Jack Whitehall: At Large (2017)

I read others' reviews after watching this Netflix comedy special -- so this is why our subscription rates are going up? -- even the nonreviews where people gave up after watching 8 minutes of this dreck. I think I can assure everyone that it is not British comedians who are unfunny, it is not you or me who lacks a funnybone -- it is this guy who is not funny. (Your mileage may vary.) First, he giggles and burbles and cackles constantly in the most juvenile fashion. (What was he on?) Second, he commits the sin of laughing at his own jokes -- while telling them. (I think the few viewers who liked him were just caught up in his fake mirth contagion.) Third, he tells the most lame, overused jokes -- which others do much better -- including the tired "Oh no, I accidentally told you their name!" patter. The only funny part was at the end, where he plays off his single-line role in Frozen (cut from the theatrical release) while wearing a large "troll" outfit (and remaining off-camera half the time). Here is one overblown puff of hot air I do not look forward to watching again -- though you may enjoy! 2.5 stars. (10-30-2017)

XIII: The Series

XIII (pronounced Thirteen) starts out all Bourne-like: XIII is a lethal covert operative whose memory has been wiped -- how is this possible? -- so he spends several years (two seasons) trying to discover who he is, and uncover then defeat a plot to destroy civilization as we know it. He is alternately commissioned and condemned by the US President, whose GQ-styled heads of Homeland Security and the CIA seem to be running their own treasonous conspiracies. XIII's only support is his conflicted former partner, who is quite kick-ass herself (Aisha Tyler, voice of Archer's Lana Kane). While all the characters in this show have been around, they were unknown to me -- this is a show from Canada -- but with a few provisos, they did quite well in every role (esp. the lead, who ably carried the show via three roles). My chief gripe in season 1 is the sound engineering: The plot is passable, but chase scenes jack up the volume and percussion, scene transitions use multiple flash and swish effects, and nearly everyone speaks in a low murmur (so my volume was constantly going from 14 to 24 and back). Season 2 simply went off the rails: There is no simple way to touch on the mishmash of plot points, plot holes, and incredulity that pass for its 13 episodes. Short of multiple viewings, it may be impossible to determine what layer of the story, or whose virtual-reality construct we are in, much less which character XIII really is. The president goes off the deep end -- yet no one reacts to his clear rantings and hallucinations -- and then doubles down, while a smarmy scheming female governor from Alaska (with a southern accent) storms the White House bunker. Then there are the real villains and their nefarious scheme! It was a slog to finish, but the lead character is likable, as is his cohorts -- you root for them. Canada makes some great shows, and while this one is uneven, it is more complex (and sometimes silly) than Jack Bauer in 24. Enjoy! 3.5 stars. (10-28-2017)

Joe Rogan: Triggered (2016)

As a natural comic, Joe Rogan is a force of nature. Now sporting a clean-shaven pate, he resembles an ebullient coach bellowing commentary to the team. Unfortunately, he starts with pot, then warns his audience that insanity might rule if the election gives us President Trump. (He doesn't think anyone is qualified for the job, and doubts it should even exist, since it was created "back when people wrote with feathers"). Rogan is nothing if not full-throated and confident in his intuitive take on things. He carries you with him, and had me laughing quite a bit (esp. with his positive insights about cults and Mormons). He even occasionally says intelligent things (then admits to ignorance, like an average joe). His language is naturally blue, but when it gets purple, it is for a good and funny reason. His final segment is about raising daughters with his wife, and how that affects him as a man. The closing scene is genius, depicting the demon and Bruce Jenner. I would have given him 4.5 stars, but he advocates for getting stoned, even while parenting. He is a master though. Enjoy! 4 stars. (10-21-2017)

Patton Oswalt: Annihilation (2017)

Patton Oswalt running on all cylinders would be 4.5 stars or better every time, I imagine. Yet these are not normal times: Both Marc Maron and he start out their specials marveling at the beyond-stupid stuff that fills their Twitter feeds now, so much that not only is it too much to make comedy from, but their material would soon by outmatched by even more crass occurrences only days later. (No names though, it is mild and last less than 5 minutes out of the whole show.) Patton talks again about the recent loss of his wife, and being a single parent, and manages to wring some comedy even from those struggles. Summary: "Be kind." This guy is genuine! Enjoy! 4 stars. (10-19-2017)

