MH370: The Plane That Disappeared Documentary Review

Traveling via plane is a safe way to get to a faraway destination. But then there are accidents every once in a while that catches the attention and imagination of the world.

In March 2014, Malaysia Airlines Flight 370 (also known as MH370) took off from the airport in Kuala Lumpur. The final destination was Beijing. The plane never arrived at its final destination. For nine years, the questions about what happened to the plane and the 239 souls aboard have yet to be answered.

The new three-part Netflix documentary MH370: The Plane That Disappeared follows the existing breadcrumbs to try to understand exactly what happened. Interviewing family members, experts, journalists, and others leads the viewer down the path of various theories.

What got me was the emotion of the story and the heartbreaking tales from the family members who have yet to have a concrete explanation. Unlike Lost or Manifest, this is not fiction. These are real people who are hurting and desperately craving peace of mind.

Do I recommend it? Absolutely.

MH370: The Plane That Disappeared is available for streaming on Netflix.

Advertisement

Viola Davis Should Have Been Nominated for an Oscar for The Woman King

I’d like to believe that this world is slowly becoming a better place. Those who were discriminated against and put down are finally been given the opportunities that should have been theirs all along.

The Woman King was released last year to critical acclaim and across-the-board audience approval. Viola Davis gave a powerhouse performance and director Gina Prince-Bythewood helped to create a narrative that knew no boundaries. And yet, both were passed over for this year’s Oscars.

The Woman King is pure Oscar bait. It’s based on a true historical event, its lead actress is at the top of her game, and the story is universal. The only reason why Davis and Prince-Bythewood were locked out has nothing to do with their work on the film. It has everything to do with their skin color and gender identity. I find it to be ironic that a movie that fights against stereotypes is denied its due because of stereotyping.

I guess Hollywood is not as liberal or progressive as it claims to be. But I knew that, as does anyone with eyes and a decent amount of intelligence.

P.S. If you haven’t seen it, I recommend that you do. It is currently playing on Netflix.

Throwback Thursday: Somebody Feed Phil (2018 to Present)

The best way to learn about a specific culture is via the food they serve. It speaks to their history, how they prepare the meals, the availability of the ingredients, etc.

Somebody Feel Phil has been on Netflix since 2018. This travel documentary follows Everybody Loves Raymond co-creator Phil Rosenthal as he travels the world. In each location, he learns about the history, shines and a spotlight on charities/non-profits while chowing down on the region’s cuisine.

This series is so interesting. Instead of being just a long and boring list of facts, it is so much fun to watch. Rosenthal brings each city he visits to life in a way that is unexpected and wonderful. In addition, some of the dishes he eats sound delicious.

Do I recommend it? Yes.

Somebody Feel Phil is available for streaming on Netflix.

Your Place or Mine Movie Review

*The image below is not mine. I am borrowing it. It can be found at fineartamerica.com.

The best romances often start as platonic friendships. The complication comes in when that relationship becomes more than friends.

In the new Netflix romantic comedy, Your Place or Mine, Debbie (Reese Witherspoon) and Peter (Ashton Kutcher) have been besties for twenty years. Debbie is divorced, a single mother, and lives in Los Angeles. Peter is single and lives in New York City.

For one week, they switch lives. Peter travels to LA to take care of Debbie’s son. Debbie flies to New York to fulfill her educational dream. While temporarily living in each other’s houses, they discover new things about the other person. They also realize that they are in love with one another.

I loved this movie. It is romantic, funny, charming, and the perfect way to relax after a long week. The lead actors have fantastic chemistry and the narrative is pitch-perfect. The cherry on top is that the portrayal of NYC is the way it’s supposed to be. The chaos, the beauty, the people, it’s all there.

My favorite scene is the one in which Debbie has arrived in the city and is walking to Peter’s apartment. He tells her to stop. She is in DUMBO and is standing in front of the bridge. Her mouth drops at the sight. It is one of my favorite places in Brooklyn. Every time I see the bridge framed by the building, my heart stops. No matter how many times I see it, I am awed by its beauty.

Do I recommend it? Absolutely.

Your Place or Mine is available for streaming on Netflix.

Throwback Thursday: Sierra Burgess Is a Loser (2018)

The pyramid that is the social structure of the high school experience is a difficult one. Where one lands sometimes determine how they are treated by their peers.

The 2018 Netflix film, Sierra Burgess Is a Loser is based on Cyrano de Bergerac. Sierra (Shannon Purser) is a band nerd who is looked down on by her classmates. Veronica (Kristine Froseth) is a popular girl who uses Sierra as verbal target practice. In order to avoid speaking to Jamey (Noah Centineo), a football player from another high school, Veronica gives him Sierra’s number.

But Jamey does not know that he is talking not talking to Veronica. Nor does he know that in return for tutoring Veronica, Sierra agrees to continue the conversation. As Jamey and Sierra begin to talk, they develop a connection.

Both girls know that the truth will have to come out eventually. The question is, when will it be brought to light and what will be the consequences?

Though the narrative is built on cliches, there is still room for the story to breathe. This tale has been seen before: the plus-sized protagonist who is smart and determined, but not seen for who they are; the conventionally attractive love interest, and the thin and bitchy antagonist who is basically a Regina George copycat.

It’s cute, funny, and skillfully blends the original text with the high school movie genre.

Do I recommend it? Yes.

Sierra Burgess Is a Loser is available for streaming on Netflix.

