Catching up on some streaming time this holiday season.
Netflix’s reputation for producing Christmas movies continues. This year the streamer launched Champagne Problems on the 19th. The Minka Kelly starrer hit the top of the chart with 20.5 million views. Director Mark Steven Johnson managed to deliver a numbing romantic comedy complete with every check the box cliché written in a screenplay handbook. Imagine a teenager writing a travel guide to France. For some reason we are asked to “believe” Kelly, doing a J-Lo Light acting impression, playing Sydney Price is a high stakes lawyer trying to facilitate the acquisition of a family-owned Champagne brand by corporate raiders.
Of course, while in Paris Sydney succumbs to the city charms, happens to meet a handsome guy in a Parisian bookstore, the audience knows the rest. Forward to the vineyard estate where the prospective buyers are vetted for their worthiness of owning a Sparkling Wine Brand. Champagne Problems is “Watchable” while preparing a holiday meal or the need to go brain dead while recovering from too much family time.
I had no expectation when I recently viewed the first season of Fallout. The production values are top on the sci-fi show along with a sharp script and acting for each $19.5 million episode.
In a little over two weeks, the show returns to Prime. The video game adaptation sets up a bigger conflict in the post nuclear war world. The ensemble series enters the second season with battle lines drawn bring in Zombie Elvis Impersonators and mutated humans meet in Las Vegas.
Not surprising, Hulu has announced All’s Fair, the Kim Kardashian-Ryan Murphy legal drama has been renewed for a second season. Bad Reviews do not matter. The reality show royal wearing a sheer blouse under an alligator skin jacket, understands her fan base and is giving them more while smiling all the way to the bank.