Thoughts on 5 Films

1. The Gorge - Sorry, but I hated this. I hope it's the worst movie I see all year. I should have expected it because a lot of Apple + movies are terrible, or even just plain mediocre (yes, even the Oscar winning one). But I was intrigued by the Miles Teller/Anya Taylor-Joy combination, and sometimes Scott Derrickson has some wins (The Black Phone is great!). I was already annoyed that they kill off Sope Dirisu so quickly (sorry for the spoiler, but it really doesn't matter, I promise). But I was charmed by the beginnings of this romance - they are super cute, learning about each other from a distance. But then Anya speaks and I felt like someone was stabbing me in the brain. That accent is ROUGH. And why is she wearing shorts in the snow??? Girl, put some clothes on! Are you stupid? And more importantly, is this movie stupid or what? It's just so fucking dumb. And really, really ugly. The skeleton shaped trees? Is that supposed to be scary or something? I was so bored that I stopped paying attention and I genuinely could not tell you how they get out of the gorge (I stopped paying attention once they are both down there). My husband (who refused to watch this with me) asked me the next day how it ended and I said "oh they find each other at a restaurant on some island or some shit and live happily ever after" and he said "no, I mean what happens to the gorge?" "oh, I have no fucking clue". 

2. Bridget Jones: Mad About the Boy - This was way better than I was expecting, and far better than the previous one. I do remember being really upset that they tell Bridget that she's having a "geriatric pregnancy" because I did not know that's what they call it when a woman over 35 is pregnant, I thought it was just a cruel joke. Maybe they should call it something else, though? Because that sounds so mean. Anyway, I did not expect Hugh Grant to show up in this one because I thought HE DIED in the last one??? I had to google it and apparently it's revealed that he survived the plane crash? But I don't remember that. I think it's sad that they kill off Mark Darcy, but it does allow Bridget's story to continue in an interesting way. And I like that it's not set immediately after his death - I think four years of grieving is enough time, and Mark would want her to move on. The little fling that she has with Leo Woodall's character is done really well because a 27 year gap is a big deal, for a relationship, but not for a fling. I think it would be unfair of her to try to continue this relationship knowing full well that this kid (yes, 27 is still a kid) doesn't know who he his or what he wants out of life yet. But she had a fun fling, and there's nothing wrong with that. I didn't realize that the girl from The Last of Us is Thandiwe Newton's daughter???!! But she's gorgeous, and she has great screen presence (like her mom). And Chiwetel Ejiofor is always a welcome presence. I love that her three friends from the original make an appearance too. Overall, I think they did a really good job with the story - it's funny, sweet, and the end with the son singing almost made me cry (ALMOST!). I look forward to the next Bridget Jones when she's in her 70s becoming a grandmother, maybe, or watching her children enter the dating game, perhaps?

3. Back in Action - Really dumb, generic, and pointless action movie. That's not necessarily a bad thing, but in this case it is. I love Cameron Diaz and I'm so happy that she's back!!! I hope she sticks around - she's one of those actresses that just shines on screen, and always seems to be having fun. I find that energy really infectious, and I welcome it. I'm also happy that Jamie Foxx is still alive!!! I was so worried about him. They have great chemistry together - and make a very believable couple, but that's not enough to make the film interesting. And the beginning is terrible - and I was really confused because Diaz announces that she's pregnant and I screamed "she's 52!", only to remember that it's supposed to be 15 years earlier, which also explains why they both look so weird in the beginning. Is it de-aging tech or just bad makeup? I'm not sure, but it's awful. Plus, there is NO WAY they would survive that plane crash. But, whatever. Then we cut to this spy couple living a normal life in the suburbs (somehow?? Even though they both "died" - how did they buy a house? get a driver's license? etc.?), and we get scenes with these Gen Xers dancing to a hip-hop song in the car while their children die of embarrassment in the backseat because we haven't seen that a million times. There's a great supporting cast - Andrew Scott (why would he do this? Was it quid pro quo for getting the Ripley gig?), Kyle Chandler - who usually picks far better films to appear in (he's in so many Oscar nominated movies! Look it up!), and Glenn Close!! Which is actually really great casting for Diaz's mom. But, it's all just so stupid and unoriginal. On a sidenote, I looked up what the last acting role Diaz had done because I knew it's been a while, but was surprised that it was 2011's Annie remake (also starring Jamie Foxx). I realized I hadn't seen it, so I popped it on this morning, and wow - Diaz is spectacularly bad as Miss Hannigan. Is this why she quit? Did the reviews eviscerate her??? And they have her SING?? I don't blame her though, it's just bad casting (I actually think Rose Byrne & her should have switched roles). 

4. Flow - I really liked this, but it's not better than The Wild Robot. Far from it, actually - and I can't believe it won the Oscar over it. I will say, that my cats LOVED it. Lily, especially. She watched almost the whole thing and kept sitting in front of the screen - blocking a lot of my view. I think it was all of the nature noises, in particular, that really peaked her interest. I'm glad that I already knew beforehand that it has no dialogue, so I prepared myself. The animation is great, but some of it looks a little flat to me. It definitely has the look of a videogame, which isn't a bad thing - there's still a lot of talent involved, but it's not as gorgeous as The Wild Robot. And I found the story to be so heavy-handed. Like, of course, an audience is going to get emotional watching this cat just try to survive - it all feels manipulative though. While The Wild Robot has the same story AND SO MUCH MORE. More depth, more character development, more backstory...just MORE. There are a few emotional beats that got me, like the bird getting abandoned by the other birds after protecting the cat. Animals in peril will always bring a lump in my throat - so I basically just wanted to cry through the whole thing. And it doesn't let up; there are no moments that uplift or inspire - it's just totally depressing. But cute, I guess. 

5. Nosferatu (2024) - Nope, not a fan. This isn't surprising considering that I haven't liked any of Robert Eggers' films. They are well made movies, but way overpraised - especially by film bros. My ranking would be: The Northman > Nosferatu > The VVitch >>>>>>>>>>The Lighthouse. But I rate The Northman three stars and it gets worse from there. I love the original Nosferatu, but I haven't seen it since I was in college (and I probably watched it a dozen times for different film classes. I feel like it was part of every film class curriculum). I'm also not the biggest fan of Lily-Rose Depp. I've seen her in multiple things from The Idol to Voyagers and she has a dead behind the eyes look - just no emotion in her eyes at all. I think she gives a FANTASTIC physical performance here - she contorts herself to extremes, but it's the dialogue she has a problem with. And she still has the dead eyes, but it kind of works here to be fair. I also hate Emma Corrin - just a terrible actor, and they seem really out of place in this. And Aaron Taylor-Johnson?? Are they trying to kill me? Anyway, I DO like Nicholas Hoult, Willem Dafoe, and Bill Skarsgard though. But the movie is just. so. boring. It's very hard to pay attention to. The colors are very muted for effect, but it doesn't work for me. I don't really have anything else to say - the costumes and makeup are great, but that's all I got. 

