[Genuine Realist]

I'm puzzled, are either Chris Rock or Will Smith in any of the aforementioned shows? Not complaining, or lamenting the apparent thread drift, just curious.

Neither.  Will Smith pitches for the Braves and catches for the Evil Ones.

. 

i see what you did there.

These days I am desperately trying to avoid the cliche of Angry Old Man and failing miserably. I admire Mark Strong as villain (Septimus in 'Stardust', a terrific movie) or hero (Merlin in 'The King's Men'). But I am impatient with the British Plot and avoid it whenever I can. 

The British Plot, my own coinage, refers to the fact that circa 1995 the BBC decided there was no such thing as an actual terrorist or enemy agent, that they were all either rogue agents, double agents, or victims of agency treachery. This may have been exciting and subversive when it was first done, about the time of the birth of Christ, but is an ancient tired cliche now. No one seems to realize that. 

'Old Knives' was fatally flawed for me by [SPOILER] (a) the plot turning on the CIA callously turning over a proven asset, a family man, in exchange for unvetted KGB information, and (b) the CIA employing professional killers, in a world where an overlarge bar tab can be instantly reported to the New York Times. I mean, come on. As a matter of fact, a major issue for the CIA is excessive loyalty to foreign assets, whom it protects with might and main. But institutional loyalty does not fit the Hollywood bias.

I will lose what little reputation I have, but I am recommending to one and all a small, independent movie, 'The Fare', shot in six days on a sound studio by a couple of UCLA grad film students. The script was written by the female lead. It has zero production values (Phogge is sneering already) and plays like an extended Twilight Zone'. But the twist is extremely clever, the oldest and newest both at once, the two leads are exceptionally likable, and the overall concept hyper-romantic, rather refreshing in this era of jejune cynicism. It's a small picture, but on its scale, it works. Rentable for a smidgin on Prime or Vudu -

 'The Fare'. Worth the three bucks

[Genuine Realist]

I'm puzzled, are either Chris Rock or Will Smith in any of the aforementioned shows? Not complaining, or lamenting the apparent thread drift, just curious.

Neither.  Will Smith pitches for the Braves and catches for the Evil Ones.

. 

i see what you did there.

These days I am desperately trying to avoid the cliche of Angry Old Man and failing miserably. I admire Mark Strong as villain (Septimus in 'Stardust', a terrific movie) or hero (Merlin in 'The King's Men'). But I am impatient with the British Plot and avoid it whenever I can. 

The British Plot, my own coinage, refers to the fact that circa 1995 the BBC decided there was no such thing as an actual terrorist or enemy agent, that they were all either rogue agents, double agents, or victims of agency treachery. This may have been exciting and subversive when it was first done, about the time of the birth of Christ, but is an ancient tired cliche now. No one seems to realize that. 

'Old Knives' was fatally flawed for me by [SPOILER] (a) the plot turning on the CIA callously turning over a proven asset, a family man, in exchange for unvetted KGB information, and (b) the CIA employing professional killers, in a world where an overlarge bar tab can be instantly reported to the New York Times. I mean, come on. As a matter of fact, a major issue for the CIA is excessive loyalty to foreign assets, whom it protects with might and main. But institutional loyalty does not fit the Hollywood bias.

I will lose what little reputation I have, but I am recommending to one and all a small, independent movie, 'The Fare', shot in six days on a sound studio by a couple of UCLA grad film students. The script was written by the female lead. It has zero production values (Phogge is sneering already) and plays like an extended Twilight Zone'. But the twist is extremely clever, the oldest and newest both at once, the two leads are exceptionally likable, and the overall concept hyper-romantic, rather refreshing in this era of jejune cynicism. It's a small picture, but on its scale, it works. Rentable for a smidgin on Prime or Vudu -

 'The Fare'. Worth the three bucks