Rambling Film

Official Synopsis:  The story of Claressa 'T-Rex' Shields (Ryan Destiny), a boxer from Flint, Michigan who trained to become the first woman in her country's history to win an Olympic gold medal in the sport. It's fitting that Rachel Morrison, the first woman ever to be nominated for a Cinematography Oscar is centering her directorial debut around another woman who broke barriers. We already know she has a great eye, so it's no surprise that The Fire Inside is shot very well.  Shields' environment is easily told through Morrison's lens. The film doesn't need to rely on a longer prologue into her childhood. The opening tracking shot alone tells us so much.  A good sports movie still keeps you on the edge of your seat even when you know the outcome. But The Fire Inside is about much more than Shields' historic Olympic run. Barry Jenkins' screenplay doesn't end at her first Olympics, but chooses to follow her afterwards, when the brutal realit...

Official Synopsis: Elphaba (Cynthia Erivo), a misunderstood young woman because of her green skin, and Galinda, (Ariana Grande) a popular girl, become friends at Shiz University in the Land of Oz. After an encounter with the Wonderful Wizard of Oz (Jeff Goldblum), their friendship reaches a crossroads.   To be perfectly honest, I never really cared for the Wicked stage show. Defying Gravity is a great song, but I was pretty lukewarm on the rest of it. There was actually a point in time where I thought this movie might bomb based on all the drama that seemed to be coming from shooting. But alas, Wicked fever has taken over, and the talent involved got me to give this another try. Wicked is actually part 1, but the Marketing doesn't want you to know that until after you bought your ticket. The nearly three hour movie only covers the play's first act. On paper that doesn't sound great, but I actually really enjoyed seeing Elphaba's story a little more fleshed out. Especi...

Official Synopsis:  Follows the lives of the Charles family as they deal with themes of family legacy and more, in deciding what to do with an heirloom, the family piano. Denzel Washington is truly the gift that keeps on giving. Not just because he's an incredible actor, but also with what he produces.....talented kids and screen versions of August Wilson's plays.  I haven't been lucky enough to see any of Wilson's works on stage, but between Fences, Ma Rainey's Black Bottom , and now The Piano Lesson , all have transitioned well to film and have opened up new audiences to Wilson.  It's hard to believe this is director Malcolm Washington's first feature film. He's very skilled behind the camera. This feels much larger scale than the previous Wilson adaptations and much of that is how Washington chooses to shoot it. He makes the film feel like it exists beyond the main room it takes place in. That's not always easy for something that starts as a play...

Official synopsis:  The story of a boy, George (Elliott Heffernan) trying to get back to his mother Rita (Saoirse Ronan) during the German bombing campaign of London during World War II. Saoirse Ronan has had a year of knock out performances between this and The Outrun . It's not often we see her play a mother. So this feels very new, even though it's a story that has been done several times.  She's not the only one I will credit with a fresh take, most of that goes to Director/writer Steve McQueen. I always enjoy his films and this one feels the largest in scope. Centering this well documented event around a young black boy who constantly has to deal with the racism of his countrymen gives us a perspective we don't often see when revisiting WWII films. And Heffernan does a great job. George is stoic and he goes through SO much in the days that we follow him. Whenever he finds a kind person, like Ife (Benjamin Clémentine) you just want them stay with him and help. The s...

When WB announced a TV series dedicated to Colin Farrell's Penguin from the Batman franchise, I wasn't sure what to think. Of course I would be watching it, but it just felt like a strange way to go. Now it turns out this is one of the best limited series I've seen all year. As always, here are some likes, dislikes, and what to look forward to.  LIKES * They really made you feel the weight of the destruction the Riddler caused in The Batman . Seeing the flooding from Vic's point of view really raised the stakes and made you feel the devastation in a way that you couldn't fully grasp when we saw Batman handle it in the movie.  * Cristin Milioti, you will always be famous. * This was a great way to view an antagonist. Never at one point did I root for The Penguin, per say, but I did find it amusing when he's come out on top.  * I was on Sofia's side though... * The ending. Wow, that was sad. I wasn't expecting to feel sad at the end of this series. DISLIKE...

