Tag Archives: amazon

Series Reviews

TV Series Review: Bang Bang Baby (2022)

1 Comment

Bang Bang Baby sits as a unique mob story that I believe is worth your time. It is full of dreams, quirky characters, and action. While the English dubbing is solid, I would recommend watching it in the original Italian as you will lose a bit of the intended cadence and emotion in the dubbing. While the show can be a little cheesy in parts, the message and social commentary are serious and important.

The show follows a young Alice who spends her life as the invisible shy girl living a dull life. Her world is shaken when she finds out that her father, who she believed dead, is part of a very important mob family. Her father convinces her to help him out of trouble, throwing her into the mob life. The more she attempts to go back to her normal life, the harder it becomes for her to leave the mob world. Will she be able to save her father and get the normal life she’s always wanted, or will the call of the underworld be too persuasive to resist?

This is such a unique story full of color, wacky antics, and interesting characters. The acting is fine, the cinematography is fantastic, and the story is uniquely engaging. This isn’t your typical mob story with a focus on hardened stoic criminals, but rather a story that focuses on the underrepresented groups whose stories are never told or are always misrepresented. These would be the story of the women, the homosexuals, and the undesirables. The plot is a combination of different narratives about people who don’t fit into the traditional roles set up by the ruling mob culture. 

While there is an overarching mob element, the focus is on the outliers who are trying to find a place in a world that doesn’t want them. It is fantastic. You get a strong and capable female protagonist whose story doesn’t get preachy about girl power. You get LGBQ characters who aren’t caricatures or stereotypes and play an important role in the narrative. Most importantly, the show deals with breaking out of the traditions and expectations to find an identity that isn’t dictated by tradition or misogyny. You throw all this along with one of the best soundtracks in all of television, and you have a fun and unique show that I believe is worth your time. 

I will say that there are parts of this show that slow down a bit, but it never gets unwatchable. You can watch this show on Amazon if you have a Prime Membership. 

Series Reviews

TV Series Review: Chloe (2022)

Leave a comment

Amazon has seriously upped its game when it comes to its original programming. There are enough new originals begging for your time, and Chloe is one that is well worth yours. This psychological thriller will keep you at the edge of your seat as you watch Becky trying to piece together the truth of her childhood friend’s death. This is all I can say without spoiling your experience, but believe me, when I say that this is a ride worth getting on.

The show has a fantastic cast to tell a very fascinating narrative full of twists, lies, and missunderstandings. With each new piece of evidence found, your assumptions and perspective will constantly change until the big reveal at the end. It is a wonderful build-up to a pretty satisfying ending. This show deals with a few dark themes as it contrasts the fantasy that is created through social media against the dark reality of the life that happens in between the pictures. This is a psychological thriller so be prepared for dreams, memories, and delusions to blend into the narrative. It is masterfully done as it is able to tell a unique story that will keep most guessing till the end. 

If you like mysteries, drama, and thrillers, this is a great one. Best of all, there are no annoying cliffhangers. This narrative is nicely packaged into one concise season. Watch this on Amazon if you have a prime membership.

Series Reviews

Series Review: The Lake (2022)

4 Comments

Amazon is stepping up its content game and seriously giving other streaming platforms a meaningful challenge. If you have Amazon Prime membership, you need to watch The Lake. This wholesome dramatic comedy is fantastically binge-worthy.

Billie was put up for adoption as a baby. Now, 16 years later, she is sent to spend a summer with her gay dad who she has never met before. All seems bleak at the lake, as the pair struggle to move past the awkwardness that resulted from the absence. It doesn’t help that coming to the lake has reignited an old family feud between Justin, Billie’s birth father, and Maisy, Justin’s stepsister. The series is full of shenanigans as the stepsiblings fight over the old lake house, but there is also some meaningful narratives about identity, family, and relationships that cannot be overlooked. It is a little on the sappy side in parts, but it is a cute and fun story throughout.

This show is well written and its fantastic cast do this show justice. The show is full of unique and interesting characters that build the world of this small lake community effectively. There are a lot of narratives that come together and I appreciate the little details that flesh out a story that goes beyond Justin and Billie’s relationship. It also goes without saying that Julia Stiles is a fantastic villain. I love that she is the driving force for a lot of the narrative and she is my favorite character.

The Lake is an Amazon original that should be on your list. It is a cute little comedy that will make you laugh, but it knows when to make serious commentary about society. Go check it out now!

