My friend Colleen has been on me about watching Nightcrawler since she saw it in theaters. And good grief...this film was a wild ride from start to finish.
This thriller is set in Los Angeles, where unemployed Lou Bloom (Jake Gyllenhaal - Zodiac, Love & Other Drugs) is participating in some sketchy activities in order to get by - simple things you know, like stealing metal, watches, bikes. But when he happens upon a car crash and a couple of news video scavengers show up, Lou thinks he's found his calling. He pawns a stolen bike for a camcorder and takes off to find the crime of the night, hiring ill-fated Rick as his navigator and assistant.
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Lou becomes obsessed with being the first video crew on the scene and his moral compass begins to sway - that is if he even had one in the first place. He begins breaking into crime scenes and even staging them so he can get the best shot. It all leads up to a lovely unexpected twist near the end of the film.
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I started Nightcrawler thinking I was going to get the chance to actually like Lou before he turned salty, but I was quite wrong. His character was creepy from the get-go - obsessive manipulative, and scary good at selling himself. Think Patrick Bateman from American Psycho without the actual murdering, though I wouldn't put it past Lou if there were ever to be a sequel.
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As far as plot goes, I felt this film was kind of lacking. While it was entertaining, I didn't feel that there was anything really pulling it along rhythmically besides Lou's obsession with his work. There was no realistic resolution, which also bothered me. When Lou is finally confronted by investigators, they basically just slap him on the wrist and send him away. I also felt that the cinematography could have been better as each scene felt the same with a background of mostly police cars and firetrucks.
Video credit: MOVIECLIPS Trailers, YouTube
I was pretty hyped for Nightcrawler, but it left me hanging. It's a thriller with no real horror or suspense - unless you count the scene where Lou screams at a mirror. But it is graphic and gory, showing lots of dead and nearly dead bodies, hence the R rating. Ultimately, it was a decent film, but not the best for a thrill. Rating: 1.5 pints of Ben & Jerry's.
Talk about crazy popular cult TV. What started as a simple Netflix original show has blown up in the mainstream world. When Season 3 of Orange is the New Black was added just two weeks ago, all I saw on social media for days were people freaking out about the latest drama at Litchfield Penitentiary...and by golly, they were right.
Video credit: Netflix, YouTube
Orange is the New Black takes place in upstate New York where Piper Chapman (Taylor Schilling - The Lucky One) self-surrenders and is sentenced to fifteen months in prison for a crime she committed almost ten years earlier while she was involved with an international drug smuggler. Her boyfriend drops her off at Litchfield Penitentiary and her journey of penance goes from there. In prison, she quickly finds that her fifteen months are going to go by very slowly. She begins as a scared and privileged girl, but as the seasons progress, Piper finds her feet in prison...watch the show, no spoilers here.
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But don't make the mistake of thinking this whole show is about her. The show features many fantastic female characters that often steal the spotlight with the many subplots running at the same time as Piper's story. There's Sofia (Laverne Cox), a transgender woman sentenced for using stolen credit cards to pay for her transition. I adore Sister Jane (Beth Fowler), a Catholic nun who became an activist during the Vietnam war and was imprisoned for handcuffing herself to a flagpole at a nuclear testing facility in protest - so much love. There's also Dayanara (Dascha Polanco), the artist, who may or may not find herself close to one of the guards... And who could possibly forget the queen of the kitchen, Red Reznikov (Kate Mulgrew - Star Trek: Voyager), badass extraordinaire.
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I rave about this show to people. If you're looking for a show with strong female characters who are depicted honestly and dynamically - this is your show. The inmates' backstories are my favorite part of Orange is the New Black and some of them will play with your moral compass, making you wonder...was she really in the wrong? The show doesn't shy away from discussions of race, gender, and sexuality as well as social injustices, poverty, and obviously prison life. And for that and beyond, I love it.
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Warning time. Since the show is produced by Netflix, it is able to take some major liberties with the creation of the show. Expect HBO level graphic content when it comes to sex, violence, and drugs. But if you're not the kind of Netflix binger to let that stop you, give Orange is the New Black a shot. It's a wild ride. Rating: 3.5/5 pints of Ben & Jerry's.
I spent all day Tuesday under the firm assumption that it was Monday. Fellow Netflix-bingers, I know you feel my feels. After a certain while, the hours bleed together and the transition from day to night blurs until you find yourself thinking, "How is it one in the morning? What season am I on? Just five episodes left? I can finish that before bed, easy!" Basically, I've started re-watching the entire X-Files series and it's going to be the death of me.
But never fear! Today is Friday and a new review is here!
I've got a funny one served up for you today. You have likely already heard of Bob's Burgers due to its popularity akin to shows like The Simpsons and Family Guy. Those comparisons may have either encouraged your interest in taste-testing the show or steered you away if you're not so into the flavor of adult cartoons, but when I started watching the show a year ago, it quickly became a favorite of mine. Seasons 1-4 are currently available for instant streaming.
