Number Rolled: 3
Movie Name/Year: Iliza
Shlesinger: Freezing Hot (2015)
Tagline: None
Genre: Documentary,
Comedy, Stand-Up
Length: 71
minutes
Rating: TV-MA
Production Companies:
New Wave Entertainment Television
Producer: Deborah
Adamson, Kara Baker, Kieran Dotti, Rob Guillermo, Chico Henson, Cisco Henson, Kimberly
Leen, Lisa Nishimura, Ryan Polito, Iliza Shlesinger, Jack Vaughn, Brian
Volk-Weiss, Kristen Zolner
Director: Iliza
Shlesinger
Writer: Iliza
Shlesinger
Actors: Iliza
Shlesinger
Stunt Doubles: N/A
Blurb from Netflix:
Smart and brazen comedian Iliza Shlesinger applies her fresh, laugh-out-loud,
perspective to the universal struggles between men and women.
Selina’s Point of View:
There are two extreme temperatures in the title, but I found
this stand-up routine relatively lukewarm.
Yeah, I know, that sounded ultra-pretentious… but it came to
me and I couldn’t help myself. I’ll return you to our originally scheduled
programming now.
In general, I tend to enjoy Iliza Shlesinger (Last Comic Standing, Forever 31, Truth &
Iliza). This special, however, really didn’t resonate with me. I didn’t
identify with the majority of the jokes.
Stand-up comedy is something I’ve always enjoyed. It’s simple.
It takes your mind off whatever’s going on in your life. And, even if it
touches on the heavy social and political stuff, a comedian can still make you
laugh even if it otherwise makes you cringe.
In fact, although I tend to steer conversations with family
and friends away from politics, I prefer political comedians. It’s because my
emotions on certain issues can run to the extreme, and that is easier to deal
with if I’m laughing.
Shlesinger is more of a ‘battle of the sexes’ kind of
comedian. She pits men against women in her jokes and makes fun of the
differences. That’s a problem for me. There’s nothing inherently wrong with
that kind of comedy… but I rarely ever relate to the female side of those
jokes, so I wind up just kind of staring at the screen and blinking.
One of her bits, for instance, went on about how female
friends won’t admit their hungry and when someone finally does they recommend
the group eat something small and expensive. I don’t relate to that. Me and my
friends never have money and we’re always up for food. Not one of my friends –
male or female – has ever, or would ever, suggest that ten of us share a single
flatbread.
So, a lot of her comedy didn’t really apply to me.
I don’t think the special was bad… I just think it was
geared toward a demographic that doesn’t include me.
Cat’s Point of View:
We’re approaching a week since the concern about Hurricane
Harvey really sank in, and the realization of the impact for those in its path.
The sheer volume of rain that has fallen from this snail-paced storm has
exceeded meteorologist models – they had to add new colors to their charts to
represent the expanded range of rain that has fallen in some areas – not the
accumulations of the flooding. Just the rain.
My heart is aching for everyone affected by this storm.
Texas is handing off the baton to Louisiana, which is in Harvey’s crosshairs
now.
I can’t help but mention all this because in my lucid hours,
it’s practically all I can think about. Nyquil has given me some blessed relief
from my thoughts here and there, but there’s a heaviness that remains over
everything still until we get to the other side of all this and begin to pick
up the pieces.
It's important to find hope and levity so the gravity of the
situation doesn’t just drown you. That’s why I was immensely grateful that the
dice gave us this stand-up comedy special.
Why not a regular movie? That’s easy
– I’m too easily distracted right now for that. Mostly it’s just being
fuzzy-headed and prone to dozing from being sick. The stand-up show was a good
fit because chances were high it would keep me invested and I wouldn’t have to
fight to keep up, etc.
I liked Iliza Shlesinger’s (Paradise, To Tell the Truth, Girlboss) second self-titled comedy
show. It’s a refreshing change of pace for comedy presented from a woman’s
perspective. There have been some women who are among the comedy greats, but
all too often we see the guys get a lot more of the spotlight.
I don’t know that her brand of comedy will be for everyone.
At some points, she gave me the vibe that she might have been one of those
‘mean girls’ in school – but then again, her on-point satirical wit could have
been born from finding herself on the wrong side of such shenanigans. I am not
familiar enough with her background to say. She certainly is adept at fostering
that ‘women are crazy’ trope, regardless.
I think some of her physical comedy was hilarious and
enjoyed her quirky voices. All-told, the laughter was much needed and welcomed.
I’d be interested in seeing more of her work, considering I was rather
unfamiliar with her prior to watching this.
Languages
Speech Available:
English
Subtitles Available:
English, Simplified Chinese, Traditional Chinese, French, Spanish
Rotten Tomatoes Critic Score – None
Rotten Tomatoes Audience Score – 64%
Metascore – None
Metacritic User Score – None
IMDB Score – 6.9/10
Trust the Dice: Selina’s Rating – 2.5/5
Trust the Dice: Cat’s Rating
– 4/5
P.S. There’s a little bit after the curtain call.
Movie Trailer:
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