Thoughts on 5 Films

1. Handling the Undead - This is one of those films that is made very well and has some incredible ideas, but is also very, very boring. It's from the same writer as Let the Right One In, which I loved, so I was interested in his take on a zombie story. And just like Let the Right One In, was not really about vampires, this is not really about zombies. Instead it's a story of grief - well, three stories of grief. It's definitely more of a drama than a horror, although it does have some intense moments (and one moment involving a screeching bunny that is very hard to watch - that cry will be burned into my memory forever). I really like Anders Danielsen Lie - he's from The Worst Person in the World with Renate Reinsve (who is also in this), but I really liked him more from Bergman Island and Sick of Myself. I think he has a great career ahead of him and we'll likely see him in more mainstream movies soon. I like the three different stories, but the almost no dialogue is what kills it for me. There's practically no character development either, instead it's just watching characters suffer through grief. The audience can still sympathize because grief and loss is something every human can connect to, but it's still frustrating to not know the stories behind these people. I just couldn't get into it. 

2. Killer Heat - I will always watch a movie with Joseph Gordon-Levitt in it. Always! But unfortunately this movie sucks big time. It will probably be among the worst of the year for me. I'm not sure which is worse - the dialogue, or the fact that it's extremely obvious what the twist is, OR is it Richard Madden playing twins? It's a close call, but I think it's the dialogue ("rich people always look guilty and this guy was no exception" LOL). JGL and Shailene Woodley do their best with it, but there is only so much you can do with writing that bad. Richard Madden is incredibly hot, but he's usually the worst part of any project he's in, except for the exceptional Bodyguard tv show. Whatever happened to that? Wasn't there supposed to be another season or did Covid kill that? He's just awful in this - so wooden. And exactly what I thought was going on is exactly what was going on. It's a classic soap opera twin plot twist. They do add a slightly interesting "other" twist, but it's also kind of stupid. And I don't think a mother would ever be able to just shoot her son directly in the chest even if he was a murderer. It all feels pointless. But I like the ideas about jealousy being poisonous - and how it's revealed that our main "hero" is just as flawed and has also let jealousy ruin his life. It's just, overall, a very bad movie. 

3. Woman of the Hour - I really liked this and I'm glad that it seems to be getting fairly decent reviews. It's weird that I hadn't heard anything about it at all until the day it was released on Netflix, so I was shocked to see that Anna Kendrick directed it!! And I feel like she gets a LOT of things right that most first time directors don't. First, she focuses on creating an atmosphere of fear. The fear that women live in every day, especially during the 70s when serial killers were on the rise. It's not really about this murderer, it's about women navigating the world in the midst of misogyny and violence. It's rare for stories about serial killers to be directed by women, but when they are they are typically GREAT (American Psycho is a perfect example - a lot of film bros don't like to discuss the fact that their favorite movie was directed by a woman). Second, Kendrick focuses on the details - from the echoing music that creates suspense, to the absolutely perfect scene transitions - she's proves that she's A DIRECTOR. It feels focused, polished, and purposeful. The victims that are highlighted are given depth and emotional beats - even in some very small scenes. And third, I like that this story veers off a little from the true story - it's certainly an interesting story that I wasn't aware of (I'm not one of the true crime serial killer weirdo aficionados, sorry). It's sort of crazy that this psychopath would put himself into the public like this, but it speaks volumes about his narcissism. The story follows this actress who books a job as a contestant on a dating show - and she ends up picking a serial killer to go on a date with. There's a side-story about a woman in the audience recognizing him as a suspected killer of her friend years ago - and her desperately trying to warn the producers (and she's ignored because she's seen as a typical hysterical woman). I think this part feels the least authentic just because of the sheer convenience of it. And it's not part of the true story. I understand the inclusion of it - it does sort of create a level of suspense, but I also feel like it could have been cut and that time could have been given to the victims stories. But, I do like another fictional plot that is added too - she goes on a date with this man. In real life, this woman called the producers the next day and asked if she could cancel the date that she won because she didn't like a vibe he gave off!!! That's kind of INCREDIBLE. Never underestimate the power of a woman's intuition. I wish more women were encouraged to follow their gut, but I think a lot of women are too scared to because they don't want to be seen as "difficult". But, not interacting with this serial killer isn't the best ending to a movie, so this movie has them meeting up in the parking lot after the show - and a date ensues in which she is given the same "bad vibes" and then has to somehow navigate out of this situation. It's a great change to the story that creates a terrific ending. And definitely more cinematic. 

4. MaXXXine - I liked X and Pearl just fine. Solid 3 star movies. This is more of the same. I like the whole thing as a trilogy of films set in different decades. I do get confused by the timelines, to be honest. I think I just didn't pay close enough attention though - because there is a lot of filler and I did get bored by some of it. So this takes place soon after X, right? After she escapes? Mia Goth is incredible - and definitely is the best part of all three of these movies. There's a great scene of her "acting" during an audition that really shows her strength as an actress. Not a lot of actors can pull of "acting" scenes, in my opinion (but recently Emma Stone nailed it in La La Land - and she got an Oscar for it! And Margot Robbie is terrific in Babylon). There's an unexpected supporting cast of Elizabeth Debicki, Michelle Monaghan, Kevin Bacon, Bobby Cannavale (I just saw him at a Jets game! He sat right in front of me), and Halsey (side story: one of my best friends - more like my little adopted sister - went to high school with Halsey. She claims the whole bullying thing isn't true (similar to Lady Gaga's bullying claims) because alienating yourself from your peers because you think you're better than everyone is not the same thing as getting bullied). Overall, it's just another solid three star movie. I think it's weird that people have wildly different reviews of each of these movies - because they are all about the same person, starring the same person, made by the same person and they all feel part of the same story. My ranking would be X = Pearl = MaXXXine. 

5. Babes - This is a very cute movie. I watched it for two specific reasons - 1. Michelle Buteau is HILARIOUS. 2. Pamela Adlon directed it! I think it's her film directorial debut?? I think she directed some episodes of Better Things and Louie (maybe?), but I don't think she's done any films before. I'm a big fan of hers. She's the best (and if you haven't watched Better Things, please do! It's incredible and should have won a million Emmys). I also like Hasan Minhaj. And, I'll admit, Llana Glazer is growing on me slightly. I've been told many times by many people to watch Broad City, so I finally started it a few months ago - I just finished season 2. I don't love it, but it's mildly entertaining. And Glazer and Abbi Jacobson have great comedic chemistry together. I have to support Glazer for how unapologetic her comedy shtick is - and it's also obviously very focused on female friendship. I also love that in real life she is married to a super smart scientist with a PhD (smart & funny people compliment each other so well). This movie feels like an episode of Broad City, just with a different best friend. I laughed out loud several times, so I have no complaints because that's all I ask for with movies like this. Some things that made me laugh: "This feels like destiny and this...is Destiny's Child", when she goes for the amnio needle - I was laughing so hard. I also like that it shows all the absolutely gross parts of being pregnant. And the best line of the movie is "he died", "oh shit, he is like mom" LOL. 

Thoughts on 5 Films

1. Inside Out 2 - I liked the first one, but I hated how everyone latched onto it and misunderstood it (it's not about depression! It's about being sad - a totally normal feeling for a young girl). This one is okay, too. I think they do a good job of explaining that as you get older your emotions become more complex, with added in anxiety, envy and ennui. And speaking of ennui - I have never laughed harder than realizing Adele Exarchopoulos is the voice of Ennui. Probably the best voice casting in all of Pixar. The other new casting emotions are great too (Maya Hawke, Ayo Edebiri - great casting to make it more "of the moment"). There's some really funny lines ("I'm going to call you "wee-wee" made me laugh hard), and overall it's just very cute. Some of it is also bad - like the entire scene in the vault is hard to watch. It's over-stimulating and too chaotic. It also sends a bit of a mixed message with anxiety being SO evil and trying to destroy lives. Like, anxiety does often ruin things - it stops you from doing things you might enjoy, often resulting in a more catatonic state (and then that causes depression because you didn't do the thing you wanted to do, etc.), but I don't think people who suffer from anxiety actively ruin other peoples lives or treat other people badly. Again, it's supposed to be more of a lighter take on all these emotions a young girl feels - and that all these emotions are normal if they work together and let their emotions have time to breathe. But, anxiety is one evil bitch in this. 

