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Understanding Rap: Explanations of Confusing Rap Lyrics You and Your Grandma Can Understand
Book
Although rap music is famous for its ingenuity, double entendres and clever turns of phrase, until...
Awix (3310 KP) rated The Yin and the Yang of Mr. Go (1970) in Movies
Dec 9, 2020
'It'll make you think of Dr No!' promises the poster for this almost indescribable comedy-thriller written and directed by Burgess Meredith. It didn't make me think of Dr No: it made me think of what it must be like to take hallucinogenic drugs while suffering from a bad case of the flu. The details of the plot are almost enough to defeat the English language - suffice to say that the key turning point in the story comes when the Buddha (who also narrates the story) uses his mystic powers to turn villainous Chinese-Mexican Mr Go (James Mason - yes, it's James Mason trying to play a Chinese-Mexican) into a benevolent philanthropist.
It's not just that the film is bizarre and incoherent, with plenty of gratuitous nudity, and European actors cheerfully playing Asian characters: it's also that the production values are incredibly primitive. It's almost like watching pornography without the sex (or so I would imagine). Not one element of this film is robust enough to elevate it into 'so bad it's funny' territory. It's just bad. That said, Jeff Bridges made his film debut in it, which presumably goes to show that even the least promising starts can lead to a distinguished career. But even so - for masochists and the troubled only.
It's not just that the film is bizarre and incoherent, with plenty of gratuitous nudity, and European actors cheerfully playing Asian characters: it's also that the production values are incredibly primitive. It's almost like watching pornography without the sex (or so I would imagine). Not one element of this film is robust enough to elevate it into 'so bad it's funny' territory. It's just bad. That said, Jeff Bridges made his film debut in it, which presumably goes to show that even the least promising starts can lead to a distinguished career. But even so - for masochists and the troubled only.
Phillip McSween (751 KP) rated Superbad (2007) in Movies
Feb 7, 2021
Hilarious From Start to Finish
Two best friends go on an adventure to get alcohol for the last big party of high school.
Acting: 10
Michael Cera and Jonah Hill couldn’t have played their roles any better as best friends Evan and Seth. Cera is nerdy and lovable while Hill is a big ball of energy that plays macho but is really insecure. Their chemistry is perfect together and sets up perfect assists for awesome side characters like McLovin’ to shine.
Beginning: 10
Right from the first line of the movie, I got sucked in. The comedy hits you and doesn’t stop in the first ten minutes as Evan and Seth discuss what porn sites to subscribe to. It’s a perfect setup for what is to come.
Characters: 10
Evan and Seth are perfect together. You almost wonder if they aren’t best friends in real life. If there weren’t any other characters in the movie but the two of them, I still would have given this category a perfect score. Hilarious characters like Fogell (Christopher Mintz-Plasse) and Officers Slater and Michaels (Bill Hader and Seth Rogen) just add to the film’s overall enjoyment.
Cinematography/Visuals: 10
Conflict: 10
Entertainment Value: 10
In one scene, we find Seth making sex impresssions in home economics behind his cooking partner’s back while Evan looks on. This is just one of a number of scenes that make this movie ridiculously entertaining. It’s amazing how many crazy antics they get into in so few settings.
Memorability: 10
Evan and Seth are in such a rush to grow up, but towards the end of the movie, there is a scene where they are laying in sleeping bags like two little kids. It’s unique little touches like this that really make this movie strong and impactful. More than just a mere comedy, but also amazing at comedy, Superbad soars to great heights with scenes that stand the test of time.
Pace: 10
Plot: 10
Such a simple story made strong with great twists and turns. It never tries to be anything more than what it is, but it also manages to have layers nonetheless. It’s a great ride overall, and the epitomy of a “less is more” concept.
Resolution: 10
Loved how they tied everything together. Beautiful final ten minutes, just as quality as the start. Definitely leaves you with a feeling of fulfillment.
Overall: 100
As a screenwriter, a movie like Superbad is what I aspire to write. Not a comedy, but a movie that fires on all cylinders and maintains consistent, perfect timing. This is a movie I can watch repeatedly and it will never get old.
Acting: 10
Michael Cera and Jonah Hill couldn’t have played their roles any better as best friends Evan and Seth. Cera is nerdy and lovable while Hill is a big ball of energy that plays macho but is really insecure. Their chemistry is perfect together and sets up perfect assists for awesome side characters like McLovin’ to shine.
Beginning: 10
Right from the first line of the movie, I got sucked in. The comedy hits you and doesn’t stop in the first ten minutes as Evan and Seth discuss what porn sites to subscribe to. It’s a perfect setup for what is to come.
Characters: 10
Evan and Seth are perfect together. You almost wonder if they aren’t best friends in real life. If there weren’t any other characters in the movie but the two of them, I still would have given this category a perfect score. Hilarious characters like Fogell (Christopher Mintz-Plasse) and Officers Slater and Michaels (Bill Hader and Seth Rogen) just add to the film’s overall enjoyment.
