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Gareth von Kallenbach (971 KP) rated The Blind Side (2009) in Movies
Aug 8, 2019
“The Blind Side” tells the unique story of Leigh Anne Touhy (Sandra Bullock) a rich sassy southern mother who makes a snap decision to take in Michael Oher (Quinton Aaron), a destitute high school student who is failing his classes. As Michael struggles to overcome his past, Leigh Anne becomes increasingly aware of the world around her. Even with differing backgrounds Leigh Anne and Michael connect through the sport they both love.
Based primarily on one of the two stories within the book, The Blind Side: Evolution of a Game by Micheal Lewis, “The Blind Side” is a football infused feel good story offering something for everyone. Sports fans will like the football terminology and game history. And sentimental hearts will enjoy this tale of overcoming obstacles and beating the odds.
Undeniably representing southern charm, Bullock pulls off one of her best performances ever. Similarly Aaron’s portrayal of Michael brings instant likeability and depth to the character. The other notable performances such as Leigh Anne’s extremely hip son, S.J. Touhy (Jae Head), and Michael’s one of a kind tutor Miss Sue (Kathy Bates), fill the film with equal parts of comedy and heart.
While a it is a film for the whole family, “The Blind Side” directly tackles the issues faced by people who come from different backgrounds, races, and even political parties. Funny, honest, and more willing than most to take a stand on the unspoken racial and class tensions “The Blind Side” takes an honest look at the world we live in.
A funny heartfelt southern tale about family, differences, and football “The Blind Side” is a touchdown.
Based primarily on one of the two stories within the book, The Blind Side: Evolution of a Game by Micheal Lewis, “The Blind Side” is a football infused feel good story offering something for everyone. Sports fans will like the football terminology and game history. And sentimental hearts will enjoy this tale of overcoming obstacles and beating the odds.
Undeniably representing southern charm, Bullock pulls off one of her best performances ever. Similarly Aaron’s portrayal of Michael brings instant likeability and depth to the character. The other notable performances such as Leigh Anne’s extremely hip son, S.J. Touhy (Jae Head), and Michael’s one of a kind tutor Miss Sue (Kathy Bates), fill the film with equal parts of comedy and heart.
While a it is a film for the whole family, “The Blind Side” directly tackles the issues faced by people who come from different backgrounds, races, and even political parties. Funny, honest, and more willing than most to take a stand on the unspoken racial and class tensions “The Blind Side” takes an honest look at the world we live in.
A funny heartfelt southern tale about family, differences, and football “The Blind Side” is a touchdown.
The horror genre can’t wait to splash the screen with as much blood and gore as possible, letting you know what the intentions of the film are going to be. In this Blumhouse produced thriller that isn’t the case, as Oscar winner Octavia Spencer plays quiet but dissociated veterinary assistant Sue-Ann, who befriends a group of adolescent teens.
On the outside she’s warm and friendly, only wanting to be accepted (this becomes apparent as to why later on). She secretly buys them alcohol and lets them have use of her basement to party – until she ‘becomes’ the party and local speakeasy. For the vast majority of the film there is little to class this as anything but a horror. It is relatively uneventful and offers no traditional jumpscares or shock moments.
The narrative unravels slowly allowing us to delve into Sue-Ann’s past and discover her motives, and it is these flashbacks that are most shocking of all, to the point of sympathy. The finale is frenetic, as Sue-Ann goes from likeable charmer to absolute psycho in a matter of moments – not that it hasn’t been building up to it.
Unfortunately it’s all delivered in such a short space of time that it feels rushed. Spencer’s performance is very good and there are distinct similarities to Kathy Bates and her equally psychotic character in Misery – there is even a subtle nod to the Stephen King classic.
Ma is not a total flop, but more could have been done to grip the viewer early on, instead of leaving it all to the final act.
On the outside she’s warm and friendly, only wanting to be accepted (this becomes apparent as to why later on). She secretly buys them alcohol and lets them have use of her basement to party – until she ‘becomes’ the party and local speakeasy. For the vast majority of the film there is little to class this as anything but a horror. It is relatively uneventful and offers no traditional jumpscares or shock moments.
