The show centres around Johanne, a 30-year-old nurse. She attends her family’s annual December 1st celebrations and when receiving many questions about her love life and lack of boyfriend, Johanne invents a boyfriend and has until Christmas Eve to find one. I think this premise works really well in Norway as December 1st is not a traditional family gathering in the UK or US so there would have to be another reason for the family to get together.
Hello readers,
It has been a strange and stressful year for most of us and I have not been watching as many Christmas films as of late but I have been watching and re-watching some Christmas TV shows. Before Christmas 2019, I did not think that television shows dedicated to Christmas were a genre but they have been popping up on Netflix and I have been watching. It’s a great way to get a short half-hour burst of festive content without dedicating 90 minutes or more to a film.
Merry Happy Whatever (2019)
This was the first and only series I saw in 2019 and kicked off the genre on Netflix for me. If you’re looking to watch something comforting and family-orientated, then Merry Happy Whatever should definitely be on your bucket list. It centres around the Quinn family and their family celebrations over the Christmas period. The main focus of the clan is Emmy who is the only sibling to have moved away from under her father’s thumb. She is also the youngest and this year is bringing her boyfriend, Matt to Christmas in Philadelphia from their home in Los Angeles. While there are some ups and downs during the get together, nothing terrible happens so this is also suitable for kids, especially those with short attention spans as every episode comes in around the 30 minute mark.
The show does have some Disney Channel vibes as there is no swearing or violence and although the dialogue is a little cheesy I think the show has real heart; a great diverse cast showing how American families truly are. Each of the siblings go on their own journey through the show and Emmy (played by Bridgit Mendler, a Disney Channel alum) gets to see that her family aren’t as picture perfect as she once thought and her father sees that he should not try and control his adult kids.
There are a couple of other familiar faces including another Disney alum, Ashley Tisdale and Dennis Quaid as Don Quinn, the patriarch of the family. It’s a nice change of pace to see a show set in a lesser shown city in America but you don’t get to see much of Philadelphia as the show is all shot on a stage or using only half a room to create the impression that it is all staged. Think of other US comedies like Friends or How I Met Your Mother and you get the idea.
Overall, I think the show did a great job at being one of the first shows to focus solely on Christmas and you never get caught up around the festivities too much as there are so many other plotlines that the holiday is more of a backdrop with an excuse for activities and the family gathering together. I watched this show last year and then again this year. It’s an easy watch and all of the actors make you feel relaxed and at home with just enough Christmas spirit.
Home for Christmas (2019-)
This show actually premiered in 2019 but I didn’t notice it until this year. With a second season dropping this December, Netflix must have been promoting it more. This show is a Norwegian original, set in Oslo, although this is never explicitly stated. I watched with subtitles as I’m sure most people will but it didn’t distract me from the humour or heart of the show. There are some genuinely laugh out loud moments in both series of the show along with romance and joy.
The show centres around Johanne, a 30-year-old nurse. She attends her family’s annual December 1st celebrations and when receiving many questions about her love life and lack of boyfriend, Johanne invents a boyfriend and has until Christmas Eve to find one. I think this premise works really well in Norway as December 1st is not a traditional family gathering in the UK or US so there would have to be another reason for the family to get together.
Johanne with the help of her friends and roommate starts actively looking for a boyfriend and has a few adventures along the way. She tries speed dating, online dating, dating older and younger men with a mix of results and in between finds time to celebrate December with her friends, family and colleagues. Every episode shows a few days in December leading up to Christmas Eve and Johanne’s big reveal. The setting of a snow-covered high street with lots of Christmas village-esque shops creates the perfect Christmas setting. By watching the show, you learn a lot about Scandi or Norwegian traditions and rituals and you get to see a lot of the city with the various dates Johanne goes on.
I won’t give away the ending but in the second season, it is a year later and Johanne is hosting Christmas this year and still looking for a boyfriend or possibly her true love. There are a lot of characters to balance in the show but I think it does it well. There could be a little more diversity in terms of LGBT characters but there are a couple in there. Norwegian is such a lovely language and I definitely picked up a few phrases while reading the subtitles. I used to not like foreign shows or films as much as I struggled to keep up with the subtitles but having watched more and with many foreign films gaining better international recognition, I have become more familiar with subtitles.
I don’t personally recognise any of the actors but having looked at their profiles on IMDb, there are some actors that have been in a lot of projects even some English-speaking ones. The cast is great with the actress playing Johanne as a stand-out. She is able to navigate all her relationships and emotions perfectly and you can always tell what she is thinking by a look or gesture. I watched the first series at the start of December and then the second shortly after it came out. Both series were really strong and having most of the characters come back again helped to unite the story from one year to the next.
Dash & Lily (2020)
The only new Christmas show on Netflix this year is based on a book by David Leviathan and Rachel Cohn who have also had their two other joint works made into films. I think this story needed to be a television show as there is a lot to show and the nature of a back and forth works well in this format.
Dash and Lily are both teenagers in New York City at Christmas time and they are both alone. Dash by choice and Lily by circumstance. Dash is a cynic and the Grinch of the pair whereas Lily loves Christmas and takes every chance to celebrate. The story starts with Dash finding a mysterious notebook in his favourite second-hand book store and follows the dares inside. He begins a back and forth between himself and Lily who started the book. They trade dares and secrets about each other and gradually come out of their shells. Lily is shy and never ventures far out of her comfort zone or area in New York and Dash believes that joy is dead after his girlfriend left town and his parents divorced. He tells them both he is with the other and plans to spend the holidays alone at his dad’s apartment.
Dash and Lily are each helped in the dares by their friends or family and they both gradually become more well-rounded people. Setting the story in New York City at Christmas creates many opportunities to show the hidden places in the city as well as many iconic locations such as Macy’s, Grand Central Station and Central Park. There are many spots that are not normally used in New York for filming so it is not just the same scenery you have seen a thousand times. There are a lot of emotions in the show with humour and festive cheer included as well as darker emotions. The show is certainly not shielding any realities but there is not any real threats or bad language so suitable for a family watch with older kids.
One of the best parts of the story is showing New York how it really is in terms of its residents and realities. The cast felt naturally diverse as New York has many different people living there with a secondary character having a gay relationship that was relevant and real. David Leviathan has written many books starring gay characters so I would expect nothing less and I am glad it translated over to the screen.
This show will help bring out your festive cheer and show you that there’s more to life than your neighbourhood.
One of Clay’s traits is that he needs to be needed. He feels pushed out a little at the beginning of the season with his parents and Justin. He needs to feel wanted and when his parents shine a little more light on Justin, he feels a little left out. When Tyler calls Clay, he feels needed again. Ever since the tapes, there have been reasons for Clay to be needed for multiple people but after Monty’s death, there was no new crisis until Clay subconsciously created one. Clay needs all his friends focuses together on one thing in their senior year.
Hello readers,
This post is about my theories and musings of the characters and events of the fourth series of 13 Reasons Why. I enjoyed this season very much and of course, many spoilers below.
The title of the series is still relevant as even though the 13 Reasons are not all there, the tapes brought them together and created the group for the season. Many of the incidents of season 4 would not have happened if not for Hannah’s tapes. A great full circle moment: the characters, along with Ryan and Courtney, burying the tapes in the hills overlooking Evergreen.
The catalyst of the season is the graffiti of “Monty was Framed” across the administration’s office. I thought that Clay would have been doing it as his guilt was subconsciously coming out and he wanted all his secrets to be out in the open. I thought sleepwalking but the truth of blacking out is more serious than I predicted. I had thoughts that Clay may submit his guilt essay about covering up a murder by accident, but I’m glad that Ani saved him by changing it.
One of Clay’s traits is that he needs to be needed. He feels pushed out a little at the beginning of the season with his parents and Justin. He needs to feel wanted and when his parents shine a little more light on Justin, he feels a little left out. When Tyler calls Clay, he feels needed again. Ever since the tapes, there have been reasons for Clay to be needed for multiple people but after Monty’s death, there was no new crisis until Clay subconsciously created one. Clay needs all his friends focuses together on one thing in their senior year.
Clay is a truly good person as his interactions with Monty and Bryce’s ghosts show. Some may see this as the show trying to humanise rapists or criminals but I see this as showing that no person is one dimensional. These people are still just kids and there are many layers to their actions/ crimes. Everyone has deep issues within themselves. For example, Bryce felt neglected by his father and sometimes his mother so wanted control over girls. He was in a position of power within the school because of his money and being on the football team so he thought many women genuinely wanted to be with him. Then this turned into sexual abuse which is never okay, no matter your history. Many characters such as Tony, Ani and Justin have suffered similar neglect or distancing from their families but have never turned into the person Bryce becomes.
A big part of the show is how Clay related to all the characters and ties them together. Clay feels immense pressure as he has to keep everyone’s secrets. I wonder how fast they would all fall apart if Clay wasn’t there. Ani was the other glue and after she becomes and absent player in this season, Clay starts to fall apart as well as all of the others. Without the glue of Clay and Ani the whole situation falls apart. Another reason for Ani’s absence this season.
As with Monty, he has such a deep disliking of his sexual preferences that stems from his father’s homophobia and possibly a result of his Latino heritage. Again we can compare this with Tony who has the same heritage but his family is loving and supportive and he has had several gay relationships in the four seasons of the show and even lives with his boyfriend in seasons 3 and 4. Monty has internalised homophobia and violent tendencies as his fight with Alex showed. Even when he met Winston as the Hillcrest party, he was unable to enjoy his first time interacting with a guy in that way and had to become violent.
Clay’s reaction to Diego’s prank of the mannequin on the football field showed how Clay may be losing his mind but still has his humanity. Many people would shun and hate Monty and Bryce for this pain and crimes they inflicted on Clay’s friends but Clay still sees them as humans even though they are dead. He saw Monty bleeding and still tried to help him and cried over him. I don’t think any other character in the show has the strong compassion that Clay has. He is one of the only characters to hallucinate the ghosts of Monty and Bryce, and he feels so much guilt even though he had no direct connections to their deaths or crimes. He was never a victim but he absorbed everyone’s pain and carried around their guilt. I believe that if Clay had been on the docks when Bryce was injured he would have helped him and not behaved as Alex did. Although, who knows?
