What Are You Watching

[A Lark Ascending]

Very moving - an unlikely ending but apparently based on reality. As a kid in the 60s living on the Changi RAF base I used to regularly visit a small museum about the Japanese occupation. One of those things that sticks in your memory. 

[kinuta]

20 hours ago, jazzbo said:

Enjoyed a special premier of Falling Water. It's a bit lightweight but also interesting in the LOST category, I think I'll follow it when it starts in a few weeks.

Finished watching Arrow, Season 4 on Blu-ray and am now watching Flash, Season 2. I love escaping into these shows, they work for me, brining out the adolescent in me that is always just below the surface, and feeding him so that he can survive til the next time.

I've also enjoyed the first two weeks of Project Runway because my wife loves it so. It's great to share her joy that a new season is unfolding. I learn a lot sharing what fascinates and energizes her. 

I enjoyed Falling Water too. They've, as yet, sensibly limited it to three intertwining characters, so it was straightforward enough to follow without head scratching and nodding off.

The test will be how they develop the story. I'll continue watching.

1 hour ago, A Lark Ascending said:

Very moving - an unlikely ending but apparently based on reality. As a kid in the 60s living on the Changi RAF base I used to regularly visit a small museum about the Japanese occupation. One of those things that sticks in your memory. 

Finally someone else has commented on this one. A powerful story with considerable emotional impact.

[jlhoots]

Mr. Robot - season 2 finale

[kinuta]

Longmire Season Five

Up to episode four. A highly bingeworthy show.

[jlhoots]

1 hour ago, kinuta said:

Longmire Season Five

Up to episode four. A highly bingeworthy show.

I like it too.

Currently on Season 4, Episode 4.

Edited September 26, 2016 by jlhoots

[kinuta]

19 hours ago, jlhoots said:

Mr. Robot - season 2 finale

I thought season one got very silly indeed towards the end, so I was in two minds about watching season two.

Would you say it's worth my time?

[jlhoots]

5 hours ago, kinuta said:

I thought season one got very silly indeed towards the end, so I was in two minds about watching season two.

Would you say it's worth my time?

I will admit that I have to read recaps / reviews after each episode to figure it all out. Nonetheless, I do find it compelling. To be fair my wife hates it. Hope that helps. 

Edited September 26, 2016 by jlhoots

[JSngry]

Looks like they might be pivoting away from the fintech angle for Season 3, which would disappoint me, but, really who knows?

Then again, we're left hanging with "Phase Two" still going forward, so...it's a ride, that's for sure. So far, they've made it worth my while. Everything pays off, even if as soon as it does, it pivots into something else. Whew!

[jazzbo]

Really enjoying Flash Season 2 on Blu-ray. When broadcast here the picture is not great. I always enjoy CW shows on disc more. Zoom is a lot more bad-ass tun I noticed watching this before, and the soundtrack and effect sounds this year for Zoom is really "cool."

[A Lark Ascending]

Gaga for Dada (BBC 4)

I don't know much about Dada but this was a nice little survey carried out in a suitably absurd style by comedian Vic Reeves. Never realised how influential it was on the world of commercial advertising - when it's pointed out to you it stares you in the face. And punk was actually a form of neo-classicism. 

[Ted O'Reilly]

On ‎26‎/‎09‎/‎2016 at 9:26 PM, jlhoots said:

I like it too.

Currently on Season 4, Episode 4.

If you've read the books you'll find the casting to be quite wrong.  The only appropriate actor/role is the lead Robert Taylor (an Aussie!) as Walt Longmire.  The stories, writing, settings, etc are all fine, but the casting...?!?

[jlhoots]

3 hours ago, Ted O'Reilly said:

If you've read the books you'll find the casting to be quite wrong.  The only appropriate actor/role is the lead Robert Taylor (an Aussie!) as Walt Longmire.  The stories, writing, settings, etc are all fine, but the casting...?!?

I've read all of the books. Initially Lou Diamond Phillips struck me as wrong for Henry Standing Bear. After talking to him a few times I've gotten used to his portrayal.

Also spoke several times to Craig Johnson (the author) who seems O.K. with how the series is being handled. Season 4 is the best yet. Hopefully Season 5 will be good too.

I have no problem with the rest of the cast, although I guess Vic is supposed to be a brunette.

[Ted O'Reilly]

19 hours ago, jlhoots said:

I've read all of the books. Initially Lou Diamond Phillips struck me as wrong for Henry Standing Bear. After talking to him a few times I've gotten used to his portrayal.

Also spoke several times to Craig Johnson (the author) who seems O.K. with how the series is being handled. Season 4 is the best yet. Hopefully Season 5 will be good too.

I have no problem with the rest of the cast, although I guess Vic is supposed to be a brunette.

Phillips is physically wrong...Henry is supposed to be HUGE.  Vic is indeed meant to be a brunette, and Italian...both of which Ms. Sackhoff is not.

Casting really matters to me.  And on that topic, Bosch (as played by Welliver is exactly what I envisioned as Harry.  Even "Crate and Barrell" are bang on...  And Harry likes jazz, of course...

[A Lark Ascending]

Enjoyed this though I did find myself checking my watch quite a lot towards the end. Robin Hood, Prince of Thieves set in a Mississippi swamp (though the Confederate baddie, who seemed to always appear as the enemy at points of high tension, was no match for Alan Rickman).  Suffered, like so many history based films from being a series of vignettes of key historical parts of the story. Fiction seems to allow for a more integrated film. 

