Thoughts on 5 TV Shows

1. The Third Day - Seriously boring. There are elements that are brilliantly done, but overall it moves at the pace of a Terrence Malick movie (that is not a compliment). It also reminds me a little of Twin Peaks with just really odd characters, confusing narrative, and mystery that feels like it's going nowhere (I do like Twin Peaks, though, but definitely not as much as others seem to). I really, really, really do love Jude Law though (I still haven't watched The Young Pope thing. I feel like every time I go to catch up on a tv show, there is something new to watch instead of going back to something slightly older. This is also why I haven't watched Succession yet). But he wasn't the highlight - that would be Naomie Harris. Her featured episode titled "The Mother" is the strongest of the series (although it's weird that they seem to think the ending would be a surprise. I assumed that's who they were from the first 2 seconds of the episode). The last episode is also strong, but Jude's hair is really wild and completely distracted me from the conclusion of the story. I honestly have no idea how it ends. But I'm hoping that it was truly the end and they keep it as a Limited Series and it's done so that I don't have to watch any more. 

2. Ratched - I definitely like this more than the other Ryan Murphy Netflix shows. I know he's been getting a lot of hate lately (from myself included) but there is no denying that he has super cool ideas and intentions. Sometimes they just go too far, or become almost a parody of what his brand is. And his brand is obviously to go too far, so, in that, he's pretty successful (even going back to the beginning - Nip/Tuck was fucking crazy). I like the idea of giving back stories to iconic characters - it's more creatively inspiring than just remaking something, in my opinion. I am also surprised at how Hitchcockian it feels - there are certain scenes that feel like they were literally copied from classic Hitchcock scenes. I think the acting is a little off-putting. EVERYONE over-acts except Sarah Paulson (who is perfect, as per usual). I do like that Murphy stays true to his cast and keeps casting people in unpredictable roles (and they usually end up surprisingly wonderful). It always makes me a little sad, though because I feel like if Cory Monteith were still alive, he would surely have taken part in some of these projects (I could picture him specifically in Hollywood). Ugh...I miss him so much. 

3. The Right Stuff - Overall, exactly what I was expecting. I thought it would be like a wholesome, kind of cheesy, "fluffy" dramatic series about the Mercury Seven. And even with all of the cheating stuff, it's still feels like an extremely wholesome show. It's a Disney+ show, so it's just not the kind of show that's going to dive deep into the emotions and possible darkness of these men. Plus, the whole astronaut wives thing was already done (the show was literally called The Astronaut Wives Club. I didn't watch it because it sounded so boring.). The entire reason I watched this show is because of Patrick J. Adams and Jake McDorman. I love them both so much and they shine equally in every episode. The only thing I've really connected to, though, is the scenes with the niece they've adopted because her mother dies. Him showing her how to raise the American flag is done really well (I almost teared up. Almost.). I hate that it's released as a weekly show. I appreciate the weekly series format still, and I rarely binge more than three episodes of the same show at a time, but I feel if we are paying extra for these streaming services then they should release it all at once and let the audience choose how they want to consume it. 

4. Monsterland - I love the anthology idea (I'm still thinking about certain episodes of The Romanoffs), but this series is really inconsistent. I absolutely love 2 episodes, and another one is solidly strong, but that's only 3 episodes - out of 8. The other 5 episodes are...just awful. I like that the running theme is about actual monsters (like literal "monsters", and also, more importantly, human "monsters"), but I also think the fact that it is all based in reality keeps the idea really strong. Each story is told quietly and is very character driven (I guess it's kind of like Black Mirror, but more realistic even thought it's about monsters, which is weird). I'll focus on the good episodes (for now...) because I'm hopeful that if it continues, it tells more stories like this. The best episode is quite clearly the third episode "New Orleans, Louisiana". It's downright bone-chilling. First, Nicole Beharie gives an Emmy-worthy performance. It's stunning and I will remember it forever. Her denial at her son's accusations (and truth) is just heartbreaking - when he says "he knew you would keep your mouth shut". UGH...it just hits so fucking hard. I'm emotional just thinking about it. The other superb episode is "Plainfield, Illinois". Taylor Schilling is great, and I just really like that it's a love story centered around someone who is bipolar. Again, there is one bone-chilling line that I remember forever ("You're the one who left me in the bathtub"). And finally, I think the first episode featuring Kaitlyn Dever is also a strong introduction to the series. I really like her (and she's the reason I even watched this show), and she is a recurring character (I think she's in four episodes?). I wasn't a big fan of her accent, though. It sounded more like she was trying to do this Hollywood glamour type accent instead of a southern accent. Otherwise, she's great. Plus the first episode also has Jonathon Tucker! Love him. 

