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Welfare (1975)
Eat The Poor
Welfare is pretty much about a day to day life of Welfare Officers and the people who is in need of welfare.
Its the most dramatic of his films so far. With people in deep need and officers who are limited by their budgets and "laws", emotions run high as they try to meet half-way.
There are decently good material about the hyperbole of Welfare in America. Half of them are in a rut, since they are truly in need of so much information just to prove the money to go out. It is clear that some are pushed to their edge (especially the girl who was being forced to go back, or the racist welfare guy to the guard or the worker who wants to be a supervisor) BUT I do not think some are actually using the 'welfare' for good. One example is the North Carolina Mother-Daughter who are stretching their ability to get welfare AND is using it as to get more money. They were livid since no one seems to be able to just say NO to them AND are forcing them to go around to possibly get it.
I think this is a much more complex and active documentary that the 'directness' works wonder. Everyone here is naturally elevated since they are actively being judged. Their actions, their voice, their looks. Its such a rich text to watch.
PS: You kinda see how people who never worked with service or customer facing work. They are highly judgmental of the workers who was to give hard decisions. It might be unpopular but it has to happen.
Coming Home (1978)
Almost Great but failed to Finish
Coming Home tells the story of an Army Wife and her time alone as an Army volunteer helping disabled soldiers. She meets a miserable case who she develops an intense relationship while she waits her husband's impending return.
This is made on the tail end of Ashby Great Seventies run.
I think for the most part, it is somewhat forgotten (even though Oscar-winning) since it is his most baity work. It is a straight forward Anti-War Nam movies with a great soundtrack that never really distracts away from its material. The material itself is understated yet poignant: a hallmark of his great seventies run BUT I do consider the ending rather dense.
I think it was unfair to equate the affair as because of 'the enemy'. It is not government mandated that they go at it. Additionally, I found it cheap that the writing implies that the husband's conservatism is something that can make a viewer let the 'cheating' go.
Performance wise, this was an all around great stuff. Its no wonder it got all the acting nominations and even got 2 wins. Fonda and Dern specifically had never been better to be honest.
Overall, a good film. Wished that they were able to create more dialogue about the cheating. It felt rushed and simplified in the final product.
Man About Town (2006)
Intolerably Awful Rom Com
Man About Town is about a talent agent, who unravels after his secret got out due to some journaling class AND his wife cheating with his biggest client.
I know American hates their police BUT JESUS CHRIST. Why even try for this kind of stupidity? Not the soft-ass blackmail for Cheating and Client 'Stealing' really. It is not that big of a deal in Tinseltown. Even some of the secret in this is not that 'big of a deal' GIVEN that he did actually was tried on court or its just cause his fat.
Performance-wise, I think Affleck would have been great had he have some writing to settle on. Its just a weird story that requires too much leeway to even appreciate. Its leaves you with so much questions, and why even try to center it around writers to begin with. The writer of the film is one of the lead firm guys BTW>
Its just awful.
The Leather Boys (1964)
Trouble in Paradise
When a young biker discovers that adulthood is more than what his small viewpoint knows, he reckoned his current relationship as a failure and developed a budding friendship with a fellow biker with a glaring secret.
Particularly known for its depiction of queerness during the 60's, it still kind of confounds me.
I remember trying to really watch this way back from a dingy copy off youtube, and I personally still think the plot of deconstructing his ideas of marriage is the film's biggest strength. Its probably the most alive and 'kitchen-sink' portion of the film. It was quite refreshing to see coming-of-age films covering this portion of adulthood when our beliefs and the life's truths just contrast. The young couple discovers that there is more in marriage than love. Rita Tushingham was marvelous as the abrasive yet naive girlfriend of the Colin Campbell, the film's lead.
Though, I still do not know how I feel about the film's ending *Spoiler's ahead* - after he tries to win back his wife, he ends up seeing her in bed with someone causing him to plan with his friend to go to America. His friend arranges work that can bring them there and while waiting in the pub nearby, he discovers that this friend is indeed queer - to his dismay. And decided to walk off.
