Stu’s Reviews – Page 32

Stu’s Reviews- #534- TV Series – “Ramy”- Hulu -2 Seasons

Genre: TV Series

Grade: B+

Notable People: Ramy Youssef, Hiam Abass, Amr Waked, May Calamawi, Created by: Ramy Youssef

Title: Ramy

Review: Bizarre show chronicling the lives of a traditional Egyptian family resettled in the North Jersey burbs….in dramedy form. Found this show barely watchable initially, but it really grew on me. This is a culture most of us know little about, but Ramy’s take on the subtleties of living in two worlds in quite the effort. Abass (“Succession”), as his mother, plays a role for the ages- chain smoking, watching TV game shows all day and driving an Uber. Alternates between laughing and crying. Very different from most anything l see on TV. The gifted Mahershala Ali has a brilliant recurring role…. bonus.

Stu’s Reviews- #533- TV Series – “Succession”- HBO Max -2 Seasons

Genre: TV Series

Grade: B+

Notable People: Brian Cox, Jeremy Strong, Sarah Snook, Kieren Culkin, Matthew Macfaden, Nicholas Braun, Created by: Jesse Armstrong

Title: Succession

Review: This is one ugly show …. I’d call it “Billions” light…. not quite the potency of characters as the latter, but a lot of the same themes and set in the hard to believe world of NYC high corporate culture. Cox, a Shakespearian actor, is a powerhouse as the relentless patriarch of the Roy clan. The acting is all very good, but there is nary a likeable character in the bunch. Hard to watch at times foe its sheer malevolence, but captivating at the same time. Makes you wonder if being rich is all that desirable. These people are outright nuts

Stu’s Reviews- #532- Album- “Valentine”- Bill Frisell

Genre: Album

Grade: A

Notable People: Bill Frisell with Thomas Morgan and Rudy Royston Produced by: Lee Townsend

Title: Valentine

Review: Need a break from our current realities? Check out this wonderful, latest Bill Frisell album……or any Frisell album for that matter. All of his dozens of recordings are similar- one tasteful and brilliantly arranged tune after another. Frisell is a true master-genius of the guitar- in my view the worlds’ greatest living jazz oriented guitarist- comparable to Django, Wes Montgomery and Charlie Christian of days gone by. He takes both his own splendid compositions and songs you’ve heard a million times, and makes them into an otherworldly mix of rhythm, licks and sumptuous melody. This set features a trio- one of his may configurations…. with his regular ally- the brilliant Morgan on bass and the fabulous Royston on skins. Frisell for President!

Stu’s Reviews- #531 Book- “The Orphan’s Guilt”- Archer Mayor

Genre: Book

Grade: B+

Notable People: Archer Mayor

Title: ” The Orphan’s Guilt”

Review: The twenty-sixth annual installment in Mayors’ very long running Joe Gunther series was hit and miss for me. Archer, who is a longstanding acquaintance of ours in Vermont, does a great job of keeping Joe and his troops fresh- though at this point, I would calculate Gunther to be around 95 based on the chronology of the earlier books- but who’s counting? The main characters have graced these pages for over a quarter century and all gotten richer and deeper with time. Mayor also continues to bring back characters he introduced decades ago, with several in this book who were small children in the early books- now thriving and interesting young women. The sense of Vermont in the books remains the best around, with this one criss -crossing the state to many of our regular haunts. And the understated philosophical meanderings about Vermont as a place and state of mind is worth the price of admission. The story in this one meandered a bit for my tastes, though it did eventually reel me in. But sort of petered out at the end, without much of a resolution. I’m being picky, since most of the book in thus series are” A” material for me. It remains an event every October for the release of the next addition…makes me want to make a trip to Gunther’s Brattleboro every time.

Stu’s Reviews- #530- TV Series – “Borgen”- Netflix 3 Seasons

Genre: TV Series

Grade: A

Notable People: Sidse Babett Knudsen, Birgitte Hjort Sorenson, Saren Malling, Pilou Asbaek, Created by: Adam Price

Title: Borgen

Review: This one is a sleeper. Danish political intrigue, reflections on moral underpinnings of modern society, subtitles……. was not sure about this recommendation, and took half of first season to get the rhythm of it…. but then……wow…what a piece of television. Top three in shows I’ve seen in last five years. Cast is brilliant, writing is really captivating, plot never loses steam, and there are some truly unforgettable characters. (check out Asbaek as spin doctor Kaspar Juul, fresh from his turn on Game of Thrones- who knew he was Danish?). Third season turned out to be about half in English, which everyone in Denmark speaks flawlessly. Quite the look inside the modern Danish culture, with its balance of great tradition, ancient histories and ultra-hip modern ethos. Unlike may of the highest quality shows on TV, this one is loaded with very likeable (though complex) characters, which is a refreshing change of pace- from dark, evil and foreboding. Flat out loved this show. Season four apparently coming in 2022-holding my breath.

