3 Thoughts on Project Hail Mary

**contains spoilers**

1. Grace & Rocky - The love story of the decade? Between a science teacher and a....rock alien? It's certainly not what I was expecting to watch. I was very excited to watch this film for a few reasons - one is obviously Ryan Gosling (I will get back to him in a sec), another is that the mostly rave reviews I skimmed were very enticing. But the main reason is because I read The Martian last year and it might be my favorite fiction I read in a long, long time. I vaguely remember the movie - I did like it, but, man, the book is just *incredible*. I've had Project Hail Mary on my list ever since, but decided to watch the movie first because I wanted to be surprised by it. And surprised I was! I had no idea it was about an encounter with an alien! A ROCK ALIEN! And that they form a bond so strong that Grace (Gosling) gives up his entire life on earth to save this little guy. It's so heartwarmingly wonderful I could cry just thinking about it. It's a testament to the filmmaking team that they make this alien so fucking loveable when it's literally a rock. A big part of this chemistry that forms between these two is due to the practical effects of it all. Rocky is the product of incredible puppeteering as opposed to CGI, and I learned that the guy who did the puppetry work (James Ortiz) went to my college and he's only a few years younger than me so we were probably there the same time. He doesn't really look familiar, but that was over 20 years ago. I guarantee you he will be featured in the next alumni magazine that they send out though. Anyway, it's just super cool that they made this work so well, but a LOT of the credit has to be given to Gosling. There are so many ways for this movie to fall apart, but he just commands your attention and makes you care about the story for its entirety. He is the perfect example of someone who takes his work seriously, but doesn't take himself seriously and those are the types of people I love. He's having fun! But he's passionate about what he's doing! And both of those things show in every performance he gives. I also have to mention the costume designer for this knocks it out of the park with all of the funny science t-shirts he wears (my favorite is the t-shirt with the periodic table that reads "I wear this shirt periodically"), and for giving Gosling, once again, an iconic layering piece - I just know we're going to see a bunch of men wearing grandpa cardigans featuring woodland creatures for the rest of the year. 

2. Sign of the Times - I highly doubt I will see a better scene than Sandra Huller singing "Sign of the Times" this year. I would never consider myself a Harry Styles fan, and I was late to discovering this song, but I remember hearing it about a year ago and I thought to myself "wow that is a beautiful, timeless, pop song" without knowing it was Styles. I added it to my Spotify list and have been listening to it regularly since then. But I did not expect to see Huller doing a karaoke version of it in this film. There's a lot of reasons as to why it works so well - Huller's character's stoicism starts to break and you see a tiny part of her humanity, the lyrics are perfect, ("welcome to the final show, hope you're wearing your best clothes", "breaking through the atmosphere, and things are pretty good from here", etc. It literally feels like the song was written for this film), and the way Gosling reacts to her is absolutely perfect. I've had the song in my head since watching this (over a week ago) and it makes me tear up just thinking about this movie. If Huller doesn't use this as her Oscar clip, it will be a mistake. I also think this is a key scene in foreshadowing the end of the film (not the final moments, but the end in which explains how Gosling got on this suicidal mission - it was not his choice but the choice was made for him for the greater good.). We see the bigger picture that is in place and how little one single person's life means in the grand scheme of things. And I think this was the point in the movie when I started to think I might be watching a 5 star film. I rated it 4.5 because I just don't rate movies 5 stars until I've seen them more than once, but I think this might be a perfect film (for reference, I've only rated 16 movies EVER 5 stars. The last one I rated 5 stars? Yup, you guessed it...Drive). 

3. Marcus, Lily, and Company - Outside of Gosling and Huller, there are also a lot of surprising recognizable faces in this. Marcus from The Bear (i.e. my favorite character!) is a security officer who forms a fun bond with Gosling's character. And he has some really funny moments (like the visit to Home Depot). I really love him (real name - Lionel Boyce), so I hope this is just the beginning of big movies for him. But even more surprising is that Milana Vayntrub is in this! Most know her as the AT&T girl, Lily, from all the commercials - I looked it up and she did 160 commercials for them???? That can't be right? Holy shit! But she has been in some films like Werewolves Within, which is a film I didn't really like but any sane person will develop a HUGE crush on Vayntrub from that movie because she is SO HOT in it. When she shows up in this, I didn't really think it was her. I thought it was just a girl that looked like her, and then she speaks with a Russian accent and I thought "ok it's definitely not her" and thought I was correct in that statement until I sat down to write this post (haha!). Apparently she's fluent in Russian! Some other recognizable faces: Ken Leung and the woman who was also in F1 that I recognize because her last name is Kingsman, which I, for some reason, think is funny (because I love the Kingsman movies! Duh!). 

Movie Marathon: The Lord of the Rings & The Hobbit

The Lord of the Rings:

1. The Fellowship of the Ring - Let me start off by saying that I've seen all of The Lord of the Rings films exactly once and it was in a theater upon their release. So, it's been 23-25 years since I've seen them. I was a big fan back then, though. Not like the real crazy fans - I've never read the books nor do I care enough about the lore to nitpick the movies. But I do think they are extremely well made films with some great effects, beautiful cinematography and set design, and a fun group of actors. I grew up with Elijah Wood - from The Good Son and The Adventures of Huck Finn to The Faculty and Deep Impact, he was always in a fun movie at every stage of my child & teen years. But the real crush for me was Orlando Bloom. I fell for him with Black Hawk Down and then he became like my #1 celebrity crush after The Pirates of the Caribbean. I loved Legolas. I don't think he's the best actor, but he's so good in these fantasy franchises. I remembered way more of this than I thought - which is weird because I don't remember the next two at all. While watching it, I kept thinking all of this happens in just the first film? What the Hell are the next two about?? Also, I should mention that we watched the extended editions for all of these movies except the first Hobbit (my husband owns the boxset extended version of LotR films because he is one of those nerds who read all the books. And HBO Max had the extended version of the last two Hobbit movies but not the first for some reason?). So, it took FOREVER to watch all of these films because they are all like 4 hours long and it's completely unnecessary. I mean, you can cut out at least 1/2 of all the shots of the ring and hobbit feet close-ups (gross) and you would save 30 minutes from each film right there. But I do appreciate the epicness of it all. 

2. The Two Towers - I actually think I might prefer this one slightly over the first one, even though I ultimately ranked it below (the first is just the bones of the whole series). The Battle of Helm's Deep is one of the most memorable scenes of the whole series and it's just absolutely stunning. This is actually the only thing I remembered about this movie, though. But I enjoyed this rewatch. It just flows really well. I think everyone feels really comfortable with their roles and you can feel the comradery and bond between them. I also like the additions of Karl Urban (!!) and Miranda Otto. Also, I noticed that Bloom's eyes kept changing color from the bright sky blue to his normal brown and it was very distracting. I looked it up and apparently he had a hard time with the contacts they made him wear. I kind of appreciate that they just went fuck it - do the scene without them instead of forcing someone to possibly damage their eyesight. But I'm also surprised that they didn't just fix it in post? It's not like the color of his eyes ever looked real. Anyway, I think this one is the easiest to watch - it's really beautiful, has some funny and emotional moments, and a clear story. 

3. The Return of the King - This one is fine. I rated it 3.5 stars mainly because it looks so good and it's a satisfying conclusion to this story. But it's hardly memorable. It's kinda weird that it won ALL of the Oscars when the first two are clearly better. It's also weird that it won SO many Oscars, but none of the actors were even nominated. I mean, Andy Serkis paved the way and set extremely high expectations for the future of motion-capture. And Elijah puts his ALL into these films. It's clear that the 11 Oscars were for the trilogy as a whole, so it's odd to not include all of the actors hard work too. Anyway, by the end of this I really thought "I swear to God if I see one more shot of dirty hobbit feet I will scream" and yet, I continued my marathon with The Hobbit movies. It also confirmed that fantasy films are just not my vibe. I appreciate the filmmaking aspect of these movies, but the whole elves, dwarves, orcs etc., is just not something I'm interested in. It will definitely be at least another 25 years before I ever have an inkling to watch these films again. 

