Jack and I loved this documentary about the outspoken, hilarious columnist (1944-2007). Director/co-writer Janice Engel and co-writer Monique Zavistovski's work kept us captivated throughout the story of "six feet of Texas trouble" who took no prisoners, including calling George W. Bush "Shrub." One reviewer called it "a wistful reminder of the pleasures of free speech."
Her 1991 essay collection, Molly Ivins Can't Say That, Can She?, resides on my humor bookshelf.
Rotten Tomatoes' critics and audiences are averaging 94 and 100%, so you don't need to take our word for it.
We streamed it on April 9, included with our Hulu subscription. You can also get it for a small fee on other platforms.
Thursday, April 16, 2020
Monday, April 13, 2020
TV in the Time of Corona (musical edition)
This is a short list of musical TV series that I've enjoyed, in alphabetical order.
Crazy Ex-Girlfriend (2015-2019) is the creation of Rachel Bloom in the title role, a mentally ill woman who thinks relationships with men will solve all her problems. It's a comedy and Bloom sings and dances to original songs along with a talented cast. Some of my favorites are Settle for Me and Sex with a Stranger-Please Don't Be a Murderer. Season 1 is the best but I did eagerly watch all 62 episodes in four seasons, which are now on Netflix.
Glee (2009-2015) is about a high school glee club in northern Ohio. Lots of great musical numbers. I didn't get through all six seasons (115 episodes!) but they're all on Netflix.
Fosse/Verdon (2019) explores the relationship between choreographer/actor/director/writer Bob Fosse and actress/dancer/singer Gwen Verdon. Sam Rockwell and Michelle Williams are terrific in the title roles, and Williams won the Emmy and Golden Globe. Its one season of eight episodes is on Hulu.
Mozart in the Jungle (2014-2018) isn't totally in this category (there weren't a lot of musical numbers played), though it was about a New York Symphony, its musicians, conductors, and board chair, with Lola Kirke (sister of Jemima Kirke from Girls), Gael Garcia Bernal, Malcolm McDowell, Bernadette Peters, and more. I loved all 40 episodes over four seasons and one of my favorite moments was season 1 episode 6, when the symphony played outdoors between two buildings in New York. An Amazon Prime original, it's still available on that platform.
Rise (2018) is another high school club show, this time the drama department, with Josh Radnor and Rosie Perez as two of the teachers. The students include Auli'i Cravalho (voice of Moana). Its ten episodes in one season can't be watched free anywhere--Amazon Prime Video is charging its subscribers and NBC is charging everyone.
Smash (2012-2013) is about the creation of a Broadway musical and I loved all 32 episodes in two seasons. Starring Debra Messing, Anjelica Huston, Megan Hilty, and more. I thought of it as Glee for grownups and was sad when it was canceled. Watch free at https://www.nbc.com/smash.
Zoey’s Extraordinary Playlist (2020) is now in its first season and episode 10 will be aired this Sunday, April 19. Jane Levy in the title role doesn't sing but nearly everyone else, including Lauren Graham, Alex Newell (a Glee alum), Skylar Astin (a Crazy Ex-Girlfriend alum who is not related to Patty Duke--his birth name is different), and Mary Steenburgen, participates in huge production numbers. It's available on Hulu and https://www.nbc.com/zoeys-extraordinary-playlist.
There are a few more that I did not see listed in this article. Because we subscribe to Amazon Prime Video, Hulu, and Netflix, those are the platforms I've covered here. Some of the above may be available on other services.
Crazy Ex-Girlfriend (2015-2019) is the creation of Rachel Bloom in the title role, a mentally ill woman who thinks relationships with men will solve all her problems. It's a comedy and Bloom sings and dances to original songs along with a talented cast. Some of my favorites are Settle for Me and Sex with a Stranger-Please Don't Be a Murderer. Season 1 is the best but I did eagerly watch all 62 episodes in four seasons, which are now on Netflix.
Glee (2009-2015) is about a high school glee club in northern Ohio. Lots of great musical numbers. I didn't get through all six seasons (115 episodes!) but they're all on Netflix.
Fosse/Verdon (2019) explores the relationship between choreographer/actor/director/writer Bob Fosse and actress/dancer/singer Gwen Verdon. Sam Rockwell and Michelle Williams are terrific in the title roles, and Williams won the Emmy and Golden Globe. Its one season of eight episodes is on Hulu.
