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Reviews
Masters of the Universe: Revelation (2021)
Strong Start
Masters of the Universe is unique in that it turns everything upside down. This feels very much like a Mad Max world where there are no good or bad guys... just people you can trust for the immediate future. There were some parts that gave my eyes tears. I would say the puns are funny to a point but maybe slightly overdone. Without spoilers I was so shocked by the ending of the last episode was so surprising I had to question if it was actually the last episode. It was. No spoilers but I enjoyed this thoroughly.
Yesterday (2019)
Enjoyable
This is a great idea, but there are too many unlikable characters. Nevertheless it's a fun movie and I rather enjoyed it. Pretty sure Kate McKinnon is channeling Dennis Miller because the similarities are too uncanny.
Jay and Silent Bob Reboot (2019)
Unnecessary, but has charm.
All I can really say is this movie has its charms. It's not great, but Kevin Smith has always had his niche universe, and if you enjoy that universe then this movie is perfectly acceptable. The self-aware nature of its trappings as a reboot are somewhat enjoyable if not overused. Not a great movie, but very enjoyable for a fan of Mr. Smith.
Creepshow (2019)
As Good As You Give
I will say, these are some great short stories, just demanding screen time. Unfortunately, the special effects in several episodes is abysmal. Don't get me wrong, I don't need cutting edge CGI or even great practical effects to entertain me, but in the case of most of Creepshow's episodes, the effects are so bad it's glaring. And if all you are focused on is how bad the effects look, it's hard to enjoy the stories - of which most are great.
What Just Happened??! (2019)
Ha. Irreverent.
I wish there were more shows like this. It's really in the vein of mockumentaries. I think Fred Savage was inspired casting as it has a Princess Bride feel, in that it never was a real book. I mean, it was, but it wasn't. Read the book. It's great.
I think though that the show expects too much of the audience. But if you like mockumentaries, you'll get it.
Alien: Covenant (2017)
Almost a perfect horror movie.
I was pleasantly surprised by this film. It harkens back to the creepy body horror of early Cronenberg with both gruesomeness and sexuality. Danny McBride surprises with his actual acting chops and Fassbender steals the show in dual roles. Although attentive viewers won't be surprised by the ending, it still maintains intensity up to the credits. My only complaint is I feel fan backlash may have forced hands in the final act. Get the Blu Ray and watch the bonus and deleted scenes. I only hope the scenes are added as a special cut down the road. This movie is creepy and If you like body horror, this will not disappoint.
Watermelon Man (1970)
From Funny to Sad
I came about this movie in sort of a bizarre way. I was listening to the audio commentary on the TV miniseries, "The Shining." Melvin Van Peebles came into the discussion as did Steven Spielberg in a "Jurassic Park 3" quip. At any rate, this movie was mentioned and it sounded very interesting. So I watched it.
The first and most obvious point of this movie is that it is satire on racism. The next thing you will notice is that the color in the movie is extremely vibrant and almost every scene has an absurd amount of contrasting colors.
This movie isn't the standard character switch movie, where the protagonist simply switches genders, races, age, etc... Our protagonist undergoes a much more psychological change as well. This is first apparent in a meeting with Dr. Wainwright.
With this change the movie goes from a more lighthearted satire into a much more serious fare. There are points in the movie that are in fact, in my opinion, very Oscar worthy.
The reason I had earlier mentioned Steven Spielberg is because he had directed an episode of "Night Gallery" which also starred Godfrey Cambridge, who is the protagonist in this movie.
All in all, Melvin Van Peebles "The Watermelon Man" is a great movie and worth a watch. It's more sad than funny, but that is the point I think.