Thoughts on 5 Films

1. Honey Boy - I've written about my love for Shia LaBeouf many (many, many) times on this blog, so I won't bore you by repeating myself. I just think he's really talented and I don't think he gets the credit he deserves for this talent. It's super cool that he wrote this movie, based on his own life experience as a child actor with parents who have questionable parental skills. He focuses more on the relationship with his father (in which he portrays in the movie), and it is fascinating to watch. I was surprised at how self-reflexive it is - once the scene with the car crash happened, I was pretty impressed by his honesty (I remember that crash well, and feared it was going to be the end of his career). I think most people are terrified of analyzing their past mistakes and learning from them. It's also a huge success to cast Lucas Hedges in the role of "Otis" (aka Shia). He even changes his voice a little to sound like Shia and he gets it pretty perfect. The kid version of "Otis" is also very good. Unfortunately, I did find the movie itself a little dull. I also didn't find anything special about the way it was directed (as Alma Har'el was listed among the female directors "snubbed" for an Oscar nomination this year, but umm...why exactly should she be nominated for this? I don't get it.).

2. How to Talk to Girls at Parties - Oh my God. What the fuck even is this movie?! I can't tell you if I loved it or loathed it, but it's fucking crazy and for that I have to at least respect it. John Cameron Mitchell is a genius. I saw him perform Hedwig on Broadway, he had broken his leg the day before and still gave one of the best live performances I've ever seen. I was excited about this project simply for him, and for Nicole Kidman in that outfit, but then it got zero traction once it was released. I'm kind of surprised it doesn't have a large cult following - it reminds me of Spring just 100x weirder. Elle Fanning is sublime. She never plays it safe and I adore her for that. I don't really want to say much more because I think it's a movie that you just have to experience for yourself, but there is one scene that is worth mentioning - the scene where they sing the punk song together and leave their bodies. It's a stunning visual representation of what it feels like to experience a "connection" with someone - there is so much passion and intensity, and the scene will stay with me forever.

3. Skin - I've never really given Jamie Bell much thought. He's always sort of bored me, but I don't think he's been given many challenging roles (other than the one he's most famous for which I can't think of right now, but I know it involves dancing...maybe?). I mean, he's been in a ton of films, but I don't remember him in anything. On a side note, I just found out last year that's he's married to Kate Mara (the superior Mara sister) and I AM JEALOUS. Anyway, he's unrecognizable in this, and it's definitely a challenging role so kudos to him for finally taking a chance and doing something memorable. The film is in the same territory as American History X (a movie I've only watched once, because it's such a difficult film to watch, but man, is it a great movie). This is just as hard to watch for me - I'm going to drop a nugget of personal information and then quickly move on: my father (who I hate for many reasons, but I'm about to reveal one of the biggest reasons) is a white supremacist. He has "white power" tattooed on his knuckles and is basically human garbage (he was also raised Jewish, which is why American History X is such a tough watch). So, now maybe you can understand why these films hit me a little bit harder. Anyway, as far as the film goes, the first hour drags a lot, but I appreciate that it's a story about someone who is trying to better himself and change his life while also showing how difficult this journey is (and also gives a solid reason as to why someone might stay). I was floored when I found out that it's a true story - what an inspiration this guy is, and it gives me such a glimmer of hope that people, even someone as evil and vile as he was, can, in fact, change.

4. Zombieland: Double Tap - I wasn't the biggest fan of Zombieland - it was overpraised, in my opinion, and it felt like it was one of those films that just tried too hard. I did think some of it was funny, but I don't really remember any of it (it was 10 years ago, but I'm pretty sure I forgot about it like a month after watching it). The sequel is more of the same. Some of it is funny, most of it is trying too hard, but it's mostly unmemorable. I do adore Emma Stone, though. She's just wonderful, so watching her for 2 hours is always entertaining. What's Jesse Eisenberg been up to? I can't remember him in anything other than playing Lex Luther and that Woody Allen film. Also, Abigail Breslin isn't very good, is she? Was Little Miss Sunshine a fluke? Because I don't remember her being good in any other movie. I will admit, the best part of the movie was Zoey Deutch. Her part was pretty cheesy, but she played it well and provided most of the comic relief. For some reason I thought I didn't like her, but I can't think of why.

