1
Jan

Streaming Picks: January 2019

FILMS
Top Picks
Across the Universe – Netflix 1/1
Annihilation – Hulu 1/5
Eighth Grade – Prime 1/13
Across the Universe is the unjustly maligned Beatles musical from 2007. Plot-wise, well, it’s best not to think about it. But Julie Taymor’s direction, and every technical aspect, are top-notch.

But let’s get to the goods: two of 2018’s best movies. One is a horror movie about being uncomfortable around other people while having an identity crisis. The other is Annihilation!

Recent Selections
The Art of the Shine – Prime 1/1
The Jazz Ambassadors – Prime 1/1
Reprisal – Prime 1/1
Rwanda: The Royal Tour – Prime 1/1
Leave No Trace – Prime 1/3
Solo: A Star Wars Story – Netflix 1/3
Support the Girls – Hulu 1/3
The Unicorn – Hulu 1/3
Beautiful Boy – Prime 1/4
Sherlock Gnomes – Hulu and Prime 1/4
Alright Now – Hulu 1/8
The Commuter – Hulu 1/8
Kusama: Infinity – Hulu 1/10
Forever My Girl – Hulu 1/14
Another Time – Hulu 1/15
Fahrenheit 11/9 – Prime 1/19
Stella’s Last Weekend – Hulu 1/21
The Pagan King – Hulu 1/21
Hotel Transylvania 3: Summer Vacation – Netflix 1/24
Cruise – Hulu 1/28
Ant-Man and the Wasp – Netflix 1/29
Incredibles 2 – Netflix 1/30
Bad Reputation – Hulu 1/31
Love, Gilda – Hulu 1/31

Originals
And Breathe Normally – Netflix 1/4
El Potro: Unstoppable – Netflix 1/4
Lionheart – Netflix 1/4
The Last Laugh – Netflix 1/11
Solo – Netflix 1/11
Revenger – Netflix 1/15
Close – Netflix 1/18
Girl – Netflix 1/18
IO – Netflix 1/18
Soni – Netflix 1/18
Animas – Netflix 1/25
Polar – Netflix 1/25

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25
Dec

What I Watched This Week: 16 Dec 2018

NEW SHOWS & SPECIALS
Pete Holmes: Dirty Clean (B+)
What I love about Pete Holmes, in addition to his energy and affable personality, is that he’s the rare comedian whose routines seem built not out of a desire to “kill” or provoke, but just to share the joy of the weird things he finds funny and strange.

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15
Dec

Oscar Picks: 15 Dec 2018

Bradley Cooper and Lady Gaga in A Star Is Born
BEST PICTURE
Black Klansman
Black Panther
Bohemian Rhapsody
The Favourite
Green Book
If Beale Street Could Talk
Roma
A Star Is Born
Vice

Falling off: First Man, Widows
Rising star: Mary Poppins Returns
The skinny: This sucks. Two of the years best movies had disappointing box office runs, and now are getting passed over for awards right and left. Widows inexplicably didn’t get a SAG nomination for its incredible ensemble cast, and it feels like First Man is done for in above-the-line categories (except Supporting Actress). That’s a real shame. It’s somewhere in my top 3 for the year currently, and it’s a leap forward for Damien Chazelle, who won Best Director for his previous film. And I guess Bohemian Rhapsody love is real, which is absolutely baffling. But hey, Mary Poppins Returns might sneak in. Cool cool cool. (And yes, I am finally relenting, and putting Black Panther in my Best Picture predictions.)

Alfonso Cuarón on the set of Roma
BEST DIRECTOR
Yorgos Lanthimos, The Favourite
Barry Jenkins, If Beale Street Could Talk
Alfonso Cuarón, Roma
Bradley Cooper, A Star Is Born
Adam McKay, Vice

Falling off: Damien Chazelle, Steve McQueen
Rising star: Spike Lee (again)
The skinny: Second verse, same as the first. If the Black Klansman resurgence is real, Spike really could get his first nomination for Best Director. But that would likely come at the expense of another black filmmaker (Barry Jenkins) or Greek freak Yorgos Lanthimos, one of the most distinct working filmmakers, who’s just made his best film yet.

