Screen: June TV Roundup

It's astonishing how much TV you can watch if you just slot in episodes in between doing other things. I'm astonished that I got through all of these shows in the past two months or so. Because I vote in a few TV awards, this is the season when everyone is sending me links to watch their shows and consider them for votes. This allows me to get ahead on several series, although it's impossible to watch everything. Or to even watch everything I want to see. Let's start here with the dramas...

Ripley 
Steve Zaillian takes a highly stylised approach to this adaptation of Patricia Highsmith's iconic novels, writing and directing in a way that evokes 1950s-era Hitchcock. It's moody and gorgeous, even if it sometimes feels mannered and forced. And Andrew Scott's central performance as the opportunistic, conscience-free Ripley is utterly riveting from start to finish, often chilling in the way it sidesteps expected emotions. Supporting performances (including Dakota Fanning, Johnny Flynn and a superb John Malkovich cameo) also ripple with intrigue, while cinematographer Robert Elswit gives the Italian settings a monochromatic beauty. (Netflix)

Bridgerton: series 3
Things turn steamy very quickly, as Colin (Luke Newton) returns to London as a sweaty, hairy muscle hunk at odds with his former best pal Penelope (Nicola Coughlan). Romcom rules make it clear that these two will work out their differences, and they do so in an intensely entertaining, sexy way. Meanwhile, there are several more hugely engaging storylines swirling around, including more for siblings Eloise (a scene-stealing Claudia Jessie) and Benedict (Luke Thompson), which bodes well for future seasons. This is one of the most delightful guilty pleasures streaming anywhere. It's impossible not to binge the episodes the moment they land. (Netflix)

True Detective - Night Country: series 4
Jodie Foster is riveting in this fascinating anthology thriller, which this season includes hints of supernatural intrigue. This tale ripples beautifully, and very darkly, with the local politics and folklore in rural Alaska, set during the winter when the sun only barely peaks over the horizon. And the murder mystery at the heart of the show is both horrific and infused with an intriguing dose of magical realism. It's also filmed with some astonishingly outrageous visual flourishes, adding both picturesque and seriously grotesque moments. Superb costars include Kali Reis as a haunted local cop and the great Fiona Shaw as a rather otherworldly loner. (HBO)

Baby Reindeer
Cleverly mixing comedy into the darkest of dramas, this series is based on the life of writer and lead actor Richard Gadd, who boldly bares his soul while reliving a seriously harrowing series of experiences. He plays an aspiring comic who becomes the target of a relentless stalker (Jessica Gunning), a situation exacerbated by a previous sexual assault. The fact that he has written about this stirs controversy, but also makes the story even more honest and important than expected. So where these events go is staggeringly intense, and also so skilfully written and played that it's movingly cathartic. Essential. (Netflix)

Star Trek - Discovery: series 5
This final season unfolds with an limited series-style plot around which the excellent ensemble of actors gets to play out their own personal journeys, led by the superb Sonequa Martin-Green and David Ajala, plus terrific new crew member Callum Keith Rennie. There seems to be even more technical mumbo jumbo than before, and the plotting feels very corny, sending the crew on an implausible scavenger hunt leading to a mind-boggling tech, with scary baddies on their tail. Plus rather a lot of series-finale sentimentality. But it's easy to put that clunky writing aside because the characters and relationships are so strong. (Paramount)

Eric
With a deliberately twisty script by Abi Morgan, this missing-child thriller cleverly uses a children's TV show to add imaginative touches, including the title character, a man-sized monster puppet. Set in 1985 New York, it stars a seriously committed Benedict Cumberbatch as puppeteer Vincent, whose young son (Ivan Morris Howe) disappears, the final fracture in Vincent's marriage to Cassie (the superb Gaby Hoffman). But the best story thread involves the investigating detective beautifully played by McKinley Belcher III. With inventively detailed production design and salient social themes, the story is gripping even if it's naggingly over-controlled. (Netflix)

A Gentleman in Moscow
Ewan McGregor oozes charm in this gently amusing drama that spans the decades of the Soviet Union, as an aristocrat is spared the firing squad during the Russian Revolution due to his connection with a pro-communist poem. So he is instead placed under house arrest in a grand olde-worlde hotel. Over the years he befriends a young girl then becomes surrogate father to her daughter. He also has a decades-long fling with a sexy actress (played by McGregor's wife Mary Elizabeth Winstead). It all feels rather fable-like, but it's lavishly produced and warmly engaging. And there's a nice mix of earthy realism and dreamy wistfulness. (Showtime)

Supersex
Sadly not as controversial as the internet outrage suggests, this series is less explicit than most, timidly shot through a disturbingly misogynistic perspective: women are naked objects, men are carefully concealed heroes. "Loosely based" on Italian pornstar Rocco Siffredi, it's skilfully produced to recreate the 1970s and 80s, and the actors are solid, particularly Alessandro Borghi as Rocco and Adriano Gianni as his thug brother Tommaso. Among the women, only Jasmine Trinca's vivid Lucia registers. But for a show about sex, it's never actually sexy, there are no likeable characters, and a current of homophobia runs through everything. (Netflix)

