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Found (2023)
So satisfying to watch
Fun show that hits all the right buttons - strong beautiful black woman taking her life back and helping others to escape their abductors. Who doesn't love a show that empowers former victims to become heroes?
Our hero has an ace team and they're out there saving "the ones no one is looking for." It's not perfect - some things don't make a ton of sense, and the acting is just good enough to keep it rolling.... But it's fun (and satisfying) to watch and promises to get better over time.
Replaces Criminal Minds in some ways for me - adding in social justice concepts that we're all hungry for. The side plots / relationships among the team members are compelling, and lots of eye candy doesn't hurt.
Bupkis (2023)
Pretty bad - even Joe Pesci can't save it
I laughed twice in eight episodes. So... don't watch it for the humor. As far as the drama goes, it's not very well written (or conceived). A few episodes are so poorly composed, you'll want to give up and turn it off. I did make it through to the end - I stayed with it for Pesci - but even he can't save this.
It's a missed opportunity to tell a compelling story about the intersection of drug addiction and fame... or maybe it could have been an exploration of the core issues that drive people to self-medicate. Unfortunately, Bupkis never takes us to any of those places. Dialogue that could have hit deep stayed shallow, and most characters remained undeveloped.
Bros (2022)
Enjoyable rom com with all the feels
I'm going to disagree with a lot of the negative reviews here. Almost all rom coms are B movies - we watch them to get those sweet, squishy moments we love so much, and maybe a few laughs. And this movie delivers on both those fronts (it actually made me laugh a LOT).
Some are criticizing the film because they feel gay men don't relate to the characters, or that the movie focuses TOO much on LGBTQ issues. I would counter that I NEVER personally relate to characters in romcoms, but still enjoy them, and that for me, there was just the right amount of preach in this film.
I come in with the expectation that I'm going to be entertained, laugh, and ride along for an hour or so as people fall in love, hit the rocks, then figure it out. That's the formula and it works! It's light, feel-good viewing, and Bros does it very well. It's actually going in my annual romcom re-watch rotation. Great job, Billy!
Straight Up (2019)
Lovely dance through the bell curves
Sexuality is nuanced and complex, and love finds you when you least expect it. I found the movie charming and thought provoking. Characters who are on the asexual/greysexual spectrum AND biromantic are rarely-to-never explored, and though this film doesn't call that out by name (it's more of a nebulous journey - our protagonists struggle to define who they might be, and what might make them happy... and we get to ride along), it's an important exploration for all those who find themselves between the lines of life's scripts. Handled deftly, with humor and the right amount of angst... and ultimately a bittersweet acceptance of queerness as a way of being that is simply - something yet to be defined. Acting was good as well. Bravo.
Old (2021)
Life is a horror movie in slow motion
Life is a horror movie in slow motion
And M. Night proves it. There may be multiple flaws in the movie but the premise is sound... and terrifying.
The one thing we all fear - the greatest source of grief in every life... aging and death. Accelerate it into a matter of days, and you realize the terror of our existence.
The only reason we tolerate it as well as we do is because it happens so gradually. Like the proverbial frog in the slowly boiling water, we fail to notice the bone-chilling reality of our existence.
Thanks M. But also F you. This movie has its brilliance... and it's terrible, irrevocable sadness.
You can pick apart the script, the special effects and the acting, and you'd be well within your right to do so. But at the end of the day, this is more than the sum of its parts. Ponder the inevitable. And take a moment to be grateful for today.
The Alchemist Cookbook (2016)
Not a horror film - it's about mental illness
Interesting study on mental illness, mis-classified as a horror flick. There's little-to-no plot, so horror buffs will be disappointed. But the acting is quite good and the story grippingly sad. Students of psychology will find this more compelling than those looking for jump scares.
Into the Dark: Pure (2019)
Good premise - You wait a long time for the payoff and when you get there, it's not great
Love, love the premise which is women's empowerment and unravelling the complete BS that is religion's bid to control women by limiting / squelching / controlling their sexuality. But you wait so long for the payoff, and when it finally comes, it's a let down. Same movie should be done over with a better middle and end. Must admit, a let down for horror film buffs like myself (in many ways), but the feminist theme had me enjoying anyway for about 2/3 of the movie.
Never Have I Ever (2020)
What a surprise! Funny, relevant, entertaining, touching... and educational
Based on the previews and Netflix emails promoting the show, I had zero point zero interest in watching this. But I am so glad I pushed play out of sheer boredom last weekend thanks to quarantine-itis (yay Coronavirus?)!
Unexpected gem - NOT just another trite high school show. The character development is sound, acting is quite decent, the relationships have more than a ring of truth, and the narration is at times laugh-out-loud funny. The added plus that really sets this show apart is that the viewer learns so much about what it's like to grow up Indian in the US, and how the merging of cultures (and ardent expectations of family) conflict with, and transform the journey of the characters we come to care about. Other high points: almost all the main characters are people of color - SO refreshing and good to see. The show also offers a tender and unique perspective on grief and mourning, that for me transcends age and ethnicity. So tune in and be ready to laugh, learn... and maybe cry a little as you enjoy this coming of age series that is like no other. Well done, Mindy Kaling.
