Thoughts on 5 Films

1. Kraven the Hunter - I know this was supposed to be bad, so I was prepared for the worst. It's....fine. I think the cast is interesting because it stars people that are supposed to be box office gold - Aaron Taylor Johnson is rumored to be the next Bond (which was before the big Amazon announcement, so maybe that's changed now), and Ariana DeBose is an Oscar winner (?!), you would think these are both big deals. But ultimately, if a movie is bad, people are not going to support it - and the reality is neither of these two have a big enough fanbase or star power to overcome a bad film. It's literally proof that Johnson would be a terrible Bond, and that DeBose should not have won that Oscar. She was fine in West Side Story, but I didn't think it deserved Oscar attention. Her nomination and win was wrong and we can admit it now! There's a great supporting cast - Russell Crowe, Fred Hechinger (who is in like 6 movies from 2024!), and Christopher Abbott. But ultimately, the story is really lacking. There is only one really solid scene - the one where he is chasing the van on foot and then the helicopter scene. It GOES HARD. But other than that, I was really bored and completely lost interest by the 90 minute mark. The whole Calypso part is just plain stupid, and I don't understand why they dress her like she's in En Vogue. It's supposed to take place in the present day and she's dressed like that??? And while I don't think Johnson has "star power", I have liked him in a few things before (Bullet Train, Nocturnal Animals). He's AWFUL here. I think they might have used AI or something for his Russian scenes because the dialogue doesn't link up to his mouth moving, but then his American accent is even worse. Is he trying to sound like Matthew McConaughey? WHY??? Ugh...the whole thing is BAD. And I think it's slightly worse than Madam Web too because, at the very least, that was entertaining. And yet, everybody this let this go "under the radar bad" instead of "ripping it apart on the internet bad". I wonder why? (I'm kidding, I know the answer. It's misogyny). 

2. Wicked - I really dreaded watching this. I've never seen the Broadway show (zero interest in ever seeing it and I'm a theater nerd!). And the marketing blitz for this movie was so fucking grating. It's already starting again for the sequel and I'm not ready. I don't think I can survive it again. I may need to log off of movie-related news until it's over. I've always been a big fan of and cheerleader for Cynthia Erivo (she was excellent in that Stephen King series!, She went to school with Taron and was nice to him!, she has an incredible voice!, she's going to EGOT!), but I definitely find her extremely annoying now. But aside from all that, the biggest reason that I dreaded watching this is because it *looked* terrible! And guess what?! I was right! It's one of the ugliest blockbuster movies I've ever seen. It's also 2 hours and 40 minutes long and it's only part one! LOL. What the fuck are we doing here guys? I know a lot of people talked about the coloring, but it's a fact that the muted colors are a terrible choice for this universe. I felt like I wanted to turn the contrast up on my television. The Wizard of Oz was KNOWN for its colors, as one of first films in color, it was also VIBRANT. The sparkling ruby red slippers, the shining yellow brick road, etc.!! Not only is this dull looking, all of the actors look sick! Ariana's dye job does not help the cause at all - that color is so unflattering for her complexion and the fact that she kept it that way during the entire press junket is WILD. All of the set pieces look like they are made of styrofoam and can easily just get pushed over. Some other stuff that I hated: (1) Bowen Yang is not funny. I've never laughed once at any his SNL skits, and he's so annoying in this. (2) The whole story basically feels like Harry Potter when he's at Hogwarts and I fucking HATE Harry Potter. It's so stupid. In a world of talking bears, people are weirded out because someone is green? That doesn't make sense. (3) Again, I've not seen the Broadway show, so I don't know the story - AND YET, they cast Jeff Goldblum as the wizard - someone who has a super recognizable voice and "hide" the fact that it's him in the beginning. So, literally within the first few minutes, I was like "oh...that's Jeff Goldblum. So the wizard is her dad. Duh". Why do I even need to sit through the next two hours and forty minutes???? However, I have two nice things to say about it - both Ariana and Cynthia do a fine job. They have amazing voices. And, as much as it pains me to say, Ariana does grow on you throughout the movie. Her comedic timing is *on point* and I think she understood and interpreted the role in a very interesting way. But also, as I suspected, it's a co-lead role not a supporting role. She's in the film only 14 minutes less than Cynthia, which for a 2 hour and 40 minute long film is not that much difference. If she won, she would have broken the record for most screentime in a supporting performance. I wonder if she'll campaign for lead with part 2? I honestly think she'll have a better chance at winning. 