2. Wolfs - This movie relies waaaaay too much on the charm and chemistry between George Clooney and Brad Pitt. It's just them giving each other weird disapproving looks for 80% of the film. That's not to say that I wasn't entertained, because I definitely was. I love Clooney & Pitt together, but this movie is more than a little sloppy. None of it holds up (for instance - the kid would have had so many more cuts with all that blood spooling and splattering everywhere?? How is he just a little scratched up through the rest of the movie? Where did all that blood come from?). And I kind of stopped paying attention to all the mafia stuff, but none of it seemed to make sense (like how they say they can't be seen in the same room together, but then go INTO THE SAME ROOM TOGETHER? What??! So stupid). Aside from Clooney & Pitt's chemistry - the surprising highlight is the GUY I HATE FROM EUPHORIA! I never in a million years would think that this guy would hold his own against A-list heavyweights, but I love to be surprised by someone. He's so good in this that I even looked up his name - Austin Abrams. Not only does he hold his own, but he's funnier than both Clooney & Pitt combined. But ultimately, this whole thing feels like a waste of time and talent. The only person that I cared about was Abrams' character - Clooney & Pitt could have died and I would have happily watched his story instead. And I don't think that was the intent. 

3. Apartment 7A - I definitely thought this was a tv show. I went to start the first episode only to realize that it is, in fact, a movie. A very, very, very pointless movie. You may already know that I'm not a fan of Julia Garner, but one day maybe she'll surprise me just like the kid from Euphoria did!! I would honestly love that and welcome it, but this is definitely not it. I didn't really know much about this going in - other than it was related to Rosemary's Baby. I realized quickly that it's a prequel - and also a spinoff because it's about Terry, a character that had a minor but very important role in Rosemary's Baby. I actually just watched Rosemary's Baby for the first time just last year and I really liked it. But I don't remember the character that Wiest plays in this being so shrill?? Combined with that crazy accent - it's hard to watch. I usually love Dianne Wiest, but I just could not get on board with this performance. The beginning plays out exactly how you'd expect it to - a dancer gets hurt and her dreams are crushed. Things start to get interesting when she's offered that gigantic NYC apartment FOR FREE (can you even imagine? I would take them up on it too! Any sane person would!). But unfortunately, it never goes anywhere - it's just so dull and boring. I definitely zoned out once she gets the terrible haircut. I was still leaning towards a 3 star movie (it's made well, and I love all the original film references), but THEN Garner does this whole "wild" dance in the Hail Satan scene and I had to take a 1/2 star away. She's so laughable at trying to be crazy - it's insane to watch. And then the credits roll and I was not expecting to see John Krasinski and Michael Bay's names as Producers. LOL. 

4. The Ministry of Ungentlemanly Warfare - Okay...uh...this movie is really good?! I was definitely not expecting it to be. I've seen barely anyone mention it. It's currently in my Top 10 of the year (but towards the bottom, so I don't expect it to be there for long - especially going into peak movie season). There are three really bad parts of this movie - so I'm just going to get that out of the way first - 1. The makeup for Churchill is AWFUL. 2. Alex Pettyfer is (allegedly) an abusive asshole, but he's also a terrible actor so it's VERY EASY to not cast him in stuff, but he's still getting jobs in 2024. *deep exhale*. 3. The party scene at the end is so ridiculously over-the-top with the costumes. Is there a Spirit Halloween on that island??? It doesn't make sense at all. But everything else about it is fantastic. Even Henry Cavill! He has a pulse in this!! And I'm not familiar with Alan Ritchson, but I definitely will be adding Reacher to my list because he is HOT (and I've already heard good things about Reacher). Eiza Gonzalez and Henry Golding are also HOT. They all have amazing chemistry together - it's funny, sarcastic, layered, and it's all based on a CRAZY true story! I also got a kick out of the James Bond connection considering that Cavill is a fan favorite for the role (and Golding is my pick! Make it happen Ms. Broccoli!). I like the focus on historical events combined with their sarcastic energy - it keeps things light and fun even though it's about something very serious. It definitely has a bit of an Inglorious Basterds but that's not necessarily a bad thing - it still does its own thing and feels very much like a Guy Ritchie movie. 

5. Rebel Ridge - I've liked all of Jeremy Saulnier's previous movies, but I would also definitely describe them as overpraised. He's a solid director - and I like his focus on slow burn storytelling. I think this is probably his best film (I rated Blue Ruin and Green Room 3 stars. And I don't remember Hold the Dark? I'm not sure if I watched it? But I can't imagine why I wouldn't have seen it? Anyway, I rated this 3.5 stars). Aaron Pierre is so HOT OHMYGOD. He's also so good at this no bullshit character - someone who can't catch a break and falls into a web of police corruption. But the highlight is newcomer Zshane Jhe. I love her so much. There are some really good scenes too that build the perfect amount of tension - my favorite is probably when he shows up to confront the police at the station as they are looking into his file. I googled MCMAP before they did and said out loud "Ohhhh they are FUCKED". I also like that it deviates a little bit from normal film style shootouts with meta type dialogue - like when he frustratingly says "hit the fucking tires" because that's what I yell out during any car chase shootout scene. And during the end shootout, the one police officer yells "I'm not sure who to shoot at" because it's so chaotic, and nobody knows at that point who is good and who is bad. Also, the final shootout is terrific; it's choreographed so smoothly. I would say my only complaint is the lighting all but disappears after about an hour. And it should have been 100 minute tops. OH...and AnnaSophia Robb's awful haircut. Who did that to that poor girl??? 

Movie Marathon: X-Men*

*I'm not including spin-off or origin films because that's like 8 more movies - maybe I'll do the Wolverine movies separately at some point* 

1. X-Men - I can't believe this movie came out 24 years ago!! And I haven't seen it since its release. I don't remember much about it, but I do remember liking it. I assume I saw it in the movie theater on release because from 1996 to about 2005 I saw every movie in the theater (I mean not every movie, but I went to the movies at least twice a week). The cast is great - Hugh Jackman, James Marsden, Famke Jannsen, Rebecca Romijn, and obviously Ian and Patrick. I'm not the biggest Anna Paquin fan, and I definitely think she's the weak link. And also, Halle Berry is...terrible. I think it's weird to notice this, because I used to be such a big fan, but then suddenly I saw her in something (I think it was either the John Wick movie she was in or Kingsman: The Golden Circle) and I was shocked at how bad she was. I thought it was a new thing, but after rewatching these movies, I realize she might have always been bad? Anyway, I think this is a very good start for the franchise. It introduces a lot of characters, but gives them all time to shine and develop. The Magneto stuff is terrific and super cool, but the some of the other effects are are bad (like him speeding on the motorcycle - it just looks so fake). The foreshadowing is a little too much, also. But overall it was a fun rewatch. 

2. X2 - I've had two revelations watching this - first, I definitely should have done this marathon rewatch before I watched Deadpool & Wolverine, because there's so much that I didn't even get because my memory is terrible. I figured the characters that showed up were from the X-Men universe at some point, but I don't remember them at all (like Pyro, for example). I also didn't catch that the "Bye, Bye, Bye" opening credits scene is also a reference to this (it comes on the radio and Wolverine immediately turns it off. LOL). Also, I can't believe Brian Cox is in this!! After shitting on comic book movies (around the release time of D&W) and he's FUCKING IN ONE OF THEM?! Come on, dude. Was he just bitter he wasn't invited to be in D&W? My second revelation is that this movie is GOOD! For some reason I thought it was bad and I'm always surprised when people rank it so highly among the X-Men movies. But it's highly ranked in mine now too! There's definitely a little too much filler in the middle so it drags a bit, but overall it's great! If it was about 30 minutes shorter it would have been a 4 star movie! (I actually don't rate any of these 4 stars, even after a rewatch. 3.5 is the highest). 

3. X-Men: The Last Stand - Okay, so this one is the bad one. It's really, really bad, too. Like the drop in quality is insane. I also question if I've ever actually watched this one? It was released when I lived in Philly and my movie theater attendance dropped (actually - I still went to the movies a lot, but the closest theater was an independent theater so I saw more smaller movies. I had to drive to a regular theater - and driving in Philly was not a fun adventure). Learning that it was directed by Brett Ratner makes sense as to why it turned out so awful. Bryan Singer is a garbage human being but he could direct a big blockbuster movie - there's no denying that. I'm actually waiting for Singer's comeback because all these cancelled assholes find their way back into Hollywood somehow. But it's been like 6 years and we haven't heard a peep! Anyway, like I said, I'm not sure I ever watched this because I don't remember a single thing about it - especially the ending??? Is that why they went the prequel root? That makes sense now. I was surprised by some of the actors that appear - like Ben Foster! And a baby Elliot Page! Hugh Jackman looks...weird in this one - like maybe the hairline on the wig is off? Something is wrong with it. And the de-aging tech hasn't really gotten any better, has it? It was awful here and it's still awful! The whole thing is just weird - like how Jean just *appears* with no real plausible explanation? So dumb. 

4. X-Men: First Class - First of all, I've been a James McAvoy fan from day one. I remember when I first started dating my husband he asked me who my biggest celebrity crush was and I said James McAvoy - he was like "isn't that...Professor X?" (and he was also shocked that I didn't say the usual Chris Evans type person). I know he's known to most as Professor X or from the Shyamalan movies, but I've been been in love with him for like 20 years now. When I first saw this movie, I had a mixed reaction to it, but McAvoy is the clear highlight. He forms a bond & chemistry with Michael Fassbender that fells really genuine, which helps this franchise continue the way it did. I'm also a big fan of Michael Vaughn's movies (sorry, Kingsman haters, but they are extremely well made action movies). I'm still mixed on this, though. There's some really good stuff, but overall - there's just too much wrong with it. Jennifer Lawrence was miscast from the beginning (and she literally gave up 1/2 way through these movies). January Jones should be a megastar after her role in Mad Men, but shows clearly that she unfortunately can't act and Mad Men was a fluke. I didn't even remember all the side character mutant actors like Zoe Kravitz and Caleb Landry Jones because they are all so dull. Overall, I found this rewatch kind of...boring? The Wolverine scene is legendary, though. 

5. X-Men: Days of Future Past - I'm actually surprised that this is my favorite of the bunch because on my initial watch, I wasn't that impressed. Maybe my expectations were too high because it is so highly praised by others? I'm not sure, but I seriously loved this one. So, I guess everyone was right! I think it's partly because they finally got the cast right. I mean, obviously Lawrence continues in this role, but everyone else is soooo good. It definitely features the best acting out of any of the X-Men movies. McAvoy is INCREDIBLE. I think he got outshined by Evan Peters as Quicksilver because those scenes are so much fun - and Peters does a great job. But McAvoy shows a range of emotions that nobody else can touch. I think bringing Wolverine back into the mix helps tremendously - and he brings an energy to it that is lacking in First Class. I love the way it weaves the past & present together, and there's some really funny dialogue. But they do explain the plot way too many times (which was my complaint from the first one. We're not stupid - we get it. It's not that difficult!). 

6. X-Men: Apocalypse - I liked this one more than most on my initial watch. There were things I didn't like about it, sure. Like, Lawrence is dead weight at this point. And Sophie Turner as Jean Grey is a TERRIBLE casting decision (and she even got her own movie too! Even though it was more of an X-Men movie, I'm NOT rewatching it because I remember it being really awful). She's so blank - especially compared to Famke Janssen!! And Olivia Munn has like one line of dialogue!? It's so weird. They really do the women in this franchise dirty. Either bad casting, terrible dialogue to work with, or they cut them to bit parts. The only saving grace is Rose Byrne. I like the casting of Cyclops, though - Ty Sheridan. This is the role that Taron Egerton talks about turning down (because he didn't want to do multiple films in which his eyes were covered). I glad he turned it down, but I think if he didn't it probably would have been a bigger character arc (like, we would have definitely gotten a Cyclops spinoff). I also would DIE to see James & Taron in a movie together (my two biggest crushes!). I'm still hopeful that it will happen because they are both close with Matthew Vaughn. He's gotta put them in a movie together at some point?!! I still liked this movie on a rewatch - I like it for the simplicity and linear story compared to all the craziness of the other two prequels. This feels more straightforward and to the point. The villain is a bit weak (played by Oscar Isaac! I forgot about that!), and some of explosions look bad. And it's missing Wolverine! (except "I hope that's the last we see of that guy" made me laugh hard!). But, overall, it's fine. *shrugs shoulders*

Ranking: 

X-Men: Days of Future Past 

X2

X-Men 

X-Men: First Class 

X-Men: Apocalypse 

X-Men: The Last Stand 

Thoughts on 5 New TV Shows

1. Bad Monkey - There's a lot I like about this show - and I think it's something that has a great deal of potential to get really good, but it's just not quite there yet. First, the narration is PAINFUL. I typically don't like narration as a film device anyway, but this is really bad. He literally tells you everything that you know just by watching it and listening to the dialogue. Second, it should have only been 6-8 episodes instead of 10. Some of the side stories could have been completely cut - especially Michelle Monaghan's whole arc. I love her but her character seemed really pointless and they waste a lot of time on her. Or, actually, scratch the 6-8 episode thing and instead make the episodes shorter, like 30-40 minutes instead of 50-60 minute episodes. Because my third thing is that Vince Vaughn is great, but he's so much better in small doses. After that, he becomes a bit grating. And fourth, this just makes me hate Florida even more than I already do! It just looks so humid and gross, and the worst people live there! Anyway, there is a lot I like about this too, so I'm hopeful that it's given a second season so that it could maybe make some changes and be better. I really like Natalie Martinez and I think she has really good chemistry with Vaughn. Every scene they have together is the best. And I love Monaghan - if they develop her character more and intertwine her in the next mystery it will work better. I can't believe how good she looks at 48! The rest of the supporting cast is really good too - lots of Bill Lawrence connections (his daughter is in this, and some Scrubs regulars sporadically show up). And Meredith Hagner is Wyatt Russell's wife! Which is kind of weird because she kind of reminds me of Goldie Hawn. Plus, Jodie Turner-Smith - who definitely also could have used some more screentime. I like that the mysterious death is solved fairly quickly and then we get more of a perspective of these people trying to get away with this crime. There's also a great soundtrack - all the Tom Petty remixes are great! And it uses the instrumental 50 Cent song from Anatomy of a Fall. LOL. 

2. Time Bandits - Okay, so I watched the first two episodes of this and it's incredibly bad. I thought it had a fun/cute premise that was like Bill & Ted's Excellent Adventure but more fantasy based, plus the cast is (mostly) amazing. I've never seen the movie, but I think it has a cult following? But I started the first episode and was horrified by how bad it was - first of all, it's cheesy as Hell. It's more aimed at kids, I think? But that's not how they advertised it. Second of all, every single member of this cast is awful - yes, even Lisa Kudrow. Actually she may even be the worst offender - but I think it's more of a case of bad casting, and a terrible wardrobe (does she take that forehead headband off...or nah?). The kid is awful (I don't want to trash talk a kid, but his name IN REAL LIFE is Kal-El??? That's like the joke in That 90s Show about Eric and Donna naming their daughter Leia Tatooine - but that's a tv show, not REAL LIFE!). And I've always hated Charlyne Yi. I read all about her lawsuit with the creators of this show and it sucks. Nobody deserves to be abused by their employers, even if they are one of the worst actresses working today. She seemed like she was gaining some popularity there for a little while, but then went away and I was grateful. Anyway, I think it's definitely trying to be funny, but I definitely didn't laugh at all, and I wasn't even entertained. Just a total failure on every level. I was toying with watching another episode of this (I don't like giving up on shows at all, but definitely feel like I should at least give a new show 3 episodes), but then I read that it was already cancelled so I'm not going to waste my time (thank the Lord!). 

