Thoughts on 5 Films

1. Civil War - As I expected, I really liked this. I can see the criticism, but I also think people were expecting something that the film was never going to be. I really like Alex Garland projects, for the most part, so I kind of already assumed I would like this (I even liked Men and, man, people fucking hate that movie). I think the film has a few really strong moments - and stays true to the story of the experience of photojournalists during wartime. It's an insane job, and it's also very critical to our understanding of current events. The whole "fake news" cycle has really damaged journalism as whole, but a lot of the problem is that just like with film journalism & criticism, it's been taken over by influencers & "personalities" who have a whole lot to say, but don't actually know what they're talking about. There's also a lot of "keyboard warriors" pretending to be journalists, but real journalist are on the ground like this. I also like the relationship that forms between Kristen Dunst and Cailee Spaeny, although I feel like Dunst plays this role a little too weathered at her age (she's my age but acts like she's 65). Spaeny is incredible, though. She's a star, for sure. I like the references to how half the country are just pretending like the war is not happening. I think that will definitely be true to reality (I do think people are hyperbolizing the possibility of civil war happening soon, BUT, also please stop trying to assassinate a presidential nominee because that will definitely do it). Like, if a civil war is declared, my company will still expect us to go to work and sell over-priced yoga pants and dresses, and pretend like nothing is wrong just like they did during a worldwide pandemic. But the clear highlight is the 7 minute long scene featuring Jesse Plemons - it's such a testament to his talent that he was able to steal the whole movie with this one scene. He gives it so much life and intensity that it became the social media marketing for the movie (and a popular meme), and he's not even credited! The only criticism I have is that the end feels really cheap and the action has a very video game style that I don't care for (I've seen people compare it to Call of Duty, but I wouldn't know). I don't know, the set pieces just feel so fake and the "war" seems so controlled instead of the chaos it's supposed to represent. Also, I just really don't like the girl from Devs that Garland uses in every movie (I think she's been in every single one of his projects since Ex Machina? And she is the same girl from The House of the Dragon! I thought it was her, but then I doubted myself). She's a terrible actress, but she's not in this enough for it to matter, thankfully. 

2. The Union - Oh my God what a stupid fucking movie. It's certainly not a bad movie - very average, but for these two superstars I have to believe they should be getting offered better roles than this? I will always watch a Marky Mark movie, but I laughed out loud when I saw the Letterboxd description of the plot as Mark playing a character from New Jersey. I was immediately skeptical. It's like when Ben Affleck tries to play someone from New York. It just doesn't work when you've become so synonymous with a certain city. And just in case you didn't get that he's from NJ - they play Springsteen within the first 10 minutes and then AGAIN 5 minutes later (I looked up filming locations and I think the only NJ location they used is Jersey City for the one beginning scene - which doesn't even make sense because they are supposed to be from Paterson. Why would they hang out in Jersey City as teens? It's an hour away without traffic....ANYWAY....). You don't have to worry about Mark attempting the NJ accent because he doesn't, and then his "new identity" that he is given by this black ops group is a guy from Boston, so he pretends like he's changing his accent to Boston but it's exactly the same accent - except that he does make fun of the "pahk the cah" typical Boston dialogue, which made me laugh. I also laughed when the guy asks "do you know Good Will Hunting?". But I think those are the only two times I laughed through the whole movie that is clearly trying to be funny. I want to like Halle Berry, I really do. And I used to like her. But lately she's been very bad in everything and I'm in the process of rewatching all the X-Men movies and she's....eeek. I feel like she's maybe always been a bad actress, but I didn't know enough about acting to notice? She's STUNNING though. But they give her a horrible haircut in this and they make her wear a hat - that's not a beret- as a beret and it looks so fucking stupid. I think it's adorable that Mark and Halle have been friends for over 30 years (the pictures of them at the end are so cute!), but they have ZERO chemistry together. It's also very obvious that *spoiler alert* Mike Coulter is going to be the bad guy because he "dies" in the beginning but we don't see a dead body (he falls into a river). It's just so fucking stupid. 

