What are we watching/recommend ?

[devnull]

26 minutes ago, Nanker said:

Haven’t seen that. Will check it out. 

Only one season, 2000ish Fox network.  After you're done there was a followup movie called Serenity

[bdutton]

6 hours ago, devnull said:

Firefly

 

5 hours ago, Nanker said:

Haven’t seen that. Will check it out. 

 

5 hours ago, devnull said:

Only one season, 2000ish Fox network.  After you're done there was a followup movie called Serenity

Best goram show ever.

[stuvian]

enjoy San Pa on Netflix. True story of a drug rehab commune in Italy

[KD in CA]

On 11/4/2020 at 6:01 PM, The_Dude said:

Since it appears we have similar taste, let me recommend The Good Place. I give it a perfect 10/10. It’s on Netflix. 

 

I started watching this a few weeks ago....very clever and funny.

[The_Dude]

3 hours ago, KD in CA said:

 

I started watching this a few weeks ago....very clever and funny.

It is. The ending is surprisingly profound. Enjoy. 

[The_Dude]

On 3/12/2021 at 5:34 PM, devnull said:

South Park Vaccination Special was disappointing.  COVID even made South Park suck

Bro I had snot running down my face I was laughing so hard. Now I may have been “tripping balls” as the kids say, so I should rewatch sober....but I was DYING. 

[Robs House]

So Amazon Prime has Coming 2 America, the oh so cleverly titled sequel to the 1980s classic (at least, it's a classic to those of us who hadn't reached our teens when it came out). As a fan of the original I took the plunge.

 

**Spoilers ahead, but it's not exactly The Usual Suspects, so read on.

 

Eddie Murphy returns as Akeem, 30 years after we last saw him at his wedding with Lisa. They now have 3 daughters, and he is assuming his role as king of Zamunda. Before checking out, James Earl Jones tells him that he needs a male heir. Lisa's too old to crank out any more youngins, but fortunately for Zamundan traditionalists, we learn that Akeem has a son in America. Apparently he &#%$ed Leslie Jones during the first movie and forgot all about it because he was high or something, but somehow King Joffe knows all about it.

 

Akeem returns to America just long enough to bring his son, Lavelle, to Zamunda, and from there we get a transposed rehash of the first movie's plot structure (minus the originality, wit, and soul) only this time his son is the fish out of water from which the hilarity is to ensue. A more appropriate title would have been "Coming to Zamunda".

 

If I'm being generous I'd rate it 4/10 after throwing in a point or two for nostalgia. Despite high production quality, it feels more like a made for TV movie geared towards fan service and easter eggs than a stand alone feature film. 

 

The movie seems to struggle with determining who the protagonist should be. At times it appears to be Murphy, who is likeable enough, despite doing little to remind us that he once was funny. However, the main plot revolves around Lavelle, who we don't encounter until we're well into the movie, and who doesn't have a very compelling character arc.

 

Both have their moments, but there's nothing terribly interesting or funny about either character. Of course, there's nothing terribly interesting or funny about the rest of the cast either. The characters are mostly one dimensional, the plot is predictable and formulaic, and the humor consists mostly of tired cliches, repackaged jokes, and references to the original movie. 

 

The lack of originality is compounded by an unwillingness to take risks or push boundaries. Where the first movie was clever and a edgy, this one plays it safe. Although it doesn't go over the top on racial issues, it was clearly made with a concerted effort to stay safely within the parameters of political correctness. Ironically, it does depict some negative black stereotypes, but in true 2020s fashion it gets around this dilemma by casting them in a very positive light.

 

What the movie lacks in racial wokeness (and it doesn't lack much) it makes up for with its ever-present feminist themes. The messaging itself isn't anything offensive in substance, but they lay it on way too thick. It is so overt you halfway expect Keenan Ivory Wayans' head to pop up in front of the camera and say "Message!"

 

Overall, it may be worth watching if you're a fan of the original, but maintain low expectations going in, lest you be disappointed.

