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Mike & Nick & Nick & Alice Movie Review

ward@fridaysonthefly.com (Ward) — Sun, 17 May 2026 02:00:00 -0400

Mike & Nick & Nick & Alice (2026)

Watch the trailer
Written by: BenDavid Grabinski
Directed by: BenDavid Grabinski
Starring: Vince Vaughn, James Marsden, Eiza González, Keith David, Jimmy Tatro, Stephen Root, Ben Schwartz
Rated: R

Plot
Two friends navigate the dangerous world of organized crime, testing their loyalty and survival skills as they get deeper into the criminal underworld.

Verdict
It's a great genre mashup, taking two well used premises and combining them to make this fun by providing a fresh idea. Either idea alone would be tedious. We've seen gangster movies where one friend has to protect another, and we've seen time travel movies where the protagonist must right a wrong. The combination makes this fun enough to be entertaining along with Vince Vaughn quipping his way through the movie. I just wish it had a stronger conclusion, instead of ending with a whimper.
It depends.

Review
Opening with some kind of scientist in a lab, soon this cuts to a party for what appears to be a gangster's son that just got out of jail. At this party is loan shark Nick (Vince Vaughn) and his wife Alice (Eiza González). Also there is Quick Draw Mike (James Marsden) who's having an affair with Alice.

Mike wants out of the organization, but Nick needs him for one last job that appears to be a kidnapping. Nick cautions him that no matter what he sees, he needs to chloroform the target. Mike's surprised when the target is Nick, but not the Nick in the car. How does that work?

Eiza González, James Marsden, Vince Vaughn, play Alice, Mike, Nick and Nick

It's a fun premise as we begin to suspect the lab in the beginning may have had a time travel device. Future Nick wants to save Mike, and surprisingly both Nicks know about the affair. Nick's plan starts with the party, continuing through the after party and the after after party. Future Nick has to stop present Nick and save Mike in the process. Mike's been framed as a snitch and the cannibal assassin, "The Barron" is dispatched to take care of Mike.

Vince Vaughn plays Nick and Nick

I disagree with the movie that there was a time 'before' Nick went back. If he went back, he always went back. It's a paradox. If Nick manages to keep Mike alive, he'll have no reason to go back other than try to maintain the new timeline. There should only be one timeline, and it's constant.

This has a fun discussion about Gilmore Girls that turns into an argument, but I wish the conclusion was stronger. The movie wrestles with common tropes, using humor as a shield. The finale is a non-ending. It's common for one of these genres, but it's not satisfying.

Opening Title Card

Bait Season 1 Review

ward@fridaysonthefly.com (Ward) — Sat, 16 May 2026 02:00:00 -0400

Bait (2026-)

Rent Bait on Amazon Video (paid link)
Created by: Riz Ahmed
Starring: Riz Ahmed, Patrick Stewart, Guz Khan, Aasiya Shah, Sheeba Chaddha, Sajid Hasan
Rated: TV-MA
Watch the trailer

Plot
A struggling actor on the cusp of landing the role of a lifetime finds himself thrust into a full-blown existential crisis and conspiracy simultaneously.

Verdict
While James Bond is the catalyst, this is a series that explores expectations; what Shah wants for his career, his family's hopes, and public perception. Shah is playing the part of a successful actor, but in reality he's struggling and needs this role. The show uses a severed pig's head to communicate his inner monologue. It's as wild as it sounds. Shah has the opportunity to play this prominent part, but what does that represent for his Indian heritage? The question of identity and conformity creates tension from the beginning as Shah's experience is filtered through being a British Pakistani.
It depends.

Review
This opens with a cheesy spy movie sequence before it's revealed Shah (Riz Ahmed) is auditioning to play James Bond. I don't think the studio would set up costumes and a director just for an audition, but it works as an introduction for what this is.

Shah is up for the part of James Bond. He's struggling now though he won a rising star award ten years ago that included a watch he's now having to sell so that he can maintain the illusion of a movie star. He buys expensive clothes only to return them so he can appear successful. James Bond could change everything, but there's a public backlash over his potential casting. Many people object to a minority cast for the role. Shah is mistaken for Dev Patel, and he doesn't know what to do. The first episode ends with a hate crime; someone throws a severed pig's head through his parent's window.

E1: Riz Ahmed plays Shah

Raj Tahkker (Himesh Patel) is Shah's rival for the role. Raj is cool and suave, at least from Shah's perspective. They're both at an event and Taj steals Shah's story. Then Shah perceives a threat that proves disastrous. His publicist asks him to make an apology for the incident. Each recording seems insincere or disconnected.

In episode two Shah's insecurities are voiced by Patrick Stewart while Shah imagines being on his podcast. It's soon revealed that Shah is talking to the pig head from episode one. The pig head takes on a larger role than I ever imagined.

E2: Riz Ahmed plays Shah

While this is about insecurity, that takes on a deeper meaning with Shah being a minority not only in his local community and England but also in the acting world. It's a different level of stress. Many fans reject him only because of his skin color.

By the time a security consultant who claims to be working with MI5 appears to recruit Shah, we don't know what's real. Shah is also still talking to the pig head. We just don't know how reliable he is as a narrator. He's having trouble getting to his follow up audition, and his agent is upset he's blowing off the James Bond opportunity. When he finally makes it, instead of delivering the famous, "Bond, James Bond" line he states he's Shahjehan, his full name. While he's choosing to embrace his own identity instead of conforming to what's expected, it's not the most opportune time, but it's also a stand against James Bond. Instead of playing an Indian spy, Shah has been trying to conform to the image of a famously white spy.

E5: Patrick Stewart voices the Pig Head

The Office (U.S.) Series Review

ward@fridaysonthefly.com (Ward) — Fri, 15 May 2026 02:00:00 -0400

The Office (2005-2013)

Rent The Office on Amazon Video
Season 1 - 6 episodes (2005)
Season 2 - 22 episodes (2005-06)
Season 3 - 25 episodes (2006-07)
Season 4 - 19 episodes (2007-08)
Season 5 - 28 episodes (2008-09)
Season 6 - 26 episodes (2009-10)
Season 7 - 26 episodes (2010-11)
Season 8 - 24 episodes (2011-12)
Season 9 - 25 episodes (2012-13)
Created by: Greg Daniels, Ricky Gervais, Stephen Merchant
Starring: Steve Carell, John Krasinski, Rainn Wilson, Jenna Fischer, Leslie David Baker, Brian Baumgartner, Angela Kinsey, Phyllis Smith, Kate Flannery, Creed Bratton, Oscar Nuñez, B.J. Novak, Mindy Kaling, Ed Helms, Paul Lieberstein, Craig Robinson, Rashida Jones, Ellie Kemper
Rated: TV-PG
Watch the trailer

Plot
A mockumentary on a group of typical office workers, where the workday consists of ego clashes, inappropriate behavior, and tedium.

Verdict
This show is great and very watchable. It's so incredibly funny, mostly due to awkward situations and the silliness that occurs in an office that hints at reality. Some of the funniest moments aren't just the gags but how characters react to each other. The humor is steeped in the fact that everyone knows a hapless boss like Michael Scott. Many of the plights revolve around Michael being inappropriate. He's the center of the show, and the series loses something when he leaves after season seven. The peak of the show is the first four seasons, but there's not a bad season in this series. The show is funny because of how ridiculous it is. There's always a kernel of truth, and if you've worked in an office, it's easy to relate.
Watch it.

Review
I started watching mid-way through the original run, and quickly bought the DVDs to catch up. It's such a fun show. It's like the comic strip Dilbert. I didn't know why that was funny until I worked in an office. You think these situation are too ridiculous to actually happen, but they do. While this show certainly exaggerates everything, it does add to the effect.

Season 1
This show is so funny because it's based in reality. Bosses and coworkers like this exist. Michael (Steve Carrell) is great. He wants to be liked so badly, and that drives all of his decisions. He just wants to be accepted, craving validation. It never works out. He's out of touch and nearly delusional, but it's played well. Some of the funniest parts are characters reacting to Michael after he says something ignorant or foolish. He bought himself the "world's best boss" mug, and that sums him up. You don't buy something like that for yourself, and even then it's a gag gift. I wonder how this seemingly inept person even runs an office. Most of his time is spent trying to entertain the staff or developing his comedy routines. He never actually works. Michael is embarrassing, and in that is an understanding about workplaces and bosses.

S1E4: Steve Carell, John Krasinski, Leslie David Baker, Phyllis Smith, Rainn Wilson play
Michael Scott, Jim Halpert, Stanley Hudson, Phyllis Lapin, Dwight Schrute

This creates the stereotypical office workers, but it provides them with depth. Jim (John Krasinski) doesn't want the job, there for convenience and a paycheck. Dwight (Rainn Wilson) is the overachiever with no social maturity. He wants to prove his prowess, but his demeanor prevents that.

The first season is short, but it's a great foundation as the show only gets better. There's a correlation that the less someone knows, the smarter they think they are in a subject. That's Michael in every subject.

Season 2
The first couple of seasons are hilarious in an understated way. Then there's the tension between Jim and Pam (Jenna Fischer). I didn't remember he was interested in her from the beginning. I also didn't recall that Dwight and Angela's (Angela Kinsey) relationship starting so early.

This is at its best when it's just slightly awkward. Michael is a great character, deluded about his own grandeur. He's more confidant than he has any right to be, and he's a master at making any situation uncomfortable. He's always selfish, but he does care in a way that puts himself in the center of any situation. When he's not the focus, his mood quickly changes. He likes to make fun of people but can't take even a little bit of ribbing.

I love when characters take silly scenarios incredibly seriously, usually that's Jim and Dwight. Then there's how people react to Michael. He isn't funny by himself, it's the reactions he generates that amplifies the comedy. Michael is crass, selfish, and obtuse. It's a testament to Carrell that he makes the character likable. Then again, Michael has a lot of vulnerabilities that lead to his behavior.

The second season is funnier just a couple of episodes in. In the second episode, Michael is told to focus on work instead of entertainment. He reacts dramatically, claiming he can no longer be friends with the employees and will retire from comedy. Then there's the racist and sexist traveling salesman Packer. I don't know why Michael likes him, but it may just be Packer's confidence and recklessness.

To boost their performance reviews in episode eight, employees manipulate Michael by playing into his delusions about his boss Jan (Melora Hardin).

In episode twelve Michael burns his foot on a George Foreman grill. If you thought he was immature as a boss, wait until you see him as a patient. He really believes the world is ending around him as he whines and overreacts.

S2E17: John Krasinski, Rainn Wilson play Jim Halpert, Dwight Schrute

Most episodes feature a cold open that involves Jim pranking Dwight. Throughout the show, it's what Jim puts the most effort into.

It's an addictive show, driven by work place comedy and each character's plight, even if most of them want to do as little work as possible. While Michael is that basis for a lot of the comedy, he's desperate for affirmation and attention.

At the end of season two, Jim takes a big swing and reveals to Pam how he feels. She had to have some kind of inkling, but she's been engaged to someone else the entire time. She had to have been denying how she feels.

Season 3
The beginning of this season loses a lot with Jim having left Scranton for Stamford. Pam rejected him at the end of last season, and he had to get away. The other office isn't developed past Jim, and later Karen (Rashida Jones). Scranton is empty without him, though Ryan (B.J. Novak) takes his place as a salesman and is no longer a temp. Thankfully the series doesn't continue the split for too long. Jim returns to Scranton, but by that point he's dating Karen. The dynamic between Jim, Pam, and Karen gets awkward.

S3E10: Rashida Jones, Jenna Fischer play Karen Filippelli, Pam Beesly

Michael is still the main character of this show and in episode five, Jan asks Pam to track what Michael actually does. Michael does very little, and Pam tries to encourage him to do more work just to pad her list to no avail.

In episode seven Dunder Mifflin needs to make cuts and Scranton will be closed down. In a surprise twist, Stamford ends up closing instead. Andy (Ed Helms) and Dwight feud with each, both of them wanting to be assistant manager, but it goes to Jim instead as he's the only one that worked at both branches. Michael finds out that Stamford transfer Martin was formerly in jail. Employees soon suspect prison might be better than Dunder Mifflin. That leads to Michael's infamous character, "Prison Mike" to convince them otherwise.

Due to the promotion, Jim feels he should be more serious and quit pranking Dwight. Surprisingly they make a great sales duo. On another sales calls is Michael and Andy, who might be less self aware than Michael.

Phyllis gets married in episode sixteen, and Michael can't stand not being the center of attention. He lacks any self awareness of what's going on, pouting whenever he can't be at the center despite it being a wedding that doesn't involve him.

S3E19: Steve Carrell plays Michael Scott

Darryl asks for a raise, and Michael uses internet tips to negotiate against him in episode nineteen. Of course they're ridiculous like sitting higher, not being the first to speak, or talking quietly. The discussion is quickly upended when Darryl realizes Michael is wearing a woman's suit. Michael tries in vain to defend himself. Michael restarts negotiations and Michael laughs him out of the room when he realizes how little Michael earns.

The season ends with Michael, Jim, and Karen interviewing for a corporate job. Michael assumes he'll get it, but Jan getting fired upends his preparations. Ryan ends up getting the job. It's a shock as he was never shown interested or interviewing.

Season 4
Karen soon leaves for another office, and Jim and Pam finally start a relationship. Ryan is the young executive wunderkind, and that's gone straight to his head. He's become pompous. Michael is supporting his now unemployed girlfriend Jan who has little regard for him or his money. That reaches a tipping point in episode thirteen while Michael is hosting a dinner party for employees. While his and Jan's relationship is uncomfortable, it's even worse in front of others. Employees suffer through the dinner and the resulting argument that's never less than awkward.

Ryan rises to the top level of the company, and he's trying to get rid of Jim. Initially it seems like pettiness, but he might be trying to get rid of Jim as a failed means to woo Pam. Jim is fighting for the job he never really wanted.

In episode nineteen Toby leaves for Costa Rica. His departure delights Michael who immediately falls for his replacement Holly (Amy Ryan), who's nearly as strange as he is.

In the final episode Ryan is arrested for fraud. His sales site was double counting sales to boost his numbers. Jim is about to propose to Pam when Andy upends the plan by proposing to Angela.

