Featured TV Series: Outlander

I read the "Outlander" series of books by Diana Gabaldon over a decade ago.  They are some of my favorite books and characters.  Long before the story was televised, I would find myself thinking about the characters sometimes - out of the blue I would just think, "Wonder what Claire and Jamie are doing?"

In the books, the romance was epic, the hero bigger than life... and the show does not disappoint.  I was skeptical that any living man could live up to my image of Jamie Fraser.  With a little stretching of my ideal imagination, I have accepted Sam Heughan.  

He really does a great job portraying the character of Jamie.  

And Caitriona Balfe is Claire.  The casting there was superb, right down to her hair.  And the villian, Black Jack Randall, is played masterfully by Tobias Menzies.  

The story follows Claire Randall, a combat nurse in 1945 recently returned from the battlefields of World War 2.  On holiday with her husband in Scotland, she is mysteriously transported through time to 1743. She immediately becomes involved with a group of highlanders, ends up married to one of them and embroiled in the Jacobite rebellion.  Life is hard, dangerous and primitive, her life is constantly in danger, but she must learn to adapt.  In the beginning she is focused on finding a way to get back to her own time and her husband, but soon realizes she has fallen in love with her strapping Scottish husband, Jamie Fraser.  The love and romance between the two of them grows deeper and her heart is torn.

I am thrilled with this show!  Having loved the books so much, I'm so happy they are doing them justice. The genius of the books was in the fact that they were such a unique combination of romance, adventure and historical fact.  Starz has brought all that to life so well.  Not only is the romance and sex believable, so is the darkness, rape and torture.  

Do yourself a favor and watch "Outlander" on Starz.

Featured TV Series: Wet Hot American Summer:First Day Of Camp

Yes, Campers, they are back!

Fans of the 2001 movie, "Wet Hot American Summer," will be sure to enjoy this newest Netflix series.

The movie was a bit of a box office disappointment, but has since gained a cult following.  The popularity of the movie has prompted Netflix to produce this prequel.

Where the movie takes place on the last day of summer camp at Camp Firewood, the first season of the series all happens during the course of the first day of camp, summer 1981.

Nearly every one of the adult cast of the movie have returned to reprise their roles in the series, along with some new faces.  Remember, these were adult actors portraying teenagers 15 years ago, and now they are playing those same teen characters again.  Some pull it off better than others!

Starring (just to name a few):
Paul Rudd
Bradley Cooper
Elizabeth Banks
Amy Poehler
Molly Shannon
Janeane Garofalo
David Hyde Pierce
Christopher Meloni
Marguerite Moreau
H. Jon Benjamin
Kristen Wiig
Jason Schwartzman
Jon Hamm
Chris Pine

If you read the Featured Movie: Wet Hot Summer review, you know that I called the movie a hoot.
Well, the show is all that and more!  While fans of the original movie are sure to enjoy it, it might not have the same appeal for those not in the know.  There is something of the ridiculous about it, and yet I couldn't seem to stop watching.

Being a prequel, you get answers to questions like: Why does the can of vegetables talk?
(Once again, voiced by the hilarious H. Jon Benjamin, the can of veggies may be my favorite character!)

The big adventure in the movie was a piece of Skylab falling to earth, on a beeline for the camp rec center.  In the new series, the counselors find that the government has been dumping toxic waste in the woods just outside of camp.  When the "powers that be" realize they have been found out, the white house orders an assassin, The Falcon, to destroy the camp and kill the counselors.  All the while, rehearsals for the big talent show continue...

We binged watched the entire series in one evening.
The episodes are short and the whole thing takes place in one day, so it flows well for binge watching.
A fun and entertaining ride!

What did you think of "First Day Of Camp?"

Featured Movie: Wet Hot American Summer

The Featured Movie today is a bit of an oldie...let's go retro this time.
Released in 2001, but set in 1981, it's a throwback, throwback kind of day.

