zkiko Reviews

High Desert (2023)

Patricia Arquette kinda kills it in this role.

[7/10 · 17 May 2023]

It is a very nice watch and very fast paced not stuck in supergeneric dialogues and plottwists yada yada. It just has a nice offbeat'ish flow and it flows well.

Patricia Arqueutte really nails this role, which surpsided me. I was a but skeptical at first, but when you catch your depressed semi-cynical self laughing about her ways of personifying the character than you just have to give it up.

Sadly they chose to go a bit less offbeat/weird as it could be, with some safe commercial mainstream ingredients in it, and some generic acting from others. If that was different it could have been even great. But I dig it.

This and White House Plumbers kind of share some of the same quirkiness, and I'm down for it.

Also, I'm a sucker for the desert town scenery.

Meeting the Man: James Baldwin in Paris (1970)

Directed and written by: James Baldwin

[9/10 · 28 July 2022]

Too many times the voiceless have been used (and still are on) as a subject for privileged people in need of a story so they can be a 'maker'. (See some of my other reviews concerning this).

When it comes to the marginalised, rarely documentaries have been done ethically and sincerely. The power ratio is off kilter and without integrity the process and result is often cliché, one dimensional and narrow. The caucasian in power often thinks he is doing something good for the poor brown and black, but not (willingly) conscious enough to see that it's an act of selfishness. The marginalised used as a tool, yet again. A terrible irony.

If the calling to shed light on them was sincere, they could easily facilitate the means for them to produce it themselves, for themselves. But no.

Baldwin here in 1970, very intelligent, sharp and conscious. He took the invitation of what would have him be subjected to the makers paradigm. He flipped it on him and shifted it into vulnerable reality, the portrayal of a fierce naked marginalised soul with piercing screaming eyes conscious of his major voice as a minority... shouting loudly for those without, way up above the narrow and limited subjective box of what would have been.

We Need to Talk About Cosby (2022)

Feels like an exploitation series of interviews with many generic canditates, all for Kamau to stay 'relevant'.

[1/10 · 31 January 2022]

So many (actual)documentaries already cover all the topics here. But Kamau Bell lazily, typically and passively used (many generics including a 'youtube uploader' of old black films, a very dim Godfrey and some of his elitist pc friends) people as a tool - many of them who have no link with this story at all - to interview. Kamau Bell used his rich network he has gathered as the generic safe 'comedian' (so ironic) he is, slapped a colourful poster on the whole thing and bam : here you are, keeping your own name 'relevant' by abusing someone else's disaster - be it of the victims or of the perpetrator.

An evening conversation you would imagine a pc elitists group with the odd tokens seated at a table with vintage wine discussing the topic in a cliché, biased and generic manner.

Let's record that and call it a 'documentary'!

So cheap, so safe, so cowardly done. And above all, it does not add anything that has not been documented already.

The rule of adding 'content' should be : If you don't have anything original or new to add, just fall back and let someone with urgency speak up. Just because you can grab the mic, doesn't mean you should. Be kind.

Pretend It's a City (2021)

Cliché, narcissistic, pretentious...

[1/10 · 27 April 2021]

Generic people worshiping some 'ballsy' older NY woman who repeats what every comedian or writer or person ever has said about New York already. A rich woman that lives in Chelsea and in a bubble of the rich and famous, telling us people what NY is about. And generic audiences gladly paying to sit in a stool to worship her, hoping to get accepted in that elite bubble. Sad state of affairs.

I can get more out of a few lines of 'The Message' if we're talking old NY. Or I can watch Scorcece's material before he became completely swallowed by the snob culture gang. Or '80 Blocks from Tiffany's ..the list goes on.

And for the new NY, id rather watch Louis CK tv show which is infinitely more creative with depicting the city. Or certain (skate)vids on youtube.

It will tell me so much more than this woman who seems to be a cliché hyperbole of herself living supersafe, yet the only thing that gives her an identity is living in ny.

NY is a city that has been gentrified to bits, and exploited and filtered from all that was raw and authentic. Sorry , I know (mostly privileged) ny'ers think its edgy to be from NY and its a huge part of your made up identity, but its all so void. So void of any substance. It's circle jerking at max to keep the lie alive. Same is happening to Amsterdam, same is happening to Berlin, to all big cities. It's all pimped out, and what's remnant are the echo's of what once was authentic. What stayed raw is being pushed out, and at the same time being looked down upon.

This whole thing is just super sad, and made me depressed.

