Author: Rachel's Reviews

‘THE MARVELS’ or How Not Even a Singing Planet Can Make Me Like This Homework

| Rachel's Reviews

Over the years as a film critic my relationship with superhero movies has been an interesting one. In many ways I’m a defender of the genre and find those who dismiss them as not being cinema to be absurd. However, the fandoms surrounding the popcorn films often make them hard to stand up for or engage with and this goes for both DC and Marvel. It also doesn’t help that the films, outside of animation, have been largely weak for a while now. Sure we get an occasional Guardians of the Galaxy vol 3 but most are underwhelming at best. The latest to join this club is The Marvels from the MCU. To say this film is a disjointed, confusing mess would be an understatement. It makes mixed entries like Thor: Love and Thunder look coherent and well done. If the combination of this and the very underwhelming latest Antman movie don’t give Marvel the wakeup call they need I don’t know what will.

I know some people complained about Dr Strange 2 being too tied to Wandavision and that was a concern I had, but I gave it a bit of a pass because Wandavision was in the heart of the pandemic when theaters were closed so most people attending MOM had probably seen it. Now we have The Marvels that requires heavy knowledge of the last Captain Marvel movie, Wandavision and Ms Marvel and I’m sorry but it really felt like homework this go-around. I wish someone had told me I needed to have seen all of this before watching the film and even if I had I still think I would be confused because of the choppy editing.

It is abundantly clear this movie was heavily influenced by reshoots. Characters are introduced and then we move away from them for a long while, plot points are scattered haphazardly without concern for flow or a coherent story. This is especially true with our villain, Dar-Benn (Zawe Ashton), who I think we are supposed to sympathize with but the character arc is so choppy and the performance so bland that I was completely unmoved by her.


It’s a shame because the 3 leads do have a nice chemistry together and there are fun individual moments. Iman Vellani is particularly good as the Captain Marvel hype girl Ms Marvel. I don’t know why they didn’t have her team up with America Chavez from MOM. The two of them have similar energy and would be a good dynamic but she is cute.

I also died laughing at a scene involving cats and Cats if you get my drift. They even have a section where they go to a planet where everyone sings all the time. That should be right up my ally but it was so disconnected from the villain and the story it only mildly amused me. For some reason (I guess?) Captain Marvel needs to destroy the sun because of AI that she destroyed in the first movie. This caused genocide of a people and this involves Monica Rambeau for some reason. I was lost.

I am sure some will say ‘but Rachel it’s just a fun movie’ and I do have to give it credit for being short. Most comicbook movies are so bloated these days but I don’t think it’s unreasonable to expect some coherence in story and character arcs in my ‘fun movies’ these days. There might have been a good movie buried somewhere in The Marvels but what I saw was a big mess. My Marvel ladies deserve much better than one of the worst movies the MCU has sadly ever produced (My advice stay home and watch Across the Spiderverse and TMNT instead.)

4 out of 10

Frown Worthy

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2 Wildly Different Holiday Films Both Fun: IT’S A WONDERFUL KNIFE, JOURNEY TO BETHLEHEM Reviews

| Rachel's Reviews

When I say I cover all things holiday over at Hallmarkies Podcast well I  mean what I say and today’s review is proof of this! Opening this week we have 2 wildly different Christmas themed movies but I enjoyed both and both take their holiday origins to spark creativity and joy in their own ways.

JOURNEY TO BETHLEHEM-

https://youtu.be/Wj9_XgXu99U

Before I give my review I had the opportunity to interview the director, Adam Anders, after I saw the film. He was also on the creative team behind Glee and High School Musical so it’s a fun interview. Give it a listen!

I wouldn’t be surprised if Journey to Bethlehem isn’t treated kindly by most critics. It takes creative swings that will definitely be divisive. I am more curious to see how the faith-based market responds to it, as it’s not typically a market that gets artistic visions or creative storytelling.

