I’ve been watching more television than I normally do partly because I am cross stitching in the evenings and partly because I’ve turned television on a couple days during my long stints of mask sewing. Here are a few things I’ve been watching….
A Fall from Grace:
This was a Netflix movie. It says it’s a thriller but I really didn’t get a “thriller” experience when I watched it. I’d say it was more of a “made for television” movie. Remember growing up many of us watched the “Saturday Night Movie”? It was a fine movie for stitching to. I didn’t have to “watch” it all and could easily stitch while it was on.
This is the overview of the movie:Â “When gentle, law-abiding Grace confesses to killing her new husband, her skeptical young lawyer sets out to uncover the truth.”
Here’s the trailer….
It didn’t get the greatest reviews but honestly, it was okay in my book. Maybe if I was intently watching the movie the movie’s sake vs having some to watch while stitching, I wouldn’t have liked it so much. Give it a try and see what you think.
I was late to the party but I finally watched… Alias Grace.
Here is the overview of it:
“Based on the 1996 Margaret Atwood novel of the same name, “Alias Grace” tells the story of young Grace Marks, a poor Irish immigrant and domestic servant in Upper Canada who is accused and convicted of the 1843 murder of her employer and his housekeeper. Stablehand James McDermott is also convicted of the crime. McDermott is hanged, but Grace is sentenced to life in prison, leading her to become one of the most notorious women of the period in Canada. The story is based on actual 19th-century events.”
This got pretty good reviews and I have to say, I liked it. I loved the costumes. I loved the narrative in first person. Some of the characters I didn’t love but as part of the story, I didn’t think I was supposed to love them. All in all…it was an interesting watch.
I didn’t know it was based on a book…I’m tempted to go listen to it. We all know books are often better than the movies.
The next show I watched was Collateral. This was a quick 4 part series that have my attention. This was on Netflix. It’s a British show. My kids all tease me that I like all things British. It’s mostly true especially with television.
Here is the overview of it…
““Collateral” is a four-part thriller set in London that takes place over four days. When a pizza delivery driver is shot down in South London, Detective Inspector Kip Glaspie, played by “Great Gatsby” star Carey Mulligan, is left in charge of the investigation and refuses to accept the murder as just a random act of violence. As she investigates, she soon finds herself being drawn into the darker side of underworld London. At the same time, politician David Mars, played by John Simm, becomes embroiled in the events due to his rocky relationship with his unpredictable ex, Karen, and a vicar struggles to conceal her affair with the only witness to the shooting. Disparate worlds collide and become entangled as the investigation develops.”
I’ll admit to being a crime show/cop junkie…I seriously love them. Â
I like the drama of “who dun it?”.
If you are looking for a short quick series….this is pretty good one. I did a little research and this is only going to be a one series show. That’s a little sad as I really liked the characters.
That’s what I’ve been watching….As always I love any suggestions.
Check out Unorthodox on Netflix. We enjoyed
I felt like the Alias Grace series was fairly true to the book. I kept hoping the book would solve some of the unanswered questions I had after watching.
In regards to a prior post, we have a group locally that make numerous nurses gowns from TyveK.
Well, I’m even more out of the loop than you as I haven’t heard of Alias Grace until your post today. I really liked “Dirty John” on Netflix based upon a true story staring Connie Britton, Eric Bana, Julia Garner, Cameron Crovetti. “Debra’s seemingly perfect life is disrupted as she falls for a handsome doctor who sweeps her into a whirlwind romance. But her handsome new beau pulls Debra into a sinister game of psychological manipulation.” Not as sinister as it sounds, very thought provoking. Originally an article in the LA Times. A friend listened to about 8 podcasts to hear the story.
I also liked “Virgin River” on Netflix based upon the books by Robyn Carr. I want to watch more when I get a chance.
Last month I read “The Marriage Lie,” a book you reviewed recently. I think the author tried to indicate time had past and the wife was moving on which is why the ending. But the gap in the book was from one chapter to the next, not enough for me to get a feel for time passing. I have thought about it since I finished it (what would I have done?) which to me is a sign it was a good book.
Another book I recently finished and think about is “The Wife and the Widow” by Christian White, an Australian. Perhaps because it takes place on an island in the off season I was attracted to it as I live on an island that has a 6 month off season. And I was a wife and am now a widow. About chapter 28 I thought I was skimming too fast, missed something. Nope. A very surprise ending. I put the author’s other book on hold at my local library.
But the best book I’ve read in the past 2 years is “The Masterpiece” by Francine Rivers. Outstanding. Emotional. Moving. I still recall and think about the plot. And I guess to me that is a good book, one that I can remember the title and plot months later. Most books are a blur of more of the same.
I like many British shows. It seems that they pick better stories and do a better job of making the show real. What I have really liked is “call the Midwife.” Fascinating true stories of the job of midwives in early 1900’s post WW1
if you can get a paper copy of Alias Grace I think you would enjoy seeing it. Each chapter starts with a picture of a quilt block and its name. I know of a woman in the Netherlands who made each block and made a quilt. So even if you listen to it, seeing the quilt blocks is interesting.
I wonder how the quilt blocks are mentioned/described in the listening version.
I have been rewatching favorite British shows. some I recommend: Silk-court room drama, Unforgotten, Endeavor. It seems that the short British television seasons do not last long enough for me, so I rerun my favorites.
I watched alias grace a while ago. Now we’re watching a French show bonfire something about a flea market where there was a fire and lots of people died….based on a real event. We’ve also watched plenty of British and Danish shows. British crime shows and Danish ones there’s “rain” about a rain that kills everyone. Another is Rita about a defiant school teacher.