Directed by Martha Mitchell. With Téa Leoni, Tim Daly, Keith Carradine, Patina Miller. Phase 2 of Elizabeth's deal with Iran is put in jeopardy when a Senator claims that money from Phase 1 was used in a bombing that killed a US citizen. Henry mulls over whether to accept the chair of the new military ethics department.
Watches
Playlist of watched movies, television shows, online videos, and other visual-based events
📺 “Madam Secretary” My Funny Valentine | CBS
Directed by Rob J. Greenlea. With Téa Leoni, Tim Daly, Keith Carradine, Patina Miller. As the 20th anniversary of the embassy bombing in Uganda approaches, emotions run high among the State Department staff, who had personal connections to lives lost that day, including Elizabeth, who must decide if the United States should lift sanctions against the country deemed responsible. Also, Henry tries to help Jason break up with Piper.
📺 “The Late Show with Stephen Colbert” John Dickerson/Charlamagne Tha God/Nell Scovell | CBS
Journalist John Dickerson (CBS This Morning (1992)); TV personality Charlamagne Tha God; author Nell Scovell
🎞 Miss Sloane (2016)
Directed by John Madden. With Jessica Chastain, Mark Strong, Gugu Mbatha-Raw, Michael Stuhlbarg.
In the high-stakes world of political power-brokers, Elizabeth Sloane (Jessica Chastain) is the most sought after and formidable lobbyist in D.C. Known equally for her cunning and her track record of success, she has always done whatever is required to win. But when she takes on the most powerful opponent of her career, she finds that winning may come at too high a price.
Stood up reasonably well even on a second viewing, though I think I appreciated it more the first time.
Watched via Amazon Prime on big screen 40″ television streaming using Amazon Fire Stick
Rating:
🎞 The Circle (2017)
Directed by James Ponsoldt. With Emma Watson, Tom Hanks, John Boyega, Ellar Coltrane.
A woman lands a dream job at a powerful tech company called the Circle, only to uncover an agenda that will affect the lives of all of humanity.
Even more interesting to watch this after the Facebook/Cambridge Analytica scandal. It was sad to see the simplistic surface level only analysis of ideas in the film though.
Watched via Amazon Prime on big screen television through Amazon Fire Stick.
Rating:
🎞 The Wizard of Oz (1939) – ★★★★
Directed by Victor Fleming, George Cukor, Mervyn LeRoy. With Judy Garland, Frank Morgan, Ray Bolger, Bert Lahr.
Dorothy Gale is swept away from a farm in Kansas to a magical land of Oz in a tornado and embarks on a quest with her new friends to see the Wizard who can help her return home in Kansas and help her friends as well.
Haven’t seen this in years. Much more surreal than I remember, especially in HD on a big screen instead of an old TV set. I don’t think I’ve seen this since college sometime, and before that when CBS ran it annually before Turner bought it.
Watched via Amazon Prime (recently released there) on 40″ large screen television streamed through Amazon Fire Stick
Rating:
📺 Malcolm Gladwell Explains Where His Ideas Come From | The New Yorker | YouTube
David Remnick speaks with Malcolm Gladwell about how he arrived at his particular approach to storytelling.
I appreciate how Gladwell makes the attempt to reach out to his readers between books and has thought about how podcasting is a useful way to do that. Some of this is the idea behind the why and how of what a good author platform is and how it should work. Podcasting is just a tool for doing a piece of that better.
There are some interesting references in here that I’ll have to read up on as well as taking a look at Gladwell’s podcast. I’m curious how he translates his storytelling approach in the audio medium compared to how he writes.
h/t Aaron Davis
📺 "Bosch" Book of the Unclaimed Dead | Amazon
Directed by Ernest R. Dickerson. With Titus Welliver, Jamie Hector, Amy Aquino, Madison Lintz.
Bosch and Sgt. Amy Snyder uncover a key piece of evidence that could compromise the entire Elias investigation. Edgar and Robertson are rocked by personal disappointment. Irving exposes his enemies. Bosch stalks the suspected Elias killer on his own, and comes face to face with his past.