5. Aladdin (2019) - So unnecessary, but I obviously had to watch it. I think the only way this was going to work is if Robin Williams was still alive and played the live action version of Genie. To have anyone else do it is just downright disrespectful. And I say this as a Will Smith fan. However, I've questioned Smith's choices lately - he hasn't done anything noteworthy in years and some of his films have been downright rough. This is pretty painful to watch - it's an embarrassment for all involved. Especially for Guy Ritchie - I actually can't believe he directed this? Whhhyyy would he think this is a good idea? And why can't he go back to making original films? Also, I just looked him up on IMDB, and apparently there is a Snatch tv show??? How did I not know about this? Snatch is one of my favorite films...ever (I long for another Guy Ritchie/Matthew Vaughn collaboration. What happened, you guys?). Anyway, even though Aladdin was never one of my favorite Disney movies, I did love all of the songs, with "A Whole New World" being among my favorites, and this version almost made my ears bleed. And why did the costumes seem so cheap? The actors who played Aladdin and Jasmine are so dull, too. It's just overall, such a mess. The dance sequence during the credits is the best part of the whole movie.

3 Thoughts on The Rhythm Section

1. Lively & Law - I've said it before, Blake Lively is a surprisingly great actress. She's proven herself in smaller roles, and she has a presence onscreen that is undeniable. I've also said this before, literally in my last post, but I love Jude Law. My love for him started in the 90s - he was in three of my favorite movies from that decade - The Talented Mr. Ripley, eXistenZ, and Gattaca. He's just soooo charming. Together, they make this film tolerable. Both of them give really strong performances, and have some great (non-romantic) chemistry together. Unfortunately, everything else about the movie isn't so great.

2. The worst title. Ever. - The trailer is pretty strong - very Alias type action with a strong female lead. And it features well-known actors. It should be a strong movie for a February release, but someone made the most baffling decision in naming it The Rhythm Section. It doesn't seem to relate to what is shown in the trailer and it is so forgettable. When I was trying to pick a movie for my mom and I to go see, I almost skipped right over this because my brain didn't register what movie it was. When I described the movie to my mom - she was like, "oh yeah! I want to see that! That's the title??". And I feel like that alone is why this movie is bombing so badly at the box office. Obviously, the mediocre reviews aren't helping. The title is referred to a few times, but it still doesn't make sense to name the whole story after this one weird reference.

3. The worst wig. Ever. - I'm not sure why they made the decision to have Lively look so awful for a majority of the movie? I get in the beginning when she's a drug addicted prostitute, but once she gets healthy and starts training, why not have her start to look a little more like herself (i.e a stunningly beautiful woman)? Do they think it would make her performance seem more "gritty"? Because I think it hurts the movie tremendously.

Thoughts on 5 Films

1. The Farewell - I...don't...get it. How is this more than a mediocre movie in any way? I was really looking forward to this because I have not been an Awkwafina fan, at all, in any movie that she's been in (and her voice is like nails on a chalkboard for me, and she seems like she's trying too hard to be shocking), but I was ready to have my mind changed. While I don't think she was as annoying in this movie, I just don't see anything special about this performance at all. She just walked around and looked sad the whole time (and it doesn't make a bit of sense that this was considered a "Comedy" at the Golden Globes, which is precisely why the GGs have become irrelevant). The movie is ok, but the only thing that sticks out to me (after watching it a few weeks ago), is the music - it is hauntingly beautiful. I do think it's important to have stories like this represented onscreen, I was just hoping for something so much more. I did laugh a few times, and of course, the story is depressing, but also a little bit hopeful. But, just overall it's a 3 star movie.

