4 Thoughts on The Emmys

1. The Host - OH WAIT...there was no host. What a terrible concept. I didn't read about this being a host-less event, so I'm not really sure why they decided to go that route, but it just makes no sense. You need someone to make the show move along and ENTERTAIN. There are only two reasons that people watch award shows: one, because they LOVE movies/television/pop culture and actually care about who wins, and/or two, because they love the host and want to be entertained. If one of those is missing, then there goes at least a third of the audience. This flat-lined from the second Homer Simpson appeared (oh Fox, never change).

2. The Winners & Losers - I don't have much to say about the winners - lots of talented people. I recently watched the first season of Fleabag and it's great (wouldn't have been my pick for so many awards, but it's still definitely deserving). I am, however, SUPER ecstatic about Jodie Comer (obvi!) and for Michelle Williams for Fosse/Verdon. I don't think Game of Thrones is the Best Drama of last year (or any year that it's been on), but I was expecting the win and I've come to terms with it. It's a good show, and it's very successful in a lot of ways. An Emmy send-off is appropriate. The only wins that really pissed me off were for Julia Garner for Ozark because she is the worst actress, in my opinion, and this will only make her appear in more things and I really just need for her to go away. And Ozark for directing. I mean, really Ozark shouldn't have even been nominated for anything considering the shows that are more worthy. It's even more absurd for it to win, but in both cases, I think it was a split vote with Game of Thrones (with multiple nominations within both categories), so it had to go to either Ozark or Killing Eve and voters clearly made the wrong choice.

3. The Show - The whole show was just a boring disaster. The presenters were boring, which made not having a host even worse. And don't get me started on Thomas Lennon as the "Emmy Commentator" - what the fuck were those random facts he was spewing out? Half of them didn't even make sense and none of them were interesting. The speeches were really, really boring. I know Michelle Williams is getting a lot of praise, but it was a super weird speech, to me. She basically makes a case for being difficult on-set (like see I was difficult, but people listened and now I have an award so you should listen to difficult women because they know what they are doing). That's just plain weird, right?! But at least she gave a memorable speech and I guess that's all people can hope for nowadays. I couldn't even tell you what anyone else even said. The whole show just felt like a really long ad for Fox tv shows (and FX and FXX).

4. The Fashion - This was the only success of the whole night! I don't think anyone looked like they belonged on the top of a wedding cake! There were still some questionable choices, like anyone wearing that God-awful red and pink combo (seriously?! There were like 5 people wearing this! This is always a fashion "no".) and whichever Kardashian was wearing the latex turtleneck. But, there were also some gorgeous gowns - my favorite is a tie between Michelle William's paisley embroidered Louis Vuitton number and Kristen Bell's beaded Dior dress (that would look so good on me! Someone buy it for me please!). I also thought Emilia Clarke looked stunning.

Thoughts on 5 Films

1. Rocketman - I absolutely LOVED it. I watched it 10 days ago, and I have thought about it every second of every day for the past 10 days. It just might be my favorite Biopic of all-time (big words, I know but I'm not a big fan of the genre - Milk was at the top of the list previously). First, I think it's genius to have the tagline "Based on a true fantasy", because that sets the tone from the beginning. It's a musical fantasy that utilizes Elton John's songs to tell his life story. Second, it's a bit weird to do a Biopic about a musical legend that's still...alive, but this movie gives a great case for how to make it work - getting John involved, it seemed so personal, so genuine, and so...real (even though it is a fantasy! The line that's straddled is so perfectly balanced). Third, the whole thing just made me incredibly happy - even in its darkest moments (maybe it's knowing that John doesn't, in fact, die of an overdose or by suicide helps). Fourth, it's just so beautifully choreographed - there are so many moments of sheer beauty. The scene that will stick with me forever is the suicide-hospital-Dodger Stadium scene. It's incredible. And Last, Taron Egerton, as Elton John, is the best casting decision of the fucking century. I remember watching Sing and hearing Egerton sing "I'm Still Standing" and thinking "wow! he sounds like Elton John, but also like his own version". That's exactly how I felt for this whole movie. He sounds just close enough to John, without sounding like parody. He also acted his ass off. It's Oscar-worthy material (and as much as it pains me to say, is my favorite performance this year replacing my precious James McAvoy in Glass). And, as I've mentioned probably a dozen times, Taron is fucking HOT as fuck. Even in the Elton John getup.

2. The Meg - I don't care, I will always be excited by a movie that has Jason Statham fighting a giant shark. I wish this was as fun as it was advertised, but it was actually a little bit boring. I don't really think it got interesting until the last 30 minutes (major shark attack carnage), but by that point I was already over it. Rainn Wilson as a billionaire is actually perfect casting. Everyone else (aside from Statham) was pretty forgettable (and I was hoping for their immediate deaths). Ruby Rose is really disappointing in this - she is almost robotic (I thought that maybe that was going to be some kind of big twist or something). She looked like a wet robot for the whole movie. I don't really have that much else to say. Watch Piranha instead.

