TV Review: Pam & Tommy 1.6 “Pamela in Wonderland” (dir by Hannah Fidell)

Posted on February 24, 2022 by Lisa Marie Bowman

Yes, I’m still reviewing this.

If the earlier episodes of Pam & Tommy seemed to owe a huge debt to the aesthetic of Ryan Murphy, the latest episode feels more indebted to the style of Aaron Sorkin. The entire episode centered around Pam testifying at a deposition. While being asked increasingly intrusive and sexist questions about her career as a model and how she and Tommy came to make the infamous the sex tape, Pam flashed back to her past. We saw how she was discovered at a Canadian Football game and how she eventually ended up up posing for Playboy. Hugh Hefner (played by Mike Seely) showed up, wearing his stupid red robe, and puffing away on his pipe. In typical Sorkin rip-off fashion, the episode featured the attorneys asking a lot of questions and the only person of color to be seen was the unnamed court stenographer whose only line of dialogue was to briefly give Pam some encouragement.

Compared to the other episodes of Pam & Tommy, Pam In Wonderland actually worked fairly well. It helped that it largely focused on Lily James, whose performance as Pam is probably the strongest thing that this show has going for it. This is the second episode in a row not to feature the character of Reed Gauthier and the show was definitely better off without his presence and the attempts to somehow convince us that there’s any reason to portray him as being a sympathetic character. With no Reed and Tommy reduced to appearing in flashbacks, this was the first episode that was fully told from Pam’s point of view and, when the attorneys suggested that Pam was somehow to blame for what had happened because of her past as a model or just the fact that she allowed herself to be filmed in the first place, every woman watching could relate to what Pam was going through because we’ve all heard the same condescending tone and we’ve all been told that somehow, the bad things that happen to us are actually our fault. Lily James did a wonderful job of portraying Pam’s struggle to keep smiling and just get through the worst day of her life. I knew what she was going through. Again, Lily James is the best thing that this show has going for it.

And yet, I have to be honest that I still found myself wondering just what exactly the overall point of the show is. For all of the episode’s strong points, it’s still hard to see why this story needs to be told as an 8-hour miniseries as opposed to a 90-minute film on FX. The first three episodes did a good job of fitting this story into the early days of the Internet and the culture of the late 90s. But the subsequent episodes haven’t added much to that initial impression. It’s also worth noting that Pam herself has repeatedly distanced herself from the program and said, even before the show started shooting, that she didn’t want anything to do with it. One could argue that, as a show, Pam & Tommy is as intrusive and exploitive as the attorneys at the disposition. With each new episode, it become difficult to deny that this is a show that seeks to exploit the very same thing that it claims to be condemning.

One final thought on this episode and culture in general: how did people not realize that Hugh Hefner was creepy as Hell before he died? Today, of course, A&E is airing an entire TV series dedicated to exploring what an asshole Hugh Hefner actually was. But, just 11 years ago, Hefner was still being portrayed as some lovable old lothario in a sailor’s cap. NBC even tried to air a Mad Men-style show about how great life was at The Playboy Club. Remember that? Creepy old Hef even provided the narration at the start of the first episode. Last night’s episode of Pam & Tommy presented Hef as being essentially a benevolent (if manipulative) father figure. It felt oddly tone deaf, though that may indeed be how Pam herself saw the old man.

Seriously, though …. did no one ever tell him how stupid he looked in those red pajamas?

Film Review: Fistful of Vengeance (dir by Roel Reiné)

Posted on February 22, 2022 by Lisa Marie Bowman

I just finished watching Fistful of Vengeance on Netflix. The film has a running time of 95 minutes and I have to admit that I spent a good deal of the film in a state of confusion. While some of that was undoubtedly due to my ADD, there are two other factors to consider:

First off, Fistful of Vengeance is based on a show called Wu Assassins. (Wu Assassins is also available on Netflix.) The movie takes place immediately after the end of the show’s first season. At this point, I should go ahead and admit that I have never seen the show. The movie does start with a quick recap of who everyone is and why they’re running around the world and fighting supernatural warriors and, from what I’ve read, the film itself is meant to be stand-alone work of entertainment. That said, I’m sure it can be argued that my lack of knowledge of Wu Assassins effected my ability to actually follow the plot of Fistful of Vengeance. If you’re a fan of the show, you should probably just watch the movie and ignore my review.