J U S T   F O R   L A U G H S

Hacks: series 3
Blisteringly well played by Jean Smart and Hannah Einbinder, this comedy continues to push barriers with its story about ambition and creativity in show business. As Smart's established comic Deborah Vance pursues her dream of hosting a late night talk show, her relationship with Einbinder's writer Ava is stretched in ways neither of them expect. Episodes layer in fascinating details at every turn, even if some plot points feel a bit stale (such as Ava discovering what she thinks is an engagement ring in her girlfriend's things). But expanded roles for Deborah's family members add texture, as do starry cameos. And the performances are unstoppable. (Max)

Dead Boy Detectives
There's a nicely sparky tone to this offbeat series, which offers a mystery per week for likeable British teens Edwin and Charles (George Rexstrew and Jayden Revri), who died some 70 years apart and have chosen to remain on Earth as supernatural problem-solvers. The over-arching story is more than a little annoying, trapping the boys in the Pacific Northwest as two comically vile villains (Ruth Connell's Night Nurse and Jenn Lyon's witch Esther) send things nonsensically spiralling. But there are terrific side roles for Lukas Gage and Michael Beach, and some clever touches and themes amid the silliness. (Netflix)

Loot: series 2
Maya Rudolph is terrific in this show about an obscenely wealthy divorcee who is trying to devote her life to something more important through her charity foundation. But she also still enjoys living the very high life. Michaela Jae Rodriguez is excellent as the head of the charity, and their evolving relationship adds some bite to this season, as do expanded journeys for fabulous costars Joel Kim Booster, Ron Funches and Nat Faxon. There's a guilty pleasure element to this show, watching people spend absurd money in an attempt to do the right thing. And some new characters add additional spark, and a lot of laughs, this season. (Apple)

Palm Royale
Sudsy enough to hold the interest, this show is rather frustrating because its central character, Kristin Wiig's Maxine, is so oddly unlikeable. This isn't Wiig's fault; it's the premise itself. We never root for her to triumph in her pointless goal to surmount the social strata in 1969 Palm Beach, using the pedigree of her hapless husband (Josh Lucas) to try to establish her status. We're far more interested in Allison Janney's imperious queen bee, Laura Dern's new age dropout and especially Carol Burnett, who is awesome even when her nutty diva is in a coma. Even Ricky Martin, surprisingly solid as a snarky muscled pool boy, is far more engaging. (Apple)

Acapulco: series 3
Past and present finally collide this season as Maximo (Eugenio Derbez) returns to Mexico with his nephew (Raphael Alejandro), becoming part of the story rather than just bookending it with his narration. There are still flashbacks to the hilariously pink-hued 1980s with young Maximo (Enrique Arrizon) and his lively cohorts, who get up to all kinds of surprisingly complex antics. But this time there is also a much stronger connection with the present day, as plot threads hinge on various revelations that echo through the decades, and we get to see where several of these people end up. It's still a lot of fun, but with a bit more subtext than before. (Apple)

The Big Door Prize: series 2
After the frustratingly vague first season, this show thankfully gains a sense of momentum, with more nuance in the characters and their messy relationships, including some engaging ambiguity. It also feels a lot funnier, as connections between these people have ramped up due to additional discoveries about who they are and who they should become, thanks to this odd fortune-telling machine that throws their lives into chaos. It's a bit cartoonish, but Chris O'Dowd, Gabrielle Dennis, Sammy Fourlas, Djouliet Amara and Josh Segarra continue to shine in the ensemble cast, creating roles that are witty, complex and intriguingly sympathetic. (Apple) 

Abbott Elementary: series 3
A steelier edge kicks off this season with some unexpected textures. It's still relentlessly silly, using that same deadpan camera stare far, far too much. Even if the writers give up on the idea, there are intriguing layers of politics as Janine (Quinta Brunson) is working for the district, complicating her relationships with colleagues who are still struggling with budget cuts in this scrappy little state school. Janine's will-they-won't-they romance with Gregory (Tyler James Williams) is still eye-rollingly farcical. While Sheryl Lee Ralph continues to steal the show as the no-nonsense Barbara, and Janelle James' narcissistic principal gets funnier each season. (ABC)

The Conners: series 6
It seems like this show can simply run forever, with characters aging as their children and grandchildren face new issues in new times. Even back when this was called Roseanne (1988-2018), the generational comedy gave the show its kick, finding as much entertainment in old people moaning as in kids facing their own obstacles. John Goodman, Laurie Metcalf, Sara Gilbert and Alicia Goranson are as strong as ever. And the wider variety of characters allow writers to take on themes without contriving too much. As always, the show presents recognisable realities and absurdities of present-day life without preaching, even if the points are clear. (ABC)

Night Court: series 2
While the scripts for this relaunched legacy series (1984-1992) are relentlessly goofy and a bit too quick to catch, the cast is bright enough to make it entertaining, often acknowledging the absurdity of the show's over-written and deliberately dopey sense of humour. The ensemble is ably led by the likeably offbeat Melissa Rauch and John Larrouquette. And the show makes terrific use of the night court setting, with a continuous parade of nutty guest characters. It's a bit frustrating that there isn't much going on under the surface to hold the interest and make us care about these people, but it keeps us smiling. (NBC)

R E A L   L I F E   V I B E S

Steve! (Martin): A Documentary in 2 Pieces
Thoroughly entertaining, this two-part biographical doc is packed with fantastic clips from this iconic star's singular career. It's fun to be reminded of the many highs, and even his lows (like Pennies From Heaven) are significant artistic achievements. The first part explores his years as a groundbreaking writer and stand-up, leading into scene-stealing appearances on Saturday Night Live and classic comedy films. The second half looks at his more serious side, along with his interest in art, writing, his personal life and now Only Murders in the Building. It's bracingly honest and features a range of terrific interviewees. A must-see for fans. (Apple)

