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Reviews
Honk for Jesus. Save Your Soul. (2022)
I love a good mockumentary
"Honk For Jesus. Save Your Soul." is a fun mockumentary about a wife and her husband who is the pastor of a Christian megachurch. This pastor preaches the prosperity gospel. For those of you not familiar with the prosperity gospel, it's a teaching from a few Christian pastors that God wants His followers to be wealthy. People just need faith in God and donate to the churches. The donations will be blessed then make their way back to the givers, but in higher amounts than what was given. The pastors offer themselves up as examples of God's blessings. Pastors brag about their expensive clothes, mansions, luxury cars, planes, helicopters, etc.
The pastors preach in megachurches. Megachurches have 5,000 - 25,000+ members. Even more people watch the sermons broadcast on television or on video. Imagine averging only $2 every Sunday from 25,000 people. That's over 2.5 million, tax-free dollars a year. Oh, church money isn't taxed in the US. You can see how these pastors end up with mansions and luxury cars. Their churches also receive money from merchandising. The most successful pastors make millions every year.
This movie uses the documentary format to make fun of these types of preachers. Think "The Office", "Parks and Recreation", or "Abbot Elementary". It works. The audience sees the lives of the preacher and his wife on and off camera. The film does an excellent job of conveying the tension between the couple after the scandal breaks. He has his head in the clouds, while she is more practical. You really wonder if the pastor believes what he's saying or if he's that delusional. You also wonder if the wife will stick to her Christian beliefs of forgiveness and wifely loyalty. Or is she only with her husband for the money the two bring in?
The story is heavily influenced by an actual church sex scandal that took place in Atlanta, Georgia. The comments you hear in the movie are similar to what people said in real life. The movie dramatizes the fallout from the scandal -some congregants left, but most stayed. You can look into the life and death of Bishop Eddie Long to see the similarities.
Strange World (2022)
Visually beautiful movie about family expectations
This one really felt like a Pixar film more than a typical Disney movie. Disney continued the trend of no villian. Instead the movie dealt with family conflict similar to Encanto. Instead of granddaughter who had issues with a grandmother, this film dealt with problems among three generations of fathers and sons.
Most of the movie takes place in a beautiful unexplored place near the community of Avalonia. Avalonia is a land surrounded by impassable mountains. No one knows what is on the other side. Our explorers leave on a quest to discover why an important crop is failing. In the process, they not only discover a new land, but also discover more about themselves.
The scenery is gorgeous. The new place looks like cross between an underwater ocean and regular land. Starfish-looking creatures swing through the trees. A pod of skate-type creatures swim through the air. It reminded me of an ocean enough that I felt myself relax the same way I do when I look at a real ocean. Ahhhhhh
Some people may not enjoy the movie as there is no princess, no singing, and no big baddie to defeat. I enjoyed the movie.
Since I now know what the new land is, I'll see if I can spot the clues the next time I watch it. I did spot one clue, but brushed it off as the animators attempts to make the landscape look alien.
I do recommend this film.
That '90s Show (2023)
Funny show
I didn't watch much of original series, That 70's show. Unlike other people who have written about this show, I didn't have any expectations. Well, I expected it to be halfway decent since it's sequel.
Thank goodness. Unlike many who were fans of the original show, I liked what I've seen so far. I'm lucky that I don't feel the need to compare this show to the original. I think that makes a difference. Unlike my roommate, I'm not saying things like "Didn't they do that storyline in the original show" or "Don't you think that character acts just like so in so"? I have no idea! Ha ha
To me this is a typical situation comedy. It's good for a few laughs.
She-Hulk: Attorney at Law (2022)
Fun show! Too bad it's getting review bombed.
The cg in the trailers looked bad but those improvised once the the show was released.
The show is fun and perfect for a night of binge watching. Ignore the review-bombing trolls. It feels like the men from season 1 episode 9 jumped from the screen straight into these reviews. They keep giving the show 1 and 2 star ratings. Seriously?
I personally think those reviewers are mad because the character, Jen, can transform between She-Hulk and Jen easily. And She-Hulk is a smart Hulk who didn't require years of training to merge her Hulk and Jen personas the way Bruce Banner and The Hulk did. Jen believes it's because she's a woman, but we, the audience don't know and neither does she. Bruce Banner thought he knew how Hulks worked, but in the MCU, he only has himself as the entire population of Hulks to experiment on. Feel free to correct me if I'm wrong here.
She-Hulk may be smart and under control because Jennifer's hormones are different from Bruce's. The difference could be because Jennifer received a small amount of Bruce's blood. Who knows? The point is She-Hulk is agood show that shouldn't receive this much hate.
Can't wait for season 2.
Rim of the World (2019)
Fun adventure film. Not for the whole family.
Don't go into this expecting a giant blockbuster Hollywood film. It's a fun adventure movie with humor. Much of the humor isn't for children.
The movie borrows elements from older blockbusters. Some people may hate it, but I thought of it as an homage.