I honestly donât expect it to dominate awards season. Itâs got another musical in the mix (Wicked) that is a much bigger cultural phenomenon, and I tend to think that will block out its sun to a fair extent. Seems like itâs on course to get a fair number of nominations, but at this point I donât realistically think itâs winning any above-the-line Oscars.
Tubi has New York Ninja, a legendary 80âs camp ninja movie that Iâve been trying to watch since 2021; it 100% lives up to the hype.
Not bombastic enough. I can see why some found this to be boring. The musical numbers are well choreographed but are more like spoken word poetry.
I had no problem with the trans representation. As stated in this review:
Ultimately, Iâm not here to say what is realistic and what isnât realistic. I am only one trans woman with my own set of experiences â none of which involve being a closeted drug kingpin. I will not say that Emiliaâs understanding of herself is inaccurate. There are lots of different trans people in the world with lots of different trans experiences.
I wasnât opposed to the places where she was deadnamed, because I bought into the arc that she was such a powerful cartel figure that she only saw a way forward by treating that person as though they were separate and had died.
I liked the plot about trying to still be in her kids lives, and like Walter White, when that was put in jeopardy, her vicious identity came forward.
The ending was good.
Iâll give it 3/5. Maybe 2.5/5. I wish the musical numbers had been bigger. Instead itâs like the mumble core LKJ described.
Is this actually a trans movie though? It seemed like nothing more than a plot device to have the criminal character be unrecognizable. If the character had instead gotten a bunch of plastic surgery that was unrelated to sex/gender, is the film different in any significant way? Doesnât seem like it to me, but Iâd like your perspective.
That said, there was a trans person playing the character, so that is definitely a step in the right direction.
One funny thing that I didnât mention. While I was watching the movie, my wife could kinda hear the songs from the other room. She texted me âAre you watching the Sabrina Carpenter Christmas special in there?â. I may have actually enjoyed that more, despite hating just about all her songs.
I think itâs a fair criticism that the movie doesnât integrate or interrogate her being trans enough.
But it was trans enough for me.
Her being trans is the motivation for her to give up her family and her life as a cartel leader. She fakes her death in the same way a lot of trans people start over with new friends and family.
I thought Selena Gomezâs character had a trans-related feeling of betrayal, which is where I wish the movie had gone a lot deeper. Does she feel confused that the man she married is actually a woman? Does she want that life back? Is it possible to make peace and wish her well? It seemed to me the movie went straight to violence, which is unsettling and may be where a lot of critics are coming from when they say theyâve seen this before, but I also thought the story ending with violence fit the arc of the trans character. She tried to leave behind a life of violence, even to make amends for it, but it fits for her to face a brutal end after a brutal life.
Love this guyâs reviews.
Looks like fun
I donât understand how they managed to screw up a Kraven movie.
Red One is already on prime lol
Banshees of Inisherin holds up beautifully to rewatch, even improved a bit in my mind from an already high opinion. Awesome bleak drama that still works in a lot of great laughs; strikes that tonal balance pretty perfectly. Feels completely unique from every other movie Iâve watched. Itâs a shame this movie got shut out from winning any acting Oscars.
4.5/5
Im due for a rewatch and excited to see it again.
Also, yes, a case could have been made for all 4 leads taking home a statue. Going 0-4 was a real shame.
What a beautiful movie. Love it. I only recently learned that Inisherin is the last work of a trilogy. The first two were produced by McDonagh for the stage. The Cripple of Inishmaan(1996) and The Lieutenant of Inishmore (2001). I wish I could see these.
As for McDonagh as a film directorâŠ
In Bruges
Three Billboard
Banshees
Thatâs solid. Havenât seen Seven Psychopaths and I suppose I should.
In Bruges is awesome too. Obviously a lot more of a straight comedy than this one, but itâs clear that Gleeson and Farrell work brilliantly together. Three Billboards I really enjoyed in the theater, though Iâve been fearful that it wouldnât do as well on rewatch. Maybe Iâll find some courage at some point and put that to the test.
I was not aware of Seven Psychopaths, honestly. Just added it to my watchlist.
So they took the bad guy from Deadpool and made him a good guy.
I love Seven Psychopaths, watched it a few times.
If you need a christmas gift for a Bladerunner fan in your life (or yourself) this is pretty sick.
Do you wish that Succession had fewer helicopters and a few more cassocks? Do you like long, lingering, close up shots of Sir Ralph Fiennes doing some serious acting? Then you might like Conclave. 2 hours of class. Not particularly complicated or deep (once you figure out who everyone is) but oozing production value and very solid throughout. Would recommend.
Itâs too bad that The Rock (1996) has that one interminable shitty chase sequence through San Francisco that grinds the movie to a halt, because the movie is otherwise without major flaws. And even with that, it remains a cut above most of the other iconic staples of 90s action.