Month: May 2021

For fans of the popular Neflix series The Crown, the time between season can feel like an eternity. With Season 5 at least a year away, what is a fan to do? How about checking out the docuseries, The Royal House of Windsor for a little background information and context.

Released in 2017, this 6-part documentary series follows the British royal family from before World War I, through to the choosing of the name Windsor, up to the Charles and Diana years and beyond. The series explores the connection that the Windsors have to other royal dynasties across Europe and the adaptations they have made over a century to endure their survival.

The series opens by addressing the stark anti-german sentiments post World War I that lead to a name change for the royals from Saxe-Coburg to the much more English sounding Windsor. The dust had barely settled from that change when King Edward VIII adbacated the thrown in 1936 in order to marry the American divorcee, Wallis Simpson.

When King George VI ascended to the throne it wasn’t only his life that changed drastically, his daughter Elizabeth was also set on an alternate life course. The young princess soon begins her training in her duty an heir to the monarchy but that doesn’t stop her from falling in love.

Life with Prince Philip starts off as a little piece of a fairy tale. The handsome Naval office and his young wife, Princess Elizabeth, move their little family to Malta, where Elizabeth gets her first taste of freedom from palace life. This little escape is short-lived as King George VI falls ill and Elizabeth and Philip are recalled to the palace to assume royal duties.

The docuseries hits the highlights of the early years of Elizabeth’s marriage, reign and family life. A few well-known incidents and hardly known near misses are touched on as the series moves toward the tumultuous years of Charles and Diana’s marriage.

Up until this point, the series is interesting, entertaining and fairly well balanced in its storytelling. Unfortunately, episodes four and five quickly become pro-Charles propaganda as the narrative paints Diana as an emotionally unstable young woman and Charles as a hapless victim to the scheming of his betters.

The coverage of Diana’s death and the fall-out from how the family handled the crisis in early days was interesting and heart-wrenching. As the story transitions to the future of the monarchy it is evident the producers aim to leave the viewers with a sense of hope. The series finishes strong, though, with a beautiful tribute to the life and legacy of Britain’s longest reigning monarch, Queen Elisabeth.

On the surface, a history documentary might seem dull but the producers do an excellent job of bringing humanity and context to important historical happenings. Many of the recounts include commentary from former staff and expert historians. It should be noted that the Royal Family cooperated with this series by opening their archives to producers for the first time. Perhaps that is why those couple of episodes were so heavily weighted in Charles’ favour.

If fans of The Crown are looking for a summer session history class to prep for the next season of their favourite royal drama, The Royal House of Windsor is exactly the docuseries they are looking for – available now on Netflix.

In 1989, writer Amy Tan experienced a tsunami of success that left the life she knew scattered to the winds. In the aftermath of that initial success, Amy slowly comes to terms with her history and her complicated relationship with her mother. All of this culminates into a collected works that accidentally maps the journey of Tan, through generations.

Amy Tan: An Unintended Memoir is a beautiful telling of a life unfolding through written works and somehow because the the words written. Amy Tan speaks at length of her own journey and shares footage of her mother sharing pieces of her story as well. Amy’s friends and husband also share treasured memories and insights throughout the piece.

Amy discusses her success, the criticism she received and how she wrote her way through he complicated emotions of a life changed by celebrity. She also talks at length about how living with her mother’s overwhelming grief and rage fueled by unspoken trauma affected her throughout her life.

Tan’s unfussy honesty and simple self reflection makes this documentary feel more like having coffee with a friend than anything else. her ease with herself and her story removes any awkwardness and leaves room for identifying with the common experience while appreciating Tan’s story as uniquely her own.

She is funny and kind to herself and to her mother while still being so relatable. Her friends and colleagues affirm this perception with their lovely memories and perceptions of Amy from over the years.

Amy Tan: An Unintended Memoir is an easy watch that gives a deeper glimpse into a gifted writer who opened the doors to our hearts and minds through her words and stories.

One part true story, one part drama and one part the story of all trafficked girls, I Am All Girls is one hundred percent a crime thriller you don’t want to miss.

Brought to us by a team of talented South African story tellers, I Am All Girls, is loosely based on true events that dive deep into the sinister world of human trafficking. This world is universe unto itself, involving government officials, wealthy business men from the middle east and decades of missing, tortured and murdered children. In this telling, one detective finds herself drowning in the sorrow while being driven by a deep sense of urgency of the overwhelming danger of adults preying on children.

