Watched on Tuesday August 22, 2023.

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Ken is a professional at beach. I am a professional at crying in the Barbie movie.

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Had to come back and watch this again. AFAIK the first of this 2.5D style. Let me know if you read this and are like “heck no it’s not”

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I remember hitting a point with CG animated films where I wondered if the art style would ever change from that big-eyed-but-somehow-hyper-realistic Disney•Pixar style. Not that it’s a bad style! Just spawned a lot of copycats that could never quite match Pixar’s level of polish.

We’re sort of seeing a similar thing now in a post-Spiderverse (or is it post-Klaus-teaser? or even post-Paperman?) where we have a whole lot of films coming out with this 2.5D blend. Part of me worries that it’ll grow old too, but the difference with this art style is it allows for so much more flavor. Paperman’s filmic fluid style couldn’t be more different than the animated-on-threes action sequences in Puss and Boots: The Last Wish. But both reflect unique approaches to animation that celebrates the medium’s unrivaled flexibility.

For Puss and Boots, it lends itself extremely well to its representation of Puss’s relentless stalker and his subsequent panic attacks (a surprisingly heavy-hitting theme throughout the film). And the strongly keyframed action sequences offer a visual buffet without getting lost in the noise, something that most live-action action films lack. Looking at you, Marvel (also looking at you, Speed Racer, for being so ahead of your time in this regard).

Bummed it took me this long to get around to watching this. There’s a particular impression of a certain actor towards the end that cracked me up.

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Feels like a literary classic. Exquisitely made film. Every character has such unique arcs. I felt especially moved by the father’s very flawed character. He sees himself as a male chick in grave danger of being discarded. His actions are seen through that lens – his need to prove his worth and usefulness to his family. But that drive just pushes them further away. It’s a terrible trap to fall into.

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Easily his most surreal film, Asteroid City takes The French Dispatch’s English translation of a French theatrical play of a story of a boy that inspired a riot from within a magazine article within the story of said article being written [breathes] and runs with that level of self-compartmentalization. This is a dramatization of a play within a made-up story about a playwright within a local television station’s evening programming. Still, it’s so easy to forget that, as the actors (or the actors of the actors of the actors) play their parts so well, I found myself getting emotionally invested in the fate of an urn that was simply a Tupperware prop of a prop of a prop.

If none of this makes sense to you, don’t worry. It doesn’t make much sense to me either - or even to some of the characters of the film. This is a movie about accepting that strange things happen. That events and occurrences in our life often cause us to wake up to a different reality, or realize that perhaps we had been sleeping without knowing it. It’s about getting outside of your head. Which is a remarkable theme for a director who - I’m convinced - has a cross-sectioned diorama for a brain.

Remarkably funny throughout with some very magical and chilling moments that took my breath away. Despite that, the gestalt of it still falls somewhere below his masterpieces (which are, in my opinion, and in some sort of rough order, Grand Budapest, Mr Fox, Moonrise Kingdom, Tenenbaums).

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As a side note, the theater I saw this in (Scotts Valley CineLux) didn’t have its surround system working properly. So unless this movie was mixed in mono (wouldn’t put it past Wes) there’s a good chance I missed some important audio cues. 😒 Indy earlier today (same theater) had rough sound too.

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Overlong, and a little style over substance in places. But overall a really fun popcorn flick, which is all this franchise was ever meant to be at its core. The couple next to us were “oof, that’s gotta hurt!”-ing and “oh no no no!”-ing at every punch or gun pull, and while I was initially peeved I sort of grew to accept that that’s the whole point of these films. Although I’m looking forward to a rewatch where I don’t have them talking in my ear and where I can pause to use the restroom.

Phoebe Waller-Bridge and Harrison Ford totally nail it, and Mads does his thing well. Direction is solid, but the plot could have used some clarity. I suppose that’s to be expected from a movie in development for more than a decade.

Last thing I’ll say is: I’ll be glad when the de-aging trend goes away.

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Watched on Wednesday June 21, 2023.

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I don’t know that I’ve seen a film from this era that takes such clear aim at sexism. (With the caveat that, of course, it’s still a product of its time.) C.C. Baxter tries so hard to fit into the misogynistic guy’s club of his workplace and society as a whole, and prioritizes success over pretty much everything else: honesty, dignity, sleep. Because he’s a taker, not the one getting took.

You could view it as a gender divide or a class divide or a combination of both, but it’s clear that when takes a side - the successful side - in front of Fran, he becomes this other category of human. And when he chooses, proudly, to become a mensch, a human again, that’s where he finds peace. It’s a rebuke not only of sexism but also success and (in a way) hustle culture.