The second thing to consider about Fistful of Vengeance is that the plot really didn’t matter. Yes, there’s a lot of people conspiring against each other. Yes, there’s a lot of talk of talismans and spirits and monsters and ancient powers. And, yes, there’s international cartels and magical warriors. There’s a mystery to be solved, as Tommy (Lawrence Kao) and his friends try to track down the person or persons responsible for the death of Tommy’s sister. New allies are found and a few surprisingly enthusiastic sex scenes are staged. Enemies are fought and I assume that there’s a reason for it all. However, when watching the film, it soon becomes obvious that all of that plot is just there as an excuse for the action and the glossy images. Fistful of Vengeance is not plot-driven. Instead, Fistful of Vengeance is driven by style.

And you know what?

There’s not a damn thing wrong with that.

Seriously, you don’t watch a film like this because you’re searching for the meaning of life or because you’re hoping for some form of greater enlightenment. You watch a movie like Fistful of Vengeance because you want to see good-looking people wearing nice clothes and kicking ass. One fight follows another and all you really need to know is that you want Kai Jin (played by action specialist Iko Uwais), Tommy, and their team to win. You don’t really need to know who they’re fighting or why they’re fighting. Instead, the appeal is watching the artistry of the kicks and the punches and the tossing of weapons. Add in some monsters and some magical powers and a nice propulsive soundtrack and the movie pretty much has everything that an audience needs to be entertained. It’s a big, glossy, colorful, and rather silly movie. I had no idea what was going on for most of it but I still found myself watching. It’s fun, it’s entertaining, and it really doesn’t demand much. It’s not really a film that’s going to stick with you but watching it is also not terrible way to spend 95 minutes of your day.

Music Video of the Day: High by The Chainsmokers (2022, dir by Kid. Studio)

Posted on February 22, 2022 by Lisa Marie Bowman

I have a long-standing fear of heights so the video for this song kind of freaks me out.

Whenever I’m on a plane, I find myself wondering what would happen if I somehow found myself plunging through the clouds. I would hope that I would achieve a state of grace during the experience but …. well, it probably wouldn’t happen. I’ve seen any number of shows that featured people skydiving. Usually, it’s presented as being this great experience but it’s definitely something that I could go without.

James Bond, I will say, was a good sky driver. Seriously, Bond could do just about anything back in the day. That was before he got all whiny. Oh well.

Don’t fall out of planes, everyone. D.B. Cooper was a cool guy and he made a lot of money but he’s not a role model that one needs to emulate.

Enjoy!

Why? You only say you love me when you’re high
It’s like we go through the same shit every night
Oh why, oh why?
You always swear that it’s gonna change, but it never does
Why? You’ll only say you love me when you’re high
It’s like we go through the same shit every night
Oh why, oh why?
You always swear that shit’s gonna change, but it never does

Tell me that you’re gonna change
Then act like this instead
I’m too old to want somebody who’s always switching up their friends
I can’t make you love me but at least you could pretend
Scripts gonna leads to fifths until I’m fucked out of my head
You play the same old songs I know that you’re different in your Air Force Ones
Filling my prescription I could bite your tongue
Like I got an addiction yeah
You always say this shit’s gonna change, but it never does

I know it’s my fault I pick up your phone call
When it’s half past one and you’re halfway drunk
You say you love me and it sounds so dumb
But you’re the only one I can run away from the same old songs
I know that you’re different in your Air Force Ones
Filling my prescription I could bite your tongue
Like I got an addiction yeah
You always say this shit’s gonna change, but it never does

Film Review: Swan Song (dir by Todd Stephens)

Posted on February 21, 2022 by Lisa Marie Bowman

Once upon a time, Pat Pitsenbarger (Udo Kier) was one of the most important citizens of Sandusky, Ohio. He was the town’s leading hairdresser. He was the man who the wealthy trusted with their appearance. When he wasn’t cutting hair, he performed drag as Ms. Pat and when he wasn’t cutting or performing, he built a nice home with his partner. He often remembers the two of them working in the garden.

All of that is in the past, though. Pat’s partner died years ago and Pat was reminded of his place in the community when some of his wealthiest clients didn’t even bother to come to the funeral. Pat lost his business. He lost his home. He’s spent the past decade or so living in a nursing home. Pat may be the best-groomed and best-spoken resident of the nursing home but he’s still definitely a man who is waiting for death.

