Thoughts on 5 Films

1. Bird Box - I think if this was given a "normal" release, it would not have been successful at all. But a horror/thriller with Sandra Bullock and John Malkovich, released in your home during the Holidays, available to watch at your own convenience? Consider it the buzziest movie of the year. Also, it was incorrectly given comparisons to A Quiet Place, which helped it tremendously. As you may know, I'm a HUGE Sandi B. fan. Like, ginormous. I will stick up for anything she does, so it's weird that I don't have to stick up for this, because critics were so surprisingly kind to it. There's nothing really wrong with the movie, per-say. But it's very mediocre. I can see an argument for originality, but then someone said that it's basically the same plot as The Happening, and that just threw everything out the window. There are two aspects that are great (other than Sandi, obvi) - one is the supporting cast - Sarah Paulson, BD Wong, Jacki Weaver, etc. all fantastic. Second, I think it is interest to show this woman as not very motherly - she takes care of the children out of survival and necessity, but she is never emotional with them because it's not in her nature. It's a refreshing take on a female character that is not often seen. It's a shame that they had to give the movie this absolutely bullshit ending, because it ruins everything.

2. Peppermint - What a waste. We finally get Jennifer Garner back to kicking bad guy ass, and this is the best we could do?? First, it's incredibly racist. Second, the plot is really dumb (when did she steal the money? After she escaped from being admitted into a mental facility, she went to work and stole money? Also, 50 grand would not get you very far) and predictable (of course he's the bad guy!). Third, it could have been interesting - like if they actually showed how she survived and trained for her revenge plan for 5 years, but instead they cut that whole part out and it's just suddenly she's a badass. It's touted as the female Taken (from the same director), but in Taken we are already under the impression that Neeson's character is someone you don't want to fuck with. This woman is just a normal middle-class mom. How did she get all these skills and training? That's the part that I want to see. Otherwise it just feels like a really bad action movie from the 90s. But, the highlight is obviously Garner. I hope she continues to do roles like this because she is one of the rare actresses that can believably be "girl next door" adorable in one scene and vengeful killer in the next. I will continue to watch everything she does (and hope for an Alias reunion....one day...).

3. Roma - This is another win for the new Netflix model of releasing films. It would have taken me months to see this - I never get to the theater anymore, and it's even more rare for me to see independent films (which makes me sad, but it is what it is). I didn't love this film as much as many did, but I can understand why it is so well loved. I just didn't connect with the story, but I always have love for stories that intertwine the history of a particular place with a personal story (it's like a Mexican version of Midnight's Children). There is so much happening in the background of the story, that I have no knowledge of (my knowledge of Mexican history is completely lacking even though I lived in Southern Cali and went to Mexico many times as a kid), but I never really felt like the story was being propelled forward in any way - it was just very "slice of life" story-telling. That's not necessarily a bad thing, but it just didn't "wow" me. Although, there are also some stunning shots - I mean, that first shot with the reflection in the water, is just sublime. I could watch that for hours on end.

4. Downsizing - Was this on everyone's Worst of 2017 list? Because it definitely should have been. I'm not sure why Matt Damon keeps picking the "white savior" roles, but someone needs to stop him. The concept for this movie is absolutely brilliant - it's so original, ambitious, fun, and thought-provoking, but what the movie turns it into is surprisingly dull garbage. If the intent is to "teach" the audience a lesson (I'm not sure it needed one other than being grateful for what you have), then it should have been a tale about human loneliness, choosing wealth over living a full life, or even the dangerous impact of over-population and climate control. Instead it was a story about "saving" the poor people. Damon's character is surprised that they exist in the "small" world for some reason. Which is just plain dumb (how did he think he would live with all this wealth - who did he think would be doing all the grunt work? It's like the time someone told me that he wished it was illegal for people to work on Sundays because he wants to be able to go to Brunch. When I asked who would serve him Brunch if working was illegal, he looked at me dumbfounded.). Other than being just plain stupid, the story got really boring - like, painfully boring. And overall, just an embarrassment for all involved.

5.  The Kindergarten Teacher - Another stunning performance from Maggie Gyllenhaal. This is a film that is right up my alley - it's so interesting to watch when you don't quite know where the story is going or how dark it will get. It never quite crosses the line, but it's clear that it could, and it would be just as believable. It does still get pretty fucked up - this woman becomes obsessed with her student (a kindergartner) because she believes that he's a prodigy of poetry. She lets this obsession consume her - and her actions become less and less ethical. It's a tough watch because she's never malicious - I think she truly wants to do what is best but she just doesn't see that it's not her business or responsibility to make these decisions for a child that isn't her own. When I was in my early 20s I worked as a teacher's aide at a pre-school for children with disabilities. It was incredibly emotional work. First, the obvious, these kids had many varying challenges. Second, most of them were not getting what they needed from their home life (not always on purpose - mostly because parents have to work and therefore don't have the time to invest in their children's lives). Third, we only had our minimum amount of time with them and then we were forced to "let go", which practically forces one to have a "this isn't my problem" attitude. I, like all teachers and aids whether they admit it or not, had a "favorite". His name was Jacob and he referred to me as "Ishelle". I saw his potential, that he just needed to feel important, and that he could overcome his learning disabilities with some extra attention that he would likely not get (he was also part of "the system" of Foster Care). It absolutely broke my heart that I had to say good-bye to him when the school year was over. Anyway, teachers are amazing humans (I realized quickly that I was not strong enough for such work). Obviously the one in this story goes too far, but I can still understand her intent.

25 Books I've Read in 2018

So I gave myself a New Year's resolution of reading more books this past year - a goal of 25. This still seemed low, but after realizing I only read 4 books in 2017, I wanted to make sure that I had an achievable goal. I think it was a good way to remind myself how much I love to read - and now it's become second-nature to pick up a book and read a little before bed or during downtime. These are the 25 books that I read this past year - and a little sentence or two on what I thought of each (in no particular order). 