The narrative unravels slowly allowing us to delve into Sue-Ann’s past and discover her motives, and it is these flashbacks that are most shocking of all, to the point of sympathy. The finale is frenetic, as Sue-Ann goes from likeable charmer to absolute psycho in a matter of moments – not that it hasn’t been building up to it.
Unfortunately it’s all delivered in such a short space of time that it feels rushed. Spencer’s performance is very good and there are distinct similarities to Kathy Bates and her equally psychotic character in Misery – there is even a subtle nod to the Stephen King classic.
Ma is not a total flop, but more could have been done to grip the viewer early on, instead of leaving it all to the final act.
LeftSideCut (3778 KP) rated American Horror Story - Season 8 in TV
Apr 29, 2020 (Updated Sep 10, 2020)
Season 8 of AHS is one that I honestly struggled with.
Subtitled "Apocalypse", the show deals with the end of the world and endeavours to bring the antichrist, a now grown Michael Langdon (born at the end of season 1) face to face with the coven of witches from season 3.
I can't fault the ambition on display. I really like when different seasons reference each other so this first fully fledged crossover is enticing.
The execution is just a bit boring unfortunately.
I didn't really like any of the new characters. I like both Evan Peters and Sarah Paulson very much, but the characters written for them are so over the top. AHS had always had a hammy side, but this was just a little too much. The comedy aspect just didn't stick this time around. Even Kathy Bates get a pretty uninspired story arc, really nothing too different from her "right hand man" relegation in Freak Show and Hotel.
As I've said before, I'm also not a huge fan of Coven, so when they eventually turn up, I surprisingly felt relieved.
Michael Langdon is an exception. Cody Fern plays him with a genuine sense of evil, and was the highlight for me.
It's not all bad however, the return to Murder House was a great touch and it was great to see Jessica Lange and other season 1 characters return, even if it was all too brief.
It's hard to hate on it too much, as AHS always has it's tongue firmly in cheek, but Apocalypse just felt like a misfire - a great idea, but fumbled in practice.
Subtitled "Apocalypse", the show deals with the end of the world and endeavours to bring the antichrist, a now grown Michael Langdon (born at the end of season 1) face to face with the coven of witches from season 3.
I can't fault the ambition on display. I really like when different seasons reference each other so this first fully fledged crossover is enticing.
The execution is just a bit boring unfortunately.
I didn't really like any of the new characters. I like both Evan Peters and Sarah Paulson very much, but the characters written for them are so over the top. AHS had always had a hammy side, but this was just a little too much. The comedy aspect just didn't stick this time around. Even Kathy Bates get a pretty uninspired story arc, really nothing too different from her "right hand man" relegation in Freak Show and Hotel.
As I've said before, I'm also not a huge fan of Coven, so when they eventually turn up, I surprisingly felt relieved.
Michael Langdon is an exception. Cody Fern plays him with a genuine sense of evil, and was the highlight for me.
It's not all bad however, the return to Murder House was a great touch and it was great to see Jessica Lange and other season 1 characters return, even if it was all too brief.
It's hard to hate on it too much, as AHS always has it's tongue firmly in cheek, but Apocalypse just felt like a misfire - a great idea, but fumbled in practice.
LeftSideCut (3778 KP) rated American Horror Story - Season 3 in TV
Nov 2, 2019 (Updated Nov 2, 2019)
Season 3 of AHS is a firm fan favourite - subtitled 'Coven', it centres around a school for young witches to discover and nurture their powers, all whilst preparing for trials to determine who will become the next Supreme witch.
Front and centre once again are Sarah Paulson and Jessica Lange. I enjoy Sarah Paulson in pretty much every season of AHS, and Coven is no different.
Her character, Cordelia Foxx, is her most likable character to date.
