So I decided to watch all the X-movies in chronological order, which means things are gonna get SUPER tangled right in the middle, as there are two branching timelines. Then again, after all the Terminator movies, I am fully prepared to not think too hard about time travel and recursive universes.
Anyway, X-men was my very first fandom, and we’re talking all the way back to the animated series.
Showing posts with label x-men. Show all posts
Showing posts with label x-men. Show all posts
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!
31 December 2018
Could You Repeat That? CLXXIV
And with this bunch, that makes it a total of 260 books for 2018! Not too shabby.
Champions: Change the World (graphic novel), Mark Waid
MS MARVEL: Evil is not exclusive to super villains, aliens, secret societies and monsters!
GWENPOOL: Do you know how crazy that sounds?
Champions: The Freelancer Lifestyle (graphic novel), Mark Waid
NOVA: Dude, your peripheral vision sucks.
CYCLOPS: I KNOW THAT!
Champions: Champion for a Day (graphic novel), Mark Waid
MIGHT: Champions? What, was "Baby Avengers" taken?
MS MARVEL: Only by my fanfic!
VIV VISION: I have read it. It is enjoyable with a solid emotional core.
Champions: Northern Lights (graphic novel), Jim Zub
VIV: Hello, Samuel. You have not perished.
NOVA: I never told you my real name...
VIV: The mobile calls you make to our Champions group are registered to Samuel Alexander at an address corresponding to your own. You may wish to change that.
NOVA: Right...
The Totally Awesome Hulk: Big Apple Showdown (graphic novel), Greg Pak
SILK: "Where are the ninjas?"
MS MARVEL: Haha!
AMADEUS: "Where's the Mandarin?" And we'll be like, "No, we just HAPPEN to be Asian American!"
Bookburners: The Complete Season 3, Margaret Dunlap, et al
"Perry says it's called the City Eater."
"Because it eats cities," Perry supplied. "Angels aren't big on nomenclature."
Vanity in Dust, Cheryl Low
She dressed like a widow who loved to grieve.
Daughters of the Lake, Wendy Webb
Teenaged girls have a way of holding fast to their illusions, even as those illusions are dissipating into the air. Denial of unpleasant reality is as powerful as the reality itself.
The Gentleman's Guide to Vice and Virtue, Mackenzi Lee
And then he leaves us to our own devices beside a store of gunpowder and flint and a cannon, thereby solidifying our captors' reputation as the worst pirates in the history of the Mediterranean.
The Poppy War, R.F. Kuang
"You can't kill me," Altan hissed. "You love me."
"I don't love you," Rin said. "And I can kill anything."
The Rule of One, Ashley Saunders and Leslie Saunders
For thousands of years, societies have built walls to keep their adversaries out or their populations in, but history tells us they all eventually fall.
The Lady's Guide to Petticoats and Piracy, Mackenzi Lee
Everyone has heard stories of women like us--cautionary tales, morality plays, warnings of what will befall you if you are a girl too wild for the world, a girl who asks too many questions or wants too much. If you set off into the world alone. Everyone has heard stories of women like us, and now we will make more of us.
Kingdom of Needle and Bone, Mira Grant
"All right, everyone," she said. "This is where you start earning your paychecks."
"Not me," said Ami. "I don't work for you."
Izzy flashed her a swift, tight smile. "I think you'll find that starting now, everyone works for me."
The Dark is Rising, Susan Cooper, x3
Ah, said Will the Old One unhappily, any church of any religion is vulnerable to their attack, for places like this are where men give thought to matters of the Light and the Dark.
A Beautiful Poison, Lydia Kang
One nitrogen and one carbon atom married together with three bonds. Not one, not two. Cyanide demanded a trifecta of irresistible gravities.
Ardulum: The First Don, J.S. Fields
"Risalians don't control me anymore," she said to the bits of skull as she stuck the crook of the gun into the front bib of her dress and walked out the open door. "I can save everyone on my own."
