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Jelly Roll: Save Me (2023)
A Heroic Rise From The Ashes Of Self-Destruction
Jelly Roll has been through the ringer and found his way out of that whitewash. For that alone he deserves credit. His desire to help others climb out of that same hole he was once in, speaks to his nature and is part of what makes the documentary powerful.
Yes, we create our own hells, and Jelly certainly doesn't hide from the fact he knows he created his. But the question is, do we have what it takes to rise up. I'm not sure (by his own admissions) if he is totally free of his demons, but he certainly has the tools and added opportunities success affords to get him all the way there, when or if that's needed.
He has my support as he finds his way, helping others as he goes. And thanks for songs like "Save Me" and "Kill A Man" ... rock on Jelly.
Imagine Me & You (2005)
Super Enjoyable Romantic Comedy
If you want to see a movie that is easy going and endearing, where no one is the bad guy and everyone deserves to live their best life, this is it.
All parts are brilliantly played, production is great and there is literally not a single thing to complain about. It's funny, it's cute, it's touching, it gets real, and it heals... it's all the things real life is.
If I had to come up with a criticism, it would only be that important scenes should never happen off camera, and while I liked the ending (and won't say anything that would be a spoiler) I'll just say that we missed an important scene there that should have been included.
Beacon 23 (2023)
Brilliance Mixed With A Hot Mess
Beacon 23 is frustrating because so much of the plot is a hot mess, but then there are these wonderful aspects too, and moments of brilliance.
Halan and Aster are the clear stars, but we are missing too much of one of them.
That aside, every time I wonder if I am going to just stop watching, they throw in some brilliant little thing that keeps me tuning back in, hoping the mess gets cleaned up and what's left behind is all the good stuff.
The writers were quoted in an article asking fans to 'hang on,' but they better get to it before it's canceled. We need more shows that take place in space so I am continuing to root for it (as I write this review the show is halfway through S2), but I am not convinced it will last unless they turn it around by this season's end, and I hope that's what happens.
Elena Undone (2010)
A Mixed Bag Saved By Necar & Traci
Mature love stories written for women are hard to find so this is a rare gem. Necar's natural beauty as Elena shines off the screen as she comes to question her life and her heart's true calling; and Traci as Peyton, superbly played her part as the gay woman trying to conservatively manage a friendship that has grown into way more.
The two women played off each other perfectly and their chemistry was palpable. I did find the 'record breaking kissing scene' that went on so long distracting for how long it went on, only learning afterward that the maker of the film wanted to break a record. But not complaining.
The major problem I had was the inclusion of the 'love guru' who is a friend of Elena's. To me, his inclusion reduced the power and legitimacy of the main story. I am guessing if he had been left out (and Elena had been given a 'normal' friend to take his place), the ratings would have been higher.
Other than that, it's a movie that highlights Necar and Traci's natural beauty and charms, and will most likely be appreciated by anyone looking for a mature love story between two women.
Below Her Mouth (2016)
Weaknesses & Strengths
If graphic sex offends, pass on this one. If stereotypes offend, might also want to pass on this one. But on the plus side, the acting is good and the story kept me interested from start to finish, never finding myself bored, which I can't say for many movies rated much higher. The characters of Dallas and Jasmine had actual chemistry, and both played their roles well. Production quality was also good.
Due to the stereotypes and simple plot I might give it a solid 6.4 but will round up to counter some of the 1-star reviews which imho are probably due more to emotional triggers than an actual rating of the movie.
The Winter King (2023)
For Lovers Of The Vikings Series, enter The Winter King
Written by the same author, The Winter King is a refreshing foray back into the Vikings-style genre -- this time in the 5th Century where we are introduced to the warrior Arthur, before he became King. The first episode sets up the main conflict and is immediately engaging in the same way the Viking series' were immediately engaging.
The production quality and acting is top notch and Vikings fans will instantly feel at home and on familiar (and well missed) ground. It's also filmed so that you can actually see what's going on in dark scenes without having to adjust your set.
I can't imagine why it's getting low ratings but it's not the show, it's the people rating it. Again, if you're a Vikings fan forget the haters and settle in with this one... you will be happy you did.
The Northman (2022)
As a fan of "Vikings" and "The Last Kingdom," The Northman was unwatchable
Having loved the Vikings TV series' mentioned above, I was really looking forward to a movie about the same time period, especially one with Nicole Kidman. Unfortunately I had to force myself to sit through the first 30 minutes, hoping it would get better. Then I gave up. The setup (I watched that much) was entirely lacking. Didn't care about the characters because the writing didn't give you a reason to, nor to care about the plot which was nearly entirely lacking.
