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Saturday Night (2024)
JESUS, I CAN'T WAIT!
I was 15 when Saturday Night Live primered.. We were collectively hooked as a late night TV audience...To we young teens; this cast was like our big brothers and sisters...They were cool, they were hip, they were bucking the mainstream ( somewhat)... In 1975 we only had essentially 3 channels on the TV; UHF was only about 5 years old so they were basically just showing reruns of old network shows. ( at least; here in the mid atlantic east coast * philly) ...
People born after 1990 really can't understand how America was in those days. We were only 1 year out of Nam, Kennedy was long forgotten, we were heading into the Bicentennial and America was letting her hair down...The sexual Revolution had begun... Seeing this really reminded me of those days. It was the "massacre of the innocence"...Great movie and ALL the actors and Union guys did brilliantly...It's like I was there...:) The dudes that played. Andy Kaufman and Chevy Chase were killer!
Eagleheart (2011)
IS EVERYONE STUPID?
Except those that have seen the show. Chris Elliot is a comedy genius. He's up there with Tina Fey and Carrot Top ( : ... But, seriously, it's the subtleties and nuances in What Chris says. Brett Gilman, doing the Brett role delivers the lines just perfect... His worship of Chris, is hilarious. Plus, he IS a pretty good bat. The first Captain (MIke Gladis) , in season one, was the best chief... The show has some of the most bizarre interactions between human beings in cinema history! Imagine Cabin Boy on steroids in bizarreness.
I was disappointed that so few people have seen or reviewed this show... I'd put it with Angie Tribeca and police squad any time... **SPOILER; BRETT IS THE DEVIL, I THINK.
The Martian (2015)
The earth is flat and non rotating...USAF veteran
While you can see by my title, I find space stuff dubious at best.... But I really liked this movie and it was stirring to see all the nerds at NASA et al. Getting all gushy over the recovery.
I loved the way Matt played the character and the supporting cast did a great job...I disliked the DEI agenda personnel but, That's modern hollywood movie making. China must have had some dough invested in the movie, to insinuate they're instrumental in the attempt...
Even at this moment; it is impossible to send a signal that distance; have it be received and then transmitted back. Entropy exists in the physical world. I won't state anything I can't That 100% prove...
Awesome movie with dubious physics but; one must suspend belief for movies...If you haven't seen it; you should.
Wise Guys (1986)
NO, THANK YOU MR. ACAVANO!
I was 26 when this movie came out and single...So now, decades later and the appreciation of the works of Joe Piscopo and Danny Devito's amazing career, on Always Sunny in Philadelphia ( my hometown) I've grown very fond of his work..This is such an 80's movie it hurts...:)...The music, the scenery, Resorts in AC, our first foray into legalized gambling here on the East Coast...
The movie is filled with great characters with Harvey Keitel from 40 years ago, Same with Danny and Capt Lou Albano... Piscopo adds a great comedic tilt. Danny and he have a great chemistry together. This is a late 2024 review, so I'm seeing this movie for the first time...It's not perfect but, it's a smiler...You'll smile a lot.
SPOILER; THEY DON'T SHOOT EACH OTHER....:)
Tokyo Vice (2022)
Sore wa jumon o toraeru - IT CASTS A SPELL
I'm so glad they started a new season. The first season was very well done. The imagery and the insights into the Japanese lifestyles. But mostly it is a vibe. An impending sense of doom.
The Second season starts off where they left off with Sato severely injured. The part where the boss gives Sato the knife to slit the throat of the traitor that did him wrong was very poignant. The gangsters are intense. You can just tell they would kill at the drop of a hat..
The pacing is perfect and the lighting in the scenes is a character in itself. The dialog is crisp and as the Japanese are wont to do; has nuance and subtlety that one must pay attention to. Ignore the poor ratings; Those people lack understanding. Watch it; you'll be glad you did.
