Crime 101-Winner of the newly created wholesome movie award

Mark Ruffalo seems to love playing those near retirement types that are equipped with brains and endurance. This show movie does not leave him out. Then there is the troubled Halle Berry. Clearly aging and struggling to get a decent night of sleep. Working hard to rise in rank in an office that is clearly not reading her memos. 

There is a hilarious scene when she is talking to one of those super rich clients and trying her best to close the deal. The eccentric host throws her eveything and the kitchen sink even asking her to try a traget with w pisyol right from a window in his living room. And ofcourse there is the token gardener who is asked to move out of the way for what seems to be a regular routine. In her effort to impress the client she fumbles by calling his girlfriend his daughter! 

After she realises that she is being undervalued by her boses, she finally decides to partner with an ethical and calculating thief. 

Enter our protagonist whose patterns attract the attention of a meticulous detective. In a casual conversation with the 53 year old insurance agent he comes up with a strategy to try and identify patterns in the activities of this benevolent thief. 

On the other side of this tale there is a father figure (Nick Nolte)…if we can call him that who works with Mike (Helmsworth). The tension is pulpable as the two talk and it is clear Mike wants out. Money will have none of this and identifies a younger more reckless crook to try to find out what James is working on so that they can beat him to his score. 

The ending and the development of the story is just so wholesome, it had me laughing and smiling all through. 

Protector-A look into the world of trafficking

 

The Actress who has made a name for herself in the Resident Evil franchise makes an impressive entrance into another role this time also having some involvement behind the scenes. 

There is a play on the usual tale of heroes who kick ass having fought in several battles. This is different in that you are allowed to actually see her in action with failures and victories all mixed in. 

She is serving her country and trying to raise a daughter. Unfortunately she loses her husband and is forced to retire from the service. The guilt ridden mothet must navigate motherhood and the single life. The close relationship she managed to maintain with her daughter is quite strained but she is doing her best. 

As fate would have it, the two have a bit of a fallout. The young girl wants to be allowed to be free while the mother is busy trying to make up for lost time. While wounds are still fresh from some argument, mum discovers she has gone out with some friends. 

On her birthday she is dared to talk to a good looking guy and this is where this go awry. A drug is slipped into her drink and she walks out with this stranger. 

Fortunately her mum is not too far and barely manages to catch a glimpse of the man walking away with his daughter. 

A frantic chase begins and the proverbial beast is released. The rest of the show is a walk through her life as she single handedly demolishes a trafficking ring eliminating one by one until she faces a final confrontation with the man on top. 

As can be expected there is an over enthusiastic cop who refuses to accept the truth and as well as the counsel of an army general who urges him to tread carefully. 

You get Rambo vibes from this part (where another general shows up to warn a sherrif about who he is dealing with). 

All i can say is there is quite a twist at the end that had me wondering just what i had watched. This one definately gets a thumbs up from me. 

The Broken-Borrow from folklore

 

I really like it when film takes an idea that many would deem to be an old wives tale bringing it right into the screen. 

There are those who believe that broken mirrors are not a good sign…others still believe that mirrors are a portal into another world. So when the somewhat normal family settles into their home one evening for a fairly normal day, you know something has gone wrong when out of nowhere the mirror in the dining room shatters. 

Oh this is the start of quite an adventure. Although I am not certain if the show deserves to be called Sci-Fi, it definitely fits into the horror genre. 

There are broken mirrors everywhere and what appears to be an invasion of some sort that seems to make use of mirrors. I braved certain parts of the show until we are taken to the other side of the mirror and up to the point where suspicious characters appear right behind the main characters in the mirror. 

To say that I was able to come to a logical conclusion after the movie would be a stretch. It is not clear who the villain is and if there are an endless number of bad people. It is still not clear whether the others are trying to take over and just how many they are. There are clues however. 

When a doctor who was once critical of an X-ray seems to be fine with the results this time around, you become increasingly aware that the game has changed and someone evil is now in change. 

The frustrating thing about these types of shows is just how far away everyone seems to be from the law and its enforcement officers. This creates a feeling of helplessness and both for those who are stuck in the film and those who are invited in to serve as adjudicators. 