One day, a lawyer shows up at the home and informs Pat that one of his most faithful clients, Rita Parker Sloan (played by Linda Evans), has died. Rita had one last request. She wanted Pat to do her hair and makeup for the funeral. At first, Pat is hesitant. His memories of Rita are not particularly pleasant. But finally, he decides to do it. He escapes from the nursing home and starts to walk to the funeral home. To do Rita’s makeup, he’s going to need supplies, some of which haven’t even been existed since the 80s. Unfortunately, he has no money and, as he soon discovers, his old home no longer exists either. The world has changed.

As quickly becomes clear, there’s more to Pat’s journey than just wanting a final chance to do Rita’s hair. As he walks through the town, he tries to reconnect with his past, just to discover that much of his past has been torn down. His old beauty shop is under different management. His old house has been torn down. Few people seem to remember or recognize him. One of the few people who does remember Pat is his former protégé, Dee Dee (Jennifer Coolidge), who now basically hates his guts. Meanwhile, Rita waits in the funeral home, her hair and makeup a mess.

Released last year, Swan Song is an imperfect but ultimately touching movie. The shadow of death hangs over almost every scene. It’s not just that Pat is doing one last favor for the deceased Rita. Nor is it just that Pat is haunted by memories of his dead partner. (The scene where Pat visits his grave is one of the most effective in the movie, thanks to Kier’s heartfelt performance.) It’s the fact that Pat himself knows that he’s getting older and he only has a certain amount of time left. His walk across Sandusky is not just about traveling to the funeral home. It’s also his final chance to see the world, remember the past, and experience how things have changed (or not changed as the case may be). The journey is about Pat coming to terms with his anger, his sadness, and his past. It’s also about Pat’s desire to go out the same way that he’s always lived, on his own terms.

As I said, it’s not a perfect film. There are a few scenes that threaten to get a bit mawkish. But even the most overwritten scenes are saved by the brilliant lead performance of Udo Kier, who gives a wonderfully complex performance as Pat. Since the 70s, Kier has been a mainstay in European exploitation cinema. He stared in Flesh For Frankenstein and Blood For Dracula. He had key supporting roles in two Dario Argento films. He appeared in art films, horror films, dramas, comedies, and thrillers. He’s appeared in blockbusters and small indie films. At times, it can seem like Kier is one of those actors who basically accepts anything that’s offered to him, regardless of whether the material is worthy of his talents or not. Kier has appeared in good films and bad and, perhaps because he’s been such a ubiquitous cinematic presence, he’s often been unfairly taken for granted as an actor. In Swan Song, Udo Kier gives one of his best performances as the sometimes brutally snarky but ultimately kind-hearted Pat Pitsenbarger. If for no other reason, watch this movie to appreciate the often underrated talent of Udo Kier. A lesser actor would have turned Pat into a cliché. Udo Kier transforms Pat into a complex and rather heart-breaking character.

Swan Song is currently streaming on Hulu.

Scenes That I Love: Jack Nicholson’s Freeway Performance in Bob Rafelson’s Five Easy Pieces

Posted on February 21, 2022 by Lisa Marie Bowman

Today, the Shattered Lens wishes a happy 89th birthday to Bob Rafelson, who was one of the first directors to not only truly recognize the genius of Jack Nicholson but also one of the co-creators of the Monkees. (In fact, Rafelson brought the Monkees and Nicholson together when he made his directorial debut with 1968’s Head. The Monkees starred in the film while Nicholson wrote the script.) After getting his start on television, Rafelson became one of the leading figures of the Hollywood counterculture that came to power in the late 60s and the early 70s and a business partner of producer Bert Schneider, Rafelson also played a role in the creation of such classic films as Easy Rider, The Last Picture Show, and Hearts and Minds. Like Nicholson, Rafelson was never a hippie. Instead, his vision was closer to the vision of Jack Kerouac and Neal Cassady. Rafelson and Nicholson brought the sensibility of the Beat Generation to Hollywood and, for a while at least, they changed the face of American culture.

In honor of Bob Rafelson’s birthday, today’s scene that I love comes from his 1970 film, Five Easy Pieces. In this Oscar-nominated film, Jack Nicholson plays Bobby Dupea. Born to a wealthy and music-obsessed family, Bobby currently works in an oil field and is alternatively angry, cynical, and idealistic. (That both the main character and the director shared the same first name is probably not a coincidence as Rafelson also came from an artistic family. Though many of Bobby’s famous outbursts — especially the famous one involving a chicken sandwich — were based on things that had actually happened to Nicholson, the character was equally based on Rafelson.) After Jack Nicholson’s Oscar-nominated turn in Easy Rider, Five Easy Pieces featured Nicholson playing the type of role for which he would be best-known in the 70s, the wayward rebel who must choose between being a part of society or being forever an outcast.

