Watched "The Great British Baking Show" Caramel Week from Netflix
With Sandi Toksvig, Noel Fielding, Paul Hollywood, Prue Leith. For the very first time on the show, it's Caramel Week, and the bakers and the nine remaining bakers are tasked with making millionaire shortbread bars, tricky Dutch stroopwafels in the Technical, and caramel cakes in the Showstopper.
Watched Meet the Press - December 29, 2019 from NBC News
Masha Gessen, Dean Baquet, Michael McFaul, Marty Baron, Clint Watts, Kara Swisher, Joshua Johnson, Susan Glasser, and Matthew Continetti
Not the episode I quite expected this week after the Rolling Stone interview, but at least a reasonable nod. Some great guests helped things along.
Watched "The West Wing" Evidence of Things Not Seen from Netflix
Directed by Christopher Misiano. With Dulé Hill, Allison Janney, Joshua Malina, Janel Moloney. Trying to participate in a late-night staff poker game proves difficult as news arrives that an unmanned U.S. spy plane has crashed in a remote part of Russia, and Bartlet and Leo have to deal with an incensed Russian President Chagorin and convince him via phone to let the military go in and recover the plane; C.J. obsesses over the fact that on the exact moment of the spring equinox (today), ...
Watched "The West Wing" Angel Maintenance from Netflix
Directed by Jessica Yu. With Dulé Hill, Allison Janney, Joshua Malina, Janel Moloney. The President, C.J. Cregg, Will Bailey, and others are returning from a long flight overseas. As Air Force One is about to land, the indicator light for the nose wheel fails to come on, prompting pilot Colonel Jessie Weiskopf to call off the landing, and notify the President of the possibility of terrorism. The White House Press Corps is on board, therefore CJ and Will must keep the story under ...
Watched "The West Wing" Privateers from Netflix
Directed by Alex Graves. With Stockard Channing, Dulé Hill, Allison Janney, Joshua Malina. Amy is challenged and tormented from all sides in her first day as Chief of Staff to the First Lady. Her first task is to prove that Abbey's relative was a privateer and not a pirate. And a glacier melts!
Watched "The West Wing" Red Haven's on Fire from Netflix
Directed by Alex Graves. With Rob Lowe, Stockard Channing, Dulé Hill, Allison Janney. Military action in Africa has unforeseen repercussions. Sam and Toby work together on the Orange County Campaign. Will has to find his leadership skills quickly as he is left with no one but interns to prepare remarks on the dry subjects of Taxes.
Watched Born Again (2007) from Netflix

Born and raised in an Evangelical Christian family, director Markie Hancock struggled through her childhood to find the line between her family and her religion, between her duties to God and Jesus and her responsibilities to her parents and herself. Fervent in her beliefs, she thought she would pursue a religious calling until the true nature of her sexuality and her need to express her own doubts brought her into a final confrontation with her upbringing. This is the story of that confrontation and what was won and what was lost.

movie poster for Born Again featuring a black and white photo of a prototypical white family from the 60's in front of a christmas tree

I’m glad this exists, but would not watch it again.

It is interesting to note that this was made in 2007 and presaged the political turmoil of the 2016 election. It also goes a long way to explore some of the political divisions within the country during the decade or more after it was made.

Rating: ★★½

Watched Generation Wealth (2018) from Netflix

Directed by Lauren Greenfield. With Lauren Greenfield, Portia Antonia Alexis, Limo Bob, George W. Bush. A documentary that investigates the pathologies that have created the richest society the world has ever seen.

A heart breaking view of our lives and their excesses.

Rating ★★★½

Watched The Two Popes (2019)

Directed by Fernando Meirelles. With Anthony Hopkins, Jonathan Pryce, Juan Minujín, Luis Gnecco. Behind Vatican walls, the conservative Pope Benedict and the liberal future Pope Francis must find common ground to forge a new path for the Catholic Church.

The Two Popes walking in a garden

Holy crap this was an awesome movie. Some great, powerful filmm aking in many parts.

My favorite though, by far, was watching the two popes in the closing credits as they watched the Argentina v. Germany soccer match. What great heart this scene had!

Rating: ★★★★½