A Week of Unplesent Movies

Society of the Snow

In 1972, a plane carrying a rugby team to Chili crashed in the Andes. Those who survived the crash are left to deal with cold, snow storms, hunger, and increasingly dwindling odds of survival.

This is a movie that I am glad I watched, but I will never watch it again. What these men went through is unimaginable, and the movie doesn't shy away from it. The brutal crash sequence emphasized the devastation that began their 72 days stranded in the Andes.

As great as the movie is, it is incredibly tough to watch. Spoilers for real life: they do eventually resort to eating the remains of the dead to survive. It is not glorified; it is just something they do. What makes it more impactful is that the movie takes the time to acknowledge everyone who died by putting their name and age on screen. These are not just random people they are eating; these are their friends. It is a powerful thing to do and reminds you that these are real people who went through this hardship.

“Society of the Snow” is now available on Netflix.

8/10

Rated R for violent/disturbing material, brief graphic nudity

2hr 24m

The Zone of Interest

Commandant Rudolf Höss (Christian Friedel) and his wife (Sandra Hüller) live with their family in the shadow of Auschwitz.

This was the last movie I needed to get all of the 2024 Best Picture nominees, and that is the only reason I intended to watch it. The subject matter seemed too heavy. It was, the movie was also not very good. Once you get past the mediocre drama with Auschwitz literally in the background, there is not much to the movie.

The most intriguing thing about it was watching this family live their lives while hearing dogs barking, gunshots, and people screaming in the background. The rest of the movie is very disjointed and uninteresting.

4/10

Rated PG-13 for some suggestive material, smoking and thematic material.

1h 46m.

Movie Review: Mean Girls

I have so many thoughts on "Mean Girls" and the state of movie musicals in general, so let's get right into it.

"Mean Girls" is a movie musical based on a musical based on a movie based on a book. Cady Heron (Angourie Rice) is a new girl at North Shore High. She gets invited to lunch by the popular girls known as The Plastics. She and two other students use this as an opportunity to take down the leader, Regina George (Renne Rapp).

Before I get into everything, I will say this: I enjoyed parts of this movie. I thought some of the new versions of the musical songs were very good, particularly "Someone Gets Hurt." Rapp is as great as Regina (as she should be; she played her on Broadway), and this version of the song is much more sinister than the original.

My problems start with the fact that it didn't commit to being a musical. There are at least three times where only half a song is sung. As someone who has seen the musical and listened to the soundtrack many times, it felt like it wanted to be as much like the movie as possible.

This gets me to something I mentioned in my "Wonka" review. Hollywood is afraid to market musicals as musicals. There was a time when these were surefire hits: Gene Kelly, Fred Astaire, Ginger Rogers, Debbie Reynolds, and dozens of other stars made their names in musicals. And while it stinks that very few musicals are released today, the studios should embrace it when they do: they might be surprised.

6/10

Rated PG-13 for teen drinking, strong language, sexual material

1h 53m

Movie Review: The Beekeeper

About halfway through "The Beekeeper," I realized what my favorite type of movie is, what I am dubbing "messed with the wrong person." Think of movies like "Taken," "John Wick" or "The Equalizer." These are the movies where some random person does something to a person, to quote "Taken," "with a very particular set of skills," they spend the rest of the movie regretting killing Keanu Reeve's dog or kidnapping Liam Neeson's daughter. Jason Statham is an actor who has made a few movies like this.

Adam Clay (Statham) is a beekeeper renting Eloise Parker's (Phylicia Rashad) barn. One day, she falls for an online scam and has her bank accounts drained. In her despair, she commits suicide. Clay, who used to work in a secret government program, uses his skills to bring down the people who prey on the vulnerable. All the while, he is being pursued by the FBI and the company behind the scammers.

I need to get this out of the way. I will watch any movie with Jason Statham in it. He doesn't always make great movies, but he does make fun movies. I have never regretted watching one of his movies. With that bias in mind, I shall continue with the review.

I had an absolute blast with this movie. The dialogue is terrible, and the plot boils down to a "John Wick" ripoff, but it was so much fun. It is a movie where there is no grey area. There are good guys, and there are bad guys. There are no bad guys who might be redeemable, which is a plot device I think it used WAY too much. Statham beats up the bad guys and does so effortlessly. Could the movie have made it difficult for him? Yeah, but sometimes that doesn't matter.

One of my favorite genres with an actor who always makes fun movies and it's under two hours? This is basically Matt Levy catnip. It would have to be pretty terrible for me not to have liked it. Is it a great movie? Absolutely not. I was never expecting it to be.

7/10

Rated R for pervasive language, drug use, some sexual references, and strong violence throughout

1h 45m

2023 Odds and Ends

Biggest Disappointment: Shazam: Fury of the Gods

I love the original "Shazam." It is such a fun movie, and it quickly became one of the best of the DCEU movies. It didn't take much; the bar was pretty low at that point (and that is no slight to "Shazam.") Despite the quality of movies in the DCEU, I was still hopeful for this one, and boy, what a letdown. Above all else, it was boring, and I hated every time the villains were on screen; I don’t check my watch often during a movie but did frequently whenever the story focused on the bad guys. 

Biggest Suprise: Wonka

I recently rewatched "Willy Wonka and the Chocolate Factory"; it is a masterpiece. It had been years since I watched it, and "Wonka" inspired me to revisit it. While I enjoyed the "Wonka" trailer, I was shocked at how much fun the movie was. Timothée Chalamet did a great job making Wonka his own and not trying to mimic Gene Wilder. My only real issue is that if it is a prequel, I don't know if I want to see the movies where Chalamet's Wonka becomes the jaded cynic that Wilder's version is. 

Best Video Game of 2023: Marvel's Spider-Man 2

One type of media I do not log or talk about is video games. I do not play many video games and stick to specific series if I buy new games. One of the few new games I bought in 2023 was Spider-Man 2." The first game was incredible. The gameplay was stunning (I could spend hours just swinging through the New York City of that game), but the story was one of the best I have ever experienced. I played the final boss fight while in tears because of the story they told. If this game had just cleared that, admittedly, high bar, it would have been my favorite game of the year. What it did was that and then some. The introduction of Venom as the bad guy, the story it told with the secondary bad guy, Kraven, and the overarching story of Peter Parker and Miles Morales made it easily the best game of the year for me.

2023 Honorable Mentions

Making a top 10 list is hard, and there are always some I wish I could put on, but they get moved off the list for one reason or another. Here are just a few that didn't make the cut.

No One Will Save You-It has some sci-fi and horror elements and a fantastic performance from Kaitlyn Dever. It is currently on Hulu if any of those things appeal to you. 