The Hobbit:

4. An Unexpected Journey - So I realized that I never watched The Hobbit movies a few years ago and I thought I would fix that so I watched this one fairly recently (I think it was 2-3 years ago, but it also could have been 5). And it's...fine. But it definitely did not make me excited about watching the other two and I kept putting it off. I think doing a marathon of these movies definitely helped my enjoyment of all of them because the story is a LOT. There are a ton of characters and subplots and it's hard to keep track of it, plus the timeline of this prequel confused me on my first watch. I think the casting of Martin Freeman is kind of genius though! But the rest of the cast leaves a lot to be desired - there are NO hot people! Orlando isn't in this one (he's in the next two, but looks weird due to the de-aging makeup/cgi), and there aren't any Viggo Mortinsons or Liv Tylers to compensate. Just a bunch of dwarves. God help me. The biggest mistake that The Hobbit series makes though is dividing up the story into 3 parts when it's completely unnecessary. There's not enough story for 3 whole (long ass) films. I think it would have actually been great if it was just one film - I would have even been fine with it being very long. But I was very bored for a majority of these films. Every scene feels stretched to the max. 

5. The Desolation of Smaug - This is my favorite of The Hobbit movies. I actually think it's really good. Also, I was shocked to see Peter Jackson pop up within the first frame, and then I looked it up to learn that he actually makes a cameo in all of the movies! I didn't know that bit of trivia at all and neither did my husband. As I said, the CGI or bad makeup that they did for Orlando has the opposite of the intended effect - he looks 10 years older and he's supposed to be younger than he was in the LotR films. But I'm glad he returned for these - and I like that his character is more stoic in these because that shows how much the Fellowship changed him. And they at least added another hot guy - Luke Evans! I love him and his character so much (I would've been down for a spin-off with this character! - that's how they could have continued to capitalize on these films). As much as I liked this, I do think the effects feel lazy compared to the LotR films. The fights look like they are more video game effects - too smooth and just really uninteresting. 

6. The Battle of the Five Armies - And this is my least favorite of the whole series and the only one I rated less than good (I rated it 2.5 stars). It's not even really a movie - it's just a very, very long battle. Just battle after battle after battle. There's no more story left, and it feels pointless. But the worst part is that it looks bad. I don't think the other two Hobbit movies look as good as any of the LotR films because I think this was more of a cash grab than a genuine love of this story, but they still don't look terrible. But this one does. And they add in a weird love story between characters that nobody cares about (apparently it's in the book, but not a big focus). I question why these films are prefaced with The Hobbit because Bilbo is sidelined for a lot of these films - it's more about the dwarves than anything else? I was just really over it by the end of this. The only interest I had was in Evan's character, otherwise this is so dull and ugly. 

Ranking: 

Fellowship

Two Towers 

The Return of the King 

The Desolation of Smaug 

An Unexpected Journey 

The Battle of the Five Armies 

Thoughts on 5 Films

1. Zootopia 2 - This is a totally unnecessary movie and a complete cash grab of a film. It's fine. There's nothing bad about it - but it's....soulless. I loved the first Zootopia. I think it even made it into my top movies from that year (like 10 years ago, I think?), but because it was so long ago, and I only watched it the one time - I don't really remember it clearly. I remember the sloth DMV character because that was hilarious. And that there's a tiny bunny cop who eventually befriends a fox cop. But that's it. I also keep getting it confused with The Bad Guys because that's more recent and also about a animals doing human things. The plot of this is basically about gentrification - not that young kids will understand that concept, but it's a good lesson about life's inequalities and how to fight back. It's cute. It's fine. But definitely soulless. I don't even have anything else to say about it. Except that I instantly clocked that it was Shakira voicing Gazelle and I shouted "Shakira, Shakira" and started dancing. I LOVE Shakira. That's about all the fun I had with this. 

2. Mercy - Um...this is bad. It's basically Minority Report for the A.I. generation. And it also stars a problematic super star except everyone hates Chris Pratt for being part of a religious cult (all religions are a cult), but Tom Cruise is somehow well-loved (sorry, I will always point out the hypocrisy of this. It drives me mad). For the record, I like Chris Pratt and I have since The O.C. (Che! He was so funny). I think he's got great screen presence and can do action-based films as well as comedies and that's a bit rare. But he has no personality for this movie and it's his face on the screen for a majority of this movie. And Rebecca Ferguson has even less personality considering she's an A.I. judge. The whole movie is basically a warning against the dangers of letting A.I. think and make decisions for us, and I guess also championing our current jury based trial system (in the U.S), but that's kind of silly because there have been many instances of innocent people found guilty and guilty people found innocent. And it still all boils down to human error. I think it would have been a better film if it addressed this instead of being so dumbed down (A.I. = bad!). I also just think it's a super disappointing film coming from the director of Wanted, because I was definitely expecting some really terrific action sequences or film techniques and this has...nothing. He sits in a chair in front of a screen for most of the movie. The only thing cool is the police hover craft vehicle. Otherwise, it's so boring to watch. The gimmick of it all wears thin after 15 minutes. But LOL at the Perd from Parks & Rec cameo. I laughed hard at that. 

3. Greenland 2: Migration - This is also bad, which is even more disappointing because I really enjoyed the first one. I actually watched it again because my husband wanted to see it and since the sequel was coming out, I thought it would be good to have this one more fresh in my mind. Even after the rewatch, I genuinely think it's a great disaster film. They do such a good job of creating this chaotic atmosphere and making you care about this family. But the way it ended was really dumb because the kid has Diabetes and them making it to the bunker in Greenland is not designed for people with lifelong illness so there is NO WAY they would have enough insulin for this kid to survive more than a few years. And if they started the story with that - I would have forgiven it. Like, they have to leave the bunker to find insulin. But instead they have this whole other plot about the bunker basically imploding and the earth being constantly chaotic after this comet hit the Earth 5 years ago. The first one was mildly believable, but this one is FAR from it. Every scene becomes less and less believable, and more and more ridiculous. And they recast the kid which is weird - they cast Roman Griffin Davis who is supposed to be 15 now, even though it's only 5 years later and he was only 7 in the first film. I looked it up and the original kid is 14 so I don't know why they didn't cast him because at least he'll look the same just older. Instead, I was like who the fuck is this kid? And why is he so old? He's 19 in real life! And he looks it. I liked Davis in Jojo Rabbit, but his performance is very weak here. I don't really even understand their goal, either? What the Hell are they going to do now that they found a supposed "safe" zone? The world is still in shambles. 

4. Anaconda (2025) - And this is...good? I thought it was a dumb Anaconda remake so I was expecting the worst, but it's actually a meta comedy about remaking Anaconda. And that's actually a good idea! It's Jack Black, Paul Rudd, Thandiwe Newton, and Steve Zahn going to the Amazon to remake a low-budget Anaconda and then getting attacked by gigantic snakes. And it's FUNNY! And Daniela Melchior is HOT. I don't mean to over-sell it. It's a 3 star movie, but I was just expecting a 1 star movie. And be prepared - you will have the song "Baby Got Back" in your head for weeks after (specifically the line "my anaconda don't want none unless you got buns, hun" which is obviously the best line of the song). I actually remember liking the original Anaconda. I saw it in the theater when I was a teenager with a group of my friends and we had a blast! I think this non-remake does a good job at making fun of the campiness of the original film, but also showing a deep respect for it. A few lines hit really well too - like when Rudd says to Black "dude, you can be the white Jordan Peele!" I actually did a spit-take. LOL. Also, when they are in the Amazon and realize they are fucked and they call out for JLo to help them. Haha! *some spoilers ahead* Also, when Ice Cube appears I said "awww they couldn't afford JLo but at least they got Ice" and THEN JLo shows up at the end. I can't believe she agreed to it! She's the best.  

