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.
