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20 Days in Mariupol (2023)
War Footage in an age of pervasive disinformation
I find it amusing how people can state, with a straight face, that Ukraine is responsible for this war on Ukrainian soil. Russia and Putin chose this war. Putin announced the war live and then rockets started firing at Ukrainian targets.
These same Russian sympathizers also say that Ukraine, a country run by a fairly elected relative to Holocaust victims, is in fact the nazi-state that is responsible. Yes, Ukraine is in fact the nazi-state and not Russia, a country run by a man who consistently states that Poland started WW2 and not Hitler, and invaded their sovereign neighbor for reasons of pure imperialism. Yes that was sarcasm... Yes, it is very difficult to discern truth nowadays. Yet, if you believe Russia's narrative of events and not these AP reporters, then you're an idiot.
Russia has been perfecting the art of propaganda for decades and now the internet has given them direct access to the world's populations. Putin is a fascist whose army is clearly perpetrating warcrimes in Ukraine like they have done in past conflicts. War crimes are par the course for Russia. Has Ukraine inflicted accidental friendly fire on civilians? Most likely. However, why would Ukraine deliberately fire on their own people if they are running out of ammo for all of their weapon systems? Ukraine killing Ukraine's own people does nothing to further the Ukrainian cause. Does it gather international sympathy? I suppose, but I imagine Ukraine would rather have no war. If Russia leaves they have no war. If Ukraine leaves they have no home.
It's so dumb that people seriously believe Russian talking points over AP journalists just trying to get the word out. Truth is at the center journalism. Do some lie? Yeah. That doesn't change the fact, that the large majority don't. All we saw in this documentary is the mass death of Ukrainians, Russian tanks, and the sound of Russian planes. If those were Ukrainian jets over head dropping the bombs on Ukraine, then the Ukrainians would have had air superiority; Mariupol fell to the Russians, so they clearly didn't have air superiority. And, if they did have air superiority, then why would they waste time dropping bombs on their own people when an invading army has the city surrounded? I suppose it was Ukraine wasting artillery rounds for some reason. Also dumb. Do people believe that Mariupol was being bombed by the barely visible Ukrainian military and not Russia? Russia objectively was invading and objectively had Mariupol surrounded.
Russia outlaws truth domestically, and then they manipulate it for the west on our social media and internet. The haze of disinformation becomes so thick it is often impossible to know who is saying what. This is what Russia wants. Yes, Russia isn't the only state actor responsible, but is a key player in the information wars against the west.
Take Shelter (2011)
It's Like a Gasoline Huff Ending of a Christopher Nolan Film
Seriously, what is that ending? I just watched it on HBO, so I'm not sure, which cut I watched. It ends with Shannon being crazy but not really! Because last second a storm gathers and everyone seems to see it this time. Cut to Shannon looking disapprovingly at his wife. Cut to black. Cut to country music straight out of South Park.
It feels like they're saying, "ha to all those people who sighed and said I guess I'll see how this plays out." It also makes me rate it higher on this one merit alone. They got me good. Beyond this, however, I feel it would have been best to have kept him crazy. The final sentiment the movie leaves me with is dumb troll. It seems that the rest of the reviews are meant to troll you into watching it too. Everything's on the troll.
Yellowjackets (2021)
100% Worth the Watch.
This is a great show. It's a far cry from much of the analytics based content we get from companies like Netflix. Hopefully, "Yellowjackets," can wrap up the main storylines in a way that is satisfactory and doesn't fall prey to "Dexter syndrome." By, "Dexter Syndrome," I mean the show is great until its conclusion.
"Yellowjackets" is a slow burn and is more subtle than shows like "Stranger Things" and "Harold and Kumar Go to White Castle" whose writers choose to slam plot points down your throat. Look at "Better Call Saul" if you want an example of things not really happening for the first couple of seasons but still being an amazing show start to finish.
The show might not be for you, but it's a shame to at least not give it a try. My expectations were very low, and it became one of my favorite shows of recent memory. It has some intelligent writing with time jumps that can be tough to do correctly but, in my mind, aren't excessively obtrusive. The show fluidly goes between two main timelines and several other ones to explain the story. Yes, we do immediately see them being all cannibal tribed out in the very first scene, which I can appreciate some criticism in regard to this issue since cannabalism doesn't happen at all in the first season. I, however, feel it is a good cliffhanger how they ended season one at the start of winter and with a main character dying from hypothermia. This cliffhanger sets up season two well, and enough happened in season one that I'm very happy with it. This cliffhanger gives us the descent into madness to look forward to in season two. Also, season two's premiere was great, so I'm looking forward to it.
