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Reviews
Cinderella (2021)
This movie may not be for you, but I LOVED it!
Ok, right off the bat. This movie is NOT for you if A) you have problems with a Black, gay, fabulous godmother, B) you feel like diversity has been forced on you, or C) if you've ever used the word "woke" in a derogatory way. In fact, this movie talks directly to you. Here the king speaks for white men.
King: "You're making me wildly uncomfortable."
Queen: "You think you're the only person who feels stress? God! Try being your WIFE!"
His response? "You're being unreasonable now."
So, yeah. This movie is not for you and you'll just get your feelings hurt, so stop giving it a ONE!
The movie's theme is "I Choose Me!" and that's exactly what the movie does. It doesn't care what you think. Hate it? Go away! Love it? Then come along for the ride, 'cuz it's gonna be what it's gonna be!
This movie owes more than a little to Mamma Mia! (it even has Pierce Brosnan), with some Knight's Tale and just a touch of Disney Princesses thrown in. Yes, you should be able to guess the ending right after you meet Princess Qwen, but you won't care! (Mamma Mia! Was way better, but aimed at an older audience.)
Things I liked:
-Dresses. All the costumes were perfect.
-The music. I thought it got better as the movie went on, but maybe I just got more into it. (Note: Brosnan joined Mamma Mia! Just to act with Meryl Streep. He asked, "Who is singing for me?" They said, "You are!" His response? "If they're dumb enough to ask me to sing, I'm dumb enough to do it!" He's not a great singer, but he is better than this. The character was supposed to be bad, so take it easy on him.)
-It was diverse. (Don't come crying to me that an imaginary kingdom has brown, gay, or trans people in it. The monarchy is still white, anyway.)
-Characters were not who they appear to be. You get glimpses behind the cardboard cutouts of who these people really are, and it makes it much more enjoyable. Yes, some changes were a little rushed, but they packed a lot into this movie.
-It was FUNNY! It was self-aware but not too far. Really, it was ridiculous, but it was a musical and I thought it worked. Again, the movie leaned into it and went for it. Remember, it doesn't care what you think!
-Nandi Bushnell playing drums.
-A woman writer/director. I saw 5 minutes of Mamma Mia! And said, "Oh, a woman directed this!" (C'mon. Sophie wears a one-piece. It's obvious!) Here the dialogue (like what I've already quoted) shows a female perspective. And it works!
In short, a kids' movie that adults will enjoy.
Raised by Wolves (2020)
Not a story, just a bunch of stuff happening.
I thought it was the story of atheists starting a new world without religion. Nope...
Then I thought it was a story about atheists and religious starting a new world together. Nope...
Then I thought it was about "the prophesied one"... (actually thought this 4 times and was wrong for each character).
Then I thought it was about androids...
This is not a story. A story has a setting, problem, and result (or at least a cliffhanger). For instance, I went to the mailbox (setting), and I found my mailbox had been broken into (problem). Now you want to know the result. Did I ever get my mail? Did I have to cancel credit cards? Did I call the police? You want to know what happened. What was the result?
This "story" is more like I went to the mailbox, then I saw a dog run by so I followed him. I couldn't catch him, but I did go to the store to buy milk. I forgot my money, so I headed home. While I was doing that, my neighbor mowed his lawn. On my way I saw a friend....
As Steve Martin once said, "Here's an idea. When you tell a story, have a point! It makes it so much more interesting for the listener!"
Acting is good, sets are good, special effects are ok, but there's no story, just a bunch of stuff happening. I finished season one hoping for something. I was actually hoping it was only 6 or 8 episodes long. I am not watching season two. Baseball has more drama than this did.
Special Bulletin (1983)
I believed it...
I remember watching this, on a broadcast where they didn't have a disclaimer on the screen every minute. I was working on something else at the same time and turned on the tv. I came in right in the middle and thought, "I knew it had to happen eventually. Terrorists have a nuclear weapon in the United States." Then when it went off, I was in total shock! Of course, there were disclaimers during commercial breaks, but when they'd "break for a commercial" (and air a disclaimer) I would leave the room and when I returned, it was on again. Eventually, after the bomb went off, I stayed in the room and finally saw a disclaimer. Relief!
Yes, I was one of the people it fooled. When thinking about the broadcast of War of the Worlds and thinking I "would never be fooled like that", I can now understand how people could become hysterical. I haven't seen it since that day, but it was en experience at the time.
My Spy (2020)
Any movie with a wrestler and a cute kid, but better than most.
Cute movie. Batista is not as funny as he is in Guardians of the Galaxy. I think the material is there but maybe James Gunn knows how to get a better performance from him. However, if you like Batista, you should like this. Chloe Coleman totally holds her own with Batista, and is probably the better actor of the two.
Revere Rogers and Noah Dalton Danby should totally steal the show when they are on screen, but... don't. Again, not sure the director got all he could? I think the material may have been there. They couldn't pull it up to 11, but they are solid.
Kristen Schaal is funny, and actually has a character arc!
Oh, and the plot? Have you ever seen a movie where they cast a wrestler with a cute kid in a fish out of water comedy where he ends up dating the mom? The Rock, Hulk Hogan...? Then you've seen this. Vin Diesel in The Pacifier? Same movie. This is probably a better movie, but I could watch a duck bite Vin Diesel on the ear all day and still laugh every time...
Bottom line: Nobody was the weak link in the film. Could have been funnier but still pretty good. Watch it with your kids or a margarita, and you'll have a good time.
Law & Order: Special Victims Unit: True Believers (2011)
Happy ending?
Thanks to the quarantine, I am currently watching my way through 2 decades worth of episodes. This is the best one I have seen.
The episode is good overall. What got me excited was the last 3 minutes and 10 seconds. Andre Braugher nails it with his character all the way through, but is amazing at the end. The conversation between him and Marisa Hargitay was perfect. Perfectly written, perfectly acted. Should be required viewing for everyone as it brings up issues and perspectives with racial relations that are never seen by most people.