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Reviews
Mo (2022)
Religion, reality and how to read 1 star reviews.
The negative reviews are little more than religious policing. The one star reviews for Mo are the same one star 'blasphemy' reviews you'll find on The Life of Brian. While Mo isn't a satire - it doesn't mock religion - it works as a comedy because it's about a story of ridiculous contradictions and the distinctly familiar, muddling human attempts to make sense of it all and survive.
99% of the bellyaching reviews are critical of the characters not being Muslim enough, the situations not being true to scripture and strict observance of Islam.
But is this not demonstrably true of most religious people today? Most Abrahamic religions do not adhere to ultra orthodoxy, most seek a modern sensibility because dogma denies the personal purposes of faith. I don't need anachronistic dogma to legitimise my beliefs, in fact I blame it for a lot of problems.
Mo is realistic, modern and deeply funny series that is first and foremost about people. It works because it's about experiences we share as humans regardless of - or because of - politics or religion. It works because it gives a perspective we don't often see but with a humanity that we very much understand.
Elvis (2022)
Fortunately Elvis fanatics won't like this.
I'm not an Elvis fan. I didn't expect to love this film. That's the trick.
If you're an older, died in the wool Elvis fan, you won't like Lurhman's story. It's not a biopic version of a dozens of Elvis documentaries and Elvis didn't invent rock n roll.
Fortunately, I'm a fan of music. As a fan, especially of blues - thrilled to hear (and see) Gary Clark Jnr all over the first quarter of the movie - this is an articulate, considered account of the time, the places and the people that made Elvis Presley.
The through-shot of musical influences from the 50s to now is superb - hats off to the film's music team. Baz isn't playing to a younger crowd, the juxtapositions provide relevance and solid proofs as to how culture spreads; and what shitty looked like for people of colour in the early 20thC, but without labouring on it. A couple of negative reviews call the film 'woke', which it absolutely is not. It simply, and rather decoratively, acknowledges a universally accepted truth that blues and gospel are the origins of rock n roll music. Apparently crediting black culture with anything is 'woke' for some folk these days. These same folk will hate that this music thread is woven thru the entire score's chronology.
There's a fairy tale, fable like quality to Baz' account which while a tad simplistic has been executed very well... I this will also irk Elvis' amateur biographers no end.
But this film isn't for them. If you took them out of the ratings equation it would be in the 8.2 star territory. I could go on and on but will leave it at this. It's a very, very good film worth watching.
Elvis delivers a new credibility and a validity to the legend. The lead actor Aston Butler, holy smokes... that's a whole other review.
The Bear (2022)
Heart & Soul - Masterpiece
Trust the vision. This is beautifully crafted.
Exactly like amazing food prepared by world class chefs, it's not about what you think you want. Let the artist show you what superb can look like.
The first season was outstanding. Original, unique and intelligent.
The second season blew the first out of the water.
A little slow to start but it needs the buildup... it's absolutely worth it. Mid season there's a double length episode that pulls it together and releases all that marauding energy into fast paced and deeply satisfying resolutions.
The characters are a frustratingly endearing - it's a rollercoaster ride of hate, empathy and love you develop for nearly all of them, but not in an OTT villainous or archetypal antihero way. It doesn't need to be so dramatic. It's too good to need hyperbole.
It's not a heehaw comedy and it's not meant to be as dysfunctionally off the wall as Shameless. It's got more meat on the bone.
It's not workplace dramedy either. It's not even about food or cheffing. It's about perseverance, messing up, consistently, acceptance, forgiveness, not being ok and growth. It's a universal story because it's about human stuff.
There's so much technical nuance in the way this is shot, scripted, performed... a 100% ensemble tour de force.
The Old Man (2022)
A broken promise - no payoff
Great cast, great dialogue, so much promise in the first 3/4 of the series.. but dang, that ending is profoundly, inexcusably lame.
The building intensity, the purpose, the complexity, the deepening mystery, the dogged tenacity, the beautifully crafted promise of fully realised themes and arcs... simply vanish into thin air. Never existed. No payoff. All your emotional investment and you get nada. Donuts.
The finale is rushed to reveal the 'mystery' which is more of a trite twist you can see a mile off and you're left with at least five big things completely unresolved.
Ultimately, and very unfortunately, an unrewarding use of time and energy - possibly moreso for the actors and filmmakers than us poor viewers.
Remember how awesome Detectives was? Now imagine that with a Scooby Doo ending. Scooby Don't.
The Old Man: VII (2022)
A broken promise - zero payoff
Great cast, great dialogue etc... but wtf that ending is profoundly, inexcusably lame.
The building intensity, the purpose, the complexity, the deepening mystery, the dogged tenacity, the beautifully crafted promise of fully realised themes and arcs... simply vanish in that final episode. Never existed. No payoff. You get nada.
The 'mystery' is a trite twist you can see a mile off, and there are at least five big things left totally unresolved.
An unrewarding waste of time and energy - the viewers' as much as the actors and filmmakers.
Remember how awesome Detectives was? Now imagine that with a Scooby Doo ending. Scooby Don't.