Category: Movies

You People. (L to R) Julia Louis-Dreyfus as Shelley, David Duchovny as Arnold, Lauren London as Amira, Nia Long as Fatima, Eddie Murphy as Akbar and Jonah Hill (Writer-Producer) as Ezra in You People. Cr. Tyler Adams/Netflix © 2023.

You People: Not All It Could Be

On February 3, 2023

Written and produced in partnership by Jonah Hill and Kenya Barris, You People is a romantic-comedy and social satire. Jewish finance broker and side hustle podcaster Ezra (Jonah Hill) is unlucky with love, always paired with nice Jewish girls, his mother, Shelley (Julia Louis-Dreyfus). African American Muslim costume designer Amira (Lauren London) is also unlucky with love, her father, Akbar (Eddie Murphy), interferes and undermines her decisions. They meet by accident; the rest is a wild ride with plenty of mental gymnastics surrounding race politics.

The first ten minutes are dedicated to establishing Ezra’s story, which tells us pretty much everything we need to know about his life, flaws, etc. My first and continuous critique is that Amira’s backstory and life do not get as much detail or time as Ezra’s.

About 20 minutes into the film, I haven’t laughed out loud yet. That’s not to say that the film isn’t funny, it’s quirky, and I smiled some, but it hasn’t yet made me cackle.

There’s a bit of a magic dating montage for Ezra and Amira; their chemistry is pretty strong, but it’s a shame that some of the most fun in rom-coms was rushed through. I don’t like the dating dragged out, but it is fun to see the couple interact in different settings and, especially, to see the couple introducing each other to their friends. And this is another grievance I have towards Amira’s storyline; she’s got no best girlfriend to discuss Ezra with – like, Ezra has Mo (Sam Jay), but Amira doesn’t get that throughline and open dialogue that he has.

We later see Amira’s friend group at the bachelorette party, which barely shows the friend dynamic. This is something I grow increasingly disappointed about throughout the movie.

After the “Six Months Later” break, Ezra introduces Amira to his family. Of course, this is humiliatingly cringe. Ezra’s father, Arnold (David Duchovny), is remarkably not self-aware, and Shelley is trying too hard to connect with Amira that she is outright being offensively obtuse about her race. On the other hand, Ezra’s sister, Liza (Molly Gordon), is perfect; no notes.

Admirable that Ezra tries to call out his mother for being so… cringe, but he doesn’t get his point across properly, and Shelley misses the point entirely because Ezra also drops the bomb that he wants to marry Amira. Cute. However, we don’t see Amira introduce her parents to Ezra; we see him at a diner attempting to ask their permission to propose. I feel like the omission of Amira in certain scenes tells of this film’s true intentions. As much as they give Amira conflict and an arch, it’s not nearly given the attention that Ezra and Akbar are.

Amira’s mother, Fatima (Nia Long), is lovely and compliments Eddie Murphy’s performance as Akbar quite well, but I find it odd that her part is so tiny. There isn’t that mother/daughter bond where she’s there for Amira when Akbar is a little too much. I think Nia Long does terrific with what she was given, but I don’t think she was nearly given enough.

Jonah Hill has mastered the art of cringe comedy. He constantly humiliates himself in You People, and I don’t think this style is for me.

Regardless of the horrendous confrontation between Ezra, Fatima, and Akbar in that diner, the couple still ends up engaged in a pathetic display of self-doubt from Ezra, coddled by Amira. It’s not the most dreamy proposal, nor would I call it a spontaneously romantic proposal in the living room. This scene was marinated in what would eventually push the two apart. In the end, a clever foreshadowing, if that was the intention.

Now that the couple is engaged, they buy a house together, and EZRA QUITS HIS JOB! Indeed the opposite of what most women want, but Amira is all for him following his passion of being a straight white man with a mike. And due to their families’ differences, the two decide to put their marriage on the back burner.

This is where things go off the rails. Like, there have been instances where Akbar has said things, and I’ve been sceptical, but then he fully outright claims to be buddies with Louis Farrakhan. I don’t really understand the purpose of making Eddie Murphy a vaguely Hotep, anti-vax, antisemitic sympathiser. AND SHELLY HAS HER ISSUES TOO! She clearly doesn’t grasp or understand how her words and actions are hurtful towards Amira and can be easily called micro-aggressions of racism. I don’t want to say that’s normal for white people and therefore okay because it’s definitely not okay! But, it’s not the actions of an extremist, conspiracy theory white supremacist. Where Akbar’s comments here and there point to an extremist direction, and he doesn’t really ever redact those statements or clarify his beliefs in that department. I don’t know. This is murky territory for me as a white woman, but from what I understand, this should be more controversial.

(L to R) Jonah Hill (Writer-Producer) as Ezra and Lauren London as Amira in You People. Cr. Tyler Adams/Netflix © 2023.

