I just finished watching Sing Sing on MAX. Colman Domingo was excellent.
From IMDB: Based on the true story of a man imprisoned at Sing Sing for a crime he didn’t commit. When joined by a wary outsider, he finds purpose staging an original comedy with a theater group of other incarcerated men.
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I just watched the first 2 episodes of The Studio, on Apple TV. It is a real biting satire on Hollywood, with some great cameos. The second episode was especially funny.
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Halfway through, so far, so good. Its tone brings me in mind of I May Destroy You, albeit not quite as dark. But plenty dark!
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Oh, it’s dark alright.
We watched the rather strange, satirical farce Rumours about a fictional G7 meeting in the former East Germany with Cate Blanchett, who plays the German chancellor (chancellour? 
) with an impeccable German accent. Never heard a better one, and that’s about the most realistic part of the movie, which includes bog people that have come alive, a giant brain in the middle of the woods, and a final statement delivered to a world in shambles that sounds like most G7 statements IRL. Enjoyable, but certainly not a ‘must watch.’
We also watched a couple more episodes of Jimmy Carr’s new show Last One Laughing UK, which is a contest between 10 comedians who are to make each other laugh. Last one standing wins. Not as fun as 9 out of 10 Cats, not to mention any of his brilliant standup shows, but fun enough.
Also, the first episode of St. Denis Medical that DID make me laugh out loud, @shrinkrap — a couple of times, actually 
. I think was the 3rd or 4th we watched.
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Here’s a review from the NYer:
Huh. I am not responding to this critique at all and I wonder why. Usually I can be persuaded to see it for the critic’s perspective, or if I really dislike their take I can articulate why.
There’s something in this that feels bad faith, as if she’s looking for something. It’s not feel compelled to defend Adolescence but something about it is not ringing as right. (At the same time, I am going to reflect on the moral panic aspect.)
I guess I think it comes from a more genuine place in terms of its reflections on masculinity and what it means. Perhaps it is that her “fragile creature” take echoes the “victim culture” sneering that so often takes place. What the programme is doing is presenting a host of conditions that can leave a boy without a way of managing his feelings. (And issues of men not feeling able to talk about or deal with their feelings tends to be seen as one of the root causes of male suicide-- this has been discussed up in Scotland quite a bit and I wouldn’t be surprise if this were also the situation up north.) It’s not about fragility, it’s about vulnerability and think there’s a difference.
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I agree (and I literally just finished reading it, as I’d posted it from the road).
Have you seen this documentary?
I’d hoped my generation would’ve done a better job (and my friends do, for sure) raising happier boys confident in sharing their feelings and being vulnerable. It’s very sad.
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Thanks for the documentary recommendation. I’ll check it out.
After watching the first 2 episodes of The Studio, I read where Seth Rogen got a lot of his inspiration for The Studio, from The Player, a 1992 film starring Tim Robbins and a ridiculous amount of famous cameos. I just watched The Player tonight, (on MAX), and really enjoyed it. It was a scathing satire on the behind the scenes machinations of a Hollywood film studio.
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The Player is one of those ‘inside showbiz’ films that feels as if it’s a wild exaggeration, but in reality, is only just the slightest bit off reality. See also Swimming With Sharks, in which Kevin Spacey (ew) plays the most vile studio exec you could imagine (at least, it was 'til recently. Again, a lot less exaggeration than most would like). Unsurprisingly, he absolutely NAILS the role.
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The water-ordering scene has stayed with me. “This is a red wine glass. Please bring me my water in a water glass.” (Or something like that.)
Yes, that was a funny line.
Swimming with Sharks sounds like a good movie, but unfortunately I can’t find it currently streaming anywhere.
Also watched the first two episodes last night and loved it. So many great lines and Bryan Cranston as the “dime store Bob Evans” is perfection. Amazing cameos and guest stars and loved the filming at John Lautner designed Silvertop, a famous mid century house in my childhood neighborhood (Silverlake hills!).
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Love that movie! “One of us…”
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Done with Adolescence. Some amazing acting there, and without a break! I kept wondering if in E3, the kid would get up and jump around a little when the camera was off him.
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I love that the writer wanted to make a very serious movie, with no named stars, and a sad ending, and they ended up making the movie with Bruce Willis and Julia Roberts, with a happy ending 
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Started watching Adolescence, pretty good so far but Bosch:Legacy the final season is on Prime now so I’ll be switching back and forth. Really enjoyed the Bosch series.
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Just saw the Bosch new season announcement! Truly excited. Some of the best tv imho in the past 10 years.
Just finished the netflix whodunnit The Residence, pictured in the White House. Very enjoyable.
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