Thoughts on 5 Films

1. Thunderbolts* - LOVED IT!!! I know, I know, it got rave reviews so I should have expected to love it but I thought people were being overly generous because Marvel movies have been mostly mediocre for the past 5 years, but this IS good! I was so engrossed that I barely took any notes! So, I'll do my best to remember all the things I loved. First of all, is there a Florence Pugh Oscar campaign going or do I have to start one myself??? She's INCREDIBLE. Maybe her best performance yet! She's EVERYTHING - a stunningly raw performance that deals with grief and loss of a loved one, the feeling of emptiness and living an unfulfilled existence etc., but she's also funny and charming in a way. The rest of the cast plays off of her energy very well. Her and David Harbour have a great father/daughter relationship. I love the relationship that forms between her and Pullman's character - she has sympathy for his "dark thoughts" and sees the good in him. There's great banter between her and Wyatt Russell. I would say that the only weak link for me is Bucky, but that's because I've hated Bucky from the beginning and nothing is going to change that. He's an awful character and Sebastian Stan is a terrible actor. I'm also confused at the death of *SPOILER ALERT* Taskmaster (played by Olga Kurylenko) so quickly?! I don't even think she has any lines? I'm sure there is a story there, but I'm too lazy to look into it. I also hated that they "changed" the name of the movie after being released to The New Avengers because it kind of spoils the plot, but also I hated like 1/2 of the original Avengers and I wasn't a big fan of the additions - so the thought of another Avengers film was unappealing to me. But I love how they ended this with this grey area of who the other "real" Avengers are and how they are going to work as a team. The end credits scene is probably the best (and longest) that Marvel has done. And Starship's "Nothing's Gonna Stop Us Now" is one of my favorite songs (if I had a wedding it was going to be my wedding song because it's so cheesy and good - I thought it would be hilarious). 

2. Eenie Meanie - Another Samara Weaving movie!! I'm obsessed with her, but this movie is another 3 star movie. I was entertained for most of it, but probably won't remember it a year from now. It could have been much better - with some funnier bits and a stronger pace - it could have been the next Baby Driver. Instead, it drags and I totally stopped paying attention to the actual heist details. I do love Karl Glusman, though (and that pool table dance! Sexy man!). He should be a much bigger star. And Samara is great. They have great chemistry. And she looks so good with the blonde hair and black underneath. Not a lot of women can pull that off. It's super weird that she's in a movie called Eenie Meanie after being in a movie called Ready or Not. Next she'll star in Ring Around the Rosie (it will be about the Bubonic Plague, of course!). Anyway, I don't have much else to say about this. It's fine. There's some strange darker stuff about her being abused as a child that's sort of glossed over a lot, and not entertaining so it drags the film down even more. 

3. The Pickup - This could have been a fun film, but it's oddly lacking in humor, chemistry, and style. It's just all very dry and awkward, which is a shame because I like Keke Palmer A LOT. And I don't mind Pete Davidson (The King of Staten Island really changed my perspective on him). I thought they could be fun together, but I was wrong. Plus, Eddie Murphy?! How did this end up so dull? It's just very boring and predictable. And long! The jokes hardly land - I think I maybe laughed once but I don't remember a specific reason why. I also don't like Eva Longoria (I have my reasons - she said something very homophobic in my presence. I worked as a director's assistant and stand-in on a film she was in 15ish years ago). She's not in the movie much, but just enough to ruin it even more. Also, casting Andrew Dice Clay in the year 2025??? Why is that necessary? The only bright spot is, as I expected, Keke - she's gorgeous and does her best with the clunky dialogue. I feel like she's the only one trying to make this shitty plot work. 

4. She Rides Shotgun - I read this book when it was announced that Taron was starring in this, and it was...fine? I described it as "simple" and I think that description still stands. It has a strong story, but it's just not written well. I do like that it's told from both the father and daughter perspective, but I almost wish it was *just* from her perspective. The film is mostly from her perspective - and I think that's a wise choice. I liked it, but it did remind me of Sons of Anarchy or more of a tv movie instead of the gritty indie film that it desperately wants to be. Taron is, once again, acting his ass off. I do hope and pray that he does something lighter soon (his next film he plays a serial killer or something like that, but I don't think he has anything lined up after that so I demand a musical, rom-com, or the third Kingsman movie!). His American accent didn't bother me at all - which is a first! The tattoos are hilarious though - why would anyone have a safety pin tattooed on their face? LOL. The girl that plays his daughter, Ana Sophia Heger, is really good for a child actor. She definitely holds her own in this and understands the character very well. They have great father/daughter chemistry. I just have a hard time with the story for a LOT of personal reasons (as someone who had a father in prison because he was involved with drug and weapon smuggling and surrounded himself with very scary looking men like the ones featured in this movie. And my best childhood friend is actually in witness protection, along with her mom, because her father was killed and they testified against these very scary men. I just think my life would have ended up just like this girl's life if my mom had stayed with my dad. But she didn't - she escaped. ANYWAY). I can't help but hate Nate - even though they try really hard to make him good. I did laugh hard when he's trying to rob the convenience story (out of necessity, apparently) and he gets shot, and then hit by a car, and then his own gun goes off. Hahaha! Genius. I think the end is really bad, though. There is no way a cop would let this little girl anywhere near this showdown - she would have been safer by herself in a random hotel. It also should have been 100 minutes max - there is not enough story for a 2 hour film. 

5. Until Dawn - I don't know the video game or even how in the Hell this even is a video game??? But, the story is dull as rocks. And the movie is stupid. It's not the worst movie of 2025, but it's so stupid that I had to stop paying attention to it so my brain didn't explode. And speaking of exploding - I DIED laughing after they explode from drinking the water. I definitely was not expecting that - and it's probably the only good sequence in the movie. The beginning dialogue is ROUGH. And these actors are horrible. I recognize the one guy from the new show Motorheads (I watch it purely for Ryan Phillippe). And the one girl is an Adlon daughter (and she was in She Rides Shotgun! Always weird when you watch two movies back-to-back and they star the same random actor/actress! She's not the best actress though). It's a bit like Happy Death Day, with them reliving the day they are murdered, with the twist of them being trapped in a house, but it's nowhere near as good. I think they could have pushed this plot further than they do, and instead they rely on gory deaths (some of which are genuinely good). I feel really bad for the character Megan - she seems to get hit the hardest every time. I'm wondering how the game works though - do you just keep dying like this? How is that fun? 

4 Thoughts on The Emmys

1. The Host - I don't know who Nate Bargatze is. I've heard the name from my husband because he knows way more about stand-up comedians than I do. He listens to podcasts and watches comedy specials regularly. I remember when Nikki Glaser was announced as Golden Globes host he almost considered watching the show because he loves her. And she KILLED IT! So, I asked his opinion on Bargatze and he had nothing but good things to say so I thought it was going to be another slam-dunk. But this was AWFUL. As soon as it opened with an SNL sketch, I knew we were in for a disappointing affair. Every joke had been told before and felt extremely dated (The Bear isn't a comedy? That's what you're going to riff on 3 years later?). Then he came onto the stage and explained his whole strategy for keeping the show on time (one of the hardest things for an awards show host to accomplish) - which was to donate $100k to The Boys and Girls Club and then take away $1000 for every second a winner goes over their allotted speech time. I get it - it's funny. And obviously not real. There is no way they were going to donate anything less than $100k. But it made for some funny moments like Hannah screaming "I'll pay the difference" etc. My problem with it was that there was literally nothing else to his hosting gig. Instead of telling jokes he just kept going back to this bit - updating the amount and riffing on whether someone helped his wallet by going over their time. THAT'S ALL HE DID. EVERY TIME. It was only mildly amusing but it became grating about 1/4 in, and then it was almost UNWATCHABLE by the end. 