3. Halloween (2018) - I don't know if I've ever written about my love for the original Halloween. I guess I just assume that it's a given. I should start with the fact that I was never really a Horror movie fan. I was never not not a fan, but there is definitely a Horror genre cult that I'm not a part of. I just enjoy good movies, in general, and sometimes it happens to be a horror movie. Typically, I only enjoy serial killer type horror movies (as opposed to supernatural). I didn't see the original Halloween until after I watched Scream (so '97-ish. I was 16-ish.). It was because I loved Scream so, so, so much that I began to seek out older horror films. Scream was really the first big horror movie that gave me nightmares (although when I was a kid, I had nightmares over Firestarter and from Tales from the Crypt). Scream also came out around the time I really started getting into films. So I loved watching Halloween and realizing how many filmmakers were influenced by it. Then, purely because of my age and my love for Josh Hartnett, I was obsessed with Halloween H20 (I mean, they even got Janet Leigh to cameo!). It's still probably my favorite of the sequels. Anyway, I was excited for this "official" sequel. I think it's weird to ignore all previous sequels, but hey, I guess anything goes nowadays. As a sequel, it's really strong. I'm excited for more. Jamie Lee Curtis is a fucking legend and I'm so proud to be named after her (there are conflicting stories about how I was named, but I always go with this one because it's cooler). But how on Earth did I not know that she's been married to Christopher Guest for the past 30 years??? Judy Greer as her daughter is fantastic casting (because I always love Judy Greer. More Judy Greer in movies please). Overall, the plot is just stupid - I mean, wouldn't she just get an actual safe room instead of booby trapping her house with those stupid metal bars? And she certainly would have gotten rid of those stupid closet doors! It's also not scary, like, at all, but it's fun to watch and sometimes that goes a long way.

4. Searching - Actually sort of brilliant. I didn't really recognize the brilliance behind it while watching it, but it's really stuck with me. The first 10 minutes almost made me burst into tears - Jesus Christ. But then, it turns into this really great story about a father trying to connect to his teenage daughter and realizing that he knows nothing about her. It's fascinating to think that a 16 year old has had their entire life documented online. Like from literal birth. It's a very simple story of a missing girl, but there is so much depth and accuracy in its story-telling within the age of social media. There are a few issues I have with the plot - *slight spoilers ahead* - like how they didn't look into the brother's texts or facetime messages earlier. However, the ending completely shocked me. It's all spelled out within the movie, but it's so subtle that when the ending is revealed I was just blown away by it. I would love to watch it again to make sure it holds up, but on first impressions, I think it does. Which is great! I hate when a big twist happens and you just know if you watch it again, the twist doesn't make any sense. John Cho does a really great job - my heart was just breaking for him through the whole movie. I highly recommend this movie.

5. Mary Poppins Returns - Just not my thing. However, I'm not really sure who the audience is exactly because I can't imagine kids enjoying this at all. It's just so boring and it feels really dated. And I'm about to say something really controversial, but I don't like Lin-Manuel Miranda. I don't really know much from him, and I know Hamilton is supposed to be the BEST MUSICAL EVER, but I never had any interest in watching it (honestly, looks horrendous to me). He's in this movie a whole lot, so it was really hard for me to watch. His voice just irks me. I tried to focus on Emily Blunt, because she's a queen. Imagine getting the call to play one of the most iconic characters of all time? Such an honor, but also incredibly stressful, I imagine. She did a wonderful job embodying the character, but also giving it her own touch. I loved the Dick Van Dyke cameo, I wished they got Julie Andrews. That would have been so lovely. The movie just didn't feel special enough. And I wanted to fast-forward through every song because, damn, those songs are rough.

Fall TV Preview: 6 New Shows to Watch

1. Unbelievable - This already premiered on Netflix a few days ago to rave reviews. I want to see it for two reasons, and two reasons only: Merritt Wever and Toni Collette. Just about two of the most interesting actresses around. I've also read great things about Kaitlyn Dever (I haven't seen Booksmart yet, but I recognize her from Justified and a few other bit parts). It's a very relevant (and true) story, but it doesn't really feel like anything I haven't already seen before so I'm interested to see this added "twist" that I've read about.

2. Batwoman - I've watched all of the CW DC shows (although I never got around to Black Lightning, is it any good?). The only one I completely gave up on was Legends of Tomorrow (which wasn't terrible, I just had too many shows to watch and it wasn't doing anything for me). I love Ruby Rose, but I feel like she's already above this show (like these shows should be saved for more newcomers in my opinion). She was a standout among a slew of fabulous actresses in Orange is the New Black. It's just an odd casting decision, in my opinion. But I guess we'll see!

3. Dublin Murders - I think this already came out in the UK because I remember seeing tweets about it months ago. I was intrigued just by the sheer amount of talk about it. It reminds me of The Killing which was hard to watch at points (because of the subject matter and the dreariness of it), but it's a show that has stuck with me far more than I ever expected.

4. Treadstone - I'm a big, big fan of the Bourne films. This is a wonderful idea, but I'm hesitant that it's on the USA network because that tends to be a network for fun summer shows - not serious dramas (yes, I think of Suits as a fun summer show, and yes, they've had ONE exception: Mr. Robot). The commercials have seemed a little expected and a little cheesy, but I'm still going to watch.

5. Watchmen - I literally could not be more excited. I've been trying to stay mostly in the dark, so I have no idea who is in the cast or where they are starting the story from. I don't need to know. I'm just hoping that it's as beautiful as the movie.

6. His Dark Materials - James McAvoy in another television series?! Dreams really do come true. Also, another fave of mine - Ruth Wilson. I don't know the story. I'm not sure if I saw The Golden Compass, but my initial gut is that I haven't. I've never really been a fan of the Science Fantasy genre, but....James McAvoy!

