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ChunderY
Reviews
Bo Burnham: Inside (2021)
Not the typical Bo Burnham special
It's hard to explain what this is. I guess you could say it follows on from the breakdown at the end of "make happy", and adds the whole trapped in a house pandemic to the mix.
It has "funny" moments, but it's a much darker comedy than previous specials. If it wasn't for the really well done lighting / set you'd almost think he was just riffing in a room slowly going (more) insane.
With all that said, I thought it was great, very well done, I enjoyed the dark comedy aspect. I don't even know if I should be worried for Bo's mental health or if it was all part of the show, I'm going to assume the latter.
Anyway, if you go into it expecting big laughs with a bit of dark like previous shows, you'll come out wanting. It's more like big dark parts with a bit of laughs.
This Is Us (2016)
Timeless show, that decided to smack 2020 right in your face for Season 5
Honestly, big fan of the show, and hoping Season 5 improves, but it has done the lazy trend every other show seems to be doing by smacking COVID/Black Lives Matter/politics into the mix out of nowhere.
Season 4 ends on a cliffhanger, with a couple of people mid conversation (leaving out names to avoid spoilers). Season 5 continues that conversation, but all of a sudden those people who did not know anything about COVID 30 seconds before hand, relative to show time, are talking about COVIDs effect on the world. An unmasked fight happened outside, but now shortly after we're having a virtual mask wearing hug because COVID.
"This Is Us" felt timeless, it bounces around between the past, the "present" relative to the show, and the future. I get some important things are happening in the world, but can't we leave something to escape thinking about it? Do we really need to inject a bunch of politics/pandemics/etc. into shows that were never really "now" or "in the real world"?
Do not take this as commentary on COVID/BLM/politics, they are all important things to talk about and action. I just do not think fictional dramas are the place for using them as main story points.
Pretty disappointed to be honest.
EDIT: I thought it was worthwhile to come back and say that I jumped the gun a bit. Season 5 Episode 1 was definitely a bit "in your face" with COVID/BLM and it was lazily plonked in the middle of storylines that were happening last season before any of this existed. The rest of Season 5 has eased way back, and while COVID/BLM are an ongoing story to some extent, it's more background noise than in your face.
Aunty Donna's Big Ol' House of Fun (2020)
Humour will definitely not be everyones cup of kombucha
But as a fan of their YouTube content, I loved it. It's pretty much a skit show with a thinly veiled story to keep the episodes flowing.
I was concerned it would lose its touch going from YouTube videos to a funded show, but it's just as good if not better. Even the cameos did not feel out of place.
It kind of has "Don't Hug Me I'm Scared" vibes that I never really picked up from the YouTube content.
I would not be surprised if this ends up with a mix of 1's and 10's and not much in between.
Black Panther (2018)
Forgettable
This movie kind of throws you into some world where some African village at some point found some kind of magic metal that can do anything and everything (read: plot device) and is now some secret technologically advanced city.
Short of knowing the name, and hearing people raving about it I went in knowing nothing about Black Panther. I don't know if I would have enjoyed it more if I knew more of the backstory before hand.
There was no real character development, short of the bad guy, and even then it's just a basic back story to explain why he's bad. The action wasn't really exciting. The CGI was pretty bad given the year and the money behind this.
Maybe I've been spoiled by the trend of super hero movies kind of making fun of themselves and being partially comedies, but I found this boring and completely forgettable.
It's not a movie I could ever see myself watching again, while most other recent Marvel movies I'd happily watch again. I was ready to give up 30 minutes in, but with the hype I assumed it would get better. It did not.
The Man from Earth: Holocene (2017)
Let the mystery be
I was pretty excited about this movie coming out, which may have amplified the disappointment. In retrospect I'm not sure what I expected. I enjoyed the semi open ended ending to the original "The Man from Earth", and as expected this kind of spat on that.
Holocene follows John 10 years post the original movie, where he's set up a new life in a new location with a new name, and is showing signs of itching to leave again.
Some of his new students accidentally discover he might be immortal, and set off to find out if he is or not. It primarily follows the students, and looks into Johns worries about his immortality possibly wearing off.
It came with all of the negatives of the original with none of the wonder.
The acting was average as was the production. It had none of the feel of the original movie, and just became a tacky story about an immortal guy dealing with people discovering him.
I mean it even had a post initial credits scene with an FBI agent looking for John.
It really feels like this should have been a spin off TV show or something, so you could at least excuse the major feel change with hopes that it'll get better.
I think I'd rather a remake of the original with good actors and a better camera than continuing the way this is going. Do not trust the current rating.
It Comes at Night (2017)
Suspense with no relief
I went into the movie with no background, just saw the title, the rating, the genre, and thought it was worth a watch.
I think this helped. It kept the suspense up until the very last minute, but then disappointment sunk in.
As every other review has said, nothing comes at night. The title itself is, in my opinion, to keep the suspense up as you're waiting for the thing that never arrives.
It's alright as a mind game movie I guess. Although if you read these reviews it'll probably all be lost on you, because you know the title is frivolous.
Anyway, 4/10 because it kept the suspense up, but feel like it was a waste of time in the end. I wish they at least explored the characters a bit deeper. I mean Wills "my brother did this" "I'm an only child.. oh I mean.. my brother.. is my wives brother.. because we're close" was obviously leading you to think Will was dodgy, but they never touched anywhere near that ever again.
I'm pretty sure the whole point of the movie was to build up suspense. They definitely achieved that, but never getting any kind of relief isn't my cup of tea.