Mozart in the Jungle (2014-2018) isn't totally in this category (there weren't a lot of musical numbers played), though it was about a New York Symphony, its musicians, conductors, and board chair, with Lola Kirke (sister of Jemima Kirke from Girls), Gael Garcia Bernal, Malcolm McDowell, Bernadette Peters, and more. I loved all 40 episodes over four seasons and one of my favorite moments was season 1 episode 6, when the symphony played outdoors between two buildings in New York. An Amazon Prime original, it's still available on that platform.
Rise (2018) is another high school club show, this time the drama department, with Josh Radnor and Rosie Perez as two of the teachers. The students include Auli'i Cravalho (voice of Moana). Its ten episodes in one season can't be watched free anywhere--Amazon Prime Video is charging its subscribers and NBC is charging everyone.
Smash (2012-2013) is about the creation of a Broadway musical and I loved all 32 episodes in two seasons. Starring Debra Messing, Anjelica Huston, Megan Hilty, and more. I thought of it as Glee for grownups and was sad when it was canceled. Watch free at https://www.nbc.com/smash.
Zoey’s Extraordinary Playlist (2020) is now in its first season and episode 10 will be aired this Sunday, April 19. Jane Levy in the title role doesn't sing but nearly everyone else, including Lauren Graham, Alex Newell (a Glee alum), Skylar Astin (a Crazy Ex-Girlfriend alum who is not related to Patty Duke--his birth name is different), and Mary Steenburgen, participates in huge production numbers. It's available on Hulu and https://www.nbc.com/zoeys-extraordinary-playlist.
There are a few more that I did not see listed in this article. Because we subscribe to Amazon Prime Video, Hulu, and Netflix, those are the platforms I've covered here. Some of the above may be available on other services.
The Best of Enemies (2019)
I think we liked this story of the clash and eventual friendship between a black woman and a Klansman in 1971 Durham NC with Taraji P. Henson and Sam Rockwell heading up the big cast.
The ticket stub, dated 4/9/2019, turned up in my jacket pocket about a week ago.
Robin Bissell makes his directing and writing debut in an adaptation of the 1996 book The Best of Enemies: Race and Redemption in the New South by Osha Gray Davidson, which chronicles the two real people, Ann Atwater and C.P. Ellis.
Marcelo Zarvos's soundtrack can be streamed on Spotify and Apple Music and I probably liked the songs, fifteen of which are listed here. Someone went to the trouble to make a 56 song playlist on Spotify.
Henson was last blogged for What Men Want, Rockwell for Richard Jewell, and Zarvos for The Land of Steady Habits.
Rotten Tomatoes' critics aren't too friendly towards this, averaging 53%, but its audiences come in at 76. As of this writing the movie is available by subscription on Hulu and Showtime and for a fee on Amazon Prime.
The ticket stub, dated 4/9/2019, turned up in my jacket pocket about a week ago.
Robin Bissell makes his directing and writing debut in an adaptation of the 1996 book The Best of Enemies: Race and Redemption in the New South by Osha Gray Davidson, which chronicles the two real people, Ann Atwater and C.P. Ellis.
Marcelo Zarvos's soundtrack can be streamed on Spotify and Apple Music and I probably liked the songs, fifteen of which are listed here. Someone went to the trouble to make a 56 song playlist on Spotify.
Henson was last blogged for What Men Want, Rockwell for Richard Jewell, and Zarvos for The Land of Steady Habits.
Rotten Tomatoes' critics aren't too friendly towards this, averaging 53%, but its audiences come in at 76. As of this writing the movie is available by subscription on Hulu and Showtime and for a fee on Amazon Prime.
Sunday, April 5, 2020
Once Were Brothers: Robbie Robertson and the Band (2019)
Jack and I loved this documentary about the seminal musician and his troupe. Narrated by Robertson himself, often speaking in the present tense to an unseen interviewer, it features historical footage and photographs and oh, so many songs. The recurring theme is, "No one had ever done that before."
Directed and written by Daniel Roher (he's new to me), it has nary a dull moment for music lovers.
Martin Scorsese is one of the producers and also one of the interviewees. In his varied filmography Scorsese has made documentaries about George Harrison, the Rolling Stones, Michael Jackson, and, of course, The Band in his coverage of their 1976 final performance in The Last Waltz (1978). Footage from The Last Waltz is included at the end of Once Were Brothers. The excellent sound quality is a departure from the rest of the concert recordings. I recommend this 2012 Rolling Stone article about some of Scorsese's best musical moments.
Robertson didn't stop working after The Band's last waltz, but that's where this movie ends. He was last blogged as a composer for The Irishman, which Scorsese directed.
The official soundtrack (at 3 hours 22 minutes, it's about twice as long as the documentary) is available only on Apple Music.