3. A Complete Unknown - Another movie I dreaded - I can't stand Bob Dylan and I don't see what's so special about Timothee Chalamet (Chamalet?). BUT, sometimes I'm wrong! I do like James Mangold as a director, and the supporting cast is excellent - Elle Fanning, Scoot McNairy, Melissa Barbaro, Edward Norton, Boyd Holbrook...the list goes on! So, I tried going into this with a positive attitude and a willingness to learn more about Bob Dylan. Plus, a lot of it was filmed in NJ (and I even know someone who was an extra in it, so that's cool!). But, as I expected, it literally tells me nothing about Bob Dylan. It's just him picking up a guitar, mumbling through some dull-as-fuck songs that you can barely understand, and being an asshole to the women around him. Cool story, bro. And Timothee looks like he's dead behind the eyes for 99% of the movie. He also does the whole "squinting my eyes to show emotion" thing that drives me crazy (I call it the Reese Witherspoon School of Acting). Sure, he sounds like him, but Dylan sounds like nails on a chalkboard, so I don't think that's...a good thing? I feel like this performance requires very little of him, so an Oscar nomination is fucking crazy. Barbaro as Joan Baez is the only interesting part of the movie, but I wish she just got her own biopic because she's an actual interesting person. But I would argue that an Oscar nom for that role is also fucking crazy. It's all fucking crazy. I got super bored by about 30 minutes in - they show all of these historical events happening at the time but fail to connect how Dylan feels about anything or how it influences him in any way. The only interesting scene is when Dylan is throwing a hissy fit on stage and Baez just keeps going like a goddamn professional (the lighting is really good in this scene too). And as far as the "filmed in NJ" stuff - it's crazy that they would use such recognizable places as non-NJ locations. The whole end of the film is clearly filmed in Cape May with a NJ landmark (Congress Hall) heavily featured, and it's supposed to be...Rhode Island??? LOL. So stupid. Anyway, needless to say I hated this. Also, to be clear, I hate Dylan's voice and I think all of his songs sound the same, but I will concede that he is a brilliant lyricist - I wish we saw more of his writing process. 

4. Den of Thieves 2: Pantera - I think I liked the first one, but I don't really remember it, if I'm honest. I rated it 3 stars, so I assume it was a fun action film starring Gerard Butler being Gerard Butler. (it's weird that I just rated it 3 stars on LB without writing anything up about it on here? I still question whether or not I actually watched it, but whatever!). This is exactly that - a fun action film starring Gerard Butler and also starring O'Shea Jackson Jr., and they have great chemistry together. It's a good, twisty, action heist film with some great scenes (Rave Butler is almost as good as Rave Venom!!). I found myself questioning whether or not Butler was actually going to betray his new group of "friends". I kind of wish it ended a few minutes before it does to leave things a bit ambiguous, but instead they provide closure and a set-up for a third movie. There's not much else to say about it - I think it's very clear whether this is the type of movie you will enjoy or not, and it's exactly what you'd expect. 