2. Fast Color - I love going into a movie completely blind - I knew nothing about this, who was in it, or even what genre it was. And I was pleasantly surprised that it is story that is right up my alley - a little bit sci-fi, a little bit indie drama, and a whole lot of slow burn (it's reminiscent of Midnight Special, or anything that Brit Marling does). I also love Gugu Mbatha-Raw. I'm waiting for her to be a star and this is a good project for her to showcase her talent. The story is about a woman who has "special powers" hiding out after being discovered. She goes back home years after abandoning her daughter with her mother. It's a small family/human drama mixed with some really cool and beautiful sci-fi "special powers" scenes. It's a really strong story of protecting your family, the strength of a mother's love, and sacrificing yourself for others. I do wish it moved a little bit quicker, and I felt like it was missing something to give it more of an edge. The ending is so beautiful, though.

3. Destroyer - I could not follow the plot of this movie. Partly because I was distracted, but mostly because it wasn't all that interesting, but also seemed way too complicated. It just starts off complicated too, so it doesn't really give the audience a chance to want to pay attention. You need to have a hook first, and Nicole Kidman in a bad wig and even worse makeup is not a hook. Basically, the movie is about a botched bank robbery and a woman trying to seek revenge, but then there is all of this other stuff thrown in for seemingly no reason. I think we are supposed to be impressed by Nicole Kidman going super trashy, but we've seen it before (The Paperboy - you know, the movie where she pees on Zac Efron). There are only two other things I want to mention - one, it takes place near where I was born (they mention Chino - which is also coincidentally where my soulmate is from. Ryan Atwood). And two, I know everyone knows that guy as Bucky but he will always be Carter Baizen to me. But the real question - does anyone know what his real name is? Didn't think so.

4. Julie, Naked - Hmmmm, I'm not sure how I feel about this movie yet. It's a little self-indulgent but so are most stories about aging rock stars. I love the cast- Rose Byrne, Ethan Hawke, and Chris O'Dowd. The story is extremely far-fetched (I mean two people connecting over the internet..?? Come on...), but it's also very cute. It has some interesting theories on the artist versus the people who consume art, with quotes like "you don't value it because it comes natural to you" and "art isn't for the artist", but it's all very wishy-washy. There's no real depth to any of it. It's wild to me that people dedicate themselves to this obsession over celebrities. I've had obsessions before as a teenager/young adult (I will never admit to you just how many *Nsync concerts I've been to), but it's fascinating to me that people keep these obsessions as adults. I'm not judging - whatever makes you happy. I just can't picture myself caring about...anything...to that extent anymore (except maybe Taron Egerton. But I'm not obsessed. Ok...maybe a little...). Anyway, I was pretty disappointed by the implied ending. Why can't she just stay happily single? Why is that not considered a "happy ending"?

