Story Stream: 5/23 - 5/29

Streaming on all the podcast appsHello neighbors!
It's time again for my weekly review of the stories that are occupying my thoughts, informing my perspective, fueling my mind, and feeding my soul. Here's what my week looked like:

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MOVIES

Nobody (2021)

Oh my... I'd somehow missed this entirely until listening to Bob Odenkirk's interview on SmartLess this week (see below). We actually went back to the theater(!!!) to see this one, and I'm so glad we did. While I'm entirely against violence in real life, I'm a sucker for this sort of movie. Especially to see Bob Odenkirk, of all people, in a role like this. And partnered with the RZA and Christopher Lloyd?? Dream team. (I love, love, love Back to the Future, but this may be a new contender for my favorite Christopher Lloyd role.) This is absurd in the very best way, and I will definitely be buying it. Available wherever you buy/rent digital movies. (8/10 - Highly Recommended)

A Quiet Place: Part II (2021)

I've always felt a certain kinship with John Krasinski (or, more accurately, with Jim Halpert), so I tend to want to patronize his projects (even while I admittedly don't always love the roles he chooses). I do think he's a talented writer/director, and I genuinely enjoyed the first installment of A Quiet Place. I'm also a BIG fan of Cillian Murphy, and was excited to see this before the pandemic shut theaters down. We ventured out for a SECOND in-person screening this week (gotta make up for lost time), and it was absolutely worth the wait. Every bit as good as the first one. Truly. I loved it. Emily Blunt shines, and Noah Jupe is a SUPER-talent. Currently in theaters and available for pre-orde. (8/10 - Highly Recommended)

Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles (2014)

Okay... I know there's probably going to be a bit of judgment for this one. I remember being unreasonably upset when it was announced the Michael Bay was rebooting this childhood favorite. I did eventually see it, and didn't think it was as bad as expected. After covering the original Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles sequel, The Secret of the Ooze, on Thirty Pop and being reminded how very, very terrible it is (despite my lingering nostalgic affections for it), for some reason I've been wanting to rewatch the new ones. So, this week I watched the first reboot film... is it stupid? Yes. Of course it is. It's a tale of four abnormally large and muscular, youthful, amphibious karate students who rise from the literal sewer to save their city from chemical warfare at the hands of a blade covered ninja psychopath. It's going to be stupid with or without Michael Bay being in the mix. But the good news is I'm capable, when needed, of disabling the part of my brain that needs everything to be NOT stupid. I actually enjoyed it this time around. Did I love it? No. But I definitely didn't hate it either. It's a ridiculous, fun ride and it has Will Arnett in it. Sometimes "just barely good enough" is still good enough. Available wherever you buy/rent digital movies. ( 6/10 - Recommended)

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TV

The Underground Railroad

As I mentioned last week, this show is a MASTERWORK. I can't remember being so moved by a show in a VERY long time. We finished this early this week, and at no point was I ever even remotely disappointed with it. I don't believe this story could have been told in a more compelling way than it was here. An absolute must-watch. Streaming on Amazon Prime Video. (10/10 - Most Highly Recommended)

21 Jump Street - Season 1

I can't tell you how much I loved this show as a kid. I covered it this week in a catch-up episode of Thirty Pop from late April, looking back thirty years at the end of the series. So I spent a little time revisiting it from the beginning, and it turns out I still love it. Streaming on Peacock. (7/10 - Strongly Recommended)

Mare of Easttown - Episodes 1-6

There's a good reason Kate Winslet is both an Oscar and Emmy winner: she's exceptional. This was recommended by a friend this past week based on some of the other shows I've mentioned enjoying over the last several months, and that friend was right. This is an excellent addition to the murder mystery/thriller genre. Loaded with great characters, but Winslet shines especially. ITCHING for the next episode. Streaming on HBO Max. (9/10 - Highly Recommended)

Tell Me Your Secrets - Episode 1: "Once I Had a Love"

We've been seeing the trailer for this quite a bit lately, as we've watched The Underground Railroad and other Prime series. We came in with high expectations, and were mostly disappointed with the first episode. It's not entirely uninteresting (to me at least. My wife has already tapped out.). I'll give it another episode or two. But so far I'm not at all hooked. Mediocre performances from a couple of the show's main supporting cast members. Wildly underdeveloped holes in the story. Just some pretty glaring imperfections. Undecided as to whether I'll continue on or not. Streaming on Amazon Prime Video. (5/10 - Not Highly Recommended)

The Sons of Sam: A Descent Into Darkness - Episode 2: "Catch .44"

Started this a while back, but only watched the first episode. Not because I wasn't into it. I was just more into something else. Picked it back up this week and I'm still interested enough to finish it up (it's only 4 episodes long). Haven't decided yet how it compares to other entries in the genre. There's still time for it to be a 10. There's also still time for it to be a 2. We'll see! Streaming on Netflix. (?/10 - Too soon to recommend)

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PODCASTS

SmartLess - "Ted Sarandos," "Bob Odenkirk," "Jessica Meir," and "Amy Sedaris"

My love for this show is no secret. I do tend to get behind on it though. I played a fair amount of catch-up this week, and, as expected, enjoyed every minute. I never cease to be impressed with the guest list these guys are curating. Even when they host folks I've never heard of, I wind up being completely engaged. I loved all of these episodes. Streaming on all the podcast apps. (9/10 - Highly Recommended)

Absolutely Mental - "Why Do We Dream?"