The first four seasons are the peak of the show. It's a great run, and show is still really good in seceding seasons. It's not easy to have such a run, and the show had to evolve.

Season 5
Ryan returns in the first episode. He's a temp again working as a receptionist while Pam is in art school.

The fake call between Jim and Dwight in episode seven is always so funny precisely because Dwight takes it so seriously. It's emblematic of the show. You get these ridiculous conversations and situations that someone in the room takes extremely earnestly. The responses in turn just make it funnier.

S5E7: Rainn Wilson, Steve Carrell, Jim Krasinski play Dwight, Michael, Jim

This season feels like more drama. Pam leaves the office. Ryan returns defeated and is back with Kelly. Toby also returns.

In episode twelve David Wallace wants to know what Michael is doing right as the Scranton branch is performing well. Michael is defying all expectations while every other office slumps. It's especially funny as he's basically a child. He refuses to lose any game and is compelled to be the center of attention at all times. He can't be doing anything special as he doesn't really do anything.

The cold opens are comedic vignettes, and sometimes the simplest of ideas are the funniest. In episode eighteen Pam tells a phone salesman that Michael is out. To help, Jim pretends to be Michael. Then Michael shows up and it devolves into a Fonzie style "Heeeyy" as the salesman exits, unsure of what's happening.

In episode nineteen Michael's golden ticket idea blows up instantly. He blames Dwight to avoid responsibility, but when corporate likes it Michael of course wants credit.

How is it that Jim frequently looks silly in front of upper management? Though it's usually related to making fun of Dwight. In episode twenty Charles Miner (Idris Elba) is the new manager and Michael doesn't' like it. In the next episode Michael gets fired and starts his own company. He recruits from Dunder Mifflin and of course Ryan.

Charles misreads everyone. That's the joke, but it's also silly. This season upturns what this show is by trying to introduce more drama. I appreciate this show is predictable, that's part of the comfort. In the final episode Michael returns as manager, and he's very upset that everyone is focused on work.

This season has several classic openings. While I didn't mind the Michael Scott Paper Company, Charles Miner never fit the show. He'd be a good foil for Michael but not a replacement. Unfortunately they share very little screen time. Together they might have been better. Michael's company is classic Michael. It's a big swing with no planning that ends poorly. I'm also wary of shows that change the formula as it's also an attempt to boost ratings. The show's ratings peaked in season three, and this season is likely an attempt to bolster viewership.

This is the season where I first started watching originally, tuning in after the Super Bowl to watch episode fourteen. I quickly bought the earlier seasons and caught up.

Season 6
I though Jim and Pam got married later in the series, but it happens in episode five. It's a big moment for the show, something set into motion five years prior at the start of the series. That leads to Michael dating Pam's mom briefly. That ends when Michael realizes how much older than him she is.

Dunder Mifflin is going bankrupt and Michael becomes the highest ranking employee, which is scary. The company is bought out by Sabre.

In episode eighteen Pam and Jim have a baby.

In episode twenty-one Pam sets Michael up on a date. He doesn't realize it and does really well. When he discovers it's a date he becomes "Date Michael" with disastrous results.

The show is still funny. The comedic parts are as good as ever, but there's so much drama with bankruptcy, buyouts, faulty printers, and even a baby. It's not that I don't like the show, it's just gotten busy. I'm sure it's an attempt to keep it interesting as the show can't keep doing the same thing forever, but the first four seasons are the peak, though five has Michael's ill fated business. Change is inevitable as the show can only rely on Michael's escapades for so long.

Season 7
Michael hired his nephew as an assistant to start the season. He's terrible, and Michael ends up spanking him. In episode two, Pam manages to talk herself into the office administrator role, a job that didn't exist until she made it up. She realized she wasn't cut out for sales.

In episode four Michael has to confront his past relationships where he has to consider whether he over-romanticized them. Timothy Olyphant cameos as a rival salesman in the next episode.

Dwight bought the office building, and in episode ten his cost cutting implementations reach the point where Pam threatens to find a new location

It's strange to see Dwight besting Jim, in a snowball fight no less in episode twelve. It's not even playful as Dwight is so aggressive. David Brent (Rickey Gervais) makes a quick cameo in episode thirteen. He was the Michael character in The Office (U.K.) [2001].

S7E15: John Krasinski, Steve Carrell, Rainn Wilson play Jim, Michael, Dwight

Episode seventeen features Michael's movie Threat Level Midnight. It's the length of the episode and features several former cast members as Michael has apparently been working on it for years.

Ryan was moved to the janitor's closet in season six, and that gag whenever we see his office is almost always funny.

Holly returned in episode twelve, and it's clear that's setting up the finale. She and Michael get back together and towards the end of the season she's planning to move away. Michael intends to follow her. Deangelo Vickers (Will Ferrell) is introduced as Michael's replacement in the twentieth episode. Of course Michael becomes instantly jealous when someone else gets any attention.

Deangelo pantomiming juggling in episode twenty-two is so ridiculous it's funny. Michael attempts to train him, but by episode twenty four the company is searching for another manager. That process includes several cameos featuring Will Arnett, James Spader, Ray Romano, Ricky Gervais as David Brent, and even Jim Carrey. The season ends without a decision on the new manager.

Season 8
James Spader as Robert California was supposed to only appear for two episodes, but the producers like him so much they convinced him to stay on. The smooth talking California talks himself into the job of CEO, leading to Andy becoming the new manager.

In episode two Andy is asked to double sales. His incentive program quickly backfires when he sets the goal shockingly low and agrees to let the office pick a tattoo for him, but it does energize the group to meet the goal by noon.

I like California. You never know if he's legitimate or just great at selling his ideas and obfuscation. That's why I was disappointed when later in the season he becomes infatuated with Nellie (Catherine Tate). He was that confident enigma that soon becomes indecisive and uninteresting.

A focus on Andy doesn't really help the show. It's grasping at straws trying to recapture what Steve Carrell brought to the show when it could explore a new dynamic with Robert California; his persuasiveness and mysterious past. Andy and Erin feels like the show trying to repeat it's original shipping relationship with Jim and Pam. The show tries to recapture the past in vain.

In episode nine Andy tries to follow Robert's orders and fails spectacularly. Robert told him not to hire his wife, but when Robert is in the room with his wife he argues Andy should hire her. Andy's caught in the cross hairs. Of course he has no idea what to do.

Episode sixteen attempts to create drama in Jim and Pam's relationship. It's a departure from the tone of the show that seemed completely manufactured.

Angela began dating State Senator Lipton last season. Her pregnancy leads her to compete with Pam's pregnancy. Angela's situation is complicated when it seems her child might be Dwight's.

Andy loses his job as manager, then loses his job completely. By the final episode he's back as manager.

Season 9
This is the final season, and it sets up a plot line for Jim early that will lead to he and his family moving away after starting a business with a college friend. Jim had been unfilled and wanted to do something else. From the beginning, he's never liked this job. It was always a placeholder.

Episode three features the Asian Jim cold open. It's a simple and effective prank on Dwight that makes him question reality.

Angela hires a hit man in episode eight. It's rather dramatic, but so is Oscar having an affair with her husband.

Pam struggles with Jim working in Philadelphia. She tells him it's okay, but we see it's not. Episode twelve is the first episode where we see a camera person, at least where one speaks Brian steps in and asks the crew to cut off the cameras when Pam is threatened. That leads to more forced drama with Pam and Brian that ultimately leads nowhere. I don't know why this show thinks it should go for the dramatic. It's not what made the show renowned.

The lead up to the end is the documentary about Dunder Mifflin finally releasing. The employees wonder how much personal information will be released with previews showing more than they expected or realized.

In episode twenty-three Jim quits the Philadelphia job and moves back home. He recommends Dwight for the role of manager and in turn becomes his assistant. Of course Jim also manages to make Dwight his assistant.

S9E18: Paul Lieberstein, Catherine Tate, Jake Lacy, Ellie Kemper, Leslie David Baker, Angela Kinsey, Phyllis Smith, Ed Helms, Kate Flannery, Oscar Nunez, Creed Bratton, Jenna Fischer, Brian Baumgartner

The final season of any great show is sad, but with this show it's also time. It had a good run, and this season has been clearly preparing for the end. The final two episodes jump ahead a year, catching up with everyone after the documentary aired as Dwight and Angela get married. Michael returns to be Dwight's best man. It's a nice ending, seeing the character's final thoughts on not just the documentary but the job and workplace. Though it didn't seem like it at the time, it means a lot to them now. It's a great show, and I'm sad to see it go.

It's difficult not to miss this show after spending nearly ten years with the characters. This showcased an absurd office that often wasn't far from the truth. While Michael was the heart of the show, and his departure left a hole, the later seasons are still more than adequate. The final episode is a heartfelt nod to fans that showcases the memories and impact the show imparted. The Office was at it's best when it focused on simple comedy and awkward situations, and it did a great job of juggling the various characters and providing them depth. It's a show that's also easy to rewatch.

Title Card

Primal Fear Movie Review

ward@fridaysonthefly.com (Ward) — Thu, 14 May 2026 02:00:00 -0400

Primal Fear (1996)

Rent Primal Fear on Amazon Video (paid link) // Buy the book (paid link)
Written by: William Diehl (novel), Steve Shagan and Ann Biderman (screenplay)
Directed by: Gregory Hoblit
Starring: Richard Gere, Laura Linney, Edward Norton, John Mahoney, Alfre Woodard, Frances McDormand, Terry O'Quinn, Andre Braugher, Steven Bauer, Maura Tierney, Jon Seda
Rated: R
Watch the trailer

Plot
A high-profile murder intrigues a publicity hungry lawyer.

Verdict
It's a competent court room thriller with a phenomenal performance by Norton. A lawyer seeking free press initially believes his client, willing to go to any length for justice despite the insurmountable odds. His case gets a big break, and even then it comes down to one desperate last ditch effort. The lawyer beats the odds and wins the case, but what's the cost? It's the conclusion that makes this movie, elevating the entire film with just one scene. This case isn't what anyone thought.
Watch It.

Review
This was Ed Norton's film debut. Leonardo DiCaprio was offered the role but declined.

High priced lawyer Martin Vail (Richard Gere) creates his own truth to free his clients. When a Catholic bishop is murdered and an altar boy is the main suspect, Vail sees an opportunity for free advertising. This case, and thus his name will be all over the news. The press is worth more than what he would have been paid.

Richard Gere, Edward Norton play Martin Vail, Aaron Stampler

While Aaron (Edward Norton) is arrested as the main suspect, confirmed present at the scene, even Vail is surprised at Aaron's seeming innocence. Vail promises he'll take the case pro bono and get him out. Aaron is nineteen, but he might as well be twelve. He's scared and lost. He admits to Vail that he was present at the bishop's murder, but a third person was also in the room. Aaron blacked out which he claims happens frequently. What really happened?

Vail's associates tell him the case is terrible. Aaron's story sounds completely fabricated. Even then Vail is arrogant enough to think he can still win. This difficult case takes a turn when a psychologist Vail hires suspects Aaron may have an alternate personality called Roy. Norton does a great job as two different people. Vail can't change the plea to insanity as the case has already begun, so he has to figure out how to introduce that piece of evidence to win the case despite it seeming that Aaron's alternate personality may have committed the crime. While Vail's neurologist testifies, it doesn't go well.

Edward Norton plays Aaron Stampler

Everyone in the courtroom but Vail and his neurologist thinks his defense is a joke. In one last desperate attempt Vail antagonizes Aaron, hoping he'll turn into Roy on the stand as a defense mechanism. The case ultimately goes in Vail's favor and the judge rules insanity. Aaron will be out soon enough, but that's not the end.

As Vail leaves the courthouse, he has one last conversation with Aaron that changes everything. It's this conclusion that makes the movie. The rest of it isn't bad, but it's a standard court room drama.

SPOILERS

Is This Thing On? Movie Review

ward@fridaysonthefly.com (Ward) — Wed, 13 May 2026 02:00:00 -0400

Is This Thing On? (2025)

Rent Is This Thing On? on Amazon Video (paid link)
Written by: Bradley Cooper and Will Arnett & Mark Chappell (screenplay by), Will Arnett & Mark Chappell & John Bishop (story by)
Directed by: Bradley Cooper
Starring: Will Arnett, Laura Dern, Andra Day, Bradley Cooper, Sean Hayes, Ciarán Hinds, Amy Sedaris, Peyton Manning
Rated: R
Watch the trailer

Plot
As their marriage unravels, Alex faces middle age and divorce, seeking new purpose in the New York comedy scene.

Verdict
Alex has to pick up the pieces while headed to a divorce. He inadvertently stumbles into stand up comedy. Alex isn't terrible at it, and it allows him to process his emotions. The divorce is akin to a mid life crises. Alex is starting over. This can be relatable, but it never has the big emotional payoff. It's never all that funny. The movie hopes you can relate to the feelings, but it never builds enough around that.
Skip it.

Review
This is inspired by English comedian John Bishop who also signed up for stand-up to avoid a cover charge which led to a career in comedy.

Alex (Will Arnett) is in a struggling marriage that looks like it would have ended already if he and his wife Tess (Laura Dern) weren't sticking it out for their young sons. Now they're planning how to separate, with Alex getting an apartment. One night he sees a club, and to avoid the cover charge, he signs up to perform stand up comedy. While he's already buzzed, his act goes better than I imagined. Despite a rocky start, he talks about his life, frustrations, and pending divorce. He's funny in the way that life isn't always what you expect. He muses that he didn't realize his marriage was teetering until his wife asked him to move out.

Will Arnett plays Alex Novak

Alex attempts stand up again, this time hanging out with other comics who give him a crash course on comedy. He keeps going, getting better, but Alex's act is observational comedy about his life. Tess happens to unintentionally see a show. I wondered if she'd be upset about him sharing personal details, but they spend the night together. That provides more fodder for Alex's act as he describe the strange relationship as an affair with his ex.

