Thoughts on 5 New Tv Shows

1. Cape Fear - I watched the 90s version in preparation for this series (I watched the original one last year) because I have a bad memory. It's a GREAT story for a film, but I don't see how they are going to stretch this out into a TEN (!) episode series. I love Amy Adams, Javier Bardem and Patrick Wilson, so obviously I am going to watch this, but I was very skeptical. I'm 1/2 way through the series, and Goddammit I was right! There's definitely a more layered story and character development and added characters, but it ALL feels unnecessary. And Amy Adams southern accent is WILD. Ditto for whatever Anna Baryshnikov is doing (I'll always love her for her role as Lavinia in Dickinson though!!). I think the biggest problem is that it's been 5 episodes and I haven't really found Bardem, as Max Cady - one of the most psychopathic characters ever put on film, that terrifying yet. It's just not working at all. They change the story to him being a murderer instead of a violent rapist and I think that's the first mistake. Not that rape is worse than murder, but the act is more of a terrifying threat because it's a form of torture. There are definitely things I like - the flipping of the defense lawyer to be the wife and the prosecutor is her husband (and they met and fell in love during the trial) adds a layer of complicated legal shenanigans. Showing the insane online world that teenagers have to navigate is really powerful too. But it's also a little stupid - the "you're stalking a little girl!" scene is ridiculous. She's like 25 at least (the internet says 21/22, but that means she's really 25 and lying about her age. I hate that actors/actresses can have their birthday removed from IMDB now. Really enforces the "women can't age" narrative). Anyway, it's just not very interesting or suspenseful. I had higher hopes for the talent involved (it's even produced by Scorsese and Spielberg!! OH WAIT that reminds me that Scorsese's daughter is in a small scene as a TikTok personality and it took me out! LOL). 

2. Widow's Bay - I watched the first 3 episodes of this about a week before The Emmys, and I was completely mystified by all of the awards. The show is...fine? I love Matthew Rhys (and have since Brothers and Sisters!!). The rest of the cast consists of some really great character actors. And I'm not exactly bored by it. I just don't think it's, like, the best! show! ever! And I think The Emmys just need to add a "Dramedy" category at this point, or keep the Comedy category to strict sitcom style comedy. Because to have this up against Abbott Elementary just isn't fair (I agree with Sheryl Lee Ralph, and it's so stupid that she had to apologize for saying that her series was the only "real comedy in the category", although I think Hacks also belongs there). Anyway, I assumed that it would get better. Like, A LOT better. But then I watched another 3 episodes and it's still...fine? There are things I like about it (the cast, the mystery), but overall it's just not going anywhere. I'm definitely more than a little bored now. And I haven't laughed once! It's amusing, sure. But FUNNY? A COMEDY? Get the fuck out of here. A series that has an episode like episode 6 is NOT a comedy. Period. Although I did enjoy the guest appearances by Betty Gilpin and Hamish Linklater (and both are excellent in this episode). Anyway, I just don't see what the fuss is about, but I do have 4 more episodes....?? 

3. The Westies - I think this series definitely wants to be like Peaky Blinders, but set in Hell's Kitchen NY in the 1980s. Some of it is very good, but a lot of it is very Obvious. Like, really in-your-face Obvious. The opening credits SCREAM this is about an IRISH GANG! Every episode I scream "we GET IT! They are IRISH!". And I would also argue that this show has already been done before - it was called The Black Donnellys and it was REALLY good (never made it past the first season, unfortunately). But I like the cast a lot - J.K. Simmons and Sarah Bolger, specifically. I think the subplot featuring Bolger about the IRA is actually more interesting than the main plot. There are a few other slightly interesting plot points and character reveals, but nothing seems to stick - they move on very quickly so nothing feels dramatic enough or high stakes enough. The main guy looks identical to Richard Madden (if you put a bad wig on him) and has about the same amount of talent and screen presence (i.e not a smidge. But he's hot!). I just think the whole thing is a little predictable and repetitive, but I'll also still watch a second season and hope for the best! 

4. Lucky - I actually hated this. I don't think I would have continued to watch it if my husband wasn't watching it with me - and he didn't hate it as much as I did. I just think that Lucky is *such* an unlikeable character that I wanted her to be caught immediately. Go straight to prison! You're a terrible person! And not because she's a grifter. Because she's a terrible human being. She lies *multiple* times about being a domestic abuse victim, and she puts a single mom and her child/children (I can't remember if there was more than one child? I feel like the woman had 2 daughters, but I might be wrong about that) WILLINGLY in danger. I don't know, maybe it's because I am a witness to domestic abuse, it's just hard to fathom that someone would lie about it (and "he pushed me out of the car" is really triggering for me because my dad actually pushed my mom out of a moving truck in the middle of the desert. I cried and asked if she was going to be ok and he told me "she's dead" and then I didn't see her for days. Then she just showed up! I still don't know what happened in those days and I'll never ask her). ANYWAY, I also think Anya is the weak link of the cast - I just don't really buy her as this tough bad-ass criminal. Overall, I also think the plot is really dumb and it only works if every single character is also dumb (the criminals, the dumb-as-fuck FBI lady, literally everyone is stupid). I finally know who Drew Starky is, though! I feel like I hear his name a lot as an up-and-comer, but I could not pick him out of a lineup. He doesn't have much to do in this for me to form an opinion. But Annette Benning and Timothy Olyphant act their asses off, so it's not all bad. The best part is definitely the opening credit song - sung by none other than the incomparable FIONA APPLE!!! I had no idea and as soon as I heard the first note, I was like OMG FIONA!!! I'm surprised she would agree to do an opening song for such a bland mediocre show because the last time she agreed to do an opening song for a tv show it was for The Affair, which definitely has more in common with Fiona's lyrics than this show does. 

5. Alley Cats - I usually like Ricky Gervais shows - I think he always has a really good balance of being funny and having really thoughtful commentary on simple human normalcies (whether it's something like the mundane office life, or grieving the loss of a loved one). I know a lot of people hate him now and some of his comedic schtick has gotten a little lame, but I don't think that effects his talent for writing tv shows. But this is straight up barely watchable. It's everything that the Ricky Haters have been saying for the past few years - that his whole thing is based around "offending" everyone that it's become unfunny. It's like he fell right into their trap. But, not only is it not funny (or offensive?), it's also much sadder than I was expecting. And not in the good way like After Life. Because After Life was about finding joy after tragedy - finding something or someone to live for, etc., which I think a lot of people can relate to. But this is just like "cats die", HAHAHA! My husband actually screamed at the cat getting hit by a car and was *very* upset by it, which kind of negates all of the jokes (and there haven't really been any good jokes, either. I think I laughed once at the cucumber scene and that's it). I think I watched 4 episodes in a row, waiting for it to find it's footing, and it just doesn't. I don't even want to watch any more, but I eventually will. 

Thoughts on 5 Films

1. I Swear - I really liked this! It's currently in my Top 10 of 2026, but I don't think it will still be there by the end of the year. I *DO* think Richard Aramayo should be in the Oscar conversation though! He won the BAFTA (because it was released over there last year) and he was listed as an Oscar snub last year by many outlets, but he wasn't qualified! I really wish people would do their research! Anyway, he should be a frontrunner this year (*spoiler* he won't be)! Although, I will likely be rooting for Jack O'Connell (I haven't seen Ink yet - I might get the chance in a few weeks at a festival in NJ, but I've seen a lot of people predict him getting a nomination and YES PLEASE! He deserves it for being screwed out of the Sinners nominations. I would also argue he should be getting a Supporting nomination for The Bone Temple, but I don't think that's likely). But Aramayo gives a stunning performance in a very difficult role to get right. It can easily sway to cliched, borderline offensive, and overdone, but he keeps this feeling very authentic and grounded. I also think that the film is very funny, which is necessary because it is funny to hear someone cursing and saying inappropriate things at inappropriate times!! It's a natural human reaction to laugh at awkward moments like this, so I appreciate that the film is open to that discussion while also showing how much this condition effects someone's life. I think it allows for empathy instead of judgement. It's kind of insane that life became film became life with the whole BAFTA controversary - the film is literally explaining this condition and how he can't control the things he says, and then the real-life person it is based on shouted racist slurs while Michael B. Jordan and Delroy Lindo were on stage. I think the only person in the wrong were the BBC for not editing the slurs out the aired version (they were somehow able to edit out a "free Palestine" shout, though?). Anyway, this has a terrific supporting cast - Maxine Peake, Shirley Henderson, and Peter Mullan (legend!). Like I said, I liked this! But it also is in the same category as the film Coda in which the story is good, the writing is good, the acting is good but I don't think it should be in awards conversations like Coda was, because like Coda, there is nothing significant about the actual film in terms of filmmaking. It doesn't challenge the viewer or do anything new. I still can't believe Coda is a Best Picture winner. WILD. 

