Oh goodie. I’m glad you liked it, right? I feel like watching it again right now, just because of your discovery. Aloha, always, and I hope I’ll be back in Hawaii next year.
Our legions will be unleashed when I write further on the subject! I’m actually collecting reviews by the folks who saw right through it and cringed, aghast.
My friend Josh just wrote me: Thank you for this article, Susie! Everything you write is so on-target, especially regarding the state of Hollywood.
If Hollywood were a bakery, it would make a thousand cakes out of horse manure, and then at the end of the year it would make six normal cakes and congratulate itself for what excellent cakes it made.
I haven't seen all the movies I should — I'm on a binge this week, and I added a few titles of yours to my list. But my top three that I have seen are:
1. Souleymane's Story. (I believe it's on Kanopy now if you missed it.)
2. Hamnet. (Slow going, I thought, but that ending!)
3. Blue Moon.
I also saw a Czech movie called Girl America / Amerikanka, which hasn't been released in North America but is truly one of the best creations in every aspect I have ever seen.
I'm off to see The Mastermind in a few minutes, then It Was Just An Accident, both at Lincoln Center, then Train Dreams at the beautiful Paris Theater if I have the stamina. I wish I could see Sirat but it just left theaters here.
Loved reading this, thanks Susie. Wouldn’t you know I’d get out of the business right when everything started to show up on streaming. I think Linkletter could get me past my usual aversion to showbiz bios. Did you love If I Had Legs…? It was one of my faves, and maybe I’m sick but it was my idea of funny, though they’re selling it as a taut thriller.
Let’s meet up at the next SFBAFCC meeting, seriously. In addition to anythign else. The membership awarded Emma Stone for “If I Had legs…” even though it wasn’t my pick. Ya can’t win’em all! I love our meetings where we debate the movies in good spirits.
I think the publicists are marketing everything as either “horror” or “romance” they think that’s a plan. Idiots.
No one would ever catch up if they didn’t do this as a job. I have the love/hate tipping point, many times. Yet in the end, half the favorite movies I listed above I never would have picked up if I didn’t “have to”— so I am glad.
So many current offerings both in film and print seem so “light” in content. It’s worth checking out reviews to find the stuff that’s actually worth devoting time and effort to them. Thank you for doing this!
I forgot to add: No one paid me or offered me any treats to review these movies. I am not beholden. And I didn’t use AI to write or research a single word. I want to be taken out on a wild shopping spree now, though. I’m pooped.
I didn’t review “Sentimental Value” bc the folks at NEON wouldn’t send me a digital screener. I hear it’s very good and you can see how film distributors are shooting themselves when they don’t get their assets out to reviewers. Whom does it serve?
“Marty Supreme” is coming out Xmas in theaters, then eventually on AppleTV. It’s an A24 movie, and they are ambitious for Best Actor and Best Picture nods. They sent me a screener the afternoon after our first ballots were due. I don’t vote on what I don’t see.
Again, why the contempt for critics? Why not get it out earlier? Sorry, their “piracy” worries with me and other credentialed critics is absurd. I wrote to AppleTV publicists long ago, without reply. The idea that they don’t need credibility is hubris. Marty is an ambitious movie worthy of criticism, and they aren’t doing their audience or profit margin any favors by hiding the cheese. None of the producers can afford to ignore their dwindling moviegoers
Anything else “obvious” that I didn’t include is bc I did not like it. I do not like Green Eggs with Spam.
Mahalo for the tips! I was avoiding A House Full of Dynamite just because of the split reviews. Big mistake! Much aloha to you!
Oh goodie. I’m glad you liked it, right? I feel like watching it again right now, just because of your discovery. Aloha, always, and I hope I’ll be back in Hawaii next year.
Thank you for this comprehensive list. And thank you for despising One Battle After Another. I thought I was the only one.
Our legions will be unleashed when I write further on the subject! I’m actually collecting reviews by the folks who saw right through it and cringed, aghast.