Reacher: Fly Boy (2024)
CHEESY GREASY AND ASININE AT BEST
Ridiculous scenarios play out exactly as you would expect in a cartoon like show...The "good" guys get saved at the eleventh hour...Reacher gets beaten up and looks like he's going to screw the pooch but...Nope. Too many girls and they're insinuating that Home Land Security is a good agency...When a cursory look into their actions since 2001 would show them as the traitors they are...Look at what they're doing on the border...I see too many reviews praising Reacher, and he is a cool character, but... I wish I could suspend my belief and just go along with it, but it's so hokey and formulaic.. Watch it if you're killing time; but; don't expect to have any redeeming qualities...
It's Always Sunny in Philadelphia: The Gang Turns Black (2017)
GO HOME...GO HOME...GO HOME...
The reveal in the end is what makes Always Sunny in Philadelphia the amazing show it is...I was late to the series, despite being a native of the city. I believe it was the 8th season. Once I started I binged for weeks. To this very day, I'm on my at least third binge.
This episode is one of the winners in the series...They took that off time between series and really put the work in...One must really embrace the characters over some time. Each episode, starting from season one; really expands the characters. It's genius how they work together in writing these episodes to come up with these profound contributions...Spoiler; THEY'RE NOT REALLY BLACK...
I'm Dying Up Here (2017)
RIP Dom Irrera.....WAIT.... HE'S STILL ALIVE???? :)
Just finished a 2nd binge of the show... As a fellow Philly native, I can Tease Dom...He's a legend here in philly...
Over the last 20 years or so I've spent a lot of time studying comedy. I believe it to be the voice of America. And basically our general essence as well.
The portrayals of that era in the 70's, found in the series, when comedy clubs became all the rage, is very accurate. Each of the characters exhibits the characteristics of many comedians of the era. Comedy, from the perspective of the comic is a grind. It's the camaraderie of those in the same fox holes that keeps them all going.
If you like Dramedy and some pro level comedic dialog, you'll really like the series. Good Health to you Dom; wherever you're living...Spoiler; Richard Pryor joins the strike...
South Park: Joining the Panderverse (2023)
BRUTALLY FUNNY; THY NAME IS SOUTH PARK
The boys at South Park have really outdone themselves!
This movie has set a new bar for them. Despite being an older gentleman, from the time when we "landed on the moon" -thank you Stanley Kubrick- I digress.
There have been MANY funny episodes in the series, but this specific one; Joining the Panderverse, eclipses most of them... The contempt that Trey and Matt show for Disney and its incessant pandering to the supposed underserved minority is poetically beautiful.
Seeing the boys as sassy black women and basically EVERY other character being treated the same way, became a great running joke. The KFC colonel was just perfect.
The side story of how nobody can do anything anymore and Handymen are now all billionaires was sublime! As a tradesman for over 35 years, It really tugged at my feels...Anyone that doesn't watch this movie is doing themselves an extreme disservice! Spoiler; multiverse.
Billions: The Owl (2023)
WHOA NELLY!
After episode, upon episode, of the mundane and trite; Billions finally went back to it's roots! This episode was the first time I liked Mike as much as Bobby...The "owl" thing may go over many people's heads, At least those who have never heard of Bohemian Grove...I guess they still had to include Moloch *the occult owl symbol ( google "owl on dollar bill") to appease "them" ...
Anyway, the IV character was pretty intense and they let some real cats out of the bag, which, as a student of the government and a USAF veteran, proud of his nation, yet seeing the underhanded intentions of agenda driven social engineering monsters, It made me excited to see the issues as addressed... I love the subterfuge and it's like they have the whole destroying Mike thing on the back burner now... It's interesting again... Great episode!
Last Flag Flying (2017)
Slow Salute!
I didn't know it was a Linklater directed movie until I came here to see how the movie was rated...When I saw Cranston, Fishburn and Carrell involved. I figured it should be at least entertaining!
