I'm not angry, I'm just disappointed
“I’m not insane, you hear me.
I'm not insane!"
No musings today, but will have some "updates" for you next week. Stay... tuned? 📺
Note: Wendell & Wild, the stop-motion animated movie from Coraline / The Nightmare Before Christmas director Henry Selick and co-writer / star Jordan Peele is going to be in limited theaters this weekend, but has its big premiere on Netflix next week. Gonna feature it then.
Extra Credit Movies:
Aftersun - an A24 produced movie (for what that means to you) about the complicated relationships we have with how we view our parents - especially after we realize that while they may be our parents, they're also just people, with dreams and struggles all their own. The reviews are really quite stellar so don't think just because I'm not giving it a full featuring it it isn't deserving, because critics say while it's a personal and intimate account, it's a very very good one. Playing in Limited Theaters this Friday.
The School for Good and Evil - a fantasy fable based on a popular book series (of course it is), directed by Paul Feig and starring names Charlize Theron and Kerry Washington as the heads of the schools for Evil and Good, respectively. Which is where two young women end up, if perhaps by mistake, or maybe not (!!). The reviews are kinda bad. Which is a bummer since lots of good talent involved, but critics say it has weak CGI and is way too samey. But these don't sound like big problems if you're 10? 🤷♂️ Streaming on Netflix this Friday.
My Policeman - A drama centered on a young man, played by Harry Styles in his second leading role in as many months, in 1950's who is married to a woman, but starts an affair with a man. Also cuts to the 1990's version of the characters. Does look sadly sweet, but reviews say it doesn't have the stuff to be a reliably affecting story, and at its worst is plodding and a bit boring. Note: will be streaming on Prime, starting November 4th. Playing in Limited Theaters this Friday.
Have you ever been watching a superhero movie and thought "Man, if I had those kinda powers, I'm not sure I'd be so nice to someone who pissed me off." *in cheesy salesperson voice* Well have I got the movie for you!! Introducing Black Adam, the newest superhero from DC Comics who not only kills people, but doesn't feel bad when he does it! He's the kind of dude who when you shoot him in the face with a bullet, doesn't politely inform you your efforts are futile, he shows you, with a thunderous fist to your chest. On sale Friday for $9.99 (prices may vary).
Now this movie doesn't really need me schilling for it, because it of course has Mr. Dwayne Johnson aka The Rock, aka (One of) The World's Favorite Action Hero(s) aka Potential Future Presidential Candidate (I'm not kidding) to sell it. And sell it he will. Because he's been wanting to make this movie for 15 years apparently, and it's finally happening. Now you'd think with nearly two decades of forethought it'd be a straight banger, buuuuut reviews say the movie is a bit overly heavy on action and gets muddled with all the goings on, but that Johnson is good in it, if robbed of his signature quips and one liners due to the seriousness of the character. Supporting actors get some love too, including Aldis Hodge, but the most loved up on outside of Johnson is Pierce Brosnan as head of The Justice Society <-- real name. Yes I bet they get mocked because of it.
And if you're unfamiliar with the Black Adam character, he's basically like Superman except without the intergalactic origins and moral code. Consider him your superhero anger translator, using his powers in ways you might fantasize about when you're pissed off. Except Mr. Adam has a justifiable reason to be rageful - a murdered family and 5,000 years of imprisonment - whereas you're irrationally annoyed because the stupid friggen car in front of you took 0.2 seconds too long to recognize that the light turned green. 🚦🤬
Now, if you've never thought the (way) above because you've yet to watch a movie starring someone with powers bordering on super? Well, I'm not so sure this is the best doorway with which to join the party full of capes, tights and comically-bad-at-hiding-ones-identity masking situations. Maybe try dipping your toe in via some Wonder Woman or a bit of Iron Man, maybe a lil' old school X-Men? Oooor you could just continue to avoid the category all together. After all, it is a soiree that's getting a bit stuffy and overly packed with revelers if I'm being honest.
Vibe: your un-friendly neighborhood anti-hero
Out Friday
Watch In Theaters
The Trailer | 2 hrs 4 mins | PG-13 | 🍅: 55%
I saw a TV spot for this one the other day and it was the advertorial equivalent of a massive neon sign that reads, JULIA ROBERTS & GEORGE CLOONEY IN MOVIE TOGETHER. COME SEE. Nothing about what the two mega-stars will be doing or even why they'll be doing it, just that they're doing whatever, together.