2. The Show - It wasn't just the host that was terrible - the whole show sucked. What the fuck was that Golden Girls tribute?? They sounded fine, but it lasted like 2 seconds and they just sung the theme song instead of talking about why it was so important to television history. And the Gilmore Girls reunion was so awkward - if I didn't know any better I would think these two women hate each other! Why did they let Elizabeth Banks go on an on about it being 5 women directors in the category if they knew a man was going to win? The thing is - he deserved that win. Adolescence is an incredible technical feat! But the way she presented it to him made everyone groan "of course the award went to a man", which kind of sucks for him. I think that was a shitty thing for Banks to do - but it's not her fault. The rest of the presenters were all fairly dull - they teamed everyone up with their tv co-stars which doesn't really make for interesting pairings. I think the only time I laughed is with Katherine Hahn and Ike Barinholtz turning off the teleprompters because they don't "need" writers ("Noah Wyle! So good on Scrubs" made me giggle). I will say that the In Memoriam was really beautiful - I don't follow country music so I have no idea who those people are, but they sounded angelic together. Just stunningly beautiful. 

3. The Winners - This is the second year in a row that I'm fairly happy with the winners. I wish they spread the love a tiny bit more, but Adolescence, Hacks/The Studio, & The Pitt were the best miniseries, comedies, & drama, respectively. I was surprised that Severance took the lead actress and supporting actor categories, though not undeserved; I just expected Kathy Bates and Sam Rockwell to take those. I'm kind of happy that The White Lotus was pretty much shut out because that season SUCKED (although I loved the actors). I also expected The Studio to win writer/director & show, but I did NOT expect Seth Rogen to take the win for lead actor!!! WOW. As much as I like Rogen, he was at the bottom of those nominees for me (mostly because I feel like he's just playing a version of himself). I was also SHOCKED that Owen Cooper won! He's only 15! Up against - oh wait - that was a pretty weak category now that I think about it....but still! He's so cute, and his speech was adorable. Hannah Einbinder is a co-lead of Hacks, but she'll never win against Jean Smart. I'm happy she won, but it's also frustrating for actual supporting roles. I wanted Jessica Williams to win. Actually, that's probably my only complaint - Shrinking should have won a few. I think Harrison Ford deserved it the most for making me cry (and I'm not even a Harrison Ford fan - so that's saying a lot). But the biggest win that I was rooting for was Cristin Milioti - she was so good on The Penguin. And her speech was so cute and made me fall in love with her a little bit!

4. The Fashion - I know it was weird and not to everyone's taste, but I LOVED Jenna Ortega's look - it was clearly a nod to Isabella Rossellini in Death Becomes Her, and I like that she took a risk. I wish that more young actresses took these type of risks. I also thought Sydney Sweeney's Jessica Rabbit dress looked insanely gorgeous on her. Those were definitely my two favorite looks of the night. I also loved Molly Gordon's black and white striped dress - very Audrey Hepburn but modern. And Tina Fey's dress looked stunning on her. Some looks I did not love: Aimee Lou Wood's dress was pretty but ill-fitting in the bust area. Parker Posey's lilac curtain dress. Gross. Meghann Fahy looked like she belonged on Dynasty. And Elizabeth Banks looked like a 90s Barbie (and not in a good way). 

Thoughts on 5 Films

1. Happy Gilmore 2 - So I rewatched the first one a few days before watching this because *surprise* I don't remember anything about a movie that came out almost 30 years ago. I still enjoyed it very much - it's funny and definitely quotable. I'm not the biggest Adam Sandler fan, although I do appreciate how down-to-earth he is and how kind he is to fans. But the baby talk thing he does drives me insane. He's just a very one-note comedian and it got grating. I do remember liking this, along with Big Daddy, The Wedding Singer, but the rest of his comedies have been mostly unwatchable. I think it's so funny how much hotter Julie Bowen is *now* compared to 30 years ago (proof that a bad haircut can age you!). She actually came in to my store (I assume while filming this - it was filmed in NJ and Adam Sandler was all over local news while filming this and another film right after), and I didn't recognize her at first. I just thought to myself "wow what a beautiful woman" and then I asked her if she needed help with anything. She said no, and as I turned away, I realized "wait a minute! I know her!". Anyway, *major spoiler* I think it's incredibly shitty that they start this sequel by KILLING HER OFF???? What a fucking downer. They could have done the entire plot of the new golf trying to replace traditional golf and them relying on Happy to save the day without killing off his wife and mother of 5 (? I don't actually remember how many kids they ended up with. But one of them is played by the kid who played Liam Gallagher on the US version of Shameless!!). It just made me so mad that it was hard to enjoy the movie. I did like some other stuff - I like that he made this a family affair (both of his daughters and his wife have roles). I LOVE that Adam Sandler is such a girl dad because his comedy is very male-centric and "bro-y". I also think the whole random object is a surprise flask bit that is continued throughout the film is hilarious. The golf ball one got me good. But otherwise, it was...*fine*. 

2. Borderline - I love Samara Weaving so much. And I love that she's really made herself into an accidental horror queen, but more specifically a horror comedy queen (Ready or Not, The Babysitter and the iconic first kill in Scream VI). This is that same genre that she's perfected - not really horror but a thriller with some very funny moments. I'm not sure that anyone outside of a certain generation will understand how funny it is because it's loosely based on Madonna's stalker in the 90s - so there are a ton of Madonna references that I'm not sure younger people will get. I didn't really know that's what it was about until a few minutes in, but I *thought* "oh is this based on Madonna?" and then realized yes, that's why it's titled Borderline (one of my fave Madonna songs). It's hilarious that Jimmie Fails is the Dennis Rodman character (wedding dress and all! Look it up kids!). But the real standout of the film is Ray Nicholson who goes way harder in this film than I think anyone would expect him to. Not all nepobabies are bad! Ray has his dad's famous smile, but he's proven that he also has the talent to boot! When the film is focused on Samara and Ray's characters it's very good. The premise is also very good, but anytime anyone else is on screen I got very bored. And, I'm sorry, but Alba Baptista (aka Chris Evan's wife) can NOT act. She also looks like she's about 12 and she's very tiny, so I don't believe for a second she can overtake someone literally 3 times her size. There's a lot of the film that is just plain stupid or not believable (why is she wearing sneakers in her own home? wouldn't you scream if your stalker showed up in your kitchen?? Wouldn't you arm yourself with a knife instead of throwing fruit at him?). But, overall, the lead performances excel and it has a great soundtrack! I was WAITING for the Borderline song, but it definitely was not what I was expecting. It's....interesting. 

3. Freaky Tales - I liked this - it's three short stories but they all have a slight connection even though the stories themselves are very different. I like the setting of 1987 in Oakland California, because I think that's a very specific period of time that is tangible but also feels like a different world from present day (a world in which people waited in line to get into a club instead of for a Labubu). I think the story featuring Pedro Pascal is the strongest (and he's finally not miscast in something!), but I also really enjoyed the girl duo freestyle rapping (I think they are supposed to be like a Salt-N-Pepa type group). I've said this before, but I think rapping is such a talent - it's POETRY! Especially rap battles that are basically improv. People get put off by the crassness of the language, but there is such skill involved. Anyway, the film as a whole is very interesting, even if unmemorable. I think it could have lost the animation stuff - it felt like that was added on to give it something of interest, but it's unnecessary. I like most of the cast a lot - especially Jay Ellis. I rooted for him HARD on Insecure. He's SO hot. I like the girl from Expats. And Kier Gilchrist (who should be a bigger star by now). Plus, Angus Cloud (I think this was his last role - what a loss. He was my favorite on Euphoria)!

