I'm so impressed with Rebecca's Crumbs and her entire debut album, Let Her Burn. The album as a whole reflects her greatest inspirations (Madonna and Lady Gaga) while also dabbling with hyper pop sounds popularized by SOPHIE and PC Music. Crumbs is by far the highlight of Rebecca's debut, with a breakdown similar to Björk's Crystalline, and an addictive chorus a la Bad Romance. Rebecca has risen like a Phoenix from the ashes of Friday, and given birth to one of the best songs of the decade so far. I knew Rebecca had promise based on her debut EP Rebecca Black Was Here, but this song is just on a whole new level of talent that most pop stars can't even comprehend.
Reviews
26 Reviews
Cupcakke: Deepthroat
(2015 Video)
Imma Pick It Up With Chopsticks
29 March 2023
For many slurpers, this was was our first encounter with the iconic entity known as Cupcakke. The rapper did more than just shake the table with her acclaimed debut mixtape *** Cake, she shook the world. In the years following Cupcakke's debut, others have unsuccessful tried to emulate her signature raunchy rapping style with varying degrees of success. As the views numbered and the mitosis of the future began, slurpers realized that Cupcakke's talent was not temporal. It is eternal. The story of Cupcakke did not end with 'Deepthroat' though. To date, the iconoclast has released 3 mixtapes and 4 full length studio albums as an independent artists with a devoted fandom, numerous viral hits and even more viral remixes.
Go See It
27 April 2022
EEAAO totally lived up to the hype for me. Michelle Yeoh was beyond amazing, and the Daniels showed their fluency in cinematic and visual language to the point that every scene begs to be re-watched. Talented, brilliant, incredible, amazing, show-stopping, spectacular, totally unique, never the same, completely not ever been done before, unafraid to reference or not reference...
Gaga: Five Foot Two
(2017)
Joanne Era Documentary
16 January 2021
Rumors of a Gaga documentary had been swirling since 2012, with an alleged ARTPOP documentary being filmed, but ultimately shelved, likely due to managerial conflict and the breakup of Gaga and then manager Troy Carter. The rumors died, and the project was considered a remnant of the past and the idea of a Gaga documentary was considered dead. Fast forward to 2017 and Gaga: Five Foot Two was announced, a documentary by Chris Moukarbel covering the period of Gaga's life following up to the release of her 2016 album Joanne, leading into Gaga's SuperBowl halftime performance. The project was an exciting insight, although I can't help but wonder if the 2013 shelved documentary wouldn't have been even more revealing, as 2016 say Gaga rebrand and begin the transition that would ultimately lead into her role in A Star is Born. Nevertheless, Five Foot Two is overall an interesting look into Gaga's life, as it shows her being treated for fibromyalgia, filming American Horror Story: Roanoke and collaborating with Mark Ronson and Florence Welch. Casual conversations and intimate moments are usually staged and awkward in these popstar docs that have since become standard (Miss Americana, Homecoming, Excuse Me, I Love You) but Gaga talking about her love of Amy Winehouse and feud with Madonna are surprisingly authentic still.
Really?
1 January 2021
Rising with the Hill's Krystal Ball and Saagar Enjeti originally appealed to me, especially as alternative programming to the mainstream media coverage leading up to the presidential election of 2020. I appreciated the populist takes and the coverage of the establishment's treatment of Bernie. Fast-forward to after the election. Trump has lost, and Biden is declared President-Elect. The attempts of Trump and the Republican Party by and large to subvert democracy and install him, against a decent electoral margin, massive popular vote margin and no substantive evidence of voter fraud. Krystal, our leftist surrogate has repeatedly failed to convey the severity and damage that will be caused by Trump, and is being caused by Trump currently. The show has turned into somewhat of a farce, with Krystal and Saagar both going at the Democratic Party from different perspectives, and sometimes from the same populist perspective, but don't seem to condemn the Republicans to the same degree, making Rising seem partisan and robbing us of what could be interesting banter. Krystal described Trump's presidency as a WWE spectacle in an episode. This kind of out of touch rhetoric is damaging the Left in America, especially as Trump has increased drone strikes 400% around the world, increased civilian casualties around the world and divided the country. As we plunge deeper into an era of hyper-partisanship, Krystal is not doing enough to counter the corporatism on both sides, and especially the man who has been in charge of the country for the last four years.
RuPaul's Drag Race Holi-Slay Spectacular
(2018 TV Special)
Blatant Cash Grab
9 December 2018
Warning: Spoilers
This Holi-Slay Spectacular was nothing but a cash grab on Rupaul's part. The whole "special" played like an advertisement for his new album (now available on iTunes). Spoiler alert! No queen was crowned "Christmas Queen" and instead Ru declared every participant a winner and then proceeded to do a heavily edited lip sync against Michelle Visage with no shortage of stunt double footage. I'm all for fun, meaningless episodes of drag race, but to market it as something grander than it is, and to mislead viewers is just bad marketing.
Lady Gaga: The Edge of Glory
(2011 Music Video)
An Underwhelming Addition to Gaga's Videography
29 October 2018
Up until this point in Gaga's videography, Gaga had never really had a misstep. Every video was either a delightful, fun, fitting music video, or an over-the-top, bizarre pop culture event. Here, Gaga films a very simplistic and 80's inspired video for The Edge of Glory, where Gaga dances outside a fire escape and Clarence Clemons plays a brilliant sax solo. The final result is not a mismatch to the song, and has grown on me, but does nothing to elevate the song. The reason for this video turning out like this? A fight that broke out between Joseph Kahn, the planned director and Gaga over "creative differences". Whether or not that video would've been better is up in the air.
A Star Is Born
(2018)
A Modern Classic?
29 October 2018
While watching the last frame of A Star is Born, letting the experience wash over me. I had the feeling I so very rarely have nowadays in a movie theatre. I felt that a classic was born. A film that will endure time and be beloved by generations in time memorial. A Star is Born is a classic story updated and improved to the point of perfection. Outdated tropes are removed and changes are made to make this film the best parts of all the previous incarnations, but still somehow an entity all its own.
Mulholland Drive
(2001)
Mulholland Drive Theory
2 August 2018
Warning: Spoilers
David Lynch's Mulholland Dr. has been endlessly analyzed. From every color, object, background poster, and casting choice. It's a film where every shot has been scrutinized, and deservedly so. It's one of the few films that transcends the medium, becoming a moving piece of art. The plot and story winds and twists into darker and darker territory, much like the iconic Mulholland Dr. itself. Here are some of my interpretations:
Diane Selwyn is a struggling actress in LA who has been romantically/sexually rejected by a rising starlet, Camilla Rhodes, who is currently starring in The Sylvia North Story, a 1960's throwback style movie including music numbers that is also starring Diane, in a smaller, thankless role. As a child, Diane suffered terrible abuse by the hands of an elderly couple, and was likely sexually abused by a different man. This abuse was extreme and fractured her personality into many parts. This phenomenon is known as DID (dissociative identity disorder) formerly known as multiple personality disorder. Diane takes out a hit on Camilla and the hitman tells her he will put a blue key behind the Winkie's diner when the act is completed. A man overhears this in the diner and sees Diane pay the hitman.
In Diane's subconscious, this event fractures her personality further, and she cannot cope with the fact that she's done something so horrible. This fractures her personality further, and as a result an alter, or new persona appears in her subconscious, modeled after Camilla because Camilla is a symbol for what Diane has done, as she is the one who Diane took a hit out on. The alter is completely blank, as a result of the fact that Diane created it to avoid the truth of what she did. The alter is almost killed, but manages to escape, showing that Diane did want Camilla to escape the hit, and regrets her actions.
