Movies: Months in Review {August/September 2019}
These last few months have been marginally more productive, movie-wise. ;)
Aladdin (2019)
Okay. So, to be honest, this is my least favorite of the Disney remakes so far. But, that said, I still quite enjoyed it! The cast is great, I love "Speechless," etc.
My problems with it revolved around certain technical choices that just seemed pretty contrived/weak to me, but we needn't delve into all that. The point is: it didn't wow me, but it's a fun movie that I'm glad I finally got to watch.
Captain Marvel (2019)
This was good; I liked it. :) (I mean, I wasn't so sure about it at the beginning, but the second half was pretty solid.)
Also, though . . . I think I might be trying too hard to like Marvel. I think I might need to just let it go.
I mean, I still truly enjoy some of the offerings, like Ragnarok and the Iron Man stories. And I love finding aesthetic and feelsy pictures to pin on Pinterest.
But . . . I just . . . can't . . . do . . . the movies . . . I really really really dislike them, y'all. Systemically. As a genre.
Forrest Gump (1994)
Yes, indeed: I finally watched it. ;-P
I'd seen so many clips of this and knew so many of the plot points that I was already almost completely familiar with it, but it didn't feel stale at all. It's a classic for a (good) reason.
I don't know what more to say about it, unless I were to go full-on analytical reviewer on it, whiiiiich . . . regrettably, I have neither the time nor the inclination to do.
It's good. That's all that needs to be said.
Poms (2019)
Mmmm. Not a fan of this, so much. I mean, it felt uncomfortably realistic in certain ways, but I'm not sure if it was realistic or if it was simply uncomfortable. I don't know. Either way, not a bad movie; just not one I enjoyed or would really recommend.
That Thing You Do! (1996)
This has an inexplicable charm to it that's quite . . . inexplicable. :-P It's one of those shows whose point, or meaning, or message, or what have you is difficult ⎼ nay, well-nigh impossible ⎼ to discern. Yet, it's entertaining. And kind of sweet.
So, basically, I quite like it; I just don't really know why I like it.
The Lion King * (2019)
I actually saw this in July, but forgot to include it in that wrap-up post. Hence the qualifying asterisk.
I really like this! I predicted going into it that Billy Eichner's Timon and Seth Rogen's Pumbaa would be my favorite element of the remake, and I was correct. Completely loved them; they were brilliant. :)
I wasn't uber-impressed with adult Simba or adult Nala, and the "Be Prepared" sequence was disappointingly underwhelming, but I think it was a great reiteration overall. I think the true "drama" of the plot hit me more with this one than the animated version.
Thoroughly Modern Millie (1967)
This . . . wow.
I saw a stage version of this at my local high school several years ago, and I don't know how a local high school production was worlds better than a fully-formed movie starring Julie Andrews.
Like . . . y'all. This was really bad. The story was boringly told, the music was highly underwhelming, most of the acting was pretty darn bad, and then ⎼ oh, and then ⎼ there was the offensive content.
First of all, there's the terrible Asian "representation" (essentially a mockery). And then, at the conclusion of the film, the resolution of the romance, the main character said to her love interest ⎼ and I quote ⎼ "Oh, no, I don't want to be your equal anymore; I want to be a woman."
Look.
I know this movie was made half a century ago. I get that golden age Hollywood was highly racist; that it exploited and misrepresented and all that bad stuff. I also get that it was sexist (not that that's changed).
BUT ARE YOU KIDDING ME??
I just . . . wow. I'm not shocked, just disappointed.
Madea's Witness Protection (2012)
This is hilarious and brilliant.
Unicorn Store (2017)
THERE IS MUCH PURE HERE; I REPEAT, THERE IS MUCH PURE HERE.
(It's magical realism, fyi. Which means it will adamantly not be everyone's cup of tea. That's totally fine. But I, personally, like it very much. :))
Aladdin (2019)
Okay. So, to be honest, this is my least favorite of the Disney remakes so far. But, that said, I still quite enjoyed it! The cast is great, I love "Speechless," etc.
My problems with it revolved around certain technical choices that just seemed pretty contrived/weak to me, but we needn't delve into all that. The point is: it didn't wow me, but it's a fun movie that I'm glad I finally got to watch.
Captain Marvel (2019)
Also, though . . . I think I might be trying too hard to like Marvel. I think I might need to just let it go.
I mean, I still truly enjoy some of the offerings, like Ragnarok and the Iron Man stories. And I love finding aesthetic and feelsy pictures to pin on Pinterest.
But . . . I just . . . can't . . . do . . . the movies . . . I really really really dislike them, y'all. Systemically. As a genre.
Forrest Gump (1994)
I'd seen so many clips of this and knew so many of the plot points that I was already almost completely familiar with it, but it didn't feel stale at all. It's a classic for a (good) reason.
I don't know what more to say about it, unless I were to go full-on analytical reviewer on it, whiiiiich . . . regrettably, I have neither the time nor the inclination to do.
It's good. That's all that needs to be said.
Poms (2019)
That Thing You Do! (1996)
So, basically, I quite like it; I just don't really know why I like it.
The Lion King * (2019)
I really like this! I predicted going into it that Billy Eichner's Timon and Seth Rogen's Pumbaa would be my favorite element of the remake, and I was correct. Completely loved them; they were brilliant. :)
I wasn't uber-impressed with adult Simba or adult Nala, and the "Be Prepared" sequence was disappointingly underwhelming, but I think it was a great reiteration overall. I think the true "drama" of the plot hit me more with this one than the animated version.
Thoroughly Modern Millie (1967)
I saw a stage version of this at my local high school several years ago, and I don't know how a local high school production was worlds better than a fully-formed movie starring Julie Andrews.
