Lately I've Been Watching

The latest in my series of mini TV and film reviews, with trailers and 'where to watch'.  If you have trouble finding where any show/film is available in your country, this is a good site: Justwatch.  Just put the name of the show into the search, and choose your country further down, from the drop-down menu.  It shows where you can stream, buy or rent.  

However... I've found it to be not absolutely up to date at all times.  Sometimes I've had better results simply putting 'where can I watch ***' into the search engine, or going to the programme's own site, if it has one.

If you would like to see more posts, please click here: Lately I've Been Watching.  If you get as far as the bottom, 'Older Posts' will take you to more.

Series:  Yellowstone  - Season 4

5* and a little bit more.⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐

(Paramount)

The continuing story of the Dutton family - the 21st Century version of Dallas, set in Montana: John Dutton (Kevin Costner) and his family are wealthy ranch owners permanently engaged in wrangles with Native Americans who want their land back and massive money-hungry corporations who want to 'develop' the area, ultimately destroying the way of life that has continued for so long.  All this, mixed in with deep-rooted family problems that nobody can resolve.

Kelly Reilly continues to be fabulous as the fiery, couldn't give a f*** Beth Dutton, while Monica Dutton (wife of the gorgeous Kayce - Luke Grimes) continues to be a whining PITA despite being beautiful, rich, loved, etc etc.   The scenery is spectacular as ever, the plot developments are unpredictable and believeable, and I think this was possibly the best season yet - if you're a horse lover, you'll adore it.  It's really, really good.  If you haven't seen it yet, you have a treat in store. 

Mini Series: The Billion Dollar Code  

4.5* ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐

(Netflix)

A four-part fictional adaptation of the true story of Joachim Sauter - a visionary young man living in Berlin whose company gained backing (in 1993) to develop TerraVision, which was the forerunner to Google Earth.  The story centres around the 2014-2017 patent infringement lawsuit against Google, who were said to have stolen the idea and algorithm from Sauter's company, via another Silicon Valley mogul who pretended to be a great guy.  German, dubbed into English.  Very good indeed!

Series:  Animal Kingdom - Season 6

5* ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐

(Amazon)

The final season of this series about a family of criminals (clever and brilliantly executed heists), headed by matriarch Janine Cody - previously played by Ellen Barkin, but apparently the studios felt she was too old (or so I've read), so they killed her off and have, over the last two seasons, told the (most absorbing) backstory about her with Leila George playing her younger self. 

The series is set in California, with a surfing and drugs theme.  Very much enjoyed every season, highly recommended.  Also, eye candy in the form of Ben Robson, as the motorbiking Craig Cody whose life takes on a new meaning when his son is born.

Series:  Moonhaven - Season 1

5* ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐

(Amazon, AMC+)

New series, and it's a winner.  Set in the long distant future, when human life on Earth has become a dystopian nightmare with warring factions, etc.  On the moon, AI has provided a solution - a utopian community intended to develop the technology and cultural means to save a ravaged earth.  The story centres around Earth soldier and pilot Bella (Emma McDonald), who I thought was great - the character could have so easily become 'feisty young woman saves the universe', but she's most likable and feels real.  Also stars Dominic Monaghan (Lord of the Rings) as an resident of Moonhaven who believes that everyone's intentions are benign.  Shocks on their way, as you can imagine.

Moonhaven's culture means that children are taken away from their parents at birth, and do not see them again until they're about to die; the community is the family.  This works on the basic theory that families encourage tribalism, which increases the likelihood of wars.   Even as Season 1 comes to a close, though, the people are beginning to realise that family (and tribalism) is something innate within the human psyche; meanwhile, Bella is uncovering the corruption amongst the leaders on earth.  Looking forward to Season 2!

Mini Series: The Thief, his wife and the Canoe

4.5* ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐

(ITV hub, britbox)

The true story of John Darwin, who faked his own death, and his wife Anne who helped him do so.  Eddie Marsan (Ray Donovan) stars as Darwin.  Four parts.  Nice appearance of the super-droll Karl Pilkington as a sceptical detective.  Fascinating, tragic story, so well translated into TV drama.