Sit back and enjoy the ride. Writers don't always have to give you exactly what you want immediately, or at all, for a show to be good.
The Volcano: Rescue from Whakaari (2022)
My solution for reopening Island to visitors. Also, the tour company should be sued for pure negligence.
The victims are NOT to blame. The tour/boat company IS certainly at fault. Yes, maybe it would make sense for visitors to check how active the volcano is before going. But, the tourists likely thought, if there were tour boats going to volcano-island, then it would likely be safe. However, the tour company had no safety precautions besides the air filter masks. The company also had no sort of contingency plans for if an eruption happened. Therefore, the tour company is obviously at fault.
Lawsuits are sometimes important because they can hold certain parties liable. The reviews blaming the tourists are either trolls or the boat/tour operator running a smear campaign.
Now, on to my solution to allow visitors back to the island. First, they must improve their volcano danger rating system because the volcano warning system of 1, 2, & 3 is vague and unhelpful. There are many sophisticated ways to monitor activity levels that this community, at least shown within this documentary, didn't have or pursue. It might be too expensive depending on how active tourism for the island was. Second, the staff and all guests must carry fire shelters. Since this volcano only releases superheated gas and no lava, the environment seems perfectly suited for a fireshelter. They can withstand up to 2000 degrees fahrenheit for a short period of time (the perfect length for this eruption), and they are small and lightweight. Third, the visitors must sign waivers and be properly educated about the use of fire shelters (which is very easy to learn) and about risks and potential for eruption on the island. Lastly, there must be no minors/people under a certain age allowed. Age open for debate. My point: I'd be down to go to volcano island.
Indivisible: Healing Hate (2022)
False equivalence: riots against police killing Black Americans and radical terrorists trying to upend the foundation of American Democracy
The trolls here are obvious and disgusting. The trolls call back to the days of left wing protesters who protested, rightly so, against police killing Black Americans in highly concerning, tragic numbers. These trolls then compare it to these right wing protesters breaking in to the seat of American democracy to try and disrupt the legal changing of presidents. It isn't simply trespassing when you're trying to stop congress from doing one of the most important things in a free nation (besides probably voting itself): certification of the vote. One thing is clear: Donald Trump is the one who lit the fuse of rage that day. Democracy is the bedrock of the United States. Truth is the bedrock of journalism.
These trolls think they know what is right because they can somehow read between the lines of what Trump is saying. They can discern what their almighty son of God is saying. His tweets are apparently replete with meaning: all caps sentences reveal hidden meanings, numbers reveal plans, etc. I imagine these people are either Russian or pinning string to the wall connecting pictures of Democrat politicians.
The only truth that matters to the trolls is the one felt in their gut. Listening to the gut only goes so far. Listening to the experts got us to the moon. And, Journalists have revealed huge government scandals. The media has helped drain way more of the swamp than Trump has or intends to.
Also, a completely anonymous neckbeard going by QAnon holds a lot of sway too for his completely unsubstantiated claims of things that will happen, which ultimately come and go with nothing. But secret meanings and all that. I can't discern.
Lastly, Russia, Iran, China aren't just watching us destroy ourselves. They are spending money feeding all this disinformation to these trolls.
Stranger Things: Chapter Four: Dear Billy (2022)
Clunky exposition. Obvious payoff.
My main anoyance with, "Dear billy," is this: they use too much summary exposition. By summary exposition, I mean when the charcacter summarizes, their plan, or plot points, to another character in an effort to advance the narrative or explain what is happening to the audience. I would also like to say, however, this one wasn't even the first episode to use exposition in this obvious, mediocre way. Like for example in a previous episode, El and the doctor sitting in the Diner and the doctor explaining he had created a program to get back El's powers. In conclusion, most of these lines simply break the 4th wall by calling attention to how utterly awkward they're setup. Sometimes breaking the 4th wall can be purposeful.
These clunky, lingering lines of exposition presented in Stranger Things, however, are another example of breaking the 4th wall. This break is caused by something else entirely: mediocre writing used for the purpose of advancing the plot or holding the audience's hand.
Did we need the conversation between the Russian guard and pilot to explain what was going on? The pilot could have just as easily called to taunt the guard without the need for his Bond villain summary. Most everyone would have known what was going on.
This put along side the insane asylum patient telling his story of what happened made both of these speeches much more obvious. Real life isn't created through maximum exposition, and movies and shows should shy away from it instead of using it as a crutch.
