December TV Finales - Bump - Season Two

Bump streams on STAN, with season one landing on 1 January 2021. Season two premiered on 26 December 2021 and a third season will begin production in 2022. I finished season two on 27 December, 2021.

I remember watching the first series quickly, however this could be an entirely new record!

Set in and around a high school in the Inner West of Sydney, the series centres around Oly, an ambitious and high-achieving teenage girl who has a surprise baby and the complications that ensue for two families.The school scenes are filmed on and around Sydney Secondary College Blackwattle Bay Campus.

Claudia Karvan stars as Angie Davis alongside a strong solid cast. But first here is the trailer for season two.

Nathalie Morris as Olympia 'Oly' Davis-Chalmers, Carlos Sanson Jnr as Santiago 'Santi' Hernandez, Angus Sampson as Dom Chalmers, Catalina Palma Godoy as Angel.

Whilst co-starring Safia Arain, Paula Garcia, Ioane Saula as Vince Ingram, Peter Thurnwald, Ricardo Scheihing Vasquez, Roman Delo, Sarah Meacham, Claudia de Giusti  & Miguel Andrade.

This is another example of excellent Australian TV living outside the narrow box of free to air TV. Unless you are talking about the ABC & SBS, the three commercial networks would probably never make this. Despite Channel Nine being behind Stan, this would never air on Nine after or leading in Married at First Sight.

Go check out the first two series now on STAN. Series three to come. However this is perfect New Year's Eve/Day viewing. Light and gentle.

Return to Cinema (take two) 2021 - Licorice Pizza

Finally a good coming-of-age comedy-drama film to conclude the shitty 2021 with. Licorice Pizza written and directed by Paul Thomas Anderson, starring the sensational Alana Haim, you know from Haim!

Also starring Alana (sisters Danielle and Este, father Moti, and mother Donna also appear as Alana Kane's family), Cooper Hoffman, Sean Penn, Tom Waits, Bradley Cooper, and Benny Safdie.

Licorice Pizza was released in the United States in late November whilst in Australia this was one of your Boxing Day 2021 films.

The film received acclaim from critics and received three awards from the National Board of Review, including Best Film. It was also named one of the best films of 2021 by the American Film Institute and received four nominations at the 79th Golden Globe Awards, including Best Motion Picture – Musical or Comedy, along with eight nominations at the 27th Critics' Choice Awards, including Best Picture.

I loved this film, it's running time was a little long, however the jokes were there, Alana Haim was magical for her debut on film.

I never watched the trailer, I had no idea what it was about. I feel like this is the best way to go into this wild ride of a film.

So this really is saving the best to last. 2021 has been a patchy at best year at the cinema, so I was delighted when I left the cinema after seeing this fun little film.

I have been waiting for a film like this. Fun, 4 Stars.

December TV Finales - Insecure - Season Five/Series Finale

Insecure has gone out with a bang. Back in January, 2021, HBO announced that the fifth season will be its last. Commencing October 24, 2021, concluding just this week.

Insecure has received critical acclaim since its debut in 2016. Issa Rae is an absolute delight, whilst finally giving us a show that lays bare our insecurities along with relationships and their toll on us as individuals.

Issa Rae & Yvonne Orji showcase the highs and lows of relationships. Over all five seasons we see the best parts and worst parts of friendships on the small screen.

I have loved every season, every episode of this series. It truly is one of HBO's finest 30 minute drama/comedy series of all time. Next to Veep of course.

Insecure has had some great moments over the years with friends Natasha Rothwell as Kelli Prenny & Amanda Seales as Tiffany DuBois joining Molly & Issa on some wild rides.

2019 was a grim year when we had a year without our girls on the small screen, however when they came back in 2020 & 2021, at least we got 10 damn fine episodes a season.

After 44 episodes I am left wanting more. However I admire shows that go out on highs like Insecure. Unlike random long running single idea series like Revenge, The Blacklist, Lost or The 100. 

Insecure could well be in my top ten series of all time. The music, the realness, the feels. Insecure streams on Binge in Australia, it's another of example of HBO still being relevant in a Netflix quantity over quality kind of world.

If you need a good laugh or want to see how to do friendship/relationships, Insecure is totally for you. Amazing. Well done team Insecure! Great run.

Binged 2021 - The Newsreader

Following big wins at the 11th AACTA Awards. The Newsreader is my latest holiday Binge.

The Newsreader won Best Drama Series, Best Lead Actress in a Drama (Anna Torv), Best Supporting Actor in a Drama (William McInnes), Best Direction in a Drama or Comedy (Emma Freeman) and Best Production Design in Television (Melinda Doring). 

The 6-part series premiered on 15 August 2021 concluding mid September. By this time I was knee deep in HBO, streaming and other series holding me back from watching this ABC series.