Marc Maron: Too Real (2017)

I gave Marc Maron's Thinky Pain 3.5 stars and I have his series in my queue to watch. I give Too Real 4 stars because he is pretty good. True, he is low-key and a "whiner" -- but would you expect anything different from a guy who looks and talks like him? It's his thing; who are you to criticize? Ding him or not, he does fine by most of the people in his audience. He starts out with very mild references to the current president (whose own White House staff is thinking the same stuff, so shut up, teabaggers). He goes on with "I'm 53. So I don't know how much time I have left." I belly chuckled through most of the show, except his Rolling Stones story; it was well told, just not relevant to me. He is definitely gearing toward the 50+ age demographic. Enjoy! 4 stars. (10-19-2017)

Come Fly With Me: Season 1 (2010)

Come Fly With Me is the BBC's mockumentary version of A&E's Airline, complete with a perky soundtrack and a cast of characters from all parts of the FlyLo airline team. What's key to remember is that most roles are filled by two men; their makeup is impeccable as they play catty female ticket-counter attendants, giddy Japanese schoolgirls, a husband-wife pilot team, and all manner of loopy airline customers. Of course everyone is deluded or incompetent (or both); the dry British humor is sublime. It remains a Save title but is available on streaming. Enjoy! 4.5 stars. (viewed 4-13-2013, reviewed 10-16-2017)

My Family: Seasons 1-7 (2000)

I finally got my hands on the first disc of BBC's My Family. (I will update this review as always, however, Season 2 Disc 1 is currently a Save title.) My Family is funnier, with sharper ripostes and repartee, than Fawlty Towers and A Fine Romance. Its closest analog on US TV is probably Married ... With Children (which I have not yet seen) or any similar show. Every character is brilliant in his or her role, esp. the put-upon dad (who is a dentist, of all things, poor sod) and the bad-cook mom (though in everything else, she is well organized, to say the least). The kids are excellent too, esp. the oldest son (a slacker, though the daughter also often asks for money); each child seems to slip into their role as if it is a comfortable shoe. Honesty gets a real workover in this series. Enjoy! 4 stars. (10-16-2017)

Son of the Beach: Seasons 1-2 (2000)

I love parodies as a rule, even cheesy ones like Howard Stern's Son of the Beach. (Season 1 recently turned from Save to Add status.) In this clearly intended spoof of Baywatch, everyone's name is a sex or toiletry reference, dialog is deliberately loaded line-by-line with double entendres, and the Arnold Schwarzenegger doppelganger makes many subconsciously en-Kampf-ortable exclamations. The show could have been cheesier and more ribald, even offensive, however; so at least they pulled out to shun that concept. (Rimshot. I mean, sorry.) Son of the Beach is a silly way for anyone 12-14 and above to pass the time, so long as the gaggle of women in thongs or negligees they stuff into one minute of every episode doesn't sprain anyone's eyeballs (or eyebrows). Enjoy! 3.5 stars. (10-15-2017)

Gabriel Iglesias: I'm Sorry for What I Said When I Was Hungry (2016)

Gabriel Iglesias ("I'm Not Fat, I'm Fluffy") is authentically funny, earthy, and has this huge chemistry with his audience. (He has been coming to Chicago for 15 years, so filled a massive venue, and has his own theme "Fluffy" theme song. The crowd loves this guy!) I laughed (to myself) a good deal throughout this show. He is the real deal, authentic, grounded. I liked this special better than the two others I have seen so far. Enjoy! 4.5 stars. (10-15-2017)

Buddy Thunderstruck: Season 1 (2017)

Buddy Thunderstruck looks to be Robot Chicken for the NASCAR/Dukes of Hazzard demographic. Buddy and his best friend whip his semitrailer cab (with a flip-up nitrous afterburner jet) through its paces to win the trophy cup at every race near their home town of Greasepit (state unspecified). This stopmotion show is both antic and hilarious -- that is, there is a lot of kinetic energy and precision tire-squealing showmanship in each episode, in addition to threatened as well as actual altercations with various town inhabitants (a weight-lifting hothead, for instance). Every town denizen is some type of animal (the pawn shop owner and his repo-man son are warthogs, for example), not always easily identified. Buddy is a natural winner and much-respected small-town hero with a golden heart, although he may sometimes be tricked into doing bad things, until he realizes what's up. As two parents have written so far, the show is cute and clean but the airborne and colliding trucks might not be best for children under age 6. The creators of Robot Chicken are on the producers list of this show, as are two key voice talents from Jimmy Neutron. I love this show, and I am age 60. Enjoy! 5 stars. (10-15-2017)

