Thoughts on 5 Films

1. House of Gucci - This is not nearly as campy as I was led to believe. In fact, it's quite dull and boring. And so very long. But first, let me go on a slight tangent about Lady Gaga. I've never been the biggest fan of her music, but I don't mind her as an actress - I thought she did a decent job in A Star is Born and "Is That Alright?" is probably my favorite song released in the last decade. But I do remember when she was first becoming famous, I had a friend who was friends with her roommate when she was at NYU, and called her a bully and said that she made fun of everyone. She also often talks about her family being "working class", which is true, but she, herself, grew up very wealthy (she grew up on the Upper West Side of Manhattan and went to private school. Wealthy.). And it always really irks me when rich people pretend like they've lived anything other than a life of privilege. I guess my point is that I'm wary of her - she's very performative and seems like a good person, but I don't think that translates to reality. Anyway, back to the movie! I don't really have anything good to say about it. I'm racking my brain for something that I liked, but it's just all bad. There's a GREAT story to tell here, but this isn't it. They just focus on really boring shit for 2 full hours. The performances are atrocious. I don't understand the prosthetics on Jared Leto, because he still looks nothing like the real Paolo, so what's the point of it? Why not just hire someone who looks more like him and is closer in age? I can appreciate a transformation, but this just seems pointless. The chemistry between Lady Gaga and Adam Driver is non-existent (and was that sex scene supposed to be...sexy?? Because I cringed. Like, ew.). On another note, Camille Cottin is becoming a bit of a thing, huh? She was in Killing Eve and I just watched her in Stillwater a few weeks ago and now this. Interesting. I think I like her. 

2. The Protégé - This was a really big disappointment for me - it seemed like something right up my alley. But there's no plot. It's very well made, from an obviously talented director (Martin Campbell), a strong lead performance from Maggie Q (who should be a much bigger star!), and a fun supporting cast of Samuel L Jackson and Michael Keaton. But 25 minutes in and I was still waiting for the story to start. It's basically just a simple revenge story, with nothing deeper (you'll expect something deeper, but it just never happens). There are a few really great action sequences (I like when she electrocutes the "bad guys" and then they start shooting their guns all over while they are being electrocuted. I laughed.) and some brutal torture scenes. But it's also very, very dumb - like how she's tortured (like, really tortured. Waterboarded even!) and then a few scenes later she doesn't have a bruise or scratch on her. How much time has gone by?? We'll never know. Also, *spoiler* OBVIOUSLY, Sam Jackson is not dead. He's not going to sign onto a movie like this to just appear in the first 10 minutes. OBVIOUSLY. 

3. Downton Abbey: A New Era - Weirdly, I think this is the most I've enjoyed anything Downton Abbey related...ever? Far more entertaining than the previous movie and certainly not as slow-moving as the series. It's probably because there is actually something interesting happening in the house - it's being used as a film location! So it's basically a movie about making a movie! Hollywood comes to Downton! What fun! Although, I love that they make fun of the movie-making process (my favorite line "filming must be the slowest occupation known to man". Soooooo true. I know people believe it's really glamorous and cool to be on a film set, but I promise you, it is the most bored I've ever been in my entire life). It also feels like there is more of a plot that moves several stories forward, instead of the last movie that was just about one specific event being held. **spoiler** While I'm upset at the death of the best character, I do think it was time. And they did it really well (her last line - absolutely hilarious and perfect). Overall, I think they did a really good job with this. Although, Lily James is still not in this one, which is super annoying (and yet, Dominic West is!?! What the fuck!). 

