Arrival (16): Cinematically, the film still holds the same dreamy mystery and technical brilliance from my first watch. This time though, the emotional weight walloped me more than I've ever felt. Adams carries the film with a tranquil power that deepens those late film revelations with grace. A-

Grease (78): Look, it’s a blast despite my better judgment. It’s much weirder than it should be with the age-blind casting, and how much they neuter or don’t. It’s kinda insanely made too, but the score is winning and full of bops. Oh, and Stockard Channing. B

B&N Criterion Sale Haul (so far)

Disclosure Day (26): Like Scorsese’s The Irishman, Spielberg is unpacking the mythology and iconography he helped create while still making a movie that works on its own. Some of the dialogue is clunky, but it’s cast well. Emily Blunt is near career best—fragile and open. Williams kills it. A-

Beat the heat. See a movie or 4.

Kylie (26): As a fan who didn’t know her musical evolution, I found it fascinating. Wished it balanced the music with her personal life more in the later episodes, but it’s enjoyable. Loved the purity of the joy and surprising melancholy she and the film emanate. B (Netflix) #2026inTV

Walk the Line (05): It’s become increasingly mockable in the clichéd writing and structure, but I still like it. Phoenix and Witherspoon are wonderful. Of course wish it had 10 percent studio gloss, but it’s well performed and felt. Reese’s intro and the following diner scene are bangers. B

Weekend (11): The spontaneity of the performances and the frankness of Haigh’s direction highlight the binaries and contradictions within these gay men’s lives. Achingly romantic yet still appropriately naughty, the film still packs a cathartic wallop in the last 15 min. A

Selma (14): Watching this perfectly calibrated ensemble navigate this movie about strategy and tactics is wondrous. DuVernay is judicious in how she edits and lets each development unfold. Oyelowo plays both towering and vulnerable equally well. Forceful but never pushy. A

A Star Is Born (54): Messy, ambitious, but made with Big Tent showmanship. Mason, in the role of a lifetime, brings wells of fragility and vulnerability to Norman, but Garland gives one of the single greatest performance in cinematic history—gusty, savvy, strong and in song! Brilliant. A

Crazy Rich Asians (18): Chirpy, classic romcom structure with style and excess to burn. Yeoh and Awkwafina are still standouts of the cast, but Chu creates buzzy opulent scenes buoyed by increased pathos in equal measure. The mahjong scene is one of the best of 2018. B/B+

The Outfit (22): Shocked how much I enjoyed this. Maybe too smugly proud of its one set, mousetrap-styling staging, but it was cohesive and watchable. Now of course, the 11th hour revelations certainly explain why most of the cast was involved, but Rylance and Deutsch are fun. Beale’s the MVP. B

Pretty Woman (90): Chewy, rewatchable romcom where you watch Julia go from new actress to supernova and everyone else gets out of her way. Fluffy, sure, but with a cast this overqualified there’s plenty to enjoy. Marshall had a knack for a brand of kind studio comedy we need. B+

10 years ago today, my ex and I were told a supernatural creature was born and would be ours. And all these years later, I cannot imagine a single day without his fierce attitude, his defiant joy in mischief, or how utterly hard he loves his people. Happy 10th Birthday Spencer!

Mass (2021): What a juggernaut of precise writing and direction, and some of the purest, most distilled acting I’ve seen in years. This quartet is remarkable in what they do, but especially in what they don’t. The choices! Martha Plimpton is…transcendent. Tough, but worth it. A

Pride (14): Reiterates the importance of solidarity amongst marginalized groups even if they don’t directly relate to you, but does so in one of the most empathetic, crowd-pleasing, and kind films you’ll see. Terrific ensemble from spotlight part to under five. Generously made across the board. A

Atonement (07): In a film that aches to create iconic moments, Wright swings big in photography and design (that green dress!), but the flawless adaptation and Marianelli’s elegiac score still soar above the rest. McAvoy’s emotive performance stood out most this watch. Saoirse is remarkable. A

My Best Friend’s Wedding (97): Succeeds on a smart and tart script and the ensemble asked to bring it to life. Roberts is a wild-maned firecracker: gorgeous, destructive, and vulnerable. Diaz is her equal with dizzying joy. Mature ideas played with effortless charm…and a bit of good ole camp. A-

Philadelphia (93): Bathed in Demme’s singular empathy, it’s subtler and better with each watch. Beautifully cast and performed even down to the smallest roles particularly Hanks and Washington. Fujimoto’s watchful, beautiful camera movements stood out most. Those shots right into the lens! Wow. B+

Philadelphia (93): Bathed in Demme’s singular empathy, it is certainly subtler and better with each watch. Beautifully cast and performed even down to the smallest roles particularly Hanks and Washington. Fujimoto’s watchful, beautiful camera movements stood out most. B+

Original Cast Album: Company (70): Strich’s 11th hour meltdown on ‘The Ladies Who Lunch’ gets plenty of deserved attention, but Dean Jones’ perfect ‘Being Alive’ will shake you to the core. Watching Sondheim hover like God as this cast attempts to be note perfect is a sight. A-

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Oscar Best Director 1945: 1. Alfred Hitchcock “Spellbound” 2. Jean Renoir “The Southerner” 3. Clarence Brown “National Velvet” 4. Billy Wilder “The Lost Weekend” 5. Leo McCarey “The Bells of St. Mary’s” One of the weirdest lineups in Oscar history.

