Tina's June 2021 Movies & More

It is time for another compilation of those movies/TV shows and series that entertained me in June. Numbering picks up from previous months and programs marked with an asterisk* are ones I had not seen previously. Everything is rated on a scale of one to five cans of tuna, and more is better!

80.  The Story of Late Night* (2021, CNN) – I’m old enough to remember Steve Allen, Jack Parr and I certainly know Johnny Carson, the undisputed king of late-night TV. Carson and his competitors and then his successors made 11:30 PM the time when adults watched TV, as the hosts humorously expounded on the events of the day, poking fun of presidents and regular folks, chatted amiably with stars peddling their latest movies or music and relaxed us into sleep time. Today’s late-night stars, such as Jimmy Fallon, Jimmy Kimmel and Steven Colbert, have tinkered with the formula, some (Colbert in particular) making the late-night format more acerbic. This six-part documentary series covers the birth of the genre through its middle ages through today, highlighting the fascinating competition between Jay Leno and David Letterman for the host position of “The Tonight Show,” the crown jewel of late night. Today a whole new wave of hosts reflects more of the diversity of the US and bring different points of view to their shows. I no longer regularly watch late night (I stopped when Jay Leno made fun of the OJ Simpson trial) but I recognize it as a unique form of comedy. I have never watched Colbert, Jon Stewart when he hosted “The Daily Show,” Chelsey Handler, Samantha Bee or Trevor Noah. Instead, I can catch clips of their best work online – which is the major change in the format. You no longer have to stay up late to watch late-night TV when you can get it any time of day on YouTube. But thanks for the memories of Johnny at his best with Bette Midler and animals from the San Diego Zoo, of Letterman and his Top 10 lists and James Corden with his hilarious Carpool Karaoke. 4 cans.
81.  Hacks* (2021, HBO Max) – If you remember Jean Smart from her befuddled, funny and warm character Charlene from “Designing Women,” you will not be surprised by her well-honed comedy chops in his series about a fading comedian whose career is largely behind her. Debra has been performing in Vegas for years, using mostly the same act, resembling a cross between Joan Rivers and Debbie Reynolds. When the club owner decides to drop her weekend gig and relegate her to weekdays, she reluctantly agrees to partner with Ava (Hannah Einbinder, the real-life daughter of Saturday Night Live OG Larraine Newman), a bright, insecure writer to juice up her act with some material from this century. Deb is a rich, haughty woman who is accustomed to stardom and having her way even as her star starts to fade. This series takes advantage of the unconventional relationship between the established master and the newcomer as they work together to make things funny and relevant in 2021. I’m definitely planning to watch Season 2 next year. 3½ cans.
82.  Beverly Hills Cop (1984, HBO) – The comedic genius of Eddie Murphy is on full display in this classic from early in his career. He plays Detroit-based cop Axel Foley, who heads to Beverly Hills to track down the killer of his old buddy. Foley is audacious, outrageous and very, very smart, as he works with and against the two cops (John Ashton and Judge Reinhold) assigned to keep an eye on him. He changes character on a dime and can outthink and outrage anyone who gets in his way. Aside from “Trading Places,” BHC is my favorite Eddie Murphy movie. Great ‘80s soundtrack, too. 4 cans.
83.  The White House: The Inside Story* (2016, PBS Documentary Channel) – Did you know that it took 19 years to build the White House? That it burned down practically to the ground during the War of 1812? That President Harry Truman moved out for a few years to allow the complete renovation of the structure, which was about to fall down? This documentary tells it all, from construction to organization, from the people who lived there and tell what it was like being there as a child to many of the people behind the scenes. I have read several books about how the White House is run and I admit to some strange fascination with the details of the People’s House, as presidents have called it. If the subject interests you (and you have a subscription to PBS Documentaries), this one’s for you. 3½ cans.
