#it's not that jon hamm is a bad actor - he does a very good job actually! the Emmy was deserved! | Explore Tumblr Posts and Blogs

boasamishipper · 4 years

Note

all the top gun Kids™️

i have decided to answer this for all of my top gun faves, i apologize in advance if this is not what you meant lol

maverick mitchell

listen you already know i love maverick mitchell but i Really Really Love Maverick Mitchell with all my heart and i HATE that people refuse to see him for the three-dimensional character that he is (and that tom played him as). he’s determined and confident and has every right to be, he’s a badass pilot, but i love his character arc about learning how to be a team player. i LOVE his relationship with goose and carole and baby!bradley (and ice, in any capacity) and i am so ready for said relationships to Destroy me in the sequel. (also when mav is Sad i am Sad, and it looks like he has had even more to be sad about btwn tg1 and tg2. what happened to you mav. what did they do to you. mcq if u do not give this man a happy ending a hug and some therapy i swear to GOD-)

iceman kazansky

the fact that ice is as much of an ensemble darkhorse / breakout character has everything to do with val kilmer (whom i also love) being a fantastic actor, bc lets be real the script did not give him a lot to work with here. i love his hair and his face and his very pretty eyes (whose color i can STILL not discern after many rewatches) and his absolutely warranted confidence in himself (and as a pilot). i love that he isn’t afraid to call mav out for being unsafe (srsly, he is the Only Sane Man in this entire movie) but appreciates mav’s outside the box / ‘dangerous’ thinking as his wingman. he’s got a big heart (as evidenced by the 'i’m sorry about goose’ scene) behind those ice cold walls, and i cannot WAIT to see how his relationship with mav has grown by the time the sequel is finally released. give me respected admiral iceman kazansky or give me death. if they kill ice off i AM disowning canon mcq, do you hear me.

goose bradshaw

i love goose SO FUCKING MUCH, every bit of him, from the not-at-all-regulation mustache to the bad jokes to the country-fried southern vibe to the singing and piano-playing to how much he respects and cares about mav (and how much mav respects and cares about him in return). his relationship with carole is my favorite thing on this entire earth, followed closely by his relationship with mav and also his relationship with ice. (like ice really respects goose and vice versa, and they clearly knew each other pre-canon, and one of the few times ice smiles genuinely in the movie is at goose - i really wish canon gave us more goose&ice, there’s so much to analyze there.) his death scene makes me tear up every time.

carole bradshaw

carole is the BEST. actual ray of sunshine in human form and also a fashion icon. i adore her optimism and kindness, even in literally the worst times, and i especially love how much she adores goose and mav. forever bitter that they didn’t recast meg ryan to play her in the sequel though i’m sure jean louisa kelly will do a good job bringing carole to the big screen. (NOT a fan of the fact that it looks like she and mav and bradley by extension haven’t spoken in a long time and i Demand an explanation, even if it’s angsty.)

bradley bradshaw / rooster

last we saw bradley he was a little kid who clearly worshipped his dad and by the time the top gun 2 trailer rolled around, he’s the spitting image of his father, serious and determined to make a name for himself (with possible authority issues like young!mav, given he’s still a lieutenant in his late thirties). i am very excited to meet him, and i’m also super excited to see his relationships with phoenix and the other pilots, and with jean louisa kelly’s carole bradshaw. (if bradley is playing great balls of fire on the piano in that one clip in the trailer i am going to just. straight up drop dead.)

speaking of the trailers it’s clear bradley holds a serious grudge towards mav - “my dad believed in you, i’m not gonna make the same mistake” GOD. what happened btwn mav and bradley? what happened to their relationship?? (who taught him to blame mav for his dad’s death bc i hope to god it wasn’t carole - i’m leaning toward jon hamm’s character bc he seems like an asshole who does not like mav, or maybe even mav just refusing to correct bradley’s assumption bc he blames himself too.) anyway, PLEASE tell me bradley realizes he’s being an asshole by blaming mav for his dad’s death and works on repairing their relationship (and works through his own grief as well).

phoenix

one of the people i am most excited to meet in the sequel! i don’t know anything about her besides the info from a 2017 casting call describing her as a “fierce pilot, gifted leader, kind of a loner, eager to prove herself, who falls for bradley aka rooster,” but that is enough to make me Very Excited to meet her - ESPECIALLY if the bradley/phoenix is going to be set up like icemav, which i have a strong suspicion it’s going to be, complete with height difference. (phoenix: *does anything*, bradley: top me top me top me.) also, a potential mav&phoenix father/daughter relationship????? Sign Me The Fuck Up. this movie is just going to end with me in tears and with custody of seven or eight new children.

fritz

listen apparently he is just a cryptid because we only know his name and i THOUGHT he was gonna be a main character since he was one of the first to get named, but we have only seen him on the periphery of some scenes in the trailers, even after all this time, so now i kinda doubt it. but he is played by the gorgeous manny jacinto and he and bradley sat near each other once so i am assuming they are friends in some way, and also my headcanon of him as amy santiago trapped in the body of jason mendoza has made me love him very much. pls don’t kill him, canon. also pls @ manny and mcq and kosinski give me SOMETHING to work with here lmao.

hangman

look. i know mcq and co are probably going to set up hangman vs rooster to be like mav vs ice, enemies/rivals to friends, but honestly, i’m not all that here for it??? i do like that from his callsign alone, hangman is probably going to be a darker version of ice (less kind, more focused on the job, maybe more like charlie than like ice if that makes any sense at all) and his rivalry with bradley is already clearly a lot more heated than mav’s ever was with ice. anyway, glen powell is an excellent actor, so let’s hope he makes hangman a 3d character in his own right and not just an iceman expy.

payback, fanboy, and bob

i’m already lowkey shipping payback/fanboy and i love bob for looking like a dorky 21st century radar o’reilly, but honestly, not super on the edge of my seat to meet these guys. i do want to know whose WSO bob is - my guess is phoenix’s since they were sitting next to each other at one point, but he could also be hangman’s - and my worry is that since he’s the only named WSO right now, they could very well Pull A Goose and kill him off in a training accident. (i hope not since i don’t want a complete canon redux, but it would definitely be angsty.)

put a fictional character in my ask box and i’ll rate them accordingly

#thanks for asking!#top gun #top gun: maverick #top gun 2 #top gun maverick #rochc93 #i'm so sorry for the length of this response lmao #apparently i have way too many feelings about my faves

17 notes · View notes

joeygoeshollywood · 5 years

Text

My 25 Favorite Films of 2018

It’s hard to believe that 2018 is already coming to a close. Here’s my 25 favorite films from the year!

25. Black Panther

Roughly twenty films into the Marvel Cinematic Universe, the franchise certainly needed a pallet cleanser. Black Panther was certainly the antidote. Not only did we get a standalone film from a superhero we didn’t know much about, it took us on adventure in the fictional high-tech nation of Wakanda. Chadwick Boseman brings a freshness and a unique charm to the Avengers table and he’s accompanied by a very talented cast including Lupita Nyong’o, Letitia Wright, Dana Gurira, and Michael B Jordan, who was easily one of Marvel’s best villains to date. Writer/Director Ryan Coogler (Creed, Fruitvale Station) has established himself as a filmmaker on the rise and his career will not be stopping anytime soon.

24. Boy Erased

Based on a true story, Boy Erased follows the son of a Baptist preacher and his unsettling experience at a gay conversion program. Lucas Hedges (Manchester by the Sea, Ladybird) continues to prove he’s one of the greatest actors from the millennial generation as a young man who struggles with his sexual identity. Joel Edgerton, who wrote, directed, and starred in the film, strikes a balance between intensity and raw emotion. And Nicole Kidman also gives one of her strongest performances in recent memory as the religious mother who goes on her own journey in embracing her son for who he really is.

23. Sorry to Bother You

Sorry to Bother You cannot be defined by one genre. Part comedy, part fantasy, part sci-fi, and even part horror, this film from newcomer Boots Riley is an imaginative satire that tackles race, class, and capitalism. This marks the biggest and best role from Lakeith Standfield (Atlanta, Get Out) who stars as a telemarketer who quickly climbs the ranks only to find out that the company he works for has nefarious ambitions. There are a lot of WTF moments in this film that cannot be unseen, but it’s all worth it.

