Could Life & Beth be the best Winter Binged 2022? I laughed out loud, I binged the shit out of this! Starring Amy Schumer, Violet Young, Michael Cera, Yamaneika Saunders, Michael Rapaport and Susannah Flood, surprisingly this streams The series premiered with all 10 episodes on March 18, 2022, on Hulu, international markets, it streams via Star content hub on Disney+.
In the USA it streamed on Hulu mid March, 2022.
I must not have been alone in thinking Life & Beth was incredible as the next month, it was renewed for a ten-episode second season.
The first 10 episodes were so easy to smash out. All under 35 minutes, this show packs a punch. Schumer has some of her best material since the amazing Trainwreck.
What's it all about? Beth's seemingly ideal life is upended when a sudden incident forces her to engage with her past.
Rotten Tomatoes serves up a 92% approval rating reading "Beth proves there's still plenty of life left in Amy Schumer's artistic project, boasting the comedian's most nuanced performance yet." I have to agree.
Do whatever it takes to get a Disney+ log in, watch this now! If ever I have wanted to make myself clear, it's now. WATCH THIS NOW! Excellent!
Animal Kingdom has finally concluded. After 75 episodes the US adaption based on the 2010 Australian film of the same name by David Michôd, has wrapped. It was the penultimate scripted original series to air on TNT before the production of original programming was ceased. Snowpiercer will take its final ride around the tracks likely in early 2023.
Airing for the first time on TNT, June 14, 2016, we have seen lot's of death, crime and at times risky gay sex with brother Deran, being an interesting and unique gay character on TV.
No spoilers here, but not all the brothers will survive. The flashbacks of early Smurf days also conclude. Spoiler alert, she wasn't nice to Julia or the brothers really. But that's no spoiler, hence why she died seasons ago.
The sixth and final season premiered on June 19, 2022, in Australia weekly on Netflix.
The series has been a regular Monday watch for me over the past few years excluding the dark days of 2020.
Should it have ended a few years ago? Most likely, the flashbacks were really just covering off for killing the most intriguing character in the fairly long running series.
75 episodes for a movie conversion is a good run in my eyes. Did I ever think when I saw the OG film in Rundle Mall Adelaide all those years ago that a US TV series would run for so long? Never.
J is damn sexy, English even. Finn Cole is some damn fine eye candy. Particularly the last few series as he got older, more handsome.
All six seasons stream now on Netflix, to be honest it's the only damn thing I've watched for a minute on that service. I finally got through The Gray Man. Wow that was long, too generic. Not sure about all the hype, hence I won't be posting about it.
So another series comes to a close. Riverdale, The Flash along with the above mentioned Snowpiercer will all take a bow in 2023. Look out for their finale pieces soon. Happy Spring Australia too!
Gosh I had high hopes for Nope on Friday night. I have loved Jordan Peele's previous works. However this science fiction horror film written, directed, and co-produced by Peele, was a bit of a red hot, long mess.
Daniel Kaluuya is back with Peele, joined by Keke Palmer, Steven Yeun, Michael Wincott, and Brandon Perea.
The third Jordan Peele film, follows two horse-wrangling siblings who attempt to capture evidence of an unidentified flying object.
For me the best part of Nope was the very handsome Brandon Perea. Whilst his introduction to the film was random, he definitely gave us some eye candy for some of the random long winded scenes.
I don't know what I was expecting from Nope, however I left kind of feeling ripped off. It wasn't bad, it just wasn't a film I should have been so hyped up for. There is a lot of horror on the way to the local cinema, with Bodies Bodies Bodies, The Invitation and the finale of the latest Halloween trilogy on the way.
So Nope has a lot of competition in this genre.
I don't want to give any spoilers, so I will keep this simple. I like Peele's work, there was some scary scenes, so a pass of 2.5 Stars.
Nancy Drew is another one of those The CW series most likely heading into its final run.
The third Nancy Drew television series, following The Hardy Boys/Nancy Drew Mysteries (1977–1979) & a 1995 Canadian-American version.
I slept on this bad boy from The CW, letting all three seasons pile up. However I managed this winter to tuck into all 49 episodes. Here is hoping for the fourth season to also keep the episode count to 13. The first two at 18 episodes, felt like there was some filler.