Jessica Lange plays her mother, Fiona Goode, and I struggled to get on board with her character. Unlike her character from Asylum, there's just nothing redeemable about her. Jessica Lange is still a powerhouse though...
It's nice to see Frances Conroy also.
The rest of the Coven are made up younger witches, and this is where the season trips up for me. I have nothing against any of the actors, but Coven very much feels like a high school drama for a good chunk of the runtime, and after the darker first two seasons, it's a bit jarring. I feel like a lighter touch can definitely the work (the currently running '1984' has been pretty fun for example), but first time round here, it didn't hit the right notes for me, and I grew quickly tired and bored of the constant high school bickering between characters.
Elsewhere, we're introduced to Voodoo magic, with characters such as the mysterious Papa Legba, Marie Laveau (Angela Bassett), and Madame Delphine LaLaurie, played by Kathy Bates.
Her first role for AHS is possibly her best and she is definitely the season highlight for me.
The Voodoo side of Coven was much more appealing and entertaining.
There's still a bucket load of very well done and gratuitous violence and gore on display, and the music score is pretty good.
Coven is certainly one of my least favorite seasons of AHS, but it's by no means bad, and it's still great to have a horror show this entertaining on prime time television.
Front and centre once again are Sarah Paulson and Jessica Lange. I enjoy Sarah Paulson in pretty much every season of AHS, and Coven is no different.
Her character, Cordelia Foxx, is her most likable character to date.
Jessica Lange plays her mother, Fiona Goode, and I struggled to get on board with her character. Unlike her character from Asylum, there's just nothing redeemable about her. Jessica Lange is still a powerhouse though...
It's nice to see Frances Conroy also.
The rest of the Coven are made up younger witches, and this is where the season trips up for me. I have nothing against any of the actors, but Coven very much feels like a high school drama for a good chunk of the runtime, and after the darker first two seasons, it's a bit jarring. I feel like a lighter touch can definitely the work (the currently running '1984' has been pretty fun for example), but first time round here, it didn't hit the right notes for me, and I grew quickly tired and bored of the constant high school bickering between characters.
Elsewhere, we're introduced to Voodoo magic, with characters such as the mysterious Papa Legba, Marie Laveau (Angela Bassett), and Madame Delphine LaLaurie, played by Kathy Bates.
Her first role for AHS is possibly her best and she is definitely the season highlight for me.
The Voodoo side of Coven was much more appealing and entertaining.
There's still a bucket load of very well done and gratuitous violence and gore on display, and the music score is pretty good.
Coven is certainly one of my least favorite seasons of AHS, but it's by no means bad, and it's still great to have a horror show this entertaining on prime time television.
Sarah (7798 KP) rated Richard Jewell (2019) in Movies
Nov 7, 2020
An interesting watch
Richard Jewell follows the story of a security guard at the 1996 Olympics who saves many lives after discovering a bomb, yet later finds himself as the main suspect in the ensuing FBI investigation.
This is yet another true story I know nothing about, so for me I found this to be quite an interesting watch to discover what happened. To be honest I was almost in disbelief at times to see how Richard was treated by law enforcement and whilst I know some artistic license is always used, it’s still crazy what they did to him! The story is fascinating, although I do think the film drags this out a bit at a run time of well over 2 hours.
That said, there are some good performances in this namely from Paul Walter Hauser (who was great in I, Tonya too), Sam Rockwell and Kathy Bates. The relationship between Richard and Rockwell’s character Watson is particularly heartwarming and provides a lot of the funnier aspects of the film and actually proves to be the best thing about this. Sadly there are some who have fared less well - Jon Hamm and Olivia Wilde’s seem like your typical cliched FBI and reported characters respectively, and while they both put in good performances, the characters let them down.
What confused me the most about this film was the tone. It felt like it should be a rather tense suspense filled drama (similar to say Patriots Day) but instead it felt too happy or lighthearted to be serious, which considering the subject matter is rather odd. And I think this impacted on how much I liked this. It also didn’t help that they completely gloss over who the real bomber actually was right at the end, and this felt rather abrupt and frustrating considering the length of time the film spends showing them investigating Richard! Overall this is an enjoyable interesting film but falls short of being anything spectacular.