Thoughts on 5 Films

1. Don't Worry, He Won't Get Far on Foot - Gus Van Sant has made some of my favorite films (Good Will Hunting, Milk), so I was really looking forward to this - especially since it stars Joaquin Phoenix. I didn't actually know what the movie was about (the director, star and title were enough to peak my interest), so I was pleasantly surprised that it's a Biographical film about the life of John Callahan (based on his book). Callahan's cartoons are hilariously inappropriate (my kind of humor!). Phoenix does a superb job, as usual, but the standout is (not) surprisingly Jonah Hill. I honestly didn't even recognize him until about 20 minutes into the movie and when I finally did I exclaimed out-loud "HOLY SHIT THAT'S JONAH HILL!" (I knew he was in the movie, but totally forgot when I went to watch it). It's a very typical "hippie-dippy" kind of character, but it's just so unexpected to cast Hill in that role. Overall, it's a forgettable movie which is a shame because it has a great cast, great characters and a great story arc, but it's missing something. I think it needed to decide what it wanted to be - whether it was this feel-good motivational story, or this eccentric tale of an eccentric man. It just played it too safe in my opinion.

2. High Life - My first Claire Denis film, and guess what? I absolutely hated it. It's just a mess of a movie, really. The plot is really dumb, the Sci-Fi aspect doesn't hold up at all, it's extremely slow moving and not in a good slow-burn sort of way, and worst of all - the critics just ate this shit up. The reviews I read are laughable (words like "masterpiece" are being thrown around so carelessly nowadays). The only positive thing I have to say about this movie, is that it is visually beautiful. There are a few shots that are stunning (one shot in the beginning actually made me gasp). However, this doesn't forgive the rest of the film for being complete and utter crap. I will also say that the acting is decent (that's a given with the cast involved - except Andre 3000. What the fuck is he doing in this movie?). The story would be good if they just focused on the main story instead of this weird psycho-sexual story they keep trying to enforce. I felt like that was thrown in to make it interesting, or dark, or something but it fails miserably.

3. BlacKkKlansman - Really great story - based on real events - that obviously resonates in today's climate. I don't think John David Washington really looks like his father (Denzel), but he sounds exactly like him and it is freaky! I became a big fan after that interview he did in which he praises his mother's achievements after being asked about his famous dad (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=V4wOu4_XVMA). It's just so wonderful. I think Spike Lee did a great job in showing the similarities among the "opposite sides", and really made a strong statement in dedicating the film to Heather Heyer. I read that he received a lot of criticism among black activists for dedicating a film about racism and hatred to a white girl, but I think it works in relation to the movie. If you didn't receive that message, that both sides are inciting violence, then you weren't watching closely enough. Lee's point is that we need to start listening to each other, and inviting conversation instead of assuming things based on race (or occupation - as the main character is constantly being criticized for being a police officer, as if he is a "traitor" to his race). I appreciate that Lee is trying to create a dialogue that brings us together instead of creating a larger gap. I don't think the film is very memorable (compared to Lee's previous work - like Malcolm X and Do the Right Thing), but overall I enjoyed it. I'll concede that Adam Driver is getting stronger as an actor. I also really thought that was Steve Buscemi for a good half-hour, until I realized it was his brother. The only huge mistake that Lee made was casting Topher Grace as David Duke. I just can't take Topher seriously, ever, and this is a very serious role (one of the most dangerous men still inciting violence in our country).

4. Aquaman - Not good, but certainly not a bad movie. It's well made for what it is. Aquaman is probably my least favorite DC superhero, and having Jason Momoa in the role certainly doesn't help. I know a lot of women who love him, but I've never been into the muscle-y type men. However, I do LOVE Amber Heard (super huge girl-crush alert, and she looks soooo good with the red hair), and Nicole Kidman is such an unexpected choice. And then, to top it off - Patrick Wilson! What a great cast. Kidman's opening scene is probably the best scene in the whole movie. I loved watching her kick ass. The rest of the movie is just so-so. It does exactly what it sets out to do, so I can't really fault it. It's a very predictable superhero tale, although I was confused about the timeline (is is supposed to be before Justice League? I don't really remember that movie. I probably blacked it out.). I wish the visuals were better - I heard that this was "colorful" compared to other DC movies, but I found it incredibly bland visually. Some color would have been nice, especially for underwater scenes.

5. Widows - There's nothing wrong with this movie, but considering it's directed by Steve McQueen, I was incredibly disappointed. It just feels like Lifetime female revenge territory, so I wasn't surprised that it was co-written by Gillian Flynn (of Gone Girl fame - don't even get me started on that atrocity). Stunning cast, which is probably the only reason my interest was held - Viola Davis, Colin Farrell, Liam Neeson, Michelle Rodriguez, Carrie Coon, and my favorite up-and-coming super-star, Elizabeth Debicki (who basically steals the whole movie). As with every McQueen movie, there is an absolutely STUNNING shot (the one that got me was the rap scene - the circular tracking is just sublime). I also was surprised by two different plot points (no, not the obvious "twist" - if that surprised you, then you weren't paying attention). The movie is far too long, and far too dull for my liking. Also, I think there were too many storylines at play, so all of the supporting characters weren't fleshed out enough - or could have been cut altogether without effecting the main story at all.