5. Is This Thing On? - I didn't hate this like I hated Bradley Cooper's last directorial effort (Maestro was terrible). But also, this kind of makes me think that his A Star is Born directorial success was a fluke. This is just so dull. Him and Will Arnett co-wrote the script together, and I swear to God who is still greenlighting films about an upper middle-class privileged white man having a mid-life crisis? Is there anything less interesting? I can't think of any. I appreciate the whole stand-up comedy aspect, and how it's built through trial & error, and really putting yourself out there. But I think it does a disservice to show this guy having almost instant success and a full-blown successful career to fall back on. Because most stand-up comedians don't have that kind of support. The worst part of the whole thing though is that none of it is funny. They show several stand-up sets and I didn't laugh once! Everyone, including Arnett sucked. And then they introduce Dave Attell and I was like "oh finally! Someone who is actually funny!" and he doesn't even have any lines. I was FUMING! The only time I even cracked a smile through this whole movie is towards the end when the kids do the "Under Pressure" performance because it's SO CUTE. Also, I just don't feel like this is made well - there are so many close-ups of Arnett's face because I think Cooper thinks that it makes the film feel more intimate, but it's just annoying. And a lot of shots linger way too long. And Cooper cast himself in the wrong role. He's awful as this hipster laid-back actor guy. And I haven't even mentioned that the whole movie is really this divorce drama because the central relationship is so fucking dull, it's not even worth mentioning. 

Film Retrospective Part I: Thoughts on 10 Films (pre-2000)

1. The Big Lebowski - [rewatch] I have to admit....I just don't get it. It's a great movie, sure, but I don't understand the cult following for it. I saw this once, and I think I was about 17, and I definitely didn't get the fuss, but thought I would get it more with this rewatch. I also think that I just didn't really like this movie back then because I hate bowling. Like, so, so much. My best friend (back then) - her family owned two bowling alleys in town so it was definitely an easy hang out spot and I loathed it. And people take it so seriously lol. But I like this cast a lot, so I was looking forward to this rewatch. It's definitely hilarious. I laughed a lot. I mean, John Turtorro as Jesus - what a fucking riot! The ferret scene? Hilarious. John Goodman is such a comedic legend, but can also act. I love him! I love the chaotic energy of it all, the soundtrack is FIRE, and it's genuinely funny. And, like I said, it's a great movie, I just don't think it's like one of the best ever. Two side notes: 1. HOLY SHIT - IS THAT TARA REID? LOL. I had NO IDEA she was in this. 2. Did you guys know that they made a spin-off movie featuring Jesus?? I thought to myself, I wonder if there was ever any thought to make a sequel to this, so I googled it and found this out. Haha! Wild. 

2. Ghost - [rewatch] I just LOVE this movie so much. I remember thinking Whoopi Goldberg was the funniest person on the planet with this movie. I still use the quote "Molly, you in danger girl" regularly. But also if I'm in a sour mood, I will think of her saying "gas...I get a little gas from time to time" LOL. She's such a legend and she deserved that Oscar, for REAL. The whole bank/check scene is one of my favorite scenes in film history. I haven't seen this movie in a while, so it was interesting to watch it knowing the friend is the bad guy - it makes me look at the details and foreshadowing that I didn't notice as a younger viewer. I also didn't notice how much Swayze's character talks about death in the beginning and how he's afraid of dying. It's just a really solid movie - solid plot and character twists, interesting characters, great dialogue. It's also just really romantic - and not in the cheesy, unrealistic romance. The pottery wheel scene is one of the sexiest scenes ever. And they picked the perfect song to match the romance. I would say the only criticism I have is that it *looks* terrible now from a modern viewpoint. The effects are awful. But there are some incredible shots - that mirror shot?? MIND BLOWN!! And Demi Moore is so gorgeous, but that's obvious. 

3. Misery - [rewatch] I reread this book last year, so I was excited to rewatch this. This is one of my favorite Stephen King stories (although I haven't read enough of his books - there are just so many!). I've seen the movie a few times, but a long time ago. It was my second read of the book. And I even saw the Broadway play a while back (starring BRUCE WILLIS!! LOL. He was terrible. Just not an actor made for Broadway. But I love him and I'm glad I got to see him in one of his last roles before his diagnosis.). But this is the first time that I connected *just* how good Kathy Bates is in this role. Annie Wilkes is probably the most loved fictional murderer of all time because you can't help but love Bates and feel empathy for her character. There's a warmth to her, an innocence under her cold-bloodedness. It's just incredible. Just an incredible performance. I think Rob Reiner (RIP) really made this suspense feel effortless too. It's so simple - simple set design, simple story, just a few characters but he made this soooo intense and terrifying. 

4. Foxy Brown - [blind spot] I've never seen this, but I love Pam Grier! Legend! I also love seeing the actual inspiration for the Austin Powers Beyonce character (Foxy Cleopatra). I liked this a lot - her outfits are stunning, it's funnier than I expected, and it moves very quickly. I laughed so hard at the scene in which her and the prostitute are making fun of the guy's penis ("I just can't find it" OMG dying). Also the opening credits are great. There's definitely some dated moments & dialogue that are hard to watch (both the n-word and f-word are used). Other random thoughts - the one white guy looks like Bryan Cranston. I love the line of dialogue "Vigilante justice? It's as American as apple pie". Also, I'm surprised there's no sequels? Why did I think this was a series of movies with this character? 

5. Waiting For Guffman - [blind spot] Man, the loss of Catherine O'Hara really hit hard. I think losing both Diane Keaton and O'Hara in their 70s made me realize that we are going to start losing this generation of women that elder millennials grew up with - our mother figures of movies, and that just reminded me that our own moms are next (my mom is actually a lot younger because she had me as a teenager, but STILL. It's now in the back of my mind that that time is arriving faster than I ever expected). I also BLEW my young co-workers mind when I walked past her talking about O'Hara dying. I stopped in my tracks because I hadn't heard the news and she went "yeah, the mom from Schitt's Creek" and I said "you mean the mom from Home Alone" and her mouth literally dropped open and she went "WAIT THAT'S THE SAME PERSON?". Anyway, this is one of the only Christopher Guest movies that I haven't seen - so I thought I would give it a go after this news hit. Because this is also how I know O'Hara - she will always be mama McCallister, but she's also synonymous with Guest's mockumentary films. I do think I'm going to rewatch them all soon because I don't remember them. I know I really liked Best in Show, but that's all I got. But this is great. I actually liked it way more than I was expecting to. The highlight, for me, is Parker Posey. She's hilarious. Working at "the DQ", and singing that teacher's pet song?? ICON. There's also some really great lines ("He shops at Walmart. He doesn't even support the town" pretty BOLD for a film from 1996. I mean, I'm pretty convinced that the popularity of Walmart led to the destruction of America, and people still shop there! WILD.). The end drags a bit with the actual play being performed - an absolutely terrible play that we didn't need to see. But overall, this is great!

6. La Notte - [rewatch] I definitely watched this before (I'm assuming in my Italian New Wave Cinema class), but I wanted to rewatch this after having recently watched L'Adventurre for the first time a few years back. I didn't realize the connection of this unofficial trilogy (although I probably did learn that back in the day, I just forgot). I love them both, and both have similar themes of marital ennui, I do think I enjoyed L'Adventurre  a bit more - I just like the mystery of it. Monica Vitti is one of the most beautiful women to ever exist, and she doesn't appear in this until 1/2 way in! It definitely needed more Monica Vitti. But overall, this is a beautiful movie and essential viewing for any film fan (like actual film fans who are interested in the history and cultural significance of films). 

7. Cujo - [rewatch] I remember this movie well for some reason, even though I haven't seen it since I was a kid. It's one of those movies that stuck with me, but I also remember that I wasn't scared at all by it, and instead I just felt really, really bad for poor Cujo! I will never be scared of dogs - as a kid, we had a LOT of dogs around us all the time - even the "scary" ones like Pit Bulls. And then as a teenager, my first job was at a dog boarding & grooming place. I just love dogs and they love me. So I watch this movie just feeling bad for this poor dog and wishing someone would help him. But watching this as an adult, I definitely didn't get the often used horror trope of "if you cheat on your spouse, bad things happen" storyline. It's a well-made movie - mostly one location, very tightly edited, and some great shots (the circular tracking shot that happens in the car and then it spins around is SICK!). It's also incredibly brutal and relentless. But still not scary. 

