Review: Hustlers

Get that money

Destiny (Constance Wu) is a dancer trying to make ends meet at a strip club when her fellow dancer, Ramona (Jennifer Lopez) takes her under her wing. They devise a scheme to take advantage of the Wall Street employees who frequent their clubs.

When I first saw the trailer for Hustlers, I wasn't interested. Then all the strong reviews at TIFF convinced me to go check it out and I have to say there was a good movie in there, but I still left expecting a lot more with the praise thrown at this. 

The most interesting aspect of this film to me is that Destiny is recounting her tale to a reporter, Elizabeth. (Julia Stiles) Since it deals with the 2008 financial crisis, that format almost makes this feel like The Big Short from another angle. But I kept thinking there must be more. Aside from Destiny, we really don't learn much about the other women in this story. They touch on sisterhood well, and but I wished they had spent more time on the fallout of this scheme. I felt like they gave the basic facts to get by.

Wu is great here. After seeing her in Crazy Rich Asians (I haven't seen her popular series, Fresh Off The Boat) we all know she could carry this. Jennifer Lopez is fine. Her athletic ability is more than impressive but I also felt I've seen this before. I'm not getting the Oscar buzz feel that everyone else is.

Ultimately, I think I fell victim to festival hype and reverted back to my initial expectations. This isn't a bad movie by any means, there's a lot of good things about it. I'm very happy for how successful it's been so far, it just wasn't outstanding. 

Recommended: Yes

Grade: B-

Memorable quote: "Motherhood is a mental illness." - Ramona (Jennifer Lopez)

2019 Emmy Predictions: Who Will Win, Who Should Win

The Emmys are next week and like every year, I'm going to predict who I think is going to win, and in some cases, who should win instead. Now, *should* is pretty subjective here because unlike the Oscars, I don't watch all of these shows, whereas I try to see every nominated Oscar film. So maybe others should be winning, but I can only base it off what I've seen. So lets see how I do.

Outstanding Comedy Series
Barry
Fleabag
The Good Place
The Marvelous Mrs. Maisel
Russian Doll
Schitt’s Creek
Veep
Who will win: The Marvelous Mrs. Maisel
Who should win: That or Veep
This is tough, It's Veep's final time as an Emmy nom but Mrs. Maisel dominated in its absence. Barry and Fleabg are also seemingly popular among voters but I think it will come down to these two. I'll be happy with either win. 

Outstanding Drama Series
Better Call Saul
Bodyguard
Game of Thrones
Killing Eve
Ozark
Pose
Succession
This Is Us
Who will win: Game of Thrones
Who should win: ?
To be honest, I will be shocked if Game of Thrones doesn't win this. Yes, their final season doesn't deserve a win but since this is the final time we'll be seeing them, they probably win a collective award for the entire series run. Despite loving most of Game of Thrones, I'm so disappointed with the writing this year that I would actually welcome someone beating it. And I never thought I'd say that about one of my favorite shows.

Outstanding Lead Actor in a Drama Series
Jason Bateman, Ozark
Sterling K. Brown, This Is Us
Kit Harington, Game of Thrones
Bob Odenkirk, Better Call Saul
Billy Porter, Pose
Milo Ventimiglia, This Is Us
Who will win: Billy Porter
Who should win: ?
The only performances I've seen are Kit and Bob, but I think Billy is going to be the surprise here. Brown has won before and Batemen could be a dark horse but I think we'll see a surprise here.

Outstanding Lead Actress in a Drama Series
Emilia Clarke, Game of Thrones
Jodie Comer, Killing Eve
Viola Davis, How to Get Away with Murder
Laura Linney, Ozark
Sandra Oh, Killing Eve
Mandy Moore, This Is Us
Robin Wright, House of Cards
Who will and should win: Emilia Clarke
I think Emilia is going to get a ton of pity votes considering how her character was massacred. She legitimately did give her best performance ever this season so that helps too. I think it's hers for the taking. 

Outstanding Lead Actor in a Limited Series or a Movie
Mahershala Ali, True Detective
Benicio Del Toro, Escape at Dannemora
Hugh Grant, A Very English Scandal
Jared Harris, Chernobyl
Jharrel Jerome, When They See Us
Sam Rockwell, Fosse/Verdon
Who will and should win: Mahershala Ali
This is a tough category with Jared Harris being a strong candidate as well as Sam Rockwell, however Ali is still riding high from that Oscar win and he was great in True Detective. I think he'll win here as well.


