Movies that Deserved Better: 'Dead Silence'

         On March 16, 2007, with a streaming release on November 19, 2013, Universal Pictures released 'Dead Silence', which received a mixed reception from critics, currently holding at 21% on Rotten Tomatoes. In the film, "After his wife meets a grisly end, Jamie Ashen (Ryan Kwanten) returns to their creepy hometown of Ravens Fair to unravel the mystery of her murder. Once there, he discovers the legend of Mary Shaw (Joan Heney), a murdered ventriloquist whose eerie presence still looms over the town. As he desperately digs for answers, Jamie encounters the curse that took his wife's life and threatens his own." The ensemble cast includes Donnie Wahlberg, Amber Valletta, Bob Gunton, and Judith Roberts. But what did the critics say?

       Felix Vasquez Jr. of Cinema Crazed notes, "Dead Silence” is less a film about a killer puppet, and more a film about the madness behind the puppet. Was Mary Shaw really undead, or were her puppets keeping her alive? Whanell and crew never really make it clear to us, but they do create a truly creepy horror character that works mainly because she’s so utterly horrifying to look at. “Dead Silence” has a genuine novelty to it, and one that works to compliment the puppets that play as constant plot devices. Wan’s direction is just great as he has a blast using darkness as a truly interesting characteristic for the film, all the while using swooping camera angles and good old fashioned creepy settings to build the suspense all the while attempting to build a story." Adding, "Aside from having a bland leading character, and an obnoxious antagonist (really, what was Donnie Wahlberg’s purpose in this affair?), the film never truly has a clear narrative in mind until the second half where it all comes crashing down. I won’t say this was a complete win for the boys from “Saw.” The film most definitely has plenty of inherent flaws, but in spite of it all, it’s also a very creepy little ditty that works once it rears up to the second half."

        Frank Scheck of Hollywood Reporter praises the film, stating, "Director Wan demonstrates that he's equally effective working in a more classical vein, especially with his skillful use of chilling low-key sound effects and silence in several scary sequences."

Photo by Robert Zunikoff on Unsplash

        Scott Collura of IGN Movies says, "It's great seeing Wahlberg getting the chance to have fun with the character, who proves to be a highlight of the film, and one almost wishes he might get his own spin-off film or series at some point"

       Scott Tobias of AV Club was less impressed, stating, "Even without the mechanized death that made the Saw movies such a sensation, it doesn't take long to realize that director James Wan and writer Leigh Whannell are merely trying to replace one twisty, gimmicky franchise with another."

        Personally, I really enjoyed this movie. Ryan Kwanten was the standout in terms of acting, giving his best performance outside of 'True Blood'. Donnie Wahlberg was solid as well and his performance during the big reveal scene was equal parts great and hammy all at once. The script could have progressed less rapidly and quite honestly, this movie would have been better as a television limited series. Given the year, 'AHS' could have had some competition. 

'Apartment 7A' Reviews: "I give it points for the impeccable production design and the always magnificent Julie Garner, but 7A doesn't have the X factor that the beloved original has"

         On September 27, 2024, Paramount+ premiered 'Apartment 7A', which has received a mixed reception from critics, currently holding at 48% on Rotten Tomatoes. In the limited series, "When a struggling, young dancer (Julia Garner) suffers a devastating injury, she finds herself drawn in by dark forces when a peculiar, well-connected, older couple promises her a shot at fame." The ensemble cast includes Jim Sturgess, Dianne Wiest, Kevin R. McNally, and Andrew Buchan. But what did the critics say?

        Ryan Lattanzio of indieWire says, "It doesn’t blow open or reinvent the Rosemary’s Baby mythology, but it’s a decent primer to attract younger audiences back to the 1968 classic film." Adding, "How well do you know your “Rosemary’s Baby“? In Roman Polanski’s 1968 film and in Ira Levin’s novel published the year before, new Bramford tenant Rosemary Woodhouse meets a young woman in the basement laundry room, Terry Gionoffrio, who says the Castavets rescued her from drug addiction and homelessness. Smash cut to the next day, and her mangled corpse is found in a pool of her own blood outside the Bramford apartment complex, having jumped to her death. (The actual building is the Dakota, a German Renaissance-inspired, 94-unit coop on 72nd Street on the Upper West Side.) “Apartment 7A,” the atmosphere-drenched, classed-up new film directed by talented “Relic” filmmaker Natalie Erika James, is a direct prequel to “Rosemary’s Baby” that focuses entirely on Terry’s story and the events that led to her suicide. It doesn’t blow open or reinvent the “Rosemary’s Baby” mythology, but it’s a decent primer to attract younger audiences back to the 1968 classic film. Terry is played by the ever superb “Ozark” triple Emmy winner Julia Garner, eventually in a Gwen Verdon-style, brunette coiffure that suits the blonde-haired, fair-skinned, sharp-cheekboned actress recently cast as Madonna. As Minnie and Roman Castavet — played by Oscar winner Ruth Gordon and Sidney Blackmer in Polanski’s movie — “Apartment 7A” features the great Dianne Wiest and Kevin McNally, who both eerily resemble and sound like their predecessors. Close your eyes while Wiest, in horned-rimmed sunglasses and outrageous hats and outfits, is speaking, and she’s a dead ringer for Gordon in speech."

