crossinlanta Reviews

Amy Schumer: Emergency Contact (2023)

Oh, Amy. This one wasn't ready.

[2/10 · 1 July 2023]

I've been a big Amy Schumer fan for a long time. Saw her onstage before Covid, before she had the family. She was already a star. And she was awesome. Sharp and full of smart jokes and energy.

But she clearly stopped practicing her craft in the last few years. After ten minutes I stopped watching this. Because I saw an insecure, unpracticed comedienne using hackneyed jokes with lame delivery and amateurish tags. And then she went for a laugh by making a chipmunk face, and I just cringed. This is really disappointing. She was such a great joke writer and performer. But standup is clearly not her top priority anymore. But when that contract is still there, well....

Drew Michael: Red Blue Green (2021 TV Special)

Impactful

[9/10 · 7 December 2021]

It's best to not know anything going into this. Just understand he's like an existential philosopher. You won't laugh every ten seconds. But when you do, it'll be worth it. And get to the end: it's all building to something.

Santa Inc. (2021)

Migraine-Inducing

[1/10 · 3 December 2021]

I love Seth Rogan and Sarah Silverman. But this felt like being assaulted from the first minute.

I understand what they were trying to do here. But the tone of the show is really harsh and obnoxious. You've got to ease into a tone like that - and use it only in certain scenes, not every scene. This felt like something that, in the right hands, could have been great. But it's bad. I stopped watching after 7 minutes.

Zack Snyder's Justice League (2021)

25 minutes was enough.

[5/10 · 20 March 2021]

A perfectly mediocre film for 15 minutes and then a laughably bad score for a Lois Lane sequence. And then Wonder Woman vomiting up the junior-high dialogue, "You can be anything you want to be."

DC Comics with Zach Snyder - when Marvel gives you ribeye but you also like bologna.

The Vast of Night (2019)

Slow and boring

[5/10 · 26 January 2021]

As a big sci-fi fan I was excited about this. Liked the setting and production. But man, this left me drowsy. Got halfway through and turned it off.

Less Than Zero (1987)

One of the worst films I've ever seen

[2/10 · 5 December 2020]

Like if Tommy Wiseau had a slightly bigger budget and made his grand statement about "drugs". But he managed to hoodwink two hot, young, supremely talented actors in RDJ and James Spader to save the thing from being an unmitigated disaster.

The C-movie direction, laughably intrusive musical score, and script straight out of a junior high talent contest all combine to showcase acting from Andrew McCarthy that feels lifted from The Room. And Jamie Gertz isn't much better.

I missed this in the 80's and tried it yesterday out of sheer pandemic boredom. I'm glad I did if only for the fact that I can now argue with others who seem to be under the delusion that this is some nostalgic gem. I would agree if the entire movie was focused on the relationship between Downey and Spader. Because they're mesmerizing to watch - even with a trash script. Sadly, there's other nonsense happening. And the shockingly bad Andrew McCarthy is leading the way.

Proceed with caution - and some booze.

Ilana Glazer: The Planet Is Burning (2020 TV Special)

Amazon Prime is desperate

[2/10 · 19 November 2020]

I loved Broad City. And I'm a huge progressive. But I had a bad feeling about this one.

Basically, any time I see a comedic actor suddenly come out with a standup comedy special, I grit my teeth. Standup comedians work for YEARS honing their craft. And a comic's first special is typically the result of 5-10 years worth of sharpening bits til they cut steel, and making sure a viewer is laughing every 10 seconds or less. So when a performer hasn't put in that kind of work - it's OBVIOUS. And when they only perform to their core audience of pre-existing fans, it's OBVIOUS. And when a content producer that's desperate to break into the standup market offers big bucks to a big name who's NOT READY. Well, you get it. Ilana Glazer isn't the first to fall into this trap. And she won't be the last. But she's definitely made a career misstep here. Stay far away from this one, folks.

Raised by Wolves (2020–2022)

Very good hard sci-fi.

[7/10 · 7 September 2020]

Best sci-fi show since Battlestar. One of the best things Ridley Scott has ever done. A triumphant return to form for the master.

***UPDATE: They botched the ending. It gets weird. No longer a 9 - now a 7 rating. It's not the best sci-go since Battlestar. That honor belongs to The Expanse.***

Devs (2020)

Promising start devolves into tedium

[5/10 · 11 March 2020]

Kinda like a great trailer can mask a lame movie, this show's first half hour places an intriguing setup against a beautiful atmosphere - and then the plot gets going and it all turns to crap. Uneven acting, overly obtrusive music playing during scenes that haven't earned the emotional resonance they're trying to give them. And the slow-motion. Ughhhh. Make it stop!!! This huge sci-if fan is out after two episodes.

Pete Davidson: Alive from New York (2020 TV Special)

Very Hit and Miss

[6/10 · 26 February 2020]

If you can tolerate his awkwardness- which seems genuine and not staged, there are some truly hilarious moments. But not everything lands. Overall, this seems like a decent set from a rising stand-up who's getting a Netflix special because he's SNL-famous. But Pete seems to realize this too. Give this kid another 5-10 years and he'll be great.

Dear White People (2017– )

At times rushed, mostly brilliant

[9/10 · 12 June 2018]

Forget the controversial content for a minute. This show is fast-paced, smart, and hilarious. And clearly sends the MAGA crowd into hissy fits. All the better.