By now, I’ve gotten to the point where I feel sorry for basketball luminaries like Jerry West, Magic Johnson, and Pat Riley.
Because no one stopped to ask, “Do we really need this?” There must have been two or three months where they sat down with a different documentary crew every other day and recounted the The Showtime Lakers, the Bass family, and the Lakers dynasty from ’90 into’2022 The Lakers dynasty led by Shaquille O’Neal and Kobe Bryant.
The Bottom Line well-covered terrain is boosted by an otherworldly personality.
Broadcast date: Wed Nov 9pm 10 (HBO)Director: Robert Alexander
Made with at HBO After the scripted version of this story) winning time , we have accepted Apple TV+’s They call me Magic , Hulu’s Legacy: The True Story of the Los Angeles Lakers Now we’re finishing up 2022 with HBO’s Shaq .
On a purely practical level – I’m a practical person – four parts Shaq is completely unnecessary. Shaq episodes 2 and 3 tell the same lakers legend Middle episode of Story Legacy but with less voice and frankly Much less and depth. Much of the first episode is devoted to the early chapters of Shaquille O’Neal’s life and his tenure with the Orlando Magic, previously featured on midlevel ESPN 30 For 23 Movie this magical moment .
Only the fourth episode, from his trade to the Heat to his current role as TV host and indomitable business pitcher, is “new” and contains some of the A more emotional element. But it covers 23 years Terrain Similar chapters in They Call Me Magic are almost identical. Anyway, Shaquille O’Neal is not to many Saying “no” to an interview opportunity isn’t one to be cautious, so “Shaquille O’Neal told it all!” — especially when he actually hardly does — is only a limited incentive.
On the level of generosity – and I’m a generous person – one of the most common complaints I have with biographical documents is when they take a dry, distanced approach to their subject approach, not letting the subject’s personality affect the aesthetic of the storytelling at all, and in Shaq, director Robert Alexander absolutely made a documentary informed by Shaquille O’Neal’s legendary brand. Shaq’s personality is exaggerated and funny, so the Shaq documentary series is exaggerated and Fun, it proudly displays its myriad of influences. It’s not a bit of a revelation, it just comes out as a version of Shaquille O’Neal’s life that Shaquille O’Neal wants to cover, but here’s the fun.
“It’s a true story, narrated by Shaq. So…you know,” reads the intro to the so-called “Movie 1.” Shaq himself further explained, “The whole world knows I’m a bullshit. Sometimes when you’re telling a story, you want to add a little BBQ sauce.”
Alexander, known as Kid Cudi A similar personality capture task has been done in the center of the movie A Man Named Scott , letting Shaq’s nonsense lead the documentary, using the self-mythologized Grand Aristotle’s vaunted love of the center as a device in wider popular culture. Some episodes are structured with cheeky anime or video game influences and interludes. Another reason is the subtitles and music choices for silent movies, although there is no clear reason for that, because no matter how much Shaq’s love of comic books, hip-hop, and other mainstream art forms, it is difficult to determine his appreciation of silent movies or Alexander. Homage to which silent films. As far as I can tell, the silent film clips are intended to reflect Shaq’s particular style of superheroism or unapologetic villainy – if you happen to root for any of the teams he bullies relentlessly + years — back to a simpler time.
The series is built around lessons delivered by Shaq’s sage Mother Lucille and his stern but loving military father, 7ft 1in tall, stories told by members of O’Neill’s inner circle, and O’Neill Fun and entertaining overlapping versions of similar stories from his childhood, his college tenure, and his NBA days. The series is at its best when you get slight memory shifts from siblings, former coaches, and teammates, and the deviations Highlights Shaq’s Narrative Barbecue Sauce.
In addition to the aforementioned media nods, Alexander’s package of tricks included rotating leather interview chairs — rarely justifying the rotation — small symbol reappearances and on-screen text, diagrams, and other jumbled fonts Splash – busy. A lot, but it’s never boring, and even if you’ve got talking heads like Jenny Buss or Penny Hardaway, you know you’ve seen the same anecdote in other movies, usually better.
I don’t know if I want Shaq Full of self-reflective insights. He comes closest in the fourth episode, where he offers brief but still heartfelt reflections on Kobe Bryant and his father’s death, and an acknowledgment of his youthful failures as a husband and father. It’s really surprising when you see anything that doesn’t seem to be scripted, like this snapshot of the tension between Shaq and Lakers coach Gary Vitti, which was featured in a major sports documentary for the third time this year another person.
More often, however, Shaq shares what he wants to share, while Alexander scrambles to provide the connective tissue. Somehow, Shaq went from an awkward big teenager to a decent German high school player and then suddenly the best player in America during his junior year without much of an arc. His journey from college bench player to superstar came down to “Stanley Roberts got hurt.” If you don’t know anything about Orlando Magic’s decline, you won’t get much more than “yeah, ego” -This Magic Moment sat Shaq and Penny together for an interview, at Do a better job of facilitating their ups and downs. His struggles with free throws and the origins of the infamous Hack-a-Shaq defensive strategy were inescapable, but that didn’t mean I gained any new understanding. This is probably the most bland version of the tension between Shaq and Bryant I’ve seen. blah blah blah
Once Shaq 1235197587 Destined to be frivolous, wish it gave me more frivolity. Shaq’s rap career boils down to a story about appearing at Arsenio Hall with the Fu-Schnickens. His acting career was reduced to a dull reference to Blue Chips, But do not discuss steel or Kazaam or countless cameos and TV appearances. Oddly enough, Ernie Johnson was the only one available on O’Neal’s TNT studio team.
After a little over an hour into the opening episode, Shaq Quick access to – minute episode pacing, which for a show with a man nicknamed “Diesel” At least it’s appropriately fast moving. But can we take a break here? There are other stars, franchises and even sports that might need a little sparkle.