Already emmeshed in a quickly unravelling human trafficking case, Detective Jodie Snyman (Erica Wessels), is assigned a murder case that was meant to remove her from the stressful world of investigating child slavery and rape. Instead, the case drags her deeper into the impossible mystery of cracking an international child trafficking ring.

Snyman’s frustrations with always being a step behind the traffickers are compounded when some key players she had been investigating begin turning up dead with the initials of missing children carved into them. As Snyman follows leads to track the vigilante murderer she begins to understand and identify with her target. She realizes they are fueled by similar emotions and, without her badge, she may be compelled to take matters into her own hands, as well.

The line between law and vigilante justice gets blurred as her suspect leads Snyman down the winding path of corruption and getting justice no matter what the cost.

The story is intriguing and well paced and the actors, particularly Hlubi Mboya, Masasa Mbangeni and Deon Lotz, bring an honesty and no-frills purity to their roles. This film checks all the boxes for a honest to goodness, well done crime thriller. Take the time to check out I Am All Girls, you won’t be sorry.

As a life-long fan of Elvis Presley, I have read dozens of books and watched countless movies and documentaries about Elvis Presley. In all of my reading and watching I have never experienced a documentary like Elvis Presley: The Searcher.

A few years back, Elvis’ former wife, Priscilla, had a series of conversations with one of his dearest friends, Jerry Schilling. They reminisced about Elvis, not the movie star or King of Rock and Roll, but the man, the artist, the curious soul who was at his best, his most authentic when he was immersed in music. These conversations became the blueprint for this honouring look at Elvis’ life and love, in music.

HBO produced the two-part series with Thom Zimny at the helm as director and Alan Light as writer. The team compiled archived footage of Elvis, beginning with pictures of him in his childhood as well as early radio interviews and television performances. The series documents his early career, his dynamite collaborations with Sam Phillips, his first films and his military service that, temporarily, put the brakes on his music career.

The second part of the series recounts Elvis’ grief at the passing of his mother and his complicated relationship with his manager, Colonel Tom Parker. The struggle between Elvis’ desire to be a serious film actor and Parker’s drive to commercialize every aspect of Presley’s life is laid bare by Priscilla and other’s who were part of Elvis’ inner circle.

A dozen or more former friends, colleagues, a bandmates of Elvis’ as well as others influenced by Mr. Presley’s music were interviewed for this project. All told stories of Elvis’ love of music and diversity. They all spoke of how music calmed his soul and fed his spirit. Yes, there was a retelling of pressures to perform, to produce material for market, and how this tension led to a life-long struggle with addiction.

But addiction and indulgence wasn’t the sum of who Elvis was. And it’s not his legacy. The gift he left us was a smooth, effortless voice with an incredible range and depth of expression. He left us an uncomplicated appreciation for music, in all of its forms, for rhythm and movement and expression that was decades before its time and yet bloomed just when it was needed most. And this film tells this story of Elvis … the singer, the musician, the dreamer, the creative … the searcher.

HBO has become a leading force in Rock and Roll docuseries and they wrap this one up to perfection. The creative team behind this series honours the life and legacy of The King while Elvis Presley: The Searcher reminds us of the man Elvis was and the heart behind the music.

What happens when you add Michael Bay and Chuck Hogan to an extraordinary true tale of regular men with a particular set of skills defending themselves and the ideals of their country and toss it all up on the big screen? You get a fast-paced, high-intensity blockbuster hit that is unforgettable.

13 Hours: The Secret Soldiers of Benghazi is the dramatic retelling of the events that took place on September 11, 2012 in Benghazi, Libya. Despite being warned of the dangers of continuing his mission in the midst of the increased tension in Libya, US Ambassador Chris Stevens, carries on. As dusk comes over the American compound chaos erupts. it is down to a handful of former soldiers defended the American diplomatic compound from relentless attacks from militants over a thirteen hour period.

13 Hours is more than an action flick or military propaganda, its the story of men showing up for each other and refusing to give up on the hope of life beyond the moment. The real magic of this film isn’t the explosions and gunfire we have come to expect from a Michael Bay film, it is the authenticity that the lead actors bring to their roles.

John Krasinski, as former Navy Seal Jack Silva and new man on the crew, headlines the movie. He is entirely believable in the role and brings vulnerability and humanity to what could have easily become a cliché tough guy role. James Badge Dale, David Denman, Toby Stephens and Max Martini round out some of the most impactful performances in this film. Each has more than a few golden moments in the story that bring the heart of the struggle to life. Demetrius Grosse also has a few special moments onscreen that stick with you long after the credits roll.

