Philly Beefcake

Tyler: Somehow better on paper than in practice, firmly in the ""good not great"" camp though I understand why Philly ran with it

Ellen: Feels like an outsized impact for this chatty, atypically charming beefcake, but I'm not mad!

iltbta.substack.com/p/rocky-1976

A real think-her

Tyler: Very original and interesting screenplay, almost like a longer Black Mirror episode

Ellen: In part it hits well because it isn't just one guy having this experience; a real thinker, and the most I've ever enjoyed Joaquin Phoenix

iltbta.substack.com/p/her-2013

Tyler: A fun thought experiment wrapped up in an impressively shot movie; the phrase ""indirect suicide"" will hopefully stick in my brain next time I'm worrying too much

Ellen: The real utopia was the friends we made along the way, but also, the actual utopia! Kept me guessing.

iltbta.substack.com/p/lost-horizon-1937

Tyler: It had a couple nice moments, but is ultimately undone by an unlikable protagonist and predictable ending

Ellen: Agreed, a few cute bits but nothing to write home about, and certainly not worth a trip to Hell

iltbta.substack.com/p/heaven-can-wait-1943