       Lee McCoy of DrumDums notes, "I give it points for the impeccable production design and the always magnificent Julie Garner, but 7A doesn't have the X factor that the beloved original has."

       James Preston Poole of But Why Tho? A Geek Community writes, "Natalie Erika James showcases her talent enough to prevent Apartment 7A from becoming a slog. Still, outside of Julia Garner’s commitment, there’s nothing fresh under the hood to recommend visiting Apartment 7A."

       Cody Leach of Cody Leach says, "Garner & Wiest shine in an otherwise predictable prequel. The look and atmosphere is a commendable recreation of 1968 but the story being told plays too much like a loose remake of Rosemary's Baby. Better than expected...but nothing remarkable."

Photo by Bermix Studio on Unsplash

        Meagan Navarro of Bloody Disgusting was less impressed, stating, "It’s been a year of horror prequels, with The First Omen and A Quiet Place: Day One renewing faith in the prequel’s ability to find unexpected, poignant story threads still left to explore, especially with talented voices driving them. That Apartment 7A, the prequel to Rosemary’s Baby, stacks the talent in front of and the behind the camera instills hope for the prequel’s continued hot streak. Unfortunately, a bland script and limiting story choices bind this prequel so thoroughly that it winds up a tedious retread of Rosemary’s Baby. Apartment 7A opts to explore the story of Terry Gionoffrio (Julia Garner), the friendly dancer who befalls a grim fate shortly before Rosemary Woodhouse moves into the Bramford. It introduces Terry just as she’s about to join the stage for a dance number, which is abruptly cut short by a brutal snapping of Terry’s ankle, effectively crippling her career. A series of setbacks and failed auditions eventually leads her to Alan Marchand (Jim Sturgess), a show producer who also happens to be a resident at the Bramford. In Terry’s bid to get into Marchand’s good graces, she finds herself taken in by the generous, warm Castevets – Roman (Kevin McNally) and Minnie (Dianne Wiest). But Terry obviously will discover her good fortune comes with a steep cost." Continuing, "Director Natalie Erika James, who delivered a stunning, poignant debut in 2020’s Relic, feels trapped by this prequel. It hits every expected plot beat with rote efficiency, seamlessly matching the prequel’s ending to Terry’s fate in Rosemary’s Baby. With a lack of scares or any new narrative revelations, Apartment 7A brings nothing new for audiences to grab hold of. That it bears a lot in common with The First Omen doesn’t help at all, either. While it ultimately will be more welcoming to newcomers unfamiliar with Rosemary’s Baby, those who are will likely find this a handsomely made but overly familiar slog."

'Brilliant Minds' Reviews: "Being crabby but brilliant is a prerequisite for good TV doctoring"

          On September 23, 2024, NBC premiered 'Brilliant Minds', which has received predominantly positive reviews from critics. In the series, "Dr. Oliver Wolf is an eccentric but incredibly gifted neurologist who suffers from a rare condition that gives him a unique perspective on care, fueling his mission to change the way the world sees his patients. After his unusual methods result in his dismissal, he takes his unconventional approach to a new hospital: Bronx General, where he leads a team of bright young interns in tackling some of the world's most puzzling psychological cases. With their help, he must also challenge his own personal and social limitations by navigating all the expectations, politics and complicated relationships that come with the job." The ensemble cast includes Tamberla Perry, Zachary Quinto, Ashleigh LaThrop, Alex MacNicoll, and Spence Moore II. Read the full review round-up below.

