What movie are you watching or planning to watch?

What Is It?

The 2018 British television drama show Press Season 1.

Press | TRAILER – BBC:



Press | MASTERPIECE:



My Thoughts

I found out about this TV show by accident one night.

I was randomly watching some British TV shows on PBS Masterpiece.

Episode 3 (Don’t Take My Heart, Don’t Break My Heart), was playing, and I watched most of that episode.

I then looked up the show online, I decided to watch it, especially because it was only six episodes long.

This show ended up being the best TV show I have seen this year.

It probably tops my list because it has not had much competition yet.

This is surprising.

I never would have heard of it if I had not seen most of that episode by accident.

It is about two rival news companies, which you would expect to be boring, but it was not.

Ben Chaplin did a good job in the role of Duncan Allen.

I can imagine him playing the role of The Devil / Lucifer.

Hopefully, that will happen one day.

I liked Priyanga Burford in her role as Amina Chaudury.

Sadly, this show ended on a cliffhanger and was canceled after one season.
 
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Project Hail Mary no longer playing at the one IMAX in this area Worth seeing in standard format or not -- just wait for it to streaming into my living room?? :unsure:
 
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What Is It?

The 1999 anime TV show Now And Then Here And There.

Now and Then, Here and There Trailer 1:



Now And Then, Here And There Wants To Break You:



My Thoughts

I saw this anime series once years ago.

This anime did an amazing job having a main villain that I hated so much.

That I wanted to enter the anime to defeat this villain myself.

I hated the main villain so much that I actually got angry.

So they did a good job.

I do not remember much of this anime.

I do know that it involved terrible things happening to children.

And a terrible dictator that you will love to hate.

This anime involved child soldiers, poverty, rape, abuse, water shortage, famine, war, death, and more.
 
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What Is It?


The 1980 British-American psychological horror film The Shining was directed by Stanley Kubrick.

It was based on the 1977 novel The Shining by Stephen King. The film stars Jack Nicholson and Shelley Duvall.

The Shining | 4K Trailer | Warner Bros. Entertainment:



The Shining | Original Teaser Trailer [HD] | Coolidge Corner Theatre:



The Shining — Quietly Going Insane Together:



What Do You Like About It?

I liked the visuals and cinematography. I enjoyed some of the sounds and music. The location was appealing.

The film ends in a way that confuses you and makes you think. You find yourself trying to interpret that reveal.

Hidden Meaning in The Shining – Earthling Cinema:



What Would Someone Else Like About It?

I think that people will like how this film still holds up all of these years later.

They will realize that it is a classic that has inspired other horror films.

The Shining – Movie Review:



My Thoughts

I saw this on Netflix on an old CRT television. I was surprised how good the visuals looked for a movie from 1980.

However, I did not like some of the early dialogue.

I also did not like much of Shelley Duvall’s performance, mostly her delivery of her lines.

This feeling changed near the end when she did not talk as much.

I also think that this movie should have been shorter.

They could have used the extra time to better explain some history of the hotel.

They could also explain more about what was really going on there.

One of my favorite scenes is when the character Dick Hallorann talked to the character Danny Torrance.

This happened as Danny ate some ice cream. Dick Hallorann was the cook, played by Scatman Crothers.

Danny Torrance was the son, played by Danny Lloyd. That scene is what really pulled me into this movie.

After that, the movie kept my attention for a lot of the movie.

The movie had its flaws. However, those flaws were still not enough to stop this from being a classic.

This classic still holds up well. It left me wanting to learn more about what was really going on there.
 

What Is It?


The American psychological horror thriller movie 10 Cloverfield Lane.

10 Cloverfield Lane Trailer (2016) – Paramount Pictures:



10 CLOVERFIELD LANE Official Trailer 2 (2016) J.J. Abrams Sci-Fi Movie HD:



10 Cloverfield Lane Review:



My Thoughts


This movie was slightly better than I had expected.

There was a lot of tension and mystery that kept me watching and trying to figure out what was really going on.

All the way to the end of this movie, and the acting and directing was pretty good.

The movie supposedly takes place in Louisiana but you do not really get much of a view or feel of it.

So that is one complaint that I do have about this movie.
 

What Is It?

The 2017 Starz American television show American Gods Season 1.

That was developed by Bryan Fuller and Michael Green.

And was based on the book American Gods by the author Neil Gaiman.

American Gods | First Look Trailer



American Gods Season 1 Trailer | Rotten Tomatoes TV:



American Gods (2017) TV Review -NO SPOILERS:



AMERICAN GODS Season 1 Review (Spoiler Free):



My Thoughts


This season of this television show was a disappointment and I had to make myself continue watching it.

It was worse than the book, which I have read before.

It strayed too far from the book.

The character Laura Moon was annoying and appeared way too much compared to the book.

They dragged out some parts while rushing past other parts.

The story did not advance much, they made things too trippy and crazy, et cetera.

Some of the promotional videos on YouTube for this television show were better than the show itself.

Not everything was bad though.

They did improve on some things from the book.

