Thoughts on 5 Films

1. A Big Bold Beautiful Journey - While I liked a lot about this movie, ultimately I am disappointed by the execution. After Yang was my favorite film of 2022, so I'm really looking forward to more from Kogonada (he also directed some of Pachinko), but this was just too boring to be interesting. But first, things I loved! I adore Colin Farrell (one of my favorite actors, for real) and Margot Robbie - both of them have terrific screen presence and handle the emotional beats of this story really well. Farrell gets to keep his accent too!! LOVE! I also love what it's trying to say about dating and communication - basically how each new person you date causes you to relive moments of your life in order for you to get to know one another. And if you've lived through trauma (who hasn't?), then this becomes a tough obstacle and it almost causes an imbalance if one person is more willing to communicate and relive their past. I feel this whole concept deeply. I hate talking about my childhood and rarely do, I know it bothers my husband, because he feels like I'm not communicating or trusting him to handle it well. But it's far more simple than that - I JUST DON'T WANT TO! I also love the scene in which they are looking down on Earth - such a beautiful scene. And they use one of my favorite songs of all time - "First Day of My Life" by Bright Eyes. But as far as what I don't like - as much as I do adore Farrell and Robbie, they have shockingly little chemistry. The dialogue between them feels extremely forced and inauthentic (and why God why is Margot Robbie wearing silk pajamas to a wedding?? I'm so confused! And then in another scene she has a God awful Breton hat. Ew. The costume designer failed big time with this project.). And while I liked the more magical feel to this love story, the whole magic rental car bit is so stupid. Like, the dumbest plot point of a movie I've seen in a while. I'm also going to say something pretty bold - I don't like Phoebe Waller-Bridge. I know she was great in that ONE show (Fleabag, in which she also created), but she's been horrendous in everything else, this included. Also, I had NO IDEA that she's with one of my all time favorite directors, Martin McDonagh!! That's crazy! Anyway, I wish this was more exciting, more charming, just more of anything, really. 

2. Tron: Ares - To be honest with you, I should have watched the original Tron and Legacy before watching this. I know I've seen them, but I don't remember a lot. I actually remember Tron more than Legacy probably because I watched it a handful of times as a kid. But I do remember being pleasantly surprised by Legacy. But I think I would have enjoyed this more if I remembered the first two more vividly. However, I still enjoyed it. It's a solid 3 star movie. Nothing more, nothing less. Some of it is excellent - the visuals are OUTSTANDING, but the music is probably the best part. Nine Inch Nails really knocked it out of the park with this - and should be Oscar nominated for Original Score. Honestly, it should have been nominated for some of the effects too. But the problem is obviously the acting. I actually like Jared Leto as an actor (he's a fucking lunatic cult leader but both things can be true at the same time. And we give Tom Cruise and others a pass for that, so I'm not sure why Leto receives such hatred. He has some outstanding performances under this belt - My So-Called Life, Requiem For a Dream, Dallas Buyers Club, etc.), but it's a little ridiculous that they make a super-soldier a 54 year old man??? LOL. It's like casting Brad Pitt as an F1 driver! Give me a fucking break. Greta Lee is gorgeous, but I hate her so much on The Morning Show. Sometimes it literally looks like she's reading off of cue cards on that show. She was good in Past Lives (not as good as her costar, but whatever), so I was willing to give her another chance, but sorry, I don't see her as a lead in a film like this. She doesn't have the...oomph, I guess. And what the Hell is Evan Peters doing with this role? I LOVE Evan Peters! I feel like he took the campiness of his Ryan Murphy characters though, so instead of being a realistic tech villain, he's a ridiculous tech villain. The saving grace is Gillian Anderson (obvi) and of course a nice scene with Jeff Bridges. I had fun with this, though. It moves really quickly and has an interesting plot. And it's cool to look at, which is really all I want when watching a film like this. 

