3 Thoughts on Bombshell

1. The Acting - I had high expectations for this movie, specifically with the acting, since that's what seems to be getting the most attention. While Charlize is, as expected, terrific as Megyn Kelly, the rest of the acting is inconsistent. It's like everyone was in different version of the same movie. Some went full-on immersive character study, and some just stayed themselves with a change of hair and makeup. It was very distracting. But man, Charlize Theron absolutely killed it. It was hard to remember that it's not Megyn Kelly on-screen. Charlize embodied her look, her voice, her mannerisms. It was perfect. Nicole Kidman, on the other-hand, just stayed Nicole Kidman playing Gretchen Carlson. She didn't really look like her, her voice stayed the same, and she remained her cold, distant, Nicole Kidman self. This makes it seem like I'm not a fan, but I actually really love Nicole Kidman. It just didn't match what Charlize was doing. Then you have Margot Robbie, who I'm not sure if she played a real person, or a mash-up of a few people, was also very good, but also a pointless character. And John Lithgow was just John Lithgow but fatter. I feel like it's up to a director to decide the acting style for the film, and ensure everyone follows through. Instead, this whole movie feels like a jumbled mess.

2. The Story - The story is important, however, I don't think it's going to get the audience that it's targeting. It felt like they were trying to teach us a "lesson", but anyone willingly watching this movie, already knows the lesson. So, instead, it felt condescending and pointless. I think timing is a big problem - it's just too soon for this story to be made into a film. We haven't reflected, we haven't seen the full outcome and the lasting effect that it will have on journalism, politics, the entertainment industry, etc,. Why are we in such a hurry to tell (i.e commodify) stories that just happened? I also felt like the way that certain characters spoke directly into the camera is awkward, and again, condescending. It is told in the same style as The Big Short and Vice (actually a little too similar, in my opinion - it felt more like theft than "inspiration") and as a whole, it just didn't work for me. 

3. The Better Version - I literally just watched this whole story a few months ago with the mini-series The Loudest Voice, and it was 100% better. It wasn't preachy, or boring, and it had nuance. I think it was largely ignored, but Russell Crowe did recently get the Golden Globe for it - and he deserved it (although no-one deserves anything over Sam Rockwell, EVER). It wasn't spectacular or anything, but at least it had better overall acting, editing, and pace. If the story interests you, I would definitely recommend this version. 

Oscar Nominations: The Good, The Bad, and The Snubbed

The Good 

- Another year of me struggling to come to terms with what the Academy deems award-worthy. I don't think this year is as bad as last year, but I am still having trouble finding the "good". The biggest (and most predictable) "good" nomination is for Joaquin Phoenix (my thoughts on Joker will be up soon...). Undoubtedly one of the best working actors today - this is his fourth nomination and he will deserve the win.

- There was a lot I liked about Once Upon a Time...in Hollywood - the acting, in particular. I'm also happy to see Quentin getting the screenwriting and directing nod.

- Charlize Theron is incredible in Bombshell (more thoughts to come...).

- I haven't seen Little Women - and to be honest, I don't want to see Little Women (*groans* do I have to?), but Saoirse Ronan is a favorite of mine, so I was happy to see her name on the list of nominees.

The Bad

- The love for The Irishman. I understand the acting nominations (because duh...) and Martin Scorsese (again duh...), but all of the technical nominations blow my mind. Like, how does it get Production Design and Costume Design over a film like Rocketman? It doesn't make a bit of sense. And the Visual Effects were the worst and most distracting part of the movie.

- The love for Marriage Story. It's a good movie with good performances. That's it. It's hard to believe that I live in a world where Scarlett Johansson earned two Academy Award nominations in the same year.

- The lack of representation. Usually, I don't go there for award shows. I don't think it's their fault that most of the nominees are white males. It all comes down to opportunity - and while it's getting better, it's not something that's going to happen overnight. The saying "two steps forward, one step back" exists for a reason. However, I do think it's odd that Little Women is so highly regarded and reviewed - earning Best Picture, screenplay, and acting nominations without nominating the director. It's happened before though (remember Argo? It won Best Picture without a directing nomination). Actually - it happened this year with Gerwig's own husband, Noah Baumbach. Marriage Story received a screenplay, acting nominations, and a Best Picture without getting Director. I think it comes down to people just being fed up with the industry and the consistent lack of representation, but it's not going to be fixed on an awards show level.

The Snubbed 

- Well, you probably already know what I'm going to say, but it still has to be said. Taron Egerton put his heart and soul into Rocketman and it's baffling that he didn't get a nomination. The last time I was burned this bad by the Academy was when Leo didn't get nominated for Titanic. I truly believe that this was the toughest category this year - and it sucks that a performance can be overlooked simply because of timing. If the release dates for this and Bohemian Rhapsody were flipped, surely Taron would have been the front-runner, and I don't think Rami would be in the conversation this year (I feel bad that people are trashing him now, but I trashed him as soon as I saw the movie. It's not a good performance. I do however think he's incredible on Mr. Robot and I'm hopeful that it's not just a fluke). Also, Rocketman was released in the beginning half of the year, which usually solidifies being ignored. Taron worked hard to keep it in the conversation and he should be proud of himself (and being nominated for a SAG, BAFTA, and winning the Golden Globe ain't too shabby).

