April TV Finales - Q Into the Storm

Q: Into the Storm is for me this years Tiger King. With bat shit characters (real life Americans) and even crazier followers. Just look at Marjorie Taylor Greene! Fuck me there is a reason in itself not to visit Georgia.

The HBO miniseries/documentary is directed and produced by Cullen Hoback. Exploring the QAnon conspiracy theory, consisting of six episodes that concluded this past week.

I think I have only come across one person who reads into QAnon but I imagine there are some closet Q fans out there.

Even here in Australia this bat shit mob terrifies me. 

You don't get many answers from this six part series, but you do learn about the weird online world of 8chan or the attraction to people with similar ideas when those ideas are just so, so strange.

I am not here to shame QAnon followers, but to pled to them to get out there and realise Donald J Trump is no hero. He is not the guy going to put all the bad guys/gals away. He is a former president. He is a sad old, failed businessman who is behind failed casinos, Trump university as well as Trump steaks.

He is big talk, all talk, no substance. How is that wall? How is the swamp? Seems pretty murky to me?

All those promises, all that bravado. It just left America more divided, more of a joke to the rest of the world and China becoming the worlds biggest super power.

If you want to understand what lockdowns and social isolation can do to gullible people, this is for you. As Australia continues to live a little more freely than other nations, embrace your community, talk to people, don't believe everything online.

An interesting and addictive six part series proving HBO is not just the king of high production dramas. Streaming on Binge in Australia now.

Return to Cinema 2021 - The Courier

The Courier stars Benedict Cumberbatch as Greville Wynne, a British businessman who was recruited by the Secret Intelligence Service to deliver messages to secret agent Oleg Penkovsky (played by Merab Ninidze) in the 1960s.

The Courier had its world premiere under its original title Ironbark at the Sundance Film Festival on 24 January 2020, whilst landing in Australia cinemas just before Easter.

The film received generally favorable reviews from critics, but what do I think. Watch the trailer below and find out!

A truly traditional spy film, with Benedict Cumberbatch caught in the middle of all the action. Based on true events, however not sure how close to the facts the film is.

In a tense film, the movie travels between the UK and Russia with the Americans getting into the mix.

Over on Rotten Tomatoes, the film holds an approval rating of 86%, my review is fairly solid too, 3.5 Stars.

April TV Finales - The Walking Dead - Season 10

The tenth season of The Walking Dead, really hobbled to a sad ending. No cliffhanger, no drama and six bonus episodes that were such super slow burns. Bring on the final season in August.

Yes the 11th and final season will be for the final 24 episodes from August 22, 2021. 

Making it the first season of the series to start before October.

This season adapts material from issues #145–174 of the comic book series and focuses on the group's preparation and war against the Whisperers. Set several months after the massacre perpetrated by Alpha (Samantha Morton) during the community fair, the season focuses on the united communities as they initiate a fight in order to end the threat of the Whisperers.

The tenth season is the final season for series regular Danai Gurira, who has portrayed Michonne since the third season.

As the OG cast and earlier fan favourite cast members are dropping like flies the Walking Dead is relying on Carol and Daryl (a spin off show with the two has already been announced, so expect them to live through the 24 final episodes) to carry the show.

Negan (one of the best villains and overall characters) is almost dull now, however the finale with his back story was almost the best part of the entire series. However the recent back story/solo cast member episodes have been fairly awful. Clearly filmed during COVID times, the days of big ambitious zombie sequences scenes are gone.

Episodes have sparse numbers of characters featured and the dialogue is limited.

Once the biggest show on cable TV in the USA, like Game of Thrones one could see this completing limping to its final episode.

I for one am looking forward to seeing how they will wrap this one up.

Return to Cinema 2021 - Nobody

Nobody is the latest action film which has some serious John Wick vibes. The film has also just done something that doesn't happen much in 2021, it has made it's budget back. Grossing $21 million worldwide along with generally positive reviews praising Odenkirk's performance.

Nobody stars Bob Odenkirk, Connie Nielsen, RZA, Aleksei Serebryakov, and Christopher Lloyd.

Nobody follows a man who helps a stranger being harassed by a group of men, only to become the target of a vengeful drug lord.

The film is directed by Ilya Naishuller and written by Derek Kolstad. Naishuller discussed the potential of a crossover film featuring Nobody and the John Wick franchise, of which Nobody screenwriter Derek Kolstad was the screenwriter for the first three films, and of which Nobody producer David Leitch previously co-directed the first John Wick film, expressing interest in the possibility based on the films' similar tones.

