What I Watched Over Winter Break: At The Movies With Kasey
Happy New Year, Waynedale. I’m back to report on what I have watched since Christmas: a gripping sci-fi series, the Die Hard wannabe, and new biopics.
First, I caught up on Severance on Apple TV+ before the second season. Created by Dan Ericson and directed by Ben Stiller, Severance focuses on employees of a mysterious corporation who have undergone a procedure that severs their memories at work from the rest of their lives. Mark (Adam Scott), Dylan (Zach Cherry), Helly (Britt Lower), and Irving (John Turturro) spend their days doing “macrodata refinement” unsure of what their task really accomplishes and wondering why their “outie” selves chose this life for them. Patricia Arquette also stars as their conniving boss, Harmony Cobel.
Severance is incredibly compelling. As the mystery of what the severed workers are really up to unfolds, the world outside the office grows, adding shocking layers to the story and characters. The writing and acting also balance whimsical details with serious themes. For example, Mark’s buffoon of a brother-in-law contrasts the sweetness of his relationship with his sister, but even those characters develop in surprising ways. The style of the show richly distinguishes the world inside the office with its strict color palette and glaring fluorescent lights from a dark, earthy world outside. It’s an exciting, richly crafted show that I can’t wait to watch more of.
On Netflix, Carry-On is set on Christmas Eve but really offers an action thriller that only debatably counts as a Christmas movie. The movie stars Taron Egerton as Ethan Kopek, an unmotivated TSA agent who, encouraged by his pregnant girlfriend (Sofia Carson), decides to take more initiative at work the very day that a terrorist (Jason Bateman) and his accomplice (Theo Rossi) intend to coerce a TSA agent into letting a fatal nerve agent through security. The plot of Carry-On bends credulity and concocts a far-fetched rationale for the attack, but the cat-and-mouse game between Egerton and Bateman is fun to watch.
Carry-On was written by T.J. Fixman and directed by Jaume Collet-Serra. It runs 119 minutes and is rated PG-13.
On Hulu, Lee tells the story of legendary photographer Lee Miller’s journalism during World War II and the toll the experience had on her. Kate Winslet stars as Lee, with Alexander Skarsgård as her husband Roland Penrose, Marion Cotillard as her friend, and Andy Samberg as her colleague and confidante, Davy Scherman. Although Winslet gives an incredible performance, as always, showing Lee’s wicked sense of humor alongside her grit and courage, Samberg also provides some surprising depth, such as when he cries to Lee after they photograph a concentration camp, “All those people, they were my people.”
For much of the film, Lee’s reflections on her experiences are looped in through a conversation with a character billed as “Young Man” (Josh O’Connor). Although the end of their discussion moves the film toward an emotional end, for much of the film it feels like an unnecessary interruption. Even still, Lee is a stunning portrait of an artist at work and the humanity she saw in the worst of circumstances. I recommend pulling up the Lee Miller Archives to see her real photos. The movie does an incredible job of depicting her artistry and the life behind her iconic photography.
Lee was written by Liz Hannah, Marion Hume, and John Collee and directed by Ellen Kuras. It runs 117 minutes and is rated R.
On Netflix, The Six Triple Eight tells the story of the first and only Women’s Army Corps unit of color to serve overseas during World War II and their grueling fight to deliver a three-year backlog of mail. Compared to Lee, The Six Triple Eight takes an unusually corny tone to the subject matter. Still, Kerry Washington lends her star power and seriousness to an ensemble cast including Ebony Obsidian, Milauna Jackson, Kylie Jefferson, Shanice Shantay, Sarah Jeffery, Pepi Sonuga, Dan Norris, Susan Sarandon, and Sam Waterson as the Roosevelts. Despite the big names, the best parts of the film are when the women of the Corps interact in their downtime.
Perhaps the cast includes too many characters to do right by. The writing often sounds like a high school play, with characters giving their own stories in clunky dialogue and broadcasting the themes in heavy-handed speeches. The members of the 6888 Central Postal Battalion have important stories to tell and this movie deserved a better screenplay.
The Six Triple Eight was directed by Tyler Perry, who wrote the screenplay with Kevin Hymel. It runs 129 minutes and is rated PG-13.
Finally, on Apple TV+ Bread & Roses offers insights into the impact the fall of Kabul to the Taliban in 2021 had on women’s lives and their rights through the struggles of three individual women. Director Sahra Mani and Executive Producers Malala Yousafzai and Farhad Khosravi craft powerful, raw stories to make sure the women’s plight does not get forgotten or concealed. With a tight pace at a 90-minute runtime, the documentary is economical with its balance of information and storytelling.
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