What I've Been Watching

Movie podcaster and raconteur Arch Campbell always asks the question "What are you watching these days?", so let me tell him - and you.

"Ripley" (Netflix)

This is an eight part series that is based upon the 1999 feature film, "The talented Mr. Ripley", which I have never seen.  Set in the 1950's, Andrew Scott, with whom I was not familiar, plays Tom Ripley, small time con artist in New York City.  For reasons I won't spell out, a wealthy businessman and his wife asks him to travel to Italy and try to convince their wastrel so to return home to them.

What follows is a case of stolen identity, a missing persons investigation, and murder. More importantly, the story is told in such beautiful cinematic detail: artfully shot and filmed in beautiful black and white.  It is also a suspense story that would have made Alfred Hitchcock himself proud to have made.

It should also be noted that "Ripley" was written by Steve Zailian, who has written a few other films of which you may have heard:  Moneybag, The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo, The Irishman, and Schindler's List.  Not a bad resume.

Three and One-half Stars from The Grandstander.

"Wicked Little Letters" (Netflix)

This is a 2023 feature film set in Britain in the years shortly following World War I.  A spinster lady, played by Olivia Colman, begins to receive anonymous letters that make horrid - and, I might add, positively filthy - accusations about her.  No one knows who sent them, but suspicion soon falls upon a young single mother, recently immigrated from Ireland, who lives next door.  She, of course, denies it, but is arrested anyway.  Soon more and even filthier letters begin arriving in the mailboxes of other village residents.  Calamity ensues.

It doesn't take much to figure out what is really going on here but the efforts of a spunky young Woman Police Officer (a new phenomenon at the time) soon gets to the bottom of things and justice prevails.

Two and One-Half Stars from The Grandstander, but worth watching if only to see Oscar winner Colman, whom many of us know only as the middle aged Queen Elizabeth from The Crown, spewing out such incredible strings of profanity.

Two and One-Half Stars from The Grandstander.

Things you I when researching the writing of these monographs.  "Wicked Little Letters" was based on a true story.  HERE are the details.

And special thanks to the aforementioned Arch Campbell for tipping me off to both Ripley and Wicked Little Letters on his podcast.

"Only Murders In The Building" (Hulu)

The amateur crime solving podcasters Steve Martin, Martin Short, and Selena Gomez are back for a fourth season of this great series.   We are five episodes in as the gang tries to figure out who killed Sazz Pataki, why was she killed, and was she really the intended victim.  All of this is going on while a crew from Hollywood is planning on making a movie based on the first season of the OMITB podcast.  The actors cast to play our heroes, Eugene Levy, Zach Galifinakis, and Eve Longoria play themselves and are great as they assimilate themselves into the Martin, Short, and Gomez characters.  Much of the humor is subtle, much of it is outright hilarious.  For example, a cameo appearance by tennis star John McEnroe in episode five was terrific.  And as in the first three seasons, Martin Short steals the show.

I'm not sure that a fourth season of this show was really necessary, but who wants to kill a cash cow, and the show is still fun to watch.  Word is that it has already been renewed for a fifth season as well.  How many people can get killed at the Arconia before the City just condemns the place?

Three Stars from The Grandstander.

Monsters (Netflix)

This one is a nine part series on Netflix based on the story of Lyle and Eric Menendez, brothers convicted of and now serving life sentences for brutally murdering their parents in 1989.  If you were around back in the early 1990's you surely remember this sensational crime and subsequent trial.

Anyway, I hadn't had a lot of interest in this until I heard an item on The Today Show earlier in the week that stated that Eric Menendez, from his prison cell, was objecting to how the brothers were being portrayed the series.  Really?  Is there a good way to portray two guys who killed their parents in cold blood?

So, in a weak moment, I watched the first two episodes earlier this week.  It was about what you would expect....sensational, overwrought, cheesy, but also strangely compelling as well.   I'll check in on episode three, but not sure if I'll be up for all nine episodes.

No Star rating unless and until I see the entire series.

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We have also seen two theatrical productions here in Pittsburgh this month.

Of course, I don't really need to spell out "Hamilton", do I?  This touring production is the initial offering of the 2024-25 Broadway In Pittsburgh series.  It was the sixth time I've seen it, the second time for Linda.  It was terrific.  Again.

Four Stars from The Grandstander.  Again.

Most people remember the 1954 Hitchcock movie that starred Ray Milland and Grace Kelly.  That movie was based on a play by Frederick Knott, and a production of that play is now being presented by the Pittsburgh Public Theater at the O'Reilly Theater.  It was a very good production, as are all PPT shows, of a good mystery, and there is no better place in The Burgh to see a stage play than the O'Reilly. 

Three Stars from The Grandstander.