Honestly, it's an understandable tact, seeing as they are two of the most recognizable and well-liked actors of their generation. And it's easy enough to glean from the footage that it's some variation of a romantic comedy. But while Roberts is ensconced in cinematic history for her turns in these types of movies, it's actually been 20 years since her last leading role in one. Really?? 20 years?! Really. And she says it's not because she didn't want to, just that the material wasn't there. As for Clooney, he's always been considered a charm king, but he's never really done a proper rom-com (closest maybe is the Coen Brothers' Intolerable Cruelty) until now. But the two did show their kinetic connection in the first two Ocean's movies and are apparently buddy ol' pals who hang out in real life. And this movie looks like the equivalent of them having you over for happy hour drinks while they pretend to be ex's and bicker at each other in the most endearing way possible. Which, honestly, doesn't sound terrible when compared to how you could spend two hours otherwise (take out and Netflix, again?!). 🤷♂️
Sure, Booksmart's Kaitlyn Dever will be nearby trying to wed her new Bali boyfriend, but if you accept this invitation, you're clearly attending in order to spend time with two of the more delightful and engaging humans to appear on screen over the last 30 years and well, not much else. Which, if you care about reviews, is what they say is the film's strongest angle. Thus, again, affirming Universal's marketing department.
Vibe: Roberts. Clooney. .......? What, you want more? Well too damn bad.
Out Friday
Watch In Theaters
The Trailer | 1 hr 44 mins | PG-13 | 🍅: 62%
Long term romantic breakups are really hard. But I'm here to posit that longtime friendship breakups, can be even harder.
?!?!?
Hear me out. See, in most romantic scenarios it's customary, nay, necessary to tell your lover you're breaking up with them, seeing as your new partner would be quite miffed if your old boo came around and gave you a big smack on the lips (I said most!). But it's normal and often healthy to have an abundance of intimate lifelong friendships. So how then does one end a relationship with a friend, not because they did something egregiously awful like ran over your dog and laughed in your face about it (you're sick), but because for you, the connection has run its course?
If you're many people, you'd probably just start becoming distant, taking longer and longer to get back to their texts. Or even, ya know *ahem* stop reading their newsletters. But if you're a main character in a Martin McDonagh movie (the director of In Bruges and Three Billboards Outside Ebbing Missouri) you're likely to act like the friend-dumper Brendan Gleeson plays and tell 'em straight to their face, and tell 'em plainly, that you just don't wanna be friends no more. And that's that. End of discussion.
As you might imagine, that'd be a bit confusing for a (now former) comrade to comprehend. Especially when it's so abrupt and accompanied by little context. And so it is for the friend-dumpee played by Colin Farrell. But what starts out simply, becomes more and more complicated, turning into a dark and sometimes darkly humorous rumination on life and relationships set in 1923 small town coastal Ireland - which should give a relatively "small" movie some visual scope.
I could go on further, but I'm not sure it'll do either of us much good as you can watch the trailer and it'll give you a good sense of what you're in for. But I can tell you that, as I'd hoped, the reviews a flippin' fantastic. Not only has every critic recommend it so far, but they're all doing so enthusiastically, saying the acting from Farrell and Gleeson is easily some of the best of their careers - with Gleeson nailing the dour man who just wants to play his fiddle and be left alone, and Farrell crushing as the nice if dull man who can't understand why, and may just learn something about himself along the way. Who knows, you may too.
Vibe: you want to laugh, but like at how incredibly, deeply sad life can be sometimes
Out Friday
Watch In (Limited) Theaters
The Trailer | 1 hr 49 mins | R | 🍅: 100%
Not a ton of big notable trailers this week, so going to give the highlight to Creed 3, first in the series to be directed by star Michael B. Jordan. He's joined by his new co-star, and boxing opponent, Jonathan Majors - who clearly took the challenge to get jacked for this role seriously.
But if you dig into the playlist, you'll also find a trailer for the (LeBron James produced and previously shelved, but apparently not forever) remake of House Party, as well as a second trailer for the adorable looking - and apparently quite good - Matilda musical.
Oh, and did you know they made A Christmas Story sequel? Well, they did.