5. The Undoing - What an incredible pilot episode! I haven't felt this way in quite sometime (although I did recently enjoy the pilot for Lovecraft Country, but it was only really the last 20 minutes that really captured my attention). I wasn't sure what this show was about - just that it starred Nicole Kidman and Hugh Grant and I thought that was an interesting combo. I didn't see any commercials so I had no idea that it was about a murder. I assumed, obviously, that he was cheating on his wife with the weird woman because he left "on an emergency medical situation" (he's a doctor), quite soon after the woman left. But I was not expecting her to die (and very brutally). Something about it reminds me of Damages - which is one my favorite series ever. Nicole Kidman has one of the most consistent resumes of any actress - she has had at least one project (and sometimes multiple projects) every year for like 25 years. And they are (mostly) good! Plus, she sings the opening credit song and it is so beautiful. I've always liked Hugh Grant, too (he's made some mistakes in his past life, but there are so many people doing so many worse things and getting away with it). He's quite good at bringing the charm to any role. Also, I like the mystery about the weird girl - she's definitely spoken about as "weird", but I think we'll discover that she has reasons behind her "weirdness" (although I don't think her breastfeeding in front of a group of women in a house is weird? And it's disturbing that so many were uncomfortable, but I think they will delve into that a bit more too). My other thoughts are that it's filmed beautifully - the shot from the outside with Nicole standing inside the high-rise building is so stunning. And Nicole's wardrobe is to die for (haha get it To Die For? I'm hilarious). But seriously, that rainbow pleated dress is God-tier. The fact that I have so much to say and it's only been one episode is really exciting to me. I can't wait for more. 

Thoughts on 5 Films

1. Gretel & Hansel - Atmospherically creepy, but ultimately just really, really boring. After 15 minutes, I completely lost interest to even follow the very simple plot. The main girl is very striking and has great screen presence (she's also the girl that plays Beverly in the It movies - and even though I didn't like those movies, she definitely had a great presence there too). That's probably the only positive thing I have to say? It might even end up as my worst movie of the year? Just because it's so boring and pointless. Although, I did smile at the line "Guests?...I'd rather have roaches" because same girl, SAME. 

2. The Last Thing He Wanted - Another one of those movies that has an A-list cast (Anne Hathaway, Ben Affleck) that just appears on Netflix without me hearing a single peep about it. I assumed that this was probably bad, so it was just released quietly. Although, it's also directed by Dee Rees, so I'm surprised that it is, in fact, bad. I loved Pariah; didn't love Mudbound, but it's still a well-made film. This, however, is just really messy, dull and unnecessarily confusing. Aside from the confusing narrative, it's also really confusing as to why she wears a scarf slung over her shoulder for most of the movie. I realized that it's in reference to her Breast Cancer, and I think it's supposed to be like a cover for the fact that she's had a masectomy (there is a topless scene where this becomes fact). But, it doesn't make sense because the scarf only covers her shoulder - and she very clearly has both tits for the whole movie; obviously, in real-life, women can get bras that are 1/2 filled to simulate the appearance of a breast, if they choose to do this, so maybe that's what they were trying to imply, but then WHY THE SCARF? And I thought maybe I'm over-thinking things (anything to distract me from the terrible movie that I was watching), and maybe it has nothing to do with Breast Cancer, and instead the scarf thing is just a nod to the author of the book, Joan Didion, who is a fairly famous novelist, but also known as a bit of a fashion icon and scarf wearer, but I googled it and found NO images of her wearing a scarf in such a ridiculous manner. Also, Ben Affleck has like one line for the whole first hour of the movie. He doesn't even become an important character until the last 20 minutes or so, which is weird. 