Later, we see the man who overheard Diane's meeting with the hitman in Winkie's diner. He has had a horrible dream, and saw a man behind Winkie's. This is a reference to the fact that he not only saw what Diane did, but is also a part of what Diane feels guilty for. When he sees the hobo behind Winkie's in the iconic scene, the hobo represents the blue key and evidence of Camilla's death that Diane cannot deal with. He collapses and appears to be dead. This shows that the deed Diane committed is too ugly for her to face and survive for the long-term.
Later, we meet Betty, another personality or alter that Diane has created. I believe that Betty was created when Diane experienced childhood abuse, as she idealizes the elderly couple who accompanies her, and dreams of being a Hollywood actress or movie star. I believe that Diane's wish to be a movie star is likely something that originated as a child and is shared with her alter Betty. Betty is a part of Diane but is much more emotionally stunted, optimistic and resilient. Betty is an idealized version of Diane, one who can cope with anything thrown her way, and is unaware or is okay with the abuse committed by the elderly couple.
In Diane's subconscious, she sees many familiar faces because in dreams all of the faces we see are faces we have seen in real life. The two alters in Diane's subconscious cannot create "new" faces because anything Diane has seen they have also "seen" so anyone in her life is likely to appear to her alters as another identity. One such identity is Adam Kesher, who is directing The Sylvia North Story, and through mob manipulation is forced to cast a new actress of their choosing. And after refusing he continues to have one of the worst days imaginable. This is a part of Diane's subconscious that is mad at him for taking Camilla, so she is punishing him as a result. The fact that the casting of "Camilla Rhodes" (another blond who was recast for the subconscious portion of the movie) is something forced upon Adam, and him saying "this is the girl" parallels with Diane saying "this is the girl" when showing Camilla's photo to the hitman shows that Diane views the casting process as a violent process, much like taking a hit out on someone.
The head of Hollywood sits behind a glass wall, and appears to be in charge of forcing Adam to recast "Camilla Rhodes" in The Sylvia North Story. Behind the glass wall a teal sofa is seen in the room with the head of Hollywood. Due to the color blue being of significance in this film, I believe the couch is Diane's subconscious projecting the casting couch into the head of Hollywood's glass containment. Diane likely believes Camilla slept with higher ups for the role in The Sylvia North Story in reality, or Diane was forced to do it to progress her fledgling career.
Betty is trying out for a part in a movie separate from The Sylvia North Story and reads her script with a much older man for her audition. This is Diane's mind taking power from an abuser. Reframing it as a performance and using her brave, resilient, idealized alter of Betty to play out the scene, and this time, land the role and get the attention from Hollywood executives in the way Diane wishes she could. This audition leads her to the set of The Sylvia North Story, where she fantasizes about Adam Kesher being transfixed by her but ultimately choosing Camilla out of necessity.
Both alters meet in Betty's aunt Ruth's home, where Betty discovers that Rita, (who names herself after seeing a Rita Hayworth poster) is unaware of who she is, and both are intrigued by the potential answers. They go to Winkie's diner and Rita notices that the name tag worn by the waitress, is actually her name. Rita remembers the name "Diane Selwyn" and pieces of the puzzle come together. When they arrive at the apartment of Diane Selwyn, a woman tells them that she is now living in her old apartment. There, the two discover a corpse, symbolizing Diane's suicidal tendencies, and likely Camilla's death. Rita panics, and the two are shown outside the apartment and they begin to merge.
After this, Rita cuts her black hair, as parts of her identity are beginning to become clearer and she is beginning to merge with Diane's memories of her guilt. Betty puts Rita in a blond wig and the two look very similar, showing the lines between the two creations in Diane's mind beginning to blur further. The two alters are beginning to share experiences, and later have sex and Betty tells Rita how much she loves her. This process is showing the two parts of Diane become closer and more intertwined.
Harsh realities from Diane's waking thoughts seem to be intruding on the alter's activities, and after they make love, Rita awakens from a nightmare saying silencio, and the two are soon seated in Club Silencio. Here, a magician tells them that their is no band, and the club fills with blue smoke, becoming a blue box of sorts. Here the alters listen to Rebekah Del Rio's rendition of Roy Orbison's "Crying" in Spanish. Both are brought to tears. Although they are aware that they are listening to a tape recording, they are still left emotionally wrecked by the performance. After Rebekah Del Rio collapses, Betty discovers a blue box in her purse, which matches a blue key Rita had in her purse when they initially met. When they arrive back at Aunt Ruth's they prepare to open the box, but Betty disappears. The two alters are now integrated into one, and once the blue box is opened by Rita, she is sucked into it and becomes apart of Diane's larger consciousness and personality.
The blue box represents the gateway between consciousness and unconsciousness, and the next time we see it it is being held by the hobo seen behind Winkie's earlier in the film. The hobo drops it and memories of Diane's past actions and abuse come back to haunt her. The old couple seen at the airport with Betty are now images of terror for Diane, and the guilt and remorse overtakes her, leading her to commit suicide. As her face lands on the pillow smoke surrounds her bed, much like it did in Club Silencio to signify that we were watching an illusion, here it serves as a metatextual statement about how film is an illusion. After Diane is dead, her alters are seen in front of a backdrop of LA, and finally a blue-haired woman from the Club whispers "Silencio" and the film cuts to black.
Diane Selwyn is a struggling actress in LA who has been romantically/sexually rejected by a rising starlet, Camilla Rhodes, who is currently starring in The Sylvia North Story, a 1960's throwback style movie including music numbers that is also starring Diane, in a smaller, thankless role. As a child, Diane suffered terrible abuse by the hands of an elderly couple, and was likely sexually abused by a different man. This abuse was extreme and fractured her personality into many parts. This phenomenon is known as DID (dissociative identity disorder) formerly known as multiple personality disorder. Diane takes out a hit on Camilla and the hitman tells her he will put a blue key behind the Winkie's diner when the act is completed. A man overhears this in the diner and sees Diane pay the hitman.
In Diane's subconscious, this event fractures her personality further, and she cannot cope with the fact that she's done something so horrible. This fractures her personality further, and as a result an alter, or new persona appears in her subconscious, modeled after Camilla because Camilla is a symbol for what Diane has done, as she is the one who Diane took a hit out on. The alter is completely blank, as a result of the fact that Diane created it to avoid the truth of what she did. The alter is almost killed, but manages to escape, showing that Diane did want Camilla to escape the hit, and regrets her actions.
Later, we see the man who overheard Diane's meeting with the hitman in Winkie's diner. He has had a horrible dream, and saw a man behind Winkie's. This is a reference to the fact that he not only saw what Diane did, but is also a part of what Diane feels guilty for. When he sees the hobo behind Winkie's in the iconic scene, the hobo represents the blue key and evidence of Camilla's death that Diane cannot deal with. He collapses and appears to be dead. This shows that the deed Diane committed is too ugly for her to face and survive for the long-term.
Later, we meet Betty, another personality or alter that Diane has created. I believe that Betty was created when Diane experienced childhood abuse, as she idealizes the elderly couple who accompanies her, and dreams of being a Hollywood actress or movie star. I believe that Diane's wish to be a movie star is likely something that originated as a child and is shared with her alter Betty. Betty is a part of Diane but is much more emotionally stunted, optimistic and resilient. Betty is an idealized version of Diane, one who can cope with anything thrown her way, and is unaware or is okay with the abuse committed by the elderly couple.
