"We're not critics. We're professional fan-girls." --- This blog is dedicated to movies and the entertainment industry. We use random selection to bring into light the best and worst of streaming films and entertainment news.
Streaming Services: Netflix Movie Name/Year: Good on Paper (2021) Genre: Comedy, Romance Length: 92 minutes Rating: R Production/Distribution: Netflix Director: Kimmy Gatewood Writer: Iliza Shlesinger Actors: Iliza Shlesinger, Margaret Cho,
Ryan Hansen, Rebecca Rittenhouse, Britney Young, Christopher Nicholas Smith,
Beth Dover, Kimia Behpoornia, Matt McGorry, Rebecca Delgado Smith, Rebekka
Johnson, Taylor Marie Hill, Tess Paras, Tony Rodriguez Blurb from IMDb: After years of putting her career first, a
stand-up comic meets a guy who seems perfect: smart, nice, successful and
possibly too good to be true.
Cat’s Point of View: We have reviewed a few of Iliza Shlesinger’s (Instant Family, Spenser Confidential,
Pieces of a Woman) stand-up specials over the years. I’ve generally enjoyed
them, as well as her roles in other various movies. When this film hit Netflix,
I was intrigued from the outset by the idea that Good on Paper might be, at least partially, based on a true story. While the names were changed, it was clear that Shlesinger
was inhabiting her own shoes in this role rather than walking in someone else’s.
This was her story, and as Good on Paper
unfolded, I find myself less intrigued and more horrified by the fact that this
is something that, at least in part, may have happened to her. The premise of Good on
Paper hits home for me. Unfortunately, I can’t exactly share a lot of
details why because it would give away spoilers. What it boils down to is that
we should always listen to our instincts as to when things seem too good to be
true. Sometimes you luck out, and other times life kicks you in the face with a
hard lesson.
Good on Paper also
reminded me a lot of something my husband and I watched together a while back.
I haven’t seen many productions utilizing the blend of stand-up routine
interjecting into the narrative. So, of course, this brought Foolish (1999) to mind. I’d have to say
that I laughed more, and found Foolish to be the funnier of the two films, but
that’s neither here nor there. The story here was actually centered on comedy more
than it was an actual comedic movie. Good
on Paper had a huge dramatic vibe to it that somewhat dimmed the comedy
aspect when things really got rolling. I still found parts highly amusing,
though. I do have to wonder, though, if the production team went out
of their way to play up Ryan Hansen’s (Dog
Days, Veronica Mars, Fantasy Island) slight resemblance to one of the leads
of Revenge of the Nerds (1984), or if
that was an accidental coincidence. I digress...
Be that as it may, I was excited to see Margaret Cho (Bright, Undateable John, Friendsgiving) involved with this production. I love her to pieces and she was in fine form here.
Good on Paper had
some decent potential, though I’m not entirely sure it completely lived up to
it. It was fine, when all was said and done. I can’t say that I’m going to
remember it down the road, but it was solid and there aren’t any specific
complaints I could give. If you like Shlesinger, and would find a humorous
cautionary tale entertaining, maybe check it out.
Streaming Services: Netflix Movie Name/Year: Inside (2021) Genre: Comedy, Drama, Music Length: 87 minutes Rating: TV-MA Production/Distribution: Netflix Director: Bo Burnham Writer: Bo Burnham Actors: Bo Burnham Blurb from IMDb: A new comedy special shot
and performed by Bo Burnham, alone, over the course of the past year.
Selina’s Point of View: People have been
commenting on how much of a gut punch Bo Burnham’s (The Big Sick, Rough
Night, Promising Young Woman) Inside is. It built up so much that I
became unbearably curious. I love comedy
that comes with a message. George Carlin (Dogma, Mater’s Tall Tales, Jay and
Silent Bob Strike Back) was insanely good at that kind of thing, and his
specials are the ones I’ve always loved the most. Comedy specials that leave me
thinking on deeper things are the ones I seek out. They help you swallow the
truth with a spoonful of sugar. There was a
frightening amount of truth in Inside. It was extremely disturbing,
incredibly relatable, triggering… and there was no real sugar to make it easier
to swallow. If someone asked
me the genre of this special, I would call it an experimental stand-up
comedy/horror. It’s something I’ve never seen before. It didn’t just leave me
thinking, it left me sobbing – and there were times near the end that filled me
with significant dread. Nothing about
this was expected. As much as I knew about the ‘gut punch’ aspect, nothing
could have prepared me for what I watched. I really can’t stress that enough. I think I’m going
to be processing Inside for a very long time… but I don’t have that long
to write this, so I’m going to have to work off of how I feel now. In this
moment.
