Movie Marathon: Mission: Impossible

1. Mission: Impossible - Honestly, I wasn't really looking forward to doing this marathon because all I really remember about the Mission: Impossible movies before Ghost Protocol is that I hated them. And then, even after Ghost Protocol, they are all 3 star, somewhat satisfying movies. But surely nothing to rave about like some people do. I also have a fairly deep hatred of Tom Cruise (he's in a cult! A cult that has ALLEDGEDLY murdered people!), but I'm going to try to ignore that for the next 7 (!!! holy shit - there are SEVEN of these???) movies, and focus on the fact that he is a very good action star. He gives it his all, and I appreciate that. First off, I'm shocked and delighted that this was under 2 hours. And it's also better than I remember! I'm a big 90s action movie junkie, and I still don't rate this as high as the classics (Speed, Bad Boys, Con Air, etc), but there's some really strong action sequences that have become classic action scenes. The "impossible" heist at Langley is incredible. The plot, however, is overly complicated and ridiculous. And the whole face mask thing gets old real quick, but is used for the next 7 (!!!) movies. I thought it was a 2.5 star movie, so I'm delighted that it's actually a 3.5 star movie, and it gave me a lot of false hope going into the next two films....

2. Mission: Impossible 2 - Okay, this is more how I remember these movies. I may have just lumped the trilogy in together as being "bad", but happy to report that the first one is good. The sequel, however, is fucking terrible. John Woo is an incredible filmmaker, but the style of this - with the slo-motion fight scenes is really bad. And hard to watch. It just all looks really fake. 35 minutes in and I could not care less about the plot, the characters, or the mission. it's very boring. I laughed twice, though, so that's something (the Tom Cruise mask...LOL). Also, the line "It's not mission difficult, it's mission impossible" is, perhaps, the best line of the whole franchise. 

3. Mission: Impossible III - It's slightly better than the second one, but still bad. I remember watching this when it was first released, as a huge JJ Abrams fan, and I was SO disappointed by it. I will say that I LOVE this cast - Michelle Monaghan is one of my faves, Philip Seymour Hoffman (a fabulous bad guy and scene chewer), Keri Russell (a JJ fave), Billy Crudup, Maggie Q, AND a young Aaron Paul! Probably my favorite cast of the franchise. But the plot is very thin, but seems overly complicated. It's all very obvious, too. And there's really no stand-out scene. I can't remember even ONE action sequence? Maybe the Maggie Q Vatican sequence with the car? It's not really an action sequence, but the she looks great and the car blows up. And speaking of Maggie Q, it's kind of weird that they don't bring her back for future M:I movies. She's such a good action star - and deserves a bigger career, in my opinion. 

4. Mission: Impossible - Ghost Protocol - Even though there is a 4-5 year gap between almost all the M:I movies, this feels like the beginning of the new M:I era. I remember it being a big deal when this was released with everyone raving about it in IMAX, and I do think that the Burj Khalifa scene does warrant a big IMAX screen. It's the greatest scene of the entire franchise. But, it doesn't make the film any higher than a 3 star movie. And on a rewatch, it's a little hard to pay attention to and it feels very long for a 2 hour film. I like that Simon Pegg continues into the franchise, along with Ving Rhames (the only other actor aside from Cruise who is in all of them). It feels like a solid team, but Paula Patton is a terrible actress and really ruins a lot of the movie. I LOVE Jeremy Renner in this, though - I wish he was in more of them. They do a really good job of connecting his story to Ethan's. And makes it believable that Ethan's wife is really dead (but of course she's not actually dead...lol). And Lea Seydoux has such a strong presence. This is also the first of these films that you really get a lot of the "Tom Cruise run". 

