Listen, I get why most of you rate this lower than Spirited Away or Totoro or Princess Mononoke.

Listen, I get why most of you rate this lower than Spirited Away or Totoro or Princess Mononoke.
There’s a fine line between “carrying a movie” and “being completely wasted by a movie that you totally outclass,” and Jessica Rothe toes that line this entire musical as it bounces between bearable and dire.
What a delight. Chaplin in fine form, with one sketch after another that plays to the setting well. (A high-wire monkey attack is, in particular, chaotic perfection.) There’s also a strong undercurrent of reflection on the life of performer and authenticity in entertainment, and an ending unusually bittersweet for early/mid-Chaplin.
When I was 21, I made a list of my 100 favorite movies and I put this at #93. Of course today, it would be nowhere near my Top 100.
I love the tone, aesthetic, soundtrack, and premise. I wanted to fall for this film. Such a shame about the script, though…
This and Eighth Grade and Lady Bird are out here really making me feel how difficult and awful it is to be a teenage girl. I just want to be a dad who knows the right balance of space and support to give his girls when they’re this age.
I love that this movie did not hold back in making Nadine erratic and unpleasant, but still made you feel and root for her. Credit the rock-solid screenplay and, especially, Steinfeld’s amazing performance.
Whoa, hold on… against every preconceived instinct of mine, Boss Baby is actually really good.
September is a minor Woody Allen drama, though there is plenty to like.
Saw this one with both my daughters at an Alamo Drafthouse screening. My almost-4-year old was shattered by the story of a kid separated from his family; it was the first time I saw her cry during a movie since Finding Nemo. Her palpable relief at their reunion in the ending was contagious to her daddy.
This is a surprisingly bleak and detailed look at immigrant life in late-19th century New York City. I found much of it quite good, especially in the first half when the story focused on Fievel. The second half, centered around an uprising against cats (kinda-sorta pro-unionization parable?) isn’t quite as rich or emotional.
The songs are hit-or-miss (“Somewhere Out There” is an all-timer, while the one with the friendly cat is completely disposable). The animation is quite good, especially the use of color. Hues range from gloomy bluish-brownish-gray to an almost amber-tinted warmth.
And the patriotic tone actually feels earned as the movie acknowledges the flaws and darkness of our country; that it could still settle on a message of hope is inspiring.
Bravura use of fake blood — like masterpiece-level artistry. Actually, everything about the movie looks amazing.
I haven’t seen too many exploitation revenge films, but this one is definitely on the less-misogynistic side (which is a low bar). It doesn’t dwell on her assault or humiliation, at least.
The gore is gruesome, a proper visceral transposition of the violence and violation against Jen — with lots iconography that can be read both literally and symbolically. Unfortunately, I couldn’t quite shake the feeling that the movie should have subverted its male gaze even more than it did.