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djjongill
Reviews
My Best Friend's Exorcism (2022)
Prior reviews had our expectations low, but...
A well cut trailer later, we were pressing 'play'! Maybe it's because our last two movies were the disappointing (for my wife mainly) 'Black Adam' and (for both) 'Disenchanted' we felt there was no place to go but up, but just a few minutes into the story and we knew we were gonna enjoy this. Characters were set up and motives easy to understand, soundtrack not just needle drop after needle drop of 80's hits - but real original soundtrack music that sounded like it was straight out of the era. My wife and I were around theses characters age back in '88 and we kept commenting on how accurate the cars, mall shops and lingo was. Nailed it! Plus, well shot spooky and funny moments didn't disappoint. As for acting - by some awesome, by others serviceable - all and all and fine 98min of wall projector viewing. Give it a try!
The Seed (2021)
Good Practical Sci-Fi Horror on a Budget
Oh, what those poor actresses went through for this uber-gross sci-fi budge-flick! Practical effects and make up were very cool. Sure the 'creature' was a cross btwn Grogu from Mandalorian and C. H. U. D. but since I've never actually seen an alien in real life, I went with it! The humor was very 'Mean Girls' and I laughed out loud more than a few times. A bit artsy too with how they conveyed the alien control over the girls but I felt it worked. Was looking for a bit of mindless distraction and found it. Well done!
The Woman in the House Across the Street from the Girl in the Window (2022)
This Show Hates Kids Like Disney Hates Parents!
This director has turned out some of my favs! Love Heathers! Even loved Hudson Hawk! Parodies each in their own way. Not Scary Movie or Airplane style, but stories that showcase their fair share of ridiculousness
"Yah, that's probably what happened!'
Series director, Michael Lehman has turned out such a subtle parody here due to the first 7 of 8 eps only being sprinkled with parody size jokes. For the first 7 eps I was down with the mild forms of parody - then ep 8 goes full 'Scary Movie' and throws out a lot of the established logic from the previous story telling. Also, having the kills portrayed as so personal rubbed me the wrong way: husbands "potentially" killing wives, daughters left in the presence of cannibal killers, daughters killing fathers and seemingly unaffected PLUS being able to hide the fact that they also killed their mother and unborn sibling because they would have been jealous of the attention...eventually...Uh ok, that's funny. AND...make as much sense of this as you can: Our hero couldn't subdue a 9 yr old? But had to stab her to death? Batman would have been so disappointed.
At least make the little girl a baddy...no? Better to turn a girl that we've been rooting for as she's tormented from random cop visits and so virtuously protected by her Dad, into an inexplainable brutal psychotic and physically inept killer? Oh right, that's the parody part. MEH. This could have been tighter! Respect all the talent involved but could have been so much better! Something worth a Meryl Streep 'post credit' scene and a season 2 at least. I've said it b4 and I'll say it again: MEH!
Thunder Force (2021)
Eating raw chicken IS gross...but it's funny too!
It's funny 'cause you know it's not real chicken, but McCarthy goes out of her way to sell it! My favorite part is when she's trying to sign off from the vid call and she's like 'well it's just you and me, I guess' and drops the chicken down into her mouth from over her head. And Octavia and her daughter are still watching like 'OMG, please end this call'
Yah, my sights were set super low due to all the bad reviews on YouTube and IMDB and that may have helped in my enjoyment of the film. Not a constant 'knee slapper', but I don't think it was meant to be. McCarthy and Spencer play well off each other and I believed their friendship as well as the minor tensions that develop prior to the third act. The supporting cast worked for me too; Cannavale was an intimidating creep, Laser, that baddy you wanted to see get her come-up-ins, and of course Bateman's Crab guy. Bateman 'doing Bateman' with his subtle quips and comments. I cracked up every time he scuttled off screen when fights started - how he ends up having a thing for raw chicken too -just ridiculous!
All in all a good time was had. It's definitely more of an action comedy/super hero movie more than a straight up comedy. McCarthy and director/husband Falcone collabs offer their own brand of entertainment; much like, say, an Adam Sandler or Will Ferrel effort might. And like Sandler and Ferrel, they don't always hit the mark. Thunder Force sticks the landing and delivers an often funny action movie steeped in the 'super-hero' origin story trope. Those looking for anything else will be left with a bad 'taste' in their mouths. Like a raw chicken taste:) Go Thunder Force!
Central Park (2020)
I want to laugh more...
First seasons are tough for television. Some of the longest running hit shows, whether they be live action or animated, don't hit their stride till a few seasons in. I hope this is the case with Central Park. Plenty of talent packed into this production but having seen 10 episodes so far, I'm surprised at how little of the material I found even chuckle worthy.
I've enjoyed many comedic animated shows over the years ranging from the graphic and raunchy like Rick and Morty, Brickleberry and Family Guy, to the more family friendly affairs like The Simpsons, King of the Hill and Bob's Burgers (although, wow, it seems like in almost every episode of The Simpsons, Marge and Homer are making time for a 'snuggle' LOL and over at Bob's Gene, Tina and Linda are often cracking me up with body part and body function humor- GENE!) And while we're on the topic of creator, Loren Bouchard's previous shows it's should be noted that I'm a fan of Dr. Katz and an even bigger fan of Home Movies but Central Park has the challenging task of tackling almost squeaky clean 'family friendly' humor and the novelty of a weekly animated musical. A big first bite!
It's really hard not to compare CP to BB but as they look and (to some degree) sound similar. I've found that the biggest differences lie with the writing of the banter btwn characters and lack of humor in the songs lyrics. Additionally the characters suffer from underdevelopment. We're 10 eps in and I still don't buy the parents relationship. Do they have any tender moments together in the show at all? If so, they aren't memorable.
Also, and most importantly I think, CP suffers from a bit of voice actor miscasting. Except for Stanley Tucci's 'Bitsy' and Daveed Diggs' 'Helen' the rest of the cast all sound the same. Lots of mostly manic line readings and quick comedic quips all with similar tone and rhythm. Like they all have the same sense of humor. Not enough variation in delivery which leaves the jokes falling too fast and flat. Matt Groenings 'Disenchantment' suffered from similar problems. Compared to The Simpsons and Futurama, the cast was bland.
Comparatively, Bobs cast consists of mostly professional VO actors who either have unmistakably remarkable sounding voices like Jon Benjamin's 'Bob' and Kristen Schaal's 'Louise' or have such rich differences in their readings and accents that it makes the show more interesting. Linda, Teddy, Gene, Jimmy Pesto, Mr Frond and more all sound so different from each other and it really adds a richness to the aural experience of sitting through each episode. Something CP should improve upon.
You've got a talented group here CP.
Illustrators, actors, song writers, musicians...I just want to laugh more. Diversify the sound of the characters and make what they say and sing more humorous- then give us moments that help us care about the characters....and in my meager opinion I think it would help. Oh and bring Josh Gad's character into the story more as a participant and less as a narrator - faze that out. Obvious exposition is the enemy:) As this season is already in the can, my fingers are crossed for season 2🤞