22. Spider-Man: Into the Spider-Verse

What ended up being the best animated film of the year and of the best Spider-Man movies ever, Spider-Man: Into the Spider-Verse reimagines the origin story of this classic Marvel superhero with a new cinematic web-slinger Miles Morales, who teams up with other Spider-Men from other dimensions in order to stop the threat to all of their realities. Between the unique forms of animation, a fun script, and a solid voice cast, Into the Spider-Verse rises above in a year filled with superhero flicks.

21. The Cloverfield Paradox

When the latest chapter in the Cloverfield franchise dropped on the night of the Super Bowl, everyone rushed to Netflix for the surprise release. And while the critics weren’t exactly kind, The Cloverfield Paradox was still a wild, captivating installment. A group of scientists in space must solve the energy crisis that is causing chaos among nations on Earth, but while doing so find themselves entangled in alternative realities. Gugu Mbathu-Raw, Daniel Brühl, Chris Dowd, David Oyelowo, John Ortiz, Ziyi Zhang, Aksel Hennie and Elizabeth Debicki round out this strong, diverse ensemble.

20. Mission: Impossible - Fallout

At 56 years old, Tom Cruise continues to defy all odds as he keeps his now 20-year-old franchise alive. Ethan Hunt’s latest mission was fitting enough to be his last as his efforts to once again save the world also has him grappling with questions about his own mortality and the loved ones in his life. One of the best action films of the year, Fallout is a ton of fun and filled with well-choreographed sequences and stunts from Cruise himself.

19. Bad Times at the El Royale

What is fascinating about Bad Times at the El Royale is how much it felt like a puzzle. With its non-linear editing, every scene felt like an individual puzzle piece that once they come together give you a complete picture. Drew Goddard, the mastermind behind the modern cult classic The Cabin in the Woods, returns with a 60s-era crime thriller with a superb soundtrack, awesome production design, and a stellar cast that features Jeff Bridges, Jon Hamm, Dakota Johnson, Cynthia Erivo, and Chris Hemsworth.

18. Support the Girls

Support the Girls is a small indie comedy from Andrew Bujalski about a general manager of a sports bar and grill who reaches a boiling point with her life. Regina Hall, best known for her role in the Scary Movie franchise and more recently in Girls Trip, gives the best performance of her career as the heartwarming and heartbreaking Lisa, who while hating her job puts her young waiting staff first. Support the Girls is one of the few films that’s grounded in reality and is a comedic display of ordinary life and the struggles that come with it.

17. A Simple Favor

What was easily the most Hitchcockian film of the year, A Simple Favor marks a sharp tonal turn from director Paul Feig (Bridesmaids, Spy). Anna Kendrick stars a single mother who investigates the strange disappearance of her new friend (played by a terrific Blake Lively). Filled with unexpected turns and a few good laughs, A Simple Favor is a sexy thriller that expanded Feig’s talents.

16. Thoroughbreds

Part psychological thriller, part teenage dark comedy, Thoroughbreds resembles a contemporary Heathers. Anya Taylor-Joy (The Witch, Split) stars as a girl who relies her sociopathic friend (Olivia Cooke) to plot the murder of her awful stepfather. Newcomer Cory Finley makes an outstanding feature debut and is able to strike a balance between the tragedy and humor of this unlikely friendship.

15. A Quiet Place

John Krasinski wrote, produced, directed, and starred in his second and best feature to date, A Quiet Place. Set in a post-apocalyptic world, a family adapts to living in complete silence in order to keep themselves out of harms way from these deadly creatures who hunt their prey by the sounds they make. Despite the script with barely a page of dialogue, A Quiet Place speaks volumes with high intensity and terrifying performances from Krasinski’s wife Emily Blunt as well as from child actors Millicent Simmonds and Noah Jupe.

14. The Death of Stalin

Veep creator Armando Iannucci knows a thing or two about satire. This time, he takes his talents to the big screen with his political comedy The Death of Stalin. As the title explains, the film follows the death of Russian dictator Joseph Stalin and the tug of war over power among his Council of Ministers. The intellectual humor in the screenplay combined with the comical performances of an ensemble cast which includes Steve Buscemi, Simon Russell Beale, Rupert Friend, Andrea Riseborough, and Jason Isaacs marks one of the best comedies of the year.

13. Hereditary

Like a modern day Rosemary’s Baby, Hereditary is an unsettling horror film that surrounds the supernatural occurrences of a grieving family after the passing of its estranged matriarch. Writer/Director Ari Aster masterfully crafts a remarkable yet unexplainable thriller with the help of a career-best performance from Toni Collette.

12. Three Identical Strangers

Sometimes life is stranger than fiction and there is not a better example of that than Three Identical Strangers, a documentary that tells the real-life story about triplets who were separated at birth who discover each other’s existence in college and their journey to discover the grim circumstances that pulled them apart in the first place. What really felt more like a suspense thriller, Three Identical Strangers is an unpredictable, fascinating film about family and the bonds that hold us together.

11. Widows

Widows is a grade-a heist film from 12 Years a Slave director Steve McQueen and Gone Girl screenwriter Gillian Flynn. Viola Davis stars as a widow who settles one final score that was all set by her dead husband (Liam Neeson). Suspenseful and emotional from beginning to end, Widows is a female-dominated drama that features one of the best ensembles of the year, including Elizabeth Debicki, Michelle Rodriguez, Cynthia Erivo, Colin Farrell, Brian Tyree Henry, Daniel Kaluuya, and Robert Duvall.

10. Game Night

There was not a more laugh-out-loud funny comedy this year than Game Night. It surrounds a group of friends whose game night takes a wrong turn when what’s supposed to be a fun murder mystery becomes very real. Not only does the plot have plenty of twists and turns, the abundance of self-awareness in this wacky film elevates it from the rest. Rachel McAdams and Jason Bateman do their best comedic work in years and they’re accompanied by a hilarious ensemble cast.

9. Overlord

You don’t often hear of WWII horror films, but Overlord certainly delivers. The J.J. Abrams-produced flick follows a troop of soldiers who stumble upon a gruesome scientific lab where humans are the unfortunate subjects. Overlord is truly an adrenaline rush and the most badass movie of the year. After all, when it comes to Americans kicking some Nazi butt, the gorier the better.

8. Annihilation

Annihilation is one of those remarkable films that is so hard to describe. Natalie Portman stars as a biologist who joins a pack of armed explorers in a territory of land where mysteriously the laws of nature are nonexistent. Thought-provoking, captivating, and extremely intense, this female-led sci-fi drama felt like an out-of-body experience.

7. Crazy Rich Asians

Easily the most enjoyable film of the year, Crazy Rich Asians offers plenty of sights, laughs, and heart. Based off the best-selling novel by Kevin Kwan, this romantic comedy follows NYU professor Rachel (Fresh Off the Boat’s Constance Wu) and her struggle to win over her fiancé’s very judgmental, very crazy, and yes, very rich family. Crazy Rich Asians features eye candy visuals, a fun soundtrack, and a talented ensemble cast.

6. Roma

Oscar-winning filmmaker Alfonso Cuarón (Gravity, Children of Men) makes his return with his most personal film yet, Roma. Set in Mexico City in the early 1970s, the Spanish-language film chronicles the life of a middle-class family a maid named Cleo (played by newcomer Yalitza Aparicio). Shot in black and white and with incredible cinematography Roma is timeless story about family, class, and the human spirit. It is easily Netflix’s best original film to date.

5. If Beale Street Could Talk

Oscar-winning writer/director Barry Jenkins (Moonlight) makes a strong return with a tragic love story about a pregnant young woman who struggles to get her fiancé out of jail after he was wrongfully accused of a crime. Based off the book of the same name, If Beale Street Could Talk felt more like watching a play. Along with the gorgeous cinematography and a moving score, this romance is carried by its two leads Kiki Layne and Stephen James as well as Regina King, who gives an Oscar-worthy performance as Layne’s mother.

4. Eighth Grade

Middle school is the worst and no film has captured the experience better than Bo Burnham’s debut film Eighth Grade. Despite the ever-changing times, this indie comedy manages to connect adult audiences with eighth grader Kayla Day, who struggles to navigate through her adolescence all while attempting to build her presence on social media. Young actress, Elsie Fisher gives a grounded, comical, and sometimes painful performance and Josh Hamilton gives a strong supporting performance as her single father who tries to lift her spirits.