While this is about divorce, it's also about being middle aged and looking for new experiences and starting again. Alex is trying to figure out what makes him happy, searching for a passion. While divorce is the catalyst, he could just as easily be having a mid-life crisis. His wife Tess is wrestling with the thought that Alex was in love with the idea of her as a volleyball player. She's not that anymore, afraid that Alex desires what she used to be. The two are faced with the question of what to do now, both in their marriage and life.

Will Arnett, Laura Dern play Alex, Tess Novak

Alex's best friends Balls (Bradley Cooper) tells Alex he's inspired, considering a divorce to pursue his acting career. With this movie written and directed by Cooper, the cameo seems unnecessary on the surface, but on top of that Balls is such an strange character that he's a distraction from the plot. His only purpose is to provide a parallel to Alex despite Cooper playing it over the top. It's apparent Cooper really wanted you to remember the character. Balls eventually decides to stay with his wife which leads to Alex considering what was wrong with his own marriage.

Alex has a revelation that while he was unhappy in the marriage he wasn't unhappy about the marriage. This ends on a hopeful note. The problems between Alex and Tess were more about how they saw themselves than issues in the marriage, but if either of them can't be happy by themselves, unhappy together wasn't going to work.

Man with a Movie Camera Documentary Review

ward@fridaysonthefly.com (Ward) — Tue, 12 May 2026 02:00:00 -0400

Man with a Movie Camera [Chelovek s kino-apparatom] (1929)

Rent Man with a Movie Camera on Amazon Video (paid link)
Written by: Dziga Vertov
Directed by: Dziga Vertov
Starring: Mikhail Kaufman, Elizaveta Svilova
Rated: NR
Watch the trailer

Plot
A man travels around a Russian city with a camera slung over his shoulder, documenting urban life with dazzling invention.

Verdict
If you're a fan of film history, it's a must watch. Even then, it's an interesting time capsule, but what was ground breaking at the time now seems banal. Then you have to remember this movie is almost one hundred years old. It doesn't seem like it. At the time, it broke all the rules. Now it's a documentary that transcends time.
It depends.

Review
It's been called one of the most innovative and influential movies during the silent era.

It's definitely a film buff movie. This doesn't have a plot, and there's no dialog. This is just a guy recording the city without even a script. This documentary was a response to the criticisms of his previous movie, A Sixth Part of the World (1926), which explored the remote parts of the USSR.

Vertov introduced several camera tricks that had never been seen before; multiple exposure, fast motion, slow motion, freeze frames, match cuts, jump cuts, split screens, dutch angles, extreme close-ups, tracking shots, reversed footage, and stop motion animations. It was such a shift that this movie was criticized for it. While the effects seem fanciful, they don't seem groundbreaking because we've seen these effects used frequently. They're a common story telling tool now that has evolved over the years. With this movie, it was revolutionary.

This is a city in the 1920s, a time capsule of what life was like back then. We see people interacting with their city, as well as trains, a marriage, babies born, and even a couple getting a divorce certificate. It's more engaging than you might think, but it's also nearly 100 years old. For that, it's surprisingly modern. This was a movie that explored the very art of film, offering techniques unique to the medium.

Weeds Seasons 1-3 Review

ward@fridaysonthefly.com (Ward) — Mon, 11 May 2026 02:00:00 -0400

Weeds (2005-2012)

Season 1 - 10 episodes (2005)
Season 2 - 12 episodes (2006)
Season 3 - 15 episodes (2007)
Rent Weeds on Amazon Video (paid link)
Created by: Jenji Kohan
Starring: Mary-Louise Parker, Elizabeth Perkins, Justin Kirk, Tonye Patano, Romany Malco, Hunter Parrish, Alexander Gould, Allie Grant, Kevin Nealon
Rated: TV-MA
Watch the trailer

Plot
When a suburban mother Nancy turns to dealing marijuana in order to maintain her privileged lifestyle after her husband dies, she finds out just how addicted her entire neighborhood already is.

Verdict
I only watched the first three seasons of the total eight seasons, which seems to be the consensus peak of the show. I get why people like the show, but I was never engaged. The show relies on the absurdity of the situations and quirky characters, but it's never very funny. Mary-Louise Parker is fun to watch, but it's just not enough. Maybe part of the joke is that Nancy keeps failing upwards. I don't know. What I did realize is that three seasons was enough. I had no desire to continue, and I considered stopping in the middle of the third season.
It depends.

Review
Kohan would go on to create Orange Is the New Black (2013) for Netflix.

Season 1
Nancy Botwin (Mary-Louise Parker) is a drug dealing soccer mom living in the suburbs of Agrestic. While this seems to capitalize on Breaking Bad (2008), this released three years earlier. It's also a comedy. Nancy is widowed and just trying to make ends meet. Life gets in the way when you're trying to peddle weed, and it's not like you can easily deposit illegal gains in the bank. It doesn't help that medical marijuana is also impacting her business.

Nancy's wayward brother-in-law Andy (Justin Kirk) visits, and he wants to start selling in the same area. She doesn't trust him, instead recruiting a college student to start selling for her.

S1E3: Mary-Louise Parker plays Nancy Botwin

I wondered how Nancy survived the business this long. She doesn't know what she's doing, failing at nearly every step. Her advisors aren't the most adept, and she's hampered by a brother-in-law who's living in their house, and her youngest son is acting out.

When she's robbed in episode nine her, supplier Conrad (Romany Malco) helps her with no good reason. Her suppliers are overly gracious, though it makes for a silly and intriguing premise. The season ends with a nod to The Godfather (1972) with Nancy planning to expand her business.

Season 2
Nancy's recent boyfriend Peter turns out to be a DEA agent. He also knows she's a dealer, but they quickly marry to provide spousal privilege. It seems like a relationship destined to fail. Nancy teams up with Conrad. He's looking for a partner to grow his own strain of weed so they buy a grow house. When Conrad discovers Peter is DEA, he's highly concerned. When Peter raids the surrounding grow houses and not theirs, Conrad uneasily agrees to the arrangement.

S2E12: Romany Malco, Mary-Louise Parker play Conrad, Nancy

The constant body shaming that Celia subjects her daughter to seems unnecessarily cruel. Even if it is acting, it's still a child. It's crude with the show trying to masquerade that as offbeat comedy.

Nancy's older son Silas gets his girlfriend pregnant on purpose as she's leaving for school.

Reviews for this show were pretty good, but even in the second season I'm ambivalent. I like Nancy and while this is an interesting concept, it's packaged in what is basically a raunchy comedy. To add irony, Celia wins the town council seat and plans to make the neighborhood drug free. Little does she realize that her best friend is a dealer.

While Nancy's marriage solved a problem for her, it continues to create issues for everyone else. It was a marriage with a predictably short viability. When she mentioned getting rid of Peter to Conrad, she doesn't realize Peter was spying on her and hears. He spins that into pushing her to sell out and he'll take the money. The only person willing to buy is the dangerous dealer U-turn, and this ends on a cliff hanger. U-turn planned to rob Nancy and Conrad with Conrad hiring Aremenians to kill Peter. The only problem is that Nancy and Conrad don't have the weed.

I liked the second season better. The absurd premise is the draw, but this is rarely funny beyond the crude joke or situation. This show's humor relies on the absurd.

Season 3
Nancy can't find her weed that she owes U-turn. She ends up working for him to pay off that debt, and he saves her from another group of dealers. Nancy lost the drugs due to Celia.

This season features a number of twists. Nancy gets a job with a corrupt developer to help earn money since she's not dealing. U-turn begins training her, seeing her as a future lieutenant. That upsets Marvin who works for U-turn and hoped to get a promotion.

Nancy takes over the drug trade for the area, borrowing money through Doug who uses Agrestic's treasury. While she's risen to the top, that doesn't make things any easier. She battles plenty of people that want to shake her down. A PI hired by her ex-husband's wife Valerie attempts to extort money. Nancy and Valerie became friends, but the life insurance money for Peter gets in the way of that. Valerie thinks it should be hers. Celia also tries to shake down Nancy who flips out on her.

The end of the season literally and figuratively burns everything down to the ground.

This show gets by on being quirky, but it was never enough. All the reviews I've read stated the first three seasons are the peak of the show. I already wasn't fond of the show. The idea of liking this less doesn't sound appealing. I initially planned to watch the entire series, but I was ready to stop before I read the disdain for later seasons.

Jury Duty Presents: Company Retreat Season Review

ward@fridaysonthefly.com (Ward) — Sun, 10 May 2026 02:00:00 -0400

Jury Duty Presents: Company Retreat [Jury Duty] (2023-)

Season 2 - 8 episodes (2026)
Watch Jury Duty on Amazon Video (paid link)
Creaed by: Lee Eisenberg, Gene Stupnitsky
Starring: Anthony Norman, Alex Bonifer, Jerry Hauck
Rated: TV-14
Watch the trailer

Plot
Anthony, a temp at a hot sauce company, attends a corporate retreat. As the founder prepares to step down, the getaway transforms into a clash between corporate ambitions and small business values. Unbeknownst to Anthony, it's all staged.

Verdict
I wasn't sure this could capture the magic twice, but this season does it again. It's so wholesome, as the protagonist has no idea everything is fake. While Anthony is incredulous at some of the events, he never imagines it could be a ruse. While this is frequently silly, Anthony is so earnest and supportive of everyone. That's a through line for the season, and the final episode is such a nice cap as Anthony and the cast talk about what's happened. The show couldn't have hoped for a better 'cast' member than Anthony. It's so touching that he tries to help everyone or gently caution them when they're being irrational.
Watch It.

Review
The follow up to Jury Duty (2023) takes place at a corporate retreat. Anthony thinks he's working at a hot sauce company. Everyone else is an actor and it's staged. It's a simple premise that yields great results. I wasn't sure if the formula would work again, but the second season is just as good as the first.

Anthony is a temp on a corporate retreat, working for a hot sauce company, Grandma's Rocking Hot Sauce. The CEO is planning to step down where his son will take over. I wonder how they screen people. Anthony is such a good sport about everything. On one hand you wonder how he doesn't suspect something, but on the other it's so ridiculous and the actors never break. It's too strange to be fake. Who would create such an elaborate ruse?

E2: The 'employees' of Rockin' Grandma's Hot Sauce

Anthony cautions Kevin against a marriage proposal in the first episode. It's a spectacular failure. The second episode reveals how the humor can be crude. "Other Anthony" finds a water bottle that's anything but. Anthony's reaction realizing the object's use is easy to identify with. All of these events we experience from his perspective. The show revels in the awkward moments where Anthony tries to be nice or understanding in uncomfortable situations. I don't know how the actors keep a straight face. Dougie launches a new jerk sauce, and his presentation inadvertently concentrates on the jerk part of that. In episode four a motivational speaker speaks candidly about having his testicles frozen off.

Anthony sums it up in episode five. "You couldn't make this up for a tv show." Little does he know that's exactly what it is, but you understand why he would think that.

A larger company, Triukas, proposes a buyout of the hot sauce company, and Anthony soon suspects they will say anything to make the deal. It's endearing how quickly Anthony has become defensive of the company and their family values. That same company brings in Sia as a ringer for the talent contest.

In episode seven Anthony overhears that Triukas doesn't want the hot sauce, they want the real estate. Triukas plans to fire everyone, and of course Anthony is in the middle of it. Anthony stops the deal, asking Doug to consider if he wants this company to fire everyone. Doug praises Anthony before revealing he isn't the CEO and the company isn't real.

The final episode is the big reveal, much like the first season. It's so sweet as Anthony tries to comprehend what's transpired. I didn't think this could capture the magic of the first season, but it does exactly that. Anthony is amazing. In so many situations, you couldn't hope for a better outcome. While the cast were playing a part, they were genuinely touched at how supportive Anthony was of everyone. He also led each scene right where they wanted him to.

Anniversary Movie Review

ward@fridaysonthefly.com (Ward) — Sat, 9 May 2026 02:00:00 -0400

Anniversary (2025)

Rent Anniversary on Amazon Video (paid link)
Written by: Lori Rosene-Gambino (screenplay), Jan Komasa and Lori Rosene-Gambino (story)
Directed by: Jan Komasa
Starring: Diane Lane, Kyle Chandler, Madeline Brewer, Zoey Deutch, Dylan O'Brien, Mckenna Grace
Rated: R
Watch the trailer

Plot
The close-knit Taylor family is caught in the turmoil of a controversial new political movement known as "The Change."

Verdict
I can't believe I hadn't heard of this movie. It's incredible. The story is gripping as we watch the disintegration of freedom under the guise of unity. What the movement entails past that is unclear, but whatever it was is weaponized to take power and create a police state. We see how easy it is to conform and how difficult it is to stand your ground through one family. Unity has never looked so chilling. It's a call to patriotism, but the dangers of not conforming are real. The Taylor family is torn apart, trying to stand their ground to disastrous consequences. At the end we're left to wonder about the roots of this movement and its true intentions.
Watch It.

Review
It's the twenty-fifth wedding anniversary for Ellen (Diane Lane) and Paul (Kyle Chandler) Taylor. They're hosting a big party where all four of their children, Cynthia, Anna, Josh, and Birdie, have returned. Their son Josh (Dylan O'Brien) brings his girlfriend Elizabeth (Phoebe Dynevor). Ellen remembers her, a former student who wrote a radical paper about a one party state and later dropped out of school. Now Elizabeth is working on a book that seems to incorporate the same ideas. Elizabeth's departing message is telling Ellen she's not afraid of her.

Two years later and Elizabeth's book has taken off. The book argues for one party, though she describes it as a way to unite people. Ellen doesn't like Liz's ideas, though it could be due to her inability to change Liz's mind. When Liz is offered a guest lecture spot at Georgetown, Ellen is incensed that those ideas are embraced. The book was published by a think tank, and Ellen asserts it was just to peddle their ideology. Despite that, the ideas prove popular as people identify with the themes of unity under "The Change." Paul tries to remain impartial while the rest of the family is against the movement, except for Josh and Liz who are riding the success.

Diane Lane, Kyle Chandler, Phoebe Dynevor, Dylan O'Brien play Ellen, Paul, Elizabeth, Josh

While the book purports to bring people together, when comedian Anna (Madeline Brewer) disparages the book at a show the crowd revolts and attacks her. She's forced to flee and go into hiding due to persecution. The book is about unity, but if you fight it you'll be beaten into submission. No one knows where Anna went, and the family blames Liz and her book.

