DECEMBER 2016 - FILMS + TV

I can't recall too much from my pre-Christmas viewing only that the fare served up by the schedulers over the holiday season was pretty dire in my opinion.

Dallas Buyers Club (2013)

In mid-1980s Texas, electrician Ron Woodroof (Matthew McConaughey) is stunned to learn that he has AIDS. Though told that he has just 30 days left to live, Woodroof refuses to give in to despair. He seeks out alternative therapies and smuggles unapproved drugs into the U.S. from wherever he can find them. Woodroof joins forces with a fellow AIDS patient (Jared Leto) and begins selling the treatments to the growing number of people who can't wait for the medical establishment to save them. (from Wiki)

Started but not actually finished. I think I succumbed to tiredness, switched off halfway through and went to bed. I was enjoying it up to this point. I'm not sure if I like Matthew McConaughey crazed and manic, he's a little bit too scary. I'll have to get back to this one at some point.

The OA (2016)

In addition to her role as creator and executive producer of this mind-bending series, Brit Marling also plays the role Prairie Johnson, a young woman who returns home after a 7-year disappearance. Her sudden return is not the only miraculous occurrence: everyone is shocked to learn that Prairie is no longer blind. While the FBI and her parents are anxious to discuss Prairie's disappearance, she won't talk about what happened during the time that she was missing. Zal Batmanglij, the co-creator and an executive producer of the series, is the director of every episode.

Another series my son got us into over Christmas - its on Netflix. A bit weird as you can tell from the description. We watched a couple with my son and will finish the rest of the series shortly. Not quite sure how it all hangs together - a blind woman no longer blind, a captive no longer a captive - lots of questions to be answered. Brit Marling is pretty damn good.

Hannibal Season 3 (2015)

In the wake of the devastating conclusion to series 2, Hannibal Lecter has fled to Europe to escape the eyes of American law. However, it's not long before Jack Crawford and Hannibal's friend and nemesis Will Graham renew their pursuit for him.

Loved the first two seasons and we had this one recorded for an age before deciding to give it a go. Lasted about 3 or 4 episodes before pulling the plug and hitting delete. Not a patch on the first two in my opinion, very arty-farty and full of dream-like sequences. I was never too sure what was real and what was in Will's head. Mads Mikkelsen was uber-cool as per normal - the good looking bastard. Apart from that - it was a pile of shite!

Spotlight (2015)

The true story of how the Boston Globe uncovered the massive scandal of child molestation and cover-up within the local Catholic Archdiocese, shaking the entire Catholic Church to its core.

Uncomfortable viewing for anyone not just this lapsed Catholic. Superb drama, difficult theme - the truth prevails in the end. All the cast were amaze-balls, especially Michael Keaton and Mark Ruffalo - highly recommended.