4. The Monkey - This isn't necessarily a bad movie, but it's just very pointless? Like, I couldn't understand what it was trying to say...if anything? Other than the very obvious "don't be a dick head" and "everybody dies, that's life" lesson. I just feel like horror is usually used as a metaphor for social issues (racism, classism, sexism, etc.), and this just...is about a toy monkey that can magically kill people. It's a bit more on the same scale as Final Destination with the focus being more on these insane "freak accident" deaths. This is directed by Osgood Perkins - who also directed Longlegs and I am the Pretty Thing that Lives in the House. I didn't love either of them, but they are interesting. This...isn't. Instead, it's more about the gore and other movies have done gore much better. I thought it was weird that the nanny was named Annie Wilkes, but then I realized that it was a nod to Stephen King because this is based on one of his short stories. I wonder if that had more of a point? I'm a big fan of Theo James (he was great on his season of The White Lotus, and I LOVE The Gentlemen tv show - can't wait for season 2!), but I don't think he's a strong enough actor to play twins. And the supporting cast is great (Tatiana Maslany, Elijah Wood, Adam Scott, etc.), but they all have very small roles, which is disappointing. I don't even have anything else to say...it's just...blah. 

5. The Phoenician Scheme - Honestly, I hate how well Wes Anderson movies are made because I almost never end up liking them but I'm forced to rate most at least 3 stars because they are SO GORGEOUS. For fun here is my unofficial (and probably controversial) Wes Anderson ranking: 

The Royal Tenenbaums

Isle of Dogs

The Darjeeling Limited

Asteroid City

The French Dispatch

Fantastic Mr. Fox

The Life Aquatic

The Phoenician Scheme

The Grand Budapest Hotel

Moonrise Kingdom 

(I've seen Rushmore and Bottle Rocket, but I don't remember them enough to have an opinion) 

And even though this is towards the bottom of my ranking, I rate it 3 stars for that opening credits scene alone - it's so fucking gorgeous. The blocking, the colors, the camera placement - 10/10 no notes. I like the base story - that this billionaire is trying to reconnect to his daughter and make sure she can take over his business arrangements after he dies. But it goes on so many tangents and ridiculous scenarios that it becomes grating. There are a few highlights - the basketball scene with Tom Hanks and Bryan Cranston is hilarious. Michael Cera was MADE for Wes Anderson films and it's WILD that this is his first time starring in one. But the biggest surprise for me was Mia Threapleton. I don't think I've ever seen her in anything but she seemed familiar and I thought she has the same air about her as Mia Wasikowski (not in looks but in this young confident star kind of way). It started to bother me though as to WHY she seemed SO familiar so I looked her up and HOLY SHIT she's Kate Winslet's daughter! She looks *just* like her and sounds even more like her. But also I can't believe Kate Winslet's daughter is 24 years old because I remember when she was pregnant like it was only 10 years ago max *cries in old lady*. Anyway, Benicio del Toro is also great. Scarlett Johansson is probably the weak link for me (that accent *eeek*), but that's not surprising to anyone. 

Thoughts on 5 Films

1. Opus - There are certainly some interesting things about this movie, but overall, I think it's a bit of a mess. I appreciate the effort to make something original, though. And there is a very strong cast here. I'm excited for Ayo to be in films, but so far...not so good. She's good, but the two films I've seen her in so far have both been 2 stars (I may have even rated Omni Loop 1 star, I don't remember). John Malkovich is the most John Malkovich he's been since Being John Malkovich. He makes this movie watchable - and I'm shocked how good that pop song actually is. Juliette Lewis, Murray Bartlett, etc., all have their moments, but I wish they didn't under-utilize Amber Midthunder (I'm not sure if she even has any dialogue?). The story starts off a bit like Almost Famous mixed with The Menu, which is, like I said, interesting. And then it turns into this story of this pop star turned cult leader, which seems outrageous, but Tom Cruise is STILL one of the most popular action stars in the world (not a cult leader per say, but STILL IN A CULT and RECRUITS young stars into this CULT). I was invested but slightly bored until the story goes from a 3 to a 10 in an instant. It needed more of a build-up to keep the story feeling natural instead of being so over-the-top within seconds of being boring. It felt like tonal whiplash. I think it has some interesting things to say about parasocial behavior with celebrities and how we've normalized celebrities being weirdos. I tend to be more fascinated by celebrities/millionaires who go out of their way to live normally (examples - Sandra Bullock & Keanu Reeves both bought normal houses outside of Hollywood and live "normal" lives when not making movies. And they both seem like genuine good people. I also think it's why my "crush" celebrities are James McAvoy & Taron Egerton - because they seem like normal people). Anyway, I do think the cult of celebrity is changing along with social media because the "famous" people are influencers now. People I've never heard of! It's wild. 

2. The Accountant 2 - Out of all the movies in the world to get greenlit for a sequel, I don't think anyone would predict a sequel to The Accountant. Did it do well, box-office wise?? I don't remember it being a popular movie at all. I don't even know why I watched this. I thought the first one was boring. And this sequel is more of the same. I guess I was intrigued by the fact that it got a sequel. And I appreciate that the sequel is actually The Accountant Squared (clever!). I also didn't remember that Ben Affleck plays someone who is basically autistic?? I think?? It's just so boring, though. I don't understand how a movie can be this boring and also be over 2 hours long! It's just so unnecessary. There is one very cute scene and that's when Ben Affleck (an apparently autistic man) learns how to line-dance because a girl was flirting with him. It's super-duper cute and I like that he's taller than everyone on the dance floor because it highlights his awkwardness. But other than that, I couldn't even tell you the story (someone was murdered and only THE accountant can figure out why or something like that). I do like the woman that used to be Amanda Waller on The Arrow tv show. She's a strong actress and has great screen presence. That's all I got. 

3. Death of a Unicorn - I have to say, I did not expect this movie to be about the literal death of a unicorn. Haha! I didn't really know anything about it - I know it got mixed reviews and that it starred Paul Rudd and Jenna Ortega. But it is a WILD plot. The beginning is very hard to watch - it's literally my worst nightmare to accidentally hit an animal while driving. And then it doesn't die, so it's left suffering?! Just the worst thing I can imagine. So, the story is that this father/daughter are driving through this absolutely gorgeous forest (I looked it up because I thought maybe it was Yellowstone, but it's supposed to be the Canadian Rockies - but filmed in Hungary.), and they hit a unicorn - and then they face the consequences of that. But it starts off incredibly unrealistic (I mean, other than them hitting a mythological creature), because the dad literally violently kills the animal in front of his daughter. That just wouldn't happen - you would tell your child to go wait in the car to protect them from witnessing that. I like the strangeness of the story, but it's just really boring, repetitive, and predictable. I also like that Will Poulter is suddenly hot now (thanks to The Bear) - he was always that awkward kid who nails the "Waterfalls" scene in We're the Millers, but now he's SO MUCH MORE! I also laughed hard at the line "Hold the phone Ponce de Leon" because it was SO random. Who says that??? LOL. But other then that, I didn't like this movie at all. And that haircut looks hideous on Jenna....why would they do that to her??? 