This is yet another true story I know nothing about, so for me I found this to be quite an interesting watch to discover what happened. To be honest I was almost in disbelief at times to see how Richard was treated by law enforcement and whilst I know some artistic license is always used, it’s still crazy what they did to him! The story is fascinating, although I do think the film drags this out a bit at a run time of well over 2 hours.
That said, there are some good performances in this namely from Paul Walter Hauser (who was great in I, Tonya too), Sam Rockwell and Kathy Bates. The relationship between Richard and Rockwell’s character Watson is particularly heartwarming and provides a lot of the funnier aspects of the film and actually proves to be the best thing about this. Sadly there are some who have fared less well - Jon Hamm and Olivia Wilde’s seem like your typical cliched FBI and reported characters respectively, and while they both put in good performances, the characters let them down.
What confused me the most about this film was the tone. It felt like it should be a rather tense suspense filled drama (similar to say Patriots Day) but instead it felt too happy or lighthearted to be serious, which considering the subject matter is rather odd. And I think this impacted on how much I liked this. It also didn’t help that they completely gloss over who the real bomber actually was right at the end, and this felt rather abrupt and frustrating considering the length of time the film spends showing them investigating Richard! Overall this is an enjoyable interesting film but falls short of being anything spectacular.
LeftSideCut (3778 KP) rated American Horror Story - Season 9 in TV
May 10, 2020
The ninth season of AHS, subtitled "1984" is definitely up there in terms of silliness. However, where this has been an issue for me with a few previous seasons, this time around it's a huge strong point.
1984 is one big homage to 80s slasher films, in particular Friday the 13th. If you've read my any of my reviews before, you will know that I bloody love a slasher, even the shitty ones, so this premise was always going to be a winner for me.
A big change this time around is the absence of big AHS names. No Sarah Paulson, no Evan Peters, no Kathy Bates. Their presence is certainly missed in some sort of capacity, but the cast we have do a solid job at carrying the season. Emma Roberts and Billie Lourd take centre stage here, and are both great. We also see some familiar faces in Leslie Grossman, Cody Fern, John Carroll Lynch, Finn Wittrock, Leslie Jordan, Lily Rabe, and Dylan McDermott, so it still has that signature AHS feel. A couple of newcomers are introduced as well - Matthew Morrison and Gus Kenworthy are both hilarious. Zach Villa plays real life serial killer Richard Ramirez (who briefly appeared all the way back in Hotel) and the guy is genuinely menacing. If another season of Twin Peaks ever gets made - he's a dead ringer for Killer Bob.
One of the highlights is "villain" Mr. Jingles (John Carroll Lynch). He's such a finely crafted character, that he honestly deserves to stand next to the Jason and Freddy's of the slasher world.
The story is pretty fun. Mixing 80s campy horror with more familiar AHS elements (such as ghosts not being able to leave the place they died etc) and is pretty engaging for the most part. It gets a little convoluted near the end, and lacks the depth that seasons such as Asylum and Roanoke gave, but it's forgiveable considering the quality of everything else.
As a final thought - the synthwave version of the theme tune is fucking awesome.
1984 is one big homage to 80s slasher films, in particular Friday the 13th. If you've read my any of my reviews before, you will know that I bloody love a slasher, even the shitty ones, so this premise was always going to be a winner for me.
A big change this time around is the absence of big AHS names. No Sarah Paulson, no Evan Peters, no Kathy Bates. Their presence is certainly missed in some sort of capacity, but the cast we have do a solid job at carrying the season. Emma Roberts and Billie Lourd take centre stage here, and are both great. We also see some familiar faces in Leslie Grossman, Cody Fern, John Carroll Lynch, Finn Wittrock, Leslie Jordan, Lily Rabe, and Dylan McDermott, so it still has that signature AHS feel. A couple of newcomers are introduced as well - Matthew Morrison and Gus Kenworthy are both hilarious. Zach Villa plays real life serial killer Richard Ramirez (who briefly appeared all the way back in Hotel) and the guy is genuinely menacing. If another season of Twin Peaks ever gets made - he's a dead ringer for Killer Bob.