2. Disclosure Day - Okay...this is bad. It's not, like, the worst movie ever or even in my worst films of this year, but for the talent involved...it's bad. I think the biggest problem is that it feels extremely dated. And while I love all of these actors separately, together they all feel very bland. Admittedly, I haven't really loved a Steven Spielberg film in a LONG time (I did *like* Ready Player One, but before that....it's been a solid 20 years since I've loved one of his films). But I was excited by some of the reviews that described this film as a return to what Spielberg does well - and that is alien invasion/sci-fi films. I saw a lot of reviews calling it "bold" too, so I went in with the highest of expectations and those certainly were not met. It's all been done before and in way better films. The whole religious part feels shoe-horned in, and I just really don't think anyone in 2026 would give a fuck about seeing alien footage??? The world wouldn't stop - it would just be trending for a few hours and then we'd move on because that's today's world. I just don't think Spielberg has a pulse on that, unfortunately. And, the ending kept building and building to this point that had me thinking something really *interesting* was going to happen. I even thought for a minute of a REALLY CRAZY ending because I imagined the ending was going to be "bold" like some critics suggested (I definitely thought it was going to be a low-key E.T sequel reveal at the end, but then I realized that the internet definitely would have ruined that spoiler). But the end...is just...the end? Nothing about the world has really changed, right? Anyway, I usually praise Emily Blunt in everything, but she's gone way too far on the face fillers. She's SO beautiful, but films like this rely on facial expressions and her face does not move for the entire movie. It's really jarring and depressing. One of my favorite actresses can no longer *act* because of dumb societal standards for aging women in the media. 

3. Star Wars: The Mandalorian and Grogu - Wow this is so fucking boring! It's like a really, really, really long stretched out episode of the series and it's....rough. I like the show! It's cute! I'm also a fan of Solo and Rogue One, so I'm not a spin-off hater. But over 2 hours of this is insane and so unnecessary. Baby Yoda aka Grogu is adorable, as expected. Pedro is fine in a largely voice role. But stunt casting Martin Scorsese is dumb, and JEREMY ALLEN WHITE as a RIPPED HUTT??? LOL. What the fuck is even happening anymore? I have no words. The whole Gladiator scene is so dumb, as is the entire the entire Rotta the Hutt storyline. I completely stopped paying attention after about an hour and would look up anytime my husband pointed out Baby Yoda being cute. He's a big Star Wars nerd, and even he said this was boring so it must be true! I think we're just stuck in this big franchise world of trying to keep the industry alive, and I just don't think it's the answer. People don't necessarily want to see continuations of these franchises - they just want GOOD stories and QUALITY productions. This was clearly a cash grab, and not a good one. 

4. Deep Water - Oh my God, I watched this 3 weeks ago and I don't remember a *single* thing about it??? I keep thinking of the Ben Affleck/Ana de Armas movie with the same title from a few years ago (which was bad but at least I remember a few things about it!). So, in checking my notes I realize this is the shark movie! I rated it 2.5 stars, but I'm tempted to lower it since I don't even remember it. I do sort of remember it now, and I do think I actually liked the start of the film. There's an excellent plane crash sequence that is terrifying (that is caused by a power bank catching on fire LOL). I think Renny Harlin got a bad rap after Cutthroat Island (one of the biggest flops in history), but he's made some great action movies (Cliffhanger, Die Hard 2 - which isn't my favorite Die Hard, but it's got its moments!). On a side note: (especially since I don't remember the movie) I'm fully convinced that this is how I'm going to die: In a plane crash that hits the ocean. The impact of the plane hitting the water kills me instantly. I had a premonition about it. And yet, I'm not really scared of planes. They're a necessity for someone who wants to travel the world, unfortunately, so I will still go on them until *IT* happens. What's even weirder is that my premonition happened a long time ago - I think I was a teenager/early 20s when I was broke, and I thought that maybe it wasn't a premonition because I was in Business Class in my premonition. I was definitely towards the front of the plane. And that's just not how I traveled for most of my life. But now I'm married and my husband refuses to travel unless it's in First or Business. He's very frugal and smart with this money, but when it comes to travelling he goes all out and splurges. So now I sit up in Business Class and go..."huh...maybe it will happen this time?" and then I put a movie on and hope for the best. ANYWAY!! The film really falls apart with the whole shark part, though. I love a good shark movie, but this just really isn't it. I actually didn't write anything about the shark part in my notes, so that tells you everything. I did write down that it moves very quickly, so that's something, I guess! 

5. Mayday - I was hoping this was going to be a fun action/comedy (sometimes Reynolds is good at those!), but it's far too serious to be fun. It's...fine. Another 2.5 star movie (actually aside from I Swear, the other four of these films are 2.5 stars! What a rough run...I think the next post is full of the same 2.5 or UNDER! I need to cleanse my film watching with some 4 to 5 star bangers! Good thing we're going into awards season). I think the roughest part of this is Kenneth Branagh's thick Russian accent - just hilariously bad. And Ryan Reynolds just does the same thing he always does, this just has less jokes. I will say that some of the action sequences are cool - I looked up to see who the DP was because it felt very Kingsman-like, but it's actually the same DP who did Game Night (same directors too), and that makes sense because that's a very funny movie, but also a SURPRISINGLY well-made film. And in my IMDB rabbit-hole I also learned that one of the directors is THE KID FROM FREAKS AND GEEKS?!! Holy shit! There's also a GREAT soundtrack (filled with Bruce songs including "I'm on Fire", which is my second favorite* Bruce song ever. *Ask me in a year and it will probably be a different song). I just wish there were more fun moments, a little bit of funnier dialogue & banter, just *something* to make it stand out from every other film just like this. 

4 Thoughts on The Emmys

1. The Host - I honestly think it was a huge mistake to have Mariska Hargitay host this. I have nothing against her. I also don't really know much about her, other than she's Jayne Mansfield's daughter and she's been on CSI or SVU or whatever the fuck it's called for like 40 years (I've never seen an episode!). But I think that getting a relevant comedian to host awards shows is a *key* to them being successful (although it doesn't always work even then, but at least it's a start!). You know you've failed if the most used word to describe your opening number is "cringe". It's the first word I wrote down, but then literally every person I follow on social media said the same thing. It's sooooo awful, and I can see a lot of "non" awards watchers being like "hey maybe, I'll check this out" and then instantly shutting it off. It never gets better, either. Just bad sketch after bad sketch, with some terrible musical numbers in between. I will give her a slight thumbs up for getting Taylor Swift to do a pre-recorded sketch, but I think most Taylor fans had already checked out. 

2. The Show - I feel like I say "this is the worst Emmys/Oscars/GGs ever" and then every year it somehow...gets worse. The whole thing was a disaster - the host, the sketches, the presenters, the speeches...all of it, with one minor highlight: John Mulaney presenting for Best Actor in a Drama. First, it proves my point that a comedian should be up there hosting, and second, GOD DAMN he KILLED IT. And the thing is - he even dates himself with a Fonzie and DJ Khaled reference, but it's FUNNY. I also think Amy Poehler does a funny bit about bullying the winners. Otherwise, this whole thing was a bit hard to watch. I was disappointed that Rachel Sennott and Odessa A'zion completely bombed because I think it's actually these *it girls* that have a chance at saving awards shows. Like, if they killed it everyone would be talking about it today and younger audiences would be watching clips and consider watching the next awards show!!! But this whole show felt like it was geared towards a female audience of 60+ in age. It certainly wasn't geared towards television fans either - they cut important awards to make way for "fun" stuff, but I didn't feel like this had any more "fun" stuff than previous ceremonies. What was fun? The cast of the new Baywatch having no personality whatsoever (and what the fuck is up with the three lead actresses looking identical?? I literally can not tell them apart). I actually think the Emmys from a few years ago that recreated classic tv sets had more of a "this is for television fans" than any other show in recent history (and I don't think they cut awards to do it? I'm guessing it was very expensive, though). This year they did a few "reunions", but all mixed with tragedy???! Like Buffy and Angel!! YES! I was so excited! And then they did this weird "tribute" to the cast members they lost without even saying their names? How weird. Then the In Memoriam does a tribute to Catherine O'Hara featuring her co-star children (Macauley Culkin, Annie Murphy, and Dan Levy), which was nice but I would have loved a video montage of O'Hara's start in television. Then we cut to another tribute to Rob Reiner with Jamie Lee Curtis (who is sooooo *cringe*. I can't help but roll my eyes with every word she says. It all feels so fake and performative), and they don't even really talk about Reiner's relationship with television at all other than calling him "meathead" and mentioning his very minor role in The Bear. It's all so weird. Why aren't we talking about TELEVISION?? 

