Thoughts on 5 Films

1. The Life of Chuck - Aside from M3GAN 2.0, I watched the rest of these on a plane - and I absolutely think that this has an effect on ones enjoyment or lack of enjoyment of a film. It's already such an uncomfortable experience and the screens are so tiny and slightly blurry etc. It's just not a great viewing experience. But, anyway, I did like this. Actually I liked this a lot. It feels very magical. And I think that's hard to find in films lately. Like, it's designed to make you feel something instead of checking boxes of what studios think an audience wants to see. It also felt slightly like a Black Mirror episode or The Twilight Zone. I was expecting it to be more horror based with Mike Flanigan involved (and it's based on a Stephen King story), but it's not at all. It has a whole lot of heart and warmth, mixed with this eeriness of loss and death in the background. The cast is great - a whole lot of Flanigan regulars (even in some tiny roles - like Carla Gugino in a voiceover role). I've never been a fan of Tom Hiddleston (I was turned off by how pompous he was when he won an Emmy a while back or maybe it was a Golden Globe I don't remember, but his speech was obnoxious), but I really liked him in this. It's not enough to make me a fan, but I think he was the perfect casting choice. The much-publicized image with him mid-dance, makes it seem like the film will feature a lot of dancing, but it's only one very perfectly executed dance scene. It's a spectacular scene about living within a moment, letting your intuition guide you, and how important human interaction and art is. It might even be my favorite film scene of the year! There's also another scene in which the question is asked "is everything going to be okay?" and it hit me really hard because I remember on March 14th 2020, I was at work chatting to two of our young sales associates - both in their early 20s, and Covid was the hot topic. One of the girls turned to me, as a mentor, and asked that very question - "is everything going to be okay?". I could tell how anxious they both were about the thought of a worldwide pandemic hitting, and they just needed someone to say "yes", so I did. Then about an hour later, I got the call that we were closing all stores due to the pandemic and everything spiraled from there. The girl who asked the question had her whole world flipped upside down - her mom ended up getting Cancer (unrelated to the pandemic but happened at the same time) and passed away just a few years later. She had to drop out of school and quit her job to take care of her mom and it was so devastating. All that plus the world was in a pandemic! I sometimes wish I didn't say "yes". I should have said "no, we're all fucked, just live every day as best you can" because that's the truth. Anyway, the only other comment I have is that the song "Gimme Some Lovin'" ALWAYS reminds me of Sleepers. It's weird to hear it in other films. 

2. M3GAN 2.0 - *spoilers ahead* This is dumb and not nearly as fun as the first one. Also, the girl in this is also in The Life of Chuck! I couldn't figure out why she looked so familiar. It's always weird when you watch two movies in a row featuring a random actress/actor in both. Anyway, I think this one makes a huge mistake of gearing away from the horror aspect and making it more of an action thriller. It's an odd genre switch considering how successful the first one was. And they make M3GAN a hero?! Hell no! So stupid. It's also very clear who the bad guy is - the second he corrects the pronunciation of his name, I thought "oh...bad guy". LOL. It's also TWO hours long??? WHYYYY - a 90 minute version of this movie would have been SO much better. I do like the actress that plays the other robot - her name is Ivanna Sakhno. I've seen her in a few things and she definitely has a presence about her and she's very pretty. I also laughed a total of ONCE when the Knight Rider theme starts to play. It's a great joke! I wish it had more of those genuinely funny (even cheesy) moments. Instead it takes itself way too seriously. And I was bored for a lot of it. 

