Crime Time... "Spenser Confidential"

Spenser Confidential (2020)

Rated R

Starring Mark Wahlberg, Winston Duke, Alan Arkin

Directed by Peter Berg


The Story:

Spenser (Wahlberg) is a former cop who has spent the last 5 years in prison for beating his commanding officer. On the day Spenser is released from prison, his old boss winds up dead. Spenser's alibi checks out, but now he's got to figure out who killed his boss and why, putting him in the cross hairs of the bad guys and the Boston Police Department, which may be one and the same!

Your mileage could definitely vary with this one.

Truth be told:

I've never read the Spenser books by Robert B. Parker.

Aside from casual memory of my dad watching Spenser For Hire back in the day, I barely watched any of those shows either.

So I cannot rend my garments and gnash my teeth for how Peter Berg and Mark Wahlberg have destroyed the character and tromped on my childhood.

Instead I can say that I had a pretty good time watching the film, and hope enough of us have tuned in since the Netflix Original premiered last Friday to green light further sequels.

:)

Looking around online, it seemed that many critics hated it, while audiences have pretty much given it a thumbs up.

One review said it harkened back to the dumb action flicks of the 80s.

Buddy, that's my bread and butter, and I consider that an endorsement, not a detractor! :)

Winston Duke fills out the role of Hawk really well, using his considerable size as both a weapon and that there is more to Hawk than just brawn.

Alan Arkin does his usual splendid routine as the put-upon father figure who just wants his boys to get along.

As with all Peter Berg action flicks I've enjoyed over the years, it's a fairly fast moving affair that keeps you buckled in and enjoying the ride from start to finish. This is his 4th collaboration with Mark Wahlberg, and perhaps they have finally found a franchise that can keep them partnering up for the foreseeable future, until Mark doesn't want to play action hero any longer.


Good job all involved!

Armageddon It... "The Umbrella Academy"

The Umbrella Academy (2019)

TV-14

Starring Ellen Page, Tom Hopper, David Castaneda, Emmy Raver-Lampman, Robert Sheehan, Aidan Gallagher, Mary J. Blige, Cameron Britton,

Created by Jeremy Slater

The Story:

In 1989, 43 children were born on the exact same day, none of whom came from mothers that were pregnant when the day started. Reclusive billionaire Reginald Hargreeves scoured the globe attempting to adopt as many as he could. He wound up with 7 of them. As they grew, he trained them to become a team of superheroes as they all exhibited superpowers, except one. Now, decades later, they are reunited for the first time in ages at the passing of their father...

So what to say and where to begin?

It's based on a comic book, and as I've mentioned, it's got superheroes in it.

The first episode is a little slow with introducing everyone and setting the stage, but it's a trip well worth taking.

Without spoiling too much, one of the siblings, Five (Gallagher) returns from the future where he has witnessed the end of the world. It's up to him and his family to try and avert that catastrophe from coming.

However, temporal assassins have been dispatched back in time as well to ensure Five fails.

Yeah, that's spoiler-free enough.

The storyline is spread among the cast as they get their own character arcs and intersect with one another as deemed appropriate from the plot.

There is also heavy flashbacks/flash forwards as the narrative requires. 

With such an ensemble cast, some characters will grow on you and become favorites: Five, Klaus (Sheehan) and Hazel (Britton) and some you may just want to throttle...Luther (Hopper) I'm looking at you.

As everyone in our house has finished the series, we all came to one conclusion:

Vanya (Page) is the character that nobody liked from the very beginning.

That we watched it all in different viewing groups and didn't discuss anything until it was over makes this outcome even more amusing.

If you've watched/read enough superheroes in your life (or ever read any book or watched a tv show or movie...) you will likely know each and every twist and turn that is going to happen over the course of the show's 10 episodes.

That's okay, at least you don't have any last minute twists that make no sense coming at you just as a "gotcha" moment.

While fans are still mourning the loss of the Marvel properties on Netflix, it's good to see that they are shoring up the superhero front with other properties that probably cost a lot less to produce.

I'm intrigued by the possibilities that Season Two will hopefully hold for this show, and we'll all be back to watch when they're ready.

You Can Check It Out Anytime You Like..."Instant Hotel"

Instant Hotel (2018)

Hosted by Luke Jacobz

The Story:

5 pairs of Australian instant hotel owners all take a one night vacation at each other's home/hotel. They then judge each hotel they stay out to figure out what is the best Instant Hotel Down Under!