Like removing the obsession with food and adding some things that were not said in the book.

And they showed some of the characters actually doing something.

So that you get a better idea of what they are capable of.

And the later parts of the last episode made me feel more positive and curious about seeing season 2.

Just like the book there is a lot more potential there.

I was hoping that they would do better than the book.

But this season failed to surpass the book like I had expected.

Just like the book I feel somewhat conflicted about this season of this television show after it ended.

There are many things that I did not like about it, and there are some things that I liked about it.

So there is hope that season 2 will be better.

I will probably watch season 2 when it comes out to see if it gets better and / or to see if it ends the story.

A strong positive about this show are the visuals.

It looks the part, and it sets the mood with its unique somewhat surreal visuals and color scheme.

And the weirdness is a nice addition.

While I am being very harsh, I still would recommend that people watch this show, especially if you do not plan on reading the book.
 
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What Is It?

The 2017 Starz American television show American Gods Season 1.

That was developed by Bryan Fuller and Michael Green.

And was based on the book American Gods by the author Neil Gaiman.

American Gods | First Look Trailer



American Gods Season 1 Trailer | Rotten Tomatoes TV:



American Gods (2017) TV Review -NO SPOILERS:



AMERICAN GODS Season 1 Review (Spoiler Free):



My Thoughts


This season of this television show was a disappointment and I had to make myself continue watching it.

It was worse than the book, which I have read before.

It strayed too far from the book.

The character Laura Moon was annoying and appeared way too much compared to the book.

They dragged out some parts while rushing past other parts.

The story did not advance much, they made things too trippy and crazy, et cetera.

Some of the promotional videos on YouTube for this television show were better than the show itself.

Not everything was bad though.

They did improve on some things from the book.

Like removing the obsession with food and adding some things that were not said in the book.

And they showed some of the characters actually doing something.

So that you get a better idea of what they are capable of.

And the later parts of the last episode made me feel more positive and curious about seeing season 2.

Just like the book there is a lot more potential there.

I was hoping that they would do better than the book.

But this season failed to surpass the book like I had expected.

Just like the book I feel somewhat conflicted about this season of this television show after it ended.

There are many things that I did not like about it, and there are some things that I liked about it.

So there is hope that season 2 will be better.

I will probably watch season 2 when it comes out to see if it gets better and / or to see if it ends the story.

A strong positive about this show are the visuals.

It looks the part, and it sets the mood with its unique somewhat surreal visuals and color scheme.

And the weirdness is a nice addition.

@goodjohnjr I totally agree with you regarding Laura Moon; at several points, her character felt over-the-top, which I think took away from the overall impact of the show.

I watched the first and second seasons of American Gods, and I was really drawn to the concept of the "Old Gods" trying to survive in the modern era, depending on human worship to exist and having to reinvent themselves to keep up with the times. That premise really hooked me at first, though the plot eventually became a bit of an uphill climb—some scenes were brilliantly done, but others left me feeling a bit lost.

Personally, I interpreted the show’s psychedelic vibe through its symbolism-heavy imagery, intense colors, and dreamlike sequences. It really reinforced the feeling of being in a space where the mythical and the contemporary collide in a strange way. To me, that aesthetic captured the idea that gods don't just live in beliefs, but also in the fragmented, surreal visions of modernity.

I haven't read the book, and although I still have the third season on my list, the fact that it was canceled back in 2021 with a cliffhanger has killed my motivation. Knowing the story was cut short and that, ironically, the "Old Gods" ran out of screen time before their story could end, I’m not sure if it's worth the effort of finishing it. 🏺🎬🤷‍♂️
 
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@goodjohnjr I totally agree with you regarding Laura Moon; at several points, her character felt over-the-top, which I think took away from the overall impact of the show.

I watched the first and second seasons of American Gods, and I was really drawn to the concept of the "Old Gods" trying to survive in the modern era, depending on human worship to exist and having to reinvent themselves to keep up with the times. That premise really hooked me at first, though the plot eventually became a bit of an uphill climb—some scenes were brilliantly done, but others left me feeling a bit lost.

Personally, I interpreted the show’s psychedelic vibe through its symbolism-heavy imagery, intense colors, and dreamlike sequences. It really reinforced the feeling of being in a space where the mythical and the contemporary collide in a strange way. To me, that aesthetic captured the idea that gods don't just live in beliefs, but also in the fragmented, surreal visions of modernity.

I haven't read the book, and although I still have the third season on my list, the fact that it was canceled back in 2021 with a cliffhanger has killed my motivation. Knowing the story was cut short and that, ironically, the "Old Gods" ran out of screen time before their story could end, I’m not sure if it's worth the effort of finishing it. 🏺🎬🤷‍♂️
Hello @Halp2001, I am glad that you got to see the first two seasons of American Gods.

When I first saw the trailers for this TV show, it made me want to see it.

Our library had the book, so I read it before the TV show came out.

I did not realize that our library had an audiobook version until after I read the physical book version.

I recommend listening to the audiobook version instead to make it easier.

