If you watch it to the end it actually has a really satisfying payoff to the mystery that is set up really well. That's rare in mystery movies and tv series. Credit to the writers. Even if you skip an ep that doesn't interest you the final ep isn't to be missed.
Reviews
6 Reviews
Hamilton
(2020)
How do I justify a 3 Star Rating?
6 July 2020
Warning: Spoilers
I feel these criticisms are not trivial, they are musical/storytelling/songwriting fundamentals
1. With very few exceptions, the songs that aren't just rapping have very little melody. It's almost like if you gave someone a page of dialogue and said "instead of saying this, make it into a song on the spot". It really often feels like there's that little planning put into the melody structure. Contrast that with the music in The Book of Mormon, where nearly every song is an earworm, and incredibly well written.
2. Add to that the lyrics themselves, same thing. If you told me the show was improvised on the spot (Which is exactly what Lin did with his group Freestyle Love Supreme) then I could be impressed. But it's not. Lin had time to pre-write this. They're so basic, and repeat SO much. I can't believe the quality of writing choruses like "I want to be in the room where it happened, the room where it happened, the room where it happened". Look at the lyrics to The Story of Tonight: I may not live to see our glory I may not live to see our glory But I will gladly join the fight But I will gladly join the fight And when our children tell our story And when our children tell our story They'll tell the story of tonight Let's have another round tonight Let's have another round tonight Let's have another round tonight Raise a glass to freedom Something they can never take away No matter what they tell you Raise a glass to the four of us Tomorrow there'll be more of us Telling the story of tonight They'll tell the story of tonight Raise a glass to freedom Something they can never take away No matter what they tell you Let's have another round tonight Raise a glass to the four of us Tomorrow there'll be more of us Telling the story of tonight Let's have another round tonight They'll tell the story of tonight Raise a glass to freedom They'll tell the story of tonight Raise a glass to freedom They'll tell the story of tonight They'll tell the story of tonight
They just repeat themselves so much, it's so hard to stay engaged with lyrics like this. You find this throughout the show.
3. In Lin you have a man you cannot sing surrounded by phenomenal Broadway singers and it is jarring. If he wanted to put the quality of his play first he wouldn't have taken the lead role.
4. This is a story that is complex, covering numerous historical figures, events, policies, court cases, places and dates. And you choose to rap it? It makes it incredibly difficult to catch all of the information they're firing off. I didn't want to but I ended up having to keep the subtitles on.
5. Finally, in my opinion, even if this wasn't rap or even a musical, just scenes, I don't feel like it was a cohesive, well paced or structured story/choice of scenes to represent Hamilton's story. It jumps around so much, to different time periods and events. Now suddenly a whole song about some other character who just got introduced halfway through the show. it just felt scattered. Telling the story a man's whole life that was surrounded by so many consequential historical events is a titanic undertaking. It takes an incredible amount dedication and thought and talent. Knowing what it essential to keep in the story, and what should be shed. Where the focus should lie. I like Lin, been a fan since his early appearances in Collegehumor videos, I just feel unequivocally that he did not succeed in pulling this off.
To me kind of an exception and the highlight of the show is like 15min in: The Schuyler Sisters and their song. Those three were great together. Special shoutout to Peggy, who kind of stole the show with like 4 lines.
1. With very few exceptions, the songs that aren't just rapping have very little melody. It's almost like if you gave someone a page of dialogue and said "instead of saying this, make it into a song on the spot". It really often feels like there's that little planning put into the melody structure. Contrast that with the music in The Book of Mormon, where nearly every song is an earworm, and incredibly well written.
2. Add to that the lyrics themselves, same thing. If you told me the show was improvised on the spot (Which is exactly what Lin did with his group Freestyle Love Supreme) then I could be impressed. But it's not. Lin had time to pre-write this. They're so basic, and repeat SO much. I can't believe the quality of writing choruses like "I want to be in the room where it happened, the room where it happened, the room where it happened". Look at the lyrics to The Story of Tonight: I may not live to see our glory I may not live to see our glory But I will gladly join the fight But I will gladly join the fight And when our children tell our story And when our children tell our story They'll tell the story of tonight Let's have another round tonight Let's have another round tonight Let's have another round tonight Raise a glass to freedom Something they can never take away No matter what they tell you Raise a glass to the four of us Tomorrow there'll be more of us Telling the story of tonight They'll tell the story of tonight Raise a glass to freedom Something they can never take away No matter what they tell you Let's have another round tonight Raise a glass to the four of us Tomorrow there'll be more of us Telling the story of tonight Let's have another round tonight They'll tell the story of tonight Raise a glass to freedom They'll tell the story of tonight Raise a glass to freedom They'll tell the story of tonight They'll tell the story of tonight
They just repeat themselves so much, it's so hard to stay engaged with lyrics like this. You find this throughout the show.