3 Thoughts on The Oscars

1. The Show - I loved it! I loved last year's Oscars too, so this is a nice run! I hate Jimmy Kimmel (although I think he did a great job last year), so I was SO relieved that they let someone else do it this year - and I think Conan did a fantastic job. He told good jokes - nothing too political (aside from one joke), nothing too mean, but still solid jokes. My favorite joke actually happened right in the beginning with his "four-time Oscar viewer" introduction. However, there were some weird choices made for the rest of the show. While Ariana & Cynthia sounded fantastic - why the Wizard of Oz montage? I don't get it. Just so they could get a Wicked moment on stage? (one a side note, my cat Mazie is weirdly TERRIFIED of Cynthia - I think it might be the nails, but as Cynthia was singing she got all spooked and her fur poofed out and and then she ran away when she really started belting those notes. It was actually hilarious and I wish I recorded it). And then why was there basically an In Memoriam for James Bond featuring Margaret Qualley...for some reason??? It was so weird and I'm not cool enough to know who those singers are. I've at least heard of Doja Cat, but I've never heard her sing before and I hope I never have to hear her again because that sounded terrible. And then a tribute to Quincy Jones??? I loved him! But that would make more sense for the Grammys. And another song from The Wiz?? WHAT? WHY? I think they should have done a longer tribute to David Lynch if anything. I don't know why they just didn't have the nominees for Original Song perform?? Plus, I don't know why they keep trying to reinvent how the nominees are announced. Just have two presenters come out, do a bit, then show clips of the nominees. Done and done. This whole let's have the presenter talk about each nominee is so stupid. And even stupider is the 5 presenters for each nominee bit. This made the show even longer than it needed to be. But I did like Nick Offerman as the announcer (his mispronunciation of Amy Poehler made me laugh), and I enjoyed some of the surprise presenters (Daryll Hannah?! She looked fantastic! Mick Jagger?! I loved his quip from Bob Dylan to "find somebody younger"). Overall, I thought it was a fun show. 

2. The Winners - I know Anora became the front-runner after the DGA, PGA & WGA wins, but I was NOT expecting Sean Baker to walk away with four awards, nor was I expecting Mikey Madison to upset the Demi Moore sweep. While The Substance is my favorite movie of 2024, I really loved Anora too, so I have no complaints. Plus, it's an independent film & Sean Baker has made two other EXCELLENT films. I didn't realize that he edited this movie, too (and I loved his "I saved this film in the editing" line). Mikey is incredible in Anora, and she's proven her talent previously with Better Things. She's young, sure. And she's relatively new to the film world, but I appreciate that the Oscars, for once, seemed like they voted for the work in front of them instead of giving an award for a career (like with Jamie Lee Curtis a few years ago, and others). I knew I was going to hate whoever won for Best Actor because I hate three of those actors - Ralph sort of had a chance, and Colman was unfortunately a long-shot, but those other three....UGH. I knew it was going to Brody or Chalamet (Chamalet? I will never know which one is correct), and I have not seen either of their movies so I can't really comment, but I could tell you already that Brody was going to give the most grating speech of the night. I do think he's actually a terrific actor, but he's so fucking full of himself and he flat-out gives me the creeps (and I think those creepy feelings are warranted - if you're interested look up his obsession with his ex, Elsa Pataki. It's gross and CREEPY. Plus, dating Georgina Chapman doesn't help - that woman was married to a FUCKING MONSTER for like 15 years and she didn't know that he was abusing and harassing women in the industry? I don't believe that at all. She's totally complicit, I think). ANYWAY, I'm on a rant. Sorry! I'm annoyed with the Supporting winners because those are Lead performances, but WHATEVER. But I did love that they SPREAD THE LOVE! I think all of the Best Picture nominees won at least one award except A Complete Unknown and, unfortunately, Nickel Boys, right? That's pretty cool. It's so boring when one film sweeps everything. I do not think Flow is better than The Wild Robot, but it's cute and about a cat so I won't complain. 

3. The Fashion - I never in a million years thought that my favorite Oscar look would be Ariana Grande. It's the perfect dress for the movie she's nominated for, plus it's glamourous but interesting and modern. And I never in a million years thought that my second favorite Oscar look would be Selena Gomez. She usually dresses too old for her young age, but this was so stunning. The dress fit her so perfectly and it was old school Hollywood glamour. A few others that I liked - Meg Ryan looked great in that red velvet dress, Colman Domingo is always on point, and Isabella Rossellini gets a mention too for wearing blue velvet to honor David Lynch! Perfection! Everyone else kind of sucked. Either too boring - like Elle Fanning (she looked fine! I just wanted her in something younger and cooler), or really ill-fitting. Actually that was probably my biggest problem with a lot of dresses. Rachel Zegler's dress was way too tight on the top. Mikey's dress doesn't flatter her at all (although I love the nod to Audrey Hepburn). I love Timmy's yellow suit, but again, the fit was terrible. As far as worst dressed - Zoe's dress looked like a lampshade. But nobody really wore anything too terrible, which is a good thing, but also I like when people take chances with fashion! Break the rules! Wear short shorts like Kristen Stewart! 

Film Retrospective Part I: Thoughts on 10 Films (pre-1990)

1. Overboard - [rewatch] I'm so happy that my retrospective has made it into the 1980s because I can't wait to watch some of these classic 80s movies that I loved so much as a kid. This was my immediate first watch - it's one of my favorite movies ever and not because it's good, but because it's fun. Goldie Hawn and Kurt Russell have the BEST chemistry. Yes, the plot is "icky", but it has a whole lot of heart so I can get past it. Also, it's kind of a loose remake of Shakespeare's Taming of the Shrew. So obviously, he's in the wrong for basically kidnapping this woman and gaslighting her, but she did screw him out of $600, which is a lot of money for a single dad with 4 kids. The beginning is so over-the-top with her luxurious lifestyle, so it's such a strong contrast to how he lives - and his lifestyle feels real to me (as a kid who grew up partly in a trailer park, and partly in a rundown house in the middle of the desert). And once she wins the kids over and they start to bond, it just tugs at my heart strings so much - I literally get choked up EVERY TIME when the kid screams "you said moms don't leave!". The ending is so good too - especially when she reveals that it's all her money LOL. I just love it so much, and as a kid I thought Goldie Hawn was just the coolest (she's still pretty cool!). 

2. Black Christmas (1974) - [rewatch, apparently???] Ummmm....so I guess I watched this movie...recently?? I thought it was a blind spot, but then I went to log it in Letterboxd and I already had it logged as "watched" in March 2023??? That's so weird - I couldn't have watched it for my retrospective, because in 2023 I was watching films from before 1970. So I guess I watched it just to watch it, but I have absolutely no recollection of it. Maybe I logged it by accident thinking it was a different movie? Anyway, none of this seemed familiar. But, maybe because it's....super boring? Like, nothing really happens for most of it. Some scary phone calls? The calls are definitely creepy, I guess, but it gets old very quickly. I do appreciate the films that were obviously inspired by this (any modern day slasher, but especially Scream). Also, this is where "the calls are coming from inside the house" comes from, and that's pretty iconic! It's also got a great cast - Margot Kidder, Olivia Hussey (whose death was announced while I was watching this! How creepy!), Andrea Martin, John Saxon. 

3. Christine (1983) - [blind spot] This has been on my list for a while, so I'm glad I'm finally watching it. It's John Carpenter and it's about a killer car based on a Stephen King story! Excellent. I'm actually surprised that there hasn't been a remake of this (yet). I had a lot of fun with it - it's basically a haunted car story as opposed to a haunted house, but cars are scarier because they can go fast! The acting is a little over-the-top. And the guy that plays Buddy looks like a wannabe John Travolta (which is weird because Travolta's late wife Kelly Preston is in this - she was someone else I loved as a kid - she was so beautiful - and I love the name "Kelly Preston" - so classy!). The whole bully thing is also way overdone - they are flat-out psychotic and would definitely be arrested for destroying a car like that. Also, I grew up in the 80s and we did not use abbreviations like that??? TTFM??? I was shocked by that? Maybe it's regional? Abbreviations didn't start until the late 90s from what I remember. Anyway, great movie! Loved it!

4. After Hours - [blind spot] Absolutely LOVED it. I can't believe I've never seen this before - it's so good. It's up there among my favorite Scorsese films (I don't have them ranked or anything because that would be daunting - but I guarantee my list would look a lot different that everyone else's. First of all, my number one would be The Departed). And, Scorsese gets a lot of shit for not making films with women - but this has incredible women in it: Teri Garr, Catherine O'Hara, Linda Fiorentino, Rosanna Arquette!!! The movie reminds me of Go, which is a movie that I LOVE - the way all this happens during one night (obviously the creators of Go were inspired by this, but I didn't know that as a teenager watching Go). Griffen Dunne is so good in this too - the audience just feels his exhaustion and frustration. It's also very funny - "is there a place open this late?", matter-of-factly "sure...it's not even 2 yet". And the sign "Dead Person" with an arrow made me laugh out loud. It definitely spirals into a little too much chaos at the end, but overall, I enjoyed this so much. 