I do not know.
I think that it was nice that it did not need to go to hysterics to say that he does not like him in THAT way BUT I felt that this ending made their friendship to be looked on a different perspective.
Did he also like his friend in a queer way and was upset that he can be reciprocated? Or does he feel betrayed that the friendship might be false - seemingly using his troubling marriage as an entry to him? The ending does not portray him particularly homophobic at all but homosexuality is yet to be decriminalized then. It would not be shocking for men of the era to be less in tune befriending gay men still. Or was it both? He fears his feelings for him AND felt that his friendship, now that he knows, might be self-serving.
The ending definitely made their friendship a piece to be dissected to be honest.
Overall recommended, an interesting film.
Anyone But You (2023)
A Choppily Told Love Story
Practically a modern re-imagination of Much Ado About Nothing, about a fling re-ignited by someone's destination wedding.
I think Anyone But You has potential. It has leads with great chemistry (a rarity in this day and age), a main romance plot that is a bit better than average(which says a lot with current state of Romcoms) BUT primarily fails since it does not know how to actually connect the main wedding plot with the romance.
In no world will two people set to be married are going all lengths to just make two people they clearly has little reason to help to fall on each other's arms. Its just a weird disjunct that no one seems to care about them, or their wedding that they are are focusing with these two main leads - that has barely connection with any of them. I think romantic entanglements should have included the main marriage couple than make them tertiary to the plot. Its such a weird choice to make.
Acting wise, I think the saving grace of the film is the amazing chemistry of Powell and Sweeney. They really look like they enjoy each other's company.
A bit underwhelmed.
Hawks (1988)
Wonderfully Underrated
Its one of those film ALA Nicholson's and Freeman's Bucket List where they go and around to see what can happen with the remaining time they had. This one works in a way since it does not really put too much emphasis on the situation BUT and try to make an aww moment to their clear predicament.
Its also less Hollywood. They are still human and are bounded by their humanly presence. They are not suddenly above every logical concepts nor their escapades seems to escapism.
Wonderful central performance from Tim Dalton (of Bond fame) and Anthony Edwards (Rooster in Top Gun). They played well together. Pitch Perfect story from Roy Clarke's only foray to film. The plot with the girls where wonderfully executed.
Jennifer's Body (2009)
Misplaced Re-Classification of a Misguided Film
There's a surge of twitter people had been telling me this is actually good. And as an obligatory, I decided to re-watch the film again.
So a bit of context. I remember hating this film a lot. I remember hating on it for its mixed messaging, use of high school tropes and the bad ending. I originally rated this 0.5/5 then.
Rewatching it with the filter of #MeToo Movement, I still don't get it?
Clearly the mixed messaging is still there. It feels like the message of empowerment is not entirely put out in this film. This personally feels like a common thread in Hollywood film, because that late night with the band is clear as day in what it wants to tell. BUT, again I do not get the angle of Jennifer (Fox's Character). Her intentions where rather random and sadly not thought through. AND her resolution with Needy is against all that I think feminism seems to be fighting for. So there that.
On the other hand, the high school stereotype is where I got it a bit wrong. I guess personally felt sick with how the emo kids where portrayed that I was particularly fawning it with hatred. Not as bad as I had remembered. In this rewatch, I also felt the comparison of Needy vs Jennifer (the classical Good Girl vs the Bad Girl trope), was not as annoying when I first watched this film. I guess the time that is separating me from Megan Fox and Amanda Seyfried peaks made me less distracted by their presence in this film and how they played their part.
And lastly, the ending still is bad. It is where I fully let go of the film. Its when the film decided to fully let go too. No more charade as a messaged film. The pool scene is where you can't even deconstruct it as a feminist film. It lost a lot of what I think it should be fighting for.