I suspect British audiences would get totally confused by the post 1865 parts. Reconstruction and the abandonment of Reconstruction always confused me - doesn't quite fit with the 'Lincoln freed the slaves' narrative of the Civil War that is mainly known over here. 

Edited October 4, 2016 by A Lark Ascending

[duaneiac]

I have been watching this 7 DVD set of performances from

It's a show I rarely saw back in the day, but this is the music of my youth and it's been great fun to watch all these various performers doing their things.  The show really did present a pretty wide spectrum of popular music of the 1970's, everything from Alice Cooper to Marvin Gaye, from ELO to EW & F, from Sly & The Family Stone to KC & The Sunshine Band.  They even included crossover country and jazz stars (Crystal Gayle, Mac Davis, Chuck Mangione, George Benson) who had big hits then.  It was really fun to see some of the one-hit wonders like Redbone, Stories, Billy Paul (note to pop star wannabes:  if you are trying to have a hit single, make sure it is a song that will not wear out your voice from having to sing it night after night for months on end.), Dobie Gray.  There are some interview features included on the discs and the show's producer, Burt Sugarman, made a big deal about how all of the acts had to perform live on the show, but by the time they got to the disco era, it's clear some of the performers were lip-synching.  For the most part though, these are great, genuinely "live" performances that brought back a lot of memories.

[Ted O'Reilly]

I watched the pilot episode of "Timeless", a time-travel idea.  It focussed on the 1937 Hindenburg explosion (with good special effects), but the thing that jumped out at me was the inclusion on the sound track as source music Billie Holiday's Eeeny Meeny Miney Mo.  Not anachronic, either -- it's a 1935 recording...

[jazzbo]

Yes, I watched that too and noticed the Holiday track. I like Abigail Spencer. I'll probably watch this for a while, it wasn't great but it wasn't a total waste of time. (Like half of what I watch!)

[kinuta]

Working through Narcos S2, easy viewing, and Mr Robot S2, far from easy, one lapse of concentration and I'm lost.

Headphones mandatory to catch the murky dialogue.

Westworld first two episodes.

Brilliant !

 

[Jazzmoose]

Picked up a DVD collection of the Dana Carvey Show.  I'd never heard of it before as it was on during one of my "no television" stretches.  Unfortunately, so far it's a total disappointment.  The first show was tasteless, but funny in spots.  The second one I pulled out when Carvey started a 'hilariious' bit making fun of Korean accents.  It basically reminded me of my racist uncle.  I'll pass.  If anyone wants this, let me know.  $2 postage and it's yours.

[A Lark Ascending]

Just a few of the series running at present on UK TV.

'Victoria' - standard romantic royal history (with the occasional walk-on part for things of some significance) but I've enjoyed it despite setting out to sneer down my pinze-nez. 

'Cold Feet' - Only saw the original episodes in the summer which I loved; wondered at first if this was going to work but I've been won round. Daft, unlikely scenarios but funny and warm with the characters facing issues of middle age (even Adam!). Last night's episode was very moving.

'Paranoid' - Over-the-top but watchable 'killer on the loose' police thing in rural England.

'National Treasure' - This one has been excellent - Robbie Coltrane as an ageing entertainer accused of historic child abuse. Powerful playing from Coltrane and Julie Walters though the compelling performance is by Andrea Riseborough as his damaged daughter. Last episode tonight with lots of questions hanging. 

All ITV/Channel 4 which is unusual for me - the endless repetition of the same adverts drives me nuts (I will never go compare, visit a cinema with a meercat or stir coconut in my stir-fry). I try to record so I can skip them but sometimes I can't resist watching when the programmes are screened.   

Nothing yet this season to match 'The Night Manager', 'London Spy', 'Peaky Blinders' or 'Happy Valley'.  

Edited October 11, 2016 by A Lark Ascending

[A Lark Ascending]

A jolly afternoon at the local cinema:

Very good. I had intended to go to Stratford to see this but the tickets were eye-wateringly expensive (way more than I paid last year for Henry V...must be the superstar Lear). I enjoy the cinema experience just as much - but could do with subtitles with language this dense.

A 21stC Edmund (now at war with Lady Macbeth). First four episodes - absolutely first rate television. Best not to watch it too close to a news bulletin. At the moment it's hard to know where fiction ends and reality starts.  

 

[kinuta]

Hypernormalisation - Adam Curtis BBC (2016)

An extension and further extrapolation on his previous documentaries.

Off the wall in part but engrossing . His recap of the Colonel Gaddafi story is especially interesting.

I had to break it into two days viewing

[JSngry]

Various episodes of Burke's Law, Season 1.

Some seriously entertaining fun shit!

[rostasi]

Fun stuff!

But what were they thinking when it came to the third
(and, thankfully, last) season? They must've been playing
off the "secret agent" craze.

As an aside...
I read that the reason that Honey West didn't last more than one season
was because it was cheaper to import The Avengers than to pay to produce
another season.

Edited October 22, 2016 by rostasi

[jazzbo]

I watched, and very much enjoyed, "Dear Jerry: A Concert Celebrating the Music of Jerry Garcia."

I watched Season Four of Black Orpah.

Starting Season 3 of "The 100". . . .