What are You Watching? [2023] Please Rate 1-5
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The North Water on AMC through Prime. It took us three episodes to realize that one of the main characters was Collin Farrell. Lots of pipe smoking, cussing, and violence, but a few incidents that are uncomfortable. 4/5 stars.
Edit: Mrs Cosmic reminded me that the series ended horribly, so maybe a 3/5 is a better score. I enjoyed watching it, but the ending does suck.
Edit: Mrs Cosmic reminded me that the series ended horribly, so maybe a 3/5 is a better score. I enjoyed watching it, but the ending does suck.
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I’ve been watching “Once Upon A Time In Northern Ireland” on Nova on PBS this week. I’ve read a fair amount about the “Troubles” and Irish/British history and got some insight first hand from a taxi driver who took us on a Black Taxi Tour in a Belfast a few years ago (he and his family were very directly affected). It was heartbreaking yet entertaining - quite a guy but also it was obvious he was in the very early stages of dementia so hope he’s doing okay (yes, I’m too familiar with what’s involved with that via family and friends). Amazing to me how oblivious I was in my youth and even university days about most of it. This show is pretty sobering and it is mostly people from different backgrounds giving their recollections and sometimes horrific in nature. 5/5*
Over the last 2 evenings I watched 'Island At War' (6x70 minute episodes on 2 discs) which is about the German occupation of the Channel Islands in 1940.
Set on the fictional island of St. Gregory, it follows the islander's lives as they come to terms with the occupying German forces. Well acted but did the Germans really speak such perfect English?
An interesting drama that I thought ended rather abruptly, then I discovered the writer of the series died shortly after it was shown on UK TV so no chance of another season.
Well worth 4/5 from this armchair viewer.
Regards,
Jay.
Set on the fictional island of St. Gregory, it follows the islander's lives as they come to terms with the occupying German forces. Well acted but did the Germans really speak such perfect English?
An interesting drama that I thought ended rather abruptly, then I discovered the writer of the series died shortly after it was shown on UK TV so no chance of another season.
Well worth 4/5 from this armchair viewer.
Regards,
Jay.
Last night I watched another brilliant documentary courtesy of PBS America. Entitled The Harlem Hellfighters, it was all about the 369th Infantry Regiment (also known as The Black Rattlers) that was almost wholly made up of African Americans.
Although they suffered huge losses in WW I trenches, they were a highly effective fighting force and garnered much respect from the French to whom they were attached.
A fascinating glimpse into a forgotten part of history, easily worth 5/5 on the scoreboard.
Regards,
Jay.
Although they suffered huge losses in WW I trenches, they were a highly effective fighting force and garnered much respect from the French to whom they were attached.
A fascinating glimpse into a forgotten part of history, easily worth 5/5 on the scoreboard.
Regards,
Jay.
Just finished watching The Invaders again, once every decade or so. Classic show, classic opening. 5 for it being ahead of it's time in a lot of ways, great plot and story arc.
Officer and a Gentleman and I’d forgotten his good it is. Rating is 5
Star Wars Ahsoka - 2.5/5
Wheel of Time season2 - 3/5
Foundation season2 - 2.5/5
Star Trek Lower Decks season4 - 4/5
Wheel of Time season2 - 3/5
Foundation season2 - 2.5/5
Star Trek Lower Decks season4 - 4/5
Last night I watched the 2020 film 'Ammonite' which was based upon the real life Mary Anning (1799-1847), the lady who furnished the British Museum and museums across Europe with her fossil finds at Lyme (now Lyme Regis) on Dorset's Jurassic coast.
Living forever on the brink of poverty, Mary scratched a living by collecting these fossils and selling them to make and meet.
A fascinating biopic that was a tad over embellished in places, still, a worthy 5/5 from this particular fossil.
Regards,
Jay.
Living forever on the brink of poverty, Mary scratched a living by collecting these fossils and selling them to make and meet.
A fascinating biopic that was a tad over embellished in places, still, a worthy 5/5 from this particular fossil.
Regards,
Jay.
We are watching the Sopranos for the first time. I usually don't like mafia stuff, but we decided to finally give this one a chance. Ehhh, it's ok. I like the psychological angle, but I hate the characters beside Tony. I saw another series with Van Zandt set in Norway a few years ago. I just don't think he is a very good actor. The rest of the characters are well acted, I just can't stand the personalities. I keep screaming in my head, "don't hang around with these morons." But, I guess all mafiosi are morons to begin with. Why else would anyone make a large sum of money from stupid things and not eventually go legit? Maybe, because they are stupid. That's right mafia goons are morons. Send the goombah's after me. I am pretty sure a child could outsmart one of these dumbasses.
4.5/5 stars. Max
4.5/5 stars. Max
Interesting, it might be an East Coast thing. I've encountered these "bent nose" type characters over the years working near Philly/NYC Baltimore, so I found the show interesting.
When I was opening a NJ Turnpike Travel Plaza, I observed that the electricians showed up at 7 AMand got a time card from a gentleman of a certain ethnic persuasion. I asked the Travel Plaza manager, whats his story. He said no one knows, he just shows up in the morning and clocks everyone in, leaves and comes back at 4 PM to clock everyone out. He added "we stay clear of him". I later determined it was a "no show" job they gave crime family members as way to generate legitimate income and insurance.
The NYC pipe club met at a restaurant called "Florios" in Little Italy (now closed). In the store front, there were always several large gentleman smoking cigars and eating. I never saw anyone pay. A club member said, just walk past those guys, don't engage.
When the RYO thing was big, with these cigarette rolling clubs springing up, the guys who were running them were obviously Italians with thick Jersey accents, bent noses and track suits. The whole thing was very "underground" feeling, down to the huge machines that rolled the cigs. I just didn't understand how they were making very much money. We paid $20 a month, and they had to pay the goon at the door, rent, utilities, etc... Seemed like a poor business decision.
Even on that show, they had obviously made a lot of money... why keep robbing trucks for mere thousands in payouts at a time? Even selling drugs isn't going to pay out as much as a legit business endeavor once you have a million in beans to play with. I just don't get it.
Binging on "Shakespeare & Hathaway." Usually 4, sometimes 5 but, so far entertaining.
A new season of Mrs. Brown's Boys has debuted on Britbox!! First new season in 9 years and just funny as hell!
5 out of 5
5 out of 5
Been binge watching MI-5 on Britbox. It's a bit slick, but still quite enjoyable. Worth a look.
3.75 out of 5
3.75 out of 5
Last night I watched Cape Fear, a film that I would vote to be the best psychological thriller ever to come out of Hollywood.
With stunning performances by Robert De Nero, Nick Nolte, the coquettish Juliette Lewis, this film will never again give me the pleasure of watching it for the first time (that was some years ago) but whenever it comes up on TV, I'll watch it.
De Nero's scene at the end where he is speaking in tongues as he drowns was the best moment in my eyes.
An absolutely rock solid 5/5.
Regards,
Jay.
With stunning performances by Robert De Nero, Nick Nolte, the coquettish Juliette Lewis, this film will never again give me the pleasure of watching it for the first time (that was some years ago) but whenever it comes up on TV, I'll watch it.
De Nero's scene at the end where he is speaking in tongues as he drowns was the best moment in my eyes.
An absolutely rock solid 5/5.
Regards,
Jay.
The 1962 original was also very good (say 4.5/5), with Robert Mitchum and Gregory Peck. But DeNiro gets the nod. I still say "Counsellor" in that drawl.
Upstart Crow, first episode, funny with great possibilities. 4-4.5
Lotta clay pipes being cold smoked.
Lotta clay pipes being cold smoked.
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