Thoughts on 5 Films

1. Loving - There are quite a few reasons why I was looking forward to watching this - written & directed by Jeff Nichols (I actually forgot this fact until Michael Shannon showed up and then I was like "oh yeah!!"), starring Ruth Negga - who is utterly fantastic on the show Preacher (all of the actors are brilliant, which is the only reason I'm still watching it, because otherwise, it's weird as fuck and not really in a good way), and it's an incredibly timely true story of fairly famous Supreme Court case that legalized interracial marriages. The movie was exactly what I was expecting - fairly simple, understated biopic of this couple's "fight" for justice. I put the word fight in quotes, because it's not a fight that they wanted, they simply just wanted to live their life peacefully in their hometown and raise their children. It shouldn't be something that one has to fight for, but here we are (fucking STILL). The part that made me angry (aside from the entire story of injustice) is that ***spoiler*** he fucking dies at the end from getting killed by a drunk driver?! What the actual fuck.

2. 3 Generations - I wasn't expecting much with this movie because of the minimal buzz it received for such a strong cast. I thought it would be mediocre. I certainly did not think it would be a contender for the worst movie of the year. It's that bad, you guys. First, I totally understand why people take offense at having cisgender actors play transgender roles. I think it would have made the film more authentic to have a transgender actor, but I also think that strong actors can transcend their own circumstances (that's kind of the point of "acting"). And Elle Fanning is probably the strongest actress of her generation, but unfortunately, this did not work. Second, I don't really understand the point of this movie, or how it relates to the title of "3 generations" because it wasn't really about a generation gap, it was just about a family adjusting to their child's transition. And this is a very fascinating topic that should be a really nuanced, personal story. It's not. Instead it's just generic, and reduced to a teenager "acting out". The only thing I found interesting was the role of the father. I think it's odd that he would still have any parental rights considering he abandoned his family (but laws are weird). But then, there's a *surprise twist* *spoiler ahead*, he's not actually her father anyway. Um, what? Then, what's the point? Why harass him into being a "father" if he isn't? And, finally, the wigs that are used are horrible! Elle's wig is bad, and then there is an even worse one. Why not have her shave her head? Also, is Naomi wearing a wig too? Because there was something weird about her hairline.

3. The Lost City of Z - This movie seemed to come and go pretty quickly, but after I watched it I read a few really strong reviews that I am baffled by. It's an okay movie. An epic tale of early exploration which is certainly interesting (and a complete coincidence that I watched it on Columbus Day). Charlie Hunnam isn't the greatest actor, but I think some critics are unnecessarily harsh on him. I thought he did a spectacular job as Jax on Sons of Anarchy, barring a few missteps with the accent. And he is very good in this movie, too. However, the movie, itself, is very boring and repetitive during the whole middle part. It doesn't get good until his son is grown (his son is played by Tom Holland, LOL. The fact that this could actually be factually accurate made me feel so old bc Charlie is MY AGE). Sienna Miller plays her typical wife role and I AM OVER IT. Also, *surprise* Robert Pattinson is in this! Is he not popular anymore? Because I feel like a few years ago it would have been made into a huge deal. Anyway, the movie could have used some tighter editing, but it was very gorgeous to look at, and there are some spectacularly tense scenes. It's just not cinematically "epic" enough for such an epic story.

4. The Magnificent Seven - Have I seen the original? Well, of course. But the real question is: Do I remember the original? And the answer is: nope; not a single second of it. My grandfather was a huge Western enthusiast (he exclusively watched Westerns, war movies, and The Twilight Zone), and he used to make me sit and watch "the classics". While I enjoyed the war movies, and of course, The Twilight Zone, all of the Westerns just blended together in boredom. However, I can appreciate them now, and some modern ones have really made an impact (most recently, Bone Tomahawk). I was looking forward to this remake, simply because of the cast. It is one heck of a cast! After watching it, I maintain, the cast is the only reason to sit through this movie. They did nothing to modernize it; most of it was boring; the final showdown was soooooo dragged out (but the "final" final showdown, was perfect!). I did like that the only female role was an important one, and she wasn't weak in any way. Haley Bennett stood out in this group of talented men (and she kind of reminds me of Jennifer Lawrence), which was definitely a challenge.

5. Sing - When the trailer for this played before last year's La La Land, my mother was hysterically laughing (it was the bunny rabbits shaking their tails singing "oh my gosh, look at her butt" that did it). It made me smile because I like watching my mom laugh, but overall, I was not interested in watching a bunch of animated animals audition for a reality type competition (I don't watch live versions of this crap, why would I want to see an animated version?). However, after watching Kingsman: The Golden Circle, I was looking up Taron Egerton interviews (to see if his real accent was the same as his super sexy accent in the movie) and I got caught in a YouTube hole for HOURS watching interviews of him singing (I didn't know he could sing!! I love him even more now!). So, of course, I HAD to watch this movie. It's super cute. Nothing fantastic, or memorable, but just super cute. And sometimes that's all a movie needs to be. Taron excels - his voice is so beautiful, especially since his songs are vocally challenging (he covers both John Legend and Sam Smith songs).