How My Mother Imparted Feminism To Me Indirectly

She kept her maiden name.
She taught me how to clean

and required me to do it.

She taught me how to cook

and required me to do it.

I have yet to meet a man

who could relate

to even one of those things.

Thanks Ma.

'No Other Choice' A Review

No Other Choice is a black comedy/thriller about Man-su(Lee Byung-hun) a papermaking expert who is laid off, struggles to find employment, then hatches a plan to murder various other candidates in order to secure a coveted position.

Lee is a solid lead, balancing absurdity and slapstick with sincere emotional vulnerability. Son Ye-jin as Lee Mi-ri, Man-su's wife though really steals the show and brings some much needed sympathy and reality to the narrative. The support cast are all solid and maintain the kind of unreal tone. Does that tone work though? It's consistent but feels, at least from a US perspective, dated. It's the same kind of corporate satire of the excellent American Psycho or the much less successful Wolf Of Wall Street. It feels somewhat irrelevant and the purpose of it all is unclear.

Visually the film is compelling with some cool artistic flourishes and short abstract sequences, but again, to what end? Corporations are bad? Capitalism destroys people? No shit. On top of the overall theme being pretty 80's 101 Man-su as written is a selfish, inarticulate, buffoon. We have absolutely no reason to care about this idiot so whether he succeeds in killing other selfish idiots or his life is dismantled as a result of his own pride and ineffectuality doesn't really matter. All in, the film feels like there are materially no stakes other than like, how much will Mi-ri put up with?

A big theme of recent years seems to be movies about selfish men being selfish but most(if not all) of them are uninteresting and given the current state of the world men like these are getting more than enough air time in the news and positions of power. 

Not a bad movie but seemingly has nothing to tell us about our current time that we don't already thoroughly know. Seems only interested in highlighting the absurdity of the current human condition but stops there.

Currently in theaters.

Stream It.

Slow is Smooth, Smooth is Fast

With the hustle and bustle
of the season

it is important

to be deliberate

with an elongating to-do list

it is best

to take it

a task at a time

to be present

and enjoy

the obligations

as well as the celebrations

a reminder I needed

cutting my fingers

in the rush

to prune the tree

'Hamnet' A Review

Hamnet is a period drama, an adaptation of the 2020 novel, about the courtship and marriage of Agnes(Jessie Buckley) and Shakespeare(Paul Mescal) and how the two deal with the untimely death of their 11 year old son, the titular Hamnet(Jacobi Jupe).

Buckley gives an incredible, almost elemental performance. Raw and open and unadorned. Mescal struggles a bit to get to her level, he's still good and they have good chemistry, but she clearly outshines him which all-in-all is mostly appropriate given it is really Agnes's story. The supporting characters are well cast and effective although Emily Watson is somewhat underused and the child actors are surprisingly natural and give full-bodied performances particularly Olivia Lynes as Judith. The issue isn't with the actors or what they do and Buckely will, justly, get some awards attention this year.

There are two big issues with the film. The first is the camera work. It deploys an absolutely relentless shaky hand-held close-up focused approach that feels claustrophobic and bludgeoning displaying a distrust of the actors, Buckley in particular, and a coldly mercenary view as to eliciting an emotional reaction from the audience.

Two, on that same track, the emotional beats are profoundly unsubtle and the script exploits the child-death at the center of the story enormously to the point where the clear manipulation of the audience is recognizable and offensive ie the fifteen minute long scene of 11-year-old Jupe wailing and thrashing as he dies along with Buckley's primordial screams all shot in 6 inch close ups is all just too much. We get it. The situation and the performances are effective, the audience does not need to be dragged along by the ear and beaten over the head with the idea that a child's death is tragic. The film clearly relishes this moment and that's simply wrong.

This juxtaposed with the final scene of the film during a staging of Hamlet where both Agnes and Shakespeare finally gain understanding and catharsis is nothing short of transcendent. The inconsistency is frustrating. The film looks beautiful, the cast is great, the story is compelling, but it gets in its own way.

A career best from Buckley mostly weathers co-writer/director Chloé Zhao's periodic lack of confidence in her material and audience.

Currently in theaters.

Rent It.

'Spinal Tap II: The End Continues' A Review

Spinal Tap II: The End Continues is a mocumentary, a sequel to the 1984 cult classic This Is Spinal Tap. 40 years after the first film Marty DiBergi(Rob Reiner) is making a documentary about an official Spinal Tap reunion. 

As far as story it's pretty straight-forward and uncomplicated but it's a joy to see Christopher Guest, Michael McKean, and Harry Shearer back in character and although much older they don't really miss a step. Their characters are just as alive as ever and jokes are jam packed into the dialogue and they bounce off both returning characters, new characters notably drummer Didi(Valerie Franco), and a series of high-profile and playful cameos.

The cinematography is uncomplicated and effective, in keeping with the mocumentary style, a genre that kind of took off in wake of the first film but has in the past ten years mostly disappeared(the last notable entrant being 2015's What We Do In The Shadows). The music is great(no surprise) and there's quite a bit of it, the costumes are inspired. In short, the gang still rocks!

Fun, funny, surprising, and a well deserved(and successful) victory lap for the Tap.

Currently streaming on HBO Max.

See It.

Air Thick With Frost

The cold
at night

the bite
the darkness

the silence

time cracking

underneath the ice

the world

breath held

in anticipation

'Wake Up Dead Man: A Knives Out Mystery' A Review

Wake Up Dead Man is a murder mystery, the third in the Knives Out series. Father Jud(Josh O'Connor) a former boxer turned priest is reassigned to a rural parish after punching a rude deacon. He is under the thumb of megalomaniacal Monsignor Wicks(Josh Brolin) who unexpectedly and mysteriously dies. When all fingers point to Jud the gentlemen detective Benoit Blanc(Daniel Craig) is called in to solve the case.

O'Connor gives a good, if inconsistent, lead performance here. The problem with O'Connor is that we're simply seeing too much of him, this is the third(of four) major releases this year for him. Kind of getting into Glen Powell territory, any actor, no matter how talented, cannot saturate the market, be forced upon the collective cultural consciousness. Back to the movie, he provides heart and sincerity and provides a believable(and necessary) portrayal of a truly devote Christian calling out and acting against the corruptions of religion both in the abstract and the specific. But overall its just kind of flat, plateaus and doesn't change. Brolin is delicious as the heavy, with total commitment and total presence. Craig seems to be losing a bit of umph with Blanc and his ill-advised hair piece doesn't do him any favors. He's still compelling but at this juncture the character and the series is falling into diminishing returns. The supporting cast is all stacked with great actors and cool cameos, most notably Glenn Close who absolutely dominates, but a bit too much time is spent on plotting and a bit too little is spent on character so as great as the cast is, it doesn't particularly matter.