I mean, in the end, Akbar and Shelley come around and band together to put the pieces of their kids’ relationship back together. That’s definitely redeemable for a lot of what they put Ezra and Amira through in this whole process, but I’m not sure it solves everything? Maybe that’s the point! Like, Ezra and Mo have monologues in the film about how there will never be peace between Black and White people because no matter how much White people try to do right, there will always be a persisting resentment felt by Black people for how they were treated in the past. Maybe that’s part of it! That these things can never be solved… but I do wish we had a little clarification on like where they stand in terms of racial politics… I don’t know, though. Again, I am a white woman, so who am I, right?

To top it all off, Ezra’s podcast gets picked up by Complex, but we never see if Amira’s designs get picked up for a project after she’s rejected when two producers misinterpret her college credentials. Amira doesn’t get the wins that Ezra does outside their relationship, and Shelley’s apology to her isn’t good; it is super vague and oddly too broad? No one asked you to apologise for the human race; you just needed to grasp what you did wrong and work not to repeat those mistakes.

For a romantic comedy, the cutest Ezra and Amira were when they were in the bathroom together after their first hook up, and the funniest this movie got was when Amira and Shelley carpooled and Akbar and Ezra carpooled. That was simple, boomer comedy, and it was good.

But I’m A Cheerleader | Retro Review

By Isobel Grieve

On August 25, 2022

In Movies, Reviews, Uncategorized

I know! I know, I am incredibly late! But I’m A Cheerleader came out 23 years ago, but give me a break, I was only three. I wouldn’t have understood a word of this masterpiece, although I probably would have found the colour palette highly stimulating.

I already knew going into this film that I would love it because people I know with good taste in movies do. I also know Natasha Lyonne is a god-like icon; I love everything she does. However, I was pleasantly surprised to see that Michelle “Vote to make [the government] look more like [white women]” Williams has a five-minute cameo mid-Dawson’s Creek era.

I shouldn’t put words into Mrs Williams’ mouth – how rude of me. The real quote from her 2020 Golden Globes speech is, “Women – 18 to 118 – when it is time to vote, please do so in your own self-interest. It’s what men have been doing for years, which is why the world looks like them. But don’t forget we are the largest voting body in this country. Let’s make it look more like us.” It came from a good place but did come across TERF-y. Her words also [may have] encouraged a demographic of white women to vote for Donald Trump with their whole chest. It also comes across… not so great coming from a white woman in general…

ANYWAY, this review is supposed to be about But I’m A Cheerleader, so let me get back to that.

I wish Cathy Moriarty was in every film ever made. The two projects I know her from now are But I’m A Cheerleader and Casper! And, to be completely transparent, that’s just not enough for me.

Melanie Lynskey makes every project she’s in better. I’m so happy she’s found herself in a juicy lead role with Yellow Jackets. This woman has deserved a giant spotlight for decades. She is oh so, so funny in everything with an edge telling you she can do more. She deserves a career like Kathryn Hahn.

RuPaul delivered.

I enjoyed every aspect of this movie. Every element played into a heightened queer experience. It simplified a traumatic experience for the queer community into this superficial game of House that kids play in the schoolyard. It poked fun at gender roles while cleverly asking the audience to evaluate what it means to be straight, not queer. It made hetero society the joke.

Clea DuVall and Natasha Lyonne’s enemies to friends to lovers story was lovely to watch as it blossomed. Although, I felt the climax lacked an oomph. Something was missing from the graduation scene for me. There wasn’t enough conflict – there was no confrontation between Grahm [DuVall] and her dad. I would have enjoyed a bit of back and forth; some external self-confidence defying her paternal restraints. But I’m content with a happy ending nonetheless.

I will definitely be rewatching.

And you can rewatch with me because But I’m A Cheerleader is free with ads on YouTube.

To Infinity and Boredom: Lightyear review

By Isobel Grieve

On June 20, 2022

In Movies, Reviews

Does every franchise need a prequel and a multiverse?

Lord of the Rings, Game of Thrones, and The Hunger Games are getting a prequel series. We’re in the age of the Multiverse where large franchises are jumping on the opportunity to expand their IP’s use by recreating the same characters over and over again and then giving it “a greater purpose” (when it’s just a cash grab).

I get it. There are characters that I love and cherish that resonate with me and make me feel safe. There are studies on binge-watching and why we crave the same TV show or Movies: anxiety, depression, and stress – some say it’s an addiction. Binge-watching and re-watching old favourites act as a crutch for uncomfortable feelings. With binge-watching becoming a prevalent part of our media consumption, we’re now in the age of… Well, prequels, sequels, multiverses, and remakes.

These aren’t new concepts but are certainly more popular now than ever. And to top it all off, the world is a mess, a lingering pandemic, financial crisis, breakdown of democracy, backpedalling policies… It’s not looking great. I get it. I, too, would like a little serotonin in the form of my favourite characters back on my screen, please!