3. Sorry, Baby - Um...I'm unsure how I feel about this movie. I definitely liked parts of it and was fully engaged in this story, but I also feel like it's missing something. I think it's a little unfocused? Or...something. I just can't quite pinpoint it. Also, from the trailer, I expected the kitten/cat to be featured more. It's a big part of the story - that they get a kitten to help them heal, and cats are SUPER healing. A cat's purr can fix any situation even if it's just for a few moments. There are moments in this that I just don't really understand - like why they are so mean to the one classmate who is clearly special needs and/or autistic. It's a weird flex considering the story is supposed to be an empathetic look at a person who is processing life after sexual assault. But they are also someone who lives on the outskirts of what's considered "normal" - as a non-binary person. And PTSD effects have similar sensibilities as someone with autism (difficulties socializing, hard time processing emotions etc.), so I feel like the film making this other student almost villainous is a CHOICE. Then, there's the ending with her getting picked for jury duty in which she's asked very personal questions in front of her peers that I don't think they do in real life??? I was asked those questions during a one-on-one interview (it was the judge, the two lawyers, and the defendant in the room - the rest of the jury duty candidates were in another room). I just feel like if the lawyer got the hint that they might have been the victim of a crime - they wouldn't press the issue in front of everyone? It didn't feel realistic at all. It might be nitpicky, but the rest of the film feels very genuine and real so this threw me for a loop - and it's a very pivotal scene. I also think some of the shots linger a little too long. And, nobody can convince me Naomie Ackie can act - and yet she keeps showing up in movies I want to like and ruining them! BUT, I do think this is an excellent script and a great directorial debut. It felt very personal, authentic, and a little bit quirky (but not too quirky). And Eva Victor is great - I loved them in Billions too. Such a great modern character that didn't feel pandering. Overall, I did like this - I just wish I loved it. I do hope the screenplay gets some love during awards season. 

4. The Woman in Cabin 10 - I actually read a Ruth Ware novel right before I watched this (a different one - it was called Zero Days and it was bad. I previously read In a Dark Dark Wood and I liked it, although found it unrealistic. I think her novels are very pedestrian. And that's not necessarily an insult - they are definitely made for a mass audience, but there's not much to them.). This is...average at best. It kind of reminded me of that show with Harris Dickinson - A Murder at the End of the World. It's a different murder, but it's the same vibe - a bunch of rich people doing rich people thing and then someone is murdered and the gaslighting begins. It's immediately obvious what the actual plot is. Like, it's SO OBVIOUS, I find it hard to believe that anyone would be surprised by the twist. I would call it Hitchcockian, but it's too unimaginative for that. The ending is downright stupid too - after the twist is revealed the "bad guy" goes completely and unrealistically insane. What is his plan exactly? After he's already found out he just keeps doubling down and it's just stupid. Also, does Kiera Knightley realize that she ruined her career with that laugh during the press interview for this? For reference, she was asked about being involved in a Harry Potter project given JK Rowling's anti-trans tirade and she responded by LAUGHING. It's one thing to try and stay neutral from politics, but it's another to act like it's a silly concern. Or to pretend like you're unaware of the controversy. Just an absolute horrid response. I'm not one for canceling people, but the rest of the world does not share that sentiment, so good luck to her! Anyway, I tend to not like Knightley in modern roles (she's excellent in period pieces), but she's SO GOOD in Black Doves, I had hope she would be good in this too, but she's not. She just doesn't fit this role at all - and she's mostly a very annoying character. There's a great supporting cast - Hannah Waddingham, Guy Pierce. But there's also two actresses I LOVE - Kaya Scodelario and Gugu Mbatha-Raw in the teensy-tiniest roles, which is weird because they should both be LEADING roles! Why are they even in this??? I think they each have like 5 lines. It makes no sense and it makes me irrationally angry. 

5. Bring Her Back - I actually really liked this. I really liked Talk to Me, as well - so my expectations were high and they were met. I think with both of these films, the performances really excel the whole film. I think a lot of horror and supernatural films feel a bit cheesy to me, but both of these are so grounded in reality because the acting is so strong. They are mostly unknowns (at least to me. I do recognize the one kid from the Apple tv show Invasion), except for Sally Hawkins - who is just incredible in this. You really feel her loss and trauma, even when she goes full psycho, she is still a sympathetic character. I went into this not knowing anything about it, which I also think helps. The story starts off really interesting - with these kids suffering the loss of their father and then being placed in a foster home. Although, I think the idea that he was going to be her guardian when he turned 18 is a little unrealistic? Does he even have a job or a place to live?? Did they get an inheritance? It seemed like they weren't really well-off to begin with. I think that would have made for a more interesting story - he can't financially take care of her because the system sucks. But they are put into the care of this woman who recently lost her own daughter (which doesn't seem like the best idea?) and she has a very elaborate plan to bring her daughter back. I wish they explained this whole zombie spell thing more instead of keeping it vague (it seems like it's related to Russian Red Sparrow mind control, which is very interesting). I think it gets a little bit slow around the 60 minute mark - I knew what was coming, and it takes too long to reveal what the audience already knows. But it has a really strong beginning and an even stronger ending. Overall, it's a solid horror film with explicit themes of loss and trauma that will stick in my brain for a while. 