Christian Bale in Vice
BEST ACTOR
Christian Bale, Vice
Bradley Cooper, A Star Is Born
Ethan Hawke, First Reformed
Rami Malek, Bohemian Rhapsody
Viggo Mortensen, Green Book

Falling off: Ryan Gosling, Lucas Hedges, Steve Carell
Rising star: John C. Reilly, Stan & Ollie or The Sisters Brothers
The skinny: Don’t worry about Ethan Hawke’s Golden Globes (or possible SAG) snub. Hawke is a respected, twice-nominated actor who’s putting in the work of promoting his stellar performance in a movie the Academy will have multiple chances to see. I’d be shocked if he won, but he’ll be in the thick of it. Malek and Mortensen move in, ascending ahead of the leads of Boy Erased and Beautiful Boy, neither of which has set the indie cinema world on fire. And only if more people had seen Stan & Ollie or The Sisters Brothers, John C. Reilly could have had his first Oscar nod since Chicago.

Melissa McCarthy in Can You Ever Forgive Me?
BEST ACTRESS
Yalitza Aparicio, Roma
Glenn Close, The Wife
Olivia Colman, The Favourite
Lady Gaga, A Star Is Born
Melissa McCarthy, Can You Ever Forgive Me?

Falling off: Viola Davis, Felicity Jones
Rising star: Rosamund Pike, A Private War
The skinny: The Widows oversight is so bad even Viola Davis is feeling the effects of it. This is feeling more and more like our five, though the Golden Globes nod (and a possible SAG nod) for Rosamund Pike is raising her profile. She’s giving one of the five best performances of the year, so she should be more in the conversation. And poor Felicity Jones. What seemed like a forgone conclusion – playing young Ruth Bader Ginsburg – is evaporating, just like our democracy.

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8
Dec

What I Watched This Week: 2 Dec 2018

NEW SHOWS
The Good Place – “Janet(s)” (A)
Season 3 saved it best and biggest twist for its fall finale, taking huge storytelling risks along the way. It’s built to this all season long, and it absolutely stuck the landing. Stephen Merchant is perfect as the Accountant, but D’Arcy Carden proves once again she should be an Emmy nominee. This is her highlight reel.

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1
Dec

What I Watched This Week: 25 Nov 2018

NEW SHOWS
This Is Us – “The Beginning Is the End Is the Beginning” (B+)
Takes a lot of big swings with a few misses. The reveal that Nicky is still alive seems more obvious in retrospect, but holds a lot of potential. Not excited for the possibility that Beth and Randall will split up (that’s hinted at but not explicitly stated), because it might mean love is dead? And how is Kate not aware that you need a college degree to be a teacher?

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1
Dec

Streaming Picks: December 2018

FILMS
Top Picks
Blue Velvet – Hulu 12/1
Roma – Netflix 12/14
Hereditary – Prime 12/27
Netflix and Prime are getting two of the best movies of the year, while Hulu has what’s probably my favorite David Lynch movie. Roma is Alfonso Cuarón’s latest masterwork: a personal portrait of growing up in Mexico City in the early ’70s. Shot in lush black-and-white, it’s one of the most beautiful and devastating films of 2018. Hereditary is the harrowing debut of Ari Aster, though it’s proven to be divisive among both horror fans and cinephiles. I consider myself an unabashed fan of its carefully composed shots and unhinged performance from Toni Collette. To say anything more would be to give its best twists away. And if you still want some more disturbing domestic horror, check out Blue Velvet, featuring peak work from Kyle MacLachlan, Dennis Hopper and Isabella Rossellini.

