Willow | Black Adam | Glass Onion: A Knives Out Mystery | Top Gun: Maverick | The Banshees of Inisherin | Guillermo del Toro's Pinocchio | RRR | Elvis | Fire of Love | All Quiet on the Western Front | Shortcomings | Fancy Dance
Showing posts with label documentary. Show all posts
Showing posts with label documentary. Show all posts
31 January 2023
Miscellaneous Movie Moments LXXXVIII (January 2023)
The time has come, y'all! OSCAR WATCHING SEASON. I do like January as a movie-watching month--it's a good mix of genre stuff and awards bait stuff, and sometimes those two things even overlap.
25 March 2022
Miscellaneous (Oscar) Movie Moments LXXXIV (March 2022)
It's OSCAR SEASON, baby. I spent my entire Spring Break watching all the films I hadn't already seen and it was so worth it.
I'll probably post a full Oscars index post tomorrow or Sunday. Anyway. Onward!
Drive My Car | Summer of Soul | West Side Story | Licorice Pizza | Nightmare Alley | The Hand of God | The Mitchells vs. the Machines | CODA | Attica | The Tragedy of Macbeth | Coming 2 America | Parallel Mothers | Lunana: A Yak in the Classroom | Four Good Days | Writing With Fire | Cyrano
I'll probably post a full Oscars index post tomorrow or Sunday. Anyway. Onward!
Drive My Car | Summer of Soul | West Side Story | Licorice Pizza | Nightmare Alley | The Hand of God | The Mitchells vs. the Machines | CODA | Attica | The Tragedy of Macbeth | Coming 2 America | Parallel Mothers | Lunana: A Yak in the Classroom | Four Good Days | Writing With Fire | Cyrano
28 February 2022
Miscellaneous Movie Moments LXXXII (February 2022)
It's Oscar season, folks!
King Richard | Belfast | Uncharted | Luca | House of Gucci | Ascension
King Richard, 08 February 2022, Blu-ray via Redbox
It's, like, three minutes into the film when some white tennis coach tells the eponymous Richard to have his girls learn basketball instead and HELLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLL no.
31 January 2022
Miscellaneous Movie Moments LXXXI (January 2022)
It's Oscars season, y'all!
Venom: Let There Be Carnage | No Time to Die | Respect | | The Incredibly True Adventure of Two Girls in Love | Flee | The Worst Person in the World | Encanto | The Power of the Dog | Passing | Simple as Water | The Eyes of Tammy Faye | The Lost Daughter | Procession | Don't Look Up | Faya Dayi | Being the Ricardos | tick, tick...BOOM! | Swan Song | 892 AKA Breaking
27 April 2021
Miscellaneous Movie Moments LXII (April 2021)
I know there’s still a few days left in the month, but I’m pretty confident I won’t be watching any random movies for the next few days.
One Night in Miami, 02 April 2021, streamed via Prime Video
Muhammad Ali, Malcolm X, Sam Cooke, and Jim Brown walk into a hotel in Miami. Apparently that actually happened. And here we have a movie that includes Aldis Hodge as Jim Brown and Leslie Odom Jr as Sam Cooke PLUS Regina King directed!
One Night in Miami, 02 April 2021, streamed via Prime Video
Muhammad Ali, Malcolm X, Sam Cooke, and Jim Brown walk into a hotel in Miami. Apparently that actually happened. And here we have a movie that includes Aldis Hodge as Jim Brown and Leslie Odom Jr as Sam Cooke PLUS Regina King directed!
01 March 2021
Miscellaneous Movie Moments LVII (February 2021)
The Cinderella project took up so much time!
Sundance Film Festival Shorts, 01-03 February 2021, streamed via Sundance
So most of the film passes were sold out once I realized they, y’know, existed. I snagged an “Explorer Pass,” though, which meant I could watch the shorts, the indie series, and New Frontier, which is basically the performance art category. Ish. Anyway, I can’t write full blurbs for all fifty of the short films I watched (yikes). And I only saw half of the program! So here’s, uh, very quick reactions to what I managed.
Sundance Film Festival Shorts, 01-03 February 2021, streamed via Sundance
So most of the film passes were sold out once I realized they, y’know, existed. I snagged an “Explorer Pass,” though, which meant I could watch the shorts, the indie series, and New Frontier, which is basically the performance art category. Ish. Anyway, I can’t write full blurbs for all fifty of the short films I watched (yikes). And I only saw half of the program! So here’s, uh, very quick reactions to what I managed.
01 November 2020
Movie Moments L (aka 50): Hot Springs Documentary Film Festival (aka October)
The Hot Springs Documentary Film Festival was this past month, October 9-17! As things were mostly virtual (they had three drive-in movie events, I think), I was all documentaries, all the time for a couple of weeks. I MAY HAVE LEARNED SO MANY THINGS. It’s not quite the same as sitting in a banquet room on a semi-comfortable chair in the dark, surrounded by retirees eating cheap popcorn, but it’s still quite a bit of fun.
30 September 2020
Miscellaneous Movie Moments XLVIII (August + September)
I like doing the themed movie posts enough that I think I’ll keep doing them separately. If you missed the ones for September:
For the rest of the months, I’ve got four documentaries and a based-on-a-true-story. Go figure.
For the rest of the months, I’ve got four documentaries and a based-on-a-true-story. Go figure.
03 March 2020
Movie Moments XXII: February 2020
Eighteen for February.
Jojo Rabbit, 02 February 2020, Cinemark Colonel Glenn 18
It’s the feel-good Nazi movie of the year? I really wish #JojoRabbit hadn’t plugged in actual Nazi footage set to wacky music in the intro, because I couldn’t quite settle into enjoying everything else for the rest of the time. But it’s cleverly written, gorgeously dressed, and perfectly acted. In the end, a really sharp satire that I wanted to get lost in more. (If it worked for you, great! It was just never going to work for me.)
The Two Popes, 04 February 2020, streamed via Netflix
I imagine this movie would be incredibly uninteresting to anybody who doesn’t dig thinking about theology and doctrine for a while. But it is so fun if you’re into that! And Pryce and Hopkins are pretty great in their face-offs, and the entire shebang is so multilingual. For me, a delight.
I Lost My Body, 05 February 2020, streamed via Netflix
So this Oscar-nominated animated movie starts with flies and dismembered body parts, so. I don’t know, man. Like, it’s about a severed hand trying to get back to its owner, having flashbacks to its owner’s wistfully traumatic life, but also, it’s a dismembered hand strangling a pigeon in a storm gutter in Paris. It was good, I guess? I just cared nothing about it.
Klaus, 06 February 2020, streamed via Netflix
The animation for this movie reminds me of nothing so much as a cross between The Emperor’s New Groove and a space-age Captain Crunch commercial. It’s a pretty standard Doc Hollywood narrative, though: snooty dude gets sent out to a rural area, tries to churn through work so he can escape, and then ends up healing all the rifts in the community. BUT it’s also a Santa origin story? It’s pretty fun.
For Sama, 07 February 2020, streamed via Amazon Prime
So this movie is about a mother making a film for her newborn daughter as the uprising goes on, largely framed by their work in the last hospital standing in Aleppo. It is...oof. Going straight from playing with a baby to seeing the walls of the hospital collapse from a bomb is just...oof. Dead kids and friends getting bombed; this documentary is 100% of the “the least we can do is bear witness” kind.
Honeyland, 07 February 2020, streamed via Hulu
Well, this movie is gorgeous. I really like that there’s no voiceover--we’re just...watching. I have no idea how the filmmakers made this movie, because seriously, a close-up shot of an elderly woman in a hut by candlelight? How? Anyway, by the end of the film, I was so invested I ended up yelling at the neighbors through my TV.
The Edge of Democracy, 07 February 2020, streamed via Netflix
“I feel our democracy was nothing but a short-lived dream.” Nope, no parallels to what’s going on in America AT ALL, like say the impeachment of a president of a corrupt government, thanks, Brazil for the warning. This was pretty interesting as a history, but the voiceover from the filmmaker sort of robbed it of something, though I’m not sure what.
Oscar Shorts: : Live Action, 08 February 2020, Cinemark Colonel Glenn 18
Four well-crafted films featuring kidnapping, terrorist families, child murder, and drug-running. One well-crafted and heart-warming comedic film about the ups and downs of life. Yup, this seems like a legit set of Oscar shorts.
Oscar Shorts: Animation, 08 February 2020, Cinemark Colonel Glenn 18
They also included a few “Highly Commended,” which they usually do to fill in some time, for some reason.
American Factory, 08 February 2020, streamed via Netflix
Car factory student exchange! This was a pretty sweet story if you think about it as making friends from other cultures. It’s a pretty sad story when you think about it as a stark portrayal of decaying American industries. But also, a great watch.
The Cave, 09 February 2020, streamed via Hulu
Not that either of them are unworthy of a nomination, but between this movie, For Sama, and various documentaries, long and short, in the past few years, I feel like we’ve gotten a LOT of films about the Syrian war. They’re always well-done and thought-provoking, but one starts to wonder if those nominating have a bit of an obsession. (There are other humanitarian crises, guys.) It’s also worth noting that both The Cave and For Sama focus on civilian hospitals. The most notable difference in this film, though, is its number of women doctors--I don’t recall seeing any in For Sama. This movie, however, lacks framing, which I think poses a problem for the audience. There’s a lack of specificity that prevents folks from fully grasping the situation.
Before the Flood, 12 February 2020, streamed via Disney+
I showed part of this to one of my classes, as we’re researching climate change. I remain puzzled, however, about the DiCaprio-ness of it.
Harley Quinn: Birds of Prey AKA Birds of Prey (And the Fantabulous Emancipation of One Harley Quinn), 14 February 2020, Riverdale 10 VIP Cinema
Last Christmas, 22 February 2020, Blu-ray via Redbox
I am so glad Emilia Clarke has this on her reel now, because it’s a pretty perfect anti-Daenerys. BUT ALSO, Michelle Yeoh has a romantic comedy subplot and I love it. ALSO, Henry Golding can stop being charming and tap-dancey ANY SECOND NOW, okay? Anyway, I am somewhat irritated at how charming this movie is. STOP BEING LOVELY, y'goshdarn romantic comedy. I also dig that the story is about a refugee Croatian family, except...most of these actors aren’t Croatian, are they? (A good slice of my extended family is from the former Yugoslavia, so that aspect felt kind of weird.) But Emilia Clarke and Michelle Yeoh and Henry Golding are really wonderful, so good work, #LastChristmas, you did the thing you meant to do.
The Good Liar, 22 February 2020, DVD via Redbox
There is a certain charm to watching McKellen and Mirren out-act a bit of a potboiler that is somewhat beneath their talents. Also, the plot twists do not hold up at all. Best to ignore them.
Playing with Fire, 23 February 2020, DVD via Redbox
Sometimes you just need something silly. Sometimes that means you’re watching a Nickelodeon nonsense movie about attractive people doing pratfalls to pop music a lot. (And not for nothing, but I watched this entire thing and didn’t get distracted once; I wandered away from The Good Liar several times.)
21 Bridges, 23 February 2020, Blu-ray via Redbox
I remain, and perhaps will always remain, uncomfortable with narratives that glorify he-had-it-coming policing (and I watch a LOT of them, let’s be clear). So this is kind of intriguing, as Boseman’s character is first painted as one of those vigilante cops, but then the circumstances of a robbery, with revelations of police corruption, means that he is ALSO the only cop not trying to kill the perps. There are a few too many complications, but it mostly works.
A Beautiful Day in the Neighborhood, 29 February 2020, Blu-ray via Redbox
Out of everything else, I was happily rattled that they ensured the show-within-the-movie had the same slightly fuzzled image that I remember from watching when I was a kid. Between Hanks being Hanks, Hanks playing Rogers, and the plot of a cynical journalist slowly understanding how to connect with humans, this movie is a hug filled with sunshine. Also, Matthew Rhys in bunny ears, people.
Jojo Rabbit, 02 February 2020, Cinemark Colonel Glenn 18
It’s the feel-good Nazi movie of the year? I really wish #JojoRabbit hadn’t plugged in actual Nazi footage set to wacky music in the intro, because I couldn’t quite settle into enjoying everything else for the rest of the time. But it’s cleverly written, gorgeously dressed, and perfectly acted. In the end, a really sharp satire that I wanted to get lost in more. (If it worked for you, great! It was just never going to work for me.)
The Two Popes, 04 February 2020, streamed via Netflix
I imagine this movie would be incredibly uninteresting to anybody who doesn’t dig thinking about theology and doctrine for a while. But it is so fun if you’re into that! And Pryce and Hopkins are pretty great in their face-offs, and the entire shebang is so multilingual. For me, a delight.
I Lost My Body, 05 February 2020, streamed via Netflix
So this Oscar-nominated animated movie starts with flies and dismembered body parts, so. I don’t know, man. Like, it’s about a severed hand trying to get back to its owner, having flashbacks to its owner’s wistfully traumatic life, but also, it’s a dismembered hand strangling a pigeon in a storm gutter in Paris. It was good, I guess? I just cared nothing about it.