4. Captain America: Brave New World - Well, this is definitely among the worst of the Marvel movies. And it's not really a Captain America movie at all, instead it's a sequel to The Incredible Hulk (a movie from 2008 that they suddenly decided was canon to the new Marvel movies). I wish I knew that beforehand because I don't remember a movie from 17 years ago AT ALL. The only reason I connected it was because of the picture of Liv Tyler - and was like wait, she was in one of the Hulk films, right? So then I had to do some research to remind myself of certain things before continuing the film. But I still don't really understand it because the whole idea of Falcon turning into Captain America doesn't make any sense??? So....he's both? He's Captain America with wings?? I like Anthony Mackie A LOT, but I think they set him up to fail with this role. First of all, he's such a little guy - I don't buy him as Captain America at all. I mean, I'm not the biggest fan of Chris Evans, but I admit he was believable as Captain America. I also don't know who this sidekick is at all? Was he in previous movies or maybe that Falcon tv show? The movie acts like we should already know who he is? Second, like I said, they don't even give Cap his own movie. This is more about Harrison Ford as Red Hulk - even though we have to wait until the literal end of the film for him to appear as Red Hulk. And third, this film relies way too much on Marvel history to be enjoyable - not only do you have to remember The Incredible Hulk, you also have to remember that one that I can't even remember the name of?? The one with Richard Madden and Salma Hayek?? The Immortals? Maybe? I also think casting Shira Haas and introducing this role now is a little tasteless considering the state of the world. She's also as tiny as I am (I know she had cancer as a child that stunted her growth - but it's dumb to cast her in a role where she fights people THREE times her size. Limitations exist!). And can we stop casting Giancarlo Esposito in bad guy roles??? It's getting exhausting. I also think it's HILARIOUS that Liv Tyler only shows up for like 2 seconds. I wonder how much they paid her for that? 

5. Final Destination Bloodlines - I rewatched all of the Final Destination films earlier this year and was SHOCKED by how much I enjoyed them. Even the bad ones are fun to some degree (my ranking is as follows: 1, 3, 5, 2, 4 - this one would land somewhere in the middle, I think). There are just so many thoughtful death scenes that are so damn memorable. When I first started the marathon, I remembered the log scene, the tanning bed scene, and the original plane crash as being iconic, but after the marathon - I realized there are SO many more, and I think my favorite one is actually the gymnastic scene because they show SO many options for her death and then she just falls the wrong way and breaks her entire body. It's actually genius! Anyway, I was excited for this - and made sure to avoid any spoilers. I love the beginning death scene - which takes place at one of those sky tower restaurants (I've been to a few - Toronto & San Antonio most recently), and it feels different because it takes place in the late 60s. But it's weird that two horror movies this year both have this location (this and Drop, and it was also in that recent movie with Ana De Armas and Chris Evans too). The whole sequence is incredible and I laughed hard when the piano falls on the obnoxious kid. Although I HATE the "Ring of Fire" song, not because it's a bad song but because it's an instant brain worm for me! I will have it in my head for WEEKS now. The rest of the film isn't as strong - it reminded me a bit more of the 4th one in the franchise because everyone just moves on from the death of their loved ones too quickly. Like, their DAD DIED and the son goes to work the next day, and the daughter goes out for her daily run. It's just stupid. Let people grieve in these films, it works so much better. The sequence with the shard of glass is done very well, but the foreshadowing of the lawn mower was too obvious for it to be shocking. The acting is not great with the guy from The 100 being the worst offender. I didn't really care about this family or any of the characters, so it becomes a little boring. But, they give Tony Todd a nice send-off and show a lot of love to his character. Overall, it's another fun FD movie and I hope they make 100 more. 

Thoughts on 5 Films

1. Drop - It seems I liked this a bit more than most (most of the film people I trust gave it 2 stars, I rated it 3). I think it's one of those films that is exactly as advertised - a silly action thriller. It's what I wanted to watch and it's what I got. It's elevated by terrific acting performances, particularly by the star, Meghann Fahy. I just love her SO much, and I've been yelling that she is a STAR for years now, so I'm very happy that she's a lead in a feature film. She's got that tough combination of being both extremely sexy and soooo adorable simultaneously. I've seen the guy in this a few times before, but this was the first time I looked up his name - Brandon Sklenar. He's from NJ, so I must support! He's good, though - he kind of reminds me of a scruffier Josh Hartnett. I'm also usually a fan of singular location horror thrillers - like Red Eye. I think it forces a bit of creativity with the narrative, and while yes, that can sometimes feel contrived and unrealistic, I find it fun. The director, Christopher Landon, also directed both Happy Death Day films and Freaky and I really enjoyed those too (he's also very attractive!). It's fascinating to me that people have these things on their phones, though. The whole "drop" thing goes way above my head - I would never! I don't have an iPhone though (and I never will. I don't have any Apple products except apple tv+ that my husband pays for lol). The fact that strangers can send you things on your phone and know your location is WILD. My other annoyance with this movie is that the first date outfit she has on is SO MUCH better than the second one her sister forces on her. The second one is sexier, I guess, but it looks like she's going to a holiday party! Do not wear velvet on a first date unless it's the holidays. Period. ANYWAY. Like I said, it's a bit silly - if the guy could poison the piano player, he could obviously figure out how to poison the mark instead of this whole elaborate plan. But, overall, I was invested in the story, it moves quickly, and has some great tense moments. I also like the way the shots are set up at certain angles that really make the audience feel how high up they are at this sky restaurant. 

2. Heads of State - This is actually a really fun movie! I wasn't expecting much, but both my husband and I quite enjoyed it. We laughed a lot, and that's always a sign of a good time. Idris Elba and John Cena have GREAT comedic chemistry together. My husband had never seen Elba in anything other than serious stuff so he commented how surprised he was that he's funny and then was like "oh...now I get why people were pushing the Bond role for him. That would have been great". It's too late now, but this film definitely proves they really botched a potentially great run of Bond films. I also really like John Cena - he just has a lot of fun on screen and he's a genuinely good dude. A few funny moments that stood out to me are the whole "Keep Calm & Carry On" theme, as Cena's character points out it literally means to "do nothing and keep doing nothing". I laughed hard at the "I'm Dr. Dre and you're Eminem" line. The best scene though features scene-stealer Jack Quaid (who is now in THREE of my favorite films this year!). The whole scene with "Sabotage" playing is so cliche, but they pull it off really well and it's genuinely hilarious. I also like Priyanka - and she's a nice addition to their collective energy. There's not much else to say - I just think it's a fun date night movie. I hope they do a sequel. 

3. The Old Guard 2 - I have zero recollection of the first one except that they are superheroes (I think?). The first one came out during the pandemic and I think we were all traumatized, consuming content because there was nothing else to do but turn our brains into mush. This one just *starts*, and I have no idea what's going on - a little recap would have been helpful. I just found myself zoning out immediately. I love Charlize though - I will watch her in anything (but I'm particularly excited for the film coming out with her and Taron!). I'm not sure why she keeps having such awful haircuts in movies, though? Is it a running joke or something? The mullet is BAD. I know Uma Thurman is an addition to this (a good one), but I'm not sure if Chiwetel Ejiofor or Henry Golding were in the first one too??? It's such an incredible cast - you think I would remember it?! Anyway, this is just plain dull. Uma and Charlize are great adversaries (both believable kick-ass women). And I like Kiki Layne. I just think they expected too much from the audience with this. 

4. Heart Eyes - Ohhhhh this is written by the director of Drop! And I see that he has a writing credit for Disturbia?? I think I might love him. I don't know much about this other than it's a Valentine's Day horror movie, and it's probably going to be dumb, but I really liked the Thanksgiving themed horror movie (called Thanksgiving) - it was dumb, but I had a blast! Unfortunately, I didn't have as much fun with this. And I don't think it's a writing issue - it has a good story. It's definitely a directing issue. This is the same director of Werewolves Within, a film that also has a good story, but terrible execution. I think the biggest problem is that the actors over-act and it feels more cheesy than funny. Michaela Watkins is a perfect example because I think she's hilarious in everything I've seen her in except this and Werewolves. She's unbearably bad in both of these movies because her characters are so overdone and don't feel like real people. That's a director choice, not an actor one. I also knew who the killer(s) was immediately upon introduction (again, just like Werewolves). It's incredibly obvious. I did laugh a few times, though - like with the casting of millennial favorites Jordana Brewster and Devon Sawa as...Hobbs & Shaw (lol). And the acronym HWW (hysterical white woman). The main cast are very dull, though, and the whole thing is a bit unmemorable. 

