Films and TV Series Discussed:

Standing Up, Falling Down
A comedy about the unlikely friendship that kindles between a struggling stand-up comedian from L.A., forced to move back home to Eastern Long Island with his tail between his legs, and a tragically flawed, but charming and charismatic, alcoholic dermatologist. Discovering to be kindred spirits, each helps the other find healing, in addition to the confidence to face the “failures” in their lives.

The Hot Zone
In 1989, the Ebola virus appears in chimpanzees in a research lab in the suburbs of Washington, D.C., and there is no known cure; a U.S. Army scientist puts her life on the line to head off an outbreak before it spreads to the human population.

Plus One
In order to survive a summer of wedding fever, longtime single friends, Ben and Alice, agree to be each other’s plus one at every wedding they’ve been invited to.

Georgetown
Ulrich Mott (Christoph Waltz) is an eccentric and versatile social climber with grandiose plans to affect United States foreign policy. He is encouraged and egged on in his attempts by his strategically chosen (and much older) wife, the well-connected journalist Elsa Brecht (Vanessa Redgrave). Mott has a knack for making himself indispensable and impossible to ignore whether it is as an intern, the perfect host, or a Brigadier General of the Iraqi Special Forces. He has an impeccable sense for when to flatter and how to deftly use political jargon to his advantage. The only one seemingly immune to his charms is Elsa’s daughter, Amanda (Annette Bening), who might simply disapprove of her mother marrying a much younger man or perhaps she senses something more sinister beneath the smooth-talking surface

Wild Rose
Rose-Lynn Harlan (Jessie Buckley) has recently been released from jail. Forced to wear an ankle monitor and observe a strict curfew, she is unable to return to her job bringing down the house nightly as the lead singer at Glasgow’s own Grand Ole Opry. Resigned, she takes a gig as a house cleaner for the affluent Susannah (Sophie Okonedo), who immediately notices Harlan’s raw talent and authentic country music chops. Together they hatch a plan to get her to the big time in Nashville.