Thoughts on 5 Films

1. In the Grey - Wow...so incredibly dull. This is a Guy Ritchie movie??? And it's this dull? With this cast?? How is that possible? It's wild, really. I appreciate that Jake Gyllenhaal does dumb action movies along with high brow films, but it's also a little weird. Like, he doesn't need to do a trashy Michael Bay movie, nor does he need to do a bad Guy Ritchie movie. And there is no way he read the script and thought this was going to be a good movie. The dialogue is awful (Eiza says the title of the movie within the first 10 seconds just in case you don't understand what it's about) And I could not tell you what accent he is attempting here even if you paid me a million dollars. One second it's clearly Bostonian and then it's suddenly...British? Eiza Gonzalez looks incredible in this - that three-piece white suit in the beginning is TO DIE FOR. And HEY....both Eiza and Jake did the SAME trashy Michael Bay movie! Weird. Her character is very flat, though. I've never been the biggest Henry Cavill fan, and he is also dull as a rock in this. It's just missing all of the elements that make a Guy Ritchie feel like a Guy Ritchie movie (fast-paced, witty dialogue, super sleek action sequences, likeable characters). It's just SOOOO boring and it feels like it's 3 hours long! I don't really have much else to say about it. A MESS. 

2. Masters of the Universe (2026) - I read some good things about this and, surprisingly, they are all true! It's good! Very entertaining and I think they do a really good job of balancing the nostalgia that a lot of people have for this, while making it feel modern and easily accessible for a new audience. I think the cast is really good too - Obviously I love Camila Mendes (from Riverdale), but I'm not that familiar with Nicholas Galitzine (he was just in The Sheep Detectives and I think he played the pop star in that Anne Hathaway romance?? I could be confusing him with someone else). He's perfectly cast in this though - so good as He-Man. He definitely understood the character, the cheesiness of the the role, plays into the "female gaze" of it all (although not one single woman I know likes men with gigantic muscles. NOT ONE!). I had no idea that Alison Brie (HOT), or Morena Baccarin (HOTTER), or Idris Elba (HOTTEST) were all in this?! I feel like the only person I saw anyone talk about was Jared Leto. And, I mean, is he really even in this?? His face was replaced by a CGI skull and his voice was altered. So...they could have literally hired anyone. It's also just a really well-made, colorful, fantasy film (I can ACTUALLY SEE WHAT'S HAPPENING DURING THE NIGHT SCENES!!). And it's funny! The circular conversations that happen in a corporate office environment (I would definitely kill myself), the "What's Going On" scene (which I didn't know was a meme - my husband had to explain it to me. But it's FUNNY!), etc., and the needle drops are perfect. The whole score is actually fantastic with the 80s synth vibe. Just all really well done. I think it could have easily been cut down to 100 minutes, though. And I was upset that She-Ra wasn't in it - I guess it was a rights issue, but she does appear in the after-credits so it seems like they are trying to work out a deal. Overall, it's a lot of fun. 

3. Neighborhood Watch - Hmmmm...usually when I've never heard of a film before, that's a bad sign so I was nervous watching this, but also mildly excited because I love Jack Quaid (and he was in two of my favorite films from last year with Novocain and Companion). And I know Jeffrey Dean Morgan has become more popular with The Walking Dead franchise, but he'll always be Denny to me (back when Grey's Anatomy was good!). I actually can't believe that The Walking Dead is a franchise that's still going - I lost track of all the spin-offs (I think the only one I watched was Fear the Walking Dead). I recently signed up for AMC+ (to watch Jack O'Connell in The North Water, which is excellent) and was shocked that The Walking Dead has an entire channel dedicated to it. There's obviously still a fanbase for it. Annnnyyyyway, I lost track of what I was writing about??? Oh YEAH, this movie! So, it's not really a bad movie - but very boring. I think my biggest problem with it is how AMC+ advertised it - they literally ask "are you looking for humor?" and show an ad for this movie with Morgan's character asking "do you think she was a working girl?" and Quaid responding "I don't know where she worked", which isn't exactly funny but is obviously meant to be a joke. So, in turn, I assumed this is a comedy - and it's not. Definitely false advertising. But I do like the plot: he's a man who has a history of mental issues, he thinks he sees a woman being kidnapped but has trouble finding anyone to believe him - so he recruits his neighbor who is an ex security guard to help find her. It's an interesting story, I just don't feel like it goes anywhere or has a point or anything to really say. It's just there. The dialogue needed some work, and some actual funny jokes would have definitely kept it more interesting. I also think Quaid has done this role enough times now - I need him to move on and step outside his comfort zone. It's definitely not a film I will remember a year from now. 

