Thoughts on 5 Films

1. The Good Liar - Overall, I liked this movie - I feel like adult drama/suspense films are more and more rare these days. *slight spoilers ahead* I think it's pretty obvious from the beginning that she is tricking him. No person of sane mind would just divulge that they are worth 2.8 million to a stranger, plus any person worth 2.8 million would already have a financial advisor. It was still interesting to see how she was going to follow through, and obviously why she is tricking him. There's a lot of clever dialogue (my favorite is McKellen saying "I do not approve of his lifestyle. He...designs kitchens"), and character development. And obviously, the two main cast members are legends, but they also have Russell Tovey - who is just super adorable. I was fully invested for most of the movie, but when they go to Berlin and do the whole flashback, I got a little bored (completely not expecting that to be key information). Once we do get to the not-so-surprising "twist" that she is, in fact, the one in control - we finally learn the reason, and JESUS FUCKING CHRIST, I was not expecting it to be that serious. I was not expecting her to have, like a really, really good fucking reason for destroying this man. I thought she was just having some fun. The weakest part of the whole film is the dragged out explanation of how she tricked him (the audience *just* watched it, we don't need you to explain every detail. Never assume your audience is dumb - especially with a movie like this). 

2. Project Power - Oooof this movie is rough. The idea is great (it's kind of like Limitless but the powers vary) and the cast is terrific - Jamie Foxx, JGL, and the highlight, Dominique Fishback. Her two rap scenes are just glorious, as is Foxx's reaction to the second one ("that's your power" - it was just so well done). I can't say I'll remember anything else about it. And if I'm honest (which I always am), I don't even think I could clearly explain the plot. Like, I understood what was happening as it happened, but overall I have no idea what the point of it all is. I'm starting to lose faith in Netflix original movies - at least the ones that are supposed to be more action/blockbuster ones (I was disappointed with The Old Guard and Extraction too) - they are just so....forgettable. Oh wait, I'll remember JGL's Clint Eastwood scene too, because the way he says "punk" just about killed me. On a side note, he's super hot in this movie - sometimes he's hot, sometimes he's adorable, but I'm always a fan. I'm glad he's making a comeback after disappearing for a few years. And I now know who Machine Gun Kelly is (that's a lie...I have no idea who he is or what he does or why he thinks the name "Machine Gun Kelly" is an acceptable alias. Why would you want to be named after someone who literally murdered people?). 

3. Downton Abbey - I finally finished watching the series about a month ago (It only took me 8 years. It's super boring, you guys. It's definitely not something I can binge. I could only watch like 1 episode a week, which is how it was originally intended - you know like a normal weekly series? Remember those? Why must we binge everything?). I didn't think a film was necessary - and after watching it, I guess I was right? Because nothing really happens. Seriously. Absolutely nothing. They just set the house for royalty to visit and hi-jinks ensue, but everything turns out just peachy. The end. I do like that they set a happier ending for the only character worth giving a damn about (Tom, obviously. If you like any other character - you might be a monster. The only other one I liked was Lily James' character - I'm severely disappointed that she isn't in the movie, and I honestly don't remember how they ended her story on the series? Did she just end up with that Jewish guy and then that was it?). Um, there's not really much else to say - I guess if you're a big Downton Abbey fan, then you'll probably enjoy this? But as someone who merely suffered through the episodes, it's just as dull and boring as the series. 

4. The Night Clerk - I'm so up in the air on this movie. I didn't really like it as I watched it - mostly because I didn't like Tye Sheridan's performance. I'm a big fan of his - he was stunning in Mud and I thought he did a respectable job in Ready Player One, but in this he is supposed to be portraying someone with autism, and if just feels really forced and inauthentic. They focused his autism on his inability to interact with people, so much so that he records people in order to "study" their behaviors. It's kind of like Nightcrawler but without the depth and nuance. He replays his interactions and then practices how he thinks he should have responded (I mean, I do this too, just without the video. I replay conversations in my head all day long and think about how I should have responded differently. Isn't that, um, normal?). Also, if ANA DE ARMAS walked up to me and tried to have a conversation, I would be the most awkward person alive at the moment. Anyway, I also didn't like how the plot holes kept piling up. It's just so frustrating - I kept thinking "this just doesn't make any sense". BUT, then the twist happens - and it's fucking great, and makes the whole movie make sense. It also made me want to watch it again because I think I spent too much time being frustrated to notice how it was all going to play out. I still think there is one *major* plot hole (*spoiler* the cops saw one of his videos that would have shown him entering the room after the murder...so they would know he didn't do it, but it's never discussed at all, unless I missed it?). So, after thinking about it - I realized that I actually liked it quite a bit. It's got some unexpected layers that hit me after a few days of letting it sink in to my brain. 

5. The Assistant - There is a lot I like about this movie - it is a very 'slice of life' story about working in a film production office. I can say from experience that the feeling of this movie is extremely accurate. I think everyone assumes it's far more glamorous than it actually is. I worked as an office manager/personal assistant for a few months at an independent film production company in LA and it was so...boring. It's always nice to connect to a story in a more personal way and reflect on similarities and differences within your experiences. With this, I can't say that I connect to the actual story - I was always treated with respect. But perhaps because both people I worked for directly were women (and even though the one that I was a personal assistant to wasn't very nice, she was always respectful). But I was in charge of all the interns (all male, all of whom were pleasant) and the (male) office assistant (who, for years after would send me his ideas and scripts because he trusted me to give him honest feedback). I did feel like it was a boys club sometimes, but never in a way that made me uncomfortable. I think the only time I felt this true feeling of a "boys club" in the film industry, in which I felt intimidated, disrespected, and left out, was when I worked on a film set as the director's assistant. I just assumed that he never had anything for me to do other than get him lunch, coffee, etc., but one day I overlapped with his other assistant (we usually altered days), and he was sooooo chummy with him, and was explaining the scene set-ups and showing him tips and tricks of "filmmaking". It made me so upset that I went home and cried for like 8 hours. But after a few years of self-reflection, I realized that I never made any attempt to cultivate that type of relationship. I'm super introverted and quiet, and that just doesn't work if you are on a film set with a hundred other people. You'll just get lost in the shuffle and you have no-one else to blame but yourself. Anyway, I've gone on a tangent, but my point is, I guess, that I don't really feel bad for this girl. She doesn't seem to be putting herself out there very much, and she seems super stressed for, like, no reason - sorry, but if you think that's a stressful job, try working in retail (especially during a pandemic!). Also, I don't really think it's any of her business who her boss hires, and why, - and also going to HR on day one is just extremely reactionary. Maybe see if this girl can do the job first? And see if her being hired has any effect on your job first (because it seems to me like it might make your job...easier?). It is an interesting story, though, and I like the scene with the HR representative basically ignoring her complaint (even though I agree with him, to a certain degree, but it is up to HR to look into things further - and also look at her complaint as preventative from future problems that could occur. It's extremely, and unfortunately realistic to corporate HR departments. They basically try to convince you you're crazy first before they actually do anything. And that's if they do anything). As far as Julia Garner's performance, I think she does a decent job - probably the only thing I haven't hated her in (I think I've only seen her in Ozark and Dirty John and I think she's awful. I don't care how many Emmys she collects).