TIGER KING: Murder, Mayhem, and Madness
Y’know…they say truth is stranger than fiction, and after watching Tiger King, I can’t think of a more apt example of that saying.
The seven-episode docuseries shines a light on the ugly underworld of big cat breeding and the absolutely bizarre rivalry between competing “zoos,” if you even want to call them that. We’re introduced to all of the main players in this tale, and each of them seems to have a character quirk more unbelievable than the last. But, our main character (can’t call him a protagonist or an antagonist…I don’t think there’s any of either on this show) is the charismatic Joe Exotic.
The story of Joe Exotic has everything you could ever want in a story. There’s murder, murder-for-hire, polygamy, a Presidential campaign, shooting shotguns into ponds, arson, bologna sandwiches…I can’t make this stuff up. The twists and turns in this story will have your jaw dropping with every episode. The myriad of strange people intertwined in this saga are fascinating. I’ve truly never watched anything like it.
You’ll be feeling better about yourself, for sure, but you’ll also be feeling worse…just about society in general. That feeling encapsulates the weirdly enthralling nature of Tiger King better than anything. You won’t be able to look away, but once you watch it, at least you’ll finally understand all of the memes.
Stoney Keeley is the Editor in Chief of The SoBros Network. He is a strong supporter of Team GSD and #BeBetter. “Big Natural” covers the Tennessee Titans, Nashville, and a whole wealth of nonsense. Follow on Twitter @StoneyKeeley
I AM NOT OKAY WITH THIS: SEASON 1
Within seven episodes, where each are less than thirty minutes long, a splendid story is crafted by co-creator/director Jonathan Entwistle of a girl spinning in high school anxiety while discovering her sexuality and the destruction she can cause with her mind. As a mesh between a coming of age tale and a superhero story, sweetness and suspense fills each scene.
As Sydney, a high schooler who has lost her father, argues with her mother, and is protective of her younger brother, Sophia Lillis is astounding. She can’t help but fall in love with her best friend Dina (Sofia Bryant), yet simultaneously leads on Stanley (Wyatt Oleff). Even if Sydney and Stanley aren’t meant to be together, Lillis and Oleff are a match made in heaven – their chemistry is quirky yet dynamite. The first season is truly only the beginning. Who Sydney is and what her unnatural powers can do is hinted at until it explodes. And the aftermath is coming, which means a season 2 is a must.
ALL THE BRIGHT PLACES
While Elle Fanning and Justice Smith are terrific together, this YA movie tackles tough themes it can’t quite handle. The emotional weight carried by a story dealing with suicide and mental illness is heavy, maybe too heavy for director Brett Haley who does show strength in spurts. Overall, the characters and their struggles shouldn’t come off as cliff notes when there’s much more to be told. That fear of taking the necessary jump in to troubled waters holds this adaptation back from delivering a more moving, brighter experience.
SPENSER CONFIDENTIAL
This latest Peter Berg/Mark Wahlberg collaboration is their weakest – a bland, forgettable buddy action comedy that has no interest in trying to be anything but average. And it has a tough time even doing that. Wahlberg puts in little effort of playing a former cop who sets out to catch some bad cops. Typical. Winston Duke and Alan Arkin add a little something to the mix, though they don’t seem too enthused either. If they aren’t, how in the hell is the audience expected to be?
Brandon Vick is a member of The Music City Film Critics’ Association, the resident film critic of the SoBros Network, and the star of The Vick’s Flicks Podcast. Follow him on Twitter @SirBrandonV and be sure to search #VicksFlicks for all of his latest movie reviews.
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