- The rest of the nominations for Rocketman. I watched one of the Rocketman screening interviews (actually I watched many), but an interviewer asked Taron if he was tired of being asked all the same questions and talking about the movie for literally 6 months and he said that he felt a responsibility to do it because of all of the talent behind the camera that he didn't want to be forgotten. He's the face of the movie, but he wanted Rocketman to stay in the conversation for them (and duh..for himself, too, obviously). The costume design is probably the most egregious snub - the fact that they didn't just copy Elton John's wardrobe (which would have been the easier route) and instead were "inspired" by them, really made it all the more interesting.

- The song "Glasgow (No Place Like Home)" from Wild Rose is one of the most beautiful songs I've heard all year. I mean, I would even nominate that over "I'm Gonna Love Me Again" from Rocketman (they literally nominated the only thing I didn't like from the movie. LOL. I listen to the soundtrack pretty regularly and it's the only song I skip).

- It was obviously a long-shot, but it's a damn shame that James McAvoy hasn't been in ANY of the conversations. Glass is not a good movie, but his performance is incredible. I'm sorry, but Adam Driver could never do that.

- My two favorite female performances this year are Lupita Nyong'o and Sienna Miller (someone else who was completely ignored). It's pretty guaranteed that Renee Zellweger is winning and I just...don't understand. I haven't seen Judy yet, but from the trailer, it doesn't look good and it seems like she is just doing a really bad impersonation.

Thoughts on 5 Films

1. 6 Underground - This is extremely "my shit". I swear sometimes Michael Bay makes movies just to make me smile. This movie is just bat-shit insane and I loved every minute of it (as you can see from my previous post of my Best Films of 2019 post. For the record, I highly doubt it will be on my list once I've seen everything I want to see). There are two (minor) issues I have with the movie - one, I'm not the biggest Ryan Reynolds fan (he's wonderful in Deadpool and I think I liked him once before but I can't remember what movie). I would have loved this movie even more if it starred someone I enjoyed more. And two, *spoiler, but who cares, it's a Michael Bay movie*, my favorite actor in the whole movie fuckin' dies in the first action sequence. There's a huge success with the actresses in the movie, though. I didn't think I could possibly love Melanie Laurent any more than I already do, but the fact that she even agreed to be in a Michael Bay movie, and she seemed like she was having the time of her life - I'm officially head over heels. And Adria Arjona is absolutely fucking stunning. As a group, the 6 actors all work really well together. I would love to watch endless sequels.

2. The Peanut Butter Falcon - Absolutely adorable movie (and another one that made it to my Best of list, but probably won't be there for long). I really hope it's time everyone forgives Shia? I think he's redeemed himself. I've adored him for many years (since he was in one of my all-time favorite indie movies A Guide to Recognizing Your Saints. If you haven't seen it, I highly recommend it. He's incredible in it.). He's one of those actors that has such an interesting presence on-screen. And it seems completely natural. The movie is a really cute story about a young man with Down Syndrome who is stuck in a retirement facility because he's part of "the system" (and the system sucks), who dreams of going to wrestling school to be trained by his favorite wrestler. He escapes the facility and the adventure begins. I really liked Dakota Johnson in this, which is great because I want to like her (she was just so awful in those 50 Shades movies). She seems sweet. There is really great chemistry between her and Shia. It's just one of those movies that you'll smile all the way through.

3. Ad Astra - This is a two-parter for me. The first part is practically sublime. I was in awe. Then, as the second part begins, it quickly turns into the most boring, mind-numbing, repetitive, predictable garbage. I mean, it's harsh to call it garbage, because it's still extraordinary to look at, but the story is just...UGH. It reminds me a little bit of the tv show The First with Sean Penn (anyone else watch that? no? such a shame, it was pretty good) because it deals more with the psychology of space travel instead of the science of it, and the pace of it is pretty similar. Overall, I did like the movie - it's a solid 3 star movie, but it just starts off so, so, great and then quickly goes nowhere. I will say, though, Brad Pitt, at 56, can get it. He looks just as good as he did in Se7en and that came out 25 fucking years ago! That scene when he has that white long sleeve t-shirt on, I almost died. I don't know why guys wear anything other than a white t-shirt, honestly. Between this and Once Upon a Time...in Hollywood, it would seem my crush on Brad is back in full-force.

4. Brittany Runs a Marathon - Cute, inspirational story about getting your shit together. I think anyone can relate - even if you can't relate directly to the weight part, it's about getting healthy and taking control of your life. I'm not going to pretend that I can relate to her particular weight issue because I am in the opposite category - as in I'm under-weight. I fully admit that it's far more acceptable in our society to be too thin (even if it's just as unhealthy), however, I don't think I've ever gone through a day of human interaction without someone mentioning my weight to me ("oh my god you're so skinny!", "do you eat?", "you need to eat something", "ugh I wish I could eat what you're eating", "you're only eating a salad? no wonder you're so skinny", and my personal favorite is from my mother "what if you get Cancer? you won't be able to handle chemo unless you have some fat on you"). It's exhausting. Anyway, I think this movie will stick with me for a little while - and hopefully motivate my lazy ass to take care of myself. Also, the "Debbie does" joke made me laugh out loud. I'm still laughing just thinking about it. Jillian Bell is a delight.

5. It: Chapter Two - Quite possibly the longest movie of my life. It's also extremely terrible. After an hour and a half, I thought to myself, "well, this is really bad, but it will be over soon", only to realize that I still had another hour and 20 minutes!! I LOST MY SHIT. What? Who had the terrible idea to make this movie almost 3 HOURS LONG? I can't believe I'm complaining about a movie starring James McAvoy being too long, but even he couldn't save this atrocity. I honestly can't even say one nice thing about it. The plot is ridiculous, it's not even close to being scary, the themes are cliche, the dialogue is extremely cheesy and overall it's just a terrible, terrible movie (how many times can I write "terrible" in one paragraph?). I didn't really enjoy the first one, but I didn't think it was terrible (5, apparently). It was just kind of dull and not as great as everyone made it out to be. This movie, though, is complete garbage. I'm done even thinking about it. I'm officially wiping it from my memory.