I'm very late with this write up, but how wonderful was Agatha All Along? Wandavision has been my favorite Marvel TV show to date, and this was a lovely follow up. It kept the spirit of its predecessor and was a fun story over all. As always, here are my likes, dislikes, and things to look forward to. LIKES * The costume changes! I love how they kept the theme of the changing decades by having them in different outfits with each task. That was a fun way to pay homage to the original * The acting was amazing. I laughed so hard at Kathryn Hahn's Kate Winslet in Mare of Easttown impression in the first episode.  * Ages three and up for a Ouija board.  * The way Billy came to be made sense. * Agatha continued to be a good mix of the villain we know her as in the series, and the more grey version she is in the comics *TEENAGER! (she used his full name) DISLIKES * Billy Maximoff, do NOT speak about your mother that way! * No Wanda cameo - which was always wishful thinking on my part...

Official synopsis:  When he returns home for his father's birthday, Sam (Elliott Page) finds that his family is struggling to accept his transition. While he did not pen the screenplay, Elliott Page is credited with the story. You can tell Page himself has lived some of these experiences. Sam is going back to his small Canadian home town, presumably the same way Page did himself, and dealt with different reactions to his transition. Because of this, I'm affording the film a little more grace. When someone has lived this, it becomes more than stilted dialogue and stock characters. I can appreciate the heart and the struggle, even though I would not call this a "great" film. I feel like I keep assigning caveats to Close To You. It feels like a first feature, with the score being the same few notes played over and over, but surely that's because there's not many studios willing to put up the budget for this? The dialogue is at times feels like the characters are...

Official synopsis:  Emilia Pérez follows four remarkable women in Mexico, each pursuing their own happiness. Cartel leader Emilia (Karla Sofía Gascón)  enlists Rita (Zoe Saldaña), an unappreciated lawyer, to help fake her death so that she can finally live authentically as her true self. When Emilia Perez started making waves at Cannes, I was not expecting this to be a musical about a drug kingpin getting gender affirming healthcare. You really have to hand it to director  Jacques Audiard and his writing team for being this bold. Granted I've only seen a few of his other films, but none of them were as out there as this.  Does it work as a musical? Honestly, I'm not sure, but I appreciated the camp in it. It does function as a very fascinating story. Zoe Saldaña gives the best performance of her career. It sounds like she's going to be campaigned in Supporting Actress for this upcoming Oscar season, which is category fraud at its finest. Saldaña is absolutely the le...

Official Synopsis : Mismatched cousins David and Benji (Jesse Eisenberg and Kieran Culkin) reunite for a tour through Poland to honor their beloved grandmother. The adventure takes a turn when the odd-couple's old tensions resurface against the backdrop of their family history. I've always had a bit of a soft spot for Jesse Eisenberg. He gets a lot of flack for being "one note" but I tend to enjoy most of his movies. His last time in the director's chair ( When You Finish Saving The World ) was promising, and he's improved even more with A Real Pain .  Culkin and Eisenberg feel made for each other. You couldn't find two better actors to play these characters. You could argue Eisenberg is writing a version of himself but it's a very honest one. David may often get frustrated with Benji, but he also idolizes him in a way. In a few key scenes where he expresses it, I couldn't help but feel for him. I would say I'm a quieter person as well, and I...

