He Said, She Said: Deets and Geets Newsletter October 2021

Welcome to the Deets and Geets Newsletter: He Said, She Said for October 2021. This month brings mostly spooky content with a bit of relationship drama. Below are the offerings, broken down by streaming service.

APPLE MOVIES

CANDYMAN (2021)

He Said: Continuing our horror movie bingefest of late, we rented the latest entry in the Candyman series. I remember being terrified of the original film as urban legends in general creeped me out and the idea of saying something in the mirror and getting subsequently hemmed up seemed like bad medicine to me. The remake is essentially a slasher film with obvious social commentary, which may be a pro or con depending on what one considers horror. For me, such heavy focus on the social horror and gentrification detracted from the lore and gravitas of the Candyman. Definitely worth a watch and better than many so-called horror movies these days.

She Said: I haven’t seen the original Candyman yet, so I might need to reserve judgment until after that, to understand what was updated or subverted or whatnot. On its own, I thought it was fine—the premise is definitely horrific and the lore is interesting, but it seemed like something deeper was missing.

HBO MAX

FRIDAY THE 13^TH (1980), FRIDAY THE 13^TH Part II (1981), and FRIDAY THE 13^TH (Remake / 2009)

He Said of All: Watching the series again after so many years made me realize how much of a hillbilly Jason is. Viewing the early films and the remake through that lens brings a little more clarity to the lore as he’s more of a sadistic, backwoods berserker in a burlap sack rather than the single-minded stalker in a hockey mask he came to be as the series progressed. If you like slasher movies with gratuitous nudity, and where people die by blade, arrow, axe, machete, brutal melee, or various environmental hazards, I recommend the franchise as Jason is one of most iconic fictional killers. If you like good acting and deep plot lines, however, I do not recommend any of the Fridays ever.

She Said of Friday the 13^th (1980): There was a decent twist at the end of this original story setting up the hockey-masked serial-killing Jason, but as might be apparent from my takes on the Halloween movies, I think slasher movies overall are kind of boring.

She Said of Friday the 13^th (1981): We get a more proper introduction to Jason in this movie, but still no hockey mask! It didn’t hold my curiosity well enough to make me watch more in the series, so I opted to skip to the 2009 version.

She Said of Friday the 13^th (2009): This retcon takes places decades after the original Friday the 13^th. A group of teen friends visits Camp Crystal Lake , and they all go missing—about a month later, the brother of one of them comes and meets up with another group of teens in search of his sister. Much slaughter ensues. It was cool to watch this movie right after watching the original and part two since it incorporated several elements of both. Really, though, if I want to watch a movie about some deranged territorial dude named Jason or Freddy or Michael going around killing people, I can just turn on the news or read American history. I like my horror to be more clever.

MALIGNANT

He Said: I was on the fence about this horror/thriller as well, but the advertising made me curious enough to check it out. LRK and I have been on a horror movie kick lately and have developed higher standards for our dark villains. Without spoiling anything, I’ll say this one fell short. Worth a watch overall for some of the action scenes and effects as well as the twist that will make you laugh, even if not in the good way. Given that this film is from the makers of the Insidious franchise, which has a bit of humor thrown in with the horror, I would recommend looking at the film through that lens rather than with expectations of straight horror.

She Said: I was bored during a good chunk of this horror movie about a woman who mysteriously seems to keep remotely seeing horrifying things while they are actually happening elsewhere—and then the last 30 minutes or so got really interesting. You might be able to form a partial theory of what’s going on, but you probably wouldn’t ever predict the execution. If you’re looking for something entertaining and lowkey spooky that will make you go “lol, whaaat did I just watch,” check it out.

NETFLIX

THE BURARI DEATHS

He Said: Very creepy true-life crime mystery about the deaths of eleven family members of the Bhatia family from Burari, Delhi. On 1 July 2018, ten of the family members were found hanged and the matriarch was strangled. The mystery surrounding the deaths is whether or not they were a suicides or homicides or somehow both. The story itself is pretty upsetting and learning more details about the family life leading up to the event makes the situation even more eerie. I watch a moderate amount of action and horror and gore, but this one disturbed me a bit due to the real-life aspect, and seeing what seems like a normal, thriving family gone in one night in a tragic way. The interviews presented are conducted by documentary team and also taken from news footage. A good watch, but may leave a shiver up the spine, so be prepared.