Talk To Me-2023 was a good year for horror, but this was the best of the bunch. I have been meaning to revisit it because I wasn't feeling good during it, but despite all that, I still really enjoyed it. A sequel is already in the works, and I cannot wait.

The Boy and the Heron-I have seen very few of legendary Japanese animator Hayao Miyazaki's films, but each one has been incredible. If this is his last movie (he is 83), then this is a fitting movie about a creator looking to pass on his legacy. 

Nimona-I really wish Netflix had released this in theaters. This was something special that everyone should have the chance to see. It is set in a futuristic, medieval kingdom, and the titular Nimona is a shapeshifter that the kingdom's knights have sworn to destroy. 

Asteroid City- This is the most Wes Anderson movie ever, and I loved it. If you are a fan of Anderson and his style, then this is for you. 

Most Anticipated Movie of 2024: Furiosa: A Mad Max Saga

"Mad Max Fury Road" is the best action movie ever. Full stop. Geroge Miller, who is 75, can direct action better than directors half his age. This movie takes the character who was, for all intents and purposes, the lead of "Fury Road" and gives her backstory. It looks absolutely incredible and is an early contender for the No. 1 spot on the best movies of 2024. 

Top 10 of 2023

10) No Hard Feelings/Joy Ride

This is a bit of a cheat, but I put these two here because I wanted to use the number ten to celebrate the return of R-rated comedies. Both of these movies luxuriate in being unapologetically raunchy comedies. I see them as throwbacks to movies like "Fast Times at Ridgemont High" or "Animal House." They also succeed at being surprisingly heartwarming and very satisfying stories.

9)The Deepest Breath

I raved about this one earlier this year and still think about it. It is one of the best documentaries I have ever seen. I was blown away by the story it told, the subject matter it covered, and the depths to which they managed to get a camera. My only real nitpick is that we only hear from one of the subjects at the very end. It was a cheap storytelling trick, but it didn't take away from how incredible this documentary is.

8) Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles: Mutant Mayhem

This was my biggest surprise of the year. The Ninja Turtles have always had some television shows or movies out but haven't been the cultural phenomena they were in the 80s, so while this looked like it had potential, I did not expect it to be this good. The animation style is unique, and casting actual teenagers as voices for the Turtles is both genius and obvious. Seth Rogan, who wrote and voiced Bebop, is just the person to shepherd this franchise.

7) Oppenheimer

July 2023 will be remembered for one thing; "Barbenheimer." We will get to the first half of that in a bit, but first up is "Oppenheimer." It is hard not to be impressed by what director Christopher Nolan did with this story. He wove together the development of the bomb and Oppenheimer's hearing on his security clearance brought about by accusations of communist party sympathies. I have a few issues with this movie; Nolan has never written women very well, and there was no attempt to deal with the human cost of this weapon.

6) Godzilla Minus One

This recently became the highest-grossing Godzilla movie and the highest-grossing Japanese movie in the United States, and with good reason. Having never watched the original movies, the only real reference point I have is the American versions, and this is so much better than any of those (especially the 1998 one). It did what none of those movies could: make the human characters as compelling as the giant lizard. "Godzilla Minus One" also serves as a reset to the Godzilla timeline, and I hope to see this one continue.

5) Barbie

With "Oppenheimer," I knew what I was going to get. "Barbie" could have been anything: a two-hour commercial for Mattel products, a shallow, cheap attempt to cash in on the Barbie IP, or a complete waste of time. It turned out to be something that used Barbie and told an interesting story that challenged both Barbie's world and our own. Greta Gerwig, the writer and director, took this well-known quantity and did something clever.

4) The Guardians of the Galaxy Volume 3

The "Guardians" movies have been the most consistent in the MCU. James Gunn, now in charge of the DC movies, took these oddball characters and made them some of the best in the MCU. This is the final movie Gunn will make for Marvel (barring some earth-shattering deal with Warner Brothers/DC), and it is a worthy sendoff. He was allowed to finish off the character arcs for all these characters in a satisfying way. I saw this twice in theaters; it's a rarity these days. The focus on Rocket (voiced by Bradley Cooper) and his past as an experiment made the movie one of the most emotional Marvel movies. That, combined with an incredibly satisfying ending, makes "Volume 3" one of Marvel's best.

3) Past Lives

There is a lot of spectacle in the other movies on my list: sequels, known IP, well-known directors, and characters. "Past Lives" is the quietest movie on my list. It is focused on these two characters and how they relate to each other over 24 years. There is an idea at the center of this movie of in-yun is explained as if two strangers pass one another on the street and their clothes accidentally brush, it means there is a connection between these two people in a past life. Do all of their near misses in this life mean that they were together in a past life? This is the first movie Celine Song wrote and directed, and it is a masterpiece.

2) Spider-Man: Across The Spider-Verse

I also watched this one twice in the theaters and was blown away both times. The animation, the story, the voice acting, everything is impressive. The different animation styles for the various spider-people and dimensions continued to be a breath of fresh air in a world of animation where everything feels/looks the same. The only note I have, and it is one I have for more movies as of late, is that even if it is part two of a trilogy, it needs to feel like a complete story.

1) Anatomy of a Fall

Once I decided this would be my No. 1 movie of the year, there was no way it was getting knocked out of this spot (sorry, "Past Lives" fans). When I saw it in the theater, I was blown away. Those courtroom scenes were brilliantly acted and written. The way the story unfolded made it the most compelling movie I watched this year; you are never entirely sure that Sandra is innocent, and even if you are, there is a lot of doubt that she'd be found not guilty. It is one of the rare instances where a 2-hour plus movie did not feel like it.

What Day Is It?: A Winter Break Movie Recap

Saltburn: I was a massive fan of Emerald Fennell's "Promising Young Woman," so I was looking forward to her next movie, "Saltburn." it is not a good movie and is way too predictable. I saw the big twist at the end coming within the first 10-15 minutes; that is how obvious it is. The only positive thing about the movie is that it looked good, and the acting was solid. 

"Saltburn" is on Prime Video (but don't waste your time)

Maestro: This is a biopic about Lenard Bernstein (Bradley Cooper) as told through his relationship with his wife Felica (Carey Mulligan). If I have one nitpick, Bernstein is considered the greatest American composer, and his music is almost an afterthought. The performances are great, and despite my nitpick, I appreciate the choice to focus on the relationship. It allows Mulligan and Cooper to shine.

"Maestro" is on Netflix

Past Lives: This movie came highly recommended, and I worried it would not live up to the hype. It did not disappoint. Nora (Greta Lee) and Hae Sung (Teo Yoo) are two childhood friends who reunite after 20 years. The movie boils down to two people who care for one another but are never in the right place (physically and emotionally) to start a relationship. There is a scene in a restaurant that is one of the most extraordinary scenes of 2023. That alone is worth it. 

"Past Lives" is available to rent/own. 