3. Always Be My Maybe - Super, super cute movie. Completely cheesy, predictable rom-com fluff, but ultimately it's enjoyable and that's what matters. Plus, the whole thing with Keanu Reeves is fucking hilarious and just downright genius. I love that he agreed to do this because it totally makes it seem like Keanu is an elitist asshole (he orders "the concept of time" off a dinner menu and says his childhood crush was Mother Teresa), but I guess we all know that's not true so it just makes it *that* much more perfect. I really like the overall story and character arcs, I laughed quite a bit ("smoking weed and dancing in front of a mirror" and then his dad starts dancing - I died), and it feels very genuine (having sex in a beat-up Toyota Corolla with D'Angelo playing in the background? That doesn't bring back ANY memories AT ALL. Ahem. *coughs*). Also, Daniel Dae Kim is fucking fine - he looks even better than he did on Lost! And Michelle Buteau really steals every scene that she is in. There are a few things that annoyed me (surprise, surprise) - like them playing the teenage versions of themselves - sorry, but they do not pass for teenagers. And UGH Charlyne Yi. I was hoping she disappeared from the film world, but NOPE. Oh, and I always hate when skinny women in movies wear spanx. Like, there is no way in the world you need spanx. I mean, I don't even think any woman needs spanx, but if it makes you feel better, than go for it. However, it's ridiculous to show someone skinny using them because there is NO fat to even suck in. SO DUMB. 

4. The Lie - I'm kind of lost on the whole Blumhouse Productions thing, but there are like a ton of new horror movies on Amazon Prime and I'm excited to watch the rest of them. This definitely feels like a made-for-tv movie, but that's not necessarily a bad thing. I like this story (a lot) and Mireille Enos and Peter Sarsgaard are so fantastic, and then, a spectacular twist makes this very mediocre movie memorable. *slight spoiler alert* The "lie" is not the lie you think it is. I think it could have developed a little further into a tale of teenage selfishness and peer pressure, because ultimately it's not as intense as it should have been. And I like Joey King, but she is definitely the weak link, acting-wise. She seems a little too immature for the age that she is supposed to be (and also...stupid). Also *more spoilers*, the whole hit and run bit is really, really dumb. Did they think they were going to get away with it? Did they leave the body in the street? Why did they wait until the morning to clean the car? It just doesn't make any sense, but it could have easily been done in a better, more believable way. It feels lazy. 

5. The Trial of the Chicago 7 - Ridiculously timely and relevant - it's fascinating that this went into production before this year, because I can't think of a better time than 2020 for this story to be resurfaced. I've always heard about "The Chicago 7 (or 8, as they are often referred to as)", but I never really dove deep into their stories. It's so interesting that they all didn't really even know each other, and yet they were on trial for conspiracy charges. Sorkin does a great job - the dialogue is very Sorkin; it's fast-paced, witty and compelling. The huge cast is all given time to shine (some out-perform others), and the characters are all fully developed. Other than that, though, it is a little cliched and just a very typical courtroom drama. It's set-up from the beginning to emotionally manipulate the audience, and it definitely succeeds - especially in the end moments with the reading out of the names of soldiers who died in Vietnam. It's a powerful "movie moment", for sure, but it feels extremely manipulative (and it's not even true...). I think it's another movie that is being hyped up as better than it is, just because so little has been released this year. Still good, though.

Thoughts on 5 Films

1. Gloria Bell - I enjoyed this movie - it's so rare to see a film starring a woman in her 50s happily living life to the fullest. She makes being this age look FUN. Like, I want to be her in 15 years (Hell, I want to be her now - she's certainly having more fun than I am). Also, I just looked up how old Julianne Moore is and she's going to be 60 this year. Holy shit. She's fucking stunning. The movie is cute. I like that's it about a relationship that doesn't work out, but she doesn't let it destroy her (and the moment at the end when she gets "revenge" is just so good. It made me laugh for days). I also like the small family moments; it all feels very real and authentic. I wasn't expecting to see Michael Cera, but he's been missed. 

