P-Sibencus Reviews

Armageddon Time (2022)

Cinematic brilliance: sufficiently deep while thoroughly entertaining

[10/10 · 25 May 2023]

Acting on all counts is superb. The lead kid is amazing (and I'm someone who finds the majority of today's child actors to be mostly talentless and irritating). A beautiful depiction of a friendship that defies societal expectations and endures. And speaking of norms, convention, socio-economic status: the final scene is a superb illustration of those critical fork-in-the-road moments where you either walk away or sell out. The two kids have this insight early on and are not merely little rebel punks acting out. They can see through the bull of what school, family, and society are trying to push down their throats. The only good advice came from Grandpa Hopkins!

Chef's Table: Pizza (2022– )

Now THIS is cinematic and production excellence in documentary form

[10/10 · 21 January 2023]

Finally!! With the boom that the last decade has seen in the culinary arts coming to the forefront of television and entertainment, and just exposure in general, this is a truly SUPERB production. The first three episodes evoke so much raw emotion - the passion that drives these chefs (often bordering on varying degrees of insanity) is simply breathtaking. Diving deep into these chefs' stories, shedding light on how they're wired and how their genius has been developed over time and at what cost. The level of sheer focus (obsession) is beyond inspiring. And most episodes I've seen always touch on the importance of doing things differently today - with a focus on sustainability, quality, and local sourcing of food items and ingredients.

A food documentary in which I bawl my face off?!? (Chris Bianco) Very memorable.

The Midnight Gospel (2020)

Decent messages juxtaposed with ridiculousness

[1/10 · 20 January 2023]

(Watched the first two episodes) The messages and content of the conversations in this show definitely have substance and poignancy. Most of the content resonates with me, having always been a introspective person and having gone on neverending deep dives into my own consciousness and spirituality. Though it's pretty basic from an existential standpoint, for anyone who thinks remotely "deeply". The messages presented in the show are suitable to any reflective, critical thinker - those who either do or do not dabble in psychedelia. They're also not presented in a pretentious manner - they're put in very accessible terms. Ie, regardless of one's experience or lack thereof.

My issue is the MODE OF DELIVERY for the content of the podcasts. I tolerated the first episode with the intention of having a completely open mind, though failing to understand the choice in juxtaposition of peace-promoting spiritual and philosophical concepts, against - whatever THAT was. Furthermore, the first episode did have somewhat of a theme (zombie apocalypse, some references to vaccines) and did provide a few laughs (Glasses Man). So I decided to remain patient and attempt to decipher meaning from this seemingly outrageous combo.

With the second episode, which also had a few decent nuggets of wisdom, I suffered through the grotesque imagery that really seemed to lack any coherent theme (other than disintegration? Destruction and re-amalgamation??), being repulsed on a visceral level, yet enduring it because once again, the messages were solid. I mean, the clowns? They've chosen precisely the most terrifying and haunting macabre visuals, presented in cartoon form, which enhances the creepy factor even further. And why the violence and gore? Is it meant to be avant-garde art in the juxtaposition alone?

After analyzing both episodes, I had a small epiphany that I was over-complicating the whole thing and trying to derive meaning from something that was actually born of a much simpler and less-altruistic-than-I-had-thought motive: to attract a larger audience (in this particular case, extreme stoners or people who enjoy seriously weird stuff) to listen to and stay engaged with the content of what the podcasts were putting forth. Really?! Sometimes, things are just as they appear. You're taking intelligent, wholesome messages and perverting them to a point where you're distorting the entire project.

Would you attend your own wedding in BDSM or porn star attire? No, because you'd be ridiculing the significance of what you're doing and the pure intention you're setting. Juxtaposition and irony are great in select contexts. But if you can't keep anything sacred, what's the point?

I try to keep my mind incredibly open. But then garbage like this reinforces my underlying fears that these people are a new breed of hipsters, only not quite so benign and cutely annoying - they're contributing the total erosion of morality in society that is so evident today, particularly in pop culture and the entertainment industry.

The Lighthouse (I) (2019)

Let's just be honest here

[7/10 · 24 December 2019]

This is precisely the type of film that will garner equal amounts of unbridled praise by the arthouse diehards, as well as criticism (and likely rejection) from a lot of other viewers. My opinion lies somewhere in the middle. I give it 6 stars for the undeniably outstanding acting (obviously, Dafoe)... and Pattinson is very impressive. Something new, yes. Effective at mood-setting, check. The b&w filming, the shots, the scenery itself... even the set, the old dilapidated coastal shack, all excellent. The dynamic between the two characters is raw and real. Is it a thought-provoking free-fall into insanity? Maybe. But... there is a such a fine line between "arthouse", trying something different, leaving much up to subjectivity and imagination, and... just trying a bit too hard. Mermaid labia? Hmmm. But, if part of the definition of a cinematic "success" is evoking emotion, then mission accomplished. Total despair, pity, fear, disgust, and a general feeling of creepery, all there.