In addition to judging each other, renowned designer Juliet Ashworth pops by to see what's right, and what's wrong with the hotel.

Sounds like riveting reality tv, no?

Yes!

There are 12 episodes now airing on Netflix.

The first 5 belong to one group of hotel owners.

The second 5 are a whole new group!

The twist comes from the last 2 episodes when the winners of each group have a "Hotel-Off!" with participants from each of the 2 different casts coming back to judge.

Crikey!

All in all, you'll find some typical reality tv scheming, contestants you root for and contestants you can't stand, and some you love that you can't stand them. :)

I disagree in theory as to how the final judging takes place.  I don't think the actual finalists make for fair judges... but they are also there to help create last minute drama to help themselves win.

Fair enough I suppose.

Still, quite enjoyed my trip Down Under. Gorgeous scenery.

And, I'm of the opinion that the right duo won.

At least, of the 2 choices I had. :)

Watched an episode a night, then binged both of the finale episodes.

See?

Not your typical Netflix viewer. :)

I'll be back when they offer up a new season.

Road Trippin' ... "The Last Laugh"

The Last Laugh (2019) 

TV-MA

Starring Chevy Chase, Richard Dreyfuss, Andie MacDowell

Written and Directed by Greg Pritikin

The Story:

Moving to a retirement community, talent manager Al Hart (Chase) laments having to give up his career. As fate would have it, his very first client, comedian Buddy Green (Dreyfuss) is at the community, and the two rekindle their friendship. 50 years earlier, Buddy turned down his shot on the Ed Sullivan Show. Al's got a great idea: put Buddy back in the game as they take a road trip across America to get on The Tonight Show!

It's a buddy comedy/road trip for the geriatric set!

Dreyfuss and Chase are both in fine form in the film.

Chevy, in particular, looks to be in the best shape he's been in recent years. He actually gets to play the straight man, as such, in the duo. So much of the mugging for the camera he's been asked to do over his career is not there in this film.

Dreyfuss instead gets to play the funny man, but as his comic notes, he doesn't have an act so much as he has a lifetime of jokes.

With Netflix releasing movies seemingly every day, there's going to be a lot that slip under the radar as they can only promote so many films on their home page when you log on.

This is a good thing.

Direct competition to the networks, broadcast and cable, and to Hollywood with their big budget attempts, it's going to make everyone up their game.

That makes the audience the true winners here.

The Wedding Bells Ring..."A Christmas Prince: The Royal Wedding"

A Christmas Prince: The Royal Wedding (2018)

TV-PG

Starring Rose McIver, Ben Lamb, Alice Krige, Honor Kneafsey, Sarah Douglas, Theo Devaney, John Guerrasio,

Directed by John Schultz

The Story:

It's been a year since the events of A Christmas Prince. Amber (McIver) has been blogging away but now it's time to jet back to Aldovia for her Christmas Day wedding to King Richard (Lamb). However, the protocol of the proceedings and the palace's insistence on how the wedding, and Queen-to-be-Amber's life are to be run may end up killing the marriage long before the big day. However if that doesn't sound dramatic enough, there is also a financial crisis plaguing the kingdom and casting doubt on the King's effectiveness already!

I was pleasantly surprised to see a sequel to last year's Christmas hit, but apparently enough Netflix viewers watched to warrant a sequel.

Like most sequels, they don't quite live up to the bar established by the predecessor, and that too is the case here.

The falling in love angle is already done, the charming cast established, so now what?

Putting Amber's lifestyle in direct conflict with her expected behavior as a royal works, and then they give the financial crisis to affect the King and distract him from his bride to be and also provide an always timely look at the struggles of the people in the labor force.

The entire cast comes back except for Amber's dad (Guerrasio) who was recast and has a much larger role this time around. Even the treacherous Simon (Devaney) returns, but is it to be redeemed or to scheme while Aldovia is in turmoil?

All these questions and more will be answered, and now I sit back and wonder if A Christmas Prince: The Royal Baby will be next year's sequel?


