For the Love of Spock (2016)

Genre: Documentary

Directed by: Adam Nimoy

Cast: Adam Nimoy, Leonard Nimoy

Time: 111 minutes

I certainly am not what you could call a Trekkie. I have never watched a full TV episode or a single movie of the Star Trek franchise. In spite of that, when I saw the presence of this documentary on Netflix shortly after Leonard Nimoy’s passing, I was curious enough to add it to my list.

Leonard Nimoy portrayed the iconic Mr. Spock in the original Star Trek episodes and movies. In this documentary, his son Adam pays tribute to his father’s life and career, with a definite emphasis put on his best known role.

While Leonard and Adam Nimoy had a rocky relationship at times, through the years, this documentary film is a very loving film. We hear from Adam and his sister Julie. There is a lot of archive footage of Star Trek and of interviews given by Leonard Nimoy in the past. William Shatner, George Takei, Simon Pegg, Jim Parsons, Neil deGrasse Tyson, J.J. Abrams and many more were also interviewed.

For the Love of Spock gives a very compelling look at the life and career of a man who lived long and prospered, through some good and bad times. I highly recommend it.

Rating: «««««

Eat That Question: Frank Zappa in His Own Words (2016)

Genre: Documentary / Musical

Directed by: Thorsten Schütte

Cast: Frank Zappa

Time: 93 minutes

I will readily admit that, coming in, I was not really a fan of Frank Zappa. I have always found his music, described by most as very non-conformist, a little too out-there for me. Still, I was curious, and I went in fully open-minded to learn more about the singer, songwriter, guitarist, composer, producer, band leader and political activist that was Frank Zappa.

In the end, I am glad I watched. This documentary is filled with interviews given by Zappa and with live performances. It gives a rare glimpse into the mind of the very complicated man that he was, all the while keeping a bit of mystery. After all, Zappa always seemed a little too in control to divulge absolutely everything. I particularly loved that part when Zappa went against Tipper Gore and her group of uptight ladies.

I highly recommend this particular title.

Rating: «««««

Ted 2 (2015)

Genre: Comedy

Directed by: Seth MacFarlane

Cast: Seth MacFarlane, Mark Wahlberg, Amanda Seyfried

Running time: 116 minutes

In this sequel to the original film, John Bennett is now divorced from Lori, who simply could not accept Ted’s presence in the long term. Ted marries his girlfriend Tami-Lynn, but, when their marriage hits a rocky patch, they decide to have a kid to save their couple (yes, makes lots of sense). When sperm donation fails, due to Tami-Lynn’s drug-related sterility, the teddy bear-redneck blonde couple tries to go the adoption route, which raises questions about Ted’s legal status as a person. According to the government, Ted is mere property, as a toy. Ted and John will have to fight the case in court, with the help of young and beautiful lawyer Samantha Jackson. They will also have to fend off stalker Donnie, back on the prowl with an evil plan.

While Ted 2 had its funny moments, I still found it highly disappointing. A lot of jokes were rehashed and recycled, and the filmmakers thoughts that the mere idea of making the joke bigger would make it funnier. Dropping a bigger TV on John is not fresh anymore, even if the TV is huge. Bits and pieces of the film still made me laugh out loud, and I thought it was cool that Seth MacFarlane managed to get the likes of Liam Neeson and Morgan Freeman to do cameos.

Rating: «««

Ted (2012)

Genre: Comedy

Directed by: Seth MacFarlane

Cast: Seth MacFarlane, Mark Wahlberg, Mila Kunis

Running time: 106 minutes

John Bennett was a very lonely kid in the Boston area, without any friend. One night, he made the wish that the teddy bear he had just received for Christmas would come to life and be his friend forever: He did. Ted, the Teddy Bear, became a local celebrity, but, as it is the case for a lot of folks for whom fame comes at an early age, he grows up with many vices, such as drugs and loose women. Now a man, John Bennett has a low-end job and spends a lot of time smoking dope and watching TV with Ted, who is still his best bud. John’s girlfriend, Lori, on the other hand, wants her man to make a more serious commitment towards her and his work life.

The humor of Ted, the movie, is in the tradition of Family Guy, also created by Seth MacFarlane, who made his debut in motion picture direction here and who voiced the main character. The chemistry between MacFarlane and Wahlberg was solid. It was weird seeing Marky Mark going full force into such a comedic role. Mila Kunis was also a great addition. The casting of Giovanni Ribisi, as Donny, Ted’s stalker, was a great idea too. He was the right choice to bring the right blend of menace and comedy.

Some of the jokes in Ted missed the mark, but a great portion of them were laugh out loud funny. I love this movie very much.

Rating: ««««

Les Bougon (2004-2006)

Genre: TV / Franco / Comedy

Distribution: Rémy Girard, Louison Danis, Antoine Bertrand, Hélène Bourgeois-Leclerc

Nombre de saisons: 3

Paul Bougon était employé au port de Montréal jusqu’au jour où il s’est fait brasser pour avoir voulu dénoncer des pratiques illicites. Comme on lui a signalé qu’il serait mieux pour lui d’agir comme s’il n’avait rien vu, Paul décide de débarquer du système pour de bon en crossant les crosseurs (en fraudant les profiteurs), avec l’aide de sa femme Rita, de son frère Fred, et de ses enfants, Junior, Dolorès et Mao.