In Diane's subconscious, she sees many familiar faces because in dreams all of the faces we see are faces we have seen in real life. The two alters in Diane's subconscious cannot create "new" faces because anything Diane has seen they have also "seen" so anyone in her life is likely to appear to her alters as another identity. One such identity is Adam Kesher, who is directing The Sylvia North Story, and through mob manipulation is forced to cast a new actress of their choosing. And after refusing he continues to have one of the worst days imaginable. This is a part of Diane's subconscious that is mad at him for taking Camilla, so she is punishing him as a result. The fact that the casting of "Camilla Rhodes" (another blond who was recast for the subconscious portion of the movie) is something forced upon Adam, and him saying "this is the girl" parallels with Diane saying "this is the girl" when showing Camilla's photo to the hitman shows that Diane views the casting process as a violent process, much like taking a hit out on someone.
The head of Hollywood sits behind a glass wall, and appears to be in charge of forcing Adam to recast "Camilla Rhodes" in The Sylvia North Story. Behind the glass wall a teal sofa is seen in the room with the head of Hollywood. Due to the color blue being of significance in this film, I believe the couch is Diane's subconscious projecting the casting couch into the head of Hollywood's glass containment. Diane likely believes Camilla slept with higher ups for the role in The Sylvia North Story in reality, or Diane was forced to do it to progress her fledgling career.
Betty is trying out for a part in a movie separate from The Sylvia North Story and reads her script with a much older man for her audition. This is Diane's mind taking power from an abuser. Reframing it as a performance and using her brave, resilient, idealized alter of Betty to play out the scene, and this time, land the role and get the attention from Hollywood executives in the way Diane wishes she could. This audition leads her to the set of The Sylvia North Story, where she fantasizes about Adam Kesher being transfixed by her but ultimately choosing Camilla out of necessity.
Both alters meet in Betty's aunt Ruth's home, where Betty discovers that Rita, (who names herself after seeing a Rita Hayworth poster) is unaware of who she is, and both are intrigued by the potential answers. They go to Winkie's diner and Rita notices that the name tag worn by the waitress, is actually her name. Rita remembers the name "Diane Selwyn" and pieces of the puzzle come together. When they arrive at the apartment of Diane Selwyn, a woman tells them that she is now living in her old apartment. There, the two discover a corpse, symbolizing Diane's suicidal tendencies, and likely Camilla's death. Rita panics, and the two are shown outside the apartment and they begin to merge.
After this, Rita cuts her black hair, as parts of her identity are beginning to become clearer and she is beginning to merge with Diane's memories of her guilt. Betty puts Rita in a blond wig and the two look very similar, showing the lines between the two creations in Diane's mind beginning to blur further. The two alters are beginning to share experiences, and later have sex and Betty tells Rita how much she loves her. This process is showing the two parts of Diane become closer and more intertwined.
Harsh realities from Diane's waking thoughts seem to be intruding on the alter's activities, and after they make love, Rita awakens from a nightmare saying silencio, and the two are soon seated in Club Silencio. Here, a magician tells them that their is no band, and the club fills with blue smoke, becoming a blue box of sorts. Here the alters listen to Rebekah Del Rio's rendition of Roy Orbison's "Crying" in Spanish. Both are brought to tears. Although they are aware that they are listening to a tape recording, they are still left emotionally wrecked by the performance. After Rebekah Del Rio collapses, Betty discovers a blue box in her purse, which matches a blue key Rita had in her purse when they initially met. When they arrive back at Aunt Ruth's they prepare to open the box, but Betty disappears. The two alters are now integrated into one, and once the blue box is opened by Rita, she is sucked into it and becomes apart of Diane's larger consciousness and personality.
The blue box represents the gateway between consciousness and unconsciousness, and the next time we see it it is being held by the hobo seen behind Winkie's earlier in the film. The hobo drops it and memories of Diane's past actions and abuse come back to haunt her. The old couple seen at the airport with Betty are now images of terror for Diane, and the guilt and remorse overtakes her, leading her to commit suicide. As her face lands on the pillow smoke surrounds her bed, much like it did in Club Silencio to signify that we were watching an illusion, here it serves as a metatextual statement about how film is an illusion. After Diane is dead, her alters are seen in front of a backdrop of LA, and finally a blue-haired woman from the Club whispers "Silencio" and the film cuts to black.
Movie Nights
(2010– )
Allison Pregler: An Icon
30 July 2018
Allison Pregler is my favorite reviewer. The only two that come close are Grace Randolph and Lindsay Ellis. Movie Nights (formerly known as Obscurus Lupa Presents) is a ridiculously entertaining review series where Allison Pregler (Lupa) takes a look at some of the worst movies ever produced, as well as an assortment of her own favorites, and a good amount of cult tv. Her crowning achievement in my eyes, is her Charmed review series.
Charmed, was a WB show that debuted in 1998 that I was a fan of when I was younger. Allison completely dissected it and came to so many hilarious conclusions about the show and made one of the most incredible and extensive reviews in history in the process. Her season eight review was a two hour long epic rant on the final season and the show as a whole. Even recently she released a review of the first season of the Charmed comics published by Zenescope, and it was equally hilarious, and showed Allison's proficiency at reviewing different mediums.
Although Charmed is probably her best and most extensive work, Allison puts so much effort into all of her reviews, and some of my favorites include her Star Trek episode reviews, First Person Shooter (The X-Files) review and her reviews of the Tremors series of movies and short lived tv series. Movie Nights is well-researched and often times hilarious.
Charmed, was a WB show that debuted in 1998 that I was a fan of when I was younger. Allison completely dissected it and came to so many hilarious conclusions about the show and made one of the most incredible and extensive reviews in history in the process. Her season eight review was a two hour long epic rant on the final season and the show as a whole. Even recently she released a review of the first season of the Charmed comics published by Zenescope, and it was equally hilarious, and showed Allison's proficiency at reviewing different mediums.
Although Charmed is probably her best and most extensive work, Allison puts so much effort into all of her reviews, and some of my favorites include her Star Trek episode reviews, First Person Shooter (The X-Files) review and her reviews of the Tremors series of movies and short lived tv series. Movie Nights is well-researched and often times hilarious.
My House
(2018– )
Refreshingly Honest Look Into Ball Culture
28 July 2018
Today we have shows like Queer Eye and others that try to approximate the gay experience and emotionally manipulate viewers, and then we have gems like My House. Viceland usually comes through with their programming, and My House is no exception.
The balls are incredibly captivating, and although I'm an outsider in terms of the ball world, I feel a kinship with it as an LGBT person and My House is probably the closest thing we have to a modern day Paris Is Burning, although I'll comment on that more when I see Kiki (2016) and see if it's any good.
I loved the first season of Pose on FX, but I think My House might be even better. Moments like Precious Ebony sitting by the beach talking about how she lacks love and must love herself were truly emotional and transcendent. Jelani Mizrahi defies all of the stereotypes of someone involved in ball culture, and his scenes show how much of an introvert he was and how he copes with life. Tati and Alex were also thoroughly entertaining and had their share of moments. My House is the peak of reality television and what it can be.
The balls are incredibly captivating, and although I'm an outsider in terms of the ball world, I feel a kinship with it as an LGBT person and My House is probably the closest thing we have to a modern day Paris Is Burning, although I'll comment on that more when I see Kiki (2016) and see if it's any good.
I loved the first season of Pose on FX, but I think My House might be even better. Moments like Precious Ebony sitting by the beach talking about how she lacks love and must love herself were truly emotional and transcendent. Jelani Mizrahi defies all of the stereotypes of someone involved in ball culture, and his scenes show how much of an introvert he was and how he copes with life. Tati and Alex were also thoroughly entertaining and had their share of moments. My House is the peak of reality television and what it can be.