The series is narrated and led by the amateur sleuth Nancy Drew, played by Kennedy McMann, along with Leah Lewis as George Fan, Maddison Jaizani as Bess Marvin, Tunji Kasim as Ned Nickerson & Alex Saxon as Ace.
Party of Five hero, Scott Wolf also stars as Carson Drew, along with Alvina August and Riley Smith as new characters invented for the series.
The fourth season is likely to commence in early 2023, like the second season.
With The CW scaling back on its original programming, Friday nights seem a little lacklustre. With the likes of Dynasty wrapping next month, Nancy Drew is one of the only original scripted series likely to return to Fridays in possibly the last year The CW rolls out its mostly teen orientated programming.
Nancy Drew is totally teeny bopper with a little bit of relationship swapping across the small ensemble cast. Including some spilt personality dating too, which was weird AF.
Some of the storylines along with supernatural elements were slightly random, however the series is very easy on the film filmed in the beautiful Vancouver, BC. Sadly the spin-off series launched in season two, Tom Swift recently bite the bullet. Lasting only ten episodes, Tom Swift learnt of the cruel new world order at The CW. Hence why I feel season four, will be the fourth and final run.
What supernatural elements are coming up in 2023 for the Drew Crew? Will Nancy find romance? Why can't she stay with the sexy Agent Park? Did you know he was actually Australian?
Nancy Drew is currently streaming all three seasons on Paramount+.
Shining Girls is a wild ride! Did I know what was going on? Hell no? Was I bothered when the eighth episode end credits rolled? Not really.
Based on the 2013 novel The Shining Girls by Lauren Beukes, for those like me wanting an Elisabeth Moss fix ahead of the Handmaid's Tale return next month. Maybe this is for you.
Airing on Apple TV+ back in April 29, 2022, concluding early June (hence a Winter TV Finale), while also having a portion of the series premiered at South by Southwest on March 11, 2022.
Kirby Mazrachi is an archivist at the Chicago Sun-Times. Years ago, she was brutally attacked and left for dead, but her assailant was never found.
Today she is still traumatized by the assault and struggles to make sense of her reality that keeps changing. Determined to find her attacker, she discovers a murder that has a striking resemblance to her own attack. Kirby enlists the help of reporter Dan Velazquez and together they uncover several decades-old cold cases of similar murders and begin the hunt for a mysterious serial killer.
So there is time travel, flash forwards, flash backs, some creepy guy who never ages and Moss being well Moss.
It wasn't an easy watch for me, however I do always love Elizabeth Moss on the big or small screen. Shining Girls is yet another Winter series I have concluded on Apple TV+. Following of course the incredible LOOT and recently renewed PHYSICAL.
Following playing Ashley Stubbs in possibly the last ever episode of Westworld, Luke Hemsworth joins Heather Mitchell, Isabel Lucas and OG Blue Heeler Martin Sacks in Aussie feature film, Bosch & Rockit.
In the late summer along the Australian coast, Bosch, a young father goes on the run for drug dealing with his surf gang. In tow is his son, Rockit, who believes he is on a magical holiday.
The film has totally cute father and son vibes, even if the father is a criminal. Oh and a liar, also they may swear like a trooper.
Yep language warning for little Aussie film that can.
Based around Byron Bay and surrounds, this is an endearing film from Tyler Atkins. His childhood & early teens were defined, he says, by “making mistakes and being left at home and feeling sad and abandoned”.
Now 36, the former model & clothing designer (winner of season one The Amazing Race Australia) has told a version of his story in his debut feature film. Which we see the words, based on true events at the start of the film.
Atkins mother was out of the picture from the time he was four, and with his father also frequently absent, he was largely left to raise himself.
This was a sweet, well shot local film. The story is not a huge Hemsworth blockbuster, but packs a punch with emotion along with beautiful NSW scenery. Destination NSW would be proud of this film. Maybe just with less swearing!
The Twelve concluded tonight with a dramatic AF finale.
Following the case of Kate, who is on trial for the alleged murder of her niece and how the twelve jurors bring their personal lives and prejudices to the courtroom. Kate Mulvany stars as lead Kate Lawson. Is she guilty or innocent? No spoilers here folks!