Film: Emily The Criminal

5* ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐

(Rent: Amazon, Apple and others)

An unexpected gem.  Aubrey Plaza as Emily, who can't get on top of her financial situation because of a minor felony and DUI on her record - until she is offered a way to make some easy money.  Plaza was terrific, perfect for the storyline and completely convincing.  Also stars Theo Rossi ('Juice' Ortiz in Sons of Anarchy).  Good story, great acting, really liked the way it was filmed, too.  Definitely recommend this one!

Mini Series:  The Walk-In

4.5* ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐

(ITV hub, britbox)

Five part series based on the true story of former neo-Nazi Matthew Collins (Stephen Graham), now working for humanitarian charity HOPE Not Hate, when he learns about a new far-right group called National Action.  Meanwhile, a friendless, unhappy young man called Robbie Mullen is lured into NA.  At first Mullen is thrilled to be included, but after a while he begins to find their dangerous extremism unacceptable - which is when he contacts Matthew Collins.

Stephen Graham's performance is as compelling as ever; this is a real shocker and contains depictions of real life events, such as the murder of MP Jo Cox.  Scenes showing Collins' life as a young man were most effective; he is haunted by his shady past for which he tries to compensate, every day, while being hounded by his former neo-Nazi allies.  Also stars David Hayman (big thumbs up there) and Jason Flemyng (who I always think is Rhys Ifans).

The only thing I didn't like about it was the sneaky bit of 'nudging' - that lunatic, dangerous far-right and anti-semitic groups also spread conspiracy theories about pharmaceutical companies was dropped in more than once.  I'm sure they do, but being distrustful of pharmaceutical companies does not necessarily mean you are a far-right, violent, anti-semitic nutter.  Sadly, though, many will make the intended connection, even if only subconsciously.

Limited Series: Smith 

4.5*⭐⭐⭐⭐

(iTunes, Amazon)

Series-that-never-was from 2006, starring Ray Liotta, Virginia Madsen, Jonny Lee Miller (Trainspotting) and Chris Bauer (The Wire).  Liotta heads a group of criminals (heists) who also lead 'normal' lives, and face the expected conflict between the two.  Apparently the first season was made, but it was cancelled after only three episodes were shown.  Since then, many viewers clamoured for the whole thing to be shown; it is now available as shown above.  Just a shame that it ends on a brilliant cliffhanger, and we will never know what might have happened!

Series:  The Boys - Season 3

5* ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐

(Amazon)

The third season of this superhero series is the best so far, I think - and Anthony Starr (Banshee) ought to win all awards available for his portrayal of the psychotic, insecure and totally FUBAR leader of The Seven: the outwardly charismatic Homeland.  

Battling to take them down are The Boys, led by Billy Butcher - played by Karl Urban with a not always realistic London accent.  Incidentally, I only just realised (because someone told me, would never have made the connection) that Urban played Éomer in Lord of the Rings.  Gif below!! 

Limited Series: Dahmer

4*⭐⭐⭐⭐

(Netflix)

Much talked about ten-part series about the life and victims of Jeffrey Dahmer, notorious serial killer.  The acting was great, and it was produced in such a way that it stuck to the true life story.  I liked how they gave some background on some of the victims, which made them more than just names and faces on a list, and also the way in which the timeline meandered back and forth throughout, so that the story built up gradually; something mentioned early on might be shown in more detail later, when it would have more impact.  The effect on the family was illustrated in detail, too, leaving the viewer wondering if he really was 'born like that', as Dahmer himself said, or if other factors were contributory.

Every nook and cranny of the story was explored; this will probably not be a view shared by many, but I felt that some aspects were 'milked' a little.  I think it would have been even better if it had been less soap-drama-ish and more condensed, sharper - maybe six episodes instead of ten.

Documentary: Nothing Compares

4.5* ⭐⭐⭐⭐

(Showtime)

Film about the life and career of Sinéad O'Connor.  I came away from this feeling incredibly sorry for her.  Not least of all that she was unjustly vilified for impulsive actions in her youth, but for how she had so much chaos going on in her head, too, much of it because of childhood ill treatment and the Catholic church.  Never having known much about her before, my impression was that she was a general pain in the arse, angry young woman.  Having watched this, I think she was just ahead of her time.  During her interviews she came across as just a fairly amicable girl who was not at all 'starry', and a little surprised by her success.  I wonder if some of the animosity towards her was because she made people feel uncomfortable; she dared to voice controversial views, whilst being talented, edgy and beautiful.  Often goes down badly, that.