84.  Human: The World Within* (2021, Netflix) – This is a stunning six-part documentary about the functionality of the human body, told through beautiful animation and fascinating narration by doctors and scientists.  If schools taught human anatomy this way, more students would become doctors and scientists. The individual episodes focus on the nervous system, the senses, food and other equally interesting subjects. The program also features people whose stories are very relevant to the subject, such as a singer who is deaf and a man who lost his arm below the elbow and whose prosthesis is set up to respond in the way a human arm would. The human body is amazing, and so is this series. 4 cans.
85.  Fatherhood* (2021, Netflix) – Comedian Kevin Hart is Matt, a man very excited to become a first-time father with his beloved wife, Liz. But when Liz tragically dies soon after giving birth, Matt knows it is up to him to raise their daughter Maddy, a task even he doubts he is up to doing. His mother-in-law (Alfre Woodward) would love to get her hands on that baby girl, but Matt is determined to tackle the diapers and the complicated car seat and his daughter’s hair on his own. There are some laughs here, and the movie is good-hearted but not as good as Hart’s “The Upside.” Hart’s humor shines through at just the right time and he lends a real air of authenticity to a parent trying to balance work and life with fatherhood. 3½ cans.
86.  The Circle* (2017, Netflix) – In a world where information provides us with countless conveniences, it can also be intrusive and dangerous, as one young employee of an information technology company called The Circle finds out first-hand. Emma Watson is Mae, a young employee who agrees to participate in an experiment the company is conducting for the good of humanity (or some such BS) by wearing a tiny camera and sharing her life online with millions of followers. The consequences affect her parents, an old friend and others in her personal circle, as the power of technology takes over every aspect of her life. Tom Hanks plays the founder of The Circle with a Steve Jobs air of mystery and imagination, and the employees are cult-like in their admiration of his genius. When Mae admitted that she had just three minutes to use the bathroom with her camera off, I almost checked out of the movie, which I don’t recommend but will say is a cautionary tale of a future that is not so far-fetched. 3 cans.
87.  Parkland* (2013, Prime Video) – If you were around in 1963, you will never forget the chaos and tragedy surrounding the assassination of President John Fitzgerald Kennedy, who was shot in Dallas and transported to local Parkland Hospital. This movie is a dramatization of that terrible time, with attention focused on the Dallas Police, the Secret Service, the FBI and the staff at Parkland, whose doctors tried valiantly to save the President. The real people remain vivid in my mind – Lee Harvey Oswald, his scheming mother, his assassin, Jack Ruby, and Abe Zapruder, the man who captured the motorcade and the shot that killed Kennedy. There are swarms of men in dark suits and white shirts trying to figure out what was happening. I would rather have seen a documentary of the tragic events, but the acting was fine and the inclusion of real footage, including Walter Cronkite’s CBS news reports, made it more genuine. 3 cans.
88.  The Answer Man* (2009, Prime Video) – This story is essentially a Hallmark-type movie with a cast upgrade. Jeff Daniels plays recalcitrant writer Arlen Faber, noted for his highly popular book “Me and God,” which positions him as having all of the answers to people’s problems. Not only doesn’t he have the answers, but he doesn’t want to hear their questions. He is reclusive and grumpy and avoids interacting with people as much as possible. But when he throws out his back, he literally crawls to the local chiropractor’s office, where Elizabeth (Lauren Graham, perfectly cast) works on his adjustments. Soon the cantankerous author is smitten, but he can’t help but express his disdain for almost everything – except her young, fatherless child. I don’t want to spoil the plot (and we’ve seen it before, trust me), but this pleasant movie more or less squanders the talent of its cast with its meager plot. 3½ cans.