Clearly, my feeling where somewhat changed. The acting was, in retrospect, better that I have initially attested and Seyfried and Fox were good. The whole lot of high school actors where also realistically played. But it is still bad. It boggles down a lot with its plot. It does not know if it would tell a message or be ribald with how insane the plot is.
It is kind of sad too. I was a moviegoer when it went to drain. The campaign for the film was wrong. It never felt like a comedy even then.
But Megan Fox deserves more. Jennifer's Body, for me, is still not the feminist classic that people should watch. But it could be, when it veritably remade into something. This is a film ripe for that kind of privilege. It has the element to be great but a little tweak or two can do much to be honest.
Fukushû suru wa ware ni ari (1979)
Well Directed but did not fully charmed me
Practically a crime film, Vengeance is Mine is about a serial cheater, and serial killer on the loose. Told in a flash back narrative - we slowly gaze to the man and the things that led to the crime he committed.
I do not know about this one. I had heard about it for the longest time but after watching it, it felt ok. It was reminisce of Hollywood crime films. It kind of tries to make reason of his craziness but also tries to show how ruthless he was. There are more than once, that character's victim is shown as not worthy of their faith but he did it regardless.
BUT the writing for the female character is particularly pointed. All are pretty much are man-crazy cheaters at one point with little to no care for about their dignity. That's on top of being used by the men around them. I sometimes do not why are they written like that. The male gaze in this one is particularly demeaning to a point.
I just want to call out Ken Ogata. He carried the film and together with the great cinematography actually puts up a large portion of my rating. They make things interesting and carries its problematic story to another level. The story minus the female characters is well paced and flows really well, to be honest. Imamura's direction is expected but I really love how he kept the pace and tone in the film. It shows a master craftsman - even if I am not particularly enamored with material. Would seek his other works.
Overall, a well made and interesting work for someone I look forward seeking.
The Best Little Whorehouse in Texas (1982)
Forgettable and Lacking Chemistry
A film about a well respected madame and her house who is put into spotlight by a muckraking journalist who wants to push them out of the town. With the his secret lover-slash-town sheriff put in between with the rising profile of the house, a decision has to be made for the peace of the town.
Even for the Eighties, Something about this film just did not translate into film. I guess Reynolds and Parton gives sibling vibes that really put me off and the decision to play the main character more straight for a cartoonish story, just did not stick well for me.
Very forgettable film. Not recommended.
Postcards from the Edge (1990)
The Other side of Hollywood Blvd
Postcards from the Edge tells an autofiction about the struggles of Carrie Fisher avatar with drugs, fame and sex, while juggling her complicated relationship with her even more famous mother.
Why are female oriented films in Hollywood does not have the clamor that male oriented film have? This is wonderful and 'real' exploration of a woman stuck on a cycle of abuse, lost in her of complexes, trying to pick the pieces up with a little nudge to a group of people that cares.
This is probably one of the most mature looks in fame in film that I saw in a longest while. Its shows the other side of Hollywood Blvd, with people just struggling.
It acknowledges the difficulties and openly goes to give criticism on its flawed main character. I love that. I think in a way, this was the thing missing with other famous Tell All films (wink wink Mommie Dearest). It lacks the reflection that I think it heavily needs. It acknowledges that she was a Nepo baby AND her struggles while truly difficult, is with people who actually wants to support her (even with their own problems). She has access and she has relative fame, she just do not see at face value.
Great film. Highly Recommended.
Berlin - Die Sinfonie der Großstadt (1927)
An interesting Blast from the Past
Literally just a film about Berlin from what I assume is a day. Made just before things go down with the Nazi Party, it shows the peak of the Weimar period, where everyone has the money and is reaping the post WW1 Boom.
It has a lot of machinery and 'workforce' that from what I still see is somewhat unchanged. The trains were everywhere. Cars are abound the streets. Food Trash is abundant still. Fashion is everywhere. Some staged dramatics here and there. I think the most interesting choices here is how it shows the decadence in contrast with the poor - given its history.
