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sablebrush52

The Bard Of Barlings
Jun 15, 2013
19,632
44,863
Southern Oregon
jrs457.wixsite.com
My boxset of 'Alistair Cooke's America' arrived this morning.

It is 10 hours + 50 minutes spread over 4 discs.

I vaguely recall watching some episodes back in the day but much better recall Alistair's 'Letter From America' weekly radio programme and that was always top notch. It ran for 58 years so that should speak for itself.

The DVD set is Cooke's take on America as seen through his eyes from the first European settlers up to the early 1970's. I remember well his smooth and calm voice and the way he spoke to you, kind of like an avuncular figure.

I have not watched it yet but have no doubt this will be a 9/10 for me.

For those too young to remember, Alistair Cooke was a Brit who settled in America, he died 2004 aged 95.

Regards,

Jay.

View attachment 139720
A wonderful series made at a time when we weren't so invested in hating each other.
 

monty55

Lifer
Apr 16, 2014
1,722
3,560
65
Bryan, Texas
I recently finished watching the series Boardwalk Empire. I really enjoyed the story, the acting, and the sets 5/5

I'm presently watching the series Blacklist. It's entertaining enough to keep my interest so far. 4/5

I also watch Picard on Paramount +. I'm kinda a Star Trek fan so yes, I like it, and probably most Trek fans will. 4/5

I'm a Halo fan, so I've been watching the new series on Paramount +. It's different than the game due to the need to make it entertaining from a TV series point of view, but I like it anyway 4/5
 

workman

Lifer
Jan 5, 2018
2,793
4,219
The Faroe Islands
We're watching Taboo on Netflix, I and my wife.
I'm conflicted about it. It's very dark, bleak and colorless and nearly devoid of likeable characters, including the lead by Tom Hardy. It's also well made, the villains are delightfully evil, some of the female characters are delightfully delightful (to me) and the prince regent of Britain (the year is 1814 and he is future king George 4.) is fantastically disgusting.
We're about 6 episodes in and I give it 3/5.
 
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Streeper541

Lifer
Jun 16, 2021
3,043
19,232
43
Spencer, OH
Emperor (2013) w/ Tommy Lee Jones & Matthew Fox available on Paramount+

Overview: After Emperor Hirohito's World War II surrender, General MacArthur suddenly finds himself the ruler of a foreign nation. He asks his advisor to provide evidence to decide if the Emperor should be punished or saved. Emperor unfolds a story, inspired by true events, of the bold and secret moves that helped win the peace in the shadows of postwar Japan. Based on the book His Majesty's Salvation by Shiro Okamoto.

Review: It humanized the legend of General MacArthur as well as Emperor Hirohito. Dramatized, but well made account of events. Tommy Lee Jones gave a very strong performance, as usual, but the focus of the movie was not on him, as the trailer and poster would have you presume, it was on Matthew Fox's General Fellers. Other than the romantic subplot involving Fox, which is indeed part of the true tale, I enjoyed the film.

3.5/5*

 
Minx, HBOMax, a series set in the 70's where a women's lib advocate wants to start a magazine, but the only publisher that would give her a chance was a low budget porn rag peddler. It is hilarious. It has always perplexed me how half of all women's rights folks say that porn objectifies women, and the other half take control of porn saying that it liberates them. This series deals with that, in an entertaining way, giving lightness to more serious concepts. You guys won't like the nudity, but seeing the other character's reactions to it, made me actually laugh out LOUD. 5/5
1649944662312.png

On Amazon, "Clarkson's Farm". A 5 out of five in my book!
This one is next on my list. I love Jeremy Clarkson... TOPGEAR!!!
 

mawnansmiff

Lifer
Oct 14, 2015
7,385
7,295
Sunny Cornwall, UK.
I would so love to watch the Cooke opus again, but apparently it's streaming only on DirecTV!
John, you could always buy it on good old fashioned DVD as I did. Cost me all of £4:16 delivered....so almost 11 hours entertainment for about the price of a pint in the pub......now that's what I call value for money :col:

Regards,

Jay.
 
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shanez

Lifer
Jul 10, 2018
5,188
24,084
49
Las Vegas
Been binge watching North Woods Law when my wife and/or daughter haven't taken control of the TV.

I give it 4.5 out of 5 if you like this sort of thing. You'll quickly develop preferences for different officers featured based on their personalities and how they handle situations. The vast majority have been for more easy going and forgiving than I expected.

The episodes where they have to recover a body can be a bit tough, especially when it's a kid. Sometimes we forget or don't realize the additional crap our emergency services have to handle.

North_Woods_Law.jpg
 
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jpmcwjr

Moderator
Staff member
May 12, 2015
24,570
27,081
Carmel Valley, CA
John, you could always buy it on good old fashioned DVD as I did. Cost me all of £4:16 delivered....so almost 11 hours entertainment for about the price of a pint in the pub......now that's what I call value for money :col:

Regards,

Jay.
I agree, Jay.

But a long time ago (measured by technical advances) I stopped with laser disks in favor of DVDs, then abandoned those in favor of Blue-Ray disks. I stopped those in favor of HD broadcasts, and to the extent possible, stopped 2k broadcasts in favor of 4k (UHD) ones, as well as streaming both.

So right now I have only a hand full of BRDs, and the player isn't even hooked up.

I realize I give up a few classics, but they'll show up in HD or even UHD someday. I can wait; I have more than enough to watch now.
 

renfield

Lifer
Oct 16, 2011
4,231
31,391
Kansas
Just finished re-watching the first 5 seasons of Better Call Saul. Each season better than the previous. 5/5 without doubt.

Now going retro with the old TV series Emergency! Lots of great vintage cars and interiors. Some amusingly cheesy acting from the people with bit parts. The cast seems to enjoy working together. 3/5+ overall.

4/5 in the simple entertainment category.
 

mawnansmiff

Lifer
Oct 14, 2015
7,385
7,295
Sunny Cornwall, UK.
How about rating it after you've seen it?? And the scale is on 5.
John, your scale may well be 5, mine happens to be 10 I'm afraid, it allows more scale.

Well I've now watched it (Alistair Cooke's America DVD set) and it was actually better than expected. Though I know it was filmed back in the 1970's, if I didn't know that it could just have easily been filmed 5 years ago such was the quality of the video. No doubt cleaned up in some hi tech lab somewhere.

The list of locations was enormous and very impressive, all pertaining to the topic he was talking about and delivered in his typical relaxed style.

Easily a 9/10 score & highly recommended to anyone either side of the Atlantic.

Regards,

Jay.
 
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