Author: colourfulgranny

Week in Review (Jun 19 – Jul 2, 2022)

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What have I been doing this week? I’m glad you asked! Here’s what’s been on my watchlist this week:

*Note: My reviews usually contain spoilers. You have been warned. Proceed at your own risk.*

Movies

Elvis (2022)

Baz Luhrmann releases his newest film in almost a decade, and considering that his last was The Great Gatsby, expectations were high for Elvis. The biopic delivers the kind of viewing experience that I find generally to be quite polarizing. I’ll be honest, I went into this film ready to be disappointed with the storytelling but pleased with the visuals. And that is mostly what I took away from the film.

The grand story about the King of Rock and Roll (Austin Butler) is told from the point of view of the one man who would have the most subjective take on him, his blood-sucking manager, Colonel Tom Parker (Tom Hanks), who largely manipulated and extorted Elvis, while simultaneously selling Elvis out like a two-bit sideshow attraction. This isn’t to say that Elvis was entirely blameless in his path in life, but having started his career at such an impressionable young age, it was not surprising that he was led astray.

I found the biggest irony of the film the Colonel’s accusation to the viewers that we killed Elvis, because of our love for him. It felt like Luhrmann himself was reaching through the screen to tell us to stop engaging in fan culture. By and large, the film made it out like Elvis was a large political figure, responsible for causing riots and inciting crowds when he wasn’t shaking a leg up on stage, and that he did it all to make the fans holding “Bring back the Old Elvis” signs happy. However, I felt like he really just wanted to sing what he wanted and do what he wanted.

His descent into his various vices was also a result of too much exposure, and one of the more jarringly filmed scenes is Priscilla (Olivia DeJonge) looking on while her husband kisses a string of women during a performance. It was only natural for their marriage to dissolve when you throw drugs and infidelity into the mix, and I’m surprised Elvis was so shocked his wife wanted to leave him.

Overall the film left me with a bittersweet feeling. I’m glad that the world has the music of Elvis in it,  and that I got to enjoy it for about 2 and a half hours, but it was also a bit upsetting to see a man with so much potential and life to him slowly turn into a withered husk of himself.

Week in Review (Jun 5 – 18, 2022)

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What have I been doing this week? I’m glad you asked! Here’s what’s been on my watchlist this week:

*Note: My reviews usually contain spoilers. You have been warned. Proceed at your own risk.*

Movies

Top Gun: Maverick (2022)

I have to admit, I wasn’t a fan of the original film when I watched it about a decade ago for the first time, finding it overly dramatic with little plot. On a second viewing, I did like it better, but still didn’t understand the reason for the melodrama. When a sequel was announced, I expected more of the same, so I was quite surprised to see the generally positive reception to the film. Of course, I had to watch it for myself.

I was incredibly surprised that I enjoyed the film. It had so many things going for it, from nostalgia to great chemistry, to having an actual plot to it. While I wasn’t a huge fan of the need for violence and subterfuge in the film (something I didn’t like about its over-patriotic prequel either), the film definitely built the tension in a way that kept me on the edge of my seat. Add to that the charisma that Tom Cruise exudes, and figuring out the dynamics of the young class of Top Gun recruits, and the film had plenty to draw me in.

Was it a cinematic masterpiece? Absolutely not. But that didn’t stop it from being fun.

TV

James Acaster: Repertoire (2018)

I didn’t realize it was possible for a stand-up show to tell a hilarious, heartfelt and insightful narrative, but James Acaster manages to do just that in his 4-part comedy show, Repertoire. Told out of chronological order, it deals with a fictional James Acaster’s difficulties navigating jury duty, leading a life of crime, being in the Witness Protection Program, and infiltrating a gang of drug dealers as an undercover cop. All of this is, of course, a façade to talk about the very real Acaster’s life, using the veneer that his persona allows him.

I’ll admit, this isn’t the first – or even the second or third – time I’ve watched this series but his style of writing and the way he weaves the story together is absolutely brilliant. Acaster has an awkwardness to him that juxtaposes his confidence on stage (whether real or put-on is up to the viewers to decide), and he thrives in that dichotomy.