Man in Full-A festival of Americanisms

I have so much respect for scripture writers as well as those who are in charge of selecting the cast. This is the first time I have watched a series twice and I can tell you i have no regrets. 

The aging and stubborn protagonist shrewd in business and devoid of any sought if emotion. Bent on letting the whole world know that it depends on him…but sensitive enough not to spare any resources in rescuing one of his subordinates. In his orbit are a few African Americans…yes the story does not stop short of letting you know that you are in the southern states. There is the lawyer who is at the top of the so called food chain. He is relatively set in life but dying to stretch his wings and fly. Then there is the professional driver. He does his job well and knows his boss. He is respectful and knows the ins and outs of the business. His job is simple get him to and fro and fill in the blanks where necessary. Then there is his secretary’s husband faithful, loyal and hardworking but also stuck in that dreary nine to five. As fate will have it he will meet the law in the south in quite a confrontational way and the same forces he does not trust will clash. Then there is peepgrass…what a name (Tom Pelphrey) ! He comes complete with large spectacles, Wig-like hairdo and a frustrated face that just wants a break. While the boss seems to like him and has even adopted an affectionate name for him, he is discontent and keen to rise from his position of eternal servitude.

Then there is the wife…used to be bride (played by Diane Lane who looks so much like Jennifer Lopez) who has parted ways with the protagonist but who may end up being his salvation. Lucy Lui plays the role of faithful friend (Joyce) whose life seems to have taken her to the heights of the fashion and modeling world face plastered across a few posters in the city urging the masses to buy buy buy. Her role is simple to keep encouraging the former wife to keep her head high and to realize that her former beau is nothing without her. All this while she negotiates the rough journey of aging and keeping up with the young ones slim and trim and ready to please. She is introduced to us in a gym taking instructions from a typical instructor attitude rich barking commands to a host of young ladies Mrs. former somebody in tow. 

Peepgrass the disgruntled employee will prove invaluable in this tale as he interacts with the enemy feeding them morsels of truth about their foe. Then there is the accountant who comes with an agenda. Pants held high by struggling suspenders yet needing nothing to support his ambition and determination to bring the protagonist down. 

The rich cast of lawyers, board members and side kicks (one of whom in an act of desperation forgets his place in the totem pole) make for a rich tapestry of characters that will keep you longing for more. The dialogue between peepgrass and his Finnish lady is rich in rolling on the ground humor and the choice of actress is beyond amazing. 

Long Walk-A glimpse into a dystopian future.

Dystopia

This film offers an interesting take on a dystopian future. I must admit if you see little or no hope in the coming days, or if your natural tendency is to predict decline after so much of a rise, these types of movies and shows will appeal to you. How do people see their world after natural disasters, wars (especially those of a nuclear nature) and epidemics? This is an exploration of the second case.

A war-ravaged America seeks to inject a dose of Hope into its citizenry through a competition that has the young participants walk a long distance where only one can win the prize of money and one wish. 

Casting

The choice of actors is also amazing. The variety of characters and the role each plays in the bigger picture is worth exploring. 

The standout person for me is Southerner complete with brawl although the depth of blackness is rather suspect. He feels a lot more South Sudanese which might turn out to be a perfect portrayal. Many not all of the young people in South Sudan have gone through some sort of perilous migration through desert-like landscapes ridden with wild creatures mainly to better lives in Kenya or Uganda. 

Then there is the super focused, angry and triggering young long haired lad who takes great delight in angering his mates in the race. This could end up being tragic for him and those who happen to fall under his gaze or grip. 

If you think the production is about a simple long distance walk, you are wrong. The dialogue and the friendships, alliances and more that are created through the walk present for a great story. 

Streaming in bleakness

The fact that even in this grim time in the future, the whole event is being streamed also makes for interesting viewing. The use of mandane yet necessary tasks such as the natural call to nature adds another layer to this complex movie. 

While the contestants struggle through the competition it is easy to identify with some if not all of those involved. You get the sense that the show is giving you a slice of American social life at least bits and pieces of the cultures as they exist in the land of promise. 

