Well, it’s been one helluva 2017, one way or another. Really the only escape any of us had was going to the movies, which I apparently did a great amount, as I saw a grand total of 331 films as of 12:00 today, and may see one or two more before the clock strikes midnight. Two of those films now have reviews out in the world: The Shape of Water, which I really, really loved, and Downsizing, which I really, really did not. I also watched mother! for the second time, with mixed results, but this time it allowed me to record my brother’s meltdown, which now has over a hundred hits. You can read it here.
At home, I didn’t see that much out of the ordinary. I watched Beach Rats in order to prepare for the Independent Spirit Awards, but to be honest, I wasn’t really a fan. I don’t think it truly captured what it was going for. However, I didn’t have much time to consider it, as Christmas was immediately upon us, and that meant watching It’s A Wonderful Life, and putting on The Nativity Story for my mother (to be fair, it is a decent film). And I started my second run-through of films in contention for my Top Ten list, to solidify their placing. This included Brigsby Bear and Logan Lucky, both of which are wonderful films and should either make the list or come close to it. Oh, and I saw the new Murder on the Orient Express in theaters before it left, and while I was disappointed in the ending, there is something fun about an Agatha Christie murder mystery, and Kenneth Branagh did a great job both in front of and behind the camera (it’s a gorgeous film). It’s definitely worth the rental whenever it comes to DVD.
Television was sort of a one-track affair. Sure, I watched a couple of things to start preparing my end of the year Best of Television list, like Twin Peaks: The Return (which is pretty much what I thought the original show would be like, for better or worse) and The Vietnam War (strong, but Ken Burns is kind of a boring documentarian, and there’s no reason this thing needed to be twelve hours), but most of my time has been devoted to one specific source: Crazy Ex-Girlfriend. I was one of the original fans of the show, watching the pilot the day it aired, and singing its praises ever since. However, when the show moved to Friday nights last year, it became less convenient to watch, and I sort of fell behind, although I swore I’d catch up. Now that it is halfway through season three, I decided now was the best time, and boy, am I glad I did. What this show is doing is so incredibly special, and I enjoy watching it evolve and challenge television norms each and every week. You guys really need to start watching this one. Oh, and I watched Psych: The Movie for a second time, and it’s still highly enjoyable.
What about you? Did you see anything good in theaters over the Christmas weeks? Any Oscar contenders, or good TV shows you needed to catch up on? Let me know in the comments, and get ready: next week is the 75th Annual Golden Globes, and that’s when things really kick off!
Add Comment