3. HIM - I didn't know much about this, but I read a headline about the critical battering it received, in which Marlon Wayans responded to by claiming critics just "didn't get it" and that it's "ahead of it's time" or something like that. Which honestly, made me want to watch the film for myself (so kudos to him for sticking up for it), but the critics are right - it's bad. And not because it's too complex, or too ahead of the times, but because it's exactly the opposite of those two things. The symbolism and heavy-handed message is so in your face it's like you're being tackled with it (see my cheesy football reference?? That's how the whole movie feels). I do think it should get some credit for trying to tackle big ideas, and also that it feels different than a lot of films that do the same. There's a chaotic energy to it that I actually dig. And I think Wayans does a fantastic job, as does the star Tyric Withers (he's also extremely hot, so that always helps). The concept is also strong - a horror movie that is centered on American Football and how it treats young black men. The commentary is obviously that black men are being sacrificed for entertainment - it basically equates football to the Roman gladiator games. And it's all true! Not, like, a true story, but it reveals a lot about the industry as a whole. The cult-like relationships between the higher-ups, and also how quick they are to find the next "new thing". The final bloodbath is excellent. It's just needs a little bit more of a cohesive thread; it's definitely a case of style over substance. Like, it's so close to being a good movie, but they just throw so much at it to see what sticks it becomes a bit of a chore to watch. Also, I like Julia Fox as an actress, but I can't even look at her with those bleached eyebrows. 

4. The Rip - Oh man, what a disappointment!! Matt and Ben together again - and as cops (!) should be a slam dunk. But this is a distinctly average Netflix movie. And the reason for it is exactly what Matt Damon has said in the press about Netflix movies - it's made for an audience looking at their phones instead of the film. They have to overexplain every plot detail multiple times in case you weren't paying attention! "your brother, the fed" was stated multiple times and the whole giving different dollar amounts to expose the rat was beaten to death by Damon. I think he explained it at least 10 times. I couldn't get past the whole repetitive, circular nature of the storytelling. It's sad that movies are being made for an audience with a diminished attention span. There has to be a better solution?? I'm surprised they got so much talent to agree to this horrific script (written by Joe Carnahan himself! He should be embarrassed by this). Not only Matt and Ben, but Steven Yeun, Teyana Taylor, Catalina Moreno, and Kyle Chandler?? HOW? WHY? The shining star is Sasha Calle (who was royally screwed by The Flash fiasco and she was INNOCENT. We need to make her a star!). The whole plot is just about this "rip" - a bunch of cash that they find that is assumed to be linked to drugs/weapons etc, and who is going to take "the rip". It's obvious within...maybe 30 minutes? I wasn't paying attention to the time, but there is a phone call that reveals who it is very quickly and then we are forced to still watch it all play out for what seems like FOREVER. And the one cop gets shot and then KEEPS COUNTING money...LOL. That's how dumb this movie is. I can't lie, I was still entertained, but I rolled my eyes A LOT. On a side note, I would LOVE a film in which Matt & Ben are on actual opposite sides - they try to trick you into thinking that's what's happening here, but I'd be shocked if anyone fell for it (maybe the ones looking at their phones?). 

5. The Running Man - I rated this 2.5 stars (which means average in my book), but honestly, I fucking hated it. I can't, in good consciousness rate it lower than 2.5 though because it's made well. Edgar Wright can make a film with his eyes closed and it would still be better than most other films. But my problem is this: It's so rare to find an old movie (almost 40 years old!) that can be remade today and be even more relevant to our modern world, but The Running Man (1987) is that movie. There's SO MUCH that could have been done with this remake but instead we get an angry Glen Powell angrily stomping about, angrily. He's VERY ANGRY in case you didn't catch that. I'm someone who very early on noted Glen Powell as being the HIGHLIGHT of Scream Queens (he was funny!), but I do not understand how he has attained superstar status so quickly. It reminds me of Chris Evans - he has nice abs, and a nice face, and he's also got non-threatening teddy bear vibe. But can he act? Can he carry a film? NO! But he's being thrust into leading man status, getting roles he's not right for, and it will soon fall apart (look at Evans post Marvel career. He's horrendous in everything). Powell is particularly awful in this movie - he has one emotion. Can you guess what it is? ANGRY! There's really nothing else to say about the movie - it has the same premise as the original, pretty much, and they really go nowhere with it. And I feel like with the social commentary that this film should invoke, my brain should have been swirling with thoughts and ideas, but here are the notes that I took while watching this: 

- I have those red Puma sneakers!

- What did Josh Brolin do to his teeth? I hope that's just for this character and not what he looks like in real life?? 

- I like the nod to Derry, Maine (Stephen King shoutout!)

- That was Lee Pace the WHOLE TIME?!! Wow. That actually caught me off guard. 

That's it. I wrote down 4 things. I don't take a ton of notes while watching movies, and a lot of times most of the notes are so random that I don't even add them to my blog. But this is pathetic.