Papacy24 Reviews

Mob Wives (2011–2016)

Bile Loves Bile

[13 August 2016]

The cast members of the Reality TV show "Mob Wives" allow cameras to film their daily lives which usually reek of desperation, misery, anger, immorality and hypocrisy. People who watch the show either wish for more violence or are overtly obsessed with the women. If you think the show does not present a below-the-belt standard for girls and women to follow, then its "loyal" fanbase must be saintly!

The show is inherently toxic and therefore induces toxic behavior in its fanbase, albeit in the privacy of one's home. Anyone with an ounce of dignity wouldn't proclaim their "loyalty" towards any of the cast members in public or even at home. It thrives on the poor mental health of its cast and encourages improper conduct during filming, so why should a viewer offer support to any of the women? No parent should ever let their child watch Mob Wives for fear he/she would end up emulating a cast member's behavior in public or private!

Mob Wives being disguised by a poorly attempted outward adherence to traditional values in Sicilian culture, makes one think the Reality TV show depicts the lives of corrupt women accurately. Indeed, it does. No one with a spiritual bone in their body would join the cast unless they are desperate for money. Can one imagine herself losing personal safety and reputation for the pleasure of the nation? Who is to say the women are actually good people when they allow themselves to easily lose their virtue?

La Cosa Nostra portrayed in films, fictional books, paintings and newspapers is nowhere near its current state. People presume it is depressing to be part of mob society, but such a world doesn't exist. The reason being government in America has advanced to the stage where efforts are made to squash crime committed in cyberspace and the corporate world. Offenders who once sold drugs and trafficked humans are now breaking laws via their computers. Hence, the show only portrays the consequence of the deceased La Cosa Nostra in which half of its members are in prison for life or have been dead for decades. Therefore, the viewer's appreciation for the glorification of the "old days" of the Mob is laughable.

Victimization is a normal part of the Mafia society for it ensures the silence of women who are taught to obey their elders and protect family. To put it bluntly, the cast members victimize each other without realizing they are doing exactly what has been done to them. They don't consider crime to be "sexy" or glamorous, yet their egomaniac, superficial and mentally ill personas makes one wonder otherwise.

If "Mob Wives" for all its seasons of despair, violence, screaming matches and rivalry were to win a reward, it would most likely be a Razzie because the content is deplorable and...well...STINKS!

Gigolos (2011–2016)

Prostitutes In Denial

[6 February 2016]

The show "Gigalos" should be re-titled to "Full of It" for the reason that what these part-time male escorts do when not pursuing "self-made" projects is charge a hefty fee for spending non- sexual and/or sexual time with women of all ages (off camera). They offer nothing of value to society, for heterosexual experiences can be acquired under casual to romantic circumstances without payment. It is really that easy.

Cast members are merely promiscuous men who are given gratuities. The show provides each with $50,000 per episode. And the "clients" are hired prostitutes, escorts, actresses and individuals who have never heard of the show or "Cowboys4Angels" (a Las Vegas- based escort agency to which the cast belongs to) prior to having sex with one of the cast members. Their compensation: 3 minutes of fame.

The gigolos struggle to obtain financial success in different vocations so continue to rely on escorting to make ends meet. While we see them doing non-escorting activities and also get to witness their private lives, one can find it difficult to identify with any of these escorts. Their lives lack the sort of dignity and security necessary for self-content and a prosperous future.

One can say that they are dimwitted or juvenile in their aspirations and career choices. Couple that with delusions of legitimacy and self-worth in escorting, these so-called "gigolos" leave a bitter taste in the viewer's mouth. I cannot swallow any further content after the 2nd season, partly due to the Cowboys4Angels' owner Garren James' (a former "gigalo") public invalidation of the show's premise.

If the male escorts were permitted to work in gay porn or serve male clients, the show would be seen in a positive light given the fact a large portion of the audience is gay/bisexual/bi- curious. The show would leave its mark on LGBTQ-oriented television programming and contribute to a growing movement towards the total acceptance and validation of the LGBTQ community as first class citizens in our country. In this sense, sex between men would be treated as a normal part of our society. People will see that some seek companionship and intimacy, not just a mere romp in the hay. Men would be seen less as sexualized animals and more as human beings.

If women were comfortable with purchasing services from male escorts than they must be comfortable with sexual jokes directed at their gender from anyone regardless of its sex. I am not going to tell a woman something that is sexually crude because women consider it impolite on a first impression basis and most are unwilling to hear such talk again in the future. Since this is a social characteristic, then one can presume most women are unwilling to pay for escort services. They may go to strip clubs and have sexual encounters with strippers (no different than a one-night stand) in the VIP lounge but they're not going to pay a lot of money for something they can easily get by going to a bar or chatting with a local stranger on the internet. Women who are willing to have sex with strangers have the easiest time attaining sexual encounters. On the other hand, men who are straight or bisexual are receptive towards the promiscuous type, because it makes it easier for them to relieve themselves than to spend hours on a date listening to what the other person wants to say only to realize in the end she is not going to have sex with him tonight.