Still Waters, Viveca Sten
It was a glorious day, perfect for sitting in the sunshine with ice cream. You could hardly imagine more unsuitable weather for a murder investigation.
The Darkest Minds, Alexandra Bracken
I did understand what she was saying, and I understood that her words were coming from a true, caring place, but after having my life broken down into rotations for so long, the thought of dividing it up even further was unimaginable.
The Red Threads of Fortune, J.Y. Yang
Know the ways of the five natures, and you will know the ways of the world. For the lines and knots of the Slack are the lines and knots of the world, and all that is shaped is shaped through the twining of the red threads of fortune.
The Frame-up, Meghan Scott Molin
"In gaming terms, we are going to Leeroy Jenkins the shit out of this bitch," Latifah yells. "Hold my wig."
Detox in Letters, Cheryl Low
"There is no such thing as dragons," he finally said, hoping it would ring true. What did he know of real things? He had just seen a tree for the first time this morning.
Champions: Change the World (graphic novel), Mark Waid
MS MARVEL: Evil is not exclusive to super villains, aliens, secret societies and monsters!
GWENPOOL: Do you know how crazy that sounds?
Champions: The Freelancer Lifestyle (graphic novel), Mark Waid
NOVA: Dude, your peripheral vision sucks.
CYCLOPS: I KNOW THAT!
Champions: Champion for a Day (graphic novel), Mark Waid
MIGHT: Champions? What, was "Baby Avengers" taken?
MS MARVEL: Only by my fanfic!
VIV VISION: I have read it. It is enjoyable with a solid emotional core.
Champions: Northern Lights (graphic novel), Jim Zub
VIV: Hello, Samuel. You have not perished.
NOVA: I never told you my real name...
VIV: The mobile calls you make to our Champions group are registered to Samuel Alexander at an address corresponding to your own. You may wish to change that.
NOVA: Right...
The Totally Awesome Hulk: Big Apple Showdown (graphic novel), Greg Pak
SILK: "Where are the ninjas?"
MS MARVEL: Haha!
AMADEUS: "Where's the Mandarin?" And we'll be like, "No, we just HAPPEN to be Asian American!"
Bookburners: The Complete Season 3, Margaret Dunlap, et al
"Perry says it's called the City Eater."
"Because it eats cities," Perry supplied. "Angels aren't big on nomenclature."
Vanity in Dust, Cheryl Low
She dressed like a widow who loved to grieve.
Daughters of the Lake, Wendy Webb
Teenaged girls have a way of holding fast to their illusions, even as those illusions are dissipating into the air. Denial of unpleasant reality is as powerful as the reality itself.
The Gentleman's Guide to Vice and Virtue, Mackenzi Lee
And then he leaves us to our own devices beside a store of gunpowder and flint and a cannon, thereby solidifying our captors' reputation as the worst pirates in the history of the Mediterranean.
The Poppy War, R.F. Kuang
"You can't kill me," Altan hissed. "You love me."
"I don't love you," Rin said. "And I can kill anything."
The Rule of One, Ashley Saunders and Leslie Saunders
For thousands of years, societies have built walls to keep their adversaries out or their populations in, but history tells us they all eventually fall.
The Lady's Guide to Petticoats and Piracy, Mackenzi Lee
Everyone has heard stories of women like us--cautionary tales, morality plays, warnings of what will befall you if you are a girl too wild for the world, a girl who asks too many questions or wants too much. If you set off into the world alone. Everyone has heard stories of women like us, and now we will make more of us.
Kingdom of Needle and Bone, Mira Grant
"All right, everyone," she said. "This is where you start earning your paychecks."
"Not me," said Ami. "I don't work for you."
Izzy flashed her a swift, tight smile. "I think you'll find that starting now, everyone works for me."
The Dark is Rising, Susan Cooper, x3
Ah, said Will the Old One unhappily, any church of any religion is vulnerable to their attack, for places like this are where men give thought to matters of the Light and the Dark.
