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Faristuta
Reviews
The Substance (2024)
Could've been better
The first half was very well executed , the idea of the movie appeared to be original even though it has been played in previous movies one way or another, but the strong acting and sound effects made it enjoyable to watch.
I don't mind the bit of horror but it became so unnecessarily gory that it was just utterly disgusting toward the end. I lost any sympathy I had for the Sue and couldn't wait for the movie to end.
The characters were also very one-dimensional, unsophisticated and highly predictable. I'm not sure whose decision was it to make it a horror/gore film. They could've presented ageing as a scary thing without making it a horror movie.
What stands out for the movie is the strong acting of everyone in it.
Fancy Dance (2023)
Well!
There are some good elements in this movie but it was SO difficult for me to gain sympathy for Jax because right from the beginning.
She's teaching her niece Roki to steal, and she takes her away from her grandparents house for what? It's not that her grandparents were abusive. They were perhaps insensitive to her her culture , they underestimated how important powwow was to her, but they weren't abusive and it was her best chance to get a good like. Instead, she kidnapped her, put her in really vulnerable and dangerous situations and now expects us to sympathize with her ? Girl you need to do better.
The poor man who died for reporting an abducted child?
The last scene was beautiful, and the movie can help introduce people to some elements of the culture of Native Americans that frequently gets overshadowed or neglected in the mainstream media, but it's hard to like a movie when the main character is someone like Jax.
Great acting though.
Civil War (2024)
Portrayal of war brutality
This was a very decent portrayal of the viciousness of war and the role that journalists play in it. I come from an area riddled by all kinds of wars, and the movie brought harsh reminds of some brutal moments during these wars, including many were many journalists and bystanders lost their lives.
I like the character development of the young journalist, the maturity of the experienced one (Kirsten Dunst) despite many predictable cliches.
I might have enjoyed a slightly more sophisticated approach, perhaps knowing a little more about what caused the war, what could've caused people to want to secede and how did they get all these forces to fight the federal government and how did each of these journalists stand on the issue.
But in general, that's a solid movie.
Drive-Away Dolls (2024)
I really tried to like it
I laugh at anything, even movies with toilet humor and absurd amount of unnecessary vulgarity are some of my favorites as long as they're funny. I loved the work of the 3 main actresses in previous movies and had high hopes for Drive Away Dolls, but I was very disappointed.
The story had potential, but something along the line of unconvincing acting and poor editing made the film pretty confusing annd I pretty much lost any interest in the evolution of the story and had compassion to any of the characters. It felt much longer than its relatively short run time.
The main focus of the film- the severed penis-really wasn't funny. It went for far too long and it really cheapened the movie. The jokes seemed calculated and unnatural.
It's a forgettable movie.
AlRawabi School for Girls: If I Could Do It All Again... (2024)
Two Seasons of Alrawabi
If there's one thing Tima Shomali excelled at in this, it's how she's able to build up excitement while we observed character development in every episode.
This last episode of Season 2 did not disappoint. Without giving away spoilers, the main actors emerge to be more complex than they had seemed to be in the earlier episodes. There's no constant villain or victim. Every girl is vulnerable and the conspiracies are never ending.
The director rook a major risk and replaced the entire cast for season 2 even though the cast of season 1 were very popular. I have to salute her for taking such risk, which is understable given the time gap between both seasons and with this being focused on high schoolers. I have to say though that I admired the cast in season 1 a little more, as their acting seemed to be more natural and homogenous.
It just keeps me wondering what to expect for Season 3?
Is Tima going to stick with the same cast of either seasons while they grow in their roles, perhaps go to college, face different sort problems that a woman typically faces in the Jordanian society?
I'd like for the cast of either seasons (preferably season 1) to return to season 3 but I'd like to see many other changes for the upcoming seasons.
All in all, great work for everyone who worked on this series in both seasons.
AlRawabi School for Girls: New Beginnings (2024)
New Beginning
I was a bit discouraged 10 minutes in, as it appeared to be an exact replica of the first season but the direction it took later was a bit different and gave me some hope. I won't make any judgement about the rest of Seaaon 2 until I'm done watching it, but this episode alone is encouraging despite the first few lame minutes.
The show circles around girls in a private school in Jordan who are different - some are bullies, some get bullied, some are wealthy and attractive and others aren't and from there it gets to touch on a couple of social problems affecting the society where women eventually victims of unjust laws or traditions. Just because there are very few shows coming from Jordan, it would still be unfair to expect a single show to be an exact representation of the entire society with all of its complex problems. The type of people in this program are a small fraction of the Jordanian society however the problems it addresses are universal in the Jordanian society.
The Consultant: Creator (2023)
Intriguing
This is an interesting first episode. There's a little bit of suspense, some attempts at comedy that didn't work out, some cliches but that still didn't prevent me from enjoying it. Christopher Waltz' experience and brilliant acting makes me think he can probably carry the show.