3. The Winners - Just like last year, I don't really have a problem with who won the awards - they are all deserving. The Pitt, Jean Smart, Matthew Rhys, Sally Field (!!), Rhea Seehorn, and Allison Janney???? I'm never going to be upset about those wins. I like that there were a few surprises too with Tom Pelphrey winning for Task (I knew The Pitt was going to split the votes, but I was rooting for Lowden) and Kate O' Flynn. I watched the first 3 episodes of Widow's Bay and...uh...I don't get it? I've heard that it gets better, but I just don't see what all the fuss is about. And it's is MOST CERTAINLY not a comedy. I do think it's funny that the creator of it is the woman that tweeted about being at a Halloween party dressed as The Babadook when nobody else is dressed in a costume (classic all-timer of a tweet). I also don't think everyone expected Rhys to win for The Beast in Me (he was a lock for Widow's Bay though). So he won TWO performance Emmys in one night and is now the only actor to win an Emmy for lead actor in a drama, comedy, and limited series!! I've loved him since Brothers & Sisters. He deserves the praise! And Jean Smart also broke a record for being the only actress to ever win an Emmy for every season of a show! That's cool. She's a legend. I do think it's *wild* that one of the best comedies in years went away empty-handed (Shrinking - it's also *wild* that I'm upset about Harrison Ford losing an award! But also how on Earth did Michael J. Fox also lose???). BUT, I'm happy that Love Story and Beef walked away with nothing also because those shows fucking suck. 

4. The Fashion - Hands down my favorite look is Chase Infinity. I do think the dress looks a little heavy on her, but it's cool, interesting to look at, and she's styled to perfection - the loose waves, the simple fresh makeup. She looks chic but also young and cool. There's a few other dresses I liked: Zendaya - just never misses - although she looked eerily like Halle Berry with this dress and that pixie cut (complimentary, obvi). Linda Cardellini's strapless shell/pearl dress is very pretty. I like Rachel Sennott's dress a lot, but her styling is awful (the high pony tail makes the look dated instead of modern). It was clear that red was the color of the night (other than the sea of neutrals and black dresses) - Rhea Seehorn, Mariska, Cailee Spaeny, Jackie Tohn, Fiona Dourif, but Neicy Nash-Betts is the standout red dress this year (love the Jessica Rabbit vibe). There were also some very bad looks too: Let's start with the obvious - Shailene Woodley. I actually appreciate what was being attempted here, but the fit is terrible and her hair back like that makes the look dowdy. Florence Pugh is SO GORGEOUS but the dress is very Disney princess (derogatory, obvi). Dakota Fanning's dress is fine, but I've seen it A MILLION times, which makes it offensive. Ayo Edebiri looked gorgeous from the front, and then there's this giant clashing red bow in the back that made the dress look like a superhero costume. Quinta Brunson's dress literally looked like it was falling apart as she walked (which is A CHOICE!). You know what's weird, though? When I google Emmy fashion, it's all "best Emmy looks" or "all Emmy looks" instead of "best AND WORST"?! Are we not allowed to talk about bad fashion anymore? I miss Joan Rivers so fucking much. 

Movie Marathon: Die Hard

1. Die Hard - It's been quite a long time since I've seen this. I've said it before, but I'm a fan of the Die Hard movies, but I'm not a "die hard" Die Hard fan. Like, as far as late 80s/early 90s action films go, this is not among my favorites (I much prefer Speed, Demolition Man, Bad Boys, Terminator 1 & 2). To be perfectly honest, I don't think Bruce Willis is a good actor at all, but he's a great action hero. It's kind of like Keanu Reeves - terrible actor, but great in big franchise films like The Matrix, John Wick, etc. But I do think that this is a classic for a reason - and a BIG reason is because Hans Gruber is one of the best villains of all time. I love that all of the villains have incredible hair, including Gruber. Alan Rickman just really reveled in this role. It's also a very simple good guy vs. bad guy scenario, has some great action & fight scenes, and a spectacular ending. It's great! It's just not something that want to watch over and over again like other action films from this time. 

2. Die Hard 2 - Surprisingly, I was very bored by this. Especially compared to the rest of the Die Hard movies. The plot is overly complicated and kind of stupid. And it doesn't really make sense that they wouldn't just instantly reroute the plane to another airport in the area (Annapolis, Philly, JFK, Newark...the list goes on and they are all very close to each other). This also feels even more dated than the first one (I mean, air phones were the height of technology), maybe because plane travel/safety has changed so drastically. I also think that even thought the villain is even more ruthless - he is also somehow unmemorable. I rewatched these movies over a month ago (I'm behind on my posts again. Surprise, surprise!), and I couldn't even remember who the villain was and what his main evil mission was. I do love Bonnie Bedelia, so I'm happy that she gets a little more screen time in this one (at least it feels this way). I don't know...I just wasn't captured by this at all. It's in no way a bad movie (I rated it 3 stars, which means good!), but it's among my least favorite of these films (except the final one, obvi).

3. Die Hard with a Vengeance - Now this one I really enjoyed! I don't know, there's always going to be something more personal with an action film set in NYC. I LOVE the gritty 90s NYC vibe. I actually had very little memory of this going in, so I was shocked by the explosion in NYC right in the beginning! The danger is immediate and it just keeps the pace and intensity for the entire thing. And I COMPLETELY forgot that Sam L. Jackson is in this - and the chemistry between him and Bruce is incredible. I love that they don't shy away from the racial tension of it all. I do think this kind of copies off of Speed though - with the whole villain distracting the police with riddles (I mean, it's not a new concept, but Speed was released only a year before). I love Jeremy Irons, with his little slutty glasses and tight tank top, as the villain. I would say the only annoying part is that John McClane HAS A HANGOVER AND A BAD HEADACHE and he repeats this over and over again (he does the same thing in the 5th one, "I'm on vacation!"). I feel like the writers ran out of dialogue ideas, so they just make him even more cranky. Otherwise, this is a fun action film! 

4. Live Free or Die Hard - I think in my head I mixed this and the next one into one movie. And I think originally I was really hard on this movie mostly because I'm not the biggest fan of Justin Long. But he doesn't really bother me that much in this, and I actually thought that this is a fun action movie! I love the rest of the cast too - Maggie Q (I'll always argue that she should have been a megastar!), Mary Elizabeth Winstead (and I'll always argue that she should have been an Oscar nominee for 10 Cloverfield Lane because that's such an incredible performance!), and JAKE McDORMAN??? LOL. And Timothy Olyphant! Obviously in a villain role. Overall, I actually liked this - and I think they give a reasonable plotline for *how* John McClane gets himself into *another* crazy terrorist plot. And I appreciate seeing the advancement in technology within this franchise. I also like that part of the film's location is revolved around Rutgers because that's right by my house! I do wish that they gave MEW a little bit more to do, but otherwise this is far better than I remember. 

5. A Good Day to Die Hard - My original review on this blog for this is CRAZY! There is NO WAY that this one is *better* than Live Free or Die Hard??? What was I smoking??? This one is just as bad at the reviews suggest (it has a shockingly low Letterboxd score of a 1.9, which is almost unheard of!). I didn't have fun with it at all, and it doesn't even feel like a Die Hard movie. It's soooo boring. I hate Jai Courtney in this and I really think they were setting it up for him to take over the franchise, and I'm glad that idea seems to be scrapped. I hope they actually never remake or continue this franchise out of respect for Bruce. And I would love for Jai to step away from the American action hero roles and stick to what he's actually good at (Aussie villain roles - he's SO GOOD in Dangerous Animals!!!). Anyway, I don't have anything else to say about this. But I did love that they establish that he's the "007 of Plainfield New Jersey" because I know they talk about him being from NJ from the beginning, but I don't think they specify Plainfield until this one? That's literally 2 towns over from me! My sister-in-law lives there! 