5. Mission: Impossible - Rogue Nation - Apparently, on first watch, I didn't really like this one - rated it 2.5 stars, which is on the lower end of average. I still only remembered one scene - and that's the car chase scene with Renner. The three-point turn in the truck just makes me laugh so hard. It's just perfect comedic timing. This one feels very repetitive. Yet again, the IMF is disbanded and Ethan is on the run. Blah Blah Blah, it's all been done before. Tom Cruise hangs off of a plane, but it's kind of a let-down from the Burj Khalifa scene. They repeat the word "syndicate" an annoying amount of times. It's all just...boring. But, I will say that, while I wasn't that impressed with Rebecca Ferguson when I first watched this, as someone who has grown as a fan, she is definitely the highlight. And that chartreuse dress is EVERYTHING. I think this one just gets annoying going back and forth about whether she is good or bad, but once they build on her character, in future films - she's definitely an interesting folly and foe for Ethan. This was really her big break, and it is a star-making performance. Now she's in everything (I caught up with Silo, watched Dune Part II, and this all in the same week!). I did bump this up to 3 stars after rewatching. I just think that it all feels like filler. 

6. Mission: Impossible - Fallout - There are a few things I like & remember about this movie: Michelle Monoghan is back (YAY!!). Simon Pegg finally gets to wear a mask (which became a running joke throughout the series), and Henry Cavill winding up his arms before the bathroom fight. I'm not the biggest Cavill fan, and I think it's very obvious that he's not the good guy in this, but the bathroom fight scene is among the best scenes of the franchise. I also got very annoyed that they literally do the same exact thing with his character that they did with Ilsa in Rogue Nation (is he good? is he bad? Let's keep twisting & turning the story until the end). I think my problem with this is that it also feels like filler - so it's two movies in a row that do very little to move the franchise forward. 

7. Mission: Impossible - Dead Reckoning - This is going to be extremely controversial, but when I first watched this, I thought "this is my favorite of the entire franchise", but assumed it's only because I don't remember them well (and probably a bit of recency bias). But now that I watched them all again, and in close proximity to each other, it is, in fact, my favorite among the franchise. And just to be clear, my favorite of the franchise tops out at 3.5 stars. It would have been a 4 star film if it were shorter. 2 hours and 43 minutes is way too long for a movie like this. And it would be fairly easy to edit down several scenes to make them feel more intense (and like Rogue Nation with the word "syndicate", the magic repeated word in this is "entity" - maybe edit it down to saying it 10 times instead of 300??). But I really enjoyed this way more than all the previous ones due to mostly one aspect: the women. Vanessa Kirby reprises her role from Fallout, and she's INCREDIBLE. I still think the acting she does on the train, when she wears "the mask" is one of the strongest acting scenes of recent years. She's SO GOOD in it, and the whole scene is so anxiety-inducing. I don't even like Hayley Atwell, but her and Cruise have great chemistry and she provides some levity to the action. Pom Klementieff is a scene-stealer. Also, the stakes just feel really high in this. Like the world does really need Ethan to succeed here. The train sequence is outstanding, but it does last about 45 minutes. Just some tighter editing and this would have been a great movie. I'm excited for Part Two (or whatever they are calling it now), but I'm hoping that's the end. Maybe they can reboot it in a decade or so with a new Ethan Hunt. And maybe they can cast someone I actually like this time in the role. 

Ranking: 