As for me, a non-traditional Christian and more importantly in this case lover of musicals I really enjoyed Journey to Bethlehem. They do a challenging thing taking a story we know well and injecting energy and passion into it and reminding us of themes within that typically don’t get emphasized.

For example, Mary and Joseph’s love story is amplified in the narrative. We sometimes forget how risky it was for Mary to be an unwed mother at that time and for Joseph to marry her despite her pregnancy was a bold move. This is true whether you believe in the divinity of her pregnancy or not.

They also have a lot of fun with Antonio Banderas’ take on Herod. It’s a great example of an actor who knows his job and brings it with just enough camp to sell the role. His song “Good to Be King” is a musical highlight and a ton of fun.

The rest of the music is what you would expect from a creator of Glee. It’s big and brassy and if you know me that’s what I love. My other favorite song is “The Ultimate Deception” where Joseph battles with an angel and devil telling him what he should do with Mary. It’s very clever and well sung by Milo Manheim (who has huge charisma here as well as in this year’s Prom Pact)

Some religious viewers will bristle at the modern interpretations to the story in Journey to Bethlehem but since I’m not a traditionalist I appreciate the risks they took. I also like energetic musicals with big spectacle and that’s what I got here. It’s fun and that’s hard to do with a story like this. It captures the warmth and hope of the Christmas story with a burst of creativity and music. Sign me up!

8 out of 10

Smile Worthy

IT’S A WONDERFUL KNIFE-

Followers of my reviews know I’m not the biggest slasher fan but I have been trying to expand my palate in all genres in the last few years and I try to see all of the holiday films even if they are of the horror variety. When I saw the trailer for It’s a Wonderful Knife I figured it was either going to be super cringeworthy and cheap or a fun horror take on a story we know well. Fortunately after having seen the film I can say it is the latter. I’m so glad I enjoyed it because we are going to be doing a special episode of Hallmarkies Podcast on holiday horror in the next few weeks showcasing this film and my friend Lee from Drumdums youtube and Sean Chandler. They are horror experts so can speak to the movie’s quality within the genre but as a novice I had a lot of fun with it.

The movie takes the idea of alternate lives from It’s a Wonderful Life and adds a serial killer to the mix (I laugh just writing that!) It’s a pretty bloody movie but the plot is murders start happening in a small town and in desperation a teen wishes she’d never been born because she thinks she’s bad luck causing the murders.

Jane Widdop is likable as our grinchy lead. Justin Long is a favorite of mine and wonderful as the untrustworthy mayor and Joel McHale is terrific as Widdop’s father. Director Tyler MacIntyre creates eerie holiday tinged atmosphere and the tension builds with each murder.

The only thing that could have been improved is there aren’t very many nods or Easter eggs to the original film. They could have had more fun with that. Maybe name a character Potter or a bar named Martinis to pay homage? You don’t need to have seen the original film to enjoy this one and the movie isn’t as meta in that regard as I had hoped.

Still, if you are looking for a bloody good time this Christmas It’s a Wonderful Knife is a perfect choice. Give it a try. It just might surprise you!

7 out of 10

Smile Worthy

Merry Christmas movie watching!

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Current Mini Reviews (The Killer, Rustin, Mars Express, What Happens Later)

| Rachel's Reviews

Hey everyone! We are getting into the busy season both for my Christmas movie coverage at Hallmarkies Podcast and awards season for regular moviegoing. For this upcoming week I have a screening almost every night and in the case of tomorrow I could see 2 movies if I was interested in the new Hunger Games prequel. Crazy busy! Before all that starts I wanted to update on a few of the films I’ve seen lately:

THE KILLER-

I think one’s experience with The Killer will have a lot to do with expectations. If you are expecting a David Fincher masterpiece than you might be disappointed. If you are expecting a solid, well-crafted character piece you’ll be satisfied. Michael Fassbender gives a smoldering, near-solo performance as a hitman who’s plans go awry.

