This might be the least excited I have ever been about the Oscars ever. I am thankful “Wicked” won the Oscar for Best Costume (Paul Tazewell was the first Black man to win this Oscar) and Best Production Design, and I believe Adrian Brody was deserving for “The Brutalist.” I also think Kieran Culkin deserved to win for the excellent “A Real Pain,” and “Flow” is the sweetest film, so I’m happy it won for Best Animated Film. But the rest of the winners absolutely confound me. I can’t explain the “Añora” sweep. I just can’t. I love independent films, but this is not worthy of the number of Oscars it received, especially Best Picture. Oh well, maybe “Wicked Part II” will sweep next year. Fingers crossed!

In theaters, I saw two movies. “Paddington in Peru” was simply wonderful. It’s beautifully shot and makes you both smile and cry. I cannot recommend this film highly enough. It is the perfect “take the entire family” movie.

“Companion” is for you if you are a fan of the BBC series “Black Mirror.” It’s one of those AI-gone-terribly-wrong stories. I did enjoy it, but I love “Black Mirror.”

Thankfully, there was also exceptional streaming to be viewed! So, let’s talk about that …


Netflix
“Zero Day” Robert De Niro, Connie Britton (always Tammy Taylor of “Friday Night Lights” in my mind), Joan Allen, Jesse Plemmons (always Landry of “Friday Night Lights” and if you haven’t watched “Friday Night Lights,” why haven’t you?) all star in this sitting-on-the-edge-of-your-seat political thriller. The acting is obviously superb, and I flew through this series. This is my No. 1 streaming pick for this month.

“Love is Blind” What started as an actual psychological experiment has become my go-to “higher brow” reality show. Couples “date” without ever seeing each other. Several couples get engaged -sight unseen - and even married. This season is packed full of surprises. This would be a great rest-on-the-sofa binge.

“Apple Cider Vinegar” This is an incredibly well-done dramatization of the unbelievable story of Belle Gibson, a woman who lied about curing her own cancer to millions of her followers on Instagram and her blog. You will be shaking your head many times during this show. I thoroughly enjoyed this show. It’s so smart!

“American Murder: Gabby Petito” This docuseries just shook me! This was a preventable murder in my opinion, and the law enforcement officers dropped the ball at the most crucial time.


Hulu
“Paradise” I mentioned this series created by “Friday Night Lights” creator Dan Fogelman and starring Sterling K. Brown of “This Is Us” last month, and it just keeps getting better. It’s a political thriller with a huge twist.

“Scamanda” The true story of Amanda Riley, this woman faked cancer and took millions from fellow church members and people who found her blog. Your jaw will drop several times.

“A Real Pain” Written and directed by actor Jesse Eisenberg, this is a funny, poignant tale of two very different cousins who embark on a tour of Poland to honor their grandmother. Eisenberg stars alongside Kieran Culkin, a well-deserved Oscar nominee as is Eisenberg for best original screenplay. I both laughed and cried and highly recommend this film. 

“Devil in the Family: The Fall of Ruby Franke” I have followed the child abuse case of former YouTube mom blogger Ruby Franke since this story broke. This docuseries was made with the cooperation of her adult children and her now ex-husband. Lots of behind-the-scenes footage is in this docuseries. I am a true crime geek, and this was mind boggling. It also made me so angry that a large number of calls to children’s services went ignored.


HBOMAX
“We Live in Time” The young uber talented Florence Pugh and Andrew Garfield star in this story told in flashbacks about a couple in both current time and the future. Keep a Kleenex nearby!

“The White Lotus” (season 3) One of the most anticipated series in the past few months, we find ourselves in Thailand. I’m not sure this season can survive losing Jennifer Coolidge as a main character. I wish HBO would hire me as an editor; this series resorts to lazy writing (too much language and adult content). I do have friends that are crazy about this series, but I’m not sure I’ll stay with it. 


The real winners in the streaming world this month for me were Apple TV+ and Peacock. (I still think Peacock owes me a stipend as I constantly encourage people to add this service.)

AppleTV+
“Shrinking” I was late to this series, and like many superb series, it does “jump the shark” (lose its way) for a few episodes, but overall this series is simply the sweetest and most moving thing I’ve seen in quite a while. This shouldn’t have surprised me as the multi-talented Brett Goldstein (famous for his portrayal of Roy on “Ted Lasso”) is the creator; he was also one the creators of “Ted Lasso.” Starring Jason Segal and Harrison Ford, this series is priceless. It’s my second favorite streaming series this month, but it’s a very close to being No. 1. Just so you know, I have watched Ford’s Thanksgiving speech over 10 times.

I’m still watching “Silo” and “Severance” because when adult children want to share a viewing experience, I jump at it. I do enjoy both of these shows, although not nearly as much as I enjoy “Shrinking.”


Peacock
“Bridget Jones: Mad About the Boy” This was my favorite streamed movie. Renee Zellweger, Hugh Grant and Chiwetel Ejiofor lead this sweet, moving fourth movie in the Bridget Jones story. I loved it. I even liked it better than the second Bridget Jones movie!