Clay’s psychological issues are the most prevalent this season with his violent outbursts, black outs and hallucinations. This is partially because the series is from his POV but also because of his mental health conditions of anxiety and depression that he admits to in his graduation speech. Clay’s relationship with Ani is something that helps to show Clay’s destruction. He uses Ani as a shield and I think only really dates her as she knows his secrets and is in their group. Not many of the group date outside it apart from Tyler, Zach and Tony. Ani not being present for Clay’s biggest breakdowns was a good narrative direction as he has no crutch to lean on or to get him of these situations.
At the beginning, Justin tells Jessica that he doesn’t want to date her as he is still recovering from his drug addiction. Jessica is not happy with this and becomes jealous when he flirts with the college tor guide. She just wants to be happy with Justin, she doesn’t see how much he needs to be alone as he has never needed that before in their relationship. A part of Justin’s healing process is going to AA meetings for drug addiction. When he sees his football coach there it gives him a boost of empathy.
His past catches up with him after reuniting with Jess and getting into college. His death is the main revelation of this season: the season 1 is Hannah; season 2 is Monty and Tyler. Season 3 is Monty’s death and season 4 is Justin’s. There are five meaningful deaths across the four seasons: Hannah, from suicide after the 13 reasons that are people; Jeff from a car crash caused by the stop sign hit by Sheri and Hannah; Bryce after being attacked by Zach and then pushed in the water by Alex while Jess watched on; Monty is jail after he is labelled a child rapist and Justin from HIV that turns into AIDs after being left untreated. Justin’s death could have been preventable if the HIV was caught earlier which makes it all the more sad. His history of sharing needles for drug use and having sex with men for money while he was homeless is the reason for the HIV. These things could have been avoided if Justin has received better support from his friends such as Bryce who instead lent him money for drugs. Clay became like a brother for Justin after helping him get off drugs. The end scenes in the hospital between Clay and Justin and when Clay reads Justin’s college essay shows how far they have grown as adopted brothers.
Justin’s funeral was used as a catalyst at the very start of the first episode which leaves you guessing who the funeral is for. I guessed Justin or Alex after Alex and Charlie got together. We see Charlie speaking at the funeral in episode two. I guessed Justin or Alex as the death as Charlie is not very close to many of the characters. He would speak at Justin’s as they are on the football team and he is the only true ally left from the team apart from the coach. Zach is absent from the team this year after his knee injury; Diego is Justin’s nemesis in the hand of Jessica and Bryce/Monty are dead. The other minor characters are not close to Justin. I think this was a very good narrative device to give the audience clues about a potential death.
Alex starts out figuring out his sexuality with Winston as he is a new student and doesn’t know his past with suicide and his other secrets. Alex tells him anyway as he feels the need to be honest with potential romantic partners. That is why he then breaks up with Winston on the senior trip as when he finds out that Winston was with Monty, he could not trust himself to keep his secret from Winston and feels guilty for dating him. He claims that he was hurt that Winston was with Monty, a criminal but ultimately he is trying to protect everyone because he knows the guilt will build and he will spill his secrets Alex pushed Bryce into the water, eventually killing him not because he is a violent person but because he felt the pain of Hannah and Jessica so closely. They used to be a group of three and there is a reason that Alex tried to kill himself at the end of season 1.
Charlie had a smaller role in the previous season but becomes a bigger role in this season after his involvement in the Monty secret. He puts himself in harm’s way to help people he barely knows keep this secret. After knowing how Monty has behaved, he does not hesitate to help the gang to frame Monty. He has become a permanent addition to the group. After Diego tells Jess that Charlie is gay/bi, I was waiting for Charlie to have a love interest. No line is ever said for no reason. Charlie is a better boyfriend for Alex as he googles Alex’s condition to help him, gives him cookies and helps him through his panic attacks in the shooting drill. Charlie is quite a shy character but becomes a pivotal part of the gang after getting together with Alex. I think he has had a crush on Alex for some time but was waiting to see if Alex reciprocated his feelings. Charlie seeks out Alex at the party and at the senior camping trip. I loved that Alex went to prom with Charlie and had Clay as a buffer. Winning Prom King and Queen with Charlie really helped Alex to confirm his sexuality.
Winston is determined to find out who really killed Bryce to prove Monty’s innocence so he leaves Hillcrest on purpose to scope out the Liberty kids. After befriending Tyler and Alex for this purpose, Winston accidentally falls for Alex. Winston then starts scoping out the Liberty gang one by one. During the potential school shooting, Winston and Zach are trapped together. Winston buys Zach’s trust with some drugs and after confessing, gets a truth from Zach about the night of Bryce’s death. He teams up with Diego to scare Clay. He suspects Justin then Jessica.
Winston has a small redemption arc when he apologises to Alex after but do we believe him? At first, I liked Winston and Alex together because of my inclination towards gay relationships. Although after reflection, Winston was very dismissive of Alex’s condition and all he had been through. This is in stark contrast to how his boyfriend, Charlie behaves before they have even got together. Winston also talks himself into thinking he’s in love with Monty even though they only hooked up twice. In the prom scene, Winston gets a good talking down from Monty’s ghost. This is a positive towards the character of Monty but as Monty is dead, this is just Winston’s feelings coming out. After finding out everything about Monty, he knows that he would never be allowed to love Monty as he would want. This is proved by Monty beating up Winston after they hooked up.
Zach becomes very self-destructive this season with drinking and having sex with random girls. He feels guilty about almost killing Bryce and then dating his ex-girlfriend, Chloe. Zach also has extra guilt about Hannah and how he treated her. Zach is someone who Alex tries to kiss when realising his sexuality but gently lets him down. A big emotional moment for Zach is when Justin is dying in the hospital and Zach cannot face him. The hospital is where his father died only a few years before and he has bad memories associated with it. Charlie then talks to Zach as his mother also died in that hospital. This shows another reason for his self-destructive behaviour this season. His scene with Alex on the boat and saving Alex from drowning creates a redemptive story for Zach.
Jessica begins the season by trying to deal with her rejection from Justin by dating Diego his antagonist. She thinks that this will make Justin jealous and want her back. She acts a little childish is this aspect of her. Before Justin’s illness is revealed Jessica is playing games with Justin. She is also haunted by the ghost of Bryce as Clay is too. Attention less focused on her this series but her friendship with Ani goes though some patches. After Ani moves in with her, it creates a new dynamic between them. Jessica’s main focus is her campaign against sexual abuse and towards equality. This is very relevant today.
The premise is fairly straight forward as the current POTUS has announced plans for a Space Force in the US but that’s where reality stops. Some of the situations, the characters find themselves are hysterical yet almost believable. Mark is played by Steve Carell the co-creator of the show and he has some brilliant co-stars. John Malkovich plays his number two, scientist Dr. Mallory, Lisa Kudrow is his incarcerated wife, Diana Silvers is his teenage daughter Erin. There are many other comedy actors involved as well as some I haven’t seen do comedy or anything else.
Hello readers,
It has been a while since I’ve made a blog post. With the lockdown and everything, cinemas have been shut and I have not been watching many new films apart from on streaming services. I have however been enjoying some new television shows and I am finally getting around to reviewing a few.
Outer Banks
Quick Synopsis: Set on the island of Outer Banks, North Carolina; a group of teenagers set out to solve a mystery that spans all social classes on their island. The adventure starts after John B, discovers his missing father’s compass on a sunken boat. Is the mystery linked to the story of the 400 million in British gold somewhere off the coast of Outer Banks?
I love this show and watched all ten episodes in the course of two days. It starts as a kind of Goonies/Stranger Things show without the supernatural elements. As the show progresses, it becomes more intense and like a cat mouse chase mixed with murder and danger. The hunt for the truth and kids turned criminals is what carries the drama of the show. Most of the stars are new to the acting world but do a great job playing either a Pogue or a Kook. 10/10.
Space Force
Quick Synopsis: General Mark Naird, a member of the Air Force in America is tasked with setting up a new section of the Armed Forces: Space Force. The show fast forwards a year when things are up and running in Colorado. Things have changed for Mark. His wife is now in prison nearby, his daughter is struggling to make friends and he is facing new challenges obeying POTUS.
This show only released a couple of days ago but I think it’s one of the funniest new shows I’ve seen in a while. The premise is fairly straightforward as the current POTUS has announced plans for a Space Force in the US but that’s where reality stops. Some of the situations the characters find themselves in are hysterical yet almost believable. Mark is played by Steve Carell, the co-creator of the show and he has some brilliant co-stars. John Malkovich plays his number two, scientist Dr. Mallory; Lisa Kudrow is his incarcerated wife; Diana Silvers is his teenage daughter, Erin. There are many other comedy actors involved as well as some I haven’t seen do comedy or anything else. Many of the jokes either have an episode-long duration or are simple throw away lines. They do not rely on quick laughs but rather use their big budget to create this world that happens to be funny. The Space Force base is really amazing and the show itself is very progressive with lead astronaut, Captain Ali being a black female and head scientist, Dr. Chang being Asian. I would say the show reminds me slightly of The Office just a more politically correct and socially aware version. I would highly recommend to comedy or space fans. 9/10.
Locke & Key
Quick Synopsis: After their father dies, the Locke family move to his childhood home in the small town of Matheson. The siblings, Tyler, Kinsey and Bode slowly discover various Keys hidden around Key House and a bigger mystery begins to unveil itself.
I came to this show later than when it first came out but I am really glad I did as I thought it was well crafted and the young cast that lead the show did a great job. There was a lot of characters and smaller sub plots but I thought everything was fleshed out really well. The locations were great, especially some of the places you visit via the Keys. I liked how elements of the past came back into the present of the show. A Season 2 has been announced and I am looking forward to it being produced when possible. 8/10.