She Said: The Burari Deaths is a horrific and haunting three-part docu-series about a household of 11 family members who were found hanging inside their Delhi home in 2018. The series contains photos and video footage of the family while they were living their seemingly normal lives, interspersed with photos of the crime scene and interviews of friends, police, and media members more recently speculating on what happened. The documentary walks us through a likely theory about the deadly combination of patriarchy, superstition, and stigma over mental illness. It’s a well-made series, but not an easy watch.

CLICKBAIT

He Said: I didn’t know what to make of this series, judging from the trailer, but it managed to be a decent slow-burn with enough twists to keep it interesting. The title is apt by the way because it explores how we can be misled even in the information age. I liked that it was not only set in Oakland, but filmed there as well (with some fictionalization). That said, if I hadn’t watched it with LRK, I wouldn’t have finished it…

She Said: What an aptly named show! The first episode sets up a “what happened/whodunit” situation, and * spoiler * none of the episodes until the last one is really necessary to answer those questions. My sister and brother-in-law managed to avoid being baited into any of the middle episodes and they were fully able to understand the last one. I watched the whole thing and I enjoyed the clickbaity ride along the way! I don’t think I ever could have predicted the answers.

DEATH NOTE

He Said: The source material for this film is both manga and anime, which usually spells trouble for the production values. This one has some talent and star-power behind it (Willem Defoe and Lakeith Stanfield), which doesn’t make the film stellar by any means, but helps to bring viewers into this comically macabre world. LRK and I recently revisited the anime and found the film glosses over what makes the anime compelling—the relationship between Light and Ryuk. This is one of those cases where making a limited series would trump making a film. I understand there may not be funding or time for that, but speaking strictly on ways to let the story breathe, that would be my take.

She Said: Based on a Japanese manga series, this thriller film about a teenager who gets his hands on a book where he can write anyone’s name and cause them to die held my attention, but several things seemed too abrupt and underdeveloped. Super Star Agni later showed me glimpses of an anime adaptation of the same material which was a full 37 episodes long, and indeed, way too much got lost in the American film adaptation. I think there are better thrills out there.

HUSH

He Said: Another Kate Siegel (actor) / Mike Flanagan (director) collaboration. This husband and wife duo have churned out some quality binge material over the years, which LRK and I have consumed in mass quantities. This film bucks convention and manages to be a decent home invasion film, showing the vulnerabilities of technological dependence as well as how hard people can fight in their darkest hour. Poor, infuriating choices by the protagonist make the film longer than it needs to be, however. One Easter egg I’ll spoil is the Midnight Mass book the author protagonist has written.

She Said: This home invasion thriller which all occurs in one setting and only has four people in the entire movie is very well made. Kate Siegel plays a deaf writer and the occupant of the home that is invaded, and the movie is directed by her husband, Mike Flanagan. I’m decidedly a fan of their collabos, which also include The Haunting of Hill House, The Haunting of Bly Manor, and Midnight Mass.

LITTLE THINGS: SEASON FOUR

He said nothing.

She Said: I’m really glad this season was the final one because though they and their “little things” felt fresh and cute in the first season or two. I don’t think I would be able to watch another season of Dhruv and Kavya continuing further in their cycles of being together and apart, sullen and manic, and vowing to “figure it out” and having cliché epiphanies. It was sweet enough with nice cinematography and it ended at the right time.

MAID

He Said: Good show, but the protagonist makes infuriating choices. I know I say that a lot, but, damn it! “I have gotten lucky, but, oh no! I will forget my dire straits and piss it all away by doing the precarious thing again!” I know this sort of thing happens in real life and being poor can beget more poverty. I have been there. But watching it on screen is not always enjoyable. Luckily, the series has some great acting that makes you care about the struggle and appreciate the victories.

She Said: Featuring an actual mother-daughter pair of actors, Maid is a drama series about a broke young mother who abruptly leaves her emotionally abusive boyfriend in the middle of the night and tries to navigate many broken support systems (including that ex) to make things work for her daughter and herself. We accompany our protagonist through the huge bummer of a situation that a domestic violence survivor finds herself in when she attempts the brave step of leaving. Despite all of the despair and frustration that process entails, the show overall manages not to feel too heavy—it thoughtfully packs in a lot of realistic dynamics without feeling academic.

