Never been read harder than when my little brother saw this and said ‘I really liked it but YOU’LL love it’. This must be how some trans people felt seeing the Matrix, feeling seen, feeling called out, a generational disillusionment and a deep dysphoria acknowledged. But The Matrix is a power fantasy by directors who love to ape black aesthetics but hold a disdain for us, blame us. This is a cautionary tale, one full of empathy but good god I cannot be this.
I thought I had scheduled an appointment for this morning to talk to a provider about HRT. I spent the previous night wrapped in anxiety about what if things go wrong, what if they change for the worse, what if it won’t ’fix’ me, what if I talk to these people and they call me out, I’m not trans enough, I’m confused. It didn’t go through, I guess. They never called. I scheduled another in two weeks, got the email confirmation. And a part of me was relieved. Passed the buck down. A misunderstanding I can wash my hands of, a perfect excuse I could not be faulted for.
And then I saw this. As if to wash the doubt away. This hollowed me out. I feel raw and exposed and empty like it dug my heart out. I’ve been Owen. I am Owen. I don’t talk right, it’s hard to look people in the eyes, my skin doesn’t fit right, I feel hollow and I look in the mirror and often I see something disgusting and rotting. Owen in the ending is like my biggest nightmare put on screen. I got chicken tenders at the theater, I know, I’m a weirdo, and they asked for the name of the order and I used my birth name. Here. At no risk to me, nobody who knows me, I still couldn’t use Jaycee. I don’t use it at drive throughs. The name I chose, that the people I love and trust call me across the internet, that I use on the dating apps, I couldn’t use. Why? Because I don’t feel like I’ve earned it? Because it doesn’t feel time? There is still time.
I could say more about how this hits as someone who grew up on Buffy and Whedon shows for better and worse in high school despite being born a year before the show premiered, how it hits a nostalgia of a time I knew from behind the screen and then how time skips into now, like a shattering of the escape. I could talk about the attachment formed to a show before the Internet showed you all the fans who loved it like you, seeing yourself in it, projecting onto it what may not be there and reckoning with that as you grow. I could talk about Smith’s aching wound of a performance or Liddy-Paine’s killer monologue, or the breathtaking lighting and cinematography, but all I need to say is what I needed to hear.
There is still time. But that doesn’t mean there’s time to waste. I’m going to do that appointment. I’m going to use my name. I’m going to claw to who I want to be and who I am inch by inch. And like Owen, I may be alone when I take that path but I will be so relieved to be on it, I will know who I am, and that will be in part due to seeing the TV glow.
Y Tu Mama Tambien is a coming-of-age story about sexuality and betrayal. It's a sad story, but it's real. Cinematically, there is much to praise.
And so it is, I have finally watched this film. It was awesome, had such a good time watching it and the social commentary as the backdrop (and simultaneously the stand out feature) for the film was really hard-hitting and my favourite part. i freaking love road movies and this is definitely one of the best.
I loved it. I loved the story, the acting, the cinematography (those long takes), the emotions, everything. Just a fantastic coming of age road trip movie.
The haters are going to hate this movie. Mostly because they just default to hating Captain Marvel and Ms Marvel. Come in just looking for things to hate. But this movie is a LOT of fun. Go in in a light hearted mood. Numerous things had me laughing out loud in the cinema.
The end could have been wrapped up a bit faster.
And OMFG THE MID-CREDITS SCENE!!! OMGOMGOMOGOD!!! (there is no post-credits scene).
I remember watching this when I was 11 and thinking "woah, Greek gods in an adventure movie, that's so cool!" Then, a few days ago, I decided to give the novel a shot, seeing as the new Disney+ adaptation came out. I wanted to see what the book was like before watching the show. Needless to say, this 2010 version strayed from the original material waaaaaay too much for me to be able to rate it anything higher than a 4. The plot didn't make any sense, and most characters seemed half-baked. Here's to hoping the new adaption is better!
Sometimes a film can be entertaining and terrible in equal amounts.
BlacKkKlansman is an undercover film, because beneath its brilliant sheet of light-hearted biopic lurks a dark satire of racism, all lives matter and Trumpism. It will sneak up on you with its dated 70's feel and then grab you with its arresting pertinence to contemporary issues. Watch this film or be doomed to repeat it.
BlacKkKlansman is so good that I forgot it was a Spike Lee film. More seriously, it even outshines 2006's Inside Man and the closing newsreel sequence literally had me sobbing in the cinema (my over-the-top emotional responses are just one of the many reasons I always sit in the front row). Not only one of the best films of the year, this is clearly the most important film of the year.
This is an incredible film. Not only is it a thoroughly entertaining film, it also comes with some hard-hitting messages. With the film taking place in the 1970's, I loved how it was able to tie a lot of things to present day, and make some slight jokes along the way as well.
I believe it's probably Spike Lee's best movie in years. Although the movie may be a bit long for some at 2 hrs 15 min, I was not bored for one moment. I highly recommend it.
Watching this in a totally white audience was an experience. The little titters and nudges when 'make america great again' was mentioned, or about police officers shooting unarmed black people, or even one becoming president; to the we won mentality at the final phone call.
Then the deathly silence with the current footage being shown. I think quite a few people realised it's not just references.
These people still exist today.
They still have their rallies.
They still have their marches.
They still murder in uniform.
And they still hold these abhorrent views.
I think I even heard some people sniff away some tears right at the end once they saw the footage and heard the words of people who were there.
Enjoy the film; enjoy the jokes (it is a funny film) but make no doubt the characters shown still exist.
no wonder they’re cursed they eat their oatmeal dry
Yeah, it's big, dumb, and corny, but it's got a little bit of heart so I didn't half mind it.
