Tag: Netflix

REVIEW: MUTE (2018)

Release Poster – Netflix

The following is a review of the Netflix Original Film MUTE — Directed by Duncan Jones.

Duncan Jones’ fourth feature film MUTE, which is dedicated to his late father David Bowie and his late nanny Marion Skene, is a science-fiction film in the vein of Ridley Scott’s Blade Runner. It tells the story of a search for a missing person in the melting pot of a futuristic and dirty Berlin, which, in true Blade Runner fashion, is bathed in neon lights and bluish colors. The film’s protagonist is an unlikely outsider — a tall and mute bartender named Leo (played by Alexander Skarsgård) who lost the ability to speak as a child in a violent motorboat propellor accident.  Continue reading “REVIEW: MUTE (2018)” →

REVIEW: First Team: Juventus – Part One (2018)

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The following is a review of the first three episodes of the first season of Netflix’s First Team: Juventus.

As one person, during the second episode of First Team: Juventus, points out, it is a matter of black and white with Juventus in Italy — either you hate them or you love them. Juventus is one of the most storied clubs in world football. When it comes to legendary club kits the only kits that rival the striped black and white home kit of Juventus are those worn by Barcelona and Real Madrid from Spain. Juventus, arguably the greatest club in Italian football history, is that kind of club — a true winner.
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REVIEW: Irreplaceable You (2018)

Theatrical Release Poster – Netflix

The following is a review of Irreplaceable You — Directed by Stephanie Laing.

Cancer movies are a dime a dozen, which isn’t to say that I dislike these films. I’m a sucker for films like A Walk to Remember and 50/50, the latter of which I believe is actually a masterpiece — but I digress. What I am saying is that there are a lot of these films, so when you encounter a new one, it has to really stand out to be worthwhile. Netflix just released the feature film directorial debut for Stephanie Laing, who has previously worked on shows like Veep and Vice Principals. Laing’s first film, unfortunately, does not manage to stand out at all.  Continue reading “REVIEW: Irreplaceable You (2018)” →

REVIEW: Seeing Allred (2018 – Documentary)

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The following is a review of Seeing Allred — A Netflix Documentary.

I’ll be honest with you, I was not at all that familiar with Gloria Allred before I saw this documentary. Sure, I had seen her referenced in stuff like South Park or The Simpsons, and I remember the Gloria Allred scene in Jerry Zucker’s Rat Race. But that was pretty much it. This Netflix documentary definitely filled in some gaps, for me, but it still somehow feels incomplete. Continue reading “REVIEW: Seeing Allred (2018 – Documentary)” →

REVIEW: When We First Met (2018)

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The following is a review of Netflix’s When We First Met — Directed by Ari Sandel.

When We First Met is a romantic comedy from Oscar-winner Ari Sandel (having won that award for a live-action short), which is basically a mixture of Harold Ramis’ Groundhog Day and Richard Curtis’ About Time that is so predictable that it becomes a waste of time to watch, in spite of it not being as bad as one might’ve feared.
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REVIEW: The Cloverfield Paradox (2018)

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The following is a review of The Cloverfield Paradox — Directed by Julius Onah.

There is nothing quite like Cloverfield. The production and release of Matt Reeves’ found footage monster movie was kept under wraps for a long time. The existence of Dan Trachtenberg’s 10 Cloverfield Lane — the spiritual sequel — was only revealed one or two months before it was set to be released in theaters. And, now, The Cloverfield Paradox is released on Netflix just a few hours after the first trailer for it was released during Super Bowl LII. There is nothing quite like Cloverfield, and yet there are so many things like the immensely disappointing The Cloverfield Paradox.
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REVIEW: Step Sisters (2018)

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The following is a review of Step Sisters — Directed by Charles Stone III.

Step Sisters is a dance comedy film about an African-American college student, Jamilah (played by Megalyn Echikunwoke), who wants so desperately to go to Harvard. So, when a damaging video of white sorority girls goes viral, Jamilah tries to secure a letter of recommendation from the Dean by teaching a mostly white sorority how to step dance. Continue reading “REVIEW: Step Sisters (2018)” →

REVIEW: A Futile and Stupid Gesture (2018)

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The following is a review of A Futile and Stupid Gesture — Directed by David Wain.

Here is a thing that I don’t think Americans have ever thought about. When I was younger and I watched National Lampoon’s Vacation or National Lampoon’s Christmas Vacation, and so on and so forth, I had no idea what the hell National Lampoon was. I vividly remember asking my parents several times what National Lampoon was, and they didn’t really have a firm grasp of it either. Honestly, I don’t think most Non-Americans really know about National Lampoon. So, really, A Futile and Stupid Gesture — a film about the rise and fall of the parody magazine — is probably a pretty good idea. Continue reading “REVIEW: A Futile and Stupid Gesture (2018)” →

REVIEW: The Open House (2018)

Release Poster – Netflix

The following is a review of The Open House – A Netflix Original Film.

A couple of months ago, I had my first genuinely effective nightmare in my adult life. In it, I was watching television when, out of the corner of my eye, I saw someone standing in the doorway. It wasn’t just anyone. It was a figure that seemed to have been constructed from different images from Stephen King adaptations. Imagine something of a mix between the leper from Andy Muschietti’s adaptation of IT and the moonlight man from Gerald’s Game.

In the nightmare, I was unable to move as this figure kept moving towards me ever so slowly. Needless to say, home invasion movies have a strong effect on me. A home invasion is one of my biggest fears. Therefore, as you might imagine, The Open House was a horror film I had on my radar. Continue reading “REVIEW: The Open House (2018)” →

REVIEW: The Polka King (2018)

Release Poster – Netflix

The following is a review of The Polka King – Directed by Maya Forbes.

The Polka King is a comedic biopic that tells the true story about Jan Lewan (played by Jack Black), a Polish polka band leader and con artist, who became a convicted criminal while exploring the depths of the American Dream. The film is far more interested in his successes and deceptions than in his time in prison, however, and that gives us plenty of time to see surprisingly strong supporting cast of actors like Jenny Slate — playing his wife, Marla Lewan; Jacki Weaver — his mother-in-law, Barb; and Jason Schwartzman — his good friend and one of the band members in his polka band.
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