The movie continues to jump forward in time, and just as Ellen predicted, America becomes a one party state. Dissent is not tolerated. Josh and Liz have kids now, but Josh doesn't even seem to like them. He's also more pompous as the book has made his family rich and powerful. At a family get together he makes his sister Birdie's (Mckenna Grace) friend Moses uncomfortable. Moses talks about wanting to be a journalist, and Josh issues a veiled threat about how reporters get murdered when they aren't careful.

Ellen is harsh about her disgust for the book and movement. We get why, but it also gives Liz an upper hand as her ideas have proven popular. It makes Ellen look petty. Josh criticizes his father Paul's failing restaurant, insulting it as a business that's just a bad idea. We wonder how Josh even knows about his father's financial problems, but then Josh offers to invest. Is it some kind of bribe or payoff? Maybe it's just a way to exert control over his parents.

The whole movie is a metaphor. We see the Taylor's other daughter Cynthia's (Zoey Deutch) husband Rob fall into the movement. He's slowly indoctrinated into the 'change' mindset and it erodes his marriage. Like Josh, he's certainly worse off for the cause. Paul is warned that non-changers are being targeted. The family needs to be careful with "The Census" which is a veiled attempt to track people and their loyalties. It's a means to root out dissidents, reinforcing the country has become a police state. Paul and Ellen provide non-committal answers to avoid suspicion.

Kyle Chandler, Diane Lane play Paul, Ellen Taylor

I can't believe I didn't hear about this movie. It's certainly timely. This presents a new patriotism, but it's rooted in join or die. If you don't embrace it, you're not a patriot. You must consent to the loss of freedom and choice. It's easy to coerce people to join when they're threatened. This makes you consider the country and how performative politics has replaced values.

The final sequence occurs fives years from where the movie began. The Taylor family is broken. We can see that in how happy they were when this movie started and how solemn they are now. This sequence is emblematic of what the movement does to people. Birdie feels forced to take a stand while Josh turns in his own family as criminals. Josh is injured in the resulting fray and Liz shows no compassion for him. A few scenes earlier Liz told Ellen she needed help with Josh, that he was different. We've seen him transform into a callous jerk. When she orders soldiers to take him away, is that an easy way to get rid of him or was it the topper to destroying a teacher and her family that embarrassed her to her core years ago?

We're left wondering if Liz was willing to destroy the county because a professor didn't like her radical paper or if she created a movement that got out of hand. When Ellen and Liz first met, Liz stated she didn't want to change Ellen's family. Ellen's response is to not underestimate her family. Who knew that would be a chilling predictor. Did Ellen want to destroy a family or was she just riding the success of her propaganda and eliminating anyone that stood in her way?

This is one of the best recent movies of which no one has heard. Even a good message can have harrowing consequences, with this 'the change' is a Trojan horse that topples the government.

The Last Starfighter Movie Review

ward@fridaysonthefly.com (Ward) — Fri, 8 May 2026 02:00:00 -0400

The Last Starfighter (1984)

Rent The Last Starfighter on Amazon Video (paid link)
Written by: Jonathan R. Betuel
Directed by: Nick Castle
Starring: Lance Guest, Dan O'Herlihy, Catherine Mary Stewart, Robert Preston
Rated: PG
Watch the trailer

Plot
High schooler Alex Rogan conquers the Starfighter video game, only to find out the game was a test. Alex is taken to another planet, recruited to join a team of the best starfighters.

Verdict
It's the ultimate kid's wish fulfillment tale. Playing video games leads Alex on an out of this world adventure to save another species. It's aimed at kids and the depth of story supports that for better or worse. It's one of those movies that if I had seen it as a kid I'd love the concept, but as an adult the narrative is flimsy. It's a nostalgia movie. In the same vein, the effects would have looked a lot better at the time too.
Skip it.

Review
Alex (Lance Guest) lives in a trailer park with a lot of unique characters, and it's a tight knit community. While he's the resident handyman, he's saving for college and hoping for better things. Alex also plays the arcade game Starfighter. I don't know why this trailer park has a lone arcade cabinet sitting outside, other than a narrative device.

Lance Guest plays Alex

The writer was inspired by The Sword in the Stone and video games. That premise makes this fun as it's every kid's dream to excel through video games. This kid, Alex, who looks well into his twenties beats Starfighter, and then hops into a car with this guy who claims to have made the video game. You have to approach this from the viewpoint of a kid as it had to be intended. This doesn't adhere to a strict logic. Alex stumbles into this alien world, having been recruited through a video game. He's not sure where he is, but he adjusts quickly to the realization that intelligent life exists.

Lance Gust, Dan O'Herlihy play Alex, Grig

Alex is hesitant to join the fray and returns home, but he soon realizes that his and his family's safety depends on joining the aliens and fighting their enemies. Alex and his navigator Grig end up being the only fighting ship left. It's all up to Alex to save the day.

It's a movie that if I had seen as a kid, I'd probably be more fond of due to nostalgia. The effects certainly would have been more impressive in 1984. Alex is called out of obscurity to help save a distant planet. They need him, and a kid becomes the hero. He does all of that through video games.

Taxi Driver Movie Review

ward@fridaysonthefly.com (Ward) — Thu, 7 May 2026 02:00:00 -0400

Taxi Driver (1976)

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Written by: Paul Schrader
Directed by: Martin Scorsese
Starring: Robert De Niro, Jodie Foster, Cybill Shepherd, Peter Boyle, Albert Brooks
Rated: R
Watch the trailer

Plot
A mentally unstable veteran works as a nighttime taxi driver in New York City, where the perceived decadence and sleaze fuels his urge for violent action.

Verdict
What watching this today doesn't capture is how different this was from contemporary movies; how it portrays the city, the mindset of the protagonist, and a meandering plot. New York is a dirty, loathsome city, but that's because we see it through Travis's eyes. He's alienated and bitter, and that distorts his perspective. He projects his failings and feelings of inadequacy onto the city, and he wants to fix it. Since it's the city that's the problem, he must take action. It's a deranged plan from a delusional man. It's a good film, but looking at it now the achievements are muted because it changed so many films that came after it. Many films have done this mood and style since, but this was one of the first. It's a landmark achievement.
Watch It.

Review
Travis Bickle (Robert De Niro) is a Vietnam veteran suffering from insomnia. To cope, he gets a job as a taxi driver to fill the nights when he's not at adult theaters. He gets to see a lot of people, which he derides as evidence of the city's decay. But he's also a guy that visits porno theaters at night. He's the exact type of person he claims to despise.

Campaign worker Besty (Cybill Shepherd) is the object of Travis's affections which begin with him parked outside of her office watching her before he finally goes in. Their date goes well until he takes her to the adult movie theater. That goes as well as you'd expect. His attempt at reconciliation ends with him berating her. He's smitten with Betsy, but he doesn't know how to interact with people, and he quickly turns her off. He's an anti-social guy traumatized by Vietnam in this city full of people that irritate him.

Robert De Niro plays Travis Bickle

He's mad at the world and a city that ignores him. When a woman rejects him, he wants to avenge his own feelings of inadequacy. We know that's a recipe for disaster; Travis seeking an outlet for his impotent rage. His answer is violence. It's the city's fault, anyone but his own. It's easier to blame the inhabitants rather than endure any personal reflection. He's a guy that doesn't fit in. Thinking it's everyone else's fault makes him dangerous. We don't know who he plans to attack, but Travis is readying himself for war. He's deranged and wants a fight that will cure his monotonous days and nights.

This is dark and gritty at a time when movies weren't. It bucked the trend of typical cinema. We see New York through Travis's eyes. Where many movies of the time made big cities look glamorous with New York as the greatest city in the world, this portrays it as dirty and wicked. This also doesn't have a typical plot. We watch Travis's slow decline into depravity. Taxi Driver showed audiences what cinema could do, and that was different from its contemporaries. No movie put us in a characters mindset like this. Travis thinks the world is corrupt, that's what he sees. It needs to be fixed, and he's the guy.

Robert De Niro plays Travis Bickle

Travis wants to do something, and we don't know if he even has a plan or will just act on impulse. Eventually he plans to attack Senator Palantine. That very well could be due to Betsy campaigning for him. Travis's attack is thwarted, and then he attacks a pimp instead.

All of this rage in Travis, and his failed political assassination turns into him cleaning up the mean streets of New York. He's portrayed as some kind vigilante in the press. In the final sequence, he's back to his old routines. He gives Betsy a ride but doesn't seem interested in her. The movie gives us just a hint that Travis's peace won't last. Throughout the movie Travis became more agitated and violent. I'd guess this is just another lull before his intrusive thoughts eat away at him again. The world may not be as lucky the second time around.

Good Bye Lenin! Movie Review

ward@fridaysonthefly.com (Ward) — Wed, 6 May 2026 02:00:00 -0400

Good Bye Lenin! (2003)

Rent Good Bye Lenin! on Amazon Video (paid link)
Written by: Bernd Lichtenberg (written by), Wolfgang Becker (co-author), Achim von Borries & Henk Handloegten &
Chris Silber (collaborator on screenplay)
Directed by: Wolfgang Becker
Starring: Daniel Brühl, Katrin Sass, Chulpan Khamatova, Florian Lukas, Maria Simon, Alexander Beyer
Rated: R
Watch the trailer

Plot
In this German language movie set during 1990, a young man protects his fragile mother from a fatal shock after a long coma, preventing her from learning that her beloved nation of East Germany as she knew it has disappeared.

Verdict
It's difficult to review this when I don't understand the concepts and experiences as deeply as a resident, but it is an interesting companion to The Lives of Others (2006) which presents East Germany as much more dangerous and nefarious. That movie made the country very scary. This film isn't looking at the morality of the government, but the nostalgia a family has for the only life it knows. It's not about which side, but what it's like living there. Alex wants to protect his mother, and just maybe he's concerned about the rapid changes taking place which run counter to everything he's lived. He goes to great lengths to conceal the fall of East Germany. It's a good cause, but is it the right action? We know that ruse can only last for so long. There has to be a parallel with Alex and his country in continuing on a course of action when you know you should stop.
Watch It.

Review
Context is crucial in this movie, so here's a quick primer based on my research. West Germany was allied with the U.S. and western Europe with a democratic government after World War II. East Germany was a one party Communist state controlled by the Soviet Union. Living conditions were better in the west, and many people fled East Germany through Berlin. The Berlin Wall stood for nearly thirty years. Protests, economic failures, and political mistakes sparked the demise of the wall. The Wall's fall marked the end of the Cold War, and East Germany collapsed starting the reunification of the countries. Vladimir Lenin was the founder of the Communist party that shaped East Germany, he wasn't directly involved in the country. Lenin died twenty-five years before East Germany was founded. I can't imagine what it's like to live under this oppressive regime for most of your life, and then the wall is demolished. Now the world has opened, residents have freedom.

Alex's (Daniel Brühl) mother Christiane (Katrin Sass) grows depressed after her husband cheats and leaves. After she recovers, she devotes her time to East Germany's socialist party in finding purpose and to rebuild her life. Alex participates in a demonstration against East Germany's 40th anniversary. He's beaten and detained by cops, and his mother sees this and has a heart attack before lapsing into a coma. During that, General Secretary Honecker resigns and the wall comes down. Christiane missed the first free elections and the Westernization of her country. Her children's lives move on, evolving into a better way of life. Alex used to repair televisions, now he installs satellites.

Daniel Brühl plays Alex

This is set in 1990, so The Matrix (1999) shirt Alex's friend Denis wears immediately threw me. The goof is explained as an idea about Alex's mother's simulated reality. That could be it or just a great cover for a mistake.

Christiane miraculously wakes up, but due to her weakened condition the doctor cautions them that she needs to be shielded from any kind of excitement. Alex is concerned that the fall of her country would be too much for her to bear. He must protect her from the fall of the wall. He wants to fool his mom and pretend the wall never fell, though his sister doesn't agree. Part of it is that she doesn't want to go back to this sparse, controlled life. She finally relents for their mother.

Alex gets his mom and old life back. It's not about the quality of life, but a life with which he's familiar. I don't think he likes East Germany better, but it's all he's known. That combined with his mom's condition has caused him to long for life before his mom was in a coma. Immediately upon bringing Christiane back Alex runs into issues. She's used to the cheap East German food, but now grocery stores have nicer products. He has to buy food and empty it into old containers to maintain the ruse.

We know the charade is destined to fail, but what will trip them up? How long will it continue?

Due to his job, Alex can get television recordings, so when his mom wants a television in her room he uses the old tapes. That eventually becomes Alex and Denis creating fake news stories to explain inconsistencies when a Coca-Cola banner appears outside her window. The 'news' purports it as a socialist invention. How far do you go? Alex is telling many white lies for a good cause, but is it the correct response? He's holding on to what he knows, but is it just easier for him to live in the past? He seemed to adapt well enough when the wall fell, but maybe he missed his mom and didn't mind an excuse to go back in time. We see the changes in East Germany and the rise of capitalism predominantly through Coca-Cola and Burger King logos.

Daniel Brühl, Katrin Sass, Chulpan Khamatova, Maria Simon play Alex, Christiane, Lara, Ariane

Christiane manages to wander out and leave the apartment while Alex is asleep. She's in an unfamiliar world, but I wasn't sure if she realized what was happening. Alex has to create additional 'news stories' to account for what she saw. It's the lies we tell ourself. At this point, the ruse is as much for Alex as it is for his mom. Christiane admits her father defected to the West and she was supposed to follow, but she was afraid of change. It's not much different from what Alex is undertaking.

Alex finally decides to reveal the truth with a new 'news segment' reporting the borders will be opened. What Alex doesn't know is that his girlfriend Lara had already told his mom the truth. She doesn't reveal it to Alex, and he thinks she still believes in her country.

This social construct Alex creates feels relevant to the world today. Alex, like his country, was clinging to an ideal that didn't work. People create and believe their own truth. It's easier to live in what you know and what you want to believe than to accept the world for what it is.

