TV Show Review - The Residence (Mini Series)

Season: Mini Series
Genre: Mystery/ Comedy/ Crime
Number of episodes: 8
Year: 2025
Starring: Uzo Aduba, Giancarlo Esposito, Molly Griggs, Ken Marino, Randall Park, Susan Kelechi Watson, Isiah Whitlock Jr., Jason Lee, Bronson Pinchot, Jane Curtin, Julian McMahon, Kylie Minogue

Description: An inside look of the White House’s staff residence and the lives workers share with the First Family, and the brilliant detective (Uzo Aduba) hired to crack the case of the mystery death that has occurred.

Review: A murder, a number of suspects and multiple rooms and murder weapons; for fans of the board game (and movie) “Clue” this is right up their alley. I love this stuff. With “The Residence’ we get an entertaining whodunit, full of satire and eccentric characters. And while there is plenty to choose from when it comes to murder mysteries, this one is definitely worth watching.

During a gran state banquet at the White House, the head of the household is found dead. The country’s best detective, Cordelia Cupp, is called in to investigate and solve the case as discreetly as possible. Anything but inconspicuous, she sets to work in her own eccentric way.

The creators have found a perfect way to frame the story. Months after the incident, a hearing takes place in which a committee re-examines all the details of the case. People involved are questioned and through flashbacks the viewers get a better picture of the events. Little by little, new insights are revealed. In this way, time is played with and time jumps provide a dynamic progression.

At the same time it allows the committee’s interrogators to question Cupp’s distinct but highly effective modus operandi. Actress Uzo Aduba portrays her role of detective as an unflappable and perceptive character. Cupp is not intimidated by her surroundings or the influential people she interrogates. In her spare time, she is a passionate birder, ans those skills – patience, attention to detail and focus – come in handy in her work as well. In Sherlock-like fashion, she manages to paint a complete picture of a situation with just a few clues.

The pace of the series is fast, with quick edits and fluid jumps in time. This contrasts with the slower, more introspective scenes in which characters are explored. The White House is obviously the ideal setting for a murder mystery, because with its many beautifully decorated rooms, hidden hallways and intriguing hierarchy among the staff, much remains hidden. Cupp has the location locked down; no one is allowed our until the culprit is known.

With a cleverly constructed story, interesting characters and a great setting, the series remains engaging from start to finish. For every murder mystery fan, this is a definite must-see.

Movie Review - Cocaine Bear

Director: Elizabeth Banks
Genre: Comedy/ Thriller
Runtime: 95 minutes
Year: 2023
Starring: Keri Russell, Alden Ehrenreich, O’Shea Jackson Jr., Ray Liotta, Isiah Whitlock Jr., Margot Martindale, Jesse Tyler Ferguson, Kristoffer Hivju, Hannah Hoekstra, Matthew Rhys
 
Description: An oddball groups of cops, criminals, tourist and teens converge on a Georgia forest where a huge black bear goes on a murderous rampage after unintentionally ingesting cocaine.

Review: Cheap slasher films of the 1980s had a plot as high quality as the budget. Nothing more was needed, it just had to be entertainment. This is also a slasher, set in the 80s, but this time is not a knifed killer on the loose, but a bear.

1985. A drug smuggles makes a mistake that causes hi to crash somewhere in a residential neighborhood. The bags full of cocaine he threw from the plane are now yup for grabs in the Appalachian Mountains. Only a drug lord knows about it and sends some people to get them. Meanwhile, a bear has stumbled upon the cocaine and becomes uninhibitedly addicted to it. All visitors to the preserve are a target.

Elizabeth Banks is a fine actress, in both serious and funny roles. For “Cocaine Bear” she took on the role of director. She has yet to proof herself as a director. “Pitch Perfect 2” was just okay and her version of the outdated TV-series “Charlie’s Angels” wasn’t well-received. “Cocaine Bear” is loads of fun, but it’s not the best movie you will see this year.

Banks does have a great cast to work with. Keri Russell is pretty good, as well as Ray Liotta, in one his last appearances. Margo Martindale is the funniest of the cast, as a park ranger.

This movie feels exactly like a drug trip: chaotic, wild and out of control. I believe it was a fun time, lots of laughs. Do not take it too seriously please, and you will enjoy it.

Rating: 3/ 5

Movie Review - Da 5 Bloods

Director: Spike Lee
Genre: Drama
Runtime: 154 minutes
Year: 2020
Starring: Delroy Lindo, Jonathan Majors, Clarke Peters, Norm Lewis, Isiah Whitlock Jr., Mélanie Thierry, Chadwick Boseman, Paul Walter Hauser, Jasper Pääkkönen, Johnny Nguyen, Jean Reno

Description: Four African American war veterans battle the forces of man and nature when they return to Vietnam seeking the remains of their fallen squad leader and the gold fortune he helped them hide.

Review: Spike Lee goes in search of the African-American experience of the Vietnam War. The result is and extremely subversive film that turns the genre upside down. At the same time Lee manages to shed light on the underexposed history of many young black men who fought for America in several wars. “Da 5 Bloods” is a strong indictment of imperialism, capitalism and institutional racism in the United States. Which make this film extremely topical and it looks like Lee made this film only last week.
At the end of his previous film, “BlacKkKlansman”, Spike Lee drew and emotional parallel with the United States of the present with his bizarre historical narrative. In “Da 5 Bloods”, Lee does the opposite; the film is set in the present, but goes back to different figures and events from the complicated past of the U.S. in “Da 5 Bloods”, four African-American veterans return to Vietnam to collect the remains of Norman, their squad leader for the soldiers at the time. It soon turns out that the four men have yet another motive to visit the jungle of Vietnam. During the war they found a chest of gold bars, which they buried in the jungle. The prospects of the riches threatens to drive the group apart more and more.
“Da 5 Bloods” is a wild journey through the jungle. The aspect ratio changes several times during the film. Again and again this results in a different aesthetic experience. The ratio changes for the first time during a flashback shot with an old camera. The nice thing about these flashbacks is that the actors play their younger self, but they don’t use any rejuvenation effects. And it works very well. Archival footage is used several times as well, for recorded speeches of people like Martin Luther King and Malcolm X. Each time a historical figure is discussed, it is highlighted with a photograph.
Do not expect an epic “Apocalypse Now”-lie tale of the war. The film contains action scenes, but it focusses more on the characters and the story. The strength of the film lies in the depth the film seeks and the great acting. Especially Delroy Lindo is great, as the war traumatized and guild-ridden Paul. One of the highlights is seeing Paul trek through the jungle with a Trump cap on his head, while he increasingly loses himself in paranoia and delusions.
“Da 5 Bloods” is not an easy watch and a long sit. There are some moments that are hard to stomach. Specifically one archive photo of an infant, that will definitely stay with you for a while. Lee doesn’t hold back and show everything. And aside from “Da 5 Bloods” being a really good film, is had humor, fantastic cinematography and exciting scenes. And Lee wouldn’t be Lee if he didn’t use his political agenda, which also happens to be a strength of the film. “Da 5 Bloods” is therefor an important film that offers a different perspective on the Vietnam War. Or as Paul puts it: “we fought in an immoral war that was not ours, for rights we didn’t have”.

Rating: 4,5 / 5