Let's Go "Pocoyo"!!

Pocoyo (2005)

TV-Y

Created by David Cantolla, Luis Gallego, Guillermo Garcia

The Story:

Pocoyo is a curious little 4 year old boy who enjoys hanging out with his best friends Pato and Elly. The narrator (Stephen Fry) guides us through each episode as we wonder what exactly will Pocoyo be up to this time.

Oh. My. Goodness.

I've never been one to be first to the party, but I'm one that happily tells you how great the party is once I arrive.

Which leads us to Pocoyo.

Clearly, having started in 2005, I'm a little late to the adventures, but flipping through Netflix earlier this month, there Pocoyo was staring back at me while I was looking for something to watch with Remy.

And isn't he cute?

That's what I thought, so I figured what the heck, how back could it be?

I was greeted with adorable 3D animation with minimal (normally flat out plain white) backgrounds but some of the cutest characters ever to grace an animated series. These are roughly 7 minute episodes that are packaged together to make one full show that runs less than 30 minutes.

So, do you have children? Grandchildren? Just like fun animation? Then this is the show for you!

Okay, it's for your kids, but you're totally going to enjoy having it on in the background.

The music is good. The animation is adorable. The narration is soft and charming. The characters themselves absolutely charming.

Dialogue, aside from the narrator is minimal.

That said, the narrator will ask once or twice if the viewers can help Pocoyo (or whomever) if we can help solve the problem, and you will hear a few children voices chime in with assistance to get the story back on track.

Then 7 minutes later, the next segment begins with the theme song and the character introductions.

The writing is rather clever, and the characters all have very distinct personalities.

Given a choice of hundreds of animated shows that you can be forced to endure alongside your children, I would easily place this one in the Top 10 shows you could watch and enjoy on repeat viewings.

You might even find yourself watching along after the kid leaves the room...

Just saying...

:)

Viewer Discretion Advised:

The episode "Elly's Doll" darn near killed me.

I started laughing so hard, I could not catch my breath.

I thought, "this is it, I'm going to die...at least I'm going to die laughing..."

Thankfully I did manage to recover, though my wife's continued laughter kept triggering me to laugh again.

I was beginning to think she was after the insurance money!! :)

Needless to say, I did come back the next day to watch the episode from start to finish.

I did indeed still laugh, just not as hard, or as life-threatening as the previous evening.

Thank goodness!

Pocoyo is currently streaming on both Netflix AND Amazon Prime.

There are 4 seasons available on both. The 4th season introduces a new character and changes narrators. Still enjoyable, but not quite the same as the first 3 seasons.


"Bye bye, See you soon!" ~ The Narrator

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+

Can Journalism Be Saved? "Nobody Speak: Trials of the Free Press"

Nobody Speaks: Trials of the Free Press (2017)

TV-14

Written and Directed by Brian Knappenberger

The Story:

When Gawker published a story about Hulk Hogan's sex tape a few years back, Hogan went on the offensive and sued. He sued big time! His judgement was so huge, and his lawyer tricks were played just right that it put Gawker out of business as they could not afford to pay it. Then it was revealed that Hogan was just a pawn in a scheme by a billionaire to take out a journalistic establishment and remove them from the Earth. And no, that billionaire was not Donald Trump attacking fake news...

But that argument makes up much of the 2nd half of this documentary.

If you want to see the beginnings of "fake news", look no further.

This documentary will take you down the slippery slope that is 21st Century journalism, and all the real reporters and bloggers, and everything in between.

It could be argued that the free press is only as free as the owner of the paper, or channel, or website allow it to be.

The left has them. The right has them.

It's hard to find those that simply walk the fine line of reporting the facts without putting a spin on it one way or the other.

Instead, we have to accept that the free press is that which is not controlled by the State, and thankfully we do have that, much to Donald Trump's daily consternation.

This Netflix Original is an eye opening look at today's media, warts and all.

Final Grade: B

The War To End Absolutely Nothing..."War Machine"

War Machine (2017)

TV-MA

Starring Brad Pitt, Anthony Hayes, John Magaro, Anthony Michael Hall, Emory Cohen, Topher Grace, Aymen Hamdouchi, Alan Ruck, Nicholas Jones,

Written and Directed by David Michod

The Story:

General McMahon (Pitt) is brought in by politicians to help clean up the mess that is the war in Afghanistan. Except McMahon isn't used to tidying up anything, if there's a war, he's there to win it. Which is exactly what nobody apparently wants, except McMahon.

