Judd Apatow: The Return

Judd Apatow's comedy special, The Return, is funny in parts, interesting in parts, very pleasant to watch. But in the end pretty nothingish and underwhelming.

Insecure

HBO's Insecure created and starring Issa Rae is wonderful. She plays a vulnerable and edgy young woman dealing with work and love. Her character is so great and funny. And the scenes are marvelous. Very awkward. I can't wait for the next season.

Silicon Valley

The HBO series Silicon Valley is very funny and engaging. About the socially awkward founders of a startup, it features a mix of deadpan characters and witty dialogue. I liked them very much. As the series progresses the plot gets kind of convoluted and exhausting and I found myself wishing it were more like a traditional sitcom, like Cheers, where you can just enjoy your favorite characters interacting without having to remember a whole series of events from previous seasons and episodes. I didn't care that much about the trials and travails of the company as much as the characters.

Get Out

Get Out is a horror movie that explores racism, examining manners and hypocrisy. Sinister and creepy, it is a smart movie that exposes the brutality of racist social control.

Ryan Hamilton: Happy Face

Ryan Hamilton's Netflix special Happy Face is very fun, poking fun at the discrepancy between appearance and reality in different ways,  opening with a discussion of his face which always looks happy regardless of his mood. He makes fun of himself in a way that has complexity making it more than obvious self-deprecating humor.