89.  Nothing in Common (1984, Movies Channel) – This movie doesn’t get much critical respect, but I love it. Tom Hanks is ad man David Basner, a fast-talking, creative guy working his way up in his agency and enjoying his youthful pursuits of good times and attractive women. When his parents (Jackie Gleason, who is terrific, and Eva Marie Saint) split up, David gets pulled in both directions and has to find a way to deal with his overbearing father Max, his demanding client (Sela Ward) and his life in general. His parents may have nothing in common anymore, but David and his womanizing father do, and when he recognizes that, will he change his ways? Can he care for both of his parents with the time and attention they deserve? This movie was aired as part of a Father’s Day marathon, and it fit into the lineup better than I thought. Bess Armstrong, an actress I have always found charming, is David’s first girlfriend, the only one his parents ever liked – and the only one he ever brought home. 4 cans.
90.  Some Kind of Heaven* (2020, Hulu) – This may be the single most depressing movie I have ever seen that wasn’t about the Holocaust – and I have “The Yearling” on my DVR. It is about The Villages, the massive (130,000 people) adult community in Florida that is marketed as Disney for adults. Residents have every kind of club, activity and amenity you can imagine. They tool around on golf carts, dance the nights away while they listen to live music and generally seem like college kids on the first few days of the semester, before classes start. But the people featured here are lonely or alone. Barbara is a widow who can’t seem to meet anyone (male or female) to form a lasting friendship. Dennis is a freeloader who lives in his van on the outskirts of the community while he hustles for handouts and seeks a warm bed from a wealthy widow inside. Reggie and his wife have been married for 47 years, but his erratic behavior is taking a toll on his otherwise supportive wife. If you are old enough to live in The Villages and if you are not a natural joiner, do not watch this documentary. You will want to take a permanent dip in the pool or run your golf cart into a tree. 3 cans because it isn’t a BAD movie but it sure is not fun to watch.
91.  In the Heights* (2021, HBO Max) – I haven’t seen this much exuberant dancing across the screen since the Sharks and Jets faced off at the gym or the staff at Kellerman’s showed us all about Dirty Dancing. This incredible pastiche of joy and love and Latin culture from the mind of Lin-Manuel Miranda bursts off the screen to tell the story of the people living in the Washington Heights, NY, neighborhood. It’s never easy, but the people here act like family. The plot is much less important than the feeling the story evokes and the dynamic performances by the entire cast, led by Anthony Ramos. This is one movie I wish I had seen in an actual theater instead of watching it on my 65” TV. 4 cans.
92.  Good on Paper* (2021, Netflix) – Andrea Singer (Iliza Schlesinger) is a stand-up comedian not thrilled with her lot in life. She wants a steady gig and a steady guy, and when Dennis Kelly (Ryan Hansen) meets her at the airport, she’s not averse to becoming friends with the friendly Yalie who runs a hedge fund – or so he says. But he never has her over to his house, or his mother has cancer so they can’t go out, or he can’t play golf because he hurt his back – this guy has a million legitimate sounding excuses, except that Andrea’s BFF (Margaret Cho) isn’t buying it. At first the premise seems cute, but it gets sticky and when Dennis starts manipulating the vulnerable Andrea, she doesn't know how to handle the situation. The movie is billed as mostly based on a true story, and you want to yell at the screen for Andrea to wake up and see this guy for the con artist he is. Sometimes we see in others what we want to see and fail to see things in ourselves that we should. 3 cans.
93.  Love, Sarah* (2020, Hulu) – BFFs Sarah and Isabella are about to open a bakery together in London when Sarah is killed in an accident. Isabella is left with all of the debts for the yet-to-open business and can’t get out of the contract. When Sarah’s daughter Clarissa decides she wants to drop out of her dance classes and partner with Isabella, there is still the money issue to be resolved, so she turns to her grandmother Mimi (Celia Imrie), who was estranged from Sarah for not supporting her in the first place. The three women team up with Sarah’s former boyfriend and cooking school mate Matthew to open their bakery and serve the community by finding out what kinds of goods are preferred by the diverse residents in the neighborhood. This movie was available for rent on Prime Video but free on Hulu, and I’m glad I didn’t spend money to see it. I anticipated a charming British movie with baked goods. Well, there were baked goods, but there wasn’t nearly enough charm. 3 cans.