Klaus, 06 February 2020, streamed via Netflix
The animation for this movie reminds me of nothing so much as a cross between The Emperor’s New Groove and a space-age Captain Crunch commercial. It’s a pretty standard Doc Hollywood narrative, though: snooty dude gets sent out to a rural area, tries to churn through work so he can escape, and then ends up healing all the rifts in the community. BUT it’s also a Santa origin story? It’s pretty fun.
For Sama, 07 February 2020, streamed via Amazon Prime
So this movie is about a mother making a film for her newborn daughter as the uprising goes on, largely framed by their work in the last hospital standing in Aleppo. It is...oof. Going straight from playing with a baby to seeing the walls of the hospital collapse from a bomb is just...oof. Dead kids and friends getting bombed; this documentary is 100% of the “the least we can do is bear witness” kind.
Honeyland, 07 February 2020, streamed via Hulu
Well, this movie is gorgeous. I really like that there’s no voiceover--we’re just...watching. I have no idea how the filmmakers made this movie, because seriously, a close-up shot of an elderly woman in a hut by candlelight? How? Anyway, by the end of the film, I was so invested I ended up yelling at the neighbors through my TV.
The Edge of Democracy, 07 February 2020, streamed via Netflix
“I feel our democracy was nothing but a short-lived dream.” Nope, no parallels to what’s going on in America AT ALL, like say the impeachment of a president of a corrupt government, thanks, Brazil for the warning. This was pretty interesting as a history, but the voiceover from the filmmaker sort of robbed it of something, though I’m not sure what.
Oscar Shorts: : Live Action, 08 February 2020, Cinemark Colonel Glenn 18
Four well-crafted films featuring kidnapping, terrorist families, child murder, and drug-running. One well-crafted and heart-warming comedic film about the ups and downs of life. Yup, this seems like a legit set of Oscar shorts.
Oscar Shorts: Animation, 08 February 2020, Cinemark Colonel Glenn 18
They also included a few “Highly Commended,” which they usually do to fill in some time, for some reason.
- Henrietta Bulkowski
- The Bird and the Whale
- Hors Piste
- Maestro No offense to this one--the animation looked quite good--but I left when this started because I had been in the theatre for four hours and I was done being there.
American Factory, 08 February 2020, streamed via Netflix
Car factory student exchange! This was a pretty sweet story if you think about it as making friends from other cultures. It’s a pretty sad story when you think about it as a stark portrayal of decaying American industries. But also, a great watch.
The Cave, 09 February 2020, streamed via Hulu
Not that either of them are unworthy of a nomination, but between this movie, For Sama, and various documentaries, long and short, in the past few years, I feel like we’ve gotten a LOT of films about the Syrian war. They’re always well-done and thought-provoking, but one starts to wonder if those nominating have a bit of an obsession. (There are other humanitarian crises, guys.) It’s also worth noting that both The Cave and For Sama focus on civilian hospitals. The most notable difference in this film, though, is its number of women doctors--I don’t recall seeing any in For Sama. This movie, however, lacks framing, which I think poses a problem for the audience. There’s a lack of specificity that prevents folks from fully grasping the situation.
Before the Flood, 12 February 2020, streamed via Disney+
I showed part of this to one of my classes, as we’re researching climate change. I remain puzzled, however, about the DiCaprio-ness of it.
Harley Quinn: Birds of Prey AKA Birds of Prey (And the Fantabulous Emancipation of One Harley Quinn), 14 February 2020, Riverdale 10 VIP Cinema
Last Christmas, 22 February 2020, Blu-ray via Redbox
I am so glad Emilia Clarke has this on her reel now, because it’s a pretty perfect anti-Daenerys. BUT ALSO, Michelle Yeoh has a romantic comedy subplot and I love it. ALSO, Henry Golding can stop being charming and tap-dancey ANY SECOND NOW, okay? Anyway, I am somewhat irritated at how charming this movie is. STOP BEING LOVELY, y'goshdarn romantic comedy. I also dig that the story is about a refugee Croatian family, except...most of these actors aren’t Croatian, are they? (A good slice of my extended family is from the former Yugoslavia, so that aspect felt kind of weird.) But Emilia Clarke and Michelle Yeoh and Henry Golding are really wonderful, so good work, #LastChristmas, you did the thing you meant to do.
The Good Liar, 22 February 2020, DVD via Redbox
There is a certain charm to watching McKellen and Mirren out-act a bit of a potboiler that is somewhat beneath their talents. Also, the plot twists do not hold up at all. Best to ignore them.
Playing with Fire, 23 February 2020, DVD via Redbox
Sometimes you just need something silly. Sometimes that means you’re watching a Nickelodeon nonsense movie about attractive people doing pratfalls to pop music a lot. (And not for nothing, but I watched this entire thing and didn’t get distracted once; I wandered away from The Good Liar several times.)
21 Bridges, 23 February 2020, Blu-ray via Redbox
I remain, and perhaps will always remain, uncomfortable with narratives that glorify he-had-it-coming policing (and I watch a LOT of them, let’s be clear). So this is kind of intriguing, as Boseman’s character is first painted as one of those vigilante cops, but then the circumstances of a robbery, with revelations of police corruption, means that he is ALSO the only cop not trying to kill the perps. There are a few too many complications, but it mostly works.
A Beautiful Day in the Neighborhood, 29 February 2020, Blu-ray via Redbox
Out of everything else, I was happily rattled that they ensured the show-within-the-movie had the same slightly fuzzled image that I remember from watching when I was a kid. Between Hanks being Hanks, Hanks playing Rogers, and the plot of a cynical journalist slowly understanding how to connect with humans, this movie is a hug filled with sunshine. Also, Matthew Rhys in bunny ears, people.
29 December 2019
Movie Moments XIX: July-November 2019
Yeah, I feel way behind.
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.
The Farewell, 06 August 2019, AMC Town Center 20
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
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!
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!
02 April 2019
Movie Moments XVI: February & March 2019
Twenty-nine movies in two months! Including a good chunk of Oscar-watching.
The Wife, 01 February 2019, DVD via Redbox
You have to throw the whole husband out and start all over again, girl.
If Beale Street Could Talk, 02 February 2019, Riverdale 10 VIP Cinema
God, this movie was gorgeous. Regina King was spectacular, but damn, that soliloquy by Brian Tyree Henry in the middle should be the stuff of legends.
The Front Runner, 13 February 2019, DVD via Redbox
On one hand, it’s tough to feel sympathy for a politician who dared reporters to follow him to spot misconduct, and led them directly to his mistress. On the other hand, yeah, it is wholly awful that this marked the turning point when politicians became tabloid fodder.
At Eternity’s Gate, 13 February 2019, DVD via Redbox
Watching #AtEternitysGate and experiencing all the feelings that exist. Like, oh, #TheGoodFight has turned you into a sobbing mess, better take a break to watch this movie about VINCENT GODDAMN VAN GOGH.
The Hate U Give, 15 February 2019, DVD via Redbox
Starr’s little blond friend can go straight to hell. Anyway, I should have been emotionally prepared to watch this, but I wasn’t. This one is shaking.
Bad Times at the El Royale, 15 February 2019, DVD via Redbox
What. Was that. I mean, who wouldn’t want to listen to Cynthia Erivo sing as many, many actors you like simulate getting murdered, yeah, but what. What.
Green Book, 16 February 2019, Riverdale 10 VIP Cinema
#GreenBook is a perfectly enjoyable movie that hasn't anything revelatory to share, but happens to star two Oscar-caliber actors.
The Ballad of Buster Scruggs, 17 February 2019, streamed via Netflix
What if #Deadwood was a vaudeville tragedy?
Sorry to Bother You, 17 February 2019, DVD via Redbox
That...did not go where I expected it would go.
Minding the Gap, 18 February 2019, streamed via Hulu
This is an excellent exploration of how toxic masculinity is perpetuated through economic circumstances. And, broken families. And, violence. And, skateboarding, by the way.
Of Fathers and Sons, 18 February 2019, streamed via Amazon
This documentary was a journalist who embedded himself into Al Qaeda, and it is 100% as disturbing as you would expect. Like, we’re all, look at at those cute kids and the great relationship they have with their dads! And then it’s all indoctrination. *shiver*
Nobody’s Fool, 18 February 2019, Blu-ray via Redbox
Just let Tiffany Haddish do whatever she wants, okay? We’ll all be the better for it.
Shoplifters, 19 February 2019, streamed via Amazon
Holy crap, this Japanese movie is the most heart-rending and sweet story about a found family of criminals that I could ever have wanted. Seriously, I loved this movie. I wanted it to win the Oscar.
Can You Ever Forgive Me?, 21 February 2019, streamed via Amazon
Apparently I am not as impressed with Grumpy Melissa McCarthy as most critics? Because she was great, but...Oscar great? Hm.
Hale County This Morning, This Evening, 22 February 2019, streamed via PBS
This is a gorgeous documentary about the everyday life of a somewhat impoverished neighborhood that is largely populated by Black folks. It doesn’t so much have a narrative as it has a melody. (Also, there is a long sequence where they just put the camera tripod in front of a rambunctious toddler, and it was amazing.)
Robin Hood (2018), 26 February 2019, Blu-ray via Redbox
W-who wanted this?
Fighting with My Family, 02 March 2019, Rave Colonel Glenn 18
So I have always had a non-resentment towards the WWE, and after watching a couple of classic matches with an ex a few years ago, I have honestly developed a serious respect for it as a performative lifestyle. ALSO, this movie was really sweet and a pretty classic sports movie that delightfully follows a young woman as she strives to conquer the wrestling scene.
What Men Want, 10 March 2019, Riverdale 10 VIP Cinema
This could have been way worse, honestly, but Taraji P Henson is fully wonderful and committed, so it was just a blast to watch her ramp up the ridiculous. Also, Aldis Hodge played the love interest. ALDIS HODGE, people.
Fantastic Beasts: The Crimes of Grindelwald, 18 March 2019, Blu-ray via Redbox Not as bad as everyone said, but certainly not good. Also, this series is dark as shit, and it angers me that it’s marketed to children.
Mortal Engines, 19 March 2019, Blu-ray via Redbox
I honestly could never quite get past the idea of predator cities, but I’d sacrifice much more than disbelief for the pleasure of Anna Fang.
Operation Finale, 20 March 2019, DVD via Redbox
I feel like this was a good movie that I nonetheless did not really engage with or care about.
A Private War, 21 March 2019, DVD via Redbox
Rosamund Pike, trying something different and wow, it does not work. I can’t tell if it’s her or it’s the movie, but this thing is a black hole when it should be provocative. (It had almost uniformly positive reviews, so it’s likely this is just Not My Kind of Movie.)
Instant Family, 22 March 2019, Blu-ray via Redbox
As someone who has never felt the urge to have biological children, this was kind of fascinating.
Free Solo, 22 March 2019, DVD via Redbox
As an agoraphobic, I am so thankful that I didn’t watch this in the theatre. Ooof.
Spider-man: Into the Spider-Verse (Alternate Universe Mode), 22 March 2019, Blu-ray
Holy crap, they had an entirely different storyline sketched out in the commentary. That is a pretty impressive DVD extra.
The Mercy, 23 March 2019, DVD via Redbox
So I didn’t know anything about this movie except it starred Rachel Weisz, Colin Firth, and a boat, and it did NOT go where I expected it to go. Geez. That was hella dark.
The Runaways, 23 March 2019, DVD via Netflix
Look, I got into this because Kristen Stewart as Joan Jett just works for me, okay? I have nothing to say about pretty much anything else in this movie, except of COURSE the soundtrack is great.
Second Act, 26 March 2019, Blu-ray via Redbox
So, this movie is exactly what all the previews promised, but also NOT AT ALL what the previews suggested. Also, it must have had, like, nine different revisions, because it has so many tonal shifts that you can actually see the seams.
Gloria Bell, 28 March 2019, Rave Colonel Glenn 18
#GloriaBell feels a lot like #TheWife, except its last ten minutes are possibly the most satisfying a movie in this genre can get.
The Wife, 01 February 2019, DVD via Redbox
You have to throw the whole husband out and start all over again, girl.
If Beale Street Could Talk, 02 February 2019, Riverdale 10 VIP Cinema
God, this movie was gorgeous. Regina King was spectacular, but damn, that soliloquy by Brian Tyree Henry in the middle should be the stuff of legends.
The Front Runner, 13 February 2019, DVD via Redbox
On one hand, it’s tough to feel sympathy for a politician who dared reporters to follow him to spot misconduct, and led them directly to his mistress. On the other hand, yeah, it is wholly awful that this marked the turning point when politicians became tabloid fodder.
At Eternity’s Gate, 13 February 2019, DVD via Redbox
Watching #AtEternitysGate and experiencing all the feelings that exist. Like, oh, #TheGoodFight has turned you into a sobbing mess, better take a break to watch this movie about VINCENT GODDAMN VAN GOGH.
The Hate U Give, 15 February 2019, DVD via Redbox
Starr’s little blond friend can go straight to hell. Anyway, I should have been emotionally prepared to watch this, but I wasn’t. This one is shaking.
Bad Times at the El Royale, 15 February 2019, DVD via Redbox
What. Was that. I mean, who wouldn’t want to listen to Cynthia Erivo sing as many, many actors you like simulate getting murdered, yeah, but what. What.