I believe I have now watched all 2021 ABC. Wakefield, Fires, Total Control Season Two, although I have never started Harrow.

In relation to the other ABC dramas this was by far not the best, however it won a pile of prizes so...

Don't get me wrong once I was knee deep in I was glued, however the first episode took a bit to get into. Chai Hansen however is super handsome AF!

With all the finales around/bingable series dropping left right and centre. It was nice to take time to catch up on a series that was creating big waves in 2021.

Well done ABC, you've had a huge year with the dramas this year. Let's hope 2022 serves up even more tasty drama treats!

Return to Cinema (take two) 2021 - Dune

Dune (titled onscreen as Dune: Part One, meaning part two is scheduled for October, 2023) had a delayed release date from the USA streaming release date of October, 2021. Therefore a number of friends had already watched this ahead of a cinema release in little old, Australia.

Based on the 1965 novel by Frank Herbert, Dune: Part One, primarily covering the first half of the book.

 Set in the far future, it follows Paul Atreides as his family, the noble House Atreides, is thrust into a war for the deadly and inhospitable desert planet Arrakis. 

Starring man of the moment, Timothée Chalamet alongside Rebecca Ferguson, Oscar Isaac, Josh Brolin, Stellan Skarsgård, Dave Bautista, Stephen McKinley Henderson, Zendaya (first Spiderman now this!), David Dastmalchian, Chang Chen, Sharon Duncan-Brewster, Charlotte Rampling, Jason Momoa (Aquaman without facial hair!), and Javier Bardem.

Visually this film is stunning, content wise, it's long as hell at just over 2.5 hours, with trailers/ads, that is a three hour cinema experience.

Dune: Part One has been generally well received by critics for its visuals, scope, and ambition, and has grossed over $393 million worldwide on a production budget of $165 million. 

It gave me mega Star Wars vibes with an evil emperor, storm trooper looking baddies, space ships descending on the good guys along with some serious good vs evil going on.

I enjoyed this on the weird Christmas/New Years in-between zone.

I am taking in another film tomorrow, so look out for the closer in the Return to Cinema (take two) 2021 blog series. It's been a rough few months for cinema. With delayed releases (like this), masks to be worn, films being made available online (legally or otherwise) at similar times to Australian release dates.

Dune is screening limited sessions now that Spider-Man is back on the big screen. However Dune is one of those films you MUST see in the cinema. It is one of those films that does cinemas justice. Without a big, clear screen without amazing sound (Hans Zimmer does the music) to blast a classy soundtrack.

Whilst Netflix, Disney+ among others are making cinemas a less attractive option, big budget, big concept films like this, make the cinema super relevant.

Whilst the run time was overly long, I'm not the biggest Timothée Chalamet fan, this was an enjoyable outing out of the house.

If you like the science fiction genre, get out of the house, mask up and give Dune a go. 3 Stars.

December TV Finales - Hightown - Season Two

Not yet renewed for a third season, Hightown has literally just concluded its second season. What Boxing Day viewing.

Forget the fucking Boxing Day test, Sydney to Hobart or the sales. The Monica Raymund and James Badge Dale US crime series streams on Stan in Australia.

It's another tasty Starz production. Along with the Power series, P Valley, Run the World, Heels and more upcoming, Starz has a fairly impressive roster right now. Which is really great for Stan now they have lost any new Showtime originals.

The second season of this crime drama based in Cape Cod was far more enjoyable than the first season. Which did land back in the middle of last years lockdown. By chance this started at the end of this year's lockdown.

The bodies piled up this season in the drug dealing, murder crime series. With Monica Raymund as Jackie Quiñones struggling with her past addictions, her romance/love life in season two is all over the shop. Whilst James Badge Dale as Det. Ray Abruzzo has a fall from grace along with an interesting plot twist with Riley Voelkel as Renee Segna.

With so many loose ends left by the end of season two, a third season is either in the works or on the minds of the production/writing team.

With so many lives either in the balance or caught up in major lies, a third season would be interesting. However if it did end, it left with lead Jackie heading down a very dark path.

I was slightly more impressed by the writing, the plot twists, the storylines this season. However with shows like P Valley missing in action this year, will a (possible) third season maybe be a little ways away?

With so many of my favourite TV shows yet, to be renewed I do hope this one gets the green light! Like seriously when is Yellowstone just going to be officially renewed for a fifth season. It's only the hottest TV show on US cable TV.

December TV Finales - The Walking Dead: World Beyond - Season Two/Series Finale

The Walking Dead: World Beyond is the second spin-off series to The Walking Dead. 

The Walking Dead franchise is really limping to the finish line. With the parent show The Walking Dead ending next year (about time), Fear the Walking Dead is also on mid-season break.

The first season consisted of 10 episodes. The second and final season premiered on October 3, 2021, also consisting of 10 episodes.

