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This is a Robbery: The World's Biggest Art Theft on Netflix.

Also on Netflix Shtisel returns, after a five year break, with season 3. The incredible Shira Haas continues to show why she's one of the best actresses out there. The show itself digs into the complexity of human life that is totally recognizable through the problems consist mainly as living as an ultra-Orthodox Jew.

It's funny about that Bill Maher pro-Israel rant was how prepared it was.  He obviously wanted to come out swinging as the opposite of his entertainment friends, many of  whom are onboard (whether deserved or not) the anti-Israel train that's building up steam. So when a moment came, after guest comment, he went off on his 5 minute rant that seemed very prepared.  Personally I thought it was a so-what moment.

Last edited by The Old Man
@bman posted:

We just finished the first season of Line of Duty, another first class British cop show, this one about what is called Internal Affairs divisions in North America, on Netflix.  As usual with British cop dramas, well written complete characters, nuanced plot lines, etc.  Highly recommended.

It has remained strong through all five seasons we’ve watched. We’re about to watch season 6.

We finished the second batch of Lupin. Always entertaining, if not exactly plausible.

And recently we finished the fifth and final season of the French series The Bureau. Wow. Fantastic. The first season was decent. Very low key, and mostly took place in the Paris offices of the DGSE. Subsequent seasons branch out to half a dozen other countries. There’s one main story that evolves over all five seasons. Highly recommended.

Trying to watch Manifest, but it looks like I won't be able to due to the inconsistency of the characters' actions and paint by numbers storylines.

I do not recommend watching Bill Maher's fawning performance interviewing Quintin Tarantino. "I've seen every frame of your movies countless times." It must be remembered that without one man Tarantino may not have become a significant filmmaker, and of course that's Harvey Weinstein. After 30 years working together this is the best Quint could come up with (in 2017), “'I knew enough to do more than I did,' he said, citing several episodes involving prominent actresses. 'There was more to it than just the normal rumors, the normal gossip. It wasn’t secondhand. I knew he did a couple of these things.'”

"A couple of these things." I'm sure, at the least.

Started watching Solos on Amazon Prime.  A seven-part anthology series introduced by Morgan Freeman that features a single actor in each 20-25 minute episode. (Has a little sci-fi thrown in.) First four episodes have been fantastic. Like watching a series of good one-man plays, commenting on the human conditions of pain, loss, fear, etc. Highly recommended.

@mneeley490 posted:

Watched the final season of Goliath. Went out with a bang! My wife commented on how great it would be to have a Bosch/Goliath crossover.

I wanted to love Goliath right from the start. And there is much to like about it; Billy Bob Thornton is excellent as is the entire cast. From the so hot Tania Raymonde (who I actually thought was really a man a first in Lost), to the fantastic Nina Arianda, to the equivalent of the similar Mandy relationship to Bosch in Bosch role of Billy McBride's daughter played by Diana Hopper everyone is great.

As an LA fan I love the locations particularly his home base around south of Santa Monica pier. Here the love of LA and its places are just as well done in Bosch.

However, there was just something too over the top when it came to the bad guys. Some of them, like William Hurt in the first season, were like the supervillains in a comic book movie. The bad guy in the second season had a evil act he liked to perform. Finally ending with a truly bizarre scene that you would only find in a twisted manga book or perhaps in torture porn movies like Saw or Hostel. It was with trepidation that I approached the third season and soon found indeed, that it was going toward some supercharged bad guy in a story that seemed to be partly Chinatown on steroids'.

So I did not make it to the fourth season. After reading my critique do you think I still should? There was a lot to like.

The Korean filmmakers certainly has a certain point of view and they often incorporate horror to make points about their society. Certainly the epitome of this movement was the great film Parasite of 2019 (the last time I was in a movie theatre.) Now there is equivalent of this riveting movie in the streaming series on Netflix, Squid Game. I'm not going to say anything about the plot except to say the less you know the better. Watch it soon because someone you know is anxious to spoil the plot-point for you.

@The Old Man posted:

The Korean filmmakers certainly has a certain point of view and they often incorporate horror to make points about their society. Certainly the epitome of this movement was the great film Parasite of 2019 (the last time I was in a movie theatre.) Now there is equivalent of this riveting movie in the streaming series on Netflix, Squid Game. I'm not going to say anything about the plot except to say the less you know the better. Watch it soon because someone you know is anxious to spoil the plot-point for you.

did you like the squid game?

I was hoping more for more twists and turns but ended up finding an enjoyable quick thrill ride through the series.

@g-man posted:

did you like the squid game?

I was hoping more for more twists and turns but ended up finding an enjoyable quick thrill ride through the series.

I've only seen the first 2 episodes. Perhaps it collapses under its own weight or cleverness? I'll see. I do like the M. C. Escher reference.

Third tonight. One thing you can say about the Koreans is the Koreans are very talented at blending naturalism with the most off the wall science fiction, horror and amped up crime stories.

Last edited by The Old Man
@Rothko posted:

HBO had a Sopranos marathon so I dvr'd them all and am watching the first season.  So good.  I'm not sure I'll be able to get through the entire series; I did think it went down after the second or third season when it was first out.

Interesting - you may have a different perspective with some time gone by. The only part of the whole series I didn’t care for was his dream sequence about being a traveling businessman.

@billhike posted:

Interesting - you may have a different perspective with some time gone by. The only part of the whole series I didn’t care for was his dream sequence about being a traveling businessman.

That traveling businessman stretch was rough.  I rewatched the first season and they were more caricatures than characters;  I think as the series went on the acting became more nuanced and natural, and the layers of the characters were peeled back.  I still have it ranked as my favorite television series.

@patespo1 posted:

That traveling businessman stretch was rough.  I rewatched the first season and they were more caricatures than characters;  I think as the series went on the acting became more nuanced and natural, and the layers of the characters were peeled back.  I still have it ranked as my favorite television series.

I loved when some of the crew went to Italy, and Paulie got clowned for being a classless mook. 🤣

@Rothko posted:

HBO had a Sopranos marathon so I dvr'd them all and am watching the first season.  So good.  I'm not sure I'll be able to get through the entire series; I did think it went down after the second or third season when it was first out.

I curated (that's the new word for "chose") a viewing recently. It decided not to watch the first season and I stopped when FBI agent started working on Adriana, just all too depressing.  They I jumped again, not watching the shooting or aftermath of Tony.

There certainly are a number of not good episodes and I am in the hating the finale camp (and did not watch it nor the last few episodes of the series), but I was again impressed with so much. Great writing, great ensemble acting and great production. It triggered the second golden age of television--of which we're still in--and it should be esteemed for it.

@winetarelli posted:

Going to have to watch “Squid Game”. If for no other reason than to know what everyone is talking about.

I can't say I "enjoy" it at this point but it is fascinating and impossible to stop watching after four episodes. Certainly some of the most disturbing scenes of any movie or TV show ever (No, I refuse to watch The Human Catapiller, and this is not in the simple mode of a sick thriller.) And yet, so far, each episode at some point redeems itself and soars to new heights. Do not watch it with someone sensitive.

Last edited by The Old Man

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