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Gaymers
Reviews
Resident Alien: Girls' Night (2022)
Feminism... for laughs?
This show seems to suffer from not knowing what it's supposed to be. The first season started strong with a fresh and funny plot involving an alien masquerading as the town doctor while a murder mystery unfolds. The puns were clever, the characters were witty and charming. I think it hit its peak too early.
The show was at its strongest when we watched an Harry the alien adapt to a medical environment. I wish the writers had leaned into that more and kept it as part of the core story because that's where it really delivered laughs.
Instead, they quickly phased out the medical angle after the first few episodes and by episode 6 he wasn't even the town doctor anymore. That left writers struggling to justify the medical setting, diluting the story with a bunch of filler plot lines like vilifying adoption and making Asta look like a villain. I guess the adoption plot is intended to add emotional depth, but her biological child hasn't really had a bad life or suffered in any way, causing the story to fall flat. Incidentally it would behoove the writers to know adoption is not a bad thing and plenty of adopted children lead normal and happy lives.
So we finished out season 1 with an uneven mix of highs and lows. There were some incredible moments and some real stinkers.
That brings us to season 2, which feels like everything good about the series is gone. There was hardly anything fresh, funny, or memorable about the first few episodes. That brings us to this episode, which was the last for me.
Its core purpose is, I guess, is making some huge statement about feminism. Every other scene ends with a pun or a jab aimed at illustrating how it's terrible being a woman, everything is better/easier/more awesomer for men, and how the women of Patience, CO are apparently going to right all the wrongs of inequality with one night of drinking and celebrating sisterhood. Cool, cool, let me know how that turns out.
The alien plot line is barely existent, just a slight buzzing in the background as we watch Harry fumble through a couple of cringey and super forced interactions. Again, this show doesn't know what it's supposed to be. The characters aren't moving forward so much as they're just moving along.
If the point of this series was to make some landmark change to society, I'd say yay for that. But the plot is forced, the jokes aren't funny, and the series is barely recognizable from where it began. Even the characters don't really align with who they were in season 1. For example, we're treated to an ongoing gag about BDSM that was mildly humorous at first but has been dragged out and forced into almost every scene just to make the point that BDSM is, um, funny, I guess? It has nothing to do with the original story and feels very weird to see so much sex in a show that wasn't very sexual at all in the beginning.
I wish this show has reached its full potential, but I think the writers tried to do too many things all at once without much planning for the overall story and direction. This was the last episode for me. I have no interest in watching this show continue to go downhill.
Sarinja-ng-Nangam (2024)
Sponsored by Ice Breakers?
So there's this detective. He loves chewing gum. Not bubble gum. Chewing gum. He makes a point to explain this in vivid detail that all gum is gum and you can blow bubbles with any gum. Really cool story and very thought provoking.
If you like watching people chew gum, strap yourself in for a real treat. Scene after scene, there will be long, detailed shots of the detective chewing gum. We even get a lengthy macro shot of his fingers opening a carton of gum and lingering on a square or two before he pops a piece in his mouth.
And the sounds. Oh the glorious sounds. We are treated to loud, Dolby surround quality sound effects as he slurps, sucks, and chews the gum with emphasis on the wet, squelchy sounds. The director makes a point to focus on the gum in all its glory. We're even treated to a parallel montage as two main characters, the detective and the killer, chew gum simultaneously. The camera pans up close to each character's mouth so we can see the gum smacking around in there. God I almost died when I experienced that in all its visceral rapture.
Open-mouth chewing is encouraged and frequently showcased. The detective chews loudly and with gumption, his gaping mouth wide open like a cow chewing grass. There's really no such thing as too much screen time for the gum. The director makes sure to remind us in every episode just how much the detective loves his gum.
So that's it, folks. 8 episodes of loud, wet, HD quality gum chewing. It's truly a masterpiece of modern storytelling. I've never seen a series devote so much screen time to gum chewing. And it's completely intentional. I'm glad that the gum industry is funding such compelling cinema these days.
Oh and there's some subplot about a killer who kills other killers but it's really just filler in between all the glorious gum chewing.
Star Wars: Episode VIII - The Last Jedi (2017)
Remember when Star Wars was FUN?
The original Star Wars films ("4-6" as we're now supposed to call them) were FUN. It's that simple. They had action, surprise, and a bit of humor. They were a treat for viewers young and old.
"The Last Jedi" is an overwhelming smorgasbord of dramatic side stories, multiple plots and conflicts, all stuffed into one film. Could the writers not agree on a single storyline to follow?
I get it. The film is supposed to be more dramatic, more emotional. Snore... I'm not a fan of emotional dramas. More power to you if you enjoy them. But again, this franchise is supposed to be FUN. Does anyone remember what fun feels like these days?
You have the heroes, the villains, and the battle between them. It's a tried and true action-packed formula that has served countless classic films.
Take, for example, this movie's long and winding exploration of Kylo Ren's inner feelings. I don't care. I'm not interested in the moody emo villain and his complex emotions. Again, heroes and villains. Action. Fun. Let's go.
I miss the magic of the original films. Unfortunately those days are long gone in a galaxy far, far away.
Cat Daddies (2022)
Cute idea, but reinforces a lot of harmful stereotypes
This was a cute idea for a documentary with the intent of (apparently) dispelling stereotypes about masculinity. Unfortunately it collapses under its own weight, often times reinforcing these stereotypes instead of correcting them.
The strange narrative of "I've never had a pet cat because I'm a dude" seems pretty ridiculous. The guys claim they've never been around cats and I think one says he'd never even seen one as a child. Did they all grow up on a deserted island??
