What was the last TV Show or Movie you saw, and did you like it?

[feudist]

"Masters of the Air" on Apple TV seems promising after the first two episodes. This series follows the "bloody 100th" as they incur heavy losses flying b17s in daytime bombing runs over Europe.

It was supposed to be the third installment of the Tom Hanks/Steven Spielberg WW2 trilogy, but HBO balked at the ~$250 million price tag after the $200 million commercial failure of the Pacific (which was excellent in its own right but much more critical of the US than Band of Brothers and came out when consumers were no longer buying DVDs).

Apple TV picked up the rights in 2019 and after covid delays here it is today.

The first two eps were pretty good.
I thought they captured the chaos of combat well.
It'll be interesting to see how they develop from there with the remaining seven episodes. The Pacific spent a lot of time spinning its wheels stateside or on leave.

[JHC]

“Kandahar” with Gerard Butler. I thought it very good. Hoping for a sequel.

But just watched the Finnish movie “Sisu”. It’s like Inglorious Bastards set in 1944 Finland about a Finnish commando. Loved that one!

[Wondering Beard]

I watched "The Third Man" for about 100th time last night. Carol Reed's masterpiece. Joseph Cotten, Orson Welles, Trevor Howard and Alida Valli.

Film Noir set in post WWII Vienna. Filmed in the rubble of the city. One of my favorite all time flicks obviously.

[RoyGBiv]

I thought Blue Eye Samurai was one of the best shows I've watched in a long time, animated or not. DEFINITELY NOT FOR KIDS.

Wife and I are enjoying this a lot, thanks
We're also Sumo fans. We've been watching the January tournament highlights on NHK (free, just load the app) each night, then a episode or two of BES each evening since I caught this recommendation. The tournament finished Sunday (Japan time). We'll probably finish the series tonight after Sumo finals air, assuming we don't get distracted by football.

[Guerrero]

This may wander a bit.

Guerrera and I had some more quiet moments in the past week or so, we were able to watch some TV together. So first the good:

"Loudermilk" on Netflix. We binged the first season of this after I steered Guerrera toward it (based on the recommendation of you people here on P-F). I'm not sure what I expected, but it wasn't it. It's not really a comedy, although we laughed pretty hard at several "that's so wrong" moments that I assume the writers intended to be funny. So far we recommend.




"Fool Me Once" on Netflix. We binged all eight episodes of this mystery/thriller "mini-series" just because we wanted something to watch. British combat-vet attack helicopter pilot wife see's her husband killed in an attempted robbery in the park a few months after her sister is killed in an apparent robbery. Something is up, especially when she (maybe) see's her husband still alive. Meh. By the time we reached the end, I didn't really care any more.

I'd like to contrast these two shows and bring in something that's been on my brain a bit recently: when did we lose the concept of a likable character? Let's take Sam Loudermilk for example. I'm sure people who have watched the show will agree he's an almost complete douchebag, but he's been through a lot, he's trying, and you can tell that at least his heart is in the right place. So, douchebag, but likable. Then there's Maya from "Fool Me Once". She's also been through a lot (borderline PTSD from an incident in combat), and she's set up to be the sympathetic character, but by the end, you realize she's a total douchenozzle AND unlikable (she's a horrible friend, probably not a great wife, and mostly rejects the people who could help her).

Coincident with this, I happened upon a YouTube video about "horrible" characters, and I will admit to having watched a bunch of these shows (in my defense, I will freely admit to having a soft spot for watching rom-com type shows/movies with the wife; ask me about my favorites some time) - Ally from "Ally McBeal" is a horrible person. Carrie from "Sex and the City" is a horrible person. Emily from "Emily in Paris" (I'm detecting a trend) is a horrible person. As an (pretty unexpected) extension - Korra from "The Legend of Korra" (the sequel to the modern masterpiece kids cartoon "Avatar: the Last Airbender" As a side note, I love to talk about how awesome "Avatar" is) - horrible person.

I really, really dislike horrible characters, but, unfortunately, this is the trend nowadays: horrible people as protagonists. This is why I will probably never watch "Game of Thrones" - they're all douchebags. This is what really soured me on much of the MCU - with the exception of Steve Rogers (the original, one and only, Captain America) (and maybe one or two others), they're not "heroes," say it with me people, "They're all douchebags."

