I still have to work part of this holiday, but it's good to have a rest. I can't wait for Wonder Woman movie next weekend. I've got a Wonder Woman shirt already for it.
Politics continues to be horrible during Trump's trip. Only he could visit the Pope one day then invite Duterte to the White House and reveal the location of two nuclear subs! No wonder the UK won't share intelligence reports with us about the Manchester attack anymore. Nobody should trust such a hopeless security risk. I was also horrified by his budget, gutting major agencies like Education, the EPA, and HUD. However I read that Congress won't even try to pass that, so that's some mild relief, until we see the actual budget they write.
Friday, May 26, 2017
Saturday, May 20, 2017
A Quiet Passion
I finally got to see the Emily Dickinson movie. It was enjoyable, with funny banter and lots of witty women. However, I was surprised that the movie focused so much on Emily's sister Vinnie instead of her sister-in-law Susan Gilbert. She was a close friend and lived next-door, and Emily wrote her tons of letters; she's the only close confidante I remember from reading a biography of Emily years ago. Susan Gilbert is barely in the movie, only having a couple of scenes, while the movie focuses instead on Miss Buffam as an outrageous friend who delights the Dickinson sisters. Plus the movie talks much about Austin's affair with Mabel Loomis Todd, but doesn't even make note that she will end up editing and publishing Emily's poems after her death; there's no mention even in epilogue text onscreen. The movie also makes much of Emily's crushes on married men and her longing for romantic love (while she is miserable over not being beautiful). It's rather strange, when Emily's sister Vinnie never married either and doesn't look so lonely; but she's not as reclusive I guess. The movie also shows Emily's increasing pain and seizures from Bright's disease. It must have been terrible for such a sharp mind to be trapped in a body that it could no longer control.
Before A Quiet Passion, there was a preview for a documentary called Letters From Baghdad about Gertrude Bell. It looks interesting, and even has actors playing famous friends and associates commenting on Bell. I'll definitely see it when it comes out in June.
Meanwhile, Netflix finally announced season 5 of Arrested Development, saying all the cast would return, yet I'm concerned that Will Arnett's twitter account says "I haven't signed anything." I hope he's just joking, but I'm not sure. Can't have season 5 without Gob and Tony Wonder.
Before A Quiet Passion, there was a preview for a documentary called Letters From Baghdad about Gertrude Bell. It looks interesting, and even has actors playing famous friends and associates commenting on Bell. I'll definitely see it when it comes out in June.
Meanwhile, Netflix finally announced season 5 of Arrested Development, saying all the cast would return, yet I'm concerned that Will Arnett's twitter account says "I haven't signed anything." I hope he's just joking, but I'm not sure. Can't have season 5 without Gob and Tony Wonder.
Tuesday, May 16, 2017
Uncancelled
I was stunned and pleased by NBC changing their minds and saving Timeless. It's a nice hopeful moment in these dark times. I always appreciated how the show made Rufus a true lead and not merely a sidekick to the other two members of the team. With Jiya's new importance, it will be interesting to see what happens next.
I also heard that Miss Fisher's Murder Mysteries has a movie script done, and they're trying to get funding to return. Good luck, because I miss that show terribly.
Meanwhile Supergirl had a truly awesome episode last night, packed full of guest stars. Some of the political dialogue on resistance was too clunky and unsubtle, like how Wonder Woman used to be too earnest about feminism. Still, it was great to see Madame President reveal herself as an alien with apparently no sinister motives. With the mention of Superman in the beginning I kept wondering where he was, trying to remember if he was to guest star in this episode or not. His reveal at the end was a big surprise. I hope next week will be great.
Meanwhile, some of the networks have released their fall schedules, and Tuesdays is going to overwhelm my DVR. I might have to upgrade to more tuners to get everything. Or break out my old VCR for a low tech solution, but then I'd have to keep getting new VHS tapes.
I also heard that Miss Fisher's Murder Mysteries has a movie script done, and they're trying to get funding to return. Good luck, because I miss that show terribly.