3. La Chimera - I rated this 3 stars because it's well-made and well-acted, but I can't really say that I liked it. In fact, I found it very, very boring. Like, way more boring than I was expecting. I saw a few reviews focus on the "slow burn" of the storytelling, but "slow burn" doesn't have to mean boring. I should be invested and interested in the outcome of this story and I definitely wasn't. I like Josh O'Connor a lot, but he did nothing for me here. There are some great shots, but still not enough to hold my attention, AND it's over 2 hours long! And nothing happens! Why does it take over 2 hours for them to tell this very simple story??? The only part that really caught my attention was when I thought "wow that woman looks like an old version of Isabella Rossellini" only to realize that that's HER! Holy shit! They made her look so old!? I know she's in her 70s, but she's never looked it before. It was very jarring. But that's pretty much all I have to say about this movie. I'm glad others enjoyed it and found value in it (there's a ridiculous number of 5 star reviews on Letterboxd), but it's not for me. 

4. Fancy Dance - I think this is a good movie, but I can't help but think that a miniseries that really focuses on the development and relationship of these characters could have been so much better. The story feels rushed and I never get to know them enough to understand them. I'm not the biggest fan of Lily Gladstone - I have yet to see her deliver any emotion aside from annoyed, distant, and stoic (and she does that well, but I need to see range before I'll call someone good at acting). She's the same here - just no emotion in her face or voice at all. And, again, that fits the character, but also that just might be her? I like the story that they are trying to tell - there is a lot of depth and history behind this story that is constantly being recalled and referenced. There's an entire history of missing Native American women, and nobody cares. And it's been happening for lifetimes. The missing woman is not the focus of this story, however, but it's always there. The consequences of her going missing is the catalyst for the story. The bond that forms between the missing woman's daughter and sister - the lengths that she will go to (and has to go to) in order to keep her niece's Native American culture in the forefront is the main focus of the story. On a related note - I only recently learned that non-Native American people using the term "powwow" is offensive. It's not something I ever really thought about because as Americans, we use a lot of words from different languages and cultures because we're a melting pot!! So, when someone would say "powwow" I would just think "a quick meeting", not really understanding the cultural significance of the word. Using the word as a non-Native American trivializes a custom and the real meaning of the word. So *the more you know*! Anyway, the highlight is definitely the ending - with them dancing at the powwow. It's incredibly beautiful and powerful. Also, the young girl is terrific (and outshines Gladstone for most of the movie!). 

5. The Watchers - There's a great little horror story here, but ultimately if feels like an M. Night Shyamalan movie minus the flair. I'm not always a fan of Shyamalan, but I have a level of respect for what he does (I just think he's bad with actors and some of his shot set-ups are eye-rolling). I'm referencing Shyamalan because it's his daughter that directed this movie. For a directorial debut, I'm definitely interested. There's a lot of good here, but a lot of it is also very stupid. First, I think there's a similar horror movie maybe called The Forest with Natalie Dormer (if I remember it correctly it was about a haunted forest that made people commit suicide). But this definitely goes in a different direction - but that direction is more or less batshit crazy. Second, I love the mythology aspect and that the story becomes more about the very real human emotion of guilt, but they should have focused way more on the latter. The guilt of someone taking someone else's life (even if by accident) has to feel all-consuming - and makes for very interesting stories about human trauma. Third, some of the dialogue is so cringy and embarrassing ("you wouldn't like me if you knew the real me" - it's about as cliche as it gets). But, it's interesting, and the cast is great (the girl from Barbarian is in this! She's so good! I hope she breaks away from the horror genre. Maybe she has, but I just haven't seen her in anything?). Dakota is back to being good again (there was a period of time in which she sucked - The Twilight movies, The Runaways), and she is *excellent* in this and she looks great as a brunette. Overall, I can't really say I recommend it because it's dumb, but I was strangely entranced by it. 

