Torgo
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Post by Torgo on Oct 10, 2019 1:53:25 GMT -5
So I got one of those theater chain membership things, so I can see as many movies as I want for less than $20 a month. It seems like I've spent most of my free time at the theater this week. I feel like a fancy pants movie critic, seeing everything whether it interests me or not!
So I'm starting a little thread to keep track of what I've been viewing with this thing. This is just week one:
#1: Joker - Wasn't looking forward to it but I wound up enjoying it. There were some clever touches, though it tended to go down a predictable route at times. The movie as a whole worked for me though.
#2: The Lion King - It took forever for me to finally watch it (and it was basically for free too) and it was pretty much what I thought it would be. Weirdly static and just doesn't click. It occurred to me while watching it was they took this very animated musical and tried to make it look realistic, but if you're going to do that then it would be wise to change the tone of the piece and maybe lean more dramatic. Instead they kept it a musical, and it just feels weird. The characters sing songs, but instead of the big musical numbers, they just frolic in a general direction. It just doesn't work. But it made a lot of money, so what do I know?
#3: Hustlers - I was actually going to see Ad Astra, but I missed the showtime and wound up watching this movie instead. Pretty good. It takes a while to get going, though I understand they wanted to do a strong set up for the character relationships. Once the hustle finally gets started, the movie threatens to become repetitive since each scam is almost exactly the same, but the movie's humor and charisma keeps it afloat. Good performances too.
#4: The Peanut Butter Falcon - I can't believe I'm saying this, but if Shia LaBeouf receives a Supporting Oscar nomination for this movie, I wouldn't be surprised. I haven't seen him since that last Transformers movie he did, but he actually decided to become an actor in the years since, I guess, because damn he's good in this movie. It's a pretty neat little movie about a character with Down Syndrome played by an actor with Down Syndrome. The classic buddy adventure tone was fun and charming. Dakota Johnson is a slight downpoint, because while she's good in the movie, she's given a generic worried mother-figure role that doesn't amount to much.
#5: Judy - This Judy Garland biopic seemingly was made because someone thought Renee Zellweger would make a good Judy Garland. They were right, but the film feels a little aimless. There are parts of it that are very strong, but at no point did I feel the movie came together. I can't help but compare it to Stan & Ollie from last year, which was also about yesteryear stars touring London in their twilight years, but that movie had a more defined story arc at its core. Judy is more or less just crappy things hitting the lead over and over until a slight upswing and fade to black. It's fine, but not a knockout.
#6: Once Upon a Time...In Hollywood - I haven't watched a full Tarantino movie since Kill Bill (I watched the second half of Django Unchained though). I wasn't big on his style back in the day, though maybe it's time for another chance. The movie is good, but meandering. It's a charisma showcase for DiCaprio and Pitt, and not much of a story. It doesn't seem to have much of a purpose outside of being an ode to 60's filmmaking until it's revisionist history in the third act, which borders on a bit obscene because the act it's rewriting is a horrific tragedy and turns it into a therapeutic gory action scene. It's not enough to cripple the movie, but it just strikes me as weird.
#7: Brittany Runs a Marathon - I think the people this movie is targeting will really love this movie. The people who relate to Brittany's plight will find the film a very honest portrayal of it and will find certain aspects of it empowering. It's a strong message about the steps of changing your life and the importance of continuing. The third act of the movie is a genuinely great payoff to the entire endeavor. The journey to get there has its ups and downs. I liked the way the film portrays evolving relationships between the characters as a continuing journey that never concludes, though I feel the romance between her and another character is a bit of a dud. The movie is charming though.
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Post by Mod City on Oct 10, 2019 16:52:51 GMT -5
These membership deals sound pretty cool. I might even consider trying one if my closest theater weren't 45 minutes away (AMC) and the best theater an hour away (Century). Would be great being able to wander in on a day off and only have to pay for popcorn.
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Torgo
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Post by Torgo on Oct 20, 2019 8:47:52 GMT -5
I meant to update a few days ago, but it's been a busy week for me. Anyway, since my last post I've watched every movie at my theater, so these are probably going to get smaller from now on.
#8: The Addams Family - It's so vanilla. It seems to me that an animated Addams Family should be Nightmare Before Christmas level stuff, but this was tamer than Hotel Transylvania. A good cast wasted on a slight script, and not nearly Addams enough. Probably would have looked better as a direct to video.
#9: Gemini Man - It's been getting a hard time by critics, but I really enjoyed it. It's a very basic level action movie, not too different than the type of action flick you'd see in the 90's. The third act is weak, with lame twists thrown out and an ending that is reminiscent of The 6th Day, but the movie is better than people are saying.
#10: Angel Has Fallen - I'm a fan of Olympus Has Fallen, and London Has Fallen was weak but it had its moments. Angel Has Fallen is less a brutal Die Hard clone that the previous films were and more of a fugitive chase thriller. I'd give it a leg up on London, but it's still a lesser followup to the intense Olympus. Solid action, though.
Jay and Silent Bob Reboot - I watched this through Fathom Events, so I couldn't get it through unlimited, but I watched it at a Regal theater so I might as well include it. It's probably the weakest film featuring Jay and Silent Bob, as it rehashes maybe a bit too many elements from Jay and Silent Bob Strike Back. I'm sure that was the joke Kevin Smith was making, that this reboot is a rehash, but pointing it out doesn't really make it all that funnier. But there are solid belly laughs to be had with the new material, including a few great cameos (Ben Affleck's is great: "Like Batman's dad Thomas, or his mom...who's name escapes me at the moment.") and it's probably Smith's best movie since Zack and Miri. Biggest laugh of the movie is the post-credit scene, which is perfect. On to Clerks III!
#11: Abominable - Better than I thought it would be. It rehashes a lot of familiar plot points from other family films about youths befriending a strange creature (notably some scenes copied straight from ET), but it's zippy, funny, and occasionally quite touching. Nothing special, but cute.