4. The Devil Wears Prada 2 - Soooo I definitely watched The Devil Wears Prada back in 2006 (probably in a movie theater?), but it's not a movie I loved. Working in retail, with people who are very passionate about the fashion industry, this is obviously a popular film - I have friends and co-workers who quote it all the time, and I always look confused and they go "um The Devil Wears Prada?" and I go "oh yeah" and nod along like I remember, but I don't. I saw that this was going to release for at home streaming, so I asked my husband if he ever saw the original (knowing full well that he would not have watched it), and he was like "nope, I guess that's what we're watching tonight?". I was hoping to get a little more out of it this time, but unfortunately, I still didn't love it. I mean, some of it is downright cruel. I just don't find the whole "mean girl" thing funny (even in Mean Girls! I enjoyed that movie a little more, but hardly as much as other women my age). And making it seem like Anne Hathaway is dumpy or unattractive, is just plain dumb. Stanley Tucci is the only funny one - who is also mean, but clearly cares. I also want to say that I've seen so many people do the whole "the villain vs the actual villain" meme for this movie showing Miranda as the villain and then Andy's boyfriend as the actual villain, and I just assumed it was true - but what the Hell is everyone talking about??? Andy's boyfriend is INNOCENT? He literally does nothing wrong other than get upset that she didn't show up for his birthday. He wasn't even an asshole about it, he was just upset. Are men not allowed to be upset about things??? She also FLIRTED with someone else and then sleeps with the guy mere seconds after her breakup. It's not cheating (questionable), but it's still fucked up. Anyway, those are my thoughts on the original. It's fine. A 3 star movie. And this sequel is also fine, but more on the mediocre side - so 2.5 stars. I just don't understand all the gushing. And as someone who loves fashion, respects that fashion is an art form, has never missed an episode of Project Runway, and misses physical magazines - I should fucking love these movies! I appreciate that it recognizes that magazines are a dying industry (along with journalism), and I like that it brings back the original cast in believable ways. Emily Blunt is the highlight in both films, but it's amazing how much better she looks 20 years later (and her line delivery of "have you heard of Christmas?" is the only thing I laughed at. Oh wait...I laughed at the girl from Bridgerton asking "who gives away Chanel?" because she did in real life, right?? I feel like I read something about how she got a free designer bag but didn't know it was expensive so she gave it away). Anyway, I don't think this sequel was necessary at all, but fans of the original seem to really enjoy this, so good for them, I guess! 

5. The Super Mario Galaxy Movie - Ooooof this was a rough watch for me. I watched The Super Mario Bros. Movie from a few years ago and I enjoyed it, so I kind of assumed I would enjoy this in the same way. Like, a dumb nostalgia-filled video game movie mostly made for kids with a few jokes thrown in for adults to enjoy, but this is NOT that AT ALL. It's bad - hard to follow, no plot, no jokes, annoying voice cast, I could go on, but I stopped paying attention about 1/2 way through while my husband continued to watch and also declared that it was "terrible". I do like Yoshi being introduced with a Biggie song (but they obviously couldn't use any of the lyrics....lol), but it makes no sense that Donald Glover voices him when he literally doesn't say any full words - just noises. I will admit that I think Glen Powell has a good voice for animation, but that's probably the only nice thing I have to say about this. I didn't really hear much about it, so I'm not sure if it did well with box office numbers (I'm too lazy to look into it), but this is such a drop in quality from the first one. And my favorite character, Blue Flame, is missing!! He shows up in a mid-credits scene, but it's not enough. Also, the score sounds suspiciously like the Kingsman score??? Can't they sue? This will definitely make my Worst of 2026 list (it's not the worst movie of the year though - that will be Balls Up - and I BETTER NOT see a worse movie than that one. Please, God.). 

Movie Marathon: Bridget Jones

1. Bridget Jones's Diary - I somehow convinced my husband to watch these movies with me by telling him that the first one is genuinely a funny movie. And I think he liked the first one (he definitely laughed at a few parts), but he was not impressed by the rest, which I can understand. I wanted to watch them all again because I watched the most recent one not that long ago, and I realized that it has been a while since I watched the first one (and the next two, I've only seen once and I don't remember liking them). But I think the first one is legitimately a comedy classic. Just the scene in the beginning with her singing "All By Myself" is such a perfect embodiment of being single and depressed, but she is so hilarious they way she sings it, that it somehow makes me smile every time. What is actually depressing, though, is that they literally call her fat and she is only 136 lbs. The "I thought you said she was thin" line is so fucking mean, because SHE IS! And when she puts on that Playboy Bunny outfit?! HELLO?! She's so hot! And a bit curvy - but definitely a sexy curvy not fat curvy. It's insane that this is how women thought of themselves in 2001 - we were definitely starting to recover from the 90s Kate Moss bone thin aesthetic, and then there was a very nice decade of body positivity, but I fear we are now working backwards with the whole GLP-1 medications making people sickly thin. I personally think a lot of women are putting their health at risk to be thin, but are going to run into a plethora of other problems (so far I know women who are losing their hair, have skin problems, and one is losing her eyesight - and none of these women actually look better, just skinnier...). Anyway, I think this movie is hilarious. Everyone is so good - Hugh Grant is the perfect playboy, Renee Zellweger has never been better (she should have an Oscar for this - not for the roles she actually won for! But she was actually nominated for this, which is super rare for a romcom lead actress to get an Oscar nod - THAT'S HOW GOOD SHE IS!!), and Colin Firth is excellent as the stuck-up but lovable love interest. Plus, Jim Broadbent and Gemma Jones as her parents just KILL ME every time. They are both so funny and endearing. Plus this is one of the few films that could actually benefit from being longer - it's only 97 minutes but I could have easily watched another 20 minutes of Bridget being ridiculous. 

2. Bridget Jones: The Edge of Reason - So, there's a few things that I like in this one, but overall it's kind of a mess. I think her friends are even funnier in this one. I love Jacinda Barrett and I love the twist of her character. I think seeing Bridget and Mark in a relationship together is interesting - they bicker, which I usually hate, but it's more of an opposites attract bickering and not a hateful/mean-spirited bickering, and they very clearly love each other. I think the plot just becomes super weird with the whole Thai prison/drug trafficking fiasco. It's way too dark for a romcom. Like, parts of it are still funny (like how they are reading The Beach), but the actual plot is DARK and I can't actually enjoy watching women being locked up for crimes they are probably innocent of. I didn't actually remember any of this while watching it - I remembered that Bridget & Mark are together, but she thinks he's having an affair with his co-worker and she handles it in a very Bridget sort of way. BUT DRUG TRAFFICKING AND A THAI PRISON??? In a romcom? It's a mess. 