5. The Amateur - UGH....I hate Rami Malek more and more with everything I see him in. And it makes me so mad because I would argue to the death that his performance in Mr. Robot is one of the greatest television performances ever. But the problem is that he's so good at Mr. Robot because he literally has NO personality whatsoever. He's so dry and monotoned which was perfect for that show, but not as a lead actor in film. I know a lot of people who will argue that he was "SPECTACULAR" in Bohemian Rhapsody but I disagree. His performance in that was...fine, I guess. That movie had a lot of problems, from a technical perspective, and his performance definitely hid the fact that the overall film was a disaster, but it makes me genuinely mad that he has an Oscar and now he makes films like this - where he has no screen presence, charm, or...talent. I think this will land on my Worst of 2025 list simply because it's so fucking dull. I was surprised to see Rachel Brosnahan, Caitriona Balfe, AND Julianne Nicholson in this because the only ones advertised are Malek and Laurence Fishburne. And it's weird that Jon Bernthal shows up for a hot second? His career is bigger than this tiny role. The whole plot is unrealistic and stupid (which would be fine if it were also interesting!). But the part that really pissed me off is the scene with the pool. I knew as soon as everyone started talking about that stupid glass pool bridge in London that sits between two buildings, that someone would use it in a movie. But the GOOD guy in this uses this pool basically as a way to kill someone BUT it would obviously kill all the people below the pool too?? All that glass falling to the ground like that??? And I'm supposed to root for this person? How fucking stupid is that. It lost a whole star from me *just* because of that scene. If you potentially kill innocent people you are no longer the good guy. 

Thoughts on 5 Films

1. Love Me - Once again, I've never heard of this movie! I think it's just really disappointing because it seems like the only independent films that get press are from A24 and I'm kind of over it. While I wouldn't say that I necessarily enjoyed this movie, it's certainly...interesting. I think it's very timely and relatable for a lot of people, and it really digs into what it means to be "human" amongst an ever-growing world of AI. I was very confused and irritated during the beginning because it's all animated and the only reason I pressed play for this is because Kristen Stewart and Steven Yeun are on the poster (as humans). It's not that I don't like animation, but it wasn't what I was expecting based on the poster. I also wasn't expecting to stare at a fucking Minion looking creature for a majority of the film. I questioned whether this film was going to be watchable, but then it tells this story of this influencer couple who live their lives online - and the robot (who is living in a future world) tries to copy this couple in order to find meaning to its life. It kind of asks the question of how we want the future to remember us, and if all they have is influencer life on social media as proof of life, well, we're all doomed to be remembered as that. Personally, I don't understand it, nor do I want to live my life in front of people (mostly strangers). And the only thing worse than an influencer is an influencer couple. These machines try to copy this human existence and it leads to a very false sense of identity ("who are we talking to?" EXACTLY!). So, as I said, it's an interesting way to look at the future, and asks thoughtful questions about the effects of social media, technology, and the human race. I think the animated Yeun is spot on, but I would not know that was supposed to be Kristen Stewart if I didn't already know. And it becomes a little repetitive. 

2. Sinners - Ok, so I have my issues with this movie, but overall, it's very good. The best of the year so far, but I don't think that's saying much because it's been a slow year for films (I've seen 35 2025 releases and only THREE of them are 3.5 stars or above. THREE!). I was extremely nervous about this - and the reviews for this - because a lot of people referenced the comparison to From Dusk Till Dawn, which is one of my all-time favorite films. That automatically sets it up for failure, because it's not going to be that good. But, the only real comparison between the movies is that it's an unconventional vampire movie about two brothers. But the underlying themes are very different. So, let me start with the stuff I didn't love. First of all, I'm a big fan of Michael B. Jordan. I was here since Parenthood & Friday Night Lights. BUT, I think he's miscast sometimes - he's outstanding in the Creed movies and in Fruitvale Station, but I thought he was awful in Black Panther (the over-acting was off the charts!). It's kind of crazy that Ryan Coogler has 5 feature films under his belt and ALL 5 star Jordan?! Has that ever happened before? I know there are a lot of actor/director collaborations, but FIVE IN A ROW? Like, maybe Coogler needs to step away and analyze who is truly the best person for the role instead of insta-hiring the same actor? It's not that I think Jordan is bad in this, but I found it extremely difficult to tell the difference between the twin brothers he is portraying. It's weird because the summaries all describe the brothers as if one is "more calm and collected" than the other, but that's all inferred through dialogue not necessarily through Jordan's acting. It's not easy playing two roles in one film, and unfortunately, I just did not buy this at all. I also don't think it's made particularly well. Obviously, I'm aware that it was made for an IMAX screen and it probably looked better. But the super-wide aspect ratio is hard to look at on a tv screen at home. The blocking is super weird, the angles of the camera are off-putting, and the editing is very jumpy. It's very technically ugly, but it's saved by the costume and set design, and, of course, the vibes. And my final issue is that nothing happens for the first 45 minutes. I was so exponentially bored WAITING for SOMETHING. But then it gets good. Like, really good. The scene that goes through the decades of black influence in different genres of music is incredible and I really wish that there was more of that originality and creativity in the rest of the film. Jack O'Connell is the absolute stand-out for me (no surprise there, really. He's probably my third male celebrity crush behind Taron and James McAvoy. I HAVE A TYPE!). He KILLS this role. The rest of the supporting cast are all great too - Delroy Lindo, Wunmi Mosaku, and Hailee Steinfeld all have time to shine. I also think the dialogue is written really well - very poetic and smooth. Overall, I'm not in love with it, but I certainly love parts of it. 

3. The Ballad of Wallis Island - This is a cute, little film. Nothing that I will necessarily remember, but I enjoyed it for what it is. I feel like Carey Mulligan has disappeared, so it was nice to see her in something again, even if she still has the same "I'm on the verge of tears" expression on her face ALL THE TIME (I started calling it "resting cry face" instead of "resting bitch face"). Also, she sings in this and I LOVE her voice. It's so pretty and the songs are really pretty too. The film kind of reminds me of Once - not in actual story, but the vibe of it and the folky-type music. I don't really recognize anyone else in the cast, but the guy who orchestrates this whole reunion of his favorite band is really funny (I mean, he would be annoying as fuck in real life but for a movie, it's charming). And I enjoyed the ending - and that the story didn't end the typical way a romantic comedy would. Instead, it's about opening yourself up to new experiences and letting new people into your life. It's cute! 

4. G20 - I was bored and I wanted to watch an action movie (one that my husband wouldn't want to watch - I try to save those for when he occasionally will watch a movie with me). To be honest, I was expecting worse??? I mean, I've definitely seen much worse this year. I thought it was kind of fun - a bit too predictable with WAY too much foreshadowing, but overall I was entertained. I love that Viola Davis will do prestige dramas and also dumb action movies (I think more actors need to adopt this method of choosing roles otherwise they start to get too full of themselves and are constantly seeking awards. It becomes so unhealthy). I like the supporting cast too - the woman from Westworld shows up in the beginning and I said to myself "ooooh I love her! I hope she doesn't die right away" (LOL), Anthony Anderson is always amusing, Clark Gregg, the Italian woman from The White Lotus (I'm not looking up names today...), AND Anthony Starr - who is apparently FROM NEW ZEALAND WITH A KIWI ACCENT IN REAL LIFE??? I had NO IDEA. He plays an American MAGA supervillain so well on The Boys, I was shocked to hear his real accent. The film is far too long, but Viola is a badass and it has some funny parts (like when the woman jumps into the laundry chute and they are like "where the fuck did she go?"). And it's directed by a woman! Always nice to see for an action film like this. 