As the season has rolled on, it's topped the Tuesday ratings on Foxtel being the most watched show with just under 100,000 live viewers. That doesn't count all the folks like me waiting for the series to have it's latest episodes land on Binge at 5pm on Tuesdays.
Sam Neill also stars as Brett Colby, Kates lawyer. While Marta Dusseldorp plays Lucy Bloom. The twelve include, Brendan Cowell as Garry Thorne, Brooke Satchwell as Georgina Merrick, Hazem Shammas as Farrad Jessim, Pallavi Sharda as Corrie D'Souza. Ngali Shaw as Jarrad Saunders, Catherine Van-Davies as Vanessa Young, Bishanyia Vincent as Lily Powell, Damien Strouthos as Alexi Menelaus, Nic Cassim as Simon Cavanaugh, Daniel Mitchell as Peter Brodsky, Gennie Nevinson as Margaret Brown, Toby Blome as Greg, Warren Lee as Trevor Morros & Susan Kennedy as Melissa Curry.
Whiles the cast also includes the Lawson and Spears family along with some of The Twelves other family/connections. They are Jenni Baird as Diane Lawson, Matt Nable as Nathan Spears, Silvia Colloca as Sonia Spears, Coco Jack Gillies as Claire Spears, Ben Mingay as Flip Menelaus, Hamish Michael as Jamie Merrick, Louisa Mignone as Dectective Sam Chedid, Charlotte Lucas as Belinda Bain and finally Avishek Sharma as the judge's associate.
The Twelve could easily return for a second season, with a fresh set of twelve jury along with a new case. The Kate Lawson story is well and truly done and dusted. However it took to the final seconds of the first ten episode run, for that moment.
Filmed in parts of Parramatta and Sydney, it was an interesting look into what goes into a case, along with the jury as well.
Foxtel need to tell Australian stories, this like Wentworth was high quality local drama. We have had some good local dramas of late. This is up there with the better ones. I do hope The Twelve will return to Foxtel with a new tale in the future.
Made for Love is based on the 2017 novel of the same name by Alissa Nutting.
The series premiered on HBO Max on April 1, 2021. In Australian though, it's one of those few random HBO Max titles (like Hacks) that streams on Stan. I did sleep on season one, not sure why, however I am now completely up to date.
Starring Cristin Milioti, Billy Magnussen & Ray Romano, the second & final season premiered late April, 2022.
Despite positive reviews, in June 2022, the series was canceled after two seasons following the merger of HBO Max's parent company WarnerMedia with Discovery, Inc. to become Warner Bros. Discovery.
This makes me scared for future HBO Max series like Gossip Girl, the return of Hacks, Peacemaker, Pennyworth and more.
The two season, comedy series is based on a woman escapes from a suffocating 10-year marriage to a tech billionaire, she discovers her husband had her fitted with a tracking device.
The device, which he implanted in her brain, allows him to track her location, watch her live, and know her emotional data as she tries to regain her independence.
I enjoyed Made for Love for the most part. The final two episodes were a bit all over the shop. But did the now May 19th season two finale wrap everything up? Well not really. I hope other HBO Max series don't just end like this.
I feel the axe will fall on many more shows with The CW sale, what seems like issues at HBO/Warner along with a few shows like The Blacklist getting a little long in the teeth.
Come back for a new feature record tomorrow morning. All 16 episodes of Made for Love stream right now on Stan.
P-Valley had a big season two after us as the audience waiting for close to two years for season two.
However it sure was worth the wait. With an appearance by Megan Thee Stallion as Tina Snow and some seriously raunchy sex scenes, season two definitely turned the heat up at The Pynk!
Whilst there was loads of drama, I feel like this could be the end for the series created by Katori Hall, known as Pussy Valley, however to keep it PG on Stan it's listed as P-Valley.
We see Uncle Clifford/Lil Murda's relationship (of sorts) tested by John Clarence Stewart as Thaddeus Wilks / Big Teak, a member of Lil Murda's gang the Hurt Village Hustlas, recently released from prison on parole. Whilst Shamika Cotton as Farrah, the wife of Mercedes' frequent client, Coach joins for a three way thang!