Green Book, 16 February 2019, Riverdale 10 VIP Cinema
#GreenBook is a perfectly enjoyable movie that hasn't anything revelatory to share, but happens to star two Oscar-caliber actors.
The Ballad of Buster Scruggs, 17 February 2019, streamed via Netflix
What if #Deadwood was a vaudeville tragedy?
Sorry to Bother You, 17 February 2019, DVD via Redbox
That...did not go where I expected it would go.
Minding the Gap, 18 February 2019, streamed via Hulu
This is an excellent exploration of how toxic masculinity is perpetuated through economic circumstances. And, broken families. And, violence. And, skateboarding, by the way.
Of Fathers and Sons, 18 February 2019, streamed via Amazon
This documentary was a journalist who embedded himself into Al Qaeda, and it is 100% as disturbing as you would expect. Like, we’re all, look at at those cute kids and the great relationship they have with their dads! And then it’s all indoctrination. *shiver*
Nobody’s Fool, 18 February 2019, Blu-ray via Redbox
Just let Tiffany Haddish do whatever she wants, okay? We’ll all be the better for it.
Shoplifters, 19 February 2019, streamed via Amazon
Holy crap, this Japanese movie is the most heart-rending and sweet story about a found family of criminals that I could ever have wanted. Seriously, I loved this movie. I wanted it to win the Oscar.
Can You Ever Forgive Me?, 21 February 2019, streamed via Amazon
Apparently I am not as impressed with Grumpy Melissa McCarthy as most critics? Because she was great, but...Oscar great? Hm.
Hale County This Morning, This Evening, 22 February 2019, streamed via PBS
This is a gorgeous documentary about the everyday life of a somewhat impoverished neighborhood that is largely populated by Black folks. It doesn’t so much have a narrative as it has a melody. (Also, there is a long sequence where they just put the camera tripod in front of a rambunctious toddler, and it was amazing.)
Robin Hood (2018), 26 February 2019, Blu-ray via Redbox
W-who wanted this?
Fighting with My Family, 02 March 2019, Rave Colonel Glenn 18
So I have always had a non-resentment towards the WWE, and after watching a couple of classic matches with an ex a few years ago, I have honestly developed a serious respect for it as a performative lifestyle. ALSO, this movie was really sweet and a pretty classic sports movie that delightfully follows a young woman as she strives to conquer the wrestling scene.
What Men Want, 10 March 2019, Riverdale 10 VIP Cinema
This could have been way worse, honestly, but Taraji P Henson is fully wonderful and committed, so it was just a blast to watch her ramp up the ridiculous. Also, Aldis Hodge played the love interest. ALDIS HODGE, people.
Fantastic Beasts: The Crimes of Grindelwald, 18 March 2019, Blu-ray via Redbox Not as bad as everyone said, but certainly not good. Also, this series is dark as shit, and it angers me that it’s marketed to children.
Mortal Engines, 19 March 2019, Blu-ray via Redbox
I honestly could never quite get past the idea of predator cities, but I’d sacrifice much more than disbelief for the pleasure of Anna Fang.
Operation Finale, 20 March 2019, DVD via Redbox
I feel like this was a good movie that I nonetheless did not really engage with or care about.
A Private War, 21 March 2019, DVD via Redbox
Rosamund Pike, trying something different and wow, it does not work. I can’t tell if it’s her or it’s the movie, but this thing is a black hole when it should be provocative. (It had almost uniformly positive reviews, so it’s likely this is just Not My Kind of Movie.)
Instant Family, 22 March 2019, Blu-ray via Redbox
As someone who has never felt the urge to have biological children, this was kind of fascinating.
Free Solo, 22 March 2019, DVD via Redbox
As an agoraphobic, I am so thankful that I didn’t watch this in the theatre. Ooof.
Spider-man: Into the Spider-Verse (Alternate Universe Mode), 22 March 2019, Blu-ray
Holy crap, they had an entirely different storyline sketched out in the commentary. That is a pretty impressive DVD extra.
The Mercy, 23 March 2019, DVD via Redbox
So I didn’t know anything about this movie except it starred Rachel Weisz, Colin Firth, and a boat, and it did NOT go where I expected it to go. Geez. That was hella dark.
The Runaways, 23 March 2019, DVD via Netflix
Look, I got into this because Kristen Stewart as Joan Jett just works for me, okay? I have nothing to say about pretty much anything else in this movie, except of COURSE the soundtrack is great.
Second Act, 26 March 2019, Blu-ray via Redbox
So, this movie is exactly what all the previews promised, but also NOT AT ALL what the previews suggested. Also, it must have had, like, nine different revisions, because it has so many tonal shifts that you can actually see the seams.
Gloria Bell, 28 March 2019, Rave Colonel Glenn 18
#GloriaBell feels a lot like #TheWife, except its last ten minutes are possibly the most satisfying a movie in this genre can get.
31 December 2018
Movie Moments XIV: September to December 2018
I need to keep up with my movie reviews, yeesh. But in four months: 35 movies. And 135 for 2018 in total! Not bad.
Searching, 01 September 2018, Cinemark Colonel Glenn 18
This movie is so FASCINATING. Putting aside that John Cho is excellent, the idea of having all the action taking place through mediated screens (seeing characters via webcam, via Facetime, or watching their online activity) is incredibly cool.
Frost/Nixon, 03 September 2018, DVD via university library
This feels weird to say, but #goals. This is a lovely old-fashioned sort of piece, and I thought it was cool to see all these seasoned reporters reckon with Nixon as a charismatic force.
Now You See Me 2, 03 September 2018, Blu-ray via Redbox
I mean. Mark Ruffalo.
Logan Lucky, 03 September 2018, Blu-ray via Redbox
I mean. Channing Tatum.
A Wrinkle in Time, 05 September 2018, DVD
Another watch of the movie for class--my students really enjoy it, or pretend that they do.
Avengers: Infinity War, 05 September 2018, Blu-ray
This movie is so comforting if you’re a comics reader. Like, if you aren’t familiar with comic book conventions, it’s horrifying--as was obvious by the audience the first time I saw it. Meanwhile, the comics readers were marked by their acceptance that the Snap is a totally normal and non-traumatizing way to end a movie.
Searching, 15 September 2018, AMC Classic Central City 10
I think my favorite thing about the movie is, both times I saw it, when one big clue pops up, more than one person in the audience audibly responded to it. That’s kind of magical.
ET the Extra-Terrestrial, 20 September 2018, DVD
Another watch for my class--this movie never gets less heartwarming. It’s the one the students respond to the most. Spielberg, man.
Independence Day, 28 September 2018, DVD
Another watch for my class--this movie never gets less ridiculous, but the actors are so dang solid in their work.
Colette, 13 October 2018, Riverdale 10 VIP Cinema
Keira Knightley does not give a good goddamn about her dignity whilst having numerous love scenes with folks of all genders. Bless her.
Venom, 20 October 2018, Riverdale 10 VIP Cinema
This was definitely not the movie that was advertised, but works really well as a buddy cop narrative. Kind of.
Rodents of Unusual Size, 21 October 2018, Hot Springs Documentary Film Festival
GIANT RATS ARE EATING LOUISIANA’S COASTLINE, WTF.
Whispering Truth to Power, 21 October 2018, Hot Springs Documentary Film Festival
I really enjoyed this--it was about Thuli Mandonsela, a super high-profile public defender (essentially) in South Africa. It’s a great look at how one person worked to serve the people through the justice system after apartheid.
The Heat: A Kitchen (R)evolution, 21 October 2018, Hot Springs Documentary Film Festival
Obviously I was going to go to a screening where Edward Lee and Anita Lo would be doing a Q&A. BUT ALSO, the documentary focused on the career aspirations and tracks of several women who wanted to work in the chef business--a field that’s become pretty notorious for being pretty sexist. It was really interesting to see how the subjects coped and addressed the obstacles they faced.
Man on Fire, 22 October 2018, Hot Springs Documentary Film Festival
I made a special effort to see this one--a colleague in my network was one of the producers. That said, this is a look at the embedded racism in a small town in Texas, through the lens of a disillusioned preacher who committed suicide by setting himself on fire in order to draw attention to the issue. It’s thoughtful and kind of heart-breaking. (Also streaming for free via PBS.)
Call Her Ganda, 24 October 2018, Hot Springs Documentary Film Festival
This is an incredibly moving film about the murder of a trans woman in the Philippines by (allegedly) an American military member, and how her family, journalists, and activists fought and continued to fight to get the guy tried in a Filipino court.
Ask the Sexpert, 24 October 2018, Hot Springs Documentary Film Festival
This is an ADORABLE movie about Dr. Mahinder Watsa, a 90-plus-year-old sexologist who writes an advice column in India.
A Star is Born, 27 October 2018, Riverdale 10 VIP Cinema
This movie is so extra and I loved every minute of it. Great music, and feelings everywhere. EVERYWHERE. Lady Gaga is brilliant, and hats off to Bradley Cooper for killing it as a director in addition to the usual acting excellence.
Men in Black, 27 October 2018, streamed via Amazon
So I showed the opening scenes of this for my literature class, and then was like, okay, I’m going to watch the rest of it. Will Smith is so goddamn charming, y’all.
Night School, 03 November 2018, Cinemark Colonel Glenn 18
This was not the laugh riot I was expecting, but it was a reliable chuckler with a surprisingly heartwarming message. I really really dug the character work we got in the end.
First Man, 10 November 2018, UA Breckenridge Stadium 12
Everything about this movie was beautifully done, but it felt so long that I literally fell asleep during the frickin’ moon landing.
Arrival, 12 November 2018, DVD
Another movie for my lit class (yes, it was as fun as it might sound). Only two of my students had seen it previously, so it was SO FUN to hear the rest of them freak out when the twist was revealed.
Mr. Holmes, 18 November 2018, DVD from public library
Ian McKellen as Cranky Old Holmes was a delight. I don’t quite buy the reasoning for why he stopped detecting in the first place--it relies too heavily on Holmes not understanding human emotions--but otherwise it was a neat glimpse into the character.
Widows, 01 December 2018, Riverdale VIP Cinema
Lots of reviews called this a grittier Ocean’s 8, and I’m not mad about that. This movie is glorious and kind of mean, which actually made it more glorious.
Bohemian Rhapsody, 08 December 2018, Riverdale VIP Cinema
Just as extra as A Star is Born, but with songs that mostly made me want to watch a lot of actually Queen on YouTube. Is that mission accomplished?
BlacKkKlansman, 09 December 2018, DVD via Redbox
Okay, this is way funnier than I expected it to be, which is totally unfair. Great work by Washington and Driver. The use of actual footage of recent events was a sharp touch, and also felt horrible (intentionally).
Kin, 09 December 2018, DVD via Redbox
This is a 100% “oh, okay, cool” sort of movie, and then at the very end, BOOM, surprise Michael B Jordan. Apparently he was one of the producers on this movie, which is adorable and makes me like the movie about 3% more in hindsight. (It wasn’t a bad movie by any means--it just wasn’t filled with anything particularly note-worthy. Interesting plot, solid acting, good character work.)
First Reformed, 09 December 2018, DVD via Redbox
WHAT. WAS. THAT. ENDING.
Men in Black II, 11 December 2018, DVD via public library
Had I watched this before? No idea, but everything felt nicely familiar. Will Smith continues to be Will Smith, Rosario Dawson isn’t quite Rosario Dawson yet but almost, and this must have been fairly satisfying to folks who loved the first movie.
Men in Black III, 11 December 2018, DVD via public library
I had absolutely not seen this movie yet, and WOOOOOO it was a fun one. I mean, time travel paradoxes are generally a joy to untangle, so I dug it.
The Favourite, 12 December 2018, Riverdale 10 VIP Cinema
This movie is vicious and vulgar and gorgeous and absurd, and I loved it, and I have no idea to whom I would recommend it.
The Age of Adaline, 20 December 2018, streamed via Amazon
Or, rich white dude doesn’t understand that some ladies have boundaries. Like, I think this was supposed to be romantic? But instead I spent most of it like, GET AWAY FROM BLAKE LIVELY, YOU CREEP.
Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon, 22 December 2018, streamed via Amazon
I hadn’t watched this in YEARS and it is just as achey and heartbreaking as I remembered.
Creed II, 28 December 2018, Jurupa Stadium 14
"This is why she left us."
I mean, daaaaaaaang.
A Simple Favor, 29 December 2018, Blu-ray via Redbox
I love this movie so much. Anna Kendrick and Blake Lively are acting in completely different genres. It’s so weird. I mean, how else can you describe “murder mystery starring Anna Kendrick set to French pop music”? Also, what is up with Stephanie and inappropriate hook-ups after funerals? Girrrrrrl.
Searching, 01 September 2018, Cinemark Colonel Glenn 18
This movie is so FASCINATING. Putting aside that John Cho is excellent, the idea of having all the action taking place through mediated screens (seeing characters via webcam, via Facetime, or watching their online activity) is incredibly cool.
Frost/Nixon, 03 September 2018, DVD via university library
This feels weird to say, but #goals. This is a lovely old-fashioned sort of piece, and I thought it was cool to see all these seasoned reporters reckon with Nixon as a charismatic force.
Now You See Me 2, 03 September 2018, Blu-ray via Redbox
I mean. Mark Ruffalo.