3. Won’t You Be My Neighbor?

If you grew up on Mister Rogers’ Neighborhood, then this film will certainly hit home. Won’t You Be My Neighbor? showcases the life of a Presbyterian minister who developed of the most iconic, impactful children’s shows in television history and the struggles he faced along the way. The documentary features interviews of his family, the crew, and cast members, all who give insight of the genius that is Fred Rogers. Won’t You Be My Neighbor? is an emotional film that, if you’re lucky, will restore your faith in humanity. And be warned; there was not a dry eye in that theater.

2. American Animals

Director Bart Layton has an incredible gift of making hybrid films. His underrated 2012 documentary The Imposter felt more like a mystery thriller. And with American Animals, since it’s based on a true story, he injects documentary elements into what normally would be a heist film. The story surrounds these four college kids who plan to steal an extremely valuable book from the campus library. The four leads do outstanding work, but Evan Peters (of American Horror Story fame) particularly gives the best performance of his career as one of the irresponsible thieves. With great editing and strong source material, American Animals is the best film of the year that virtually no one saw.

1. The Favourite

It’s no surprise that The Favourite is the favorite film of the year. Yorgos Lanthimos, the previously unsung filmmaker behind The Lobster and The Killing of a Sacred Deer, brings the real-life 18th Century story of Queen Anne to the 21st Century and injects his twisted sense of humor. Olivia Colman stars as the neurotic, but hilarious ruler and Emma Stone and Rachel Weisz compete for her affection. Beautifully shot and superbly written, The Favourite is a remarkable, flawless cinematic masterpiece.

2K notes · View notes

peggy-faces · 6 years

Text

Mad Men rewatch: Season 1, Episode 1: Smoke Gets In Your Eyes

I finally got around to doing this months after I said I was going to start. Don’t say I never keep my promises.

I’m still trying to work out a good format for these recaps/reviews. Having watched this episode so many times before I’m not really sure how to approach this with fresh eyes but I’ll give it a shot. Bear with me, this is a learning process.

This episode is essentially just “24 hours in the life of Don Draper(with some Pete/Peggy hijinks thrown in)”. I genuinely love this and it is the perfect way to be introduced to these characters.

I won’t focus much on Don right now because there’ll be plenty more opportunities down the line, but the thing that struck me in this specific episode was the emphasis on Don’s age compared to Pete and the “younger guys”. 34 is basically a baby by today’s standards. Pete is only 8 years younger than him! Perhaps(?) the role was intended for a man in his 40s but they cast Jon Hamm instead?

A weird thing that’s always bugged me about the pilot. The show seems to set Pete up as someone who wants to take Don’s job. But Pete’s an accounts guy who never really shows that much interest in being in the creative department in the rest of the show.

Also, I’m still not totally sure what was up with Don’s “It’s Toasted” speech. That slogan has existed since the 1910s. Either Mad Men was attempting to retcon history or Don was using it as an example of a good slogan? The commentary tracks seem to suggest it was the former.

Meanwhile, a certain mousy working class girl from Brooklyn is starting her first day of work at Sterling Cooper. Peggy is my favourite fictional character in anything ever and I unironically adore her despite her faults so I’ll definitely have more to say about her in the future especially about her relationships with Don and Joan. But now I’d like to focus on her relationship with Pete.

In the closing moments of this episode, Pete shows up at Peggy’s apartment and she allows him inside, presumably so they can have sex. First of all, how the hell did Pete get her address in the first place. Secondly, Why? Why did Pete go to Peggy of all people? Why did Peggy fuck him? Let’s take a look at their previous interactions in this episode.

1. Pete insults Peggy’s appearance and insinuates that she’s sleeping with Don.

2. Pete lies to get into Don’s office and gets Peggy into trouble with Don on her first day of work.

I like this episode and I do like the Pete/Peggy arc throughout the show and they normally have amazing chemistry together. But this scene feels so inorganic that there was a lot of speculation that Pete and Peggy knew each other beforehand because that would at least make more sense than what we got.

Fun fact: according to the shooting script for this episode(easily Googlable if you want to read it), Pete arrives at Peggy’s apartment at 9:45. Which means Pete’s bachelor party must have ended at 9 at the very earliest in order for him to get to Brooklyn in time. What bachelor party ends that early in the night? And Pete must have spent chunk of time finding Peggy’s address WHICH, AGAIN, WE HAVE NO IDEA HOW HE EVEN FOUND. I like imagining Pete wandering around Brooklyn drunkenly asking random people where “Peggy” lives.

We’re also introduced to Ken, Dick, and Harry. Yes, Paul Kinsey’s name in the pilot was originally Dick but it was changed when it got picked up by AMC. Ken is the weird sleazebag and Harry is the married guy who does seem somewhat decent compared to Kinsey and Ken. Weird how things change, isn’t it? Paul’s the pretentious guy. At least that never changed.

And then, of course, there’s Sal. Hey, did you know that Sal was gay? If you didn't, you probably missed the numerous “subtle clues" that were dropped throughout this episode. And by subtle, I mean so blatant that the only way they could have been more unsubtle is if you could hear Matthew Weiner screaming "heeeeeeeeeeeeee's gayyyyyyyyyyyyyyy" in the background of every shot Sal is in. The most notorious example of this is when Sal randomly drops the line “we’re supposed to believe people are living one way and secretly thinking the exact opposite? That’s ridiculous.” It doesn’t feel organic to the conversation at hand, it just sounds weird. But if you look closely into the reflection in Sal’s eyes you can see Matthew Weiner patting himself on the back and congratulating himself on being such a genius.

But the most cringeworthy line of dialogue in the entire episode goes to: “It’s not like there’s some magic machine that makes identical copies of things.” Which is the sort of line you’d expect in an SNL parody of Mad Men, not the actual show.

The final plot twist of this episode is that we find out that Don is *gasp* married. Yes, this was actually supposed to be a plot twist. But I guess finding out that the dude who just claimed love was invented by capitalism has wife and kids would be pretty shocking if you don’t know what’s coming?

This is getting kinda long so I’ll touch more on Betty, Joan, and Roger in later instalments as they don’t get much to do here, as well as Rachel and Midge.

Random Observations

I really like the very brief interaction between Roger and Joan. I don’t know if there were was already plans for a secret relationship between the two, but it fits in well.

Elisabeth Moss seems to be affecting some sort of mild Brooklyn accent in this episode that doesn’t exist in the rest of the show. Kinda weird but it does make sense that Peggy would try to hide her working class background later on.

Is this guy in the opening scene Pete? Because he looked like Pete when I was watching it on Netflix but when I put in the DVD to listen to the commentary, he didn’t look like Pete anymore. Pete’s evil twin? Pete’s non-evil twin?

Commentary tracks

There are two commentary tracks for this episode. The first has Matthew Weiner and the second has director Alan Taylor. There wasn’t really anything particularly juicy so I just wrote down the BTS stuff that sounded interesting.

The pilot script existed for five years and Matthew Weiner used it as his writing sample when he applied for jobs.

Weiner was planning to play the role of the judgmental gynaecologist himself. Make of that what you will.

This is the only episode of Mad Men actually filmed in New York. The bar in the very first scene is a real bar in Harlem called the Lennox Lounge.

It took them a long time to cast Jon Hamm, partly because Taylor didn’t believe a man that handsome could be interesting.

Taylor calls Midge the most modern person in the show. Her apartment is a real artist’s studio on 57th street. They were warned it would be impossible to shoot there because it was on the seventeenth floor and only had a tiny elevator and no space for equipment. They built a set based on this apartment when they started filming the show in California.

The traffic sounds you hear in the scene where Don wakes up after sleeping with Midge are real New York traffic sounds.

The actors for Kinsey, Ken, and Harry felt they had to bond so they went out to drink together every night. At least that’s the excuse they used.

If you look carefully at the end of the elevator scene with Peggy and the guys you’ll see Rich Sommer(Harry Crane) walk off to the right because he had mistakenly thought they’d already cut. Classic Harry.

Taylor says the scene with Lucky Strike was very reminiscent of Bewitched and I agree, which is why I initially described Mad Men as “Bewitched with less magic and more adultery” when I was first started watching.

Something weird I noticed: Alan Taylor only refers to Matthew Weiner as “the writer”. Bad blood? Can’t remember his name? Guess we’ll find out in the inevitable Mad Men BTS tell-all someone writes in ten years.

The strip club was a real retro-style strip club in New York.

They’d almost completely run out of money by the time they shot the scene of Don on the train so it’s basically just a piece of plexiglass with water dripping down it.

