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This biography tells the story of Howard Ashman, the writer behind a ton of classic Disney songs. Up front, I don't think this was a good movie. The story is told completely through voice over of people that knew him, as you would expect, but almost all of it is behind still photographs. It teases you with some of the Disney songs, but we get barely any of that. Most of it is his time coming up through stage musicals, and also his fight with AIDs, which he actually died from at age 40.  Obviously important to his story, but I selfishly just wanted to watch videos of him cooking! This was the video I was aware of before starting this movie, what I was expecting to get more of, and honestly watching it makes me emotional. She is an incredible singer, but watching him pop into the frame and give this direction is pure genius. I remember when we were in Florence looking at Michelangelo's David, our tour guide said something I have heard many times since but was extremely profound t...

⭐4/10 Christmas movie season begins! This was one I discovered that I brought to Jess fully confident that she would love it. A sappy Christmas movie about Julie Andrews finding love late in life??  This movie is not good. In fact, if not for Julie Andrews, this movie would be a zero. It's about Andrews, a successful, sophisticated widow getting trapped in a log cabin, forced to spend a night snowed in with James Garner. The problem is that James Garner is the absolute worst person to get trapped with. It's hilarious because this is in 1999 where the things he says are probably meant to be a little old fashioned, a little out of touch, but in 2025 he has a cancelable offense every two seconds. Jess and I were gasping every scene as he says the wildest, most sexist things you've ever heard. This is a horror movie! The goddess Julie Andrews forced to spend the night with like, Lindsey Graham.  There is also another side plot that is absolutely bonkers, again with ...

⭐ 9.5/10 This might not be the best movie of the year, but its certainly my favourite so far. Teddy (Plemons) and Don kidnap a high powered CEO (Emma Stone), convinced that she is an alien, and attempt to find a way to her mothership to barter for the future of humanity. Pretty amazing premise that is apparently a remake of an older international film. Right off the bat Plemons and Stone are amazing. The performance of both of them has you going back and forth actually wondering if she is an alien. It would be easy to completely discount Teddy as an internet-addled conspiracy theorist, but he is smart and persuasive and completely sympathetic. My one main criticism is that we get some of his backstory, seeing the "trauma" that led to this event, and I think that could have been inferred instead of shown. However, those scenes are done very artistically, interludes that give this movie some artistic flair. I love how this movie feels perfect for a time like now, when our mind...

⭐ 9.5/10 It seems insane not to give this game a perfect 10/10 given the time and mental energy that I have devoted to it over the past couple months, but that's what happens when you are the game that comes after Silksong. This roguelike is exactly like the first, which was great, but with tons of different boons, enhancements, upgrade systems, and importantly 2 different paths you can take. It takes the foundation of the first game and improves on basically everything, a lot like Silksong! As someone who often shies away from creativity in gameplay this game encourages and rewards it, and nothing feels better than salvaging a run that feels lost through some new boon combinations you would have never tried otherwise. It really is a masterpiece in that way, seemingly endless build combinations that force you to change your play style and get better as a player. Not many games have me thinking about percentages and combos and how I want to tackle my next run, which makes it super ...

⭐8.5/10 A Remembrance Day classic! I actually started this movie... in the spring... and randomly remembered to finish it last week. I don't think the lapsed time should be much of an indicator because I thought this movie was awesome.  It's a remake of a 70s movie which is a remake of a 30s movie which in an adaptation of a novel that follows an innocent German solider who enlists to fight the French with his friends in World War 1. It's a classic war epic. They are optimistic, bright eyed and joking around, thinking about the adventure they're about to have, and then within days of getting to the front they have seen horrors that will last a lifetime.  I watched the 70s version of this movie as a high-school student and one scene in particular has stayed with me for nearly two decades. It is equally gut wrenching here. It is so simple, and such an obvious attempt to teach us about our common humanity, but effective in a timeless, classic way. It had me tea...

⭐ 10/10 Another reread, but this one was special. I have basically read a single page of this a day for the past year while my son gets ready for bed. Before I start he always has to see the first picture of Gandalf and Bilbo, then the second picture of Gandalf, then we flip back to the cover to talk about Smaug on his gold. He has also started calling The Shire theme from the LOTR movies the "Bilbo Song", so this is clearly a dream come true for me. It's hard to think about this book rationally, and there were several things that stood out to me that would not be acceptable in other fantasy books I read. Mainly, there are several instances where something happens that is never foreshadowed or hardly explained, and you just accept it because its a kids book. The raven for example, just happens to overhear, and oh ya they can talk and used to all the time, but only to one specific line of men, and oh ya here is this guy Bard who talks to his arrows (my favourite part) who...