A Beautiful Poison, Lydia Kang
One nitrogen and one carbon atom married together with three bonds. Not one, not two. Cyanide demanded a trifecta of irresistible gravities.
Ardulum: The First Don, J.S. Fields
"Risalians don't control me anymore," she said to the bits of skull as she stuck the crook of the gun into the front bib of her dress and walked out the open door. "I can save everyone on my own."
Still Waters, Viveca Sten
It was a glorious day, perfect for sitting in the sunshine with ice cream. You could hardly imagine more unsuitable weather for a murder investigation.
The Darkest Minds, Alexandra Bracken
I did understand what she was saying, and I understood that her words were coming from a true, caring place, but after having my life broken down into rotations for so long, the thought of dividing it up even further was unimaginable.
The Red Threads of Fortune, J.Y. Yang
Know the ways of the five natures, and you will know the ways of the world. For the lines and knots of the Slack are the lines and knots of the world, and all that is shaped is shaped through the twining of the red threads of fortune.
The Frame-up, Meghan Scott Molin
"In gaming terms, we are going to Leeroy Jenkins the shit out of this bitch," Latifah yells. "Hold my wig."
Detox in Letters, Cheryl Low
"There is no such thing as dragons," he finally said, hoping it would ring true. What did he know of real things? He had just seen a tree for the first time this morning.
10 July 2017
Movie Moments IV: May & June 2017
Guardians of the Galaxy: Vol. 2, 04 May 2017, 3D at Cinemark 12
It would be impossible for this movie to evoke the same joy that the first did, simply because the first movie was a surprise. This was predictably delightful (and delightfully predictable), but ye gods, the meta ran thick. (And Ben Browder! Doused in gold paint!) And there were so many stingers that I wasn’t sure if I should leave even after the screen went blank and the lights came on. Too many narrative branches! No clear signal of whether they’re Easter eggs or actually relevant to future stories! Giggles with diminishing returns! Guardians has become, it seems, the most Marvelly franchise of the MCU. I’m looking forward to the third.
Wonder Woman, 03 June 2017, Carmike 12 Cinema
I cried four times during this movie: During pretty much the entire introduction of Themyscira, during the first battle scene, during Diana’s entry into the World War I trenches, and at the battle-climax of the movie. I clocked a couple of plot twists almost immediately (this is a superhero movie, after all, and tropes are tropes), but does anyone really watch these movies for plot machinations? I’d argue that any blockbuster-type movie isn’t really built to wow the audience with plot (though, ye gods, I wish that were a goal much of the time), but rather deliver a particular combination of emotional triggers: nostalgia, anticipation, vindication, and catharsis.
This isn’t a perfect movie. The romance with Steve Trevor is, possibly, lent too much weight, and thus Diana is fairly isolated from other human interactions once she enters the realm of humans. The plot twists, as I mentioned before, are way obvious, and the final battle is yet another iteration of Superpowered People Grimace Unconvincingly. And, while I’ll have to rewatch the movie to be sure, there weren't many Amazons clearly of Asian or Latinx descent, let alone humans--and like Captain America's Howling Commandos, this Steve’s band of merry misfits is a similar “gotta catch ‘em all” collection of token ethnicities.
But, Diana.
Diana, Princess of Themyscira, remains tank of my heart. Funnily enough, at the conference I was attending the weekend I watched the movie, I had actually presented on leadership and tanks (link to a PDF)--in some gaming parlances, “tank” means the member of a questing group who leads the way through the battlefield and draws the brunt of enemy attacks so the other members can get by. In the No Man's Land scene, the scene that so many, many folks cried through, that’s exactly what she does. And I’m tearing up right now, just typing about it.
X-Men Apocalypse, 07 June 2017, HBO Now
Three scenes into #XMenApocalypse and I mostly just wanted to watch X2 again. It's not a bad movie--it just feels like nobody but the studio stylists was really invested in the movie’s existence. Also:
Deadpool, 08 June 2017, HBO Now
That was as vulgar and hilarious as everyone said it was, and yeah, meta and violent. And yet it kind of had actual feelings deep, deep down? Plus, Zamboni.