5. The Woman in the Yard - Man, Danielle Deadwyler is a FORCE. I know a lot of people were upset when she didn't get the Oscar nomination for Till (I think the competition was just too strong), but I thought she was a lock for Supporting with The Piano Lesson. I also liked her in Carry On, and my favorite movie of 2021, The Harder They Fall. And I just watched her episode of The Bear, and she will most definitely get an Emmy nomination in the Guest Actress category, otherwise, we officially RIOT. She MAKES this movie. Her face is so full of expression and she just COMMANDS the screen. But, otherwise, this movie is kind of bad. I appreciate the story of grief that it is trying to tell, but it is very heavy-handed. I didn't really know what to expect with the story, but from the poster I thought it was like a ghost story/mystery kind of like The Woman in the Wall or I am the Pretty Thing that Lives in the House (both oddly star Ruth Wilson!). And it pretty much is - although maybe more psychological drama than ghost story. It's also a Blumhouse horror, which tend to be very bad nowadays (I had higher hope for it because it's directed by Jaume Collet-Serra and I'm a fan! He just signed a huge Netflix deal after the success of Carry On. I hope he partners up with Taron again). This movie is just flat-out boring, though. I stopped paying attention by the end because I figured the "woman in the yard" was just a metaphor for her grief and I knew it would be stupid to watch that from a visual perspective. But then as I randomly paid attention, I think it might have been the daughter maybe? The whole backwards R thing was obviously going to be important, but I'll never know because it's not something I'll ever watch again. 

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

The Good:

- The Pitt is the best drama on television and it's not even close. I'm so happy for Noah Wyle (he better win!) and Katherine LaNasa. I'm confused as to why Shawn Hatosy is up for Guest Actor, but Sam Rockwell (for The White Lotus) had to go for Supporting??? They have about the same screen time and episode appearances, no? But whatever, I'm happy for both of them. 

- I love Slow Horses - I think it would be a much bigger hit if Apple tv+ actually advertised their shows better. I feel like they put all their money on pushing like 2 shows when they have a dozen every year that are the best tv has to offer. 

- WOW - they actually got the Comedy category right!! It matched my picks almost exactly, but I only put 7 shows on my list (I didn't put Only Murders, I think the last season was a mess). I do wish some more true sitcoms would get in (like Animal Control or St. Denis Medical), but overall, this is a great list in a very tough category. 

- Adolescence is great. I think it might be this year's Baby Reindeer and sweep. Which is a shame for The Penguin because that's a close call. I do still think Cristin Milioti will win (*crosses fingers*). 

- I'm not the biggest fan of The Last of Us. But, Joe Pantoliano blew me away with his episode. It's probably the only episode of the season I actually paid attention to. 

- I know it's mean, but I'm thrilled that The Handmaid's Tale & Elisabeth Moss were snubbed. That show should have ended at least 2 seasons ago and Moss is a terrible actress - nobody can convince me otherwise. 

- I never thought I would say this but Harrison Ford BETTER win! His performance in Shrinking is one of my favorites of the year. 

The Bad: 

- I like Severance just fine (it's good!), but 23 nominations is insane. 

- Paradise is a fun addictive drama, but it's not Emmy territory. Same for The Diplomat. 

- UGH...fucking Bowen Yang. I would rather be waterboarded than watch his SNL sketches.

- I knew Dying for Sex was well loved, but I thought the whole series was annoying and over-acted. Nominating Michelle Williams is a given (she's an awards darling), but the supporting cast too? Come ON. 

- I'm rolling my eyes hard at Black Mirror being nominated. That show hasn't been good in ages. 

- I'm not surprised at the love for The Studio (I love it too!), but LOL at that Guest Actor in a Comedy Series category. Martin Scorsese for an ACTING nomination? Playing a heightened version of himself? FUCK OFF. You just want Martin Scorsese to show up at the Emmys. Obvi. 

The Snubbed: 

- The entire supporting cast of The Pitt should be nominated - I'm shocked it didn't dominate the categories, but The White Lotus did. Taylor Dearden, Tracy Ifeachor, Isa Briones, Fiona Dourif, Gerran Howell, Supriya Ganesh. ALL OF THEM!

- If you're going to nominate shows like Paradise and The Diplomat, then at least pick the best one - and that's Black Doves. I think Kiera Knightley is deserving too. 

- I knew The White Lotus would dominate the supporting categories (I thought it would all be split between that and The Pitt actors), but my favorite one - Michelle Monaghan didn't get in and that makes me sad. It wasn't as showy as the others, but not all performances can be showy. 

- Kaitlyn Dever did score a nomination for The Last of Us, but she should have been nominated for Apple Cider Vinegar. She's so incredible on that series. 

- No Jack Lowden??! But he's so hot! Come on, Emmys!

Thoughts on 5 Films

1. Mickey 17 - I liked this more than I thought I would, but it's still a 3 star movie. For some reason, I thought I was going to hate it?! And I like Bong Joon Ho! I think I just got annoyed by all of the overwhelming praise for Parasite. I mean, it's a good movie. Great even. But it wasn't even in my top 3 films of 2019 and it's crazy that it's picked as the "best" film of the last 25 years (according to the people who voted in that NYT poll. Drive didn't even make the list out of 100 films, so that list is automatically null and void in my opinion). But as far as this movie goes - I wouldn't exactly call it a "good" movie, but I love the ideas and the ambition so it gets a solid thumbs up from me. It's just in need of some deep editing. It's so easy to pick out the 20 minutes of film that could have been cut to make the story more cohesive and interesting. Instead, it lingers way too long on every scene and has so many moments that are just unnecessary. I'm also not the biggest fan of these acting performances. I can take or leave Robert Pattinson - he's been good in some stuff, definitely, but the voice he does here is so annoying. It sounds like he's doing a Danny DeVito impression and it doesn't match his physical appearance. It's almost like his voice has been dubbed over with someone else's voice. And this is the third thing I've seen Naomi Ackie in, so I can confirm - she can't act. I rolled my eyes hard with that single tear drop she manages to squeeze out. Her acting just feels so forced. And what the fuck is Mark Ruffalo doing here??? A Trump impression? It's soooo hard to watch. Steven Yeun and Toni Collette are the saving graces, but barely. The little alien creatures are super cute though!! And the plot is fun and original. 

2. Cleaner - I want to like Daisy Ridley, I really do...but she's not often cast in things that I enjoy. I'm convinced I can be swayed to like her if she just got cast in better roles (she was fine in the Star Wars movies, but I'm talking about everything else she's been in). I didn't really even want to watch this, but there was literally no other new movies available on any of my streaming services (at the time! Now I'm overwhelmed with options. I'm back to being very behind on my movie watching and also these posts! I watched this like 3 weeks ago!). But I thought this could be fun, and it had an interesting idea behind it. But it's just very average, very predictable, and very stupid. I mean, she WAKES UP WITH EYE LINER ON. It's one of my biggest pet peeves in movies. There are some cool parts - first, being a high-rise window cleaner is actually a very cool job. I bet the views are spectacular and it probably pays very well. Second, I like the idea that it's basically a Jason Statham movie but starring a woman instead. And third, there is some great fight choreography. But the predictability of it is mind-numbing. The whole brother side-plot, the whole Clive Owen being a bad guy but not as bad as the "real" bad guys is just obvious from the get go. And the bad guys being more of a protest against the wealthy thing only works if YOU DON'T KILL people. If you kill innocent people, you're the bad guy - it's not that complicated. 

