Spring Minseries Ender - Bali 2002

Bali 2002 is the latest Stan original title. Starring Australian TV and film favourites, along with some outstanding newcomers. Rachel Griffiths as Fiona Wood, Richard Roxburgh as Graham Ashton and Sean Keenan as Jason McCartney are all familiar faces to Australian audiences.

The four-part drama revolves around the 2002 Bali bombings, dropping on 25 September 2022. I finished it in one and a half sittings. So fast! Such an easy, compelling watch.

This was a HUGE event in Australian/Indonesian relations. I remember the initial bombs, just not all the attacks that followed.

Sri Ayu Jati Kartika as Ni-Luh Erniati is 100% the standout performer. Taken from next month's Ubud writers festival, Ni Luh Erniati is the wife of I Gede Badrawan, one of the victims of the first Bali Bombing, who works as a head waiter at the Sari Club Café. 

She lost her husband when her children were only 9 and 1.5 years old. In the midst of loss, she must continue to take care of her two children. She has also sincerely forgiven the perpetrators, and now she often becomes a speaker to spread kindness.

Her story was equally heartbreaking and inspiring. To be honest she stole EVERY scene she was in.

The cast also includes, Claudia Jessie as Polly Miller, Ewen Leslie, Saskia Archer as Hanabeth Luke, Maleeka Gasbarri, Gerwin Widjaja and many more in this large miniseries ensemble.

Is it too soon for a drama about such a massive tragedy? I am not sure as I personally wasn't impacted, nor were any of my family or friends, however the ending is touching. The explosions repeated across the multiple episodes was a bit much. We all know their were bombs in the clubs.

Bali is one of my all time favourite places to visit. The people are beautiful, the beaches, the food. It's a vibe. However in 2022, it was heartbreaking. For locals and tourists alike.

Australia and Indonesia are such close neighbours are relations are totally important. This was one of Stan's best works, however I can see how some people found this a bit insensitive.

If you enjoy Australian productions, this is a good one (way better than Savage River, only got through one episode) that is a totally easy binge.

It streams on Stan right now.  

Spring Reboot Ender - Heartbreak High (2022 TV series)

Heartbreak High has just had a 2022 woke reboot. This time screening on Netflix, following the film and 1994 series, which first screened on Network Ten. The eight episodes premiered on 14 September 2022.

The eight episodes is lead by Ayesha Madon as Amerie Wadia. She is a brash, working-class girl who becomes a pariah at Hartley High. Her friends include, James Majoos as Darren Rivers, a queer and non-binary student, Chloe Hayden as Quinni Gallagher-Jones, Darren's lesbian best friend who is autistic while there is a massive rivalry with Asher Yasbincek as Harper McLean.

It's woke but also great to see a full array of characters on display including Thomas Weatherall as Malakai Mitchell, a bisexual Bundjalung basketball jock new to Hartley, Will McDonald as Douglas “Ca$h” Piggott, an asexual eshay, drug dealer and food delivery driver, showing the hustle of gig workers delivering our nightly take aways.

The real star for me, was handsome AF Joshua Heuston as Dustin “Dusty” Reid, who also appears briefly on the latest Aussie series, Bali 2002.

Speaking of Bali 2002, there is a total buffet of Australian TV right now. Savage River (not great) on ABCTV and iview, this offering on Netflix and Fisk season two incoming on the ABC.

Also starring in the reboot, Gemma Chua-Tran as Sasha So, a Chinese-Australian lesbian student, Bryn Chapman-Parish as Spencer “Spider” White, the class clown and all round shit stir, Sherry-Lee Watson as Missy Beckett, Brodie Townsend as Anthony “Ant” Vaughn, Chika Ikogwe as Josephine “Jojo” Obah, Rachel House as Woodsy, Ben Oxenbould as Justin McLean, Harper's dad, Sandy Sharma as Huma Wadia, Amerie's mother while Maggie Dence as Nan, Ca$h's grandmother steals the scene in most scenes she is in.

From the 1994 series there are a few familiar faces, Scott Major as Peter Rivers, Darren's father, Isabella Mistry as Chaka Cardenes, who reprises her role as a Salvadoran-Australian and Jeremy Lindsay Taylor as Kurt Peterson.

Overall I really enjoyed the eight, easy to watch episodes.

Netflix has largely not featured much homegrown content, so it was refreshing to see the international stream go for gold with a local series with heart.

Tackling big issues, like race relations, sexuality, asexuality, bisexuality, teen dating, slut shaming and so much more. Yes it's woke, yes it is ideal world, beautiful people, however it is refreshing to see Australia deliver a less full on Eurphoria high school experience, but more realistic to Home & Away.

Here is hoping for a second season of the Sydney based series.