Glitter
(2001)
In Defense of Glitter
27 July 2018
While it does play like a TV movie, I hardly think this is AS bad as it's reputation will lead you to believe. Glitter is very cliched, but Mariah is actually a surprisingly good actress, and her soundtrack for this album is extremely underrated and unique, as it captures an 80s vibe, and stands out from the rest of Mariah's discography. I've seen movies that were way worse that never got taken to task. I can't help but feel that Mariah's breakdown, the untimely release of Glitter near 9/11 and the bad luck of singers turned actresses all played a part in making Glitter one of the most derided movie of all time. I mean, in the bottom 250? No way is it that bad.
Rough Around The Edges, But A Huge Improvement From The First Hurricane Bianca
25 July 2018
I was surprised at how often I found myself laughing at the ridiculousness of Hurricane Bianca: From Russia With Hate. After being underwhelmed by the original Hurricane Bianca, which played more like a public service announcement than a legit comedy, I went into From Russia With Hate with low expectations, and maybe that helped, but this time, everyone involved has stepped their game up. The cast is better, and better utilized than the original Hurricane Bianca, and the jokes are much funnier and land more often.
While the first movie tried to be funny, many of the jokes were stale and too far and few in between to make it worth it, but now everything works together to turn Hurricane Bianca into what it should've been from the start: a spoof. The entire movie is lampooning Russia, and making fun of the entire country, while the first movie's digs at Texans fell flat, this time the scenarios are so ridiculous and campy that it actually works.
My biggest complaint with Hurricane Bianca is how long it took for her to officially show up into the movie. It's a whopping fifty minutes into the movie before Roy's character actually gets into drag. But this movie is also carried by Shangela who is always excellent and entertaining, and Katya, who is a surprisingly good actor, and really should be getting more work. The movie has many guest stars that are injecting the movie with energy and charisma during its less exciting moments.
7/10
While the first movie tried to be funny, many of the jokes were stale and too far and few in between to make it worth it, but now everything works together to turn Hurricane Bianca into what it should've been from the start: a spoof. The entire movie is lampooning Russia, and making fun of the entire country, while the first movie's digs at Texans fell flat, this time the scenarios are so ridiculous and campy that it actually works.
My biggest complaint with Hurricane Bianca is how long it took for her to officially show up into the movie. It's a whopping fifty minutes into the movie before Roy's character actually gets into drag. But this movie is also carried by Shangela who is always excellent and entertaining, and Katya, who is a surprisingly good actor, and really should be getting more work. The movie has many guest stars that are injecting the movie with energy and charisma during its less exciting moments.
7/10
Lady Gaga: Bad Romance
(2009 Music Video)
Greatest Music Video of the 21st Century
25 July 2018
Billboard said it, not me. And while I do think this video is stunning, and an artistic and musical triumph. I don't know that it is the best music video of the 21st century, I don't even know if it's Gaga's best video, although it is a masterpiece, a modern day Thriller if you will, and in some ways it's more ambitious than Thriller. Don't sue me, MJ fans.
Bad Romance tells the story of a Russian bathhouse, and Gaga is sold to a group of men who are bidding on her, only to have the highest bidder be murdered by Gaga in an act of fiery revenge. All of this is basically irrelevant to the meaning behind the video itself though. All of this imagery, symbolism and storytelling is just a manifestation of Gaga's experience as a pop star, a product to be sold, and represent the capitalistic exploitation of the female form in every facet of American culture.
"I want your love, and I want your revenge" Gaga sings, and in an interview with Fuse during her Fame Monster days, Gaga claimed that the song is about love so profound that you want someone whole, even their most disturbing traits and qualities. I think that the video represents the complex relationship we have with the patriarchy and with power structures, all with incredible choreography and stellar cinematography that was rarely seen in music videos at the time. Bad Romance is a modern masterpiece and (one of) Gaga's best music videos, and it simply towers over even the best music videos of Gaga's contemporaries.
Bad Romance tells the story of a Russian bathhouse, and Gaga is sold to a group of men who are bidding on her, only to have the highest bidder be murdered by Gaga in an act of fiery revenge. All of this is basically irrelevant to the meaning behind the video itself though. All of this imagery, symbolism and storytelling is just a manifestation of Gaga's experience as a pop star, a product to be sold, and represent the capitalistic exploitation of the female form in every facet of American culture.
"I want your love, and I want your revenge" Gaga sings, and in an interview with Fuse during her Fame Monster days, Gaga claimed that the song is about love so profound that you want someone whole, even their most disturbing traits and qualities. I think that the video represents the complex relationship we have with the patriarchy and with power structures, all with incredible choreography and stellar cinematography that was rarely seen in music videos at the time. Bad Romance is a modern masterpiece and (one of) Gaga's best music videos, and it simply towers over even the best music videos of Gaga's contemporaries.
Pose
(2018–2021)
Paris Is Burning: The Series
25 July 2018
Warning: Spoilers
I mean that in the best way possible. Pose brings the documentary Paris Is Burning into a whole new format, and is one of the shows that I feel is more about atmosphere than just storytelling, where each episode is like a time capsule, that transports the viewer to a time and place they never knew they needed to be. At its core, Pose is about found family, and carving out your own path when society doesn't give you a path to achieve your dreams.
Pose had a thoroughly entertaining first season, although I'm wondering where the next season will go, as many plot points felt concluded and many character arcs came to a satisfying conclusion. I sometimes wonder how much mileage the show has. Even though I did enjoy the first season, it did feel bloated at times and inconsequential at others. The storyline with Evan Peters and Kate Mara felt a bit tacked on at times and sometimes took attention away from the houses and balls in a distracting way.
Even though the show wasn't perfect, Pose is a must-see show for anyone in the LGBT community, anyone who is interested in the world of ballroom culture and 80s nostalgia. Even as someone not born in the 80s felt a pang of nostalgia for a time lost and a generation that fought so hard for a brighter tomorrow, yet died so young because of the system they were fighting. The show uses the 80s as a parallel to our current political, social, and pop cultural climate and uses Trump era luxury expansion and the rise of materialism to critique the current administration. The show also addresses transgender alienation from the LGBT community in a way that mirrors some attitudes today. All in all, I would highly recommend Pose, a stylish, entertaining show with heart.
Pose had a thoroughly entertaining first season, although I'm wondering where the next season will go, as many plot points felt concluded and many character arcs came to a satisfying conclusion. I sometimes wonder how much mileage the show has. Even though I did enjoy the first season, it did feel bloated at times and inconsequential at others. The storyline with Evan Peters and Kate Mara felt a bit tacked on at times and sometimes took attention away from the houses and balls in a distracting way.
Even though the show wasn't perfect, Pose is a must-see show for anyone in the LGBT community, anyone who is interested in the world of ballroom culture and 80s nostalgia. Even as someone not born in the 80s felt a pang of nostalgia for a time lost and a generation that fought so hard for a brighter tomorrow, yet died so young because of the system they were fighting. The show uses the 80s as a parallel to our current political, social, and pop cultural climate and uses Trump era luxury expansion and the rise of materialism to critique the current administration. The show also addresses transgender alienation from the LGBT community in a way that mirrors some attitudes today. All in all, I would highly recommend Pose, a stylish, entertaining show with heart.
Ugly Betty
(2006–2010)
Ahead of its Time
25 July 2018
Ugly Betty is one of my all-time favorite shows, the first season is still one of my favorite seasons, and in my opinion one of the best seasons of television ever produced. The way it blended telenovela sensibilities with the American sitcom was genius. I think the show is extremely underrated, by audiences and critics alike. The user score here is a testament to that, and while Ugly Betty might not be everyone's cup of tea it accomplished most of what it set out to do, and it did it well.
Although I think the first season and a half are excellent, near perfect television, the show floundered a bit in its third season, where a new locale and crew changed the tone and a post-writers strike group of writers took the series into new, and sometimes bizarre territory. I must say that Patricia Field taking over costumes from Eduardo Castro was extremely noticeable, and the quality was still high, but the show never matched its soap opera antics of its first season, instead it become a lighter family comedy with some dramatic elements thrown in, and it still worked.