I binged this season a little bit after the series finale aired on December 5, 2021.

Starring Alexa Mansour, Nicolas Cantu, Hal Cumpston, Aliyah Royale, Annet Mahendru, Younger's Nico Tortorella, Julia Ormond, Robert Palmer Watkins, Joe Holt, Jelani Alladin, Natalie Gold and Ted Sutherland.

The series, set in Nebraska ten years after the zombie apocalypse, features four teenage protagonists and focuses on "the first generation to come-of-age in the apocalypse as we know it. Some will become heroes. Some will become villains. In the end, all of them will be changed forever. Grown-up and cemented in their identities, both good and bad.

In the series finale, Frank Newton and a team of soldiers ambush Leo, Felix, Will and the scientists leading to a gunfight in which Leo and Will kill the CRM soldiers and Felix lures Frank away. 

After a brutal fight, Felix disembowels Frank and leaves him to be devoured by walkers. At the same time, the Endlings fight their way through the herd back to Dennis' outpost where Silas decides to stay and help Huck and Dennis. 

Iris, Hope and Elton manage to escape the area with the help of Indira and Asha, but Elton is bitten in the arm while protecting Hope, forcing him to undergo an amputation. After sending Silas and Dennis away, Huck fights Jadis who kills Huck, but learns too late that Huck has rigged up her father's watch as a makeshift timer on the C4. 

Jadis escapes as the gas is destroyed and she arrests Kublek for treason, blaming her for the CRM's failure. With the CRM closing in on them, the mortally wounded Dennis has Silas kill him in order to convince the CRM that he was an unwilling participant. 

Silas accepts an offer from Jadis to join the CRM while secretly plotting to infiltrate the organization and warn the right people about the CRM's actions. After Elton recovers, he, Iris, Asha and a number of Indira's people make their way to Portland while Leo, Hope, Indira, the scientists and a now married Felix and Will remain behind to continue their research. 

In a post-credits scene, a French scientist is confronted by a man who accuses the woman and her colleagues of causing and worsening the outbreak. The man kills the scientist who becomes a faster, stronger and more aggressive kind of zombie while Dr. Edwin Jenner discusses the overseas variants in a video message in the background. This ending (well on Amazon Prime) features no subtitles, so I had no idea what was happening in the last five minutes.

Was this series at all worthwhile watching. Short answer no. It's a good in the background series with very little new ground covered following eleven seasons of the parent series, seven and a half of the second spin off.

The Walking Dead: World Beyond does however feature the first F bomb I have heard in a Walking Dead series.

Look if you are bored this summer with the cricket, COVID news and other streaming catch up, maybe you might want to look into some more zombies.

Until next time, happy holidays folks.

Return to Cinema (take two) 2021 - Spider-Man: No Way Home

Following Venom, from earlier this month (when things were looking a little more like Christmas) it's time to get back into spiders again with Spider-Man: No Way Home.

The sequel to Spider-Man: Homecoming (2017) and Spider-Man: Far From Home (2019), the 27th film in the Marvel Cinematic Universe (MCU). 

Starring all your favourite (literally) Tom Holland as Peter Parker / Spider-Man, Zendaya, Benedict Cumberbatch, Jacob Batalon, Jon Favreau, Jamie Foxx, Willem Dafoe, Alfred Molina, Benedict Wong, Tony Revolori, Marisa Tomei, Andrew Garfield, and Tobey Maguire.

The basic plot goes something like, Parker asks Dr. Stephen Strange to make his identity as Spider-Man a secret again with magic after its public revelation in Far From Home, but this breaks open the multiverse and allows five supervillains from alternate realities to enter Parker's universe. This includes bringing back Andrew Garfield, and Tobey Maguire to their previous roles as Peter Parker / Spider-Man.

Zendaya also stars ahead of her hit HBO series Euphoria returning next month.

Length wise this is long, but not too crazy at almost 2.5 hours. It has set several box office records, grossing $638 million worldwide, becoming the sixth highest-grossing film of 2021. A sequel is in development. Meaning a fourth Spider-Man film to come. But how will one top 3 Spider-Mans in one film?

OK so I had little expectation coming into this film. To be honest the films I have seen since the lockdown lifted have been less than exciting.

Spider-Man: No Way Home had some exceptional action scenes, a huge amount of plot points to follow, along with a number of special appearances. Including Daredevil from Netflix's Marvel period.

Where will these Marvel films end? With Dr Strange getting a good run in this film, however it was not as original and fresh feeling as Shang-Chi and the Legend of the Ten Rings

Marvel has a lot going on along with a big history of Spider-Man stories. Will this win any awards? Hell no, but the critics liked it, it had emotion and heart. Some say take some tissues. No spoilers here, except the part where I revealed all the recent prior Spider-Men unite.

