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brandomcgregor
Reviews
They/Them (2022)
Perfect Timecapsule of 2022
From the very beginning, with this movie being the target of a mass troll campaign, to even respected reviewers cringing with unease at its imperfections..this movie was doomed to be given a really fair shot.
It's a decent horror movie with depth. Queer people will be the most critical because we're used to seeing ourselves through touchstone type characters and we are hyper critical of queer characters in media since we never really fit neatly into the boxes those characters are usually confined to.
But it's an important film. History will probably be kinder to this film than audiences. Captures the atmosphere of queer panic we're in right now. Has some powerful moments and performances. Of course it could be better, but it's the first film of its kind I've seen and other attempts will learn from what this film got right and wrong.
Likable characters. True life horror. It deserves a watch.
The Simpsons: Bart-Mangled Banner (2004)
A time capsule of post-911 hysteria
Just watched this episode for the first time on Disney Plus. I wish I had seen it when it was originally on. It captures the post-911 hysteria perfectly. A lot of people think Trump was the lowest point in US history, but during the Trump era, there was plenty of dissent on TV and in the media. Post 911, people were freaskishly right wing and patriotic. This was when Tucker Carlson had a show on MSNBC and Lou Dobbs and Glenn Beck had shows on CNN and Headline News. It was a freaskishly dystopian period in US history and the episode captures this perfectly. It's funny conservatives love to talk about cancel culture but this was when people were actively censored for speaking out against the Bush administraiton. From the Dixie Chicks to Bill Maher. It's a high point in an otherwise mediocre season.
The Great North (2021)
Giving it a chance....but they talk way too fast
I love the cast. The characters are lovable, but they cram way too much dialogue per line. It seems to be the style the director is wedded too. I love Jenny Slate as Tammy on Bob's. But as Judy...she seems to be directed to say her lines as fast as she can and her lines are a mouthful. I love that Crispin is gay and lovable...same complaint though. Love Nick Offerman...same complaint. Love Megan Mullaley...but her characters on here are no Gayle or Tori Amos. Martha from Baskets is also in the cast. I adore her but again, her talent and dry delivery are wasted here. So much so that I'm not sure if it's her or Tig Notaro in the cast. Honeybee has so much potential. Again same problem. The guy who plays Magruber, is hilarious in everything he's in...except this.
I feel like I watch to pay my respects to inclusive comedy and to the Bob's Burgers animators...but not out of any sort of excitement. Whereas I am excited to always discover a new BB episode.
Can they please give another writing style a try? Just for a few episodes. Just whatever you feel like typing down, just type half instead. Don't have to cram like 10 jokes in one line. Give it a shot. Give the actors room to annunciate and deliver their lines instead of rushing through it.