Monday Musings: ‘Dumb Money’ Review, WGA Gets Agreement To Tentatively End Strike, Best Michael Douglas Movies To Stream, Fall is For Cab Francs 🍷 🍁
Just another a’musing Monday
How was everyone’s weekend? Did you stream something good, sip something even better? Monday is looking brighter than usual as the WGA tentatively ended their strike, more details on that below. It’s Michael Douglas’ birthday today (also his wife and actress Catherine Zeta-Jones - they share the same birthday). I’ll break down the best MD movies and where to stream them and I’ve got a poll for you — which of the 2000 teen dramas would you binge again?
WGA Agree To Deal To End Strike
It’s been a long five months for the WGA, fighting for their residuals from streaming media and the use of AI in film and television. The WGA and AMPTP have reached a tentative agreement on a new 2023 Mba, an agreement in principle on all deal points that will be subject to further approval once the final contract is drafted up. WGA told its members that picketing will be suspended and writers could return to work during the ratification vote before the new contract is officially confirmed.
Writers, welcome back to work - we’ll miss your clever picket signs.
Feeling Those Fall Vibes 🍁 ? Which of These Teen Dramas Deserves Another Binge During Pumpkin Spice Season?
Happy Birthday Michael Douglas! 🎉
I had such a crush on Michael Douglas when I was a kid. Call it daddy issues, but he wore a v-neck cashmere flat-knit sweater like nobody’s business. Whether he was a capitalistic money schemer on Wall Street or a playboy Indiana Jones in Romancing the Stone — the Michael Douglas era brought some of the most iconic films of the 80s/90s.
My Favorite Michael Douglas Films And Where To Stream Them
The American President - stream on Pluto TV
Behind the Candelabra - stream on MAX
Basic Instinct - stream on Showtime
A Chorus Line - stream on MGM+
Ant-Man - stream on Disney+
Wall Street - buy or rent on demand
The China Syndrome - buy or rent on demand
Traffic - stream on Prime Video
The Game - buy or rent on demand
Romancing the Stone - stream on MGM+
Fatal Attraction - stream on Showtime
Michael Douglas has also starred in many TV shows, including The Streets of San Francisco, a crime-action series co-starring Walter Matthau that unfortunately isn’t available to stream right now. More recently Douglas co-starred with Alan Arkin in Chuck Lorre’s Emmy-winning series The Kominsky Method which is one of his finest projects if you haven’t had a chance to stream it yet on Netflix.
Did you know Michael Douglas, Kathleen Turner and Danny Devito were in a Billy Ocean music video?
Movie Review: Dumb Money 💰
Ever since seeing Barbie in the theaters — I’m back. I love going to the movies again. Did i get a medium popcorn 🍿 and eat half the bag? Yes! Do I feel guilty for all that salt and butter? No! I saw Dumb Money in special previews last Thursday and it was…okay. I would say wait for streaming. It was definitely interesting and although this story about how ordinary people outside the 1% duped those billionaires into losing their hedge funds over Gamestop stock was all over the news, I still felt the movie added new information and perspective into what was really going on. Paul Dano and Shailene Woodley were really great in it, but I felt they really tried hard to make the billionaire characters stand out as cartoons — played by Seth Rogan, Nick Offerman, Vincent D’Onofrio which probably contributed to the big payoff in the end when audiences got a glimpse of just how much money these guys lost trying to short Gamestop stock. There were a lot of slow, dragging parts which affected the overall pacing of the movie and I question why they started the film not quite at the beginning of this whole story, feeling like much was left out to add more dimension to the characters. Pete Davidson was quite annoying in this, but I enjoyed America Ferrera’s character and was really rooting for her through the entire film. It felt like a Netflix movie even though the bagged popcorn and reclining seats were cinematic luxuries. Grade: B-
Fall is For Cabernet Francs
I love a glass of Cabernet Franc in the fall. It’s a varietal that evokes the spirit of the season with its rustic earthiness - dark fruits, bell pepper, and herbs. It has a medium acidity which makes it easy to drink.
The Inkblot Cabernet Franc from Lodi, California is dark and decadent and right off the top you can smell the juicy blackberry, fig and cinnamon. Once it hits your palate you taste hints of cedar, sweet tobacco, and strawberry jam. It’s a very fruit forward wine with a nice, smooth finish.
Here’s What Is Streaming Today and Tomorrow:
September 25
Little Baby Bum: Music Time (Netflix)
Krapopolis: Series Premiere (Hulu)
American Masters: Marilyn Monroe: Still Life (PBS/MAX)
Halloween Cookie Challenge - Season 2 (Food Network/MAX)
Kids Baking Championships: Bloodcurdling Bakes (Food Network/MAX)
The Terror: Season 1 (Acorn TV/AMC+)
September 26
Who Killed Jill Dando? Documentary (Netflix)
Kitchen Nightmares: Season 8 Premiere (Hulu)
Special Forces: World’s Toughest Test: Season 2 Premiere (Hulu)
The Fake Sheikh (Prime Video)
72 Seconds: Premiere (Paramount+)
The Irrational: Season 1 Premiere (Peacock)
John Wick: Chapter 4 (STARZ)
Chopped: Volume 3 (Food Network/MAX)
Savior Complex: HBO Original (MAX)