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Reviews
The Many Saints of Newark (2021)
What happened here
What the hell was this?
First of all, the whole Harold plotline was totally pointless, and had nothing to do with the "making of Tony Soprano."
In the TV series, Christopher mentions that Dickie is "nothing more than a junkie". Where was all of that in this movie? He barely touched drugs except getting them for Olivia.
Plus, this seemed to be about everyone else BUT Tony. I have no further insight into the iconic and brilliant character of Tony Soprano from the tv series. The writing made him seem like a putzy, confused kid. One minute, he's stealing, and the next, he's saying he doesn't want to do mafia stuff with no plausible reason for the change in character motivation.
I also loved to hate Olivia Soprano in the show. Vera Farmiga is a 5 star actress, but even she couldn't save the poor writing for this character. Plus, there was hardly any meaningful conflict between her and Tony bc it was WASTED on the Harold subplot!!!
Real bummer, because I would have loved to have seen an real artistic exploration of Dickie and Tony's dynamic, but this wasn't it.
Euphoria (2019)
A lesson in empathy
What a beautiful piece of art. First of all, it perfectly captured the teen angst that I felt back in the day. I was born in 1984, but I feel like part of my personality will always be that rebellious teenage girl who knows BS when she sees it. I'm proud of that, too. This show made me remember how being a teenager FELT, and it gave me a lot of empathy.
Personally, I also like how they featured the trans girl Jules. I've never seen a character like her, and it really opened my mind up. I don't consider myself transphobic, but I think seeing Jules' character helped me see trans people as more than what the media talks about, if that makes sense. There's so much sensationalism and fake controversy that it was a revelation to just see Jules as a teenage girl going through the same exact crap I went through as a teenage girl. Sometimes we just need art to help our hearts open a little bit, and Euphoria helped me in that way.
Monster (2022)
Truly masterful
This is so much more than a true crime series. As a writer, I was almost jealous at times of the choices the writers made. They artfully wove in themes of forgiveness, family, homophobia, racism, and the very nature of good and evil. Instead of focusing on how awful Jeffrey Dahmer was, and the tabloid bs that his actions entails, they chose to include genuine storylines about his victims, their families, and most of all-his neighbor Glenda. She was my favorite.
Through Glenda, we experience the sense of knowing something is wrong, but no one listening. After Dahmer is caught, we go through the journey of trauma and healing with her. What a wonderful choice!
We also see things though Jeffrey Dahmer's father's eyes. I think this is a particularly bold choice, because oftentimes, the relationship with killer's mothers are examined ad infinitum. For once, we see the anguish through the eyes of a father, and his attempts to reach his son throughout his life.
And then, of course, we see the victims and the families. The episode with Tony Hughes, the deaf man, deserves a dang Emmy. It was the best thing I've seen in a while.
And of course, Evan Peters as an actor was truly next level. I've seen dozens of Jeffrey Dahmer interviews, and Evan's first scene literally took my breath away. I couldn't believe how much he nailed the speech of Jeffrey Dahmer. It was exactly like how the real Dahmer talked!
There were times, especially in the early episodes, where I was literally nauseous. This series doesn't shy away from the crimes, but it doesn't glamorize them either, in my opinion. It gets into the tough questions of nature and nurture, and forgiveness. What a truly incredible piece of art. Bravo to everyone who worked on this.
Maid (2021)
Masterpiece
This was such a pleasure to discover. I've never seen my experience as a woman who was once broke and in an abusive relationship captured so beautifully. The subtleties, the daily struggles, all of it was pitch perfect.
Deviant Love (2019)
What not to do: a study
The problem with this movie is it doesn't have a well defined conflict. It changes directions, lacks realism, and introduces important things late.
This was a reasonable 1st draft. You just focus on getting the story down on paper, but I can't fathom how you wouldn't fix the glaring plot issues. It was a really cool idea for a movie, but the script needed more work.
Aftermath (2021)
Better than you think
I actually enjoyed this. It was coherent and kinda campy. The writing was a really strong second draft, but I still got scared. This writer is promising with dialogue. I liked the twist and didn't really figure out the logistics beforehand.
Civilisations (2018)
Life changing
I've never "gotten" art, but this series changed my life. I feel like I understand it now, and it's so beautiful. The series explains how humans have expressed themselves through art, across different cultures and times.
Thank you for the amazing work.
What Lies Below (2020)
I liked it
I watched this without reading reviews (I always enjoy horror movies more when I don't read reviews).
I totally liked it! I felt like the reactions and emotions were honest. At the core this is about a girl who is groomed for abuse by a stepfather.
I like that they made the stepdad hot instead of obviously creepy. It was a cool twist!
This is much better if you look at it from the POV of it just being about a girl who's creeped out by a handsome man and no one gets why.