This movie is a hoot!  It's so silly and campy, if you'll excuse the pun, but it's an all-star cast of some really funny folks.  Starring (just to name a few):

Paul Rudd (I seem to be on a Paul Rudd kick!)
Bradley Cooper
Elizabeth Banks
Amy Poehler
Molly Shannon
Janeane Garofalo
David Hyde Pierce
Marguerite Moreau
H. Jon Benjamin

It's the last day of summer camp at Camp Firewood, and the counselors have one final day to leave their mark, and make the romantic connections they have failed to make all summer.

The movie is primarily a spoof of teen romantic comedies of that time.  But, it's quirky and silly, and endearing all at the same time.  In addition to ridiculous teenage romantic and sexual antics, there is also a piece of NASA's Skylab falling straight toward Camp Firewood.

As the camp director and a scientist, along with a group of nerdy kids, try to save the camp from the falling piece of Skylab; the camp cook, a disturbed Vietnam Vet, with the help of a talking can of vegetables (voiced by the hilarious H. Jon Benjamin,) are playing matchmaker with the teen counselors; and Susie and Ben (Amy Poehler & Bradley Cooper) attempt to produce the biggest choreographed talent show the camp has ever seen.  It's funny to watch the adult actors portraying teenagers.  Once again, Paul Rudd stole my heart... as the "bad boy" teen, he has mastered the art of rolling his eyes with his whole body!

I would definitely recommend this movie for a chuckle.

What did you think of "Wet Hot Summer?"

Featured Movie: Ant-Man

I really did not plan to see Ant-Man.  Honestly, when I first saw the trailer, I laughed.

While I have enjoyed the Marvel movies immensely, especially the Avengers movies, the whole concept of an Ant Man just seemed so silly.  I just wasn't interested, but Scott really wanted to see it, so we saw it in 3D yesterday.  And, I was pleasantly surprised.

Paul Rudd makes it.  Don't get me wrong, it's a fantastic cast:  Michael Douglas, Evangeline Lilly, Corey Stoll, Judy Greer, Michael Pena, and more.

Michael Douglas was great and looks amazing.

But, Paul Rudd is just so endearing, he brings a charm to this movie that I wasn't expecting.  There is something almost sweet about it.

The premise is based on the old comic.  A special suit gives a man the ability to shrink in size but increase in strength.  He also has a device giving him the ability to control the ants who are more or less his size when the suit is utilized.

Of course, the villain invents a similar suit and becomes the nemesis, the Yellow Jacket.

Ant-Man's encounter with the Avengers secures his place among their ranks.  He saves the world and accepts his role in life like all good super heroes do in the end.  It even ends by teasing us with the likelihood of a sequel.  

The effects were good.  See it in 3D for sure.  There is adventure, humor and even a little romance.

Overall I must say that I thoroughly enjoyed this movie.

What did you think of Ant-Man? 

Featured Movie: Jurassic World

The newest installment in the Jurassic Park movies is a great summer flick.  High adventure, laughs, screams...this movie has it all.  The story is light and predictable, and yet still heartwarming and well done.  In the same spirit as the first move, this one starts off innocent enough, "and then there is screaming and running." (quote: Dr. Ian Malcolm, Jurassic Park.)

The premise is familiar.  Someone decides it would be a good idea to open another dinosaur park on the same island as the original Jurassic Park.  But, this time there is a twist.  Kids today are jaded on regular dinosaurs, so genetic engineering is being used to create scarier monsters.  How could that go wrong?  

 

Of course they create the biggest, baddest dino ever, and of course it escapes confinement and goes on a killing spree.  There are a couple of kids, again reminiscent of the original movie; a good family story; and even a little bit of romance.  Bryce Dallas Howard and Chris Pratt have nice chemistry and good banter.  (I already loved Pratt from Guardians Of The Galaxy-another must see movie.) Vincent D'Onofrio is a great villain, and even the two boys were pretty good actors.  And the effects were amazing! 

I was skeptical of yet another Jurassic Park sequel, but was very pleasantly surprised by how much I enjoyed it.  Definitely worth catching on the big screen while it's still around.

What did you think of Jurassic World?

Featured TV Series: Bloodline

Netflix original "Bloodline" was filmed in the fabulous Florida Keys.