Vikings and TLK are modern, fast-moving takes on the period, with immediate emotional connections forged with the characters who, despite being violent, were also fully fleshed out with vulnerabilities and positive qualities. You found yourself invested in them in the first few minutes, pulling for them. Their world FELT real.
The Northman felt like a dated reenactment, like a play almost. It reminded me of movies made in the 70s - big productions with lavish sets that lacked modern characterization and plot.
It might not be fair, but just like Star Wars and Star Trek set established canons for sci-fi movies to follow as a result of their success, Vikings and The Last Kingdom did the same for this genre. But The Northman was like a giant orchestra completely out of tune with what came before it, tone deaf, and flat. The characters not as 'real' - the plot taking a second seat to set design. Either the writers never saw the aforementioned series, or ignored them at their peril. I'm not saying Ragnar or Uhtred should have been present in The Northman - I was looking forward to being introduced to an entirely new set of Vikings - but with the success of those series they would have done well to model The Northman along the same lines. Instead, the execution sunk this Viking movie before it ever set sail.
Gentleman Jack (2019)
Fantastically fresh historical period drama with humor besides
I don't see how anyone but Surrane Jones could have played Anne Lister with such gusto and appeal. It even breaks through the odd hairstyle they make her wear. A masterpiece from the opening credits to the theme song they chose. Including the music they play whenever Anne strides off. The show is just plain fun to watch. I do have to watch it with subtitles to catch everything said, but absolutely love it. On rare occasions "Anne" will look at the camera as if to give a nod and wink to the viewers, something that's usually corny but is played to perfection here. Looking forward to many more seasons.
Moonfall (2022)
Entertaining With Great FX, Just Take Your Science Hat Off
Yes, the movie rips off other better movies in places, (particularly the opening scene), yes the subplots were superfluous, and the science of what would actually happen compared to the movie is a non-starter, but with the three main characters' casting and the top notch FX, it was an entertaining romp despite its faults. With only a little drag here and there when it shifted to the subplots, it kept my attention from beginning to end, thanks in no small part to John Bradley who is always delightful. I'd give it a 6.5 for entertainment value alone, but because the current imdb rating is unfairly low imo, I topped up to a 7.
The Many Saints of Newark (2021)
Sadly dissapointing - Not Enough Sopranos
Unfortunately while I wanted to love this movie, I found it never got on track and seemed to lumber alongside where it belonged. I was expecting it to focus on younger versions of the characters we came to know and love in the Sopranos. Instead, there was too little of that, and what was there of the characters was disjointed without any compelling main theme tying their scenes/stories together so that their appearances felt downright anecdotal.
Vera was great as Livia, and had more scenes than the rest of them (or made the most of the scenes she had), and the actor who played Sil had his walk and mannerisms down, but we barely heard from him.
In the series what made it so compelling (along with the storylines) was the characters were compelling. In this case, the script did not allow any to shine because they weren't given anything to work with.
I read that Chase was interested in exploring the racial tensions in Newark in the 60s. Maybe he should have made a separate movie about that, and dedicated The Many Saints of Newark to being a true sequel to The Sopranos. Not a hodgepodge that couldn't do the sequel justice.
Greenland (2020)
An Exceptional Disaster Movie
Suspense builds slowly at first, giving us a chance to get to know the characters. Great acting, engaging from the get go. Nice production values. When things start going haywire the tension just keeps building and never lets go, until the final scene. Very gripping and entertaining.
I usually don't like disaster movies as the 'hero' usually does over the top things to save everyone. This story was closer to what reality would be like (comparatively). There are no heroes - just a normal, every day family in extraordinary circumstances, trying to beat the clock in an effort to survive.
1917 (2019)
1917 aka The Walk About
As a movie portraying a small slice of WWI ... probably a 9
As a movie for entertainment ... for me, a 6. Why?
Because scene after scene was nothing but walking... walking for minutes on end through trenches ... walking for minutes on end through a field... walking up to a tree... walking walking walking but wait! A little running thrown in ...
Was the story compelling? Enough, yes. Was the acting good? Yes. Sets and production? All fine. But the overlong scenes of walking were SO long they took me out of the story. I felt like story time was being consumed unnecessarily.
At first (in the first long walking sequence) I kept thinking ok, it's gonna end now... then when it didn't... and didn't... and didn't... I thought ok, they want to make sure we get the experience of WWI and these soldiers in their trenches... how it was for them... but it went on for way too long in too many scenarios throughout the entire movie, not just in trenches, but everywhere they went. This movie would have been 45 minutes shorter with the walking cut down in each case to clearly make the point, while not making it overbearing.
