Reviews
Daisy Jones & the Six (2023)
Not bad for a show that has a totally unlikeable lead..
It's not bad. But probably could've been so much better if the leads had better voices, believable success stories and some sort of chemistry. Given the time period you expect phenomenal music, but given this is a streaming service show, that wasn't going to be feasible so what you end up with is folksy songs that are entirely forgettable and in no way could compete with bands that existed at the same time. Ok fine.
My biggest issue is with Daisy herself. She's completely unlikeable and devoid of any charm. I have no idea if that's how she was intended to be portrayed it, but if so kudos to Riley. Something tells me that wasn't the plan though which makes any success or relationships Daisy has tough to swallow. Riley did do a good job with the stage/concert scenes and even though she's not the best singer she gave it her all in that regard.
The rest of the characters kind of blend into the background with the exception of Camila. She added some much needed warmth to the series and definitely her character garnered some sympathy.
As for Billy, Sam did a fine job. He's clearly not a dynamic singer, songwriter or rock performer which is a shame because that's what this series needed. I found his relationship with Daisy completely unbelievable. That they'd hate or love each other. There was just nothing there. It all seemed forced.
Hopefully this series is just the 10 episodes. I wouldn't continue watching. Also, side note.. there's no excuse for the poor makeup. All the women looked like they were sweating through the whole series. Especially poor Simone who looked like someone bathed her in butter. Not sure what was going on there but it was noticeable and not in a good way.
Maid (2021)
Unbelieveable
Based on the reviews, I'm starting to think I watched a different series entirely. I did not find a single character or storyline in this show remotely believeable. To me, this seems like what Hollywood believes white trash or lower income to look like, but in reality if the main character and her boyfriend really were that down and out to live in a trailer they would NOT look like that. They'd be covered in tattoos, be strung out or worse. All the writers had to do was watch a few old episodes of Cops for research, but instead in order to make the subject of DV palatable, they chose shinier versions of the typical people that are victims of DV.
Also, ridiculous that the other women in the DV shelter would be that put together, one drove a Lexus for goodness sakes! She didn't have anyone else she could live with? Not likely. She also clearly was a Latin woman who had some street sense yet her ex was a typical white guy? Come on.
It also made zero sense that Alex was a maid to begin with. She clearly had a high school degree and worked bar/restaurant type jobs so why on earth would she settle for a maid job?
Alex as a character had zero personality and only very rarely did she get emotional or excited about any of the craziness (that she often caused) going on in her life. Her mother was the opposite and just so annoying. I struggled to understand why so much focus was put on her mother and her antics.
Overall, I see missed opportunities to tell a really compelling story due to Netflix and their instance on odd casting (no surprise the wealthy woman in the first episodes had to be black) to check diversity boxes and not paint stereotypes but to me it lacked realism and emotion.
Stutz (2022)
Simplistic Therapy in a Complicated World
This may not be a popular sentiment but to me while Dr. Stutz has an easiness and directness about him as far as his communication style and ability to simplify his message, overall his therapy isn't.. challenging? To me, it all sort of boils down to a "look on the bright side" approach to helping people out of their anxiety/depression. Giving vs receiving; don't give up, etc. From his sun above the clouds metaphor to his stick drawings, none of this seems like rocket science, but I think his delivery and way of communicating the message is the real art here.
The beauty of Dr Stutz' therapy style is that there are so many lost people in this world and especially in Hollywood who cannot see the forest for the trees that what he says and the way he says it comes across as deeply profound.
Now I understand that 90 minutes of a documentary does not encompass Dr. Stutz' entire arsenal of therapeutic skills, but I almost feel like Jonah Hill's obvious love and affection for this man who has morphed more into a father figure/mentor than therapist, took away from diving deeper into HOW his therapy tools really help others. Jonah Hill has been helped. That's obvious. But I still don't feel like I understand how. It can't just be from stick drawings and envisioning yourself giving love to others.. can it!?
After seeing this documentary I'm torn between wanting to know/see more from Dr. Stutz to figure out if there's something more profound there to just believing that maybe some people have a better ability/tools to resolve their own anxiety/depression than others.
