First Viewing Viewing Date: November 24th Via: Amazon Prime Plot: A hardened CIA operative finds himself at the mercy of a precocious 9-year-old girl, having been sent undercover to surveil her family. Rating: 6.8/10
First Viewing Viewing Date: November 24th Via: Netflix Plot: A group of young friends from the Bronx fight to save their neighborhood from gentrification...and vampires. Rating: 7.3/10
First Viewing Viewing Date: November 23rd Via: Netflix Plot: Explores the dangerous human impact of social networking, with tech experts sounding the alarm on their own creations. Rating: 7.7/10
First Viewing Viewing Date: November 23rd Via: iTunes Store Plot: This documentary examines unidentified aerial phenomenon. With testimony from high-ranking government officials, and NASA Astronauts, Senator Harry Reid says it "makes the incredible credible." Rating: 7.8/10
First Viewing Viewing Date: November 22nd Via: Amazon Prime Plot: When carefree Nyles and reluctant maid of honor Sarah have a chance encounter at a Palm Springs wedding, things get complicated as they are unable to escape the venue, themselves, or each other. Rating: 7.7/10
First Viewing Viewing Date: November 22nd Via: Cinema Plot: While fulfilling a contract with the United States military, Santa Claus is hunted by a ruthless hitman hired by a spoiled child as retribution for receiving coal on Christmas morning. Rating: 7.9/10
Viewed: Season 1
Co-created by The Raid mastermind Gareth Evans, Gangs of London is one hell of a show; a brutal, vicious, awesome crime-action TV series supported by thoroughly cinematic production values and an excellent cast. This is a great outlet for Mr. Evans to indulge in his favourite hobby: staging elaborate, extremely violent action sequences, a mixture of fisticuffs and shootouts. The show carries that Gareth Evans stamp of action excellence (even during the episodes directed by Corin Hardy or Xavier Gens), and this is most clearly felt in the fifth episode containing a truly massive gun battle that's riveting from start to finish. The dramatic stuff is also compelling, and the show isn't as convoluted or slow-moving as some other TV shows in a similar vein. It's also more fun, and, with only 9 episodes in this debut season, there's little in the way of narrative fat. However, the show undeniably peaks with its action-heavy fifth episode; the last episode, in particular, is a bit of a letdown, though the ending itself is strong. This is a great show, and I can't wait for Evans and his collaborators to get a second season off the ground.
Viewed: Season 1
First things first: I absolutely despise the fact that this was a week-by-week show. A docuseries like this should have dropped all its episodes at once and let viewers binge - I was actually turned off watching this at first and basically ignored it until all the episodes were available. But I finally got around to watching it. Which brings me to my second point: this is a superb docuseries. I hate that special features are no longer as treasured as they once were, and I never thought I'd get such a comprehensive look into the making of The Mandalorian as we've been given here. Each episode examines something new, and it flows like a beefy making-of documentary that's broken into chapters. We get a look at the astonishing tech behind the show, as well as the practical effects, the scoring, the cast, and lots more. Each episode involves a roundtable interview, and the participants go over countless different topics, intercut with revealing behind-the-scenes footage. It's an incisive look at the techniques which were used to bring the show to life, and it leaves barely any stone unturned. If you love The Mandalorian and you're even slightly interested in finding out how it was made, this is worth your time - and then some.
Viewed: Series 2
Karl Pilkington has pulled it off again with this delightful second season of Sick of It, which continues to mix side-splitting humour with effective drama and pathos. Indeed, this is not a traditional sitcom that one might expect from Pilkington - instead, this feels more like a Ricky Gervais program, in a similar vein as After Life. But itโs still vehemently its own unique creation. I love hearing Karlโs unique insights into the world around him and about certain situations, and the overarching story of this season is more cohesive and compelling than I expected. Moreover, Karl and writing partner Richard Yee donโt pander to the audience - the ending of this season is hopeful but not cloying or victorious, and it still feels grounded in reality (some cartoonish stereotypes in Normaโs American family notwithstanding). I also liked the New York City setting in the final episode, which gives this series a bit more scope and polish. This is a terrific show, funny and heartfelt in equal measure, and I hope we see more from the bald-headed Manc twat before he calls it a day.
First Viewing Viewing Date: November 17th Via: Amazon Prime Plot: With the Queen's life at stake, a physician who can talk to animals embarks on an adventure to find a legendary island with a young apprentice and a crew of strange pets. Rating: 5.8/10
First Viewing Viewing Date: November 16th Via: Stan. Plot: Five college graduates rent a cabin in the woods and begin to fall victim to a horrifying flesh-eating virus, which attracts the unwanted attention of the homicidal locals. Rating: 6.3/10
First Viewing Viewing Date: November 16th Via: Blu-ray Plot: An unemployed single mother becomes a legal assistant and almost single-handedly brings down a California power company accused of polluting a city's water supply. Rating: 7.6/10