Jerrod Carmichael Reality Show
In everything he has done, Carmichael has found laughs alongside sharp commentary about larger issues. And now that he's so dramatically come out of the closet, this approach takes on a whole new range of topicality in this hybrid series, which combines fly-on-the-wall reality moments with confessional stand-up routines based on his experiences. Each brief episode is packed with moments that are breathtakingly honest, as Carmichael delves into both his past and the things he wants to improve about his behaviour. In other words, he is putting himself on-camera in a way that's astonishingly raw, hugely engaging and powerfully important. (Max)

I GIVE UP: The French series Fiasco has a great idea, set around a film production that goes wildly off the rails, plus an ace cast (including Pierre Niney and Francois Civil) and enjoyably full-on production values. But the writing is just too inane. As the show strained for laughs, I was exhausted after two episodes. (Netflix)

GUILTY PLEASURES: Britain's Got Talent (17), Drag Race UK vs the World (2), Selling the OC (3), The Circle (6).

NOW WATCHING: The Big Cigar, Expats, Fantasmas, The Regime, The Sympathizer, Sugar.

COMING SOON: The Acolyte, The Boys (4), Presumed Innocent, The Bear (3), That 90s Show (2), Sausage Party: Foodtopia, Lady in the Lake, Snowpiercer (4), Time Bandits.

Previous roundup: APRIL 2024 > 

Critical Week: Movie night

I've started off the new year catching up on things I had hoped to see last year, including three acclaimed foreign-language titles that have been in this year's awards conversation. From Spain, Alcarras is a lively, remarkably authentic drama about a family facing a big change. From Pakistan, Joyland is a proper stunner about a young couple straining against a society full of expectations and restrictions. From Brazil, Mars One is a lovely, loose drama about four family members who have their own distinct dreams.

BEST OUT THIS WEEK:
Till • Piggy • Alcarras
Mars One • Women Talking
ALL REVIEWS >

Two films coming out this week are The Enforcer, a skilfully made thriller with an under-developed plot, anchored by a terrific Antonio Banderas as a growly mob heavy. And the mystery thriller Exploited is enjoyably lurid even if it's awkwardly assembled.

I also caught up with Disney's latest animated adventure Strange World, an enjoyably colourful romp that feels a bit simplistic in its themes. A sequel to the guilty-pleasure hit Enchanted, Disenchanted has lots of great songs but a story that feels rushed and, well, all wrong. The British period whodunit See How They Run creates an enjoyably witty vibe but strains to engage the audience. The animated romance Entergalactic looks fantastic, and has some nice underlying themes, but ultimately sticks too close to the genre rules. And then there was The Guardians of the Galaxy Holiday Special, a throwback to those vintage TV specials. It's nutty and entertaining, and offers some terrific scenes with favourite characters, but it's never quite as bonkers as we hope it will be.

Movies I'll be watching this coming week include the horror thriller M3gan, Jim Parsons in Spoiler Alert, Nicolas Cage in The Old Way, Gillian Jacobs in The Seven Faces of Jane, and catch-up screenings of Cha Cha Real Smooth, Broker, The Swimmers and others.

Screen: August TV Roundup

After the disruption of the pandemic, we're finally getting to see several delayed series (with more still to come). These long gaps between seasons continue the shift in the way TV shows roll out, so the old network schedule of launching new episodes every autumn feels like it's becoming rare. There's been plenty for me to watch in between my film and theatre work, both enjoyable returning shows, original series and several that are adaptations, spinoffs, reboots or based on existing properties. And that's definitely a trend that is continuing...

Stranger Things: series 4 
With its epic-sized episodes and ramped-up plot, this series powers straight through to set things up for the final fifth season. Since the actors have all aged significantly, they perhaps seem a bit older on-screen than written, but this allows for intriguing nuances in the evolving relationships between them, superbly played by a tremendous cast. Splintering the story into three main strands is sometimes annoying, especially as the Russian plotline, as wildly entertaining as it is, clings to several coincidences. Otherwise, various set pieces produce proper thrills as everything builds to an enormously cathartic intake of breath, then leaves us gasping for more. (Netflix) 

Hacks: series 2  
Pushing these characters further into their rather tense working relationship, this series feels like it gets stronger with each episode. And this is largely due to the towering performance from Jean Smart as Joan Rivers-style comic Deborah, straining to kickstart her career with the help of messy writer Ava (Hannah Einbinder). This series also spirals out to follow Deborah's assistant Marcus (Carl Clemons-Hopkins), which isn't strongly enough developed yet to be involving. But this season's central idea, putting the characters on the road for a series of warmup gigs, is inspired. And having Laurie Metcalf turn up (too briefly) is a stroke of genius. (HBO)

The Umbrella Academy: series 3
This rather madcap action show continues to play with both alternate realities and the end of the world, as the Umbrellas have returned to the present and find themselves replaced by the Sparrows. Clashes, romances and lots of mayhem ensue, as reality begins collapsing in on itself and these oddly supercharged antiheroes need to once again rescue humanity. The actors are what makes this unmissable, as each character is such a bundle of nutty quirks that it's a wonder they get anything done at all. There isn't a weak link in the excellent ensemble, and the writers make sure each gets plenty of chaotic development along the way. Bring on a fourth season. (Netflix)

