Spider-man: Far From Home, 03 July 2019, Riverdale 10 VIP Cinema
NIGHT MONKEY FOREVER, y’all. This entire movie was delightful. The high school shenanigans were pretty much perfect, and Tom Holland STOP BEING SO ADORABLE.
Alita, Battle Angel, 05 July 2019, ANA Airlines
This ended up being less Uncanny Valley than I thought it would be. The commentary on body modification/cyborgification is pretty interesting, though, and late-stage capitalism makes for a realistic apocalypse.
Mission: Impossible, 07 July 2019, Paramount Channel
Y’all, remember when Ethan Hunt was capable of smiling sincerely? It used to be a thing!
Batman Returns, 08 July 2019, WB TV
It turns out I've never seen this movie! It is cheeeeesetastic. But "I want to play an integral part of his degredation" is a killer line. Anyway. This is not my favorite Catwoman, but I salute the attempt.
25th Hour, 09 July 2019, True Film
What...the hell? Was that? It’s like, dude has one day before he goes to jail, so how about we film everything as if the audience has mushroom-induced paranoia?
Spider-man: Far From Home, 10 July 2019, Siam Paragon Cineplex
Still delightful. Fun note: The audience in Thailand did not laugh at any of Fury’s scenes. Apparently Samuel L Jackson’s brand of incredulity doesn’t translate as humor in some cultures!
Grave of the Fireflies, 11 July 2019, Hong Kong Airlines
I am so glad I watched this, and also, I will have nightmares forever. War and children subject to starvation? I...I was not prepared.
The Best of Enemies, 11 July 2019, Hong Kong Airlines
Do you think Ed Norton gets tired of being cast as a white supremacist all the time?
Fantastic Four, 11 July 2019, Hong Kong Airlines
Okay, this was bad, but not as horrific as rumor described it. It does feel very 80s B-movie, though. (Also, Chris Evans as NOT Captain America is disconcerting.)
Ratatouille, 12 July 2019, Hong Kong Airline
I have a lot of questions about how Remy became such a snob. Like, he has a defective nose! Rats are omnivorous! His scent sensitivity means he’s possibly depriving himself of vital nutrients!
Dreamgirls, 12 July 2019, Hong Kong Airlines
Beyonce just walked away with this movie, didn’t she? Jennifer Hudson 100% deserved her accolades, obvs. But for real, y’all.
Little Woods, 12 July 2019, Hong Kong Airlines
I am not entirely sure of what the point of this movie was, but it starred Tessa Thompson and Lily James, so I watched it.
Toy Story 4, 15 July 2019, Cinemark Colonel Glenn 18
This movie had no real reason to exist, but it was also really excellent. I think my major point of conflict is that the third movie was such a PERFECT ending to the narrative, and the fourth seemed like a nonsense addition. And then the fourth movie was a PERFECT ending to the narrative, but only if the third movie didn’t exist. I have so many feelings, guys.
Men In Black: International, 20 July 2019, Cinemark Colonel Glenn 18
This was much better than I expected, mostly because I was just involved in spending a couple of hours with Tessa Thompson and Chris Hemsworth Wear Suits. (The plot “twist” was pretty predictable.) I kind of like the idea of the MiB franchise having an extended universe, really--the one portrait of J and K in the hall of fame was really lovely.
Yesterday, 24 July 2019, Riverdale 10 VIP Cinema
I have so many questions about this universe. So, like, the Beatles doesn’t exist in that world BUT how does that correlate to cigarettes not existing? HOW ARE THESE THINGS RELATED.
This movie was so, so gorgeous. I really appreciated, for one thing, that a hefty chunk of the movie was in different languages/dialects, and dealt with so any intricacies of immigrant families, cultural traditions, and alienation. And so much about saving face! The cast overall was fantastic, but special kudos to Awkwafina for pulling off a pretty complex but non-showy dramatic role.
Always Be My Maybe, 10 August 2019, streamed via Netflix
The scenes of Randall Park and Ali Wong as teenagers were straight nonsense, but this entire movie was very much nonsense, so there is that. Plus, Keanu Reeves just throws himself into it, and it’s breathtaking.
Tolkien, 20 August 2019, DVD via Redbox
This movie is 100% what you would expect of a movie about young literary men in Oxbridge during the middle of the twentieth century. So if that’s your thing...