Outstanding Lead Actress in a Limited Series or a Movie
Amy Adams, Sharp Objects
Patricia Arquette, Escape at Dannemora
Joey King, The Act
Michelle Williams, Fosse/Verdon
Aunjenaue Ellis, When They See Us
Niecy Nash, When They See Us
Who will win: Patricia Arquette
Who should win: Amy Adams
I'm going to have to watch Patricia steal another one of Amy's awards but this time she won't only be stealing it from Amy, but from Joey King who was fantastic in The Act as well. *heavy sigh*

Outstanding Lead Actor in a Comedy Series
Anthony Anderson, black-ish
Don Cheadle, Black Monday
Ted Danson, The Good Place
Michael Douglas, The Kominsky Method
Bill Hader, Barry
Eugene Levy, Schitt’s Creek
Who will win: Bill Hader
Who should win: ?
I don't watch any of these shows. I tried watching Barry and couldn't get into it but Hader has the most buzz behind him so I think he'll take this.

Outstanding Lead Actress in a Comedy Series
Christina Applegate, Dead to Me
Rachel Brosnahan, The Marvelous Mrs. Maisel
Julia Louis-Dreyfus, Veep
Natasha Lyonne, Russian Doll
Phoebe Waller-Bridge, Fleabag
Catherine O’Hara, Schitt’s Creek
Who will and should win: Julia Louis-Dreyfus
This is tough because Rachel Brosnahan is a strong candidate but the Emmys love JLD and it will be her final nom for Veep. Plus she'll break a record for winning an Emmy for every season of this show and I think they'll give her that. Rachel will win next year.

Outstanding Variety/Talk Series
The Daily Show with Trevor Noah
Full Frontal with Samantha Bee
Jimmy Kimmel Live!
Last Week Tonight with John Oliver
The Late Late Show with James Corden
The Late Show with Stephen Colbert
Who will and should win: John Oliver


Outstanding Limited Series
Chernobyl
Escape at Dannemora
Fosse/Verdon
Sharp Object
When They See Us
Who will win: When They See Us
Who should win: Sharp Objects
This is a strong category but When They See Us is the most socially relevant now. It has tough competition with Sharp Objects and Chernobyl but I think both of those shows, even though they're amazing will go home empty handed in the show/acting dept. 

Outstanding Supporting Actor in a Comedy Series
Anthony Carrigan, Barry
Alan Arkin, The Kominsky Method
Stephen Root, Barry
Tony Hale, Veep
Tony Shalhoub, The Marvelous Mrs. Maisel
Henry Winkler, Barry
Who will win: Tony Shalhoub
Who should win: Tony Hale
Tony Hale has never won for Veep and he's long overdue, but I think they award Shalhoub since they went with Winkler last year. 

Outstanding Supporting Actor in a Drama Series
Jonathan Banks, Better Call Saul
Giancarlo Esposito, Better Call Saul
Alfie Allen, Game of Thrones
Nikolaj Coster-Waldau, Game of Thrones
Peter Dinklage, Game of Thrones
Michael Kelly, House of Cards
Chris Sullivan, This Is Us
Who will win: Peter Dinklage
Who should win: Alfie Allen or Giancarlo Esposito
Math says it should be Kelly or Sullivan winning due to vote splitting but the Emmys seem determine to award Dinklage whether he deserves it or not so he'll get it here. I'd laugh my ass of if Allen won though. 

Outstanding Supporting Actress in a Comedy Series
Sarah Goldberg, Barry
Sian Clifford, Fleabag
Olivia Colman, Fleabag
Alex Bornstein, The Marvelous Mrs. Maisel
Betty Gilpin, GLOW
Marin Hinkle, The Marvelous Mrs. Maisel
Kate McKinnon, Saturday Night Live
Anna Chlumsky, Veep
Who will win: Olivia Colman
Who should win: Anna Chlumsky
Anna has never won for Veep either but I think Olivia will ride high from her Oscar win here too. I really need to see Fleabag, it looks wonderful.

Outstanding Supporting Actress in a Drama Series
Gwendoline Christie, Game of Thrones
Julia Garner, Ozark
Lena Headey, Game of Thrones
Fiona Shaw, Killing Eve
Sophie Turner, Game of Thrones
Maisie Williams, Game of Thrones
Who will win: Fiona Shaw
Who should win: Gwendoline Christie
I think the Game of Thrones gals will split a lot of votes and The Emmys don't seem to like awarding younger actors (Rachel Brosnahan is the only Actress born in the 90's to win so far) so Fiona might have the edge over Julia. I'd actually be really happy if Julia won despite not caring for Ozark, she's amazing. Gwendoline is my dream win though.

Outstanding Guest Actor in a Drama Series
Ron Cephas Jones, This Is Us
Michael McKean, Better Call Saul
Glynn Turman, How to Get Away with Murder
Michael Angarano, This Is Us
Kumail Nanjiani, The Comedian
Bradley Whitford, The Handmaid’s Tale
Who will and should win: Bradley Whitford
He's awesome in The Handmaid's Tale. I think Nanjiani could win too but there's probably a lot of West Wing fans voting.