⭐ 8.5/10 Our second movie with our two year old, I thought it would be a hit because he likes everything with wheels, but he was not very locked in, had to watch over multiple sittings. I remember exactly where and when I saw this for the first time, and I loved Pixar, so for some reason I liked this movie but didn't think it came close to some of the classics. Well I was wrong this movie is great, even if its a little long. Fun cast of characters, much like Toy Story or Bugs Life or all these Pixar movies, and they are all distinct and memorable. Guido is my favourite, and when he gets his moment to shine it is awesome. Lightning is a good protagonist, arrogant hotshot who gets humbled (much like Kuzco in my favourite Disney movie). There is a flashback montage scene that reminded me of Jesse's from Toy Story 2 where all of a sudden your eyes are watering. Nascar is the most boring thing in the world to me, but I love this world where everything has wheels.  Whenever I watch ...

⭐ 7/10 The first season of this show was background noise for me, and even though I tried to watch this with Jess I would often be on my phone. There are some funny parts, and the actors are charismatic, but this is like the Netflix equivalent of a CW teen show. Really corny stuff, cookie cutter setups, conflict that could be resolved by just talking. Pretty insane the amount of money Netflix throws at this though, filming all over LA, using music from all the biggest recent artists in the openings, renting the Academy museum for a ridiculous engagement party finale. I can't believe it. Again the CW feel of this can't be understated. Every time there is a good emotional scene of two people finally hashing it out they have to play soft slow music with lyrics in the background. It's so distracting, and it made me so upset, felt like they don't trust their viewers to be able to pay attention for an entire episode so they gotta underscore these important scenes that might ...

⭐8/10 Just an old-fashioned good movie. This is a 90s courtroom drama that Jess chose, and was Edward Norton's debut that nearly earned him an Academy Award. It's about this hotshot lawyer who takes on a case in which sweet little Edward Norton is accused of murdering a famous priest. There's lots of twists and turns as you learn more and more about all the people involved, all the complexities that make them up and complicate this crime.  It's good! There is nothing wrong with this movie. It's smart, it looks good, it's really well acted, especially by Norton. It keeps you guessing, keeps you interested, and I think the ending is super rewarding. It's definitely a little 90s in how earnest it is at times, but I kinda like that for a change.  Easy recommend. Might not blow you away, but sure to please. 

I'm a big fan of T. Kingfisher, and I stayed up late to finish her most recent release. More inspired by Snow White than a retelling, this is about the poison expert who's asked to help the poisoned Snow, but what's really going on is nothing anyone could have expected. This has all the hallmarks of Kingfisher's writing - an oddball FMC in her 30s, a unique premise, some horror elements, and a compelling romance subplot. And This might be my favourite combination yet!  YA horror that blew me away. It has dual timelines ten years apart, about Daisy facing an evil house, and Brittany investigating what happened to her. I loved how the haunted house story intertwined with complex mother-daughter relationships, forgotten Black girls, and friendships. And as a side note, it was so nice to have a book set in Canada and dropping so many Canadian references! This is a memoir written in the form of letters from the author to her son, from whom she's been separated. Homeira i...

⭐8.5/10 A phone app on Weview?? What's this site coming to!  This game is a year old, and despite being a superfan, I kinda put it off. But this game is actually very solid. Essentially it allows you to open 2 free packs per day, plus a bunch of free ways to open more. There is a premium version that sucks and offers little, so it really is game that's super easy to enjoy playing for free. There are also battles and trades that encourage you to keep collecting, which then help you build good decks, and it's a nice little feedback loop.  I mean, it's the classic Pokemon formula. It appeals to collectors, people who like competing, and people who do it for the social aspect. The art is beautiful, ripping packs always feels great, and the feeling of getting a super rare card that your friends don't have is consistently awesome. And beyond anything, Pokemon has a magic to it that is seemingly unmatched in culture that I can never quite put my finger on. Why ...

⭐5/10 We watched the movie last year and I loved it, but I thought the show didn't even come close. That's super disappointing because it's the same people who made it, and I love that crew, but man, I thought this show was painfully unfunny sometimes.  It's a show about classical vampires living in modern New York, and they are centuries old and so have all these spooky qualities and antiquated beliefs, and it's filmed as a mocumentary as they go about their day to day. Again, same premise as the movie, but that really worked for me and this didn't. I guess I didn't hate it. I managed to finish the season. I still believe in this idea, and there were funny moments, like the stuff around the Baron. I also loved the set design and costumes, and thought this was the perfect casual spooky watch. But in the end, I just didn't laugh much so it's hard to give it any kind of endorsement. I think the primary issue is that I simply don't find ...

⭐10/10 This may very well be Pixar's most underrated movie. I watched when it came out and loved it, but it's not really a casual watch that you pull out whenever you feel like it. If not for getting emotionally destroyed, I could very well see this becoming a fall classic with regular rewatches. Or should I say a Dias de los Muertos classic!  I think this movie is a beautiful celebration of Mexican culture. What struck me on this rewatch, especially with the Bad Bunny business, is that this movie does not shy away from being distinctly Hispanic. There is a ton of Spanish in this movie, especially the songs, and man, what a sexy language. I love the use of art style and colours, the greens and reds, and use of Mexican food, tradition, culture. It really does help me appreciate a way of life that is different than my own.  Moreover, the meditation on death, memory and grief is something that goes beyond culture and makes this movie distinctly human. This is a kid...