#12: Downton Abbey - Six seasons and a movie! Living the dream! Admittedly I'm only casually familiar with the TV series, as I had watched the first season when I lived with a friend a few years ago. It's very solid, and refreshingly different than a lot of violent and aggressive shows on TV. This feature film version doesn't require too much familiarity with the series, though being familiar with the characters probably helps. It's pretty much just a very long episode of the show, and those who treasure the series will find a lot to like here. I had a few observations during it that I recalled having while watching the series, namely that I had more fun watching the relatable working staff than the wealth fantasy of the main family that resides at Downton, and also that the fact that it follows so many characters can be a detriment because it's hard to keep track of them all. But a good movie based on a good series.
#13: Ad Astra - This is one of those movies in which the world it inhabits is more interesting than the story it's telling, which is pretty much a wash. It's hard to feel anything for Brad Pitt's character because the film rarely lets him emote (the only exception in a scene halfway through where he sends a personal message to his dad), instead letting narration tell us how he's feeling and not letting him show us. It has moments, but mostly it's a beautiful to look at, dull to follow.
#14: The Sky is Pink - I didn't know what to expect from this movie from India, but I didn't expect it to be the emotional rollercoaster that it was. It's a movie that will make you laugh and cry at the same time, as it tells a true story with a very honest emotional core that touched me. To be warned, parts of this movie aren't just sad, but devastating, as it touches upon some of the worst tragedies a family can encounter. But the movie's positive outlook on life in the face of tragedy is what makes the movie lovable. This is one of my favorites of the year.
#15: Jexi -
Here are some texts I sent while watching this movie:
I see what this is trying to do and there are talented people making this movie, but Jesus Christ nothing is landing
"Jexi is an ancient Chinese word that means 'go flapjacks yourself.'" Okay, that made me laugh
Days of Thunder reference? This movie is so flapjacksing modern!
No No No no no no nono This dick pic thing is the worst thing I've ever seen
Oh my god his phone is in love with him now. FFS
Although "I only have 3% charge and you know how crazy that makes me" is a really good line
Okay I thought the dick pic scene was bad, but the phone sex scene might have topped it
HOW DID I GP FROM SKY IS PINK TO THIS
Yet, it's still better than Brightburn
"Only you can prevent forest fires." Actually, I'm going to retract my previous message.
Oh thank god it's over... NOOOOOOOO END CREDIT SCENES
#17: Zombieland: Double Tap - If you have an affection for the first Zombieland, chances are you'll like the sequel. It's a tad meandering as the characters mostly just wander around, but the original had that vibe as well. Very funny, very gory, and just a good time at the movies.
#18: Maleficent: Mistress of Evil - I vaguely remember the original Maleficent at all, and if it was anything like this sequel, it's easy to see why it was forgotten so easily. This tries hard to be wondrous, but just feels a bit like empty eye-candy. The plot is just an excuse for the title character to become a pissy villain-or-is-she again which gives the movie a vague go-through-the-motions feel. It's not a demanding or painful watch, but nothing I should be spending money on either.
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Torgo
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Post by Torgo on Oct 27, 2019 17:36:54 GMT -5
#19: The Lighthouse - A lot of eyes were on the sophomore efforts of both Robert Eggers and Ari Aster this year after their impressive debuts with The Witch and Hereditary over the last few years. Eggers' The Lighthouse is by far the better of the two, as Aster's Midsommar was a bit of a swing and a miss. The Lighthouse proves better than Eggers's debut feature even, as the psychological thriller stumbles a little less over its feet, in my opinion. Fueled by wonderful performances by Robert Pattinson and Willem Dafoe, and enhanced by beautiful black and white cinematography with a narrow aspect ratio designed to contribute to the isolation, this movie is spellbinding. There are moments where it seems to be jumping the staircase with its passage of time, but it is most likely intentional as the failure to grasp time is a theme in this film about madness. I was hooked and this movie never let go.
#20: The Current War - Bennidict Cumberbatch plays Thomas Edison and Michael Shannon plays George Westinghouse as the movie relates the story of their civil battle to commonplace electricity across the country. The movie's editing is a failure, as the film sometimes comes off as a two hour montage, but the film is buoyed by Cumberbatch's charismatic performance. I'm sure the hyper drama and modern sensibility is likely nonsense when the real story was probably a bit subdued by comparison (all an effort to make history less boring I assume), but the film is entertaining largely because of Cumberbatch and worth a watch.
#21: Countdown - I didn't really expect much from this horror movie about a killer app, but I at the very least had some hope it would have gone in a more clever direction than a Final Destination clone. Pretty silly for most of its runtime, then it goes off the rails into cuckoo land for it's final act. Lead actress Elizabeth Lail is pretty decent, and what likability the film has mostly comes from her, but she deserves a better movie than this. It might have some afterlife in a few decades, like various 80's horror movies with wacky premises, but I'm not sure if it has enough personality to reach that goal.
#22: Black and Blue - This is a mostly solid little chase thriller which is led by a stellar performance by Naomi Harris. The one issue I find myself having with it is that the movie presents itself as something of a social commentary on racial tensions between minorities and bigoted authority, but it never goes far into it other than melodramatic "Are you one of us or one of them?" monologues every five minutes. Like the supporting cast in this film pestering the protagonist, I found myself wanting the movie to pick a side: You're either a simple thriller or you're a social commentary. And if you're a social commentary then commentate on something, for crying out loud. Solid action scenes make for a solid entertainer, but it really isn't anything more than that, no matter what it wants you to believe.
Next week I list out the various reasons why Harriet Tubman is more badass than Sarah Conner. Stay tuned!
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Torgo
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Post by Torgo on Nov 3, 2019 20:38:11 GMT -5
#23: The Great Alaskan Race - Woof. This dramatization of the 1925 serum run to Nome, Alaska (also basis for the animated film Balto) has a story with dramatic promise, but is delivered like a melodramatic Hallmark TV movie on the big screen. The film's delivery is so thick with cheese I could feel my arteries clog, while the big emotional beats go by without much feeling because they're delivered in a such a maddeningly cheap way. The actors do the best they can with what they have, especially Treat Williams, but they are gutted by writer-director-star Brian Presley, who directs the film with too much corn, penned a weak script, and is just a dull leading man. This might have had promise in better hands, but this aint it, chief.