Welcome to one of the latest Netflix originals to roll out this year.

It's based on a true story.

It's also a satirical look at the war effort in Afghanistan.

Your mileage will vary on how well either of those work as an overlong film written and directed by Michod.

In a nutshell, McMahon and his staff are seemingly doing very well, but through an article written by Rolling Stone, it undermines McMahon's credibility and leads to his ouster.

Pitt plays McMahon as a caricature of an actual person.

Normally, this works to some extent, but Pitt dials the caricature of McMahon to 11; some of the mannerisms given to McMahon such as the facial expressions, the voice, you can't quite tell if they were going for outright parody or not in the film.

They become almost a distraction throughout the film.

So with an uneven tone, a leading man who is all over the map on whether or not you need to take what he's doing at face value, or to laugh at what he's saying or doing, it makes this a mess.

Just like the war in Afghanistan.

In that regard, mission accomplished.

Final Grade:  C

That Was Something All Right... "Handsome: A Netflix Murder Mystery"

Handsome: A Netflix Murder Mystery (2017)

TV-14

Starring Jeff Garlin, Natasha Lyonne, Amy Sedaris, Stephen Webber, Christine Woods, Hailee Lautenbach,

Written and Directed by Jeff Garlin

The Story:

LA Homicide Detective Gene Handsome (Garlin) and his partner Fleur Scozzari (Lyonne) are hot on the trail of a murderer who chopped up a babysitter and placed her on the lawn of movie star Talbert Bacorn (Webber). Between this case and Handsome's personal life, he's got his hands full.

This is a strange little Netflix Original film.

It starts with Webber addressing the audience as himself, and that sort of sets the tone for this one. Sadly, he says "and I play the murderer..."

So that kind of sucks any and all mystery from the film at that point.

All that said, it's Garlin's baby from start to finish.

There are some genuinely funny bits, some head-scratchers, and some strange, awkward moments that take place.

But the film is never dull, I'll give it that.

His banter with Lyonne is some of the highlight of the movie.

It's an odd duck, but has a lot of charm thanks in no small part to Garlin himself.

Yes, I'd come back for a sequel, but hopefully a little more "Mystery" can be put into that one.

Final Grade: C+ 

The Next Big Thing..."Sandy Wexler"

Sandy Wexler (2017)

TV-14

Starring Adam Sandler, Jennifer Hudson, Kevin James, Colin Quinn, Nick Swardson, Terry Crews

Directed by Steven Brill

The Story:

Sandy Wexler (Sandler) is a talent manager, not an agent! Back in the 90s, he discovered Courtney Clarke (Hudson) and wanted to make her the next Whitney or Mariah. Can the small-time manager succeed in hitting the big time?  This is their story.

For those of you that hate Adam Sandler, there's no doubt that you've likely quit reading this review already.

For those that love Adam Sandler, apparently we are the quiet minority in movies. Don't say it, because it will cause outrage and scorn.

However, it seems that Netflix has come up with the perfect solution and signed Adam Sandler to an original 4 picture deal that has just been extended to 4 more.

Why?

Because apparently between the Adam Sandler lovers and Adam Sandler haters is everyone else.

They watch Adam Sandler movies and then probably play dumb about it?

What? No, haven't seen anything by him since Happy Gilmore or The Wedding Singer.

Uh-huh.

We're on to you.

:)

Continually heralded as Netflix's most watched movies when they hit, Sandler offers up his 3rd Netflix Original, and it is easily the best of the 3.

You could argue it's also one of Sandler's best films in some time as well, period.

Wexler is based on Sandler's own manager, Sandy Wernick.

It's a loving tribute/roast and Sandler brings in many of his friends to play themselves as the story is told in flashback and they reminisce about Sandy's attempts in the 90s to be a big player in Hollywood with his eclectic band of talent (James, Quinn, Swardson & Crews).

It's when he finds Clarke that things seemingly take off for him.

Or at the very least, for her, and the rest of the movie concentrates on their relationship as she begins to become very popular and seemingly outgrows the need for a small-time manager.

But there is a very sweet center to this movie, and it's mentioned in the trailer:

An agent is business, but a manager is family.