Visually the film is a huge improvement on the over-saturated, pastel repugnance of Glass Onion. The color pallet is more subdued, there's a sense of place and history, more-in-line with the original even though it is clearly shot in the UK and on soundstages. The score works, the costuming is great, the twists-and-turns of the plot entertain but it doesn't have that singular electricity of the original, doesn't have the emotional depth needed to make it work both as a great mystery and a great film. Writer/director Rian Johnson is inching closer and closer to Kenneth Branagh Poirot territory. Not bad, just pure entertainment.

Funny, engaging, with attempts at commentary which are admirable if not altogether successful, a little thin.

Currently in theaters and streaming on Netflix.

Rent It.

'Sentimental Value' A Review

Sentimental Value is a drama about a dysfunctional Norwegian family. Gustav(Stellan Skarsgård) returns to Oslo in the wake of his ex-wife's death and attempts to reconnect with his daughters Nora(Renate Reinsve) and Agnes(Inga Ibsdotter Lilleaas) and get a new film made after a long hiatus.

Skarsgård continues to deliver in his later career, here he is constrained by the character's emotional limitations but compensates beautifully with subtlety, nuance, and portrays an artist with the kind of insight and contradictions you'd expect from a life long creative. Reinsve's performance is more limited, it is in essence a version of the same character she played in Worst Person In The World an individual who is selfish, mentally ill, impenetrable, with little to no interest in changing(until the very end). Maybe that character arc is particularly appealing to co-writer/director Joachim Trier but as a viewer is pretty frustrating. The real star is Lilleaas who plays the only relatable human in the cast, she feels real, has recognizable emotions, and grows and shrinks and changes as the story progresses. The 'artist' characters swirl around her while she lives in reality. The other notable supporting cast member is Elle Fanning as Rachel Kemp an American movie star. She's compelling but the whole movie-within-a-movie subplot feels unnecessary, feels like a delaying tactic to not have to show the characters change or transform.

Visually the film is beautiful. Shot with subtlety and richness with the occasional inspired flourish or bit of magical realism. The score is effective, the locations are evocative. The production all the way around is top notch. The story is just unfocused, the themes ambitious but muddily conveyed, the resolution too tidy and brief, unearned. There's a luxuriating within the past and present trauma of the characters but no real insight about that trauma. Reminiscent of movies about addiction like Crazy Heart where the bulk of the runtime is spent languishing in the pain of life and quickly montaging through the actual progress made as a result of that pain in the final minutes proceeding the credits. Especially now in 2025 our movies do not need to tell us about how painful life is and can be, most of the entire population is living it and has been. Not to mention this particular story is full up with a kind of oblivious economic privilege that may be cultural but is still off putting.

Trauma porn. Well made, well acted, and finely drawn but trauma porn nonetheless.

Currently in theaters.

Rent It.

Endings

At an end

we are forced to reflect

assess

the value

the meaning

sometimes we will mourn

the passing

sometimes we will rage at

the absence

sometimes we will trivialize

sometimes we will be relieved

and yet

the cessation itself

does not effect

the impact

of the past

'Jay Kelly' A Review

Jay Kelly is a drama about a sad and lonely rich boomer movie star the titular Jay Kelly(George Clooney). The movie opens on the wrapping of his latest movie after which he attempts to connect with his daughters who, after years of neglect, justly don't want much to do with him. He wanders around Europe and fails again and again to really learn anything or come to terms with his actions, life, or career in any meaningful or insightful way.

Clooney is decent, he seems a bit on auto-pilot which makes sense for the role but isn't particularly compelling. The supporting cast is a cavalcade of names but the only real standout is Adam Sandler as Ron Jay's manager, he's the only one who really seems like an actual, relatable human being with recognizable emotions, it would have been a more interesting story following his character.

The cinematography is bold and rich and compelling as is the score. The big issue is just the whole premise. Who cares about this rich, aging narcissist who's motivation in trying to connect with his friends and family seems to only be a self-centered loneliness and who displays a complete inability to take responsibility for his actions or understand, in any way, his failings. The whole central conundrum is very specific to a certain type of aging white male(presumably a lot of the themes are very close to co-writer/director Baumbach) and as such doesn't really have broad appeal. 

An incredibly made film that elicits no compassion or interest in its narrative or characters(aside from Sandman).

Currently streaming on Netflix.

Don't See It.

'Zodiac Killer Project' A Review

Zodiac Killer Project is a meta-documentary about the failed adaptation of The Zodiac Killer Cover-Up: The Silenced Badge by director Charlie Shackleton. Shackleton narrates over b-roll footage, describing the film he intended to make until it fell through and ruminates on the True Crime genre, occasionally cutting to popular features or series to elucidate certain troupes.

Visually the film is simple and meditative, the California b-roll, which may be location scouting footage, is mostly static, the only movement being slow pans and zooms, it's effective to a point but certainly strains attention at feature length. The big issue isn't that the film is experimental in form and content but just that that content, the point of it all, isn't particularly complex. Shackleton criticizes True Crime filmmaking troupes and practices and in the same breath how he couldn't wait to deploy them. He talks about the explosion of True Crime's popularity with a certain amount of distain but is clearly an avid watcher. He expresses frustration about not getting to make his project simply because it would have been watched by a lot of people.

Ultimately the film, Shackleton, has no real insight to offer- he tried to make a film, couldn't, and made this as a substitute- that's it. He feints at broader analysis of True Crime both as a product and the culture's fascination with it but never follows through. However, the way he breaks down imagery and discusses the lexicon of film in conveying information is engaging, the film he describes sounds like the kind of HBO or Netflix project that people would watch, there's a certain appeal to the simplicity and cleanness of the images, but taken together it's all a bit underbaked.

Interesting as an experiment but ultimately incomplete, feels like what it is- the scraps from a bigger, fuller idea.

Currently in theaters.

Stream It.

'Five Nights At Freddy's 2' A Review

Five Nights At Freddy's 2 is a horror sequel to 2023's Five Nights At Freddy's based on the video game series. The movie opens on a flashback to 1982 on a different Freddy's location from the original where an isolated girl Charlotte sees owner and serial killer William(Matthew Lillard) kidnapping a little boy, in attempting to rescue him she is killed and her ghost is trapped. Twenty years later Mike(Josh Hutcherson), his sister Abby(Piper Rubio), and their friend Vanessa(Elizabeth Lail) struggle to adjust in the wake of the events of the first movie when Charlotte's malevolent spirit reaches out to interfere.

Hutcherson, Rubio, and Lail are all great and committed and serve as the grounding point for all the absurdity and violence and give those things emotional stakes making it fun, entertaining, and if not believable exactly than at least plausible. Lillard isn't in it as much as the previous movie but he's got one great, terrifying dream sequence. The supporting cast is all solid and there's one piece of really inspired casting with Skeet Ulrich as Charlotte's dad, a cool bit of resonance with Lillard calling back their Scream villains.

