The Vast of Night

The beginning reminds me of The Last Picture Show and early Steven Spielberg with a touch of Twilight Zone. The first 10-15 minutes go really fast and just really put you into the scene and the two main characters immediately. The director and writer did an amazing job making sure you really know everything there is to know in that very rapid scene at the beginning. The two main characters are the only ones not at a championship game. One is the telephone operator and the other is a radio DJ. Strange things happen in a small out of the way town in the middle of the night. It's so good - the cinematography, acting, writing, directing, everything. All in all, I say: SEE IT on Amazon

Gina Brillon: The Floor is Lava

An Amazon one-hour comedy special. Some of it was painfully stereotypical. Some felt forced. Some was funny. It wasn't horrible, but she not one of my favorite comedians. All in all, I say: SKIP IT

Rebecka Martinsson

This murder mystery on Amazon is subtitled and pretty dark from episode one. It will not go in the way you think it should. It takes place in the backwoods of Sweden and the secrets there are terrifying. A young, smart lawyer returns to her small town and is hooked into solving murders until it breaks her mentally. It is dark and unpredictable - I screamed more than once - I cringed more than once - I cried more than once. It's a lot. All in all, I say: SEE IT unless you want something cheerful.

Upload

An Amazon show about the afterlife. In the future, when you die you can upload your mind into a simulation. The rich get great accommodations and the poor not so much. One man wants to change that and it might be what has gotten him killed. Death might just be the best thing that's happened to him though. Some of it is vulgar, some if pretty funny, and some is very sad. It leaves you kind of on a cliff hanger though. Robbie Amell (The DUFF) does a better than expected job. All in all, I say: SEE IT

Jo Koy: In His Element

For this Netflix special comedian Jo Koy bring three other Filipino comedians to the stage and out in the streets. It's a look at the culture and the comedy. All in all, I say: SEE IT - and learn there is more to the Philippines than meets the eye.

Trying

On Apple TV, a British show about a couple trying to have children. Rafe Spall (MIB: International) is an English teacher for second language learners. His partner discovers she can't have kids, and their journey to adoption begins. Imelda Stauton (A Confession) is there social worker. It's comical episode after episode and then just when you think this is pretty funny, and I'm enjoying this. They hit you hard. I mean - I'm not crying you're crying hard. It's heart breaking, but it's so funny and heart warming too. They did a great job. All in all, I say: SEE IT

Ray Romano: Right Here Around the Corner

A Netflix special starring Everybody Loves Raymond comedian. He does a spot in one club in NY and then literally goes around the corner and performs in another club. The first set isn't as funny as the second. At the end, his family walks out with him and they chat some. He's not my favorite comedy, but it's not a bad special. All in all, I say: SEE IT