#24: Housefull 4 - This is the fourth entry in a Bollywood comedy series centering on reincarnation. I have not seen the other three, but since it seems these movies are only loosely connected by concept and some cast and crew, I thought maybe I wouldn't be lost. A little research into the series shows that this movie is considered far worse than the others, so I have no idea what my reaction was going to be without context. I enjoyed half the movie, I think. It was a fun concept to play around with, and the choreography and music is a lot of fun. The other half can get a little grating. The comedy is ostentatious and misses far more than it hits. I enjoyed that it seemed to style itself a bit on old slapstick comedies from the 30's, though the movie becomes a bit too much of...everything at times. I can see maybe enjoying this movie, and I can definitely see hating it. My ex is a huge Bollywood fan (and she seemed to have some familiarity with the series when I mentioned I saw this movie), so I told her she needs to watch it and tell me if it's good or not. Until then, I'll refrain from having any strong opinions on it.
Beetlejuice - Not an Unlimited screening, but I had the opportunity to see this in a theater and I nabbed it. Definitely must watch Halloween viewing.
#25: Scary Stories to Tell in the Dark - Has a lot in common with the Goosebumps movie, as both were based on anthology book series designed to give audiences of a certain age group the heebie jeebies and both were turned into feature films about a writer who's creations come to life and terrorize a group of teens. Goosebumps chose to be a comedic ride, while Scary Stories has more aspirations to be a real horror movie. It doesn't always work, as sometimes the tension looks a little too artificial to be effective, but there are some decent moments and monster creations. I enjoyed it.
#26: Harriet - Staged melodrama runs thick in this biopic about Harriet Tubman and her mission to free the slaves in the south pre-Civil War. The movie luckily has a strong story that demands to be told at its core and it is well directed and acted. The film is worth watching and respectful to the legacy of a genuine hero, though don't be surprised if it doesn't quite make Oscar nomination, except maybe for costume design.
#27: Terminator: Dark Fate - Exactly the type of Terminator movie I had hoped they'd never make again. Thunderously dull second reboot to the sci-fi franchise provides the perfect argument as to why it should be buried. The film clings so heavily to the formula of the original Terminator films one has to wonder why you didn't stay home and watch those instead. Say what you will about the maligned sequels of the franchise, but Salvation, while easily the most incompetent, at least was taking the series in the logical fresh direction while Genisys, as much of a storytelling train wreck as it was, was doing something new and twisted with the film's idea. Dark Fate sees Terminator at it's most chicken sh*t, choosing instead to just be a T2 clone. The only reason left to see the movie is to see the action, which is not T2 level. Even T3, a T2 clone if there ever was one, at least amped up the action to an absurd level to make the film an amusing ride. Dark Fate isn't a ride, and it's not interesting. It's just a rehash that all but promises that the next film will be a rehash too. I'm happy Terminator fanboys got their security blanket, but those who were looking for an actual movie will have to look elsewhere.
#28: Motherless Brooklyn - I'll be brutally honest and say when I first saw the trailer to this movie about a private investigator with Tourette syndrome I thought it was one of those fake movie trailers that was going to turn into an ad by the last ten seconds. There was a lot about it that just seemed a little...much, like it was a parody of a certain type of movie Edward Norton would make and I shouldn't take it seriously. When the title of the movie came up, I was like "Wait, that was real?" Seeing the movie now, I don't think it translated well to advertisement, because it's actually quite good. Motherless Brooklyn is a well acted and intriguing little noir story that is easy to be swept up in, despite it's lengthy two and a half hour runtime. Most of the cast is excelent here (this is probably the best Bruce Willis performance I've seen in a while), though I feel a bit iffy on writer-director Edward Norton as the lead, who gets way into the character in certain scenes, switches to Edward Norton dramatic monologue mode in others, and seems completely disconnected from the character he's playing as a narrator. But that performance is really the only weak link here, and even if I criticize his screen presence, I think he directed a fine looking movie that kept my attention a lot better than I thought it would.
#29: Arctic Dogs - It's probably hard to make a dent in the animation market. You really need one big one to break through and become a contender, like a Toy Story, a Shrek, a Despicable Me, or an Ice Age, and then you have to maintain it, which Blue Sky failed to do, while DreamWorks shows signs of impending implosion. If you make an Arctic Dogs, you're probably destined to just stay unseen. To be fair, I didn't hate the movie, it's just harmless fluff. I think kids will enjoy it, while adults won't be annoyed but they'll probably think about the money they wasted on it. It's one of those animated movies where the voice cast is better than the script (John Cleese, in particular, is very enjoyable), and it's doubtful children will learn anything meaningful from the ninety minute slapstick shenanigans, and if they do it will likely be that global warming is caused by a giant drill in the Arctic. Still, this movie could have been worse. If you're apparent and this movie is on streaming, it's okayish family entertainment. It's also by far not the worst movie about Arctic dogs delivering a package I've seen this week.
Next week I will find out what is more grueling: The battle of Midway, making a sequel to a Stanley Kubrick movie, or sitting through a John Cena comedy.
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Torgo
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Post by Torgo on Nov 9, 2019 21:08:18 GMT -5
#30: Playing with Fire - Boy do I remember liking stupid movies like this, but we all gotta grow up sometime. Made by Nickelodeon, Playing with Fire very much feels like it was groomed after their sitcom formula and humor style. The slapstick is heavy, but poorly shot, obvious, and occasionally labored. Performances are hammy and scenery chewing, especially Keegan-Michael Key, who is full blown shrill and cringe in this movie. Judy Greer comes out the strongest out of the adult cast, mostly because she is a great straight man character. The comedy is predictable, occasionally obnoxious, but sometimes cute. The story can be described the same way, honestly (I mean, OF COURSE the firefighters are going to adopt the orphan kids at the end because that's how all of these movies play out). It's bad, but I didn't hate it as much as I thought I would. Plus I got a hearty laugh at this line: "Gone? I'm not dying. I'm never going to die. And if I do die, that's because everyone else is dead too."
