02-24-2019, 09:00 AM
(This post was last modified: 02-24-2019, 11:35 AM by TM2YC. Edited 2 times in total.)
RBG (2018)
This Documentary about the life of US Supreme Court Justice Ruth Bader Ginsburg (who I knew almost nothing about) begins with a credits sequence where we are invited to scoff at a series of idiotically hyperbolic soundbites from right-wingers describing her as a "Witch", as "Vile" and as a "Zombie". Then we are next shown a "badass" rap-music montage of the 85 year old working out, while a series of left-wingers describe her as an "icon", a "queen" and a "superhero" in equally hyperbolic terms... with no sense of the irony caused by this juxtaposition. This is not a deep examination, it's a fawning celebration. Given the importance RBG herself places upon dissenting voices, quiet diligence and devastating reasoned critiques, it's a shame the Documentary makers didn't take that principle to heart. Not a single frame is devoted to explaining in even the most basic terms how the US court system operates, so it's not a Documentary designed for the enjoyment of non-US viewers. All that being said, she is clearly an impressive and admirable person, who has pioneered laws on gender equality and the film gets that across very well. Amazing woman, so-so film.
Naked Gun 33 1⁄3: The Final Insult (2018)
I was always a big fan of Police Squad and the first two films, so I'm surprised I never got round to seeing this 3rd film. A huge amount of sexist jokes and lots of more innocent sexy-lady jokes make you start to question the attitudes of the people involved. Specific spoofing of movies like 'White Heat' and 'Thelma & Louise' and The Oscars ceremony, replaces the more general scatter-gun Police-based fun of the other films. You don't have to feel conflicted about enjoying an O. J. Simpson performance (this was released a couple months before the murders) because he is barely in it and his over-acting is astoundingly terrible when he is. Despite all the flaws, I had more genuine belly-laughs than I get from most comedies these days. e.g.
![[Image: tenor.gif]](https://media1.tenor.com/images/7caf78f892662e24b383fc0b1d212be2/tenor.gif)
This Documentary about the life of US Supreme Court Justice Ruth Bader Ginsburg (who I knew almost nothing about) begins with a credits sequence where we are invited to scoff at a series of idiotically hyperbolic soundbites from right-wingers describing her as a "Witch", as "Vile" and as a "Zombie". Then we are next shown a "badass" rap-music montage of the 85 year old working out, while a series of left-wingers describe her as an "icon", a "queen" and a "superhero" in equally hyperbolic terms... with no sense of the irony caused by this juxtaposition. This is not a deep examination, it's a fawning celebration. Given the importance RBG herself places upon dissenting voices, quiet diligence and devastating reasoned critiques, it's a shame the Documentary makers didn't take that principle to heart. Not a single frame is devoted to explaining in even the most basic terms how the US court system operates, so it's not a Documentary designed for the enjoyment of non-US viewers. All that being said, she is clearly an impressive and admirable person, who has pioneered laws on gender equality and the film gets that across very well. Amazing woman, so-so film.
Naked Gun 33 1⁄3: The Final Insult (2018)
I was always a big fan of Police Squad and the first two films, so I'm surprised I never got round to seeing this 3rd film. A huge amount of sexist jokes and lots of more innocent sexy-lady jokes make you start to question the attitudes of the people involved. Specific spoofing of movies like 'White Heat' and 'Thelma & Louise' and The Oscars ceremony, replaces the more general scatter-gun Police-based fun of the other films. You don't have to feel conflicted about enjoying an O. J. Simpson performance (this was released a couple months before the murders) because he is barely in it and his over-acting is astoundingly terrible when he is. Despite all the flaws, I had more genuine belly-laughs than I get from most comedies these days. e.g.
![[Image: tenor.gif]](https://media1.tenor.com/images/7caf78f892662e24b383fc0b1d212be2/tenor.gif)