In this scene, Bobby and his oilfield co-worker find themselves stuck in a traffic jam. Bobby gets a chance to show off both his temper and his talent. It’s a great scene and Nicholson gives such a strong performance that it’s only later that you realize that Bobby’s anger didn’t really accomplish much. That was a recurring theme in Nicholson’s early films. With this scene, Bob Rafelson captures both a man and a country in conflict.

Five Easy Pieces would be nominated for Best Picture, though it would lose to Patton. After his supporting nomination for Easy Rider, Nicholson received his first best actor nomination for this role here. (Again, Patton triumphed, though George C. Scott famously refused to accept his Oscar.) Sadly, Bob Rafelson was not nominated for Best Director.

Equally sadly, Rafelson’s subsequent films received mixed reviews (though most have been positively reevaluated in recent years) and struggled at the box office. With Hollywood becoming more concerned with finding the next blockbuster than producing films about existential wanderlust, Rafelson often struggled to bring his vision to the screen. He hasn’t directed a film since 2002’s No Good Deed. However, his work lives on amongst serious film students and historians of the 70s. If any director’s work is worthy of rediscovery and reevaluation, it’s Bob Rafelson’s.

Music Video of the Day: My Way by Frank Sinatra (1974, dir by ????)

Posted on February 21, 2022 by Lisa Marie Bowman

This was filmed at Madison Square Garden, back in 1974. I’m sharing this on Presidents Day because I’m sure this is the song that most presidents would probably sing while being kicked out of the White House. We really should consider using My Way as the new national anthem.

Enjoy!

Music Video of the Day: Oddities and Prodigies by Caroline Romano (2022, dir by Justin Key)

Posted on February 20, 2022 by Lisa Marie Bowman

This music video reminds me of many a country night.

Enjoy!

I’ve got a habit
Of loving the tragic
There’s a
Hole in my jacket
But I. don’t. care.

It’s 3 am and I can’t sleep
And you’ll find me running down the street
With tears in my eyes
But I’m alright
Because I’m alive
And I love it

My teachers never understand
Why I make all these impossible plans

And I fall apart
And I love it

But that’s just who I am
Say what you want
Cause I don’t give damn
So baby
Call me when I’m dead
You say they dropped me on my head
But i think you must be misled cause
Oddities and Prodigies
Go hand in hand

This isn’t something they teach in school
And I’m not tryna start a trend
A revolutionary war
When I hear the record spin

I feel so bloody beautiful
When I’m lying on the floor

Cause that’s just who I am
Say what you want
Cause I don’t give damn
So baby
Call me when I’m dead
You say they dropped me on my head
But i think you must be misled cause
Oddities and Prodigies
Go hand in hand

What will books say about me
What will my friends say about me
What will my mom say about me
What will you say about me
What will books say about me
What will my friends say about me
What will my mom say about me
What will I say about me

But that’s just who I am
Say what you want
Cause I don’t give damn (extended)
So baby
Call me when I’m dead
You say they dropped me on my head
But i think you must be misled cause
Oddities and Prodigies
Go hand in hand

Lisa Marie’s Week In Television — 2/13/22 — 2/19/22

Posted on February 19, 2022 by Lisa Marie Bowman

This week stated with my watching the Super Bowl, which I imagine will be the last football game that I ever pay attention to in my life. (Seriously, football’s depressing. I hate it when the losing team starts crying.) It’s ending with my thoroughly disgusted by the Olympic Games. This has not been a great week for sporting events. Except, of course, for karate. I finally watched the fourth season of Cobra Kai. Miyagi Fang is definitely the philosophy to follow.

Anyway, here’s what I watched this week:

Allo Allo (Sunday Night, PBS)

An odd episode. Having stolen several bars of Gold from the Germans, Rene hid the gold in his cuckoo clock, which led to the clock making a weird noise every few minute but, for some reason, no one but Rene ever seemed to notice. Somehow, this led to Rene and his staff disguising themselves as a musical group so that they could infiltrate the general’s chateau and search for the stolen painting, as well as the famous Enigma machine which, if smuggled out of France, would give the British the ability to translate Germany’s secret code. Eventually, Crabtree sang a song in his mangled version of French. This was silly humor that I could appreciate.

