Reviews (8)

  • In HBO's Savior Complex, we're drawn into the intense, polarizing world surrounding Renee Bach, an American missionary whose medical work in Uganda sparked a firestorm of controversy. Renee's journey is full of good intentions and real results, and while her methods might have been unconventional, her dedication to helping the vulnerable in Uganda is undeniable. But instead of her work being fairly assessed, she became the target of an online activist group, No White Saviors (NWS), led by Kelsey Nielsen and Olivia Alaso. The more we watch, the clearer it becomes: this isn't about a nuanced conversation on aid and charity work. It's about tearing down a woman who was, in many ways, doing the best she could in challenging circumstances.

    Let's get one thing straight: Renee was genuinely trying to make a difference. Her organization treated thousands of children, and while mistakes were made, her clinic's death rates were actually lower than those of many Ugandan hospitals. That's a crucial point the documentary highlights, which raises the question why is NWS hell-bent on painting Renee as a villain? If they truly cared about the children of Uganda, wouldn't they be focusing on pushing for broader medical resources, more government support, or any number of solutions that could actually benefit the community?

    Instead, Kelsey and Olivia make it clear they want one thing: Renee's destruction. They aren't just critical of her work; they're out for blood. The lengths they go to, even calling for her to lose custody of her own children, cross a line from criticism to something personal and vindictive. Rather than a balanced critique, their campaign feels almost like a smear, fueled by an egregiously racist narrative that presumes ill-intent just because of her skin color and foreign status.

    This isn't to say that Renee was perfect. But let's compare her outcomes to other healthcare facilities in the area. Statistically, Renee's clinic had a better record in terms of child mortality than local hospitals a fact conveniently ignored by NWS. Instead of acknowledging that she was working within limited resources and a fragile infrastructure, Kelsey and Olivia's activism focuses on making her the scapegoat. They paint her as a white savior, ignoring the positive impact she had on real lives. This isn't activism; it's a witch hunt, plain and simple.

    The documentary reveals a disturbing side of online activism. NWS isn't advocating for Ugandan children they're looking for a headline. Their platform could have been used to demand more support for Uganda's healthcare system, to uplift local doctors and nurses, or to spotlight stories of children who need help. Instead, Kelsey and Olivia made it about vilifying one individual to suit their own agenda.

    At its heart, Savior Complex challenges us to think deeply about what it means to help, to question the motives of people who claim to be champions of justice. For Kelsey, Olivia, and NWS, the motives seem clear: this wasn't about protecting Ugandan children. It was about getting attention, clicks, and clout at the expense of someone who, despite her flaws, was trying to actually make a difference.
  • Warning: Spoilers
    Bones and All is a coming-of-age story set in the world of supernatural cannibals known as "eaters," whose hunger has outcast them to the far reaches of society. The film follows protagonist Maren, played by a tour-de-force performance by Taylor Russell, as she grapples with her own identity as an eater and her relationship with Lee, played by Timotheé Chalamet, who is also an eater.

    Director Luca Guadagnino's change between slow paced lingering shots & use of quick, sharp edits creates a viscerally potent atmosphere, making the film feel gut-wrenching at times especially in feeding or dream scenes.

    The relationship between Maren and Lee is heartwarming and tragic, as they struggle to accept each other for who they are despite the rest of the world viewing them as monsters.

    Mark Rylance's ominous and at times menacing portrayal of Maren's stalker Sully adds depth to the complexities of the moral dilemmas faced by the eaters.

    Maren's journey is one of self-discovery and acceptance, as she comes to terms with her father's departure, her mother's rejection, and the challenges of surviving as an eater. The film explores the idea of isolation versus connection, as Maren and Lee find solace in each other, while characters like Sully are isolated and become consumed by their hunger.

    Throughout the film, Maren grapples with her past and the events that have shaped her life. Through conversations with her adopted grandmother and the discovery of a tape left by her father, Maren begins to understand herself and her place in the world. The film's theme of history and its lingering effects is highlighted through the character of Lee and his struggle with the guilt of his father's death, as well as Sully and the physical reminders of his past.

    Overall, Bones and All is a powerful and atmospheric exploration of identity, love, and the consequences of our actions. The performances by Chalamet, Russell, and Rylance are captivating, and Guadagnino's direction creates a visceral experience for the audience that will linger on long after the credits roll.
  • Minority Report (2002) is a stunning, exhilarating film that was truly ahead of its time. The futuristic technology depicted in the movie, such as gesture-based interfaces and self-driving cars, has become a reality in the years since the film's release.

