Big Little Lies

The HBO miniseries Big Little Lies plays out in seven episodes. The story of suburban families dealing with life, feelings and relationships is well written and acted. It is presented as a mystery, and the clues to who-done-it are parsed out bit by bit. The cast brings the drama home. I enjoyed this series very much.

All the Way

I saw the play All the Way on Broadway. HBO presented it as a film, and wow did they do it proud. The film All the Way presents LBJ's policies and presidency with high production value, humor and amazing performances. The dialogue is dense and well represented. I really liked this film.

The Normal Heart

The AIDS epidemic has had a lot of battles to fight and The Normal Heart goes inside the war. It is still amazing to me that people would have to fight so hard for decent medical treatment no matter what. This world's hang ups in regards to sexual orientation is sad and pathetic. It's the fighters that win. This film has wonderful performances and tells quite a story. Well done.

Behind the Candelabra

Liberace was the original showman. He was a gifted pianist who took his art to another level of performance with theatrical staging and costumes. In Behind the Candelabra we see an unblinking look into his world from the time he meets a a very young Scott Thorson to his death. The performances are amazing and the portrayals of these men are a bit brutal at times. Well done.