8. The Cutting Edge - [rewatch] TOE PICK!!! One of my favorite films as a teenager - I know that it's not actually a good movie, but it's such a cute romcom with a good positive message about not judging someone by first impressions. And that "Toe pick" line is a classic. I also had a bit of a crush on Moira Kelly as a teenager - she's ADORABLE! I love that she has movie star hair - nobody has movie star hair anymore (except Margaret Qualley). I call it the "Jennifer Aniston effect" - her pin straight hair became such an iconic hair style that everybody is scared of big curls and voluminous hair. Anyway, I enjoy the "opposites attract" love story. It's kind of the similar to Overboard with this snooty, wealthy woman falling for a working-class, sarcastic guy. D.B. Sweeney does this role really well, too. I totally believe him as rough and tough hockey player who has no choice but to suck it up and learn figure skating in order to keep skating. It feels very much like an 80s movies (those montages!), but it's early 90s. Some of the slo-mo ice skating scenes look really awful, but overall, I still enjoy this film a lot 25 years later. Also I screamed when I realized John Lock from Lost is her dad. LOL. 

9. Pulp Fiction - [rewatch] I know I'm a minority in this, especially among film fans my age, but I was never the biggest fan of Pulp Fiction. Out of Tarantino's 9 films, this in my bottom 4 (along with both Kill Bills and The Hateful Eight). And it still lands there after this rewatch, but I did bump it up by a 1/2 star (to 3.5 stars instead of just 3). There's a lot I love about it, but I think the over-acting is annoying (John Travolta, Sam Jackson, Tim Roth, Uma Thurman - take your pick, they're all guilty) and the entire part with Bruce Willis is SO boring. But I get why it's a classic - there are several scenes in the movie that undeniably iconic. The dance scene between Travolta & Thurman, the back & forth dialogue between Travolta & Jackson about a "royale with cheese", etc. I do like the way the story is told out of order, but there's a lot of ideas and it feels disjointed in parts. A lot of scenes feel pointless. It makes me wonder if this same story told chronologically would actually be a better film? I'm sure some nerd has done this edit? I'm definitely curious. Also, obviously the soundtrack is incredible. 

10. Marathon Man - [blind spot] Wow! This movie is great. I don't know how I've never had it on my lists. I saw it listed on TCM and thought "how have I never seen this?". I love Dustin Hoffman so much. Truly one of the best actors of his generation. And was Roy Scheider hot?? The scene with him doing those push-ups??? I was like "OKAY ROY"...haha! I was definitely confused by the beginning - I couldn't figure out what was happening - what does Roy's character do? Who is this French woman? I felt like I missed something, but then they do a good job of streamlining things and then things get *really good*. The bathroom scene is so fucking intense. I almost forgot to breathe. And then the whole dentist torture...eeek! So good. Highly recommend for fans of the spy/thriller genre (especially 70s spy films). 

Thoughts on 5 Films

1. Song Sung Blue - I fully watched this so that I can prove to myself that Jennifer Lawrence deserved that Oscar nomination slot over Kate Hudson (and SURPRISE...I was right! Although I will say that Kate Hudson is very good in this - perhaps the best she's been since Almost Famous). It's not really a film I would watch otherwise because I have no idea who these people are (I actually thought it was about country singers? I guess Neil Diamond can be considered country.). But I have to admit, it's a very interesting story which I was not expecting. If you also have no clue who they are, then there will be spoilers ahead so stop reading! OH MY FUCKING GOD - I was NOT expecting this woman to get run down by a car while gardening in her front lawn?! What the fuck?! That's so awful! I also had NO IDEA that there was ever a cover band that got *this* famous. They are a Neil Diamond tribute band (more like a duo) and they had a modicum of success - including opening for Pearl Jam (Yes, that Pearl Jam! and I looked it up to make sure it was true, and it is! Apparently he was a big fan! How fascinating). I would never have any interest in going to see a live cover band. My mom and her husband go all the time, but I just think it's weird? Anyway, like I stated above - Kate is superb. I probably wouldn't have her in my personal best actress picks, but I do think she earned some of the praise. She also has a very pretty voice. I do think she looks older than her age in this - she's my age but has looked incredible with all the botox and fillers, but I read about how she stopped doing it all so she would look more authentic for the time period. And she succeeded, because she looks OLD! Hugh Jackman with *that* hair is the stuff of nightmares, though. I'm also a little disappointed with Hugh because of his divorce. I honestly thought when they announced their divorce that maybe those rumors were true and he was going to announce that he's gay, but instead he was just cheating on his wife with his Broadway co-star and that sucks. They were one of those long-standing Hollywood marriages that are so rare (almost 30 years!), and now he's just another Hollywood cliche. As for the actual movie, it's fine. I was entertained. I think it's obviously too long (2 hours is unnecessary for this story!). There are cute scenes (like the Pearl Jam scene with her kids suddenly being IN on their success). But it doesn't really hit any memorable notes until the accident and then it's kind of obvious how the rest of the story is going to go. I think it's weird that they changed his cause of death though? 

2. Ash - I know this was a low-budget sci-fi and therefore probably not very good, but it was worse than I imagined. There's some fun ideas, sure, and some good gore, but it looks *terrible*. It also feels like they were writing it as they were filming it and they had no idea how the story was going to actually work. There's a better cast than this movie deserves too - like how the fuck did they get Eiza Gonzales and Aaron Paul to star in this?? I don't know who Flying Lotus is, but I guess he has some clout in the industry? Anyway, I guess if you like low-budget sci-fi, I would recommend this because there are some things about it I enjoyed. I just wish it had a stronger plot, looked better, and the characters were developed and interesting. As a film, it's just bad. 

3. The Secret Agent - Ummmmm....I don't know. I was kind of bored by this, which I wasn't expecting. It starts off strong, but then I had to force myself to pay attention to it and it barely had my attention by the end of its (very long) runtime. I watched this and Hamnet back-to-back and that might have been a mistake (with Hamnet being first, so I was definitely in a bored state of mind). First, I like Wagner Moura a lot - I've been a fan since Narcos. He's a movie star and can definitely carry a film. He's also very hot - and I'm not usually one for the tall, dark & handsome type. I hope the attention he got from this leads to bigger roles for him. Second, There is absolutely no reason for this film to be 2 hours and 40 minutes long. It's not some big epic drama - it's a small drama driven by characters. And there are way too many characters (look at that poster!). There's just so much nonsense that could have been cut and wouldn't effect the film at all. It's just overly complicated for no reason. And last, I think they got the aesthetic down (especially the 70s style end credits! So good!). It looks really good. There's some interesting, memorable moments - like the cat with the TWO FACES?! What the fuck?! I love him! Oh and Udo Kier is in this?! I'm surprised that wasn't mentioned more considering he died recently and this was his last movie role. I think my expectations for this were just too high - I mean, it's a BEST PICTURE NOMINEE??? It wouldn't even be in my top 20 of last year. 

4. War Machine - I thought this was fun! It's not great or anything, but Alan Ritchson is such a star and there's some great action scenes. Actually, if I'm honest, my whole enjoyment of this is probably *just* because of Ritchson. I have a bit of a crush on him. I think he's so good in Reacher, but I became a big fan after both The Ministry of Ungentlemanly Warfare and Playdate (which is a dumb movie but he is so hilarious in it! It's so funny that my husband and I actually quote stuff from it to make each other laugh). I've been following the whole drama with his neighbor that just happened and I think it's HILARIOUS that anyone would pick a fight with someone who is 6'3" and 230 lbs of muscle. Ritchson could have literally killed him - that guy is so lucky that he showed restraint. I don't believe in physical violence, but sometimes the saying "fuck around and find out" exists for a reason. Anyway, I've drifted from the topic, as per usual. I like that this movie gives a lot of backstory before all this action starts, but it also feels like it moves very quickly. And I like that it's different. If you don't watch the trailer or look up what it's about - the plot turns a bit unexpected (*spoilers* it basically becomes a Transformers movie). Other than that, though, it's not great. The supporting cast is SUPER weak. They are supposed to be an elite team of the Army Rangers (aka the best of the best) and they got Kid Flash and a bunch of other very small looking men (oh and one woman who is supposed to be tough but shaving her head does not make her look tough). I just don't buy it. I also think some of the effects are wonky. Overall, though, it's a fun time - and sometimes that's enough. I also like that they incorporate a very serious topic of PTSD in veterans, but it doesn't bog down the story. 