It had big ambition, it's been a critical and box office success, so in a time of stress and worry, maybe comic book films give hope, but more importantly a distraction from the COVID world.

3 Stars.

Binged 2021 - The Morning Show/Morning Wars - Season Two

The Morning Show (also known as Morning Wars in Australia and Indonesia) concluded its second season last month. I only just got to binge it. So much TV coming and going ahead of the Australian and American holidays seasons.

Starring Jennifer Aniston, Reese Witherspoon, and Steve Carell, streaming on Apple TV+, the series is inspired by Brian Stelter's book Top of the Morning: Inside the Cutthroat World of Morning TV.

A third season has not yet been renewed. However the way season two ends, what is left to say or do.

With one of the three main characters dead, one with COVID and the other struggling through coming out a troubled family member and the only one co-hosting The Morning Show, there isn't really anywhere left to go.

I enjoyed the first season much more. Season two goes into WOKE AF territory. COVID territory, all the  territories you do not want to land in.

COVID has been done to death (literally) in TV now. So much so Grey's/Station 19 this season had to have a disclaimer the series after they did COVID to death (and beyond in Meredith's case) that the show now is based on a timeline after COVID is a thing.

So entertainment now is all about the reality we have lived for 2020/2021. For me that is not entertaining. For all the shit I saw about The Walking Dead shows/series/spin-offs etc. At least this is still not based on reality. However I think a zombie apocalypse is definitely on the cards.

The problem with Morning Wars is it tries to be super smart. Season one achieved this. Season two just went too far. Like I have been reading/hearing from viewers about the new Sex & the City. Too much woke shit is a real turn off. Yes we want diversity on our screens, yes we want to see difference options, but don't shove so much down our throats all in one sitting. That actually is not reality. All in all while living the high life like the character who catches COVID in a penthouse apartment in season two of this show.

You then broadcast you experiences to the world, all from a luxury NYC apartment. I don't think during NYC's first wave of COVID cases, luxury apartments, broadcasting the entire shit show really went hand in hand.

Anyway this is an easy to watch series, Resse Witherspoon is outstanding. It doesn't help that I have never liked  Aniston or Carell.

It you need to make use of your Apple TV+ membership, struggling to find a series worth watching. This is one of the best one of our newest to streaming has on offer.

In my opinion though a third season is a long shot. This is an expensive show to make whilst the storylines are drying up fast like the rain puddles in Sydney during this weekend heatwave. Help me Jesus its warm AF!

Golden Globes TV 2022 Nominations | Predictions

My predictions in bold and red (as usual, if you are a regular reader):

Best Television Series, Drama:

Lupin

The Morning Show

Pose

Squid Game

Succession

Best Television Series, Musical or Comedy:

The Great

Hacks

Only Murders in the Building

Reservation Dogs

Ted Lasso

Best Limited Series, Anthology Series or a Motion Picture made for Television:

Dopesick

Impeachment: American Crime Story

Maid

Mare of Easttown

The Underground Railroad

Best Performance by an Actor in a Television Series, Drama:

Brian Cox (Succession)

Lee Jung-jae (Squid Game)

Billy Porter (Pose)

Jeremy Strong (Succession)

Omar Sy (Lupin)

Best Performance by an Actress in a Television Series, Drama:

Uzo Aduba (In Treatment)

Jennifer Aniston (The Morning Show)

Christine Baranski (The Good Fight)

Elisabeth Moss (The Handmaid’s Tale)

Mj Rodriguez (Pose)

Best Performance by an Actor, Limited Series, Anthology Series or Motion Picture made for Television:

Paul Bettany (WandaVision)

Oscar Isaac (Scenes From a Marriage)

Michael Keaton (Dopesick)

Ewan McGregor (Halston)

Tahar Rahim (The Serpent)

Best Performance by an Actress, Limited Series, Anthology Series or a Motion Picture made for Television:

Jessica Chastain (Scenes From a Marriage)

Cynthia Erivo (Genius: Aretha)

Elizabeth Olsen (WandaVision)

Margaret Qualley (Maid)

Kate Winslet (Mare of Easttown)

Best Television Actor, Musical / Comedy Series:

Anthony Anderson (Black-ish)

Nicholas Hoult (The Great)

Steve Martin (Only Murders in the Building)

Martin Short (Only Murders in the Building)

Jason Sudeikis (Ted Lasso)

Best Television Actress, Musical / Comedy Series:

Hannah Einbinder (Hacks)

Elle Fanning (The Great)

Issa Rae (Insecure)

Tracee Ellis Ross (Black-ish)

Jean Smart (Hacks)

Best Supporting Actor, Television:

Billy Crudup (The Morning Show)

Kieran Culkin (Succession)

Mark Duplass (The Morning Show)

Brett Goldstein (Ted Lasso)

Oh Yeong-su (Squid Game)

Best Supporting Actress, Television:

Jennifer Coolidge (White Lotus)

Kaitlyn Dever (Dopesick)

Andie MacDowell (Maid)

Sarah Snook (Succession)

Hannah Waddingham (Ted Lasso)

Return to Cinema (take two) 2021 - The French Dispatch

The French Dispatch is weird AF. Maybe I should have watched the trailer before I entered the old cinema. Written, directed, and produced by Wes Anderson, the film follows three different storylines as the French foreign bureau of the fictional Liberty, Kansas Evening Sun newspaper creates its final issue.

