Films and Stuff

Not having a lot of luck with some books that I reserved but found The Once and Future Sex which discusses women during the Middle Ages pretty good. The last (small) chapter basically tosses in some facts to suggest things aren't great now either. Fine, but hey, you are a medieval expert, and a few selected studies on recent times are somewhat lacking.  

I probably will have a longer review in the separate book review website I contribute to (Good Arguments review has been added).  She also co-hosts a popular podcast (over 100 episodes), one of the myriads of podcasts out there. I listened to their podcast on The Knight's Tale, which they very much enjoyed (realizing it is a bit of a goof).  I like when people can enjoy, especially when they have some skills to "deep dive," such films.  

I also enjoyed some films and stuff on television. Unexpected is one of a slew of films out there that often are likely only to be found on demand, which is how I found this one.  Anna Camp, who is in Pitch Perfect among other things, is very good.  But, others are as well.  It's a quirky film about a couple with a lot of issues.  

Inez & Doug & Kira was the independent option (joined with a classic and a short film) on PBS on Saturday.  A couple has to deal with the suicide of someone both have a complicated relationship with (sister, sponsor, former lover). I did not see the whole thing but it is well-acted, written, and directed (good use of flashbacks and quiet scenes).  

A film that deserves caps -- KILLER KLOWNS FROM OUTER SPACE -- was the Svengoolie option. Svengoolie has been stretched to two and a half hours, which seems a bit too long, but then many of these horror host shows have a lot of commercials and filler.  This is a silly movie that is amusingly cheesy. I fast-forwarded some since I was not in the mood to see it in all its glory.  Either way, it was a fun entry.    

The Way Home is a new-ish Hallmark series about three generations (Andie MacDowell again pops up on Hallmark as the grandmother and looks quite fine in scenes that take place twenty years earlier) that involves time travel. A family member wanted to see it and they reaired the first four episodes last night.  I caught the first and parts of the second and fourth episodes.  

Overall, it is well-acted and written, with something for teens and adults.  Not sure if I would want to see the whole thing and not sure how the mother finding out about the time traveling will work.  But, I liked what I saw as a whole (was starting to find the teen family drama a bit boring in the fourth).  Always nice to hear Andie MacDowell's accent. 

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And, of course, the big event on television was the Super Bowl. I did not watch it though I caught the very end.  I was traveling during the middle of the game and one prediction ticker had the Eagles' win chances around halftime being close to 70%.  

I think it is a bit silly to do that when they were only ahead by a TD though the ten points at halftime were a bit more notable. Still, KC scores after halftime and it's a three-point game. Come on.  Anyway, after the Jags blew a chance (including against a backup QB), the stud boy on a bad ankle did his thing again helped by the oatmeal guy.  

Another close win, finished off by an over five-minute job to basically run out the clock.  For the second game in a row, a late penalty helped ice the game, this time a hold denying the Eagles a chance with plenty of time to respond.  We will see both teams again in the postseason and probably (surely Kansas City) in the Super Bowl again.  One of these games playing for that deciding FG will blow up on them with a miss.  Time for baseball.