mg75535 Reviews

Seven Seconds (2018)

A story with so much potential....that's 4 hours too long

[6/10 · 25 February 2018]

The storyline has so much potential and is in perfect time with the American attitude toward police violence and corruption. In this case it was an accident in which a white cop killed a black teenager but the lengths that the police go to to cover up the crime and attempt to justify his death by leaking his juvenile record so that he looks like a "gang-banger" are very in tune with the current climate of the country.

The problem is that it's drawn out into 10 hour long episodes, and it's far too long. Powerful moments or potentially powerful moments are diluted by the drawn out narrative. I honestly almost stopped watching it after a few episodes because I was just bored. In order to stretch it out into a full 10 episodes, they effectively made it dull. If it was condensed into 6 or 7 episodes it could have been a fantastic, timely, and powerful series. I won't say it isn't worth watching, because it isn't terrible, but you need to have patience to get through all the unnecessary filler.

Side note: Regina King is amazing as usual.

The Fear of 13 (2015)

So much potential, so poorly executed

[6/10 · 24 June 2017]

This documentary had so much potential. The story was there: a man who was wrongfully convicted, sentenced to death, begged to be executed and was finally released. However, the director decided to go with an unconventional story telling approach and the film suffers greatly for it. Instead of what we conventionally see in documentaries, where the film makers interview multiple people in the case and chronicle the investigation and journey the subject has gone through, David Sington basically lets Nick Yarris ramble into the camera for an hour and a half. At times, his incessant rambling bordered on unbearable and just annoying.

I'm sure many people enjoy the unconventional approach to story telling, but for someone like me who's interested in the failings of our criminal justice system, I want to hear from more than one person. When I watch something about a person who was wrongfully convicted, I want to know how the hell did this happen? I want to know about the legal proceedings and the case. The entire time I was watching this I was thinking well what the hell happened to this woman? What do the detectives, prosecutors, etc. have to say about the damage they've done? Instead, I got a very disjointed non-linear story from only one person and a summary of the vocabulary words he used.

It's not horrible, and it's not a necessarily a waste to watch, but there are so many other documentaries about the wrongfully accused and convicted that are so much more powerful and insightful than this one.

13th (2016)

Important, eye opening but too short

[10/10 · 24 June 2017]

13th is a great documentary about the history of race relations in the U.S. and the development of the atrocity that is the prison industrial complex. The only problem I have with it, is that it should have been a docuseries instead of a film. It's too short to properly delve into the subject matter. Race relations, the war on drugs, the war on crime, privatization of prisons, mass incarceration-these topics are too great and the history is too rich to adequately and thoroughly describe in just two hours.

The Soup (2004–2020)

Can't believe E canceled this...

[10/10 · 12 May 2017]

I honestly can't believe E canceled this show after TWELVE years to make room for what? more sex and the city reruns? more Kardashian spins offs? This show was HYSTERICAL. You get to see the funny parts of shows you actually have no interest in watching (the bachelor, etc) with the added bonus of Joel McHale's hilarious commentary. I'm desperately hoping that someone will start a campaign to get Netflix to pick up the soup. The did it with Chelsea Handler, so Netflix, if you're reading this pick up the soup!!

The Leftovers (2014–2017)

One of the most underrated shows on television

[10/10 · 18 April 2017]

The Leftovers may start off slow, but the pay off is so so worth it. It's like reading a book. You get through the first couple introductory chapters and then the story takes ff and you're hooked. The acting is phenomenal from the get go, and the premise provides a unique look at the world. This wasn't a genocide, or a pandemic. 2% of the world population literally vanished off of the face of the earth and there's no way to know what happened to them. The reactions of those left behind are very authentic. Many turn to religion or cults, many just try to go on, but most are filled with rage and anguish. The only part of the first season I really can't stand is Tom's story with Christine and Wayne. However, the Guilty Remanent is fascinating and Ann Dowd is just an amazing presence.

The show made a bold and fantastic choice to relocate in the second season. The further deterioration of Kevin's mental state, combined with the new characters and the mystical quality of the Sudden Departure, the town of Miracle make for riveting TV. Of course we're all curious about what happened to the departed and why it happened, but that's not what this show is about. It's about how we go on after devastating loss that we can't make sense of.

The show has been overlooked by the Emmy's and critic. However, I'm hoping that it gets the praise it deserves after it's final season finished.

American Crime (2015–2017)

The problem with American Crime is that I want answers

[7/10 · 18 April 2017]

American Crime focuses on the people surrounding a criminal case and the difficulties that they go through rather than the actual crime or criminal investigation itself. While I understand the merits of this and appreciate it the point they're trying to make, the fact of the matter is that I want to know the outcome. I want to know what happened. The acting is great and the series is well written (probably too good for network television though) but it's a let down getting to the end of the season having no idea what actually happened. The series doesn't need to focus on the investigation or be a police procedural to give the viewer a but more payoff at the end. We can struggle with the families of crime victims and ultimately learn the truth/see how things turn out without losing the main message of the show.