That said, it doesn’t mean every re-visitation is a gem.

Lightyear felt like a smash of sci-fi tropes – we could call it an ode to the genre or we could call it a boring amalgamation of franchises – lacking originality. I mean, Buzz Lightyear, as far as I’m aware, was meant to be a catch-all for sci-fi characters to represent the new making Andy look archaic. The original concept for Buzz Lightyear, in that context, was great but trying to make a new story out of a character crafted as a generic placeholder… They ended up with much of the same.

It was a tall order to create the amazing thing that Andy fell in love with. There were rules to follow about who Buzz is/was. That can be hard and constrictive when trying to create an original story, but without ingenuity, Lightyear came across as bland – a bunch of things we’d seen before.

The reveal that Buzz’s older self was the villain didn’t feel like the “OH MY GOD” moment it was meant to be. It felt like a cop-out. It made the OG villain in Toy Story feel… underserved. Honestly, I would have preferred if the villain was a robot leader of a robot master race. In this case, IMO the obvious assumption is more interesting to me. I mean, come on! Give us some lore, and expand your world!

I know it is ultimately a kid’s movie – it’s not supposed to be some complex storyline portraying something deeper. BUT that didn’t stop Red from creating something unique, magical, and insightful – from the same studio, released not long before Lightyear.

Honestly, after Turning Red, Lightyear is a bit of a letdown. If I were to pick between the two, which deserved a theatrical release, I’d say Turning Red in a heartbeat without a single regret.

I found Lightyear’s story lacking.

I didn’t cry when people said they cried. I didn’t feel attached to the characters.

I also saw story elements with potential for deeper storytelling that went ignored. There was an opportunity to comment on the way these space rangers commandeered a planet that didn’t want them there…*cough* colonizer plot *cough*

Maybe those vines don’t have faces, but they clearly have senses that you’re a threat. AND by the time Buzz is fighting his older self, the planet looks somewhat desolate? The jungle that Buzz and Alicia first stumbled into looks… vibrant and later it kind of disappeared? Or changed? That, to me, could have been a perfect opportunity to integrate a colonizer undertone to the society they’ve created and counter it by leaving… but no, in the end, Buzz agrees that their colonization is for the best! Really?

The movie is clearly about how sometimes mistakes can become opportunities; how it isn’t good to dwell on the past or try to rewrite history. Buzz learns he needs to move on and contribute to a better future…

BUT is this a better future for the planet? The society they’ve created has savagely sucked the planet dry of its resources and demonized the native wildlife for protecting itself. They aren’t aiming to live in peace with the planet… they’ve created a sci-fi version of a gated community… how is that good representation? How is that a better future?

I get what they were trying to do and why they did what they did, but I don’t like it. And after all that….

Lightyear feels… forgettable.

It wasn’t BAD, but it didn’t take my breath away either. Honestly, if I could go back in time, I would wait for it to come out on Disney+ and spend my money on a ticket to something else. People have been making a big deal about a lesbian kiss, but I don’t remember there even being one. I’m sure it was there! I’m just saying it wasn’t memorable.

What did I like?

I liked that Buzz’s partner, Alicia, was Black. I liked that her granddaughter, Izzy, became Buzz’s new partner. I appreciate the key creatives who pushed for diversity and LGBTQ+ representation and stuck it out even when the film became banned by other countries. I liked the callbacks to Toy Story. I liked the dynamic between Buzz, Izzy, Mo, and Darby. I even liked SOX, which is blatantly another marketable toy.

BUT these things don’t save the movie.

Also, keep in mind, that I am an absolute SIMP for Chris Evans… I may very well be subconsciously holding back in the hope for my someday Wattpad Y/N moment with him.

Be wary, Lightyear might not be all that it is cracked up to be and perhaps hold out until it hits a streamer before paying for a ticket in a recession and a lingering pandemic.

Book to Film: Along for the Ride review

By Isobel Grieve

On May 6, 2022

In Books, Movies, Reviews

I read the book; I still have the original hardcover copy. I loved Sarah Dessen in my early teens. I identified with her heroines; they often had hardened pasts, a jaded edge, perfectionism, social awkwardness, and a sudden drive to become someone new; I found that relatable.

Along for the Ride follows an 18-year-old girl, Auden (Emma Pasarow), from her high-stress academic life to a laid-back beach town. First things first, does the movie stay true to the book? Yes, I guess, for the most part. Some things are omitted, most likely for time or to simplify the plot. However, these cuts may have oversimplified the plot; without additional characters and their side quests (haha, if you know, you know) the story feels a little… empty.