Spring Season 3 Ender - City on a Hill

City on a Hill concluded it's third season, eight episode run last Friday. Other than the season ending not having a conclusive ending, I did feel this could maybe be a series ending episode for the Kevin Bacon led series.

Based on a story by Ben Affleck and Charlie MacLean. Matt Damon is also one of the Showtime series producers. 

Alongside Kevin Bacon, Aldis Hodge, Amanda Clayton, Cathy Moriarty, Kevin Dunn & Jill Hennessy also star.

Us viewers had an awfully long break between season one, June 16, 2019 and season two commencing on March 28, 2021. So for the third season to premiere not too much more than a year after season two concluded was a miracle. It was nice to have Stan air the season three opener late July.

Concluding mid September (right when all the US network series return) City on a Hill, ended before the competition really ramps up. That said it airs the same night as mega hit prequel, House of Dragon.

So was the third season an improvement on the past two? For me yes! Honestly the first two seasons weren't the best TV, however the underlying crime in season three was compelling.

Corbin Bernsen as Sinclair Dryden, Jackie's mentor (Bacon) and Joanne Kelly as Letitia Dryden, Sinclair's wife were terrifying. Bacon's Jackie Rohr has always been a bit of an anti hero. He cheats on his wife, drinks, has questionable police tactics, smokes and god knows what else when I two screen.

For me this was the best of the three seasons now streaming in Australia on Stan.

As a legacy Showtime title it is one of the remaining few Showtime series still airing weekly on Stan, not Paramount Plus. American Gigolo randomly also is streaming weekly on Stan.

While Billions seems to be the shiny big ticket Showtime series, City on a Hill has always felt a little second tier. However for me this was the most compelling story to be told thus far. Bacon also is at his grubby best. Give it a crack if you are sick of Farmer Wants a Wife!

Spring Series Ender - Wedding Season

Another Hulu series is a winner! Wedding Season streams on Disney+ in Australia, proving, maybe I need to hold onto the streamer once my three month trial concludes!

Wedding Season is an eight episode thriller direct from the King's UK. In episode one, Stefan objects at the wedding of Katie McConnell, with whom he has been having an affair at various weddings over the summer, only to be rejected. 

Hours later, Stefan is arrested and learns that Katie's new in-laws were poisoned at the reception and she has gone missing. Despite his suspicions of Katie, Stefan goes on the run with her to find out the truth.

The series finale is an extremely wild ride! Out of gasoline, Katie holds Mitzi hostage in an empty church in the Texan desert while admitting to her that she loves Stefan. 

Metts arrives with Stefan, pointing a gun at his head to force Katie to come out and surrender Mitzi. A firefight ensues, during which Donahue arrives. Donahue attempts to reason with Metts, but she shoots him. The leader of the Block arrives at the scene. 

Stefan claims they were successfully able to upload Metts' confession, meaning the terms of Katie's prenup stands and the building belongs to her. Metts is killed, and Katie negotiates away the rights to the building she wanted in exchange for their freedom. In the aftermath, Katie, now Stefan's girlfriend, attends the season's final wedding with the rest of his friend group. 

Big finale SPOILER ALERT - as Katie approaches a car, it explodes, leaving her fate unclear. Does that mean a season two could be a thing?

Apparently not according to Wikipedia. However it was such a wild tale to leave something so open ended?

This was a seriously easy eight episode binge while the drip launch of the US 2022-2023 season occurs. With my first thoughts of this year's new and returning shows? Maybe 2023-2024 will see if less scripted series as we are really at a point of a number of series ending or madly needing to end. Reviews coming soon. However up next it's off to the reboot of Heartbreak High!

Spring Season 2 Ender - Industry (TV series)

Industry the HBO/BBC Two series following a group of young graduates competing for permanent positions at Pierpoint & Co, a prestigious investment bank in London.

The second season commenced last month for a short 8 episode season. This follows a lengthly delay between seasons. Season one concluded back in December 2020.

Bodies Bodies Bodies star Myha'la Herrold plays lead Harper. Who has an incredibly wild ride in season two. Jay Duplass, Sonny Poon Tip and Katrine De Candole join the cast in season two. Whilst Yasmin (Marisa Abela), , Robert (Harry Lawtey), Eric (Ken Leung)Gus (David Jonsson), Kenny (Conor MacNeill), Daria (Freya Mavor) & Danny (Alex Alomar Akpobome) continue their journey at Pierpoint & Co.

A third season has not yet been announced, adding to the growing number of series awaiting their fates to be announced. I think Industry (along with Westworld) could go either way.

In the finale we see Harper, Eric, Rishi and Dan get an offer from another bank, but will have to relocate to New York. Not wanting to leave London, Harper and Eric agree to decline but tell no one. 

Could the show ever leave London to become another New York series?

