Star Wars: The Bad Batch Season 3

Star Wars: The Bad Batch Season 3 (Jennifer Corbett and Dave Filoni, 2024)

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Science Fiction, Action, Adventure

Season 1 Rating: DSQ=10, SP=6 / Can't Get Enough

Scale A=4, Scale B=3, Scale C=3, Scale D=3, Scale E=3

I really enjoyed the darker, tenser tone of Season 3. Omega grows so much and we really see the undying loyalty that is the very essence and soul of a clone. The relationships between the clones and each other is also strengthened with the return and redemption of Crosshair. And the terrible experiments/trials of the Empire become somehow even more disturbing. I think Doctor Hemlock might be my least favorite character in Star Wars-- a truly awful villain. We also get more answers to many questions that kept arising in the previous seasons. Nothing completely explained, but that would never happen ;)

I loved The Bad Batch --in concept, each character, individual episodes in all seasons-- what a great part of the Star Wars universe.

Click here to see how I rated Season 1. And Season 2.

--Don't understand the ratings? Click here

The Pale Blue Eye

The Pale Blue Eye (Scott Cooper, 2022)

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Rating: Q=6, P=5 / Average OJ

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

Based on Book, 19th Century America, Mystery, Grief, Macabre

I don't know much about the earliest decades of America, that time between independence and the civil war. It isn't a period that my history classes focused on, sadly. Especially not the culture. But I did spend some time reading early American authors as an English major in college and so gleaned some cultural and historical knowledge. The Pale Blue Eye is an aesthetically beautiful film. It is incredibly melancholic, greatly aided by the snowy, wintry setting. And though it is a mystery with undertones of the occult, cultural/political conflicts, and grief, it is also a story about young Edgar Allen Poe. They really made Harry Melling look exactly like Poe! I was captivated by this blending of history and fiction. And I was drawn into the world as much as (if not more so) trying to solve its mystery.

--Don't understand the ratings? Click here

Poor Things

Poor Things (Yorgos Lanthimos, 2023)

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Rating: Q=8, P=7 / Obsession

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

Whimsical, Sci-Fi, Philosophical, Complex Relationships, Historical Fiction (sort of)

This film is incredible. It is truly something else. Poor Things, much like its main character, is a new kind of film and story. It is quirky and bold, aggressive and offensive, unabashed and unashamed. Poor Things and Bella makes you question and reflect on what it means to be a human being. Bella begins as an experiment and perhaps she shows us that every part of the human experience should be an experiment, as we must try and do --despite the risks-- in order to say that we live.

In addition to the fantastic story, Poor Things has the most memorable and intriguing artistry. The costumes, sets, score, and lighting are all so palpable. And very quirky and weird. At times, even surreal. I loved the Frankenstein and Wizard of Oz references, too. I will certainly eagerly watch this again and again. What a masterful piece of cinema.

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Shogun

Shogun (Frederick E.O. Toye and others, 2024)

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17th Century, Historical, Based on Book, Japan, Action

Season 1 Rating: DSQ=12, SP=8 / Can't Get Enough

Scale A=4, Scale B=4, Scale C=4, Scale D=4, Scale E=4

It has been quite a while since I've watched a series that is this intense--intense in story, acting, and visuals. Peaky Blinders was also intense, but in a different way with a different feel. At times Shogun is quietly intense, so much so that you feel you might explode from the tension. Other times it is roaring. The story of Shogun is one of discovery, cultures in contrast, strategy and intrigue, politics and war, customs and rituals, and especially honor and loyalty. But it is just as much (if not more so) a crushingly cruel, beautiful tale of love and loss, of identity and purpose. This is a grand tale of the human experience. What cinematography, costumes, and design! What moments! I was instantly sucked into the mesmerizing world of Japan in 1600 and I just want more. Stunning is not a strong enough word. Go watch this as soon as you can.

--Don't understand the ratings? Click here

Past Lives

Past Lives (Celine Song, 2024)

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Rating: Q=7, P=6 / Average OJ

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

Romance, Complex Relationships

What if I had chosen a different route home? What if that friend had stayed in the USA? What if I had not gone on that trip? What if I didn't take that class? etc. The concept of In-Yun is one I've thought about a lot since watching Past Lives. The interconnectedness of events and the concept that everything happens for a reason is one I've always subscribed to. I found the story of Past Lives incredibly emotional. Not special or captivating, not particularly interesting even. But it was absorbing because it was real. And it made me cry and think because it is so human. Circumstances do create destiny and change the course of our lives. It's impossible not to think about that boy you used to like and what might have happened if you hadn't immigrated/moved away. A truly beautiful film..

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The Holdovers

The Holdovers (2023)

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Rating: Q=7, P=7 / Obsession

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

Drama, Coming of Age, Grief, Complex Relationships

The best films I've seen all have an atmosphere that fits the story and meanings so well that the place essentially becomes a character of the film. And this makes the film stick into your memory--you can't shake that effect. It is palpable and immersive. The Holdovers does this for me. The setting of an almost empty prep school with snowy weather and dreary skies contains equally empty, snowy, and dreary people who are stuck...it is so much more than a story about misery loving company or unlikely friendships. This is a story about grief and loss and the very real need for human beings to help each other in their struggles. It is a story of humans who are stuck and need help getting out. Marvelous script and performances.

--Don't understand the ratings? Click here

Oscars 2024: The Results

And the winner is... Oppenheimer! It was another year of long-time actors and directors finally being validated for their work!

Dune: Part 2

Dune: Part 2 (Denis Villeneuve, 2024)

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Rating: Q=8, P=8 / Obsession

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

Fantasy, Science Fiction, Based on Book, Adventure

WOW. I left the cinema speechless...again. Just as I expected, Dune: Part 2 far exceeded my expectations. It was more than mesmerizing. This is a masterful second part to an epic set of films. Just like in the first part, the audience is instantly drawn into the world of Arrakis to a shocking degree--I still can't believe how immersive this film is. I felt the thumping, the heart beats, the sand and spice swirling around the characters, the fear and tension. The contrasting aesthetics of the Harkonnens and the Fremen is so striking. And watch a chilling and creepy performance by Austin Butler as Feyd-Rautha, one of the most disturbing characters ever created. 

Somehow, this second part is even more tense and exhilarating than the first. This is some of the best cinematography (maybe the best?) and art direction I've ever seen. Well done Greig Fraser! And Hans Zimmer's score is phenomenal. I could rant and rave about this film forever, but instead you should just go see it. But I do recommend watching (or re-watching) the first part right before. 

Read what I thought of Dune Part 1.

--Don't understand the ratings? Click here

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!