5. Vox Lux - Oh wow. I'm sort of speechless with just how insane this movie is. Some of it is a good insane, but some of it is a very bad insane. So, let's start from the beginning. It's written and directed by Brady Corbet. If you've seen Mysterious Skin, then you've been sufficiently traumatized for the rest of your life. The best part of this whole movie is that the credits role after the first (very traumatizing) scene - it is bat-shit crazy, but I actually loved it. I'm talking the FULL credits. What a ballsy move for a new filmmaker! So the catalyst for the movie is a Columbine type school shooting in which one of the survivors becomes a pop star. It's so difficult to watch this scene, and it's horrifying that this is the "new normal". The film is basically exploring the same message as Split - that surviving tragedy makes you special (I think the line is "the broken are the more evolved") and it is problematic as fuck. Then, Jude Law appears with a very thick NY accent, and wow it is rough. I feel like he's done American accents many times before and they were fine, so I'm not sure what happened here, but it is not easy to watch. I love that Jude is appearing in more and more nowadays because it felt like he disappeared for a little while and I missed him. Remember when he was in like every movie that one year? I think it was 2004. Then, the biggest what the fuck - the star of the movie, Natalie Portman, doesn't appear until 1/2 way through. And her NY accent is even worse! And it's stronger than the younger version of the character which doesn't make an ounce of sense. I like Natalie Portman, mostly because I feel that she really challenges herself in the roles she takes, but this is a huge misfire (I do love the Closer reunion with her and Law. I love that movie!). I do think it's interesting that she chose this role with all the stuff that came out about her "relationship" with Moby. Up until Natalie appears, I thought this was an interesting movie - it speaks to the loss of innocence of that generation (she's only supposed to be 5 years younger than me, but I always think a big age gap exists between people who were adults when 9/11 happened and people who were kids. I was 20 years old. Being 15 is a whole different experience). But once Natalie appears it becomes one of the worst movies I've ever seen. It's shockingly bad. The only amusement I found is when I misheard the lyrics to one of her songs as "I'm a fried egg girl in an omelette world" instead of "I'm a private girl in a public world" (my lyrics are infinitely better. I'm still laughing about it). Also, it's pretty obvious that she's supposed to be a terrible performer so why make us sit through her whole concert? It's pure torture.

Thoughts on 5 Films

1. Wild Rose - Overall, this is a cute movie. Someone I know gushed about how amazing it is, so I think my expectations were a little too high going into it (I hate when that happens). It reminded me of those movies from the early 90s of young musicians moving to a "big city" to "make it". The Thing Called Love comes to mind - It's not very well known, but it's a movie about a young girl who moves to Nashville to be a country singer; it's from 1993 starring the love of my life, Sandra Bullock, plus Samantha Mathis, Durmott Mulroney AND River Phoenix - his last finished film. I bet you didn't know Sandra Bullock and River Phoenix were in a film together! On a side note: I was 12 when River died and I cried hysterically because I didn't really understand death, and then I was hit again the following year with Kurt Cobain. It was rough being a tween in the early 90s idolizing celebrities. My brain is on an epic side-track now. What was I even talking about?? Oh yeah, this movie is pretty mediocre in its narrative, but the acting is really strong, the Scottish accents made me melt, and that song at the end sent shivers down my spine. It is EVERYTHING. The whole movie is worth it, just for that moment. Hands down, best original song from a film; I'm so glad it was nominated for OH WAIT...nothing. The Academy really fucked that one up.

2. Ben is Back - Lucas Hedges is just such a terrific young actor. He is definitely on my list of actors to watch (and he's so young too! I can't believe he's only 23 and his career is already this strong). I'm not a big fan of this story. Privileged white boy drug addict that we are supposed to feel bad for (nope, sorry, I have sympathy for the addiction, but if you have a supportive family, and money, and an education, and opportunity, then I can't feel bad for you. It's just never going to happen). The story definitely reminds me of guys I went to high school with, so it's no surprise that it takes place in Upstate NY, which just might be the Mecca for privileged white boy drug addicts. I was surprised at just how dark this story got, but mostly because it's all just a little ridiculous. I do think it's an interesting story of a mother's love and support of her child no matter how fucked up he is. She still believes him and trusts him, even after he continues to prove her wrong time after time. Overall though, I think this is a pretty forgettable film.

3. Hotel Mumbai - Obviously, this is a tough movie to watch. It's based on the true story of the 2008 terror attacks in Mumbai, with it centered at the Taj Mahal Palace Hotel. It tells the tale of the hotel workers who sacrificed their safety in order to stay and protect the tourists that were staying at the hotel. The cast is really strong - Dev Patel and Armie Hammer are the featured actors (and they do a fine job), but I am fascinated by Nazanin Boniadi. First, she is simply stunning. Second, I've loved her since General Hospital and I'm so happy that she's continuing to succeed. Her television projects have been really strong (she was in a season or two of Homeland and she was in my favorite show of last year - Counterpart and she held her own among an incredible group of actors), she's now in some high-profile films with this and a brief appearance in Bombshell. I just can't wait to see her career progress. Her character was the more interesting and complicated role as she is Indian, but staying at the hotel as a tourist with her American husband and baby. She has some very memorable scenes. I can't say that I connected with the rest of the film, it all played out in a very typical way, but they were able to keep it suspenseful. Of course, the end destroyed me (real footage of tragic events always hooks me).