One of the highlights is "villain" Mr. Jingles (John Carroll Lynch). He's such a finely crafted character, that he honestly deserves to stand next to the Jason and Freddy's of the slasher world.
The story is pretty fun. Mixing 80s campy horror with more familiar AHS elements (such as ghosts not being able to leave the place they died etc) and is pretty engaging for the most part. It gets a little convoluted near the end, and lacks the depth that seasons such as Asylum and Roanoke gave, but it's forgiveable considering the quality of everything else.
As a final thought - the synthwave version of the theme tune is fucking awesome.
Emma @ The Movies (1786 KP) rated Richard Jewell (2019) in Movies
Mar 2, 2020
Richard longs to work in law enforcement, but his eagerness to make the best impression doesn't endear him to his employers or the people he's bound to protect.
As the Olympics come to Atlanta he manages to get a job working security, he's keen and overly vigilant but when he spots a suspicious package he acts without hesitation. He's the hero and his actions saved countless lives. Looking for any new angles to report the story a local paper identifies Jewell as the main suspect in the case and his life is suddenly turned upside down.
Looking at the state of the media today, films like this highlight just how long people have been suffering for the sake of a story. Innocent until proven guilty doesn't always matter in the court of public opinion when what we're fed is presented as fact. But that's a whole other story we could debate on for years.
This film was made by its actors. Paul Walter Hauser in the lead gave a stellar performance. The naivety and trust he managed to get across had a sincerity that really helped you connect with the film.
Inter-personal relationships also added so much to it overall. His back and forth with Watson Bryant (Sam Rockwell) is amusing without breaking the seriousness of what's happening, this odd friendship borders on a brotherly bond and Rockwell's acting gets across the feat, exasperation and determination when we need to feel it.
Kathy Bates may well have been my favourite though. Bobi Jewell, the loving mother torn apart by the actions of the press and police, and literally having her dirty laundry aired in public. the journey of emotions she goes through is striking and again, it's such a genuine feeling that I was completely taken aback when she broke down.
There's also strong talent in the support cast. Olivia Wilde as Kathy Scruggs giving us a rollercoaster too. She shows us the determined journalist who's willing to stowaway in cars for the chance of an interview, to a more vulnerable and redemptive investigative journalist. Her confidence to doubt was well handled by Wilde and the moment she breaks is understated but touching.
The locations and wardrobe give the perfect setting for the film, to actually film in Centennial Park must have been a challenging but motivating opportunity.
Paul Walter Hauser gets a powerful moment near the end of the film that really brought Jewell out of the cocoon we saw in him throughout the film, it was a great end to a wonderfully acted piece of cinema.
While I've praised a lot here it's a film that feels a little heavy at times, the way that law enforcement pile on Jewell every time they interact makes it a tense watch, I don't think there was really any way to lighten that, and actually, I don't think I'd have wanted them to if there was.
Originally posted on: http://emmaatthemovies.blogspot.com/2020/03/richard-jewell-movie-review.html
As the Olympics come to Atlanta he manages to get a job working security, he's keen and overly vigilant but when he spots a suspicious package he acts without hesitation. He's the hero and his actions saved countless lives. Looking for any new angles to report the story a local paper identifies Jewell as the main suspect in the case and his life is suddenly turned upside down.
Looking at the state of the media today, films like this highlight just how long people have been suffering for the sake of a story. Innocent until proven guilty doesn't always matter in the court of public opinion when what we're fed is presented as fact. But that's a whole other story we could debate on for years.
This film was made by its actors. Paul Walter Hauser in the lead gave a stellar performance. The naivety and trust he managed to get across had a sincerity that really helped you connect with the film.