4 Thoughts on The Emmys

1. The Host(s) - I love Eugene and Dan Levy - I think they were a good choice to host this year because they are more wholesome and loveable than a lot of comedians would be. They did a decent job - nothing special, but it was ok. I definitely would have preferred more jokes (I think they really only had one good joke: "In the spirit of The Bear, we will not be making any jokes"). The rest of it was just...cute. It was probably a mistake to have the trio from Only Murders in the Building present together because they killed it - and were far funnier than the hosts. They NEED to host an awards show together ASAP. It would be complete chaos but in the best way possible. I did like that the hosts brought out the rest of the Schitt's Creek family to present the last award (giving Catherine O'Hara the final moment). Overall, they played it pretty safe, which is exactly that...safe. 

2. The Show - A solid show! Not as good as the Emmys that aired earlier this year, but a strong follow-up I think. They continued the classic tv reunions and rebuilding familiar tv sets thing, and added a classic tv character trope thing ("tv dads", "tv doctors", "tv lawyers" etc) that made for some fun presenters - like Niecy Nash-Betts bringing back Deputy Raineesha Williams from Reno 911, which was hilarious. I love her so much. I think John Leguizamo gave a really nice speech about the importance of representation in the media that didn't feel contrived or forced - he's naturally passionate about it and did a great job of explaining why it is so vital for people to see themselves represented on screen. I don't know who Jelly Roll is, but he has a nice voice (and I like tattoos but face tattoos are on another level!). Richard Gadd gave THREE very good speeches (what an inspiration!). The worst part was the weird advertisement intro for Johnnie Walker with Ebon and whoever that other guy is. I know the liquor industry is a little panicked right now with sales (my husband is in the industry), but this ad made me not want to buy Johnnie Walker ever again. It doesn't help that they got the two worst people to banter together - they should have had Kristen Wiig and anyone else (she can banter with anyone!). The show seemed to move fairly quickly, with very little hiccups. I just think it could have been funnier. 

3. The Winners - I'm actually fairly happy with the winners - they spread the love slightly more than previous years with wins for The Bear, Hacks, Ripley, Shogun, The Crown, Slow Horses, Baby Reindeer and Fargo instead of last year where only 3 shows got all the awards. I have not seen Shogun yet, so that's the only win I can't really comment on but I've heard nothing but rave reviews, and I've already declared my love for Anna Sawai in Monarch: Legend of the Monsters, so I'm so happy she won. The second season of The Bear was *just* as strong as the first season, which is super rare, so I'm glad for all the winners. I don't think it will get showered with as many awards next year (I still thought it was good, but the third season definitely received mix reactions). But as far as "comedy" goes - Hacks is better. Jean Smart is a LEGEND, so her winning over Ayo is surprising, but also deserving. I was also surprised that a legend did not win the Supporting Actress in a Comedy category - I thought FOR SURE it would go to Meryl Streep or Carol Burnett because WHO CAN COMPETE WITH MERYL STREEP AND CAROL BURNETT???? I was SHOCKED Liza Colon-Zayas won. That's so crazy!! Another shocking win was Lamorne Morris!! It's a weird win among that cast, but he's not undeserving. I think the category was definitely weak (Jon Hamm should have gone supporting because he probably would have won). The only win that really upset me was Jodie Foster over Juno Temple. Foster was the best part of True Detective: Night Country, but that's...not saying much. While Juno BLEW MY MIND in the most recent season of Fargo. I'm not even a big fan of hers - I've actively criticized her acting multiple times on this blog. But a great performance is a great performance - and I will always admit when someone surprises me (and I actually welcome it! Waiting for Elisabeth Moss or Julia Garner to do the same!). 

4. The Fashion - Not going to lie - I was so bored by the fashion this year. There were so many black dresses, with a few pops of red or metallic, but NOBODY took any risks and that's always boring. My favorite dress is, I guess, the metallic, medieval number than Kristen Wiig wore, because at least it felt different. Anna Sawai also looked GORGEOUS. And Catherine O'Hara somehow went backwards in time because she looks younger and younger every time I see her (SHE IS 70 YEARS OLD!!). Everyone else bored me - Jennifer Aniston and Reese Witherspoon wore the exact same dress they always wear. Naomi Watts...blah, Sofia Vergara...blah, Viola Davis...blah. I had high hopes for Ella Purnell, but that look ages her. I wish she wore something more youthful. Ditto for Selena Gomez. The worst dresses were the dress that Sarah Paulson wore - what the heck was happening at the bottom??? Kaitlin Olson - eek. And Greta Lee looks like she's wearing a dollar store version of Bjork's infamous swan dress. 

