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Reviews
The Human Zoo: Science's Dirty Secret (2009)
Too tainted with bias to take seriously
I should have seen the bias in the "Human Zoo" and "Science" parts of the title. They weren't called "zoos" at all. They were freak shows and they had little to do with actual science.
Freak shows were indeed unethical. They were run by the likes of P.T. Barnum and other carnival proprietors. In the days prior to TV, these shows were the only way to bring oddities to the masses. They called it education but most agreed it was exploitation and such shows were banned.
This documentary attempts to bias the viewer with anti science rhetoric. Science does have some horrific stories, but this is not one of them.
Full Frontal with Samantha Bee (2016)
Finally, a funny woman in satirical news
Samantha Bee has been one of my favourite "correspondents" on the Daily Show and now she has her own satirical news program. I watched the first episode.
This election cycle is really a shyte-show of comedic opportunities and I've missed Jon Stewart's acerbic wit since he's been off the air. All of the spin-off shows featuring past Daily Show cast members are good, but this one in my opinion is the best. No tip-toeing around. She says what she thinks - out loud for huge belly laughs.
The most notable difference between Stewart and Sam Bee's Full Frontal is that there is no attempt to be serious, no interviews; just punchlines.
Man Seeking Woman (2015)
Smart Canadian Humour
Before I get into this review, I just want to say @masksbc that your comment about people over 40 "not getting" this humour is ageist. My husband and I are well past 40 and we love the show.
This series features the best talents from several generations of Canadian comedy. It's wonderful to see SCTV's Robin Duke and Kids In The Hall's Mark McKinney in a series together. Man Seeking Woman is certainly not for everyone's taste but if you were a fan of SCTV, Kids In The Hall and some of Lorne Michaels weirder productions, you'll "get" this.
Filmed in Toronto, Man Seeking Woman is surreal, odd, silly, figurative and at times delightfully bizarre but it retains a coherent plot of a young man (Baruchel) who breaks up with his girlfriend and has trouble navigating the world as a single guy. The "Dram" episode had me laughing so hard. Without giving anything away, Robin Duke plays the best TV mom I've ever seen.
Fat Head (2009)
Was this paid for by the fast food industry?
Have you ever had a conversation with the type of person who refuses to stray from a rigid belief? Tom Naughton's film "Fat Head" felt like that to me. About 1/3rd of the way into this movie, I had to wonder if the film was paid for by the fast food lobby. The writer/director/star Tom Naughton is billed as a comedian yet there was no laughs here. Frankly, it felt like a one-side argument designed to further confuse frustrated dieters and to push a weak agenda. The dripping sarcasm, straw man arguments and non-stop condescending tone quickly made me want to turn off my TV, but I continued to watch just to see if it would get better. It didn't.
There are so many problems with this film and Tom Naughton's arguments that it could not fit in a review. But, I'll go through a few of the most irritating points.
NOBODY'S FORCING YOU TO EAT FAST FOOD: The first issue for me was the claim at the very beginning of this film that the fast food industry does not force anyone to eat their food. They may not hold you down and force feed you McD's, but what they have done in past decades is to crowd out mom & pop restaurants with a combination of aggressive marketing, cheap deals, factory food practices; all designed to push out local competitors. Another fast food chain technique is to locate themselves in areas which have no other options. (i.e. airports, highways, cafeterias, food courts) 25 years ago, a trip across Ontario meant reasonably healthy meals (if one desired) at truck stops. Today you cannot find anything but fast food places. It's a problem if you travel as part of your living which I did for many years. Trying to stay healthy on McD's, Wendy's and Subway is a real problem. You may not get fat if you count your calories, but you will feel horrible if this is all that you can get.
STRAW MAN ARGUMENTS: This movie spent far too much time trying to discredit Super Size Me instead of addressing the issues which led to the making of that film. I have seen Super Size Me, but I'm really not interested in defending Spurlock's movie. The core point is still that the fast food industry has worked tirelessly to market food which calorie for calorie does not contain enough nutrition, and at worst can cause obesity in individuals who find the low cost and lack of affordable options irresistible.