3. Bridget Jones's Baby - I think this one at least keeps things a bit lighter than the sequel, but it's still very much a mess. Again, a few things I liked - the beginning with "Jump Around" being her sing-along-at-home-karaoke song is SO funny. The idea of Bridget Jones having a baby and not knowing who the father is - is a good next step in her story. But, the problem is that they make Mark Darcy a little bit too much of a dick in this and I can't root for him?? They also seemingly kill off Daniel Cleaver (Hugh Grant) and that's a harsh move. And the biggest mistake is that the new love interest is Patrick Dempsey (aka McDreamy aka People Magazine's Sexiest Man Alive 2023) and he's a genuinely nice guy with a whole lot of money and charm. Soooo....he seems like a better match?? And I'm pretty sure we're supposed to root for Bridget and Mark? It just makes no sense! It's weird that it ends with her back with Mark, because he's an asshole! I think this one misses the mark on the humor too - and it's 2 hours long but it doesn't need to be. 

4. Bridget Jones: Mad About the Boy - I was not expecting to rewatch this so soon (it was released just last year) because it's not exactly a great movie. But I liked it! I liked that it turns into a story about grief and moving forward with your life. Killing off Mark seems a little harsh and depressing at first, but I think it's a necessary arc in Bridget's life. And Leo Woodall is SO hot. I saw a few people recommending him for Bond and I wouldn't be mad at it. Although I kind of think he's too quiet and introspective for such an outwardly charming character, but that deeper connection could bring something different to Bond. Anyway, I enjoy their little fling - and I'm happy that they keep it a fling (age gaps like that are FINE for a fling! My husband saw the poster for it and said "is this one about her son?" LOL). I don't have much else to say about this other than what I wrote last year when I first watched it. Oh, it also features my favorite Rihanna song ("Stay"), so that's always a plus! 

Ranking: 

Bridget Jones's Diary 

Mad About the Boy 

Edge of Reason 

Baby 

Film Retrospective Part III: Thoughts on 10 Films (pre-2000)

1. Contact - [rewatch] I watched this in the movie theater when it was released, when I was 16 years old, and I hated it. I remember being extremely bored by it. I knew that it was a film that I should rewatch since it is a highly praised film, but I just really dreaded it. And the only thing I really remember about it is the very trippy third act. But, I have to admit - this is a fantastic film. And I was never bored by it. I was so engrossed by it that I didn't even take notes! And I didn't realize that the iconic mirror shot was from this film?!! For some reason I thought it was from the Jodie Foster/Kristen Stewart movie (the one with the panic room. Oh wait...I think it's called Panic Room. LOL). I always thought it was Stewart running toward the mirror but it's Jena Malone! It's crazy that this film was only nominated for ONE Oscar?! I would say Foster deserved a nomination, but definitely the directing & cinematography too. It has influenced so many films of the 21st century too (Interstellar, Arrival, Ad Astra, and most recently Project Hail Mary). I love the way it weaves between science and religion, while focusing on this incredible story of trying to communicate with alien life. It never feels preachy or too intellectual - instead it feels really accessible. And it just goes to really unexpected places. The entire first half of the film is very slow so I do understand why I didn't like it as a 16 year old and then it goes absolutely batshit crazy so I was like "what the fuck am I watching", but as an adult I love the feeling of "what the fuck am I watching", when it's done well of course! And I think the key to the reason this works is because of how good Jodie Foster is here. She sells the whole thing for me. Overall, I just loved it! 

2. The Silence of the Lambs - [rewatch] Jodie Foster double bill! I actually did watch these two films really close together and I didn't do it on purpose at all. This is another film that I watched when I was really young and never really got the hype. I liked it, for sure - but never thought of it as a masterpiece really. But IT MOST DEFINITELY IS! 5 star MASTERPIECE. It's a perfect psychological thriller. Some call it horror, and that applies, for sure, but it's definitely more than that - which is why I think it was so successful at the Oscars. It won the Big 5 awards (Picture, Actor, Actress, Director and Writer). Anthony Hopkins created the perfect villain - someone who is absolutely terrifying, nightmare-inducing even, but also sympathetic and interesting and I don't think it's ever been matched (I cringed when I read that Taron Egerton contacted Hopkins before his Apex role to get advice because as much as I love Taron, I hope he doesn't think he came even close to this performance??? LOL). But I also have never seen Hopkins as anything other than Hannibal Lector - I do feel like he does just kind of speak with the same cadence and timing in every role so he always just seems a little terrifying. Anyway, Foster is also incredible as this young FBI agent who is smart but still learning. The whole film is just riveting - the dialogue is just note-perfect. It's fascinating that the film is really about catching an entirely different serial killer (Buffalo Bill), but Lector takes center stage at every moment. His escape scene is flawless. On a sidenote: it's CRAZY that Jurassic Park gets the credit for the "clever girl" line, but Hopkins delivers the line with perfection in this! 

