Godzilla Minus One: A Timeless Masterpiece
Since December, my husband had insisted we watch the new Godzilla movie, Godzilla Minus One, a Japanese film written and directed by Takashi Yamazaki that was breaking records and now playing in America. Last month, we asked my mom to babysit, and we went to the theater. I was never really into GodzilIa and had only watched the 1998 version with Mathew Broderick. I didn’t even think about watching the newest addition to the franchise, mostly because I hadn’t heard about it before Albert mentioned it to me. “It’s getting great reviews,” he assured me. “It’s different from the other Godzilla movies because it’s character-driven. They’re calling it a masterpiece.” Well, I had to see about that.
You Are So Not Invited to My Bat Mitzvah: “Dear God, Stacy Friedman here. And what the hell?”
You Are So Not Invited to My Bat Mitzvah is a Netflix film from Adam Sandler’s Happy Madison Productions based on the 2005 young adult novel of the same name by Fiona Rosenbloom. It’s directed by Sammi Cohen and stars Adam Sandler and his two daughters, Sunny Sandler, who plays the protagonist, 13-year-old Stacy Friedman, and Sadie Sandler, who plays Stacy’s older sister, Ronnie. Before you say Nepo Baby, they really do a great job and are so natural on camera—I guess that happens when you grow up on movie sets.
Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles: How Mutant Mayhem Humanizes the Turtles
We saw the 2014 remake, where the Turtles were re-imagined as these monstrous-sized figures instead of the stealth ninjas they are. That’s why I really loved that the new movie Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles: Mutant Mayhem opened with the Turtles moving through the city of New York like ninjas as they swiped items they needed underground; they were in and out of the scene like a deadbeat dad. When it was announced Seth Rogen was behind a new Turtles, my husband was ecstatic. We love Seth Rogen’s comedies, so we knew this new iteration would be in good hands.
The Little Mermaid: Part of Your World
This past weekend I saw The Little Mermaid with the beautiful Halle Bailey in the leading role and was enchanted by her voice. There was no one better to play the iconic mermaid with the siren’s song, an element they added to the live-action version that I loved. Halle naturally embodied the sweetness, innocence, and curiosity of Ariel—she looked and sounded the part. I thought her impressive voice was the best part of the film, and Scuttle’s song, “The Scuttlebutt,” was a great new additional song. Lin-Manuel Miranda’s rap lyrics are irresistible, and it’s so exciting to see a Latino involved in these massive productions. I enjoyed the film, but it’s hard to recreate the magic found in animation; it’s what was lacking from the new Lion King.
We are all clowns
The 2019 film Parasite received the top awards at this year’s Oscars ceremony: Best Motion Picture, Best Director, and Original Screenplay. But should it have?
Dolemite Is My Name: Perseverance Is My Game
After watching Dolemite is My Name twice—technically three times but the first time I watched it I was in and out like double-dutch, exhausted from a long day’s work—this movie, which is streaming on Netflix, immediately became one of my favorite films, the character of Rudy Ray Moore ranking high with another one of my all-time favorite movies, It’s a Wonderful Life’s George Bailey. Both movies coincidentally follow the inspiring journey of dreamers; Dolemite even has the vibe of a Frank Capra picture where the underdog finally wins at the end.
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