Shame on you.

Made You Look: A True Story About Fake Art (2020)

Anne Freedman should be in prison. But of course these types..

[7/10 · 25 February 2021]

..never seem to be touched by justice. How obvious it was from the beginning to me that the minority and way less privileged would be imprisoned and the dealer that is making 800% profit roams free. Anne Freedman loved the attention and status she got from those paintings, and did everything to keep the illusion alive. That was were she became a criminal. A conniving one. It's written all over her ugly face. All those pictures of here in those artsy circle jerk super 'elite' gatherings, prancing around in a fur coat are just nauseating.

So many unlikeable people in one documentary. I'd rather be with the homeless and unprivileged then spend a day with these utterly poisonous, backstabbing, conniving, disgusting animals. ESPECIALLY the likes of an Anne Freedman. And that disgusting Sotheby couple.

There are people rotting in prison for stealing something worth less than a thousand bucks. Or for dealing a bit of marihuana. Here we have a dealer of fake goods- knowingly- making millions of profit...and she roams free. No guilt, no remorse. This is not just the privilege of being rich, this is the result of a combination of privileges and the profit of being covered by your own 'kind'.

Good documentary. Naaaaasty people.

Vinyl Nation (2020)

Very generic and unnecessary.

[1/10 · 19 December 2020]

All of the content has been spoken about again and again before. They chose to feature all the standard new privileged upper middle class hipsters instead of genuine bonafide diggers. Or at least it would have been cool to have some marginalised weirdo's, real cats, authentic figures in this plain documentary. Spice it up with some peppers mayne!!

It's a 101 vinyl is cool and 'look at us being quirky and regurgitating all the clichés ,we are sooo quirky and nerdy' documentary. Something nice for the squares.

If you want to watch and learn something authentic and sincere about diggin in the crates, go watch 'Scratch'. Also there are some other independent docs on Youtube about vinyl and diggin. Like the Fuse diggers vids for example.

Subcultures are being taken over on the daily by the hipsters. Since everything is so accessible nowadays. The privileged take the pro's without having to carry the con's. It's kinda disgusting. It dilutes it all from it's authenticity and leaves it to become a weak plain subtraction. Shame on yall.

Macho: The Hector Camacho Story (2020)

Great documentary about a charismatic legendary fighter.

[8/10 · 16 December 2020]

I didn't know much about Camacho before I watched this very interesting documentary. I had echoes in my mind of what I heard as a child in the 80's. I remember people saying his name. This documentary showed me a lot about Camacho's life, his charisma, his ambition his lust for regoncitnion. It was beautiful to witness. I felt sad seeing him decline and battle addiction. Again and again kids grow up to be broken if they didnt get the right ingredients growing up or the right support later on as an adult. Something was missing and he seemed to find it temporarily in drugs. Nevertheless a very interesting life and he has left behind a stamp of unbound charisma. I hope his loving mother gets her peace and that they will find the killers that claimed his life.

Carrousel (2019)

And again... a classploitaion documentary by a yuppie

[1/10 · 29 October 2020]

This documentary was made without real context from the youth. We get a very one sided view on the matter. Typically done by a yuppie called Marina Meijer. Such so called 'documentaries' are exploitation and often made in greed. there is no sincerity in telling an objective story. it's only made to up the profile of the maker. A yuppie that in daily life would walk a block around these naive youths that were the subject of her greed. Disgusting!

Other People (I) (2016)

A nice, ok film.

[5/10 · 26 October 2020]

A nice, gentle, family orientated movie. Ginger guy's acting is amazing (again). It is not complex, and stays mostly in the shallow end of the pool of life. Its about love and loss, a lot of movies have been made about this. This one didnt necessarily add something that wasn't there. But it was a nice gentle, watch. Many may only focus on the pain, but I see a very privileged woman lucky enough to have so many family around here that love her. That is a super rich life. One time watch. No favourite.

On the Rocks (2020)

Another generic movie about the urban elite. Same story, no urgency whatsoever.

[2/10 · 23 October 2020]

Why make a movie if you have nothing to add or to say really? An artist needs to have urgency for a story to be told, if not greed ensues. It's making a film for the sake of making a film, and Sophia has the power to do so and so she does. Doing it because she can. There is way too much output from those that already have a huge voice. I say stop shouting your voidness unto the world! No matter how much you colour it with expensive cast and locations..It still is empty.

The Night Of (2016)

Unveiling injustices, human behaviour and a broken system in an organic, non politically-correct manner.

