Reviews

MOVIE REVIEW Meet Cute

• star

Genre: Comedy, Fantasy, Romance Year Released: 2022 Runtime: 1h 29m Director(s): Alex Lehmann Writer(s): Noga Pnueli Cast: Kaley Cuoco, Pete Davidson, Deborah S. Craig, Sierra Fisk Where To Watch: Releases exclusively on Peacock on September 21st

I'm a big fan of Kaley Cuoco (THE BIG BANG THEORY, THE FLIGHT ATTENDANT) and, to my surprise, have been impressed with Pete Davidson (THE KING OF STATEN ISLAND, BODIES BODIES BODIES) far more than I had ever thought. So when I saw they would be in a romantic comedy, I jumped on the opportunity to screen it.

To my surprise, this was nothing like what I was expecting! It started pretty straightforward but quickly took an interesting twist that I wasn't expecting! This is thanks partly to not reading anything about the film ahead of time and just going in based on the cast. I suggest not reading anything about the movie if you plan to watch it. Without giving anything away, this is the second film I've seen this year that uses the same unconventional device to set up the entire plot. Although it isn't unheard of, there was a film (and even a sequel almost a decade ago that used something in a similar style.) Yes, I'm being vague intentionally to let you enjoy the surprise!

Cuoco gave a fantastic performance here that was in stark contrast to her BIG BANG THEORY character. I haven't seen her in much outside of that, so this was a fun watch, just in part because of that. I do have to mention that the movie deals with some heavier topics than I had initially assumed. That adds a lot of depth to it, but there could be a minor trigger warning for some. My only real knock on the film was how things were wrapped up in the end; I was hoping for a more significant twist; instead, it was pretty straightforward.

I honestly would've liked to have seen a little more of a deep dive into the film; with an hour and a half runtime, they glossed over the same aspect repeatedly; I think there was a lot of potential left on the table. However, it was still an interesting, unique, and enjoyable film.

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TV SERIES REVIEW WeCrashed 3 out of 5 stars

Genre: Biography, Drama Year Released: 2022 Rating: Somewhere between TV14 and TVMA Cast: Jared Leto, Anne Hathaway, O-T Fagbenle, Kyle Marvin Where To Watch: Apple TV+ (starting 3/18 with a three-episode premiere)

Usually, you'd see a movie review here, but with my recent acceptance to the Apple Screening Room, I wanted to make sure to take full advantage of my options. I will say that reviewing a TV series takes a lot more work than a film. On average, a movie is an hour and a half to two hours; this series consisted of eight episodes, each running from 50 minutes to a little over an hour.

The series stars Jared Leto (Adam) and Anne Hathaway (Rebekah) in a limited series about the rise of WeWork, one of the most valuable startups the world has ever seen. While I didn't know much about the story behind the film, it was arguably predictable to see how the story would go.

Initially, I found Leto's accent a little offputting; however, after seeing interviews with the real Adam Neumann (who Leto played in the series), I found he was pretty much dead on with the accent. I've made this mistake before, thinking that Lady Gaga's accent in HOUSE OF GUCCI was off(upon further review, I will be listing films, books, TV shows, etc. In all caps instead of quotes,) but again, watching the interviews with her real-life counterpart I found her to be perfect.

The series itself was very well made and what we as an audience have come to expect from streaming service originals. There weren't any moments that I was watching where I felt like I wasn't watching a Hollywood film. Having talents like Leto and Hathaway only enhances the experience; the only issue I had with Hathaway's appearance was that she felt like she was playing herself instead of the character she was trying to portray. A nice bonus was the addition of America Ferrera, who I've missed after she departed from the TV series SUPERSTORE.

Usually, I'm not too fond of limited series, I feel like they drag stories out, and this was no exception. I feel like the same impact could've been made in a six-part series just as easily. Several segments just felt like the directors knew they had to fill an hour, so they expanded a scene that could've taken thirty seconds into several minutes. I feel like this method ended up hurting the series more in the long run; I found myself trying to mentally jump ahead in the story when they would slow the progression.

The irony is that the truth behind this story is tailor-made for a drama of this caliber; the real larger-than-life characters were nearly unbelievable. WeWork manages over four million square meters of shared office space in 121 cities. An initial valuation of the company targeted it at 47 billion dollars; while not the most significant valuation in history, it was still pretty impressive and made for an appealing startup that many bought into. Along with the shared workspace model, the company branched out into many other ventures, which the series didn't cover in great detail. They opened gyms, schools, shared living ventures, and bought out a lot of their competition.