#31: Doctor Sleep - I like The Shining, but I don't worship it. Like most Kubrick movies, it has this mechanical feel from over calculated perfectionism. I always like a bit of spirit and spontaneity in my movies. Doctor Sleep is a bit more my thing, because while I doubt it will go down in history as the classic its predecessor has, it has a bit more flavor that I can see myself going back to. Ewan McGreggor and Rebecca Ferguson are knockouts and carry the film well past its bloated runtime, and I do mean bloated. Doctor Sleep takes a while to get going, but once its engine revs up it becomes on of the more engaging rides of the year. While cinematography isn't as superb as Kubrick's film, visuals are striking without being overly flashy, which js a rarity nowadays. This is one of the most uniquely enjoyable films of the year. Yet, it does lose some points for even attempting to recast Jack Nicholson. Like, c'mon. There are just some actors that you shouldn't touch.
#32: Last Christmas - Likeable cast with chemistry given something of a trite script. To their credit, they almost elevate it, but the journey can get rocky with several ill-concieved sequences along the way, and an ending plot twist that is pretty much always apparent. Emilia Clarke is the ace in the hole, because she's constantly engaging and charismatic, and because of that, the romcom and holiday cheer crowd will likely eat this movie up. This is also probably the Paul Feig film I've seen that sucked the least. If you need a shmaltzy Christmas movie this year, you could do worse.
#33: Midway - I heard lots of comparisons to Michael Bay's Pearl Harbor going into this movie. I think it must be said that it's a better film that Pearl Harbor, as it's squarely focused on the war itself and not diverting itself to be a Titanic clone, but it's never rises past serviceable. The primary problem I had was that Ed Skrein was a weak lead, emoted like a plank of wood and always blew out a THICK New York accent. The movie is at its best focusing on the stronger casting choices, notably Woody Harrelson and Patrick Wilson (and to a lesser extent Aaron Eckhart and Dennis Quaid), because it suddenly shifts into something more interesting. Roland Emmerich delivers a rousing finale in the climactic battle, which makes this a decent watch for war movie buffs. They may want to save their money for 1917 though, which looks like it's going to blow this movie out of the water.
Next week: "Good morning, Angels!" "Good morning, Charlie!"
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Torgo
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Post by Torgo on Nov 18, 2019 22:31:25 GMT -5
#34: Jojo Rabbit - Taika Watiti's latest is something of an absurdist comedy about propaganda and "drinking the Kool Aid," as it tells about a young German boy who aspires to be a Nazi soldier but discovers his mother is hiding a Jewish girl in the walls. It's one of the funnier movies I've seen in a good long while (big props to Sam Rockwell, Rebel Wilson, and Watiti himself as Hitler, who are all fabulous), and I found it quite touching in spots. The way the movie trasitions from idealized fantasy to bitter reality as it goes is fascinating, and Jojo's relationship with the Jew girl in his house provides and excelent transition tool between the two. This could be my favorite movie of the year.
#35: Charlie's Angels - This is a tricky franchise to try and pull off, because the original series is something of a product of its time, being a series focused on characters who use male gaze to their advantage, meanwhile also used male gaze to attract a male audience who didn't care how capable the women were, they just looked pretty and kicked high. The early 2000's McG movies were a parody of that, just executed in a dullard way. Elizabeth Banks's film tried to update the theme to sisterhood and keeping their capability in focus to hopefully appeal to the young "girl power" crowd. I'm not sure it worked, as the screening I attended was mostly filled with older men who were by themselves (myself included). The movie itself is fine (far better than the other Charlie's Angels movies, in fact), and is entertaining enough for a matinee. The action is decent and the three leads have pretty good chemistry. The problem is I doubt I'll remember it tomorrow morning. It's a fun afternoon at the movies, but it's an experience that is really left behind you as you exit. I'd see another one with this cast (assuming they make another one), but I don't think they've cracked the code on turning Charlie's Angels into a multigenerational franchise.
The Twilight Zone - Fathom Event, so no Unlimited on this one. I got to attend a theatrical screening of one of my favorite shows, showing the episodes "Walking Distance," "Time Enough at Last," "The Invaders," "To Serve Man," "Eye of the Beholder," and "The Monsters are Due on Maple Street." The episodes selected are pretty much what I expected, except I anticipated "It's a Good Life" and "Nightmare at 20,000 Feet" instead of "Walking Distance" and "The Invaders." The former I never considered, even though I think it's a favorite of Rod Serling's I've never been too into it. The latter is one that I love, but thought it would probably be passed up for something more iconic. At any rate, the screening was worthwhile just to see "The Invaders" on the big screen alone, because there is such phenomenal craftsmanship in that episode, with brilliant lighting, cinematography, mood, music, and a wonderful pantomime performance. The title invaders may look a little silly in the large format, but the episode stands out because of how great it looks. The others are just solid stories in a premium format, though I profess disappointment that I didn't get to see "Nightmare at 20,000 Feet" tonight. I always look forward to Shatner in that episode.
#36: Ford v Ferrari - James Mangold's latest is fueled mostly on the charisma of Matt Damon and Christian Bale, though thankfully it never coasts on it. It's a fairly interesting tale of competing companies and micromanagement. The main issue is probably its length, since it runs two and a half hours. Parts of it could be trimmed here and there to make a more efficient machine, but the product gets the job done.
#37: The Good Liar - The movie sounds good on paper, with two of the best actors in the biz, Helen Mirren and Ian McKellen, playing off of each other in a con caper. But this is a case where I think the trailers portray the movie quite poorly. The ads try to sell The Good Liar as an exciting game of mind chess between the two thesbians, but the film is far more subdued. Most of the movie is devoted to McKellen gaining the trust of Mirren, which is fine but it's dawdling tendencies make one wonder where the movie is going until you realize it can only be going in one direction (which is partially spoiled by the trailers). By then you only have to wonder just how it's going to play out and why it's happening. The film's third act is mostly a conversation between Mirren and McKellen, in which a giant exposition dump is delivered explaining just what in the hell is going on. It works fine, though I've seen maybe one too many movies like that before and thought this movie was going to be something more interesting and unexpected. I don't regret watching it, but I don't quite recommend it, as the script probably needed some fine tuning to make the film more consistently engaging.
