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Wicked: Part I (2024)
Faithful adaptation of the best half of the musical
I have some issues with the choice to turn this into two parts, but as a standalone movie this is pretty great. If you're familiar with the musical you won't see anything surprising; it stays pretty close to the story. Cynthia Erivo is fantastic as Elphaba. She has a tremendous voice. I'm not an Ariana Grande fan, and I thought she got off to a rough start her first few songs. "Popular" was better. She was definitely the weak link of the two. I thought Michelle Yeoh and Jeff Goldblum were great and perfectly cast. The whole "Defying Gravity" sequence and last 20 minutes is really well done. That said, I'm worried about part 2, because that was by far the weakest half of the musical. And I think the audience will lose some of the context as to why Glinda feels how she does about Elphaba's death. But we'll cross that bridge next year.
Ad Astra (2019)
Had potential but very uneven
There are some interesting things here. I thought the opening sequence when he falls back to Earth was thrilling. The killer primate was definitely not expected. Some of the scenes on Mars were pretty good (more Natasha Lyonne please!). I had some issues. Why is someone Donald Sutherland's age and condition allowed in space? I didn't feel like the climactic confrontation between father and son played out in a rewarding way. And I would have loved for the movie to end ambiguously, on the shot of Brad Pitt trying to outrun the explosion. So the story could have used a little work. Overall just a meh.
Withnail & I (1987)
I must have left my funnybone at home for this one
I wanted to see this because I've heard Will Arnett mention several times on the Smartless podcast how he thinks this is the funniest movie ever. I must have a different sense of humor (or don't appreciate British humor) because I didn't find it funny. Some of the situations it sets up could be funny (like trying to kill a chicken or having a dust-up at the local restaurant), but the execution didn't make me laugh. All the stuff with Richard Griffiths just made me uncomfortable. I could not wait for this to be over. I will give it credit for a decent soundtrack. I like Richard E Grant, but this is not one I wish to revisit.
The Fall Guy (2024)
A silly and fun ride
At the heart of this movie is some great chemistry between Ryan Gosling and Emily Blunt. I don't think the movie works with different actors in those roles. Gosling in particular seems to be a pro at creating great chemistry with his co-stars (see: The Notebook and La La Land). I actually wish there had been more scenes between Gosling and Blunt and less of the crazy chases and hijinks with the Tom Ryder subplot. This movie is very clever, with some laughs scattered throughout. Maybe a touch too long but it's easy to see why this has gotten good reviews from both critics and the general public.
Beetlejuice Beetlejuice (2024)
Not everything works, but it's not disappointing
I'm sure lots of Beetlejuice fans were concerned about this sequel. And I'm happy to say it doesn't stink. I actually thought it was pretty on par with the original. Like a lot of sequels, it adds a lot more - more characters, more storylines, etc. And not everything works. The subplot with Monica Belucci doesn't add anything and doesn't really go anywhere. I do like the addition of Willem Dafoe, who is great in his role. And Catherine O'Hara is good as always. I could definitely see some Moira Rose influence here. Jenna Ortega brings a nice emotional center to the film to balance the silliness of Beetlejuice. All in all, a pretty worthy sequel.
Hit Man (2023)
Pretty enjoyable, but not all that funny
I mostly enjoyed this film. Although it's marketed as a comedy and I'm not sure I laughed more than once or twice. The leads had really good chemistry. I liked how Glen Powell tried to look like an everyman at the beginning then just gave that up partway through. The scenes in his classroom felt a little heavy-handed, especially the last one. I did really like the scene toward the end between the two leads when they are trying to fool the police. I think I would have liked this more if they had a different outcome. Madison killed two people in cold blood and just got off scot-free, and the movie doesn't seem to care about the morality of that.
American Fiction (2023)
Funny and moving, one of the year's best
I really enjoyed American Fiction. It has laughs throughout, but also makes you think and is moving at times. The family dynamics felt very relatable, and all of the performances were great. There are moments where they could have hit you over the head with the message, and they opt for subtlety instead. Really the only drawback for me is the way it ends. Maybe I'm more like Wiley than I would care to admit, but I wanted to see some resolution of the main storyline. So it left me a little unsatisfied at the end. But other than that, I think a really important film to watch and a really good one.
Weird Science (1985)
Not peak John Hughes, but that's okay
As John Hughes movies go, this one isn't Sixteen Candles or The Breakfast Club. But it's not bad. It's silly and has some laughs. Anthony Michael Hall seems slightly more mature here than in Sixteen Candles (I think he's all of one year older). It's fun to see a very young Robert Downey Jr. Being a bully. I wasn't a big fan of the Bill Paxton character - he was a bit one-note. The rest of the cast was pretty unknown to me. I do think this movie still holds up decently, more so than some other 80s movies. I'm sure the technology felt pretty advanced at the time. I do wonder what happened to the grandparents when everything went back to normal.