Buddy Thunderstruck: The Maybe Pile (2017)

I just ran across Buddy Thunderstruck, a hilarious new stopmotion series with a NASCAR/Dukes of Hazzard theme. The Maybe Pile is Season 2: Episode 1, where the racing duo speeds around, on and off road, picking two slips out of their paper sack full of dumb ideas; you choose which crazy stunt they perform by tapping or clicking (on a TV or phone/pad screen). I enjoy wacky, joyous tomfoolery as much as the next fool, and Buddy Thunderstruck delivers it by the truckload (with nitrous afterburner). Enjoy! 5 stars. (10-15-2017)

Miss Sloane (2016)

Jessica Chastain played the young CIA analyst who single-handedly determined "Where in the world is Osama Bin Laden" in Zero Dark Thirty. Now she is a laser-focused, balls-to-the-walls lobbyist in Miss Sloane. At first, she is a "hired gun" for the gun lobby, but after confronting a professional challenge, she finds herself jumping in to work just as assiduously for the opposite camp. This movie is not about guns, pro or con; that is just the largest Washington lobby. This movie is clearly about the facile ways that lobbying tactics and strategems can be flipped and applied to either side of an issue; right or wrong, truth or lies, one side or another are less important than the lobbyist's proficiency in manipulating the theater of engagement and the messaging. Here is a fascinating and fast-paced study in corporate deviousness, on both sides; things get quite intense (some say overblown), but few women actors do intensity better than Chastain. Enjoy! 5 stars. (viewed 5-20-2017, reviewed 10-15-2017)

The Reluctant Saint (1962)

The Reluctant Saint (1962), not to be confused with Reluctant Saint: Francis of Assisi (2003), is an acceptably produced Catholic movie from "back in the day" when Catholic movies were made. Traditional Catholics will find nothing to kvetch about morally; however, the film does not exactly break new ground in scriptwriting and acting. Still, it has its moments. At age 32, Maximilian Schell stars as Giuseppe Desa (later St. Joseph of Cupertino), who lived perhaps the simplest life of all in a small Italian community in the 1600s. He is sympathetically painted as virtually the village idiot: able to perform only simple chores, until heckling children or adults cause him to have an accident, which the authorities blame on his clumsiness. At age 42, Ricardo Montalban plays the abbot who opposes those who arrange for Giuseppe to enter the monastery, where in time he becomes a priest of such devotion that he is witnessed levitating during prayer. The authorities debate and investigate this phenomenon until the skeptics are persuaded with their own eyes. The best moments in this movie are when Giuseppe's mother, or the archbishop, are in the scene. The mother has such a strong will that two priests murmur "If she were a man, she would be a bishop." "No, she would be the Pope." She alternately bosses and persuades her son and the church authorities with skill. The archbishop has a nightlong conversation with Giuseppe and "gets" him spiritually, becoming the chief advocate of a humble, simple-minded man who would rather muck the stables and sleep in the hay than anything else. Bonus points: All the Latin prayers are correctly done. This disc is now available after many years as a Save and then a Very Long Wait title. Enjoy! 3 stars. (10-13-2017)

Dave Chappelle (2017)

I am so glad to see Dave Chappelle back doing standup after a 10-year hiatus. He is a comic genius, and The Chappelle Show was inspired. I put Dave on the same stage as Gary Shandling, Johnny Carson, Carol Burnett, and one or two others. He is edgy and raunchy (esp. this time with an extended bit on a synonym for "meow juice"), and his pop culture knowledge goes well beyond my own, but everything he says hits home. Many white comedians joke about racism but Dave skewers it with his jokes every time. Dave performed in Los Angeles for the first of the two acts in this "collection" (so he relates the four times in his life he met OJ Simpson) and then in Austin (my favorite of the two shows). Enjoy! 4 stars. (10-11-2017)