MIDNIGHT MASS

He Said: Midnight Mass! As mentioned above, this project has been in the works for a few years before finally coming out. For readers who haven’t seen it, I won’t spoil the reveal, but by the time you realize what may be afoot, you will most likely be right, and that’s not a bad thing because the show is very compelling. Predictable in all the usual places, but still compelling. One thing that I found slightly over-the-top is how no one can answer a simple question. Character ONE could ask Character Two what they had for dinner and Character Two would monologue for three minutes about the best dinner they had as a kid on the lake with the fragrance of roasted meat emanating, and fireflies lighting up the night sky, before their drunk uncle kicks dirt on the meat and smashes the fireflies to bits while revealing HE was the one who failed to save the dog during the kayaking trip! And, therefore, Character Two did not feel like eating dinner.

She Said: I loved this suspenseful series about a preacher on an island who seems to bring the miracle of an angel with him. It’s hard to say too much without getting into spoiler territory, but I will say that this show could have gotten really campy really fast, and it’s a true testament to the great writing, acting, and directing that it remained thoughtful, thrilling, and somber.

RUROUNI KENSHIN: THE BEGINNINGS

He Said: As with Death Note, I’m not too familiar with the manga and anime this film was based on, so I can’t say how true to the source material it is. I can say, however, that I was surprised by how furious the swordplay can be and how nice the quiet moments are. Usually, anime- or manga-based films are poorly made and acted. Not saying they aren’t enjoyable (looking at you Full Metal Alchemist and Gintama), but this is definitely one of the better iterations. Gory, to be sure, but that’s par for the course with sword fighting films. I read that this the penultimate film, but also the series prequel, as the title denotes. The final film is on Netflix as well, but I will hold off watching it until I can see the other films in the series for continuity sake. Looking forward to them as they are reportedly good watches.

She Said nothing.

SQUID GAME

He Said: I wasn’t sold on this one until my brother-in-law said it was all the rage with his seventh-grade students. I initially thought it was some derivative Hunger Games, so bypassed it every time Netflix recommended it. I’ll admit, I was wrong. Beyond the gore and violence is a compelling story of people trying to reverse horrible financial situations or life choices and, in most cases, make things right with their families. Actually, duty to family is a major theme. The ending is predictable, however, and a bit of a letdown.

She Said: Squid Game is worth the hype! This South Korean drama series about people who find themselves so entangled in debt that they would literally be willing to wager their lives playing a set of children’s games is dark, gory, riveting, and meme-worthy. There only are a couple of people you really root for and it’s a real punch in the gut when they <spoiler> lose. The ending definitely teases another season.

YOU: SEASON THREE

He said nothing.

She Said: I was so looking forward to the third season of this crazy show which totally glorifies and makes weirdly likeable and relatable this mass-murdering stalker white boy. It was OK. I could have done without the flashbacks to his childhood. The best character this season was the mom-fluencer played by Shalita Grant, who played Dory’s lawyer on Search Party. There’s a set-up for a next season and I will watch it, but I am not going to be constantly searching for the expected release date like I did for this season.

PARAMOUNT PLUS

EVIL: SEASON TWO

He Said: This show has the same quirky essence as The Good Fight and it works, especially with the is it supernatural or is it scientific angle. I don’t know how long they can keep it going since they have committed to a few plot lines they hinted at in the first season. Once they do that (purposely being vague), the end is usually near. That said, it’s been a good horror/comedy ride so far. If next season is the last, I trust it will be good.

She Said: This season about a preacher, a psychologist, and a contractor working for the church to see if people are possessed or not did not give a lingering creepy feeling the way the first season did, especially with the daughters’ storylines — but it still held up as a very creative and creepy look into various ways that evil or just weirdness culminating into the resemblance of evil can manifest. I like that we got more Ben this season and he got many scares of his own.

PEACOCK PLUS

HALLOWEEN KILLS

He Said: What the hell even is Michael Myers? That is what the film skates around. The characters don’t know. The writers don’t know. The franchise has been retconned so only the 1978, 2018, and 2021 films are cannon, which leaves a huuuuge time gap with room for lore, but we get nothing but Mikey is evil incarnate that can only be hurt and maybe die? Okay, but to what end? He chooses to kill most people, but not all. Why? Don’t have homeboy driving cars in the broad daylight, following traffic laws if he’s evil incarnate. If he’s just a dude, how can he get shot up, beaten, and stabbed, and get right back up after taking a breather? Choose one! On slasher ambience, this franchise is awesome, but the storytelling is subpar.

