Wednesday, June 27, 2012

What am I watching?

 , I've been spending a lot of time in WWII in Great Britain, particularly Hastings, watching Foyle bite his inner cheek, as he deduces who done it.  I love this show and am already so involved in the characters' lives. I feel sorry for them, being bombed all the time, and now running low on Scotch, and onions. But I love the fact that MUUUURRRRDDDDER is still rampant, and finding the bugger is still being accomplished.
 My fave is the girl-driver Sam Stewart, played by Honeysuckle Weeks. What a name. What's she called for short?

 Occasionally I will watch a movie, with no murders, sigh. The Golden Bowl, a Merchant Ivory production, was glorious for the great costumes, sets, and castles, manor homes and gardens. My kind of eye candy.
The Edge of Love, again, WWII in England and Wales, was dreary, unintelligible and bleak. Supposedly based on the two loves of Dylan Thomas the poet, drunk and leaning on women for financial support. I only kept watching because I was knitting...
Land Girls is a four parter, and very light, even tho it is...wait for it...
set in WWII in England!
One of the Foyle's War episodes featured a murder involving Land Girls, so I thought I would watch something about this army of women who fed the nation during the war. I am enjoying it even tho it's without a murder...yet.



I happen to be reading a Lincoln Lawyer series book, (The Reversal) by Michael Connelly, and even tho I've already watched The Lincoln Lawyer last winter, I rewatched, to re-enjoy Matthew McConaughey. I hope this becomes a franchise, as the books are great.
I would recommend Vera, a cop-procedural four parter to you, only if you can wade through a very tough Northumberland accent. Not WWII, but contemporary, including cell phones and DNA! Brenda Blethyn as Vera the boss DCI is great, disheveled, frumpy and smart. She accepts a drink at every witnesses' house, unlike most cops.
I checked to see if there were more episodes, and yes, there will be the ones from this year, to come. Hurray! The vast landscape and all the castle ruins are just so romantic and historic.

I started all this murder mystery stuff with Midsomer Murders, which also has wonderful homes and gardens and lots of dead bodies, but I am losing interest, and will only watch an episode as a warm up for Foyle. There were 93 episodes and I watched about 40 before Netflix dropped all but the most recently produced. I fear for the health of the main character, who is out of breath from the least exertion, and I don't think it is acting.
The actor who plays Foyle is Michael Kitchen, who I first noticed in this two parter, The Guilty. He plays the bad guy, and is just wonderfully bad. Loved him. So then I found him in again in Foyle's War and would you believe he turned up in a small part in My Week with Marilyn?




Michelle Williams was absolutely perfect for this part, and Kenneth Branagh played the role of Sir Laurence Olivier dead on! Marilyn was a pitiful woman, as the story showed. Sad.

The hot weather continues, but the house is cool and I am getting my knitting and a bit of cooking accomplished. The green beans and zucchini are abundant. Tomatoes soon to follow.
 


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26 comments:

  1. Anonymous7:57 AM

    So glad you're loving Michael Kitchen- you can see him in a nice cameo in - now I've forgotten the name, but it stars Streep and Redford and is set in Africa- won lots of academy awards you know the one!

    Foyle's war was on in the Sunday evening drama slot in England and as such was beloved by many fellow clergy and myself as a good thing to relax in front of before going to bed.
    Cheryl

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  2. Foyle's War is one of my favorites!

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  3. Knowing what you like, I would suggest the movie "The Illusionist". It is a well written movie set in the late 1800's with a thrilling plot! Enjoy!

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  4. Thanks for the tips. The Lincoln Lawyer is one of my favs too.
    Sorry I've been AWOL-construction looms. It's a two dumpster world around here. Ove you still...

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  5. Great choices! I love Foyle's War and isn't Sam sweet!

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  6. Thanks! Somehow I stumbled onto Downton Abbey, and my DH and I both got hooked (which surprised me)! Then we watched Cranston (parts 1 and 2), which wasn't quite as interesting, but how could you go wrong with Judi Dench! I bought Bleak House, which is next in the lineup. Sometimes it's tough understanding the accent, so I worry that Vera might be unintelligible to us! I'm going to check out the others, tho. Again, thanks!

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  7. Have you every watched "Inspector Morse" and the spin off "Lewis"? What about "Poirot"; the historical "Cadfael" the funny "Hetty Wainthropp Investigates"; or "
    The Inspector Lynley Mysteries"; 2 lady gardeners who are always around murder "Rosemary & Thyme", some older series;"Pie in the Sky" about ex-copper and now chef; "A Touch of Frost" gritty but funny; "Lovejoy" a 1980's classic with Ian Mcshane. Foyle's War was cancelled by a TV exec with a grudge but once he was out of the way people campaigned and they're making a new series hurrah! As for John Nettles who plays Barneby in MM - yes I suspect he was a heavy smoker and I expect him to keel over too!!! I used to fancy him like mad when he was Bergerac - Police Detective in Jersey in the '80's, don't like his replacement thou gh, although I like his dog!!