Logan Lucky, 03 September 2018, Blu-ray via Redbox
I mean. Channing Tatum.
A Wrinkle in Time, 05 September 2018, DVD
Another watch of the movie for class--my students really enjoy it, or pretend that they do.
Avengers: Infinity War, 05 September 2018, Blu-ray
This movie is so comforting if you’re a comics reader. Like, if you aren’t familiar with comic book conventions, it’s horrifying--as was obvious by the audience the first time I saw it. Meanwhile, the comics readers were marked by their acceptance that the Snap is a totally normal and non-traumatizing way to end a movie.
Searching, 15 September 2018, AMC Classic Central City 10
I think my favorite thing about the movie is, both times I saw it, when one big clue pops up, more than one person in the audience audibly responded to it. That’s kind of magical.
ET the Extra-Terrestrial, 20 September 2018, DVD
Another watch for my class--this movie never gets less heartwarming. It’s the one the students respond to the most. Spielberg, man.
Independence Day, 28 September 2018, DVD
Another watch for my class--this movie never gets less ridiculous, but the actors are so dang solid in their work.
Colette, 13 October 2018, Riverdale 10 VIP Cinema
Keira Knightley does not give a good goddamn about her dignity whilst having numerous love scenes with folks of all genders. Bless her.
Venom, 20 October 2018, Riverdale 10 VIP Cinema
This was definitely not the movie that was advertised, but works really well as a buddy cop narrative. Kind of.
Rodents of Unusual Size, 21 October 2018, Hot Springs Documentary Film Festival
GIANT RATS ARE EATING LOUISIANA’S COASTLINE, WTF.
Whispering Truth to Power, 21 October 2018, Hot Springs Documentary Film Festival
I really enjoyed this--it was about Thuli Mandonsela, a super high-profile public defender (essentially) in South Africa. It’s a great look at how one person worked to serve the people through the justice system after apartheid.
The Heat: A Kitchen (R)evolution, 21 October 2018, Hot Springs Documentary Film Festival
Obviously I was going to go to a screening where Edward Lee and Anita Lo would be doing a Q&A. BUT ALSO, the documentary focused on the career aspirations and tracks of several women who wanted to work in the chef business--a field that’s become pretty notorious for being pretty sexist. It was really interesting to see how the subjects coped and addressed the obstacles they faced.
Man on Fire, 22 October 2018, Hot Springs Documentary Film Festival
I made a special effort to see this one--a colleague in my network was one of the producers. That said, this is a look at the embedded racism in a small town in Texas, through the lens of a disillusioned preacher who committed suicide by setting himself on fire in order to draw attention to the issue. It’s thoughtful and kind of heart-breaking. (Also streaming for free via PBS.)
Call Her Ganda, 24 October 2018, Hot Springs Documentary Film Festival
This is an incredibly moving film about the murder of a trans woman in the Philippines by (allegedly) an American military member, and how her family, journalists, and activists fought and continued to fight to get the guy tried in a Filipino court.
Ask the Sexpert, 24 October 2018, Hot Springs Documentary Film Festival
This is an ADORABLE movie about Dr. Mahinder Watsa, a 90-plus-year-old sexologist who writes an advice column in India.
A Star is Born, 27 October 2018, Riverdale 10 VIP Cinema
This movie is so extra and I loved every minute of it. Great music, and feelings everywhere. EVERYWHERE. Lady Gaga is brilliant, and hats off to Bradley Cooper for killing it as a director in addition to the usual acting excellence.
Men in Black, 27 October 2018, streamed via Amazon
So I showed the opening scenes of this for my literature class, and then was like, okay, I’m going to watch the rest of it. Will Smith is so goddamn charming, y’all.
Night School, 03 November 2018, Cinemark Colonel Glenn 18
This was not the laugh riot I was expecting, but it was a reliable chuckler with a surprisingly heartwarming message. I really really dug the character work we got in the end.
First Man, 10 November 2018, UA Breckenridge Stadium 12
Everything about this movie was beautifully done, but it felt so long that I literally fell asleep during the frickin’ moon landing.
Arrival, 12 November 2018, DVD
Another movie for my lit class (yes, it was as fun as it might sound). Only two of my students had seen it previously, so it was SO FUN to hear the rest of them freak out when the twist was revealed.
Mr. Holmes, 18 November 2018, DVD from public library
Ian McKellen as Cranky Old Holmes was a delight. I don’t quite buy the reasoning for why he stopped detecting in the first place--it relies too heavily on Holmes not understanding human emotions--but otherwise it was a neat glimpse into the character.
Widows, 01 December 2018, Riverdale VIP Cinema
Lots of reviews called this a grittier Ocean’s 8, and I’m not mad about that. This movie is glorious and kind of mean, which actually made it more glorious.
Bohemian Rhapsody, 08 December 2018, Riverdale VIP Cinema
Just as extra as A Star is Born, but with songs that mostly made me want to watch a lot of actually Queen on YouTube. Is that mission accomplished?
BlacKkKlansman, 09 December 2018, DVD via Redbox
Okay, this is way funnier than I expected it to be, which is totally unfair. Great work by Washington and Driver. The use of actual footage of recent events was a sharp touch, and also felt horrible (intentionally).
Kin, 09 December 2018, DVD via Redbox
This is a 100% “oh, okay, cool” sort of movie, and then at the very end, BOOM, surprise Michael B Jordan. Apparently he was one of the producers on this movie, which is adorable and makes me like the movie about 3% more in hindsight. (It wasn’t a bad movie by any means--it just wasn’t filled with anything particularly note-worthy. Interesting plot, solid acting, good character work.)
First Reformed, 09 December 2018, DVD via Redbox
WHAT. WAS. THAT. ENDING.
Men in Black II, 11 December 2018, DVD via public library
Had I watched this before? No idea, but everything felt nicely familiar. Will Smith continues to be Will Smith, Rosario Dawson isn’t quite Rosario Dawson yet but almost, and this must have been fairly satisfying to folks who loved the first movie.
Men in Black III, 11 December 2018, DVD via public library
I had absolutely not seen this movie yet, and WOOOOOO it was a fun one. I mean, time travel paradoxes are generally a joy to untangle, so I dug it.
The Favourite, 12 December 2018, Riverdale 10 VIP Cinema
This movie is vicious and vulgar and gorgeous and absurd, and I loved it, and I have no idea to whom I would recommend it.
The Age of Adaline, 20 December 2018, streamed via Amazon
Or, rich white dude doesn’t understand that some ladies have boundaries. Like, I think this was supposed to be romantic? But instead I spent most of it like, GET AWAY FROM BLAKE LIVELY, YOU CREEP.
Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon, 22 December 2018, streamed via Amazon
I hadn’t watched this in YEARS and it is just as achey and heartbreaking as I remembered.
Creed II, 28 December 2018, Jurupa Stadium 14
"This is why she left us."
I mean, daaaaaaaang.
A Simple Favor, 29 December 2018, Blu-ray via Redbox
I love this movie so much. Anna Kendrick and Blake Lively are acting in completely different genres. It’s so weird. I mean, how else can you describe “murder mystery starring Anna Kendrick set to French pop music”? Also, what is up with Stephanie and inappropriate hook-ups after funerals? Girrrrrrl.
01 March 2018
Movie Moments XI: February 2018
Twenty for the month!
Victoria and Abdul, 01 February 2018, DVD via Redbox
I have complicated feelings about the Commonwealth, being I was born into it. (My Canadian passport bears a note saying I can take refuge in a British embassy should the need arise.) But colonialism is straight-up oppression, and Pax Britannia was built on the backs of black and brown folk, so I was wary of any traces of “the exotic Orient.” I was glad the movie leaned more towards “white folk, AMIRITE,” and “Victoria is cantankerous.” And Abdul’s open-hearted, naive joy was helpfully countered by Mohammed’s snarky resignation. (Mohammed is given the best and most searing scene in the entire film, in fact.) But, my dudes, “look how nonsense these racists are” doesn’t actually alleviate having to listen to people being racist.
Marshall, 02 February 2018, DVD via Redbox
A jaunty period soundtrack is hella dissonant when underscoring the life and times of Thurgood Marshall. (With cameo appearances by Langston Hughes and Zora Neale Hurston, y’all!) However: Chadwick Boseman, damn. And Josh Gad is at his Josh Gaddiest, which is fine. Kate Hudson continues her run on playing soulless characters.
I, Tonya, 03 February 2018, UA Breckenridge Stadium 12
This movie wants to make sure we know how clever everything is, which sort of made me feel less stoked about it. But Margot Robbie and Allison Janney are spectacular, and Sebastian Stan is doing something interesting. Oh, for folks who need a trigger warning, there is a ton of domestic violence in this. (I didn’t know much of Harding’s biography, so I wasn’t aware that would be a part of the story.)
Mudbound, 03 February 2018, streamed via Netflix
“My hand did these things, but I was never easy in my mind.” This is a stunning and quiet movie.
Abacus: Small Enough to Jail, 07 February 2018, streamed via Amazon Prime
It’s no coincidence that the only bank facing criminal charges after the “too big to fail” economic crisis was a small Chinese-owned institution. It is not mere happenstance these folks were subjected to humiliation as a sop to public outcry.
Icarus, 08 February 2018, streamed via Netflix
This is a wild ride. What began, as many reviews noted, as the Tour de France version of Super-size Me, quickly transmutes into a tale of an ex-con trying to evade Putin-hired assassins while testifying to Olympic authorities. Like, dude. Duuuuuuude.
Loving Vincent, 08 February 2018, streamed via Amazon Video
Given how outstanding the animation is--hand-painted with oils largely in the style of Van Gogh--it’s easy enough to be gracious about the lightweight story. The son of Van Gogh’s postman embarks on a quest to deliver the artist’s final letter to someone close to him, and ends up interviewing a ton of village folks, as if trying to prove Van Gogh’s suicide was really a murder. But it’s of a piece with Doctor Who’s Van Gogh: Folks unable, incapable of understanding how someone who seemed happy could in fact be so desperately, brokenly sad.
Darkest Hour, 11 February 2018, AMC Classic Central City 10
The shot composition in #DarkestHour is OUTSTANDING. (Though some of the narrative tension in the movie deflates, given that about 93% of the audience saw #Dunkirk this summer.) The lighting during the first meeting with the king, especially, was memorable, but pretty much every scene was pristine.
And Oldman is, as expected, great. He’s sort of the inverse of Daniel Day-Lewis for me--I can’t watch him in a movie without being aware Daniel Day-Lewis Is Acting, whereas with Oldman, I often stutter out of a scene because I keep realizing Gary Oldman has disappeared and been replaced with his character. It’s remarkable.
The Florida Project, 12 February 2018, streamed via Amazon Video
Rather than the magical realism of Beasts of the Southern Wild, we’ve got some heartbreaking cinéma vérité in Orlando, but still largely through the eyes of youngsters living in precarity. It’s a great showcase of Willem Dafoe being entirely upstaged by a trio of six-year-olds.
I MEAN, SERIOUSLY.
Last Men in Aleppo, 13 February 2018, streamed via Netflix
Last year’s winning Oscar documentary short, White Helmets, was about the war in Syria, so the style and focus of this movie weren’t surprising. That said, it’s still striking, and disheartening, to watch the White Helmets as they stare up into the sky, trying to ascertain where the next missile is going to land. And the end is shaking.
Wasted!, 14 February 2018, streamed via Amazon Video
Watched in my FYW class over three days. Still funny. Still educational.
Roman J. Israel, Esq., 14 February 2018, DVD via Redbox
So, like...who is this movie for? Because for folks who are already aware of the procedural injustices baked into the justice system, this is all unsurprising. For folks looking for a solid Denzel Washington vehicle, he’s good. I mean, he’s just the Sheldon Cooper of the criminal justice system, but it’s a change of pace, I suppose. (We had this talk about Meryl Streep last year, y’all--just because they’re in a movie doesn’t mean they should be granted an Oscar nomination.) And I guess this movie will hook upper-middle-class white folks who like telling POCs how much they love Denzel?
Clearly Get Out is still murmuring in the back of my mind.
Anyway, we should have a conversation sometime about the projects Colin Farrell is taking on, because something fascinating is going on there.
Harry Potter and the Sorcerer’s Stone, 15 February 2018, streamed via Amazon Video
Hogwarts, as an educational institution, is nonsense.
Wonder, 15 February 2018, Blu-ray via Redbox
Adolescence is brutal, y’all. Anyway, spoiler alert: Heart-warming, in ways I honestly didn’t expect. With bonus Daveed Diggs!
Geostorm, 15 February 2018, Blu-ray via Redbox
I’ve been watching Oscar movies for a MONTH, people. I needed a palate cleanser. This movie is aggressively not good, but I do kind of have to applaud their commitment to “Have you tried turning it off and on again?” None of that reverse polarities hokum here, no sirree.
Black Panther, 17 February 2018, UA Breckenridge Stadium 12
Y’ALL. This movie is 1000% as amazing as anticipated. The theatre was packed, and we were all SO HAPPY.
Captain America: Civil War, 17 February 2018, streaming via Netflix
I couldn’t watch Black Panther in my living room, so I settled for the next best thing.
