Category Archives: Drugs

2007, Afghanistan, Drugs, Netflix Streaming, Nudity, Politicians

Charlie Wilson’s War (2007)

From IMDB:

A drama based on a Texas congressman Charlie Wilson’s covert dealings in Afghanistan, where his efforts to assist rebels in their war with the Soviets have some unforeseen and long-reaching effects.

From Netflix you can stream this 1 hour 41 minute complete film starring Tom Hanks.

Based on true history, not only is this about helping the fight against the Soviets, but it ends with criticizing the U.S. for its habit of entering a country to fight an enemy but then abandoning that same country afterwards.

Charlie Wilson was a bit of a libertine, so expect some nudity, sexual content, and drug use.  But all told, it is an inspiring story of a capable politician.

DO NOT MISS!

 

2011, Abduction, Abuse of Women, Action sequences, Ageing parent, Amazon Prime Brit Box, Based on a Book, Blackmail, Bloody scenes, British Mystery Series, British Police, Car Chase, Career Criminal, Clever Plot, Complicated, Contract Killing, Corrupt policemen, Corruption, Could Be Hard To Watch, Crime, Crime thriller, Death of a child, Detective, Disturbing Image, DO NOT MISS, Drug Dealers, Drugs, Eccentric Detective, Emotional abuse, Ethical struggles, Failing Marriage, Family Conflict, Father-daughter relations, Fight Scenes, Flirting, Forensics, Gambling, Grim, Grisly, Gritty, Hopeless Love, Human trafficking, Infuriating, Lawyers, Love Story, Mourning, Murder, Murder Trial, Pedophilia, Plot twists, Poker, Police Corruption, Police Culture, Possibly upsetting ending, Psychiatrists, Romance, Sad ending, Single Mother, Suicide, Suspense, Thriller, Trial Scenes, Upsetting ending, Violent

DCI Banks (2011)

From IMDB:

The tenacious and stubborn DCI Banks unravels disturbing murder mysteries aided by his young assistants, DS Annie Cabbot and DI Helen Morton.

From Amazon Prime Brit Box (or just independently Brit Box) you can stream 5 seasons of this outstandingly tense British crime series. Almost all complete stories require two consecutive episodes.  All seasons contain 6 episodes (i.e 3 stories) where each episode lasts about 45 minutes.

Season 1 contains 7 episodes because the first episode is the pilot called “Aftermath”. PLEASE DO NOT WATCH this episode because it is so ugly that you might not want to watch the rest of the series. Indeed the crimes in all the stories are disturbing but season 1 episode 1 is especially nasty.

Detectives Alan Banks, Annie Cabbot, and Helen Morton are  present throughout.  Alan falls in love with Annie and a constant theme is whether they will ever get together. Alan’s father is always an annoyance. Shaun Dooley plays a wonderfully infuriating evil criminal Steve Richards.

Kathy and I eagerly ploughed through all 30 episodes, exclaiming after each story “Wow!”  In fact in one sitting we always watched two episodes making one complete story.

DO NOT MISS!

2019, Bromance, Drama, Drugs, Friendship, Inevitable Ending, Kanopy streaming, Mysterious Disappearance, Philosophic Discussions, Sci-Fi, Self-Sacrifice, Time Travel

Synchronic (2019)

From Kanopy:

When two paramedics are called to a series of strange accidents, they blame a new street drug. But when one’s daughter disappears, the other happens upon a terrifying truth that challenges everything he knows about reality—and time itself.

From Kanopy you can stream this 1 hour 41 minute sci-fi film.

Besides being a sci-fi film related to time travel,  the film features quite a bit of philosophical discussions between the two paramedics. In fact the close friendship between the two men Steve (played by Anthony Mackie who also played Takeshi Kovacs in “Altered Carbon”) and Dennis (played by Jamie Dornan who also play to creepy success the serial killer Paul Spector in “The Fall”)  figures heavily in the final brave act of self-sacrifice.

Clever episodes of time-travel accompany a genuine tale of friendship.

2022, Acceptable for teenagers, Amazon Prime Brit Box, Could Be Sad, Cover-up, Drugs, Dysfunctional Lives, Failed Father, Father-daughter relations, Mother-daughter relations, Murder, Nothing special, Police Investigation, Police Politics, Shocking Ending, Suicide, Violent

Suspect (2022)

From IMDB:

Veteran detective Danny Frater is called to a hospital mortuary to identify a corpse only to find it is his estranged daughter. Traumatized by the news she took her own life, Frater sets out to discover the truth about her death.

