Media itt: movie/film discussion - Beware Spoilers

[Maia]

Okay gang I have fully lost count of how many movies we've done since last time so I'm just rolling with it. New year new list I'll start counting again next week.

19. Hocus Pocus - 10/19/24

We did some Halloween movies because Halloween movies are fun! This is just some silly 1990s Halloween fun, complete with all of your favorite Disney channel tropes: Insane yet very catchy musical numbers, a talking cat, a kid meeting the love of his life after knowing her for 45 cumulative minutes, a public hanging, and child murder. I have no real high order feedback to offer on this movie, it's a Disney movie. There's a boy character with a stupid haircut and a girl character with no personality and no real reason to be there apart from a contrived love interest and a sassy child who seems unironically down to commit her first murder at the age of eight. It's fun to watch together with friends as a "haha here's a silly Halloween movie that isn't scary or gory," less fun if you're looking for peak cinema.

20. Coraline - 10/26/24

One of the quintessential Halloween movies, there's not much I can say about this that hasn't already been said a hundred times over. Stop motion is a very cool way to make films and I cannot help but to admire the insane amount of dedication and talent that goes into making them like that. The movie itself is very genuinely creepy, despite being seemingly aesthetically pointed towards children. As someone who grew up without a great relationship with her parents, it's a movie that does hit home in a few ways, but it's a lot of fun to watch with friends since making jokes in the Hyperbeam chat does help dull some of the heaviness of the movie itself.

21. Rise of the Guardians - 11/2/24

This is my guilty pleasure movie. I love Rise of the Guardians, and I feel like weirdly alone in this? Like I've never met another human who has been like "oh yeah I've seen that movie." It came out in 2012 and apparently flopped at the box office so maybe that's why. It's not a bad movie! The whole messaging is about not losing the wonder you had as a child and not to lose sight of yourself in general, as told through the story of Jack Frost, who is eternally seventeen years old and very depressed that no one believes in him the way they do Santa Claus or the Easter Bunny. I recommend this one a lot, it's fun with some very genuine emotional moments. Also Jude Law absolutely kills it as the movies antagonist, he's by far my favorite performance.

22. Tangled - 11/30/24

I love Tangled. It is my favorite of the Disney princess genre. It's in that slot release-wise between The Princess and the Frog (which I have never heard anyone say is their favorite Disney movie) and Frozen (which was everyone's favorite Disney movie until Moana came out), and I do think it's just the perfect mix between funny humor that lands well and having some heavy emotional weight. I also just like it as a twist on a classic fairytale - Rapunzel as an adventurous young woman who is curious about the world around her and beats the shit out of people with a frying pan is much better than the weird ass Brothers Grimm version. Bonus: This has one of the best soundtracks in Disney movies (second only to High School Musical 2).

23. The Muppets Christmas Carol - 12/21/24

This movie is very fun and cute but the Swedish Chef should've for sure been one of the ghosts, potentially replacing that freaky ass baby doll thing they used for the Ghost of Christmas Past. No further notes.

24. Love, Actually - 12/28/24

This movie has like a lot more infidelity in it than you would expect. It follows nine or ten interlinked stories that all showcase different kinds of love, such as: a writer falling in love with a housekeeper who super does not speak English (they're my favorite they're very cute), a washed up singer recording a truly awful cover of a song to Christmas-ify it and then spending the whole movie getting drunk and making an ass of himself on live TV, a weird incel plotline of this guy who films his best friend's wedding by taking freaky close-up shots of the bride, and a really cute storyline about a kid developing a crush on a classmate. It is a movie that has definitely way too much going on and a lot of it is very goofy and corny and cliche, but it's really great if you're just looking for something fun to watch with others.

25. Chicago - 1/25/25

Movie night made its triumphant return after a brief hiatus with one of the best musicals I have ever seen: Chicago. I picked this one if you couldn't tell. I am a whore for a great musical. Chicago is set in the 1920s during the age of jazz and tells the story of two women, Velma, a famous vaudeville performer, and Roxie, a housewife who dreams of the big stage, who both like super commit murder. Most of the story revolves around their relationship with the famous lawyer Billy Flynn, who spins up fantastical stories and lies to make them famous and win the hearts of the public to get them favorable verdicts. A lot of the scenes are cut between what's happening in real life and them performing representative musical numbers, which I think is just very fun. The main message of the film is about the fleeting nature of fame, with the public moving quickly between topics, forcing Roxie to take drastic measures to keep her name in the papers. There's also a strangely topical storyline about a Hungarian woman who super didn't commit murder but can't plead her innocence because she doesn't speak English. Every single song in this musical is amazing, so many of them are super catchy and you've probably heard at least one if you're a fan of Glee. Watch this movie if you like musicals and jazz and Catherine Zeta-Jones. Do not watch this movie if you do not enjoy watching many many scenes of women dressed in very shiny and very skimpy outfits (or pieces of leather that I hesitate to describe as "clothes" during Cell Block Tango) performing musical numbers.

Bonus: Dead Poets Society

I don't remember when teal and I watched this so you don't get a date. We did not watch it for movie night with the group because it's not exactly a fun groupwatch. Anyways, this is my number one absolute favorite movie of all time. It takes place in the late 1950s and follows a group of boys at a strict boarding school as they grapple with the expectations that their wealthy parents have for their futures (a theme that hits close to home) and the presence of their new English teacher, Mr. Keating (played by the wonderful Robin Williams) who encourages them to "seize the day." The boys re-form the titular Dead Poets Society, and it's just a bunch of guys being dudes in a cave in the woods, reading poetry to each other, as you do. I will not spoil the overarching conflict and resolution of this movie because it's truly something worth watching yourself, though do heed a non-specific, non-plot-spoiling trigger warning if you do check this out. 10/10 cannot recommend enough that you check this out if you've never seen it.

Other things we watched that I did not review for one reason or another:
The Phantom of the Paradise - 10/12/19
Hundreds of Beavers - 11/9/24
Crazy, Stupid, Love - 11/16/24
Rush Hour - 11/23/24
Christmas in Notting Hill - 12/7/24

Maybe next time I'll learn to count and it'll actually be ten movies but no promises.

 

[FireBlaze]

Well! Movie wise I've seen a lot good recently,
(spoiler are present, but nothing major like endings of storys or anything major.)

My fav movies Part (1)

Back to the Future I, [PG] ) which is the story of a teenager had a friend of his Dr.Brown, obsessive over his own inventions, which leads to him creating a time machine, He Himself is shot by the same terrorist, that gave a nuclear power to power the said time machine, The Teenager, Micheal J, fox time travels back before he is dead, ruins the timeline, so his mother and father don't meet up, Now he has to fix the timeline so his father & His Mother meet up so he's born, Figure out how to time travel back to the future, and warn doc of his impending doom.
Honestly the movie is a favorite of mine, and I personally would rate it 9/10 Great music, excellent story overall.




The Hobbit [NR, G most likely] (1977), A Less violent version of the Remakes with real actors which I think suits the story well since The Hobbit was written actually for J.R.R's grandchildren, [The original ones where violent enough to be R rated.] and more close to the original Story originally wrote by J.R.R Tolkien. The Art is Amazing, and the details even on the small times are beyond impressive. The Hobbit follows the same story of Bilbo Baggin's Story onto the Road that his first adventured went upon, To take back The Dwarf's Gold From The Cursed Dragon Smaug, (Who Attacked In the early days, and killed most of the dwarf king's throng.) and The story and music itself is quite good, it blanks on some critical details from the main story, but overall compared to the acted versions, In my opinion are superior To Those versions. Honestly a 8/10 For the few details missing, but otherwise still, a great movie and quite clean for the entire family.

Animation Vs Animator [PG] (series.) (2006-Present.) A Great Series That I've recently watched, Going about the struggles between The Animator and The animations themselves, in this case stick figures, The story is well adapted, and The animation itself is quite masterful from what I'm used to, and of high quality, overall the plotline is incredibly thick, and would recommend anyone that enjoys any sort of technical job, and or programming, Or just overall, Likes Animation itself. The Story goes from a range of Stick figures, all made by Alan Becker himself on his desktop, Each with have unique personality's, and ties to story along the way, it's one of the best bits of series I've watched in a while. If you're not an animation fan, They've also got a Animation VS Minecraft series, which in itself is just as deep, even with Minecraft included, They as well have Education Vs Animation another side, project which in itself explains hard to understand topics through the mastery of Animation, The series all together is amazing, and if you need a new series, would recommend. 10/10

Treasure Island [G] 1988, This is The Russian adaptation made by the USSR, and Surprisingly , it's Actually pretty good. (Yes This is where the Dr.Livesley meme came from.) Most of the Cartoon is quite goofy, and slapstick, which if you need a movie for a laugh, this is a perfect one. Taking off from the original book treasure island it's closer to the original book, than the Disney movie, and in my opinion better, A captain from afar rest's in jim's home, only to realize that he has been hunted by pirates, and are after the map, Jim takes the map, and makes off with a gang, to find the treasure, with the same pirates, who originally raided the house. Jim's friends eventually catch on to what's going down, and have provoked each party into a stalemate, to one battle for the Gold. The music is above average. The Art itself is a mix of paper like scratched board it's quite unique and adds a pinch of seasoning to the overall vibe of the entire Movie. They've got a Dub in English, but it feels quite unexperienced, I recommend the original in Russian, and to use captions. There's some acting in a sub section of it, for a PSA on anti drinking, which is quite funny to find stanched in it, and a few scenes with real actors dressed up as pirates reacting a bit of the story later on.
Overall, It was quite good, I feel could be better English DUB wise, but else wise The original version is quite decent, more than I expected from Russia.
7/10

I could most likely go on about this, for hours, with different movies, and such but I'll spare you those details and perhaps brag on about more at a much later time. -FireBlaze850

 

[RainWaiv]

Well! Movie wise I've seen a lot good recently,
(spoiler are present, but nothing major like endings of storys or anything major.)

