WeView

⭐ 7/10 I love hand drawn animation and was happy to watch basically the last gasp from that generation. I think this movie is good, but unfortunately that's really all I think.  There were definitely some positives for me. I love the setting, with the Bayou being one of the coolest, most atmospheric, historically-rich settings to exist. Definitely underutilized. I also loved some characters, like the white girl who is bouncing off the walls, the firefly with a thick bayou accent, and the crocodile was pretty good. The biggest highlight for me was the villain who had loads of personality and his first song is incredible (kinda the only good song). Otherwise, I liked but didn't love most of this movie. The main character is pretty plain, the prince is not super interesting, the songs are mostly forgettable. I thought the animation had potential, and was pretty good at times, but for the most part, didn't move me. Even the food, which is the easiest way to get me, ...

⭐ 10/10 I hadn't seen this movie since the theatres, and my goodness what a movie it is!  I remember being completely gripped the first time I saw it and it was the same this time around.  Wonderful performances all around, especially Benecio Del Toro, but I think my girl Emily Blunt is the perfect character to follow throughout.  She is an agent getting pulled into something she doesn't understand for some unknown reason, and you are dragged along by the collar. From the opening scene this movie is exciting and grim. I think it has a completely pessimistic outlook on life, a world where revenge is necessary and worth breaking all the rules for. I think the worst part of this movie is its attempt to humanize someone on the other side of the border.  Out of context that makes me sound terrible, and I do think its a good idea, just not very well executed, felt a bit tacked on. Although I will say when that guy pops up in the final sequence and you recognize him it is ...

⭐ 7/10 As Joe mentioned this was a WeView watch party, and it was a fun movie I hadn't seen before. I don't have a ton to add to his review - it is mega 80s. Pretty cheap-looking effects (although it looks like they used miniatures, which I respect) and some bad prosthetics that really took me out in some moments.  But the action was exciting and set up well. Unlike Joe I was aware that The Terminator is a bad guy, and I like how he is a scary force that can't be killed and is constantly on the hunt. I think the plot of the movie is cool, time travel to end a war in the future that humans lose.  Spoilers, but sending a friend back in time to become your dad is kind of hilarious, and I didn't go into the movie thinking that would be the main twist here. It's an iconic movie for a reason. Its serious but still manages to be fun, with a great pace that didn't drag once (except during the slow fingers-intertwined sex scene). I am definitely intrigued enough to watc...

⭐ 8.5/10 This was really great!  It had been on my list for a while, and it was a nice family drama to watch with Jess.  I thought each of the kids was good, even the annoying Judas of the group, and it made this family situation believable.  Basically Viggo is raising his kids out in the wilderness, and honestly it looks awesome.  I am not cut out for it at all but they make it seem idyllic.  Who wouldn't want their kids to be raised to fend for themselves and be in really great shape.  Oh, and they are all geniuses somehow! I think the arc of the oldest son is the most interest, and gets the most burn, and I thought it was really funny when he has what I assume is his first dalliance with a girl. His social awkwardness is on full display, and then you are like, oh ya, maybe this isn't the best way to raise kids. The family interactions are all great, especially Viggo's micro anti-capitalist lessons.  Some of the best scenes are when they are with th...

⭐8/10 Not entirely sure why I started a reread, but it has been years since I went through these. I was very curious to see how they held up as I know this story very well, but have not engaged with it for well over a decade. I think about kids lit a lot, and kinda wonder if kids still dig stories like these.  Well forget the kids, *I* still like stories like these! I don't read a ton of modern kids books, but I do think this particular sense of style needs a comeback, where the narrator is witty, where everyone has silly names, where not everything is taken TOO seriously but can still druge up some serious emotion when needed.  I loved the setup of Aslan in this. I definitely think he is the coolest character, just as cool as I remembered. I love the way other characters talk about him, I love how mysterious he is, how he is the main good guy but very much exists in the margins of stories. I'm sure there are a million characters similar to this in books, but I'...

⭐7/10 Weview watch party! Almost all contributers present!  I'd never actually seen this one, but it was definitely the kind of dark, grungy type of movie I was looking for. I also knew nothing going in. Did you know that the Terminator is the bad guy? This movie is mostly very simple. A humanoid robot from the future appears, and wants to kill somebody, and will kill anyone in its path.  That robot is Arnold Schwarzenegger, who is an awful actor, but he has literally 3 lines here so it's all good. He definitely looks the part, and he is introduced in a pretty cool way where you understand the premise and what is at stake very quickly.  This movie is super 80s, so you gotta meet it on its own terms. Its got some cheesy effects, some melodrama, a very over-earnest sex scene, some campy "futuristic" aesthetics. Its definitely not a perfect movie, but I think it is still a fun watch today. The music that accompanies Schwarzenegger in every scene is pretty awe...