Fackham Hall Movie Review

ward@fridaysonthefly.com (Ward) — Tue, 5 May 2026 02:00:00 -0400

Fackham Hall (2025)

Rent Fackham Hall on Amazon Video (paid link)
Written by: Steve Dawson & Andrew Dawson & Tim Inman & Jimmy Carr & Patrick Carr (written by), Jimmy Carr & Patrick Carr (based on an original idea by)
Directed by: Jim O'Hanlon
Starring: Thomasin McKenzie, Ben Radcliffe, Damian Lewis, Katherine Waterston, Tom Felton, Emma Laird
Rated: PG-13
Watch the trailer

Plot
A new porter forms an odd bond with the youngest daughter of a well-known United Kingdom family, the Davenports, headed by Lord and Lady Davenport who deal with the epic disaster of their eldest daughter's wedding.

Verdict
The problem with parody movies is that they typically tackle a specific property, and that makes the parody a companion piece to the original. It can't stand on it's own as the jokes just aren't as funny without knowing the source material. This is crammed so full of comedy that you almost need to watch it twice to catch it all, but it's also a lot of throw everything in. This offers enough silly jokes and wordplay that if you like slapstick this would provide more than a few laughs, but I don't particular care for slapstick or parody.
Skip it.

Review
This is a Downton Abbey (2010) parody, and the jokes start immediately. The comedy is so dense with background jokes, blink and you'll miss them. The very motto on the estate's sign is a reference to the family's propensity to marry family.

Katherine Waterston, Damien Lewis, Emma Laird play Lady, Lord, Poppy Davenport

Lord Davenport (Damian Lewis) must marry his daughter Poppy (Emma Laird) to cousin Archibald (Tom Felton) to keep the estate in the family. He has no male heirs, but a cousin would suffice. Poppy stops the wedding at the altar and runs off with a manure salesman. Lady Davenport (Katherine Waterston) pushes her other daughter Rose (Thomasin McKenzie) to marry the cousin, but of course she doesn't want to.

Rose falls for the new servant Eric (Ben Radcliffe) who was accidentally hired, originally tasked with getting a message to the Lord. He seems to have forgotten about that.

The comedy can certainly be crude, though there's a running joke that Lord Davenport can't lift a finger for himself with a staff member always behind him, lending a hand. Having watched Downton Abbey makes this much funnier as the show is the basis for most of the jokes.

When Lord Davenport is killed, after narrowly surviving two deaths earlier having been shot twice, new servant Eric is the main suspect.

Rose must marry her cousin to save the estate with Eric in jail. She can't stand Archibald as he's chauvinistic and arrogant. Eric escapes prison to stop the wedding while the housekeeper admits what happened to Lord Davenport.

This never goes long without some kind of joke. To really capture Downton, this needs more marriages and car wrecks. The vicar is quite comical with his inconsistent punctuation leading to ridiculous quotes and commands that stray from the intended text. Lord Davenport's murder scene is absolutely ridiculous. It's a silly movie as parodies often are.

War Machine Movie Review

ward@fridaysonthefly.com (Ward) — Mon, 4 May 2026 02:00:00 -0400

War Machine (2026)

Watch War Machine on Netflix
Written by: Patrick Hughes & James Beaufort (screenplay by), Patrick Hughes (story by)
Directed by: Patrick Hughes
Starring: Alan Ritchson, Stephan James, Blake Richardson, Dennis Quaid, Esai Morales, Jai Courtney
Rated: PG-13
Watch the trailer

Plot
Army Ranger recruits encounter a mysterious, deadly robot during a training exercise.

Verdict
A military training operation turns into a fight for survival when an extraterrestrial robot lands in the area. The soldier to lead the opposition must overcome past trauma and find a way to unite the troops. The plot is frequently convenient. I don't know how the robot doesn't wipe them out immediately, instead playing a cat and mouse game to prolong the plot. The movie loads Ritchson's character with baggage just so he can get a triumphant moment towards the end. It's a big dumb action movie light on story, and if that's all you want this will deliver.
Skip it.

Review
Two military convoys meet in Afghanistan, with one of them having vehicle trouble. It turns out the man with car trouble is the younger brother of the Staff Sergeant (Alan Ritchson) that just rolled up. The older brother fixes the younger brother's vehicle before they're attacked.

Two years later and the Staff Sergeant/81 has recovered from his wounds and is trying to join the Army Ranger as a promise to his brother. It's on the nose, with the opening scene providing 81 with a goal and past trauma in one. 81 has applied before, being medically denied. We know it's due to injuries from the opening attack. How'd he get medical clearance this time?

Alan Ritchson plays 81

81 quickly establishes he's not a team player. He eats alone and runs ahead of the pack. Army Rangers want a team player, and 81 isn't it. While he's proven his physical strength, concerns linger about his mental state. It's just a way to create drama and a threat to bounce 81 out of the program, but he makes it to the final exercise. The movie has been teasing a strange asteroid approaching Earth the entire movie in the background on news feeds. During the training exercise 81's group encounters a high tech ship. They think it's part of the exercise, but they soon discover it's not. It's an alien or some kind of advanced technology that attacks them. It's convenient this thing landed right where they were training.

81 and only a few others survive. Being training, they have no weapons. 81 has refused to lead the entire time, but now he's pressed into service to keep this unit alive in the face of a giant killer robot. This robot is a merciless killing machine, and it makes no sense how this group lives so long. This robot annihilates the group, leaves a few alive and then departs. The only reason not to complete the job is to provide the movie with more plot. From there the robot takes a few shots and leaves, taking the group out a couple at a time. It's just to pad the run time. As precise and deadly as this robot can be, it's comical the movie goes on so long.

Aside from the robot, this is just a big dumb action movie. Appreciate it for that because this isn't about the logic or plot. 81 devises a way to stop the robot, a connection back to the opening sequence. 81 and 7 (Stephan James) are the only ones that make it back to base. The base hasn't mobilized due to multiple attacks and robots. They had to secure the base first so that 81 could fight the robot unhindered. 81 gets a nice moment where they ask him how he possibly defeated this robot with no weapons. He shares his intel as the military plans an assault. There are robots all over the world which leaves this open to sequels.

This seems to be following a checklist. It provides 81 a goal and trauma early for motivation. He checks all the boxes as the anti-social soldier that's the least likely to lead the team. Of course that means circumstances will force him to save the lives of his squad. It's all so predictable.

The Secret Agent Movie Review

ward@fridaysonthefly.com (Ward) — Sun, 3 May 2026 02:00:00 -0400

The Secret Agent [O Agente Secreto] (2025)

Rent The Secret Agent on Amazon Video (paid link)
Written by: Kleber Mendonça Filho
Directed by: Kleber Mendonça Filho
Starring: Wagner Moura, Carlos Francisco, Tânia Maria
Rated: R
Watch the trailer

Plot
In this Portuguese language film set during 1977, Marcelo hopes to escape Brazil and mercenary killers with his young son after becoming the target of a dictator during a ruthless and tumultuous political period.

Verdict
Later in the movie as this returns to the future, or present depending on your perspective, we see how the time periods connect and how things have changed. Those past events have been forgotten or covered up though the pain and suffering isn't that far away. The movie is a bit messy, but the ending brings it together by putting this story into a context. In the beginning it seems like some kind of action movie or drama, but towards the end it's a tragedy. Corruption upended the lives of many, and their legacy doesn't even endure. Crimes have been concealed, and the guilty got away.
Watch it.

Review
This has an interesting start. Marcelo (Wagner Moura) stops at a gas station where a dead body is lying out front covered by a piece of cardboard. The deceased is a robber that was shot in the act. Being Carnival, the police have been too busy to address the situation. It's cryptic, but this is a movie that's ultimately about the things in plain sight people ignore. If there's no authority to take care of it, the situation doesn't resolve.

Wagner Moura plays Marcelo

Marcelo returns home, though we don't know why. He ends up living with other refugees, and working at the identity card office. He befriends the local, corrupt police chief which could be good protection or create trouble as Marcelo seems to be hiding. We introduced to what appears to be contract killers hired to track him down.

Marcelo meets a resistance leader who wants to interview him. Through that we see how he ended up back at Recife. Ghirotti in essence bought Marcelo's university to further his own business interests and root out the competition. Marcelo isn't on board, and Ghirotti wants to stomp out any resistance. This connects to the present where students are listening to resistance interviews and recordings as they try to piece together what happened.

Laura Lufési, Wagner Moura play Flavia, Ferdinand

The two contract killers manage to track Marcelo down, but we don't see what happens.

A leg recovered earlier in the movie is stolen from the morgue by Ghirotti's adult children. They throw it in the river where this genre shifts and the leg comes to life and jumps around killing people. The scenes are disorienting. It's revealed to be a newspaper article, just as the scenes distract from the movie, the article is a cover for corruption. It's fiction as fact.

This returns to the present day where the student researching Marcello and the resistance track down his son who agrees to an interview. The persecution his father faced is all but forgotten. He was too young to see it, shielded from the events. It's wild that a university professor has to go on the run. The level of corruption is unfathomable. That ties back to the opening scene. The body was there, everyone saw it, but nothing was done. Everyone waited on someone else to take care of it. Instead of the persecution being a stain on the country, students try to piece together the remains as that time period is mostly forgotten. Marcelo should be celebrated for resisting but even his own son has lost track of him.

Life on Mars Series Review

ward@fridaysonthefly.com (Ward) — Sat, 2 May 2026 02:00:00 -0400

Life on Mars (2008-2009)

Season 1 - 18 episodes (2008-09)
Watch the trailer
Created by: Josh Appelbaum, André Nemec, Scott Rosenberg
Based on: Life on Mars by Matthew Graham, Tony Jordan, Ashley Pharoah
Starring: Jason O'Mara, Michael Imperioli, Gretchen Mol, Havery Keitel, Lisa Bonet
Rated: TV-14

Plot
A present day car accident mysteriously sends a detective back to the 1970s.

Verdict
This pairs time travel and a detective show, withholding the answer to what's actually happening until the last episode. The show stretches credibility. At times it seems the show is Sam's dream as he's in a coma, other times he thinks solving crimes in the past can affect the future. There's a bleed between the past, his present, and what could be the future. Sam is clearly the good guy with his social and moral line. He believes in suspects rights and that women are equals. He's in the minority. With so many episodes this stretches the answers farther than they should be. You'd think someone displaced from time would be more frantic and desperate to return. Towards the end, he's not sure he wants to leave the 70s. The final episode is a nice conclusion that answers everything.
It depends.

Review
I don't know what it was about the late 2000s, and maybe Lost (2004) is the catalyst, but this show along with Daybreak (2006) and Journeyman (2007) all released within a year, lasted one season, and explored some form of time travel.

The premise is wild. Police officer Sam Tyler (Jason O'Mara) is hit by a car while on a case. That transports him back to 1970. He already has the appropriate clothes and car. It has to be a coma or even a death dream. He's a New York cop, and despite all the oddities, it's the Twin Towers that force him to confront that something just isn't right. He goes to his police station, still not sure of what happened. Somehow he transported twenty five years earlier. The first episode makes it seem like a dream. We can hear EMT's trying to revive him. Even Sam hears it.

Jason O'Mara plays Sam Tyler

Sam has to adjust to the cops in 1973 doing whatever they want. Warrants and rules don't matter. His modern day morals constantly clash with everyone around him, but he's able to use his future techniques to solve crime, aided by psychology. The closest thing he has to a partner is Annie Norris (Gretchen Mol). She's a woman in man's world and given no credibility aside from Sam.

Sam keeps running into people he'll eventually meet. I don't know how they don't think he's absolutely bonkers. His prophetic outlooks are dismissed as silly or deranged. I don't know where the line is. Either he's in a coma and everything he experiences is all made up or he really did time travel. We've heard people from the future talking to him like he's in a coma when that time period bleeds over. If that's the truth, it makes the 70s story lines pointless. He often pursues those cases like it could affect the future. Is this some kind of magical realism? Frequently he'll glimpse a vision or a reflection that's the future.

Gretchen Mol plays Annie Norris

Towards the middle of the season he's met his mom and dad. His rules are less strict when it comes to his mom. His dad running out on him is a source of trauma, and it seems he may get to see what happened. Sam also gets involved with his boss's daughter. The show needs to fill the episode count with something. This started out as the clash of progressive, contemporary ideals with the past and now it's just a soap opera. There's also the alien abduction concept. Why is this all over the place?

He finds someone else claiming to be from the future, and there are also cryptic phone calls. By this point the show should have given some indication of what's happening. It seems the show is hedging its bets and keeping all options open.

Thankfully the final episode reveals everything. I'm not sure how this would have gone for another season. It's a sufficient ending. This show has too many problems to be worth watching, but at least they didn't botch the conclusion or end it on a cliff hanger.

SPOILERS

Phineas and Ferb Season 5 Review

ward@fridaysonthefly.com (Ward) — Fri, 1 May 2026 02:00:00 -0400

Phineas and Ferb (2007-)

Season 5 - 20 episodes (2025)
Watch the trailer
Created by: Jeff 'Swampy' Marsh, Dan Povenmire
Starring: Vincent Martella, Ashley Tisdale, Thomas Sangster, Caroline Rhea, Alyson Stoner, Dan Povenmire, Jeff "Swampy" Marsh, Dee Bradley Baker
Rated: TV-G

Plot
Phineas and Ferb invent, scheme, and stay one step ahead of their older sister Candace. Meanwhile, their pet platypus Perry plots against evil Dr. Doofenshmirtz.

Verdict
It's a show with a simple formula that always manages to be a lot of fun. It taps into the wild possibilities of a kid's imagination, the adventures that only occur during summer, and what could have been. While it doesn't seem as clever as I remember, that could just be nostalgia. I enjoyed this season, and this has more than a few memorable episodes.
Watch It.

Review
The series originally aired for four seasons, ending in 2015, before returning for two additional seasons beginning in 2025.

During summer vacation Phineas and Ferb experience a new adventure every day while their older sister fails to expose their plights. It's a simple concept. The boys create a big project or invention, Candace catches them, tries to expose them to mom, yet she's always a second too late. The b-story is Dr. Doofenshmirtz making some kind of -inator ray to take over the town with secret agent Perry the platypus stopping him. The show creates the adventures you imagined as a kid during summer break. While fun and enjoyable, this season doesn't rank as high as the best ones.