Inter-personal relationships also added so much to it overall. His back and forth with Watson Bryant (Sam Rockwell) is amusing without breaking the seriousness of what's happening, this odd friendship borders on a brotherly bond and Rockwell's acting gets across the feat, exasperation and determination when we need to feel it.
Kathy Bates may well have been my favourite though. Bobi Jewell, the loving mother torn apart by the actions of the press and police, and literally having her dirty laundry aired in public. the journey of emotions she goes through is striking and again, it's such a genuine feeling that I was completely taken aback when she broke down.
There's also strong talent in the support cast. Olivia Wilde as Kathy Scruggs giving us a rollercoaster too. She shows us the determined journalist who's willing to stowaway in cars for the chance of an interview, to a more vulnerable and redemptive investigative journalist. Her confidence to doubt was well handled by Wilde and the moment she breaks is understated but touching.
The locations and wardrobe give the perfect setting for the film, to actually film in Centennial Park must have been a challenging but motivating opportunity.
Paul Walter Hauser gets a powerful moment near the end of the film that really brought Jewell out of the cocoon we saw in him throughout the film, it was a great end to a wonderfully acted piece of cinema.
While I've praised a lot here it's a film that feels a little heavy at times, the way that law enforcement pile on Jewell every time they interact makes it a tense watch, I don't think there was really any way to lighten that, and actually, I don't think I'd have wanted them to if there was.
Originally posted on: http://emmaatthemovies.blogspot.com/2020/03/richard-jewell-movie-review.html
LeftSideCut (3778 KP) rated American Horror Story - Season 5 in TV
Dec 5, 2019
AHS season 5 - subtitled 'Hotel' - is a real mixture of genres. It's part vampire dram, part crime-mystery thriller, part haunted house... It's ambitious to say the least.
A lot of people took issue with Hotel before it even aired, mainly due the absence of series favourite Jessica Lange, but in all honesty, as much as I like her, I didn't find myself missing her all that much, and the same goes for subsequent entries!
The season this time around is headed by Lady Gaga, who plays a pretty decent psuedo-villain - The Countess is unnerving, relatable, creepy, and tragic all at the same time, and is the beating heart of Hotel.
Not far behind is Evan Peters Mr March. I personally found this character a bit too cartoony at times, but he's still an important character, especially pulling strings behind everyone else back.
I also loved Kathy Bates and Denis O'Hare in this season, and their characters, and especially their devotion to The Countess, make the Hotel Cortez and oddly alluring place to be.
Wes Bentley gets a starring turn this time around after a bit part in Freak Show, and I actually enjoyed his character arc after not particularly caring to begin with.
Once again, I liked most if the cast, I just found it a shame that Sarah Paulson didn't get much to do here!
The plot itself is pretty thick in Hotel, lots of twists and turns, lots of different time periods being visited, and it's quite disorientating to begin with. It's a less accessible season than before but once you get into it, it's a great supernatural mystery horror ride with some inspiration from The Shining and Twin Peaks thrown in for good measure.
Just to top it off, we even get an appearance from Queenie, creating a direct connection to Coven and the wider AHS universe, an aspect of this show that I truly enjoy.
It's not my favourite season of AHS, (that Devil's Night episode was annoyingly cringey) but all in all, Hotel is pretty engaging television.
A lot of people took issue with Hotel before it even aired, mainly due the absence of series favourite Jessica Lange, but in all honesty, as much as I like her, I didn't find myself missing her all that much, and the same goes for subsequent entries!
The season this time around is headed by Lady Gaga, who plays a pretty decent psuedo-villain - The Countess is unnerving, relatable, creepy, and tragic all at the same time, and is the beating heart of Hotel.
Not far behind is Evan Peters Mr March. I personally found this character a bit too cartoony at times, but he's still an important character, especially pulling strings behind everyone else back.
I also loved Kathy Bates and Denis O'Hare in this season, and their characters, and especially their devotion to The Countess, make the Hotel Cortez and oddly alluring place to be.
