Black Mirror: Bandersnatch

Black Mirror: Bandersnatch (David Slade, 2018)

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Rating: Q=7, P=7 / Obsession

Scale 1=4, Scale 2=3, Scale 3=4, Scale 4=3

Thriller, Interactive

This was fascinating and ground-breaking. I don't really want to describe it or talk about how it made me feel, because it is such a personal experience. I will say, though, that if you enjoy games, watch this. If you liked Black Mirror, watch this. Mind-bending.

--Don't understand the ratings? Click here

The Witches

The Witches (Nicolas Roag, 1990)

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Rating: Q=6, P=4 / Average OJ

Scale 1=3, Scale 2=3, Scale 3=2, Scale 4=2

Horror, Comedy, Based on Book, Fantasy

I watched this film when I was very young and could barely remember it--probably because for a young child it is quite scary. So many moments are still disturbing, to me, as an adult--disfigured faces, mutation, kidnapped children, death. A modern-day Grimm tale. But I enjoyed the plot and grotesque makeup that Jim Henson used to create his nasty witches. And it definitely holds up after nearly 30 years.

--Don't understand the ratings? Click here

Oscar Dash 2019

The time is here again--Oscar Dash 2019!

As in recent years, I haven't seen many of the nominations but I know I will by the end of the year. I'm very excited about this list--a great variety of styles, genres, and topics. Don't forget to watch the big celebration on February 24! Here are the nominees for best picture:

Black Panther


BlacKkKlansman


Bohemian Rhapsody


The Favourite


Green Book


Roma


A Star Is Born


Vice


Click here to see pictures and all the other nominations!

Land Girls Seasons 1-3

Land Girls Seasons 1-3 (Roland Moore, 2009-2011)

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WWII, Britain, Drama

Season 1 Rating: DSQ=9, SP=6 / Average Snack

Scale A=3, Scale B=3, Scale C=3, Scale D=3, Scale E=3

Season 2 Rating: DSQ=8, SP=4 / Average Snack

Scale A=3, Scale B=3, Scale C=2, Scale D=2, Scale E=2

Season 3 Rating: DSQ=7, SP=4 / Average Snack

Scale A=3, Scale B=2, Scale C=2, Scale D=2, Scale E=2

This was a refreshing series that had a fantastic first season and then slowly got less interesting. The group of characters from the first season made the show work--seasons 2 and 3 just didn't have the same feeling. Still, it's nice to watch a show about WWII that isn't about the war itself. The stories all focus on how the war affected people "left behind" or at home waiting.

--Don't understand the ratings? Click here

The Toys That Made Us Seasons 1 & 2

The Toys That Made Us Season 1 (Tom Stern and Brian Volk-Weiss, 2017-2018)

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Rating: DOCQ=6, DOCP=5 / Quite Legible

Scale K=2, Scale L=4, Scale M=3, Scale N=2

TV series, Documentary, Toys

What a great concept! I've always been interested in the "history of" or "making of" genre. While this is a TV series, it's much more documentary so I've used that rating scale.

Episodes in the first season are: Star Wars, Barbie, He-Man, and GI Joe. Even though I didn't play with any of these toys except Barbies, I found them all really interesting and fun. In fact, Barbie was my least favorite!

The Toys That Made Us Season 2 (Tom Stern and Brian Volk-Weiss, 2017-2018)

Rating: DOCQ=5, DOCP=5 / Quite Legible

Scale K=2, Scale L=3, Scale M=3, Scale N=2

TV series, Documentary, Toys

Episodes in the second season are: Star Trek, Transformers, LEGO, and Hello Kitty. I found all of these very interesting--especially Transformers. And I learned so much about Japanese kawaii culture from the Hello Kitty episode.

--Don't understand the ratings? Click here

Phantom Thread

Phantom Thread (Paul Thomas Anderson, 2017)

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Rating: Q=7, P=6 / Can't Get Enough

Scale 1=3, Scale 2=4, Scale 3=3, Scale 4=3

1950s, Romance, Fashion, Complex Relationships

What an exquisite film--so soft, quiet, and lined with darkness. The atmosphere that Paul Thomas Anderson has created is unlike any other I've seen in cinema. Daniel Day-Lewis is phenomenal, as usual, and both Vicky Krieps and Lesley Manville are mesmerizing. This is a film about behavior and drive. It's about the constant struggles and conflicts that most artists live with every day--how do you learn to find balance between the love you feel for a person and the passion you have for your art? A truly remarkable film with so many twists and turns.

--Don't understand the ratings? Click here

Silkwood

Silkwood (Mike Nichols, 1983)

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Rating: Q=5, P=4 / Average OJ

Scale 1=2, Scale 2=3, Scale 3=2, Scale 4=2

Biopic, Environmental Issues, Crime, Law

I have a hard time watching films like Silkwood, because I have no tolerance for people who let their companies/organizations/governments get away with crimes that endanger human beings...because it saves money or turns a better profit. It is immoral. Karen Silkwood was one of the many people who was punished--possibly killed--for trying to do what was right. This film is quiet and sobering, incredibly well written, and heartbreaking.

--Don't understand the ratings? Click here

Happy 2019!

What a great year of movie-watching it was! Probably my favorite film that I watched this year was Get Out. But I thoroughly enjoyed the many shows I also watched, especially the Frankenstein Chronicles (all seasons), Doctor Blake Mysteries (all seasons), Peaky Blinders season 4, and Black Mirror (all seasons).

I'd like to continue to watch a balance of classics, favorites, and new films. I also plan to go out to the theater more often, a goal I've had for the past few years. I also plan to have a spring challenge of watching Abbott and Costello films. So, stay tuned for those posts!

Best wishes!