I think the film did an okay job with the parents’ story, although it felt, at points, the cast (Dermot Mulroney in particular) gave up mid-performance. Andie MacDowell plays the hardened, elitist feminist Victoria, a.k.a. Auden’s mother, and Mulroney plays the father, Robert. MacDowell so often plays the easy-going, fun-loving girl next door it was interesting to watch her do something else and, for the most part, I’ll say she succeeded. Mulroney felt more at home in his character – if only he were a little more committed to the script; Robert is a character who perfectly captures weaponized incompetence, a timely portrayal. Heidi, the pink-loving stepmom (Kate Bosworth), was portrayed well yet… absent? We got Heidi’s full story but somehow, she still felt two-dimensional.

I enjoyed Sarah Dessen’s Along for the Ride for its perspective on Auden’s parents’ failings and coming to understand how they did her wrong. I’m glad the movie didn’t cut this plotline, but at the same time, I’m not sure they did it justice. The movie also cut out Auden’s older brother who rounded out the parents’ story and spiced up Auden’s childhood.

Auden’s love interest Eli (Belmont Cameli) is a complex character…in the book. Don’t get me wrong, I still enjoyed watching the love story between these two but… it feels like they took a hacksaw to his personality and story. I don’t think the movie acknowledges once that Jake and Eli are brothers – something that added a splash of conflict to the original story (something the movie searches for). Also, we spend so little time with Eli and never see him without Auden’s presence or perspective, movie Eli has no chance to flesh out his arch. Instead, we’re given heavy-handed exposition from other characters and his contrived trauma response in a parking lot.

The friend group is a bit of a mess: Maggie’s arch (Laura Kariuki) felt rushed and then dropped, Leah (Genevieve Hannelius) and Esther (Samia Finnerty) were never given much but given they had nothing else to focus on their chemistry as a friend group could have been stronger, and making Esther queer was a nice touch but without seeing her be queer, what was the point?

The boys felt like afterthoughts: the Bike Shop name was a running bit in the book and came way too late in the film and reveal is so much less gratifying, which is another reason Eli needed time in his own space. We needed to see his story develop seperate from Auden and for his supporting cast to matter.

If you’re wondering what my take on the main character is, well… Along for the Ride took a look at the superiority complex of the elitist woman. Auden, like her mother, looked down her nose at the pink, frilly displays of femininity in the name of opposing the patriarchy. Auden’s arch works to show that their supposed superiority is misogynist. She discovers that even pink has layers; Maggie is more than what she seems, and so is Heidi. However, Auden in the film lacks an elitist edge to make her arc all that justifiable. Emma Pasarow’s performance is passable, but it doesn’t help the film’s dire need for tension.

I still enjoyed the film. I loved the book as a tween. It was part of an impressionable time for me and holds a special place in my heart. I just think the movie could have been better. I wouldn’t call it a flop era but it’s certainly surprising coming from the To All the Boys I Loved Before alum Sofia Alvarez. Her interpretations of those books were so tight that it’s irregular that this story feels loose or empty. That being said, Along for the Ride is her directorial debut, and in that case, Alvarez has done an okay job, and I hope she’s given opportunities to improve.

My Favourite Films to Come Out in 2021

By Isobel Grieve

On January 18, 2022

In Movies, Reviews

Finding ‘Ohana – released January 29th, 2021

Directed by Jude Weng [Black-ish (2017-2022)]. Written by Christina Strain [Shadow and Bone (2021)]. Starring newcomers Kea Peahu as Pili and Lindsey Watson as Hana, Alex Aiono as Ioane [Doogie Kamealoha (2021)] and Owen Vaccaro as Casper [Daddy’s Home (2015)]. Withing supporting actors Kelly Hu as Leilani [Young Justice (2011-2021)], and the iconic Branscombe Richmond as Kimo.

“A summer in rural O‘ahu takes an exciting turn for two Brooklyn-raised siblings when a journal pointing to long-lost treasure sets them on an epic adventure with new friends and leads them to reconnect with their Hawaiian heritage.” [IMDb]

In my opinion, this movie is seriously underrated. Why aren’t more people talking about this movie?? It reminds me of older Disney children’s adventure movies but with more cultural significance and without active colonization, lol. This movie has a similar spirit to Spy Kids (2001) or Nanny McPhee (2005). The kids in it are daring, cunning, but in need of a good lesson. It offers a heartfelt message about the sacred lands of Hawaii and their significance to their people. The story pulls the characters back to their culture and roots which, naturally, pulls their family back together.

I think Kea Peahu is one to watch, considering she must have only have been 13/14 years old when filming, her performance is key to this story’s touching moments. Peahu and Alex Aiono created convincing sibling chemistry that was a pleasure to watch. With Jude Weng’s extensive directing resume, including family sit-com Black-ish, Weng has again nailed directing teens with heartwarming, comedic, and emotional performance intelligence. I will gladly take another movie directed by Jude Weng and written by Christina Strain because this pairing has clearly hit a sweet spot.