With 25 producers, this movie is another entry in the Producers Plethora Prize (here's my running list).
Singing its praises, we're in line with Rotten Tomatoes' audiences at 92% rather than its critics at 79.
The movie is available as pay per view on many streaming platforms. However, we chose to support our city's oldest independent cinema and you can, too, by going to the movie's home page and choosing SUPPORT THEATERS. Then the one you choose will get a commission on the rental. You'll get an email with a link for streaming and an address to write if you have any problems. Problems were had, in our case, but our email was answered promptly, even outside of bankers' hours, and we streamed it April 4.
Directed and written by Daniel Roher (he's new to me), it has nary a dull moment for music lovers.
Martin Scorsese is one of the producers and also one of the interviewees. In his varied filmography Scorsese has made documentaries about George Harrison, the Rolling Stones, Michael Jackson, and, of course, The Band in his coverage of their 1976 final performance in The Last Waltz (1978). Footage from The Last Waltz is included at the end of Once Were Brothers. The excellent sound quality is a departure from the rest of the concert recordings. I recommend this 2012 Rolling Stone article about some of Scorsese's best musical moments.
Robertson didn't stop working after The Band's last waltz, but that's where this movie ends. He was last blogged as a composer for The Irishman, which Scorsese directed.
The official soundtrack (at 3 hours 22 minutes, it's about twice as long as the documentary) is available only on Apple Music.
With 25 producers, this movie is another entry in the Producers Plethora Prize (here's my running list).
Singing its praises, we're in line with Rotten Tomatoes' audiences at 92% rather than its critics at 79.
The movie is available as pay per view on many streaming platforms. However, we chose to support our city's oldest independent cinema and you can, too, by going to the movie's home page and choosing SUPPORT THEATERS. Then the one you choose will get a commission on the rental. You'll get an email with a link for streaming and an address to write if you have any problems. Problems were had, in our case, but our email was answered promptly, even outside of bankers' hours, and we streamed it April 4.
Tallulah (2016)
Jack and I really liked this story of a young drifter who impulsively steals a baby from a neglectful mother. Ellen Page is wonderful in the title role, as are Allison Janney and Tammy Blanchard as Talullah's boyfriend's mom and the neglectful mother, respectively. Uzo Aduba has a nice cameo as a calm, pregnant social worker, diametrically opposed to her Orange is the New Black character Crazy Eyes.
Director/writer Sian Heder fleshed out her 2006 short film Mother, which won a few festival awards, into this Cannes and Sundance nominee, her feature debut.
I'm now listening to the lovely score by Michael Brook, which can be streamed on Spotify and Apple Music.
I've been meaning to see this since it was released on Netflix four years ago. Another failed streaming attempt on April 1 steered us down the Netflix saved list, and I'm glad it did.
Page was last blogged for Freeheld, Janney for Troop Zero, and Brook for Brooklyn. Heder was a story editor and writer on Orange is the New Black.
Rotten Tomatoes' critic's average is 85% and its audiences 69. We'd adopt it.
Director/writer Sian Heder fleshed out her 2006 short film Mother, which won a few festival awards, into this Cannes and Sundance nominee, her feature debut.
I'm now listening to the lovely score by Michael Brook, which can be streamed on Spotify and Apple Music.
I've been meaning to see this since it was released on Netflix four years ago. Another failed streaming attempt on April 1 steered us down the Netflix saved list, and I'm glad it did.
Page was last blogged for Freeheld, Janney for Troop Zero, and Brook for Brooklyn. Heder was a story editor and writer on Orange is the New Black.
Rotten Tomatoes' critic's average is 85% and its audiences 69. We'd adopt it.
Friday, April 3, 2020
The Way Back (2020)
Ben Affleck's performance is a wonder as an alcoholic former high school basketball star whose slide to hit bottom is slowed by coaching the team at his alma mater. Supporting cast includes Al Madrigal, Janina Gavankar, and Michaela Watkins as his assistant coach, ex-wife, and sister. The boys on the team are good, too.
Gavin O'Connor directs from a script by Brad Inglesby. I didn't really mind the slow pace.
The score by Rob Simonsen is available to stream on Spotify and for subscribers of Apple Music, among others.
Affleck and O'Connor were last blogged for The Accountant, Gavankar for Blindspotting, Watkins for Sword of Trust, and Simonsen for The Upside. Madrigal was a Daily Show correspondent and series regular on About a Boy, and Inglesby is new to me.
Rotten Tomatoes's critics and audiences are in the same court, averaging 83 and 84%.