Fincher is definitely paying homage to film noir classics like Double Indemnity but the ever-present naration can be a bit  much. At times it even felt like self-parody it was so on-the-nose. Still, there are some great sequences like a fight mid-movie that is superbly staged.

With The Killer you have a slickly made film with a commanding lead performance but not one you need to rush out to see and fortunately you don’t have to because it’s for Netflix.

6 out of 10

Smile Worthy

RUSTIN-

Also coming to Netflix we have the biopic Rustin based on the life of civil rights activist Bayard Rustin. I have to admit this is a person I have never heard of so that’s on me and the film does a pretty good job introducing us to this enigmatic figure. Rustin is unique because not only did he do the groundwork coordinating the March on Washington in 1963 but he was an openly gay man at that time.

Colman Domingo gives an excellent performance as Rustin and the supporting cast is strong with a few exceptions (I’m talking to you Chris Rock.) I particularly enjoyed seeing Jeffrey Wright as Adam Clayton Powel Jr and Audra McDonald as Ella Baker. Da’Vine Joy Randolph puts in another wonderful performance after The Holdovers as Mahalia Jackson.

All that said, Rustin doesn’t do anything to elevate itself over the typical biopic but as I didn’t know anything about this person I was fine with it. Give it a watch when it comes to Netflix.

7 out of 10

Smile Worthy

MARS EXPRESS-

Unfortunately I was not able to attend the Animation is Film Festival in Los Angeles this year, but I did get to screen one of the films making its US Premiere there. It’s called Mars Express and is definitely something sci-fi and adult animation fans will want to keep on their radar.

It’s interesting because to see the similarities between this and the recently released The Creator (which I really enjoyed but most seemed underwhelmed by.) It’s hard to say what people will think of this sci-fi story, but I think its AI narrative is a little tighter and should be less problematic for viewers.

The animation from first time director  Jérémie Périn is stunning with a gritty yet immersive feel. It definitely takes inspiration from Ghost in the Shell, Akira, Blade Runner and more but the world he creates on Mars is unique enough to stand on its own. I particularly liked Aline as our lead character looking into the world of AI crime on Mars. I also loved the score as it gave the moody noir feel you want in a movie like this.

Mars Express is definitely one to keep an eye out for when it gets a mainstream release next year.

8 out of 10

Smile Worthy


WHAT HAPPENS LATER-

As the host of the Hallmarkies Podcast I am naturally a big fan of romantic comedies and for years we weren’t getting many of them in the theaters. This is why I was thrilled to see Meg Ryan not only coming out with a new movie (her first since 2015) but she directed and adapted the screenplay from a play. I’m a huge Meg Ryan fan and was excited to see her come back to the genre she hasn’t dabbled in since 2008. Now I have seen What Happens Later and it’s a mixed bag but I think worthy of a recommendation.

You can immediately tell this film is based on a play as it only as Ryan and David Duchovny are the only characters with vocal lines aside from an over-head voice. To be honest I thought for a while we were heading towards a twist that this was the afterlife and they had to reconcile their relationship before flying off to the spirit world (she’s even wearing white) but it doesn’t play out that way; although, there are surreal moments thrown in that make a person think this way (My friend Terry had the same feeling so I’m not alone.) I also felt like her character was a manifestation of the grown up Manic Pixie Dream Girl, which was interesting.

In the end What Happens Later comes down to the script. I’d say about 60% of the banter works and is charming. Duchovny and Ryan have nice chemistry and there are some sweet moments as they unravel their past. Unfortunately the other 40% feels very phony, contrived and the film definitely over-stays its welcome, having more endings than it should. Again, it’s a mixed bag but the stuff that works is pleasant enough for me to recommend. Hopefully this will inspire Ryan to make more rom-coms and keep the resurgence of the genre going. Welcome back Meg!

6 out of 10

Smile Worthy

So there you have it! Let me know what you have been watching and keep an eye on the site as we have a lot of screenings and reviews coming up!

If you like my writing and want to support what I do check out the patreon for some great perks here..

