What Sherise Has been Watching/Reading Lately

While I may not be actively posting reviews these days (it’s so hard when you work 6 days in a row!) it doesn’t mean that I haven’t been watching anything. So here’s a brief recap on what I’ve been watching/reading and my thoughts.
I haven’t been watching very many movies. But I have seen Rush for the millionth time; I think it’s just amazing and always absorbing. Daniel Brühl = ❤

This morning I watched Top Gun for the first time. Its total 80s fop and completely ridiculous. But Tom Cruise was so gorgeous and tanned back then… it’s hard to not fall in love with his big smile.
This might be a somewhat surprising choice, but over the last two weeks I have binge watched the first season of Sailor Moon! Relatively recently they redubbed the anime series and have been slowly releasing new DVDs. I was surprised by just how much I enjoyed the show! I absolutely loved it as a kid (seriously, I had Sailor Moon everything) so it was nostalgic. But I think it is also genuinely good and very funny. The new dub isn’t a kids show, instead preserving the original Japanese elements that were cut out of the 90s version. Most of the changes are for the better, but there are still things I miss from the 90s (meatball head > bun head).

Ray Donovan had its season finale this past Sunday night. I feel it ended on a rather mediocre note. Stuff happened, nothing really surprising or pleasing. Bunchy and Teresa are now my favorite characters as they seem more genuine than the rest of the show which has become a soap opera. I’ll still be watching season 4 next year though (you can never separate me from Liev, never!)
How to Get Away with Murder returned last week with its season 2 premiere. I found it interesting, but, like Ray Donovan, becoming a soap opera (although it has kind of always been one). The reveal of Rebecca’s murderer seemed way too soon and brief (I thought they would drag it out over the season). And Annalise’s relationship with Jean Grey (don’t know her real name, don’t care) felt extremely contrived. I’m going to keep watching the show, but I think it is starting to become unintentionally hilarious and takes itself way too seriously.

As for what I’m reading, well I have dipped into a few different books. I am absolutely loving and obsessing over Ronda Rousey’s biography My Fight/Your Fight. I love that it is a mix of biography and self-help tips. The book is very funny, interesting and above all inspiring. I’m going to the gym more, I’m not taking shit from anyone, I’m being more optimistic. And that is all largely due to Ronda’s book, I couldn’t recommend it more.
I have also started reading a book on Bob Dylan (so good), The Girl in the Spider’s Web (one good chapter into it so far), and just yesterday I bought The New Tsar: The Rise and Reign of Vladimir Putin. I also finished reading Skottie Young’s Rocket Raccoon comic book series which has made me a huge fan of comics. His artwork is amazing and the series constantly makes me laugh out loud. I can’t wait for Skottie’s new series, Rocket and Groot.

So that’s what I’ve been up to. I’m off to see Black Mass tonight, so look forward to seeing that review as soon as I can get it up.

The Man from Uncle and Quick Ray Donovan Review

Sorry I’ve been absent from blogging lately, but as we all know, life happens. I haven’t been watching too much lately (other than speeding through some Sopranos which is for a future post), but I did manage to see Guy Ritchie’s film adaptation of The Man from Uncle.
The premise of the film is right up my alley: two cold war spies, one American and one Russian, team up to take on some generic bad guys. The film ended up being fairly average overall. The plot was okay and the film was never boring. But it was also never exciting. I really enjoyed the chemistry between the three leads and that’s why I hope there will be a sequel. Armie Hammer is brilliant even if his Russian accent isn’t always perfect. Henry Cavill looks beautiful and he displays a lot of charisma, something that he wasn’t able to show in Man of Steel. The two men bounce off each other quite well and carry the film. Alicia Vikander is good as per usual, but she is nowhere near as good as she was in Ex Machina. She is serviceable, but other than some scenes with Armie she doesn’t elevate the film at all. The worst part of the movie: the editing. At times it was very bizarre and the flashbacks to five seconds before hand seemed unnecessary. The Man from Uncle gets 6.5/10.

Teresa (Alyssa Diaz) and Bunchy Donovan (Dash Mihok).

Ray Donovan: Season 3 So Far…
I haven’t been posting about Ray Donovan because it’s been so…dull. Things have picked up a little with the last few episodes. But I recently re-watched season 2. It was a great season because by about the third or fourth episode the stakes felt very high. So everything that happened was exciting and felt vital. Season 3 got to about episode 7 or 8 before it became mildly exciting. The characters all seem to be spinning their wheels. Other than Bunchy and his new bride, Teresa. Bunchy has evolved into a stronger character that I really wasn’t expecting. And I love the way Teresa talks to Ray and stands up for Bunchy. The last episode, “The Octopus,” was touching as Ray gave Bunchy away to Teresa (figuratively, not literally). The episode was also good because there were no Finneys. Katie Holmes, and yes, even the wonderful Ian McShane, have been very disappointing.

Genre Grandeur – Cul-de-Sac (1966) – The Girl Who Loved to Review

Sorry I’ve been on a blogging hiatus recently. Hopefully I’ll get something up in the next couple of days. For now here’s a review of one of my favorite Polanski films (I always say that) Cul-de-Sac.

MovieRob

For this month’s next review for Genre Grandeur – Black & White Movies, here’s a review of Cul-de-Sac (1966) by Sherise of The Girl That Loved to Review

Thanks again to Steven of Past Present Future TV and Film. for choosing this month’s genre.

Next month’s Genre has been chosen by Sherise of The Girl That Loved to Review.  We will be reviewing our favorite movies from the 1970’s. Please get me your submissions by the 25th of September by sending them to 70sfilms@movierob.net  Try to think out of the box! Great choice Sherise!

Let’s see what Sherise thought of this movie:

_________________________________

This is a relatively unknown film, which is a shame as it is one of the best dark comedies I have ever seen. Cul-de-Sac is Roman Polanski’s second English language film. It was made just two years before he would break into Hollywood with Rosemary’s…

View original post 184 more words