The Amazing Race (Wednesday Night, CBS)

I wrote about the latest episode of The Amazing Race here! We’re down to the top four now. Somehow, Arun and Natalia have survived. This has been a weird season because of the COVID lockdowns and a few really strong teams were forced to drop out of the race. As a result, Kim & Penn have pretty much dominated things, despite neither one having much of a personality. I have a feeling this will continue through the finale.

Celebrity Big Brother (CBS and Paramount Plus)

I wrote about Celebrity Big Brother over at the Big Brother Blog. Celebrity Big Brother is almost over and, to be honest, I won’t miss it.

Cobra Kai (Netflix)

On Tuesday night, Jeff and I finally got a chance to start in on season 4 of Cobra Kai. We watched the first three episodes of the season and we were both immediately sucked back into the hyperemotional and somewhat silly, yet always affecting world of Cobra Kai. My heart broke for Kenny, the new kid who found himself being bullied by Daniel’s son and I was worried when I saw that Kenny was being drawn towards the Cobra Kai dojo. I enjoyed Thomas Ian Griffith’s surprisingly contemplative performance as Terry Silver and his explanation that his over-the-top behavior in Karate Kid III was due to a cocaine addiction. (Really, it’s the only explanation that makes sense.) I enjoyed the complex portrayals of characters like Robby and Torry. And, of course, I loved the uneasy friendship of Johnny Lawrence and Daniel LaRusso.

We watched the next three episodes on Wednesday. Terry confronted Daniel! Daniel and Johnny fought to a draw! The Karate tournament changed their rules! Johnny returned to his old high school and creeped out the entire track team! It was all good. I liked the fact that Cobra Kai embraces both the silliness of the later Karate Kid films while also managing to sneak in some truly touching moments. The show manages to maintain an almost perfect balance between satire and drama.

We watched episode 7 and 8 on Thursday. Daniel learned that his son was a bully and Kenny learned how to take advantage of his opponent’s overconfidence. This was followed by the return of Paul Walter Hauser’s Stingray, who attempted to rejoin Cobra Kai and eventually ended up getting beaten up by Terry Silver for his trouble. The school held their prom, Johnny and Carmen revealed their relationship to Miguel, and Robby and Torry got to show off their dance moves!

Early Saturday morning, we watched the final two episodes of the 4th season of Cobra Kai. The All-Valley Tournament dominated both episodes, with Johnny and Daniel making peace, Robby realizing that the Cobra Kai way was not his way, Miguel leaving to find his father, and Torry winning a fixed match against Sam. In the end, Terry framed Kreese for beating up Stingray. Kreese was taken to prison while Daniel realized that he would have to go against his promise to abandon Miyagi Do (or Miyagi Fang as it was renamed during the tournament) if he was going to stop Cobra Kai. It was an exciting conclusion, full of drama, tears, and some enjoyable self-parody. Bring on season 5!

King of the Hill (Weekday Afternoon, FXX)

I watched a few episodes on Tuesday afternoon. Joseph was recruited by a private school and Dale nearly had to fake his death to get out of a financial debt. (This happened quite frequently with Dale). Peggy had a memorable birthday party on train. This was followed by one of my favorite episodes, the one in which Hank accidentally stole a man’s wallet and the man interpreted Hank’s efforts to return it as being Hank threatening him. (At the same time this was going on, Dale found himself working at the show’s version of Hooter’s. Dale had applied for a job, expecting to be turned down because he was a skinny, bald guy. Dale figured he could then sue the restaurant. The restaurant’s manager decided to call his bluff.) This was followed by Hank getting scared by a bat hanging out in his garage, Louanne’s father returning from the oil rig (which, it turned out, was actually federal prison), and Bill finding himself temporarily confined to a wheelchair.

King of the Hill was a good show, though I’m biased because the show is based on my hometown and it’s all about Texas. A part of me does worry about the proposed revival, just because I don’t know if I’m prepared to hear what Hank thinks of twitter. If there is a revival, they better give Boomhauer a podcast.

Inventing Anna (Netflix)

Starring Anna Chlumsky and Julia Garner, Inventing Anna is a limited series about Anna Delvey, a Russian con artist who managed to fool some of the leading members of New York high society. Julia Garner plays Anna while Anna Chlumsky plays a fictionalized version of the reporter who interviewed Anna during her trial.