5. Sing Sing - It's INSANE that Colman Domingo was in the same category as Timothee for an Oscar, and that Timmy had the edge towards winning!!! INSANE. Domingo is AN ACTOR - truly one of the greats, and this performance is incredible. I think his performance outshines the actual movie a bit - because it's a really interesting experiment, and an interesting story. It's based on a true story of the supporting actor, Clarence Maclin - who probably should have been Oscar nominated, as well, in the supporting category (if they didn't nominate lead performances instead). A former prisoner who rehabilitated himself through performing arts and continues to help incarcerated people - it's a really inspiring story. I do believe in rehabilitation for prisoners, but I think it's such a rare thing because the U.S. prison system is run as a business and it makes too much money to care about its inhabitants. They care about making money - and it's directly linked to people committing more crime when they are released. ANYWAY, I'm glad that there are people that are able to break free from this system of abuse by our government - and the sheer willpower, strength, and determination that it takes is mind-blowing. This film is also advocating for the simple notion of treating prisoners with humanity and dignity - and that's also a concept that not a lot of people grasp. You don't know someone's story - how they got there, the events that led them to prison, etc., and there is a very small percentage of criminals that are actually evil - most were in desperate situations, were victims of abuse themselves, or just didn't have the support needed for mental illnesses. And I'm saying this as someone who had an immediate family member in prison for most of my life who definitely belonged there. But, I think, as a whole, we've lost a lot of our ability to empathize with imperfect people. Anyway, this film is a great study in character and humanity - it brings to light the importance of the arts and finding *that thing* that makes life worth living, to keep fighting for your freedom, etc., and it's really beautiful. I do think it could have pushed this narrative a little bit more, and had a little more intensity because I did find my mind wandering to other thoughts. It's just slightly too slow, but I love what it's doing. I almost cried during the end credits - seeing all the actors that portray themselves. It definitely strikes a chord. 

Thoughts on 5 Films

1. Heretic - Another great horror film from 2024!! Honestly, I think 2024 was one of the strongest years for the horror genre in a long time. I like Sophie Thatcher a lot, and I also like what Hugh Grant has been doing lately. But Chloe East is the star in this - just such a great performance, especially for such a newcomer. And Topher Grace is WILD casting for this considering he's the only one from That 70s Show who didn't join the cult of Scientology. The film starts off strong with the initial framing of the opening credits, and then just never lets up. The suspense begins the second Hugh Grant answers the door - we know these two girls are in danger, and it's pretty clear that they can sense it as well but are trained to believe that their guidelines will save them. Sending two women to knock on a strangers door to talk about Mormonism in the year 2024 is not safe - it's not even debatable, but women are disposable compared to the bigger picture. This is not just specific to Mormons, either. All regions are a cult, some are just cult-ier than others. The film works so well because literally everything Grant says is mere common sense, anti-cult, pro-intellectual and free thought, but he's a psychopath so there is this strange dichotomy of rooting for and trusting your beliefs (i.e these girls), even when you know it's bullshit. In particular, I love his speech about diluting the original - with Monopoly and Radiohead's Creep as his examples. I also love that these girls are smart, but make stupid decisions and yet, they are believable stupid decisions. It's very interesting, very creepy, and very intense. And *spoiler*, I was not expecting the "death" - especially so early on. The "Knockin' on Heaven's Door" cover is fan-fucking-tastic, and I just looked it up and SCREAMED when because I had NO IDEA that it was Thatcher singing??!!! Adding it to my Spotify immediately! 

2. Elevation - This probably would have made it on my Worst of 2024 list if I watched it earlier. It's BAD. The only reason I had this on my to watch list is because my husband said he wanted to see it, but then when it was released on streaming, he changed his mind (he does this a lot. He's not really a movie person. Nobody is perfect). I really like Anthony Mackie, though. And I LOVE Morena Baccarin. But the other woman in this is awful, and even worse - her haircut and those eyebrows??? I looked her up, and pictures of her are mostly normal, so WHY did they do that to her? It's so distracting and it's honestly hard to look at her. And unfortunately, they somehow erase all of Mackie's charm and Baccarin's intrigue, and make them so dry. The plot of this is kind of interesting - it's kind of like A Quiet Place, but with altitude instead of sound. And I like the twist of where the "monsters" came from. But they over-explain the monsters so much it becomes grating (we get it - they can track humans by their Co2 and can't go above 8000ft, you don't need to remind the audience every 5 minutes...). The monsters aren't even cool looking! They pretty much look like giant stink bugs. The whole thing just sucks. 