The Greatest Showman, 24 February 2018, Cinemark Colonel Glenn 18
Oscar time is closing in! I, obviously, have not been dying to see this movie, despite my love for Hugh Jackman and Michelle Williams. #GreatestShowman, in the end, is pretty shallow, but the set-pieces are dazzling. The Jackman/ZEfron and the Zendaya/ZEfron trapeze numbers, particularly, plus the sweep of "This Is Me."
The Breadwinner, 24 February 2018, streamed via Netflix
“Raise your words, not your voice. It is rain that makes the flowers grow, not thunder.” This is so lovely. Melancholy.
Interstellar, 24 February 2018, DVD via public library
I’m of the belief that every Nolan movie is a Batman AU, and given that NASA turns out to be housed in an underground cavern here, I find my faith rewarded. Also, I really want to rewatch Contact now.
Victoria and Abdul, 01 February 2018, DVD via Redbox
I have complicated feelings about the Commonwealth, being I was born into it. (My Canadian passport bears a note saying I can take refuge in a British embassy should the need arise.) But colonialism is straight-up oppression, and Pax Britannia was built on the backs of black and brown folk, so I was wary of any traces of “the exotic Orient.” I was glad the movie leaned more towards “white folk, AMIRITE,” and “Victoria is cantankerous.” And Abdul’s open-hearted, naive joy was helpfully countered by Mohammed’s snarky resignation. (Mohammed is given the best and most searing scene in the entire film, in fact.) But, my dudes, “look how nonsense these racists are” doesn’t actually alleviate having to listen to people being racist.
Marshall, 02 February 2018, DVD via Redbox
A jaunty period soundtrack is hella dissonant when underscoring the life and times of Thurgood Marshall. (With cameo appearances by Langston Hughes and Zora Neale Hurston, y’all!) However: Chadwick Boseman, damn. And Josh Gad is at his Josh Gaddiest, which is fine. Kate Hudson continues her run on playing soulless characters.
I, Tonya, 03 February 2018, UA Breckenridge Stadium 12
This movie wants to make sure we know how clever everything is, which sort of made me feel less stoked about it. But Margot Robbie and Allison Janney are spectacular, and Sebastian Stan is doing something interesting. Oh, for folks who need a trigger warning, there is a ton of domestic violence in this. (I didn’t know much of Harding’s biography, so I wasn’t aware that would be a part of the story.)
Mudbound, 03 February 2018, streamed via Netflix
“My hand did these things, but I was never easy in my mind.” This is a stunning and quiet movie.
Abacus: Small Enough to Jail, 07 February 2018, streamed via Amazon Prime
It’s no coincidence that the only bank facing criminal charges after the “too big to fail” economic crisis was a small Chinese-owned institution. It is not mere happenstance these folks were subjected to humiliation as a sop to public outcry.
Icarus, 08 February 2018, streamed via Netflix
This is a wild ride. What began, as many reviews noted, as the Tour de France version of Super-size Me, quickly transmutes into a tale of an ex-con trying to evade Putin-hired assassins while testifying to Olympic authorities. Like, dude. Duuuuuuude.
Loving Vincent, 08 February 2018, streamed via Amazon Video
Given how outstanding the animation is--hand-painted with oils largely in the style of Van Gogh--it’s easy enough to be gracious about the lightweight story. The son of Van Gogh’s postman embarks on a quest to deliver the artist’s final letter to someone close to him, and ends up interviewing a ton of village folks, as if trying to prove Van Gogh’s suicide was really a murder. But it’s of a piece with Doctor Who’s Van Gogh: Folks unable, incapable of understanding how someone who seemed happy could in fact be so desperately, brokenly sad.
Darkest Hour, 11 February 2018, AMC Classic Central City 10
The shot composition in #DarkestHour is OUTSTANDING. (Though some of the narrative tension in the movie deflates, given that about 93% of the audience saw #Dunkirk this summer.) The lighting during the first meeting with the king, especially, was memorable, but pretty much every scene was pristine.
And Oldman is, as expected, great. He’s sort of the inverse of Daniel Day-Lewis for me--I can’t watch him in a movie without being aware Daniel Day-Lewis Is Acting, whereas with Oldman, I often stutter out of a scene because I keep realizing Gary Oldman has disappeared and been replaced with his character. It’s remarkable.
The Florida Project, 12 February 2018, streamed via Amazon Video
Rather than the magical realism of Beasts of the Southern Wild, we’ve got some heartbreaking cinéma vérité in Orlando, but still largely through the eyes of youngsters living in precarity. It’s a great showcase of Willem Dafoe being entirely upstaged by a trio of six-year-olds.
Last Men in Aleppo, 13 February 2018, streamed via Netflix
Last year’s winning Oscar documentary short, White Helmets, was about the war in Syria, so the style and focus of this movie weren’t surprising. That said, it’s still striking, and disheartening, to watch the White Helmets as they stare up into the sky, trying to ascertain where the next missile is going to land. And the end is shaking.
Wasted!, 14 February 2018, streamed via Amazon Video
Watched in my FYW class over three days. Still funny. Still educational.
Roman J. Israel, Esq., 14 February 2018, DVD via Redbox
So, like...who is this movie for? Because for folks who are already aware of the procedural injustices baked into the justice system, this is all unsurprising. For folks looking for a solid Denzel Washington vehicle, he’s good. I mean, he’s just the Sheldon Cooper of the criminal justice system, but it’s a change of pace, I suppose. (We had this talk about Meryl Streep last year, y’all--just because they’re in a movie doesn’t mean they should be granted an Oscar nomination.) And I guess this movie will hook upper-middle-class white folks who like telling POCs how much they love Denzel?
Clearly Get Out is still murmuring in the back of my mind.
Anyway, we should have a conversation sometime about the projects Colin Farrell is taking on, because something fascinating is going on there.
Harry Potter and the Sorcerer’s Stone, 15 February 2018, streamed via Amazon Video
Hogwarts, as an educational institution, is nonsense.
Wonder, 15 February 2018, Blu-ray via Redbox
Adolescence is brutal, y’all. Anyway, spoiler alert: Heart-warming, in ways I honestly didn’t expect. With bonus Daveed Diggs!
Geostorm, 15 February 2018, Blu-ray via Redbox
I’ve been watching Oscar movies for a MONTH, people. I needed a palate cleanser. This movie is aggressively not good, but I do kind of have to applaud their commitment to “Have you tried turning it off and on again?” None of that reverse polarities hokum here, no sirree.
Black Panther, 17 February 2018, UA Breckenridge Stadium 12
Y’ALL. This movie is 1000% as amazing as anticipated. The theatre was packed, and we were all SO HAPPY.
Captain America: Civil War, 17 February 2018, streaming via Netflix
I couldn’t watch Black Panther in my living room, so I settled for the next best thing.
The Greatest Showman, 24 February 2018, Cinemark Colonel Glenn 18
Oscar time is closing in! I, obviously, have not been dying to see this movie, despite my love for Hugh Jackman and Michelle Williams. #GreatestShowman, in the end, is pretty shallow, but the set-pieces are dazzling. The Jackman/ZEfron and the Zendaya/ZEfron trapeze numbers, particularly, plus the sweep of "This Is Me."
The Breadwinner, 24 February 2018, streamed via Netflix
“Raise your words, not your voice. It is rain that makes the flowers grow, not thunder.” This is so lovely. Melancholy.
Interstellar, 24 February 2018, DVD via public library
I’m of the belief that every Nolan movie is a Batman AU, and given that NASA turns out to be housed in an underground cavern here, I find my faith rewarded. Also, I really want to rewatch Contact now.
04 December 2017
Movie Moments IX: November
Twenty-two for November!
War for the Planet of the Apes, 03 November 2017, Blu-ray via RedBox
"I save myself."
"Is there anything left of you to save?"
These movies are stupendously good, y’all. I do wonder, though, how folks in the Deaf community experience the movie. Most of the dialogue is in sign language, but the CGI scenes are dark enough that I suspect it would be difficult to follow. Plus, what little I’ve seen indicates that some words are legible, but the overall use doesn't quite correlate to ASL. Hm!
I'm still impressed with how expressive Caesar-as-CGI is. There's an intensity of soul that I find more affecting than in most non-CGI lead actors. Kudos to Serkis and the team of wizards.
Thor: Ragnarok (3D), 04 November 2017, AMC Classic Central City 10
I wish there were more women, and apparently Asgard only contains, like, 350 people. I literally groaned aloud when Strange appeared, and I'm sad Thor’s old team was dispatched without ceremony.
All that aside: THIS MOVIE IS SO FUN. So, so, so fun. Also, Loki is a genuinely awful antihero who's been woobified way too much, but Tom Hiddleston's saunter, man. I am weak. Like, they could have had an additional 20 minutes of Loki and the Last Valkyrie power striding on the bifrost, if I had my way.
Monuments Men, 04 November 2017, DVD via university library
A movie about Cate Blanchett’s character would have been awesome. Like, a psychological thriller of Matt Damon, art curator, trying to get possible-quisling, possible-Resistance agent Cate Blanchett to reveal Nazi art smuggling routes? I want THAT movie.
The Imitation Game, 04 November 2017, DVD via public library
Someone call me when Benedict Cumberbatch finally plays against type.
Gasland, 06 November 2017, streamed via Amazon
For one of my writing classes I’m using Fracture: Essays, Poems, and Stories on Fracking in America as our reader, so we watched this in three parts. It’s actually excellent text if you want to talk about research, because Josh Fox, the filmmaker, details pretty clearly how he went about doing investigation. There are a number of sequences of him just trying to get corporation representatives to sit down in the same room with him and a camera. (In one really fun scene, one executive rapidly backs out of the conference room as they see the camera and realize what the meeting is actually about.) And a lot of it is Fox being rejected, over and over, via voicemail, in contrast to the interviews he conducts with the folks who are being directly affected by fracking. (Even if you don’t know anything else about the film, you’ve probably seen the snippet of him lighting someone’s tap water on fire, which was the main feature of the documentary trailers.) As a narrative device, this works great: we, as an audience, are learning about fracking at the same time he is (or so it seems). The one major issue I have--and it’s possibly a silly one--is the mumblecore monotone Fox uses to narrate. It’s like he really, really wanted to sound like Werner Herzog, but couldn’t quite infuse his voice with the same conviction that Herzog manages. It’s...off-putting.
The Queen, 11 November 2017, DVD via public library
I remember seeing the news about Princess Diana's death and crying, really crying in my bedroom. My mom found me and gave me a hug, murmuring about how it was very sad, and how Diana had tried to do good in the world. (I'm actually crying now, thinking about it, which is odd.) I was too young to be cognizant of the context, so I can barely contrast the movie with the events proper. I am fascinated by the juxtaposition of personal turmoil and state-appropriate grief.
Jupiter Ascending, 11 November 2017, DVD via Netflix
The Wachowskis don't do anything half-measure do they? This movie is lush and imaginative, and Channing Tatum is somehow talking in an entirely different cadence, and I'm not surprised folks were completely weirded out by this movie, because what is happening in this movie? What is going on? (Still more satisfying than the Divergent trilogy. Actually, Mila Kunis would be perfect for a YA sci-fi romp. Someone make that happen immediately.) What glorious and incoherent nonsense.
THESE COSTUMES, THOUGH.
The Big Short, 12 November 2017, DVD via university library
This is the most expensive educational film made to show college sophomore economics classes ever made.
The Incredible Hulk, 13 November 2017, streaming via HBO Now
Weirdly, I had never watched this before (nor the Bana version), even though I am pretty sure I own it on DVD. I appreciate that the movie just dives right in without running us through yet another origin story. And it could just be I’ve accustomed myself to Ruffalo’s interpretation, but Norton's Banner is a bit too squirrelly for my tastes. This is sort of dissatisfying as all the individual MCU movies are, in that the titular hero is just fighting an evil version of themselves. Ah, well. I will imagine Betty, Jane, and Pepper get together for wine night once a month, because OF COURSE THEY DO. (Do I have to write this? I’ll write it if I must.)
Justice League (3D), 18 November 2017, Cinemark Colonel Glenn 18
I mean, it didn't suck? Though, as much as I appreciate Gal Gadot’s ass, I didn't really see a need for so many shots of it. Anyway, can confirm I did, in fact, cry through all the Amazon battle scenes.
American Hustle, 18 November 2017, DVD via university library
The real winner of this movie is whoever had the lightbulb moment about everyone's hair, because that's really all the audience can really focus on for the first half of the movie. By about two-thirds through the movie, I started to suspect the movie wouldn't end with JLaw's and Amy Adams's characters making out, and I was QUITE MIFFED. And then THEY DID.
I LEGIT THOUGHT THEY WERE JUST GOING TO TEASE US HERE.
Murder on the Orient Express, 19 November 2017, AMC Classic Central City 10
I am leery about any movie involving Johnny Depp nowadays, but Leslie Odom Jr is in this, too, so. In any case, it's a gorgeous movie with some fascinating camerawork (the overhead shots, zow), and I actually had never read this particular book, so the denouement was pretty fun.
This Means War, 21 November 2017, DVD via public library
What I’m learning from this movie is I’d really be interested in watching a Reese Witherspoon action movie. Also, Tom Hardy doing comedy is pretty disconcerting, while Chris Pine seems right at home. ALSO also, the movie clearly and immediately establishes Hardy/Pine is the REAL OTP. But nice try at making massive violations of a woman's privacy a romantic comedy, I guess? (It is entertaining, but I chalk that up to the undeniable charisma of the actors.)