It centers around a family in Islamorada, who own and manage an "Inn" which is actually The Moorings Resort.  The family house is the Main House at The Moorings, which local Keys folks also recognize as a close twin to Pierre's restaurant.  The Moorings, Pierre's & Morada Bay Cafe have the same ownership and architecture.  

  

The Rayburn family are pillars of the Islamorada community; the parents run the Inn, their daughter is an attorney, one son is a detective and sheriff's deputy, another son operates his own business refurbishing boats at a local marina.  But, things get interesting when the black sheep son comes home, dredging up old family secrets and threatening to both ruin the family's reputation and destroy them financially.

The scenery is amazing, of course!  I enjoyed the story and thought the writing and acting were both good.  Sam Shepard and Sissy Spacek are wonderful, again of course!  But all the rest of the cast are strong as well, especially Ben Mendelsohn who plays Danny the bad boy.  The style of filming was also well done and interesting.  Sometimes it seemed that the camera was hiding in the room, observing and seemingly capturing the characters unaware and vulnerable.  Even the soundtrack is good.

While I did really enjoy the story, I got an extra thrill from seeing all the familiar backdrops and scenes set in places I go regularly.
Some of the boating scenes were filmed in the bay right in my "backyard"...

I saw Morada Bay (of course), MM88, The Whistle Stop, Caribbean Club, The Safari Lounge (DAB), Caloosa Cove Marina, Bud & Mary's Marina, Sunshine Market (right across the street from me!), Alabama Jacks, oo-tray's parking lot(!) and more.

The big party in the very first episode was catered by Caribbean Catering and we recognized their lights, chairs, dishes, and Debbie's special touch!  

(Sam & Danny Rayburn in one of the "swingy" tables at MM88.)

(Danny Rayburn with Chelsea and Eric O'Bannon at The Whistle Stop.)

(Danny at Alabama Jacks.)

Bloodline has been renewed for a second season, supposed to premier sometime in 2016.

So far I haven't seen or heard when they will begin filming.  When they were filming the show last summer, we were staying in Boston and missed all the excitement.  Looking forward to being around town when the next season is filmed...who knows, maybe I can sneak on as an extra!  How fun would that be?  

It is only available from Netflix, and only streaming at this time.  I highly recommend this show, it gets 2 thumbs up and 5 stars from me.

What did you think about Bloodline?

Featured Movie: Birdman or (The Unexpected Virtue of Ignorance)

I finally saw "Birdman," and it definitely lived up to it's reputation.  What an amazing movie.

It was great to see Michael Keaton.  He looks good and his acting was superb.  He plays an aging actor, best known for his portrayal of a comic book hero, Birdman, 20 years ago.  Trying to prove himself as a serious actor and reinvent his acting career, he is writing, directing and starring in his own Broadway play.  Days away from opening night, he is beset with problems, from firing and replacing his leading actor; dealing with the ego and eccentricities of his new lead; working with his daughter recently hired as his assistant and recently released from rehab; an ex-wife he's still in love with and a girlfriend who may or may not be pregnant.  

Add to all of that, the character of Birdman who talks to him frequently, and even starts to materialize, advising him to forget the play and return to the superhero character.

The entire cast is fantastic, including Edward Norton, Zach Galifianakis, Naomi Watts and Emma Stone.  

The filming and camera work were very interesting.  

I read that it was the directors idea for most of it to appear to have been filmed in a single shot.  

There are some twists along the way, and I'm on the fence about the ending.  But, over all I thought it was a great movie.  

What did you think of "Birdman" and what are your thoughts on the ending?

Featured TV Series: Orphan Black

Orphan Black is a Canadian show, aired on BBC America.  Tatiana Maslany is incredible, playing multiple characters who are, in fact, clones.  

Each clone is different with distinctive mannerisms.  They all have different ways of walking, even very different ways of talking, and sometimes it’s easy to forget they are all played by the same actress.  This is especially true when the scene brings 2 or more clones together and even more so when one clone has to impersonate another.  Tatiana is absolutely amazing portraying both characters simultaneously.  One of the clones has even become a man!

