Thoughts on 5 Films

1. Queer - Oooof - this is going to be a rough post because I hated all 5 of these films. I guess "hated" is a strong word, some I'm indifferent on - but all are 2.5 stars or lower. This is probably the best film of the five, but it's SO boring. I like a lot about it, but overall I think it's very dull. I'm not the biggest fan of Luca Guadagnino's films, though, so it makes sense that I didn't like this (my ranking: Challengers > Bones and All > Suspiria remake > Call Me By Your Name > Queer, which is probably a very controversial ranking). They're all well-made movies, for sure, but I'm always disappointed by the story. It just lacks something that I can't quite put my finger on. So first - the good stuff: The scene in the beginning with him walking in the white suit with Nirvana's "Come as You Are" playing. The way the scene is slowed down to perfectly sync with the song is GORGEOUS. I'm almost never a fan of using Nirvana songs in movies and/or Nirvana remakes because I know how much Kurt would hate it (especially in a fucking Marvel movie! Who let that happen???), but I think this is an exception. There's a lot of thought behind how the music is used - it's not just thrown in for effect. There's also a lot of shots that look like an Edward Hopper painting that I don't think it's a coincidence - they are very beautiful. But that's all I got. Daniel Craig is fine. The other guy...unmemorable. I just don't care about these people, and Craig's character comes off as a sexual predator. The sex scene is not sexy because the guy literally vomits right before. Fucking gross ("do I smell like vomit?" I wish you could see my face as I watched this scene. It's so disgusting). Then there's like a 5 minute long shot of Craig staring off into the distance, smoking a cigarette. WHYYY GOD WHYYYY? It's based on a William S. Burroughs story, which I didn't realize at first (the name William Lee should have clued me in!); I haven't read it but I know some of the history of him living in Mexico and killing his wife during a William Tell game. I think once the film dives into the whole hallucinatory part, it starts to really turn dull (and gross with them throwing up their hearts). Overall, just like Luca's other films, it's just not my thing. 

2. Y2K - I thought this had a fun idea, but an awful execution. I didn't hear much about it during release, but I was super aware of it because some of it was filmed in my town! Like, literally around the corner from my house. I still didn't know much about it - just that it was a teen comedy about New Years Eve 1999. I was shocked that it's an alternate reality story about all the things people said might happen (the computers will destroy the world!) actually happens. The electronics basically turn into Transformers and start killing people. LOL. What a good idea!! I WAS IN! But then, it just goes absolutely nowhere and all of these characters are annoying and feel really inauthentic for 1999/2000. I was 18 and a freshman in college on this day, so very close to these kids (they are in high school, but I don't know if they specify whether they are seniors, etc.). First, the kid from Stranger Things looks like he belongs in the 80s or 2010 and nothing in between. Second, why are the bullies the skater kids?? That makes no sense. Third, New Jersey's own Rachel Zeigler is clearly way too good for this movie. And last, casting Alicia Silverstone as the mom is just plain mean. The saving grace is the kid with the Australian (New Zealand, maybe?) accent. He is fucking hilarious - I DIED during "The Thong Song" scene. DEAD on the living room floor. It's just too funny. BUT GUESS WHAT?!!! *spoiler* They kill him off in the beginning of the fucking movie! The only thing the movie has going for it is the nostalgia factor and they use it all on Fred fucking Durst. I knew he was in this because I was looking up exact filming locations and saw him listed in the cast. But I didn't realize just how big of a role he has. I'm not gonna lie - I loved Fred Durst in 1999. I even had tickets to see Limp Bizkit and someone else (maybe Eminem?) live in Albany, but we drove all the way there and he canceled it like 20 minutes before it was supposed to start. It sucked big time and it made a lot of people very angry. Anyway, he's funny in this - and probably the best part of the movie, but....it's way overdone. I mean, I gave it a whole extra star just for his acapella version of "Faith" because it's still to this day one of my favorite covers of a song ever. But there are just so many other things they could have focused on. And I appreciate more of the subtle nostalgia hits - like seeing the portable cd player glued to the dashboard of his car, because that's exactly how I listened to Limp Bizkit! And it reminded me of picking all my friends up before school and screaming "Give me something to break!!!!". I can picture it so clearly! Good times. I love little moments like that. There's a few laughs to be had, but overall, I was mostly bored and I absolutely did not care if any of these kids died. In fact, I welcomed it. 

