Category Archives: Sex Scenes

2014, Acorn TV, Action Film, Australian, Bullying, Crime, Detective, Ethical struggles, Gay theme, Plot Twist, Prison, Psychological Drama, Sex Scenes, Sexual Tension, Suspense, Violent

Cut Snake (2014)

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From Wikipedia:

Merv (Alex Russell) is an ex-convict who is trying to make a new life for himself in 1970s Melbourne. He has found honest work and even becomes engaged to Paula (Jessica De Gouw), but the prospect of his new life is challenged when his foreboding and charismatic former cellmate James (Sullivan Stapleton) arrives in town and pressures Merv into going back to his old ways.

According to the Wikipedia article, the title comes from the Australian idiom “mad as a cut snake” which describes either insanity or anger so extreme you don’t want to get near it.

Before seeing this film, I had more or less dismissed Sullivan Stapelton as a limited one-tune film actor who usually plays the role of a sexy tough guy.  In this regard, “Cut Snake” was an unexpected discovery. Because I refuse to give away the suprise part of the plot, I will only say that the film starts out with Stapleton seeming to be once again nothing but a mean tough guy determined to drag his former cellmate back into a life of crime. And that part of the plot was indeed tense enough to hold my attention. For some reason good versus evil just keeps me interested. But then all of a sudden there is another complication in the plot that I never expected. After seeing the film, think back to some of Stapleton’s behavior that initially did not make sense, for example his reactions in the night club.  From this point on Stapleton comes through with some very successful emotional acting. He is indeed a “cut snake”.

Lately so many Australian films really hit home. And don’t forget to subscribe to Acorn TV to see lots of British, Australian, and New Zealand films, although I streamed “Cut Snake” from Amazon Prime.

2014, 2015, Amazon Prime, Ambitious Dirty Tricks, Classical musicians, Crude Talk, Feel Good Not For Children, Gay theme, Lesbian Theme, Mostly About Sex, Orchestral Music, Sex Scenes, TV Series, Vulgar

Mozart in the Jungle (2014)

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From Amazon Prime:

A new Amazon Original Series: What happens behind the curtains at the symphony is just as captivating as what happens on stage. Created by Paul Weitz (About a Boy), Roman Coppola (The Darjeeling Limited), and Jason Schwartzman (Rushmore). Brash new maestro Rodrigo (Gael Garcia Bernal) is stirring things up, and young oboist Hailey (Lola Kirke) hopes for her big chance.

Most what this wonderful series is about is music and sex and sex and sex. Get the picture? Also the F-word is used quite a bit. Is it a soap opera? – You bet! Is it something that you do not want to stop watching? – You bet!

Amazon Prime offers free streaming of both seasons, each season containing 10 episodes.

There are too many enjoyable characters to name them all. Gael Garcia Bernal stands out as the young new conductor of the fictitious New York Symphony. Of all the fine female actors, Lola Kirke as Hailey, an aspiring oboist, is probably the second most important character. Malcolm McDowell is perfect as the crusty, aging, and wildly eccentric former conductor.

But don’t miss Bernadette Peters as Gloria, one of the board members. Her character is a non-musician who really wants to be at least an amateur singer. In one memorable scene she gets a chance to sing at an open-mike night where she proves that as a singer she still has what it takes. Think goose flesh.

Give this Amazon Original Series a DO NOT MISS!

2015, Action Film, AIDS, Alcoholism, Bloody scenes, Cold War, Communists, Drama, Father-son relations, Gay theme, German, German History, Marital Infidelity, Murder, Nudity, Political Suspense, Sex Scenes, Spy Theme, Suicide, Suspense, Violent

Deutschland 83 (2015)

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From NetFlix:

After U.S. President Ronald Reagan describes the Soviet Union as an “evil empire” in 1983, rising suspicion between the two superpowers prompts a bold move to plant a communist spy in the midst of NATO’s military leadership.

If you want to see this excellent TV series, you can get Season 1 in three DVDs. Discs 1 and 2 contain 3 episodes each, whereas disc 3 contains 2 episodes.

Dialog is in German with English subtitles.

Martin Rauch (played by Jonas Nay) is the center of the plot. He is a young East German whom the East German communists convinced to spy for them as a soldier in West Germany. As he is manipulated by his handlers, he is forced to make moral decisions, something that would never occur to ardent communists. In this series we see unconscionable acts perpetrated by the East, although I would assume both sides got their hands dirty (CIA anyone?).

Suspense is constant as this young, clever, inventive spy does his work. Will he at any moment be caught? Will his masquerades be discovered?

Usually I try not to rave, but this series is a DO NOT MISS!