#38: The Warrior Queen of Jhansi - And I sit in a lonely theater yet again for a Bollywood movie nobody seems to care about as everyone chooses to see Joker again. This one tells of the Rani of Jhansi, an Indian queen who led a group of rebels in a fight against the British Empire. It's relatively modestly made, possibly due to budgetary limitations, but one shouldn't hold the fact that it's not overly flashy as a Hollywood production against it. Compared to Midway, Jhansi is almost a breath of fresh air. Unfortunately it's uneven, with decent set pieces, but it's not terribly well paced or does it feel as fleshed out as it might need be. Performances are all across the board, as Devika Bhise is pretty good in the lead, though comparatively Rupert Everett is jarring in how poorly cast he is in his role as he slips in and out of his accent depending on the scene. The film is made through a glamorous and romanticized, like epic period pieces of classic Hollywood. I'm not sure how much it adheres to Rani's story, but the filmmakers are definitely in love with her, and portray her as virtuous and unwavering, and the film does not have a single character flaw to give her. It ends perhaps the way it did in real life, though it's a bit sudden and anticlimactic, giving us an unconventional climax to a hero worship piece. Not a great movie, but it has its moments and it has heart.
Next week: It'll be a beautiful day in the neighborhood, but those 21 bridges freeze over, just LET IT GO! LET IT GO!
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Post by Mod City on Nov 19, 2019 15:14:50 GMT -5
#34: Jojo Rabbit - Taika Watiti's latest is something of an absurdist comedy about propaganda and "drinking the Kool Aid," as it tells about a young German boy who aspires to be a Nazi soldier but discovers his mother is hiding a Jewish girl in the walls. It's one of the funnier movies I've seen in a good long while (big props to Sam Rockwell, Rebel Wilson, and Watiti himself as Hitler, who are all fabulous), and I found it quite touching in spots. The way the movie trasitions from idealized fantasy to bitter reality as it goes is fascinating, and Jojo's relationship with the Jew girl in his house provides and excelent transition tool between the two. This could be my favorite movie of the year. From everything I've heard about this one, it intrigues me. And I gotta admit, it's as an original concept as I've heard in a while. I've read a bit about how this one is flopping, but to be honest, I didn't even know it was coming out. They could have used a little stronger marketing push, if you ask me. I'm not a Charlie's Angels fan, really, but I'd give it a chance. Now here's one that did the promotion right. I've known about this one for awhile and it sounds great, right up my alley. It's nice to see Bale in something unmasked/down to earth. Great story that seems built for a movie. And I like how Damon described his fight scene with Bale as "nothing like if Jason Bourne fought Batman." This is one I'd go to the theater for. Interesting reviews as always, Torgo.
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Torgo
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Post by Torgo on Nov 19, 2019 18:06:52 GMT -5
I've read a bit about how this one is flopping, but to be honest, I didn't even know it was coming out. They could have used a little stronger marketing push, if you ask me. I'm not a Charlie's Angels fan, really, but I'd give it a chance. I recall seeing the trailer the most at Sony movies, so it feels like they were trying something of a safe, but inexpensive marketing campaign for it. Even still, I don't think any of the trailers made all too much of an impact, because it was clear they were targeting the female demographic, but it felt a little confused because it was thrown together with ladies in skimpy outfits and things like Kristen Stewart smacking herself on the butt with a horse whip. I think women were confused about whether the movie was for them or their boyfriends, and the trailers didn't show enough skin to hook that hollow male audience. Say what you will about the McG movies, but advertising the film with that scene of Cameron Diaz dancing in her underwear told you exactly what you needed to know about the movie. I think the female audience would enjoy the movie if they gave it a shot. There were two teen girls (they might have been the only ones) in my audience that seemed to absolutely love the movie and were raving about how much fun it was. If the film ever hit that appeal to this demographic I think it would have performed a lot better.
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Post by Afgncaap5 on Nov 19, 2019 20:23:44 GMT -5
You may be right about the marketing. I think this very thread, right now, is the first concrete evidence I've gotten that it's "coming soon" instead of just being a nebulously available film in production.
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Torgo
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Post by Torgo on Nov 24, 2019 2:12:20 GMT -5
#39: Frozen II - I tried. I really did. I think Frozen is a good movie, though it didn't stick with me the way it did with other people. I think it overshadowed much better movies that were being made by Disney, such as Tangled, Zootopia, and Moana. Admittedly Frozen is beautifully animated and has great music, but its script always seemed quite modest and I felt certain characters just didn't work. Turning Frozen into a franchise always seemed like a mistake to me because I wasn't sure what else could be done with the concept. I guess the movie took the safe route and decided to do a story around the question of "Why does Elsa have magic while Anna doesn't?" Unfortunately, I don't really care. One of the better things about the original Frozen was that Elsa's magic was a metaphor for embracing a repressed portion of herself that she denied so long. It's why Elsa is an LGBTQ icon in the first place, and the entire point of the film's most popular song, "Let It Go." She doesn't need a reason to be different as long as she accepts it and, more importantly, loves it. But if the film can tell a good story about Elsa and Anna's differences, then I'll give it a fair shot. Unfortunately Frozen II's script is bland, a mixture of well meaning ideas that aren't developed enough to form a full movie. The music also is a step down as well. The most memorable song here is "Into the Unknown," which feels as if it was carefully structured to be a rehash of "Let It Go" and hoping the audience wouldn't notice (Olaf also has a song about his naivety that is stunningly similar to his song from the first movie). The rest of the songs are just bland filler, neither catchy nor entertaining. It's as if the film's animation was given to Disney's A crew, while all the writing duties were passed off to the people who made their DTV sequels from the early 2000's. But it doesn't matter, because the hype machine and merchandising juggernaut are both too big to fail. This movie WILL make a billion dollars. Frozen 3 WILL be made. This isn't really a testament to the quality of this particular movie though, which has strong moments of potential, but is disjointed and anticlimactic. Better luck next time.
