2019 Reviews
So... I swapped grading systems in September 2017! I've always hated that there are star-grading-systems out of 5 stars, and some out of 4, such that I always need to specify! And I've found that conversationally I use letter grades more often, as there are more grade options, allowing for greater specificity. So I figured that with my new approach of posting video-reviews on Instagram, now's a good time to swap grading systems. Heeeere we go: letter grades it is!
Also, if you think I'm too nice given that most of my reviews are rather positive, remember: I'm not a critic who's paid to see all movies including the bad. I only go to see movies that I think I will like, and I'm pretty good at gauging that :)
1917 (A) [Instagram post]
AD ASTRA (B-) [Instagram post]
ALWAYS BE MY MAYBE (B+) [Instagram post]
APOLLO 11 (A-) [Instagram post]
AVENGERS: ENDGAME (C) [Instagram post]
A BEAUTIFUL DAY IN THE NEIGHBORHOOD (A-) [Instagram post]
BLINDED BY THE LIGHT (B+) [Instagram post]
BOMBSHELL (B) [Instagram post]
BOOKSMART (B+) [Instagram post]
BRITTANY RUNS A MARATHON (A-) [Instagram post]
CAPTAIN MARVEL (A-) [Instagram post]
CATS (D) Instagram post & the dancing outside the theater
& "what is the successful version of Cats?" & follow-up review
& Marina CAT dancing in the theater & Mystery Science Theater: Cats
CLEMENCY (A-) Alfre Woodard is a national treasure, almost singlehandedly weaving this into required viewing. The story of a prison warden struggling with the moral challenge of overseeing death row (especially when potentially-wrongfully-accused black men are due up for the chair), it's beautifully shot and at times enthralling (albeit a bit slow at other times).
COLD PURSUIT (C) [Instagram post]
DARK WATERS (B+) [Instagram post]
DOLEMITE IS MY NAME (A-) [Instagram post]
DOWNTON ABBEY (B-) [Instagram post]
THE FAREWELL (B-) [Instagram post]
FORD V FERRARI (B+) [Instagram post]
FROZEN II (C+) [Instagram post]
GLORIA BELL (C+) [Instagram post]
GOOD BOYS (A-) [Instagram post]
HARRIET (B-) [Instagram post]
A HIDDEN LIFE (A-) [Instagram post]
HIGH LIFE (C-) [Instagram post]
HONEY BOY (A?!) [Instagram post]
HUSTLERS (B+) [Instagram post]
I LOST MY BODY (A-) A beautiful creation, both in visuals and story, that I encourage you to check out.
THE IRISHMAN (B+) [Instagram post]
ISN'T IT ROMANTIC (B+) [Instagram post]
IT: CHAPTER 2 (C-) [Instagram post]
JOJO RABBIT (A-) [Instagram post]
JOKER (B) [Instagram post]
JUDY (C-) [Instagram post]
JUMANJI: THE NEXT LEVEL (B) [Instagram post]
JUST MERCY (B) [Instagram post]
THE KING (B) Tbh, I half-watched this at home on the couch while doing some work on my computer. I feel like I watched it enough to have an opinion (um, totally quality but a bit overwrought, melodramatic, & slow for my tastes), but not closely enough to be confident in that opinion... I'll try to take a closer look at it sometime... just too much to absorb this fall! Anywho: #ChalametForever
KNIVES OUT (A-) [Instagram post]
THE LAST BLACK MAN IN SAN FRANCISCO (B+) At times artistically fresh & quite moving, but ultimately a bit undercooked & melodramatic.
LATE NIGHT (B+) A perfectly fun, and at times deceptively moving, dissection of gender roles in the late night comedy world through this story of an old school queen of comedy (Emma Thompson) learning a thing or two from her "diversity hire" new writer (Mindy Kaling).
THE LAUNDROMAT (C+) At times entertaining, this mess of a Big Short wannabee amounts to very little. You came out of retirement for this, Soderberg?
THE LEGO MOVIE 2: THE SECOND PART (B) [Instagram post]
THE LIGHTHOUSE (A-) [Instagram post]
THE LION KING (B+) [Instagram post]
LITTLE WOMEN (A-) [Instagram post]
LONG SHOT (A-) [Instagram post]
MARRIAGE STORY (B+) [Instagram post]
MIDSOMMAR (A-/D) [Instagram post]
MONOS (B) This Columbian film about eight young army trainees holding a POW hostage on a mountain is relatively captivating. It's a harrowing story examining uniquely extreme circumstances, but does so with little of the cinematic pop that I craved in order to be more drawn in to the world. These aren't flaws (its choices were aptly stark - the way in which it let the story speak for itself rather than muddy it with ham-fisted camerawork or sound would surely be appreciated by some) - it just didn't quite match my tastes. I wanted the film to do a little more to guide my absorption of its world. [Instagram post]
MOTHERLESS BROOKLYN (C+) [Instagram post]
ONCE UPON A TIME... IN HOLLYWOOD (B-) [Instagram post]
PAIN AND GLORY (B+) [Instagram post]
PARASITE (A) [Instagram post]
THE PEANUT BUTTER FALCON (C+) I want to be a supporter of any movie in which one of the main characters (& actors) is a man with Down Syndrome, especially when he does lovely work (so cool!). But when you step back and realize that you're watching a movie about Shia Labeouf helping a man with Down Syndrome become a wrestler, it's hard to turn down the sensitivity on your Hallmark-movie-shmaltz-meter.
PORTRAIT OF A LADY ON FIRE (B+) [Instagram post]
QUEEN & SLIM (B-) [Instagram post]
READY OR NOT (A-) [Instagram post]
THE REPORT (B+) [Instagram post]
RICHARD JEWELL (B-) [Instagram post]
ROCKETMAN (A-) [Instagram post]
SHAZAM! (B+) [Instagram post]
SPIDER-MAN: FAR FROM HOME (B-) [Instagram post]
STAR WARS: THE RISE OF SKYWALKER (D+) [Instagram post, & follow-up video with further railing on it...]
THEY SHALL NOT GROW OLD (A) [Instagram post]
TOY STORY 4 (B+) [Instagram post]
THE TWO POPES (A-) [Instagram post]
UNCUT GEMS (A-) [Instagram post]
US (B+) [Instagram post]
WAVES (A-) [Instagram post]
WINE COUNTRY (A-) [Instagram post]