Physical: series 2 
Carrying on with the story, this new season continues the extremely slow evolution of Sheila Rubin (Rose Byrne), an intelligent wife and mother who keeps her personal demons secret, then punishes herself by becoming a fearsome 1980s aerobics expert. The narrative focusses on tiny shifts rather than momentous changes, and the cast goes all-in to each twist and turn, most notably Rory Scovel, Paul Sparks and Murray Bartlett, who arrives with a lot of promise but never gets to fully deliver on it. That's kind of how the whole show feels, as so little seems to happen. But the underlying thoughts and feelings make it entertaining and even important. (Apple)

The Boys: series 3 
Things continue to escalate for the rather awful people who populate this show, and this time the eponymous superhero-battling team dabble with their own temporary powers, ramping up clashes enormously. The writers cleverly put key characters in real danger, although we have to wait quite a while to see if they'll bump anyone off. It's a rare show in which both the good and bad guys are abrasive and often unlikeable, and most of them have the ability to kill someone without trying too hard. So it's violent and nasty, but also wry and knowing. And all of the lead actors are terrific at layering vulnerabilities and emotions in unexpected ways. (Prime)

The Marvelous Mrs Maisel: series 4 
A huge step up from the uneven third season, this new series is much more sharply focussed on both the characters and the overarching themes. So Rachel Brosnahan is able to both broaden and deepen Midge, while also remaining genuinely hilarious in her stand-up performances. Meanwhile, the side roles aren't merely spiralling aimlessly this time around: each narrative thread weaves together cleverly to offer meaty scenes for the actors while pushing this extended family further forward. And Alex Borstein just gets more intriguing with each episode, building her business on hilariously fragile foundations. And you can never go wrong with the fabulous Jane Lynch. (Netflix)

M O S T L Y   N E W

Ms Marvel 
Lively and engaging, this Marvel origin series has Pakistani culture and history engagingly woven through it, similar to Moon Knight's Egyptian connection. But this one's an American high school sitcom, as lively junior Kamala (Iman Vellani) engages in banter with her goofy friends and hilariously insistent Pakistani parents. Then a bangle taps into her grandmother's ancestral power, sending Kamala on an odyssey as she realises that she's a superhero connected to ancient folklore. The comical vibe helps make the more violent plot elements easier to take, and the characters are so vivid that we can't wait to see more of them on either big or small screens. (Disney) 

Obi-Wan Kenobi 
Filling in a gap in the Star Wars timeline, this six-episode series returns Ewan McGregor to his eponymous role as the now-jaded Jedi, while Hayden Christensen's Darth Vader marauds across the galaxy trying to finish him off. It feels oddly ill-imagined from the start, focussing on edgy action scenes that are bereft of tension due to the usual prequel issue: we know none of the main characters is in any real danger. A more dramatic approach and some more central (expendable) new characters would have given the series a much stronger sense of intrigue. Still, it's produced to a gloriously high standard, and McGregor and his ensemble of costars are excellent. (Disney)

Uncoupled
Essentially writer-creator Darren Star has created an out-gay remake of his earlier show, Sex and the City, this time starring three New York men grappling with love-life issues. It's equally underwritten and over-designed, but it's also hugely likeable, thank to the up-for-it Neil Patrick Harris as Michael, newly single after a 17-year relationship. His pals (Tisha Campbell, Emerson Brooks and Brooks Ashmanskas) offer the usual mix of good and bad advice/support, mainly for comical effect. Plus the great Marcia Gay Harden as another new singleton who worms her way into Michael's life. It's also actually funny, even if the humorous edges are superficial. (Netflix)

Loot 
Maya Rudolph is terrific in this comedy about a pampered, newly single billionaire who hasn't a clue how to engage with the real world, but wants to try by getting involved in her foundation. Many of the jokes are rather ridiculous, but the Rudolph is so good at playing endearingly naive that we can't help but love her, especially as she begins to connect with others. The wonderful Michaela Jae Rodriguez is terrific as her main foil, plus the absurdly endearing Joel Kim Booster as her hyperactive assistant and Adam Scott as her smarmy ex. The range of subplots are a bit uneven, but if one isn't working the attention quickly shifts to one that is simply genius. (HBO)

Star Trek: Strange New Worlds 
Now that Discovery has leapt into the distant future, this spin-off reverts to the past to follow Captain Pike (Anson Mount) in the years before the original series, complete with a younger Spock (Ethan Peck) and a rookie Uhura (Celia Rose Gooding). The idea here is to mimic the first series' exploratory episodic style, although the showrunners can't resist wallowing in those murky over-arching plot threads. This allows for some character depth, but it also makes the show feel a bit gimmicky, never fully diving in to the adventure of the week because everyone is preoccupied with their larger stories. Thankfully it's sharply well made, and very watchable. (Paramount)

Queer as Folk
Russell T Davies' landmark show gets a second reboot, this time set in New Orleans. The writing cleverly captures present-day attitudes, as sexuality is much blurrier than it was in the 1999 British original or 2000 American remake. Even as characters echo earlier versions, the plot strikes out in new directions, with a group of people whose lives are entangled in the wake of a nightclub shooting. The cast has a sparky freshness, anchored by the Devin Way as likeable disaster Brodie. The range of characters around him feels a bit overly curated, but each one engages with their messy decisions as they try to both fit in and find someone to love. (Peacock)