@Zola – released June 30th, 2021 (Canada)

Directed by Janicza Bravo [Lemon (2017)]. Written by Bravo, and Jeremy O. Harris [The Amateur (2014)]. Based on tweets by A’Ziah King. Starring Taylour Paige as Zola [Ma Rainey’s Black Bottom (2020)], Riley Keough as Stefani [Mad Max: Fury Road (2015)], and Nicholas Braun as Derrek [Succession (2018-2021)].

“A stripper named Zola embarks on a wild road trip to Florida.” [IMDb]

I remember an ongoing conversation on Twitter back in 2015 about the Twitter thread by A’Ziah “Zola” King about her wild experience with a girl named Stefani. She then was featured in a Rolling Stone article called “Zola Tells All: The Real Story Behind the Greatest Stripper Saga Ever Tweeted” by David Kushner. The IP was acquired in 2016 with James Franco signed on to direct. That choice put the project on hold until 2018 due to sexual allegations against Franco, he was then replaced by Janicza Bravo, and A24 was named the distributer. Thank you all-mighty powers of the universe that Franco did not turn this into another rendition of Spring Breakers (2012).

This film features incredible performances from the whole cast. It’s dark, comical, realistic, yet artistically executed. The film features some narration from the two leads offering alternative narratives. The attention to detail with character development was astounding. The scene that stands out to me takes place in the bathroom on their road trip to Miami, where Stephani shows no grievances to the unhygienic stall, and Zola takes all precautions, also highlighted here is the difference in the colour of their pee.

Riley Keough’s performance adds nuance to the film when her character Stephani gets emotional and suddenly breaks from the overt Black-cent she sports for the rest of the film. I also liked the artistic touches to include Twitter notification sounds occasionally pinging throughout the story beats and the narration that is ether directly pulled from the tweets and written in the voice of the original Zola. It very much reads like walking into the hazy tweet by tweet thread Twitter users obsessed over in 2015.

Black Widow – released July 9th, 2021

Directed by Cate Shortland [Lore (2012)]. Written by Eric Pearson [Thor: Ragnarök (2017)]. Starring Scarlett Johansson as Natasha Romanoff, and Florence Pugh as Yelena Belova.

“Natasha Romanoff confronts the darker parts of her ledger when a dangerous conspiracy with ties to her past arises.” [IMDb]

A lot was leading up to this movie coming out, for that reason, it really matters to me. It is not a work of significantly great storytelling… but it is an epic peace offering from Marvel to the Black Widow fans devasted by her death in Avengers: Endgame (2019). Amongst the hot-headed male characters centring in the MCU (Marvel Cinematic Universe) for so long, Black Widow (Natasha Romanoff), despite all her poorly written character arcs, will always have a special place in my heart.

I appreciate that it was directed by a woman, but I am also a little peeved that it was written by a man. Considering that one of the “Story by” credits is a woman, Jac Schaeffer, and the director is a woman, I find it very hard to believe that the movie needed to be written by a man. Like, why?

The story follows the same formula as all other MCU movies; which was a disservice. Natasha Romanoff is a spy, not a superhero; she doesn’t have superpowers, she has a specific skill set that would have been entirely better memorialized by an espionage/spy movie than the big boom-boom movie MCU insists on making repeatedly.
However, I did fall in love with Florence Pugh all over again while watching this film because her performance is by far the best, from her comedic timing to empathetic little sister emotional moments she had me.

Regardless of the movie’s downfalls, we stan this new generation of Black Widows, including Florence’s part in the recent Disney+ series Hawkeye (2021) and the sly (suspected) appearance of many more widows in the post-credit scene of Shang Chi: The Legend of the Ten Rings (2021).

Gunpowder Milkshake – released July 14th, 2021

Directed by Navot Papushado. Written by Papushado and Ehud Lavski. With an all-star cast: Karen Gilan as Sam, Lena Headey as Scarlet, Carla Gugino as Madeleine, Michelle Yeoh as Florence, and Angela Basset as Anna May.

“Three generations of women fight back against those who could take everything from them.” [IMDb]

Despite being written by two men. Despite being directed by one of those men. I really, really liked this movie. It’s giving Japanese manga and anime-inspired with the set design and fight choreography. The colour palettes are bright, playful, and highly contradictive to the significant bloodshed.

I’m tired of gender-swapping old action/adventure male led hero flicks. I think women deserve new storytelling and character work in action and this movie really delivers. I think it deserves more attention and at least two sequels.