        Sherin Nicole of RIOTUS says, "Being crabby but brilliant is a prerequisite for good TV doctoring. Okay, that’s an exaggeration, but the prickly doctors with good hearts are fun to watch. Deny it if you want, but NBC’s upcoming series Brilliant Minds proves it. Starring Zachary Quinto as Dr. Oliver Wolf, the show finds its lane at the intersection of neurology and mental health. Inspired by real-life neurologist Dr. Oliver Sacks, Quinto’s Wolf is a lone wolf who thrives in the comfort of a pack (more on that later). He’s an anti-authority genius, navigating the complexities of the human mind with a rebellious compassion that can’t be stymied. Early on, we learn his traumatic backstory couples with his disability to make sure he never gives up on people in need. His prosopagnosia, or face blindness, allows him to go past the obvious and truly see his patients—a duality that serves this series well." Adding, "What I enjoy most about Brilliant Minds is how it frames its group of leading doctors as a cohesive team You might see them as a sports squad with chemistry, or you could call them ‘gang gang’—either way, you’d be right. Each member brings a unique skill set to the table, and they play their positions well. There’s Wolf as the MVP and his bestie Carol (Tamberla Perry) as the coach. Ericka (Ashleigh LaThrop) is the rising star and a sweetie. Dana (Aury Krebs) is the bad girl with a sensitive side, while Jacob (Spence Moore II) plays the injury-prone hotshot, and Van (Alex MacNicoll) is the emotional hype-man. Together, they tackle medical mysteries with an engaging procedural style and a darker edge, balanced by well-placed lightheartedness that keeps you cheering for this squad."

       Robert Lloyd of Los Angeles Times notes, "Having been booted from a series of hospitals for his unorthodox, rule-ignoring ways, he has recently fetched up at Bronx General, where his mother (Donna Murphy) is his boss and old friend (Tamberla Perry) is his other, lower boss; their routine exasperation will be mitigated of course by Wolf’s eventual successes. A variety pack of interns attends him, striking poses from sweet to doubtful to caustic. As Quinto plays him, he’s a warmer version of his big-screen Spock — his best friend, seemingly, is a plant — and much humor is mined from Wolf’s utter unfamiliarity with popular culture. In the context of the series, he’s similar to a sensitive, empathetic version of Gregory House; like “House M.D.,” this is the medical show as mystery, and as in all such shows, the investigators will get it wrong before they get it right, offering plenty of occasions for sudden emergencies that lead into commercials. And as in most medical dramas, there are big questions about life and death one might find disturbing depending on one’s own life and circumstances. However, some comfort may be drawn from Wolf waxing thoughtful on a relevant element of human condition."

          Rob Owen of Pittsburgh Tribune-Review praises the series, stating, "The role suits Quinto. Wolf is a bit of a loner but having him work with his longtime friend, Dr. Carol Pierce (Tamberla Perry), and oversee a batch of interns who serve as audience stand-ins makes this series work quite well."

Photo by Bermix Studio on Unsplash

'Murder in a Small Town' Reviews: "it’s just a simple pleasure to be around these actors for an hour or so"

         On September 24, 2024, Fox premiered 'Murder in a Small Town', which has earned predominantly positive reviews from critics. In the series, "Karl Alberg moves to the idyllic coastal town of Gibsons to become the new police chief and soothe a psyche that has been battered by big-city police work. Unfortunately, the gentle paradise has more than its share of secrets, and Karl needs to call upon all the skills that made him a world-class detective in solving the murders that, even in this seemingly idyllic setting, continue to wash up on his shore. Cassandra, a local librarian, becomes Alberg's muse, foil and romantic interest. The show is based on the Edgar Award-winning, nine-book "Karl Alberg" series by acclaimed novelist L.R. Wright." The ensemble cast includes Rossif Sutherland, Kristin Kreuk, Mya Lowe, and Aaron Douglas. But what did the critics say?

        Rory Doherty of Paste Magazine says, "Murder in a Small Town hits its marks, with a likeable cast and a welcome emphasis on the dynamics between the outsider detective and the local suspects, but refuses to transcend the modest ambitions of your garden variety network mystery series." Adding, "It’s difficult to tell if each of this season’s eight episodes will adapt a different one of Wright’s novels; she only wrote nine of them, so Murder in a Small Town will have to get creative fast if that’s the case. Of course, it’s impossible, to a frustrating degree, to judge if the Karl Alberg mysteries is a well-structured and formatted season of television because we were only allowed to see a single episode, and therefore we’re reluctant to recommend the series beyond this single entertaining hour of drama. If head writer and executive producer Ian Weir makes the series as actor-focused as the slight but charming first episode, then audiences who want to solve crimes and switch their brain off should be thrilled. Thrilled might be the wrong word—they’ll feel a warm, pleasant glow."

