Watched – Archive
2023:
BlackBerry (2023) – AMC – 24Dec23 – 8/10
Great sound design.Saltburn (2023) – Prime – 23Dec23 – 7/10
Murder in Boston (2023) – HBO – 20Dec23 – 7/10
Big Mouth Season 7 (2023) – Netflix – 29Nov23 – 8/10
The Fall of the House of Usher (2023) – Netflix – 15Nov23 – 6/10
Icahn: The Restless Billionaire (2022) – HBO – 9Nov23 – 8/10
Beckham (2023) – Netflix – 17Oct23 – 8/10
Air (2023) – Prime – 8Oct23 – 8/10
Comedian (2002) – Netflix – 20Sep23 – 7/10
Telemarketers (2023) – HBO – 19Sep23 – 7/10
The Bear Season 2 (2023) – Hulu – 15Sep23 – 7/10
Aftersun (2020) – 25Aug23 – 9/10
Started out a bit cutesy/cringey but ended up wringing out my soul like a dishrag.In & Of Itself (2020) – Hulu – 16Aug23 – 8/10
The most unique thing I’ve seen in a long time. Film of a stage performance. Dashes of magic and mentalism, but surprisingly narrative and emotional, with a borderline manipulative amount of vulnerability. Impossible to explain. Kinda just have to watch it.Untold: Johnny Football (2023) – Netflix – 13Aug23 – 5/10
Really entertaining and I learned a lot of stuff I didn’t know or remember. Old highlights were awesome. But also a complete puff piece. They attempted to “acknowledge” the immaturity and destructiveness, but it came across very hand-wavey. No serious commentary or reflection on addiction or depression or anything like that. And no real update on what JFF is up to now or plans to do in the future. Kinda unsettling. His agent was a character, though.Black Mirror Season 6 (2023) – Netflix – 6Aug23 – 8/10
A departure from BM’s typical, techy style but still enjoyable and thought-provoking.The Americans Season 6 (2018) – Hulu – 30Jul23 – 8/10
Phenomenal ending. Not my favorite show ever but always entertaining and got better over time.The Americans Season 5 (2017) – Hulu –14Jul23 – 8/10
Keeps getting better. I enjoyed the whole food/agriculture angle and the new characters.The Americans Season 4 (2016) – Hulu – 6Jul23 – 8/10
Frequently captivating.The Americans Season 3 (2015) – Hulu – 28Jun23 – 7/10
Getting better. The Paige storyline remains frustrating.The Americans Season 2 (2014) – Hulu – 17Jun23 – 7/10
Turned up the intrigue but also got kinda convoluted.The Americans Season 1 (2013) – Hulu – 6Jun23 – 7/10
Cheeky spy thriller. Solid first season.The Whale (2023) – United Airlines – 4Jun23 – 7/10
Emotional. Felt like a play.Succession Season 4 (2023) – HBO – 29May23 – 9/10
The best show on TV for its time. Simple plot, complex characters. Beautifully tense camera work. The companion podcast with Kara Swisher was also a nice bonus.The Diplomat (2023) – Netflix – 9May23 – 7/10
Some truly cringey dialogue saved by a snappy plot and excellent finale.American Manhunt: The Boston Marathon Bombing (2023) – Netflix – 4May23 – 8/10
Unexpectedly really good.John Mulaney: Baby J (2023) – Netflix – 1May23 – 8/10
I keep track of songs that give me chills. I need to start keeping a list of things that make me laugh until I cry. This special had a joke that did just that.The Report (2019) – Amazon – 30Apr23 – 8/10
Movie about torture. Phenomenal acting and not a single scene wasted. A little overdramatic at times.Better Call Saul Season 6 (2022) – Amazon – 26Apr23 – 8/10
Vince Gilligan has established a style as unique and identifiable as Wes Anderson or Tarantino. Final season gives an amazing apologia of Saul and a nice send-off for the rest of the crew.Shrinking (2023) – Apple – 5Apr23 – 7/10
Everybody has a lot going on. That about sums up the show. Jason Segel is a 1/1.The Last of Us (2023) – HBO – 31Mar23 – 8/10
Extremely fun watch. Each episode was a world unto itself. I liked some more than others, but as a whole it’s a masterpiece.Fleishman Is in Trouble (2022) – Hulu – 18Mar23 – 8/10
Really good. Exceptional at times. Reminds me of The Unbearable Lightness of Being in how the characters represent different answers to the questions and quarrels of midlife. Here’s a good article on the show.MH370: The Plane That Disappeared (2023) – Netflix – 11Mar23 – 6/10
Meh. Did a good job identifying the different theories but a really poor job explaining them with any detail.Survivor Season 18 (2009) – Netflix – 11Mar23 – 8/10
Downright entertaining. Awesome study of game theory, personality, and leadership.Low Country (2022) – HBO – 2Mar23 – 8/10
Wonderful and detailed daughumentary on the Murdaugh murderers.Goliath Season 4 (2021) – Amazon – 27Feb23 – 8/10
Nice bow on a great show.Full Swing (2023) – Netflix – 25Feb23 – 8/10
Who knew something as staid as professional golf had so much intrigue and so many characters.Goliath Season 3 (2019) – Amazon – 21Feb23 – 8/10
A return to form. Not as good as S1, but still tremendous work from Billy and the gang. Funny, too.Goliath Season 2 (2018) – Amazon – 15Feb23 – 7/10
Not as good as S1. Got a bit too ambitious.Goliath Season 1 (2016) – Amazon – 6Feb23 – 8/10
Right up my alley. Legal stuff, military stuff, Billy Bob Thornton. Sometimes ridiculous and unrealistic, but always fun.Hacks Season 2 (2022) – HBO – 1Feb23 – 8/10
Great progression from S1. Layered in some heartwarming, humanizing storylines.Hacks Season 1 (2021) – HBO – 14Jan23 – 7/10
Best word to describe this show is “watchable.” Nothing groundbreaking, but always pretty funny and engaging.The Menu (2022) – 13Jan23 – HBO – 7/10
Fun little thriller that pokes fun at different subsets of the upper class. If you watch it, read this Reddit comment after.This Place Rules (2022) – 1Jan23 – HBO – 9/10
Andrew Callaghan documents the privileged outskirts of American politics. Funny and sad and smart.