Taylor says he dislikes the use of the song Caravan but I actually really like it.

Overall, great episode, albeit one with some glaring flaws. I give it 7 Scowling Petes of 10.

#tupf mad men rewatch

27 notes · View notes

popcornblotter · 6 years

Text

My Top 10 Favorite Films of 2017

Good news everyone! No need for intros here, let’s end the year on a high note shall we! Here, we, go!

#10

Writer/Director Sofia Coppola further proves her mastery of filmmaking with The Beguiled. A drama set in Virginia during the Civil War when a wounded Union soldier makes his way to an all girls school in the summer, the Headmistress and students wonder what to do with him, and subsequently find out how he affects their lives.

The biggest standout for me was the lighting and cinematography. Each shot is perfectly well framed as well as only using light sources that would be available in that setting. Candles, lanterns, and the sun brought this ambiance of uneasiness. The location of schoolhouse and it’s surroundings was marvelous as well, transporting you to an almost ethereal bayou of sorts.

Colin Farrell continues to impress as he furthers his career. Bringing an edge of quiet fear, seduction, and anger all within a 95 minute runtime.

I know this film was very divisive for comic book fans, and I can understand some of their qualms, but Justice League was just a heck of a lot of fun.

I loved the coming together of the team, as well exploring a bit into the newer character’s stories. Ezra Miller and Jason Momoa were the standout actors here.

I loved the humor, the interactions between the characters, and man did I love the scene when The Flash knew he was in trouble.

Despite it’s problems, the sometimes not great CGI, I still had fun, and would easily revisit this film again as it made me hopeful for what is to come from DC Films.

The first time I saw this movie, I wasn’t super crazy on it. Did I think it was funny? Yes, but something didn’t quite hit the first time. So after a second viewing, I grew to love this film. While the first Guardians is a little more straight forward, plot wise, stop the bad guys from doing this, and save the day. Guardians 2 is a little less structured, there isn’t a necessary Point A-Point B plot because most of this film is exploring familial relationships. Whether its Peter and his dad, Gamora and Nebula, or Yondu and Rocket. It brings forward the idea that your family doesn’t always have to be blood. And by the time this movie ends, I was a mess.

Blade Runner 2049 was a surprise for me this year. Mainly because I’ve never seen the original. I was curious, it looked cool, I’ve enjoyed director Denis Villeneuve’s work in the past, so I thought I’d give it a shot.

The way this film is shot is extraordinary. You could take any shot out of this film and have it be a painting on your wall. The sound was so booming and explosive it transported you to this neo-noir Los Angeles. The acting is superb as well, especially the chemistry between Ryan Gosling and Ana de Armas. You felt from the first scene they have that this is a couple who’ve known each other for a while.

My only nitpick with this film is a pro and a con, which is it’s pacing. This film moves much slower than a normal film does these days. It has a very slow pace, which I enjoyed for most of it, because it allowed you to soak in this world with so much to see and hear. But towards the end, when things start coming together, you expect for things to speed up, which they don’t. In that, its very realistic to a world that is far removed from ours. I’d just hoped it would’ve wrapped up a little faster.

Despite that nitpick, I loved this film, its great, and it is genuinely a great mystery that keeps you guessing until the end.

This past July, the web slinging, wall crawler returned to the MCU in a big way.

The biggest achievement of this movie is the cast that is multi-racial, extremely talented, and can make you laugh at a moments notice. Director Jon Watts was able to represent the population of New York with the characters they have, even changing the origins of some to fit the story.

Tom Holland is obviously the standout, being able to be funny, awkward, and charming all in one go. I just loved that we actually got a high school looking Spider-Man. Yes, I know Tom Holland is in his 20’s, but it’s all about what age you can play, not what age you are. Versus Maguire and Garfield, looking like they were both about start investing in 401k’s.

Michael Keaton as The Vulture does a great job, probably being the second best villain, behind Loki. He was able to make you understand where he was coming from and why he was doing what he was doing.

This is a big thumbs up for me that’ll have you laughing all the way through.

All I can say is cool, cool, cool. I’ve been a fan of writer/director Edgar Wright for a bit, and his films always have this top, fun layer that you can appreciate, but then there’s this emotional layer underneath that just hits it home, and Baby Driver is no exception.

Ansel Elgort plays Baby, a get away driver with tinnitus, so to drown out the ringing in his ears, he constantly plays music on old iPods. What comes out of this film is a rollicking good time with all of the great witty dialogue Wright is known for, along some of the best edited action I’ve seen in a film. Since we watch the film through Baby’s perspective, we’re constantly hearing the music he’s listening to, either loud, or droned out. But when the action kicks up, you can’t help but say wow as gunshots and hits are timed perfectly to soundtrack in Baby’s ears. And I’m just a nerd for that kind of stuff.

Ansel Elgort has charm coming out of his ears in this film, and makes you wonder how he isn’t swarmed by women everywhere he goes. You also have a great supporting cast in Jon Hamm, Jon Bernthal, Jamie Foxx, and a small role from Flea of the Red Hot Chili Peppers.

If you’re looking for an action flick with a twist check this one out.

With no surprise to myself, Marvel Studios gets another spot on this list with Thor: Ragnarok. I was immediately hooked into this new tone change from the first trailer. Marvel was finally going to let Chris Hemsworth do what he does best, and that’s be hysterical. I think the person to thank for that is New Zealand director, Taika Waititi, who’s known for wacky, off the cuff humor that works brilliantly.

I was hooked within the first minute when Thor is trapped in a cage, talking to someone about how he got there, and they flip the camera, and it’s a skeleton, which then proceeds to drop his jaw. That is the type of ridiculous humor I love. We then get a taste of the awesome action accompanied by Led Zeppelin’s Immigrant Song. And I was smiling ear to ear like a fool.

While the previous Thor movies have been done with a more serious, Shakespearean tone, this one goes for crazy, balls out, 80’s metal look with almost every frame look like something you’d want painted on the side of a van.

All of the actors were great. Tessa Thompson was great as Valkyrie, I loved the appearance by Benedict Cumberbatch as Doctor Strange, and of course you can’t forget Tom Hiddleston as Loki and his chemistry with Hemsworth. Other great additions were Jeff Goldblum as The Grandmaster and Taika Waititi voicing a rock alien named Korg.

To me this was the tightest made film that Marvel Studios put out, with a crisp runtime of a little more than two hours it’s just enough to make you want more, but not long enough to check your phone.

Anyone who knows me knew this would be on my top 10 of the year. I’m a Star Wars nut! What can I say that I haven’t already? Porgs, porgs, porgs, porgs, and porgs.

If you haven’t seen this film yet, do yourself a favor and get your ass to theater.

I’ll be completely honest here, I didn’t have high hopes for Wonder Woman. At the time, here’s a studio with three movies with mixed results critically, and this one being directed by someone who hadn't made a film since 2003. But I went opening day with some slight chance of hope. And I gladly ate my words.

Words can’t necessarily describe how great a film Wonder Woman is. Patty Jenkins made what some have called a masterpiece in superhero filmmaking. I agree with about 98% of that. My only qualm was that on the second viewing in the theater, I did feel its runtime a little more, which is why it isn’t in the number 1 spot.

Gal Gadot and Chris Pine have a romance that seems practical for the amount of time they spent together, it seemed genuine, and I loved how Diana would call people out on their shit if she thought they were wrong. The No Man’s Land sequence left me in tears of joy at how wonderful everything worked from the cinematography, the music, the acting, the action, just everything.

You can’t miss this one, even if you aren’t a fan of DC characters, this is just a damn good movie.

I wanted to put some honorable mentions that didn’t quite make the cut.

What would’ve been #12

Christopher Nolan’s war film, Dunkirk is a technical marvel. The cinematography is breath taking and the sound scared the shit out of me. I saw this in an IMAX theater and when bullets fired, you never knew where they were coming from until they made contact. This literally made me jump several times throughout. The reason that this didn’t make the top 10 is that none of the characters particularly stood out in any way. I could tell you the names of the actors, but not their character’s names.

What would’ve been #11

The reason It isn’t higher is because I’m not a fan of horror movies. But I was intrigued at all of the critical success this movie was gaining, so I saw it with a few friends.

The reason this movie works as well as it does is because of the writing and the great child actors they got. Aside from Finn Wolfhard, of Stranger Things fame, the rest of these kids were unknown. But damn it if they didn’t knock it out of the park with their acting chops and chemistry. But if it wasn’t for that reason, I probably would’ve left the theater within ten minutes because I don’t do scary well. And as much as I enjoyed this one, I probably won’t revisit it.

