Category: Stu’s Reviews

Stu’s Reviews- #660- Film – “Bordertown: The Mural Murders” -on Netflix now

Genre: Film

Grade: B+/A-

Notable People:  Ville Virtanen, Sampo Sarkola, Directed by: Jusso Syrja

Title: Virtanen resumes his masterful role as eccentric, disturbed, brilliant, detective Kari Sorjonen in the long form continuation of the series set on the Finnish/Russian border, that ran on Netflix for three memorable seasons. A bloody mural, a deadly social media poll and an infamous serial killer force Sorjonen to confront the most difficult case of his career., with Sarkola returning as his uber-evil arch nemesis (think Hannibal Lecter). Gripping drama with all the regulars returning from the original show and shot darkly in the frozen tundra of the border. Two hours fly by with this drama, and Kari is so far out as to provide some unexpected comic relief

Stu’s Reviews- #659- Film – “Operation Mincemeat” -on Netflix now

Genre: Film              

Grade: A

Notable People:  Colin Firth, Matthew Macfayden, Kelly Macdonald, Penelope Wilton, Directed by: John Madden

Title: this film was recommended to me by my ENT, who is a very picky guy. He was right. I loved everything about this true story of the greatest deception in the history of war; the last ditch attempt by Churchill and the Brits to avert disaster with the Sicily invasion of 1943 (that ultimately turned the tide of the war and may have saved the world as we know it), by creating this absolutely incredible red herring that made Das Boot think the invasion was going to secretly happen in Greece. The film is moving, the narrative and dialog wonderful, very heady, very emotional. There is an all-star cast of veteran British TV and film folks, but the principle four actors-led by the great Colin Firth, are impeccable. An amazing story, partly narrated by a very young solder named Ian Fleming, who went on from this spy escapade to create James Bond…really wonderful film.

Stu’s Reviews- #658- Book – “Women With Men “- Richard Ford

Genre: Book  

Grade: A-

Notable People: Richard Ford

Title: Woman with Men

Review: Ford has been called America’s best living writer, by some. I’m not sure about that. For one, he is not very prolific and he is also a bit Hemingway-esque, which is not for everyone. But, he is really, really good and this 1997 collection of short fiction fully embodies his style and texture. One of the modern masters of short fiction, these three novellas are set in Chicago, Montana and Paris (hmmmmm? Who does that sound like.? Exceedingly well written and engaging, you get the feel of these places while entering the tortured souls of the principles. Ford will never be accused of being Pollyanna- ish. Dark, intense, often gripping tales of struggles of the soul take you deep inside. Might be a good thing they are short. This is an essential author, whom I’m glad to reconnect with.

Stu’s Reviews- #657- Book – “The Odessa File “- Frederick Forsyth

Genre: Book  

Grade: A-

Notable People: Frederick Forsyth

Title: The Odessa File

Review: got back to Vermont and discovered I had left the books I wanted to read back in Ohio and the ones I ordered from library here not in yet………so had to hit the shelves of the home library to check out the benefactress’ collection, which was more soft- smut than not. But, came up with this gem from 1972 that I knew of, had seen the film, but never read. Mistake corrected! Wonderful follow up novel (with a lot of real historical facts and characters) to Forsyth’s international bestseller “The Day of the Jackal”. Set in Germany at the height of the cold war, when a young German reporter finds a diary on the body of a suicide victim on the night of the JFK assassination. The diary reveals the story of the top secret Odessa, whose only mission is to protect and prosper former Nazi SS leaders. A wild goose chase across Germany follows. Filled with adrenaline, drama and insight into the post war collective guilt, it is a fascinating and hard hitting tale. I’d challenge the idiot deniers to read this one. A bit dated, but well worth the read.

Stu’s Reviews- #656- TV Series – “Muhammad Ali”- PBS Documentary

Genre: TV Series  

Grade: A

Notable People: Ken Burns and Lynn Novak

Title: Muhammad Ali

Review: The Greatest does The Greatest. If you haven’t made time for this yet, you should. A brilliant primer on the life and times of Time’s Man of the Century, from his humble beginnings in Louisville, to his three world heavyweight titles to his ultimate role as a world leader on challenging race relations in this country and around the world. Incredibly complicated portrait of an incredibly complicated man; once maybe the most reviled figure in the US to become an absolutely beloved part of our collective conscience. Brilliantly told, as always, by the Master, Burns, and friends, this four-part series (around 7-8 hours) will leave you laughing, riled up and weeping- a major chronicle of the times. Wonderful.