2. Velvet Buzzsaw - I didn't know what this movie was about - only that it was a Nightcrawler reunion (written & directed by Dan Gilroy, starring Jake Gyllenhaal and Rene Russo) and that's enough to peak my interest. I was not expecting it to be a haunted art story, nor was I expecting it to be so outlandishly absurd. It held my interest though, because it's super weird, really well acted (Toni Collette is also in it - and she is the best!), and I had no idea where the story was going. The opening credits are also super cool. I like the dialogue around art and art "snobs" - honestly going to art galleries is the worst (and it shouldn't be) because people are so fucking snooty. It's hard for me to enjoy things like that. There is also some strong opinions on critics (*spoiler* as a "bad" review causes someone to kill themselves). It's tough because I understand the work and energy that artists put into their creations and it's something so personal - to have it publicly shit on by critics is probably really devastating, but I also think we should be able to discuss art freely without worrying about people's feelings. There's a way to do it that's respectful, though, and I don't think that's considered nowadays. I'm guilty of it myself, but I'm also not a professional critic and have very little reach in the world. Anyway, this movie goes a little off the rails for my taste - but like I said, I was completely invested for the whole thing. It's certainly intriguing. 

3. Never Rarely Sometimes Always - *spoilers* I like this movie, even though I have a hard time with the subject matter and I also think the timeline of events is confusing (possibly editing issues? More on this in a minute). I think it's really important to tell stories like this - of real women who have to face the toughest decision of their lifetime. It's so easy to judge someone else's decisions but in reality there is so much "grey" and I guarantee you that no woman makes the decision lightly. I like that they make this girl's story very grey - we have no idea how she got pregnant. I assumed in the beginning that she may have been raped by her father (a very strange, tense relationship is implied), but she also admits to having multiple sexual partners in her questionnaire. This scene is probably the best of the whole film - it's so quiet, but stunning in the way that it depicts what life is like for many young girls. The "never, rarely, sometimes, always" questions and answers will break your heart. And the way the counselor is so soothing in her questions with no judgement in her voice is so wonderful (I hope that's how they are all trained, but sadly I don't think that's the case). I also like how they showed how alone this girl is (even though she has her cousin, she has NO adults supporting her which is devastating). I was shocked by a few things, though. The way she is treated in the clinic in PA is disgusting but also confusing - why did she go there? It's a place designated to convince women to not have abortions. I find it hard to believe that a fully capable 17 year old wouldn't have done some research first? And I don't understand why they lied and told her she was less far along in the pregnancy than she actually is. If they are going to lie, wouldn't they tell her the opposite? As in, sorry you're too far along for an abortion anyway so you have no choice? But then, I was actually shocked by NY abortion laws. Honestly, I don't keep up with abortion laws, but I had no idea NY is 24 weeks for abortions. I thought 12 weeks was the standard, and anything after that was emergency based only. And they will do abortions on minors without parental consent? EEEEK. I have...no comment, other than EEEEK. Anyway, back to the timeline thing - I don't understand why they sleep in NY the one night, but then go home in between the 2 day procedure? It doesn't make any sense. Where did they sleep? At home? And how did they get the money to go back again? I feel like scenes were either cut, or they changed the timeline in the middle of making the movie. (also side note: I know NYC has changed a lot over the past 15 or so years, but I can't tell you how many times from 2000-2005 I slept on the floor of Grand Central Station and never had a problem with authorities - drunk girls and train schedules don't get along well. You miss the last train out and you are fucked). I have two other comments - first, I thought for a little while that this movie took place in the 90s because of how they are dressed - flannel shirts, chokers, Dr Martens, but then I remembered that the 90s are back (fucking kill me). And second, the main actress, Sidney Flanigan, is stunning, especially for a debut performance. She also has a wonderful voice. The song she sings in the beginning is so beautiful. 

