Movie Review: “The Movies That Made Us”

By Matt Pascarella

NR

Running time: Various

We are all familiar with, or at the very least know of these four popular movies: “Home Alone”, “Ghostbusters”, “Dirty Dancing” and “Die Hard”. Have you ever wondered what went on behind the scenes? Or what it took to do some of the stunts/action?

This four-episode, one season Netflix series gives interesting background information about these well-liked films. It features interviews with cast, producers and those involved with the movies. They talk about working on the films and give tidbits about these well-liked movies. Here are just a few fast facts about some of these classics:

Dirty Dancing (Episode 1)

Baby is based on an actual person.

Initially, Winona Ryder and Sarah Jessica Parker were considered for the role of Baby. Billy Zane was almost cast as Johnny Castle.

Swayze and Grey weren’t exactly crazy about each other – in the beginning.

“Home Alone” (Episode 2)

Daniel Stern originally turned down the opportunity to be a henchman

Large portions of the movie were filmed in an abandoned high school

There were no special effects or CGI (Computer Generated Imagery) for any of the stunts done on “Home Alone”, so all the hits and slips and falls actually happened

“Ghostbusters” (Episode 3)

Dan Ackroyd wrote ‘Ghostbusters’ for himself, John Belushi and Eddie Murphy.

There were two different titles for the movie; they lucked out to get the one everybody knows.

There were 12 slimers created before the designer landed on the one in the movie.

“Die Hard” (Episode 4)

It is based on a book called “Nothing Lasts Forever”.

They were legally obligated to initially offer the lead to Frank Sinatra.

Neighbors and occupants of the buildings and areas around where they were shooting complained of all the noise and explosions that happened during filming.

The big scene where the helicopter and the top of Nakatomi Plaza explode is a little different than you might imagine.

Overall, this is a fun series. It’s interesting to learn the story behind the script. Sometimes, I felt like producers, directors, creators, etc. go on a little too long about lesser interesting parts of a film – like what it took to secure funding. Some of these episodes are more entertaining than others, depending on which movies you like, but I found all the episodes feature facts about the movie that I may not have expected. I would recommend this series as a post-holiday, watch-in-one-weekend series. I’m hoping and looking forward to a second season. Two VHS cassettes way up. Now, where’s that VCR?

Movie Review: “Living with Yourself”

By Matt Pascarella

A Netflix TV Series

Rated: None

Have you ever wondered what it would be like to meet your clone? How would they act? What would they do? Would it be problematic, or nice to have a doppelgänger around? These questions were answered for Miles Elliot (Paul Rudd), who has grown bored and indifferent with his current life and is looking for a way to better himself. He gets a tip from a co-worker who got a special, experimental, treatment that improved his life.

This eight episode Netflix series is a little weird. But the end of each episode does keep you wondering, what will happen next?

The series begins with down-on-his-luck Miles Elliot going through the motions of his life. When he hears about this special treatment that essentially creates a new, better you, he is curious and decides to put up the $50,000 it costs. The promise is he will be made into the best he can be.

However, something goes wrong during the treatment and “real” Miles Elliot wakes up underground, covered in plastic wrap. He arrives home to discover he is already there.

The real and fake versions of Miles compare how they’re different. They are also very careful to keep this from friends and family, especially Miles’s wife, Kate (Aisling Bea). Real and fake Miles return to the spa, where the cloning took place, and demand a refund. Although they are refunded, what will become of the “fake” Miles?

One of my criticisms of this series is I found  it difficult to differentiate between the clone and real versions of Miles. The real Miles decides to leave town. So, as I understand it, the clone Miles is pretending to be the real Miles – he’s the one who goes to work and does things like be the life of the party, at actual parties. There are certain areas where “real” Miles steps in. We soon learn that fake Miles has trouble handling the responsibilities of real Miles’s life.

If you can deal with the fact that this is a series about a man who is living with his clone and dealing with the problems that might arise if an identical version of yourself was out there living your life, you might enjoy this series; I did. There is solid character development, with an interesting backstory – we learn the struggles Miles and Kate are facing and why Miles thought the cloning would improve things. There are a few excellent bombshell moments throughout the series that definitely keep you engaged. I felt the episodes did not drag. Although, there is a lot of back and forth with a timeline throughout the series, which can be a little confusing.

I thought this was a funny, weird, entertaining series and the end leaves you hopeful for a season two. I would recommend it. Two identical thumbs up.

A Netflix review of Daniel Sloss' “Jigsaw”

By Colby Willis

In my second review of Daniel Sloss’ comedy, I highlight his second show “Jigsaw”, a sequel to his recently aired Netflix special “Dark”, which I couldn't praise enough.

“Jigsaw” follows suit with another intensely funny, deeply personal hour long set that shows Sloss' sharp comedic wit and ability to add a message to which anyone can relate. While “Dark” was about death, “Jigsaw” focuses on life, and specifically the complexity of building one's life.

Sloss, in the same vain as one of his peers, Bo Burnham, has grown up in an era of social media posturing that has left him critical of how society functions as a whole. He is able to weave in light jabbing jokes while also repeatedly touching back on the titular “Jigsaw” metaphor that he lives by.