Hollywood
Quick Synopsis: Set in the world of a post-WWII Hollywood, a group of creatives set about making social change with their film. Actors, actresses, producers, directors, writers and others all come together to create a picture more progressive than the film industry has seen before. Hollywood shows how the world could have been if attitudes were different.
I also started this show later than everyone else as I wanted to reduce my continue watching section of Netflix before it got too cluttered. As a film student, this show was always going to appeal, being set in Hollywood but I really enjoyed it and I think non-film people would too. It was amazing to see how society could have been if social change occurred 60 years ago. In the show, the creatives want to produce a film with a female black lead, written by a black writer and directed by a half-Asian director. They are met with many challenges but ultimately it exists which never happened in the 50s. The production design was amazing, as well as the cars, shops, clothing and film sets. The show was created by Ryan Murphy and Ian Brennan who have made shows such as Pose and Glee. There were a few of Murphy’s favourites including Darren Criss, David Corenswet, Dylan McDermott, Patti LuPone mixed with some newcomers and experienced actors. I think this limited series would do well with a second series but concludes nicely. 9/10.
Never Have I Ever
Quick Synopsis: Devi, an Indian teen living in California has had a hard time lately. Her dad dropped dead at her school concert then she was paralysed but starting the new school year as a sophomore should be better. Along with her two best friends, Eleanor and Fabiola, Devi juggles family expectations, boy drama, friend drama and therapy. Her life is narrated by tennis player, John McEnroe.
I thought this teen comedy show was really funny with a touch more darkness than usual. It covered a lot of tough topics but kept the audience rooting for Devi and her friends. There was a great diverse cast and as the creator, Mindy Kaling is also Indian, all the Indian traditions and culture seemed very accurate. Devi’s life being narrated by an old white guy could have gone two ways but it added a quirk to what could be just another teen show. Devi has a strong spirit but made a lot of mistakes that I think many could relate too. She ended up in a lot of funny situations . All the main characters were well fleshed out with their own lives away from the main character and I learned a lot about Indian culture. A little more out there than a show made for teenagers. 8/10.
I Am Not Okay With This
Quick Synopsis: Sydney, a teenager in a small town is not part of the the popular crowd. When she makes a new friend in Dina, she hopes that life is turning around until telekinetic powers start. She is trying to replace her late father as a second parent to her younger brother and fending off the admiration of neighbour Stanley.
This show is based on a graphic novel by the same people who did ‘The End of the F***ing World’ and has similar vibes although in America. I thought all the emotions that Syd goes through were very powerful, given that when she feels angry, her powers manifest. The set isn’t as flashy but still helps to create the world. A lot of the props and the costumes give vintage vibes including Stanley’s car and his blue suit. This show has a slow build but an explosive ending. 7/10.
The Stranger
Quick Synopsis: People in an English city all become connected by a stranger who knows all their secrets. Different plot lines all begin to converge as the mystery and identity of ‘The Stranger’ becomes clearer. Weaving throughout is Adam’s need to find his missing wife, Corinne. She is at the centre of this mystery and her son leads a plot line amongst the teenagers.
Another great story from the mind of Harlan Coben who was responsible for another Netflix drama, Safe. There is a plot with adults but also with school kids so I think it adds a great blend. There’s a big cast but everyone gets a chance to show their story. You don’t often see teenage and adult drama mixed together like this which is the unique factor at play in this show. It was highly talked about and remains one of the best drama series I have seen. 10/10.
There are some great shows to come and some I am keen to start include Normal People, Snowpiercer, White Lines and Noughts and Crosses.
One element that ties all of these shows together is that they include characters of many genders, races, sexualities and abilities. As the world has moved forward with growing acceptance of people that are different to the norm, The Politician has made “a liberal, very social, somewhat Utopian world” to quote Ben Platt on the Today Show. No one is rigidly one sexuality or another; gender is not an explicit storyline and no one is bullied for what they are.
Hello readers,
Something that I have never done before, this post is an analysis of just one show but discussing many different elements in more depth than I normally do. I have chosen The Politician as my show to explore as I love all the aspects and I have been watching many cast interviews about how the show was made. I will be including spoilers in this analysis so if you have not seen the Politician turn back now.
The Politician debuted on Netflix on 27th September 2019 and was created by Ryan Murphy, Brad Falchuk and Ian Brennan. This threesome have made other successful shows together and apart such as Glee (2009-2015); American Horror Story (2011-) Scream Queens (2015-2017); American Crime Story (2016-); Feud (2017-); 9-1-1 (2018-) and Pose (2018-).
One element that ties all of these shows together is that they include characters of many genders, races, sexualities and abilities. As the world has moved forward with growing acceptance of people that are different to the norm, The Politician has made “a liberal, very social, somewhat Utopian world” to quote Ben Platt on the Today Show. No one is rigidly one sexuality or another; gender is not an explicit storyline and no one is bullied for what they are. It’s how most people wish the world could be but the creators show that it’s not perfect. People who are lesser abled are ‘used’ for their disability and the school where the action takes place does not have as much variety in race, for example there is just one Asian student. Deceit and cruelty is still very much around and is perhaps even more alive than in your average American high school.
Synopsis
The show focuses around Payton and his mission to become the Class President of his senior year. He believes that this position will help him to become the President of the United States. He has been carefully tailoring his life with choice of activities and classes and friends to get to this level. He is the Politician. We meet him when he’s at a bit of crossroads. He wants to get into Harvard but only has a conditional offer. He is told he can bribe the university as his family are very wealthy but he wants to get in on merit. In the first episode we see River go against Payton in a debate and reveal a suicide attempt from a year before. River and Payton are friendly and despite dating Astrid, River kisses Payton and gets him to be vulnerable. There is also a threesome mentioned between Payton, Astrid and River but their relationship isn’t really explored.
After River announces his running mate as Skye, who is probably the most diverse student at San Sebastian being black and gay; Payton’s team, McAfee and James tell Payton to get someone more diverse as his running mate. He asks one guy with cerebral palsy but he sees through Payton’s intentions. Infinity Jackson, a naive girl with cancer who acts childish, agrees after Payton promises her grandma to buy them tickets for a Disney cruise. Politics ensue and after River’s tragic suicide that is off-screen but Payton witnessed; Astrid takes over the campaign.
Many secrets come out including Infinity’s fake illness; Georgina’s affair with a female stable handler; James’ affair with Alice; McAfee’s relationship with Skye, Martin and Luther Hobart attempting to murder their father and brother and other attempts on Payton’s life.
Cast
Ben Platt as Payton Hobart, wannabee Class President and the protagonist of the show. Payton often has trouble connecting with his feelings and can be very demanding of those around him. He strives for perfection in everything he does and when things don’t go his way, he cannot deal with it.
Gwyneth Paltrow as Georgina Hobart, Payton’s mother and unhappily married yet rich.
Zoey Deutch as Infinity Jackson, an ill classmate of Payton’s that he recruits to win the election.
Jessica Lange as Dusty Jackson, Infinity’s grandma who raises her alone but exploits Infinity’s illness for monetary gain.
Laura Dreyfuss and Theo Germaine as McAfee Westbrook and James Sullivan, Payton’s friends and campaign managers. They are Payton’s right-hand guy and girl yet have lives all of their own.
Julia Schlaepfer as Alice Charles, Payton’s girlfriend who dumps him online to get a pity vote on his campaign.
Rahne Jones as Skye, Payton’s enemy. She is River’s running mate for Class President and is keen on making San Sebastian High more equal for minorities. After River’s death, she becomes Astrid’s number two.
David Corenswet as River, Payton’s friend who runs against him for class president. They meet as River tutors Payton in Mandarin and they share a kiss.
Lucy Boynton as Astrid, River’s girlfriend who takes over his campaign after his suicide. She is rich yet feels trapped in her privileged life.
Trevor and Trey Eason as Martin and Luther Hobart, Payton’s older brothers that set against destroying his life and his father. They resent him as even though he is adopted, their mother loves him more.
Benjamin Barrett as Ricardo, Infinity’s boyfriend who becomes jealous of Payton giving her attention and schemes with Dusty to bring him down.
Bob Balaban as Mr Hobart, Payton’s father. Early in the series as Georgina reveals that she is in an affair and no longer loves him, he jumps out of a window. His sons then try and kill him for the inheritance.
Judith Light and Bette Midler guest star in the last episode as Dede Standish and her Chief of Staff, Hadassah Gold. They will become important rivals for Payton and his group in the next series.
Art Direction:
The first thing that jumped out to me were the colours and lighting of the show. The feel is almost like a Wes Anderson film with lots of symmetry and bright bold colour choices for sets and outfits. The world appears much cleaner and brighter than it is in reality and apart from the various scenes in New York City, there is no mess or dirt anywhere. This is because most of the characters are rich apart from Infinity and Dusty yet their house still looks spotless. I think it was done to show the separation from the real world. It isn’t real life, it’s something more heightened; A 4k version of the world. The locations were also amazing. Payton’s home really showed his family dynamic and the disconnect he feels to his father and brothers. Astrid’s house is also so big that she doesn’t have to interact with her parents that much and she can just be herself in her bedroom. The school setting looked rich enough but also had a homely vibe. Kids felt safe there and people less well off were not seen as different by the school. Everyone was seen as worthy of a place there, at least by the on screen characters.
Costume:
Every outfit was so amazing and spoke volumes about the character wearing them. Not just the bright colours but the nature in which they were worn. Some characters used their wardrobes to show who they are. Payton for example, always dressed sensibly and appropriately as a leader should look. James and McAfee were a little more expressive, particularly McAfee with her block colour pant suits and tinted glasses but still in the realms of smart and business like. Alice is more preppy like she has just come from a country club or afternoon tea. Infinity didn’t really care about style and just wore things that gave her comfort or had nice pictures on. The clothes were another element that raised the show to a heightened reality as most high school students would not put as much effort into their appearance every day.