The first segment, "The Concrete Masterpiece", follows an incarcerated and unstable artist, and stars Benicio del Toro, Adrien Brody, Tilda Swinton, and Léa Seydoux. The second, "Revisions to a Manifesto", is inspired by the May 68 student protests, and stars Frances McDormand, Timothée Chalamet, and Lyna Khoudri. "The Private Dining Room of the Police Commissioner" features Jeffrey Wright, Mathieu Amalric, and Stephen Park, and follows the kidnapping of a police commisioner's son. Bill Murray also stars as Arthur Howitzer Jr., the paper's editor, while Owen Wilson appears in a short segment that introduces the film's fictional setting of Ennui-sur-Blasé.

Following a delay from 2020, The French Dispatch had its world premiere at the Cannes Film Festival on July 12, 2021.

Honestly so many films/series have been delayed in the last months, year and a bit. So surely we have hit after hit coming to a cinema near you.

However I left the cinema confused whether my love affair with the cinema was over. I haven't really enjoyed that many films at the cinema at all this last few months.

My favourite film was released on Stan recently.

That said, the film has received generally positive reviews from critics, whilst grossing $40.5 million worldwide against its budget of $25 million.

Did I like it though? Not really sadly. There were a few laugh out loud moments but overall I kind of sat through the film making mental notes in my mind. Like who do I need a Christmas present for, do I have enough Christmas cards at all or is the soy milk in the fridge at home still all ok? You know that kind of thing.

So I can only give this 2 stars. Man I have to stop watching everything Elizabeth Moss is in just out of principle.

December TV Finales - Succession - Season Three

Succession commences back in June, 2018. This month we saw the short(er) nine episodes, season three wrap.

Continuing to center around on the Roy family, the dysfunctional owners of Waystar RoyCo, a global media and entertainment conglomerate, who are fighting for control of the company amid uncertainty about the health of the family's patriarch, Logan Roy (Brian Cox). 

Ahead of the season finale this month, the series was renewed for a fourth season.

Starring Jeremy Strong as Kendall, Kieran Culkin as Roman, and Sarah Snook as Shiv, Matthew Macfadyen as Tom Wambsgans, Shiv's husband and Waystar executive; Nicholas Braun as Greg Hirsch, Logan's grandnephew also employed by the company; Alan Ruck as Connor, Logan's eldest child; and Hiam Abbass as Marcia Roy, Logan's wife. Peter Friedman, Natalie Gold, and Rob Yang also star, while Dagmara Domińczyk, Arian Moayed, J. Smith-Cameron, Justine Lupe, David Rasche and Fisher Stevens.

Succession has been widely acclaimed by critics for its writing, acting, musical score and production values. 

The series has received several awards and nominations, including the British Academy Television Award for Best International Programme, the Golden Globe for Best Television Series – Drama, and the Primetime Emmy for Outstanding Drama Series.

Cox received the Golden Globe for Best Actor – Television Series Drama, while Strong won the Primetime Emmy for Outstanding Lead Actor in a Drama Series.

Season three continued the excellence of the past two seasons. It had been a two year wait between seasons, so here is hoping season four will arrive sooner than this season.

Of course Kieran Culkin as Roman continues to get some of the best one liners, whilst local talent Sarah Snook as Shiv continued to be a total bo$$.

HBO hero from True Blood, Alexander Skarsgård joined this season whilst while Adrien Brody was cast to guest star.

I enjoyed every minute of all nine episodes this season. It's a really wild ride but more than worth the price of admission. Succession streams in Australia weekly or in full now on Binge.

No word on when season four will land, however I am praying its next year. HBO has a strong January incoming with Insecure also wrapping soon, The Righteous Gemstones finally returns for a second season, along with Euphoria also returning for its second season. There are a number of new series on the way too for HBO, along other series we are waiting on their return like Barry, Perry Mason and Industry.

It's back to the cinema tomorrow. See you then!

December TV Finales - PEN15 - Season Two

PEN15 has just wrapped its two season run on Stan.

Created by Maya Erskine, Anna Konkle, and Sam Zvibleman, the Hulu original, stars Erskine and Konkle as 13 year old versions of themseleves.