And my favorite film of 2017 is

Logan is the perfect combination of my two favorite types of films. Action blockbusters and deep, emotional character pieces. When I went into Logan, I didn’t know exactly what to expect. I’d heard it took some inspiration from some of the comics where Wolverine is an older man, but that was about it. What I got was something that seriously fucked me up.

Like a lot of people, I grew up with Hugh Jackman playing Wolverine since the first X-men film in 2000. And it seemed with each iteration Jackman tried to deepen the character to reveal Logan’s core, instead of just being a mindless killing machine. With this you get the best of both worlds. Jackman stripped Wolverine down to the point it seems like he’s given up and is ready to die. But at the same time we get to see what would actually be the effects of a guy with claws for hands mauling people like an animal, and you learn that in the first few minutes. It is gory, but damn is it awesome!

Patrick Stewart also has a phenomenal performance as a Charles Xavier that we’ve never seen the likes of in the films. His mind wandering, breaking down, plagued by what I assume is the mutant version of dementia or Alzheimer’s. Seeing Stewart’s and Jackman’s near 20 years of working together is heart warming, heart breaking, and brutal.

This film also breeds a new star in newcomer Dafne Keen as Laura. This is a girl who is wise beyond her years as an actress. For about the first half of the film she doesn’t say a word, but you see all the emotion in her face communicated brilliantly. She is definitely someone who will have a prosperous career.

What director James Mangold succeeds with Logan is that he’s able to make a superhero film, but not have it be about something super, per se, but makes it about something everyone can relate to, family. Whether it’s Logan’s relationship to Charles, Logan to Caliban, Logan to Laura, its about the relationships that you grow with and foster when you inevitably have to say goodbye. Mangold was able to make a western, a superhero film, a family piece, a deep character study, an action film. This literally has something for almost everyone. I think Logan is the perfect example of what the superhero genre could and should become.

I’ll be completely honest, like I said before, this movie fucked me up. And I was crying for almost the last five minutes. And for me to cry at a piece of media, whether it be a series or movie isn’t uncommon, but to the degree that I did was what stayed with me. It was a typical silent cry that I usually do with most films I see, but this was uncontrollable, hard breathing, loud noised, ugly face sobbing. When the word “Daddy” is said, I lose it every time.

I guess I didn’t expect to get as attached to this film as I did. But I guess with Jackman playing that character for as long as he did, he sort of became synonymous with that role. I guess it’s to the effect of Mark Hamill as Luke Skywalker or Daniel Radcliffe as Harry Potter. But the sendoff Jackman and Mangold give this character is one of pure mastery, sadness, and hope. With the Fox/Disney deal, there is some part of me that wishes Jackman will return as Wolverine for the MCU, but if he doesn’t, that’s fine as well. Because this film is all but perfect to me.

I hope this film gets nominations for Jackman, Stewart, Keen, and Mangold for the Oscars because I think it deserves it because it broke boundaries of what a superhero film could be. And that is why Logan is my favorite film of 2017.

I want to thank you guys for reading this and for the support. Here’s hoping that 2018 will be even better! In the vain of a dumb catchphrase I tried to start years ago, stay tuned for more blotter!

6 notes · View notes

wonderfulworldofmichaelford · 7 years

Text

Baby Driver review

Edgar Wright can do no wrong. This may seem like a horrible pun, and it is, but after seeing his latest cinematic offering, Baby Driver, I think it’s a pretty safe thing to say. Shaun of the Dead, Hot Fuzz, The World’s End, Scott Pilgrim vs. the World, and now Baby Driver… the man just seems incapable of disappointing with his films. This film was still a risky move for Edgar Wright; the man is known mostly for comedic films, or at least films where comedy is a huge selling point. Scot Pilgrim and Hot Fuzz are both action-comedies, whereas Baby Driver is more of an action crime thriller with comedic elements (hey, Wright’s not just gonna drop his signature style, is he?). It is also a low budget film where Wright insisted all the stunts and driving be done with practical effects rather than CGI, and it was originally going to be tossed in August, which is a dump month for… but after being screened at South By Southwest and receiving critical acclaim up the wazoo, it was pushed on up to June. The riskiness of jumping into another genre paid off, because Baby Driver made up its production budget its opening weekend and is still going strong!

In short, this movie is a massive sleeper hit, and for very good reason: it’s fantastic, stylish, exhilarating, and populated by some of the finest actors playing the most intriguing characters in a crime film since The Usual Suspects or GoodFellas. So what story could produce characters so good? Well, let me tell you! The story centers on a young man known only as “Baby.” Baby is the getaway driver for a criminal kingpin known as Doc, who has a gang of bank robbers he sends out to commit crimes. Baby is a kid with a tragic past, as an accident claimed his mother’s life and gave him tinnitus, which is why he constantly listens to an iPod at all times. One day, he meets a lovely young waitress named Deborah, and the two soon fall in love… and now Baby finally has a reason to leave the criminal world behind after his last job. But things never turn out so easy, do they?

The most important bit to note here is the soundtrack, and how it plays into every scene. Actions in a scene with music down to the smallest detail happen in rhythm to the music… and in scenes where things are going poorly, things start going noticeably off rhythm. Bullets, hand gestures, steps, movements, they all match up to the rhythms of the awesome soundtrack constructed of tons of awesome, old school music. This is a level of soundtrack and film synchronicity the likes of which I’ve rarely seen done so well not just in live-action film, but film in general. Even better: in the times when Baby’s music gets taken away for some reason, we are treated to the same sort of humming, ringing, buzzing sound he hears and drowns out with his tunes (this is usually a sign things are about to go to shit).

And now we have the characters: Ansel Elgort, best known for playing the lead love interest of everyone’s favorite teenage cancer romance story The Fault In Our Stars, here shows off just how badass of an action star he can be. From his awesome driving skills to his impeccable taste in music to his seemingly endless supply of cool shades, Baby is one cool customer and a likable protagonist. Kevin Spacey is here as Doc, and, well, it’s Kevin Spacey. I don’t think I need to tell you that he’s amazing. Jon Hamm and Eiza Gonzalez play Buddy and Darling, a Bonnie & Clyde-esque criminal duo who are almost always all over each other when not committing heists. Darling gets major props for subverting your expectations that she’s just the arm candy of the duo by going in guns blazing a couple of times, and Buddy… well, I’ll be explaining the full extent of why he’s great shortly. The final major character is Bats, played by Jamie Foxx, and again, I will explain the full extent of him in the following paragraph, just know that he, too, is a very well done psychopathic criminal. Even some of the more minor characters are interesting, such as the one-scene wonders Griff (a bank robber played by Jon Bernthal in the awesome opening scene and who relentlessly taunts Baby) and The Butcher (an arms dealer who is such an incredibly large ham he refers to the arms he’s dealing out using meat-related terms and is played inexplicably by famous singer-songwriter Paul Williams. You know, the guy who wrote “Rainbow Connection.”). But now, let’s go into Buddy and Bats in a bit more detail, so that I can explain why these two are perhaps the best characters in the film... but be warned; there’s some SPOILERS ahead.

The movie’s greatest trick is how it constantly subverts your expectations. Bats and Buddy are the greatest examples of this in the film; for all of the film up until the final heist, Bats is built up to be the main antagonistic force. He’s absolutely bloodthirsty and mocks everyone around him, he’s creepy, he’s intense, and he’s also disturbingly hilarious. He’s just an out-and-out bad guy who doesn’t give a fuck how many people he wastes as long as he gets paid, and proudly proclaims how no one who has ever done a job with him lives afterwards. The guy is an absolute psychopath and Jamie Foxx plays him to perfection; you can just tell Foxx is having a blast. Buddy, on the other hand, is portrayed throughout the whole movie as being a pretty affable guy; sure he’s usually seen snogging Darling, but he does try and defend Baby and even Bonds with him over music. Hell, when it seems like Baby is ducking out before the final mission, Buddy straight up tells him it would be better if he just goes if he’s having second thoughts because he doesn’t need that kind of risk. Buddy certainly lives up to his name, which is probably why Bats laughs off Darling’s speech of how crossing Buddy is a bad idea and her claim how “Once he sees red, you only see black” is nothing but a bunch of fabricated movie bullshit.