Ranking: 

Die Hard 

Die Hard with a Vengeance 

Live Free or Die Hard 

Die Hard 2 

A Good Day to Die Hard 

Thoughts on 5 Films

1. Mother Mary - I liked this, but I think I was expecting to get a little more out of it. There's some really gorgeous, downright breathtaking shots (like the shot with the red fabric floating over them at the end. STUNNING!), the acting is terrific, and the costume design is great. The story, itself, is very lacking. I think I was also expecting more of a horror vibe and this is definitely a psychological drama. I have a *little* bit of a hard time believing Anne Hathaway as a 40-something pop star in 2026 because I can only name one 40-something pop star who is still relevant in 2026 and that's Lady Gaga. I just don't buy it, unless they made more of a focus on the fact that she's aging out of the genre. But I think the scenes with her and Michaela Coel are great because they are both strong actors and not necessarily because it's interesting. There's also a great supporting cast with very little to do - Hunter Schafer, in particular, but also Kaia Gerber (I'm on board with this nepobaby, but I will never watch The Shards. Because it's called The Shards.). I like David Lowery as a director - so far I've liked all of his films that I've watched (Ain't Them Bodies Saints, The Green Knight, A Ghost Story), and I liked this too, I just wanted to like it more. I like that he takes risks, though, and it feels like I'm watching something personal and intimate. Oh and I always forget that Anne Hathaway can SING! She should really do more musicals. Or Broadway. I would definitely pay to see her on Broadway. 

2. Michael (2026) - Well, my mom said that this is the "best movie" she's "ever seen", so that's how I knew it was going to be atrocious. I just don't understand how the biopics with the least amount of imagination (this, Bohemian Rhapsody, Judy, Elvis, etc) seem to be the ones that get praised by critics and showered with awards. Like, I get why it's popular (the vast majority of people are dumb and lack imagination), but why do people who enjoy art and storytelling also praise films that literally just re-enact something that's been done before? And it's not like this whole reenactment thing can't be included at all (Rocketman, my favorite biopic, still includes a reenactment of the music video for "I'm Still Standing", but it's not the whole movie!!!). It just doesn't really impress me that someone can impersonate another person by copying them word for word, dance move for dance move, etc. It's like tracing over a Monet painting and then praising the traced copy for looking *just like a Monet painting*. I do, unfortunately, think that this will be heavily talked about come awards season, and will likely garner a few Oscar nominations (I think Coleman Domingo is a lock for Supporting Actor, and I will not complain, but only because he's Coleman Domingo, not because this performance deserves an Oscar nomination). Jaafar obviously has the moves down, and he does sound like him, but there are a MILLION documentaries about the making of "Thriller". It just doesn't need to be rehashed again, unless it's going to tell me something new! I just think the whole thing is so basic. And so purposefully non-offensive. It's WILD that they decided to make this movie and just *pretend* like Janet Jackson doesn't exist (because she didn't want to be included). Janet Jackson was and is an elite pop star! I also think it's really dumb to save the whole "controversial" part for a sequel. And, there is just NO WAY they are going to show this controversy in a just or fair way. And, they can get away with that because technically Michael was never found guilty of anything. There's just too many allegations to ignore, though. I think Michael definitely suffered from some deep mental health issues - and he suffered from Peter Pan syndrome stemming from childhood abuse. I think there is something to be said about celebrities who get TOO big to get cancelled - and Michael was definitely too big of a star (and he's not the only one! Brad Pitt still gets work every day. So does Tom Cruise. So does Sean Penn. I could keep going but it's depressing). I'm not going to act innocent either. I will still listen to Michael Jackson songs until the day I die. And on a related note, I actually have two Michael stories: (1) When I was in Vegas with my aunt, uncle and grandmother, we were in a car pulling out of a parking garage at the New York-New York casino hotel and suddenly a huge swarm of very large men stopped our car and we could barely tell what was happening, but then I saw THEE MICHAEL JACKSON walk among them to cross into the hotel. I screamed "OH MY GOD THAT'S MICHAEL JACKSON" and my uncle laughed at me and said "no we're in Vegas, that was an impersonator", and then a 12 year old me questioned "why would an impersonator have that many bodyguards? And some of them HAVE GUNS" and then my whole family started screaming "OH MY GOD THAT WAS MICHAEL JACKSON!!!". (2) I went to the Michael Jackson 30th Anniversary concert at Madison Square Garden. Not just for Michael. There were a TON of pop stars performing to celebrate him (Britney, *NSYNC, Whitney Houston, Mya etc.). The date for the concert? September 10th, 2001. I think it's the most life whiplash I've ever experienced. One of the best, most exhilarating nights of my young life (20 years old), to just the absolute worst day I've ever experienced, within mere hours of each other. Anyway, I think people confuse their love of Michael's music with this being a good movie. I danced and sang through the whole thing! It's BANGER after BANGER. But it's not a good movie. Period.  

3. Hamlet (2025) - I will watch anything with Riz Ahmed!! AND I will watch anything Shakespeare related!! So this is a win-win for me. I didn't really hear much about it, so I was really curious to see if they used Shakespearean language or if they modernize it. I LOVE when films modernize Shakespeare, but keep the original text (ala Romeo + Juliet). And this does, in fact, do that. The film is set in contemporary London based around a British South Asian family but they keep the original language, which is about the only interesting thing about it, unfortunately. It just doesn't really do anything new. And if you're going to do Shakespeare either stick to the original, or make it fresh - there's no in between. There is an emotion and a realness to it that I appreciate, but I think that's only because the acting is incredible. Riz is fantastic. And so is the woman that plays his mother (she was also incredible in Bait). There's just nothing really memorable, nothing noteworthy, nothing making it stand-out from the millions of other Shakespeare adaptations (especially Hamlet adaptations). 

4. Backrooms - Uhhhhhh???? This is fine, I guess? It held my interest, mostly. Has an interesting concept. Great cast. But....that's it? It's certainly not scary, and I have no qualms about liminal spaces, but then again, I've never really worked in a office environment (other than some internships at record companies in NYC, but that was EXCITING for a 20-something-year-old. I didn't even notice how sad the cubicles were!). I do think there is a little bit of the whole backrooms bit working in a mall (and this is actually set in a retail environment, but definitely gives off more of an office Severance vibe, especially with the florescent lighting). Sometimes stores in malls will have offsite stockrooms that you have to walk down these long halls that are parallel to the mall pathways, and it can get kind of creepy if it's before/after hours. There's definitely a story to tell there, but this basically feels like Severance, Stranger Things, and Barbarian all rolled into one movie. And I understand that this idea was realized around the same time as these things - because it's based on a YouTube horror series from 2022, so I don't think it's intentionally copying these things, but that does mean that it certainly doesn't feel original. And honestly? I was kind of slightly bored for most of it. I mean, nothing significant happens for most of it. But also, I never knew what was going to happen next? Unfortunately, I didn't really care about what happens next! Renate and Chiwetel are great, though! And I love the girl from Shrinking! I'm glad to see her in something else! 

5. Tuner - This is my second favorite film of the year so far. It's a tough call between this and 28 Years Later: The Bone Temple, but I *think* my love of Jack O'Connell might be clouding my judgement on that one. Although my love of Leo Woodall *might* also be clouding my judgement, but I don't even care - I loved this! I will also admit that it's basically Baby Driver, and I'm okay with that because I fucking LOVE Baby Driver. It's not as sleek, and there's very little action, but the plot is pretty much the same. But it's way more character driven, so it balances out. But back to Leo because he is SO HOT in this (especially in the white tshirt *chef's kiss*), but he's also SO GOOD in this. Just the perfect amount of charm, depth, and mystery. It's the kind of performance that I want to see nominated for big awards, but it just will never happen, unfortunately. And Dustin Hoffman will make you cry (and at 89 I don't know how many more movies we're going to see from him. He does have 3 more listed on IMDB though!!!). My husband didn't even recognize him - I made him watch the trailer to see if it's something he would want to watch and as he watched it he exclaimed "THAT'S DUSTIN HOFFMAN?!!! NOOOOO why is he so old?!". Anyway, I also love Havana Rose Liu!!! I feel vindicated after praising her performance in No Exit and Bottoms. She's excellent and the chemistry between her and Leo is OFF THE CHARTS. They are SO HOT together. I think the weakest part is definitely the end - it's very anti-climactic and just a little rough around the edges. The script just needed a little tightening, but otherwise this is just a fantastic adult thriller. 