Before the theatres went dark we saw the trailer for this movie many times and were looking forward to seeing it. On March 29, frustrated with failed efforts to stream something else, we went ahead and bought this one from iTunes (it will be available to rent in May). Buying it gave us access to two five minute shorts. In one, Affleck says that, as a recovering alcoholic, the story was particularly meaningful to him.
If you choose to stream this, be sure you get the right one called The Way Back. There are three features, 2010, 2003, and 1915, with that exact title, three other features also known as The Way Back, and a whole lot of shorts.
Gavin O'Connor directs from a script by Brad Inglesby. I didn't really mind the slow pace.
The score by Rob Simonsen is available to stream on Spotify and for subscribers of Apple Music, among others.
Affleck and O'Connor were last blogged for The Accountant, Gavankar for Blindspotting, Watkins for Sword of Trust, and Simonsen for The Upside. Madrigal was a Daily Show correspondent and series regular on About a Boy, and Inglesby is new to me.
Rotten Tomatoes's critics and audiences are in the same court, averaging 83 and 84%.
Before the theatres went dark we saw the trailer for this movie many times and were looking forward to seeing it. On March 29, frustrated with failed efforts to stream something else, we went ahead and bought this one from iTunes (it will be available to rent in May). Buying it gave us access to two five minute shorts. In one, Affleck says that, as a recovering alcoholic, the story was particularly meaningful to him.
If you choose to stream this, be sure you get the right one called The Way Back. There are three features, 2010, 2003, and 1915, with that exact title, three other features also known as The Way Back, and a whole lot of shorts.
Blow the Man Down (2019)
This excellent thriller about sisters in a Maine fishing village and the matriarchs who really run the place has brief flashes of humor. Be forewarned--there's a gruesome murder in the first act.
Sophie Lowe and Morgan Saylor play the Connollys and the "old ladies" are June Squibb, Marceline Hugot, Annette O'Toole, and Margo Martindale. Gayle Rankin has a fine part as a hooker.
The movie was directed and written by Bridget Savage Cole and Danielle Krudy and their script was nominated for the Best First Screenplay Spirit Award, among others. Yes, there are flashes of humor, but this is another movie that someone shouldn't have put on a list of comedies. Although we might not have seen it if it hadn't been on one of those lists.
Cinematographer Todd Benhazi provides the beautiful shots of Massachusetts standing in for north coastal Maine.
The most striking part of the soundtrack is the male quartet, led by David Coffin in his film debut, singing the title track and other songs but I can't find any online links to the soundtrack other than this list. Jordan Dykstra and Brian McOmber are credited as composers.
Saylor was last blogged for McFarland, USA, Squibb for Other People, and Martindale for Wilson. Hugot and O'Toole have been in lots of things and fans of the Netflix series GLOW will recognize Rankin as Sheila the She-Wolf.
Rotten Tomatoes' critics give it a near perfect score, averaging 99% and its audiences are a little cooler at 78. We streamed it on Amazon Prime Video on March 26, 2020.
Sophie Lowe and Morgan Saylor play the Connollys and the "old ladies" are June Squibb, Marceline Hugot, Annette O'Toole, and Margo Martindale. Gayle Rankin has a fine part as a hooker.
The movie was directed and written by Bridget Savage Cole and Danielle Krudy and their script was nominated for the Best First Screenplay Spirit Award, among others. Yes, there are flashes of humor, but this is another movie that someone shouldn't have put on a list of comedies. Although we might not have seen it if it hadn't been on one of those lists.
Cinematographer Todd Benhazi provides the beautiful shots of Massachusetts standing in for north coastal Maine.
The most striking part of the soundtrack is the male quartet, led by David Coffin in his film debut, singing the title track and other songs but I can't find any online links to the soundtrack other than this list. Jordan Dykstra and Brian McOmber are credited as composers.
Saylor was last blogged for McFarland, USA, Squibb for Other People, and Martindale for Wilson. Hugot and O'Toole have been in lots of things and fans of the Netflix series GLOW will recognize Rankin as Sheila the She-Wolf.
Rotten Tomatoes' critics give it a near perfect score, averaging 99% and its audiences are a little cooler at 78. We streamed it on Amazon Prime Video on March 26, 2020.
Thursday, April 2, 2020
The Land of Steady Habits (2018)
We enjoyed this cringe-inducing story of a suburban man searching for meaning in life after having left his wife, son, and job. Ben Mendelsohn is very good in the troubled lead, with terrific supporting work by Edie Falco and Thomas Mann as the angry wife and troubled son, and Charlie Tahan as another troubled teen.