The performances are incredible. We know that Karen Gilan is an action star from her work in the MCU as Nebula and in the Jumanji franchise as Ruby and Martha. I’ve enjoyed her style since her stint on BBC’s Doctor Who. Gilan’s performance in this movie is expert, she’s nailed emotionally stunted assassin. You can never go wrong when hiring the rest of these highly sought-after ladies. Lena Headey plays a hardened mother (her speciality), Carla Gugino is warm with her twinkling eyes, Michelle Yeoh is… is… I mean, she’s fucking incredible in everything, and the same goes for Angela Basset. Gugino, Basset and Yeoh are really supporting characters not leads but they’re so talented and compelling they steal every scene they enter. When they killed off Gugino, it broke my heart, I knew they were going to kill one of them, that much was obvious in a scene preluding the epic battle in the library, but it hurt, all the same, to see her twinkling eyes fade.

Last Night in Soho – released October 22nd, 2021

Directed by Edgar Wright [Scott Pilgrim Vs The World (2010), Baby Driver (2017)]. Written by Krysty Wilson-Cairns [1917 (2019)]. Starring Anya Taylor-Joy [Emma (2020)] as Sandie, and Thomasin McKenzie [JoJo Rabbit (2019)] as Eloise.

“An aspiring fashion designer is mysteriously able to enter the 1960s where she encounters a dazzling wannabe singer. But the glamour is not all it appears to be and the dreams of the past start to crack and splinter into something darker.” [IMDb]

I had the pleasure of watching this in a theatre and I think the large screen and booming sound system did wonders for its stylized thrilling plot. Edgar Wright has a history of using colour palettes to help tell a story or elevate the drama which he does here once again. The performances from leads Taylor-Joy and McKenzie are extremely compelling. The expertly written unravelling of story and character becomes all the more impactful when hit by the twist ending.

Eloise, the present-day protagonist, actually being possessed by the Landlady’s (Ms Collins played by Diana Rigg) past self, Sandie, had me ~shook~. I really thought Sandie was going to be a murder victim, not the serial killer herself. I thought this twist was an incredibly well thought out critique, it both condemns the behaviour of the men who groomed and abused her while also breaking the black and white moulds of sexual violence victims popularized by the media, i.e., the Saint or the Whore. Ms Collins/Sandie became someone I both felt for and feared. She was a mix of the stereotypes being both the innocent victim and the femme fatale.

While the big reveal is entirely linked to the past, the ever-present Eloise by the end of the film can accept her whole self. She’s learned to embrace her gift positively, she honours the memory of the woman who showed her the truth of her fantasies and has embraced her support system which grounds her in reality.

The French Dispatch – released October 22nd, 2021

Directed by Wes Anderson. Written by Anderson, story by Roman Coppola, and Hugo Guinness. With an all-star cast: Benicio Del Toro as Moses Rosenthaler, Adrien Brody as Julian Cadazio, Tilda Swinton as J.K.L. Berensen, Lea Seydoux as Simone, Frances McDormand as Lucinda Krementz, Timothee Chalamet as Zeffirelli, Jerfferey Wright as Roebuck Wright, Mathieu Amalric as The Commissaire, Bill Murray as Arthur Howitzer Jr., Owen Wilson as Herbsaint Sazerac, Tony Revolori, Bob Balaban, Henry Winkler, and more.

“A love letter to journalists set in an outpost of an American newspaper in a fictional twentieth-century French city that brings to life a collection of stories published in “The French Dispatch Magazine”.” [IMDb]

I love Wes Anderson’s style of directing and writing. There’s something about the way he styles his projects that brings me joy, no matter the subject matter. He’s made a solid name for himself as quirky queen, in my eye at least. The French Dispatch is a well-rounded collection of short stories brought together by their publication.

Timothee Chalamet’s part is much smaller than I feel I was led to believe by the press coverage of this film, but I liked his role and performance as always. The story’s format puts all of the major, star-studded cast into small roles. Almost as if the film is a festival of short plays narrated by the author. The switching between aspect ratio and colour to black and white was very stylistic and served some areas of storytelling but – in my opinion – did not add further meaning.

The film is quite fragmented, filled with small character studies of the varying writers who work for the publication “The French Dispatch”. The overall story is of the last publication following the death of the Editor in Chief played by Bill Murrey; We start with the reading of his obituary, and we end with the writers beginning to write the obituary. Which feels like a loose connecting arch for the stories in-between. I still enjoyed the movie, but it lacked an overall narrative – for me.

The Harder They Fall – released November 3rd, 2021

Directed by Jeymes Samuel [They Die by Dawn (2013)]. Written by Samuel and Boaz Yakin [Now You See Me (2013)]. With an all-star cast: Jonathan Majors as Nat Love, Zazie Beets as Mary Fields, LaKeith Stanfield as Cherokee Bill, Regina King as Trudy Smith, and Idris Elba as Rufus Black.