3. The Penguin - It's four episodes in and so far, so good!! I liked The Batman just fine, but I don't think it was anything to rave about. But I was baffled by Colin Farrell's casting. Yes, the makeup is great, but also....just find an actor who is heavier and balding?? Why go through all of this? Colin does a great job, and obviously is unrecognizable. But, I also think that the makeup hinders his facial expression and his NY gangster accent is very spotty (although he does do a great job of changing his voice - it's also unrecognizable). Obviously the casting was a success and therefore bled into turning this character's story into a miniseries (or show? Is it just the one season or will they make more? I know it's getting good reviews, so they'll probably want to capitalize on that). The series focuses more on the gangster mob aspect and the interweaving of the Falcone's family business. I was expecting more of a Batman connection, but overall, I'm invested - especially in Sofia's story. Cristin Milioti is incredible in this role. The most recent episode with a look at her time in Arkham is the strongest yet because she's so good at showing her innocence and how someone can be driven crazy by prison (and by men, in general. LOL). The supporting cast is great - Mark Strong, they guy from Mrs. Maisel, Theo Rossi, Clancy Brown, Shohreh Aghdashloo, etc. I think some of the blocking is weird though - there are way too many shots that are either too close, or cut at weird angles. I think it's trying a little too hard to be "artsy" like The Batman. And I'm hoping that they give us a reason to care about Oz? I feel like I care about everyone else in the show except him. But overall, it's very entertaining. 

4. The Perfect Couple -  *spoilers ahead* This is the perfect miniseries to watch on a 5 hour flight from Aruba to NYC. It doesn't take too much effort to watch, it's entertaining and trashy, but also has a great cast involved that elevates it from Lifetime movie territory. I think they give away the "who did it" answer a bit too early. They try to throw the audience off and give other suspects, but they never explain why Dakota's character is desperate to wash that glass - she's someone who screams for the housekeeper to do everything 24/7 - she would never just *decide* to wash the dishes. So, it kind of felt like a waste of time for the reveal to be...revealed. But I still had fun with it because there are a few other twists along the way, and they start off each episode with such a fun dance number!! It's kind of hilarious that the cast was so against doing it (reportedly) because it's the absolute best part. I'm definitely tired of Nicole Kidman in these roles, but she does do it so well. It's nice to see Dakota Fanning in a role that is a bit different for her. I have a huge crush on Meghann Fahy since The White Lotus, and she's just as adorable here. Jack Reynor is the perfect asshole (and his American accent is getting better, I think?). Eve Hewson is also a highlight (she definitely has "it" - not all nepobabies are bad!!). But there's also some really bad casting too - like the other two brothers and the guy who plays Shooter. Just terrible acting, but the worst offender is the French woman. My God, how did they not notice how bad she was while filming and recast immediately?? It's not enough to ruin the show, but it would have been better if these 4 characters were cast better. 

5. How to Die Alone - I like this show a lot and I'm really hopeful that it gets another season, because I need to see more of this character. It stars Natasha Rothwell - she was a writer on Insecure (and she was one of my favorite characters too!), and she created this show. I can say with confidence that I am a fan for life because Insecure is SO GOOD, and this show feels unexpected and different. I like that it jumps between being laugh-out-loud funny, while also being incredibly dark and morally grey in some spots. I also think this character is fully formed - she's vulnerable, funny, sweet, and flawed. There are definitely two episode highlights - the Thanksgiving episode is probably my favorite television episode of the year. It's so well written, but not just with the jokes. It keeps the audience in suspense the whole time because you know that there are two very explosive secrets on the verge of being told in the midst of this family drama. Plus, her mom is hilarious when she starts to pray. I couldn't stop laughing. The other episode is the finale episode with her traveling to all these different places instead of going on her planned trip to Hawaii to ruin her exes wedding. It's just a really cute way to end things especially if the series doesn't continue - it's still a satisfying conclusion even though obviously it ends badly. And I love when she starts to lip synch to "Feelin' Good" when she discovers she's getting a settlement for 17k. There's some absurdity to it that reminds me of a more grounded Atlanta. I think my only criticism is that the supporting cast is a little lacking. Nobody stands out to me.  

Film Retrospective Part IV: Thoughts on 10 Films (pre-1980)

1. Badlands - [blind spot] I've had this on my list for a while. I'm not exactly a Terrence Malick fan, but I thought maybe I would like his older stuff? I like The Thin Red Line, so I remain hopeful. I also adore Sissy Spacek, but I honestly thought Carrie was her first movie! It's also crazy how much a young Martin Sheen looks like Emilio Estevez! Anyway, there's definitely a lot of Malick-isms in this - like the overly poetic whispered dialogue, the shots in the tall grass, the chorus-like soundtrack, etc., but it's also very different because it's not 3 hours long and it has a plot!! And I loved it! 

2. Jaws - [rewatch] I've been due for a Jaws rewatch for quite a while now. I don't think I've seen it since I was a teenager (which was like 25 years ago!). It's just not something that every really stood out in my mind, even though I know it's one of the greatest films of all-time. And after this rewatch, I can definitely agree with everyone - it's a perfect 5 star film. Richard Dreyfuss is incredible. The story is perfect - and I love that it's not just about people getting eaten by sharks, they do a great job of developing these characters and providing depth to this story. I didn't remember the part about the hoax with the two kids, but that whole scene is great. I do think it feels a little long in parts and it starts to drag once the three of them are on the boat chit-chatting and comparing scars. I paused it at one point and was shocked that I still had a whole hour left. I also LOL'd with the dialogue "you were on the Indianapolis", "what happened" exchange because it's as if the chief of police had never heard of famous WWII stories. It's just so funny to think about. There's some outstanding camera work, and I just love that little animatronic shark. One of my favorite things to do as a kid was the the tram ride at Universal Studios in Hollywood - when you drive through the lake and then see Jaws swimming in the water towards you and then he jumps out of the water and everyone gets splashed with water. It's so much fun! I don't think they do it anymore, right? Such a shame. They play this movie every year on the beach in Cape May and I always miss it by a few days, but I'm definitely going to try to catch it one of these years. There are very famous shark attack stories here - and even though the author of the book that this is based on said it's not based on the 1916 Jersey Shore attacks, everyone from NJ will tell you otherwise. 

3. Heaven Can Wait - [rewatch] I watched this as a kid, and I always equated it with an 80s movie, so I was surprised that this came out in the late 70s. This was one of my mom's favorite movies - she wasn't a big movie person, but she really liked more lighthearted movies like this (it was either this or dark Lifetime movies). I was also surprised that Warren Beatty directed this, too. I actually didn't remember that Beatty directed any movies (like, he directed Bulworth and Dick Tracey, too??? Why don't I remember that??). This is really cute, entertaining, with some really funny moments, but it's also very stupid. It's like a precursor to movies like Heart and Souls and even 13 Going on 30 (and I love both of those movies a lot). I love Julie Christy but that hair definitely ages her by about 15 years (she's only 38 in this but she looks like she's in her 50s). It's sort of crazy that people talk about how being "woke" and political is ruining movies, but movies like this existed in the 70s (and this is definitely about being "woke" about the environment). 

4. Three Days of the Condor - [blind spot] Holy shit, Robert Redford looks so good in this - the wispy blonde hair, the popped collar on the peacoat, the glasses - I would have swooned hard in 1975. And Faye Dunaway! They are so sexy together (but the sex scene is...weird. First, all your coworkers were just MURDERED. Second, the shots of photography spliced in with the saxophone heavy score is A CHOICE). The movie, for a modern audience, feels a little cliched and slow moving, but I have to appreciate the time that this was made and that it probably inspired a whole lot of conspiracy centered stories (especially 90s films like Conspiracy Theory). Overall, I liked it, but modern movies have done it better. 

5. Stage Fright (1950) - [rewatch] One of the lesser Hitchcock films, but I've always liked it nonetheless. I like his focus on theater with this one, it feels a little outside his realm. Marlene Dietrich is delicious (but can't sing - holy shit that scene is painful), but Jane Wyman is a STAR. Her face just shines in front of the camera. I was looking up some info on her while watching this - and I had NO IDEA that she was married to Ronald Reagan?!? How weird! Anyway, I like this movie, but it is definitely too long for the story that it's telling. However, the blocking and camerawork at the end totally make the whole movie worthwhile. Just some stunning shots (the lighting hitting their eyes with the rest of their faces in shadows! SO GOOD). There's some funny bits in it too. 

