Rambling Film

After a flawed, but still very watchable season 1. The Rings of Power is back for its second season on Amazon Prime, and the stakes are even higher. To preface, I'm a big fan of the Lord of the Rings movies, but I haven't read the books. I own them, and I'm somewhat familiar with the lore, but I'm not a purist. I'm coming to this as someone who is here to watch and enjoy, and not compare with the source material. So here are my likes, dislikes, and things I'm looking forward to if the series gets renewed. Minor spoilers, of course. LIKES * The Elves - This is a series that jumps around to different locations quite a bit but the elves consistently have the most interesting stories. Galadriel and Elrond are my two favorites and them mixing in with Adar and Celebrimbor this season was a treat. * Charles Edwards, Robert Aramayo, and Morfydd Clark better be seeing some acting nominations from the Globes and SAG. Really, the show as a whole should not be left out. The

Official Synopsis:  Three brothers (Daniel Portman, Brian Vernel, Calum Ross) return to the remote woodland where they killed their abusive father (Paul Higgins) only to discover his shallow grave is now empty, forcing them to question one another's loyalty with devastating consequences as fear and paranoia set in. Know this before going into Betrayal - originally titled Kill : (that's how you'll find it on Letterboxd) you will need to suspend a lot of disbelief. At first, it comes easy. We wouldn't have a movie if the brothers didn't make on crucial mistake at the beginning of the film.  But as the film went on, it was more of a struggle to continue to give it grace. The way flashbacks are introduced felt a bit clumsy, even though they are absolutely necessary for the story. There's a bigger secret hinted at throughout that in the end just felt like more of a distraction.  On the other side of it, Daniel Portman gives an amazing performance. He's always be

Official synopsis:  In this intimate portrayal of friendship, transition, and America, Will Ferrell and his close friend of thirty years Harper Steele decide to go on a cross-country road trip to explore a new chapter in their relationship. Harper Steele didn't get to become her authentic self until she was close to 60. As you can imagine, her buddy Will Ferrell (and many others) have questions. So what better way to explore those questions than a cross country road trip across the U.S, going to random bars and drinking shitty beer? That's what Harper and Will do, and they tackle the tough questions while having plenty of laughs and touching moments along the way. I shouldn't be surprised at how authentic this felt, but I'm a pretty cynical person. I wondered how this framing would work and it turns out, perfectly. Yes, there's tense moments, like when Harper and Will find themselves in a Texas steakhouse and the homophobes of Twitter go nuts about it, but most of i

Official Synopsis: Reality Winner (Emilia Jones) is a brilliant young misfit from Texas who finds her morals challenged while serving in the U.S. Air Force and working as an NSA contractor. If you live in the U.S, the name "Reality Winner" probably rings a bell. In fact, Emilia Jones says something along those lines at the beginning of the film. Just last year, another film - Reality ( I reviewed it ) was released. This film is very different, but I think they both should be seen as companion pieces. Director Susanna Fogel isn't interested in Reality's arrest, which was what Reality the film focused on. Instead she is interested in her life as a whole. How did this outspoken Texas teen become the woman we all know today? It's told with Jones' deadpan narration, a plucky soundtrack, and the occasional laugh.  It's a fun watch. I didn't find it as inspired as Reality , and I cannot stress enough that you should see both, but it's nice to see what J

Official Synopsis: This tense, touching, and funny portrait of family dynamics follows three estranged sisters (Carrie Coon, Natasha Lyonne, Elizabeth Olsen) as they converge in a New York apartment to care for their ailing father and try to mend their own broken relationship with one another. Despite a cast of women that I absolutely love, the first few minutes of His Three Daughters was not selling me. It felt stilted, unnatural. I wondered if the entire movie would feel like actors talking at each other instead of sisters going through one of the toughest moments in life together. But thankfully, I ended up fully immersed in their hardship and by the end I was a blubbering mess. This film really makes you feel the space of this apartment. By the end of it, you could probably draw the layout. No one is on top of each other, but it's close enough proximity to rarely have a moment to yourself, though Rachel (Lyonne) certainly tries. Having gone through these final moments with lov

Official synopsis : A fading celebrity(Demi Moore) decides to use a black-market drug, a cell-replicating substance that temporarily creates a younger, better version of herself. (Margaret Qualley) It's not secret how hard society is on women aging. We're marketed anti-wrinkle creams and serums from our teen years. And if there's one line of work where it's especially true, it's show business. Elisabeth Sparkle (Moore) is feeling that more than ever. She overhears her sexist boss, Harvey (Dennis Quaid) saying he needs someone young. So when the titular substance becomes available to her, how can she not take it? This is one of the best performances Moore has ever given. There's so much sadness and anger in Elisabeth's eyes, and rightfully show. All of the cast was wonderful. I've never wanted to punch Dennis Quaid in the face more. The production design is absolutely stunning and it will be a travesty if this team is not nominated for an Oscar. The score