Movie and TV Reviews - December 2021

Here are some short reviews of things I watched in December. With my wife's mom in a care home, we've had more time to watch TV.

Movies

• A Christmas Letter: I can't stand most Christmas movies but I did enjoy this one. I probably wouldn't have watched it if it hadn't been shot in and around my hometown of Sault Ste. Marie. It's light and the plot is implausible but the acting and writing are above average. (CBC Gem)
• Art in Practice: Encountering the Buddha with the Philip Glass Ensemble. See my review here. (YouTube)
• The Matrix: Resurectons. The first third of this was interesting, but then it degenerated in a kung fu-filled muddled mess. 

TV Shows

• Mr. Palfrey of Westminster: This is a 1980s British show about a mild-mannered spy-catcher. We watched a couple of episodes but found it too dated to keep watching. For Britphiles only. (Acorn TV)
• Inspector Lewis: This is a sequel to Endeavour and Inspector Morse, following Morse's sergeant, Lewis, who is now an inspector. It's very well done with good acting, twisty plots, and deep characterization. Who knew that there was so much crime and depravity in the quiet university town of Oxford? (PBS Masterpiece)
• Foundation: The series is supposedly based on Isaac Asimov's classic series of science fiction novels but it largely to have diverged into its own story. That was probably just as well, given that the original books were static and preachy. Unfortunately, it meanders into some subplots that make no sense and the characters, except for one exception, are unappealing. The best part of the show was the plot revolving around Creon, the triune emperor. Otherwise, it was a complete waste of time. (Apple TV+)
• Invasion: I was hoping for a wide-scale alien invasion story akin to Niven and Pournelle's Footfall, but instead I got a muddled mess akin to Lost. So disappointing. (Apple TV+)
• War of the Worlds (Season 2): The first season did little for me and the second season isn't much better. (CBC Gem)
• The Witcher (Season 2): This season was better than the first, which I found almost unwatchable. That doesn't mean it was good, but at least I could follow what was going on some of the time. 
• The Wheel of Time: I wasn't sure how this series would go after the first couple of episodes, as it seemed a bit juvenile and the tone was wildly inconsistent. But as the season progressed, it got better and better, and I was totally engrossed by the final episode. (Amazon Prime)
• The Expanse (Season 6): The "final" season (scare quotes because there are rumours it will continue after all) continues straight on from the end of season 5, but begins to introduce the Laconia plot from the last three books in the trilogy. This is about as good as SF TV shows get. (Amazon Prime)
• Agatha Raisin (Season 4): The first episode of the season is a Christmas episode. The blurb describes the show as "quirky and fun", which is accurate. Not to be taken seriously but enjoyable if you want some light entertainment. (Acorn TV)