9 January
18 January
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The Crown
The life and times of the British royal family ~ I've just watched Season 2, which was even better than Season 1. It takes place during the late 1950s and early 1960s and deals with revelations about Edward VIII's Nazi sympathies, Princess Margaret's love life, a meeting with the Kennedys, the downfall of MacMillan's government after the Profumo affair, and so much more. Can't wait for the next season! Claire Foy and Matt Smith star.
5 stars
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Vikings
Season 5, still terrific despite the lack of Ragnar Lothbrok. I've written a full review of it HERE.
5 stars
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Britannia
Druids and Romans in Dark Ages England. Watched the first episode and unimpressed; the awesome-ness that is David Morrissey didn't quite make up for the rest of it. Struck me as the Happy Shopper version of Vikings. I think US TV seems to do this sort of thing so much better; the actors and dialogue were unconvincing for the time, with people like Julian Rhind-Tutt playing more or less the same character as he did in Green Room. Somehow, Lagertha talking to Torvi in Vikings seems authentic, even though they're speaking in English, but the two sisters on the beach at the beginning of this just weren't.
2 stars
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Last Flag Flying
Film: light tragi-comedic drama about three Vietnam vets, starring Bryan Cranston, Steve Carell and Lawrence Fishburne. I'll watch anything with Mr Cranston in it, and he's great in this. Loved it, definitely recommend!
4.5 stars
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Crazy Ex-Girlfriend
Not my usual thing at all; comedy/musical series starring and created by Rachel Bloom. New York lawyer abandons her career to chase a dream in California, stalking an ex-boyfriend. I enjoyed the first 3 episodes of Season 1 which were really well done, but the 4th episode was a bit weak, with lots of determinedly 'zany' chick lit type scenarios, and I don't think I even smiled, so I don't know if I shall bother to watch any more.
3 stars
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Mosaic
Drama series starring Sharon Stone about an ill-fated, neurotic children's author. Weird to see her finally starting to look old, though still beautiful. Lovely mountain setting, pretty bog-standard murder plot type thing, but good.
3.5 stars
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Top of the Lake
Just watched Season 2; #1 was set in mountainous New Zealand and I really loved the scenery as well as the plot. #2 is in Sydney. Flavour of the month Elisabeth Moss stars as a detective with all sorts of personal baggage, around which the plots centre. Very gripping, good stories, loved it (#1 was my favourite).
5 stars
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Inside No. 9
Just watched Season 4 of the darkly comic tales starring and written by Steve Pemberton and Reece Shearsmith. They vary; they're all good but some are just 'yeah, that was good', and some are great. I liked the last two of this series the best; brilliant twisty plots.
4 stars
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Safe House
Film - rogue CIA agent thriller starring Denzel Washington. Good, but not remarkable; I've actually forgotten what the plot was about already. But I enjoyed it at the time.
3.5 stars
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