And that heart shines through this film throughout as Wexler only wants the very best for his family.

It's not a laugh out loud comedy, though there are 2 or 3 genuine belly laughs to be had.

Instead, it's one you will smile along to, and be happy to enjoy, and by the time the credits roll, you'll be glad you came along for the ride.

Final Grade: B-

Shooting The War With A Camera..."Five Came Back"

Five Came Back (2017)

Not Rated

Starring William Wyler, George Stevens, John Huston, John Ford, Frank Capra

Based on the book by Mark Harris

The Story:

In World War II, 5 acclaimed Hollywood directors willingly gave up their careers and joined the military. Their job was to document and present what they saw and what was happening at the time. In harms way, and with no guarantee that they would even survive their experiences, these directors answered the call of their country.

Presented by 5 acclaimed directors of today, Steven Spielberg, Francis Ford Coppola, Paul Greengrass, Guillermo Del Toro, and Laurence Kasdan and narrated by Meryl Streep, this documentary chronicles briefly their successful careers pre-WWII and everything they were tasked to do for the allied war efforts during the war.

It's a 3 hour documentary split into 3 hour-long episodes that works as a chronological effort of before the war/early war, the main war effort, and the conclusion of the war and life afterwards.

What they saw, what they shot forever changed each of them.

Upon their return from service, they went back to Hollywood and all turned in what is arguably the best work of their career, though in the case of Capra, his work was not appreciated until generations later when It's A Wonderful Life became a staple on television during the holidays.

Highly recommended, especially if you're a film or history lover, and if you're both, this is right up your alley.

It's a Netflix Original series and one you shouldn't miss.

Final Grade: A

The Long Con..."Sneaky Pete"

Sneaky Pete (2015)

TV-MA

Starring Giovanni Ribisi, Marin Ireland, Shane McRae, Libe Barer, Michael Drayer, Peter Gerety, Margo Martindale, Bryan Cranston, Michael O'Keefe ,Ethan Embry

Created by Bryan Cranston & David Shore

The Story:

Marius (Ribisi) is doing time in prison. His cell mate, Pete (Embry) has spent the last few years talking to Marius all about his childhood growing up. Now that Marius is being released, he's back on the radar of Vince (Cranston) a man he owes a lot of money to, and Vince is holding Marius' brother, Eddie (Drayer) as collateral to keep Marius from running. Marius however decides to lay low, and utilizing his talents as a con man, he decides to head "home" and returns to the Bernhardt family as their long lost, haven't seen him since he was a little kid, cousin Pete.

It's hard to write a review of a series that focuses on a con-man as the lead character, so I'll keep it brief, and keep it short and avoid as many possible spoilers as I can.

For me, the show starts off a little slow, with a very deliberate pace.

Pete's family, while they all seemingly welcome him back home with open arms, there are a few that have their suspicions about him.

Not so much that he's not really Pete, but more that he's simply up to no good.

Ribisi does most of the heavy lifting as both Marius and Pete, juggling both personas with ease and a silver tongue that gets him both into and out of trouble at the drop of a hat.

The rest of the cast are a lot familiar character actors and new faces that flesh out their characters into a nice variety of supporting characters.

Even the villains in the show aren't just cardboard cutout caricatures. They all have depth to them.

Especially Cranston, who gets to be the most villainous of them all. If you're going to create a series, you might as well give  yourself the best part that isn't the star of the show.

He's a character that is likable, and yet terrifying, often at the same time.

It's a slow build, but by the halfway point, the story begins picking up so much momentum, you begin to wonder how it's all going to get resolved within the 10 episode season.

And then in the back of your mind, you begin to wonder how this can be anything more than 1 season long.

True to form though, Sneaky Pete doesn't disappoint on that front either.

This is an Amazon Studios original, and available to stream for those with Amazon Prime.

Final Grade: A-

I Was Not Expecting a "Bridget Jones Trilogy"

Bridget Jones's Diary (2001)

Rated R

Starring Renee Zellweger, Colin Firth, Hugh Grant, Gemma Jones, Hugh Broadbent

Directed by Sharon Maguire
  
Bridget Jones: The Edge of Reason (2004)  

Rated R

Starring Renee Zellweger, Colin Firth, Hugh Grant, Gemma Jones, Hugh Broadbent

Directed by Beeban Kidron

Bridget Jones' Baby (2016)

Starring Renee Zellweger, Colin Firth, Patrick Dempsey, Gemma Jones, Hugh Broadbent

Directed by Sharon Maguire

The Stories:

Bridget Jones (Zellweger) has decided to take control of her life and begins a journal for the New Year. In it she chronicles her life and the relationships she has, including a tryst with her boss, Daniel Cleaver (Grant) and Mark Darcy (Firth), a man she met at the family Christmas party who annoyed her to no end.