My fav movies Part (1)



View attachment 712961
Back to the Future I, [PG] ) which is the story of a teenager had a friend of his Dr.Brown, obsessive over his own inventions, which leads to him creating a time machine, He Himself is shot by the same terrorist, that gave a nuclear power to power the said time machine, The Teenager, Micheal J, fox time travels back before he is dead, ruins the timeline, so his mother and father don't meet up, Now he has to fix the timeline so his father & His Mother meet up so he's born, Figure out how to time travel back to the future, and warn doc of his impending doom.
Honestly the movie is a favorite of mine, and I personally would rate it 9/10 Great music, excellent story overall.




The Hobbit [NR, G most likely] (1977), A Less violent version of the Remakes with real actors which I think suits the story well since The Hobbit was written actually for J.R.R's grandchildren, [The original ones where violent enough to be R rated.] and more close to the original Story originally wrote by J.R.R Tolkien. The Art is Amazing, and the details even on the small times are beyond impressive. The Hobbit follows the same story of Bilbo Baggin's Story onto the Road that his first adventured went upon, To take back The Dwarf's Gold From The Cursed Dragon Smaug, (Who Attacked In the early days, and killed most of the dwarf king's throng.) and The story and music itself is quite good, it blanks on some critical details from the main story, but overall compared to the acted versions, In my opinion are superior To Those versions. Honestly a 8/10 For the few details missing, but otherwise still, a great movie and quite clean for the entire family.

View attachment 712962



Animation Vs Animator [PG] (series.) (2006-Present.) A Great Series That I've recently watched, Going about the struggles between The Animator and The animations themselves, in this case stick figures, The story is well adapted, and The animation itself is quite masterful from what I'm used to, and of high quality, overall the plotline is incredibly thick, and would recommend anyone that enjoys any sort of technical job, and or programming, Or just overall, Likes Animation itself. The Story goes from a range of Stick figures, all made by Alan Becker himself on his desktop, Each with have unique personality's, and ties to story along the way, it's one of the best bits of series I've watched in a while. If you're not an animation fan, They've also got a Animation VS Minecraft series, which in itself is just as deep, even with Minecraft included, They as well have Education Vs Animation another side, project which in itself explains hard to understand topics through the mastery of Animation, The series all together is amazing, and if you need a new series, would recommend. 10/10



View attachment 712964

Treasure Island [G] 1988, This is The Russian adaptation made by the USSR, and Surprisingly , it's Actually pretty good. (Yes This is where the Dr.Livesley meme came from.) Most of the Cartoon is quite goofy, and slapstick, which if you need a movie for a laugh, this is a perfect one. Taking off from the original book treasure island it's closer to the original book, than the Disney movie, and in my opinion better, A captain from afar rest's in jim's home, only to realize that he has been hunted by pirates, and are after the map, Jim takes the map, and makes off with a gang, to find the treasure, with the same pirates, who originally raided the house. Jim's friends eventually catch on to what's going down, and have provoked each party into a stalemate, to one battle for the Gold. The music is above average. The Art itself is a mix of paper like scratched board it's quite unique and adds a pinch of seasoning to the overall vibe of the entire Movie. They've got a Dub in English, but it feels quite unexperienced, I recommend the original in Russian, and to use captions. There's some acting in a sub section of it, for a PSA on anti drinking, which is quite funny to find stanched in it, and a few scenes with real actors dressed up as pirates reacting a bit of the story later on.
Overall, It was quite good, I feel could be better English DUB wise, but else wise The original version is quite decent, more than I expected from Russia.
7/10
View attachment 712965





I could most likely go on about this, for hours, with different movies, and such but I'll spare you those details and perhaps brag on about more at a much later time. -FireBlaze850

I love how all of these are things you'd probably see recommended and then those flash animations everyone watched when they were like 12 are here for some reason

 

[FireBlaze]

I love how all of these are things you'd probably see recommended and then those flash animations everyone watched when they were like 12 are here for some reason

I mean hell, I'd recommend them, honestly The Flash Animation's story telling's or AvA, is actually quite good, that's why I put it on the list, originally lmao (I'll probably update the list maybe next week, so if you want to hear the rant stay tuned, I guess)

 

[Myzozoa]

Hii, I don't really post much any more on this site cause the leadership has reverted to milquetoast about harassment and exclusionary behavior and it's unwelcoming, but I was feeling inspired to post about some of the films I watched recently:

Steel Magnolias-

Sally Fields plays a diabetic woman that wants to have a baby in the 1970s or 80s American South. Despite the warnings of her doctor and mother, and her own husband's explicit willingness to consider alternatives such as adoption, she pursues a baby of her own. She gets pregnant, gives birth, and develops kidney failure. She then has a transplant, and subsequently dies of a nervous system infection developed as a consequence of immunosuppression therapy related to the transplant.

This film also stars Dolly Parton, and when she's not on screen it's not so great.

This film is often touted as a 'feminist film' because it has almost all woman cast, but if anything it just draws the limits of the Bechdel test and other quantitative liberal feminist approaches to theorizing equality in film into sharp relief. Though the film may depict close relationships between women, the dialogues and dramas center on traditional feminine ideals: sacrifice to family and fertility. Sally Field's character does in a reactionary sense display a society-defying spirit by contradicting her mother and the medical establishment. In insisting on risking dying for the sake of giving a baby to her husband, who she states 'should not be denied' children due to her diabetes, her will to acquire traditional feminine achievements becomes valorized as a sort of martyrdom of heterosexual white Southern christian motherhood. Though her husband states plainly at the start of the film he would be perfectly fine just adopting a child, Sally Field's character is unable to hear it.

I don't see this film as having many interesting lessons for contemporary feminisms, although perhaps there is a tragic lesson in Sally Field's character about internalized patriarchy. If so it is very dark indeed: The whole cast cautions Sally Field's character against pursuing her fertility ambitions, but she finds reasons and explanations for continuing, and sort of charms people in her support circle and shines them on about the concerns they raise. A sort of neo-christian reactionary feminist death drive is perhaps?? illustrated in the character, who fulfills the reproductive rites of the fertility cult and then dies from it, i.e, her death could be read as her escape from a patriarchal worldview-system that she seemed more animated by than anyone else in the film. Not sure if that makes any sense, but I'm trying to suggest that there is reading which cashes out on the idea of Freud that 'all drives are death drives', where Sally Field's character is animated by the Freudian pleasure of the fertility cult rite as a death drive. 5/10.

Bend It Like Beckham-

I rewatched this one recently, a classic from my adolescence. Jess is a Sikh girl who dreams of playing football professionally, the walls of her room are covered in Beckham posters. She often plays football in the park with South Asian boys in the neighborhood, where one day she is noticed by a British girl, Jules, who recruits her to join a girl's football club.

Neither of the girls' families are supportive of the girls' footballing, Jules' mom hates Jules' footballing because it isn't lady-like and Jess's mom similarly thinks it's inappropriate for girls to play sports. Throughout the film, patriarchal restrictions and pressures are depicted as the common experience of both girls despite their families' different cultural backgrounds.

In the film the girl's are depicted as having a shared struggle, Jules tells Jess that "Us girls have nothing here" referring to the lack of teams and professional opportunities. She talks about how professional opportunities exist for women footballers in America, which in the film functions as sort of an idealized other place, which regardless of it's real existence, functions to propel the girls to resist, to attempt to grow and thrive in spite of the everyday-ness of their parents' hopelessness in a declining Britain ennui.

The respective conflicts between the girls and their parents, and the relationship between the girls and their coach make interesting comments on the functioning of patriarchy in the dynamics of nuclear families. For Jules' mom, football is tantamount to lesbianism and Jules should be devoting herself to becoming a lady, so she can attract a husband in the future. Jules' father is hesitant to endorse the mother's concern saying that he'd rather have her playing football than with boys. Jess' mom is likewise depicted as the more active parent in restricting her daughter's footballing.

