annebouscal Reviews

The American Society of Magical Negroes (2024)

Extremely clever satire

[8/10 · 3 April 2024]

I don't write many reviews because by the time I watch a film, someone else has already said it better. However, it is evident to me that many IMDB reviewers just don't understand the nature of satire.

According to the Ig Nobel Society, satire is meant to "first make people laugh, and then make them think".

The American Society of Magical Negroes (ASMN) did exactly that for me. In a culture where citizens rely on anonymous posts from social media for their world views, Magical Negroes showed how shallow those platforms really are. Far from trying to help their audiences with health, political, and world news, social media owners are interested only in their own agendas and bottom lines.

We've all heard about the talks Black parents need to have with their children once they're old enough to venture into the world on their own. If you haven't heard, check your privilege.

Similarly, in this film, the onus is on Black "magicians" to make White people feel "comfortable" around people of color. ASMN makes its point with strong characters and deft writing.

As a white woman heading into her 8th decade, I enjoyed the film's magical moments. The all-too-familiar and tiresome office politics eventually revealed their basis in privilege, sexism, and racism, but at least one character experienced a moment of redemption with the words, "I didn't know."

Best watched with an open mind, a healthy dose of curiousity, and a playful spirit.

Sight Unseen (2024– )

Give it a chance past epsisode4

[8/10 · 11 March 2024]

It's unfortunate that the people who panned this series didn't watch past episode 1. I agree that the premise required a credibility stretch, but I think that the producers and writers have done a superb job of laying the groundwork to make the pieces come together. I just watched episode 4.

Rather than a police procedural, the story is more about how individuals and those around them shouldn't set themselves up for failure because of perceived limitations. The protagonist learns to take risks with her relationships, her job, and her life which show her true strengths, limitations, and a way forward. She also realizes she can't do it alone or the same way she did things before.

The lead has sight limitations and the series has a low sight consultant to ensure vision loss is depicted accurately. For those who think they have a handle on how a person who has lost their sight should walk and move, remember that the character has a degenerative condition and has been adapting since the symptoms began just like a person with a broken leg or one who is losing hearing adapts.

Beacon 23 (2023– )

Liking it

[8/10 · 22 December 2023]

Not sure why all the terrible reviews. It's a sci-fi mystery. We don't know anything about the lead characters, their location, their purpose, or their respective affiliations when the series opens. I couldn't wait to learn more about them. I've only watched the first two episodes, but I'm definitely hooked on the series and the protagonists.

As even the haters noted, the actors are very solid. They portray credible individuals experiencing a range of emotions. I like the droid and AI with their blend of human emotion and machine logic. I'm looking forward to the rest of the series. I'd say give it a chance and decide for yourself.

Plan B (2023– )

Once a control freak . . .

[8/10 · 11 April 2023]

Much better drama than other reviews might suggest. Very clever concept. Although the series does include time travel, I wouldn't call it science fiction.

Like many people who grow up in dysfunctional families, Philip (Patrick J. Adams) is a perfectionist who is willing to invest inordinate amounts of time and energy to create the "perfect" life. As life unfolds in its messiness, he tries to control more and more things including his career, the woman he professes to love (Evelyn played by Karine Vanasse), his business partner, and the troubled relationships he has with his brother and mother, all the while baffled that his efforts aren't appreciated by others. He blames everyone else.

He repeatedly tries to repair the damage he has caused by creating even more "perfect" lives, thereby alienating Evelyn and destroying his relationships. In the final episode, when the unthinkable happens, it appears that he has finally learned his lesson by performing an unselfish act. Or not.

The Witcher: Blood Origin (2022)

Loads of entertainment value

[8/10 · 31 December 2022]

I really enjoyed this too-short fantasy series. It has likeable characters, and in just 4 hours tells an engaging tale of the usual fantasy characters-- evil villains, heroes, elves, dwarves, and monsters who came a thousand years before the Witcher.

It's hard for me to understand some of the low ratings and very poor reviews. My only complaint was that is should have been at least two episodes longer.

