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Reviews
Anora (2024)
Familiar story, fantastic storytelling
A co-worker told me this movie was a cross between Pretty Woman and Uncut Gems (and more the latter)...and that pretty much nails it. The story, and filmmaking, veered between various genres and plot points, but never stopped caring. From the very first scene, I wanted things to work out for Anora. I cheered for her and worried for her and believed her to be much more than anybody seemed to give her credit for. So whether she was partying or dreaming of fighting or suffering, she held every ounce of my attention. It is an amazing performance, and transforms what could have been a so so plot into something that transcends its genre or cast. The writing and directing are all exceptional, as well. In the end, it is a familiar story with fantastic storytelling.
Causeway (2022)
Out of time/place
I honestly didn't think they made movies like this anymore. I'd basically watch anything that features Jennifer Lawrence and Brian Tyree Henry, but this film proves itself to be much more than a star vehicle. They both bring a large portion of complexity and stillness to parts that easily could have become caricatures. Instead, this movie becomes a tale of connections, made and missed, the little moments that bring us together or pull us apart. Everytime I thought I knew where it was going, it took a left turn. Away from the predictable cliche and towards the simpler human moments. "Causeway" might not have been Oscar bait in 2022, but it might have been in another era. Not every great drama needs a a big reveal...sometimes the reveal is just the stuff we hide away from others until we lose control.
Wolfs (2024)
This movie was 100%...fine?
I mean, it's hard for me to turn down Clooney and Pitt in a stylish action comedy. And a few moments do actually deliver on that promise - a solid chase scene or a bout of bickering that had me snickering despite myself. But even with two major movie stars and a premise that *should* work, most of this movie is just okay. There were points when it felt like George and Brad were cosplaying themselves in another movie, and the plot made even less sense at the end than it did in the middle. It was still an okay way to spend an hour and forty minutes. It wasn't perfect, but it wasn't bad either. I think these two have just raised the bar a bit above that.
Field of Dreams (1989)
Still hard to resist
I jumped into this movie for the first time in decades shortly after James Earl Jones died. I was flipping channels, caught sight of Ray Liotta in the Iowa cornfields, and just had to stop. Still, the whole thing felt even more dated and far-fetched than it had when I watched it on VHS 30 years ago. I wasn't sure what had changed - the movie or me. Then I started it over again on Netflix, from the beginning...and something shifted right away. These old feelings started stirring within minutes. This story's earnest ridiculousness wasn't an accident. It was the whole damn point. Does it try too hard? Oh, yes. SO SO hard. And it is 100% self-aware about it. You can laugh at it or give into it. This time I opted for option 2, and it made all the difference. There's a moment when Costner and James Earl Jones pull over to pick up Moonlight Graham on the side of the road, a hitchiker from another era. Jones chuckles, like, "Can you believe this is the story we're telling?" If you don't chuckle too, this story isn't for you. It is 100% for me, and I make no apologies for it.
Rebel Ridge (2024)
Action...but with a brain and a conscience
I can now see why everyone's been talking about this movie. What could have easily been a brainless action/revenge tale wound up being anything but that. It's like some kind of strange cross between "In The Heat of the Night" and "First Blood," which is just as unique and compelling as it sounds. Saulnier understands not only how to ratchet up the tensions between all-too-human characters, but how to capture the very real systems and structures those characters exist within (without ever getting too lecture-y). This film moves at a steady pace, letting the stakes build and the audience care. By the time the payoff came, I was beyond invested (and the stellar lead performance by Aaron Pierre didn't hurt). While I would loved to see it in a theater, the fact that it is on Netflix means I can fire it up again some time. I just might.
Kingdom of the Planet of the Apes (2024)
Exceeded my low expectations
I kind of assumed that this franchise would fall off dramatically once Matt Reeves (and Caesar) exited stage left. Sure, he managed to resurrect and reimagine IP that hadn't felt compelling since the late 60s, but what else could possibly be done? This movie proves there were still stories left to tell, even without Reeves or Serkis. It doesn't quite reach the emotional heights of Reeves' chapters in the saga nor does it have quite as many breathtaking action sequences. (Plus, it is a little long.) Still, jumping ahead a few generations allows for an interesting reflection on the stories we tell, the ways we're doomed to repeat past mistakes, and what it takes to coexist. The Planet of the Apes stories have always been at their best when they are speculative parables about humanity and I'm curious to see where this saga goes next.