E5: Phineas, Perry, and Ferb

In episode two, Phineas and Ferb build a submarine that looks like a sub sandwich. Candace tries to expose their hi-jinks to mom, but just as mom stumbles upon the submarine, Doofenshmirtz's -inator malfunctions and the submarine is covered in sand. It looks like an entry to the sandcastle contest in which Candace was supposed to be participating. The boys aren't caught, Candace is mad mom never saw, and that's a prime example of each episode.

In another episode, the boy's father's bookcase breaks. They build him a giant bookcase, just before mom sees it, Doofenshmirtz's omnivorous plants destroy it. Phineas and Ferb are resourceful and industrious, but their plights are always grounded in what they can build themselves.

Episode seven is one of my favorite episodes of the season. Candace plans to have her mom wear a Candace suit in the hopes her mom will finally see a scheme and that the reason mom misses every scheme is because she's mom and not Candace. Multiple people end up in several Candace suits, and Candace can't figure out which Candace suit is her mom. Doofenshmirtz creates sentient potato salad.

Bubba Doof and the "forced perspective" joke also stands out.

This season is more self-referential than I recall compared to other seasons. In episode nine the boys create a "fifth season." It doesn't seem as clever, though maybe the years have inflated my affinity for the show. There are also several episodes that focus less on the titular duo and more on the supporting cast.

In episode thirteen, Candace hopes that by being apathetic, maybe mom will see the boys by accident. That plan yields no results.

E17: Dr. Doofenshmirtz, Major Monogram, Carl the Intern, Vanessa Doofenshmirtz, Monty Monogram

The children of Doofenshmirtz and Major Mongram are dating. they bring their fathers together to meet the parents. Buford and his bowl of chowder have an encounter with the carb-away-inator.

In episode eighteen Candace gets to join an adventure with Phineas and Ferb.

This show is so much fun. While it's a kid's show, there's more than enough wit and reference to entertain an adult. I've always enjoyed this show and its creativity.

E.T. the Extra-Terrestrial Movie Review

ward@fridaysonthefly.com (Ward) — Thu, 30 Apr 2026 02:00:00 -0400

E.T. the Extra-Terrestrial (1982)

Rent E.T. the Extra-Terrestrial on Amazon Video (paid link)
Written by: Melissa Mathison
Directed by: Steven Spielberg
Starring: Henry Thomas, Drew Barrymore, Peter Coyote, C. Thomas Howell, Erika Eleniak
Rated: PG
Watch the trailer

Plot
A troubled child summons the courage to help a friendly alien escape from Earth and return to his home planet.

Verdict
This movie was incredibly popular upon release. And while it's sentimental, that's part of the problem. It's too sweet and cute, though depicting an alien as child like was unique. As a kid, you like to see children play the protagonist. Speilberg has always been excellent at tapping into a child's imagination and an adult's nostalgia. Part of the reason my feelings are muted for this is that so many properties have copied this formula and idea. Despite that, it's still Spielberg, and the directing is excellent. There's a reason this movie endures.
Watch it.

Review
It's a cultural classic that shares a few parallels with Close Encounters of the Third Kind (1977), though that's primarily aliens and Spielberg while shifting the story's focus to a child.

There are no illusions to what this is. While the title is obvious, we see a classic alien space ship in the first scene. We don't see any aliens, but there are plenty of hints. Even the perspective is from a diminutive alien's height. We can assume the humans present are some kind of government agents, and we only see them from the waist down.

Henry Thomas, Robert MacNaughton, Drew Barrymore play Elliot, Michael, Gertie Taylor

The alien is drawn to a nearby town where young Elliot (Henry Thomas) lives. Elliot hears something outside, and upon investigation he encounters E.T. They're both frightened and run away. Elliot's family doesn't believe he saw an alien, telling him it was probably an iguana. That only increases his resolve to find it. He tries to lure E.T. with Reese's Pieces.

Part of this is that Elliot feels neglected, and E.T. is this unique friend. They're both isolated as E.T. wants to get back to his ship. Elliot helps E.T. evade the government agents who remain faceless which makes them more ominous.

E.T. and Henry Thomas plays Elliot

E.T. has some amount of power and a connection to Elliot. E.T. heals a wound and has telekinetic abilities. Even when they're apart, the two share thoughts and emotions. E.T. needs to get home, and he fashions a device out of items around the house to call home. Of course the government agents catch up to E.T. where he falls ill under their watch. Elliot teams up with his brother to save E.T. and get him back to his species.

Part of the appeal for many of Spielberg's movies is a focus on the child that gets to play hero. It's a lot of wish fulfillment and it works. Elliot sets up this happy ending that brings his family together while saving his new best friend. This is a unique portrayal of aliens. While they're often portrayed as aggressive, this was one of the first and certainly best examples of a child like alien. That makes the friendship portrayed between E.T. and the alien all the more touching.

Treme Series Review

ward@fridaysonthefly.com (Ward) — Wed, 29 Apr 2026 02:00:00 -0400

Treme (2010-2013)

Season 1 - 10 episodes (2010)
Season 2 - 11 episodes (2011)
Season 3 - 10 episodes (2012)
Season 4 - 5 episodes (2013)
Rent Treme on Amazon Video (paid link)
Created by: Eric Ellis Overmyer, David Simon
Starring: Khandi Alexander, Rob Brown, Kim Dickens, Melissa Leo, Lucia Micarelli, Clarke Peters, Wendell Pierce, Steve Zahn, Michiel Huisman, India Ennenga, Phyllis Montana LeBlanc, David Morse
Rated: TV-MA
Watch the trailer

Plot
Residents of New Orleans try to rebuild their lives, homes, and unique culture in the aftermath of Hurricane Katrina.

Verdict
The city is a character as much as any of the actors. We're introduced to residents of New Orleans that stayed through or returned after Katrina who now struggle to survive and rebuild. We see their failures and triumphs amidst institutional hurdles. It's fitting that we never see the politicians and legislators that control the money to rebuild. It highlights the disconnect between those in charge and the residents who call the area home. The setting adds a lot of style. While the city never returns to the glory the characters remember, most of them finally mange to find some amount of peace.
Watch It.

Review
Creator David Simon is best known for Homicide: Life on the Street (1993) and The Wire (2002). The structure of this show shares a lot with The Wire, a serialized story with a lot of depth that's character focused. It also shares more than a few actors.

Treme was never a commercial success, and that's why the final season had so few episodes. HBO provided enough capital for a final chapter but not a full season.

Season 1
New Orleans is a city with a unique culture, but it's been devastated by a hurricane. Treme is the neighborhood where most of the characters cross paths. We're introduced to several character that begin to create the fabric of the neighborhood. Antoine Batiste (Wendell Pierce) is a struggling trombonist always looking for his next gig. Tulane English professor Creighton Bernette (John Goodman) is quick to point out that it's criminal neglect the levies failed. Albert "Big Chief" Lambreaux (Clarke Peters) returns to a home in shambles. He's a Mardi Gras Indian chief.

S1E10: Khandi Alexander, Wendell Pierce play LaDonna Batiste-Williams, Antoine Batiste

From the start, all of these characters are engaging; fighting to rebuild their homes, lives, and city. Radio DJ and musician Davis McAlary (Steve Zahn) loves the city, but he's fired for his on-air antics and forced to get a job at a hotel. Likewise Creighton is fired as the University is cutting entire programs to make budget. Albert gets work repairing houses, finding out that the project housing is unharmed but boarded up which prevents people from returning. Janette Desautel (Kim Dickens) struggles to keep her restaurant open while waiting for an insurance payment.

In an attempt to fix the city Davis runs for city council on a comedic platform of pot for pot holes among other things, while Creighton protests the treatment of the neighborhood to bring awareness. His wife Toni (Melissa Leo) is a lawyer that searches for an inmate, LaDonna's (Khandi Alexander) brother, for most of the season. The police lost him, and they're in no hurry to admit the mistake or find him. It's a blight against the city. Albert eventually breaks into the projects to prove a point.

S1E3: Steve Zahn, Melissa Leo play Davis McAlary, Toni Bernette

I can't say I know what New Orleans culture is like, but this at least feels authentic. David Simon called this show a love letter to the city, so there may be a fair bit of nostalgia to the portrayal. We see this city through the perspectives of multiple characters. Their stories are powerful. They love the city, and just want it returned to the former glory.

The final episode provides a nice coda. We see the characters the day before Katrina hit. It's a nice way to end the season. Some run while others prepare to weather the storm, thinking it won't be that bad. I really like this show. At times it feels like a documentary. My favorite part is that it's driven by characters. They're just trying their best.

Season 2

S2 Title Card

Janette gave up on her restaurant and moved to New York, working under a ridiculously demanding chef. She quits her job in spectacular fashion. Toni is still trying to help people in the community, getting some aid from Colson (David Morse). He's a cop trying to fix a broken system. Antoine tries to start a band but ends up working part time as a band teacher. Davis also attempts to start a band. One of the major links between these characters is their hope that the city can return to greatness.

With people returning to the city crime increases, and LaDonna is attacked. Developers also enter the city looking to capitalize. That's highlighted by Nelson Hildalgo (Jon Seda). His cousin does the work and he "sets up" the job without doing anything. That eventually escalates to the city paying them to remediate and then tear down the same houses. Their doing 'as ordered' but it's a disservice to the city and a waste of money.

S1E3: Michiel Huisman, Lucia Micarelli play Sonny, Annie Talarico

This season doesn't feel as busy, but maybe that's because I'm not trying to learn the characters. Sonny (Michiel Huisman) and Annie (Lucia Micarelli) started the show playing music in the streets. She wants to work with other musicians, and he doesn't like that. Along with other events, their relationship grows rocky.

Colson was transferred to homicide with his boss's figuring he'd either root out corruption in the unit or the unit will find a way to bounce him with the digging he's doing. The problem is that he's good police.

S2E3: Kim Dickens, Clarke Peters play Janette Desautel, Albert "Big Chief" Lambreaux

Towards the end of the season Davis is starting to lose his band. He had the idea but not the talent. Nelson has been taking advantage with every step, and he might be facing jail time when one of his cronies is arrested. He was buying houses on speculation knowing the area was going to get rezoned. He's making deals and getting paid while the city crumbles around him.

Through the characters the series explores institutional failings. It's a lot like The Wire, but what this is missing is the tension between criminals and police. That adds a level of excitement this show can't quite match.

Season 3

S3 Title Card

It might be one of my favorite story lines, Antoine becomes quite the teacher. Also Annie is getting interest for a record contract, and Janette gets her own restaurant after a lot of funding from a developer. I like seeing successes for the characters.

Reporter L.P. Everett (Chris Coy) comes down to write a report on crime during Katrina. He soon teams up with Toni who goes after a cop directly in the quest for answers. That soon turns into cops trying to intimidate Toni, L.P., and Toni's daughter.

S3E5: Jon Seda plays Nelson Higalgo

I would love for this to dig into Nelson and how that branches. Money is being mismanaged and lining the pockets of developers, but that plot is relegated to a side story. This season isn't as engrossing, and maybe that's because there isn't an overall goal. So many of these characters were struggling. Now that they find success, what happens next?

The shortcomings of the police and a potential coverup is a big story. Toni is tired of complacency, but her efforts have consequences. Colson tries to help her, but he's limited. He's the only cop we see that wants to make things right, and that just makes his job more difficult as he's pushed out. Other cops in his unit are openly trying to falsely incriminate him. Toni finally gets someone on the record for a police involved shooting, but how far will that go when the odds are against her and the cops stick together? The cops follow the people exposing crimes instead of trying to make things right. In a parallel story, LaDonna has her bar burned down as an act of intimidation when she agrees to testify.

S3E9: David Morse plays Terry Colson

This is a show where you care about the characters and their plights. Unfortunately with Janette and Annie's success they must cede control which neither like. As much as the characters want to see the city rebuilt, that's just not happening.

Season 4

S4 Title Card

The season starts with the election of President Obama. Unfortunately New Orleans isn't making the same progress. Albert is sick, but surprisingly he and LaDonna are an item. Janette left her restaurant, but by contract she can't use her name on her next restaurant. Nelson has returned to Houston once the faucet of free money ran out.

We see a city and a people trying to rebuild with others coming in to capitalize. Nelson wants to do right, but he's not opposed to making money. Politics dictates what happens so he just plays the game. Janette had a developer wanting to capitalize on her name and food, eventually pushing her out. Annie faces a similar struggle. Success seems to mean losing what brought you that acclaim. Albert has fought to maintain tradition, with his son Delmon (Rob Young) living in the two words of New York and New Orleans while trying to take care of his ailing father.

Antoine finally found a way to give back to the community and get a paycheck. Davis was always about the neighborhood, but that meant limited and fleeting successes. Nelson manages to get Janette her name back, promising the developer "100% of nothing." He admits to Janette that despite all the money he made, he never built anything. That's the disconnect, the people spending money to rebuild are never seen. They aren't plugged in to the needs. They throw money at the problem, and that money doesn't make it all the way down. Houses that could be kept are torn down. Houses that are remediated are also torn down. It's a scatter shot approach that yields middling results.

It's a show about the ups and downs of the cast of characters. Despite their hopes for the city, they don't see it pan out. Politics and bureaucratic red tape always seem to get in the way. This is a series that brings the city to life and will further your appreciation for jazz.

Primal Seasons 1-3 Review

ward@fridaysonthefly.com (Ward) — Tue, 28 Apr 2026 02:00:00 -0400

Primal (2019-)

Season 1 - 10 episodes (2019-20)
Season 2 - 10 episodes (2022)
Season 3 - 10 episodes (2026)
Rent Primal on Amazon Video (paid link)
Created by: Genndy Tartakovsky
Starring: Aaron LaPlante, Laëtitia Eïdo, Fred Tatasciore
Rated: TV-MA
Watch the trailer

Plot
A caveman and a dinosaur bond over unfortunate tragedies and become each other's only hope of survival in a treacherous world.