Bats is absolutely wrong. In fact, Bats dies first out of the final crew after going a bit too far. It is, in fact, Buddy who is the major antagonistic force, going from the affable bank robber to the fucking Terminator after Baby costs him something very important to him. Jon Hamm’s range is on full display here, and he is truly threatening as a villain. The jarring switch from the laid-back and cheerful big brother figure he was earlier to a cold, violent, bloodthirsty killer hellbent on destroying Baby and his happiness is nothing short of incredible. Bats and Buddy are truly great antagonists in their own rights, and fully exemplify how this film plays with your expectations. Hell, even the ending plays with your expectations a bit, but I won’t get into that level of spoilers. SPOILERS END HERE.

So after all this gushing, is there anything bad I can say about the film? Actually, yes! The romance with Deborah is the absolute weakest part of the movie, in no small part because Deborah is flat out not an interesting character. We never really get to know her beyond her being the object of Baby’s affection, and she basically functions as a satellite to baby and a plot device. She’s not badly acted or anything, but she’s not really given much to do and really seems to be there just so Baby has a solid reason to quit. It doesn’t really bring the movie down, but it certainly doesn’t improve it and is the clear weak link of the story.

Even with that, though, Baby Driver is nothing short of incredible. This is a damn good movie, perhaps even Wright’s best. The characters are great, the story is solid, the music is awesome and is woven intricately into every scene… this movie has the potential to be considered a classic down the road. Hell, considering how well it’s doing and the rave reviews from critics and moviegoers alike, it’s well on its way there! I can’t recommend this one enough, do yourself a favor and check this out as soon as you can.

Edgar Wright has apparently had this film in his mind since the middle of the 90s… let that sink in. He spent more than twenty years trying to get this off the ground, and he finally did it! If nothing else, this film should act as inspiration for any struggling director; no matter how long you have to wait for your dream, never give up on it because, who knows? You could be the one to make the next Baby Driver, and who wouldn’t want to do that?

#Movie #Movie review #Baby Driver #Edgar Wright #Jamie Foxx #Jon Hamm #Ansel Elgort #Kevin Spacey #action crime drama #music #soundtrack

104 notes · View notes

weekendwarriorblog · 5 years

Text

WHAT TO WATCH THIS WEEKEND October 4, 2019 - JOKER, PAIN AND GLORY, DOLEMITE IS MY NAME, LUCY IN THE SKY

It’s October and we only have two more months to the year, but we have to get through one of the tougher months of the year (in terms of quality of films) to get to the good stuff. Fortunately, the month starts out with Todd Phillips’ JOKER (Warner Bros.), starring Joaquin Phoenix, which is looking to tell the definitive origin of the Batman arch-nemesis

You can read my mostly positive review of the movie right here (and more over at The Beat), but I want to talk a bit more at length about two movies that will get a limited release this weekend.

The first movie I want to talk about is Pedro Almodovar’s PAIN AND GLORY (Sony Pictures Classics), which in my opinion is his best and possibly most personal film in a decade or more. It stars Antonio Banderas as filmmaker Salvador Mallo, who has mostly retired as he faces illness late in life that makes him unable to work on a film set… or get the inspiration to make a new movie. Salvador has been invited to do a QnA for one of his classic films as it celebrates its 30thanniversary along with the film’s star with whom he had a falling out due to the actor’s drug use, the two having not spoken since. And it’s Salvador’s job to get the star to agree to do the QnA with him…. An encounter that ends up being catastrophic for Salvador, who starts using drugs himself.

To reveal more about the plot of Almodovar’s latest would be a huge disservice to the filmmaker who has created another intricate plot where every element has a purpose that’s all resolved by the film’s end. The film frequently flashes back to Salvador’s childhood in a small Spanish village with his single mother (played by another Almodovar regular, Penelope Cruz), which add to the troubles the filmmaker is having later in life. (Almodovar has cast an older actor to play Salvador’s mother sixty years later but she doesn’t look even remotely like Cruz.)

This is a film where you’re drawn into the story as Salvador’s life unfolds, and we learn more about what made him the way he is, and it’s easily one of the best performance of Banderas’ career. The warmth and humor he brings to Salvador allows you to be with him even when he’s doing questionable things. I also want to call attention to the amazing Asier Etxeandia, who delivers an equally compelling performance.

I won’t spoil the ending, but it’s one of those confounding things that can be interpreted in so many different ways…and I can’t wait to see the movie again to see if I can unravel it. Pain and Glory is another beautiful and brilliant piece of art and storytelling from Almodovar and a welcome return to form both for him and for Banderas.

Rating: 8.5 out of 10

The other movie I want to draw special attention to is Craig Brewer’s DOLEMITE IS MY NAME, which Netflix will give a theatrical release this weekend before streaming it on Netflix starting October 25. As you may have heard, it stars the great Eddie Murphy back in his first leading role in ages, playing Rudy Ray Moore, the stand-up comic and sing who wanted to be famous more than anything else. If you haven’t heard of Moore and his comic character Dolemite, you just have to look on the influence he’s had on everyone from Murphy to Samuel L. Jackson to just about every rapper who has ever gone on record (especially the 2 Live Crew!)

We meet Rudy as he’s trying to convince a DJ played by Snoop Dogg to play his records with no luck. Rudy is working in a record store with his faithful assistant, played by Tituss Burgess (from The Unbreakable Kimmy Schmidt), and he’s desperate to break-out as a failing stand-up comic. When he starts hearing the raunchy stories of Dolemite from the local bums, he puts together a new act where he plays a raunchy, foul-mouthed pimp named “Dolemite,” which goes over huge for his mainly black audiences. That soon turns into making a record that’s a huge hit with Moore touring the country selling them out of his trunk, and that eventually becomes an idea to make a very DIY movie.

This has a great cast but some of the real breakouts around Murphy include Da’Vine Joy Randolph as his protegé Lady Reed (aka Queen Bee) and Wesley Snipes in an amazing performance as “serious” actor D’urville Martin, who agrees to direct the movie but clearly has no idea what movie Moore and his team are trying to make. There’s also great stuff from Keegan-Michael Key as Jerry Jones, the serious dramatic playwright who also finds a way into Dolemite’s world. Randolph has the best moment when she thanks Rudy for putting “someone who looks like her” on the screen.

The script by Scott Alexander and Larry Karaszewski is fantastic, but Brewer – whom I’ve been a fan of since his early film Hustle and Flow – does terrific work in keeping things moving and making sure that Murphy is doing his best work.

Sure, it’s impossible not to avoid comparisons to The Disaster Artist, but I’d prefer that it be compared to Mario van Peebles’ excellent 2003 film Baadasssss!, which was about his father Melvyn van Peebles’ going through similar efforts to make his own film that appeals directly to black audiences years earlier. There’s actually more in common between the accomplishment by Van Peebles (a much more capable filmmaker) making his film and how he got it out into the world to Moore’s DIY ethos and its results. The Room was a bomb and a disaster that eventually became a cult hit; what Moore created was much more lasting.

I’m a little bummed that so few people are going to see this in theaters surrounded by laughter, but just the fact that Netflix is getting a movie about Dolemite into the world makes it easier to forgive them.

Rating: 8 out of 10

(Also, check out the repertory section below for a way to see the movie in double features with some of Moore’s “Dolemite” movies at the New Beverly theater.)

LOCAL FESTIVALS

The 57thNew York Film Festival continues this week with screenings of Bong Joon-Ho’s Parasite– which I reviewed for The Beat– Kelly Reinhardt’s First Cow, and a special event screening of the Safdie Brothers’ Uncut Gems. (Oh, yeah, and who could forget that Joker is screening with Todd Phillips doing a QnA on Wednesday?) Friday will see the Centrepiece premiere of Noah Baumbach’s Marriage Story, starring Adam Driver and Scarlet Johansson with SIX screenings! The weekend sees the debut of Michael Apted’s 63 Up, continuing his long-running doc series, as well as Olivier Assayas’ Wasp Network, which I’ll also be seeing on Friday. There are also a few revivals and restorations, which you can read about in the repertory section below.

Also, Beyond Fest 2019 continues at the Egyptian in L.A. with more fun genre films. Your best bet is to click on that link and see what’s being shown but you can read about the rep stuff below, as well.

LIMITED RELEASES

On Wednesday night (with a repeat screening on Sunday), Trafalgar Releasing will release Roger Waters: Us and Them nationwide into a bunch of theaters, the movie documenting Waters’ 2017 tour, which sadly I missed, but I’m excited to see what I missed.