Stu’s Reviews- #529 Book- “Memory Man”- David Baldacci

Genre: Book

Grade: A-

Notable People: David Baldacci

Title: “Memory Man”

Review: The first –and origin story- book, in Baldacci’s popular series about Amos Decker; quasi- FBI agent with total recall as a result of a pro football head injury shifting his brain. Decker is wonderfully complex character that you want to work hard to like, though not always easily done. The pot, covering a mass school shooting and flashing back to the unsolved murder of Decker’s family, is tautly written, with great dialog and unforgettable characters. I don’t usually like this kind of bestselling author, but pretty hooked on this series. Got it in LARGE print from the library which is really quite nice.

Stu’s Reviews- #528- Album- “Die Midwestern”- Arlo McKinley

Genre: Album

Grade: A-

Notable People: Arlo McKinley, Produced by: Matt Ross-Spang

Title: Die Midwestern

Review: McKinley emerged from Cincinnati’s vibrant music scene and shuffled on down to Memphis to record this beauty. Crispy produced by Ross-Spang, who has produced John Prine and Margo Price records- and featuring a full on crack session band, this album is an absolute throwback to the height of 70s country rock, with echoes of everyone form Gene Clark to Johnny Paycheck, with the ghost of the recently passed Justin Townes Earle thrown in. McKinley’s 10 original songs are drenched in emotion from a wounded heart- some apparently composed in a funeral home parking lot after carrying the coffin of his best friend. The title song features the mantra “never going to get out of Ohio alive” …..which I may be a bit too close to home for yours truly. Lyrics may be a bit dark for some, but the music and production are wonderful.

Stu’s Reviews- #527- Album- “Letter to You”- Bruce Springsteen and the E-Street Band

Genre: Album

Grade: A-

Notable People: Bruce and The Band, Produced by: Ron Aniello, Bruce

Title: Letter to You

Review: Bruce’s’ 20th studio album and his first since 2014 with The E-Street gang….is a magnificent throwback to his late 70 efforts. Reminiscent of Darkness on the Edge of Town……all jangly guitars, deep and sometimes foreboding lyrics, Roy Bittan’s tasteful driving piano and a wall of guitars and backup vocals. Miami Steve and Nils Lofgren shine with the extra guitars and Max Weinberg may be the most underrated rock drummer around. The tunes miss The Big Man’s sax efforts, but Clarence’s nephew does a nice job of filling in for his late uncle. I had kind of lost interest in most of what Bruce has been doing in recent years, but this will catch your attention. Still a master.

Stu’s Reviews- #526- Film- ” Mudbound”

Genre: Film (Netflix)

Grade: A-

Notable People: Carey Mulligan, Jason Clarke, Jason Mitchell, Mary J Blige, Rob Morgan, Jonathan Banks, Directed by: Dee Rees

Title: Mudbound

Review: Excellent Netflix original from their “Black Lives Matter” collection- telling the story of two poor farm families-one black and one white- in rural Mississippi after the second world war. This is not an easy movie to watch, and reminds us of how we got to where we live toady with racial injustice. Still, there remains an underlying humanity in even such a torrid environment. Blige does an impressive subtle turn as the matriarch of one family and banks is his usual cantankerous self as the bigoted patriarch of the other. The story line of what is was like for black heroes to come back to the south after the war is powerful and humbling. Well directed-well shot, and worth the tears.

Stu’s Reviews- #525 Book- “A Rule Against Murder”- Louise Penny

Genre: Book

Grade: A-

Notable People: Louise Penny

Title: “A Rule Against Murder”

Review: The fourth book in Penny’s great Gamache- Chief Inspector series, is another brilliantly written novel of life in Southern Quebec. Though the story line in this one felt a bit random and quirky, Penny writes so well, her characters are so well developed and her sense of place………well, just magnificent. The entire boo takes place in a tiny “auberge” on Lake Massawippi in Quebec’s Eastern Township lakes district. You’ll want to go there once Trudeau allows us back in. The setting is based on the very real Manoir Hovey (from her liner notes)- a magical place that we visited may times in the late 90s when the strength of the dollar made such places quite affordable. I’m lining up a reservation for when we can again cross………………and taking a few Penny books with me. Wonderful!