Verdict
This is a great show featuring masterful story telling. It's a brutal world, and at times this first season feels like the mythical tales of Spear and Fang. The series can be scary and emotional as we watch a man and dinosaur try to survive a harsh land. What's more impressive is that this show accomplishes that with no dialog in the first season. The show is dependent fully on story, and it excels at that. The series exhibits a depth few shows even approach. The animation is great too, providing amazing images and compositions. The show pushes the creativity each season by changing the story arcs. While this seemed to conclude with season two, the third season takes us on a wild ride that changes the premise but tells a story that's still very Primal. Whether it's season arcs or self-contained stories, this show knows how to tell a story.
Watch It.

Review
While I watched the first two seasons in 2022, I didn't write a full review for it, and this show deserves it. With the third season recently released, I watched the entire series.

Season 1
It begins with the plight of a cave man, Spear, in a dangerous time with creatures everywhere that could be the end. After a day of hunting he returns to his cave to find his family under attack from dinosaurs. He's too late. Up to this point there's been no dialog, not that the story required it. Mourning his family, he goes after a T-rex, Fang, but pauses when he sees her two T-rex babies. A larger dinosaur attacks them all with Spear and Fang fighting it off.

This may be a cartoon, but it's brutal. That's fitting for this world. There's no pretense that it's not a cartoon for adults. Just when Spear and Fang think they're safe, another dinosaur attacks. The two are linked by grief and loss. It's a unique idea to pair up a human and dinosaur. In this world strength in numbers helps. I was amazed how much story this show conveys in just twenty minutes, and that's with no dialog. It's amazing and impressive.

S1E1: Spear and Fang

The two warriors have always hunted alone, and now they have to figure out how to work together. While they bicker, they look out for each other. By the end of episode two they've figured out how to live together, creating a formidable killing team.

Spear kills to survive. He doesn't like it, and we see him acknowledge the death he must inflict. That's the world in which they live. In episode three Spear and Fang are confronted by mammoths. We understand why they're fighting. The mammoths want to avenge a death. Spear and Fang want to survive. Every episode exhibits a mastery of artistry and story telling. This is a world full of horrors, but it can also create a touching story.

There are a lot of great shows, but few manage that feat without dialog. It's incredibly creative. This does so much, making other shows that utilize dialog seem like they're using a crutch.

The first season are the myths and legends of Spear and Fang, featuring their adventures and encounters. They've seen some horrors. The first season had a break in episode releases after episode five when Spear rescued Fang from a battle.

In episode six Spear nurses Fear back to health, standing guard at night. I love the story and presentation, but the artistry and framing of the show impresses. This is a wild, fun ride. It's a horror, buddy action adventure, and an emotional journey.

Spear and Fang encounter primitive witches, and the episode manages to turn that into a somewhat touching story. Dinosaur, witch, or human, they can all find common ground.

In the final episode Spear meets another human, Mira, who was kidnapped by slavers. It seems anachronistic that this caveman and another civilization that has boats and language live in the same era, but I suppose it's possible. It makes for a good story. This season ends with the slavers recapturing Mira and sailing away.

The first season is incredible. It does everything right.

Season 2

S2 Title Card

Spear braves the ocean to follow Mira, creating a raft with Fang, but that plan may have been short sighted. He's launched himself into the unknown, but realistically does he have any hope? At the same time, I appreciate how the show upends this story by moving the setting to civilization. This season easily could have continued the adventures of a caveman and dinosaur, but the characters leave the confines of what we know.

Rarely does anything good happen to the pair. It's a brutal world. That's part of what makes this show gripping, but it's also bound by the commitment Spear and Fang have to keep each other alive. It's a primitive instinct that transcends species.

S2E3: Fang and Spear

Spear and Fang are separated, but they both make friends in their own way. They're also both wild animals in a new civilization. Two worlds clash when Fang is caught between another dinosaur and Spear. Spear's inclination is to kill dinosaurs, save for Fang, while Fang kills humans except for Spear.

Spear leaves the village but manages to find Mira. He frees her and her people, but he has to get through a village to do it. If you thought Spear was deadly with a spear or rock, give the man a sword. He slaughters a village and makes an enemy of the Vikings. The Chief returns to a village that's in ruin. We understand the Chief's desire for revenge and also why Spear slaughtered the village.

Episode five is a departure, set in England 1890. A group of men discuss the primitive nature of humans. Then they encounter an escaped inmate that exhibits the primitiveness of a cave man. He also looks similar to Spear. I don't like this episode, though I understand the reference.

While I like the first season due to the focus on simply surviving, the second season is also good. It broadens the setting and shows that humans are dangerous too. They're certainly more cruel. The pair were arguably better off before they found other humans.

S2E7: Fang and Spear

This season is good, but starting with episode seven where the Queen is introduced is an incredible run. An Egyptian Queen captures Spear, Fang, and Mira. She extorts Spear and Fang to raid cities for her. They have no choice, but they finally team up with Kamau to fight the Queen. There's no way the Queen could fight that well against Spear. But this Queen is the first truly evil character we've met. Everyone else at least had an underlying reason for their actions or a desire for revenge. The Queen just wants to destroy.

The Viking chief catches up to Spear, not that he's recognizable anymore as his desire for revenge has transformed him. The visuals in this show are amazing, and what a conclusion. This season has a sense of finality to it, and I wondered where this would go with season three.

Season 3
S3 Title Card

Creator Tartakovsky had stated season three forward would be an anthology, but that plan obviously changed. It explains season two's final episode.

Wow. This season opens by bringing back zombie Spear. Where does the season go from there? This show swings big. Death seems to follow Spear, but that's what happens when you cheat it so frequently. Season two broadened the setting, and season three fundamentally changes the series again.

S3E2: Spear and Spear

This isn't Spear. He can fight like Spear, but he has none of the memories. Zombie Spear has visions of Fang, though he's not sure what it is. When he finds a grasshopper in episode three his protective instincts kick in. Violence was always going to be the end. Much of this show is kill or be killed with most of these creatures just trying to survive. I didn't expect such a touching moment between Spear and the grasshopper.

Episode four flashes back to before Spear's resurrection with Mira and Fang grieving his death.

S3E5: Spear

I assumed originally Spear was resurrected after season two's epilogue, but that's obviously not the case. Mira didn't know he was resurrected as his tomb wasn't in her village. This season is obviously different, and I'm sad that Spear is a shell of himself. Much of this season is him staring blankly. What's his plight as a rotting corpse? This show killed off the main character and made him a zombie. I do appreciate that this show keeps pushing with a focus on clarity of story telling.

This show brings it. The story telling is phenomenal. Spear reunites with Fang and Mira, but Fang doesn't accept him. It's understandable as that's not Spear. Fang's children flock to him, but Fang continually stops them.

Spear and Mira think about each other with Spear sneaking into the village to see their daughter. Spear is gaining memories and function. He's not the zombie to which we were introduced in the first episode. He ends up in an arena, forced to fight any that challenge him. For winning he gets to drink the black liquid that he encountered in season one. Spear is a fighter, and the more black liquid he consumes the more his memories and humanity return. Spear goes to Mira, unaware that they've trekked into the jungle to find him.

S3E10: Spear and Fang

This show is wild. I wondered how it would come back for a third season and it surprised me. The final episode is intense. Mira, Fang, and Fang's kids are all fed the black liquid and battle ensures. It's bad, and Spear is chained, forced to watch everyone he cares about try to destroy each other.

Season three fills in the gap we didn't even know existed between the end of season two and the epilogue. It does rewrite the epilogue to be a much happier moment.

At this point season four has not been confirmed nor canceled, but I assume this would begin the anthology story that was supposed to be season three. These three seasons are amazing. The show has proven it can tell larger story arcs as evidenced by each season, and it's not afraid to reinvent the basis. Each season is different but engrossing. This can also tell smaller self-contained stories like the grasshopper in episode three. I can't wait for the next season, I love this show and the stories it tells.

It Was Just an Accident Movie Review

ward@fridaysonthefly.com (Ward) — Mon, 27 Apr 2026 02:00:00 -0400

It Was Just an Accident [Yek tasadof-e sadeh] (2025)

Rent the movie on Amazon Video (paid link)
Written by: Jafar Panahi (scenario), Nader Saeivar & Shadmehr Rastin & Mehdi Mahmoudian (scenario collaboration)
Directed by: Jafar Panahi
Starring: Vahid Mobasseri, Mariam Afshari, Ebrahim Azizi, Mohammad Ali Elyasmehr, Hadis Pakbaten
Rated: PG-13
Watch the trailer

Plot
In this Persian language film, an unassuming mechanic is reminded of his time in an Iranian prison when he encounters a man he suspects to be his sadistic jailhouse captor. Panicked, he rounds up a few of his fellow ex-prisoners to confirm the man's identity.

Verdict
I don't live in a country where I could be kidnapped as a political prisoner. That alone is difficult to fathom. This is a movie about past trauma and a persecutor who never faced any consequences. Do you take matters in your own hands and right an injustice? Is combating violence with violence the answer? That's what these characters face. There's no government that will intercede on their behalf. They want justice for the crimes inflicted, but they don't know the best way to accomplish that. As the ending hints, you can never truly escape your past. It will always follow you.
Watch It.

Review
Director Panahi's films have been banned in his home country of Iran. In 2010 he was sentenced to six years in prison and a twenty year ban on film making, charged with "propaganda against the Islamic Republic." Panahi continued making movies secretly. Panahi's world as this movie exemplifies is a place where you can be imprisoned for any criticisms of the regime. From there, it's prison and torture as a political prisoner.

Rashid (Ebrahim Azizi) and his family are driving at night when he accidentally hits a dog. He stops but realizes there is nothing to do about the dog. His wife reassures him, pointing out it wasn't intentional. The car starting is a sign, but just miles down the road the car stutters and stops at a nearby garage.

Inside the garage, Vahid (Vahid Mobasseri) hides from Rashid, causing us to wonder why. Vahid has a prosthetic leg that emits a distinct squeak as he walks. Vahid recognizes that sound, and the next day he follows Rashid, knocks him out, and kidnaps him. Vahid believes Rashid is his tormentor when he was wrongly imprisoned for propaganda against the regime, and he wants revenge. Vahid was jailed arguing for workers' rights.

Vahid Mobasseri, Mariam Afshari play Vahid, Shiva

When confronted, Rashid argues he's not the guy, and that causes Vahid to pause, doubting his instincts. Rashid states the scars on his leg are fresh. He can't be the guy. While Vahid doubts, this guy has to be willing to say anything in the situation. That and Vahid might be hesitant to kill someone. Violence is what separates him from Rashid. Vashid goes to a friend for help and confirmation. His friend refuses, but sends him to someone else. Being imprisoned for fabricated crimes isn't an isolated event. Vahid drives to wedding photographer Shiva (Mariam Afshari) to identify Rashid. Shiva is in the middle of a session, but the bride was also tormented by this man. None of them can identify their tormentor Eghbal beyond a doubt. Is Rashid Eghbal? They were all blindfolded while in prison. They think it's him, but there's a sliver of doubt.

With the implication that Rashid is Eghbal, the fist scene becomes more ominous. Rashid hit a dog but his wife argues it wasn't intentional and the car starting was a sign. Is the car soon dying also a sign? The fact that he walked into Vahid's shop becomes a marker that he deserves punishment if we play into the signs. Eghbal's violence against many people was distinctly intentional. Is this guy Rashid or Eghbal?

Mohammad Ali Elyasmehr, Hadis Pakbaten, Majid Panahi play Hamid, Goli, Ali

All of them are facing this trauma of being wrongfully imprisoned and wanting justice. Is repaying that violence in kind the answer? They have different concerns and ideas, and there's no one way to fix the situation. At this point they're half way there. That's the push and pull. They don't want to resort to the same punishment and torture that Eghbal inflicted, but he also deserves to feel the pain. Why should he get away with what he did, facing no repercussions?

The longer they delay a resolution, the more entangled things become. They decide to go to Rashid's family, posing as friends when Rashid's daughter calls his phone in a panic. Eventually only Vashid and Shiva remain as the others become frustrated. The two tie Rashid to a tree, and after coercion Rashid finally admits he is Eghbal. He states they deserved the punishment they got, and if they didn't, that will be resolved in Heaven. It's such a callous admission.

With the conclusion, Vahid has to wonder if he made the right choice. Then he hears what sounds like Eghbal's squeaking walk. Is it an assertion that the regime will always use intimidation tactics and that's why they can overpower their opposition? Or, and this is where I land, is it a metaphor that Eghbal will always follow Vahid. He'll always hear that squeaking leg due to a trauma and past that's never too far away.

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Capernaum Movie Review

ward@fridaysonthefly.com (Ward) — Sun, 26 Apr 2026 02:00:00 -0400

Capernaum [Capharnaüm] (2018)

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Written by: Nadine Labaki & Jihad Hojeily & Michelle Keserwany (screenplay), Georges Khabbaz & Khaled Mouzanar (in collaboration with)
Directed by: Nadine Labaki
Starring: Zain Al Rafeea, Yordanos Shiferaw, Boluwatife Treasure Bankole
Rated: R
Watch the trailer

Plot
In this Arabic language film, a 12-year-old boy serving a five-year sentence for a violent crime sues his parents for neglect.

Verdict
This is a powerful movie. It's easy to forget how well off many of us are. We see this kid that's on his own, living in squalor. His parents are only interested in what he can do for them and how he can earn money. The tipping point is when they sell his sister for two chickens. He's distraught, but most of all he doesn't want another kid to live his life. Most kids his age in more developed countries are playing video games. This kid is taking care of a baby and selling drugs on the street. It's a harrowing portrayal of life in another country. While the concept of him suing his parents sounds sensational, by the end of the movie I agreed with him.
Watch It.

Review
What a hook. Why is this kid suing his parents? My first thought is that it's some kind of dodge as Zain (Zain Al Rafeea) is charged with stabbing someone. He's imprisoned and suing his parents for being born, but his parents don't even know his age. Why not? His parents never registered his birth. While I was skeptical at first, Zain's parents have various kids they use for scams and illegal schemes. They also have a toddler chained to a walker. Just a few minutes in, and this is heartbreaking in how these kids live. Zain's sister, I'm guessing adopted, has her first period and he tells her they must hide it from their parents or they'll give her away. He's had to have seen this before with that reaction.