Final Grade: B-

Someday "A Christmas Prince" Will Come

A Christmas Prince (2017)

TV-PG

Starring Rose McIver, Ben Lamb, Alice Krige, Honor Kneafsey, Sarah Douglas, Theo Devaney, Daniel Fathers

Directed by Alex Zamm

The Story:

Amber (McIver) is a reporter that is stuck basically reworking every other reporter's stories so they work better. She lands the assignment to go to Aldovia to cover Crown Prince Richard's (Lamb) coronation or abdication of the throne. Using a case of mistaken identity, Amber infiltrates the castle staff to try and uncover the real story and get to the truth. However, her work may just undo everything in the process!

I'm not sure if this was Netflix's first original Christmas movie or not, but it was probably their most buzz-worthy title of last year.

I partially watched it last year, but was tapping around on my computer and not paying attention.

So this year, I did my due diligence and watched it from start to finish, no electronic devices anywhere around to distract me.

The results?

As I've said on other reviews this year and in reviews of Christmas Past, there is a very specific formula for these Hallmark/Lifetime/FreeForm Christmas movies. You get the right cast, a decent script and you'll nail it and create an instantly rewatchable comfort film that earns a replay every December going forward.

Netflix pretty much nailed it.

I didn't find it the "so bad it's good" category that earned a lot of the buzz last year. I enjoyed it for not taking itself too seriously and giving us the obvious checklist of what to expect.

A good cast, carried mostly by McIver (I almost didn't recognize her at first due to actually having color on her skin instead of her usual iZombie pale look!) that connects and shares a nice chemistry throughout.

All of the characters have a personality instead of just a cookie cutter background extra, and that is always appreciated.

You'll know how the movie ends long before it ever gets there, but again, that's comforting and enjoyable, especially this time of year.

I'm happy, and I'll be back to visit Aldovia again next holiday season.


Final Grade: B

Kurt Russell IS Santa Claus... "The Christmas Chronicles"

The Christmas Chronicles (2018)

TV-PG

Starring Kurt Russell, Judah Lewis, Darby Camp, Kimberly Williams-Paisley, Oliver Hudson, Martin Roach, Lamorne Morris,

Directed by Clay Kaytis

The Story:

Kate and Teddy Pierce (Camp & Lewis) stay up late on Christmas Eve to catch Santa (Russell) in the act. However, when they stowaway on his sled, they inadvertently set off a chain of events that could have serious repercussions to Christmas.

Netflix's third (and final?) Christmas release for 2018 premiered on Thanksgiving Day and seems to have attained the status of instant classic from all the buzz that seems to surround it.

While the previous films played like a Hallmark/Lifetime cable movie, The Christmas Chronicles seemed to have the big budget feel of a film that could have been in theaters.

Looking back at similar stories on Santa needing help to save Christmas, we've had several hit theaters over the decades, so maybe that's it.

The greatest strength of this film is Kurt Russell.

There's no role he can't pull off, but until now, I don't think anyone ever thought, hey, wouldn't Kurt Russell make a great Santa Claus?

Someone did.

And it was nothing short of genius.

This isn't your typical ho ho ho nice Santa.

This Santa has that little extra Kurt Russell swagger that makes the film a real joy to watch, as Russell seems to be loving what he's doing onscreen.

You'll find yourself laughing one minute and crying the next.

:)

Plus Kurt gets a chance to channel one of his other greatest roles in the middle of this film as well.

Totally worth your time, and I'll probably give this one another spin later in the season, and it has definitely earned an annual replay.

Final Grade:

A-

Countdown to Christmas 2018: The Princess Switch

The Princess Switch (2018)

TV-PG

Starring Vanessa Hudgens, Sam Palladio, Nick Sagar, Alexa Adeosun

Directed by Mike Rohl

The Story:

Stacy (Hudgens) is entered and accepted into an annual Christmas baking competition in the European country of Belgravia. When she arrives, she bumps into Lady Margaret (Hudgens) and the two realize they must be related because the resemblance is striking. Lady Margaret so wants to live just a normal life so she concocts a scheme to swap places with Stacy for just 2 days, after all, what could possibly go wrong?

Netflix offered up their next holiday original the week before Thanksgiving.

Taking the successful Lifetime/Hallmark/Freeform/Disney formula and basically Parent Trapping Christmas, Hudgens steps into this Princess and the Pauper update and gets to play the spunky baker who years for something more and the shy princess who simply wants all the attention to go away.

Naturally with the 2 obvious love interests, a prince (Palladio) and a best friend zoner (Sagar) you can see exactly how the movie ends roughly 5 minutes after it starts.

But they wouldn't call these formula movies if the formula didn't work, right?

