October movie reviews

In theaters:

MY OLD ASS

I figured that the movie where Aubrey Plaza talks to her younger self would be pretty good. Plaza is a fun actress who mostly does good stuff.

What I did not expect was that this movie would hit me in the feels like this, and be one of my absolute favorite movies of the year. This film is fantastic, using a loosely explained time travel premise as an excuse to craft one of the very best, most nostalgic, coming of age style comedies I have seen.

Plaza is terrific, but she isn't even the real star. That would be the wonderful Maisy Stella, who plays that younger self and is a dazzler of effortless charm and likability (she's crazy cute, too). This movie really got to me, but it is very funny too.

JOKER: FOLIE À DEUX

Well, let me first say that Joker 2 is bad, but I don't quite think it is AS BAD as many are saying. I did find a handful of scenes effective, Phoenix again commits, and Lady Gaga has never been so hot. However, the film is also horribly structured, at times thuddingly boring, and leaves you feeling empty. I can't read Todd Phillips' mind, but some have guessed he made this film as an angry rebuke to fans of the original who misinterpreted Joker as a hero. Weird reason to make a movie. There's a whole middle section here that feels like, of all things, the Seinfeld finale, as all sorts of people from the first film are trotted out during a trial to basically recap things from that film. At least we get to see Zazie Beetz again.

There's a whole thing here where Joker 2 becomes a musical at points, but this is just a total dud. None of these sequences are fun or creatively presented, even with the (smaller than expected) presence of Gaga.

The film does seem to actively hate its audience, denying us any entertainment. Well, given its horrible critical and fan response, and box office bombing, the feeling is mutual. 

TRANSFORMERS ONE

The Transformers franchise goes back to its animated roots with this prequel. Some reviews and some fans called it the best Transformers film ever. I don't agree with that. I was actually kind of bored with it for a while. But it does have a nice look, and a legitimately pretty cool 3rd act action blowout. 

SATURDAY NIGHT

This behind the scenes film, set basically in real time, leading up to the first ever broadcast of Saturday Night Live, probably isn't an awards movie, but it is very entertaining. The pace and dialogue are both real snappy, and they did a great job of casting this thing. I know some of this stuff didn't happen the way it's presented, but the movie is still a lot of fun anyway. 

THE WILD ROBOT

Figured I'd check this one out cause it will probably be nominated for the best animated feature Oscar. It's very good, with Lupita Nyong'o voicing a robot who gets lost in the woods. She gives a great vocal performance, and the film is consistently creative and charming. It's not on Inside Out 2's level, but it is probably my 2nd favorite animated movie this year. 

WE LIVE IN TIME

Here we go again with Florence Pugh being just a stone cold dazzler in every way. This one is a drama with her and Andrew Garfield (also in peak form) in a story told out of sequence, where they are a couple and eventually have to deal with Pugh having cancer. I will say the non-linear structure doesn't really add a lot to the movie. It probably would play fine straight up. It's a solid romantic drama and weenie. What really elevates it are the performances, especially the ravishing Florence Pugh. This woman is incredible, and this ranks right up there with her very best performances. 

SMILE 2

The first Smile was decently made but annoyed me by unleashing many of my least favorite horror cliches. Smile 2 is still hampered by its own rules, or lack thereof (the unnamed demon might as well have the reality stone). But I liked this considerably more. The main reason is the casting of Naomi Scott, who acts the absolute hell out of her part here, really going above and beyond to deliver one of the best lead performances in a horror movie in years. I found the movie pretty intense at times, and the ending is a cool switcheroo.

 

Everything else: 

THE IDEA OF YOU

Okay, I am deeply uncomfortable with the concept of Anne Hathaway (younger than me) being considered the much older woman. But that's what this film presents, as she romances a younger male pop star. It's chick flick territory, but it wasn't bad. Hathaway looks incredible and still can turn on the charisma like few others. 

DIVORCE IN THE BLACK

You don't watch a Tyler Perry movie expecting something good, and sometimes you get something uproariously bad. This is the latter. It sucks, but I enjoyed it. I watched it for Meagan Good, who, of course, looks incredible, and bless her heart acts sincerely through this laughable melodrama, featuring some of the worst written and acted characters I have ever seen.