This episode was also completely devoid of any tension in regard to Max. Are you really going to kill her? Stranger Things has a classic good guys vs bad guys storyline. In these stories, the protagonists rarely die. Yes, we see some changes in Max from last season's death of the mostly minor and mostly corrupt, Billy (corrupt characters are often the only ones in danger in these stories). Also, El has undergone significant change and deals with obvious trauma, and while the other characters share some of these same memories, they seem hollow. The trauma is more personal for El and Max, but that doesn't mean the other characters could brush it off so easily. The other characters are funny and entertaining to watch, but they have no real heart. I think this is more the writer's fault and potentially their direction more so than the actors.
Making a Murderer: Lack of Humility (2015)
Sent a simple boy away for life... ahhhh justice
Title says it all. What justice is there in a country that sends its citizens with such obviously lacking mental faculties to prison for life? What justice is there when we send people to prison for life when they committed the crime when they were only 16 years old? Morally unconscionable to try him as an adult. Morally unconscionable to send him to prison until he dies.
Now he, as someone suffering mental disabilities, is at even greater risk of being sexually assaulted in prison than the general prison population. Yes an eye for an eye, we are so blindly old testament in this country it makes me sick. Two words: jury nullification.
The man who likely did it went away. Although, I didn't really find the prosecutor proved Avery's guilt beyond a reasonable doubt. But it was 2005, the thought of such gross police and prosecutorial misconduct was hard to believe. Now I believe, we as a country have grown up. 2005 was still right in the middle of the tough on crime era (we still are), can we really blame the jury? Yes, we can. How could you have ever thought (and especially as an adult) that trying and convicting mentally incompetent teens as adults is okay?
Intelligence (2020)
So, so, so profoundly bad. So bad I used "so" 3 times to describe it (plus that 4th one)
I'm writing this review because I saw the trailer of this and it was so profoundly bad it negatively impacted the viewing experience of the show I was currently watching, Archer. I now realize, after reading they are nsa agents (not simply degenerates flailing their arms around, screaming), they were simply pandering to the audience of another comedy spy show. The two shows, however, seem miles apart in levels of "intelligence," and ha ha funny joke for your title which truly shows the classic joke of the oxymoron. Perhaps this show is not this terrible, perhaps the person making the trailer had just been laid off and weas getting back at the studio by incorporating only the worst jokes. Then the executives thought "oh well who is going to watch it anyway, approve."
Good job living in mediocrity David Schwimmer after your success. He's rich who can blame him? Now he'll just be forgotten in about 70 years when everyone who watched Friends has died. So in reality I'll be as remembered as David Schimmer's profoundly unfunny self. Unless he looks in the mirror once this show is likely canceled and asks himself "what am I doing with my life?"
Well, who am I kidding? Two Broke Girls was on the air for multiple seasons, this show should be fine for a while. And David Schwimmer will laugh all the way to the bank. Nothing likely the classic Hollywood happy ending, am I right?
One more thing, I'm not some guy just trying to knock Hollywood down. Some truly beautiful things get put out in American cinema. This, however, is not one. Some people in Hollywood deserve their money by creating such culturally important works. This, however, is not one that deserves any amount of money anywhere in anyone's pockets.
I'll Be Gone in the Dark (2020)
Better than most true crime shows
I'll preface by saying I feel that the advertising campaign did a disservice to the show. All I knew about it was that it was about the Golden state killer and I quickly realized it was just as much about Patton Oswalt's wife, Michelle McNamara, as it was the Golden State Killer. It took some adjusting and eventually I grew to appreciate it even more than a normal true crime show.
True crime shows are a dime a dozen, but this feels original and much more important than a typical true crime. It isn't simply a true crime show, it's about one woman's journey to catch the killer while writing her book. These types of shows, books, movies etc cetera, often times almost seem to glorify these cold blooded killers. They often times talk only about the killer and leave the victims to the margins. I feel this show holds a spotlight up to the importance of the victims' stories like most other works of fiction/non-fiction do not. It doesn't take advantage of the victims, it simply tells their story; it tells a tragic story of lost innocence and lost lives. It is coming to the final episode next week, and it has left the Golden State Killer to the margins, which is a big left turn from most true crime.
Ultimately I feel this show responsibly and compassionately tells an important story not of the horrific acts of one evil man, but of the innocent lives changed forever because of his selfish acts. This show is important because victims, not the criminals, are what people should be concerned about.
Uncut Gems (2019)
The Best of All Possible Worlds?
So to preface, I stopped watching about an hour into the film. I realized living through this much stress is not worth seeing a payoff I am indifferent about.