Rebel Moon-Part One: A Child of Fire: This is apparently based on an unused pitch for a Star Wars movie that Zack Snyder wanted to make. It is a long, boring movie, half of a movie actually, and it is terrible. 

"Rebel Moon-Part One: A Child Of Fire" is available on Netflix, but don't say I didn't warn you. 

Aquaman and the Lost Kingdom: I am a massive fan of the original "Aquaman" from 2018. In this movie, Arthur Curry, aka Aquaman (Jason Momoa), must save Atlantis (and the world) from Black Manta (Yahya Abdul-Mateen II). It might not be as fun as the first one, but it had a lot of moments that made it worth it. This marks the end of the Snyder-Verse (the DC movies started by Zack Snyder's "Man of Steel"). While most of those movies have been just OK to terrible, at least it got to end on a fun one.  

Poor Things: On this list, there are two movies I couldn't recommend because they are not good. I cannot recommend this one, even though I liked it, because it will be too weird for most people (most of Director Yorgos Lanthimos' movies are). The movie boils down to Frankenstin's monster exploring the world. The performances from Emma Stone, William Defoe, and Mark Ruffalo are tremendous but weird. 

"Poor Things" is in limited release in theaters. 

The Iron Claw: The Von Erichs are one of the most famous families in wrestling. They also have one of the most tragic stories. Of the five brothers in the family, only one is still alive; the rest died in tragic circumstances. This is not the feel-good movie of the year, but if you only know Zac Effron from the "High School Musical" movies, he will surprise you in "The Iron Claw." He plays Kevin Von Erich, the second oldest and only surviving bother. The movie is not about wrestling; though there are matches, its proper focus is on this family. It is in those moments where it shines. 

"The Iron Claw" is in theaters. 

Top Everything Else of 2023

When the pandemic began, I started logging all the media I consumed: movies and TV shows watched, books read, and audiobooks listened to. I have continued this every year since. For the movies, it is just an extension of collecting movie tickets for many years. As for everything else, it was the thing to do since I was logging my movies. What do I do with the lists? I use it to make my top 10 movies of the year, but the three other lists are just a time capsule of that year. Not anymore.

Here are the rules I laid down for myself. The TV shows must have aired this year, but the books and audiobooks can be from whenever because I am so backlogged on them that the odds of one being from the current year are slim.

Audiobooks

3) Cautionary Tales: Stephen Tobolowsky is an incredible storyteller. I have read this book, but to hear him read these stories was much better. You should also check out The Tobolowsky Files podcast if you want to hear more of his stories.

2) Mythos: The reason why I write is rooted in Greek mythology, and Stephen Fry's retellings of the Greek myths are one of the most entertaining ways to hear or, in my case, revisit them.

1) The Sandman Volume III: Neil Gaiman's The Sandman series is widely considered one of the greatest graphic novels ever written. This full-cast dramatization is so well done, and the cast is stacked.

Books

5) Sweet, Young, and Worried/Ephemera: This is a bit of a cheat. These two collections of poems written by Blythe Baird and Serria DeMulder, respectively, are full of heartbreak and joy.

4) The Song of Achilles: Written by Madeline Miller, this is the story of the Trojan War as told by Patroclus, a childhood friend and lover of Achilles. This book is so beautifully written, and the story is so compelling that this was one of the most leisurely reads for me this year.

3) Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles: The Last Ronin: I read many graphic novels this year, but "The Last Ronin" by Kevin Eastman and Tom Waltz was, far and away, the best. Shredder has won, and New York City is under his control. Michelangelo, the last of the Turtles, reemerges after years in hiding to get revenge for the deaths of his brothers and Master Splinter. If your only exposure to the Turtles is the cartoons, you owe it to yourself to read this. It is incredible.

2) Working On A Song: To say I love the musical "Hadestown" is an understatement. I am obsessed. It was the best one I saw this past year. When I found out that Anaïs Mitchell released a book that detailed the evolution of the musical, of course, I was going to read it. The book presents the lyrics to the final version of the song. Then Mitchell goes through the changes (if any) the song had in the various productions that led up to its Broadway run.

1) Tomorrow and Tomorrow and Tomorrow: I was recommended Gabrielle Zevin's book by two family members, and it did not disappoint. The book follows three friends as they create a successful video game company and the trials and tribulations along the way. If there is one book on this list that everyone should read, it is this one.

TV Shows

5) Silo Season 1: I have not read the books yet (see the previously mentioned backlog), but this first season of the show made them a priority. In the future, people live in an underground silo because the surface has become uninhabitable.

This show has a lot of mystery surrounding the world, including how the world came to be. The first season explores a conspiracy that mechanic-turned-sheriff Juliet (Rebecca Ferguson) investigates. She challenges those in power and questions the rules and norms that have been established. There is a lot I like about this first season. It harkens back to a show like "Lost," a show that blended mystery and characters.

4) The Fall of the House of Usher: I have been a huge Mike Flannigan fan since "The Haunting of Hill House," and this show does nothing to change that. Using the stories of Edgar Allen Poe, Flannigan tells the story of Rodrick Usher (Bruce Greenwood), his rise to power, and his fall as each family member meets an untimely death.

Full of great performances and inventive death scenes, this show had me riveted for its entire eight episodes. Flannigan has a knack for weaving stories and characters together in intriguing ways. I would not say this is the best of Flannigan's shows; that honor goes to "Hill House" or "Midnight Mass," but it is still better than many other shows.

3) The Bear Season 2: I watched both seasons of "The Bear" this year and was blown away. The second season has two of the greatest episodes of television; "Fishes" and "Forks." Those alone are reason enough for this show to get the praise it has received.

The show centers on Carmine (Jeremy Allen White) working to open a restaurant. The show is tense and chaotic, but at its core are the relationships between the staff. The episode "Forks" focuses on Richie (Edon Moss-Bachrach). He is a character I hated. He is the loud, combative "cousin" of Carmie, and I felt the performance was just "guy being an asshole." "Forks" is the episode that completely changed my opinion. Richie goes through so much growth in this episode; he goes from a guy just getting by to someone who cares and takes pride in his job. That episode and what he does in the finale make his arc over the two seasons something truly incredible.

2) Doom Patrol Season 4: This was the last season for this show and a fitting end to the weirdest, most heartwarming show in television history. To begin to describe this show would break your brain, so just know: The Doom Patrol is a group of misfits trying to be superheroes.

In the final episode, the big bad of the season is defeated in the first 10 minutes by a hoard of zombie butts (see what I mean about weird?) The rest of the episode is spent giving our heroes their happy endings. I would argue it is a better ending than the show I put at number one.

1) Succession Season 4: I binged the entire series this year, and it was worth it. Watching the final season in real time, reading articles, and listening to podcasts about it was as much a part of the series as the characters and story.