This Is 40 (2012)
A horrible movie about horrible people
Some Judd Apatow movies are amazing.. but the ones that are bad seem to be rambling, pointless REALLY awful films.
Unfortunately This is 40 is the latter. Judd Apatow somehow was successful in making every character an overall awful human being. Even Paul Rudd! Which is just wrong! Leslie Mann seems to play the same character in every movie she's in.. a shrill, annoying, drama-filled shrew. Paul Rudd was the whipping boy who is just miserable throughout the movie. The kids scream constantly. You know it's a bad movie when Megan Fox is the only one that seems to be enjoying life and is fun to watch.
Skip this one.
White Hot: The Rise & Fall of Abercrombie & Fitch (2022)
Typical Netflix doc..
If you've seen one Netflix doc you've seen them all.. race baiting and "wokeness". Throwing in a handful of "diverse" ex-employees and customers who of course loved the brand BECAUSE it represented what they felt they were not, but then decided a decade or more later to be offended because it's all the trend. There was a bigger story there about the predatory nature of the photographer and CEO but of course that was given limited time in comparison to the whining about race.
Giving it 3 stars because I at least enjoyed the late 90's/early 2000's nostalgia and seeing in-shape models that weren't covered in tattoos or trans or with disabilities like all brands seems to shove down our throats nowadays.
Scotty and the Secret History of Hollywood (2017)
Fascinating but disturbing
I could tell early on in the documentary that this Scotty Bowers must've been abused at some point in his childhood to morally think that his "service" in the form of being a prostitute/pimp was acceptable and to just so willingly jump into it full-force.
Sure enough, about halfway through the film he recalls his childhood and it was full of child abuse and the worst of it.. he never considered himself abused and seemed to enable the abuse of other children. Sorry but this is really disturbing to hear and of course these experiences shaped his life and the lives of so many others. And while the documentary portrays this all in a acceptable almost congratulatory way I find it all very sad. Essentially Scotty's entire life amounted to being about sex and getting sex for others. It's not surprising Hollywood thinks this is great, especially gay Hollywood but ultimately it's all just very sad to me.
The Last Duel (2021)
Entertaining but blurs the lines of Medieval times and 21st Century
Overall a solid storyline with great acting by Matt Damon, Jodie Cormer and Adam Driver. While Ben Affleck's character is deplorable, his acting makes it more comical.. that seems more to do w/ Ben than the way the character was written. I appreciated the different views of the "true story" and the movie kept my attention to the end.
Also, kudos to the director for not buying into the forced diversity pressure so many other time-period movies nowadays force down our throats. Clearly there were no "of-color" Medieval knights and soldiers at that time, but I guarantee if Netflix made this film you'd see them! Definitely made the film more believable to see the casting reflect reality.
Dopesick (2021)
Casting mismatches but otherwise compelling
Overall I think this series was well-acted and I appreciate the amount of time and effort that they spent on all sides of this multi-faceted coin. That said, I think that Rosario Dawson's character was pretty irritating and the entire series could've been made without her story-line and been just fine. We get it.. you're a ball-buster. Who is married to a nerdy white guy with zero chemistry. But after episode 7 I found myself rooting against her!
I understand that it's virtually impossible to create a series nowadays without checking all the diversity boxes: 1) gay couple (even though it's the 90's in rural Virginia) 2) a sprinkling of interracial couples (as stated w/ zero chemistry and I dare say Peter Sarsgaard looked a little afraid of his "wife")
But in this case it was just a distraction because you couldn't help but focus on how mis-matched the couples were. I seriously wish if streaming services are going to shove diversity in stories where it's just not needed that they at least make it believeable.
The last criticism I have is that scrolling timeline that occurred in each episode. I found it less than helpful to have them jump around over 2 decades even though all of the esthetics and surrounding remain the same. It made it really hard to follow the actual timeline.
The Handmaid's Tale (2017)
Overall amazing, but they pick and choose the "horror"
Completely agree with the majority of the reviewers here.. Seasons 1-2 are amazing. But once the book ended, it's just Groundhogs Day of June's misery over and over. It's just enough already.