Opening Friday is Legion and Fargo creator Noah Hawley’s feature film directorial debut LUCY IN THE SKY (Fox Searchlight), starring Natalie Portman as Lucy Cola, an astronaut who has spent time in space but has trouble adjusting when she returns to earth and her husband (played by an unrecognizable Dan Stevens). She’s in training for one of the next two shuttle launches, but she starts having an affair with fellow astronaut Mark Goodwin (Jon Hamm) while competing fiercely against a younger trainee (Zazie Beetz). Things go downhill from there as Lucy – who is based on the real-life Lisa Nowak– starts messing up more and more. I think I can understand why critics have been so rough on Hawley and this movie, because really, it isn’t the outer space adventure some might be expecting, and that’s really just used as the set-up for Lucy having trouble adjusting at home. In fact, this could be an episode of a Fargo-like true-crime anthology that goes into other realms than just the Midwest. Once you get used to Portman’s heavy Southern accent, she’s quite good in this, and if you go into it expecting more of a true-crime story… with Hawley’s artistic filmmaking touch and some gorgeous imagery… Lucy in the Sky really isn’t so bad. I definitely think that people are going into this with certain expectations from the trailer/commercials that isn’t necessarily accurate.

A movie I saw at this year’s Tribeca Film Festival and really enjoyed was Kevin McMullin’s LOW TIDE (A24 /DirecTV) starring Keann Johnson (Alita: Battle Angel) and Jaeden Martell (It) asbrothers living on the Jersey coast who find a bag of valuable gold coins and try to hide it from their no-goodnick friends Red (Alex Neustaedter) and Smitty (Daniel Zolghadri) with whom they break into vacation homes to steal valuables.

Another decent lower-profile film about brothers opening Friday is Henry Alex Rubins’ SEMPER FI (Lionsgate), starring Jai Courtney and Nat Wolff as brothers “Callahan” and “Oyster” who are part of the Marine Corps Reserve. When they get into a bar altercation in which a man dies, Oyster is sent to jail and his brother feels the need to get him out in a plot that involves his Marine buddies. It’s a movie that starts off as a military drama but actually has some decent action in the last act, and I liked it more than Rubins’ last narrative feature Disconnect.

You can read my interview with Jai Courtney here, and I hope to have an interview with Nat Wolff soon, as well.

I haven’t had a chance to watch Michael Beach Nichols’ doc WRINKLES THE CLOWN (Magnet) but I’ve heard great things that makes me curious. It revolves around a YouTube video from 2014 that shows a man in a clown mask who has been hired by the parents of a young girl to frighten her for misbehaving. This genre-based doc looks into where “Wrinkles the Clown” came from and how he turned into a viral video, similar to the great HBO doc Beware the Slenderman.

Memory: The Origins of Alien (Screen Media) is the new doc from Alexandre Philippe, whose 2017 film 78/52took apart the shower sequence from Hitchcock’s Psycho. This one is just as intriguing as it goes through the processes of creating Ridley Scott’s Alien, which celebrates its 40thanniversary this year. I’m such a huge fan of Alienthat I just ate this movie up, and I could probably watch it over and over since I love hearing stories about the ideas and design that went into the movie.

Playing at the Film Forum starting Wednesday is Olivier Meyrou’s doc Celebration (KimStim) about fashion icon Yves Saint Laurent, commissioned by his business partner Pierre Bergé, has been sitting on the shelf for over a decade because it was deemed to be “too revealing” as it followed the ailing fashion designer during his last three years.

Unfortunately, I’ve run out of time for this week’s column but I’ll have more stuff to add here by Thursday afternoon sometime, if not sooner. Please check back for a few more limited releases!

REPERTORY

METROGRAPH (NYC):

Metrograph’s latest series “NYC '81” which was more self-explanatory when it included the subtitle “A Series of NY Films from 1981 Leading into (the) Re-Release of Downtown 81.” Some of the films showing this weekend include Abel Ferrara’s Ms. 45 (also playing as part of Late Nites at Metrograph), Sidney Lumet’s Prince of the City, Steve Gordon’s comedy Arthur, starring Dudley Moore, and Louis Malle’s My Dinner with André.Alain Corneu’s Série Norie will continue at least through Thursday. This weekend’s Playtime: Family Matineesgoes with Tim Burton’s Edward Scissorhands(1990) starring Johnny Depp (plus you can still see David Lynch’s Mulholland Driveone last time tonight!) Also, Saturday afternoon you can see the Humphrey Bogart classic, The Maltese Falcon (1941).

THE NEW BEVERLY (L.A.):

You might notice that the New Bev has been released from the corner it was put in for misbehaving by playing new movies. It makes up for it by having a Wednesday matinee of Hitchcock’s 1960 classic Psycho and also having screenings the next couple nights of David Fincher’s Zodiac. Friday is a matinee of Final Destination 2, one of my favorite movies in the series, and then the weekend “Kiddee Matinee” is the popular 1976 favorite The Monster Squad. Friday night’s midnight movie is Robert Rodriguez’s Planet Terror, while Sat night is Kill Bill: Volume 2. Monday’s matinee is Wes Craven’s 1986 horror film Deadly Friend. Next week starting Monday, the new Bev begins a special program celebrating Netflix’s Dolemite is My Name with screenings of the movie as double features with actual Dolemite films, Monday and Tuesday nights being double features with the original 1975 movie Dolemite (the making of which is shown in the Netflix film). Welcome back, New Bev!

FILM AT LINCOLN CENTER (NYC):

Thursday, as part of the New York Film Festival, there’s a special retrospective presented by Warby Parker to celebrate the 100thanniversary of the American Society of Cinematographers. As part of that, you can see Robert Altman’s Western McCabe and Mrs. Miller (1971) and a new restoration of Jack Arnold’s sci-fi classic The Incredible Shrinking Man (1957). On Saturday is a screening of Francis Ford Coppola’s The Godfather: Part II (1974) just after a special The Cotton Club Encorewith a screening of Francis Ford Coppola’s 1984 movie at the Alice Tully Hall with a conversation with Coppola, Maurice Hines and James Remar afterwards.On Monday, Terrence Malick’s Days of Heaven (1978) will screen as part of this retrospective, followed on Tuesday by a screening of Jim Jarmusch’s 1995 film Dead Man, starring Johnny Depp. It’s a pretty impressive sidebar to the festival from one of the uptown’s only retrospective theaters remaining.

ALAMO DRAFTHOUSE BROOKLYN (NYC)

Ooo… Bong Joon-ho’s amazing 2006 monster film is playing at the Alamo Thursday night at 10pm, and as of this writing, it’s not completely sold out yet! On Sunday, the Alamo is doing an “ultimate Willy Wonka Party” showing the 1971 film Willy Wonka and the Chocolate Factory (one of my favorites from childhood) with some of the grow-up young cast from the movie! (Noon is sold out but there’s another screening at 9AM… good luck with that!) Next Tuesday’s “Terror Tuesday” is the 1991 Scary Movie, starring John Hawkes, while Wednesday’s “Weird Wednesday” is Lucio Fulci’s The Devil’s Honey from 1986.

FILM FORUM (NYC):

Film Forum is beginning another great series this weekend called “Shirley Clarke 100” celebrating what would be the 100thbirthday of the African-American documentary filmmaker who passed away in 1997 at the age of 77. Some of the films in the series include Ornette: Made in America, Portrait of Jason, The Connection, The Cool World and more, including a series of shorts including Skyscraper, which received an Oscar nomination. Also playing for one week is a new restoration of Bill Forsythe’s 1981 film Gregory’s Girl, a film set in Glasgow that has been deemed one of the 100 greatest British films of the 20thCentury by the BFI. (Bill Forsyth will be there Saturday afternoon for a conversation.) Joseph Losey’s Holocaust drama Mr. Klein is also returning for one more day on Friday. This weekend’s “Film Forum Jr” is the coming-of-age film Breaking Away (1979).

EGYPTIAN THEATRE (LA):

Beyond Fest 2019 continues this weekend with a sold-out screening of The Exorcisttonight with William Friedkinin person. Otherwise tonight you can catch one of three free screenings of the 1971 film Mooch Goes to Hollywood and on Thursday, there’s a free screening of 1975’s Dolemite and a free screening of 1981’s Madman on Saturday. Unfortunately, Saturday’s West Coast premiere of the 4k restoration of Sam Raimi’s 1981 horror classic The Evil Dead is also already sold out. The Sunday triple feature of Halloween III: Season of the Witch, Night of the Creeps and The Fog is also sold out unfortunately.