This one hits all the right notes and should be one that winds up in your annual Christmas movie viewings for years to come.

So far Netflix has been 2 for 2 this year, but their most ambitious Christmas offering is still to come!


Final Grade: 
B

Countdown To Christmas 2018: The Holiday Calendar

The Holiday Calendar (2018)

TV-PG

Starring Kat Graham, Quincy Brown, Ethan Peck, Ron Cephas Jones

Directed by Bradley Walsh

The Story:

Abby (Graham) is a struggling photographer who wants nothing more than to open her own studio. With the holidays fast approaching and her life in a bit of a spiral, Gramps (Jones) gives her Grandma's antique advent calendar. However, as each day reveals a new gift, that gift seems to come true in real life and it sends Abby down a path that could forever alter her future.

As someone who no longer has cable, I don't get the joy of watching FreeForm (Formerly ABC Family's 25 Days of Christmas) where they saturated their airwaves with original and classic Christmas movies.

Nor do I have the luxury of Lifetime or Hallmark for a Christmas movie fix.

When I wrote up a list of Christmas movies that I do have access to, including what I own and what streaming services I have (Netflix & Amazon) I have over 130 choices...

So 25 Days of Christmas doesn't cut it at our house, and we start November 1st!!!

But as I said, I do have Netflix, and they carry a few of these offerings from Christmases past, they have started creating their own Christmas movies as well.

This year, they've introduced 3 (so far...) that I'm aware of, and The Holiday Calendar was the first of those 3.

Now the thing with Christmas movies you have to remember, is they often follow a very obvious pattern, but those of us that like Christmas movies usually don't care about that, it's a warm and comfortable feeling that makes you feel cozy while you watch it.

Or it's dreadful. :)

Thankfully, this wasn't dreadful. It was a lot of fun, and while you know how the film is going to end, you enjoy the trip that you're taking to get there.

So far so good, and this one will enter the ranks of the movies we will watch again each Christmas time.

Hoping Netflix continues this trend of yuletide offerings each year!

Final Grade: B

A Loving Look At A Comic Genius... "A Futile And Stupid Gesture"

A Futile and Stupid Gesture (2018)

TV-MA

Starring Will Forte, Martin Mull, Joel McHale, Domhnall Gleeson,

Directed by David Wain

The Story:

With the success of the Harvard Lampoon and their impending graduations coinciding with one another, Doug Kenney (Forte) persuades Henry Beard (Gleeson) that instead of moving on with their lives as expected, they go National with the Lampoon brand. It wasn't easy, but it sure was funny.

When paired with the amazing documentary National Lampoon: Drunk, Stoned, Brilliant, Dead (Review:  http://talesfromthequeue.blogspot.com/2016/05/their-impact-on-pop-culture-cannot-be.html  )

The two pieces compliment each other very well. Both streaming on Netflix, this Netflix Original fictionalizes a lot of what (and who!) will be found in the documentary on the life and troubled times of Doug Kenney.

In this version, an older, wiser Doug (Mull) laments on what happened to him in his life.

The cast gets the daunting task of retelling the story as comedy legends of the 70s and 80s as they try and channel the styles and mannerisms of those they attempt to portray.

Joel McHale? He nails it. :)

The big revelation, at least to me, is Domhnall Gleeson in a comedy.

I'm racking my brain, but I don't think I've ever seen that yet, and he's got really good timing.

Anyway, it's a bittersweet tale of the man who helped shape generations of comedians and actors and helped redefine what was funny for the latter half of the 20th Century.

Final Grade:  B+

He's Baaaaaaack..."The Joel McHale Show With Joel McHale"

The Joel McHale Show With Joel McHale (2018)

Starring Joel McHale

The Story:

Joel's back, doing what made him famous the first time around: poking fun at the best, worst clips you can find on television today!

Seriously, that's it.

For those with a long enough memory and cable subscription, you may remember back in the day there was a little show called Talk Soup. It was hosted by Greg Kinnear, and they mocked some of the outrageous clips that were found on the daytime talk shows.

This ran for years, with Kinnear ultimately heading off to become a leading man in Hollywood, and subsequent hosts came and went, each springboarding to further fame after their hosting gig.

Then the show was rebranded as "The Soup" as television was not only inundated with crazy talk shows, but reality tv was going gangbusters and deserved a special place in the sun to enjoy the absurdity of it all.

The ringleader in all of this? Some guy named Joel McHale.