My friend Josh just wrote me: Thank you for this article, Susie! Everything you write is so on-target, especially regarding the state of Hollywood.
If Hollywood were a bakery, it would make a thousand cakes out of horse manure, and then at the end of the year it would make six normal cakes and congratulate itself for what excellent cakes it made.
I haven't seen all the movies I should — I'm on a binge this week, and I added a few titles of yours to my list. But my top three that I have seen are:
1. Souleymane's Story. (I believe it's on Kanopy now if you missed it.)
2. Hamnet. (Slow going, I thought, but that ending!)
3. Blue Moon.
I also saw a Czech movie called Girl America / Amerikanka, which hasn't been released in North America but is truly one of the best creations in every aspect I have ever seen.
I'm off to see The Mastermind in a few minutes, then It Was Just An Accident, both at Lincoln Center, then Train Dreams at the beautiful Paris Theater if I have the stamina. I wish I could see Sirat but it just left theaters here.
Keep on writin'!
Loved reading this, thanks Susie. Wouldn’t you know I’d get out of the business right when everything started to show up on streaming. I think Linkletter could get me past my usual aversion to showbiz bios. Did you love If I Had Legs…? It was one of my faves, and maybe I’m sick but it was my idea of funny, though they’re selling it as a taut thriller.
Let’s meet up at the next SFBAFCC meeting, seriously. In addition to anythign else. The membership awarded Emma Stone for “If I Had legs…” even though it wasn’t my pick. Ya can’t win’em all! I love our meetings where we debate the movies in good spirits.
I think the publicists are marketing everything as either “horror” or “romance” they think that’s a plan. Idiots.
I'll try to make the next one. Only two more winters of full time work, gasp. I miss those fights and I miss bringing in the rum cake.
I think the rum cake is KEY to fair fights and thoughtful votes. Please do!
You’re always so far ahead of me. I’ll never catch up!
No one would ever catch up if they didn’t do this as a job. I have the love/hate tipping point, many times. Yet in the end, half the favorite movies I listed above I never would have picked up if I didn’t “have to”— so I am glad.
So many current offerings both in film and print seem so “light” in content. It’s worth checking out reviews to find the stuff that’s actually worth devoting time and effort to them. Thank you for doing this!
I could hardly get past your use of the words "hot mink". -- nice. Also I definitely approve of you "showing them all."
Also thanks for a great list. I just watched Spinal Tap again (for reasons) and need more recommendations
You, Liz, are my very own hot mink
I forgot to add: No one paid me or offered me any treats to review these movies. I am not beholden. And I didn’t use AI to write or research a single word. I want to be taken out on a wild shopping spree now, though. I’m pooped.
Extra Sauce:
I didn’t review “Sentimental Value” bc the folks at NEON wouldn’t send me a digital screener. I hear it’s very good and you can see how film distributors are shooting themselves when they don’t get their assets out to reviewers. Whom does it serve?
“Marty Supreme” is coming out Xmas in theaters, then eventually on AppleTV. It’s an A24 movie, and they are ambitious for Best Actor and Best Picture nods. They sent me a screener the afternoon after our first ballots were due. I don’t vote on what I don’t see.
Again, why the contempt for critics? Why not get it out earlier? Sorry, their “piracy” worries with me and other credentialed critics is absurd. I wrote to AppleTV publicists long ago, without reply. The idea that they don’t need credibility is hubris. Marty is an ambitious movie worthy of criticism, and they aren’t doing their audience or profit margin any favors by hiding the cheese. None of the producers can afford to ignore their dwindling moviegoers
Anything else “obvious” that I didn’t include is bc I did not like it. I do not like Green Eggs with Spam.
Smart & Cute
Susie, I LOVE this list and thank you for laying out my viewing plans for the next month while it rains and rains!!
Is it going to be a rainy January in our little town?
That's what they're saying. We should meet up for a movie or two!
I would love that