They also serve as executive producers alongside Zvibleman, Andy Samberg, Akiva Schaffer, Jorma Taccone, Becky Sloviter, Marc Provissiero, Brooke Pobjoy, Debbie Liebling, and Gabe Liedman.

PEN15 is described as middle school as it really happened. Erskine and Konkle – who were both 31 years old at the start of season 1 play versions of themselves as 13-year-old social outcasts in the year 2000, surrounded by actual 13-year-olds, where the best day of your life can turn into your worst with the stroke of a gel pen.

I loved this show over it's on and off two/three year run. With a spilt second season (including an awkward animated episode) due to COVID we got two mini seasons of the final series over two very difficult years, where comedy matter most.

Streaming on Stan in Australia this is one of those odd ball shows that Stan actually struck gold with. Like Love Life and other thirty minutes series like Hacks, sometimes Stan's random one off agreements really pay off for their subscribers.

I find I end up watching more Stan than other streamers due to their quality over Netflix style quantity. We will see how their local summer series fair.

Until next time, where guess what? You are back off to the movies.

Binged 2021 - Cooking With Paris

Changing gears completely from Total Control, NITRAM, it's Cooking With Paris.

American reality cooking show presented by Paris Hilton, landed on Netflix back in August 4. At the time I missed this seriously trashy six episode reality series.

I really could have used this comedic relief during lockdown V.2.0.

Along with Paris you get, Kim Kardashian West, Nikki Glaser, Demi Lovato, Saweetie, Lele Pons & Kathy Hilton + Nicky Hilton Rothschild.

It's camp, over the top, but overall just easy going thirty minute (or less) comedy all in Paris's kitchen.

If you can find another series this trashy this year I would be stunned. If you need a seriously easy binge, this is it. I laughed out loud, I realised money can buy trashy shit, but I am happy just being little old average me. Can afford to eat out as much as I like but can not have edible gold/glitter on all my food.

Oh well.

Cooking With Paris streams now on Netflix.

December TV Finales - Total Control - Season Two

Total Control may have lost out to The Newsreader (It's on my list to binge) this year at the AACTA's. Next year, season two of Total Control will slay!

It's been a long time between seasons. As season one commenced during October 2019. Season 2 only began airing early last month. Those tight, six episodes flew by!

So a quick recap.

Rachel Anderson is the embattled but cunning Prime Minister of Australia. Alex is a charismatic Indigenous woman who finds herself the centre of media attention following her admirable actions in a high-risk situation. Rachel wants to use Alex to boost her popularity and further her own agenda, and recruits her as a senator.

The government in the series appears to represent the Liberal-National coalition, with various factions and other parties mimicking current ones in Australia. There are several storylines and characters, including Alex's son, her mother, an ex-lover and rival clans in Winton, Queensland, her activist brother in the city, various other players in the Canberra political and office sphere, and a young woman who has escaped youth detention with some footage which could severely damage the government, or in particular the right-wing faction.

This season saw Deborah Mailman (Alex) embark on a career as an independent senator. Independent senators in real life are all the rage though right now.

The cast is incredible, the lead up to the election was a wild ride, however the last five minutes of this season. CRAZY good. Tense AF!

I really, really, really enjoyed this second season. It was crazy good. This is a tough series to beat now. The bar has been set so hard!

This is must watch (free to air) TV. Airing now (both seasons, one and two) on ABC iView.

Check it out right NOW! Do it!

Return to Cinema (take two) 2021 - NITRAM

The Dry set the bar high for Australian cinema in 2021. It landed on New Year's Day so just creeping in. It made my list for Best Movies of 2021 (BC - Before Corona 2.0).

Nitram now rises that bar AGAIN! I have to be honest I didn't see this in the cinema, however it did get a cinema release and it is a Stan Original Film.

So here it is.

 

The film revolves around the life and behaviours of a disturbed young man called "Nitram" (based on Martin Bryant), and the events leading to his involvement in the 1996 Port Arthur massacre.

American Caleb Landry Jones leads the cast as Nitram, joined by Judy Davis, Essie Davis, Anthony LaPaglia & Sean Keenan as Jamie.

The film premiered at the 2021 Cannes Film Festival on 16 July 2021, where Jones won the Best Actor award for his performance.

Nitram had a limited theatrical release commencing on 30 September 2021, before landing on Stan late November.

I enjoyed this film. It was yes disturbing, but performances by Caleb Landry Jones, Judy Davis &Essie Davis (who was almost unrecognisable from her Miss Fischer days) were outstanding.

Nitram dominated the 11th Australian Academy of Cinema and Television Arts Awards (generally known as the AACTA Awards) last week. Even slaying it over The Dry and the sweet Penguin Bloom.

This film will be controversial, it will spark discussion, it will upset some viewers, however it's so brilliantly done, the acting, the script. It's incredible. 