Visually the movie sticks to its roots, focuses mostly on practical effects and coherent tactile action, there's minimal CG and what there is is integrated smoothly and effectively. With a bigger budget they're able to use more locations and the flagship Freddy's location is expanded allowing more animatronics, more elaborate kills, and more visual flare. The soundtrack is catchy and fun, if there's a flaw it's that the plot is a bit convoluted and it ends on a cliffhanger(presumably setting up a third in the series). Still, it's fun, funny, well paced, and above all entertains.

A solid B-movie horror sequel, great counter programing to the season's Oscar hopeful glut.

Currently in theaters, coming soon to Peacock.

Rent It.

Life on life's terms

I don't understand
the fear of death

I don't wish it

or welcome it

I relish each day's

pleasures

I'm grateful

for each day's

challenges

I accept

my responsibilities

with an open

and eager heart

most days

I am filled

with love

but

when it's time to go

whether tomorrow

or in 50 years

I will be ready to depart

'Train Dreams' A Review

Train Dreams is a period drama based on the 2011 novella. An understated birth-to-death portrait of Idaho logger Robert(Joel Edgerton) from the turn of the century onward.

Edgerton is a bit lost, a bit listless in the role. It requires more stillness and abstraction than he's really able to provide, you can see him acting even when he's clearly struggling to do less. Edgerton is a fine actor but he's not a movie star and the kind of odd impressionistic tone requires that. He's not bad he's just not altogether successful. Nor is the film for that matter. Felicity Jones as Gladys Robert's wife is more in-line with the tone but she's in the movie only briefly. The supporting cast is full of talent, Kerry Condon, William H. Macy, Will Patton as the narrator, but there's just not a tone of substance overall to the story so they don't particularly matter.

Visually the film is beautiful, like a series of paintings, but whatever modern equipment was used there's an odd kind-of digital jittering anytime there's movement. It's a bizarre and ineffective choice given the period setting. The crystalline images are incongruous with the actors costuming(which is effective). The score is moody and transportive. For what it is, it's good not great, the real issue is that it's a mood piece but it's constrained by conventional editing, linear plotting, and ultimately seems to have no real message or if it does it's something as pedestrian and indisputable as "you only get one life" or "life sure is wild huh?"

Where the film really suffers is by comparison, which may be unfair, and yet the influence of Tree Of Life and Terrence Malick generally is kind of impossible not to see as far as style and by that metric Train Dreams is unambitious and thin. Nine Days investigates life and death in a much more emotional and inspiring way. The Assassination of Jesse James By The Coward Robert Ford utilizes voice over and the period setting with more depth and intention. First Cow uses the truncated aspect ratio more effectively and the image coloring in service of the period setting. I could go on. This is all to say it feels reductive.

Pretty, mildly diverting, but unoriginal. A pastiche of better films in search of vision.

Currently streaming on Netflix.

Stream It.

The First Snowfall

I'll never tire of it
its sparking beauty

its inevitability

the shoveling and salting

the bundling and slogging

it necessitates

the focus and labor

it demands

bringing all of us

into the present

Glorious

'Sisu: Road To Revenge' A Review

Sisu: Road To Revenge is a period action movie, a sequel to 2022's Sisu. After WWII Finland has ceded parts of it's country to the Soviet Union as part of the peace treaty. Aatami(Jorma Tommila) our hero, sets off to retrieve his house, log by log, and bring it back into Finland. Igor(Stephen Lang) is tasked with making sure he never gets back across the boarder. Bodies pile up.

Tommila brings his same enigmatic charm but this time, in a moment or two, he's extremely emotional. It really works and it's an interesting balance. Lang, as always, is a mustache twirling delight. The guy is one of the best heavy's working and at 73 it's nice to see him still at it. The rest of the cast are mostly just cannon fodder. There was little dialogue and plot in the original and there is even less here, with a streamlined story and cast that focuses on the action.

As to the action it's great, thrilling, gory, frequently funny. That's where the focus seems to have gone in the sequel, on the action set pieces, and it shows. Tommila is just as proficient and unstoppable and it's a lot of fun. The choreography, the stunt work, the intricacy of it all work together to give it that tactile feel that many modern films lack. The only fault is that it's a sequel, it can't, by definition, come out of left field and be the lovely surprise that the original was so may be destined to fall short of it's predecessor.

An old school action thriller that delivers.

Currently in theaters.

See It.

'The Running Man' A Review

The Running Man is a dystopian action movie, an adaptation of the Stephen King novel. In the near future the US is under corporate authoritarian rule and the majority of the population live on poverty pacified by reality TV. Ben Richards(Glenn Powell) enrolls in the most dangerous program, the titular Running Man, in order to afford medicine for his ailing baby.

Powell was good in his breakout Everybody Wants Some!! he was good as the fourth on the call sheet in Top Gun: Maverick but he's not a leading man(at least not yet). His performance here is all posturing, all performative, all indicating and falseness. He is uncompelling and unbelievable. And as the movie is in some ways episodic as he continues his run there is no other characters for him to really build rapport with and neither his character nor any other develops in anyway. The supporting cast is mostly good but there are problems with the script, there's a tension in what the movie wants to be- the comedy, the commentary, or the action. The result is kind of a mess with Powell who is trying too hard to project some pre-loaded expectation rather than just acting.

Although extensively CGI'd visually the world created is cool looking and intricate. The soundtrack catchy, the action well choregraphed and shot. But it's just got no juice, no spark, no thrill. Because Powell isn't compelling the stakes of the whole thing feel meaningless and the machinations of the commentary are watered down and muddled to the point it loses any bite(during a time when it couldn't be more relevant!). For example, a scene where Michael Cera's character monologues about class revolution he ends it with a swigging a Monster energy drink, cringe. It all feels like something more appropriately dumped to streaming rather than a blockbuster.

Overlong, weak lead, convoluted plotting, enough good action to put on during chores.

Currently in theaters.

Stream It.

Middle Age Thoughts

I've come to the point
where death

is not likely

but possible

stroke, heart attack,

freak occurrence

the idea more

prevalent

with half my life

behind

not suicidal ideation

or mortality obsession

but standard

middle age reality

but the thought

from time to time

engenders

this desire

to provide assurance

If I go early

know

I gave it everything I got

the kind of

unnecessary proclamation

I feel compelled

more often to make

'The Mastermind' A Review

The Mastermind is a period drama about a listless Boston suburbanite father in 1970 J.B.(Josh O'Connor) who plots to steal paintings from a local museum as he's disinterested in working, his wife, and his kids.

