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njm0923
Reviews
Call the Midwife (2012)
Moving, Hopeful & Surprising
This series hits all the right marks! I was (pleasantly) surprised to find so much well-timed humor in these powerful, moving stories. Highly recommend!
All In: The Fight for Democracy (2020)
An accurate, fact-based documentary
Please watch & pay close attention to the message in this documentary. The facts presented are NOT "political hype"; they are what they are: FACTS! I experienced the 2018 GA Governor's election debacle first-hand, right here in South Metro Atlanta. I know, first-hand, that these things are very real & very true & are presented fairly & accurately. Please, watch this well-presented documentary with an open heart & an open mind.
Playing with Fire (2019)
Watch & Be Happy!
This movie is all about fun, love, joy & laughter! It goes right to the heart of that fun-loving, happily-ever-after, true-believer part of you that can make even the grimmest of realities seem not quite as bad, even if it's only for a few minutes. I think we all need that every now & then, so I say: "Watch, laugh & let your fun flag fly!"
Gina Brillon: The Floor Is Lava (2020)
Love This Lady!
This was the first time I had seen the smart, beautiful, hilarious Gina Brillon. Oh - My - G! I was laughing so hard I had to pause the video to go to the bathroom so I wouldn't pee my pants!!! Don't know why the average rating is so low, especially since there are no reviews posted yet... weird, huh. I guess haters gotta hate anonymously sometimes? Whatever.
The take away is: Watch this video! She is awesome!!!!! (And as a side note, her eye makeup is so on point! It even works with the backdrop! How awesome is that?! She has got it goin' on!)
Selah and the Spades (2019)
Missed Opportunities Abound
The plot structure had a lot of potential. Unfortunately, it all ended up just scratching the surface, trying to plant seeds & then abandoning the rest of the process altogether. The result? Some seriously weak tea! It's not good, but it's completely horrible, so I guess it's ok if you're thirsty enough.
Avenue 5 (2020)
Thought it was funny
Not sure why the ratings are so low at this point, but I found Avenue 5 to be quite funny! The comedy is clever & quick paced. I had to rewatch several segments because I was laughing & missed parts of it. I always think that's a pretty good sign.
Hannah Gadsby: Nanette (2018)
Funny, yet sobering; a brave move
This special is everything!!! I only hope that everyone will, at the very least, listen to Hannah Gadsby's story with an open heart & an open mind. For those who ask, "Where's the comedy?", I firmly assert that comedy is exactly what she gives! She also gives us a sobering dose of reality; her reality, stripped of its comedic exoskeleton, exposing the painful truth inside. Hannah takes a courageous step forward; telling us all that the truth behind her jokes matters even more than her ability to artfully recreate it into stories that make us laugh.
Neverland Firsthand: Investigating the Michael Jackson Documentary (2019)
Not all that convincing
A big part of me wants to believe that somehow Michael Jackson is innocent of all charges, but this documentary is not helping. I expected to see some fairly solid evidence that the allegations made in Leaving Neverland were false. At the very least, I thought there would be enough new information to spark the proverbial "reasonable doubt". I was wrong. The discussion points, as they were presented, could easily be picked apart &, subsequently, discredited. Was that intentional? And if so, then what does that mean? I think it means this effort was pretty weak & thoroughly unconvincing.
Larger Than Life: The Kevyn Aucoin Story (2017)
The man who made the stars shine
This documentary follows the life of makeup artist Kevyn Aucoin. Through interviews with family, friends, partners, fashion industry icons & celebrities; as well as pictures, video & letters made by the artist himself, Larger Than Life is an intimate look at his rise to becoming the most sought after fashion makeup artist in the world. The film also addresses the challenges he faced, both physically and emotionally, that followed him throughout his life & played a significant role in his tragic, untimely death.
I've been a fan of Kevyn Aucoin & his amazing talents for a very long time. (I have all his books!) This film was an excellent tribute to a remarkable man who loved making the world a more beautiful place.
