Reviews

HBO's The Sympathizer takes Viet Thanth Nguyen's award-winning novel and crafts a story that goes beyond the historical hyperbole so familiar to those of us who were growing up during the Vietnam war. Hoa Xuande plays The Captain, who walks a typical spy-vs-spy tightrope which never feels stale, thanks to the crisp writing and fast-moving direction teams. He's tasked with working for a South Vietnamese general as Saigon begins its fall in April of 1975 and he feverishly tries to juggle his official duties with his covert operations as a communist spy for North Vietnam.

Robert Downy Jr. Romps through the era as CIA operative Claude, who works with The Captain through the evacuation from Saigon and re-integration into American society. Sandra Oh makes her appearance stateside during episode two, bantering about the inherent racism within Orientalism and bedding our hero for fun.

Viewers will undoubtedly be emotionally and politically divided in their response to The Sympathizer, but HBO offers us a multi-faceted point of view about the Asian people who lived through the Vietnam War, and their post-survival journey.

A bittersweet tale of lost love and opportunities, The Third Wife spins Linh and Nhan's story of sacrifice and redemption into something quite special. The pairing of Kaity Nguyen and Thuan Nguyen as the star-crossed lovers, combined with Victor Vu's skillful direction and superb cinematography make for an unforgettable viewing experience. The supporting characters offer a glimpse of what life must have been like during the Nguyen dynasty for this quiet village, drawing sharply divergent portraits between the simple villagers and the ruling class. It does run a bit long by Western filmmaking standards, but that may be the point - this is not "movie-making as usual".

Zarna Garg's "One in a Billion" comedy special on Netflix hit all the high notes for me. Funny without being offensive, Zarna uses her skills to connect with her audience on many levels - as a woman, a mother, and an immigrant. Her superpower is not pandering to the lowest common denominator that saturates the field of satire today, namely obscene sexual references and over-the-top profanities. She zeros in on the common aspects of the "immigrant experience", deftly deconstructing stereotypes with a happy warrior persona that imparts a cozy feeling. Smart, sassy and strong - Zarna serves up a delightful serving of laughs, and I can't wait to see her perform again.

Note to Netflix: Her One in a Billion show needs a larger venue, with a bigger stage area - let this talented tigress roam wild and free!

Major Payne is a great romp of a comedy - thanks to Damon Wayans, Steve Martini (Alex Stone) and Karyn Parsons (Emily Walburn). Wayans plays the title character for major laughs, and Steve Martini is entertaining as the cadet with attitude.

But Karyn Parsons is the heart of story. She's always been great at playing empowered women with a strong voice - remember The Ladies Man? Well, she really shines here, as a woman who is smart, assertive and doesn't wait around for the guy to ask her out or to make the first move.

Sadly, whoever is editing the filmography stats needs to actually SEE the films (or just google the Wikipedia review), because Parsons and Martini are both left out of the Top Cast section, AND stuck at the bottom of "All Cast and Crew" listing.

And maybe just hiring a few proofreaders would solve the problem.

Let me say right up front that no one - and I mean no one - does Assassin-for-Hire like the South Korean cinema. They raise the martial art genre to an entirely sublime form, almost akin to ballet.

So with a title like Kill Boksoon, one expects violence, but it's executed with such skill and finesse that it hardly can be considered gruesome, or gory.

Enter Bok-soon, who would love to consider herself just another working mother, but the real world - and her world of killer-for-hire - never lets her forget it.

What a time for an existential crisis! Her 15 year contract with MK & Co. Is expiring, her teenage daughter borders on homicidal, and her coworkers are looking to take over her #1 kill slot.

Kill Bok-soon will enthrall die-hard fans of Kdrama and entertain those who love an elegant fight scene. And for those who love a little family drama along the way - bring a tissue.

Sometimes you have to stick with a film for the slam-bang ending, and Agatha and the Midnight Murders is such a film. It's true that several of the characters only serve to distract us, and the plot is absolutely implausible (Christie killing off her beloved Belgian sleuth?). But Blake Harrison as Agatha's dodgy sidekick, Travis and the trigger-happy PC O'Hanauer (played by Jodie McNee) are fascinating to watch as the clock winds down to a satisfying conclusion. Sadly, save for a taunt beginning and the twist ending, the half-baked script simply didn't give the cast enough to work with - yet true Christie fans can always be counted on to find the proverbial bright spots!

A Kind of Murder pays serious homage to the classic noir films of the 1940-1959 period. At first it appears that Walter Stackhouse's fascination with a murder mystery is woefully lopsided, but he and the suspect have more in common than either of them know. The cast is perfectly arranged in a tight little world that allows them to shine brightly - even in the darkest corners.

It's rare to find a well-made film with so many women working behind the camera, and of course having an original Patricia Highsmith novel to work from makes it that much better. And there's a delicious ending, too, that neatly explains everything - with just one look.

You Will Meet a Tall Dark Stranger is another in a long line of Allen films stuck in a hamster wheel of deception. By this I mean the glitter of creative genius that *was* Woody Allen has long since evaporated, and all that is left is a desperate over-reaching for continued validation.

A notable cast tries hard to deliver lackluster dialogue from the Allen playbook, but fails - not through want of trying - because the material is so woefully outdated. And when will he stop trying to turn every film location into a pale copy of New York City?

The only bright spot in this film is the storyline featuring Jemma Jones, and Roger Ashton-Griffiths, as two gentle souls searching for the meaning of life under the guiding hand of their metaphysical counselor, played by Pauline Collins. This is one instance where a few supporting actors literally steal the movie from the A-list stars with their nuanced performances.

Riches is one of those shows that satisfies on so many levels: Looking for a good old-school Dynasty buzz? Check. Craving a mystery with more plot twists than a pretzel? Check again. Yearning for a quick fashion fix, with a dab of wealth porn? Sure, why not?

This UK based winner also delivers a solid story about the wealthy Richards family, fighting each other - and some deep personal weaknesses - to save their company. Deborah Ayorinde and Sarah Niles snap, sizzle, and pop as sparring in-laws Nina and Claudia, evoking that delicious disco-era energy of Krystle and Alexis Carrington.

Yet Riches moves beyond mere campy soap-opera to hook viewers with a mystery worthy of any Masterpiece Mystery show. It's easy to binge watch, but beware the bittersweet realization that you'll have to wait until the second season for emotional closure...sigh.

"When I look at you, the following three emojis come to mind: Rope. Shovel. Hole."

Mayhem * Murder * Teenage Animal Angst : The macabre Addams Family franchise gets a fabulous new series, worthy of binge-watching any day.

The diverse cast, headed by Jenna Ortega, keeps the action seamlessly flowing along, serving up snappy dialogue and enough plot twists to seduce viewers into a "just one more episode" happy trance.

The creative team gives a smart homage to Edgar Allan Poe's Murders in the Rue Morgue, by featuring Wednesday as the relentless Generation Z Detective Dupin. And hopefully Tim Burton's credentials are sufficient enough to warrant a few more seasons.

Unfortunately, The Scarlet Empress is what happens when two creative superegos collide. Von Sternberg seems besotted by his fantastical environs, and the film suffers great because of it. Marlene's transition from gaping-mouthed innocent to the cunning temptress is one long slog, notable only for a superb moment of Ms. Dietrich entangled in her sheer bed curtains.

For those who are familiar with Russian history, prepare to be disappointed, BUT - fans of Marlene must see the teasing interplay between her and the camera, which is the real love affair here.

And it's a miracle Sam Jaffe's ridiculous debut was quickly forgotten.