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imanthonyviola
Reviews
Red, White & Royal Blue (2023)
A story lacking contention and suspension
I wanted to love this movie because I think the premise is worth giving to the a whole audience of LGBT viewers who have been forced to suffer through the straight counterparts to these types of fictional stories. But this movie needed moments of contention where the characters were massaged their differences to make any real sense of the arc. For example, the scene where Alex visits Harry in a story after Alex professed his love and Harry wouldn't respond to him needed more. It needed a fire that was missing for them to settle their own, internal struggles to resolve into deep passion for one another. Instead, it devolved immediately into a spur-of-the-moment trip to a museum that left viewers wondering, "how did we end up here in such a rushed frenzy of emotion?"
Besides the story deficiencies, the actors needed direction. Nicholas Galtizine did a notable job portraying a member of the royal family having to come to terms with his distinct sexuality. But in the course of his display of emotion, he often swayed side to side to exacerbate his show, and it made the visual dizzy rather than connected. There were too few moments of silence to enhance these emotional scenes as well.
Before this review ends, it is worth mentioning the costuming. The outfits chosen for each character were lazy yet distracting. Harry, a prince in the royal family, wore either a too-well-fitted tuxedo (often in the most incorrect of settings) or the drastic opposite of ill-fitted jeans and a saggy hoodie. Uma Thurman, playing the president, was shown wearing garments that aligned nowhere close to what a woman in politics would adorn.
This movie had an opportunity to be something that stood out. A simple and cheesy foundation can always make for a compelling film when done right. Unfortunately, this movie was not done right. But overall, that's neither the actors fault nor the novelist's. Thus, I give this movie a 7 out of 10.
Camp (2013)
In short, fulfilling in every way a television show can be.
Camp takes classic motifs and life lessons and gives it a modern twist and a hint of sarcasm and comedy. I was especially surprised at myself that I became such a fan of a show like this and yet I can't get enough. Creating the setting based around a family summer camp was ingenious, kind of an escape from the overused hospital or police station backgrounds. The unknowns that make up the teen actors, like Thom Green, Tim Pocock, Dena Kaplan, Lily Sullivan, Charlotte Nicdao, and Charles Grounds, each give their all by showing intense acting talent, both funny and dramatic. I always look forward to the next episode and I desperately hope that this well-written and inspiring show gets renewed by NBCUniversal next season.