By the next film, Bridget seemingly has her mind set up on which gentleman suitor she wants to be with, the trick now is getting him to the altar.

Finally, the majority of the cast returns as Bridget, now alone, wishes she would have been a mother. As luck would have it, she beds a millionaire, has a romantic tryst with an old flame, and is suddenly facing the prospect of motherhood, but has no idea which of the two men might be the father.

So there, are we all caught up now?

As I've mentioned before, 2016 brought the revival of many dormant movie franchises.

With the arrival (no pun intended) of Bridget Jones' Baby, I decided to refresh my memory on what happened previously, and try and remember why I thought they were okay, but nothing great enough to buy for the movie library.

Thankfully, Netflix had the first 2 available to stream, and so I did.

With Diary, it's a pretty fun character driven adventure with lots of quirky people in and out of Bridget's life. As an admitted Hugh Grant fan, most romantic comedies are better just because he is in it. Teamed opposite Firth, as the quiet, bitter romantic interest, they are a comedic pair of opposites that keep the movie, and Bridget's life, very interesting. They also engage in one of the best, worst fights in cinematic history.

As usual, my distaste for language that exists simply because the movie is rated R and can say whatever it wants gives the film a lower grade, and reminds me of why it was never purchased the first go-round. Over the years, I've found that saying #$@#$@#%@$#%@# repeatedly rarely benefits the story, and seems to often be the product of lazy writing.

Unless you're Die Hard, try harder people. :)

Following up Diary, The Edge of Reason, it just feels like an obvious cash grab by the studios. Gone was the director. So too any and all charm and goodwill for the first one. There are a few bright spots sprinkled throughout the film, but not nearly enough to make this one worthwhile, save for the actors themselves.

Thankfully upon the return of the franchise, everyone, minus Hugh Grant, returns, including the director. Whether it was Maguire or what, the film regains much of the charm of the first while centering around the Who's Your Daddy? storyline. The disappointment that there was no Happily Ever After fades quickly as you realize that this is Bridget Jones after all, and why would there ever have been such and ending for her story?

Dempsey fills in admirably as the new potential love interest who finds himself on the other end of Firths' angry gaze. The pair pull off a pretty good chemistry as opposites again vying for Bridget's affections, but the story never quite equals that of the first film.

If you liked any of the previous films, then you'll be more than satisfied with the cinematic conclusion to the tale.

Which is better than some franchises that go out with a whimper, a shadow of their former glory.

Final Grades:

Diary - B
Reason - C
Baby - B-

The "Santa Clarita Diet" Is Not For Everyone

Santa Clarita Diet (2017)

TV-MA

Starring Drew Barrymore, Timothy Olyphant, Liv Hewson, Skyler Gisondo,

Created by Victor Fresco

The Story:

Sheila and Joel Hammond (Barrymore & Olyphant) are realtors in Santa Clarita. They're struggling to make sales while also raising a teenage daughter (Hewson). Oh, and apparently Sheila has somehow become a zombie, and now they have to see if they can find a cure to save her!

Welcome to one of the newest original series on Netflix.

It's as if they saw how good iZombie was and said, "hey, we want a zombie show too!"

And here we are.

It's got a great cast, anchored by Olyphant and Barrymore.

Barrymore gets to let her hair down as she becomes more and more acting on impulse as she devolves further into her zombie state.

Olyphant gets to play broader comedy as the husband who vows to stand by his wife, even to the point of committing murder to help satisfy her hunger cravings.

The show starts off rather slow, but by the 4th and 5th episode, they hit their stride and things begin to take off.  It builds to a satisfying cliffhanger that leads to the second season.

The show, overall, is good, not great.

I've run into the usual problem I have with Netflix originals:

The #$@@#ing language!

We get it, you're not on broadcast tv, you can let the F-bombs fly.

And they do.