Outstanding Guest Actor in a Comedy Series
Matt Damon, Saturday Night Live
Luke Kirby, The Marvelous Mrs. Maisel
Peter MacNicol, Veep
John Mulaney, Saturday Night Live
Robert De Niro, Saturday Night Live
Adam Sandler, Saturday Night Live
Who will win: Robert De Niro
Who should win: Peter MacNicol
I still cannot wrap my head around De Niro's nomination and for that reason, he'll probably win to confuse me further. 

Outstanding Guest Actress in a Comedy Series
Fiona Shaw, Fleabag
Kristin Scott Thomas, Fleabag 
Jane Lynch, The Marvelous Mrs. Maisel
Sandra Oh, Saturday Night Live
Maya Rudolph, The Good Place
Emma Thompson, Saturday Night Live
Who will win: Sandra Oh
Who should win: ?
Since Sandra might miss in drama, I think she'll get it here. 

Outstanding Supporting Actor in a Limited Series or a Movie
Ben Wishaw, A Very English Scandal
Asante Blackk, When They See Us
Paul Dano, Escape at Dannemora
Stellan Skarsgard, Chernobyl
John Leguizamo, When They See Us
Michael Kenneth Williams, When They See Us
Who will win: Stellan Skarsgard
Who should win: Blackk or Dano
I think Asante Blackk deserves this but again with the Emmys not awarding young winners. I also think there could be vote splitting. Skarsgard has a higher profile than Dano so he might take it here. 

Outstanding Guest Actress in a Drama Series
Cherry Jones, The Handmaid’s Tale
Jessica Lange, American Horror Story: Apocalypse
Phylicia Rashad, This Is Us
Laverne Cox, Orange Is the New Black
Cicely Tyson, How to Get Away with Murder
Carice van Houten, Game of Thrones
Who will win: Jessica Lange
Who should win: Cherry Jones
The Emmys love Lange but I think Jones is my favorite here. I love Laverne Cox but OITNB barely gave her anything to do. 


Outstanding Supporting Actress in a Limited Series or a Movie
Patricia Arquette, The Act
Margaret Qualley, Fosse/Verdon
Patricia Clarkson, Sharp Objects
Marsha Stephanie Blake, When They See Us
Vera Farmiga, When They See Us
Emily Watson, Chernobyl
Who will and should win: Patricia Clarkson
After watching The Act, Arquette should not be in this category at all. She was a lead. I think Clarkson will pick up the Sharp Objects win and she deserves it. 

Outstanding Telvision Movie
Black Mirror: Bandersnatch (Netflix)
Brexit: The Uncivil War (HBO)
Deadwood: The Movie (HBO)
King Lear (Amazon)

My Dinner With Herve (HBO)
Who will and should win: Deadwood
Honestly, just don't let Bandersnatch win. Make Black Mirror go to the Limited Series category where they belong and don't award their literal worst episode. 

Thursday Movie Picks: Non English Movies

We're having another Non English theme at Wandering Through The Shelves. I love these especially because I enjoy getting recommendations for new foreign films. The only rule I gave myself is that I couldn't use any of other films I've picked for this in the previous years. Here are three excellent films not in the English langauge

1) Tangerines

This Estonian film honestly should've won the Oscar that year. It's about a man who stays behind during the war to harvest his crops when everyone else in his small village has left. 

2) In The Fade

I tend to think of Diane Kruger as more of a tabloid fixture(She's with Norman Greasus for fucks sake) and because of that I sometimes forget that she actually can act. She's amazing in this German film about a woman whose son and husband were killed by white supremacists and isn't satisfied with the outcome of their trial.

3) Two Days, One Night

I cried like an absolute baby in this French language film from Belgium. Marion Cotillard is amazing in it. On paper, a woman going door to door trying to talk her coworkers out of accepting their bonuses so she can keep her job doesn't sound like a good watch, but it is. 

Review: It Chapter 2

Beep Beep, Richie. 

Due to personal reasons, this is going to be shorter than usual. I have other content I had previously written scheduled for Thursday and Sunday, otherwise I may be a bit sporadic for a bit. 

I went into this with medium level expectations because I personally think the kids had a better story than the adults in the novel. This isn't nearly as good as chapter one but the actors are amazing. Bill Hader, Jason Ransone and Bill Skarsgard in particular are fantastic. Skarsgard actually maybe be feel bad for Pennywise for a second which is extraordinary. His range is very convincing. Adult Richie and Eddie were everything, their banter was amazing.

