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First Viewing Viewing Date: July 6th Via: Blu-ray Plot: A story about the final days of the James-Younger gang, who robbed banks as the law desperately tried to stop them. Rating: 7.7/10

First Viewing Viewing Date: July 6th Via: iTunes Store Plot: Sled dog Buck is taken to the wilds of the Yukon where he ends up in the care of an aging recluse, Jack. Rating: 6.2/10

Viewed: Season 2

With the coronavirus pandemic still continuing, Season 2 of What We Do in the Shadows is perfect lockdown viewing, and I'm so thankful that a new season was already filmed before this crisis started. Suffice it to say, this new season is every bit as brilliant and fun as the first season, with the main cast still an absolute pleasure in their respective roles. Matt Berry is perfect in anything, and he's one of my favourite parts of this show. The show's lore is further expanded this season, while guest appearances from the likes of Mark Hamill, Haley Joel Osment and even Benedict Wong contribute even more colour. I can't wait for the third season, and I hope it's not delayed by the pandemic.

First Viewing Viewing Date: July 1st Via: Blu-ray Plot: A mercenary is hired to rescue his ex-girlfriend, a singer who has been kidnapped by a motorcycle gang. Rating: 7.3/10

Revisit Viewing Date: June 30th Via: 4K Blu-ray Plot: When Captain James Hook kidnaps his children, an adult Peter Pan must return to Neverland and reclaim his youthful spirit in order to challenge his old enemy. Rating: 6.8/10

First Viewing Viewing Date: June 29th Via: Blu-ray Plot: The Tramp finds work and the girl of his dreams at a circus. Rating: 8.8/10

First Viewing Viewing Date: June 29th Via: Blu-ray Plot: After finding an old rifle, a teenage boy is conscripted the Soviet resistance movement and experiences the horrors of World War II. Rating: 8.7/10

First Viewing Viewing Date: June 28th Via: Blu-ray Plot: Hysterical Californians prepare for a Japanese invasion in the days after Pearl Harbor. Rating: 6.6/10

First Viewing Viewing Date: June 28th Via: iTunes Store Plot: After finishing their service with Richard the Lionheart, Robin Hood and Little John return to Sherwood after twenty years. The Sheriff of Nottingham still rules under tyranny and Maid Marian’s life is threatened, prompting Robin to begin another violent revolt. Rating: 6.8/10

First Viewing Viewing Date: June 27th Via: iTunes Store Plot: An online troll is forced to compete in an internet-broadcasted gladiator-style fight to the death with pistols bolted to both hands. Rating: 7.2/10

First Viewing Viewing Date: June 27th Via: iTunes Store Plot: A nurse is put in charge of a mute actress and finds that their personae are melding together. Rating: 7.8/10

Viewed: All 12 episodes

And I completed my Chris Lilley catch-up with Angry Boys, another show that was summarily removed from Netflix because of concerns about offensive content. And, uh, oh boy, this show really is Lilley at his most fearlessly offensive, and I’m amazed it took so long for this thing to disappear from streaming. Indeed, Lilley not only plays an African American rapper in complete blackface, he also drops the n-word consistently. And he plays another unflattering Asian character. For the right audience, it’s all extremely funny, as the piss-taking is spot-on across the board, from parodying American hip-hop culture (which is a parody of itself, really) to bogan white Australian culture, surfer culture, and more. Yet, as with most of Lilley’s shows, there’s still heart here, which is most felt in the character of “Gran” who works at a juvenile justice centre. The show’s ultimate denouement is also extremely touching, and actually gave me goosebumps, so Lilley gets credit for that. This is a really good show - it’s not as great as Summer Heights High, but it’s still fun and funny. And I really can’t believe that Lilley got away with all of this in 2011, especially the song (which is available on iTunes) called “Squashed N*gga”. Like, holy shit.

Groundbreaking for the era, but noticeably dated

“The first cinematic adaptation of H.G. Wells' renowned 1898 novel of the same name, The War of the Worlds endures as one of the most defining science-fiction films of the 1950s. Following in the shadow of The Day the Earth Stood Still and When Worlds Collide, but appearing before the likes of Star W” read more

Viewed: All 6 episodes

With the recent rise of censorship as shows and movies are hastily removed from streaming services, I decided to finally acquaint myself with Chris Lilley's other shows that I've always been meaning to watch. Summer Heights High is the all-time high point, of course, but I would say that We Can Be Heroes is not far behind. Lilley's breakout series which established his modus operandi of a show simultaneously tracking a group of main characters all played by Lilley himself. And here, he even plays an Asian (hence the eye-rolling "blackface" criticism which led to Netflix removing it). I laughed heartily and steadily throughout We Can Be Heroes, as Lilley and the other actors really give it their all from start to finish. Lilley commits to the characters and makes no apologies as he takes the piss out of cultural stereotypes, from white bogans to stuck-up private school students, and more. And yes, I laughed heartily at his depiction of Ricky Wong, the Chinese student who plays the lead in an Aboriginal-themed performance with an all-Chinese cast. Plus, there is also genuine heart here, which is most felt in the depiction of Pat Mullins, though all of the characters experience some form of heartbreak. All in all, I greatly enjoyed We Can Be Heroes and I look forward to watching it another few hundred times.