Repeatedly.

Too much for me to feel comfortable watching with any of my kids, even the older ones, in the room.

Or even the wife for that matter.

And that's too bad, as we both really enjoy both Olyphant and Barrymore.

I guess I'll just have to fill that void by rewatching Justified and Drew's old romantic comedies.

Final Grade: B-

Somehow You Get Sucked In..."Heartland"

Heartland (2007)

Starring Amber Marshall, Graham Wardle, Shaun Johnston, Chris Potter, Michelle Morgan

The Story:

Heartland is the story of a family that owns and operates a large ranch/equestrian center in Alberta Canada. It centers on Amy (Marshall) who has a gift for working with horses and her relationship with Ty (Wardle) the local ranch hand that is crazy for her. The family has come together after Amy's mom passes in a tragic accident and they are all left to pick up the pieces.

10 seasons later, those pieces are still being picked up and moved around.

:)

So welcome to Canada's answer to the soap opera format.

It's filled with actors you've probably never seen, and some of the plots are thin, nonexistent, totally contrived or just downright silly sometimes.

Yet...

It's endearing enough that you find yourself wrapped up in the lives of this crazy family, scratching your head at some of the decisions they make and often wondering how any of them have survived this long on their own.

As I mentioned, the 10th season is rolling out in Canada as we speak, and quite possibly available to those in America who have been watching in some way, shape or form.

For the rest of us, Netflix has the first 7 seasons available to stream as I write this review.

At this point, I'm somewhere in the middle of season 5.

I haven't seen every episode, but I've seen enough to stay caught up with what is going so that I'm not terribly lost if I've missed a few episodes here or there.

For me, the standout of the series is Grandpa Jack (Johnston), the patriarch of the family. He's strong, but fair, and adds a nice underlying layer of humor to his character that enriches every scene he's in.

Other characters have come and gone from the series over the years, but the main cast I've listed is still going strong with the show.

So nothing fancy, and a show that is probably not for everyone, but if you love horses, the cowboy life, or the scenic vistas of Canada, you might be entertained.

Final Grade: B

Time To Watch A Bootleg Copy..."Doomed! The Untold Story of Roger Corman's Fantastic Four"

Doomed! The Untold Story of Roger Corman's Fantastic Four (2015)

Not Rated

Starring Alex Hyde-White, Joseph Culp, Oley Sassone, Michael Bailey Smith, Rebecca Staab, Jay Underwood, Mark Sikes, Chris Gore,

Written and Directed by Marty Langford

The Story:

In late 1993, Roger Corman was approached to get The Fantastic Four produced, shot and made as quickly, and inexpensively as possible. Promising a theatrical release, and the end to poor Marvel movies as they knew it, the cast and crew threw all of their blood, sweat, tears, and sometimes even own money into making the best movie they could on what little budget they had. Little did they know that even far more sinister forces than Dr. Doom abounded to conspire to ensure that this movie never saw the light of day, but that it would spin tales that the production was never even supposed to happen.

Cue the ominous music!

In the history of cinema, how many low budget films did Roger Corman produce and/or direct that never saw the light of day?

Only 1.

This is that story.

Nobody puts any money or effort into a movie to not release it.

Yet that is the lie that has been told around Hollywood for over 20 years.

This documentary goes to the sources: the actors, the director, the crew and sets the story as straight as it can, or at least gets you as much of the information that has been previously unheard for generations.

Everyone involved put forth so much love and energy into the project because while they knew they were making a movie on a small budget, they all had dreams and aspirations that it could be a launching pad for that next big thing.

Little did they know...

It turns out that it was a power play to get a bigger budget version of the film to finally be made by a bigger studio.

It would still be a decade later, and I do have a soft spot in my heart for 2005's Fantastic Four, but this version, well, it simply has to be better, or at least more faithful, than the 2015 reboot which I awarded as last year's ultimate Turkey of the Year.

:: shudder ::

That the actors and crew all still remember their time with great fondness is a testament to how much they believed in what they were doing. Joseph Culp, who played Doctor Doom is still open to returning to the booth to re-record some of his dialogue that doesn't play very clearly in the movie.

What truly happened may never be fully known, but this documentary helps you to realize that the film in question was by no means the joke that everyone has played it off to be over the years.

Now available for streaming for those with Amazon Prime.