Blind Spot 94: Trick ‘R Treat

| Rachel's Reviews

If you’ve followed my content for any amount of time you know I’m a bit of a wimp when it comes to horror movies. Nevertheless, I try each year for blind spot to expand my palate and watch an iconic horror film I’ve missed. For the most part that has been a positive experience but I have to admit this year’s selection, Trick ‘R Treat was not one of those moments. It’s not just that the movie was too gory for my taste but its narrative is scattered with too many characters to become invested in thereby, making the scares less chilling than they would be for characters I know and love.

To begin with the trick-or-treater villain with the burlap pumpkin costume isn’t in the movie very much. If anything the villainous school principle Steven Wilkins is more of the villain of the piece but even he isn’t developed very well because the screenplay is constantly moving away from him.

Trick ‘R Treat takes a non-linear approach telling the story of a whole neighborhood that gets haunted on Halloween night. We start out with Emma and Henry in definitely the most gruesome scene of the film and then move over to Principal Wilkins and a boy Charlie who steals candy. Later we learn about a school bus accident where parents wanted to stage an ‘accident’ of their disabled children. Then there are 4 young women who are trying to get laid on Halloween but they have a secret they are ready to release on their dates. Finally we have Kreeg, a grumpy old man, who may have a connection to the bus accident from many years before.


There is definitely tons of gore in Trick ‘R Treat. It is without a doubt the most violent and disgusting film I’ve watched for Blind Spot but I imagine horror fans will enjoy that aspect and have fun with it. I’m a sympathetic puker and gagged at especially one key scene where a character throws up. Gross but I can also see some having fun with the grossness.

My problem was mainly the amount of characters and not being able to emotionally invest in any of them or their narratives. That’s what makes a horror movie scary is when we feel tied to the characters and don’t want anything bad to happen to them. This builds tension and makes the ride exciting. Trick ‘R Treat missed that in its over-crowded screenplay.

I’m not the best judge when it comes to horror and I know many love this movie so count me as an outlier opinion. It wasn’t my favorite and I’d probably never watch it again

5 out of 10

Frown Worthy

If you like my writing and want to support what I do check out the patreon for some great perks here..

Why THE HOLDOVERS Wows and PRISCILLA underwhelms

| Rachel's Reviews

Originally I wanted to write solo reviews for both The Holdovers and Priscilla but I am running out of time and the thought occurred to me ‘maybe a comparison of the 2 might be interesting?’ After all, why did one work for me so well and the other was so disappointing? Let’s talk about it!

Now they aren’t an exact comparison because The Holdovers is an original screenplay with fictional characters and Priscilla is based on the memoir of a real person Priscilla Presley. But they are both character pieces and both set in the 70s and both about young adults so they aren’t complete opposites.

The main difference between the two films is in The Holdovers we get to know the characters so well, even minor characters we don’t spend a ton of time with like Mary Lamb played by Da’Vine Joy Randolph. We learn so much about the choices in her life, her family, faith and everything else in only a few key scenes.

Priscilla, on the other hand, always keeps her at an arms-distance. You’d think a film directed by the daughter of a famous person, Sofia Coppola, would have something interesting to say about this famous woman who eventually leaves Elvis but she really doesn’t. The relationship is toxic but we don’t get to hear from Priscilla. What does she like about Elvis? Is it the money? Is it a spiritual connection? What does she want in life? She’s young but all the more reason to see her grow and develop as a character.

The performances are all good in Priscilla but its the screenplay that lets them down. It honestly felt like a made for TV movie without the moxie and camp those films can have. I felt like I learned next to nothing about Priscilla from watching the movie and I came in knowing very little. Isn’t that the whole point of the movie to tell her story? Evidently she’s a young girl who waited around in Graceland but had almost no personality herself. Also I felt they were trying to portray Elvis as asexual or disinterested in sex (he’d rather read philosophy) but they never did anything interesting with that either.