She Said: In our September newsletter, I said I was not expecting much more than a murderously hollow affair from Halloween Kills—and it delivered just that. The “direct sequel” that came out in 2018 asked us to ignore everything that had happened in the intervening movies, and Halloween Kills, which is the direct sequel to the 2018 movie, effectively asks us even to ignore whatever we might have thought we learned from that. Like, after all this time, there is no cognizable motive, lore, or backstory to whatever the hell Michael is. How frustrating! Well, Halloween Ends is set to come out next year. I will watch it with the hope that at least the ending will really be the ending and give us some kind of answers!

Deets and Geets September 2021 Newsletter

Welcome to the September 2021 Deets and Geets newsletter, “He Said / She Said.” This month, we talk about the highs and lows of our pop culture discoveries broken down by the streaming services on which we watched them.

HULU

Reservation Dogs: High

He Said: Reservation Dogs is the truth! Along with Rutherford Falls, this show is such a breakthrough for Indigenous representation on mainstream mediums. Indeed, all the directors and writers are Indigenous, and Indigenous folk are involved at every level of production. The show gets Native humor right and does so much to dispel stereotypes of Native people, especially the one that says Native people don’t exist anymore. Although the nations of the protagonists aren’t specifically identified, the show is set in the Muskogee Nation and many of the characters speak Mvskoke. Small town/reservation antics, but universal appeal. Highly recommended, though, not for the kiddos even though kiddos are featured.

She Said: What a fun and sweet show! The core crew of the “Rez Dogs” is a group of Indigenous teenagers in Oklahoma with dreams of moving to California – so desperate to leave their present reality behind that they steal a food delivery truck in the first episode, only to get into a turf war with the rival “NDN Mafia.” We meet lots of other community members as the show progresses, and as the Rez Dogs continue trying to make money, learn how to defend themselves, and work through their feelings about family. The writers give us characters and situations which are relatable and absurd at the same time. The humor is witty and even subtly sardonic at times, without ever feeling preachy.

The White Lotus: High

He Said: This show reminds me why I don’t like resorts—what is designed to be a relaxing experience becomes stressful because of other people. Plus, I’m not really into being waited on and/or entertained by “the locals.” That said, it is hilarious to see from a distance how others navigate social mores in a resort setting. The show is a slow burn that definitely pays off in the end. While not mind blowing in regard to storytelling, the arcs feel natural to the cultivated universe.

She Said: This is a wildly entertaining, meme-worthy, and think-piece-spurring series about a bunch of mostly rich and white people who go on vacation at a fancy resort called The White Lotus in Hawaii, and the relatively of-color staff (including displaced locals) who are tasked to tend to their whims. Many of the characters and the situations they get into are cringey and frustrating in a very realistic way – across race, class, and gender. And therein lies the think-piece gold, in figuring out what the show is ultimately saying about comfort and complicity, and about whose stories should be centered. The pacing and casting are on point. Check it out!

NETFLIX

The Chair: High

He Said Nothing.

She Said: I loved this Sandra Oh starrer! It was just the right length to tell its story too: 6 episodes. Sandra Oh plays Ji-Yoon, the first woman of color to chair the English department at the university where she works. It is no easy feat dealing with denigrators all around: the old-timers with different ideas of who should be honored and promoted; the media misquoting her in the midst of an ongoing scandal; the self-righteous love interest who feels entitled to her loyalty; and the Bernie-Bro-energy Zoomer students who refuse to consider any such practical constraints when a woman of color doesn’t make instant, radical change upon getting a foot into the door. On top of all that, Ji-Yoon is a single mother to a hot-headed little girl. The show is largely light and does a good job of blending in drama and tenderness.

I’ll be happy to watch a Season 2 if there is one, but I think the way this season wrapped up would be a satisfying and affirming culmination. There are also some aspects of the show which I could see as being frustrating and (inadvertently?) reinforcing regressive norms, and I’m sure women in academia will have much more meaty and interesting things to say!

Mimi: Low

He Said: This Hindi-language remake of a Marathi movie is more polished, but still the same bollocks. While it holds a mirror to the ills of colorism, ableism, and sexism, it also blows kisses to the same isms. The acting from the main cast is admirable considering the script, but the overall production made me want a brain shower afterward.