[Just Jack]

On 3/12/2021 at 5:34 PM, devnull said:

South Park Vaccination Special was disappointing.  COVID even made South Park suck

 

South Park is not as good as it used to be. For me it was after Imagination Land, when they started doing stories over several episodes. Like The Simpsons, they keep dragging it out as long as it keeps getting renewed. 

[whatdrought]

Not sure if there are any marvel fans round here, but I have enjoyed the movie and enjoyed the Wandavision miniseries, but now the virtue signaling is hard in the Falcon/Winter soldier miniseries.

 

not surprised.

 

https://www.hollywoodreporter.com/amp/heat-vision/falcon-and-the-winter-soldier-uncovers-marvels-original-sin

[IDBillzFan]

On 3/12/2021 at 3:54 PM, Ann said:

I had never seen the sixth season of Hot in Cleveland. I binge watched it this week. The show was stupid funny, and Betty White is a national treasure.

 

Was that the season that had the episode of Betty White wanting to break up with her boyfriend, Carl Reiner, because he didn't like to go downtown?

 

 

[LB3]

The Righteous Gemstones on HBO was frigging great.

[plenzmd1]

Now, for you unrefined slobs i will bring some class into this thread again. Just finished watching Ken Burns Hemingway on PBS...really very good. 

[GG1]

Could be in the Politics board, too.

 

Just ran through the six episodes of the Q-Anon doc on HBO.  Surprised that @Deranged Rhino hasn't weighed in yet.

 

I went in with eyes wide open and expecting a total hit job, yet it was fairly balanced until the end.   The surprising part to me was that they started filming it in '17 when Q was not even on the radar screen yet.  Makes you think why they picked this topic for a big budget doc at HBO for a fringe Internet phenomenon.

 

 

[KD in CA]

A few Netflix documentaries:

 

Challenger (4 part) - worth watching.  Back story of the shuttle program was interesting.  The level of negligence was even worse than I recalled.  A case study in organizational failure.

 

The is a Robbery (Boston Art Heist) (4 part) -  not great.  Dragged on and they never really got into how deep investigations went into some of the theories.   Who did it?  No one knows!

 

The College Admissions Scandal (1 part) -- quick watch, wild that one random low-life put all this together and that so many people were willing to participate in something so obviously wrong/illegal.  Makes you root for all the prison sentences that were and still are being handed out.

[Robs House]

Anyone seen Ray Donovan?

 

I'm a few episodes in and it's interesting so far but I can't tell if it's going anywhere. Wondering if it's worth pursuing.

[Joe]

I will always recommend Bosch first.

 

Six seasons out, seventh coming in the next month or so. It'll be the last. It's a shame, because it's the best fiction TV I've watched in close to 30 years. I'm not exaggerating.

 

I also like Goliath

 

A little annoyed that Luther isn't available on Britbox.

 

[Ann]

I started watching the Nevers. It is an interesting concept but Victorian steampunk peaked as a fantasy concept a few years ago.

 

The first two episodes have been a bit uneven... Josh Whedon got the boot in November and I have no idea if these were his episodes or not. 🤷‍♀️

 

I cannot say I’d recommend it at this point.

 

[Taro T]

17 hours ago, Joe said:

I will always recommend Bosch first.

 

Six seasons out, seventh coming in the next month or so. It'll be the last. It's a shame, because it's the best fiction TV I've watched in close to 30 years. I'm not exaggerating.

 

I also like Goliath

 

A little annoyed that Luther isn't available on Britbox.

 

 

Bosch is excellent.

 

Goliath has way too much, yeah, sorry, that #### would never happen to say it's good.  But Billy Bob is always entertaining.

[Taro T]

On 11/27/2020 at 11:03 PM, TakeYouToTasker 2.0 said:

Burn Notice.

 

Older show, but on Prime now.

 

One of the best I’ve seen.

 

Just finished watching that one.  Really liked the 1st 4 seasons, but the 5th started to jump the shark & the last 2 gave the impression that the writers were on an extended "let your kids do your work" stint.  

 

Only watched it to the end to see just how stupid it was going to get.  

[shrader]

I always wanted to give that show a shot simply because of Bruce Campbell. I never got around to it though.