5. Out of Africa - [blind spot] I could already tell that I was going to need to watch this in two parts, because it's an epic historical drama with a runtime of 2 hours and 40 minutes. I think breaking it up helped my enjoyment slightly, but overall, I found this very dull and boring. I do think if I had watched it in the 80s, as an adult, I might have liked it, but now it's so outdated and the white savior ending is cringe. Also, Meryl's accent???? How did she get nominated for an Oscar with that accent??? WOW. Also, I knew this was a big Oscar contender, but I didn't realize it WON the Oscar for Best Picture! EW. 

6. Gloria - [blind spot] Geena Rowlands was such a screen legend! I watched A Woman Under the Influence last year and I can't stop thinking about it. A performance of a lifetime, really. This performance is also very good. I love this character too - she's such a badass with that gun and up against these really scary men. But unfortunately, I didn't love this movie - and it's mostly because the kid is very annoying. His dialogue is so weird too - he definitely does not talk like a child instead he sounds like an 80 year old man. It's just awkward and not cute at all, and I kind of wished he died and Gloria could move on with her life (and I don't think that's the intent...haha!). Also, the saxophone in the film score needed to die too. It's just so overwhelming. 

7. The Fearless Vampire Killers - [blind spot] I definitely hesitate to watch a Roman Polanski movie, especially after reading more into the Manson murders and Sharon Tate's death (something doesn't add up and I think Polanski is far from innocent). But this has been on my list for a while and it was showing on TMC, so I guess it was time to cross it off. I don't really have anything good to say about this, though. It's very boring and way too long. I think it's supposed to be funny, but none of the jokes land. It's also very confusing and WHERE ARE THE VAMPIRES!!?? Also, I didn't realize that Polanski is IN this too - ewwww. But Sharon Tate was so beautiful. And there are a few cool shots, especially for a film from the 60s. I'll give it that. 

8. On Golden Pond - [blind spot] This is going to sound very dumb, but I didn't realize until watching this that Jane Fonda is Henry Fonda's daughter. LOL. I don't know how I didn't connect that, especially because they look so much alike (it's the eyes!). You may laugh, and say "but they have the same last name! DUH!", but Katherine Hepburn and Audrey Hepburn were NOT related so THERE!!! I just never thought of Jane as a nepobaby - but once again, this proves that being a nepobaby is not necessarily a bad thing! I don't know why nepobabies get so upset about it. Anyway, Katherine Hepburn and Henry Fonda won the Oscar for lead performances for this movie, so I was excited to finally watch it. I also expected a boring drama, but was intrigued by the "comedy drama" description. It's a very sweet, but still very boring. I enjoyed Fonda and his old man grumpiness - his response to being asked if it's ok if the boyfriend sleeps in the same room as his daughter is hilarious. And I love the bond that forms with the young boy that stays with them for the summer. Hepburn is also great in this - it's one of her last big movies, but she still lived another 20 years! I love her so much. I think the whole daughter angle is weird though - she's got such mommy AND daddy issues, but they never really explain why? She's just angry for no apparent reason. Also, lots of shots of that pond, eh? 

9. Big Trouble in Little China - [rewatch] This is one of those 80s movies that has a fairly large cult following, but I never got into it. I was never really into martial arts movies, so that's a big part of it (I don't even really like The Karate Kid!! SHHHHH don't tell anyone). I do love Kurt Russell though - he's just so 80s. The muscle tee, the hair, the John Wayne accent for no apparent reason - it's all glorious. But the fight scenes are just not my thing - I hate how cheesy it looks and all the dramatic groaning noises always makes me laugh. I didn't realize that Kim Cattrall was the main woman! And Kate Burton is in this too??!! Overall, this is just not my thing. But I tried! 

10. To Live and Die in L.A. - [rewatch] I haven't watched this in well over 20 years and I'm kind of excited because I remember really liking it, but I don't remember much about it - other than some good car chase scenes and the grittiness of L.A. I actually forgot that this was a William Friedkin film. I don't always like his films, but some of them are incredible (Bug is one of my faves). I love the opening song (and it's the TITLE OF THE MOVIE!), and seeing all of these legendary actors so young (Willem Dafoe, John Turturro, etc., although I've never really been a fan of William Petersen. He really got stuck on those CSI shows that I also hated). Unfortunately, on this rewatch I was a little bit bored? I thought it was more action-packed. But it's slow and long and there is a scene that lasts like 20 minutes of Dafoe making counterfeit money and it just goes on and on just like this sentence. I like the vibe of it - it still definitely feels gritty and very 80s, but it's more of a drama than I was expecting. 

Movie Marathon: Mission: Impossible

1. Mission: Impossible - Honestly, I wasn't really looking forward to doing this marathon because all I really remember about the Mission: Impossible movies before Ghost Protocol is that I hated them. And then, even after Ghost Protocol, they are all 3 star, somewhat satisfying movies. But surely nothing to rave about like some people do. I also have a fairly deep hatred of Tom Cruise (he's in a cult! A cult that has ALLEDGEDLY murdered people!), but I'm going to try to ignore that for the next 7 (!!! holy shit - there are SEVEN of these???) movies, and focus on the fact that he is a very good action star. He gives it his all, and I appreciate that. First off, I'm shocked and delighted that this was under 2 hours. And it's also better than I remember! I'm a big 90s action movie junkie, and I still don't rate this as high as the classics (Speed, Bad Boys, Con Air, etc), but there's some really strong action sequences that have become classic action scenes. The "impossible" heist at Langley is incredible. The plot, however, is overly complicated and ridiculous. And the whole face mask thing gets old real quick, but is used for the next 7 (!!!) movies. I thought it was a 2.5 star movie, so I'm delighted that it's actually a 3.5 star movie, and it gave me a lot of false hope going into the next two films....

2. Mission: Impossible 2 - Okay, this is more how I remember these movies. I may have just lumped the trilogy in together as being "bad", but happy to report that the first one is good. The sequel, however, is fucking terrible. John Woo is an incredible filmmaker, but the style of this - with the slo-motion fight scenes is really bad. And hard to watch. It just all looks really fake. 35 minutes in and I could not care less about the plot, the characters, or the mission. it's very boring. I laughed twice, though, so that's something (the Tom Cruise mask...LOL). Also, the line "It's not mission difficult, it's mission impossible" is, perhaps, the best line of the whole franchise. 

3. Mission: Impossible III - It's slightly better than the second one, but still bad. I remember watching this when it was first released, as a huge JJ Abrams fan, and I was SO disappointed by it. I will say that I LOVE this cast - Michelle Monaghan is one of my faves, Philip Seymour Hoffman (a fabulous bad guy and scene chewer), Keri Russell (a JJ fave), Billy Crudup, Maggie Q, AND a young Aaron Paul! Probably my favorite cast of the franchise. But the plot is very thin, but seems overly complicated. It's all very obvious, too. And there's really no stand-out scene. I can't remember even ONE action sequence? Maybe the Maggie Q Vatican sequence with the car? It's not really an action sequence, but the she looks great and the car blows up. And speaking of Maggie Q, it's kind of weird that they don't bring her back for future M:I movies. She's such a good action star - and deserves a bigger career, in my opinion. 

