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Reviews
Black Is King (2020)
I don't know how to rate this
In some ways this can be considered a defense of some very charged one star reviews I've read.
First of all. This is not a traditional feature film, but an extended music video for a collection of songs comprising an (concept?) album inspired, in some way, by Beyoncé's participation in the Lion King.
As such, it's gorgeous. My takeaways were the colors, the landscapes, the framing. My favorite shots were the portraits: striking, stylish, and just effing beautiful to look at.
Second. The theme of race is ever-present. If a person is sensitive to the topic, it can polarize them and turn them off to the creative process on display here. If I may point to a key moment, it is an American flag dyed in the colors of African nations. Some of the most horrific conflicts in recent history have taken place on this continent, which can safely be described as Black, racially. From this perspective, the message is wholesome and anti-conflict.
Third. As a white man, I suppose I feel excluded by this cast and the visuals contained in it. There are many women, and many black women at that. The "Scar" character and jealousy itself are represented by men. This is intentional. If you can view this as a piece of art, and open yourself to the visuals, you may be very impressed. As I was.
Le otto montagne (2022)
A personal favorite
This is a really lovely film that takes its time. In as much, it may not be for everyone. But if you have a love of mountains, and the attention span to let a beautiful story unfold, oh what a treat.
I saw this film at Sundance, 2023. Over the past year it has stuck with me and I think about it all the time. In no particular order, here are some things that I love about it.
-The soundtrack. Daniel Norgren, wow!
-The characters. Believable, imperfect, loveable.
-The sublime, epic mountain setting.
-The huge, crushing, existential ideas that are examined so beautifully, without becoming esoteric.
A masterpiece of a movie about friendship, nature, home, work and fulfillment. Available on Apple TV +.
Lost Treasures of the Maya (2018)
Groundbreaking, yet somehow regressive
For anyone interested in mythology, history or archaeology, the content of this series is a 10. WATCH IT! The undeniably awesome reveal allowed by the lidar tech is, redundantly, AWESOME! Unfortunately, that's a microcosm of this series. VERY repetitive. This is done, I think, on the premise that television requires a constant hook of excitement to reel the viewers in. Unfortunately, Nat Geo did not realize that their viewers would be watching this series in a streaming format, which means that most of us searched this series out by name. Instead of giving the host duties to a native expert or an archaeologist with two decades of experience like Francisco Estrada-Belli (who is the most compelling character in this series by far), they handed the job to the computer engineer, who watched national treasure and a few seasons of survivor in preparation to come to Guatemala. This sounds like a personal attack on the host; it is not. His contributions should be recognized and passed by. Instead, they are constantly harped on and, as other reviewers have said, sold as if this is an ad for lidar. The incredible discoveries made speak for themselves. There is absolutely no need for dramatic, sensational coverage.
Losers (2019)
Well-told, human stories
We often think of athletes as being of a different breed than normal people. Michael Jordan? Michael Phelps? Simone Biles. These names are like Superman to most of us. We KNOW these individuals didn't come from another planet, but we don't think of them as existing in the same reality. They're just different. Destined for greatness. Lucky. They aren't like the rest of us.
I love this series first and foremost because it tells great stories. The tone is never too dark, despite occasionally dealing with some very serious thematic material; and, given the runtime of each episode (25-40 minutes), they really have to stay focused on the story. It's exceptionally well-made.
On another level, Losers succeeds because it is, at its core, very inspiring. The common theme of season one is that talent and dedication are often not quite enough. Bad luck, or mistakes, or LIFE often get in the way of success. And yet, at the end of each episode, I find myself reconsidering the definition of success.
The Terror (2018)
(Season 1) Not perfect...
...but god damn it's fantastic.
This review is for season 1. No spoilers.
I have several gripes with the adaptation but none of them are substantial enough to talk about at length. Instead, i want to give credit where it's due.
Let's not do the show a disservice and box it up as "horror." It's so much more than that. Something like Lost meets The Grey meets Master and Commander meets The Thing. Highly original, and yes it's visceral, but not just horror.
The acting is terrific. Professionals are at work here, and no one drops the ball. Jared Harris' reputation, if not already cemented, is now set in stone.
The soundtrack keeps me up at night. I don't mean it's simply scary; the pairing of music and visuals gets me amped in a very cerebral way. I'll just say this: do not watch this show before bed.
Intelligent writing and direction. There are multiple scenes throughout in which I found myself asking questions out loud. In order to find the payoffs, the viewer has to wait, and pay attention.
Seeing a film through the eyes of Ridley Scott is always a treat, and while fans will notice his touch immediately, it's not at all intrusive. The story is allowed to play out, but through gorgeous shots and memorable framing.
If you're a fan of period drama, game of thrones, true detective, thrillers, or excellent television, WATCH THIS SHOW.