Also joining season 2, Miracle Watts as Big Bone, The Pynk's new bartender, and Psalms Salazar as Whisper, a new dancer at The Pynk.
Will we see a third season of P-Valley? Well that is up to Starz. However episode ten of season two felt like a series finale. Like yesterday's Westworld a number of shows feel like their stories or time is up.
I don't feel there was ever a really long game for P-Valley, however with a huge soundtrack, those club scenes, the unique look at Covid. P-Valley has been a fun ride whilst its lasted. Or if it returns I will totally return to the pole for a third round.
The fourth season of the American science fiction dystopian television series Westworld (subtitled The Choice) premiered on HBO/Binge in Australia late June.
Like P Valley and Evil it concluded this Sunday just gone, August 14, 2022. Like the previous season it consisted of eight episodes, a drop from ten episodes which was the first two seasons count.
Returning for the fourth season, Evan Rachel Wood, Thandiwe Newton, Jeffrey Wright, Tessa Thompson, Aaron Paul, James Marsden, and Ed Harris.
Like previous seasons we have waited around 2 years to get another fix of the Westworld. So if you never got The Maze, The Door or The New World, it's time to catch up on all four seasons now on Binge.
It did also have a very series finale feel. Things felt, final, final on this one. To be honest the last season or one before could have also acted as finales. Now the spoilers for episode eight, Que Será, Será appear below the trailer. Read on at your own risk! You have been warned.
In the wake of the host William's actions, humans and hosts are being wiped out. Caleb, Frankie and Stubbs evade the violence amongst the humans and stop at a pharmacy to tend to Frankie's wounds, but Clementine appears and kills Stubbs before being overpowered and killed by Caleb and Frankie.
The two reach their extraction boat; Caleb, whose host body is about to fail, bids farewell to his daughter. Charlotte is revived by drone hosts and finds recorded instructions left for her by Bernard prior to his death. She retrieves Dolores' original control unit, which contains a simulation of the world inhabited by Christina (who created Teddy, Maya, and others to help herself gain sentience).
Charlotte then follows William to Hoover Dam and stops him from deactivating the Sublime (using a gun planted by Bernard), before removing and destroying his control unit. She then uploads Dolores' control unit into the Sublime before destroying her own.
Dolores awakens inside the Sublime and decides to attempt to give sentient life another chance at avoiding extinction, realizing that neither humans nor hosts can survive in the real world. She starts by recreating the original Westworld park inside the Sublime.
Is season four the end of the HBO sci-fi robot romp? Time will tell, no renewal information is available at the time of posting. My guess is, it's either cancelled or renewed for a fifth and final season, like to air in another two years. This show has massive production value! Massive! P Valley tomorrow folks!
Evil season three has improved so much since its earlier days on CBS. Paramount+ has seriously revived this supernatural hit series starring Katja Herbers, Mike Colter, and Aasif Mandvi. Kurt Fuller, Marti Matulis, Brooklyn Shuck, Skylar Gray, Maddy Crocco, Dalya Knapp, Christine Lahti, Michael Emerson, Ashley Edner & Andrea Martin.
The third season commenced on June 12, later concluding this Monday (Australian time). Last month the series was renewed for a fourth season, meaning a cliffhanger was guaranteed. Let me tell you (spoiler free) there are big things coming!
I had three shows conclude yesterday, so I will keep this brief ahead of potential series finales for Westworld and P-Valley. Unlike Evil both of them ended with some very finale-finale vibes.
All three series of Evil stream now on Paramount+, whilst seasons one and two also stream on Stan where I first discovered the religious/science/supernatural crime series.
Loot stars Maya Rudolph, Michaela Jaé Rodriguez, Joel Kim Booster, Ron Funches & Nat Faxon, concluding last Friday.
Receiving generally positive reviews, the Apple TV+ series was renewed for a second season.
In the finale.... SPOILER ALERTS!
Being driven to the airport, Sofia refuses to stay in the car after her driver disparages the city's unhoused population. She and the team arrive in Corsica for the summit, where Molly prepares to present Jean-Pierre's new potable water purification system. Sofia accuses her of ignoring their local mission and being swept up in yet another man's life.