3. Event Horizon - [blind spot] I always thought this was like a cheesy 90s sci-fi and never really was in any rush to see it (and it's another film that I assumed that I watched, but once I started it, I realized I've definitely never seen this!). It was far better than I was expecting and Sam Neill (RIP) is incredible in it! The world-building, atmosphere, and effects are fantastic for a 90s movie. There's just a really good cast too - obviously Neill, but also Joely Richardson, Kathleen Quinlan, Lawrence Fishburne, Jason Isaacs, Sean Pertwee - all deliver. It's definitely more "horror" than I was expecting (it's sci-fi horror like the Alien movies). And *spoilers in case you too haven't seen it* the suicide scene is sooooo heartbreaking and unexpectedly tender for a film like this. I rated the movie 3.5 stars, but I really loved it so I think on a rewatch, I might even rate it 4 stars. 

4. 10 Things I Hate About You - [rewatch] One of my favorite teen comedies EVER. As a Shakespeare junkie during my teenage years - this just hit every possible note for me. I actually debated my rating with this because I think it's one of the few teen comedies that stayed relevant and has more iconic scenes than others released in the 90s. And the dialogue is just SO well written - keeping certain Shakespearean terms while keeping it fresh and modern is so hard to do (example: the line "I burn, I pine, I perish" is IN the movie and it works!). Plus, the original play is incredibly sexist, but somehow this isn't (as much...). They added so much depth to the two female characters to really round-out the fact that she's supposed to be a "shrew" but she's not actually a "shrew". And I think making the dad a more protective, but loving figure is super important. Plus, he's hilarious ("those Dawson's river kids" made me laugh out loud). Joseph Gordon-Levitt is adorable and I don't think he's given the credit he deserves for his terrific filmography nor is he brought up when people talk about successful child actors. But I grew up with him (same age), and I remember being 13 and swooning for him in Angels in the Outfield and then 3rd Rock from the Sun. And then after this film, he started to do some really dark films (Mysterious Skin, Brick, Stop-Loss) in which he was incredible! AND THEN he did one of my favorite films OF ALL TIME (500 Days of Summer). I love him! Actually, what has he been up to?? I don't think I've seen him in a while?! Larisa Oleynik is also SUPER adorable - she should have been a much bigger star. Also, going back to those iconic scenes I mentioned - the three that I'm specifically referring to are: Julia Styles drunkenly dancing to Biggie's "Hypnotize" (my personal favorite scene in the movie), Heath Ledger badly singing "Can't Take My Eyes Off of You" (when the marching band starts to join in - it's SO GOOD), and Julia's poem - the line "but mostly I hate the way I don't hate you. Not even close. Not even a little bit. Not even at all" still hits HARD. It's just genuinely entertaining and funny and cute and emotional. But even more importantly it's an extremely well-made movie (there's a GLORIOUS tracking shot!). So, I rated it 4.5 stars - but I'm really tempted to give it 5!!! 

5. Moonstruck - [blind spot] I've always loved Cher (and Mermaids is one of my favorite movies!), so I'm not sure how I missed this. I genuinely think the thought of Nicolas Cage being in a more serious non-action role probably deterred me (sorry, he's not actually a good actor). I also didn't realize that this movie has so many Oscar wins (nominated for 6 and won 3! I only knew of Cher's win. But a Best Picture nomination for this is something). I liked it. It's fine. But I already forgot about it (watched it back in June). I remember that Cher is supposed to be 40 but they make her look 60. I remember that even though this is a "comedy/romance", Cage somehow still gives an outrageously dramatic over-the-top performance ("I lost my hand!" "I lost my fiance!" lol). I remember that it's very Italian. And I remember that there are some gorgeous shots of NYC. But...that's all I got. 

6. Schindler's List - [rewatch] Okay...so my recollection of Schindler's List is going to see it in the movie theater for a class trip?! I'm assuming it was after it was released for a while because I would have only been 12 years old and I can't imagine they let a class of 12 year olds watch this? But I remember it being a big deal and a bunch of classes from all different schools went to see this - like they reserved the theater for the classes. And I do remember that we had to get permission slips signed from our parents...so maybe I was 12? THAT'S CRAZY! How was I not traumatized?? And there's so much nudity! I mean, most of it is not in a sexual way, more of a traumatized way, but still...was I 12?? Now I'm really curious, but I don't think I'll ever have the answer. Anyway, I only watched it the one time and decided that was enough (because I was probably traumatized and repressed it. Plus it's over 3+ hours long). So, it honestly felt like a first-time watch. Obviously, it's incredible. I shockingly don't rate it 5 stars, though, because it is, in fact, too long and could have benefitted from someone editing the shit out of it. But otherwise, it's perfect. I'm SHOCKED that Liam Neeson didn't win the Oscar for this, so I had to look up who his competition was (Tom Hanks - winner, Anthony Hopkins, and Daniel Day-Lewis!! That's tough. And now they just give the Best Actor award to anyone. HAHA!). Ralph Fiennes is also spectacular. And there are a few scenes that are so gorgeous - the little girl in the red coat is an all-timer, and the scene with the gun not working is perfect. Just perfect. The ending is so chilling too. I don't know, I have a feeling my brain will repress it again, but I'm really glad I rewatched this. 

7. Young Frankenstein - [blind spot] This is one of my husband's favorite movies - and also his entire family's (they all quote it constantly and laugh hysterically and I have no idea what they are talking about), so I thought I should watch it (I kind of thought that I did watch it, but none of it seemed familiar except the quotes from his family that I recognized while watching it). And I loved it! I think this might be my favorite Mel Brooks movie! It's so funny and the cast is great. I love Teri Garr (I remember when she was revealed as Phoebe's birth mom on Friends and thinking how perfect that casting was. Just like how Marlo Thomas as Rachel's mom was genuinely genius casting.) and she's so beautiful in this. Marty Feldman as Igor, though, really got me. His line delivery had me DYING. It's hard to find films made 50 years ago that are genuinely hilarious and not even that outdated! It's mostly dumb jokes, but dumb jokes work well if the cast can sell them. 

