missyjoy25 Reviews

Cruel Summer (2021–2023)

Meh so so

[5/10 · 21 April 2021]

I'm mildly drawn in after 1.5 episodes. Will see where it goes. I've seen this back and forth through different time periods many times, though its somewhat unique the way they present it and try and keep the continuity.

The story imho seems a bit tired. The nerdy girl wants to get close to the popular girl, but in reality she doesn't want to befriend her. She wants to be her. Or not even just BE her, but get rid of her and take her place. Ask any nerdy girl in school if they've ever looked at the most popular girl in school and had this kind of fantasy.

One thing that has always bugged me about this plotline; they always manage to cast someone who is clearly very pretty, but this is obscured by glasses, braces or both. If ONLY they could have realized how attractive they are if they took the glasses off! Seems kind of silly. It's like Lois Lane seeing Clark Kent in glasses and having no clue that he is Superman despite having spent much time with both, as though the glasses were the perfect disguise.

Still i'm curious to see where this goes so I like it enough to be patient.

Indian Matchmaking (2020– )

Entertaining But....

[5/10 · 6 October 2020]

I think a lot of people (including myself) are drawn to this concept because its so foreign to us. It seems so archaic, the idea of having a matchmaker arrange a marriage. That said I know a ton of people in their 40's-50's who never married, no kids...who are very lonely and the women past childbearing years, past the prime of their looks and prospects in life. This is modern society. Is that a good thing? Freedom of choice? Yeah. A society that values being independent and single above all else? Maybe not. Finding a suitable partner today seems to be for the lucky, like going to a casino and winning. The odds are significantly stacked against you. So is arranged marriage the most archaic thing imaginable? For some yes. For others who just want to get on with things maybe not.

I found this show entertaining and Sima to be perfectly cast. She is charming, warm kind and doesn't hold back/says what she is thinking. I think this is what people love and hate about her and makes her perfect for this job/role. A couple of things that i noticed; tons of comments about Pradhyuman and his sexuality. Now, there are some men who are perfectly groomed, incredibly stylish, amazingly creative and artistic who make dishes where liquid nitrogen comes out of your mouth who pass on 150 women and are heterosexual though this is probably the exception and not the rule. In fact most, if not all the men on this show seem to perhaps be similar. In my humble opinion; a man who is reasonably attractive and successful can EASILY find a wife if that is what he is looking for and would not ever need a matchmaker. This may sound like a double standard, but for women I don't think the same is true. Proportionally there are simply more women and their competition is fierce. It is survival of the fittest. So she may benefit from a matchmaker, though I think for reasons I already stated it would be the rare hetero male who actually would NEED a matchmaker. He would have opportunities galore.

As for the women; I know that they in typical reality show format vilified Aparna. Initially i bought this narrative, but I sensed i was being duped. I felt they played this up as much as possible to sell the idea that she was a successful therefore entitled women who is aging and had better lower her standards if she ever wants to get married. On second look i realize it was these precise standards that elevated her to a having a very successful life. Now is not the time for her to lower them (even if this means not being "good enough" to snag a husband from this matchmaker). I think they tried desperately to make her seem like SHE was the problem. That was the narrative they ran with. But I think it's false. It was not that she thought she was too good. It was that these matches were not good enough! I used to know a matchmaker who would say things like "well, at this age you can't be choosy". While there is some logic to that this is just a recipe for a very unhappy relationship. To lower your standards JUST so that you can have a husband. Give me a break. If she was a man with her level of success she'd have zero trouble finding a mate.

As for Ankita; this again was another old school idea that i felt they exploited and was also a false narrative. Sima made it seem as though she was homely. First off if THAT'S homely I'd like to know what she thinks pretty is. This woman was quite attractive. Maybe a few extra pounds, but not many. She put herself together beautifully and had a very charming personality. I understand the cattiness of older women who feel they can deconstruct this young woman and pick her apart by her looks (you better lose weight or no man will ever want you). It reminded me of the 90's movies about a "frumpy" girl who all she needed was a makeover and then suddenly she takes off her glasses and she's actually gorgeous. Give me a break. Ankita was very pretty. Not that it's right to dissect someone who is actually homely or less pretty than Ankita, but if you're going to tell a story tell an actual story.

This was generally a cute story, but because of the reasons I stated there was something very disingenuous about it. It follows the standard reality tv formula (which is why i almost never watch any "reality" shows) ever, but so many people told me I MUST watch this one. Overall i found it entertaining and sweet, but would find it much better if it was authentic. Lastly, i don't believe in a million years the Bollywood dancer could not easily find a man.