1. Never Let me Go, Kazuo Ishiguro - Far more interesting than the movie. I honestly don't really remember the movie, I just remember that it was an incredibly interesting plot but very, very boring. The book is not boring at all - it explores the psychology of the characters a bit more. I really liked the style of the writing - the characters were very layered and believable, but there is something also a little disturbing and tense about the tone. I've added Ishiguro's The Remains of the Day to my 2019 reading list.

2. Wonder When You'll Miss Me, Amanda Davis - This has been on my bookshelf for a decade. I loved it, although I wish that I read it as a teenager or young adult. It's about exploring your identity, and not letting a tragedy define you - definitely topics that could have helped me as a teenager.

3. The Nix, Nathan Hill - I've seen this on many lists of "great" books of the last decade, and I wouldn't go that far, but I did enjoy it very much. There's a lot to love; the characters are well-written, the plot is very intricate and detailed, and it deals with a lot of present day issues (obsessive gaming, the "me too" movement, political strife).

4. Unqualified, Anna Faris - Not great. Faris admittedly is not a writer. I was hoping that her loveliness and natural humor would show through, but it falls very flat. Her advice is often disturbing, and I think she still needs to work through some of her own shit before advising others (which again, she admits and is why her book is titled "unqualified").

5. The Immortalists, Chloe Benjamin - Really wonderful book about family, destiny, and living life to your fullest. It turns in so many unexpected ways, and fully embraces its characters - flaws and all. I wasn't a huge fan of how it ended, but I'm not sure it would have made sense any other way.

6. Under the Skin, Michel Faber - I loved this movie, and I was a little bit nervous about reading the book because I thought for some reason that it would ruin the movie for me. But it's soooo different from the movie in the most wonderful of ways. It's darker, and funnier, and somehow weirder. I highly recommend it for anyone who is into feminist sci-fi (which is 95% of sci-fi, in case you're confused).

7. The Girl in Alfred Hitchcock's Shower, Robert Graysmith - I don't really read a lot of True Crime, but with the added tidbits about Hitchcock and the making of Psycho, this was really interesting. It was a little slow-moving for my taste, and I thought there was going to be more of a "connection", so I was left feeling disappointed.

8. What Alice Forgot, Liane Moriarty - I could picture this as a Lifetime movie (I'm sure it's already in the process of being made). I enjoyed it but it's a little bit elitist - privileged woman falls and suddenly can't remember who she is, and guess what? She discovers that she's an elitist, privileged bitch. This is her journey into remembering how she got that way and how she can change her life (or if she even wants to change her life).

9. My Life on the Road, Gloria Steinem - I've read a lot about Gloria Steinem, but not much of her own writing. I enjoyed reading about Steinem's lectures, the people that she met that influenced her, the reflections on her similarities to her father, etc. She's a legend.

10. The Illustrated Man, Ray Bradbury - Obviously wonderful. This was a first read for me (I've read most of Bradbury's work before, but it was 20 years ago). It's so interesting to see how much Bradbury has influenced the wave of current story-tellers. I felt like every short story has been adapted for screen in some way (even in the most subtle ways). It's like when you watch a Dramatic film and it all hearkens back to Shakespeare (or Greek mythology).

11. Leviathan Wakes, James S. A. Corey - I love The Expanse t.v. show so much. It's just a really fun sci-fi show with great characters and a lot of depth to its story. I was going to wait until the series was over to start reading the books but I'm too impatient. I was really interested to see how they adapted it. The book is very similar to season one - but I think I prefer the show better because I think the characters are a bit more fun.

12. The Nest, Cynthia D'Aprix Sweeney - Another elitist story about privileged people and this one involves money! I do like all of the characters and the family dynamic, but it's hard to feel bad for rich people (or people arguing about a family "nest").

13. Killers of the Flower Moon, David Grann - Another True Crime book, but this one is really, really interesting. I knew nothing about the Osage murders, and I don't think the average person does. But it's an embarrassing stain in American history (we have many). This book explores not only the murders, but the Osage family line, the birth of the FBI, and the details still being discovered about the murders that are still being covered up.

14. The Song of Achilles, Madeline Miller - First, I'm soooo angry that I didn't do this first. I always thought that someone should do an updated, "easier" version of The Iliad. I spent many months in high school translating it from the original Latin to see the differences that I discovered compared to the boring old men (sorry, but true) that did the original translations. Second, I'm glad that a woman did it because she could see the beauty and subtlety in the love stories and make them more obvious so others can grasp it. Third, I can't wait to read Circe. 

15. I've Got You Under my Skin, Mary Higgins Clark - I used to love Mary Higgins Clark when I was a teenager. I thought I would give it a shot to see if it was something that still interest me, but unfortunately it was not good. It was very predictable and honestly, I can't even remember what it's about (I read it in the beginning of 2018). I still think she's great - and influential to so many stories about strong women surviving trauma and/or solving crimes, but my tastes have evolved.

16. The Martian Chronicles, Ray Bradbury - Again, obviously wonderful. I read this when I was a teenager, and I loved it, but I love it even more now. I have a deeper appreciation for sci-fi now.

17. Blowing My Cover: My Life as a CIA Spy, Lindsay Moran - I've always been interested in spy stories, and at one time dreamt of being recruited. This definitely makes me happy that I never was. I enjoyed reading her story, but it saddens me that Moran quit because she started to question the actions of our government after 9/11. I feel like we needed people like her to stay.

18. The Silent Wife, A.S.A Harrison - Very predictable, but I did like how the story split between the two perspectives. It's another Lifetime movie quality book. I actually think I read that Nicole Kidman was attached to the script which is surprising, but maybe they can make the movie a little bit more nuanced.

