Triangle of Sadness is one of the most pretentious and shallow movie I have seen to date. I am glad I didn’t see this in theaters because this would have been a waste of money. Nothing happens in this movie.
A cruise ship full of the wealthy and elite shipwrecks on a deserted island. Here on the island, their wealth and status are meaningless. The survivors now must earn their survival, casting aside the excessive luxury they were accustomed to.
The acting is easily the best part of this movie, but the writing is terrible. There is nothing subtle about this movie. Triangle of Sadness wants you to know that capitalism is bad and will take the entirety of its run time artistically and redundantly making this point. This movie could have been shorter. Maybe if this movie spent less trying so hard to be artistic and actually told a meaningful story, I could have recommended it. Instead, my recommendation is that you spend your time on better content.
I don’t have much more to say about this movie because nothing happens. There were a few interesting scenes, but nothing worth sitting through this movie for. You can stream it on Hulu, but I wouldn’t bother.
I have seen enough bad Netflix adaptations and spinoffs to be skeptical about the success of Wednesday. While the casting seemed perfect, I refused to get too excited. I was pleasantly surprised by this spinoff. While it may not be perfect, it is a solid series that you should consider watching.
After a terrible prank, Wednesday is sent to Nevermore, a school for gifted outsiders. The school is full of werewolves, vampires, and people who just don’t fit into the rest of society. Wednesday is resistant at first but slowly comes to tolerate the change. There is something sinister lurking in the woods around Nevermore, and Wednesday loves sinister. Wednesday finds herself in the middle of a mystery full of murder, mayhem, and conspiracy. It is enough to put a smile on her otherwise pale and gloomy face. Can she get to the bottom of things before the year is out?
This is the fourth show in this supernatural school genre I have seen this year. While I noticed that are a lot of parallels, it manages to be a unique enough narrative. The story and lore are tame and easy to follow, the aesthetic is visually appealing, and Wednesday is a fantastic protagonist. Some of the writing and acting aren’t great, but it isn’t bad enough to stop watching.
The mystery in this series is well-developed. It will keep most audiences guessing until the big reveal at the end. I can assure you that there is enough misdirection to muddle your theories as soon as you make them. If you are paying enough attention, there are enough clues to solve the mystery early on. It isn’t overtly obvious unless you know what you are looking for, so I would avoid spoilers. It is refreshing to see a mystery with good attention to detail. There is nothing worse than watching a sloppy mystery where the solution is over-rationalized nonsense at the end.
The characters in this series are fine, although they get sloppy the farther removed they are from Wednesday. The acting is inconsistent between the supporting actors unless they are close to Wednesday. It isn’t bad, but it is noticeable. This might be intentional since outside of Wednesday, most characters are one-dimensional.
Wednesday is a fantastic protagonist. I was afraid they were going to make her a generic brooding goth girl, but there is some surprising depth to Wednesday. I like that Wednesday isn’t perfect. She makes mistakes, loses, and is even wrong sometimes, but she learns from her downfalls. She may not admit when she makes mistakes, but she tries harder, attempts to make amends, and experiences meaningful character growth. The series does a tremendous job of building up her growth and highlighting those important moments. Wednesday will not end in the same place where she started her journey.
My only complaint about this series is that the ending is a bit sloppy. I lost interest because the pacing feels rushed as the series tries to close up all the different plot threads it’s set up throughout the season. It still remained an enjoyable experience and one that I recommend to everyone. This is a different tone than any of the source materials. This is a lot more serious dark and structured more like a teen drama. It has a lot of similar themes, but with a lot less fan service. That said, this is honestly one of the better ones of the genre I have seen. You can stream it now on Netflix.
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I wanted to like Spiderhead, but unfortunately, this movie is an utter disappointment. Chris Hemsworth is a fantastic villain, but unfortunately, his efforts are wasted on a film with a severe identity crisis. This movie struggles as it tries to decide whether it wants to be horror, action thriller, or dark comedy. The result is something that feels like three different movies awkwardly stitched together and posted as a cheap way to generate views. There are about 30 minutes of salvageable film, but the disappointment is too overwhelming to merit a recommendation.
