Year: 2022

‘Downton Abbey: A New Era’: Celebrate the series with this light, pleasing affair

Jeff Mitchell

“Downton Abbey:  A New Era” (2022) – “Everyone is healthy and happy at Downton Abbey.  Let’s all hold our breaths.” – Mr. Carson (Jim Carter) “Downton Abbey” (2011 – 2016), the English television drama, is a big deal.  Set in Yorkshire and one day after the Titanic sunk, “Downton” became a PBS megahit.  The series garnered 15 Primetime Emmys, including Maggie Smith winning three Outstanding Supporting Actress awards “Breaking Bad” (2008 – 2013) and “Game of Thrones” (2011 – 2019) had to make room for this darling British small-screen saga…

‘Montana Story’: A small family addresses a massive rift in Big Sky Country

Jeff Mitchell

“Montana Story” (2022) – Montana is 147,000 square miles, 255 miles long, and 630 miles wide.  That’s a long way across the state.  One could drive from Boston to New York City, turn around and chauffeur back to Beantown, and then make a U-turn (yes, again) and head back to and reach The Big Apple, and that’s how big Montana is.  It’s the nation’s fourth-largest state, with just over 1,000,000 residents.  According to Google, 1,062,000 individuals, or 7.2 people for every square mile. The Treasure State, the country’s 41st, is…

Movie of the Week: ‘Notes on a Scandal’

Jeff Mitchell

“Notes on a Scandal” (2006) – “Keep your friends close; keep your enemies closer.” – Sun Tzu Barbara (Judi Dench) is history teacher at a London high school, and she’s been in the classroom for decades and nearing retirement.  It couldn’t come quick enough, as her patience is as thin as Timothee Chalamet on a hunger strike.  Never married and a social loner, Barbara is unhappy, but her mood turns when Sheba (Cate Blanchett) – a beautiful, tall, and cultured 30-something – arrives on campus to teach art.  Since Sheba…