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Reviews
Hack Your Health: The Secrets of Your Gut (2024)
It starts well but then goes into a demagogy.
This doc is really good at criticising the mainstream food narrative but when it comes to finding solutions it goes into myths from many past decades that have been debunked even a century ago, by scientists who are rarely mentioned. There is nothing new under the sun, yet some scientists wannabes keep trying to invent new ways of creating even more problems than solutions. Instead of taking what we already know, they want to discover marketable ways to keep the a rotten ship going. There is no pill or supplement that will fix things. You need to reset and go back to basics. The whole fiber story is ridiculous. It's just a patch for an unhealthy diet that does more harm than good. I wish I could turn back time and do things I needed to do in my 20's, but I'm happy I could still buy the next few decades with the knowledge that was always there, but didn't feel right, because of all the crap in the media but also pushed by bad doctors. Red meat all the way. Cholesterol is your friend.
Jerrod Carmichael Reality Show (2024)
Too cringe for me
I don't think it's not genuine. It's too genuine and relatable, not by its content but form. Watching a reality show with this much transparency makes me feel rally uncomfortable. Perhaps if he was one of those vapid celebrities, it would be easier to watch. I can't even confront my own things from the past and they often don't let me sleep. To have all of this unfold in front of cameras is ... brave or completely insane. But, he is a standup comic. They develop thick skin if they want to last in this business. I don't think this is a mainstream kind of show. Not many will get it, but those who do, will appreciate it immensely.
Alternatino with Arturo Castro (2019)
It starts well but then...
... jokes are missing and there is constant stream of making fun of straw men, libtards made up. He seems like a third generation immigrant who is westernised, lost connection to his culture and is: hey! I'm an npc, just like all of you!. I watched two episodes and could clearly see the potential of only he could go beneath the surface of current political correctness. Something like what "in living colour" did in the 90's. There has to be some genuine (that wasn't it) self deprecation and also mocking of everyone else. This has never not worked but some just can't do it in today's climate. On a positive note, Arturo's acting skills really shine through, even though the writing is mostly terrible.
Prison Brides (2024)
I think I get it now
This a fascinating documentary/reality show about women who become pen pals with men in prison and through the process fall in love. There are some common threads connecting all the stories. Women were going through some rough patch in life and needed a person to talk to, with complete honesty and transparency. What I assume is that they found men who, closed from the usual life in the open world, focused on their inner self and were able to be more open with their thoughts and feelings. This created a bond that was missing in normal relationships. In some way this reminds of another show called "Love is blind". What remains to be seen, how will things change once they start living together, under the pressure of the real world.
Wild Cards (2024)
Did not expect this
This came up as a new show in my list and I decided to just glance over but then could not stop watching. It's your usual unusual male-female pair with vastly different backgrounds, solving crime together by utilising those differences to make a perfect team. It's been done already, you might say, but this works perfectly. He is not too stiff in his stiffness and she isn't too quirky in her... Sure, cases are solved too quickly and every idea is a good one, but the story flows effortlessly and it makes a good show to watch when you just want to relax. Inconsistencies don't stick out too much and hurt your intelligence and protagonists don't try too hard to be likeable. And there is the cutest cat in the show. But, this isn't a show for people who like a narcissist as a main character or someone that is over the top righteous so they could feel superior for liking it. You know, shows like "Lie to me", "Sherlock", "NCIS" etc.
The Garden: Commune or Cult (2023)
Definitely not a cult
This is an amazing example of group and individual dynamics in a commune. There isn't a clear leader of the group, just some individuals that are perhaps more knowledgeable and assertive. Then there are people that need to follow someone, but also people that can't work well with anyone. It's basically what you would get in any kind of group, no matter what the number of individuals is. It seems chaotic at first, but over time, a hierarchy is established. It's natural. It's clear that they are paranoid because of their bad experience with previous outsiders, yet newcomers attribute that to secrets that have yet to be revealed. Anyone who ever tried to make a group of very different individuals work together, in this kind of setting, will understand that this is very difficult and most often doesn't work out. Other people might even see the patterns that aren't there and compare it with what they think they learned from documentaries about cults.
The reality show "Survivor" is a great example. What does every person say after a few days? That they watched every season but they never understood how hard it is going to be, until they spent the first night out there. Without the experience, you will never truly understand and connect with people on screen.