There Will Be Blood (2007)
Difficult and riveting in equal measure
What's left to say about this film? Despite many adulations being heaped upon PTA's masterpiece in the last 15+ years, I have never revisited. Sure, I remembered its brilliance - the score, the cinematography, the performances - but it is not one that I find myself in the mood for all that often. It is a magnificent and riveting watch, but it is not an easy watch. Daniel Plainview is a difficult man and his story is not exactly a pick me up. In order to fully appreciate a movie like this one, we have to really take a hard look at it and what it has to say about the bargains we make. So I may not watch it every week, but that doesn't make it any less exceptional.
Deadpool & Wolverine (2024)
Spider-man: No Way Home with d*ck jokes
After each Deapool movie, I wind up thinking "Where can they go from here?" There's something about the formula with this character (aka Ryan Reynolds breaking the fourth wall while making vulgar jokes and grotesquely killing people) that guarantees diminishing returns. Every time Wade Wilson shows up, the stakes feel lower and I care a little less. The story almost seems beside the point now; everybody is too busy making jokes and explaining plotlines to tell a real story. That said, I did laugh a bunch. If you tell enough jokes, some of them are bound to land. It is basically Spider-man: No Way Home but with dick jokes and exploding heads. But for all our wondering about what would happen when the MCU and Fox merged, the answer seems to be that you get the best and worst of both. And that means we're still stuck with multiverse movies that spend all their time explaining things and then undoing the things they just explained. Plus, look at this cameo from someone who used to be in our stories! Hugh Jackman takes it seriously and the suit looks great, but that alone doesn't justify a two hour runtime even if you make sarcastic quips about the runtime throughout the movie.
The Bikeriders (2023)
The highs are worth the lows
I heard someone describe this as "Goodfellas on motorcycles," and I can see it. I have been a Nichols fan since Take Shelter, and - while this movie is not at that level - it is a reminder of the stories he's capable of telling. He's got enough restraint to let two characters covey their feelings with facial expressions alone. He's got enough of an eye to frame a shot that will take your breath away. And he's got a belief that the little human moments matter more than anything else, no matter the story. So while this story ends a bit abruptly (and feels a bit melodramatic at points), you can still see Nichols' direction and an amazing ensemble performance shine through. The highs are worth the lows. Flaws or not, I want more of these kinds of movies...not less.
Jerry Maguire (1996)
Unafraid of being earnest
Rewatching this movie with my kids reminded me of both this movie's biggest flaws and its greatest attributes. Yes, it is overly earnest (not to mention a bit long)...but it's also unafraid of both that earnestness and the flawed characters who need it. Crowe never shies away from Jerry's clueless desperation or Dorothy's bad decisions or Rod's arrogance. They are front and center for all to see, including each other. So even when the movie tried too hard, I found myself willing to stick through the cliches for the (many) tender moments because of their humanity. This movie believes that authentic relationship can change people, and it makes me want to believe it too.
A Perfect World (1993)
More about characters than criminals
Eastwood and Costner in peak form? Yes, please. This story is pretty darn simple: an escaped convict in the 1960s ends up on the run with a little kid. It's more than enough for 2+ hours. Still, this is not your typical manhunt film. This movie's way more interested in how characters connect than how criminals get caught. As a result, we get a female criminologist fighting for respect in an Airstream trailer full of stereotypical Texas hard asses. We get a young Jehovah's Witness finding a father figure while being taken hostage. In other words, this film is more drama than action thriller, despite the premise. But Eastwood directs the hell out of it and Costner is the ultimate antihero, long before Tony Soprano or Walter White. He is not a good person, but you want him to become.one. And spending a couple hours cheering for it is not a bad use of time. It was a throwback in 1993, and it is even more of a throwback now.
E.T. the Extra-Terrestrial (1982)
Timeless.
My parents took me to see this movie in the theater when I was 5 years old. It was my very first live action film in the theater. I remember our neighbor warning me it might be scary. I remember the absolute magic when that score kicked in. I remember loving movies before I was old enough to understand camera angles (or really much else).
I fell in love with movies that night, and I'm still in love with them 40 years later. I was E. T. for Halloween. I had an E. T. lunchbox. I had E. T. figures whose necks extended. In short, I was obsessed. I've rewatched many times now, but it remains absolutely timeless, whether you are a kid or have kids of your own.
Twisters (2024)
The movie-est movie in a while
Have you noticed an epidemic of movies that don't take themselves seriously? They often involve knowing looks/winks at the camera and meta-jokes that break the fourth wall. (And maybe a Ryan Reynolds appearance.) Twisters is not that. In fact, it is the opposite of that. Twisters is a throwback to when summer blockbusters just went for it, and it is ridiculous in all the best ways. This movie builds on what made the original Twister fun, dials all of it up to 11, and makes absolutely zero apologies for it. Not coincidentally, I had an absolute blast. Everybody who walked into that theater knew what they were signing up for, and we all got it. Not only that, but these characters were way more well rounded than the original, so I understood their choices and cared more when the winds started swirling. It isn't perfect, and it certainly strains credulity throughout, but it was a thrill ride that treated its setting, characters, and audience like they deserved some respect. What's not to like about that?