The Walking Dead (2010–2022)

It's time for the Walking Dead to die

[6/10 · 23 March 2017]

Once upon a time I would have given TWD a 9 or 10 rating. I binge-watched the first four seasons of the walking dead in a span of about 3 days before the season 5 premiere. The show started off as a really gripping series with a message about holding on to your humanity, even in the darkest of times. This is why season 2 is my favorite season. We see Shane completely devolve from a run of the mill douche bag into a complete monster willing to kill anyone who stands in his way. We see Dale argue to save the life of a young teen in the name of holding on to their humanity and values. However, the show has gotten to the point where any message it has once had has completely gone out the window. Instead it's just been a cycle of the same thing over and over again since season 3: the group encounters another group, has a conflict with them that lasts a few episodes to a season or more, some of them die, but ultimately they defeat their foe and pick up some new members along the way. The show is tired and frankly I'm tired of watching it. When they do try to introduce a level of depth now, it's lazily written, boring to watch, and doesn't do anything except help them fill air time. Season 7 has really been frustrating with Carol decided to live in a cabin alone so she doesn't have to kill. She gets knocked out by Morgan one time, and suddenly she's a completely different person willing to abandon her family so that she doesn't have to kill anyone? And then she promptly kills about 6 people almost immediately after leaving? The whole story line was so lazily written it really frustrated me. My sister is a die hard fan and even she is getting tired of watching it. It's become boring, tired, and redundant and it needs to end before it becomes one of the worst shows on TV. The only problem is that there is no end in sight and I'm not sure how they could possibly end the show in a satisfying manner.

Is O.J. Innocent? The Missing Evidence (2017)

Is O.J. Innocent? No.

[1/10 · 24 January 2017]

This "docuseries" was clearly a desperate attempt for Bill Dear to get the smear campaign against Jason Simpson of the ground, which he's been attempting to market since 2001. There is no evidence uncovered in this show that wasn't revealed in the Trial or "O.J.: Made in America". Every single piece of evidence that "proves" Jason was involved can be easily explained. The only thing this documentary showed was that O.J. was just as terrible of a father to his children as he was a husband to his wives. It's frankly irresponsible and cruel to be accusing Jason of these atrocious crimes with nothing to back it up except for the word of one attention seeking old hack.

Better Call Saul (2015–2022)

The most unique show on television

[10/10 · 18 October 2016]

I have to admit that when Better Call Saul first premiered, I watched the first few episodes and lost interest. I decided to give it another try after the first season was put up on Netflix and I am so glad I did. After the success (well deserved) of Breaking Bad, I was skeptical that Vince Gilligan could pull off a spin off that could be anywhere near as compelling. He did. There's honestly nothing that I can even think to compare this show to. It captures the tone of Breaking Bad but still manages to be funny and light at times but intense and captivating at others. Better Call Saul is definitely the most unique show on television, and I watch A LOT of TV. There is something special about it that I just can't put my finger on. Whatever it is, it sets this show apart from the rest.

True Detective (2014– )

This review is for season 1 only!

[10/10 · 18 October 2016]

Let's all collectively pretend that season 2 of True Detective NEVER happened. Swallowing my anger and disappointment about season 2, I don't have a single negative thing to say about True Detective season 1. It was perfect. The show takes place over 3 time period: 1995, 2002, and 2012. In 2012 Marty (Woody Harrelson) and Rust (Matthew McConaughey) are being interviewed by the police about a case that they "solved" back in 1995. The interviews frame the story in a really interesting and compelling way. You get to see where these men were and where they ended up simultaneously and the whole time you just wanna know how they got there. McConaughey's monologues are not only extremely entertaining but they're truly captivating. The chemistry between Harrelson and McConaughey is phenomenal. And to top it all of, the murder mystery at the center of this story is so strange and wrapped up in mystery and mythology that you'll be on the edge of your seat the entire time. True detective season 1 was television at it's finest and a perfect example of how television has become the new cinema. If you haven't watched True Detective yet, do it. But stop at the end of season 1. You will regret watching season 2 (which I would give a whopping 0 starts)

The Big Bang Theory (2007–2019)

Steady decline in quality

[4/10 · 15 March 2016]

I used to really like this show for the first couple of seasons, but their shtick has become old and stale. The humor used to be much smarter and more clever, it's clearly obvious now that they are pandering to the general public now that it's so popular. Jim Parson's is definitely good, but he does not deserve to still be nominated for the Emmy every year. He hasn't done anything new with this character since the beginning of the show. If you're looking at The Big Bang Theory for just a silly sitcom, its better than most of the other stupid network sitcoms. However, if you're looking for something with more of a unique humor like Arrested Development or 30 Rock, this is not the way to go. This is just a slightly different version of the frumpy guy husband/ pines for hot blond chick.