There is also a documentary coming up that will be released on Hulu on April 2. Sadly I haven't been able to get early access to that to compare the two, although I will most definitely be checking it out when I get the opportunity.

As a new addition, I will add my thoughts about what I would have done differently. In this case, I would have explored the inner workings of the employees at the company instead of just the higher-ups.

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MOVIE REVIEW Cyrano PG-13 4 - out of 5 stars

Genre: Drama, Musical, Romance Year Released: 2021 Runtime: 2h 3m Director: Joe Wright Writer: Edmond Rostand(play), Erica Schmidt Cast: Peter Dinklage, Haley Bennett, Kelvin Harrison Jr.

Where To Watch: In select theaters now, and available via VOD

Here we have a prime example of a film that could've been spectacular but somehow faltered repeatedly along the way to only be okay. Director Jow Wright has a complex history when it comes to his films; he has very much perfected the period piece with "Pride & Prejudice," "Atonement," and "Anna Karenina" (as well as all three films staring what can only be described as his favorite actress (Keira Knightley.) He has also ventured out of this genre into movies like the much-maligned "Pan" and the spectacular "Hanna" (starring one of my favorite actresses Saoirse Ronan. With "Cyrano," he goes back to that familiar well of a period piece. However, the magic just isn't there.

I won't say that this is a bad movie, but it's not a great musical, it's not a great period piece, it's not a great romance, nor is it a great drama. I can only say it's slightly above mediocre; its saving grace was the acting (not singing) of Peter Dinklage in the titular role of Cyrano. Dinklage commands your attention every time he is on screen; with 86 screen credits and counting, there's no doubt that he has a presence that's hard to match. That's, unfortunately, where the praise for the film goes from excellent to lukewarm. The opening scene set the bar pretty high, helped by the fact that I got to watch it at easily the most luxurious theater I've ever been in (if you've recently been to the Marcus theater in Bloomington, IL, you'll know what I mean.) Sadly the rest of the film lost that magic quickly.

For a film about a poet, the lyrics throughout seemed to be missing, a friend pointed out that it felt more like grade school poetry than what we were supposed to be seeing. The best musical scene in the film didn't even feature the main cast but was thanks to a surprise appearance from The Frames and The Swell Season singer Glen Hansard (Sam Amidon and Scott Folan were featured as soldiers in the scene as well.)

Ben Mendelsohn (De Guiche) had a few moments to shine, but the character was a toned-down version of a terrible person, and that kind of stole his thunder throughout. While Kelvin Harrison Jr. (Christian) felt one-dimensional in every scene, he's meant to not be on the same level linguistically as Cyrano but was made to look inept in comparison. The real dagger in the case was Haley Bennett (Roxanne), who no one in their right mind could root for; we're handed a very bland character that I found myself actively rooting against. To be fair, I don't remember how the nature of that character compared to previous versions of "Cyrano," but I couldn't help and be on anyone's team other than hers.

This unfortunate trap tends to occur when you do the Oscar Death Race; this film was nominated for Best Costume Design, and rightfully so. However, the film those costumes were in just didn't match in quality. Overall I felt that the set design was well done; that is when I could see it; much of the film felt like it was shot with two or three flashlights and suffered any dramatic appeal because of it.

Part of my issue with the film is that this was one of the few that I had seen a trailer for and was very much looking forward to it because of said trailer. It felt like two entirely different films; I remember seeing the trailer for the first time and being incredibly excited to see this. After all, I have a weak spot for musicals in general. On the plus side, this was the last film I needed to see (not counting shorts) to have seen all of the oscar-nominated films this year.

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MOVIE REVIEW After Yang PG - 4.5 out of 5 stars

Genre: Drama, Sci-Fi Year Released: 2021 Runtime: 1h 36m Director: Kogonada Writer: Kogonada, Alexander Weinstein (based on the short story "Saying Goodbye to Yang") Cast: Colin Farrell, Jodie Turner-Smith, Malea Emma Tjandrawidjaja Where To Watch: In theaters & streaming on Showtime

When I first heard about "After Yang," it was just from a poster in a smaller theater I was at; something about it drew me in, and I'm so glad I kept digging. The best thing about the film is that I had no clue what it was about. As you may have seen previously in my reviews, I do my best to avoid trailers so that I don't have the films spoiled for me. I will always stand firm that going into a movie with no preconceived notions is the best way.

