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Reviews
Big Vape: The Rise and Fall of Juul (2023)
Disingenuous
This "crisis" is the equivalent of designing the perfect ass-kicking machine. Then, the users complain because they are getting their asses kick at previously unknown levels. JUUL ended up being the scapegoat for all vaping, but not having the choice of nicotine levels was a bad choice. You had that choice in do-it-yourself "messy" products, but, in the end, it's still a nicotine delivery system. These guys did what they set out to do, but ended up not having the foresight to realize what their product would actually be used like...and marketing to kids was the smoking gun, pun intended. Kids are too gullible to be using this.
Atlanta: The Goof Who Sat by the Door (2022)
Perfect
Coupled with "Work Ethic", this is the greatest episode of Atlanta so far. A Goofy Movie from a vastly different perspective, it is funny, poignant, inventive, AND manages to shift your view of the world.
ATLANTA is a genre-jumping, sometime uncomfortable and often funny look at life through Donald Glover's perspective. It NEVER fails to bring issues to the forefront, in funny, scary, and forward-thinking ways. Having only seen DG on Community, this show is a revelation. I hope that this show continues for a long time, especially if we get episodes like this...and as a Disney fan for my whole life, it's damn near perfect.
Blonde (2022)
Cartload of CRAP!
I WAS looking forward to seeing this, and it's like someone had a bone to pick with MM, and they finally got the chance to kill her all over again. Meandering script, arbitrary shifts from B&W to color and back, atrocious screenplay, and that Cuban accent creeping in and out of the dialogue, makes for a "movie" that is a waste of everyone's time and money. I watched the whole thing, and am actually less of a film fan for the experience.
As for Netflix, YOU SUCK! Whoever green-lit this suckfest needs to lose their job. All we heard was how awesome this was, and at a film festival, it got a 14 minute standing ovation that brought Ana DeArmas to tears. I believe she was crying because this film was horrendous.
Pee-wee's Big Adventure (1985)
What A Combo
I first saw Pee Wee on HBO in The Pee Wee Herman Show, and have loved this character ever since. When I saw the trailer for Big Adventure, I made sure to see it on opening day, and I was not disappointed. The combination of Tim Burton, Danny Elfman, Paul Reubens, and Phil Hartman makes this a great character comedy and one of the funniest movies I've ever seen! So many repeatable lines and scenes, great cameos, and E.G. Daily as Dottie, all mix together in a funny movie I can watch by myself, or with my kids. Tell 'em Large Marge sent ya!
13 Reasons Why: Tape 7, Side A (2017)
Original 10, now a 6, maybe 7
When this show debuted, I loved that they weren't afraid to kick me in the nuts by showing the act that had been built up the entire season: Hannah's suicide. After watching Season3, I went back and re-watched this episode, the finale of Season1, and I have to say that the producers and Netflix, by bowing down to pressure from outside entities, have butchered this episode to the point of ridiculousness. Everything from after Hannah looks in the mirror and steels herself for her final act has been edited out, and her mother's reaction scene looks like a bad pan-and-scan zoom in so all you can see is the top of her hair. Kate Walsh's finest performance looks horrible, and Hannah's final act loses ALL of the impact it had in it's original form.
All I have to say is SHAME ON YOU COMPLAINERS AND NETFLIX for bowing down to misplaced complaints and destroying a great piece of art and drama. SHAME!
Mindhunter: Episode #2.9 (2019)
Film versus Book
The workings of the BSU, after the unwanted attention earlier in the season, are laser-focused on the Atlanta child murders, and we start the episode talking to Wayne Williams (who was eventually found to be THE GUY), but they release him in short order. Bill's family issues drive a wedge between Holden and himself, and some old fashioned detective work takes over.
For anyone who's read Douglas's books or remembers this event, there is still a blanket of dread and despair,hanging over the police, and nobody sets the tone for this better than Fincher. A beautifully sad ending to season 2.
Mindhunter (2017)
As close to perfect as we're ever going to get
David Fincher has given us a show that stacks up equally with some of his best films, including Zodiac and Se7en. I have read all of the John Douglas books about the Behavioral Science Unit and it's founding, but to see and feel the mix of emotions, the politicking, and the downright dread that comes with the interviews and face-to-face meetings with the worst serial killers alive, this show is at another level. Groff's Holden Ford is a revelation, both as character and actor, and the actors portraying the more notorious killers, including Berkowitz, Kemper, and Manson, are a credit to the art of casting...whoever found these guys deserves an Emmy!
My only complaint is that we have to wait another year for new episodes, but if we get the quality that we've received so far, it's definitely worth the wait. This show is a tentpole event for Netflix, and shows that even though the quality of their others shows is uneven, they know when to leave the creators alone and let them excel. Sheer Perfection!
Designated Survivor: #thesystemisbroken (2019)
What The Actual F@$k?
Did I know what Netflix was going to do after taking over this show? APPARENTLY NOT! I can understand characters leaving, but where is the tonal change on language coming from? Cursing is a idiot's crutch when writing, and I don't care if the real WH staffers talk like this, this is FICTION, and I am not watching House of Cards, you morons! No wonder this got cancelled AGAIN! NO GOOD!
The Twilight Zone: The Wunderkind (2019)
A Little TOO Close...
In the beginning, and at the end, this episode is ridiculous, especially the ending. However, the middle hits a little too close to reality for me. Oliver's lack of knowledge, tantrums, and his whole treason vs. disagreement idea smacks of our present political problems involving the President. Sure, a kid could never be elected, but how about an adult who behaves like a child?
Titans (2018)
NOT the Titans!
Why does everything have to be so dark? Evidently, no one involved in the conception of this show has read the original Wolfman/Perez Titans. These guys CREATED this iteration of the team, along with Raven and Starfire, and their work has been COMPLETELY IGNORED. Kory has always been a happy, joyful character, so it makes no sense to turn her into an amnesiac prostitute that is as generic as they come, and Rachel Roth is written as someone who has no idea about her father or powers, again contradicting the character as created. I'll watch only to see what changes in S2, but I dislike the actors chosen for Kory and Rachel. SHAPE IT UP OR STOP!
Black Mirror: Bandersnatch (2018)
Charlie Booker Rules!
After watching many alternate paths in this film, I really feel that CB has outdone himself. To those who complain, you're overthinking it. Just watch and enjoy. To those who enjoy it, I wholeheartedly agree.