Script
This show is a satire with comedy elements but the lines are not laugh out loud funny. Sometimes something is funny because it is so spot on to the current political/social climate or that is so outrageous that you cannot help but laugh in almost disbelief. There were also some very sweet and loving moments that really make you think. One of my favourite lines is “It doesn’t matter whether you’re a good person or not, as long as you do good things”. River says this to Payton in a dream sequence when Payton is questioning his own morals. Another line that has stuck in my brain is during a scene where on the day of the election, Georgina tries to help a student who has forgotten her ID so cannot vote. She begs the students on the door to give her a ballot and when they eventually do, the student admits that she is not voting for Georgina’s son. She says something like it doesn’t matter who you vote for as long as you do. I thought that was a really strong line about the importance of voting.
Tone
The tone of this show is one that changes as the episodes progress but it is certainly not light and airy. The first episode, for example contains River describing his suicide attempt and then he actually kills himself off screen. This is a heavy plot point to start on but the tone of the show is set in realism and not optimism. If you’re looking to watch something for light relief, the Politician is definitely not going to tick that box. The political satire combined with heightened drama is what makes this show so hard to resist. You start to care for these characters despite their many and varied flaws. By the last episode of the series, after the time jump, the tone has changed to a more hopeful one. Ben Platt himself said in an interview with Queerty “I think it has a hopeful ending and an exciting ending”.
Music
The soundtrack has a mixture of old and new songs with songs by Shirley Bassey, Dusty Springfield, The Cure, Joni Mitchell, Billy Joel and Donna Summer along with Chvrches, Otis Redding, Tame Impala and Ben Platt. A stand out song to me was ‘River’ a Joni Mitchell cover that Payton sang at River’s funeral. Ben Platt has been in several Broadway shows and the Pitch Perfect films so I’m glad they made good use of his voice and his own original music. In the last episode, Payton ends up at a piano bar after discovering his love of singing in the series. He sings a great cover of the Billy Joel song, Vienna.
Politics and Real World Issues: Gun Control, Munchhausen by Proxy, Voter Bias, Election Fraud
While this show is fictional and has fictional characters is is definitely set amongst real world issues. One of Payton’s first policies is to limit gun control in his area and suggests that they hold a campaign to get everyone to donate their guns. This is an issue that is very prevalent in America especially in recent years with the March for Our Lives campaign following the Parkland school shooting. Infinity’s grandmother pretends to everyone including her granddaughter that Infinity is sick with cancer. It is proved by Payton and his friends that she does not have the disease and Dusty Jackson was faking it. Munchhausen by proxy is when someone pretends that someone else is ill. Often it is done for financial gain. Dusty and Infinity go on lots of trips that are paid for because of Infinity’s illness. This condition came into the media with the story of Gypsy Rose whose mother was doing the same to her and Gypsy killed her. Zoey Deutch has said in an interview that Infinity was not based on Gypsy Rose but there are of course, similarities.
In the fifth episode, the Voter, we are shown the work that both sides of the campaign go into to get votes. Elliot is polled by all the candidates and their teams to try and get his view. Another scene shows Georgina complaining to the student election team that a student is not allowed to vote because she forgot her ID. The student reveals that she was not going to vote for Payton, to which Georgina replies that isn’t the point. This shows a flipped point of view as you would think Georgina would fight for someone on her team. Election fraud is also a concept in the show. Astrid drops of the election and so every vote is null and void but Payton is always big on winning fair and square. For example, he wants to get into Harvard on merit and not because of bribery.
Reception
The Politician is a show that was created for audiences rather than critics. Rotten Tomatoes, a popular reviewing platform that declares a whether a film is rotten or not with a percentage out of 100 has given the Politician 57% from 86 reviews. However, many fan favourites have recieved rotten ratings on the site in the past. The Guardian’s film critic, Lucy Mangan has said “Ryan Murphy’s student politics is a born winner” So clearly not all reviewers agree.
Final thoughts on The Politician are that it is a vital and entertaining show that has a deep and powerful message for our times. Everyone I know that has watched the series loved it from my generation to the older one. Such a different take on the teen comedy genre but still has flavours you will recognise.
Stay tuned for my countdown to Christmas with the Netflix and cinema releases that are worth watching this holiday season.
I think that the dynamics between all the different characters were very well balanced. There are more characters than ever this series with new additions of Robin, Alexei, Tom, Larry and Heather. The main cast are split into four gangs, if you will. There is Scoops Troop consisting of Steve, Robin, Dustin and Erica, Lucas’ younger sister who has a much bigger role in series 3. Their adventure below the Starcourt Mall trying to defeat Russians and become American heroes takes them away from the main action of the Mind Flayer and the Flayed.
Hello readers,
Another post so soon? What a shock. I have been travelling a lot recently so haven’t gone to the cinema too much until a week or so ago but now I have the whole summer to watch and review.
In this post I am talking about the new season/series of Stranger Things!
Stranger Things 3 promotional poster
Thought about posting this earlier but wanted to make sure I didn’t spoil the series for any one not as fast at bingeing as me. So if you haven’t seen all of Stranger Things 3 or are planning to watch it in the future, look away now!
The latest series had a different vibe to the previous: the kids are growing up; they’ve lost people; the stakes are becoming higher and the monsters harder to conquer.
The addition of the Starcourt Mall to Hawkins, Indiana was a great plot idea as it created the location for many of the adventures, shopping trips and final showdowns. Steve and Robin work at Scoops Ahoy for the summer, the group sneak into the cinema and Russians are building something underneath.
Starcourt Mall, Hawkins, IN
I think that the dynamics between all the different characters were very well balanced. There are more characters than ever this series with new additions of Robin, Alexei, Tom, Larry and Heather. The main cast are split into four gangs, if you will. There is Scoops Troop consisting of Steve, Robin, Dustin and Erica, Lucas’ younger sister who has a much bigger role in series 3. Their adventure below the Starcourt Mall trying to defeat Russians and become American heroes takes them away from the main action of the Mind Flayer and the Flayed.
Scoops Troop
Eleven has grown into her new home and place within the group, bonding with Max and having a summer of love with Mike. The kids group consists of Max, Lucas, Will, Mike and Eleven. They are soon joined by Jonathan and Nancy who get up to some investigating of their own involving rats and fertiliser.
Another character off on their own adventure is Billy, Max’s older step-brother and eye-candy of the community pool. Again his role has been expanded this series. Last series, Billy was an enemy, Steve’s school rival and Max’ gate keeper. This series there is so much more to his story. Also stemming from the last series is the relationship that Billy has built up with Karen, Nancy and Mike’s mother. Billy suggests they meet in motel for some private ‘swimming lessons’ and I bet Karen is glad she didn’t go through with it after Billy’s arc this series. Billy recruits Heather into his evil plots but he isn’t himself. The Mind Flayer is back and has taken over Billy’s mind.
Billy and Karen Wheeler
Heather
Our last group of Stranger Things characters are Joyce Byers and Jim Hopper, Will’s mother and Eleven’s adoptive father, Jopper. They team up to investigate mysterious goings on with a loss of magnetism in the town. Joyce also goes to Mr Clarke for help, the kid’s science teacher. They then kidnap Alexei and hold him hostage from a man who could be described as the Russian Terminator. They find Murray as he is the only Russian speaker for miles around.
It was really interesting to split up the characters into new and old gangs to work out what monsters are plaguing Hawkins and I think when they eventually all teamed up together which I was hoping for, they all gelled well with one another.
The setting and 80s culture played a big part in this series as always. The fashion of crazy prints, short shorts and block colours was great to explore and as this series is set around 4th July, the Duffer Brothers could explore what a summer in Hawkins looks like. Particular stand out outfits to me were Eleven’s. Max takes her shopping to the mall and they go to The Gap to get her a new look after she dumped Mike. The clash of patterns and bright colours were great for Eleven and showed some of her quirky personality.
Max and Eleven
Other 80s culture I loved was the films that were referenced. With the new multiplex cinema in Starcourt, the characters had many chances to go the cinema. At the beginning of the series, the group sneak into a showing of Day of the Dead and when Steve and Robin have been drugged by the Russians, on their escape Dustin and Erica try to get them to hide out in a screening of Back to the Future. Other films on the marquee at the front of the cinema are Fletch, D.A.R.Y.L., The Stuff and Return to Oz.
Starcourt Cinema
Other pop culture items mentioned are Ralph Macchio: Max’s apparent celebrity crush which prompts Lucas to wear a Karate Kid t-shirt; The Neverending Story theme tune: a duet between Dustin and his camp girlfriend, Suzie over radio; Cheers, a popular US TV show that Joyce and Hopper both watch and the New Coke that only Lucas likes.
The monsters were bigger and gorier than before with the Mind Flayer possessing Billy then getting him to kidnap others for the army. In the end almost thirty people end up as Mind Flayer goop. The monster that grows larger, the more it absorbs people is the most gruesome so far and hardest to destroy. Jonathan and Nancy in the hospital certainly try their hardest but don’t succeed. Of course it takes team work, powers and sheer cleverness to defeat the monsters… and the evil Russians.
The series was kept with Stranger Things’ theme and tone and made a brilliant new season. I cannot wait to see what they have in store next year.
Happy Watching,
Robyn
Films I’ve enjoyed recently are Chasing Happiness, Legend, Starter for 10, Rough Night and Wildlife.
Another post for me in the same month is rare I know but as I am still on university holidays, I thought I would write about what I’ve been watching this year. I have had quite a lot of spare time so I have been watching many TV series and films. Not everything listed below came out this year. Hope everyone is having a good 2019 so far!
I will start with the films that I have seen.
