The recommendations below also appeared in my weekly newsletter: Ready for Rain, Issue #97 – SMASHBURGER!
Triggered (Hulu) – Triggered is not a good movie in terms of minor things like acting. It’s clearly low budget and many elements seem overdone, from the make-up, to the petty relationship issues.
However, the premise is great: a group of campers awake from a night of partying with time bombs strapped to their chests that soon start counting down. They eventually discover that each time someone dies, that person’s remaining time is transferred to another member of the group. This creates a Hunger Games scenario with all sorts of dark motivations. The director, Alastair Orr, was inspired by the SAW series.
The film is also self-aware and works solidly within the “I Know What You Did Last Summer” genre, complete with tongue-in-cheek comedy and clever dialog. There’s an argument to be made that it is a comedy at heart. I LOL’d multiple times.
The Chef Show (Netflix) – My first impression was “oh boy, another celebrity cooking show, no thanks” but a friend suggested giving it a try and we’ve enjoyed it. Jon Favreau, Chef Roy Choi and special guests cook a wide variety of dishes while Jon plays the inquisitive beginner. It’s not often about fancy food, but everyday food, done well. I also love the stop-motion sequences.
Chef (Netflix) This movie, starring Jon Favreau as a chef, inspired the TV show above. Roy Choi consulted on the movie and the story is inspired by Roy quitting a high profile job to start a food truck. Worth a watch. Food is love.
Nomadland (Hulu) This movie just won a Golden Globe for best picture (drama) and I can see why. What I love is the immersive style of production. It feels like you’re seeing life through the eyes and ears of Fern, the main character, played by Francis McDormand, as she becomes a member of a community of nomads who live out of vehicles. It’s directed by Chloé Zhao and has amazing performances by actual community members who were found as the film was being made. Zhao also won best Director, a first for a woman of color. We’ll be hearing more about her, I’m sure. More here.
Derek DelGaudio’s In and Of Itself (Hulu) – I went into watching this with no context and it kind of blew my mind. It’s a film that captures a one-man stage show that was performed every day for over 500 days. It’s part philosophy, part creativity, part sleight-of-hand, part memory competition. I especially loved his description the time between sunset and darkness that his grandfather called “The time between dog and wolf”. It’s the time in the evening when you can’t tell which is which. It’s a metaphor for much of the show.
Killing Eve (Hulu) – We recently watched the movie Sideways, which we both love, and it reminded us that Sandra Oh is the star of Killing Eve. We’ve completed most of the first season and really enjoyed the cat-and-mouse spy thriller. I especially like the psychopathic Villanelle character, played by Jodie Comer. Unlike over-the-top portrayals of fictional psychopaths, Villanelle feels real.
The Dig (Netflix) – In our house, calming British dramas are common. This movie is based on a true story of an aristocratic widow in England with mysterious ancient burial mounds on her property. She enlists the help of an excavator (amateur archeologist) played by Ralph Fiennes, to find out what’s inside the mounds.
If you’re considering watching Ava (Netflix), starring Jessica Chastain, maybe keep looking.
I write books and run a company called Common Craft. I recently moved from Seattle to a rural island. Here, I write about online business, book publishing, modern home construction, and occasionally, dumb jokes.
I write books and run a company called Common Craft. I recently moved from Seattle to a rural island. Here, I write about online business, book publishing, modern home construction, and occasionally, dumb jokes. 