Recent Selections
Urban Country – Hulu 12/3
Before I Fall – Prime 12/8
Collide – Prime 12/8
Say You Will – Hulu 12/11
NASA: Above and Beyond – Hulu 12/13
Nico, 1988 – Hulu 12/13
Along Came the Devil – Hulu 12/15
Damsel – Hulu 12/17
The Gardener – Hulu 12/18
Winter Ridge – Hulu 12/18
Skate Kitchen – Hulu 12/20
Life Itself – Prime 12/21
The Devil’s Doorway – Hulu 12/22
An American in Texas – Hulu 12/25
Avengers: Infinity War – Netflix 12/25
Eating Animals – Hulu 12/29
Far from the Tree – Hulu 12/29
The Autopsy of Jane Doe – Netflix 12/30
The Crooked Somebody – Hulu 12/31

Originals
Battle – Netflix 12/1
Crossroads: One Two Jaga – Netflix 12/1
5 Star Christmas – Netflix 12/7
Dumplin’ – Netflix 12/7
Mowgli: Legend of the Jungle – Netflix 12/7
Bad Seeds – Netflix 12/21
Bird Box – Netflix 12/21
Struggle: The Life and Lost Art of Szukalski – Netflix 12/21
La noche de 12 años – Netflix 12/28
When Angels Sleep – Netflix 12/28
Watership Down – Netflix 12/25

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24
Nov

What I Watched This Week: 18 Nov 2018

NEW SHOWS
Saturday Night Live – “Steve Carell/Ella Mai” (B+)
None of the sketches were truly great, but all none of them made me wish for a quick death, which counts as an improvement. Carell is a pro, but I’m not sure if any of these sketches truly spotlighted his gifts. Yet I was thoroughly amused the entire time.

This Is Us – “Six Thanksgivings” (B)
Well, it’s right there in the title. With six stories, it all feels too disjointed to really work. Three would have been a bit better, but none are actually bad.

CURRENT SHOWS
This Is Us – “Sometimes” (A-)
A strong contender for the best episode of the season, as a lot gets revealed without going too far over-the-top.

The Good Place – “Don’t Let the Good Life Pass You By” (B+)
Still not sure how I feel about that fight sequence, but Michael McKean is excellent as an older version of the wise prophet Doug Forcett. And the show leaps into yet another mysterious place after spending much of the season on earth. Can’t wait to see where it goes next.

BINGEING
Bodyguard – Season 1 (A- average)
It was a hit because it was so thrilling for six straight episodes. But it’s one of the best shows of the year because it’s deeply cynical, yet holds onto just a shred of optimism that people can be honest and trustworthy. Exceptional television.

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15
Nov

Oscar Picks: 15 Nov 2018

Bradley Cooper and Lady Gaga in A Star Is Born
BEST PICTURE
The Favourite
First Man
Green Book
If Beale Street Could Talk
Roma
A Star Is Born
Vice
Widows

Falling off: None
Rising star: Black Panther
The skinny: Though Green Book will come on strong after its Thanksgiving opening, right now it’s A Star Is Born that’s firmly in the lead. (Though to be fair, only it and First Man have opened.) With close to $200 million in domestic gross, strong critical support and the added benefit of being “the kind of movie they don’t make anymore,” it’s the one to beat. I’m still skeptical on Black Panther‘s chances. Yes, the demographics are changing. Yes, Logan got a Best Adapted Screenplay nomination last year. But that and more than a billion dollars in box office don’t mean it’s a sure thing.

Alfonso Cuarón on the set of Roma
BEST DIRECTOR
Damien Chazelle, First Man
Barry Jenkins, If Beale Street Could Talk
Alfonso Cuarón, Roma
Bradley Cooper, A Star Is Born
Steve McQueen, Widows

Falling off: None
Rising star: Peter Farrelly, Green Book
The skinny: Bradley Cooper’s name is already etched on the DGA’s Best First Feature Award, but winning Best Director might be a bigger challenge, at least against these heavyweights. Though Jenkins and McQueen have yet to win, right now I think it’s Cuarón who has the edge, since Roma is a labor of love, in which he served as his own DP. You’re going to hear that detail a lot. But if Green Book is as big a hit as expected, a Farrelly brother might be nominated for multiple Oscars. Did a shiver just go down your spine?