Thoughts on 5 Films

1. Avengers: Endgame - I've been up and down with the Marvel movies, and honestly, I think I'm just exhausted by all of them. I didn't even see this in the theater because I just couldn't gather that much energy to sit there for 3 hours to watch something that could have probably been condensed into the previous movie. I appreciate that they had a clear timeline for the story to play out and a plan for the evolution of these characters, it's revolutionary for film in general - to create, what, 20 movies? All connected and relevant to each other. History has been made. But as far as the actual movie goes...I'm not really the biggest fan. Everything was very expected - of course they were able to wipe everything away that happened in the previous movie (the snap) because it wouldn't be a very uplifting superhero story if they didn't. There were a lot of moments that made me groan, mostly the scenes that were added as fan service - like the one where all the female superheros take the spotlight (am I supposed to feel empowered that they were given a total of 3 seconds of screen-time together?LOL). I think the worst part for me was that this type of movie is made for someone with a good memory, and my memory sucks. I have no idea what happened 4 movies ago (honestly, I can barely remember what happened in this - and I watched it like 2 weeks ago). I probably would have enjoyed all the nostalgic bits of time travel if I remembered all the things I'm supposed to be nostalgic about. And, this may make me seem really cold, but I'm not emotionally attached enough to any of these characters to care if they actually die. At this point, I'm expecting it - I mean, fucking finally, right?!

2. Stronger - I thought I was going to cry, but I was able to hold strong. I think it's weird that two movies were already made about an event that happened just 6 years ago. This movie is very different than the Marky Mark one because it focuses on just one of the survivors (and his surrounding support system). Jake Gyllenhaal is definitely one of the best actors of his generation (which is my generation). There are no other actors in their 30s that have accomplished what he has, and the fact that he doesn't have at least 3 Oscars is unfathomable. He's only been nominated once! I count at least ten performances (including this one) that should have been nominated. Fuckin' TEN. That's insane! His Boston accent is spot-on in this, and the emotional depth of this performance is astounding. Tatiana Maslany is also really great (as expected if you've seen Orphan Black). I hope she has a huge career and that's she's not forgotten about. This story is really great, because it puts the focus on our need for "heroes" and what constitutes someone as a hero. He's seen as a hero, but all he did was simply survive. He was suddenly thrown in the spotlight, and expected to perform. It's quite tragic, really. It's amazing that he is able to keep his sense of humor and sarcasm, even during the worst situations. It's sad that they aren't a couple anymore (yes, I looked it up). I was rooting for them, and I don't root for many couples.

3. John Wick: Chapter 3 - Parabellum - I really enjoyed the first two and expected to love the third, especially with the strong reviews. Unfortunately, I just couldn't get into this one. I felt like the first two created a really strong world that lives within "our" world, but this felt like they went too far to live in any sort of realism. Also, I loved the scene with Halle Berry, but she hasn't been strong in anything since...Gothika? Has it really been that long? I really used to love her, and would even site her as one of my favorite actresses..but that was over 15 years ago. She was terrible in this - just so bland, and she seemed like she was reading off of cue cards. I just wish the scene was done with a different actress, because then I could say that it was truly great. The rest of the movie was exactly as expected- wonderfully crafted and choreographed fight scenes. It's a little disappointing that they still left the story open, room for a fourth movie. I'm over it. Enough is Enough. Also, a minor criticism, but as an animal lover - a big part of why this movie is so special - his fight to revenge the death of his dog, I despise the horse scene. Horses do not belong in NYC - and animal activists have been actively fighting against this for decades. It's tone deaf to have John Wick galloping through the city streets on a horse, I don't care how cool he looks.

4. Long Shot - Seth Rogen and Charlize Theron are definitely an odd pairing - and not because of looks. Because he's a stoner comedian actor and she's an Oscar nominated actress. I think it's definitely a societal problem when a super hot actress pairs up with a "normal" looking funny guy, and everyone goes "really...him?" (I've been guilty of it myself - see: January Jones and Jason Sudeikis - really, him???). It's insulting on many, often contradictory, levels. For one, to assume that a beautiful woman, like Charlize Theron, only cares about materialistic things (therefore, the man she dates must either be hot or rich, or both) is completely misogynistic. On a completely opposite spectrum - in order to look like Charlize Theron, it takes a lot of effort - from the designer clothes, to the constant skin care routine, etc. that women have to endure, and then they end up with "normal" guys, like Seth Rogen, who literally do nothing aside from getting out of bed and maybe showering. It's not really that far out of line to think that maybe she deserves better? I'm just throwing out some thoughts in my head, but it's all sort of fascinating to think about this pairing. Anyway, the movie isn't as deep as the thoughts in my head, as it doesn't really need to be. It's a dumb comedy, that's actually pretty funny. Rogen always makes me laugh, but I wasn't expecting the spot-on comedic timing from Theron. She's actually hilarious and it felt genuine - like she wasn't even trying too hard to be that funny. Which just makes me love her even more. 