My biggest issue with the series as a whole as though the concepts are honestly quite far-fetched.. I realize some on here want to think it's not, but it really is. But even if you pretend a completely totalitarian society with only men in charge is feasible, I think it's MORE ridiculous to not even remotely suggest that racism wouldn't go hand-in-hand with the homophobia and hatred of women. I think overall that the writers of this series knew there would be no way they could have a predominately white cast so they ignored the biggest "horror" of today's society and made The Handmaid's Tale post-racial. Completely ridiculous and I think as a whole made the entire concept even harder to believe. You mean all of these white Commander wives would have no problem with a handmaid of color!? Come on.
Music Box: Woodstock 99: Peace, Love, and Rage (2021)
Woke narration but good footage
This documentary had potential. Lots of great footage but sadly no way to tie it all together. Instead they used "woke" narrators/reporters (many who weren't even there) to bash their perceived toxic 90's white male culture and put the blame on all Baby Boomers who they believe are just money hungry. No one is saying what happened during Woodstock '99 was good, not a big deal or should ever be repeated. But to not put ownership on the individuals is ridiculous. Girls chose (many of them) to get naked or flash guys, but yet zero accountability is suggested when they end up assaulted. Only one lone older white male promoter dares suggest even partial responsibility on the concert-goers.
All in all, if you can stomach the woke narration and having to see Moby onscreen, give it a watch. But you're not missing anything if you don't.
Barb & Star Go to Vista Del Mar (2021)
Not good.. but could've been!
I love Kristen Wiig.. and there were certainly moments I laughed. The Trish scene was really funny. But not enough good stuff to make this a tolerable movie. The stupid songs, talking animals and ridiculous Austin Powers-like villain made it just over the top stupid. And I'm actually embarrassed for Jamie Dornan. Had to be a $$ grab for him. It's a shame because the Barb and Star characters as a whole are hilarious! The movie plot was just horrid.
Halston (2021)
Excellent.. Halston a genius but not a good person
I really appreciate how well thought out and acted this series was. You truly received a window into Halston's genius, insecurities and depravity that was part of the 70's-80's as much as it was part of Halston himself. I loved that they showed Halston in all of his glory and ugly.. and there was clearly a lot of both. Ewan McGregor was absolutely excellent as Halston and deserves any Oscar buzz he might receive... the sex scenes alone were so well done on his part and couldn't have been easy to carry out. I know they weren't easy to watch. All of the acting was on point.
My Love: Six Stories of True Love (2021)
Love the concept, but execution a bit boring
I really wanted to love this as long-standing marriages are just so amazing and this series is definitely heartwarming. But I found it all a bit boring. Not sure each couple needed a full hour. Nati and Augusto were adorable.. but watching them tend to goats or shell almonds just was a bit mind-numbing. I found myself fast-forwarding quite a bit to get to more interesting parts. Also, just a pet peeve but one of the most interesting parts, the credits which had old pictures of each couple, would've been skipped if you weren't paying attention and let Netflix move you directly to the next episode.
Overall, this is a series that can be watched while you're multi-tasking.
Southern Charm (2013)
Great until this season
Loved this show until "wokeness" took over and now we have the obnoxious Leva to endure. And they clearly stuck Venita in there only to make it seem like the main characters didn't only hang out with white people. I'm ready for this show to be done.
Crack: Cocaine, Corruption & Conspiracy (2021)
Great footage but a documentary that constantly contradicts itself
A new documentary but same old angle and political agenda from Netflix. I give it a 3 because at least it had some good footage, but their message was a mess and you're left feeling like you didn't get the full story.. because you didn't!
They offer no opposing viewpoints and instead seek out to enable the rhetoric that every black drug user, dealer, criminal isn't really responsible for their own actions. Somehow it's this mass conspiracy by the US government.
They slam "stereotypes" but fail to show proof that they weren't actually true. For example, they say it was a lie that there was a crack baby epidemic, but then one of the "historians" they include in the documentary said it was "only 2-3% of the babies born that were addicted to crack". So 2-3% of what? Black babies only? The 80's? One year? Either way that seems like a hell of a lot of babies so she contradicts her own statement.