19. Before the Fall, Noah Hawley - My favorite book that I've read this year (aside from the Bradbury ones - because that's kind of a given). Hawley is a great story-teller. I can see this as a mini-series, so I'm a bit disappointed that he's looking into adapting it into a film instead. I think that's a big mistake because there is sooooo much story to tell between all the different characters. Each character could have their own episode. Anyway, I genuinely enjoyed reading every second of it, and I bought The Good Father to read this coming year.

20. The Idiot Girls' Action Adventure Club, Laurie Notaro - Funny, cute, another one that I wish I read when I was younger. It's a bit too contrived and one-note, with her being such a "mess", but overall I thought it was enjoyable to read.

21. Altered Carbon, Richard K. Morgan - If I didn't watch the series, I don't think I would have any idea what was going on. It's interesting to see how it was adapted, because a lot of it doesn't make sense - and it's hard to follow, but the series is pretty good (a little slow, and some questionable acting, but the plot is solid).

22. Talking as Fast as I Can, Lauren Graham - I adore Lauren Graham - not so much from Gilmore Girls, but from Parenthood. I did love GG, but not as much as most fans. I wish this book was more about her life, and not her life on the set of GG, but she's still a great writer. I think her personality shines through, and that's something that's hard to do.

23. The Moth Presents: All These Wonders, Catherine Burns - Really cool idea. I've never heard about The Moth before, but I'm intrigued. I would love to go to a show. I like that it's just very natural story-telling. It's easy reading, and some of the stories will stick with me for life. I absolutely hated the second to last story though (it actually made me sick to my stomach and ruined the whole experience for me, but I'm trying to get over it).

24. Unexpected Gifts, Katie McAndrews-McNeill - The author is my ex-boss and I absolutely adore her. This is the story of what happened to her life and the choices she made after her sister died. She's always given me great advice, and seems to truly enjoy every single moment of her life (like she's a genuinely happy person - it's incredible. She's also extremely privileged - but she acknowledges this all the time). I loved reading her story, but I'm a bit biased.

25. The Ocean at the End of the Lane, Neil Gaiman - This was definitely a great introduction to Gaiman's writing (I've never read any of his work before, but I have American Gods on my list for next year - the book and the series). This is a beautiful, poetic story - it's a modern day mythological tale (and I love mythologies) about how children perceive their surroundings.

Best and Worst Films of 2018

Best:

1. First Man 
2. A Quiet Place
3. Thoroughbreds 
4. Unsane 
5. Tully
6. Game Night
7. You Were Never Really Here

This is probably my worst year yet, in terms of movie viewing. There are too many wonderful tv shows to keep up with (my favorite this year: Counterpart and Killing Eve). I couldn't even come up with 10 (the next on the list is Bird Box, but that doesn't belong anywhere near a Top 10 List so I stopped at 7.). I think this list will look quite different when I update in July. 

Worst: 

1. Rampage
2. Jurassic World: Fallen Kingdom
3. The Cloverfield Paradox
4. A Wrinkle in Time
5. Incredibles 2 
6. Peppermint 

Thoughts on 5 Films

1. First Reformed - I'm not sure I get it? I have no interest in watching it again, but I think there is supposed to be some sort of "message" that I just didn't get. And I mean something bigger than just a priest questioning his faith, which is the core of the film. Critics have hailed the film as "an epiphany", "spectacular", and "mesmerizing", so there has to be more to it. Aside from my high expectations, I enjoyed Hawke's performance, and the dialogue was really fantastic (my favorite line: "Wisdom is holding two contradictory truths in our mind simultaneously".), I even liked the weird and unexpected ending. Overall though, it's not a movie that I expect will stick with me and I am left disappointed in what could have been.

2. Rough Night - Ugh. I expected to hate this, and I did. For many, many, many reasons. I'm not sure where to begin - the paper-thin personalities each woman has, the fact that they laugh and have a grand old time after they accidentally kill someone, Scarlett Johansson's predictably terrible performance, the constant cliches- like how her best friend is jealous of her having another female friend, the idea the women in their 30s are still susceptible to peer pressure, or just the sheer stupidity of every single plot point. It's all terrible and pointless. It's clearly trying to be the next Bridesmaids (which had similar cliches, but it was done 100 times better), by trying to do the whole "women can do raunchy" thing, but it fails miserably. I didn't laugh once. NOT ONCE. Jillian Bell was great in 21 Jump Street, but she's not ready for such a big role. Actually, I think the cast was a big problem, they did not have the camaraderie that this group should have - and again, none of them were funny. But I bet if you replaced all of them with the cast of Bridesmaids, I would have laughed hysterically.

3. Battle of the Sexes - I admit, I don't really know much about Billie Jean King. I just know the name as a feminist icon, but I'm not really one to follow sports icons so I never really paid attention to how influential she was in the feminist movement of the 1970s. After watching this, I became incredibly intrigued by Bobby Riggs' story - I'm glad they showed how his "personality" influenced people. It's clear that he doesn't really believe the things he says, and that he is just trying to exploit the feminist movement for his own gain - and even crazier, him and King were actually friends! I always try to point this out when some popular person says something ridiculous (AHEM Kanye *cough*) because they clearly just want attention and if you get all "offended" and "outraged" you are just feeding right into what they want. There's an interesting theory that Riggs actually threw the match so that King would win because he placed a large bet on her - and honestly, I believe it. It's kind of hilarious that women felt like this would "prove" something - a women in her 20s beating a man in his 50s at Tennis? How is that proving we are equal? I think King's real progress, and work towards equality was all the behind the scenes stuff - the part where she boycotts, and argues her worth. This is a fairly straight-forward biopic that could have focused more on her battle with her sexuality and her public persona. Or how she influenced people in other fields to join the feminist movement. But instead we get to watch a re-enactment of the tennis match that lasted for what felt like FOREVER. Tennis is extremely boring, so I'm not sure how anyone thought it was a good idea to drag that out (it's not for dramatic effect, because we already know the freakin' ending!). The cast is impeccable though.