Thoughts on 5 Films

1. Immaculate - *some spoilers ahead* First of all, I'm a big Sydney Sweeney fan - she's absolutely gorgeous, but I also think she's very talented and that gets a bit overlooked because she's so gorgeous (kinda like Alexandra Daddario). I didn't like her in Anyone But You, but I just don't think that romcoms are her genre. I did really like her in that other horror movie that she did where she was a twin - I can't think of the name of the movie, but she was excellent in it (and the rest of the movie was bad). I appreciate that she found a story that she was passionate about and decided to take matters into her own hands and produce this movie. It's sort of a shame that it came out so closely to The First Omen because they are eerily similar stories and they are equally great (I think I would put this slightly above The First Omen, but probably only because of Sydney's presence. The First Omen is probably better made, but it's very close). I think this would have gotten a better reception if the exact same movie didn't come out just a few months prior. However, it's very strong - there are some scenes that are just so good, like how she plans her escape by faking a miscarriage (although I don't think chickens have that much blood?!). And I like how the people at the convent just go full on evil - the line "If this is not the will of God, then why does God not stop us?" is delicious. It sums up these religious cults so succinctly with just that one sentence. Literally sent chills up my spine. There's some gorgeous imagery that is definitely referential to past movies, but still very much its own thing. And wonderful supporting performances from Benedetta Porcaroli (she's so beautiful too! She reminds me of someone but I can't put my finger on it. Penelope Cruz, maybe?) and the woman from The White Lotus! The ending is really strong too, which is hard to accomplish in films like this. 

2. The Instigators - Okay, I get that this isn't a great movie, but reviews seem overly harsh, in my opinion. It's a solid 3 star movie! I was entertained! Matt Damon and Casey Affleck have great chemistry and seem like they're having a ton of fun! What else do you want??! The overall plot is insanely stupid, but there's also something very charming about how dumb these characters are - just the worst heist ever with everything that could go wrong, in fact, going wrong. I think it's kind of funny that Clooney and Pitt have their own Apple film coming out. It's like the A team and the B team of Ocean's Eleven (although I think both Damon and Affleck are A team now but they weren't back then). I prefer Casey over Ben, as far as acting - he's a FAR better actor (and Ben should stick to directing!). And I'll always love Matt Damon - I do think this is the first movie that I said "wow he's getting old", so I laughed when Affleck says "what are you...60?". He's still so handsome because men look BETTER as they age (for the most part). I also love Paul Walter Hauser, but he's definitely underused - and the dialogue that he had to work with is quite painful. A lot of the dialogue could have definitely been better - but Damon and Affleck make it work, for the most part. It's not something I would highly recommend or anything, but if you're in the mood for a dumb heist movie with two loveable stars, then this will fit the bill perfectly. 