Christian Bale in Vice
BEST ACTOR
Christian Bale, Vice
Steve Carell, Beautiful Boy
Bradley Cooper, A Star Is Born
Ryan Gosling, First Man
Lucas Hedges, Boy Erased

Falling off: Timothée Chalamet (moved to supporting), Willem Dafoe
Rising star: Rami Malek, Bohemian Rhapsody
The skinny: Christian Bale has completed another transformation. He and Cooper are locks, but no one else is guaranteed. This is the most competitive Best Actor race in a long time, so who knows who the other three will be. It could even be Rami Malek. He’s already an Emmy winner for Mr. Robot, and could be the lone Oscar nomination for Bohemian Rhapsody, a successful but disrespected biopic.

Melissa McCarthy in Can You Ever Forgive Me?
BEST ACTRESS
Olivia Colman, The Favourite
Viola Davis, Widows
Lady Gaga, A Star Is Born
Felicity Jones, On the Basis of Sex
Melissa McCarthy, Can You Ever Forgive Me?

Falling off: None
Rising star: Emily Blunt, A Quiet Place or Mary Poppins Returns
The skinny: I feel pretty confident in this slate, even though Paramount will make a pretty big push for A Quiet Place, which is a bit insane to me. If Emily Blunt can’t get nominated for Sicario, I don’t think she’ll get nominated for her other works this year, even if there are corollaries (Audrey Hepburn in Wait Until Dark and Julie Andrews in Mary Poppins).

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10
Nov

What I Watched This Week: 4 Nov 2018

NEW SHOWS
It’s Always Sunny in Philadelphia – “Mac Finds His Pride” (B+) / season finale
It’s hard to know exactly how to grade this episode. Until its last act, it’s an odd mix of heartfelt character development and gross sight gags that don’t serve any purpose (and aren’t that funny). But its finale – a gorgeous, totally serious five-minute dance with Mac and an actual ballerina – is one of the greatest things I’ve ever seen on TV, and not just this year. It’s a finale as jaw-dropping in its sudden left turn to the profound as Blackadder‘s last-ever episode.

The Good Place – “The Worst Possible Use of Free Will” (B+)
Ah, the fake clip show. Clever comedies know how to pull this off, because actual clip shows are the worst. Eleanor learns about her and Chidi’s romance during one of the reboots, which she brushes off as being pre-determined by Michael’s control of the Good Place. But it’s really to dismiss her feelings of vulnerability. It’s another emotional episode, getting to the core of why these characters are the way they are, and it’s something the show can only pull off having done so much great work leading up to this point. Plus, a new garbage state to mock: Arizona!

BINGEING
Homecoming – Season 1 (A- average)
Sam Esmail brings all his directorial tricks to a more complex and emotionally involving story. Julia Roberts makes her TV-star debut in an excellent drama that takes a couple episodes to get you used to its rhythms and style. But once it does, it’s an engrossing thriller that often intentionally messes with your head, leading to something familiar but totally different. (It also helped that I never listened to the podcast on which its based. I genuinely had no idea where it was headed.)

House of Cards – Season 6 (B average)
Thanks to Kevin Spacey being a horrible person, we’re denied the proper ending for this show. This delayed, abbreviated season tries to make the most of it, but even with Claire at the forefront, it dies as it lived: absurd, addictive, and never living up to its full potential.

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3
Nov

What I Watched This Week: 28 Oct 2018

NEW SHOWS
This Is Us – “Kamsahamnida” (A-)
The sneaky great thing about this show is when it feels the most like traditional TV, where plot points occur just to fill time in an episode, is that there’s always a larger emotional point that’s they’re trying to make. And now that they’ve gotten more graceful in their metaphors, and the Big Three have more confidence, they almost all land now.

It’s Always Sunny in Philadelphia – “The Gang Wins the Big Game” (B-)
As comedy, this is a disappointing episode. “The World Series Defense” this is not. But as a tribute to the other dirtbags of Philadelphia, finally getting a big win, it’s almost touching.

The Good Place – “A Fractured Inheritance” (A-)
Some have called this episode disjointed, but I’ll be damned if this episode didn’t get me choked up. I really wasn’t expecting this season to reckon with the ways we’re our parents’ children – or how much our flaws are a mix of their raising and our failure to fix them.

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