I liked the opening scenes with bard Javier who is challenged by an unknown elf to tell the story of all who came before the Witcher.

Very professional cast who came together right away, likely a testament to the director and writing. Don't worry about 'Witcher' in the title. Just sit back and enjoy it on its own merits.

Heart of the Gun (2021)

Terrific concept...

[7/10 · 14 December 2022]

... but the film's plot is a tad contrived. It's an interesting idea, but some one-dimensional characters with single-minded purpose didn't help. It's slow-paced and the viewer has to pay attention. Mainly good acting and cinematography.

I liked watching it unfold, particularly the interaction between the two leads as they figuratively and literally feel each other out. They're both looking for something they've lost, but the subjects of their respective losses get buried in the bitterness and hurt that have become their raisons d'être.

I always enjoy strong female leads, and even some of the supporting characters showed courage. Due to the bread crumbs left along the way, the ending is not really surprising.

There is casual racism, apparently reflective of the time, and the lone Apache has stilted dialog.

I'd watch it again.

Harry & Meghan (2022)

Better than the ratings suggest

[8/10 · 11 December 2022]

Just finished the 6th episode and really enjoyed it. I don't get all all the low ratings, dismal reviews and outright hate in some cases from people who apparently didn't watch the series.

As some of the couple's friends and media insiders point out, hate has become an industry on its own which generates revenue as clickbait. A small group of individuals who control multiple user accounts are responsible for the majority of hate being spread online. Reading the negative reviews on this site shows that their influence is huge.

The couple come across as intelligent, caring, likeable, and honest. The program is professionally produced in documentary style, but the feel is quite relaxed. As well as first-person accounts, friends, colleagues, and royal watchers appear on camera to add context and depth. Harry and Meghan clearly inspire much loyalty in their supporters including Tyler Perry who provided them with a secure place to live.

We get to see lots of candid photos of the couple as well as media and official footage of them with family in official events. Regardless of how a person feels about the British royal family or Harry and Meghan, the program is definitely worth a watch to see another perspective.

An Amish Sin (2022 TV Movie)

Powerful film with credible characterizations

[9/10 · 25 November 2022]

Based on true experiences of Amish and Mennonite survivors of abuse, it paints a disturbing image of how complicit entire communities can be in victim-blaming and perpetuating a cycle of exploitation. The film title is a little misleading because the eponymous sin knows no religious or socio-economic boundaries.

The film opens with a still montage and the only sound a male voice seemingly soothing a child, It continues long enough for the viewer to glimpse the chilling reality of what the person attached to that voice is doing

All the characters are spot on and well-portrayed by the cast from the naive protagonist to the pious bishop to the stern parents with their misguided beliefs in who is the source of their daughter's problem.

Definitely worth a watch.

The Brave Ones (2022– )

Deserves a Second Season

[8/10 · 30 October 2022]

It's great to see a fantasy that draws on people and culture from South Africa instead of DC, Marvel, Star Wars, or video game. It's not that there's anything wrong with those, it's just that the formulas and over-the-top effects are don't improve the final product. I enjoyed watching the Brave Ones during the course of some days rather than just binging it.

I wish the episodes had been longer than the 35 minutes or so which were allotted so that the characters could develop a little more depth. Solid acting with credible emotional content. Although not totally original, the mythological backdrop was a pleasant change from the more classical mythology I studied in school and which keeps the formula fantasy blockbusters in production.

I hope the show is picked up for a second season, and not just to resolve the surprise ending.

Breaking (2022)

Astonishingly good film

[9/10 · 26 October 2022]

Great script and powerful acting. Brian Brown-Easly was just one of many veterans who wait for bureaucratic wheels to turn slowly. The system has failed them and many others.

The slow pace was initially discouraging, but once I went with it, I experienced more of the subtle nuances of who the protagonist was, how he got to this point, and what was important to him.

It's appalling that law enforcement from several jurisdictions with advanced weaponry was so quickly put in place. It was clear that there would be no peaceful resolution of this situation-- snipers were at the ready even before the negotiator arrived on the scene when all the while various individuals were all telling Brian that he would be safe. The police department head honcho decided how it would go regardless of what the facts and witness' statements showed.