4. Sonic the Hedgehog 2 - What the fuck is this? This is what I was expecting from the first movie, but I was actually surprised at how fucking funny the first one is. This one, though, is really hard to watch. Didn't laugh once. NOT ONCE! And I was in the mood for a dumb comedy, so I'm not sure what went wrong with this. It just all came off as very obnoxious. And long. So very long. And also...very predictable. I'm sure it's not supposed to be a movie with a big twist or anything, but the foreshadowing of the rings is done really poorly. I don't think the live cast is in it enough, which is definitely a big part of the problem - I loved both Jim Carrey's over-the-top villain and James Marsden's charm in the first one. They both feel like an afterthought in this. I do love Idris Elba's voice, so at least that's a win. Other than that, this movie is really painful. Still somehow not even in my worst films of the year, though (I've watched a lot of crap. Surprise, surprise!). 

5. Persuasion (2022) - When I first started to see reviews (and memes...) for this, I assumed people were being unnecessarily harsh. People seemed really offended that they updated Jane Austen's words to make them more modern and relevant (something that is done with Shakespeare all the time, and is usually super cool!). I didn't realize that there are so many Jane Austen purists in the world, but get a grip guys. I've said it before, but Austen novels are not really my thing (I think the only ones I've even read are Sense & Sensibility and Emma) and I definitely don't care if they dumb-down the dialogue for a general audience. However, after watching the movie, I have to admit, it's really bad. The dialogue, though, is not the worst part. I think the most glaring problem is the casting. I did see multiple people comment about how Dakota Johnson doesn't fit the role (someone noted that she has a face of someone who knows what a cellphone is or something like that, which is hilarious and TRUE). I love her, but she is not good here. And she does have a modernity to her look that makes her feel out of place in this. Also, the woman who plays Mary, is awful. Obviously her character is awful too - just completely insufferable with no redeeming qualities, but there is a way to play that type of character that isn't this cringeworthy. And this is more of a personal gripe, but she's SO SHORT - it's so distracting. She's 5ft tall (yes, I was so bored that I looked it up), and compared to everyone else at normal height she looks like a child next to everyone. Now this may seem like a harsh criticism, but I AM ONLY 5ft TALL TOO! I am tiny. Most people tell me that that I don't seem that short (I have very long limbs - like I can reach higher than someone who is 5'4", and I wear very loud clothing which I think makes my presence known LOL), but when I take group pictures with normal heighted people I stand out and everyone is always like "oh my God you're so tiny"! Anyway, I find her height visually distracting. And if you think that's an unnecessary and harsh criticism, I'm not even done yet - the main love interest guy is NOT hot. Like at all. And the fact that she chooses him over HENRY GOLDING is the most ridiculous thing I've ever seen. Golding doesn't even show up until a whole hour into the movie! What the fuck is up with that?? They should have switched roles. That would have made much more sense. Okay, I think I'm done being mean now. Oh wait, the costumes look very cheap too. Okay now I'm done. Promise. 

Thoughts on 5 Films

1. Cha Cha Real Smooth - I liked this movie quite a bit, but I completely understand the criticism of the lead character. He definitely is a little too "perfect", and I do think that Cooper Raiff may have been a little hesitant to make this character unlikeable, but there is a big difference in making someone flawed and making someone unlikeable. Raiff is super young (25!!), so he has time to grow as a writer. But, maybe because he is so young, I can forgive this aspect of the movie and just find complete joy and sweetness in this character. I am absolutely baffled as to where Raiff came from and how he got this movie made - it doesn't seem like he has famous parents or connections, and, AGAIN, he is ONLY 25. He's also got great screen presence - just really charming (a perfect mix of David Tennant and Adam Scott). Dakota Johnson is also quite charming. She gets better with every role, which is exciting to me. I also adore Leslie Mann (I can't believe she is 50!!). And Vanessa Burghardt is a star. Her performance is probably my favorite of the film. I do think it's a little too long for the simpleness of the plot. It's also very obvious that a guy wrote this - ****spoiler**** the miscarriage scene is very well-done, but then the plot just accelerates into an unrealistic sex scene (there is not one woman in this entire world who would even think about having sex directly after a miscarriage. Not one.). And the guy who plays her husband is a terrible actor. So, there are obvious flaws in the movie. However, as a whole, I really liked it, there's a lot of compassion and thoughtfulness within the characters, and it's just really sweet. 

2. Spiderhead - I know, I know, I should have expected dull and boring, but I thought maybe it could be good (some Netflix movies have been good, but none of them have starred Chris Hemsworth - and yes, that was a dig at Extraction, which somehow is getting a sequel?! LOL.). For what it's worth, Hemsworth does a decent job in this (and he's very pretty) and Miles Teller is great (on a sidenote - recently everyone at my work was talking about how hot he is and I just do not see it, but I like him as an actor very much). The acting is definitely not the problem. Even the plot is pretty interesting - the idea that you can make people attracted to each other by altering their chemicals is fascinating. It is all based on chemical reactions so theoretically it can be altered. I watched a movie not that long ago that had a similar premise called The Killing Room (people in a room being tested on with Chloe Sevigny watching their reactions. It was also bad). The biggest problem with the movie is just that it's very tedious to sit through. It's amazing that you can have a strong premise and solid performances and still have a less than 2 star movie. I can't really pinpoint the problem - boring dialogue, perhaps? Nothing felt unexpected, and when it starts to pick up the end, it also just becomes really ridiculous (with them running and "You Make My Dreams (Come True)" playing. Just so stupid). 

3. Belfast - Ooooof. My expectations were through the roof with this - I honestly thought it would be among my Top 5 of 2021. It seems like my thing, plus Jamie Dornan with his Irish accent?! YES PLEASE. It's not a bad movie - solid 3 stars, but that's definitely a disappointment. Like a big huge crushing disappointment. There's a lot to like about it - particularly Caitriona Balfe's performance. I don't think I've ever seen her in anything before, but is it weird that I recognized her from the heavily promoted Outlander advertising?? I don't watch it and not a single person I know watches it, but the producers market that show like it's the number one show of the decade. I think EW had like 6 covers of it (speaking of, I had a subscription to Entertainment Weekly for over 20 years. I'm so sad that they ended their magazines and do online only content now - meaning I'll probably never read another article again. So sad). Balfe is just incredible and has amazing screen presence. I also like the black & white - I'm not usually a fan of this for modern movies, but it works here. The scene featuring "Everlasting Love" is adorable, beautifully shot, and full of such joy - a scene that I will likely remember for years to come. Other than that, though, the rest is just...there. Dornan feels miscast. I usually like stories of people having a link or connection to a certain place, like Midnight's Children, and the movie this got compared to a lot, Roma, but this just didn't work for me. 

4. Doctor Strange in the Multiverse of Madness - I think this may be the first time that I ignored all of the reviews and went into a Marvel movie with super low expectations. I feel like I was burned so badly by Spider-Man: No Way Home, I just can't let it happen again! So I expected this to be a big mess of a film like many Marvel movies before it, and that's exactly what I got. Also, while I was a fan of the first Doctor Strange movie, I don't particularly remember much about it other than some of the scenes being super cool. Doctor Strange is such an asshole of a character (and not in the good, fun way like Iron Man), so he's not someone that I really want to watch more of. I was surprisingly able to stay relatively spoiler-free since its initial release (the only thing I saw was ****spoiler**** that John Krasinski was cast as Mr. Fantastic, but honestly, I thought that was already a thing, but I guess it was just fan casting that turned into the real thing - but not really because it's a different multiverse?? Also, stop letting the internet make casting decisions! I feel like this is going to happen with Taron in talks for Wolverine. Years ago, when he did press with Hugh Jackman for Eddie the Eagle, multiple outlets were reporting that Hugh was going to be done with Wolverine leading so many people to question Taron if he would be interested and he specifically said that he didn't think he'd be right for the role, but the damn internet won't give it up and now it seems likely to happen). That being said, none of it felt particularly surprising. The scene mentioned above with the introduction of Mr. Fantastic and others is definitely clever - *more spoilers*, with Professor X (would have definitely preferred McAvoy, but whatever), Hayley Atwell as Captain Carter (what an absolute snoozefest of a character) and Anson Mount from The Inhumans tv show (which made me question if I watched that show??? It seems so familiar, but I searched my blog and my twitter handle and I've never mentioned it - so I guess I never watched it? But I love me some Anson Mount!). But again, it also feels a bit like fan service and that never ends well. At first, I was excited by more Scarlet Witch, but then I realized they were basically rehashing WandaVision - why did I watch an entire miniseries if they were just going to do it again with this movie?? It all feels a bit pointless. I think the biggest success is the more horror aspect - a lot of these films are starting to blend together so anything that veers from the formula is welcome. Having Sam Raimi direct it and go full "Raimi" is super cool to watch. The nods to Evil Dead, Carrie, and The Grudge were definitely appreciated (and I'm sure there were even more horror references that I didn't notice). It still doesn't make up for the actual movie being a pointless, mess of a movie. 

5. Parallel Mothers - Yay! I loved this. I feel like it's been a really, really long time since I've loved a highly praised movie! Penelope Cruz is spectacular (but I still think Jessica Chastain rightfully won that Oscar). Pedro Almodovar is definitely among my favorite directors. The only movie that I didn't absolutely love is his previous one - Pain and Glory. I really want to watch his pre-All About My Mother stuff. He has a huge filmography of films I've never even heard of. Anyway, this movie is such a powerful story of motherhood and human connection. It takes some really unexpected twists and turns, and I could easily argue that some of it was unnecessary (and don't even get me started on the age difference!), but I also found it very exciting and rebellious in a way. *slight spoilers ahead* I didn't really know what it was about going in, but the story is really terrifying and seems like something that couldn't happen in the present day. The horror of taking your baby home, falling in love with them, and then finding out that they aren't biologically yours? Just heartbreaking. I also find it terrifying that Penelope Cruz gets accidentally pregnant at her age (she's 48 in real life, I don't know how old she is supposed to be in this, but clearly in her 40s. Absolutely stunning, but definitely in her 40s). I like to think that it's over for me and not something I need to worry about, but it could technically still happen and I would be so fucking pissed if it did (I have so many travel plans!). Anyway, I really love the colors used in this (the bright reds and yellows) - it's very noticeable, but also it feels like it's done very purposefully - every item of clothing, every set piece is perfectly picked and placed in each scene. Just stunning. 

Emmy Nominations: The Good, The Bad, and The Snubbed

The Good

- There's quite a lot of good television from last year and I think overall the Emmy nominations reflect that. Some great Dramas included - Better Call Saul, Yellowjackets, Severance, Squid Game, and Comedies such as Ted Lasso, Only Murders in the Building, and What we do in the Shadows (!!!)

- Rhea Seehorn has been notably snubbed in the past, so it's nice that they've made up for it here - and she should definitely get the win. 

- I think my favorite Limited Series from this year is The Dropout, which I wasn't expecting. And my favorite performance of the year is definitely Amanda Seyfried. If Garner wins over her I will riot (quietly on my couch). Also love the two Directing nods - there's just something about it that is so unexpected and memorable. 

- I sort of love that some big names were ignored - Julia Roberts, Viola Davis, Anne Hathaway, Jessica Chastain, etc. And not because they aren't great (I haven't seen First Lady, Gaslit or We Crashed because they all look terrible, but I did see Scenes from a Marriage and Chastain was fantastic and the better performance), but because I feel like the Emmys are on autopilot and automatically nominate big "movie stars". I like that this is shifting - and that television has become just as prestigious as movies. You don't get nominated just because you're a big name. 

- Is Bridgerton not critically loved?? Thank fuck for that! Literally everyone I know loves it and raves about it, so I'm super glad it was ignored because I was expecting it to rack up a ton of undeserving awards nominations (I haven't seen the second season, but even if it's 100% better than the first, it's still trash). 

The Bad

- The supporting actor/actress categories across the board are crazy - and some new rules need to be implemented so that 1 or 2 shows can't dominate a whole category (ahem The White Lotus - which is a perfectly fun trashy show but in NO WAY should be in any Emmy discussions. Just ludicrous! And that's coming from someone who is a HUGE fan of several of the actors, specifically Alexandra Daddario, but when I saw her name listed as an Emmy nominee, my eyes bulged out of my head). Also, some of the "supporting" performances are clearly "lead" performances and since the actors can submit themselves in either category - it kind makes the race a bit murky. Specifically I think Sarah Snook and Kieran Culkin should move to the lead categories. And possibly even Julia Garner because the final season of Ozark was largely focused on her character. 

- The second season of The Morning Show was God awful. I'm glad it was largely ignored, but how did Reese Witherspoon pull off a nomination? 

- I know I shouldn't comment if I haven't seen it, but the love for Pam & Tommy is just...ugh for so many different reasons. I have no interest in watching it - most importantly because of the complete disrespect and disregard for Pamela Anderson. It's not new to take someone's life story and capitalize on it without their involvement, but due to the nature of this particular story it's just really gross. The line is there and it has definitely been crossed. But also, I think it relies heavily on hair & makeup and that most likely overshadows the performances (again...I'm a big fan of Lily James. Like HUGE. I even named my cat after her. But she's not an Emmy level actress, though. Let's be real, guys). 

- Super weird that Donald Glover snagged a lead actor nomination when he's only in a handful of episodes?? Give him all the writing, directing, producing awards you want (Atlanta is one of the most creative shows in the past decade - no doubt about it), but the acting one is a stretch. 

The Snubbed 

- There's always going to be a lot of snubs with award nominations - but I think the one that really hurts this year is for Better Things. It's received some nominations over the course of the series for various things (acting, writing, etc.), but that final season was absolutely beautiful. This can also be said about the final season of Insecure, but at least Issa Rae got something. 

- It seems everyone is talking about the biggest snubs being Selena Gomez, Mandy Moore and Sadie Sink, and while I'm a fan of all three - I don't think they deserve an Emmy nomination. They are all good, but...that's it? (I can sort of see Sadie Sink, but only because she's so young - and she definitely excels in a show where other performances are rough - some of those kids can't act and we need to admit it). But, for me, the real snubs are more underrated performances like Rose Byrne in Physical, Maura Tierney in Rust, Paul Rudd and Will Ferrell for The Shrink Next Door, and Danielle Macdonald for The Tourist. 

- I knew it was a longshot, but Heartstopper is so lovely and the lead performances are so strong - if the Emmys wanted to gain a younger audience, this was their opportunity and they blew it.

- It's Always Sunny in Philadelphia is perpetually ignored but is the best comedy on television. The second is Mythic Quest - also ignored. 

- I'm glad that Elle Fanning (and Nicolaus Hoult) got nominated for The Great, but I'm really surprised Fanning was ignored for The Girl from Plainville. She was incredible and it really showcases her versatility. 

Best Films of 2021 ***Updated***

It's that time of year again! Every July, I update my previous year "Best of" list because I've had some more time to actually watch everything before making me "final" decisions. Here goes: 

1. The Harder They Fall

2. Benedetta 

3. Parallel Mothers

4. Riders of Justice

5. The Lost Daughter

6. The Last Duel 

7. C'mon C'mon

8. Flee

9. Encounter

10. A Quiet Place Part II

10.5 Oxygen

I'm surprised (and a little disappointed) that my #1 stayed the same - although I did contemplate giving Benedetta the slot. There are six new entries, and this is the first year that I can remember in which I did actually watch everything that I thought would change my list - most were disappointing (*ahem* Belfast). This might also be the first year that a documentary made my list!