It's difficult to predict how will this story end. I can only hope it will have some originality, and perhaps more suspense. The chemistry between the characters isn't that solid I must say.
There are some elements or scenes that don't seem realistic, like the kid shooting a CEO. I live in the US and I know kids can carry guns sometimes, but I've never heard of a kid shooting a CEO - this would deserve some explanation at the minimum. Was the CEO related to the Kid? Also having anyone trample with a crime scene like Mr. RegUs PatOff did would land him in jail, but he wasn't even questioned.
Finally, it's for adults only.
Black Mirror: Metalhead (2017)
Leaves you with more questions than answers
This episode of Black Mirror takes you to a future world where humans lose control of robots so hardly that their existence is threatened. This isn't a new concept but it's still worth exploring given the (very remote) possibility of it happening.
The acting was sublime, but I'm glad they kept it relatively short.
However- some questions came to my mind- there must be other humans who are alive - how is she getting water supply to the house ? How are all these robots maintained, not running out of battery or fuel...etc? Are they being controlled by other humans elsewhere?
And how did they become so violent? Was it a programming error? Or where they programmed to kill for purpose of war and then humans lost control over them?
Many other questions. It's not a documentary so they don't have to address everything but there are many questions that deserve some answers.
And I absolutely hate the black and white picture. I understand the need to make melancholic but it just makes me relate less to the theme. If you're very skillful make it colored and still make it melancholic.
Not a bad episode, but it deserves to be the shortest.
Black Mirror: Crocodile (2017)
Pure evil, redefined
This is one of the best episodes of Black Mirror despite the low ratings.
One way to understand it is to look at events backwards. Start by the crime scene of a man and his baby being murdered at home, and knowing that the mom was killed just a few hours before that. Who's that monster that can do something like that? But what if I told you that "the monster" was for the most part of her life a friendly and peaceful loving mother, a productive law-abiding member of the society? That would be hard to believe.
Not all these monsters in society were born that way. People can change, and can react very poorly to circumstances they're put in.
Black Mirror often displays the potential negative effects of future technology on life ahead, but in this episode it may have been more forgiving of that. The technology that triggered Mia to commit the murders is the same technology that got her arrested at the end.
New Amsterdam: Pilot (2018)
Very crowded
This is a review of just the first episode, not necessarily the whole show. It's a very busy episode, crowded with so many heavy topics and stories that you don't have time to connect with any of the characters or make a judgement on the actions of Max or the other characters. He seems nice. He seems compassionate. But his character is very unrealistic even for a very active doctor.
Finally, as a doctor and as a fan of most medical shows, I sincerely hope that people don't believe most of the medical information in these series. The shows are interesting, funny, sometimes provocative but I've met a few patients who seem to think they're reflective of real-life medicine . Although some stories are relatable, they're anything but realistic. It's fiction.
Pepsi, Where's My Jet? (2022)
Very entertaining
It may not be the best documentary out there, but for sure it was very entertained. Yes the protagonist may be seen as greedy who wanted easy money, but he was collecting it from a major corporation that had screwed its costumers before.
I like the conflict at the end- when John had to choose between Todd and Avenatti even though he described both of them as friends. He picked Todd, the guy who enjoyed sharing a small tent with him for weeks rather than Avenatti who was repulsed at the thought of having to share a hotel room with him for one night. Not all friendships are equal.
Judges can be out of touch, and this case is an example. When there's a case about the public's perception of a commercial, how come a judge, just one person regardless of how intelligent and well-educated she is, can determine what the whole public regarded a commercial?
There were some fillers (like Manny Pacquaio being interviewed for absolutely no reason), but they kept it entertaining. Nothing wrong with that. A solid 8/10.
Ticket to Paradise (2022)
Really enjoyable
If you're looking for a cerebral comedy that challenges your beliefs skip this one. But I really liked it because of the relatively low expectations. It's fine if great actors make relatively silly comedies. It's fine if the purpose of a film is to just make you laugh or just smile a little bit.
This film is a solid version of a predictable rom com. There's some chemistry between the characters.
I can see where the writers could've changed the script to make it a very marvellous complicated film with some twists. But just like the law school graduate who decides to abandon her career to live a simpler life, it's alright if a film decides to exist as a simpler more digestible form of what it could have been.
Mo (2022)
Finally !!
The story of Mo is the story of many Palestinians all over the world who had to behave their homes and even get harassed for telling their story and the story of their ancestors.
For so long it's been an unwritten rule to portray Arabs as either villains or complete helpless pour victims saved by whatever good-willed westerner. Mo portrays Arabs (Palestinians specifically) as normal humans, a normal family with its dysfunctions and contradictions. As an Arab I can finally relate to this show. I didn't like certain aspects of it but I'm not supposed to endorse everything in it. Mo is neither an awesome guy nor a villain. Just normal. Finally !