A frustrated Gus gives Harper insider information, who then passes it on to Bloom. Bloom goes on television, causing his holdings to profit. Gus' minister is promoted, but Gus is let go for the leak. It becomes clear Bloom played everyone. 

Harper and Eric go to Adler and pitch a lean London office, offer up Rishi and Dan as disloyal, and threaten to expose Nicole's multiple assaults and Pierpoint's indiference to them. Adler accepts. 

On the eve of Rishi's wedding, Harper learns he will be fired but says nothing. Fed up with the sexual assault culture, Yasmin confronts her father about his affairs. In response, he cuts her off financially, even changing the locks on Yasmin's apartment. With nowhere else to go, she visits Robert. 

At Rishi's wedding, Robert agrees to get coke for Yasmin but is arrested. Bailed out by Nicole the next morning, she reestablishes her control over Robert. Gus is hired by Bloom as an assistant. 

At work the next week, Dan is fired along with most of the London office. Harper is surprised to find Rishi at his desk. Eric brings Harper to HR. It is revealed she never graduated college and lied about it, forcing Eric to fire her.

What will happen to Harper if a season three happens? Will there be a series three. If you are keen on a binge of both seasons, Industry can be found on Binge.

The Masked Cinema 2022 - Bodies Bodies Bodies

I really wanted to love, Bodies Bodies Bodies but....

Black comedy and horror, maybe just doesn't gel well together.

Directed by Halina Reijn in her English-language debut, written by Sarah DeLappe from a story by Kristen Roupenian.

Starring Amandla Stenberg, Maria Bakalova, Myha'la Herrold, Chase Sui Wonders, Rachel Sennott, Lee Pace & Pete Davidson.

Bodies Bodies Bodies premiered at South by Southwest on March 14, 2022, however we just saw its release last week here in OZ.

The comedy elements were fun in the first half, however by the end of the film, it felt a little like it lost its way.

The horror was hardly scary, however I didn't jump once. Pete Davidson was hella random, however the leading ladies including Myha'la Herrold from HBO's Industry were funny AF.

I don't want to give anything away re: the plot, the direction of how the Bodies Bodies Bodies started to fall. This was fun, just not the most amazing horror/thriller in a crowded market right now. Smile lands soon, ahead of Halloween Ends and Jeepers Creepers the reboot screenings.

3 Stars.

Dynasty (2017 TV series) Ends.

Dynasty sure was lucky to get five seasons.

Honestly with the live overnight ratings (even adding DVR extras) it's a miracle it got passed season two.

The camp reboot of the 1980s prime time soap opera of the same name.

Starring Elizabeth Gillies as Fallon Carrington, Grant Show as her father Blake Carrington across all 108 episodes. 

I know I am late on Monday I said this post would land Tuesday, however it's been a wild ride ahead of today's public holiday. Dynasty concluded a little outside of my Winter 2022 TV Finales series, so Dynasty gets it's very own outside of the launch of my Spring series special post.

Cause let's face it, this would not make the top ten of any finale list even if there were only ten titles.

When The CW renewed the series for a fifth season, the opening two episodes randomly landed on December 20, 2021. Giving viewers a long break till episode three dropped on March, 11, 2022.

Then in May when The CW went wild with cancellations, the network announced that the fifth season will be its final season. Really no surprise to many. The big surprise for this season was James Mackay finally returning as the lost son, Steven.

Robert Christopher Riley asMichael Culhane, Sam Adegoke as Jeff Colby, Rafael de la Fuente as Sam "Sammy Jo" Jones, latest the entire run. Whilst Neighbours icon, Australian Alan Dale as Joseph Anders, bounced a little while back now. 

One of the series recasts was Alexis Carrington, first was Nicollette Sheridan, later Elaine Hendrix.

Finally across the seasons, Kirby (Maddison Brown), we had three Cristals, yes THREE! (Nathalie Kelley, Ana Brenda Contreras & Daniella Alonso), season(s) long villian Adam Carrington (Sam Underwood), Dominique Deveraux (Michael Michele), Liam Ridley (Adam Huber) and last but not least Amanda Carrington (Eliza Bennett). 

The pilot premiered on October 11, 2017, finishing with episode 108 on September 16, 2022. It's a long run for any given show. Really the last few seasons we're running on very, VERY thin plot lines. In Australia like other international markets, the series streams on Netflix. Sadly the last few seasons we have had to wait to the series concludes in the USA before it streams down under.

Dynasty had four long seasons at 22 episodes, one shorter COVID impacted season at 20 episodes. It was a classic camp, trashy soap. Now it's over. Farewell to yet another The CW series. With Riverdale, The Flash and no doubt others to end soon. It's the end of a TV era.

#RATED - Winter 2022 TV Finales

Back in March you scored my Summer TV finales top 35. Yes that's right 35 series. Autumn I dropped one number to 34!