Mission Impossible – Ghost Protocol 2011
I watched this at home a few days ago and as a lover of the latest film I had high expectations. They were certainly met. The dynamics between the main cast: Tom Cruise, Simon Pegg, Paula Patton and Jeremy Renner really gave the film the human spark it needed to not be a mindless action thriller. There were amazing stunts and cool gadgets – the magnetic suit for one, stunning locations and spine-tingling suspense. I would definitely watch again and I will be watching the earlier films in the Mission: Impossible franchise. 5/5.
Cast:
Tom Cruise as Ethan Hunt, an IMF spy, constantly on the run and never out of danger.
Simon Pegg as Benji Dunn, the funny computer genius who has just passed field training.
Paula Patton as Jane, a colleague who is out for revenge.
Jeremy Renner as Brandt, an analyst who gets caught up in Hunt’s mission.
Léa Seydoux as Moreau, an assassin looking to trade documents for diamonds
Mary Poppins Returns 2018
I was quite late to the party with this one but I managed to see it last week at the cinema. This film appear to have sparked a controversy as while some people were disappointed with the outcome, it has been nominated for four Golden Globes and three BAFTAs. I, however, really enjoyed it. I have seen the first one but not for a while so it wasn’t fresh in my mind but the overall feeling of this film is updated yet similar to the original. The songs and sets are different and the characters have grown up but Mary Poppins is still there to save the day. The animated scenes were inspired by but didn’t copy the original. The film gave me a heartwarming feeling. Great bit of fun for all the family. 5/5.
Cast:
Emily Blunt as Mary Poppins, the magical nanny returning to the Banks’.
Lin-Manuel Miranda as Jack, the lamp lighter who joins in on the fun.
Ben Whishaw as Michael Banks, he’s all grown up and struggling with finances.
Emily Mortimer as Jane Banks, she rallies for women’s rights.
Pixie Davies as Anabel Banks, the most responsible Banks child.
Nathanael Saleh as John Banks, the sensible one.
Joel Dawson as Georgie Banks, he likes to wander off and fly kites.
Julie Walters as Ellen, the housekeeper and cook.
Meryl Streep as Cousin Topsy, who can everything but not on a second Wednesday.
Colin Firth as Mr Wilkins, chairman of the bank who is determined to repossess the Banks’ house.
Finding Your Feet 2018
This heartwarming comedy will tug at your heart strings and put a smile on your face. Sandra discovers her husbands affair and runs to her sister’s council flat in London. By finding her long forgotten love of dance again and meeting Biv’s fun friends, Sandra gets a new burst of life and reconnects with her sister. I particularly liked the sequences in Rome and Biv’s eccentric zest for life. It also shows to me that older actors can still make a great entertaining film and younger leads aren’t always necessary.
Cast:
Imelda Staunton as Sandra, whose husband has been having a secret affair for years. She lived in a big house in Surrey but moves in with her sister at the beginning.
Celia Imrie as Biv, a woman who lives every day like it’s her last. She swims in cold water pools, does weekly dance classes, goes on dates and buys her stuff from the charity shop.
Timothy Spall as Charlie who lives on a canal boat and takes a shine to Sandra.
Joanna Lumley as Jackie a fellow dancer and a lawyer, she knows how to have fun.
David Hayman as Ted who lives next to Charlie on the canal. He’s Charlie’s best friend and is always there for support.
Overboard 2018
A hilarious comedy about a woman taking revenge a bit too far. Kate is working multiple jobs to put herself through nursing school and support her three daughters. After a billionaire playboy throws her off his luxury yacht, she uses him for her own gain. Leo, himself falls off the yacht and wakes up with no memory. Kate convinces him that she is his wife and takes him home. She makes him do manual labour and earn money until she can pass her upcoming exam. Full of heart and funny scenes this film was a delight to watch. The only slight downside was as most of the characters were fluent in Spanish they spoke it frequently with no subtitles. It didn’t impede too much on understanding the main plot though. 5/5.
Cast:
Anna Faris as Kate, a wannabe nurse struggling to balance work, studying and looking after her children.
Eugenio Derbez as Leo, a selfish billionaire who becomes a doting husband after her gets amnesia.
Eva Longoria as Theresa, Kate’s friend who is in on the act and helps her keep it up.
Mel Rodriguez as Bobby, Theresa’s husband, he lets Leo work for his building company.
John Hannah as Colin, Leo’s chef and employer on the yacht.
Roma 2018
I’m going to start by saying that I didn’t really enjoy or understand this film but seeing as it won two Golden Globes, some people must appreciate it. The film set in Mexico in 1970 is telling the story of Cleo, a domestic servant and the family she works for. It is in black and white and while this does give the film some atmosphere, I think that the film didn’t have a strong enough setting, dialogue or plot. There were also a lot of long shots such as the beginning and many unexplained events. The acting was okay but I didn’t really connect with the characters enough to care about what happened to them. The family appeared to care for Cleo at some points but still treated her like just a servant. Confusing. 2/5.
Cast:
Yalitza Aparicio as Cleo, the domestic worker who works for Sofia and her children.
Marina de Travia as Sofia, the lady of the house and the mother of 4 children.
Fernando Grediaga as Antonio, the husband and father who works as a doctor and is away a lot of the time.
Verónica García as Teresa, Sofia’s mother who helped out the family.
Attack the Block 2011
I really liked this action comedy. It is set in and around a block of flats in South London. A gang of teenagers find a strange creature and kill it. It turns out to a an alien and the rest of the fleet descend on the block. Sam, a nurse teams up with the gang and they defend their home. They also have to avoid angry rival gang members and keep little wannabees out of the way. Featuring appearances from Nick Frost, Jodie Whittaker and John Boyega, this award winning film is definitely worth a watch. 4/5.
Cast:
John Boyega as Moses, the gang’s leader who is just trying to survive childhood.
Jodie Whittaker as Sam, a nurse who gets sucked in to defending the block
Alex Esmail as Pest, the token white guy in the gang and the first to be injured.
Leeon James as Jerome, Moses right hand man
Luke Treadaway as Brewis, a rich boy who is the wrong place at the wrong time.
Nick Frost as Ron, a drug dealer with his own weed room.
I have also been loving many TV shows, most of them are Netflix Originals.
A Series of Unfortunate Events – Series 3 2019
This third and final series is the climax to A Series of Unfortunate Events. I really liked the film that was made but this series really does justice to the books. It uses two episodes for each book. Violet, Klaus and Sunny Baudelaire have been on the run from the evil Count Olaf since their parents died in a mysterious fire. They have discovered that their parents were in an organisation V.F.D but they don’t have all the answers yet. Can they ever escape from Count Olaf’s grasp? What is in the sugar bowl? What is V.F.D? Could one of their parents still be alive? Find out if you dare in series three. I really loved the series. The acting is superb and the story is very well thought out. It definitely does the books justice. 5/5.
Cast:
Malina Weissman as Violet Baudelaire, the oldest sibling and an inventor. She always ties her hair up with a ribbon when she has an idea.
Louis Hynes as Klaus Baudelaire, the middle sibling and the researcher. He has read many books and his extensive knowledge comes in handy.
Presley Smith as Sunny Baudelaire, the youngest sibling, a toddler who likes to bite things and often comes to the right answer before her siblings.
Patrick Warburton as Lemony Snicket, the narrator of the Baudelaire’s tale. He has pieced together the story for us to watch unfold.
Neil Patrick Harris as Count Olaf, an actor who travels with his troupe and is desperate to get his hands on the Baudelaire’s fortune.
Lucy Punch as Esmé Squalor, the forth most important financial advisor and Count Olaf’s girlfriend. She travels with Olaf in hopes of finding the sugar bowl. She wears ridiculous ‘in’ outfits.
Kitana Turnbull as Carmelita Spats, a spoiled little girl who loves performing and travels with Esmé and Count Olaf as their ‘daughter’. She hates the Baudelaires and calls everyone ‘cake-sniffer’.
Alison Williams as Kit Snicket, the sister to Jacques and Lemony. She has been trying to help the Baudelaires.
COMEDIANS of the world: UK: Ellie Taylor 2019
I watched Ellie Taylor’s special and really enjoyed it. She talked a lot about marriage and impending motherhood but in a very funny way and many of her opinions. She is one of my favourite comedians and it’s great to see her representing the UK in this series. There are many different comedians from around the world in this collection.
The Good Place Series 3: Episode 10 and 11 2019
Since the series has come back from it’s mid series break, it has taken many turns. The four humans, Michael and Janet finally got to the Good Place but they only reached the mail room. They have to work out what to do next. Eleanor and Chidi talk about the events of episode nine and Michael is concerned about the points system. The next episode takes place in IHOP but I don’t want to give too much away. It’s hilarious as always whilst teaching about philosophy and what makes a good person.
Cast:
Kristen Bell as Eleanor, the shrimp loving Arizona trash bag with a thing for mailmen.
William Jackson Harper as Chidi, a philosophy teacher who struggles with choices and gets nervous stomach aches.
Jameela Jamil as Tahani, a rich self entitled party hostess who only does charity for her own gain and grew up in her sister’s shadow.
Manny Jacinto as Jason, a Jacksonville Jaguars fan who has been in many dance crews and doesn’t have much brain power but a lot of heart.
Ted Danson as Michael, a demon who enjoyed torturing the four humans but is now working with them to get to the Good Place. He loves human quirks.
D’Arcy Carden as Janet, a human search engine with powers to get you anything you want. She has been rebooted so many times, she is starting to behave like a human.
Sex Education 2019
This series is filthy, dramatic, funny, quirky, relatable and entertaining. Set in a rural part of England, Sex Education tells the story of Otis Milburn, a 16 year old who wanted to be that person in the corner. His mother is a sex therapist and after one piece of great advice to the school bully, Otis and scary Maeve Wiley set up a sex clinic for the students of Moordale High. People start coming to Otis with all sorts of problems. Otis is also trying to be a teenager and sort through his own issues with sex and relationships. He is helped by his best friend Eric who is constantly pushing Otis out of his comfort zone. Otis’ mother, Jean is an overbearing, involved mother with a vibrant sex life. I loved this series and watched it all in two days. Very graphic so definitely for over 18s. It has been watched by 40 million Netflix users this month. 5/5.
