Here are a baker's dozen of programs I watched in September. New programs that I had not seen previously are marked with an asterisk. All programs are rated on a scale of 1-5 cans of tuna fish, with numbering picked up from the previous months.
113. Selling Sunset, Season 8* (2024, Netflix) – The stylish (and over-the-top) real estate ladies of the Oppenheimer Group are back to sell their multi-million-dollar homes in the Hollywood area. The homes are gorgeous, the views spectacular, and the infighting constant. This year we have a case of infidelity to hash and rehash, a dog funeral complete with tattoos made with the dog’s ashes, and the usual changing tide of frenemies. The clothes often look more like lingerie, and certainly not suitable for showing homes and closing deals. Yet, here I am, buying what these ladies are selling. Again. There are 11 episodes this season, perfectly bingeable. Now I have to wait another year? 3½ cans.
114. Wise Guy: David Chase and The Sopranos* (2024, HBO) – Perfect timing for this documentary to come out since just last month I finished rewatching all 7 seasons of The Sopranos. Here, documentary maker Alex Gibney interviews the show’s creator, writer and sometime director, David Chase, about the development of the show from the casting to killing off characters and to that infamous final scene where the screen turns to black. Did Tony Soprano die? Was a shooter waiting in Holsten’s while Tony and his family ate their onion rings? This was a fascinating look at the themes of the show (David Chase’s contrarian mother was a role model for Livia), the characters and the actors who portrayed them. Even Chase seemed surprised by the direction the show took at times. It was grueling for the entire company, with 12 hours on set for everyone. If you like a little behind-the-scenes story and you love the Sopranos, this 2-parter is perfect for you. 4 cans.
115. Moonstruck (1987, PBS) – What can I say about this absolutely delightful movie that I haven’t already said? It is a charming comedy-romance starring Cher, Nicholas Cage, Olympia Dukakis, Vincent Gardenia and Danny Aiello, with John Mahoney in a small but important part, and each actor delivers the goods with panache. If you have never seen it, what are you waiting for? 4 cans.
116. The Boatlift (YouTube) – Tom Hanks narrates this literally uplifting story of hundreds of volunteers who used their boats to safely evacuate people in lower Manhattan after the 9/11 attack on the World Trade Center. This very short documentary shows the best in people, as a call went out to move people stranded at the piers after the attack. Water taxis and ferries were not enough to handle the thousands of people trying to escape, so the Coast Guard requested that local boat owners help out. They immediately raced to the scene to help strangers in this time of crisis. In just 9 hours, they evacuated thousands of people. You will watch this movie with a lump in your throat and a feeling of hope, knowing that there are good people in this world. 4 cans.
117. Stopping the Steal* (2024, HBO) – Nothing could be further from the heroic actions portrayed in The Boatlift, above, than the despicable behavior of former President Trump and his mob in rejecting the results of the 2020 election and trying to overturn it, leading to the infamous insurrection of January 6. This riveting documentary shows maniacal pressure being foisted on the election officials in Arizona and Georgia by Trump and his lawyers as they insist that the 2020 election was unfair and seek to overturn the results. Every possible path to declare the election illegitimate was proposed by Trump and his lawyers, with the President himself reaching out to election officials to try to coerce them. In fact, several of these officials were Republicans, at least one of whom campaigned for Donald Trump. Despite his threats and the backlash the officials faced from his ardent followers, these officials were determined to uphold the Constitution and preserve the democracy. They are the heroes of the film. 4 cans.
118. Apollo 13: Survival* (2024, Netflix) – It’s not like I don’t know this story; I have watched other documentaries and I am a big fan of Director Ron Howard’s drama, “Apollo 13.” But this one captivated me with its real-time account of what happened to the flight in a near disaster. The footage from NASA and previously recorded interviews depicting the astronauts and their families, combined with the panicked news coverage as people globally watched on in fear adds to the suspense here. This situation was unprecedented; the astronauts had to move to the small lunar landing vehicle because of the damage to the main ship. The engineers and bright minds of NASA had to devise a way to bring the three men back safely when all hope appeared to be lost. Somehow, they saved the day – and the astronauts. 3½ cans.