3. Holland - Welp, I was really hoping that The Gorge was going to be my worst film of 2025, but this one has it beat. I didn't know much about it going in - although I did see a few less than favorable reviews. But I love Gael Garcia Bernal SO MUCH. And I sometimes love Nicole Kidman. Plus, Rachel Sennott! But then it just starts off really weird with Sennott doing a weird-ass accent, and Kidman watching Mrs. Doubtfire. What is going on?? It's supposed to be a thriller, but it's...not. It's just this woman who becomes suspicious that her husband "has a secret", so she confides in her co-worker and they start to spy on him, and then she starts her own affair with him. But it's clear that her husband isn't having an affair, instead he's just a weirdo. Until the end. We find out that he's a serial killer. And even then, it barely makes it into the "thriller" genre. It's a very slow drama. And a bad one. I don't have much else to say about it because it's a big fat nothing of a movie. Sometimes I think Kidman just takes roles without even reading the script. She just likes to keep working. 

4. O'Dessa - I'll give this film some leeway for its attempt at something radical. It fails miserably, but the attempt is appreciated. It's a post-apocalyptic rock musical based on a retelling of the Greek myths of Eurydice and Orpheus. If it was done well, it could have been this generations Romeo + Juliet. It's hard to pinpoint what went wrong, exactly, but I was very bored for most of it. I like Sadie Sink a lot, but I was here for Kelvin Harrison Jr. with BLUE HAIR (and him singing is even more of a highlight for me). I was surprised at Sink's voice - I was hesitant at first when I learned that she sings the songs herself, but as soon as she hits that first note, I was like "OH OK SADIE"! Her voice is beautiful! But the songs, themselves, are just not my style (it's more bluegrass than rock). And they just go on for FOREVER. We get it, she's a "rambler". But the biggest "miss" of the film is that these two characters are very gay - like super, duper gay (look at that poster! Does that look like a straight woman to you?), but we're supposed to believe that they want each other??? WHAT? They do not sell this heterosexual couple at all. It's very strange. But I do like that both Regina King and Murray Bartlett really go for it with these roles - they are both so over-the-top, but I think they "understood the assignment" as the kids say. Plus Bartlett's featured performance is the only fun song of the movie and the only one that feels different than the rest. And on a minor note: does she just leave the alpaca (or llama - whatever it was)? It's trapped with no food and she just gives it a hug and says good luck, I'm gonna go be a rambler??? What the fuck? 

5. Moana 2 - Not a bad movie, but a very unnecessary one. A lot of Disney princess movies received sequels but none of them were given a budget or a theater release. They were made-for-video movies that were fun for children under the age of 10 to see more of their favorite characters. But to do a sequel like this with a big budget, big stars in the voice roles, and a holiday theater release date is just so UGH. I wasn't really a big fan of the first Moana. It was fine, but I just hate this new over-saturated style of animation. I only watched it like 4 years ago, and I barely remember it. It didn't have any memorable songs or characters or anything. But I know that a lot of kids liked it (and younger adults too! When this was released on Thanksgiving my husband's sister and cousin were all talking about how excited they were for it because Moana was their favorite?! WHAT? They are in their early 30s, but still that seems weird to me). But I have two nice things to say about it: I like the "Get Lost" song by the villain. Super catchy and she has a great voice. And I love hearing all of the New Zealand accents (I'm going there in October and I'm SO excited!). Other than that, I was bored. And because I was bored I started looking up stuff about the movie because I was curious about how much this girl got paid to lead these movies in comparison to The Rock because it's so shitty that he gets like 20 million (minimum - the exact amount isn't disclosed) and she gets 2 million. I get it - he's The Rock, of course he's going to get paid more, but if he were an actual good person he would defer the pay to the actual star of the film. He has enough money. And before you tell me that's unrealistic or idealistic or whatever - it is something that is done, but we don't hear about the good people enough (I remember hearing about Chadwick Boseman doing this for Sienna Miller only after he died. There's talk of several big celebrities that share their pay though - Affleck & Damon, Keanu Reeves, Sandy B., etc.). It's so weird how people are unwilling to share pay for co-workers that worked just as hard as you. At my work, we have a monthly bonus program, and when I was the store manager, if we hit the bonus I would split it up between the staff I thought worked the hardest for that goal. But now we've had 5 other store managers since I stepped down and not one of them has done the same. Fucking weirdos (I actually like them all, but I just find it so greedy and sad to not acknowledge your team). 