5. Hamnet - I liked the book by Maggie O'Farrell. I only read it because her book "I Am, I Am, I Am" is on of my favorite books of all time so when I saw she wrote a book about Shakespeare, I thought it would be something I would enjoy. I was a Drama Studies major so you can just imagine how many times I've read Hamlet and other Shakespeare plays. I also took a class on Shakespeare on Film, Women in Shakespeare, etc. It was literally all Shakespeare, all the time. So, yeah, this is definitely up my alley. I liked the book (didn't love it), but i think the movie is...okay. I didn't really find anything engaging about it, which is surprising. I love Jessie Buckley and Paul Mescal but I didn't love either of their performances, which I find so strange because Buckley's Wild Rose performance is incredible and Mescal is in one of my favorite films of the last decade and he's incredible in it (Aftersun). I just think they kind of short change Mescal's role and Buckley cries a lot (as someone I follow on Bluesky said "she's getting an Oscar for the most acting, not necessarily the best acting" and I agree with that). I think those Jupe boys are super talented too. But none of this moved me. I know several people who cried during this, but it just didn't hit me (but if I think about the last shot in Aftersun, a tear will surely form - so I'm not dead inside. I promise.). I also think I just don't connect to Chloe Zhao films (Nomadland was ok - 3 stars, and Eternals was bad). I do like that this film shows Shakespeare being in love with this witchy, wild woman and he believes her and trusts the things she says and feels as truth while others doubted her. The older I get the more I realize *just* how powerful a woman's intuition is. I also think the ending is really good but it just last for FOREVER. It's a film that I'll never think about again. 

Thoughts on 5 Films

1. The Smashing Machine - I like The Rock, but I like him in family adventure movies, not dramas. But, I'll give him a shot - I know the reviews were mostly good and originally there was some mild awards talk. I'm also going to guess that this movie will be exactly what I'm expecting - a wrestler who gets hurt or has some sort of trauma has to fight his way back to the top or whatever. And, I've seen that movie a million times already. I don't know who Mark Kerr is, but I assumed I already knew his story and...dun dun dun...I was right! I have no idea why there is a movie made about this guy. I thought it was about to get interesting when they were hinting that he was going to have to fight his friend (I always think that's an interesting angle - like when football/baseball players get traded to different teams and then have to play against their friends/former teammates. It's weird!), but then that didn't happen so what the Hell is the point of this movie?? I did like some stuff - Emily Blunt is always good and I love how hot she looks with this whole 90s aesthetic. There's a great soundtrack with Elvis' version of My Way, and some Bruce songs. The Rock is...fine, I guess. I think the prosthetics hinder his facial expression (although, he's The Rock, so I'm not sure he would have any facial expression...but still!). 

2. Eternity - So, my husband saw the ads for this and declared it the dumbest plot for a movie in history, but when he described it to me, I was like "wait...that actually sounds like a good plot for a movie!" Haha! We are very different in our media consumption (actually that's not true because I'll watch pretty much anything - except maybe documentaries, which I still watch some highly rated ones, but I just don't love the genre. He's just *so* picky with what he will watch though, and romantic drama is never going to be an option). BUT IT IS A GOOD PLOT! Basically this woman dies and she has to decide if she wants to spend "eternity" with her first love (who died very young and has been waiting for her on the "other side") or her husband of 65 years (who she has already spent a life with and has a family with.). I think the answer is clear, but I can see the hesitation and it's interesting to explore these options. I wish it had a different cast because choosing between Miles Teller and Callum Turner is a choice (and not a good one - I don't find either one of those men attractive. And God Help Me if Turner is chosen as the next Bond. What.The.Fuck.). And Elizabeth Olsen is so much hotter than both of them! The concept of "eternity" is interesting too - they have to pick a place/activity and that's what they'll do for eternity. I think I would pick a beach setting too (as you can see in the film it is the popular choice, but not as popular as "Man Free World" which is at capacity. HAHA!!), but I would get bored of the sun and the sand EVERY SINGLE DAY for ETERNITY?? No thanks?! There's nothing in the world that I would want to do for ETERNITY. Anyway, I thought this was cute and it reminded me of 90s movies I used to love like Heart and Souls and Ghost. 

3. Blue Moon - This is...BORING. Some good stuff, but mostly BORING. I hadn't heard much about this until Ethan Hawke started getting award buzz. Linklater doesn't always work for me though. I do think Hawke is great, probably not award-worthy, but I love him and this is first nomination for a lead actor. I swear to God if Timmy won over these other phenomenal actors, I would have SCREAMED. I don't hate him, he's fine. I actually appreciate his gumption and determination, but to be nominated for THREE Oscars already in his career is insanity. But, anyway, I just didn't love this. I didn't even realize that it was about the writer of the song "Blue Moon"...LOL. It basically gives the audience a backstory between the breakup of him and his writing partner Richard Rogers (who eventually became better known with his new partner - Rogers & Hammerstein). It's him struggling with his ex-partner's success - the jealousy, anger, pettiness of it all. I think I would have actually enjoyed it as a stage production, I just found it dull as a cinematic endeavor. But I like the cast - Bobby Cannavale! Margaret Qualley! Andrew Scott! Love them all, and they are all given moments to shine. I found it weird that they made Qualley SO tall. She's 2 inches shorter than him in real life, but somehow towers over him. It doesn't look natural at all. And you can see where they shaved his head to make it look like a receding hairline! Did no-one on set notice the 5 o'clock shadow on his head?? 

4. The Astronaut - I think this had the potential behind it to be a good movie, but unfortunately, it's not. I didn't hate it, but I just think it could have been a lot better. Especially with my favorite Mara sister - Kate. It was originally supposed to star Emma Roberts, so Kate Mara is what I would call a GLOW UP! I like the sci-fi horror, paranoia thriller vibe, and it's definitely engaging. I also appreciate that the ending is BATSHIT CRAZY. I respect it! Like, if you're going to go there, then fully commit - and they did indeed. But the rest of the movie is filled with convenient plotlines and foreshadowing, and mostly this brilliant astronaut being incredibly dumb (lock your doors and stay inside, crazy lady!). There are just some very bad scenes that make no logical sense. And why is her daughter dressed like she works at Anthropologie? And the backwards hat? It's like someone who knows nothing about children was the costume designer on this. Even my husband (who knows nothing about children) was like, "why is the kid wearing that? Who dressed her??" - that's how weird it is. Anyway, I don't have much else to say - even though I found it average, I would still recommend it to anyone who appreciates sci-fi horror films. There's a good story and a decent cast. 

5. Rental Family - This is a good movie, but I probably would have loved it if it didn't star Brendan Frasier. I'm sorry, he seems like a very nice, authentic, thoughtful person, but he's a terrible actor and he always has been! This resurgence is WILD. An OSCAR?! Get the fuck out of here. But, he did learn Japanese for this, so I respect that. And he's not terrible or anything, I just know I would have liked this film better with an actor who...can...act. I think it's a really interesting plot about a cultural idea that feels very different but also might be part of our future (in America) but with AI instead of people (scary thought!). It's about this American actor in Japan who is having trouble booking jobs, so he becomes a paid companion. But not *just* a companion. He's basically paid to act out scenarios for people as a coping mechanism. It's interesting that Japan is so shut-off to therapy and mental health programs so people pay other people to help them heal in a different way. I can't say that I fully understand why anyone would do this, but it's an interesting concept. I just think you need to exist in reality - and that includes pain, heartbreak, loneliness, etc. It's all part of being human. Role playing your life away is SO weird to me, but whatever floats your boat. The movie is cute, though. And heartwarming. Nothing I'll remember a year from now, but I enjoyed it. It definitely could have been a 90 minute movie (and would have probably been a 4 star movie if they tightened it up). Also, I laughed really hard at the toothpaste commercial - it reminded me of Joey from Friends Japanese commercial for Ichiban. Haha!