M:I - Dead Reckoning 

M:I

M:I - Ghost Protocol 

M:I - Fallout 

M:I - Rogue Nation 

M:I III 

M:I 2

Thoughts on 5 Films

1. We Live in Time - This was okay. Not great, which is disappointing. I didn't know much about it going in - just that it was probably a sappy romance in which one of them gets cancer (probably Pugh since I know she shaved her head for a film role a while back). And, of course, the carousal horse (that is conveniently cut off the poster?? LOL). I will never get over that carousal horse. It's just so fucking funny that they used it in a promotional image not considering that it would instantly become a meme and the entire advertisement for the film. I like both Florence Pugh and Andrew Garfield, but unfortunately I found the chemistry between them very lacking. I do like that she's a chef in this, though, because she loves to cook in real life and always does those cute videos on Instagram. I think my biggest problem with the film is that I just could not care less about this couple and there needs to be more to a story than "she dies of cancer". I also think it's WILD that Garfield would choose a role like this so closely after losing his mom to cancer. Why put yourself through that grief again? Do some comedies, my guy. It's good for the soul. Anyway, back to my not caring - I just questioned every scene. Why does she get so upset that he asks about her wanting kids? They are both in their 30s starting a new relationship - it's a perfectly acceptable question. It should really be the first question asked, in my opinion. You just can't move forward if you're on different pages with wanting children. But she's so rude and dismissive towards him, it made me hate her. And then there are these weird intimate scenes squished in-between completely unrelated scenes (like them in a bath together eating the driest cookies I've ever seen). Also, what the fuck is this cooking competition thing? Why is it so dramatic and why is this a thing that exists? All that food just...goes to waste? There are some things that I liked - like the scene in which she gives birth (aided by some fantastic character actors). I just wanted more depth. I didn't even come close to crying and I was in a pretty emotional mood.

2. You're Cordially Invited - It's crazy that a rom-com starring Will Ferrell and Reese Witherspoon is not being released in the theaters. What a time we live in! I also like the supporting cast a whole lot - Geraldine Viswanathan is hilarious, ditto for Jimmy Tatro. And Meredith Hagner is GENIUS casting as Reese's sister. But, overall, I found the movie cute, but never laugh-out-loud funny. I think the biggest mistake is making it a rom-com because Ferrell and Witherspoon have zero chemistry together, but they are funny together. Just make it a comedy without them getting together in the end? Even if they just become friends and their families become entwined because of this fiasco, but a romantic relationship is just...weird. I also think it's a huge mistake to side-line Tatro. I waited for the ENTIRE film for the strip-tease dance that they tease throughout the film, because it was obviously going to be the best part, and they don't even show it until the fucking end credits. AND THEN - they have THE BALLS to completely copy the best part of Anyone But You (the end credits). How embarrassing??? And they don't even do it as well. Overall, this is just very forgettable, but it has its moments. 

3. Anora - I can not believe how fucking funny this movie is. I had no idea. I can't stop thinking about it. My three favorite moments are: (1) the entire scene with the two Russian guys trying to keep Ani in the house and her just completely kicking their asses. It's visually hilarious - just two giant, tough Russian guys getting believably destroyed by this petite, but very scrappy, little girl from Brooklyn. And the fact that she doesn't try to fight them in the traditional film ways - instead she's more realistic about it. She bites and scratches and kicks her feet. It's just so hilarious. "she's a fucking little girl!" "she's not fighting like one!" (maybe he says "biting"? I'm not sure, but either work). (2) the line "I don't have Instagram, I'm an adult" LOL. More people need to take that advice. (3) when she starts calling Igor names and he doesn't understand why she's calling him that. "they say you're just born that way" as she shoves a fry into her mouth. I just couldn't stop laughing. Sean Baker is 3/4 for me (sorry, but I HATED Tangerine). I think this is, by far, his most confident film. And I hope he continues to focus his stories on marginalized communities and/or imperfect people because he's one of the few that gets it SO right. And Mikey Madison is incredible in this role. She's such a star. I want Demi to win the Oscar, but I wouldn't be mad if Madison takes it. She runs the gamut of emotions with this, and her Brooklyn accent is stellar. I also think it's really cool that both The Substance and Anora are getting so much recognition because neither of these films feel Oscar-baity AT ALL. I know that as soon as they both received such critical acclaim, they both went into full Oscar campaigning, but I don't think it started that way. As for the minor controversy, I do think it's crazy that they didn't have an intimacy coordinator on set. It's a relatively new aspect of filmmaking, but I think it's essential post-me too. It shouldn't effect the "realness" of the nudity & sex scenes if it's done well. It's basic human decency to have a third party there to ensure no lines are crossed. And even if the star declines it, what about all the other people on set?? I fully believe in women being allowed to do whatever they want with their bodies and I hate people who assume that young women in Hollywood are coerced into nudity and sex scenes. It takes away women's agency to make their own decisions. Yes, some women are coerced, but a lot aren't so I would never assume anything until I've heard it from that particular woman. But I still don't think it should be up to the star or the director to not hire an intimacy coordinator. It should be a mandatory part of filmmaking, so that sucks, but it shouldn't hold the film back awards-wise (and if you really want to look for controversy, then look at Baker's old twitter. Apparently he liked a *lot* of questionable stuff - like Kyle Rittenhouse stuff. It's shocking that people haven't made a bigger deal about it, but Karla Sofia Gascon has been destroyed (deservedly). I wonder what the difference is??? *she says sarcastically*). Anyway, overall, I loved this movie. There's a lot of heart, and a lot of laughs. Also, it's a shame that Yura Borisov is up against a lead actor in the supporting category because if Culkin were in the proper category then Yura would actually have a chance at winning! It's a perfect example of a supporting role, that doesn't even require much dialogue, that is essential to the film. 