Reality show:  Alone Season 10 - Frozen

4*⭐⭐⭐⭐

(History Channel, Directv)

I'm a great fan of Alone (contestants sent into bleak places to survive alone for as long as they can for a cash prize), but this season ... hmm, not quite so much.  It was set in Arctic Canada in late autumn and winter, with just 6 contestants rather than the usual 10; this time three men and three women who'd competed in previous series.   The fact that they'd already been there/done that resulted in three of them realising they couldn't really be bothered with it, and weren't prepared to go through that hardship all over again, not even for a share in the prize money of half a million dollars.  Two tapped out in the first week, one without having even built a shelter.  Another kept saying 'I must get my shelter finished' but never did, and then decided to go home after all. 

Which just left three, who said the words 'grateful' and 'gratitude' approximately every five minutes, or whenever they looked at the sunrise/found a dead snow hare in one of their snares.  They all said they 'wanted to feel connected to their food', which, apparently, means killing an animal and telling it you're grateful to it for giving its life to you (not that Mr Bunny had much choice), in the hope that you may win said half a million big ones.  

In the first few seasons, the contestants were just regular survival types.  They hunted and got on with it, without the faux-spiritual/new age baloney.   Still love watching it, though.  

Film: Vengeance

3.5* ⭐⭐⭐

(Apple)

Fairly entertaining film written by and starring B J Novak, about a New York journalist who has a few one-nighters with a Texan girl who thinks he's her boyfriend.  When she dies, her family (who also think he was her boyriend) insist he's present for the funeral - and also takes part in searching for her murderer.

Series: The Capture - Season 2

4*⭐⭐⭐⭐

(BBCiplayer, Starz)

UK series revolving around how technology can be used to show, via CCTV, etc that stuff happens that didn't really.  This season, we see the taking down of an MP - an interview on TV that never happened causes uproar.  And yes, this technology really does exist.

Comedy Series: Kevin can f*** himself

4*⭐⭐⭐⭐

(Amazon)

This is a very novel idea!   First we see the situation from dorky, irritating husband Kevin's POV - bright lights, canned laughter - your average sitcom.  Then comes wife Allison's view, and you understand what their life is really like.  It totally works, highly entertaining.

Series: Cobra - Season 2

3.5*  ⭐⭐⭐⭐ 

(Apple, Sky, Now)

Second season about Cobra - Cabinet Office Briefing Room A, the location in Whitehall where British Prime Ministers hold emergency meetings.  Robert Carlyle plays the PM.  This one is all about cyber attacks and civil unrest.  Like the first season, it's good but, I don't think, goes far enough.  Needs more disaster and less events-being-resolved-quite-quickly for it to be as exciting and compelling as it could be. 

Film: Predestination

3.5* ⭐⭐⭐

(Apple, Virgin, Amazon)

Fairly enjoyable (though completely ridiculous) 2015 film starring Ethan Hawke and Sarah Snook (Succession), about time travel.  Worth watching for a bit of entertainment and escapism.

Limited Series: The Ipcress File

3.5* ⭐⭐⭐

(

The remake of the film of the Len Deighton book, as a series.  It's okay, but I thought it lacked spark, and you can't replace Michael Caine's Harry Palmer with ... anyone at all, really, however many pairs of heavy-rimmed glasses you find in Wardrobe.  Fairly good to watch, but forgettable.

Lately I've Been Watching

 

The latest in my series of mini TV reviews, with trailers and 'where to watch'.  If you have trouble finding where any show/film is available, try typing 'where can I watch *name of show*' into Google.

If you would like to see more posts, please click here: Lately I've Been Watching.  If you get as far as the bottom, 'Older Posts' will take you to more.