3 Thoughts on the Oscars

1. The Show - Overall, I think it was kind of a dull show, but I think that matched the year in film that 2025 was. I know A LOT of people discuss the year as being a "great year for film" with a One Battle After Another vs. Sinners showdown, but I just wasn't super thrilled about any movie - my favorite was Bugonia and yes, both Sinners and OBAA were in my Top 10, but none of the other nominated films were (Hamnet? Train Dreams? Snooze. The Secret Agent? Super disappointing. Frankenstein? Beautiful, sure, but a good movie? I guess?). I liked Conan's monologue last year, but this year, I found it very blah and tame. I think his little speech about optimism was the best part and very earnest which is not something I expect from Conan. I also enjoyed the Casablanca for the new audience bit with Sterling K. Brown because that is exactly how movies are nowadays and it's so grating. The presenters were mostly GOD AWFUL. The RDJ and Chris Evans bit?? Horrific. It's hard to believe that those two are leading men with that banter. Even the Bridesmaids bit was just...sad. I think it's shitty that they only had two of the nominated songs perform live?? Either do them all or don't do them at all. I rooted for the KPop song because it's such a good, catchy pop song, but man, that Sinners performance really blew me away. But the thing is - it's the ambiance and cultural significance of the scene that make the song good. Not the song itself. I loved seeing them try to recreate that magical scene into a live performance and I think they did a good job. And I do think it's hilarious that it ended with Misty Copeland showing her iconic ballet skills (nobody really thinks she came out of retirement to *just* troll Timothee Chalamet (Chamalet?)), but it's sure fucking funny. The In Memoriam was really beautifully done with longer tributes for Rob & Michele Reiner, Diane Keaton, and Robert Redford, but the amount of people they left out is INSANE (and I don't buy that they are "tv stars" - Van Der Beek was in plenty of films and he had one of the most iconic lines in teen movie history "I don't want your life" is a line that is quoted by every person my age). 

2. The Winners - AMY MADIGAN!! There were very few performances that stuck out to me from last year (my faves: Emma Stone and Jesse Plemons (Bugonia), Jennifer Lawrence (Die My Love), Florence Pugh (Thunderbolts*), Jack O'Connell (Sinners - stole the whole fucking thing!) AND AMY MADIGAN!). It's so rare for someone to create a character that becomes INSTANTLY iconic but Madigan did that with Aunt Gladys and it's about damn time the Academy recognizes horror (they have before - Misery, Silence of the Lambs from the top of my head, but it's rare). I didn't love Hamnet, but I do love Jessie Buckley so I'll just pretend this win is for Wild Rose. I was rooting for Rose Byrne, or Emma (who was even more unlikely). I figured Michael B. Jordan would win - I think he was the weakest link in Sinners (I know, I know my opinions are WILD!). I do love him though, so it's fine. I also figured Sean Penn would win even though he was in a different film than the rest of his cast. But Hollywood loves Sean Penn so he'll keep getting awards until he dies. One Battle After Another is one of PTA's least interesting films so it's crazy that this is what finally wins him multiple Oscars. Overall, I'm not mad about any of the wins, but I'm not exactly thrilled. It's cool that a woman won for Cinematography (and it's even cooler that Coogler hires female cinematographers! He seems like a great dude). 

3. The Fashion - I'm actually pleasantly surprised by the dresses this year! Barely anyone looked like a bride (except one of my favorite girlies, Elle Fanning. I'm *so* disappointed), and there were some riskier numbers walking the carpet (it's been a while! Everyone has been playing it so safe lately!). I think my favorite look is Anne Hathaway - I would have ditched the gloves, but it did add to the glamour. I also think Rose Byrne looked gorgeous in a very similar dress. I loved Renate Reinsve's dress (I know some commented that it was just a piece of fabric - but that color looked spectacular and she worked that piece of fabric so well. It's simple and modern. And risky!). Also, Gwyneth in that naked from the side look?? LOVE it. And speaking of Gwyneth, I think Mckenna Grace's dress was a definite homage to Gwyneth's Oscar winning pink dress. Chase Infiniti in that lilac dress looked gorgeous. I didn't see any red carpet pics of Zendaya, but she obviously knocked it out of the park like usual. And I loved the daffodil (or whatever that was) detail on Pedro Pascal's shirt. I love when men do something fun instead of just wearing a suit. As far as my worst looks - eeek for whatever Alicia Silverstone was wearing. So unflattering. Demi Moore looked like she literally killed a few dozen birds and glued their feathers to her body. I don't know which Jenner Timmy is dating, but whichever one she is - that dress with the literal key hole is so fucking tacky. *cringes*. 

Thoughts on 5 New TV Shows

1. Pluribus - Loved it! It's basically Invasion of the Body Snatchers, but told in a new way. I waited to watch it until I could binge it because I had a feeling that I would want to, and I was right. I watched the whole thing in a week. I asked my husband if he wanted to watch it with me - I didn't know much about it so I just described it as a "show from the creator of Breaking Bad". He's never seen Breaking Bad (*Extreme Monica voice* I KNOW!!), so he declined. I started the first episode while he was in the room but working on a project, and about 1/2 way through, he stopped working on his project and was like "okay...I'm hooked, I'm watching this with you". He's more into the sci-fi aspect, and consistently commented about how boring all of the details are, but that's the part that I love. And it reminds me of Breaking Bad because that's what makes that show so good. He doesn't realize that the details are what's keeping him interested. When the character of Manousos is introduced and it's hinted that he's going to travel to New Mexico, my husband literally guffawed and was like "that's impossible! He'd have to cross the Darien Gap!" And I was like "it's a tv show, calm down" but then THEY SHOW HOW IMPOSSIBLE IT IS TO CROSS THE DARIEN GAP because that's just how Vince Gilligan's brain works - he does his research! Anyway, I like the story of this woman basically being alone on Earth and wanting to return it to normal, while the other "survivors" are complacent (some want to join the rest of their family in the hive mind, while others see it as a benefit). I think another detail I like is that out of the 13 "survivors" only 1 of them is a white American. White Americans absolutely believe they are the center of the world, but population-wise we are a minority. If 13 people survived out of the entire planet - most would be of Asian descent and culturally very different than us. I also feel like it feels realistic, I mean, obviously far-fetched, but this woman feels real and very much relatable. The part when she's singing "It's Getting Hot in Here" while in a hot spring and then she goes to the Georgia O'Keefe museum and takes a painting - that would be me. I just think it's really well done and I looked forward to each episode. Can't wait for season 2! 

2. The Copenhagen Test - This is a show that seems like it's up my alley - I love spy stuff! But, so far, I'm mostly confused. I'm 1/2 way through it, and I find myself not even paying attention and it's definitely a show that you need to pay attention to. But, it's just not interesting enough to actually pay attention to. I'm considering dropping it from my watch list, but, as you may know, that's always hard for me to do. The episodes are waaaaayyy too long, which is part of the problem. They feel like they are two hours long. I, for sure, thought I was almost through episode 4 and I still had 35 minutes left. LOL. Kill me! I do like this cast though - I'm rooting HARD for Melissa Barrera. Aside from the fact that she's really talented, I think she's been really mistreated by Hollywood. Simu Lui usually has charisma galore (but it's sadly lacking in this!). I don't know if I've seen Sinclair Daniel before, but she is ADORABLE. I'm hoping Adina Porter has a bigger role in the latter episodes because, so far, she's being under-utilized. There are a few intense scenes - like the bookstore scene (first of all, hilarious that they pick the book The Alchemist because I hated that book! LOL), but also, I was like..."wait...what the fuck is going on?". I think it would work better if we got to know the characters first before jumping right into this whole double-double agent thing. We only know this guy from one "past" scene in which they keep reinforcing that he's a "good guy", but we literally know nothing else about him - so I don't care what happens to him. I'll eventually finish the rest of the season, but if it doesn't pick up the pace and provide some clarity, I won't be watching a season 2 (if there even is a season 2, which is doubtful - I've never seen anyone talk about this show at all). 