PS - Powell and Edgar-Jones were absolutely tailor-made for this one.
Inside Out 2 (2024)
Too many ideas to explain
Inside Out was one of Pixar's most miraculous achievements in my mind. How could an animated film possibly capture the way the human brain and emotions work together while also telling a compelling story? Pete Doctor and crew pulled it off. I cared about Riley, I grieved lost childhood with Bing Bong, and I honestly understood my own emotions and my kids better than I ever had before. I can't tell you how many times we've referenced that film while parenting kids who are now teenagers. So we all went back to the theater for this one. There were still moments of magic, but the brain control board felt like an appropriate metaphor for this one: too many buttons, too many emotions crowding around it, too many things to explain. While the sequel captured certain elements of puberty and the anxiety that comes with it, the whole concept started to collapse under its own weight at a certain point. There were too many ideas and not enough story, and Pixar's best never forget that story comes first.
Civil War (2024)
A different kind of road trip
Alex Garland loves putting new spins on familiar tropes from speculative and science fiction. I mean, the guy wrote a novel about a tesseract and his biggest film hit easily could have been adapted from Isaac Asimov. He is an original filmmaker, but the originality isn't about the ideas themselves...it is about the stories and perspectives he finds within those ideas. So it shouldn't surprise me that this film followed a photojournalist. Civil War is far less interested in explaining how the United States reached this near future apocalypse and far more interested in the journalists attempting to document it. That is precisely why it works. Garland takes audiences on a road trip through nostalgia and disaster all at once, and the result is breathtaking. Dunst is all of us: a bystander trying to maintain perspective and keep a safe distance as everything falls apart around her. And I knew from the moment her trip started that it couldn't end well...because what would that even mean? There's no chance of happily ever after in war zones, and that discomfort is the point. My protagonists couldn't look away, and as a result I couldn't either, even though that's exactly what I do everyday.
The Idea of You (2024)
Notting Hill, revisited (and surprisingly not bad!)
I have a sneaking suspicion that the pitch for this book/movie was "Notting Hill except the man is the famous one and the woman is twice his age with a teenage daughter." Basically, just swap out a bookstore for an art gallery, and you get the idea. They even reversed the British-American dynamic! And had I heard that pitch, I probably would have rolled my eyes...but I would have been underestimating the folks behind this one. It may not be Notting Hill (not quite as charming, not nearly as funny), but it still manages a protagonist you care about, a romance you believe, and a commentary on celebrity that is simultaneously biting/accurate. And a big piece of that is Hathaway. She elevates the part and the movie to be something you care about because she is just so damn good. It is not my favorite film of the year or anything, but I would take it over most contemporary rom coms for sure.
Everybody Wants Some!! (2016)
Doing nothing, just as everything gets started
If Seinfeld was a show about nothing, Everybody Wants Some (and its predecessor Dazed and Confused) is a movie about *doing* nothing. Long before we had big TVs or PlayStations or cell phones, college kids still had to pass the time. And Linklater loves capturing those moments when nothing was happening and everything was happening all at once - the moments that last forever. Nothing magically happens over this single weekend before classes start, but I recognized the cast of characters, the utter ridiculousness, and the familiar sense that you are on the precipice of something even, and especially, when precisely nothing is happening.
The Book of Clarence (2023)
Bites off plenty, but struggles to chew
When I saw that Samuel was following up The Harder They Fall with a Black Biblical satire, I got pretty excited. I actually don't mind sacrilege or reinterpretation. Life of Brian? Blessed are the cheesemakers. Last Temptation of Christ? Other than Keitel's accent, I was onboard. Anyway, the problem with this one isn't the religious satire. It's that it tries to succeed at a few too many things. It wants to be an effective satire, drama, and romance all at once. It is hard enough to make a movie like Leap of Faith that cuts across all those genres, but doing it with a story that takes place at the time of Jesus might be just a bit too ambitious. In order to make everything work, the movie rushes through multiple genres (sometimes in a single scene) trying to fit it all in. As a result, the cast nails it and Samuel directs it well...but I still never quite settled in enough to care.