The Sun is Also a Star, 22 August 2019, DVD via Redbox
The entire premise of the “falling in love in less than a day” thing is so offensive to me, but the stars of this YA romance are pretty darn charming.
The Hustle, 22 August 2019, DVD via Redbox
I really dislike Rebel Wilson’s whole schtick, but I dig Anne Hathaway. And who doesn’t love a story about con artists? So this movie broke even, basically.
Crazy Rich Asians, 24 August 2019, streamed via HBO Now
How is this movie such a delightful romantic comedy? This rewatch was because I made the movie one of the texts in my lit class; I still think it’s got some problems, but it’s an exemplar of the genre.
Godzilla: King of the Monsters, 30 August 2019, Blu-ray via Redbox
How much would I love this series from Godzilla’s point of view? Lots of hibernation, some tiny human pets, and then an intense staredown with Ken Watanabe.
Rocketman, 31 August 2019, Blu-ray via Redbox
I mean, who needs a storyline when you’ve got some excellent music to share?
Booksmart, 05 September 2019, DVD via Redbox
I know I'm supposed to be charmed by #Booksmart, but...I just, just could not stand Molly at all, folks. Not at all. It’s a legit good movie, though. I mean, baby lesbians are never not adorable.
Amazing Grace (2019), 06 September 2019, DVD via Redbox
This isn’t so much a documentary as it is two consecutive days of Aretha Franklin singing at a church. But who wouldn’t watch two consecutive days of Aretha Franklin singing at a church?
The Biggest Little Farm, 06 September 2019, DVD via Redbox
A couple decides to try doing “traditional” farming--AKA small farming without a focus on monoculturey stuff--and it feels like it clicks together too well to be entirely true. But it’s a nice fantasy! With enough nitty-gritty farming detail to satisfy one’s curiosity.
Dark Phoenix, 20 September 2019, Blu-ray via Redbox
- I mean, it’s better than the previous Dark Phoenix movie?
- They sped into full Dark Phoenix waaaaay too quickly--if you’re going to do a horror movie, do it proper, yo.
- RAVEN DARKHOLME DON’T GO DOWN LIKE THAT.
- I really enjoy that the moral of the story for pretty much every session of this X-iteration is, "Charles, you dumbass."
- (Also, it's FASCINATING that none of the X- or Bat-movies stand up to the storytelling from the 90s cartoons.)
Hustlers, 21 September 2019, Cinemark Colonel Glenn 18
#Hustlers: An excellent indictment of late-stage capitalism, with lapdances. (It's a great movie about friendship, too.)
Ad Astra, 21 September 2019, Cinemark Colonel Glenn 18
#AdAstra: Stoic man with father issues goes to space and returns, stoicly. (Also: MOON PIRATES.)
Fast & Furious Presents: Hobbs & Shaw, 22 September 2019, Hot Springs VIP Cinema
#HobbsAndShaw delivers what every entry into this franchise must: A parody of hyper-masculinity, the ability of anything with an engine to graze the other side of physics, and a heart-warming obsession with family. (Also: HAKA.)
Shaft (2019), 25 September 2019, Blu-ray via Redbox
Every actor in this movie is acting in an entirely different movie. It’s legit fun, but also, wow.
Downton Abbey, 28 September 2019, UA Breckenridge Stadium 12
I only watched the first season of the show, so some nuances were lost on me. It’s pretty on brand, though, as far as I can tell. And we’re all in it for Maggie Smith being haughtily sarcastic, anyway.
Judy, 05 October 2019, UA Breckenridge Stadium 12
These fictionalized biography films are so much more intense when you don’t know very much about the subject involved. (I was legit like, “Is Judy Garland dead?”) Renee Zellweger played the hell out of this.
China Love, 20 October 2019, Hot Springs Documentary Film Festival
This documentary, an examination of the craaaaazy elaborate and expensive wedding photo industry in China. While there is great fun in the spectacle, there are also some sweet asides--including couples who have been married 50+ years getting to do photoshoots for marriages that government austerity kept plain.
Varda by Agnes, 20 October 2019, Hot Springs Documentary Film Festival
This was a neato meta-movie: Filmmaker and artist Agnes Varda filming a documentary about her career, completing (most of it) before she passed away. I wasn’t familiar with her work at all, so this was a lovely little education.