Dead Poets Society (89): Such an odd object. It’s well made, earnestly told, and despite the script issues it plays, but I don’t feel much towards it. Weir and DP Seale are able to create that warmth and style, but even the ending doesn’t have the emotional wallop it should. B/B-

Carol (15): Avoids Hollywood tropes in favor of something more quotidian yet immaculate. The creamy photography, the transporting score, and calibrated script are enhanced by Haynes’s expert eye for frame and performance. Blanchett is near career-best, and Mara is even better. A+

Return of the Jedi (83): Even if everyone involved seems slightly over it, the goofier tone is a fun change. The art direction and score are still my favorite elements, but all that Ewok business makes it lighter than it is. Peaks with Jabba’s Palace. Love Vader/Luke duel. B+

Oscar Best Costume Design 2010 1. True Grit 2. I Am Love 3. The Tempest 4. Alice in Wonderland 5. The King’s Speech This is a weird lineup. If was 16 years ago, and it still is today. But in looking again I surprised myself with my ardor for Mary Zophres textured work in

The Best of Me (14): What an empty nothing burger of every Sparks cliché mixed with our two appealing leads who have zero chemistry. Too preposterous even for these movies, and the flashbacks are deadly. It’s not even cringy because it barely registers as having a pulse. D-

On Golden Pond (81): Tougher and better than its reputation, but certainly embraces the saccharine. H. Fonda is luminous, heartbreaking and resilient. Hepburn matches him with mettle and vinegar. The real life father/daughter drama at the center only adds power. Moving. B+

Apex (26): Straight forward thrills and good looking throughout, this is an easy to watch. The obvious CGI is a bit annoying, but when they’re on location and with Charlize in full movie star mode, it’s a good time. Just enough character to care, but not enough to bog it down. B

The Princess Diaries (01): There’s a familiar kind, easy to watch quality in most Rob Marshall joints, and this is a perfect example. Hathaway shimmers like a freshly mined diamond—rough but brilliant, and Andrews just knows exactly what to do. Simple maybe but satisfying. Oh and Elizando. B+

Moneyball (11): A tale of stats, sports, and what it means to be a movie star. This is Pitt’s best work: relaxed, charming and deeply felt. Miller’s direction highlights the specificity of this script with ease and old-fashioned showmanship. The sound and editing are a dream. A

Star Wars (77): The binary sunset, 
the BEST SCORE EVER, the brilliant art direction, the Max Rebo Band, Peter Cushing, Ford, Fisher, and James Earl MF-ing Jones etc. Burtt’s sound effects!
Plays beautifully in archetypes with specificity and panache. Impeccable and deservedly instantly iconic. A+

I decided a new project would be to go through a streaming service, in this case, Paramount Plus and one by one go through the narrative features I’ve never seen. I’m trying to go fairly alphabetically, and it’s a mixed bag. Here’s those results.

Postcards from the Edge (90): A joy to see Streep play a complex, modern woman with a razor sharp wit. Like the film she’s flinty, nimble, and aces the big moments. Nichols’ crafty direction never lets Fisher’s acerbic bite and keen eye get lost. MacLaine is a camp goddess. God love, Hackman. A-

The End of the Affair (99): Multiple viewings but the same reaction. The ingredients are all amazing (the novel, Jordan’s adaptation, Ralph! Julianne!), but outside of the lovely photography and score, it’s almost there but doesn’t have the impact of the novel. Bloodless. B-

Oscar 1993 Best Supporting Actress 1. Rosie Perez “Fearless” 2. Anna Paquin “The Piano” 3. Emma Thompson “In the Name of the Father” 4. Winona Ryder “The Age of Innocence” 5. Holly Hunter “The Firm” Let’s start here—this is a phenomenal lineup. The kinds of performances, the

Swing Time (36): Perfection. The sets and costumes swoon with design, the Kern score lifts and guild every emotion, and Astaire and Rogers have never dance better…ever. “Never Gonna Dance” is muscular, magnetic, and passionate. It’s their best number. Everyone’s in peak form. A

Swing Time (36): Perfection. The sets and costumes swoon with design, the Kern score lifts and guild every emotion, and Astaire and Rogers have never dance better…ever. “Never Gonna Dance” is muscular, magnetic, and passionate. It’s their best number. Everyone’s in peak form. A

Daddy and Kirby the Bear

People need to start to understand what happens when you fire the inspectors.

Breaking: Tennessee Republicans pass new 9-0 gerrymander after SCOTUS destruction of Voting Rights Act eliminating state’s only majority-Black district & last Democratic seat. Splits Memphis, which is 63% Black, into 3 districts to disenfranchise Black voters. Quite literally a return to Jim Crow

Mulan (98): Sturdy in story and score, but upon rewatch, I wish it looked better. Feels hopelessly stuck between the refined prestige of ‘Hunchback’ and cartoony designs of ‘Hercules’. Ming-Na Wen is particularly good in the voice cast, and every song is a banger. B-