Berri's Couch

Well we finish the month with not only a sequel but a mid point for Jason Statham player of autistic hyper fixation (violence) men and their adventures of water and revenge. In reflection we have the best and worst of this month wrapped up in a movie that should have gone through at least one rewrite and would have been made infinitely more tolerable with one minor change.

Well that's a film that we certainly watched. The 2006 film that was clearly liked well enough that it got a sequel but in all honesty, what the hell did we watch? A film of it's day that sparks comparisons to Boondock Saints, and talks of Jonah Hex and RIPD (derogatory).

Welp we got a classic vintage Statham doing Statham action directed by the director of Fifth Element. It has everything, oily action, visible night shots and Statham on a beach. what else could we ask for?

All right time to shake off the coffin dust and get into beekeeping. By kicking the hornets nest that is a David Ayer directed movie staring the iconic action man, Jason Statham. A revenge film about taking down internet scammers who prey on the elderly, what could we possibly have to complain about? Please refer tot he director if you want the TLDR.

We got a season 2 of the world's messiest divorce drama, strap in for the emotional weight of reuniting with a partner you lost a kid with. The pain of reliving trauma to uncover the true events and how staying in the warped memories while comforting may not be the healthiest for everyone. We're back baby for round 2 of the most emotionally resonant vampires and their trauma births ruining everyon...

And we're not touching the movie at all on this well trodden path (outside of comparisons because duh) as we discuss one of the most well known metaphors and allegories in vampire stories. What does the TV series bring to a decades old reading while staying truthful to the vision and changing so many details? Grief and it's memory are all on the table to discuss, so let's take a bite of it.

Most recent vampire movie gives us the most relevant and up to date interpretation of a vampire and their place in the world. We try our best not to just sit there and gush over the movie but rather stay focussed on vampiric interpretation and the art that can only exist from lived culture.

TW - Talks of addiction throughout A child abducted is secretly a vampire and has chosen to play with her food. No symbolism or metaphor here right? Wrong! A little ballerina is in fact an exploration of the parasite that is addiction and how it effects each of the characters with a little dash of parenthood thrown in for good measure.

Vampires can mean different things in different stories and we start by looking at a modern take on a classic film and reading. Robert Egger's Nosferatu reinforced the fear of plagues, men in medical fields, and the effect of repression. Or at least that's what we are willing to explain.

And we can finally put a wrap on this month that really dragged us through the emotional ringer with a review of the importance of support networks through the character of Fizzarolli. The only one in this month so far to actually break free of his toxic mentor, performance perfectionism and not have to be drugged and cut off his own limbs to do it.

Well we're seated and ready to savour the flavour of the final dish in one's man pursuit of perfection in food. All while we discuss the relationship between the creative and audience, the nature of requiring external validation to get your art seen, and the futility of it all.

Oh boy you thought Black Swan was a mess just wait. A Netflix release that made ripples (at best) upon its release that clearly had aspirations of being important and talked about by viewers. Which in a way it did achieve, but was it worth it?

Ooooooooooooooooh boy the notorious confusing ballet movie I'm sure that there was no issues with the scenes and capacity to follow along with at least one of our hosts. Jokes aside we try to sift through the many ideas to discuss how well Black Swan dances on the stage of showing the dangers of perfection.

Look we willing dug up trauma during this movie and we're gonna talk about it. The movie that is, and a bit of the trauma for context. The first of many trips we're gonna do into the idea and destruction of seeking perfection in an art form, figured we'd best start with some thing jazz-y and a tad more approachable.

So this franchise happened and we must discuss how and why it happened. Why of all franchises to buck the trend of getting worse with each sequel was it this? Come let's look back on this hecking thing and try to explain this phenomenon in the Dreamworks canon.

At the end of the road we finally finish out this trilogy of films with as boyband reunion. A film tied into a nostalgia that the market group would not have and mixed with songs that technically exist. Join us as we escape this brightly coloured felt world and all its new and horrifying additions to its own lore.

So this was unexpected in sop many ways, an actual good, enjoyable and dare we say rewatchable. Trust us we were just as shocked but this film actually has something you just need to trust us and go on this road trip with us.

So in a scientific way we try to understand what the hell went on to make these movies a franchise and whether or not they are a subject of bad marketing, bad film making or just being for a much younger crowd than the regular movie going audience.

Well this one wasn't at all an odd jump in for us. I mean a sequel show to something that ended when we were only 2, how were we not meant to just be able to understand everything happening immediately upon starting. So in the rare moment of us being much closer to the everyman we sat down and watched the most recent X-men animated show.

If one must have an introduction to the X-men let it be this classic from the early 2000's, bias is strong and determined but can the show hold up to modern eyes? How does X-men Evolution hold up to it's own internal changes? Does it suffer the way the films do? All that and more...but mostly that.

Please forgive the dead air from 58:33 - 58:50 apologists for these movies killed the device for fear of the truth. That these two movies do not hold up. While they achieved their goal of removing one of the worst films from canon their multitude of sin both their own and from their predecessors cannot be overlooked anymore.

The films that laid foundational blocks in pop culture, particularly comic book movies of the post 2000's are getting dragged up and re-examined. The line of sins and virtues starts here for most people so let's take a trip to the "not so distant future" as seen by the past.

IT'S FIGHT NIGHT!!!! In literary theory we (Jerri) breakdown how due to Twilight becoming a series instead of single novel became an allegory for the idea of Catholics vs Mormons who wins. Guilt squares off with perpetually smiling victim complex, robes and opulence vs beige shirt and sensible pants. The essay that never was is now given form and without the terror of possible gradings.

Strap in spider monkey's we're finally delving into the great topic that could have been university essays. Twilight the grand origin of the young adult genre and its use as propaganda for the Mormon faith. Whoohoo!

Well this isn't going to lead anywhere possibly dangerous for opinions. As we run through how images of faith became the accepted norm, and in many ways deemed the correct interpretation of words from an old ass book with multiple translations. Yet as society moves on what explorations have been brought forth and how accurate is our common understanding of said words and images from the book?