I personally do not know how I will judge this film. I clearly enjoyed some scenes given my engineering background. Otherwise, its an interesting figment of of the era though I do not know were its style meets with the cinema past it.
Lick the Star (1998)
Teenage Angst Coppola Style
Lick the Star tells the story of a girl, who after some accident, found herself at odds with her cool girl clique. When she saw an opportunity, she spread damaging rumors that broke free the clique but results to their friend being ostracized by their school AND her turning the table right at her.
This is probably the world that Sofia is most knowable of. Its the cool girl eats her cake kind of aesthetic that she tends to really draw herself towards BUT with I tingle of punk aesthetics. Its an interesting style that she went away from her feature films.
This is probably the most I felt that was alive and active in her filmmaking till she'll make Mary Antoinette. There is a weird indifference and isolation in her films that tends to just be sitting on that dries my eyes out. I wish she pursues this style more to be honest.
Good short.
Titicut Follies (1967)
Controversy should be focused on the Misdiagnosis of One Patient
In a classical Cinema Verite-way, the film shows the everyday lives of patients in a mental institution. From their entry, to their everyday lives living in squalor in their own rooms, and their interaction with the personnel and others, and the often referenced performance show.
Not as controversial as it seems.
Some of the issues raised here are somewhat mundane in retrospect. Clearly, the nudity upon entry could have been handled better (like a separate room), or the nudity in the rooms are not actually forced BUT is concerned with patients with higher degree of mental illness (which could have been handled better), even the bullying is more or less banters. It was not as horrific as people describes it.
I do think the bigger and stronger chunk of the film's controversy should have concerned with the inmates who thinks they should not be administered medicine that is not helping. That was from what I observe a truly concerning moment in the film, especially since he was one of the more mentally capable inmates. He knows something was not working AND they were just diffusing his concerns. Its somewhat forgotten given THAT it was not the flashiest sequence.
Otherwise, this was an ok documentary. Not as revelatory as people had suggested. A noteworthy timepiece if anything.
Mary & George (2024)
The Fast Times with the Villiers
Practically concerned with George Villiers and his mother, Mary, as they traverse the wild post-Elizabeth 1 monarchy, and try to improve their standings in court by attaching George as the next-in-line male concubine of the King James, son of Mary Queen of Scott.
I think it was very well noted how George took advantage of the King James's and Charles I's affection. Unlike the show, it was unanimously seen unfavorably. A lot of his charms are pretty much publicized with the vast number of arts pieces centered around him. His mother was less written about, but the characterization was similar to the show - greedy and ambitious, deeply unpopular.
The writing is meant to show the messiness of it all, and it works for the most part since it is really salacious history. This was meant as a show of flesh and trashiness. It is a not that inspired if you think about it BUT its hits enough checkmark for fun tv viewing. I would say that it could have been less on the nose, with all the mother knows best storytelling AND could have made paced the storytelling for the first and last two episodes better but it is what it is.
Also, a lot of other reviews are really riled up by its historical inaccuracies BUT I think you watch this not for those reason. It was not meant to be this deep show anyhow.
Acting wise, I still find Galatzine not that good. He has his moment but I felt that he strays in moments of ineptitude. Its so glaring sometimes that he looks like he does not know what emotion should he show in a scene. He should thank god his pretty because I think that was the only prompt he stood well on. I think Moore and Curran faired better but pretty much was phoning it in with 'camp' aspect. They are in the end, somewhat of a caricature.
Overall, I think this is fair introduction to the Villiers. Reading about them a lot, and I think they are fascinating. If I would compare it to what I saw, there clearly is a huge real estate that the show jumped out off BUT this would be fun if your into this kind of material. Recommended.
Priscilla (2023)
Blandest Evocation of Rich Isolation in the Sofia Paradigm
Priscilla is about Priscilla, wife of Elvis. From the minute she met him to the point she left him.