⭐7.5/10 A little spooky pick for the season. I liked Get Out a lot and had high expectations for this one too. I liked it a lot, lots of really vivid images and definitely a few parts that were super creepy...  I can't say I loved it like Get Out though. Peele definitely makes his movies a bit more artsy, and I think that can take away from just telling a compelling story sometimes. I know they were trying to say something in this one, but to me it just seemed like the characters had insane motivations and didn't act like humans. I liked Kaluuya's performance as an understated dude (complete opposite of Black Messiah - the versatility!) but also his personality seemed contrary to his actions... Kinda just an odd movie. There were also some cheesy moments at the end that seemed to try some tried-and-true Hollywood cliches... I dunno, I guess a lot of the character stuff didn't work for me.  But who cares about characters! If you want a an ominous, dynamic, sc...

⭐ 9/10 This is the antidote to Abbott Elementary that I was looking for.  Workplace comedy but not a mockumentary, and with a modern take on the lives of teachers that feels true to life. This show is so funny with such tight episodes it was a real shame to learn this was only 8 episodes. I think Abbott feels "lived in" in that each character is distinct and its set in a specific place, but this is the definition of lived in.  Within 5 minutes you believe these people are actually teachers, the interplay between them feels genuine, really just feels like what season 3 of good comedies feel like.  The jokes are well written but don't linger, and don't try to be inside jokes. I think a big benefit here is this is a high school, so the student acting is good and the jokes are hilarious. Another big difference is that this is a rated R show.  The language and subjects of conversation are inappropriate - this is a high school! We all remember the disgusting things people...

⭐7.5/10 This show is still good, but I'll admit I'm getting a bit tired of it. I definitely had the thought of, how do they write so many incredibly tight episodes? I suppose I watch it much faster than they came out, but still, even over 7 years, it's impressive that they wrote nearly 200 near-perfect episodes. Tying in things from earlier in the episode, coming back to jokes from scene 1. The writers are very talented!  Anyways, slight downgrade here for no real reason besides it's getting a tad stale. The kids are no longer funny at all, and Luke is anti-funny. I know I keep mentioning that, but his weird, borderline rapey  jokes are really killing the vibe. Manny has also lost all charm, and I really used to like him. I still kinda like the Haley/ Andy stuff, but I had to laugh at the last episode when they tried to pull fresh conflict in. Oh yeah, they're still in the show and we need to make people remember! Whatever. It's still good. Cam rocks...

⭐6.5/10 This is the fifth and final book from White's Arthurian saga. It was published after his death, and does not really follow the rest of the story. The last book ends just before the clash between Arthur and Mordred, and in this one, Merlyn reappears to Arthur and finishes his education, which was the theme of the first book when Arthur was a child. In this one, he's mostly teaching him ethics and philosophy through straight lectures, and then of course turning him into animals which is his fav.  I dunno. This one isn't really what I was looking for at this stage. It's VERY idea based, and I can't imagine which child would enjoy this. It almost reads like Plato's Republic where the author can explain his philosophy through a conversation between two people. White has some very interesting, very modern ideas, especially because this was written right after WWII. Lots of thoughts on human nature, violence, war, good, evil, cooperation. Like, this...

Well what do you know, I read a ton of books in September! As usual I read a big mix of genres, although horror had a much stronger presence than usual, since 'tis the season and all. Most of my reads were 3+ stars, but here are my favourite reads of the month. A really lovely and emotional book, told from the pov of a 9-year-old biracial boy in foster care. A great example of show-don't-tell, since the 3rd-person narration rarely told us how Leon's thoughts, but I could still sense how he was feeling. An epistolary indie novel set in an alternate Regency period, which is magical and queer-normative. They can marry whoever they want, and women aren't treated as possessions, but instead it's birth order that decides whether you'll get an inheritance or need a chaperone. It's a really clever way to make it a more inclusive and friendly world, while still making it feel like a Regency romance with all its rules and rigidity and properness. The story mainly revo...

⭐7.5/10 This is an absolutely random movie that Jess came across. It's some indie-style drama/comedy from 1991 staring nobody you would know, except maybe Jo Bennet from the office (who is in a minor-ish role). It's about two young girls who become very close friends, and within 15 minutes I'm like, 'haha they're closeted lesbians' but then after 30 minutes I'm like, no this is a lesbian movie.  To be clear, this movie came out 30 years ago so it's never explicitly said that they are gay, but it's also not exactly subtle. This is a story about "friendship" and two girls essentially rescuing each other. I actually thought it was super effective. The two actresses had unbelievable chemistry in my opinion, making their relationship super believable and compelling. They recover from past traumas, open a diner in the deep south, and care for each other. It's super sweet, and they are super different characters so it was cool to s...

⭐8.5/10 Whatever you think this movie is about, you're wrong. It's actually 3 movies in one, all of them only tangentially related. This movie is marketed exclusively as a Ryan Gosling movie, but he's not actually in it all that much.  Still, I loved this unique approach. This movie is very artfully made, the unique narrative only being part of that. It's very slow going with little dialogue at times, with lots of cool, moody shots. I really dig this style, especially this time of year. Kinda noir vibes, and Gosling is always perfect for these roles.  I don't want to say too much more, and fear I've already said to much. It's a pretty cool movie that you probably want to go in blind for. Maybe it's enough to say that it's smart, well written, nicely acted, and thought provoking.  I don't have too many negatives, though I guess I'll say that after part 1, the movie is never quite as interesting. There is also a teenager at the end ...