3. Kinds of Kindness - Welp, my favorite film of the year - and I highly doubt that will change because I think this is close to a masterpiece and there's very few of those made each year. I think you really have to like Yorgos Lanthimos' weird side to fully enjoy this. Like, if you thought The Lobster was a masterpiece then you'll likely love this too. The films that have more general audience appeal tend to be my least favorite by him (The Favourite, Poor Things - both are definitely "weird", but still have a tangible cohesive story). I love that it's three separate stories that definitely still feel connected by loose threads and I think if I rewatched it those threads would be a bit clearer. I think it also helps the 2 hour and 44 minute runtime feel less like 2 hours and 44 minutes because there's clear pause points and it feels like you're watching 3 short stories instead of one movie. I think I might be in the minority with the first part being my favorite? I really dig all three, but my initial feeling is that the first story feels the strongest. I think the other two are assisted by Emma Stone's dynamic performance (she's not in the first story as much), and are therefore thought to be "stronger". The entire cast is fabulous - playing different characters in each story - Jesse Plemons has the most to do, but great supporting performances from Margaret Qualley, Willem Dafoe, Hong Chau (she's been *excellent* at choosing projects lately - this, The Menu, Poker Face, etc.) and Joe Alwyn (on a sidenote, isn't Stone part of Taylor Swift's crew?? Weird that she would do a movie with Alwyn when according to her fanbase, he is the devil? My point is he's probably not that bad if one of her besties willingly works with him). Hunter Schafer also has a really strong scene (actually probably the strongest scene of the entire thing, aside from Stone's dance scene that became the main marketing for the film). Anyway, I just love that the film focuses on uncomfortable realities of human nature - those who thrive on power and domination vs those who seek out being dominated. And even though sex is a large part of this, it's not the sole focus (there are also focuses on cult behavior, domestic abuse, corporate dominance, etc.). I was flicking through some reviews after I watched this and someone noted that the film is basically a visual form of the Eurythmics song "Sweet Dreams" (which is featured in the movie). I can't remember who and now I can't find the review, but yes, that is exactly what this movie is. I also love how each "story" never goes how you expect it to - it's weird and wacky, but every action seems purposeful (instead of being weird just to be weird), like how in the 3rd story Emma drives her car as if she's participating in a drag race every time she drives - it seems totally out of character, but it somehow builds character at the same time (and also is great foreshadowing for the end). And best of all, it's actually very funny. If you get it. 

4. The Killer (2024) - I love Omar Sy so much! I'm not sure if I've mentioned that on this blog because I've really only seen him in The Intouchables and then one of the best current shows, Lupin. He deserves to be a huge star though. Unfortunately this movie isn't going to push him to that direction. It's not a bad movie, but I don't think I'll remember a single thing about it in a few months. I could already tell you before I pressed play that this movie did not need to be 2 hours - it should have been 100 minutes tops. I rated it 3 stars, but if it had tighter editing and a few other changes it could have easily been a 4 star movie. It's a ton of fun, and the fight choreography is so smooth. Especially the ending - the fight sequence that moves along to the cool suspenseful jazz music just works so well. John Woo knows how to direct these types of films, obviously, and I think he really finds the right rhythm for these films that a lot of other directors don't understand. I didn't realize until after watching this that Woo remade his own movie! I've never seen the original, obvi, but that's kind of interesting. Sy is obviously the highlight, but the rest of the cast is mostly good too. I LOVE Diana Silvers and her version of "Let's Live for Today" (the Pachinko song!!!) is SO GOOD. She's not really believable as being blind, though. I don't know the main girl, but she reminds me of Meghan Markle (and I like Meghan Markle!). Plus, MY FAVORITE BAD GUY EVER - Fouchet from Bad Boys (I can't believe that was like 30 years ago!). The worst part is definitely Sam Worthington because for some weird reason he does an Irish accent. Why not just let him have his natural Australian accent? Especially because he can't do accents? Is this like when Charlie Hunnam chose to do a Northern Irish accent because "it's his favorite"? Actors really need to learn their limits. 

5. A Quiet Place: Day One - I thought this was very good. Just as good as the first two, and they both landed on my "Best of" list in their years of release. I think a lot of people were expecting answers, and were therefore disappointed, but I think it's weird to expect answers for a story like this. That's not what these stories are about - they are about survival and human instinct and connections, not "why did the aliens attack Earth and where did they come from?". I usually *never* connect with these disaster flicks because I would just die. If the world was ending and millions of people are dead and there are no resources, I would just kill myself. But, as my husband always points out, I would absolutely stay alive *just* to make sure my cats are ok. So, this film, being that its main plot is that this woman is trying to save her cat and get a slice of NY pizza (and *spoiler* then die), is SUPER relatable. And, once again, Lupita gives a stellar performance but it's in a horror movie so it will be ignored come awards season. The way she can show terror in her eyes is a masterclass in acting. I do think that this film leans more towards disaster movie than horror, but my point still stands. I'm not fully convinced by Joseph Quinn, though. He's fine in this, but comparatively, Lupita outshines him in every moment. I thought he was also okay in Stranger Things, but he rose to film star so quickly and I don't really understand why (and he even got a coveted role with the Fantastic Four reboot!). They also got a great cat for this role - although I do find it mostly unbelievable that she's able to find the cat in all that chaos in NYC of all places. And I spent the whole film stressed out about the cat because if it were me - I would have had my cat in a bag or on a leash! There are several scenes in which the cat is not in the shot and it would stress me out! WHERE IS THE CAT?! I think Djimon Hounsou is extremely underused - and so unbelievable that he would be on the same boat that they were trying to get to. That's a bit ridiculous for a city with a population of 8 million people. And, even though the ending is a happy one (for some), everyone on the boat is probably going to die anyway, right? Also, as I write this post on the 23rd anniversary of 9/11, the imagery used of people running through NYC covered in soot and ash still stings. 