4. Canary Black - It's been, like, three weeks since I watched this and I'm struggling to remember it. I know that I was in the mood to watch a dumb action movie with a hot woman kicking ass, but this was so bad that I could barely pay attention to it. The absolute worst part was the accents. Kate Beckinsale sounds weird as fuck. She's trying to do an American accent, but there's something wrong with her voice??? Is it the sound mixing? The ADR? It's so distracting. And I usually like Beckinsale, but the weird accent, raspy voice, mixed with her emotionless face (because she literally can't move it from botox, I presume), makes this her worst performance to date. Rupert Friend does a bad Scottish accent (for no apparent reason), and is OBVIOUSLY not who he is thought to be because they wouldn't hire a "name" for a minor role unless it wasn't a minor role. Just make them British for fuck sake. It wouldn't effect the story at all?? ANYWAY. On a side-note, I think it's weird that Beckinsale spoke out about being sexually harassed on film sets in response to the whole Lively-Baldoni fiasco. It screamed "look at me! I want to be the center of attention! even though this story has nothing to do with me!" - and it looks even weirder now that more info keeps changing the discourse, literally, every single day. But whatever. I have nothing nice to say about this - it's boring, the action scenes suck, it's poorly acted, and it's all very obvious as to how it's all going to play out. There's just not enough story here to fill an episode of tv, let alone a whole film. Oh wait - one nice thing is that I love Ray Stevensen! I think this might have been his last film? How sad. 

5. The Inheritance (2024) - OOOOOfffffffff. Two one-star films in a row. I saw someone describe this as Ready or Not mixed with Abigail, which sounds like a horror film I would LOVE. I also didn't know Joe Russo wrote this until I went to log it on LB and his review is listed at the top "I wrote this movie, so 5 stars, bitches!!" LOL. Sorry, Joe, but this movie is ass. Technically, Ready or Not mixed with Abigail is a fitting description, plot-wise, but in terms of quality, it's nowhere near the either of those movies. First, no offence, but these are all b/c-list actors. I don't even mind Rachel Nichols anymore (after she ruined Alias, I hated her), but when I see her in a movie, I assume it's not going to be good. I don't know anyone else's name from the cast except for Briana Middleton, who I thought was incredible in an otherwise mediocre movie, Sharper. But she's bad here. All of them are. It doesn't help that the dialogue is awkward and terrible (and it doesn't even make sense sometimes - like why do they keep stressing that the wife shouldn't be there because it's "immediate family" only? Significant others are immediate family members??? It would be different if he invited "blood relatives only" - then, no she wouldn't be invited. Maybe run this through a script reader first??). The kills are very stupid. And just when I was like, "okay, this is fucking dumb" *spoiler* the dead girl randomly jumps out of a painting. WHAT? Make it make sense?? And their "family knock" is literally the same knock that a random solicitor would use (to be fair, maybe they did that for comedic effect, but the movie isn't funny so any moments that are supposed to be funny land with a thud). I honestly don't even remember how this ends? Who gets the money?? Did they all die? I couldn't tell you. I think I may have already blocked it from my memory. 