I get the point of this film BUT I felt that this can definitely be better with a more adept director. Its just too typical and lacking of intent. This was such a monotonous slow burn of a material, thus I personally feel that Sophia should have been more concerned with the little things: The framing, the silence and the overall design. She just did not. The isolation and emptiness was not explored visually. Its more written in the dialogue, which is such a choice for the monotony of the material.
Acting wise, not the biggest fan of Spaeny. I think there was a directing choice to make her less of a child, so it was more or less like confused person with no personality. I am not a fan of that choice - at least create a certain layer of mannerism to be honest. Elordi is fine BUT I felt the feeling I have for his performance is highly indebted to what I know about Elvis, rather than the material he has. Its a very blank slate character in this film.
Not my cup of tea. A Lacking direction.
Kaibutsu (2023)
Turning a New Leaf for Kore-eda
When a mysterious incident happens to a young child, his parent seeks answers to what truly happened. AND the film navigates through different viewpoint of those who where concerned to actually understand who truly was the monster who started it all.
I love this. I heard so much clamor for this the first time I saw screenings in my country and I could see why.
I am not the biggest fan of Kore-eda. Did not like Nobody Knows, so when I watched this with no expectation I am personally blown away.
Its might look simple but its elaborate story that tries to see each of the character's shoes on how the incident happened and affected them AND ultimately an interesting queer story too boot. I heard people trying to compare it to Rashomon, but this is not a procedural at all. Nor does it seeks to point that there is different viewpoints in this.
The queer storytelling is also interesting, since it shows how small things - and how different we see it without clear communications, can turn things from simple misunderstanding to ultimate pratfalls. I felt smart and well observed. I just loved how it runs through almost all of the narrative too.
Great performance all around. Ando, Nagayama, and Kurokawa were amazing. They script is already tight BUT their performance truly supplement it.
Highly Recommended.
Sister Act 2: Back in the Habit (1993)
Another Film, Another Act
A shockingly prefer this over the first one but not by much.
Deloris is again task to return to the help her nun friends. This time around to turn around the struggling school they are teaching.
When initial meeting with the children seems to be a bust, Deloris slowly but surely tries to open them up AND try to relive their past glory as a winning show choir team in the area.
Nothing still happened here and I felt that setup is even more implausible in this film. Again, this is full of fluff. The story is standard soapy stuff with a dose of good pop 'MUSIC' - which is again the biggest strength of the movie. It such a non-entity script.
Whoopi Goldberg pretty much stands on her charisma to fill up what is a very weak story. The film boast a huge amount of future stars like Lauryn Hill and Jennifer Love Hewitt, who are all given some soap stories (especially Hill and co-star Ryan Toby).
Still not my cup of tea.
Outbreak (1995)
A Clearly Fictionalized vision of an Outbreak Ridden America
When a group of scientist discovers a mysterious strain of Ebola that seems to kill at will in a nearby African village, they run to their government and try to create an cure. Unbeknownst to them, the government has other ideas BUT when it reached US, things has to go move fast before an outbreak comes loose.
With what we know with the COVID-19 Epidemic, its interesting how this film fictionalize this 'outbreak'. I think with all my time reading, I want to note the ff:
1. They DO NOT bomb village to stop outbreaks.
2. Outbreaks with fast turnover (ie like in the film), is somewhat easier to control than say COVID as time seems to make a spread difficult to control
3. The ending is just nope. That's not how it is made.
With that in mind, I think what really fails the film is the 'idiot' plot. A lot of this so-called professionals just do not know how to handle things professionally. I think it was meant for dramatization purposes BUT I think they are ways to just make less circumstantial.
Also, the choice to make the film a bit militaristic is probably something that feels ultimately a CHOICE. Its probably a 'dramatic' choice that ages the film a lot with what we all know now.
Not Recommended.