8. Anaconda (1997) - [rewatch] I added this to my watch list because of the remake that was released last year (that I surprisingly enjoyed?!). I vividly remember watching this in the movie theater and laughing my ass off. It was fun, ridiculous, and soooo stupid, but also very watchable and entertaining (or so I thought...). And I will always love JLo. I've never really been a fan of her acting, though (sorry, I know everyone thought she was snubbed for Hustlers but she was fine - and fine is not Oscar-worthy). I think she's more of a performer/icon/entertainer. Like, she has screen presence and charisma, but lacks the actual acting skills. BUT I LOVE HER. I was kind of hoping that this was going to be a great time, but I actually thought it was awful. And not the good kind of awful. Nothing happens for the first hour and then it's non-stop, but not in a good way. It's too chaotic to be good. The punching sound effects, the bad dialogue, and the super fake animatronic anaconda combined, really just makes this a terrible movie. And MY GOD Jon Voight's accent is unhinged! I'm more scared of Voight with that accent than I am of the deadly snakes. 

9. Mystic Pizza - [rewatch] Such an adorable movie, but I think this is the movie that really cemented Julia Roberts as a STAR. I think most would cite Pretty Woman with this title, but she's got such a screen presence in this - it's just *incredible*. I just can't think of any millennial/gen z actress that has this much charisma onscreen (I'm not trying to knock younger actresses - there are a lot that I would describe as having a presence and star power - Emma Stone, Florence Pugh, and most recently Chase Infinity), but there is just something about Julia Roberts that is untouchable - nobody comes close to that magic. But I'm going to ignore that she's supposed to be Portuguese in this movie. I love the chemistry between these three women, and I think the story is really strong and split into different stories perfectly. It always feels connected instead of disjointed, even though some plot points have nothing to do with anything. I went to Mystic a while back for my birthday and it is a very cute little town (I don't think I got pizza because I'm a New Yorker and the only place I will ever order pizza is in NY or NJ. Period.). It definitely feels like its time (late 80s), which isn't a bad thing, but I don't think modern audiences will appreciate it. I laughed at the Lifestyles of the Rich and Famous and the Mar-a-Lago reference. The 80s were so tacky!

10. Presumed Innocent - [blind spot] I liked the tv series a lot (the ending was underwhelming though), and I realized while watching it that I've never seen the original movie. The thing is, while watching the show, I thought the whole time "the wife did it...duh" and then it had a different (and very dumb) twist. But I realize that they probably assumed that people have seen the movie so they didn't hide the fact that it could have been the wife, like they do in this movie. I guess what I'm trying to say in a very convoluted way is that I can see why this was such a big twist for this film. I highly doubt "the wife did it" would have ever crossed my mind. And the way they reveal the twist is INCREDIBLE, along with her confession!!! HOLY SHIT - Bonnie Bedelia gives a PERFORMANCE. I was not expecting it. It's a very good courtroom drama, but I do think it works better as a mini-series. This feels a little rushed for the depth of this story (and also ridiculous - they wouldn't let the guy being charged with the murder in the location of the murder with *just* his own lawyer?? Even when we were dumb in the 90s - that just wouldn't happen). Ford is good, but it's weird that he did this and then The Fugitive just a few years later? It's the same plot - this is just more courtroom focused. Also, there's a baby Jessie Bradford and an even babier Joseph Mazello!! So cute! 

Thoughts on 5 New TV Shows

1. Margo's Got Money Troubles - I'm 1/2 way through this series and I love a lot about it, but not the whole thing overall. It's just such a great cast - and they are all giving exceptional performances (the stand-out is probably Michelle Pfeiffer - it's a hard role to play because you have to like her and have sympathy for her even though she's a narcissistic, materialistic, terrible mother. But if you don't like her, the whole thing falls apart). And her delivery of the line "I'm terrible at everything except being pretty" should earn her the Emmy. I've been an Elle Fanning fan since the beginning, but I think she really proved herself in a more "adult" role with The Great (one of the best comedies of the last decade). I also adore the girl from Bad Sisters (her name is Thaddea Graham - she was also in Sex Education for a little while) and I really like the character that she plays here - just a really supportive friend who is confident in who she is and doesn't tear people down. I actually think all of the characters are given a lot of depth - the show is written very well (it's a David E. Kelley show, so that's kind of a given). I think the reason I'm not loving it, is because of the whole OnlyFans part - I feel like it's kind of glorifying this whole concept as a viable income source (which it is, there's unfortunately no denying that), but I find the whole thing...sad. And to be honest, it doesn't even make sense to me because you can just find porn on the internet...for free. Why are people paying for others to do dumb shit - is it purposely to degrade someone?? Does that make one feel powerful/in control? It's all just...ugh. And I'm not even someone who's like super against porn, but there's something about the influencer culture/creating "content" part of it that gets under my skin. I also just feel like the "single broke mother" plot doesn't make sense because she can just sue for child support - there's no reason to not do that (like he's not abusive, etc.). The deal that is made is very dumb - I mean, GREAT that your kid will get $300k down the line, but if you can't afford to take care of him NOW none of that will matter. She very easily could have negotiated that to get some money up front. Anyway, I'm just not ALL in on the actual story/plot, but I'm invested because of the cast. And I screamed when Nicole Kidman showed up as a pro-wrestler. LOL. It's been a while since she's done something so unexpected. 

