July In A Nutshell

*too tired to make a grand entrance under my own power – so uses dynamite to add some flair to my appearance*

 

 

Hello, hello, hello, chums.  Obviously, this Nutshell is about a week overdue.
It was imperative to my blogging schedule that I publish my Summer Aesthetic post first, while we still had a full month of official summer.  Because of that, everything got a little squirreled up.

 

So that week’s delay I’m SURE has you champing at the bit for my nutshell, riiiiighhht?
WHAT?  WHAT’S THAT?  DID I SEE AN EXPRESSION OF INDIFFERENCE ON YOUR FACE?  Are you implying that you WEREN’T waiting on pins and needles for this post???

(this is how I entertain myself, folks – please tolerate me)

 

HAPPY DAY, FOR YOU – THE WAIT IS OVER – THE NUTSHELL IS HERE.
Unfortunately, the Nutshell isn’t too impressive, since I got sick AGAIN just a week or so after I recovered from the Plague I contracted in June.
WHAT IS THIS, SOME KIND OF JOKE???

 

Do to this unforeseen setback, I didn’t get quite as much done as I would have liked.

 

 

Fortunately, there were quite a few things I could still accomplish even when I lost my voice for a few days!  Let me tell you, ALLISON LOSING THE ABILITY TO SPEAK IS A DARK AND UGLY THING, YOU GUYS.

 

 

But enough of this.  You’ve been quite patient with me and now we shall tootle forward into the July’s wrap up.  Punch it!

 

 

– WATCHED –
Rosemary and Thyme (TV show)

It’s an old-fashioned buddy story, but featuring two women, making it unique and fun.  Even better, they are mature women instead of wannabe teenyboppers, making this show doubly refreshing.  Laura and Rosemary feel like two people you could actually know in real life (I rather want them for my aunts!).  More to the point, they could be the mystery-solving aunts you’ve always wanted.  They look like real people and real women instead of Hollywood Dolls.
Laura and Rosemary are a combination of co-workers and sisters and have a unique relationship that is truly fun to watch in this well-scripted and well-acted TV show.  Add to that intriguing plots filmed in marvelous locations and a usually stellar supporting cast, and we found a TV show that we’ve had on repeat for some time.

 

Cadfael (TV show)

 

I’ve watched a LOT of whodunnits in my life, and a lot of them were even historical, but I’ve never watched a detective show set in the Middle Ages before, and it was definitely an intriguing combination.  The highlight of the show was definitely the energy and camaraderie between Derek Jacobi (Cadfael) and Sean Pertwee (Sheriff Hugh), both of whom were very fine actors.  But, sadly, Hugh was recast in the next few seasons.  *ANGRY SOB*   WHO WAS THE JOKER THAT DECIDED TO RECAST HUGH AND SWEEP THAT BRILLIANT PERFORMANCE AND DUDE CHEMISTRY UNDER THE RUG?

 

Nevertheless, the show retains intriguing plots, interesting settings, and (for the most part) engaging characters and our family had  fun binge-watching our way through the first few seasons.  Unfortunately, the series started getting dark and gory after a few seasons –

 

 – and so we kicked the habit.  (GET IT??? HUH??  HUH???)

 

Roman Holiday

 

This was a cute film and I can see why it was a classics but, in all honestly, I don’t have much more to say after that.  It is as straightforward as it can be.  A nice film, and I’m glad I watched it, but it’s not going to be one I’m going to have on repeat.  Audrey Hepburn, as always, sparkles.  It’s interesting to see her earliest role after watching films from throughout her career and seeing so clearly how her confidence blossomed with each film and her demeanor began to alter.  Gregory Peck is one of my favorite actors and is always marvelous and believable.  A charming little love story but, to me, rather forgettable.

 

The Last Jedi

 

That’s right, it was for the first time.  I had seen clips of the movies, but I had been so mad ever since the film released that I never wanted to watch it.  After enough time passed, I was curious enough to try it.
I knew it wasn’t a real Star Wars movie and should be excommunicated from the Star Wars canon, but perhaps I could enjoy just as a standalone space opera movie.  Maybe it was a well-made film!
I sat down with it with a fairly open mind.
Several hours later, I  wrote a long review smashing this movie apart.

 

 

Buuut – I figured nobody would really wants to read it – so I went back and reduced my review to a few gifs.  Enjoy.

 

 

Still, it’s just a film – let’s not end our relationship over it.  I’m still friends with people who love this movie – so you’ll just have to return the favor and keep being friends with me even though I hated it.  Fair’s fair.