Male escorts who only cater to women are extremely rare and end up failing in terms of generating sufficient profits. Typically, men make more money than women and have higher chance of obtaining better careers. Hence, women can't afford to purchase escort services unless their salary is worth millions. It is not to say that wealthy women don't purchase escort services because some actually do. They make movies about this subject.

A smart male escort caters to both men and women, but a smarter one caters to just men. One makes more money as a gay- for-pay escort/gay escort than a straight escort because the demand for same-sex sexual encounters is much higher than the demand for opposite-sex sexual encounters. Many men who are bi-curious or in-the- closet will purchase services continuously as opposed to just once (a running theme on the show). It means more money, more clients and greater success. Such escorts work in porn, prostitution or massage or in all three industries. They don't have to pursue other career goals or develop side projects to make money. Male clients historically have been the core source of income for escorts. To say that a woman would purchase services from a male escort is to say that pigs will start flying tomorrow.

Charmed (1998–2006)

For Kids Who Don't Know Better

[22 November 2015]

The show "Charmed" has a huge cult following but lacked substantial merit in regards to influencing social conscious. Instead of taking real world issues to address and provide solutions they parodied the sufferings of our society. One could say there was no strong female role model to look up to. When a show's main stars are all or mostly women who are independent, powerful and virtuous, it is expected for them to inspire viewers to face their own "demons." Instead, Charmed served as an outlet for fleeting gratification. People watched it for either their own amusement or as a way to distract themselves from the "demons" plaguing their own lives. I cannot say that anything truly useful was provided by the series. People love fantasy, but the real world is not fantasy.

If you take away all the glitter, glamour and glitz the show heavily emphasized, you would get the fundamental basis for its content which is three independent sisters who are bound to each other by a historical legacy of witchcraft. The catch is, unlike their ancestors, they are destined to fight the forces of evil. The forces of evil were poorly constructed fiction, having no relevance to what we deal with in the real world. The "demons" were single-minded in which their goal was to steal the powers of the Charmed Ones. Some committed violence against mortals but other than that, all were merely one-sided in character development with foolish names.

It is strange that issues such as teen pregnancies, alcoholism, incest, rape, domestic violence and even corruption in politics or religious institutions were not addressed directly or in the form of fact-based fantasy. For example, one could address political corruption by having an antagonist be a mayor who is also a demon. It is about how power easily corrupts, the amount of energy that goes into maintaining a flawless image and mundane job duties. Charmed feds junk wrapped in a pretty bow to the audience which craved it every week.

It would be amiss to not state the fact that "Charmed" has never received any valuable accolades. No Oscar, Emmy or Golden Globe? The only award somewhat worth mentioning is the Saturn for which they did not win but received a nomination.

Sebastiane (1976)

A Masterpiece of Love and Tragedy

[14 November 2015]

The film is a gem in the global history of LGBT cinema, partly for the reason it doesn't promote self-shaming. While the life of St. Sebastiane is portrayed in a partly fictitious manner, certain traditions and beliefs ingrained in the culture of the Roman Empire are honestly depicted. Same-sex love was still prevalent during the Early Christian Era of Rome. It was not perceived to be an act against religious faith for at the time even aristocratic men who were married were still respected if having been discovered to partake in sexual intercourse with male servants. Women played a submissive, domestic role. They were thus regarded as merely a means to produce male children. There was no religious scripture condemning homosexuality or same-sex love at the time. Society had not evolved to the point in which it would began to shame itself for possessing natural tendencies until polytheism became extinct in the Early Medieval Era.

The military culture in the film is rustic, aggressive, bold and hyper masculine. All scenes contain soldiers wearing a loincloth or nothing at all. The climate of the region is very hot. No character is modest in displaying combat skills, love and affection for another. The troop's constant disdain for any tradition/belief contrary to their own is a recurring theme.

Sebastiane becomes the target of the troop's aggressive nature, willingly embracing his persecution. It comes across as a Christian being devoured by a lion in the Roman Colosseum. The troop stationed in a desolate spot on the coast of the Italian peninsula ridicules, tortures and eventually executes Sebastiane for refusing to relinquish his chastity and adherence to the new faith. It may be perceived that he was mistreated for rejecting his station in life, though at the time anyone who joined the military did not think twice about giving up arms for a peaceful life. Sebastiane would have participated in warfare if the Emperor commanded it.

