Movies

Some movies that I’ve watched while my daughter naps next to me:

Mile 22

A decent action film.  Iko Uwais of The Raid fame is the standout.  Mark Wahlberg could stand to tone down the intensity;  Maybe try a setting that’s below 13 once in a while, huh?  

Regret watching: No

Would watch again: No

Would buy on DVD: No

Rating: Fine

Entertainers

A super fun documentary about the World Old-Time Piano Playing Championships.  It’s impossible to not feel happy listening to this music, and some of the playing is absolutely jaw dropping

Regret watching: No

Would watch again: Yes

Would buy on DVD: No

Rating: Pretty good

About Time

A satisfying romance that really provoked a lot of thought after it was over.  The time travel aspect really made me think about how I would use it myself.  Cheesily enough, the movie did reinforce my desire to appreciate the specialness of every single day.

 I love the subway montage at the beginning of the relationship.  The father-son bond is the real tear-jerker part of the film, wonderful work by Bill Nighy and Domhnall Gleeson.  Rachel McAdams is at her apex adorableness here.  

Regret watching: No

Would watch again: Yes

Would buy on DVD: Yes 

Rating: Good

What If

One of the most generic romcom plots ever, but Daniel Radcliffe and Zoe Kazan sell the crap of it, elevating the material into something totally enjoyable.  

(I love Kazan's smile at the end of Big Sick)

Regret watching: No

Would watch again: Yes

Would buy on DVD: Yes

Rating: Pretty good

To All the Boys: Always and Forever

Way better than the second one, I really liked the “going to different colleges” point of conflict.  It’s a lot less painful than the love triangle of the sequel, and it’s something that’s rarely addressed in high school romances.  I don’t know if I buy that Lara Jean and Peter will actually make it through four years of college, but they have a better shot than most.  I’d like to see the Before Sunrise treatment for the two of them, four years later.  

Regret watching: No

Would watch again: Yes

Would buy on DVD: Yes

Rating: Pretty good

Marriage Story

Holy geez, was this hard to watch.  So much emotional pain.  But the writing is superb, and the acting by Scarlett Johansson and Adam Driver is really as good as you can get.  (I don’t think I’ve ever seen Driver do anything bad.)  I’m not eager to watch this again, but there’s no arguing its brilliance.

(One of my favorite Driver performances.)

Regret watching: No

Would watch again: Yes

Would buy on DVD: No

Rating: Pure joy (Or whatever the equivalent is for emotionally exhausting in a good way)