4 Thoughts on The Golden Globes

1. The Host - I enjoy Ricky Gervais - always have, always will. It was a little awkward how terrible the audience reacted to his jokes. I mean, you had to know what he was going to do. And he really didn't go as far as he has in the past. It's a horrible feeling when people are too scared to laugh at JOKES in fear of not seeming "woke" enough for this modern world. I get that not everyone has the same taste in comedy, so you may just not find him funny - but some of the reactions were so overdone - like they were absolutely horrified by what he was saying. Big shout out to the few celebrities that were able to laugh at themselves (Leo and Scorsese come to mind). I love that he kept joking that it was his "last time" hosting - he's been saying that since the first time. And that the In Memoriam segment wasn't "diverse enough", so they nixed it. LOL. But, the best part of the whole thing is that he called out everyone on their contradictory behavior "you're in no position to lecture anyone". TRUTH.

2. The Show - One of the better awards shows over the last few years - it moved pretty quickly, felt like a party, had some surprising moments, and some even more surprising wins (there is no way anyone predicted more than 50% of those wins. Just no way.). I enjoy both Ellen Degeneres and Tom Hanks, so it was nice to see them receive Lifetime Achievement awards. I thought Kate McKinnon really did a fabulous job at introducing Ellen - it was so absolutely sincere and it really sparks the whole representation on-screen debate. It is important to see yourself on screen - especially when you are young and feeling alone. I loved that Charlize introduced Tom Hanks because That Thing You Do! is one of my all-time favorites and I feel like it's a forgotten gem of a movie. Hanks is a legend - I can instantly rattle off my favorite movie from any celebrity, with the exception of Tom Hanks - there's just too many (my instinct is A League of Their Own, but that's just such a tough call). As for the rest of the winner's speeches, I'm not a big fan of bringing politics into your speeches, but I do understand sometimes the need to - when you have such a big platform you should use it for things that matter, but I also think that movies, tv, dumb awards shows, etc., are the only thing we have to distract us from this garbage world we currently live in. Maybe people need the escape and don't want to be reminded of the outside world, if only for a measly 3 hours? I do love that they saved my favorite person for last, to present the final award. I didn't even realize Sandy B was there!

3. The Winners - Sorry, but I just have to gush about Taron Egerton winning. In the long-run, I don't think the Golden Globes really mean anything (they lost credit about a decade ago). However, the race for Best Actor is tight this year, so it actually mattered who won this particular race - in regards to who will get Oscar nominations (and I do think the Oscars matter. It's obviously the ultimate goal of an actor to have "Oscar Nominated" or even better "Oscar Winner" in front of their name). It's not a lock for Egerton, yet, but he has a much better chance at cinching the nomination now that he won this. And he deserves it. Not only is his performance in Rocketman absolutely brilliant, he's been severely under-rated from the Kingsman movies and Eddie the Eagle. I will never forget sitting in the theater watching the first Kingsman, and after a few minutes in, my friend looked over at me with this "uh-oh, Michelle's in love" look and we both burst out laughing. It's true - Eggsy has a very similar story arc to my soulmate Ryan Atwood (yes, of The O.C), and it is totally my type. After the second Kingsman came out, I was even more invested and decided to watch an interview with Egerton - and at first, I was honestly, severely disappointed - he's not even close to Eggsy's "chav" character, he's like, really well-spoken (with a completely different, but still hot, accent) and went to Drama school, and HE CAN SING. I was shocked, but I also had this realization that he's not just a pretty face - he can actually act. So now I love him for a completely different reason - he's passionate about what he's doing, he's extremely talented, and um...he's really hot. It was probably the first time I've ever rooted against Leo DiCaprio winning an award (I would have still been happy if he won - Leo fangirl forever), but it was really satisfying watching the kid from Kingsman on that stage. And, as dumb as it is, if the kid from Kingsman gets an Oscar nomination - I might cry. As for the other winners, all are fabulous - I have no complaints. If Jodie Comer has to lose an award, it's only acceptable if she loses it to Olivia Colman. I also LOVE that 1917 really threw a wrench into everyone's predictions. I haven't seen it, but for some reason I just find it hilarious that it won two of the biggest awards.

4. The Fashion - My jaw dropped to the floor when Saoirse Ronan appeared on the red carpet - just absolutely stunning. But my favorite dress was worn by Laura Dern - that is a "me" dress and I would literally wear that to work (I have a similar one that I dress down with a moto jacket and booties). I also really liked Kaitlyn Dever's graphic floral number. The worst dresses were pretty obvious - the big bow disaster that JLo was wearing and that big green balloon dress that Jodie Comer wore. Man, how do you look in the mirror and think that those looks are flattering? It blows my mind.

20 Books I've Read in 2019

1. The Gunners, Rebecca Kauffman - A really interesting novel about a group of childhood friends - one of the friends breaks off from the group and then years later commits suicide. The group reunites for her funeral - and the story slowly reveals what happened to this girl. They each feel responsible for different reasons, and have hid their guilt for years. It was a book that I couldn't put down because the mystery was building and building with such great detail. And the characters were really fleshed out - faults and all.

