Maximus Grandis

WOW. Simply wow. This will stick with you long after the final credits roll. Folks, we have some work to do. I won't rehash the plot like everyone else, so let me get to the point. I am not a father but an uncle who used to roll his eyes about how much more difficult it was to be a kid today in the age of cyber-bullying. I dismissed today's forms of bullying as a rite of passage to learn how to deal with interpersonal conflict, and in many ways it still is. But the truth is, parents are woefully inept to help their children because they literally speak a different language. Add to that an ecosphere where parents have no idea what their kids are watching and it's a recipe for confusion in growing and impressionable brains. It's not just social media but the scads of online content for consumption before they have to appropriate mechanisms or maturity to handle it. We binged this in one night, and my partner and I stayed up for another hour talking about it. Episode 3 will take your breath away; the ending will have you bawling like person in the final moments. If there is any redemption here, it's **SPOILERS** that the son pleads guilty on his own, demonstrating remorse for the first time for his actions. In closing, thank you to my father who took me fishing every weekend from April through October despite working two or more jobs. I get it now.

Anora was a solid movie that was surprisingly heartbreaking. Despite having to hunt this movie down--much like I had to search for American Fiction last January--it was worth the wait. Yes, you're going to see lots of sex and immaturity and hubris and chaos and NEW YOWRK on screen, but you might also be surprised by the deeper connection that unfolds in an unlikely place. Mikey Madison is not only glorious to watch, but her supporting cast gives as much. It could have used another round of editing--some of the searching for Vanya sequences were starting to get tedious--but you actually do witness the evolution of a young woman into adulthood (just because she was going through the motions of playing an adult didn't make her one). The same (possibly a spoiler) can't be said for emotionally stunted Vanya. Left the theater rooting for Ani's next chapter, wherever that lands her.

I adore cheesy disaster movies, but this was a horrible B movie with equally crappy acting. Reactions by the cast were a mismatch for what they just experienced. You know it's a bad flick when you're rooting for the homophobic character to get eaten by the sharks. Keep scrolling past this turd.

It breaks my heart to say this, but I was so bored watching this movie. I neither hated it nor loved it; my reaction was "meh." It had all the nostalgia I could want, plus the ever-charming Paul Rudd, but that wasn't enough to keep me interested, sadly. Whatever magic Afterlife captured was not replicated in Frozen Empire for me. Good: It was really fun to catch up with Janine, Venkman, Stantz, Winston, and Walter Peck, now mayor. Nostalgic jokes were also fun. Mckenna Grace is just adorable as Phoebe. Sweet moment when Gary was trying to connect with Phoebe. Special effects when the baddie freezes the streams was pretty badass. Bad: Pacing, plot, everything else, NADEEM, Ugh. I think the constant fast-paced dialogue was what bothered me the most (might have been my theater's volume). Honorable mention: Am I only one who can't handle Finn Wolfhard in this movie? I dislike his character more than I should. He's great in other roles but this one...grates on me.

Wow, this should win an Oscar for set design because I felt like I was watching something from the '70s. I guess I was just the right age for this movie because the references fell flat for some younger viewers in my theater. That being said, that's only a small portion of what makes this flick enjoyable and absolutely creepy. I can't say that I was "scared" but definitely uncomfortable most of the time. If you have any affection for nuanced horror, you should enjoy this. The entire cast is outstanding, and the young girl, Lilly, definitely heightens the creep factor. It made me wonder what happened Jack after the credits rolled. Definitely worth the effort to go see in a darkened cinema!