I would not recommend this movie to anyone but a WWI enthusiast for that reason.
Once Upon a Time in... Hollywood (2019)
Fictionalizing History Plays On Fears, But Overlong At Times
I had no idea what the movie was about, going into it. If DiCaprio wasn't starring I might have turned it off in the first 5 minutes, but stuck with it and was glad I did, as the beginning is not representative of what follows.
For anyone who lived through the 60s in LA and was old enough to know what was going on, this film will strike nostalgic notes, including hearing the old KHJ radio ditty. Tarantino really reproduced the era in just about every way.
The film follows DiCaprio's character home - an actor with some success - winding up the Hollywood Hills, turning on to Cielo Drive. This was my first hint of where we were going, knowing the house Sharon Tate and Roman Polanski rented was on Cielo. And sure enough, DiCaprio turns in next door.
Soon we are treated to small, sporadic scenes of Tate and others in the months previous to the Manson murders, and Tarantino does something sweet in that we are able to follow Tate through an endearing afternoon - again fictionalized - but for those who only know her by her tragic death, it was an extremely powerful sequence in its joyful innocence.
As the story progresses we see small interactions between Brad Pitt (who plays DiCaprio's stunt double in the film) and Manson characters... and when Pitt offers a hitcher a ride home to Spahn Ranch, and decides to take a gander around to check on his old friend Charlie Spahn who owns the place, I found myself racking my brain trying to remember if a stunt man was part of history. Again the suspense was Hitchcockian in scenes like this, and Pitt was superb.
In this way Tarantino was able to play off people's fears - often brilliantly - while fictionalizing the past, changing history, especially in the movie's climax. Pitt and DiCaprio both gave stellar performances.
In true Tarantino fashion, however, the film was overlong and had whole sections that could have been cut entirely, making it drag at times, and for way too long.
That said, his films always have that element of brilliance and this one is no different, though I do have to wonder if the film's ratings were helped by a climax the world would have much preferred over history.
Goliath (2016)
Solid Show & Great Acting
Billy Bob is one of my favorite actors as he has a very natural, unassuming manner that works well for his character in Goliath. He plays a down-and-out lawyer who, in season 1, is an alcoholic who hangs out in Santa Monica, usually found at the bar next door to his budget (1960s) seaside hotel. As one might guess, a case comes along that ropes him in, and he manages to pull his life back together to see it through, though he's not a guy motivated by money or comforts. He is motivated when the little guy gets screwed over by the Goliath's of the world. Then he turns into David.
Street-wise and world-wise, but deceptively unassuming, he's a man constantly underestimated, which works to his advantage. Laid back while conversely obsessively focused, he doesn't let obstacles stop him but rather than bring a tank to crash through, he uses a slingshot to strike just the right point.
Each season brings a new case as the focal point, and new extended characters along with it. The acting is fantastic, there's humor, suspense, and nicely crafted drama. A very entertaining show that's at the top of my personal list.
El Camino: A Breaking Bad Movie (2019)
It's Not Breaking Bad, It's Breaking Up with Breaking Bad
Compared to Breaking Bad, a 2. On it's own, a 7. So hard to rate.
As a fan of Breaking Bad who has binged that series in total at least 10 times over the years, I was severely disappointed in the movie but that's because you can't have Breaking Bad without Walter White. He was the character who "broke bad" after all, the show's namesake, and Jesse, the mere (but perfect) foil and sidekick. Together, magic.
Removing Walter from the mix is like trying to make chocolate cake without chocolate... and still calling it chocolate cake Imho it was a mistake to call this "El Camino: A Breaking Bad Movie" - it should have been called, "El Camino: A Jesse Pinkman Movie." That would have set more accurate expectations as people would not have been expecting "Breaking Bad."
Because it wasn't just Walter missing. Breaking Bad had humor in nearly every scene, cleverly embedded by either something as simple as how ridiculous they looked in hazmat suits and gas masks, or Walter dealing with some screw-up of Jesse's, or family matters complicating things at just the wrong time. We could relate to the frustrations of the characters and that was funny to watch despite the heavy context. In El Camino there is no such humor. So the flavor of the show is completely unlike Breaking Bad, and anyone who hoped to recapture the feeling of BB will not find it in this movie.
This point was intensified because Jesse was severely traumatized by his ordeal, so he wasn't the same character (by necessity) as we had in BB. We don't laugh at his hair brained antics in the movie. Because that's not him anymore. So again... not the feeling or "hit" fans were expecting to get from "a Breaking Bad movie." And again why I think it was misnamed to its detriment.
