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The Big Brunch
The Big Brunch (2022)
10/10
Honest and Refreshing
29 January 2023
I just got around to watching this series. What an awesome, awesome show! It reminds me of MasterChef Australia in that the (home) chefs support and encourage each other and are always sad to see one their friends go. The Big Brunch is that kind of show, but on a more intense scale. It's refreshing to see a group of chefs all vying for the same prize support one another. No backstabbing, no jealousy, no pettiness, no hate.

The judges are great as well, and even when they find that a dish doesn't work, they deliver their critiques with suggestions for improvement and words of encouragement. But the best part of the show is Dan Levy. This isn't the first time I've seen him host a cooking competition show as he hosted the first season of the Great Canadian Baking Show. He was great then, and he's even better now. Compassionate, self-deprecating, supportive and hilarious all at the same time. And oh so Canadian! Love LOVE this show, and I do hope there will be another season. We need more of this, and less of the other, if you know what I mean.
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Mother!
Mother! (2017)
4/10
Don't believe the trailers!
18 September 2017
Warning: Spoilers
Went to see Mother! earlier today, and quite honestly, I feel like I've been lied to. If you must go, a warning...do NOT believe the trailers. Mother! is not a horror film, it's not a home invasion thriller, and it's probably not like anything you've ever seen before. Mother! is a two-hour exercise in cinematic torture. OK, maybe that's a little harsh, but I don't particularly enjoy being yelled at for 120 minutes that humanity is destroying the planet. And that's what this art house film disguised as a "home invasion horror" film is...a biblical allegory with an environmental message. The last third of the film is very difficult to watch and some of the visuals are more than disturbing. And I've seen some pretty horrific stuff over the years.

The mistake with Mother! is in the marketing. If you go expecting a standard horror film - even an "out there" horror film - or a home invasion thriller, you'll probably hate it. At the very least, you might feel like you got played. You might even have a WTF moment...or many of them. But I'm not suggesting you stay away. What I would suggest is reading up on the film first. Read some of the good reviews out there that provide some explanations about the purpose of the film and the meanings within the movie; it will not "spoil" anything. If you know what the director is trying to convey, you might better appreciate the message. In my opinion, if you don't know what it's supposed to mean, you'll probably find yourself wondering what the hell is going on halfway through.

This film is from controversial filmmaker Darren Aronofsky, who also directed Black Swan. If you think Black Swan was a bit strange, surreal and just a little off, you haven't seen anything yet. So yes, go see it for what it is - an art house film full of symbolism. But prepare for it first, or you may have to see it again just to understand it.
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Monday Mornings
Monday Mornings (2013)
10/10
Excellent start
6 February 2013
Absolutely brilliant. The hour just flew by. Based on CNN's Chief medical correspondent Sanjay Gupta's book of the same name, the show revolves around the Monday morning M&M (morbidity and mortality) conferences held at all major hospitals. The goal of these meetings, chaired by the Chief of Medicine, is to review cases where a death occurred and hold doctors accountable for their actions. By doing so, it is hoped the entire staff learns something.

I completely disagree with the previous two posts about this show. The premise here is fresh and new, and is much more realistic than other "feel good" shows where physicians are never made to answer to their superiors for their mistakes and everything is tied up with a nice pink bow at the end of 60 minutes. The M&M conferences are REAL, they happen every week in real hospitals. Monday Mornings has been compared to House and ER, but in my view, it more closely resembles Chicago Hope (another David E. Kelley production) and St. Elsewhere in style and content. This show is not directed at the same crowd as ER, and ER fans may not like it. It's more philosophical and deals more with the psychological and ethical side of medicine than just "fixing people". Yes folks, people DIE in this show - otherwise there would be no mortality cases to pick apart and find fault with at the Monday morning M&M conferences.

Unfortunately, what makes this show great and sets it apart may end up being its downfall. Smart, philosophical shows sometimes have difficulty finding an audience (how else can you explain hits like Here Comes Honey Boo Boo and Keeping Up With the Kardashians????), but if the right people find the show and tune in, it should succeed. And I hope it does.
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