My Top Three This Week
Greetings to all my semi-constant readers. If you are reading this, you have successfully made it through 2020 without losing your mind.Welcome to 2021, here is hoping we can start rebuilding , restoring and renewing our faith in humanity. In the meantime most of us are still homebound for the foreseeable future and we might as well enjoy some new contenders.
1) Bridgerton the newest Netflix Original brought to us from Shondaland (Shonda Rhimes) is a genre buster that defies all expectations. Set in Regency London the story centers around two families - the Bridgertons -Lady Bridgerton and her four sons and four daughters and the Feathertons and their four daughters. The series opens with both families' daughters are being presented to the queen as debutantes and Daphne Bridgerton ( Phoebe Dynevor) has caught the eye of the queen and her handsome overbearing brother Anthony (Jonathan Bailey) is putting a big damper on her love life. In comes the most eligible Duke of Hastings ( the devastatingly handsome Regé-Jean Page ) who hatches a plan with Daphne to benefit them both. In a Gossip Girl,twist an unknown writer by the name of Lady Whistledown has the low-down on everyone and prints a regular TMZ gossip column that has all the folks in a buzz. This is the show we need right now.GREAT MUSIC- ( If you listen closely you will recognize some of today's hits) Such great actors with Bailey, Dynevor and Page and some stunt casting adds Dame Julie Andrews.
2) Soul- streaming on Disney+ is an instant Pixar classic. In the realm of Inside Out , Soul Is a kaleidoscope of color that will appeal to children but the story is pure adult. The tale of a jazz musician who lives and breathes music Joe Gardner (Jamie Fox) is about to get his break when he is accidentally transported out of his body and into the world of new souls who are getting conditioned to be born. He meets 22 (Tina Fey) who refuses to comply with the rules and regulations of this realm and they form a bond and Joe learns what it means to have a soul. This is probably my favorite Pixar movies of late and it is worth rewatching just for the music and screen magic. There are a host of famous voices in this film and it is worth watching over and over.
3) Freaky- now available as a streaming rental is the lovechild of Freaky Friday and Friday the 13th from Blumhouse. A young Millie ( Kathyrn Newton) accidentally does a body swap with a crazed serial killer called the Blissfield Butcher ( Vince Vaughn). Millie finds she has only 24 hours to switch bodies back or it will be a permanent change. Smart dialogue and hilarious bits and jump scares make this a great watch, Vince Vaughn playing a 15 year old teenager is worth the price of the rental.
Bonus: Uncle Frank a Prime Original movie from the very talented Alan Ball (True Blood and Six Feet Under) is the movie everyone needs to see. The film delves into the homophobia that still exists in many parts of the United States. This is a coming of age and a coming out film that will break your heart and make you realize how far we have come and how far we have to go. Paul Bettany as Frank the black sheep in the family who takes a road trip from Manhattan to South Carolina to attend a funeral with his niece Beth and we see the deep bond between the two. Samantha Lillis ( IT, I Am Not Okay With This) is probably one of the best young actresses out today and Bettany is the perfect Frank. Peter Macdissi as Wally his longtime partner is fantastic and the great cast includes Margo Martindale and Steve Zahn, Judy Greer , Lois Smith and Stephen Root.