Thoughts on 5 Films

1. The Fall Guy - YAY I loved this!!! I had high hopes for it, but ultimately I thought I was going to be disappointed. It's so much fun, though, and Ryan Gosling and Emily Blunt are such a perfect pairing - I could watch them in a thousand more movies together. Although, I think Gosling has a knack for finding that chemistry with all of his co-stars (Emma Stone, Ana de Armas, Margot Robbie, Rachel McAdams, Carey Mulligan, Michelle Williams - the list goes on!!). He just excels so much in these types of roles because he's not afraid to make a fool out of himself and have fun. You can tell that he doesn't take himself too seriously, but he is also very committed and puts his all into his work. I truly hope he never gets to the point where he just "phones it in" like a lot of other actors of his stature. This film felt like not only a love letter to the stunt community, but to the filmmaking community as a whole - and to the people who often get overlooked, even though they are the backbone of the production. It doesn't invent the wheel as far as plot and structure, but it still feels fresh and new and just plain fun. However, I do understand why it didn't do as well at the box office as many had hoped. First, the trailer is a little cheesy. Second, the average movie-goer does not care about how movies are made. Any film that is described as a love letter to Hollywood is not going to win the attention of a general audience. A production budge of +100 million is expected with the caliber of stunt work, action sequences, and movie stars, but they wasted their money in marketing. They should have leaned into the action and the romance (like The Lost City) and let people discover the rest on their own - and I think they would have enjoyed it (the general audience RT score is actually slightly higher than the critic score). Anyway, it's my favorite movie of the year. It has everything I want - Ryan Gosling at his hottest and most charming, dialogue that is rich in humor, emotion, and sarcasm, a love story that you root for, and just an overall good time at the movies. The only real criticism I have is that Stephanie Hsu is severely underused and I find Aaron Taylor-Johnson very annoying in 90% of things. 

2. IF - This movie is kind of rough to sit through, BUT I have to give it some props for being an original family friendly movie. It has some great ideas and reminds me of movies that I grew up with - that have harsh realities but are still appropriate for kids to watch (The Secret Garden, My Girl, etc). And yet, I think it's a little too boring for younger kids and older kids would deem themselves "too cool" for it, so I'm not really sure its intended audience. There's obviously an amazing cast of actors (mostly used in voice roles). And then there's Awkwafina (I feel like someone is pranking me? How is she getting all these voice roles?). The best gag of the whole thing is the "introducing Brad Pitt" bit. The main girl is a very good actress - it took me about an hour before I realized that she's little Judith Grimes from The Walking Dead! She's all grown up! I've never been a big fan of Ryan Reynolds outside of Deadpool, and this film reminded me why. He's a terrible actor and I will never understand how anyone thinks he's hot?! I...just...don't see it. There are plenty of Hollywood men that are highly praised as hot that I simply don't get - Chris Evans, for example - but I would never say he's not hot. I just don't think he's a good actor or has any charisma. But Reynolds baffles me. Anyway, clearly his hotness is not a factor for a movie like this, but my point still stands. I don't understand his entire career? Like, how did he get to this A-list level? But, I digress. Back to this movie. I think it was a mistake to have a twist - again, young kids aren't going to get it and older kids won't care. It's also very obvious, at least, to me (but my husband was like "what the fuck is going on?" and I said what I thought the twist was and he was like "ohhhhh yeah, that makes sense. Why didn't they just say that from the beginning?" I guess in a kids movie you don't really expect it to have a big twist.). Also, the scenes with her dad in the hospital feel very off. I guess they didn't want to make it too depressing (for the kids!), but heart surgery is, like, a very big deal and he would not have this much energy if he was going through something like that. 