I Can’t Shop for Shoes on Father’s Day

Lester Irving Gordon sold shoes for a living. We liked to tease him by saying, “There’s no business like shoe business,” sometimes sung in the style of Ethel Merman. I never picture him without a shoehorn sticking out of his back pocket. The last one he had I had framed, along with the worn-down silver dollar he always carried. It hangs in my house to this day.

He didn’t own the shoe store. He was just an employee. He was the salesman whom people waited for so he could wait on them. He fit mothers and their children expertly, and they didn’t mind waiting so that he could help them try on their Naturalizers and StrideRites. He knew them. When he was diagnosed with cancer, he received cards and letters from his customers, who wished him well and filled him in on their important life events. Bobby made it to middle school. Sally loved the shoes she wore to kindergarten. They shared their lives with the man who held their feet in his hands.

When my father died in June, 1983, just days short of Father’s Day – the day he was buried – our family received so many lovely notes from people sharing their memories of my father and how he touched their lives. He wasn’t a doctor who saved their lives. He just made sure they wore the right shoes so they would feel comfortable and happy. That was his gift.

Growing up, my sister and I never shopped for shoes. My father always checked out the wear and tear and brought home new ones for us to try on when the time was right. We all wore pretty basic shoes in those days – penny loafers, saddle shoes, Keds or PF Flyers – so it wasn’t a question of picking out something new or different. We simply restocked.

After my father died, his boss insisted that we return and shop in his store and he would always give us the shoes wholesale. We took him up on his offer for a while, more to maintain the connection than anything else, but eventually we felt like we were taking advantage of his kindness, so we started shopping – and buying – retail. The man my father worked for admired him as much as his customers.

My father never needed to wear English Leather cologne. On a busy day – especially after the sidewalk sales – he smelled of leather. To this day, when I go shoe shopping, I have to pick one up and surreptitiously take a sniff. I instantly feel the connection with my father.

So, I can’t shop for shoes on Father’s Day. After nearly 40 years, I still miss that smell of leather and that special man. Happy Father’s Day, Dad.

 

Mid-June Miscellany

My superpower is being able to carry a week's worth of groceries into the house in one trip. What's yours?

Let’s face it – we all fall somewhere on the spectrum of “I need more room for my stuff” to “I have too much stuff.”

I have reached the point in life where I no longer try to fuse together multiple tiny pieces of soap so I don’t waste them. Call me extravagant, but lately I have just thrown caution to the wind and soap remnants into the trash!

My kingdom for a plastic produce bag that I can open without wetting my fingers (which I absolutely refuse to do ever again).

If you are like me, you spend more time searching for movies to watch on Netflix, Prime Video, Apple TV+, Hulu, etc. than you do actually watching them. While I appreciate messages from these streaming service about the new things they have to offer, I don’t need them to encourage me to watch something again. One trip down the memory lane of Betty White’s life was enough. I need new things, not reruns!

When I put on shorts for the first time this season, I remembered that I now shave my legs with the same frequency that I put gas in the car – about every 3 months. I wondered if the hair could serve as sunscreen for my blindingly white legs. Really, at this age there isn’t all that much hair to shave. Most of it has migrated north to my chin.

I’d like to break into my eye doctor’s office and memorize the eye chart so when he asks me to read a line, I’ll always get it right and he will think I have 20/20 vision. That still won’t help me tell the difference between lens number one and lens number two, however.

Does anyone really know how to pronounce Worcestershire sauce?

I always feel like I am one good cough away from clearing my throat completely. It never happens.

Styrofoam! That squeaky sound just creeps me out, and those little pieces that escape to the floor and the countertop do nothing to endear me to this material. It should be outlawed, in my opinion!

I wonder where to store all of the umbrage I have taken.

I wonder what to do with the seconds I save by fast forwarding through the “Final Jeopardy” music.

You know the pandemic is (kind of) over when I stop signing messages, “Stay safe.”

I was considering buying new bedding and looked up the pricing for the Heavenly Bed sheets, comforters, pillows and other accessories used by the Westin Hotel on their Heavenly bed (which I own). I was stunned to see that the entire set of bedding came to more than $4000 – which is more than I paid for the bed itself! Honestly, it would be cheaper just to book a few days at a Westin several times a year to get a good rest in a bed I don’t have to make! By the way, you can watch a video showing how they make that heavenly bed. It may be fascinating, but it won’t be among the movies I review this month.

Why is it that when you buy a plastic container of prepared food in the supermarket it either leaks on your way home or you need a hacksaw to open it?

I picked up a takeout order of spaghetti and meatballs – and how lazy do you have to be to not want to be bothered boiling water and opening a jar of sauce? – and I threw my glasses case with my sunglasses into the bag. Of course, the dish leaked, so I had to clean the glasses case and the glasses. But now, every time I open the case, I get a craving for pasta because the smell lingers on!

Remember when prescription drugs were first advertised on TV? The possible side effects had to be included but they were read aloud so fast that it was like listening to the old FedEx commercials with the announcer speaking faster than speed of sound. Now the voiceovers have slowed down, and they are frightening. I’m sure I am suffering from every one of the listed side effects, even when I’m not taking that particular drug. Can you actually suffer from insomnia and get drowsy at the same time?

I still experience that moment of sheer panic when the computer refuses to wake up swiftly in the morning – even though my body does the same thing.