Watching the three former marines rekindle their long lost relationships was wonderful to see. As a veteran (USAF) Movies about anything military are usually hit or miss with me. Often, "they", the producers, writers et al. Get it wrong and it becomes either a propaganda commercial for the MIlitary Industrial Complex or a Hit piece against the military paradigm. This movie was neither. It's a beautiful story of a father and son's relationship, the last moments of the film are where the emotions come forward. Cranston and Fishburn in their dress blues giving their slow salute to The father and the son is very poignant... The letter; was so perfectly placed. A bittersweet movie of the highest order. Well worth the watch!
Kelce (2023)
A Movie any Birds fan will LOVE!
I had no idea this movie was made, it just showed up in my new films on Amazon.
Seeing the early years of Jason and his brother was very poignant.
We, the Birds, are 2-0 and Kelce is his normal steady self at center, So the spoiler is; He decides to play for the 2023 season.
I didn't know how on the fence he actually was. It's concerning to see how these apex athletes, must endure SEVERE all over body aches and pains. When you think about all the players dealing with similar issues throughout the league, it makes you understand their sacrifices. Primarily their health.
No amount of money can ever compensate you for that pain. Jason is a warrior, a modern day gladiator...As a Birds fan for a bit more than half a century, I'm proud to have experienced his whole career and was never more proud of the city and the team when they won the superbowl... A great movie to watch and if you're a Birds fan, you'll be bursting with pride!
V for Vendetta (2005)
Ahh, the genius of Alan Moore!
I saw this movie in 05 and loved it's message. I knew nothing of Alan Moore or Guy Fawkes...In 05 The internet exploded with DSL making its way into the homes of selected areas...2005 was the year it made it into Philadelphia and I began my journey of discovery of who we are, who the government is, our uncensored history. Despite being a USAF veteran from the Reagan era, I was still very ignorant of that information...
I just finished watching V. It is probably the 4th time since its first showing. I have since used the last, nearly, 2 decades to learn. I share a birthday with Mr. Fawkes (april 13) as well, we two share our birthdays with Thomas Jefferson. For some reason, being born on that date, stirs a certain wont for justice and freedom.
V for vendetta is a stirring masterpiece...Its message should be viewed and understood by all. Much has changed in our lives and it's very parallel to what Alan Moore and David Lloyd created all so many years ago. Vi Veri Veniversum Vivus Vici.
Veritas Vos Liberabit.
Fool's Paradise (2023)
I get it...
Latte Pronto is an allegory for Charlie Day. Charlie, while being very intelligent, is a simple soul. He lives inside himself, you can see it in the way he interacts with those he associates with.
That doesn't mean he has a quirk. Although, Charlie Day is Quirkiness personified... That's what makes him interesting in nearly everything he's appeared in. Latte Pronto is a passenger on a wild ride, it takes him to places normal people can never imagine. If you've spent as many hours, with Charlie's work, on It's Always Sunny in Philadelphia- (my hometown) You know how many times he's the odd ball...But, you sense, much like latte pronto, that he's deep water and just relax and join him on his ride... Spoiler; he speaks three times...
SmartLess: On the Road (2023)
Dreck personified.
Love Bateman in many of the things he's done and Will Arnett is hilarious on 30 Rock. The other guys, meh, never heard of him... They start off pulling up to their private jet, each with their own private supercar that they drive right up to the waiting jet. I guess their people Take it back from whence it came...As they start to interact with each other it's so strained and pressed. As if NONE of them wants to be there, they'd rather be gazing at their shiny things...
They really have zero personalities and everything is so forced...The fake laughs are so annoying too...You can actually time the start and stop...They have no substance and the people that green lit this really screwed the pooch...How they have that many people at the event was surprising to me...I wonder how much they paid them? Anyway, TERRIBLE show, if you're a masochist you'll love it! A real uncomfortable cringe fest.
Suits (2011)
CORPUS DELICTI
I really tried to like this series. I enjoyed the interplay between Harvey and Mike and Jessica is STUNNING and smart... The MANY beautiful women on the show were always fun to see but; That's not what the show is about...