I would pay cash money for a team-up movie with Deadpool and X-23. Someone make that happen immediately.
The Huntsman: Winter’s War, 10 June 2017, HBO Now
This was fine? I guess? It just had waaay too much going on. Is it a sequel? A prequel? A new fairy tale spun with familiar characters? I legit had no idea what the first act of the movie was trying to accomplish, and that's a problem, even as things slowly started to resolve in the next hour.
Then again, this happened, so.
Haywire, 10 June 2017, Amazon streaming
I am deeply in love with a deep bench of the most attractive (male) actors they could find, all as setting to a movie devoted to shining a spotlight on how immensely powerful Gina Carano is. Ye gods, this woman.
It's not an extraordinary movie, but it's solid and doesn't do any narrative hand-holding. It trusts the audience will follow along. It's an action movie assured in its own confidence, and I dig it.
Galaxy Quest, 12 June 2017, Amazon streaming
Watching #GalaxyQuest for the first time:
Friends with Benefits, 14 June 2017, Amazon streaming
Whoa, remember when Emma Stone and Andy Samberg were not-famous enough to be the opening exes for a movie headlined by Justin Timberlake and Mila Kunis? And flash mobs were exciting instead of annoying AF? The times, they have been changed.
Anyway, this movie is dumb, but I will never be immune to Mila Kunis. And, okay, fine, playing “Pumped Up Kicks” over the credits is pretty stellar punch line deployment. BUT THIS IS THE LAST AFFLUENT WHITE PEOPLE ROMCOM I WATCH, SO HELP ME GOD.
Spectre, 19 June 2017, Amazon Prime
Well, that was a movie that happened, I guess.
Finding Dory, 19 June 2017, Netflix
This movie has more suspenseful sequences than every single spy movie I've watched in a decade. And possibly the full run of Sherlock, I think. Also, two whales breaking out of Monterey Bay Aquarium (because, come on, it is), and nobody noticed? An octopus jacks a truck and nobody loses their frickin’ mind? What a jaded place Pixar World is.
The Girl With All the Gifts, 20 June 2017, Amazon Prime
This is a pretty canny zombie movie. I think it works a little better onscreen than on the page, even. (I famously cannot watch an episode of The Walking Dead without having a precise week of nightmares following.) The slow double-crack of a jaw being realigned pretty successfully conveys the horror without undue splatter.
Legally Blonde, 21 June 2017, Hulu
Wonder Woman (second viewing), 21 June 2017, Jordan Creek Cinemark 20
Guardians of the Galaxy, Vol. 2 (second viewing), 25 June 2017, Regal Riverside Plaza Stadium 16
I should first note that our theatre was one of those fancy ones with reclining seats where you can reserve your spot when you purchase. The seats were plush, but of the wrong proportions for petite me. The experience of approved foot-raising was delightful, though.
As for the movie, the tonal whiplash is especially pronounced when you know when the smash cuts will happen--which, in turn, throws the manipulative music cues into sharp relief. Effective, but I'd rather have had them build Ego’s heel turn more organically. (For a dude millions of years old, he sure did fumble his “come to the dark side” pitch really, really quickly.) Even, yes, if it meant tacking on another twenty minutes. Or, HEY, doing something besides that cheesy as hell “playing catch” scene.
Anyway, knowing what happens to Yondu makes that two-second flashback of Yondu and young Peter a pretty painful gut punch. And the interactions between Nebula and Gamora have a depth I didn't quite catch while Gamora was hoisting a comically-giant piece of artillery onto her shoulder.
Groot: still adorable. Rocket’s arc: still overplayed, but touching nonetheless. Mantis and Drax: still delightful.