6. How to Marry a Millionaire - [blind spot] I've had this movie on my list for quite a while, but couldn't find it streaming anywhere. Finally found it airing on TCM during a Lauren Bacall celebration week. I had really high hopes for this after watching Gentlemen Prefer Blondes because I was not expecting to love that movie as much as I did. I thought this would have the same effect, but unfortunately, I was a bit disappointed. It's cute, but nowhere near the brilliance of Gentlemen. I think I must now consider myself a Marilyn Monroe fan because Some Like it Hot is also among my favorite comedies. And Monroe is the unexpected highlight in this (I thought I would have praised Bacall more), but the glasses gag she does through the whole movie really got me good. She's just so naturally funny. Bacall is great too, and I like her little reference to her in real life beau Humphrey Bogart in The African Queen. I just think the story sucks and it's incredibly obvious that the guy from the beginning that they treat like shit is actually a millionaire. 

7. In the Heat of the Night - [blind spot] I love Sidney Poitier! I've seen a lot of his movies (To Sir, With Love being my favorite, and I love him in Guess Who's Coming to Dinner and A Raisin in the Sun). This movie somehow eluded me. Some of it does seem familiar, so I may have watched it or parts of it at some point. Unfortunately, I didn't love it. Some of it is good, but a lot of it is just overdone. The gum chewing is OFF THE CHARTS. The racist police officer reminded me of someone, but I couldn't figure out who. But it's all so in your face and repetitive. But the way that Sidney can shut someone down with a single stare is incredible and so satisfying. 

8. The Out-of-Towners - [blind spot] This movie stressed me out! I feel like Jack Lemmon's character is every service person's worst nightmare. He's so nasty and entitled! While I like the whole vacation gone wrong aspect, a lot of it is very anti-NYC (and anti-city life in general), which is frustrating. I also think these two people should divorce ASAP. But on a high-note - the dynamic between them is extremely funny and I like the way she's very submissive in the beginning but then gets more and more tired of his bullshit. She gets more and more hilarious as the movie goes on because she starts to come alive as he falls apart. It's a very interesting commentary on marriage and how couples handle stress. One of the things my husband and I always do when we travel is to adopt a "go with the flow" attitude. Like, nothing can get to us when we are on vacation. Flights delayed? No worries. Hotel evacuated due to a gas leak? Oh well! Phone fell out of pocket in the taxi and they left before we noticed? I guess, we'll make some calls! There's always going to be changes to the schedule and plans, and we'll just deal with it, otherwise the vacation will be ruined and what's the point in that? We'll end up miserable like these people?! NO THANK YOU. Anyway, it's also very funny in parts. The "pervert in the park" scene got me, especially when the police officer on the horse comes out of nowhere chasing them through the park. I laughed so hard. 

9. The Thomas Crown Affair (1968) - [blind spot] I vaguely remember the 90s one (I was a big Renee Russo fan back in the day. I still am, but she's not in much anymore). Steve McQueen and Faye Dunaway are a dream casting (was Dunaway just in every movie in the late 60s/70s? It's kind of weird that she followed up Bonnie and Clyde with this story.), but this is another disappointing movie. It's very stylish, has some intense moments, and it's certainly not a bad movie - just kind of dull and predictable. The shots being cut up into squares reminds me of The Brady Bunch, and some of the shots are weird - like the kissing scene that dissolves into all the colors. And what was up with the sexy Chess game??? LOL. So weird. I do like the glasses he wears with the blue lenses! I want those! Otherwise, I was kind of bored. 

10. Invasion of the Body Snatchers (1956) - [rewatch] I just watched this for the first time a few years ago, with the intention of also watching the one from the 70s (that I've never seen! I KNOW!), but I never got around to the 70s one. I went to watch it for this retrospective, but then decided to rewatch this one again first because I remember LOVING it! I think the 70s one is held in higher regard, so I'm even more excited to see it because I think this one is close to perfect. I love how simple & menacing the score is. I love how it feels like a longer episode of The Twilight Zone. And I love the chemistry between the leads. I feel like sometimes these older horror movies have terrible acting because it's too cheesy (like The Blob for instance), but this is an exception. 

Thoughts on 5 Films

1. Bad Boys: Ride or Die - The last Bad Boys was a bit of a disappointment - especially *spoiler* killing off a beloved character. This one was slightly better - I'm glad that they addressed this previous death and still made him part of this story (and an essential part, at that!). BUT - they cast a new woman as Theresa!!! WHAT THE FUCK?! Did they think we wouldn't notice?? Other than that, I enjoyed most of this - there's some good laughs, and an interesting story with some twists & turns (although the second I saw Eric Dane I said "bad guy" - and I think it's pretty clear from early on who the other bad guy is). I didn't really like the whole introduction of Mike's son in the previous one, but I really liked him in this. He plays off of the two of them really well and brings a calming energy to their craziness. I just really wish Bay would take the franchise back (he still does a cameo in this so he's not given it totally up yet - *crosses fingers*). There's some dumb parts, of course, like if they are fugitives, wouldn't cops already be assigned outside their houses? A whole team of assassins wouldn't be able to break in inconspicuously, but it does lead to a very, very good scene with Marcus' son-in-law. I love that they gave him a scene to shine in. I also LOVE the Reba McEntire cover of "Bad Boys" had me ROLLING. I can't believe they got her to do that. It's perfect.  

2. His Three Daughters - Such a beautiful and moving story about grief and dealing with the loss of a loved one through the tale of sibling rivalry. Natasha Lyonne, Carrie Coon and Elizabeth Olsen knock this out of the park - easily the three best performances I've seen this year, and I could not choose between them even if my life depended on it. They are submitting for "supporting" categories for awards, but they are definitely 3 lead performances (they are all in the movie for more than 50% of the runtime - that's a lead performance). But it will probably help their chances of winning. I kind of hope they give the edge to Lyonne - only because she's been in the industry longer and deserves the recognition (it's also very clear that only one of these sisters is from New York in real life so Lyonne has the edge there a bit). But anyway, the way these characters are developed and that the relationship dynamics are so clear within minutes of the film really speak to how well this film is written. So, if I'm going to root for any awards for this - I'm going with Original Screenplay for Azazel Jacobs (he also directed this. I'm not familiar with him, but I just looked up his IMDB and he graduated from the same college as me! A lot of now famous actors went to my school, but it's nice to see some behind the scenes love!). It's just gorgeously written - I might seek out the actual screenplay to read. Each sister is given such a specific identity with just a few lines and descriptors (like how Olsen's character is a former Deadhead - just from that tiny bit of information, I know so much about her). There are a few scenes that really blew me away - when the guy confronts the two sisters about how he has been there for their father more than they have, and how rude they are treating the other sister. And the dad's monologue at the end nearly brought a tear to my eye. There are also some funnier, lighthearted moments that keep the film from being dragged down ("married a few crazy bitches, raised a few crazy bitches" Hahaha!!). I think the only thing that sort of creeped into my mind while watching this is that the spouses and grandchildren aren't around too? That's weird - if my husband's parent was in hospice, I would be there with him to say goodbye. It just struck me as false that they are talking to their spouse on the phone, telling them how hard it is to watch your parent slowly die. They should be there!

3. Challengers - I don't really get the hype around Luca Guadagnino, but I liked this more than I've liked any of his previous movies. I'm not sure that says much - but to be clear, I think his previous movies are all 3 star movies - they are "good", but that's it. But this one had my attention slightly more and I really like the way the story unfolds so I rated it 3.5 stars. If I liked the cast more, I probably would have rated it 4 stars. I think this is probably the best I've seen Zendaya (I don't think she's a good actress. Sorry! I like her, though!). I don't see anything special about Mike Faust. Josh O'Connell is the saving grace, but I don't find him attractive. But going back to Zendaya - I just think the casting is weird because these two guys describe her as "the hottest woman they've ever seen" and that...just...can't be true? She's very pretty, cute, stylish, her "face card never declines" as the kids say, etc., but HOTTEST WOMAN EVER? I also don't know much about tennis, but every woman tennis player I've ever seen is muscular and toned - especially in their arms, and Zendaya is a stick!! (that's not a bad thing! I'm a stick too, although I might not be able to say that anymore since I started finally gaining weight since I turned 40). I just would have cast completely different people in these roles. I saw some criticize the time jumps, but I think that's the only thing that kept it really interesting. That, and the love triangle aspect. But there are some scenes that are very bad - like the scene with the wind (insanely bad filmmaking), and the slo-mo scenes combined with the techno music....ugh. I actually saw a lot of praise for the slow motion scenes (some described it as "epic" LOL), but I rolled my eyes every single time. The other bad part is that tennis is fucking boring. I basically painted my nails during the actual tennis scenes because I can't waste my time watching a fucking ball get hit back and forth. I was WAITING for him to do the stupid gesture with the ball in the center FOR THE ENTIRE MOVIE because it's a BIG foreshadowing moment in the beginning. So, of course, they wait for the end. And then it...just...ends. I like that they don't give the audience an ending, but it's obviously a bit unsatisfying for all this build-up. 

4. I Saw the TV Glow - I'm very surprised that I didn't really like this. But then again, the best comparison I can give is that it's Twin Peaks level of weird, and I've never really been a Twin Peaks fan (I like certain aspects of it). I also saw a review that described it as "Donnie Darko for they/thems" which is 100% true - but I never really liked Donnie Darko either so that makes sense. I definitely like what it's trying to do, and I'm glad that people are connecting to it - especially queer & trans audiences. I just think Justice Smith is terrible and his voice bothers me so much - it's so monotoned! The younger actor playing him also looks nothing like him, so that's a bit weird. And they should have just kept the younger actor for more of the movie because they introduce Smith when it jumps 2 years later (making him 15ish?) and Smith looks like a 30 year old (he's 29 in real life). It's very distracting. And then 42 year old Danielle Deadwyler is his mom (she's younger than me for fuck sake!), and she's severely underused. There's just so much I don't like about it right from the beginning, and then he breaks the 4th wall and I almost slammed my head into a wall. It's just...bad. I think it should have leaned way more into the asexuality aspect - and the childhood trauma that he suffers PTSD from. While I do believe that you are born with your sexuality (and I do believe that it's a spectrum), asexuality is also linked to childhood abuse (two things can be true at the same time). It's not as talked about publicly because it takes away from the "born this way" mentality, but I think it's a mistake to not fully discuss ideas because they don't fit into a certain theory. Anyway, I just wish they explored the ideas more instead of being so abstract. There's some disturbing scenes, but it all feels very amateur and derivative. I liked the ending though - where he watches this tv show (a teenage obsession) as an adult and is like "what the fuck? This is terrible" (not actual dialogue) because I'm sure if I tried to watch any of those Nickelodeon shows like Salute Your Shorts or Are you Afraid of the Dark?, they would be painful to watch as an adult. 

5. Asphalt City - This is grim. But the good kind of grim. The kind of grim that you expect with the story revolving around paramedics navigating their job in NYC. There's a great cast - Sean Penn, Tye Sheridan, and Michael Pitt (who should be a much bigger star by now. What the fuck is taking so long?). But there's also...Mike Tyson? I love how everyone keeps talking about "me too" and "canceling" people in Hollywood, but then they keep employing abusers like Mike Tyson (and Sean Penn, but that's, at least, a grey area...). It's just baffling. It's not like he's a great actor or brings anything to the table. It's very easy to just...not...hire him. ANYWAY, otherwise, I liked this movie a lot. I think it does a good job in showing the psychological and emotional effects of stressful jobs like this - ones where life and decisions are made regularly, and also dealing with emotionally unwell people in NYC must be incredibly draining. Trying to remain unbiased when you're dealing with drug addicts is a *big* part of the plot, and it is explored in a very dark and gritty way. Penn is exactly how you'd expect, playing a grizzled paramedic training the new kid on the block. Sheridan has been hit or miss for me, but he's very good here - especially during the scene towards the end. Incredible stuff. I just don't like seeing him in sex scenes because he still seems like he's 15 to me. He's a BABY! And Michael Pitt is great as the bully/asshole character, but I wish he was in it more. 

Thoughts on 5 Films

1. Civil War - As I expected, I really liked this. I can see the criticism, but I also think people were expecting something that the film was never going to be. I really like Alex Garland projects, for the most part, so I kind of already assumed I would like this (I even liked Men and, man, people fucking hate that movie). I think the film has a few really strong moments - and stays true to the story of the experience of photojournalists during wartime. It's an insane job, and it's also very critical to our understanding of current events. The whole "fake news" cycle has really damaged journalism as whole, but a lot of the problem is that just like with film journalism & criticism, it's been taken over by influencers & "personalities" who have a whole lot to say, but don't actually know what they're talking about. There's also a lot of "keyboard warriors" pretending to be journalists, but real journalist are on the ground like this. I also like the relationship that forms between Kristen Dunst and Cailee Spaeny, although I feel like Dunst plays this role a little too weathered at her age (she's my age but acts like she's 65). Spaeny is incredible, though. She's a star, for sure. I like the references to how half the country are just pretending like the war is not happening. I think that will definitely be true to reality (I do think people are hyperbolizing the possibility of civil war happening soon, BUT, also please stop trying to assassinate a presidential nominee because that will definitely do it). Like, if a civil war is declared, my company will still expect us to go to work and sell over-priced yoga pants and dresses, and pretend like nothing is wrong just like they did during a worldwide pandemic. But the clear highlight is the 7 minute long scene featuring Jesse Plemons - it's such a testament to his talent that he was able to steal the whole movie with this one scene. He gives it so much life and intensity that it became the social media marketing for the movie (and a popular meme), and he's not even credited! The only criticism I have is that the end feels really cheap and the action has a very video game style that I don't care for (I've seen people compare it to Call of Duty, but I wouldn't know). I don't know, the set pieces just feel so fake and the "war" seems so controlled instead of the chaos it's supposed to represent. Also, I just really don't like the girl from Devs that Garland uses in every movie (I think she's been in every single one of his projects since Ex Machina? And she is the same girl from The House of the Dragon! I thought it was her, but then I doubted myself). She's a terrible actress, but she's not in this enough for it to matter, thankfully. 

2. The Union - Oh my God what a stupid fucking movie. It's certainly not a bad movie - very average, but for these two superstars I have to believe they should be getting offered better roles than this? I will always watch a Marky Mark movie, but I laughed out loud when I saw the Letterboxd description of the plot as Mark playing a character from New Jersey. I was immediately skeptical. It's like when Ben Affleck tries to play someone from New York. It just doesn't work when you've become so synonymous with a certain city. And just in case you didn't get that he's from NJ - they play Springsteen within the first 10 minutes and then AGAIN 5 minutes later (I looked up filming locations and I think the only NJ location they used is Jersey City for the one beginning scene - which doesn't even make sense because they are supposed to be from Paterson. Why would they hang out in Jersey City as teens? It's an hour away without traffic....ANYWAY....). You don't have to worry about Mark attempting the NJ accent because he doesn't, and then his "new identity" that he is given by this black ops group is a guy from Boston, so he pretends like he's changing his accent to Boston but it's exactly the same accent - except that he does make fun of the "pahk the cah" typical Boston dialogue, which made me laugh. I also laughed when the guy asks "do you know Good Will Hunting?". But I think those are the only two times I laughed through the whole movie that is clearly trying to be funny. I want to like Halle Berry, I really do. And I used to like her. But lately she's been very bad in everything and I'm in the process of rewatching all the X-Men movies and she's....eeek. I feel like she's maybe always been a bad actress, but I didn't know enough about acting to notice? She's STUNNING though. But they give her a horrible haircut in this and they make her wear a hat - that's not a beret- as a beret and it looks so fucking stupid. I think it's adorable that Mark and Halle have been friends for over 30 years (the pictures of them at the end are so cute!), but they have ZERO chemistry together. It's also very obvious that *spoiler alert* Mike Coulter is going to be the bad guy because he "dies" in the beginning but we don't see a dead body (he falls into a river). It's just so fucking stupid. 

3. La Chimera - I rated this 3 stars because it's well-made and well-acted, but I can't really say that I liked it. In fact, I found it very, very boring. Like, way more boring than I was expecting. I saw a few reviews focus on the "slow burn" of the storytelling, but "slow burn" doesn't have to mean boring. I should be invested and interested in the outcome of this story and I definitely wasn't. I like Josh O'Connor a lot, but he did nothing for me here. There are some great shots, but still not enough to hold my attention, AND it's over 2 hours long! And nothing happens! Why does it take over 2 hours for them to tell this very simple story??? The only part that really caught my attention was when I thought "wow that woman looks like an old version of Isabella Rossellini" only to realize that that's HER! Holy shit! They made her look so old!? I know she's in her 70s, but she's never looked it before. It was very jarring. But that's pretty much all I have to say about this movie. I'm glad others enjoyed it and found value in it (there's a ridiculous number of 5 star reviews on Letterboxd), but it's not for me. 

