What are you watching and why?

The bare breasts, or the "Mommy" group? 

Personally, I just kind of find the whole (gratuitous) nudity thing a bit unexpected, from the CBC.  I'm betting the upcoming "Anne of Green Gables" reboot features no nudity whatsoever.  And I'm glad "The Beachcombers" never trod that road.  A bit off-piste?

..the 7th season of american horror story started last night. the opening scene is donald trump giving a speech. how appropriate!

..great cast, great acting and it has a political dimention..which is what drew me to it to start with.

The Party

Janet (Kristin Scott Thomas) has just been appointed to a key ministerial position in the shadow cabinet – the crowning achievement of her political career. She and her husband Bill (Timothy Spall) plan to celebrate this with a few close friends. As the guests arrive at their home in London the party takes an unexpected turn when Bill suddenly makes some explosive revelations that take everyone present by surprise. Love, friendships and political convictions are soon called into question in this hilarious comedy of tragic proportions.

From acclaimed British filmmaker Sally Potter and featuring a star studded cast that includes Patricia Clarkson, Bruno Ganz, Cherry Jones, Emily Mortimer, Cillian Murphy, Kristin Scott Thomas, and Timothy Spall, this witty, sharp and very funny new comedy will be a unmissable date for everyone’s diary.

..yes do laine. there's a suprise ending. short movie though 1hr 10min. 

Did not like Working Moms. I found it to be a negative and stereotypical take not a reflection of the relationships women have, working moms or not. It was a missed opportunity to do something genuinely edgey.

I have become a total sucker for a few reality shows 2 of which I thought I would never watch. It is people watching on steroids. There is an element of set up and replays of scenes but there is a whole lot of reality involved. I am currently watching Survivor David versus Goliath. 

Obviously scenes are cut to create impressions of individuals, and they have been known to get people through talent agencies, but the games are real. The hardships are real. The plotting is real. People's characters are revealed. Survivor has always been cool to watch, but I said I would never watch Big Brother.

I don't watch all the seasons but I have watched 3 or 4. They are more interesting if you keep up with sites that cover the live feeds so you get to see all the plotting and read about the latest backstabbing doublecrossing move. I'm not crazy about it because if you just watch the show it's more about the competitions and whatever "story" the producers are trying to tell. The live feeds tell a whole different story but it's a real time sink so I usually don't get into it. 

Then I tried the bachelorette. OMG I don't watch them all because again it's a time sink but they are so interesting once you get past the first few episodes. The interesting thing about the bachelor shows is that they have ended up with numerous real marriages that have produced offspring and many more relationships. It's insane. It's a whole franchise now.  The Bachelor/Bachelorette is one person being courted by 16 or more potential mates. In the early weeks they get wittled down fast and have mostly large group dates. By the time it is cut down to around 4 contestants it is getting real. They do hometown visits. They develop real feelings for more than one person. They are genuinely torn with who to choose. One guy, Ari, chose, proposed, then broke his engagement and went back to his second place choice and they are either engaged or married now. So now there is bachelor in paradise and bachelor winter games. These are crazy with equal numbers of men and women. Each week either the men or the women choose who stays. There is wild musical couples but again they actually end up having serious couples come out of it. It's astonishing to me. I'm watching, and I'm thinking, "I remember being that young and stupid".  and "Choose the other one."  

I don't care for the Amazing Race or the iron man type competitions, or sports for that matter, because it's all about physical competition. It's what makes people tick that fascinates me. 

I have found a couple of Spanish shows that I liked a lot, the "Cable Girls" and "Mar De Plastico." I also enjoyed the French drama, "Marseille."

I love Cable Girls! But it does require paying attention. I like Murdoch Mysteries. Not having to pay close attention probably has a lot to do with my watching reality shows. It's definitely easy to do other things and just glance up occasionally. 

..enjoyed season 1 of humans. season 2 not so much. stopped watching after the 3rd epi.

..American Gods is quite good. weird but good..with ian mcshane as mr. wednesday. waiting for season 2.

..i've also been watching Black Earth Rising. wasn't sure about at first but by the 5th epi i decided i really liked it. 

I haven’t seen American Gods yet. It is one of my favourite novels. There’s another Gaiman adaptation coming out, Good Omens - from a novel he wrote with Terry Pratchett. Really looking forward to that one. David Tennant is a demon. 