Series: War of the Worlds - Season 1 (Amazon Prime)

5 stars plus ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐

Gabriel Byrne, Lea Drucker and Elizabeth McGovern star in this terrific updated version - love love and loved it, stayed up until 2.15 a.m. watching the first 4 episodes because I couldn't stop!  Highly, highly recommended.  The robot dogs are not quite as terrifying as those in Black Mirror's Metalhead, but they come close.  Something about that noise they make...

There's a good mix of characters, some likeable (Helen, Bill, Ash, Sophia, Kariem, Colonel Mustafa), some irritating (Sarah, Sacha and Chloe).  Two of the characters have a link to the aliens who have invaded, but we are yet to discover why or what ... and why are they stealing the babies?  Season 2 can't come soon enough. :)

 

Series: Raised by Wolves - Season 1 (Amazon Prime, HBO Max)

5 stars plus ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐

Directed by Ridley Scott.  A long time in the future, the world has come to an end as the theists are at war with the atheists.  Some of the latter send two androids to another planet with 12 incubating foetuses, to restart the human race.  When all but one die, the 'mother' (a special type of über-dangerous android called a necromancer) kills the occupants of the crashed 'ark' - a spaceship filled with believers - except for the children, who she takes to fill her dead children's place.   Enter Ragnar Lothbrok Travis Fimmel, an atheist pretending to be a believer, to get back the son who isn't really his.  Honestly, it's not as confusing as I made that sound.  Just remember that Marcus, the character played by Ragnar Lothbrok (sorry, Travis Fimmel; the character is exactly the same as the one in Vikings, increasingly so as it goes on) is not really him but a man called Caleb who has had plastic surgery to assume Marcus's face.

Ah—I may have failed to express how much I loved this.  It's terrific, it really is, Fimmel is great, as are the mother and father androids.  Am totally rooting for the androids, btw. 😉

 

Series: The Capture - Season 1 (BBC)

5 stars ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐

Excellent and gripping story about a former solider who was cleared of a war crime, then set up as guilty of murder, and the detective who works out what is really going on, and how dangerous the conspiracy is.  Highly recommended.

Documentary: What Killed Michael Brown? (Amazon)

4.5 stars ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐

A documentary by Shelby Steele, which examines the shooting by a police officer of Black teenager Michael Brown, and goes on to look at the Civil Rights movement of the 1960s, compared with BLM, and discusses why racial divide in America is as much a problem as ever.

Here is a lengthy review on Film Threat

Documentary: The Plot Against The President (Amazon)

4.5 stars ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐

Whatever your political leanings, you should watch this—but be warned.  You will never believe anything you hear on the news or read in the press, ever again.  Not for anyone of a nervous disposition; it saddened me greatly, that we live in the sort of world where this sort of thing is allowed to happen.  Please note, this is not a documentary solely for the pro-Trump; it's an eye-opener, generally, and will make every fictional government conspiracy thriller you've ever watched or read seem like child's play.

Series: Fear The Walking Dead - Season 6, episodes 1 & 2 (AMC Premiere, Amazon)

5 stars ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐

Three episodes in, and I think that, so far, this is the best season yet.  So good to see Morgan sort himself out, and Dwight get back to the guy Daryl first met in Always Accountable, but the highlight so far has to be Dwight and Sherry's reunion - worth the wait, and will go down as one of the great TWD reunions!

I'm assuming that Al is going to turn out to be the sister of either Aaron or Eric - that vehicle plate thing.  I'm going for Aaron :)

 

Documentary: The Seven Five (Amazon)

4 stars ⭐⭐⭐⭐

About Michael Dowd, known as the most corrupt New York cop ever.  Fascinating and well put-together, with much footage from the 1980s and early 1990s, interviews with Dowd himself, and the people who worked with him.  And I'm not just talking the other cops.

 

Series: The Boys - Seasons 1 & 2 (Amazon)

4.5 stars ⭐⭐⭐⭐

Watched all of S1 again before S2, as I couldn't remember what happened.  Liked it just as much as the first time round!  Great comic-inspired show about an America in which the public's icons are the superheroes that keep them safe - but were they given their superpowers by God, or did they derive from something more down to earth?  And are they really as godlike and good as their public image represents?

The Boys of the title refers to a group of vigilantes who each have their own individual beefs with various members of 'The Seven' - these are chosen ones, the group to which superheroes all over the country aspire to belong.  Main character Hughie is played by Dennis Quaid's son, who falls in love with one of The Seven - Starlight.