She Said: Whyyyyyy!!!

This supposedly comical movie is about a young woman named Mimi with Bollywood dreams, whose body is creepily eyed by a white American couple as the ideal vessel to carry their baby. The colonizers have been roaming around India looking for a surrogate (which, ew already) and they specifically like the idea of not just a healthy but also an attractive, tall young woman bearing their egg and sperm because apparently that is relevant? Somehow, the story manages to get even more gross and wrong, not least including the way in which the white baby boy is exalted without any sense of satire.

This movie is based on a Marathi movie called Mala Aai Vahhaychy!, which is apparently taken up more dramatically, and has good reviews. I tried watching the first 10 minutes and it was pretty much unbearable watching this cigarette-smoking white woman being leered at by the locals – at least the Bollywood version didn’t go into that sort of white woman caricature. Apparently there is also a Telugu movie that’s called “Welcome Obama” and the “Obama” is a reference to the white child?!?!?!?!

APPLE / iTUNES MOVIES

Halloween Franchise

He Said: Among the slasher film killers, Michael Myers has the least satisfying lore. I’ve only seen the original, the sequel to the original, Halloween H20, and the 2018 “direct sequel,” which is the beginning of the franchise retcon or retelling of something. In this case, this suggests the real Halloween films are only the 1978 version and the 2018 version. I think they should allow for the 1981 Halloween 2 film to be included for sake of continuity and character motivation. It continues right where the first left off and would make the protagonist’s PTSD even more understandable (per the 2018 “direct sequel”). My guess is they want to do away with the “Samhain” reference, which hints that there is something dark or evil lurking within Michael Myers that is beyond that of mortals. Without that reference, we are left wondering why has Michael been waiting ever so patiently to break out of incarceration to hunt Lory and why she knows he will come for her. Classic slasher movie stylings otherwise, but the motivation aspect is sketchy.

She Said: I didn’t watch any Halloween movies until this past weekend, when suddenly I watched three, starting with the original 1978 one, then jumping to the 2018 “direct sequel” where we were supposed to ignore all the other ones in between (which was great since I hadn’t watched them yet), and then Halloween II which was made in 1981. Given that this retcon version was like a 40-years-later thing and supposedly the first face-off between serial killer Michael Myers and Laurie Strode since 1978, I thought it would have some sort of twists and turns and big reveals, if not an end-all to the franchise. Alas, while there was some good action and some showcasing of clever defense strategies – and some element of intergenerational girl power – there was no depth at all as to the “why” of MM’s relentless decades-long pursuit of Laurie, with so many violent and largely slut-shamy casualties along the way. Especially after watching Halloween II, to which the 2018 movie gives a couple of nods and which had way more in the way of the lore of this whole Michael Myers business, the ending was very unsatisfying, like just a cheap way to keep prolonging the franchise. This whole variety of slasher movie is why I didn’t really take to horror as a genre until much more recently. Apparently there will be a sequel to the 2018 version coming out next October – Halloween Kills. I will probably watch it, but I’m not expecting much more than another murderously hollow affair.

Physical: High

He Said: Rose Byrne plays hilarious characters— always the deadpan everywoman who is pushed to the edge (even if it’s of her own making) and rises up to do big or intense things. Her portrayal of Gloria Steinem still fits this description save for already doing big things by the time we’re introduced. Physical provides for her a vehicle to play a mousy housewife with a heart of lion. She’s kind of a horrible person, but she’s aware of this and tries not to be, which makes it a bit endearing. The first season doesn’t end with a bang, but I’m interested to continue her journey.

She Said: This series set in Southern California in the 1980s stars Rose Byrne as Sheila Rubin, the wife of an aspiring politician, who has a secret life binge-eating and purging bags full of fast food in hotel rooms while her daughter is at school. She also starts secretly indulging in aerobics, which allows her to escape to a high-energy neon fantasy world where she is in control. The show is tragi-comic, and although Sheila is often a really crappy person, it’s pretty funny to see and hear the contrast between her true inner thoughts and what she expresses. I didn’t think the show rounded off that well in the finale – it neither seemed like a compelling way to end it, nor did it leave me too interested in watching a subsequent season – but it was decent time-pass. It probably could have just been a four-part miniseries instead of 10 episodes.