2. Bait - This show is great! Fantastic concept, likeable characters, funny dialogue, and it moves at lightning speed. I watched the first 4 episodes in a row and the only reason I stopped watching is because Amazon Prime crashed and I got too frustrated so I watched something else. I probably would have watched the whole thing in one sitting. I LOVE Riz Ahmed though (he's the creator and star of this) - so that obviously helps. It feels very personal - and I haven't really looked into it that much, but I'm assuming that he did actually audition and/or read for the role of James Bond at some point? There's been talk of a new Bond taking over since Spectre - which was 11 years ago. There's been a LOT of different rounds of casting and then...nothing. I think Ahmed would have actually been a great Bond, but has aged out of what they want. But if they keep taking so FUCKING long, everyone is going to age out and they'll have to start all over again...AGAIN! I don't even have an opinion anymore - but the top predictions (Jacob Elordi, Callum Turner, Harris Dickinson) are killing me. Anyway, this is a fun show about the consequences of auditioning for Bond - he gets swept up in a media circus and has to endure a whole lot of racism and hate crimes, which I'm sure he's basing on experience, unfortunately. But I like the way he addresses this - a lot of it is in good humor (the gag with all of the South Asian actors getting confused by one another is always funny - because they all look SO different. It's hard to believe that people get them confused, but I'm sure it comes from truth), but also takes very serious turns (his family is threatened and a pig's head is thrown though their window). I also love how his family reacts to the news of his Bond possibilities ("Did Daniel Craig die?" "Do they know about your height?") - it's all very funny. I think the last two episodes go really off the rails, but overall, it's a fun show. And there's even a really great Bond type song that is featured by Jorja Smith called "Price of it All" (I immediately added it to my Spotify). I hope Ahmed gets to make more. It has similar energy to Atlanta the way it feels a little hyper focused and surreal at the same time. Oh also, I really like Ritu Arya (from Umbrella Academy) and would love to see more of this character. 

3. The Testaments - UGH...I hate that I started watching this. I was so happy when The Handmaid's Tale was finally over because I hated it so much, but I'm a completist (and I liked some aspects of it - mostly the parts with Serena, played by Yvonne Strahovski). I wasn't planning on watching this sequel, but then they went and cast Chase Infiniti and I HAD to watch it because I love her. But unfortunately, I hate this show too. And I almost threw my tv out the window when I realized that Elisabeth Moss is in this too. I can't stand her - just one of the worst actresses ever, but also a scientologist and I'm convinced she's lying about her age (there is NO WAY she is a year YOUNGER than me - she's at least a decade older), but it makes sense with the story (and she's not in it a lot). Unfortunately, there is another actress in this who is in it a lot who is also a terrible actress (the girl who plays Daisy - yikes! But she also gets the worst dialogue, so that doesn't help. That inner monologue is just painful! I will admit that her accent is really good. I could still tell she wasn't American, though. I guessed Irish, but she's actually Scottish.). I really struggled to get through this because it's just the same thing over and over again - we already know this story. Are they going to do anything new with it??? ANYTHING AT ALL?? But the last two episodes are really, really good - and they do actually move the story forward and give for a really great ending that will hopefully bleed into the second season. I think the casting is bad though??? They are all supposed to be teenagers (and like young teenagers who are just getting their period), but they all clearly are in their 20s. Like, I'm sorry but Chase Infiniti got her period a decade ago, so watching a scene with this *very important* plot point is just weird. Why not hire actual teenagers??? Or why not stick to the book and have them in their 20s? Also, I don't need a redemption arc or a backstory for Aunt Lydia??? You'll never make me feel bad for her. Overall, I just don't like this show at all - and no amount of "Sweet Jane" playing in the background will make me change my mind. 

4. Big Mistakes - This is okay. There's some really good stuff in it and it definitely gets better as it goes on - the first two episodes are ROUGH. But the last two episodes are GREAT. And the twist at the end is so unexpected and FANTASTIC, and definitely makes me excited for a second season (let's just say that the wonderful Elizabeth Perkins should have a much bigger role...). Other stuff that is good: Dan Levy is hilarious (I'm not sure he will every play a different character, but the one that he does is always delightful), some of the dialogue is very good ("Name a woman who has time for Chess" made me giggle), and Laurie Metcalf is acting circles around everyone. But, I strongly feel like it should have starred Rachel Sennott (she wrote this along with Levy, and it's so super clear that she was meant to star in it as well - I'm not sure what happened, I'm assuming it was a scheduling issue), and the girl they got to replace her is...not good. I also think that a LOT of the dialogue is actually terrible, but Levy knows how to deliver the lines with a perfect sarcastic energy and facial expressions that make the lines funny, but everyone else struggles. The story goes from 0 to 100 very quickly and it was hard to keep up with exactly what the end goal is - they are suddenly buying cows and involved with cocaine smuggling?? It's WILD. But, like I said, the end is great and I'm interested to see where it goes. 