You Are So Not Invited to My Bat Mitzvah (2023)
Interesting to see Adam Sandler play third fiddle
This is a pretty harmless, cute movie that is really a showcase for Adam Sandler's daughter more than him. I can't think of another movie offhand where he's relegated to the sideline. But he does a great job with what he's given to do (although him wearing a bathrobe to the movie theater was a bit much). The story about the two main characters, Stacy and Lydia, didn't quite hold my interest throughout. And some of the supporting characters feel a little one note (the mean girls, the dreamy guy). But it's fun and has some laughs. And you could definitely find a lot worse ways to spend 105 minutes watching something on Netflix.
The Mummy (1999)
I think I missed the boat on this one
I didn't see The Mummy when it first came out, and am catching up 25 years later. I don't know...it just wasn't for me. I felt like it was pretty repetitive, especially in the second half. The good guys find themselves in an impossible situation with dead bodies trying to kill them, and manage to just escape. The visual effects in this didn't seem much more advanced from Raiders of the Lost Ark almost 20 years earlier. I did like Rachel Weisz in this one. I'd be curious to know if this movie helped or hurt Egyptian tourism. I could see people being spooked to travel to Giza. I guess I saw it too late but it was meh for me.
Dream Scenario (2023)
Just didn't work for me
There are some movies where it's just hard to explain why you didn't like them. This one falls in that category. I like Nicholas Cage, and I love Adaptation, and this feels like his closest performance to that. There's just something about it, maybe the way it was shot, that left me cold and uninvested. Cage's character is his own worst enemy at times, and he was hard to relate to. I didn't really think that he and his wife had that strong of a relationship to begin with. There were a few laughs here and there but it was more of a drama than a comedy for me. I would like to see Nicholas Cage popping up in some Sprite commercials.
Oppenheimer (2023)
Complicated movie about a complicated man
I've always been a big Christopher Nolan fan, and this is probably his best technically put together movie. The score in particular is outstanding, especially in the best sequence of the film, the Trinity test. He's assembled a crazy amount of acting talent. The movie does a good job of showing the moral dilemma Oppenheimer wrestles with, but you never really get a clear idea of what's in his head. Which rings true to me. I did think Emily Blunt's character (and accent) was the weak link in the movie. I wondered at certain points if we were spending too much time with the frame story and Robert Downey Jr.'s character, but it mostly pays off. This isn't necessarily my favorite movie of the year, but it's probably the best movie of the year.
The Storied Life of A.J. Fikry (2022)
Plenty of problems, but not unpleasant to watch
My favorite book of last year was written by the same author as this book, and I didn't realize they made a movie based off of this. It's pleasant enough to watch, with a surprising, dramatic performance from the actor who played Raj on The Big Bang Theory. There are plenty of problems though. I feel like it moves too fast, skipping over important scenes to get through the story. I never bought that Amelia was in love with AJ and there are some dramatic moments that aren't earned, especially involving the other writer. I imagine this was a tough story to adapt into a movie. It's on Hulu and not a bad watch.
Killers of the Flower Moon (2023)
Scorsese does justice to a harrowing real-life story
I just finished reading the book before watching this movie, so I knew what was going to happen. That may have dampened my enthusiasm somewhat but I do think this is a worthy telling of this history. De Niro does a great job of inhabiting Hale, the definition of a wolf in sheep's clothing. One issue I have though is in real life he is at least 20 years older than Hale was. The runtime is 3 hours and 20 minutes, but it doesn't feel that long. I watched it over several days, though, so your mileage may vary. I did like how they wrapped the story with the radio broadcast and who they got to read the last part.
This Is Spinal Tap (1984)
Not as many laughs as I expected
I've been hearing a lot about this movie for a while, so I was overdue to check it out. I found it amusing at times and mostly harmless but not a comedy classic. I thought a couple scenes were funny: the turn up to 11 scene and the concert when Harry Shearer is stuck in the cocoon. Most of the rest just got chuckles from me. But I also disliked Walk Hard, so maybe the fake music doc genre isn't for me. I do like Christopher Guest and could see some of his Corky character from Waiting for Guffman in here. It's fun to see Billy Crystal and Fran Drescher in small roles. So overall it was just okay.
Maestro (2023)
Not best picture quality for me
I had two main issues with this movie. First, it felt more like a collection of scenes than a coherent story, especially in the first two-thirds. There would be random scenes of Bernstein conducting sprinkled throughout without any real context. Second, I thought it hyperfocused on one aspect of Bernstein's life to the detriment of learning more about how he was as a person. I get it: he struggled with his sexuality and preferred companions to the detriment of his marriage. But when almost every scene was about the same thing, it got old very quickly. I don't feel like I learned much about him. On the positive side, Bradley Cooper really invests himself in this role and definitely inhabits Bernstein. I just wish Cooper the writer rose to the same level as Cooper the actor and director.
Indiana Jones and the Dial of Destiny (2023)
Stick to the original trilogy
This feels like a cash grab more than a worthy fifth installment in the Indiana Jones franchise. It starts with a 21 minute action sequence at the end of WWII, with a digitally de-aged Harrison Ford. By the end of this sequence I was exhausted, and there was still two hours to go. I wish they had done more with Indy's age, and had him attempt and fail to pull off fight scenes. Instead they stick with the same crazy chase scenes, and just add Phoebe Waller-Bridge to the equation. The one where she jumps onto the plane as it's taking off is especially unrealistic. This one at least has a more coherent plot than Crystal Skull. But it's just not a very good movie.