Official synopsis: Anora, (Mikey Madison) a young sex worker from Brooklyn, meets and impulsively marries the son (Mark Eydelshteyn)  of an oligarch. Once the news reaches Russia, her fairytale is threatened as his parents set out for New York to get the marriage annulled. Sorry for being MIA since Nov 6th - The election depressed me, and then I had a full week of work travel. Now I'm trying to play catch up with everything I missed. Of course I had to start my return to the theater with one of the most talked about movies of the year. I've come to really enjoy Sean Baker's films. He often depicts sex workers in a very gentle and judgement free way, and that's no different in this story. I'm not quite sure what I expected from Anora , but it ended up being quite a bit funnier than I was anticipating. It could almost pass for a road trip comedy at one point. In a very ridiculous way, sure. But the thought was there. Mikey Madison has been catching viewers eyes in pl...

Official Synopsis : Armand, a 6-year-old boy, is accused of crossing boundaries against his best friend at elementary school. His mother, Elisabeth (Renate Reinsve) is called to his school to discuss an action plan. This is Norway's submission to the 2025 Oscars for Best International Feature and I've been itching to see what else Reinsve can do after her excellent performance in The Worst Person in The World . Turns out, she can do anything. I think she's even better here.  I have to acknowledge the elephant in the room (in the blog?) This is going to get A LOT of comparisons to Germany's The Teachers' Lounge and while those are not completely unwarranted - this is another film set entirely in a school where a crime may have been committed - Armand takes a very different look at its subjects and how it plays out.  The way this is shot is very captivating. Director Halfdan Ullmann Tøndel clearly knows what he's doing behind the camera despite this being his fir...

Official Synopsis:  A mushroom trip brings free-spirited Elliott (Maisy Stella) face-to-face with her 39-year-old self. (Aubrey Plaza) But when Elliott's "old ass" delivers warnings to her younger self, Elliott realizes she has to rethink everything about her family, life and love. Never would I have expected to be crying at the end of a film called "My Old Ass" but there I was, sobbing over it on a Saturday night. Considering this film had the lighter subject matter of Director Megan Park's works so far, (the first being The Fallout ) that's pretty incredible. Stella and Plaza may not look alike, but in Maisy's performance you can see how she could grow up to become Plaza later on. Elliott is so thirsty for life and all it has to offer. Her relentless optimism was much needed for me in particular during times like these. I think she's wonderful here and I look forward to what she does in the future. If you're watching for Aubrey Plaza, just ...

I am very behind when it comes to this Nicole Kidman and Liev Schrieber lead murder mystery. There was a lot of buzz around it when it first came out, but I knew I had a long flight coming up and this seemed like the perfect mini series to download and watch. As always, here are my likes and dislikes. Nothing to look forward to here as it's a limited series LIKES It's JUICY! This is one of those whodunnits that leads you to a different person in each episode and it does that fairly well. It makes a good case for everyone involved being the murderer.  Liev Schrieber has been on my mind a lot since watching him in the wonderful A Small Light, and here he's the complete opposite. A total mess of a father.  Jack Raynor continues to prove that he should have every single one of Chris Pratt's roles instead. Director Susanne Bier *chef's kiss* DISLIKES I love Dakota Fanning, I do, but I did not buy her for a second as this bitchy, gold digger sister in law. As funny as her...

Official synopsis:  Sheryl Bradshaw (Anna Kendrick), a single woman looking for a suitor on a hit 1970s TV show, chooses charming bachelor Rodney Alcala (Daniel Zovatto), unaware that, behind the man's gentle façade, he hides a deadly secret. Anna Kendrick not only stars in this film, based on an insane true story, but it's also her first time in the director's chair. That alone made this a priority for me after it premiered at Sundance. Now, thanks to Netflix, it's easily accessible for everyone. I think Kendrick has promise as a director. She has some great set ups here, and she thankfully does not focus on Alcala's sexual violence. She finds clever ways to let you know what happened without actually showing the act.  The biggest issue with Woman of the Hour is that it's telling the wrong story. Yes, it's insane that a serial killer ended up on nationally aired television dating show, but other than that, Sheryl Bradshaw doesn't have much to do with Al...

