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Reviews
Ghostbusters: Afterlife (2021)
Just "Meh"
Liked the plot and the location. Special effects were great and old school. However, Hollywood never fails these days to virtue signal us to boredom. In this case, "girls can be scientists and the boys are all stupid losers and clowns." It's just didactic and insulting to both boys and girls. Why is it that in woke universe, whole groups must be demonized - in this case, boys and men. The false narrative of oppressor vs oppressed is cliche, tiring, grating and regressive. People will just tune it out eventually - which is why this movie didn't do as well at the box office as it should've. We are all sick and tired of Hollywood's fake virtue signalling.
The Righteous Gemstones (2019)
Gets Everything Right(eous)
If like me you grew up in the US when televangelists were as famous as movie stars and have seen them become even more ludicrous as time's gone by, then you'll love this hilarious TV show which pokes fun at the "prosperity gospel" and charismatic types. Imagine "Talladega Nights" with holy rollers. It's a laugh a minute and I dare you not to binge watch this - I bet you can't!
The Curse of Von Dutch (2021)
Fascinating Subject
My rating is based on how fascinating all of the people are and how this story developed rather than the quality of the doc itself. The filmmaking isn't bad, but as far as docs go, it's just average. The real standout here are the subjects, including Von Dutch himself, and how this could only happen in LA. I was slightly amused that Ed Boswell got revenge on all of them in the end. Karma is a bitch. This should've been called The Karma of Von Dutch.
Introducing, Selma Blair (2021)
A Grounding Documentary
Selma's experience just brings it all home for us, doesn't it? We are fragile, impermanent beings who live every moment by chance. By chance, we made it home safely today. By chance, we grew old to see our children get married. By chance, we woke up one morning and couldn't feel our legs.
If we're lucky, we all at one time in our lives will have that "come to Jesus" moment where life is very fxcking real and there we are standing at the shore trying to hold back the waves, only to realize we are not in control.
This is one person's story of the human experience. It is funny. It's tragic. It's angry. It's hopeful. It's frustrating. It's spiritual.
Forget who you are for just moment and watch this. Forget how you're going to get what you want, forget that resentment you're nursing, forget how wounded by others you feel - watch this, and connect with a story that is not Selma's alone but on a much deeper level is all of ours.
Dune (2021)
Gorgeous to look at - the rest, though?
So. I'm a huge ride-or-die fan of the first Dune, with all of its flaws. I still enjoy watching the first one and although I think fans of the books will like this new Dune more, fans of the first movie may - like me - may feel like it was wanting. First of all, it's going to be a huge let down if the second part is never made. Not only did we not get to see the Emperor, there are whole other parts important to the Dune story that are missing. This felt like a beautiful long preview of the story.
Denis Villeneuve created something beautiful and fashionable for us to watch, but so far it is soulless and shallow. None of the characters had me invested. And as beautiful as some of the shots and fashion were, things like the interiors of the Atreides palace were like...WTF? Cave-chic? No no no...go back and watch that first Dune. It was fashionable too, but the set design was just as gorgeous. The set design on this was minimalist, pretentious garbage.
Obviously some of the special effects were better because we're like 37 years more advanced. But this film's interpretation of "the voice" was just pathetic. I could go on about some of the woke references (oppressor vs oppressed narrative where there was none in the book or first Dune), as well as the laughable choice of Javier Bardem as the leader of the Fremen. Seriously, if they wanted to be so damn woke, why didn't they cast an Arab or North African as any of the main Fremen. At least that would make sense.
All in all, it's watchable and any fan of Dune is going to watch it regardless. But they could've done a whole lot better and who knows if we'll ever see the rest of the story. If not, this will be just a huge disappointment.
Dave Chappelle: The Closer (2021)
Amazing Storyteller
First off - I'm old school gay and agree 100% with Dave. He's right about the mental weakness and emotional fragility that SOME people in my community have. Dave is the guy who always makes you think, even if sometimes it's too close to home and uncomfortable. We don't need no safe spaces. We need free speech spaces to hear folks like Dave tell us those uncomfortable truths while making us laugh at this tragic world we all must live in together. If that's not your thing, then it's your right to turn the channel. But your right ends when it comes to shutting down and smearing people you don't agree with. I am so glad I got a chance to be alive during the career of one of the greatest comedians EVER! Thanks Dave!!
15 Minutes of Shame (2021)
Strong Beginning But Fizzles Out
This doc had a lot of potential and had engaging subjects who were interviewed. But the overwhelming focus on "experts" - some of whom were nothing more than far-left grievance studies academics - really undermined what is an important discussion. The doc really loses its focus (cancel culture) towards the end and devolves into SJW pandering. Too bad. This could've been great.
The Paper Tigers (2020)
Boring and Woke
Plodding and uninteresting storyline. Characters are unsympathetic and one dimensional. Portrayal of Caucasians is uniformly negative and demeaning.