I watched the first two episodes on Thursday. From the minute I saw the Shondaland logo, I knew what I was getting into. The first two episodes were occasionally intriguing but largely superficial, with no consistent tone and too many superfluous scenes. Julia Garner gave a good performance as Anna, though, smirking her way through the interview and intentionally changing up her accent in order to keep everyone off-balance.

The Office (All week, Comedy Central)

On Saturday afternoon, I rewatched The Michael Scott Paper Company arc. I loved Pam trying to establish an identity outside of answering the phones at Dunder Mifflin, Jim trying to play soccer and Michael unsuccessfully trying to convince his grandmother to invest in his company. It’s kind of unfortunate that Pam turned out to be terrible at sales but I could relate. I doubt I could sell paper either. I’m stunned that anyone on The Office was able to make a career out of it.

Open All Hours (Sunday Night, PBS)

Granville shot a man just to watch him die. Arkwright was too busy pining for Nurse Gladys Emmnauel to notice.

Pam and Tommy (Hulu)

Pam and Tommy is one Nathan Lane cameo away from turning into a Ryan Murphy production. I wrote about the latest episode here.

Silk Stalkings (Tubi)

On Monday morning, I got back to binging Silk Stalkings on Tubi. Though I hadn’t really been keeping track up until this week, a quick check with Wikipedia confirmed that I am currently watching episodes from the second season of the show. There’s 8 seasons in total so I’ve still got quite a bit to watch as far as this stylish and enjoyably silly series is concerned.

Anyway, the first episode that I watched on Monday was called Scorpio Killer. I’m a Scorpio so I appreciated the title! The show dealt with a man who murdered his mistress’s husband. It was a fun episode. The thing I like about Chris and Rita is, as played by Rob Estes and Mitzi Kapture, they seemed to be aware that they were characters in a somewhat sordid television series and, as such, they never had any problem winking at their audience and basically saying, “Can you believe this plot?” This was followed by an episode in which Chris and Rita investigated the death of a tennis pro’s stepfather. It featured a lot of slow motion tennis action and overheated locker room talk.

On Tuesday, I got things started with an episode in which Chris and Rita investigated a murder that occurred at a rather tacky beauty pageant. They solved the case but the highlight of the show was Rita’s attempts to buy fish for her aquarium. Needless to say, Chis was convinced that all of Rita’s fish were going to die and Chris was probably right since the aquarium was nowhere to be seen during the next episode. That episode found Chris and Rita investigating a murder that was connected to a high-profile divorce. It was a typical Chris-and-Rita-Smirk-At-Dumb-Rich-People episode. Seriously, don’t commit a murder in Palm Springs because Chris and Rita will definitely judge you.

On Thursday, I started off with a pretty good episode called Jasmine. Directed by Rob Estes, Jasmine featured Rita investigating a decades-old cold case and having plenty of surreal dreams in the process. Of course, the main reason Rita was investigating the case was to help her deal with the guilt that she felt after the murder of one of her friends. It was a well-directed episode and also well-acted by Mitzi Kapture. The next episode was an enjoyably trashy one, in which Chris and Rita tracked down a cocky teenager who was seducing both his classmates and their stepmothers.

Silk Stalking is a lot of fun. I like forward to continuing the binge next week.

Super Bowl (Sunday Night, NBC)

The Super Bowl? Does anyone remember the Super Bowl? It was played last Sunday and …. well, someone won. I don’t remember who won. I watched it for the commercials, which kind of disappointed me this year.

Super Bowl Pre-Show (Sunday Afternoon, NBC)

Yes, I even watched the big show before the game, just in case they showed any interesting commercials. They didn’t but it was still kind of nice to see how excited everyone was before the game started. I don’t know if it was really necessary to include an interview with President Biden, though. That gave the whole thing kind of a weird feel. Like why do we need the President’s permission to enjoy the game? At least he didn’t do that creepy whispering thing.

The Winter Games (All Week, Every Channel)

On Sunday morning, as I got ready for a day of watching Super Bowl commercials, I watched a bit of NBC’s coverage of the games. It was a little bit of skiing with some speed skating and some figure skating tossed in as well. I didn’t really pay that much attention.

On Wednesday night, I watched the USA take on Canada in hockey. Usually, when it comes to hockey, I support Canada because I know hockey is an important part of Canadian culture. This year, I was Team USA because Justin Trudeau annoys me. Canada still won, though, so I guess my cheering powers were not as powerful as I thought they were.