Wes Bentley gets a starring turn this time around after a bit part in Freak Show, and I actually enjoyed his character arc after not particularly caring to begin with.
Once again, I liked most if the cast, I just found it a shame that Sarah Paulson didn't get much to do here!
The plot itself is pretty thick in Hotel, lots of twists and turns, lots of different time periods being visited, and it's quite disorientating to begin with. It's a less accessible season than before but once you get into it, it's a great supernatural mystery horror ride with some inspiration from The Shining and Twin Peaks thrown in for good measure.
Just to top it off, we even get an appearance from Queenie, creating a direct connection to Coven and the wider AHS universe, an aspect of this show that I truly enjoy.
It's not my favourite season of AHS, (that Devil's Night episode was annoyingly cringey) but all in all, Hotel is pretty engaging television.
Gareth von Kallenbach (971 KP) rated Tammy (2014) in Movies
Jun 19, 2019
Life for Tammy (Melissa McCarthy) is a struggle in frustration. She is an outspoken individual who is not shy about speaking her mind and acting out which is often as trouble seems to follow her everywhere.
Following one particularly bad morning, Tammy decides to move away from Illinois once and for all and when her mother offers her no real encouragement, Tammy takes to the road with her grandmother (Susan Sarandon).
Despite her health issues and love for the bottle, Tammy is happy to have the company as she admires the free spirit of her grandmother who wants to have an adventure and live life to the fullest at all times.
Of course trouble seems to find Tammy and before long she has to deal with a slew of problems as well as the increasingly self destructive behavior of her grandmother.
Complications arise when a farmer named Bobby (Mark Duplass), and his father Earl (Gary Cole), enter into the picture to provide distractions to the ladies and to make them start to see the consequences of their action.
Throw in short but solid supporting work from Kathy Bates and Dan Aykroyd, and this film should have been a laugh filled riot. Instead it stays in the bittersweet range far more than it does comedy, as many of the best jokes in the film were shown in the trailer.
I credit McCarthy, who along with Ben Falcone wrote the film, for trying to move beyond the manic comedies that she has done prior. The film is marketed as more of the same but it is not. The film drags in places as you keep waiting for the laughs to come and when they do it is very sporadic. Instead the focus in on emotions, life, and being accountable as well as other heady topics it is just a shame that McCarthy keeps having to play the lovable loser parts as to be honest they are starting to get old. I joked to my wife that a prison in the film looked much like the one in “Identity Thief”.
The film attempts to combine a buddy road trip with some deeper human issues but this is not “Thelma and Louise”, and it does seem that despite the best efforts of all involved, we have seen this trip many times before and it is one that did not need to be taken again.
http://sknr.net/2014/07/02/tammy/
Following one particularly bad morning, Tammy decides to move away from Illinois once and for all and when her mother offers her no real encouragement, Tammy takes to the road with her grandmother (Susan Sarandon).
Despite her health issues and love for the bottle, Tammy is happy to have the company as she admires the free spirit of her grandmother who wants to have an adventure and live life to the fullest at all times.
Of course trouble seems to find Tammy and before long she has to deal with a slew of problems as well as the increasingly self destructive behavior of her grandmother.
Complications arise when a farmer named Bobby (Mark Duplass), and his father Earl (Gary Cole), enter into the picture to provide distractions to the ladies and to make them start to see the consequences of their action.
Throw in short but solid supporting work from Kathy Bates and Dan Aykroyd, and this film should have been a laugh filled riot. Instead it stays in the bittersweet range far more than it does comedy, as many of the best jokes in the film were shown in the trailer.
I credit McCarthy, who along with Ben Falcone wrote the film, for trying to move beyond the manic comedies that she has done prior. The film is marketed as more of the same but it is not. The film drags in places as you keep waiting for the laughs to come and when they do it is very sporadic. Instead the focus in on emotions, life, and being accountable as well as other heady topics it is just a shame that McCarthy keeps having to play the lovable loser parts as to be honest they are starting to get old. I joked to my wife that a prison in the film looked much like the one in “Identity Thief”.