#40: A Beautiful Day in the Neighborhood - This movie was interesting to me in ways I didn't really anticipate. Not quite a biopic of Fred Rogers like you might expect, this is more or less a dramatic enactment of how Mr. Rogers affected those around him. Mr. Rogers is more of a side character who listens to the problems of a fictional character who is dealing with anger issues stemming from his relationship with his father. How interesting this man's family matters might vary from person to person, but if someone is more interested in hearing Mr. Rogers' life story I would gladly point them to last year's excellent documentary Won't You Be My Neighbor?, which was one of the best films of 2018. Because A Beautiful Day in the Neighborhood doesn't tread ground that was already covered in the documentary, I felt it was a great companion piece to reinforce how Fred Rogers' simple but unique compassion was so important to have and share. That said, the main character's storyline can feel a bit staged, which makes it easy to not really share Mr. Rogers' interest in him, but whether we like this guy or not, the moral of healthy emotional expression and kindness is strong enough to overcome it. The film is interestingly put together also. Director Marrielle Heller puts little unique flourishes in this movie that are quite charming and clever, such as presenting the tale with Mr. Rogers as a cold narrator on his show, while using model shots like you would see on Mr. Rogers' Neighborhood as establishing shots throughout the film. The latter can sometimes enhance the phoniness of the film and make it come off more staged than it would have otherwise, but it gives the film a unique, almost surreal or dreamlike, flavor and I'm happy they went in that direction. It's worth watching, though I do profess a personal preference for the documentary over it. But, as Mr. Rogers would say, both are special in their own way.
#41: 21 Bridges - Not much to say about this fairly basic cops chasing bad guys thriller. It's serviceable, if predictable. The script can get a bit chaotic with too many things happening at once, while the murky cinematography doesn't help make things any clearer. Chadwick Boseman is great, as always. JK Simmons is also fantastic, and seeing them play off each other is a treat. If you're looking for a police chase flick, I'd probably see if Black and Blue were still playing and rent this one later.
Next week we get the good knives out, 'cuz Queen and Slim are joining us for Thanksgiving dinner!
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Torgo
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Post by Torgo on Dec 1, 2019 18:05:51 GMT -5
#42: Knives Out - Likely to get review bombed by babies still stamping their feet about The Last Jedi (which is better than most Star Wars movies, fight me bro), Rian Johnson's Knives Out is a fun little twist on the age old murder mystery tale. But be warned, it's not really what you think it is. There is a twist about thirty minutes in that turns the story completely on its head. While there could be a complaint made that it sucks the air out of the mystery itself, the film suddenly recoils itself in the final act. But even taking the turns into account, I think I saw where this movie was going halfway through (without knowing how it was going to play out), but the movie is a wildly entertaining ride regardless and it was the most fun I've had at the movies all year. #43: Queen & Slim - A fugitive movie based on a black couple who kill a cop in self defense, I had a rough idea of Queen & Slim's outline based solely on watching the trailers. Most who are familiar with protagonists-on-the-run flicks like Bonnie & Clyde or Thelma & Louise have pretty much seen this movie before, up to and including its inevitable conclusion. The spin here is the film's racial commentary, which is done a bit more competently than in a film like Black and Blue. I enjoyed how the protagonists became a symbol to African Americans and how the film explored how that symbol meant different things to different people. At the same time, I wished the movie was a bit more fleshed out as it rarely leaves the leads' point of view. The opening confrontation with the policeman just kind of happens, and the cop is a character without much character other than being a subtly racist prick who points a gun at them for no reason. But the film doesn't require the leads to fully understand the situation they're in and it's their story so I'll let it slide. Worth a watch. Next week I dip my toe in some dark waters. Oh, and Playmobile: The Movie, I guess.Kind of a light week. Let's do something fun for the new month. Since staring doing this I've seen many, many trailers. Some repeatedly. I can't tell you how many times I've sat through the trailer for Playing with Fire. They even had that trailer playing at Downton Abbey. Who the hell thinks someone who paid to see Downton Abbey would see Playing with Fire? Anyway, because of this I'm already heavily aware of movies that are coming out next month. Normally I wouldn't dream of seeing more than a handful, but now I've got nothing stopping me. What am I looking forward to? Five December Movies I Have My Eye On
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I haven't really watched a Clint Eastwood movie since Sully (though I've heard I haven't missed much), but this movie looks fairly interesting. Based upon the true story of a man who discovered a bomb then was falsely accused of planting it, this is a story I was too young to recall first hand but am interested in hearing more. The film is already controversial however, since the film depicts Olivia Wilde's character prostituting herself for information, which apparently is fictional to fit in with the media distrust theme, but I feel the movie might be worth a look in spite of it. 4
I'm not a huge Star Wars fan and any anticipation for a future installment has been tempered by the manchildren acting up in the last few years, but I am still very curious about what this installment will bring to the table. I have little expectation of it though, other than I hope the journey is worth it. 3
This true story paranoia thriller about a lawyer accusing a corporation of pollution has already opened in some markets, but not in my neck of the woods, so I'm bumping it to the December list on that technicality. It looks strongly acted and features a rather important environmental message. I'll be there. 2
One thing I will say for certain about this movie is that the trailers have been dynamite. Whether or not it's worth watching is a different matter, but I've definitely been hooked by the marketing since the teaser which was just Nicole Kidman, Charlize Theron, and Margot Robbie in an elevator. This film, based on the Fox News sexual misconduct scandal, is probably targeted a bit too perfectly post MeToo and three years deep into Trump backlash, which is a sign that it could just be a pandering to current social climate more than an actual movie. But I hope it's as good as it looks, especially with what looks like an inspired performance by John Lithgow. 1 The fourth movie on this list that's based on a true story. Can you tell it's award season? This World War I epic has been working hard to generate buzz, including a trailer exclusively bragging about what is claimed to be single-shot cinematography. I don't know the extent of the technique that will be used on the film, if it's presented as one take like Alfred Hitchcock's Rope or the horror film Silent House, or if it's just a series of long takes, but either way it'll be refreshing to see a film that isn't a series of quick cuts. And it looks incredible. The Leftovers Jumanji: The Next Level - The original Jumanji is a childhood favorite, and Welcome to the Jungle was a surprisingly fun sequel. I'm trying to be more excited about the third, but the issue I keep bumping into was that the two Jumanji films are radically different, with the second film evolving the concept of the first in a clever way. The third Jumanji looks to be simply a rehash of the second film. It could be fun still, but my anticipation is a bit tempered as I'm also not convinced Welcome to the Jungle wasn't some sort of "happy accident" that Sony is trying to cash in off of. Hope for the best, prepare for the worst. Spies in Disguise - Fox's last stand of non-Disney produced films has been a fairly poor run, box office and quality wise. I don't know if Blue Sky is getting dissolved after the release of this film, but it wouldn't surprise me if they did, since they've been coasting on Ice Age for nearly two decades now. This goofy little spy movie starring Will Smith and Tom Holland is hard to get a reading on. It could be fine, though I can't find myself overly excited about it. Just Mercy - Great cast in a movie that just might ride too hard on familiar melodrama. I'm kind of looking forward to it, but a part of me feels like this is safe Oscar bait. Black Christmas - I've never seen any previous version of Black Christmas, and this latest remake doesn't look particularly promising. The trailer gives too much of the premise away, which makes me feel there will be too few surprises and thrills in this holiday chiller. Cats - ... Uncut Gems - Almost as scary as the anthropomorphic cats is the idea of Adam Sandler actually making a real movie. This little crime drama actually shows off acting instead of mugging for the camera and doing a baby voice! Looks good, though I don't have a solid read on it.