The Winter TV Finales sits at another 33 series. Does that mean Spring finales will sit at 32?

I also binged over Autumn/Winter a number of catch up series. You can catch that listed of RATED 17 series HERE

For now it's a big fat congratulations to Apple TV for taking out my hit of Winter. Whilst Amazon didn't deliver much content this winter they managed two series in the top 10. Local content was also warming up this winder with two Australian series also rounding out the top 10.

Look out for my review of the very last Dynasty episode tomorrow. How it made it to five seasons is a miracle!

1. Loot - Season One (August)
2. The Boys - Season Three (July)
3. The Secrets She Keeps - Season Two (August)
4. Only Murders in the Building - Season Two (Including a mild Binge of Season One) (August)
5. The Chi - Season Five (Early September)
6. Love, Victor - Season Three/Series Finale (June)
7. Evil - Season Three (August)
8. Rap Sh!t - Season One (Early September)
9. Mystery Road: Origin - Season One (July)
10. The Summer I Turned Pretty - Season One (July) 
11. The Bear - Season One (July)
12. P-Valley - Season Two (August)
13. The Twelve (Australian TV series) - Season One (August)
14. Obi-Wan Kenobi - miniseries (June)
15. Mike - miniseries (Early September)
16. Physical - Season Two (August)
17. The Baby - miniseries (June)
18. American Horror Stories - Season Two (Early September)
19. Stranger Things - Season Four (July)
20. Westworld - Season Four (August)
21. Kung Fu - Season Two (June)
22. Tom Swift - Season One/Series Finale (August)
23. The Rehearsal - Season One (August)
24. Superman & Lois - Season Two (July)
25. Animal Kingdom - Season Six/Series Finale (August)
26. Mayans MC - Season Four (June)
27. The Resort - Season One (Early September)
28.  Barry - Season Three (June)
29. Ms Marvel - miniseries (July)
30. Shining Girls - Season One (June)
31. Riverdale - Season Six (August)
32. Tales of the Walking Dead - Season One (Early September)
33. The Flash - Season Eight (July)

Winter TV Finales - Mike - Miniseries

Mike is the latest Disney+/Hulu title I have completely binged. Airing over four weeks (only) the eight 30 minute (or so) episodes flew by each week. Centering on the life of boxer Mike Tyson, a story I had little knowledge of.

I knew he was a pop culture reference, just not all the stories behind the references. Apparently Tyson was not involved with the series and criticized Hulu for producing it.

Rotten Tomatoes has served up a 44% approval rating, however I have to disagree, this wasn't the best miniseries or series over Winter, but it sure wasn't the worst either.

Trevante Rhodes stars as lead Mike Tyson along with a small regular cast. As some of the series is Rhodes on stage as Mike talking to a "live" audience.

Disney+ has been streaming great series week to week of late, with Mike, She-Hulk, upcoming Star Wars series Andor incoming while the recent Disney event launched several more incoming series, coming soon to possibly the new leader in streaming.

While Mike may not be everyone's cup of tea. It shines the spotlight on a rise from nothing to a fall from grace. Something the media lives for, whilst the people impacted can never prepare themselves for.

Mike has his issues, demons, was no angel. However he did have a rough journey to success and fame. His story is one we see time and time again with sportspeople across all sporting codes.

This will serve as possibly the finales in my Winter TV Finales blog series. Hello Spring! Well yesterday it was totally like spring. Maybe El Nina will ruin another Hot Girl Summer but for now, let's enjoy the sunshine peoples!

Winter TV Finales - Tales of the Walking Dead - Season One

The latest Walking Dead series is DOA. It's so bad, all I can say is hang out for this hottie, Danny Ramirez in episode six.

Tales of the Walking Dead follows the anthology television series line, like American Horror Stories last week. The only good thing is they get a reset at the start of each episode. Cause man, some of these episodes were bad, like super bad.

To say the The Walking Dead franchise is overcooked is an understatement. With the final episodes of The Walking Dead incoming next month, it's time to close off this once fun zombie future.

Watch it at your risk, or like me totally in the background, cause this is dull AF!

Winter TV Finales - The Resort - Season One

The Resort is the latest Peacock series which streamed in Australia on Stan. Concluding it's eight episode run at the start of September, it's one of my very last Winter TV Finales posts.

Starring William Jackson Harper (Love Life - still not renewed BTW) & Cristin Milioti (Made for Love, one of my Winter Binges) as a married couple on vacation at a holiday resort for their 10th anniversary, where they are drawn into a mystery that took place fifteen years before. 

The series commenced late July, airing an episode weekly until recently. 