2022:
Margin Call (2011) – 18Dec22 – Netflix – 8/10
Great acting and pacing. Felt cool watching it. Captured the 2008 crisis in an intriguingly personal way.Emily the Criminal (2022) – 13Dec22 – Netflix – 7/10
Aubrey Plaza plays a scammer. Quick and entertaining.White Lotus Season 2 (2022) – HBO – 12Dec22 – 8/10
Not as good as the first season but then again it never could be without Murray. And the dialogue was choppy for the first couple episodes. But really picked up toward the end. Awesome tension and plenty of biting dark humor.Stutz (2022) – 29Nov22 – Netflix – 8/10
Jonah Hill interviews his therapist. Cool concept and visuals. Weird storyline/storytelling. Seemed honest and original.The Devil’s Hour (2022) – Prime – 13Nov22 – 9/10
Six episodes. Hour each. Each one better than the one before. Creepy and philosophical and British. Stellar acting and pacing.Big Mouth Season 6 (2022) – Netflix – 6Nov22 – 7/10
Still hilarious and creative. Nick Kroll entering genius status.The Bear (2022) – 21Oct22 – Hulu – 7/10
Cool show. No two episodes are the same. Some funny, some stressful, some emotional.The Patient (2022) – 19Oct22 – Hulu – 8/10
Incredible acting and tight storytelling.Everything Everywhere All at Once (2022) – 10Oct22 – Prime – 7/10
Impressive but just too much. Way too much going on. I guess it’s an allegory for kindness. I guess.Another Round (2020) – 7Oct22 – Hulu – 7/10
Danish movie (in Danish) about alcohol and mid-life crises. The cinematography to show intoxication was really well done. Tense, though. You knew the hangover was coming all along. Didn’t make too much of a statement about alcohol/alcoholism. My takeaway: the proper conditions for drinking require celebration and moderation. But it’s no sin to celebrate the little things.The Black Phone (2021) – 7Oct22 – Prime – 6/10
Bad dialogue and way too much of it. Rough acting. Pretty meh.Monster: The Jeffrey Dahmer Story (2022) – 2Oct22 – Netflix – 7/10
Classic Netflix stretching a decent series into 10 episodes. But whatever it was fun.Nick Kroll: Little Big Boy (2022) – 1Oct22 – Netflix – 8/10
Starts slow but picks up steam. Brilliant stuff.Dopesick (2021) – 23Sep22 – Hulu – 8/10
Sad and good.Hereditary (2018) – 4Sep22 – Showtime – 9/10
Watched in a bright room and took breaks. Still freaky. Got chills multiple times. Great exploration of some pretty rich themes: grief, genetics, mental illness, the occult. Fun for the whole family.All or Nothing: Arsenal (2022) – 26Aug22 – Prime – 8/10
A little repetitive but so fascinating. Made me an Arsenal fan.Only Murders in the Building Season 2 (2022) – 24Aug22 – Hulu – 7/10
The shtick got kinda stale but great finale.The Rehearsal (2022) – 20Aug22 – HBO – 7/10
Confusing and ridiculous and funny. Finale gave me emotional whiplash.Black Bird (2022) – 19Aug22 – Apple – 8/10
This is how you do a limited series. Six episodes. Quick, tight, compelling, great acting. In and out.Euphoria Season 2 (2022) – 1Aug22 – HBO – 8/10
Such intriguing characters and such a fun plot. Occasionally dragged down by those indulgent montages with crazy photography and music, but even those scenes are still so impressive.Euphoria Season 1 (2019) – 27Jul22 – HBO – 8/10
Best music video I ever saw.Raising Arizona (1987) – 25Jul22 – 6/10
Early Coen brothers comedy starring Nic Cage. Don’t think I ever laughed, but I respect the originality and weirdness.City of God (2002) – 25Jul22 – 8/10
Brazilian film about favela life. Awesome interweaving of storylines and characters. Hard to follow at times. Often depressing, always authentic, ultimately triumphant.D.B. Cooper: Where Are You? (2022) – 22Jul22 – Netflix – 5/10
Unorganized and redundant.Only Murders in the Building Season 1 (2021) – 12Jul22 – Hulu – 8/10
Intriguing, funny, kinda delightful.How to with John Wilson Season 2 (2022) – 24Jun22 – HBO – 7/10
Sometimes funny. Always weird.Barry Season 3 (2022) – 19Jun22 – HBO – 7/10
Not as good as the first two.Cha Cha Real Smooth (2022) – 18Jun22 – Apple – 8/10