Its transformers, so you already know what you're getting. You don't complain at McDonald's when you order a McChicken and they serve you a McChicken.
"I miss people i've never met all the time."
Extremely quiet, slow, unengaging and energy efficient (barely any lighting). I usually love slowburns but this was too long and just boring. Filled with horror tropes and the story is something i've seen so many times. Only one memorable moment in it's entirety (it involves scissors). Beautiful landscapes and I like the house.
I see Sarah Snook as a high caliber actress... They don't really use her talent here, she's very limited by the script and any actress could have played her role. There was a couple scenes where she looked like she was acting for real but it's so dark you can't even see her eyes. The kid was good. They have good chemistry.
A beautifully shot and acted, piece of shit. I would rather die in the apocalypse than watch this again.
Titanium > Any other lullabies out there
The shot of the monster wearing the dad's face is probably the creepiest thing I've seen all year.
This could very well be a prequel to a movie about a serial killer.
Oh boy this is really gonna piss off all the preppy rapists of society, I forecast many downvotes and hate posts.
Sure everyone has their kinks and some people like to be dominated. Me? I’ve seen Venom, Venom: Let There Be Carnage and now Morbius all in the movie theater. So I know a thing or two about being a little, dirty submissive. Feed me more daddy Sony
Apparently you need to go into this movie not seeing any marketing since most of the negative reviews talk about how it was "mismarketed". I had no idea what it was about, had no expectations, and I thought it was pretty good. I guess if you went in with expectations of something it isn't, you'd be disappointed.
Nope is a movie of two equally great but disparate halves. The first is a harrowing examination of what we do when faced with ‘bad miracles’. Keke Palmer’s effortlessly charming Em wants to get hers, get the fame and money and recognition she and her family have fought for by explaining the terrible unknown. Perea’s Angel just doesn’t want to be left out of something this big. Steven Yuen’s Jupe is haunted by one from his past and looks to wrangle a new one as a way to understand and come to terms with it, give it meaning, And Daniel Kaluuya’s OJ does what black people have always had to do; weather the storm, stare it down, and know when to Nope the fuck out. This first half sets up that while Get Out reckoned with the horrors of the past that reverberate, and Us dealt with the monsters within us, especially the ones that don’t look like we expect, Nope will tackle the horrifically miraculous. The one in a million, can’t be explained but must be lived through natural tragedies.
The second half is a thrilling spectacle, a homage to both classic Spielberg fate like Jaws and old school schlock in the best ways. It plays like a fusion between a monster movie and disaster fare like Twister. It’s a heartening example of what blockbuster films can be with a director who truly has a vision and is allowed to execute it, as opposed to the ‘house style’ of the MCU.
Again, both of these halves are good, great even. And they are of equal quality. But they don’t quite mesh into one complete film like Peele intends. Still, it’s impossible not to recommend. The cast is fantastic. The things Daniel Kaluuya can do with his eyes are still unmatched, and Steven Yuen has a stare that feels nearly as impossible in length as it does masterful in conveying his character. Peele has fantastic shots, the naturalistic design of the monster unsettling while keying in on the core themes of the movie, and it has Keith David! It feels like a nod to one of Peele’s biggest influences, John Carpenter, cause there’s a good amount of overlap in theme and motivation of The Thing and the creature of Nope. There’s two great halves of two different movies that had they been paired with their matching half, could’ve created an amazing one. But it’s still no reason to Nope out of seeing this one.
I stand no chance of articulating my feelings towards this movie to the same high standard as some have already in the comments, but if you're not a fan of deeper readings, metaphor and underlying messages in your movies, steer clear of this.
While it should be par for the course with a Peele movie (given the majority of Get Out and Us are equally entertaining for their deeper meaning), I'm noticing a lot of takeaways from this movie being negative because it's only being taken at face value. The surface story here is very flat once the pieces are on the table, but if you read past it and figure out what the movie is trying to say, you'll pull much, MUCH more from this movie. Please read Andrew Blooms post in this comment section for a full dissection of all the themes presented and the overarching message here. Then again, if subtext and movie dissection aren't something you find enjoyable I guess this movie won't ring as loudly with you as it has with me.
Personally, I think I enjoyed this more than Us, but less than Get Out, but I haven't seen Get Out for a while so maybe that'd be different now. I'm just glad we've got someone making original horrors in a world of Disney and Marvel overload. Please never stop Jordan, you're doing great work.
racists got what they deserve
big balloon blood monkey just want fist bump :pensive:
What a great example of working with less or moving in space!
I actually disagree with others that knock this; I think it is a feature and not a bug.
The story and plot is very straightforward, familiar, and even overused or seen 100 times before. In her first feature debut, Chloe Okuno takes all of that in stride and makes something great here.
The tension building comes from someone who has been doing this for a long time, score, the lighting, location, camera, etc are all top-notch. Maika Monroe in the leading role does a phenomenal job here and just lets her face and expression tell the whole story.
If you're a fan of atmospheric, thoughtful, and physiological thriller you should really give this a spin! Just remember that flower, sugar, and butter may make a cake, but not all cakes are the same.
I always recommend this movie as part of my “mind fuck” suggestions. Its such a unique concept and there were things that I didn’t even catch and had to look up later. Definitely a movie that requires lots of Reddit reading afterwards. A fun one to theorize over and potentially watch again to see if you can catch little things!
for me, this film felt the most like the original series out of the rest in the AOS series! having the crew stranded on an unknown world, separated, and trying to find their way back to each other - nothing feels more 'star trek' to me!
I'm surprised that this film has a relatively low rating on Trakt. I really enjoyed the futurism, the themes of disillusionment and identity and the philosophical themes explored.