    The pre-crime unit, which uses psychic abilities to predict and prevent crimes before they happen, is also a concept that feels increasingly plausible as our society continues to grapple with issues of surveillance and civil liberties.

    Despite the film's bleak portrayal of a society overrun by technology and the loss of privacy, its portrayal of the future is still eloquent and thought-provoking. It serves as a cautionary tale of the potential consequences of relying too heavily on technology to solve our problems.

    Overall, Minority Report is a harsh but necessary reminder of the importance of balancing progress with humanity. It is a film that remains relevant and poignant, even 20 years after its release.

    Directed by the legendary Steven Spielberg. The film is based on a short story by Philip K. Dick, and it explores the theme of free will versus determinism.

    Spielberg's direction is masterful as always, and he shapes the story in a way that is both visually stunning and emotionally engaging. The film has a distinctive visual style, with a bleached-out color palette that gives it a unique, otherworldly feel. This is particularly evident in the film's futuristic setting, which is a marvel of production design and special effects.

    Tom Cruise and Colin Farrell give outstanding performances in the lead roles. Cruise is at his best as John Anderton, the chief of the PreCrime unit, who must go on the run after being accused of a future murder. Farrell is equally impressive as Danny Witwer, the Justice Department agent tasked with bringing Anderton to justice.

    The cinematography in Minority Report is also noteworthy. The film's bleached-out look adds to the gritty, understated atmosphere of the story, and the cinematographer, Janusz Kaminski, uses a variety of clever camera techniques to add to the tension and suspense.

    Overall, Minority Report is a majestically crafted film that showcases the talents of Spielberg, Cruise, and Farrell. It is a thought-provoking exploration of the nature of free will and determinism, and it remains a modern sci-fi classic.
  • Warning: Spoilers
    Le Mans '66 is a fast paced thrill ride from beginning to end. It tells the story of how carol shelby and ken miles built a car that could beat Ferrari in 24hr race at Le Mans where they had won the previous 4 years. The biggest strength in this film is the chemistry between the cast, good performances all round from Josh Lucas to Ray McKinnon but the whole film hinges on the chemistry between the two leads. it delivers on that front with the highlights of the film being scenes with Damon & Bale genuinely feeling like two old friends bantering back & forth about cars. Matt Damon does a great job as Shelby but can't help be overshadowed by Christian Bale who steals the movie with his performance as ken miles a man on the journey to find that one perfect lap. James Mangold does a good job with the direction you feel the gear shifts & the tension when the Ford Gt40 screeches it's breaks around right corners. There could probably more ambitious or creative shots in some of the races but in my honest opinion I think the performances Mangold got out of this cast outshines the technical stuff. The writing isn't the best and can come off as cheesy & predictable in certain areas but for the most part I felt it was well written and had a good pace to it. I'd recommend Le Mans '66 it's not 1st place but it's a near perfect lap.
  • Light one up and take a trip to danny's House to talk about aliens & ufo's & meet a guy that smashed a extra terrestrial
  • This is easily one of the best animated show out there today. F is for family Is one of the best written comedy shows of the past decade & the voice acting is top notch. This is among Bill Burr's best work & I can't recommend it enough!
  • I can't say it's on par with most adult animated comedies but it's okay for wrestling fans. most of the stuff with the kids is mediocre, but the stuff with slaughter & flair is fun but Vince is by far the stand out of show. Again worth a watch if your a die hard wrestling fan but otherwise you can give it a miss.
  • Warning: Spoilers
    I've watched every episode of FG & this has to be one of the worst, I understand that they changed the formula up and went with nothing but dialogue for an entire episode, which would usually be refreshing like Brian & Stewie episode 17 in season 8, but this literally has no jokes it has a bit with Stewie singing an entire song from Hamilton with an excessively running nose which isn't funny what so ever and goes on too long. Even that isn't worst thing about this episode though, the thing that makes this episode so bad so dull & mindnumblying boring is the monologue that Stewie gives when looking at the photo on Cecil's desk this bit goes on for like 5 minutes, over 300 seconds almost a quarter of the entire run time is wasted on Stewie analysing a photo no punchline no set up nothing you sit there for 5 minutes whilst he gives a speech about his therapists relationship. There maybe a sort of punchline at the end but it's not a decent pay off for the elongated set up. Ian Mckellen and Seth Mcfaranel do a great job & I like That they switched it up with no cutaway gags the entire episode but that shouldn't mean the episode should be almost jokeless without them. This episode is probably the one of the worst episode & it sort of feels fake deep, the only reason to watch it is to hear Stewie's "real voice" but I would recommend YouTubing it and saving yourself 20 minutes