Thoughts on 5 New TV Shows

1. Zero Day - I thought this was better than the reviews suggested. Solid political thriller with a fantastic cast. It's only 6 episodes long so it feels very efficiently told, with very little filler. I was disappointed by the reviews, but with this caliber of a cast, I was never going to NOT watch it. Obviously DeNiro, but also Lizzy Caplan!!, Jesse Plemons!!!, Joan Allen!, Connie Britton!, Angela Bassett???!! AS THE PRESIDENT?! HELLO! I think the story is interesting and relevant, because ultimately it's about our country losing its way. However, the only real mystery is the whole "who killed Bambi" trippy moments, because the other "mystery" is no mystery at all. *spoilers ahead* It's quite obvious that he's being misled immediately. It's also obvious that the "bad guy" is going to be the old white guy who is seeking more power (is it EVER anyone else??). And I kind of assumed his daughter was on the wrong side in order to make things more complicated. But, even with it all being so obvious, I think the story is still told well. And there are still a few surprise moments. It's very easy to binge, and has a satisfying conclusion (even though the ending feels a little rushed. I feel like they were trying to make an 8 episode series but realized at the last minute that they didn't have enough story for that). But, I also think that I probably won't remember a thing about it in a year or so. 

2. Prime Target - I added this show to my list after watching Leo Woodall in the new Bridget Jones movie. He's a cutie pie. I'm only on the 3rd episode, but I kind of regret it. It's not bad, per say, but I'm definitely bored by it and I know there's a million other things I could be watching (there are TOO MANY shows right now! I still haven't watched Adolescence, The Studio, Dying for Sex, the new Daredevil! I'm so behind!). It's described as a "Bourne Identity" type show, but I don't get that vibe at all (I know it's early still). But, I really do like Leo - and I just realized that he's with Megan Fehy in real life???!! Since their season of The White Lotus??!! That's so cute! I love her (and I'm so happy she's starring in a new film. The Drop? I think it's called that. Anyway, she's a STAR for sure). I like that Woodall's character, the main character, is gay - and it's not really a topic of discussion. Seems rare for a thriller type series with a hot newcomer. I also like the actress in this, Quintessa Swindell. She's definitely got screen presence. It's just that the pilot episode was SO SLOW and BORING until the last 10 minutes, when something finally happens. And the the second episode is the same until the last 2 minutes (I was NOT expecting that ending!). But it's really annoying to watch 50 minutes of nothing before something good. The third ep picks up...slightly. It's quite scary to think about the level of surveillance that is happening in the world right now, but also I lead a very boring life so I don't really mind if I'm being watched (I know it's not right though, but I don't care enough to...care, if that makes sense. Like my husband has a vpn (? I think that's what it's called lol) on his phone to block things like targeted ads, etc. and I just...don't care. Anyway, I'm kind of interested in where this story is going, but I'm just not fully invested in it. 