While Jess continues to 'secretly' play football, her father secretly attends her games, where he sees Jess' coach intervene for her when she is called a racial slur.Her father reveals that he had only been against her football pursuits due to his own experience of being excluded from British cricket for being Punjabi, he was trying to protect her from his own past experience that he had not fully processed or coped with. He goes on to become supportive of Jess playing.

In both family's cases the mother takes an apparently more active role in patriarchal reproduction, calling into question the typical narratives showing how the burden of maintaining/reproducing patriarchy can rest on any member regardless of gender.

There are many other interesting comments this film suggests: it depicts a closeted gay adolescent character, and the girls' Irish coach Joe and how he relates to the girls, to Jess's parents, and to Britain are other interesting things I could say more about, but I will leave off. I have only touched on one part of the dynamics of patriarchy the film depicts because I think it shows how richly this film refuses tropes about feminism and multiculturalism. I felt it did hold up. 8.5/10.

A Real Pain

Two somewhat estranged American Jewish cousins residing in the eastern United States reunite for a Holocaust group tour in Poland. One of them is kind of ADHD, Bipolar stoner type and the other one is a shy reserved nerdy boy become family man (we all have this male cousin, all of us Jews, usually a few of both types in fact...). The tour is funded by their favorite Aunt, who died recently. Over the course of the film the differences in the cousins personalities and ways of relating to the world are dramatized. Benji, the ADHD stoner, is spontaneous, bright, and quick to form meaningful connections with others. He is also seemingly principled and thoughtful, he demonstrates care and an eye for noticing others' emotions. He's charmingly unbothered in his pretentiousness which puts others at ease even if he sometimes expresses strong opinions and becomes dramatic. David is quiet, self-conscious, somewhat emotionally numb, but he gets more comfortable with the other people in the tour group too in time.

While the film does make a very worthy character study of the two cousins, the comments on grief, pain, and histories of trauma are more interesting to me. The title A Real Pain is apt, and many different types will be depicted in the film. Of course, we might wonder what even is pain? I know it sounds dumb to ask the question but is pain just discomfort? Traveling is frequently uncomfortable, and there is a certain type of discomfort in the friction and vulnerability of interacting with strangers in a tour group, or with someone (like Benji or even for some people, like David) who's personality, manners, or behavior you find abrasive. And there is also a type of psychic pain in the grief of the recent death of an aunt who lived a good life, and there is another type of pain in opening yourself to imagining, grieving, and remembering and relating to the experience of the victims of the Holocaust.

It becomes revealed that the source of the cousins' estrangement has to do with them not being able to openly talk about Benji's recent suicide attempt. Connection seeking and vulnerability, the film seems to suggest, can be very painful. 8.5/10

 

[S.A.C. Martin]

“No other Land” wins oscar for best documentary. Palestinian-Israeli produced film, about the occupation, apartheid and destruction in Palestine at the hands of the Israeli state. https://www.independent.co.uk/arts-...-israel-gaza-middle-east-winner-b2707735.html

 

[Myzozoa]

“No other Land” wins oscar for best documentary. Palestinian-Israeli produced film, about the occupation, apartheid and destruction in Palestine at the hands of the Israeli state. https://www.independent.co.uk/arts-...-israel-gaza-middle-east-winner-b2707735.html

There is a lot going around criticizing the Israeli speaker and the team and optics behind the film for paternalism and commentary on how the film may or may not be problematic in its vision for the future of settler-colonialism, and that may all be true, I didn't watch it. But what I will say is that the acceptance speech I felt was very apt. Even if the speech myopically weighed the excesses of October 7th against the ethnic cleansing of Palestine ("the crimes of October 7th") it was a clear condemnation of American foreign policy as blocking the only solution to the problem of Zionism, which is to establish one state, Palestine, where citizenship and rule of law is applied equally to all demographics. This is what everyone who knows anything about this issue knows, but which most everyday people remain ignorant of due to the media's jingoistic coverage of this issue. So although a lot of ppl have been upset about the optics, I think they did great with their speech, maybe I'm just a sucker tho.

Gonna be back soon w comments on Wicked and maybe some other movies.

 

[Basedwell]

Seeing people talk about Anora really hurts me because they misunderstand it, and it’s not a terribly hard film to understand.

I saw an online review saying “I couldn’t determine the line between when protagonist was being a sex worker and when she was being herself” when that’s one of the central themes of the movie. I need to stop reading rage bait lol. And another review saying “well why didn’t she ask for more money when the Russian kid started paying her” when that’s sex worker 101, she didn’t want to be seen as greedy.

Idk. i was involved with a stripper last year and that movie accurately depicted certain aspects of her life down to a t and it made me understand and forgive her for some things she did that hurt me.

Edit: one last thing. That movie was not intended to be a romance in any sense of the word.

 

[S.A.C. Martin]

There is a lot going around criticizing the Israeli speaker and the team and optics behind the film for paternalism and commentary on how the film may or may not be problematic in its vision for the future of settler-colonialism, and that may all be true, I didn't watch it. But what I will say is that the acceptance speech I felt was very apt. Even if the speech myopically weighed the excesses of October 7th against the ethnic cleansing of Palestine ("the crimes of October 7th") it was a clear condemnation of American foreign policy as blocking the only solution to the problem of Zionism, which is to establish one state, Palestine, where citizenship and rule of law is applied equally to all demographics. This is what everyone who knows anything about this issue knows, but which most everyday people remain ignorant of due to the media's jingoistic coverage of this issue. So although a lot of ppl have been upset about the optics, I think they did great with their speech, maybe I'm just a sucker tho.

And yet despite winning an Oscar, you cannot physically watch it anywhere in the United States of America.

Freedom of speech, huh.

 

[RainWaiv]

And yet despite winning an Oscar, you cannot physically watch it anywhere in the United States of America.

Freedom of speech, huh.

Regardless of content matter there's always going to be stuff you quite literally cannot watch (legally) in the United States, or anywhere in the world for that matter. Sure, in this situation, the reasoning is pretty blatant as to why you can't watch it. But a lot of the times a show or movie or whatever is only available (legally) through streaming services, who are able to pull it out of their catalogue at a moments notice for some abject reason that they don't need to publish (it's always because they don't make enough money)

 

[Adeleine]

Saw Captain America: Brave New World. I expected it to be okay but tired and averageish. It was not that. A lot of good touches, some strong character dynamics and storytelling, such that I was willing to ignore the frankly nonsense woo woo plot and terrible villain. ...until the climax. Hoo boy. The worst climax I can remember in a movie. I actually rolled my eyes, I couldn't believe how forced it was, how it disrupted the story's flow and themes. If it weren't for the climax, if the main story was wrapped up just a bit earlier, I would call this movie good, but now I can merely say it is a highs-and-lows mid movie, that reeks of executive meddling hindering some talented artists. Still beats a boring one, though.

 

[Ununhexium]

Saw Captain America: Brave New World. I expected it to be okay but tired and averageish. It was not that. A lot of good touches, some strong character dynamics and storytelling, such that I was willing to ignore the frankly nonsense woo woo plot and terrible villain. ...until the climax. Hoo boy. The worst climax I can remember in a movie. I actually rolled my eyes, I couldn't believe how forced it was, how it disrupted the story's flow and themes. If it weren't for the climax, if the main story was wrapped up just a bit earlier, I would call this movie good, but now I can merely say it is a highs-and-lows mid movie, that reeks of executive meddling hindering some talented artists. Still beats a boring one, though.

I thought that if the movie had ended after the Navy incident it would’ve been a much better movie - the whole red hulk bit kinda felt like it just happened to make Harrison Ford someone you didn’t want to root for

 

[Basedwell]

Saw Captain America: Brave New World. I expected it to be okay but tired and averageish. It was not that. A lot of good touches, some strong character dynamics and storytelling, such that I was willing to ignore the frankly nonsense woo woo plot and terrible villain. ...until the climax. Hoo boy. The worst climax I can remember in a movie. I actually rolled my eyes, I couldn't believe how forced it was, how it disrupted the story's flow and themes. If it weren't for the climax, if the main story was wrapped up just a bit earlier, I would call this movie good, but now I can merely say it is a highs-and-lows mid movie, that reeks of executive meddling hindering some talented artists. Still beats a boring one, though.

I don’t really like superhero movies anymore but that seems par for the course for Captain America movies, they always have a good build up but the climax doesn’t hit the mark. Unless Civil War was a Captain America one. I don’t remember lol. I wouldn’t like it today, i’m too annoyingly pretentious, but it was fun at the time.