O'Connor may be a decent actor with potential but he is not a leading man(at least not here), he absolutely crumbles under the weight of carrying this film. The character is on screen pretty much the entire run time and has very little dialogue, O'Connor basically does nothing, projects passivity and blankness aside from a moment or two where he tilts his head and gives a half grin, the only specific gesture he uses and one he does repeatedly. You get no interiority from him, no sense of depth, no understanding of what's going on with this character or why we should care about him. It's honestly baffling. He is, from minute one, profoundly boring. Since his meteoric rise in Challengers he's joined the underserving ranks of Austin Butler, Jacob Elordi, Glenn Powell, Timothée Chalamet, Paul Mescal etc. as Hollywood continues to try to force a new leading man on us(as opposed to letting talent and the box office speak for itself). The supporting cast(other than Alana Haim who, similarly seems to be cast because of industry hype rather than ability) is all great but they are all barely in the movie. It's extremely telling that, pretty much, the only compelling scene in the movie is when J.B. goes to lay low with his friends played by Gaby Hoffmann and John Magaro and the movie, finally, comes alive and it's because of Hoffman and Magaro.

Visually the film has writer/director Kelly Reichardt's patented understated meticulousness, the production design transportive, and the free-wheeling, chaotic, jazz score soars. Reichardt's craft has never been better but the story really begs the question why make this and why should an audience care.

A portrait of an uninteresting man being selfish and self-diluted.

Currently in theaters.

Don't See It.

'Freakier Friday' A Review

 Freakier Friday is a body-swap comedy, a sequel to 2003's Freaky Friday based on the novel. 22 years after the events of the first movie Anna(Lindsay Lohan) is a music producer and single mother with the help of her psychologist mother Tess(Jamie Lee Curtis). Anna strikes up a romance with Eric(Manny Jacinto) but their daughters Harper(Julia Butters) and Lily(Sophia Hammons) are vehemently opposed to the match, thus initiates the body-swap between Anna, Tess, Harper, and Lily.

Lohan and Curtis are clearly delighted to be back and go even bigger and have even more fun than the original. Butters and Hammons are good but are featured less and without the history there part of the narrative isn't quite as engaging. The supporting cast is stacked with talent, not only Jacinto but Vanessa Bayer, X Mayo, Chloe Fineman as well as a lot of returning cast from the original. All in all it's just fun, funny, and has heart and the entire cast is locked in tonally.

Visually somewhat reserved but with a lot of physical comedy and sight gags to give it a thrum of energy. The soundtrack is catchy and the costume design is delicious. It's an object lesson in how to do one of these legacy sequels, probably the most successful of it's type to-date, the biggest key is letting it actually be a sequel i.e. Lohan and Curtis are the undisputed stars but there's enough freshness, enough new elements, but at the same time still feels of-a-piece.

Playful, effective, family fun.

Currently streaming on Disney+.

Rent It.

The Gravity of Autumn

The leaves cascade down

to blanket sidewalks

streets and cars

frost creeps

The chill descends

storm windows sealed

dusty coats

come out of stasis

Quiet falls

it is a slow time

a planning time

a time of endings 

'Materialists' A Review

Materialists is a rom-dram, the sophomore feature from Celine Song after her breakout debut Past Lives, about NYC matchmaker Lucy(Dakota Johnson) and the tension between her actual feelings towards working class John(Chris Evans) and the magnetism of wealth from Harry(Pedro Pascal). What's a girl to do?

Johnson struggles to create a believable human, part of that is she's never displayed a particularly wide range but also, as written, Lucy and more broadly the whole narrative, has little basis in reality or interest. Johnson delivers all of her lines like she's reciting a memorized monologue but to her credit, that's how a lot of the dialogue comes across, like a socio-economics paper, not subtext, all text, all this kind of shotgun-blast punishing(and dated) argument about the intertwining of marriage and capital. Evans and Pascal are both decent, both charming, but they also struggle because their characters aren't particularly believable or compelling and said characters inhabit an absurd narrative. Give them an actual honest-to-goodness romcom and that's something that'd put butts in seats. The supporting cast is small and mostly forgettable. More broadly, why would a general movie goer care about the romantic travails of terrible, racist, shallow people complaining about making a quarter of a million dollars a year.

Visually Song continues to impress, the film looks incredible, every shot like a piece of art, the colors and textures rich and evocative. The score is consistently good but inconsistent with the tone, is this a rom-com, a rom-dram, a straight up drama, or an erotic thriller? The movie is confused and so the score, at times, doesn't really make any sense.

The big issue is the script. The themes and ideas are muddled and ultimately kind of repugnant. The movie feints at playing with rom-com tropes, postures at satirizing modern dating and marriage, but ultimately the message is this dated, regressive, quite frankly disgusting embrace of this purely capitalist kind of Girl Boss/Lean In perspective i.e. you can have it all as long as you make enough money. Which is, one, simply not true(Scrooge anyone?) and two especially offensive given what's happening in the US this year/right now, the economics they are discussing are not within reach of 95% of the population.

Blatant(seemingly unknowing) propaganda for the patriarchal capitalist machine.

Currently streaming on HBO Max.

Don't See It.

'Predator: Badlands' A Review

Predator: Badlands is a scifi action movie, a standalone in the Predator franchise and the ninth in the series. Dek(Dimitrius Schuster-Koloamatangi), a Yautja(Predator) runt, strives to prove himself to his clan by going to Genna, the 'death planet', and hunting the unkillable Kalisk. After crashing he teams up with Thia(Elle Fanning) a damaged synthetic and the two strike up an unlikely partnership.

Schuster-Koloamatangi gives a great performance, expressive and alien, conveying an understandable but distinctly different species. He has a lot of room to play, which he does, mostly utilizing physicality and brings the Predator, here-to-for mostly unknowable, into a fully flushed out character. Fanning is a great foil, fast-talking and funny and the two have great chemistry. The supporting cast is pretty limited but equally effective. There is a Grogu-esk sidekick that kind of rides the line of fun and cute occasionally dipping over to on-the-nose but still mostly just fun.

Visually the film is rich, imaginative, and exciting. The landscape, the flora and fauna, the creature design. It's all very specific and very evocative. Director Dan Trachtenberg continues his resurgent efforts for the franchise, expanding the world in interesting way and telling diverting standalone stories. The score is thrumming and contagious, the costuming, the props, all are clearly meticulously thought out and serve the transportive worldbuilding. It marks somewhat of a tonal shift for the franchise, this is definitely a PG-13 action flick, reminiscent of the kind of thing you'd have seen in the late 90's with humor, heart, and exciting fights and that's one of the things that make it feel so fresh and exciting. 

A thrilling, immersive adventure. A throwback style popcorn flick Hollywood seems to have forgotten how to make- fun.

Currently in theaters.

Don't Miss It.

A Lament For The Present Time

It needn't be this hard.