By season two, it became a terrible soap opera...It's supposed to be in NYC but the characters seem like they're from The Valley in SoCal...
Season three became even worse than two, no real humans talk to each other like they do on the show. It's like someone's 14 year old niece was assigned the Dramatic dialogues... There's absolutely ZERO subtlety. Everything is right in your face...It's not bad to catch a few episodes, just so you can tell someone; "Oh yeah, I saw it; it sucks!" Spoiler; The curly headed chemistry dude from Breaking Bad wins the vote...
Air (2023)
IT'S NOT ABOUT JORDAN OR SNEAKERS
I read a few other reviews before I wrote this review; Hence the title. This movie is more about that time in history when the players of Jordan's era and the NBA itself were ready to EXPLODE..
It was an exciting time and many of the greatest players in the game, many hall of famers are from that era...Michael and the Bulls were the perfect team when they won all those titles and Jordan carried them on his back...
I knew NOTHING about what the sneaker companies were doing at the time. Heck I didn't even Know Adidas was a German company. It's an interesting Business story as well. I was 24 when Jordan was drafted (1984), I'm three years older than him... It was nice to remember what it was like in those days...
It's a great feel good movie and Damon and Affleck remain very watchable... Spoiler; Air Jordans are red...
30 Rock (2006)
TRANSCENDENT! FREE PSYCHOTHERAPY! GUT!
One sitting with this amazing series is like taking a single bite of the best filet mignon and never eating it again. This series is absolutely up there with the greatest television series's ever produced. It's shocking it's a Big three network show too!
I'm doing a fourth fast forward binge now. I'm staggered by the brilliance of all the characters. Alec Baldwin is a perfect counterpoint to Tina Fey. As the seasons tick by, you see the amazing aforethought involved in the writing; In the THIRD episode of the FIRST season; Jack looks on at Kenneth, wistfully, while talking to Liz, and says; "Five years from now, we'll either be working for him or be dead by his hand"... :)... I've never seen a further reach into future seasons with a foreshadow like that...
It's a beautiful and poignant series and it's great till the very last moment...THAT is how a great series works!
The Kids in the Hall (2022)
My God, we're OLD!
I just discovered today, on Amazon, that the Kids in the Hall had been reconstituted. My age is within one year of Kevin, Mark, Scott, and Bruce. We're all early 60's.
I feel as if they're speaking for us old guys... I've seen some reviews from seemingly younger viewers. Many, not even born when the show aired the first time. They really can't "get it"...
The show was edgy when it first played. Being an American- some of the skits weren't my cup of, er, um- Beer. I like this Kids in the Hall much better. They have a more sardonic outlook, gleaned from making it to their 60's...But, seeing them, as old as they are now, mirroring my own self image; It makes me want to cry; or laugh...:)... Spoiler; they get nude! ~shudder~
Deadwood: Deadwood (2004)
Breathtaking
My third binge watch, encouraged me to write a review. That and the sadness I felt, seeing ONLY SIX reviews! The first episode sets the table for what, those of us who love the show; know will come.
I had forgotten the earliest interactions in the series; I had forgotten, or rather had no idea, that Nick Offerman- ( Ron Swanson)- was in the series, albeit ever so briefly. He played his roll amazingly. The Hickok role played so masterfully by Keith Carradine was a masterclass in acting.
Al Swearengen; Ian McShane's greatest character, hits the ground running...His beautifully said Milchisms so perfectly delivered...Al's role in the series gets deeper and deeper...He is truly the center of it all...Tim Olyphant...What can you say about him, that hasn't been said many times. He just has "it"...When he smiles (rarely) you have no choice but to smile with him. When he's angry; you understand it and respect it as just cause...