2. Sometimes I Lie, Alice Feeney - Holy shit, you guys. I haven't been surprised by an ending like this in a while. It's so twisty and turny, and you think you know exactly how it's going to end but it defies expectations. I guarantee that you will not guess the end - and not because it's ridiculous, but because you can't trust the person telling the story. That's all I'm going to say. And if you're not a book person, then just wait for the mini-series (I read Sarah Michelle Geller is attached, which is perfect casting).

3. Something Wicked This Way Comes, Ray Bradbury - A revisit for me, but it's been a really long time since I've read it so it was a wonderful revisit. I have such a greater appreciation for sci-fi, than I did when I first read Bradbury stories so I am planning to revisit most of his work over the next few years.

4. The Glass Castle, Jeannette Walls - So much better than the movie. This book was recommended to me years ago, but it was so much easier to just watch the movie but that's a big regret. I wish I went into this book not knowing how it was going to end. It's also uncanny how many of her stories are so similar to my mom's childhood stories (for instance: my mom has 3rd degree burn scars across her stomach from trying to drain pasta when she was way too young to be doing such a task).

5. Born to Run, Bruce Springsteen - Highly recommend if you're a Bruce fan (and if you're not, we probably wouldn't be friends). Bruce is one of the best story-tellers in the world. I was lucky enough to see his Broadway show (after a grueling wait-list debacle), and it was so wonderful just to sit and hear him tell stories about his life. I felt like I could hear him as I read each chapter of this book and it was delightful.

6. Sherlock Holmes: Volume 1, Sir Arthur Conan Doyle - I've never read a Sherlock Holmes story before, so I thought I would start from the beginning. I'm a big fan of the many visual iterations (although I think Elementary is my favorite. However, it was recently pointed out to me that House is also a Sherlock Holmes iteration and my mind was blown). I'm excited to read more.

7. The Good Father, Noah Hawley - My favorite book that I read in 2018 was Before the Fall by Hawley, and guess what? My favorite book that I read in 2019 was this one. He's just an incredible writer. And this story cuts deep. Just like Before the Fall, I can easily see this being made into a mini-series.

8. The Great Believers, Rebecca Makkai - Centered during the AIDS crisis during the late 80s, this book is a wonderful story about living with loss. It jumps back and forth in time, and is told from two different character perspectives, which keeps it interesting.

9. Desert Solitaire, Edward Abbey - I'm fascinated by people who enjoy nature. It's not really for me, although I wish it was. I do love being alone, though. It would be an amazing experience to just go into the middle of the desert and be one with the Earth. But, I need stuff. Like music, tv, internet, etc. I just do. I like Abbey's passion for preserving natural spaces, and his disdain for what the future looks like.

10. Things Fall Apart, Chinua Achebe - I try really hard to incorporate art and narratives that I'm not familiar with, something that is a little bit hard for me to relate to. This couldn't be further from my world view - a novel about pre-colonial Nigeria. It's wonderfully written, and poetic. Not necessarily my favorite among what I've read this year, but I understand why it's considered a "classic of world literature".

11. Atonement, Ian McEwan - I've said this many times, but the first half of Atonement is one of my favorite movies ever. I just have such a hard time with the second half. I didn't find that as much with the book. I felt really invested for the whole thing. I like the way it's told from different perspectives. Also, I obviously pictured James McAvoy looking super hot, the entire time I read the book so that's always a plus.

12. The Remains of the Day, Kazuo Ishiguro - I really like how Ishiguro writes - he gets into the mind of the characters really well, and explains their motivation in a believable and realistic way. This isn't my favorite story (told from the perspective of the Head Butler - it reminds me of Downton Abby - a show I still haven't finished because it is a snoozefest), but it was still an enjoyable read. I had no idea it was made into a movie, that I am totally going to watch now.

13. Someday, Someday, Maybe, Lauren Graham - Really hopeful and cute. I like the way Graham writes. It's not pretentious in any way. It feels like a story that I would have really enjoyed reading when I was a teenager/young adult. Probably a little too cheesy for me to take seriously as an adult, but not everything is made for me to enjoy.

14. The Girl, Michelle Morgan - I'm fascinated by the legacy of Marilyn Monroe. She really started the whole "celebrity" thing, and I'm not exactly sure that's a good thing, but it's still really fascinating to see how it was all orchestrated. And how brilliant this woman was.

15. Goodbye, Darkness, William Manchester - A memoir about the Pacific War, something that I'm not as familiar with in regards to WWII (always more fascinated with the Nazi part), but this is really engaging and terrifying.

16. 11/22/63, Stephen King - King is one of those authors that is so well-known, it's instinctual to feel like you've read every story because it's all been made for movies/television. But, honestly, I think the only King novel that I read is Misery. I'm not sure why I chose this as my reintroduction, especially since it's not a horror story which is what he is known for. I watched the miniseries, and I wasn't really impressed. The book is great, though. I can't wait to read more King this year (I had It on my list next, but man, that sequel was so hard to sit through. I think I need some time before I can immerse myself in that story again).

17. What Maisie Knew, Henry James - I really loved this movie, so I added this book to my reading list years ago. Holy fuck, it's intense. Written in 1897, it's incredibly dense and just an overall tough read. It took me a very long time to get through it (and it's only like 100 pages long). If I didn't watch the movie, I'm not sure I would have even understood the book.

18. Into the Water, Paula Hawkins - Really great suspense novel, there's a mystery there that goes back for decades, but the focus is on one event. It kept me guessing (I guessed part of it right), and it had a very satisfying conclusion.

