Week Three: 14th – 20th January 2019
So this week, there’s been a decent split between TV/Film – I also tried to see Mary, Queen of Scots on Sunday but got the times mixed up so I have yet to have a cinema trip this year.
I remember when my daughter was young and her sleep schedule hadn’t kicked in yet and there was nothing I wanted to do when I had free time but sleep and/or watch films and TV.
I probably went to the cinema more than most new mothers because that was my top priority when I had time away from parenting but now she is in bed and asleep most nights by 8.30pm and sleeps through till morning and I can watch things most evenings.
So when she goes away for her contact weekends, as she did this weekend, I take every chance I get to leave the house in the evenings to interact with adults – and that cuts down on the amount I watched.
I also wrote a short film this week, one that’s been swirling around in my head for the last few months – to sum it up in three one words, it’s about Brexit, friendship, and tampons.
Deirdra & Lainey Rob a Train (2017)
Director: Sydney Freeland Writer: Shelby Farrell
How I watched it: Netflix
This film is grand. It has a great title and a strong premise and the characters are really engaging and likeable. The humour is very gentle and I don’t hugely care the plot is completely unbelievable.
My biggest issue with this film is that the pacing is off. It lingers where it shouldn’t but it doesn’t really give a proper space to create an emotional arc for its lead character. And even the manic rush at the end can’t hide how weak the final plan actually is.
This is Freeland’s second feature and she definitely shows promise and inventiveness in her direction but this never feels cinematic and I don’t think that’s just the aspect ratio.
But it’s vastly superior to some of Netflix’s other “teen” offering (Kissing Booth, To all the Boys ..., Sierra Burgess) and I didn’t roll my eyes once. There are lots of female characters doing lots of interesting things and “getting a boyfriend” isn’t a motivating factor for any of them. Plus there is more that just gender representation with diversity in front of and behind the camera.
Catastrophe (S3: Ep1)
Co-Creators/Writers: Sharon Horgan & Rob Delaney
Director: Ben Taylor
How I watched it: All4
I was planning to watch the whole six episodes of Series 3 this week but got waylaid. I’ll post a series review when I’ve gotten to the end – but I felt this episode was a vast improvement on S2 and a lot of that cartoonish aspect is gone – I thought the trip to A&E was particularly lovely.
Excited to be seeing if it can sustain for the rest of the series.
Crazy Ex-Girlfriend (S4: Ep10)
Show-Runners: Aline Brosh-McKenna & Rachel Bloom
Episode Director: Kabir Akhtar
Episode Writers: Rachel Specter & Audrey Wauchope
How I watched it: Netflix
So this had what the last episode lack: A stand out song. Sports Analogies has Josh and Nathaniel singing up a storm as a pair of rat packers – it bouncy and fun and very clever. And even quite poignant.
As was Rebecca finally admitting she’s been avoiding her biological child because she’s worried the baby will hate her – and she is afraid she is a toxic gene dump. It makes such sense for the character.
Plus Greg and Rebecca. Oh yay, and oh dear. A reunion – but possibly too early? And with Nathaniel shown to be sad about this … doesn’t look good for Greg with quite a few episodes to come.
It’s funny, last series, when I held no hope of Greg returning I thought Nathaniel was sweet and would be all right … but nah – if they are not going to have Rebecca end up with Greg then I want them to finish the series with her alone and ready for pastures news.
I just think Greg and Rebecca connect in a way that she hasn’t with any other male characters on the show – and I love the way they’ve both grown and are able to talk to each other as adults while still maintaining their playfulness.
I still miss #realgreg – it’s the voice. Skylar Austin is very handsome, yes, lacks Santino Fontana’s smooth vocals.
Sex-Education (Series 1, E1-5)
Created by Laurie Nunn
Directors: Kate Herron, Ben Taylor
How I watched it: Netflix
My sister recommended this to me and checked first that I could watch it. This has a female director for 4 of the 8 episodes and a female creator – and the writing team is 5 women and 1 man. Yep, Thank you, Shona!
I am three episodes away from finishing Series 1 of this quirkly teen show that owes a MASSIVE debt to 10 Things I Hate About You so I will post a full-series review next week.
Otherwise …
The usual CBeeBees and Kids Movies. We did start watching Carmen Santigo on Netflix but the animation is really cheap and it’s quite plodding. I don’t recommend.
Watch the new She-Ra instead.
And SAS: Who Dares Wins (S4: Ep3) – bit of a boring episode, actually – I spent a lot of it on my phone. It’s too early to really invest in anyone – pretty much anyone popping up in the early episodes you know is going to get culled. I really like Petra, the Swedish Ex-Special Forces Mole: she is awesome.