The show was the best-acted, best-written, and best-shot show on TV. It absolutely lived up to the hype. Unlike The Doom Patrol, the Roy children were never going to get their happy endings, but they each got the ending they deserved.

Movie Review: Wonka

"Charlie and the Chocolate Factory" is a masterpiece. Gene Wilder is an incredible Wonka and makes that movie what it is. The remake with Johnny Depp in the role was complete garbage. Now we have "Wonka," a prequel of sorts that explores Wonka before he became the most famous candymaker in the world.

Willy Wonka (Timothée Chalamet) finds his dream of opening up a chocolate shop stymied by a cartel of candy makers.

Chalamet's version of Wonka is nowhere near the jaded man that Wilder played in 1971. All Wonka wants to do is fulfill his dream of opening a chocolate shop. He has these whimsical, fun ideas and wants everyone to experience his confections. He has gotten through life by relying on strangers' kindness, which becomes his Achille's heel. He gets tricked into signing a contract while looking for a place to stay, which leaves him indebted to Mrs. Scrubitt (the scenery-chewing Olivia Coleman).

Slight tangent here, but it's leading somewhere, so stay with me. Hollywood is afraid to market musicals as musicals. Look no further than the trailers for the new "Mean Girls." It will be an adaptation of the musical, but there are no songs from the musical in the trailer. That brings us to "Wonka." This is a musical, but I did not even know it was when I went to see it. The trailers hid all of that. The songs are decent, nothing earthshakingly great. The important thing is that they added to the magic and whimsy of the world they built.

My expectations for this were low. The Gene Wilder version is a seminal movie in my movie-going life and is one of many reasons why the Depp version is terrible. I was pleasantly surprised by this version. It was a lot of fun, and I think Chalamet did a good job showing a younger, more idealistic Wonka.

7/10

Rated PG for some violence, mild language, and thematic elements

1hr 56min

Waitress: The Musical

I have been a season ticket holder at Shea's here in Buffalo since 2019 and have seen some incredible performances. "Hamilton," "Les Miserables," "Beetlejuice," and "Come From Away" are high on the list. Also on that list is "Waitress." It was an incredible show, and I highly recommend seeing it on stage. The next best thing is seeing the filmed version that has been in theaters for the last two weeks.

Jenna (Sara Bareilles) is a waitress in a diner with a gift for making unique, delicious pies. She is stuck in an abusive, loveless marriage, and one day, she finds she is pregnant. She reluctantly decides to keep the baby and plans to leave her husband.

Bareilles, who also wrote the music for the musical, is incredible. She was one of the actresses who played Jenna on Broadway, and I am so glad she reprised the role here. I have been a massive fan of the "Waitress" soundtrack since it came out (as well as a fan of all her non-Waitress music), and it was something special to see her in this role. Jenna has some incredible songs, but her best is "She Used to Be Mine." Her husband has found the money she was saving to enter a pie contest that she saw as her ticket out of the marriage. She tells him she saved it to get the baby some nice things. "She Used to Be Mine" comes at her ultimate low point; she sees no way out, and this song is about the woman she used to be. It is a beautiful song that gets to the very essence of Jenna: "She is hard on herself/ She is broken and won't ask for help/She is messy, but she's kind/ She gets lonely most of the time/ She is all of this mixed up and baked in a beautiful pie/ She is gone, but she used to be mine."

I wish that there were more filmed musicals. "Hamilton" on Disney+ and "Come From Away" on AppleTV+ are two of the only recent examples I can think of (and those will not be on physical media anytime soon). It would open the theater world up to more people. It would remove some of the elitism of the theater experience. Even with the Fathom Event ticket price, it costs me much less to see it at the Regal than when I saw it at Shea's a few years ago. "Waitress" was supposed to be in theaters for one weekend, but with its success, it was extended through December 21st. I hope this proves that the general public wants this more often.

9/10

2hr. 24min

May December

The price of streaming services is increasing, and as someone who subscribes to many of them, one day, I will have to start being more selective. I have said that Netflix would be the first one to go. It is the one I use the least and is one of the most expensive. Then they release "The Killer" and "May December," and I wonder if getting movies like these is worth the price.

Elizabeth (Natalie Portman) is an actress who, researching for a role, spends time with Gracie (Julianne Moore) and Joe (Charles Melton). Gracie and Joe started their relationship when Joe was 13 years old and she was 36.

The caliber of acting on display in this movie is staggering. Portman and Moore are spectacular. Portman's Elizabeth claims to be searching for the truth in her performance of Gracie, but you are never really sure if that is her real motive. Is she getting close to the family in order to give a good performance or add details that the tabloids didn't get? Moore's Gracie starts as someone you might sympathize with, but you see how controlling and manipulative she can be.

Even with two incredible performances from two of the best actresses, Charles Melton and his role as Joe stand out. I watched the first few seasons of "Riverdale," the CW show where Melton gained fame. He does a lot with his screen time. Joe is a man who had his childhood stolen from him by this woman. It is something that never occurs to him until he is on the roof with his son and is offered a joint. His son finds it hard to believe Joe has never smoked before, and Joe tells him that he never really got the chance. That is when Joe realizes the damage that has been done to him. It is a star-making performance, and I hope it propels Melton to bigger, leading roles.

I don't know if this is an easy movie to recommend. It is dark and methodical. The subject matter is not something that is a crowd-pleaser, but the performances in it are stunning and worth some unpleasantness.

May December is available on Netflix.

8/10

Rated R for language, graphic nudity, drug use, and some sexual content.

1hr 53min.

Godzilla Minus One

One of my greatest blindspots as a movie nerd is that I have never seen a single one of the original Japanese Godzilla movies. I have seen most of the more recent ones (the 1998 "Godzilla" was the first movie ticket I collected), but I have never gotten around to watching the originals. There is a Criterion Collection release that I have been putting off buying, but given the movie I am about to review, it has become a priority (once I see it for a decent price).

Set in Japan just after WWII, "Godzilla Munis One" finds the country confronted with the emergence of a monster.

This is easily the best "Godzilla" movie I have seen. It balances caring about the people with the monster scenes better than any of the other "Godzilla" movies I have seen. It was my biggest issue with the 2014 "Godzilla." I could not care less about the people in the movie; I only wanted to see the giant lizard.

"Godzilla Minus One" follows failed kamikaze pilot Koichi Shikishima (Ryunosuke Kamiki) as he looks to regain his honor. On the mission where he was ordered to die, he claimed his plane was malfunctioning. You cannot help but feel for him. He was ordered to die in a war that Japan had already lost. His surviving the war is seen as a disgrace. He becomes driven by this need to die in service of his country. He takes the dangerous job of removing mines before joining with other veterans to stop the attacks.

