TrollOnTheKnoll Reviews

Hell of A Week with Charlamagne Tha God (2022)

Well Worth A Look-See

[8/10 · 24 January 2023]

Charlamagne Tha God employs wit and humor to skewer the outrageous, overpampered, and creepy people in the news. He points out mendacity and hypocrisy where he sees it, often with withering sarcasm.

Even though I don't catch all the jokes, and there are people on the panel I often haven't heard of, the lively discussions and penetrating observations are worth a look. A perspective on another America slips in while we're busy laughing.

I hope Comedy Central hangs onto this unique gem of a show. They canceled "The Nightly Show" way too soon, just as white grandmothers like myself were learning more about The Culture.

Caustic, hilarious and very entertaining, I would call "Hell of a Week With Charlamagne Tha God" a must-see.

Taste of Cherry (1997)

Different But Rewarding

[7/10 · 4 May 2021]

Ever wondered what Iran looks like? Then "Taste of Cherry" is the film for you. Much of the movie shows a man driving around the city of Tehran in his SUV, searching for someone willing to bury him after he commits suicide. These long sequences feel like nothing's happening, interspersed with people he encounters on his quest.

Tehran is on the edge of a desert, in view of the snow cloaked Alborz mountain range. Much of the area we see is dusty, barren rock. The man prepared his grave on a slope, by an unpaved road.

Yes, watching a man drive can feel maddening, but as our frustration grows, we find ourselves emotionally connected to the protagonist as he struggles to find an ally for his final act. We see him lie down in his grave, in the blustery dark. Then a miracle occurs.

The conclusion may seem confused and abrupt. Resurrection? Reality's rude intrusion? One thing is certain. Rain in the desert brought the rock strewn slope to life, covered in new grass.

Homayoun Ershadi plays the the suicidal Mr. Badii with quiet intensity. We feel his anguish. Director Abbas Kiarostami made courageous decisions telling this story. If a measure of a film's greatness is how much we think about it afterwards, this movie fits the bill.

Say Her Name: The Life and Death of Sandra Bland (2018)

Wish It Was Fiction

[10/10 · 27 April 2021]

Not since "The Thin Blue Line" by Errol Morris have I seen a documentary as insightful and devastating as "Say Her Name: The Life and Death of Sandra Bland." Interviews of family, friends, and law enforcement present a Rashomon range of opinions. Video from the arresting officer's body cam and dash cam document his meltdown in the face of a strong, calm woman.

Though we know the conclusion of this tragedy, it doesn't detract interest from the family's search to disclose the probable cause of Ms. Bland's death. Recollections of her bright personality and community engagement make us feel her absence more keenly.

Directors Kate Davis and David Hellbroner masterfully present details in a clear, logical manner. Conflicting information is laid out for the viewer to consider, though the injustice is obvious. The documentary displays another simple traffic stop resulting in the death of an unarmed Black person in police custody, told unflinchingly.