Indian Horse - 2018

In late 1950s Ontario, seven year-old Saul Indian Horse is torn from his Ojibway family and committed to one of Canada's notorious Catholic residential schools. In this oppressive environment, Saul is denied the freedom to speak his language or embrace his indigenous heritage and he witnesses all kinds of abuse at the hands of the very people who were entrusted with his care. Despite this, Saul finds salvation in the unlikeliest of places and favourite Canadian pastimes--hockey. Fascinated by the game, he secretly teaches himself how to not only play but develops a unique and rare skill. It's as if he has eyes in the back of his head and can see the game in a way no other player can. His talent leads him away from the misery of the school to a Northern Ontario native league and eventually the pros. But the ghosts of Saul's past will always haunt him. Forced to confront painful memories and revelations, Saul draws on the spirit of his ancestors and the understanding of his friends to gain the compassion he so sorely needs in order to begin healing. Indian Horse is a survivors' tale that foregrounds the indomitable spirit of North America's indigenous peoples in the face of aggressive assimilation policies and racism. Saul Indian Horse's story can be a tool to help foster further compassion and understanding, and in the process, become universal.

In my late teens I read Johnny Got His Gun and it had a profound affect on my views about war and peace.

..very good very political. season 2 has started recently. stars j.k. simmons who i first became aware of in that excellent prison series oz.

Counterpart

A hapless UN employee discovers the agency he works for is hiding a gateway to a parallel dimension that's in Cold War with our own, and where his other self is a top spy. The war slowly heats up thanks to spies from both sides.

Simmons was so good in Oz that for years I couldn't look at an M&Ms commercial the same way.

Designated Survivor

Premise: the US Capitol Building is blown up by domestic terrorists with everyone in it. The "designated survivor" is a low-level cabinet minister who ends up as president. Your basic "what would happen if an honest man of integrity became POTUS" fantasy. It's like the West Wing on MDMA but with shit blowing up.

I hear you on the second season. They probably should've ended it in one season but USian TV shows will go until its no longer profitable, even if its shit.

Such a fantastic series - and with the majority of the most involved characters are women. Lots of great opportunity for season two!

I also saw a few episodes of The Good Place, and intend to binge-watch it over the holidays with the family.

Holy forking shirtballs! *snerk*

I haven't, but OLIVIA COLMAN!!!!!! <3  <3 <3

I'm sold. Where's it available in Canada?

Online access is sometimes geoblocked* - that's why I ask. But if you have a link, I'd be grateful!

*We made a sci fi web series this summer, which is a bit of a departure for us. We've been learning all kinds of things about releases and availabilities on various platforms and various territories. Even with non-exclusive, platforms that operate in multiple territories will have different offerings for each.

..txs for sharing your web series timebandit. i look forward to seeing what you do with the bigger budget. lillehammer is on my watch list and will get around to it eventually.

..season 2 of tin star has just begun. lot's of action with great characters and writers. filmed in canada and the evil doers are backed by big oil. here's a trailer from season 1.

Tin Star

I am really enjoying a number of sitcoms on CBC Television including "Little Dog", "Working Moms", Schitt's Creek" and "Kim's Convenience". And I am a big fan of the "Anne" reboot of Anne of Green Gables. The actress playing Anne has been superb in the role.

Norwegian slow tv! Does the journey pass through Steinkjar? It’s pronounced Stane-chair, not Stink-jar. Leif’s mother ‘s family is from there. Such a beautiful place. 

laine lowe, I really love the sitcoms CBC has come out with. Kim’s Convenience and Schitt’s Creek are really good. 

PS - tv or movie lounge sounds like fun!

Ha! Wonderful. The area between Trondheim and Steinkjar is breathtaking. It's a postcard around every bend in the road.

Gregoire

I would like to make people who claim to hate Canadian films watch this movie. The production value is astonishing - beautifully lit and filmed - and the acting so strong and authentic this at times felt it could be documentary. Not an uplifting tale - a tough look at life in Fort Mac for the kids that grow up there. Spoiled by the idea they'll just follow their parents into oil and gas, no one finishes high school and ambition is low. But money is not as easy to come by as you might think and our characters make choices accordingly. This was filmed before last year's huge fire and there is a certain poignancy attached to these images, as many houses and buildings were lost.