Photo by Georgia Vagim on Unsplash

        Devan Suber of AV Club notes, "If it’s a little obvious in its intentions, it’s just a simple pleasure to be around these actors for an hour or so. And frankly, that’s its own kind of achievement." Continuing, "Murder In A Small Town doesn’t aim for the depth of the greatest procedurals, but it has enough low-key dramatics and small-town charm to keep us interested. That said, there is an edge that pops up in the back half of the show’s 90-minute premiere that throws a moral dilemma into the proceedings. As it stands now, it’s not entirely clear whether the series is building a season-long arc or planning to be something like a new Castle, an episode-of-the-week show that’s powered by a will-they-won’t-they (and one that, like that ABC mystery, also features Stana Katic). There are enough ingredients in both the cast and the setting to make for a pretty good small-town drama, and the nebulously Canadian backdrop is a refreshing change from all of the shows that have tried to cast that country as America. The comparatively sunny tone helps, too, though there is a feeling of not wanting to get too dark even as it alludes to, say, histories of domestic abuse."

       Rob Owen of Pittsburgh Tribune-Review was less impressed, calling it a, "Dull crime procedural based on the Karl Alberg book series by author L.R. Wright. Karl (Rossif Sutherland) moves to a seaside village to get away from big-city police work and falls for a local librarian (Kristin Kreuk) while investigating local crimes."

'Megalopolis' Reviews: "It’s a noble aspiration, if only the film actually said anything coherent"

         On September 27, 2024, Lionsgate releases 'Megalopolis', which has earned predominantly negative reviews from critics, currently holding at 51% on Rotten Tomatoes alongside a Critics Consensus that reads, "More of a creative manifesto than a cogent narrative feature, Francis Ford Coppola's Megalopolis is an overstuffed opus that's equal parts stimulating and slapdash." "MEGALOPOLIS is a Roman Epic set in an imagined Modern America. The City of New Rome must change, causing conflict between Cesar Catilina (Adam Driver), a genius artist who seeks to leap into a utopian, idealistic future, and his opposition, Mayor Franklyn Cicero (Giancarlo Esposito), who remains committed to a regressive status quo, perpetuating greed, special interests, and partisan warfare. Torn between them is socialite Julia Cicero (Nathalie Emmanuel), the mayor's daughter, whose love for Cesar has divided her loyalties, forcing her to discover what she truly believes humanity deserves." But what exactly did the critics say?

       Damien Straker of Impulse Gamer says, "Francis Ford Coppola only had a concept of a plan. Megalopolis is the American epic he has been attempting to develop since 1977. An entire generation or two of actors was ready to be cast in the film before the project was canned, revived, and derailed again. The plan in the 1980s was that the film would unfold over a single day in New York with the city juxtaposed against Catiline Rome. It never came to fruition. It was then to be filmed in the early 2000s, but shooting was disrupted by the September 11 terrorist attacks. The film has now finally opened albeit to mixed reviews and a dismal box office performance that aptly reflects its disappointing form. The poor reception has also been compounded by various industry scandals, including but not limited to inappropriate behaviour, fake reviews in the film’s trailer, and hilariously Coppola rating the film himself five-stars on his own Letterboxd account. There is extensive information about how chaotic and unprofessional the actual shooting process was at times too. The noise aside, what is indisputable is that Megalopolis was not worth the drama. It is a poor film that fails to sustain its dramatic tension or utilise its rich cast. Consequently, this terrible passion project should see this once great director go quietly into the night."

       Chris Evangelista of Slashfilm disagrees, stating, "Megalopolis" may be a mess, but gosh, it's a beautiful mess — an unapologetically earnest film aching to be seen on the biggest screen possible, even if some of its imagery is ugly and flat thanks to questionable visual effects. After failing for so long to get the movie off the ground, and set back by years of box office disappointment, Coppola funded the film himself, putting up an eye-popping $120 million to get "Megalopolis" made on his own terms. The final result arrives on a wave of behind-the-scenes rumors and controversies (Coppola is currently suing Variety over some of those rumors), and also the foregone conclusion that the movie will ultimately flop." Adding, "But a movie's box office does not determine its quality, and one has to assume that the 85-year-old Coppola isn't really concerned with "Megalopolis" being a hit at this point. He just wants people to see it, and see it they should, flaws and all. In an era where Hollywood dreck becomes more homogenized and dictated by venture capitalists who don't give a flying f**k about actual art, the fact that "Megalopolis" exists at all is something of a miracle. I do not love the final film itself, but gosh, I love that I got to see it."