Thoughts on 5 Films

1. Fight or Flight - I am SOOOO behind on writing my thoughts on films I've watched! I watched this a WHOLE MONTH AND A HALF AGO! I barely remember it. I liked it, though. Solid 3 star film. It's basically Bullet Train but set on an airplane. And Josh Hartnett has bleach blonde hair (*swoons*). And he's really good in this too! I also really like the girl from Bridgerton (I *hate* that show, but adore most of the cast). The twist is good too. I honestly thought the guy playing the dummy CIA-type guy was Robert De Niro's son or something - they have the exact same face (apparently it's a thing - he's even done an impression of him on Instagram!). It's even weirder because if you look up De Niro's *actual* children - they look nothing like him! Haha! Anyway, don't mind my sidetracked thoughts. I don't have much else to say about this because I have a bad memory and I barely took any notes. I think it's a fun action movie, but obviously forgettable. Oh yeah! Katie Sackoff is in this too! But she's a very one-note predictable character. 

2. Highest 2 Lowest - I hate to say this, but facts are facts - this is one of the worst films of the year for me. Only slightly higher than Love Hurts and Holland. It's legitimately terrible. The acting hurts my brain (aside from Denzel who can never do wrong, in my book), the score is so overwhelming - it's insane, and it makes no sense. Do music moguls exist in 2025?? I mean, record labels barely exist and it was just in the news that one of the original founders of Roc-A-Fella records just filed for bankruptcy. So, this feels extremely dated as this story revolves around a music executive who lives in one of nicest NYC apartments I've ever seen (that view!). I'm supposed to believe that 17 million is a lot of money for someone who lives in that apartment??? That has to cost at least 20 million (the internet says anywhere from 15 to 20 million). I hate stories about rich people having financial struggles. Um...sell your stuff. Luxury furniture, designer clothes, diamond jewelry - you can scrounge up 17 million easily). The actual story is kind of interesting - he thinks his son is abducted for a ransom, but they abducted his son's best friend by accident and still demand the ransom. Denzel's got a choice to make! I think this would have worked better if the kid abducted was a stranger. But the fact that it was still someone close to the family seems like a no-brainer decision (as much as I would like to say any child abducted would be a no-brainer decision, that's just not how it works. People would just start abducting random children and demanding ransom from Richard Branson). Like I said, it's interesting to think about. But the movie is God-awful. There are so many scenes that needed to be cut (do we need to see his wife and son handing the stacks of money and placed in the bag?? NO. Cut it!). I've never seen the original, but this makes me never want to. Also, I wrote down in my notes "God, Yankee fans suck" and I'm not sure why I wrote that but it's true! I do love the sneaky cameo by Rosie Perez! I screamed! 

3. Warfare - Another bad one for me. Thank God it's only 95 minutes. But it's not really a film at all. There's no narrative - just a bunch of military guys shooting things. It's very boring. I usually like Alex Garland stuff (I'll even stick up for Men!), but he lost me with this. It's very pro-military propaganda, which is a CHOICE for someone whose last film was Civil War. There's debate about its propagandaness (not a word, I know), because it doesn't necessarily romanticize the military; instead showing a more "lived experience", but any film that shows the military as being "heroic" is propaganda, in my opinion. I'm not anti-military either, but I'm anti-war so I obviously have conflicting feelings (and yes, I know most people are technically "anti-war" but war is necessary sometimes. And yes, I agree with that too, but most wars and use of military engagement could have been avoided).  Anyway, this film is FULL to the brim of Hollywood It-boys - Charles Melton, Kit Conner, Will Poulter, Joseph Quinn, etc., but it doesn't really matter because they all are in full military gear and you can't even tell who is who for most of the film. I feel like Kit all but disappears after the first scene? But maybe I'm wrong. I just couldn't get into this at all, and it completely lost my attention about 1/2 way through. 