I have to be honest, I was losing hope in film, not to mention returning the the cinema. So it's funny seeing a movie on a home streaming service has got me more excited for the cinema along with the upcoming Boxing Day/New Years films.

Nitram could be the best film of 2021. 5 Stars.

December TV Finales - Zoey's Extraordinary Playlist (Zoey's Extraordinary Christmas) - Film

Zoey's Extraordinary Playlist ended back in May, however Stan just released the 90 (odd) minute Christmas movie.

Jane Levy continues as lead Zoey Clarke. Along with Skylar Astin, Alex Newell, John Clarence Stewart, Peter Gallagher, Mary Steenburgen, Lauren Graham, Andrew Leeds, Alice Lee, Michael Thomas Grant, and Kapil Talwalkar. 

Apparently if this film is successful, it could lead to more episodes.

The film was released on December 1, 2021. In addition to songs performed on Zoey's Extraordinary Christmas, a second original song for this series was composed — "North Star", written by Mary Steenburgen, Caitlyn Smith and Troy Verges and sung by Tori Kelly, and played during the end credit sequence.

I don't love Christmas movies (as most regular readers will know) however this was a sweet, yet inconclusive ending to a series that had already technically ended.

Ray Donovan will also get a wrap up film next month. However with the idea of if this was a hit, more episodes will follow? Sadly Zoey's was always a bit of a one trick pony. Season one was awesome. Season two started strong, ended weak.

In the middle of the month we are meant to feel joy, I may choose Die Hard over the sentimental favourites like this. Also Mo (Alex Newell) was overly irritating in this episode/wrap film.

Zoey also kinda had unresolved love triangle things going on. However it was nice to see Vancouver on the small screen again. I miss my Vancouver days. Until next. We have Total Control and Succession all wrapping soon. What a strong finish to 2021!

Binged 2021 - I Know What You Did Last Summer (TV series)

I Know What You Did Last Summer is based on the 1973 novel of the same name by Lois Duncan, along with the OG 1997 Film.

Streaming on Amazon, the eight part series, was filmed in the beautiful Oahu in January 2021.

The eight episode run follows a group of friends stalked by a brutal killer one year after covering up a car accident in which they killed someone. 

The new cast includes Madison Iseman, Brianne Tju, Ezekiel Goodman, Ashley Moore and Sebastian Amoruso, and also stars Bill Heck, Fiona Rene, Cassie Beck, and Brooke Bloom.

Ok real talk, Sebastian Amoruso could be the most handsome new talent of 2021! Legit!

It was a bit teeny bopper, however the killer along with their motive keeps you guessing until the very last few minutes.

There is plenty of blood. It was a bit camp along with only a bit gory.

I was a huge fan of the 1997 film. It was the Scream/slasher movie era giving us stars like Jennifer Love-Hewitt and Sarah Michelle Gellar.

This could be one of those one and done series. I can't really see a need for a second season. I kind of thought a mini-series was more the vibe.

Not yet renewed, this might end up buried deep in the Amazon originals library. So yeah it's not the strongest Amazon Original, however it had some enjoyable moments.

Maybe give this a look over Christmas when you have caught up on all the other big December TV hits.

December TV Finales - Gossip Girl (2021 TV series) - Season One

Gossip Girl is back! In more ways than one. The original series concluded back in 2012. The twelve episode first season run was split into two six-episode parts, with the second half debuting on November 25, 2021. We waited just over three months for the second half of the season. Then the final six episodes were dumped over 2 weeks.

Shortly after the season took a break, the reboot series was renewed for a second season.

Now airing on HBO Max (the home of reboots with Sex & The City returning soon) as this is the sequel to The CW television series.

The series is again narrated by Kristen Bell, who reprised her role as the voice of "Gossip Girl", an anonymous and omniscient blogger. However this time (to keep with the times) Gossip Girl lives on Instagram.

There was a moment of some lesser known OG Gossip Girls appear this season. However maybe season two will see Blair or Serena return? This remake stars Jordan Alexander, Whitney Peak, Tavi Gevinson, Eli Brown, Thomas Doherty, Emily Alyn Lind, Evan Mock, Zión Moreno, and Savannah Lee Smith.

Evan Mock is extremely handsome as Akeno "Aki" Menzies, who is bisexual and enters a three-way relationship with Audrey and Max. Oh school kids of 2021.

The series is filled with the original series drama, sex (although being on HBO they can push the envelope more) although this time we know exactly who Gossip Girl is. No mystery like the OG series.

Gossip Girl is a super easy watch. I have to say I am happy to have another series off my dance as December is hectic! In Australia Gossip Girl (for the year 2021) streams on Binge.

Until next time, peace out!

