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Reviews
Mad Men (2007)
Almost perfect
Such a well crafted drama. The characters were so frustrating in that whenever you thought they had overcome this or that character flaw, they would relapse. But that's human nature. People rarely change their fundamental nature.
My only complaint is that Bobby was the only member of the Draper/Francis family that always remained shallow and superficial despite being on the show for the entire time. Sally evolved into a really interesting character who challenged Don in a way that not even his wives did. She become more than just a dumb kid. That the writers didn't do the same for her brother was a missed opportunity.
Ted Lasso (2020)
Remarkably nuanced
I loved the little shorts that this character did for NBC Sports a few years ago but wasn't sure how it would translate into a full series. But the show was remarkably nuanced for comedy. It started out as a standard "Major League" kind of story but morphed into something quite different. None of the major characters were the cartoons they initially appeared to be. Great stuff.
Ted Lasso (2020)
Remarkably nuanced
I loved the little shorts that this character did for NBC Sports a few years ago but wasn't sure how it would translate into a full series. But the show was remarkably nuanced for comedy. It started out as a standard "Major League" kind of story but morphed into something quite different. None of the major characters were the cartoons they initially appeared to be. Great stuff.
Mrs. America (2020)
Brilliant
I thought this was a brilliantly done series that was just fascinating from a historical perspective. I was afraid that the characters on one or both sides would be cartoonish but the nuance and respect with which they were drawn was exceptional.
Everything Sucks! (2018)
Meh
This is not a bad show but nothing special. It's a fairly standard nostalgia series. The only twist is that the nerds are tormented by the drama club, not the jocks. I do like the fact that the central character Luke is not a cartoon character. But the rest feels fairly formulaic for the genre.
Hjartasteinn (2016)
Brilliant
This is an amazing film. The two main actors were excellent. They showed the bizarre combination of deeply repressed feelings punctuated with quick outbursts of emotion that is so typical of boys that age. The narrative was so deeply nuanced and layered that it was very gripping. It's a thinking and feeling film, not an action movie. But it's extraordinarily compelling.
Pee Stains and Other Disasters (2005)
Meh
Clearly someone's first attempt at a film with beginning actors. It wasn't terrible but fairly meh. The actors reading their lines were somewhat stilted and forced. Some of the scenes were fairly implausible (eg: who takes a shower in their home bathroom wearing underwear). The overall narrative was okay but not fantastically executed.