Darth Maul #1-4 (2017-)

★★☆☆☆ - Meh!

The earliest event in the Star Wars official canon. It also happens to be the newest release with the final issue still unreleased. This series sheds some light on the period that Darth Maul apprenticed under Darth Sidious before the events of the Phantom Menace. It's a short read with a pretty mediocre and disappointing plot. Considering the character this endeavor should have added substantially to the lore of the iconic character but the book inexplicably chooses not to focus on his younger years and serves up a generic, straight forward story instead. The art is top notch, however. If you are into Star Wars themed art, I would recommend a quick read. 

After Porn Ends (2012)

★★☆☆☆ - Meh!

As the name suggests, this documentary takes a look at the lives of performers after they have quit the business. It only succeeds in satisfying casual curiosities that people might have about the life of porn stars. The subject matter can be depressing, especially regarding individuals who have turned to porn in order to survive or provide for loved ones or even a progression to the business as the result of abuse and violence. Some just can’t be bothered with the 9-5 grind and opt for a quick buck. Others like Nina Hartley, on the other hand, are intelligent, confident and refreshingly unapologetic. In fact, this might have made for a better documentary had the focus been on Hartley and her astute commentary. 

‘After Porn Ends’ deserves some credit for choosing a subject matter that no one else seems to have bothered with and offering us a glimpse of how people end up in the business but it's far from unbiased nor is it very interesting. 

The People V. O. J. Simpson: American Crime Story (2016) (TV Miniseries)

★★★★☆ - Highly Recommended!

One of the best TV miniseries to come along in a while! Even though we all know how it ends and despite being one of the most heavily documented and high profile trials of our time, ‘The People V. O.J. Simpson is solid entertainment with excellent performances across the board, especially Sara Paulson who just gets better and better with each new character she effortlessly embodies. 

Regarding the plot, It’s hard not to get it right when your show is based on one of the best examples of the classic adage, ‘truth is stranger than fiction’. Race, sex, justice, and violence are all present in Shakespearean proportions and this makes for a compelling piece of entertainment. 

Some of the details of the case are questionable but that’s to be expected whenever a narrative is subject to the personal biases of the creators and has to meet an entertainment criteria.  Regardless, in viewing the show, we are offered new structural reframing of the case, notwithstanding the unwavering resolve of a man, who to this day maintains his innocence. 

Forks Over Knives (2011)

★★★★☆ - Highly Recommended!

Overall, ’Forks Over Knives’ is a slightly better-than-average documentary film but its message is so imperative that this should be compulsory viewing for everyone. Amassing a staggering collection of statistics and studies, spanning decades and multiple geographical locations, two doctors, one a nutritional scientist and the other a heart surgeon,  prove the benefits of a whole foods, plant based diet. No dairy, no meat, and no processed foods. They argue and prove that natural products in their unprocessed state, not only combats all the major diseases but has the power to reverse and even, completely eradicate. 

Among the many frightening revelations is that animal protein, which is the staple diet for most people, has an innate ability to turn on cancer cells. The film also sheds light on some of the political ties of the animal product industries and illustrates why governments discard and even ignore the findings of this landmark research.

I suspect that the film might come across as preachy and somewhat impractical to people who strongly believe that animal protein is essential for human life, but will certainly prove difficult to ignore when presented with the cold hard facts. To an impartial individual, this just might save their life. 

Fat, Sick & Nearly Dead (2011)

★★★☆☆ - Worth a Watch

An inspiring account of how two men on the brink of irreversibly destroying their health, clean up their diet and change their lives. Juicers are currently all the rage and the film threatens to implode into one giant infomercial, but I would be remiss if I were to say this documentary doesn’t provide a compelling argument nor a beneficial message. 

The men embark on a 60-day juice diet and the dramatic on-screen physical transformations are considerable.  A number of doctors and nutritionists help to provide the facts, statistics, medical background and benefits of a juice fast to reboot the body. They also serve in denouncing our addictions to debilitating diets of excessive meat and processed foods. But what is perhaps the most notable is the emotional and mental transformations that follow as the men heal and are taken off the medications that previously treated their chronic conditions.

As a public service announcement, the filmmakers can do no wrong, but as a documentary, it isn’t as investigative of the economic factors that influence our diets nor as well structured as I would have hoped. 

Philadelphia (1993)

★★★★☆ - Highly Recommended!

Hailed as one of the first big-budget films to address the AIDS virus, ‘Philadelphia’ relies on its top-notch cast to chart a course through difficult themes. At the emotional core, rather than a focus on the nitty-gritty details of the disease, the film chooses to examine the discrimination and homophobic intolerances that those afflicted face. The real tragedy? The social demise and stigma of the individual which precedes physical death itself.

Using the courtroom setting to stage its drama, ‘Philadelphia’, asks some difficult questions, but then in a puzzling reversal, it discards some of its more emotional elements and decides to play it safe. Some might argue that this quiet restraint is one of the film’s strengths, but this seriously derails some of the film’s emotive power.

There is one scene in particular that drastically alters the tone of the film.  Andrew Beckett, played by Tom Hanks, interprets his favorite opera to attorney Joe Miller, a self-proclaimed homophobe. The film seems to warp at the very seams as Andrew dramatizes the opera. It's an incredibly powerful moment and a sobering vision of what could have been.

Nonetheless, the film accomplishes an imperative objective. Educating the masses and altering public perception and for this reason alone, ‘Philadelphia’ warrants  celebration. 

Now You See Me (2013)

★★☆☆☆ - Meh!

An endlessly frustrating and overlong heist film with paper thin characters. The picture relies on the innumerable cast members’ signature nuances instead of crafting credible backstories to develop the narrative. You just never truly care for the characters or their motives. 

The premise suggests that, in theory, this should be a redeemable, elaborate piece of entertainment but countless nonsensical missteps for every original sequence squander any potential.

Cut about 30 mins and this just might be a mindless slice of good lookin’ big budget fun, but no such luck either. The biggest ‘misdirection’ of all, a stellar cast to distract you from the lack of substance with tons of unnecessary CGI and pretentiously sweeping camera moves. Even the interesting plot twist serves as the final nail on repeated viewings because it's just so darned ridiculous. I hear there’s a sequel. Facepalm. 

The Founder (2017)

★★★☆☆ - Worth a Watch 

More a detailed biopic of Ray Kroc and how McDonald's became a billion dollar global food empire than the actual founders who masterminded the whole revolutionary speedy system. But that's the whole ironic point. 

‘The founder’ is fascinating because it's essentially about a  bad guy,  an anti-hero that ‘persistently’ and ruthlessly chases the American dream.  Michael Keaton, the driving force of the film, is perfect as he masterfully portrays Kroc’s transformation from struggling salesman to cut throat, self-proclaimed corporate asshole that would do anything to drown out his competition and get what he wants. Unusually inspirational at times, Kroc ‘self-helps’ his way to success, from falling asleep listening to 1950s positive thinking records to hunting down the talent to man his far-reaching fast food chain. He single-mindedly tackles every hurdle but It's all rather tragic as he resorts to shady backroom deals, unethical ambition and maliciously crushes the people that aided him along the way. 

No doubt a well made film, but fails to resonate with as much power or emotion as other biographical films of recent years. It's neatly packaged, flavorsome but not very nutritional.