A Haunting in Venice (2023)
My least favorite of the 3 new Poirot movies
One of the things that's noticeable right away is the lack of star power in this movie compared to the previous two. Tina Fey is expected to do a lot of the heavy lifting, and I don't know if this was the right role for her. I think for me I didn't enjoy this one as much as the other two because it had a little bit more of a horror vibe than the others. It was trying hard to make you as unsettled as Poirot was. It does do a decent job of keeping you guessing as to who is responsible for these murders. And I liked that it was pretty short, not much more than 90 minutes. Other than that, I'd say meh.
The Holdovers (2023)
My favorite movie of the year
I really loved this movie. Paul Giamatti is at his best here (along with the other two actors playing the holdovers) as a curmudgeon forced to play babysitter for the holidays. I love the way Alexander Payne unveils more and more about the backstories about the professor and student as the movie goes along. He also does a great job of making it look and feel like the time it's set (1970). You can really feel the weight of what it would mean for Tully if he got kicked out of school (Vietnam). Two standout scenes I really enjoyed were the one where they went out for cheeseburgers and the Christmas Eve party. If I had one small criticism it would be that this is a bit reminiscent of Dead Poets Society, especially the way it ends, but that movie is one of my top 5 movies of all time so that doesn't really bother me.
Leave the World Behind (2023)
Interesting but unsatisfying
I'll start with the positives: this movie kept me interested the whole way through. I wanted to see what happened next. Kevin Bacon was a standout in his one scene. And there was some very good tension between the two families at the beginning. What makes this movie a disappointment is as much as it kept me along for the ride, the ride itself was unsatisfying. There were large sections about 2/3 of the way through that could have been cut to keep it from being 2 hours and 20 minutes. And the way it ended just left me going "huh?" There were also little details that were wrong - Clay wouldn't be able to watch a Nationals/Braves game on MASN in New York unless his house had a very comprehensive sports package. The daughter wouldn't hit the play button on the remote from the DVD menu to start the show. Little things throughout like this bothered me.
The Killer (2023)
Bourne-esque, with less shaky cam and fewer fight scenes
I like most David Fincher movies, and this is no exception. It's really interesting setting up this assassin's world and how he goes about his job. It is Jason Bourne-esque, but better. His narration reminded me of one of my favorite movies, Memento. The scene with Tilda Swinton is very good. Out of all the tense moments, the one for me that was the most tense was when he had to outrun the pit bull. I had a couple plot quibbles that kept me from liking this more. I'm not sure the movie did a great job setting up why he cared so much about the attack on his house. And I don't know that I buy that he would let the client go at the end, after everything he was doing. Why kill the cabbie but not kill him? All in all, though, very solid and well worth seeking out on Netflix.
Quiz Lady (2023)
Funny and sweet, and just a little too silly
As someone who has wanted to get on Jeopardy their whole life, I can definitely relate to Awkwafina's character. This is a much more toned down version of Awkwafina, playing the more muted sister to Sandra Oh's crazy. There are plenty of laughs here, although at times they skew a little too silly for me. I also really enjoyed this version of Will Ferrell - endearing and still funny without being over the top. At the end of the day this is a sweet movie about the precarious bond between two sisters. It's an easy watch (currently on Hulu). I hope they used two different dogs to play Mr. Linguini!
Elemental (2023)
Good message wrapped up in a sweet love story
For me this was more of a return to form for Pixar after a few recent movies I didn't like as much. The animation quality as always is top-notch. I found myself getting emotionally wrapped up in the love story between the two main characters. At the same time it's telling an important tale about immigration and being accepted in society. There were times when I was legitimately unsure whether it would have a happy or sad ending (although I should know better). I was worried at first that this would be too similar to Inside Out, but I'm glad to report that it wasn't. There are also a lot of great gags in some of the business names that kids aren't going to get (like Tide & Prejudice).
Asteroid City (2023)
Another miss from Wes Anderson
I've liked about a third of the Wes Anderson movies I've seen, and this one is not in that category. There's a crazy collection of acting talent here, but not much for them to do. The structure is unnecessarily complicated. I didn't like any of the black-and-white scenes and thought they took away from the movie. There were a few things here and there that I liked - the interplay between the teens, any scene Steve Carell was in. But it just didn't add up to anything. And Jeff Goldblum was credited as the alien but the alien didn't say anything and was CGI...so what did Jeff do? Anderson's recent short The Wonderful Life of Henry Sugar is much better. Watch that one instead.
Bullet Train (2022)
Brad Pitt can't save this one
I will give Bullet Train this: it's memorable. There are a lot of WTF moments that you'll think about later. But it's not a good movie. Brad Pitt is trying his best and is very charismatic as usual. But it just seems like an endless parade of less interesting people (and strange celebrity cameos) behind him. It's a bit too violent for me, and too many unbelievable things happen (Aaron Taylor-Johnson making it back on the train, for one). I was really expecting Channing Tatum's character to end up being one of the main bad guys but that never paid off. By the end I didn't really care what happened. A good attempt but a miss for me.