Final Grade: A-

The Enemy Of My Enemy..."The Man In The High Castle: Season 2"

The Man in the High Castle: Season 2 (2016)

TV-MA

Starring Alexa Davalos, Rupert Evans, Luke Kleintank, Joel de la Fuente, Cary-Hiroyuki Tagawa, Rufus Sewell,

Created by Frank Spotnitz

The Story:

Tensions in America are straining in the early 60s as The Resistance continues to chip away at both the Japanese Pacific States and the Greater Nazi Reich. The web of deceit and lies on all sides will tangle even further this season as the world stands at the brink of a final war.

So the slow build of Season 1 is long gone, and you know the majority of the characters by heart this go round.

Here's the genius of it all though:

while we watch an America under control from the Axis Powers, you begin to sympathize with characters in leadership roles on both Japanese and Nazi fronts.

That's right, this Amazon Original has Stockholm Syndromed the audience!

:)

Julia (Davalos) tries to escape to the Nazi Reich, and seeks Obergruppenfuhrer Smith's (Sewell) protection.

The Japanese want her dead, and so do the Resistance. Smith feels it's in his best interest to keep her alive, at least for now.

However, all is not well at the Smith household on both a personal and professional level.

Let's just say that a big part of season 2 involves the tenuous alliance between Germany and Japan that has been tearing apart at the seams, and there are some really big events that happen that pretty much burst right on through.

10 episodes. Available to stream for those with Amazon Prime.

I would highly recommend starting with Season 1 first if you haven't though, just to get a lot of information on who, and what, you're witnessing.

It's worth it.

Final Grade: A-

They're Here...The "Best Television Shows Of 2016"

Can it still be called television when none of the choices actually appeared on a network or even cable channel?

Of course it can.

It's the 21st century, and the days of all the good stuff just being on ABC, CBS and NBC are long gone.

Though I would freely be open to a return of Battle of the Network Stars.

Just saying...

: )

Now, on with the shows!!

Bosch

Take one of L.A.s finest, who has run ins with his superiors almost as often as he's having run ins with the bad guys, and you have one of the better crime dramas from the last few years. The first of two Amazon originals, Bosch has had two great seasons so far.

The consistent part from season to season is Titus Welliver's portrayal of Detective Bosch. He takes all of it in stride, not caring who he upsets to get the job done.

In a world where the world seemingly hates cops, Bosch is a reminder that most are indeed out there trying to help us navigate through a dangerous world, and as the curveballs that season two threw at the audience, life as a cop is very, very dangerous.

Luke Cage

Marvel and Netflix have done it again.

Now, much more fleshed out than his appearance in Jessica Jones, Mike Colter brings Luke Cage vividly to life in his own series.

Much like the other Netflix series, my biggest complaint with this one was that it felt about 3 episodes too long.

Hopefully in Season 2, or the Defenders, Luke Cage also doesn't have to psych himself up to actually go out and be a hero.

That did get a bit old as the series wore on.

He could have stopped so much violence if he would have just acted, instead of waiting for everyone around him to die.

Plus, of the two bad guys Cage faced, I much preferred the first one, to the one that's set to be a recurring character.

The Man In The High Castle 

What if the Axis won World War II ?

This fascinating "What If?" scenario plays out on Amazon, and the results are fascinating, and truly scary, all at the same time.

This was perhaps the slowest series for me to get hooked on, as there are a lot of people flying around the first 2 episodes as they introduce every character and you try and get a sense of who they are, what they're doing, where their allegiances truly are...

But once you're hooked, you're along for a very interesting ride.

You realize that there is no turning back time, at least as far as I know, but you get hooked on the lives of many of the characters, even those of the Japanese or German side. In many ways, they are more fleshed out and three-dimensional than the American resistance.

Season 2 is available now, and we'll see if it returns next year to the countdown.

Daredevil: Season 2

Hands down, the best 4 episodes of any and all Marvel television.

Then they added Elektra to the mix, and the results became decidedly less enthusiastic on my part.

I would have actually preferred a more long, drawn out season with the Punisher, maybe 10 total episodes.

The trial should have taken 2 to 3 episodes, but instead it was nearly a blink and you miss it, in favor of more Elektra and a ninja Matt Murdock.

It's as if Marvel wanted to remind me of why I never really bothered with this character in the first place! :)

Still, a good show, and they seriously need to use Foggy more.

