Instant Family

— . [Netflix streaming.]

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[2018. 118 min. Directed by Sean Anders. Starring Mark Wahlberg, Rose Byrne, Bustavo Escobar, Isabela Merced, and Julianna Gamiz.]
https://www.rogerebert.com/reviews/instant-family-2018

Teenage Bounty Hunters

— When reviewers started praising “Teenage Bounty Hunters” and calling it “woke,” I knew I had to check it out. I can’t speak to anything’s relative “wokeness,” but I admit it’s unexpectedly fun and irreverent enough that anyone who takes things too seriously is bound to be offended one way or another. It follows two, privileged sisters as they maneuver rivalry and deceit at their Christian high school; the proclivities of their wealthy, Christian parents; their teenage hormones; and a lucky accident that lands them in the world of bounty hunting. I’d say it’s sort of a cross between “Clueless” and “The Politician” under a Christian umbrella. It’s not for everyone, but you’ll know after the first episode if it’s your kind of dark, edgy, kitschy, coming-of-age series or not. [Netflix streaming.]

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[Season 1: 2020, 10 Episodes, 48-58 minutes/episode. Created by Kathleen Jordan. Starring Maddie Phillips, Angelica Bette Fellini, and Kadeem Hardison.]
https://www.sfgate.com/tv/article/netflix-teenage-bounty-hunters-white-privilege-15506226.php

Power Project

— It sounds like a good idea. A $500 pill available from your local pusher that’ll turn you into a superhero for 5 minutes, but every reaction’s slightly different and death is always a possibility. Think of the scripting potential—one-on-one revenge, political leverage, adjusting the gene pool, toppling a government… Add Jamie Foxx and Joseph Gordon-Levit to the mix and it ought to be a hit. Maybe it is, at least on Netflix, but there’s something a little off as if someone didn’t fully understand the genre. I can’t put my finger on it because there are the obligatory plot twists, emotive acting, lifting of ideas from other films, and more than enough explosions, flashes, and quick cuts, but it just seems like it should have been more. Still decent entertainment and better than many of the 2nd tier films Netflix acquires to pad their catalog. [Netflix streaming.]

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[2020. 113 min. Directed by Henry Joost and Ariel Schulman. Starring Jamie Foxx, Joseph Gordon-Levit, Dominique Fishback, and Rodrigo Santoro.]
https://www.rogerebert.com/reviews/project-power-movie-review-2020

The Mandalorian

— I’d put off watching “The Mandalorian,” thinking there has to be point at which enough “Star Wars” is enough and, besides, how could it compete with the pizzazz of the original franchise. Well, it does. I was sucked in quickly and it was easy to keep on watching one “chapter” after another. It feels like a comfortable shoe the second you slip it on, albeit a racing shoe. The special effects are everywhere, but not as in your face as sometimes, and that’s a good thing in my opinion. Its story line is interesting and in the sci-fi western tradition, and it has enough human emotion to lure you in, something of a feat since the hero is faceless. Best of all, it really doesn’t require much knowledge of previous installments so it’s okay to watch even if you not Star Wars obsessed. For those who like this sort of thing, I think you’ll be happy with it. I was. [Disney+ streaming.]

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[2019. 8 Chapters, each 29-38 min. Created by Jon Favreau. Starring Pedro Pascal, Carl Weathers, Rio Hackford, Gina Carano, Werner Herzog, Nick Nolte, and Taika Waititi.]
https://www.nytimes.com/2019/11/15/arts/television/review-mandalorian-disney-plus.html

Imposters

— If you missed “Imposters,” I’d recommend it for possible binging. It’s a great idea—three people discover they all were bilked by a beautiful con artist who marries susceptible people then takes their money and disappears. The three unite and a game of cat and mouse begins with varying amounts of love, revenge, fear, and danger. Unlikely friendships develop. The high road blurs and questions arise as to who’s using whom and what’s real and not. Things are constantly being juggled and someone’s always one step ahead. There’s no question you’re watching a clever, dramatic comedy, and a pretty dark comedy at that. [Netflix streaming.]

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[2017-18. 2 Seasons, 10 episodes/season, 40-45 minutes/episode. Created by Paul Adelstein and Adam Brooks. Starring Inbar Lavi, Rob Heaps, Parker Young, and Marianne Rendon.]
https://www.hollywoodreporter.com/review/imposters-review-972998

The Umbrella Academy

— I ended up loving Season 1 and looked forward to Season 2 of this dark, time-travelling, apocalyptic, comedy featuring a truly dysfunctional family with a fun assortment of superpowers. Providing much of the storyline would ruin the experience. It all sounds preposterous anyway, and it is, but if you let yourself accept the variables, it’s great fun. A little of the fun comes from some offbeat music and quick editing, but its quirky nature is what makes the difference. If your sense of humor is slightly off-center and you don't expect your superheros to be gods, give it a try. [Netflix streaming.]

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[2019, 2020. 10 episodes each season, each episode 45-60 min. Created by Steve Blackman and Jeremy Slater. Starring Ellen Page, Tom Hopper, David Casteneda, Emmy Raver-Lampman, Robert Sheehan, Aidan Gallagher, Justin H. Mim, and Colm Feore.]
https://www.npr.org/2019/02/14/693519408/the-umbrella-academy-offers-an-intriguing-curriculum-hurt-by-overcrowding

Murder Made Easy

— I always worry a bit when one person, either credited or uncredited, is the director as well as a producer, writer, editor, and art director. It’s often the sign of a very low-budget film, or of a film that no one wanted to make in the first place. “Murder Made Easy” is written as though it’s a filmed stage play so everything takes place in a couple of rooms in a single house on a single evening, dialogue is a little stilted, and everyone has a single costume. At first the acting is bothersome and you can’t figure out if it’s because the script isn’t well written or the actors are acting for a stage play instead of a film. Whatever the initial discordance may be, it settles into a groove with a setup that's Agatha Christie-esque all the way as a new person dies over each course of a dinner menu. There’s some cleverness, a bit of black humor, and enough intrigue to keep you watching. It’s not among the great who-done-its, but certainly decent viewing fare during a pandemic. [Amazon Prime streaming.]

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[2017. 76 min. Directed by David Palamaro. Starring Jessica Graham, Chrisopher Soren Kelly, and Daniel Ahearn.]
https://dailyfilmfix.com/?p=7382