A Bigger Splash (2015)
Emotional hostage/rescue
This one was worth it just for the scenery and cinematography, but the complicated relationships didn't hurt either. I never knew what to expect next, and I never knew what I wanted to happen next either. The set up is so simple: a rockstar and her boyfriend are visited by an old flame and surprise guest at their Italian villa. It sounds almost boring when pitched that way, but every scene seemed to be filled to the brim with high stakes and watchable moments, not to mention great performances. I couldn't look away, even if sometimes that was because I was going, "Nooooo. Seriously? What is happening?" The movie sometimes veered towards melodramatic or bizarre, but one thing it never was: boring.
Hit Man (2023)
Let go of logic and enjoy the ride
If you are able to accept the basic premise that Glen Powell is an awkward college professor who moonlights with the police department as a fake hit man, you should be fine. I will admit that this is a fairly high bar for entry, but I assure you that the ride is pretty fun if you can clear it. The script is funny, the cast is solid, and the chemistry between Powell and Arjona Is palpable. The whole thing reminded me of the last Fletch with Jon Hamm: a charming and well executed mystery comedy for adults. I consider that a pretty high compliment. So while the concept is silly, the ride is enjoyable. Embrace the willing suspension of disbelief and have some fun.
Gojira -1.0 (2023)
Borrowed, Blue, and New all at once
Just wow. I have seen plenty of Godzilla movies and basically none of them fulfilled their promise. The bigger they grew, the harder they fell. This movie? It is absolutely something borrowed and something new (and something blue, at points!). By getting back to the story's roots - Japan, nuclear paranoia, a crew of unlikely and tragic heroes - this movie both epitomizes and transcends its genre. In the process, it becomes less about the monster and more about the humans fleeing from it. Even when things got a bit melodramatic, I cared. I was more anxious and upset about these characters' plight than any action movie in the last 20 years. They were real and relatable even when a giant lizard was stomping nearby. And when the effects felt less than perfect or the script felt a little over-eager, it felt like part of the point, honestly. This movie and this cast were never anything less than purposeful. By revisiting the old, they created something new.
Furiosa: A Mad Max Saga (2024)
Not Fury Road, but not bad
Miller constructed this film from many of the same elements that defined "Fury Road" and have come to define the "Mad Max" saga in general. So you get epic chases across desert landscapes and action set pieces that blow your mind and bizarre feudal lords battling over a post-apocalyptic wasteland. In that sense, this movie definitely delivers. For much of it, i was riveted and enthralled, just like i was 10 years ago when the last edition was in theaters. That said, this movie may share the same DNA of "Fury Road"...but it isn't at that level. It takes a little too long to get going and the sprawl of the story resulted in a little less momentum, as well. I still dug both the action and the origin story (and I'm glad I watched it on a big screen), but this chapter showed just how it is tough to follow-up on a masterpiece.
The Fall Guy (2024)
The law of average
This movie feels like some kind of strange science experiment: what do you get when you mix together a truly bad script/adaptation with two truly great movie stars? Answer: a movie that is...just okay? It seems fairly self-evident that someone (the studio? Leitch?) realized this movie was 100% ridiculous and decided to lean into it. Make it meta. Make it self aware. Make it Deadpool. That is a high risk and high reward strategy. At moments, I found myself laughing out loud and at moments I audibly groaned. It could have been better, and it could have been worse. They mixed together enough good and enough bad to end up right in the middle. Yay.
Challengers (2024)
Better than advertised
Based on word of mouth alone, I basically expected this movie to be a sweaty sexy love triangle. Granted, three people kissing while playing tennis didn't seem like enoughy to fill 130 minutes, but that is what I expected anyway. And as a result my expectations were low.
Well, I got more than I bargained for. First off, the movie just flew by for me - I couldn't take my eyes off all three of the stars, and both the synth soundtrack and kinetic camera work pulled me in immediately and never let me go. Second, instead of the usual underdog story, the sports setting offered the backdrop for an interesting reflection on what success looks like, how we each make sense of it, and whether we really want it as bad as we think. So yes, there was sweat, sex, and tennis (and a heavy dose of campiness that seemed quite intentional). But there was more than that too. While the movie followed a familiar formula, it also subverted it enough to keep me interested and entertained throughout.
Anyone But You (2023)
Ridiculous and charming...but not ridiculously charming
This movie was anything but consistent. Some scenes were ridiculously endearing, some were ridiculously annoying, some were ridiculously laughable, and some were just ridiculous. (I think the one commonality is self evident.) Gluck clearly wanted to bring back the big budget RomCom and update Shakespeare all at once - the movie version of a genre novel that leans all the way into all the tropes, but is smart enough to make good literary references along the way. Much like with any somewhat self aware story, there were times when the camera winks amused me and times when they had the opposite effect. Regardless, there is no denying that Powell and Sweeney make the most of every scene. Even if it never fully comes together for you, I bet you will still find yourself at least a little charmed.