5. Robin Hood (2018) - Completely unnecessary, but I will watch literally anything with Taron Egerton. Literally ANYTHING. I actually don't think I've ever watched a Robin Hood movie aside from the animated one with the fox that I watched when I was a child. I don't even know how many there are, but there is only so much you can do with the story. I think a modern version - should be just that - modern. This just feels redundant and boring - even as it's announced in the beginning that you need to forget "what you think you know", as if this movie is going to tell you something completely different (*spoiler* it doesn't). The only thing that shocked me was that the super hot guy from The Fall shows up so I had the privilege of oggling not one, but TWO super hot guys for two hours. I was also pretty surprised at Jamie Foxx's over-acting. He's usually consistently strong, but he's definitely the worst actor in this. They did do a sort of twisty ending (that I think is pretty predictable, but I still appreciated it), but other than that I think it's pretty dull. If it didn't have two hot guys to stare at, I probably would have fallen asleep or gotten up to clean and kept it as background noise.

Thoughts on 5 New Shows

I know that I'm behind on pretty much all entertainment, but I've been able to catch up a little bit this summer. Here are my thoughts on some new shows (and by 'new', I mean shows that have only been on for one season so far). 

1. Homecoming - Absolutely blew me away. My expectations were pretty high - considering how much I loved the first season of Mr. Robot and I adore Julia Roberts. It's stylized just like Mr. Robot - the quick editing, the anxiety inducing music, the character introduction and development, etc. and in my personal opinion, this style is groundbreaking for television. I hate to call Julia Roberts under-rated, but I think people rate her more for her "celebrity" than for her acting, but she is a fantastic actress - consistently great. I love Sam Esmail - he's relatively young (compared to his counterparts), but he has a really strong vision and voice. He's also from Jersey! (I've now succumbed to the fact that I can no longer call myself a New Yorker, so I have to support my Jersey people). He's also creating a very talented support system (similar to JJ Abrams - who still uses actors from his Felicity days). I love seeing Bobby Cannavale (he was also in Mr. Robot) and Jeremy Allen White (he's my favorite character, Lip, on Shameless along with Esmail's wife, Emmy Rossum). I hope he's in more of Esmail's stuff (or in just more in general, he's great). Anyway, if you liked the first season of Mr. Robot you will like this, guaranteed. But I hope it doesn't go the way of the rest of Mr. Robot because that show went down fast (it should have been a mini-series or maybe just 2 seasons max). 

2. Narcos: Mexico - I don't have the fondest memories of Mexico from when I was a kid (we lived very close the Mexican border), and this is set during the same time (early 80s), so I have to sort of disconnect a little bit from the story. But, overall it's a very good show. I prefer the regular Narcos, over this, but I do love Michael Pena so much - I will watch anything he is in. I stopped myself from looking up what happens to his character (it's all based on true stuff) and I'm glad that I stayed mostly in the dark. It blows my mind that during the regular Narcos I was convinced that Dermot Mulroney was the narrator (but he wasn't) and then I thought for sure that it was him again in this (and it's not! You can look up who it is, but it might spoil it a little bit because that's what I did, and then I figured out how the story will play out). Oh and speaking of Dermot, he's briefly in Homecoming in scenes with Julia Roberts and it made me so happy (big fan of My Best Friend's Wedding. BIG FAN.). I'm really interested in how season two will play out (trying realllllly hard not to look it up...). 

3. The Boys - So. Dark. But. So. Much. Fun. I love Karl Urban - and this is the perfect role for him. I wasn't so sure about the rest of the cast (mostly newcomers...and Chase Crawford lol), but they all grew on me. It's a great plot - turning the whole superhero phenomenon on its ass and making them "the bad guys" is really brilliant. There are some really inappropriate moments that I find HILARIOUS (the dolphin scene is going to go down in History as one of the funniest inappropriate scenes of all-time). There's a lot of modern "woke" tropes used, but also flipped on its ass - like the "Me Too" movement, the responsibility of the media and journalism, and abuse of power. There is a really good camaraderie among "the boys" - they don't really like each other, but they rely on each other. Also, the best part of the whole thing??? ELISABETH freakin' SHOE. I can't even explain to you how much I love her. I had Adventures in Babysitting on VHS and I used to watch it over and over and over again. At the time, I thought I wanted to be Chris, but when I grew up I realized that I had a super huge crush on her (probably my first crush, at least that I can remember). Anyway, I'm so happy that she's in this. It's nice to see her in something substantial (and I still have a super huge crush on her). 

4. Russian Doll - I wasn't really looking forward to watching this - I kind of hate the whole repetitive storyline (I was never a fan of Groundhog Day. SUE ME!). But! This show is absolutely wonderful. It's so funny, and weird, and unexpected, and dark, and hopeful. I just loved watching every second - even the repetitive stuff. It's so nice to see Natasha Lyonne starring in something (I know she's in Orange is the New Black - and she is awesome in it, but there are like 40 other actors on that show). Slums of Beverly Hills had a profound effect on me when I was a teenager. Lyonne is wonderful and hilarious in this show (but I wouldn't really call it Emmy worthy, I think Lyonne is just like this in real life. I feel like this part was written with her in mind? I'm not sure, but that's my theory. Otherwise, it's some brilliant casting decision.). The show has a really interesting and surprising narrative that I don't think anyone will expect. Plus, the episodes are really short so it's very easy to binge. 