3. The Pitt - When this was first released, I told myself that I'm definitely NOT going to watch another medical show. I'm still hate-watching Grey's Anatomy! It's been like 20 years! Plus, I thought it was weird that Noah Wyle was doing this role again. But then the rave reviews starting pouring in, and I couldn't help myself. AND LET ME TELL YOU: This is the BEST new drama series of the year. Maybe 5 years? Maybe in the last decade. It's like ER by way of 24. But also AMAZING (and you won't see a crowning birthing shot in ER). The concept seems so simple - set in an emergency room following around the staff during a 16 hour shift in real time (each episode is one hour of their shift). But, from a filming aspect, it's technically spectacular - the way the camera weaves between these characters, following different plots and perspectives so seamlessly. It's brilliant. But the only reason it works is because these characters are fully realized. And complicated. None of them are seen as superhuman - they are flawed, emotional, exhausted, broken people who are in a work environment that involves saving peoples lives. Noah Wyle leads the way, and if he doesn't win an Emmy for this, I WILL RIOT (quietly from my couch). I feel like him having so much "doctor" experience from his ER days, is actually why this performance is so good. We already trust him as a doctor, so we can focus on the human side of this character - and that human-ness really comes through towards the end of the season during episode 12 & 13, in which the ER is hit with victims of a mass shooting event. I'm not exaggerating when I say that these are the two best episodes of television that I've seen since Breaking Bad's "Ozymandias". It's unforgettable. I don't think we've ever seen the effects of a mass shooting event with this much intensity and devastation. But the thing is - the series starts off great from the first episode, so it's not like every other show that people often go "oh...it gets SO GOOD, you just have to stick with it", instead it's like "OMG this is SO GOOD". And then it just keeps getting better!!! It almost seems impossible. But, anyway, back to the cast - I think most are relatively unknown actors. The only ones I recognize are Shawn Hatosy (who disappointedly disappears after the first episode, but don't worry he comes back WITH A VENGEANCE), and Katherine LaNasa (although I admit, I never knew her name before - but she's been in a lot of stuff. Most notably, Justified). But you'll get to know the other names like Taylor Dearden (who is Bryan Cransten's daughter!!), Isa Briones, Fiona Dourif (who is Brad Dourif's daughter!!! Nepobabies ARE GOOD!!), Tracy Ifeachor, Supriya Ganesh and my personal favorite, Gerran Howell because they ALL deserve ALL the awards. And I say my favorite is Howell, because his character is the most loveable (Huckleberry for the win! Plus the actor is Welsh, but his American accent is perfect), but it's really hard to choose because all of the characters get a moment to shine. The final episode is really good too because we learn things about some of the characters that are quite shocking, but it's all told so matter-of-factly. I almost cried when I learned that Huckleberry was homeless and then Santos invites him to live with her ("I know Krav Maga", "cool. I don't know who that is". LOL through the tears). Santos is probably the most interesting character because she's made to be unlikeable, and almost like a bully, but you WILL end up liking her. I will admit that they go a little too far with all of the emergencies and it's a bit unrealistic - in the first 7 hours we see a possible sex trafficking victim, a spider bite, a child drowning, a poisoned child molester, a shooting victim, etc., when in reality most people in an ER are there for the flu or a car accident. But it keeps the drama moving and keeps your interest. The episodes FLY by. I also like that a lot of the storylines are kept open and/or are unresolved because that does feel real. I can't wait for season two!!

4. Gross Pointe Garden Society - I was in for a new trashy Desperate Housewives drama, and this isn't quite there, but I'm entertained nonetheless. I LOVE Aja Naomi King, but I think she should be a movie star by now. She's put in the work! Why has nobody cast her in a big lead role yet? This feels very similar to her other big series How to Get Away With Murder, and I just feel like she should be bigger than that now. I also really enjoy Melissa Fumero in such a different role from Brooklyn Nine-Nine because she is nailing it! Her comedic timing is incredible ("I gotta work" "On a Wednesday??" LOL), but it's not the same kind of comedy as as sitcom. It's more sarcastic and bitter, but still hilarious. I'm not fully bought in on the mystery - they killed someone (maybe? At least that's what they want you to believe, but I'm guessing whoever it is died by accident or self-defense reasons but they panic and think they will be blamed so they hide the body?), and every episode goes back to telling the story pre-"murder" and post- "murder", and sometimes the timeline is confusing (especially if you look down for more than two seconds and the timeline switches). I'm also not loving the whole "who killed the dog" mystery because WHY DID A DOG HAVE TO DIE? Nobody wants to watch that as entertainment. But this is a good show to throw on while you're doing other things - it's not hard to pay attention to, but if you miss something, it's not hard to figure out what's going on. And the characters are all likeable. And the costume design is glorious - especially their gardening outfits! LOL - who would actually wear any of that gardening though?? I wear an oversize tshirt and jeans that are one more hole or stain away from being garbage. 

