Tag: TV

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!

The Bear Christmas Episode

We’re late to season two of The Bear. It’s a fantastic show we’ve loved since season one. You can find it on Hulu. I highly recommend you do. We finally tuned in this week and we’re damn glad we did, mad we waited so long, and wishing this show would never end.

The bear season 2 seven fishes christmas meal meaning

The writing, the acting and the direction are top notch. Some of the best TV you’ll discover and more than worth your time. At times a little too much in your face for my tastes, but I get it and it more than makes sense. If you haven’t discovered the show yet, do start with season one and allow yourself the pleasure of that before diving into season two.

No spoilers here, but let me just say this. The Christmas episode, Fishes, is without question one of the most amazing pieces of TV I think I’ve ever seen. there is more tension and comedy crammed into each moment that it makes the overstuffed and crowded kitchen seem spacious.  The story telling is unreal good given the large ensemble cast. And the ensemble playing amongst a bevy of heavyweight guest stars is just mesmerizing. It’s difficult to find the words to describe Jamie Lee Curtis’s performance. It will blow you away. Mix that in with the powerful ensemble playing of the rest of the cast, the level of detail, and this is a gift of bounty for any season.

Just see it. See it all.