Succession: This Is Not for Tears (2019)
Be careful what you wish for
Roy Logan wanted Ken to be a killer, and he made him one, only to realise he'll be the one murdered. What an end to this season. The acting was sublime, made me sympathetic to some heartless characters like Tom. Shiv losing her grip over her marriage and her future at the company. But the end stands as one of the best season finales of all times- Logan Roy understood people well but he never thought he'd get stabbed in the back twice by the one who's closest to him.
Succession: Sh*t Show at the F**k Factory (2018)
We have a show
I'm reading that this show gets better in subsequent seasons but this episode has it all/ it's VERY funny, the drama is well played, the arrogance and narcissism of the presumptuous characters are palpable. I usually dislike 1-hour episodes but you won't feel the time passing. Good work.
Chance (2016)
Very solid show
This is a very solid show, a psychiatric thriller that challenges the wisdom on what's right and what's wrong, and when is violence is justifiable. Is it fair to abuse the abuser? Each season gets better with time. I liked season 2 a little more, as the conflict and characters seem to mature with time and it's really unfortunate that it got canceled.
Whether you consider this an advantage or not, Dr. House's character seems inseparable from Dr. Chance's at times during the show.
D is the star of the show, a violent but big-hearted likeable guy who wasn't treated well in his past. Was his violence always justifiable? It's for the viewer to decide.
We need a season 3 at least.
Nope (2022)
Not bad
I'll be brief. It's overall entertaining despite some boring parts, it's not real horror but there's some suspense, some parts are funny, some are ridiculous. It's not a waste of time for most people.
Diego Maradona (2019)
Here's my biased opinion
I consider Diego Maradona to be the greatest athlete to ever play any sport in any time, the GOAT of all GOATs, hence my opinion in this film is biased. I think the film didn't show all the wonderful attributes of Maradona and what he did to Napoli and Argentina, how he did punch up but refused to punch down; an example is the charity match he played on a dirt field in Napoli to help a disabled child despite the objection of the club administration. Even after his retirement he did show moments of pure passion and vulnerability. It ignored to mention the period where he seemed to be well-adjusted and was the coach of Argentina in the 2010 World Cup (with mixed results).
Either way, the film showed many aspect of the best and worst of Maradona's life in Napoli. I liked the display of the physicality of the game and how many defenders got away with horrific fouls against Maradona without even getting carded, which can never happen these days in the VAR era.
To this date Maradona is loved and treated as a saint in Napoli, and they even replaced the name of the St Paolo stadium with the Diego Armando Maradona stadium. Maradona passed shortly after this film was made. Rest In Peace El Diego, my childhood is filled with memories of your magic.
Bill Burr Presents: Friends Who Kill (2022)
Disappointed
I'm a big fan of Bill Burr, some of his jokes were very good here. Jeff Ross and Dave Atell were good but they're usually much better. Most of the rest were really disappointing, including the ones who I usually find funny like Jimmy Carr and Michelle Wolf.
Stranger Things: Chapter Seven: The Massacre at Hawkins Lab (2022)
Greatness
This season is the best one, not a single bad episode. The first episode may be a bit confusing but it's a great setup for the final ones. There are so many twists that are complex yet still simple to understand.
There's good humor and character growth in this one. It's a bit sad to see the kids grow up I must say. I really connected with Stranger Things.
Everything Everywhere All at Once (2022)
Something different
This was an interesting film, with very strong visual and sounds effects. Obviously many people loved it, but to me it was incredibly long and somewhat confusing. Felt like 30 minutes of good short film and 2 hours of a well-engineered video game.
Senior Year (2022)
Very funny
Basically it's a funny comedy with really good acting even from actors with minor roles. Some scenes were very hilarious. Don't expect it to be a cerebral comedy with profound meanings, it's not that kind, otherwise you'd be disappointed. It made me laugh a lot and that's more than enough.
Trust No One: The Hunt for the Crypto King (2022)
Decent documentary
This is a decent documentary about what appears to be a Ponzi scheme, and the sudden death of its young perpetrator in a foreign country. There were many questions and few answers.
It felt educational at times and that's helpful for people with minimal knowledge about cryptocurrency.
I'm glad Netflix didn't convert it into a miniseries of 6 episodes.
The duration is rather short, 90 minutes, mostly because there isn't much to discuss there. People lost their money and that was sad. The death has some questions and the wife couldn't be interviewed which could've made this documentary much more interesting.
X (2022)
Don't leave before all the credits are over
Horror movies aren't my thing but it was a slow night. I like this film- it has a bit of everything- a story, suspense, gore, a tiny bit of comedy. Expect to be entertained, not mesmerized. It's not a highly intellectual film.
Also don't watch if you're offended by nudity or blasphemy! It's not for everyone !
Overall I liked it.
American Sniper (2014)
Disgrace
He killed "damn savages" for " fun" and Hollywood celebrates him with a movie and a bunch of Oscars. Absolutely disgraceful. And yes I saw the movie and it's glorifying a terrible person.