Seriously.

Making A Murderer

Was it a documentary?
Was it a television show?

This was the idea that I wrestled with at the end of the year, and ultimately put this under television while the ESPN 30 for 30 wound up in the documentary section.

Could I have flipped them?

Absolutely.

I decided that at over 10 hours, I have to call this gripping documentary television, since it was divided into episodic segments instead of just a 2 hour program.

I heard criticisms after it aired that the directors were only giving one side of the story.

That may, or may not be true, but the side they present is sooooo amazingly wrapped in cover-up after conspiracy after shady dealings that you might literally yell at the television at the end of each episode when the latest bombshell gets dropped.

It should make you seriously question the entire legal system at the least, and make you seriously hope you never find yourself facing its wrath, whether guilty OR innocent.

I'm waiting for an additional episode to air that reveals what has happened to several of the people in the documentary since the film has been released.

If nothing else, it appears that some justice is indeed being finally served.

Stranger Things 

This is one of those few times that I watched something at the same time as the rest of the world.

: )

While we didn't binge, we did move along much quicker than usual when watching a Netflix series.

Yes, it was as good as you heard or were led to believe.

I maintain that if you're not hooked in the initial 8 minutes of episode 1, then yes, this is not the series for you.

My little 5 year old even came in during the middle of the episode and wanted to know what happened to Will.

She may have been the biggest fan of the show, but everyone was entertained.

A great cast, including possibly the best group of child actors to ever assemble since The Goonies.

Also, for me, it was the perfect length.

I've often criticized the Marvel series for being about 4 episodes too long, and Stranger Things came along and proved that I was right.

:)

The episodes fly by, and with no real fluff and bluster, combines nicely into 8 compact episodes that grab you at the beginning and hold you until the end.

Season 2's bar is already set incredibly high, so hopefully it will make it to Best of the Year list in the future.

Looking forward to what might be  heading my way in 2017!

A Work Of Fiction...Or Is It? "True Memoirs Of An International Assassin"

True Memoirs of an International Assassin (2016)

TV-14

Starring Kevin James, Zulay Henao, Ron Rifkin, Kim Coates, Maurice Compte, Andrew Howard, Yul Vazquez, Andy Garcia, Rob Riggle, Leonard Earl Howze, Katie Couric

Directed by Jeff Wadlow

The Story:

When Sam Larson (James) has his first book published, one minor change leads his tale of assassin Mason Carver from the works of fiction to an autobiographical triumph. The problem? People assume he is indeed "The Ghost" and he is suddenly thrust into a web of international intrigue where he is expected to be the assassin he has written about.

The latest Netflix Original, Jeff Wadlow brings a humorous touch to an action film... or an action touch to a comedy and adds his own fun spin to the "fake spy" genre.

He's aided with a wonderful cast that is led by James as the writer turned assassin who calls upon his knowledge to get him out of the sticky situations that he finds himself in once he's been kidnapped.

It doesn't hurt that he gets some help from an undercover DEA agent (Henao) to try and keep him out of trouble.

There's also a great CIA duo (Riggle & Howze) who watch Larson at work and can't decide if he's a real assassin or really going to die, and they spend most of the movie wagering on his survival.

So, if you've enjoyed Kevin James films in the past, you're going to like this one.

He's well received around these parts and while it didn't measure up with Here Comes the Boom or the first Paul Blart movie, it was definitely worth a watch.

Final Grade: C+ / B- range

You Will Get The "Unbreakable Kimmy Schmidt" Theme Song Stuck In Your Head

Unbreakable Kimmy Schmidt (2015)  

TV-14

Starring Ellie Kemper, Tituss Burgess, Carol Kane, Jane Krakowski,

Created by Tina Fey & Robert Carlock

The Story:

15 years after being abducted into a Doomsday Cult, Kimmy Schmidt (Kemper) is freed, and decides that she doesn't want to exist by cashing in on the fame of being one of the bunker girls, but instead wants to start a new life for herself in New York City. But if she thought life in a bunker was weird, she ain't seen nothing yet!

My guess with most viewers, you're either going to enjoy this Netflix Original series, or you are probably going to run screaming in the other direction as fast as possible.

I'm not sure there's a middle ground here.

Even after the first episode, I pondered to myself, "what exactly have I just watched" ?