4. Mission: Impossible - Ghost Protocol - Even though there is a 4-5 year gap between almost all the M:I movies, this feels like the beginning of the new M:I era. I remember it being a big deal when this was released with everyone raving about it in IMAX, and I do think that the Burj Khalifa scene does warrant a big IMAX screen. It's the greatest scene of the entire franchise. But, it doesn't make the film any higher than a 3 star movie. And on a rewatch, it's a little hard to pay attention to and it feels very long for a 2 hour film. I like that Simon Pegg continues into the franchise, along with Ving Rhames (the only other actor aside from Cruise who is in all of them). It feels like a solid team, but Paula Patton is a terrible actress and really ruins a lot of the movie. I LOVE Jeremy Renner in this, though - I wish he was in more of them. They do a really good job of connecting his story to Ethan's. And makes it believable that Ethan's wife is really dead (but of course she's not actually dead...lol). And Lea Seydoux has such a strong presence. This is also the first of these films that you really get a lot of the "Tom Cruise run". 

5. Mission: Impossible - Rogue Nation - Apparently, on first watch, I didn't really like this one - rated it 2.5 stars, which is on the lower end of average. I still only remembered one scene - and that's the car chase scene with Renner. The three-point turn in the truck just makes me laugh so hard. It's just perfect comedic timing. This one feels very repetitive. Yet again, the IMF is disbanded and Ethan is on the run. Blah Blah Blah, it's all been done before. Tom Cruise hangs off of a plane, but it's kind of a let-down from the Burj Khalifa scene. They repeat the word "syndicate" an annoying amount of times. It's all just...boring. But, I will say that, while I wasn't that impressed with Rebecca Ferguson when I first watched this, as someone who has grown as a fan, she is definitely the highlight. And that chartreuse dress is EVERYTHING. I think this one just gets annoying going back and forth about whether she is good or bad, but once they build on her character, in future films - she's definitely an interesting folly and foe for Ethan. This was really her big break, and it is a star-making performance. Now she's in everything (I caught up with Silo, watched Dune Part II, and this all in the same week!). I did bump this up to 3 stars after rewatching. I just think that it all feels like filler. 

6. Mission: Impossible - Fallout - There are a few things I like & remember about this movie: Michelle Monoghan is back (YAY!!). Simon Pegg finally gets to wear a mask (which became a running joke throughout the series), and Henry Cavill winding up his arms before the bathroom fight. I'm not the biggest Cavill fan, and I think it's very obvious that he's not the good guy in this, but the bathroom fight scene is among the best scenes of the franchise. I also got very annoyed that they literally do the same exact thing with his character that they did with Ilsa in Rogue Nation (is he good? is he bad? Let's keep twisting & turning the story until the end). I think my problem with this is that it also feels like filler - so it's two movies in a row that do very little to move the franchise forward. 

7. Mission: Impossible - Dead Reckoning - This is going to be extremely controversial, but when I first watched this, I thought "this is my favorite of the entire franchise", but assumed it's only because I don't remember them well (and probably a bit of recency bias). But now that I watched them all again, and in close proximity to each other, it is, in fact, my favorite among the franchise. And just to be clear, my favorite of the franchise tops out at 3.5 stars. It would have been a 4 star film if it were shorter. 2 hours and 43 minutes is way too long for a movie like this. And it would be fairly easy to edit down several scenes to make them feel more intense (and like Rogue Nation with the word "syndicate", the magic repeated word in this is "entity" - maybe edit it down to saying it 10 times instead of 300??). But I really enjoyed this way more than all the previous ones due to mostly one aspect: the women. Vanessa Kirby reprises her role from Fallout, and she's INCREDIBLE. I still think the acting she does on the train, when she wears "the mask" is one of the strongest acting scenes of recent years. She's SO GOOD in it, and the whole scene is so anxiety-inducing. I don't even like Hayley Atwell, but her and Cruise have great chemistry and she provides some levity to the action. Pom Klementieff is a scene-stealer. Also, the stakes just feel really high in this. Like the world does really need Ethan to succeed here. The train sequence is outstanding, but it does last about 45 minutes. Just some tighter editing and this would have been a great movie. I'm excited for Part Two (or whatever they are calling it now), but I'm hoping that's the end. Maybe they can reboot it in a decade or so with a new Ethan Hunt. And maybe they can cast someone I actually like this time in the role. 

Ranking: 

M:I - Dead Reckoning 

M:I

M:I - Ghost Protocol 

M:I - Fallout 

M:I - Rogue Nation 

M:I III 

M:I 2

Thoughts on 5 Films

1. We Live in Time - This was okay. Not great, which is disappointing. I didn't know much about it going in - just that it was probably a sappy romance in which one of them gets cancer (probably Pugh since I know she shaved her head for a film role a while back). And, of course, the carousal horse (that is conveniently cut off the poster?? LOL). I will never get over that carousal horse. It's just so fucking funny that they used it in a promotional image not considering that it would instantly become a meme and the entire advertisement for the film. I like both Florence Pugh and Andrew Garfield, but unfortunately I found the chemistry between them very lacking. I do like that she's a chef in this, though, because she loves to cook in real life and always does those cute videos on Instagram. I think my biggest problem with the film is that I just could not care less about this couple and there needs to be more to a story than "she dies of cancer". I also think it's WILD that Garfield would choose a role like this so closely after losing his mom to cancer. Why put yourself through that grief again? Do some comedies, my guy. It's good for the soul. Anyway, back to my not caring - I just questioned every scene. Why does she get so upset that he asks about her wanting kids? They are both in their 30s starting a new relationship - it's a perfectly acceptable question. It should really be the first question asked, in my opinion. You just can't move forward if you're on different pages with wanting children. But she's so rude and dismissive towards him, it made me hate her. And then there are these weird intimate scenes squished in-between completely unrelated scenes (like them in a bath together eating the driest cookies I've ever seen). Also, what the fuck is this cooking competition thing? Why is it so dramatic and why is this a thing that exists? All that food just...goes to waste? There are some things that I liked - like the scene in which she gives birth (aided by some fantastic character actors). I just wanted more depth. I didn't even come close to crying and I was in a pretty emotional mood.

2. You're Cordially Invited - It's crazy that a rom-com starring Will Ferrell and Reese Witherspoon is not being released in the theaters. What a time we live in! I also like the supporting cast a whole lot - Geraldine Viswanathan is hilarious, ditto for Jimmy Tatro. And Meredith Hagner is GENIUS casting as Reese's sister. But, overall, I found the movie cute, but never laugh-out-loud funny. I think the biggest mistake is making it a rom-com because Ferrell and Witherspoon have zero chemistry together, but they are funny together. Just make it a comedy without them getting together in the end? Even if they just become friends and their families become entwined because of this fiasco, but a romantic relationship is just...weird. I also think it's a huge mistake to side-line Tatro. I waited for the ENTIRE film for the strip-tease dance that they tease throughout the film, because it was obviously going to be the best part, and they don't even show it until the fucking end credits. AND THEN - they have THE BALLS to completely copy the best part of Anyone But You (the end credits). How embarrassing??? And they don't even do it as well. Overall, this is just very forgettable, but it has its moments. 