Noah (Jackson Harper) and Emma (Milioti) are vacationing in the Mayan Riviera for their 10th anniversary. Noah has been content with life, whereas Emma feels like their marriage isn't advancing. They are then pulled into an unsolved mystery of two missing persons from fifteen years ago, which tests the resolve of their marriage.

It's slightly odway, not funny like the recent Emmy award winning resort series, The White Lotus, but not as crazy as producer Sam Esmail's Mr Robot.

Was it worth the eight episode binge? Well yes and no. TV heats up in the next week or so, with 9-1-1, Atlanta, The Handmaid's Tale, Big Sky, The Cleaning Lady and more returning.

It's about to get competitive, so if rolling news coverage isn't your bag, there is so much drama on the way. Or you can always just catch up on The Crown on Netflix.

Until tomorrow! Laters!

Winter TV Finales - Only Murders in the Building - Season Two (Including a mild Binge of Season One)

A bit of a mixed blog series title for Only Murders in the Building.

Season two concluded late August, whilst season one I completely slept on in 2021 when it first aired. I also didn't have Disney+ last year, so maybe that explains it. So I in total binged all 20 season one plus season two episodes over the past few weeks. Avoiding spoilers from both season one and two.

So of course as usual no spoilers here.

The plot follows three strangers played by Steve Martin, Martin Short, and Selena Gomez, with a shared interest in a true crime podcast. In the first season, after a suspicious death in their affluent Upper West Side apartment building, the three neighbours start their own podcast about their investigation.

In the second season, the trio themselves become suspects in the bloody murder of another building resident. 

Only Murders in the Building has received numerous accolades, including nominations for the Primetime Emmy Award for Outstanding Comedy Series and for the Primetime Emmy Award for Outstanding Lead Actor in a Comedy Series for Martin and Short.

Not long ago the Hulu original was renewed for a third season.

With the Emmy's over now. The show was up against stiff competition, so potentially with a third season, the addition of Paul Rudd to the cast, maybe the series will take home an Emmy. 

I highly recommend this series. Selena Gomez with Short & Martin really works. For some weird reason it really works!

I enjoyed the comedy, the one-liners, the mystery, the residents of the building with so much murder and secrets.

If you have Disney+ add this to your watchlist now. Binge before season three lands in 2023. The past winter has really been all streaming services. Sadly the USA network channels have really dropped the ball with any quality US summer series in 2022.

With the Queen coverage being questioned, news and reality TV shows getting worse and worse, is network TV almost dead? Finally?

Winter TV Finales - American Horror Stories - Season Two

American Horror Stories concluded last Friday, meaning the majority of the eight episode second season aired in Winter, making it one of the last posts in the Winter TV Finales series.

Created by Ryan Murphy + Brad Falchuk for FX on Hulu, the second season premiered on  late July.

The eight episodes were seriously hit and miss. My favourites had to be Aura, Bloody Mary and the finale, Lake.

The season featured a wild variety of Murphy's familiar faces across the stories this season. Including Nico Greetham, Cody Fern, Denis O'Hare, Matt Lasky, Gabourey Sidibe, Max Greenfield, Austin Woods, Seth Gabel, Rebecca Dayan, Cameron Cowperthwaite, Spencer Neville and Teddy Sears, Kristine Froseth, Houston Jax Towe, Abby Corrigan, Simone Recasner, Maryssa Menendez, Emily Morales-Cabrera, Caitlin Dulany, Joel Swetow, Lily Rohren, Vince Yap, Nancy Linehan Charles, Bella Thorne, Anthony De La Torre, Billie Bodega, Julia Schlaepfer, Addison Timlin, Ian Sharkey, Dominique Jackson, Quvenzhané Wallis, Raven Scott, Kyla Drew, Kyanna Simone, Shane Callahan, Ryan D. Madison, Tiffany Yvonne Cox, Judith Light, Britt Lower, Todd Waring, Cornelia Guest, Madison Iseman, Jeff Doucette, Sara Silva, Jessika Van, Chelsea M. Davis, Alicia Silverstone, Olivia Rouyre, Bobby Hogan, Heather Wynters and Jarrod Crawford.

For me the most interesting were Alicia Silverstone in Lake and Gabourey Sidibe in Aura.

I think I enjoyed more episodes in season one. This season felt a little rushed, unfinished and short of scares.

To be honest across cinema and screen we have so much horror to choose from right now, I would struggle to recommend some of these episodes.

Here is hoping the upcoming season of American Horror Story is more focused along with more importantly more scary!

Album of the (NEXT) Week - SAMPA THE GREAT - {As Above, So Below}

The (Non) Masked (Home) Cinema 2022 - Triple Feature

Three films across three streaming services. Well Peacock isn't available here, however hopefully it will be coming to Stan soon. 

They/Them - 

They/Them (pronounced They-Slash-Them, get the slasher reference) is written and directed by John Logan, while being produced by Jason Blum under the Blumhouse Productions banner. 