Cinematography/Visuals: 10
Conflict: 10
Entertainment Value: 10
In one scene, we find Seth making sex impresssions in home economics behind his cooking partner’s back while Evan looks on. This is just one of a number of scenes that make this movie ridiculously entertaining. It’s amazing how many crazy antics they get into in so few settings.
Memorability: 10
Evan and Seth are in such a rush to grow up, but towards the end of the movie, there is a scene where they are laying in sleeping bags like two little kids. It’s unique little touches like this that really make this movie strong and impactful. More than just a mere comedy, but also amazing at comedy, Superbad soars to great heights with scenes that stand the test of time.
Pace: 10
Plot: 10
Such a simple story made strong with great twists and turns. It never tries to be anything more than what it is, but it also manages to have layers nonetheless. It’s a great ride overall, and the epitomy of a “less is more” concept.
Resolution: 10
Loved how they tied everything together. Beautiful final ten minutes, just as quality as the start. Definitely leaves you with a feeling of fulfillment.
Overall: 100
As a screenwriter, a movie like Superbad is what I aspire to write. Not a comedy, but a movie that fires on all cylinders and maintains consistent, perfect timing. This is a movie I can watch repeatedly and it will never get old.
Gareth von Kallenbach (980 KP) rated Sisters (2015) in Movies
Jun 19, 2019
Life for sisters Maura (Amy Poehler), and Kate (Tina Fey) has not worked out the way they had planned. Maura is a nurse who lives in Atlanta and two years after her divorce is busy doing do-good projects and learning to make cheese in her spare time.,
Kate is a single mom who cannot hold a job and has recently been kicked out of the place she was living in. When their parents inform Maura that they are selling their childhood home, Maura helps Kate travel to Orlando in an effort to convince their parents to change their minds.
Seeing that the deal is pretty much done and that their parents are now in a condo, Maura and Kate opt to spend their time in their old home, and do whatever they can to discourage the prospective new buyers from following through on the purchase.
Kate has always been the wilder of the bunch and decides that Maura needs to let loose for once. As such they opt to recreate a party from their teens with as many of their former classmates as they can gather.
Naturally as anyone who has ever seen a house comedy knows, this is a disaster in the making as everything from drunken party games to a drug mishap and sex accidents follow.
It is different to hear Poehler and Fey use R-rated language as they have kept much of their career to the wink and a nod style of adult humor that their pioneered on Saturday Night Live but once you get used to it, it does not seem overly forced.
The two have a real chemistry and there are many funny scenes in the film, the biggest issue is the transition and setups can be a bit slow and at times awkward. This is to be expected from people who started in sketch comedy and neither of the two had a hand in writing the film as well.
Ike Barinholtz does great supporting work as a love interest and his “accident” is one of the funniest and most cringe worthy moments in film comedy.
If you can handle the slow parts and need some good laughs, then you will want to check out “Sisters’ as it is mindless and raunchy fun.
http://sknr.net/2015/12/18/sisters/
Kate is a single mom who cannot hold a job and has recently been kicked out of the place she was living in. When their parents inform Maura that they are selling their childhood home, Maura helps Kate travel to Orlando in an effort to convince their parents to change their minds.
Seeing that the deal is pretty much done and that their parents are now in a condo, Maura and Kate opt to spend their time in their old home, and do whatever they can to discourage the prospective new buyers from following through on the purchase.
Kate has always been the wilder of the bunch and decides that Maura needs to let loose for once. As such they opt to recreate a party from their teens with as many of their former classmates as they can gather.
Naturally as anyone who has ever seen a house comedy knows, this is a disaster in the making as everything from drunken party games to a drug mishap and sex accidents follow.
It is different to hear Poehler and Fey use R-rated language as they have kept much of their career to the wink and a nod style of adult humor that their pioneered on Saturday Night Live but once you get used to it, it does not seem overly forced.
The two have a real chemistry and there are many funny scenes in the film, the biggest issue is the transition and setups can be a bit slow and at times awkward. This is to be expected from people who started in sketch comedy and neither of the two had a hand in writing the film as well.
Ike Barinholtz does great supporting work as a love interest and his “accident” is one of the funniest and most cringe worthy moments in film comedy.
If you can handle the slow parts and need some good laughs, then you will want to check out “Sisters’ as it is mindless and raunchy fun.
http://sknr.net/2015/12/18/sisters/
Darren (1599 KP) rated 1941 (1979) in Movies
Jun 20, 2019
Story: 1941 starts in the aftermath of Pearl Harbour, The Japanese are searching for Hollywood for their latest attack, while the army are planning to create a defence on the Californian coastline, Sgt Frank Tree (Aykroyd) leads his men in preparations while pilot Captain Wild Bill Kelso (Belushi) travels the country to support his troops.
The preparations bring us comical happenings which lead to what is going on between the Americans and the impending Japanese.
Thoughts on 1941
Characters – We have so many characters in this film it is hard to pick out the main ones, we will though, Sgt Frank Tree tries to keep peace between his soldiers and not letting them fight with the locals. Ward Douglas is the man that sees it has an honour to host the army for prime location for defence. Captain Wild Bill Kelso is a pilot that enjoys a drink, he heads across country to join the battle. Where we have too many characters it is hard to see which one we are meant to be follow the most.