19. The Verdun Affair, Nick Dybek - Not my favorite - it's basically a romance novel about a love triangle during WWI. It's kind of boring, and predictable. It's not really my thing, unless it's told really, really well (like Atonement, for example).

20. The Alchemist, Paulo Coelho - Another one that's just not really my thing. It's part magical, part allegory, part fantasy sci-fi, and I think it's supposed to be inspirational, but it just bored me to death.

Best and Worst Films of 2019

Best:

1. Rocketman
2. Once Upon a Time...in Hollywood
3. Good Boys
4. Us
5. Marriage Story
6. The Peanut Butter Falcon
7. American Woman
8. 6 Underground
9. Midsommar
10. El Camino

It was really hard to do a list this year because almost every movie I've seen this year is a solid 3 star movie (out of 5). Rocketman is the only 4 star movie I saw (so far) this year (and Once Upon a Time is 3 1/2). So, I've ranked the rest, but they are all sort of interchangeable number-wise. There is still plenty of films I have yet to see that I expect to alter this list - Joker, Parasite, The Lighthouse, Pain and Glory, Uncut Gems, The Farewell, etc. As usual, check back in July for an updated list!

Worst: 

1. The Lego Movie 2: The Second Part
2. Dark Phoenix
3. Shazam!
4. Under the Silver Lake
5. High Life
6. Greta 
7. It: Chapter 2
8. The King
9. Captain Marvel
10. The Upside 

Thoughts on 5 Films

1. Marriage Story - Very good movie, but some people are just getting a little carried away with the hyperbole. It's exactly like every other Baumbach movie - strong dialogue, slow but evenly paced, well-acted, while also being elitist, narcissistic, and self-congratulatory. It's not something I would ever want to watch again - as with all of Baumbach's movies (my favorite is probably still The Squid and the Whale), but it does currently sit at #5 on my Top 10 list for this year. I do prefer Scarlett Johansson in movies like this (she was always at her best in her collaboration with Woody Allen, and this is very similar). And I don't always like Adam Driver, but he's also very good here. Neither are ground-breaking performances, though, which is what people are acting like. People are also acting like we've never seen married people hate each other on screen before. This is not new territory, people. And, as per usual, I agree with the male perspective. You can't just take your kid across the country, you stupid fucking manipulative bitch (basically what I said in my head for the entire movie). Also, the movie should be called Divorce Story, right? What a misleading title. And my last thought on this movie - if Driver gets an Oscar nomination over Taron Egerton, I will burn this place to the ground.

2. The King - Nope, still don't get why Timothee Chalamet is a thing. He is not a good actor and he looks like he's 12. I was so absolutely bored for the entirety of this movie because there was no strong screen presence. I expected more from Robert Pattinson - but his French accent was actually just really hilarious. The whole movie is just plain dull and usually I like stuff like this, even when it is boring (Shakespeare junkie! Although, Henry V is among my least favorite, but it's been a while since I've read it). The movie is also really colorless, which was obviously a stylistic choice the creators made, but it intensified the dullness. At least give me something beautiful to look at! And back to Timothee, I really just don't understand? Like, actual adult women (and men) think he's hot? It makes me really uncomfortable. I'm not trying to be insulting because I often get told I look much younger than I do, and I've finally hit the age where people think I'm in my 20s instead of a teenager (I'm LATE 30s, people), but for most of my life people always thought I was super young. I always got really weirded out when men would tell me I looked like I was a teenager and then HIT ON ME or make jokes about if I'm "legal" (UGH...men are the worst). It's not his fault that he looks like a baby, but I think it's weird that people describe him as "hot".

3. American Woman - THIS is the role I've been waiting for Sienna Miller to take on. She's such a wonderful actress and she just keeps getting sidelined to these shit "wife" roles and it's so frustrating. She's stunning in this - probably my favorite female performance of the year (and yet, I've heard no-one talking about it. How sad.). First, I always forget that Miller is British because she's done so many American roles and her accent is perfect. Second, this is such a hard role to play - it's ugly, selfish, filled to the brim with faults, but the audience still has to sympathize with her otherwise it just won't work. Sienna made me care about her. And last, the story is really interesting - the main plot, which is that her teenage daughter goes missing suddenly, leaving her to care for her baby, is pushed to the side but is still somehow focal in every moment. You spend the film wondering if her daughter left out of selfishness - maybe she's somewhere close enough to still be watching, or was she murdered or kidnapped and still alive? It's weird to have that thought as you watch the rest of the world continue because life moves on so quickly. I'm glad they gave us closure - as the film was ending, I was a little resistant of this closure because I thought it would feel too clean, but they did it really well. And ultimately our main character needs this closure as part of her journey. There's also a great supporting cast featuring Aaron Paul and Christina Hendricks.

4. Paddington 2 - The first Paddington was super, sugary sweet and this is more of the same. Except also really devastating - I mean, watching Paddington go to prison is a hard sell for this type of movie. I just wanted to reach through the TV and give him a big bear hug. These movies are super cute kids movies, so it's a weird plot to have for this genre. Other than that, it's got some great visuals, Hugh Grant is super extra and I love it, and I laughed more than a few times. You have to be in a specific mood to watch it - like a mood for something that's entertaining and mind-numbing. It's hard to really write anything else about this movie, because it's just exactly what you expect. Super cute, family movie about a big cuddly bear getting into trouble.