2014, Acorn TV, Action Film, Alcoholism, Bloody scenes, Canadian Police, Drama, Dysfunctional Lives, Explicit sex, Family Conflict, Father-daughter relations, Father-son relations, Lesbian Theme, Love Story, Murder Investigation, Pedophilia, Personal Betrayal, Police Corruption, Police Culture, Police Politics, Police Story, Private Versus Professional Life, Psychiatrists, School Shooting, Senior citizens, Sex Scenes, Small Town, Spousal Abuse, Suicide, TV Series, Violent, Vulgar, Wife Beating

19-2 (2014)

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Fronm Acorn TV;

Officer Nick Barron (Adrian Holmes, Arrow, Smallville) patrols the streets of Montreal with Station 19’s newest squad member, Ben Chartier (Jared Keeso, Falling Skies, Elysium). Back on the job after a shooting incident, guilt-ridden Nick immediately clashes with overzealous Ben. Absorbing and authentic, with an outstanding ensemble cast, this award-winning drama follows first responders beyond the crime scenes and into their own messy lives.

Acorn TV revamped its arrangement of this series so that now (2016) you can stream 10 Episodes of Series 1 and 10 Episodes of Series 2 and 10 Episodes of Series 3.

Acorn’s summary more or less says it all. Most police procedurals will be somewhat similar and “19-2” fits that description. Taken as a human drama, however, the plot details, characters, and acting are better than average.

Series 1 centers on Ben and Nick and Ben’s romance with Nick’s sister. Series 2 centers on finding a mole in the police department that is responsible for leaks that lead to the death of several officers.

WARNING: Series 2 Episode 1 is consumed by a lone teen gunman running amuck in a school shooting. This episode is long, harrowing and adds nothing to the other episodes in the series. Feel free to skip this episode without losing a beat.

Not a repeat of other police series, and not a waste of time. In fact, the more I watched, the more involved I became. Expect surprises.

2013, 2014, 2015, Acorn TV, Anti-Semitism, Australian, Bicycles, Catholic culture, Corny at times, DO NOT MISS, Family Conflict, Father-daughter relations, Father-son relations, Flirting, Gay theme, Homophobia, Italian culture, Japanese WWII Behavior, Jewish Culture, Love Story, Made For TV, Melodrama, Mildly Violent, Mother-daughter relations, Mother-son relations, Murder, Optimistic, Religious Theme, Revenge, Sex Scenes, Soap Opera, Suicide, TV Series, Unmarried mother, War Veterans, Wasp Snobs, Wonderful photography, WWII

A Place To Call Home (2013)

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From Acorn TV:

An instantly irresistible saga (Wall Street Journal) brimming with secrets, passion, romance, and intrigue, A Place to Call Home explores the ties that hold families together and the betrayals that can tear them apart.

In this case Acorn’s description got it exactly right: INSTANTLY IRRESISTIBLE!

UPDATE May 2016:

Usually I hate spoilers, BUT — you at least have to know that this soap opera is destined to go on forever. Each season ends with agonizing cliff-hangers that force you onto the next season.  Unfortunately that includes season three which ends with all the characters in their own separate threads in great difficulty and with evil about to triumph. As of this update there is no season four, which makes me cry “Foul!”

Our audiologist alerted me to Acorn TV and especially to this Australian soap opera. Acorn TV shows presentations exclusively from the British commonwealth, including New Zealand and Australian. Currently Acorn TV costs $5 per month and offers a huge selection for streaming. We use ROKU to do the streaming.

Season 1 ends as a cliffhanger which sent us diving immediately into Season 2. Originally there were to be only two seasons, hence Season 2 ends happily ever after. BUT — when someone decided to do Season 3 they cleverly offer a Season 3 on Acorn TV which begins with a substitute episode for the last episode of Season 2. This rewrite ends with cliffhangers to prepare us for Season 3. Never before have I found such a maneuver. Season 1 has 13 episodes, Season 2 has 10 episodes, and Season 3 has 11 which includes the substitute final episode of Season 2.

“Schmaltz” is German for rendered chicken or goose fat. Have no doubt, this is a real soap opera with lots of schmaltzy emotions, nasty villains, noble heroes and especially heroines. If you do nothing more than just stare at the beautiful and entrancing Marta Dusseldorp (who plays the heroine Sarah Adams), you will have enjoyed yourself. Deborah Kennedy plays the best town gossip I have ever seen. All the conflicting topics are there: Catholic versus Anglican, Jews versus Gentiles, Italian workers against the upper class snobs, homophobia, veterans versus the Japanese, and the enticing list goes on. Australia is beautiful, especially in a perfect rendering of the years just after World War II.

Don’t blame me if your life is devoured by this captivating series.

DO NOT MISS!