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Torgo
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Post by Torgo on Dec 7, 2019 21:31:26 GMT -5
Radioflash - I saw this at the dollar theater, so I won't include it in the Unlimited count. This little young adult inspired adventure drama was filmed right here in my home state of Idaho. I wish I knew when they were here so I could have kicked their ass. This is trash. Pure simple trash. Inane plotting, uneven acting, and a premise that holds promise but goes nowhere. If you want to see a world survive without electricity, you might do best to find Revolution on streaming instead.
Out of Liberty - Also dollar theater. I thought this was some sort of western going in, but that was only a bit of a partial truth as it took place in the 1800's. Turns out this movie was primarily a faith film for the Mormon church, as it tells a portion of religion founder Joseph Smith's life where he and several followers were unjustly imprisoned for defending their homes. I try to tread lightly when it comes to religious films, because a lot of them only have the ambition of preaching to the choir and not telling an actual story. Out of Liberty actually does have a halfway interesting story, though it does tend to come off as play for churchgoers at times. I didn't dislike it, though I think a more professional crew and more interesting actors could have made something better.
#44: Playmobil: The Movie - Anya Taylor-Joy is so good. Any movie is lucky to have her. I had no expectations for this Lego Movie wannabe, but then I was greeted first thing with an energetic scene with her and a baby brother singing a song that was much better than I thought it would be, and I was legit stunned. Then the movie took a sorrowful turn and Taylor-Joy was allotted some dramatic acting, that she of course nailed. Maybe this movie would be better than I thought? Then the animated portion started, and Taylor-Joy struggles to keep it afloat. She's a great actress, but her vocal presence blends in, and not helping matters is direct to DVD level script and animation which makes the whole ordeal more pandering to under-5 crowd and leaving the parents behind. Even the music fails to live up to that spirited number that opened the movie, quickly nosediving almost instantly. The one saving grace of the animated portion is Daniel Radcliffe, who has a supporting role as a superspy named Rex Dasher, and is given some of the more enjoyable jokes in the movie. Other than that, the movie feels like it was plucked straight from the budget bin at your local store and you might assume it never saw theatrical release. You'd be wrong, and it's better than you might expect, but that doesn't make it worth seeing. I understand that Playmobil probably didn't have the budget the Lego franchise had, but if they wanted to at least be a contender in Lego's game they could have hired someone as uniquely creative as Phil Lord and Chris Miller to bring their toys to the big screen. Instead the movie is about what everyone expected The Lego Movie to be when it was first announced.
#45: Dark Waters - Mark Ruffalo stars in this drama based on a real life court battle with the Du Pont corporation over potentially poisoning their customers. The film is gripping and involving throughout most of its runtime, though it runs out of steam in its third act. It's hard to be too mad at the film, because it's a slave to the events that inspired it, but there is a period in this lawsuit where our main characters are forced to play the waiting game for seven years and the film's momentum just drops. Strong performances by Ruffalo, Anne Hathaway, and Tim Robbins are enough to break through this though, and the movie is a must see.
#46: Hold On - The opening of this musical melodrama claims "Inspired by Real Events," though I suspect the real events that inspired it was the film's star Macayla De Ette's struggle to become a professional singer in light of her overweight appearance. I'm going to assume almost the entirety of the rest of the film is fabricated because the movie just feels so stiff and phony, unable to make me buy anything that's going on. I want to be clear that this isn't De Ette's fault. Even taking her powerful voice out of the equation, she often comes off as the most authentic thing in this movie. I can see it in her eyes that she wants this movie to work, she wants it to be uplifting, she wants it to be inspiring, she wants it to be touching. She's betting on the wrong horse, though, because it's written and directed cheaply and without heart. This is the fault of screenwriter and director Tarek Tohme, who is also her co-star for some reason, as a troubled man who tries to help her get in the music industry, and also has his own nonsense storyline of daddy issues that needlessly steals screentime from De Ette. His plotting of the film is too artificial, with no moments feeling genuine enough to register an emotional response. It reaches an absurd point by the film's final ten minutes, where De Ette's voice is magically waking people from comas and causing junkies to snap out it and rethink their life choices. I'm sure the passion De Ette has for her message is genuine, but the film mucks it up. I wish her luck in her music career, I just hope this movie doesn't hinder it.
Next week: JUMANJIIIIIIIIIII!
