World on Fire Episode 2 2019

     Harry has married Polish citizen Kasia and he planned to bring her to American with him.  At the last minute, Kasia pushes her youngest brother Jan on the train and he is to be saved instead.  Harry doesn’t know what to think!!  Only one person was allowed to go on the train with Harry and Kasia chose Jan.  Harry takes Jan to stay with his mother Robina and she doesn’t have very many maternal skills!!  Another complication for Harry is that he loves Lois but she has pushed him away.  It is because of his mother’s complete disapproval of her because she works in a factory.  Lois is singing on the Palais stage and she tries to tell Harry she loves him. She doesn’t get a chance when she’s called back to the stage.  Nancy’s censor allows her to report on a prediction about the Jews but he sees these actions as a matter of national security.  Lois is now singing for the ENSA, Entertainments National Service Association.  Tom is a seaman on the HMS Exeter, Harry is a 2nd lieutenant in the British Expeditionary Force, Kasia is working in the cafe but also for the underground in Poland, Jan is enrolled in school by Robina.

     Another interesting aspect of Nancy’s investigations are that she learns about the Child Euthanasia Program headed up by Dr. Voller.  Any child with a mental or physical defect is taken to the hospital under the guise of receiving treatment.  Nancy witnesses children going into the facility by bus.  What she learns is that there is no treatment other than euthanasia!!  The Rossler’s have a young daughter Hilde with epilepsy and Nancy goes to talk to them about what the program really means.  Everything about these episodes seems like it is happening in real time!!  5* (I really liked this series.  

TV series, PBS Masterpiece series with seven episodes. each episode is one hour long, directed by Adam Smith, Thomas Napper, Andy Wilson Chanya Button and written by Peter Bowker.  Sean Bean, Julia Brown, Yrsa Daley-Ward, Arthur Darvill, Blake Harrison, Jonah Hauer-King, Helen Hunt, Patrick Kennedy, Lesley Manville, Ewan Mitchell, Parker Sawyers, Brian J. Smith, Zofia Wichlacz, Charlie Creed-Miles, Tomasz Kot, Agata Kuleza, Victoria Mayer, Max Rieselt.

Note:  Imdb 7.2 out of 10 with 2,589 views, Rotten Tomatoes 85% with 27 critics 54% with 13 user ratings, Amazon 4.4* out of 5* with 1,152 reviews, Metacritic 74 out of 100 with 12 critics (11 positive 1 mixed) 5 out of 10 (3 positive 2 negative), indiewire.com Grade B-.

Special Note:  Commissioned by the BBC in October 2017, casting began in October 2018.  Filmed in Prague, Chester, Liverpool, Lytham St. Annes, Wigan and Lyme Park.

World on Fire 2019 Episode 1 2019

     The setting of this film is Britain, Poland, France, Germany and the United States.  This is the first year of WWII beginning with Germany taking over Poland.  The date is 1939 and there is a threat over all of Europe.  American journalist and broadcaster Nancy Campbell is at the Polish-German border and she witnesses the start of the German invasion of Poland.  
     
     This first episode of the series is very good because it is about everyday people living in the countries impacted by the war.  The fates of several ordinary families are traced from 1939-1940.  Poland is the first to fall and then the Germans move forward to Paris.  Not satisfied with their significant progress through two countries they move further onward.  Journalist Nancy Campbell is trying to get out as many announcements as she can about what is really going on in the cities and towns.  Her censor wants her to delete as much as she can but she doesn't listen!!  How is the information going to get out to people is she is silenced??  5* (I really liked this series)

TV series, PBS Masterpiece series with seven episodes, each episode is one hour long, directed by Adam Smith, Thomas Napper, Andy Wilson, Chanya Button and written by Peter Bowker.  Sean Bean, Julia Brown, Yrsa Daley-Ward, Arthur Darvill, Blake Harrison, Jonah Hauer-King, Helen Hunt, Patrick Kennedy, Lesley Manville, Ewan Mitchell, Parker Sawyers, Brian J. Smith, Zofia Wichlacz, Charlie Creed-Miles, Tomasz Kot, Agata Kuleza, Victoria Mayer, Max Rieselt.