Now, let's get to the star of the movie, Godzilla. I love the design of this version. It is an homage to the original film with some modern updates. He is a CGI creation, but he has been animated to move like a person in a suit (much like the original). These giant CG creatures often have no weight, but Godzilla feels skyscraper-sized.

I hope that the box office for this is enough to justify a sequel. I would love to see another movie in this series. It had an actual story with characters the audience cares about, and the monster at its center is as ferocious as ever.

9/10

Rated PG-13 for creature violence and action.

2hrs. 4mins.

Escape (Updated)

Prologue

The smell of stale coffee radiated throughout the station from the stand in the corner. The dozen additional passengers stood around, heads staring at their phones or at magazines and newspapers. Everyone except the girl with a messy ponytail pulled through her tattered baseball cap. Clarke stood, music playing on her headphones, lost in thought, eyes staring straight ahead, focusing on nothing. Her moment had come; she was finally leaving. Her bags were packed, and the bus to a new start was about to board.

She was about to leave the city where she had spent approximately a decade. She may be leaving a place she loved, but she was also leaving all the baggage it held. She was leaving a crappy job, a stagnant relationship, and a city where everyone she knew had moved away and moved on. While that knowledge made her a little homesick already, she knew it was for the best.

As much as she still loved the city, it held too much heartbreak now. Its streets had become filled with sadness and reminders of her failures. She could barely turn a corner without being confronted with regrets, missed opportunities, and unfulfilled promises. Even now, as she wandered around the bus station sipping her coffee, she could see the building where she hadn't gotten her dream job. It was about six months after graduation. She had been applying and interviewing while waitressing and tutoring to make ends meet. She found a job as a marketing assistant at R&R, one of the best firms in the city. There was a lot of room for growth; if she got this job, she would never need to go anywhere else. She knew getting the position wouldn't be easy and that well over a dozen people were applying for it.

She got past the first round of interviews and felt very good about her answers. By the second round, the applicant pool was down to five, and this interview would be with some of the company's executives. She left her 90-minute interview feeling good. She stumbled on a few answers and might not have had the experiences other applicants had, but she felt like there was a chance. About a week later, she got the call telling her they were "going in a different direction." Even though she knew it was a long shot, the rejection crushed her, and she just sat in her apartment in shock as she processed the news. It took her a few weeks to recover before she was ready to continue her job search.

It was not all bad; there were a lot of good memories as well. A few blocks down from where she stood now was where she fell in love with the city. It was the summer after her sophomore year when he had gotten a waitressing job downtown. She had worked the late shift. She stepped outside, exhausted from the busy shift, and the city felt alive. She saw a couple snuggled on a bench beside the train tracks. The bars were humming with activity as patrons spilled into the patios. As she walked back to her apartment, she saw the audiences from concerts and plays filling out into the warm summer night. It was close to midnight, and there was still so much this place had to offer. It was then, at that moment, that she knew she never wanted to leave this city.

But that seemed like such a long time ago. Sadness had infected all the joy and excitement the city once held. The fights she had gotten into with Dylan, watching her dreams slip away, and feeling like she was comfortable in complacency. All her good memories had become tainted by feelings of regret and grief. It was a city littered with her failures.

Freshman Year

I

It had not always been that way. She remembered coming here on one of her first college visits. She was a girl from the suburbs and was in awe of the city. A desire to explore the city and all it had to offer was one reason she went to college there. Like some weird modern fairy tale, she met Dylan on their first day when they were moving into the dorms. She was struggling with one of the boxes full of her stuff, and he, like a Prince Charming in jorts and a backward baseball cap, swooped in to help her. She was balancing three boxes, and the top one was slipping.

"Need some help?" a voice behind her asked. She turned around, losing control of the box, which spilled its contents all over the lobby's black and white tile floor. She groaned loudly, put the other boxes on the floor, and started to pick up the contents.

"Sorry about that," he said as he bent down to help pick up the box's papers, pens, and other office supplies.

He put the last few items in and picked the box up. "I got it," he said. "Which floor are we going to?"

"Fourth, Room 406," she said as the elevator door opened.

"You can put that one on the bed," she said when they arrived at her dorm room.

"My name is Dylan, by the way," he said, holding his hand out. "Thank you for your help, Dylan. I'm Clarke," she responded, shaking his hand.

"Got any more boxes to bring up?" he asked.

"Yeah, just one more load."

They returned to the car, where Clarke's mom was waiting with the van in the loading dock on the side of the building. "Mom, this is Dylan. He's offered to give me a hand with this last load. Dylan, this is my mom."

"Nice to meet you," Dylan extended his hand.

"You too," she responded, giving him the classic mom once over. She had done this to every boyfriend Clarke had in high school. She always seemed to have some intuition regarding "the wrong guy." She was never judgmental about Clarke's choices. She was always there with a sappy rom-com and a big bag of kettle corn if the relationship ended in tears. Dylan seemed to pass her initial test. They grabbed the last two boxes and went back to Clarke's room.

"Thanks so much for your help," she said when the last boxes were in the room.

"Happy to help. I'm only a few floors up on 6. Room 628, if you want to hang out later."

"Yeah, sure. I might have time to stop by once I get all this unloaded,"

"I look forward to it, Clarke," he said as he walked out of the room towards the stairwell.

She ran back downstairs to say goodbye to her mom.

"I like him," her mom said, gesturing towards Dylan, who had just left the dorm.

"Goodbye, Mom," Clarke laughed, wanting to give that comment as little acknowledgment as possible.

She then went about unloading and stashing away all her things. She was just starting to make a dent when her roommate came in.

"You must be Clarke," she said, "I'm Becky," she said, putting down the bag she was carrying.

"Do you need help?" Clarke asked.

"That would be great. I still have a few loads down in the car."

They went down to the loading dock where Becky's car was parked. "It's the blue Fiesta," she said. The back seat was filled with two large containers and a few random boxes and suitcases in the trunk. When all of Becky's stuff was in their room, Becky looked at all her stuff and said, "I really don't feel like dealing with this right now. Any chance you want to go get some food from the Union?"

"Yeah, let's go," Clarke said.

When they entered the massive red brick building in the middle of campus, they passed the food court full of fast food places that would lovingly be called "The Grease Pit" and walked up the stairs to the dining hall. Dinner that night was Salisbury steak, a veggie mix, mashed potatoes, and gravy.

"I don't think I have ever had bad mashed potatoes," Becky commented as they sat down.

"Clearly, you haven't had Aunt Tracy's," Clarke said with a laugh. As they ate, the two roommates got to know one another. Becky was from Kentucky and came to college up north because she wanted to be far from her family. A year ago, her grandmother died. When the will was read, it caused a fracture among some of her family members. She had taken her share and put it into going to college.