T H A T ’ S   A   W R A P

Love, Victor: series 3 
With its final season, this warm-hearted teen sitcom carries on with the likeable Victor (Michael Cimino) and friends. In these episodes, Victor ping-pongs between three smart, adorable guys -- Benji (George Sear), Rahim (Anthony Keyvan) and Nick (Nico Greetham) -- as he faces the usual foibles of the dating scene. It ends in the expected bearhug, but along the way, the story veers through some remarkably open-handed themes. Each cast member is particularly strong at playing vulnerability, especially in the face of genuine obstacles, so the pointed explorations of religion (both Catholicism and Islam) and sexuality feel inspiring and important. (Hulu) 

NOW WATCHING: Surface, Black Bird, Only Murders in the Building (2), Kevin Can F**** Himself (2), Never Have I Ever (3), What We Do in the Shadows (4).
COMING SOON: Andor, House of the Dragon, The Rings of Power, Reboot, She-Hulk, The Handmaid's Tale (5).

Critical Week: Put that thing down

As Britain enjoyed a sunny heatwave, we were clobbered with the news that pandemic restrictions won't be further lifted on 21st June as planned: we have another month to go before things will get back to a semblance of normality. Most things are open now with distancing regulations, which means that press screenings are few and far between (literally!). I only had one this week, a special celebrity packed screening of the sequel Hitman's Wife's Bodyguard, introduced by the always lively Salma Hayek in person. The film is messier than the first one, too busy and distracted to really hold together, but it has quite a few hilarious moments along the way. Meanwhile, Disney is bypassing cinemas with Pixar's latest minor masterpiece Luca, a gorgeous story about friendship and the importance of diversity set on the sunny Italian coast (and under the seas around it). 

BEST OUT THIS WEEK:
Luca • The Reason I Jump
It Must Be Heaven
Summer of 85
Truman & Tennessee
ALL REVIEWS >

The rest of the films I watched this week were an eclectic mix: Untitled Horror Movie is a computer-screen based comedy-thriller that's very well put together, with a terrific cast, but isn't very scary; from Brazil, Half Brother is a naturalistic, moving drama about two people finding themselves; and premiering at Tribeca Film Festival, Pray Away is a straightforward, expertly shot and edited doc about gay conversion therapy, as seen through the eyes of the people who ran those programmes and are now trying to make amends.

Finally, I revisited Stephen Frears' 1985 classic My Beautiful Laundrette, starring breakout young actor Daniel Day-Lewis. I'm hosting a conversion with the film's writer Hanif Kureishi on-stage before a screening of the film on Friday night at BFI Southbank as part of the London Indian Film Festival. It's a remarkably timely story about connections between communities, adeptly touching on ethnicity, culture, class and sexuality. And it's depictions of right-wing bigotry are eerily current.

Coming up this next week are the latest entry into the Fast & Furious franchise, F9: The Fast Saga, as well as Isabelle Huppert in Mama Weed, 1980s-set horror comedy Vicious Fun, the action thriller Unchained, the Argentine comedy thriller Rock Paper & Scissors and the Roma drama Carmen and Lola.

Critical Week: Get the party started

There's definitely a sense in London that this lockdown is finally coming to an end, with the promise that we'll soon be able to meet up in person again. Cinemas are re-opening in about 10 days after a long five-month closure, so press screenings will start up as well (I already have a few theatre press nights in the diary). In the mean time, I'm still watching everything using online links. The past week was another extremely mixed bag, from the loose, low-fi fun of the indie drama The Get Together, a messy romantic comedy centred around a chaotic house party, to the fabulous animated adventure The Mitchells vs the Machines, which has vividly developed characters and properly moving themes to add to its nutty action mayhem.

BEST OUT THIS WEEK:
Cowboys • Apples • Undergods
ALL REVIEWS >

Each movie brought its own mood: My New York Year (aka My Salinger Year) is a warmly comical take on the same story as The Devil Wears Prada, but set in a fusty literary agency (with a superb Sigourney Weaver in the scene-stealing role). The Killing of Two Lovers is a gritty independent drama that's somewhat indulgent in its storytelling but has a raw emotionality to it. The Reckoning is unintentionally camp 17th century British horror, riddled with cliches and some painfully awkward makeup and hairstyling choices. From South Africa, Fried Barry is a gleefully squalid odyssey about a junkie who's taken over by aliens. And the extremely low-budget action comedy In Action proves that just about anyone can make a movie if they have imagination and a sense of humour.

Films I need to watch over this coming week include Kelvin Harrison Jr in Monster, Colin Farrell in Voyagers, Melanie Laurent in the thriller Oxygen, the Slovakian drama Servants and the horror comedy Psycho Goreman.

Short Cuts: Wine, worlds and magic

Here are shorter reviews of three films I caught online over the past few days...

