is
completely unnecessary. When a patient
comes in, several doctors pounce on the case, which I’ve never seen
happen. Lastly the waiting room is
packed and there is an awful lot of standing around by the doctors. I guess that lack of sense of urgency is kind of realistic.
The bottom line is that this is a very entertaining drama, but I wouldn’t go here for treatment.
Prime Target – 9
In pursuit of some prime number math that I wouldn’t understand in a million
years, Apple+ TV has another hit on their hands.
The lead actor, Leo Woodall, has a Matt Damon-like charisma, and he is
convincing as a math genius who has to go on the run because he’s just too
smart and might be able to solve some math problem that would unlock all the
digital locks in the world. We have
watched almost all of this and didn’t know math (or the “maths” as they like to
call it) could be this suspenseful.
Zero Day - 8
Robert DeNiro does a standout job as a former President trying to figure out a
cyber-attack. It’s a great story idea
that is marred by some ridiculous subplots and idiotic twists. (Why are there always these contrived
deadlines?) We hung in for the whole thing, and it was ok, but it could have
been so much better. I’ve long said that
the next war is going to be fought by computers, and the cyber-attacks
portrayed in this have me more convinced than ever.
Saturday Night (2025 Movie) – 4
Saturday Night Live 1st
Episode rebroadcast – 8
Saturday Night Live 50th
Anniversary Show – 6
SNL50: Beyond Saturday Night – 4 part doc I haven’t
watched yet
50 Years of SNL Music - 8
SNL Homecoming: the 50th Anniversary Concert – 9
I wrote last month about the hugely disappointing movie about the time leading
up to that first episode in 1975. But
what actors could capture John Belushi and Chevy Chase, to name just a few icons? I said I remembered that first episode like
it was yesterday, then I got to relive it when NBC rebroadcast it, and of
course found out my memory wasn’t quite all that, but it was still great, and
it’s cultural significance has stood the test of time. It launched 100 stars (or so) of varying
abilities and comedy has benefited.
The long awaited 50th anniversary show had its moments but won’t
make much of a mark on comedy history. A
rather raspy Paul McCartney closed it out with one of my favorite pieces of
music, the Abbey Road medley. And that
was a true indicater, as much better was the musical end of things. The 50 Years of SNL Music documentary, broadcast in
January on NBC started with an incredible edited composite of performances,
then some great, and some not-so-great interviews and snippets.
But by far, the best of the lot is the 50th Anniversary concert. Unfortunately, it’s only
available on Peacock, and the word of mouth was so good (rightly) that I
subscribed (that’s twice they got me for this month.) Cher, of all people brings the house down,
there’s a reunion of what’s left of a supplemented Nirvana. The Backstreet Boys (whoever they are), Miley
Cyrus, Lady Gaga, Bonnie Raitt, Will Ferrell, Andy Sandburg, on and on. Well worth the $9.95 and 3 hours of your
time.
Here's more to check out that I found interesting:
MOVIES
Flow - 10
I don’t particularly like cats and I rarely watch animated movies, so it took a ferocious endorsement by a friend to get me to watch this movie, an animated story about a
cat. But I’m sure glad I did. It’s simply a masterpiece of wonderful
animation that tells a moving story of a cat who is uprooted by a flood and
joins a group of other animals on an ark of sorts. It’s magical.
Trust me. Stick your toe in the
flood waters.
The Gorge – 8
Take two charismatic stars, Miles Teller, and Anna Taylor-Joy and turn them loose in a far-fetched, even by sci-fi standards, romp through a gorge filled with deformed humans turned monsters and you have a fairly decent one-night diversion. The play snipers on the opposite side of the gorge, tasked with keeping whatever's in there, in there. The star power is the draw here and Ms Taylor-Joy is on her way to full-fledged superstardom.
Rogue Agent – 8
On the other hand, we stumbled on this 2022 gem with little star
power, but a decent story. Sometimes you
just want a simple, straight story and it turns out this is based on a real-life MI6 agent who was actually a con man.
Gemma Arterton is the lady who gets taken in, and what’s interesting is
that she’s not an easy mark. She’s tough
and reluctant and she is as surprised as we are when Mr. Right proves to be Mr.
Wrong. Can she figure out who he
is? Can she exact revenge? Cool movie, nothing fancy, and a big
surprise.
THE ACADEMY AWARDS
Time for my Oscar Predictions
Best Picture
Should Win – A Complete Unknown
Will win – I have no idea.
Of the nominees I have seen A Complete Unknown, Emilia
Perez, Conclave, and The Substance, and thought A Complete Unknown was easily
the best, but I haven’t seen Nickel Boys, I’m Still Here, Dune2, Wicked, Anora, nor The Brutalist.
Best Actor
Should Win – Timothee Chalamet
Will Win – Adrien Brody
Again, I only saw 2 performances but if you don’t know that
I think Chalamet gives one of the greatest performances in the history of
cinema, you haven’t been paying attention.
Best Actress
Should Win – Demi Moore
Will Win – Demi Moore
I can live with an occasional life-time achievement award, but I hear Mikey
Madison has a shot, and I really like that I hadn’t heard of all of these but
Demi before this year.
Best Supporting Actor
Should Win – I have no idea
Will Win – Kieran Culkin
Culkin has swept, but I wasn't a fan
Best Supporting Actress
Should Win – Monica Barbaro (no chance)
Will Win – Zoe Saldano
Even if it’s really a lead role.
Best Director
Should Win – James Mangold (A Complete Unknown)|
Will Win – Sean Baker (Anora)
Mangold has a knack for musical biographies, and I said at
the time that Reese Witherspoon’s performance as June Carter Cash might be the
best I’ve ever seen, so I’ll be rooting hard for him and his picture, but I
expect disappointment.
Best Animated Feature
Should Win – Flow (see above, and catch it on Max)
You probably won’t watch, but I still dig the award shows. Tells me what I’ve missed.
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