Tag: films

The Roses: A Mini-Review

Black comedy served well done

I often don’t find remakes of films to be worthwhile. That’s not the case with Jay Roach’s reimagining of the 1989 film The War of The Roses, based on Warren Adler’s book of the same name. Titled simply and tellingly, The Roses, this remake worked for me.

I enjoyed this version better than the much beloved original. Perhaps it’s the time or the timing, but the fact that the remake focuses more on the comedy and less on the black comedy is what won me over. Don’t get me wrong. I love black comedy and this film is still in that genre, but the brightness of the comedy is what makes it work.

The star pairing of Benedict Cumberbatch and Olivia Colman is sublime. As a couple who seem to have it all before they start tearing everything to shreds, Cumberbatch and Colman deliver as delicious a repartee as the dishes Colman’s character whips up with her cooking. Roach plants the moments for the payoffs perfectly, and even pays homage to the original with a few clever winks. Everything makes sense in the story’s update to our current era including a delightful spin on the perils of having a new home designed from the ground up with smart technology.

Fans of the original know where the story is going, but this time around I found myself almost rooting for a different ending, just to keep the banter going. Scathing wit hasn’t been this much fun since Hepburn and Tracy.

The supporting cast that includes among others Andy Samberg, Allison Janney, and Kate McKinnon is superb though a bit underutilized. Even so, they do deliver a delightful ensemble turn as Americans enjoying and being seduced by their own growing, yet completely naive awareness of the lead couple’s Britishness.

The Roses was released late in the summer of 2025 and I just caught up with it on streaming (Disney+) and I’m glad I did. Whether you’re a fan of the original or not, this remake is a good and funny diversion amidst all of the bad times we’re living through. To top it off, Colman and Cumberbatch deliver a master class in comedy.

You can also find more of my writings on a variety of topics on Medium at this link, including in the publications Ellemeno and Rome. I can also be found on social media under my name as above.

My Picks Of The Year for 2023

Here’s a list of my favorites of the year in entertainment, books, apps, and a favorite gadget purchase for good measure. I don’t believe in “Best of.” There’s too much good being created by too many good (and some not so good) folks out there, that I just pick favorites. Lots of mediocrity out there, but here’s the cream that rose to the top of my list, though I certainly didn’t see or consume everything.

Movies

  • Oppenheimer
  • Barbie
  • Maestro
  • FinestKind
  • Blackberry

TV and Streaming

  • The Bear
  • Mrs. Davis
  • Drops of God
  • Silo
  • Slow Horses
  • Fargo
  • The Fall of the House of Usher
  • The Last of Us
  • Wes Anderson’s Roald Dahl Shorts on Netflix

These films and streaming shows mentioned above contained some outstanding performances by Carey Mulligan in Maestro and Emily Blunt and Robert Downey, Jr in Oppenheimer. As for Oppenheimer all the hype was about the big boom. I loved it more for the explosive intimacy of the brilliant film making in the human moments. Brilliant acting from that entire ensemble. Also, episodes 7 and 8 of Season 2 of The Bear were two or the richest small screen viewing experiences I think I’ve ever experienced. Masterpiece work.

Books

  • Prequel by Rachel Maddow
  • Undertow by Jeff Sharlett
  • Sapiens Yual Noah Harari
  • The Kingdom, The Power, and the Glory: American Evangelicals in the Age of Extremism by Tim Alberta
  • The Bee Sting by Paul Murray

Apps and Software

  • Paste. A terrific clipboard manager.
  • It’s an update to the iPhone, but The Action Button
  • Ivory. A Mastodon client.
  • IceCubes. Another Mastodon client.
  • Mona. Yet another Mastodon client.
  • Bartender 5 (It’s an update to an oldie, but always goodie)
  • The Double Tap Gesture on the “Is it legal or not legal?” Apple Watch

Gadget Purchase of the Year

GL.iNet Beryl AX (GL-MT3000) Travel Router. Excellent, powerful travel router in a tiny package that belies its size. Helps extend WiFi and provides on board VPN protection while traveling. A huge winner in a small package.

Here’s hoping you enjoy your New Year!

End of the Year Lists for 2022

There’s a lot I didn’t see/listen to/consume but from what I did ingest here are some thoughts. NOTE: I don’t believe in “best of.” So these lists contain what I most enjoyed.

Films:

Marcel the Shell with Shoes On

Prey

RRR

Everything, Everywhere All at Once

Guillermo Del Toro’s Pinocchio

The Howard Stern Interview: Bruce Springsteen

Spirited

Glass Onion

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