"It got scary; it almost came to blows a few times. My dad and his sister were angry when their younger brother's name came up in the will. He had been estranged from everyone else for a few years. He had been in and out of rehab and couldn't hold down a job for longer than six months. They felt they deserved more than him, but they all got an equal share. I got out of there fast. She had always promised to help me pay for college; what she left was enough to get started.

"You think you'll ever go back?" Clarke asked, "Move back, I mean."

"Probably not. I love my family, but they showed me who they really are. I cannot shake some of what they said to and about one another. They were so quick to anger and had no compassion. My uncle is not a bad guy. He just had a bad go of it and never really recovered," Becky sighed. "But enough about my family drama. What about you?"

Clarke told her about growing up in the suburbs and her ever-growing desire to move to a city. When she applied to colleges, she jumped at the chance to go to a place unlike where she grew up as possible.

"There is something I have always loved about a city. I visited New York City a lot growing up, and I still hope to move there one day. I loved walking down the street, taking a left, and discovering something amazing. I love a nice backyard as much as the next person, but nothing compares to how alive a city feels. In the 'burbs, you have to drive for 10 minutes to see something interesting. You take two steps off this campus and are in the middle of something."

"You are preaching to the choir here," Becky said. "It's not like I came from a one-traffic light town, but it was damn close.

They spent a long time chatting and laughing, comparing stories and experiences. By the time they left, the Union was going to close, and as they headed back to the dorm, she remembered the invitation from Dylan. She felt terrible, but she had only just met him and figured she would run into him eventually.

When they got back, they noticed that the door to room 403 was open. They went over to introduce themselves. Courtney and Lilly were locals. They had been best friends since Kindergarten when Lilly moved in next door. They were both the babies of the family. Court had two older brothers, and Lilly had an older sister.

"We both relished being the youngest. Our siblings were always there for us, helped us out a more and a few scrapes with our parents." Courtney said. "They absolutely laughed at our epic failures."

"Like when you were trying to sneak out of the house and ended up twisting your ankle when you tripped over your mom's rosebushes,"

"I was pulling thrones out of legs for days," Court says, laughing.

"It really did pay to be the youngest."

"Wouldn't know. Only child," Clarke said.

"And I'm the oldest of two, but my brother is only about 18 months younger, so I didn't get much of a head start on him. We basically grew up at the same time. We were only a grade level apart. Best I could do is tell him what teachers to avoid."

Courtney and Lilly grew up and attended school in the city; their high school was just a few blocks from campus.

"We will be your guides to the city. "We know all the best places to go and things to do," Lilly said excitedly when Clarke talked about her small-town upbringing.

"The waterfront was a place to avoid a few years ago but has become a go-to destination in the past few years. It's very nice down there now." Lilly said. "And if you are here during the summer, something is always going on down there: concerts, movies, festivals, stuff like that."

It was after midnight when Clarke and Becky headed back to their room. The first orientation session was at 7:30. Whatever was not already unpacked was put in a corner, and the two of them went to bed.

A Weekend Full of Movies

I had a three-day weekend and decided to watch as many movies as possible. I watched The Unbreakable Trilogy on Sunday but decided to only talk about the movies released in 2023.

Friday

Priscilla-Dipson Amherst

"Priscilla" looks at the life of Pricilla Presley (Callee Spaeny) from the time she met Elvis (Jacob Elordi) until she divorced him. 

Last year's "Elvis" was a sprawling Baz Lurman epic, "Priscilla" is the exact opposite. It is a much quieter film focused on a smaller time frame. The performances are career-making. I have never been a massive fan of Elordi. The characters he usually plays are always very dull to me, but he was great as Elvis.

By far, the standout is Spaeny as Priscilla. In the movie, you see her fall deeply in love with him (she was 14 when they first met) and, as she gets older, realizes that this is not a loving relationship. Spaeny portrays this transformation in such a heartbreaking way. She is obsessed with Elvis. She convinces her parents to let her move in with Elvis before she graduates high school and changes her appearance to make him happy. This is the man she loves, so these are small sacrifices, but when the more controlling elements of his personality take over, she becomes more aware of what he is doing. 

8/10

Rated R for drug use and some language

1hr 53min. 

The Killer-My Couch

The Killer (Michael Fassbender) is forced to deal with the consequences of a botched assassination attempt. 

"The Killer" is a filmmaking masterclass. David Fincher's directing is as good as ever and continues to show that he is an incredible storyteller. Fassbender gives one of the best performances of his career. Most of his dialogue is in voiceover and puts the viewer in this character's mind. 

The first 20 or so minutes of the movie are him waiting to make the kill shot. He is in a building across the street from where his target will be, preparing for days before. Through the voiceover, he explains all the small things he does to prepare for the moment when he fires his weapon. He spends hours watching the other people in the area, ensuring his getaway vehicle is ready, and anticipating potential problems. 

I was riveted for the entire runtime. When I watch something at home, it is hard not to check my phone/ computer or get up and do something else. I am actively working on not doing the "two-screen experience," but "The Killer" is so engaging that I did not even think about anything besides the movie. 

"The Killer" is on Netflix

9/10

Rated R for strong violence, language, and brief sexuality

1hr. 58min

Saturday

Hell House LLC Origins: Carmichael Manor-My Couch

I will not write a plot synopsis because this one would usually not be a review, but it was a part of my big weekend of movies, so here we go. 

I think the original, "Hell House LLC," is one of the best found-footage horror movies I have ever seen. It followed Hell House's preparation and disastrous opening at the abandoned Abadon Hotel. I liked the second one, which dealt with an investigative journalist returning to the hotel years after Hell House. It was a decent follow-up. The third one's last act was not good (I appreciated what it was trying to do). Then there is this new one.

I liked parts of it. There were some excellent, creepy scares, and I liked how it tied all the movies together. It just had the same problem: the other sequels did-it could not live up to the original. 

Hell House LLC Origins: Carmichael Manor is on AMC+/Shudder

6/10

1hr. 38min

The Holdovers-Dipson Amherst

Paul Hunham (Paul Giamatti) gets stuck with watching the students without a place to go for the holidays. Over those two weeks, he and student Angus Tully (Dominic Sessa) and school cook Mary Lamb (Da'Vine Joy Randolph) understand one another better. 

I have a shaky history with Alexander Payne movies. I think that "Sideways" is overrated. I enjoyed "The Descendants" and "Nebraska," but I don't love them. His best film, by far, is "Election." It is with that baggage that I saw "The Holdovers."

This movie was too long. Whenever I say that, I think about what I would have cut, and never has it been more apparent than this movie. Angus is joined by four other boys who are holdovers, but they leave 20 minutes in (I won't spoil that). That is what I would have cut. All it does is set up things that we never get resolutions of. That would take the movie under two hours (which I always appreciate). 

