Definitely a slower month than the previous few, but I feel this is more in line with how much I usually watch. I almost have to force myself to watch stuff in my Netflix queue or I will just keep watching the same few things over and over, like Hot Fuzz or Always Sunny.

Movies

Furious 7 –see here

Fast 5 – God, this movie is so great. It is exactly what I want from an action movie. It is crazy, though more restrained than its sequel, but still very clear and sensibly motivated. It is just about the perfect action movie. *****

Empire State – A crime movie starring Thor’s little brother and The Rock. It doesn’t really go anywhere. It’s not bad, but it is exactly what it seems like. There is nothing here except surface. There just isn’t a lot here. **1/2

Crank – I wanted to like this more than I did. It is manic and Statham is always entertaining, but the movie was just kind of off-putting. It revels in the dirty and gross, which unless you like the joke is dirty and gross. I didn’t like the joke. **

Hot Fuzz – Still amazing. I love every second of it. *****

Atari: Game Over – A neat look at fall of Atari as the leading video game company through the story of them burying thousands of unsold copies of ET in a New Mexico landfill. It tells a pretty interesting history of the Atari console and ET. ***1/2

I Hate Christian Laettner – A 30 for 30 film that looks at the career of one of the most hated, and best, college basketball players of all time. Christian Laettner is the prime example of why a lot of people hate Duke Basketball. It painstakingly goes through the reasons that people hate him and shows how wrong or right those reasons are. It is a really great look at a really great time in college basketball. ****

The Man With the Iron Fists 2 – this is a direct to video sequel to a movie that was a highly entertaining piece of trashy fun. For the first hour of its hour and a half runtime it has almost none of the fun. It ends on a high note, but not enough to make up for the dull first half. **1/2

TV

Always Sunny in Philadelphia S8-9 – This is still my go to background noise TV show, if I need to turn something on but don’t really want to watch it. It actually kind of scares me how little the gang’s depraved antics shock me anymore.

Daredevil – It starts really great, but I got about halfway through and suddenly my interest dropped. I really don’t know why; the show is really good. I just feel like I had to force myself to watch most of the second half. Still, I’m eager to see more Netflix Marvel shows.

Mad Men S7 Part 1 – Mad Men is still amazing. I’m not at all sure how the show is going to end, but it is a joy to watch.