Nicholas and Howard comfort Arthur, who admits that he is in love with Molly. During a disastrous demonstration of Jean-Pierre's failed machine, Molly forces herself to drink a glass of still-tainted water.
Jean-Pierre suggests running away from their problems, and Molly sends her team a note declaring that she is stepping away from the foundation. Aboard her plane, she is confronted by Sofia and reveals that she broke up with Jean-Pierre.
Sofia reminds her of the positive changes she brought to her foundation and her team, and refuses to accept her resignation. Returning to the conference, Molly announces her plan to give away her entire fortune to charity.
The team celebrates, and Arthur tells Molly he has something to talk to her about. In the morning, Molly wakes up in bed with John.
Loot has easily been one of my favourite winter warmers! Maya Rudolph & Joel Kim Booster completely shine in this delightful, 20-30 minute(ish) comedy series. All ten episodes went down oh, so easily!
I will be so happy when Loot returns to Apple TV+, proving the streaming service is really coming into it's own now.
The Secrets She Keeps second season premiered on streaming service Paramount+ on 12 July 2022. I know it's mid-August so it may look like I slept on this. I didn't once I started it was done with in two or three sittings. The six episodes gone down easier than an almond milk latte on a cool winters morning.
Originally airing on Network Ten, like Five Bedrooms before it, season two has shifted to Paramount+.
The series is based on the psychological thriller novel by Michael Robotham. Along with the change of broadcaster, Michael Dorman has also been replaced by Todd Lasance as Jack Shaughnessy.
Season two really dials up the drama between two leads, Laura Carmichael as Agatha Fyfle & Jessica De Gouw as Meghan Shaughnessy.
The series also stars Ryan Corr as Simon Beecher, Michael Sheasby as Hayden Cole, Cariba Heine as Grace, Jenni Baird as Rhea Bowden, Elizabeth Alexander as Renee Cole, Hazem Shammas as Cyrus Haven, Mansoor Noor as Jeremy Clay, Eva Greenwood as Lucy Shaughnessy along with the dreamy Heather Mitchell fresh from Love Me.
I really enjoyed season two of the now Paramount+ title. Joining More Than This, Spreadsheet and Five Bedrooms. Could this be the new streaming service of premium, interesting Australian dramas?
The finale leaves things totally up in the air, meaning another season could totally be in order. However that leaves a number of Aussie originals fate up in the air at the new streamer.
The series also airs in Ireland on RTÉ One along with the United Kingdom on BBC and finally it airs in the US of A on streaming service Sundance Now.
Catch on the latest excellent Aussie winter drama now streaming on Paramount+!
Physical is just another exceptional little title streaming it's two seasons now on Apple TV+.
Created by Annie Weisman, starring Aussie legend Rose Byrne, while another famous Aussie on a role, Murray Bartlett joins the series as Vinnie Green, an aerobics instructor. Sheila is a little jealous of Vinnie's success while plotting, scheming, trying to keep her marriage afloat and well having an eating disorder.
It's a lot to deal with weekly in the half an hour instalments.
There is no word of a third season yet, however apparently there is hope for a third. Whilst Physical doesn't have the buzz of some of the other current Apple TV+ titles, it packs a punch. With real honesty, serious issues are explored, with a bit of fun along the way.
Rose Byrne really is a national Australian treasure. Love you girl!
Joe vs. Carole (based on Wondery's Over My Dead Body podcast, entitled Joe Exotic: Tiger King (before being retitled to Joe vs. Carole)) stars John Cameron Mitchell, Kate McKinnon, Kyle MacLachlan, Dean Winters, Brian Van Holt, William Fichtner, Nat Wolff, Sam Keeley, Lex Mayson, Joel Marsh Garland, Marlo Kelly, Kenneth Radley and Aliandra Calabrese.
Landing on Peacock/Stan (in Australia) on March 3, 2022. So I did give this some time to marinate. However we all know the now famous Netflix series based on the Tiger King. The criminal case of Joe Exotic, a zookeeper who has been convicted of murder-for-hire, to kill (yes guessed it) Carole Baskin.