Starring Theo Germaine, Carrie Preston, Anna Chlumsky, Austin Crute, Quei Tann, Anna Lore, Cooper Koch, Monique Kim, Darwin del Fabro, Hayley Griffith, Boone Platt, Mark Ashworth & The Following/City on a Hill star Kevin Bacon.

They/Them follows a group of LGBTQ teens who are targeted by a masked killer while attending a conversion camp.So far, it has received mixed reviews from critics, who complimented its inclusive cast and subject matter but found the execution of the story lacking.

In the slasher/horror genre right now, it's a busy, crowded market. I myself have seen two B grade horror films at the cinema in the past week alone.

Does it stand out? Original? Not really, however Kevin Bacon still has it. As I watch City on a Hill week to week, there really is something about him. It might not be perfect, however there is something horrid about a conversion camp on a river.

2.5 Stars.

The Gray Man - 

The Gray Man based on the 2009 novel of the same name by Mark Greaney, was a huge hit on Netflix recently. It took me three attempts, stop/start, stop/start to get through the two plus hour action film. Like some other streaming service films, I may have actually enjoyed this more if I saw it at the cinema.

Starring Ryan Gosling, Chris Evans, Ana de Armas, Jessica Henwick, Regé-Jean Page, Wagner Moura, Julia Butters, Dhanush, Alfre Woodard, & Billy Bob Thornton. 

The Gray Man focuses on the CIA Agent “Sierra Six”, who is on the run from sociopathic ex-CIA Agent and mercenary Lloyd Hansen upon discovering corrupt secrets about his superior.

The production budget of the film was around $200 million, it is among the most expensive films made by Netflix. The film will be followed by a sequel, with Gosling reprising his role, as well as a spin-off.

Will I take a look at the sequel, maybe Gosling is strong and fit AF.

I think for the sequel I may look out for the limited cinema release.

2.5 Stars mostly for the awesome opening Bangkok action scene. That was exceptional.

Prey - 

Prey is yet another horror film, however Prey is based on the Predator franchise. 

This is the fifth instalment and is a prequel to the first four films, being set in the Northern Great Plains in North America in 1719. 

Prey stars Amber Midthunder, Dakota Beavers, Michelle Thrush, Stormee Kipp, Julian Black Antelope, Bennett Taylor, and Dane DiLiegro. 

The story revolves around Naru, a skilled Comanche warrior, who is striving to prove herself as a hunter. She finds herself having to protect her people from a vicious, humanoid alien that hunts humans for sport, as well as from French fur traders who are destroying the Buffalo they rely on for survival.

Prey was also released on Disney+ Star internationally on August 5.

So it's taken me a minute to get around to reviewing all these streaming features. This was my favourite of the three. Disney+ is really serving up some excellent content courtesy of Hulu or their other partners.

I'm not the world's biggest Predator fan, however if you have basic knowledge of the film series, this will be easy to follow.

The action really ramps up in the last forty minutes with a whole lot going down.

Only two sittings to get through this streaming feature. 3 Stars.

Check out all the trailers below. Until next time.

Winter TV Finales - The Rehearsal - Season One

The Rehearsal is the most original series I have watched all Winter long. Well I actually binged it all late August/early September after the sixth and final episode had aired.

Good news was it has already been renewed for a second season.

Created, written, and directed by and starring Nathan Fielder, the series premiered on HBO/Binge (Australia) on my birthday, July 15, 2022. 

The Rehearsal features Nathan Fielder helping ordinary people rehearse difficult conversations or life events through the use of sets and actors hired to recreate real situations. The situations can be trivial, like confessing to a lie about educational history, or more complex, like raising a child.

Fielder commissions extravagant sets with every detail recreated. He hires actors to inhabit these sets and practice different dialogue trees with his clients dozens of times. Information used to train the actors and build the sets is often collected without the subjects' knowledge.

Its really and truly like nothing else on any other streaming service. Angela was bat shit crazy but I did end up feel sorry for child actor, Remy. A young boy who plays Angela's fake child. This kind of made the show awkward AF towards the end.

I did enjoy the six episodes. They went by very fast. It was an intriguing series, concept and project by Nathan Fielder.

I will be very interested to see what they do with season two. HBO is currently on a roll. House of Dragon is killing the ratings and hype machine, Industry is a compelling hyper-sexual UK workplace co-pro while The White Lotus is due to return next month.

The Rehearsal is an easy binge, so funnily enough it streams now on Binge!

The Masked Cinema 2022 - The Invitation

The Invitation is another horror film to grace our screens in 2022. Starring Nathalie Emmanuel and Thomas Doherty, The Invitation is inspired by the novel Dracula by Bram Stoker.