Matt Frewer is great as usual, playing the scientist who would do anything for the cloning project.  Exploring the ethical and moral implications of human cloning, the show raises issues including a radical religious movement regarding the creation of human life.

The entire cast is fantastic; the show is well written and intelligent.  The third season premiers on April 18.  I am currently re-watching season two as a refresher before the new one.  Definitely go back and catch this one from the beginning.

Have you been watching Orphan Black?

Watcha Watchin'?

There are actually a lot of good shows running on TV right now.

Here's a list of what is currently on my DVR:

"12 Monkeys" - Based on the movie by the same name, this show is a good ride.  They have made some changes to the original movie plot, but kept the gist of it.  It's gritty and dark, but the characters are developing well.  The girl who plays Brad Pitt's character from the movie is amazing...she had to have studied his mannerisms because she acts just like him!

"Archer" - I never wanted to like Archer, but, yeah, well... It's crude, silly, down right ridiculous sometimes, but there it is on my DVR.  It makes me laugh.

"Dig" - I've just started watching this one and haven't really made up my mind about it.  Anne Heche has never been one of my favorite actresses, but she is pretty good in this.  The whole prophesy of the red heifer is kind of silly to me, but if you buy into it, the show seems like it might be pretty good.

"Doctor Who" - Don't judge me...

"Drunk History" - If you aren't watching Drunk History, you don't know what you're missing.  Each week, a semi-famous to famous actor proceeds to get shit faced drunk while being filmed and telling historically factual stories.  While they are drunkenly telling the story, you also get to watch other semi-famous to famous actors act it out, including drunken slurs and inappropriate comments.  It's a hoot!

"Gotham" - This one snuck up on me.  The story centers around Bruce Wayne as a child of about 12, and young detective Gordon.  Gordon is busy trying to clean up the corrupt Gotham police department, while Bruce is trying to find out who murdered his parents.  The two begin to form a friendship.  Other future Batman characters are shown young, such as The Penguin, CatWoman (a young street urchin,) Poison Ivy, The Riddler and more.  Jada Pinkett Smith is absolutely amazing...It's almost worth watching just to see what fabulous dress she will be wearing.

 "iZombie" - A new show that I think has potential.  It's light and silly, but a fun ride.  A young doctor is killed and wakes up as a zombie.  To satisfy her hunger for brains, she transfers to the morgue.  She soon learns that she takes on the memories and personality traits of the person the brains once belonged to, and uses that ability to solve murders.  Like I said, light and silly, but I'm enjoying it so far.

"Marvel's Agent Carter" &

"Marvel's Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D." - Both of these shows are spin-offs of The Avenger's Movie.  I love the movie, and I LOVE Joss Whedon, who wrote the movie and produces the Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D.  I like how they are developing the Marvel universe.  Agent Carter is cute because we get to know Howard Stark (Tony Stark's father) back in the day.  S.H.I.E.L.D. is a little more serious. If you didn't already love Agent Coulson from the movie, you will after watching the show.

"Downton Abbey" - My guilty pleasure.  I love this show.  It's just so English.

"Supernatural" - My go-to show.  They currently run the past seasons on TNT every day, and I can watch them over and over and over.  Watching Dean and Sam Winchester basically grow up on this show has been a great experience.  I normally don't like shows that deal with god and the devil, angels and demons, good and evil, black and white.  What I like about Supernatural is how they deal with these issues, but they are not black and white at all.  Some demons are good guys, and most angels are dicks.  Probably my favorite show on tv right now, I love me some Supernatural.

"The Americans" - I featured this one a while back:  Featured TV Show-The Americans.

"The Last Man on Earth" - This one was a silly find!  Will Forte is funny in this dark comedy.  Not very high brow, but it's worth a chuckle.

"The Walking Dead" - Oh yeah baby.  There was a time when my friends considered this show to be rated "NS" for No Suzi.  I don't usually like overly gory or bloody shows.  But, I have been hooked on The Walking Dead since watching the first episode.  It is so dark, so gruesome, and yet so very human.  It's one of the only shows that consistently causes me to yell at the TV!

"Vikings" - I featured this one a while back: Featured TV Show-Vikings.