Capote, 22 November 2017, DVD via public library
This is such a quiet movie, but it's difficult to look away from it. Most striking are the brief scenes of Capote holding court at parties, all jagged stories and sparkling wit. And we never see the beginnings or ends of tales, making those moments unsettling, in contrast with Capote as interviewer, as observer, as writer, as friend. (Early-ish in the movie, one of the murderers calls the other “mendacious,” but the word only resonates once we get a clearer glimpse of Capote's skillful and somewhat horrifying ability to manipulate.) And Keener as Harper Lee is wonderful--I would love to see a flipped version of this movie, focused on her experience in this handful of years.
Valerian and the City of a Thousand Planets, 23 November 2017, Blu-ray via RedBox
I wasn't sure what to expect, but the opening montage set to Bowie and the act of ceremonial greetings over centuries is really lovely. And then a longish CGI sequence of an alien civilization under sudden attack, which was entrancing. And then directly to a shot of Cara Delevingne’s bikini-clad ass and our two protagonists “bantering” about their “sexual tension” that ends with Laureline telling Valerian her heart would be won by a dude who would, I kid you not, “erase his playlist for me.”
I just. I can't. And to be entirely fair, the world-building is spectacular. They just could have introduced their leads (who read more as precocious teenagers than the uber-competent agents they're supposed to be, and it is entirely because of their hair-styling) in a hundred different ways that would have been interesting and not gross.
Also, there's an interlude with Rihanna doing burlesque, and then reciting Verlaine's poetry, and I have no idea how to parse it. I DO NOT UNDERSTAND WHAT THIS MOVIE IS BUT IT IS SO PRETTY. (So, pretty much every Luc Besson movie, it turns out.)
Talk to Me, 23 November 2017, DVD via public library
I wasn't sure what this movie was about, but I can't really argue with this cast.
I MEAN, SERIOUSLY.
I actually felt like it could have used a longer runtime--we see Petey’s success escalate almost exponentially, but the conflict between him and Dewey, and him and Vernell, needed development. The fight after the Tonight Show should’ve landed more sharply than the blunt actuality. What we get, though, is great--plus Taraji P Henson's playing proto-Cookie as Vernell.
Get On Up: The James Brown Story, 24 November 2017, DVD via public library
What with Black Panther coming up, I figured it would behoove me to get familiar with Chadwick Boseman. And he's pretty amazing here, along with Viola Davis, Nelsan Ellis (RIP), and Octavia Spencer. And I really loved the way scenes ricocheted from era to era. The breaking of the fourth wall was uncomfortable but interesting from a narrative standpoint--to what extent is the film itself influenced by our titular character, and to what extent is the movie constructed by him in the role of an unreliable narrator? (That scene of the boys fighting each other blindfolded for the amusement of rich people, set to that jaunty band, is possibly the most horrifying thing I’ve watched all year.) Side note: since I watched Talk to Me the day previous, with Petey Green opening a concert after the assassination of MLK Jr, it was kind of neat to see the James Brown side of the concert.
Step, 25 November 2017, DVD via RedBox
This is so lovely. It follows the arc of a Baltimore high school step team as they go on competition, but it focuses on three young women applying to college, and their struggle as they try to raise their GPA, or find enough funding, or get into a school where they can still help their families. The most heartbreaking scene was one young woman worrying, close to the end of the month, about whether they had enough food to sustain her six-year-old nephew. (Oof.) Largely, though, this is affirming, plus showcases some pretty damn excellent step routines.
Focus, 26 November 2017, DVD via Netflix
Can you imagine seeing Will Smith and Margot Robbie in this movie and then being excited to see Suicide Squad? That isn't to say they have chemistry, actually, but just borderline reality that if either one of these two came at you with intent, you'd run with it.
In any case, if you like Will Smith or heist movies, you’ll probably enjoy this.
La Vie en Rose, 26 November 2017, DVD via public library
I honestly know nothing about Edith Piaf, but the movie adhered to the rags-to-riches musician formula, and Marion Cotillard was wonderful, as everyone knew already. I will say, though, that the non-linear storytelling got old after a while, even though I do think it could have been an effective device, as I've previously noted in my Get On Up review. But by the time we reached the end of the Marcel sequence--which, to be fair, was a superb scene--I found myself wondering when this would end already.
SO PRETTY, THOUGH.
Bridge of Spies, 26 November 2017, DVD via public library
This is a pretty terrifying cautionary tale that is so far going unheeded.
War of the Worlds, 30 November 2017, DVD via public library
This might not have been the intent, but I would absolutely watch a movie about the mostly-amicable dissolution of the marriage of Tom Cruise’s and Miranda Otto’s characters. Seriously, this movie is hella good. Terrifying, but.
War for the Planet of the Apes, 03 November 2017, Blu-ray via RedBox
"I save myself."
"Is there anything left of you to save?"
These movies are stupendously good, y’all. I do wonder, though, how folks in the Deaf community experience the movie. Most of the dialogue is in sign language, but the CGI scenes are dark enough that I suspect it would be difficult to follow. Plus, what little I’ve seen indicates that some words are legible, but the overall use doesn't quite correlate to ASL. Hm!
I'm still impressed with how expressive Caesar-as-CGI is. There's an intensity of soul that I find more affecting than in most non-CGI lead actors. Kudos to Serkis and the team of wizards.
Thor: Ragnarok (3D), 04 November 2017, AMC Classic Central City 10
I wish there were more women, and apparently Asgard only contains, like, 350 people. I literally groaned aloud when Strange appeared, and I'm sad Thor’s old team was dispatched without ceremony.
All that aside: THIS MOVIE IS SO FUN. So, so, so fun. Also, Loki is a genuinely awful antihero who's been woobified way too much, but Tom Hiddleston's saunter, man. I am weak. Like, they could have had an additional 20 minutes of Loki and the Last Valkyrie power striding on the bifrost, if I had my way.
Monuments Men, 04 November 2017, DVD via university library
A movie about Cate Blanchett’s character would have been awesome. Like, a psychological thriller of Matt Damon, art curator, trying to get possible-quisling, possible-Resistance agent Cate Blanchett to reveal Nazi art smuggling routes? I want THAT movie.
The Imitation Game, 04 November 2017, DVD via public library
Someone call me when Benedict Cumberbatch finally plays against type.
Gasland, 06 November 2017, streamed via Amazon
For one of my writing classes I’m using Fracture: Essays, Poems, and Stories on Fracking in America as our reader, so we watched this in three parts. It’s actually excellent text if you want to talk about research, because Josh Fox, the filmmaker, details pretty clearly how he went about doing investigation. There are a number of sequences of him just trying to get corporation representatives to sit down in the same room with him and a camera. (In one really fun scene, one executive rapidly backs out of the conference room as they see the camera and realize what the meeting is actually about.) And a lot of it is Fox being rejected, over and over, via voicemail, in contrast to the interviews he conducts with the folks who are being directly affected by fracking. (Even if you don’t know anything else about the film, you’ve probably seen the snippet of him lighting someone’s tap water on fire, which was the main feature of the documentary trailers.) As a narrative device, this works great: we, as an audience, are learning about fracking at the same time he is (or so it seems). The one major issue I have--and it’s possibly a silly one--is the mumblecore monotone Fox uses to narrate. It’s like he really, really wanted to sound like Werner Herzog, but couldn’t quite infuse his voice with the same conviction that Herzog manages. It’s...off-putting.
The Queen, 11 November 2017, DVD via public library
I remember seeing the news about Princess Diana's death and crying, really crying in my bedroom. My mom found me and gave me a hug, murmuring about how it was very sad, and how Diana had tried to do good in the world. (I'm actually crying now, thinking about it, which is odd.) I was too young to be cognizant of the context, so I can barely contrast the movie with the events proper. I am fascinated by the juxtaposition of personal turmoil and state-appropriate grief.
Jupiter Ascending, 11 November 2017, DVD via Netflix
The Wachowskis don't do anything half-measure do they? This movie is lush and imaginative, and Channing Tatum is somehow talking in an entirely different cadence, and I'm not surprised folks were completely weirded out by this movie, because what is happening in this movie? What is going on? (Still more satisfying than the Divergent trilogy. Actually, Mila Kunis would be perfect for a YA sci-fi romp. Someone make that happen immediately.) What glorious and incoherent nonsense.
THESE COSTUMES, THOUGH.
The Big Short, 12 November 2017, DVD via university library
This is the most expensive educational film made to show college sophomore economics classes ever made.
The Incredible Hulk, 13 November 2017, streaming via HBO Now
Weirdly, I had never watched this before (nor the Bana version), even though I am pretty sure I own it on DVD. I appreciate that the movie just dives right in without running us through yet another origin story. And it could just be I’ve accustomed myself to Ruffalo’s interpretation, but Norton's Banner is a bit too squirrelly for my tastes. This is sort of dissatisfying as all the individual MCU movies are, in that the titular hero is just fighting an evil version of themselves. Ah, well. I will imagine Betty, Jane, and Pepper get together for wine night once a month, because OF COURSE THEY DO. (Do I have to write this? I’ll write it if I must.)
Justice League (3D), 18 November 2017, Cinemark Colonel Glenn 18
I mean, it didn't suck? Though, as much as I appreciate Gal Gadot’s ass, I didn't really see a need for so many shots of it. Anyway, can confirm I did, in fact, cry through all the Amazon battle scenes.
American Hustle, 18 November 2017, DVD via university library
The real winner of this movie is whoever had the lightbulb moment about everyone's hair, because that's really all the audience can really focus on for the first half of the movie. By about two-thirds through the movie, I started to suspect the movie wouldn't end with JLaw's and Amy Adams's characters making out, and I was QUITE MIFFED. And then THEY DID.
I LEGIT THOUGHT THEY WERE JUST GOING TO TEASE US HERE.
Murder on the Orient Express, 19 November 2017, AMC Classic Central City 10
I am leery about any movie involving Johnny Depp nowadays, but Leslie Odom Jr is in this, too, so. In any case, it's a gorgeous movie with some fascinating camerawork (the overhead shots, zow), and I actually had never read this particular book, so the denouement was pretty fun.
This Means War, 21 November 2017, DVD via public library
What I’m learning from this movie is I’d really be interested in watching a Reese Witherspoon action movie. Also, Tom Hardy doing comedy is pretty disconcerting, while Chris Pine seems right at home. ALSO also, the movie clearly and immediately establishes Hardy/Pine is the REAL OTP. But nice try at making massive violations of a woman's privacy a romantic comedy, I guess? (It is entertaining, but I chalk that up to the undeniable charisma of the actors.)
Capote, 22 November 2017, DVD via public library
This is such a quiet movie, but it's difficult to look away from it. Most striking are the brief scenes of Capote holding court at parties, all jagged stories and sparkling wit. And we never see the beginnings or ends of tales, making those moments unsettling, in contrast with Capote as interviewer, as observer, as writer, as friend. (Early-ish in the movie, one of the murderers calls the other “mendacious,” but the word only resonates once we get a clearer glimpse of Capote's skillful and somewhat horrifying ability to manipulate.) And Keener as Harper Lee is wonderful--I would love to see a flipped version of this movie, focused on her experience in this handful of years.
Valerian and the City of a Thousand Planets, 23 November 2017, Blu-ray via RedBox
I wasn't sure what to expect, but the opening montage set to Bowie and the act of ceremonial greetings over centuries is really lovely. And then a longish CGI sequence of an alien civilization under sudden attack, which was entrancing. And then directly to a shot of Cara Delevingne’s bikini-clad ass and our two protagonists “bantering” about their “sexual tension” that ends with Laureline telling Valerian her heart would be won by a dude who would, I kid you not, “erase his playlist for me.”
I just. I can't. And to be entirely fair, the world-building is spectacular. They just could have introduced their leads (who read more as precocious teenagers than the uber-competent agents they're supposed to be, and it is entirely because of their hair-styling) in a hundred different ways that would have been interesting and not gross.
Also, there's an interlude with Rihanna doing burlesque, and then reciting Verlaine's poetry, and I have no idea how to parse it. I DO NOT UNDERSTAND WHAT THIS MOVIE IS BUT IT IS SO PRETTY. (So, pretty much every Luc Besson movie, it turns out.)
Talk to Me, 23 November 2017, DVD via public library
I wasn't sure what this movie was about, but I can't really argue with this cast.
I MEAN, SERIOUSLY.
I actually felt like it could have used a longer runtime--we see Petey’s success escalate almost exponentially, but the conflict between him and Dewey, and him and Vernell, needed development. The fight after the Tonight Show should’ve landed more sharply than the blunt actuality. What we get, though, is great--plus Taraji P Henson's playing proto-Cookie as Vernell.