Rachel's Farm (2023)
An honest journey
Rachel is a great example of a person that tries not to be guided by ideology. She is open and always wants to learn. The child in her pushes her curiosity and an adult finds pathways forward. When the problem with her farm became difficult to ignore, she decides to give it full attention, because that was the only way to solve it. It was really amazing for me to hear her neighbour explain "conventional" farming practices, when he should have known that he was probably the first generation to fully apply them. To his father it was probably a new thing. Such stubbornness is expected. To accept teh needed change would be to devalue all of his life work, which was to degrade the soil he depends on. How can someone keep doing the same thing for decades and not realise the activity-damage connection? Well, we all do it. Experts said so, so it must be true. There is a certain feeling of safety in not taking responsibility for your actions and listening to a "higher authority". This is the new green revolution and I'm really happy so many people are creating documentaries about it. People need to know this and wake up. To move forward is to go back. We need new technologies but without the old ones, we are doomed.
Dark Side of the '90s (2021)
It's an ok show
Someone took the time to review the events, trends, tropes, narratives... that marked the 90's, which is admirable. Good effort was put into it. So what is the problem? The main problem is that this hasd been done in the time when everything is deeply political and there is no centre. Leading narratives in the media are extremely left leaning, hypocritical towards the system they thrive in and every criticism is labeled as extreme right wing. You can see how many conspiracy theories, even debunked ones are still pushed through this show, because it helps with the narrative. Some episodes are laced with more of it, depending on the content. Especially if the content is directly connected with what is happening today. I don't think there is a malicious intent behind it. Authors genuinely believe to be doing the right thing. They believe they are on the right side of history and minor or major omissions are not important. This is how most bad things happen in this world. It's not through some joint conspiracy but numerous acts of simple idiocy. Human civilisation doesn't work because there are best people at critical positions. It just somehow works in spite of too many people being really bad at their job.
The Great American Joke Off (2023)
Bad copy
Usually I prefer American copies of British shows, but this one is really bad. Sure, there were some good jokes, here and there, but overall it's a yawn fest. When jokes are really intelligent, they seem to go over hosts head, who goes for a very vulgar and simple ones. The host was obviously a bad choice, because that person ties everything together. Guests are mostly some washed up comedians that try to stay relevant by catering to "smart and progressive" crowd. There is nothing funny in reiterating beliefs of an echo chamber. There are exceptions but they just can't help raise the show's quality. Great example is Matthew Broussard, who had a great bit about IUD, which was funny and provoking but Dulce gave a win to Alonzo, who was just like "I BELIEVE(like it's a religion) in medicine. How stupid are antivaxxers?". I think I'll just watch reruns of original British shows for now. Check ya later.
Who Are You People (2023)
Pleasant surprise
I didn't know anything about this movie. I just clicked on it out of boredom. I was pleasantly surprised by how immersive it was. Nothing is pushed on the viewer so you have a lot to think about when you analyse situations and relationships. The only push I felt was something I already try to use in my life and that is the importance of trying to understand. Not condemning or condoning, but just to understand, because we are humans and we are supposed to be capable of understanding.
I can't say anything bad about any actors performance. Casting was just perfect. I have to say that I was surprised by the only actress I recognised, Alyssa Milano. I haven't seen(remember) much of her work but watching her as a host on Project Runway Allstars turned me off. Here, her acting perfectly filled the role.
Outlast (2023)
You can't handle the reality TV :)
This is so far the purest survival realty show ever. There were attempts previously, with people living alone or in groups but this kind of tribal dynamics is amazing. People bashing this show just want to be entertained. This is a psychological experiment. You observe. You study different characters and how they adapt. What are they prepared to do? How much are they struggling with their decisions and the aftermath? Every time people are in the extreme situations it doesn't "reveal their true character". It reveals their character in those kind of situations. People are complex beings, capable of the most amazing and horrible things and everything in between. This is why this show is amazing.
Marlon Wayans: God Loves Me (2023)
Pure genius
This is a standup unlike anything you have ever seen before. It's actually a documentary about a specific event that happened involving three people, their back stories, reactions from white and black audience with in-depth cultural explanations, historical references that put things into perspective, alternate storylines from multiverse, different variations of reenactments with different ratios of truth:joke, relationship advices, impressions of people that were not involved but somehow help portray mindset of people that were, following the lines of stupid and shallow desires to come to realisation of true desires and needs... all done with just a spoken word with a lot of subjective, introspective and very personal inputs from Marlon Wayans.
You People (2023)
I was torn on this one, but...
