A good show gone bad. In the beginning, Cookie was the breakout and deservedly so, but now, in season 3 she is a cartoon. Empire has forgotten the Cardinal Rule of nighttime soaps. That is you have to have at least one character that is good and likable. That never wavers from that good. Here, almost every character is completely deplorable. Too many guest stars mugging for the camera. And all the children of privilege, getting much more than they deserve, and not equal in the talent department. It also past time to turn off that auto-tune machine. It is obvious that Hakeem does not possess the talent of the character and the excessive use of auto-tune in his performances is like painting everyone bright luminous yellow. Jamal is talented, but his distinctive voice and style makes everything sound repetitive and is approaching tiresome. We saw the rise of this Empire, I guess we now get to see the fall.
Reviews
6 Reviews
Fil for Simpletons
4 December 2016
Warning: Spoilers
This film maker is so condescending throughout this film, it is obvious that he sees the target viewers as too stupid to understand the simplest of concepts. This film was not made to invoke discussion and debate among intelligent people, but to pander and condescend to simpletons who find Saturday morning cartoons hard to follow. There is no logic to the narrative, just a Republican setting out to blame everything bad on the Democratic Party. A premise that only a complete idiot would think plausible since both Parties have been in power throughout history. The childish reenactments throughout this film are laughable and moronic. Made all the more funny as the film maker refers to himself as a "scholar" throughout. I particularly liked the segment where the viewer is supposed to believe that the film maker's sentencing for violation of election laws was unduly harsh because the Obama Administration was using it to get even for a documentary (that no one I know has either seen or heard of) that he directed against Obama in 2012. The prison scenes that follow were hysterically campy and truly pathetic. I doubt Obama has even given this hack a second thought. But, like all egos of this magnitude, I am sure he thinks that his 2012 documentary plagues Obama's thoughts and that he can think of nothing else but to get this guy back. Sounds kinda like a certain president-elect. I picture the script as written in crayon. Plus, there is very little about Hillary Clinton in this film to warrant her name in the title (just more pathetic pandering by the film maker). On the plus side, this busy scholar and documentarian won't have to waste any of his precious time preparing an acceptance speech for the Academy Awards.
Younger
(2015–2021)
Already Getting Old
16 April 2015
Warning: Spoilers
I've always thought that a show about washed-up, useless, outdated, tired, worthless, unappealing, out-of-touch, unattractive, invisible, over-the-hill, moronic women over thirty would be hysterical. Especially when they try to regain some sense of self-worth by pretending to be 26, instead of demonstrating competence, confidence and intelligence. I can hardly contain myself. After all, who wants some old hag working for them. And, twenty-somethings already know everything, so what's to gain by hanging out with, or god forbid, respecting anyone over 30. But, if they are stupid enough to think the much older looking Sutton Foster is 26, then maybe they aren't as smart as they think they are. And bully for her for wanting an inked-up, pierced loser over an age-appropriate man for a sex partner, because why shouldn't she perpetuate the very thing that she and her also over 40 best friend are complaining about. My stomach hurts from laughing so hard. The real comedy would be if anyone over 26 was responsible for getting this garbage on the air, because according to them, they are decades past relevant.
The Best Man Holiday
(2013)
Another Movie About Horrible People
12 April 2015
Warning: Spoilers
I sure hope that all you guys giving this movie high ratings don't have friends like the characters depicted in this movie or think that this is normal friendship. The characters in this movie are loud, selfish, self-centered, narcissistic, brash, conniving, immoral, inappropriate around children, childish, unintelligent, underhanded, and bullish. And that just describes the first ten minutes. It is difficult to watch a drama where no one is appealing or likable. There is no one to root for in his movie. Is it bad if you just want the house they are all staying in to burn to the ground while they are all sleeping? Although you could show it to your children so they can see first hand how ugly all this behavior will make you look as an adult. Beautiful house, beautiful actors, and beautiful clothes cannot hide the ugliness pervasive in this movie.
Meet the Mormons
(2014)
Misguided Attempt at Inspirational
9 April 2015
Warning: Spoilers
Like every religion that would attempt to make a documentary film such as this (although I doubt many have the funds available to produce a film like this) they fill the screen with inspirational story after inspirational story. Watching a documentary with such a one-sided approach is not only eye-rollingly cheesy and insulting, but is probably only attended by few other than members of their church (and I see they showed up to provide reviews (hint: check out the meta score to factor out the Mormon influence on IMDBs ratings)). What's insulting is their claim to all that is good and charitable. But, who expects a fair and balanced view of anything that was completely produced and controlled by that entity. As a matter of fact, this movie is exactly what is expected. Very obvious to anyone not a member. The one indication that they were attempting to trick the watcher into believing they wee presenting a fair view of their church was spending the first 5 minutes demonstrating how ignorant non-Mormon Americans are about their church. Of course this segment is filled with the most ridiculous responses to their questions. I would bet that non-Mormons are no more ignorant of the Mormon church than Mormons are of other religions (not covered at all in the film). This movie is as informative as a Walmart commercial is about Walmart (For all you appearing in he first 5 minutes: not very).
La Bare
(2014)
La Bore
7 April 2015
Warning: Spoilers
The most fascinating thing about this movie is not that the night club and nude male dancers create a fantasy for their clients, but that all people involved on-screen in the making of this documentary have a completely misguided idea (or fantasy) in their minds of what is really going on here. Do these people glamorize what they do because otherwise they would just be a lot of immoral perverts? It is apparent they believe their fantasy is the actual reality. For instance, and I found this to be the most comical part of the movie, one stripper states that their customer base is mostly hardworking business women who are "tough" and need to unwind. Unfortunately for him, every women shown at the club and interviewed as part of the documentary is, at best, white trailer trash. Maybe the important take away from this movie is: No matter what you do, or how awful or degrading or demeaning it is, you can convince yourself that it is important and honorable, and therefore, alright. Does anyone really think that this strip club is the reason so many of these women are able to cope with their life? Seems like most of them are already drinking excessively to overcome that burden.
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