 

[cookie]

saw mickey 17 last week - Bong Joon Ho seems to have a thing for plots driven by downtrodden people trying to hide from an oppressive ruling class

generally quite enjoyable, its depiction of aliens seemed quite well-thought-through (with the exception of only depicting one species throughout the planet - maybe everything else is in hibernation, who knows). Mark Ruffalo's dictator and wife were very uncanny valley - Mark Ruffalo's teeth were ever so slightly too big and his character's wife's obsession with sauce seemed somehow relatable in the abstract sense yet completely bizarre

 

[Myzozoa]

Wicked (2024)

Wicked is a staged but 'live' production with "Hollywood actors" of the well known broadway play of the same name, which was in turn based on a novel that is a retelling/prequel of Dorothy and the Wizard of Oz. The Wizard of Oz (1939) is viewed by some as the most significant and/or popular film of the 20th century. The Wicked broadway musical had a lengthy run and still frequently sells out when it tours.

Wicked was filmed to some extent as a live performance, you can see throat muscles vibrating. In the view of the Broadway 'experts' I consulted, the movie was decent but not nearly as good as a live performance, and I pretty much agree. I attended a live production with Broadway actors this year so I have a baseline to compare to.

The energy between Ariana Grande and Cynthia Erivo is observable in the film. Much has been made of their emotional interactions in front of the press. I will only say I strongly disagree w the criticism I have heard from some gays that there was not enough gay energy between Glinda and Elphaba in this movie. You can tell they really mean it and feel it imo.

I could rehearse the whole plot vis-a-vis a long summary of Wicked and how its timeline lines up w the events of The Wizard of Oz, but this movie is only part 1, and it's mainly part 2 where all that becomes important. I'm gonna just kinda hit all the points I have really quick and dirty in this post.

In Wicked, we are first introduced to Glinda the Good Witch as the people of Oz are celebrating the death of The Wicked Witch of the West. Glinda floats down from wherever she was before and reminisces about the dead witch, and the townspeople ask her about what she knows. Glinda explains that Elphaba, the WWW (Wicked Witch of the West), was born from an affair her mother had with a man who drank many neon green potions. Her father, a governor, disowned her when she was subsequently born with green skin. Glinda sums it up in her own trademark grandiose Glinda way:

"Are people born Wicked? Or do they have Wickedness thrust upon them? After all, she had a father. She had a mother, as so many do..."

(there is a joke among Glinda enjoyers that the lesson of the play can be summarized as something like: "If you encounter an evil problematic woman, before you destroy her you should always investigate the material conditions that brought her about.")

Glinda shares her backstory with Elphaba: the two were roommates in school. Elphaba was magically gifted and academically successful, but socially ostracized by other students for having green skin. Elphaba dreams of using her talent in magic to impress the Wizard, the ruler of Oz, who will then help her gain acceptance in spite of her green skin by partnering with her to improve Oz. Glinda, although popular, was jealous of Elphaba's studies in sorcery. The two became roommates by accident and the animosity between them intensifies, which is shown in the song "Loathing".

I will talk about some of the songs in hide tags, I mean part of the reason this Wicked is compelling is a lot of the songs are referential to other musicals, songs, etc.

Loathing

"Loathing" in particular I think is a really fun song that both plays on the trope of adolescent/childish crush-bearers channeling their attraction into dislike or mask it with outward hostility towards the object of their attraction. The structure/ style of the song, to me, plays with the form of "Hello Muddah, Hello Fuddah (A Letter from Camp)", a letter from a faraway place by a child to their parents.

As the exposition further unfolds, Glinda pranks Elphaba by giving her an ugly hat to wear, but then feels bad and decides to form a friendship with Elphaba. Glinda sort of explains her worldview while giving Elphaba a makeover in the song "Popular".

Popular

This is likely my favorite song from the movie, as Ariana Grande's acting for the song is so fun even if no one will ever match the Kristin Chenowith version. Like many things that can seem vapid on the surface, in taking things a bit too far, Glinda satirizes the bourgeoisie social milieu she is so well-adapted to: "You'll hang with the right cohorts, you'll be good at sports, you'll know the slang you've got to know" "It's not about aptitude, it's the way you're viewed" "Think of celebrated heads of state or especially great communicators, did they have brains or talent? No, they were popular". Underneath Glinda's 'blonde ambition' if you will, is a scathing critique of the veneer of meritocracy that hides the real workings of power and good fortune that actually determine subjects' life chances.

There is a significant plot line about dystopian creepings in Oz that I haven't touched on yet in this disorganized rambling. Elphaba's favorite professor is a goat, who loses his ability to speak over the course of the first act as animal rights are restricted. In Oz, animals are anthropomorphized and they live as talking subjects the same as humans. In the subplot, there are powers working in Oz to subjugate all animals and take away their voices using a new invention: "the cage". I will just say like so many plot devices in Wicked that seem to be simple on the surface, the theory of subjectivity in animals in Wicked was almost a decade ahead of its time (https://link.springer.com/article/10.1057/sub.2008.15) even if the intention was not just to make philosophical points about animal subjectivities through the play.

Eventually, Elphaba travels to the Emerald City to meet the Wizard of Oz. However, she discovers he's a charlatan and a mortal that uses cheap tricks to awe the citizens of Oz into believing in him. She figures out he is instigating the suppression of the animals and vows to fight him.

The 1st half of Wicked concludes with the song 'Defying Gravity' which is another banger. In the lyrics Elphaba compares the task of fighting social power structures to defying gravity. With her magic abilities, Elphaba is able to make a broom fly allowing her to escape the Wizard who has turned against her and made her a pariah in Oz. In Wicked, it turns out that the 'laws of nature' and science are actually more mutable and less restrictive, more possible to resist for most humans, than the laws of social convention and hierarchy. This song really resonated with me as a trans person and a health care provider this year, as I feel like I can change my body and use science as my tool, but no matter how well I'm doing the world around me is still 2025 lol.

Anyway I am not a Wicked aficionado or a long-time fans. I only got into it this year as I'm dating someone who is into the play, and the movie came out too. I usually hate musicals, but this one is rich with references and thoughtfully put together. The movie is a bop that you will probably enjoy watching at least one time, Ariana Grande and Cynthia Erivo are memorable even if no one will ever surpass Chenowith and Menzel. 8.5/10.

 

[FireBlaze]

My Fav Movies Part 2

Not Without my Daughter (1991) [PG-13]

I've heard of this movie for a while and heard it was a great one, and I was not disappointed, The surreal feeling of actually how much terror that can lie in a foreign land is crazy, and this movie provoked it extremely well, the music was better than I had originally expected, the emotion in this film drove it to the greatness it did tbh. 7/10 (wouldn't recommend to the average viewer without context.)





The Ten Commandments (1956) [G]

I'm not sure if this is a classic, but it deserves to be, This movie is extremely (about 4 hours.) The Music However is some of the best I've seen in any movie I've watched considering, breathes more emotion and or. well sureal feeling about how massive all that has partaken into the movie much better, than any sort I've seen in my life. I've watched at least 400 movies in my lifetime or more, This is high up on the charts, the music will often send the scenes tumbling down more of it, for those that don't know, This is the book of exodus retold into
a movie, and wonderfully done, might I add. at least 15,000 animals where actually used in the creation of this movie!
The Ten Commandments actually even airs on ABC-TV
The movie is expected to air on ABC on Saturday, April 12th, 2025 The Special effects where extremely good for it's time So much infact, that it was nominated for seven Academy Awards and won one for Best Visual Effects (John P. Fulton) at the 29th Academy Awards in 1957.
(Would recommend to the average viewer without context.)


.


Good Will Hunting (R) [1997]

A Genius Works as a janitor till it's revealed to the College professor his intelligence, but however needs to learn direction in his life after meeting with a psychologist.
I typically research complex math and a am partaker of how much the average person can learn from just simple studying. This movie was brillant in it's own fashion whether it was from the psychological aspect, or the mathematical aspect. The main reason I find it to be rated what it is, is the cursing, There are lots of F bombs and often crude conversations that continue on, when they shouldn't, if you look past those parts (which I think may in some ideals help convay the emotion in some characters, or venting purposes, however I personally think it was too many, and somewhat ruined the reputation of the movie.) Pushing those aside it's still a great movie. (6/10) (wouldn't recommend to the average viewer without context.)




Stargate (1994) [PG-13]

A teleportational device is found in a foreign land and transported to the military, once cracked the code to open "Stargate" They travel to another planet that resembles ancient Egypt, where writing is abolished, by their god "ra" who rules them under them with his alien race. So that the people may never know the truth of the past.
If you Like Star Trek by any chance I would fully recommend you to this movie, 2nd to best Si-Fi movie I've seen this year, and would probably watch again 9/10
(Would recommend to the average viewer.)

If you've read all of this thank you for listening to me ramble on! xD

 

[finncarter]

Saw Captain America: Brave New World. I expected it to be okay but tired and averageish. It was not that. A lot of good touches, some strong character dynamics and storytelling, such that I was willing to ignore the frankly nonsense woo woo plot and terrible villain. ...until the climax. Hoo boy. The worst climax I can remember in a movie. I actually rolled my eyes, I couldn't believe how forced it was, how it disrupted the story's flow and themes. If it weren't for the climax, if the main story was wrapped up just a bit earlier, I would call this movie good, but now I can merely say it is a highs-and-lows mid movie, that reeks of executive meddling hindering some talented artists. Still beats a boring one, though.