We're fans of the cringy work of director/writer Nicole Holofcener, who wrote the screenplay adaptation of Ted Thompson's 2014 book of the same name. This is her first feature with a man as protagonist, though the women have plenty to do.
We streamed this on Netflix on March 16, 2020, spurred by some website's recommending it in a list of comedies. It's good, but it's not a comedy.
I can't find any of the soundtrack by Marcelo Zarvos to stream.
Mendelsohn was last blogged for Darkest Hour, Falco for Landline, Mann for Me and Earl and the Dying Girl, Holofcener for directing Enough Said after which she wrote Can You Ever Forgive Me?, and Zarvos for Fences. Tahan also played a troubled teen in the Netflix series Ozark.
Rotten Tomatoes' critics and audiences are widely split, averaging 85 and 47%, respectively. We're in the former camp, but then, we like the awkward cringing.
We're fans of the cringy work of director/writer Nicole Holofcener, who wrote the screenplay adaptation of Ted Thompson's 2014 book of the same name. This is her first feature with a man as protagonist, though the women have plenty to do.
We streamed this on Netflix on March 16, 2020, spurred by some website's recommending it in a list of comedies. It's good, but it's not a comedy.
I can't find any of the soundtrack by Marcelo Zarvos to stream.
Mendelsohn was last blogged for Darkest Hour, Falco for Landline, Mann for Me and Earl and the Dying Girl, Holofcener for directing Enough Said after which she wrote Can You Ever Forgive Me?, and Zarvos for Fences. Tahan also played a troubled teen in the Netflix series Ozark.
Rotten Tomatoes' critics and audiences are widely split, averaging 85 and 47%, respectively. We're in the former camp, but then, we like the awkward cringing.
Wednesday, April 1, 2020
Wine Country (2019)
This lightweight comedy about women friends vacationing in Napa is just the thing to entertain you in isolation. There's a stellar cast of comediennes: Amy Poehler, Rachel Dratch, Maya Rudolph, Ana Gasteyer, Emily Spivey, and Paula Pell, with Tina Fey in a featured role. The first four were all on Saturday Night Live, the latter three both wrote and performed in the show.
This is Poehler's directing debut, working from a script co-written by Spivey and another SNL writing alum, Liz Cackowski (the latter has a cameo as a sommelier). It was inspired by an actual wine country birthday trip to Sonoma taken by SNL members.
The gorgeous cinematography by Tom Magill is from various California locations, including the beautiful Artesa Winery in Los Carneros.
Lisa Coleman and Wendy Melvoin, usually known as Wendy & Lisa, are credited as composers. They were once protegés of Prince, and Rudolph performs in a Prince cover band from time to time. So it's no surprise that the Purple One's I Would Die 4 U is featured among the many kick-ass songs in the movie, some of which are listed here and can be streamed on Spotify. I can't find any links to the original score, though the duo is prolific.
Poehler was last blogged for The House, Dratch for acting and Pell for writing Sisters, Rudolph for The Lego Movie 2: The Second Part after a brief mention in Booksmart, and Fey for Whiskey Tango Foxtrot.
This movie was on a list of comedies to stream now that theatres are dark, and we watched it on Netflix March 12, 2020. Rotten Tomatoes' critics do not agree, averaging 66% and its audiences hated it, coming in at 30. I thought it was pretty fun, and Jack didn't think it was too much of a chick flick for him to enjoy. He's so enlightened!
This is Poehler's directing debut, working from a script co-written by Spivey and another SNL writing alum, Liz Cackowski (the latter has a cameo as a sommelier). It was inspired by an actual wine country birthday trip to Sonoma taken by SNL members.
The gorgeous cinematography by Tom Magill is from various California locations, including the beautiful Artesa Winery in Los Carneros.
Lisa Coleman and Wendy Melvoin, usually known as Wendy & Lisa, are credited as composers. They were once protegés of Prince, and Rudolph performs in a Prince cover band from time to time. So it's no surprise that the Purple One's I Would Die 4 U is featured among the many kick-ass songs in the movie, some of which are listed here and can be streamed on Spotify. I can't find any links to the original score, though the duo is prolific.
Poehler was last blogged for The House, Dratch for acting and Pell for writing Sisters, Rudolph for The Lego Movie 2: The Second Part after a brief mention in Booksmart, and Fey for Whiskey Tango Foxtrot.
This movie was on a list of comedies to stream now that theatres are dark, and we watched it on Netflix March 12, 2020. Rotten Tomatoes' critics do not agree, averaging 66% and its audiences hated it, coming in at 30. I thought it was pretty fun, and Jack didn't think it was too much of a chick flick for him to enjoy. He's so enlightened!
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