Meanwhile Supergirl had a truly awesome episode last night, packed full of guest stars. Some of the political dialogue on resistance was too clunky and unsubtle, like how Wonder Woman used to be too earnest about feminism. Still, it was great to see Madame President reveal herself as an alien with apparently no sinister motives. With the mention of Superman in the beginning I kept wondering where he was, trying to remember if he was to guest star in this episode or not. His reveal at the end was a big surprise. I hope next week will be great.
Meanwhile, some of the networks have released their fall schedules, and Tuesdays is going to overwhelm my DVR. I might have to upgrade to more tuners to get everything. Or break out my old VCR for a low tech solution, but then I'd have to keep getting new VHS tapes.
Saturday, May 13, 2017
Renewals
Lots of TV news lately in preparation for the upfronts next week. I'm going to miss Timeless the most, but good riddance to Sleepy Hollow, which should have ended last season. The rest of the shows I cared about were renewed, so now it's just a matter of seeing next season's schedule. With DVRs, it matters less to me what timeslot something gets, then what dates the show will be airing; everything seems to be airing in bursts of a few weeks, then long hiatuses.
Of the new shows that have been picked up, I'm most interested in the magician show Deception, hoping once again to find a light funny mystery series that's not all gore and violence. I'm mildly interested in the sitcom that has Cristela Alonzo on it, but will have to see more trailers and info about how big her part is.
Anyway, Jason Bateman tweeted that he's signed up for season 5, implying that he'd be filming in the summer. Really? And so soon after Will Arnett joked about the wait for more Arrested Development. Well, I hope everybody signs up soon so Netflix can make an official announcement.
Lately I've trying to learn more about Anna May Wong after watching a PBS documentary about her. I've been searching for some of her movies and TV shows to watch, but apparently only the same few movies are available, such as the 1930s Study in Scarlet movie where she was just a sinister Chinese lady. I'm trying to find something where she's a lead and the story is less overtly racist. (Apparently Wong had a lot of roles where she died.) I bought something from Alibris that I thought was her movie, but instead it was something else that just had the same title. *Sigh*
Of the new shows that have been picked up, I'm most interested in the magician show Deception, hoping once again to find a light funny mystery series that's not all gore and violence. I'm mildly interested in the sitcom that has Cristela Alonzo on it, but will have to see more trailers and info about how big her part is.
Anyway, Jason Bateman tweeted that he's signed up for season 5, implying that he'd be filming in the summer. Really? And so soon after Will Arnett joked about the wait for more Arrested Development. Well, I hope everybody signs up soon so Netflix can make an official announcement.
Lately I've trying to learn more about Anna May Wong after watching a PBS documentary about her. I've been searching for some of her movies and TV shows to watch, but apparently only the same few movies are available, such as the 1930s Study in Scarlet movie where she was just a sinister Chinese lady. I'm trying to find something where she's a lead and the story is less overtly racist. (Apparently Wong had a lot of roles where she died.) I bought something from Alibris that I thought was her movie, but instead it was something else that just had the same title. *Sigh*
Thursday, May 4, 2017
May the Fourth Be With You
Also, it's another Cinco de Cuatro without any news on season 5 of Arrested Development. Will Arnett got to guest host one night of the Jimmy Kimmel show, making a joke about the lack of news and Jason Bateman. Then he promoted his silly Gong Show revival for the summer. The episode was okay, but not as great as the one night of the Late Late Show he hosted after Craig Ferguson left.
Anyway, it looks like the Writer's Strike was averted, so probably the TV upfronts will be more normal. PBS has a new historical reality show called Victorian Slum House, covering the decades from 1860s to 1900s. The first episode was very interesting and informative. I never knew the specifics about doss houses before.
Anyway, it looks like the Writer's Strike was averted, so probably the TV upfronts will be more normal. PBS has a new historical reality show called Victorian Slum House, covering the decades from 1860s to 1900s. The first episode was very interesting and informative. I never knew the specifics about doss houses before.
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