5. Good Boys - Oh my God, I laughed so hard, you guys. Hands down the funniest movie I've seen this year. There were points where I was crying laughing (which I often cry when I laugh - everyone makes fun of me for it). It has the perfect combination of being raunchy but sweet. The kids have really great chemistry together, which I think really helped the film as a whole. I smiled from beginning to end (and man, that ending is hilarious - I will never be able to think of Rock of Ages again, without thinking of these kids). I know for a fact that I will watch this movie multiple times over the next few years (as I've watched its predecessor, Superbad at least 100 times - guaranteed to make my cry-laugh during every viewing. Now is a good time to mention, if you didn't like Superbad then you will probably not like this. And also, WHAT IS WRONG WITH YOU? ). I would love to list out all of the funny moments so that I can relive them, but there are just too many! The ending and the scene with Stephen Merchant were probably my favorite though.

Thoughts on 5 Films

1. X-Men: Dark Phoenix - Wow. It's hard to believe how terrible this movie is, really. First, I had no idea that this was a full-on X-Men movie. I thought it was more of a spin-off and that a few of the X-Men characters would obviously appear. But some pretty important things happen for the X-Men universe - including a main character's death (and may I say, good-fuckin'-riddance!). I understand that everyone featured are all contractually obligated to appear in these movies, but why the fuck did Jessica Chastain sign on for this trash? It was a huge heartbreak to see her and James McAvoy together (big fan of The Disappearance of Eleanor Rigby...), but it was even more heartbreaking to watch actual good actors try to make this movie watchable. It's not. Sophie Turner was a big casting mistake. She's not a good actress, and it's way too early in her career for her to carry a big franchise film like this. She was tolerable on Game of Thrones because the cast is so massive, and honestly, most of the actors on that show were terrible, with the exception of Lena Headey and Peter Dinklage. She just looks bored for most of this movie. Also, her eye makeup is so distracting. It's crazy that there are actual critics that didn't list this in their "worst of the year" lists but did include movies like Rocketman and "the last half hour of Once Upon a Time...in Hollywood" (LOL WTF...how does this person have a job?). Speaking of...

2. Once Upon a Time...in Hollywood - For a Tarantino movie with DiCaprio, Pitt and Margot Robbie, my expectations were impossibly high, and unfortunately they weren't quite met. However, I did like this movie - just not to the degree that I wanted to. It probably lies somewhere in the middle of my Tarantino ranking. Without thinking too hard - my list looks like this (Best to Worst): Reservoir Dogs, Django Unchained, Inglourious Basterds, Once Upon a Time..., Jackie Brown, Pulp Fiction, Kill Bill Vol 1, Kill Bill Vol 2, The Hateful Eight. There are few things happening in this movie that I would describe as "masterful", but overall, I think it becomes a little self-indulgent (EDITING IS IMPORTANT PEOPLE!). I also think that if it didn't have the ending that it has, then I probably would have ranked it towards the bottom. I don't think I've ever been this caught off guard by an ending of a film in my entire life (ok, maybe the last few seconds of Enemy). In retrospect, it does give the ending away in the title, but you don't really realize that until it's over. I was actually bracing myself for a more typical, massively violent, brutal ending (which we ultimately did get, while also defying expectations in every way possible). I mean, I almost feel like it should come with a reverse trigger warning (as in, don't worry, you won't see a pregnant woman brutally murdered), because maybe people who are avoiding it because of this, might actually watch it. Although, I'm glad that I avoided all of the discourse surrounding it, because as soon as I saw all of the "Quentin is a misogynist" headlines, I had to avoid it all so my head didn't explode (and FYI just because a film only has minor female characters with little dialogue doesn't mean its misogynistic, fucking asshats). The movie isn't about Sharon Tate, just like it's not about Charles Manson. It's about a fictional actor, Rick Dalton, and his stunt double, Cliff Booth. And let me tell you, Leo and Brad are a revelation together. I would love to say a career best, but that's so hard to gauge because they are almost always incredible. Leo will always be a favorite of mine (I was a die-hard Titanic fan girl - posters on my wall and everything), and he just keeps getting better and better.

3. King Arthur: Legend of the Sword - Similar to the Robin Hood remake that came out last year, an "updated", "cooler", take on a classic story. And just like the Robin Hood remake, there are two very hot guys (Jude Law and Charlie Hunnam - not quite as hot as Taron Egerton and the guy from The Fall, though). First, I'm super confused by the non-existent age difference? Like, how is Jude Law there when Arthur is a baby and then 20 years later he still looks the same while Arthur is an adult? They are only like 8 years apart in real life (I'm totally guessing, but I think Hunnam is my age and Jude Law is mid-40s). I was so confused by the time jump because of this. Anyway, I've always been a big fan of Guy Ritchie. Snatch is still one of my favorite movies of all-time. I wish he would go back to making original content though. The Sherlock movies were mostly mind-numbing, and this movie felt very similar. Oh also, Eric Bana is in this! He's hot, too. And on a side-note, a few months ago I took a few of my employees out for lunch at our local diner and Eric Bana was there. I told my employees they were not allowed to engage with him and they are still mad at me for it (dude was just trying to eat lunch!). He looked good in real life; not my type, but a very handsome man. I don't really have much else to say about this movie. Seems like a big waste of time for everyone involved (and a huge waste of money!).

