Thoughts on 5 Films

1. Song Sung Blue - I fully watched this so that I can prove to myself that Jennifer Lawrence deserved that Oscar nomination slot over Kate Hudson (and SURPRISE...I was right! Although I will say that Kate Hudson is very good in this - perhaps the best she's been since Almost Famous). It's not really a film I would watch otherwise because I have no idea who these people are (I actually thought it was about country singers? I guess Neil Diamond can be considered country.). But I have to admit, it's a very interesting story which I was not expecting. If you also have no clue who they are, then there will be spoilers ahead so stop reading! OH MY FUCKING GOD - I was NOT expecting this woman to get run down by a car while gardening in her front lawn?! What the fuck?! That's so awful! I also had NO IDEA that there was ever a cover band that got *this* famous. They are a Neil Diamond tribute band (more like a duo) and they had a modicum of success - including opening for Pearl Jam (Yes, that Pearl Jam! and I looked it up to make sure it was true, and it is! Apparently he was a big fan! How fascinating). I would never have any interest in going to see a live cover band. My mom and her husband go all the time, but I just think it's weird? Anyway, like I stated above - Kate is superb. I probably wouldn't have her in my personal best actress picks, but I do think she earned some of the praise. She also has a very pretty voice. I do think she looks older than her age in this - she's my age but has looked incredible with all the botox and fillers, but I read about how she stopped doing it all so she would look more authentic for the time period. And she succeeded, because she looks OLD! Hugh Jackman with *that* hair is the stuff of nightmares, though. I'm also a little disappointed with Hugh because of his divorce. I honestly thought when they announced their divorce that maybe those rumors were true and he was going to announce that he's gay, but instead he was just cheating on his wife with his Broadway co-star and that sucks. They were one of those long-standing Hollywood marriages that are so rare (almost 30 years!), and now he's just another Hollywood cliche. As for the actual movie, it's fine. I was entertained. I think it's obviously too long (2 hours is unnecessary for this story!). There are cute scenes (like the Pearl Jam scene with her kids suddenly being IN on their success). But it doesn't really hit any memorable notes until the accident and then it's kind of obvious how the rest of the story is going to go. I think it's weird that they changed his cause of death though? 

2. Ash - I know this was a low-budget sci-fi and therefore probably not very good, but it was worse than I imagined. There's some fun ideas, sure, and some good gore, but it looks *terrible*. It also feels like they were writing it as they were filming it and they had no idea how the story was going to actually work. There's a better cast than this movie deserves too - like how the fuck did they get Eiza Gonzales and Aaron Paul to star in this?? I don't know who Flying Lotus is, but I guess he has some clout in the industry? Anyway, I guess if you like low-budget sci-fi, I would recommend this because there are some things about it I enjoyed. I just wish it had a stronger plot, looked better, and the characters were developed and interesting. As a film, it's just bad. 

3. The Secret Agent - Ummmmm....I don't know. I was kind of bored by this, which I wasn't expecting. It starts off strong, but then I had to force myself to pay attention to it and it barely had my attention by the end of its (very long) runtime. I watched this and Hamnet back-to-back and that might have been a mistake (with Hamnet being first, so I was definitely in a bored state of mind). First, I like Wagner Moura a lot - I've been a fan since Narcos. He's a movie star and can definitely carry a film. He's also very hot - and I'm not usually one for the tall, dark & handsome type. I hope the attention he got from this leads to bigger roles for him. Second, There is absolutely no reason for this film to be 2 hours and 40 minutes long. It's not some big epic drama - it's a small drama driven by characters. And there are way too many characters (look at that poster!). There's just so much nonsense that could have been cut and wouldn't effect the film at all. It's just overly complicated for no reason. And last, I think they got the aesthetic down (especially the 70s style end credits! So good!). It looks really good. There's some interesting, memorable moments - like the cat with the TWO FACES?! What the fuck?! I love him! Oh and Udo Kier is in this?! I'm surprised that wasn't mentioned more considering he died recently and this was his last movie role. I think my expectations for this were just too high - I mean, it's a BEST PICTURE NOMINEE??? It wouldn't even be in my top 20 of last year. 

4. War Machine - I thought this was fun! It's not great or anything, but Alan Ritchson is such a star and there's some great action scenes. Actually, if I'm honest, my whole enjoyment of this is probably *just* because of Ritchson. I have a bit of a crush on him. I think he's so good in Reacher, but I became a big fan after both The Ministry of Ungentlemanly Warfare and Playdate (which is a dumb movie but he is so hilarious in it! It's so funny that my husband and I actually quote stuff from it to make each other laugh). I've been following the whole drama with his neighbor that just happened and I think it's HILARIOUS that anyone would pick a fight with someone who is 6'3" and 230 lbs of muscle. Ritchson could have literally killed him - that guy is so lucky that he showed restraint. I don't believe in physical violence, but sometimes the saying "fuck around and find out" exists for a reason. Anyway, I've drifted from the topic, as per usual. I like that this movie gives a lot of backstory before all this action starts, but it also feels like it moves very quickly. And I like that it's different. If you don't watch the trailer or look up what it's about - the plot turns a bit unexpected (*spoilers* it basically becomes a Transformers movie). Other than that, though, it's not great. The supporting cast is SUPER weak. They are supposed to be an elite team of the Army Rangers (aka the best of the best) and they got Kid Flash and a bunch of other very small looking men (oh and one woman who is supposed to be tough but shaving her head does not make her look tough). I just don't buy it. I also think some of the effects are wonky. Overall, though, it's a fun time - and sometimes that's enough. I also like that they incorporate a very serious topic of PTSD in veterans, but it doesn't bog down the story. 

5. Hamnet - I liked the book by Maggie O'Farrell. I only read it because her book "I Am, I Am, I Am" is on of my favorite books of all time so when I saw she wrote a book about Shakespeare, I thought it would be something I would enjoy. I was a Drama Studies major so you can just imagine how many times I've read Hamlet and other Shakespeare plays. I also took a class on Shakespeare on Film, Women in Shakespeare, etc. It was literally all Shakespeare, all the time. So, yeah, this is definitely up my alley. I liked the book (didn't love it), but i think the movie is...okay. I didn't really find anything engaging about it, which is surprising. I love Jessie Buckley and Paul Mescal but I didn't love either of their performances, which I find so strange because Buckley's Wild Rose performance is incredible and Mescal is in one of my favorite films of the last decade and he's incredible in it (Aftersun). I just think they kind of short change Mescal's role and Buckley cries a lot (as someone I follow on Bluesky said "she's getting an Oscar for the most acting, not necessarily the best acting" and I agree with that). I think those Jupe boys are super talented too. But none of this moved me. I know several people who cried during this, but it just didn't hit me (but if I think about the last shot in Aftersun, a tear will surely form - so I'm not dead inside. I promise.). I also think I just don't connect to Chloe Zhao films (Nomadland was ok - 3 stars, and Eternals was bad). I do like that this film shows Shakespeare being in love with this witchy, wild woman and he believes her and trusts the things she says and feels as truth while others doubted her. The older I get the more I realize *just* how powerful a woman's intuition is. I also think the ending is really good but it just last for FOREVER. It's a film that I'll never think about again.