I was very excited about this show as a big fan of so much of what Ricky Gervais does. I was bummed to learn it's a paid series exclusively. I believe artists should be paid for their work, certainly. But paid series are so specifically counter to the whole podcasting ethos. That's not to say there is no place for them. Just to say I'd hate for it to become the norm. Anyway, the first episode is free, and despite several scathing reviews from listeners on Apple Podcasts, I genuinely enjoyed it. Enough to consider buying the series (but not enough to actually do so). Minimal production, if any, which I actually think was a clever move for this show. Regardless of whether you want to buy it or not, the first/free episode is worth a listen. Streaming on some podcast apps. (7/10 - Recommended)

The Experiment - "Here for the Right Reasons? Lessons From '90 Day Fiancé"

This was our weekly Listening Session episode to review, and it was a delightful surprise. Not because I had low expectations. I had no expectations whatsoever. I'd never heard of the show at all. Among my favorite things about this episode was the way they were able to wrap compelling social and political commentary about American supremacy, patriarchy, imbalances of power, capitalism, gender, and normative culture into a seemingly lighthearted packaging about guilty pleasure reality TV, and never forfeit one for the other. It IS compelling commentary, and it IS lighthearted. It's fully both. So impressive from a production/story editing perspective. Streaming on all the podcast apps. (7/10 - Strongly Recommended)

Vigilante Book Club - Season 1, Episodes 8-11

This is one of my very, very, very favorite podcasts, and I've fallen way, way, way behind. I did some binging this week to try and finish their first season, so I can finally get started on Season 2. I love these guys so much. I love the whole premise of this show so much. Talk about compelling commentary in lighthearted packaging... these guys are MASTERS. Which is crazy, because very few folks know about this show. I only heard about it because I provided them tech support after their first or second episode was published. I've been evangelizing it ever since. I can't say enough good things about this show. I love it. I super love it. So much. Streaming on all the podcast apps. (9/10 - Highly Recommended)

Atlas Obscura - "Widow Jane Mine" and "The Museum of Bad Art"

I've mentioned this show before, but I still haven't listened to much. I only made it through episodes 2 & 3 this week. But I love this concept. Especially as travel options begin to reopen around the world, a show that explores the world's most interesting little unknown corners is such smart timing from Stitcher/Witness Docs. I especially enjoyed learning about the Museum of Bad Art, and just knowing such a place exists in the world. I intend to listen to this entire series, which is growing everyday (or, 4 days a week). Thankfully these are VERY digestible, (bite-sized even), 10-15 minute episodes. Streaming on all the podcast apps. (7/10 - Strongly Recommended)

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MUSIC

Jars of Clay: Good Monsters (2006)

I couldn't have loved this album more when it came out. On it exists what I have at times believed to be perhaps the greatest song ever written: "Oh My God." I revisited the album this week, and it holds up 1,000%. These guys have retired the band at this point, but I'm not kidding when I say they could release this exactly as it is today, 15 years later, and it would be no less relevant or impressive. It's a truly incredible album from a truly incredible band. Listen wherever you stream music. (9/10 - Highly Recommended)

The Jazz Messengers - Live at the Cafe Bohemia, Volume I (1956)

I stumbled into this one after my dear friend Aaron Hale left a voicemail humming the hook of Digable Planets's 1992 jazz rap track "Rebirth of Slick (Cool Like Dat)," which he couldn't identify for the life of him. Once I moved past the pride I felt in being seen and recognized as an old school hip hop aficionado, and identified the hook, I then needed to know whence it was sampled. That led me to Art Blakey and The Jazz Messengers. Digable Planets were sampling their 1978 song "Stretching," which led me to want to explore their catalog of music. I started with this album from 1956 and thoroughly enjoyed it in the background of whatever else I was working on at the time. Streaming on all the music apps. (7/10 - Recommended) 

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AUDIOBOOKS

Trust: America's Best Chance - By Pete Buttigieg (2020)

I've been a fan of Mayor Pete (currently the United States Secretary of Transportation) since shortly after his presidential campaign began in April 2019. Or maybe slightly before? I don't remember. I just know that his has become (ironically) a voice I genuinely trust. I'm not quite as cynical about the corruptness of "all politicians," but I might be if not for Pete Buttigieg. Like him or not though, he's a hell of a writer, and has a deep understanding of American policy. He also has remarkable perspective and a gift for articulating it in a way that brings personal conviction and genuine hope in equal measure. I loved this book. Available on Audible.com. (9/10 - Highly Recommended)

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It was clearly a week FILLED with stories. So much greatness to cram into 7 days.

How about you? What did you watch, read, and/or listen to this week? How is it shaping you/your perspective? What do you recommend for the rest of us? Movies, TV shows, podcasts, books, music, anything! (So many of you text me those answers each week. I'd love for you to share in the comments below! Let the whole neighborhood join you!)

Thanks for reading, friends! More soon.