The concept of the book and this TV show is better than both, unfortunately.

It is an amazing concept that I wish was explored in a better way.

One of the biggest annoyances of the TV shows, besides it getting canceled before it could finish.

Is that they could have finished the TV show in 1 - 3 seasons.

This is one of the rare situations where the book is shorter than the show.

The TV show added stuff and dragged things out, when they could have followed the book and wrapped things up early.

There were some improvements and additions that the TV show had that I liked.

Like the Mr. Nancy monologues on the slave ship and at the funeral home.

Well said about the vibe, visuals, symbolism, et cetera.

I agree, that is another thing that I liked about the TV show.

I would say watch the third season, and then listen to or read the book.

It is only one book, so you do not have to worry about an entire book series. ;)

The book left me not sure how I would rate it exactly.

As you can probably see in my review of it:


I just updated my previous comment above with this new line at the end:

While I am being very harsh on this TV show, I still would recommend that people watch this TV show, especially if you do not plan on reading the book.

Anyway, I think we should take some of the concepts of the book and TV show, and make up our own versions. ;)
 
Hello @Halp2001, I am glad that you got to see the first two seasons of American Gods.

When I first saw the trailers for this TV show, it made me want to see it.

Our library had the book, so I read it before the TV show came out.

I did not realize that our library had an audiobook version until after I read the physical book version.

I recommend listening to the audiobook version instead to make it easier.

The concept of the book and this TV show is better than both, unfortunately.

It is an amazing concept that I wish was explored in a better way.

One of the biggest annoyances of the TV shows, besides it getting canceled before it could finish.

Is that they could have finished the TV show in 1 - 3 seasons.

This is one of the rare situations where the book is shorter than the show.

The TV show added stuff and dragged things out, when they could have followed the book and wrapped things up early.

There were some improvements and additions that the TV show had that I liked.

Like the Mr. Nancy monologues on the slave ship and at the funeral home.

Well said about the vibe, visuals, symbolism, et cetera.

I agree, that is another thing that I liked about the TV show.

I would say watch the third season, and then listen to or read the book.

It is only one book, so you do not have to worry about an entire book series. ;)

The book left me not sure how I would rate it exactly.

As you can probably see in my review of it:


I just updated my previous comment above with this new line at the end:



Anyway, I think we should take some of the concepts of the book and TV show, and make up our own versions. ;)
@goodjohnjr Thank you so much for the recommendation and for sharing your review. I read it with great interest and really enjoyed it; I think you perfectly captured that mix between the essence of American Gods and the personal experience of watching it. Your analysis convinced me: I’ll take your advice and give the third season a go, since it was the one I had left. I totally agree with you that the concept has incredible potential; it’s a shame the execution and production faced so many hurdles.⚡📺👁️
 
@goodjohnjr Thank you so much for the recommendation and for sharing your review. I read it with great interest and really enjoyed it; I think you perfectly captured that mix between the essence of American Gods and the personal experience of watching it. Your analysis convinced me: I’ll take your advice and give the third season a go, since it was the one I had left. I totally agree with you that the concept has incredible potential; it’s a shame the execution and production faced so many hurdles.⚡📺👁️
You are welcome, @Halp2001, it is good to hear that someone else actually read the book as well.

In real life, I am the only person I know who has read this book, and seen the entire TV series.

Good luck with season 3.
 

What Is It?​


The 2018 science fiction psychological horror movie Annihilation.

Annihilation (2018) – Official Trailer – Paramount Pictures:



Annihilation — The Art Of Self-Destruction:



Annihilation Review:



My Thoughts​

My brother GC and I watched this movie yesterday. It was a science fiction movie. It had a slower feel to it.

This movie focused on creating a certain atmosphere with that mood.

Its visuals are interesting and sometimes Princess Mononoke-like.

It somewhat reminded me of a movie by Denis Villeneuve.

This movie kept more mystery going than I liked. They skipped important details.

The main characters lacked proper preparation, equipment, training, and awareness.

But those things did not seem necessary for what this movie was trying to achieve. I think the goal was to make you feel certain things.

Then, you are encouraged to think and come up with your own conclusions.

The movie failed in some ways in a traditional sense.

However, it succeeded in making you feel something. It also made you think.

It was one of those movies that left me unsure how I felt about it exactly.

It was unique in some ways. It is not for everyone. Do not watch it when you are bored.

There were some surreal visuals with some nice music / sounds and a few creepy moments.

I just wish that they had explained more. They could have shortened or removed some of the slower parts.

Then this movie would have been better and more accessible.

It still is not a bad movie. It is the kind of movie to watch if you feel like watching something artsy.

It is open to interpretation.
 
You are welcome, @Halp2001, it is good to hear that someone else actually read the book as well.
@goodjohnjr Thanks for your comments and for sharing your review. Just a small clarification: in my case I haven’t read the book, my experience was only with the series (I watched the first and second seasons, and the third is still pending). That’s why I found your perspective from the book so valuable, because it helps me better understand the differences and the potential of the original story. 🎬❌📖
 
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