I think this film had more than a few problems though. It's all over the place, which isn't necessarily the film's fault, the book is practically unfilmable once you revisit the Losers Club as adults. The CGI they used on the kids (who were shoe-horned in, though it was kind of nice to see them again, especially little Stan) was distracted. They had overly smooth faces and it was impossible for me to watch without thinking about something being digitally edited with them. The biggest problem for me, was once again Mike, this time played very well by Isaiah Mustafa. I don't think the film does a very good job of making him seem like he's one of the Losers. I don't know if it's magnified as the only POC character, but it seems like he's just hanging around them instead of being *with* them. Bev and Ben, Bev and Bill, Eddie and Richie, they all have these really powerful scenes together and Ben just doesn't get that same intimacy with the Losers despite being the one that remembers everything. He's basically treated as a prop, whereas the novel did a better job of making him feel like one of the gang. 

I'm not sure that I'll be rushing out to purchase It Chapter 2 as I did chapter one, but the actors elevate the hell out of this movie and it's very creepy.

Recommended: Yes

Grade: B-

Memorable Quote: "Who married a woman 10 times his body mass?" - Richie (Bill Hader)

Review: Ready or Not

Family first.

Grace (Samara Weaving) is marrying Alex Les Domas (Mark O'Brien) at his family's estate. He comes from serious money as his family owns a giant gaming dynasty. And as such, they have a tradition to play a game at midnight every time a new person enters the family. Grace draws a card that says they have to play hide and seek, and she finds out very quickly that there's more too it then she thought.

I was intrigued by this movie the first time I saw the trailer but I never expected it to be so much fun. I felt like I could really relate with all the reactions Grace is having to her situation. Mainly, her swearing, yelling, and trying to joke her way through it. I love that sort of thing in films because we don't see it enough. It's something Us did earlier in the year that I also enjoyed.

They could've easily made Grace a superhero in this cat and mouse game but they never go that far. Sure, she gets some major adrenaline rush points but the way she fights back is always realistic. Samara Weaving is an absolute treasure. Adam Brody, who plays Alex's brother Daniel is also a standout. 

Yes, there's a lot of plot devices that were needed to get the story where it needs to go but it never stops being funny and gory. If you're looking to get scared, this isn't the film for you. But if you want a good laugh and a bit of gore, Ready or Not is here for you. 

Recommended: Yes

Grade: B+

Memorable Quote: "Ah, brown haired niece. You continue to exist." - Aunt Helene (Nicky Guadagni)

Thursday Movie Picks: Hostages

We're holding this week's theme from Wandering Through the Shelves close, because we're talking about hostages. Whether it be a forced plot device or a scary situation there's plenty to choose from. Here's what I came up with.

1) Argo

I know Affleck is a mess right now but can we acknowledge that he directed the shit out of this movie? I was on the edge of my seat the entire time even though I knew the hostages were going to get out. Like, WHAT IF?

2) Prisoners

I love this movie, there were so many twists and turns and the scenes of Hugh Jackman's character keeping Paul Dano hostage were so chilling. 

3) Misery

Can we talk about hostages without including the godmother of holding someone against their will; Annie Wilkes? She's your number one fan.

What I Watched on TV in August

So August completely flew by. It's already starting to feel less like summer here and we're starting to transition into fall. Here's what I finished out my summer with TV wise.

The Handmaid's Tale

I'm glad I waited until 10 episodes were already on Hulu because I think I would've been frustrated if I was watching this week to week. For the first time, I grew really frustrated with June and her decision making. She wasn't using her head, she got people killed, she didn't even attempt to hide her contempt and it made her look ridiculous. Everyone knew she was up to something, but her plot armor is made of vibranium. I will say, I adored Bradley Whitford and I really like how the season ended. It's making me look forward to season 4. They really need to stop with the close ups of June's face though. Jesus that technique is overused. Also fuck Serena, forever.

Atlanta

Since I renewed Hulu to check out The Handmaid's Tale, I also used that time to FINALLY start Atlanta and I was not disappointed. Sure, a few episodes are duds but I adore the main cast. I love how goofy the show can be at times, like with the invisible car, while at the same time having important commentary on various social issues. I'll definitely be watching season 3 on FX next year.

Euphoria

What a season. I thought the finale was actually one of the weaker episodes but a weak episode of Euphoria is still excellent TV. I can't wait to see what they do for season two.

Orange is the New Black

OITNB had its final bow, and honestly I was surprised at how emotional I felt over it. I've been really unhappy with this show since season 4 and I read a bunch of spoilers before even diving into this, but I felt moved. None of my favorite characters had happy endings, I still don't care about Piper and Alex, but there were a few good endings for some of the women and this show really tackled the immigration issue in the U.S head on with heartbreaking results. The guest stars were amazingly strong this year. The end credits showed a lot of the actors saying "thank you" after their final scenes, and even though the show made me unhappy at times, I felt the love just radiate off the cast in those moments. 

The Righteous Gemstones

I'm really iffy on Danny McBride. Eastbound and Down showed me that there is such a thing as TOO MUCH Danny McBride. I'm three episodes in with this, it's pretty stupid and is towing that line of too much McBride, but I'm enjoying the rest of the cast enough that I'll stick with it.