I laughed a lot a couple of times and I was bored too many times. There is too much repetition and long scenes that lead to nothing. A lot of cringe moments. But, I like it when I feel insulted by some stereotype joke but also laugh at a joke that targets some other stereotype. I think this movie breaks through a lot of crap that is going on. To make a movie that makes fun of black people, with their new found Islamic religion and also connects Jews as white people, directly to slave trade, is very brave in my book, in today's climate. There is tension, there are legitimate problematic facts brought up, but also, everything is turned into some sort of a joke. I gave it a 10 for ideas and effort, although the end product is probably worth a lot less. Also, I really felt like dunking Jonah into a bath tub filled with yoghurt. He looks burned from the sun and dehydrated.
The Russell Howard Hour (2017)
Safe and unfunny
I can tell you how these jokes are written. You take something that majority is angry about and just make them feel good about it. It doesn't have to be funny. Just reaffirm their beliefs and anger and they will laugh with a sense of relief. They will feel vindicated and part of the "smart" majority of "sensible" people. He always has to remain that good boy everyone loves, or most of the people. His audience is smart and educated and annoyed by some other, very stupid people, that are outside of this safe space of wisdom. You really need to be a certain mindset to be able to laugh at these jokes.
Live to Lead (2022)
Chilling celebration of blind leaders
Road to hell is paved by good intentions should be a subtitle of this show. These are the people that create a climate of irreversible damage to local and global society. Their talking points are pure demagogy and their actions are against international human rights and anti-science at its core. This is pure demagogy of the ruling elites that governs societal collapse all around the world. The worse aspect of these people is that it is possible they just don't know what they are doing but the narcissism is obvious. The age of extreme religious views cloaked as "science" has started few years ago and things might get much worse before they get better.
Sebastian Maniscalco: Is It Me? (2022)
As expected
I like his comedy even when I don't laugh, but I do laugh a lot. I think he found a nice niche. He is kinda of an old school comedian that even when he is dismissive of himself, he does it in a classy way. He can be goofy but never vulgar. At least that is how I see it. I might not be a person that responds to life the same way, but I can somewhat relate or just understand. He steers clear of politics and talks about everyday stuff, so I don't think he is a divisive comedian, although I'm sure a lot of people would disagree. This is the sign of the times we live in. Or maybe it was always like that. I think he managed to stay somewhat neutral on the pandemic thing, although he says he got the shot just so he would not lose his sense of taste, while what actually happened was that he was fine before the shot, but right after, he got the rona and he did lose his sense of taste and smell. I think he avoided the touchy subject and just went for the laughs. I don't mind. I didn't get any shot, got the rona in the second half of '22 and it was just annoying, but nothing dramatic. I think people should chill about it already and ... lock up people responsible for it :D.
Brainwashed: Sex-Camera-Power (2022)
Deconstruction into nonsense
Authors and guests dive deep into every aspect of film making and history, to find "patriarchal" elements. There are a lot of axioms, which are not defined, but can be perceived through their comments. For example, predatory behaviour comes from men and patriarchy. They set very clear divide between two sexes with many generalisations, which might be true(statistically speaking), but same people would never accept the same treatment if real statistics were used as counter arguments. It's the cat and mouse game between generalisation and specialisation. They usually take whatever suits them best, for a particular situation. Authors don't want to discover, research, learn. They want to impose, in a very "patriarchal" way. Here lies the ultimate truth. Within is the answer they refuse to accept. Every person is a microcosmos. A combination of the worst and the best humanity offers and everything in between. We are biologically separated by combination of X and Y chromosomes, that govern our physical traits but all other characteristics fall into a spectrum. Some are very common and some fall generally more on one side. None of them is inherently good or bad. It's all about the context. Even when we use archetypes from psychology, like "tyrannical father" and "devouring mother", gender is used just as a description, not a permanent label. A man can behave as a "devouring mother". It's sad to see all these accomplished and grown people not being able to behave as adults.
Tulsa King (2022)
I watched out of curiosity
I was pleasantly surprised. Main character is like a ripple in a water that was too calm for too long. At 76 it is pretty impressive he can still land a role like this. It is also very inspiring. Perhaps this story will remind everyone it is never too late to start all over, if you have what it takes. Everything else, like new tech, are just details. Main rules never change. It's all about hustling. Kinda like undercover billionaire reality show, but on the other side of the law. They should have a shark tank for business ideas for criminals. That would be a hit reality show :D. I can't wait to see how this story develops. I will definitely continue to watch.
