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Sprung (2022)
Great concept, better series.
Not going into a lot of detail. Just saying IMO this is the best lockdown related media yet produced.
If you liked the British series The Outlaws (with Christophers Walken) then you should give this a try.
If you liked My Name is Earl or Raising Hope, you should give this a try.
After seeing this I was inspired to watch Raising Hope for the first time, and then to come back and watch this again. Enjoyed the whole process
The world has changed a lot in the last 26 (now 28) years and seeing a guy dropped from the 1990s directly into the lockdown (and a 1970s wardrobe) is way more fun than I expected it to be.
Space Force (2020)
Uneven but otherwise very fine.
No spoilers so this will be vague but I hope helpful.
My overall impression last year was positive, but, when Season 2 was confirmed and I started re-watching Season 1, found my self stalling out about halfway through when it moved to a focus on the family.
So I'd say Season 1 was uneven but still well worth seeing for anyone who loves science fiction but recognizes that that hierarchy is not always a force for good.
I've just binged Season 2 in two days and this time found not one moment too slow or off-putting. They focused on what was best of the first season when building this one.
They stay on mission while highlighting the effects on people of such high pressure environments. There is comedy and satire and drama, but mostly it's just fun.
Only the core characters are back and the two of them I found annoying are noticeably more mature and less self-involved. The veteran actors are great and the younger actors have grown into their roles.
I give it a 6.5 for Season 1, a 10 for Season 2, an extra point for improving, and then round down to 9 for the show thusfar.
I hope there is a Season 3 soon.
Don't Look Up (2021)
If Dr. Strangelove and Idiocracy had a love child...
I've watched this very modern, very dark comedy twice, researching a bit between viewings.
I agree with the reviewer who called it a cross between Dr. Strangelove and Idiocracy, but it is effectively updated to the current social media/technology era.
If you've ever wanted to share either of those films with someone you fear wouldn't get the historical references, this movie is for you.
(I would also suggest It's a Disaster to anyone who loved this film. It came out in what will eventually be seen as the just pre-Covid era and looks at similar themes from within one house rather than on a world stage.)
You can safely ignore discussions in other reviews of which party or issue or politician the movie is 'really' about. The larger question of data vs opinion/feelings/denial can be applied to any topic you like.
It's a long film but easy to get lost in. Casting and performances are all laudable.
Editing is a bit disorienting at first but soon seemed perfect for the situation unfolding.
When you get to the credits, you'll notice they don't truncate as is usual on Netflix. This is because there is not one but two afterwards that must be seen to bring the story home, so stick with it to the bittersweet end.
Highly recommended.
Northern Exposure: Wake Up Call (1992)
Maggie's Mythical Moment
Don't want to ruin it if you haven't seen it, but this is a top five pick for me.
Maggie gets an fairytale reprieve from her 'cursed' romantic past and her constant frustration. One of the best twists in her arc.
Joel has a reversed reveal, reconnecting with part of his past he needed to appreciate the present more fully.
A new intermittently recurring character (Marylin's cousin, the healer) is introduced.
The rest of basically background but there are no missteps.
I could wish that another new character would return in future episodes, but this is not the first time I've felt strongly for a character we would not see again.
One of the best of the magical realism episodes.