Get On Up: The James Brown Story, 24 November 2017, DVD via public library
What with Black Panther coming up, I figured it would behoove me to get familiar with Chadwick Boseman. And he's pretty amazing here, along with Viola Davis, Nelsan Ellis (RIP), and Octavia Spencer. And I really loved the way scenes ricocheted from era to era. The breaking of the fourth wall was uncomfortable but interesting from a narrative standpoint--to what extent is the film itself influenced by our titular character, and to what extent is the movie constructed by him in the role of an unreliable narrator? (That scene of the boys fighting each other blindfolded for the amusement of rich people, set to that jaunty band, is possibly the most horrifying thing I’ve watched all year.) Side note: since I watched Talk to Me the day previous, with Petey Green opening a concert after the assassination of MLK Jr, it was kind of neat to see the James Brown side of the concert.
Step, 25 November 2017, DVD via RedBox
This is so lovely. It follows the arc of a Baltimore high school step team as they go on competition, but it focuses on three young women applying to college, and their struggle as they try to raise their GPA, or find enough funding, or get into a school where they can still help their families. The most heartbreaking scene was one young woman worrying, close to the end of the month, about whether they had enough food to sustain her six-year-old nephew. (Oof.) Largely, though, this is affirming, plus showcases some pretty damn excellent step routines.
Focus, 26 November 2017, DVD via Netflix
Can you imagine seeing Will Smith and Margot Robbie in this movie and then being excited to see Suicide Squad? That isn't to say they have chemistry, actually, but just borderline reality that if either one of these two came at you with intent, you'd run with it.
In any case, if you like Will Smith or heist movies, you’ll probably enjoy this.
La Vie en Rose, 26 November 2017, DVD via public library
I honestly know nothing about Edith Piaf, but the movie adhered to the rags-to-riches musician formula, and Marion Cotillard was wonderful, as everyone knew already. I will say, though, that the non-linear storytelling got old after a while, even though I do think it could have been an effective device, as I've previously noted in my Get On Up review. But by the time we reached the end of the Marcel sequence--which, to be fair, was a superb scene--I found myself wondering when this would end already.
SO PRETTY, THOUGH.
Bridge of Spies, 26 November 2017, DVD via public library
This is a pretty terrifying cautionary tale that is so far going unheeded.
War of the Worlds, 30 November 2017, DVD via public library
This might not have been the intent, but I would absolutely watch a movie about the mostly-amicable dissolution of the marriage of Tom Cruise’s and Miranda Otto’s characters. Seriously, this movie is hella good. Terrifying, but.
05 November 2017
Movie Moments VIII: October
So this October was the Hot Springs Documentary Film Festival. I didn't get to attend as much as I'd have liked (apparently work continues even when film festivals are happening), but this is possibly more documentaries in the span of two weeks than I've seen in the rest of my life altogether. In any case, this puts me at twenty-two movies for the month. Egads.
Given, 07 October 2017, Hot Springs Documentary Film Festival
A documentary about a surfing family that goes on walkabout to surf from six different continents, Given is narrated by a young child, whose name, it turns out, is Given. Things going overly twee at points--the framing narrative of hunting “the big fish” is leaned on too heavily, but it does end up with the kid’s father catching a six-foot fish, so apparently it wasn't supposed to be solely metaphorical? In any case, Given’s script is generally lovely--it seems clear the producers took a lot of Given's kid-chatter and wove it into lovely coherence. And given the number of locales (e.g. Iceland, Senegal, Thailand, Peru, Fiji), and some portraits straight out of National Geographic, anyone with a travel bug would dig this, and hard.
Grizzly Man, 07 October 2017, HSDFF
That was...absurd. And tragic. And that scene of Jewel’s face as Herzog listens to that audio, “You must never listen to this...I think you should destroy this.” That's going to stick with me for a long, long time.
Oh, and Werner Herzog and producer Erik Nelson had a quick Q&A after the screening. In regards to that scene, Herzog said, “There are certain borderlines that you do not trespass,” when one must respect the “privacy and dignity of a human being’s death.”
Beasts of the Southern Wild, 07 October 2017, DVD via public library
“We’s who the earth was for.” This is a movie that makes you want to cuddle the youngsters in your life.
Wasted!, 08 October 2017, HSDFF
I changed my entire teaching plan for next semester so I could use this in class. It's SO GOOD. And hits right at the sweet spot between my foodie, environmentalist, and cultural critic identities. <3
Magic Mike XXL, 08 October 2017, DVD via Netflix
I MEAN, SERIOUSLY.
The Mummy (2017), 11 October 2017, Blu-ray via RedBox
Despite the dire reviews, I have long known I pretty much enjoy the hell out of any Tom Cruise action movie. (I'm 50/50 on his drama and romance work.) I suspect the structure of the movie was to its detriment--rather than capitalizing on Cruise’s “competent rake” schtick, they started off with a lengthy prelude narrated by Russell Crowe. Switching things around would have worked so, so, so much better. Like, start with tomb robbers in Iraq and then do the exposition as the tomb’s contents are unearthed. Basically, they structured it like the titular monster was the draw and, like, nobody cares about mummies as a thing? Also, they kept using ravens as harbingers, and does Egypt have ravens? I was legit distracted by this insignificant detail.
In any case, things kicked into gear once the Prodigium appeared on the scene--secret monster-fighting societies are a rock-solid genre and aesthetic--and they had a dab hand with Cruise's “flustered coward” mode (think the first third of Edge of Tomorrow). And Sofia Boutella got saddled with some epic nonsense, but goddamn if she didn't get throw herself into the physicality of the role.
So yeah. Not a great movie, but I’d be curious to see the next installment in the franchise.
The Cinema Travellers, 12 October 2017, HSDFF
This was a lovely and sad movie, about a handful of folks in India who traveled around rural areas showing movies on film. Most heartbreaking was one film camera repairman, who cheerfully engineered a number of workarounds for machinery quickly being replaced by digital films.
Waiting for the Sun, 12 October 2017, HSDFF
Sun Villages, in China, are a collection of homes for children whose parents are incarcerated. I cried a lot.
Waiting for the Sun - International Trailer from KASPARWORKS on Vimeo. Anatomy of a Male Ballet Dancer, 12 October 2017, HSDFF
This was a really entrancing memoir (kind of) of Marcelo Gomes, a ballet dancer at the height of his work, growing more cognizant of how close he is to moving onto the next stage of his career. Also, it is impossible not to stare at his butt. I swear I tried my best, all for naught.
Liyana, 12 October 2017, HSDFF
This one was more of a heart-warming tearjerker: a number of children, orphaned by the AIDS epidemic, gathered into a storytelling workshop, tasked to write a story of a girl like them. It's gorgeous. And magical--we get snippets of all the kids narrating the story, as well as an animated presentation of different pieces of their tale.
Tinker Tailor Soldier Spy, 12 October 2017, DVD via public library
It's like they cast this movie by having a BAFTA after-party for weak-chinned but compelling white dudes.
Score: A Film Music Documentary, 13 October 2017, HSDFF
Most hilarious was an opening scene when Hans Zimmer vocalized being nervous about a gig. “I think you’d better call John Williams; I have no idea what to do here.” LOL.
No Man's Land, 13 October 2017, HSDFF
Remember the nonsense of the Bundy family forming a militia and taking over that wildlife reserve? While the filmmaker didn't go out of their way to demonize the group, it becomes very, very clear that none of them actually had a plan aside from seizing the chance to go out in a blaze of glory. And then one of them did.
The Last Animals, 13 October 2017, HSDFF
I remember being very young and becoming very invested in saving endangered animals. This film puts a zoom towards rhinos and elephants, specifically, and how the trade in horn and ivory continues unabated. Most poignant was the attrition through the film, as the last of the northern white rhinos died: we started the movie with five, and ended with three. In the world, mind you. Three left in the world. (I just looked it up: there are now only two Northern white rhinos left in the world.)
Quest, 14 October 2017, HSDFF
What starts out as a close-up on a poor Black family in Detroit ends up with a striking arc, as PJ, a pre-teen girl, gets shot in a drive-by and loses her eye. In one scene, her father recounts the aftermath, a little heartbroken at how she apologized for getting shot.
The Workers Cup, 14 October 2017, HSDFF
The work to prepare Qatar for FIFA’s world cup is ongoing, and it's well- and horrifyingly-known that the workers--almost entirely immigrant labor from Africa and South Asia--are exploited, with steady reporting of illness, injury, and death. As a way to manage the unrest (implied but not explicitly), the corporations involved form a football/soccer intramural, basically. It's fun to follow one of the teams as they compete, but we never get to forget the context surrounding their breaks.
Tell Them We Are Rising, 14 October 2017, HSDFF
The film is a fairly in-depth accounting of the formation of historically Black colleges and universities (HBCUs). While some of the history should seem familiar--”An educated (black) population could not be an enslaved population,” K. Crenshaw notes--but other things, like Booker T Washington's work against the education of African-Americans, were both surprising and unsettling.
In a fun turn, Stanley Nelson, the filmmaker, was also on hand, as he received a lifetime achievement award at the festival’s close. He actually walked down the line of folks waiting to get in, and it was really lovely to hear folks tell him, each time he stopped, which HBCU they had attended.
White House Down, 14 October 2017, DVD via public library
I'm slowly making my way through Channing Tatum’s filmography, but I won't lie, seeing Jamie Foxx’s faux-Obama hit me where it hurts. This is a silly, fun, straightforward action flick, which is exactly what I wanted from it.
Blade Runner 2049, 22 October 2017, UA Breckenridge Stadium 12
#BladeRunner2049: All the Asians must have gone off-world because they sure as hell aren't in this movie. The entire film is breathtakingly gorgeous--to the point that I’d buy it to just stare at some of the shots--but given that I largely enjoyed the original because it portrayed a slew of Asian folks, I was hugely disappointed here.
The King’s Speech, 26 October 2017, DVD via university library
I was a bit worried this would be grand melodrama, and was pleased to discover it was more like a quiet, matter-of-fact story with a little bit of pomp.
The Martian, 30 October 2017, DVD via university library
“I’m gonna have to science the shit out of this.” At least one critic called this “competence porn,” and yeah. I dig it 100%. I also had the weird experience of thinking this was based on a true story, then shaking myself out of it, over and over again. Go figure.
The Librarian: Quest for the Spear, 31 October 2017, DVD via public library
I think this is what I wanted National Treasure to be. Based on the first 20 minutes, I’m solidly convinced none of the writers have met any grad students. Nor, possibly, any librarians. Also, for a hot second I thought they were running with Kelly Hu/Sonya Walger, and I am just going to pretend that's what happened.
Given, 07 October 2017, Hot Springs Documentary Film Festival
A documentary about a surfing family that goes on walkabout to surf from six different continents, Given is narrated by a young child, whose name, it turns out, is Given. Things going overly twee at points--the framing narrative of hunting “the big fish” is leaned on too heavily, but it does end up with the kid’s father catching a six-foot fish, so apparently it wasn't supposed to be solely metaphorical? In any case, Given’s script is generally lovely--it seems clear the producers took a lot of Given's kid-chatter and wove it into lovely coherence. And given the number of locales (e.g. Iceland, Senegal, Thailand, Peru, Fiji), and some portraits straight out of National Geographic, anyone with a travel bug would dig this, and hard.
Grizzly Man, 07 October 2017, HSDFF
That was...absurd. And tragic. And that scene of Jewel’s face as Herzog listens to that audio, “You must never listen to this...I think you should destroy this.” That's going to stick with me for a long, long time.
Oh, and Werner Herzog and producer Erik Nelson had a quick Q&A after the screening. In regards to that scene, Herzog said, “There are certain borderlines that you do not trespass,” when one must respect the “privacy and dignity of a human being’s death.”
Beasts of the Southern Wild, 07 October 2017, DVD via public library
“We’s who the earth was for.” This is a movie that makes you want to cuddle the youngsters in your life.
Wasted!, 08 October 2017, HSDFF
I changed my entire teaching plan for next semester so I could use this in class. It's SO GOOD. And hits right at the sweet spot between my foodie, environmentalist, and cultural critic identities. <3
Magic Mike XXL, 08 October 2017, DVD via Netflix
- That “Pony” scene on its own is all the reason this movie needs to exist. IT IS THE ONLY ACCEPTABLE RESPONSE TO "PONY."
- What a gift Channing Tatum is to the universe.
- HOW IS THAT BACKSTREET BOYS SCENE SO GOOD.
- This is like some crazy Odyssey-level plot, y'all, and Channing Tatum is apparently Odysseus.
- "It's not bro time, it's show time." "One, two, three, MALE ENTERTAINERS."
- I’mma need some Rome/Effie Trinket fic, like, IMMEDIATELY, y’all.
- Not even joking, this might be one of my favorite movies now. It's like Bring It On crossed with a stripper version of The Odyssey.
I MEAN, SERIOUSLY.The Mummy (2017), 11 October 2017, Blu-ray via RedBox
Despite the dire reviews, I have long known I pretty much enjoy the hell out of any Tom Cruise action movie. (I'm 50/50 on his drama and romance work.) I suspect the structure of the movie was to its detriment--rather than capitalizing on Cruise’s “competent rake” schtick, they started off with a lengthy prelude narrated by Russell Crowe. Switching things around would have worked so, so, so much better. Like, start with tomb robbers in Iraq and then do the exposition as the tomb’s contents are unearthed. Basically, they structured it like the titular monster was the draw and, like, nobody cares about mummies as a thing? Also, they kept using ravens as harbingers, and does Egypt have ravens? I was legit distracted by this insignificant detail.
