#streamviews

[senseitoadstool]

StreamViews: The Residence (Netflix 2025)

This series is a love letter to all of us fans of whodunits. Obviously Paul William Davies, the creator, is an absolute lover of mysteries.

Detective Cordelia Cupp has all the curious and deductive abilities of Miss Marple, Hercule Poirot, Maigret, Sherlock Holmes, Benoit Blanc, and every other investigative character you know from the past. The show plays like a Master Level of the game of Clue (and even the movie version's comedic spirit) peppered with a healthy seasoning of Alfred Hitchcock and Agatha Christie, where the crime is committed in the White House as the scene, there are plenty of rooms involved, and a wide number of characters to throw all sorts of suspicion, misdirects (red herrings, as it were) and absolute ridiculousness that make this show one of my top favorites of this year.

But in spite of how good the writing is, how annoyingly lovable the characters are (with stellar performances all around), and how mind-bending the mystery is, what sold me was the number of easter eggs and nods to the fans that are embedded throughout the show - and I am sure I've missed a lot (and I've seen the entire show twice).

The most significant for me were:

The names of the episodes are actually names of popular and/or intriguing mystery works from the past (i.e. The Fall of the House of Usher, Dial M for Murder, and Knives Out are the first three, just to give you a clue).

The daughter of one of the characters reading an Agatha Christie novel

And the one that sealed the deal, the main theme from Charade - one of my most favorite mystery movies of all times with Audrey Hepburn and Cary Grant - playing in its entirety during one of the episodes.

Also, be patient. The plot is very long, and unwinds at its own pace. And you will not know the resolution until the very end (as any self-respecting whodunit does) - but it will very much be worth the wait.

I could go on and on and on… but I'll stop for your own benefit.

Mi Opinión: Multiple Viewings (4 out of 3).

He Dicho.

[senseitoadstool]

StreamViews: The Muppet Show with Sabrina Carpenter (Disney+ 2026)

It's time to play the music. It's time to light the lights...

Finally, after a very long, long, long time, the Muppets received the reboot they deserved. I admit I don't like Seth Rogen as an actor, but if he pulls this off as an Executive Producer, he should stick to that.

The show was chock-full-o nostalgia, especially for those of us who grew up watching it in its original form. The shenanigans are there, every beloved character shows up, even if not in their own skit (because one of the priorities was, of course, to keep the original magical length of 30 minutes). Yet, everywhere you turn, you catch a glimpse of someone familiar.

The skits that make the final cut are, of course, Miss Piggy's number, Gonzo's daredevil act, the Muppet Labs, and the traditional two acts by the guest star, and the regular interruptions by my favorite pair in the audience.

Even not knowing who Sabrina Carpenter is (just like most times I didn't know who the guest stars were when the original show aired), the show keeps the delightful silly merriment that made it popular back then. My only hope is that new audiences cherish the show as much as the older generations do.

Mi Opinión: Multiple repeat watches (4 out of 3).

He Dicho.

[senseitoadstool]

StreamViews: KPop Demon Hunters (2025)

It's a shame Sony decided to release this movie directly into streaming. I bet it looks amazing on the big screen. The good part about that is, if you have Netflix, you can watch it RIGHT NOW! And that's what you need to do. Especially if you're a fan of Kpop, Animation, Musicals, or all of the above.

The movie tells the tale of how, through the years, Korean demon hunters become pop stars (always three women) so that their voices and their popularity strengthen the Honmoon - the veil that keeps demons away from human souls. And that's all I'm going to tell you about the story so you go see it.

The characters are fun and immediately lovable, the voice performances are absolutely amazing, and the songs are immediate earworms. Also, there's not one bad song in the bunch. And the traditional Asian anime faces, gestures and reactions are impeccably added. The heartfelt story actually delivers a very important lesson about self-acceptance and growth.

Mi Opinión: Multiple Viewings while it lasts (4 out of 3)

He Dicho.

[senseitoadstool]

StreamViews: Surreal Estate (2021 - Hulu)

I first caught this series back in 2021 on SYFY. Very much in the style of those series I have always loved (i.e. The Librarians, Warehouse 13) but with a spooky twist, this series follows a Real Estate Agency that specializes in a very specific type of houses. Think The House on Haunted Hill, but the house doesn't win.

Fantastic writing (even when suspension of disbelief is pushed to dangerous grounds and you are tempted to find plot holes), wonderfully quirky characters, and throw-backs to popular movies and shows (like someone saying 'Who you gonna call' in an episode).

Sarah Levy excels in her role as the annoyingly positive go-getter Agent who will even defy the supernatural to get in a showing or two.

Some episodes can be Twilight Zone-Type uncomfortable, and there are a few jump scares that might catch you off-guard.

I've only finished Season One (had to rewatch when I realized there were two more seasons waiting for me on Hulu) - so I can only speak for that one. But I'm definitely looking forward to what surprises the next two seasons have for me.

Mi Opinión: Don't Miss It (3 out of 3).

He Dicho.

[senseitoadstool]

StreamViews: Wednesday (2022-Netflix)

Well, this show not only met but exceeded every expectation I had. Although Tim Burton has directing credit for only 4 of the episodes in Season 1, his influence can be felt throughout. With the masterful scoring of Danny Elfman and an absolutely amazing rendition of Paint It Black on the Cello, it's definitely a bingeable series.

The casting is pretty on point, and Ortega fulfills the character of Wednesday with deadly accuracy. The writers, I believe, not only stuck to the spirit of the original characters created by Charles Addams, but give nods to the original black and white series from the 60's and even cast Christina Ricci, who played Wednesday in the 90's films, in one of the main roles of the series. The double snaps and the reference to Girl Scouts are my personal favorites.

I won't say much more, because this is one you definitely want to watch for yourself.

