Pasckie Pascua's Nerdy Squirrel Reviews: TV Series.

“Maria: The Outlaw Legend” (Hulu) Brazilian historical action/drama, tells the story of Maria Bonita, the first woman to join the Cangaço or Brazilian outlaw group in the 1920s to 1930s, a-la Bonnie and Clyde. This series is finely done and well-acted, especially leads Isis Valverde and Júlio Andrade as Maria and Lampião. Ms Valverde balanced vulnerability and fierceness with restraint and grip.         Plus the stunning cinematography ably captures the rough-textured peril of the outlaw group as they tried in vain to survive their humanity while on the run. 🎥💻📽 “No Traces” (Spanish: “Sin huellas.” Amazon Prime) Spanish action comedy . Plot: Lesbian cleaner Desi and fellow Mexican workmate Cata are on the run after becoming the main suspects of murder in a crime scene they cleaned as part of their job, simultaneously chased by Alicante police agents and Russian hitmen .        We have wallowed in this s...

“The Old Man and the Sea” (1990, Tubi) American-British adventure drama TV film , based on the 1952 novella of the same name by Ernest Hemingway .         It tells the story of Santiago, an aging Cuban fisherman, who alone in his small boat faces the most difficult fight of his life against an enormous marlin. At the beginning of the short novel, Santiago has lost his fisherman's luck; he has gone eighty-four days without catching a marketable fish.        This TV movie was nominated for three Emmys, including for sound editing--which was pretty much Anthony Quinn's “battle scenes” with the marlin out in the sea. And this is an Anthony Quinn movie. 🎥💻📽 “The Wicker Man” (1973, Pluto TV) British folk horror film. Inspired by David Pinner 's 1967 novel “ Ritual ,” the plot centers on the visit of a police officer to the isolated Scottish island of Summerisle in search of a missing girl. A devout Christian, t...

“Full Time” (2021, Amazon Prime) French drama film about a single mother who works a demanding job as head maid at a high-end hotel in Paris.         This well-made movie is all Laure Calamy is a persistent and determined single mother. Writer/director Eric Gravel's film is fast-paced minimalist aesthetics and most of it is Ms Calamy's focused, unrelenting performance. 🎥👍📽 “The Slut” (2011, Tubi) Israeli drama. Tamar, a promiscuous thirty-something, lives on a farm with her two daughters and occupies her spare time with a string of lovers. A new arrival in the village changes everything.         Spare, minimalist, and focused. But this little dramatic interlude is also boring. But don't tell that to indie purveyors who revel in easy storytelling, one-locale shoot, and a “controversial” highlight (midway in the movie). You gotta check that one out yourself. No spoilers.      ...

“The Accountant” (2016, Amazon Prime) and “The Accountant 2” (2025, Amazon Prime) action thriller . Follows Christian Wolff, an autistic certified public accountant who makes his living sanitizing fraudulent financial and accounting records of criminal and terrorist organizations around the world that are experiencing internal embezzlement .          This is an enjoyable ride, mainly due to Ben Affleck's Christian than Ben himself. You know what I mean? Mr Affleck is like Keanu Reeves. They act when they are not really acting. Monotonous tone of voice, expressionless face, walking dead. So be it.         Part 1 is entertaining enough; Part 2 is double the fun. Add that Jon Bernthal (as Christian's brother Braxton) always gives credibility and excitement to every role given him. 🎥💻📽 “Hanna” (2011, Netflix) action thriller film. Hanna is a girl raised in the wilderness of northern Finland by her father,...

“Outrageous” (BritBox) British historical drama television series about the Mitford sisters . Based on the story of the Mitford sisters , six sisters who refused to play by the rules and whose often-scandalous lives made headlines around the world. Set in the 1930s, it is a tale of betrayal, scandal, heartache and even imprisonment.        The series is fun to watch due to the sisters’ (and 1 brother) individual independence and unwavering resolve to pursue their (mostly) politically-clashing beliefs. Most entertaining is Unity, who idolized Adolf Hitler, assayed with effervescent glee and persistent allure by Shannon Watson. The parents David and Sydney, portrayed by James Purefoy and Anna Chancellor, are stern yet supportive parents. 🎥💻📽 “The Casual Vacancy” (2015, Amazon Prime) British miniseries based on the 2012 novel of the same title by J. K. Rowling . The book was Ms Rowling's first publication since the Harry Potter series, her first nov...

“Presence” (2024, Hulu) supernatural thriller drama film directed by Steven Soderbergh. An unseen “presence” roams through a dark, empty suburban house.          Yes, Mr Soderberg did this boring ghost movie, experimenting with a boring single-angled camera, all happening inside a boring house.         Not to embarrass Steven, one critic did a hallelujah: "A slow-burning spectral thriller, ‘Presence’ reaffirms that Soderbergh plays with form as deftly as he flits between genres.” Another wrote, “I'd definitely recommend it.” Me? It's definitely one of the worst horror movies that I've ever seen. 🎭👎🎬 “The Babadook” (2014, Roku) Australian psychological horror film written and directed by Jennifer Kent in her feature directorial debut , based on her 2005 short film “Monster.”        The film follows a widowed single mother who with her son must confront a mysteriou...