4. Mission: Impossible - Fallout - Not as good as I was expecting based on all of the reviews, but a satisfying movie nonetheless. I think Ghost Protocol was a lot better. At least there was an extremely memorable scene (the Burj Khalifa scene will live in my brain forever). This one reminds me of the previous one (Rogue Nation), in that I enjoyed it while watching it, but I will hardly remember anything about it. I think it's supposed to be surprising with all the "twists", but nothing happened that I didn't expect. I'm not a fan of Henry Cavill - he is such a snoozefest, especially when he shares the screen with Tom Cruise. The bathroom fight was pretty great, though. The choreography that goes into those scenes are just amazing. I do like that they left in the scene where Tom hurts himself. I can't believe that he still does all of his own stunts - even the crazy ones. The last scene with the helicopters was really fun to watch, but I totally expected him to jump from the one helicopter into the other one, and then I fully expected to read that he actually did it in real life. What a crazy man.

5. Suburbicon - Wow, this is a bad movie. It's saved by the caliber of its cast, and the talent behind the screen, but it's just not good. First, I like that Clooney is inspired by the Coen brothers, but he really needs to step away and find his own groove, because now it feels like a parody. Second, the story is actually really great and the ending is wonderful, so why did this feel so painful and boring to watch? Third, maybe have the really interesting racial tension that is exploding in the background be the main story? There's just so many ways this story could have been told, but it fails in every aspect. Fourth, again, I LOVED the ending and that little boy is a great actor.

Thoughts on 9* New Shows to Watch

1. Maniac - I just finished this series yesterday so I'm not quite sure how I feel about it. There are things that I really loved, but there was also so much of it that felt really cheesy and terrible. Overall, I would say it's just "okay". Emma Stone is just absolutely stunning. Her performance in the second episode alone is worth watching just to see how versatile she has become. The rest of the cast is...not good. Jonah Hill is not terrible, but, and I say this as a huge fan, Justin Theroux pretty much ruins the whole thing for me. I don't think it was his fault; I think he was directed to act that way because every other actor in his scenes did the same not-realistic-in-any-way style acting (even Sally Field!). The whole series did feel like a really, really long and drawn out episode of Black Mirror, but to Black Mirror's credit - the ending is usually worth it. This ending was horrible! *spoiler ahead* There was no point to it...was there? I spent the whole series trying to figure out how these two people were connected "in the real world" (and I thought I figured it out around episode 5), only to find out that they aren't. What a load of crap. I guess now that I'm writing it all down, I really didn't like it at all. Just Emma Stone.

2. The Kids are Alright - Very cute family comedy. Too much of the pilot episode was shown in the ads, so at first it's a little disappointing, but it picks up in the second episode. The cast work really well together, and it feels like a natural family dynamic. I love Michael Cudlitz - it's almost hard to recognize him because this role is very different than what I'm used to seeing him in, but it's also sort of the same (he does the strict, "don't mess with me" character perfectly - as he did in SouthLAnd). I don't know if the show is going to last very long because I don't ever hear anyone talking about it. Also, it's very hard to find it because when you say "The Kids are Alright" into the remote, it brings up the move The Kids are All Right. It's super annoying.

3. Manifest - What a stupid fucking show. I need to stop watching it, but I'm already sucked it! It's next-level bad. It suffers from bad dialogue, convenient story-telling, expected endings, plot holes, absolutely no nuance or depth, and terrible acting (except for the sister - I had to look up her name because I've never seen her before - Melissa Roxburgh. She has great screen presence.). I think it's going to end up being something about the Bermuda Triangle, but who knows? Every episode just gets dumber and dumber. It's super weird that they diverted the plane to Stewart Airport in Newburgh, NY (which is where I grew up!). That airport used to be this tiny little military airport and now it's expanded so much. So weird to see it featured on a television show.

4. The Little Drummer Girl - I'm half-way through the mini-series, and it is THE definition of slow-burn story-telling. I hope it's worth it because it's really fucking boring to sit through. I think I had really high expectations because it's Park Chan-wook! Directing a televisions series! Why isn't EVERYONE talking about it? That's like a HUGE deal. That's why I think there will be a huge pay-off in the end - a reason that makes the whole thing worth watching. It's been compared to The Night Manager which I didn't like, so that's not really a great sign. Michael Shannon is usually wonderful, but he has a really thick (Israeli?) accent and I can barely understand what he's saying which is obviously detrimental. The girl who plays Charlie (the main character) reminds me of a grown-up version of Sally Draper (which is a good thing...I think?).

5. Mr. Inbetween - Not going to lie, I was really happy that this show is only 6 episodes and they are only ½ hour long episodes. I just have too much to watch, but I got through the first season of this really quickly. The plot has been done before, but there is something about this show that is really likeable. Like the scene where he tells his daughter that Santa isn’t real and Jesus probably isn’t, but unicorns are. There’s some super cute scenes where you don’t think about how horrible the main character is. It does a nice job of the “inbetween” aspect. I really liked the last episode and I’m happy that there is going to be a second season.

6. Escape at Dannemora - I think I've watched 2 episodes so far (maybe 3) and I'm not blown away by it. It's another really, really slow moving show. I feel like everything that happened so far could have been condensed into one really terrific episode. Instead, it's all dragged out for dramatic effect, and it just doesn't work. The acting is terrific, though. I didn't even recognize Patricia Arquette, she really embraces every aspect of the role. Benicio del Toro always sort of reminds me of Brad Pitt. I don't know why; it just feels like they took the same acting class. He always does these little subtle things that add depth or nuance to a character (like the fake smoking thing, that was a nice touch and a lesser actor wouldn't have made that work). I think the biggest reason that this show isn't working for me is that it's just too soon. This event, like, JUST happened. We, as a society, haven't been able to really dissect it or reflect on it yet.