Without Bryan Cranston (Walter White) there *is* no "Breaking Bad." There's only Jesse, half the magic, and not the strongest half. (Not referring to Aaron's acting but Walter White is the more compelling, intense character.) I do think "Jesse" could carry a series or subsequent movies, but let Jesse be his own spinoff of Pinkman movies or a series. Let "Breaking Bad" rest in peaceful perfection.
There is nothing like the duo that was Walter and Jesse, but no actor can create that alone. It ain't chocolate cake anymore. So call it what it is... and we will happily watch without comparing it to chocolate cake.
High Life (2018)
Sci-fi that never met gravity or space (VERY MINOR spoilers from first 15m of film)
In the first 3 minutes I knew this film was going to be bad. Like REALLY bad. First hint... "Monte" is in a space suit that looks like it's made of cardboard material, on his HANDS AND KNEES on the OUTSIDE of a craft, working on it with a wrench. The writers apparently did not know one FLOATS in space and cannot REST on hands and knees on the outside of a craft! He also moves as if on earth, rather than with the slow movements of someone in a weightless environment. I even wondered why he had on the suit since he was obviously not in space... then realized my god... we're supposed to think he is!
But it gets worse... he nimbly tightens a bolt by spinning it freely with his hand (that is, he gives it a fast whirl and it spins down on its own), which would also require gravity. But no, that's not all... he DROPS the wrench (yes, it DROPS from his hand to the craft, rather than floating off) then slides DOWN the craft's side and falls off. Yeah. Just like on earth. Because they didn't bother to make it look like he was in actual space!
But there's more... the backdrop of space behind him is, well... there's no space at all. That's right. Space minus space or stars. Or ANYTHING. It's not even "deep black" but "flat' black with no depth. You could tell he was simply in a dark room.Have they never heard of CGI??
And there's more. I trudged on a whole 15 or 16 minutes...
The inside of this 'craft' is complete with linoleum flooring and drop ceilings, walls and door jams. It looks like an old office building from the 50s, and that's probably what it was.
Then it got worse...
At a point he decides to toss some bodies out the door. Yes. It was a sliding door, not a hatch. And even though the "door" to 'space' was open, making the compartment he was in weightless, he was walking around in there with his space suit on (and no tether), and the bodies were sitting against the walls as heavy as if on earth, with him struggling to pick up each one and 'drop' it out the door "into space." And yes, each one DROPPED OUT THE DOOR just like on earth (you could just imagine them landing on a mattress a couple feet below). Instead of floating off... like they ALL should have been floating as soon as that door opened, and all he should have had to do was give them a slight nudge and they would have floated out. And again... NO STARS out that door. And no sense of depth.Like a moveable wall was a few feet away, painted black.
Did they never see "Gravity" ... or go to high school?
I had to turn it off at that point. I'm not a science snob but at least get the basics right. You can't call a movie sci-fi and COMPLETELY ignore the most basic principles of science! We can suspend disbelief that there are craft that can travel interstellar... we can't suspend disbelief about how gravity works, what space and weightlessness are like... or that there are STARS in space!.
If you want a good space movie go see Gravity again. Or Interstellar. Or anything but this ridiculous mess!
The Favourite (2018)
Animal Lovers, Skip This One
Pros: Acted well, good cinematography, focuses on a Queen most of us never knew much about, if anything
Cons: Animal lovers will find it horribly offensive and none of that needed to be included to make the point that these people were totally without empathy, cruel and egotistically selfish; predictable overall plot, may or may not follow actual history (from what I read the very premise of the Queen's personal life is debatable at best), and a downer in the extreme
I was looking forward to a Downton Abbey-type setting (if not flavor), with some real life history and intrigue. What I got were a bunch of depraved excuses for human beings and a movie that used lesbianism as titillation to draw in viewers. Which by the way, was also 'abused' like everything else in the movie.
In other words, if you feel like watching something that highlights the worst of the human condition, that will leave you feeling even worse about the human race than you already might in this particular time in our history with all that's going on in the world, then by all means, watch The Favourite. The title is ironic, not just in light of the plot, but in light of my feelings about this movie.
Bird Box (2018)
A bird in the box is worth two in the hand... or a good thriller for adults
Being a Sandra Bullock fan, I enjoyed this movie immensely but that's not say it didn't have its faults. Maybe the novel was filled out a bit more. But when a movie keeps you interested from start to finish, that's worth something.
The movie evolves around specific conditions the antagonist is creating, which acts as the plot device, but is never explained. Where did the antagonist come from? When will it leave? The movie is not a look at the longer-term answers to these questions. Though it does span 5 years, it focuses on one mother trying to survive under these threatening conditions with her two children, who she is trying to get to safety. That's it. It does not explore the villain. That seems to have frustrated some people who mistakenly think the movie is about the villain, instead of this one mother's personal journey and her character arc.
