bokonon82 Reviews

The Killing (2011–2014)

Season 1 is a meandering mess

[6/10 · 18 July 2022]

How is this show so highly regarded? It reminds me of Prison Break. Just a lot of filler with no substance.

I came in expecting a nice mystery show, but I instead get a poorly written police procedural episode stretched over 20 hours. The first few suspects that were drowning in evidence was ok but they just keep going and silly coincidences get them off.

I didn't expect a masterpiece, but this show is truly awful. At least CSI or Law and Order give me resolutions.

Music Box: Woodstock 99: Peace Love and Rage (2021) Season 1, Episode 1

Beware the Jabberwocky

[5/10 · 25 July 2021]

I mean white boys.

Jesus, this documentary doesn't know what it wants to say. On one hand it seems to portray '69 and '94 as utopia. On the other, it briefly recognizes '69 was NOT anything like utopia. What problems were grunge bands fighting against? That was a very nihilistic genre, imho. Also, grunge didn't die with Kurt. Pearl Jam still had 3 great albums to come (vitology, no code, yield) and several ok albums.

The WATER was the reason for the riot and frankly, they were somewhat justified.

Nu Metal as a genre was sort of a lower middle class "white trash" form of hip hop. The 90s were the era of NAFTA and major destruction of the unions. These guys had plenty to be angry about.

A Christmas Carol (1951)

Gets Scrooge Wrong

[6/10 · 25 December 2020]

This version is OK but I always felt they get the character of Scrooge wrong and the conversion to "good Scrooge" is rather abrupt compared to the book. There IS a transition stage.

As with many versions, Scrooge is sort of a caricature of a greedy capitalist foregoing personal connections in the pursuit of wealth. This is a wholly inaccurate and less complex version of the character than is presented by Dickens, the greatest psychologist of the 18th century.

I submit that Scrooge is the product of childhood trauma and as result he has gone through life with a major feeling of inferiority along with a need to prove his value.

As a child, Scrooge is isolated from family by his father. The only warmth or compassion he comes upon prior to Fezzywink was that of his sister, who dies young (another source of trauma).

Under Fezzywink, Scrooge is happy and meets his fiance. She comes from a family of greater means than he does and is viewed by Scrooge and others as too good for him. Thus, due to his childhood, Scrooge feels the need to earn love from others. In his mind, the way to become worthy of her love is to increase his social standing through the pursuit of wealth.

In the process of chasing wealth as a means to earn affection he does not feel worthy of, he pushes her away (possible avoidant behavior). After this, his APPEARANCE is that of a greedy miser happy with being alone and caring for no one but himself.

I submit they Scrooge NEVER changes. He was ALWAYS the man we see at the end of the film. The reality is that he was too afraid to become close to anyone after his father, sister, and fiance. He is not a bad person. He is merely afraid of caring for others. The pursuit of wealth is merely a replacement for the love he desires.

Thus, the conversion of Scrooge in this film reflects a tired old misinterpretation of the original story. Almost every version tends to portray Scrooge in this manner, aside from the 1984 version. He might be the most misunderstood and misinterpreted character outside of Dr. Jekyll.

Dark Side of the Ring: The Killing of Bruiser Brody (2019) Season 1, Episode 3

You're up, Jason Momoa

[9/10 · 30 July 2020]

I almost always hate biopics, but this guy's life is begging to be made into a film starring Jason Momoa.

Star Wars: The Rise Of Skywalker (2019)

Not ten stars, but I have to correct for morons

[10/10 · 13 January 2020]

First things first. . . this is Star Wars, a series created for children. This IS NOT Shakespeare or Faulkner.

If you have not seen this film, ignore the reviews, because it is AT LEAST better than every single movie in the prequel trilogy (as is the entire new trilogy) and it's better than Return of the Jedi. Go in with an open mind and not with a bunch of bad reviews in your heart. Most people went in with stories from reviewers of how bad it was and it has become a self-fulfilling prophecy.

If you have seen it, and disliked it, give it a year or two and revisit. You may find that your unrealistic expectations ruined a great movie.

The Thing (I) (2011)

Doesn't line up with original

[5/10 · 31 October 2018]

It's odd how a bigger budget and "better" effects with an ok story, do not add up to a movie equally as good as the original. I find it strange how the monsters in the original are more scary AND seem more real. The CGI is quite mediocre to the point where physical puppets made of foam and syrup (whatever they used) are way more terrifying.

I am not a long time fan of the original. In fact, I just watched both for the first time in the last few weeks. Aside from the poorly executed effects, the store really doesn't make much sense in the prequel.

Here's why:

In the original, they come to the realization that each cell of the "Thing" is sort of an individual being that also acts as an entire sentient being in combination. The individual components of the being will try to escape when threatened OR they will expose themselves when they have another living thing cornered in a way where they may mimic them without being discovered. Thus, you have the dog going after the other dogs to mimic them or the hidden instances where humans are copied if caught alone.

Then, you have the moments where the "Thing" is threatened and hit their own "fight or flight" mode to escape. These include the mouth opening on the stomach when shocked by paddles to correct a heart rhythm, the head trying to escape the body when it was burning, AND the blood reacting to intense heat during the "test" which caused the "Thing" to react and fight back. The point is that the "Thing" does not expose itself unless it is under direct threat.

In the prequel, the "Thing" just randomly exposes itself. I feel like the writers/director didn't really watch the original or some producer came in and screwed it all up.

Dear White People (2017–2021)

IMDb rating proves the point

[10/10 · 29 May 2017]

Do not let the rating fool you. This is a high quality dramedy. Occasionally, it is a little extreme and laughable (extremely attractive black girl gets ignored by white guys at party. . . not gonna happen lol).

As a white guy, this expresses a lot of the ideas I have tried to portray to other white people: we are all prejudice. It is implicit in our genetic makeup (white and black) and the inability to acknowledge this fact is as dangerous and true explicit racism.

This is easily on the level of OITNB in terms of quality and message (first 2 seasons, that is). The rating clearly reflects a campaign by alt-right types to bring it down.

Main point: just don't use the N-word. In the words of John Mulaney "If you're comparing the badness of two words and you won't even say one of them, that's the worse word."

The Brothers Grimsby (2016)

Incredibly stupid, predictable and painfully funny at times

[8/10 · 13 March 2016]

One of the raunchiest movies I have ever seen, and I've seen them all. I found myself laughing to the point of pain and simultaneously hating myself for doing so, while thinking "how did this get through with an R rating?" Do I care if it's just hilarious garbage? No, because that's what I went to see and I was fully satisfied by the experience.

Raunchy isn't an easy way to be funny (as Sisters has proved). It still takes talent to make people laugh. If you can handle raunchy, are able to close your eyes occasionally, enjoy laughing and don't take things too seriously, you will have fun. If you are a pretentious asshole that thinks entertainment should always be intelligent, please stay home and shoot yourself. Oh, and don't put this on the list for movie night with grandma.