Bo Burnham created
this special during 2020 – at the height of the pandemic. He filmed it in a
room, alone, for a year. During that year he was intensely honest about his
mental health. He highlighted how chaotically trapped the majority of us have
been during this pandemic. He started out by
talking about systemic racism, global warming, and the uses of social and
political causes to fuel capitalism. It was easy to trick myself into believing
it was going to be one of his usual specials. As the year
started to pass, Inside showed how the isolation and the depression
began to send him spiraling. The songs stop feeling like their goal was to make
anyone smile. They begin to feel more like something he was doing to get the
worst of it out. I don’t know if any of it was acted, but it feels like the
whole thing was very genuine. It was a visual representation of how a lot of us
have felt this past year. Inside
was brilliant…
but it was not an easy watch. I will almost definitely never watch it again. I
don’t think I could handle it. What’s worse is
that the people who would benefit the most from watching something like this,
never would. All those people
who didn’t take the pandemic seriously, who refused to wear a fucking mask, who
played politics with peoples lives… they were responsible for dragging this
whole fucking thing out longer than it ever had to be. They caused the silent
casualties of COVID. The people who drowned in depression, sitting alone in
their homes, trying to wait it out and do the right thing. If you’re
anti-vaxxer, an anti-masker, or a science denier… the loss of those people is
your fault. This could have been over in a month. Fuck you.
Cat’s Point of View: I think everyone
just about agrees on a singular fact: the last year has been rough. There’s so
much division about everything else, but we can all come together over that one
topic. I don’t want to digress into the divisiveness or anything else, though.
That’s not the point. In the face of
all the wonky stuff in the world, I know quite a few of us have asked
ourselves: Is it okay to laugh when so many are miserable? My answer is simple.
Yes. It’s crucial to keep laughing and to find ways to help others find
laughter. It could be the one bright spot that saves someone from the abyss of
depression. You never know. It’s just good for you. It’s science! What does that
have to do with today’s review? Well, we’ve watched a comedy special – Bo
Burnham’s Inside. It isn’t the first bit of comedy we’ve reviewed while
the world’s been on fire, but it’s the first comedian’s solo special we’ve done
in a while.
It’s topical. Burnham is also
brilliant and this is the first comedy special he’s produced in years. What I didn’t
expect was for it to be cathartic. I related on another level to this
production.
I didn’t laugh as
much as I thought I would. Inside wasn’t devoid of comedic elements, but
some were darker than others. Nearly everything hit on buttons pertaining to
this whole pandemic quarantine crazy experience that the whole planet is
gripped in. The
ultra-sensitive may not want to watch, but Burnham’s work really hasn’t ever
been anything that catered to everyone. Further, anyone triggered by the
discussion of suicide may want to give this special some careful consideration
before watching. I don’t feel it’s a spoiler to explain that he didn’t spoof
it, nor did he act like he was going to – there’s just some dark humor laced
real talk about personal mental health and a window into the stir-crazy that
quarantine could inspire. Moving on! Burnham is also
quite musically gifted. One thing I always enjoy about his specials, regardless
of my like or dislike of his content – the music is great and always
entertaining. He has an amazing understanding of composition – which is evident
in all aspects of this special. It’s phenomenal
that he also produced every last bit of this on his own at home – no crew or
supporting staff at all. One element that stood out to me in this special was
the lighting and how he played with it to shift perspectives and add effects. I’d say Inside
is definitely worth a watch, even though it isn’t for everyone – and certainly
isn’t for young viewers. If you have Netflix, check it out.