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Torgo
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Post by Torgo on Dec 13, 2019 21:48:35 GMT -5
#47: Rising Free - Film nerds will defend auteurs to the death for their vision, but sometimes being an auteur isn't a good thing. Rising Free is an example of someone with a vision so blinded by their own rose colored glasses that they can't see what they're doing wrong. It was hard to find much information on this film going in, except repetitions of a synopsis that boasts the film as a "visual masterpiece." Well, the cinematography is good, so I'll give it that. What they show with that cinematography is hardly a masterpiece, though. The dialogue is cumbersome and heavy handed, and this script reeks of a screenplay author who insists everything be read exactly as written on the page, for better or worse. Actors struggle to say their lines convincingly, so they resort at just blurting them out and hoping they don't sound like idiots saying it. Out of curiosity I looked up the talent making this movie up, and the director/cinematographer was a man named Christian Johannesson while screenplay duties went to a lady named Beth Johannesson. Is that last name a coincidence? Probably not. This related-by-undisclosed-means-I'm-assuming-husband-and-wife duo also only have this film as their only credit (as do most of the cast, save for supporting actress Samantha Droke), which reveals this to be maybe their big hopeful breakout film, so they throw in everything but the kitchen sink to make it powerful. But it's power feels in the same realm of the power of doing a dramatic reading of a self-published author's novel. It's a film that understands that certain tropes work without understanding that quality execution is what makes them work. Just portraying an event that's sad isn't enough to create an impact. The audience needs to buy that it's happening too. This Johannesson pair don't have a concept of organic storytelling, creating a mechanical film that just lumbers. Christian Johannesson at least shows talent in cinematography. He should pursue that career and leave the rest to someone who knows what they're doing.
#48: Honey Boy - Art is a reflection of one's self and often of something you want to say. Say what you will about Shia LaBeouf, but a lot of our understanding of his social personality becomes fully formed with Honey Boy, which is a film LaBeouf wrote in rehab reflecting his turbulent relationship with his father. While the character's names are changed, the intent of the film is clear in the end credits, which show off photos of LaBeouf and his father, and they ring true to what transpires in the film. For LaBeouf to put his trauma out there in front of an audience is very bold and I respect that. I'm also pleased that the film is very good even if it weren't personal. Honey Boy isn't just a solid film about a child actor's family life, but also a stunning piece of therapy that I think most people with similar psychological issues can appreciate.
#49: Jumanji: The Next Level - Jack Black is probably the glue that holds the new Jumanji movies together. He more so than any other cast member really sells the avatar concept that they run with. He is great in this movie. Kevin Hart and Awkwafina are both good in this movie too, and the humor is mostly on point due to some solid performances from the cast (save maybe Dwayne Johnson, who struggles with his Danny DeVito impression). The problem with this movie is that in the previous Jumanji movie the core group of characters all had a character arc that developed through the film, keeping it investing while it was entertaining. In this film they don't really have one. They're back to be back (it's kind of a Jurassic Park III scenario). Spencer comes closest, since he alienates himself from his friends, which is treated as the center of the film, though when you find out his reasoning in doing so you ask yourself "You based an entire movie around this?" It's character reversion for the sake of it, like the Mighty Ducks being losers again at the beginning of every movie. The closest the movie comes to another character arc are Danny DeVito and Danny Glover's characters, who spend the entire movie bickering about a restaurant. It's not too compelling either, though I always treasure seeing the two actors pop up in any movie. I'm trying to figure out Sony's vision for this franchise, which they seem to hope for an Indiana Jones adventure franchise with the avatar concept. I think for that to work you probably shouldn't be recycling the same characters. I like these characters quite a bit, but if you sequelize their story, then you should damn well figure out a compelling way for them to find a piece of themselves in Jumanji. But the movie has entertainment value, and it's a better sequel than the likes of Frozen II or Terminator: Dark Fate. Fans of the previous film will get more of the same, and fans of the original Jumanji may enjoy a cameo at the end that might be easy to miss at first, but if you had watched the movie a million times in your youth you'll find yourself asking "Wait...is that...?" It's not as big a get as Kirsten Dunst, David Alan Greer, Jonathan Price, a digital recreation of Robin Williams, or even Bonnie Hunt, but it's a cool wink wink appearance that I enjoyed.
#50: Richard Jewell - Clint Eastwood put together an excellent cast for this film about a security guard wrongfully accused of a bombing. Kathy Bates is the one that's getting all the awards hype, but I think most are overlooking Paul Walter Hauser, who plays the title character. His performance is pretty exceptional, disappearing into the Jewell persona quite well as he plays the man's simplistic demeanour as well as his idiosyncrasies that make him look suspicious into a believable human being when a lesser actor could have failed. The film is pretty good, though there is a bit of a dryness to the plotting of it that makes it fairly unexciting and not nearly as emotional as it seems to want to be. Eastwood's direction is at its strongest during the bomb scene, which is quite harrowing. If you're looking for an interesting story, it should fit the bill, though it's an imperfect one.
#51: Black Christmas - Slasher remake tries to add a dash of the hashtag MeToo and TimesUp to the mix, and the feminists against misogyny theme could potentially work for a slasher movie, as it has history with the "survivor girl taking a stand against the killer" trope, with antagonists usually male (Pamela Voorhees notwithstanding). That third act flies completely off its rocker though. I haven't seen the original film or its previous remake, but from my understanding they're more of a straightforward "killer in the house" tale, and this film only borrows the sorority setting. This third act spin seems exclusive to this movie, and while I understand how it's trying to emphasize its theme, man is it wacky. I may cut the film some slack because it feels like it was made by competent people who at least know how to film decent suspense, but that aspect is a bit deflated since the editing feels choppy. I assume the film was originally shot with an R rating in mind, but was hastily recut into a PG-13 for some reason. The cutaways from the kill scenes are abrupt, like they weren't a part of the original artistic vision. The result is a hacked up horror movie that looks nice but implodes in the home stretch, where I felt like I was watching a movie in tatters trying to limp across a finish line. And it has a date rape Christmas Carol. No, I'm not joking.
Next Week: The most anticipated blockbuster of the year! I'm of course talking about Cats! What else would I be talking about?
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Torgo
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Post by Torgo on Dec 19, 2019 11:12:19 GMT -5
The answer is yes, I will be watching Cats this weekend and I am beyond excited for the nightmare fuel reputation it has built up.
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