Well Groomed, 20 October 2019, Hot Springs Documentary Film Festival
I did not know this intensely decorative dog-grooming was a thing, but it is? And seems like a pretty expensive hobby. And who thought it was a good idea to make their dog into a mural in the first place? Anyway, this was a fun slice-of-life-in-an-unusual-subculture documentary, and as treat, some of the subjects--including the dogs!--were in attendance.
Ernie & Joe: Crisis Cops, 20 October 2019, Hot Springs Documentary Film Festival
This was pretty cool! Two cops in...somewhere...formed a mental health special task force--focusing on de-escalation instead of more aggressive policing. And it seems to be incredibly effective, except that nobody has the budget or the time to do as much work as is needed. Ernie and Joe were also in attendance, which made for an excellent Q&A.
Nothing Fancy, 21 October 2019, Hot Springs Documentary Film Festival
Diane Kennedy, the Grand Dame of Mexican cooking! She is a sparker, even now, cussing out traffic and wrinkling her nose while she says you should never make guacamole for people who don’t like cilantro. This documentary was SPLENDID, as well as a great biopic set in the evolution of the cookbook “scene.”
Meeting Gorbachev, 24 October 2019, Hot Springs Documentary Film Festival
Werner Herzog talks about his relationship with Gorbachev. I feel like you need no more information than that.
Pizza, A Love Story, 24 October 2019, Hot Springs Documentary Film Festival
There is some serious pizza rivalry happening in New Haven, Connecticut. I am not convinced about the superiority of Yale-local pizza, it was super-fun to watch an intensely local history. But also: I would really love some pizza now.
Made in Boise, 24 October 2019, Hot Springs Documentary Film Festival
Apparently the surrogate birthing industry is hoppin’ in Boise! This entire scene is alien to me, but I appreciated how much they dug into the psychological complexity of all the parties involved. Plus, babies are cute.
Maleficent: Mistress of Evil, 29 October 2019, Riverdale 10 VIP Cinema
#MaleficentMistressOfEvil : Wherein Maleficent discovers one cannot trust the work of inclusion to the goodwill of rich white women.
Terminator: Dark Fate, 02 November 2019, Cinemark Colonel Glenn 18
#TerminatorDarkFate is extremely good, y all. Like, good enough that I am tempted to see it again tomorrow. It delivers on the franchise aesthetic, the action set-pieces are legible, and there’s complex emotional stakes involved. (Also, not for nothing, but I love a narrative wherein white men are largely incidental.)
Harriet, 09 November 2019, Riverdale 10 VIP Cinema
I watched this entire thing feeling a tiny bit skeptical about historical accuracy, but it was really well done overall, I thought. Great acting all around, gorgeous music, and a tense (and occasionally extremely funny) narrative.
Avengers: Endgame, 13 November 2019, streamed via Google Play
Cry for two hours straight again, even though I know what’s going to happen? Sure, that sounds great. (But it’s really worth it, if only for those two minutes of Scarlet Witch, world-breaker.)
Brian Banks, 17 November 2019, DVD via Redbox
Aldis Hodge, baby. Two whole hours of Aldis Hodge. Also, the prison system is awful and the justice system is rigged. Send some money towards the Innocence Project if you can.
Charlie's Angels, 23 November 2019, Riverdale 10 VIP Cinema
Between Kristin Stewart being the Kristin Stewartist, nods towards the historical and infrastructural layers of what an Angels organization would require, and an utter disregard for the usefulness of dudes in general, I LOVE THIS MOVIE A LOT.
Ford v Ferrari, 26 November 2019, Cinemark Colonel Glenn 18
This was a rollicking good story about cars that go really, really fast, and while it isn’t the type of movie you’d think I would enjoy, I do count the Fast/Furious franchise as the soundtrack of my heart.
Queen & Slim, 29 November 2019, Alamo Drafthouse Lubbock
Scholarly blurb ahoy:
#QueenAndSlim is an elegiac modern-day fable that draws you into a Green World where it's possible to escape the carceral state, temporarily, through the sacrifice of your own identity. (Or: It is pretty and sad; go see it.)
See you in a couple of days for the December tally!
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