Telling the story of a young woman who, after her mother's death, meets long lost-family members for the first time, only to discover the dark secrets they carry with them.

The Invitation has received generally mixed reviews from critics.

Was it any good? Were there many jump scares? Not really. Once you figured out Vampires were in the mix, it kind of lost its way. However it was slightly more enjoyable than the other horror film I saw in the past week.

With Bodies Bodies Bodies still to come, have we had too many horror films this year? I am starting to feel like superhero films, we may need a little less horror until 2023 maybe.

Shall you take up an invitation to see this film? Maybe not cause I feel it is being bumped for the next release. Passable, only just. 2.5 Stars.

Winter TV Finales - The Chi - Season Five

The Chi was recently renewed for a sixth season, making the semi climatic season five finale a little more interesting.

In the finale, we got a wedding, a main character running for councilman and possibly the launch of a music career.

The life in a neighborhood on the South Side of Chicago from Lena Waithe has been one of the staples on cable network Showtime.

The series commenced in 2018 with handsome Jacob Latimore as Emmett Washington being one of the OG stars who has lasted the entire five seasons.

With a sixth season on the way the interesting storyline will be Luke James as Victor "Trig" Taylor running for city councilman. He has a new woman, is Reg and Jake's estranged older brother while giving his truth in the final minutes of the season five finale.

I enjoyed this season, there was less drama than previous seasons, more focus on the main cast and their daily lives. Emmett's love life was of course at the centre of it all too, with his playful, cheating days maybe behind him. The Chi is a beautiful winter series that will hopefully return May or June (like the previous last three seasons) in 2023.

A number of The Chi seasons stream on Disney+.

#RATED - Autumn/Winter Binged 2022

Back in March you scored my Summer TV finales top 35. Yes that's right 35 series. Autumn I dropped one number to 34!

The Winter TV Finales are coming soon as a number of finales are incoming, yet to be aired, while I follow the more European/US season change over. So by September 21, expect my big fat list of Winter series. For now, here is a pile of series I binged through the last six months.

From streaming platforms, to get free trials of Disney+ and Apple TV+, so I could catch up on previous titles I missed. Here we go, a first a Disney+ is the number series of the last few months catch up TV.

1. Life & Beth - Seasons One (Winter Binged)
2. Peacemaker - Season One (Winter Binged)
3. The Woman in the House Across the Street from the Girl in the Window - miniseries (Autumn Binged)
4. Underbelly: Vanishing Act - miniseries (Winter Binged)
5. And Just Like That…. - Season One (Winter Binged)
6. Reacher - Season One (Autumn Binged)
7. American Rust  - Season One (Recently renewed, saved by Amazon Freevee) (Autumn Binged)
8. One of Us Is Lying - Season One (Winter Binged)
9. Nancy Drew - Seasons One - Three (Winter Binged)
10. Search Party - Season One - Five (Autumn Binged)
11. Joe vs. Carole - miniseries (Winter Binged)
12. Sort Of  - Season One (Autumn Binged)
13. Made for Love - Seasons One - Season Two (Winter Binged)
14. Starstruck - Season Two (Autumn Binged)
15. We Own This City - miniseries (Winter Binged)
16. Bust Down - Season One (Winter Binged)
17. Bling Empire - Season Two (Winter Binged)

Album of the Week - STELLA DONNELLY - {Flood}

 

The Masked Cinema 2022 - Orphan: First Kill

Orphan: First Kill serves as a prequel to the 2009 film Orphan. Starring Isabelle Fuhrman reprising her role as Esther alongside Julia Stiles, Rossif Sutherland, Hiro Kanagawa & Matthew Finlan.

Orphan: First Kill opened in some cinemas in the USA whilst also streaming via Paramount+. I feel it does belong as a streaming service original film, not so much as a full cinema release. Like it's OK, I jumped once, but it's not great.

Film critics praised the film's twists, practical effects (in regard to de-aging Fuhrman without CGI), and Fuhrman's performance, but some criticized its story and inconsistencies.

It did have moments of feeling a little like a midday movie at times, whilst the ending is just super neat and tidy.

It is violent in parts, whilst also holding back in others. The movie at times felt a little slow compared to recent horror films I have taken in.

Horror is definitely the genre of the moment with The Invitation screening now, whilst Bodies, Bodies, Bodies is incoming!

If you were a fan (and can remember) of the OG Orphan film, you may enjoy this, however it's not really worth the full price of a cinema ticket.

I don't know why but Netflix and other streaming service original films, has sort of cheapened the cinema experience. Speaking of, I will have a triple blog post for Prey, The Gray Man and Them/They coming up this week. 

All in all, Orphan: First Kill is OK, there is an interesting twist but I can't honestly give this a pass score. So I will give this bad boy/girl, 2 Stars.