Thoughts on 5 Films

1. A Different Man - I absolutely HATE admitting that I really liked this movie because I don't like Sebastian Stan. I've never liked him - not as Carter Baizen from Gossip Girl, not as Bucky Barnes (and ugh - I hate that character too). He's okay in some other films (Fresh, Monday), but I don't think he's hot nor does he have screen presence. I still don't like him in this, and I think it would have been in my top 3 films of 2024 if it starred someone else (it's actually sitting at #4 right now, but, as usual, I'm so behind on movies, that will probably change). It's far weirder and more experimental than I was expecting. I thought, for some inexplicable reason, that it was more of a buddy comedy (haha!). It's definitely a complex film - part satire about projected identity, part social-commentary on beauty standards, part fairy-tale "life is what you make it" lesson - it's all very interesting. It's also a bit of commentary on standards of casting (does a person need to be the identity they are being cast as, is a popular grey area of concern in Hollywood). I didn't even realize that it was Sebastian in the beginning scenes - I could definitely tell that heavy prosthetics were used in order for it to "come off", but I thought it was Adam Pearson with exaggerated prosthetics. They just do a really good job with it. It becomes a very different film once the change happens, and it's all so unexpected. Pearson does such a good job at being this perpetually positive life force - someone who uses being the center of attention to his own advantage. It's very refreshing and inspirational to see this character be bold, confident, and the life of the party, while someone who looks like Sebastian Stan spends his time being insecure, morally reprehensible, and depressed. It doesn't matter how beautiful you are, if you're ugly on the inside you will live a miserable life. It's very rebellious as far as Hollywood standards go, and it's a film that will stay with me forever. Also, the sound is really spectacular, which is unexpected for a film so focused on character. I think Renate Reinsve is a bit awkward in this role, and the wig she wears in the second part is truly distracting, but I think they do a good job with her character too - she's only nice because it serves her. She uses someone else's story as inspiration without giving them credit. She's the epitome of performative - and it's an epidemic in our current culture. Overall, I was very impressed with this. 

2. Dune: Part Two - I saw the first one in the theater, and thought for sure that my husband would drag me to see this sequel in the theater too, but he was not interested either. And even when it came to streaming, we both hesitated watching it for so long because it's SO LONG. 2 hours and 46 minutes??? WHY???? It definitely doesn't need to be that long. I'm really not a fan of Timmy, either. Or Zendaya for that matter (I actually love Zendaya, but she can't act. Maybe one day she'll be good. I have hope!). They have ZERO chemistry together, and since the story is focused more on their relationship in this one, that's a big misfire for me. I do like the addition of Florence Pugh and Austin Butler (both are definitely scene-stealers). And the highlight, once again, is Rebecca Ferguson. But if you asked me to summarize the plot?? I got nothing. Something about a fulfilling a prophecy and Zendaya's crew being split on believing in this prophecy so she's skeptical, but follows his lead anyway because he was able to ride a gigantic sandworm, and then there is some fighting and stuff. And then he agrees to marry Pugh as a peace offering and Z gets pissed. The end. I like the religious allegory (and it's mostly anti-religious sentiment), but the rest of it is a snooze. It's no better or worse than the first one - I do think it should have been recognized for some of the production values (cinematography, sound design, costume etc.), but the story is just not my thing. And the actors fail to sell it to me. Meh. 