4. The Glorias - Truly unexpectedly awful (also complete coincidence that I watched two movies in the same week in which Julianne Moore plays a woman named "Gloria"). I have so many issues with this movie, it's hard to decide where to begin. I guess my biggest problem is with Alicia Vikander. I actually really like her, but she is in way over her head with this iconic role. It's quite embarrassing to be honest. There is such a stark difference in emotional impact when you compare her Gloria with Moore's Gloria; especially in the scenes in which they share the screen. Another issue I have is that the title implies that she is different people at different points in her life - which is an excellent idea for a biopic, but instead the film is fairly straightforward and I never really see a change in character other than getting older and wiser. I don't like the scenes in which she confronts her younger self because honestly it's just plain dumb (Rocketman did this too, although minimally, and its probably the only fault I can find in that film). The film completely lacks focus, which I think can be said of Gloria, herself. She really had her hand in EVERY issue regarding feminism - which is great, but also, at times ineffective. I read the book that this is based on (My Life on the Road), and it doesn't feel as chaotic as this movie, but it's much harder to boil someone like Steinem down to 2 1/2 hours (and of course, it's way too fucking long!). Gloria was involved in the making of this (as it's based on her memoir and she shows up at the end -which is completely unnecessary), which is ultimately the thing that irks me the most. There is no critical thought - Steinem is literally portrayed as a fucking saint (and even in the moments in which she is criticized, it's used to gain sympathy for her). As I said with my thoughts on Mrs. America, I adore Gloria - she is a legend, but she's not perfect; I would have appreciated a biopic that shows her faults along with her accomplishments. Also, it's been so long since I've seen Barbra Streisand, that I actually questioned who this woman doing the bad Streisand impression was. I can't believe I didn't recognize that that's actually her. I feel so dumb. OH and I also forgot that Steinem married for a little while and wondered to myself what happened to her marriage so I googled it - and was dumbfounded in realizing that Steinem was married to Christian Bale's dad!!! How insane is that? He died of Cancer four years into their marriage. Anywho - this movie will probably make it into my Worst of 2020 list just because it bothered me that much.

5. Cats - I'm truly speechless. I'm not sure how anyone ever thought this was a good idea anyway? Like, what dumbass really thought that this idea would work on screen? And how did so many people go along with it? Like actual talented people (Idris Elba, Jennifer Hudson, Ian McKellen, JUDY DENCH!). It's not even one of those movies that is entertainingly bad - it's an assault on your senses. When it was over, my eyes hurt from wincing at the awful, awful special effects and I felt actual pain in my eardrums from what I guess was singing from people who CAN'T sing (like James Corden and Rebel Wilson). Thank God they had Jennifer Hudson sing the most famous (and probably most difficult) song "Memory". I've never seen the Broadway play (and you'd think it would be right up my alley seeing that I love Broadway and I love cats, but it never appealed to me. It always seemed a bit creepy instead of cute). It doesn't seem like there is an actual plot, though? I honestly couldn't tell you what it's about. I also don't understand why they all have different accents but it takes place in London (how did the American cats get there??). And...are some of them wearing FUR COATS? Is it cat fur? Why would they need a fur coat if they naturally have fur???? The scaling of objects is really off too. Oh and I have nothing against Taylor Swift, but casting her as a "vixen" is just one of the many, many, many terrible decisions. 

Thoughts on 5 Films

1. The Invisible Man - *spoilers ahead* For some odd reason, I've been watching a lot of Elisabeth Moss stuff - this and Shirley in the same week, plus I started & finished season one of The Handmaid's Tale (it's great but so depressing and anxiety-inducing). I do not like her, but I can't argue that she chooses to participate in some wonderful projects. I heard some incredible things about this movie, which seemed hard to believe, but most of them are actually true! I am very critical of films that deal with domestic abuse (my college thesis project was a deep dive into films with this topic, like Sleeping with the Enemy and typical Lifetime movies, and then I attempted to write a screenplay that fixed my issues. It was hard.). But I think this movie attempts to show how dangerous and psychopathic abusive men are - and it's not as easy to "just leave" as many seem to think it is. I *do* have to point out that this woman has the advantage of having support from her sister (in her initial escape, as well as figuring out shelter), AND she doesn't have children (which changes everything). But the beginning sequence is rightfully intense - with just the right amount of suspense, and horror movie jump-scares. Then, the movie successfully turns into a full-blown horror movie - it's a bit ridiculous, but it's also all done very well. I like the use of the camera as "the other" perspective - it makes it super creepy. The biggest success is that she figures out the *twist* that he is in fact alive, and invisible, pretty quickly so it's not a big reveal at the end. The movie quickly turns from a horror movie into a psychological thriller about this man actively destroying this woman's life (I did not see *that* scene with the sister coming AT ALL. Holy shit). Overall, I think this movie is very well done (even if I still don't like Moss). I do have about a MILLION questions about some of the plot points - like - if, as she states "nobody knows I'm here" and she received a letter, then wouldn't they have moved her? Because someone obviously did if she received mail. Did she know that he was working specifically with invisibility? Because I would never just assume that an invisible person was stalking me. It's like believing in ghosts. I would assume that I was hallucinating and I would instantly be like "lock me away, it's finally happening". Also, why did the sister believe that nasty email? And speaking of the sister, why the fuck is she so rude to the waiter for absolutely no reason? And even something so minor as the *open* can of paint just laying around really bothers me. Great, now my brain hurts. 