The Holdovers has 2 masterfully written characters with Paul Giamatti as the professor Paul Hunham and Dominic Sessa as a lonely student Angus Tully. They can’t stand each other at first but are forced to share the holidays together and come to understand and respect one another. It’s moving and authentic and wonderfully acted. It is also cool that Paul Giamatti’s character has a strabismus problem with his eye which I have too! I’m not sure how they did that if it was special effects or what but it was neat to see a character grapple with that in a feature film.

Of course I am drawn to holiday films but The Holdovers is really a film about friendship and how we all freaking need each other. I could nitpick about the ending not being perfect but it was good enough and provides a moment of sacrifice for Paul (who has been relatively selfish most of the movie) and some hope for Angus. Nobody has really believed in him in his life and now someone has and it’s beautiful,  moving and lovely.

Basically Priscilla is well-made but it left me with little insight into its characters where The Holdovers had it in spades. One has a weak script and the other is one of the best in years. It’s as simple as that.

Priscilla– Frown Worthy 4 out of 10

The Holdovers– Smile Worthy 9 out of 10

If you like my writing and want to support what I do check out the patreon for some great perks here..

Killers of the Flower Moon or the Pain of Having No Control Over Your Pain

| Rachel's Reviews

I wouldn’t be surprised if I’m one of the only professional critics who wasn’t going into the latest, Killers of the Flower Moon, from director Martin Scorsese with super high expectations. While I recognize the achievement in many of his films they often aren’t on my wavelength and not something I particularly enjoy (I famously hated his film Silence but have appreciated some of his films like Goodfellas.) Especially with it’s well over 3 hour runtime I anticipated KOTFM would be something I’d appreciate but struggle to get through. Well, now I have seen it I can say it is a tough sit but I found it surprisingly compelling and something I can genuinely recommend experiencing.

I think what makes KOTFM work so well is Scorsese has found a genuinely compelling story and he asks us to root for and against the right people so we are with the movie from the beginning and end up outraged, as we are intended to feel. What particularly struck me is the lack of control especially the female characters (in this case real life people who actually existed) have over their lives and choices. So often it is assumed that money=power and that is often true but it is only the case if you have the power to use the money effectively. All the Osage characters in the story have money from oil so one would think they have power but they do not control the use of that money therefore their power is easily manipulated.

This is made especially clear in the narrative by the fact that two with power, Leonardo DiCaprio’s Ernest Burkhart and Robert De Niro’s William Hale are complete idiots especially Ernest. And yet because of who they are and the color of their skin they have power and with their lack of care for their fellow humans they wield that power with disastrous results.

Lily Gladstone is getting deserved buzz for her incredible performance as Mollie Burkhart. Her character genuinely falls for the simple-minded Ernest but that decision is truly her only moment of power. Even as she fights diabetes with some of the first ever insulin injections she is completely at the mercy of her husband and other mostly white men in her life. She watches in horror as her family members are taken down one-by-one knowing her time is coming and knowing how little power she has. At one point she tries to get the President of  United States involved, and I suppose her money does get her some notice there but it’s so minimal compared to the easy power her husband so thoughtlessly bumbles about.

Watching KOTFM it’s easy to become angry and this is intentional. We as human beings bristle at the idea of inequalities around us. It’s gross what is happening to Mollie and we want to make it better. We hope that such atrocities couldn’t happen today all the while knowing the horrific statistics of violence towards Native American women- and those are women without the faux power of wealth like Mollie had. It’s maddening and makes the film very effective.

What makes it less effective is some of the direction of the actors by Scorsese. Most of it is compelling but there are times performances feel like caricatures more than realistic historical figures. This is particularly true with Brendan Fraser and John Lithgow’s attorney characters which felt like they were from a different less-grounded movie. I also felt some of the supporting and extra roles were amateurish and weak.

