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Dear White People

I honestly cannot recommend this show enough. It is wholeheartedly one of the best shows on Netflix. Based on the film, of the same name, creator Justin Simien truly is an auteur. This show isn’t just about the horrible or stupid things white people do that make black people’s lives that little bit harder, it’s fundamentally a show about the black experience.

It takes us on a journey of the America we see on the news/online and the pitfalls of its society for African-Americans. It’s not only just a teen drama/comedy series, it’s a piece of art.  The shots, the soundtrack, the lighting, the pop culture references... The list is endless. There really is so much to unpack with this show and I hope you give it a shot. You’ve got 2 whole seasons of glory to appreciate.

I cannot wait to check out the film and let you guys know what I think.

This has been TV Thoughts with benjoecav,

thankyou,

bjc.

[benjoecav-blog]

The Week Of...

Golden Globe nominee and winner of 9 Golden Rasberry Awards (Razzies), Adam Sandler has been apart of my film watching life for as long as I can remember. (I specifically remember the first time I saw Sandler in a film, it was Big Daddy (Dennis Dugan, 1999), and in the eyes of a 10 year-old he was hilarious).

With age comes knowledge, wisdom, but mostly a real sense of humour. So, the Adam Sandler I was hugely fond of back in the day is more so a reminder of my naivety and nostalgic outlook on my childhood than he is a comedic great. Having said that I did go and see Grown Ups 1 and 2 in the cinema, if for nothing more than a trip down memory lane and some crude humour from the Happy Madison crew (David Spade, Kevin James, Steve Buscemi, Chris Rock).

In 2014, Netflix signed a four-movie deal with Sandler I haven’t had the inclination to check out any of his films that have appeared on the streaming service in the last few years, with the exception of The Week Of (Robert Smigel, 2018). Admittedly, it was the appearance of Chris Rock that got me interested. (Who also recently signed a deal with Netflix producing his latest stand-up special Tambourine (Bo Burnham, 2018).

The Week Of (Robert Smigel, 2018) is a lighthearted laugh, with enough emotional poignancy for the more in depth viewers. (But please bare in mind you’re watching a Happy Madison Production, so expectations shouldn’t be so high). Though Chris Rock has some great lines, you’ll be pining for a little more humour from him with the bulk of the jokes stemming from Seymour, the World War II “Veteran”. Sandler’s performance is nothing special but it’s far better than his Big Daddy (Dennis Dugan, 1999) run and his final scene with his daughter is a lovely ending to an amusing film. 

If you fancy an easy watch with no stakes, and a touching ending, then look no further. You won’t be writing home about this film, but it might tickle your funny bone and warm your heart.

This has been Film Reviews with benjoecav,

thankyou,

bjc.

[benjoecav-blog]

#TurnbackTuesday: Train to Busan/Busanhaeng (2016)

If you’re like me then your scope of films is mainly centred around the English language. Let’s face it we’re lazy and reading is for books. BUT if you can summon the effort then Train to Busan (2016) is one hell of a film to kick off your international film expedition.

It focuses on the lives of a father and daughter who are having trouble connecting after their family’s divorce. Seok-woo, played by Gong Yoo, plays a workaholic fund manager who is trying to get his daughter, Kim Su-an, to Busan to see her mother. Things get a little more complicated for the family as, low and behold, people start eating each other.

You guessed it, it’s a zombie flick but not one of your average zombie films. No terrible lighting and crazy explanations for their infatuation for flesh, just pure adrenaline and some new clever tropes for the undead. This South Korean masterpiece was most recently raved about by the man who revitalised the genre, Edgar Wright:

Best zombie movie I've seen in forever. A total crowd pleaser. Highly recommend. Go see 'Train To Busan'. pic.twitter.com/qKTYNY9jeC

— edgarwright (@edgarwright)

November 5, 2016

After being introduced to the film by my flatmate, I must admit I was a little scepticle, but as a flat we decided to watch together. If you do manage to watch, then I’m sure you’ll agree that Ma Dong-seok, (otherwise known as Daddy to my flatmates and I), is one of the film's true heroes. The film’s pacing and editing lend itself to an engaging and thrilling watch. If you do anything this week then check out Train to Busan.

If Edgar Wright’s opinion isn’t enough for you to pick up this emotional thrill-ride, than surely my humble opinion is?

This has been Film Reviews with benjoecav,

thankyou,

bjc.

[benjoecav-blog]

AVENGERS: INFINITY WAR - NO SPOILERS

AGAIN NO SPOILERS!

It’s been 10 years since the first entry to the MCU. Since then we’ve had some okay Marvel films, I’m talking about at you Ironman and Thor… But we’ve also had some incredible entries, Captain America: The Winter Soldier, Guardians of the Galaxy and Black Panther to name a few. So when the day finally arrived and that big purple Titan stepped onto the screens, I was nervous. I wasn’t nervous because I thought Kevin Feige and the Russos would mess it up, I was nervous because I knew they wouldn’t.

The entire film had me on the edge of my seat. The character development was so well thought out and personal, I couldn’t tell you which brilliantly crafted scene was my favourite. (Not just because I’m scared the Russos and Thanos will zap me from existence).

After the film finished I sat in awe and honestly I can’t explain how I was feeling. When you wait 10 years for a film to culminate 18 stories, the feeling is extremely bizarre. All I knew was after all these years, and 19 films, I can honestly say they nailed it.

This has been Film Reviews with benjoecav,

thankyou,

bjc.