⭐8/10 Back to visit Eggers, a filmmaker I have an up and down relationship with. The thing I really liked about this movie is that it isn't black and white. I say that facetiously, but man, Eggers is so talented with framing beautiful, atmospheric scenes that I became super worried during that black and white intro that this is just his thing now.  I thought the first half of this movie was absolutely fantastic. It is dripping, yes dripping with dark, spooky, dreadful atmosphere. The introduction of Orlok is fantastic with his accent and taking 5 hours to say one sentence. I was totally bought in, thinking this was my new favorite horror movie. It was everything I wanted, entirely immersive with cool set pieces, great costumes, and the dialogue that is always wonderful is all of his movies.  The second half lost me a little. Not sure it was even the movie's fault, but this movie is super dreadful and after 2 hours I was begging for respite. Not only that, but the w...

⭐10/10 What a year it's been for games! In the last few months, I've played 3 games that all approach top ten all-timers for me. Between Returnal, Silksong, and now this one, Hades II might actually be the game I was in love with over the others.  That's not to say I think it's the best of the three. I have some quibbles for sure. The things that I usually really care about were not all great here. I don't think this game looks particularly good, with a messy art style and cluttered screen. I never thought the music was great. I also couldn't care less about the story in a game like this, but for the record people didn't love it. I guess my bigger complaint with the story is that I find the presentation so, so dull. It's entirely told through people talking in boring ways. I'm always surprised people enjoy a story that's told this way.  But who cares about any of that! I was utterly taken by this game. I guess I should explain the gam...

⭐ 5/10 My goodness I thought this movie was atrocious. On par with all the flimsy hollow super hero movies basically since Endgame. Watching it outside the hype of its release is interesting, and I get that for fans of the comics or whatever its satisfying just to see a new depiction, but this was a boring and empty viewing experience. First off, it looks terrible! Congrats on getting rid of the Snyder bleakness, but instead you've just made everything ultra blue and saturated. The fights are incoherent CGI messes, just nothing interesting to look at here. The actors are fine, and the chipper attitudes are refreshing given the past couple years of DC movies, but I had to really fight the urge to just be on my phone. How about the story? Something about pocket universes, a baby alien's and its dad, war in the middle east? I'll get back to the Israel/Palestine of it all, but this quickly gets in to comic mumbo-jumbo and I just did not care. There is an interesting scene earl...

⭐ 9/10 The highly anticipated second season of a show my wife and I both loved! This was on par with season one, no real low spots, but it didn't take the leap the way I wanted it to. However, episode 3 was one of the funniest things I have seen in a long time, me and Jess were crying with laughter. Lots in common with the dinner party episode of The Office, kind of the same setup actually, and they crushed it, each character going through some uncomfortable or awkward situation. It was written by Stephanie Koenig, who also stars in the show, and its really cool that she got the chance to own an episode and absolutely crushed it. My favourite thing about this show is its two-sided takes on modern issue. Evan is super liberal, but teaching at a school in Texas, and his ultra-annoying fixations and stances are played well against some more apathetic teachers, or even teachers with opposing views. Its refreshing to hear genuine pushback to hot button issues of the day, without it bei...

⭐7.5/10 This is a super campy 90s horror-comedy that Jess chose under my strict spooky season regime. And she picked a winner! This one features 90s icons Meryl Streep and Goldie Hawn, as well as Bruce Willis in a bit of an odd role for him, but it worked nicely.  It's a movie about these two super hateable women vying for the attention of Bruce Willis by trying to stay young and hot, which leads them down a dark path. It's super silly and weird, and definitely has all the qualities of a cult classic. It's a theatre kid movie, but I laughed a lot and had a good time.  I don't have that much else to say! I liked it! I thought it actually touched on themes of beauty and pressure for ageing women in some very interesting ways, but again, it's silly, it's not trying to change the world. It's fun to watch and perfect for the season so long as you can stomach some yucky body horror with some laughably dated effects. 

⭐ 10/10 Wow! I mean Wow! So... this book is unreal. Shout out to Joe for the recommendation. I can't think a time I've enjoyed a book this much in recent years. This is just one of those books that has a soul to it, like it is a character in and of itself. Like the narrator's voice is coming from the very pages and spine of the book. This book is an epic, a grand tale of the old west. We follow Gus, Call, Deets, Pea Eye, Newt, and a slew of others who come in and out of the group known as the Hat Creek Outfit. One day, on the horizon, our boys see none other than Jake Spoon, an old ranger who worked along the Gus and Call during the American crusade against the natives. Jake mentions to his old comrades that there is some insane opportunity up in Montana to become successful cattle ranchers. With that, the trek begins. The boys wrangle up some horses, cattle, and cowboys to drive these steer up to the pastures of Montana. Accompanied by a prostitute named Lorena, the crew ...