“Fall Guy” If you missed this terrific Ryan Gosling and Emily Blunt romcom, you can now catch it on Peacock. It’s a romcom as well as an action movie, and it’s just perfection.

“Traitors” If you haven’t dug into this over-the-top Alan Cumming-led reality game of “Mafia” that my girls grew up playing, you are missing out! You can just start with season three. It is SO FUN!


Speaking of fun, join me April 17 at Canopy for movie club! We will be discussing “Mean Girls.” We socialize from 5:30-6 p.m. and discuss from 6-7 p.m. I have snacks and prizes, and drinks are available from Canopy. Please come!
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Until then, keep passing the popcorn!

This month I saw two movies. I chose them because I love true stories and I love scary stories, especially ones written by Stephen King, whose books I devoured in high school and college. “Last Breath” stars Woody Harrelson as a seasoned deep-sea diver who leads the battle to rescue a crew mate trapped hundreds of feet below the ocean’s service. It is incredibly tense, even if you know the ending! “The Monkey” is King’s tale of twin brothers cursed by a creepy toy monkey their father owned. Sadly, people close to the brothers meet deadly consequences when encountering the monkey. If you’re a fan of the King short story, you’ll find this fun; otherwise, you can sit this one out. It’s always interesting to me how creepy simple children’s toys can be in the right movie!
Streaming really hit it out of the park this month! A couple are so exceptional I’m mentioning them again this month. 

Peacock
Again, as almost every month, this is one of my top three streaming choices. If you don’t have it, “Wicked” is now available to stream on Peacock. I think it deserves to be seen on a big screen, but if you missed it in theaters, here’s your chance.
“Long Bright River” Based on the best-selling novel by Liz Moore, this exceptional series stars Amanda Seyfried as Philadelphia police officer Mickey Fitzpatrick. Mickey’s sister is a homeless addict who goes missing after a series of deaths of homeless sex workers. This gripping series is full of twists and turns and surprises I didn’t see coming, yet it is also full of forgiveness and acceptance. Despite its dark subject matter, this one does not leave you sad but hopeful. I absolutely flew through this series.
If you need a “guilty pleasure,” (AKA reality TV shows), my two favorites, “Southern Charm” based in Charleston and “Summer House” based in the Hamptons, are found on Peacock. Binging these got me through two foot-reconstruction surgeries.

Netflix
“Adolescence” This is the most talked-about series in months, in part because the entire series was shot in one take, meaning actors’ raw emotions were captured once, with no do overs! It is also the gut-wrenching story of a 13-year-old accused of killing another classmate. The story is told from the viewpoints of the parents, police officers, and the assigned therapist. Again, a deep subject but one of the most profound things I’ve streamed all year. It’s a BBC series and is produced by Brad Pitt. The young man who plays the teen has never acted. If you are a parent of a teen, please, please watch this. A friend also introduced me to the podcast “Ask Lisa” by Dr. Lisa Damour. If you don’t watch the series, at least listen to the podcast in your car. 
“Zero Day” I know I mentioned this last month but wanted to mention again because this series with Robert De Niro, Connie Britton (Tammy Taylor always), and Jesse Plemons is so good it deserves a second mention. What would happen if all the internet and power grids went down in the United States? What officials could be trusted? Do I have your attention yet?
“The Electric State” This one was hailed as the most expensive movie Netflix ever made, and I think it definitely shows! Starring favorites Millie Bobby Brown (“Stranger Things”) and Chris Pratt (“Parks & Rec”), this sweet movie follows the fallout of robots doing the majority of serving jobs in the world and the ensuing revolt. While this sounds very sci-fi heavy, it’s really a story of chosen family, risking your life for bigger causes and people you love. I watched this with my 33-year-old daughter and we loved it. It came as close to an in-theater experience in our family room as any movie I have ever seen on a streaming service.
Apple TV+
“Severance” is definitely the water cooler show of the year! I had tried several times to watch this show, but when my daughter and son-in-law from California were in town over Christmas, I decided to dive in with them. I enjoyed the first season much more than the second, and I’m still reeling from the season two finale. It is so thought-provoking. This show asks you to wrestle with deep questions, like doesn’t avoiding pain make us less human? Can we stuff feelings and survive? If my daughters were writing this review, they could share very profound thoughts and questions that (if I’m honest) went over my head! 
“Silo” I continue to enjoy this sci-fi show that has so many allegorical storylines to our culture today.
“La La Land” This has always been a favorite movie of mine, and when I rewatched it for Movie Club, I loved it more. I highly recommend renting this even if you’ve seen it before.

Hulu
​“Paradise” All episodes of this mind-blowing series are out, so start streaming now - like today! Sterling K. Brown of “This Is Us” is at the top of his game as a secret service agent to a former president who knows all is not as it seems when the president is murdered.
“Amber Alert” This edge-of-your-seat thriller follows an Uber driver and his last ride of the night as he realizes an Amber Alert vehicle is right in front of them. The Amber Alert system was established in 1996 after Amber Hagerman was abducted and killed at age 9 in Texas near her home. Her mother fought long and hard for this act. 
Movie Club will take a break until August 21. Please join us then! We are having the best time. Until next month, keep passing the popcorn …