3. Gladiator 2 - So in a surprising twist, I actually loved this. And the first Gladiator too! I rewatched it about a week before I watched this. I remember watching the original in the theater (25 years ago!!) and not really being that impressed. I know it was well-received and Oscar-nominated, but I always shrugged my shoulders at it. However, during my rewatch, I was like "no, -WAIT-, this is actually really good!". So, I really looked forward to watching this sequel after that. I have a few nitpicky things (like Paul Mescal trying to hide his Irish accent. It's painful), but overall I had a lot of fun with it. Especially watching Denzel have the time of his life with this role. I saw a few critics call-out Mescal as not being ready for such a big role, and also just not being a blockbuster actor, and I disagree. I think he definitely has star power along with the acting chops to be part of the next A-List of actors. He's not as showy as Denzel and others, but I don't think his role requires that. However, I do think Pedro is miscast (I fear he's miscast in the new Fantastic Four movie as well, but we'll see). He's falling into this pattern of getting big roles because the internet loves him, but he's not always right for them (see Adam Driver, Oscar Isaac, and Timothee Chamalet/Chalamet). And I say that as Pedro Pascal fan (I've been here since Narcos, suckers). He stands out like a sore thumb in this. I also think it's weird that they didn't cast the original kid that played Lucius. He's 37, but looks young, and he's still an actor. It would have been pretty cool to see him take on the starring role, but I get that they needed a "name" in the role. Anyway, the production design is outstanding, the opening sequence is incredibly strong (and historically accurate to the fighting style of the Romans), and the costumes are gorgeous. I loved all of it, even though it's slightly too long. 

4. Your Monster - This is a cute movie, especially if you're a fan of Melissa Barrera (as I am). It kind of reminds me of Lisa Frankenstein which I also liked. I laughed and was fully engaged for the whole thing (which is increasingly harder to accomplish). Barrera is outstanding and the performance for "My Stranger" is SO GOOD. It should have been an Oscar contender (this and "New Brain" by Naomi Scott from Smile 2 are the only original songs from 2024 that I added to my playlist. It's so weird to me that the Academy clearly wants to get younger viewers - which is why Wicked is nominated, but they continuously overlook opportunities to get younger performers like Melissa and Naomi). The ending is also Great with a capital G. I loved her confrontation scene ("limp dick fuckface narcissistic piece of shit asshole"). Plus, Meghann Fahy!! I was hoping to see her everywhere after her season of The White Lotus, but so far I think it's only been that Nicole Kidman Netflix show?? She's such a star, so I think she'll break it big soon. My only big criticism is that the sex scene is weird and unnecessary (and I'm very pro-sex scenes). They could have easily made this more tween friendly instead of rated R. The ending is very dark, but I think tweens can handle dark (I mean Romeo + Juliet came out when I was 15 and obviously that's dark). I also think it's for a very specific audience (tweens and theater people) and if you're not in that category, then you probably won't like it. 

5. Here - This is a bad movie, but it also has an incredible idea behind it, so I have a hard time criticizing it. I will always appreciate creativity and ambition in filmmaking. But, the reality is, this is terrible. A one star movie masquerading as Oscar-bait. I gave it two stars because I can't, in good conscience, rate something this bold only one star. I'm almost hoping that someone else steals the idea and makes a good movie, with more interesting stories, more thoughtful dialogue, and actors that aren't phoning it in. I mean, Tom Hanks is absolutely terrible. And how can Robin Wright sign on for a film like this that uses de-aging techniques after starring in The Congress (if you haven't watched it - it becomes more and more relevant every day with AI taking over the film industry)? The other star I gave it is for the editing because the transitions between scenes are so smooth and interesting; I absolutely loved watching the space transform in front of my eyes. The "gimmick", if you will, is that it is filmed with a stationary camera in one spot - a spot that eventually becomes a living room in an American town (I'm pretty sure it's supposed to be NJ? Like, by my house?). It starts with dinosaurs roaming the Earth, and then we slowly see a house being built, and eventually multiple families move in at different period of times. But the camera never moves. It's super-duper cool. I do think it's inspired by The Tree of Life, but for dummies. The problem is that they focus on one family a bit more than the others - and I hate all of them (Wright becomes a nagging wife and has the audacity to complain about a free house? I would fucking kick her to the curb!). And you can de-age Hanks all you want - he's never going to pass as a believable teenager. It's just so bad. I just sat watching it in disbelief at its awfulness but also in awe, which is a weird combination. 