3. The Bikeriders - Well, there's a first for everything. And this movie is, unfortunately, the first Jeff Nichols film that I did not like (I've actually LOVED almost all of them - Loving being the weak link, but still good). I like the way Nichols tells a story - they always feel deeply personal and told with a great deal of detail and depth, and they are often more slice-of-life than the traditional arcs of storytelling. It's hard to pinpoint why I didn't like this - but a large portion of my dislike is that I think Hardy and Butler are awful in this. Hardy isn't as bad, but I think he's done this whole quiet but tough mumbly character a few too many times. But Butler CLEARLY took this role to do his best James Dean impression and it actually made me laugh out loud several times. It's just so ridiculous. However, Jodie Comer is acting circles around these two and then some. I know some thought the accent was overdone, but sometimes the Chicago accent does sound that dramatic - and I thought it really suited her. I would have honestly thought she was from Chicago if I didn't already know that she's not. But the film being mostly from her perspective does give a slightly interesting story. I do think you could just watch any episode of Sons of Anarchy and you'd get the same thing. There's a great supporting cast - a Nichols' favorite Michael Shannon, Karl Glusman, Boyd Holbrook - but I think they made a mistake by having too many side characters. It was hard to keep track of who was who and why I should care about them (in short, I did not care about any of them). And also Emory Cohen, who I do not like. I really laughed through most of it - especially the crying at the end. And when Hardy seems to not know personal space boundaries and he gets sooo close to his co-stars that they almost seem uncomfortable - there is literally a scene where I thought Hardy and Butler might kiss because they are just *that* uncomfortably close. 

4. Ricky Stanicky - Okay so this movie is very stupid and ridiculous. The beginning is really rough, and these characters are extremely awful people. But then somewhere in the middle it actually becomes mostly funny and I found myself rooting for everything to work out. I really like John Cena - he's another actor who is not afraid to make fun of himself and be ridiculous all in the name of entertaining an audience. He's the highlight in this, and I really, really, really wish we got to see him perform Britney in *that* outfit - even if it was an after credits scene. They truly messed up by not giving the audience that. Zac Efron has a natural talent for comedy and more lighthearted stuff - I think he should stick to these types of roles. There's a lot of funny lines that are mostly throwaway lines, while the lines that they give the laugh beat to, drop with a loud *thud* noise (like I laughed really hard at "I feel like Jason Bateman in every episode of Ozark"). I think it just tries a little too hard to be outrageous like The Hangover, but it doesn't reach those levels. But like I said, by the end, I found myself laughing and being entertained. It's very "boys club" humor, and if that's not your thing then definitely skip this. 

5. Furiosa: A Mad Max Saga - I've liked all the Mad Max movies (although, I haven't actually seen the 3rd movie from the original trilogy yet). I was looking forward to this entry because Furiosa is a great character, and I love Anya. My expectations were sort of leveled because one of my favorite movie people gave it 2.5 stars and another of my favorite movie people gave it 5 stars - so it could have gone either way for me. I ended up rating it 3.5 stars. It easily could have been 4 stars had they not cast Chris Hemsworth. He was almost unwatchable, honestly. His higher than normal octave voice mixed with the Australian accent and the horrible prosthetics on his face is just a big miss for me. I've definitely softened on Hemsworth - and have fully admitted that he's been good in smaller doses, and largely comedic roles, but he is by NO MEANS a good actor. It seems George Miller disagrees with me (that's fine, a lot of people disagree with me on an array of things). Anya is great though, and the film really comes alive when she FINALLY appears on screen. Sorry, but it's INSANE that the STAR of your movie doesn't appear until an HOUR into your movie!!! I was getting so annoyed. I know there were a lot of complaints about it not looking very good in comparison to Fury Road, but I think it looks great. It's still a visually compelling, well made film. The action sequences and set design are superb. I just think the casting of Hemsworth ruins the whole film. But what do I know? Also, the fact that they refer to this as a "Mad Max saga" implies that they might do more movies with other characters? That could be interesting.