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  8. Anonymous10:53 AM

    I've been watching Brit TV as well. Judi Dench in A FINE ROMANCE series. ROSEMARY AND THYME,
    gardeners who solve the murder mystery. These are on Netflix streaming on my iPad.....great for stitching.
    Sandra in SC

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  9. Anonymous11:30 AM

    Thank you for the great tips. We loved Foyle's War. We are currently watching Judge John Deed. House of Elliot and House of Cards are two series from the UK that we have also enjoyed.

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  10. My two absolute favorite British tv series are Doc Martin and New Tricks.

    Doc Martin is set in a beautiful Cornwall seaside town. He's a real curmudgeon who barely tolerates the quirky people who live in the town.

    New Tricks is about a group of three retired police detectives (one in love with his deceased wife, another a charming womanizer that is still involved with his three ex-wives and their assorted children("I'm a bad boy, not a bastard"), and a brilliant fellow who functions fairly well as long as he stays on his meds and off booze)and their female boss , who all make up a special squad that looks into old unsolved cases.

    If Netflicks doesn't have them, ask your local library to get them.

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  11. I LOVE the dvd recommendations! I am also in love with Brit-flicks and have found that as long as they have captions I manage the dialogue quite nicely. Thanks for giving me some new ones to add to my list of ones I want to watch.

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  12. For more Michael Kitchen, try the movie "Enchanted April", one of my favorites and the tv series "Reckless" starring another favorite, Robson Green.

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  13. For more Michael Kitchen, try the movie "Enchanted April", one of my favorites and the tv series "Reckless" starring another favorite, Robson Green.

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  14. Helo, I come from germany. My english is not so good. I have a wish to you: please put on the right top of your blog: translate. You will find it under layout-gadget. Thank you very much. Ate

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  15. This is hysterical. I watch all of the above plus some from the commentators. I am always searching for British movies...Everything by Charles Dickens Included.

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  16. Hey, I watch all of these British movies with the English subtitles turned on. It really helps. Thanks for the reviews. There was a few that I missed. Love, love, love mysteries.

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  17. Anonymous8:12 PM

    Huh, how 'bout that? I just finished watching twelve seasons of Midsommer Murders ... and just discovered Foyle's War (am on season 2). Great minds, eh?

    :) Linda

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  18. Anonymous8:12 PM

    Huh, how 'bout that? I just finished watching twelve seasons of Midsommer Murders ... and just discovered Foyle's War (am on season 2). Great minds, eh?

    :) Linda

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  19. I loved Foyle's War but am a Midsomer Murder follower and for a long time was the only dvds I owned. Both had same writer -- love the scenery and perfect to quilt by. Since King's Speech, I have become HUGE Colin Firth fan and have seen almost every movie he has been in (and own quite a few). Am a fanatic mystery reader as well....

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  20. I have been a British TV fan for several years and have sadly finished all those you mentioned. It seems that Netflix has removed some that you used to be able to stream -- arghhhhh! I agree that Inspector Lewis is great - how many people can be murdered in Oxford?? Doc Martin - wonderful. The New Miss Marples are also great fun. I love the 50's clothes!! And so many more.

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  21. I'm so thrilled to see that so many of us enjoy these wonderful programs. The Brits really know how to produce lovely, interesting, and entertaining programs don't they? I'm glad someone already mentioned Downton Abbey because it is exceptional, IMHO.

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  22. Anonymous2:02 PM

    Watch Downton Abbey, Season one and two. Originally aired on PBS> It's addictive like crack cocaine. Promise you!!!

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  23. Anonymous9:12 PM

    Thanks for the video recommendations. It too hot to work outside after 9AM so I knit or sew. What a heat wave!

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  24. Julie9:18 PM

    Thanks for all the great recommendations,quite a few of my favorites on the list.So glad to hear there will be more Vera,just finished watching the 4 on netflix.Loved them.

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  25. I'm think it's really great that you are into British TV shows but am finding it funny that you are finding the accents hard to understand...

    'Lovejoy' was a great show if you can find it... 'Howard's Way' another great drama show from the 80's...

    Something else to look out for is 'The Body Farm' it was just filmed last year, the British take on of'CSI'... episode 3 was not only filmed in the village where we live but they used our boat & house too... !!!

    best wishes from the UK...

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  26. Like you I like British TV shows and movies Vera was on TV last week and very enjoyable I hope to get hold of Land Girls and others you have mentioned
    A UK author I am mad about is Maureen Lee, she writes about WW2 in Liverpool once you get hold of her books you will want read them all I have
    Cheers from Downunder

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