4. Superman (2025) - This is...fine. 3 stars. I had fun watching it. But...it's certainly not great, like a lot of reviews suggest. First, and foremost, it looks AWFUL. I had my reservations after the trailers were released because it looked awful, but I thought it *must* look better as a whole because how does it look that bad with that much money and talent involved??? But NOPE. The flying scenes are genuinely hard to watch. How does the original Superman movie from 1978 look better than this? How is that possible? Why are we letting Hollywood get away with this? Like, even the dog looks bad. The film is fully saved by the cast. I was never the biggest fan of Henry Cavill as Superman (he's too boring and stoic for the role), so it's weird that when I wrote my thoughts on the tv series Hollywood, I called David Corenswet a "younger Henry Cavill, but with screen presence and a personality" - HAHAHA! wow. How did I not instantly call for this Superman casting?? When it was announced, I was like, "oh...that's actually really good casting!". And I adore Rachel Brosnahan, although I find her slightly annoying as Lois Lane. Hoult is a great Lex Luthor. As for Isabela Merced and Milli Alcock (both actresses I like), they are barely in the movie! Merced more than Alcock, but still both very underused (obviously setting up for future films). The worst part is probably Nathan Fillion as The Green Lantern - why does he look like Stuart from Mad Tv?? Did they explain it? I don't understand? And he's not funny at all (I think he's supposed to be?). I was also confused as to the whole "nobody can resist Jimmy Olsen" bit? And it seems everyone is confused by it? Is it an inside joke? Is it related to the comics or something? I can't seem to find any clear answer - just that everyone seems confused by it but it will probably be explained in another movie which is DUMB. I would love to say that Krypto is the saving grace, but again the CGI dog looks so terrible I couldn't even focus on his scenes. I don't really have much else to say. 

5. Swiped - UGH I LOVE LILY JAMES SO MUCH!! I would watch her in anything (okay, maybe not that Pam & Tommy trash - that was too offensive for me). I wasn't actually expecting to like this, but I did! I didn't know anything about Whitney Wolfe (the creator of Bumble and Tinder), but she's actually a very interesting & inspiring person. And she's the youngest self-made billionaire! I've never used either of those dating apps, but I did use Match and that's how I met my husband. I'm glad I never had to go to other apps, though, because they all look terrible. I had a fairly good experience with Match, but also I think I have a good judgement of character and can easily avoid "red flag" men. This story focuses on the experiences of women on these apps (mostly harassment), but I think it's a mistake that they avoid the problems that men have using these apps (my husband told me horror stories of experiences he had before meeting me - a lot of bots & liars - using fake or old pictures, and lying about everything from age to not wanting children). But anyway, it's a shame that we can't get Whitney's experience straight from her since she signed an NDA along with her settlement, but I'm glad she got a large settlement that she deserves. It SUCKS that the creators of Tinder boxed her out and set up as a "boys club" that created this, when it was really her who put in the hard work - like literally from the ground up. She went to colleges to promote this app that nobody ever heard of and made it A THING. A thing that every young person wanted in on. She's a genius! And it's amazing that she got the ultimate revenge by creating an app that fixed a lot of Tinder problems (for women) and made it a success. It sucks that she partnered with another problematic man, but it's hard to find non-problematic men nowadays (especially non-problematic men with money. Do those even exist? Keanu Reeves might be the only one). I didn't even recognize Dan Stevens as this problematic man. Literally, I was looking up cast members after I watched it and was like "wait, Dan Stevens wasn't in this? why is he listed in the cast?". LOL. The guy who plays Justin is Katey Sagal's son (my new favorite game to play is "spot the nepobaby" when watching movies/tv). I love both Myha'la and the woman from From All Mankind, but I wish they had bigger roles (i.e more character development). Overall, though, I was very invested in this story and I think it's important to know the backstories behind all these popular companies. On a side-note, it really pisses me off that I bust my ass working in retail and there are people getting paid to play ping-pong in the office. 