The thing that amazes me every time I rewatch the show is how timeless it feels, how groundbreaking it was, and how it paved the way for so many shows, and originated so many trends. I don't think Ugly Betty truly gets enough credit for what it did, blending comedy, drama, heartfelt storylines with grittier elements, transgender storylines and gay youth representation, in a show centered on a Mexican-American family no less.
Today there are shows like Pose, where the cast is made up of mainly transwomen, shows like Jane the Virgin that feature telenovela storytelling mixed with comedy, and a noticeable trend in sitcoms to feature more long arc story structure and greater continuity, all while including some more dramatic elements. At the time of its release, Ugly Betty was a contemporary to The Office, 30 Rock, Glee and other mainstream sitcoms that kept the tone light and the stakes lower. Meanwhile, Ugly Betty wasn't afraid to feature surreal moments and serious stories about coming out, murder and alcoholism.
Ugly Betty will forever be one of my favorite shows. And although it's never gotten the credit it deserves, its influence lives on in the risks taken by the shows that came after it, and the people who were touched by it.
Although I think the first season and a half are excellent, near perfect television, the show floundered a bit in its third season, where a new locale and crew changed the tone and a post-writers strike group of writers took the series into new, and sometimes bizarre territory. I must say that Patricia Field taking over costumes from Eduardo Castro was extremely noticeable, and the quality was still high, but the show never matched its soap opera antics of its first season, instead it become a lighter family comedy with some dramatic elements thrown in, and it still worked.
The thing that amazes me every time I rewatch the show is how timeless it feels, how groundbreaking it was, and how it paved the way for so many shows, and originated so many trends. I don't think Ugly Betty truly gets enough credit for what it did, blending comedy, drama, heartfelt storylines with grittier elements, transgender storylines and gay youth representation, in a show centered on a Mexican-American family no less.
Today there are shows like Pose, where the cast is made up of mainly transwomen, shows like Jane the Virgin that feature telenovela storytelling mixed with comedy, and a noticeable trend in sitcoms to feature more long arc story structure and greater continuity, all while including some more dramatic elements. At the time of its release, Ugly Betty was a contemporary to The Office, 30 Rock, Glee and other mainstream sitcoms that kept the tone light and the stakes lower. Meanwhile, Ugly Betty wasn't afraid to feature surreal moments and serious stories about coming out, murder and alcoholism.
Ugly Betty will forever be one of my favorite shows. And although it's never gotten the credit it deserves, its influence lives on in the risks taken by the shows that came after it, and the people who were touched by it.
Happy!
(2017–2019)
Visceral, gripping, visually arresting and gritty
21 July 2018
Wow, I rarely am surprised by tv shows nowadays. As the quality of tv continues to increase, I think we all raise our expectations, but Happy! takes my expectations for the future of the television format and increases them even more. This show truly has to be seen to be believed. I don't know if words can do it justice, but I'll try.
Happy! follows Nick Sax (Christopher Meloni), a retired, down on his luck cop who becomes entangled in an odyssey, along with his daughter Hailey's (Bryce Lorenzo) imaginary friend, Happy (Patton Oswald) to save Hailey from an ever-thickening plot surrounding a group of missing children. This is the plot in the simplest of forms, it's far more far reaching and has many supernatural elements as well, but I'll stop talking about the plot because I feel it's best to go into the show knowing as little about the plot details as possible.
Happy! is based on the graphic novel of the same name by Grant Morrison, and Grant cowrote the pilot episode. The show, especially the pilot has a great graphic novel/comic book vibe that really differentiates it from other shows today, and really make the bizarre world more believable.
The show employs surreal scenarios and fantasy sequences as a means of progressing the plot, and in that way it's almost the darker more masculine yang to the yin of Claws, a dark comedy/drama that premiered in the fall of 2017 that features crime bosses and presents a world that is a clear replica of our own but is too exaggerated and off-kilter to really be our own reality.
In Happy! this idea is taken to its limits and even small details set its world apart from ours. One moment involves Bad Romance being someone's ringtone and the vocals are similar to, but clearly not Lady Gaga's. Whether this was due to licensing issues or a creative choice it really added to the tone of the show and the world building.
Happy! is very much the Lady Gaga or tv, a ostentatious and visual spectacle with real talent to back it up. I'm sure this show will become a neon-colored standout in the filmography of Christopher Meloni. Patton Oswald really brings a childlike innocence to the grim world he inhabits as Happy, and all around the quality is top notch.
One of the most impressive elements by far is how the show plays with the viewers expectations in a way that is almost Lynchian, the rug is constantly being pulled out from under you and every preconceived notion you have will eventually be flipped on its head. Happy! plays with what we've come to expect from television and turns it into something darker, more cinematic, more subversive in a world becoming more and more about conformity. Happy! is the perfect antidote for our normcore culture.
Happy! follows Nick Sax (Christopher Meloni), a retired, down on his luck cop who becomes entangled in an odyssey, along with his daughter Hailey's (Bryce Lorenzo) imaginary friend, Happy (Patton Oswald) to save Hailey from an ever-thickening plot surrounding a group of missing children. This is the plot in the simplest of forms, it's far more far reaching and has many supernatural elements as well, but I'll stop talking about the plot because I feel it's best to go into the show knowing as little about the plot details as possible.
Happy! is based on the graphic novel of the same name by Grant Morrison, and Grant cowrote the pilot episode. The show, especially the pilot has a great graphic novel/comic book vibe that really differentiates it from other shows today, and really make the bizarre world more believable.
The show employs surreal scenarios and fantasy sequences as a means of progressing the plot, and in that way it's almost the darker more masculine yang to the yin of Claws, a dark comedy/drama that premiered in the fall of 2017 that features crime bosses and presents a world that is a clear replica of our own but is too exaggerated and off-kilter to really be our own reality.
In Happy! this idea is taken to its limits and even small details set its world apart from ours. One moment involves Bad Romance being someone's ringtone and the vocals are similar to, but clearly not Lady Gaga's. Whether this was due to licensing issues or a creative choice it really added to the tone of the show and the world building.
Happy! is very much the Lady Gaga or tv, a ostentatious and visual spectacle with real talent to back it up. I'm sure this show will become a neon-colored standout in the filmography of Christopher Meloni. Patton Oswald really brings a childlike innocence to the grim world he inhabits as Happy, and all around the quality is top notch.
One of the most impressive elements by far is how the show plays with the viewers expectations in a way that is almost Lynchian, the rug is constantly being pulled out from under you and every preconceived notion you have will eventually be flipped on its head. Happy! plays with what we've come to expect from television and turns it into something darker, more cinematic, more subversive in a world becoming more and more about conformity. Happy! is the perfect antidote for our normcore culture.
Speechless
29 June 2018
Warning: Spoilers
Rupaul's Drag Race continues to become nothing but a shell of its former self. I was worried about the move from Logo to VH1 and unfortunately my worries were spot on. The season 9 finale was a refreshing twist, and I wasn't THAT bothered because I was rooting for Sasha Velour from the start, but after the All Stars 3 finale and the unabashed and unapologetic Rigga Morris that occurred, Drag Race is no longer a fun hour of television, it's an overproduced and sanitized look into Drag culture that's more about ratings and profit than showcasing any sort of talent of fairness.