Stu’s Reviews- #655- Book – “Vanishing Act “- Thomas Perry

Genre: Book

Grade: B+

Notable People: Thomas Perry

Title: Vanishing Act

Review: The first in Perry’s Jane Whitefield, published in 1995. Jane is a Native American guide who leads people out of the wilderness–not the tree-filled variety but the kind created by enemies who want you dead. She is in the one-woman business of helping the desperate disappear. She is a member of the Wolf Clan of the Seneca tribe in the northern Adirondacks and grown up to be trained to fool any pursuer or cover any trail, and is an expert at providing her clients with new identities, complete with authentic paperwork. This is an unusual series both in its cultural setting and very unique heroine, both of which I liked a lot and found fresh and new. The story itself started out like gangbusters, grabbing my attention, but waned a bit in the latter part of the book, though the twists, turns, and curves kept me interested. Perry is a good writer, who drifts into extend verbiage at times, but I am eager to try a few more editions in this unusual series.

Stu’s Reviews- #654- Album – “What’s It Gonna Take?””- Van Morrison

Genre: Album

Grade: A-

Notable People: Van the Man and his Cracker Jack Band, Produced by: Himself

Title: What’s It Gonna Take?

Review: For my recent BIG Birthday, I got this new Van issue-along with tix to see him in Connecticut labor day weekend, on a rare US tour. Though I have very mixed feelings about his politics and his persona, I have no such reservations about Van the Man’s music. His 43rd (Holy Buckets!) studio album, features 14 new compositions that collectively reflect his indefatigable drive to record and perform live in front of audiences. The album was produced by Morrison and is preceded by the single “Pretending,” a gorgeous, restless, soul song. Somewhat of a departure from his most recent releases that were focused more on Jazzy numbers, this one is master lesson on blue-eyed soul and R&B. Van takes up the guitar mostly in lieu of his beloved sax and surrounds himself with a very talented groove-laden backup band and heavenly voices. If you’ve ever been a fan or just like Brown Eyed Girl, this is a good one.

Stu’s Reviews- #653- TV Series – “Derry Girls”- Netflix- 2 Seasons

Genre: TV Series  

Grade: A-/ B+

Notable People: Saoirse-Monica Jackson, Louisa Harland, Tara Lynne O’Neill, Kathy Kiera Clarke, Dylan Llewellyn      Created by: Lisa McGee

Title: Derry Girls

Review: We inexplicably really liked this show. The five Derry girls are a hoot; the supporting cast is beyond eccentric and it is often sadly very funny- a large extended family of mismatched parts in contrast to the intensity of living in ravaged Northern Ireland during the 1990s. There is an underlay of cultural frame of reference here that I’m guessing you have to be from a very Irish family to fully appreciate, but after a while, you kind of get it. This is a great half hour antidote to intense serial dramas you may watch. No indication of a third season as of yet.

Stu’s Reviews- #652- TV Series – “Bosch: Legacy”- Freevee -1 Season

Genre: TV Series

Grade: A-/ B+

Notable People: Titus Welliver, Mimi Rodgers, Madison Lintz, Stephen A. Chang Created by: Eric Overmyer, Tom Connelly

Title: Bosch: Legacy

Review: Welliver returns to the wonderful role of LA detective Hieronymus Bosch- based on the Connelly novels of the same name and building on a slew of seasons on Amazon. The Amazon series ended with a disgruntled Busch retiring from the PD and more or less rising off into the sunset- and his series picks up several years later with a much more grizzled Bosch as a private dick. Rodgers and Lintz reprise their roles as the brilliant lawyer, Honey Chandler and as Bosch’s daughter, Maddie, now grown and a rookie LAPD beat cop. The show’s transition seems pretty seamless and the addition of Chang as a techno-sidekick to Bosch is good. The drama and storytelling remain strong and Welliver and friends are great. The show misses some of the regular characters that did not come back for the revival, but a few of them make regular cameos which is a nice touch. The show now airs on Freevee, an Amazon derivative that used to be IMBD TV. Clear expectations for a second season.

Stu’s Reviews- #651- TV Series – “The Great”- Hulu -2 Seasons

Genre: TV Series  

Grade: A-

Notable People: Elle Fanning, Nicholas Hoult, Phoebe Fox, Created by: Tony McNamara

Title: The Great

Review: The Great is a historical black comedy about the rise of Catherine the Great from outsider, imported from Germany as a bride, to become the longest reigning female ruler in Russia’s history. The series is quite fictionalized and portrays Catherine in her youth and marriage to Emperor Peter III of Russia (the son of Peter the Great), focusing on the plot to kill her depraved and dangerous husband, and her desire to create “a better Russia”. All that said, any historical accuracy is quite loose in this gender-bending dramedy, which is a good thing. The plots and dialog are hilarious and the rapport between Fanning as Catherine, and the crazed Hoult as Peter, is mesmerizing. This is a “Court” you will never forget. Absolutely delightful and Hazzah, for the decision to have a third season.