Mi Opinión: Don't Miss It (3 out of 3).

He Dicho.

[senseitoadstool]

StreamViews: 1899 (Netflix, 2022)

The funniest part about this series is that, as soon as I noticed it on Netflix, I placed it on my watchlist - since it is from the creators of Dark - another Netflix series that I thoroughly enjoyed.

SPOILER - FREE REVIEW

The series is centered around Dr. Maura Franklin in 1899, who is on the Kerberos, a ship going from Europe to America to meet with her brother - who disappeared some time ago and sent her a note. The Captain of the ship, Eyk Larsen, receives a distress signal from the Prometheus, another ship owned by the same company, and decides to help. This starts a chain of events that nobody could foresee.

It is definitely a 'slow burn', but one that you won't regret - as the intensity and mystery of the situation only increase with every passing episode. By the time I hit Episode 6 I couldn't stop watching. The acting is fantastic, and more than anything, the music is SUPERB. Not only are the opening and closing themes carefully selected and appropriate, but the music throughout the episodes adds to the haunting nature of it.

It is hard to describe anything else without spoilers. If you enjoyed Lost, definitely give this one a watch, as it's a LOT better with a somewhat similar premise. It is also very reminiscent of a very underrated series I caught on Amazon Prime called "Persons Unknown", which seems to have disappeared from the face of earth.

What is brilliant from the creation perspective is that you can see the actors speaking their lines in their native languages. There is a 'how it's made' style documentary that I strongly recommend you watch after the series, as these actors from all over the world talk about their experiences in making a series like this, especially in the midst of the pandemic, and how much work it took for them to state their lines in their native languages - which was required by the director to impress much more reality to their performances. Also, the technology utilized (called 'the Volume') is amazing to see at work. The visual effects are impressive, yet much more impressive is the way technology has improved the ability for entertainment makers to come up with the tools they need to create the amazing world that we are immersed in for 1899.

So, mi opinión:

Don't Miss It (3 out of 3). He dicho.

[senseitoadstool]

StreamViews: Last Night in Soho (2021)

Funny story - I decided to watch this gem on the way back from a business trip. I thought the flight time would be just enough, but as it always seems to happen, between the pauses due to the announcements and the snack/beverage cart, I fell about 15 minutes short of the ending. It's happened before - but never on a movie that captured me as much as this one did. So the moment I landed, I bought it on Amazon - and I don't regret that choice.

The cinematography is spectacular. Great performances, fantastic casting, and a killer soundtrack (no pun intended) make this movie one to not miss.

I think one of the things I enjoyed the most about it is that it laughs in the face of people like me, who try to guess where the movie is going and are most of the times right because we have seen a LOT of movies. Even though it cheats just a little bit, it gets away with it - very much an unexpected final act made it much more enjoyable for me.

The story centers on a young girl who craves to become a fashion designer, and is obsessed with the 60's - which provides the majority of that killer soundtrack I talked about before.

If there is one thing I would feel is a bit of a negative it's that there's a lot more gore than I would expect in a suspense movie of this kind. But even with those few gory moments, it is very much worth the watch.

Mi Opinión: Don't Miss It (3 out of 3).

He Dicho.

[senseitoadstool]

StreamViews: Pinocchio (2022 - Disney+)

I actually watched this in two seatings - restarting the entire movie the second time. I must confess I am very ambivalent when it comes to recommending this movie - so I will not give it a rating, but let you judge for yourself. I will, of course, also give you my opinion. :)

(Spoilers in the 'opportunities' paragraph below)

First, the good stuff. I honestly think the production of the movie deserved a theatrical release. The details, the backgrounds, the special effects - it feels all too big for the small screen. The characterizations and casting efforts worked great when it comes to Pinocchio, Foulfellow, Stromboli, the Blue Fairy and the Coachman. The opening sequence with all the cuckoo clocks that serve as nods to other Disney/Pixar movies are fantastic (Sleeping Beauty clock where she plops to the ground after pricking her finger above Maleficent? TAKE MY MONEY!!!!), and all the repeated sequences that come practically directly from the animated original version work wonderfully. Also, the special effects in the Pleasure Island segment were absolutely amazing and impeccably done.

Now, the... 'opportunities'.

WARNING... SPOILERS START NOW.

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Some choices from the story and design fronts were, for me, misses. From the beginning, the fact that Geppetto is trying to fill a very obvious familial void feels uncomfortable and unnecessary. As always, Tom Hanks is playing old Tom Hanks - and his accent appears and disappears throughout the movie. Some pieces of the opening were forced to make sure the story was clear, like the customer coming after hours to buy a clock that Geppetto, who owns a clock store, refuses to sell (or even make a replica) because of the memories they bring him.

Next, the addition of some characters also felt unnecessary and only made to extend the film or solve for specific story problems, like Sofia the seagull so Jiminy Cricket could get faster to where he needed to be for the story to move forward, and Fabiana/Sabina in the puppet show to add certain diversity aspects.

Then, Monstro's design. Yes, we all know I'm picky with my villains - but going from a terrifying whale to something that came out of one of those sci-fi B-movies (like Sharktopus, for example) is a stretch. The tentacles and wing-like fins pushed me WAY past my suspension of disbelief.

Going from bad to worse, the Lampwick transformation scene that is sooo terrifying in the original (even after you grow to dislike Lampwick for his habits) is inane and feels pointless here.

And last, but not least, the ending. The original animated feature's ending is one of the most moving in the history of Disney, in my very own personal opinion. The ending of this film is hard to describe. I believe the writers wanted it to be 'open to interpretation', but the only interpretation I can fathom is not what I'd necessarily call a 'happy ending'.

So there you have it - a rate-less review for a movie that left me with a lot of mixed feelings.

He Dicho.