stevencsmovies

It took me a long time, but I am now on the literal bandwagon for Netflix's mega-hit pop-culture phenomenon, K-POP DEMON HUNTERS. Be warned, this is an animated musical. In an unsuspecting world, there are demons led by a devilish ruler Gwi-Ma (Lee Byung-hun). Every generation, there are three women who use their singing voices to protect the people using a magical barrier called the Honmoon. By night they are demon hunters, but by day, they are the world-renowned K-Pop group known as Huntr/x. The trio consists of Zoey (Ji-young Yoo) the bubbly lyricist, Mira (May Hong) the rebellious dancer, and Rumi (Arden Cho) the lead vocalist. They get into a rivalry with a new boy band called the Saja Boys, led by Jinu (Ahn Hyo-seop). They are demons trying to steal Huntr/x's fans, to weaken the Honmoon. I now understand why everybody loves this movie. The songs are so powerful and catchy you might think you've been possessed by a demon. It's emotionally empowering to an obviously wide variety of people. I can't say I'm surprised by how much I loved this movie, since it's still blowing up on Netflix 7 weeks later. This is simultaneously a love letter to K-pop and a commentary on manufactured hype and praise for celebrities. Despite the deep themes of sisterhood, acceptance, identity, and self-worth, this movie is also very funny and fun for the whole family. It appears cute and simple on the surface, but it packs a powerfully relevant and important message. It has vibrant animation that seemingly only Sony Animation can do these days. This has a great fast pace with a surprisingly important story that entertains pretty much everyone who watches it. I really wish this movie had a world-wide release on the big screen. As evidenced by the 2 days it was, it would've touched a lot of people's hearts. I guess it still did, being the single most watched Netflix show/movie ever, with over 236 million views, plus a couple from me. I've given up trying to forget these songs. Best animated movie so far this year. If you already have Netflix, this is a must-see movie, and remember, embrace your weirdness. Don't hide your true self, let it shine. Now, excuse me while I watch K-POP DEMON HUNTERS: SING-ALONG EDITION.

From the writer of THE FAVORITE and POOR THINGS, and from the director who brought us the AUSTIN POWERS trilogy, comes a remake of a movie directed by Danny DeVito, which was based on a book, this, is THE ROSES. It was love at first sight for Theo and Ivy. Theo (Benedict Cumberbatch) is a very talented architect, Ivy (Olivia Coleman) is a very talented chef. Fast forward 10 years and the foundation of their relationship begins to crack. This is a movie about two people in a tempestuous relationship trying to stay together, without having the emotional skillset to do so. Throughout the film, I had a strange feeling. No, it wasn't gas. Yes, their British banter back and forth is mostly hilarious (great writing, no notes), but I guess I was waiting for either of them to grow up. I understand that's not the point of the movie, but some moments felt a little too sad, or a little too real. Cumberbatch and Coleman have amazing chemistry, which seems like an oxymoron in this context. Theo and Ivy's friends are Barry (Andy Samberg) and Amy (Kate McKinnon), who were fun to see, but I'm not sure they tonally fit in this story. I laughed quite a bit, but like a toxic relationship, it eventually became a downer. Look at me, talking like I've actually been in a relationship before. Overall, THE ROSES feels like a somewhat unnecessary remake, but I still had fun laughing at a horny Kate McKinnon, Benedict's reactions to her, and Olivia cursing absolutely never gets old.

When I heard that Darren Aronofsky had a new movie coming out, I'm ashamed to admit that I forgot who he was. How the hell could I forget the guy responsible for REQUIEM FOR A DREAM, THE WRESTLER, BLACK SWAN, and my personal favorite of his, THE WHALE? I mean, this is the guy who's known for dragging out only the best performances from his actors, such as Mickey Rourke, Natalie Portman, and Brendan Fraser. I believe he has done it again, with CAUGHT STEALING, a dark comedy crime thriller about an everyday guy who missed his shot in life, who ends up in the wrong place at the wrong time. Struggling to find his footing in life (sometimes literally), Hank (Austin Butler) ends up taking care of a cute cat owned by his friend and neighbor, an unruly Brit named Russ (Matt Smith), who leaves town. Hank, along with his girlfriend Yvonne (Zoe Kravitz), get embroiled in a cat-and-mouse chase. Their chemistry is palpable. The cat almost steals the show, which for certain people could be a good or bad thing. The title is clever, meaning a few different things. This is based on a book written by Charlie Huston, who actually wrote the screenplay for this. The same situation happened with the author of THE WHALE. It makes perfect sense. This film has the feeling of a more realistic Guy Ritchie movie. The entire cast is great, but I'm not telling you who else makes an appearance. I also highly recommend seeing this without watching the trailer, it shows basically everything. The script is sharp and tight, not letting the audience get bored or check their watch. It's erratic yet controlled. The film's score was recorded by British post-punk band Idles. The authenticity of late 90's New York draws you in. The tonal shifts in certain scenes might throw some people off, but it's more of a nitpick for me. This has one of the best messages for seatbelt safety in a movie since, like ever. The further I dove into this movie, the more unpredictable it got, which is a feat. This might not be a home run compared to Aronofsky's other work, but the bar is pretty damn high. CAUGHT STEALING sticks the landing, which can't be said for quite a few movies these days. This is a throwback movie that should not be overlooked.