Dean Winters, John Cameron Mitchell, Brian Van Holt, Sam Keeley, Nat Wolff, and William Fichtner were cast to portray Jeff Lowe, Joe Exotic, John Reinke, John Finlay, Travis Maldonado, and Rick Kirkham, respectively.
Kyle MacLachlan, Lex Mayson, Joel Marsh Garland, Marlo Kelly & Aliandra Calabrese joined the series, to portray Howard Baskin, Kelci "Saff" Saffery, James Garretson, Jamie Murdock, and Lauren Lowe respectively.
The miniseries was shot here in Australia, well Brisbane, Queensland to be precise.
Filming also occurred in areas around Queensland, Australia, including Screen Queensland Studios, which doubled for Oklahoma and Florida.
So after watching Tiger King on Netflix around when it first landed, was there anything new here?
No. In one word, no.
However Kate McKinnon as Baskin was a bit of fun. Joe Exotic however though is super damn toxic. This was one of Stan's random Peacock acquisitions. This deal apparently ends at the end of the year. Will NBC/Peacock also try and launch a streaming service in Australia? Do we really need another? Where will Stan source their international content from other than Starz and the odd HBO Max series.
Ok Joe vs. Carole is easily one of those shows you can leave on whilst you do your housework. Once you have watched the Netflix doco you basically know exactly what's around the corner. Maybe I will go back and watch the other Tiger King episodes I never watch after the first season.
Bullet Train is the latest BIG ass blockbuster to land in 2022! Starring Brad Pitt, Joey King, Aaron Taylor-Johnson, Brian Tyree Henry, Andrew Koji, Hiroyuki Sanada, Michael Shannon, Benito A Martínez Ocasio, along with Sandra Bullock, in this comedy, action 126 minute film.
Pitt stars as an assassin who has to deal with enemies while riding a Japanese bullet train. The film is directed by David Leitch based on a screenplay by Zak Olkewicz that adapts the Japanese novel Maria Beetle (published in English as Bullet Train) by Kōtarō Isaka.
Bullet Train opened in Paris on July 18, 2022, with the film being released in OZ last week.
Fun fact! Sandra Bullock joined the following year in February to replace Lady Gaga, who dropped out due to scheduling conflicts with House of Gucci.
Critically on Rotten Tomatoes, Bullet Train sits at 54%, while traditional film critic, Richard Roeper of the Chicago Sun-Times rated it 3.5 out of 4, calling it "wildly entertaining" and praised the performances, "the creative and blood-spattered action sequences" and most of all the writing.
Whilst Peter Debruge of Variety wrote: "Bullet Train feels like it comes from the same brain as Snatch, wearing its pop style on its sleeve — a Kill Bill-like mix of martial arts, manga and gabby hitman movie influences, minus the vision or wit that implies."
Either way I enjoyed the film from around thirty minutes in. The first thirty it needed to settle, set up the mood. Will it win any awards? Hell no. Was it the best film I have seen of 2022? Hell no. Would I recommend to others? Well if you like action, Pitt and some silly humour with a splash of violence, why not.
Bullet Train is a disposable box office film, however it had enough edge for a pass mark of 2.5 much cleaner Bullet Trains than any Sydney Trains currently on the inner city network.
Underbelly: Vanishing Act is the return to TV for the hit franchise. Remember back in 2008 when the real crime franchise first begun.
Vanishing Act focuses on the story of Melissa Caddick's disappearance. Seriously I had read the headlines (you can watch the 60 Minutes special below) but honestly I wasn't that interested. Well there was a little thing called Covid blowing up when this Eastern Suburbs high flyer went missing. So forgive me.
It first aired on the Nine Network in April 2022, so I have been a little behind to catch up on the two-part miniseries. The episode count has really being going down, down, down ever since the 2008 launch. From 13 episodes now down till 2. Squizzy back in 2013 was only 8, will the next installment just be a TV movie? Which is what this did feel like watching the two one hour (ish) episodes on Stan. Of course owned by Channel Nine.
Based on the story of high-roller Melissa Caddick who was alleged to have embezzled $40 million before vanishing from in November 2020 the day after the Australian Securities & Investments Commission executed a search warrant on her Dover Heights, Sydney home.