I knew nothing about the family or wrestling, which was both beneficial (since they leave out a lot) and confusing (didn't understand the various wrestling agencies and rivalries). Be prepared that it's more sad than uplifting, although that shouldn't deter you from watching. It's well done. It plays out through Kevin Von Erich's perspective since he is the only one who is given depth. While sad, you really do see the love that the brothers had for each other and the desire to do right by their parents, especially their father. They talk a lot about the "curse," but it's probably more of undiagnosed depression that ran in the family and was dealt with through athleticism and faith (or the results of drug abuse). The last few minutes give a bit of hope and sweetness, but my goodness, you have to slog through a lot of sadness to get there. Pros: - The acting was great across the board, including a hefty role for Zac Efron. Star continues to rise for sure. Entire cast was solid. - The family dynamic is what I enjoyed the most. No doubt that the brothers really loved each other. I wonder if it was that perfect in real life. - Really shows the hard work and "magic in a bottle" that goes into wrestling. Whatever performative aspect of it truly does have athleticism at its core, which has a terrible cost on their bodies. This family truly gave their all to the profession. Some nitpicks: - I wondered why the other brothers didn't have relationships, etc. Turns out they did, some with kids, but it wasn't part of the film. - Fritz Von Erich was apparently much harder in real life. The movie hints at it, but it comes across more as tough love rather than purported abuse. - One son is completely overlooked, and his story seems to be the most tragic. - The timeline felt wonky. Despite it taking place over more than two decades it felt like they were teenagers still living at home entire time rather than grown adults with spouses (other than Kevin). Also, I thought that David died and Kerry lost his foot in the same week. I was a little lost at times.

We enjoyed watching the film twice over the weekend. The second watch was better because we kind of knew what was happening (trust me, there are a lot of details that foreshadow later events). I thought of this as an updated telling of the Tower of Babel. Roberts and Ali were obviously the standouts, with Roberts having the best character arc of the cast, although you have to sit through some unacceptable comments from her. If Roberts' Amanda was unfiltered, Ali's G.H. was measured, like he was able to move into a new stage of grief knowing what was happening. I think he had the best line in the whole movie about how they would have spoken on the phone and they would known his voice instead of handling through nameless, faceless email. That simple line was powerful. I absolutely could not tolerate Myha'la's Ruth. She reminded me of, well, ME when I was an entitled, mouthy, teenaged know-it-all, right down to the smug assumptions about my skin. I'm glad I've moved on from that angry young man who thought the world was out to get me. The other kids seemed to be filler, sadly, although Rose does have some of the most important scenes. Hawke's acting was great, but his character was along for the ride to be a punching bag. You won't get an ending wrapped up in a nice little bow, and I think it's smarter that way. It's clearly sparking conversations, I just hope the right people are having them. One other note: I see a lot of people referencing J6 with impunity, like that singular event defines BC and AD. That's sad because it misses the point the movie was trying to make, in my opinion (Plus, did you not live through 2000, 2001, 2008, 2016, or 2020? Heck, our modern politics have been jacked since at least the '90s where now we can't even agree that July 4 is our nation's birthday.). But also, it's deeper than politics; it's humanity and seeing people as "the other." My ultimate takeaway: If we can't get back to "we" rather than "me," there's not going to be much left worthy of saving. That includes reining in the elites who keep us fat, drunk on technology and consumerism, and divided. We may be among the smartest animals in the kingdom but even the deer understand the importance of the pack for survival.

This movie doesn't hold back! I was as uncomfortable with this as I was with Promising Young Woman, which is a good thing. Fennell definitely knows how to show the ugly side of humanity, which was made all the more uncomfortable with lingering close-ups shot from weird angles that dares you to look away from the screen first. I'm glad the trailer didn't give the movie away. No one is spared in this tale of sycophantic envy and gross elitism. Kudos to Barry Keoghan for taking on such an ambitious and disturbing role.

4.5/5 What a thrill ride! This was a great blend of the first few M:I movies (which felt more like espionage thrillers) and the action-packed ride we've grown to expect from the franchise. Twisty and turny, it might require another viewing to get what's going on with alliances. Action was top-notch. LOVED the addition of Hayley Atwell, but the returning cast were of course damn near flawless. Final scenes had me on the edge of my seat. Hoping that the one sad note (you'll know when you see it) is just a fake out. No spoilers, but if the idea of AI becoming sentient is terrifying to you too, you'll want to see this film. Would have sat for another 2+ hours to see the conclusion of this...but June 2024 it is.

Damn, this movie hit all the feels. I had no idea what it was about going into it, but right from the jump it had me angry and tearing up. I'm quite sure that many of the events are exaggerated for dramatic effect (as some not-so-nice reviews are saying), but the idea that even one person/child is trafficked should be enough to make anyone's blood boil and leave the BS politics aside. Digesting it for a day or two (it's been on my mind since I saw it over the weekend), but will probably seek out a second watch.