Most people grow up with a cat, or have a friend who has a cat, or a relative, etc. Unless you have an allergy to cats, I don't understand how you can go your entire childhood without any interaction with a cat of some kind. The director presents cats as some rare and foreign species. It makes it difficult to take any of these stories seriously.
There are a few exceptions. I enjoyed the man who started a catch, spay/neuter, and release program in Brooklyn. That was awesome and even educational. The homeless man pulled at your heart strings. And I enjoyed the backstories of some of the social media famous cats.
But for every good moment, there is a counterbalance of truly cringy scenes. Multiple men joke about using their cats to score dates with women. It just reinforces this shallow stereotype of one-dimensional men who'll do anything to hook up.
How about featuring some truly authentic men who've loved cats their entire life with no ulterior motive? I know plenty of men at work who love cats without any qualms about masculinity. Again, this documentary claims to squash that stereotype, but only seems to reinforce it.
And it's interesting that gay men are completely erased from the narrative. A lot of gay men are cat lovers, so it would have been great to hear some stories from someone who's gay. Instead we see a lot of typical "bro" types who want a pat on the back for having a cat.
Ah, well. The cats themselves are adorable. I enjoyed seeing them and learning more about them.
Pinocchio (2022)
A heartwarming movie for kids
My 7 year old loved it. We enjoyed watching it as a family. I wish all the keyboard warriors jumping on here to tear this remake apart would pause for one minute and recognize this is a film for kids.
It ticks all the boxes for a family movie. It's sweet, funny, and has an important theme about family and love. The animation is fine. The voice actors are enjoyable. Tom Hanks - who I love in all his films - was a little tedious with his impression of an Italian accent (mostly grunting, mumbling, and kind of whisper-talking under his breath). Not sure what that was about but back to my point: it's a film for children.
I do agree with others that I wish Disney would stop remaking their classics. But hey, they're a film studio. It's their job to make money. Nobody's forcing you to watch this. So take it with a grain of salt and ask yourself if it's a movie kids will enjoy. If the answer is yes, the movie has served its purpose. The Pinocchio remake is a heartwarming movie for kids.
Surface (2022)
Bad people doing bad things with no remorse or purpose
In a nutshell, a scam artist wrecks the lives of every person they touch, gets away with millions of dollars, breaks numerous federal laws, and in the end, we're supposed to believe they are some sort of sympathetic character who's just going through a hard time? Erm.. okay.
I'm surprised Apple would sign on to produce such a poorly constructed series with a paper-thin plot. The cast did fine with what they got, but the problem is every character is unlikeable, spoiled, and chronically self-absorbed. I kept hoping for some miraculous epiphany in the end that would tie everything together, but it never came. I was expecting a true mystery, but the plot comes up short with every wasted opportunity.
Save yourself the frustration of 8 aimless episodes which take you deeper and deeper down a labyrinth, only to be left with a cliffhanger promising a season 2 that is likely just as convoluted and poorly planned. And what is the point of all this? After watching the entire season, I'm still trying to figure out what all this was for.
The only good thing was the haunting backdrop of San Francisco at its darkest, moodiest, and foggiest. I appreciated the noir elements and sweeping shots of some of the city's most iconic locations.
But just so you know, San Franciscans don't jog in the middle of the street like that. I found myself laughing at the utter ridiculousness of that in every single episode. There are sidewalks, just fyi.
Wish Dragon (2021)
Fun family film about the importance of friendship
This was a sweet, funny, and wonderfully engaging tale on the importance of friendship, family, and unconditional love and how it matters more than fame, fortune, and power. With regard to users calling it an Aladdin knockoff, it's important to note that the legend of Aladdin and his magic lamp has existed in Middle Eastern culture since the early 1700s. Disney certainly doesn't own a monopoly on it, and anyone has the right to reinterpret the legend. We loved the film, there's plenty of fun both for children and adults to enjoy. Check it out for a great family movie day.
Home Sweet Home Alone (2021)
Perfect for fans with young children
Is it as good as the original? No. I didn't expect it to be. But it's the perfect solution for parents with children who are too young to watch the violence in the 1990 movie. Our whole family loved it. There's a bit of slapstick physical comedy, but nowhere near as violent as the original. And the overall storyline isn't as scary either. People without children don't realize it but the 1990 version had a lot of pretty intense stuff. This one is perfect if you have children 5 and up.
Chucky (2021)
Murder = OK, Gay = bad??
Gotta love the insecure Chads on here saying a gay character on the show is a "bad influence" on today's teenagers. Murder is fine, apparently, but gay people merely *existing* doesn't meet their high moral standards. Checks out. This show is funny, fresh, and I look forward to the next episode.
Code Name: Dynastud (2018)
A campy return to the roots of gay cinema
I really enjoyed Dynastud and the return to campy humor that's been missing in LGBTQ films lately.
Campy humor has been and will always be a part of gay culture. It's how we process all the pain, anger, and disappointment we've experienced (and still experience today, unfortunately). Campy films seemed to hit their peak in the late 90s and 2000s and it was a fun time for our cinema. In the 2010s, they seemed to go out of style. But this film seems to mark a return to humor.
We need laughter. These are very dark times in our country and often times it feels like we're losing everything we fought to achieve. Dynastud represents a time capsule of what we're suffering through and it's important for it to be said. Sure, the film is outlandish. That's what makes campy humor so much fun.
My husband and I really enjoyed it and hope more film makers will make campy films because it really does help deal with all the madness in this current administration.