Performances – The performances are affected by the mass cast because no one gets to show their best skills, we have the comical actors that want to joke, only for them to miss, then the serious actors not hitting their moments either.
Story – The story follows the Americans as they plan for a potential next attack on America from the Japanese in the aftermath of the Pearl Harbour attack. The problem I see with this story, it showing us how we make light of a devastating moment in history with the Pearl Harbour attack and shows how America did panic but didn’t seem to take the events serious, well that is what the film gives us.
Action/Comedy/War – The action plays into the comedy which gets basic laughs but most of the laughs seem to have dated badly and even just give us toilet humour, all with the backdrop of World War II.
Settings – The film puts us in LA for the events of the film which shows how Hollywoodland would react to the impending war.
Scene of the Movie – Plane sex.
That Moment That Annoyed Me – Too many characters.
Final Thoughts – This is one of the biggest misses of Spielberg’s career, it has too many characters and doesn’t manage to balance out the comedy and action well enough.
Overall: Disappointing throughout.
https://moviesreview101.com/2018/12/05/1941-1979/
The preparations bring us comical happenings which lead to what is going on between the Americans and the impending Japanese.
Thoughts on 1941
Characters – We have so many characters in this film it is hard to pick out the main ones, we will though, Sgt Frank Tree tries to keep peace between his soldiers and not letting them fight with the locals. Ward Douglas is the man that sees it has an honour to host the army for prime location for defence. Captain Wild Bill Kelso is a pilot that enjoys a drink, he heads across country to join the battle. Where we have too many characters it is hard to see which one we are meant to be follow the most.
Performances – The performances are affected by the mass cast because no one gets to show their best skills, we have the comical actors that want to joke, only for them to miss, then the serious actors not hitting their moments either.
Story – The story follows the Americans as they plan for a potential next attack on America from the Japanese in the aftermath of the Pearl Harbour attack. The problem I see with this story, it showing us how we make light of a devastating moment in history with the Pearl Harbour attack and shows how America did panic but didn’t seem to take the events serious, well that is what the film gives us.
Action/Comedy/War – The action plays into the comedy which gets basic laughs but most of the laughs seem to have dated badly and even just give us toilet humour, all with the backdrop of World War II.
Settings – The film puts us in LA for the events of the film which shows how Hollywoodland would react to the impending war.
Scene of the Movie – Plane sex.
That Moment That Annoyed Me – Too many characters.
Final Thoughts – This is one of the biggest misses of Spielberg’s career, it has too many characters and doesn’t manage to balance out the comedy and action well enough.
Overall: Disappointing throughout.
https://moviesreview101.com/2018/12/05/1941-1979/
Heather Cranmer (2721 KP) rated Black Mirror - Season 5 in TV
Jun 21, 2019
Black Mirror has been going downhill since Netflix acquired it from Channel 4.
The first season was fantastic, and the second season wasn’t too bad. It’s like the Black Mirror writers are in a competition to make each season worst than the last.
It used to be speculative fiction, but even that is no more in season 5. I wish there were more than just 3 measly episodes especially with how long it took them to release season 5.
Striking Vipers was the worst episode in my opinion. To me, it focused too much on sex instead of the actual story which had the potential to be good.
Smithereens was the best episode in season 5 although it was just alright. At least there was a heartfelt story behind it all. Plus, the acting was fantastic for the most part. Yes, there were a few shoddy acting bits, but most of it was good.
Rachel, Jack and Ashley Too started off being a good episode, but it just turned ridiculous towards the end. It did start with a good message, but the ridiculousness of it turned this episode into more of a comedy. I guess they were just too focused on Miley Cyrus bringing in the viewers instead of the actual story.
I’m really losing hope for Black Mirror. They need to just stop making episodes or hire better writers.
The first season was fantastic, and the second season wasn’t too bad. It’s like the Black Mirror writers are in a competition to make each season worst than the last.
It used to be speculative fiction, but even that is no more in season 5. I wish there were more than just 3 measly episodes especially with how long it took them to release season 5.
Striking Vipers was the worst episode in my opinion. To me, it focused too much on sex instead of the actual story which had the potential to be good.
Smithereens was the best episode in season 5 although it was just alright. At least there was a heartfelt story behind it all. Plus, the acting was fantastic for the most part. Yes, there were a few shoddy acting bits, but most of it was good.
Rachel, Jack and Ashley Too started off being a good episode, but it just turned ridiculous towards the end. It did start with a good message, but the ridiculousness of it turned this episode into more of a comedy. I guess they were just too focused on Miley Cyrus bringing in the viewers instead of the actual story.
I’m really losing hope for Black Mirror. They need to just stop making episodes or hire better writers.
Marber Plays: v. 1: After Miss Julie; Closer; Dealer's Choice
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Marber Plays: 1 brings together three of this award-winning playwright's first plays produced at the...
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Just Boris: A Tale of Blond Ambition - a Biography of Boris Johnson
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A major and controversial new biography of one of the most compelling and contradictory figures in...
Girls - Season 3
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In Season 3, Hannah is now in a committed relationship with Adam (Adam Driver), and the two are...