One of the most intriguing aspects of A24 films is that they continue to reinvent themselves with each film they release. They can offer something unique in each movie and, in turn, have something for almost everyone. Colin Farrell leads an incredible cast in a story that I wasn't expecting at all. Malea Emma Tjandrawidjaja (Mika) has only been in a handful of TV shows (mainly Disney productions), but she blew me away in this. I was so emotionally locked into her role in the film. She helped progress the story with each scene, and I was genuinely invested in her story. Unfortunately, I felt that Jodie Turner-Smith ("Queen & Slim") was underused in the film; she's such a talented actress with incredible range. I wouldn't say this is a knock on the film but more just the fact that I would like to have seen more of what her role could have offered.

Previously, I hadn't heard of director Kogonada, but this was a strong statement about his potential. Most of his work seems to center around documentary shorts, but he can direct a cast in emotionally charged drama as well. I will be keeping an eye on his future work, including "Pachinko," his upcoming series on Apple+.

The battle within oneself of what makes something "real" takes center stage in the film. We are put in the middle of a conflict over emotions that we as a society may one day have to ask ourselves. The questions over making the ethical choice versus choosing to do what is right will make you question how you would handle the same moments in your own life. The film takes place in the "near future" I don't doubt that we'll be facing these same decisions one day soon.

A huge thanks to Cinetic Media and A24 for allowing me to review this new addition to A24's ever-growing list of incredible films.

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MOVIE REVIEW Sundown R - 4 out of 5 stars

Genre: Drama Year Released: 2021 Runtime: 1h 22m Director: Michel Franco Writer: Michel Franco Cast: Tim Roth, Iazua Larios, Charlotte Gainsbourg Where To Watch: Available to rent on all major VOD apps

I like sharing the official IMDb synopsis whenever reviewing films; I do this because it always intrigues me at the disconnect between the significance of the film itself and the given outline. I'm sure some of that is intentional to avoid spoilers which, as you know, I appreciate! In the case of this film, it may have one of the best examples of a spoiler-free synopsis I've seen. "Neil and Alice Bennett are the core of a wealthy family on vacation in Mexico until a distant emergency cuts their trip short. When one relative disrupts the family's tight-knit order, simmering tensions rise to the fore."

While only having a 6.6 rating on IMDb, I think this was a fantastic film with one of Tim Roth's ("Pulp Fiction," "Planet of the Apes") best performances in recent memory. However, Iazua Larios ("Apocalypto") stole the show. She has such a level of realism to her character on screen that I was wholly sold every time she was on screen. Her interactions with Roth were felt so legitimate that you could get lost in their performances, which made the entire film a delight.

As per my usual attempts, I hadn't seen a trailer for this; all I knew about it was the poster. I prefer it that way as much as possible. In this case, it let me experience the film from a 100% unbiased perspective. I didn't even know who was in the cast until I saw them on screen; if you've read any of my reviews in the past, you'll know that I try to avoid trailers because I've had too many films spoiled for me unintentionally. Sometimes trailers give things away that ruin some of the most impactful moments in the movie.

Clocking in at just an hour and twenty minutes, this film packs a lot into its runtime. The plot is simple, but the story is more profound in reality. It's not a love story; it's not an action film, it's not a slow burn, but yet somehow, it's all of those and more. A well-written script is a powerful tool, and this film is a shining example. While I haven't seen any of director Michel Franco's other films, I'm more than curious now; he directed this and wrote it. I know that not every movie can be nominated for an Oscar, but it bums me when great performances and fantastic direction are overlooked. This just proves why I do the Oscar Death Race each year, I love seeing all of the nominated films, but there's so much more to it. That's just where I start, then I widen my search from there and thankfully end up with so many lesser-known gems like this one.

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MOVIE REVIEW Adventures in Success 3 out of 5 stars

Genre: Adult Comedy Year Released: 2021 Runtime: 1h 38m Director: Jay Buim Where To Watch: March 8th on iTunes and Amazon Prime Video

The best part of reviewing screeners is that I've been introduced to so many films that I otherwise would've never seen. A lot of the movies I've been given access to are unique; they're independent films that are created from the passion of their cast and crew. With a big summer blockbuster, you pretty much know what you're getting yourself into. They have to appeal to the largest audience possible. With independent film, you get unique and creative experiences, so much so that some of my favorite movies of the last year are likely ones that most people have never heard of.