5. Long Bright River - I feel like this show has been done a million times, but I'm a big fan of Amanda Seyfried after The Dropout. But I've actually been a fan for a while - I remember being really surprised by her portrayal of Linda Lovelace. I think she was just cast in a lot of dumb blonde roles early on but she's so much stronger than those roles. The problem with this show is that I feel like I've already seen it. It's like True Detective mixed with that show from last year with Riley Keough (sorry my brain is not working and I can't remember the name of it). It's about a series of murdered unhoused sex workers that nobody cares about until she starts to, but only because it reminds her of her missing sister. This whole "missing sister" plotline is extremely confusing (how long has her sister been missing? 10 years? One year? A few months? I couldn't tell you). And I have no idea why she talks to her son like he's a 70 yar old man? Is there something wrong with the kid??? They kind of act like there is, but he seems totally normal. Also every episode feels 10 hours long - I'm only on the 4th episode but I could swear I was on the 8th episode at least. This might be because of the amount of ads that play during the episodes. Seriously, the pilot episode had more ad breaks than I've ever seen during an episode on a streaming service. What is Peacock doing? I don't feel like it has a big enough audience yet to pull this ad shit. If I had to cancel a streaming service this would be at the top of the list already, and now the ads would make it a lock. ANYWAY, there's a strong supporting cast - like the guy who played Benvolio in Romeo + Juliet!!! He's been consistently working as a guest actor in like one or two episodes of a series, but I've never seen him have a regular main role in anything. He's great! And I like that they are connecting the missing girls to the opioid crisis - this is often the start of the end for unhoused women who end up in this line of work. It could happen to anyone who has addictive tendencies and no familial support, but people still look down in judgement and think that people "deserve" their fate. But I wish the show focused more on this, and less on her personal life. There is NO WAY in Hell that I would be a police officer if I was a single mom. It's such a dangerous all-consuming job. So the whole plot doesn't make sense to me. The missing girls mystery is kind of stupid too because I could have told you within the first 30 minutes of episode one that a cop was involved, but we don't find that info out until the end of the third. She's not a very good cop, is she? And the thing that bothers me the most: the actress that plays the younger version of Mickey literally looks nothing like her at all. 

Thoughts on 5 Films

1. Kraven the Hunter - I know this was supposed to be bad, so I was prepared for the worst. It's....fine. I think the cast is interesting because it stars people that are supposed to be box office gold - Aaron Taylor Johnson is rumored to be the next Bond (which was before the big Amazon announcement, so maybe that's changed now), and Ariana DeBose is an Oscar winner (?!), you would think these are both big deals. But ultimately, if a movie is bad, people are not going to support it - and the reality is neither of these two have a big enough fanbase or star power to overcome a bad film. It's literally proof that Johnson would be a terrible Bond, and that DeBose should not have won that Oscar. She was fine in West Side Story, but I didn't think it deserved Oscar attention. Her nomination and win was wrong and we can admit it now! There's a great supporting cast - Russell Crowe, Fred Hechinger (who is in like 6 movies from 2024!), and Christopher Abbott. But ultimately, the story is really lacking. There is only one really solid scene - the one where he is chasing the van on foot and then the helicopter scene. It GOES HARD. But other than that, I was really bored and completely lost interest by the 90 minute mark. The whole Calypso part is just plain stupid, and I don't understand why they dress her like she's in En Vogue. It's supposed to take place in the present day and she's dressed like that??? And while I don't think Johnson has "star power", I have liked him in a few things before (Bullet Train, Nocturnal Animals). He's AWFUL here. I think they might have used AI or something for his Russian scenes because the dialogue doesn't link up to his mouth moving, but then his American accent is even worse. Is he trying to sound like Matthew McConaughey? WHY??? Ugh...the whole thing is BAD. And I think it's slightly worse than Madam Web too because, at the very least, that was entertaining. And yet, everybody this let this go "under the radar bad" instead of "ripping it apart on the internet bad". I wonder why? (I'm kidding, I know the answer. It's misogyny). 

2. Wicked - I really dreaded watching this. I've never seen the Broadway show (zero interest in ever seeing it and I'm a theater nerd!). And the marketing blitz for this movie was so fucking grating. It's already starting again for the sequel and I'm not ready. I don't think I can survive it again. I may need to log off of movie-related news until it's over. I've always been a big fan of and cheerleader for Cynthia Erivo (she was excellent in that Stephen King series!, She went to school with Taron and was nice to him!, she has an incredible voice!, she's going to EGOT!), but I definitely find her extremely annoying now. But aside from all that, the biggest reason that I dreaded watching this is because it *looked* terrible! And guess what?! I was right! It's one of the ugliest blockbuster movies I've ever seen. It's also 2 hours and 40 minutes long and it's only part one! LOL. What the fuck are we doing here guys? I know a lot of people talked about the coloring, but it's a fact that the muted colors are a terrible choice for this universe. I felt like I wanted to turn the contrast up on my television. The Wizard of Oz was KNOWN for its colors, as one of first films in color, it was also VIBRANT. The sparkling ruby red slippers, the shining yellow brick road, etc.!! Not only is this dull looking, all of the actors look sick! Ariana's dye job does not help the cause at all - that color is so unflattering for her complexion and the fact that she kept it that way during the entire press junket is WILD. All of the set pieces look like they are made of styrofoam and can easily just get pushed over. Some other stuff that I hated: (1) Bowen Yang is not funny. I've never laughed once at any his SNL skits, and he's so annoying in this. (2) The whole story basically feels like Harry Potter when he's at Hogwarts and I fucking HATE Harry Potter. It's so stupid. In a world of talking bears, people are weirded out because someone is green? That doesn't make sense. (3) Again, I've not seen the Broadway show, so I don't know the story - AND YET, they cast Jeff Goldblum as the wizard - someone who has a super recognizable voice and "hide" the fact that it's him in the beginning. So, literally within the first few minutes, I was like "oh...that's Jeff Goldblum. So the wizard is her dad. Duh". Why do I even need to sit through the next two hours and forty minutes???? However, I have two nice things to say about it - both Ariana and Cynthia do a fine job. They have amazing voices. And, as much as it pains me to say, Ariana does grow on you throughout the movie. Her comedic timing is *on point* and I think she understood and interpreted the role in a very interesting way. But also, as I suspected, it's a co-lead role not a supporting role. She's in the film only 14 minutes less than Cynthia, which for a 2 hour and 40 minute long film is not that much difference. If she won, she would have broken the record for most screentime in a supporting performance. I wonder if she'll campaign for lead with part 2? I honestly think she'll have a better chance at winning. 