It's great fun, and Anthony Starr (Banshee) is brilliant as Homelander, the king of The Seven.  Also stars Giancarlo Esposito, playing Gus Fring from Breaking Bad. 😉  TWD lovers will spot Colby Minifie (Virginia in FearTWD) as the ghastly assistant to the superheroes.

 

 

Series: Keeping Faith - Seasons 1 & 2 (Amazon)

4.5 stars ⭐⭐⭐⭐

Faith Howells is a lawyer living in a small town in south Wales, with her three children and husband Evan, with whom she has a legal practice.  At the start, she is on maternity leave with her baby son, when she gets a call from the office to say that Evan has not turned up for work.  Faith can't get hold of him, all day, and neither does he return home that evening.  He has disappeared off the face of the earth. 

As Faith uncovers some shady stuff in which Evan was mixed up, her whole life is turned upside town.  Features a disapproving mother-in-law, the customary kooky divorced friend who goes on endless dates, lots of nasty gangster-type baddies, murders, and a possible new love interest.

It's jolly good, and my interest was held all the way through both seasons.  Eve Myles is great as Faith; you'll like her.  My only complaint was that the last episode seemed a bit rushed, with all ends tied up a bit too neatly and quickly, and a lack of drama that the ending needed; a great ending with another twist in the tale would have made all the difference.  It was a bit lacklustre, and I was slightly disappointed by the outcome for Faith herself, too.  Definitely worth watching, though!

Series: Sanctuary - Season 1 (Amazon)

4 stars ⭐⭐⭐⭐

Set in the Dolomites, Helena visits her estranged sister in a sanitorium, and is almost immediately immersed in a terrifying case of mistaken identity.  Most entertaining, though I did find that it stretched feasibility a bit too much.  Good plot, though, and left on a rather compelling cliff-hanger, so I look forward to S2.

A special mention for my cousin, actor Tim Daish, who could be spotted in the cast list as 'Landrover driver'!

Miniseries: The Third Day.  (Amazon, Sky Atlantic, HBO)

4 stars ⭐⭐⭐⭐

Jude Law stars as Sam, whose yearly pilgrimage to the place where the body of his murdered son was found leads him to the tidal island of Osea, from which he at first seems to be prevented from leaving.  Then, he chooses not to.

That's the first three episodes.  The second three tell the story of a woman and her two daughters, who arrive at Osea thinking, mistakenly, that they have booked an Air BnB cottage for a couple of days.  They, too, are to find leaving the island difficult, and the eldest daughter, Ellie, begins to expect that her mother has another reason for bringing them there.

The visitors might be forgiven for thinking they had walked onto the set of Straw Dogs, such is the animosity towards them from most of the residents.  

It's good, and I enjoyed it all, but certain plot threads were left dangling, almost as if the writers weren't quite sure what to do with them, and I found the end disappointing and inconclusive.  It's definitely worth watching, though.  Also stars Paddy Considine, Emily Watson, Peter Kay and Naomie Harris. 

 

Film: Unhinged (Google Play, Amazon, Apple TV)

3.5* ⭐⭐⭐

Russell Crowe is revoltingly sinister as a man whose life was destroyed when he got divorced, and stalks a woman with whom he becomes involved in a minor incident of road rage.  Arson, murder, setting people alight, running them over, stabbing them in the neck with forks, you name it.  It's an entertaining one and a half hours for the not-too-discerning viewer; starts off great but gets more and more unfeasible, not least of all the little quip made at the end which I predicted just before the woman (Caren Pistorius) made it.  A few less ridiculous moments, and it could have been a hell of a lot better.

 

Documentary series: Britain's Bloodiest Dynasty (Amazon)

3.5 stars ⭐⭐⭐

About the Plantagenets - examines the reigns of Henry II, Edward II and a couple of others.  Presented by Dan Jones, who does so as if the average age of his viewers is 10 years old.  It's good, and I liked the re-enactments, but it's a general overview for people who don't know anything about the period.  Would have been great if presented by someone like Simon Schama or Neil Oliver, instead.  I did quite like it, though.