Thoughts on 5 Films

1. Is God Is - I really loved this - I had no idea what to expect, and I was fully invested within the first minute of the movie. I love their introduction and them dancing with the state signs, and I was expecting this family reunion sisterly bond story. But these sisters (twins) meet their mom (who they thought died in an accidental fire - the same fire they were disfigured in), and things take a twisted turn when they learn the truth about the fire. As soon as she said "men like your daddy always got a tender side", I knew where the story was going, but it's still got some really unexpected twists and extremely unexpected violent moments. It all works because the violence and anger feel warranted and necessary - even when innocent people are the victims. Kara Young is INCREDIBLE in this - her facial expressions tell the story so well. And I love the connection between these two - the way they can communicate without talking is so beautiful. I was shocked to realize the mom is played by THE Vivica A. Fox?? Where has she been? And I love Erika Alexander so much! I'm happy to see her in more stuff recently. It's weird that they hide Sterling K. Brown's face for most of the film because it's SO obvious it's him - I don't need to see his face to know it's him. It really nails the ending too - which I think is hard for a story like this because obviously there will be no "happy" ending. But it's so satisfying and heartbreaking when she realizes what has to be done. It's a simple story of revenge, but the real story is this bond between these twin sisters and I think writer/director Aleshea Harris did a remarkable job telling their story that feels fresh and electric. 

2. The Drama - Another film that will likely make it to my Top 10 of 2026 list! I'm happy that the list will be filled with 4 star films (or higher!) unlike last year in which 3.5 star films made the list because there weren't enough great films! This year I already have 6 films that I rated 4 stars (or higher!), and it's only August! I actually wasn't looking forward to this because I'm not the biggest Zendaya fan and RPatz is hit-or-miss for me, and I did not envision them having any chemistry whatsoever. And I still think all of that is true (although RPatz is a hit in this, mostly). BUT, it's a GREAT story, and it's told so well. After *just* a few minutes, I definitely changed my negative attitude and looked up who made this film and then it suddenly made sense. Kristoffer Borgli previously made the independent Norwegian film Sick of Myself which is a deeply fucked up movie and I LOVED IT! I love films that challenge a narrative, are uncomfortable and messy, and The Drama is all of this. So luckily for the stars of this film - the acting is kind of secondary. Zendaya isn't necessarily bad in this (she does the whole squinting eyes to show emotion thing and it drives me insane), but I do think that her and Rob have zero chemistry. And she looks like a child compared to him. I also really don't like the Haim girl as an actress (just a terrible actress with no screen presence), but it kind of works for this role because you're not supposed to like her at all (at least I hope that's the intent). The big "reveal" is obviously a point of contention - and if you haven't seen it, then maybe stop reading. Although I knew this "reveal" beforehand - by my own accord. I saw it spoiled on X (which I still check sometimes because I need movie news! Bluesky is sooo slow with movie news), but then I had to confirm because it seemed very UNREAL. But this isn't the first time Rob was in a film with a shockingly insane plot point (**camera pans out to reveal he's in the WTC on 9/11...**). So, the setup is that these two couples play a game where they reveal the worst thing they've ever done and Zendaya's reveal is that she planned a school shooting when she was a teenager, but never followed through with it. Which is FUCKED up, and leads Rob's character into a downward spiral of trust issues and suspicions that he might know her as well as he should and they are planning on getting married. Knowing that your partner is capable of something so dark is definitely a game changer (or "red flag" as it's now referred to). I also think it's so shocking because it's a woman - and it's rare for women to have that darkness (not that women aren't just as evil - but I think they are not as outwardly violent. Historically women murder with poison, not guns). I like the way this shows this couple, now on a shaky path, still trying to plan a very normal wedding - and it all seems so insane and performative (he actually calls out how performative it feels to practice your first dance together - and he's RIGHT! Your first dance as a married couple should be organic and based on the vibes of your relationship. Practicing it IS WEIRD. I SAID WHAT I SAID.). Anyway, I definitely recommend this - it's a good, complicated adult drama. 

3. Over Your Dead Body - This was not as good as it should have been. It has a fun premise with these two people plotting to kill each other, but end up having to work together to not get killed by some escaped prison convicts. And the cast is SO Good. Samara Weaving with HER NATURAL ACCENT?! YES PLEASE! Jason Segel has really grown on me with Shrinking. And Timothy Olyphant and Juliette Lewis AS A COUPLE? That is GENIUS casting! But unfortunately, not much else works - it goes WAY over the top to ridiculous moments and draaaaaagsss on for soooo long. It definitely has unexpected turns, which I appreciate, but none of it held my interest. I laughed a few times ("you can't even touch raw meat" LOL - that is so me, I literally have to disassociate when I'm cooking). I think it might have worked better if we saw this couple "before" they wanted to murder each other (a few flashbacks to happier times, maybe?), because I don't care about either of them, and I don't care which one of them kills the other because they are both clearly psychopaths (just get a divorce! nobody is going to believe these crazy accidental death stories anyway!). I guess I'm making this sound worse than it actually is because I was entertained by it - it's a 3 star movie, but I think it just has a lot of untapped potential to be much better. 

4. You, Me & Tuscany - I liked this - it's a cute romcom that's part Eat, Pray, Love and part While You Were Sleeping. I wish it was a bigger box office success, because we need more black romance films (they used to get made! How Stella Got Her Groove Back, Love & Basketball, Love Jones, etc. What happened, Hollywood??). Admittedly, I did not see this in a theater, but in my defense, I don't go to the movies very often anymore (I saw ONE film in the theater so far this year, and it was Project Hail Mary), but it was high on my list of films I wanted to watch this year because I love Halle Bailey - she did such an incredible job with Ariel in the live-action Little Mermaid, and I really wasn't expecting it (I dislike most of the live-action versions of Disney movies). She has IT (talent, screen presence, charisma, girl-next-door vibes, and she's GORGEOUS!). I, unfortunately, do not feel the same way about the guy from Bridgerton - I hated him in that and every single thing I've seen him in since. He is a TERRIBLE actor. He's very attractive, but that does nothing for me if he can't act (and I feel the same way about other hot actors who can't act *cough* Chris Evans). I so wish any other actor was the love interest (Aldis Hodge, Tyriq Withers, Aaron Pierre, Kelvin Harrison Jr. There are SO many! Stop putting this guy in all of your movies!). His acting really ruins it for me. The film doesn't do anything new or innovative for the romcom genre, but it's cute and it made me want to visit Tuscany (I've been to Italy, but not this part). Also, I love the guy from The Four Seasons - and I like the friendship that forms between them. And on another side note: I would never in million years go through someone else's phone (whether it's a one night stand or my own husband). THAT'S WEIRD BEHAVIOR! 

5. Kiss of the Spider Woman - I remember when this was first released, there was actually Oscar talk for JLo and then...I never heard about it again! LOL, poor JLo - she can't catch a break when it comes to the awards chatter. Personally, I don't think she's a great actress - and she was fine in Hustlers but not Oscar nomination worthy. I do LOVE JLo though! Always have, always will! I think she's a terrific performer and pop star. And she's good in this because it's a musical - and that's when she shines. Unfortunately for her, she's had more than a few box office flops and this is another added onto the pile (it cost over 30 million and made...2 million). This one is definitely not her fault - she looks and sounds fantastic. I love the glamourous look on her, and the old school Hollywood musical numbers are stunning. I'm actually not familiar with this story (which is surprising, I think, for my Drama Studies background) - I've never read the novel, saw the original play, or the 1985 movie version, or the Broadway musical! Embarrassing! I thought some of the songs would be familiar, but NOPE...nothing! I just don't think this was made for a mass audience in mind - I mean, there is a scene in which someone shits their pants and they show waaaay too much of it. It largely takes place in an Argentinian prison cell - and does not shy away from the horrors of their living conditions. It's also, not surprisingly, far too long. I appreciate the ambition of bringing this love story, within the political atmosphere - the sort of fairy tale mixed with historical fiction is interesting. And Diego Luna is always fantastic. The highlight is definitely Tonatiuh - I'm not familiar with him (other than a small role in Carry On), but he is a star! He really put a lot of warmth and authenticity to this role. I can't wait to see what he does next. 

