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coryandricks
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Reviews
Drag Kids (2019)
Heartwarming and Wholesome
I found myself moved and in tears several times during this film. Props to these kids' parents for giving their children a joyful and passionate outlet of artistic expression in spite of all of the hate and bigotry currently being perpetuated in society. One need not go any further than this review section for examples. The way I see it, people just try to offset their personal prejudices with sanctimonious moral posturing. Screaming buzzwords on a soapbox with a megaphone makes people feel they will be perceived as legitimate, but when there is a clear lack of understanding of and inability to logically discuss the issues at hand, the façade falls apart. What these people fail to understand is that gender expression has absolutely nothing to do with sex, so those of you who are chanting "sexualization!" with pitchforks and torches need to do some serious soul searching as to why you are looking at children innocently performing and thinking about sex. Anybody with half a brain can see this is because of implicit bias towards the LGBTQ community. You create a narrative of slurs and stereotypes because they don't adhere to your heteronormative social constructs, and you'll be damned before you will let them get away with that! As usual, these reactionaries either don't realize or don't care that history will not look back upon them favorably. Oh well. The world is changing with or without you, and these parents and children actually give me a little hope for the future. 10/10.
Here and Now (2018)
HBO Murders Another Potential Classic
I just watched the season 1 finale less than 24 hours after hitting play on episode 1, so of course I immediately hop on the web for info about season 2 only to find out that HBO has canceled it after just one season. Seriously? This show is amazing television with talented actors skillfully giving life to richly complex characters and writers/directors (including Alan Ball) who understand the real life nuances needed to tell layered, socially relevant stories. So often, projects like this feel either forced and preachy because self-centered writers make their own politics the star of the show, or totally cliche due to writers creating stories based on their perception of other people's experiences. That is not the case here. In fact, it's done so well, you almost feel as if the show is creating itself, but unfortunately, as with Enlightened before it, HBO has killed another potential classic before it even had a chance.
The Fear of 13 (2015)
True Crime Documentary Heroin
This was true crime documentary heroin. It is literally just the story of Nick Yarris as told by Nick Yarris, but damn, is it powerful! It was also made very well. The filmmakers were very conservative with their editing embellishments by sprinkling in just enough sound and visuals to add a rich layer of atmospheric tension to Nick's poetically told tale. Highly recommended!
Where to Invade Next (2015)
One of Moore's Best
This is one of Michael Moore's best documentaries. It tackles many of the issues that are relevant in America's current socio-political climate (healthcare, paid leave, education, mass incarceration, drugs) but without the usual flashy, confrontational gimmicks that we have come to associate with Michael Moore. Instead, he simply takes us on a learning tour to other countries that have come up with wildly successful solutions to these issues. We have all these prime examples of programs that actually work, yet somehow, here in America, socialism is still a dirty word, so we insist on more of the same failed policies despite all the data proving otherwise because we refuse to accept that somebody other than America got it right. If you're like me (brimming with cynicism in the abyss of absolute hopelessness for this country), it's at least nice to be reminded of what is possible.
I Spit on Your Grave III: Vengeance Is Mine (2015)
Brutally enjoyable but falls short of the others...
This was probably my least favorite of all the grave-spitters, but I still loved it. I think there was a conscious choice here to break the franchise mold by holding back on the graphic violence against the leading females which is admirable from a social standpoint, but at the same time, people don't watch these films for lessons in morality. They watch them because they love the pay-off of revenge, and revenge this brutal just feels so much better when there is a really disturbing catalyst behind it. Quick flashbacks from the first sequel don't do much for building tension, and it's lazy film-making. That said, I wanted to give it 8 stars just because I enjoyed it so much, but in all honesty, while still enjoyably brutal, it's probably a star or 2 behind all the others.
American Sniper (2014)
Very Well Acted Propaganda Film
Cooper plays a misguided simpleton with anger issues who runs off and joins the military to kill terrorists because he saw 9/11 on the tayvay, and he plays it very, very well. Killing terrorists and protecting 'murica gives him a purpose in life and renders him just as useless to society as he was prior to his legendary sniper status. I'm not really sure what Mr. Eastwood's angle was here, but judging from the fact that it's based on an actual memoir, the general feeling of manipulation as the viewer, and my usual ability to spot propaganda from a mile away, I can probably guess. Had it not been for all of that, I probably would've given it a higher rating, but Bradley Cooper earns this film seven stars on his own.