“When an outlaw discovers his enemy is being released from prison, he reunites his gang to seek revenge in this Western.” [IMDb]

I was on the edge of my seat the entire time. Clearly, Jeymes Samuel knows how to do a fucking Western. From the dialogue to the set to the music to the use of colour, the absence of colour, damn. I’m a fan of action, I enjoy a bit of physical conflict, but I’m not without my limits when it comes to gory violence. I thought that the use of violence in this film felt extremely purposeful; behind every blow was the intent, character development/reveal, and even guilt and internal conflict. There was depth to the violence that I can now see as missing in most other action films I’ve seen.
Throughout the story, you’re patiently waiting for the showdown between these two outlaw groups. Jim Beckwourth’s (RJ Cyler) biggest dream is to be known as the fastest shooter, a spot held by Cherokee Bill. Their shootout is over in seconds as Cherokee Bill is the kind of man to shoot another in the back, a gruesome character flaw that can only be revealed by violence. It’s his greatest desire to survive, I suppose, he’ll stop at nothing to stay alive even if it means throwing the only chivalrous laws of the Wild West to the waste side.

With Rufus Black and Nat Love’s showdown, the whole time you’re wondering who will prove to outwit the other. In the end, your head spins with a brother reveal. I mean, come on! Sure, you’re wondering the whole time why Rufus Black was so cruel to a God-loving family minding their own business but his reputation is so carefully bolstered throughout the film, it’s just as easy to chock it up to a violent personality with some childhood trauma. Of course, some of that’s very accurate but the personal intent is so raw: the great revenge is finally taken only in the aims to keep the cycle spinning. Nat Love finally takes his revenge on Rufus with great emotional turmoil, and as their crew rides off into the sands, we see Trudy Smith watching, plotting her own, a true continuation of the cycle.

I really loved the women Samuel and Yakin have written. You’ve got two entrepreneurs with Mary Fields, and Trudy Smith. They own the west with their thriving saloons. I guess it’s only fitting that these business rivals have their own showdown, but I am a little disappointed that these two dress-wearing women’s big showdown is with each other. It’s common in a lot of action films written by men who want to include women but don’t realize that it’s okay to let your bruting male characters fight the female characters to just pin them against each other. It’s easier. I understand with the way they’ve written each character that it doesn’t feel at all thrown together as a fight scene, there’s still intent, history and emotion in each blow… but still.

My favourite character is Cuffee (Danielle DeadWyler). Are they trans before there was transitioning? Is she a drag-king? Or is it simply a means of protecting herself in an unruly place for lone women. I don’t know because we don’t get enough from this tight-lipped marvel of a character who gets Cherokee Bill in the end, beating him at his own game in revenge for her fallen friends.

I honestly think I’ve found one of my new all-time favourite action movies.

Encanto – released November 24th, 2021

Directed by Jared Bush [Moana (2016)], Byron Howard [Tangled (2010)], co-directed by Charise Castro Smith [The Haunting of Hill House (2018)]. Written by Smith, and Bush, story by Howard. Another all-star cast: Stephanie Beatriz as Maribel, Maria Cecilia Botero as Abuela Alma, John Leguizamo as Bruno, Diane Guerrero as Isabela, Jessica Darrow as Luisa, Angie Cepeda as Julieta, Carolina Gaitan as Pepa, Wilmer Valerrama as Agustin, Ravi Cabot-Conyers as Antonio, Rhenzy Feliz as Camilo, TK. Newcomers Mauro Castillo as Felix, Adassa as Dolores, tk.

“A young Colombian girl has to face the frustration of being the only member of her family without magical powers.” [IMDb]

This story is incredibly moving. It establishes a great parallel to migrant families, and refugees dealing with intergenerational trauma stemming from their need to move their homelands. The idea of each offspring being granted a magic power is akin to the pressure put on 2nd and 3rd generations of migrant families who wish for a better life, that these generations must contribute in their own way to the elevation of the family’s situation.

When Maribel does not receive her miracle power, she is now the outcast, the pushed aside who can not conform to the family’s way of living. Her mere existence cracks the foundation of the family’s functioning, yet not so functioning, system. If anything, Maribel being without a magical power only shed light on the issues that other family members have been feeling for some time.

Every song comes with its own tear-jerking moment or cheering triumph. Every character felt fleshed out, despite spending limited time with some. The family felt like a real family, each character being quite unique with their own history and struggles. I genuinely loved, loved, loved this movie!

Lula-Row Me to Safety

By Isobel Grieve

On September 22, 2021

In Movies, Reviews

I binged LulaRich last night and was enthralled. I have always been sceptical of Multi-Level-Marketing companies. I think in today’s society brand awareness is too often tied to “lifestyle” and aesthetics. These MLM scheme’s turn into cults of people (speculatively mostly women) who eat, sleep, breathe the product they sell because it requires a specific “mentality”.

Watching the LulaRoe scandals pile up through this limited docu-series had predictable endings. Still, my jaw was agape. Directors Jenner Furst and Julia Willoughby Nason did an incredible job putting together a piece that explores, exposes, and entertains. The lighting, colour, and overall look of the documentary is appealing to the eye. The editing captivates the viewer.