Ralphie May: Unruly (2015)

Ralphie May is a southern boy who graduated from Houston's class-act performing arts high school. He opened his second (and final) comedy special for this streaming service by proclaiming his pride in the South ("or, as I like to call it, America") and got applause for his redneck-y remarks, esp. accusing CNN of inventing news. He spent the rest of the first 25% of this special describing his drug use and advocating for stonerism. So he was steadily approaching a 1-star review from me. However, I found the next 40% of his standup legitimately funny, as he talked frankly and comfortably about sex, racism, gays, and marriage. Then the final 35% or so of this show got utterly explicit about oral and digital sex, including his teen experiences esp. trying to bed at least two churchgoing girls (apparently, one in her home and one at church). He framed it as a "life lesson" to the young men in the audience, so they could know all the specific tricks and techniques that were practiced by the previous generation. To be fair, by the end of the show, he had the audience eating out of his hand (while he was telling them where it had been). Enjoy as much as you can! 2.5 stars. (10-11-2017)

City in the Sky: Season 1 (2016)

As I would expect from PBS, City in the Sky is a very well-produced, up-to-date, and informative documentary about air flight and the worldwide infrastructure that supports it. This show is full of facts and statistics about the people, baggage, produce, and fuel that jet planes transport every day or year (to put things in perspective), but it is impressive to witness in action the massive facilities all over the world (from Atlanta to Dubai to Hong Kong to the UK) that test and build and service (and store or demolish retired) airplanes, store and route baggage, deliver food and weather and medical services, perform air traffic control, and monitor jet engine performance in real-time. The focus is on Boeing and Airbus jets with (I think it is) polycarbonate construction, which is 10 times stronger than aluminum and offers 20% greater fuel efficiency. (To the amateur reviewer who noted how one flight expends as much fuel as one year of driving the family car, divide that fuel by the 365 passengers in that flight and it is no more expensive than driving your car for one day.) City in the Sky introduces this 3-episode series with the metaphor of its title, because all the people in air transit at any given time could populate a large city. It is a stretched metaphor, and they push it consistently, but I do not begrudge them the effort, because they do a good job of framing the airline industry between global and personal contexts. The series introduces us to the actual personnel in charge of various operations all over the world, and while the tone is overwhelmingly "pro" industry, they candidly describe the risks and negatives as well as the preventive engineering. Watch the pilot (one of 26 so qualified) who navigates his jet manually through the tortuous terrain near Mount Everest to land on a runway 25% shorter than the standard minimum length. You will learn something new with this show, and may appreciate the boon of air travel even more. Enjoy! 4 stars. (10-11-2017)

Christina P: Mother Inferior (2017)

Christina is original, imaginative in her edginess, relevant, and funny. She first discusses childbirth before launching into the generational differences in raising a child. I might have given her 5 stars but her last 5 minutes were an even darker second attempt to be "less negative" about death. She is nothing if not imaginative though, so plaudits to Christina P. (She probably uses an initial because her parents came from Hungaria and she recently married.) Enjoy! 4.5 stars. (10-10-2017)

The Saint (2017)

This direct-to-DVD reboot of the story of Simon Templar (The Saint) held my interest well. (In fact, I tried multitasking, which I rarely do while streaming a film, but found I had to focus on watching the movie straight through to catch everything and enjoy it fully.) The photography is quite good, the chase scenes and martial arts are impressive, but my favorite is the irrepressibly polite and versatile Simon Templar. (While escaping after an intense confrontation with one baddie, he is asked if he can "muster" the strength for the next phase, and says "Of course I can muster. I'm British. We invented muster.") This is no James Bond movie, or The Saint with Val Kilmer; it is clearly made-for-TV fare (esp. when a hail of bullets make no impact sounds on the other side of the room, or when Simon's "associate" talks him through a building infiltration by describing the next step, which he has already been doing for 20 seconds). Enjoy! 4 stars. (10-10-17)

Ryan Hamilton: Happy Face (2017)