3. A Complete Unknown - Another movie I dreaded - I can't stand Bob Dylan and I don't see what's so special about Timothee Chalamet (Chamalet?). BUT, sometimes I'm wrong! I do like James Mangold as a director, and the supporting cast is excellent - Elle Fanning, Scoot McNairy, Melissa Barbaro, Edward Norton, Boyd Holbrook...the list goes on! So, I tried going into this with a positive attitude and a willingness to learn more about Bob Dylan. Plus, a lot of it was filmed in NJ (and I even know someone who was an extra in it, so that's cool!). But, as I expected, it literally tells me nothing about Bob Dylan. It's just him picking up a guitar, mumbling through some dull-as-fuck songs that you can barely understand, and being an asshole to the women around him. Cool story, bro. And Timothee looks like he's dead behind the eyes for 99% of the movie. He also does the whole "squinting my eyes to show emotion" thing that drives me crazy (I call it the Reese Witherspoon School of Acting). Sure, he sounds like him, but Dylan sounds like nails on a chalkboard, so I don't think that's...a good thing? I feel like this performance requires very little of him, so an Oscar nomination is fucking crazy. Barbaro as Joan Baez is the only interesting part of the movie, but I wish she just got her own biopic because she's an actual interesting person. But I would argue that an Oscar nom for that role is also fucking crazy. It's all fucking crazy. I got super bored by about 30 minutes in - they show all of these historical events happening at the time but fail to connect how Dylan feels about anything or how it influences him in any way. The only interesting scene is when Dylan is throwing a hissy fit on stage and Baez just keeps going like a goddamn professional (the lighting is really good in this scene too). And as far as the "filmed in NJ" stuff - it's crazy that they would use such recognizable places as non-NJ locations. The whole end of the film is clearly filmed in Cape May with a NJ landmark (Congress Hall) heavily featured, and it's supposed to be...Rhode Island??? LOL. So stupid. Anyway, needless to say I hated this. Also, to be clear, I hate Dylan's voice and I think all of his songs sound the same, but I will concede that he is a brilliant lyricist - I wish we saw more of his writing process. 

4. Den of Thieves 2: Pantera - I think I liked the first one, but I don't really remember it, if I'm honest. I rated it 3 stars, so I assume it was a fun action film starring Gerard Butler being Gerard Butler. (it's weird that I just rated it 3 stars on LB without writing anything up about it on here? I still question whether or not I actually watched it, but whatever!). This is exactly that - a fun action film starring Gerard Butler and also starring O'Shea Jackson Jr., and they have great chemistry together. It's a good, twisty, action heist film with some great scenes (Rave Butler is almost as good as Rave Venom!!). I found myself questioning whether or not Butler was actually going to betray his new group of "friends". I kind of wish it ended a few minutes before it does to leave things a bit ambiguous, but instead they provide closure and a set-up for a third movie. There's not much else to say about it - I think it's very clear whether this is the type of movie you will enjoy or not, and it's exactly what you'd expect. 