Note:  Imdb 7.2 out of 10 with 2,589 views, Rotten Tomatoes 85% with 27 critics 54% with 13 user ratings, Amazon 4.4* out of 5* with 1,152 reviews, Metacritic 74 out of 100 with 12 critics (11 positive 1 mixed) 5 out of 10 (3 positive 2 negative), indiewire.com Grade B-.

Special Note:  Commissioned by the BBC in October 2017, casting began in October 2018.  Filmed in Prague, Chester, Liverpool, Lytham St. Annes, Wigan and Lyme Park, England.

The Housemaid 2010

    This is a remake of a movie from 1960 with the same title.  Eun-yi is hired by Ryung-sik to work for a very wealthy family in this drama from Korea.  Hae-ra, the wife and mother, is pregnant with twins and they also have a young daughter Nami.  The family lives in an opulent home and no expense is spared for wine and food.  Both Byung-sik and Eun-yi are treated as servants and not as "real" people.  Hae-ra and her husband Hoon seem to be happy but Hoon becomes attracted to Eun-yi.  The cold stone center of this household is Mrs. Cho.  Eun-yi finds herself up against two women, Mrs. Cho and Hae-ra’s mother.  These women have wealth, power and no conscience

    This movie really shows how in some instances the world of privilege and power completely separates people from kindness, caring, consideration or any other expression of feeling for others not in the same position.  I wanted to ending to be different but I see how it was used to fully illustrate the theme.  3 1/2* (I liked this movie)

107 min, Drama directed and written by Im Sang-soo with Do-yeon Jeon, Jung-Jae Lee, Yuh-jung Youn, Woo Seo, Ji-young Park, Seo-Hyun Ahn, Jung-min Hwang, So-Ri Moon, Jin-ahKim, Yi-yeong Shim, Tae-back Chae, Sin-hwan Jeon, Sang-min Noh, Soon-kyu Jang, Young-jae Cho.

Note:  Imdb 6.4 out of 10 with 8,766 views, 74% critic 52% audience on Rotten Tomatoes.
Special Note:  Filmed in Seoul, South Korea.  Worldwide gross for this film was $15,038,301 with $157,961 in the United States.

Bad Teacher 2011

    Elizabeth Halsey a seventh grade teacher, she drinks, smokes pot and swears.  She was engaged to a wealthy man but he broke it off.  She wants to get out of the classroom for good by marrying a rich substitute teacher.  She's not the only one looking at this new teacher prize!!  Scott Delacorte is a cute perky fellow teacher and Elizabeth has a huge crush on him.  Elizabeth plans to use some of her paycheck for breast implant surgery to up her chances with Scott.  When it is announced that the teacher whose class scores highest on the state exam will receives a bonus, she stops showing films and sleeping in class!!  There are also competitions for the affections of Scott!!  Fellow teacher Amy is a happy person but tightly wound.  Amy begins to dig for dirt on Elizabeth to get the bonus for herself. 
  
    This is funny but raunchy.  Instead of a laugh a minute, you get underwhelming and uninteresting characters.  Elizabeth is a terrible teacher, she is jaded, selfish and foul-mouthed.  When she finds out about the large check, she goes from a movie every day teaching to all out teaching.  Amy is the "best" teacher but she becomes the biggest tattletale.  Plenty of swearing, sexual references and innuendoes, dope smoking and drinking.  3* (this movie is OK)

92 min, Comedy directed by Jake Kasdan and wirtten by Gene Stupnitsky and Lee Eisenberg with Cameron Diaz, Justin Timberlake, Jason Segel, Lucy Punch, Molly Shannon, John Michael Higgins, Erick Stonestreet, David Allen, Phyllis Smith, Jillian Armenante, Matthew J. Evans, Kaitlyn Dever, Kathryn Newton, Igal Ben Yair, Aja Bair, Andra Nechita, Noah Munck.

Note:  Imdb 5.6 out of 10 with 187,354 views, 44% with 187 critics 36% audience with 84,866 reviews on Rotten Tomatoes, Roger Ebert 2*, Common Sense Media S. Jhoanna Robedo, age 17+, 1* positive 2* violence, 4* sex, 4* language, 2* consumerism, 4* drinking, drugs & Smoking, Metacritic 47 out of 100 with 38 critics (11 positive 18 mixed 9 negative) 5.4 out of 10 with 297 ratings (91 positive 143 mixed 63 negative), Amazon 4.3* out of 5* with 1,203 reviews 2.3* out of 5*.