HBO MAX

In the Heights: High

He Said: I don’t usually watch musicals or theater by myself. Maybe because they are designed to be communal experience? Either way, this sentiment includes streaming musicals. I couldn’t see myself sipping a beer solo on a Sunday afternoon while rocking out to “Benny’s Dispatch,” but it was a very fun movie to watch with LRK. Lin Manuel Miranda’s brands of dancing, singing, rapping, and storytelling are all over this as with the broadway hit Hamilton. Recommended for fans of musicals and those on the fence. Piragua! Piragua!

She Said: I thought this Lin Manuel Miranda production was perfectly cute, with a nice twist at the end of the stories that the main character Usnavi is telling a group of children about his youth, friendships, and love in Washington Heights. Ambition, jealousy, and gentrification are among the themes explored through colorful song and dance. Worth a watch!

Deets and Geets Newsletter March 2021

Welcome to the Deets and Geets Newsletter: He Said, She Said for March 2021. Check out our quicktakes below on the pop culture happenings that piqued our interests so far this month, all broken down by streaming service.

APPLE TV+

The Servant

He said: Intriguing first and second seasons with some creepy scenes peppered throughout. Series seems to be winding down—this is not necessarily a bad thing. The show is called The Servant, so figuring out who Leanne is and who exactly she serves is part of the show’s mystique. Once that mystery is solved, however, the show should probably wrap up. That said, I’m looking forward to seeing the coming (cult?) war foreshadowed in the last scene.

She said: I found Season 2 quite underwhelming for a Shyamalan production. I was expecting some game-changing twist or shocking revelation, but I didn’t see anything that was divergent or unexpected from the groundwork laid in Season 1. It is described as “psychological horror,” but it turned out to be more of a psychological bore. I will skip Season 3 if it happens.

DISNEY+

Falcon and the Winter Soldier

He said: We weren’t expecting Disney+’s latest Marvel outing to be more than wall-to-wall action, but the first episode has a good action/drama ratio and sets up a deeper dive into the titular characters’ lives. We’re looking forward to next week’s episode and the imminent introduction of Emily VanCamp’s Sharon Carter aka Agent Peggy Carter’s niece. If you don’t know who any of these people are, get caught up.

She said: Action is not really my genre, and elaborate fighting scenes with different types of flying vehicles, gunfire, fancy stunts, and machines I don’t know names of really bore me. So when Super Star Agni first told me about this show and I knew that both of these characters are closely linked with Captain America, I surmised that I would probably catch some z’s during the first episode and then opt out of the rest. But aside from that one fancy violent scene, I really enjoyed it! It’s interesting to see the characters having to lead ordinary lives in the present, with Sam applying for a bank loan with his sister, and Bucky asking someone out on a date. Obviously, there will be more action-y stuff brought up from their pasts and moving forward as a new Captain America is on the horizon, but there is enough human connection in there to keep me interested.

WandaVision

He said: Marvel expands its fandom tent with this entry. Unique way to draw upon the Wanda / Vision connection from Age of Ultron and Infinity War, and to reveal Wanda’s backstory. Recommended for sitcom fans as well as fans of superhero fare. Wondering if this will lead into a villainous side of Wanda *dun dun dunnnn*

She said: “What is grief if not love persevering?” Oof! WandaVision has Marvel-ously accomplished so many things at once: Meme gold, an interesting plot, an homage to American television over the decades, and an expansion of the characters and plotlines in the Marvel Cinematic Universe.

HBO MAX

Allen V. Farrow

He said: Good look into the accusation of sexual abuse against Woody Allen involving his then 7-year-old daughter. Definitely biased against Allen, but the case made against him is compelling. I was never a Woody Allen fan and haven’t seen any of his films all the way through, so being made aware of his pattern of filmmaking—older male mentor figure paired with an eager, impressionable young female—was revealing and a bit off-putting even outside of the Farrow v. Allen case. That said, I think a two-part series would have done as well to make the case.

