Monday, January 22, 2018

Review Day

There are no major spoilers in these reviews.

This Is Us, Season One:
This network dramedy tells the story of a minorly dysfunctional family using two separate timelines: a set of sibling triplets in their thirties in present day and flashbacks to key events in their parents' lives years earlier. It's incredibly emotionally manipulative in its feel-good moments, but remains highly watchable anyhow because of strong performances and a good balance of comedy. The season finale is disappointing as the story manipulates you into thinking a key question about the family will be resolved but then punts it after three up-the-middles.

Final Grade: B+

Get Out (R):
This movie suffers from the same issue that many "unexpected horror" movies face -- the fact that the rug is going to be pulled out from under you is telegraphed through previews and the cover art to convince people to watch it, but the various twists and turns function best when you get to experience the building tension without any preconceptions. In spite of this, both Rebecca and I enjoyed watching (and Rebecca usually doesn't like horror movies). It blends jump-scares and unsettling creepiness together well, and has just the right amount of comic relief.

Final Grade: B+

Humans, Season Two:
Everyone is talking about Westworld these days, but this UK gem that came before it is largely unhyped. Season Two of this show about robots gaining consciousness picks up a few months after the first and never stumbles in its delivery. It maintains a hopeful tone with sympathetic characters and ends with a game-changing plot culmination that could work as either a season or series finale. Free on Amazon Prime.

Final Grade: A-

Miss Sloane:
This movie about the effect of powerful lobbyists on Congress starts off better than it ends. It gets more predictable as it proceeds and the constant hammering of the "you have to be one step ahead of your opponent at all times" mantra in voiceover eliminates any sense of suspense from the ongoing drama. I think Jessica Chastain was in every single movie made in this year so skip this one and watch a different one instead. Free on Amazon Prime.

Final Grade: C+

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