As I try to keep my reviews family-friendly, I will say that this film isn't aimed towards a family viewing experience. It's not right out a graphic film, but it covers many topics that some could find a little much. I really appreciated that it wasn't a "teen comedy" that genre has been done to death. I only use that comparison because if you didn't know better, you might mistake the synopsis for something other than what it is. "A sex-cult settles in the Catskills to build community and spread knowledge, led by their mystical female founder." They're on a mission to heal Mother Earth through pleasure.

I wasn't familiar with the film's cast, but there were memorable performances at every turn. I was excited to see where each scene would end up and connected to the majority of the characters without question. A successful movie needs a few essential parts, a believable cast, a well-written script that doesn't take you out of the moment, and a visual style that matches what the director is trying to express. This checked off all those boxes; it isn't for everyone, but if you're looking for a thought-provoking comedy that will leave you wanting more once the credits roll (good news, there is a post-credit scene), then this is the film for you! I do have to admit that I'm jealous that I didn't get to check it out during its premiere in Los Angeles at the Lumiere Music Hall. I feel this film would've been amplified by experiencing it with an audience around you.

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MOVIE REVIEW Four Good Days 4 out of 5 stars

Genre: Drama Year Released: 2020 Runtime: 1h 40m Director: Rodrigo García Writer: Eli Saslow, Rodrigo García, Amanda Wendler (inspired by) Cast: Mila Kunis, Glenn Close Where To Watch: Hulu

This film proves my point about the Oscars more than any film this year. It was nominated for best original song for "Somehow You Do" - a song by Reba McEntire, which was a fantastic song, but the film wasn't given any love for the acting by Close or Kunis, which I feel is a shame personally. A friend of mine said that this reminded him of a Hallmark film if it had different actors (I disagree and feel he hasn't watched a Hallmark movie recently lol.)

In 2018, a film called "Beautiful Boy" starring Steve Carrell and Timothée Chalamet. After the first few minutes of this film, I assumed it would follow a very similar path. Thankfully it took a different approach, and I was glad that it did; it was unique, and honestly, I think Kunis stole the show. I've seen the dark side of some people, and she portrayed it to the letter. The hair and makeup styling helped, but you also have to have a certain level of soullessness that you can show to sell it.

I find it slightly ironic because I thought multiple times that I would be able to predict the outcome of the film, and yet I was wrong each time. Sure there were predictable moments, as there are in most movies, but as a whole, we have an Oscar-nominated film that didn't follow the standard marks that I had assumed it would. The only real knock that I had was that they were instantly taken down a notch every time things seemed to get intense. Sometimes intensity and anxiety are needed to make a film something more.

One of the highlights for me was the sincerity of the connection between Close and Kunis; it showed how real life is. Things get frustrating when someone you love goes down a dark path, you want to help, you try to help, and sometimes you fail. Sometimes you fail over and over and over again. Sometimes you have the heart to keep trying, but sometimes if your heart gets broken too many times, it can feel like you're hurt and want to give up.

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MOVIE REVIEW The Lost Daughter 1.5 out of 5 stars

Genre: Drama Year Released: 2021 Runtime: 2h 1m Director: Maggie Gyllenhaal Writer: Maggie Gyllenhaal Cast: Olivia Colman, Jessie Buckley, Dakota Johnson Where To Watch: Netflix

I'm a big fan of Maggie Gyllenhall, and I adore almost everything Olivia Colman is in. Sadly this was a giant swing and miss for me. Critics seem to love it, but I just couldn't get into it; I won't complain that it was "slow" because I've found this year more than any other that I can appreciate a slow burn. I think it just lacked the emotional connection I was hoping for, not for lack of trying, and I hope that many people out there think I'm crazy because of this.

This film got a pretty low rating from me, but it doesn't mean that you shouldn't enjoy it. I try hard to reinforce that as often as I can. I love film; however, I don't always love what I'm "supposed to." Sometimes it makes me feel like less of a film fan like maybe I should like things that I don't only to prove a point. Thankfully I know in my heart that a film fan isn't based on liking certain films or loving every film a specific director makes. It's about the love of cinema in general, any genre, any style, just having a passion for the art.

Olivia Colman did a stellar job acting, as did Dakota Johnson; Johnson surprised me with her range in this. I had only seen a few of her roles before this, and needless to say, they didn't show off her acting chops like this. I just need it to be known that just because you didn't love a film doesn't mean that it was a bad film. I probably love several movies that anyone reading this would hate. That's what makes the world of film such a unique experience. If every film was the same, every person thought that a movie meant the same thing? Can you imagine how boring cinema would be if we all agreed?