I didn't like this movie at all.

 

[chimp]

Just watched Once Upon a Time In Hollywood. Was Fine. 2.5/5. My Tarantino ranking: Inglorious Basterds > Reservoir Dogs > Pulp Fiction > Once Upon a Time

Leo was snubbed. I liked Brad Pitt's performance and all, but in everything I've seen of him he is always the same character played in the same way. But Leo put his whole dicapriSOUL into it, and was so fun to watch.

 

[Jeong]

Since this seems to be getting active again, I'll share the latest I've seen.

• Mickey 17:
★★★ It has a brutal start, with an incredible Robert Pattinson, but it loses some strength at the end. There are supporting characters such as the loyal Nasha, played by Naomi Ackie who delivers very well. I can't say the same for Mark Ruffalo, playing a sort of alien Donald Trump. It's a character that seems to work halfway, but that collapses in the last act of the film, playing a bad trick on him. But well, I liked it a lot, even if only at the beginning and when the film was more focused on the wanderings of our protagonist.

• Novocaine:
★★★★ Jack Quaid wastes charisma in this romantic comedy that, for me, is a bit reminiscent of the movies of yesteryear. I liked it a lot, to be honest. Action and humor go hand in hand and it works perfectly, bringing out the full potential of our protagonist. Of course, there is a lot of blood in the action scenes. Very wild in that aspect. Still, I enjoyed it a lot and, without exaggeration, I think it will be one of the best movies I'll see this year.

 

[Ben-Hur]

Clint Eastwood ranked (both as director and actor)
Some thoughts (mostly complaints) on some of his films:
-A Few Dollars More (1965) > The Good, The Bad, The Ugly (1966) >>>>> A Fistful of Dollars (1964)
-Where Eagles Dare (1968): Surprised at how little presence Clint had in this despite his kill count, he almost felt like Richard Burton's silent lackey.
-Dirty Harry (1971): Fine movie and probably the only one in the Dirty Harry franchise worth watching but hated how the night scenes were unrecognizable due to how dark they were.
-The Beguiled (1971): Always love it when macho actors play against type.
-Sudden Impact (1983): Clint really replaced his male dog partner with a pregnant female one with teats hanging out halfway through the film and thought no one would notice. Def the kind of guy who would make Bradley Cooper work with a plastic baby lmao.
-Mystic River (2003):

Spoiler

Amazing movie up until the last 20 minutes. Like come on, I could stomach Sean Penn getting away with murdering a guy who turned out to be innocent but why did Kevin Bacon's cop character who we're supposed to root for act so nonchalant over it?

Also Lawrence Fishburne's character is called "Sgt. Whitey Powers" for some reason.
-Gran Torino (2008): Clint's white boomer power fantasy of how he'd go to an ethnic community and solve all of their problems by mumbling slurs at them and becoming their new god. Really puzzled at the overwhelming love for it.
-The 15:17 to Paris (2018): Based on a real life event of three Americans stopping a terrorist attack in Paris, it's easily Clint's most absurd movie. Not only did he cast non-actors as themselves in lead roles, almost the whole movie was about their holiday and the terrorist attack was only 10 minute long. Given Clint's tendency to do everything in one or two takes you can pretty much imagine how bad the performances were.
-The Mule (2018): So bad it actually looped back around into being funny. This was probably the point where studio execs started pumping Clint up with drugs and rolling him out for films he didn't understand he was starring in since he looked and acted so senile.
-Cry Macho (2021): A redo of Gran Torino with Mexicans instead of Asians and even worse results. "Here's a broke 90 year old with a bad back who can tame wild horses nobody else can tame, who can beat cartel members with one punch, who is desired by women in their twenties who try their best to seduce him, who is feared and respected by everyone in his path". Might be the most self-serving and ridiculous movie I've ever watched.

 

[crow crumbs]

why rank works of art on a tier list like fighting game characters after a balance patch (like pokemon even)? a lot of my favorite moments in cinema come from films that are pretty inarguably "minor" works from their directors.

The 15:17 to Paris is a beautiful and challenging film. i find it disheartening when some people hear it's premise and decide its a vanity project unworthy of engagement or something like that.

 

[Ben-Hur]

why rank works of art on a tier list like fighting game characters after a balance patch (like pokemon even)? a lot of my favorite moments in cinema come from films that are pretty inarguably "minor" works from their directors.

The 15:17 to Paris is a beautiful and challenging film. i find it disheartening when some people hear it's premise and decide its a vanity project unworthy of engagement or something like that.

Bro's acting like putting movies in a tier list is any different from scoring them.

Also what's beautiful about The 15:17 to Paris? I could forgive the blatant jingoism and rah-rah bs if the movie was actually well made like certain parts of American Sniper but it wasn't. The acting was mentally and physically painful to watch and every situation was extremely cliche. It felt like a really bad improv, as if the actors (including professional ones like Judy Greer and Jenna Fischer) had never met before the cameras started rolling.

In fact I believe that even if the leads were played by A-list actors the results still wouldn't improve much as it was simply a terrible (UNINTERESTING) event to turn into a feature-length movie. Eastwood had lost the plot for a decade at that point but people only seemed to start to take notice after Cry Macho.

 

[ryo yamada2001]

though i haven't seen the film myself, i've always found interesting Neil Bahadur's review, examining 15:17 to Paris' smalltown American claustrophobia and the (white male Christian American) desire to become 'something' through violence that was embedded from a young age by America's fundamental institutions. also, Willow Maclay's relating it to her upbringing as an AMAB Christian American (and, again, the expectation of violence)

like both reviewers acknowledge it seems like a really challenging (and formally unique, to a fault) film that nevertheless is very rewarding/interesting beyond traditional understanding of 'good' or 'bad'.

 

[crow crumbs]

what's beautiful about The 15:17 to Paris? I could forgive the blatant jingoism and rah-rah bs [snip]

So, im going to dance around the question a bit before answering since i kind of struggle to wrap my head around this type of criticism (which is pretty common), that its something to be attacked when art hints at being shaped by reactionary thought.

I have no argument against the fact that the 15:17 to Paris could have only been filmed by an abject libertarian jingo - in the same way that Dance Me to the End of Love could only have been written by a man tormented and conflicted by [but ultimately supportive of] Israel, and the same way Othon could have only been filmed by a lifelong communist/extreme outsider to cinema. But none of these works express those views, at least not in the same way an op-ed does. When I think of Leonard Cohen's song, I imagine this impossibly wide evocation of a collective and civilized crawl towards death. I would feel like I would be insulting it to relate it to it any political conviction or even the holocaust stories that inspired it.

I understand why people make this criticism in the sense of, people don't like reactionary things. But I can't say I really understand it, isn't the promise of art to be able to learn from other perspectives? More than being "well-made" enough to ignore stuff I find objectionable, I would just like films that pose a set of questions and give enough room for questioning back. I think engaging with art should be a dialogue, not a torrential downpour of Idea that you either affirm or deny when it's over.

Going back to the 15:17 to Paris, It's been a while since I have seen it but the two dramatically ""important"" scenes I remember both occur at the beginning - their parents refusing to medicate them for ADHD against their teachers suggestion over pride and the childhood discovery of the joy of playing with airsoft guns. Beyond that, the rest of the film is a dramatically inert, repetitive stretch of these extremely typical American males drifting through life and working ordinary jobs and hitting every Life Milestone until the terror attack bookends the film. And yet I, someone who abhors the military and nations and patriots, felt crushingly defeated when one flunked out of their basic training and the other couldn't get into the airforce because of poor eyesight.

If I had to reduce it to something simple, I would say the beauty of the film comes from both Eastwood's extremely good eye for how young people react to and absorb American culture and how that most median existence conceivable is able to act beyond it's expected trajectory. There is very little interest taken with the men as objects of valorization or even just narrative heros. There is no interiority or any goals they set out to accomplish. There's just a track that people are stuck on and you watch them with the knowledge that a moment of conviction will one day uproot everything.

Obviously its not remotely exciting to actually watch but thats just not what I seek. I will say that I cannot comprehend how one could call this cliche though. If there is another film with this narrative structure then I would like to be pointed to it.

Bro's acting like putting movies in a tier list is any different from scoring them.

I don't rate movies and don't really like the concept of rating in general. With that being said, I think theres a distinction between the two. A star system, when used right, is just shorthand for "here is how this film, in totality, aligns with my values for what cinema should be" vs. a tierlist which states "this film is categorically better or worse than this other one." Obviously I'm okay with not living in hypothetical perfect land where there is never any need for heuristics and we can all embrace the complexity of life but I think there is something inherently reductive about a tierlist.

