Year: 2021

“Goliath” Season 4 (Finale)–Addiction

Written by Diana Paul on October 5, 2021. Posted in movie reviews, Television reviews. 2 Comments on “Goliath” Season 4 (Finale)–Addiction

In this final season of Goliath we again see the still down-and-out “lemon lawyer” Billy McBride (Billy Bob Thornton) take on a giant corporation. This time it is an opioid mega-corporation, Zax Pharmaceuticals, and its billionaire CEO, George Zax (J.K. Simmons). In a fierce and lurid courtroom battle in San Francisco (eerily conjuring the Sackler family and Purdue Pharma in recent headlines), will McBride prevail? Season 4 opens with a flashback to Billy McBride, narrowly escaping death by gunshot. Billy’s mental...

“Nine Perfect Strangers”–A Hot Mess

Written by Diana Paul on September 29, 2021. Posted in Television reviews. 1 Comment on “Nine Perfect Strangers”–A Hot Mess

Nine Perfect Strangers is based on the Liane Moriarty novel by the same name. Starring Nicole Kidman as Masha, a spiritual therapist, she is reputed to heal all wounds of her wealthy clients at her wellness retreat, Tranquillum. Following closely after the release of White Lotus (see my August 17, 2021 review), the same territory is explored: why do uber-rich white people seem so unhappy? There is the damaged novelist (Melissa McCarthy) who just can’t trust anyone. Another has a virulent past of drug addiction (the superb Bobby Cannavale as a physically damaged...

“Sandra Day O’Connor–The First”

Written by Diana Paul on September 20, 2021. Posted in Television reviews, Unhealed Wound. 3 Comments on “Sandra Day O’Connor–The First”

For almost 200 years, the United States Supreme Court was a male bastion. In PBS’s American Experience: “Sandra Day O’Connor: The First” we see Sandra Day O’Connor become the first woman Supreme Court Justice. She is remembered for being the critical swing vote on cases involving this country’s most controversial issues, including race, gender and reproductive rights — and for casting the decisive vote in Bush v. Gore. Her riveting–often unexpected– family and career trajectory are explored in this timely biographical portrait. Born...

“Guilt”–A Hit-and-Run

Written by Diana Paul on September 13, 2021. Posted in movie reviews, Television reviews. No Comments on “Guilt”–A Hit-and-Run

Guilt is a four-episode Masterpiece Theater mini-series, a darkly sinister and acerbic Scottish thriller about two Edinburgh brothers who leave a wedding drunk and eager to get home. We see the elegant lawyer Max (Mark Bonnar of “Shetland”) and his ne’er-do-well younger brother Jake hit an elderly man who steps in front of Max’s car. Jake (Jamie Sives) is driving because Max thinks his brother is less inebriated than he is. Jake wants to report the accident to the police, but Max is concerned about his professional reputation so they agree to cover up...

“Coda”– A Song from the Heart

Written by Diana Paul on September 7, 2021. Posted in movie reviews. No Comments on “Coda”– A Song from the Heart

In this unusual introduction into the Deaf world, Coda features a high school student, Ruby Rossi (British newcomer, Emilia Jones), who is in love with music. Trying out for the choir, she learns that a monumental decision will force her to leave her deaf parents, Frank (Troy Kotsur), and Jackie (Marlee Matlin) and brother Leo (Daniel Durant). As the only hearing member of the family (CODA=Child of Deaf Adults), she is the communicator and interpreter for their struggling fishing business in Gloucester, Massachusetts. How does a hearing child raised by deaf parents acquire...

“The Chair”–Academic Patriarchy

Written by Diana Paul on August 29, 2021. Posted in Television reviews. 4 Comments on “The Chair”–Academic Patriarchy

The Chair, a Netflix series created by Amanda Peet and Annie Wyman, is executive produced by David Benioff and D.B. Weiss, the showrunners for Game of Thrones. This comedy drama startles with unexpected energy. After all, any theme involving university professors promises to be a snooze fest. The opening scene features Professor Ji-Yoon Kim (Sandra Oh) as the newly appointed first female Chair of the English department and the first person of color. On her first day, her office chair collapses, foreshadowing the circumstances soon to overtake her. The English department...