3. Anora - I can not believe how fucking funny this movie is. I had no idea. I can't stop thinking about it. My three favorite moments are: (1) the entire scene with the two Russian guys trying to keep Ani in the house and her just completely kicking their asses. It's visually hilarious - just two giant, tough Russian guys getting believably destroyed by this petite, but very scrappy, little girl from Brooklyn. And the fact that she doesn't try to fight them in the traditional film ways - instead she's more realistic about it. She bites and scratches and kicks her feet. It's just so hilarious. "she's a fucking little girl!" "she's not fighting like one!" (maybe he says "biting"? I'm not sure, but either work). (2) the line "I don't have Instagram, I'm an adult" LOL. More people need to take that advice. (3) when she starts calling Igor names and he doesn't understand why she's calling him that. "they say you're just born that way" as she shoves a fry into her mouth. I just couldn't stop laughing. Sean Baker is 3/4 for me (sorry, but I HATED Tangerine). I think this is, by far, his most confident film. And I hope he continues to focus his stories on marginalized communities and/or imperfect people because he's one of the few that gets it SO right. And Mikey Madison is incredible in this role. She's such a star. I want Demi to win the Oscar, but I wouldn't be mad if Madison takes it. She runs the gamut of emotions with this, and her Brooklyn accent is stellar. I also think it's really cool that both The Substance and Anora are getting so much recognition because neither of these films feel Oscar-baity AT ALL. I know that as soon as they both received such critical acclaim, they both went into full Oscar campaigning, but I don't think it started that way. As for the minor controversy, I do think it's crazy that they didn't have an intimacy coordinator on set. It's a relatively new aspect of filmmaking, but I think it's essential post-me too. It shouldn't effect the "realness" of the nudity & sex scenes if it's done well. It's basic human decency to have a third party there to ensure no lines are crossed. And even if the star declines it, what about all the other people on set?? I fully believe in women being allowed to do whatever they want with their bodies and I hate people who assume that young women in Hollywood are coerced into nudity and sex scenes. It takes away women's agency to make their own decisions. Yes, some women are coerced, but a lot aren't so I would never assume anything until I've heard it from that particular woman. But I still don't think it should be up to the star or the director to not hire an intimacy coordinator. It should be a mandatory part of filmmaking, so that sucks, but it shouldn't hold the film back awards-wise (and if you really want to look for controversy, then look at Baker's old twitter. Apparently he liked a *lot* of questionable stuff - like Kyle Rittenhouse stuff. It's shocking that people haven't made a bigger deal about it, but Karla Sofia Gascon has been destroyed (deservedly). I wonder what the difference is??? *she says sarcastically*). Anyway, overall, I loved this movie. There's a lot of heart, and a lot of laughs. Also, it's a shame that Yura Borisov is up against a lead actor in the supporting category because if Culkin were in the proper category then Yura would actually have a chance at winning! It's a perfect example of a supporting role, that doesn't even require much dialogue, that is essential to the film. 

4. Canary Black - It's been, like, three weeks since I watched this and I'm struggling to remember it. I know that I was in the mood to watch a dumb action movie with a hot woman kicking ass, but this was so bad that I could barely pay attention to it. The absolute worst part was the accents. Kate Beckinsale sounds weird as fuck. She's trying to do an American accent, but there's something wrong with her voice??? Is it the sound mixing? The ADR? It's so distracting. And I usually like Beckinsale, but the weird accent, raspy voice, mixed with her emotionless face (because she literally can't move it from botox, I presume), makes this her worst performance to date. Rupert Friend does a bad Scottish accent (for no apparent reason), and is OBVIOUSLY not who he is thought to be because they wouldn't hire a "name" for a minor role unless it wasn't a minor role. Just make them British for fuck sake. It wouldn't effect the story at all?? ANYWAY. On a side-note, I think it's weird that Beckinsale spoke out about being sexually harassed on film sets in response to the whole Lively-Baldoni fiasco. It screamed "look at me! I want to be the center of attention! even though this story has nothing to do with me!" - and it looks even weirder now that more info keeps changing the discourse, literally, every single day. But whatever. I have nothing nice to say about this - it's boring, the action scenes suck, it's poorly acted, and it's all very obvious as to how it's all going to play out. There's just not enough story here to fill an episode of tv, let alone a whole film. Oh wait - one nice thing is that I love Ray Stevensen! I think this might have been his last film? How sad. 

5. The Inheritance (2024) - OOOOOfffffffff. Two one-star films in a row. I saw someone describe this as Ready or Not mixed with Abigail, which sounds like a horror film I would LOVE. I also didn't know Joe Russo wrote this until I went to log it on LB and his review is listed at the top "I wrote this movie, so 5 stars, bitches!!" LOL. Sorry, Joe, but this movie is ass. Technically, Ready or Not mixed with Abigail is a fitting description, plot-wise, but in terms of quality, it's nowhere near the either of those movies. First, no offence, but these are all b/c-list actors. I don't even mind Rachel Nichols anymore (after she ruined Alias, I hated her), but when I see her in a movie, I assume it's not going to be good. I don't know anyone else's name from the cast except for Briana Middleton, who I thought was incredible in an otherwise mediocre movie, Sharper. But she's bad here. All of them are. It doesn't help that the dialogue is awkward and terrible (and it doesn't even make sense sometimes - like why do they keep stressing that the wife shouldn't be there because it's "immediate family" only? Significant others are immediate family members??? It would be different if he invited "blood relatives only" - then, no she wouldn't be invited. Maybe run this through a script reader first??). The kills are very stupid. And just when I was like, "okay, this is fucking dumb" *spoiler* the dead girl randomly jumps out of a painting. WHAT? Make it make sense?? And their "family knock" is literally the same knock that a random solicitor would use (to be fair, maybe they did that for comedic effect, but the movie isn't funny so any moments that are supposed to be funny land with a thud). I honestly don't even remember how this ends? Who gets the money?? Did they all die? I couldn't tell you. I think I may have already blocked it from my memory. 

Thoughts on 5 Films

1. A Different Man - I absolutely HATE admitting that I really liked this movie because I don't like Sebastian Stan. I've never liked him - not as Carter Baizen from Gossip Girl, not as Bucky Barnes (and ugh - I hate that character too). He's okay in some other films (Fresh, Monday), but I don't think he's hot nor does he have screen presence. I still don't like him in this, and I think it would have been in my top 3 films of 2024 if it starred someone else (it's actually sitting at #4 right now, but, as usual, I'm so behind on movies, that will probably change). It's far weirder and more experimental than I was expecting. I thought, for some inexplicable reason, that it was more of a buddy comedy (haha!). It's definitely a complex film - part satire about projected identity, part social-commentary on beauty standards, part fairy-tale "life is what you make it" lesson - it's all very interesting. It's also a bit of commentary on standards of casting (does a person need to be the identity they are being cast as, is a popular grey area of concern in Hollywood). I didn't even realize that it was Sebastian in the beginning scenes - I could definitely tell that heavy prosthetics were used in order for it to "come off", but I thought it was Adam Pearson with exaggerated prosthetics. They just do a really good job with it. It becomes a very different film once the change happens, and it's all so unexpected. Pearson does such a good job at being this perpetually positive life force - someone who uses being the center of attention to his own advantage. It's very refreshing and inspirational to see this character be bold, confident, and the life of the party, while someone who looks like Sebastian Stan spends his time being insecure, morally reprehensible, and depressed. It doesn't matter how beautiful you are, if you're ugly on the inside you will live a miserable life. It's very rebellious as far as Hollywood standards go, and it's a film that will stay with me forever. Also, the sound is really spectacular, which is unexpected for a film so focused on character. I think Renate Reinsve is a bit awkward in this role, and the wig she wears in the second part is truly distracting, but I think they do a good job with her character too - she's only nice because it serves her. She uses someone else's story as inspiration without giving them credit. She's the epitome of performative - and it's an epidemic in our current culture. Overall, I was very impressed with this. 

2. Dune: Part Two - I saw the first one in the theater, and thought for sure that my husband would drag me to see this sequel in the theater too, but he was not interested either. And even when it came to streaming, we both hesitated watching it for so long because it's SO LONG. 2 hours and 46 minutes??? WHY???? It definitely doesn't need to be that long. I'm really not a fan of Timmy, either. Or Zendaya for that matter (I actually love Zendaya, but she can't act. Maybe one day she'll be good. I have hope!). They have ZERO chemistry together, and since the story is focused more on their relationship in this one, that's a big misfire for me. I do like the addition of Florence Pugh and Austin Butler (both are definitely scene-stealers). And the highlight, once again, is Rebecca Ferguson. But if you asked me to summarize the plot?? I got nothing. Something about a fulfilling a prophecy and Zendaya's crew being split on believing in this prophecy so she's skeptical, but follows his lead anyway because he was able to ride a gigantic sandworm, and then there is some fighting and stuff. And then he agrees to marry Pugh as a peace offering and Z gets pissed. The end. I like the religious allegory (and it's mostly anti-religious sentiment), but the rest of it is a snooze. It's no better or worse than the first one - I do think it should have been recognized for some of the production values (cinematography, sound design, costume etc.), but the story is just not my thing. And the actors fail to sell it to me. Meh. 