I enjoyed the interplay between the cranky Mr. Hunham and Angus. This is Sessa's first major role, and he is terrific. He perfectly balances the snotty teenager and the kid dealing with deeper issues. Besides the length, it was a good movie and is easy to recommend. 

7/10

Rated R for language, some drug use, and brief sexual material

2hrs. 13min

The Marvels-Market Arcade

When their powers become entangled, Captian Marvel (Brie Larson), Monica Rambeau (Teyonah Parris) and Ms. Marvel (Iman Vellani) must work together to save the universe. 

The standout is Vellani. The "Ms. Marvel" show on Disney+ was enjoyable, but she was a revelation. She was cosplaying as Ms. Marvel at comic conventions a few years ago. Now, she gets to play the character in the MCU. She is living every nerd's dream. Kamala Khan (Ms. Marvel's secret identity) is a nerd and loves superheroes, so it is the role that Vellani was destined to play. She is great in this role and, as one of the final scenes in the movie indicates, she has a bigger role to play in the MCU.

Much of the discourse around this movie is about how the MCU is in trouble, and it is unfortunate that "The Marvels" is bearing the brunt of this discussion. The movie is a lot of fun-which is something not many Marvel movies have been in the past few years. The interplay between the three leads is excellent, and the scenes with just them are when the movie is at its best. 

7/10

Rated PG-13 for action/violence and brief language

1hr. 45min.

Anatomy of a Fall

When I write a review, I try to avoid hyperbole. I do this because I don't like to speak in absolutes. It tends to set expectations too high or too low. This is all a preamble to say that I have seen the best movie of the year.

In "Anatomy of a Fall," When her husband falls out of a window and dies, Sandra Voyter (Sandra Hüller) is suspected of pushing him.

I was in complete awe for the majority of this movie. When the titular fall happens, Daniel (Milo Machado Graner), their son, is out on a walk with his dog and comes back to see his father's body on the ground. One of the best things this movie does is keep the audience off balance. You are never totally sure if Sandra is innocent. At first, it seems clear that she didn't kill her husband, but as the case unfolds, you begin to doubt that.

The court scenes are some of the most riveting parts of the movie. "Anatomy of a Fall" takes place in France, and the justice system looks slightly different than in the States. The biggest is that a defendant can address witnesses directly. Things seem looser than I have watched on countless hours of "Law and Order." These courtroom scenes are where this movie is at its very best. They are as riveting as any action scene in a Marvel movie.

"Anatomy of a Fall" is well over two hours long, but it doesn't feel like it. The plot moves along quickly, and nothing feels extraneous. That is something I can't say about many of these very long movies that have become a trend. This is one of those films that I can easily recommend; in fact, I am going to encourage you to see it. The movie is incredible.

9/10

Rated R for some language, sexual references and violent images.

2hrs. 31mins.

Random Rambling: To Pee or Not To Pee

"Killers of the Flower Moon" is almost three and a half hours long. Some theaters, without the studio's knowledge, put in a 6-10 minute intermission. When this information got out, the studio intervened and asked the theaters to stop. This has been a hot topic amongst the movie-going community, and I am of two minds about it.

On the one hand, I understand why theaters would do this. It makes this incredibly long movie more accessible to people. Not everyone will willingly go out to a theater to watch a film of this length. Giving them a break might be something that entices someone who is on the fence to go to the theater. Scorsese defense for the long runtime is, "People say it's three hours, but come on, you can sit in front of the TV and watch something for five hours." With all due respect to the legendary director, when I am binging things at home, I have access to a pause button.

On the other hand, I respect the vision of the creators. The editor, who has called the intermission a "violation," works hard at pacing the movie. Their vision deserves to be seen in a way they approve of, which should be honored. For anyone to mess with that is a violation of sorts. To put an intermission in the middle of a film where there was not one before should not be allowed.

Here is the thing. If you have to go to the bathroom, just go. I am a teacher, so I have a "teacher's bladder" and can count on one hand the number of times I have had to leave during a movie. It is never really an issue. Since most people work in jobs where they can pee whenever they want, I sympathize. If you are going to see a long movie, prepare ahead of time; don't drink anything or go before the movie.

If a theater wants to put in an intermission that helps get more patrons, that's fine. The theaters are struggling, and we can't count on a Taylor Swift concert film to break box office records every week to save them. Then again, if you are going to a theater to see a three-and-a-half-hour movie, you are an adult and should go to the bathroom if you have to go.

In all honesty, this is a silly argument.

Killers of the Flower Moon

It says a lot about the movie industry when a director like Martin Scorsese needs to go to streaming services to get his movies funded. His last movie, "The Irishman," was released on Netflix. His newest, "Killers of the Flower Moon," is getting a theatrical release but will eventually only be available on AppleTV+. The kinds of movies he makes are not made as much anymore. The major studios tend to make big-budget, IP-driven adaptations and sequels. Scorsese is best known for his mid-budget movies aimed at adults, so he has had to look elsewhere to tell the stories he wants.

Set in the 1920s, "Killers of the Flower Moon" focuses on a series of murders/mysterious deaths of the Osage people in Oklahoma.

In the days since I have seen this movie, I have read a few critiques that bring up some valid points. The main focus is on the white characters (Leonardo DiCpario's Ernest and Robert DeNiro's William Hale) while normalizing violence against Native Americans (women specifically). It is a perspective I didn't have while watching it, but it is one I cannot ignore. As much as I loved the movie, it has flaws.

Lily Gladstone, who plays Ernest's wife, Mollie Burkhart, is the heart and soul of this movie. In a film with great performances from the likes of DiCaprio and DeNiro, Gladstone stands out. Mollie is the oldest of her siblings, all of whom end up dying or getting murdered, so the oil rights are hers when her mom passes. She carries the weight of all these deaths, most of which are murders. You can see and feel that in her performance.

She is so good that I wish that more of the movie was told from her perspective. Much of the movie is told from Ernest's point of view, and that is one of the valid criticisms of the film I have come to agree with. We spend more time with the titular killers than with those affected by the murders. There is even a moment late in the movie where Mollie should have been the focus, but instead, the camera lingers on one of the killers. It is a huge missed opportunity.

I loved this movie (even if it was a bit long). The story was compelling, and the three leads delivered some of the best performances of the year. It is great to see that even at 80, Scorsese is still one of the greatest filmmakers in the world.

8/10

Rated R for violence, some grisly images, and language

3hrs. 26mins.

The Exorcist: Believer

When I decided I needed to suck it up and watch horror movies, one of my priorities was watching the classics. High on that list was "The Exorcist." Not only was it a great horror movie, it was a great movie in general. There were a few sequels and a television show, but now there is a more direct sequel: "The Exorcist: Believer."