4. Fancy Dance - I think this is a good movie, but I can't help but think that a miniseries that really focuses on the development and relationship of these characters could have been so much better. The story feels rushed and I never get to know them enough to understand them. I'm not the biggest fan of Lily Gladstone - I have yet to see her deliver any emotion aside from annoyed, distant, and stoic (and she does that well, but I need to see range before I'll call someone good at acting). She's the same here - just no emotion in her face or voice at all. And, again, that fits the character, but also that just might be her? I like the story that they are trying to tell - there is a lot of depth and history behind this story that is constantly being recalled and referenced. There's an entire history of missing Native American women, and nobody cares. And it's been happening for lifetimes. The missing woman is not the focus of this story, however, but it's always there. The consequences of her going missing is the catalyst for the story. The bond that forms between the missing woman's daughter and sister - the lengths that she will go to (and has to go to) in order to keep her niece's Native American culture in the forefront is the main focus of the story. On a related note - I only recently learned that non-Native American people using the term "powwow" is offensive. It's not something I ever really thought about because as Americans, we use a lot of words from different languages and cultures because we're a melting pot!! So, when someone would say "powwow" I would just think "a quick meeting", not really understanding the cultural significance of the word. Using the word as a non-Native American trivializes a custom and the real meaning of the word. So *the more you know*! Anyway, the highlight is definitely the ending - with them dancing at the powwow. It's incredibly beautiful and powerful. Also, the young girl is terrific (and outshines Gladstone for most of the movie!). 

5. The Watchers - There's a great little horror story here, but ultimately if feels like an M. Night Shyamalan movie minus the flair. I'm not always a fan of Shyamalan, but I have a level of respect for what he does (I just think he's bad with actors and some of his shot set-ups are eye-rolling). I'm referencing Shyamalan because it's his daughter that directed this movie. For a directorial debut, I'm definitely interested. There's a lot of good here, but a lot of it is also very stupid. First, I think there's a similar horror movie maybe called The Forest with Natalie Dormer (if I remember it correctly it was about a haunted forest that made people commit suicide). But this definitely goes in a different direction - but that direction is more or less batshit crazy. Second, I love the mythology aspect and that the story becomes more about the very real human emotion of guilt, but they should have focused way more on the latter. The guilt of someone taking someone else's life (even if by accident) has to feel all-consuming - and makes for very interesting stories about human trauma. Third, some of the dialogue is so cringy and embarrassing ("you wouldn't like me if you knew the real me" - it's about as cliche as it gets). But, it's interesting, and the cast is great (the girl from Barbarian is in this! She's so good! I hope she breaks away from the horror genre. Maybe she has, but I just haven't seen her in anything?). Dakota is back to being good again (there was a period of time in which she sucked - The Twilight movies, The Runaways), and she is *excellent* in this and she looks great as a brunette. Overall, I can't really say I recommend it because it's dumb, but I was strangely entranced by it. 

4 Thoughts on The Emmys

1. The Host(s) - I love Eugene and Dan Levy - I think they were a good choice to host this year because they are more wholesome and loveable than a lot of comedians would be. They did a decent job - nothing special, but it was ok. I definitely would have preferred more jokes (I think they really only had one good joke: "In the spirit of The Bear, we will not be making any jokes"). The rest of it was just...cute. It was probably a mistake to have the trio from Only Murders in the Building present together because they killed it - and were far funnier than the hosts. They NEED to host an awards show together ASAP. It would be complete chaos but in the best way possible. I did like that the hosts brought out the rest of the Schitt's Creek family to present the last award (giving Catherine O'Hara the final moment). Overall, they played it pretty safe, which is exactly that...safe. 

2. The Show - A solid show! Not as good as the Emmys that aired earlier this year, but a strong follow-up I think. They continued the classic tv reunions and rebuilding familiar tv sets thing, and added a classic tv character trope thing ("tv dads", "tv doctors", "tv lawyers" etc) that made for some fun presenters - like Niecy Nash-Betts bringing back Deputy Raineesha Williams from Reno 911, which was hilarious. I love her so much. I think John Leguizamo gave a really nice speech about the importance of representation in the media that didn't feel contrived or forced - he's naturally passionate about it and did a great job of explaining why it is so vital for people to see themselves represented on screen. I don't know who Jelly Roll is, but he has a nice voice (and I like tattoos but face tattoos are on another level!). Richard Gadd gave THREE very good speeches (what an inspiration!). The worst part was the weird advertisement intro for Johnnie Walker with Ebon and whoever that other guy is. I know the liquor industry is a little panicked right now with sales (my husband is in the industry), but this ad made me not want to buy Johnnie Walker ever again. It doesn't help that they got the two worst people to banter together - they should have had Kristen Wiig and anyone else (she can banter with anyone!). The show seemed to move fairly quickly, with very little hiccups. I just think it could have been funnier. 

3. The Winners - I'm actually fairly happy with the winners - they spread the love slightly more than previous years with wins for The Bear, Hacks, Ripley, Shogun, The Crown, Slow Horses, Baby Reindeer and Fargo instead of last year where only 3 shows got all the awards. I have not seen Shogun yet, so that's the only win I can't really comment on but I've heard nothing but rave reviews, and I've already declared my love for Anna Sawai in Monarch: Legend of the Monsters, so I'm so happy she won. The second season of The Bear was *just* as strong as the first season, which is super rare, so I'm glad for all the winners. I don't think it will get showered with as many awards next year (I still thought it was good, but the third season definitely received mix reactions). But as far as "comedy" goes - Hacks is better. Jean Smart is a LEGEND, so her winning over Ayo is surprising, but also deserving. I was also surprised that a legend did not win the Supporting Actress in a Comedy category - I thought FOR SURE it would go to Meryl Streep or Carol Burnett because WHO CAN COMPETE WITH MERYL STREEP AND CAROL BURNETT???? I was SHOCKED Liza Colon-Zayas won. That's so crazy!! Another shocking win was Lamorne Morris!! It's a weird win among that cast, but he's not undeserving. I think the category was definitely weak (Jon Hamm should have gone supporting because he probably would have won). The only win that really upset me was Jodie Foster over Juno Temple. Foster was the best part of True Detective: Night Country, but that's...not saying much. While Juno BLEW MY MIND in the most recent season of Fargo. I'm not even a big fan of hers - I've actively criticized her acting multiple times on this blog. But a great performance is a great performance - and I will always admit when someone surprises me (and I actually welcome it! Waiting for Elisabeth Moss or Julia Garner to do the same!). 

4. The Fashion - Not going to lie - I was so bored by the fashion this year. There were so many black dresses, with a few pops of red or metallic, but NOBODY took any risks and that's always boring. My favorite dress is, I guess, the metallic, medieval number than Kristen Wiig wore, because at least it felt different. Anna Sawai also looked GORGEOUS. And Catherine O'Hara somehow went backwards in time because she looks younger and younger every time I see her (SHE IS 70 YEARS OLD!!). Everyone else bored me - Jennifer Aniston and Reese Witherspoon wore the exact same dress they always wear. Naomi Watts...blah, Sofia Vergara...blah, Viola Davis...blah. I had high hopes for Ella Purnell, but that look ages her. I wish she wore something more youthful. Ditto for Selena Gomez. The worst dresses were the dress that Sarah Paulson wore - what the heck was happening at the bottom??? Kaitlin Olson - eek. And Greta Lee looks like she's wearing a dollar store version of Bjork's infamous swan dress. 