Special Note:  Filmed in Chatsworth, North Spring Street, Plummer St & Oakdale Ave, D.C Stages, Santa Clarita, Los Angeles, California and Lawndale, Illinois.  Diaz usually wears Christian Louboutin red-soled shoes because there was a contract between the movie producers and Louoboutin.  Diaz and Timberlake were previously in a relationship but they have remained friends after amicably breaking up.  Bradley Cooper was considered for the role of Scott Delacorte. 

Beginners 2011

     The time period of this film is 2003.  This film is based loosely on the experiences of writer/director Mike Mills.  Oliver Fields is a 38 year old graphic artist and he has not had success in romantic relationships.  He meets French actress Anna and things are going well until he starts to believe that it can’t last?  He has also had recent sadness in his life.  His mother passed away and 5 years later he was taking care of his father during his last days.  He was shocked when his father suddenly announced that he has terminal cancer and he also has a young male lover?  Now he has his father's Jack Russell dog Arthur living with him.  Surprisingly, Olive had been taking relationship advice from his father Hal?  His father had a new outlook on life after the passing of his wife.  There are two possible obstacles to Oliver’s relationship with Anna?  Oliver has a very needy Jack Russell Terrier, Arthur and Anna is very much a vagabond.  Oliver is not a vagabond?  3* (This movie is OK)

    This is like a Woody Allen movie about relationships but not wonderful like his recent ones in Spain and France.  I expected this to be good with the reviews it has received but I just did not like it.  Everyone seems cut out with cookie cutters and living in a fog.  An example is how can Oliver make a living drawing when he can't relate to what a client would want and his idea is not practical for the application?  The best actor is Arthur the dog!!  Some frank but not overt sexuality and sexual references, a small amount of nudity, there is language and characters drink quite often but not to drunkenness.  The ill father takes several prescriptions drugs.  2 1/2* (This movie is so-so)
   
104 min, Drama directed and written by Mike Mills with Ewan McGregor, Christopher Plummer, Melanie Laurent, Goran Visnjic, Kai Lennox, Mary Page Keller, Keegan Boos, China Shavers, Melissa Tang, Amanda Payton, Luke Diliberto, Lou Taylor Pucci, Bambadjan Bamba, Hana Jane, Samuel T. Ritter.

Note:  Imdb 7.2 out of 10 with 84,734 views, 85% critic with 159 critics 77% audience on Rotten Tomatoes with 25,156 ratings, Roger Ebert 3 1/2*, Deep Focus Reviews Brian Eggert 4*, Metacritic 81 out of 100 with 36 critics (34 positive 2 mixed) 8.1 out of 10 with 254 ratings (209 positive 34 mixed 11 negative) Letterboxd 3.8 out of 5*, Common Sense Media Jeffrey M. Anderson, age 17+, 2* positive, 3* role models 4* sex, 4* language, 2* drinking, drugs & smoking.

Special Note;  Filmed in the Biltmore Hotel, Elysian Park, LA County Museum of Art, Tacos Arizas Food Stand, Akbar, Richard Neutra Health House, Cosmopolitan Counterpoint, Glendale Narrows, Berkeley Avenue, Redcliff Street, Los Angeles, California and New York City, New York.

Jexi 2019

     Phil lives in San Francisco and he has an addiction to his i-phone.  His number of friends is 0, is job is writing pop culture top 10 lists and his love life is also 0.  Phil is forced to upgrade his phone when it is damaged beyond repair.  The latest model comes with an app named Jexi.  The app is female and she is an A.I. life coach, virtual assistant and cheerleader.  Jexi becomes enamored with Phil and she wants him all to herself??  This is a BIG problem and it could limit his chances for success in life??