Movie Marathon: Transformers

1. Transformers - I don't think I've seen this in over 15 years, but I watched it A LOT in 2008/2009ish. I was a bit obsessed with Shia LaBeouf (UGH to him now). He was so charming in this (and many things that came after) and I loved his chemistry with Megan Fox - and she was SO HOT in this (I'm not a fan of all the plastic surgery now, but to each their own *shrugs shoulders*). I still think Shia is one of the best actors of his generation, so it sucks that he's a gigantic asshole. Aside from loving Shia & Megan, I also think this is just a really good action blockbuster movie! I don't know why it was so hated by film nerds. I tend to like Michael Bay movies, though. I think he knows how to make a spectacle and keep an audience entertained. I remember watching this in a movie theater and being blown away by some of the action sequences. Especially the reveal of each of the Transformers. They looked dope!! It's really fun, moves quickly, has funny dialogue, and has heartwarming moments. What else do people want?? The whole scene with Bernie Mac as a used car salesman?? A classic! I like the little details too - like the "bee-otch" air freshener that hangs on the mirror in Bumblebee. Also, I totally forgot that Rachael Taylor is in this! She's super hot too! I think on a rewatch, the only fault I find is that it's a bit too long and a few scenes feel bloated, but I didn't notice that on a first watch - it flew by. 

2. Transformers: Revenge of the Fallen - I can't remember which one got completely destroyed by reviews - was it this one or the third one? I remember liking all of them on first watch but this is the first time I'm rewatching any of the sequels. I originally rated this 3 stars. And even after a rewatch, I still rate it 3 stars. There are flaws, sure, but it's still a well-made, entertaining blockbuster movie! Plus, it has the same cast and there are some really excellent action sequences. It's definitely too long, but other than that...it's a good movie (just in case you're new here, 3 stars means "good" to me). Other thoughts I had during this rewatch - John Turturro is definitely the highlight of this. I've forgotten how important he is to these movies and how big of a role he had (and I was not expecting the thong scene! Oh my!). I think they could have done a better casting job over the role of Alice because that's not a girl you would even look at if you're dating Megan Fox (sorry, it's mean. But true!). And I realized half-way through that Leo is played by the guy who is now known as Will Trent! I don't watch the show (I believe it's called Will Trent, but I could be wrong), but all of the senior ladies at my work absolutely swoon over Will Trent. Haha! And I noticed a sneaky Michael Bay reference of the Bad Boys II poster on the wall! Love it! 

3. Transformers: Dark of the Moon - Okay, maybe this is supposed to be the really bad one? Again, originally I rated this 3 stars and I remember enjoying it. But on a rewatch, it is kind of on-the-fence bad. So I downgraded it to 2.5. I can't help but think how much better these movies would be if they were all about 40 minutes shorter. But this one feels SO long. It only starts to get interesting once the destruction of Chicago starts, but it takes so long to get there! And the biggest reason I downgraded it is because not only is Megan Fox (aka Michaela) not in this one, but they barely even mention her. It's RUDE. I know she had beef with Michael Bay, but it sucks because I would have loved a true trilogy with the main cast. Rosie Huntington-Whiteley is very pretty, but a terrible actress (I didn't realize that she's been dating The Stath for like 15 years??). They don't do a good job of introducing her character either, therefore it's very easy to not give a shit about what happens to her. I was shocked to see both John Malkovich and Francis McDormand in this!? How does this franchise continue to get such respected actors? So fascinating. I do like the concept behind this, though - how they rewrite the history of the moon landing to show how far back the Transformers have been "known" to exist. It's a cool idea. And they even got Buzz! I just think it's mostly a slog to sit through and it doesn't have the charm or wit of the first two. 

4. Transformers: Age of Extinction - Shocked that this one is EVEN LONGER than the previous films (2 hours and 45 minutes?! WHY?!). I do remember liking this one too - I think the only thing that bothered me was Jack Reynor's terrible acting, plus them referring to him as "Lucky Charms" is terribly offensive. But now I'm also bothered by the appearance of T.J. Miller (he has many allegations against him, but he also called in a fake bomb threat - not an allegation or alleged action. He actually did it. Look it up!). And now is the time I can address Marky Mark too - because I've always stood up for him. Up until recently, I thought he was a good example of someone who can do something awful, but turn his life around. I thought he "found God" or whatever and vowed to be a good person - he's done amazing things for the youth in Boston and has given the appearance of being a loyal family man. BUT THEN, I recently saw a video of him telling Bad Bunny to "go back to Puerto Rico" in regards to him jokingly telling people they have 4 months to learns Spanish (for his Super Bowl performance). So, Marky Mark is still a fucking racist piece of shit??? I'm not surprised, but I am disappointed. I want so hard to believe people can change, but they constantly prove me wrong. ANYWAY, I still like this movie. I think it's way better than Dark of the Moon. The story is actually interesting, plus it has dinobots! And Stanley Tucci! And Marky Mark's character is named "Cade Yaeger"! LOL. Also, I like Nicola Peltz, but if I were a billionaire heiress, I would not sign up for an action movie. Way too much work (sit back and relax, girl). It's also funny! I mean, some of the jokes don't land at all (like the aforementioned "Lucky Charms" jabs), but when they say the word "transformium" my husband laughed so hard he almost hurt himself (he just happened to be in the room during this scene, he would never voluntarily watch this - he's a Michael Bay Transformers hater, though). 

