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earthbound426
Reviews
Annika (2021)
Lots of fun
First, to address some of the repeated complaints in other reviews - this show is based on a radio show set in Norway that also featured Nicola Walker and the breaking of the fourth wall that has upset so many is an attempt to preserve the conversational atmosphere of the podcast. For what it's worth, Scotland does indeed have a marine investigation unit tasked with investigating homicides on or in bodies of water, so no, that's not ludicrous at all, it is literally a thing.
Annika is a light, character driven show in which each episode has a different murder for the team to solve. I really enjoy Annika's reflections on literature and her dry humor as she discusses what is happening with the audience, and Walker does an astonishingly good job with the delivery as always. She's great but this may be some of her best work, as she really gets to have fun with the character. Her interactions with McGann are particularly strong as he makes an awesome straight man for her awkward character. We pretty much focus on her life and her daughter, so some of the supporting cast doesn't necessarily get the screen time they deserve.
Susie Searches (2022)
Genre bending and refreshing
Clemons delivers a stunning performance here, and the supporting cast is also very strong. I really enjoyed the way the movie plays with genre tropes from both amateur detective stories and slasher flicks. It's almost painfully awkward to watch at times, but that's the point. And while we may struggle to like certain characters at certain times, most are treated with empathy. It's the kind of movie where you realize a moment before the twist what's going to happen, which for me was satisfying rather than predictable. It feels fresh and yet the story holds together and has a consistent tone. Deserves a better rating!
Godless (2017)
Inexplicably focused on the least interesting characters and narratives
Godless is pretty good storytelling and the acting is stellar, but it's frustrating in that this story - which is advertised as and I think even believes itself to be focused on strong women - is really the story of Roy. Making Michelle Dockery and Merritt Weaver's probably more interesting backstory hearsay while we see in detail through flashbacks the childhood not only of Roy, but also of Frank; the couple of other male leads who sort of wander around doing not much seem like filler. And yet you had this amazing story RIGHT THERE. Widow Fletcher's life story is absolutely a novel in itself, as is the recovery of LaBelle after the mine disaster, but let's take a bunch of time to meditate on fatherhood because that's never been done before.
Everything Everywhere All at Once (2022)
So much fun, but so long
This would have been outstanding if it had been less heavy handed and self-indulgent about the fight sequences and multiverse concept. Ok, I get it, get to the point, I was thinking after about 90 minutes. Lots of great stuff here, but ultimately, like, learn to edit.
We also get a lot of exposition through chaotic flashback, but the daughter with whom Evelyn's relationship is ostensibly the focal point gets essentially no backstory. Yes, accepting her daughter is about accepting herself, but how are we supposed to see the parallels when we see nothing about Joy as, like, a person.
All My Friends Hate Me (2021)
Anxiety is hilarious I guess?
This was really fun in a cringey, confusing way, right until the ending curved into "let's make fun of anxiety disorders and treat gaslighting like a hilarious joke" territory. It's got some amazing moments, but the ultimate message lands too close to mocking folks who suffer from mental health issues for me to be okay with it.
Clickbait (2021)
Fat people are evil I guess?
This is a moderately entertaining show but the entire plot rests on the premise that fat people must feel jealous of thin, attractive, popular people and that's deeply problematic and contributes to negative stereotypes about fat people.