Then of course it's the nurses and social services fault for removing these children from crack addicts homes and supposedly "destroying families"? But on the other hand if they were to ignore the potential dangerous living environment for these babies, I'm sure they'd be blamed for not caring what happened to inner-city children.
Rap stars and movies included songs and scenes about "crack mothers" but per another "historian" that's just them falling in like w/ the cultural indictment being spewed during that time. I'm pretty sure most of the those rappers grew up in those communities and saw first hand what was going on and were speaking from experience. They aren't going to rap about it just because Dan Rather is discussing crack mothers on the nightly news. Nevermind that all of the old footage and ex-drug user interviews shown in the documentary features... crack mothers!
I've never seen a documentary that contradicted itself so much. Watch for the footage but like all Netflix documentaries, question the message and political angle.
Dracula (2020)
Better than expected minus the forced diversity
Based on others reviews I went in with low expectations but I have to say I was pleasantly surprised and thoroughly entertained throughout each episode.
I loved the Agatha/Zoe character and thought they did a nice job with tying up the series in 3 episodes.
My biggest issue (and this isn't unique to this series) but seems to be a rampant problem in today's "woke" world is the forced diversity in the first and second episodes. I don't think you have to be a historian to know that blacks, Indians and whites weren't all hanging out together in the late 1800's. So to suggest that everyone would be chummy on a ship together much less the fact that I doubt minorities would have even been ALLOWED on the ship is such a distraction to the story.
We get everyone wants to rewrite history to be more inclusive but filmmakers you insult people's intelligence when you have a dramatic period piece and then sprinkle in the right amount of "color" to make yourselves feel better. Just stop.
Urban Cowboy (1980)
Guilty pleasure
This is absolutely one of my guilty pleasure movies that I can (and do) watch over and over. Not only because of the "cowboy lifestyle" it portrays but because of the time period it's set (early 80's), the music and the actors themselves. I love that it's a movie where you can imagine the characters actually exist in real life even though it may be so different from your own experiences. Love it!!
Home Game (2020)
Fascinating but disturbing
I'll be honest. Watching this made me grateful to not live in any of the countries that these sports were showcased. Not only because in some cases you just felt horrible for those that had animals involved but because many of these countries just are so poor and dirty. Except of course Scotland. Still found the series interesting and well-made and glad I watched.
Uncut Gems (2019)
Sandler tried hard, but film still a mess
As other reviewers stated, Adam Sandler brought it with his acting but it's not enough to make this collage of scenes and weird background music into a decent film. I'm glad I watched it until the end as it bumped from a 3 to a 4 for me, but it still isn't worth a second watch. All of it was so far fetched, from Sandler fighting The Wknd to Kevin Garnett as a major character this movie made zero sense.
Jerry Seinfeld: 23 Hours to Kill (2020)
Not Interesting..
At all. And so disappointed as he's been one of the masters at making "nothing" interesting AND funny at the same time. Was a huge fan of his TV show and think he's great when interviewing/chatting with other comics. But this was just... bad. Sooo much complaining and he's just becoming a curmudgeon. And unfortunately not in a funny way.
The Bridges of Madison County (1995)
Missed watching this in the 90's...
And always wanted too. But now that I did I was really disappointed and just not buying this love story. I'm not sure why... acting was great. Just couldn't imagine them together. I also got the feeling that Francesca was so love starved/bored she probably could've fell in love with anyone. On the other side I had a hard time believing that Robert would find Francesca as remarkable and unique as he apparently did. What was the attraction of him to her? Even outside of looks. Ehhh. It's definitely not The Notebook.
The Good Shepherd (2006)
WASP heaven
I love this movie. WASP influence may have lessened over the past 3 decades but it doesn't change how it shaped the United States of America and enabled its success. Good, bad and ugly. This movie shows the expense paid for America's influence but it doesn't come off as frivolous or unnecessary. If anything it makes a me appreciate the sacrifices of "America first".