Angela (Lidya Jewett) and Kathrine (Olivia O'Neill) go missing and turn up three days later, miles away from their homes, with no memory of what happened. It leaves their parents with many questions and nowhere to look for answers.

There is only one good thing about this movie: the performances. Leslie Odom Jr, best known for originating the role of Aaron Burr in "Hamilton," is excellent. He plays Anglea's father, Victor, and has been raising her alone since his wife died. Odom Jr. plays Victor's desperation believably. He is a man who wants to protect his daughter from any danger, and when she becomes possessed, he can't.

When you call your movie "The Exorcist," one would hope that the exorcism is well done. It is not. Part of that concerns the use of CGI as opposed to practical effects. Nothing has weight, physically or emotionally. The thing the entire movie was leading up to was a massive letdown. With two possessed children, the potential was to ramp up the stakes and make it interesting, but it was the most tedious part of the movie.

"The Exorcist" is one of the best movies ever made. It is held up as a classic, and justifiably so. This new one had a steep hill to climb and did not even come close to the original. This is the first of a planned trilogy (the second one is contractually obligated to be made), but if they are going to be anything like this one, my only hope is that they do not tarnish the legacy of the original masterpiece.

5/10

Rated R for some violent content, disturbing images, language and sexual references.

1hr. 51mins.

The Shelf: Booksmart

As their senior year is coming to a close, Amy (Kaitlyn Dever) and Molly (Beanie Feldstein) regret that they spent so much time working and not enough time having fun. They decide to cram four years of fun into one memorable night.

The one common thread for all the movies on The Shelf is that I remember walking out of the theater* and thinking, "Wow. That was something special."

*This does not apply to the recent addition of "Trick r' Treat" and "Prey." These were released on DVD/Blu-Ray and Hulu, respectively.

The impetus for their epic night is Molly discovering that all the other students who spent their weekends partying will attend top-tier schools. Molly sees this night as a chance to change their story. As with many movies, this night is full of revelations.

Molly and Amy have gone through high school under the assumption that they were the only ones who cared about school. They would hear rumors about other students and take them as fact. In essence, they, Molly in particular, saw themselves as better than everyone else. This night dispels those ideas. In most comedies, Molly and Amy's assumptions would have been proved right and be vindicated.

There are so many great performances in this movie. Both leads are incredible, and much of the supporting cast does great things with their limited screen time. There is one performance that I love more and more every time I rewatch this: Bille Lourd as Gigi. She is the very epitome of a scene stealer. Gigi becomes this mythical creature in this movie. Molly and Amy attend three parties throughout the night, and Gigi is at each one. Gigi is a free spirit and fiercely loyal to those she considers friends. Lourd completely commits to the role and, in doing so, makes Gigi one of the most memorable characters in cinema history.

"Booksmart" came out of nowhere and was a massive box office hit. I saw it twice in the theater-it was one of the last movies I saw before lockdown in 2019. Not many R-rated comedies were being made at the time (I think we are in a renaissance now), so it stuck out. If I gave movies a 10 out of 10, this would be one of them.

The Shelf: Baby Driver

"Baby Driver" is a 2017 movie directed by Edgar Wright. It is the story of a getaway driver named Baby (Ansel Elgort) and his attempt to get out from under the control of the Doc, a mysterious criminal kingpin.

Wright is one of my favorite directors, and when he puts out a movie, I am in the theater as soon as possible to see it. He is best known for movies like "Shaun of the Dead," "Hot Fuzz," "Last Night in SoHo" and the geeky cult classic "Scott Pilgrim vs. The World." These are all movies I love, but a few things set "Baby Driver" apart: the music and the car chase scenes.

Much of the movie is choreographed to the music. Baby was in a car accident when he was a child. His parents were killed, and he was left with a case of tinnitus and a constant ringing in his ears. He uses music to drown out that ringing, making music a massive part of his everyday life. "Baby Driver opens with a bank heist and car chase set to "Bellbottoms" by The John Spence Blues Explosion. Cuts, movements, and even windshield wipers all match the song's beat. Every car chase is matched to a different song. It is such a simple, brilliant idea that improves these already incredible sequences. When I saw that first chase sequence for the first time, I knew this movie would be one of my favorites.

The car chases are some of the best I have seen. Sometime after his parent's death, he boosted a car that belonged to Doc that contained a lot of product (we are never told, but it is highly implied it is cocaine). He has been paying Doc back for years for the loss of the product. Baby is an incredible driver, so Doc always uses him in the heists. He is cool, calm, and collected as he races through the streets of Atlanta, trying to evade the cops. That is what I love about these scenes. The other people in the car are frantic, and Baby is focused on his job: driving. Combine that with the incredible music, elevating these scenes to another level.

So, why is this one worthy of The Shelf? It is because of its use of music. Wright and James Gunn are the best in the business when it comes to using music in their films. "Baby Driver" is the ultimate example of this. If you take it out, the movie suffers. It would still be a good story with incredible action, but the song choice in each scene is critical to "Baby Driver" being as great as it is.

The Shelf: Arrival

In "Arrival," alien ships have appeared all over Earth. The US government asks linguist Louise Banks (Amy Adams) to try to communicate with them.

One of the greatest compliments I ever received was as a preschool teacher. I forget what I said, but I used a bigger word than one would typically use with a 4-year-old. One of the dads heard me and said he liked that I used words like that. It is something that has stuck with me a decade later. I still use big words when I speak to my students. I have always felt that exposing them to terms and then defining them for them afterward was what teachers call "best practice."

I also write a lot, so I love language. If I had the mind for it, I would love to study languages and learn more about how words are formed. That is the core of what I love about this movie. It has aliens, but that is not what it is about. I have said it before and will keep saying it: this movie is a love letter to language.

One of my favorite scenes, and one I think about all the time, is when Louise explains why this is more complex than the government wants. The ultimate question they want to ask is, "What is your purpose on Earth?" They need to know if the aliens understand a question, a request for information, that they know the difference between the collective you and a specific you. Building up to that question and understanding their response will take time. It is a quick scene, but it is one of the most crucial in the movie.

With each of the movies on the titular shelf, there is a reason it is there beyond my love of it. The ultimate lesson is why this gets a place of distinction. "Arrival" shows that, while communication is important, understanding is essential in a society. When I watch this movie, it reminds me that, despite all the hate and vitriol that is on the news, the solution is exceedingly simple: we need to learn to understand one another.

"Arrival" has a lot of science fiction elements, but it is accessible. There are sci-fi elements, but it has an incredible story at its core. The performances from Adams and Jeremy Renner are some of the best of their careers, and the movie put director Dennis Villanueva on my radar. Even if you are wary of science fiction, I would recommend "Arrival" because it is as close to perfect as a movie can get.