It would be impossible for this movie to evoke the same joy that the first did, simply because the first movie was a surprise. This was predictably delightful (and delightfully predictable), but ye gods, the meta ran thick. (And Ben Browder! Doused in gold paint!) And there were so many stingers that I wasn’t sure if I should leave even after the screen went blank and the lights came on. Too many narrative branches! No clear signal of whether they’re Easter eggs or actually relevant to future stories! Giggles with diminishing returns! Guardians has become, it seems, the most Marvelly franchise of the MCU. I’m looking forward to the third.
Wonder Woman, 03 June 2017, Carmike 12 Cinema
I cried four times during this movie: During pretty much the entire introduction of Themyscira, during the first battle scene, during Diana’s entry into the World War I trenches, and at the battle-climax of the movie. I clocked a couple of plot twists almost immediately (this is a superhero movie, after all, and tropes are tropes), but does anyone really watch these movies for plot machinations? I’d argue that any blockbuster-type movie isn’t really built to wow the audience with plot (though, ye gods, I wish that were a goal much of the time), but rather deliver a particular combination of emotional triggers: nostalgia, anticipation, vindication, and catharsis.
This isn’t a perfect movie. The romance with Steve Trevor is, possibly, lent too much weight, and thus Diana is fairly isolated from other human interactions once she enters the realm of humans. The plot twists, as I mentioned before, are way obvious, and the final battle is yet another iteration of Superpowered People Grimace Unconvincingly. And, while I’ll have to rewatch the movie to be sure, there weren't many Amazons clearly of Asian or Latinx descent, let alone humans--and like Captain America's Howling Commandos, this Steve’s band of merry misfits is a similar “gotta catch ‘em all” collection of token ethnicities.
But, Diana.
Diana, Princess of Themyscira, remains tank of my heart. Funnily enough, at the conference I was attending the weekend I watched the movie, I had actually presented on leadership and tanks (link to a PDF)--in some gaming parlances, “tank” means the member of a questing group who leads the way through the battlefield and draws the brunt of enemy attacks so the other members can get by. In the No Man's Land scene, the scene that so many, many folks cried through, that’s exactly what she does. And I’m tearing up right now, just typing about it.
X-Men Apocalypse, 07 June 2017, HBO Now
Three scenes into #XMenApocalypse and I mostly just wanted to watch X2 again. It's not a bad movie--it just feels like nobody but the studio stylists was really invested in the movie’s existence. Also:
- Folk rolling up on Magneto like he isn't always twelve minutes away from contempt for their petty human fears and cruelties.
- How can Erik be a Holocaust survivor but also have two children aged approximately ten years apart but also look exactly the same as he did at the beginning of First Class?
- Not that I don't dig Psylocke, but she's pretty out of place amongst the merry band of worldbreakers. (Angel is present mostly for iconographic mascot purposes.)
- I'm so down with the Wolverine cameo.
- We’ve established Magneto can frickin’ shift the planet off its axis, but sure, his contribution to the final battle is throwing some rebar around. Totally effective.
- #XMenApocalypse needed so, so much more Storm and Jubilee.
Deadpool, 08 June 2017, HBO Now
That was as vulgar and hilarious as everyone said it was, and yeah, meta and violent. And yet it kind of had actual feelings deep, deep down? Plus, Zamboni.
I would pay cash money for a team-up movie with Deadpool and X-23. Someone make that happen immediately.
The Huntsman: Winter’s War, 10 June 2017, HBO Now
This was fine? I guess? It just had waaay too much going on. Is it a sequel? A prequel? A new fairy tale spun with familiar characters? I legit had no idea what the first act of the movie was trying to accomplish, and that's a problem, even as things slowly started to resolve in the next hour.
Then again, this happened, so.
Haywire, 10 June 2017, Amazon streaming
I am deeply in love with a deep bench of the most attractive (male) actors they could find, all as setting to a movie devoted to shining a spotlight on how immensely powerful Gina Carano is. Ye gods, this woman.