 

[emma]

I love storytelling — especially movies. As of July 4th, I have watched 126 films this year. I've rated all and reviewed thirty on my Letterboxd. I've included some of my favorite reviews in spoiler tags below and would love to discuss film more actively on Smogon

S. DARKO (2009)

S. DARKO (2009) is terrible. For some reason, it stars Daveigh Chase, who inexplicably voices Chihiro Ogino in the English dub of the Studio Ghibli film SPIRITED AWAY (2001), and employs three supporting male characters from 2010s teen dramas — Chuck Bass from GOSSIP GIRL (2007-2012), Alaric Saltzman from THE VAMPIRE DIARIES (2009-2017), and Jasper Hale from TWILIGHT (2008) and its sequels. This is the most random assortment of actors I have ever seen. What is going on in Utah?

At its core, this movie is a toxic crossover of AMERICAN PSYCHO 2 (2002) and THE LEGEND OF KORRA (2012-2014) — a shitty sequel made to bully and cash in on creativity genius by taking an unrelated script and tenuously linking it to the first film, in doing so uprooting a catalytic part of lore that’s DNA of the original film, that tries to survive with superficial, hopefully-nostalgic, callbacks that needs to realize It Can’t Make Fetch Happen. I was originally going to compare that last bit directly with the parallel homages in PRETTY LITTLE LIARS: THE PERFECTIONIST (2019), but there, I actually enjoy them! It works because we have a seven-year-soul-stirring connection with Alison, Mona, and the franchise and actually care about them! Meanwhile, the most relevant thing Samantha Darko does in the original movie is be the roundabout birth point of the iconic line, “Sometimes, I doubt your commitment to sparkle motion.” They can’t even execute the easy step of fan service! She never even shows signs of sleepwalking, hallucinations, or time travel in the previous film, making the whole foundation of the film completely ridiculous to begin with.

The Opening Credits. 04:03:41:34*. Samantha’s Unicorn Story. The Philosophy of Time Travel. The Bubbly Substance. Sparkle Motion. Justin Sparrow. The Frank Mask. A fucking cellar door. GIVE ME A BREAK.

Capitalistic studios must learn that you can’t artificially replicate mastermind storytelling and selfishly leech on its emotional weight to its consumers to ensure that the CEO can afford their third cruise to the Bermuda Triangle at the expense of your joy. It’s a Man Who Thought He'd Lost All Hope Loses Last Additional Bit Of Hope He Didn't Even Know He Still Had bit for 103 straight minutes. You can listen to the entirety of “Podcast Extra! Revisiting s03e19 “The Kahn Game”” from BROS WATCH PPL TOO (2013-Present) in just 102 minutes!

No film has given me such strong Feelings since I possessed the bliss only a child could feel after watching and analyzing its predecessor for the first time five years ago in a high school seminar class that was run by the digital video teacher. I hope he is doing well.

Unrelated to everything else, this creative project also has some of the worst production and editing I have ever seen in my life. It rivals Jason Penopolis’s camera skills from HOME MOVIES (2001-2004). I can’t believe I paid $12.99 to own this disaster on Amazon Prime. A moral failing that will see a part of my soul will always feel missing.

A DONNIE DARKO (2001) sequel could gotten to forever. But instead, I want to light myself on fire, stab my eyes out, and get beat to death with hammers. It punches you in the mouth over and over again. This movie is a personal insult to me. Fuck you, Nathan Atkins.

Going full American Psycho 2 is hilarious. The Perfectionists is nostalgic and stars a fan-favorite character showcased at the peak of her powers. Even Korra has a touching moment or two and the Red Panda is cute. But I genuinely can not think of one good thing to say about this experience.

I watched S. DARKO (2009) one (1) time high as balls. I will never watch it again. Justice for Richard Kelly. One star.

*I’m not even sure if this is right, but it doesn’t matter. Nobody will know because seemingly nobody else in the history of the world has seen this shitty movie. God bless their souls.

INTERSTELLAR (2014)

At its core, INTERSTELLAR (2014) is about love — a fundamental, universal force that transcends time, space, and logic, connecting people across dimensions and leaving no doubt that a relationship can transcend lifetimes. Love is not merely sentimental — it is transformative and action-driven. It inspires us to take enormous risks, make sacrifices, and endure immense suffering to ensure a better future. Much like gravity, love is woven into the fabric of the universe, and perhaps, is humanity’s greatest strength.

Cooper’s love for Murph provided the strength needed to interact with the tesseract — a masterful blend of theoretical physics and science fiction, representing the intersection of higher-dimensional science and the enduring power of love. The five-dimensional construct created by advanced bulk beings allows Cooper to perceive time as a tangible, navigable dimension, where every moment in Murph’s bedroom exists simultaneously. Cooper’s love for Murph enables him to focus on her in the infinite complexity of time, turning an abstract idea into a tangible reality. It is no deus ex machina — it is the logical extension of prior concepts and serves as the culmination of Cooper’s love for Murph, delivering the greatest emotional and narrative payoff in cinematic history.

It’s a father’s desperation and willingness to do anything for his daughter. It’s the scientific and narrative revelation of Murph’s realization that her father was her ghost and never abandoned her, completing the time loop and proving time is a flat circle. It’s the retroactive recontextualization of earlier scenes — what initially seemed like an inexplicable phenomenon becomes an emotionally resonant act of love and desperation.

After watching the characters struggle with separation, regret, and the weight of survival, the tesseract provides a moment of catharsis where love transcends dimensions and ultimately triumphs.

While the film celebrates love as a transcendent force, it also explores darker, more challenging aspects — survival, separation, and sacrifice — the emotional cost of humanity’s everlasting struggle to endure.

Dr. Mann — the best humanity has to offer — is driven to the brink of insanity after years of isolation and despair. His fear of dying alone and forgotten is a tragic manifestation of humanity’s instinct for self-preservation. His fear-driven betrayal adds moral complexity to the narrative, showing that even the most celebrated heroes can falter when pressured to the bitter end and functions as a narrative and thematic foil that highlights the integrity, selflessness, and resiliency of Cooper and Amelia. He ultimately embodies the selfishness and fear tied to survival.

Time dilation as a mechanism for separation sees a scientific phenomenon become a harrowing emotional device. Cooper’s realization that he has missed his children’s entire lives and their tragic loss of hope that he will ever return magnifies the emotional weight of his choice to leave.

Each major character must sacrifice, illustrating the emotional and moral weight of survival in the face of extinction. Cooper’s journey is defined by repeated sacrifice, all rooted in the love for his children and his determination to save humanity, highlighted by ejecting himself into the black hole Gargantua to ensure the Endurance reaches humanity’s last hope for salvation. Amelia is ultimately left isolated on Dr. Edmunds’ planet to begin humanity’s next chapter, knowing she will never see her father or the love of her life ever again. Murph sacrifices her personal happiness to work on an impossible equation. Even Professor Brand sacrifices his humanity to inspire hope by lying — saying saving the current population of Earth is achievable when he knows it is impossible to inspire all to work together. Plan B itself is a philosophical sacrifice, prioritizing the continuation of the species over the lives of the current population. It raises impossible questions about what matters most in the face of extinction. Love is the driving force behind sacrifice, and sacrifice is a requirement for progress and survival.

While the film’s themes of love, survival, and sacrifice provide the emotional and philosophical backbone of the film, its brilliance lies in how these ideas are brought to life through its technical execution. The evocative soundtrack, breathtaking visuals, and powerhouse performances by the cast work in harmony to immerse the audience in both the cosmic wonder of space and the deeply personal struggles of its characters.

The soundtrack is one of the film’s most defining and evocative elements. It elevates the emotional and narrative stakes, blending grand, ethereal sounds with intimate, emotional tones. The visuals are breathtaking, blending realism with a sense of wonder. They capture the vastness of space and the fragility of humanity. The depiction of Gargantua, with its swirling accretion disk and realistic gravitational lensing, is one of the most scientifically accurate and visually stunning portrayals of a black hole ever seen on screen. Together, they underscore the film’s dual focus on human connection and cosmic wonder.

Matthew McConaughey as Cooper is challenged to hit practically every emotional note possible and shatters them all. From the quiet resolve of a father leaving his family for what he believes is their survival, to the raw, heartbreaking realization that decades have passed while he’s been away, McConaughey delivers a deeply human and vulnerable performance that anchors the film.

Perhaps his most unforgettable moment comes when Cooper watches decades’ worth of updates from his children, realizing just how much time he’s lost. McConaughey’s performance in this scene is devastating — his sobs are unrestrained and raw, embodying the crushing weight of separation and the impossibility of reclaiming lost time.

McConaughey’s performance transforms Cooper from a traditional hero into a fully realized, relatable character — flawed, emotional, and driven by a deep sense of duty to his family and humanity.

Mackenzie Foy delivers a standout performance as Young Murph, capturing the intensity of her love for her father and the heartbreak of his departure.