4. Midsommar - I read the hype, but I didn't believe the hype. I enjoyed Hereditary, but the ending really ruined the film as a whole (still that scene will go down in the History books). I'm glad that I held back expectations, because overall I enjoyed this. The beginning is really strong, and heartbreaking, and that primal scream that Florence Pugh belts out is gut-wrenching. I think I have certain problems with the story - because I think we are supposed to root for her? And believe that her boyfriend is an asshole? At least, that's what film critics think. I don't think he's an amazing guy or anything, and clearly doesn't have a high level of maturity, but she seems incredibly clingy right from the beginning. And if your boyfriend isn't giving you the support you need, then break up with him? Instead she forces herself in the middle of him and his friends, and tags along on their vacation that she is clearly not wanted at, and then sulks because her boyfriend isn't who she wants him to be. Sorry, but that's on her. Also, where is the rest of her support system - like, her own family/friends? Why is she putting so much pressure on him as her "only" support? Anyway, if I ignore the problematic plot, it's enjoyable. There are some really stunningly disturbing moments (I screamed when that scene happened). The ending is really OTT, similar to Hereditary, but it worked for me here because the whole thing seemed a little ridiculous, and you could tell that it was preparing for bat-shit crazy territory early on in the film.

5. The Irishman - Nope, sorry guys, this movie just isn't for me. I have to side with the naysayers, on this one - it's waaaaay too long and wayyyyy too boring. There's obviously moments of brilliance, and phenomenal acting as expected, but it was hard for me to enjoy what I was watching when all I wanted to do was go to sleep. Nothing about it is really original or new - just kind of an extended universe of the typical mobster movie (just slower, and more character-driven). In a way, I appreciate the way they subvert expectations for this type of movie, and de-glorify the aspects of being a gangster. It's also interesting to read about the real history behind it. It's based on a perspective about the disappearance of Jimmy Hoffa that apparently has been debunked? So, it's not actually true? But nobody really knows. And again, the discourse around the female character is fucking grating. The movie ISN'T ABOUT HER, it's about his version of how he thinks his daughter sees him. Also, why would anyone want to give Anna Paquin more lines? She struggles with dialogue. so the least amount of words that come out of her mouth, the better (sorry, not sorry). Ultimately, this movie is a well-made movie - and currently in my Top 10, but it's also just really fucking dull. The only other thing I have to say is that the de-aging thing is such a nightmare for film-making and it needs to end now.

Thoughts on 5* New TV Shows

1. Unbelievable - An absolutely heartbreaking story, with phenomenal performances from all three women - Merritt Wever, Toni Collette, and Kaitlyn Dever. The biggest success, I think, is that it's a story that is really handled with a deep care for women, and the experience of being raped. It's such a tough thing to get right. I am a certified Rape Crisis Counselor (although I'm pretty sure my certification has expired by now...), and the emotional stress of attaining the certification was so draining. To hear what women have to go through after they just experienced a violation to their body is just...indescribably heartbreaking. Not only do they have to relive the experience in order to describe it to the authorities (over and over again, especially if it ends up in court - and that's a big if), but then they have to experience another violation via rape kit at the hospital. I completely understand and sympathize with any woman who just gives up. Also, trauma fucks with your mind, and your memories - you begin to question what is real and what you might remember incorrectly. The first episode of this limited series is just so hard to watch because it's understandable why the police question her, and why they start to think she might be lying. The contrast to how the female detectives handle rape cases is really fascinating and I wonder if that's the answer? As much as I like to "equate" the sexes, there are fundamental differences between men and women - and sometimes that needs to be recognized and used to our advantage...you know? Anyway, this show is incredible. The end.

2. Batwoman - Just fucking kill me. I mean, this shit is just terrible and now I'm stuck watching another fucking dumb CW show. The biggest issue that I have is that, at the very least, all of the other CW superhero shows had a GREAT first season (and Arrow didn't turn to shit until season 4, if I'm remembering correctly), but this is terrible from the start, and it's likely only downhill from here. The acting is just so wooden and disappointing. I really like Ruby Rose, but I guess I haven't really seen her act well since Orange is the New Black, and maybe she was only good because the writing is so strong on that show (even until the very end - every character is just so well-developed). I just think she's miscast here - originally because I thought she was was just too good for shit like this, but now I think she's just too serious - and not likeable at all (and you are supposed to like her, she's a fuckin' superhero for fuck sake). The plot isn't half-bad, but if you don't have characters that are interesting, then there is no point.

3. Dublin Murders - I've only seen the first episode, so far, and I'm a little disappointed. I was hoping for a little bit more of The Killing, but it's even slower than that (I didn't think that was possible, and I love The Killing, for the record). I did like the twist at the end, it makes the whole case a little bit more psychological. It makes me want to continue watching, which if the twist didn't exist, I probably would not want to sit through any more of it. I'm hoping it gets better (I saw SO many people talking about it on twitter, but as of right now, I just don't get it).

4. Treadstone - I've watched four episodes, and they were all pretty solid. I think they are introducing too many characters and storylines at once, but I'm hoping it all comes together cohesively. I'm a big fan of the Bourne movies (like, really, really big fan. I prefer them over Bond any day), so this show is a perfect extension of that universe. The only storylines I'm really interested in right now are the guy that was working in Alaska, the past storyline with Petra and that guy that looks like Ryan Phillippe (not quite as hot, because no-one is), and the Piano teacher girl. The other storylines are a little dull, and/or the acting is bad (the girl who plays the journalist is terrible, and unfortunately she has a major storyline for now).

5. His Dark Materials - Oh my God, this is some boring-ass storytelling. How I made it through the first episode, I'll never know (James McAvoy helped tremendously). I think the girl is a great actress - I don't know her from anything aside from Logan but she is stunning in that (even with very little dialogue), so overall the cast in this is fantastic. But the story is just.....blah. It's just not really my thing, I guess, because I know it has some serious fans but it's just so slow, and predictable, and mind-numbing. I'm dreading watching any more of it.