Spiderhead is a prison facility run by a shady pharmaceutical company. They use the facility to test highly experimental drugs on its inmates. All the inmates are here by choice, but as the side effects begin to get severe, it becomes harder to justify volunteering. The movie focuses on a protagonist with a dark past that you uncover as the tests continue. Will he continue to subject himself to the experiments, or will his questions prompt a release from the program? Or worse?
The movie starts as another prison game narrative. The movie does a great job of setting up how isolated the facility is. It also provides the audience with a taste of the type of tests involved. What sets this movie apart is the very charismatic Chris Hemsworth who uses his charisma to manipulate the prisoners into always cooperating with the testing. It is fun to see Steve (Chris Hemsworth) turn every conversation in his favor. The problem is that none of the other actors add this same level of energy and it hurts the film. When the movie shifts its focus from Hemsworth to the true protagonist, the movie loses its momentum, and I, in turn, lost my interest. The movie becomes this lazy, cartoonish The Warriors ripoff no one asks for full of ex-Machina and poorly delivered drama. I don’t like this movie because of how badly I was let down by the ending.
If you want something to throw in the background, sure. Chris Hemsworth’s performance is fantastic. There are a lot of bits in this movie where nothing happens, making it not worth your full attention. You can find this movie on Netflix, but there are a lot of other media that do this same story better elsewhere.
This part will have spoilers, do not read if you care about spoilers. This is one of those movies where I wish the villain won. It would have been such a better story if at the end of the movie, after all the effort of trying to escape, the protagonist finds he is still a part of the test. Anything would have been better than how it ends.
Guilty Party is a story about a disgraced journalist, Beth, who is desperately trying to regain her reputation. An opportunity arises when a woman who was wrongly convicted of murder writes Beth and asks for help to prove her innocence. Beth takes it upon herself to search for any proof that Toni didn’t murder her husband.
I really wanted to like this show. It had some interesting elements to it. I liked that the show uses Beath as someone who is too dated for the industry. I liked that while she was trying to write meaningful stories, she gets overlooked for stories about pop culture. The first couple of episodes make some interesting criticisms about modern journalism. It was really well done at first.
I also liked that Beth wasn’t perfect. She stumbles through the clues and is frightened easily. It feels like she is in way over her head but her desperation keeps her from quitting. Beth is a refreshing take on the detective genre because it felt like she could fail. Usually, in these types of shows, you have a godlike lead with easy access to all these connections and clues, but Beth has none of these. She is constantly having to struggle to find any evidence. This gave the show its tension and I loved it until it became self-serving.
Every episode in this series has a scene where someone comments on how hot Beth is for being old. It wouldn’t be a problem if the story didn’t stop to make this a point. As the series progresses, it gets lazy. Hardships are thrown at Beth for the sake of moving the plot forward. Her husband cheats on her to give her the excuse to sleep with a younger man. Worst of all, this show becomes a white savior narrative as she learns how special black people are. It is gross and I can’t recommend it.
I don’t hate that they use Kate Beckinsale as their lead. When the show isn’t about her and she is trying to solve the mystery, it’s great. Beth is a good character with clear motivations and flaws, but the show never capitalizes on it. This show could have worked, but people got lazy.
This is the second project I’ve seen her in where the show spends so much time talking about how hot she is. I wonder if that is a clause in her contract? I wish they would have focused on actually telling a story. If you don’t believe me, you can stream this on Paramount Plus.
You should watch White Lotus because it is a great show. The pacing is a bit slow and some of the arguments get repetitive, but the narrative is well put together. White Lotus has fantastic actors giving wonderful performances in a beautiful setting, what more can you ask for? A fair bit of warning, however, this show gets sad. The ending triggered me. I found myself depressed for a few days after I finished the show. Experiences may vary, but I felt an obligation to issue the warning.