3. PONIES - Another show that seems like it's *extremely my shit* - spy stuff set during the cold war! I do like this, so far, but I think the casting is a bit off. I've never been the biggest fan of Emilia Clarke (as an actress. She seems like a lovely person!). Surprisingly, I'm actually more impressed with her than with Haley Lu Richardson (and she's someone I usually like!). Clarke had to learn Russian for this - and she sounds very convincing and she looks like she belongs in this world. While Richardson seems a little too silly - like she's straight out of Gen Z (I think she might be older than that, but she's got the Gen Z look!). I think her character is supposed to be the comic relief (?) but she comes off as childish and obnoxious. But I like the look of it, and the music is great. And I'm fully invested in Clarke's character's plotline with going undercover by dating a dangerous KGB officer. I'm on the 5th episode (I think), and it has its ups and downs, but overall, I'm into it. I think it could be something great if they just figure out what to do with Richardson. I'm also interested in the deaths of their husbands - which I think will be a bigger plot point at some point. I could see this lasting several seasons, but I do think they need to kick the danger up a degree and be more like The Americans and less like a buddy comedy. 

4. I Love LA - Ummmm...this could be amazing or it could be like a Gen Z/Influencer version of Girls or Sex and the City (I hated Girls! Couldn't get past the first season! And I hated SatC, and yes, I watched the whole thing, unfortunately). But it's created by Rachel Sennott and I really like her even though she reminds me of someone I hate in real life (and I don't hate many people in real like - there's like 3 people total), but she also reminds me of another actress that I can't put my finger on (maybe Brittany Murphy?). I like the supporting cast too - Odessa A'Zion (aka Pamela Adlon's daughter) is really taking off, Josh Hutcherson is ADORABLE in this (I LOVE that her boyfriend is a like a normal nerdy guy who treats her well), and I would love for Leighton Meester to get another successful show (her movies were...not great. She's not a movie star and that's okay! But she's a tv queen when she finds the right roles!). I think I have two episodes left, but so far, so good! I am mostly enjoying it - there are definitely highlights, like the Elijah Wood cameo had me DYING (when they walk in on him watching The Simpsons and then he puts on the Smash Mouth song from Shrek. LOL. HILARIOUS!). There are definitely some lowlights - Ayo's cameo is pure torture. That accent. Rough. I was actually really enjoying the series up until the last episode I watched where things took a few left turns - they introduce a really interesting "bro" character who is actually a really supportive friend -he's also a religious nut, but I think that could have been an interesting character to explore. "I'm not gay, I'm Catholic!" LOL.  And then KILL HIM OFF very suddenly. And I hate that Maia suddenly questions her relationship because her boss makes a dumb comment about him not being good enough. He's actually TOO GOOD for her. And then she suddenly turns into a jealous lying biATCH towards him. I hope they don't keep going down that road because I'll probably stop watching. It is a lot of influencer drama/ tik-tok generation stupidity, but there's something oddly entertaining about it - it has an Entourage vibe that I enjoy. 

5. Wonder Man - This is cute! I knew nothing about the character, so it was a bit unexpected. I like that it's really just a story of someone who wants to be an actor, but is forced into the role of a super hero (or villain? I'm not sure how his story proceeds). I always thought the whole Mandarin thing in Iron Man was a bit dumb, but I liked how they really turned this character around and formed a really interesting character. Also, I love Yahya. He's SO good in this. It's also really funny - like how he gets fired from American Horror Story and Ben Kingsley's "gotta go, Uncle Vanya" made me spit my drink out. Josh Gad's episode is HILARIOUS and definitely a standout of the series. And I love how they show how the whole "superheroes can't be actors" thing started (basically because they are uninsurable). But my favorite part is the nod to The O.C. - with Yahya looking out the window and then you hear the first notes of "California" play - I WAS SCREAMING. The reference will go over a lot of people's heads, but that scene was MADE FOR DORKS LIKE ME!! Anyway, I can't wait to see more of this character in the MCU! They are slowly reeling me back in!

Movie Marathon: Bourne

1. The Bourne Identity - The Bourne Trilogy is among my favorite franchises - and I just pretended that the other two don't exist, but I decided it's time to watch them all collectively. And you know what? They're all good movies! It was a pleasant surprise, honestly. I've definitely watched the first three multiple times, but it's been a while (maybe 15 years?). Also, I could not find these movies streaming anywhere so I had to resort to my trilogy boxset (and unfortunately had to rent the last two). But there was something so comforting watching this on physical media. I think this first film really excels at creating this tense plot of this guy waking up on a fishing boat having no recollection of who he is, but slowly realizing that he's part of something sinister. It moves really quickly, there's an iconic car chase scene that is a nod to The Italian Job (and maybe does it even better) with this old school mini-cooper through the streets of Paris. It's SO good. Plus, there's a bit of romance with the relationship that forms between him and Marie. But, for me, I was never the biggest fan of Marie - I found her grating and annoying. And I never really understood how they fell in love (I get a sexual chemistry because of their adrenaline being out of control by these life-or-death situations, but like...love? I don't see it.). Anyway, I really enjoyed this rewatch, but I thought it was way more action-packed than it actually is? Weird. Also, I did not remember that Walton Goggins is in this! 

2. The Bourne Supremacy - This is definitely my favorite one. I think both the first & second films are 4 star films, I just prefer this one because I really like Joan Allen's character and I think the action and fight sequences are even better (Greengrass really understood the assignment, as the kid's say). I know killing off Marie so quickly upset a lot of people, but I think it gives a solid motivation for this story to continue because otherwise Bourne would have never returned - he would just be living his life on the beach somewhere. AND Karl Urban is in this looking REAL GOOD and rocking an incredibly convincing Russian accent?! Lord have mercy! Also, I vividly remember watching the phone call scene in which he states "she's standing right next to you" and they all freeze because they realize he's watching them. It's such a good scene and they continue this throughout the rest of the franchise with the "you look tired" line. I think this one does the best job of balancing all the character moments, the action & fight scenes, along with the keeping the thrills and suspense peaked for its entirety. On a side note - this is the first time I realized that the Moby song is played during all 5 of the Bourne movies. I knew it was featured heavily within the franchise, but didn't realize it plays during the end of all of them. 

3. The Bourne Ultimatum - I enjoyed this one quite a lot, but I also think it has a few flaws. While the first three films all have a runtime under 2 hours (YES!!), this one feels longer, and there are quite a few scenes that drag or are not necessary at all. Like the first scene? It can totally be cut - just start at the 6 weeks later part. And the chase scenes go on for FOREVER. Especially the whole scene featuring the journalist (played by Paddy Considine! I never realized he was in these!) at Waterloo station. The scene is actually great and SO intense, but it feels like it takes up half the movie! The plot hasn't really even started yet! And because they drag out these scenes, they seem to forget the character moments and development that made the first two films so great. It just feels like the plot is paper thin and they really stretched it out to make a film out of it. But, I do like it - the NYC scene is cool. The surveillance technology seems so dated now, but I remember being really terrified by it when this was released - it seemed so futuristic and crazy to think that anyone can be found and tracked so easily. Nicky gets more and more important with every movie (and we all know what that means!). Overall, I still think this is a great action movie and a solid end to the story (but, of course, there's more!). 

4. The Bourne Legacy - So I remember thinking this was fine - I originally rated it 3 stars. And I think my original assessment is correct (a quote from my original blog post about it: "as an action movie, I would rate it above average, but as a Bourne film, I wouldn't rate it all"). There's a lot of good stuff here - but it feels pointless in the Bourne world. It takes place during the events of Ultimatum as a parallel story of the consequences of Jason Bourne's actions and how it effects other CIA black ops programs and other "super soldiers", which could be a really interesting take. But it all boils down to Jeremy Renner wanting his "Chems" (which is medicine necessary for him to function). I was shocked by the cast, because I don't remember any of these people in this - Rachel Weisz??? Edward Norton??! Oscar Isaac?! Hello?! Why don't I remember them?? LOL. Weisz has the best scenes (the mass shooting scene and the scene in her home when she's being interrogated). I was bothered that her hairstyle kept changing in between scenes (continuity!!! It's important!), but that's not her fault. It's a good idea, a great cast, and has some really intense scenes. I can't really pinpoint why it's not as good as the trilogy but it's just...not. Damon is essential. Ditto for Paul Greengrass (although with this rewatch, I remembered that he didn't actually direct the first one! It was Doug Liman, which makes sense - they have a similar frantic style for these crazy action sequences). 

