Barbie

Barbie (Greta Gerwig, 2023)

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Rating: Q=8, P=7 / Obsession

Scale 1=4, Scale 2=4, Scale 3=4, Scale 4=3

Comedy, Adventure, Philosophical

I played with Barbies when I was young, probably not as much as other dolls, but they were still beloved toys that my sister and I could dress and imagine with. We had a lot of them and even borrowed our babysitter's collection from time to time. Now my niece has a bajillion.

When I heard there would be a Barbie movie, I was first a little skeptical--would this be just another money grabbing movie? But then I learned that Greta Gerwig was directing. I knew it would be a big success and that I had to see it eventually. And what a success it was. And still is. I don't think anyone could really anticipate the enormity of the film's impact. It's a fun, satirical, silly film at the start that unravels into something so clever and thought-provoking. This film does everything a film should: entertains, provides escape, has twists and turns, makes you think a lot, leaves you feeling better for watching it. And so many of the lines are brilliant and hysterical and moving. I laughed and I cried. If you haven't watched it, you must.

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Captain Blood

Captain Blood (Michael Curtiz, 1935)

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Rating: Q=6, P=6 / Average OJ

Scale 1=3, Scale 2=3, Scale 3=3, Scale 4=3

Swashbuckling, Historical, Adventure

I've been enjoying watching more classic films, especially from the early to mid-1930s. Errol Flynn will always be one of my favorites. It was a shame that he was so type casted and each of his most famous roles are very similar. But I could still watch them over and over again. Captain Blood is a great story with beautiful sets and great acting. And who can resist a renegade or pirate story? Blood is not my favorite character of Flynn's, but he has some wonderful lines. This is a fun watch that still captivates nearly a century later.

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Oscars 2024: The Nominations

It's that time of year again...The Oscar nominated films were released. Like last year, it's no longer an Oscar Dash for me, but I do hope to watch all the films eventually. And I do plan to post about each one once I do watch, so you can anticipate those throughout the year and beyond. And don't forget to watch the big event on March 10, 2024!

Here are the nominees for best picture:

American Fiction

Anatomy of a Fall

Barbie

The Holdovers

Killers of the Flower Moon

Maestro

    

Oppenheimer

Past Lives

Poor Things

    

The Zone of Interest

Happy 2024!

Happy 2024, everyone! This year's film watching was a lot of fantasy, adventure, and some excellent new shows and seasons. Probably my favorite film I saw this year was Oppenheimer. Favorite show was Ahsoka.

Other highlights were Everything Everywhere All at Once, watching nearly the entirety of Columbo, The Mandalorian Season 3 and Loki Season 2.

My goal for 2024 is to revisit more 1920s and 30s films, specifically the box-office successes (less critically acclaimed films), Marx Brothers, Shirley Temple, and silent era classics.

Best wishes!