therzog-553-799739 Reviews

Sibyl (2019)

an absolute delight

[9/10 · 7 December 2023]

This film kept me in its grip, and I enjoyed every twist and turn as the plotlines unfolded. The acting was superb and the main characters were complex, compelling and elusive.

I'm quite surprised to see such low ratings, but to each their own! To me, the film's seemingly disparate elements/themes (e.g. Trauma, depression, addiction, grief/loss, desire, deception, vanity, power, exploitation) came together to paint a beautifully absurd portrait of the human condition.

In particular, the film seems to emphasize the ways that we naively cling to earthly vices/pleasures and deceptive/delusional narratives in our fights against feelings of disillusionment, meaninglessness and hopelessness.

Dina Hashem: Dark Little Whispers (2023)

dark and light and a good time

[9/10 · 20 November 2023]

I chose to watch Dark Little Whispers only because I'm a bit lazy and this was the first title suggested to me on a streaming platform. I had never heard of Dina, but I'm glad I found this special because she's razor sharp!

Without spoiling anything, I will say that Dina's style seems to be a mix of confessional, social and political commentary, conventional joke telling and... absurdism? I don't know. Either way she draws some surprising and funny associations, and I think she reveals some truths about our shared human experiences -- across lines of culture, identity, ideology and place.

I thought this was cool and maybe you will too.

Bros (I) (2022)

unwatchable

[1/10 · 18 October 2023]

For context: I'm a gay man, and every now and then I enjoy a romcom. I figured that I might be the target demographic for this film. If I am a part of that target demographic, all I can say is holy sweet mother Mary and Joseph... No, no, no, no, no to this movie.

I tried to watch this a few months ago, and it is still on my mind. The characters were hollow and deeply unlikeable, and the plot and script were so incredibly dull.

It's rare for me to turn off a movie before the end, but at the 60 min mark I couldn't tolerate one more second of this nonsense.

Why? Why was this movie made? There must be more interesting queer stories to tell.

Let's do better. Please.

How to Become a Cult Leader (2023– )

frantic and superficial

[2/10 · 1 August 2023]

As a fan of cult documentaries, movies and podcasts (e.g. The Vow, Martha Marcy May Marlene), I was excited to dive into this series. To say that I was disappointed with HTBACL would be an understatement. I didn't make it past the first episode, in which viewers are bombarded with various examples of cult leader strategies in a sensationalistic and sarcastic tone. The tone is basically: look at all these silly and quirky cult leaders who manipulated and harmed their followerz, LMAO; and like OMG some peeplz died; isn't that, like, so crazy?

I appreciated the interviews of former cult followers describing their experiences and current perspectives, but we receive these interviews as brief clips in a piecemeal fashion that doesn't allow us meaningfully connect with them and their subjective experiences.

The pace of the first episode was intolerable for me, as were the narrative and editing choices. I understand that HTBACL's focus is on identifying and communicating the tactics used by cult leaders, but I would have appreciated a more slowed-down and focused approach. In one episode, you'll hear examples from 15+ cults, offered to you at a frantic pace alongside random video footage, photos, as well as illustrated reinactments. The result (in my opinion): a superficial, meandering, emotionally bereft docuseries from which I learned absolutely nothing of significance.

SisterS (2023– )

Full of heart

[8/10 · 18 May 2023]

A completely watchable character-driven dramedy. Sophie Thompson (Sheryl) is definitely the standout in this series; her comedic delivery/timing certainly worked for me. I don't usually laugh aloud while watching tv alone, but I did with this show!

A couple other reviews point to some shortcomings related to character development/unidimensionality and weak social commentary. I can understand the perspective that the show leans too heavily on familiar tropes/stereotypes and is blatantly feminist, but those issues didn't spoil the entire experience for me. Besides, based on my observations, the media landscape is still dominated by male perspectives (especially in the realm of comedy), so... perhaps I'm just happy to be experiencing a bit of a counter-balance? Also, I'm not convinced that this show aims to be that complex/deep/cerebral.

Despite its flaws, I found this show fresh, enjoyable, and full of heart!

The Bear (2022– )

cannot do it

[1/10 · 30 November 2022]

I echo the sentiments of other reviews that draw attention to the shallow one dimensional characters, dragging storyline, and constant hysterics.

Seeing all the hype/praise, I really tried to give this show a fair shot. After 3 episodes I did not care about any of the characters, and when the cousin shoots a gun in the air to quiet a rowdy line of customers... That was final straw for me. Isn't much of the praise for this show about its "realism"?!

In summary, this critically acclaimed series is the most boring thing I've seen in years. No shade to those who love it, but for me: NO THANK YOU.

Catfight (I) (2016)

Might be the worst movie I've ever seen

[1/10 · 22 August 2022]

Terrible script. Unbelievably dull characters. Zero laughs. Absolutely no redeeming qualities. Made it through an hour. Wishing for that hour back.

Cannot stop thinking about the baby shower scene with Alicia Silverstone: the most pathetic attempt at comedy. It's truly unbelievable to me that this movie was made.

BoysTown (2008– )

The worst/best

[5/10 · 15 July 2021]

Stiff acting. Cliche dialogue. One dimensional characters. I love it! Laugh out loud moments every episode.

Generation (2021)

Whoa. Let's all take a breath

[6/10 · 13 March 2021]

It's not the best show tv show out there but I certainly wouldn't say it's deserving of so many angry 1 star reviews. While I would agree with other reviewers' complaints about the lack of character depth/development, I don't find the characters completely unlikeable.

I've seen 3 episodes and so far it's been somewhat entertaining; not great but far more interesting than most of the dumpster fire tv shows these days *cough* Love Island *cough*. I would agree that the plot is pretty thin so far, and sure, it seems that the creators are perhaps trying a little too hard to be "edgy", but it has held my interest.

In summary, if you're looking for a relatively harmless mediocre teen drama, this show should do just fine.

Gay Chorus Deep South (2019)

Needed this film

[10/10 · 10 May 2020]

As someone who grew up gay in a religious family, I needed this film. It brought me so much healing and love. Highly recommended!