The Lodge (2019)
Good Movie - Not For Jump Scares But it Keeps You on the Edge of Your Seat
Listen people... The negative reviews are a bit much. Horror movies are typically not great cinema and we forgive them their faults because we like the feeling of getting creeped out. That is the bottom line. As a lover of horror films, I am very forgiving (as one must be - think of all the truly crappy horror flicks! But we enjoy them anyway!). So is this a great movie? Absolutely not. But is it good for its genre? Absolutely yes. Very rarely do we get a horror film with excellent acting, thoughtful writing, and suspense / unpredictability that takes you to the very end. This movie delivers on all counts, even if it is not the supernatural thriller you were hoping for. So open a bottle of wine with your bestie, turn the lights low, and enjoy the roller coaster ride of this film. It is better than 90% of the horror movies out there.
Misbehaviour (2020)
Good movie - historically accurate, layered and emotional
Surprisingly good movie. Well acted, and accurate for the events it documents... timely for the year it premieres in. The film does a good job of highlighting the complex struggle of activists and the bravery of those who came before us in the women's movement. So many of the freedoms we enjoy today (and take for granted) came about because of the courage and sacrifice of these amazing trailblazers. Misbehaviour tells the story of a group of women working to expose deep seated sexism in London by protesting the Miss World contest, but it goes much deeper, exploring the difficulties of taking a stand not only against injustice in society at large, but against the assumptions held by our own mothers, sisters and colleagues. It also touches on the ways sexism and racism are meshed together, and the complexities of calling out one "ism" without understanding how the other "isms" are tangled in (and the impact this has on women of color). Highly recommend a watch - I caught myself starting to cry several times.
The Dawn (2019)
A giant serving of terribleness
Recipe for The Dawn, 2019:
Take lackluster to downright outrageously poor acting (across an entire cast), toss in a highly mediocre script and badly conceived plot, and season liberally with a soundtrack that is supposed to make everything feel epic, but only serves to make it comical. Mix in a few overdone horror tropes, but be sure to do them badly. Ta-da! Serve cold and don't expect a tip. One of the worst horror movies in the religion horror genre ever made. (And this is coming from someone who enjoys B horror movies, especially when they feature a creepy nun or evil church theme.) The only saving grace in this movie was a few scenes with the ageless and beautiful Stacy Dash (she still looks 25 - now THERE'S a story worth telling!). Skip this movie and watch literally ANYTHING else. By the way, the positive reviews here are shills.
Rockaway (2017)
Hard to sit through - SO many flaws
Sadly, most of the 9 and 10 reviews here appear to be fakes or "shills."
Here's the honest truth about Rockaway. It plays like a high school production. Of course we all love a good coming of age film, but this one has so many issues, you can't settle in and get lost in it. The acting is bumpy across all characters, particularly the boys who could have performed much better with skilled direction. Overacting and poor delivery are rampant throughout.
To compound the problem, the script itself is problematic, derivative, and often as awkward as the performances of the cast. There is an earnest attempt to infuse the film with the east coast Italian flavor of the locale, but it fails miserably.
Perhaps much of this could be forgiven, but the plot itself is terminally flawed, especially at the end. It just feels forced and lacks the very honesty the movie wants its viewers to connect with.
Lastly, not enough care was taken to ensure 90s scenes contained believable 90s backgrounds and artifacts (sloppy movie making).
AJ and the Queen (2020)
Unexpected Awesomeness
I went into this series with low expectations RE acting, just knowing it would be a fun romp with a sweet storyline (drag queen saves kid / kid saves drag queen). I assumed it would be enjoyable just based on the drag scenes, the time with Ru, and the cameos. Well I got all that, but surprisingly, the acting from the primary characters was high quality; tears were shed on the show AND in my living room. Excellent performance from Ru, who I thought would be campy throughout, but who delivered believable moments of sorrow, realization, laughter, affection and vulnerability that far surpassed anything she's previously presented. Great performances as well from Michael-Leon Wooley as Louis, and occasionally from Izzy G. as AJ (her angry outbursts need work, but she seemed to improve as the series progressed and no doubt has a stellar career ahead of her as she masters the craft).
If you are a fan of Drag Race, there's plenty here to get excited about beyond the core storyline. Cameos galore throughout, lots of drag performances, and in some cases, opportunities for your favorite queens to show off their acting chops.
There were a few glaring inconsistencies in the plot; for example, why would Ruby owe $100 grand to the credit card company - if she had been grifted out of her $100,000 savings, she'd simply have a zero balance... Also the continued chase of the villains although they already had their money didn't add up. But the explorations of LGBTQ issues, the healing power of drag, childhood hurt, and the struggle to become who you are despite hardship and loss, were done brilliantly and overshadow the flaws. It's infused with dramatic poignancy blended expertly with moments of well-written humor. Turns out AJ and the Queen is a must-watch (well done, Ru), and an absolute imperative for a season 2 (talking to you, Netflix).
Mercy Black (2019)
Decent B Horror Movie
Not sure why all the negative reviews. When you watch a movie like this, you're in it for the creepiness and jump scares, and this picture delivers. Acting is decent for a horror movie and the Mercy Black character is super creepy! Sure it's reminiscent of Slender Man, but it's creative in its own right and there is plenty of creepy imagery including evil, murderous kids (evil children are the creepiest creeps!), weird witchy masks, and masochistic crazy women who work in school libraries! For me this was scarier than Slender Man, and better orchestrated. It's got plot holes and flaws, of course, but what B horror doesn't? This is the perfect movie to cuddle up with your honey on a Friday night, make some buttered popcorn, turn off all the lights... And just let yourself experience something fun, scary and other worldly. No it's not a masterpiece... But it's a hell of a lot better than most of the horror movies out there. Do yourself a favor, ignore the negative reviews, and enjoy this movie.