The season 10 finale includes a double shantay during a lip sync for the crown finale that is super questionable and we're left with Kameron, Eureka and Aquaria as the top three of this season, the weakest top three the show has ever produced. All three of these queens bring nothing new to the winner's circle and it's shocking to see three very deserving black queens get screwed over in a row. It's to the point that I can't help but wonder what kind of producer shenanigans might be involved at this point. Although this finale was one of the worst, nothing will ever top the egregious All Stars 3 finale where Shangela was robbed of being a top two queen despite showing the most growth and winning the most lip syncs.
After this disappointing end to a disappointing season I don't know if I will be able to stomach another rigged season of Drag Race. With All Stars 3 and Season 10 the queen with the largest social media following got carried to the finale only to win based on finale "twists" and contrivances that undervalue the rest of the competition. It's clear Rupaul and VH1 are all about the business at this point and it's sucked the fun out of a once great reality show. After the transphobia from Ru and these messy VH1 seasons I'm honestly considering just quitting Drag Race, there's nothing it's doing that The Boulet Brother's Dragula isn't doing better.
The season 10 finale includes a double shantay during a lip sync for the crown finale that is super questionable and we're left with Kameron, Eureka and Aquaria as the top three of this season, the weakest top three the show has ever produced. All three of these queens bring nothing new to the winner's circle and it's shocking to see three very deserving black queens get screwed over in a row. It's to the point that I can't help but wonder what kind of producer shenanigans might be involved at this point. Although this finale was one of the worst, nothing will ever top the egregious All Stars 3 finale where Shangela was robbed of being a top two queen despite showing the most growth and winning the most lip syncs.
After this disappointing end to a disappointing season I don't know if I will be able to stomach another rigged season of Drag Race. With All Stars 3 and Season 10 the queen with the largest social media following got carried to the finale only to win based on finale "twists" and contrivances that undervalue the rest of the competition. It's clear Rupaul and VH1 are all about the business at this point and it's sucked the fun out of a once great reality show. After the transphobia from Ru and these messy VH1 seasons I'm honestly considering just quitting Drag Race, there's nothing it's doing that The Boulet Brother's Dragula isn't doing better.
Bao
(2018)
Sweet in Theory, but Ultimately Misguided Pixar Short
23 June 2018
Warning: Spoilers
I'm a bit befuddled at the praise Bao has received. I guess I'm in the minority in thinking that Pixar's blatant emotional manipulation has gotten a bit old. I don't think Bao will resonate with the average movie goer or children, in fact after the infamous dumpling eating scene many children in the theatre seemed frightened and adults could be heard laughing at the shocking decision. Bao is sweet in theory and the animation is top notch, but as is it's one of the weakest of the Pixar shorts, and didn't match the light and fun tone of Incredibles 2.
Incredibles 2
(2018)
Pixar's Best Sequel
19 June 2018
Yes, I said it. Toy Story stans can seethe. Incredibles 2 is by far the best sequel in Pixar history. After watching Finding Dory and Monsters University I was honestly a bit worried for The Incredibles followup. It had been so long since the original and many sequels made this long after the original end up being huge disappointments, and with a movie like The Incredibles, where it's near perfect and fondly remembered by so many, it's hard to truly live up to it.
The action set pieces were more thrilling than most live action superhero films and for once I felt as though characters in a superhero film use their powers to their full potential and when appropriate. Elastigirl and Jack Jack get the most visually inventive scenes and the bulk of Incredibles 2 action scenes and screen time. The use of Helen/Elastigirl makes for an interesting gender flipped version of the first Incredibles movie and in some ways she is a more interesting protagonist because she is more conflicted about her actions.
Although Incredibles 2 was amazing and a great way to reintroduce use to the rich world the initial Incredibles introduced us to, it is the lesser of the two, but both films have their strengths and weaknesses and Incredibles 2 relies more on the smaller character moments and comedy than the overarching story like the first movie.
The action set pieces were more thrilling than most live action superhero films and for once I felt as though characters in a superhero film use their powers to their full potential and when appropriate. Elastigirl and Jack Jack get the most visually inventive scenes and the bulk of Incredibles 2 action scenes and screen time. The use of Helen/Elastigirl makes for an interesting gender flipped version of the first Incredibles movie and in some ways she is a more interesting protagonist because she is more conflicted about her actions.
Although Incredibles 2 was amazing and a great way to reintroduce use to the rich world the initial Incredibles introduced us to, it is the lesser of the two, but both films have their strengths and weaknesses and Incredibles 2 relies more on the smaller character moments and comedy than the overarching story like the first movie.
Lady Gaga: Paparazzi
(2009 Music Video)
The Start of Something Iconic
6 April 2018
The year was 2009, and Lady Gaga had just burst on the scene. At the time, radio was awash with R&B, and stars like Britney Spears and Rihanna were dominating the radio. Katy Perry was making waves with her debut album, but nothing could compare to the cultural juggernaut that was Lady Gaga. Just Dance was a sleeper hit, and at the time many thought it would be a fluke, but Gaga followed it up with Poker Face, a genre-defining hit with a clever bisexuality metaphor.
While Poker Face showed that Gaga was going to be more than a one hit wonder, Paparazzi, and the music video and performances that went along with it proved that Gaga would be an enduring force in pop culture. No one at the time, at least in the mainstream was executing high concept music videos to this degree. Paparazzi set the stage for a new age of pop culture, where visuals mattered, fashion mattered and an avant garde sensibility was a must for any new pop star.
The film, and that's what this is, Gaga routinely defies the label of music video, and turns her video treatments into films, worlds with their own aesthetic and world building totally unique. Paparazzi turned out to be oddly prophetic as Gaga would wind up in a wheelchair in 2012, when a hip injury ended up being a major obstacle. Prophetic, poetic and a killer visual that is able to be endlessly analyzed.
While Poker Face showed that Gaga was going to be more than a one hit wonder, Paparazzi, and the music video and performances that went along with it proved that Gaga would be an enduring force in pop culture. No one at the time, at least in the mainstream was executing high concept music videos to this degree. Paparazzi set the stage for a new age of pop culture, where visuals mattered, fashion mattered and an avant garde sensibility was a must for any new pop star.
The film, and that's what this is, Gaga routinely defies the label of music video, and turns her video treatments into films, worlds with their own aesthetic and world building totally unique. Paparazzi turned out to be oddly prophetic as Gaga would wind up in a wheelchair in 2012, when a hip injury ended up being a major obstacle. Prophetic, poetic and a killer visual that is able to be endlessly analyzed.
Ready Player One
(2018)
A Love Letter To Pop Culture Best Left Unread
5 April 2018
Warning: Spoilers
Pop culture, like fashion tends to move in cycles. There are many cycles operating concurrently, but the thirty year cycle is one of the most well known. With the John Hughes inspired Love, Simon to the popularity of Stranger Things, current pop culture is harkening back to everything 80s. So to enlist Spielberg's help in bringing to life this movie makes sense, but Ready Player One seems more interested in dredging up nostalgia and pop culture trivia than actually telling a compelling story.
While reading through other reviews I spotted even more pop culture references that they caught that I happened to miss. The movie is so chock full of references and mentions of pop culture that if you were to remove even half of them the movie would probably be the equivalent of a short film. 80s nostalgia was ever present, but Ready Player One was ready to throw everything and the kitchen sink at you to try and pander to every possible demographic. From gamers to movie lovers to music aficionados.
Speaking of music, Ready Player One falls into the modern trap of using popular and well placed music to try and make up for a complete lack of character depth. It's quite like Suicide Squad in that way. I think Hollywood has recently been able to find ways to trick audiences into thinking a movie was actually worth it by using the soundtrack and visuals to make up for a lacking of everything else. Not only were musicians and songs mentioned, but so many obvious and outdated song choices were used.