119. Challengers* (2024, Prime Video) – The challenge here was to get through this incredibly boring movie. Not only was it excruciatingly slow, but the last few minutes were played out in slow motion and often low light. I’m not a fan of filming in the dark because I can’t see what the characters are doing. Finally, the description of this movie lists it as a comedy-drama. Comedy-drama? Did I blink and miss the comedy aspect? Here’s the premise: Two young men are tennis players, both of whom are interested in a pretty, young woman (Zendaya), who is also a tennis player but competes at Stanford instead of turning pro like the men. She seems to appreciate tormenting the two friends and pitting them against each other as they vie for her affections. But even the relationship aspect of the movie was bad – the romance was mostly tepid and the young woman smug. I almost went to the movies to see this one, and then I almost rented it, but if I had paid to see it, I would have kicked myself. 2 cans.
120. Conned* (2023, Prime Video) – When you hear stories about people who seem reasonably intelligent but who are the victims of a scam, you probably think that you would never fall for the con. The four people here did. One woman had worked for the State Department and was an alum of MIT. Yet, when she met a “nice man” who offered to feed her cats AND be her financial advisor, she let him have access to her bank account. Three others had all written books, and their scammers were sure they could represent them and get them each movie deals. But the constant costs to do that and the money the scammers requested never led to any such success. Ironically, all of them got producer credits on this documentary, so they did get to make a movie after all, just not the ones they set out to do. The lesson here is to get it in writing, and if anything smells the least bit fishy, don’t bite. 3½ cans.
121. Into the Fire: The Lost Daughter* (2024, Netflix) – When 14-year old Cathy gave birth to a daughter, she and her mother realized that it would be best for the child to place her for adoption. Cathy had no contact with the child, but many years later, through social media, she learned that she had been missing since the age of 14. With the help of the authorities and amateur sleuths, she was determined to find out what happened, and she was not about to stop until she uncovered the truth. This 2-part documentary reveals the outcome and the gruesome things people do and often get away with. 3½ cans.
122. Big Kitchens* (2015, Prime Video) – If you have ever wondered how big restaurants, hotels and cruise ships manage to keep large groups of visitors happy and well-fed, this 12-part series is for you. From a crab restaurant outside Chicago to legendary Junior’s (the cheesecake people) in Brooklyn, this series examines large restaurants that turn out five-foot pizzas, thousands of pounds of pasta, and how they feed an actual army. I love these kinds of behind-the-scenes stories where they tell you how many pancakes they turn out in a day. I can’t believe I watched the whole thing! 4 cans.
123. My Cousin Vinny (1992, Hulu) – If you are accused of murder, you might want to hire a lawyer with a modicum of trial experience. But the two “yoots” in this case turn to Cousin Vinny (Joe Pesci), straight out of Brooklyn and headed to the South to defend his cousin (Ralph Macchio) and his buddy when they are mistaken for killers. Armed with his limited experience as a lawyer (none in the courtroom) and his fabulous and smart girlfriend, Mona Lisa (Marisa Tomei), Vinny faces off against the opposition and a cantankerous Judge (Fred Gwynne). This movie has a million laughs, is perfectly cast, and always a joy to watch. 4 cans.
124. Will & Harper* (2024, Netflix) – Part documentary, part buddy movie, part road trip, this true story is about the friendship of actor Will Ferrell and his long-time pal and Saturday Night Live collaborator Harper Steele, who, at age 61, transitioned from a man to a woman. Knowing the kinds of dive bars and weird excursions Harper liked when he was a man, Ferrell suggests they go on the cross-country road trip to see how Harper fares as a transgender woman and whether she can enjoy and feel comfortable with these familiar places and activities. Ferrell is interested in Harper’s life and she doesn’t hesitate to answer his questions even as she tries to conquer her fears and longs for acceptance. This is an unconventional but moving film about acceptance, love and friendship. 3½ cans.
125. Nobody Wants This* (2024, Netflix) – Adam Brody is Noah, a charming youngish rabbi looking to move up when he meets Joanne, a cute blond who runs a relationship podcast with her sister. Opposites attract, and these two are off and running. His mother (the wonderful-in-everything Tovah Feldshah) doesn’t like their relationship. Joanne is a “shiksa” (a derogatory Yiddish term for a woman who is not Jewish, particularly a blonde with her hooks into a nice Jewish boy), who, even if she were to convert, would never be the prototypical rabbi’s wife. This 10-part mini-series has very short episodes so bingeing it is easy to do. There are interesting/annoying characters, like his brother and her sister, but the two leads have enough chemistry to overcome their distractions. Good, not great. Shalom. 3½ cans.
No comments:
Post a Comment