5. Good Omens - This wasn't even on my list of things to watch, but everyone seemed to be talking about it, and David Tennant is always a reason to watch a show. Also, I'm like really late to the Neil Gaiman party. I didn't realize how many stories he has written (that were turned into movies that I love), I recently read "The Ocean at the End of the Lane" (it's beautiful) as my first introduction into his writing. I have "American Gods" on my list next (I like the show, but I don't love it...). Anyway, his stories have a lot of religious themes, but not in a preachy way - more like a mythological, fantasy way and I am definitely here for it. Good Omens is really good, but it's not as great as some were making it out to be. The banter between Tennant and Michael Sheen is really fun, but I did get a little bored during some episodes. I also felt like it became a little repetitive - like, get on with the story please. 

Thoughts on 5 Films

1. All the Money in the World - Not a movie that I will necessarily remember 5 years from now, but I was entertained while watching it. I remember all of the controversy surrounding it (Kevin Spacey being replaced & Michelle Williams not getting the same pay as Marky Mark for reshoots), but I don't remember hearing anything about the actual movie (which is a huge problem with film critics today). This story is incredibly interesting, especially because only very few know what actually happened, so we just have to trust their version of events even though there are so many rumors of the events happening differently. The Getty family is is one of those Untouchable One-Percenters (just like The Kennedys or The Waltons - they have some super sketchy dark history, but none have been held accountable - and the truth will likely never come out). It's weird to me that Balthazar Getty (from Brothers & Sisters) is one of the Gettys (I only learned that like a year ago). Anyway, I liked this movie - the acting is great, the story is obviously intriguing, but I do think the editing could have been a little tighter. They only touched lightly on the fact that The Getty kidnapping could have been a setup - and I think that is the far more interesting version. I'm now interested in watching the mini-series that came out last year, because I think they tell the other version of events.

2. The 15:17 to Paris - Honestly, this is one of the worst movies I've ever seen. I know that seems dramatic, but I would put it up there with Movie 43 and The Happening. This is a great lesson on how essential actors are to a film. I think people have this misconception that anyone can be an actor, but it does actually take a talent that not many people have. Also, they stayed true to the story - including the dialogue that occurred leading up to the event - and this is another lesson on why writers are so important, even for something that is a true story. You still need a writer to make it...interesting. The dialogue between these guys was so lifeless and it almost seems like a parody of how "dude bros" talk. It's absolutely crazy to me that an established director (Clint Eastwood for fuck sake!!) would watch the footage of this and think that he actually made a watchable film. The third lesson that one can take away from this movie is that not everyone deserves to have a film made about them. These guys are heroes - nobody can question that. It's fact. But their lives leading up to this point isn't very interesting. And the actual event lasted mere minutes, so stretching it all just feels bloated. In order for this to be an interesting film - there needed to be layers, different perspectives, actual actors, better dialogue - so pretty much change the whole thing or...go back in time and just don't make it.

3. Extremely Wicked, Shockingly Evil and Vile - Lifetime movie material. I think that a lot of Netflix originals have a Lifetime movie vibe, and that's not necessarily a bad thing, but it's just different from a movie that should be released in a theater (not like I even go to the theater anymore, but still...my point stands). I'm a big fan of Zac Efron, and he got mostly rave reviews for this, but I would rather see him in comedies. He's not great at the dramatic stuff, in my opinion. I can see why he was cast though - charming little fucker. I think the film got a lot of flack for "idolizing" a serial killer, but Ted Bundy was also a charming little fucker, so it's historically accurate. It's how he was able to get away with murdering women for so long - and I think it's essential for young women to watch stories like this. I'm always a bit skeptical of men that are too charming (in real life, actors are different - like James McAvoy is charming with a Capital C, but he is paid to be that way). I feel like I can see the hate in their heart and it is terrifying. Luckily, I don't think we have to worry (as much) about serial killers, like they did back then. I recently read the late Michelle McNamara's book about the Golden State Killer and it was chilling to realize how prominent serial killers were back in the 70s (thank God for modern science!). I don't know much about Ted Bundy, but did he really escape from jail....TWICE?! What the fuck were they doing back then? The supporting cast is great - Lily Collins, John Malkovich, the woman from Westworld, and one of my favorite young actresses - Kaya Scodelario, rocking a wig only she could make work. I think that it could have been a much darker story - it felt very light for a movie about a serial killer. I did appreciate that it didn't go into too much of the horrific way he murdered women - it was a told from a different perspective (mostly from his long-time girlfriend - someone who didn't know how evil he was).

4. Suspiria - I have not seen the original (I'm a bad cinephile! And I don't give a fuck...). This version didn't really make me want to seek out the original. Although, it did hold my interest. It's weird and beautiful and dark, and that combination always makes great visual storytelling. I just think the "weird" becomes a little bit too much, and it's just overwhelming to keep up with the "what lies beneath" story. There is a scene that will stay with me forever (the scene). It's like nothing I've ever seen before (like if you take the scene from Hereditary and multiply it by a hundred). I actually had to look away from the screen, and that's not something I have to do very often. I'm not a big fan of Thom Yorke (I actually hate Radiohead. I was an outcast among my friends in high school for this stance, but his voice just gives me an instant headache), so the music really bothered me. I had a few other issues with this movie - I hate the old age makeup - Tilda Swinton can pull off a lot, but this is just ridiculous. I also think Dakota Johnson is not the greatest actress (I haven't written her off completely just yet, but she needs to step it up!). The editing is really where this film falters though, if it was just a little bit tighter and more concise - I would have been able to put up with the "weirdness" of it all. Instead, I got bored real quick.

