Thoughts on 5 Films

1. Fear Street Part 2: 1978 - Even though I didn't really like Part 1, I had high hopes for this. The trailer for it sure looked fantastic. The whole summer camp Friday the 13th vibe seemed more focused and contained than what became of the first part. Plus, I like that another Stranger Things cast member was part of the main cast (Sadie Sink - she just fits into the late 70s/early 80s aesthetic so well). Unfortunately, I found it quite dull. Not necessarily any better or worse than the first part. Half of it is focused on two girls who are both really, really terrible actresses and both have really awful haircuts that are not flattering for their face (and also, look like wigs?). The other half (featuring Sadie) is better, but also quite predictable. I just hate the whole supernatural aspect. Slasher horror is far more terrifying if it feels real so as soon as they are like "a witch made them like that", I'm out. It's just not scary. And somehow the needle drops are even more obvious in this one - "(Don't Fear) The Reaper", seriously? Come on. Do better. *spoiler ahead* I will say that the ending is fan-fucking-tastic, with the sisters being brutally stabbed - it was unexpected and really brilliantly gory. 

2. Gunpowder Milkshake - I liked this! I read a few reviews that cite the beginning as strong, but then it flattens out, but I felt the exact opposite. I was really skeptical in the beginning. It felt so forced, so unoriginal (basically combining John Wick and Kill Bill...Ugh...), and what a dumb fucking title. And I've loved Karen Gillan in most things, but when she's bad...she's really bad. And she's really bad in the beginning of this. The outfit in the beginning also does her no favors (why in the world is she dressed like Carmen Sandiego? The hat, the collar popped - she would stand out wherever she went and that is obviously not the intent). Then she has this whole fight scene in a bowling alley that is just so unbelievably unrealistic - she fights like 6 guys (who are bigger than her and are also trained assassins) at the same time. I screamed at the screen "use the fucking bowling balls" because that's the only believable way she would physically be able to overpower them. And THEN she does...and I think it's the moment the whole movie won me over (actually, that combined with when she breaks the mop in half and uses the stick as a weapon ala Buffy the Vampire Slayer). Also, what a dream cast of women - Angela Bassett, Lena Headey, Michelle Yeoh, and CARLA GUGINO (I love her so much). There are some really cool scenes - the scene where she can't use her arms, for instance. Just pure action, filmed in a really exciting way. The way the camera moves throughout the action sequences is so smooth, too. The world-building is done really well - they can easily make sequels, prequels, and spin-offs with ease (and I feel like they probably will?). Overall, I had a ton of fun and I think that's saying a lot considering how critical I was in the beginning. 

3. The Empty Man - *some spoilers ahead* Ooooh a supernatural horror movie that actually scared me a little bit! It's been so long (I think maybe since The Babadook?). Not like, nightmare inducing or anything, but it definitely got under my skin and when I went to bed I definitely scanned my room for any creepy shadows. There are three scenes that really stuck with me - first, the one in the sauna room (it's just a perfectly shot, classically styled horror scene), second, the one where he wakes up and sees the shadow moving (which is why I now scan the room for such things that don't exist, obviously) and third, the cult in the forest all running at the same time. All of it is just so fucking creepy. I like that it took more of a cult twist instead of just straight up supernatural. And I expected a twist - not the one that we are give, but I did think that certain people are "in on it" to make him feel mentally unstable. The film really boils down to the lesson of "don't cheat on your wife or bad things will happen". I also really like James Badge Dale and Marin Ireland a lot. People have slept on Dale, but he's a great actor (and he gets hotter as he gets older). I could already tell you before the movie started that this movie does not need to be over 2 hours in length and...I was absolutely right. However, it does move really quickly and remains interesting through the whole thing. 

4. Music - I debated whether or not I should actually watch this, but ultimately, as a film enthusiast, I try to watch as much as I can - good and bad. And sometimes it's worth watching how something should not be done, not only for learning purposes, but also to appreciate when things are done right. There was a lot of dialogue around this movie - and most of it was very negative. The two big takeaways seem to be that the autistic community felt someone with autism should have played the role, and that the film depicts disturbing and dangerous ways to "handle" someone with autism (i.e restraining them during episodes, etc.). But MY biggest concern was how Sia handled the criticism - she was so dismissive and disrespectful, that even without seeing the movie, I knew that their concerns were obviously valid. Nobody is perfect, and telling stories outside your own world view is always going to be challenging - but if you're not going to listen and engage with someone within that world view then you should not tell that particular story. I will never agree that an actor HAS to be a part of the community that they are portraying, but I do think every single case is different. Here is an example of what I mean: my boyfriend is half Cuban (his dad and paternal grandparents are political refugees from Cuba), but he is white passing. I asked him if they made a movie about him, would he care if the person playing him was Cuban and he said "no, not at all, for all intents and purposes, I'm a white guy from NJ". BUT a few weeks later, I told him how Javier Bardem was cast as Desi Arnaz and he was like "oh cool, I didn't know Bardem was Cuban", "he's not"...."Oh well that's some bullshit then". And he's right. It is bullshit, because Desi is one of the most famous Cuban-American actors - a Cuban icon, even. It's part of his identity, and therefore it's problematic to cast a non-Cuban actor. I know this isn't completely on-topic, but my point is that it can't just be a blanket casting decision - every single project is different. And if you are going to cast someone outside of the specific community, then you have to, at the very least, make sure that you are handling it with respect. It's clear that this film is not respectful in any way. I don't know much about Maddie Ziegler, but I don't blame her at all. She was a minor while filming this, and trusted the adults around her. Her performance is very exaggerated, and definitely doesn't feel authentic. The storyline is obviously another concern - her sister is basically "burdened" with having to take care of her. I'm pretty sure they hid the fact that Leslie Odom Jr. is part of the main cast because I don't remember him being a part of the discussion at all? I can't stand his voice, so obviously that was hard for me. And Kate Hudson's drunk acting is....something else. The only good thing about this movie is the completely odd musical interludes - they are perfectly Sia. Abstract, joyful, lively - I wish more of the film was like that. 

5. Blood Red Sky - There are some great ideas within this movie. The plot is basically an airplane heist movie combined with a vampire horror movie, which is just as awesome as it sounds. But even better than that, they actually do a great job with the telling both stories. They also do something interesting by making the main character, who is basically "patient zero", into the heroine of the story even though she is a terrifying, blood-thirsty vampire. Which brings me to another great aspect - the vampires are fucking scary in this (I saw some criticism that the movie confuses vampires with zombies, but...I don't agree with that assessment at all). There's also some really strong acting, some fun over-the-top villains, and they even stuck the ending! Overall, I can honestly say that I enjoyed this movie, but ONCE AGAIN...it is totally unnecessary to make this movie this long! Especially because it could have been a stellar movie if the editing was tighter. It just feels long - I paused it thinking there was about 15 minutes left but there was actually still 47 minutes left. I just don't understand why this keeps happening? And it feels like it keeps getting worse.