Wine Country
dir Amy Poehler; scr Liz Cackowski, Emily Spivey
with Amy Poehler, Maya Rudolph, Rachel Dratch, Ana Gasteyer, Paula Pell, Emily Spivey, Tina Fey, Maya Erskine, Cherry Jones, Jason Schwartzman
19/US Netflix 1h43 ***

Amy Poehler gathers her buddies together for this comedy about a group of six women who travel to Napa Valley to celebrate a 50th birthday. Friends for more than two decades, they rent a big house with bad wifi from a manly landlady (Fey) and follow an elaborate schedule planned by Abby (Poehler). The house comes with a sensitive chef/guide (Schwartzman), who adds some welcome texture to the nuttiness, as does the fabulous Cherry Jones as a visiting fortune-teller. She introduces the main plot point by encouraging them to deal with the secrets between them. And of course each of them has a big secret.

The dialog feels realistic and snappy, but lacks edge or insight, opting for gently observational smiles rather than outright laughter. Plus a lot of mugging along with guilty-pleasure pop songs. Improvisational moments add some spark, mainly thanks to shameless scene-stealers Rudolph and Fey, although each of these gifted hams gleefully takes the spotlight. Some of the dialog riffs are hilarious, such as when they talk about their love of Prince or when they cross a group of Millennials in an art gallery. Other things fall flat, like listing the prescription drugs they're on, worried they might interact with molly (as if litres of wine weren't enough). Speaking of wine, much of the humour centres on wildly drunken antics that begin to feel a little lazy, although the inebriated confessions lead into more intriguing angles exploring how avoiding the truth has held these women together all these years. And maybe being honest will make them even closer. So when they begin to admit that their lives aren't as perfect as they pretend they are, the film finds some proper resonance. It's all a bit mushy, but amiable enough to pass the time.

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The Wandering Earth 
dir Frant Gwo; scr Geer Gong, Dongxu Yan, Frant Gwo, Junce Ye, Zhixue Yang, Ti Wu, Ruchang Ye, JJ Shen
with Wu Jing, Chuxiao Qu, Jinmai Jaho , Guangjie Li, Man-Tat Ng, Michael Kai Sui, Jingjing Qu, Yichi Zhang, Yang Haoyu, Arkadiy Sharogradskiy
19/China 2h05 **.

China's biggest-yet blockbuster is a big, busy movie that simply refuses to settle down into something engaging. But its ticking-timebomb plot holds the interest. With the sun dying, the world is engulfed with floods, fires, droughts, storms and mass extinctions. So humans band together to move the earth into another solar system, a journey that will take 2,500 years as giant engines propel the planet like a ship, while humans live in giant underground cities. Now 17 years later, teens Qi and Duoduo (Qu and Jaho) skip school and steal thermal suits so they can go to the icy surface. But Jupiter's gravitational pull is too strong, and Earth is in danger of colliding with it. With the engines failing, mankind's survival depends on Qi and Duoduo and a rag-tag group, while Qi's father Peiqiang (Jing) and his Russian cohort Makalov (Sharogradskiy) try to help from the advance navigation ship.

The plot is fairly simplistic, but it's overcomplicated with extra characters and nonstop action chaos. A variety of cool settings are rendered with with elaborate sets and digital effects. And the pacing is relentless, zipping from one cataclysmic set-piece to the next on a scale that might make Roland Emmerich envious. Even if the direction and editing are a mess, the driving energy that holds the interest. And there are quite a few outrageously emotional and heroic moments, plus some solid humour, such as when one frustrated man empties his gun at Jupiter. Or when a group of teens figures out how to save the world with science! It's a shame the film isn't more coherent, because it's big idea is intriguing (it's based on a novel by Cixin Liu). Perhaps having one or two writers, instead of the eight who are credited, might have given the film more focus.

See also: THE WANDERING EARTH II (2023)

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General Magic
dir Sarah Kerruish, Matt Maude; scr Sarah Kerruish, Jonathan Key, Matt Maude
with Andy Hertzfeld, Joanna Hoffman, John Sculley, Marc Porat, Tony Fadell, Michael Stern, Megan Smith, Bill Atkinson, David Hoffman
18/US 1h33 ****

Silicon Valley is apparently full of stories of people inventing the right thing at the wrong time, paving the way for future technology. This pacey documentary traces the fortunes of the team behind General Magic, the most important company that nobody's ever heard of. Inspired by the idea of inventing a new future, Marc Porat imagined the ideal tech beyond the personal computer and designed what we know now as the smartphone in 1989, before mobile phones or internet existed. His team set out to create a tiny device with personal value like jewellery, indispensable, much more than either phone or computer. The staff was the cream of the crop, a spin-off of Apple with a rock star development team. But the public wasn't ready for this yet, and without mass interest, the company failed. Team members who knew this would still be the future went off to create things like eBay and LinkedIn, and years later later the iPod, iPhone and Android.

The film combines new interviews with archival footage, home video and news clips that remind just how much technology has changed since 1990. It's fascinating to watch these young people dream big, coming up with ideas that were wild back then but are everyday now. And to see them develop the hardware to make it work is astonishing, especially as they are creating objects from the ground up. This is a story of unfettered idealism, working to better the world rather than to make a lot of money. It's a vivid depiction of how failure is actually the beginning, not the end. This company was so far ahead of its time that it collapsed, and yet it still changed the lives of literally billions of people.
10.May.19

Shadows on the Screen: Winter TV Roundup

I look through this list of shows and wonder how I found time to watch all of this over the past three months. But I tend to watch an episode here and there during the day - to take a break from work, to reset my mind after a film, as background while I'm eating lunch. It's a bit scary how much TV I get through like this...