Overall, I saw a good film in this; I just think it missed the mark for me. The irony is that this had two acting nominations, Colman and Buckley, yet I just finished up "Four Good Days," which was only nominated for the original song, yet I enjoyed it far more.

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MOVIE REVIEW The King's Man 2.5 out of 5 stars

Genre: Action, Adventure, Thriller Year Released: 2021 Runtime: 2h 11m Director: Matthew Vaughn Writer(s): Matthew Vaughn, Karl Gajdusek Cast: Ralph Fiennes, Gemma Arterton, Rhys Ifans, Djimon Hounsou Where To Watch: Now streaming on HBO Max & Hulu

2014's "Kingsman: The Secret Service" was arguably one of my favorite films of the year. It was new, it was fun, the action scenes were exciting and original and the cast was perfectly suited for their roles. Taron Egerton played the ideal role going from "the dark side to the light" but the rest of the cast was just as strong and worked together to create something "original" from a genre that was somewhat stagnant. In 2017 "Kingsman: The Golden Circle" was released and was a pretty big step backward for me, the new additions to the cast felt out of place and the storyline was more than a little forced for me. Thankfully there was still enough magic that made it feel like home.

That leads us to "The King's Man" the third film in the series but a prequel to it all, the start of the story that I fell for in the beginning. Unfortunately, it was an even bigger step backward for me. One of my favorite parts of the James Bond films as well as the first two films in this series was the play on technology. It took the crazy cool physical scenes and brought it up a notch. While there were still a lot of opportunities for this one to follow in the lines of previous "old-time" films that made old tech look cool, they didn't take advantage of it the way they could've.

Overall it wasn't bad, and I know I'll get some flack for this but just like Rotten Tomatoes, I consider a 2.5-star review as okay but not great. Many disagree with me and that's okay but I like to go strictly by the math. A half star is a terrible film, a five star is an amazing film, and 2.5 is right in the middle. As you've heard from me multiple times before, my favorite part of film is that two people can watch the same film and have two entirely different experiences.

I will say that I'm excited for the future of the franchise, with another film in the works as well as a limited TV series, I feel like they'll get back to what made it so fun in the beginning. At least I hope that's where we'll end up!

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MOVIE REVIEW The Worst Person in the World (Verdens verste menneske) 5 out of 5 stars

Genre: Comedy, Drama, Romance Year Released: 2021 Rating: R Runtime: 2h 8m Director: Joachim Trier Writer: Joachim Trier, Eskil Vogt Cast: Renate Reinsve, Anders Danielsen Lie, Herbert Nordrum Where To Watch: In select theaters now

"Once you overcome the one-inch tall barrier of subtitles, you will be introduced to so many more amazing films." - Bong Joon-ho, easily one of my favorite quotes. There was a time that I wouldn't watch anything with subtitles. Thankfully I was given multiple opportunities to overcome this bias and have, in return, seen so many films that I would never have seen otherwise.

I don't hand out five-star reviews regularly; they're reserved for indeed what are my favorite films each year. To put it in perspective, the only other film I gave five stars to this past year was "Last Night in Soho." Cinema is personal, and I don't know what makes one better than the next to each person; no one does. My favorite films from last year maybe someone else's least favorites. That's fine; if we all liked the same movies, the world would be a pretty dull place.

This film defines why I do the Oscar Death Race each year. I know that not everyone is a big fan of the Oscars (I currently have a pretty big issue with them handing out what they consider lesser awards before the ceremony, but that's a topic for another post.) You don't have to be the biggest fan of The Academy to appreciate still the films that get nominated. Each year I get to watch so many notable movies, I've been on the hunt for this one for a while now, and I was ecstatic when I saw that it was being released at a theater local to me.

Renate Reinsve (Julie), the lead of the film, and the glue that holds it together give what I would consider one of the year's best performances. The fact she wasn't nominated for best actress blows my mind. I will say that The Academy has made some significant strides this year, getting international films nominated in multiple categories (especially with this and "Drive My Car.") Reinsve was able to capture my imagination precisely by giving a realistic performance. I felt like I was almost watching a documentary rather than an acting performance. It should go without saying that a lot of this appreciation indeed goes to the writers and director.