Cast:
Asa Butterfield as Otis Milburn, unlicensed therapist navigating being a teenager and dealing with his embarrassing mother.
Emma Mackey as Maeve Wiley, she has a bad reputation, is very smart and is always broke.
Ncuti Gatwa as Eric, Otis’ best friend who is out and proud but struggles with his father accepting him and his outrageous outfits.
Gillian Anderson as Jean Milburn, sex therapist and single mother, Jean worries about her son and doesn’t do boyfriends
Connor Swindells as Adam Groff, the headmaster’s son. He doesn’t care about school and prefers to bully the student body. His father is constantly disappointed in him.
Aimee Lou Wood as Aimee, one of the Untouchables who struggles with their endless rules, she always has a boyfriend and is friends with Maeve.
Kedar Williams-Stirling as Jackson, the head boy and competitive swimmer. He has a lot of pressure from his mum to do well and needs plenty of advice about girls.
Alistair Petrie as Mr Groff, Moordale’s headmaster and Adam’s dad. He knows how to deal out the punishments and does not let up for anyone, even his own son.
Mikael Persbrandt as Jakob, a plummer that is fixing Jean’s bathroom.
Friends from College – Series 2 2019
The second series in this hilarious comedy drama about six 40 year olds who have been friends since college. Set in New York City, the series concentrates on their relationships with others and each other. In the last series, a lot of drama went down and the gang is still recovering. Max and Felix are engaged now, Lisa and Ethan and separating, Sam and her husband are in trouble, Nick is finally dating someone his own age and Marianne is still living her carefree life. I love this series and the second series definitely delivered on the drama and comedy. A stellar cast, this series is amazing. 5/5.
Cast:
Keegan-Michael Key as Ethan, a young adult author who is desperate to know if his wife, Lisa wants a divorce or not after his affair was revealed.
Fred Savage as Max, a publisher who works closely with Ethan and is engaged to his long term boyfriend, Felix.
Nat Faxon as Nick, a player who only went out with girls in their 20s. He finds a woman his own age but can’t let go of Lisa who has been crushing on for 20 years.
Annie Parisse as Sam, a working mother who is the most successful of the group. She is having trouble with her husband, Jon after her affair with Ethan was revealed.
Jae Suh Park as Marianne, a carefree actress with nothing to tie her down apart from her daredevil on again off again boyfriend.
Cobie Smulders as Lisa, a lawyer who disappears after sleeping with Nick and reappears with a new boyfriend a year later
Billy Eichner as Felix, a doctor who is so done with the drama from Max’s friends.
Lost in Space 2018
This show has been out for a while but I watched the last few episodes in the series this year. I started it months ago but have been watching it sporadically. It’s about the Robinsons who leave Earth for a better future but crash land on a strange planet. They have to work together with others that land there to get back to the mother ship. There are alien robots, lying doctors, brave engineers and daring escape attempts. There is a lot of family drama involved and problem solving. The last episodes were the best for me as the middle of the series dipped from the great opening but still enjoyable. It’s different from the original series and the 1998 film. 4/5.
Cast:
Maxwell Jenkins as Will Robinson, the youngest and bravest. He manages to befriend a robot.
Taylor Russell as Judy Robinson, the doctor and the eldest, she takes risks to protect her patients and her family.
Mina Sundwall as Penny Robinson as the engineer who likes to do her own thing and bend the rules.
Molly Parker as Maureen, the mother and a rocket scientist. She designed their ship, the Jupiter and lied to get her son on board.
Toby Stephens as John, the father and a soldier. He was absent for most of the kid’s childhood and is trying to make up for it.
Ignacio Serricchio as Don West, an electrical engineer who doesn’t have a family so is always up for danger.
Parker Posey as Dr Smith, a survivor who is determined to reach the new world. She manipulates people to get what she wants.
Les Miserables 2018/9
An adaptation of the beloved book, this series is not a musical, but a drama. Only three episodes have aired but I am really enjoying Les Misérables so far. It tells the story of many different characters, a prisoner, a police chief, a factory worker, a little girl, two swindlers. It illustrates the gap between the rich and the poor in the early 1800s in Paris. The acting is excellent and I can’t wait to see what happens. 5/5.
Main Cast from first 3 episodes :
Lily Collins as Fantine, a factory worker trying to feed herself and her child
Dominic West as Jean Valjean, a prisoner who got 19 years for a loaf of bread. He goes from one place to another, escaping his past.
David Oyelowo as Javert, a governor turned police chief, hunting Valjean for his crimes.
Adeel Akhtar as Thenardier, a pub owner who brags about being in the war. He cheats people from their money.
Olivia Colman as Madame Thenardier, a mother who cares for her own children only. Gets as much money as she can from anyone who comes her way.
For my first post of 2019, I’m sharing my personal opinions on who should have won at the Golden Globes this year. There were some unexpected winners and losers for me so I thought I would discuss these and what I thought of some of the films that won. I’m only going to talk about categories in which I have seen at least 3 of the films.
Bohemian Rhapsody – Best Motion Picture – Drama
I was very excited about this film as I am a long time fan of Freddie Mercury and Queen. The film certainly didn’t disappoint and it is one of my favourite films of the year. I found out more about one of my favourite bands and the hardships and joy they experienced in the early days of their success. I’m also really pleased for the cast as they all worked really hard on the film and press tour. I follow them on Instagram and the posts they make featuring each other have really kept the spirit of the film alive.
The category this year had 3 films featuring black actors which is historic in itself as awards ceremonies in Hollywood have been accused of unfair treatment in previous years. The fact that Black Panther, BlacKkKlansman and If Beale Street Could Talk were nominated is a big step towards racial equality. I have seen both Black Panther at the cinema and the Cannes Film Festival in May and BlacKkKlansman at the cinema back in September. Both films were amazing and would have been worthy winners of this award. A Star is Born was one of my best films of the year and it’s one award was disappointing but in this category I think it faced tough competition.
Rami Malek for Bohemian Rhapsody – Best Performance by an Actor in a Motion Picture – Drama
Rami Malek was the perfect Freddie Mercury in this film and got Freddie’s movements and mannerisms down to a T. I loved him as the lead singer of Queen and his performance brought the film to amazing heights. I also admire Malek for his roles in Need for Speed and the Night at the Museum franchise.
Bradley Cooper did an amazing job in A Star is Born as I have mentioned in a previous post and John David Washington as Ron Stallworth was powerful and iconic. Ron Stallworth becomes the first black cop in Colorado Springs and he engineers an infiltration into a branch of the Ku Klux Klan. The film by Spike Lee had a lot of powerful imagery and showed how awful and traumatising racism has been and continues to be. I have not seen At Eternity’s Gate or Boy Erased but Willem Dafoe and Lucas Hedges are both worthy nominees.
Alfonso Cuarón for Roma – Best Director – Motion Picture
I personally did not enjoy this film. It didn’t have enough plot or dialogue to follow to be able to empathise or relate to the characters. It was a pretty film to look at but as a drama it did nothing for me. I was disappointed with this winner and I thought the other nominees were more deserving.
Spike Lee and Bradley Cooper both did great jobs with their films and I would have preferred if one of them had won. I love Bradley Cooper as an actor and to be nominated for his directorial debut is a credit to his talents. Spike Lee knows how to tell a powerful tale and this was evident in BlacKkKlansman. Some of the dialogue and events really stuck with me. I haven’t seen Green Book or Vice so I don’t know how good the directing is.
Justin Hurwitz for First Man – Best Original Score – Motion Picture
The score for First Man really enhanced the breathtaking images of the film. When Neil Armstrong is going into space at the beginning the score helped me feel as though I was in the rocket with him. I think this score and composer are worthy winners in a tough category. Marco Beltrami did an amazing job with A Quiet Place, a film with minimal dialogue but the score creates great tension and suspense. I was on the edge of my seat for most of this film. Alexandre Desplat also did an amazing job with Isle of Dogs; another great film of 2018. Directed by Wes Anderson and told as an animation with Japanese and English dialogue, Isle of Dogs was a lovely story about the love between an owner and their dog. Like the Quiet Place, the score for Isle of Dogs helped enhance the story and build tension.
Black Panther’s score was also award worthy and it’s amazing to see a Marvel film nominated for so many awards at the Globes. Ludwig Göransson did a brilliant job and paired with the soundtrack by Kendrick Lamar, the sound is one of the major factors that has made Black Panther one of the best films in recent years. I have not yet seen Mary Poppins Returns but have heard wonderful things about the film.
Shallow from A Star is Born – Best Original Song – Motion Picture
I think this song really deserved to win. It’s a powerful song and sung by Lady Gaga in the film, it tells the story and feelings of her character, Ally perfectly. Bradley Cooper also sings the song very well but I think it is Lady Gaga that truly owns it. I have listened to on repeat for months and it still moves me and empowers me at the same time. The sheer power of Lady Gaga’s voice singing it in A Star is Born gave me goosebumps the first time I heard it in the film. I’m glad that A Star is Born won in this category.
It did have tough competition though as I think every song in this category was award worthy. All the Stars by Kendrick Lamar and SZA from Black Panther has a great beat that is perfect for the film and Girl in the Movies from Dumplin’ by Dolly Parton is a great theme song for the film. It’s uplifting in the same way as the message in the film. I have just listened to Requiem for A Private War and it was a beautiful song but I haven’t seen the film that it was written for. Revelation from Boy Erased is another powerful song that would have been a worthy winner.