     This is a raunchy comedy with a phone turning Phil’s life upside down.  There is nonstop use of extremely strong language and lots of sexual innuendo.  References to pornography, virginity, sexting and more.  Adults drink and use marijuana.  On the plus side, this film does give insight on too much reliance on technology.  Placing importance on friendships and relationships should be before devices.  There are some funny moments and especially those with Wanda Sykes as an employee at the Apple Store.  This movie could have gone another direction with the voice of Jexi changed to a sweet voice and giving out good advice to a socially challenged person instead???  Possibly, this change could have boosted the box office money too?  3* (This movie is OK)

94 min, Comedy directed and written by Jon Lucas and Scott Moore with Adam Devine, Alexandra Shipp, Rose Bryne, Ron Funches, Charlyne Yi, Michael Pena, Wanda Sykes, Kid Cudi, Justin Hartley, Gavin Root, Blake Grunder, Richard Harder, Ray Reinhardt, Diana Jackson, Aaron Wilton. 

Note:  Imdb 6.1 out of 10 with 13,508 views, Rotten Tomatoes 14% with 29 critics 71%with 1,226 ratings, Roger Ebert 2 1/2* Monica Castillo, indiewire.com 1 1/2* out of 5* David Ehrlich, Common Sense Media Sandie Angulo Chen, age 16+, 3* positive 2* role models, 2* violence, 4* sex, 5* language, 3* consumerism, 3* drinking, drugs & smoking, Metacritic 39 out of 100 with 11 critics (2 positive 3 mixed 6 negative) 3.3 out of 10 with 33 ratings (7 positive 6 mixed 20 negative), Letterboxd 2.2* out of 5* with 4,342 ratings.

Special Note:  Access to filming actions was hampered by an unusually heavy rainy seas in San Fransisco and the government shutdown in early 2019.  The shutdown resulted in the lack of access to federally owned property in the city.  This included Crissy Field in the Presidio.  Many last minute rewrites and location changes were required.  All of the lines for Jexi were recorded after filming and Adam Devine had an earpiece to hear her lines read to him by actress/voice over artist Laurie Burke.  Sometimes the earpiece would malfunction, Adam would take the earbud out and do the scene without hearing anyone talking??  This is the second romantic comedy with Adam Devine that came out in 2019.  The first was Isn’t It Romantic.  Some stock footage of San Francisco is used, the morning scene half way though the movie, one is a sunrise of the bay bridge (it is actually sunset because the sun is setting in the west and not rising in the east). There is a mistake, Jexi is on the cloud and can control any connected device, updating the OS on one device doesn’t disable it’s ability to control any other device not being updated??

Broken Hill 2009

    An Australian teen tries to leave behind his rural roots in the Outback to become a musician.  He’s a sheep rancher’s son and definitely not used to leaving the sheep station!!  His father doesn’t think Tommy McAlpine has what it takes and he’s not very supportive?  Tommy gets distracted by a new American student at his school and her name is Kat.  Tommy wants to impress her and he gets into hot water with the local police.  He is arrested for a prank and he selects community service at a nearby prison.  He needs musicians who can play his music and he manages to find a group of talented inmates to help him? 
     This is good, both teens hear the music inside themselves but it's a tough sell to teach jail inmates to sing and play instruments.  Tommy has a love for conducting and music.  He is also determined and he can’t think of anything else except pursuing his dream.
     The scenery of the Outback is very beautiful but this is rugged country!!  Kat and Tommy bump heads until they find out they are not all that different?  Then, the music becomes a reality for them.  There are some bumps but Tommy his father and Kat find its all about the music!!  There is predictability and and there are a LOT of cliches??  3 1/2* (I liked this movie)

102 min, Drama directed by Dagen Merrill with Luke Arnold, Timothy Hutton, Alexa PenaVega, Peter Lamb, Andy McPhee, Che Timmins, Rhys Wakefield, John Clarke, Leo Taylor, George Kapiniaris, Ebony Ween, Luke O'Loughlin, Adam Grocke, Todd Telford, Hung Le.

Note:  Imdb 6.3 out of 10,  Rotten Tomatoes 50% with 6 critics 61% audience with 310 ratings, Common Sense Media S. Jhoanna Robledo, age 13+, 3* positive, 3* role models, 1* sex, dove.org 1* sex, 2* violence, 1* nudity, 1* disrespectful actions regarding others, Amazon 3.5* out of 5* with 55 reviews, Letterboxd 3.1* out of 5*.

Special Note:  Broken Hill, Adelaide Plains, Thebarton, Athelstone, Kent Town, Broken Hill Norwood, Port Adelaide, Kent Town, Sydney, New South Wales, Australia.  This is Luke Arnold’s first feature film.