We need to talk about, Kate Atkinson as Melissa Caddick. What a role to land after playing Vera for years in Wentworth! Her portrayal was excellent. The series also stars some familiar faces like hunky Tai Hara from Home & Away.Colin Friels stars as George K a bizarre character in an even more bizarre true story.
I really enjoyed the two-parter watching it over two days. I stalled all my other viewing to smash this Aussie drama. Australian drama has had some excellent moments this year. The Twelve on Foxtel/Binge is coming to an interesting end, Mystery Road's latest origin story was excellent whilst Neighbours went out with a massive bang!
If true crime, getting rich fast is your thing, log into Stan, skip the ad's on the free to air catch up services and give Underbelly: Vanishing Act a try!
Until tomorrow. BIG feature album tomorrow. It's local and it's DEADLY AF!
Like the show title, swift is exactly what Tom Swift was.
Starring Tian Richards, spin-off of Nancy Drew (which I have just started season two on Paramount+), premiered on May 31, with it's ten episode season concluding on August 2nd.
So I think the "Drew-niverse" is now completely DOA. With season four of the upcoming origin series Nancy Drew looking to be the last. With low ratings, hidden on Friday nights, the show will most likely see out a shorter fourth and final season. Maybe 13 episodes like the third season I am yet to watch.
Lead actor Richards said of the adaptation, "The original Tom Swift was great for his time and what he represented. At the time, that was the face of young boys, All-American kids full of possibilities. But in 2021, that can look so different. It can look like someone like me—a Black guy who is chocolate, who is queer, who is all those things that we're told aren't the normal or the status quo."
He added, "We're going to dive into so many sectors of identity. We're going to talk about Blackness—and a different kind of Blackness than we're used to seeing, which is the Black elite, the 1 percent, the billionaires. We're also going to talk about a queer boy's journey into becoming a queer man. Not only self-acceptance, but acceptance as a whole, having the community and people around you."
The series was filmed in Atlanta, however on June 30, 2022, the series was canceled after one season due to low viewership.
It was a little lame but it filled the train ride out to Parramatta on my Parra workdays.
In Australia (like Nancy Drew) it also streams on Paramount+. Is it the best series of the winter? Hell no, did it deserve a second season? Nope. However it's series like this which really on paper should maybe just have been a shorter season, limited series.
OK, this could be short and short. This is hands down one of the best films I have seen since COVID. Such great dialogue, so much packed into the one amazing 97 minute film.
Good Luck to You, Leo Grande is a 5 star film.
Yep straight up, no need for explainers, this was gosh damn AMAZING! Even better, the session I went to, director Sophie Hyde (Australia) introduced stars Emma Thompson and Daryl McCormack to an unsuspecting audience! Wild!
Good Luck to You, Leo Grande had its world premiere at the 2022 Sundance Film Festival back in January. Here is Australia it's due for release 18 August.
I was super lucky to see this outstanding comedy about two people, in very difference times of their lives.
It's raw, open, honest and sexy. Everything you need in a five star film. Did I say I gave this film five stars already? Easily the best film of 2022, maybe better than best film of 2021. What was that again? Oh thats right last year was another weird spilt year so it was a tie between Nitram / Licorice Pizza / Promising Young Woman & The Dry.
So when this lands cinemas, make a date to see this outstanding film. Good Luck to You, Leo Grande is a MUST SEE!
Peacemaker, created by James Gunn is another hot title from HBO Max. Based on the DC Comics character Peacemaker.
I missed Peacemaker when it premiered on HBO Max/Binge (in Australia) back in January.
The series concluded with its action packed season one finale on February 17. Peacemaker has received positive reviews, with praise going to John Cena's performance along with Gunn's directing and writing.
A second season was ordered in February 2022, with Gunn set to write and direct all episodes. Additionally, several other The Suicide Squad spin-off series featuring characters from the film and Peacemaker are in development.
This is the first DC Extended Universe (DCEU) television series and a spin-off from the 2021 film The Suicide Squad. Set after the events of the film, the series further explores jingoistic killer Christopher Smith / Peacemaker (John Cena).
Alongside Cena, Danielle Brooks, Freddie Stroma, Chukwudi Iwuji, Jennifer Holland, Steve Agee, and Robert Patrick also star.
