Bellevue

Anna Paquin (The Piano) is a cop who is dealing with an ex-husband (Irishman Allen Leech from Downton Abbey) with a drug problem, a daughter trying to connect with a dead girl, a dad who went crazy and died, a stalker, and a boss (Canadian Shawn Doyle from The Expanse) that maybe loves her too much. She's got some demons in her own mind as well. It's a common plot - small town murder - where everyone has secrets that could make them the prime suspect or if told would help cops solve the crime sooner. It's dark. It gets a little over the top sometimes in my opinion - you know to the point where in the real world a person would be fired or in jail. It's different characters than usual though. All in all, I say: SEE IT - if you like dark stuff - SKIP IT if you don't want to deal with some taboo subjects. It's a series that could possibly lead to a season 2.

The 15:17 to Paris

I completely agree with Sullivan from Entertainment Weekly. All in all, I say: SKIP IT

Step Sisters

IMDb writes, "Jamilah has her whole life figured out. She's the president of her sorority, captain of their champion step dance crew, is student liaison to the college dean, and her next move is on to Harvard Law School. She's got it all, right? But when the hard-partying white girls from Sigma Beta Beta embarrass the school, Jamilah is ordered to come to the rescue. Her mission is to not only teach the rhythmically-challenged girls how to step dance, but to win the Steptacular, the most competitive of dance competitions. With the SBBs reputations and charter on the line, and Jamilah's dream of attending Harvard in jeopardy, these outcast screw-ups and their unlikely teacher stumble through one hilarious misstep after another. Cultures clash, romance blossoms, and sisterhood prevails as everyone steps out of their comfort zones.". It's a Netflix original - and yes, it's a little cheesy. I like step so I thought I would check it out. It had potential, but fell short are being even ok. All in all, I say: SKIP IT

The Mars Generation

A documentary about a group of kids at NASA's space camp. It also looks some at the history of space and the barriers to the US going to Mars. It is very White. But, it is interesting where we are headed. All in all, I say: SEE IT if you like anything with space.

The Wild Card

Amazon writes, "In this book, Wade and Hope King show you how to draw on your authentic self--your past experiences, personality quirks, interests, hobbies, and strengths--to deliver your content creatively. If you are a high school teacher or a kindergarten teacher, the seven steps in The Wild Card will give you the knowledge and the confidence to bring creative teaching strategies into your classroom. You'll learn...

• Why the deck is not stacked against you, no matter what kind of hand you've been dealt
• Why you should never listen to the Joker
• How to identify the "Ace up your sleeve" and use it to create classroom magic
• How to apply the "Rules of Rigor" in order to fuse creativity with learning
• How to become the Wild Card that changes the game for your students

". A friend recommended this book - it gives you some inspiration although not enough specifics in my opinion. It led me in one direction to find the specifics. All in all, I say: READ IT - if you're a teacher.

Hostiles

Scott Cooper (Crazy Heart) wrote and directed this western gem. Rosamund Pike (Gone Girl) is a pioneer woman. Angry, criminal Natives attack her family land and kill all her kids and her husband. Later, hunters come across her and some other women, they are kidnapped and raped. The hell she goes through is very real, horrifying, and make her an extremely complex character. Christian Bale (The Promise) is subtle, strong. and powerful in his role. He's about to muster out of the service. He fought in the civil war and then fought in the west. His last job is to take a Chief - he fought against most of his career - to his final resting place. You can see in their faces all the realizations the characters come to during this long and dangerous journey. Every bit of it looks and feel so authentic. All in all, I say: SEE IT

Winter's Dream

IMDb writes, "Former pro skier, Kat, is asked to coach a younger skier, named Anna, and finds love with the girl's widowed father, Ty". Dean Cain - once Superman - is an over-protective dad. He does ok in this role - not great, but it's Hallmark and there is a step by step procedure to this. Kristy Swanson (Buffy the Vampire Slayer) does a good job - I liked seeing her again. It was simple and sweet and innocent. All in all, I say: SEE IT