NEW AND NOTABLE

Killing Eve

Written by Phoebe Waller-Bridge, this is a seriously inventive spy thriller series. Funny and scary, it centres on a befuddled British agent (Sandra Oh) tracking a ruthless Russian killer (Jodie Comer) across Europe. None of the characters behave like the usual stereotypes; these are complex, surprising, offbeat people with their own issues. And the side roles are just as cleverly drawn. Well, any show that features the great Fiona Shaw is unmissable. And Waller-Bridge deserves praise for her willingness to avoid the usual action beats in lieu of character comedy, dark irony and some proper thrills. Plus a great cliffhanger ending.

Homecoming

Snaky and fascinating, this half-hour thriller series is a bit vague, deliberately delaying any revelation that could add clarity to the central mystery. This makes it a challenge to stick with, even as it worms its way under the skin, mainly because the characters are particularly strong, played beautifully by Julia Roberts, Bobby Cannavale, Stephan James and Shea Wigham. The writing and directing are astute and clever, with terrific moments in every episode, and a clever blurring of the lines between events in the past, present and future. In the end, this is a stark story about some very big issues like the wellbeing of veterans and the abuses of private contractors. So it carries some powerful resonance.

Wanderlust

Toni Collette and Stephen Mackintosh are terrific in this offbeat British comedy-drama about a married couple that decides to open their relationship to rekindle the spark between them. It's intriguing that the premise doesn't seem nearly as transgressive as it would have just a few years ago. Even the kids' somewhat outrageous behaviour feels almost normal. Whether this is a comment on our times or on a sliding scale of morality is the provocative question. The point is that this excellent cast is so good at making these people feel honest and real that it challenges us to define what we believe and why. And it keeps us smiling while doing so.

The Little Drummer Girl

The frankly awesome Florence Pugh stars in this adaptation of the John Le Carre thriller, which is snaky and stylish as it throws her character into a late-1970s spy/terrorism mess. Directed beautifully by Park Chan-wook, the series is wonderfully loose and elusive, but with a rivetingly strong edge that digs into the minds of the characters. Pugh is playing an actress with no espionage experience, drafted into a Mossad operation in which her method performance style is very effective, even as she blurs every line around her. Pugh's chemistry with slippery handler Alexander Skarsgard is mesmerising, while Michael Shannon's shady boss offers his own textures.

Vanity Fair

Thackeray's novel is adapted into this lively, colourful period series. It's perhaps a bit too jokey for its own good, knowingly nodding at the camera every chance it gets. But it's also skilfully well-made, with wonderful actors who inject lots of spark into their roles. And the way it's made brings in some nice present-day textures through the use of music and editing, plus themes surrounding the vacuous pursuit of popularity and money. Olivia Cooke has a terrific wide-eyed faux innocence as Becky Sharp, who aggressively attempts to make her fortune against the odds in 19th century England. She's so callous that it's hard to like her, so sympathy lies instead with the people she wrongs.

Kidding 

Definitely not for kids. Jim Carrey is superb as the Mr Rogers-style host of a long-running children's television show who clashes with the programme's producer, his dad (a hilariously exasperated Frank Langella), as he tries talk to kids about serious issues. But since this is from the mind of Michel Gondry, there's rather a lot more going on here. Essentially, this is a wildly inventive exploration of grief and emotional honesty, with terrific performances all round, including Catherine Keener and Judy Greer. It's sometimes a bit freaky, with entire episodes existing in a moment of insanity. But it's also darkly moving, and it carries a powerful kick as Carrey's Mr Pickles struggles with his inner demons.

Forever

It's rare for a comedy to explore existential issues, but this offbeat show boldly avoids obvious storytelling to create some quirky situations. Maya Rudolph and Fred Armisen star as a couple who, after events in the first two episodes, continue their marriage in the afterlife. The writing isn't as clever or funny as it thinks it is, and it never really says much about relationships, so the premise feels under-imagined. There's also the problem that the show simply never makes sense, even within its own deliberate lack of logic. But the cast is great, and the show's absurd enough to hold the interest as it plays with genuinely huge ideas.

The Bisexual

Desiree Akhavan appeared in Girls, and here she pushes that format even further as an awkwardly over-talking young woman in London trying to appear confident as she works with her ex (Maxine Peake), lives with a lovelorn Irishman (Brian Fleeson) and dodges barbs from her best pal (Saskia Chana). The cast is excellent, and the show's writing is astute, funny and very pointed as it explores issues that have never been confronted quite so straight-on in a TV show. Akhavan writes superbly barbed dialog that refuses to pull any punches, and as an actress she dives into a prickly character with so much gusto that we can't help but love her.

The Conners (aka Roseanne: series 11)

Dumping Roseanne Barr from Roseanne was a rushed over-reaction, and a great shame since this show took such a complex, messy, important approach to American politics. The remaining characters are all wonderful, finely played by the cast. But Barr's unhinged comedy is badly missed, leaving the show off-balance. That said, the approach to issues remains complex and engaging, and each actor brings layers and textures that make this one of the most sophisticated shows on network television. The way it grapples with political and social issues is a blast of fresh air. And Laurie Metcalf is a genius.

BACK FOR MORE

Murphy Brown: series 11

Two decades after going off the air, the entire talented cast is back for a reunion series. And while it took awhile to find its stride, it actually feels like the perfect sitcom for our times. The show's style feels a bit quaint, with a punchline carefully placed in every other line, but the topicality of the humour and the feistiness of the characters is thoroughly enjoyable. Adding the now-grown Avery (Jake McDorman) to the mix is just right. It reminds me why this was my favourite show all those years ago: a rare comedy in which the jokes actually mean something, bring out angles on the characters and occasionally find a moment of real emotion.