Movie Reviews, movies

Movie Review: Frances Ferguson (2019)

2 Comments

It is hard to recommend this movie due to the subject matter. This is without a doubt the best movie about a sex offender that I have seen. What is tricky about this movie is that it attempts to create sympathy for the sex offender. What she did is wrong, there shouldn’t be any sympathy. If the genders were swapped, this movie wouldn’t work.

Frances Ferguson is a mockumentary about a substitute teacher that sleeps with one of her students. While the movie focuses on her rehabilitation after the incident, the film attempts to justify her actions. Frances is stuck in a loveless marriage working a job she hates. She sees the newfound attention she is getting from her male students as the excitement she is missing. She must now live with her mistake as she tries to have a normal life again.

I love the quirky almost wimsical style of this movie. The quirky narration is fitting of the narrative, although the subject matter is a bit inappropriate. The acting is fine, and the progression is solid, but it is still a movie about a sex offender. Frances is a great character. She is quirky enough to keep the narrative intersting.

I recommend this movie if you like quirky weird movies. The subject matter is an issue, but it is told well. I can say it is refreshing to see a movie that takes a lot of risks and seeing most of them pay off. You can watch this on Amazon Video with a Prime membership.

Movie Reviews, movies

Spinster

Leave a comment
Source

It is hard to recommend Spinster because the movie is slow and the character is annoying. The sound is bad, and most conversations exist within an echo. That said, the story is solid, and the journey that Gaby is pretty good.

Spinster is about a 39-year-old Gaby who is having an identity crisis. According to society, Gaby hasn’t hit any of the major achievements a woman her age should have. She has no kids or romantic relationships, and she runs her own business. Most will criticize her because she chooses to be alone instead of being a stay at home mom. The movie is about Gaby finding a self she is comfortable with, despite what society demands from her. It is really well done, and watching Gaby go from a grouchy aimless person to a positive happy person was worth the run time.

I was pleasantly surprised by this movie. Where I expected some generic feel-good movie about woman empowerment, I got a delightful story about growth and empowerment. I loved that the whole movie is about her coming to terms with doing her own thing, and they didn’t spoil it by making her find meaning in a relationship. Often with movies of this genre, the strong independent female lead needs to find meaning in her life by being in a heterosexual relationship. It is an offensive notion that women need a man to have meaning in their lives. It is refreshing that this movie didn’t go that route.

 It isn’t perfect. Some of the dialogue is odd, and the Gaby can be annoying. But if you can power through, it is a pretty solid movie. Now, this isn’t for everyone. If you aren’t a fan of Chelsea Peretti, you will have a bad time. A lot of the character is her, but I’d say it is worth watching her growth. She isn’t the same person she starts out as. It is a bit of a fairy-tale, but who cares. The pacing is the only thing keeping me from recommending Spinster outright. It can be slow at times, so if you don’t have much patience, this might not be the movie for you. I wouldn’t go out of my way to watch this, but if you are looking for something to watch, this is a safe option.

If you are interested, you can watch this on Amazon Video with a Prime membership. You can also watch it on Plutotv for free.

Movie Reviews, movies

Movie Review: No Clue (2013)

Leave a comment
Source

No Clue is a fun and quirky parody of the detective noir genre. It is similar to the Naked Gun series but less suave and more dorky. The movie is about a dorky pen salesman who gets hired as a PI by a mysterious woman. Now he must use the little skills he has to solve a murder and an overarching conspiracy.

I loved this movie, but I am a sucker for the dorky kind of comedy that is this movie. This movie isn’t for everyone. The jokes are cheesy and can be a little cringey, but Brent Bunt has the charisma (or lack of) to make it work. A lot of the comedy relies on Leo being aloof. The humor comes from his constant miscommunication and stammering awkwardness. Leo has no clue what he is doing, and he will fumble his way through this mystery. It isn’t perfect. Some of the acting is awkward, some of the writing is bad, and not all of the jokes land. But this movie has its own awkward charm as there are some genuinely funny moments. Then again, I am a huge fan of awkward comedy and dad jokes.

I would say, if you like comedy that is based on wordplay and misunderstandings, it is a safe bet. But if you don’t like Leo as a character, this is going to be a rough sit. You can watch it on Amazon Video with a Prime membership.

Movie Reviews, movies

Movie Review: Honeymoon (2014)

Leave a comment
Source

Honeymoon is a low-budget horror movie that is worth checking out. The movie follows a newlywed couple on their honeymoon in a lake town. Everything seems fine at first. They are able to enjoy a few moments of marital bliss before their lives change forever. Their honeymoon becomes shrouded by an ominous mystery, and Paul (the husband) spends the rest of the movie trying to solve it. There is something off about Bea, but you will need to watch the movie to find out what.