School Spirit (1985)
The fact I watched this means I may not have no spirit.
This is a Z-Grade Comedy about a sex obsessed college student who after a condom run, got into an accident AND became a shape shifting ghost that can do what every eighties sex comedy would want to, be pervy with the girls. As expected, this results to him finding out what truly he loves.
Its what it is.
A sexist and sleazy sex comedy that really has nothing but a stupid premise.
Tom Nolan cannot do anything in his role AND just plainly speaking just does what any hunk lead of the film of this kind could, ogle his eyes and act like the horniest thing in existence. He can't really do much especially since it is a horrendous material that did not even bother.
No one in the cast can really rise up on this particularly weak film AND its even less inspired writing than the average.
You watch this for what sex and that's it.
Not Recommended.
Kuolleet lehdet (2023)
A Forgettable Romance
A romantic comedy about two poor lost introverts in Helsinki. As they try to meet each other, ridiculous situation happens and caused them to miss each other until a close call forces them to be on each other's side.
Its pretty much a subdued romcom with a lot of quirkiness but not in a Wes Anderson kind of way. I am sadly not impressed. I do not know if this is how he styles most of his film BUT I am not really attuned to Aki Kaurismäki's style. This was not particularly a great start into his filmography. This is just fine. This just happened, and not much happened. I wish there is more.
Not recommended. I think this was ok but forgettable in the grand scheme.
Sud pralad (2004)
My Introduction to the World of Joe
In the grand scheme of films that does not really have a strong narrative, this just feels alive and heartwarming.
The first story is just a love story. Two men falls in love, but something innate that their love will never be 'true'. Both men plays a relatively simple character. One, an out open gay man who works in the military and another is a local villager, more vague in his sexuality.
Then a second story, focusing on the mysterious incident hinted in the first story. A Spirit/Shaman hounds the area, and a local soldier seeks to hunt him down to stop the mysterious events in the area. As the soldiers tries to get and destroy the shaman, he falls short and accepts his fate as one with the shaman himself.
While its framed as two stories interconnected, you just cannot look away and say that the soldier and the spirit/local villager where one. But why is the villager all of the sudden a destructive force? Why does the soldier need to hurt him at all? And why would he accept him as one anyhow even with all the words? Is this a just lucid dream about loving someone? Or another a visual representation of being loved and be as one. Or the First Soldier the Spirit and Villager is the Soldier actually?
It does know how to create a definite connection but the answers are not forth.
=======================
AFTER SOME THINKING, I personally do not think that the first story and the second story is meant to any clear connection. But I felt with some time that the story is somewhat of a gimmick.
The only reason to see both film as one is that the ending of the second story talks clearly about the abstraction of 'love' AND the first story is about love in action. And while, there might be a thousand ways to make sense of the stories as one, I think the best way to appreciate it is see it as a compliment of each other. It is connected because in another 'universe' they are the same or just similar.
It is an interesting film that redefines form. I think is entirely unique for this film. I think there are films similar to this (ie Double Life of Veronique) that shows two forms of humanity intertwined, looking alike but somewhat apart BUT it never went far as this - creating two outwardly different narrative that is independent of each other. The use of the same actor is yields just an ethereal vibe that is just so difficult to describe. It made the question in the end of the first and into answers that serves as narrative ellipses in a way.
It is just baffling how it works. This is definitely a masterwork AND a deserving to baffle film lovers in years to come.
Bumping from 4 to 5/5.
White Material (2009)
Troubles in Somewhere Africa
A white plantation family living in somewhere French Africa tries their luck in a civil war stricken area. With their coffee still in need of harvesting, the matriarch of the family tries to fool another set of workers to finish the harvest before maybe leaving for good. But as expected, the plan goes astray with both the government and rebels having other plans.