Rotten Tomatoes Critic Score – 97% Rotten Tomatoes Audience Score – 94% Metascore – 98/100 Metacritic User Score – 8.4/10 IMDB Score – 8.9/10 Trust the Dice: Selina’s Rating – 5/5 Trust the Dice: Cat’s Rating – 3.5/5 Movie Trailer:
Blurb
from IMDb: Comedian
and "Saturday Night Live" writer Sam Jay serves up fresh takes on
relationships, travel nightmares, the audacity of white people and more.
Selina’s
Point of View:
I’m of two minds
with this comedy special.
Sam Jay (Saturday
Night Live, Donald Glover Presents, The Comedy Lineup) is new to me. I’ve
never heard of her before. That said, I’m always down to watch a comedian that
I’m unfamiliar with. I love to hear different perspectives and I love to laugh.
Hell, I started liking my husband because he’s a funny guy. Comedy is just always
worth a shot.
One of the things
that Sam Jay definitely had going for her was a perspective that isn’t normally
examined in specials like this one. At least, not in any that I’ve ever seen.
That means that a lot of her jokes felt fresh. Some of them touched on stuff
that’s been joked about quite a bit, but from an angle I’ve never considered
before. I’d have said the special was worth watching just because of that.
On a similar
note, a lot of her stories were hilarious. There were a few times where she had
me genuinely laughing out loud. Often, because she caught me off guard with a
punchline. At least once I found myself declaring that I was definitely going
to hell for laughing at a particular joke.
I’ve always liked
dark humor based off social issues. Dark humor is my thing.
My biggest issue
with Jay’s humor is that she often held onto a bit for a little to long. The
joke would start to wear out its welcome.
Sure, most comics
will repeat a line here or there for some extra laughs, or revisit a subject
later on down the line in order to come at it from a different angle. That’s
fine. I don’t have a problem with it. Sam Jay didn’t leave it at that, though.
She would repeat certain stories, or jokes, without putting a new spin on them,
so many times that – even if they were funny to begin with – they weren’t by
the time she was done.
It became
annoying. In fact, it wound up getting so annoying that when she revisited the
topics later in her special, with a new context, it still wasn’t funny anymore.
There’s a balance
that needs to be maintained when a comic uses repetition in their set. They
need to use it just enough to get the extra laughs, without making the audience
feel like she thinks the only way to make people understand it is to beat the
subject into the ground. There were times when she did not have that balance.
Even with the
faults, I think I’ll still seek out her future specials.
Cat’s
Point of View:
I’ve come to a
realization regarding Netflix comedy specials. They’re like that proverbial box
of chocolates where you never know what you’re going to get. Of course, unlike
me, you could watch the trailer.
I try to avoid
stand-up trailers out of concern that they’ll show the best bits and take the
surprise out of the moment.
While the trailer
for this special does reveal one of the good bits, it stays with a condensed
portion of that single premise rather than showing multiple items from the comedian’s
set.
I found Sam
Jay: 3 in the Morning amusing. Some of the segments were less so than
others for me, but comedy is really a subjective thing. Something I find
hilarious might actually rub someone else the wrong way. I found the material
relatable for the most part. The bits including, and connected to, the one
shown in the trailer were my favorites.
Overall, what it
boils down to is that I just wasn’t laughing aloud. I chuckled here and there,
but there were no side-splitting oxygen-deprived moments that you hope for with
something that’s supposed to be funny. My lackluster reaction could also be
attributed to tiredness.
All told, I’m not
sure that I’d go out of my way to recommend this special to anyone. However, if
asked about Sam Jay: 3 in the Morning, I wouldn’t steer anyone away.
Those who don’t enjoy humor laced with sexual content and expletives might give
this one a pass.
Production/Distribution: Comedy Dynamics, New Wave
Entertainment, Netflix
Director: John Asher
Writer: Theo Von
Actors: Theo Von
Blurb
from IMDb: Southern
comedian Theo Von offers up a twisted take on his dating mishaps, meeting Brad
Pitt, chasing down fugitive chimpanzees and more.
Selina’s
Point of View:
With
a title like Theo Von: No Offense, you have to expect a stand-up set
full of offensive comedy. Luckily, I tend to like some edge to my stand-up, so
I didn’t really feel the need to prepare myself at all. If you’re a little more
thin-skinned, though, I would recommend giving yourself some extended prep time
or not watching at all.
