Booksmart

After watching "She's All That", I was thinking that outcasts in movies are always 'arty'. You never had a 'maths' outcast (maybe except "Never Been Kissed") because it still not as cool as the 'arts kid'. So I loved that one of the many refreshing things about "Booksmart" was that they were just plain ol' academic nerds, rather than 'trendy arty kid'.
Two thumbs up - Booksmart is so brilliant and I love Beanie Feldstein's eye expressions!

She's All That

Hey Rebecca, guess what I found on TV? :p
Half a thumbs up

To All The Boys: P.S. I Still Love You

Attention all American tween films. Stop trying to make first and middle named characters happen. It's not going to happen. 

One thumbs down - it is not good. They are trying too hard to have a certain aesthetic, that it loses all the charm of the first one. Despite that, I went from being wildly annoyed at the first and middle name ridiculousness to crying during the part about the Korean word jung ("It's the connection between two people that can't be severed. Even when love turns to hate, you will always have tenderness in your heart for them"). What an emotional roller coaster. From a shitty teen Netflix movie. 

The Hateful Eight

It is so obvious in hindsight, but when the subtitles showed a song was by Jack White, I was like oh yeah, they can't just use actual songs from that period because they didn't have recorded music back then. DUH. 

One and a half thumbs up - the cold breath is real because they filmed in refrigerated sets. 

Pokemon: Detective Pikachu

"Pikachu's fur is so fluffy because the electricity stored in his body keeps it standing on end"
- IMDb trivia.

This was basically my face upon reading that info and throughout the entire movie because DETECTIVE PIKACHU IS SO GODDAMN CUTE!!
Two thumbs up - I forgot how adult the humour is in the Mr. Mime part, but I did not forget how enchanting and funny and great this movie is!! Third best movie of 2019 oh yeah!

Julie and Julia

I just can't even with Julia Child's voice. Meryl Streep nails it, but my god it is just too much. Well at least I learnt a new word 'rhotic' which I understand to be mean accents with a retained hard /r/ sound e.g. 'large, park' rather than 'car, far'.
One and a half thumbs up - I would guess not many people would rate this film, but I like it because cooking and Nora Ephron.

1917

How did they make that guy get progessively more white and pale? Makeup is the obvious answer but it seemed to be a continuous shot? But how?!
One thumbs up - it was good and concise, and the way it was shot with that seemingly continuous one shot was amazing. But Parasite was also equally shot well, is so much more interesting than a somewhat familiar war story, and it is original. Parasite clearly has my vote, though I think the Academy will go for the easy pick with 1917. Meh.

Uncut Gems

I felt so fucking stressed the whole time. Like up to here *temples*. There was no rest.
One and quarter thumbs up - this is why you don't gamble.

Shazam

An Indian kid? As our main hero? Finally how progressi- oh okay no.
One thumbs down - I don't know why it annoyed me so much, but I was so put off by the appearance of the Shazam hero - the smug grin, his perfectly gelled hair, his cartoonishly exaggerated padded body suit, the fact he looks nothing like the kid - that it just ruined it.

Parasite

Later that night it was super hot and muggy, but then I remembered a certain stair scene, spooked myself out, and had to make sure all my limbs were tucked in bed.

Two thumbs up - thumbs up, hands down nothing was better than Parasite in 2019 and it better win Best Picture! 

The Devil Wears Prada

Everyone is perfection in it, especially Emily Blunt at the end when she almost says something nice to Andie, but then just hangs up.
Two thumbs up - I love it. Then I hate how elitist and entitled their bubble is. Then I still love it anyway.

The Favourite

Oh I see. I am Lady Marlborough, overtaken by some new sycophant-y young thing.
Two thumbs up - everything is gorgeous about this movie, but I especially love the costuming and things like laser-cut lace to make it modern.

Booksmart

Okay we need a lot more compliments like this in our lives. I LOVE IT!!
Two thumbs up! It is hilarious. It is touching. It is unashamedly FEMININE. It is uplifting and re-affirming. It SPEAKS TO ME as a booksmart non-party girl. It is amazing!!

The Gentlemen

The dialogue was horrendous, and just because you can say 'c***' doesn't mean you should stick in every single scene. It reeked of being unnecessarily provocative.
One thumbs down - terrible dialogue and weird acting decisions; I didn't like it. But I feel this will be a mixed review type of movie.

Centre Stage

Cooper is a dickwad for two main reasons:
1. So... this dance is about a love triangle. You two (male and female) are ballerinas and you are a choreographer... SO NOT SUBTLE COOPER!
2. You can't just dance in the student workshop! It is for students! You have stolen from the poor understudy, who won't get a chance now. NOT COOL COOPER.
One thumbs up - it is lame, but I always enjoy it. Also I think Netflix is reading my mind because I heard a Jamiroquai song on the radio and thought "I am going to download Centre Stage for the plane ride" and then it was on Netflix the next day. 

Jojo Rabbit

"It was like an Inglorious Basterds Moonrise Kingdom" - Nicole, describing this movie to me.
THOSE ARE THE EXACT KEYWORDS/DIRECTORS/MOVIES I love.
Two thumbs up - it was fantastic! It is beautiful, sweet, poignant, so funny and everyone was so perfectly cast!

Beverly Hills Cop

Good tight cop action movie. Very funny, very 80s but in a good way. Holds up very well.
One a three quarters thumbs up! 

Free Solo

Okay that is just a sheer cliff. How on earth is there anything to hold onto or stand upon??
One thumbs up - I especially in awe of the filming of the crack climbs, which was so beautifully filmed but also TERRIFYING! I mildly wanted to vomit from fear just watching. I am his friend who couldn't bear to watch.

Fighting With My Family

Florence Pugh was really good in this! She looks great with darker features, and her low voice suited the character that I didn't even register it till I was thinking about Little Women afterwards.

One and a quarter thumbs up - it is so rare these days to have no idea what a movie is about before you watch it, so it was a lovely surprise that it was actually quite good (and based on real people!) 

Overboard

I've forgotten what triggers mention of this movie but Josh has been harping on about Overboard, starring Kurt Russell and Goldie Hawn, for while now hehehe.

Half a thumbs up - it was an entertaining afternoon movie, but it would definitely not be made these days.