Happy Spring, everyone! May arrives cold and rainy here in MN but hey, there’s hope for more sunny and warm days ahead.
April was quite an eventful month for me as my hubby and I made a trip to NYC to see The Music Man on Broadway. Yep, the one starring Hugh Jackman in the lead role. We weren’t sure we could get tickets as online pricing was way too much for what we could afford, but thankfully we could snatch ’em after lining up for an hour at Winter Garden Theatre Box Office the day off. One of my dear friends Remy Auberjonois happens to be one of its cast members on the show and we were able to meet up with him afterward at Stage Door.
It’s the first time we were in NYC in Springtime while the cherry blossoms were blooming, so gorgeous!!
Well, I have also been preoccupied with a fundraising event my friends and I are planning in June, alas I didn’t have much time to watch movies. I think this is a record low for movie watching as I managed to only watch a half dozen movies, one of them was on the plane 
Ok, now on to the movie report…
The Bubble (2022)
My goodness, this movie was so, so awful… I almost couldn’t finish watching this Covid-themed comedy. Honestly, The Bubble is just the dumbest, most repulsive movie I’ve seen in a while. Pointless and unfunny, it wastes the talent of most of the cast. I think the only watchable thing is Pedro Pascal, but the rest is unwatchable… and what’s with David Duchovny turning into Walter Mathau??
There’s also SO much nepotism in a single movie. Wow Judd Apatow, it’s not enough you’ve got your own wife in your movie, you have to include your daughter, too? SMH.
All The Old Knives (2022)
review to come
The Unbearable Weight of Massive Talent
India Sweets and Spices* (2021)
review to come
Downton Abbey A New Era (2022)
review to come
52 Films By Women pledge
Movies indicated with * (asterisk) indicate those directed by women.
Given how few movies I saw this past month, I only managed to see a single movie directed by women. Hopefully I’ll get to catch up this Summer!
TV SERIES
One of the reasons I haven’t seen a ton of movies last month is because I’ve been watching more TV series! Lots of returning shows arrived recently that I’ve been anticipating, esp. Sanditon which were saved by fans after it was canceled a few years ago.
Sanditon S2 – PBS
Second season isn’t as strong as the first one but I’m happy to see Georgiana got a bigger role (love Crystal Clarke!) and that Charlotte’s arc is more than finding a new man. Out of the new male suitors, I’m liking Ben Lloyd-Hughes as Mr. Colbourne and hope there’ll be more of him in S3.
Bridgerton S2 – Netflix
It’s just not the same without the Duke (Regé-Jean Page made a huge impression on everyone!) but I’m loving Simone Ashley as Kate Sharma, she’s just so stunning and her character is a feisty one. I’m glad there’s more sexy build-up than overt sex scenes this season, though the eventual ehm, consummation of Kate and Anthony is pretty darn hot, yowza! Ashley and Jonathan Bailey have a scorching chemistry.
Downton Abbey S1-2 – Netflix
So after watching The Gilded Age, I was able to convince my hubby to start watching Julian Fellowes hit series Downton Abbey from the start. I had only been caught up on the first season so it was fun revisiting the Crawley family again, so far we’re both enjoying it!
Tokyo Vice – HBO Max
I was sold on the fact that Michael Mann was part of the executive producer and directed the first episode. I was worried that Ansel Elgort‘s casting would dampen the show but I have to admit he’s quite good here and was dedicated enough to his role of Jake Edelstein that he actually learned Japanese. It’s NOT a white-savior story, I mean not that the Japanese need saving, he plays a reported assigned to the crime beat and has to deal with the notorious Japanese organized crime, the Yakuza.
Slow Horses – AppleTV+
I enjoyed Slow Horses! It’s a spy comedy that actually serves up as much mystery and suspense as much as British’s dry humor. I love all the rivalry between Gary Oldman and Kristin Scott-Thomas playing a cat-mouse-games involving the kidnapping of a British-Pakistani comedian by a far-right group. I’m also impressed with Jack Lowden here who I think is the most memorable actor aside of the two veterans, I’d love to see him in more action flicks.
REWATCHES
Captain America: The Winter Soldier
Spider-Man: No Way Home (on the plane, I couldn’t resist!)
APRIL MOVIE OF THE MONTH
The Unbearable Weight of Massive Talent
If you’ve read my review of Massive Talent, then you know how much I loved this movie! I can’t wait to rewatch it when it’s out on streaming.
FLIXCHATTER FILM BLOG 
My Blind Spot in Army of Shadows by Jean-Pierre Melville was the big film of last month for me. I’m getting away from Judd Apatow’s films. I just hate how long and bloated they are and this is coming from someone that loves long movies. It’s just that his films are boring and he never has an editor that will tell him what to cut. I don’t mind seeing his wife and daughters in anything they do but he just never gives them anything to do.
I can’t remember which previous Apparow movies I like, but man this one is just beyond terrible. I haven’t given any movie 0.5 stars and that’s just for Pedro Pascal as he’s awesome. Leslie Mann practically plays the same character she always does.
Glad you had a fun time in NYC, I’m heading back there in July. It’s been over 3 years since I was Gotham!
I don’t think I saw any new movies last month, just watched a bunch of TV shows. Good to know about The Bubble, I put it on my to watch list but I guess I won’t be watching it anytime soon.
I too was worried about Ansel Elgort’s casting in Tokyo Vice but he grew on me. I have 3 episodes left to catch up on, really good show. I’m sucker for crime dramas, especially when it’s set in Tokyo and about the Yakuza. I finished the series finally of Ozark last night and also the newest season of Snowfall.
Correction, I did see The Northman a couple of weeks ago. Tells you how forgettable the film was since I totally forgot that i saw it last month. Lol!
Have fun in NYC, Ted!
Oh don’t waste your time on The Bubble, absolutely awful!!
I’ve only one episode in but I’m hooked on Tokyo Vice! The Yakuza is so darn scary, so that’s an ominous n intriguing opening scene there with the two leads. The visuals are so gorgeous too!
Ahah yes I remember you saw Northman last month, that’s definitely not for me.
Great pics of you having fun in NYC! I have been so busy moving and getting ready to relocate to Virginia I confess I have seen not much but Sanditon season 2. I thought it charming.
Hey Cindy! Oh wow, you’re moving to Virginia? Oh best of luck w/ all of that. What’s the reason for the move? I suppose I should read your blog 🙂
Hi Ruth. We have lived in AZ for ten years. Our grown kids have 4 grandsons. We want to watch them grow up. So it has been quite the adventure these last 7 months.
Ah so all your kids and grandsons live in East Coast I take it? I totally understand Cindy, I wish you all the best with you move. I hope one day we will meet again! 🙂
Yes, We have five hrandsons all under the age of three! We wanted to see the next generation grow up.