Timothée Chalamet shines as Young Tom, portraying the quiet resilience and vulnerability of a boy forced to grow up too soon in the face of his father’s departure and Earth’s collapse.

Michael Caine lends gravitas to the role of Professor Brand, his poignant delivery of the Dylan Thomas poem: “Do not go gentle into that good night,” encapsulating the film’s spirit of resilience in the face of despair.

Anne Hathaway brings emotional depth to Amelia Brand and captures the quiet vulnerability of a character who sacrifices everything for humanity’s future while still holding onto her belief in the transformative power of love.

The grand, science-fiction phenomena ultimately revolves around a heartwarming father-daughter love story that becomes the key to solving humanity’s survival.

INTERSTELLAR (2014) gives me hope, and that is truly beautiful. Five stars.

GET OUT (2017)

GET OUT (2017) is a masterclass in deliberate storytelling, building suspense in a psychological horror thriller, and exploring complex social issues and themes. Interwoven together, they create a film that’s gripping, thought-provoking, and emotionally resonating.

It all starts with Daniel Kaluuya’s incredible performance of Chris Washington. From the beginning, Chris is portrayed as a thoughtful and compassionate everyman, relating immediately to the audience, who cautiously navigates the discomfort of being a Black man in an overwhelmingly white space. His nuanced reaction to microaggressions has the audience rooting for him and frustrated at the world’s cruelty. His face and trembling voice make the audience feel his helplessness and emotional pain when forced to relive his childhood trauma of feeling responsible for his mother’s death. His performance is so raw that it’s impossible not to empathize with him in that moment. The audience is unequivocally rooting for him to win because Kaluuya has made them deeply care about Chris’s humanity and survival.

Chris’s immense guilt over feeling he failed his mother is the emotional cornerstone of his character, shaping every decision he makes and amplifying the weight of his journey. As a child, he froze in fear, unable to act when his mother didn’t come home, and that guilt has haunted him ever since, defining how he sees himself and the world around him. It’s why he is so cautious, so empathetic, so willing to endure discomfort rather than risk upsetting those around him — because deep down, he feels he has already failed at the one thing that mattered most.

It is so refreshing to watch a film where every detail contributes to the plot or themes and everything is foreshadowed or paid off seamlessly. Chris’s smoking habit? Enacts disapproval from Rose and gives her mother justifiable self-defense for hypnotizing him. Chris’s puppy? Besides being absolutely adorable, it provided a natural reason for his frequent communication with Rod, who is pet-sitting and effectively forces him into directly looking into Chris’s eventual disappearance. It additionally pays off in having their conversations feel organic, rather than strictly plot-driven, and prevents Rod’s last-minute heroics from feeling like a deus ex machina. The strange behavior of the family’s Black housekeepers? Later recontextualized through the revelation that they are inhabited by the consciousness of Rose’s grandparents. Everything in the film Happens For a Reason and Makes Sense.

The unsettling atmosphere, with seemingly polite conversations laced with microaggressions, combined with slow-burn suspense, gradually peels back layers of mystery until Chris realizes he is in a Real Life Horror Movie. The cold open immediately sets the scene with its chilling score and a sense of dread that lingers throughout the film. Mentioning the nearest house is across the lake and eliminating Chris’s communication to the outside world, Walter’s midnight run, the awkward and intrusive questions ranging from about Chris’s golf form and physique to Black culture and interracial relationships is a textbook on how to build suspense. You know something is off, but don’t know what nor what’s actually going to happen, creating a payoff that’s both inevitable and shocking — the Armitages aren’t just kidnapping Black people; they’re performing a grotesque surgical procedure to implant the consciousness of wealthy white people into Black bodies, reducing their victims to voiceless passengers in their own minds. “You know I can’t give you the keys, right?” Holy fucking shit.

At first, Rose is portrayed as trying to help Chris navigate the complexities of being Black and the fear that comes with it, but is ultimately useless because she is White and Does Not Get it. Instead, she and the entire Armitage family are deep rooted in an insidious form of racism. Masked by performative allyship, they admire Black people in a twister, dehumanizing way. They want the physical attributes of Black bodies — strength, beauty, and perceived genetic superiority — while disregarding the centuries of pain, oppression, and systemic racism Black people have endured throughout history. It requires sinister evilness, selfishness, and greed & immense privilege to beat down Black people throughout the entirety of humankind, only to exploit their strength, beauty, and resilience because “Black is back in fashion,” reducing centuries of pain and survival to a passing trend for their own benefit. Where’s your anger? Where’s your fucking rage?

The interpretation that Georgina and Walter were subconsciously fighting through the oppression’s control to warn Chris is devastatingly beautiful. Beneath the monstrous control of the Armitages’ procedure, their true selves — their humanity — are clawing to break through. Georgina’s trembling smile, the tear slipping down her cheek as she utters, “No, no, no, no, no,” is no longer just unsettling; it’s a desperate scream of resistance from within. Walter’s frantic apology before turning the gun on himself is not just an act of defiance, but an ultimate sacrifice, a final fleeting moment of control to ensure these tragedies end with him. These moments transform them from mere victims to tragic heroes, suffocating but not silenced, battling with everything they’ve got to protect Chris from the same fate. It’s gut-wrenching and achingly human — even stripped of nearly everything, they refuse to stop fighting for what is right. Good always finds a way through.

The pinnacle comes at the end of the film, as the arrival of a cop car after Chris has narrowly survived his ordeal weaponizes the audience’s expectations of systemic racism. In this moment, Chris, bloodied and exhausted, instinctively raises his hands in surrender — a heartbreaking gesture that underscores the deep-seated fear and reality of being a Black man in America. After everything he’s endured, the audience’s relief for his survival turns to dread, expecting the worst: that his victory will be stripped away by an authority that views him as a threat rather than a victim. When Rod steps out of the car instead, it’s a cathartic and subversive release, highlighting the film’s brilliance in using cultural expectations to build suspense while offering a rare moment of triumph. This scene encapsulates the film’s message about systemic injustice and the humanity of its protagonist, leaving a lasting impression that lingers long after the credits roll.

One thing I Need To Talk About is Deer. Chris’s empathy for the dying Deer at the beginning of the film reflects his compassionate nature and foreshadows his later struggle to escape exploitation as, symbolically, the deer parallels Chris’s experience: marginalized, vulnerable, and left for dead by a system that Does Not Care About Him. The incident additionally leads to a tense encounter with the police (ACAB), introducing the film’s critique of systemic racism. Later, Deer become a metaphor for Rose’s father’s view of Black people — “You know what I say? I say one down, a couple hundred thousand to go. No, I don’t mean to get on my high horse, but I’m telling you, I do not like the deer. I’m sick of it. They’re taking over. They’re like rats. They’re destroying the ecosystem. I see a dead deer on the side of the road, I think to myself, ‘That’s a start.’” And at the climax, it all comes full circle as Chris uses a mounted Deer to kill him, symbolizing Chris reclaiming his agency and fighting back against his oppressors.

Chris is punched in the mouth over and over again. But he retains his humanity until the bitter end, even when it contradicts his immediate goal of survival. Even though he knows Georgina is currently inhabited by Rose’s grandmother and Wants To Kill Him, he doubles back to rescue her, redeeming himself for his believed childhood failure and proving his humanity. Time and time again, he refuses to be reduced to the selfishness and cruelty surrounding him, despite how desperate they are to, quite literally, dehumanize him. Truthfully, Chris reminds me of Aang from AVATAR: THE LAST AIRBENDER (2005-2008). Despite the immense pressure and everything thrown at them, both characters Find A Way Through without sacrificing their moral principles and sinking to the levels of the oppressive.

It makes me sad that I will never get to experience GET OUT (2017) for the first time ever again. For those who still have that opportunity ahead of them, savor it — it’s a masterpiece of suspense and storytelling that Makes You Think. Five stars.

WICKED (2024)

WICKED (2024) delves into profound themes, including the use of corruption and propaganda to gain and sustain power, the impact of prejudice and societal popularity, and the complexities of morality, which is rarely black-and-white.

The film feels like a high school romance (which I love) crossed with a coming-of-age radicalization (which I also love). The series of (un)fortunate events leading to Elphaba’s enrollment at Shiz University (and her entire journey of learning sorcery) are natural (and later, sinister) and awaken her longing for acceptance and belonging, with the Wizard serving as her first real hope of transcending the limitations imposed by societal prejudice. Her relationship with Glinda obviously starts with tension as their circumstances and personalities immediately clash, but they organically grow closer through moments of empathy. Animal discrimination plants the seeds for her eventual rebellion and showcases (without telling) that Elphaba profoundly cares for the marginalized, drawing a clear parallel to her personal struggles. Shenshen & Pfannee can be a bit absurd and over the top since they’re in Oz, but they accurately portray social standing dynamics. All-in-all, the film’s first Act is highly entertaining with excellent cinematography and soundtrack (most notably "No One Mourns the Wicked" and “What Is This Feeling?”), while also exploring complex themes and setting up a compelling narrative.