Theo
Von (Bobby Khan's
Ticket to Hollywood, Why? With Hannibal Buress, The Story of Our Times) got about as offensive as I
thought he would. He discussed everything from mundane subjects – such as
meeting Brad Pitt – to incredibly touchy subjects like child molestation.
In a special
like this one, you need to make sure you don’t take anything too seriously. You
know the comedian is going to go balls out, so you have to remember that it’s
all a persona, everything is a joke and likely doesn’t represent how he really
thinks. A lot of the time, people forget that.
As
for the actual content, some of it was funny and some of it just didn’t hit for
me.
For the
parts that were good, they got some small chuckles out me. Nothing had me
really roaring with laughter, but it captured my attention enough that I did give
a few giggles. Unfortunately, none of those moments really lasted long enough
before he felt like he was trying way too hard again.
I
want to stress that my dislike has nothing to do with offense – the jokes and
the delivery just weren’t good at times.
For
example, take some classic controversial comedians like Andrew Dice Clay (Entourage, Whatever it Takes, No Contest) or
Dave Chappelle (Chappelle's Show, Half Baked, Laugh Factory). They have content that relies on offensiveness, but when they’re
doing a special, you can’t look away. Their delivery is sharp and it catches
you off-guard enough that even if you are offended, it’ll get that knee-jerk
laugh out of you before you can stop it. Theo Von didn’t quite get that.
Von was
more on the predictable side. He tried to be offensive instead of falling into
it more naturally. It the end, the special felt a little forced and unnecessary.
One
of our readers recommended this special to us, so I tried to watch it with even
more of an open mind than I normally do, but it just didn’t click with me.
Cat’s
Point of View:
The world is
sort-of inside out and upside down right now. We’re all shaken up to one degree
or another because of the pandemic. Laughter is an excellent stress reliever.
What better time to watch a comedy special, right?
Wrong.
I feel myself
beginning to channel Yosemite Sam. What in tarnation did I just watch? That was
a waste of an hour.
I have sat here
and tried – TRIED hard, mind you – to come up with something positive to say
about the Theo Von: No Offense stand-up special. I’m the eternal
optimist that can find something positive in everything. I’ve got nothing.
I wasn’t
laughing. That was pretty much the sum of it. I believe that the set was
organized intentionally to offend as many people as possible, in order to make
the title seem even more sarcastic. If that was the case, they were wildly
successful. I wasn’t amused by the ploy, however.
There were a few
moments, and I use that period of time generously, that I half-chuckled. Then
the comedian said something else that wasn’t funny and nuked the laughter
before it even fully formed.
Dave
Chapelle: Sticks and Stones
(2019) was more successful at getting me to laugh. Even then, I only enjoyed
the epilogue after the actual show was over.
I don’t find
bully humor funny, and that’s really what this show came across as. Making fun
of people with disabilities, ethnic groups, and gay people squarely puts you
into that category for me. It wasn’t tastefully done. I’m embarrassed this guy
came from Louisiana, honestly.
Larry the Cable
Guy (Witless Protection, A Madea Christmas, Cars 3) has more class than
this guy, and he has some messed up jokes – which part of his schtick is
apologizing afterward.
Maybe it’s Theo
Von’s delivery. I don’t know. What I do know is that I will be praying that we
don’t end up watching another one of this Von’s comedy sets any time soon, or
ever again.
Blurb
from IMDb: Comedian
Pete Davidson's intimate and candid stand-up special shot live in New York
City.
Selina’s
Point of View:
I’ve
really been looking forward to seeing a stand-up set with Pete Davidson (Trainwreck,
The Dirt, The King of Staten Island).
My
first exposure to Davidson was in Set it Up (2018), and he was part of
my favorite scene in the entire movie. Actually, one of my top five favorite
scenes in any comedy ever (if only one favorite was allowed from any given
movie). If you look back at my review from that film, I gush about it, and him,
at length. The comedic timing was just fucking brilliant.
Now,
I know most people know him from Saturday Night Live (1975-) or from the
tabloids, but I don’t. As much as I enjoy Saturday Night Live when I
happen to come across it, I don’t ever seek it out and I really don’t give any
fucks about the personal lives of celebrities. It’s impossible to not know
about the Ariana Grande thing, it was plastered everywhere, but I didn’t care
enough to pay any real attention to it.