The Americans – Best Television Series – Drama
I haven’t watched the recent seasons of The Americans but I have seen it before and I think it’s a good show but this year there were more worthy winners. I think that Bodyguard or Killing Eve should have won. I enjoyed both these series and think they were great television dramas. Bodyguard about the British Home Secretary having an affair with her personal bodyguard. It seem fairly simple but there is so much more to this drama. Plenty of action and romance and the last episode is one of the most intense pieces of television I have ever seen. Killing Eve had more of a cat and mouse element with Eve who works for MI6 trying to track down a female assassin all over Europe. It was a great female lead drama and the drama was more long played than in Bodyguard. Great plot twists and acting. I haven’t seen Pose or Homecoming but I have heard great things.
Rachel Brosnahan for The Marvelous Mrs Maisel – Best Performance by an Actress in a Television Series – Musical or Comedy
I think that Rachel Brosnahan is an amazing actress and this is the role that she is born to play. I can’t see anyone else even attempting to play Mrs Maisel. I love this show and have seen both seasons. It is about an upper class Jewish woman in New York City. At the beginning of the show, Mrs Maisel’s husband leaves her for his secretary and to cope she turns to stand up comedy. It is set in the late 1950s when women were not very well received in comedy. The whole cast of the show are amazing and I would highly recommend watching it.
GLOW is an amazing series about female wrestlers in the 1980s and Alison Brie does a great performance as Ruth. I love this show and have seen both series and I cannot wait for the next season. Kristen Bell is also great as Eleanor Shellstrop in the Good Place, a comedy about going to the afterlife. The show while being up to date on pop culture also helps the audience to understand concepts of philosophy and make sense of what happens to us after death. I was really glad that Kristen Bell was nominated. Will & Grace and Murphy Brown are shows that I haven’t seen but have heard good things about.
I would also like to give a special mention to Ben Whishaw who won the award for Best Performance by an Actor in a Supporting Role in a Series, Limited Series or Motion Picture made for Television. His role as Norman Scott in A Very English Scandal was great and he was worthy of the award. I have however not seen any other nominations in his category so it wouldn’t be fair to say he is the best, not having anything to compare it to. I watched all of A Very English Scandal last night and it was such a powerful and almost unbelievable true story. It tells the tale of Norman Scott having a gay affair with powerful politician Jeremy Thorpe in the 1960s and then being targeted for murder by Thorpe. Hugh Grant as Jeremy Thorpe was also great and a role we rarely see him play, the bad guy.
I know I only gave my opinions on a few of the categories but I didn’t feel it was right to judge categories in which I hadn’t seen more than 3 of the nominations.
I hope to write on many new and different topics in 2019.
Another blog post today, this time about films I have seen and enjoyed this summer on Netflix. All the films below are Netflix Originals as I have seen many other films on Netflix but too many to list here.
I think that this year Netflix has produced some great original and entertaining films (and TV shows) that I haven’t seen done before.
My favourites are:
Like Father (2018)
A truly original and heart warming film about a father and daughter, Like Father really moved me in a way I didn’t expect. The synopsis – a workaholic left at the altar spends her honeymoon cruise with her estranged father – really does not explain the emotions this film portrays. The back drop of New York and later the Caribbean cruise liner, Harmony of the Seas was a combination that not only worked but that I had never seen before. The cruise ship was epic and breathtaking and exuded luxury which makes the fact that Rachel is sharing the experience with her dad, not new husband all the more hilarious.
Harry and Rachel are put in a group of other honeymooners and that provides comic relief and advice. Seth Rogen makes an appearance as Rachel’s holiday rebound.
This film while being fun to watch also contains deeper messages about love and parenting. For any daughters who have absent or working away fathers, it will make them think about what’s important.
Directed by Lauren Miller Rogen (Seth Rogen’s wife) and starring Kristen Bell as Rachel and Kelsey Grammer as her father, this film definitely explored emotions deeper than I thought it would in a unique setting.
A particularly enjoyable scene was the game show where Rachel and Harry have to compete as though husband and wife.
I give Like Father 5/5.
To All the Boys I’ve Loved Before (2018)
Based on bestselling novel by Jenny Han, this teen romance has quickly been dubbed a classic by many. I, for one, happen to agree wholeheartedly. It centres around teen Lara Jean who lives in her own fantasy land when it comes to love. She’s never had a boyfriend but plenty of crushes. When the secret love letters she writes to them are posted by her younger sister Kitty, Lara Jean’s fantasies start coming true. Lara Jean begins a fake relationship with Peter Kavinsky, her 5th grade crush, because that always goes well.
A reason why this film is so widely loved and appreciated is down to a few key reasons. One is that Lara Jean and her sisters are Asian-American. Many mixed race girls have never seen themselves as a main character represented so well in film or otherwise. The Coveys’ heritage is never sidelined with their American father attempting Korean food and the sisters’ love for Yakult, it is never exposed for stereotypes or even explicitly mentioned. It is visually shown with a few references. Another reason is Peter’s respect for Lara Jean. He never makes fun of her for being inexperienced, he loves listening to her and helps her gently move out of her comfort zone. When Kitty tells him, ‘call me Katherine’ he is patient until she learns to like him. He also quickly earns the respect of Dr. Covey something which others find hard to do.
Kitty Covey is another well thought out character. Though she is only 11, she knows that as a woman she shouldn’t be talked down to or dismissed. She even talks back to her dad and is always seen wearing a necklace saying ‘Feminist’. She makes fun of her sisters’ but also helps them find romance.
The film truly depicts how stepping out of your shell can result in finding what you’ve been looking for and shows many people that being shy doesn’t mean you can’t get the guy.
Directed and written by women, Susan Johnson, Sofia Alvarez and Jenny Han (author of the book) really shines through in the script and the male characters are written just as well as the female ones.
Starring the brilliant Lana Condor (X-Men Apocalypse) as Lara Jean, Noah Centineo (The Fosters) as Peter, Janel Parrish (Pretty Little Liars) as Margot, Anna Cathcart (Desendants 2) as Kitty and John Corbett (Sex in the City) as Dr. Covey.
This film really does make you believe in love so therefore I give To All the Boys I’ve Loved Before 5/5.
Father of the Year (2018)
I wasn’t expecting to like Father of the Year and almost dismissed it as another bad comedy but I surprised myself by enjoying it. The synopsis definitely doesn’t do the film justice – a drunken debate between two college graduates about whose father would win in a fight – really is very wrong. One, the two college graduates are childhood friends who went to college together and have one last summer before going to New York. The debate was not drunken but a funny dinner discussion at one boy’s house with his father present.
The film for me shows a father dismissed by his son as being a wasted, unemployed slob, desperately trying to have one last summer before his son begins his adult life.
While Ben’s father, Wayne is all of the above, he is also genuinely caring which can be hard to find in a parent. Ben’s mother seemingly left Wayne to go travelling and have an ambitious career and is only briefly mentioned in the film.
Larry’s father however is a scientist but is pushed around by his 8 year old stepson, Aiden and wife to a point of the viewer feeling frustrated at why he can’t have a backbone. He also does care for his eldest son and tries to be a good father. He never resents Aiden for treating him so appallingly and and can barely tell him off.
While both fathers do end up fighting and causing trouble for Ben, this is only a small part of the film. Ben meets a girl, Meredith, his first real relationship while Larry searches for his purpose in life.
Although the slapstick comedy made me laugh out loud, the feelings and emotions between father and son also made me love for the characters and their misfortunes.
Starring David Spade (Joe Dirt) as Wayne, Nat Faxon (the Desendants – Writer – Won Best Adapted Screenplay Academy Award) as Larry’s father, Mardy; Joey Bragg (Liv and Maddie) as Ben, Matt Shively (Power Rangers) as Larry and Bridgit Mendler ( Good Luck Charlie) as Meredith.
I give Father of the Year 4/5.
Dude (2018)
A real coming age story of four friends about to graduate high school, where they call their teachers by their first name, dealing with love and loss whilst smoking weed.
The four friends, Lily, Chloe, Amelia and Rebecca attend a progressive school unlike any shown in American media. Chloe is dealing with the loss of her older brother, Thomas while Lily as his girlfriend also grieves. Rebecca deals with not being as rich as her friends and her crush on a teacher and Amelia is stuck mediating her divorcing parents. Although three of the girls are wealthy, the film shows that money can’t buy friendship or happiness.
I liked the film for it’s honesty about grief and friendship and that girls can be stoners too. It shows how grief for a brother and a boyfriend often feel the same but can be different.
Featuring an all star cast of Lucy Hale (Pretty Little Liars), Kathryn Prescott (Skins), Alexandra Shipp (Love, Simon), Awkwafina (Ocean’s 8), Alex Wolff (Jumanji: Welcome to the Jungle) and Austin Butler (Aliens in the Attic).
Set It Up (2018)
This more traditional rom com between two adults in New York is original but features a troupe I’ve seen before. Two people who hate each other slowly become friends and fall in love. This particular setting though was very original.
Two assistants hatch a plan to create a romance between their two demanding bosses to give themselves more free time. With the romantic setting of New York City, love was bound to happen.
The comedy comes from Harper and Charlie both faking gifts and date ideas from each boss that they should clearly use in their own lives. Harper wants the free time to find a suitable boyfriend and finally write an article for the website her boss runs and Charlie wants more time for his girlfriend.
Of course they eventually find they want more time for each other.
Harper is refreshingly a huge sports fan and sees her favorite team, the Mets whenever they have a game.
The film shows that it isn’t bad to have ambition and love could be right under your nose when you least expect it.
Starring Zoey Deutch (Before I Fall) as Harper, Glen Powell (Hidden Figures) as Charlie, Lucy Liu (Charlie’s Angels) as Kirsten, Taye Diggs (Chicago) as Rick and Pete Davidson (Saturday Night Live) as Charlie’s roommate, Duncan.
I give Set It Up 5/5.
The Kissing Booth (2018)
The first of my recommendations that I saw this summer and the first one I really loved.
Elle Evans who has had the same best friend, Lee Flynn since she can remember has the smart idea to run a kissing booth at her school fair. Over the summer she has matured and now catches the eye of some male students.
After promising the appearance of Lee’s gorgeous older brother, Noah at the booth, she is surprised when he turns up and kisses her. They then embark on a secret relationship as she has a pact with Lee to never date his brother.