5. Vice - I was one of those people that absolutely LOVED The Big Short. I understood the criticism of it, but it totally worked for me (I also adored Moneyball). I liked this movie - not as much as I was hoping to, but it still totally worked for me. This is the kind of editing that I can get behind - it's quick, it's concise, every scene feels important to the story. The acting is obviously brilliant - you can't get better than Christian Bale, Amy Adams and Sam Rockwell - three of the strongest working actors today. The story would be great if it weren't true, but man, does the truth fucking hurt. It's a great time to tell this story (even though it feels like it happened yesterday) because it's very relevant to what is happening with the presidency now. We have a Dick Cheney multiplied by ten as our sitting president and that should terrify everyone (but he still has supporters! which terrifies me even more). Cheney was a complicated man - I always thought it was interesting that he has a gay daughter, but is a strict republican. The whole family is a big oxymoron - such strong female figures who are also republicans. Conservative feminists fascinate me (although do they even consider themselves feminists? I don't think they like to use that word, even though I'm sure they believe in equal rights and equal pay for women. So what do they call themselves?). Anyway, Lynne Cheney is a fascinating woman (and LOL at her saying "we wear our bras!", did that actually happen? It made me laugh for like an hour). It's really sad that Liz Cheney chose her political career over supporting her sister (and really questions what she actually thinks vs her just playing to her "base". What a bunch of fucking liars, the lot of them. Democrats, Republicans, doesn't really matter - all a bunch of fucking liars just playing to their "base").

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

The Good 

-The Emmys really fucked up last year by not nominated Jodie Comer (or Killing Eve). I think they will try and correct their mistake this year by giving her the win.

-Yay for Schitt's Creek! It's not even their best season, which always seems awkward to me when that happens, but I am so excited for them nonetheless. I really wish Dan Levy snuck in a nod, but I'll take what I can get.

-The "Limited Series" category is really messing things up - I think if it has multiple seasons (like True Detective) it should be included in the Drama or Comedy category (and we should add different genre categories instead - like Fantasy/Sci-Fi - it's weird that they separate the category in terms of cinematography and costume, but not acting or overall category?), but there were some excellent ones nominated - like Fosse/Verdon (I think it might sweep the category, although Chernobyl has picked up a lot of media attention. Escape at Dannemora aired too long ago and already received its awards).

-I'm glad people haven't forgotten about Better Call Saul. I feel like it's been years since the previous season aired, but it's excellent television.

-If you're unsure of whether to watch Bojack Horseman, watch the "Free Churro" episode. It blew me away. Glad it's been recognized.

-The Big Bang Theory getting snubbed for its final season is hilarious. Sorry, but that show was complete garbage (and YES, I've tried to watch it on multiple occasions and it was GARBAGE).


The Bad

- I am still a few seasons behind Game of Thrones, but I haven't come across a season yet that I was blown away by. As a whole, the series is a spectacle, for sure, but each season has dragged and there are too many characters to pay attention to them all. And the acting has been questionable for its entirety (the only good actors the show has is Lena Headey and Peter Dinklage). I just find it really hard to believe that 9 actors deserved a nomination for the final season unless they all got extreme acting lessons.

-Ozark??? Really??? Over so many other shows that got snubbed? Also, I think Julia Garner is one of the worst actresses currently getting work (and solid work that should go to other talented people).

- I love This is Us, but compared to everything television has given us this year - it just doesn't compare.

The Snubbed

-There's just so much tv, and so many good shows nowadays, it's too hard to even choose the best. The amount of snubbed performances and shows is overwhelming but the biggest one that stands out to me - Rob McElhenney for It's Always Sunny. I would have been happy for an acting, writing, or directing nod for that spectacular finale scene. I'm shocked that it didn't get even one nomination?

-Homecoming. It's stunning television, with a movie star in the lead. How does it get overlooked? (it did get a well-deserved Cinematography nod).

-This will likely be the last time I mention it - since it's been cancelled, but Counterpart is the show that everyone missed out on - and it should be nominated in several categories.

-I don't watch many reality shows, but the new revamped Project Runway was pretty satisfying. And I cried like a baby when the winner was announced and tearfully screamed "this is what America stands for!".

-The list goes on: Pamela Adlon for Better Things, Emma Stone for Maniac, Shameless (for several acting categories, but specifically Emmy Rossum), Brooklyn Nine-Nine. 

Thoughts on 5 Films

1. The Greatest Showman - Better than I was expecting. My expectations were pretty low, though. I don't really understand why they made a musical about someone who is known for being a horrible human being. Also, circuses are disgusting (so are zoos). Even as a kid, and as a huge animal lover, I hated going to them. They just made me so sad, seeing all the animals in spaces too small for them. Anyway, I just didn't see how they were going to make this movie work. But it does - mostly because the songs are perfectly executed - really catchy, great choreography, etc. I was singing "This is Me" for days afterwards. I also didn't realize that the P!nk song, "A Million Dreams", that is on the radio every other hour, is from this movie (I dig it. And I dig P!nk. I've been a fan since she opened for *NSYNC back in the day). I always turn it up and sing (if you can call it that...) along. There's a few things that I personally didn't like about the movie - first, the casting of Rebecca Ferguson is really odd. Why not get someone who can sing to portray "the greatest voice"? Second, I appreciate that they did show, to a small degree, what an asshole Barnum was, but they also gave him a "hero" moment of redemption that absolves him, so it's all ultimately pointless. Third, I sadly don't think Zendaya is a good actress. She's just very wooden. I still really like her as a person, and as a role model for young girls. And I love the performance of "A Million Dreams" with Zac Efron. I wonder if the did their own stunts? It was just wonderful.