Thoughts on 5 Films

1. In the Grey - Wow...so incredibly dull. This is a Guy Ritchie movie??? And it's this dull? With this cast?? How is that possible? It's wild, really. I appreciate that Jake Gyllenhaal does dumb action movies along with high brow films, but it's also a little weird. Like, he doesn't need to do a trashy Michael Bay movie, nor does he need to do a bad Guy Ritchie movie. And there is no way he read the script and thought this was going to be a good movie. The dialogue is awful (Eiza says the title of the movie within the first 10 seconds just in case you don't understand what it's about) And I could not tell you what accent he is attempting here even if you paid me a million dollars. One second it's clearly Bostonian and then it's suddenly...British? Eiza Gonzalez looks incredible in this - that three-piece white suit in the beginning is TO DIE FOR. And HEY....both Eiza and Jake did the SAME trashy Michael Bay movie! Weird. Her character is very flat, though. I've never been the biggest Henry Cavill fan, and he is also dull as a rock in this. It's just missing all of the elements that make a Guy Ritchie feel like a Guy Ritchie movie (fast-paced, witty dialogue, super sleek action sequences, likeable characters). It's just SOOOO boring and it feels like it's 3 hours long! I don't really have much else to say about it. A MESS. 

2. Masters of the Universe (2026) - I read some good things about this and, surprisingly, they are all true! It's good! Very entertaining and I think they do a really good job of balancing the nostalgia that a lot of people have for this, while making it feel modern and easily accessible for a new audience. I think the cast is really good too - Obviously I love Camila Mendes (from Riverdale), but I'm not that familiar with Nicholas Galitzine (he was just in The Sheep Detectives and I think he played the pop star in that Anne Hathaway romance?? I could be confusing him with someone else). He's perfectly cast in this though - so good as He-Man. He definitely understood the character, the cheesiness of the the role, plays into the "female gaze" of it all (although not one single woman I know likes men with gigantic muscles. NOT ONE!). I had no idea that Alison Brie (HOT), or Morena Baccarin (HOTTER), or Idris Elba (HOTTEST) were all in this?! I feel like the only person I saw anyone talk about was Jared Leto. And, I mean, is he really even in this?? His face was replaced by a CGI skull and his voice was altered. So...they could have literally hired anyone. It's also just a really well-made, colorful, fantasy film (I can ACTUALLY SEE WHAT'S HAPPENING DURING THE NIGHT SCENES!!). And it's funny! The circular conversations that happen in a corporate office environment (I would definitely kill myself), the "What's Going On" scene (which I didn't know was a meme - my husband had to explain it to me. But it's FUNNY!), etc., and the needle drops are perfect. The whole score is actually fantastic with the 80s synth vibe. Just all really well done. I think it could have easily been cut down to 100 minutes, though. And I was upset that She-Ra wasn't in it - I guess it was a rights issue, but she does appear in the after-credits so it seems like they are trying to work out a deal. Overall, it's a lot of fun. 

3. Neighborhood Watch - Hmmmm...usually when I've never heard of a film before, that's a bad sign so I was nervous watching this, but also mildly excited because I love Jack Quaid (and he was in two of my favorite films from last year with Novocain and Companion). And I know Jeffrey Dean Morgan has become more popular with The Walking Dead franchise, but he'll always be Denny to me (back when Grey's Anatomy was good!). I actually can't believe that The Walking Dead is a franchise that's still going - I lost track of all the spin-offs (I think the only one I watched was Fear the Walking Dead). I recently signed up for AMC+ (to watch Jack O'Connell in The North Water, which is excellent) and was shocked that The Walking Dead has an entire channel dedicated to it. There's obviously still a fanbase for it. Annnnyyyyway, I lost track of what I was writing about??? Oh YEAH, this movie! So, it's not really a bad movie - but very boring. I think my biggest problem with it is how AMC+ advertised it - they literally ask "are you looking for humor?" and show an ad for this movie with Morgan's character asking "do you think she was a working girl?" and Quaid responding "I don't know where she worked", which isn't exactly funny but is obviously meant to be a joke. So, in turn, I assumed this is a comedy - and it's not. Definitely false advertising. But I do like the plot: he's a man who has a history of mental issues, he thinks he sees a woman being kidnapped but has trouble finding anyone to believe him - so he recruits his neighbor who is an ex security guard to help find her. It's an interesting story, I just don't feel like it goes anywhere or has a point or anything to really say. It's just there. The dialogue needed some work, and some actual funny jokes would have definitely kept it more interesting. I also think Quaid has done this role enough times now - I need him to move on and step outside his comfort zone. It's definitely not a film I will remember a year from now. 

4. The Devil Wears Prada 2 - Soooo I definitely watched The Devil Wears Prada back in 2006 (probably in a movie theater?), but it's not a movie I loved. Working in retail, with people who are very passionate about the fashion industry, this is obviously a popular film - I have friends and co-workers who quote it all the time, and I always look confused and they go "um The Devil Wears Prada?" and I go "oh yeah" and nod along like I remember, but I don't. I saw that this was going to release for at home streaming, so I asked my husband if he ever saw the original (knowing full well that he would not have watched it), and he was like "nope, I guess that's what we're watching tonight?". I was hoping to get a little more out of it this time, but unfortunately, I still didn't love it. I mean, some of it is downright cruel. I just don't find the whole "mean girl" thing funny (even in Mean Girls! I enjoyed that movie a little more, but hardly as much as other women my age). And making it seem like Anne Hathaway is dumpy or unattractive, is just plain dumb. Stanley Tucci is the only funny one - who is also mean, but clearly cares. I also want to say that I've seen so many people do the whole "the villain vs the actual villain" meme for this movie showing Miranda as the villain and then Andy's boyfriend as the actual villain, and I just assumed it was true - but what the Hell is everyone talking about??? Andy's boyfriend is INNOCENT? He literally does nothing wrong other than get upset that she didn't show up for his birthday. He wasn't even an asshole about it, he was just upset. Are men not allowed to be upset about things??? She also FLIRTED with someone else and then sleeps with the guy mere seconds after her breakup. It's not cheating (questionable), but it's still fucked up. Anyway, those are my thoughts on the original. It's fine. A 3 star movie. And this sequel is also fine, but more on the mediocre side - so 2.5 stars. I just don't understand all the gushing. And as someone who loves fashion, respects that fashion is an art form, has never missed an episode of Project Runway, and misses physical magazines - I should fucking love these movies! I appreciate that it recognizes that magazines are a dying industry (along with journalism), and I like that it brings back the original cast in believable ways. Emily Blunt is the highlight in both films, but it's amazing how much better she looks 20 years later (and her line delivery of "have you heard of Christmas?" is the only thing I laughed at. Oh wait...I laughed at the girl from Bridgerton asking "who gives away Chanel?" because she did in real life, right?? I feel like I read something about how she got a free designer bag but didn't know it was expensive so she gave it away). Anyway, I don't think this sequel was necessary at all, but fans of the original seem to really enjoy this, so good for them, I guess! 

5. The Super Mario Galaxy Movie - Ooooof this was a rough watch for me. I watched The Super Mario Bros. Movie from a few years ago and I enjoyed it, so I kind of assumed I would enjoy this in the same way. Like, a dumb nostalgia-filled video game movie mostly made for kids with a few jokes thrown in for adults to enjoy, but this is NOT that AT ALL. It's bad - hard to follow, no plot, no jokes, annoying voice cast, I could go on, but I stopped paying attention about 1/2 way through while my husband continued to watch and also declared that it was "terrible". I do like Yoshi being introduced with a Biggie song (but they obviously couldn't use any of the lyrics....lol), but it makes no sense that Donald Glover voices him when he literally doesn't say any full words - just noises. I will admit that I think Glen Powell has a good voice for animation, but that's probably the only nice thing I have to say about this. I didn't really hear much about it, so I'm not sure if it did well with box office numbers (I'm too lazy to look into it), but this is such a drop in quality from the first one. And my favorite character, Blue Flame, is missing!! He shows up in a mid-credits scene, but it's not enough. Also, the score sounds suspiciously like the Kingsman score??? Can't they sue? This will definitely make my Worst of 2026 list (it's not the worst movie of the year though - that will be Balls Up - and I BETTER NOT see a worse movie than that one. Please, God.). 