Great episode, but there should have been at least another 30 minutes of after-the-fact wrap up. This just felt so unsatisfying after 9 episodes of great build up.
It was a great season, within the larger canon, but an unsatisfying ending altogether.
📺 "Bosch" Rojo Profundo S4 E9 | Amazon
Directed by Neema Barnette. With Titus Welliver, Jamie Hector, Amy Aquino, Madison Lintz.
The protest looming, Billets strikes a deal with the activists. Irving realizes that old friends are new enemies. Crate and Barrel solve the case of their careers. As the Task Force scrambles to salvage their investigation, Bosch finds himself in the depths of underground Los Angeles.
The noose is tightening, but I feel like there should be at least two episodes after this.
📺 “Bosch” Dark Sky | Amazon
Directed by Ernest R. Dickerson. With Titus Welliver, Jamie Hector, Amy Aquino, Madison Lintz.
Hollywood Station goes on TAC Alert. Irving plots his next moves. With new evidence, the Elias case takes an unexpected turn. Maddie tries to connect with her past. Bosch harbors doubts about his Task Force and interviews a new suspect.
📺 “Bosch” Missed Connections | Amazon
Directed by Daisy von Scherler Mayer. With Titus Welliver, Jamie Hector, Amy Aquino, Madison Lintz.
Two off-duty patrol officers cause Billets more trouble than she needs while the protests heat up outside Hollywood Station. With a suspect in custody, the Task Force begins to wrap up the case, but Bosch remains unconvinced. Irving learns he's being played and Honey Chandler makes a surprising discovery.
I expected more out of the B plot with the two drunk officers.
📺 “Bosch” The Wine of Youth | Amazon
Directed by Zetna Fuentes. With Titus Welliver, Jamie Hector, Amy Aquino, Madison Lintz.
The search for Sheehan intensifies, as pressure mounts to solve the Elias murder. The Task Force waits for ballistics to confirm their suspicions. Edgar and Bosch pursue an unofficial 'side project' in the San Gabriel Valley. Billets and Dets. Crate and Barrel respond to a suspicious hit and run in Hollywood.
Crate and Barrel didn’t get enough story line out of the KTK after they’d built that character up over the span of several seasons. I would have preferred a bit more development and fanfare on this part of the plotline throughout this season.
📺 “Bosch” The Coping | Amazon
Directed by Alex Zakrzewski. With Titus Welliver, Jamie Hector, Amy Aquino, Madison Lintz.
Bosch struggles to manage all the things he's lost and to keep the darkness at bay, from himself, and from Maddie. The Task Force bears down on two suspects. Acting Captain Grace Billets gets tangled in station politics and petty opposition, no longer everyone's best friend.
The underwater imagery was a bit wonky, but eventually tied in with Maddie’s description and her scenes near water later on.
📺 “Bosch” Past Lives | Amazon
Directed by Tim Hunter. With Titus Welliver, Jamie Hector, Amy Aquino, Sarah Clarke.
Det. Francis Sheehan comes clean to Bosch, Robertson suspects a leak in the investigation, and Edgar joins the Task Force. Social unrest surrounding the Elias murder grows and Irving is pressured to intervene. Eleanor asks Bosch for parenting advice and confesses the truth about her marriage to Reggie Woo.
Nice gut punch here.
🎞 Silk (2007)
Directed by François Girard. With Michael Pitt, Keira Knightley, Kôji Yakusho, Sei Ashina.
The story of a married silkworm merchant-turned-smuggler in 19th century France traveling to Japan for his town's supply of silkworms after a disease wipes out their African supply. During his stay in Japan, he becomes obsessed with the concubine of a local baron.
It’s taken me 4 tries over nearly 8 months, but I’ve finally finished this. I worried about its almost painfully slow pace, but the gut punch in the final act was amazing.
Watched on widescreen television via DirecTV and cable.
Rating: