Thoughts on 5 Films

1. RRR - Well, this is mostly wonderful. I would say that it's superb if it were edited down by an entire hour. But unfortunately, it is a full 3 hours long. However, I will allow it, in this case, because it is genuinely an epic story (while a lot of 2+ hour long films stretch out a story to make it feel like an epic, but it's not), so at least most of it feels necessary (I do feel like it still could have been edited down by about 40 minutes - there are a few scenes that are repetitive and do nothing to advance the story). Other than the length, though, it is hard to find any faults. There is something for everyone, too - a love story, a story of brotherhood, a Shakespearian-like plot of confused identities (although based on Hindu mythology that I'm not going to pretend I know anything about), an epic Bollywood dance-off, and some truly spectacular choreographed fight and action sequences. All with the themes of revenge, forgiveness, heroism and loyalty among a political backdrop of race and class struggles in India. I enjoyed it all, but was particularly taken with the action scenes - they felt fresh & modern somehow, but most importantly, these sequences are so detailed and fully realized. I can tell that a lot of hard work and passion went into creating these scenes, and I feel like that's becoming very rare nowadays. This isn't a film that I would recommend to a lot of people (the length and the subtitles will put off pretty much everyone I know, unfortunately), but if you have a passion for filmmaking, then this is a must. 

2. Halloween Ends - *some spoilers ahead* It's not amazing or anything, but it's certainly better than Halloween Kills, and more interesting than Halloween (2018). And it's one of those films that I thought about for a little while after, and the more I think about it, the more I like it (originally rated it 2.5 stars, but now I'm thinking it might be a solid 3 star film). I like that the beginning sets up a new storyline within the Halloween universe instead of just rehashing the same thing. I really like that they focus on the cycle of violence route - how evil can be born through trauma and also how trauma can affect your brain in wild ways (as Laurie refers to it as "an infection"). *personal story ahead* My mom often talks about how nice my dad was when they first met; she described him as peaceful, quiet, nurturing even. But then his best friend died in a car accident and he just shut down completely and started doing hard drugs. She says that it changed his whole personality and he started to blame her for everything that went wrong in his life (and then the violence started). I used to think that she told me this to make me feel better about sharing DNA with him and also as an excuse for herself as to why she stayed with him for so long, but I always assumed that my mom just didn't see the early signs. But, who knows? Maybe both of those things are true (it also was a great way of keeping me away from drugs LOL. I was terrified of them - to the point that I wouldn't even take pain killers). Anyway, I think that exploring this idea and sticking to the psychology behind Michael Meyers and "evilness" (which has been explored a lot in the earlier films) is a good way to "end" the story. However, the actual movie isn't that good. There's some terrible acting on display (the three bullies, in particular, are off the charts awful). It's very poorly edited (Laurie's granddaughter is at work in one scene and then suddenly walking out of her house - is it the same day? who knows?). The last 30 minutes focusing on Laurie and Michael is actually kind of boring and predictable (did anyone believe that Laurie Strode would even *think* about suicide?? Be real.). The whole "evil dies tonight" from Kills is the worst mantra ever, but I like that they end it with "evil doesn't die, it changes shape". Also, the main guy does a really great job - he's about the only one that can actually act, so he stuck out like a sore thumb, but he definitely carries the whole movie. 

3. Resurrection - This movie hit me pretty hard. I don't like to watch trailers or read plot summaries before watching a movie, so I usually just hear about them from quick snippet reviews and film twitter. But sometimes that's a mistake because I end up watching something that really fucks me up (or is "triggering" as they say nowadays). If you just read the above paragraph on Halloween Ends, then you can quickly decipher why this might be hard for me to watch. So, in relation to this movie and to the personal story told above, I'll continue it: my mom eventually escaped my father (like literally escaped) and I was/am always terrified of him showing up. Luckily, I did have the advantage of him being in prison for most of my life (drug & weapons charges - smuggling, selling etc.) and when he would get released (a ridiculous amount of times - the prison system in America fucking sucks), he would just go right back in for violating parole. I was forced to see him for my grandmother's funeral (they let him attend with an entire police squad surrounding the cemetery) and it was actually really relieving because he was not the man I imagined. He was old and frail - the drugs had definitely taken a toll; he was no longer this towering aggressive presence. I haven't let my guard down yet (and I won't until he's dead), but it helped a lot. Anyway, back to the movie - I can definitely relate to that feeling of constantly having to look over your shoulder, but I can't even imagine how it was for my mom. To constantly live in fear that someone wants to hurt you and/or your daughter is terrifying. Rebecca Hall is stunning at nailing this fear. There is a scene in which she tells her intern what is happening and from an acting perspective, it's the stuff of dreams (from a storytelling perspective, though, it's dumb - she wouldn't hold it all in for years only to tell essentially a stranger). She delivers an absolutely perfect monologue - just a masterclass in acting that will likely go unnoticed. I like that the story makes you question if we are dealing with an unreliable narrator (is she crazy? hallucinating? paranoid?), but it also feels very grounded in reality. Tim Roth is also perfectly creepy. The ending really goes for it - it's quite surprising, gory and disturbing. Overall, I loved this. 

4. Last Seen Alive - The beginning of this is basically that 90s movie with Kiefer Sutherland called The Vanishing (which I think was a remake??). It's literally identical - he stops at a gas station with his girlfriend and she disappears. FYI, his girlfriend is played by none other than Miss Sandra Bullock (pre-Speed). It's a great catalyst for a thriller, but it's funny that most Letterboxd reviews call this movie a "Liam Neeson movie minus Liam Neeson", which is definitely true. Although, Gerard Butler often makes these types of movies too. And I LOVE Gerard Butler, which is weird because he's not generally my type so I'm convinced it's just the accent. And I genuinely think that he's a good, solid actor. I kind of like that he keeps his accent in this, but it's sort of Americanized and never really addressed. I also love Jaimie Alexander - she is stunning and she deserves to be a much bigger star. I thought her career would take off after the Thor movies, but I am disappointed that she's relegated to the kidnapped wife role (and therefore barely in the movie at all). *spoilers ahead* It's obvious from the first minute of the kidnapping that there is a twist because no woman would walk over to a stranger calling to her. Ever. But it doesn't make sense as to why the cop is such a terrible cop, and that Butler's character is questioned as possibly being in on it, when there is no proof of that at all - and that would be the worst way ever to get rid of your wife (so many things could have gone wrong in that scenario). So I assumed the cop was part of the twist, but he's not...I guess he's just a terrible cop, then? It's pretty stupid when you think about it. The plot actually goes a little crazy - and also becomes terribly uninteresting. I think I started scrolling through twitter about 45 minutes in because it was just all so bland. 

5. Athena - I think my expectations were too high for this. I saw a few people really hype it up, especially the opening scene. I agree that the opening scene is fantastic (more on that in a second), but the rest of the film is just one big ball of clutter - there is no emotion, no real plot - just a catalyst for chaos, and no character development. Sometimes this can work brilliantly, like with The Raid, but this is too important of a story to not tell it. Instead of something powerful and meaningful, it becomes spectacle. But back to that opening scene, because it is really brilliant and quite a technical masterpiece. It's a long tracking shot sequence that's a single take (it's quite long too - not sure of how many minutes), but it is filled to the brim with action that seemingly sweeps through an entire city - crowds move through open spaces, our focused characters moving among them through buildings and on rooftops, there's chaos filling every single space. You get an instant sense of the passion and anger among the crowd, rooting for them to cause the aforementioned chaos. But then, it just never lives up to its own hype. Certainly not a bad film, but definitely a let down. It's well-made but meaningless. 

Thoughts on 5 Films

1. Here Before - I watched this for Andrea Riseborough because she's so good in smaller psychological thrillers like this. She is fast becoming one of my all-time favorite actresses. She is relatively unknown here in America, but I think that will change soon. I think the plot of this is interesting - she thinks that her new neighbor's daughter is her dead daughter reincarnated. There are a few scenes that are particularly really well-done and creepy without ever being outright scary. It just kind of gets under your skin a bit. Haunting, deeply depressing, but also a little hopeful. I do like that they ended with a twist that explains everything instead of continuing with a supernatural type story. Unfortunately, it moves a little too slowly and is mostly forgettable. My only other comment is that I really like the woman who plays the neighbor - Eileen O'Higgins. I've seen her in a few things and she always stands out (she's really very pretty), but it really, really bothers me when actresses have their ages scrubbed from IMDB. It feeds into the narrative that women (especially actresses) aren't allowed to age. And I can still find it just by searching a bit more, anyway, so it's absolutely pointless. 

2. Blonde - Well, I loved this. I certainly didn't expect to. I read A LOT of negative reviews and criticism - from the misogyny, to the exploitation and disrespect shown to Marilyn and the objectification of Ana De Armas, to the anti-abortion messaging. All of it seemed very concerning. The thing is, for me, I agree that all of these elements are there (to a degree) but...it doesn't make it a bad movie. You can appreciate a movie, and also disagree with its messaging. I also saw a lot of people get upset over an interview with the director, Andrew Dominik, in which he explains that he didn't want to make a movie about Marilyn's life, he wanted to make a movie that explored why someone who seemingly had everything and was adored by millions would still be depressed and (possibly) kill themselves - this was apparently the disrespectful part. But I think it's an interesting angle to her life and watching the movie through that lens, made all of it work so well for me. I also thought about it for weeks afterwards, which is becoming more and more rare. I have also become more and more fascinated with fictionalizing real events and/or people in film and television - and I think this is far more interesting in terms of storytelling than to just film a "normal" biography that is essentially a Wikipedia page. We are so advanced in our ability to find knowledge about literally any subject on the planet, it's not that hard to look up Marilyn Monroe's life if that's what interests you. I read a book about her called The Girl, it was a nice read easy read that showed how passionate she was about acting, how well-read and intelligent she was, etc. This movie, however, was based off of a fictional account of her life by Joyce Carol Oats (I have not read it, so I'm not sure how much was changed). There's a lot of things in the movie that seemingly go too far - one is the multiple scenes of sexual assault. First by a studio executive - which allowed her to get her big break, and the second, being a full-on rape - with the assaulter being none other than JFK. I think it's hilarious that anyone is offended by these two things. If you think Marilyn didn't sleep with executives to get parts, then I think you're delusional. I read a biography on Natalie Wood that broke my heart because it was filled with all of these incidences with respected and adored famous men that Wood had to navigate in order to be successful in Hollywood (from being "special friends" with Frank Sinatra when she was 14 years old, to an alleged rape by Kirk Douglas). It's how things were done, and still being done in a lot of ways. It's changing, but slowly. I don't think Dominik is judging her for it, or expecting the audience to judge her for it, but I think it's safe to assume that maybe it's something that made her miserable? It's not misogynistic to show misogyny existing! Should I say that louder???? Because I feel like people don't understand that concept at all. I think the JFK thing is interesting because it's so shocking to see someone actually...go there. The Kennedy family is so fucked up and they got away with so much shit, it's not all that hard to believe that our beloved JFK was a rapist (and they never actually say that it's JFK - they just call him "the president", and used an actor who has portrayed JFK in multiple projects - which is also brilliant!). I do think it's kind of fucked up to invent a rape, but it makes sense in the context of the movie, and I don't know...it's kind of refreshing to watch someone take a risk like this. I'm not even close to being done with my thoughts yet, which is also why I loved this movie. There's A LOT to talk about. To continue with the story/controversy part - I was actually expecting way more sex and nudity considering that it received an NC-17 rating. It's actually not that bad at all. And I didn't really feel like de Armas was objectified at all. She, herself, said that she didn't understand the rating and she was fully aware of the nudity before signing on to the project. The only part of the criticism that I will agree with is that this is definitely anti-abortion propaganda. There are several scenes that show Marilyn's regret over abortions (that are seemingly also fictional, which is a weird thing to fictionalize because she always was really open about wanting kids and a family. I don't think she ever had any abortions, but again - it might have happened and it might have been something that made her depressed). But I also think that people have a right to their opinion and are free to express this within their own art - and the abortion thing is complicated. There's nothing in the movie that is necessarily anti-choice. Again, I don't think Dominik is judging her or women for having abortions, but he's speculating that it might effect their mental health (and I, as someone who is pro-choice, agree with this sentiment. I personally would never do it for fear that I would hate myself forever. It's okay to think that! Everyone is different, and for someone else it might not effect them at all.). Okay, I think I'm done with all that - so on to the actual movie. I think it's beautifully made - it's thoughtful, eerie and harrowing, and stunningly lit. I know lighting is a weird thing to focus on, but I saw a tweet not that long ago that said "does anyone know how to light a fucking movie anymore?" and it made me laugh because no - nobody knows how to light a movie anymore. But this is spectacularly done. Ana de Armas shines in this - just absolutely stunning. I don't think it's hard to do a Marilyn Monroe impression - but she does a wonderful job at capturing her essence. The accent is a little distracting, but I got over it pretty quickly. It's wild how much she looks like her, too - just add the blonde hair and the mole and BAM. I was surprised by the supporting cast - a lot of talent displayed. Julianne Nicholson, Sara Paxton, Bobby Cannavale, etc. My biggest complaint isn't going to shock you: it's way too fucking long. I'm way more bothered by that than any of the controversy. Edit your fucking movie, people! Also, I cringed every time she called the men in her life "daddy". 

3. Moonfall - What a ridiculous fucking movie. And not the good kind of ridiculous, either. In theory, it should be the good kind of ridiculous - it's basically Independence Day and Armageddon combined! And it has a decent, well-liked cast. Patrick Wilson, Halle Berry, Michael Pena. But unfortunately it feels like a commercial for Lexus and Colorado tourism. And Elon Musk propaganda. And I guess we're just letting the conspiracy theorists win this round??? It's just so terrible. But it is still entertaining, I guess. And they legitimately try to explain how the Earth and humans were created, so I have to respect it for that. I actually would have rated it 3 stars if it had a hot guy, perhaps (sorry, I love Patrick, but he's not exactly hot). I think they tried to pull in a younger crowd with the plot revolved around the son - but he is a very terrible actor, so that backfired a little bit. It doesn't really do anything new or have any lasting emotion, but worst of all - it's just not fun. Also, do not watch this movie with someone who is very into science and space stuff because he will tell you every ridiculous thing that is scientifically impossible (my husband. Do not watch this movie with my husband). 

4. Memory - In an ironic twist, I have absolutely no recollection of watching this movie titled Memory. But then I took a glance at my notes, and remembered that it's another generic Liam Neeson action movie. For some reason, I can't stop watching them! I noticed that there are two more added to streaming (Blacklight and The Marksman) and my brain just instantly goes "I'm IN!". According to my notes, I didn't hate this. It's weird that Guy Pierce is in another movie about someone losing their memory and writing stuff on their arms. There's definitely something in this about trafficking undocumented minors, which seems important, but the film is too generic and dull to make any real impact. It's also very long - and has about 5 different endings that aren't the actual end of the movie. I did think some of the shots were cool (and there is a great scene in which someone gets shot on a treadmill that is done very well - and I do actually remember that!). Neeson is a wonderful actor, but he is definitely just phoning it in at this point. It kind of makes me nervous for him - is he okay? Has someone checked on him? He did that hilarious cameo on Atlanta - that literally made me do a double-take because he basically doubles down on his racist comments. But other than that it feels like he's sleepwalking through his performances and collecting a paycheck. 

5. Hocus Pocus 2 - I know that the first one has quite a large cult following, but I was never really into it. I was more of a Practical Magic girl, if we're talking witch stories. Part of the reason is because I'm not a big fan of this cast of witches - I hate Sarah Jessica Parker (always have, probably always will), and I think both Bette Midler and Kathy Najimy are a bit...grating. But, I will admit that together, the three of them have some really fun chemistry and I think they brought that same energy back for the sequel. I had fun with it - it's cute, light and has some real laugh out loud moments. There are some really fun musical moments - just like the first. For real, I smiled through the entire "One Way or Another" scene. Just pure joy. I wish Hannah Waddingham had a larger role, because I ADORE her (and she can SING! They definitely should have capitalized on that!). The younger cast is wonderful - especially Whitney Peak, who is essentially the star of the film. She's gorgeous, has great comedic timing and screen presence. I'm not really familiar with the other younger stars - I've heard of Froy Gutierrez before, but only from the Richard Madden dating rumors (I think he's on that Teen Wolf show??), but he is definitely a star. I think we'll definitely see more of him soon. The worst part of the movie is definitely SJP's eye makeup - I know that she had that black eye makeup on for the original, but it is so unflattering for older women. They should have updated it to something that's more trendy but still goth-like. Anyway, that's all there is to say, really. Cute movie - family friendly, entertaining, good stuff. 

3 Thoughts on Don't Worry Darling

1. The Movie - *major spoilers ahead* I don't know why this movie is getting such terrible reviews from critics. It's a beautifully filmed movie - stunning cinematography, style for days, an interesting story, and an acting performance from Florence Pugh that is Oscar-worthy. Yes, it kind of falls apart during the last 30 minutes. And yes, it's kind of obvious that there is a "modern day" twist to it (although I was thinking more of a cult-like group that set-up camp in the middle of the desert to pretend they are living in the 50s and that they were under some sort of hypnosis - I was not considering the *even more* modern day twist of a virtual reality experience). But I can't just discount or ignore everything that comes before those last 30 minutes - and I was absolutely IN for all of it. It's a very likeable movie, which is why I think there is this huge disconnect between critics and audiences (38% vs 75% RT score). Florence Pugh is consistently given very high praise, and she really deserves it - probably the most consistent actress of her age group. Olivia Wilde, on the other-hand, has been very inconsistent. I've been a fan of hers since The O.C., but I have seen her give some really terrible performances in some of the worst movies to exist. But she's also been great in projects like House and...uh...nothing else is coming to mind, but I love her anyway! I didn't realize how big of a role she has in this, but I thought she was excellent - and she fits into this world so well. And as I've said above, it's a very well-made movie. I am one of the few who didn't think Booksmart was that great. It's an okay movie, but I don't think that there was anything particularly exciting about it - anyone could have made it, really. But I think this shows what she can do far more, so it's unfortunate that it got overshadowed by controversy and the fact that critics are very influenced by their peers (sorry, but it's true - one "big" critic pans it and everyone follows suit). The rest of the supporting cast shine - Chris Pine, once again, proves why he is Hollywood's "Best Chris", Gemma Chan does a really great job practically recreated her robot role that she played in Humans, and KiKi Layne gives a really intense performance that helps create this feeling of uneasiness throughout. I know that it became part of the controversy (more on that later) that her role was reduced, and she didn't really participate in the promotion of the film, but that happens A LOT in the movie business. It wouldn't even have been a talking point if the rest of the controversy didn't exist. And, honestly, I think it serves the story well to not know much about this character. I wish I could just ignore the weakest link in the film, which is definitely Harry Styles, but since everyone pointed it out already - he's not very good. He's not exactly bad, though. I just think he's a bit in over his head. Acting against a talent like Pugh is going to make any amateur actor look bad. His accent is also so inconsistent that it is a huge distraction (meanwhile Pugh's accent is FLAWLESS and her voice is just so soothing). I saw someone try to defend his accent as being done "on purpose", but he's not that good of an actor, so I don't buy that at all (he even admits to not having a clue as to what he's doing - it's embarrassing that he's getting roles over actual actors. Please stop doing this Hollywood!). 