Dans la première saison, les auteurs se sont surtout attardés à nous montrer les différentes méthodes prises par la famille Bougon pour crosser le système. En soit, c’était très divertissant. Par la suite, ils ont essayé d’exploiter les failles des personnages, pour nous montrer leur vulnérabilité. C’est en partie ce qui fait la force de cette série : On ne se contente pas d’un seul ton. Les Bougon contient également une forte dose de critique sociale et de commentaires sur  des sujets toujours actuels, même plus de 10 ans plus tard, comme la drogue, le sort réservé aux aînés, la pauvreté, la politique et ainsi de suite.

Les personnages de la série sont souvent caricaturaux, mais on réussit à les aimer quand même, en grande partie grâce aux textes et au jeu des acteurs. Les propos sont souvent crus, certains diront même vulgaires, mais c’est surtout drôle. Une série marquante de l’histoire du Québec, à voir et revoir avec l’esprit ouvert.

Rating: «««««

Tyson (2008)

Genre: Documentary

Directed by: James Toback

Cast: Mike Tyson

Time: 90 minutes

Over the course of 90 minutes, former heavyweight champion boxer Mike Tyson goes over his life, from his humble beginnings in Brooklyn, to his intense training, to his success as a fighter and then to his demise, mostly caused by personal demons.

In this documentary, directed by James Toback, Tyson pulls no punches. He still claims his innocence in regards to the rape conviction of 1992, following which he spent three years in jail. On the other hand, Tyson readily admits that his own immaturity has caused much of his downfalls in life. It is also interesting to hear the fallen boxer’s take on former ally Don King.

This documentary offers a rare glimpse into the mind of a very complex man. It is a very one-sided tale, as the only take on the matters we hear is Mike Tyson’s. That being said, since the man openly admits so many of his faults, I’ll give him the benefit of the doubt. In certain moments of the film, the director tried to illustrate the voices in Tyson’s head with all kinds of tricks, and that was a little distracting, as the subject can be hard to understand in the most perfect of circumstances. That said, Tyson is still a very compelling documentary film that is well worth seeing.

Rating: ««««

Jimi Hendrix: Voodoo Child (2010)

Jimi Hendrix: Voodoo Child (2010)

Genre: Documentary / Musical

Directed by: Bob Smeaton

Cast: Jimi Hendrix, Bootsy Collins, Noel Redding

Time: 91 minutes

Rock guitarist and singer Jimi Hendrix may have only spent 27 years on this earth, but he left an indelible mark on music. This 2010 documentary, directed by Bob Smeaton, covers the life of the master of the electric guitar, from his birth in Seattle, to his trip to England, where he first gained some traction in the style of music he truly loved, and to his return home, where he finally got the success he had coming.

Jimi Hendrix: Voodoo Child is filled with archived footage of the man in concert and in interviews. Some of Jimi's writings are also voice by none other than Bootsy Collins, funk bassist and member of the Rock N’ Roll Hall of Fame.

This documentary is a must see for fans of Hendrix. And those, like me, who just knew a moderate amount of things about him will surely appreciate a more complete view of the life and career of this amazing artist, who left us way too early.

This documentary is a must see for fans of Hendrix. And those, like me, who just knew a moderate amount of things about him will surely appreciate a more complete view of the life and career of this amazing artist, who left us way too early.

This documentary is a must see for fans of Hendrix. And those, like me, who just knew a moderate amount of things about him will surely appreciate a more complete view of the life and career of this amazing artist, who left us way too early.

This documentary is a must see for fans of Hendrix. And those like me who just knoew a moderate amount of things about him will surely appreciate a more complete view of the life and career of this amazing artist, who left us way too early. 

Rating: «««««

We Are Twisted f***ing Sister (2014)

Genre: Documentary / Musical

Directed by: Andrew Horn

Cast: Dee Snider, Jay Jay French

Time: 136 minutes

This 2014 documentary film chronicles the rise to stardom of rock band Twisted Sister, from their beginning on the bar scene of the New York area to their long-awaited record contract.

Twisted Sister has never been a band for the meek and the faint of heart. In the tradition of glimmer rock, these grown heterosexual men were consciously performing on stage dressed in women’s clothing, wearing loads of makeup and accentuating their long hair. Their shows were loud and in your face, and this documentary reflects that, from its title on down to its content.

We Are Twisted Fucking Sister is a compelling documentary about a band totally dedicated to its craft. Twisted Sister persevered and worked tirelessly to make it to the promised land of the music business. They never let any obstacle stop them from reaching their goal. That, in itself, is inspiring.

This documentary is filled with interviews and live performances. Fans will adore it; open minded people might discover a band worth listening to.

Rating: «««««

Ali Wong: Baby Cobra (2016)

Genre: Comedy

Directed by: Jay Karas

Cast: Ali Wong

Time: 60 minutes

When I saw Ali Wong - a small Asian woman with the big belly of an advanced pregnancy - take the stage, in Seattle, Washington, I certainly did not expect her to come out with comedy that could be, at times, so vulgar and edgy. Not knowing much about her, I did not expect it, but I sure did love it.

Over the course of this hour-long comedy special of hers, Ali Wong discusses sex, feminism, housewives, hoarding, race, relationships…and poop. Yes, that last one was quite the funny surprise.

In spite of a few weaker spots, Ali Wong: Baby Cobra is a solid comedy show. It most certainly will not be everyone’s cup of tea, but, if you are opened to laughter on the cruder side of things, you are in for a treat.

Rating: ««««