Hollywood (2020)

The Best Jerry, The Best!

[10/10 · 4 May 2020]

Absolutely loved this show from the first episode. Had a touch of Tarantino/Inglorious Basterds Whatif...flair.

It was such a fun, sweet optimistic story of hope and what would life might be like everything didn't suck and the world wasn't so broken and imperfect. The cast was incredible. I don't wanna say especially this or that person as I felt they were all incredible, but you can't not LOVE Jim Parsons in everything he does. He makes the perfect slithery snake of a Hollywood agent. He was witty, cruel and hilarious, but deep down you knew there was more to him than this and a reason he was so miserable. I also loved Dylan McDermott; the pimp/fairy godmother with a heart of gold. He was genius. There were so many unbelievably tender scenes that made me cry my eyes out, but mostly because they were so beautiful. Then there was Jeremy Pope, the incredibly charming, good natured screen writer who is determined to make it in an industry perhaps not ready for him. I loved every scene he was in.

The Conners (2018–2025)

You can't really have a show CALLED Roseanne without Roseanne

[6/10 · 24 January 2020]

The original show was an ensemble and one of the best ive ever seen. Incredible writing, cast...the show was just so incredibly lovable and relate able to anyone who grew up in a house! Roseanne had the absolute best zingers and her delivery was nothing short of brilliant. The other characters; Dan, Becky, Darlene and DJ were all completely essential ingredients that made this show a class of its own.

Then the tweet sadly heard round the world. Not long after DJT became "president" and suddenly we are thrust into this ideological nationwide divide. And here comes the return of Roseanne with the most ill timed tweet.

Yes it was awful and horrendous what she said, and the network was put in an impossible position. Let her continue on tantamount to them agreeing with the tweet. Or firing the most essential ingredient of this show, the glue, the namesake, the one thing that would pull it all together. Obviously we all know what happened. I did watch the 2 episodes before she got kicked to the curb and they were good. Not great, but good. Too political, but I realize they had to somehow address the political climate. I would have hoped they'd eventually steer away from this as this was not what the show was about.

The political stuff was one thing I did not like, but understand why they included.I thought it just silly that now Roseanne not only was aging, but getting hooked on opoids for pain management. Just too much political hoo ha. Even if it does reflect reality.

Also I did not GET how Becky became a 40 year old waitress. This made ZERO sense to me. As a child she was incredibly hard working and ambitious. If she stayed that course she would have excelled in college and then a career. Even if she hadn't she would not have just simply said ok, well i was born in lanford so that's where i'm gonna die.

I liked that they really softened up Darlene's character and I felt that her as an adult is where I might imagine she'd be. She's different from the tomboy wicked smartass, but very earthy and good natured. I felt she grew up into a sort of combo of her tv parents. Still funny and sarcastic but much softer like her dad.

Overall in hindsite it seems clear they should have handled things differently. Roseanne was the secret sauce. I don't know if she had not been fired if the show would have done better. I have a feeling it's kind of like Wil and Grace. They had their hey day, and now trying to recapture this. Though this is very hard, if not impossible to do.

Oh and as for the kids; Harris and the little boy. I don't know. I just don't think they add much to the show. If anything I find them annoying.

Oh, yeah, and the fact that Rosanne is not there messes the chance to show how her and Jackie's relationship evolved over time. Their sisterly love was very touching and very real. They loved and hated each other at times and that's the way things are.

I Feel Pretty (2018)

Very sweet and anyone who has had body issues (99.99999% of women) can relate

[7/10 · 23 April 2018]

This was 35% on rotten tomatoes when i bought my 18 dollar ticket so my expectations were fairly low, but love Shumer and liked the premise of the story. I felt the reviews were no way reflective of the quality.

This was a very sweet story and extremely relatable for most women. This is definitely not the first movie with a storyline where the main character gets to experience life through a completely different perspective (big, shallow hal, 13 going on 30, Peggy Sue Got Married, freaky Friday, Can't buy me love, the wizard of oz..) but it still is fresh and brings something new to the table.

Shumer is extremely likeable and like Carrie Bradshaw the kind of woman most women would want as a best friend. She's fun, outgoing, hilarious and good natured.