From Amazon Prime Brit Box (or just Brit Box) you can stream this 8 episode murder inquiry. Each episode lasts only 23 minutes.

Danny Frater (played by James Nesbitt) gropes from clue to clue, from suspicious character to sinister character desperately trying to prove his daughter was murdered.  Along the way he comes to the wrenching realization that he failed his daughter completely.

Incidentally James Nesbitt once starred in an 8 episode TV series from 2014 called “The Missing”.  His character name was of all things “Tony Hughes”.

While nothing to write home about, the story was compelling and sad right up to the shocking ending.

 

2020, Abduction, Action Film, Addiction, Arson, Attempted Rape, Blackmail, Bloody scenes, Boxing, British, Car Chase, Career Criminal, Complicated, Contract Killing, Crime thriller, Drugs, Exaggeration Comedy, Extreme Violence as Comedy, Failed Father, Father-daughter relations, Fight Scenes, Fist Fight, Gangs, Lot's of Fun, Marijuana, Mayhem, Murder, Netflix Streaming, Physical fighting, Plot twists, Theft, Violent

The Gentlemen (2020)

From IMDB:

An American expat tries to sell off his highly profitable marijuana empire in London, triggering plots, schemes, bribery and blackmail in an attempt to steal his domain out from under him.

From Netflix you can stream this 1 hour 53 minute complete British action crime film.

Most apt category that describes this film is “Extreme Violence as Comedy” which we saw in other films such as “The Boondock Saints”, “Killers”, and “Fargo”.  Did I mention that this film is  VIOLENT?

But it really is entertaining and fun (what does that say about us?) What really sells the film for me is the well choreographed ensemble work.  And what an ensemble of actors! To name only a few:

  • Matthew McConaughey
  • Charlie Hunnam
  • Michelle Dockery  (who has really escaped from Downton Abbey)
  • Colin Farrell
  • Hugh Grant
  • Eddie Marsan (Familiar or not, you see him in many films)
  • Samuel West  (Another “seen everywhere” British actor)

Another great guilty pleasure.  Not for children.

2022, Accidental Death, Adultery, Anxiety Attacks, British Drama, British Politics, DO NOT MISS, Drugs, Ethical struggles, Extramarital Affair, Family Conflict, Lawyers, Netflix Streaming, Oxford University, Privileged Upper Class, Rape, Sex Scenes, Trial Scenes

Anatomy of a Scandal (2022)

From IMDB:

A sexual consent scandal amongst British privileged elite and the women caught up in its wake.

From Netflix you can stream the 6 episodes of this one season drama. Each episode lasts about 45 minutes.

Michelle Dockery, who became well know with her role as Lady Mary Crawley in “Downton Abbey”, shines here where she portrays the lawyer Kate Woodcroft who is prosecuting James Whitehouse, played by Rupert Friend, for the rape of a subordinate.

For all his privileged life, James Whitehouse has managed to avoid any punishment for various serious misdeeds which are dramatized as the story proceeds.   His loyal wife Sophie Whitehouse, played by Sienna Miller, has protected James throughout their long life together.

One early misdeed was James’ rape of Holly Berry at Oxford.  First we witness the rape and then we learn that Kate Woodcroft is the now mature and unrecognizable Holly Berry with a name change. Her role in the trial is clearly criminal. While keeping her identity secret  she struggles with this obvious conflict of interest.

As the trial proceeds, wife Sophie begins to have doubts. Eventually James reveals to Sophie some of his early misdeeds, while never admitting to either rape.  Wife Sophie also eventually realizes that the prosecutor is Holly Berry.  For the rest of the story  you will just have to watch the 6 episodes.

Call it a DO NOT MISS potboiler.

2019, Acceptable for teenagers, Addiction, Adultery, Amazon Prime Brit Box, Arson, Detective, DO NOT MISS, Drugs, Father-son relations, Forensic Anthropologist, Forensic pathologist, Forensics, Lesbian Theme, Love Story, Marital Infidelity, Mildly Violent, Murder, Murder Investigation, Scottish, Scottish Detectives, Sexual promiscuity, Suspense

Traces (2019)

From IMDB:

While attending an online forensic course, young lab assistant discovers that the fictitious case study has a link to her past. With the help of two female professors she works on bringing a killer to justice.

