Month: November 2019

This is super good. Tony Hawk talks about skateboarding in various movies. His insight into the skateboarding and those involved in the stunts is fascinating.

Dollface

Jordan Weiss

Were you one of the lucky people to see the incredible television series Man Seeking Woman? If so, Dollface is for you. It has a similar surreal style of comedy that seamlessly works into the overall world and narrative of the story.

The series revolves around a recently single woman trying to reconnect with her girlfriends. I love the strong female cast. It is a perspective that is often overlooked in media. The actors have great chemistry. There is a diverse set of personalities on the screen, making it easy to relate. The humor is excellent, and I love that the show does not fall into expected tropes. The second to last episode of the season is also a spoof / homage to The Wizard of Oz. That gives bonus points to anything in my book.

I have no complaints about Dollface. I enjoyed the Hulu series from start to finish. Heather and I were laughing together at scenes, making it an even better viewing experience. The show is refreshing, relevant, and well done. If you like the series, and have not seen Man Seeking Woman, be sure to check that one out too.

Disney+ launched a week ago, and with it came a slew of reviews and hot takes from all over the internet. Is it worth the price? Will it be a Netflix killer? Can it bake the perfect loaf of bread? At this point, it feels like a mixed bag.

The Pros:

• Lots of classic Disney material and a decent selection of recent releases.
• Apps for most major hardware.
• 4K UHD content available for those who can take advantage.
• No ads.
• Great for kids and family content.

The Cons:

• Not a lot of new original content, and the stuff that is there is just okay.
• No watched indicator on already seen content.
• The add to watchlist button always shows + even when the content is already added.
• Some of the content listed is not even available now. Certain movies say that they will not be available until the end of 2020. It is misleading to have them listed in with all the content. Make a separate section for things coming soon (and not so soon).
• Some content is split into separate series instead of one show (i.e. Forky Has a Question and Spark Shorts).
• No rating system for better recommendations.
• No mature content.
• The bundled services are all separate apps instead of being incorporated all in one (e.g. channels in Amazon Video).

I am not someone who rewatches a lot of content, so Disney+ does not have a lot to offer me. The price is low enough where it does not matter though, so it will sit there and be sporadically used. I am excited for some of the upcoming original shows, but given how hollow The Mandalorian feels right now, I am leery of future offerings. I am frustrated by the little issues in the app, but am sure that will all be tweaked in time. If you have kids that want to watch the same stuff over and over, this is probably a no brainer. If you prefer binge watching shows and are looking for new content, then this is not the place to be. Netflix has a ton of great original content, and right now Disney+ cannot compete when it comes to my viewing preference and experience.

Doctor Sleep

Mike Flanagan

I should probably start out by saying that I am not the biggest fan of The Shining. I read the book and thought it was okay. I was let down by some of the over the top elements like the living hedges. I saw the Kubrick film as an adult, and felt it was too long and drawn out. The trailer for Doctor Sleep had me worried that it was going to throw a bunch of different elements together that would never click to form a cohesive story.

After watching it, I was pleasantly surprised. The disparate elements within the trailer made sense in the context of the whole movie. It never felt unbalanced or like wild ideas were being introduced out of place with everything else. Ewan McGregor is great in the leading role. His acting prowess helps to ground the movie, and his interactions with the various characters come off as authentic and meaningful. I enjoyed the antagonists way more than expected. Rose The Hat is a strong character, and her band of magic vampires are eclectic and intriguing.

I have seen several reviews talk about how the movie was too long or that it was boring. I never felt that way. I was engaged throughout the entire film. There were a few places that I was genuinely caught off guard by the direction of the plot. In fact, there were several times as I was watching that I thought to myself, “I cannot believe how much I am enjoying this.” The movie might not be for everyone, but in a happy turn of events, it is definitely a movie for me.

Jojo Rabbit

Taika Waititi

I had huge expectations for this movie, and sometimes that can lead to disappointing results. Fortunately, this movie was better than I had anticipated. It is hard to imagine how a studio came around to green lighting a movie like this, but I am glad FOX Searchlight did. Jojo Rabbit is funny, heartbreaking, uncomfortable, and necessary. Waititi is masterful both as director and writer, creating the anti-hate movie the world needs right now. Roman Griffin Davis is masterful as Jojo. They interplay of being a zealous Nazi youth and a young boy coming to terms with a world he has never fully understood is a wonder to watch. Waititi as Jojo’s imaginary friend, Hitler, is hilarious. And neither detracts from the other great performances of Thomasin McKenzie, Scarlett Johansson, Sam Rockwell, and the rest of the cast. I loved every moment of this film. I have no doubt it will be near the top of my favorite movies of the year. It is the kind of movie that makes you immediately want to go see it again. I hope it reaches the large audience that it deserves.

Shredders kill it. If you are into hip-hop and have not checked them out, do yourself a favor.