The Handmaid's Tale (2017)
North Korea analog
I've read a few reviews about how this is timely because of what is happening in America. This is accurate, but it wasn't my first thought.
I'm a "student" of North Korea, in the sense that I'm a layperson who has become rather well read on the subject. If you want to understand how the average person in North Korea lives and feels, watch this show. The public executions, the heavily patrolled borders, the ritualized public and private behavior, the rigid hierarchy, and the utter lack of free speech come to mind. It's important to draw this type of analogy, because it's easy to look at this show and think of how utterly impossible it would be in modern times. 25 Million people in North Korea are dealing with this type of evil totalitarianism, and it is arguably worse than the Handmaid's Tale.
This is a dark show, with heavy emotional content. If you want something to escape and forget about your life, this probably isn't it. In the first episode, I felt things that hit me harder than I anticipated, and it didn't let up. I imagine that for most of my fellow women, this show will be difficult to watch at times.
Let's get to the review though: -The cinematography is beautiful. It manages a surreal, ghostly type of feel. It is very distinct, and the look of the show complements the story perfectly. -The writing is nothing short of perfect. In addition to the social issues this show addresses, the writers have a great deal of skill with the simple craft of writing. This is not true of the majority of shows. For example, "Dear White People" deals with issues of prejudice and oppression, but the writers haven't mastered the basics.
What does this mean in practice? The Handmaid's Tale featured a simple game of Scrabble between Offred/June and the Commander. Instead of being boring, I was literally on the edge of my seat, because the scene was fraught with tension, suspense, and mystery.
None of the characters are all bad. There are countless moments of compassion for Serena Joy, Offred/June's (arguably main) opponent. Even though I hate her for tormenting Offred/June, I understand her plight. She helped create a movement that ended up harming her, and she's terribly conflicted about that.
I'm surprised at how nuanced the Commander is, and I love what they do with his character. He's kind to Offred/June. He enjoys her company. Obviously, he's one of the chief antagonists of the show, because he is actively oppressing people.
But I think this is deeper than that. This show explores, quite effectively, the harmful impact that sexism has on women, and men too.
Even Aunt Lydia has moments of caring for some of the girls.
The point is, they could have created one dimensional villains and left it at that. Instead, they chose to humanize the villains, and the conflict is riveting.
Unbelievable (2019)
Feminist Porn
This is so satisfying to watch. It hits every note. I'm a major advocate for women who have been assaulted and man, this really nails it. I'm so thankful they delivered something this realistic. Just beautiful
Once Upon a Time in... Hollywood (2019)
This warmed my heart
I love Tarantino movies, but this review isn't so much about the movie as it is the story itself. I know quite a lot about the Charles Manson Family and the evil they wrought. I doubt the average viewer of this movie can appreciate what Tarantino did with this story if you don't know the ugliness of what happened.
Instead of giving credence to the horror, Tarantino re-wrote the end to punish the killers and spare Sharon Tate and her friends.
I keep thinking about how beautiful the Sharon Tate character was. This movie honored her life. She wasn't just Roman Polanski's "wife", it portrayed her kindness and her budding career. I loved the part where she watched herself in the movie theater!
In the heartbreaking saga of Manson, Sharon Tate has been an afterthought. Showing us the fullness of her life and completely omitting how she died is a beautiful and meaningful act of justice. It robs the killers of their infamy and restores a sense of dignity to her memory.
I've never really seen that done before, and I just want to hug Tarantino for ending it the way he did. The movie was pretty good-it was a little slow, but I enjoyed it. The meaning of it in the end was so important and beautiful though.
The Handmaid's Tale: Night (2019)
Masterful
This blew me away. I'm not a huge crier, but I got really emotional when Emily made it to Canada with June's baby. It was the moment when the officer asked her if she wanted asylum bc of fear of persecution.
As a fan of the show, I'm obviously connected to these beautiful characters and their suffering. It really hit home for me what it must be like for the immigrants who come to the USA, hoping for kindness.
There's so much cruelty in the show and our culture that seeing kindness on the show fulfilled a need I didn't know I had. I just felt so relieved that Emily and Nicole were safe.
Dark (2017)
It's excellent but lacks emotion
Beautiful show, extremely well done. Truly masterful. However, I think they didn't spend quite enough time making us feel strongly for the characters. I wanted to root harder for people but found myself a little distracted
Game of Thrones: The Bells (2019)
I feel betrayed
This show meant a lot to me, specifically Dany. Seeing a woman be powerful and be taken seriously was such a beautiful thing, especially on a show like this. She was so amazing and strong, and this isn't her true character.
The oldest trope in the world is that a woman is too emotional to be a leader. Congratulations, GOT, you guys wrote the most disappointing and cheapest arc that wasn't subversive AT ALL. Looks like Breaking Bad is still the masterpiece of TV.