The film attempts to combine a buddy road trip with some deeper human issues but this is not “Thelma and Louise”, and it does seem that despite the best efforts of all involved, we have seen this trip many times before and it is one that did not need to be taken again.
http://sknr.net/2014/07/02/tammy/
LeftSideCut (3778 KP) rated American Horror Story - Season 6 in TV
Jan 16, 2020
Season 6 of AHS, subtitled Roanoke, may very well be my favourite season to date, if not it comes a very close second to Asylum.
The thing that really stands out for me is the pacing. It's pretty much perfect. The first half of Roanoke takes place in the form of a documentary, called My Roanoke Nightmare, where a young couple who moved into a run down house, recount their horrific experience of the spirits that haunted the ground, and endangered their lives. The documentary has a dramatisation of the events alongside the interviews, which effectively has the same AHS characters being played by two different people.
The build up is slow burning and hugely entertaining, as we know that these characters survive the ordeal, as they are involved in the documentary, so we can enjoy the ride without worrying about their fates.
In true AHS style though, the second half of the season takes place a few years after the documentary, and Roanoke truly kicks off in an epic fashion.
It's hard to properly describe the narrative, and it's really best experienced yourself. It's clever television.
The style of Roanoke is quite subtle, and gives the season a sort of old fashioned sense. It also experiments here and there with 'found footage', lending AHS a Blair Witch-esque edge.
All of the cast are once again great. Kathy Bates is a highlight, both her roles during the documentary, and after. Series regulars like Evan Peters, Angela Bassett and Lily Rabe are present and enjoyable, and it's awesome to see Cuba Gooding Jr. involved as well.
However this time around, AHS belongs to Sarah Paulson, who I thought really excelled during Roanoke, and Adina Porter, who gave the season it's more emotional moments. I think she's a fantastic actress, and was also a standout in her limited screentime during True Blood.
The gore and violence in Roanoke is probably at it's most visceral as far as AHS goes. There are some effectively gruesome moments littered throughout, and it's all looked like practical effects to me, which is how it should be! There are some really creepy shots as well, especially at the tail end of the season.
Roanoke is damn good. I'll be pleasantly surprised if AHS ever surpasses it.
The thing that really stands out for me is the pacing. It's pretty much perfect. The first half of Roanoke takes place in the form of a documentary, called My Roanoke Nightmare, where a young couple who moved into a run down house, recount their horrific experience of the spirits that haunted the ground, and endangered their lives. The documentary has a dramatisation of the events alongside the interviews, which effectively has the same AHS characters being played by two different people.
The build up is slow burning and hugely entertaining, as we know that these characters survive the ordeal, as they are involved in the documentary, so we can enjoy the ride without worrying about their fates.
In true AHS style though, the second half of the season takes place a few years after the documentary, and Roanoke truly kicks off in an epic fashion.
It's hard to properly describe the narrative, and it's really best experienced yourself. It's clever television.
The style of Roanoke is quite subtle, and gives the season a sort of old fashioned sense. It also experiments here and there with 'found footage', lending AHS a Blair Witch-esque edge.
All of the cast are once again great. Kathy Bates is a highlight, both her roles during the documentary, and after. Series regulars like Evan Peters, Angela Bassett and Lily Rabe are present and enjoyable, and it's awesome to see Cuba Gooding Jr. involved as well.
However this time around, AHS belongs to Sarah Paulson, who I thought really excelled during Roanoke, and Adina Porter, who gave the season it's more emotional moments. I think she's a fantastic actress, and was also a standout in her limited screentime during True Blood.
The gore and violence in Roanoke is probably at it's most visceral as far as AHS goes. There are some effectively gruesome moments littered throughout, and it's all looked like practical effects to me, which is how it should be! There are some really creepy shots as well, especially at the tail end of the season.
Roanoke is damn good. I'll be pleasantly surprised if AHS ever surpasses it.
Vicki Gleave D'Aunay (12 KP) Aug 8, 2019