Will this movie win an academy award? No, but it's still imo very worthwhile and a lot of fun. Some have said that it's absurd that someone who looks like Shumer should feel so insecure. She's pretty and only a teeny bit heaver than the average person, but I think they're missing the point, which is that women are held up to an impossible unachievable standard that only a teeny tiny fraction of the population could ever acheive or maintain and then have massive industries who's entire existence depends on women feeling bad about their looks and therefore needing product to correct this. How someone sees themselves and what they believe about themselves will dramatically influence their life and how others behave towards them.

The Confession Tapes (2017– )

Hard to know what to think

[8/10 · 27 September 2017]

Take two young kids from good families and accuse them of murder. One of the two kids was a student at a top university and had a promising future. What exactly was their motive? Insurance money? Surely with a top notch education he'd be able to make plenty of money in his own right.

I realize the shows angle is to demonstrate the injustices of a corrupt system. To that end I'd have to believe there was evidence or reasons that were omitted that we the audience were not privy to (or one would hope). These kids got life sentences. I would hope that their "confessions" were not the ONLY thing they were going on (for lack of anything else substantial). If so I would be a travesty of justice. If this was the only thing that showed conclusively they were guilty than I hope these kids get another shot to prove their innocence.

Girls Trip (2017)

Awful

[1/10 · 24 July 2017]

I have walked out of 2 movies in my entire life. This is the 2nd. considering how expensive going to the movies has become it takes a lot for me to get up out of my seat and say my time is more valuable than my investment.

I stayed a little over an hour thinking somehow it might get better. The people in the audience I was in all laughed at every joke so I came to realize that I was not the target audience and the jokes would continue on this level.

This was the story of a "girls trip" with old college friends. The trailer looked pretty cute and I always liked Queen Latifah, Jayda Pinket Smith...so I thought this could be another Bridesmaids or something vulgar but cleverly vulgar (I'm not against vulgarity).

This movie was unbelievably juvenile. And not like that's such a bad thing. Juvenile humor CAN be quite hilarious (if it's clever), which imho this was definitely not.

In Bridesmaids "Annie" took valium chased with hard liquor and questioned the flight attendant as to why his name was "Stove" (even though it was Steve) and drunkenly told him that "this is the 90's. It's civil rights" and he told her "you're in the wrong decade". Yeah, this was juvenile too, but imo it was very clever and hilarious.

The "spoiler" was when Jada's character got into a harness (though she revealed that she had to pee) in New Orleans to zip line from one building to another with thousands below her. Her zip line got stuck halfway across and big surprise she projectile peed on the people below. Of course the audience laughed hysterically. I was not amused. Instead I was pretty depressed that this is what people find funny.

The Handmaid's Tale (2017–2025)

Yikes!!!

[10/10 · 27 April 2017]

This story is terrifying (especially if you are a female). Imagine what happens when the world goes completely crazy and some new completely sadistic world order emerges who claims their acts of incredible cruelty, murder, control , oppression and slavery are all in the name of some mystical God that no one has seen, spoken to or has any proof exists and yet uses the name of God to justify the most horrific and barbaric atrocities.

Without spoiling this is the story about this new world where women who are still able to bear children after the most of society is rendered infertile are made to be handmaidens/slaves to wealthy women who want to have babies but can't. Despite their unique baby making abilities they are still treated like the lowest life form on earth and the only reason they even get to live is because of this ability.

Elizabeth Moss and Alexis Bledel are amazing in their performances along with the rest of the cast. They broadcast the first 3 episodes on Hulu last night and of course I had to binge watch. It made me cry and made me incredibly sad to see how cruel a species humans can be.

Getting On (2013–2015)

Has Potential

[25 November 2013]

Entertaining show. Focuses on female elderly patients in a hospital and the doctors and nurses who treat them. Many of the patients have alzheimers and dementia so as sad as their circumstances are they seem for the most part unaware. So it seems more sad for those who work there.

What seems most interesting and funny albeit very is the absurdity of it all. The patient who dies on her 87th birthday. The nurse decides to eat the birthday cake that her sister had made and brought to the hospital. Her attitude being "well, it's not like SHE's going to eat it" and then after eating the cake is caught off guard by the sister who comes for a visit and the nurse has to break the news of her death while trying to conceal the chocolate frosting on her teeth.

Or of course the first scene where they have a lengthy conversation involving several hospital personal who try to figure out who pooped in a chair and how they should deal with it.

Not sure if I love it just yet, but it has potential.