The Card Counter (2021)
Hollywood documents war crimes of every US administration
... with enough time passed so it isn't about what is happening right now. Of course, for this movie, it is happening right now, because secret prisons still function, all around the world and US is still fighting wars that are "illegal" according to international law. This movie is about all that, but also about the price they pay for pushing their people situations they can never recover from. This is also part of the American dream. Some have to join the army, some have to take on a huge debt. It's an extreme world. There would not be the possibility of huge success if there weren't more possibilities of a wasted life.
Orgasm Inc.: The Story of OneTaste (2022)
Good doc, but needs a lot more context
As someone who has been through different cults in my early 20's and am now in my late 40's, I think this documentary was done very well, but in order to truly understand what was happening, one has to have more knowledge. It's certainly not all black and white, good or evil. This seems to be in every story on cults today. There is some good, that attracts and helps people with their problems of living in a modern society, or problems that humans are facing since the dawn of time. Then there is some bad. But is it really that bad or it just doesn't fit with current narratives and how we see people, what the current mainstream morality is? I think that Nicole is at a very high level of spirituality and with that she is losing the understanding of how it is to function on a lower level. But also, no guru is ever perfect. I can't remember which guru said that occasionally they don't feel jealousy. I can see how Nicole built her armour to thrive in life, with all the horrible baggage of her childhood trauma and everything that happened afterwards, but I also see how this made her a less empathetic person. She was enforcing a therapy that worked on her, on others. It can't possibly work like that. No medicine is perfect for everyone. She was also manipulative, in order to expand her empire. To further understand some of the practices, people should study the cults of left hand tantra. Stories there are even more bizarre. Especially if this is not something you need in life.
Love Is Blind (2020)
Best dating show, ever
Ok, first part when they meet each other and can open up, but not actually see who they are talking to, is the best thing ever. The power of this kind of situation is amazing and I can see how some viewers are skeptical. You have to go through something similar, to be able to relate. Not a lot of people are able to understand. This is a very emotional situation that gives people a completely different perspective and allows them to go deeper than usual, right from the get go. I just love watching that first part and especially the revealing ceremony. Later it goes to usual places, with all the BS of people that have been through stuff, carry a lot of baggage and are not really ready for life together (let's face it, nobody is), but have to learn very quickly and on camera. I hope this show lasts forever.
The Elon Musk Show (2022)
I respect Elon even more after seeing this
It's one thing to see occasional headlines, when someone fails or succeeds, but it's a different story when the whole timeline is presented to you, with all its ups and downs. This docuseries shows how hard the road to greatness is and how good you have to be, in many different aspects, to get your idea to fruition. In this case, we get to see a very different, from all other unicorn stories from the silicon valley. I recently rewatched the story of Theranos. Superimposed to this one, you can clearly see the difference between someone faking it and a genius trying to make it real. There will always be the uncomfortable truth of being ruthless towards those that can't keep up or have other priorities in life, but other aspects of this story are very different.
Sketchy Queens (2022)
What happened to Jinkx?
I haven't watched youtube videos of Jinkx, which are supposed to be an inspiration for this show. This seems like the format of acting challenges from Drag Race, but without the context that makes those awful attempts kinda funny and the scenes are just too long and without jokes. Jinkx always dominated in acting challenges, which is why this is so weird. Were those challenges all that she can deliver? Transfer to a TV format was unsuccessful. I think they need better writers for this show, or better, they need good writers. This feels like a project kids would do in high school, just to entertain each other. The Katydids started as youtube sensations and they managed to transfer to TV. I think I'll rather watch "Teachers" for the n-th time. Jinkx, snap out of it. You are better than this.
Cunk on Earth (2022)
I was skeptical because ... it's BBC
This show is hilarious. You might learn something about history but the true quality comes from showing how little, the "experts" know about life today. How can someone make assumptions about humans that lived 2000 years ago, when they can't answer simple questions with current references. All the jokes, cultural references fly over their heads. This is exactly why there are so many articles coming from so called experts that sound completely ridiculous. You could easily say that Diane plays a stupid person, but her questions are legitimate. The way the other person answers them, shows how much they can relate to common language and simple questions. It is just brilliant.
All Star Shore (2022)
Brilliant combo
I didn't expect much so perhaps that is why I got so much more. It's a great combination of players and ideas from different reality shows. The drama between them doesn't feel like it is pushed by producers, which is great. You get to see some of interesting people from different shows in different setting. There is more potential to what can happen between them, because of the whole mixing the shows idea. Main events between games seem to be whatever they decide to do, which also brings new freshness into a reality show. It's chaos, but in a good way. I really liked it. Especially for its kemp extravaganza. I'm hoping it will be strong enough to get a second season.