3. Gladiator 2 - So in a surprising twist, I actually loved this. And the first Gladiator too! I rewatched it about a week before I watched this. I remember watching the original in the theater (25 years ago!!) and not really being that impressed. I know it was well-received and Oscar-nominated, but I always shrugged my shoulders at it. However, during my rewatch, I was like "no, -WAIT-, this is actually really good!". So, I really looked forward to watching this sequel after that. I have a few nitpicky things (like Paul Mescal trying to hide his Irish accent. It's painful), but overall I had a lot of fun with it. Especially watching Denzel have the time of his life with this role. I saw a few critics call-out Mescal as not being ready for such a big role, and also just not being a blockbuster actor, and I disagree. I think he definitely has star power along with the acting chops to be part of the next A-List of actors. He's not as showy as Denzel and others, but I don't think his role requires that. However, I do think Pedro is miscast (I fear he's miscast in the new Fantastic Four movie as well, but we'll see). He's falling into this pattern of getting big roles because the internet loves him, but he's not always right for them (see Adam Driver, Oscar Isaac, and Timothee Chamalet/Chalamet). And I say that as Pedro Pascal fan (I've been here since Narcos, suckers). He stands out like a sore thumb in this. I also think it's weird that they didn't cast the original kid that played Lucius. He's 37, but looks young, and he's still an actor. It would have been pretty cool to see him take on the starring role, but I get that they needed a "name" in the role. Anyway, the production design is outstanding, the opening sequence is incredibly strong (and historically accurate to the fighting style of the Romans), and the costumes are gorgeous. I loved all of it, even though it's slightly too long. 

4. Your Monster - This is a cute movie, especially if you're a fan of Melissa Barrera (as I am). It kind of reminds me of Lisa Frankenstein which I also liked. I laughed and was fully engaged for the whole thing (which is increasingly harder to accomplish). Barrera is outstanding and the performance for "My Stranger" is SO GOOD. It should have been an Oscar contender (this and "New Brain" by Naomi Scott from Smile 2 are the only original songs from 2024 that I added to my playlist. It's so weird to me that the Academy clearly wants to get younger viewers - which is why Wicked is nominated, but they continuously overlook opportunities to get younger performers like Melissa and Naomi). The ending is also Great with a capital G. I loved her confrontation scene ("limp dick fuckface narcissistic piece of shit asshole"). Plus, Meghann Fahy!! I was hoping to see her everywhere after her season of The White Lotus, but so far I think it's only been that Nicole Kidman Netflix show?? She's such a star, so I think she'll break it big soon. My only big criticism is that the sex scene is weird and unnecessary (and I'm very pro-sex scenes). They could have easily made this more tween friendly instead of rated R. The ending is very dark, but I think tweens can handle dark (I mean Romeo + Juliet came out when I was 15 and obviously that's dark). I also think it's for a very specific audience (tweens and theater people) and if you're not in that category, then you probably won't like it. 

5. Here - This is a bad movie, but it also has an incredible idea behind it, so I have a hard time criticizing it. I will always appreciate creativity and ambition in filmmaking. But, the reality is, this is terrible. A one star movie masquerading as Oscar-bait. I gave it two stars because I can't, in good conscience, rate something this bold only one star. I'm almost hoping that someone else steals the idea and makes a good movie, with more interesting stories, more thoughtful dialogue, and actors that aren't phoning it in. I mean, Tom Hanks is absolutely terrible. And how can Robin Wright sign on for a film like this that uses de-aging techniques after starring in The Congress (if you haven't watched it - it becomes more and more relevant every day with AI taking over the film industry)? The other star I gave it is for the editing because the transitions between scenes are so smooth and interesting; I absolutely loved watching the space transform in front of my eyes. The "gimmick", if you will, is that it is filmed with a stationary camera in one spot - a spot that eventually becomes a living room in an American town (I'm pretty sure it's supposed to be NJ? Like, by my house?). It starts with dinosaurs roaming the Earth, and then we slowly see a house being built, and eventually multiple families move in at different period of times. But the camera never moves. It's super-duper cool. I do think it's inspired by The Tree of Life, but for dummies. The problem is that they focus on one family a bit more than the others - and I hate all of them (Wright becomes a nagging wife and has the audacity to complain about a free house? I would fucking kick her to the curb!). And you can de-age Hanks all you want - he's never going to pass as a believable teenager. It's just so bad. I just sat watching it in disbelief at its awfulness but also in awe, which is a weird combination. 

Thoughts on 5 Films

1. Saturday Night - So, I really liked this. I wasn't expecting to, especially considering that I haven't enjoyed SNL in probably 25 years (at least). I'm fascinated by how popular it still is - every Sunday, I see dozens of people on my twitter (now bluesky) sharing clips of an episode from the night before, describing it as "hilarious", and it never is. BUT, it was ground-breaking television at the time, and it continued to be great up until the late 90s. So, I thought this movie was really interesting to see the chaos that occurred right before the first episode aired. I'm not sure how truthful it all is (I feel like a lot of it is exaggerated for effect), but it held my interest. I think Reitman captured the spirit of what a "live" show feels like, there's some great tracking shots, and the cast is INSPIRING. Ella Hunt as Gilda Radnor??? Dylan O'Brien as Dan Akroyd??? *Chef's kiss* Plus, Rachel Sennott, Kaia Gerber, Lamorne Morris, Matthew Rhys, Willem Dafoe, Cooper Hoffman - it's just a really great mix of solid character actors and up-and-comers, and they all work together really well. There's some really funny dialogue and moments (the "kill all the whiteys I see" moment is hilarious). I think it could have had a little more of a plot though - it just follows these people around during this specific day, but there's no real point of it, no depth or character study (except that Chevy Chase was an asshole, but I think we're all well aware of that by now). I also could have done without Nicholas Braun in TWO roles?? What's the point of that? He plays both Jim Henson and Andy Kaufman. Aside from the fact that he's been accused of being a sexual predator (texting teenage girls inappropriate content allegedly), he's not, like, a great actor or anything. It's a bit of a distraction to see him in two roles and I don't understand the point of this gimmick. 

2. Firebrand - I had not heard of this, but it has Alicia Vikander and Jude Law so I'M IN! I'm also not super well-versed on British royalty but I do know about Henry the VIII's reign and history with his wives because I watched The Tudors (haha!). I liked this - it's really beautiful (some of the scenes looked straight out of a painting), the costume design is gorgeous, and I like that they do a bit of an alternative ending (they depict a long-standing rumor instead of what is known as fact). They basically give credit for Queen Elizabeth I's reign to Catherine; they theorize that Elizabeth was seemingly inspired by Catherine's ideas and hopes for the future. They do a good job of making Law incredibly unattractive too - in reality, at this point in his life, Henry was like 400lbs and barely able to walk, which is assumed to be the reason behind him becoming a tyrant (that and not producing a son). It's weird to cast Law in that role, but it works - I've never been less attracted to him during those awful sex scenes. I don't think this is something that a wide audience will enjoy, but if you are interested in this history then I recommend it. 