I wonder what the cost of all the firepower was, and how it compared to the $892 the government owed this vet.

Skymed (2022– )

Lots of good elements,

[6/10 · 11 August 2022]

But feeble writing. I had high hopes for this series-- Canadian production set in the North with many First Nations actors. It touches only lightly on some really important issues, and the interpersonal drama is sophomoric. I'd like to see the characters and their relationships with more depth than just a series of hook-ups.

Why are community people just background who seem to just mill around for the most part. Living where they do, there should be issues with water quality, costs of goods and services, and fuel. The corporate politics are right, but the investigations seem pretty feeble. I'm only at episode 5, so perhaps I'll have reason to improve my rating in a few more issues.

The Porter (2022)

Riveting series and production

[10/10 · 6 May 2022]

Binge-watch worthy.

Set mainly in Montreal, the script features racially and economically disenfranchised individuals who try to wrest control of their lives in ways that are inconsistent with the norms of their society. The story is strongly written from the historically-accurate perspective of Black porters on Canadian and American trans-continental railroad sleeper cars. The series portrays the porters' innovative efforts to survive in soul-numbing times when their best available legal employment systemically undermines their human and financial worth.

Stellar acting and direction shockingly convey the casual racism, misogyny, and class stratification prevalent in the society of the time, even among politicians and the genteel. Powerful portrayals of men and women who should be beaten by the system engage viewers into hoping for better outcomes for multiple protagonists. Realistically, not all of society's ills can be repaired by a few good souls, or even financially-improved in less licit ways. Perhaps Season 2 will lead to better lives for some characters.

Dodger (2022– )

Likeable characters

[7/10 · 21 February 2022]

I'm baffled by the negative commentary and low ratings. It's definitely something a family could watch together.

I've watched two episodes (just getting set for the third) and am happily enjoying it. It was a long time ago that I read Oliver Twist so I'm in no position to comment about how faithful this series is to that portion of the novel. However, I am enjoying seeing the story through childrens eyes, particularly The Dodger, aka Jack Dawkins.

I only wish my adult grandchildren were much younger so we could watch it together and use this program to launch a conversation about what the world was truly like for children in Dickens' era.

Last Call in the Dog House (2021)

Think Cheers! meets Jesus Christ Superstar but no singing

[9/10 · 17 August 2021]

There is a bar which has the world's longest last call, but apparently only those in need of love and redemption can find their way in.

It's allegorical so viewers need to pay very close attention. The names of the bar's owners are symbolic so a little knowledge of anagrams and the Bible helps to understand their roles.

I will definitely watch it again.

Beckett (2021)

At least 30 minutes too long

[5/10 · 16 August 2021]

There was an original idea buried in this poorly-directed film. It's too bad that the producer/director/ writer didn't have the courage to let a professional edit his script before beginning production. A tighter script wouldn't have suffered so badly from the poorly-paced direction. No actor could pull this film together.

Lovely scenery.

Hungry Ghosts (2020– )

The past may haunt us...

[8/10 · 16 December 2020]

... but it needn't define us.

Beautifully produced and written. The film introduces us to Vietnamese traditions, including the Hungry Ghost Festival, as experienced through first and second generation immigrants to Australia. The film relies on the relationships amongst the generations to tell its story.

Although there are ghosts and damned souls, I would call it a morality play rather than a spooky story. Young people, overwhelmed by war, homelessness, poverty, and near starvation made expedient decisions. Decades later, those decisions still haunt them, but with the benefit of time, love, and maturity, they may learn to forgive themselves and others.

Tribal (I) (2020–2022)

Looking forward to more

[8/10 · 28 September 2020]

Just watched the first season. Excellent casting with intriguing characters who don't fit into neat stereotypes. From a viewer's perspective, the characters and their interactions are more engaging than simply solving the crimes, but there's enough action and suspense to move things along. Lots of beautiful cinematography and footage of my home town. Looking forward to season 2.