Shameless: series 9a

The Gallagher family simply won't give up. Each of them seems to have kicked up a gear this season, as increased desperation drives them to bigger, bolder scams. The actors are all so good that it's annoying when they cut away from anyone, but there isn't a weak storyline in here (of about 10 that run full-pelt). That said, the show is far more entertaining when these people are up to their, well, shameless antics than when the writers heap random misery on them undeserved. And there's been quite a bit of that so far this year. 

This Is Us: series 3a

This season continues to tug shamelessly at heartstrings, while exploring new past timelines along with the present-day saga and occasional future forebodings. So even with the occasional downright terrible episode (the fragmented Thanksgiving collage was a mess), the show is unmissable. The addition of Michael Angarano as the doomed Uncle Nick bodes well for future episodes, and both Kate's pregnancy and Randall's political campaign carry some nicely resonant kicks. It doesn't matter where it goes, just that it keeps moving, and that the writers don't work themselves into a corner.

The Good Place: series 3

As before, this season begins with a complete reboot of the premise, again offering the cast members the chance to play merrily with their characters. This series is even trickier than before, continually pulling the rug out from under the audience (and the characters for that matter) as a good-hearted demon (Ted Danson) and his definitely non-robot assistant (D'Arcy Carden) try to keep four hapless humans (Kristen Bell, William Jackson Harper, Jameela Jamil and Manny Jacinto) from the Bad Place. Smart, fast, silly and brilliantly well-played.

The Marvelous Mrs Maisel: series 2

This sharply written and produced series continues the story of the fast-talking 1950s housewife-turned-comic (Rachel Brosnahan). The plotting feels a little looser, abandoning the first season's tight arc for a more open-ended TV series style. This means that they spend a bit too much time following subplots involving Midge's manager (Alex Borstein), parents (Tony Shalhoub and Marin Hinkle) and ex-husband (Michael Zegen). Thankfully, the characters and actors are so good that we don't mind much. And the show comes exhilaratingly to life whenever Brosnahan gets behind a mic.

BINGEWATCHING

The End of the F***ing World: series 1

Alex Lawther and Jessica Barden are flat-out terrific as teens on the run in this half-hour road-trip comedy adventure. Lawther's James is only going along because he is pretty sure he's a serial killer, and he thinks Barden's manipulative Alyssa would be a decent first victim. But there's an unexpected connection developing between them as they search for her long-lost father, while the police and their parents try to track them down. Based on a series of comic books, it's laceratingly well-written and expertly played by an ensemble supporting cast of frankly brilliant British actors. Bring on the second series.

Fleabag: series 1

Phoebe Waller-Bridge has created a bracingly fresh British comedy, starring as a riotously frustrated woman willing to try just about anything to find some happiness after her best friend and business partner commits suicide. Hilariously inappropriate about almost everything, she remains remarkably likeable even as she upsets the lives of her friends and family (including Sian Clifford as her equally messed-up sister and the fabulous Olivia Colman as her snooty stepmum). But it's the emotional undercurrents, which swell up as the six episodes progress, that make the series memorable. It's impossible to predict where it will go from here.

Future Man: series 1

Josh Hutcherson is terrific as the title character in this wacky, action-packed half-hour comedy. He's the nerdy gamer Futterman, who finds himself travelling through time trying to save the world with two hysterically clueless characters (Eliza Coupe and Derek Wilson) from what he thought was a videogame. The hands of producers Seth Rogen and Evan Goldberg are strongly felt in the sharp stoner-style humour and outrageously over-the-top violence. Seriously addictive. The late Glenne Headley (as Josh's mum) will be sorely missed in the second season.

LIFE'S TOO SHORT

Maniac • After a strong start, this series became increasingly tricky, and by about the mid-point it simply turned itself inside out. Based on a Norwegian show, this is inventively directed by Cary Fukunaga with a Gondry-style playfulness, but it' far too pretentious. I made it through 5 episodes.
Rel • Cast and crew from The Carmichael Show reassemble for this lighter sitcom, which sends its endearing characters through a range of awkward situations. Lil Rel Howery is great in the lead role, but annoying when he plays a guest character in each episode. And while the show tackles some big issues, the buffoonery is wearing. I made it through 7 episodes.
The Deuce (series 2) • Like the first season, this show is somewhat dry and impenetrable, with a huge number of characters and complex situations that aren't fully explained. Shifting forward to the late-70s, it also feels slicker, with more organised criminals and pornographers. Maggie Gyllenhaal isexcellent, but it's hard to care what's happening. I gave up after episode 2.
House of Cards (series 6) • In its final season, this show became far too arch, drowning in cliches as Robin Wright's Claire turned oddly vicious. As good as she is, feels like she lost her grip on the character. The whole cast is superb, but the scripts don't do them justice. And the muddy tone wore me out about halfway into the third episode, when Claire turned to the camera and asked, "Are you still with me?"

NOW WATCHING: Les Miserables, Mom, Modern Family, Will & Grace, Murphy Brown, The Conners
COMING SOON: The Crown, Victoria, Future Man, Fleabag, The End of the F***ing World