The other two most vital roles in the film were Anders Danielsen Lie (Aksel) and Herbert Nordrum (Eivind), who played critical roles that worked together to complete the story. I was shocked how both were able to go from villains to heroes in my eyes throughout the film. The film is beautifully broken into 12 parts (as well as a prologue and epilogue) with a runtime of just a little over two hours; it makes the entire movie very digestible to any audience.

As I've covered before, I'm not a massive fan of films that are artsy just because, thankfully, we see a grounded approach to the imagination here. A few scenes are "beyond belief" but are given reasons as to why. They're not just fantastical without purpose; I have a much higher level of appreciation when there are intentional decisions to film. This allows a film that's based in reality but one that lets your imagination wander.

The only ironic aspect of the film I found odd was that Oslo (the city the film primarily took place) is the largest city in Norway; however, Julie repeatedly runs into people she knows. I rarely run into people I know, and I live in a much smaller city. It was just an amusing little bit I picked up on.

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MOVIE REVIEW The Tragedy of Macbeth 3.5 out of 5 stars

Genre: Drama, History, Thriller Year Released: 2021 Rating: R Runtime: 1h 45m Director: Joel Coen Writer: Joel Coen, William Shakespeare (based on the play by) Cast: Denzel Washington, Frances McDormand, Alex Hassell Where To Watch: Apple+

First and foremost, a bit shoutout to Apple+ for giving me access to their screener site. Another massive step in my journey to becoming everything I've dreamed of when it comes to being a reviewer. I'm excited about their upcoming film "Cha Cha Real Smooth" make sure to keep an eye out for that review when it becomes available.

I'm going to be as blunt as possible about this; this is a film for those who value the look and feel of a movie over the content. I don't mean any disrespect by that statement; I just want it put out there that this is not a film for everyone. Only twenty minutes in, and I was ready to write it off entirely. Thankfully as the movie progressed, I became more engrossed in it and grew to appreciate it far more than I thought I would.

This is not a mainstream film for moviegoers in general. It's pretty much the definition of a "high art" film; it's shot in black and white, the dialogue is Shakespearean English. The scenes are created so that they feel self-contained (almost as though it is a stage play at times.) I don't see a lot of crossover appeal from someone having watched the newest Marvel film (not that there's anything wrong with those!)

Both Denzel Washington (Macbeth) and Frances McDormand (Lady Macbeth) did a fantastic job. They are cast perfectly in these demanding roles; Shakespeare (especially Macbeth) is pretty hard to do and do well. One of my favorite Shakespeare interpretations is Baz Lurhmann's 1996 "Romeo + Juliet" I love that he modernized it yet kept faithful to the original in many ways.

I am bummed that I didn't see this one on the big screen. If ever there was a film created to be seen that way (that isn't a CGI blockbuster), it's this one. There aren't many 100% no-brainer locks in the Oscars, but if this film doesn't win for Best Production Design, I will be shocked beyond compare.

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MOVIE REVIEW Drive My Car (Doraibu mai kâ) Unrated - 4 out of 5 stars

Genre: Drama Year Released: 2021 Runtime: 2h 59m Director: Ryûsuke Hamaguchi Writer: Haruki Murakami (short story), Ryûsuke Hamaguchi, Takamasa Oe Cast: Hidetoshi Nishijima, Tôko Miura, Reika Kirishima Where To Watch: In some theaters and available to stream March 2 on HBO Max

On my journey to the end of the Oscar Death Race (the attempt to watch every Oscar-nominated film before the ceremony), I made a relatively short trip to watch one of the year's best-reviewed international films. In the past, I've driven over three hours to see some of the films, going to Chicago, St. Louis, and even Iowa City (all three have some incredible theaters.) This time, I went to Normal (a small town in central Illinois) with a great Art Moderne-style theater that initially opened its doors on November 19th, 1937.

I didn't know anything about the film other than its runtime (almost three hours,) its country of origin (Japan,) and that it was nominated for four Academy Awards (Best Picture, International Feature Film, Best Director, and Best Adapted Screenplay.) To be fair, I also knew that it had a pretty great word of mouth. Every review I had seen, save for one, was excellent. Even that one review simply said it was "as good" as everyone made it out to be.

I'm thrilled that I decided to go check this out; even though the film was long, I wouldn't trade the experience of seeing it on the big screen for anything! One of the most magical aspects of cinema is getting to see them uninterrupted and bigger than life. I can't help but occasionally glance at my phone or respond to a text while watching a movie at home. While I'm in a theater, I may turn on the dimmed screen to check the time, but in general, I don't mess with my phone (especially if others are around me or the film is engrossing.)