Most other comedians do a form of observational humor to draw the audience in, talking about mundane everyday things but in a new light to bring out the humor in it. Acaster on the other hand purposely chooses obscure topics to talk about in this style, things like oven gloves and posing for pictures in front of famous landmarks, but are still somehow completely relatable.

However, it isn’t done just for the purpose of being edgy. He uses metaphor after metaphor, and with one turn of phrase or gesture or well-placed pause, manages to not only make the audience laugh, but also look inwards and contemplate the grander meaning of life.

Week in Review (May 30 – Jun 4, 2022)

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What have I been doing this week? I’m glad you asked! Here’s what’s been on my watchlist this week:

*Note: My reviews usually contain spoilers. You have been warned. Proceed at your own risk.*

TV

When the Weather is Fine (2020) – Ep 6-7

My slow and steady watch of WtWiF continues, and with the school reunion upon us, we learn a little bit more about the town and its people, both their younger selves as well as the people they have become. The whole of Episode 6 had a nostalgic vibe to it, with old friends reuniting and rekindling past friendships (and rivalries).

This episode introduced guest star Kim Young-dae as our convenient plot device – I mean, past flirtation, to push Hae-won (Park Min-young) into realizing her feelings for Eun-seob (Seo Kang-joon). The episode ended with Hae-won’s moonlit confession of her feelings – only for the next one to start with Eun-seob  awkwardly responding “okay” and then running away. To add insult to injury, Hui (Kim Hwan-hee) witnessed the whole thing, but is luckily there to guide her through the rejection with all of her 15 years of life experience. Hui is slowly becoming my favourite character, maturing and growing and putting stupid boys in their place where necessary.

Another one of my faves is Jang-woo (Lee Jae-wook), who is somehow bumbling yet confident, surly but warm-hearted. The fact that such a genius can be so stupid sometime amuses me to no end, and I’m happy that he’s there to provide a link between our characters and act as a bridge between the sometimes disjointed aspects of the narrative.

Speaking of disjointed, I feel like sometimes the tone of the show shifts too far in one direction or another, starting off extremely light-hearted but getting melancholic quickly. There seems to be a sadness that the writers like to lean into more than I find necessary, and the end of Episode 7 is a prime example of that. There seems to be something greatly bothering both our leads, but they seem unable to express themselves or move forward from it, so rather they wallow in their despair.

I’m quite ready for springtime to come to this sleepy town, and with it bring new life and joy to our characters as they find their own paths to happiness.

Movies

Molly’s Game (2017)

This movie is so Sorkin. I didn’t think that Aaron Sorkin would ever be used as an adjective, but there it is. Molly’s Game encompasses so many aspects that I have come to associate with the man’s writing and directing style, that it’s almost like a signature, a style of the auteur.

The film starts with Molly Bloom (Jessica Chastain) waxing poetic about the worst thing that can happen in sports, all as a lead up to describing her own horrific skiing injury and resilience, before the film cuts to the future where Molly is being arrested for running illegal gambling games. The film then continues to jump back and forth between future-Molly looking for a lawyer to defend her case and past-Molly as she declines into the questionable world of gambling and the various vices that accompany it.

The film banks a lot on star power: Idris Elba player the big-shot attorney who tries to hold Molly accountable for her past actions and delivers inspirational monologues; Kevin Costner plays Molly’s father, who pushes her to the point of breaking, and is the cause of much of her rebellion; Chastain herself brings a strong performance to the table, making us question her character’s morality and whether she is worth the effort of rooting for, just to have her much-anticipated moment of victory by the end of the film. There are also a slew of cameos throughout the film, the most prominent of whom is Michael Cera as Player X, who I can only think  to describe as scummy and questionable.

Overall, the film delivers a fast-paced, high-intensity mystery packaged as a drama, and it was a thrill to watch. Sorkin manages to pull off what he does best, taking morally grey characters and getting people to root for their cause by slowly peeling back the layers of their characters and showing us that they’re just like the rest of us.