2. The Idea - So, let's talk about this idea, shall we? It's not the most original concept - it's kind of an updated version of The Stepford Wives. But, there is a very fascinating aspect to it, which boils down to the line that occurs during those bonkers final 30 minutes, in which Harry's character says "but you're happy here". I think most are going to focus on the bigger picture of the plot - in which he has imprisoned his wife into this virtual reality 1950s utopia, which is a horrifying idea. The film proceeds to imply that all the women are unaware of what is happening to them except for Wilde (who has a heartbreaking reason for wanting to be there) and Chan (who has an ambiguous end to her story, but I interpret it as her being behind the whole thing - realizes that her husband has failed and decides to take matters into her own hands). But, I'm going to focus on this line of "being happy" because I think it's the more interesting take. And my fascination with it is because it's true. She is happy. She's happy until she realizes that her reality isn't...real. But if it was, then technically, she is living...happily. There's this big push for women to "have it all" that was promoted along with feminism, that always didn't sit right with me. It puts this insane amount of pressure on women that is practically impossible - creating this feeling of being a complete failure all the time. It's bullshit and it also creates a division between women who want a big career and women who want to be either stay-at-home moms or housewives. I constantly have to correct people (both men and women) who describe their mom or a woman in their life as someone who "doesn't work". "Didn't she raise you?" "Yes, but she was a stay-at-home mom" "That's work." "Oh, well yeah, true". And then they feel like an idiot, as they should. And even women who don't have kids or don't want kids are likely still working even if they "stay at home". If they take care of all the household duties while their partner works, then they are still "working" and supporting the household (seriously add up how many hours it takes to clean, do laundry, make dinner, do the grocery shopping, run the household errands, etc. and it's about the same as a full-time job. I added it up once and I think it came to 34 hours per week). And guess what?? Some women are happy doing that instead of "working" for some big corporation that barely pays minimum wage. Why is that so hard for people to understand? I know that I'm speaking in very gender-normative bullshit terms, but my point is more about this idea of being domestic and having that be viewed as something negative or a more submissive role in a relationship. I'm not, in any way, sticking up for the idea of this movie (in case that wasn't clear), I just think it's an interesting thing to think about. She was happy there. Let that sink in. 

3. The Controversy - Unfortunately, it was controversy that couldn't be ignored. And there are so many parts to it - going back to the recasting, the affair between Harry and Olivia, the legal papers handed to Olivia on stage, it's all been fascinating. People can argue that this all would have been a non-issue if Wilde had been a male director (I've seen the tweet multiple times. Blame misogyny!), but I don't buy it - Harry Styles is one of the biggest pop icons in the world; If it were Britney Spears starring in a movie and the male director left his partner and began an affair with Spears, it would be a HUGE controversy. And if a male director lied about firing the lead actor for being an asshole, and it turned out that the lead actor quit instead - it would still be a big story. I don't think we will ever know the truth, but I think it was a combination of both. I do believe that Wilde wanted to make it work with Shia (he may be a toxic, abusive asshole, but he's an incredible actor. There is no denying that), but once she realized she couldn't - the studio let him out of his contract (which is essentially firing someone). Shia is not a reliable source at all, and we don't know the full context of that video that he leaked. I think the most disappointing part of the controversy is the supposed tension between Pugh and Wilde - and Wilde referring to her as "Miss Flo" doesn't do her any favors (although if I were Florence I would adopt that as my nickname until the end of time. "Miss Flo" makes her sound like a badass, confident woman who will take none of your shit). It's always disappointing when there are rumors of two strong women not able to get along on set, because it's such a cliché and always something used against us (and this I'll accept as misogyny, because people don't really give a fuck if two male stars get along on set). It's clear that Florence did not have a good time with this film, and it's also clear that it was so *bad* that the studio supported her decision to not promote it (again, there are contracts involved and stars are legally obliged to do a certain amount of promotion, which is why she *showed up* to the premiere, but did not join the interviews. It was probably a compromise so that she would still participate in future projects). And finally, the wildest part of the controversy, I'm still convinced Styles spit on Chris Pine. There's no other situation that would make Pine look that dumbfounded and disgusted at the same time. And the fact that in Pine's denial of this happening, he offered no other excuse as to what actually happened. It's honestly one of the funniest moments in "behind the scenes" movie history. 

Thoughts on 5 Films

1. Do Revenge - This is a very fun movie, but it is definitely getting far better reviews than it deserves for what it is. It's a campy teen black comedy in the same vein as Cruel Intentions and I think there is an audience that is desperate for them, so as soon as one comes along that is good, it's inevitable that it's also over-hyped. There's a lot to like about this, though. Camila Mendes and Maya Hawke have great chemistry together. I can recognize the rest of the cast as "the guy from Euphoria", "the girl from 13 Reasons Why" and Sophie Turner (who is actually decent in this! There's a first for everything!). They also give a nice nod to Cruel Intentions with casting Sarah Michelle Gellar as the Headmaster (genius. Whoever made that decision is a genius). I like that the story does what teen comedies from the 90s often did - and that is to adapt a classic, but modernize it so much that the audience might not even realize it (this one is Strangers on a Train). It's also got quite a few lines that made me laugh - and a lot of that had to do more with the timing and delivery of the lines, which is quite a testament to the acting - Camila's line "This is shocking news", really shows her talent. The film definitely embraces its outlandish plot, which boils down to the line "I'm a teenage girl, we're psychopaths!". The issues that I have with the film are very minor. It could have easily been 20 minutes shorter (I can even pinpoint everything that should have been cut because it's very obvious - there are scenes that just drag the story). I don't think it was particularly surprising either. *kind of spoiler but I'll keep it vague* I knew that the original story told was not true. I'm not sure why I knew, but something about it didn't seem right and I instantly thought "she's the unwitting target". My biggest issue with the film, though, and sorry, this may be mean, is that there is no way that guy is the popular guy. He's so...mousy (probably the nicest way I can put it). 

2. Petite Maman - Well the runtime for this was certainly appealing. To me, that's already a sign that I'm about to watch a concise and tight story - no filler. I know everyone is obsessed with Sciamma's previous film, Portrait of a Lady on Fire, but not me. I liked it *shrugs shoulders*. It's beautifully filmed but it's not a film that stuck with me. I loved this, though. The beginning reminds me of the book The Secret Garden, which I remember being a really comforting book as an only child who didn't have a strong parental presence in her life (my mom worked 3 jobs at one point when I was a child, and although she never left me, she was very sick when I was around 10. She was in and out of the hospital because they couldn't figure out what was wrong with her and doctors pretty much told her that the pain she was experiencing in her abdomen was "in her head". It turns out that the scar tissue from her botched C-section had wrapped around her intestines causing her extreme pain. I remember weeks at a time where I didn't see her, or anyone really. And I just took care of myself. Got myself to school, made myself dinner, pretended like that was completely normal for a 10 year old to do.). I connect with this little girl so hard. So lonely and inquisitive, wandering through the woods looking for adventure. The story takes an unexpected turn with this fantasy time-traveling plot, but it works so well within this slice-of-life storytelling and natural acting. It's wonderful. I admit that I was confused by the casting because I thought both girls were played by the same actress and then I looked it up and there were two girls listed. And I thought "WHAT?? How did they find two little girls who looked so identical??" only to realize they have the same last name (and are twins...duh, Michelle. I was a little slow on the uptake with that one. LOL.). 

3. Father Stu - I will always watch a Marky Mark project, even if it looks as terrible as this did. I think he's an interesting person. He's obviously someone who is still seeking redemption for being a violent racist scumbag, but is an example of someone who had an opportunity to turn his life around and he took it. Successful career, family man (I think he has 4 or 5 kids - all with the same woman! Which is rare for Hollywood. They've been together for over 20 years, too, which is also rare), and he donates to the underprivileged community that he grew up in. He also openly supports gay rights, even though he is Catholic. I completely understand why someone would feel differently about him (did he deserve another chance after what he did? Probably not.). Anyway, acting in a project with Mel Gibson, is probably not the right move (sorry, but Gibson has not redeemed himself. He's a racist and an anti-Semite, and seems to double-down on it every chance he gets). The rest of the supporting cast is great, though. Jacki Weaver and Teresa Ruiz (she was in Narcos: Mexico, and she is GORGEOUS). The story, on the other hand, is absolutely terrible. Obviously, I'm not a religious person (at least, I hope that is obvious. I make it pretty clear), so this story just seems ridiculous to me. But the biggest problem with this movie is how he treats this woman (played by Ruiz). First, he quite literally stalks her, even saying the words "I don't take no for an answer". He manipulates her into thinking he's also a religious man (he isn't), seduces her, and then ditches her to become a priest. It's fucked. I question his morals, ethics, everything, but I'm supposed to be inspired by his "real" sermons because he gets sick? Uhhhh fuck off. What a garbage human being. It's weird because I think Wahlberg was attempting to parallel his own redemption story, but this "priest" never redeems himself. It is very strange seeing him in a fat suit, though. I don't think I've ever seen Marky Mark *not* fit. Anyway, this is an awful movie - terrible story, far too long, and utterly pointless. 

4. They/Them - *some spoilers* Wow. It's not the worst movie I've seen this year (that's The Weekend Away), but it's pretty darn close. Even though it is terrible, I will admit that I think the title is brilliant - it's a perfectly campy horror device for the next generation (pronounced They Slash Them in case that went over your head). And I will praise the inclusivity of the cast. But that's about where it ends. The plot could be good - it's basically Friday the 13th, but instead of a summer camp it's a conversion therapy camp. But for some reason, instead of a chilling slasher flick, it turns into a revenge horror and the only people that are murdered are the bad people who are trying to convert the gay kids....soooooo....YAY? That's not exactly scary? Also, it's an HOUR AND 22 MINUTES before someone even dies. Before that you just get a few glimpses of a person in a scary mask lurking about. I think the cast do their best with the dialogue that they are given, but unfortunately nothing seems genuine. I do not think teens talk like this at all - and they definitely don't know the full lyrics to P!nk's song "Fuckin' Perfect", a song that is in no way iconic and came out when these kids were 4 years old. I also just have such a hard time believing that this is the same America that I live in. I know that there are still parts of the country that are like this, but I think a lot of the bullying, etc. comes from parents and political figures not their peers. I just don't believe that being gay and dying your hair different colors makes one an outcast anymore (I went to the prom with a girl and dyed my hair blue, neon orange, blood red, etc. and I wasn't an outcast and that was 23 YEARS AGO! Kids are even far more accepting now). There is dialogue in the movie that actually says "so you're gay, big fucking deal!" and that sums up how I feel about this movie. Anyway, Kevin Bacon and Anna Chlumsky are far better than this - I don't know how they thought this movie was a good idea.

5. Men - I fucking loved this! It's definitely not for everyone (obviously. It received mostly terrible reviews), but I think if you liked Mother!, then you will like this. I read a few reviews that blasted it for being too obvious, but just like Mother!, that's what I like about it. Not everything has to be bathed in subtlety. As for Alex Garland, this is his third film as both writer and director - his first, Ex Machina, was excellent. I wasn't the biggest fan of Annihilation, and unfortunately, as I feared, I don't even remember much about it. I also liked Devs (his tv series) for the most part, but it didn't follow through with its ideas nor did it have much impact. I do think it's interesting that his projects are female-centric, but there is an underlying misogyny to the story-telling. I don't necessarily think that's a bad thing though. It's fascinating to watch a man attempt to understand a woman's psyche, with the end result being very messy. I think most men are too scared to even attempt it (and that's one of the reasons we've been bombarded with male stories for so long). And back to the obviousness of this - I think it's really satisfying to watch this as a horror movie, but instead of a supernatural entity, or a psychopathic serial killer, the thing that women are actually scared of is quite simply...men. Every man, all men. We're scared to take a walk in the woods because there might be a man walking as well - and he might follow us home, stalk us, expose himself. We're scared of saying no to a drink at the bar for fear that the man might get angry and/or resentful. We're scared that the men in power (like a police officer) will not listen to our concerns and side with their fellow men. And, in a devastatingly true but heart-breaking admission, we're scared of the men who claim to love us. I think this needs to be obvious - women need to start shouting this from the fucking rooftops. I think I had this huge realization at how clueless men are of this (I'm talking now about the good ones), when I first started dating my husband. *short story time*. I had this man approach me in a parking garage at 5am (I sometimes work that early) - it was dark and there was nobody else around. And for a good 30 seconds as he approached, I thought "this is it". But, instead he just wanted to tell me that he followed my lead by not parking by the open side because it was supposed to snow. He was like "oh good thinking! You're smart!" - completely innocent and then he walked away. I told my husband (then boyfriend) this story and how upsetting it was and it turned into nothing, and he responded with "well, don't you feel stupid". And let me tell you, I WENT OFF. How can he think it was okay for this strange man to approach me in an empty parking garage in the dark??? Why should I feel stupid for thinking I was about to be raped/murdered? Does he approach women when the are by themselves??? It blew my mind that he didn't see this as a problem and I had to explain it to him. I had to tell him that even though he is one of the "good" ones, and even if he has the best intentions, him approaching a woman who is by herself instantly gives her a moment of sheer terror. He did not know. I do think a lot of this fear comes from the media, television, movies, etc. (especially with the rush of true crime stories), and is definitely an overreaction, but I still feel that way nonetheless, and every woman I know feels the same. Anyway, this is why I think stories can be as obvious as they need to be. I like that this idea is enhanced by having Rory Kinnear play all of the different men she encounters - to make them all interchangeable and therefore just as dangerous. It goes a bit bat-shit for the last 30 minutes (but so does Mother!), and there is some crazy unexpected body horror (the knife through the hand is glorious). It also has a bit of a Suspiria vibe (which I've just seen for the first time last year (or was it 2020? Time is non-existent) and really liked it. I think this might be my favorite movie of the year so far (but I don't know, there's something about After Yang that is just so beautiful. It's a close call). 

Thoughts on 5 New TV Shows

1. A League of Their Own - I really, really wish that I liked this. I know a lot of people do. Specifically, the LGBTQ+ community seem to really dig it. I can understand why; there is great representation of the community and it hits on the discrimination and violence that existed (and still does), while also showing just simple, pure queer joy. It's just...not a very good show, in my opinion. The original movie is one of my favorite movies of all-time (probably in my Top 20!). I love it so much. And the cast is just fucking perfect - Geena Davis, Lori Petty, Rosie O'Donnell, Madonna, Tom Hanks, etc. I think that's where this show fails - the cast is largely dull. I've been told SO MANY times to watch Broad City, but I've put it off because I don't like Llana Glazer (as an actress; I don't know much about her as a person), but now I realize I also don't like Abbi Jacobson. So, I'm pretty sure that I won't like Broad City...right?? (again, I'm talking about as an actress. But a quick google on Jacobson tells me that she's engaged to Jodi Balfour from For All Mankind!!! I love her! Happy for both of them.). I just think Jacobson is so incredibly boring here - there is just no screen presence, and since she's the lead role, the whole show just becomes soooo dull. It also doesn't feel very genuine. I don't really know how to describe it properly, but they all look like they are playing dress up for Halloween. The only one who fits (at least on team Peaches) is D'Arcy Carden. The clearly best part of the show are the scenes with Chante Adams and Gbemisola Ikumelo. They have great chemistry as BFFs and they are both ADORABLE. Adams looks identical to Nia Long (I googled to see if they were related - they are not, but they did play mother and daughter in a film together so I'm clearly not the only one who sees the resemblance). There are some other good things - the wonderful Nick Offerman shows up (for like 2 seconds), same with Patrick J. Adams. I also love the Rosie cameo. I'm hopeful they get some other cameos for season 2 (yes, I will still watch a season 2 even though I don't love it. I'm invested now). 

2. The Terminal List - I think if you like the Amazon version of Jack Ryan and/or Netflix's The Punisher series, then you will like this. It's those two things combined, with a little The Bourne Identity thrown in. I think it's weird that Chris Pratt is so hated by the internet, but if you talk to the average person (at least in America), he is very much loved. I have no problems with him. I think people get way too caught up with having to agree with every. single. opinion someone has - and that's going to end up with hating a lot of people. He's religious. So what? He's Republican. Again, so what? Guess what....so are a LOT of wealthy, white, straight men. It's also weird that I've seen people critique this show as pro-America propaganda and that it's made for a conservative audience, when that is simply not true. Unfortunately, it's not that great of a series either. Incredibly predictable at almost every turn. The plot is absolutely ludicrous that I stopped paying full attention to it after the third episode. There is partially a great cast here - Pratt is perfect in this role, Riley Keough is great even if underutilized, Taylor Kitsch, JD Pardo (I have a HUGE crush on him in that Sons of Anarchy spin-off), and Jeanne Tripplehorn. It, sadly, also stars Constance Wu and Jai Courtney - both of whom are terrible. Also, the little girl who plays Pratt's daughter has to be related to somebody, right? She literally looks like she's reading off of a cue card. Overall, it's pretty average - there are a few moments in the beginning that are a bit shocking, but everything falls into place pretty quickly as to where the story is going and what it is trying to say. I will say that all of the Navy SEAL scenes feel really authentic, like, they really did their homework and I appreciate that. 

3. She-Hulk: Attorney at Law - Again, this is something I wish I really liked, but, so far, I just don't. I'm only three episodes in, but it's just not grabbing me at all. It's not bad, exactly. But the effects definitely are bad and that's incredibly distracting. Honestly, the CGI for Hulk has always been a bit wonky, but it is practically unwatchable here. And I don't understand why even as She-Hulk, she's soooo scrawny??? They just make her tall with a tiny bit of muscle, there is very little "hulk" to her (those legs are like sticks!). I love Tatiana Maslany, but she is far better than this show. Signing on to a Marvel project is usually a good thing in this current environment, but I wish she was used in more challenging roles. Her acting in Orphan Black was consistently phenomenal, while this doesn't really require much...acting? I like that Mark Ruffalo joins her in the first episode and guides her into her new reality of being a hulk, but after that...nothing much has happened. I was very surprised to see Tim Roth in this! That's just crazy. So far, I also find the breaking the 4th wall scenes really grating. The dialogue feels a little immature and often embarrassing (why exactly are we discussing Captain America losing his virginity??? I cringed with embarrassment). However, there is something fun and light about it. And the characters are all very likeable and/or interesting. I'll keep watching (obvi). 

4. Monster: The Jeffrey Dahmer Story - So weird to me that this is what finally broke people into realizing that this true crime explosion is disrespectful to the victims and their families. The world never makes sense to me - sure, complain about this, but keep listening to your podcast with amateur "crime investigators" titled "My Favorite Murder". Makes complete sense. I'm not really one to get to involved very often with what's offensive, etc., but I get bothered by inconsistency. I do understand the criticism, and I do think it would be very hard to have to relive the murder of a loved one over and over again via popular culture. But I also think that telling these stories sheds light on situations - and this one is specifically shedding light on the fact that the biggest reason Dahmer was able to get away with what he did for so long is due to racism and homophobia. And I think that's important to highlight, so for me, so far, I don't really find this show disrespectful. Before this, I didn't really know much about Dahmer (other than him used as a joke about cannibalism) - I had no idea who his victims were or even how many people he killed. I would love some insight into the cops who responded to calls and concerns about Dahmer and did absolutely nothing. I would love for systems to be in place that hold cops accountable for overlooking HUGE RED FLAGS because of their own bias. I'm hopeful that this will happen one day. Anyway, as for the show - I'm a big fan of Evan Peters. And you can say what you want about Ryan Murphy (I've said a lot myself), but he KNOWS how to make this type of show and get into the psyche of a serial killer (as seen in The Assassination of Gianni Versace - perhaps one of his best series). Honestly, I view any lead actor in a mini-series as possible competition for Taron's Emmy (PLEASE don't let this be another Oscar fiasco...). Peter's Wisconsin accent is flawless (although I think he might be from the mid-west? I'm too lazy to look it up), and he gives a very calculated, understated performance that I think will land him a nomination. It's weird seeing Niecy Nash in a serious role, but she's knocking it out of the park. The first two episodes are rightly creepy and intense, but the next two are very, very slow and I didn't really feel like we were given any new information - just rehashing of things we saw? It's definitely not done as well as Versace was because even though the timeline wasn't linear - it still was very clear (and I guess it was linear - just backwards). This kind of feels all over the place. I'm intrigued, though!

5. The Sandman - I'm *almost* finished with the audiobook version (I think I have 20 minutes left - of the first act. I think there are now two more??). I don't usually like audiobooks (or podcasts), I've said this before, but there is just something in my brain that does not like people talking at me (it gives me headaches). But, the voice cast of the audiobook has both James McAvoy AND Taron Egerton. I repeat: JAMES MCAVOY AND TARON EGERTON. It's my version of heaven, really. If they were cast in the Netflix version, I might, quite literally, drop dead. But alas, they are not. Instead, there's some weird as fuck casting choices in this, and I'm not sure that I like it. I'm only two episodes in, so I guess I can't fully judge yet. I think Tom Sturridge fits the graphic novel image of Morpheus, which is very skinny goth (surely listening to "The Black Parade" on repeat), but after having McAvoy's voice I pictured someone completely different (and uh...hot). I'm intrigued by the casting of Jenna Coleman as Constantine (I've only seen a glimpse of her in the series so far), because it seems like a character that everyone criticizes the casting for no matter what (although I saw many say that Taron nailed the Scouse accent) - so it's kind of cool that Gaiman said "fuck it" and went with a completely out of pocket choice. I'm a big fan of Boyd Holbrook and he's doing an excellently creepy job as The Corinthian. I guess we'll see how it goes - the first episode had me hooked, but the second was a little slow. I hope the pace picks up and that there are some fun surprises along the way. 

Thoughts on 5 Films

1. Elvis - So this is one of those movies that I didn't really mind while watching - it was perfectly okay, but the more I think about it, the less I like it. I'm a big fan of Baz Luhrmann - he's got such an extravagant, cinematic style and the way he uses music in films is super cool (two of my all-time favorite soundtracks are Romeo + Juliet and The Great Gatsby). I thought his style could be a perfect match to tell this story. When I think of Elvis, I think of a sort of grandiose spectacle of showmanship; a larger than life force of nature that swept the country. But instead, the film really lacks any and all spectacle. There is a popular Letterbxd review that states "Congrats to Baz for making the first 2 1/2 hour movie trailer" and it is SPOT ON. I kept waiting for the movie to start. It just moves so quickly without saying anything. I think part of it is not wanting to offend - so everything is very surface level well-known headlines about Elvis. There is also the traditional "villain" aka music executive that is featured in just so many biographies that it's almost eye rolling. It's even worse that Tom Hanks gives what might be his worst performance in history??? I could easily praise certain scenes - especially the Las Vegas performances. There have been tons of clips showing the real performances to compare, and they are all stunningly perfect. But the reason I hesitate to praise it is because I don't understand the point of it??? Why are we just recreating an already perfect performance? I can just watch that on YouTube, right? I just expected more imagination from Baz. I think the only scene that grabbed my attention is the Toxic/Viva Las Vegas mash-up especially playing off of the Toxic video on the airplane. I wish there were more scenes like that. As for Austin Butler - he's mostly wonderful. He definitely excels during the performance scenes - it's pretty spectacular to watch him become Elvis with every breath and movement of his body. And even if I didn't like the recreating aspect of the performances, I think he did what he was directed to do and absolutely nailed it. However, during some of the smaller, but essential, key scenes he feels a little blank (which was my worry from the trailer). There isn't much competition this year for lead actor performances, so I can see him landing an Oscar nomination and I wouldn't be mad about it (well, I mean, I definitely will be mad about it but for an entirely different reason that has absolutely nothing to do with Austin). Two other side-notes: (1) I was super excited when I saw Kelvin Harrison Jr., only to be extremely disappointed that he's barely in it. (2). Is that Billy from Stranger Things??? I never realized how much he looks like Zac Efron? How weird. 

2. Red Rocket - Had I seen this earlier, it definitely would have been included in my Top 10 of 2021 list. I loved it. Sean Baker is definitely one to watch, which surprises me because of how much I hated his debut, Tangerine (like, absolutely hated every single second of it). But I thought The Florida Project was fantastic so it gave me a little hope, but with this movie - I'm officially a fan. He seems to understand something about poverty in America that I've never really seen captured so authentically on film before. It's so often that I'm watching a film about supposed "poor" people but they live in a house in the suburbs! With like fresh squeezed orange juice on the table for breakfast!! Sorry, but that's NOT poor. He also consistently tells stories of unlikeable people - this one is about a guy sparking up a relationship with an underage girl and then grooms her into the porn industry. It has a very slice-of-life storytelling, which works because his characters are so interesting and/or charismatic. Simon Rex is fucking hot (and always has been. I remember my 9th grade best friend was obsessed with him when he was an MTV VJ back in the day). He's also very, very good in this - I could watch him all day long as this absolute trash of a character. I hope it triggers a resurgence in his career because I would like to see more of him. Also Suzanna Son has an INCREDIBLE voice and whoever did the arrangement for her version of "Bye, Bye, Bye" surely deserves some kind of award? I didn't even recognize it until she literally says the "bye, bye, bye" lyrics; it's so hauntingly beautiful - I've had it on repeat since I've seen this (it's been a few weeks - I'm, once again, behind on my blog posts. Good thing I'm not a professional). 

3. Thor: Love and Thunder - I thought this was fun! Not as good as Ragnarok, but I didn't expect it to be. There is definitely more good than bad, and it's a lot more fun than some other recent Marvel movies (AHEM). I like that it fully embraces a rock vibe with the Guns N' Roses soundtrack - ever song that played I was like "FUCK YES" dancing around on my couch (GN'R is one of my favorite bands. I'm full of surprises!). I think Chris Hemsworth has grown a lot as an actor since the first Thor movie (and the same can not be said for the other Avenger actor named Chris...). And Natalie Portman was so under-utilized in the previous movies, so it's really fun to see her as "Lady Thor" (and her hair looks FABULOUS when she's Thor! Is it a wig?). Now I just need to see Jaimie Alexander as Lady Sif for more than 5 minutes and we'll be all good! I was expecting to see a Matt Damon reprisal, but I laughed out loud at the casting of the "other" Hemsworth, Luke. I wish the casting of Hercules wasn't spoiled for me (I'm not blaming anyone - I watch things so far after they are released, of course things are going to get spoiled); I don't usually care much about spoilers, but this would have been a fun surprise. I do think it has some pacing issues and it wasn't as funny as Ragnarok. And also, the screaming goats thing is like...at least 5 years old (maybe more?) and they used it A LOT. I never really understood why everyone thinks it's so funny, so this got old real quick for me. **some spoilers ahead, in case you are someone who cares** I was surprised by the end because I was under the impression that Portman was taking over the role??? As in Hemsworth was done (similar to how Anthony Mackie is taking over as Captain America)?? But that doesn't seem to be the case. Am I missing something? 

4. Morbius - Well now, this is a terrible movie. I knew the reviews were pretty bad, but sometimes critics exaggerate and then everyone jumps on it. It's like the film bro version of high school bullies. But, unfortunately, this deserves the critical beating. I don't hate on Jared Leto like the rest of the world. I think he's an incredible actor, but also a bit of a weirdo cult member (same can be said for a certain someone who is ADORED and he's not even that good of an actor **cough** Tom Cruise **cough**). He's definitely not the problem here. The problems, for the most part, are the crazy weird special effects choices - like the wavy liquid effect that follows him when he jumps. What the fuck is that? The dialogue is rough - "I'm starting to get hungry, and you don't want to see me hungry" is an actual line from the movie. Leto's vampire makeup is different in every scene, which is also a weird choice. The biggest problem, though, is that I *think* this movie is trying to convince me that Matt Smith is...hot? I'm sorry, him dancing with his shirt off actually made my body physically cringe. I know I can be really fucking shallow sometimes, but guess what???? I don't care! I enjoy when actors/actresses are hot! He's not a very good actor, either, so it's a lose/lose situation for me. Anyway, it's a pretty boring, less-than-mediocre, superhero movie and it seems pretty pointless. But I'm guessing it's going to connect to the reboot of Blade with the vampire stuff? I actually had no ide who Morbius was or what exactly he does, so I was a little surprised by the fact that he's basically...Batman? Like technically more Batman than actual Batman? How weird. The only good thing I can say about it this is that I love Adria Arjona! Happy to see her in more stuff. 

5. Dog - I watched the trailer for this (I think it played before The Lost City) and it looked cute, but then it was on the little tv screen on my flight to New Orleans - I wasn't watching it and there was no sound, but every time I looked up at the screen it was a scene from the trailer. And it kind of put me off watching it because I feel like the whole thing is in the trailer. I also assumed that I would probably cry (and I did, in fact, tear up a bit at the end. Animals are the best.). Overall, it's an okay movie. It's not something I'll remember. Channing Tatum gives a strong performance - I usually prefer him in comedies, but I think this type of role fits him well too (and there are some funny parts). He's also in a white t-shirt for a lot of the movie, so there's that. His character name is Jackson Briggs, which is the most Channing Tatum character name I've ever heard. I think the movie could have dived a little deeper into PTSD of veterans, and how our country has failed them - but I think the creators didn't want to alienate the Go-America-Go crowd who don't like to admit this fact. I do have some problems with the central story because first, I know that there are much better systems in place when dealing with animals in the entertainment industry, but they really had to rile this dog up for certain scenes - and that bothers me A LOT. I also hate the scene with the veteran who rescued one of the military service dogs because it sends a dangerous message. A trained military dog should not be around children - as it's shown in this, dogs suffer from PTSD too - and anything can set it off. I say this as someone who grew up with Pit Bulls as a child and will vouch for how sweet they are if properly trained, but trained military dogs are different. I do think there needs to be a system in place for these dogs to "retire" to, that does not involve putting them down because that's disgusting. But bringing them into your home with your child is not the answer. I also think it's weird that he tries to let it "escape" when he's in the desert (like "go, be free!!") - how would that be better than putting him down? A dog would have a miserable life in the desert with no food/water with that heat?? It doesn't even make sense! Anyway, like I said, it's an okay movie. I was entertained - it's humorous, emotional at times, but never really gets as deep as it could.