On Thursday night, I watched some skiing and then I watched the figure skating, which has been quite controversial this year. What I saw pretty much turned me off of watching any more of the Beijing Games. Though I didn’t agree with the decision to let her skate, I still felt bad for Kamila Valieva, the Russian skater who has essentially been villainized due to doping allegations. No one should be put under that type of pressure and scrutiny when they’re only 15 years old, especially when it’s quite probable that any drugs that she took were forced on her by the adults who are supposed to be looking out for her best interests. Not surprisingly, given all the stress she was under, Kamila did not do as well as she had done in the past. She ended up finishing in fourth place and started crying. This, of course, overshadowed the accomplishments of the talented women who did win medals but what really struck me was that none of the members of Kamila’s coaching entourage — the people who should have been acting as her “support team” — appears to offer any words of comfort or encouragement. (Later, I learned that her coach had demanded to know, “Why did you give up!?”) And we wonder why so many young athletes burn themselves out or grow up to have personal troubles once they can no longer compete. Meanwhile, the skater who came in second screamed in anger over having to settle for a silver medal while the gold medal winner sat alone, holding a teddy bear. It was not one of the better moments of the Winter Games. In fact, it was so disturbing to watch that it pretty much turned me off of the idea of watching what little was left of the Olympics.

Music Video of the Day: Voyage by Theodore (2022, dir by Ioannis Nikiforos)

Posted on February 19, 2022 by Lisa Marie Bowman

Enjoy this voyage!

Documentary Review: Downfall: The Case Against Boening (dir by Rory Kennedy)

Posted on February 18, 2022 by Lisa Marie Bowman

On October 29th, 2018, Lion Air Flight 610 crashed into the Java sea, killing all 187 passengers and crew. It was the first accident to involve the Boeing 737 Max series of aircraft and it was also one of the first major air disasters after a period of relative safety in the sky.

A few months later, on March 10th, 2019, Ethiopian Airlines Flight 302 crashed juts six minute after taking off. All 157 passengers and crew were killed. Like the Lion Air flight, the plane was a Boeing 737 Max.

At the time, Boeing insinuated that pilot error was to blame for both crashes but several investigations revealed that Boeing, which previously had a reputation for being one of the most safety-conscious companies around, cut corners when it came to the 737 Max series. In order to cut costs, not all safety protocols were followed. As a result, many concluded that the 737 Max jets should never have been approved for service to begin with. After a lengthy congressional hearing, Boeing CEO Dennis Mullenburg stepped down as a result of the scandal. Despite the fact that over 300 people had been killed in the two crashes and the fact that he left the company in shambles, Mullenburg left Boeing with a 62 million dollar severance.

That’s the story that’s told in the new Netflix documentary Downfall: The Case Against Boeing. It’s the type of thing that will and should leave you outraged. Due to the company’s negligence, over 300 people are dead and their families and friends have been left behind to mourn their loss. Boeing, at first, blamed the pilots, with the implication being that Indonesian and Ethiopian pilots just weren’t as good as their western counterparts. When the inevitable investigation was launched into just what exactly was going on over at Boeing, the company was less than forthcoming. There’s a lot to be angry about and the majority of the people who watch the documentary will be angry.

That said, the actual documentary itself is typical of a lot of the docs that turn up on the streaming services. It deals with an important subject but it does so in a rather superficial manner. It brings up the relevant issues but it doesn’t actually bother to dig too deeply into them. “Wow, this is really messed up, right?” the documentary seems to be saying and yes, it is messed up. But, at the same time, Downfall doesn’t really explore how it came to be so messed up or what can be done to make it less messed up. Instead, there’s a lot of archival news reports and enough footage of U.S. Rep. Peter DeFazio grilling the Boeing executives that the documentary could pass for a campaign commercial if not for the fact that DeFazio is retiring at the end of his current term. Aesthetically, the documentary feels more like an extended episode of Dateline or 60 Minutes than an actual examination as to just what exactly was going on at Boeing. As far as documentaries directed by Kennedys are concerned, Rory Kennedy’s public service docs are certainly preferable to the anti-vax nonsense pushed out by RFK, Jr. (Rory, it should be noted, is pro-vaccination and has publicly condemned her brother’s anti-vax activities.) But still, it’s hard not to wish that Downfall had dug just a little deeper.