5. Half Man - So far I like this show a lot (I have two episodes left to watch). I like that Richard Gadd creates really complicated, layered, and contradictory characters because they feel really tangible. He's a really talented writer (if you haven't seen Baby Reindeer, I highly recommend it purely for how well written it is). I'm surprised that the writing didn't receive any Emmy love, and that the sole nomination is for Gadd in the Supporting Actor in a Limited Series category. I saw a lot of people talk about a Jamie Bell snub, and, while I love Jamie Bell, I think the standout performance is Stuart Campbell. I don't think the younger vs older actors are cast well AT ALL based on looks, but Campbell does a great job at this absolutely psychopathic role. He is actually one of the standouts in SAS Rogue Heroes as well, and when I saw that he was in this, I actually moved it up my list. He's definitely an actor that is going to break out BIG very soon (hopefully *crosses fingers*). But, the casting is hard to get past because THAT guy is supposed to be a young Jamie Bell??? What? They don't even look a little bit similar. And the only thing connecting Gadd and Campbell is the haircut (as if someone would have the same awful haircut for 14 years??? So stupid!). But once you get past the cast, it's a good, interesting story. The way they are connecting these two people as being the "other halves", as in they both need each other in this mutualism sort of way, but it's actually more parasitic. It's just written really well, and has a lot of thought put into every single piece of dialogue and character development. There is also something darkly funny about it (and some actual laugh-out-loud moments too - the "this signed Harrison Ford poster?" moment is one of the funniest things I've seen in a while. It's so out-of-pocket - I literally laughed for like 10 minutes). I think my only other criticism (aside from the casting choices) is that the episodes feel a little too long. It can definitely benefit from quickening the pace a bit. 

Thoughts on 5 Films

1. Obsession - I liked this a lot, but I also think that a lot of the underlying themes and depth that exists are...accidental. And I'm not trying to knock the director because he is a young, privileged, male - I fully admit he made an excellent film. And a film that resonated with a lot of people. It's obviously a box office success, but it's also a film that people wanted to TALK about in depth, and I find that really rare nowadays. So, kudos to him! I'm excited to see what he does next! But I'm also a little skeptical because I just don't think a 26 year old has this much insight into the world. But, we'll see! Because I waited until it was streaming, there was SO much written about it - I had a plethora of opinions waiting for me to read. It's incredibly interesting to read how people have interpreted the film, some of it is WILD ("she was already in love with him" is the craziest take I've seen about a film in a while - BY A WOMAN no less!). But here is how I see it: I think Curry Barker made a very surface level horror movie (again, a good one!) that's kind of (almost assuredly unintentionally) misogynistic, about a man wishing for a woman to fall in love with him only for that wish to backfire on him because she's a psychopath. The tagline is literally "Be careful who you wish for" - which literally means "careful because some bitches be CRAZY". I've come to this conclusion for one simple reason: his wish is "I wish Nikki Freeman loved me more than anyone in the fucking world" and suddenly Nikki becomes an possessive, jealous, murderous psychopath because that's how the concept of "love" is being interpreted here. It's an all-consuming obsession. And it's an excuse for men to keep their distance, to cut themselves off emotionally, to avoid commitment, etc., and still blame it on women. But the real (almost assuredly unintentional) "depth" of the film is that it is actually men who are to blame! The reality of it is that it is a big, fat, giant fucking circle (men are distant because women are clingy, so women become clingy because men are distant). There is also some great commentary (actually maybe intentional) about how difficult it is for men to just...fucking TALK to a woman they have feelings for and possibly face heartbreak/confrontation/sadness, and will opt for literally any other option. I mean, if this "wish" option actually existed, women would just lose their romantic/sexual freedom all together, because men would choose it every time (I don't know...maybe the "good" men would realize that this is, in fact, rape. But I also think that a very scarily large percentage of men would be ok with that). Anyway, the discussion around the movie is probably more interesting than the actual movie if you really think about it (there's also this theory going around that the soul of his dead cat is brought back into Nikki's body because his cat "loved him more than anyone in the fucking world", which is an interesting thought - but I don't think fully works). As far as the actual film, the acting is the highlight - Inde Navarrette is a FIND! Just an incredible debut performance. But I also think Michael Johnston does a great job of straddling this fine line of making you still care about what happens to him even if you don't necessarily like him. The super weak link is the guy who plays his friend/co-worker (also speaking of co-worker - there are WAY too many employees for an independent music shop??!! The only way they could afford that many workers is if it's a drug front). That guy can not act (I looked him up and it looks like he's friends with Barker, so that makes sense. There's no way he auditioned for this role and was the best person for it. LOL). I think the way Nikki is pushed into the shadows for a lot of the film works really well, but I hate a lot of the lighting and color choices -some of it looks like those fake western photos you take at a fair with the sepia toned saturation. And a lot of the story is just dumb - anyone would just instantly call 911 as soon as someone started smashing their own face in (and then she goes to sleep with dried blood all over her face??). I mean, I probably would have contacted a doctor well before this, but that would have definitely been my tipping point. Also, nothing actually scary happens until like 90 minutes into the film and there's only another 20 minutes left after that. But overall, I think it's a really strong, interesting film and will likely be in my Top 10 of the year (it's currently #4). 