       Maureen Lee Lenker of Entertainment Weekly was less than impressed, stating, "Despite being nearly three hours long, more substantive sentences have probably been written about what Megalopolis might be than what is actually in the script. Francis Ford Coppola changed cinema as we know it, and his Godfather films will remain hallmarks of American filmmaking. But his latest film (and possibly his last) is a stain on his legacy. Somehow Megalopolis manages to be both chaotic and unspeakably boring. Coppola melds Ancient Rome with modern-day New York, which is a stab at commentary on America’s own declining empire (look out for the “Make Rome Great Again” sign and the pointed line about politicians only needing to be entertainers). It’s a noble aspiration, if only the film actually said anything coherent."

       Andrew Webster of The Verge notes, "There’s a refreshing idealism to Megalopolis. In a time overflowing with grim, nihilistic postapocalyptic stories, Francis Ford Coppola’s latest film is a retrofuturistic parable about creating a better world through architecture, science, and dreams. Unfortunately, that sheen fades almost immediately. The film wants viewers to imagine an idealistic future. But its vision for that future is so vague as to be meaningless. For all of its good intentions, Megalopolis is a confusing, bloated disaster. This shouldn’t be too surprising, as the lead-up to the film’s release has mostly been focused on one controversy after another. There’s the long development time, with director Coppola working on the movie in some form since 1982, forced to self-finance the entire $120 million production because studios passed on it. There are the reports of inappropriate on-set behavior (and a subsequent lawsuit), specifically hiring actors “who were canceled at one point or another,” and all of those fake AI-generated review quotes. The four-decade-long process of bringing Megalopolis to theaters was an absolute mess, much like the film itself."

Photo by Jeremy Yap on Unsplash

        Jackson Weaver of CBC News writes, "Sanctimonious to the point of insulting, Megalopolis is a cautionary tale — though not about the entropic nature of empires and civilization. It's a warning about what too much money, too much self-seriousness and too little editing can do to an artist." Adding, "The intent to compare the fall or Rome with the projected fall of the U.S. does lead to one of Megalopolis's sole points of value. The parallels between Megalopolis's Cicero and Catilina and their Roman counterparts' competing interpretations of the value of the republic — as well as their involvement in the Catilinian plot to overthrow it — will be interesting to those with an eye for history."

'Sleep' Reviews: "Writer-director Jason Yu and his sharp cast keep things funny and warm as the nastiness creeps in, unsettling us in ways that cut to the bone"

         On September 27, 2024, Magnet Releasing released 'Sleep', which has earned predominantly positive reviews from critics, currently holding at 94% Recent on Rotten Tomatoes. "SLEEP follows newlyweds Hyun-su (Lee Sun-kyun, PARASITE) and Soo-jin (Jung Yu-mi), whose domestic bliss is disrupted when Hyun-su begins speaking in his sleep, ominously stating, "Someone's inside." From that night on, whenever he falls asleep, Hyun-su transforms into someone else, with no recollection of what happened the night before. Overwhelmed with anxiety that he may hurt himself or their young family, Soo-jin can barely sleep because of this irrational fear. Despite treatment, Hyun-su's sleepwalking only intensifies, and Soo-jin begins to feel that her unborn child may be in danger." Read the full review round-up below.

       Rich Cline of Shadows on the Wall says, "Writer-director Jason Yu and his sharp cast keep things funny and warm as the nastiness creeps in, unsettling us in ways that cut to the bone. So even if the story as a whole feels somewhat unfinished, it still leaves us shaken." Continuing, "The actors are so natural that they feel like real people. Even their more extreme reactions are easy to identify with, which adds to the suspense. Jung and Lee are also thoroughly likeable, so we root for both of them to overcome this together, as a sign on their wall encourages them to do. But it also becomes clear that the danger isn't only coming from the spirit realm. Meanwhile, each of the supporting roles feels bracingly realistic, including the psychic who arrives to give them a reading."

       Alistair Harkness of Scotsman notes, "Seasoned gore-hounds might not find it scary or bloody enough to disturb their own sleep, but there are still some properly jumpy moments that mark Yu out as a director to watch." Continuing, "Debut writer/director Jason Yu (who got his start working for Bong Joon-ho) is pretty adept here at melding humour and horror, ending the first chapter with a gloriously bad-taste escalation of Hyun-su’s nighttime activity before shifting gears with the second chapter, which takes place after Soo-jin gives birth and sees her own mental state disintegrating as deep-rooted fears about her baby’s safety start plaguing her own sleep and waking moments. The switch in perspective gives the film an added charge as this hitherto happy and trusting couple’s sudden paranoia about the other is amplified by the everyday stresses of having a newborn. As anyone who’s had one will know, a baby will test even the most solid of relationships and the film has sly fun challenging the mantra Hyun-su and Soo-jin have etched on a panel on their wall — “Together we can overcome anything” — by filtering their increasingly freaky experiences through the frazzled psyche of new parents operating on minimal sleep."