I find it hard to believe that people living in the near future will have encyclopedic knowledge of pop culture that is already considered dated by many. If most 18 year olds now don't recognize 80s nostalgia, why would a gaggle of 18 year olds thirty years from now be so tuned in? Ever since Juno came out, filmmakers have really tried to turn teenagers into mini-adults who are inexplicably wise beyond their years, and it's become one of my biggest pet peeves. Stop. Just stop.
Not only were pop culture references and obvious song choices crammed in at every opportunity, but the movie itself feels bloated, never choosing an aesthetic of its own and just taking elements of superior films, like The Shining to mimic well. If the best part of your movie is a recreation of another movie, it's probably a bad sign. Not only was the plot underdeveloped, but it was ironically and simultaneously too busy. There were too many characters to focus on, and as a consequence they are caricatures. Everything, even down to the frames of the film itself are busy as can be.
In her series on YouTube discussing the Transformers series, Lindsay Ellis talks about why it's so hard to remember what happens in these Michael Bay movies, and it boils down to poor editing and emphasizing everything in the films to the point where the viewer is expected to pay attention to every scene as if it's super important. Ready Player One suffers from this, so many scenes are demanding your attention that by the time you get to the climax of the movie you're spent and unable to pay attention to what's going on, having just spent the last hour and a half noticing every inane detail.
Some details are amusing at first, but it felt insulting after the 277292723rd pop culture reference was thrown into the already jumbled mix. Ready Player One isn't a joyless movie, but it is an exhausting one. Fans of pop culture might appreciate this movie, but it's better to steer clear and just stick to the original incarnations, as Ready Player One will probably only be liked for its association to better things. After halfway through, I felt as though I'd been stuck on a rollercoaster that was at first fun, but I wanted to get off.
While reading through other reviews I spotted even more pop culture references that they caught that I happened to miss. The movie is so chock full of references and mentions of pop culture that if you were to remove even half of them the movie would probably be the equivalent of a short film. 80s nostalgia was ever present, but Ready Player One was ready to throw everything and the kitchen sink at you to try and pander to every possible demographic. From gamers to movie lovers to music aficionados.
Speaking of music, Ready Player One falls into the modern trap of using popular and well placed music to try and make up for a complete lack of character depth. It's quite like Suicide Squad in that way. I think Hollywood has recently been able to find ways to trick audiences into thinking a movie was actually worth it by using the soundtrack and visuals to make up for a lacking of everything else. Not only were musicians and songs mentioned, but so many obvious and outdated song choices were used.
I find it hard to believe that people living in the near future will have encyclopedic knowledge of pop culture that is already considered dated by many. If most 18 year olds now don't recognize 80s nostalgia, why would a gaggle of 18 year olds thirty years from now be so tuned in? Ever since Juno came out, filmmakers have really tried to turn teenagers into mini-adults who are inexplicably wise beyond their years, and it's become one of my biggest pet peeves. Stop. Just stop.
Not only were pop culture references and obvious song choices crammed in at every opportunity, but the movie itself feels bloated, never choosing an aesthetic of its own and just taking elements of superior films, like The Shining to mimic well. If the best part of your movie is a recreation of another movie, it's probably a bad sign. Not only was the plot underdeveloped, but it was ironically and simultaneously too busy. There were too many characters to focus on, and as a consequence they are caricatures. Everything, even down to the frames of the film itself are busy as can be.
In her series on YouTube discussing the Transformers series, Lindsay Ellis talks about why it's so hard to remember what happens in these Michael Bay movies, and it boils down to poor editing and emphasizing everything in the films to the point where the viewer is expected to pay attention to every scene as if it's super important. Ready Player One suffers from this, so many scenes are demanding your attention that by the time you get to the climax of the movie you're spent and unable to pay attention to what's going on, having just spent the last hour and a half noticing every inane detail.
Some details are amusing at first, but it felt insulting after the 277292723rd pop culture reference was thrown into the already jumbled mix. Ready Player One isn't a joyless movie, but it is an exhausting one. Fans of pop culture might appreciate this movie, but it's better to steer clear and just stick to the original incarnations, as Ready Player One will probably only be liked for its association to better things. After halfway through, I felt as though I'd been stuck on a rollercoaster that was at first fun, but I wanted to get off.
Love Beats Rhymes
(2017)
How Did RZA Make Azealia Banks Boring?
4 April 2018
Warning: Spoilers
I know this gets said a lot, but I really wanted to like this movie. I've been a fan of Azealia Banks since 212, in spite of any twitter turmoil or legal problems since then, I've always kept up with whatever projects she has on the horizon, even though few of them come to fruition. I'm actually surprised this movie got made due to the infamous boob biting case Azealia has been caught up in, as well as the Russel Crowe beef that RZA made very public statements about, but here it is, for better or worse.
I actually was excited to hear some original music from Azealia in this movie at the very least, and we barely get that. We get a fragment of a song, and a few verses here and there, but so much of this movie is focused on the poetry class Azealia's character, Coco Ford is enrolled in that it feels like RZA's hackneyed point that rap is poetry has been beaten into our heads about a dozen times before the film's conclusion.
Love Beats Rhymes consists of mostly scenes between Coco and Derek, who have a decent amount of chemistry, but aren't exactly the most interesting or engaging couple ever committed to film. I actually found the dynamic between Derek and Professor Dixon to be more dynamic and believable, but Jill Scott is pretty much stuck in the role of bitchy teacher who doesn't "get" Coco until the last twenty minutes of the movie when she actually becomes a character.
The storyline involving Coco's band takes a backseat to her romance with Professor Dixon's TA Derek and scenes with Mahlik, her ex and a member of her group who has no consistent characterization. With a runtime under two hours, Love Beats Rhymes feels like a slog to get through, and if I wasn't a fan of Azealia I would probably have quit watching it halfway through, although it does get better towards the end.
Azealia Banks was surprisingly a fairly good actress and stood out among more experienced actors, which shouldn't have surprised me because she talks a lot in interviews about trying to become an actress before becoming a rapper, but even her charisma and likability can't save this movie from its fate of being two hours and forty minutes too long and very on the nose with its messaging which has been delivered better and more concisely elsewhere.
I actually was excited to hear some original music from Azealia in this movie at the very least, and we barely get that. We get a fragment of a song, and a few verses here and there, but so much of this movie is focused on the poetry class Azealia's character, Coco Ford is enrolled in that it feels like RZA's hackneyed point that rap is poetry has been beaten into our heads about a dozen times before the film's conclusion.
Love Beats Rhymes consists of mostly scenes between Coco and Derek, who have a decent amount of chemistry, but aren't exactly the most interesting or engaging couple ever committed to film. I actually found the dynamic between Derek and Professor Dixon to be more dynamic and believable, but Jill Scott is pretty much stuck in the role of bitchy teacher who doesn't "get" Coco until the last twenty minutes of the movie when she actually becomes a character.
The storyline involving Coco's band takes a backseat to her romance with Professor Dixon's TA Derek and scenes with Mahlik, her ex and a member of her group who has no consistent characterization. With a runtime under two hours, Love Beats Rhymes feels like a slog to get through, and if I wasn't a fan of Azealia I would probably have quit watching it halfway through, although it does get better towards the end.
Azealia Banks was surprisingly a fairly good actress and stood out among more experienced actors, which shouldn't have surprised me because she talks a lot in interviews about trying to become an actress before becoming a rapper, but even her charisma and likability can't save this movie from its fate of being two hours and forty minutes too long and very on the nose with its messaging which has been delivered better and more concisely elsewhere.
The Open House
(2018)
Pointless and Scare-less
3 April 2018
Warning: Spoilers
"Mom. Have you ever thought about how, like, weird open houses are? I mean you give your keys to someone you hardly know, they stand in one room and welcome in a bunch of complete strangers, and those people just roam around the house. And the realtor doesn't check the house when it's done right, they just... turn the lights off and go?" If that quote doesn't scare you, then I doubt this will.