Like . . . y'all. This was really bad. The story was boringly told, the music was highly underwhelming, most of the acting was pretty darn bad, and then ⎼ oh, and then ⎼ there was the offensive content.
First of all, there's the terrible Asian "representation" (essentially a mockery). And then, at the conclusion of the film, the resolution of the romance, the main character said to her love interest ⎼ and I quote ⎼ "Oh, no, I don't want to be your equal anymore; I want to be a woman."
Look.
I know this movie was made half a century ago. I get that golden age Hollywood was highly racist; that it exploited and misrepresented and all that bad stuff. I also get that it was sexist (not that that's changed).
BUT ARE YOU KIDDING ME??
Madea's Witness Protection (2012)
Unicorn Store (2017)
(It's magical realism, fyi. Which means it will adamantly not be everyone's cup of tea. That's totally fine. But I, personally, like it very much. :))
Have you watched any good flicks lately?
What did you think of them?
THE. UNICORN. STORE. IS. LIFE.
ReplyDeleteIt's one of my top favorite movies. I absolutely adore its pure, wistful magical-ness.
I'm so glad you loved it too!!!!!!
*disappears in shower of rainbows & confetti*
IT WAS ADORABLE. <3 <3 <3
Delete[Oh, one more thing: "I don't want to be your equal anymore, I want to be a woman"?????]
ReplyDelete*GAGS*
*gags with you*
DeleteYeah, you pretty much summed up my thoughts on Thoroughly Modern Millie. There are a few enjoyable bits, but overall... no.
ReplyDeleteI've seen some of these, and then there are others that I now want to see, like Unicorn Store!
Yeah. Nope. :D
DeleteI hope you like them!!
I'll have to add The Unicorn Store to my list. I remember watching That Thing You Do when it first came out. I loved it and still do.
ReplyDeleteI hope you like Unicorn Store! TTYD is really fun. :D
DeleteUnicorn Store stole my INFP heart. It's definitely not for everyone, but it was for me. XD
ReplyDeleteExactly. :D <3
DeleteOh really?! I'm surprised! (Not disappointed, mind. Just surprised. ;)) I loved Aladdin. I saw it twice in theatre and am going to see it at a drive-in theatre this weekend. :D I just think it's oodles of fun!
ReplyDeleteOh my dear pal. We can bond over our feelings on Marvel together. ;) I'm totally with you on that one!! I TRY but man, I just... can't.
I haven't seen Forrest Gump in all of it's entirety yet!
I also haven't seen the new Lion King yet, either. I grew up with the old one and really wasn't sure how I'd feel about a live re-make of it... so have yet to watch it.
Was also very surprised to hear your thoughts on Thoroughly Modern Millie! I haven't viewed it yet, but was under the impression it was a good film. But wow, you're making me re-think it...! What does that last line mean, exactly? As in, they're saying woman is BELOW man or ABOVE man? :P (Either way - WRONG!)
Where do you find all these movies, btw? I struggling finding access to new movies. (Well, perhaps it's because my family never had a "Netflix" or "Stan" account...)
I haven't really seen many new-to-me movies lately. (Or even many movies at all. :P) One I can think of was "Persuasion" (2007, I think?). I liked it, but there were also things I disliked. Definitely didn't love it.
Oh, and I saw The Dark Knight for the first time the other day, too!! I enjoyed that a lot. Wasn't as creeped out with the Joker as I thought I'd be. Kinda wished Batman had a tad more screen time and also was very sad for Rachel. *cries*
Delete(I don't do Marvel, but I can do Batman, haha. (Or, *cough* Christian Bale as Batman.))
I like Aladdin, just didn't love it. ;) Ooh, you got to see it at a drive-in?? That must have been so cool!
DeleteTHANK YOU. It's just . . . I don't know. *shakes head*
You'll probably really like it whenever you do. It's really good! (Though, of course . . . content is a slight issue. *cough*)
My brothers and I love the old Lion King very dearly, and we all enjoyed it to varying degrees! I think, with that one (as with Beauty & the Beast), the makers did a good job of recognizing just how iconic and institutional the original was. So they didn't change it too much, just "freshened it up" a bit here and then. Some things were better in the original and some things (in my opinion) were better (or at least as good) in the remake. *shrugs* Anywho, just my two cents.
See, so was I, hehe. (Under the impression that it'd be good, I mean.) And . . . I was very underwhelmed. :-P And irritated, in certain ways.
I feel you! Typically I just use the library to get movies that I've been wanting to see for a while. Occasionally Redbox or the theaters themselves, and sometimes I'll be with someone who does have a Netflix or an Amazon Prime account and I can access movies through those. :)
Oh, I love the 2007 Persuasion! I'm glad you liked it, at least. :D
I haven't seen The Dark Knight; I saw . . . The Dark Knight Returns? Maybe?? Is that one of the movies?? Lol I don't know. XD It seemed like a decent franchise from the little I saw.
Oh. My. Goodness.
ReplyDeleteI just saw the new Lion King movie for the first time last night, and then I remembered that you'd done a mini review so I decided to see what you had to say about it. And my thoughts are literally EXACTLY the same as yours!!!
I think Timon & Pumbaa are the best part of the movie, I wasn't especially impressed with adult Simba or Nala, and I felt very underwhelmed by the Be Prepared sequence.
SAME!!! I'd never before really consciously thought about the plot until I saw this remake, and then I was like "Wowww! I want this to be a story about humans!" 😜
Hey, look at that! *high fives* Great minds, and all that. ;)
DeleteIt really just did kind of Hit Me. And it's interesting because I've read Hamlet, but the drama/tragedy of the story never struck me as it did/does in The Lion King.