This was my first exposure to Ryan Hamilton, who is quite a good comedian, esp. (or maybe because) he keeps it clean. (Happy Face refers to his simply huge grin, and Wikipedia confirmed my impression that he is a Mormon.) He was tepid for the first half of this show, so I was on a slow simmer (if bubbles are chuckles), but I hit a rolling boil (of laughter) once he started on his experiences with online dating, balloon riding, and skydiving. (Women date online to "explore their options," while men date online after they have "exhausted their options.") His material is original, fresh, polished, and relevant. He is edgiest when discussing a guy smoking crack on the commuter train, and how a self-described "balloonist" couple took offense at his bit on ballooning, but he takes friendly digs at all manner of people and all ages. If the first half of this show were as inspired as the second half, I would have given it 4 stars. If Ryan keeps this up, he has the potential to be even more funny (and mordant), and join the ranks of my five favorite comedians. Enjoy! 3.5 stars. (10-9-2017)

Alien Arrival (2017)

Alien Arrival (aka Arrowhead) is based on the director's short film, which had a budget of $600. A crowdfunding campaign for the feature film failed, but garnered industry attention and a budget of $180k; the director said he spent the wad on production, leaving just $1k for post-production. (If that includes editing, it shows.) In the movie's defense, it is not "absolutely awful" or "totally terrible" as the amateur reviewers claim; nor is it "the worst movie" they have "ever seen" (a charge many level against dozens of films). The production values are actually quite good, esp. considering the budget; the scenery is gorgeous. The acting, I must say, is a bit wooden; the two male leads are gung-ho macho types (reminiscent of Jesse Ventura in Predator: "I ain't got time to bleed") and the female barely speaks. The most interesting character is the ship's artificial intelligence, with its aggravating user interface and an amiable Aussie drawl. ("I have information! Would you like to explore? Please log in.") So now we come to the central problem: I found the storyline impossible to follow. I won't try to explain how confusing it is to discern how once scene is connected to the next; I couldn't even grasp the central premise until the computer spelled it out 80% of the way through the movie. (The computer also spills another key plot point to the male lead, merely explaining "You didn't ask.") A big part of the problem is the atmospheric movie score and sound effects; they would be more chilling if not so often overblown, but I just could not tell whether a ratcheting or chitinous or growling sound was meant to be a jump scare or an actual sound in the scene. I don't regret seeing it but I would certainly much rather rewatch Red Planet, Predator, or even Starship Troopers. Enjoy! 2.5 stars. (10-8-2017)

Kathleen Madigan: Bothering Jesus (2016)

I like Kathleen Madigan, even though she might slap me when I say she has gotten more cherubic (and not in a waifish way); still, it works for her because part of her standup is talking about middle-America Missouri and eating unhealthy stuff. She also clearly is enjoying herself on the stage, and I think her breeziness adds to the laughter of her audience. She certainly had my gut chuckle on a low steady boil. This special gets its title by comparing Christian evangelicals' "direct, personal relationship with Jesus" to growing up Catholic, where you are given a whole list of heavenly intermediaries when praying about personal matters before you go "bothering Jesus." Kathleen is a champ. Enjoy! 3.5 stars. (10-8-2017)

Dark Matter: Seasons 1-3 (2015)

I love Star Trek: Next Generation and Firefly (5 stars), but I really like Dark Matter (a solid 4 stars), and that is a hard mark for a scifi series to hit with me (esp. from Syfy). Canada has once again delivered a great show. Casting is superb, and every character does a fine job in his or her role; the leading characters are almost as memorable as in Firefly. (My favorites are Two for her leadership and badassery, Three for his weapons prowess and devil-may-care attitude, Four for his Japanese complexity, and I just love Android, in all her shadings and upgrades. Five and Six are great too.) Martial arts and sword or gun fights in this series are impressive. Four, plus a half-dozen kickass female warriors (Two/Portia, Android, Nyx, Tash, and Misaki), are simply intense. The scriptwriting gives unstinting humor and personal nuance to each character, the technology is intelligent and imaginative, and the acting never misses a beat. Yet all that is icing on the cake of Dark Matters' storyline, which may be the most complex I have yet seen in a scifi series. We start with the crew's memory having been wiped, leading to questions such as "Who are we, really?" and at least one stolen identity. Personal secrets and galactic conspiracies swirl, memories are gradually uncovered or revealed, a doppelganger crew appears and complicates things over two seasons, crew members leave or die (or do they?), and let's not get started on instantaneous space (and time) travel. (In my favorite episode, Three experiences a recurring time loop as in Ground Hog's Day, and it is hilarious.) Social and emotional questions are also discussed often, and with great sensitivity (esp. as Three becomes reunited with his wife). Amidst the corporate factions that are waging galactic war, an impending android revolt and an alien invasion are two themes that build towards the season 3 cliffhanger (which, unfortunately, is where Syfy forced the show to leave us after its cancellation). Enjoy! 4 stars. (10-7-2017)