3. A Working Man - And speaking of Jason Statham....I was hoping this was a bit more fun than it turned out to be. It's a very expected film. It's like Taken and John Wick, but...not very good? I just thought with Jason Statham, directed by David Ayer (and co-written by Sylvester Stallone!?), that it would be, at the very least, a solid action film. But there's just nothing really to it. This "working man" construction guy who used to be ex-military gets caught up with the Russian mob because they kidnap his boss' daughter for human trafficking. And he spends the whole movie fighting ridiculous villains that lead to nowhere until the end. The end. There's a whole subplot about him fighting for custody of his daughter that is literally completely dropped (does he get it? I guess we'll never know? or assume this rescue of another person will help him in court somehow?). They underuse Michael Pena too - because he could have been funny (at least before his daughter is kidnapped?) to provide some lightness but he's just this very serious boss. Just cast someone else if that's what the role is. I also think it's just a bit ridiculous - the second they have her they would ship her off somewhere. They wouldn't torture her and explain what's happening to her. That's not how human trafficking works. Anyway, there are way better dumb Statham movies to watch - this one feels like a waste of time and energy. 

4. Snow White (2025) - I'm constantly amazed at how big movies like this turn out so awful - like, how did producers watch the dailies for this and not realize it before it was too late? There are SO many things wrong with this movie and Rachel Zegler is about the only thing that's not wrong and YET she took all the blame! The biggest problem is CLEARLY Gal Gadot. I admit, I fully loved Gal when she was cast as Wonder Woman. And I still think she's great in that role. But, she's proven over and over again that that was an anomaly. She can't act. And she DEFINITELY can't sing (seriously, I thought my ears were going to bleed during her song). Why would they have her sing? Are the producers deaf? At least dub over it with someone who can? It's so WEIRD. The next problem is the creepy-as-fuck CGI dwarves. Who made that decision? Who saw those creations and thought "perfect for a kid's movie!"? Next, what the fuck did they do to Zegler's hair? Once the teaser was released and everyone pointed out that she looked like Lord Farquaad from Shrek, I couldn't unsee it. The overall costume design is horrendous too - Gadot's crown looks like it came from a Burger King kids meal and painted metallic purple. I would appreciated more creativity in the costume and hair/makeup design instead of trying to reproduce the original animation. And my final big problem with this film is that the guy who plays the prince (who isn't a prince?) is very, very boring. They have zero chemistry. And I'm pretty sure he's not straight (which is fine - I don't care if gay actors play straight just like I don't care if straight actors play gay, but you should be able to come off as straight for it to work. He does not. Like, at all.). There are many, many, many more smaller issues with this film - but there is some good stuff. Rachel is perfect in the role - she sounds amazing, has this sweet, innocent whimsy to her that reads really well onscreen. I honestly think she's just had the shittiest luck with film roles (her West Side Story debut was rattled with controversy due to Ansel Egort, then the Shazam sequel bombed for a lot of reasons but mostly due to Zachary Levi turning out to be a total asshole). I know she's currently doing some London theater now (also plagued by controversy because she sings the big number to the street crowd, which I actually think is super, duper cool!), but she has nothing listed for upcoming film projects which is concerning. I hope she gets something else soon that can focus on her talent and not controversy. The song "Waiting on a Wish" is really pretty. And I just like the story of Snow White a lot - I always imagined that if I got lost in the woods all the wild animals and creatures would lead me to safety and be my friends. A bear would definitely not eat me. 

5. Echo Valley - I never even heard of this movie STARRING JULIANNE MOORE AND SYDNEY SWEENEY (!!!) until it showed up on Apple +. That's WILD to me. A film starring a 5 time Oscar nominee (and one time winner), and one of the hottest young actresses around...and it's just a blip on a streaming service? As soon as I saw it, I don't think I've ever hit the "play" button so fast! It's Julianne Moore AND Sydney Sweeney?! Hell YES. Unfortunately, it's not great. But the ending definitely saves it. There's a strong story, and a strong beginning, but once the whole "hostage" part happens it becomes very stupid and very boring. Overall, I think I liked it though (solid 3 stars), but I think it could have had a little more intensity and a slightly faster pace. And, another unfortunate aspect is that Sweeney isn't in it all that much. She's in the beginning and seems like a co-lead, but she all but disappears from the rest of the film. Domhnall Gleeson has a bigger role - and he's great as this super creepy scumbag (he's better at these roles than the romcom roles he tries to do). While I like that the story is about this woman who will do anything to protect her daughter, I also think there has to be a limit where you say "no more" - it's obvious that the beginning is a set-up, and I can see forgiving someone for that (maybe), but once it turns into physical violence and threatens my animal, I would be OUT. I did look up filming locations for this because that lake looked familiar, and YUP it's filmed in NJ! I do remember reading about Sydney being in NJ for filming so this must have been the film (there are a ton of things filmed by the town I work in so I don't even blink an eye about it anymore). I think it's funny that they couldn't even make that lake look appealing in a film. Lakes are so disgusting and I'm amazed at how many people swim in dirty, green, cloudy water that has no current or cleaning system. Just hundreds of gross people swimming in standing water. Fucking gross. Anyway, like I said, this has a fantastic ending - sort of a twist, but it's obvious that something is going to give. There's definitely a big "cat and mouse"/"who's playing who" climax that ends the film on a high note. 

Film Retrospective Part III: Thoughts on 10 Films (pre-1990)

1. From Here to Eternity - [blind spot] I know I've seen the iconic scene with them kissing on the beach before, but I definitely have not seen the whole film. I liked it a lot, but 8 Oscars seems very generous. Maybe the Donna Reed one was deserved, but the rest is a little melodramatic to be award-worthy. There's some great dialogue, but the drunk acting was off-the-charts. I like the epic romantic war story a lot though - and I like watching this all unfold knowing what's about to happen (it takes place in Pearl Harbor just before the attacks). I didn't realize how much the film Pearl Harbor was "inspired" by it (and I LOVE Pearl Harbor - although I haven't seen it in, like, 20 years?). I feel like it's a film that my grandfather probably loved - and maybe that's why I remember some of the scenes so clearly? Or maybe I watched parts of it in a film class (I'll never know). On a very random sidenote - aren't the bathing suits from the 50s SO MUCH better than modern ones? I love them so much. I hate feeling like I'm in public with NO CLOTHES ON and I don't really want to see everyone's ass cheeks while I'm trying to sunbathe and mind my business. I wish everyone would go back to this style for beachwear. 

2. The Hill (1965) - [blind spot] I was talking about iconic opening shots in film, and someone recommended this to me as having the "best", and, well, they're not wrong! It's gorgeous! But I didn't realize it was Sean Connery in this, and ew. I can't stand him for a lot of reasons. But I will admit that I don't think I've ever seen him in anything in which he actually tries to act like he does here? And he's really, really good. It's shocking! But WHATEVER I still hate him. But Sidney Lumet, though. Just one of the best directors ever - I consider 5 of his films to be among the greatest of all time (Dog Day Afternoon, Network, Before the Devil Knows You're Dead, Serpico, and, my favorite, 12 Angry Men). I loved this too, but it probably wouldn't make it to my list. Although - technically it's amazing, and very Lumet. Just incredible blocking, camera angles, and some shots are so spectacular so maybe in a few years, I will change my mind. The circular tracking shot in the prison when they are all chanting is also very memorable (I think I like it even more than the opening shot!). The sound was a little muffled - I'm not sure if that was just the version I watched being messed up (I watched it on TCM) or if it was intentional - a lot of background noises seemed very clear, which makes me thing it's kind of like how Nolan plays with sound a lot. The story is really good, but feels a little stretched out - it didn't need to be over 2 hours. But overall, it's great!

3. Shanghai Express - [blind spot] I was excited for this first-time watch because Marlene Dietrich is a LEGEND, but unfortunately I didn't love it. It's...fine. But I was very bored, and it feels way longer than 90 minutes. There's some gorgeous cinematography and costume design, though. Dietrich looks like she just killed her husband and got away with it with that face netting, feather boa, and those eyebrows! My god, she is stunning. But all of the other characters are boring and everyone is very under-developed. I had high hopes with the opening tracking shot and then the train halting for the cow on the tracks (lol). And there's some great dialogue (and a lot of dialogue about race, which I wasn't expecting. "I'm not proud of my white blood" is surprising dialogue for a film from the 30s). I just kind of lost interest about 30 minutes in, so that was unfortunate. 