Week in Review (May 1 – 28, 2022)

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What have I been doing this week? I’m glad you asked! Here’s what’s been on my watchlist this week:

*Note: My reviews usually contain spoilers. You have been warned. Proceed at your own risk.*

After a month-long hiatus, due to my brother’s wedding followed by a rather lovely week on holiday, I was finally able to return to my usual viewing. Strictly speaking, this is a Month in Review.

Movies

Doctor Strange in the Multiverse of Madness (2022)

I’d actually watched Doctor Strange the day of its release, but due to my immediate departure the next morning, I was completely unable to write up my review. In a way, though, it gave me a chance to sit with the film and figure out how I really felt about it.

I remember my first impressions of the film were a bit underwhelmed; I felt like the production really hadn’t explored the premise of the film to its full potential. There were a lot of interesting concepts introduced, however, none were explored in any kind of depth. Wanda (Elizabeth Olsen) felt like a superficial villain (especially since I understand her journey in WandaVision), the alternate Stranges (with varying kinds of hair and make up on Benedict Cumberbatch) were a poor commentary on fighting the evils within oneself, and the recurring romance with Doctor Palmer felt forced – and like a waste of Rachel McAdams’ acting prowess. Even the newly introduced America Chavez (Xochitl Gomez) felt like she was there more to be a plot device rather than a character.

Tonally as well, this film felt miles apart from previous Marvel offerings. There was a distinctly horror feel to the film, a genre that I actively avoid, so there were definitely sequences where I was watching out of the corners of my eyes. The battles between Wanda and the various Stephens in particular stand out, the mirror one being the top of the list. While visually stunning, it definitely made me uncomfortable.

The score for this film was a highlight for me, and it was no surprise to find that Danny Elfman was responsible for it. The music throughout the film was what really set the mood of the scenes; the musical battle between Stranges, for instance, was a visual treat to accompany the music, rather than the other way around.

While there was plenty to  appreciate or dislike about the film, overall I came away from it without a particularly strong impression. I find that Marvel’s more recent films have less impact on me now than previous films did – especially when I compare it with the initial few one. While the films themselves aren’t producing a strong response in me, that in itself is a problem. Cinema should stir you, be an escape, or encourage discussion. And sadly, these films aren’t doing that anymore.

Week in Review (Apr 24 – 30, 2022)

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What have I been doing this week? I’m glad you asked! Here’s what’s been on my watchlist this week:

*Note: My reviews usually contain spoilers. You have been warned. Proceed at your own risk.*

Due to a family event, I haven’t had time to watch or read anything this week. and so my weekly review is on break till the 28th of May. I’ll be back with some next week with reviews for Doctor Strange 2, Pachinko, and more.

Week in Review (Apr 17 – 23, 2022)

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What have I been doing this week? I’m glad you asked! Here’s what’s been on my watchlist this week:

*Note: My reviews usually contain spoilers. You have been warned. Proceed at your own risk.*

TV

When the Weather is Fine (2020) – Ep 5

As our Hae-won (Park Min-young) continues to navigate the difficulties of living in the tiny city, another complication arrives in the form of her mother. Myung-joo (Jin Hee-kyung) has an imposing presence and her daughter follows her around silently, despite it being clear that she is dying to say something. Even Aunt Myung-yeo (Moon Jeong-hee) is uncharacteristically well-behaved around her sister, while simultaneously being fully willing to throw her niece under the bus if it means she looks good. It absolutely cracked me up when Myung-yeo told Mom that Hae-won is living with a man.

Speaking of said man, Eun-seob (Seo Kang-joon) seemed to have his own things to deal with this episode, and we soon find out that said ‘things’ happen to be a meeting with Bo-young (Lim Se-mi), who seems to be using his closeness to Hae-won to get to her. I really hope she stops trying to impose herself on the people in Hae-won’s life after she was the one who was at fault. I do understand that they’re both adults now and should communicate better, but what Hae-won has been through left a scar on her psyche, and she’s going to need her time with it.