In 3rd Century Imperial Rome, Christianity and Polytheism were in conflict, resulting in reigns marked by global adherence for polytheism or peace between different religious communities. During Sebastiane's life, Christianity was still a minority religion. It was treated as a threat to the security of the Empire. Anyone who openly practiced the faith was executed. Churches built were destroyed for the construction of temples. The Emperor was unwilling to show leniency towards anyone who contested his divine authority.

There is only one soldier who regards Sebastiane as a friend: Justin. Even though they don't become lovers, they are bound to one another through mutual trust and compassion. Justin is willing to listen to Sebastiane's viewpoints and knowledge of Jesus Christ. When watching his friend dance he is enraptured by graceful movement. He acts as a barrier between Sebastiane and the troop. Without Justin's diligent protection, Sebastiane would have been executed early on in his punishment.

It is somewhat of an irony that despite Commander Severus' multiple attempts to subdue his defiant soldier, he appears indifferent to Sebastiane's devotion to Jesus Christ. He threatens to kill him if he does not reciprocate his advances. He is after all, a mere man stranded in an area far from civilization. Alcoholism ruins his self- restraint, though Sebastiane does not succumb to anger or hatred. He takes this injustice in stride for his faith teaches him to show compassion towards the flaws of a person.

The film equates nudity with misery. When someone is miserable, a person can easily see it. His life is consuming him mercilessly so no effort to hide it is made. The men are nude for their violence, internal conflict, masculinity and love for one another are the interlocking factors of the story. Nudity emphasizes the relationship between these things. It gives the audience a message that human nature in Imperial Rome is truly understood if one takes away the subtlety and ambiguity redundantly utilized in the artistic portrayal of this historical period.

It would be amiss to not mention that that nudity in a Mediterranean climate was considered reasonable during the summer season amongst cloistered men. Being fully clothed was just foolishness. If no woman is in sight, a man would not feel uncomfortable in taking his clothes off. He is surrounded by friends whom he trusts and shares a bond with.

I commend the late Director Derek Jarman for instructing his entire cast to speak in Latin. There are only a handful of films in Post- modernist Cinema that are entirely produced in classical language. Latin much like Sanskrit, is viewed as a dead language, thus Derek Jarman's effort to present Imperial Roman culture as accurate as possible is dignified.

Rescue Me (2004–2011)

For Suicidal Men Who Need a Better Excuse

[20 December 2014]

I used to watch every episode of "Rescue Me" back when it was a series on FX. At some point between its initial air date and the third season I became repulsed by the lack of human growth and dignity. It would be a remiss to not mention the full breadth of humanity the show portrayed. There were happy moments, sad moments, cheerful moments, doubtful moments, etc. Humanism for a plot is necessary for ratings yet when darkness overpowers a sliver of optimism as a continuing theme, it becomes sickening.

During the presidency of George W. Bush Jr., America was in a turbulent economy in which one day you were living comfortably, the next you were poor. Two years later, the situation is reversed. It is in addition to the aftermath of 9/11 in which our country went to war with Al-Qaeda-ruled Afghanistan and Saddam-ruled Iraq. Our country was joyous and miserable on-and-off from 2000 to 2008. The show did not serve as an escape from our problematic lives, it merely reinforced the suffering we endured through this dark chapter in America's history.

Maybe people watched it because drug abuse, rape, depression, suicide and misery as provocative themes gave them something to identify with and then justify their self-entitlement to rejecting any positive approach to better their own lives. Watching the scenes of Tommy Gavin being manipulative and egotistical without regard for the well-being of others was linked to the self-destructive archetype in TV show dramas. There is always the character who is out to harm others because they are not being miserable like him.

Janet Gavin was the only character worthy of respect because she made multiple attempts to provide something better for her family regardless of the obstacles she faced. Franco Rivera, like Janet, worked to provide a stable and positive influence for his child, becoming a better person in some ways, though still holding on to his selfish and abusive personality. He was a drug addict and at times abusive towards his daughter when she was crying and complaining. Being associated with the brooding misogyny and pessimism of his unit, he was prone to seeing everything from these lens.

I sympathize with Mike Silletti who was young, bisexual, optimistic and vulnerable. When he was being recruited by a different unit, he was receptive due to being fed up with his prolonged probationary status and the constant abuse dealt by co-workers. His co-workers' apparent love for him was rarely shown in ways that were useful to his benefit. In this sense, no one would find happiness being surrounded by individuals who need years of therapy before they finally realize no one wants to love or want them. That is the true message from the show.