3. Mothers' Instinct - It's absolutely WILD that a movie that stars Anne Hathaway and Jessica Chastain has gone completely under-the-radar. I assumed it was bad, but I actually thought it was pretty good?! It has a great plot, and the acting is incredible (Hathaway should be in awards conversation for the look she has on her face during the "realization" of what just occurred - it's a haunting look of a person that just experienced the worst thing that could ever happen). I think I had the advantage of not knowing anything about it, so when the catalyst to the story happens, it was a bit shocking - and then the way these two women's relationship changes so quickly because of this event is really interesting. There's a little bit of genre-mixing too because I was not expecting the horror/psychological twists and the ending is a straight up horror film (like The Hand That Rocks the Cradle/Single White Female type horror). I do think that they didn't really take the concept far enough. It would have benefitted from a bit more intensity & mystery. It also gets a bit repetitive. And, as much as I love both of these actresses, I think these roles would have been better portrayed by younger people. It is certainly more common now for women in their 40s to have children, but this film is set in the early 1960s. It was very rare for a 47 year old woman to talk about wanting a baby. Maybe we're supposed to pretend that these women are early 30s because they could both pass for it, but even that would be a stretch. These characters should be portrayed by actresses in their mid-20s. It's based on a book, and I assume they are younger in the book but I'm too lazy to look it up. Anyway, aside from the age thing, Hathaway fits this time period so well, but Chastain stands out a bit with that blonde hair. I do love Anders Danielsen Lie and, of course, Josh Charles. Overall, I was expecting a 2 star film and it's a solid 3 star one. 

4. A Real Pain - While I really liked this movie - I don't think it should be in awards conversations (maybe original screenplay, but that's it). I do think Kieran Culkin is great, but he's also the same exact character that he always is. He does it well, but that doesn't mean he should get an acting award. And I've already stated my anger that he's campaigning in the supporting actor category when he has almost the exact same amount of screen time as the lead. It's a co-lead performance. Period. And as CO-LEADS, Culkin and Eisenberg have great chemistry together as cousins who have completely opposite nature. I think I connected to their relationship so much because I am very much like Eisenberg's character - reserved, organized, thoughtful of others, rule-follower, etc., and my best friend is not only the exact opposite, but she's also bipolar. They never really discuss if Culkin's character is bipolar, but he has all the symptoms - suicidal, narcissistic, manic. It's interesting to see them interact in real life because they both seem very much like their characters (I'm thinking of a specific interview in which Culkin is claiming that you should just get to the airport 10 minutes before boarding because they'll let you cut the line and you'll most likely get to your flight, and Eisenberg is having a heart attack as he's saying this. Because the reality of that is that if EVERYONE followed this advice then there would be a complete breakdown of air travel - just fucking get there 2 hours before like they advise! FOLLOW THE RULES! WE LIVE IN A SOCIETY! Eisenberg responds "you're the reason that society will collapse" LOL.). Culkin is very much a charming person and can command the attention of a room full of people, so I think he does do justice to this role - I believe that a lot of people like this are actually extremely depressed and self-conscious. There's this obsessive need to be the main character of every situation, in order to convince everyone that they're happy! They are living life to the fullest! ETC.! I find it exhausting. But I love my best friend to death; she just drives me crazy sometimes. I'm not always the biggest fan of Jesse Eisenberg, but when he's good, he's GOOD. And he's always good when he gets to play into his own neurosis. I love that he wrote & directed this because it feels like a very personal movie. Not only do I connect with the relationship between them, I also connect with the plot. The whole plot of this story is that these cousins go on a tour of Poland to honor their grandmother who died recently. They visit a lot of important Jewish sites, including a concentration camp. My Jewish grandmother was also one of my favorite people in the world, and even though I am not religious, I try to honor her faith here and there. I have visited a concentration camp, and it is an indescribable experience. I also had a cousin that I grew up with that I was very close to as a child, but grew apart from as we got older, and then he killed himself. I wish every single day that I could go back in time and book a trip for us to get away together, make him feel loved, inspire him to give life another shot. I hope that maybe this film will inspire someone else to take that action for a loved one that might not be doing well. It will mean the world to them, even if they don't acknowledge it. I clearly did like this film very much, and I recommend it for anyone that likes character-driven dramas. I just wish people would calm down with the hyperbole and that Kieran wasn't tainting an Oscar category. 

5. Young Woman and the Sea - This is a fairly decent biopic about an incredible woman who fought against the odds and accomplished something very few people have. I've said it before, but I'll say it again - I'll never understand the need some people have to risk their lives like this, but it does make for an interesting story. I don't have much of an impression of Daisy Ridley quite yet. I don't dislike her, but I haven't seen her give a strong lead performance yet, however, this is a step in a positive direction. This follows the exact beats that you would expect out of any sports underdog story, but I did learn a few things about this woman. First, Trudy Ederle is a New Yorker (and even lived in NJ for a bit). I guess I assumed that the first woman to swim the English Channel would be...English?. Second, she was kind of a bad-ass! I love the way it portrays the sexism that she faced and how she reacted to it. She held 4 world records and would still get asked about having a boyfriend and what she likes to cook (sadly not much has changed from the 20s which is so insane and disheartening). And third, after her record-breaking swim, NYC held a parade for her that is still the biggest parade ever thrown in NYC (at least, according to the end credits of the film)!?! That's crazy! Anyway, as I feared, watching someone swim, especially in the beginning - it's just her swimming and audiences clapping, wash, rinse, repeat - is incredibly boring. I also highly doubt they said the words "you bet your ass" in the 1920s. Stephen Graham is excellent though. 

Oscar Nominations: The Good, The Bad, and The Snubbed

I hesitate to write about the nominations this year, because I'm still missing quite a bit of movies. But the only movie that is among the nominees that I really want to see is Anora (hopefully this week). I'm sure The Brutalist is fine. I've heard good things about Nickel Boys. The rest? UGH. I still haven't seen Dune Part 2. Or Wicked. But I'll watch them eventually. But movies like A Complete Unknown and The Apprentice?? I dislike Timothee Chalamet, Bob Dylan, Donald Trump, and Sebastian Stan!!! I dread watching both of these films. But I still have some stuff to say based on what I have seen so here goes: 

The Good 

- The Substance is my favorite movie of the year, so I'm thrilled that it's been included for many reasons. First, Demi Moore deserves the world for her incredible acting career, but this performance is stunning - she runs the gamut of emotions. It's dark. It's funny. It's relatable. I'm also thrilled that the director, Coralie Fargeat, is nominated as well because I always get really grumpy when people point out the "all male" directors in the category and then list all the female directors who could have been nominated that year and NONE of them are among my favorites. But this year is different! Finally! 

- I loved The Wild Robot - way more than I was expecting. It's so beautiful. I know Flow is getting a lot of steam, but I really hope with all the nominations that The Wild Robot is still the frontrunner. 

- While I'm a bit surprised that Angelina Jolie was snubbed, I think her performance is...fine. I'm sort of happy that the steam behind her has died because when I watched Maria she was considered a frontrunner. She's given better performances in far better films. 

- I haven't seen Anora, but I adore Mikey Madison. Also, I'm thrilled for Sean Baker - both The Florida Project and Red Rocket are fantastic films (sorry, I didn't like Tangerine). 

The Bad 

- I was really hoping that the Academy would announce that some of those "supporting" performances would have to compete in the lead category. In particular, Kieran Culkin and Zoe Saldana - both of whom are favored to win. Culkin is in A Real Pain for 4 minutes less than Eisenburg (and in the 2 small scenes he is not in - the other characters are either talking to him (via phone) or talking about him). That's a co-lead performance and he should have campaigned as such. Saldana is in Emilia Perez MORE than Karla Sofia Gascon (who is nominated for the lead), and I would argue that even though Gascon is the title character, the story is about Saldana's. I like both Culkin and Saldana - and would probably root for them in a lead category, but this is infuriating. 

- The fact that a majority of critics and film fans have such visceral hate for Emilia Perez and yet the Academy still nominated it for 13 awards is proof that Hollywood is not listening. I still see "Hollywood" people praising it for representation, even though it's been eviscerated by both transgender people and Mexicans as being offensive. I didn't hate the film. I like a lot about it, actually. It feels bold, confident, and fresh. The scene with Saldana singing "El Mal" is incredible. But, overall, it's a 3 star film. I thought Gomez was bad (and she wasn't nominated, so that's a plus), I saw nothing special about Gascon's performance. Some of the musical numbers are very boring. It definitely should not be a frontrunner for Best Picture. 

- As expected, I hate a majority of the Best Actor category - and, NO, I haven't even seen the films. But I don't want to see the films because I hate the actors! Rooting for Fiennes or Domingo, but I think it will go to Brody even with the AI controversy. 

