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Reviews
Jacob's Ladder (2019)
Wonderful horror remake
I really enjoyed the first Jacob's Ladder, the Vietnam era psychological horror became a cult classic. I foresee the same for this film as it relates to those who have returned from Afghanistan. In an attempt to be free from the horrors of the war the main characters embark upon a nightmarish journey of discovery where the road to Hell might indeed be paved with good intentions. Brothers Jacob and Isaac both in the military are not the best of brothers. But when one returns from the war broken and haunted by demons and hallucinations the other risks everything to bring him back.
Insecure (2016)
INSECURE has left me DISAPPOINTED.
INSECURE is not quite what I expected. I was ready for a whole lot of Issa Rae but instead I feel as though the "Molly" character is crammed into the story and grabbing important development aspects that rightfully belong to the main character. This unfortunate decision has really narrowed the impact of what should have been a groundbreaking prestige series for HBO.
In Awkward Black Girl ("ABG"), Issa Rae's breakthrough online series, the story was narrated n part through Voice Over which is traditionally frowned upon even though it worked well in successful programs like Sex in the City and frankly worked fantastically in ABG. So in order to tell her story in the conventionally "acceptable" fashion the Powers That Be had to cram another Black female, Molly into the story to be her sounding board and foil character. If all the issues in the current plot line were happening to the same person it would be a much more compelling show. But here, the issues are divided between two characters which diminishes their impact. Whose character development are we supposed to be following?
There are some implausible moments from the very beginning. Why would an "insecure" person jump up on stage singing about anyone's "pussy". It felt forced and unnatural. And for the sake of all that is holy - Why Is There So Much Cursing? Two intelligent, educated black women sit in a restaurant for lunch having a loud expletive laden conversation that professional black women certainly have in private but NEVER in public. Why would Molly care about someone in her office getting married? Issa's character would be more concerned with that as she has been living with a man who has not been able to get his act together to take that next step. Molly doesn't even have a steady beau, yet. So it seems highly unlikely that someone getting engaged would even resonate with her. Her strong reactions would only seem valid if her office mate was getting engaged to a man that Molly had dated seriously. It makes me very uncomfortable seeing the same angry black woman who can't get a date, who complains about the variety of black men who are in the dating pool; or the black woman who has the disappointing boyfriend, who slacks off at work, who has to be chided by white people as to how to be a concerned employee and involved black person.That scene was extremely condescending. And further, the "fill in the blank - 'As *beep*'" episode titles are puerile and make it difficult to reference them in water- cooler discussions.
I believe that Issa Rae is a brilliant writer and really good actress, and I am praying that her very unique voice does not get drowned out by industry-insider conventionalism that has to this point marginalized the ability to bring non-stereotypical and reality-based People of Color to the big and small screens.
Being Human (2008)
"A ghost, a werewolf and a vampire walk into a..." sounds like a bad joke, but it's all good!!
"A ghost, a vampire and a werewolf walk into a..." Okay, I'm sure you've heard it a hundred times and it sounds like the beginning of a really bad joke but it really is the beginning to some of the best spec-fic TV you'll probably ever see. George the werewolf, Annie the ghost and Mitchell the vampire are roommates in an apartment in Bristol where they try to live a "normal" life. But they find that life after life is complex and unforgiving. And the "normal" people can be as frightening as the monsters. Dealt with allegorically in the show are addictions, clinical behavioral problems and mental illness to name a few. Well-rounded characters and oddly familiar situations tinged with the supernatural keep us eager to walk the road with the series' three protagonists. Be advised...this is not Twilight. This is grown-up TV with all the blood, sex and blue language that keeps it interesting for the post-pubescent set. The writing and acting are top-notch and each ensuing episode makes you ravenous for the next. Season II can't come soon enough.
Blood Ties (2007)
Pleasantly Surprised by Blood Ties
All right, I grudgingly watched the show and was really ready to hate it as derivative (of Witchblade) or be bored with the cliché'd vampire theme. Boy Was I Wrong! Yes...there is the tough-girl Sara Pezzini style heroine but Christine Cox holds her own creating the likable and cynical "supernatural" P.I. Vicki Nelson. I honestly expected the vampire to be broody and over done...not so. Kyle Schmid is surprisingly charming as the Lothario comic-book-writing vampire. Dylan Neal plays Mike the cop who is dead set on defending his position to be more than just friends, and Neal just sucker punches you with his bigger than life, leading man type appeal.
The writers and directors did such an excellent job of keeping the tone well-balanced between the suspense, sexual tension and comic relief that I immediately set my DVR to record all the upcoming episodes.