Dany wasn't betrayed by anyone but the writers.
Game of Thrones: The Long Night (2019)
Thank you
Hey-this was a masterpiece. Thank you for putting everything you had into giving us an incredible experience. Just absolutely perfect.
True Detective: The Great War and Modern Memory (2019)
Fantastic
This season shows a ton of promise. I'm so excited!! This takes place in the Ozarks, and the aesthetics of the season is perfect. Im totally hooked on the mystery, and the revelations and twists are super unexpected. I really love the character of Hays, the badass tracker detective. He has a very cool but kind quality that I'm really connecting with. I sort of feel like this has a warmth to it that the other seasons might not have had, but I've enjoyed all the seasons. True Detective is one of my favorites and I can't wait for next weeks episode!! I can't wait to find out who the killer is
The Fourth Estate (2018)
More please!
I absolutely loved this. I've read the articles and seeing how they run down stories is fascinating. It shows how tough it is for them in this age when the press is under attack, and the decisions they have to make. I'd highly recommend it.
The Ritual (2017)
Underrated
I watched this with my boyfriend who is the KING of bashing subpar movies. I'm thrilled to say he enjoyed this!
I thought it had a wonderful message, to confront your fears. I was definitely scared throughout the movie. I appreciated that the plot didn't just fizzle out; they had an explanation for everything that had been happening
Flint Town (2018)
Eye opening
Wow, thank you for such a great documentary. I thought this would be all about the water crisis, but it follows the police department navigating a severe lack of resources combined with the intense political climate of activism and police brutality protests.
I feel like I understand the issues police face a lot more now. I really care about the people featured in this documentary, and I see that the issues are much more complicated than the media portrays them.
Mindhunter (2017)
Absolutely great
I did not expect to be blown away by this show. The closest comparison in terms of tone and content would probably be True Detective.
I read the book Mindhunter (by John Douglas) that this is based on. The writers are able to be faithful to the source material, but this is first and foremost great story telling.
The David Fincher touch is perfect. Any fans of his work will appreciate this show.
The Handmaid's Tale (2017)
North Korea analog
I've read a few reviews about how this is timely because of what is happening in America. This is accurate, but it wasn't my first thought.
I'm a "student" of North Korea, in the sense that I'm a layperson who has become rather well read on the subject. If you want to understand how the average person in North Korea lives and feels, watch this show. The public executions, the heavily patrolled borders, the ritualized public and private behavior, the rigid hierarchy, and the utter lack of free speech come to mind. It's important to draw this type of analogy, because it's easy to look at this show and think of how utterly impossible it would be in modern times. 25 Million people in North Korea are dealing with this type of evil totalitarianism, and it is arguably worse than the Handmaid's Tale.
This is a dark show, with heavy emotional content. If you want something to escape and forget about your life, this probably isn't it. In the first episode, I felt things that hit me harder than I anticipated, and it didn't let up. I imagine that for most of my fellow women, this show will be difficult to watch at times.
Let's get to the review though: -The cinematography is beautiful. It manages a surreal, ghostly type of feel. It is very distinct, and the look of the show complements the story perfectly. -The writing is nothing short of perfect. In addition to the social issues this show addresses, the writers have a great deal of skill with the simple craft of writing. This is not true of the majority of shows. For example, "Dear White People" deals with issues of prejudice and oppression, but the writers haven't mastered the basics.
What does this mean in practice? The Handmaid's Tale featured a simple game of Scrabble between Offred/June and the Commander. Instead of being boring, I was literally on the edge of my seat, because the scene was fraught with tension, suspense, and mystery.
None of the characters are all bad. There are countless moments of compassion for Serena Joy, Offred/June's (arguably main) opponent. Even though I hate her for tormenting Offred/June, I understand her plight. She helped create a movement that ended up harming her, and she's terribly conflicted about that.
I'm surprised at how nuanced the Commander is, and I love what they do with his character. He's kind to Offred/June. He enjoys her company. Obviously, he's one of the chief antagonists of the show, because he is actively oppressing people.
But I think this is deeper than that. This show explores, quite effectively, the harmful impact that sexism has on women, and men too.
Even Aunt Lydia has moments of caring for some of the girls.
The point is, they could have created one dimensional villains and left it at that. Instead, they chose to humanize the villains, and the conflict is riveting.
Dunkirk (2017)
Masterful but not a Masterpiece
I'm a huge Nolan fan. I've watched everything he's ever done multiple times. I've been looking forward to this movie so much, and I definitely enjoyed it.
The story itself is worthy of being explored in a film: 400,000 British soldiers are stranded at Dunkirk, repeatedly being hammered by the enemy. If I recall correctly, they didn't show any German soldiers or even say the word Germans or anything like that. Regardless, the antagonist's presence is still powerful and terrifying. We've all seen and heard enough about the evil Nazis at this point in our collective culture to understand the threat they pose.