In any case, things kicked into gear once the Prodigium appeared on the scene--secret monster-fighting societies are a rock-solid genre and aesthetic--and they had a dab hand with Cruise's “flustered coward” mode (think the first third of Edge of Tomorrow). And Sofia Boutella got saddled with some epic nonsense, but goddamn if she didn't get throw herself into the physicality of the role.
So yeah. Not a great movie, but I’d be curious to see the next installment in the franchise.
The Cinema Travellers, 12 October 2017, HSDFF
This was a lovely and sad movie, about a handful of folks in India who traveled around rural areas showing movies on film. Most heartbreaking was one film camera repairman, who cheerfully engineered a number of workarounds for machinery quickly being replaced by digital films.
Waiting for the Sun, 12 October 2017, HSDFF
Sun Villages, in China, are a collection of homes for children whose parents are incarcerated. I cried a lot.
Waiting for the Sun - International Trailer from KASPARWORKS on Vimeo. Anatomy of a Male Ballet Dancer, 12 October 2017, HSDFF
This was a really entrancing memoir (kind of) of Marcelo Gomes, a ballet dancer at the height of his work, growing more cognizant of how close he is to moving onto the next stage of his career. Also, it is impossible not to stare at his butt. I swear I tried my best, all for naught.
Liyana, 12 October 2017, HSDFF
This one was more of a heart-warming tearjerker: a number of children, orphaned by the AIDS epidemic, gathered into a storytelling workshop, tasked to write a story of a girl like them. It's gorgeous. And magical--we get snippets of all the kids narrating the story, as well as an animated presentation of different pieces of their tale.
Tinker Tailor Soldier Spy, 12 October 2017, DVD via public library
It's like they cast this movie by having a BAFTA after-party for weak-chinned but compelling white dudes.
Score: A Film Music Documentary, 13 October 2017, HSDFF
Most hilarious was an opening scene when Hans Zimmer vocalized being nervous about a gig. “I think you’d better call John Williams; I have no idea what to do here.” LOL.
No Man's Land, 13 October 2017, HSDFF
Remember the nonsense of the Bundy family forming a militia and taking over that wildlife reserve? While the filmmaker didn't go out of their way to demonize the group, it becomes very, very clear that none of them actually had a plan aside from seizing the chance to go out in a blaze of glory. And then one of them did.
The Last Animals, 13 October 2017, HSDFF
I remember being very young and becoming very invested in saving endangered animals. This film puts a zoom towards rhinos and elephants, specifically, and how the trade in horn and ivory continues unabated. Most poignant was the attrition through the film, as the last of the northern white rhinos died: we started the movie with five, and ended with three. In the world, mind you. Three left in the world. (I just looked it up: there are now only two Northern white rhinos left in the world.)
Quest, 14 October 2017, HSDFF
What starts out as a close-up on a poor Black family in Detroit ends up with a striking arc, as PJ, a pre-teen girl, gets shot in a drive-by and loses her eye. In one scene, her father recounts the aftermath, a little heartbroken at how she apologized for getting shot.
The Workers Cup, 14 October 2017, HSDFF
The work to prepare Qatar for FIFA’s world cup is ongoing, and it's well- and horrifyingly-known that the workers--almost entirely immigrant labor from Africa and South Asia--are exploited, with steady reporting of illness, injury, and death. As a way to manage the unrest (implied but not explicitly), the corporations involved form a football/soccer intramural, basically. It's fun to follow one of the teams as they compete, but we never get to forget the context surrounding their breaks.
Tell Them We Are Rising, 14 October 2017, HSDFF
The film is a fairly in-depth accounting of the formation of historically Black colleges and universities (HBCUs). While some of the history should seem familiar--”An educated (black) population could not be an enslaved population,” K. Crenshaw notes--but other things, like Booker T Washington's work against the education of African-Americans, were both surprising and unsettling.
In a fun turn, Stanley Nelson, the filmmaker, was also on hand, as he received a lifetime achievement award at the festival’s close. He actually walked down the line of folks waiting to get in, and it was really lovely to hear folks tell him, each time he stopped, which HBCU they had attended.
White House Down, 14 October 2017, DVD via public library
I'm slowly making my way through Channing Tatum’s filmography, but I won't lie, seeing Jamie Foxx’s faux-Obama hit me where it hurts. This is a silly, fun, straightforward action flick, which is exactly what I wanted from it.
Blade Runner 2049, 22 October 2017, UA Breckenridge Stadium 12
#BladeRunner2049: All the Asians must have gone off-world because they sure as hell aren't in this movie. The entire film is breathtakingly gorgeous--to the point that I’d buy it to just stare at some of the shots--but given that I largely enjoyed the original because it portrayed a slew of Asian folks, I was hugely disappointed here.
The King’s Speech, 26 October 2017, DVD via university library
I was a bit worried this would be grand melodrama, and was pleased to discover it was more like a quiet, matter-of-fact story with a little bit of pomp.
The Martian, 30 October 2017, DVD via university library
“I’m gonna have to science the shit out of this.” At least one critic called this “competence porn,” and yeah. I dig it 100%. I also had the weird experience of thinking this was based on a true story, then shaking myself out of it, over and over again. Go figure.
The Librarian: Quest for the Spear, 31 October 2017, DVD via public library
I think this is what I wanted National Treasure to be. Based on the first 20 minutes, I’m solidly convinced none of the writers have met any grad students. Nor, possibly, any librarians. Also, for a hot second I thought they were running with Kelly Hu/Sonya Walger, and I am just going to pretend that's what happened.
03 May 2017
Movie Moments III: March & April 2017
Doctor Strange, 04 March 2017, streaming via Amazon
What if House happened in the MCU? What if an executive at Marvel Studios really, really wanted to get a project compared to Inception? Strange is a decent enough movie, built according to the Marvel blockbuster playbook, but that also means it’s a story that’s been told many, many times before. Even putting all the whitewashing/Tilda Swinton needing schooling on intersectionality aside, it dazzles with quips and SFX, and pretty much not anything else. (Is Benedict Cumberbatch bored with playing narcissistic geniuses yet? He might need to sit down and have a serious talk with his agent about script selection.)
Seriously, though, I’d watch an entire TV series of Wong and Strange watching movies together.
Tested, 21 March 2017, screening on campus
Tested is a pretty solid exploration of the ways that New York City’s system for secondary education is really, really dysfunctional. (Curtis Chin, the director/filmmaker, did a Q&A for us after the film, and spent most of his responses on explaining how the system works.) Like Waiting for Superman, the film stacks the deck by zooming in on adorable children who have their hearts set on success, as defined by a standardized test and admission into the top three STEM-oriented high schools in the area. This is mostly a feel-good movie, but it’s the inequities that get stuck in my mind. Parents working 2-3 jobs just so their kid can attend a test-prep program. A young woman deciding not to take the test because she’s convinced she’ll just be disappointed. The revelation that, when other variables (portfolios, interviews, extracurriculars) are folded into the admissions process for a holistic view of applicants, Hispanic and African-American students have even less of a chance to get into the top schools.
Hunger Games: Mockingjay Part One, 28 March 2017, Blu-ray
I’d seen this movie once before, in the theatre. (With friend Rohini, I think? I have a distinct memory of her rolling her eyes during one of Gale’s patented friendzone whines.) This might be my favorite of the quartet, if only because of those interstitial scenes showing rebellion in other districts. They make me shiver every time, and get teary-eyed more often than not.
Hunger Games: Mockingjay Part Two, 29 March 2017, Blu-ray
This is, by necessity, pretty repetitive--as pretty much everybody, including the characters, point out, the run into the Capitol is just another Hunger Games. Scenes of random and horrific violence aren’t going to land the way they did in the first two movies. HOWEVER: ughhhh Finn. That was, in fact, more horrifying than I expected.
The coda is silly, but we all knew that beforehand anyway, I expect.
Logan, 30 March 2017, Cinemark 12
While sad, I really liked the sense of post-apocalypse this movie had. (I haven’t watched “Age of Apocalyse” yet, but I suppose that last sentence was more on the nose than intended.) The reveal of mutant attrition built into dawning horror, intensified by seeing, quite graphically, how much that healing factor of Logan’s kept him not just functionally immortal, but functional at all. Every single creaking detail of the scenery, the cinematography, and the performances fed into it, and it was amazing.
Also: X-23! X-23! X-23! I think those scientist caretakers were nonsense for getting all those kids up to the border, and then leaving them to figure things out on their own was super-dumb. Also, kids, you all have murderous powers and take on ONE dude while X-23 has to battle everybody else? Dick move, super-powered children. Dick move.
Passengers, 01 April 2017, streamed through Amazon
I know it's the least problematic thing in #Passengers, but why wouldn't you ALTERNATE IN SUSPENDED ANIMATION?! GOD.
Fantastic Beasts and Where to Find Them, 01 April 2017, streamed through Amazon
This was a rewatch for me--my sister and niece hadn’t seen it yet. (Ensuing discussion: my sister remarked that the niece hadn’t seen any Harry Potter yet. The niece responded that she had seen the first one, with me. Which perhaps I had failed to tell my sister about. OOOOOPS.) In any case, my attention was snagged by Graves’s question, "What makes Albus Dumbledore so fond of you?" Because, well. That makes #FantasticBeasts much more intriguing in hindsight.
Fate of the Furious, 13 April 2017, Cinemark 12
Fate of the Furious, 15 April 2017, Cinemark 12
Yes, I saw it twice. Obviously. It was magical.
What if House happened in the MCU? What if an executive at Marvel Studios really, really wanted to get a project compared to Inception? Strange is a decent enough movie, built according to the Marvel blockbuster playbook, but that also means it’s a story that’s been told many, many times before. Even putting all the whitewashing/Tilda Swinton needing schooling on intersectionality aside, it dazzles with quips and SFX, and pretty much not anything else. (Is Benedict Cumberbatch bored with playing narcissistic geniuses yet? He might need to sit down and have a serious talk with his agent about script selection.)
Seriously, though, I’d watch an entire TV series of Wong and Strange watching movies together.
Tested, 21 March 2017, screening on campus
Tested is a pretty solid exploration of the ways that New York City’s system for secondary education is really, really dysfunctional. (Curtis Chin, the director/filmmaker, did a Q&A for us after the film, and spent most of his responses on explaining how the system works.) Like Waiting for Superman, the film stacks the deck by zooming in on adorable children who have their hearts set on success, as defined by a standardized test and admission into the top three STEM-oriented high schools in the area. This is mostly a feel-good movie, but it’s the inequities that get stuck in my mind. Parents working 2-3 jobs just so their kid can attend a test-prep program. A young woman deciding not to take the test because she’s convinced she’ll just be disappointed. The revelation that, when other variables (portfolios, interviews, extracurriculars) are folded into the admissions process for a holistic view of applicants, Hispanic and African-American students have even less of a chance to get into the top schools.
Hunger Games: Mockingjay Part One, 28 March 2017, Blu-ray
I’d seen this movie once before, in the theatre. (With friend Rohini, I think? I have a distinct memory of her rolling her eyes during one of Gale’s patented friendzone whines.) This might be my favorite of the quartet, if only because of those interstitial scenes showing rebellion in other districts. They make me shiver every time, and get teary-eyed more often than not.
Hunger Games: Mockingjay Part Two, 29 March 2017, Blu-ray
This is, by necessity, pretty repetitive--as pretty much everybody, including the characters, point out, the run into the Capitol is just another Hunger Games. Scenes of random and horrific violence aren’t going to land the way they did in the first two movies. HOWEVER: ughhhh Finn. That was, in fact, more horrifying than I expected.
The coda is silly, but we all knew that beforehand anyway, I expect.
Logan, 30 March 2017, Cinemark 12
While sad, I really liked the sense of post-apocalypse this movie had. (I haven’t watched “Age of Apocalyse” yet, but I suppose that last sentence was more on the nose than intended.) The reveal of mutant attrition built into dawning horror, intensified by seeing, quite graphically, how much that healing factor of Logan’s kept him not just functionally immortal, but functional at all. Every single creaking detail of the scenery, the cinematography, and the performances fed into it, and it was amazing.
Also: X-23! X-23! X-23! I think those scientist caretakers were nonsense for getting all those kids up to the border, and then leaving them to figure things out on their own was super-dumb. Also, kids, you all have murderous powers and take on ONE dude while X-23 has to battle everybody else? Dick move, super-powered children. Dick move.
Passengers, 01 April 2017, streamed through Amazon
I know it's the least problematic thing in #Passengers, but why wouldn't you ALTERNATE IN SUSPENDED ANIMATION?! GOD.
Fantastic Beasts and Where to Find Them, 01 April 2017, streamed through Amazon
This was a rewatch for me--my sister and niece hadn’t seen it yet. (Ensuing discussion: my sister remarked that the niece hadn’t seen any Harry Potter yet. The niece responded that she had seen the first one, with me. Which perhaps I had failed to tell my sister about. OOOOOPS.) In any case, my attention was snagged by Graves’s question, "What makes Albus Dumbledore so fond of you?" Because, well. That makes #FantasticBeasts much more intriguing in hindsight.
Fate of the Furious, 13 April 2017, Cinemark 12
Fate of the Furious, 15 April 2017, Cinemark 12
Yes, I saw it twice. Obviously. It was magical.
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