Movie Marathon: Bridget Jones

1. Bridget Jones's Diary - I somehow convinced my husband to watch these movies with me by telling him that the first one is genuinely a funny movie. And I think he liked the first one (he definitely laughed at a few parts), but he was not impressed by the rest, which I can understand. I wanted to watch them all again because I watched the most recent one not that long ago, and I realized that it has been a while since I watched the first one (and the next two, I've only seen once and I don't remember liking them). But I think the first one is legitimately a comedy classic. Just the scene in the beginning with her singing "All By Myself" is such a perfect embodiment of being single and depressed, but she is so hilarious they way she sings it, that it somehow makes me smile every time. What is actually depressing, though, is that they literally call her fat and she is only 136 lbs. The "I thought you said she was thin" line is so fucking mean, because SHE IS! And when she puts on that Playboy Bunny outfit?! HELLO?! She's so hot! And a bit curvy - but definitely a sexy curvy not fat curvy. It's insane that this is how women thought of themselves in 2001 - we were definitely starting to recover from the 90s Kate Moss bone thin aesthetic, and then there was a very nice decade of body positivity, but I fear we are now working backwards with the whole GLP-1 medications making people sickly thin. I personally think a lot of women are putting their health at risk to be thin, but are going to run into a plethora of other problems (so far I know women who are losing their hair, have skin problems, and one is losing her eyesight - and none of these women actually look better, just skinnier...). Anyway, I think this movie is hilarious. Everyone is so good - Hugh Grant is the perfect playboy, Renee Zellweger has never been better (she should have an Oscar for this - not for the roles she actually won for! But she was actually nominated for this, which is super rare for a romcom lead actress to get an Oscar nod - THAT'S HOW GOOD SHE IS!!), and Colin Firth is excellent as the stuck-up but lovable love interest. Plus, Jim Broadbent and Gemma Jones as her parents just KILL ME every time. They are both so funny and endearing. Plus this is one of the few films that could actually benefit from being longer - it's only 97 minutes but I could have easily watched another 20 minutes of Bridget being ridiculous. 

2. Bridget Jones: The Edge of Reason - So, there's a few things that I like in this one, but overall it's kind of a mess. I think her friends are even funnier in this one. I love Jacinda Barrett and I love the twist of her character. I think seeing Bridget and Mark in a relationship together is interesting - they bicker, which I usually hate, but it's more of an opposites attract bickering and not a hateful/mean-spirited bickering, and they very clearly love each other. I think the plot just becomes super weird with the whole Thai prison/drug trafficking fiasco. It's way too dark for a romcom. Like, parts of it are still funny (like how they are reading The Beach), but the actual plot is DARK and I can't actually enjoy watching women being locked up for crimes they are probably innocent of. I didn't actually remember any of this while watching it - I remembered that Bridget & Mark are together, but she thinks he's having an affair with his co-worker and she handles it in a very Bridget sort of way. BUT DRUG TRAFFICKING AND A THAI PRISON??? In a romcom? It's a mess. 

3. Bridget Jones's Baby - I think this one at least keeps things a bit lighter than the sequel, but it's still very much a mess. Again, a few things I liked - the beginning with "Jump Around" being her sing-along-at-home-karaoke song is SO funny. The idea of Bridget Jones having a baby and not knowing who the father is - is a good next step in her story. But, the problem is that they make Mark Darcy a little bit too much of a dick in this and I can't root for him?? They also seemingly kill off Daniel Cleaver (Hugh Grant) and that's a harsh move. And the biggest mistake is that the new love interest is Patrick Dempsey (aka McDreamy aka People Magazine's Sexiest Man Alive 2023) and he's a genuinely nice guy with a whole lot of money and charm. Soooo....he seems like a better match?? And I'm pretty sure we're supposed to root for Bridget and Mark? It just makes no sense! It's weird that it ends with her back with Mark, because he's an asshole! I think this one misses the mark on the humor too - and it's 2 hours long but it doesn't need to be. 

4. Bridget Jones: Mad About the Boy - I was not expecting to rewatch this so soon (it was released just last year) because it's not exactly a great movie. But I liked it! I liked that it turns into a story about grief and moving forward with your life. Killing off Mark seems a little harsh and depressing at first, but I think it's a necessary arc in Bridget's life. And Leo Woodall is SO hot. I saw a few people recommending him for Bond and I wouldn't be mad at it. Although I kind of think he's too quiet and introspective for such an outwardly charming character, but that deeper connection could bring something different to Bond. Anyway, I enjoy their little fling - and I'm happy that they keep it a fling (age gaps like that are FINE for a fling! My husband saw the poster for it and said "is this one about her son?" LOL). I don't have much else to say about this other than what I wrote last year when I first watched it. Oh, it also features my favorite Rihanna song ("Stay"), so that's always a plus! 

Ranking: 

Bridget Jones's Diary 

Mad About the Boy 

Edge of Reason 

Baby 

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

1. Contact - [rewatch] I watched this in the movie theater when it was released, when I was 16 years old, and I hated it. I remember being extremely bored by it. I knew that it was a film that I should rewatch since it is a highly praised film, but I just really dreaded it. And the only thing I really remember about it is the very trippy third act. But, I have to admit - this is a fantastic film. And I was never bored by it. I was so engrossed by it that I didn't even take notes! And I didn't realize that the iconic mirror shot was from this film?!! For some reason I thought it was from the Jodie Foster/Kristen Stewart movie (the one with the panic room. Oh wait...I think it's called Panic Room. LOL). I always thought it was Stewart running toward the mirror but it's Jena Malone! It's crazy that this film was only nominated for ONE Oscar?! I would say Foster deserved a nomination, but definitely the directing & cinematography too. It has influenced so many films of the 21st century too (Interstellar, Arrival, Ad Astra, and most recently Project Hail Mary). I love the way it weaves between science and religion, while focusing on this incredible story of trying to communicate with alien life. It never feels preachy or too intellectual - instead it feels really accessible. And it just goes to really unexpected places. The entire first half of the film is very slow so I do understand why I didn't like it as a 16 year old and then it goes absolutely batshit crazy so I was like "what the fuck am I watching", but as an adult I love the feeling of "what the fuck am I watching", when it's done well of course! And I think the key to the reason this works is because of how good Jodie Foster is here. She sells the whole thing for me. Overall, I just loved it! 

2. The Silence of the Lambs - [rewatch] Jodie Foster double bill! I actually did watch these two films really close together and I didn't do it on purpose at all. This is another film that I watched when I was really young and never really got the hype. I liked it, for sure - but never thought of it as a masterpiece really. But IT MOST DEFINITELY IS! 5 star MASTERPIECE. It's a perfect psychological thriller. Some call it horror, and that applies, for sure, but it's definitely more than that - which is why I think it was so successful at the Oscars. It won the Big 5 awards (Picture, Actor, Actress, Director and Writer). Anthony Hopkins created the perfect villain - someone who is absolutely terrifying, nightmare-inducing even, but also sympathetic and interesting and I don't think it's ever been matched (I cringed when I read that Taron Egerton contacted Hopkins before his Apex role to get advice because as much as I love Taron, I hope he doesn't think he came even close to this performance??? LOL). But I also have never seen Hopkins as anything other than Hannibal Lector - I do feel like he does just kind of speak with the same cadence and timing in every role so he always just seems a little terrifying. Anyway, Foster is also incredible as this young FBI agent who is smart but still learning. The whole film is just riveting - the dialogue is just note-perfect. It's fascinating that the film is really about catching an entirely different serial killer (Buffalo Bill), but Lector takes center stage at every moment. His escape scene is flawless. On a sidenote: it's CRAZY that Jurassic Park gets the credit for the "clever girl" line, but Hopkins delivers the line with perfection in this! 

3. Event Horizon - [blind spot] I always thought this was like a cheesy 90s sci-fi and never really was in any rush to see it (and it's another film that I assumed that I watched, but once I started it, I realized I've definitely never seen this!). It was far better than I was expecting and Sam Neill (RIP) is incredible in it! The world-building, atmosphere, and effects are fantastic for a 90s movie. There's just a really good cast too - obviously Neill, but also Joely Richardson, Kathleen Quinlan, Lawrence Fishburne, Jason Isaacs, Sean Pertwee - all deliver. It's definitely more "horror" than I was expecting (it's sci-fi horror like the Alien movies). And *spoilers in case you too haven't seen it* the suicide scene is sooooo heartbreaking and unexpectedly tender for a film like this. I rated the movie 3.5 stars, but I really loved it so I think on a rewatch, I might even rate it 4 stars. 