But the next episode comes on, and the strangeness invites itself in and lets you know that it's here to stay.

This is a world populated by strange characters, and the little girl that grew up in the bunker is far from the craziest person you'll meet.

Kimmy of course is a woman with the soul and mentality of a teenage girl. She's yet to fully grow up, but that's part of her charm.

There's her roomate, Titus (Burgess) who may be the greatest asset to the show. He's hilarious and winds up in some of the oddest predicaments that you could imagine.

Then we have their landlord, Lillian (Kane) who is a box of rocks short of having a box of rocks, but has a heart of mostly gold.

Finally, Jacqueline (Krakowski). the socialite who Kimmy begins nannying for but will go through some personal upheavals throughout the seasons.

That's a quick look at the players, and they are surrounded by even crazier guests, but the show always drives forward with smaller pieces that feed a larger story arc.

It's always wild, a little weird, but usually quite fun.

That's not to say it's perfect.

When we venture back and meet Kimmy's family during the trial...

Well, let's just say those were a few weird characters too many.

Season Two course-corrected a bit and introduced a recurring Tina Fey character that was fundamentally different from the one she played in the first season, and helped move Kimmy's storyline along.

What's going to happen in Season 3?

Hard to say, but they left off with an intriguing enough cliffhanger to keep us guessing.

Final Grade:  B

The Truth Is Always Stranger Than Fiction..."Elvis & Nixon"

Elvis & Nixon (2016)

Rated R

Starring Michael Shannon, Kevin Spacey, Alex Pettyfer, Johnny Knoxville, Colin Hanks, Evan Peters

Directed by Liza Johnson

The Story:

December, 1970... That morning, Elvis (Shannon) came up to the White House gates hoping to meet President Nixon (Spacey).  The picture taken at the end of their encounter is the most requested photograph in the National Archives.

This is a story of the meeting that almost didn't happen.

It all begins when Elvis decides he wants to be an undercover Federal Agent.

His idea, see the President, get the credentials, and begin working for the government.

Nixon, on the other hand, was scheduled for his afternoon nap at the time Elvis was to be cleared to see him.

Surreal, of that there is no doubt.

While Shannon doesn't attempt to go full-on Elvis, he gets enough of the speech and mannerisms down that you buy the performance.

Then there is Spacey, possibly the best chameleon actor of this (or any) generation, and again, he becomes Nixon right before your eyes.

While everything you see on screen may not have actually happened, they have enough evidence of the main points to wrap the story together nicely, filling in the dialogue that could have happened to get to that point.

It's fascinating. It's fun.

And in today's political climate, it almost makes you miss the good old days of Nixon.

: )

I watched it on DVD from Netflix, but it is now currently streaming on Amazon Prime as of this writing.

Final Grade: B

The Dawn Of Cinematic Greatness..."The Kentucky Fried Movie"

Kentucky Fried Movie (1977)

Starring Bill Bixby, George Lazenby, a whole host of others!

Directed by John Landis

The Story:

Movie trailers. The news. Commercials. All of that, and more, are about to get put through the comedy wringer in a movie-unlike you've ever seen before!

Well, that only took me 39 years to get around to finally seeing.

Odds are, if you rented movies in the 80s, you saw this poster on the wall, or at least saw the box as you browsed through the comedy section.

Was it worth the wait?

Hardly.

Basically it takes an episode of Saturday Night Live, then only 2 years old, and brings the format of rapid-fire sketch comedy to the big screen.

Bigger budget!
Badder language!!
Less wardrobe!!!

However, it works as a great time capsule that shows the beginnings of the creative genesis of David Zucker, Jim Abrahams, and Jerry Zucker.

Yes, this is the very first feature film from the trio of minds that would launch Airplane and Police Squad! at the beginning of the 80s.

It's also the 2nd feature directed by John Landis.

His next 4 films?

Animal House, The Blues Brothers, An American Werewolf in London and Trading Places. 

Like all good (and not-so-good) sketch comedy, some jokes/skits work better than others.

That is totally on display here as well.

The biggest misfire for me, was the "feature length" A Fistful of Yen in the center of the movie. It was too long, and too unfunny. Perhaps if I was a bigger Enter the Dragon fan, I would enjoy it more.

Currently streaming on Amazon Prime as of this writing.

Final Grade:  C