Random

Becoming Karl Lagerfeld - 2024 - France Becoming Karl Lagerfeld - 2024 - 7/10     Mini-series on the iconic fashion designer, set mostly around the 1970’s. During his tenure as artistic director of Chloé. The industry aspect of this is compelling – if one is into this world (I married a fashionista, there is no escape). His previous relationship with Yves Saint Laurent, conflicts between haute couture and prêt-à-porter. Much of the series regards his relationship with Jacques de Bascher, French aristo and dilettante. Bascher suffers low self esteem, substance abuse, limited talent, pettiness. Nevertheless, for many, I imagine the relationship may be more riveting than fabric. Essential for those who know and wear brands.

Scandal Eve - 2025 - Japan Scandal Eve - 2025 - 7/10 AKA - スキャンダルイブ     Rafale is a small talent agency.  So when their major star is exposed in a tabloid, it damages. An old incident, of him drinking / sleeping with an underage female. Readers were shocked!  She was 19 (age of consent in Japan is 13, so please). Turns out there was collusion between a mega-agency and the scandal sheet. Brief J-dorama of the small upstart trying to survive opposition by the colossus. Well written, fiercely acted, some sharp turns. Problems for viewers may be the tabloid or print angle. In most of the world, those are passé. Readers, by and large, grow more extinct daily.

A Cruel Love: The Ruth Ellis Story - 2025 - UK A Cruel Love: The Ruth Ellis Story - 2025 - 6/10     The outcome is foregone.  Straight off, we see Ruth pull out the gun and shoot the man down. Narrative swings from backstory to courtroom preliminaries. Still, the gun.  Witnesses.  Four shots. Sure, she had her reasons, powerful ones. Long have I remarked that it’s a miracle women haven’t murdered us all. Compelling period drama, although those touches fade with incarceration.

Spiral - 2005 - France Spiral - 2005 - 6/10 AKA - Engrenages     A female corpse is found in a junkyard, body mutilated beyond recognition. Gendarmes and a magistrate try to determine who she was, why she was murdered. That is the overall arc.  There is also a baby killing, smuggling, corrupt cop, the usual. Mix of procedural and soap opera, meaning characters’ mini dramas. Highly absorbing if you like getting lost in characters. Me?  I couldn’t’ care less and won’t return for additional seasons.

Gannibal: S02 - 2025 - Japan Gannibal: S02 - 2025 - 7/10 AKA - Gan'nibaru 2 / /ガンニバル All the tension that had been mounting throughout S01 boils over and explodes here. This is a wildly violent season, with multiple gun battles. And bloodletting, a tremendous spillage.     This season showcases the backstory of the Goto family, and their acquired attitude. Youthful Gin Goto, in particular, as the beautiful, sex-driven female – with a grudge. The family has a history of dealing with Kuge Village, with the police, a lot of police. Officer Agawa, however, booted out of Tokyo, is a borderline psychopath. Japanese exploitation fans, this is manna.