AL wonders why we don’t hear more about pretty privilege, and wonders if it’s really worse to be desired by gross people than to be gross and undesired.
The Season Finales of “American Crime Story” and “X-Files” Play to Strengths and Weaknesses
Two very different series had their season finales last night (possibly series finale in “The X-Files” case), and even if both were inconsistent experiences, it was quite surprising which show ultimately had the stronger season… American Crime Story: The Assasination of Gianni Versace…There could’ve been no clearer example of this series strengths and weaknesses than…
How Social Media (and Reality Shows) Re-wired Millennials
I explain how reality shows and especially social media changed millennials, turning us into our own hype men/women and making us crave acceptance or fame by creating a version of high school that never really ends.
Millennials Don’t Suck (OR Why Millennials Aren’t Spoiled)
I explain why millennial-hatred is no different than how baby boomers were hated by the greatest generation, and how we might eventually hate the next generation’s habits. Then, I coin the phrase “The Degeneration Generation” to explain how millennials are actually less wealthy, less educated, underpaid, and not expected to live as long as their…
How Citizens United Changed the Democratic Party Too
AL explains how the Citizens United decision changed not just the Republican Party (more dominant and corporate-beholden than ever) but is responsible for the Democratic Party’s hard swerve towards social issues. At a time when Democrats vowed to get serious about economic issues, they’re mostly discussing Dreamers, transrights, Confederate Statues, gun control, and Me Too–an…
A Kamala Harris & Mark Warner Ticket Would Win in 2020
Why Kamala Harris is the perfect candidate to take on Trump (who doesn’t handle criticism from black women well) in 2020, noting similar winning Democrats age, experience, and ambiguity. Also, her best strategy to win the nomination and why Mark Warner is the best VP to win the general election.
TV Reviews: Did “Crashing” Get Better in Season Two?
That’s a deceptively simple question since in many ways “Crashing”‘s season two was a more satisfying, more consistent experience with an interesting arc (perpetual lost puppy Pete Holmes meets a razor-sharp, competitive female comic in a very realistic and twisty version of “Boy Meets Girl”), but I also found myself mysteriously sluggish in watching the…
Oscar Thoughts: Best Speech, Worst Snub, Best Joke, Best Song, and Why Meryl Streep Backlash May be Coming
It was a very predictable telecast. Astoundingly, I guessed the winner of every single award correctly, except the “who cares?” short film categories. I mean, when even the technical categories don’t inspire surprises, something is up. And usually, there’s at least one mild upset in the major categories (like if Laurie Metcalf had won over Allison Janney…
Unpopular Vote: Trump is From New York
Laying out the case that Queens is not some Confederate Atlantis that broke off from Mississippi and is most definitely part of NYC, despite New Yorkers reluctance to claim him. Note: I filmed this video in Gulf Shores BUT the wind messed up the sound, so that’s why I layered the first video over the…
TV Reviews: “UnReal,” “McMafia,” “Final Space”
Three very different series premiered this week, and the only returning show of the bunch (“UnReal”) may have waited a little too long to come back after a weak season 2… UnReal, Season 3…The show had a terrible second season, but–to me–it doesn’t look like they fully understand what the problem is: stagnant, obnoxious characters…
Review: “The Polka King” is the Best Film of Early 2018
We live in a world of unbelievable things. In an unusually strong January/February period stacked with Natalie Portman mindblowers like “Annihilation,” charming family films like “Early Man” or “Paddington 2,” and Marvel’s best film in a decade, “Black Panther,” the film I found myself most drawn to is an obscure Netflix original starring Jack Black…
Quick “Netflix Original” Reviews: Mute, The Ritual, When We First Met
If you had told me a week ago, I’d wind up preferring a light Adam Devine-starring rom-com to a new sci-fi drama from “Moon” visionary Duncan Jones, I might not have believed you… The Ritual…A group of British friends go to Northern Sweden to hike an isolated trail. All is well until they take a…
“The Walking Dead” is TV’s First Unisex Soap Opera
Cables two biggest soap operas are back this week with premieres for “The Walking Dead” and “UnReal.” Now before you scoff at the definition of TWD as a soap opera remember that zombie Godfather George A. Romero dissed “Dead” as a “soap opera with zombies.” And I might have to agree after watching the mid-season…