3. The Order - JUDE LAW BABY!!! I love him so much, and he is fantastic in this (I could do without the mustache and the American accent, but at least he does it better than most). Nicholas Hoult is in, like, every movie now (I'm exaggerating obviously, but 4 movies in one year is A LOT - especially when three of them were all released towards the end of the year). He's also really incredible in this, as a very unlikeable person. I like Jurnee Smollett (she's going to be in a miniseries with Taron Egerton, so I can't wait for that!) and Tye Sheridan too. And I thought this movie was a really strong showcase for both of them. It's a really interesting story based on true events about a large scale domestic terrorist group in the 80s. It feels a little long, but I was fully absorbed into it the whole time. It's definitely a slow burn story - and if you told me that Jeremy Saulnier directed it, I would have believed you. There's a lot of restraint in the story, a focus on character and relationships, and it builds on a "true crime" part without feeling exploitative. White power groups are so fucking scary, and it's even scarier that they are still around and still allowed to spread hate all in the name of "free speech". I was shocked that they ended this film by mentioning January 6th in relation to the Turner Diaries - it's quite bold (and true)!! Because I'm sure in about a decade we are going to get a film just like this, but with January 6th rioters as the focus. 

4. Sonic the Hedgehog 3 - Surprisingly, I enjoyed the first one - but I hated the second one. This one is slightly better, but still nowhere as fun as the first. I just love how much Jim Carrey goes for it, and even more so with this because he does two roles. I also love James Marsden! AND Krysten Ritter?!! I had no idea she was in this and she plays a baddie! Love it! Idris Elba is great voice casting as Knuckles - I kept meaning to watch the series spinoff of Knuckles, but it escaped me and now it's so far down the list, I'll probably never get to it. Keanu Reeves pops up as the voice of Shadow, too, which was really unexpected. I think some tighter editing would have made this more enjoyable. It's far too long for this type of movie - it's geared towards kids and I just don't think kids, especially NOW, have an attention span for an almost 2 hour film. But I laughed a few times (the Prodigy song really got me! I repeat - IT'S A KIDS MOVIE! And the line "Listen, I don't know if it's Godzilla or Hello Kitty down there". LOL. I laughed loud with that one). Sometimes that's all that counts!

5. Better Man - While I loved this, I do think that it copies Rocketman in a LOT of ways, and I find that annoying. But it's still really, really good. So, first of all, when this was released in theaters in America, and bombed, a lot of people blamed it on the fact that "nobody knows who Robbie Williams is". And that's simply not true. If you were a teenager or older in the late 90s, then you know who he is. He had a huge hit here - "Millennium" that was all over MTV. The video was a play on the Bond movies. It was on TRL for months. And there was another popular song too called "Angels" (the chorus is really catchy "and down the watttterrrrfaaaaallll" I can hear it so clearly in my head). I think it has more to do with the fact that it stars a CGI monkey and the average moviegoer doesn't get it. Also, it's a pop musical that's a bit fantastical, and that doesn't always reach a mass audience (even Rocketman disappointed at the box office, but mostly because Bohemian Rhapsody did so well). I know a lot of people like to write off box office, as if it's not important anymore, and while I do think it's less important with streaming revenue increasing, but it's still important for the bigger picture - it helps greenlight other movies like this getting made. Ones that are bold, creative, honest, and different than the biopics that we are constantly spoon fed that tell us nothing about the person but focus on the actor's imitation and recreating performances. And those biopics BORE ME TO DEATH. So, just like with Rocketman, we get to know Robbie as a person, and it's not all good. Second of all, as far as the monkey gimmick - it works so well as a metaphor for being so famous you no longer feel human - he quite literally becomes an animal expected to perform on command and entertain us. I get it. And I think this is especially true of boybands during this time - Take That was pretty much the UK version of our New Kids on the Block. There's a line about how it's said that people stay the age that they become famous at, and I think that can definitely be seen with a lot of people (like Britney Spears - she's MY AGE but still acts and speaks like she's 17 years old). It's a fine line that crosses back and forth between having empathy for how these performers are treated but also going "well they are millionaires who can have whatever they want, so why should I care about them", and I think this film balances those two feelings very well. Anyway, I also found a lot of it very funny and the dialogue is very witty ("I came out of the womb with Jazz hands, which was very painful for my mom"). And the performance scenes are INCREDIBLE. The "Rock DJ" scene, in particular (again, it sort of copies Rocketman's "Saturday Night" scene, but I'll allow it!). It's so fun, imaginative, and bursting with energy. I loved it all so much that it might even break into my Top 10 of 2024 when I re-evaluate in July!