Following its predecessor's lead, Joel stood in front of a green screen and made quips about the clips until E! decided to pull the plug.

Joel headed to Hollywood and the rest is history.

Until 2018, when Netflix decided wouldn't it be great if we brought back something old as something new again?

And here we have the perfectly titled The Joel McHale Show With Joel McHale.

It's wordy. It's a bit conceited. It's the perfect title for Joel's comeback.

There are guests aplenty in each episode, usually from another Netflix series or special, but otherwise you get Joel being Joel and mocking everything from the clips to his own show to Netflix ... dun dun ... itself.

All is right with the world again.

New episodes stream every Sunday, but we're getting close to the end of the first 13 episodes.

Hopefully he'll be renewed for a Season 2 later this year.

Final Grade: A-

Not Just Kid's Stuff... "The Toys That Made Us"

The Toys That Made Us (2017)

TV-14

The Story:

We were all kids once. We all liked to play. Come revisit your childhood with a walk down memory lane and learn the fascinating story about the toys we all played with and how they came to life.

This Netflix original will be an 8 part documentary series, the first 4 parts are already up and available.

They are: Star Wars; Barbie; He-Man; G.I. Joe

They are all fascinating to watch and will take you back to when you were a kid, and you'll be amazed in some cases that you even had that very toy to play with.

The designers, creators, marketers, etc. etc. etc. are all brought out to reminisce about what it took to get those toys into your hands and make your childhood the sunshine and roses that you remember.

The behind the scenes cut-throat business of toy empires are brought to light, and it's amazing what a lucrative business these toys were.

Each episode is about 45 minutes, so they all fly by fairly quickly, and no, you don't have to watch them all, but they are all totally worthwhile.

Coming in 2018, the remaining 4 episodes will be airing: Lego; Hello Kitty; Transformers; Star Trek

I'm looking forward to watching those as soon as they hit Netflix.

Final Grade: A-

Understanding Serial Killers..."Mindhunter"

Mindhunter (2017)

TV-MA

Starring Jonathan Groff, Holt McCallany, Hannah Gross,

Created by Joe Penhall

The Story:

FBI Agents Holden Ford (Groff) and Bill Tench (McCallany) have trained law enforcement officials from coast to coast. However, they are about to embark on something off the beaten path as they decide what better way to figure out the mind of a killer, than to actually sit down and interview them.

Should I mention this is based on a true story?

It's the 70s, and while serial killers existed, they had yet to have that term attached to them.

In fact, there's a lot of things that these first two pioneers of profiling would create as they bounced from coast to coast discussing WHY with some of the worst of the worst to ever stand before a court.

It's a slow burn...

But man, is it intense and fascinating!

At 10 episodes in length, it doesn't suffer from many of the pacing issues that plague the shows that extend into the teens.

Be warned though, it is driven by a very dialogue-intensive narrative.  So if you aren't a fan of talking heads in your police dramas, this may not be the show for you.

That being said, the slow burn effect keeps building throw the series and at the last episode, you want nothing more than to start the next episode to find out what the heck happens next!

This Netflix original is available to stream whenever you're ready to venture down the seedy side of town.

Final Grade: A-

Just Drive..."Wheelman"

Wheelman (2017)

TV-MA

Starring Frank Grillo, Caitlin Carmichael, Wendy Moniz,

Written and Directed by Jeremy Rush

The Story:

The Wheelman (Grillo) is out of prison, but has to make some runs to pay off his debts that he owes the mob. However, when a job goes sideways due to a betrayal, things get personal when they go after The Wheelman's family!

Netflix keeps churning out original content, often with little or no fanfare other than the movie shows up on the home page for a day or two, then it disappears into the sea of streaming content.

You've got to give it to Netflix though, they are giving subscribers new content seemingly on a weekly basis.

Wheelman is a no frills, all thrills movie shot almost entirely from within the car, so it's pretty much Frank Grillo's movie to carry.

Thankfully, he does a fine job, and much like he did in The Purge sequels, especially Anarchy, he shows that he's more than qualified to be a leading man carrying an action film.

Jeremy Rush also shows promise with his first feature film as both a writer and director.

Not a bad first gig for him.

So if you like thrillers, it's worth taking the ride.