MARKETING TO KIDS: Naughton complains that McD's playland is unfairly criticized. They provide air conditioned / heated playgrounds in some communities that have not been provided by several levels of government. He does not touch on the other incentives that fast food chains use to lure children through their doors. In some countries, marketing to kids is illegal - and for good reason. Children are not good decision makers. Naughton turns the camera on a small child in the playland area who isn't interested in eating as if to say "see, these kids are only interested in playing, not eating" but neglects to mention just how awful this fatty, starchy, salty garbage food is for growing bodies. He also rails against organizations which have targeted McD's and other fast food chains to get them to make nutritional information more accessible as if such initiatives are nanny state nonsense. He forgets to mention that McD's has changed to include a few healthier choices as a result of these initiatives. Nobody is saying never eat at McDonald's, they have always been warning people that the claims of it being healthy for kids (yes, they used to say such things) is patently false. Instead of discussing initiatives that have resulted in better information for consumers, he attacks the consumer groups as vegetarian organizations intent on spoiling all our fun.
If you go back to Morgan Spurlock's original premise, it was that the portions are intentionally priced to make gluttony affordable. And the more you eat of that type of food, the more you crave it which is in line with McD's business model. Super Size Me did not intend (IMHO) to show that moderate eating would lead to weight gain. The goal was to show that McD's and other fast food chains have a vested interest in getting you to eat their food, despite the negative nutritional effects, as often and as much as we can.
POSITIVE CHANGES AFTER SUPER SIZE ME: There was an immediate shift for the better after Super Size me came out. McD's began to offer a variety of salads, apple slices, juice or milk instead of high fructose syrup sodas. Nutritional info became easier to get. McD's even began a campaign to show how their food is made. It's not all pretty but at least we know now.
Activists have also exposed factory farming, the mistreatment of animals destined for McD's, the sludge they use in McNuggets and other odd practices which were once a trade secret hidden from customers. For the life of me I cannot understand why anyone would take issue with asking any organization to show us how our food is made, and what's in it. It should be our right. These are positive changes but I believe we can do better without ruining the burger experience for those who want it.
Let's face it - shining a light on the inadequacies of these organizations and shaming them into doing better isn't bad. It's beneficial to all of us.
I give Fat Head 1 star for being nothing more than corporate propaganda and misinformation. If you want to shed a few pounds, you should avoid this film and fast food in general if not for the calories and fat, but for the simple fact that it lacks good nutrition.
Gravity (2013)
I Can't Stop Thinking About It!
I went to see this movie last night at our local theatre and it was my first 3D experience.
I don't usually like sci-fi or space films. They are generally bleak and difficult to follow. This one was simple to follow. A team of 3 astronauts are doing rather mundane tasks when they are told by mission control that some space junk is speeding in their direction. The lead character played by Sandra Bullock is not well, and appears depressed but she is getting her job done when the news of space shrapnel arrives. George Clooney is a seasoned astronaut who admires the majesty of space but treats it like it's another day at the office. His calm is vital for diffusing the life threatening events. I don't want to write any more about the plot than that as it would spoil it for those who haven't seen it yet.
Bullock's character Ryan Stone is a woman who has all but given up on life. She doesn't see the beauty of her surroundings and isn't sure she even cares if she lives or dies. She will have to make that decision multiple times throughout this film.
This movie must be seen in a theatre. I cannot imagine that it would have the same impact at home on a small screen. The sound is outstanding. There are moments of complete silence - like one would experience in the vacuum of space. The visuals of earth in the distance are so realistic you might believe the movie was actually shot on location. This is as close as most of us will ever get to space travel but instead of being fun - it's terrifying! I would agree wholeheartedly with Ryan Stone when she says "I hate space!" See this movie.
Don't go to the theatre expecting Gravity to contain a lot of plot or dialogue. Suspend any disbelief about technicalities. Just enjoy it for the audio and visual masterpiece that this film undoubtedly is.