Despite all the difficulties that Hae-won went through as a result of her mother’s actions and resulting incarceration, it seems that the two have a cold relationship. It’s clear that Hae-won craves her mother’s attention, but Mom just doesn’t seem willing to give it, and things reach a boiling point by the end of the episode, where Hae-won spills her guts to her mother about wanting even a smidge of love or affection from her.

Sadly, despite all that, Myung-joo is still a difficult person to read, and when she has a strange encounter with Eun-seob later, it only further solidified this sense of confusion for me. I’m not sure how much more involvement Mom will have in this story, but I feel like she was mostly there for Hae-won to have some catharsis, and then move on. And it seems like we’re moving on into love triangle territory (which I’m not happy about) but our third vertex will be Kim Young-dae (which I am happy about).

Week in Review (Apr 10 – 16, 2022)

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What have I been doing this week? I’m glad you asked! Here’s what’s been on my watchlist this week:

*Note: My reviews usually contain spoilers. You have been warned. Proceed at your own risk.*

Books

The Elite by Kiera Cass – Ch 8-20

I knew something was going to go down as a result of this Halloween party, and boy did things go down. As soon as Marlee said she had a secret that she didn’t want to reveal, I suspected that she had taken a liking to someone other than who she was meant to, namely Maxon. Of course, with the threat of death hanging over their heads as punishment for unfaithfulness, it makes sense that she wasn’t willing to tell America her secret; but, then again, they were dumb enough to undress together in a broom closet during a massive event, so perhaps they kinda had it coming.

I really do hate inconsistent characterisation like this, and quite frankly, it’s what drives me up the wall. Does being a character in a book give you free rein to be an absolute idiot without major consequences? Aspen and America are also guilty of this, having a secret rendezvous together after her friend was literally lashed and cast out of society (as far as she knows) for doing the same thing. And these two have the gall to say Maxon is in the wrong for allowing Marlee and Carter to keep their lives when the law is on his side if he chose to uphold it.

However, America clearly doesn’t have very strong conviction, since she is rather easy to forgive Maxon not long after these events, all because she feels a little jealous of one of the other Selection girls. Okay, I guess, I mean that’s basically been her whole personality so far: choose Aspen or choose Maxon. And this is the only way to bring Maxon back in the game.

I’m at least glad we got to see the girls do some actual diplomatic work, something that will actually be useful to them as future monarchs. The hosting of the foreign diplomats was interesting in that we got to see a universe existing outside of Illéa, but it isn’t particularly different from our real world. The Germans still spoke German, and were typecast as stiff and uptight, and the Italians were similarly boxed into boisterous and fun-loving. It was intriguing to see the hints of political strife between nations and the hint of espionage from the Italian royalty through America.

Going forward, I want to see more of the rebels we keep hearing about and for America to grow a spine. Or is that too much to ask for? And I really just want either Maxon or Aspen to go on an extended leave of absence. Maybe without having one guy as a distraction, America may actually pick the other.

Week in Review (Apr 3 – 9, 2022)

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What have I been doing this week? I’m glad you asked! Here’s what’s been on my watchlist this week:

*Note: My reviews usually contain spoilers. You have been warned. Proceed at your own risk.*

Books

The Elite by Kiera Cass – Ch 1-7

With the Selection group now narrowed down to six, and a war being fought on two fronts, both for America (with Maxon and Aspen) and Illéa (the Northern and Southern rebels), the second book in Cass’s series is off to an explosive start.

America continues to have her mini dates with Maxon, and Aspen finds ways to secretly interact with her, despite the dangers it poses to them both. As a result, America is confused about who to give her heart to and feels like she’s pulled both ways. Maybe I find Aspen boring, or maybe because I can guess that he isn’t going to be the one America ends up with, but I find their scenes together a bit tedious. America vacillating back and forth has gone on long enough, and I’m ready for Aspen to be reassigned to another post. Preferably far away from the palace.