She said: This four-part documentary about Dylan Farrow’s allegation that her step-father Woody Allen molested her when she was seven years old—and Woody’s aggressive campaign to undermine that allegation by insisting that this whole thing was a story hatched by Dylan’s mother Mia because Mia was jealous that Woody was sleeping with Mia’s other adopted daughter Soon-Yi—is obviously made with belief in Dylan Farrow, and compassion for Mia Farrow. Yes, the facts are presented selectively, but regardless of how many additional facts were left out though, one thing is clear: Woody Allen is disgusting! OK, I thought so before watching this documentary too, based on creepy comments he has made in interviews, the pervy gaze that comes through on and from behind the screen in his films, and the fact that he slept with the barely-legal stepdaughter of his long-time girlfriend. Still!

The documentary introduces us to the actual text of reports and interviews with family, friends, and people who worked at different levels of the investigation. Contrary to the public spin which made her out to be some impressionable child with a fantastical story, the texts and interviewed officials confirm that Dylan has been incredibly consistent with the core facts, and indeed showed signs of having been sexually abused. Also, it’s evident that Woody Allen has the type of access and connections in American society and particularly in elite East Coast circles which would basically guarantee his impunity in the (undeniable) event that he did commit a crime.

I happen to have a pretty low opinion of Woody, just in case that wasn’t obvious. But, I get that some people love his cinema and his brand, and have a hard time reconciling their fandom with believing that he could be a predator. They would rather believe that Mia is the crazy b that coached Dylan into inventing this whole thing. But many truths can coexist, and we need not buy into this weird absolutist phenomenon of having to embrace or reject public figures and everything associated with them, wholesale. Mia could have been a weirdly controlling and abusive parent, as Moses Farrow, another stepson of hers and Woody’s, has alleged. Mia could have been jealous of Woody and Soon-Yi. Woody could be a witty writer and director. Woody’s cinema could be culturally iconic. Woody could have truly cared about his adopted children—including Dylan. Brains are complicated and sometimes deranged and so is patriarchy, and none of these aforementioned possibilities undermine Dylan’s truth.

NETFLIX

Bombay Begums

He said nothing.

She said: Firstly, it is wonderful to see Queen Pooja Bhatt back on screen! She embodies all of the strength, elegance, and confluence of buoyancy and gravitas that one would expect from the woman who lit up the screen decades ago in films ranging from Sadak to Prem Deewane.

As of this writing, I have just started Episode 5 of Bombay Begums, so I basically still have two more episodes to go. I won’t give my overall thoughts yet, but my one tip is to watch at least two episodes, if you are on the fence after finishing the first. I didn’t think the set-up in that first episode did the future ones justice; it leaned in too hard on the girl-boss vibe, and I found the canned liberal feminist precocious tween voice-overs a bit off-putting. As you keep watching though, the show pulls you in with the complex drama in the lives of these five women, sensitively portrayed by Pooja Bhatt, Shahana Goswami, Amrutha Subhash, Plabita Borthakur, and Aadhya Anand. They are all constantly having to negotiate with their own bodies, their loved ones, and external pressures—and, they all wield their own hurtful and opportunistic behavior at times. There are moments of tenderness and levity too; it’s not all misery!

Series creator Alankrita Shrivastava had also worked on Made In Heaven—if you liked MIH, there is something for you here as well. Instead of Delhi’s elite though, you get five women from different walks of life converging in Bombay: the aforementioned defiant tween; her resolute CEO step-mom; a small-town twenty-something exploring her newfound freedom only to be shut down by Bombay-style slut-shaming (and worse); a bar dancer-turned-sex worker trying with dreams of starting a factory; and a rising executive conflicted over how much of “it all” she wants to take on. Pour yourself a steaming cup of chai in a white porcelain mug and give it a watch!

The Umbrella Academy

He said: What I initially thought would be a derivative superhero show turned out to be a fun ride for two seasons so far, even though the time travel / apocalypse tropes are used for both season. I’ve never read the comic book the show is based on, so I can’t say if they nailed the source material, but the episodic nature of the storytelling works well. It’s more of a show about family and relationships than wearing masks and fighting crime, which I think many shows are doing these days to shake up the superhero genre. Not as violent as Amazon Prime’s The Boys, it dispenses the same gritty humor at times. Looking forward to season three, but I hope time travel and apocalypses aren’t the overarching themes.

She said: Superheroes, time travel, well-choreographed sibling brawls, and a smashing soundtrack – what a fun ride! Waiting eagerly for Season 3, and especially curious about Vanya Hargreeves on account of Elliot Page’s personal developments; and Ben on account of what we saw at the end of Season 2!