dookie43 Reviews

True Crime Story: Indefensible (2021– )

The show delivers what the title promises.

[9/10 · 24 January 2023]

In each episode, you get to hear true villains and sociopaths try to justify the harm they do to others, many times without a sense of self-awareness.

It reminds me of The Act Of Killing (2012), where Indonesian death squad members try to go about normal life, even though they committed genocide a generation earlier.

The interviewee's aren't debating with Jena Friedman, they're debating with the elephant in the room and Friedman is just picking out ridiculous inconsistencies.

Sorry if the "I love true crime, but this...." critics don't get it. There is no appreciation for "the process". Many of these people got away with their crimes. This show is about the crazy things obvious criminals tell others after the fact. It's very real and dark.

Brotherhood of the Wolf (2001)

The Big Trouble In Little China of French cinema in 2001

[10/10 · 20 June 2015]

Supernatural antagonists, sexy without being distracting, post-colonial martial arts, pre-French Revolution intrigue, mystery, romance, arcane Catholic mysticism, 1700's CSI, etc. This *beep* covers all the bases, loosely. It's a ton a of fun. A great story and it develops perfectly for 2.5 hours. Nothing in excess and very little wasted. (watching the director's cut) I can't recommend this movie highly enough.

So, this review requires 10 lines. I'd add that the shots look pretty film school in the beginning (probably quite sharp for 2001) and develop quite a bit over the time frame. Action, mystery, and horror for the price of one ticket. Your usual film critics can suck it. This one rules.

Are You There, Chelsea? (2012)

This show embarrasses 'Whitney'

[7/10 · 12 January 2012]

I guess many of the negative reviewers have never heard of exposition. The first episode is expected to be a little light on jokes because it requires characters, settings, and backgrounds to be explained. The supporting cast is a bunch of circus freaks, which is a plus. The jokes Chelsea bookended on the end of the scenes for obligatory exposition were all very good. While it's too early to make an early good or bad conclusion (in spite of other reviewers' predeterminations), I'm definitely interested.

If anything, Are You There, Chelsea? could end up killing Whitney (a brutally unfunny show that's trying to be Friends...again) because it's actually funny. Hopefully, Whitney won't kill this show by preceding it.

Grandma's Boy (2006)

Shoot the director

[2/10 · 17 September 2011]

I felt myself getting dumber the more I watched this movie. If you were to tell this story to someone, it would be funny. It sort of reminded me of Bob and Doug McKenzie's "Strange Brew" as a story. Some (not many) of the one liners were classic. Most of the actors have done well in other movies. It's not like they chose to suck just for this movie.

This is a perfect example of how an inept director can ruin a movie. It was also quite obvious that the number of camera angles were very limited for certain locations visited regularly throughout the movie, like a TV show. This gave the unconscious effect of the movie being no better than a sitcom.

Happy Madison sold that piece of crap Little Nicky (and Zohan), I doubt they'll have a problem selling this. Where's the incentive to give a damn or pay for a real director?

Mad (2010–2022)

Just like the magazine, you gotta be a kid to like it.

[7/10 · 4 September 2011]

I don't know what most of the negative reviewers were expecting. I saw the same things they saw: juvenile, silly, and shallow humor...just like the magazine. It's so very like the magazine that I keep expecting to fold the inside back cover to get the last joke. My only regret is not being 12 yrs old again to truly appreciate it.

It's never going to be mature enough to be on adult swim, but that's fine. There has to be something in the middle for the early teens to laugh at. That's how Mad Magazine found an audience in the first place. If you're over 15 and watching this, go watch the onion or some monty python. This isn't for you.