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scriptingends1975
Reviews
Let's Be Real (2020)
Not as good as Triumph, but not as bad as most of the reviews here make it out to be
Seems like most (all?) of the 1-star reviews are just from conservatives who 1) don't understand satire 2) think everyone is out to get them 3) still believe the election was stolen.
It's important to realize, though, that "people" like Trump and Ted Cruz are already caricatures and puppets, so portraying them as actual puppet caricatures seems somewhat unnecessary, and as such, some of the jokes involving them just fall flat.
The impressions are well-done, in the sense that the voices are realistic, but there is more cringe than humor in a lot of these sketches. I expected a bit more from Smigel, really.
Mrs. Fletcher (2019)
if you're a fortysomething who decided not to have kids...this show will remind you why that was a good decision
I don't generally think of Kathryn Hahn as a leading lady, but she acquits herself nicely here, and this show is entertaining (at least it has been so far, two episodes in). what does figure into the plotline here, but let's be honest, if that bothers you, you won't be watching this or reading reviews of it, either. I think the limited series arc will serve it well.
Years and Years (2019)
a non-spiritual "The Leftovers" with a dash of "Black Mirror" thrown in to taste...
No need to recapitulate the basic premise here, as I'm sure dozens of reviews on this page already have. If you are reading this, you are wondering about whether or not to invest the time in watching this series. I'd say if you liked the premise of "The Leftovers", but were put off by its overt spiritualizing/moralizing or its excessively (and increasingly) dark tones, or if you liked "Black Mirror" but have found that they are running out of new premises, then this series would be a good fit.
Solid acting, realistic near-future prognostications, and the fact that the cast isn't American and the show is set in the UK means that there's far less risk of overacting or over-the-top plot advancement. I'm only 4 episodes in, but I'm excited to see where it goes from here.
Sword of Trust (2019)
funny, sincere indie film
A small town Alabama pawn shop dealer (Maron) is presented with an intriguing item one day by an incredulous couple (Bell and Watkins) - an antique sword with paperwork attesting to the "fact" that the South won the Civil War.
A strange and entertaining adventure ensues as the 3 join forces with a kid who works at the pawn shop (Bass) to try and find a high-end buyer for the unique relic from a time that didn't really even exist.
Quirky without being contrived, funny and tight (88 minutes - I saw it with a post-film Q&A where director Shelton said "a comedy should be 90 minutes"), the film serves as a tailor-made vehicle for the strengths of its main protagonist (Maron) and a small, solid supporting cast. Much of the dialogue was improvised, yet none of it feels forced, and it also manages to poke fun at the culture of "alternative facts" which is slowly seeping into all corners of society without being malicious (making one of the GOOD guys an unapologetic flat-earther helps to spread the sympathy/blame around).
Worth a watch on screens big or small. Watkins and Bell have a nice chemistry, Bass plays a simpleton a bit TOO convincingly, and, despite the fact that he regularly self-deprecates to the contrary on his podcast, Maron is really coming into his own as an actor.