I am a huge John Wick fan, so it was no surprise I enjoyed this 92 minute action ride. Of course Nobody gave us a car chase, of course there was blood, or course there were interesting ways to break bones. Its Hollywood action right.

The film took a little bit to get into action, but then it goes HAM.

Nobody is probably one of the best films to be released since the cinemas went dark. If you need an escape from the school holidays or the Easter show, Nobody rates a violent AF 3.5 Stars.

March TV Finales - Riverdale - Mid-Season Finale

Like Superman & Lois before it, Riverdale is also at a Mid-Season Finale. However rumour has it, it's not returning until July! Shock horror! What will we do without the show that completely jumped the shark this season thus far!

Season five has been bat shit crazy! OK they are out of high school, but the series is nuts AF!

Already confirmed for a sixth season the madness of Riverdale will live long into 2022. This season basically started with the remaining episodes of last seasons abrupt ending. Now with a flash forward we see Riverdale run by the former students.

There are UFO rumours, partner swapping parties, serial killers and a few new faces.

Apparently it's still huge internationally on Netflix, whilst on its US broadcaster The CW the show is flatlining on live viewers.

Season five we have continued to have scenes built around Archie with his shirt off. Look I love to see KJ Apa's abs as much as the next viewer, however some of these scenes are just gay baiting now.

Fangs and Kevin's mature relationship is also a little annoying this season, whilst I see the producers trying to work in Katy Keene stories despite the show being killed off after one season.

Riverdale is a show me and a neighbour consider our lame Thursday night (Australian airdate) event TV moment.

So until July when the remain 9 (episode count TBA) episodes air we wait for the next situation where Archie needs to have his shirt off.

Return to Cinema 2021 - The Father

The Father reminds me of French Exit I saw recently. No frills but a real acting masterclass. The film lends itself to being a one set play. So it's no surprise it is based on Florian Zeller, based on his 2012 play Le Père. Florian Zeller co-wrote and directed the film starring screen icons Anthony Hopkins and Olivia Colman.

The Father follows an Hopkins who must deal with his progressing memory loss. Colman is sublime as Hopkins daughter, Anne.

In theatre release news Australia is getting this months ahead of the UK. With a June 11 release in the UK.

The film was acclaimed by critics, who lauded the performances of Hopkins and Colman, as well as its portrayal of dementia. 

The film earned six nominations at the 93rd Academy Awards, including Best Picture, Best Actor (Hopkins), and Best Supporting Actress (Colman). 

Whilst at the 78th Golden Globe Awards, the film received four nominations, including Best Motion Picture – Drama, and at the 74th British Academy Film Awards received six nominations, including Best Film.

The Father is an interesting watch, it also plays a bit with the viewers mind. Highly enjoyable Good Friday/Easter viewing. 4 Stars.

March TV Finales - Snowpiercer - Season 2

Snowpiercer is one of those shows I discovered on Netflix during the craziness of 2020. The TNT (Netflix in Australia) series is based on both the 2013 film of the same name, directed by Bong Joon-ho (yes the Parasite guru).

Rowan Blanchard, Steven Ogg and Sean Bean also joined Jennifer Connelly and Daveed Diggs in the second season.

Prior to studio shutdowns that occurred due to the outbreak of the COVID-19 pandemic in the United States, most of the second season's production was completed. The second season premiered late January, concluding late March. Hence my post title March TV Finale. I know it's April Fools/April already.

The series has also been renewed for a third season, set to air in 2022? Well maybe who knows. There was barely six months between seasons one and two. Which is almost a miracle given how little can be filmed at present.

I'm a little lost with this series, it was easier binging all ten season one episodes. Watching it week to week followed by a random week off then a double finale week was tougher to keep up with the plots.

I can't say I am on the edge of my seat waiting for season three. TNT has some fine programming Animal Kingdom, Claws and formerly the Dallas remake. 

Snowpiercer is one of those shows you sometimes pop on, then find yourself buried deep, deep in your phone.

It looks good, despite most episodes being shot in tiny confined train carriages. If you are looking for a good binge over Easter, this might not be the best, but it's a show you should really just go back to back episodes with.

A COVID discovery was maybe more interesting the first time around given how bored we were in 2020. I will still give season three a go. I can't guarantee I won't be more focused on my phone though.