Her journey (without giving anything away) does have a beginning, middle and end, in that the question of "does she get her children to safety" is answered. That wasn't enough for some viewers and I get that, but that WAS the point of the movie and is the central question the plot was designed to answer. Not "who is the antagonist" ... in fact I don't remember a single character asking anything about the antagonist, ("where did it come from" or "what do you think it is") so that should have been a tip-off it would not be explored. And to be fair, that could be seen as one big hole as it's the first thing people would reasonably ask. Instead everyone was just focused on survival, but that worked for me.
The movie built great suspense, almost Hitchcockian, especially in certain scenes, and only lagged a bit in couple spots, but that changed quickly. It was also a bit long, but all those things are why I gave 8 stars vs 10.
Since the ending only answered the personal journey of the Mother and not the longer term questions, I can see how it disappointed some. But overall it was filmed well, acted well, kept my interest, and was a very different kind of movie.
If you're tired of car chases, shoot-em-ups and other overdone normal fare, you might just enjoy this mostly gripping movie.
Game of Thrones (2011)
Parts are brilliant, parts are stupid, acting is great
It's hard to rate this show because the parts that take place mainly in Kings Landing (along with the storyline involving Brienne of Tarth and Sir Jamie) are excellent, like a medieval soap opera. The photography and sets are incredible, casting is great, as the acting is top notch. Pacing does lag (A LOT) here and there, but overall it's forgivable.
But for those who are not fans of the zombie genre, that's where this show totally loses me. I couldn't believe they integrated such a stupid thing into an otherwise good show. I wish the 'threat from beyond the wall' would have been something less adolescent. I'm all for suspending disbelief and going supernatural, but zombies are not only dumb, they have been so overdone it's not even 'fresh.' Some thinking outside the box and originality would have been appreciated.
So for all parts that weren't zombie, I'd give it an 8-9, and for the zombie drivel, a 0. A waste of good characters and storyline, I found myself fast forwarding through all zombie scenes stopping only to hear dialog from main characters when I thought it might be relevant to other parts of the show.
I will watch the last season to see how it all plays out at King's Landing but it's not like "I can't wait" ... the only reason I will watch it is because the parts I *do* like are so good. Otherwise, I wouldn't bother. And imho Peter does steal the show and deserved every Emmy. But everyone is excellent... even those at The Wall whose storylines were relegated to the the stupid zombie stuff.
Breaking Bad (2008)
The Show That Spoils You For Every Other Show
Breaking Bad is perfect in every way, bar none. Casting, acting, writing, production, editing, score... I cannot point to one little thing and say "if only they'd done this is would have been perfect." It grabs you by every handle you have in the first few frames of episode one, and never lets go, even after the final frame of the finale. It sticks with you long after...
I have watched the entire series in order, at least 7 times. I have one complaint: nothing else comes close. And in that way, it spoiled me. The only show I daresay was as good, but way too short-lived, was Deadwood. But nothing took us on a non-stop wild ride like Breaking Bad, even without a horse.
Game Of Thrones? "Eh, it was pretty good, but no Breaking Bad."
And that says it all. If you haven't watched this show, start at the beginning and watch it in order. It's a manic high that you will never have again, much like that blue meth Walter White was so good at making. This show addicts you in every way, and it is one hard crash to come down off. Because once it's over, you know you will never get another hit like that.
Until you watch it again.
Mayans M.C. (2018)
Massive Disappointment
After Sons I was expecting another good show. Maybe not another Sons, but something I could get into. I couldn't have been more wrong.
The characters are not appealing, can't act (everyone just struts around like they're bad), and the storyline is not even about the MC but about factions fighting in Mexico: locals who are tired of the cartel, vs the cartel. The MC is actually a side-note, which probably explains why they don't hold or carry the show. Even when on screen. But that's just the beginning.
To make it "authentic" they lapse into Spanish with English subtitles in small font at the bottom of the screen, hard coded. At night I'm tired after looking at a computer all day for work, and the LAST thing I want to do is strain to read subtitles for a show that should be in English. Especially when the story does not warrant the effort.
I have DVR'd this series but have to FORCE myself to watch it when nothing else is on, and even then I keep asking myself why I'm bothering. The characters have not grown on me, the story hasn't grown on me, in fact it keeps getting worse. I'm giving up.
I hope when Mayans MC tanks they will seriously consider doing what they should have done to begin with... a prequel to Sons. Have it star Jax's father, John Teller, a young Gemma, a young Clay... and show us how it all started. You had a great thing, but went from gold to pesos.