ccard-38155 Reviews

Lioness (2023– )

flawed finale

[6/10 · 7 September 2023]

I normally like Taylor Sheridan's material, and this series held my interest for the most part. In fact, I would have enjoyed it more had the finale not had such a glaring flaw it could not be overlooked. Perhaps some viewers will be able to take it with a grain, or some perhaps may not notice. Unfortunately for me, I kept waiting for the twist or the punchline which never came. It is not my intention to spoil this experience for anyone, however I will leave a hint below which you are free to ignore. Otherwise, for the most part it's a well-executed show which can be entertaining for the most part.

(hint: if interested look for the enemies "security" tech which is made unbelievably smarter than the "ops")

Bay of Fires (2023– )

worthwhile season one

[8/10 · 3 September 2023]

Admittedly I wasn't sure where this series was heading, but somehow I was interested, in a mild way. It's just quirky enough with some spontaneous surprises that gives the feeling there's more beneath the surface. With that minor intrigue I felt compelled to watch each episode with more anticipation. Yes, the viewer is expected to make an investment in time and trust. And yes, it's a very worthwhile investment. I'm glad I didn't "cut my losses" early on, but I think it was the odd story, and mysterious question of is this going anywhere? Bay of Fires is a slow reveal which gets better and better with each episode.

Plan B (2023– )

Interesting Premise

[6/10 · 5 April 2023]

Plan B attempts to explore the "what if" of decision making. What if we had the option to go back and do it differently? It's not as easy as changing one thing to create the desirable outcome. There are many variables attached. It's an interesting premise to see various versions of the past trying to manipulate the future. The problem is the series is not that engaging. While I was interested enough to see where it would lead, I didn't care about the characters and sometimes found them annoying. As a concept, I found Plan B creative but wish they'd done something more substantial with the set-up. Still the series held my partial attention at times.

Pretty Baby: Brooke Shields (2023)

Excellent

[9/10 · 4 April 2023]

Brooke Shields is incredibly impressive with her down to earth honesty in reviewing her life highlights. The documentary is concise for the most part, and while the viewer might want more focus on specific areas, it's enough to convey her often alarming story of unaware exploitation. While there has been personal and media manipulation, the history of female sexual sensationalism is spotlighted. Though she will not think of herself as a victim, what's pointed out repetitively is times have changed, and what the industry did then is not socially acceptable now. What makes this documentary great is her brave perspective and intelligent insight. Hopefully others can learn from her or more about her, if they choose to do so.

Mickey: The Story of a Mouse (2022)

decent overview

[8/10 · 13 February 2023]

I really liked the originality in approach for this documentary. Though created by Walt Disney, the film focused on a biographical approach to the character which I enjoyed. Yes, and it was made apparent the life-long link between creator Walt and creation Mickey. I liked the historical approach to the development of Mickey's shorts, and the effect the character had on the world. Plus ultimately the effect the world had on the mouse. Personally, I only had one detractor which was the choice in musical score. Given it was Mickey, and literally Walt's baby, I wanted something better for the mouse. At times I found it diminishing rather than enhancing, or at least invisibly accompanying, the subject matter.

Stolen Youth: Inside the Cult at Sarah Lawrence (2023)

a bit too slow and a bit too long

[7/10 · 12 February 2023]

As documentary series go, it's adequate, but for my tastes it was too slow and unnecessarily drawn out. Instead of 3 episodes, I would have been more interested in 2. The subject matter is not pleasant and the footage can be uncomfortable to watch. The series showed the how, and the eventual progress victim's made toward regaining their selves. For me, the biggest failure of the series is not better demonstrating the why. I found it hard to understand why these individuals would trade in their academic opportunities for this different form of education. Had the "why" been better presented, perhaps I could have been more engaged.