White Lotus follows four groups of people who are either on vacation or working at the resort in Hawaii. It is a modern-day tragedy of the working class as told by the experiences of disconnected rich white people. The main goal of the narrative is to show the disparities between classes against the backdrop of a vacation. Both groups are stuck in a cycle, but the rich get to leave and move on. It is very well done, and I fear I am not doing it justice.
I love the complexity of this show and how it weaves together all these different stories. I love that by the end, everyone is stuck, although some are worse off than others. I love that it comes in the form of a mystery that they keep well through the whole series. Although the mystery isn’t the most important aspect of the narrative, it is very much appreciated. This is a great show and you need to watch it. Check it out on HBO.
I watched Y: The Last Man when it came out. I was drawn instantly into this show. But, that intrigue would soon be replaced with disappointment. I didn’t finish watching the first season because I lost interest, and I am not surprised that the show got canceled. The comic is better. I stumbled onto the Creamerie shortly after, and I was pleasantly surprised by this fun and quirky dark comedy with a similar storyline.
Cremerie is about a future where all the men in the world have died out due to a mysterious disease. The show focuses on a cult-like commune that emerges out of the disaster. The show does a great job at creating a dystopian vibe where everything seems perfect while at the same time still raising enough suspicion. The show introduces a group of three friends who seem to represent the different levels of indoctrination into the new world order. These characters are quirky, unique, and played by fantastic actors. It is a delight to have them as protagonists. The writers do a great job weaving backstory with the overarching plot, creating a fun ride full of mystery and laughter.
If you are like me and were deeply disappointed by Y The Last Man, this is the best alternative. It has the perfect balance between comedy and important social comedy. It is also a lot more fun to sit through. For the rest of you who don’t know what I am talking about, you need to watch this show. It is a fun and quirky take on the end of the world with some serious elements. This show deserves a second season, and you will soon understand why. You can watch this show on Hulu.
Vice Principals is a dark comedy that should at the very least be on your radar. There is betrayal, deception, vandalism, and even attempted murder, all in a tightly knit and well-written two seasons. This show does a great job mixing its tones. One moment you will laugh at some witty exchange or insult; the next moment you will drown in sympathy because the bit of back story that is revealed is a bit too real. This show does a great job of creating sympathy for its assholes.
The story is nothing to scoff at. Every twist and turn is carefully formulated to build towards a satisfying ending. Sure the mystery might be easy to solve, but this show is about different narratives fitting together to create a whole story. Each character has a unique story, and even the smallest part contributes to the overarching narrative. The plot may be a bit on the absurd side, but that is what makes this show entertaining.
The best part of this show is the relationship between Danny McBride and Walton Goggins. The whole cast works well together, but their relationship specifically is what truly shines. Watching what their relationship turns into is where the magic is. This is not your typical buddy comedy, but it is a buddy comedy worth watching.
I will warn you that this show is not for everyone. The pacing is a bit slow as it builds to what it wants to be. Be patient. All the bits and pieces will eventually come together. This show is crude, gross, and a little offensive, but that is the point. If you like dark comedies, you should at the very least try the first couple of episodes. You can watch it with your HBO subscription.
I don’t know where to start with this movie. It is a disappointing movie that isn’t worth your time. There are elements of this movie that are fine. The acting is fine. Some awkward scenes show the main character’s state of despair. My issue with this movie is how it all ends.
The movie is about a bored housewife who is unhappy with her life. The film does a fine job showing the audience how trapped she is. To cure her boredom, she takes a sex worker off the street to live in her house. This seemingly altruistic act is muddied with sexual desire and boredom. There are moments where the movie suggests the desire for a sexual relationship with the prostitute, but nothing comes of it. The whole situation was merely a hobby to fill her otherwise meaningless life.
What I hate is that the source of her unhappiness is that her life is too nice. She begins to act recklessly because she wants real-life experiences. When life gets too real, she freaks out and it’s like nothing ever happened. You have all this build-up and then nothing. There is no hero’s journey. There is no character growth. The movie just ends.
I don’t recommend this movie. It’s not worth your time.