[9/10 · 23 August 2020]

This series is so good, I've watched it 4 times already. And just now decided to write a small review about it.

It is such a great portrayal of society, humans, the judicial system and more. When something is done sincerely, it won't try to please everybody, or do what is popular and check the list of what is deemed 'correct'. No, it will be organic and raw, as reality truly is. And in that portrayal you, we the viewers see and feel that cold reality. Sugar free, not coated for the fragile.

To see the sleepy people that are elected for jury duty, some even sleeping on their seat..that scene tells you so much in merely a few seconds. When the DA (Weisz) puts words deliberately in the mouth of the coroner who is supposed to stand witness in trial. Or how quick the prison system swallows their inmates, wether guilty or not. It is sink or swim, and in a matter of seconds, your fate can already be sealed. This is shown perfectly through the little youngster. Or of course trough Nasir himself, and how we see the transition of a innocent young man that enters that prison and is exposed to so many new and harsh realities of a world of it's own, where it is eat or be eaten. How little investigation is done, and how rare it is that it is done correctly. All that ...presented to a jury that doesn't even want to be there.

But also family life, and (Muslim)minority communities and their small world where everyone is trying to live the dream, but are barely scraping by, and the pressure it lays on its youngsters. The pressure they live in by being working class in a country with post 9-11 syndrome.

How beautiful one person can be and make a difference just by being humane. Oh how I love the character 'John Stone' ( John Turturro) in this series. A man plagued by eczema and allergies, a small time lawyer with a good heart. The person with the cat allergy , is the only one trying his best to save the cat. He goes back and forth, a beautiful metaphor of a rare man trying to do good in a world where doing so isn't rewarding. Turturro killed this role, as his does many. I won't ever forget 'John Stone'. In fact, I have many times smiled in watching him, and wishing to be his friend.

One night, so many repercussions. So many different humans. So much apathy, so much harshness, sometimes beauty displayed in humaneness.

There is much to see in this series, and to feel. Experience it for yourself. It is organic, sincere as any art should be. 'The Night Of' is in my favourites since 2016, and it shall stay there.

Getting On (2013–2015)

Authentic sincere absurd reality.

[10/10 · 24 May 2020]

Amazing show. Realistic and nothing is more absurd, romantic, hilarious, painful and beautiful than reality. We dont have to go to hyperreality where everything is fake and robotic and generic in such a way that it creeps me out.Thats the reason shows like 'modern family, 'greys anatomy', 'House' and the list goes on and on , have way too many seasons, and gems like these get cancelled way too quick, same happened with 'party down' for example or 'hello ladies' Great shows, and amazing shows that just cant make it past a one season or two.

This simple yet intricate show is for the ones that are able to be human and feel. The ones that have a humane level of sense of humour and aren't passive idiots that want to be entertained in the most lazy way...spoonfed.

I keep watching the cancelled gems over and over. And because they are gems.. you can do that.

Capone (2020)

Let's just put Tom Hardy in it..and all will be well.

[3/10 · 13 May 2020]

A lot of people love actors (in this case Tom Hardy) as if they cant do wrong, or as if they can't be miscast. In the case of Capone, the casting is horrible. It seems like nowadays you just put Tom Hardy in something and figure out that it will be good. That is not a good formula. They did the same with Depp etc etc. It is lazy Hollywood thinking. Tom hardy can be good and great, but he can also be wrong for certain movies. He is not perfect for every role, come on..stop the worshiping please.

I think they would have made a better choice using Stephen Graham or maybe Glenn Fleshler.

It is never good if you keep switiching your mind from the real character and the actor who is supposed to the character. In a good biopic it is aligned, or at least you won't have to travel far with your mind from the actor to the character.

The movie didn't draw me in. I couldnt finish it.

LA Originals (2020)

Too bad the makers of this documentary went for the celebrity angle

[3/10 · 28 April 2020]

First off, much props to Mr Cartoon and Estevan. But here im reviewing the documentary and not them. I feel it focussed way too much on celebs and their soundbites. It is supposed to impress people that are in the celeb worshiping culture. Im not. Im much more interested in authentic stories and real people. The part where they document non celebrities and people that live the LA street culture for real was a very small segment towards the end of the doc. Which was the greatest and most interesting part of the doc.