7. The Romanoffs - I watched the first episode so far, and it felt like a movie. That's not necessarily a bad thing, but it's going to be hard for me to fit in the time to watch it if every episode is an hour and a half. I do like that each episode is with different characters and different actors. That's a cool idea to do about the infamous Romanoff family since there is so much confusion and mystery about who is actually part of the family. The first episode was ok - it's a story that's been told many times - racist, entitled white woman suddenly becomes less racist once she is saved by a non-white person. I did like the twist about the Faberge egg (and it made the ending delicious). I'm intrigued about the rest of the series, I'm just having trouble fitting it into my very busy tv schedule.

8. Single Parents - Super cute. It's a show that has gotten infinitely better with every episode so far, which is a great sign. At first, I was just like "meh", but now I actually look forward to each episode as something that is guaranteed to make me smile. The cast have great chemistry together, and I love how the relationships have already started to evolve - it all feels really natural. Also, the kids don't annoy me! They are in it just the right amount (and the twin girls are actually hilarious). It's definitely weird seeing Leighton Meester as an adult  - especially during the episode where she was forced to hang out with the "mean" moms because it brought back all of the Gossip Girls memories, but she is surprisingly wonderful.

9. A Million Little Things - I wasn't really on board with this show at first. It's just really over-dramatic, sappy, and also extremely predictable (of course the cheating wife is pregnant!). There was just no subtlety or character development during the first few episodes, but now it's starting to grow on me, though. I think they just tried to tell too much story in the beginning instead of focusing on the characters, but it seems like they course corrected because now I really like almost all of the characters. They do a great job at getting you to relate to each of them, even if they do questionable things. The story-lines have still been a little predictable, but I'm interested in where it's all going to go. Also, a side-note, the one younger daughter looks like she's a Michalka sister but she's not related at all (at least from the info on IMDB) which is crazy to me because she even sounds like them when she sings! She could easily be their younger sister.


*This list has only 9 instead of the intended 12 because I have yet to watch Homecoming, Wanderlust, and The First. 12 new shows was incredibly ambitious...what was I thinking??  

Thoughts on 5 Films

1. You Were Never Really Here - Why has it taken Lynne Ramsay 7 years to make her next film? We Need to Talk about Kevin is one of those movies that really stuck with me. I don't think I was too impressed with it when I originally saw it, but ultimately its unsettling images are unforgettable. I feel like that is the most important aspect of creating films/telling stories - making something memorable. I felt underwhelmed by You Were Never Really Here, but I have a strong inkling that I will be praising it as "unforgettable" 7 years from now, so I guess I would call that a success. I don't really have any fair negative criticism of the film - there are some stunning shots, Joaquin Phoenix continues to be one of the strongest working actor of his generation, and the story turns in unexpected ways. I just didn't really connect with it, or care about what was happening in any way. It's certainly not the "Taxi Driver for the new century" as it is touted as (I mean, come on, seriously?!?). I think it will still land in my Top 10 for this year (it's at #7 currently), but I don't know how I will feel about it a month from now...or 7 years from now.

2. A Wrinkle in Time - Nope, never read the book and I heard absolutely awful things about the movie but I was still intrigued. I wouldn't say it's absolutely awful...but it's pretty close. I can't even imagine kids enjoying it because it's sooooo boring. It isn't even pretty to look at because it's so over-saturated with color that it almost looks like an animated film (a poorly animated film at that). And are we supposed to be impressed with Oprah's bedazzled eyebrows that is literally stick-on jewels adhered to her forehead that a child could do? The costume and makeup design is just really next-level terrible. It was really hard to pay attention to (it's a kids movie, obviously she's going to find her dad - so what's the point?), and the dialogue was too sugary sweet for my taste. If this were an original idea, I might give it some extra consideration for imagination, but to adapt this story into something so dull is just unacceptable. The acting is also pretty terrible all around.

3. The Beguiled - I've written about Sofia Coppola before - I want to like her, but unfortunately I never end up liking her films (Marie Antoinette is the exception and I didn't hate The Virgin Suicides. Every other one of her films I've hated - yup, including Lost in Translation). I didn't exactly hate this movie, but I don't really understand the point of remaking this story. It's not a good story, or relevant in any way. It's a very inherently anti-feminist story. It's a story about women and girls who suddenly find their lives interesting because a man has entered their living space. He pretty much becomes the center of their world - opening themselves up to jealousy, narcissism, and manipulation (and they suddenly care about their appearance?). It's all just so offensive. Also ***spoiler*** are we supposed to feel satisfied because they unnecessarily kill him? There are seven of them against a man who just had his leg cut off - uhhhh, they should be able to subdue him without killing him. It could have been interesting if they updated it to actually make it a feminist story, but as it is, it's just so dated. The cast is exceptional, though. And Colin Farrell is the perfect charming soldier - I'm glad he got to keep his accent.

4. Jurassic World: Fallen Kingdom - Aw man, this was just terrible. I wasn't expecting it to be good. None of the Jurassic sequels were any good. But I liked that Jurassic World rebooted the series and brought it back to life in such a fun way. As soon as I read the plot for this movie, I knew it was ridiculous (They are saving dinosaurs from an erupting volcano? Really? A volcano? Okay...), but I still had hope that it was going to be fun. Especially because they heavily advertised Jeff Goldblum's involvement. He's literally in it for maybe 3 minutes total, so that's their first and biggest mistake. The second mistake is keeping Bryce Dallas Howard as the main star. I can't stand her (as an actress. As a person, I'm sure she's delightful just like her dad). She was the worst part of the first one, and of course, continues the streak with this one. Also, did I mention that the plot is RIDICULOUS. I mean, they outrun a volcano! I'm not even sure how they think bringing them to a different island that would have zero human involvement would exactly save them? An island would have limited resources and the dinosaurs would run out of food and die anyway. But whatever. Then the "bad guys" bring some of the dinosaurs to this mansion to sell them (seems smart), and then of course they escape and wreak havoc (and stomp on the roof that somehow doesn't collapse - what they hell kind of glass roof would hold a freakin' dinosaur??). The only good thing about the movie was the (several) times the T-Rex saves the day. I think it's hilarious that they keep that going in every movie. Right place, right time Mr. T-Rex. The ending was pretty interesting though, with the whole actual, literal "Jurassic World".