       Adam Sweeting of The Arts Desk writes, "Yu steers his film deftly to a turbulent climax, though after all that’s gone before his conclusion feels a little too tidy, not quite the cathartic eruption that he seemed to be leading us towards."

Photo Courtesy of Magnet Releasing

        Peter Bradshaw of Guardian praises the film, stating, "Kim Gook-hee gives an amusing, unsettling performance as their neighbour Min jeong who has a brattish son: she gets a dog exactly like theirs, something which Soo-jin interprets as an intolerable insult, for reasons she can’t fully explain. The movie expertly hits funny notes and light-relief moments that give us a break from fear while promising more to come, while the couple’s relationship with this ambiguously friendly neighbour is effectively managed. It is only with the explicit possibility of a supernatural explanation, combined with full-on psychiatric breakdown, that the movie loses its light touch and its plausible detail. Yet there’s always a hyper-vigilant twinge of fear."

'Nöthin' but a Good Time: The Uncensored Story of '80s Hair Metal' Reviews: Series "confronts the misogyny and longtime celebration of addiction-ladled revelry associated with the era, the music, and the artists as things to now look back at in shame"

         On September 12, 2024, Paramount+ released 'Nöthin' but a Good Time: The Uncensored Story of '80s Hair Metal', which has earned a mixed reception from critics. In the documentary series, "A fresh and candid behind-the-scenes look at one of music's most iconic eras; each episode showcases the insanity and blazing ambition that has enthralled generations of music lovers and continues to influence culture to this day." But what did the critics say?

       Christopher Campbell of Nonfics says, "If Nöthin' But A Good Time is good for anything, it’s the way it confronts the misogyny and longtime celebration of addiction-ladled revelry associated with the era, the music, and the artists as things to now look back at in shame." Adding, "For the most part, Nöthin' But A Good Time: The Uncensored Story of '80s Hair Metal offers nothin’ new to the history of ‘80s hair metal. It’s a basic behind the music that you used to find on VH1 and now see on Paramount+ with little aesthetic value and a lot of anecdotes in favor of insight. Still, just when I got to thinking that I’d rather recommend The Decline of Western Civilization Part II: The Metal Years instead of this three-part docuseries from Jeff Tremaine (Jackass), it took that classic rock doc to task for its treatment of substance abuse as comedy."

        Joel Keller of Decider notes, "Putting a heavy emphasis on the backstage stories, with all of the sex, drugs, and strange behavior they entail, is what makes this docuseries so entertaining. Tremaine isn’t shy about showing bands surrounded by topless female fans, and he encourages the people he interviews to reveal some outrageous stories. Then some of those stories were animated, making them even funnier." Continuing, "Tremaine is going in a rough chronological order, but doesn’t adhere to it religiously, allowing him to follow a path that connects bands, gigs, songs and songs in a way that makes sense. There is some attention paid to the sticks-in-the-mud who thought bands like Mötley Crüe were “satanic,” but it feels that Tremaine would rather adhere to ethic of the series’ title than be a downer about the fuddy-duddies who didn’t realize one of the Crüe’s first hits was called “Shout At The Devil.”

Photo by Thomas Kelley on Unsplash

       Nick Schager of The Daily Beast writes, "The 1980s hair metal scene has already received a definitive documentary account courtesy of Penelope Spheeris’ The Decline of Western Civilization Part II: The Metal Years, and Nöthin' But a Good Time: The Uncensored Story of '80s Hair Metal doesn’t outdo it. Paramount+’s three-part docuseries, which premieres Sept. 17, is a non-fiction power ballad for the era of big hair, tight spandex, and rampant debauchery and depravity, reminiscing with an affection that isn’t, alas, matched by its incisiveness. Light on the decade’s biggest luminaries and even lighter on insight, it merely opts for sketchy nostalgia." Concluding, "Hair metal was all about excess, so Nöthin' But a Good Time (based on the book by journalists Tom Beaujour and Richard Bienstock, who appear) is invariably most entertaining when its talking heads recount anecdotes about their over-the-top heyday."