5. Sing Sing - It's INSANE that Colman Domingo was in the same category as Timothee for an Oscar, and that Timmy had the edge towards winning!!! INSANE. Domingo is AN ACTOR - truly one of the greats, and this performance is incredible. I think his performance outshines the actual movie a bit - because it's a really interesting experiment, and an interesting story. It's based on a true story of the supporting actor, Clarence Maclin - who probably should have been Oscar nominated, as well, in the supporting category (if they didn't nominate lead performances instead). A former prisoner who rehabilitated himself through performing arts and continues to help incarcerated people - it's a really inspiring story. I do believe in rehabilitation for prisoners, but I think it's such a rare thing because the U.S. prison system is run as a business and it makes too much money to care about its inhabitants. They care about making money - and it's directly linked to people committing more crime when they are released. ANYWAY, I'm glad that there are people that are able to break free from this system of abuse by our government - and the sheer willpower, strength, and determination that it takes is mind-blowing. This film is also advocating for the simple notion of treating prisoners with humanity and dignity - and that's also a concept that not a lot of people grasp. You don't know someone's story - how they got there, the events that led them to prison, etc., and there is a very small percentage of criminals that are actually evil - most were in desperate situations, were victims of abuse themselves, or just didn't have the support needed for mental illnesses. And I'm saying this as someone who had an immediate family member in prison for most of my life who definitely belonged there. But, I think, as a whole, we've lost a lot of our ability to empathize with imperfect people. Anyway, this film is a great study in character and humanity - it brings to light the importance of the arts and finding *that thing* that makes life worth living, to keep fighting for your freedom, etc., and it's really beautiful. I do think it could have pushed this narrative a little bit more, and had a little more intensity because I did find my mind wandering to other thoughts. It's just slightly too slow, but I love what it's doing. I almost cried during the end credits - seeing all the actors that portray themselves. It definitely strikes a chord. 

Thoughts on 5 Films

1. Heretic - Another great horror film from 2024!! Honestly, I think 2024 was one of the strongest years for the horror genre in a long time. I like Sophie Thatcher a lot, and I also like what Hugh Grant has been doing lately. But Chloe East is the star in this - just such a great performance, especially for such a newcomer. And Topher Grace is WILD casting for this considering he's the only one from That 70s Show who didn't join the cult of Scientology. The film starts off strong with the initial framing of the opening credits, and then just never lets up. The suspense begins the second Hugh Grant answers the door - we know these two girls are in danger, and it's pretty clear that they can sense it as well but are trained to believe that their guidelines will save them. Sending two women to knock on a strangers door to talk about Mormonism in the year 2024 is not safe - it's not even debatable, but women are disposable compared to the bigger picture. This is not just specific to Mormons, either. All regions are a cult, some are just cult-ier than others. The film works so well because literally everything Grant says is mere common sense, anti-cult, pro-intellectual and free thought, but he's a psychopath so there is this strange dichotomy of rooting for and trusting your beliefs (i.e these girls), even when you know it's bullshit. In particular, I love his speech about diluting the original - with Monopoly and Radiohead's Creep as his examples. I also love that these girls are smart, but make stupid decisions and yet, they are believable stupid decisions. It's very interesting, very creepy, and very intense. And *spoiler*, I was not expecting the "death" - especially so early on. The "Knockin' on Heaven's Door" cover is fan-fucking-tastic, and I just looked it up and SCREAMED when because I had NO IDEA that it was Thatcher singing??!!! Adding it to my Spotify immediately! 

2. Elevation - This probably would have made it on my Worst of 2024 list if I watched it earlier. It's BAD. The only reason I had this on my to watch list is because my husband said he wanted to see it, but then when it was released on streaming, he changed his mind (he does this a lot. He's not really a movie person. Nobody is perfect). I really like Anthony Mackie, though. And I LOVE Morena Baccarin. But the other woman in this is awful, and even worse - her haircut and those eyebrows??? I looked her up, and pictures of her are mostly normal, so WHY did they do that to her? It's so distracting and it's honestly hard to look at her. And unfortunately, they somehow erase all of Mackie's charm and Baccarin's intrigue, and make them so dry. The plot of this is kind of interesting - it's kind of like A Quiet Place, but with altitude instead of sound. And I like the twist of where the "monsters" came from. But they over-explain the monsters so much it becomes grating (we get it - they can track humans by their Co2 and can't go above 8000ft, you don't need to remind the audience every 5 minutes...). The monsters aren't even cool looking! They pretty much look like giant stink bugs. The whole thing just sucks. 