What
that means for my review here: I went into this stand-up special with the only
expectation I have for Davidson being that one insanely funny scene from Set
it Up. Expectations were HIGH.
Maybe
as a result of that, I found the special to be hit or miss.
Nothing
about the beginning really resonated with me. I just wasn’t a fan of the way he
told the starting jokes. Maybe he was nervous, maybe it just wasn’t for me. I
can’t really put my finger on it, but I didn’t enjoy it.
I
almost wrote off the entire special, but then he started getting into more
personal stories, and it picked up a lot. I loved his bits about the Dan
Crenshaw issue and his dad. Even most of his stuff about what went down between
him and Grande was very well done.
By
the end of the special, I was feeling it. I was laughing and enjoying his
stories, even during the more morbid parts. Maybe he loosened up, or maybe he
was just more connected to those stories. I don’t know what the situation was,
but I finished the special in a good mood.
I’d
recommend Pete Davidson: Alive from New York to the less politically
correct of us. I prefer to be offended by my comedy. If there’s no edge, I’m
not interested. So, if you feel the same – go for it.
Rotten
Tomatoes Critic Score – 40%
Rotten
Tomatoes Audience Score – 61%
Metascore – 53/100
Metacritic
User Score – None
IMDB
Score – 5.9/10
CinemaScore – None
Trust
the Dice: Selina’s Rating – 3.5/5
P.S. There is an after-credits scene
that’s worth it.
Movie
Name/Year: Arsenio
Hall: Smart and Classy (2019)
Genre: Comedy
Length:63 minutes
Rating: TV-MA
Production/Distribution: Comedy Dynamics, Netflix
Director: Brian Volk-Weiss
Writer: Arsenio Hall
Actor: Arsenio Hall
Blurb
from IMDb: Arsenio
Hall performs his first stand-up comedy special, filmed live in San Jose,
California in April 2019.
Selina’s Point of View:
Arsenio Hall is a class act. The title of this special isn’t a
mistake. He’s an amazing comedian and he has a spirit to his jokes that feels
light, even when he’s joking about something that might sound bad coming out of
someone else’s mouth.
Let’s pretend for a moment that I’m not totally bias in favor of
Hall. I grew up during the era of the original Arsenio Hall Show (1989-1994).
That means that when I was 9-years-old and trying to con my mom to let me stay
up, it was his show that I was trying to get to see. I didn’t see as much of it
at that time as I would have liked, but I’ve had the pleasure to go back and
watch it all from a place of nostalgia in later years.
Going into Smart and Classy, I knew I was going to
enjoy Hall’s sense of humor. He would have had to fuck up real bad for me to
not be happy. In fact, he was completely on his game and exhibiting all the
characteristics you would expect from a titan in the comedy game.
I loved this special. I will also love it in the future when I
watch it again.
Cat’s Point of View:
I have really missed seeing Arsenio Hall on my screen. It feels like
forever since the nights he entered his talk show stage with his fist-pumping
in the air while the audience rhythmically whooped along with him. Okay, so 30
years isn’t really forever – but it might as well be in Hollywood.
As I think back through the various performances and appearances that I’ve
seen, I can’t think of any that I haven’t enjoyed – this one was no exception.
Hall’s style in this show almost felt conversational. Regardless of the
size of the actual audience, the way he interacted with them made it feel like
an intimate setting. I was laughing and hanging on almost every word.
I found Hall’s material relevant and on point as he walked the fine
line of social commentary and explored various topics with the ease of one
seemingly dancing through a minefield without getting a scratch.
Some of the same elements that have felt taboo and offensive when
handled by other comedians didn’t seem as harsh, unpleasant, or cringe-worthy.
It’s clear that Hall’s performance came from a place of desire to entertain
rather than provoke his audience.
You don’t have to be a die-hard Arsenio Hall fan to get his comedy or
enjoy this show. I wouldn’t recommend it for younger audiences due to language
and some content; but other than that, think there’s a little bit of something
for everyone with this special. I will likely be watching this again very soon,
myself.