3. In Lin you have a man you cannot sing surrounded by phenomenal Broadway singers and it is jarring. If he wanted to put the quality of his play first he wouldn't have taken the lead role.
4. This is a story that is complex, covering numerous historical figures, events, policies, court cases, places and dates. And you choose to rap it? It makes it incredibly difficult to catch all of the information they're firing off. I didn't want to but I ended up having to keep the subtitles on.
5. Finally, in my opinion, even if this wasn't rap or even a musical, just scenes, I don't feel like it was a cohesive, well paced or structured story/choice of scenes to represent Hamilton's story. It jumps around so much, to different time periods and events. Now suddenly a whole song about some other character who just got introduced halfway through the show. it just felt scattered. Telling the story a man's whole life that was surrounded by so many consequential historical events is a titanic undertaking. It takes an incredible amount dedication and thought and talent. Knowing what it essential to keep in the story, and what should be shed. Where the focus should lie. I like Lin, been a fan since his early appearances in Collegehumor videos, I just feel unequivocally that he did not succeed in pulling this off.
To me kind of an exception and the highlight of the show is like 15min in: The Schuyler Sisters and their song. Those three were great together. Special shoutout to Peggy, who kind of stole the show with like 4 lines.
The Stranger
(II) (2020)
Barely got through the first ep
27 April 2020
Didn't give a star rating since I only saw one ep. Man it is awful. I'm a fan of Dehan and Monroe, so I'm saddened and a little disappointed to see them in this level of show. The dialogue is so clunky and cringe I had to stop watching several times in the first (7min!) episode. Neither behave or talk like real human beings, and the build up to the "reveal" at the end is laughable, not scary, due to the execution. I hope for better projects for both of them in the future.
The Void: Rebooted
(2019– )
Delightful, hilarious!
30 November 2019
This series is such a treat, containing that great combination of silliness and sharp wit that would make Tina Fey proud. Great comedic performances all around. If you liked shows like 30 Rock and Parks and Rec, you'll love this Aussie gem.
Frozen
(I) (2013)
One of those most heartwarming films I've seen in years, and I'm not just talking about animated films!
4 December 2013
What a treat! Stunning visuals, wonderful musical numbers, hilarious comedy, and full, confidently created characters in a magical Disney story made feel like a kid again. This is absolutely a must see.
The only critique I have is there were some character decisions and plot twists that were a little hard to buy, made so the story would move along in the direction Disney intended, but is a kid movie after all, and a small complaint aside the massive praise I lay on Disney's confident, masterful creation. It's not trying to be Pixar or Dreamworks, it's classic Disney in new form in absolutely the best way.
Gorgeous, hilarious and touching with moments that may make you well up, it's one of the most heartwarming experiences I've had at the cinema! Along with sweet and funny Tangled, it seems we might finally be seeing a continuation of, and even an improvement on, Disney's golden streak of classics in the early 90s The little mermaid, Aladdin, beauty and the beast and the lion King. You've got to see it in theaters!
The only critique I have is there were some character decisions and plot twists that were a little hard to buy, made so the story would move along in the direction Disney intended, but is a kid movie after all, and a small complaint aside the massive praise I lay on Disney's confident, masterful creation. It's not trying to be Pixar or Dreamworks, it's classic Disney in new form in absolutely the best way.
Gorgeous, hilarious and touching with moments that may make you well up, it's one of the most heartwarming experiences I've had at the cinema! Along with sweet and funny Tangled, it seems we might finally be seeing a continuation of, and even an improvement on, Disney's golden streak of classics in the early 90s The little mermaid, Aladdin, beauty and the beast and the lion King. You've got to see it in theaters!
The Dark Knight Rises
(2012)
Jesus..
25 August 2012
Warning: Spoilers
Morgan Freeman's character goes from clever to worthless. Alfred goes on and on about what's going to happen to Bruce when we know that Alfred is always right so he's practically giving the plot away. Bane could apparently do so much with no ease you become numb and unimpressed by his character. Stronger than everyone, able to hack anything, everything. Seems to know where everything is effortlessly, where the reactor is, batmans batcave, how to hack the stock market, find 100s of thugs who have no prob committing suicide when the bomb goes off, c'mon. So far fetched. So unintelligent unlike the dark knight. Colliard's character was the most unsatisfying, not to mention unconvincing twist. I could go on and on about this movie..Jesus
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