This Week’s Binge 2.19.21

Crime Scene: The Vanishing at the Cecil Hotel

Netflix

‘The Vanishing at the Cecil Hotel’ is a true-crime documentary of a truly creepy nature. I’m pretty sure it was the inspiration behind ‘American Horror Story: Hotel’.

The four-part series takes you through the history of the L.A. hotel along with one particular mystery that happened there. L.A. is not necessarily painted in a good light when you learn all about Skid Row, how it came to be, and what is happening there. Of course, every city has a dangerous part, but when most people think of L.A. I think they have visions of Hollywood, Melrose, and the Hills.

Episodes 2 & 3 are beyond creepy…because it’s real.

I am: Entertained

Mank

Netflix

Since ‘Mank’ got nominated for a Best Drama Golden Globe, I decided to it give a try. It’s a black and white film, so you know what that means, odds are it’s going to get nominated for an Oscar too.

So Mank is a story about the 1930s and 40s but it’s also made in the same style as the 40s too. The dialogue, the vocal affect, the black and white picture…it’s just like watching an old movie. And there’s the gimmick, and why, in my opinion, it got nominated for a Golden Globe. Because it’s different.

While I’m a fan of David Fincher (‘The Game’, ‘Seven‘, ‘Gone Girl’) I think he does his best work in a mystery or psychological thriller, this is neither of those. The story, based on a true story, is ingrained in old Hollywood. But unlike Ryan Murphy’s ‘Hollywood’, it’s like you need to know all of the players to understand the game. Of which I do not.

While I’m not choosing Mank for best picture for the Golden Globes or the Oscar (assuming it gets nominated) Gary Oldman does have a shot of picking up best actor.

I am: Entertained

The Little Things

HBO Max

I want to say this is a bad version of ‘Seven’, but I’m fearful that’s giving it too much credit. It is in the way that two cops are on a murder case with a deranged suspect, but that’s where the similarities end. For one, ‘Seven’ is great, and ‘The Little Things is not’.

I kept waiting for it to get better, it was a mystery after all. With an amazing cast, don’t think I’ve met a Denzel film I haven’t liked, it should have been good. But it’s not. The story just isn’t there. It’s too long, it’s too slow, and it’s definitely not thrilling.

The actors did the best with what they had, but it’s not much. It’s 2 hours I won’t get back.

I am: Annoyed