Two Watching Notes

As the year winds down I just wanted to say a few things about two items I watched recently.

The first: we (Cass and I) finally sat down and watched Cars 2.

In the past I've spoken poorly of Cars 2 without ever having watched it, basing my point of view on the many negative things written about it---beginning with the fact that it's a sequel (that pushes up the Larry the Cable Guy character to front and center) of the worst Pixar movie from their Golden Era (1995-2010).

Having seen it, I can safely say that it still ranks among the bottom of the Pixar movies, but I found myself enjoying it more than I thought I would. Espionage with cars? Mater as the star? At least I got what they were trying to do. I still feel like Cars and Cars 3 are the natural one-two punch story arc for Lightning McQueen, but at least you hear how many Piston Cups he's won by the start of the first sequel (four).

Anyway, it's more mindless than other Pixar fare, but it isn't unwatchable. But, does Pixar even make unwatchable movies?

The second: the Netflix German series Dark.

I can't say enough about this show. If you take Stranger Things, Twin Peaks, and Back to the Future and put them in a blender, you'd get the idea, and this show is that only better than you'd imagine and so much more.

Not to spoil anything, frankly, because if you dare watch it you'll forget that I even mentioned it, but anytime a character turns out to be her own grandmother (and who's mom is also her own grandmother), you know you're onto something fierce.

It mainly takes place in 2019, but then it goes to 1986, and then to 1953, and then to 1920, and then 2052, and then the scenes just play out and the casting is what gives away what year the scene is in.

It's so full of WTF moments and twists and turns and tragedy and icestious issues...it's worth the time.