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Bob's Burgers centers on Bob Belcher, his wife Linda, and their three kids Tina, Gene, and Louise. The family owns a burger joint through which the show explores workplace comedy, marriage and family dynamics, and awkward tales of childhood and growing up. The show does great work taking an average American family and making them relatable and funny - without dumbing any of them down.
Video credit: Animation Domination, YouTube
If you're looking for a "D'oh!" kind of father, Bob is not your guy. The thing I love most about Bob's Burgers is how far it strays from the typical tropes of TV families. In fact, Bob's depicts a family where members lift each other up and support each other instead of tearing each other down for a joke. The show's humor is based in antics and relatable awkwardness, rather than the expense of a character's confidence and dignity. For example, any time Gene goes through a slight identity crisis his family is pretty supportive, encouraging him to be himself.
Video credit: Qyzbud, YouTube
Each of the characters separately is dynamic as they deal with their own issues - which is a credit to the writers as well as the voice actors developing the characters' personalities. The kids especially crack me up, while still being beautiful souls that I adore for their total quirkiness. Gene walks around the house in his underwear and still demands to be taken seriously. He's always pushing the socially constructed boundaries of gender and expression and he's a cheerleader for his sisters - LOVE. Louise, my personal favorite voiced by Kristen Schaal, believes she could easily conquer the world and she does not take crap from anyone. And of course, there's Tina - the voice of a generation. While Tina experiences the true-life teenage struggles of boys, friends, and fitting in, she's crazy confident with a passion for coffee, butts, and erotic friend-fiction. She's a total feminist and unapologetically unique and people love her for it.
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Rating: 5/5 pints of Ben & Jerry's - easy. Coming up next week, I have reviews for Orange is the New Black and Nightcrawler on the menu. I'll see you here next Tuesday and Friday for those new reviews...as long as I can continue to keep my days straight from here on out.
Also, please tell me you thought this post's title was funny...like back-to-back-to-back episodes, get it...?
Also, also! If you're interested in what I mentioned earlier about Bob's Burgers as a cutting edge show breaking away from typical TV tropes and introducing more progressive ideas about family dynamics and supportiveness... YouTuber Laci Green discusses these aspects of the show as well as an added element of feminism in her MTV spot that you can watch below!
I've been looking for the perfect film to start off our summer blog and it just so happened that my brother suggested Hector and the Search for Happiness randomly on Wednesday - this film totally stole my heart. It is the perfect film to kick off our Netflix journey on a happy note.
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Hector, played by Simon Pegg (Star Trek, Shaun of the Dead), is a British psychiatrist who lives a regular routine life with his girlfriend Clara (Rosamund Pike - Gone Girl, Pride & Prejudice). Hector listens to his patients as he absentmindedly sketches his dreams for journeys to faraway places. One night at a dinner party for his wife's work, a woman asks him about the elusive "'appiness."
Video credit: Hector and the Search for Happiness, YouTube
These questions vex Hector. What is happiness? How does a person simply be happy? He finds himself at a loss - is he even happy? Finally he decides to take a journey to explore the meaning of happiness to people from around the world. Think Eat, Pray, Love - Simon Pegg style. He travels to China, Africa, and the U.S. meeting wealthy businessmen, prostitutes, monks, and professors. He even befriends a drug lord in Africa (played by Jean Reno, a fav, who I will most definitely be writing about again soon).
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I love Simon Pegg for his typical goofy characters, but he portrays a more serious role in Hector and the Search for Happiness and I feel like he pulled it off really well. The character is a little bit clueless at first as he realizes that he's forgotten to truly experience life and his shift in perspective is a hopeful transition. However, my biggest issue with the film had to be the unrelatableness of some of Hector's experiences such as being kidnapped in Africa and a random wealthy guy he meets on the plane treating him to a night at the clubs - a bit far fetched if you ask me.
Image credit: www.dailymail.co.uk
All in all, I walked away from Hector and the Search for Happiness feeling light and optimistic. I would definitely throw it into the same category as Eat, Pray, Love and The Secret Life of Walter Mitty. I'm a sucker for films with a positive message about self-discovery and a search for personal truth. Rating: 4/5 pints of Ben & Jerry's.
I've been on hiatus this spring due to a crazy semester full of class assigned writing. But after some much needed down time, I'm back and super psyched to pick up this project again for the summer. I hope you are ready to join me again on this excursion through the wild territory of Netflix! I've queued up a plethora of Netflix originals and independent films on My List and I'm ready to knock them out one by one with you.
We've got a couple of changes around here worth mentioning... First, for the summer, I plan to update the blog at least twice a week. Check back Tuesdays and Fridays for new content! I also plan to keep you guys updated with info I can find about what shows that will be coming and leaving Netflix each month. Second, a new laptop is joining me for this journey. Sadly, my old trusty companion kicked the bucket over spring break. Meet Lola! She's super cute, portable, and has a glorious battery life.
Photo credit: Me
Thanks for jumping back on board with me and I can't wait to see what hidden gems we find on Netflix this time around! Let's get binging!