4. 10 Things I Hate About You - [rewatch] One of my favorite teen comedies EVER. As a Shakespeare junkie during my teenage years - this just hit every possible note for me. I actually debated my rating with this because I think it's one of the few teen comedies that stayed relevant and has more iconic scenes than others released in the 90s. And the dialogue is just SO well written - keeping certain Shakespearean terms while keeping it fresh and modern is so hard to do (example: the line "I burn, I pine, I perish" is IN the movie and it works!). Plus, the original play is incredibly sexist, but somehow this isn't (as much...). They added so much depth to the two female characters to really round-out the fact that she's supposed to be a "shrew" but she's not actually a "shrew". And I think making the dad a more protective, but loving figure is super important. Plus, he's hilarious ("those Dawson's river kids" made me laugh out loud). Joseph Gordon-Levitt is adorable and I don't think he's given the credit he deserves for his terrific filmography nor is he brought up when people talk about successful child actors. But I grew up with him (same age), and I remember being 13 and swooning for him in Angels in the Outfield and then 3rd Rock from the Sun. And then after this film, he started to do some really dark films (Mysterious Skin, Brick, Stop-Loss) in which he was incredible! AND THEN he did one of my favorite films OF ALL TIME (500 Days of Summer). I love him! Actually, what has he been up to?? I don't think I've seen him in a while?! Larisa Oleynik is also SUPER adorable - she should have been a much bigger star. Also, going back to those iconic scenes I mentioned - the three that I'm specifically referring to are: Julia Styles drunkenly dancing to Biggie's "Hypnotize" (my personal favorite scene in the movie), Heath Ledger badly singing "Can't Take My Eyes Off of You" (when the marching band starts to join in - it's SO GOOD), and Julia's poem - the line "but mostly I hate the way I don't hate you. Not even close. Not even a little bit. Not even at all" still hits HARD. It's just genuinely entertaining and funny and cute and emotional. But even more importantly it's an extremely well-made movie (there's a GLORIOUS tracking shot!). So, I rated it 4.5 stars - but I'm really tempted to give it 5!!! 

5. Moonstruck - [blind spot] I've always loved Cher (and Mermaids is one of my favorite movies!), so I'm not sure how I missed this. I genuinely think the thought of Nicolas Cage being in a more serious non-action role probably deterred me (sorry, he's not actually a good actor). I also didn't realize that this movie has so many Oscar wins (nominated for 6 and won 3! I only knew of Cher's win. But a Best Picture nomination for this is something). I liked it. It's fine. But I already forgot about it (watched it back in June). I remember that Cher is supposed to be 40 but they make her look 60. I remember that even though this is a "comedy/romance", Cage somehow still gives an outrageously dramatic over-the-top performance ("I lost my hand!" "I lost my fiance!" lol). I remember that it's very Italian. And I remember that there are some gorgeous shots of NYC. But...that's all I got. 

6. Schindler's List - [rewatch] Okay...so my recollection of Schindler's List is going to see it in the movie theater for a class trip?! I'm assuming it was after it was released for a while because I would have only been 12 years old and I can't imagine they let a class of 12 year olds watch this? But I remember it being a big deal and a bunch of classes from all different schools went to see this - like they reserved the theater for the classes. And I do remember that we had to get permission slips signed from our parents...so maybe I was 12? THAT'S CRAZY! How was I not traumatized?? And there's so much nudity! I mean, most of it is not in a sexual way, more of a traumatized way, but still...was I 12?? Now I'm really curious, but I don't think I'll ever have the answer. Anyway, I only watched it the one time and decided that was enough (because I was probably traumatized and repressed it. Plus it's over 3+ hours long). So, it honestly felt like a first-time watch. Obviously, it's incredible. I shockingly don't rate it 5 stars, though, because it is, in fact, too long and could have benefitted from someone editing the shit out of it. But otherwise, it's perfect. I'm SHOCKED that Liam Neeson didn't win the Oscar for this, so I had to look up who his competition was (Tom Hanks - winner, Anthony Hopkins, and Daniel Day-Lewis!! That's tough. And now they just give the Best Actor award to anyone. HAHA!). Ralph Fiennes is also spectacular. And there are a few scenes that are so gorgeous - the little girl in the red coat is an all-timer, and the scene with the gun not working is perfect. Just perfect. The ending is so chilling too. I don't know, I have a feeling my brain will repress it again, but I'm really glad I rewatched this. 

7. Young Frankenstein - [blind spot] This is one of my husband's favorite movies - and also his entire family's (they all quote it constantly and laugh hysterically and I have no idea what they are talking about), so I thought I should watch it (I kind of thought that I did watch it, but none of it seemed familiar except the quotes from his family that I recognized while watching it). And I loved it! I think this might be my favorite Mel Brooks movie! It's so funny and the cast is great. I love Teri Garr (I remember when she was revealed as Phoebe's birth mom on Friends and thinking how perfect that casting was. Just like how Marlo Thomas as Rachel's mom was genuinely genius casting.) and she's so beautiful in this. Marty Feldman as Igor, though, really got me. His line delivery had me DYING. It's hard to find films made 50 years ago that are genuinely hilarious and not even that outdated! It's mostly dumb jokes, but dumb jokes work well if the cast can sell them. 

8. Anaconda (1997) - [rewatch] I added this to my watch list because of the remake that was released last year (that I surprisingly enjoyed?!). I vividly remember watching this in the movie theater and laughing my ass off. It was fun, ridiculous, and soooo stupid, but also very watchable and entertaining (or so I thought...). And I will always love JLo. I've never really been a fan of her acting, though (sorry, I know everyone thought she was snubbed for Hustlers but she was fine - and fine is not Oscar-worthy). I think she's more of a performer/icon/entertainer. Like, she has screen presence and charisma, but lacks the actual acting skills. BUT I LOVE HER. I was kind of hoping that this was going to be a great time, but I actually thought it was awful. And not the good kind of awful. Nothing happens for the first hour and then it's non-stop, but not in a good way. It's too chaotic to be good. The punching sound effects, the bad dialogue, and the super fake animatronic anaconda combined, really just makes this a terrible movie. And MY GOD Jon Voight's accent is unhinged! I'm more scared of Voight with that accent than I am of the deadly snakes. 

9. Mystic Pizza - [rewatch] Such an adorable movie, but I think this is the movie that really cemented Julia Roberts as a STAR. I think most would cite Pretty Woman with this title, but she's got such a screen presence in this - it's just *incredible*. I just can't think of any millennial/gen z actress that has this much charisma onscreen (I'm not trying to knock younger actresses - there are a lot that I would describe as having a presence and star power - Emma Stone, Florence Pugh, and most recently Chase Infinity), but there is just something about Julia Roberts that is untouchable - nobody comes close to that magic. But I'm going to ignore that she's supposed to be Portuguese in this movie. I love the chemistry between these three women, and I think the story is really strong and split into different stories perfectly. It always feels connected instead of disjointed, even though some plot points have nothing to do with anything. I went to Mystic a while back for my birthday and it is a very cute little town (I don't think I got pizza because I'm a New Yorker and the only place I will ever order pizza is in NY or NJ. Period.). It definitely feels like its time (late 80s), which isn't a bad thing, but I don't think modern audiences will appreciate it. I laughed at the Lifestyles of the Rich and Famous and the Mar-a-Lago reference. The 80s were so tacky!

10. Presumed Innocent - [blind spot] I liked the tv series a lot (the ending was underwhelming though), and I realized while watching it that I've never seen the original movie. The thing is, while watching the show, I thought the whole time "the wife did it...duh" and then it had a different (and very dumb) twist. But I realize that they probably assumed that people have seen the movie so they didn't hide the fact that it could have been the wife, like they do in this movie. I guess what I'm trying to say in a very convoluted way is that I can see why this was such a big twist for this film. I highly doubt "the wife did it" would have ever crossed my mind. And the way they reveal the twist is INCREDIBLE, along with her confession!!! HOLY SHIT - Bonnie Bedelia gives a PERFORMANCE. I was not expecting it. It's a very good courtroom drama, but I do think it works better as a mini-series. This feels a little rushed for the depth of this story (and also ridiculous - they wouldn't let the guy being charged with the murder in the location of the murder with *just* his own lawyer?? Even when we were dumb in the 90s - that just wouldn't happen). Ford is good, but it's weird that he did this and then The Fugitive just a few years later? It's the same plot - this is just more courtroom focused. Also, there's a baby Jessie Bradford and an even babier Joseph Mazello!! So cute!