4. Manhattan - [blind spot] I always get this confused with Annie Hall and mix up which one I've seen, so I honestly wasn't sure until I started this as to whether I had seen it or not. But I definitely haven't and FUCK, I love it so much. Feelings about Woody Allen aside, I really love a LOT of his films, especially his mid-2000s run with Match Point, Cassandra's Dream, and Vicky Christina Barcelona. And then Midnight in Paris is one of my favorite films of the last 15 years. I would love to say, especially considering the subject matter (Allen dates a 17 year old because OF COURSE HE DOES), that this movie is garbage, but with that opening monologue about NYC followed by the swell of the orchestra, I instantly fell in love. It's just so good. And Meryl Streep is so hot in this. She's always gorgeous, but she's like peak Meryl Streep in this. Plus, I love Diane Keaton (maybe one of the few celebrities that I was star-struck by seeing in real life - she sat next to me at a restaurant a few years ago). It's hard to believe that Allen is supposed to be younger than me in this?! He just always looks over 50! Obviously there is great dialogue because that's sort of what Allen is known for, but there are also some beautifully stunning shots (the shot of the spiral staircase with a young Mariel Hemingway reading under the floor lamp??? SUBLIME!). I think the story would have been stronger had the girl been at least 25? He didn't need to make it creepy. The story really isn't about them anyway - it turns into more of a love triangle between him, his married friend, and his friend's lover (an appropriately aged Keaton). And that would have been a strong enough story. Overall, though, I loved this - up there with top-tier Woody Allen. 

5. It Came from Outer Space - [blind spot] I know the behind-the-scenes story to this (it's technically written by Ray Bradbury!), but I've never actually seen the whole thing in one sitting (I've seen pieces of it, most likely). It's basically Invasion of the Body Snatchers but not as dark - the aliens are trying to be peaceful and just want time to figure their own shit out but humans are gonna human. It's a good sci-fi story. I laughed hard at all the screams - she screams so loud and wildly at...nothing. It's very funny (not sure if that's the intent, though). And I never noticed that the alien design is basically what Monsters Inc. copied. Overall, this is a great sci-fi movie that inspired countless other films. 

6. Lilies of the Field - [blind spot] Another film with Arizona as its location (It Came from Outer Space also takes place in AZ. Those cacti are very specific to AZ only - and I think some part of Mexico?). Anyway, this is another Sidney Poitier film that I haven't seen, and I really liked it. Sidney is so damn charming and funny - him trying to teach the nuns English is so funny. Him saying "I stands up, y'all" and then laughing is so hilarious. And him complementing them "you girls look nice" and they're all wearing their nuns outfits. LOL. He's just so charming and effortless. I don't think the film is anything special, but his performance really makes it interesting. 

7. She's Having a Baby - [rewatch] I always get this movie and the one where Molly Ringwald says "I'm pregnant, can you pass the turnips" confused (I just looked it up - it's called For Keeps and it's definitely what I thought I was watching until I saw Kevin Bacon and Elizabeth McGovern and NO Molly Ringwald. LOL). I have seen this movie before though, and it's good. I like the honest depiction of marriage - but I also think it's a bit depressing for young people to look at marriage like this and still go through with it *just* because of the social pressure. And most problems in a marriage can easily be solved if they just TALK TO EACH OTHER. Like with the scene where she makes dinner that he doesn't want to eat it and she gets all upset and dramatic about it and she says "I didn't know what you wanted and I didn't feel like guessing"....um...just ask him? Or you can just not care? I usually make dinner for my husband and I rarely ask him what he wants. If I'm cooking, I'm making what I want. He can eat it or make something else for himself. Done and done. (and for the record, my husband eats his whole plate and says "thank you" because he's not an asshole). But some couples, especially ones depicted in the media, have all these passive-aggressive arguments and constant bickering and it honestly makes the whole concept of marriage seem unappealing. There is a very telling line "yeah, you'll be happy, you just won't know it", which is very astute. And kind of crazy sad to think about. Anyway, the best part of this movie is the end credits. HOLY SHIT. I definitely have never seen them before. But it's basically EVERY SINGLE FAMOUS PERSON from the 80s giving ideas for baby names. Like everyone - John Candy, Dan Akroyd, Matthew Broderick, Belinda Carlisle, Woody Harrelson, Kirstie Alley, Magic Johnson, Penny Marshall, Annie Potts, Ally Sheedy. You name 'em - they are all there. It's very entertaining. 

8. Uncle Buck - [rewatch] One of my favorite 80s movies and definitely in my top 3 John Candy films (Once Upon a Crime and Planes, Trains & Automobiles are the other two. Home Alone doesn't really count, although I love his scene in it). Candy is so missed - my top three comedians growing up were John Candy, Robin Williams, and Phil Hartman and all three were gone way too soon. I definitely haven't seen this since I was a kid (I was 8 when it came out, so probably at least 30 years, so this will be an interesting watch). Macauley Culkin and Gabby Hoffman were so damn cute!! But, it's far more serious of a film than I remember? It's got some funny moments (like Candy walking through the crowd of teens dancing to "Bust a Move". SO FUNNY) and definitely some sexual innuendos that I didn't catch as a kid. I also didn't realize that the neighbor lady was played by Laurie Metcalf! How funny. Anyway, this was interesting! Far more grown up than I remember, but still cute. I love the relationship that forms between him and the older, rebellious teen daughter - I remember thinking she was so cool when I was a kid. Haha! A great, fun re-watch. 

9. The Running Man - [rewatch] Technically, this is a rewatch because I definitely watched this a while back while it was on tv, but I remember being really bored and I didn't pay that much attention to it (I couldn't even tell you the plot), so I decided to give it another go (especially since Edgar Wright is doing the remake this year (YAY), starring Glen Powell (hmmmmm...)), but...um...I was really bored again?! I like a lot about it though - like how it starts with Arnie saying "I'm not firing on helpless people". I wish more people in law enforcement (cops, border patrol, etc.) would say no, but instead "follow orders" (and then are confused when people call them nazis?? Make it make sense!). Anyway, unfortunately, the film is just too campy and ridiculous. And they don't get the "future" of 2019 right AT ALL. It still screams 80s movie - both aesthetically and from a fashion standpoint. And why is she wearing lingerie to work out?? Also, he says "I'll be back" in this too????!! That's amazing. 

10. Psycho (1960) - [rewatch] So, I had a really cool experience rewatching this because I got to see it in a theater! My first ever Hitchcock on a big screen, which is kind of crazy to think about considering how much of a fan I am. I literally own a majority of his films (even multiples of some). So, the Paris Theater (now owned by Netflix) did a Hitchcock retrospective and showed a ton of his films, along with some films inspired by Hitch. I wish I saw more, but it's not the easiest place to get to (not super difficult either - a 40 minute train ride, followed by a 30 minute walk or smelly/sweaty subway ride). I picked Psycho because it's one of his most iconic and the timing of it was right. And I think it was a great choice! It's not my favorite Hitch, but it's a classic for a reason. It was really fun seeing it with an audience. I was happy that everyone laughed at the right parts (it's very funny! like when the car is sinking and then just *stops* sinking). There are a few jump scares that got a few people in the audience too, which is always fun to see. I also noticed how *dumb* some of the plot points are - how he doesn't notice the weight of the newspaper that contains 40k?! But, overall, a close masterpiece - Janet Leigh and Vera Miles are great, but Anthony Perkins as Norman Bates is one of the best performances in film history. I know people have spoken about the resemblance before, but if they ever do a biopic on Perkins, Andrew Garfield is a dead ringer, and has the charm to boot!