Too much of this documentary was celebrities saying how cool Cartoon's tats are and how cool Estevan's pictures are. Kind of a huge circle jerking type of ish that goes on a lot in generic documentaries. That's a shame, since there is so much potential with Cartoon and Estevan as a the centre of a documentary and with such a budget. It could have become epic, instead of generic.

Curb Your Enthusiasm: Elizabeth, Margaret and Larry (2020) Season 10, Episode 8

This episode and the whole season is kinda bland.

[2/10 · 9 March 2020]

Reading the reviews of this last season makes me think some people either aren't able to be real with themselves so they rather be in denial. That or they really don't have the capacity to differentiate what makes/made a great episode and what doesn't.

To even dare to claim the show is getting better is an insult to the show and to yourself.

This last season had some good bits, but overall it's stale and formulaic. Almost as if puppets are performing the same trick over and over. Larry is constantly doing the same thing, the other characters seems as if they are on Xanax all the time. Tired, generic botox filled faces and scarcely credible.

To love a show or a certain characteristic personality does not mean you have to lie about it... You can still love the show in its core and the previous seasons. Damn.. just ask yourself what would Larry David (or Leon) do? He would say this new season sucks, and the raving reviews are made by idiots.

Parasite (2019)

Will the real parasite please stand up?

[7/10 · 23 February 2020]

We see a family that gradually starts to feed off of a privileged family which is clear. But at the same time it showed us how it is actually the opposite, the privileged depending on the lower classes in a very disturbing way. The rich generic family needed a 'help' for almost everything in their life. For tutoring the kids(and much more than just tutoring academics), for making food, for supporting the mother who actually has no idea on how to live her life or form an opinion, for driving the father etc and even...for the dynamic between the husband and wife. It showed that most of their conversations were about the 'help'. This is in fact what most of the very privileged people do in society is depend a lot on the people doing work for them, and not see them as actual beings with their own families and lives. It is a form of usage that goes very far and the usage of the underprivileged in a very disproportioned power structure creates a co-dependant relationship. (E.g. The man adoring the master). And many times it costs a lot, for the underprivileged. The poor classes have no choice but to invest so much time in someone else's family, instead of in their own, because they need the salary. The upperclass knows this very well and abuses their power for this.

The dynamic of the 'poor' family in the movie was very enjoyable and pulled me in the movie. The story started out very interesting, but - to me - it fell flat towards the end. It could have been so much better , with a better storyline. Im not saying I want a happy ending and definitely am not a lover of clichés. I just wanted it to develop more. It feels that right in the middle of the development of the story it suddenly went flat. A nice movie, i don't care about awards (its all politics anyhow), a good one time watch, and maybe a rewatch to revisit the crazy antics in the beginning and middle of the movie. Favourite character : the poor dad.

Queen & Slim (2019)

A forgettable meal filled with potentially great separate ingredients.

[2/10 · 4 February 2020]

To me this movie felt forced. The dialogue in many parts felt so factitious that it was uneasy to witness. Sometimes someone makes a pie filled with delicious ingredients, yet they manage to make the outcome taste bland. That's because the end result is all in the mix. I feel Q&S tried to do what 'Moonlight' for example did perfectly. It tried to be romantic, scenic, dreamy, intimate and at the same tell a strong story. Yet it failed. I think it's the script that wasn't that good to begin with. And maybe more good ingredients fell on the floor between the flow from script to directing. This is definitely not a favourite. This is 17 million dollar wasted in my opinion. 17 million bucks for something forgettable is a damn shame.

The Master (2012)

Everybody is serving a master, some just don't know it.

[7/10 · 5 January 2020]

Incredible acting by Joaquin Phoenix. I was really in complete awe by his complete transformation, asking myself 'how does this guy do this?!'

Everybody is serving a master, some just don't know it. But everybody is serving somebody/something. In this movie Freddie Quell is a damaged wanderer that finds some kind of purpose, someone whom he wants to give his loyalty to in Lancaster Dodd(the Master). The movie shows how this happens and what it does to people.. but not in fragmented ways or in obvious ways. It's a movie where you just have to watch and see a piece of a certain reality, done in a very scenic way. Beautifully filmed. (This was written in 2016)

Portrait of Jason (1967)

Exploitation of Jason ; by Shirley Clarke

[2/10 · 5 January 2020]

Jason Holliday is a man that has his share of pain and has his own ways to cope with it all. He was interesting, but I kept feeling I was witnessing the exploitation of Jason by rich white upper class artsy woman Shirley Clarke. Shirley like many others, found a subject to exploit. So that she -without a story - could have a story. It did not feel ethical, it didnt feel good to watch it in this way. In these days and times, Jason could have done it himself, or maybe by someone in a sincere way. Exploitation like this is sadly still done to this day. Most don't seem to be able to see or feel it. Since most of the audiences of these kind of movies/documentaries are people from the same background as Shirley.