5. Jason Bourne - This one I didn't like on original viewing, but I've come around a bit with this rewatch. I think it's a disappointing Bourne movie, but it's not necessarily a bad movie. It's another 3 star movie. And it features one of the best car chase sequences of, not only the franchise, but of all-time, with the Las Vegas Strip chase. I remember reading about how it was done and that it was the first time that they've shut down the strip completely, but it was worth it because it's SO GOOD. Watching that SWAT vehicle just completely destroy every car in its path is absolutely glorious. I like that they did something unexpected with these huge vehicles because the cars used are usually small like a mini cooper or a motorcycle or a beat up taxi. But, otherwise, the film is a bit of a letdown. When I first saw this, it was in a theater and it was the first movie my husband and I watched together - we were PUMPED. We both love the franchise and the original three films and thought for sure that this was going to be great. And then it wasn't. I think they should have given Bourne something new to focus on. Instead, he's still just trying to figure out who he is and it feels like a rehash of everything we've already learned and the new info given is unnecessary. I don't think they needed to kill off Nicky, either, but man, Julia Styles got worse and worse with every movie. I also think Alicia Vikander is horrible in this - just no personality whatsoever! There seems to be a shocking actor in each one of these films that I have no recollection of and this one is Riz Ahmed!! This might have been the first thing I've seen him in. I love him. AND how hot is Matt Damon in this?! This was his peak hotness, I think. 

Ranking:

Supremacy 

Identity 

Ultimatum 

Jason Bourne 

Legacy

Thoughts on 5 Films

1. Black Phone 2 - I really liked the first one, which is surprising because I don't usually take to supernatural horror stuff. But, it felt really grounded in reality and I thought Mason Thames was fantastic. Unfortunately, I haven't liked him in anything else since then - including this sequel. So, I guess his performance was a fluke. I didn't love this movie either. About an hour in, I realized I wasn't really following the plot. They are trapped at a children's camp during a snow storm - he starts getting the calls and his sister starts having the dreams, but there's nothing much else to it. They realize that it all started there and that their mother was involved. But I didn't really need the lore - sometimes it's better not knowing stuff! The whole sequel just feels like a cash grab, and there's nothing scary or creepy at all. I don't really have anything else to say. I do think it's interesting that some people pointed out The Grabber's mask looks like Epstein! I never noticed it, but it's true. I think Derrickson said it was unintentional, but it's funny nonetheless! Anyway, this was sort of meh. *shrugs shoulders* 

2. Code 3 - Okay, so I sort of have mixed feelings about this movie. I think there are certain expectations for an action/comedy starring known funny men like Rainn Wilson, Lil Rel Howery, and Rob Riggle. And those expectations are for a COMEDY. Even if it's a dumb, cheesy comedy. This is NONE of those things - while it can be considered a dark comedy, it's mostly an existential drama. And, unfortunately, it was not what I was in the mood to watch so I think it clouded my judgement of it. The story is about this burned out paramedic who is training a new paramedic on the daily horrors of being a paramedic. It's DARK - I mean, people die horrible, tragic deaths and the dialogue is basically like "everyone dies and life is miserable". There are some funny moments, sure, like the scene with the subway scenario when he calls him racist (it genuinely looked like Rainn was laughing in the scene). But overall, this is not a funny movie. I also think they oversell the under-appreciated paramedic trope. Paramedics make WAY more than 43k a year, especially in California (the low end is still 80k. Yes, I looked it up because it seemed ridiculously low and not realistic). And I think a lot of people appreciate Paramedics! They are every day heroes! But, I think it dives deep into the psychological trauma of experiencing other peoples tragedies every single day and sometimes not even knowing the outcome. I like a lot about this movie - the breaking the 4th wall way that Rainn talks to the audience gives it a little edge. I definitely recommend this movie - just not if you are in the mood to watch a dumb comedy. 

3. Predator: Badlands - So, I might have accidentally prematurely deleted my notes for this or maybe I didn't take any? Not sure, but I do know that I liked this quite a bit. I appreciate a new direction in this long-running franchise because it actually feels fresh. I really liked Prey as well because it also goes in a different direction. I think that's the only way to move forward with a franchise, and some people (mostly nerdy white boys) will have something negative to say about that, but I think we need to stop giving that type of negativity any attention at all. Genuine criticism is always welcomed and necessary (both good and bad), but to just hate on something because it wasn't made for you specifically is just a waste of energy. Anyway, the absolute highlight is the ever adorable Elle Fanning. I just ADORE her. I had avoided all trailers and spoilers for this so I was SHOCKED by her character reveal. And that she does double-duty by playing twins. She's fantastic. I like that we get to know this new predator, Dek, and that he has deep daddy issues that sets off the plot of the film. I think it's interesting to get to know the "enemy" because we're all just trying to survive. There are some cool shots, and overall, I think it was fun! 

4. Ella McCay - Wow. I read some of the negativity, but I think a lot of it was about the stupid looking poster (which I still don't understand the hoopla), so I was expecting something a bit cheesy and maybe a little too endearing etc., I was not expecting something this awful. Like ONE STAR awful. With a cast like this, that's just unacceptable! Directed by James L. Brooks?? Why is it so bad? I think a lot of it just comes down to it being a bad script. There's no cohesive story here - it's about this woman who is about to be the governor, but all the men around her are terrible. Her dad is a womanizer (and apparently seduced her friend? It was a throwaway line, but I was like "WHAT?" Can we get some clarity on that?), her brother is a shut-in, and her husband - who is a nice guy up until he *very* suddenly is not - takes advantage of her political position. I think the story is supposed to be about this woman navigating all of this, but it's just all over the place. One scene she's dealing with a blackmail situation and the next scene her dad is confronting her at a bar. It's so weird. And then there is a scene that's like 30 minutes long of her brother trying to ask out a girl. Why is this scene even in the movie? It has nothing to do with the main character, and we don't get to know the brother enough to care about him. And why does her husband suddenly become such an asshole? There was no catalyst for that happening. The cast is mostly great - Emma Mackey will recover from this, hopefully. Jack Lowden (*heart eyes*), Rebecca Hall (who is barely in it), Ayo Edebiri (Good Lord, this woman needs help picking movie roles), Woody Harrelson, and Marge Simpson! (She mostly narrates, but I was like WAIT...is that Marge Simpson's voice?! And YUP!). But, I really have a hard time with Jamie Lee Curtis now. I can't pinpoint when it happened, but I used to really love her and now I really think she's one of the worst actresses currently working - she's so over-the-top. Ugh...I cringe just thinking about it. Believe the bad reviews with this one. 

5. Splitsville - I thought I was going to like this by some of the reviews, and because I love Dakota Johnson and Adria Arjona. But, unfortunately, I thought it was really dumb and bland. And I think it's meant to be "edgy" with this whole open relationship thing, but it's just blah. Like, there's nothing edgy about this at all. And, I'm sorry, but there is no way in the world that these two men can get women like Dakota and Adria. My brain was instantly like, why the fuck would these two hot women be with these old boring-looking men, but I looked it up and apparently these men are YOUNGER THAN ME?! I thought, for sure, they were in their 50s. But also, I realized they wrote the film, and one of them directed it, so OF COURSE they are going to hire women who are too hot for them (LOL. I would do the same! If I wrote & directed a film that I was also going to star in, I would totally hire Taron Egerton to be my husband.). Anyway, I wanted a bit more - either make it funnier, more romantic, or even wackier, but it's just all sort of boring. It's just a deeply uninteresting story about two mediocre rich white men - and I'm so over it. The women barely have a story - just used for sex plots. Adria gets a montage of dating a bunch of men (either to show the time that has past or that she's a slut - I'm honestly not sure which...). And then all of these men hang out with each other??? What? It doesn't even make any sense or have any sense of realism. I just really hated the whole thing and rolled my eyes A LOT.