The plot is simple, and the ending is a bit disappointing, but the acting saves this movie from mediocrity. The leads do the best with what they are given. It is their chemistry and acting ability that make this movie enjoyable. I recommend you watch this movie just to see these great performances.

I have absolute respect for this movie’s creative storytelling. You can tell where the budget affects the movie, but it isn’t terrible or distracting. The way they use the isolation and peacefulness of the lake to create horror is impressive. I appreciate that this isn’t another generic horror movie that relies on cheap jump scares and gimmicks. Instead, Honeymoon attempts to create horror around an overbearing mystery that we get to piece along with Paul. I would love to see what the filmmakers could do with a bigger budget. But as is, it works. 

This movie is worth checking out if you like suspenseful horror and don’t mind the low budget. As I said, the acting is what sets this movie apart. You can watch this on Amazon Video if you have a Prime membership.

Series Reviews

TV Series Review: Outer Range

1 Comment

Outer Range is a brand new show on Amazon that should at least be on your radar. As of writing this, there are only two episodes out, but they are enough to at the very least get you invested. This is a suspenseful, ominous, and mysterious take on the rancher’s story, and I for one am here for it. It is a little early to judge this show fully, but so far it is doing a spectacular job.

Outer Range has an exceptional cast that makes it easy to get lost in the drama and mystery. The acting and the unique storytelling are more than enough to recommend this show. Whether it becomes a story about the multi-verse or cowboys vs. aliens, I have faith that the journey will be a good one. The way that it masterfully weaves in this ominous mystery with the story about an ongoing land dispute is proof enough.  

My only complaint with this show so far is that I have to wait another week for the next episode. You can watch it over on Amazon if you have a Prime membership.

Movie Reviews, movies

Movie Review: All the Old Knives (2022)

2 Comments
Source

All the Old Knives is a new movie on Amazon. It is supposed to be this suspenseful mystery about a detective trying to find the traitor, but all that is uncovered is deep disappointment.  

The poster has you believe that you will get a murder mystery type movie, where the main character goes around investigating the different people involved. You don’t. The whole movie is a long-drawn-out conversation between two people who share absolutely no chemistry. There are flashbacks mixed in to give the movie variation, but they are pointless and add nothing to the plot. This movie uses most of its run time on a conversation that slowly builds to an obvious and disappointing twist. All the Old Knives fails at creating any tension, suspense, or mystery. Without these, the plot doesn’t work.

For this movie to work, it needs more moving parts. The whole movie is a conversation between two people. A conversation that merely summarizes events that don’t matter. It is easy to figure out what this movie is building up to early on. When the big reveal happens, I think disappointing is too nice a word. I wanted to break things. There should have been more narratives to keep the audience guessing. Anything to keep the audience invested in the mystery. The twist is garbage and they should change it. Anything is better than what they chose and I stand by this statement. Even comedies like Clue or Murder Mystery understand how to create a more effective mystery. 

This movie is missing the essential components needed for the plot to work. Skip it. If you don’t believe me, you can watch it on Amazon with a Prime Membership.

Movie Reviews, movies

Movie Review: Kept Woman (2015)

1 Comment

Kept Woman is a horror movie where the monster is toxic masculinity. The film is about a strong, intelligent, independent Jessica who is kidnapped and forced to live the rest of her life as a 1950’s American housewife in her neighbor’s basement. It is a story about the struggle between modern womanhood and the pressure of an always creeping outdated ideal. Kept Woman attempts to create horror in the mundane, almost like in Stepford Wives or Get Out. The monster isn’t scary, but rather the need for idyllic perfection. As a result, there are some beautiful set designs, but faulty execution.

The movie spends the first half of the movie establishing Jessica as the here. She is a quirky and intelligent amateur sleuth. The movie wastes so much time on her development, that the horror is limited to the last 30 minutes of the film. It is dull and disappointing. I believe the intent was to build up to a powerful moment when she escapes, but it doesn’t pan out as such. It feels rushed and forced. Some cool moments in this movie suggest that a bigger budget and better writing might have saved this movie, but as is, this movie is a waste of time. 

If you want a movie with the same plot done better, watch 10 Cloverfield Lane. It has the same plot done better, even with the whole alien subplot. But if you don’t believe me, you can watch it on Amazon Video with a Prime subscription.