Ok, I think I got a little ranty with this. Sorry.

Anyway, carry on.

[Glenn E. Meyer]

Watched a PBS series on three rivers, Amazon, Nile, Mississippi. Pretty interesting and relaxing. Been watching nature, travel shows to distract from the news. Watched the Loki series - the premise was interesting but it descended to stupid with the focus on pimping up Kang the Conqueror for their next big Avengers big bad. It doesn't work. The idea of Kang is stupid.

Tried watching Percy, the demigod and nodded off. The idea (as in Harry Potter) of these supernatural rulers of the world - that the rest of us know nothing about, don't buy it.

[ccmdfd]

Tried watching Percy, the demigod and nodded off. The idea (as in Harry Potter) of these supernatural rulers of the world - that the rest of us know nothing about, don't buy it.

Didn't know they were making that.

I read the book series several years ago. There were two separate series. The first one was a huge knockoff of Harry Potter. It was sometimes humorous how close it was to some of the exact dialogue from potter. The second series was much worse. It was like a United Colors of Benetton ad, and threw in every liberal thing it could. Yuck!

[JTQ]

Watched the Loki series - the premise was interesting but it descended to stupid with the focus on pimping up Kang the Conqueror for their next big Avengers big bad. It doesn't work. The idea of Kang is stupid.

Tried watching Percy, the demigod and nodded off. The idea (as in Harry Potter) of these supernatural rulers of the world - that the rest of us know nothing about, don't buy it.

I've watched both series with adult daughter #2.

With the Loki series, the multi-verse stuff was mildly entertaining for about half an episode, and then it began to annoy me. Unfortunately, that was the main story line of the series. I began to wish for the show to wrap up to get a conclusion. Yes, the Kang stuff was stupid, especially as it was supposed to tie in to the Marvel Kang movies that were in the works until the actor playing Kang ran afoul of "Me too" folks.

The Percy Jackson series has been interesting for my daughters who both read the stories in their middle school years, they are now late 20's-early 30's. They've been watching separately and texting back and forth as the series unfolds, asking each other if they remember a part from the book. It was fun, for us, when Hephaestus showed up on screen and my daughter says, "hey, that's Lassie". We were big fans of Psych, and Timothy Omundson played detective Carlton "Lassie" Lassiter on that show.

I didn't read the books, but I took them to the movies when they were in the theaters, so I understand the concept. It's been OK. I have been struck by the vocal pattern of the actor playing Percy that makes me think of the "Wyatt" character in Weird Science with Kelly LeBrock and Anthony Michael Hall. I just can't get that out of my head when watching the show.

[ccmdfd]

I've watched both series with adult daughter #2.

With the Loki series, the multi-verse stuff was mildly entertaining for about half an episode, and then it began to annoy me. Unfortunately, that was the main story line of the series. I began to wish for the show to wrap up to get a conclusion. Yes, the Kang stuff was stupid, especially as it was supposed to tie in to the Marvel Kang movies that were in the works until the actor playing Kang ran afoul of "Me too" folks.

I hate the whole multiverse/quantum realm thing.

Just allows completely lazy writing and thinking for the show.

Alienate your fan base by killing off a favorite character? No problem, multiverse, they're back!

Need to change an iconic character from bad to good, or good to bad because you've had to replace the actor? No problem! Multiverse, done!

Need to give one of your main characters a sudden superpower that will come in quite handy in the nick of time to save the day, when they've never had any type of power like this before? Quantum realm to the rescue!

[Joe in PNG]

I hate the whole multiverse/quantum realm thing.

Just allows completely lazy writing and thinking for the show.

Alienate your fan base by killing off a favorite character? No problem, multiverse, they're back!

Need to change an iconic character from bad to good, or good to bad because you've had to replace the actor? No problem! Multiverse, done!

Need to give one of your main characters a sudden superpower that will come in quite handy in the nick of time to save the day, when they've never had any type of power like this before? Quantum realm to the rescue!

The modern version of the classic Deus ex Machina.

The new "Griselda" miniseries looks interesting. Anyone here catch it yet?