Thoughts on 5 Films

1. Saturday Night - So, I really liked this. I wasn't expecting to, especially considering that I haven't enjoyed SNL in probably 25 years (at least). I'm fascinated by how popular it still is - every Sunday, I see dozens of people on my twitter (now bluesky) sharing clips of an episode from the night before, describing it as "hilarious", and it never is. BUT, it was ground-breaking television at the time, and it continued to be great up until the late 90s. So, I thought this movie was really interesting to see the chaos that occurred right before the first episode aired. I'm not sure how truthful it all is (I feel like a lot of it is exaggerated for effect), but it held my interest. I think Reitman captured the spirit of what a "live" show feels like, there's some great tracking shots, and the cast is INSPIRING. Ella Hunt as Gilda Radnor??? Dylan O'Brien as Dan Akroyd??? *Chef's kiss* Plus, Rachel Sennott, Kaia Gerber, Lamorne Morris, Matthew Rhys, Willem Dafoe, Cooper Hoffman - it's just a really great mix of solid character actors and up-and-comers, and they all work together really well. There's some really funny dialogue and moments (the "kill all the whiteys I see" moment is hilarious). I think it could have had a little more of a plot though - it just follows these people around during this specific day, but there's no real point of it, no depth or character study (except that Chevy Chase was an asshole, but I think we're all well aware of that by now). I also could have done without Nicholas Braun in TWO roles?? What's the point of that? He plays both Jim Henson and Andy Kaufman. Aside from the fact that he's been accused of being a sexual predator (texting teenage girls inappropriate content allegedly), he's not, like, a great actor or anything. It's a bit of a distraction to see him in two roles and I don't understand the point of this gimmick. 

2. Firebrand - I had not heard of this, but it has Alicia Vikander and Jude Law so I'M IN! I'm also not super well-versed on British royalty but I do know about Henry the VIII's reign and history with his wives because I watched The Tudors (haha!). I liked this - it's really beautiful (some of the scenes looked straight out of a painting), the costume design is gorgeous, and I like that they do a bit of an alternative ending (they depict a long-standing rumor instead of what is known as fact). They basically give credit for Queen Elizabeth I's reign to Catherine; they theorize that Elizabeth was seemingly inspired by Catherine's ideas and hopes for the future. They do a good job of making Law incredibly unattractive too - in reality, at this point in his life, Henry was like 400lbs and barely able to walk, which is assumed to be the reason behind him becoming a tyrant (that and not producing a son). It's weird to cast Law in that role, but it works - I've never been less attracted to him during those awful sex scenes. I don't think this is something that a wide audience will enjoy, but if you are interested in this history then I recommend it. 

3. Mothers' Instinct - It's absolutely WILD that a movie that stars Anne Hathaway and Jessica Chastain has gone completely under-the-radar. I assumed it was bad, but I actually thought it was pretty good?! It has a great plot, and the acting is incredible (Hathaway should be in awards conversation for the look she has on her face during the "realization" of what just occurred - it's a haunting look of a person that just experienced the worst thing that could ever happen). I think I had the advantage of not knowing anything about it, so when the catalyst to the story happens, it was a bit shocking - and then the way these two women's relationship changes so quickly because of this event is really interesting. There's a little bit of genre-mixing too because I was not expecting the horror/psychological twists and the ending is a straight up horror film (like The Hand That Rocks the Cradle/Single White Female type horror). I do think that they didn't really take the concept far enough. It would have benefitted from a bit more intensity & mystery. It also gets a bit repetitive. And, as much as I love both of these actresses, I think these roles would have been better portrayed by younger people. It is certainly more common now for women in their 40s to have children, but this film is set in the early 1960s. It was very rare for a 47 year old woman to talk about wanting a baby. Maybe we're supposed to pretend that these women are early 30s because they could both pass for it, but even that would be a stretch. These characters should be portrayed by actresses in their mid-20s. It's based on a book, and I assume they are younger in the book but I'm too lazy to look it up. Anyway, aside from the age thing, Hathaway fits this time period so well, but Chastain stands out a bit with that blonde hair. I do love Anders Danielsen Lie and, of course, Josh Charles. Overall, I was expecting a 2 star film and it's a solid 3 star one. 

