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Nine Perfect Strangers
Nine Perfect Strangers (2021)
9/10
Michael Shannon. That's all. That's the review....
16 September 2021
"Brilliant" is too mundane a word to describe Michael Shannon's performance. "Transcendent" is overused to the point of blandness. To quote his character, "I go back to madness." Mad, transcendent brilliance seems like a good place to start describing what he achieves here. Melissa McCarthy's performance yet again confirms her spot at the top of my "fantasy best friend list" and I may be willing to let Bobby Cannavale crash the party because his performance was so darn disarming that every scene he was in was an unexpected emotional risk worth taking. Luke Evans succeeds to sneak up on you as the confidant you didn't know you needed and Carmel? Let's just say I feel a tiny bit of her pain.

I'm....sorry - I just did a whiskey spit-take because "Fabio" Cannavale...you'll know when you see it.

But Jesus - Michael Shannon. This is gonna be a moment for him. This is gonna be a thing.
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Ad Astra
Ad Astra (2019)
6/10
DIY Soundproofing On The Cheap!
17 August 2020
This movie isn't as bad as some people say. Sure it's not realistic and perhaps it's full of politely humorous yet professionally detached canned space dialogue, but there are some introspective lines that sparkle like the stars.... Ok whatever. My takeaway: how to create a soundproof room using padded manila shipping envelopes. I see you, naughty dungeon.....
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Jacob
Jacob (2019)
9/10
Finally - the insatiably curious have a superhero!
29 January 2020
My entire life I've been told to focus. To chose one hobby. One subject. One major. One career. But I never could. After watching Jacob, I finally feel like that's ok. That my lack of ability to choose one thing isn't a bad thing. I will never achieve the level of multi-disciplined success that Jacob has (same brain capacity, wildly different speed of thought/understanding), but I'd rather be insatiably curious than bored in stagnation.
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Stranger Things
Stranger Things (2016–2025)
8/10
The Perfect Mash-Up of the Best 80's Sci-Fi!
15 July 2016
I've been trying to put my reaction to this series into cohesive sentences - even cohesive thoughts - and I just can't seem to do it. "Stranger Things" blended the best parts of some of the great 80's sci-fi films from "E.T." to "Poltergeist" to "The Goonies" to my all time favorite, "Close Encounters of the Third Kind." It was simply brilliant, and brings you back to a time when you were still able to feel a sense of wonder.

Though there are plenty of thrilling moments, this film does not rely on heavy CGI or jump-scares. It focuses on relationships between parents and children, best friends, and even a touch of romance. It takes you on a journey from a parent's worst nightmare to the resilience of those who rely on friends and cling to hope.

Also - you'll never look at Christmas lights the same way again.
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Whiskey Tango Foxtrot
Whiskey Tango Foxtrot (2016)
10/10
Tina Fey may Strike Gold in 2017!
3 March 2016
Warning: Spoilers
I've just returned home from watching "Whiskey Tango Foxtrot." I don't know how to begin to explain how intelligent, perfectly paced, unpredictable and spot-on the film is. They got everything right.

Tina Fey as "Kim Baker" deserves an Oscar. This is by far her best performance yet, but as with anything Tina Fey is attached to, you'll see nothing but excellence. She is stunningly brilliant in her journey from utterly green, sheltered, cube farming news writer to seasoned, battered, weary war correspondent. Martin Freeman was equally captivating as Scottish correspondent "Iain MacKelpie." His journey from jaded journalist to the realization that this life, as "Kim" says, "isn't normal", is just as engaging.

The supporting characters fully flesh out their roles becoming very real characters that you know and understand, especially Christopher Abbott as "Fahim Ahmadzai," the driver. His farewell scene with Ms. Fey was beautifully touching and at the same time respectful of the cultural divide between US and Afgan etiquette. Evan Jonigkeit won the end of the film with his explanation of his own journey through losing his legs. "You embrace the suck; you move the f*ck forward." Oorah, Sir.

Do not go into this film expecting a comedy. This is a dramatic portrayal of life as a war correspondent, with intelligent humor sprinkled throughout in equal measure to moments of terror. It hits every nerve and every note. It's extraordinary all around.
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