5. Terminal - I heard nothing about this movie when it was released (was it even released??). I almost forgot about it! I really wanted to see it because it seemed like a really atmospheric noir film with Margot Robbie (sold!). I wish I could say that I loved it, but unfortunately it is kind of a disaster. There's actually some really great stuff mixed in, but overall it is just a big mess. The biggest "what the fuck" is Mike Myers' involvement. He's dressed up in this weird makeup - as if he's doing a character from one of the Austin Powers movies. Are we not supposed to recognize that it's him? Are we not supposed to guess that eventually it will be revealed that he doesn't look like that? Then they set up "it's only a movie" by talking about how movies don't have to make sense (?), which I guess explains why most of the movie takes place in a 50s style middle America type diner but everyone has British accents. Where does the movie take place? When does it take place? None of it makes sense, but it seems like the creators wanted it that way. It definitely pulls inspiration from Blade Runner and Pulp Fiction but not in a good way. Then, the ending - oh, man, the ending. The last 15 minutes are pure garbage. There are multiple "twists", all of them are stupid. Robbie does her best. I can see why she took the role - if the movie worked it would have been a great platform for her.

Holiday Movie Preview: 4 Films that I'm Excited About

1. Mary Poppins Returns (12.19) - To be completely honest, I don't think I've ever watched Mary Poppins in one sitting. I've definitely seen the whole movie, just not all at once. It was just never really my thing. I certainly wasn't excited when they announced a sequel. However, as soon as they announced Emily Blunt in the role I AM HERE FOR IT. She can do it all. I am pretty sure this will be the biggest movie of the year.

2. Bird Box (12/21) - Sandra Bullock!! In a post-apocalyptic thriller about surviving monsters who kill you as soon as you see them? OKAY!

3. On the Basis of Sex (12/25) - I always appreciate when they make biopics about people who are still alive. Ruth Bader Ginsburg is an absolute legend and should have had several movies made about her already. She's fought for equality for all and has impacted the lives of millions - and she's still going! I think Felicity Jones will do a good job of showcasing her uncompromising strength. She'll likely get an Oscar nomination for it.

4. Vice (12/25) - I read about Christian Bale taking on the role of Dick Cheney, but I didn't realize the movie is directed by Adam McKay (he made The Big Short, which was an incredibly well-made film - probably one of the best of the past decade). I saw the trailer before First Man, and I was blown away. I'm so excited for it! Not only is Bale unrecognizable (for real, HOLY SHIT), but Sam Rockwell as W. made me laugh out loud. He's perfect. If you haven't seen the trailer, I suggest you watch it (I mean, it's not like it's spoilers or anything. We already know what happens...).

Thoughts on 5 Films

1. A Quiet Place - I really wanted to see this in theaters, but I read so much about how sound and the use of silence is really important, and I thought that a theater audience might ruin the experience for me (I've had many terrible theater experiences lately - surprisingly everyone was really respectful in First Man which also relied on the use of sound.). Anyway, I decided it would be best to wait for home viewing and I'm glad I did. I was able to immerse myself in it more than I think I would have in a theater. It's really quite a beautiful movie about family, love, loss, and sacrifice. John Krasinski is on a major high right now (I knew after watching Brief Interviews with Hideous Men that John was much more than Jim Halpert; that he was on his way to a very interesting career.). There are so many things I love about this movie - the unique (and intense) concept, the gorgeous crane shots used while walking through the woods, and Emily Blunt's stunning performance - showcasing the fucking strength of a mother. The gender politics are pretty interesting, because it's very traditional yet modern. I think some saw it as problematic, but I think it's realistic. I think if a sort of apocalypse type situation happened we would rely on our genetic strengths of men being the "hunters" and women being the "caretakers". But I think this film shows that ultimately we all need to work together to protect our family (or the human race, if that were the case). I like this type of horror film because it feels very realistic, even with the sci-fi twist. It's interesting that it's produced by Michael Bay - I love to put together pieces of movie deals that probably went down (i.e Bay totally said "sure I'll finance your weird, practically silent movie, but your going to be in my shitty Benghazi movie". Bay is also a producer on the new Jack Ryan series, so obvi they like working together). The only problem that I have with the movie is the convenient ending (wouldn't the world's scientists have already experimented with sound to ward off these alien things?). Also, when he's in his basement testing the radios all 4 of my cats looked right at the television so I'm pretty sure aliens with super-sensitive hearing would hear the buzzing of the radio waves.

2. Ocean's 8 - While it's an enjoyable movie, I was incredibly disappointed. There is just so much potential that is untapped. Sandra Bullock has been one of my favorite people since Speed. I just ADORE her. And Ocean's 11 is one of my all-time favorite re-watchable movies. The combination is just pure genius. Add in one of the greatest actresses of her generation - Cate Blanchett, and my head just explodes with the possibilities. Maybe it's my high expectations or the fact that I can think of 100 different ways to make this movie fantastic, but ultimately I found this movie just so dull. I think I'm a little bothered by the fact that they are stealing from a museum - a place that is not only educational and inspiring, but also completely innocent. The reason you root for Danny Ocean and his crew is because he's stealing from a sleazy, asshole casino billionaire. I was also not really impressed with anyone else in the cast - none of them stand out at all (I think I'm alone in this thought though because I read rave reviews about Awkwafina - but she had like 5 lines, maybe? and I remember exactly zero of them). And GROOOAN James Corden. Probably the least funny popular comedian alive (or maybe that's Kevin Hart?). Who thought that was a good casting decision? UGH.