Return to Cinema (take two) 2021 - Venom: Let There Be Carnage

So it's been a minute since I saw the recent James Bond film. So here we go the sequel Venom: Let There Be Carnage. It is the second film in Sony's Spider-Man Universe and the sequel to Venom, released in 2018.

Starring Tom Hardy as Eddie Brock / Venom, Dawson's Creek favourite, Michelle Williams, Naomie Harris, Reid Scott, Stephen Graham, and Woody Harrelson. 

Let There Be Carnage sees Brock struggles to adjust to life as the host of the alien symbiote Venom, while serial killer Cletus Kasady (Harrelson) escapes from prison after becoming the host of Carnage, a chaotic spawn of Venom.

This is another delayed film from October 2020 til just recently.

Thus far, the film has grossed over $470 million worldwide, making it the sixth highest-grossing film of 2021.

Critically it has received mixed reviews from critics, although it was generally considered an improvement over its predecessor.

The first film, was easily one of the worst films I saw back in 2018. So it was no surprise, I enjoyed Let There Be Carnage a load more than the original. It looks indeed like another sequel is in the works.

I have struggled a bit with the return to cinema this time around, however I do feel along with this and Dune the people are finally heading back to the cinema and away for their lounges. Netflix, Uber Eats and lockdowns have really kept people comfortable at home.

Venom is not the best superhero/anti-hero/comic book film however it was a vast improvement on the original along with a little funnier.

It hasn't been a good second half of films for 2021, sadly. So this is a soft 2.5 Star review for Venom: Let There Be Carnage.

December TV Finales - The Sinner - Season Four/Series Finale

The Sinner has been an anthology television series, originally intended as an eight-part miniseries commencing in 2017. This week the curtain has gone down on another USA Network original.

Bill Pullman starred as a police detective who investigates crimes committed by unlikely culprits and attempts to uncover their motivations. Only Pullman appeared in every season, with the rest of the cast changing for each season's story.

Season four features Pullman along with the Muldoon family, Alice Kremelberg as Percy Muldoon, 

Michael Mosley as Colin Muldoon, Frances Fisher as Meg Muldoon and Neal Huff as Sean Muldoon. Along with the Lam family, Cindy Cheung as Stephanie Lam, Ronin Wong as Mike Lam and handsome AF David Huynh as CJ Lam.

This season was a little I see dead people with Harry Ambrose (Pullman) seeing the victim from episode one. Following this Hanover Island, Maine's secrets unravel. What is discovered is much more sinister (as usual with this show) than just one death.

Each season has been slightly different. Season one got heaps of hype with producer Jessica Biel starring as the lead.

I feel this was stronger than season three, however the show possibly could have stayed as just a mini-series. However we all know if something is slightly successful a second, third, in The Sinner's case fourth season will follow.

Streaming in Australia on Netflix, the series is yet another show ending in 2021. This week we got the wrap movie for Zoey's Extraordinary Playlist, whilst next month the Ray Donovan wrap up film airs on Paramount Plus. Claws commences it's final run on Stan later this month, while Money Heist just called it quits on Netflix.

Never has there been so many series coming into the long Australian summer.

Until next time.

December TV Finales - Chucky (TV series) - Season One

Chucky is based on the Child's Play film franchise, serving as a sequel to Cult of Chucky, the seventh film in the franchise.

Starring Fiona Dourif, Alex Vincent, Christine Elise McCarthy, and Jennifer Tilly, Zackary Arthur, Teo Briones, Alyvia Alyn Lind, Björgvin Arnarson, Lexa Doig and Devon Sawa (remember him).

The TV series follows Chucky as he commits a series of mysterious murders in a quiet city in the United States. Getting generally positive reviews from critics, along with higher viewership, it was no surprise the series was renewed for a second season. This is set to premiere in 2022.

The series takes place after the events of Cult of Chucky.

In the city of Hackensack, New Jersey, 14-year-old Jake Wheeler buys a Good Guy doll at a yard sale to use it in his contemporary art project. He later discovers that the doll is possessed by the soul of serial killer Charles Lee Ray, who in this form is known as Chucky. 

Jake soon becomes a suspect in a series of strange events involving the doll, who unleashes a wave of shocking murders around the town. Some of the boy's classmates will also see themselves linked to these events.

In addition, a series of flashbacks explore Charles's past as a seemingly normal kid who somehow became one of Hackensack's most notorious killers.

Starring mostly teenagers, the series tackles themes of sexuality, bullying, domestic life and murder.

The main character, Jake Wheeler, finds himself prompted to homicidal acts by the doll while also struggling with his crush on classmate Devon and other issues that arise from being gay in unaccepting environments.

The gay spin on things is a little different from the usual horror TV series.

The ending is a brutal affair at the cinema which may stay with you for some viewers for a while. Chucky airs on 9Now in Australia. If horror is your thing, Chucky might hit the spot!