I am intrigued by this reimagining of Halloween, and with the Selection girls’ families thrown into the mix, and Maxon dropping his bomb that he will be sending someone home, the Halloween party they’re throwing should be interesting. While I have my doubts that anyone I want will be sent home (Celeste provides way too much drama to be sent home that easily), there is bound to be plenty happening during the gathering.

Week in Review (Mar 27 – Apr 2, 2022)

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What have I been doing this week? I’m glad you asked! Here’s what’s been on my watchlist this week:

*Note: My reviews usually contain spoilers. You have been warned. Proceed at your own risk.*

TV

When the Weather is Fine (2020) – Ep 4

After over a month, I came back to WtWiF, and I was glad to see that this episode picked up where the last one left off. So often in dramaland, the writers and directors choose pretty scenery over proper character development, but this show is like a breath of fresh air, in that it lets us get insights into our characters through their stories.

Mok Hae-won (Park Min-young) shares some of her insecurities with Eun-seob (Seo Kang-joon), however we see Eun-seob more closed off than ever. It seems like there has been a complete reversal of their characters when they are in private, whereas in public Hae-won is usually closed off where Eun-seob seems open-hearted.

It is exactly this generosity that makes Eun-seob the person that the townspeople rely on when a girl goes missing in the mountain forest. With his expansive knowledge of the forest, they ask – almost expect – him to assist in the search, despite the dangers it poses to him as well (and the giant team already looking for her). His mother is absolutely beside herself waiting for her son’s return, and even scolds his friend, Jang-woo (Lee Jae-wook), for sending him off on such a dangerous task. When Eun-seob finally breaks through the trees with the young girl on his back, she only has thought for how he is doing, and his family comforts him and makes him stay the night at their house.

It’s at this point that Hae-won realises that she isn’t in a place to express concern for Eun-seob, and it clearly weighs heavy on her. She finds comfort in him, and as their friendship grows deeper, I’m sure she’ll be more straightforward in telling him her thoughts, which will hopefully prompt him to be more concerned for his own well-being, too.

While the show has its fair share of drama (and the arrival of Hae-won’s mother will only fuel that), I enjoy the moments of humour and levity that are often sprinkled in. These usually come from Hwi (Kim Hwan-hee) and her boy troubles, as well as her constant mischief-making with her family. In general, I enjoy seeing the array of different characters that make up the town, and I’m waiting to see more as the story unfolds.

Week in Review (Mar 20 – 26, 2022)

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What have I been doing this week? I’m glad you asked! Here’s what’s been on my watchlist this week:

*Note: My reviews usually contain spoilers. You have been warned. Proceed at your own risk.*

Movies

The Lost City (2022)

Having absolutely no clue what this movie was, I went to watch it with a friend today on a whim, knowing only that it starred Sandra Bullock, Channing Tatum and Daniel Radcliffe. It’s been ages since I’ve watched anything starring any of them, and the cast seemed wacky enough that I knew it would at least be silly fun if nothing else. That is precisely what the film delivered and I found myself loving it!

When romance writer Loretta is kidnapped by Abigail Fairfax (could they have come up with a more ridiculous name for Radcliffe? I don’t think so.) because the setting of her latest book resembles the lost city that Fairfax has been excavating for a hidden treasure, Alan, the cover model of her novels, sets out to the jungle to rescue her. What ensues is a series of mad events that lead Fairfax on a wild goose chase for Loretta and Alan, while they hunt down the treasure.

The film leans heavily into its tropes, knowing full well what to do with its characters and trusting the actors to pull it off. Tatum is great at pulling off the supposed himbo, Radcliffe fully embraces the British villain and Bullock deep dives into the reclusive grump. All deliver performances that fit them, but don’t particularly ask much of them. The film didn’t ask Oscar performances of them, and everyone’s performances fit the overall tone of the film.

Tonally, the film hit the marks it was supposed to as well. I found myself genuinely laughing at the humour, and gripped by the action. The romance was more of a lowborn, but I wasn’t disappointed with how it panned out, despite the cheesy romance novel ending we got.

Overall, The Lost City was a fun watch, and I was glad to spend a couple of hours with the films.