My question, why would the crew of this film get together and think this is a good idea? They just add stress after stress which is altogether not adding to any real story? This brings me to my next point, why would they make this movie's story simply about stressing its audience? I stopped watching after the magnetic door wasn't working and the spilling of the smoothie. I realized I'm not a big enough fan of Sandler to warrant this increase in blood pressure.
I understand the filmmakers were going for this stress, but why, why? Why make a film that is just as stressful (or more) as real life and just make you get so mad at the characters? I understand progress in cinema, niche markets which need to be filled, etc cetera. This niche, however, feels like it shouldn't be filled in any possible universe.
We are not living in the best of all possible worlds, and this movie is definitive proof of this. Three stars because they appeared to meet their goal for making this film, stress. So so bad.
Hannibal (2013)
A descent into Madness
Hannibal portrays Will's descent into madness/insanity very well. Often times I find dream sequences to be cliche tropes that are rarely done well. Because of this I generally prefer them to be absent from cinema because movies/shows seem to have such a difficult time using these dream sequences to their greatest advantage (simply a personal preference, which I'm sure plenty of people disagree with). This show's dream sequences, however, are fundamental, and add to the increasing sense of Will's loss of sanity, and normalcy. The surrealist imagery constantly has me questioning the nature of its reality, am I watching something happening during a dream or not?
They cast Hannibal, and the supporting actors around him very well. The cinematography is great. The entire vibe of the show works well to portray a synergistic look into the mind of Hannibal and the other characters.
Overall I have binged it, but I will say this, it is a difficult show to binge. Being constantly submerged into this vat of insanity is honestly difficult to do. It is perhaps the first show I've had to momentarily step away from, not because I'm bored, but because of how truly unnerving it is. It is perhaps one of the most unsettling, unnerving shows I've seen.
Chernobyl (2019)
Perhaps the best show ever made
I don't have anything else to say aside from this is possibly the best show ever. Everything about it is spectacular. The tension is great, the acting superb, the dialogue perfect. It should have won every award there is. It should have been THE show of award season. The fact that it didn't is testament that Hollywood awards should be taken with a grain of salt. This is a real life horror show. Better than any other horror show/movie I've ever seen. First, because it is so well done, and secondly because it truly could happen (again).
This isn't werewolves, or vampires, or any other (likely) made up monster. This is a very real monster. The monster, nuclear radiation. A monster created by irresponsible and dangerous governments. A monster that we are looking in the face right this very moment during these protests, and during the failure of our government's coronavirus response. This show is utterly brilliant because it is so relatable. It is utterly brilliant because of its high/realistic production value. It is utterly brilliant because of its carefully crafted script.
I will say this: I am not opposed to nuclear power. I am opposed to governments that do not take a responsible approach to it, which in this case is the government of the USSR. I will also say that the United States is one step away from a possible nuclear incident of this scale. All it takes is for those in power to fall asleep at the wheel and I fear we are terrifyingly close to falling asleep at the wheel.
Rick and Morty: The Vat of Acid Episode (2020)
Just when I was losing faith in Rick and Morty
So I've watched every episode of season 4 just because I loved season 1-2 a lot. Season 3 was awesome, but not quite as good as the first 2. Season 4 has been quite mediocre in my opinion; it seemed like each episode was just about being meta and edgy, which didn't work for me as much as the earlier seasons. I understand there can be humor in it but I feel they messed with the original formula too much from the original Rick and Morty episodes. The formula I came to know and love. Their formula worked, but then they changed. This episode, Vat of Acid, however, felt like the original Rick and Morty. It was an episode where some awesome invention was at the center and Morty was the hapless side kick who got severely outsmarted by Rick. It was perfect. Honestly it was likely even one of my favorites of the entire show.
Contratiempo (2016)
Convoluted but not complex.
