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Reviews
Don't Worry Darling (2022)
Lots of misguided hate for a fun film...
We watched this last night with solid mid-level expectations. Maybe it would be mediocre, but let's see. That being said - was it entertaining? Yes. Did it keep you guessing what was actually going on? Yes. Was there an "aha" moment? Yes. Is there some great acting? Yes. Is there some mediocre acting? Yes.
Off-screen drama completely set-aside, thinking about the criticisms of this film:
1) It recycles ideas from other stories and films (Brave New World, Stepford Wives, Matrix, Pleasantville, Rosemary's Baby, The Truman Show, Get Out!, Handmaid's Tale, Eternal Sunshine, etc.) - so, in short, yes, it does. However, the book "The Stepford Wives" came out in 1972. The book "Rosemary's Baby came out in 1967 and the movie in 1968. Huxley came out with "Brave New World" in 1932. Arguably, any film, book or show with similar themes could be said to be a rip-off of those. Do I like all of films/ books referenced? Yes. Is this an entire genre called dystopian fiction for a reason? Do I like weird cinema in that direction? Yes. So - am I into seeing a new take on these themes with a 2022 spin? Sure.
2) The predecessors did it better - I re-watched "Rosemary's Baby" with someone that had never seen it a couple of years ago. While it's still a great film, I'm not sure if it would get nearly the level of praise that it carries if it were "new" today. Someone I know who watched "Get Out!" knowing nothing about it just thought it was an OK horror movie bordering on B-grade. Is it good? Yes. But - many people went into it based on the Rotten Tomatoes score and assumed it was good because they were told it was good. I saw "The Truman Show" when it was in theaters, and I loved it at the time. I re-watched it and still liked it, but it felt very different. I watched "Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind" with a friend that felt it was incredibly overrated. Having loved it since 2005, I was bummed out- but I got where they were coming from. Expectations vs. Reality, and experience of watching a film are important.
3) Boring - There is a lot of scenery in this movie, which I feel makes it visually really appealing. The pacing is criticized a lot, but if you go back to many films by Polanski, Coppola, Scorsese, and even Kubrick, they all have spots where things are not action-packed. It's part of building a film vs. Providing "content."
4) Plot Holes - Sure there are plot holes - but there were also plot holes in every single one of the predecessor films/ books, etc. Not a single one of them is perfect. You are supposed to suspend your disbelief - it's fiction.
I do think that one of the reasons this movie is being criticized is because of who the "villains" turn out to be.
Reddit/ 4Chan users with fragile male egos and those that are sympathetic/ on the edge are are quite prevalent. Given the climate of 2022, this adds relevance. Anything that further challenges them is cause to throw an on-line hissy fit. Take a man that claims to a be a feminist and see how he does when he's out of work and traditional gender roles are swapped. Just like how it occasionally feels like Gilead could happen, the same could apply with the premise of this film.
Monster: Silenced (2022)
Incredibly disturbing & heartbreaking
I do not think I've given anything a 10/10 on IMDB, but this episode was gut-wrenching and I can't stop thinking about it. I followed every report on Dahmer in the 90's, but understanding the perspective of the victims is something that was not captured like this. This episode- It's actually beautiful at times, which makes it that much more devastating. It's so sad because you know something terrible is going to happen, and yet it's still frustrating when it does. Impeccable acting, filming and writing. It should be noted - the diverse staff of writing & production - hopefully we see more of this. If there was an episode that deserves an Emmy, it's this one.
Bad Vegan: Fame. Fraud. Fugitives. (2022)
Some good parts stretched out over too many episodes
In reading the other reviews, it seems like most folks did not watch the whole documentary. I will say- there is a TON of slow, non-important stuff sprinkled throughout as well as unnecessary, repetitive footage - how many times did they show the same video of Sarma in pigtails walking into Pure Food & Wine?
This could have been a really good 2 part documentary. The last 5-10 minutes, where there is a lot more questioning about Sarma's intentions- that part is much more interesting. Having a professional psychiatrist/psychologist appear to talk about mental manipulation could have leant some more credibility to the story.
Euphoria: Trying to Get to Heaven Before They Close the Door (2022)
Stunning
This episode felt like it had everything - from laugh-out-loud funny moments, witty thoughts, emotional moments that resonate - to tense moments where everything feels like it could go completely sideways. There was a Tarantino-esque feel to start if the episode. It then mixed in the 'typical' realities with a dreamy quality. The music, filming, cinematography- everything felt fresh. Something that I both love and question is the 'feel' of the show. As someone who is much older than the age of the characters, it is a little weird to see teenagers celebrating New Years to hits from the late '90's. We're constantly hearing about how Gen Z barely has sex, etc. As an 'old' Millennial, it feels very much like the early 2000's, which is why I can identify with it very easily.