Flashback Friday: Queer Eye (2018 to 2021)

One of the myths about gay men is that they are more stylish and culturally aware than the average straight man.

The Netflix show Queer Eye (2018 to 2021) is a reboot of the early aughts reality makeover show of the same name that aired on Bravo. As with its predecessor, five gay guys with expertise in various areas (fashion, food, grooming, culture, and design) helps (mostly) hapless heterosexual males to improve their physical appearance and their lives.

This show is so much fun to watch, mainly because the stars of the program are having fun. As an audience member, I am rooting for that episode’s subject, wishing that they get everything that they want from this experience. It also opens the door to see the LGBTQ community as something more than stereotypes and boogeymen for those with conservative beliefs.

Do I recommend it? Yes.

Women at War Season 1 Review

It is a sad truth universally acknowledged that women are only allowed to step when their men are called away to war.

The first season of the French television series Woman at War was recently released on Netflix. As World War I rages on, four women step up to save their country. Marguerite (Audrey Fleurot) is running from her past. Agnes (Julie De Bona) is a Mother Superior whose convent has been turned into a military hospital. Suzanne (Camille Lou) has the law on her tail. Caroline (Sofia Essaïdi) has been tasked with running the family business while her husband is on the front lines.

Blending personal drama with the compounding effects of a military conflict made for one heck of a story. The writing was fantastic, the actors were pitch-perfect and I was thoroughly drawn into the narrative.

Do I recommend it? Absolutely.

Women at War is available for streaming on Netflix with English subtitles.

Live to Lead Review

A leader is not one who only inspires by words. They act on their beliefs and encourage their followers to do the same.

The new six-part Netflix documentary, Live to Lead, tells the story of six extraordinary individuals whose actions helped to create a better world. Produced by Prince Harry and Meghan Markle, it was inspired by the late Nelson Mandela.

Among those profiled are Greta Thunberg, Ruth Bader Ginsburg, and Siya Kolisi.

I enjoyed the series. It is a reminder that the impossible is possible. It is just a matter of courage, having a spine, and the knowledge that this chosen path will be full of pitfalls and brick walls.

Do I recommend it? Yes.

Live to Lead is available for streaming on Netflix.

Lady Chatterley’s Lover Movie Review

Sometimes, life throws us unexpected curves. What matters is not the curve itself, but how we deal with it.

The new Netflix film, Lady Chatterley’s Lover, is based on the book of the same name by D.H. Lawrence. The starts with the marriage of Constance “Connie” Reid (Emma Corrin) and Sir Clifford Chatterley (Matthew Duckett). It looks like it is going to be a long and fruitful relationship. Then World War I intervenes.

Clifford comes home in a wheelchair. They try to settle into a new normal, but whatever brought them together in the first place is starting to fizzle out. Encouraged by her husband to have an affair in order to extend the family tree, Connie starts sleeping with Oliver Mellors (Jack O’Connell), the estate groundskeeper.

What starts out as a release of pent-up sexual energy turns into something much more. Like all secrets, it eventually comes out. Connie could pretend that it did not happen. The other option is to do what her heart tells her to do and ignore the naysayers.

I’ve never read the book, but I have heard of it. If there was ever a definitive list of banned books, Lady Chatterley’s Lover would surely be at the top. Its frank discussion of sexuality and a woman making her own choices is as relevant now as it was a century ago.

I liked the film. It was well done and well acted. I felt for all of the characters, especially Connie. It is not that Clifford purposefully excluded her, he was just caught up in his own world and forgot to include her.

Do I recommend it? Yes.

Lady Chatterley’s Lover is available for streaming on Netflix.

Best New Television Shows of 2022

1. Obi-Wan Kenobi: The DisneyPlus series answers the question of what happened to Obi-Wan Kenobi (Ewan McGregor) in between the events of Revenge of the Sith (2005) and A New Hope (1977). My favorite part of the series was the introduction of Reva Sevander (Moses Ingram).
2. Anatomy of a Scandal: Based on the Sarah Vaughan book of the same name, this Netflix miniseries follows the investigation of a politician accused of rape.
3. The US and the Holocaust: This Ken Burns multi-part PBS documentary exposes how the United States failed to help the six million Jews who were murdered in the Holocaust.
4. Ridley Road: This PBS/Masterpiece program is based on the book of the same name by Jo Bloom. It tells the story of a young woman of Jewish descent in the 1960s who goes undercover to stop a Neo-Nazi group from destroying the UK.
5. Gaslit: Julia Roberts plays Martha Mitchell in this Starz production that tells the tale of Watergate from Martha’s perspective.
6. Dangerous Liaisons: A sort of prelude Les Liaisons Dangereuses, it started off a bit slow and took a few episodes to get interesting. Unfortunately, Starz canceled it at the end of the first season.
7. The Serpent Queen: Samantha Morton plays the title character in this Starz series about Catherine de Medici. Wow, that is all I have to say.
8. Women of the Movement: This ABC/Hulu miniseries told of the murder of Emmett Till and his mother Mamie’s journey to get justice for her son.
9. Ms. Marvel: A young woman goes from an ordinary teenager to a superhero who saves the world.
10. Andor: The prequel to Rogue One, the series explains how Cassian Andor (Diego Luna) became the rebel leader who led the fight against the Empire.

This will be my last post for 2022. From the bottom of my heart, I thank you for taking time out of your day to read this humble writer’s work. I’ll see you in 2023.