Just because you shove a bunch of twists down someone's throat doesn't make it a good film. It is also worth noting that the twists just didn't work on a story telling level. This film reminds me of the Futurama episode where it spoofs twilight zone and there is just twist after twist and Bender finally says at the end "I saw it coming." At least Futurama's Twilight Zone had interesting, unique twists. In this movie, however, the twists were painfully obvious, and more importantly, painfully mediocre. The only one I was slightly surprised about was that the kid was still alive when the main character pushed him in the water. Then I quickly realized "oh yes the idiots didn't check whether he was alive or anything because who would?" The only twist that worked for me only worked because I was operating under the assumption that they weren't completely incompetent, and unintelligent. If I wanted to watch a show about idiot criminals I would watch Trailer Park Boys (also, no thank you). It is kind of upsetting when I realize how poor this writing was now that I think about it more. Then the final reveal worked cinematically. It honestly was a beautiful scene. The music was great and the lighting was great and it was properly dramatic how she peeled off her face, but it didn't make it a good twist. It was painfully obvious this woman wasn't who she said she was. It isn't a twist when it is a simple misdirection "oh this lady of obvious nefarious intent is actually the wife, okay." It had decent enough acting. I'm a big fan of carefully crafted, natural, and engaging dialogue, but I will not go there because it is a second language and I doubt the translation more than I doubt the writer; I can possibly infer, however, because if this series of twists is what the writer(s) passes off as good writing then I can only imagine that the sometimes poor, cheesy, unnatural dialogue is what they imagined as proper writing. Three stars because the music was good and cinematography was decent (nothing groundbreaking to reason any higher). One more thing, well it's a question really, was the fact that the male lead was actually the lead perpetrator supposed to be a twist or something just assumed, and then they confirmed as a nice nod to the audience? As they nod to us and say "see our writing truly is as shallow as you think it is."
Don't F**k with Cats: Hunting an Internet Killer (2019)
Do we share a certain responsibility with the internet "sleuths" in this documentary...? No we do not.
At the very end of the three part series one of the main interviewees asked if we, the viewers, are complicit in making this man into a serial killer. She seems to accept a certain responsibility by (perhaps) goading the killer with her internet activity in regard to him, the killer.
Her group becomes obsessed with hunting the killer and in a way provided the killer a fanclub. At the end she asks if we, the viewers of the documentary, are not complicit in his crime also. I say we are not.
She provided no startlingly profound commentary on the human condition. It is a known that society has a morbid curiosity with serial killers. What her and her friends did was provide this serial killer a direct fanclub.
The internet sleuths early on get a lead, from some mysterious source, which gives them the name of a suspect. This is important. What I do not understand is why the documentary never goes back to this. Who was behind this mystery Facebook message that revealed the name, Luca Magnotta? Was it Magnotta himself? Due to his apparent narcissism he is a likely candidate. If this is the case he likely could have, just as easily, tried to get in touch with the newspaper like past serial killers to play his cat and mouse game.
The Facebook group provided nothing more than a fan club for Magontta in his killing. If Magnotta is not the one which revealed the name, however, then it is someone who easily could have gone to the police, which is a step they likely should have taken regardless. Ultimately to the two main internet sleuths, I say: do not pawn your guilt off on us unsuspecting viewers; you provide no profound commentary on the human condition by saying we are complicit due to our morbid curiosity with serial killers; you provided a fanclub which the serial killer had direct contact with, which gave him exactly what he wanted.
The question for these types of events (e.g. mass shooters and serial killers) getting publicity and whether it is right is nothing new. You internet sleuths, however, are directly responsible for providing him attention.
One more important detail they left off was who filmed inside the workplace (casino) of the one internet sleuth? I don't see how Magnotta could have done it. Was it a fellow Facebook group member messing with her? Or was it her trying to make it more dramatic, trying to get attention, et cetera. They never go back to it. It seems out of place and random, and it never gets answered as to where this video comes from.
Ultimately, all the internet sleuths provide is an interesting narrative to give this documentary more depth. The other narratives from the police, attorneys, psychologist, mother are interesting as well. But these internet sleuths provided nothing of actual substance. They tried to make them seem interesting, and important with their "detective work" but the key info they received was from an anonymous source which literally gave them the name of the person.
Mars: Grounded (2016)
Good episode
To the reviewer critiquing the episode, who said it was ridiculous that the captain put on his spacesuit after having his spleen removed then climbed a hill, I hope you see this. If you had been patient for two seconds you would have seen that was a pre-death hallucination. You can dislike it and critique but at least be correct in your critique. Just putting this out there for other viewers with attention spans of goldfish. Overall good episode and all the hallucinations were nice touches. The hallucinations at least gave a bit of character development which made you kinda feel something when he died.
Dexter: My Bad (2010)
Best performance by Michael C Hall yet
*Spoilers*The most powerful, emotional and perfect performance by Michael C Hall in the entire series. I am re-watching it so I have seen the entire series and I can say, in my opinion, this is his best performance. It is so perfect after he kills the random man at the dock that he doesn't even check out; the emotion, the scream it is so right... it is what you would imagine someone who is unable to really properly show emotion, a sociopath, would be really try to convey emotion like. His breakdown and the most emotion he really shows at all ever. It is perfect and really makes me feel sorrow for his loss. This is one of the fine performances of Michael C Hall that really show his true acting skills. It might not seem like much to some, but it really gets to me.