Tag Archives: drama

Movie Reviews, movies

Movie Review: The House of Gucci (2021)

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House of Gucci is one of the harder movies I’ve had to sit through this year. I took a break five minutes into this movie because of how bad the accents are. I have a headache from two hours of this nonsense. Save yourself the trouble and forget this movie exists.

The worst part of this movie is Lady Gaga’s performance as Patrizia Gucci. I couldn’t possibly pick a worse lead for a movie that wasn’t very good to begin with. I watched an interview with Lada Gaga where she talks about the different schools and methods of acting that she used for her performance, and I am here to tell you that none of them worked. She should stick to roles that take advantage of her limited range. The character is supposed to be a manipulative, obsessive, and powerful woman. Lady Gaga is awkward at best and flat the rest of the time. I struggled to restrain myself from skipping any of her scenes because of how boring they are.

The story doesn’t fair much better. With a better cast, I still don’t think this movie would be good. It would be easier to sit through, sure, but there isn’t enough here for a compelling story. You get to watch boring meetings, awkward conversations, relationship problems, and betrayal that happens off-screen. This story might make a good documentary, but there isn’t enough to make it the drama this film desperately wants to be. 

You can watch this movie on Amazon with your prime membership, but I wouldn’t bother. I understand why the Gucci family was offended. I am offended by them, and I am not even Italian.

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Series Reviews

TV Series Review: Bang Bang Baby (2022)

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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)

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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)

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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: Murder at Yellowstone City (2022)

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I love westerns and Murder at Yellowstone City is a murder mystery with the western aesthetic that almost scratches my itch. While it does lean a bit heavily into its white guilt preaching for my taste, it is a solid murder mystery that I have little trouble recommending. If you like westerns and want a murder mystery that isn’t a comedy and won’t disappoint, you can’t go wrong with this movie. The acting is solid, the story is fine, and the mystery is well crafted. The mystery is solvable, but if you miss clues, you will be kept guessing till the big reveal.

The town of Yellowstone City struggles to keep afloat as the only company it keeps are the whores and the desperate prospectors. Hope shines on this forgotten outpost when gold is discovered, but the man who would bring the town new prosperity is gunned down in the dead of night. All clues point to the stranger who just strolled in. Did he do it, or is there something more sinister afoot?

I can’t lie, this movie feels longer than it is. There are a lot of preachy pc moments that stop the movie and feel out of place. While I don’t have an issue with woke messaging, there is a time and a place for it. In Murder at Yellowstone City, it really hurts the pacing of the movie. Scenes will stop for some wholesome political correct messaging when the movie should be solving murders and getting into gun fights. I definitely felt issues with the pacing throughout the second half, but it isn’t unwatchable. Ironically, the movie spends its run time trying to prove that not all white people were racist, only to end a little racist. 

If you like murder mysteries, this is a fun one that isn’t a comedy. If you like westerns, I would consider it. I appreciated the western aesthetic, but it doesn’t have the grit and conflict that make westerns fun and exciting. I guess what I am trying to say is, that it is good enough.

Series Reviews

TV Show Review: Guilty Party

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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.

Movie Reviews, movies

Movie Review: The Illusionist (2006)

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I thought this movie was fine. The acting is fantastic, but the story isn’t something that excites me. It isn’t bad, but it is what you would expect from any other period romance movie, except this one comes with a twist. If you like period movies, this is a solid one with great actors. If you don’t, it is a little slow and you might lose interest, especially if you figure out the twist ahead of time.

The Illusionist is about a magician who falls in love with a duchess. Their love is forbidden, but they want to be together. He is a skilled magician and his performances garnish a massive following. Does he do real magic or is it all smoke and mirrors? Will they end up together in the end? You will have to watch to find out.

This is a low-budget movie. There are a few scenes where you can clearly tell there wasn’t enough funding, like with the sound, the special effects, and the scenery. But this humbly put-together movie is well done for what it is. It doesn’t need a bigger budget to make this movie better because its greatest assets are its actors. The biggest draw to this movie is the acting. Paul Giamatti easily gives this movie its life, but the rest of the cast isn’t far behind. I wouldn’t go out of my way to watch this film, but believe me when I say, there are worst ways to spend two hours.

You can watch this movie for free on YouTube. You can do a lot worse for free.

