The Review Show

Episode 246. We watched Angelyne, a five-episode limited series from Peacock dramatizing true events. A mysterious woman called Angelyne started putting up billboards for herself around Los Angeles in the early 80s, unclear about exactly what she was promoting, just that she wanted to be a star. She became a fixture of the city, driving around in the city selling her own merchandise out of the trunk of her pink Corvette. The city loved her but was puzzled by her, never knowing her real identity. Decades later, the Hollywood Reporter published an article revealing her origin, and we see how that expose came together and how Angelyne reacts to someone else trying to tell her story.

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Episode 245. We read the 2018 comic series Shazam and the Seven Magic Lands by writer Geoff Johns. Billy Batson and his adopted siblings find that whey they transform into their superpowered alter egos and visit the Rock of Eternity, they can travel to other magical lands. While exploring worlds of infinite amusement parks, talking animals, and living video games, they find the citizens aren't welcoming to strangers from other lands. They also have the villainous Dr. Sivana and Mr. Mind on their trail, plus the antihero Black Adam seeking their powers, and Billy's biological father has finally come to make amends to his son, but might not be who he says he is.

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Episode 244. We watched the 2007 legal thriller Michael Clayton, written and directed by Tony Gilroy. Michael Clayton is a "fixer" for his law firm, cleaning up messes for their prestigious clients. They're defending the manufacturer of a potentially carcinogenic pesticide when the head lawyer on that case suffers a mental breakdown, and turns against the client. Michael Clayton has to look after his friend's wellness and smooth over relations with the client, while investigating claims of evidence that could blow the case wide open, and dealing with his own personal debts that make it difficult for him to turn down any bribes to stay quiet in the face of dangerous corporate misconduct.

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Episode 243. We're continuing our ongoing monthly discussion on the Fast saga, covering Fast & Furious (2009), Fast Five (2011), and Fast & Furious 6 (2013). Brian reunites with the Torettos after Lettie is mysteriously murdered while trying to infiltrate a drug ring. Dom is already on the run from the law, and taking down Lettie's killer could make him a visible target to both criminals and police. Then the family hides out in Brazil, where they call upon all their past friends to help steal a bank vault belonging to the city's most powerful and dangerous crime lord, attracting the attention of federal agent Luke Hobbs. In the sixth film, Dom learns that Lettie is still alive, suffering from amnesia and working for a far more sinister group of thieves. The family joins forces to bring Lettie home, but they're putting other family members in grave danger in the process.

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Episode 242. We watched The Handmaiden, a 2016 South Korean film by director Park Chan-wook. In this erotic crime thriller, pickpocket Sook-hee takes a job as a handmaiden to the sheltered Lady Hideko, with the secret goal to convince her to marry Count Fujiwara, a fellow criminal who has hatched this plan with Sook-hee to steal the lady's riches. While the two women develop a close relationship, the scheme proceeds and opens up a web of betrayal, deceit, and unforeseen twists.

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Episode 241. We listened to the audio drama The Left Right Game, created and written by Jack Anderson and starring and produced by Tessa Thompson. Alice is a journalist who finds the story of the Left Right Game, an urban legend where you drive your car in a left turn, a right turn, a left, a right, on and on until you pass into another dimension. Alice joins a caravan of cars trying to go farther into this world than anyone has before, led by a friendly but mysterious veteran of the game who may be keeping secrets about the dangerous landmarks they pass on the road.

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Episode 240. We read the complete three volume run of Red Sonja, from writer Gail Simone and artist Walter Geovani. Red Sonja is a legendary hero in her fantasy world, known as the devil with a sword, slaying foes for whoever will pay her in gold, meat, and alcohol. She defends a small plague-ridden town from an old friend who's been driven mad by the shared trauma they both survived, she ferries the six greatest artisans in the land to the farewell party of a dying king, and she fights against the unforeseen consequences of a wizard's curse for her to never forgive anyone as long as she lives.

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Episode 239. Crack open the Coronas for our first monthly ongoing series of the year, covering the Fast & Furious saga! We watched The Fast and The Furious (2001), 2 Fast 2 Furious (2003), and The Fast and The Furious: Tokyo Drift (2006), with the next three movies coming next month. Brian O'Conner is an undercover officer infiltrating the street-racing scene in Los Angeles, trying to stop a group of mysterious drivers from stealing 2001's most precious commodity: DVD players. He bonds with the Toretto family, and struggles with choosing this bond over his mission when he finds they might be involved in the thefts. He then goes to Miami to bust another criminal boss, supported by an all new colorful team of racers. Finally, we meet high schooler Sean, who's been sent to live with his estranged father in Japan after he's busted for another street race. He's the champ where he comes from, but now he has to learn the art of drifting to defeat an opponent with dangerous yakuza ties.

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Episode 238. We watched Swiss Army Man, a 2016 film by the Daniels, the directorial team behind Everything Everywhere All At Once! Hank is shipwrecked on an island, at the end of his rope, when a body washes up on shore. He's able to ride the flatulent corpse back to the mainland, where the body slowly wakes back up sentience. Hank calls his new friend Manny, and teaches him what it means to be alive again, reminding him about love and all of life's tiny joys. Using Manny's whimsical undead powers, the two journey through the wilderness back to civilization.

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Episode 237. We watched the 2011 anime series Puella Magi Madoka Magica, a deconstruction of the magical girl genre. Madoka and her friends fantasize about being magical girls, but when they meet a classmate who really has this secret identity, they learn about the dark bargain you have to make to gain that power. A cute alien creature asks you to sign a contract, granting you any wish, in exchange for your services battling evil witches. There's no way out of the contract, and you'll almost certainly become corrupted and turn into a witch yourself. But when you can have your heart's desire, and protect your community and your closest friends from danger, is the sacrifice worth it?

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