The Common Thread of banned books

A Japanese American, an African American, A Writer, A geek with a weird sense of humor and one from original nations. 

Akin to quite a few shows that focus on America’s dystopian future, you learn of a time when the study of previously notable philosophical works is forbidden in its place is a set of laws that favor the flawed system and keep it firmly in place. 

Task- Snickerdoodle@yahoo.com and emotional Eater

If there is any show that helped lend credence and meaning to the value of the struggle against injustice and the interconnectedness of everything including the possibility of rot in our justice systems, Prison Break is it. How one brother examines the state of things and determines he must be incarcerated to rescue his brother and how season after season those who have known themselves to be on the right side of the law must bend the same to redeem themselves and how others both innocent and not so innocent struggle to make the best of their lives outside the system. 

I have a feeling at least as far as this first showing has gone, Task also is dealing with the same challenges. 

An aged agent Tom Brandis formerly a priest finds himself at the helm of a rag tag group of recruits trying to solve a spate random looking robberies in a small town. That is not enough though, he must also confront a few challenges on the home front regarding his fractured or splitting family. He does this while at the same time struggling with the almighty bottle. 

Then there is the unimposing garbage man who uses his job as an opportunity to stake out who is doing what in the neighborhood so that he can fuel his need for cash and a better life for his family. Is he in over his head is the questions we will find ourselves asking as he deals with biker gangs with their no uncompromising hierarchical manic devotion to their cause. Add in a few crooked cops and a history of coverups and you have yourself some interesting entertainment. There are questions about loyalty, trust, brotherhood, friendship, hate, betrayal and hope with additional gems of wisdom about life and the preservations of memory. The story reeks of an Eastern Aesthetic though with much too much death and tragedy for a western audience used to happily ever afters.  

I love the the way the members of the task force and introduced hence the title of the post, with the quirky love seeking and messy snickerdoodle Lizzy Stover and the strict and to the point (sharp shooter) always on point Aleah Clinton as well as the loyal Anthony Grasso. 

In praise of discomfort

There are a few series on TV that have my attention, and this is helpful being mental health month. I have written before with my limited knowledge of some of the fundamentals of mental health and so this should be taken with a grain of salt, but my views are warranted as an observer. 

Quiet confidence 

There are a few characters that add life to the complex story that is breaking bad. You have the two main characters and the villains who are seemingly invincible. You know they are doing wrong but you also find yourself cheering for them and their mastery of their art. If Breaking Bad achieved anything it must be the feeling that it made chemistry attractive again. From its ability to conjure complex and harmful drugs to its ability to destroy troubled and troubling drug dealers. 

The schoolteacher and his troubled associate, the handler who has grown up and aged doing dirty work, the wife who sits by supporting her dying husband, the devoted police officer and us the son with teenage, mobility and health problems. The use of people with actual physical disabilities is a plus because it takes great effort to watch true artistry in place as opposed to the cushion of realizing that the person you are dealing with is just an actor who is playing a role (and there is room to appreciate that too). 

Freedom in immobility

Pushers is another show released in 2025 and shot in the UK which does the same thing. No filters no actors at least not in the sense we expect them but useful in the sense of getting us uncomfortable. At least that is what I felt. To be confronted with something different and yet normal at the same time and to see it so well depicted and full of humor and to the supporting roles blend in seamlessly is amazing to watch. The effort you have to make to listen…the effort she has to make to communicate and act…the questions you have to ask yourself. Is she acting or simply being herself. That fine line that all great actors must be forced to straddle. 

The tyranny of voicelessness.

Code of silence is another recent release that feels like it touches the same raw nerve. The close shots the use of an actress perfect for the role with her long-pointed nose almost betraying her inquisitiveness. The use of pastel colors and tension we experience while watching her move. Relational challenges, the endless pursuits the existence of a character who seems to see right through her. The push and pull between detectives as they make decisions on whether to let her into the inner circle. The constant feeling you get that she is in over her head and the irritation that she is about to get caught all make for an interesting experience.