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chrlrhoads
Reviews
The Morning Show (2019)
Beautiful Cinematography, One World Viewpoint, House Of Cards goes To Showbiz
I watched the whole series in one day. I took breaks, but I wanted to see if the story arc surprised or was unpredictable - it wasn't. The latter observation doesn't mean it wasn't good story telling - and for the most part - it was.
However, some of the main characters, while compelling, were one note.
Plus, call me a prude (though I have written for television and worked in nightclubs, so I am not sheltered) - but even so, the over-the-top profanity is only normal by Hollywood standards.
It has already been debated here, whether or not, that this is Liberal propaganda ...but, in what world is the Reese Witherspoon character supposed to be a Conservative? She is described that way by others. Seriously? Is it merely because her character is from the South? That's so odd, because every view she expresses or action she takes would contradict the latter characterization. (She has a casual one hour stand at one point, and uses someone herself, her views on Fracking (Coal industry) and abortion are definitely not conservative. As for her even possibly being a Libertarian, that doesn't play either. A comedian friend of mine use to describe Libertarians as being "the Hippies of the Right." That sounds cool, but that's not applicable either. Her character never once expresses a Conservative viewpoint, nor even a remotely Libertarian one? In fact, she has a line about Liberals putting laws in place that Conservatives take away. (For the most part, a Libertarian wouldn't be in favor of most laws that EITHER side would enact.)
Having lived and worked in Hollywood, I know the political shots in this series might be seen as Liberal propaganda...but it is just that there is only one point of view allowed. At those points, that's when the story flatlines, because it is preachy. It shows the other side only as evil or stupid, with no credible response. In a perfect dream world, we always see ourselves as having all the answers, with an opposing view as a caricature sputtering nonsense. So those who write and produce this series get to do that. However, this show isn't brave enough to really question any of it's presumptions. Now, in trying to show some different aspects and views/experiences on ME TOO, they do succeed more. Yet even there, when they try to make a few characters noble...as another character says "Kettle meet Pot." In the real world, certain female celebrities who claim to be feminists tried to take on the mantle of ME TOO. It is not a secret (at least in Hollywood), that a couple holier than thou actresses and a beloved talk show host positively enabled Harvey Weinstein and others..(meanwhile, Mira Sorvino DID take a stand early on and her career suffered! Yet, she was not heralded like others who sometimes used it to their advantage and kept quiet until the felt safe to say something. Great - they certainly were no heroines to the women who came after, but Mira Sorvino should have been.! In fairness, this series does try to address that...(but not as accurately as it might have, because that would have taken real courage.)
So look, this is definitely an entertaining series , good acting, beautiful cinematography, but predictable story telling. As for accuracy - it is what it is. Even so, as far as realistically and fairly presenting characters with differing point of views - House Of Cards did a better and more compelling job. But as the star of the latter series was guilty of what this series explores - it goes around and around as Hollywood is never quite as brave as it gives itself credit for.
Spinning Boris (2003)
Smart and Clever Insider Political Comedy
This film is a riot! It is like a political comedy version of "THE WIZARD OF OZ." Only here, Jeff Goldblum is the metaphorical scarecrow,Anthony LaPaglia, the cowardly lion and Liev Shreiber is like the tinman...leading the Russian President Boris Yetzin's daughter (who is like Dorothy) played Svetlana Efremova...through the OZ of political consulting and campaign winning. Boris Krutonog and Gregory Hlady add the proper intrigue and menace to make even those of us who read the original Time Magazine cover story about the real incident...wonder how it will all turn out.It is funny, charming, and truly suspenseful. The trio of actors playing the "fish out of water" American political consultants play off one another beautifully and with the charisma and wit of a real life Hope and Crosby road picture!