2015, Adultery, Alcoholism, Depression, Drama, Flirting, Love Story, Marital Infidelity, Murder, Nothing special, Philosophic Discussions, Self-Deception, Sex Scenes, Suspense, Thought provoking, Unusual

Irrational Man (2015)

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From NetFlix:

A middle-aged professor at a small Rhode Island college edges close to his breaking point, until he finds renewed purpose in his life after embarking on an unusual relationship with one of his students.

When Joaquin Phoenix is in a film, I will at least start to watch the film. For awhile his character Abe spends a fair amount of time whining about his despairing life even after meeting his student Jill, played by Emma Stone. Indeed the “talking heads” do ramble on about philosophic theories until one day in a restaurant — oops!, no spoilers allowed. “Irrational Man” is somewhat ordinary but good enough that I had to see what happens next, especially after that day in the restaurant — oops!

Eventually you will see that the film is well named. Meantime keep the faith.

2014, Acceptable Sci-Fi, Artificial Intelligence, Clever Plot, Explicit sexual discussion, Love Story, Netflix Streaming, Plot Twist, Psychological Thriller, Sex Scenes, Strange Ending, Suspense, Thought provoking, Unusual, Young Adults

Uncanny (2014)

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From NetFlix:

For ten years, inventor David Kressen has lived in seclusion with his inventions, including Adam, a robot with incredible lifelike human qualities. When reporter Joy Andrews is given access to their unconventional facility, she is alternately repelled and attracted to the scientist and his creation.

From NetFlix you can watch instantly or get a DVD for this film.

In this clever low-budget sci-fi yarn I did not recognize a single actor. Probably that is because the three main actors are very young. Do not assume this is just some ordinary AI humanoid android robot story. Despite much “talking heads”, there is a growing tension that leads to an incredible plot twist that I certainly never expected. Never mind the likelihood of the circumstances, the conclusion is clever.

Sex is involved in a dry scientific manner, which is part of the cleverness. There is some minimal violence.

Worked for me, while still leaving some intriguing unanswered questions.

2014, Based on a Book, Clever Plot, Detective, Ethical struggles, Explicit sexual discussion, Plot Twist, Psychological Thriller, Revenge, Serial Killer, Sex Scenes, Stalker, Stephen King, Suspense, Violent

Stephen King’s A Good Marriage (2014)

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From NetFlix:

With a serial killer on the loose and a disheveled stranger stalking her, devoted wife Darcy Anderson has further cause for alarm after she unwittingly uncovers an ominous secret about her husband that threatens their happy marriage — and her life.

There’s no mistaking a Stephen King plot with its sinister twists and turns and always a touch of revenge. “A Good Marriage” is no exception.

Acting is good on all counts. Since seeing him in 2001 in the film “Lantana”, I have always rooted for Anthony LaPaglia.

Stephen King paints a surprising interaction between husband and wife. Their marriage seems so happy and normal as the story starts. And then the fun begins, proving that not all serial killer stories need be alike.

Although the film is not that special, neither is it a waste of time.

2015, Ambiguous Conclusion, Drama, Love Story, Nuclear Survivors, Psychological Drama, Religious Theme, Sex Scenes, Sexual Tension, Suspense

Z for Zachariah (2015)

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From NetFlix:

Believing she’s the lone survivor of a global catastrophe, Ann Burden soon learns she’s not the only human alive when a research scientist shows up. But as the two slowly get acquainted, their relationship is strained by the arrival of another man.

Chiwetel Ejiofor, Margot Robbie, and Chris Pine make up the entire cast of this survivor story. As you might expect the tension in the plot is the competition between the two men for possibly the only woman left in civilization. Slow conversation, slow moving events, and no action make for a calm atmosphere that is suspiciously too polite.

Without spoiling your watching, I have to at least say that to enjoy this film your must not be bothered by ambiguity.

2014, Adultery, Bloody scenes, Complicated, Conspiracy, Crude Talk, Detective, Divorce, Drama, Drugs, Erotic Thriller, Explicit sex, Grisly, Marital Infidelity, Mostly About Sex, Murder, Murder Investigation, Nudity, Prostitutes, Psychological Thriller, Revenge, Sex Scenes, Suicide, Suspense, Violent

The Loft (2014)

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From NetFlix:

Five married co-owners of an upscale loft enjoy their investment as a discreet hideaway for their adulterous pursuits. But when a murdered woman is discovered in the apartment, each suspects the others of committing the grisly killing.

At least titillating, with the addition of a clever plot, a set of new actors present an involving who-done-it with at least one good plot twist.

As far as actors are concerned, I personally recognized only Rhona Mitra whom I first saw in the TV series “Boston Legal” in 2004 playing Tara Wilson.

None of the five friends are especially honorable (they have, after all, pledged themselves to an adulterous pact in their lofty hideout). Nor, possibly, is there honor among thieves. But when the film ended, I found myself wondering how many of the five men got their just desserts.

But I had a lot of fun watching.