3. The Order - JUDE LAW BABY!!! I love him so much, and he is fantastic in this (I could do without the mustache and the American accent, but at least he does it better than most). Nicholas Hoult is in, like, every movie now (I'm exaggerating obviously, but 4 movies in one year is A LOT - especially when three of them were all released towards the end of the year). He's also really incredible in this, as a very unlikeable person. I like Jurnee Smollett (she's going to be in a miniseries with Taron Egerton, so I can't wait for that!) and Tye Sheridan too. And I thought this movie was a really strong showcase for both of them. It's a really interesting story based on true events about a large scale domestic terrorist group in the 80s. It feels a little long, but I was fully absorbed into it the whole time. It's definitely a slow burn story - and if you told me that Jeremy Saulnier directed it, I would have believed you. There's a lot of restraint in the story, a focus on character and relationships, and it builds on a "true crime" part without feeling exploitative. White power groups are so fucking scary, and it's even scarier that they are still around and still allowed to spread hate all in the name of "free speech". I was shocked that they ended this film by mentioning January 6th in relation to the Turner Diaries - it's quite bold (and true)!! Because I'm sure in about a decade we are going to get a film just like this, but with January 6th rioters as the focus. 

4. Sonic the Hedgehog 3 - Surprisingly, I enjoyed the first one - but I hated the second one. This one is slightly better, but still nowhere as fun as the first. I just love how much Jim Carrey goes for it, and even more so with this because he does two roles. I also love James Marsden! AND Krysten Ritter?!! I had no idea she was in this and she plays a baddie! Love it! Idris Elba is great voice casting as Knuckles - I kept meaning to watch the series spinoff of Knuckles, but it escaped me and now it's so far down the list, I'll probably never get to it. Keanu Reeves pops up as the voice of Shadow, too, which was really unexpected. I think some tighter editing would have made this more enjoyable. It's far too long for this type of movie - it's geared towards kids and I just don't think kids, especially NOW, have an attention span for an almost 2 hour film. But I laughed a few times (the Prodigy song really got me! I repeat - IT'S A KIDS MOVIE! And the line "Listen, I don't know if it's Godzilla or Hello Kitty down there". LOL. I laughed loud with that one). Sometimes that's all that counts!

5. Better Man - While I loved this, I do think that it copies Rocketman in a LOT of ways, and I find that annoying. But it's still really, really good. So, first of all, when this was released in theaters in America, and bombed, a lot of people blamed it on the fact that "nobody knows who Robbie Williams is". And that's simply not true. If you were a teenager or older in the late 90s, then you know who he is. He had a huge hit here - "Millennium" that was all over MTV. The video was a play on the Bond movies. It was on TRL for months. And there was another popular song too called "Angels" (the chorus is really catchy "and down the watttterrrrfaaaaallll" I can hear it so clearly in my head). I think it has more to do with the fact that it stars a CGI monkey and the average moviegoer doesn't get it. Also, it's a pop musical that's a bit fantastical, and that doesn't always reach a mass audience (even Rocketman disappointed at the box office, but mostly because Bohemian Rhapsody did so well). I know a lot of people like to write off box office, as if it's not important anymore, and while I do think it's less important with streaming revenue increasing, but it's still important for the bigger picture - it helps greenlight other movies like this getting made. Ones that are bold, creative, honest, and different than the biopics that we are constantly spoon fed that tell us nothing about the person but focus on the actor's imitation and recreating performances. And those biopics BORE ME TO DEATH. So, just like with Rocketman, we get to know Robbie as a person, and it's not all good. Second of all, as far as the monkey gimmick - it works so well as a metaphor for being so famous you no longer feel human - he quite literally becomes an animal expected to perform on command and entertain us. I get it. And I think this is especially true of boybands during this time - Take That was pretty much the UK version of our New Kids on the Block. There's a line about how it's said that people stay the age that they become famous at, and I think that can definitely be seen with a lot of people (like Britney Spears - she's MY AGE but still acts and speaks like she's 17 years old). It's a fine line that crosses back and forth between having empathy for how these performers are treated but also going "well they are millionaires who can have whatever they want, so why should I care about them", and I think this film balances those two feelings very well. Anyway, I also found a lot of it very funny and the dialogue is very witty ("I came out of the womb with Jazz hands, which was very painful for my mom"). And the performance scenes are INCREDIBLE. The "Rock DJ" scene, in particular (again, it sort of copies Rocketman's "Saturday Night" scene, but I'll allow it!). It's so fun, imaginative, and bursting with energy. I loved it all so much that it might even break into my Top 10 of 2024 when I re-evaluate in July!