My Watchlist This Week

Well, well, I am back with another watchlist barometer. And here are 2 under my scanner today, since I recently watched them. They are Scarpetta and Anniversary. April is going to be challenging for me, as my daughter is starting secondary school now, with many new subjects being introduced, so I will be light on writing and will take a month off from my movie/web series and musical posts. So, I thought of writing the last entertainment post for March today- what better than an entertainment-filled Sunday? 

Scarpetta ( Web Series)

I had revealed a bit about the series in my last post. But the context was entirely different from that of a review. Today, however, I will share my views on it. First of all, why did I choose to watch it? Well, simple answer: Nicole Kidman, Jamie Lee Curtis, and Simon Baker (after such a long time)!! 

And I started enjoying it, initially, although Kidman's never-smiling, upright, too-perfect-to-be-true character was a bit much for me to take. But a serial killer out there lurking there, and a hunt for him, yeah the story has every thing to be clued to, but...Yes, sadly, there's a but- and here comes the highly complicated, entangled family drama of a carefree elder sister, her husband cum ex-colleague, a niece and her AI-generated version of dead wife (yeah, you heard me), a husband who hides more than he shares and some difficult co-workers!! However, the saviour of the show is the smooth flashback featuring a younger Dr Scarpetta, her colleague Marino, her niece, the computer-genius child, Lucy, who hacks into systems like cracking popcorn. The entire manhunt and real serial killer investigation is carried on in that part- less drama, more thrill. Rosy McEwen as younger Scarpetta is very likeable and, more than Kidman, her presence reminded me of a younger Diane Lane. 

The family drama part, which had Jamie Lee Curtis garnering all the attention, is watchable to me because of her. An extremely flawed, reckless and carefree novelist, who is loud and vocal- absolutely stark opposite to her younger sister, actually plays someone who seems real and raw. And she is marvellous in this role. Simon Baker is good to watch (literally, as always), convincingly playing the forensic doctor's husband, who, unintentionally, turns to a rival and hides deep secrets beneath his suave & extremely polite demeanour. 

For me, it was an okie dokie watch. And season 2? Yes, I would watch.

Anniversary ( Movie)

Talking of Diane Lane, and here she comes. A very idealistic educator and professor, Ellen, with 4 children and a restaurateur husband, living a peaceful life, gets visited by her only son's girlfriend, Liz, during her anniversary party. Slowly but steadily, over the course of a few years, her life falls apart because of Liz and the influence of a book the latter had written. Liz's book led to a total change in policies, legal systems, and how the state operates. And while almost the whole nation changed, Ellen and her family, excluding her son, refused. 

The film follows the dire consequences they had to endure simply because they refused to accept the change in governance. It's a thought-provoking film that makes one wonder about the influence of corporations and industries on politics and law. And somehow, it evokes discomfort and fear in the audience. The dystopian changes shown are scary, and given the world's current situation, the provocation doesn't seem so unrealistic. 

I had watched Cross Season 2. Truly, I was not that satisfied. I am about to watch Bait, as it looks interesting. I'm halfway through Pretty Lethal and plan to watch Regretting You. And finally, I watched Saiyaara, but sadly, a Bengali-dubbed version. (Yes, I managed that too.)