Although this film was based on a book of the same name by Mitchell Zuckoff, Michael Bay still consulted with the CIA before going into production on 13 Hours. This was to ensure that the retelling of this remarkably true story did not jeopardize the security of individuals or missions of the CIA.

This is hands down one of my favorite action flicks. it’s got a well-paced, fleshed-out storyline with characters you want to root for. The actors do a superb job of honoring the men they portray and complete the telling of this story with dignity and respect.

And yes, the explosions are really cool, too.

May is the beginning of Spring, here in central Canada. It’s a month of sunny days and new beginnings. It’s also a month of old friends, new friends and last chances on Netflix. Here’s a brief highlight of some of the biggest comings and goings.

Comings

The Back to the Future Trilogy : Follow Marty McFly (Michael J. Fox) and Doc (Christopher Lloyd) as they journey through time in the classic 1980s trilogy. The first film in this set sees Marty McFly, a teenager who constantly gets the short end of the stick, accidentally travel back to the 1950s where his presence affects his parents’ first meeting. The subsequent two films has Marty going to the future and to the old west to correct his family’s timeline and prospects.

Money, Explained is the docuseries you never knew you needed. Hosted by Tiffany Haddish, Marcia Gay Harding and other celebrities, this five part series explores every angle of money, how to make it, where to keep it and how to safeguard it. Episodes focus on themes of schemes, debt, gambling and investment and features input from insiders and experts.

Lucifer: Season 5 Part 2 is on the horizon and you won’t want to miss it. In Season 5 Part 1 we saw the show morph from an account of the Devil going for a romp around L.A. to a more intense drama where key players are motivated by a sense of identity and love. Part 2 is more of the same but … more. Sins abound as good and evil clash time and again as the power struggle continues. In Part 2 though, you can expect music and drama and God thrown into the mix. Set your countdown clocks, Lucifer 5.2 is coming up quick!

Goings

Sherlock: Seasons 1-4 is leaving us this month. Benedict Cumberbatch and Martin Freeman have had a great run on Netflix as Sir Arthur Conan Doyle’s famous crime solving duo, Sherlock and Watson, reimagined. Unfortunately, their run is done. Over four season we have seen them solve mysteries and test their friendship to the very brink. This modernized version of the classic stories is full of wit and humor. Be sure to catch it before its gone!

50 First Dates is moving on at the end of the month. Forgetful Lucy experiences one day over and over again and determined Henry makes sure that if she can’t remember him, from day to day, she’ll fall in love with him for the first time every day. This hit rom-com starring Adam Sandler and Drew Barrymore is full of laughs, catchy tunes and heart-warming moments that proves love does conquer all. Set some time aside for a movie night with this charming flick before it’s gone from the line up!

Click here for the full list of Netflix’s comings and goings this month.

If you are looking for a sweet Amy Adams movie … keep looking! This is definitely not the quaint, feel-good flick you are used to. The Woman in the Window is a psychological thriller that will have you cowering behind your blankie before long. I promise you’ll need time to recover from this one.

Amy Adams is Anna Fox, a child psychologist suffering from agoraphobia. While she can’t bring herself to leave her house that doesn’t mean that she has no interest in life beyond her front door. She spends her days diligently watching, and researching online, her neighbors, She seems to have an insatiable desire to know everything about everyone she cannot know personally.

Her curiosity is piqued anew when the brownstone across the street is sold to a new family from Boston. It doesn’t take long before the awkward teenager of the family, Ethan (Fred Hechinger), introduces himself to Anna. Then follows an unexpected visit from his mother, played by Julianne Moore. Both encounters leave Anna with the sense that not all is right in the Russell home.

What follows is a confusing and confused series of flashbacks, hallucinations and unbelievable happenings all witness by Anna who is inconsistent with her medications while being very consistent with her wine consumption. Things come to a head when Anna thinks she witnesses the murder of Mrs. Russell only to discover that an entirely different woman, who is alive and well, claims to be Mrs. Jane Russell (Jennifer Jason Leigh).

Anna’s sanity is driven to the brink as her grasp on reality is questioned time and again. It is only in a truly unexpected twist that the truth comes tumbling out. The viewer is left reeling and uncertain who will be left standing in the end.

Amy Adams does a brilliant job in this film adaptation of AJ Finn’s novel of the same name. While the storyline gets muddled at times and production was reportedly fraught with issues despite Netflix’s best efforts, it is still a suspenseful flick with some darn fine acting.

If you are looking for a good, old-fashioned movie jump scare, this one has a few. It’s also got an interesting storyline, A-list actors and all the ingredients for a satisfying thriller. The Woman in the Window has it all, be sure to set some time aside to take it in.