The Open House really has no plot. It's plot is thin, even for the horror genre. Right now the word coming to mind is "stupid" and "waste of time" when it comes to this movie, if you can even call it that. I'm labeling this as a spoiler review, even though I'm not sure exactly how you spoil this movie, because nothing really happens? The first three fourths of the movie is spent alternating between scenes of Dylan Minnette panting after finishing a run, Dylan Minnette listening to music on his computer, Dylan Minnette walking around the house and then showing his mom in the shower.
Obviously this movie was made cheaply because everything feels so insular, and only three or four characters seem to occupy the town where the mains have moved to. The killer isn't seen much until the last twenty minutes or so when he then kills a minor character, kills the mom character and then kills Dylan Minnette's character. All within twenty minutes! The garbage pacing makes it seem as though not a single thing happens for at least an hour. The fact that the killer is never shown doesn't add any real fear, and it basically makes the ending even more unsatisfying than it already is.
The two leads had no chemistry, and the necessity of showing the death of the dad is questionable at best, but I'm guessing was included to simply add to the runtime, which only clocks in at about an hour and a half. There's a saying that if you can't make a movie good, at least make it short, and I'm guessing that was the mantra of whoever was behind this.
The Open House really has no plot. It's plot is thin, even for the horror genre. Right now the word coming to mind is "stupid" and "waste of time" when it comes to this movie, if you can even call it that. I'm labeling this as a spoiler review, even though I'm not sure exactly how you spoil this movie, because nothing really happens? The first three fourths of the movie is spent alternating between scenes of Dylan Minnette panting after finishing a run, Dylan Minnette listening to music on his computer, Dylan Minnette walking around the house and then showing his mom in the shower.
Obviously this movie was made cheaply because everything feels so insular, and only three or four characters seem to occupy the town where the mains have moved to. The killer isn't seen much until the last twenty minutes or so when he then kills a minor character, kills the mom character and then kills Dylan Minnette's character. All within twenty minutes! The garbage pacing makes it seem as though not a single thing happens for at least an hour. The fact that the killer is never shown doesn't add any real fear, and it basically makes the ending even more unsatisfying than it already is.
The two leads had no chemistry, and the necessity of showing the death of the dad is questionable at best, but I'm guessing was included to simply add to the runtime, which only clocks in at about an hour and a half. There's a saying that if you can't make a movie good, at least make it short, and I'm guessing that was the mantra of whoever was behind this.
Black Panther
(2018)
Everything A Superhero Origin Story Should Be + More
2 April 2018
Warning: Spoilers
I'm a bit puzzled at the negative reviews floating to the top, but I'm guessing the superhero movie fatigue and racist tendencies of reviewers has something to do with it. Black Panther is everything you could want from a Superhero origin story, and sometimes more.
Black Panther forgoes the typical superhero origin format, and we begin with T'Challa primed and ready for the throne, which is refreshing because we don't have to see scene after scene of a superhero beginning to understand their powers and slowly coming into themselves, we get to cut to the best parts of his story, and essentially get into the action rather quickly.
Although some of the characters are a bit underdeveloped, namely W'Kabi who is unbelievable as T'Challa's lifelong friend and lover of Okoye, because we see so little of him, most of the characters are multidimensional and more fully realized than I've come to expect in MCU films. The first act of the movie sets up Andy Serkis as the main villain, but he's quickly dispatched of midway through the movie to make way for the more interesting Kilmonger. Kilmonger does have a cliche childhood trauma backstory, but is still leagues above the average action movie villain, which often ends up being a CGI monster or last minute obstacle for the protagonist to kill. The morality is surprisingly nuanced, and I found myself siding with Kilmonger for parts of the movie, and actually questioning the heroes motivations and methods, which makes for much more interesting storytelling.
The female characters actually get a chance to shine, and are just as compote to and important to the story as T'Challa. Okoye was the main standout, the leader of a group of generals who serve the throne of Wakanda, Okoye gets to have amazing action sequences and I would've almost liked to have her be the one to defeat Kilmonger as opposed to T'Challa, but I understand why from a storytelling perspective they went with a more conventional ending.
Nakia, is the love interest of T'Challa and actually sides with Kilmonger in some ways, and actually changes T'Challa's opinion by the end of the movie. Unlike most heterosexual romances in these kinds of films, I didn't find the relationship forced or gratuitous, and I liked that it was more of a small part of the story, and their friendship was the focus for the most part, as well as their ideological differences.
Shuri is another very well developed character, and is the Black Panther's younger sister who masterminded much of Wakanda's technology and the Black Panther suit itself. Shuri was not only extremely smart, but a great comic relief at times, although I felt her interactions with Martin Freeman's character got tired eventually, because it seemed like he was tacked on purely for exposition purposes and to give white people someone to relate to.
All in all I I thought Black Panther had great, if not overtly CGI action, and the costume and general set design was amazing, and probably the standout aspect for me. The aesthetic perfectly married futuristic sci-fi with tribal design, as well as an Art Deco sensibility reflected in the poster. Black Panther is one of the best superhero movies in recent years, another hit for Marvel with a touching message about not cutting yourself off from the rest of the world and sharing resources to boot.
Black Panther forgoes the typical superhero origin format, and we begin with T'Challa primed and ready for the throne, which is refreshing because we don't have to see scene after scene of a superhero beginning to understand their powers and slowly coming into themselves, we get to cut to the best parts of his story, and essentially get into the action rather quickly.
Although some of the characters are a bit underdeveloped, namely W'Kabi who is unbelievable as T'Challa's lifelong friend and lover of Okoye, because we see so little of him, most of the characters are multidimensional and more fully realized than I've come to expect in MCU films. The first act of the movie sets up Andy Serkis as the main villain, but he's quickly dispatched of midway through the movie to make way for the more interesting Kilmonger. Kilmonger does have a cliche childhood trauma backstory, but is still leagues above the average action movie villain, which often ends up being a CGI monster or last minute obstacle for the protagonist to kill. The morality is surprisingly nuanced, and I found myself siding with Kilmonger for parts of the movie, and actually questioning the heroes motivations and methods, which makes for much more interesting storytelling.
The female characters actually get a chance to shine, and are just as compote to and important to the story as T'Challa. Okoye was the main standout, the leader of a group of generals who serve the throne of Wakanda, Okoye gets to have amazing action sequences and I would've almost liked to have her be the one to defeat Kilmonger as opposed to T'Challa, but I understand why from a storytelling perspective they went with a more conventional ending.
Nakia, is the love interest of T'Challa and actually sides with Kilmonger in some ways, and actually changes T'Challa's opinion by the end of the movie. Unlike most heterosexual romances in these kinds of films, I didn't find the relationship forced or gratuitous, and I liked that it was more of a small part of the story, and their friendship was the focus for the most part, as well as their ideological differences.
Shuri is another very well developed character, and is the Black Panther's younger sister who masterminded much of Wakanda's technology and the Black Panther suit itself. Shuri was not only extremely smart, but a great comic relief at times, although I felt her interactions with Martin Freeman's character got tired eventually, because it seemed like he was tacked on purely for exposition purposes and to give white people someone to relate to.
All in all I I thought Black Panther had great, if not overtly CGI action, and the costume and general set design was amazing, and probably the standout aspect for me. The aesthetic perfectly married futuristic sci-fi with tribal design, as well as an Art Deco sensibility reflected in the poster. Black Panther is one of the best superhero movies in recent years, another hit for Marvel with a touching message about not cutting yourself off from the rest of the world and sharing resources to boot.
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