I'll admit I didn't love season 2 of Hacks. So much so that I got a very late start on season three. Really, what propelled me was the conversation around the Emmys and how this was going to be a thorn in The Bear's side. So ahead of the ceremony, I started it. Onto my likes, dislikes, and things to look forward to. LIKES * Holy shit, this was hilarious. This got right back to season one levels for me. Deborah is still majorly insufferable but I cannot help but love watching her. She's such a dick. * This was absolutely Ava's season and I'm fully convinced the only reason Hannah Einbinder didn't win an Emmy for the final episode is because people are boycotting her being in the supporting category. (As they should, she's co-lead) * J Cameron Smith is always a blessing * Christina Hendrick's cameo. God, she's so beautiful. Her character was hilarious and awful.  * What a c*nt!! DISLIKES * Far too much Kayla. That was a character that should've...

Official Synopsis:  An up-and-coming chef (Florence Pugh) and a recent divorcée (Andrew Garfield) find their lives forever changed when a chance encounter brings them together, in a decade-spanning, deeply moving romance. It takes a certain kind of actor to make me want to watch a film where you know without a shadow of a doubt someone is dying from cancer. Florence Pugh and Andrew Garfield are such actors for me. I love their work, so I found myself ready to weep over them on a fall afternoon. I had hoped given the caliber of everyone involved that this story might be something different, but it's more of the same. You know exactly how this movie is going to end. But what makes it watchable is the chemistry of the lead actors. We follow Almut and Tobias through at least a decade of their lives, jumping around in various times, and no matter where we find them, they ooze chemistry. They are the film's beating heart. Jumping around in time can be tricky but I think the film did ...

Official synopsis:  After living life on the edge in London, Rona (Saoirse Ronan) attempts to come to terms with her troubled past. Hoping to heal, she returns to the wild beauty of Scotland's Orkney Islands where she grew up. Saoirse Ronan is one of my favorite working actresses and while she's played a variety of roles, she's never quite played the absolute mess Rona is. She's a hardcore alcoholic. She has good intentions, but ruins all the relationships around her. Going back to Orkney is a sobering experience for her in more ways than one. This film is adapted from Amy Liptrot's novel of the same name, and you can feel her love for Orkney all over this film. I was unfamiliar with the book before watching this, but I knew instantly that someone from Orkney had to be involved with making this film. It was just viewed so fondly. Saoirse of course is phenomenal. When isn't she? There's not a single second that she isn't on our screen. She carries this mo...

Official synopsis:  At 11:30pm on October 11th, 1975, a ferocious troupe of young comedians and writers lead by Lorne Michaels (Gabriel LaBelle) changed television forever. Find out what happened behind the scenes in the 90 minutes leading up to the first broadcast of Saturday Night Live. SNL has been on longer than I've been alive. I don't know a world without it, and it's something I've always watched. (Yes, SNL is still funny. It's always been funny, but everyone has their off days/shows) So watching a film by Jason Reitman, I director I generally enjoy was a given. Reitman must be living in his Aaron Sorkin era because I felt him all over the script. The dialogue is fast paced, there's a lot of quick cuts. It reminded me a lot of The Newsroom in places. That snappy feel is what I enjoyed most about Saturday Night .  Everything is two seconds away from falling apart, but they keep plugging away. The cast is varied. You have actors like Dylan O'Brien and ...

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:  Follows twin brothers (Richard Madden) who find themselves in a dangerous love triangle on an isolated Greek island. The investigation is given to "The Jealousy Man," a wounded detective. (Joseph Gordon-Levitt) I would love to know what the working title of this film was, because I cannot imagine Killer Heat being the first choice. It is however, the first red flag in a film that it's horrible, but is very uninspired. Look, Joseph Gordon-Levitt is my favorite actor and he would do really well in a modern noir with a great script (Rian Johnson, stop giving him cameos only!) but this just wasn't it. I'm offering it a lot of grace for him, Richard Madden, and Shalene Woodley. While the central mystery is easy to guess, I just found this hollow. The narration and the actual dialogue between characters don't mesh well and I kept wishing these exact people were just in a better movie. Everything was disjointed, especially when they incorporate f...