It's not an extraordinary movie, but it's solid and doesn't do any narrative hand-holding. It trusts the audience will follow along. It's an action movie assured in its own confidence, and I dig it.
Galaxy Quest, 12 June 2017, Amazon streaming
Watching #GalaxyQuest for the first time:
- This bench is DEEP.
- Wow, I miss #SDCC.
- Enrico Colantoni is a wonder, isn't he?
Friends with Benefits, 14 June 2017, Amazon streaming
Whoa, remember when Emma Stone and Andy Samberg were not-famous enough to be the opening exes for a movie headlined by Justin Timberlake and Mila Kunis? And flash mobs were exciting instead of annoying AF? The times, they have been changed.
Anyway, this movie is dumb, but I will never be immune to Mila Kunis. And, okay, fine, playing “Pumped Up Kicks” over the credits is pretty stellar punch line deployment. BUT THIS IS THE LAST AFFLUENT WHITE PEOPLE ROMCOM I WATCH, SO HELP ME GOD.
Spectre, 19 June 2017, Amazon Prime
Well, that was a movie that happened, I guess.
Finding Dory, 19 June 2017, Netflix
This movie has more suspenseful sequences than every single spy movie I've watched in a decade. And possibly the full run of Sherlock, I think. Also, two whales breaking out of Monterey Bay Aquarium (because, come on, it is), and nobody noticed? An octopus jacks a truck and nobody loses their frickin’ mind? What a jaded place Pixar World is.
The Girl With All the Gifts, 20 June 2017, Amazon Prime
This is a pretty canny zombie movie. I think it works a little better onscreen than on the page, even. (I famously cannot watch an episode of The Walking Dead without having a precise week of nightmares following.) The slow double-crack of a jaw being realigned pretty successfully conveys the horror without undue splatter.
Legally Blonde, 21 June 2017, Hulu
- I mean, having an understanding of the fashion industry would be good background for going into trademarks and corporate law?
- On one hand, I dig that the message is “don't let folks with their dumb biases constrain you,” but on the other hand, only a rich white person with a ton of support could pivot so extremely in a couple of months, no matter how much they study (but I appreciate the focus on studying)
- Victor Garber offering internships to his top law students, so I guess LB2 is Elle murdering someone and getting away with it.
- Good for Elle, but how hella lucky was she that the stepdaughter had a perm alibi?
- I'm glad the moral of the story is, in part, don't hitch yourself to a complete tool.
Wonder Woman (second viewing), 21 June 2017, Jordan Creek Cinemark 20
- Still cried all through No Man’s Land
- That Chris Pine sure can smolder.
- Aside from the exact 90 seconds of reveal, I think I disagree completely with Thewlis's character work and the direction thereof.
- I would be so down for The Further Adventures of Diana Prince and Etta Candy.
Guardians of the Galaxy, Vol. 2 (second viewing), 25 June 2017, Regal Riverside Plaza Stadium 16
I should first note that our theatre was one of those fancy ones with reclining seats where you can reserve your spot when you purchase. The seats were plush, but of the wrong proportions for petite me. The experience of approved foot-raising was delightful, though.
As for the movie, the tonal whiplash is especially pronounced when you know when the smash cuts will happen--which, in turn, throws the manipulative music cues into sharp relief. Effective, but I'd rather have had them build Ego’s heel turn more organically. (For a dude millions of years old, he sure did fumble his “come to the dark side” pitch really, really quickly.) Even, yes, if it meant tacking on another twenty minutes. Or, HEY, doing something besides that cheesy as hell “playing catch” scene.
Anyway, knowing what happens to Yondu makes that two-second flashback of Yondu and young Peter a pretty painful gut punch. And the interactions between Nebula and Gamora have a depth I didn't quite catch while Gamora was hoisting a comically-giant piece of artillery onto her shoulder.
Groot: still adorable. Rocket’s arc: still overplayed, but touching nonetheless. Mantis and Drax: still delightful.
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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