Other than that this is a compelling story that needed to be told, and I’m grateful to Scorsese for telling it. I guess there is comfort that there is some justice at the end of the film but only after such a price is paid and again only because a literal trip to the President was called upon to get it. (When she does say ‘you’re next’ to Ernest that’s a satisfying moment!)  Surely we can do better? Again it makes me mad. It makes me want to fight harder for people like Mollie who deserve power but are instead left to the whims of the despots and fools. We as a country pay the price. It’s tragic yet, like I said, compelling.

8 out of 10

Smile Worthy

Current Mini Reviews (Taylor Swift: The Eras Tour, The Other Zoey, Jesus Revolution, Once Upon a Studio)

| Rachel's Reviews

Hey everyone! It’s time for an update on a bunch of recent releases I’ve seen. I’ve had a pretty good stretch of films and am excited to be starting Christmas coverage at Hallmarkies Podcast next week with the first Hallmark movie airing on Friday.

TAYLOR SWIFT: THE ERAS TOUR

One of the great things about being engaged in cinema is it opens you to so many different kinds of experiences. You can laugh, scream, cheer, and occasionally go nuts with teens  at a concert and the latter is what you get to do with Taylor Swift: The Eras Tour. I am obviously aware of Taylor Swift but I am far from a swiftie or fan of hers. I have nothing against her but just not very up to date on modern music unless it’s in a movie or Broadway show.

Anyway, the concert was super fun to experience with everyone singing and cheering. I can only imagine how much fun it is for fans or to go with a group. As a critic it’s hard to review such a fan-specific event but the concert is well put-together and Taylor is an extremely engaging performer. Again I was not familiar with most of the songs but she did a good job combining soft and hard and her stamina with the complicated arrangements and set-pieces is impressive (and some extremely fast costume changes.)

She also includes over 40 songs which is amazing for any performer so we definitely get our moneys-worth for the cost of admission. I had a great time with Taylor Swift: The Eras Tour and if you can see it in IMAX or at an xd screen I highly recommend it.

8 out of 10

Smile Worthy

THE OTHER ZOEY

In addition to Taylor we have a new rom-com out in theaters this weekend called The Other Zoey. It stars Josephine Langford as Zoey who gets in a screwball comedy situation where she is mistaken as a different Zoey by a hunky soccer player who gets amnesia and thinks she is his girlfriend also named Zoey. The catch is that she is cynical and not interested in romantic comedies, so for her to be stuck in the plot of an outlandish screwball comedy is ironic and funny.

They try and give The Other Zoey an edge to separate it out from Hallmark romances by having characters be polyamorous and lie to each other, but a lot of that edge falls flat. Langford’s character is pretty unlikable in the film but she does have decent chemistry with both male leads (Drew Starkey, Archie Renaux.) If you are jonesing for a rom-com this is sarcastic and funny enough to satisfy that itch. Not great by any means but passable entry in the genre.

6 out of 10

Smile Worthy

JESUS REVOLUTION

I finally got around to seeing Jesus Revolution on the plane and after hearing good things I can say I really enjoyed this intriguing faith-based film. It is made by one half of the Erwin Bros, Jon Erwin (with Brent McCorkle) and so far I have enjoyed all of the Erwin Bros films. They are making by far the strongest narratives right now in the faith-based market. They still have flaws but they aren’t afraid to put story over ministry and have characters with flaws that learn and grow.

Jesus Revolution tells the story of a group of hippies that turned to evangelicalism and religion in the early 1970s. We get to follow a number of real life characters including: Kelsey Grammer’s pastor Chuck Smith who embraces, at first reluctantly the movement, Joel Courtney as a confused teen in love named Greg Laurie and Jonathan Roumie (who plays Jesus on The Chosen) as the charismatic leader Lonnie Frisbee. These are fleshed out, imperfect characters. Not the paragons of virtue we sometimes see in this genre.

They do have enough messaging for fans of the genre but overall it’s a compelling story well told and I learned about a movement I’d never heard of before. Worth a watch.