"Weird Loners" - Haven't even watched this one yet.  I think they have only run one episode.  The ads looked quirky.  We'll see...

What's on your DVR?

Featured TV Series: Vikings

History channel's "Vikings" is inspired by the sagas of Ragnar Lothbrok, one of the best known Vikings of mythology.  The series follows Ragnar's rise from a farmer to a chief and eventually King. His vision and desire to expand takes the Vikings to England and France in search of land and glory.

He is aided by his brother Rollo, his adviser Floki, his son Bjorn, and his wives, the shieldmaiden Lagertha and the princess Aslaug.  However, his most trusted friend and adviser soon becomes Athelstan, an English priest taken hostage on Ragnar's first raid of the English coast.

On the one hand, by portraying the mighty and fearsome Ragnar as a husband and a father, a man with marital troubles and who cares about his people and the future, the series shows the more human side of the Vikings.  On the other hand, there is no shortage of blood lust and barbarism.  They are fierce warriors, and have no qualms about slaughtering innocents for their own expansion.

With just the right mix of historical fact, well developed human characters, violence, sex, and incredible scenery, I consider "Vikings" one of the best shows running right now.  

Watch "Vikings" Thursdays at 10:00 p.m. on History Channel.

What do you think of Vikings?

Featured Movie: Wild

“Wild” chronicles one woman’s solo journey of recovery and redemption.  Reese Witherspoon portrays a woman who has been through great trauma and loss in her personal life, including drug addiction, divorce and the death of her mother.  Her marriage has failed because of her multiple incidents of infidelity and drug use.  After her divorce, she changes her name to Cheryl Strayed, and decides to embark on an 1,100 mile solo hike on the Pacific Crest Trail.  With no experience or training, she provisions herself and starts her journey to find out who she has become.

Her adventures along the trail are interesting, humorous at times, and downright frightening and intense at others.  She encounters all kinds of people, some good, some not so much, and yet manages to find help and support in the most unexpected places.  No spoilers, but there is a more or less happy ending as she completes her journey both physically and emotionally, comes to terms with what she has done and who she is, and realizes that she can move forward.

Cheryl: “What if I forgave myself? I thought. What if I forgave myself even though I'd done something I shouldn't have? What if I was a liar and a cheat and there was no excuse for what I'd done other than because it was what I wanted and needed to do? What if I was sorry, but if I could go back in time I wouldn't do anything differently than I had done? What if I'd actually wanted to fuck every one of those men? What if heroin taught me something? What if yes was the right answer instead of no? What if what made me do all those things everyone thought I shouldn't have done was what also had got me here? What if I was never redeemed? What if I already was?”

Reese Witherspoon does an amazing job, perhaps the best acting of her career.  The movie is beautifully filmed and the scenery is breathtaking.  Laura Dern shows up in memory sequences as Cheryl’s recently deceased mother, and is great, of course, as the whacky and unconventional matriarch.

Based on a true story, “Wild” is definitely worth the watch.  

What did you think of "Wild?"

Featured TV Series: The Americans

The Americans was a surprising find for me.  I knew the concept, KGB spies living undercover in America, but I had not expected it to be such a human story.  The show’s creator and former CIA agent-turned-author, Joe Weisberg, has described the series as being ultimately about a marriage.

Philip and Elizabeth Jennings (Matthew Rhys and Keri Russell) are two KGB spies in an arranged marriage.  They were both recruited by the KGB in Russia when they were very young, and they were complete strangers when they were sent to the U.S. to pose as Americans.  They live in suburban Washington, D.C., shortly after Ronald Reagan is elected president.  As part of their “cover” they have two children, teenager Paige and preteen Henry, who are unaware of their parents' true identities. Their complex marriage becomes more passionate and genuine each day, but as Philip begins to warm up to America's values and way of life, his relationship with Elizabeth becomes more complicated.  She feels it is important to hold onto the values of the mother land and even hopes to return home one day. He does not share that dream.

Further complicating their marriage are the intimate, dangerous and darkly funny relationships they must maintain with a network of spies and informants under their control.