4. Hustlers - My co-worker (and close friend) insisted that I had to watch this movie ASAP because there is a scene in the beginning of the movie that she knew I would absolutely love. I had no idea what she was referring to, but I was intrigued. I was sort of dreading watching it - I don't care how much buzz JLo got, I didn't believe for a second that it was an award-worthy performance (as some insisted she was snubbed). Don't get me wrong, I LOVE JLo, but I think she is an amazing dancer/performer not an actress. Although, I don't think she's a terrible actress, I just think she's better at other things. And I still say that even after this performance. She's...decent? I guess. Also, I have a hard time listening to JLo because she reminds me of 9/11 - her song "Play" was on the radio while I was driving and they stopped it in the middle to announce that a plane just hit the World Trade Center - it's an unavoidable connection that will forever be in my brain. Anyway, back to THE SCENE that my co-worker was referring to  - it will go down as one of my favorite scenes ever - because she does her insanely amazing pole dancing performance to one of my favorite songs of all-time (Fiona Apple's "Criminal". Fiona is my favorite artist/lyricist always and forever). I honestly almost died of joy. It's just absolutely perfect. As for the rest of the movie, it's fucking terrible. Constance Wu is not a good actress. She's incredibly dull (and I thought she was really dull in Crazy Rich Asians, too). The rest of the cast is hard to stomach (everyone from Cardi B to Lili Reinhart in a horribly miscast role). The plot doesn't even make sense - she makes as much as a Brain Surgeon in one year, but then the next year she is so poor she has to work at Old Navy? Why not just sell all the insane stuff you bought when you were rich? Nope, instead they start drugging unsuspecting male clients and maxing out their credit cards (that's the actual plot, which I guess, as a feminist, I'm supposed to find empowering??? What the fuck is happening, you guys, how do we keep losing our way so easily?). They completely skim through the fact that most women working in this industry are also heavy drug and/or alcohol abusers, and glamorize an industry that they are also trying to destroy. It's also hard to believe that an average looking guy wouldn't be suspicious if four extremely hot women started hitting on him. But it's based on a true story, so I guess men are fucking stupid.

5. Joker - I was super skeptical of yet another rendition of this character. And so soon after we just had Leto's version (that I didn't hate. I didn't love it, but I'm not sure why he received so much hate for it). Plus, someone already perfected the role (and why mess with perfection??). Joaquin is undeniably fantastic. Before watching it, I had a friend of a friend inform me that they didn't like his performance because it felt like he was trying "too hard to be weird". I can see that as a solid criticism - however, if you've ever watched literally any of his other performances you will likely come to the realization that the dude is always weird. It's just him, and it works for this role (and most of the roles that he chooses). I'm glad that he won the Oscar (and all the other awards) because (1.) my favorite performance wasn't nominated anyway and (2.) he should already have, like, 5 Oscars (for Walk the Line, Her, I'm Still Here, The Master and Inherent Vice - and I'm sure if I dug further into his filmography I could think of more. Like, remember Inventing the Abbotts? I adored that little 90s movie). Aside from a strong central performance, I'm not really sure that the rest is as great as it's getting praised for? I liked it, but it didn't feel like anything extraordinary or new in any way. A hero is only as strong as their villain - and Joker has always been an incredible villain, and I guess digging into his history is interesting, but it's also exactly what I was expecting. When it was over, I thought "oh..that was good!", but that was about 2 weeks ago and I've literally thought about it a total of ZERO times since. And now that I'm forced to think about it in order to write this, I realize that it's more like "oh, that was good. I guess.". Such an odd phenomenon.