I loved how there was basically no back story for any of the characters. The movie starts, and the threat is immediate. It grabbed me from the beginning.
I loved the way it was filmed. The expansive shots combined with claustrophobic spaces made for a totally unique war movie. In fact, I've never seen anything that gave me the feeling it did. I had a sense of the geography of everything.
That being said, this wasn't my favorite Nolan movie. I was tense at certain moments, but I wasn't on the edge of my seat, literally getting adrenaline rushes because I was so afraid someone was going to die. I wasn't as emotionally involved as I wanted to be.
I also had a lot of trouble understanding what people were saying. The effects and score were so loud I couldn't comprehend about 40% of what the characters were saying, especially Tom Hardy and the other pilots.
My boyfriend thought it was the greatest war movie he's ever seen. Personally, Saving Private Ryan and Apocalypse Now are still my favorites.
But, let's be real: I'd cut off limbs to be able to write something like Dunkirk. Nonetheless, the emotion and suspense just wasn't there for me.
Big Little Lies (2017)
This personally impacted me, and I thank you
Wow. Way to execute an original murder mystery! There is so much more than meets the eye with this mini series, and it impacted me personally.
Each actress brought so much to the table, but I will say that Nicole Kidman's character Celeste was the one that I personally was drawn to the most.
Kidman is in a toxic and abusive relationship with her husband Perry. Every time the show cut to their relationship, I was totally riveted.
For the first episode, you're sort of just like, yeah, we get it, they have a perfect looking relationship. They're both incredibly good looking and rich people who have sex all the time in this perfect city. They have perfect little twin boys.
Then, you find out what's happening behind closed doors: In the first episode, Perry, the husband, grabs Kidman's arm in a violent manner. I was so shocked I literally gasped and shouted something at the screen. It scared my dog, lol.
Their relationship feels so real though, because it's not just some stupid "cookie cutter" abusive relationship. They have passionate sex after he hurts her, and he seems like a wonderful father. He's not always mean, which makes it hard for her to be honest with herself about what's going on.
Having been in a similarly toxic relationship, this is very accurate. It's incredibly confusing and hard to recognize abuse, which is what Celeste went through. I really appreciate the care they put into the writing and portrayal of this particular story line, as I think it could be very helpful for people to see.
The rest of the story lines were incredibly well done too. Although the women gossip and plot and scheme to win over whatever opponent she personally is facing, that's not really what this is about, especially the ending.
Although you wouldn't personally do a great deal of things the characters do, especially if you're a rational human being, you can understand the women's plights to protect and care for their children and survive in this crazy social environment.
Even Madeline, Reese Witherspoon's character, was hilariously unhinged and competitive at times, but I could still sort of root for her. We all know women exactly like Madeline! The ending isn't about women hurting each though, and it was beautiful. I was so excited to find out who was killed and why! I couldn't wait! I honestly had no idea who it was going to be and why, and I honestly didn't see it coming.
For what it's worth, I left the toxic relationship I was in, and have been much happier with my stable and non violent boyfriend, so it's possible to find love after someone convinces you it's not possible.
King Arthur: Legend of the Sword (2017)
Way better than I thought
My mom picked this for Mother's Day. I saw it had 28% on Rotten Tomatoes but I figured I'd be a good daughter and not complain.
I was totally surprised in the best way. This was actually awesome! I loved that you could tell it was still a Guy Ritchie movie.
It's not perfect but it's totally worthwhile.
The Invitation (2015)
Gave me nightmares
I watched this last night, and I was totally impressed with it. Normally the cinematography drastically outpaces the story with these types of thrillers, but it wasn't at all the case here. The writing was outstanding-I loved how the host characters subtly ran over social boundaries, from the minute our hero walks into the house.
This movie actually affected me personally. As a teenager I was semi involved in a cult- they were trying to recruit me anyways. Fortunately I got out before anything happened, but there's definitely an eerie energy to cult types. It was shocking and unsettling to me how well these filmmakers nailed the creepiness and condescension of people like that, from the weird "talks" about being "distant" to showing their dinner guests a video of a woman dying before everyone even had dinner! And of course, there's the strange aggressive slutty girl who is always around groups like this. I loved that the hero Will was appropriately reacting to all of these inappropriate things.
The climax was amazing and had my heart rate jacked. I loved the life affirming things Will said in those moments though.
As I said, I watched this last night. I actually had a nightmare about being at this house. All morning I keep thinking about those terrifying red lamps all over the hills, and the sounds of violence. I'm not sure if it's bc I've had experience with cults, or if this would affect someone else in a similar way, but it creeped me out to the core. Thank you for such a vivid movie experience and reminding me to stick with stable friends.