'Black Phone 2' A Review

Black Phone 2 is a horror movie, a sequel to 2021's The Black Phone. Four years after the events of the first film Finney(Mason Thames) is traumatized and violent, fighting kids at school and smoking weed at night to numb out. His sister Gwen(Madeleine McGraw) has also struggled with being an outcast while her promotions and psychic insights have gotten stronger. In a vision she sees her mother as a teen at a camp in the mountains. As a result Finney, Gwen, and their friend Ernesto(Miguel Mora) go to investigate.

Both Thames and McGraw, great in the first film, are even better here and are asked(and excel at) playing even more complicated emotions incorporating the damage and the fallout of the first film into their characters behavior and development in the second. The supporting cast is all great- Mora, Demián Bichir, Jeremy Davies, Arianna Rivas, and of course Ethan Hawke who reprises his role as the Grabber but this time as a malevolent ghost rather than a flesh-and-blood serial killer and the adjustment he makes in the performance, making it more expressionistic, having more fun, is really a treat.

Visually the film is rich and goes even further than the original with extended sequences taking place in an alternate dream reality with a Super 8 style graininess. The soundtrack is incredibly effective, the sound mix really potent, just all the way around great, inspired, risky(in a good way) production design. The only fault is that there's a scene or two at the camp which is clearly green-screened but even then the performances are so good, the tension so expertly ratcheted it doesn't really matter.

A solid piece of emotionally complex horror that thrills as well as inspires. An object lesson in what small and mid-budget flicks can do when there's a solid story and a clear vision.

Currently in theaters.

See It.

Knocked Off The Beam Of Serenity

I know it's bad
when I can't write

my body too distressed

my mind too clouded

to do the thing

that it is most in myself

to do

so I write this

in hopes it shakes

the cortisol constricting my heart

and loosens my fingers

that the words return

and provide their faithful

focus and relief

'Roofman' A Review

Roofman is a dramedy about Jeff(Channing Tatum) a divorced Army veteran struggling to support his three children. To that end, he turns to armed robbery of fast food restaurants breaking in through the roof before they open which gives him the titular moniker. Eventually he has to hide out and he does so in a Toys "R" Us, watches employee Leigh(Kirsten Dunst), and strikes up a relationship with her and her two daughters.

Tatum is, as always, effortlessly charming as well as deeply emotional. He's wonderful here, if he struggles it is only with the restrictions of the script which is based on a true story and a real guy which the story adheres to. But as a result his character doesn't really change until the very end of the movie, Tatum plays as many notes as he can- he's funny, romantic, guilt ridden, despairing- but ultimately the character on the page doesn't transform so nor can he. Dunst is also sensational and their chemistry is exquisite. Dunst has become the sleeper, dominate, actress of her generation, one hopes she gets more higher profile roles in the coming years. Watching the two of them together you just wish they were in a straight-forward rom-com(which the trailers make it look like this is when it most definitely is not). The supporting cast is incredible- Ben Mendelsohn, Peter Dinklage, Uzo Aduba, Juno Temple, LaKeith Stanfield, among others- and they all just creates a really rich world and context.

Visually the film isn't flashy but very effective, immersive, and intentional. The production design across the board just feels real and evocative. If there's an issue with the film it's one of tone. Life doesn't always translate into narrative and it seems like the script adheres perhaps too closely to Jeff's actual life. As a result it's just kinda unclear what this movie is. Is it a romance? Well Jeff is charming and sweet but also a gaslighter and manipulator. Is it a comedy? Well there's a lot of funny stuff in here but also some really intense tragic stuff. Ultimately all those threads and genres just don't really coalesce. It's unclear what the movie wants to do other than tell Jeff's interesting but not particularly coherent story.

Engaging and emotionally effecting but not necessarily in harmony with itself.

Currently in theaters.

Rent It.

The Competent Man

A trope
that's received
no small amount

of justified criticism

but still

it is something

to which I aspire

not specialty

not genius

but simple

competence

in all things

'Tron: Ares" A Review

Tron: Ares is the third installment in the Tron franchise and loosely follows the events of Tron: Legacy. Two corporations are competing to stabilize digital constructs(like 3D printed computer programs). Eve(Greta Lee) wants to use this technology to help humanity, her rival Julian(Evan Peters) wants to use it to create an army. His lead program is Ares(Jared Leto) who bucks under his programing and wants to be a real boy.

Leto, taking aside the allegations and having a long history of harassing his co-workers, is just boring and miscast here. He's wooden, uncompelling, he seems confused about what he's doing and it doesn't help that the plot is overly convoluted. Lee is decent but is equally bogged down by the plotting and Peters injects some much needed verve but he is hamstrung with almost all of his action being typing on a keyboard. Jodie Turner-Smith as Ares' fellow program Athena is great but underused. Aside from Leto, the cast is decent, but both his performance and his reputational association make the movie suffer.

Visually the film is slick Tron-like(natch) and cool, the soundtrack is mesmeric, the action sequences are entertaining. The production elements, across the board, all hit home. The problem(other than Leto) is the script. It just has too many ideas and can't quite decide what it wants to focus on and it misses a trick by having the bulk of the action take place in the 'real world' as opposed to 'the grid'. Despite all that it's a decent ride, doesn't quite hit the same sweet spot as Tron: Legacy but isn't altogether awful.

Diverting vibe with a clunker lead, not as slick or immersive as it's predecessor.

Currently in theaters.

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'Good Boy' A Review

Good Boy is a horror movie that follows the perspective of the dog Indy as his owner Todd(Shane Jensen) leaves the city to hole up in his deceased grandfather's cabin in the woods. Todd is plagued by a mysterious lung disease(and a mysterious figure), the situation goes from bad-to-worse.

Indy is indeed a good boy and his performance is pretty stunning and emotive if almost exclusively reactive. Jensen and the few supporting characters don't do much and the actual nature of the supernatural threat isn't super explicit. It's a vibe film and the narrative is appropriately fuzzy given we are taking it in from the dog's POV.

It's inspired visually, always tight on Indy catching his reactions, trying to convey his dog-thoughts. The score is simple and effective, the script is a little lean. At 73 minutes it's too long for a short but a bit under baked as a feature.

An intriguing and somewhat satisfying experiment showing incredible promise from co-writer/director Ben Leonberg.

Currently in theaters.

Rent It.

Indecorous

Call me old-fashioned
but parents
getting buzzed-up
with their kids
ain't ever good

'The Alabama Solution' A Review

The Alabama Solution is a documentary about the inhumane conditions within Alabama state prisons and the prison system at large. Shot mostly through covert footage captured by inmates on contraband cell phones.

For anyone familiar with incarceration in the US none of this, unfortunately, should be a surprise. The understaffing, the overcrowding, the corrupt use of labor, the violence, the lawsuits, the cover-ups, the list goes on. What we're shown may be a bit more extreme than in other similar documentaries, Alabama is clearly one of the more egregious states as far as these practices and it's white populace demonstrate less compassion for prisoners and less understanding of the nuance, nature, and history of the criminal justice system particularly in regards to race. Even so, the situation is applicable nation-wide. And focusing on Alabama in particular draws a sharper contrast with the issues at hand. 

