Made for Love

— [HBO Max streaming.]

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[2021. One Season, 3 episodes; 25-29 minutes per episode. Starring Cristin Milioti, Billy Magnussen, and Ray Romano.]
https://www.rogerebert.com/streaming/hbo-maxs-made-for-love-tv-review-cristin-milioti

The Irregulars

— [Netflix streaming.]

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[2021. One season, 8 episodes, 49-58 minutes/episode. Created by Tom Bidwell. Starring McKell David, Thaddea Graham, Jojo Macari, Harrison Osterfield, and Darci Shaw.]
https://www.rogerebert.com/streaming/netflixs-the-irregulars-succumbs-to-some-pretty-regular-problems

Elizabeth and Margaret: Love and Loyalty

— I enjoyed this newish, UK Channel 5 documentary. It's an interesting look at the complex relationship that existed between Queen Elizabeth II and her sister, Princess Margaret. Since most of the information I have about Princess Margaret comes from hazy childhood memories of tabloid stories and from “The Crown,” a bit more depth helps, not that I know how much of the film’s information is fact without bias. It does put both Princess Margaret and the Queen in a better light than would be the case if our American perspective is applied to a decidedly British institution and relationship, or when current standards are applied to past events. If you’re interested in this sort of thing, I think you’ll enjoy it. If not, it’s just more for those who love or hate the British monarchy. [Netflix streaming.]

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[2020. 88 min. Directed by Lucy Swigler, Stephanie Wessell. Featuring Queen Elizabeth II, Princess Margaret, Christopher Warwick, Kate Williams, Hugo Vickers, Ingrid Seward, and Ed Owens.]

Tina

— Documentaries about entertainment icons have the advantage of a built-in audience, so they aren’t all particularly well done. “Tina,” a documentary featuring interviews with Tina Turner, is something of a farewell interaction with the larger world as she leaves the spotlight. It’s one final look at her past, including many parts with which we’re all familiar, but blending her own comments with those of a few people who were around her, and incredible concert footage, into a fascinating documentary. Yes, I’ve been a fan since “Private Dancer,” so I may have been easy to win over, but I do think the film is well done. I also like that Tina’s fan base is broader than her music, a testament to the inspiration she’s provided to women in abusive situations, to anyone searching for their own voice in middle age, to those reinventing themselves and their purpose, and those accepting what was and moving beyond it. In fact, maybe this film should be mandatory viewing for people who continue to define themselves mostly based on hardships from long ago, wearing their pain like a badge of honor, and constantly reminding everyone about from where they’ve come, instead where they are or where they’re going. [HBO Max streaming.]

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[2021. 118 min. Written and directed by Daniel Lindsay an T.J. Martin. Featuring Tina Turner, Angela Bassett, Roger Davies, Terry Britten, Kurt Loder, and Erwin Bach.]
https://www.rogerebert.com/reviews/tina-movie-review-2021

Godzilla vs. Kong

— Happily, this is not overly campy or seemingly created by someone more enamored with their computer toys than the story. Instead, it’s a decent bit of entertainment, solidly anchored by Millie Bobby Brown who once again shows us how talented she is, and Alexander Skarsgard, who is always believable. Kong is still the same sympathetic monster who protected Fay Wray in 1933 and Jessica Lange in 1976, and Godzilla is something of a good guy or at least morally ambiguous. What sets these monsters apart from the superheroes we've seen in the past twenty years in over 100 superhero films is that they are more primitive than humans while humans are more primitive than superheroes. In this film, humans cause the problem and, ultimately, overcome the problem. The story progresses at a pleasing pace, the action is spectacular and appropriate, and it ends up being a well-executed feat of storytelling; I liked the film and I liked the creatures. I confess I didn’t watch any of the three previous “Monsterverse” films (“Godzilla,” “Kong: Skull Island,” and “Godzilla; King of the Monsters”), but I’m thinking I may add them to my list to watch in the future. [HBO Max streaming.]

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[2021. 113 min. Directed by Adam Wingard. Starring Alexander Skarsgard, Millie Bobby Brown, Rebecca Hall, and Brian Tyree Henry.]
https://www.rogerebert.com/reviews/godzilla-vs-kong-movie-review-2021

The Falcon and the Winter Soldier

— [Disney+ streaming.]

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[2021. One Season, 6 episodes; 45-55 minutes per episode. Directed by Kari Skogland. Starring Anthony Mackie, Sebastian Stan, and Wyatt Russell.]
https://www.rogerebert.com/streaming/disneys-the-falcon-and-the-winter-soldier-struggles-to-get-off-the-ground

Zack Snyder’s Justice League

— For those who aren’t DC Universe groopies, “Zack Snyder’s Justice League” is the extended cut of “Justice League,” a film from which he stepped down during post-production in 2017; Joss Whedon finished the film, including some reshoots, an infusion of humor, and quite a bit of editing based on the studio’s mandate. I thought Whedon’s version was a step up from "Batman v Superman," the “DC Extended Universe” film it followed, but still mediocre and juggling too many characters whose backstories weren’t quite fleshed out enough for a standalone film. The 2021 release is evidently the version Snyder envisioned. It includes enough CG action to leave anyone’s head reeling, but that’s not always a good thing. The first half is a great example of mood lighting gone amuck and it’s hard not to wish you could turn up the brightness. Luckily, the first couple of hours are mostly there to sort out the large number of characters that loosely join forces to save the world in the second half. And speaking of the second half, it borrows heavily from soap opera plotlines—no matter how dead anyone is, there’s always a way to bring ‘em back in the next episode. A few of the actors, normally talented, too often default to a brooding or constipated look to depict emotion. I’ll admit things move along in the second half and it's more interesting than the first half, redeeming it somewhat. Where the first film seemed to have been cut a little too ruthlessly, this one needs one more, harsh edit. It’s twice as long as most films and less than half as likely to stand the test of time. [HBO Max streaming.]

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[2021. 242 min. Directed by Zack Snyder. Starring Henry Cavill, Ben Affleck, Amy Adams, Gal Gadot, Ray Fisher, Jason Momoa, Ezra Miller, Willem Dafoe, Jesse Eisenberg, Jeremy Irons, and Diane Lane.]
https://www.rogerebert.com/reviews/zack-snyders-justice-league-movie-review-2021

Country Comfort

— [Netflix streaming.]

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[2021. One season, 10 episodes, 20-27 minutes per episode. Created by Caryn Luca. Starring Katharine McPhee and Eddie Cibrian.]
https://variety.com/2021/tv/reviews/country-comfort-katharine-mcphee-1234920792/