See what I did there? :)

Final Grade: C+

Cupid, Draw Back Your Bow..."When We First Met"

When We First Met (2018)

TV-14

Starring Adam Devine, Alexandra Daddario, Shelley Hennig, Andrew Bachelor, Robbie Amell,

Directed by Ari Sandel

The Story:

Noah (Devine) met Avery (Daddario) 3 years ago, and fell head over heels. The problem? After that first date, Noah found himself in the "friend zone" and now he's watching the girl of his dreams get engaged to Ethan (Amell). However, when Noah discovers that he can go back and try and fix that night, he realizes he can make sure that he's the one that winds up with Avery, and not Ethan!

The Rom-Com is alive and well, and thriving on Netflix. :)

Just in time for Valentine's Day comes When We First Met, a fun comedy that comes squarely from the "What if we took Groundhog Day and made it a ...." family of films.

Thankfully, I'm a big fan of that genre of films, and this Netflix Original didn't let me down.

The cast clicks nicely together, and Devine anchors the film with his weary Noah, chasing after the girl of his dreams, regardless of what it takes to woo her.

However, as with all good Groundhog Day-type movies, he's got to learn a few things along the way, and he does.

And it's what he learns along the way that makes this one not necessarily follow the beat for beat pattern that we get used to with these films.

Sure, there's some things he needs to change in his life, but Noah himself is not a bad guy, far from it. :)

And, as with apparently all Robbie Amell Netflix originals, he apparently is required to be shirtless in at least one scene in the movie!

It's a fun one, and doubtful you'll be disappointed.

Final Grade: B Ah heck,  in the spirit of the holiday, B+  :)

Locked And Loaded..."The Punisher"

The Punisher (2017)

TV-MA

Starring Jon Bernthal, Amber Rose Revah, Ebon Moss-Bachrach, Ben Barnes, Jaime Ray Newman, Deborah Ann Woll,

Created by Steve Lightfoot

The Story:

The world thinks Frank Castle (Bernthal) is dead. However Agent Madani (Revah) believes he might be alive and well, and back to racking up the body count in New York City.

You know, after watching this one, it wasn't nearly as violent and bullet-riddled as I thought they would make it.

Sure, it was still worthy of a series starring Marvel's biggest vigilante.

But there was a lot of new characters introduced in the series, and aside from Karen Page (Woll) it opens up a whole new section of the Marvel Universe on Netflix.

Sadly, it will also be the last new series that makes it to Netflix since Disney is starting up their own streaming service in a few years.

Still, we'll take what we can get, and Bernthal, who was the best part of Daredevil Season 2, brings Frank Castle to life.

We get to relive Frank's tortured backstory as it slowly unfolds and we find out who killed his family and why.

As with all of the 14 episode Netflix series, it's a bit padded with juggling side stories from the new characters.

That said, it's one of the best Marvel series on Netflix.

Give it a whirl and judge for yourself.

Final Grade: B+

The Critics Aren't That "Bright" After All

Bright (2017)

TV-MA

Starring Will Smith, Joel Edgerton, Noomi Rapace, Edgar Ramirez, Lucy Fry

Directed by David Ayer

The Story:

In a world where humans live side by side with the creatures of fairytale legend, Daryl (Smith) is an LAPD cop who is saddled with the first Orc recruit, Nick (Edgerton). When the pair stumble upon Leilah (Rapace) and her magic wand, they must put their differences aside once and for all if they hope to survive the night and all of the different groups that are coming for them to get that wand.

I'm not sure if the critics want to savage this movie because they don't like the inroads that Netflix is making by releasing movies directly onto Netflix and bypassing the movie theater with their Netflix Original movies, but this was hardly the worst movie of 2017, or any year for that matter.

It's Netflix's first true "big budget blockbuster" or "popcorn movie". Is it a great movie?

No, I don't think anyone will put it into that movie.

Is it totally watchable?

Absolutely.

It checks off all the marks for a big budget buddy cop action flick. The two cops that don't get along, but then get along just fine when the chips are down and they realize they only have themselves to rely on if they are going to survive.

It also serves an underlying message on racism in America, without trying to get too preachy and letting the action carry the movie.

I've read that many critics felt that the storyline was too confusing and people couldn't follow along with all of the backstory.

What?

I'm pretty sure that those opening billboards that show that this is a world where we coexist with the Lord of the Rings was pretty straightforward, if you ask me.