Another insanely charming coming-of-age banger from Dallas’s own Cooper Raiff.Top Gun: Maverick (2022) – 17Jun22 – Theater – 8/10
Some of the most amazing, forget-to-breathe action scenes ever. Back half of the movie was perfect, but the dialogue and weird love interest storyline dragged down the first half.Hustle (2022) – 15Jun22 – Netflix – 7/10
A distractingly unrealistic movie saved by some cheeky cameos. Longest, dumbest training montage I’ve ever seen.Navalny (2022) – 3Jun22 – HBO – 8/10
Unbelievable story. Somehow I underestimated both the level of corruption in Russia and the level of support for opposition leaders. I thought Navalny was just a journalist/fire-starter. Turns out he was a legitimate presidential candidate. Hope he sees freedom again. Also Russians cussing in English is funny.Pig (2021) – 27May22 – Hulu – 7/10
Somebody steals Nic Cage’s pig. The rest of the plot is so beguiling and strange. Pretty fun watch.Tony Hawk: Until the Wheels Fall Off (2022) – 29Apr22 – HBO – 8/10
So well executed. Such a trip seeing all those old-head skaters. I need a Rodney Mullen doc, too. Puff piece, though. Totally ignored Tony Hawk’s abject sliminess.Top Boy Season 3 (2019) – 19Apr22 – Netflix – 7/10
British version of The Wire. It’s good.Severance Season 1 (2022) – 8Apr22 – Apple – 9/10
Thought this show would be some edgy exploration of work-life balance and capitalism. It’s so much cooler. All the intrigue of Westworld but much more focused. Incredible cinematography and score. Great balance of humor and tension.Best in Show (2000) – 3Apr22 – 8/10
Genius mockumentary. So many recognizable actors and ridiculous bits.Limitless (2011) – 3Apr22 – 7/10
Cheesy and fun.Righteous Gemstones Season 2 (2022) – 27Mar22 – HBO – 7/10
Solid, ridiculous comedy. Ending felt rushed but otherwise great.Jeen-Yuhs (2022) – 12Mar22 – Netflix – 7/10
Old footage was very cool to see. But it really glossed over Kanye’s decline. The pacing just seemed way off.Inventing Anna (2022) – 10Mar22 – Netflix – 6/10
Way too long. A couple fun moments among pretty spotty acting and writing. Also the worst intro/theme cut I’ve ever seen. Could have been made in GarageBand.The Informant! (2009) – 7Mar22 – 6/10
Took me way too long to realize what the heck was going on in this movie. Matt Damon was good, though.Joker (2019) – 6Mar22 – 8/10
Could have been an excellent standalone film even without all the Batman stuff. Like a reworked Taxi Driver. Super fun and dark and not too long. It shows how mental health takes work. And sometimes takes a village.Station Eleven (2021) – 20Feb22 – HBO – 4/10
Never has a show had its head so far up its own butt.CODA (2021) – 12Feb22 – Apple – 8/10
Moving but predictable. Excellent acting and casting.Shithouse (2020) – 6Feb22 – Showtime – 8/10
Charming and emotional. Cooper Raiff will have a massive career.Yellowjackets Season 1 (2021) – 5Feb22 – Showtime – 8/10
Awesome. So many questions. I’m very eager for Season 2 but not holding my breath.The Tinder Swindler (2022) – 4Feb22 – Netflix – 8/10
A well-paced and comprehensive documentary about a truly ridiculous person.Don’t Look Up (2021) – 22Jan22 – Netflix – 7/10
Funny and watchable. Wasn’t overtly about COVID but was definitely about COVID. I liked the ending.Succession Season 3 (2021) – 18Jan22 – HBO – 9/10
Just gold. Might be the best show going right now. Here’s a dynamite video essay on Tom’s character arc.Brooklyn Castle (2012) – 1Jan22 – 7/10
Feel good movie. Kids are awesome. Such ambition and genuine curiosity.
2021:
Ready Player One (2018) – 7Nov21 – 6/10
Efforts at comedy were dumb. But it was interesting.Dune (2021) – 12Nov21, HBO – 7/10
Pretty sweet cinematography and sound effects. Not a whole lot of plot. Very introductory. Seems like a steep learning curve.Choke (1999) – 13Nov21, YouTube – 7/10
The version I watched on YouTube was 360p, so it was not engrossing. But there were some warriors in this documentary. The scene of Gracie just moving around on the beach was sweet. And the little guy who made it to the finals with both his eyes swollen shut is a champ in my book.