Thoughts on 5 Films

1. Mufasa: The Lion King - This post is going to be short and sweet, because I'm very behind on my posts (some of these movies I watched over a month ago!). So this is a prequel to the live action version of The Lion King, a film that nobody wanted and very few people actually liked??? I'm not sure why this was even made, or how they got an esteemed director like Barry Jenkins to direct it, but I have to admit - I like it better than its predecessor. Only because it's a different story, so I didn't feel like I was watching the same thing, but a worse version of it (does that make sense??). However, it's not exactly good. There are things I like about it, for sure. First, what an incredible cast! Aaron Pierre as Mufasa??? Kelvin Harrison Jr. as Scar???!! AND an INCREDIBLE group of black actresses - Thandiwe Newton, Tiffany Boone, Anika Noni Rose, Thuso Mbedo! Just fantastic. And, in theory, it's interesting to see how Scar became a villain. But, the reality is that he becomes a villain over a girl, and that's just plain stupid. Also, if I were a child, I would cry hysterical at the beginning scene of Mufasa getting separated from his family and almost drowning because I almost cried at 43. The songs are dreadful - and I laughed so hard when I realized that this is where all of the "My brothaaaa" memes came from. What a horrific song! But, it's made well, and has some good life lessons. I could do without the GoPro shots though. 

2. One of Them Days - This isn't the greatest movie, but I was highly entertained by the comedic chemistry between Keke Palmer and SZA. It reminded me of old school 90s movies like Friday and Go, combined with the more modern raunchy female friendship comedies like Bridesmaids and Joy Ride. I honestly could not tell you who SZA is or why she is famous (rapper, maybe?), but I hope she continues to do comedies like this because she's really funny. And I've been a fan of Keke for a while (Scream Queens is probably the earliest thing I know her from). I like the dynamic that they set up between them because they are both complete messes, but in entirely different ways. They make very believable friends. I also could not stop humming "just one of dem days, that a girl goes through....don't take it personal". Remember that song??? I think it was Monica? Man, I used to love that song. So catchy. Anyway, this movie is really funny. The "tumbleweave" line KILLED ME! And Maude Apatow showing up as the white girl moving into their all black complex. Perfect casting. No notes. It's also a perfect 97 minutes so none of it overstays its welcome. I would TOTALLY watch a sequel. 

3. Companion - *slight spoilers* Horror is on a huge upswing and this is another great entry. My expectations were fairly high because it got a lot of solid reviews and I like both Sophie Thatcher (a lot) and Jack Quaid (a lot). I like the twist with this because it feels modern. Robots suddenly gaining feelings and/or free will is not a new concept in sci-fi, but this has an actual plausible explanation for it and that explanation is human interference. And it also gives a solid reason as to why this technology shouldn't exist (I mean, I think we should have learned our lesson with the Terminator movies, but I guess not). I saw one of those robotic dogs from Boston Dynamics in person last year and I thought it was fucking terrifying. A lot of people were really into it and getting close to it, but as soon as I saw it I literally started backing up. The person in charge of it turned it off to let me pass because he could tell I was not fucking around. But I digress. This whole robot companion concept is fucked and the fact that people are still trying to make it a legitimate future of our relationships is really scary to me. And I think it's creating an even more misogynistic thought in a lot of men. This is sort of shown here - the way he chooses how smart his companion will be (definitely not smarter than him), etc. I think the film balances the tension and thrills with the dark comedy very well, and it moves really quickly. The weak link is Rupert Friend's exaggerated Russian accent, but he's not in it enough to ruin anything. It ends on a high note with the Bee Gees song "Emotion". Overall, I had a lot of fun with this, and was entertained. 

4. Wolf Man - I was interested in this because The Invisible Man remake was much better than I was expecting (this is the same director, Leigh Whannell). There is even a scene in that movie that I will likely never forget and I think that's rare for films nowadays. And even though I can't stand Julia Garner, I *also* can't stand Elisabeth Moss, and she was great in The Invisible Man, so I had hope! It's weird that Whannell would work with two of my least favorite highly praised actresses, though (his next movie will probably star Zendaya with that trend). Unfortunately, this did nothing for me. It's not bad, just a bit dull. I like some things about it - the disorienting camera effect is done really well, but there is definitely nothing memorable about any of it. I also like that it deals with generational trauma in the same way that The Invisible Man deals with domestic abuse. But I do think it's all a bit obvious - like, obvi his dad is the wolf and he's also becoming a wolf. And if I saw my husband eat his own arm, I would have been out of there so fucking fast. I just kept thinking "run as fast as you can! JUST RUN!", because obviously STAYING isn't safe. I think Christopher Abbott is fantastic, and Garner is...fine, I guess (that hair, though, so unflattering). And on a side-note, my basement looks exactly like his dad's because my husband is a ham radio enthusiast - he builds his own radios and antennas etc., and is licensed and all that. Our entire basement is radios, machinery (even a lathe!), and every tool imaginable. Oh and space food in case of the apocalypse. LOL. Anyway, I love the poster design though! With her peaking through her fingers that form a W. Someone had their thinking cap on! 

5. Babygirl - I wanted to love this, but it fell a little short of my expectations. I kind of knew that was going to happen because I think Harris Dickinson is the dullest of the dull white boys of the month. His sudden popularity is INSANE to me. He has ZERO screen presence. But I was hopeful because I was really surprised by Bodies, Bodies, Bodies (same director - Halina Reijn), and I appreciate a good ole' erotic thriller. Plus, I love that Nicole Kidman does not shy away from sex and/or kinky shit in movies - Eyes Wide Shut, The Paperboy, To Die For, etc., she always steps up. But I found this mostly bland and sad, instead of sexy. I don't know, sexually repressed women just makes me sad. It doesn't help that none of it feels grounded in reality - I mean, I'm supposed to believe that THAT boy is better in bed than ANTONIO BANDERES??? COME ON. And Nicole Kidman is 57 (a very hot 57), but they would not let a woman that age in a club like that. I don't even think they would let me in and I'm 43. And I think it just needed more substance than this. There's some great needle drops, that ultimately made me like the movie, but I also feel like it's manipulative. Like, the montage scene of them having sex mixed in with scenes of her living her "normal" life, with INXS's "Never Tear Us Apart" playing is INCREDIBLE, but only because the song is so good. And my God, I WISH I was attracted to Harris because him dancing to George Michaels "Father Figure" would have hit so good. And his accent is horrendous. It's like he's doing an American accent by impersonating Sylvester Stallone. Anyway, I'm still interested in what Reijn will do next because there are some genuine moments of really good filmmaking here, but as a whole, this movie is really average.