Guesstimates put those of us that watched Bright during the opening weekend at 11 million Netflix users. As there are no box office receipts to gauge whether this was a success or a mega flop, I'll do the math:

11 million times $ 8.00 a ticket (averaging a matinee and a full ticket price) puts the weekend box office for this film at $88,000,000.

Yeah, that pretty much justifies any price Netflix spent on the film, and shows why they already said yes to a sequel.

Trust me, I've seen a bad Will Smith movie (After Earth).

This isn't even close.

Final Grade: C+

You Really Should Take This "Shot In The Dark"

Shot In the Dark (2017)

TV-MA

The Story:

3 rival groups of stringers scour the streets of California after hours looking for sensational stories to sell to the local news stations in time for the morning news.

It's a cut throat business, but hey, it's a living.

Reminiscent of the fairly creepy movie, Nightcrawler, from a few years back, this tale of three competing news crews looking for the story of the night is riveting, right from the onset.

If it bleeds, it leads...

Everyone's heard that, and these are the people out there putting their life in danger to get the shots to the news stations in time to enjoy with your morning coffee.

In California, it's an ultra-competitive business and not only do you have to get the shot, you have to get it first, get it best, and get it sold before the other guy can strike.

These journalists, if you will, also have to be story teller, cameraman and editor, often all at the same time and from the comfort of the front seat of their car.

The rivalries between the 3 companies are real, but in a sense they all drive each other to put out the best product possible.

There are certain things they do along the way that will make you realize what a cutthroat business they truly compete in.

As with all good reality shows, there's a character I felt was the villain, and much like Dave from Storage Wars, you can both respect but dislike him at the same time. I'll let you decide who you think the villain is for yourself though.

Finally, the climactic cliffhanger for episode one, well if it doesn't shock you and make you click the button to get to the 2nd episode, then no, this isn't your show.

:)

This Netflix Original has 8 episodes between 35-41 minutes or so in length. Easy to binge the complete series in one sitting. I tried to take it no more than 2 episodes at a time to let the series build over a few days.

And the setup for a second season?

Oh yeah, I'm dying to know what happen(s/ed) next!

Final Grade: A-

But Wait...There's More! "Beyond Stranger Things"

Beyond Stranger Things (2017)

Starring Jim Rash

The Story:

Now that you've finished Stranger Things 2, and don't dare watch an episode of this without finishing the entire season because...

SPOILERS!!!!

Jim Rash sits down with most of the cast and Shawn Levy and the Duffer Brothers to talk about what went into making the show and how they made some of their decisions.

And how some of those decisions made themselves, and created a snowball effect on the overall series.

I guess The Walking Dead has a similar program that airs weekly, and I'm not sure if any other shows have it, but this was a fun, breezy, yet informative 22 minutes where Rash moderates a table full of the cast and get their insights into what happened and what might still happen in the future.

7 episodes total, and my favorites were the ones with Levy and the Duffers on the panel as they help lend more behind-the-scenes knowledge to what they were thinking when certain things happened this season.

If you like these kinds of shows, you're going to really enjoy this one.

If you're not sure, give the first episode a try (it will pop up automatically to start at the end of Episode 9 of Stranger Things 2) and see what you think.

Final Grade: A-

Check Those References Carefully..."The Babysitter"

The Babysitter (2017)

TV-MA

Starring Judah Lewis, Samara Weaving, Robbie Amell, Hana Mae Lee, Bella Thorne, Andrew Bachelor, Emily Alyn Lind, Leslie Bibb, Ken Marino

Directed by McG

The Story:

Cole (Lewis) is 12, and he's the only kid his age who still has a babysitter. He doesn't really mind when his mom and dad (Bibb & Marino) leave though, because his babysitter, Bee (Weaving) is hot! However, when he finally decides to break curfew and spy on what his sitter does when he's supposed to be asleep, he learns that Bee is not the sweeetheart he was led to believe!

A Netflix original released in time for the holiday season, it's a worthy addition to the horror-comedy genre.

If you've managed to somehow miss this one so far, my recommendation is to avoid the trailer as it's a little spoiler-ific.

Or, if you don't have 90 minutes to spare, watch the trailer and you'll see a lot of the fun condensed into 2 minutes.

The cast is a lot of fun, and the script lets them poke fun at the genre while still never letting go of the fact that this is supposed to be a scary movie.

Amell does such a great job as Max that you almost aren't rooting for him to get killed as the movie goes along. :)

Fun stuff, and I'll be back next year for another round!

Final Grade: B