2. Under the Silver Lake - Ugh, really disappointing. I've seen many people on "film twitter" start off July with their "Best of 2019 So Far" lists - something that I sadly can not do considering that I've only seen like 10 movies from 2019. On several lists, was this small little Indie - so I made it a priority. I just don't get it. One criticism that I whole-heartedly agree with is someone calling it "frat-boy Noir". That's a perfect description, and it's something that I just can't care about. I felt like it was trying too hard to be weird. It's set in a world of entitled rich people who live their life ensuring they are "Insta-ready" at all times, and I just don't care about any of them. I did like the whole mystery thing - with the numbers. He starts to believe that all of these little coincidences have a stronger meaning and are all connected. The numbers thing is weird, but I know someone who takes that shit very seriously (my mother - she truly believes that if she sees certain numbers through-out the day, that everything will be ok). But to think that there is a coded message in all of pop culture, is just straight up crazy. That's too much work, and no-one in the world has that kind of time. The piano scene is absolutely brilliant, though. Also, I'm really loving Riley Keough, but she isn't in this movie that much. Garfield gives a satisfactory performance, but Hipster Topher Grace is awwwkkwwwward.

3. Mid 90s - I am all about Jonah Hill. I love that people my age are making movies (Hill wrote and directed this). The experience of being a teenager in the Mid 90s can only be told by my generation, and I feel like enough time has gone by that we can intelligently reflect on what we experienced. I was never part of the "skater" scene, but it was all around me, and I don't have siblings, and this is very clearly the male experience - but I still get the experience. Lucas Hedges looks like EVERY teenage boy that I went to high school with. Everything about it felt very genuine. The scene in which the one boy tells the main kid about everyone else's life, is really poignant. It's a hard lesson for teenagers to learn - that even though you are having a tough time, there are others that are experiencing worse (although, sometimes I think that leads to unnecessary guilt especially for people who suffer with depression. Like, "I shouldn't feel this way because other people have it worse, so I must be a terrible person" - which leads to more guilt and depression. There has to be a balance of "feeling" your feelings, but also having an awareness for the suffering of others). The music is very key in a film like this, so Reznor is the obvious choice. It definitely captured a moment in time, and I was fully engaged for the whole film. Really fantastic acting all around. On a side-note, I was weirdly enthralled by how they make skateboards! So interesting!

4. Green Book - It's honestly hilarious that this won the Academy Award for Best Picture. HILARIOUS. It's not a bad movie, I would very hesitantly call it a "good" movie. It felt like something made in the 90s, though. It's not modern, artistic, or innovative in any way, so in a way it captures everything wrong with the Academy. There are many controversies surrounding the movie, but even if I ignore all of that - it's simply a fine film about racial relations in the 60s. It didn't even feel relevant to the current racial discourse that is happening in America today, so it's weird that it seemed to get such an honor for "opening up new discussions" the way the creators seemed to think it did (during every award it won, Farrelly seemed to be patting himself on the back). Maybe if they paid a little more attention to the actual "Green Book" that the movie is titled after, it might have "meant" something. This is something I know very little about, and had to instead read about it afterwards while the film could have easily made it more focal. I think both actors did a fine job - Mortensen did a surprisingly great job with the Italian accent, laid on a little thick, but certainly a difficult accent for him. I enjoyed some of the little jokes here and there, like him confusing Orpheus with Orphans. But, overall, if I knew nothing about it, and someone played me this film and asked me when it was released, I would certainly be convinced it was made in 1996.

5. Shazam! -  I don't know why people said that this movie is good? I mean, just because it's lighter than other DC films, doesn't automatically make it good. I didn't think it was funny at all. It's actually really, really dumb. And sooooo, soooo long. I love Zachary Levi (Chuck was great!), and he is definitely the best part of this movie, but the kids that take up a majority of the movie are....not good. It doesn't help that their dialogue is super cheesy, and the characters themselves are very cliched. Don't get me wrong, I actually enjoy cheesy superhero stuff (I loved Amazon's The Tick and that couldn't be more cheesy if it tried). This movie just bored me to death. There are a few things I did enjoy - first, anything that is set in Philly always makes me smile. Second, I did laugh pretty hard once, but I have no recollection of what it was that I laughed at so it must not have been that funny. Maybe it was just because all the other jokes landed with a thud, that I was happy to have an actual funny joke appear? And third, I almost jumped for joy when Adam Brody appeared because that is spot-on casting and also because Brody needs to be in more things.

Best Films 2018 ***Updated***

I've been struggling with catching up on movies lately, but it's become a tradition for me to do my updated list in July every year and I would like to keep that tradition, so here goes: 

1. First Man
2. A Star is Born
3. A Quiet Place
4. Thoroughbreds
5. Mid 90s
6. Unsane
7. The Kindergarten Teacher
8. Tully
9. Game Night
10. Eighth Grade 
10.5. You Were Never Really Here 

There are still quite a bit of films I have yet to see - Vice, Can you Ever Forgive Me?, BlacKkKlansmen, etc. but I don't expect any of them to change my list. You never know though!