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...

Kaos is a modern day retelling of Greek mythology that boasts an eclectic cast of actors. We've got big players like Jeff Goldblum as Zeus, Janet McTeer as Hera, Stephen Dillane as Prometheus, David Thewlis as Hades, and Cliff Curtus as Poseidon. Along with newer (to me at least faces like Rakie Ayola, Aurura Perrineau, Nabhaan Rizwas, Misia Butler and Leila Farzad. Season one is a take on Orpheus and Eurydice, as well as the start of the downfall of Zeus. I have to admit, as much as I love Jeff Goldblum when I saw this show on Netflix, I took one look at it and thought "That's probably too much." It wasn't until I finally placed Stephen Dillane's voice (because he narrates before we see him) that I really got pulled into this. Even if you already know the myths, it's a fun way of revisiting them. This show is a very dark comedy. There's plenty of laughs but the Gods being Gods do some horrifically brutal things. Goldblum especially as Zeus, whether h...

What a night for the Emmys! Dan and Eugene Levy stuck to banter instead of annoying skits, the Emmys honored several archetypes throughout the show as presenters, which was a nice touch, and there were still a few surprises. Below is a list of winners, plus my thoughts. Of the 20 categories I predicted, I got 13 right.  Outstanding Comedy Series Abbott Elementary The Bear Curb Your Enthusiasm Hacks Only Murders in the Building Palm Royale  Reservation Dogs The biggest shock of the night was also the last award announced. After The Bear broke the record for single wins for a comedy, they didn't take home the top prize. Honestly, I'm shocked. Even with the "Bear isn't a comedy" argument, I still thought it would prevail. I can't say I'm too upset because Hacks is an excellent show. But wow, what a surprise.  Outstanding Lead Actress in a Comedy Series Quinta Brunson, Abbott Elementary Ayo Edebiri, The Bear Selena Gomez, Only Murders in the Building Maya Rudo...

Official synopsis:   Ada (Michelle Colman Padron), who has a proclivity for plants uses her talents to take care of her ailing mother Mirren (Eloisa Cardona). When Mirren dies suddenly under mysterious circumstances, Ada spends the next seven years isolating herself from the world. One day, she hears a mysterious song, drawing her to a hidden creek, as well as Wren (Taylor Freeman), a spirited teenager with whom she develops a close friendship.  I Watched Her Grow's crew was more than 50% women, and 75% of those identifying as BIPOC. Because of this, it was awarded the prestigious  ReFrame stamp.  I love to see this type of representation in film, and how wonderful for first time director Shea Formanes. Formanes has written quite a few op-eds, ones that I had read even before finding out she directed this film, so I'm not surprised at all that the story is the highpoint. It's part coming-of-age, part sci-fi fantasy. At a very brisk 66 minutes, it never has time...

It's Emmy prediction time! With the awards right around the corner (Sep 15th) It's time to guess who I think will win, and in some cases, who should win. Brace yourselves, it's going to be a lot of the same show over and over. Outstanding Comedy Series Abbott Elementary The Bear Curb Your Enthusiasm Hacks Only Murders in the Building Palm Royale  Reservation Dogs What We Do in the Shadows Who will and should win: The Bear Keep in mind, this is for season 2, so The Bear is the clear winner for me. If this were season 3, it would be a different story. Outstanding Lead Actress in a Comedy Series Quinta Brunson, Abbott Elementary Ayo Edebiri, The Bear Selena Gomez, Only Murders in the Building Maya Rudolph, Loot Jean Smart, Hacks Kristen Wiig, Palm Royale Who will and should win: Ayo Edebiri Ayo is finally in the right category and although Quinta Brunson is strong competition, she should take it here.  Outstanding Lead Actor in a Comedy Series Matt Berry, What We Do in the Sha...