What is most effective and most heartrending about The Alabama Solution is that the inmates themselves are foregrounded, directors Andrew Jarecki and Charlotte Kaufman can only be heard briefly off-screen at the beginning and pretty much disappear. The conditions, lives, and history of the inmates are provided by themselves Robert Earl Council and Melvin Ray in particular are the backbone of the film and their insight and expertise is impactful. But what is even more apparent and more profound is Council, Ray, and all the inmates featured's humanity. And that is what comes through in the film most clearly, most powerfully. And so despite all the pain and suffering, despite the injustice, what we see is the strength, character, and resolve of these men.

A brutal portrait of correctional conditions and a testament to the spirit of those who must endure it.

Currently streaming on HBO Max.

Don't Miss It.

'John Candy: I Like Me' A Review

John Candy: I Like Me is a documentary about the late great actor John Candy. Through talking head interviews, archival footage, and home movies his legacy is gently explored.

For a victory lap for a well deserving artist it suffices. But much like 2020's Belushi and other documentaries of this type it fails to really provide any insight or depth to the person. The interviews from his children and, surprisingly, former Second City owner Andrew Alexander come closest as they seem to be the only ones interested in expressing any kind of nuance or even potential criticism. Every other talking-head(of which there are many) simply praise him. Not that he's undeserving or that it strains credulity, he was a good man, kind and generous, that's not really disputable. But. It seems clear there was an alcohol problem, it is very clear there was a health problem. And it's disappointing that these topics are only briefly glossed over and not investigated. He was a complex person. Particularly as a big person with that level of talent. Candy, Belushi, Farley they were all incredible talents and they all faced a very specific challenge which no documentary or biography has, to date, really successfully delved into.

A breezy, simplistic portrait of a dynamic talent and a complex man. 

Currently streaming on Prime.

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Simple

Simple
is always good
and often best

Home Is Where The Heart Is

Watching the Cubs
post-season push
in South Dakota
I yearn for my city
as ICE tactics escelate
and strangers we encounter here
respond to our hometown
with silence and discomfort
I yearn for my city
its danger
that I may share in it
its community
because I am part of it

Time

it took me years

to realize
fastest
isn't always best

every minute counts

Celestial Chicken

The Moon

impatient with The Sun's sedateness
rockets past the horizon
full and burnt
reflecting the fire's afterglow
an hour before full dark
it rises
overeager

'One Battle After Another' A Review

One Battle After Another is a drama/thriller based on the 1990 novel Vineland by Thomas Pynchon. It follows Pat/Bob(Leonardo DiCaprio) a member of a far-left militant group during his active years(in the prologue) with the bulk of the story happening years later as he is separated from his daughter and both of them are on the run from government agents.

DiCaprio continues a bit of a plateau in his career, he's not bad here he's just not particularly interesting or dynamic, and as the lead that's a problem. Surprisingly, the most nuanced character is Sean Penn as the heavy, his performance full of eccentricity and depth. Closely followed by Benicio del Toro who also builds in quirk and backstory and makes the character come alive. Teyana Taylor is wonderful and electric but she's only in the prologue. Regina Hall is woefully underused and Chase Infiniti is good but her subplot seems like an after thought. The rest of the extensive supporting cast have such brief appearances they can't do much.

Visually the film is dynamic and rich, a return to form for writer/director Paul Thomas Anderson after the bland look of Licorice Pizza and the script is an improvement too but it is bloated and unfocused. There are too many threads, too many subplots, too many ideas, and none of it really comes together. At a sprawling almost three hour runtime the storytelling feels indulgent and isn't particularly satisfying either as a character study or as a socio-political message.

Not equal to the sum of its parts.

Currently in theaters.

Stream It.

SPAM

Sometimes

easy and cheap
is all you can get
sometimes
it's all you need

Mendacity

Confronted with an
obstructive person

personal or professional

it is important to ask

what

is that person's motivation

what 

are they seeking

what 

is their intended goal

intuiting this

provides clarity

on how to proceed

as much as we may have been taught

honesty, integrity

in schools

in the home

or via media

the truth is

most people 

do not behave in this manor

particularly

in the workplace

act accordingly

'M3GAN 2.0' A Review

 

M3gan 2.0 is an scifi action/comedy a sequel to the 2023 horror/comedy. The movie opens during a military operation where the Army is showing off it's latest weapon, a robot assassin AMELIA(Ivanna Sakhno), but, no surprise, things go wrong and she goes rogue! And it looks like she's headed for our heroes from M3GAN Gemma(Allison Williams) and her niece Cady(Violet McGraw), oh no! Luckily the Bitch Is Back, M3GAN has been hiding in the ether and only needs a new body to do what she does best, protect Cady and slay!

Williams has a bit meatier of a part here as does McGraw and they're both great and have more fun. M3GAN, body by Amie Donald voiced by Jenna Davis, is equally turned up and it's honestly great to see the psycho again. Sakhno is a nice addition and brings some weird Terminator type energy to it. The big surprise is Aristotle Athari as Christian Gemma's boyfriend who's really funny and has a real electric and easy presence, he really shines. The supporting cast are all solid but the above are who have most of the action.

It looks slick, with a bit bigger of a budget than the original it just has a bit more life and movement, it's more ambitious and includes, of course, a dance sequence and a song from the titular villain-come-hero. Sound track is catchy, the pacing is clipped, it's a solid popcorn flick and honestly better than the first one.

She's back and actually kinda better!

Currently streaming on Peacock.

See It.

Responsabilities

There comes a point
we must accept
there are things
that need to be done
and they fall on us
to do them

life is full of tasks

(as well as triumphs)

full of tedium

(as well as turmoil)

and these are just as much life

as anything

laundry just as valid

as a milestone birthday

perhaps more so for its perpetuity

'A Big Bold Beautiful Journey' A Review

A Big Bold Beautiful Journey is a romantic fantasy about two listless mentally ill adults looking for love. A magical car rental service shunts these two sociopaths together for the titular adventure which is basically a linear walk down memory lane where they reenact/relive past individual moments together which serves as how they get to know each other. Sexy!

Margot Robbie and Colin Farrell are some of our most natural and magnetic movie stars so it is a feat here, and a fault of the direction/script rather than their talent, that they are so stilted, flat, and unengaging. They have no chemistry. The robotic, unnatural, and exposition heavy dialogue is an absolute albatross for them both and seems to take a baffling tell don't show approach. There is no subtext, no subtlety, all emotion and intent is bludgeoning clear in the punishing dialogue.

