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

[TOTS]

Just re-watched season 1 of Marvel’s Punisher. Just as good as the first time I saw it. Bad. Ass.

[Coyotesfan97]

Free Solo documented Alex Honnold's attempt to climb El Capitan without any ropes or other safety equipment. Nearly everyone who Free Solos has been

killed during a climb.

Very good, won an Oscar for best documentary and nominated for a ton of technical awards.

Amazingly beautiful cinematography that was cleverly used to portray the enormity of the task.

Honnold is an appealing character, slightly on the Spectrum, which is clearly an advantage for his passion. The training and methodical planning are shown clearly.

There was one place on the climb where everyone who climbed with ropes (including Honnold)couldn't get past without falling. It was a horrifying spot, holding on

to near imaginary creases with thumbs and fingertips while swinging your leg across the void to another friction hold for your foot.

My palms sweated the whole time.

Highly recommended.

Man I’ll second this! Thanks for recommending it Feudist. It’s beautifully filmed and the training/preparation shown is outstanding.

You know the shits getting real when the professional friend turns away and can’t watch him go through the spot that Feudist mentioned.

I rented it on Amazon Prime and I’ll watch it again. It’s a great documentary.

[Stephanie B]

Apollo 11 on Netflix. Surprisingly exciting, even though I knew the plot in advance.

The documentary, made in part from 65mm film, with audio synched to the scenes in Mission Control? That was an impressive movie (saw it in a theater). It was indeed exciting to watch.

[Bucky]

Just finished The Wilds on Prime. Interesting concept, and I’d like to see where it goes. Some of the acting could be improved. I’m giving Season 1 a 3.5 stars out of 5.

[Bigguy]

The Midnight Sky on Netflix.
3 of 5 stars.

From IMDB:
This post-apocalyptic tale follows Augustine, a lonely scientist in the Arctic, as he races to stop Sully and her fellow astronauts from returning home to a mysterious global catastrophe.

I'll give it 3 stars on cinematography and performances. It's an emotional tale with a twist you see coming. You know about the surprise and would be disappointed if it hadn't turned out. I don't think it's supposed to be a surprise. I think the writers intentionally include the viewer in the "secret" and that added to my enjoyment. The set design is beautiful and the scenery alone is worth 3 stars.
The story line itself isn't bad, but the scientific impossibilities make it hard to really enjoy. You will need your "suspension of disbelief" set on high.

[Bigguy]

I'm about 30 minutes into Operation Odessa.
6 of 5 stars so far.

This a documentary about Russian gangsters who sold a Russian submarine to a South American drug cartel in 1997.
It sort of pulled me two ways because some of these guys seem like a lot of fun. It would a lot of fun to hang with some of them, but they are truly scum of the earth @$$ holes who have destroyed lives.
This documentary makes the Sopranos look dull. (Just to be clear, I loved the Sopranos.)

ETA: 60 minutes into it I change my review. 7 of 5 stars.

[blues]

I'm about 30 minutes into Operation Odessa.
6 of 5 stars so far.

This a documentary about Russian gangsters who sold a Russian submarine to a South American drug cartel in 1997.
It sort of pulled me two ways because some of these guys seem like a lot of fun. It would a lot of fun to hang with some of them, but they are truly scum of the earth @$$ holes who have destroyed lives.
This documentary makes the Sopranos look dull. (Just to be clear, I loved the Sopranos.)

We worked on cases involving capers of this sort back in the 90's out of Miami (and elsewhere inside and outside the U.S.)...both from a Russian mob and Colombian cartel perspective.

Anyone who has ever done undercover work on the mob or other gangs / organizations, knows that sometimes you enjoy your time among them more than with your own outfit. But you never lose sight of the mission, regardless of the qualms you feel when you have to testify against them down the road.

[Bigguy]

We worked on cases involving capers of this sort back in the 90's out of Miami (and elsewhere inside and outside the U.S.)...both from a Russian mob and Colombian cartel perspective.

Anyone who has ever done undercover work on the mob or other gangs / organizations, knows that sometimes you enjoy your time among them more than with your own outfit. But you never lose sight of the mission, regardless of the qualms you feel when you have to testify against them down the road.

Thanks for that post. I'd never thought about that angle of undercover work. I suppose, like everything else, the reality is far different from what we see on TV and at the theater.
It brings a new perspective on that important work. I'm guessing there a lot of PTSD (or similar) consequences. Yes, these are scum bags you're going after but, on some primal level, these guys must feel as though they've betrayed friends.

[rayrevolver]

My wife and kid were watching this show called Southern Survival. Has it been mentioned yet? I was like whoa, let me watch too.

Long story short, they test survival gear. So far it has been entertaining and I have seen lots of things I want to buy.

[blues]

Thanks for that post. I'd never thought about that angle of undercover work. I suppose, like everything else, the reality is far different from what we see on TV and at the theater.
It brings a new perspective on that important work. I'm guessing there a lot of PTSD (or similar) consequences. Yes, these are scum bags you're going after but, on some primal level, these guys must feel as though they've betrayed friends.

If you're just doing buys or selling, or dealing with mopes on the street, there's no real rapport established. On longer term ops where you get to know the people to some extent, spend time with them, have some laughs...and some threats, it's a different sort of experience.

My experience pales next to those who have done deep undercover ops, my longest was nine months mixing with traditional mob and biker gangs up in the NYC / Long Island area. Other than that, everything else I'd ever done was short term or off the cuff for a given case.

I can't speak to the numbers as far as how most guys dealt with the experience afterward, but I know I had some mixed feelings for a variety of reasons...some toward the agency I was doing the work for, some toward the targets of the case.