⭐6.5/10 Boy do I have have some THOUGHTS about this show. I said in my season 1 review that I was happy they were trying to be faithful to the source, and ultimately came away with a positive outlook, and hope that this show could be good in the future. But I would say in the time between seasons, I had mostly negative memories of the show. The nice visuals had faded from legend into myth, and all I was left with was the memories of weak narrative, forgettable characters and terrible writing.  A few episodes into season 2, and all that came flooding back. I was less forgiving, and honestly wanted to stop watching. The writing in this show is just so inexcusably bad. I feel like I roll my eyes or cringe several times every episode. It's just so lame  and hard to stomach. The plot is pretty silly, or at least the motivations seem completely absurd. The pacing constantly feels off, at times feeling breakneck and other times going nowhere. While I can't necessarily poi...

⭐8/10 This is a movie based off a memoir of a nurse during WW1. It begins with the main character, played by Alicia Vikander, spending time with her friends and trying to get into Oxford as a woman in the 1910s. There's this budding (but admittedly unconvincing) romance between she and Jon Snow.  But that all changes when war breaks out and bodies start piling up and she begins losing everyone. This is maybe a bit of a spoiler, but this is a SAD movie. It's very bleak. This is a true anti-war movie, the story written by an anti-war activist. She wants to help the war effort by becoming a nurse, but she becomes exposed to the horrors of this senseless violence. I think this movie does an amazing job of portraying that. These aren't acts of valour and bravery, the injuries aren't just funny stories from decades ago. This is miserable trench warfare, and the injuries completely decimate the potential of these bright young people. You often hear about how these ...

⭐8.5/10 This is the fourth book of TH White's Arthurian retelling, and technically the last that was published during his life. It is also my favorite.  This it the book where everything starts coming to a head. The Lancelot and Guinevere affair is exposed, friends turn on one another, people start dying, Mordred starts making moves. It's my favorite part of the legend in general, all the main characters finally interacting and in conflict.  It ends on a pretty somber note, as does the legend in general, but I thought this was actually pretty effective here. The build up was great (altogether, this story is huge, so it better be) and you get the pains of these kings and knights having to carry out their duties. Arthur is a tragedy, and this was definitely a bit of a gut punch.  This book also features some pretty wonderful writing. While other books have been witty and clever, this one was far more serious and mellow. I thought White finally had a chance to sh...

⭐9/10 This is the new animated movie from DreamWorks, and I, like seemingly everyone else, knew this would be a banger just from the trailer. I definitely felt it was in line with a lot of DreamWorks projects in that it's not terribly creative, and maybe even a little derivative, but makes up for that in being splendid in other ways.  This movie is all about a service robot that gets stranded in (what looks like) the Canadian wilderness and thus has to take tasks from the forest creatures instead of humans. Eventually she gets set up with a gosling that she has to teach to fly. Again, nothing too crazy, but it's cute and lends itself to lots of charming interactions. This movie isn't hilarious, but it has some very funny moments, especially at the start, that made me laugh a lot.  But the beauty of this movie is found almost entirely in the gorgeous art direction and terrific, grandiose music. There are loads of very emotional moments, and honestly I'm not s...

⭐ 6.5/10 Somehow I had never read this one, and despite how quickly I got through it I can't say I really enjoyed it. I instantly found the idea that the world is turning to children to win this planetary war pretty ridiculous, and making these kids all geniuses at such a young age is hard to accept without some Dune-level genetic manipulation. There is an interesting prologue before my copy where the author talks about the impact of the book and that did warm me up to it. He sounded pretty sincere and humble about it all, but it sounds like this book mostly impacted gifted lonely children who read it and felt a kinship with Ender.  I know the authors on this blog were all in gifted classes, so I would be curious how someone else might have felt reading this at a younger age, but as an adult it just felt like poor storytelling.  Ender never fails at anything, he is a complete genius who wins every game in one try, and his struggle is all the people in his life trying to use h...

⭐ 7.5/10 Did you guys know this is the 8th highest grossing movie of all time?  Crazy.  It's fine, but I'm pretty sure its just exactly the same as the first one?  Emotions need to work together, bad memories shouldn't be thrown out and are used to inform who we are.  I think they added some funny emotions but they didn't really have a ton to do besides Anxiety.  Also, I wouldn't call wanting to impress the star hockey player Envy, but that's who always expresses that thought. There was a funny sarcasm bit in here that I thought really landed, but even when it does things like show the emotions in the heads of other people it is not nearly as funny as that part is in the first movie.  Maybe that's why I am kind of sour on this one - so much time has passed, and that first movie is so innovative, and this one added some layers but told the same story. Also, stupid note to make in a kids movie, and I love the way memories are represented by these orbs and th...