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Rivercelt333
Reviews
Below Deck Sailing Yacht (2020)
Season 3 so great!
This is the best of all the BD franchises and season three the best of all. Captain Glenn, best captain- Marcos, best chef of all seasons, all BDs. Some drama, some immaturity, particularly Ashley, who acted like a spoiled 12 year old 23 year old. I liked that for the most part the crew genuinely liked each other, such a welcome change from the snark from other seasons, which is exhausting to watch and frankly has kept me from finishing other BD seasons.
Dark Winds (2022)
Some cultural mistakes, good nevertheless
I've watched two episodes, and will at least hang in there for a couple more. The acting is adequate, and the story line doesn't drag. I struggled with managing all the sub plots and the many characters-at times I felt I needed a diagram to keep them all straight. A few times all this complicated storytelling was unnecessary.
Two cultural mistakes: episode 2 showed a Plains teepee being used as a Navajo dwelling. I wish this old tired stereotype would die, because it implies a generalization to all indigenous peoples. Navajo rituals would take place in a six sided mud roofed hogan, their traditional dwelling. I'm surprised the accuracy folks working on the show didn't veto this right away.
Second, Navajo people don't typically keep chickens. The coyotes would eat them up every night, and without water-most rural Navajos don't have plumbing-using water to raise chickens would be wasteful.
I've lived in northern Arizona much of my life , have Navajo friends and spent a lot of time in the Navajo nation. So yes, I know of what I speak here.
Hopefully these cultural stereotypes and outright mistakes will disappear in later episodes. It's ruining the show's credibility for me.
The Gilded Age: Never the New (2022)
Slow start
This series has potential, and I'll wait it out for more episodes. Right now the acting seems a little self conscious, as though the actors aren't quite comfortable with the "gilded age" way of speaking, and some wooden delivery from a few of the players kept me from giving a higher rating for this first episode. I hope the storyline gives more than a "new money/old money" focus. That will get old soon.
Married to the Mob (1988)
Funnier the second time around
I found this satirical film mildly funny the first time I watched it when it came out. However, it's much funnier the second time around: I felt I was watching an episode of Real Housewives of New Jersey, and that was hilarious as hell.
Good Joe Bell (2020)
Great story, missed opportunity
Aside from the choppy organization of the film and the need for more logical connections in places, Joe Bell could have, but wasn't, a great movie. Yes, it does address the sometimes tragic, always hurtful experiences that bullying brings. Yes, Wahlberg and Miller were masterful actors. But what was the message? Bullying is wrong of course, always. This film could have been a powerful call to action, and instead missed a great opportunity to both share statistics at least before the final credits rolled about bullying nationwide and then share an 800 line about where to go to get information, help or protection, both for children and parents. It just simply ended... flat on its face, and left this viewer completely frustrated and unsatisfied. Sigh.
The Handmaid's Tale: Testimony (2021)
Wrenching, chillingly like reality
The soundtrack, the writing, the directing, the acting. Wow. The Waterford supporters at the end were so similar to those who believe soundbites are actually the whole story. Frighteningly real, frighteningly relatable. I look forward to the next episode and to see what the story arch is next.