3. Ant-Man and the Wasp - Wow, you guys. This is terrible. I wasn't expecting it to be terrible at all. I thought it was supposed to be good or at least Marvel mediocre. It's at the bottom of the barrel for Marvel movies. Yup, right down there alongside Thor. The plot is messy and predictable. There are too many bad guys so it felt really unfocused. The timeline doesn't make sense because it says "present day" which would mean after Infinity War, but it's clearly happening at the same time as Infinity War which is in the past. The girl who played Ghost is a terrible actress. Actually everyone seemed pretty terrible. They lost the chemistry that the first one had; every interaction felt very forced. The whole thing was just unexpectedly painful. At least Evangeline Lilly's hair is better in this one. And the ending is pretty shocking even if you know it's coming. I think because it's so boring, I started to forget what I was watching and lost the bigger picture of it - and then the ending happened and I gasped out-loud. I'm pretty excited to see where the story goes and I'm really looking forward to Captain Marvel.

4. Incredibles 2 - I don't remember the first one (it was 14 years ago! How do people remember things from that long ago?). And when I say I don't remember, I really, truly mean it. Not a single thing. I guess maybe I should have watched it again before watching this one, but who has that kind of time? So because I don't remember the first one, I was really surprised at the voice casting - Holly Hunter....really? For a voice role? How weird is that? Anyway, I absolutely hated this sequel. It's really boring and predictable. The jokes land with a thud. And it's sexist. Not in an obvious way, of course. Because the general story is all about "feminism", but the undertones are really filled with sexist bullshit. The "bad guy" basically hand-picks her because she is easier to manipulate (because female) and half of the plot is about how the father actually has to take care of HIS OWN CHILDREN as if that's a burden for him. The only positive thing I can say is that I love that both Jonathon Banks and Bob Odenkirk are voices because what a weird Better Call Saul connection.

5. Hereditary - The trailer scared the crap out of me. The movie not so much. The ridiculous ending really ruins it. It's a very "what the fuck" ending, but not in a good way. The first hour of the movie isn't even a horror movie, it's a psychological drama. The catalyst for the story is really unexpected (and thankfully not given away in the trailer), it's a scene that I will likely never forget. I'm actually cringing just thinking about it. But then after it happens, absolutely nothing makes sense. And even worse, nothing feels real. Toni Collette is brilliant though. I would be okay with her getting tons of award nominations for this performance. Her scream face is just THE BEST. Alex Wolff is also really great - I recognized him from In Treatment (pretty weird to have Gabriel Byrne as his father again, especially because they look nothing alike), but he's also been in more recent films like Patriots Day and the new Jumanji movie. Pretty interesting career so far. Anyway, it's not a terrible movie, but it's just not my thing.

3 Thoughts on First Man

1. Chazelle - This is incredible work for someone so new to the scene. It's not my favorite of his - I prefer La La Land from a technical perspective and Whiplash from a story-telling perspective. But First Man has everything one could want from a fairly straight-forward biopic about Neil Armstrong. I read a critic (or film blogger, I can't remember who it was to give proper credit) who commented that Armstrong was a boring man who did one extraordinary thing, and at first I thought that was incredibly insulting, but it's honestly pretty truthful. Now, I guess we probably should re-examine the word "boring" as an insult because, let's be honest, a lot of "boring" people get shit done. Chazelle's films are so different that it's hard to see the most glaring similarity - all 3 of them are about people overcoming obstacles to accomplish a "mission", so-to-speak. There are a few things about the story that I really appreciated - the two that come to my head right away are the use of silence once in space (it's sublime) and that they don't dramatize the tension between Armstrong and Buzz Aldrin (it's there, but not focused on at all). There are also some things I could have done without (I groaned out loud with the whole bracelet thing. I knew it was coming, but I was hoping it wouldn't end that cheesily) and I could have easily cut 30 minutes of the film (making it tighter, a little more tense, and efficient - as I think Armstrong would have wanted). Overall though, it's my favorite film of the year so far, and will likely make it to my Top 10 - which makes Chazelle 3 for 3. There's clearly influences - from Spielberg to Nolan to Greengrass, and I don't think Chazelle has his own style quite yet, but he's got plenty of time.

2. Gosling - Not Gosling's best performance (we all know what his best work is and will likely always be), but still pretty solid. He's smart in sticking to roles that best suit him (it's either quiet and reserved or charming and smug, he's brilliant at both). I admit that when this was first announced, I could not picture it. Even though the role fits to his strengths, I didn't believe that he could pull it off. I still believe that someone else might have been better suited to the role, but I can't really think of a specific actor that would have a similar appearance and be in that age range. I will be frustrated if this earns him an Oscar nomination, though.


3. Foy - The standout performance is clearly Claire Foy. Just brilliant. She took a simple, cliched "supportive housewife" role and set the bar for every actress going forward. I thought it would be hard to see her as anything other than The Queen (which she does perfectly), but she proved me wrong with Unsane. Wouldn't it be awesome if she was nominated for Actress (for Unsane) and Supporting Actress (for First Man)? And what if she won both of them? Has that ever happened before? Interesting thought. Anyway, the rest of the cast is also wonderful - whatever happened to Patrick Fugit? He was so popular after Almost Famous (an overrated movie, in my opinion) and then he just...disappeared. Also, it is practically a given that this film will get nominated for an Oscar simply because Coach Taylor is in it and he has been an Oscar Lucky Charm for a few years now (Argo, Zero Dark Thirty, Carol, Manchester by the Sea). His agent is very smart.