Jerry Before Seinfeld (2017)

Jerry returns to the stage that launched his career, telling jokes as comfortable as slippers while discussing his family origins and comedic sensibilities. We hear stories and see home movies, but also Jerry crouched over a sidewalk, paved for a solid block, with handscrawled legal-pad pages containing every comedic routine (or "bit") he has ever written. Here is a man who is the king of comedy, eminently likable, and still going strong. Watch this and enjoy! 4 stars. (10-2-2017)

The Confession Tapes (2017)

I got a slow start with this series, and almost gave up on it, since I began watching it late at night, and much of the footage is scrappy surveillance camera videotape from decades ago. The first story, told over two episodes, covers two teen males accused (and eventually convicted) of the murder of one of their families (even though they had alibis and any evidence was circumstantial). This series becomes interesting once you grasp the premise of each story: In every case, defendants confessed to and were convicted of crimes they (in retrospect) did not commit. In most cases, coercive police interrogations, as well as the lack of legal representation, led to defendants signing fictional confessions, simply because the police could not be bothered to pursue more obvious leads or evidence. (They followed their gut and manufactured a confession rather than follow correct police procedures.) This series is a good object lesson in how the court system can fail innocent people, esp. if they are minors, less educated, or lack representation by an attorney. Enjoy! 3.5 stars. (10-2-2017)

Don't Trust the B---- in Apartment 23 (2012)

I finally binged on this show, watching both seasons in two days. It is hilarious, brilliantly written, and superbly acted! Chloe is evil -- she will scam, con, or outright lie and steal anything she wants, whether to have it for herself (for however briefly), to make a point, or just to mess with someone. She exudes sex, confidence, and unmitigated gall, as these are her stocks in trade. She takes in June, a fresh-faced Indiana transplant to New York City, as yet another one of her scams, but over time they strike an uneasy alliance, as a bit of June's midwestern authenticity rubs off on Chloe, and more than a bit of Chloe's chutzpah rubs off on June. James Van der Beek plays himself as their D-list best friend, and Dean Cain plays himself as his occasional foil. Every character in this ensemble cast rocks their role -- especially the girls' stalkerish neighbors on either side, and JVDB's effusive personal assistant. I only give 5 stars to TV shows I positively love and could watch over and over; Don't Trust the B---- is one of them! It is wilder and funnier than Better Off Ted. It should have been renewed, at the expense of 2 Broke Girls. Enjoy! 5 stars. (10-2-2017)

Steve Trevino: Relatable (2014)

Steve Trevino shows us what's good and bad about Texas. (Please note that what's "bad about Texas" is actually "good about Texas" in the minds of his audience, since this special was filmed in beautiful and patriotic Corpus Christi.) He paints us a picture of the ugly redneck (good Texan) with rapid strokes in the first 5 minutes of his show by comparing his native Texas values to the Los Angeles mindset of his new neighbors as he tries to kill an opossum in his back yard. His neighbor lisps, "Don't kill it! Did you call Animal Control?" He responds, "I'm from Texas. I am Animal Control!" (The neighbor calls the authorities, who converge on his address and fine him $650 for the dead possum he was going to toss into the street.) He grouses for maybe two-thirds of the show about women, and how the rules they impose on men do not apply to themselves. I found myself sympathizing with his comments more than I soon concluded was healthy. To his credit, he does admit once or twice "I love my wife -- I do," but he snarls and growls many times, "I hate my wife! I want to kill her!" When Lewis Black rants against anything, it's funny, because he is from New York; when Steve Trevino rants against women, it's disturbing (to me at least), because he presents himself as a white-bread, all-American patriot. The show opens with a rollicking country music number and closes with a peppy Tejano/conjunto number and dancing onstage, because that's how south Texas "does it right." Enjoy, y'all! 3 stars. (10-2-2017)