From Amazon BritBox:

Emma Hedges needs to find out what happened to her mum. In a world of danger and deceit, will Emma have the nerve to follow the evidence no matter where it takes her?

From Amazon BritBox you can stream two seasons of this mystery series set in Dundee, Scotland.  Each season consists of 6 episodes. Each episode lasts about 45 minutes.

SEASON  1:

Emma (played by Molly Windsor) enthusiastically begins her new job in a forensics lab where she discovers a link to the still unsolved murder of her mother twelve years ago.  Coincidentally her team must investigate a suspicious fire in which 3 people died.  During this investigation she meets the father and son team of building contractors involved in the construction of that building.  Her relations with each of these two men could not be more opposing: she falls in love with son Daniel MacAfee (played by Martin Compston) and is afraid of the father Phil MacAfee (played by Vincent Regan).  And then the plot thickens.

Vincent Regan may be the most familiar actor in this series. Usually he plays a nice guy such as Ray Conlon in “The Bay“.  In “Traces”, however, he is a very effective bad guy.

Worth calling this season a DO NOT MISS.

SEASON 2:

Although this season begins with the trial of Phil MacAfee for murdering Emma’s mother,  this season suddenly ignores that plot and launches into the search for a serial bomber.  At least three bombs go off before the forensic scientists uncover the bomber’s identity.  Along the way there are many personality clashes and other issues.  To repeat: season 2 seems strangely disjoint from season 1, is more into scientific details, and is not as exciting as season 1.  Not exactly a “do not miss”, but still worth the watch.

2021, Abduction, Action Film, Anxiety Attacks, Binge worthy, British Mystery Series, Car Chase, Cocaine, Conspiracy, Corrupt policemen, Could Be Hard To Watch, Cover-up, Crime Family, Crime thriller, Detective, DO NOT MISS, Drug Dealers, Drugs, Ethical struggles, Family Conflict, Gay theme, Mother-son relations, Murder, Murder Investigation, Panic Attacks, PBS Masterpiece Streaming, Plot Twist, Police Corruption, Rape, Romance, Ruthless Killer, Suspense, Thriller, Torture, Undercover police work, Violent

Before We Die: Season One (2021)

From PBS Masterpiece Streaming,

Determined to solve her lover’s murder, Detective Hannah Laing persuades one of his confidential contacts to help her. But when Hannah discovers the informant’s identity, she realizes there is far more at stake than bringing the killers to justice.

From PBS Masterpiece Streaming you can stream the 6 episodes of this tense British thriller. Each episode last about 45 minutes.

Lesley Sharp played DC Janet Scott for 33 episodes of “Scott and Bailey” from 2011 to 2016. In 2011 she was 51 year old  In the 10 year span from 2011 to the filming year 2021 she has aged  considerably and to her credit sits for many thoughtful and still screen shots despite the wrinkles.  Brits seem to value the acting skill above any appearance.

In this series Lesley plays  detective Helen Laing and the mother of Christian Radic (played by Patrick Gibson). Her sidekick in an off-the-books investigation of a unscrupulous and violent family of Croatian criminals is Billy Murdoch (played by Vincent Regan). Vincent played DCS Dave Murray in the same “Scott and Bailey) series.

From the very beginning Christian volunteers to be part of the murder investigation by inserting himself into the crime family. In doing so he invites great risk to himself and causes great anxiety for his detective mother.

Season one ends in such a way as to lead into season two. However season one is complete in itself with an almost satisfying ending.  But conspiratorial villains remain undetected.

WARNING:  In the beginning of the story there are scenes of torture (another family  specialty) that are hard to watch.  In the reminder of the episodes there is much tension but no torture.

Tension plus a really clever plot twist at the end make this series a

DO NOT MISS!

