Captain Fantastic

By

⭐ 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 their relatives, and the differences between the families.  Really well done.

I think my only cons are the kids all being geniuses, and also that the film makes you so sympathetic to Viggo.  I think that's the power of this movie, you feel their heart break with what's going on and you are instantly on their side.  But it also makes what he is doing seem kind of normal, and I felt some whiplash at the end of the movie when their lifestyle changes to be slightly more moderate. I didn't think the motivation to do that was really there, or it is there but also felt a bit more forced out of him by the in-laws.  I don't know, I felt good after the movie, but was a bit dissatisfied.

Honestly the worst part is that he shaves at the end of the movie.  Bearded vs unbearded Viggo is opposite polls of attractiveness, its actually crazy. Also, why is this movie called Captain Fantastic?  I was hoping the ending would be:

Child: "Dad, you are such a great leader.  What was it that mom always called you?"

Viggo: Looks directly at screen.

Cut to black.  Title card.

Comments

Post a Comment

Popular posts from this blog

Forgetting Sarah Marshall (2008)

By
⭐ 6.5/10 (Originally written by Tim) Watched this for the first time because we wanted a comedy, and it was fine. I laughed a couple times, mostly at Paul Rudd, whose character was amazing. Otherwise its just a 2000s raunchy comedy. These Apatow movies are way too long for comedies, and the feel-good endings take too long to get to. I liked the idea of a fake NBC show that Kristen Bell stars in, and those clips made me laugh. Jason Segel is fine, and he fits the depressed guy thing they are going for here. I will never understand why the two women in this movie are so beautiful and the two guys are pudgy idiots. I guess I do understand, given the target audience for these movies. Another thing, they clearly were in Hawaii for filming a bunch of this, but then there are a couple scenes that are clearly using a green screen for the background. Pretty weird, since I assume they were in Hawaii, so maybe reshoots? Felt kinda cheap. Anyways, good for a couple laughs, don't ever nee...
Read more

July Reading Favourites

By
Image
Look at that cover! This is a YA horror book written by a trans Canadian author that knocked my socks off. A small town has secrets it's trying to hide, and after the death of a boy and a newcomer arriving, things start slipping out of control. It's a book about being trans or queer and living in a small town, and how a community creating a facade of a perfect town can backfire. Also maybe closing your eyes to anything that's "not your business" is not good actually! It's violent and full of rage, and I loved the way it played with time and perspective. Check the triggers, but if you're interested in reading it, I'd recommend going in blind without looking at reviews or a longer description! This is a short book of essays about ableism and disability justice, specifically relating to technological advances for disabled people. Most of the essays focus on a different type of technology for different disabilities (prosthetics, hearing aids, cures for aut...
Read more

Magdalene's Favourite Books of 2024

By
Image
In 2024 I read another ABSURD amount of books, and I will not be commenting on what that says about me, my decisions, or the state of my mental health. So I'm just going to go straight into my favourite books of the year! I've posted about a lot of these in my monthly faves, but now you get to see which ones made it to my favourites of the year list! They're in no particular order. A Pacific Islander-inspired fantasy with unique, refreshing vibes. Hanalei returns to her home island, Her childhood best friend is looking for a dragonfruit to heal his mother, and Hanalei will use her connection with the seadragons to help. Lucier has a pretty simple way of writing, but the story was fun and beautiful, and it really took me on an adventure. Sid is a Korean adoptee living in a very white town that is over a crack where magic can get through. One day a Guardian falls, releasing magic and zombies, and it becomes a fight to survive. This is such an interesting blend of fantasy and ...
Read more