Review Day

There are no major spoilers in these reviews.

Down Dog:
This new comedy pilot about a dumb, hot guy running a yoga studio (from Amazon's Pilot Season) is uniformly awful. The tone is uneven, the jokes are broad, easy targets, and it brings nothing new to the mocking of LA lifestyle. Free on Amazon Prime, but they should pay you to watch it.

Final Grade: F

Black Mirror:
This is a short (6 episode) British anthology of sci-fi tales. They're not quite dystopian or fantastic, but are told in a near future that is just believable enough to sell as real. Occasionally unpleasant and always unsettling, they'll really make you think more about the effect of technology on daily life. The first episode is definitely the weakest of the bunch, but I enjoyed them all. Free on Netflix.

Final Grade: A

The Sting by Gabriella Cilmi:
This third album from Cilmi is more understated and mature than the previous two. I didn't like it at first, but now I find that the mellow timbres and unexciting arrangements make it good for background music.

Final Grade: C+

21 Jump Street (R):
This movie remake of the old TV show comes across more as parody than homage, but is pleasantly funny. Jonah Hill plays (pre-Wolf of Wall Street) Jonah Hill, and Channing Tatum has no personality.

Final Grade: C