5. Transformers: The Last Knight - This is definitely the worst one. It's weird that I can't find my original review for it (not on my blog anywhere...maybe I didn't watch it right away? I tend to only review movies from the previous year or two so I don't overwhelm myself). But I know I originally did not like it, so I was not looking forward to this rewatch at all. I barely paid attention and it's a very ugly movie. I don't remember that Isabel Merced (she's Isabel Moner now) is in this?! I love her. I thought the first thing I saw her in was Instant Family (also starring Marky Mark), which I thought she was spectacular for a newcomer, but I guess I saw her in this first? Maybe. Anyway, she's so cute in this ("I don't gotta home" AWWWW). It's weird that they don't really explain where his *actual* daughter is for a while (apparently she's in college living a normal life. Sure.). It's weird that Tucci is in this too, but as a completely different character (he's Merlin. Like the actual Merlin. It's stupid). And they got Anthony Hopkins?! LOL. The only other comment I have is that there is a "Pop quiz, hotshot" moment so Speed exists in this universe. 

6. Bumblebee - Okay. So, I really didn't like this movie when I first watched it. I was shocked by the good reviews. I rated it 2.5 stars. My reasons for that are on this blog. However, I must have been in a bitch of a mood, because on this rewatch I really liked it! I'm shocked! I think maybe I was distracted or something because I don't even remember it being set in the 80s - and it very clearly is (the Mr. T cereal should have been my first clue). I also don't remember that John Cena is in this! Hailee is great - I remember being so annoyed by her character on my original watch, but she's so cute! What the fuck was wrong with me? Anyway, I like that this is a prequel. I like that it's shorter than the rest of the movies. I like that it's funny (the scene where she installs the radio in Bumblebee so he can talk through music "okay, not a Smith's fan" haha! So good!). It honestly felt like I was watching this for the first time, and I really enjoyed it. I guess this is a perfect example of how your mood can effect how you feel about a film (which is why I would never want to be a professional critic - although I don't think there are many professional critics even exist anymore. They all review as if they bloggers now. Not a bad thing, but I would like for both to exist). I pushed this up a whole star to 3.5 - and it's my second favorite entry of the whole series! I was not expecting that!

7. Transformers: Rise of the Beasts - It's weird that I originally hated Bumblebee but I enjoyed this one. I remember being confused by the timeline (because I obvi wasn't paying attention to Bumblebee), so this is set in the 90s. It makes sense now! I love both Anthony Ramos and Dominique Fishback. Two STARS. I also love that Ramos is a Mets fan in this (he's a Jets fan in real life, so probably a Mets fan too. A curse, really). I didn't remember that Pete Davidson is the voice of Mirage. And, honestly, he's really funny. Like, kind of annoying, but also funny in some parts ("stranger danger!!"). I also LOVE the soundtrack. Mid-90s hip-hop is MY JAM (Digable Planets, A Tribe Called Quest, etc.). But to nitpick - TLC's "Waterfalls" was not out in 1994, so Fishback singing it to herself is a CHOICE. Did her character write the song??? ANYWAY, I still enjoyed this one on a rewatch. It's a shame it didn't review well because I would love to see more from these characters. I think it's a bit of fatigue of the franchise in general that hurt it. I also think a lot of Michael Bay fans (yes, he does have fans), review-bombed this because they want Bay back to directing these movies. Loser behavior. I do think there are more films in development, but they will probably have a new cast (I heard a rumor that Shia was coming back, too, which would be a huge mistake. Stop hiring abusers, Hollywood!). 

Ranking: 

Transformers 

Bumblebee

Revenge of the Fallen 

Rise of the Beasts 

Age of Extinction 

Dark of the Moon 

The Last Knight