The Snubbed 

 - I think it's WILD that His Three Daughters has been completely ignored this awards season. You could pick any of the three actresses as nominees (I would have gone with Natasha Lyonne, but would have been happy for the other two as well). But, also, the screenplay should be the frontrunner of the year! 

- Margaret Qualley is SO GOOD in The Substance. It's hard to be so happy for the nominations when someone is left out like this (and I would argue this is another co-lead performance). 

- I'm also surprised that Kinds of Kindness has been ignored - but I think that has A LOT to do with release date. If it were released in Nov/Dec, it would be dominating this awards season. Although maybe they are getting bored of nominated Emma Stone for everything (but she deserves it!!). 

- I'm not the biggest fan of Conclave - but it's absolutely one of the best directed films of the year. Nominated in 8 categories, but not nominating Edward Berger is CRAZY! 

- What happened to the push for Danielle Deadwyler for The Piano Lesson? I feel like she had that nomination in the bag a few months ago and then...nothing. Is it because we nominated lead performances in the category instead of actual supporting performances??? YES. Same for Joan Chen!

- And speaking of Joan Chen, Didi is such a good little coming of age movie. I'm sad that it was ignored. Chen is great. Izaac Wang is incredible. And the screenplay is SO STRONG. 

- I just watched Gladiator II the other night, and I'm sort of shocked it's been snubbed in the technical and director categories. It's really good! 

Thoughts on 5 Films

1. Beetlejuice Beetlejuice - So I rewatched the original a few months ago in anticipation of watching this sequel - because I know I wouldn't get any of the references because I hadn't seen the original since I was a kid. I was never the biggest fan - it was fine. But I wasn't part of the cult-like following that it had. But I'm definitely glad that I did do a rewatch because I definitely would not have enjoyed this otherwise. And "enjoyed" is a strong word for this, I think. I was mildly entertained, mostly because the cast is great - I love the original cast members that came back - Winona Ryder, Catherine O'Hara, and Michael Keeton. Plus, the new cast is fantastic - Jenna Ortega as Winona's daughter is great casting. And I love Justin Theroux, and HELLO MONICA BELLUCCI?! How did I not know that her and Tim Burton got married a few years ago? I thought it was weird that they start off killing the father - and conveniently don't show his face at all, so I thought they just couldn't get the actor (I never knew his name, but he was in a lot of 80s stuff - Howard the Duck, Ferris Bueller, etc.). I should have guessed that he's actually a terrible human so they literally couldn't hire him (google it). Anyway, it makes for a convenient catalyst to this sequel, but I think the story is quite lacking. The only interesting part happens once the "twist" of a certain character is revealed. There's some good scenes - like the soul train scene (very cute). But a lot of it feels forced and unnecessary. As much as I love Bellucci, all of her scenes could have been cut - that whole subplot is pointless. But I don't think it's any worse than the original - they are both 3 star movies. 

2. The Front Room - This is a bad movie, but I gave it 2 stars instead of 1 because I love Brandy. Yes, I'm biased and I don't even care. I've randomly met her twice (about 20 years apart), and she was a DOLL both times. Definitely the nicest celebrity I've ever met - and not the fake nice either. Like, a genuinely nice person. Anyway, this seemed like trashy Lifetime movie material - and that's what this is. I realized that the creators (twins Max and Sam Eggers) are brothers of Robert Eggers, so that's why A24 released this. It's the only explanation, because it is legitimately a bad movie. It's also really stupid - like when the old woman comes home with them and is like "you can't have a baby's room on a different floor than the parents" and they're like "oh yeah, that makes sense". I instantly questioned whether these two stupid fucking people should be bringing a child into this world. And obviously an OLD WOMAN who can barely walk can't go up and down stairs multiple times a day. What were they thinking? And the whole plot is dumb because you wouldn't let a woman who you already think is evil and racist into your home with your new baby and your black wife - just put her in a home. Who cares about the money? It's not like they are broke? They own a home. I stopped paying attention about 1/2 way through because it was all just so dumb - and mostly poorly acted. The husband looks like a Dollar Store version of Hugh Dancy and can't act at all. But, the highlight is obviously Katheryn Hunter. I think she's way more famous in the UK than here, but she's also in the new Netflix show Black Doves, so maybe more people will know her now. 

3. Nightbitch - It is a TRAVESTY that this movie is so mediocre because if it were actually good - it might have been Amy Adams long overdue Oscar win. That opening monologue is INCREDIBLE. She consistently delivers a great performance through the entire runtime, but it's just not enough to make this movie great. I feel like the whole exhausted, ignored, and depressed mom thing has been done a lot over the past few years - and this film definitely tries to do something different with the whole "turning into a wolf" thing (or is it a dog? They never really say), but it doesn't necessarily feel any different. I'm kind of getting tired of all the negative, unhappy motherhood roles in movies. Surely, I don't understand the struggle - and I truly will never understand how women can work full-time jobs and be moms because I just physically, mentally and emotionally would not be able to do it. But I do think that it is causing an epidemic of sorts among women waiting to have kids, and some are waiting too long and then losing their chance. I know technology has advanced for women to have children later in life, but what we're not considering is that biologically there is a reason for women having children before the age of 35. Our bodies are made for that before 35, but after? I'm not so sure. I think if I got pregnant at my age (43), I would literally want to die. Amy Adams is 50 (I'm not sure if they say how old she is supposed to be in this movie, but she looks 40s), and has a toddler. OF COURSE SHE'S FUCKING MISERABLE! But that's not representative of motherhood, at all. But we're sort of normalizing all this "exhausted mom" trope and I'm OVER it. Anyway, that was a bit of a side rant, but I think that's why I couldn't fully enjoy this film. The ending is really bad too - like, the worst option for her happens, and in reality she's going to continue being miserable. But, man, what a performance! 

4. The Outrun - And, another great performance from Saoirse Ronan, in another mediocre film. Again, it's a role that's been done a lot lately (she's a recovering alcoholic), and nothing new is added. Ronan is great in this, though. I think drunk acting is especially hard - it always seems fake and contrived, but this feels very organic. I appreciate the character study, and I love the atmosphere, but it's a very nothing movie. I was very confused with the timeline too - they try to differentiate it by giving her different hair, so I get the blue hair & the blonde with the faded blue tips timeline, but then sometimes her hair is orange-ish/pink! And sometimes just blonde! It's all confusing! I also think it's fairly normal for a young woman to party a little too hard and drink a little too much. It's part of growing up. I mean, I was kicked out of more than a few bars for being too drunk, passing out on bathroom floors when I was 22, and I'm a very responsible person now. I think it's weird to vilify her as such a young person. They give a little insight into her family life (I think her dad is bipolar, maybe?), but they don't really seem to connect anything. But then the ending is GORGEOUS, and very cinematic. The film definitely doesn't do enough to deserve such a strong ending. 

5. Longlegs - *spoilers ahead* Maika Monroe has been a solid modern-day scream queen, so I had high hopes for this. But unfortunately, I didn't like it. I gave it 3 stars because it's well-made with terrific performances, but I didn't necessarily enjoy it. It's creepy, at best, but not scary at all. I think it was actually going for more of a Se7en vibe than a straight up horror movie, but Se7en, was, you know...interesting? This isn't, but some of the shots are very chilling. But, it's also boring and incredibly obvious that the mom is involved the second she is introduced. I did like seeing Alicia Witt though!! I missed her - where has she been??? She's really good in this - maybe even a stronger performance than Monroe. I don't think I would have recognized Nicolas Cage if I didn't already know it was him? I don't know, maybe I would have, but they do a really good job of changing his appearance. And he physically changes into this super creepy person - so that's a nice change of pace for him (sorry, but he's usually just Nic Cage in everything). It's just not something I'm going to remember, and it's definitely not as strong as other horror/suspense movies released in 2024.