Thoughts on 5 Films

1. Tag - I'm not really sure what to make of this movie. It's much darker and actually really fucked up. Yet, the concept is actually really funny (and oddly based on a true story) and the cast is unexpected. I like the idea of casting non-comedic actors (like Jeremy Renner) in roles like this - he's like super "serious" and he plays to that perfectly. I don't usually like Hannibal Buress (I've never seen his stand-up, though), because his line delivery is always off, but it works really well in this. I think he's the only reason I laughed through the entire movie. It definitely could have been funnier. And also, there are certain things that just aren't funny - no matter how hard you try, so this movie hits a very sensitive topic and suddenly becomes very problematic. I feel like it should come with a trigger warning - and usually I would be against something so ridiculous, but in this case, when you are watching a COMEDY you don't really expect to be blindsided by something that could have possibly caused you recent trauma. (****soooo spoiler and also trigger warning****this movie contains multiple mean-spirited "jokes" about having a miscarriage. It's not even something that offends me personally, but I just know so many people who are dealing with this and I just kept thinking while watching this "Gosh, I hope they don't see this". ).

2. Murder on the Orient Express - I've not read the book, nor have I seen the film version from the 70s (although I had no idea it was Sidney Lumet - might have to move it up the list now). Honestly, I wasn't a fan of this movie. It was very beautiful (more on that later), and has a dream cast, but I felt like it took itself too seriously for such a ridiculous plot and even more ridiculous accents. I wish it was more like Once Upon a Crime....(OMG remember that movie?! It was so great. I was a huge fan of John Candy, as was everyone at that time. I watched Once Upon a Time and Uncle Buck so many times that I could recite every line). This movie was just so hard to pay attention to; I actually had to look up the plot on Wikipedia because I had no idea what was going on (and it wasn't because it was complicated, just boring). However, those tracking shots...aaahhhhh...those gorgeous tracking shots. I could watch those on a loop for hours on end. That's probably the only nice thing I have to say about it. The cinematography alone makes it a 3 star movie. And to comment on the Johnny Depp thing (because I've avoided commenting on it), I 100% believe Amber Heard (I also adore her!), but I also 100% think Johnny is an addict and he needs help. Like right now. I will never make excuses for abuse, but completely labeling someone as a horrible person isn't exactly the right move. I've grown up watching Johnny since 21 Jump Street, and it's heartbreaking to see what he's turned into. I hope someone in his life can make a positive impact.

3. Molly's Game - First, how perfect is Jessica Chastain? Second, how was she overlooked for an Oscar nomination for this role? Is it because she made it seem so easy? Because that's what makes it so good. She's just stunning. The movie, however, is just ok. I think the memoir by Molly Bloom is probably really interesting (adding to the list!), but for some reason the movie just doesn't stand out. Maybe it's because everyone else is so dull? Like Idris Elba? I love him in most things, but every once in a while he's in a terrible role and he just can't overcome it (ahem...Pacific Rim). And what is Michael Cera doing in this movie? He will never be taken seriously as an adult, or a "serious" dramatic actor. Just never going to happen. I think I was also waiting for a twist? Or something? It just felt very linear and dull, but as if it was building to something really great that never happened. It did make me feel even more anger than I already do at the fucking male entitlement showcased. Also, Poker is still totally a male dominated game, and that sucks because I love it but I never feel comfortable playing because men always assume that I don't know what I'm doing.

4. Chappaquiddick - I think it's always interesting to make a movie about a true story in which the truth was never discovered. It's also hard to make a movie about one of the most powerful families in America - balancing out the "truth" while also avoiding any kind of possibility of defamation lawsuits is probably the hardest task with this story (which is why this is so tricky - it's like making a movie about Natalie Wood's death from the perspective of Robert Wagner without accusing him of murder. And let's be honest, he did it...). This story follows Ted Kennedy on the day of the infamous death of Mary Jo Kopechne. It mostly sticks to Kennedy's testimony and other facts about the case. However, because it never strays into the "what ifs", it does a bit of a disservice to the victim. I just don't believe that anyone would wait 10 hours to report an accident in which someone died - and that 2 other got people involved but also did not report it. There was OBVIOUSLY a reason that they waited, and it was to get their "facts" straight. And because they OBVIOUSLY lied about these "facts", the actual facts remain extremely muddled. I do have a problem with them advertising the movie as "the untold true story", because everything the movie presents are all known "facts" (i.e Kennedy's account of what happened). I also have a problem with Kate Mara's career taking such a step backwards (she should be starring in movies! Get it together people). There are some great moments in this movie, though, specifically the speech at the end, Jason Clarke's uncanny portrayal of Ted Kennedy, and the background news of the moon landing. It's interesting to see how the media can really control the focus, and how essential they are in our knowledge of events - especially when we look at today's constant rotation of news stories (it's incredibly exhausting to keep up). I would be interested to see a different version to this story with multiple perspectives, but I highly doubt that will ever happen.

5. Solo: A Star Wars Story - Honestly, any time I see people online talking about Star Wars, I immediately skip the conversation. People take this shit waaaaay to seriously. You didn't like The Last Jedi? Booo-fuckin'-hoo. Get over it. To actively destroy a franchise that you once loved, harass the actors, and bully people who did like it is downright ridiculous. If you "boycotted" this movie (which ultimately had nothing to do with The Last Jedi), then you missed out on something really fun. I was actually surprised at how much I enjoyed it. I was really excited by the casting of Alden Ehrenreich and Donald Glover (not so much for Emilia Clarke. She's terrible. Beautiful, but terrible). But then the previews & trailers just seemed so cheesy and dull and...safe. For the most part, it was pretty safe - it hit all the notes that you expect as a a prequel, but there was just something so satisfying about it - watching it all come together. I think Alden did an amazing job as a young Han Solo, and let's be honest, that's probably one of the most stressful roles a young actor can be offered. The pressure placed on him must have been so mentally heavy, I can't even imagine (although if you pay me a few million dollars I'm sure I can perfect a young Han Solo too. It's not that hard. Just pretend to be a cocky asshole. Done.).