And then there’s that moment of panic when you have entered your password to access a site or app and pray that it was the right one because you don’t think you know another one.

I understand that this season is the last one for “Keeping Up with the Kardashians,” a TV program I have never seen. I don’t know which one is Kendall and which one is the other young one, which one is Khloe and which one is the other adult one, but I know Kim is divorcing Kanye West and that Kris, the matriarch of the clan, was once married to Bruce (now Caitlyn) Jenner and has a great haircut (or is it a wig?). That is the extent of my Kardashian knowledge, and I hope that when the show is off the air that random news about members of the family will stop showing up in People magazine or in other online news.

Bed, Bath & Beyond is offering a “smart” toothbrush. Really? Do I need my toothbrush to do calculus or recite the elements on the periodic table for me? The electric toothbrush I already have has a timer for two minutes and vibrates when the brushing time is up. Do I need a toothbrush smarter than that?

My biggest fear in the supermarket is going down the cookie aisle and seeing Pepperidge Farm Milanos on sale. I’m only so strong, and it is tough to pass up a bargain on the cookies I love. I guess the answer is NOT to go down the cookie aisle.

English is such a strange language. Why do we remove the e when we spell the word judgment? Is there any reason to remove a perfectly good letter so we can tack on four more? I think I need to ask the guy who moderates the Scripps National Spelling Bee. He always seems to know the origin of words and he sure knows how to spell!

My dentist uses all of these high-tech devices. When he is done with a filling, he shines a special light on the material so it immediately hardens. But when it’s time to check my bite, he uses what is basically a strip of carbon paper to have me bite down and grind my teeth so he can see whether anything turns blue because that shows that it is out of alignment. #oldschool.

There are many things I don’t understand in life: How can planes get off the ground? How were the pyramids built? And now I can add: How do soft-close drawers know to close?

Although I have not signed up to view job openings anywhere, I recently received a list of positions available in Manasquan, NJ. And now I am a clerk at the local hospital. Just kidding. That would be my nightmare – and theirs.

I am 70 years old and still cannot accurately explain to the hair stylist how I want my hair to look. Maybe it is because I don’t know. But I do recognize a good hair day when I see one!

It seems I always walk out of a room forgetting to take with me what I went in there for.

The new Discovery+ streaming network has a show called “The Laundry Guy,” which is billed as having a story for every stain. The last time those two items were combined, wasn’t it on Monica Lewinsky’s dress? Anyway, I sure would not want to air MY dirty laundry!

I am on a trial separation from ubiquitous Food Network host Guy Fieri. I found myself whiling away too many hours on his shows, “Diners, Drive-Ins and Dives” and “Guy’s Grocery Games,” both of which seem to air all the time. I was fantasizing about people cooking and serving me delicious food. Sorry, Guy, go on without me for a while. If you need me, you can find me watching the “Home Town” folks fixing up old houses on HGTV.

I have plenty of pet peeves watching HGTV shows. For one, the estimates the hosts give on renovations are totally unrealistic. You simply cannot renovate two bathrooms and a kitchen for $35,000. The kitchen in my last house was renovated before I moved in. It looked great, but it cost more than $40,000! And then there is the cost of staging. I have to assume it is folded into the renovation price, but adding $5K to the construction, etc., is a hefty chunk of change. And do we really need to have 13 pillows on the couch? Even the renovated outdoor space has furniture with a dozen decorative pillows. Who’s grabbing them when there is a huge wind or rainstorm? And where will they be stashed until the storm blows over?

I have watched so many episodes of so many HGTV home renovation, construction and decorating shows that I no longer care if they love it or list it. And on “Love It or List It,” the people always seem to make the wrong choice. They are insistent on finding a bigger/better house, but once Hillary gets done, they decide to stay even if they don’t get that en suite bathroom they insisted was at the top of their wish list.

Why don’t the designers of the homes on HGTV ever seem to include a TV in the living room? Let’s get real – doesn’t everyone have a TV? Unless they have created a “man cave,” they never seem to include a TV. How are the homeowners supposed to watch HGTV

Heard on "House Hunters:"
Wife: "But it's so cozy!"
Husband: "Is that code for small?"
Yes, that's correct.
PS - They bought the cozy house that she liked.