7 out of 10

Smile Worthy

ONCE UPON A STUDIO-

I am sure there will be some people who will turn up their noses at Once Upon a Studio and criticize it as empty fan service but even though I have been very disappointed in Disney lately I’m not that cynical. For the 100 year anniversary of the studio they created a little short showcasing their animation (I really appreciate they kept it to just Disney and no Pixar, Star Wars or anything like that.)

It’s a simple concept of 500 characters from the studio gathering together to take a family photo. What I love is they didn’t just stick to the successful properties like The Lion King or Frozen but we have characters from shorts like Johnny Appleseed and from flops like Gurgi from The Black Cauldron. There is a particularly touching moment where Mickey greets a painting of Walt Disney and thanks him for all the memories. You’d have to be pretty cynical to not appreciate a moment like that.

Of course animation lovers and Disney fans have to see this short. I look forward to seeing it before their new film Wish coming out next month.

If you got to see it what characters did you enjoy seeing again the most?

7 out of 10

Smile Worthy

So there you have it. An all positive update! Happy moviegoing! 

If you like my writing and want to support what I do check out the patreon for some great perks here.

NYFF Update and Reviews (Janet Planet, Eureka, The Delinquents, Perfect Days, The Taste of Things)

| Rachel's Reviews

Hey everyone! I hope you are doing well. Last week I had the wonderful experience of being in New York and attending the New York Film Festival (NYFF) for the 3rd year in a row. It’s a long festival and I was only able to attend for 5 days (I could have planned better with the Columbus Day holiday but I did what I could.)

The most exciting part of the trip for me is finding the HI NYC Hostel which has private rooms and dorm-like bunks for incredible deals. I stayed for 5 nights for $417, which is unbelievable for New York! I highly recommend it

@hallmarkiespodcast

My hostel stay in NYC @HI USA Great deal. Perfect solution #thriftytraveler #hostellife

♬ Soft and minimal instrumental music(1259336) – MaxRecStudio

Anyway, I was able to see 5 films at the festival and here are my thoughts:

The Delinquents-

First up we have The Delinquents which was a big hit out of the recent Cannes and I left feeling mixed about that film. It’s a long film at over 3 hours and is divided into 2 parts- the first part being a small bank robbery scheme and the second a love story involving both men being in love with the same woman. I vastly preferred the first part over the second.

This is a very cerebral movie to be called a ‘heist movie.’ In fact, all of the films I saw at the festival were what is coined as ‘slow cinema’ but the beginning focusing on the 2 men and the after-effects of their scheme was compelling. It shows the impact of money and the pressure of keeping a secret.

The romance, unfortunately, was so bland and uninteresting that the movie really lost me in the long second part. I really didn’t care about this manic pixie dream girl woman that both men become infatuated with and felt like I was watching them vacation with her for no reason. My friend Conrado enjoyed it way more than I did so maybe you will too but it in the end was a disappointment despite the strong first part.

5 out of 10

Frown Worthy

Janet Planet-

Like I said, all the films I saw at NYFF were on the slow-burn side of things and Janet Planet was certainly no exception but I do think it is overall successful in what it’s trying to do. Playwright Annie Baker has made a simple yet compelling film that follows an 11-year old and her Mother through the a summer in 1991.

There isn’t much plot here but newcomer Zoe Ziegler is charming as the little girl and her relationship with her mother Janet played by Julianne Nicholson feels authentic and real. It will try the patience of some viewers who need more story but I enjoyed following them around for a summer especially with how cute Ziegler is.

7 out of 10

Smile Worthy

Perfect Days-

Sometimes all we need in a ‘slow cinema’ film is a captivating lead performance and that’s what we get with Kōji Yakusho in the film Perfect Days. He literally plays a toilet cleaner in Tokyo and for the first part of the film we see him go through his routine of work and other activities including cleaning a lot of toilets. I know you are thinking what could be worse than watching someone clean toilets but we get to know the character Hirayama so well through these mundane actions and it turns out he is a deep thinker and poet who loves classic rock he plays on his cassette tapes.