Experimenter (2015)
An intelligently crafted exhortation to be a better human
Such an interesting depiction of a fascinating, sobering reality regarding human behavior. I'm sure there are all kinds of reasons why Experimenter has not rated better than it has so far: Some dislike the format, some are (apparently) thrown off by the symbolic use of recurring oddities, others find the casting somewhat awkward; etc. If you are deciding whether or not to watch this film, I definitely recommend watching it, but, please, watch with an open mind. However you may feel about the film's stylings, realize that it's purpose is to do much more than attempt to entertain. It reminds us all of the fact that there really are a lot of blind faith followers in our country, and in the world overall. That alone, in my opinion, makes this one a must see. Accepting & understanding the truth is how we begin to move forward, rather than just repeating the same, horrifying mistakes.
Euphoria (2019)
So on point!
Euphoria presents a boldly focused, undilated view of reality, wrapped masterfully in a cinematographic dream. The soundtrack is fresh & often delightfully unexpected. Dramatically speaking, I am blown away!!! I will leave it at that; otherwise, this post will be forever long. I love this show for so many reasons & I hope it helps foster genuine, compassionate conversations in the real world.
While I am a fan of Euphoria, I do believe it's fair to say that this show is unapologetically raw, unabashedly real & undeniably...not for everyone. Acknowledgement made. I think it is also fair to say that those who are uncomfortable with visually graphic imagery &/or mature subject matter should take the advice given to them before the show even starts & watch something else. What is unfair is to write a negative review (based on some self-appointed moral high ground) about a show you CHOSE to watch, despite the advance written warning that it was going to explore things you don't agree with in a way you don't like. (Not trying to hate back on you, I'm just sayin'.)
The Nines (2007)
Brilliant!!!
This is one of those movies you can watch again & again & still find something new that makes you love it even more. This story has been so well crafted by Writer/Director John August & delivers outstanding performances by Ryan Reynolds, Hope Davis & especially Melissa McCarthy. A definite must see!
Instinct (2018)
Why all the hate?
I like this show! Alan Cumming is phenomenal, as always! He imbues his character with a refreshing kindness & open humanity that isn't usually seen in a former CIA operative type role. Yes, the show isn't exactly a mental Olympics of who-dun-its. Yes, I can pick out the baddies & their plot pretty quickly (often as soon as they show up), but it's not like other similar shows are coming up with M. Night Shyamalan plot twists every episode either, so, really haters?! Plus, there's Whoopie Goldberg cameos!!! How can one possibly hate that?! My opinion? Stop the hate, sit back, relax & just let yourself be entertained.
Hunt for the Labyrinth Killer (2013)
A Surprisingly Good Story
Up front truth: Yes, it's got the whole made-for-tv level fluff going on. No, it doesn't even attempt to explore the gold mine of gritty details & intricacies that a real serial killer case of this kind would yield. If you're looking for graphic fare, you'll get none of that here. In these respects, this movie is exactly what you'd expect from LMN.
Now that I've laid out my disclaimer, I will say that I found Hunt For The Labyrinth Killer to be thoroughly entertaining & I would watch it again! I won't throw in any spoilers. Instead, I'll say, I hope you watch it & find yourself pleasantly surprised too.
The Master Cleanse (2016)
An Interesting Pop Culture Fable
Traditionally, a fable is a story created to illuminate some type of moral exhortation. In this case, the obvious moral of the story is: If you refuse to kill your own demons, they will eventually eat you alive.
I found the metaphor of a cleanse to be an interesting one. Doing a, so-called, cleanse has become somewhat of a pop culture thing. It promises that if you drink some kind of nasty concoction & feel like crap for a few days, you will emerge brighter, lighter & more radiant than ever! All of the bad stuff (toxins; etc.) will be, quite literally, flushed from your body into the eternal abyss of your sewage system! So, what if one could purge their inner demons just as easily? But there's a bit of a catch, you can't just flush these down the toilet & keep on movin'. Unlike what comes out of you in a traditional cleanse, these little demons aren't so easily discarded. They have big, pleading eyes, they have mannerisms that mimic your own; they'll even nosh on your favorite junk food with you... for a while...
Although I do feel, as many other reviewers have stated, the movie ended very abruptly - the primary conflict is barely resolved & then, BOOM, it's over - I still found the idea to be creative & somewhat compelling.
My advice? Don't pay just to see this movie, you will probably feel as though you've been robbed at the end. However, it's totally Netflix & chill worthy, so put on your comfy clothes, grab your popcorn & take it for what it's worth, it does make a very valid point.