The production is whimsical and well done, not a surprise from director Kogonada, but this is the first feature which he did not write and that gulf is apparent as regardless of the effectiveness of the production design the result is impotent. Seth Reiss's script is dated, reductive, and so twee the cringe factor makes it virtually unwatchable, it is clearly an Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind knock-off with none of the innovation, authenticity, or potency of that film.

Pretentious, ill-conceived, and pedantic.

Currently in theaters.

Don't See It.

The Squirrel

As I returned home
my wife descended the stairs
with a squirrel
in a trap
chittering and thrashing
she(my wife)
squealed and twitched

yet undaunted
unwavering
as she released the critter

and I thought
this is what love is

'Listers: A Glimpse Into Extreme Birdwatching' A Review

Listers is a documentary about two brothers who, basically on a lark, decide to dedicate a full calendar year to birdwatching and compete in the Big Year where birdwatchers attempt to document the most species in the lower 48.

Through stop-motion animation, voice over narration, montage-style editing, talking-head interviews and more classic cinema verité the birding subculture and these two brothers experience with it is explored, with no small amount of beautiful slow-motion shots of birds. It's a hodgepodge of style and technique that come together with a rapturous infectious energy ultimately celebrating birds and birdwatching with a light condemnation on the competitive aspect of the hobby.

Reminiscent in feel if not in tone or content to 2018's exceptional Minding The Gap  two young midwestern men set out to make a documentary and the result has the kind of freshness, interest, and innovation that seems more and more rare. An absolute must see.

Fun and borderline transcendent.

Currently streaming on YouTube.

Don't Miss It.

Along The Great River Road

For a mile or so
the hawk flew above me
I rode below
in sync
both of us
hungry
searching
free

'The Baltimorons' A Review

The Baltimorons is a romcom about Cliff(Michael Strassner), a comedian battling grief and depression, and Didi(Liz Larsen), a divorced dentist stuck in a rut. The two meet when Cliff has an dental emergency on Christmas Eve and their connection blossoms as the two spend the rest of the day together.

Strassner is unquestionably charming and his humor bubbles over in almost every scene, like a shot of energy through the whole feature. He struggles a bit in some of the more emotional moments but is still adequate but the biggest mistake, one that brings the movie to a skreeching halt, is an ill advised and poorly written sketch/improv "performance" in this style of The Groundlings(where he was trained). This sequence is so long and so cringe it almost singlehandedly brings the movie down a notch. This sequence was clearly written/improvised by Strassner(credited as co-writer) and there's a way to make it work but what we see ain't it. Larsen is a revelation, and she and Strassner have really electric infectious energy. Larsen brings a ton of depth and range and subtlety to her character and is just compelling and present from the jump. A working actor for years hopefully this ups her exposure as she clearly has an ocean of talent. The supporting cast is all talented and effective if not particularly inspired, one would presume some non-professionals or old comedy pals of Strassner's.

Visually the film is a bit pedestrian but it appears to be shot on location and conveys a wry, engaging affection for the titular city. The soundtrack and costuming is subtle and effective but ultimately what it does best is just let Larsen and Strassner be together and play, it's almost like a May-December Before Sunrise. The only fault is the "comedy show" scene and that Cliff's backstory is a bit overstuffed- he's in recovery, suicide, relationship and professional problems etc., it works OK but it's unnecessarily complicated and the resolution of it all causes the third act to slow.

An incredible Larsen makes up for any rough edges.

Currently in theaters.

Rent It.

Dog Days

The kiss of heat
the calm of cool

the last few days
of summer's balm

before the creep

of wind and chill

a bless'd reprieve

brief and still

'The Long Walk' A Review

The Long Walk is a dystopian horror/thriller based on the Stephen King novel of the same name. In an alternate America ruled by a totalitarian regime there's an annual competition, the titular Long Walk, 50 teenage boys walk none-stop until only one is left.
 

Cooper Hoffman is the defacto lead Garraty who finds moments of authenticity but stumbles during any outburst of emotion or monologue. He has talent but is still incredibly green, if he weren't a nepo baby there is no way he would be getting leading roles at this point, he's not terrible here but he clearly doesn't have the chops of the other cast members. This is particularly evident by contrast with co-lead David Jonsson who plays McVries who continues to show he has a long career ahead of him with a lot left to show. This is the second film in which he's the best part of it(Alien: Romulus being the first). His presence is not only the heart of the movie but his magnetism and commitment ground it when it veers off into overly sentimental territory making what, on paper, would be some questionable monologues effective. The supporting cast is filled with young talent- Garrett Wareing, Tut Nyuot, Charlie Plummer, Ben Wang, and Joshua Odjick among others- who all make their mark but none are given that much dimension(as they are in the book) presumably in the interest of time. Most, if not all, of the character development and emotional work is left to Hoffman and Jonsson who mostly succeed.

Visually the film is simple, sharp, and effective. Shot chronologically and mostly without CGI it appropriately evokes a relentless bleakness and inevitability with a subtle but sharp style. The score is mostly effective but becomes a bit overwrought in the third act. The script takes some necessary diversions from the absolutely brutal book to inject some needed compassion and hope, focusing more on the friendship of McVries and Garraty and changing the ending(to questionable success). Not a perfect King adaptation but a solid, entertaining, and sadly relevant genre flick.

A great production and a great cast lift up an uneven Hoffman and a shaky third act.

Currently in theaters.

Rent It.

The Plan

An interviewer asked me

where I see myself

at retirement

I laughed

as if the future

were guaranteed

as if what's to come

weren't uncertain

as it has always been

only hindsight

offers assurance

offers order

Besides

in recovery

the oldtimers teach you

very deliberately

not to plan

to take it as it comes

to take it

one day at a time

one hour at a time

one step at a time

slice it small enough

you can handle anything

'The Roses' A Review

 

The Roses is a black comedy, a remake of the 1989 film The War of the Roses, itself an adaptation of the novel. Repressed, out of touch, wealthy couple Ivy(Olivia Colman) and Theo(Benedict Cumberbatch) find their unhealthy and doomed marriage slowly disintegrating after they switch roles in the household.

Colman and Cumberbatch are no doubt fine actors but neither is able to really give a performance here that is grounded in any kind of dramatic or comedic reality. Cumberbatch in particular struggles with the comedy and what were left with is just two ugly characters being ugly and cruel to each other. This confusion extends to the supporting cast. Andy Samberg and Kate McKinnon seem to be in a totally different movie and appear to be mostly improvising. Sunita Mani and Ncuti Gatwa are woefully underutilized and their presence smacks of tokenism. Jamie Demetriou and Zoë Chao seem to serve no purpose. The casting itself, not half bad, but the script is so dead, the tone so mismanaged it's a shame anyone signed up for this.