His is a tone of self-love and accepting when there isn't love between people. As someone just four years his junior, I couldn't help but relate to this special from start to finish.

“Jigsaw” is a repeat success from Sloss, and I couldn't recommend his work enough. Though, if you do have the time, watching his first special “Dark” lays important groundwork for “Jigsaw”, the two don't truly need to be watched in order. There was however, an amazing comedic and emotional arc that matches a good film that I was able to glean from watching these two sets of comedy in sequential order. Another edgy, dark, hilarious outing from Sloss. I can't wait to see what he comes up with next.

A review of of comedian Daniel Sloss and his “Dark” comedy on Netflix

By Colby Willis

Rated R

           

Standup comedy is a means in which people can tackle some of the world’s most depressing topics through the shared coping mechanism of laughter.

Daniel Sloss, a young Scottish comedian who is on the rise in America, touches upon such themes in

his first Netflix stand up special “Dark”. The title itself is a joke, Sloss has said, because he considers his stand up to be quite tame in his own opinion.

However, I was quick to realize that he may have quite the different idea of what dark comedy is to the general public. A start focused on culture shock and poking fun at religion got the crowd prepared for edgy comedy, while still being handled quite well by Sloss, towing the line between offensive and hilarious.

However, the second half of the show was a deep, personal, meaningful string of stories by Sloss about the nature of death and how it has affected him and those around him. I was blown away by this special.

Sloss was able to keep me laughing for the entire show while picking apart themes that should have been emotionally crushing. All of this was summed together with a hopeful message at the end that perfectly wrapped the special up. This is not an easy, light special, but is hilarious, profound, and as the title suggests, dark.

Review of Netflix Series “Atypical” by Lorraine Glowczak

Not Rated

I am one of the many who has cut the cable and now rely upon Netflix for my lazy rainy afternoon movie fix – or Netflix series binge watch

The most recent series that has me hooked is “Atypical”, a story about 18-year old Sam (Keir Gilchrist), who is on the autistic spectrum. Each show in the first season follows Sam as he searches for love, trying to fit in and to be “normal”.

Sam is certain that he loves his therapist, Julia (Amy Okuda), but upon realizing he can’t share his love with her, decides to have a “practice girlfriend” with fellow high school student Paige (Jenna Boyd). Paige, who may be on the spectrum herself, sees past Sam’s quirks and really seems to like him.

Sam lives with his mother, Elsa (Jennifer Jason Leigh) who is overprotective, ultra-organized and also seems to display behaviors from the spectrum. Sam also lives with his father, Doug (Michael Rapaport) who does his best to be a good father, trying to make up for the time he left Sam, his mother and younger sister, Casey (Brigette Lundy-Paine.) Casey toggles back and forth between being gruff with her older sibling or being a loving and protective sister.

Sam and his family are each dealing with their own demons and changes, proving that there really isn’t any such thing as being normal.

Although I have worked with children on the autistic spectrum, I often wonder if the show accurately portrays the life and behaviors of those on the spectrum.

According to a review by a mother with a child on the autistic spectrum, she had this to say about “Atypical”

“The makers of the new Netflix series Atypical, including creator Robia Rashid clearly want to help the world understand what it’s like for those on the autistic spectrum, and to deliver that lesson with comedy and warmth. Deeply well-meant and probably incredibly illuminating for those who don’t know much about the condition, the show is unequivocally a good thing in and of itself, and it’s hard not to applaud both the intention and the effort. That’s me speaking as the mother of a pre-pubescent boy on the autistic spectrum. As a critic of films and sometimes TV, I wish I could applaud “Atypical’s” result more.”

With that being said, know that the two-season series may fall flat for those who know the ins and outs of living with autism, it does offer a bit of humor and reveals, if only slightly, the life of those touched by autism.

Netflix series review of "Disenchantment". Reviewed by Colby Willis

Rating (for mature audiences only)

Recently, I sat down to watch the first three episodes of show runner Matt Groening's newly released Netflix series “Disenchantment”. This marks his third outing as lead creator of an adult focused cartoon -  his first two, the highly acclaimed “Futurama” and the legendary “The Simpsons”.

Groening and his team once again bring crude humor and a cast of unique and out there characters to the screen to make audiences laugh, while providing some subtle social commentary. The show follows the princess Bean who lives in the fantasy kingdom of Dreamland. The rebellious youth is compelled constantly to go on misadventures by the prankster demon Luci, and the meek, affable Elfo the elf. The three have to contend with a cruel king, a self-absorbed prince, and many other fairy tale tropes that aren't given a twist to suit the comedic nature of the show.

I had high hopes going into the series. As a massive fan of Futurama, the shows similar art style seemed like a return to form. There were some growing pains, however.

The pilot episode was awkward and many of the jokes fell flat. As it went on though, the chemistry of the cast began to mesh far more naturally. Even characters I initially did not like ( the prince was a standout) were quick to turn about and become charming, even in their obvious arrogance. By the end of episode three I could see that the potential in this Netflix original was quite apparent, and I am eager to dig in for more.

I would suggest this show to any fan of Groening's first two shows, as well as teens and up that enjoy crude, yet lighthearted adventures.