The rest of the many great characters make the show a true masterpiece of TV...Hopefully, someday, the intellects will rise up and this show will receive it's just due. Milch is truly a master story teller. Spoiler; Al is really a nice guy...:)
Better Call Saul (2015)
IN THE TOP 5 SERIES EVER PRODUCED
Just finished the third binge watch, and the finale, with Jimmy leaning against the wall with Rhea sharing a cigarette in the prison Jimmy will be for decades to come, was so poignant, it drove me to give a review.
There were some really slow parts to the series, which I wish would have been shortened. The Salamanca's and Lalo were amazing! Gus Fring, whose acting name I can't recall, was as important as Odenkirk in the series. So dark!
What made the show so watchable was to keep pondering that this all predates Breaking Bad. Those two don't show up until season 6 near the end...Which was great! It allowed you to become more involved with Saul.
Howard Hamlin character was amazing too. His one scene where he's going into the conference room with Rhea for that Banker case and his face changes from almost furious to a big smile...Was dark, it reminded me of The Boys and the homelander character... Anyway. If you haven't seen the series... You're in for a treat...I actually KNOW people that haven't seen one single episode.
Just incase, the top five series are
The Wire
Parks and Recreation
Veep
Brockmeier
Better Call Saul.
Yellowstone: Watch 'Em Ride Away (2022)
You could say; "They're phoning it in"
Everyone is a Monday morning Quarterback... I don't envy the writers that must make the mundane palatable for the easily distracted, or easily offended, as I see in the comments...
The fight between the girls was ridiculous and I recognize the hand of the dramatist involved. Beth, despite her seemingly caustic nature is splendid in her righteousness. She gives a true strong woman's perspective on the entire lifestyle of ranching. She'd be a rarity in the real world; from high power executive to rolling in the dirt...She's so strong, she wouldn't need to throw hands, but...Such are the formulas so prevalent in today's movies and shows...
This show is a fine piece of art, and as in any fine piece of art, it has flaws, it doesn't distract from the beauty of the overall piece. Every episode is a 10!
Yellowstone: Horses in Heaven (2022)
Really, more like a six...
Beth is such a great character. She's so important to the show... The reality is; she's too over the top, but she's so interesting to watch...
Beth ( Kelly Riley) really sells the diabolical woman perfectly. She's also AMAZINGLY sexy... The indian burial could have been about 95% shorter. I get it; Dead kids are sad...I'm far sadder over the poor wolves... Get a couple dogs to protect the livestock and monitor them with cameras... I know cattle are expensive, I worked on a cattle ranch in California, (moving around the sprinklers 40 acres at a time)..
It's nice seeing Costner not being too heavy handed with the political stuff... Show is still great...
Died Suddenly (2022)
THE MOST IMPORTANT DOCUMENTARY EVER
Those of us that understand the medical malpractice industrial complex, understand the issues raised in the documentary intimately. I'm so happy to see this documentary being reviewed on IMDB...It's so important for people to see...
It's staggering and horrifying to see so many apparently healthy and active young people go into convulsions and DIE...I've been following the paradigm since it was first exposed with the H1N1 flu vaccine back in 2008...At that time, the internet was less censored and many doctors gave symposiums on the dangers of the vaccines...Yet, so many people took them. I've lost family to them, they trusted known liars...This movie puts the nail in the coffin.
Devs (2020)
Well ~10 sec pause~ You see~10 sec pau~ I think~pause eerie music~
The show's premise and Tech are so interesting but, and I don't mind a slower paced build up, to something...But; the pauses are BRUTAL! I love that Ron Swanson is in the show. He plays his character with conviction. But, and others have said it too, it's not that Lily is a bad actress, it's that she's unnecessary to the story.
The overweight dude has some cool lines, but; again. Why is he there? The cast look like the producers for a Glee Homage play at some crappy high school in Podunk Nowheresville.. The weirdo blonde may be a robot. The interesting characters are killed too fast and the ones that suck just keep wasting time...A normal human interaction, which should take 5 seconds, is drawn out to 30...Terribile directing...