There are strong homages to the Japanese filmmaker Yasujirō Ozu especially his film Tokyo Story which I recently reviewed for my blind spot series. Particularly in the dream sections it can feel almost too similar and more an imitation rather than a subtle tribute. However, we learn quite a bit about this simple man especially once his niece pays him a visit. So, if it sounds like a film you could tolerate I recommend Perfect Days if only for the lovely lead performance by Yakusho.

7 out of 10

Smile Worthy

Eureka-

I hate being too tough on small films but there are times when a film at a festival is just not on my wavelength and that was the case with Eureka. It tells 3 stories and I particularly found the middle story to be a painful watch that felt like anything but short.

It starts out with a black and white western starring Viggo Mortensen which was alright. I also liked how the director Lisandro Alonso merges the shorts together despite them being different times and filming techniques but the second short about a female police officer on a reservation was dull to the extreme and then the 3rd short involving Native Amazons fighting over a female tribe member did nothing for me. It all felt self-indulgent and annoying. I get what Alonso is trying to say about colonialism but it has to be done in a more interesting way than watching a woman make routine traffic stops. No thanks!

3 out of 10

Frown Worthy

The Taste of Things-

My last film of the festival turned out to be my favorite and one of my favorite movies of the year: The Taste of Things. This is an sumptuous and tender film about two people who express their passion for life and each other through food.

Juliette Binoche is warm and sexy as chef Eugenie who is courted by her colleague in the kitchen Dodin played by Benoît Magimel. They have smoldering chemistry together and the film is so well made. You definitely have to love food, particularly French food and this is not a vegan-friendly film! They will hate it but I loved it.

If you have seen the classic Danish film Babette’s Feast you will have an idea of what to expect with The Taste of Thing. It also reminded me of Mostly Martha in that they all involve characters who express their love through the service of preparing food for their loved ones. I like the fact that both Eugenie and Dodin don’t seem to have much of an employer and seem to mostly cook for themselves. It adds to the escapism of the film and makes their efforts feel more personal than if they were doing it for an employer.

I hope they remember The Taste of Things come awards season because it is truly special and if it comes to a theater near you I highly recommend it.

10 out of 10

Smile Worthy

If you attended the festival I’d love to hear about your favorites and what you have enjoyed most at the theater in 2023! 

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‘Strange Way of Life’ or Almodóvar’s Sexy Short That’s Too Short

| Rachel's Reviews

Hi everyone! I am writing to you from the Big Apple where I am here to attend a few days of the NYFF. I wish I could attend the entire festival but that isn’t possible. Nevertheless, I am grateful for what I can attend. I actually forgot to pack my power cord for my computer so I probably won’t update my thoughts on the films until I get back but make sure you are following me on social media to see what I think of what I get to watch. Before all of that and while I still have some battery power I have to give my thoughts on a short, Strange Way of Life, I was able to see before leaving on my trip. It’s by famed Spanish director Pedro Almodóvar and I found it to be a sexy, enjoyable little short. My only complaint is why is this a short? There was more story to be told!

Strange Way of Life is a western starring Pedro Pascal and Ethan Hawke. Hawke is the sheriff who has a warrant for Pascal’s son but the 2 men have a history together and we even see their younger selves depicted in a very sexy scene drinking wine out right out of a barrel.

I think your enjoyment of this short will depend on how much you enjoy classic romance tropes. If you roll your eyes at swoony scenes or anything tiptoeing near erotica than this isn’t for you. I expect many wanting more artistic Almodóvar will be disappointed how conventional this is but as a fan of romance novels and swoony scenes I really enjoyed it. I’d love for Almodóvar to make this a series of shorts about these two men- perhaps elaborating on their past love a little more.

I saw Strange Way of Life short as a stand-alone but it will be playing with Almodóvar’s pandemic short The Human Voice which was also fascinating. If it sounds like your kind of thing I definitely recommend it.

7 out of 10

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