"Drive My Car" had what I would consider one of the best-spoken dialogue scenes that I've seen in a film in a long time. My friend reminded me of a scene from "Paris, Texas," which I couldn't help but agree that it gave those same vibes. You were almost entranced, waiting for the following line to come from the character's mouth.

Overall, I felt the first 40+ minutes of the film were hit or miss; some moments were exciting, but the film gained traction shortly after that, and the last two hours went by in a flash in comparison.

Tôko Miura was fantastic; their performance mesmerized me, and the lead, Hidetoshi Nishijima I, was nearly hypnotized by their almost emotionless responses. While discussing this, I feel there are two frames of mind on a performance like this. One could say it takes less acting ability to perform with no emotion; another could say it takes a lot of skill to give a performance like that and still sell each scene.

I always find it interesting that, in general, I tend to love Asian cinema ("Burning," "Shoplifters," "Parasite," etc.), yet I don't usually go out of my way to hunt new ones down. I don't know why, but when they come to me, I end up loving them. It's a weird dynamic that I can't quite explain.

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The Eyes of Tammy Faye - 2021 (Biography, Drama, Romance) 4 out of 5 stars

I'm an agnostic; I believe there is no way to know if a higher power exists or not. That being said, I won't enter any of my beliefs into this review. Just as I would ask no one to push their beliefs on me, I wouldn't use my platform to do that to others. This was a wonderful surprise; I wasn't sure what to expect, especially with such an odd poster. I knew the basics of Tammy Faye and televangelism, but outside of that, I didn't know anything of the specifics of her story or history.

My biggest surprise was that Andrew Garfield (Jim Bakker) had a prominent role. I didn't even know he was in it, let alone such a significant role. He had a brilliant performance as co-leads with Jessica Chastain (Tammy Faye Bakker), who was given an Oscar nomination for her performance. They both were very memorable in these roles; I can see why Chastain received the nomination; not only did she have to embody this role, but she also had to do it in various degrees of heavy makeup at times.

I also had an ominous feeling while watching Vincent D'Onofrio portray Jerry Falwell. The entire time I couldn't help but feel like it D'Onforio was playing the late Philip Seymour Hoffman playing Jerry Falwell. I'm not 100% sure what gave me this feeling, but I couldn't shake it anytime he was on screen. He had an outstanding performance with the limited screentime; I didn't want that to be taken as a knock on him. Just an observation that I had while watching.

After watching the film, I researched a little more on Tammy and Jim, I found a clip of Tammy's last interview on "Larry King Live" before her passing, and it was heartbreaking. She had a long fought battle with cancer, and as of that interview, she was down to just 65 lbs and looked like a shadow of herself. I'm glad to know that she is no longer suffering; apparently, it was a long up and down battle.

Where to watch: HBO Max

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Ascension - 2021 (Documentary) 2.5 out of 5 stars

What does a rave at a water park, flyboarding, lipstick advertised by the military, a job you get to sit at, and life-sized "dolls" have to do with each other? That's what I'm left wondering after watching the Oscar-nominated documentary "Ascension."

The plot synopsis reads, "The film follows the Chinese dream through the social classes, prioritizing productivity and innovation." that may sound a bit harsh, but I didn't dislike the film for what it's worth. It was a unique look at a world that I had never seen like this before. I had my eyes opened at just how different countries handle capitalism. China is still one of the largest industrialized nations in the world, and this dives into how that title is held.

The most interesting aspect for me was the "How It's Made" style, many scenes simply just showing workers laboring away at their posts. Watching repetitive tasks being done for hours on end was pretty intense. I know that there are assembly-line jobs in the US, but this seemed different. I take for granted some of the things that I just think a machine makes. I'm sure some of the tasks could be automated, but why bother with that when you can pay slave wages to humans. My apologies if that was stern, but so many jobs like this are overlooked and considered "unimportant," that is, until someone is no longer willing to do them.

Capitalism is a terrible thing when it's left unchecked; I don't think this was the entire purpose of this film, but it is one of the things that I took from it. There was an interesting subplot to the film that showed the ranking system in China, just how different two people's lives can be all because of their "social class." I don't pretend to fully understand their society, their prioritizing of industry, or how life works, but this was a look into that world that I hadn't seen before.

Where to watch: Paramount +

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