Drive (I) (2011)

Instead of a tribute to the Eastwood'esque movies, it felt almost like a parody.

[3/10 · 5 January 2020]

If you want to watch a better version of this modern throwback type of movie. Then go watch 'The Drop'.

Nobody in Drive was realistic. The story lacked too much to give any type of real connection to the characters. The woman was almost only crying the entire time, the kid was a kid, the driver was a clint eastwood type of cowboy and the bad guys seemed like a parody of bad guys (which may be on purpose but even then it failed).

The beginning is what made me give this 3 whole stars. The beginning had a very nice action sequence and an nice introduction to what sadly soon after comes to fall flat.

'The Drop' however does exactly the opposite with the same type of storyline. Introverted damaged good guy, saves damaged woman and fights the bad guys. But done the right way. With added originality to an old and much done story arc. Drive hasn't added anything, except for replacing horses with cars and modern visuals. But anyway.. the masses love names and hypes, and rarely have a sincere, thought out opinion.. So nothing new here.

Exit Through the Gift Shop (2010)

If Andy Warhol is an artist..

[8/10 · 15 December 2019]

This/these dude(s) trolled the hell out of hipsters and rich 'collectors' trying to stay hip. Hahaha hilarious. If Andy Warhol is an artist ..then 'Mr Brainwash' is too. Its a dope documentary in many ways.

Show Me a Hero (2015)

Like every piece of art that shows complexities and isn't being forced in trending...

[10/10 · 15 December 2019]

It will be left to a specific type of viewer to watch/give it a chance. This mini-series was a work of art. Portraying many facets of life, sociology and politics. And especially why a sincere person will likely lose in the race made for narcissists. There is no place in politics for a sincere being. Since a sincere being is able to truly feel , and a narcissist is only there for power. Ironically the masses always fall for the trap of the narcissist, due to their own insecurities. They have the sick need for someone who portrays (fake) security. They need to believe in it, even if it's a lie. The narcissist has no problem feeding them that lie. Also very interesting in this show is how it shows us the psychology behind buildings, neighbourhoods and how it has a lot of influence on behaviour! This was one of the best and a very painful mini series to watch. But pain is a part of life, and I applaud the makers for daring to portray that, since they also know most people do anything to avoid seeing and feeling that in tv shows/movies/art.

Watchmen: An Almost Religious Awe (2019) Season 1, Episode 7

The elephant in the room.

[9/10 · 3 December 2019]

'Is a metaphorical idiom in English for an important or enormous topic, problem, or risk that is obvious or that everyone knows about but no one mentions or wants to discuss because it makes at least some of them uncomfortable or is personally, socially, or politically embarrassing, controversial, inflammatory, or dangerous.'

This was a beautiful episode with some clever symbolism. Damon Lindelof to me is probably (one of) the best serious tv art writer of the last decade, with the phenomenal 'The Leftovers' and now with 'The Watchmen', using the same psychedelic road to reveal surreal but still deeply humane phenomena. That road btw is best to be enjoyed as the journey and not to stare blindly towards the end(ing).

An Evening with Beverly Luff Linn (2018)

Pleasurable.

[5/10 · 12 November 2019]

The cinematography of this was cool ; almost like some sort of mixture paste of Fargo and Napoleon Dynamite. I didn't like the story very much, and the grunting annoyed me a lot. But the overall atmosphere that creates this fictional 80's dimension with quirky characters was what made it likeable for me. Also want to mention that Jemaine Clement was the actor that stood out the most and was really hilarious and adorable.

Mrs. Fletcher (2019)

Better title would be : ' First World Problems'

[1/10 · 7 November 2019]

With a sub-line in italic saying ' if you can even call it problems'. It seems K.Hahn has become the poster child for these kind of shows. Or the other actress that look like her..or they all kinda look a like nowadays. The actor playing the 'freshman' son in this show looks like he could be the teacher of a high school. Dude looks so old, it almost look its a wink/reference to shows from the 80's. He has an extremely annoying face, also he really is an extremely bad actor. Another show made for single yoga moms in their 40s/50s with no taste nor intelligence I guess. Waste of time, waste of...well actually everything.