The people they chose to interview outside the founders of LulaRoe were all high ranking or closely related employees with valuable stories and information, character and charisma.

The most meme-able talking head is Derryl Trujillo, an ex-data entry and customer service representative at LulaRoe. He has many memorable lines throughout the series.

Also, thank you Becca Peter for making me feel seen. She essentially had nothing to do with the company, scandals, or lawsuits but personally investigated the ongoings, failures, and tea related to the company. Apparently, by doing so, she garnered enough knowledge to be deemed an expert on the topic by the documentary’s directors. Becca Peter and I have obsessive research in common.

Lularich3

There are some heart-wrenching moments throughout the series where you see previous retailers detailing how LulaRoe left them bankrupt or caused rifts in their relationships. According to the series, LulaRoe has had over 50 lawsuits put against them, including one from the State of Washington. In the mix of these suits, they have claims of defective clothing (mouldy, stinky, damaged) and refusal to payout refunds.

If anything, what this documentary sheds light on is the slippery skin of MLM company CEOs. If LulaRoe can remain operational after all this and Washington State filing against them, there’s no true justice for pyramid schemes, and MLM companies need better regulation.

From Little Monsters to Sea Monsters: Its all Queer Here

By Isobel Grieve

On July 8, 2021

In Movies, Reviews

If you feel in need of a good cry and can’t get it out, I highly recommend Luca. Released in Canada on Disney+ June 18th, 2021, this Pixar animated film sparked a lot of Queer TikTok discourse sparking mainstream media to take an interest as well.

The discussion circles the queer allegory that Luca’s “coming out” story element provides. Two young sea monster boys, Luca (voiced by Jacob Tremblay) and Alberto (voiced by Jack Dylan Grazer), find friendship with a young land monster girl, Giulia (voiced by Emma Berman), in a small Italian land monster village. The village hunts sea monsters, which shapes the hostile environment Luca and Alberto must hide their true selves in by avoiding water on land to retain their human form. Of course, they can’t do that forever.

The queer allegory does not stop at the two boys’ experience on land, it spreads into Luca’s parents’ experiences as well. Luca’s mother (voiced by Maya Rudolph) and father (voiced by Jim Gaffigan) venture onto land searching for Luca after he runs away from sea with Alberto. Their fear is for Luca’s safety above water in the company of people who hate and hunt sea monsters like them.

The three friends prepare for a community lead triathlon whose cash prize will get the boys enough money to purchase an old Vespa they’ll travel on. While training, Luca becomes more interested in Giulia’s books and what she learns from school than travelling around with Alberto.

Once again, Luca’s eyes and ears perk up with curiosity. First, it was merely the land that he found interesting and the adventures he and Alberto went on. Now, Luca strives for more innovation and knowledge, where Alberto craves something else.

Luca’s need to get out and learn most likely stems from feeling suffocated by his protective parents, whereas Alberto’s father left him at a young age. At first glance, Alberto just wants adventure and independence as a way of proving he can go it alone. However, underneath that exterior, what he really needs is stability in companionship and perhaps routine.

From frustration seeing Luca slip away from their original dream, Alberto outs himself as a sea monster to Giulia with the intention of outing Luca too. Instead, Luca acts scared of Alberto. Heartbreaking. The animation portrays the betrayal and fear in Alberto beautifully. The waterworks started then and persisted when Giulia spritz water on Luca back at her house while confronting him for being so reckless as to come into a town that hates sea monsters.

Now we see the obstacle is not that Giulia fears Luca or Alberto, it’s that she fears for them. It’s similar for Luca’s parents, they’re terrified for Luca’s safety above water. Interestingly enough, their love for Luca does not come with a desire to change the opinion of sea monsters on land but an instinct to hide. Giulia is also all about hide and stay safe rather than fight to be accepted.

A moment bound to fruition, Alberto and Luca are exposed by the rain at the triathlon; no one can hide forever. It is not until a sea monster hunter, Giulia’s father Massimo (voiced by Marco Barricelli), recognizes Luca and Alberto in their sea monster form that the village finally accepts all sea monsters. The message: True acceptance of difference is learning there is no difference at all.

The journey reads very queer. The whole time the boys knew they were sea monsters but out of fear hide that from the world, not out of shame. The learning curve was not about accepting themselves; it was about learning who they are and what they want outside of what they already know is true. When they fully understand who they are, that’s when the world sees them for who they are, sea monsters and humans.

The other queer likeness is the sense of found family for Alberto. He’s abandoned by his father but finds Luca, a friend and brother. Then meets Giulia, a friend and sister. She introduces him to her father Massimo, a man who by the end of the film, wholeheartedly steps in as a father figure for Alberto when Giulia and Luca leave for school.

So not only is it a coming out and coming to allegory, it’s a found family story. So undeniably queer, and at that point does it really matter what the director says?