Zain's parents are just looking for a way to capitalize on their kids, developing ways the children can produce and pilfer. At the trial, Zain's dad absolves himself of any responsibility.

Zain Al Rafeea plays Zain

Zain plans to run away with his sister, but his parents sell her for two chickens before he can get her. He leaves by himself, begging for work and food. He meets Tigest (Yordanos Shiferaw) who for some reason has pity on him. Maybe she knows what it's like trying to survive on the streets. She gives him some food and has him care for her baby, Yonas. I was shocked she'd let a stranger that's so young watch her child, but she's also desperately working to provide enough for her and Yonas. Zain is a child caring for a child, and it's clear he's done this before. He likely had to care for his brothers and sisters at home. Obviously his parents weren't doing that.

We see what makes people desperate. Tigest is an illegal immigrant trying to get identification so that her son isn't taken away. Tigest isn't much older than a kid. She and Zain both have little protection. She'd do anything for Jonas, and that's a contrast with Zain's parents who use him as a prop and money making tool. The difference is who suffers and why. While the suffering in the movie may seem extreme or indulgent, this is a realistic depiction of Lebanon.

Boluwatife Treasure Bankole, Zain Al Rafeea play Yonas, Zain

When Tigest is arrested, Zain has no way to find her. He's stealing just so he and Yonas have food, but there's only so much he can do. It's wild to see these kids roaming the street and no one passing by does anything. Everyone is just trying to survive. Zain loses his place to stay, and tries to leave Yonas behind. Yonas doesn't understand and tries to follow, causing Zain to relent. Instead he sells Yonas to Aspro with no other options. Aspro promises to provide Zain with identification and a ticket to Sweden. Zain returns home for his papers where his parents maliciously tell him he doesn't have any papers. In an attempt to hurt him further, they inform Zain his sister is dead. That's when he snaps, and that's why he's in jail.

Zain sues his parents to protect his siblings and to prevent them from having any more kids. He doesn't want any other kids to live his life. At the end of the movie Zain gets photographed for an ID. He's asked to smile, and I didn't realize it until it happened, but it's the first time we've seen that happen the entire movie.

It's so easy to become lost in the comparatively easy problems of a developed nation when compared to a developing, lower income country like Lebanon. While depicting the issues through cute kids like Zain and Yonas can seem manipulative, it's because their lives are so far removed from what developed nations see. Zain's parents really are terrible.

Hamnet Movie Review

ward@fridaysonthefly.com (Ward) — Sat, 25 Apr 2026 02:00:00 -0400

Hamnet (2025)

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Written by: Chloé Zhao & Maggie O'Farrell (screenplay by), Maggie O'Farrell (based on the novel written by)
Directed by: Chloé Zhao
Starring: Jessie Buckley, Paul Mescal, Zac Wishart
Rated: PG-13
Watch the trailer

Plot
After losing their son Hamnet to plague, Agnes and William Shakespeare grapple with grief in 16th-century England. Agnes must find strength to care for her surviving children while processing her devastating loss.

Verdict
For the first half of the movie, I wondered why this was so popular. Is it because this is another Shakespeare movie with acclaimed actors which always seems to do well critically? It seems like awards bait, but the first half is the foundation and the second half is what makes this movie; art and grief against relationships fractured and repaired. Through his play Hamlet, Shakespeare gave his son a starring role and his wife closure. It's an excellent conclusion to a movie that desperately needed the boost.
Watch It.

Review
While Zhao garnered acclaim for The Rider (2017), she won the best director Oscar for her followup Nomadland (2020) which also won best picture.

Tutor William Shakespeare (Paul Mescal) becomes enchanted by herbalist Agnes (Jessie Buckley), winning her over with a story. At least that's what we see. She soon becomes pregnant and kicked out of her home, moving in with William and his parents who aren't happy about the situation.

Jessie Buckley, Paul Mescal play Agnes, William Shakespeare

William is the frustrated writer, and Agnes suggests he go to London though she is pregnant again. She's carrying twins, but she also had a prophecy that predicted only two children at her deathbed. One of the children is stillborn, but Agnes refuses to accept it and demands to see the child, despite tradition, which begins breathing as soon as Agnes touches her. It's ominous, Agnes has seemingly cheated death on behalf of her children Judith and Hamnet. Will death return to collect?

Shakespeare movies by default feel like awards bait. They generally feature an acclaimed director and actors as well as lavish settings and costumes. Shakespeare is such a renowned, mysterious figure, and that's part of the appeal with people desperate to find out more. His stories are often repeated because they're so timeless. A third of the way in, I expected more from this. Zhao's movies have always been about people. We're introduced to his wife and children, but while this features Shakespeare, it's not about him.

The movie frequently returns to the image of the cave in the woods. It has to be symbolic of Agnes being known as a witch and her connection to nature. It also represents life and death. It appeared with the birth of her kids and the death of her hawk.

Judith gets very sick, and Hamnet pleads with her to get better, offering to take her place. We know what that means. Agnes was predicted to have only two children. Either death will take Judith back or take Hamnet in her place. It was foretold.

Jessie Buckley plays Agnes

Shakespeare experiences success in London while Agnes suffers at home. She travels to see his latest play, but she's upset that he used her son's name. It's the co-mingling of grief and art. William's grief elevated his art, creating a play fit for his son Hamnet in Hamlet. As the movie tells us, Hamnet and Hamlet are basically the same name. As the play unfolds, Agnes's anger ebbs as she begins to appreciate what William did. This play is a tribute to Hamnet. His grief and coping has been imbued into the play. Through that, Agnes gets to see her son again. William was able to give Hamnet the role in a play he always wanted, and through the play Agnes was able to confront her grief and finally let go.

I couldn't understand why this movie was so highly regarded until I got to the final sequence. Watching that section of Hamlet is what makes this movie. It's art, grief, and acceptance. It elevates the rest of the movie, and it's the reason this movie is ranked so highly. While the rest of the movie isn't up to the same standard, it does set the stage for the final, amazing sequence. Shakespeare's famous play Hamlet is a tribute to his son, catharsis for him and his wife. We don't just see it, we experience it.

Song Sung Blue Movie Review

ward@fridaysonthefly.com (Ward) — Fri, 24 Apr 2026 02:00:00 -0400

Song Sung Blue (2025)

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Written by: Craig Brewer (written by), Greg Kohs (based on the documentary by)
Directed by: Craig Brewer
Starring: Hugh Jackman, Kate Hudson, Ella Anderson, Michael Imperioli, Fisher Stevens, Jim Belushi
Rated: PG-13
Watch the trailer

Plot
Lightning and Thunder, a Milwaukee husband and wife Neil Diamond tribute act, experience soaring success and devastating heartbreak in their musical journey together.

Verdict
It's a neat story. Who would think that a cover band could reach this level of fame? Mike realizes his shortcomings, but he loves being on stage and finds a way to do that. I imagine part of the appeal was the audience seeing his energy and fervor. It was likely contagious. I haven't seen the documentary, but I wonder if this adds that much to the story. We follow a man that loves to entertain, even if he isn't well known. You can find a way to perform even if it isn't on a 'big stage,' but this movie doesn't develop too far past interesting trivia that a cover band reached such fame.
It depends.

Review
This is based on a true story about the husband and wife Neil Diamond cover band, performing through the 80s and 90s in Wisconsin and surrounding areas.

Mike Sardina (Hugh Jackman) is an impersonator, but he's annoyed by the job. He wants to sing his own stuff. The problem is that nobody wants to hear his songs. He refuses to play the part of Don Ho in the state fair and quits. He meets Claire (Kate Hudson) at the fair who suggests he become a Neil Diamond impersonator. Mike refuses at first, holding Diamond in too high a regard to attempt mimicking him.

Kate Hudson, Hugh Jackman play Claire "Thunder" Cartwright, Mike "Lightning" Sardina

Mike is soon smitten with Claire, and the feeling is mutual. He admits he's not meant to write or be a star, but he loves to entertain people. Their first night together is spent practicing Neil Diamond songs as they decide to pursue the endeavor. They'll call themselves "Thunder" and "Lightning."

Their first show at a bar doesn't go as planned with the promoter mistakenly thinking a biker gang would like Neil Diamond. The other problem is that Neil Diamond's most well known song is "Sweet Caroline," and Mike doesn't want to embrace it. Claire eventually convinces him otherwise. They have to play to the audience and they want that song. Their cover band quickly becomes popular, riding "Sweet Caroline" all the way to the top. That somehow translates to them opening for Pearl Jam.

Hugh Jackman, Kate Hudson play "Thunder" and "Lightning"

Half way in is where this takes a turn. Claire is hit by a car while gardening in her yard. She's understandably depressed She and Mike both miss their act, and the future remains unsure. They were better together, though Mike continues impersonating to make some money. They both struggle but finally return to the stage together. They get their big headlining concert.

Throughout the movie, Mike has suffered heart problems. At one point, he comically has his daughter use a defibrillator on him as he doesn't want to cause a fuss. It's that heart issue that adds dramatic flair to his meeting with Neil Diamond. It's not quite how it happened in reality, though we knew the numerous heart issues were leading to something dramatic.

This falls into retelling the story more than developing the characters. I appreciate that Mike realizes he's not destined to be a star but realizes he can still enjoy music on a smaller stage. The movie doesn't do enough with that. This is more interested in portraying the trivia that a cover band reached such fame.

Toni Erdmann Movie Review

ward@fridaysonthefly.com (Ward) — Thu, 23 Apr 2026 02:00:00 -0400

Toni Erdmann (2016)

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Written by: Maren Ade
Directed by: Maren Ade
Starring: Sandra Hüller, Peter Simonischek, Michael Wittenborn
Rated: R
Watch the trailer

Plot
In this German and English language movie, a practical joking father tries to reconnect with his hard working daughter by creating an outrageous alter ego and posing as a life coach.

Verdict
This starts as a drama about a father and daughter with different outlooks on life. She's focused on her job, he just wants to joke around and amuse himself. There has to be more to their relationship, and we're never privy to her childhood. Their relationship now has to be directly related to the past. Where this pivots is a party Ines holds. Is she finally creating a joke like her father or is the movie making a commentary about the corporate world and how people follow the crowd as a means to fit in and progress? If that's so, is this movie a commentary on what people will endure and ignore in the name of chasing the next promotion or contact? Her father never ascribed to society's rules. It's a good movie, but even now I'm trying to determine if I like it.
It depends.

Review
After the first scene I wasn't sure what this movie was. Winfried (Peter Simonischek) pretends to be two different people just to fool a delivery man dropping off a package. In the next scene he's going out with Joker inspired face paint. While we discover the paint is for a middle school event, Winfried is in no hurry to wash it off. He's a strange man at the least.

Winfried and his daughter Ines (Sandra Hüller) have a strained relationship. She's devoted to her job and disinterested in her father's silly jokes. I'm guessing it's two people that just don't connect. While we never see their past, it also could be that he never took anything serious during her childhood which disappointed her. Winfried may just not know how to connect with her, and his jokes are his awkward attempt.

Peter Simonischek plays Winfried

Winfried shows up at her job, and it appears he's been waiting for her to show up just so he can don another persona. Why? His dog just died and he wants a connection, but does he not know how to be serious or to the point? Instead of telling Ines how he feels directly, he continues with jokes. If I was her I'd be tired of it too. I've only known him for a little while and I'm growing tired. These persona's seem to be a way to avoid anything serious. He might be afraid of vulnerability.

Ines, for whatever reason, brings Winfried along to an event where she's trying to get a meeting with an oil company CEO. Her company has a contract with him, and she wants to extend it. The CEO brushes her off, but when Winfried begins spinning a story about hiring a daughter to replace Ines, the CEO wants to get a drink with him. Ines is irritated about it. This has to exemplify what's between the text. Their relationship now is a reflection of their life growing up. He's always been a distraction. Later Winfried approached Ines and her friends as Toni Erdmann. She doesn't acknowledge knowing him, though she had just mentioned to her friends how difficult her weekend was with her father dropping in unexpectedly. He had to hear that. We can see she's concerned about this game he's now playing, but she doesn't give him away.

Sandra Hüller, Peter Simonischek play Ines, Winfried

This is such a serious movie with such a comedic character. Winfried can't be direct with Ines so he hangs out in her general presence wearing a disguise. It's an odd ruse, and I have to imagine it's a callback to his failings as a father when she was younger as evidenced by their relationship now. Maybe he's never learned how to deal with his emotions or have a serious conversation. She takes him on a business trip, and I couldn't help but wonder why after all that's happened. Hi-jinks of course ensue, and it leads to Winfried taking her to a Romanian family's Easter party where he urges her to sing. It's the first time we've seen her free and unconcerned about work. She quickly rushes off after the song concludes due to the vulnerability.

Peter Simonischek play Winfried aka Toni Erdmann

This takes a turn when Ines is hosting a brunch at her home for coworkers. She opens the door naked, insisting it's a naked party. We see incredulous guests though many comply. This is a parallel to real, fake, and not acknowledging the jokes. Ines ignored Winfried's jokes, and now her guests either reject or accept this party without ever directly addressing the root of what makes it uncomfortable. It's the first time Ines has pulled a stunt like Winfried would. It's this sequence that shifts the movie from a look at a dysfunctional family to an examination of society and the desire to fit in and assimilate like Ines or live life by your own rules like Winfried. From there it's easy to make the leap of everyone mindlessly following along at the party to the business side of this. Ines has this vague job as a consultant that's about telling people what they want to hear or taking the blame for decisions they want to do but don't want the responsibility. The movie jokes that everyone believes a German consultant.

Winfried rejects society's norms, and that's contrasted with Ines. People want normal, and we see how strongly they'll cling to normal and try to fit in when Ines has her party. Society is built on this artifice. Ines ignored Winfried's advances, annoyed by them. When she pulls a similar stunt, I don't think it's an acceptance of Winfried's tactics, but a realization about how when you strive for normal that's all you'll achieve. One can find joy in exploits other than a promotion or the job. Winfried manages to amuse himself every day.

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