Fiyero’s introduction sparks a chain reaction of events for Act II. Glinda shoos away Boq by emotionally manipulating him into asking Nessarose to the dance, who misinterprets it as a favor and encourages Elphaba to connect with her. Moved by the love for her sister, she accepts Glinda’s invitation to the Ozdust Ballroom and accompanying gift, unaware it’s all intended to publicly humiliate her. Thankful for the perceived kindness, she returns the favor by insisting that Glinda join the sorcery seminar. When Elphaba unironically arrives at the dance and embraces her individuality by dancing authentically despite the relentless bullying of her peers, something shifts in Glinda. Witnessing Elphaba’s vulnerability and resilience, Glinda is overcome with guilt. In a moment of genuine remorse, she joins Elphaba on the dance floor, an act of solidarity that begins to bridge the gap between them. Overwhelmed by this unexpected acceptance, Elphaba cries — not from sadness, but from the profound joy of finally feeling welcomed by a society that had always rejected her. Robert Covington — yes! They’re cheering for you now!

Something to note — Glinda never actually shows any authentic kindness to Elphaba before the iconic “Popular” number! In fact, up until that point, she is portrayed as entitled, self-absorbed, and, at times, downright cruel. She openly mocks Elphaba, undermines her confidence, and treats her as an outsider, reinforcing the very prejudices Elphaba has endured her entire life.

It’s not until Glinda directly witnesses the harmful consequences of her actions that she begins to truly repent. Up until the moment Elphaba becomes the target of public ridicule at the dance, Glinda remains oblivious to the impact of her behavior. Her remorse stems from seeing the raw pain and humiliation Elphaba endures — a result of the very schemes Glinda had orchestrated. This marks a crucial turning point for Glinda, as it forces her to confront the harm caused by her entitlement and privilege. Growing up sheltered in a world that celebrated her beauty and charm, Glinda was likey never held accountable for her actions. She likely never considered the consequences of her selfishness because no one had ever stopped her, corrected her, or taught her otherwise.

For the first time, Glinda is faced with the reality that her pursuit of popularity and social dominance has real, damaging effects on others. This moment of reckoning plants the seeds of change within her, gradually transforming her from a shallow, self-centered figure into someone capable of genuine growth and empathy. However, the film doesn’t absolve her completely — her privileged upbringing and initial lack of awareness serve as a reminder of how deeply ingrained societal biases can be and how challenging it is to unlearn them.

Glinda will soon find herself at a crossroads of destiny, with an opportunity to prove that she can genuinely break through her societal biases. In Act III, Elphaba goes full Percy Jackson from THE LAST OLYMPIAN (2009) by asking the Wizard to save the Animals instead of granting her deepest desire to change her green skin — a longing she’s so passionately expressed previously. This heartfelt moment of selflessness is immediately ripped out and stepped on as Elphaba realizes that the Wizard and Madame Morrible are orchestrating the persecution of the Animals, the Wizard is a fraud with no magical powers, and Morrible has been grooming her to facilitate their wickedness.

Elphaba is horrified at being exploited unknowingly strengthening the crackdown against Animals and consequently advancing the tyrants’ fascist rule. Once again, the themes of NOPE (2022) ring loud for all to hear. The crushing weight of this betrayal shatters her hope for acceptance. She’s been punched in the mouth — how does she respond? By choosing to reject the false promises of power and begin her fight against the corrupt forces in Oz.

Elphaba’s rejection of fascism and embrace of true conviction is the crux of her character arc. Faced with the Wizard’s fraudulent regime and its systemic oppression of Animals, Elphaba chooses to defy the regime, even when it isolates her, endangers her life, and destroys any hope of societal acceptance. But she remains steadfast and embodies her moral principles: "True conviction is believing something to be right even after it becomes disadvantageous to you” (Gabrielle Zevin).

In contrast, Glinda, while deeply affected by Elphaba’s plight, ultimately prioritizes her comfort and societal position — failing at her crossroads of destiny. Though Glinda sympathizes with Elphaba’s fight and acknowledges the Wizard’s corruption, she ultimately aligns with the Wizard — driven by a desire to maintain her influence and popularity, reflecting a reluctance to sacrifice her privilege for meaningful change. She chooses neutrality — “If you are neutral in situations of injustice, you have chosen the side of the oppressor” (Desmond Tutu).

This divergence in their choices underscores the story’s central tension between moral conviction and personal compromise and reflects the film’s broader exploration of morality under pressure. Both women are confronted with the same oppressive regime, but their responses reveal the complexity of human morality. Where Elphaba chooses sacrifice and defiance, Glinda prioritizes self-preservation and social stability.

Glinda’s choice to prioritize her stability over standing up to injustice reflects a widespread societal pattern: the tendency to remain complicit when personal privilege or comfort is at stake. Her neutrality is not born from malice but from an unwillingness to disrupt the status quo — a choice that, while relatable, ultimately perpetuates systemic oppression. In this way, Glinda becomes a mirror for the audience, challenging them to confront their own actions (or inactions) in the face of injustice. Her decision resonates because it reflects the quiet, insidious ways privilege can stifle meaningful change. In contrast, Elphaba represents an aspirational ideal of conviction that most people admire but struggle to embody when the personal cost becomes too high. This dichotomy between the two women elevates the narrative, forcing viewers to grapple with uncomfortable truths about morality, privilege, and the cost of defiance.

Most people like to believe themselves to be Elphaba — steadfast, principled, and willing to sacrifice for what is right. However, when faced with the real, often overwhelming consequences of standing against systemic injustice, they often find themselves acting more like Glinda. The allure of comfort, security, and maintaining the status quo frequently outweighs the moral clarity required to endure personal loss or societal rejection.

This is where the film truly excels — forcing the audience to confront these moral dilemmas within themselves à la ZERO ESCAPE: VIRTUE’S LAST REWARD (2012). By presenting Elphaba as a misunderstood and principled figure, rather than the evil caricature from THE WIZARD OF OZ (1939), the film compels audiences to rethink everything they believe about heroism and villainy. The backstory transforms the Wicked Witch of the West into a tragic, morally courageous character whose actions, while painted as “wicked” by those in power, are grounded in true conviction and resistance to fascism. Simultaneously, Glinda’s journey highlights the subtle, insidious ways privilege and comfort can compromise moral action.

This reimagining of familiar characters and events challenges the simplistic binaries of good and evil from the original film, replacing them with nuanced, uncomfortable questions: How far would you go to fight for what’s right? And, when the cost gets too high, would you truly be an Elphaba — or a Glinda?

This recontextualizes how audiences should view figures in power in real life. It highlights the dangers of unquestioningly accepting the narratives presented by those in authority, especially when those narratives target marginalized groups or dissenting voices. The Wizard and Morrible show how easily propaganda can distort truth, create scapegoats, and manipulate public fears to uphold systems of oppression. Their tactics serve as a stark reminder to question the motivations of those in power and critically evaluate the stories they tell — especially when those stories paint the powerful as benevolent and the oppressed as threats.

This message resonates powerfully in light of the ongoing Los Angeles wildfires. Much like the Wizard’s manipulation of public fears, anti-homeless and looting propaganda surrounding the wildfires serves as a deliberate attempt to deflect attention from systemic failures. These narratives vilify marginalized groups, absolve those in power of accountability, and justify further investments in oppressive systems like the police state, rather than addressing root causes like climate change, housing inequality, or resource mismanagement.

Cynthia Erivo and Ariana Grande dazzle as Elphaba and Glinda with their electric chemistry. Erivo’s commanding presence and deeply emotional portrayal of Elphaba bring a raw intensity to the misunderstood green witch. Grande’s effervescent charm and impeccable comedic timing give Glinda a picture perfect bubbly charm with a head-in-the-clouds vibe. The duo’s on-screen rapport shines brightest in their duets, seamlessly blending their voices and emotions to create unforgettable moments of heartbreak, triumph, and friendship. Their ability to balance humor, heartache, and hope makes their performances not only captivating but truly iconic.

WICKED (2024) masterfully reimagines the iconic story of Oz, transforming it into a deeply layered exploration of morality, privilege, and resistance. The film challenges traditional notions of heroism and villainy by humanizing Elphaba and depicting her as a principled figure who defies systemic oppression at great personal cost. At the same time, Glinda’s journey highlights the pervasive power of privilege and the quiet, insidious nature of complicity. Through their divergent paths, the film forces audiences to confront uncomfortable truths about their moral boundaries and the societal structures that shape them. Coupled with its striking cinematography, phenomenal soundtrack, and compelling character arcs, the film transcends its fantastical setting to deliver a timely and resonant message about the dangers of propaganda, the cost of conviction, and the enduring struggle for justice. It’s a film that doesn’t just entertain but also provokes reflection, leaving viewers to ponder one essential question: When faced with the choice, will you stand steadfast like Elphaba, or falter like Glinda? Five stars.