*I have not yet watched any episodes of Watchmen, but I AM EXCITED by all the rave reviews...*

Thoughts on 5 Films

1. El Camino - Like many people, Breaking Bad is my favorite show. Ever. I've actually been too nervous to do a re-watch, because I'm so terrified that I've built it up bigger in my head and what if it's not as good as I remember it? I think I would be devastated. Watching the first episode was sort of a fluke for me. I do tend to watch every show imaginable - eventually, but I watched the very first episode of this as it aired, for one very odd reason - I saw a commercial and thought it was a new show with the hot guy from Weeds and The Invisible and I was instantly IN (took me a while to realize that I thought Aaron Paul was Justin Chatwin...). I watched the first episode simply for a hot guy, and then was BLOWN AWAY by what I watched. Jesse was always the heart of the show, and I knew during the finale that they left his story open...for a reason. This was a really convenient way to continue the story. The movie is satisfying - I don't think it ever hits the brilliance of the series, but I enjoyed it. They creatively bring back all of the important characters, and it never feels forced. There are some really suspenseful moments (the scene with the "cops" is wonderful), and of course, Jesse is given the best one-liners imaginable ("only an asshole doesn't like pineapple". Just brilliant.). Overall, I was completely entertained. I miss these characters so much (side-note - What happened to Better Call Saul? I feel like it's been so long since the last season?).

2. Yesterday - Kind of an amazing idea, but definitely not explored to its fullest capacity. It's quite delightful and sweet, but it left me with so many questions. The plot is that this guy is a struggling singer/songwriter who gets hit by a bus, when he wakes up he discovers that The Beatles (and Coke) never existed - so he steals their entire catalogue and becomes a world-wide phenomenon. I mean, if I'm honest, I would probably do the same thing. On the surface- I think it's a highly entertaining rom-com. Himesh Patel does a wonderful job with The Beatles songs, and Lily James is as lovely as ever (the film is at its strongest when she is on-screen). However, I think if you go deeper than the surface, the film is an absolute mess. The Beatles weren't just famous because they wrote great songs - they were a force of nature, changing Rock music forever. If The Beatles didn't exist, then so many other bands wouldn't exist either. This guy, while he sounds nice, has NO presence whatsoever (which is why he wasn't successful to begin with). Also, I think we're supposed to think that Ed Sheeran is our modern day version of The Beatles? Is that for real? I have nothing against the guy (and according to my mother, he "has the voice of an angel"), but he's certainly not changing the course of music history. Also, I laughed really hard at the Coldplay joke (and I like Coldplay!).

3. Bumblebee - I'm a big fan of the Transformers franchise (suck it, haters!), but I was not really looking forward to this. It seems like a sappy, nostalgia-filled, charming movie, and that, to me, is just not a Transformer movie. I think the creators *think* that they are doing something different with Hailee Steinfeld's character, but they are sorely mistaken. It's actually kind of hilarious because she's pretty much identical to Mikaela from the first Transformers (played by Megan Fox). She's super attractive, and totally into cars. BUT, Steinfeld's character is different because she has a "boys" name (Charlie), and she doesn't care about her appearance (but just happens to have the thickest fucking eye makeup on for the entire movie - eye makeup that takes at least 10 full minutes to apply, but we are just supposed to believe that she just rolls out of bed like that and doesn't give a fuck what you think...). It's just so dumb. And, wait for it..., it's incredibly fucking sexist (but this was written by a woman, so it can't be sexist...right??). Anyway, the movie is ok, it just feels unnecessary - and it's all been done before in a much better way, in my opinion. The best part of the whole thing is PAMELA ADLON! I just absolutely adore her. 

4. Arctic - The only way these types of movies work is if the acting is really, really strong - and you just can't go wrong with Mads Mikkelsen, can you? He's incredible. Why hasn't there been Oscar talk for this role? It's definitely one of the best performances I've seen this year. The movie, though, is just about average. It feels a bit like The Grey, but that movie is far superior. Sometimes it's difficult to watch films with very little dialogue - you really have to be in the right head-space. It's never quite boring, but I just didn't really find it interesting either. *slight spoiler alert* I also didn't really understand his thought process of taking the girl with him? Wouldn't he have been able to travel further without her? And wouldn't she have been safer? Or was he scared that she would get eaten by a bear or something? It's questions like that where I feel dialogue would have helped. Anyway, as disinterested as I thought I was, the ending is a freaking killer. I sat at the edge of my couch and bawled like a fucking baby at the ending. It's so tense, and emotional - just filmed and acted to perfection.

5. The Upside - Ok, I was a pretty big fan of the original film, The Intouchables. It almost made it into my Best Films of 2012 list, but that was such an incredible year for movies - it had some tough competition. I loved the original because it was just so charming and heartwarming, but it didn't feel cheesy at all. This updated (i.e American) version is super cheesy. The biggest failure is the chemistry between the leads, and also, the chemistry that Hart has with the audience is lacking as well. In the original, I adored this character because Omar Sy was just so loveable. Kevin Hart is fucking grating (I'm glad he's okay after that horrific car crash, but that doesn't mean I have to like his comedy or his acting). He's been good in some things (I laughed hard at him in Jumanji), but he seems angry in this movie - and that's just not the character. Just everything about it felt...off. It's too serious, too cliched, and just unnecessary. If you're going to remake a wonderful foreign film into an American version - you better make it just as good, if not better, otherwise what's the fucking point?