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!

Loki Season 2

Loki Season 2 (Michael Waldron, 2023)

Click here for the basics

Rating: DSQ=11, SP=7 / Decadence

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

Marvel, Science Fiction, Fantasy, Action, Adventure, Complex Relationships

I had high hopes for the second season of Loki, mostly because I was so surprised at how good the first season was. Season 1 brought us a new take on Marvel, with an emphasis on artistry and vibrancy that harkened back to the traditional comic books. I was again surprised by Season 2--while the show was still vibrant and visually intriguing, the emphasis impressively shifted to telling a very philosophical story about time, destiny, and the meaning of life. This is not what I would ever expect of the new MCU universe that usually chooses flashy and escapist fantasy over narrative depth. Loki Season 2 is a time travel adventure, but it is dark and deep. It's even a religious allegory, at times. Loki, as well as the other characters, must grapple with his "glorious purpose." There are hard choices, difficult realizations, deep philosophical conundrums. And all of this in serious urgency--the fate of the entire universe... needless to say, I was quite impressed by this one. 

--Don't understand the ratings? Click here

Happy 2022!

Happy 2022, everyone! This last year was another surreal one, full of ups and downs. This year was spent mostly watching Star Wars shows, Marvel Cinematic Universe, and returning to some old favorites. Probably my favorite film I saw this year was Dune, favorite show was Star Wars: Rebels.

Other highlights were marathoning Star Wars: Clone Wars, weekly viewings of Star Wars: The Bad Batch, watching every Marvel film made so far plus Loki--such a great show!--and being inspired by Nomadland. It was also fun to go to a few Rifftrax: Live shows in the theater.

I'm hoping to keep watching new and old films in 2022 and make a few more themed lists for everyone. I never did actually make my list of 25 under-appreciated films, but I am working on re-watching all of Jean Pierre-Jeunet's films. Look for that soon!

Best wishes!

Loki Season 1

Loki Season 1 (Michael Waldron, 2021)

Click here for the basics

Rating: DSQ=11, SP=8 / Decadence

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

Marvel, Science Fiction, Fantasy, Action, Adventure, Complex Relationships

Of all the bazillion characters that exist in the Marvel Cinematic Universe (MCU), Loki is hands down my favorite. The God of Mischief is, in my opinion, the most complex, intriguing, and entertaining character to watch. And Tom Hiddleston makes Loki a wonderful blend of charisma, vanity, two-facedness, longing, and so much more (and very easy on the eyes, I must say). I had no expectations for a Loki series, but I was blown away with the direction that Marvel took this one. The show feels the most like a comic book of all MCU stuff I've seen--the quick pace, bright colors, character interactions and reveals, endless cliffhangers--which was amazing and somehow also different than the rest of the MCU. And even with all that emphasis on artistry it also managed to bring us a level of character development and growth uncommon in Action/Superhero films. Loki truly has grown from villain to anti-hero. So good! I am impatient to see what will happen next. Gimme more!

--Don't understand the ratings? Click here