4. A Real Pain - While I really liked this movie - I don't think it should be in awards conversations (maybe original screenplay, but that's it). I do think Kieran Culkin is great, but he's also the same exact character that he always is. He does it well, but that doesn't mean he should get an acting award. And I've already stated my anger that he's campaigning in the supporting actor category when he has almost the exact same amount of screen time as the lead. It's a co-lead performance. Period. And as CO-LEADS, Culkin and Eisenberg have great chemistry together as cousins who have completely opposite nature. I think I connected to their relationship so much because I am very much like Eisenberg's character - reserved, organized, thoughtful of others, rule-follower, etc., and my best friend is not only the exact opposite, but she's also bipolar. They never really discuss if Culkin's character is bipolar, but he has all the symptoms - suicidal, narcissistic, manic. It's interesting to see them interact in real life because they both seem very much like their characters (I'm thinking of a specific interview in which Culkin is claiming that you should just get to the airport 10 minutes before boarding because they'll let you cut the line and you'll most likely get to your flight, and Eisenberg is having a heart attack as he's saying this. Because the reality of that is that if EVERYONE followed this advice then there would be a complete breakdown of air travel - just fucking get there 2 hours before like they advise! FOLLOW THE RULES! WE LIVE IN A SOCIETY! Eisenberg responds "you're the reason that society will collapse" LOL.). Culkin is very much a charming person and can command the attention of a room full of people, so I think he does do justice to this role - I believe that a lot of people like this are actually extremely depressed and self-conscious. There's this obsessive need to be the main character of every situation, in order to convince everyone that they're happy! They are living life to the fullest! ETC.! I find it exhausting. But I love my best friend to death; she just drives me crazy sometimes. I'm not always the biggest fan of Jesse Eisenberg, but when he's good, he's GOOD. And he's always good when he gets to play into his own neurosis. I love that he wrote & directed this because it feels like a very personal movie. Not only do I connect with the relationship between them, I also connect with the plot. The whole plot of this story is that these cousins go on a tour of Poland to honor their grandmother who died recently. They visit a lot of important Jewish sites, including a concentration camp. My Jewish grandmother was also one of my favorite people in the world, and even though I am not religious, I try to honor her faith here and there. I have visited a concentration camp, and it is an indescribable experience. I also had a cousin that I grew up with that I was very close to as a child, but grew apart from as we got older, and then he killed himself. I wish every single day that I could go back in time and book a trip for us to get away together, make him feel loved, inspire him to give life another shot. I hope that maybe this film will inspire someone else to take that action for a loved one that might not be doing well. It will mean the world to them, even if they don't acknowledge it. I clearly did like this film very much, and I recommend it for anyone that likes character-driven dramas. I just wish people would calm down with the hyperbole and that Kieran wasn't tainting an Oscar category. 

5. Young Woman and the Sea - This is a fairly decent biopic about an incredible woman who fought against the odds and accomplished something very few people have. I've said it before, but I'll say it again - I'll never understand the need some people have to risk their lives like this, but it does make for an interesting story. I don't have much of an impression of Daisy Ridley quite yet. I don't dislike her, but I haven't seen her give a strong lead performance yet, however, this is a step in a positive direction. This follows the exact beats that you would expect out of any sports underdog story, but I did learn a few things about this woman. First, Trudy Ederle is a New Yorker (and even lived in NJ for a bit). I guess I assumed that the first woman to swim the English Channel would be...English?. Second, she was kind of a bad-ass! I love the way it portrays the sexism that she faced and how she reacted to it. She held 4 world records and would still get asked about having a boyfriend and what she likes to cook (sadly not much has changed from the 20s which is so insane and disheartening). And third, after her record-breaking swim, NYC held a parade for her that is still the biggest parade ever thrown in NYC (at least, according to the end credits of the film)!?! That's crazy! Anyway, as I feared, watching someone swim, especially in the beginning - it's just her swimming and audiences clapping, wash, rinse, repeat - is incredibly boring. I also highly doubt they said the words "you bet your ass" in the 1920s. Stephen Graham is excellent though.