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A real tearjerker at the end there. Some of the sweetest romance writing of all time. It’s interesting how quickly and completely I shifted from laughing at how old the grandma is to falling in love with her character. Drags a bit here and there, but that final sequence just hits perfectly.

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Watched on Thursday April 20, 2023.

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Ted Danson looks much better now that he’s old.

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Really impressive animation - there’s a reason like 90% of any desktop wallpaper website is stills from Your Name - but the story lacks focus.

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“So that’s the other end of your party line….”

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This review may contain spoilers.

love that the termites somehow made a matter rearranger and had no clue what it did.

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I don’t know why I’m ever skeptical of silent films that are highly regarded. I’m always so hesitant to watch - surely they’d be dated by now. But with The Passion of Joan of Arc, Chaplin’s silent films, and now this, I’m ditching that skepticism for good. What an awesome film. Terrible in the biblical sense. Strikingly relevant even today.

Favorite moments (incomplete and in no order):

• The legend of THE TOWER OF BABEL” - what a beautifully framed sequence (literally, love the creative vignette), and a really interesting take on the story.
• Freder’s struggle over the clock. The end of his shift is seconds away... and then the hands of the clock move backwards. Everyone who’s worked a day in their life can relate.
• Brigitte Helm!! What a crazy performance. To swing between two extremes of acting like that... just incredible. Also... Saoirse Ronan is clearly her reincarnated.
• “MOLOCH!”
• The chase scene in the catacombs. Very inventive use of light and framing. Brigitte Helm’s movements are almost dance-like.
• Speaking of dance-like... the robot Maria’s dancing is hilarious. Literally the most goofy dancing caught on film and all the dudes in attendance are like 👁️🫦👁️
• The creatively animated intertitles were incredible. A lost art for sure.
• The montage of the eyes and then of the faces watching the robot Maria.

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Loved it. Scattered thoughts follow.
- I was worried about keeping up with all the characters but found it pretty easy. Each one is very clearly and uniquely characterized and has their own individual arcs.
- Very satisfying watching the samurai plan and execute. Like a heist film but for village defense.
- The way the daisies shook while Katsushiro watched that first sword fight with the bandits was a perfect way to make the tension palpable.
- Wasn’t completely satisfied with the way Shino is treated. Obviously Manzo isn’t cast in the greatest light. His “damaged goods” line would either not be present in a modern rendition, or he would have been strongly rebuked by the samurai. Instead it’s sort of left unspoken, and it seems Shino might never recover from the shame. A smaller tragedy in the grander tragedy this movie tells.
- Teared up when Kikuchiyo was holding the village orphan. He went from my least favorite character to top three at least by the end of the film. Now That’s What I Call Character Redemption®︎.
- Even in small village skirmishes, war is hell.

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Still unpacking it. Some impressions:
- Eerie but never unsettling. Matches well the feeling of knowing death is coming.
- “Are you excited?” “It’s the same as when I would give a presentation.”
- Reminds me of Shape of Water because... well... you know why...
- Why did Jen and Tong have the out of body experience at the end? Maybe is it a manifestation of how detached you feel after someone close dies?
- I read this was the final installment in a series of projects by the director. Would love to watch the rest but I don’t know where to find them.

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A vibe. Weird film to watch right after A Brighter Summer Day. Almost antithetical in terms of form. Heavy emphasis on the feeling of the moment that it’s capturing. Would love to read more on this because I think I didn’t approach it with the right headspace or context. Loved Moonlight and I know Barry Jenkins has mentioned Claire Denis as a huge inspiration, and that’s very apparent. But it didn’t quite grab me like I hoped it would.

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Didn’t expect this to be so sad. A really interesting look at how violence begets violence in youth culture.

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Trunchbull is a beast in this. It’s just so fun to watch her stomping around with the dust lifting off the floor, the sweat and steam blowing out her nostrils, the pure speed and ferocity. Easily the best part of a movie that has a lot of great parts. Can’t believe I never saw this as a kid.

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Today is… tomorrow! What words to live by. I need to start waking up being thankful for the day ahead.

Hynden Walch and Michael Shannon as the newlyweds honestly kind of steal the whole movie.

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Really just makes me want to watch Phantom Thread. Thing on plot, thin on dialogue. Feels made for TV in an odd way. The kind of movie that would be looked back on nostalgically if it had a bit more texture.

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I have no prior experience with this show or recording, but this was still an entrancing watch. Seeing these performers pull off ridiculous feats of vocal talent just for Sondheim to be like “🚬 eh” is really something.

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(guess I didn’t log this way back when! cute, songs aren’t the strongest, but how can you fault it when the bird looks like that)

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