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Reviews
Murdoch Mysteries: Why is Everybody Singing? (2024)
Just awesome
Such a joy - it's what I love about Murdoch, and this from the start, always daring to expand the narrow confines of storytelling to include horror, music, sci-fi, noir, and all manner of genres.
I feel bad for those who cannot expand their minds and tastes to dare to try something different. "Normal" Murdoch is not a thing and I for one am so grateful the team isn't limited in their thinking, or in the cast's abilities.
The interweaving of what is happening inside Murdoch's mind and the investigation is such a clever way to tell the story. The musical numbers are amusing, touching and well produced.
This episode is the kind of thing that keeps the series fresh and engaging. Pity the person who cannot enjoy such creativity.
The Birdcage (1996)
If only for Nathan Lane's brilliant performance
This play originated as La Cage au Folles which needed to be "americanized' but if for only one reason - Nathan Lane is it - his performance is nothing short of brilliant - the cast is as well - Robin Williams as an actual "straight man" to Lane's melodic verse - it's like a dance that Lane dances with all the players - Gene Hackman is a wonderful foil, strangely although not unexpectedly drilling into us that there is so much more that unites us than divides us.
A wonderful movie that is as delightful on the 10th viewing as it is on the first.
An American Pickle (2020)
A very sweet little film
A thoroughly enjoyable little film, excellent performances, a bit uneven here and there but overall a nice Sunday afternoon flic to watch curled up on the couch. The music was wonderful, probably my favourite part.
Game of Thrones: The Last of the Starks (2019)
"Calling it in"
This season has been incredibly disappointing but so far this episode is the worst letdown.
I can't imagine how this will end but "not well" is what I'm expecting.
Too bad - it was such a good ride.
Game of Thrones: The Long Night (2019)
Consistent with the Story - The Promised Battle
I am recent to GoT having binge-watched it in March of this year - this episode and all the Season 8 episodes to date are completely consistent with the GoT Season 7.
For those who think the franchise has dropped in quality go back to season 7 and rewatch the whole thing straight through to this episode.
The Long Night is chaos - it's the world upside down - it's the fight for your life - it's so much action that at times it feels overwhelming.
For me, the measure of the episode is if it completely captured me emotionally and this one did - for a moment or two I was sure all was lost and it felt like it does when you know your team won't win the match, the series, the medal. And then ...
I think for many there is "revisionist memory" where the memory of an event, an episode, is rated higher than the actual event was. The patina of memories.
I think the music is the MVP of this episode - it was spot on and incredibly evocative at times, stirring at others, the piano at the end amid all the insanity was a beautiful juxtaposition.
Crash (2004)
Simply stated excellent and a pleasure to experience.
Crash is a story of redemption and second chances, about the toxicity that comes from polluted motivation, namely fear.
Told through the easily understood and recognized frame of racism in Los Angeles (no pre-story is required here as most viewers know of Watts District Riots, Rodney King, OJ Simpson, et al) a number of stories are interwoven and told in the manner of Claude Lelouche, Robert Altman, Terrence Tarrantino, et al.
When the edges of each of these stories touches on others, the true nature of shared experience of what can only be called institutionalized fear is engaged. Even newcomers are quickly made fearful and paranoid due to a culture of violence bred from incessant feelings of disconnectedness in their lives, their environments and their choices.
Crash challenges you to look beneath the layer of racism to explore the underlying message that in fear, in adversity, in us-and-them, only bad can result. But when motivated by strength and empowerment, when fear is left to lie, even those characters most despicable can be redeemed with second chances. A lovely thought.