I forgot to do this last week. I
was off from work on Monday for MLK day, and then took a vacation day on
Tuesday, and then I just…forgot. Oops.
Here is what I’ve read and watched over the past two weeks. Spoiler alert: it’s a lot of graphic novels and Netflix.
Books
Nimona by Noelle
Stevenson: A-. At first, the less
polished illustrations distracted me from the plot, but I quickly grew to
appreciate the style. The story—think The Incredibles from the villain’s
perspective, or Despicable Me without
those damn Minions—is hilarious throughout, and contains several scenes that elicits
The Feels ™.
What Light by Jay Asher: B-. Sure, it’s a standard romance featuring a
down-to-earth teenager and a “bad boy”; think Twilight without all the sparkles.
The parents don’t approve, some of Sierra’s friends judges Caleb—and why? Well, he has a reputation for being dark and
brooding, and he…may have pulled a knife
on his sister. Despite a silly as
hell premise, What Light works. Along with Thirteen Reasons Why, Jay Asher has proven that he is good at
taking the first impression an audience has for a character and tilts it in an
unexpected way.
A History of Violence by John
Wagner: B. I knew the film, A History
of Violence, was based off a graphic novel…but I never bothered to seek it
out. If I wasn’t at a library on a
Sunday afternoon browsing up and down for something to read, I probably would
have gone another year without reading the source material. Luckily, for me, the book was on the graphic
novel shelf, and when I flipped through it, I was intrigued with the art
design. The first 100 pages were an
excellent start to a crime story; unfortunately, the conclusion is
convoluted. I prefer the film, but there
are plenty of powerful moments in the graphic novel.
Check, Please (Year One) by Ngozi
Ukazu: B+. Then I read…
Check, Please (Year Two) by Ngozi
Ukazu: A-. My friend Gina strongly encouraged me to read
these (some would say “forced” or “peer pressured,” but I don’t know who). I’m not a hockey fan, but it didn’t affect my
enjoyment of this sinfully addicting coming-of-age story of a Freshman (later
Sophomore) college student who is on an athletic scholarship and meets his
hockey teammates for the first time.
This hilarious read also had many scenes that gave me The Feels ™.
Movies
The Little Prince: C+. Contains some strong emotional
moments, but Jesus this movie is too long and overstays its welcome.
Paterson: A-. Okay, so three quick thoughts: 1.)
I didn't get the memo that there was so much humor in the movie. I was very
pleasantly surprised at the tone of the film; I don't think it would have been
as enjoyable, instead probably too pretentious, if it took everything stone
serious. 2.) I'm going to co-sign the Adam Driver for Best Actor campaign. 3.)
I'm so glad I didn't take a friend to see this with me because they would have
HATED the film and thought it was a waste of two hours.
In honor of Friday the 13th, I watched a couple of movies in
that series on Hulu. I’ve seen all 10 11 12
installments multiple times and they are guilty pleasures, even though I’ll be
the first to admit they lack any merit.
Patriots Day: C+. Introduces too many characters and
forgets about half of them, yet fails to develop critical characters beyond the
typical "good vs. bad" dichotomy. Still, the big scenes play well as
a Hollywood thriller without disrespecting the families of the victims. I
cried!
Tower: A. This is an immense documentary achievement, and one that will
stick with me for a long time. The animation sequences bring life to this
important story without much footage available; talk about spinning gold from
straw!
Aquarius: B+. Yes, the plot doesn’t justify its
length: it's too long by about 45
minutes. However, if the movie gives me more time with Sonia Braga in the
leading role, there is very little to complain about.
A Bigger Splash: B-. Dakota Johnson is terrible. Between this, Fifty Shades of Grey, and How
to Be Single, I'm still not convinced that she knows what acting is. Thankfully,
unlike those other movies, Johnson only plays a supporting role. The chemistry between everyone else is as
uncomfortable as this black comedy needs it to be. Nice twist!
Live By Night: C. A misfire, to be sure, but not
uninteresting. Ben Affleck is hopelessly boring in the leading role; his lack
of charisma made me yearn to rewatch Brad Pitt's cardboard performance in Allied. The script is weaker than sweet
tea that has been sitting in the fridge for three days.
Little Men: C+. I don't like the screenplay, which
thinks it's saying way more than it is. Paulina Garcia's part is so harshly
underwritten, but god bless her the woman gives that role all she has; Garcia
is definitely the standout in an otherwise limp film.
The Founder: C+. I like Michael Keaton, and god help
him he's trying so hard to make this movie work. Unfortunately for his efforts,
I can't recall a recent movie that had so much trouble understanding tone. Is
Ray Kroc a genius who took a promising business and propelled it to prosperity?
Is Kroc the Donald Trump that we should despise? The movie is unsure if we are
supposed to marvel or revel with the main character. John Lee Hancock, one of
Hollywood's most boring directors, was unable to decide if he wanted to make
his film an expose on a billion dollar corporation and settled for a feature
length episode of Shark Tank. I liked
a couple sequences, but can we stop with all of the cutesy "oh, that will
NEVER work" wink-wink stuff?
Pit Stop: C. I’m all for a slow burning LGBT drama, but
when the acting isn’t strong enough to prevent the audience from checking the
time several times, an 84 minute film could feel like a three hour epic.
Split: B-. Let's be real, The Visit
and Split aren't great films by any
stretch, but they are entertaining because M. Night Shyamalan realizes how
silly the premises are and runs with them full stop. There are genuinely creepy
moments in the film, mostly because of how good James McAvoy is, but also
because of Shyamalan’s skill at building suspense. The film kind of falls apart
in the last 15 minutes, which is unfortunate. Oh, and cute reveal at the end. All of that said, I gladly cosign any
petition to stop having people with mental illnesses as the villain of movies
like this.
I Love You, Phillip Morris: B-. I was about to turn the film off within the
first ten minutes because the humor didn’t impress me, and I found it overall
crude without an ounce of self-awareness.
Luckily, I gave the film another shot.
Jim Carrey gives an often times hilarious performance, and his chemistry
with Ewan McGregor keeps the film entertaining.
I’m surprised a film so misguided in the first ten minutes could nail
the necessary dramatic moments and remain funny to the end.
And he’s what I’m planning to read and watch this week:
Books
I’ve been bad lately, which is why I’ve only been reading graphic
novels. My concentration has been
compromised, and I’ve been unable to power through slightly mediocre
dialogue. I hope that this passes
soon!
I’ll either read Our Chemical
Hearts by Krystal Sutherland, The
Colorado Kid by Stephen King, or Love
and First Sight by Josh Sundquist.
Movies
Oscar nominations are announced tomorrow, which will affect what I
watch, as I’ll try to catch up on some nominated titles that I missed. Additionally, I want to watch…
Silence (for real this time)
Gold
In addition, other things on Netflix/Redbox.
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