Winter TV Finales - Rap Sh!t - Season One

Issa Rae's next chapter after Insecure has just concluded it's first season,  Rap Sh!t (pronounced "Rap Shit"). The latest HBO Max, I smashed over the cooler months. Who I am I kidding it's still fucking cold!

Hello Spring, where are you?

The eight episode, first season centres around two Miami-based rappers (portrayed by Aida Osman and KaMillion) who try to find success in the music industry. The series landed on Binge in Australia late July, concluding this Friday.

Following Mia Knight and Shawna Clark, two estranged high school friends from Miami who come back together to form a rap duo.

Similar to Insecure, each episode title of the season begins with the same phrase.

Feeling a lot like the story (and setting) of Duo Yung Miami and JT AKA City Girls, they also serve as co-executive producers with Kevin "Coach K" Lee and Pierre "P" Thomas (QC Films), and Sara Rastogi (Hoorae).

So it's no surprise the series is inspired by the story of the City Girls' founding and later success.

I enjoyed all eight easy to watch 30 minute(ish) episodes. The music (like Insecure) is loud, upbeat and wild. The setting of Miami is also a nice change from LA and New York. The heat, the wild nights, all captured across the first season.

I am really hoping with all of HBO Max's issues right now, I really hope a second season is on the cards.

Rap Sh!t, season one streams now on Binge.

Winter Binged 2022 - One of Us Is Lying - Season One

One of Us Is Lying is possibly the best Peacock title I have watched thus far. For real.

In Australia, the series streams exclusively on Stan, with a second season which is set to premiere on October 20, 2022. Which I believe all episodes will land on that day. Again the series will have an eight episode second season.

Based on the 2017 novel of the same name by Karen M. McManus, One of Us Is Lying follows five high school students who enter detention, where one of them dies under suspicious circumstances and an investigation ensues. 

Starring Mark McKenna as Simon, Annalisa Cochrane, Chibuikem Uche, Marianly Tejada, and Cooper van Grootel, Barrett Carnahan, Jessica McLeod, and Melissa Collazo. 

The first season landed last October and was met with generally positive reviews from critics. 

Filming for the Peacock original took place in Vancouver for episode one, whilst the remaining episodes moved to New Zealand for filming.

The basic plot is, at Bayview High, five students—Simon (Mark McKenna), Addy (Annalisa Cochrane), Cooper (Chibuikem Uche), Bronwyn (Marianly Tejada), and Nate (Cooper van Grootel)—are given detention. Simon, known for starting an online gossip group with his friend Janae (Jessica McLeod) to snitch on his classmates, suffers a sudden and fatal allergic reaction. 

The other four students had individual motives and reasons to kill Simon, and after it is determined his death was not an accident, an investigation ensues.

Episode eight starts a whole new situation meaning season two was most likely always going to happen. It is a typical Gossip Girl high school drama with jocks, popular kids, etc. It kind of felt like a less sexy Elite.

I enjoyed the series, it was a mostly easy watch with the killer, reveal well done in episode eight. Of course the scenery, surrounds look beautiful from episode one in Vancouver, moving to our neighbouring nation, home of Les Mills, New Zealand.

All eight episodes stream on Stan now, get set for another season next month. Hopefully I can binge the shit out of that closer to it's release date!

Winter Binged 2022 - Bust Down - Season One

From the outstanding Life & Beth to Bust Down on Stan. The Winter Binged 2022 series is almost done and dusted, hello Spring! Well officially in Australia it is Spring today! However I will continue Winter TV Finales for the next week or so. A few great series are coming to a close this week. The Chi and Rap Sh!t take a bow whilst there are a few other series I'd like to smash that aired over the last few months.

Now to Bust Down starring Langston Kerman, Jak Knight, Chris Redd, and Sam Jay, that aired on Peacock back in March, 2022. Stan currently has an exclusive agreement for all Peacock originals right now.

Bust Down follows a group of friends working low-wage jobs at a casino in Gary, Indiana. Described  as predominantly about friendship and their intention for the show's comedy to be raunchy, irreverent, and complicated.

All six episodes were released simultaneously, whilst there is no word of a second season or more episodes on the way. My opinion will be there will be no more episodes of this off beat comedy.

I'd be super interested to know how many others on Stan have given this series a go. It has however received mainly positive critical reception, while holding a score of 76/100 on Metacritic.

Richard Roeper maybe gave the best review of Bust Down. Giving the series 3/4 stars and hailed the "biting social commentary, some ridiculously effective over-the-top physical shtick and a steady stream of laugh-out-loud moments" but also noted that the show "“will have some viewers bailing within the first 10 minutes of the premiere episode.

I don't think I can recommend this as much as I did Disney+'s Life & Beth.

Until next time. BYE Winter, HELLO Spring!