Visually the film is clunky, obviously shot in the UK(as a stand in for Northern California) with some extensive and transparent greenscreen work it just looks unprofessional and unfinished. The soundtrack is full of some treacly covers and serves to exacerbate the convoluted and ineffective tone.

Dated, regressive, unfunny, overly(unintentionally) serious. A nihilist, sad, profoundly uninteresting look at marriage at least 30 years out of date.

Currently in theaters.

Don't See It.

'The Thursday Murder Club' A Review

The Thursday Murder Club is a murder mystery, an adaptation of the Richard Osman novel. Four retiree true crime heads get to put their sleuthing skills to the test in this cozy British whodunit.

The core four- Helen Mirren, Pierce Brosnan, Ben Kingsley, and Celia Imrie- are, no surprise, pretty great, clearly having fun and committed. It's nice to see a movie with a septuagenarian ensemble, a sub-genre which has kinda ebbed and flowed over the years, as there's so much talent and experience that gets sidelined without stories that center them. The rest of the ensemble is a bit hit or miss- Naomi Ackie and David Tennant are great, Tom Ellis and Daniel Mays are bit confused. But overall it's solid if all within the comfortable confines of the genre.

Visually the film is uneven, the locations themselves are gorgeous, the actual cinematography pretty uninspired. The score is pleasantly forgettable, overall the production works but isn't particularly noticeable. Not much to it but delivers exactly what you'd expect.

For fans of cozy British mysteries, a bit thin otherwise.

Currently streaming on Netflix.

Stream It.

Aldo's First Game

As I attempted
to explain to my nephew the rules
I am reminded
of the White Sox games
my dad took me to
and did the same
I am reminded

of a story my Aunt Anne likes to tell

about my Uncle John 

before he passed

explaining football to me

as a toddler

watching a Bears game

and telling her

"He gets it!"

I am reminded

of a story my dad likes to tell

about listening to a Black Hawks game

with his dad

driving home from a trip

weeks before my grandfather passed

I am reminded

that sport

and togetherness

can heal

or at least

offer respite

'East Of Wall' A Review

East Of Wall is an indie drama about South Dakota horse trainer Tabatha Zimiga(playing herself) as she struggles with finances, a group of wayward teens she fosters, as well as unresolved grief. With most of the cast playing versions of themselves the film blends documentary and fiction to create a potent and effecting mood.

Zimiga is a compelling lead, she's strong but vulnerable, harsh but sensitive, if she's a bit rough around the edges acting wise that's understandable as she(and pretty much everyone) is a non-professional. But she's able to communicate the essence of who she is and her situation, she's able to achieve what Herzog calls the Ecstatic Truth. The same is true of the rest of the cast notably Zimiga's daughter Porshia who serves as the co-lead and narrator who seems more comfortable in front of the camera than her mother. The two professional actors are Jennifer Ehle as Zimiga's mother Tracey who's great to see and feels relatively authentic but certainly in the tradition of lauded character actors playing questionable working-class roles(see Frances McDormand in Nomadland and Glenn Close in Hillbilly Elegy). The other is Scoot McNairy who struggles to make his character more than a caricature, partly because he's not really up for it and partly because his inclusion in the script is pretty rote. The times spent with the main cast, the ones playing themselves, simply living their lives is really truly wonderful and that's where the bread-and-butter of the film lies.

Visually the film is kinda glorious. Sweeping plains, long tracking shots of the girls riding horses, fly-on-the-wall slice-of-life vignettes- it's all really beautiful and evocative. The soundtrack is contemporary and feels authentic to this group of people we're spending time with. If there's a fault it is that, at times, the dialogue feels a bit clunky and the plot machinations with McNairy's character feel unnecessary or contrived. This is counterbalanced by the many many effective, moving, honest scenes that weave throughout, particularly a scene towards the end where Zimiga finally opens up in a circle of other women. 

A bold and inspiring debut from writer/director Kate Beecroft.

See It.

A Rejection Of The Inevitable Future

Fuck AI

'Nobody 2' A Review

Nobody 2 is an action movie, a sequel to 2021's Nobody. Hutch(Bob Odenkirk) is exhausted working overtime kicking ass and dropping bodies to pay off the mob debt he incurred in the first movie. But as a result he is neglecting his family. As a way to reconnect he takes the family to tourist town Plummerville(a quasi Wisconsin Dells). But Hutch can't stay outta trouble long!

Odenkirk is fun to watch here, he clearly does a fair amount of his own stunts and the fight scenes are great. But the emotional plotting is pretty thin and goofy, with some stabs at giving the character some depth and the family dynamic something beyond the superficial but it's not particularly successful or engaging. The supporting cast is solid, returners Connie Nielsen, Christopher Lloyd, and RZA and new additions John Ortiz and Sharon Stone all bring energy and presence(particularly Stone). The only off note is Colin Hanks as the evil Sheriff, not really in his wheelhouse. But overall there just isn't enough for all of them to do.

The action is shot legibly and has impact, the finale in the fair grounds is a blast, the fight choreography is crisp and exciting. Pretty much everything else though meanders or doesn't seem to have a clear intent. There just doesn't seem to be enough reason for this sequel to exist.

It's fine, diverting enough but not particularly original or unique it just kind of iterates.

Currently in theaters.

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Pride & Prejudice

Listen
I like Kiera Knightly

quite a bit

I saw Domino

opening night

but she ain't my Lizzy Bennet

she's no Jennifer Ehle

not by a mile

God Sized Hole

the house
the car
the job
will be the solution

a new phone

a smart watch

will be the solution

a change of scenery

will be the solution

except it won't

except what's missing

isn't outside

what's missing

is inside

it can't be filled with stuff

it must be given up

given over

only then

will the searching end

'Highest 2 Lowest' A Review

Highest 2 Lowest is a crime thriller, a remake of Kurosawa's High and Low, directed by Spike Lee. David King(Denzel Washington) is a high-powered music producer and on the eve of a large deal with his label his son is kidnapped and held for ransom.

Washington is captivating as always, just like in Gladiator II, he creates a compelling character by sheer talent and will from the uneven, confused script. Jeffrey Wright is underutilized as his friend/driver but still compelling. The rest of the cast struggles to make anything interesting from the script and come across as mostly wooden and melodramatic. 

The production is inconsistent. The movie opens with a repeated pedestrian drone shot, the first 2/3rd's are strangled by an incessant old-timey orchestral score, the shot set-ups and framing are frequently bizarre. All this together just makes for a profound confusion in tone. It kinda smooths out and gets interesting in the final third with some more of Spike Lee's patented inspired sequences and shots as well as a more appropriate and compelling soundtrack, unfortunately it's a case of too-little too-late. Perhaps the script or Lee wanted to stick too close to the original or perhaps the production was rushed, either way it just feels underbaked, erratic, and dated.

Lower tier Spike Lee but worth watching for Washington and the lively third act. 

Currently in theaters.

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