Let's Just Hang Out For A Bit
It's been a long week. Here are some takes.
Hey. What’s up?
The cool thing about Substacks is that you can do whatever you want here. Last week, I had an impassioned plea for everyone to support the WGA. This week, I’m kind of floundering on ideas. It’s been a busy work week and I’ve been running around a lot. Also, I’m still recovering from an eventful weekend.
So, I don’t have an essay or illuminating idea that needs 800 words and some outdated references to fully encapsulate everything. Instead … I’m writing this on May 11th and over the past month, I’ve seen 11 movies. I’m going to just review them and give some thoughts and you can do whatever you want with that.
Air (April 11)
Do you know what’s a good movie? Moneyball. What is Air but a slightly weaker Moneyball? And, I’m all for it. Ben Affleck, Matt Damon and Jason Bateman in a workplace dramedy centered on the 1980s NBA is a hell of an idea, and this movie is exactly what it’s pitched as. What we have here is a solid adult flick that has ideas and characters and is a perfect addition to TNT’s weekend lineup, right before Gladiator and after Creed. I don’t see this movie in the awards race or bulldozing viewers, but I was there with a massive audience, chowing down on some Buncha Crunch on a Tuesday night. Worse ways to start your week.
Beau Is Afraid (April 14)
Lol. I was pretty hit-or-miss on this new Ari Aster movie, which has a dynamite first half and a meandering second, but I’ll still take this over most film shlock. The third film from the Midsommar and Hereditary director has so many ideas and isn’t sure what to do with them, especially when it all concludes and you’re left wondering … okay? There are like eight to 10 movies throughout this near-three-hour bloat and yet I was entranced for most of the runtime and have been reading about it ever since. Will I watch this one again? Ehh. But, it’s certainly not impossible. Also, this movie has the best use of a Mariah Carey song in film history, so that’s certainly something.
Showing Up (April 16)
I know I’m in the minority on this one as this new indie Kelly Reichardt project has been adored by critics and plenty of viewers, but, goddamn, I was so bored. I loved the director’s last movie, First Cow, which kind of got sidelined as it was released right before the pandemic, but Showing Up just didn’t do it for me. The story revolves around independent artists and their day-to-day struggles centered on Michelle Williams and Hong Chau, and it was almost too uneventful of a movie. My friend who joined me to see this one also hated it, so it’s not just me. I’ve never left a theater before a movie ended, but I was thinking about it for this one here. Sorry, Kelly. I mean, this movie has André 3000 playing the flute and it still did nothing for yours truly. That’s almost impressive.
Evil Dead Rise (April 20)
It’s shocking that this had the wide release it was given because this add-on to the Evil Dead series is fucked up. I mean, Jesus Christ. There’s some gory-ass stuff in this one. They really earned that R rating for “strong bloody horror violence and gore.” And … it rules. Just a fun time at the cinema in which every scene is screwed up in a more and more ridiculous way. It’s certainly not for everyone, but I really enjoyed this chamber piece of a horror movie that has funny moments but never loses the thread of flesh-possessing demons are bad. Always a good takeaway to have after a movie.
Cold War (April 21)
So, this is the only movie of the bunch that I have seen before. And why did I rewatch this 2018 catastrophic love story centered on two individuals trying to survive a Communist Polish regime? Honestly, I don’t know. I just remembered it and thought that I should check it out again. The black-and-white film is not even 90 minutes and yet packs so much in its short run-time. It’s still really damn good, and I’d recommend it if you want to feel like shit for a few hours.
Sick of Myself (April 23)
This one goes off the rails. I saw this Swedish dramedy at the IFC because I read someone compare it to The Worst Person in the World, and I’m a sucker for such movies. This is The Worst Person in the World but only if the title is somehow an understatement. The two protagonists of this one are so narcissistic and unlikable that it’s almost jarring. The quick summary for this one is that Signe hatches a vicious plan to reclaim her rightfully deserved attention within the milieu of Oslo's cultural elite. Boy, does she. I liked segments of this movie more than the total package. Some real gross-out stuff here that somehow made my stomach turn more than Evil Dead Rise.
Polite Society (April 29)
Best movie of 2023 so far. Certainly something I didn’t expect, but that’s the way these things go. There’s plenty of time for it to be knocked off, but Polite Society is truly a delight. It’s all about the bond between two sisters as one gets pulled into an arranged marriage and a heist of sorts is needed to save her. It’s funny, smart and winning in so many ways. Some real Edgar Wright flourishes and action sequences that need to be seen to be believed. Really recommend this one considering it’s a bit under the radar. No gore here, so that’s probably a strong rec for most of you out there.
Are You There, God? It’s Me, Margaret. (May 1)
I gotta be honest here. I’ve never read the Judy Blume book this movie’s based on, but I would think it’s pretty close to the source material. A truly beautiful adaptation, Are You There, God? It’s Me, Margaret. may have a long title but feels like it ends in minutes. Just a really well-observed and smart look at the lives of tweens trying to figure things out. In a just world, Rachel McAdams will be in the Oscar race for her incredible supporting performance as the lead’s mother. Kathy Bates is great. As is Benny Safdie. Excellent (and important) stuff all around.
R.M.N. (May 4)
I wanted to like this more than how I felt exiting the theater. A European treatise on exclusion and hatred, R.M.N. was really interesting to me but never fully came together. I had heard of this one through a few tweets and reviews which adored the ending, and I felt pretty dumb afterward not really understanding how all the stories came together. It happens. Still some tremendous stuff throughout including one long shot, which kind of feels like the reason this movie got made in the first place.
Cure (May 5)
The only movie not from the 21st century on this rundown, Cure is a 1997 thriller-horror that dives into the life of a detective trying to catch a serial killer. This Japanese film has a lot in common with Zodiac and is pure evil at its core. I really loved it and was mesmerized by the twists and turns this one takes, including a perfect final sequence. Shoutout to Koji Yakusho who holds it all together.
Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 3 (May 7)
I know I’ve been (rightfully) harsh on Marvel fare as of late, but, hey, this is a pretty good movie. I think it’s the enclosed storytelling and focus on one set of characters that makes this one hum, along with James Gunn’s wonky yet loose style. The movie doesn’t have to be 150 minutes, but that’s what every movie is nowadays, so I can’t really complain. Especially when I’ll be first in line for the new Martin Scorsese film, which will be a crisp 206. Anyway, some great Rocket Raccoon stuff here, including a traumatizing backstory, and a strong capper to one of Marvel’s better franchises.