Movie Reviews, movies

Movie Review: Belle (2022)

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There have been a few attempts at adapting the classic fairy tale of Beauty and the Beast for a modern audience. While most fall into obscurity, I believe that Belle is a solid attempt. Belle is the anime version that tells the story in a Ready Player One-like future. In this version, there is a game everyone plays that allows you to log into a virtual world. Suzu is a grieving teen who has lost her mother and is floating through life, trying to find her place in it. She plays the game and becomes the worldwide pop sensation Belle. The rest of the movie is a retelling of Beauty in the beast in a virtual world.

As far as remakes go, this is a sold one. It is far better than the monstrosity that was Beastly, and I even dare say it is better than Disney’s own live-action. The art is pretty, although some of the animation is awkward, and the voice acting is amazing. I did watch it in the original Japanese with subtitles, but there is an English dubbing available if you don’t want to read. I can’t speak on how good the voice acting is for the dubbed version. 

Belle is a movie that focuses more on being a slice-of-life anime. Instead of focussing on the bizarre and magical, a lot of the focus falls on the mundane and serene. Scenes will let you admire the scenery surrounding the sleepy town in japan rather than magical transformations. As a result, you get a lot of scenes that pan over rivers or skylines while Suzu deals with the newfound pressures of being popular. There is a lot of beautiful art in this movie that should not be slept on. 

This is not your typical action-packed anime. While there is fighting and action, the story focuses more on dealing with grief, loss, and abuse. 

The story handles each topic appropriately while telling a decent story. What I liked the most about this version is how active Suzu is in the narrative. Most of the time, this story paints Belle as the smart woman who must save the beast because she has no other option. She is sold or trapped into a situation where she learns sympathy out of necessity. In Belle, Suzu chooses to log into the game as a way to escape and likes being someone different. It helps her cope with a lot of her pent-up feelings. She doesn’t have to help the beast but chooses to on her own. Although Suzu’s motivations for helping the beast are unclear, she drives her own narrative. I love Suzu as a protagonist, and while some of this story is cheesy, it never got unbearable. 

I liked this movie, but I love a slice-of-life anime. If you like this art style and genre, this is a solid pick. Otherwise, this movie might be a bit too slow and uneventful. 

Movie Reviews, movies

Movie Review: The Outfit (2022)

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The Outfit is an interesting twist on the gangster genre that I enjoyed thoroughly. While the run time is a little longer than my attention span can handle, I found little issue sitting through this movie. Mark Rylance gives a magnificent performance, and he deserves your attention. It is hard to write this review because I don’t want to spoil anything. The narrative’s effectiveness hinges on its mystery, and who am I to spoil that for you? Please take my word for it, you need to watch this movie.

The Outfit is about a cutter who owns a shop in Chicago whose primary clientele consists of a local Irish gang. The events focus on a very eventful night with a city on the verge of gang warfare. The entire movie takes place inside the shop, but the narrative is not confined within its walls. Instead, there will be bits of dialogue, subtle gestures, and even accents that add to its grandeur. The movie is mostly dialogue, but it is in the details where the weight of the narrative lies. My suggestion to you, pay attention to everything. It will be your job to piece together the narrative through its various clues as it builds up to a pretty satisfying ending.

I am afraid this is all I can say about this film without ruining the experience. I suggest you go into this movie as blind as possible because the experience relies heavily on piecing the story together. This is a great gangster movie and well worth your time, just make sure you have time for it. It is a long one. You can watch this movie on Peacock.

Movie Reviews, movies

Movie Review: Miss Potter (2016)

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I have never been a fan of biopics, but I’ve been coming around lately. It is safe to assume that maybe it isn’t that I don’t like biopics, but rather that I have never seen any good ones. I believe that Miss Potter is one of the good ones.  

Miss Potter is the dramatization of the life of children’s book author Beatrix Potter. This is an elegantly quirky retelling of the life of a very inspiring woman. It deals with love, loss, and challenging oppressive gender roles. It is well acted, beautifully directed, and very compelling. If you have time on your hands, you should at the very least consider watching this movie.  

I don’t know how historically accurate this film is. I will instead treat this like any other narrative I come across. I thought the characters were perfect. Miss Potter is quirky, strong willed, and very imaginative. I admire the amount of effort she put forth to get her work published considering the challenges she faced due to her sex. It amazes me how much she was able to do in a time when women were under constant pressures to be submissive. It scares me that so many years later, these pressures still exist, even though they might have evolved a bit. It is infuriating to know that the rights and privileges of women are governed by the ego of a few fragile and greedy men. As a society, we must continue to fight and persevere as Miss Potter did. Society will never be perfect, but we can’t keep going backwards.  

Anyways, you can find this movie free on YouTube!