Word: pokes
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Dates: during 1990-1999
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...against statistical sampling arose when some Republicans released a report that said that through statistical sampling, they could lose as many as 30 seats in the House. Therefore, they claim that statistical sampling could be use to gain political leverage by the Democrats, and so they have tried to poke holes into the technique...
...stress--or downplay--the ridiculousness of the melodramatic excesses, and perhaps place them in a contemporary context, this production frames the dramatic action with a rather broad poke at the modern media fascination with violence and sensationalism (a la Natural Born Killers). Viewers with weak stomachs have little to fear, however: the visual representation of the violence and bloodshed is quite restrained, consisting mainly of several sparing patches of blood and one remarkably fake-looking severed hand. Perhaps as an appeal to the spirit of Halloween, a lot of the physical pain the various characters inflict on each other takes...
What made The Monkees so fun to watch was their incredible ability to poke fun at themselves while playing some good music. The Brady Bunch song was just one of many gags that included an Elvis wig for Jones and several jokes by Tork and Dolenz, many of which made light of the band members' age. But for a trio of guys in their 50s, The Monkees have more pizzazz and energy than a lot of bands around today...
...minutes, Becker proceeds in this vein of politically incorrect, sexist humor which leaves one laughing hysterically. He displays a disarming honesty and an amazing ability to poke fun at the differences which often separate the sexes. His goal is to help men and women transcend those differences and to respect each other, even if they can't fully understand each other. Becker recalls, somewhat nostalgically, the "caveman age" in which women were treated as goddesses and men were respected as their providers and protecters. Each had a different role in the community, but one role was just as valuable...
Quality is another, nearly irrelevant matter; no film has to be well made to be well liked. Indeed, one reason for the popularity of Soul Food is that it pushes emotional buttons with all the subtlety of a poke in the baby-back ribs. It could be a distillation of some unaired black soap opera, so predictable are the plot contrivances--adultery, pregnancy, illness, missing money--and so cartoonishly are the characters drawn. Mother Joe (Irma P. Hall) is warm, loving, doomed. One daughter, Maxine (Vivica A. Fox), is heart-smart and, since she's a mother, a font...