A more direct film about colonial relations, White Materials tackle directly the unchecked privilege that white colonizers believe they had over the people of their colony. It is already famous that Denis lived most of her childhood in Africa and this film pretty much shows that. It is ruthless in showing how out of depth the Huppert's family are and how they just act as if their actions is unnoticed to their workers or the government. Its tight and hits all the marks to show just enough how insane the family is.
Huppert again is masterful. It is more direct material so it was not really a shock for me that she did stunning. She just know how act in different levels AND understood how she should come off. Such a brilliant actress that deserves all the praise given to her.
Highly recommended.
Party Girl (1995)
Oddly Fun Romcom about Librarians
A party girl is run with some problems with her rent. When another party turns out to be a bust, she forced to call her 'boring' aunt to call in a favor. With her no salary in sight, she goes and try ask for her aunt for a loan which she refuses but offers her as a temp hire in her library. It somewhat works out, but her aunt's refusal to believe her changing ways and a foreign lover that seems to be confused by her values stops her in actually achieving her goal.
To be perfectly honest, this feels a bit a run in the mill romcom yet it never really go to what you'd expect it to be. It just swerves right enough to not really fall to a boring and typical route of films of this kind. It could be a bit oddly hard on our titular Party Girl at times, but I felt that how her relationships ended were ultimately nicely handled.
Parker Posey is good in this role. I think this is a role where her charisma is keeping the film together. NO other actor particularly feels great in this. It was somewhat not a performance piece AND I do feel that no one is also doing character elevations too.
Overall, I felt that the charming story with a great titular performance. Recommended.
Let Me Die a Woman (1977)
An Interesting Exploitative Artifact.
Let Me Die a Woman is a pseudo-documentary about how it is to be transgendered in the 70s. For the most part, it centers around a Puerto Rican woman, who tells her story of hardship with doctors, peers, and life in general. Otherwise, it is almost falls into a PSA Category in describing the Transgender experience of the era.
Not as a bad as people might suggest BUT I think its exploitative elements does put certain section in a bad light.
The choice to make suspenseful music for showing some explicit area is surely something that will divide audiences for years to come. It almost show-and-tell disposition can be uncomfortable, especially to its subject that is equally uncomfortable. It has has the most graphic description of sex change, pre-op vagina and transgendered bodies you would see in any film, which might sometimes feels too much to be honest. Though, it is offset by the films love to show sex (even using some famous straight porn stars).
I think its biggest strength is its matter of fact. I do not know any documentary that tackles this subject matter of any era. Its actually nice that they tackle transgenderism experience - even though some of it is fake. And while some of the ideas can be a bit dated, it can be a nice reference point in how the experience have moved away from.
I personally would not recommended it as I feel there are more subtle dramas about the transgender experience in film. This is too on your face AND exploitative that some viewers might not be ready handle or should not have been there (see the sex scenes). I think Wishman meant well for this film BUT the movement had moved too far from it.
It is a dated testament that you could watch but on your own risk.
Drugstore June (2024)
Better than what the other reviews are saying
This tells a story of a so-called social media star as she works in a local pharmacy and hounds her ex boyfriend for his affection. When one night the pharmacy she works in got robbed, she tries to solve it and starts understanding herself and the people around her.
Its somewhat run on the mill but I felt it tried something AND its mostly works. Its not that bad actually. I do think the initial half of the film was aimless and too stylized to a fault. It could have been tighter or at least setup the ending (which was convoluted and pulled out of nowhere). I also wished that at least two or three characters where built up more as I think that most of the characters has interesting stories in them BUT at least, once the crime starts its picks up AND finds its groove.
Danielle Bregoli is shocking so good in her cameo. I was so shocked how good she was. I wish she tries more acting work to be honest. I do think Esther Povitsky was just ok. I do think the writing failed her initially as it was just a lot of characterization, and skits that felt repetitive at some point. Other than that, this is just a potpourri of semi-famous actor/comedians who are doing their bit parts. Not enough material for judgment.
Overall, better than expected. I really appreciate that they were at least trying to be something, and was witty.