Month: November 2022
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A Small Rant about Close Captions and Subtitles
Look at that image. A TV series with three women as lead characters. It was written and directed by a woman. Perfect for me, right? Wrong. I tried to watch it but was stymied by the way close captions and subtitles are used.
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Wednesday, dark humor, mystery, and impeccable performances
Wednesday from director Tim Burton could not look any more Tim Burtonish unless he hand drew every frame. This live action series about Wednesday Addams is about as close to perfect as a TV series can get.
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The Guardians of the Galaxy Holiday Special – Merry Christmas
The Guardians of the Galaxy Holiday Special is a 40 minute romp with some Marvel characters designed to bring you a little holiday cheer. It’s streaming on Disney+.
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Andor takes us back to the beginning of Star Wars
Andor took me on a nostalgia trip. This prequel to the original 1977 Star Wars movie (and the Rogue One film) reminded me of the excitement that the original film generated in its day.
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The Crown, season 5, from which I want a divorce
The Crown, season 5, is a dreary season full of unhappiness and human failing. When this series began way back in 2016, I felt it was a means to humanize the royals. In season 5, the royals are just as miserable as all the other humans on the planet. I’ve stuck with The Crown through…
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Annika, season 1, a police show with charm
Annika stars Nicola Walker as a marine homicide cop in a role she originated as part of a radio series. It was remade for TV, set in Scotland, and has been renewed for a second season.
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Bantú Mama, a quiet story of connections
Bantú Mama, is a quiet and largely visual story about identity, the longing for roots, and the deep connections between people and places. It’s in the running for best international feature film entry from the Dominican Republic for the upcoming Oscars. There are some spoilers ahead.
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Warrior Nun, season 2, with a more coherent plot
Warrior Nun returned to Netflix with a second season that held together much better than season 1. The heroine of the tale, Ava (Alba Baptista) led her kickass nun pals in a chase to rid the world of an evil character who escaped from another world.
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Dead to Me, season 3, a touching farewell
Dead to Me, season 3, brings this unusual dark comedy series to an end. In a story about the tangled traumas that lead to love and friendship between two women, the ending is heartfelt and touching.
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The Wonder, Florence Pugh stars in this period piece
The Wonder is a period piece set in 1862 Ireland. The plot about faith vs. science is as relevant today as it was under the religious and patriarchal confines of that former time.