2. A Hidden Life - I'm such a fucking sucker for watching and hating Terrance Malick movies. This one is no different. It's just like EVERY OTHER Malick movie - way too long (3 FUCKING hours), absolutely stunning cinematography, monotonous narration, and repetitive shots of people laying in tall grass and petting each other and grasping hands (seriously, at least 6000 of these shots). I couldn't even tell you what the movie is about - other than he goes to war, and it's sad. It's all just pure torture. I don't even have anything else to say - it's just so tiring, and yet I just keep getting sucked in. 

3. Replicas - This is a nice reminder for everyone that Keanu Reeves can't actually act. He just got really lucky with some iconic roles that don't require a whole lot of emotion, and is therefore a legend. I mean, I'm a huge Keanu fan, but facts are facts. This is one of the worst movies I've seen in a while, which is a shame because it has a great sci-fi plot. If it was done well, it could have been really fun. Instead, it is a chore to sit through. Basically, this guy is scientist who is working on transplanting human neural maps into androids, when suddenly his wife and three children are killed in a car crash. He, logically, decides to transfer their neural maps into clones essentially bringing his family back to life. That sounds awesome...right? I mean, dumb, but awesome. However, there are only three cloning pods, so he has to choose. The biggest problem is that he chooses to save his wife over one of his children. I guess it has to be done that way because he can conveniently "erase" his daughter from their memories, but it would be impossible to "erase" the wife, because then where did the children come from? But I think he could have figured it out because killing off your kid will always be the wrong choice. Anyway, the dialogue is also really awful. And then the plot goes completely off the rails once the "bad guy" twist happens. It's just hard to watch, really. 

4. Hamilton - Not technically a movie, but I thought I would include it with my film thoughts anyway since 2020 is such a weird year for the industry - anything goes at this point. I really had no interest in ever seeing this and I love going to Broadway, watching live productions (I was a Drama studies major for a reason). This just honestly looked horrendous to me, even with the almost unanimous praise for it. I still stand by my opinion that some of it is really...painful. Lin-Manual Miranda is obviously a talented writer, lyricist, and musician, but his voice is like nails on a chalkboard for me. I cringed during every one of his songs, and cringed harder during his rapping. I feel the same way with Leslie Odom Jr., so that's like two-thirds of the musical that I had a hard time enjoying. And the plot is...so...boring. HOWEVER, there is some great stuff to point out. The biggest highlight is Daveed Diggs and Jonathan Groff. Not only does Daveed have a stronger presence, he also can actually rap. And Jonathon has actually theater training that he puts to use - his voice has more power behind it, plus he has wonderfully exaggerated facial expressions that are necessary for live performances. I also enjoy Renee Elise Goldsberry (I recognize her from The Good Wife, but more importantly from Aly McBeal!). She has a great presence and strong voice, as well. Plus, her first song is one of the best of the whole production. I think the only other performance that I can say I truly enjoyed is the rap battle between Hamilton and Jefferson (simply because it's amusing). I will also say that the camera-work done to film this live performance is astounding, but I wonder if it hindered the live performance for the audience?

5. Enola Holmes - Super cute YA story. For me, I can't really say I enjoyed it because it seems a little immature, but I can see pre-teens enjoying this. There is a really sweet mother/daughter relationship in the beginning, and the mystery builds quite nicely. It's a little too long - there is just so much filler, so I got a little bored with it. The Fleabag connection (directed by Harry Bradbeer) is quite clear with the constant breaking of the fourth wall, but Millie Bobby Brown does a great job making it work. She's wonderful in this. She's super cute, has some great comedic moments, and holds your attention even through the dull bits. Henry Cavill is super stiff and boring, as per usual. Hot, but boring. I have no idea why anyone would want a spinoff with his Sherlock (I've read it's in discussion, but UGH...HOW, WHY?). Originally, I thought this was a new TV series, rather than a movie, and I think that would have actually worked better? Maybe as a short 8 episode mini-series? I think it would have helped the "mystery" bits, and it wouldn't have felt as boring.