Thoughts on 5 Films

1. Immaculate - *some spoilers ahead* First of all, I'm a big Sydney Sweeney fan - she's absolutely gorgeous, but I also think she's very talented and that gets a bit overlooked because she's so gorgeous (kinda like Alexandra Daddario). I didn't like her in Anyone But You, but I just don't think that romcoms are her genre. I did really like her in that other horror movie that she did where she was a twin - I can't think of the name of the movie, but she was excellent in it (and the rest of the movie was bad). I appreciate that she found a story that she was passionate about and decided to take matters into her own hands and produce this movie. It's sort of a shame that it came out so closely to The First Omen because they are eerily similar stories and they are equally great (I think I would put this slightly above The First Omen, but probably only because of Sydney's presence. The First Omen is probably better made, but it's very close). I think this would have gotten a better reception if the exact same movie didn't come out just a few months prior. However, it's very strong - there are some scenes that are just so good, like how she plans her escape by faking a miscarriage (although I don't think chickens have that much blood?!). And I like how the people at the convent just go full on evil - the line "If this is not the will of God, then why does God not stop us?" is delicious. It sums up these religious cults so succinctly with just that one sentence. Literally sent chills up my spine. There's some gorgeous imagery that is definitely referential to past movies, but still very much its own thing. And wonderful supporting performances from Benedetta Porcaroli (she's so beautiful too! She reminds me of someone but I can't put my finger on it. Penelope Cruz, maybe?) and the woman from The White Lotus! The ending is really strong too, which is hard to accomplish in films like this. 

2. The Instigators - Okay, I get that this isn't a great movie, but reviews seem overly harsh, in my opinion. It's a solid 3 star movie! I was entertained! Matt Damon and Casey Affleck have great chemistry and seem like they're having a ton of fun! What else do you want??! The overall plot is insanely stupid, but there's also something very charming about how dumb these characters are - just the worst heist ever with everything that could go wrong, in fact, going wrong. I think it's kind of funny that Clooney and Pitt have their own Apple film coming out. It's like the A team and the B team of Ocean's Eleven (although I think both Damon and Affleck are A team now but they weren't back then). I prefer Casey over Ben, as far as acting - he's a FAR better actor (and Ben should stick to directing!). And I'll always love Matt Damon - I do think this is the first movie that I said "wow he's getting old", so I laughed when Affleck says "what are you...60?". He's still so handsome because men look BETTER as they age (for the most part). I also love Paul Walter Hauser, but he's definitely underused - and the dialogue that he had to work with is quite painful. A lot of the dialogue could have definitely been better - but Damon and Affleck make it work, for the most part. It's not something I would highly recommend or anything, but if you're in the mood for a dumb heist movie with two loveable stars, then this will fit the bill perfectly. 

3. Kinds of Kindness - Welp, my favorite film of the year - and I highly doubt that will change because I think this is close to a masterpiece and there's very few of those made each year. I think you really have to like Yorgos Lanthimos' weird side to fully enjoy this. Like, if you thought The Lobster was a masterpiece then you'll likely love this too. The films that have more general audience appeal tend to be my least favorite by him (The Favourite, Poor Things - both are definitely "weird", but still have a tangible cohesive story). I love that it's three separate stories that definitely still feel connected by loose threads and I think if I rewatched it those threads would be a bit clearer. I think it also helps the 2 hour and 44 minute runtime feel less like 2 hours and 44 minutes because there's clear pause points and it feels like you're watching 3 short stories instead of one movie. I think I might be in the minority with the first part being my favorite? I really dig all three, but my initial feeling is that the first story feels the strongest. I think the other two are assisted by Emma Stone's dynamic performance (she's not in the first story as much), and are therefore thought to be "stronger". The entire cast is fabulous - playing different characters in each story - Jesse Plemons has the most to do, but great supporting performances from Margaret Qualley, Willem Dafoe, Hong Chau (she's been *excellent* at choosing projects lately - this, The Menu, Poker Face, etc.) and Joe Alwyn (on a sidenote, isn't Stone part of Taylor Swift's crew?? Weird that she would do a movie with Alwyn when according to her fanbase, he is the devil? My point is he's probably not that bad if one of her besties willingly works with him). Hunter Schafer also has a really strong scene (actually probably the strongest scene of the entire thing, aside from Stone's dance scene that became the main marketing for the film). Anyway, I just love that the film focuses on uncomfortable realities of human nature - those who thrive on power and domination vs those who seek out being dominated. And even though sex is a large part of this, it's not the sole focus (there are also focuses on cult behavior, domestic abuse, corporate dominance, etc.). I was flicking through some reviews after I watched this and someone noted that the film is basically a visual form of the Eurythmics song "Sweet Dreams" (which is featured in the movie). I can't remember who and now I can't find the review, but yes, that is exactly what this movie is. I also love how each "story" never goes how you expect it to - it's weird and wacky, but every action seems purposeful (instead of being weird just to be weird), like how in the 3rd story Emma drives her car as if she's participating in a drag race every time she drives - it seems totally out of character, but it somehow builds character at the same time (and also is great foreshadowing for the end). And best of all, it's actually very funny. If you get it. 

4. The Killer (2024) - I love Omar Sy so much! I'm not sure if I've mentioned that on this blog because I've really only seen him in The Intouchables and then one of the best current shows, Lupin. He deserves to be a huge star though. Unfortunately this movie isn't going to push him to that direction. It's not a bad movie, but I don't think I'll remember a single thing about it in a few months. I could already tell you before I pressed play that this movie did not need to be 2 hours - it should have been 100 minutes tops. I rated it 3 stars, but if it had tighter editing and a few other changes it could have easily been a 4 star movie. It's a ton of fun, and the fight choreography is so smooth. Especially the ending - the fight sequence that moves along to the cool suspenseful jazz music just works so well. John Woo knows how to direct these types of films, obviously, and I think he really finds the right rhythm for these films that a lot of other directors don't understand. I didn't realize until after watching this that Woo remade his own movie! I've never seen the original, obvi, but that's kind of interesting. Sy is obviously the highlight, but the rest of the cast is mostly good too. I LOVE Diana Silvers and her version of "Let's Live for Today" (the Pachinko song!!!) is SO GOOD. She's not really believable as being blind, though. I don't know the main girl, but she reminds me of Meghan Markle (and I like Meghan Markle!). Plus, MY FAVORITE BAD GUY EVER - Fouchet from Bad Boys (I can't believe that was like 30 years ago!). The worst part is definitely Sam Worthington because for some weird reason he does an Irish accent. Why not just let him have his natural Australian accent? Especially because he can't do accents? Is this like when Charlie Hunnam chose to do a Northern Irish accent because "it's his favorite"? Actors really need to learn their limits. 

5. A Quiet Place: Day One - I thought this was very good. Just as good as the first two, and they both landed on my "Best of" list in their years of release. I think a lot of people were expecting answers, and were therefore disappointed, but I think it's weird to expect answers for a story like this. That's not what these stories are about - they are about survival and human instinct and connections, not "why did the aliens attack Earth and where did they come from?". I usually *never* connect with these disaster flicks because I would just die. If the world was ending and millions of people are dead and there are no resources, I would just kill myself. But, as my husband always points out, I would absolutely stay alive *just* to make sure my cats are ok. So, this film, being that its main plot is that this woman is trying to save her cat and get a slice of NY pizza (and *spoiler* then die), is SUPER relatable. And, once again, Lupita gives a stellar performance but it's in a horror movie so it will be ignored come awards season. The way she can show terror in her eyes is a masterclass in acting. I do think that this film leans more towards disaster movie than horror, but my point still stands. I'm not fully convinced by Joseph Quinn, though. He's fine in this, but comparatively, Lupita outshines him in every moment. I thought he was also okay in Stranger Things, but he rose to film star so quickly and I don't really understand why (and he even got a coveted role with the Fantastic Four reboot!). They also got a great cat for this role - although I do find it mostly unbelievable that she's able to find the cat in all that chaos in NYC of all places. And I spent the whole film stressed out about the cat because if it were me - I would have had my cat in a bag or on a leash! There are several scenes in which the cat is not in the shot and it would stress me out! WHERE IS THE CAT?! I think Djimon Hounsou is extremely underused - and so unbelievable that he would be on the same boat that they were trying to get to. That's a bit ridiculous for a city with a population of 8 million people. And, even though the ending is a happy one (for some), everyone on the boat is probably going to die anyway, right? Also, as I write this post on the 23rd anniversary of 9/11, the imagery used of people running through NYC covered in soot and ash still stings.