2019, Abandoned child, Adopted child, Alcoholism, Amazon Prime, Ambitious Dirty Tricks, American Indian culture, Attempted Murder, Binge worthy, Bloody scenes, Brother-Sister relations, Corrupt judge, Corrupt lawyers, Corruption, Courtroom scenes, Cover-up, DO NOT MISS, Drug trip, Drugging as a weapon, Drugs, Environmental concerns, Family Conflict, Father-daughter relations, Lawyers, Murder, Murder by poison, Suspense, Uncategorized, Violent, Water theft

Goliath Season 3 (2019)

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From Amazon Prime:

The unexpected death of an old friend leads Billy McBride to take a case in the drought-stricken Central Valley where he comes face-to-face with a new Goliath: a billionaire farmer and his sister and their scheme to steal California’s most valuable resource – water. As Billy and his team pursue the truth, old enemies and personal demons resurface forcing him to confront his own mortality.

From Amazon Prime you can stream the 8 episodes of season 3. Episode lengths vary but are always less than one hour.

Now (2021) and in the future, water will be a major issue for the entire planet.  Recall that Los Angeles was built using stolen water. In a quote from Google:

Is LA built on stolen water?
Los Angeles finally is giving back some of the water local residents say the city stole from them many years ago. A valve was opened at mid-morning Thursday and water flowed from the Los Angeles Aqueduct into Black Rock Channel, and then into the Owens River, which has been generally dry since 1913.Jun 6, 1986

 

Goliath’s themes are motivated by current abuses. Season one is about the arms industry.  Season two concerned political corruption. Season three is about stealing water. Season four is about opioids.

 

Although season two was cautiously recommended because of the intrinsic ugliness of the characters and their hideous modus operandi,  in order to appreciate season three you need only know that the corrupt character Marisol Silva became mayor of Los Angeles through the efforts of her Mexican brother who amputated the limbs of anyone standing in the way of Marisol ‘s election. Marisol reappears in season three.

 

Season one ended in a jury trial in which Billy’s nemesis Donald Cooperman was maneuvered into committing perjury.  At that moment Cooperman suffered a fairly complete stroke. As that season ended, Cooperman was supposedly bedridden for the rest of his life.  Miraculously in season three Cooperman reappears as one of the evil forces behind the conspiracy.

 

In season three the villains are methodically and cruelly stealing water by tunneling under federal land.  At times that causes the ground to sink. Because the wife of one of Billy’s old friends is swallowed up in such a sinkhole, Billy tries for a class action suit.

 

If you hardened yourself and actually watched season two, then you were probably upset that Marisol’s evil schemes make her mayor. Never fear, in what is almost a Shakespearean tragedy, many bad guys get their comeuppance.

 

Along the way there are all the well-written side issues.

 

Satisfyingly violent. DO NOT MISS!
2014, America of the 1960s, America of the 1970s, Based on a Book, Coarse manners, Cocaine, Crime, Crude Talk, Detective, Drug Dealers, Drugs, Dysfunctional Lives, Eccentric cast of characters, Explicit sex, Explicit sexual discussion, Kanopy streaming, Nudity, Offbeat, Old-Fashioned, Period Piece, Politicians, Quirky

Inherent Vice (2014)

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From Kanopy you can stream this 149 minute feature film.  Kanopy’s own summary is:

Oscar®-nominated filmmaker Paul Thomas Anderson (The Master, There Will Be Blood, Magnolia, Boogie Nights) reteams with The Master star Joaquin Phoenix (Gladiator, Her, Walk the Line) for this darkly comic adaptation of the 2009 Thomas Pynchon novel, set in late-sixties Los Angeles. When private eye Doc Sportello’s ex-old lady suddenly out of nowhere shows up with a story about her current billionaire land developer boyfriend whom she just happens to be in love with, and a plot by his wife and her boyfriend to kidnap that billionaire and throw him in a loony bin…well, easy for her to say. It’s the tail end of the psychedelic ’60s and paranoia is running the day and Doc knows that “love” is another of those words going around at the moment, like “trip” or “groovy,” that’s being way too overused—except this one usually leads to trouble.

If you enjoy period pieces you will enjoy watching  bearded Joaquin Phoenix cleverly disguised as a hippy private investigator.  Consider the impressive list of actors:

Benicio Del Toro, Jena Malone, Joanna Newsom, Joaquin Phoenix, Josh Brolin, Katherine Waterston, Martin Short, Owen Wilson, Reese Witherspoon.

Slow, complicated, and historic.  Many references to the Vietnam period politics (Nixon, etc). Very frank sexual discussions and situations  accompanied by full nudity.

Probably not for everyone.