2. Undertone - I saw extremely varying opinions on this and usually that means I will rate it 3 stars. It's always so jarring to see someone I trust rate a film 1 star and then someone else I trust rate it 5 stars though - which is what happened with this. So, just like I thought, I think it's a solid 3 star film - although I think I can understand why someone has an extreme dislike for it more than someone who thinks it's a masterpiece. It is an ok horror movie - it's very quiet and subtle, and I think that gets overlooked when it comes to horror, but it's also lacking the intensity needed to pull this off. There are strong themes of guilt, motherhood, PPD, etc. Nina Kiri is terrific (I recognize her from The Handmaid's Tale, but I think that's it?). It's a big year for horror films (and horror performances, specifically)! But I hate the whole idea of podcasts (sorry, not sorry) and the fact that they don't just turn these tapes over to the police immediately is a good indication of where we are as a society. I recently read an article about how this new age of true crime podcasters has had a severely negative impact on solving crimes because too many people are getting involved and have their own "theories" and it's actually overwhelming for detectives to narrow down actual evidence and realistic explanations. I think everyone wants to be the next Michelle McNamara (who did help find the Golden State Killer, even though police will never admit that BECAUSE they don't want to encourage average citizens to get involved!), which is crazy because that woman DIED because of her own obsession with that case. Anyway, I've gone on a tangent, but it's related because my point is that these podcasters should not have continued this "case" just to gain listeners and the idea of this is actually scarier than the film itself. Also, do they think that the fact that old children's songs are about death and disease is a new idea? They kind of act like they've discovered something here and I find it eye-rolling. 

3. Heartstopper Forever - Okay, so I rated this fairly low - 2.5 stars, compared to the series. I don't rate tv because Letterboxd doesn't have a tv section yet....I read that it's coming? I never really rated stuff until I got Letterboxd and I really don't want to use another site so I'm just waiting for Lb to separate the tv and movie stuff because I hate that it's mixed right now so I just don't add tv for now. But if I did rate the series, I would rate it 3.5? Maybe even 4 stars?? It's a very good show. I actually wrote about the first season on this blog somewhere. The main reason that I love it so much is because of its representation of queer joy - it's about teenagers finding JOY and I think this is not often the case with shows depicting LGBTQ+ themes (just like how rare it is to find media representation of black joy - it's always about racism, slavery, hate crimes, which are all IMPORTANT, but it shouldn't be the ONLY representation). I also appreciate that it doesn't have the "shock" factor of other teenage shows (like Euphoria) - there is very little sex, alcohol, or drug use. I think reality lives somewhere in the middle of this. But I think this movie tries to push the envelope a little bit (there's drinking and sex), but it also only focuses on the two main characters and everyone else is completely sidelined. That's my biggest complaint - Nick and Charlie are adorable and I love them, but I also love Elle and Tara and Darcy and Isaac (I'm a little meh on Tao - he's a little too whiny and entitled). I'm glad that the show was given a proper end, but I would have preferred like a 4 episode series ending that focused on ALL of the characters instead of a 2 hour film. Also, they RECAST Nick's mom aka Olivia Colman?! And you CAN'T recast Olivia Colman. It's just never going to work. I just think it was missing all of the genuine heartfelt moments of the show and kind of feels unnecessary and pointless. And most of the good reviews on LB are from gen Zers who discuss the movie along with the word "nostalgia" because a show that came out 4 years ago is apparently ancient (words have no meaning anymore). 

4. Cold Storage - *spoilers ahead* I enjoyed this while I watched it but it is highly forgettable. It's another film that partly takes place in Australia (AGAIN!). I didn't know anything about this movie beforehand (husband picked it), so I was excited to see Sosie Bacon but....SHE DIES! LIKE RIGHT AWAY?! What the fuck?! So she's not even part of the cast - which is more based around the guy everyone loves from Stranger Things (Steve. I can't remember his real name. Sorry!) and the girl from Barbarian (who I really, really like). They have GREAT chemistry together and I enjoyed watching their banter. There's also Liam Neeson and Lesley Manville in smaller roles, which feels weird because, like, why are these two established actors in this movie?? It makes no sense. And THEN VANESSA REDGRAVE appears in a small role and I was like "how the FUCK did they get Vanessa Redgrave for this movie?? So that's when I had to do some digging - because as much as I enjoyed it, it's also a dumb action/sci-fi nothing of a movie. And I still can't really figure it out - other than Liam Neeson does a lot of dumb action movies and this one is written by David Koepp - who obviously has clout in the industry (probably one of the best action screenwriters there is - Jurassic Park, Mission: Impossible, War of the Worlds etc., and also one of my favorite (not action) film: Death Becomes Her!), and then I also remembered that Vanessa Redgrave is technically Neeson's Mother-in-Law (she is the late Natasha Richardson's mom), so maybe he convinced her to do this?? Anyway, it's certainly not a bad movie - it just doesn't warrant a cast of this caliber. There are some funny parts (the "He's got Covid" part made me choke on a mild dud), and the dialogue is written really well. And it's gory and campy and overall a good time. 

5. Normal - This definitely exceeded my expectations. It's a ton of fun and completely unexpected. It's like Hot Fuzz but with the Yakuza so...way more violence. I'm usually a big fan of Ben Wheatley films though (Sightseers is probably my favorite) - even the films I don't love have some really great moments of brilliance (except maybe his most recent one...Meg 2: The Trench because why the fuck did Ben Wheatley direct that movie??? It doesn't even make sense). This feels more old-school Wheatley and I just think it's a really good watch. The plot goes in unexpected directions, some characters get gruesomely killed, and once the action starts...it does not stop! And I love that Bob Odenkirk is in his 60s now and pretty much exclusively makes action films with him just being a "normal" guy thrust into this world. I think it's actually best if you don't know much about it and just expect a dumb action movie, so the only other thing I'll say is that the "Physics, bitch!" line had to be a nod to Breaking Bad's magnet moment and I love it! Oh also, I was very concerned about the dog the WHOLE TIME, but the dog ends up fine.