Elle is the kind of sweet and loveable character that always ends up making a fool of herself despite trying her best. She attempts to keep everyone happy but can’t help following her heart.
Also based on the best selling novel by Beth Reekles.
Starring the incredible Joey King (White House Down) as Elle, Joel Courtney (Super 8) as Lee, Jacob Elordi (Pirates of the Caribbean) as Noah and Molly Ringwald (Sixteen Candles) as Mrs Flynn.
I give The Kissing Booth 5/5.
If you have any Netflix Originals that you have enjoyed this summer, please leave your recommendations below.
This post is written by a guest writer – A. L. Fox. This woman is a professional writer, having written articles for newspapers and magazines but here is her first blog post. She writes about films and TV shows that she watched recently and wants to recommend to you.
Happy Watching
Robyn 🙂
It’s All About the Plot – Dramas by Women to Watch this Summer by A.L. Fox
What makes a good film? Simple question but there is no simple answer. Critics and the viewing public often disagree as box office figures often illustrate. One recent example is that of the latest blockbuster in the Star Wars franchise, Solo. It was given a warm reception by most film critics and yet, it has had poor box office returns.
However, back to the question about what constitutes a good film – and, in my definition, that means a film that I have enjoyed watching – and one that I don’t wish back the hours spent in its’ company.
For me, plot is everything – tell a good story and you’re definitely on to a winner; dialogue comes next closely followed by good acting – and good casting. If the actors aren’t right for the characters whom they are portraying (wrong age, wrong ethnicity, wrong dynamics and so on) then no matter how good their acting skills, they won’t be convincing and the film will feel contrived. You could argue that all films operate at this level but there has to be some ring of authenticity to connect with the audience. On reflection, perhaps casting needs to lead the field. Nina Gold, casting director of well-earned repute, with Games of Thrones and The Crown, just two of her long list of credits, would probably agree.
There are so many films out there; so much choice that hours can be wasted just choosing one to actually watch. Sometimes the blurb helps, sometimes it doesn’t. Here are two of my random selections from Netflix:
Maggie’s Plan (2015)
Directed by Rebecca Miller
Stars: Greta Gerwig, Ethan Hawke and Julianne Moore.
Reading the blurb on Netflix and the ‘rom com’ categorisation, almost had me swiping right. But the quality of the cast led me to press select and I urge you to do the same. This was a sensitive portrayal of relationships and conflict and a very touching reflection of the dynamics within those relationships. Maggie wants to have a baby but she’s not in a relationship and decides to use a donor. But she meets John, who has distanced himself from his marriage to a much more successful college professor, Georgette. John doesn’t work – he is writing a book and Maggie is flattered that he has asked her to proofread his manuscript. Their relationship develops as Maggie finds herself pregnant and they marry.
However, Maggie then finds that John continues his self-absorbed life and she becomes the main breadwinner and carer, often looking after John’s children from his first marriage. Seeking to regain her independence, she seeks to reunite John with Georgette realising that they still love each other and that they are similar personalities.
There’s a wonderful plot suggestion at the very end of the film that completes the heartwarming tale.
Their Finest (2016)
Directed by Lone Scherfig
Stars: Gemma Arterton, Sam Claflin, Bill Nighy.
This was categorised as drama and it provided plenty of that along with a slice of war history that is not as familiar as the bombs and battlefields of WWII. Catrin leaves her Welsh home to live with a man in London but he soon leaves her for another and to support herself, she works as a secretary and then as a scriptwriter for the film division of the government, making propaganda reels to keep up the country’s morale.
Her struggles for recognition as a woman scriptwriter are documented without becoming too sentimental or political but it does highlight the difficulties of being accepted as a professional working woman in that era. There is a love interest who, although set against her joining the division at first to the extent of undermining her contribution, eventually falls in love with her. The ending isn’t as expected but this elevates the film from descending into the realm of fantasy. A good watch with some interesting historical detail and a good plot.
That word again – plot. The television series that has caught my attention – and kept it – is The Split, from the pen of Abi Morgan. The story centres on the travails of a family of divorce lawyers, the Defoes, mother and two sisters who are lawyers and another sister who works as an au pair, thrown into turmoil by the return of the father after a thirty year absence. He ran off to America when the children were small – with their nanny. There is plenty of drama with everyone’s relationship falling into the spotlight in turn; it’s all there, from hidden children to hidden secrets, from the twists and turns of divorce battles to betrayals. It depicts love in all its’ forms and manages to retain a freshness and dynamic that keeps you interested. With Nicola Walker heading a fine list of actors (Anthony Head is the father), the occasional misstep could be overlooked in the lower ranks. It is now on iPlayer so watch it before it vanishes.
Reviewing my recommendations, I have noticed that they are all by women – the writing, and the directing. Women tell a good story and have more empathy with the position of women in society generally, In the beginning, in the 1920s and 30s in Hollywood, the majority of screenwriters were women; it was relatively low-paid and it was all about the action. When cinema became big business and men realised there was money to be made from writing, they muscled in and took over. Now, only 16 percent of screenwriters are women – a shocking statistic that needs to be addressed, something the above writers are helping to change.
After all, women have been telling stories for centuries; they need to regain control and prominence on our screens once again.
Sorry that this is my first post in many weeks. I was on holiday at Easter so I didn’t go to the cinema that much and I have been very busy with finals at university, but I have now finished for the summer.
So let’s begin with a question:
Why are LGBT films becoming more widely accepted among audiences?
Recently, Hollywood and other film industries have been green lighting more LGBT themed films for wider releases. Audiences have wanted them for decades and whilst there have been some great LGBT films in recent years such as Blue is the Warmest Colour, Brokeback Mountain, I feel that in the last couple of years, more films and TV shows have been featuring LGBT characters and I want to explore why.
As Hollywood is the biggest and most widely broadcast film industry, I thought I would start there. In the USA, homosexuality was legalised in 2003 in all 50 states but this did not spark a sudden movement in the big production companies such as Paramount and Universal.
What helped kick-start changes was the legalisation of gay marriage in 2015. Personally, I think that this is what drove the movement forward in the American Film Industry.
Legalisation of gay marriage in 2015, USA
There is a higher demand for films featuring these themes as worldwide acceptance is becoming more wide spread. Here are some popular LGBT films:
Carol (2015)
A film about the love between an older and a younger woman in the 1950s. It’s set in Manhattan, New York and as it was illegal for anyone to be gay, the two have a complicated relationship. The film received many awards nominations at the Oscars (six), the Golden Globes (five) and the BAFTAs (nine). It also competed for the Palme d’Or at the Cannes Film Festival. Cate Blanchett, who is the President of the Jury for Cannes 2018 starred and her love interest was Rooney Mara, both accomplished actresses. It has a 95% rating on Rotten Tomatoes and other glowing reviews. The film did moderately well at the box office also grossing $12.7 million domestically and $27.6 million worldwide. I think this film shows that audiences want LGBT films and will honour them with awards and great reviews.
Grandma (2015)
This film doesn’t have LGBT issues at its core but instead focuses on the relationship between a teenager and her lesbian grandmother. The girl is pregnant and needs money for an abortion. Her grandma, still grieving the death of her partner, helps her do this. Other relationships portrayed are between the girl and the father of her child, the grandmother and a man she almost married and the girl’s mother. This sweet film portrays being gay as a normal part of life. It was set in modern day so there were no secret relationships here. I have seen this film and really enjoyed it. The titular ‘Grandma’ is played by Lily Tomlin who is amazing in the role.
There have also been some other great LGBT films since then. One of my personal favourites from last year was Call Me By Your Name. I have talked about it many times on this blog so if you have read my other posts, you know of my love for the film.
It is a beautiful tale of two guys, Armie Hammer and Timothée Chalamet. Even though it only made $16 million in the US Box Office, it had four Oscar nominations including Best Picture. Some audiences feel like it was robbed of nominations for Best Director and Best Supporting Actor and it only won Best Adapted Screenplay – James Ivory, who is, in fact, gay. The fact that this film was even nominated for four Oscars is a step in the right direction for Hollywood becoming more accepting of LGBT themes.
A Fantastic Woman (2017)
The film featuring a trans lead which won an Oscar for Best Foreign Language Film was a step towards trans equality. Hollywood has become more accepting of homosexuality in recent times but trans equality is only just becoming accepted.
Moonlight (2016)
The tale of two black gay men living in LA which won Best Picture was really the first of its kind. It was a beautifully made film and explored many issues with drug abuse, adolescent violence and grief. It also won two other Oscars and was nominated for eight in total.
Recently I saw Love, Simon which inspired this post as it is the first big studio film with a main character who is gay.
This film played like a typical coming-of-age high school film but with a gay character leading it. It had all the typical plot points of a high school film but with the character of Simon falling for an anonymous guy instead of a girl.
TV series are also becoming more diverse, two of my favourites in particular are listed below:
Brooklyn 99
This comedy show about a Brooklyn cop precinct has a very diverse cast, one of the best on TV today. It features a black gay man as the captain, two Latina detectives, one now a sergeant, another is bi and another black sergeant. There are straight white males and one female but the diversity of this show is wonderful. The cast are all great in their roles and it is one of my favourite shows.
Sense8
This show about 8 people from around the world being telepathically connected features a trans character, a gay Latino guy, a black guy, a black lesbian and two Asian women. The cast are also very good in their roles. The show also features two straight white guys and one straight white woman. It is very good and I would highly recommend a watch. It does feature a lot of nudity though.
I hope you enjoyed this post and my first foray into a different kind of post. I will carry on doing film reviews but I also want to write about topics that matter to me like LGBT rights.
I will be posting an Infinity War review in a couple of weeks as I want to talk spoilers!
This more traditional rom com between two adults in New York is original but features a troupe I’ve seen before. Two people who hate each other slowly become friends and fall in love. This particular setting though was very original.