Everything from the Do Ya Wanna Taste It by Wig Wam for the opening titles; the title sequence features the series' cast performing a choreographed dance number to the snappy pop culture comedy, this was leaps and bounds ahead of the recent Marvel TV series.
I am very excited to see season two of this John Cena crude action series. Not as crude as The Boys, however way more enjoyable than the recent Ms Marvel.
Winter is almost done however I have got a few more series I am working my way through quick sticks! Another film review on the way too. Spoiler alert it's going to get a great star rating!
What can be said about the second last EVER season of Riverdale? Well maybe we should start with the bat shit crazy plot of the 22nd episode of the sixth season.
Due to Percival's curse, Bailey's Comet is headed for Riverdale and a barrier is placed around the town.
While no one can leave, people can still enter. Heather and Cheryl summon Abigail on how to destroy the comet. Cheryl plans to use her Phoenix powers to destroy the comet, but it will result in one or more of the those who have been resurrected to die. Archie decides to propose to Betty, but she decides to hold off until the comet passes.
Jughead and Tabitha go on a date with Tabitha using her chronokinetic abilities to see her and Jughead having a family and growing old together. Heather casts a spell to allow Abigail and Toni's ancestor Thomasina to spend one last time together using the bodies of Cheryl and Toni.
Veronica plans to siphon the powers of the gang and give to Cheryl so she has enough power to destroy comet and keep everyone alive and is successful. The next day, the residents of Riverdale are sent back in time to the year 1955 with only Jughead remembering the events that happened before.
Crazy right?
Last February, the series was renewed for a sixth season which was split into two parts. First Rivervale, which ended up sneaking into the second part, which was really this weird Riverdale, Netflix Sabrina crossover weird thing.
This March 22, The CW renewed the series for a seventh season, that really no one wanted.
Two months later in May, it was announced that the series will be concluding with its upcoming seventh season, which is scheduled to premiere in 2023.
So we have a while till we hate watch what is likely to be a shorter season seven. Only this week the other CW series which needs to ended, has also been confirmed to ending, The Flash. 2023 will see a number of shows way past their prime calling it a day. In Australia Riverdale streams weekly on Netflix, where you can now find seasons one to six streaming in full.
Season one was good, then it just completely died in the ass.
Lets see how many shirtless scenes the writers can come up with for Archie in 2023?
Where the Crawdads Sing is the latest work produced by superstar Reese Witherspoon and Lauren Neustadter.
Based on he 2018 murder-mystery novel by Delia Owens (which by the way my father loves sick) starring Daisy Edgar-Jones, Taylor John Smith, Harris Dickinson, Michael Hyatt, Sterling Macer, Jr. & David Strathairn.
Where the Crawdads Sing has grossed $62 million worldwide while receiving mixed reviews from critics. There has been praise for Edgar-Jones's performance however film critics (are they even still a thing with social media/Rotten Tomatoes anymore?) found the film's tone incoherent. It is an epic sweeping tale, however the genre bending is weird. Is it a courtroom crime drama or a romance?
I'm changing gears completely by seeing Bullet Train this weekend, so this was a much different pace to all the superhero/Top Gun/big budget action films of the recent winter.
In relation to the title, Crawdads cannot "sing", but when Kya's mother often encouraged her to explore the marsh, she would say: "Go as far as you can–way out yonder where the crawdads sing." When Tate also used the phrase, she asked him the meaning and he replied: "Just means far in the bush where critters are wild, still behaving like critters." Delia Owens was inspired to use the phrase because her own mother had used it when she was a child.
Now to my score. It was one of those films which wasn't bad nor amazing or memorable. I feel the 2022 cinema-scape is a weird one right now. Netflix is releasing big title films weekly, cinemas are getting people back, while some sessions are busier than ever, dine and discover vouchers now finished, the film studios have a lot of competition. Big titles like Elvis are gone before you know it while Top Gun hangs around for months.
So to my long awaited score. It's gotta be a simple 3 star film. Nice scenery, some sweet romance, with a touch of courtroom drama. Until next time - Riverdale finale/season six post along with more crime in the latest Underbelly!