AERO (LA):

The AERO celebrates “50 years of Monty Python” with double features of the 1975 classic Monty Python and the Holy Grail and Terry Jones’ Erik the Viking (1989) both in 35mm printson Friday, The Meaning of Life (1983) and And Now for Something Completely Different (1971) on Saturday, A Fish Called Wanda (1988) and Fierce Creatures (1997) on Sunday. Tuesday’s “Tuesdays with Lorre” matinee feature is The Maltese Falcon.

MUSEUM OF THE MOVING IMAGE (NYC):

This weekend’s “See It Big! Ghost Stories” screenings are the 2001 Japanese horror film Pulse, clearly sharing the same 35mm print with the Roxy. Jonathan Demme’s 1988 film Beloved, based on the novel by TonI Morrison and starring Oprah Winfrey and Thandie Newton screens Saturday afternoon, while The Innocents andThe Others screen again on Sunday evening. On Friday night, you can also see the fairly recent Yuen Woo-ping action film Master Z: Ip Man Legacy. Saturday afternoon there’s a Serbian double feature of Ognjen Glavonic’s 2016 film Depth Two and 2018 film The Load.

IFC CENTER (NYC)

It doesn’t look like the IFC Center has posted their new series yet, although on Friday and Saturday at midnight (actually 11:59pm), you can see Satoshi Kon’s Paprika, if you haven’t seen it yet despite it screening for months here and at the Metrograph. Also, the IFC Center is showing George Miller’s 2015 film Mad Max: Fury Roadat midnight (actually 11:59pm) those same nights.

BAM CINEMATEK(NYC):

This weekend, BAM is showing the 1997 film Selena, starring possible Oscar-nominee Jennifer Lopez in her break-out role. It doesn’t seem to be connected to any series.

ROXY CINEMA (NYC)

Tonight and tomorrow night, the Roxy is screening the Japanese horror film Pulse (2001) in 35mm.

LANDMARK THEATRES NUART (LA):

Friday’s midnight screening is Tommy Wiseau’sThe Room… again.

STREAMING AND CABLE

This week’s “Netflix and Chills” offering is In the Tall Grass, the new movie from Vincenzo Natali (Cube, Splice) based on the novella written by Stephen King and his son Joe Hill. It’s about a brother and sister, her pregnant with a baby, who hear the cries of a young boy from a field of tall grass and they go inside to rescue him only to fall foul of a sinister force within that separates them along with a few other people, including one played by Patrick Wilson. I wasn’t a huge fan of the movie as much of it involves people running around yelling each other’s names in the tall grass, so it’s not particularly scary.

Next week, we’re back to three wide releases as Ang Lee’s Gemini Man, starring Will Smith, takes on the animated The Addams Family and the tech-comedy Jexi.

#WhatToWatchThisWeekend PainAndGain MyNameIsDolemiteJoker Movies Reviews

0 notes

therealdjqualls · 7 years

Text

Post-Baby Driver thoughts:

Okay so I hardly ever see movies in theaters these days so I like to document my immediate thoughts. I’ve been excited for Baby Driver for a very long time too so I have many things to say. Spoilers ahead:

The acting was incredible across the board and brought the film to another level. Angel Elsort, Lily James, Kevin Spacey and Jamie Foxx were phenomenal.

Jon Hamm, though, was even more exceptional. I know we know this, but holy shit is he a good actor. Weird mullet/combover thing and all.

Kevin Spacey is an immensely talented actor but he should also play mob bosses and crime lords exclusively.

Also: Kevin Spacey fucking diiiiiiiiiiiiiiies, like really dies, like real bad

The casting of Sky Ferreira and Flea in minor parts cemented the use of music in the movie. Also, Jon Spencer, Killer Mike and Big Boi all have cameos (although I missed them).

The use of music is unprecedented - each scene is soundtracked with a perfectly selected song, from Queen to the Damned to Jonathan Richman to Yung M.C.

Although I will say that the trailer was soundtracked by “Radar Love,” one of the coolest rock songs ever; but it’s only in the movie for 30 seconds or so

Jon Hamm’s character goes through Elmer Fudd levels of violence and really, it’s only believable because of how straight Hamm plays it.

The only real criticism I’ve seen of this movie is how Debora is simply used as a plot device, but I don’t think it’s true. She definitely drops everything for mr. dreamy *very* quickly, but I think Edgar Wright did a sufficient job showing us how stuck she herself is, and how she’s practically sitting around waiting for adventure

The movie is definitely a lot of fun, but also gets a lot darker and unsettling than the previews lead you to believe.

There’s one five minute scene that’s practically just parkour, and another five minute scene where Jon Hamm gets hit by Baby in like, four different cars.

Shouldn’t Debora have gotten arrested too? For aiding and abetting and possibly assault?

It’s not until later in the movie during a flashback that you can piece together how old Baby is, which I found distracting.

Was Bats getting impaled through the neck a reference to Hot Fuzz, or does Edgar Wright just have a weird thing for people’s necks getting impaled?

20+ minutes of previews is Too Much

fast cars, vroom vroom

go see it it’s very very very good

5 notes · View notes

lilsurvs · 5 years

Text

001.

Could you say something good about the last person you kissed? Of course! I can say so many good things about him.

Will you be in a relationship in 50 days? Yes :)

Does talking about sex make you uncomfortable? Not really, no. I guess it would depend on who I’m talking to about it & to what extent.

Why are you single? I’m not single.

The last person you kissed, how many times have you cried in front of them? A lot of times... we’ve been together for almost a year and I cry a lot.

Is there someone you wish you were still close with? Yes.

So, you have brown eyes? Nope. I do not.

Describe how you feel right now in one word? Sleepy. Are you a slut? Nah, not anymore. What happened last time you got drunk? So, I had a stressful night at work. Courtney was bringing me home because Correy is away on military duty, and she also had a bad night at work. We went to Oscar’s, which is a bar down the street from our restaurant. I got super, super drunk and we hung out there for a while. Marc ended up finding us and joining us, to our dismay... lol. It was my first night without Correy - he had left that day, so I came home drunk at like 2 am to an empty apartment (aside from our pets). I was so drunk and I haven’t been drunk in so long, so it was horrible. I felt so sick and it just made me even more sad and lonely because he wasn’t there.

Ever stayed up all night on the phone? Yes. What exactly did you drink the last time you were intoxicated? Raspberry vodka shots and Blue Hawaiians.

Do you feel uncomfortable sharing drinks with other people? Sometimes. Do you get jealous if your boyfriend hugs another girl? I mean... maybe it would depend?

Do you get bad mood swings? Sure.

Do you miss the way things used to be? Some things.

Is there something that happened in your past you hate talking about? Yeah. Have you ever been completely alone with a boy in his room? Yup. Is there a difference between just love and in love? Well, yeah. Of course there is.

Who was the last person that you cried in front of? Um, probably people at work. Are you happy with the choices you’ve made? No. Is it hard for you to be “just friends” with the opposite sex? No. Why would it be? The only thing that would make that somewhat hard is if I had feelings for them or they had feelings for me. Even then, it’s not that hard for me to be just friends with someone.

Honestly, has anyone seen you in your underwear in the past three months? Yes. If you could re-live one memory what would it be? I’m not sure.

Does sex mean love? Nope.

Do you remember every single person that you’ve kissed? No. I have no desire to.

How many people have you kissed this year? One :) What should you be doing right now? I should definitely be sleeping!

Do you have a reason to smile right now? Yes. Have you ever read an entire book in one day? Yup.

Have you ever had a panic attack? Yeah. Do you plan on getting drunk in the near future? No.

Are you taken/single? I’m in a relationship. I bet you wanna see someone right now? I do. I really do. Does any part of your body hurt right now? My jaw has been killing me for like a week now.

Are you obsessive about making plans or do you just kind of go-with-the-flow? Uh, it depends.

Do you plan on having children in the future? Maybe. I’m on the fence. How big is your house? Not very. I live in a three bedroom student apartment, but only live in one of the bedrooms. I’m not even supposed to be here, it’s Correy’s apartment. It’s a decent sized room but with two people + pets... it’s cramped.

Do you believe that the world will actually end? Yeah. Science.

Do you ever watch any soap operas? I haven’t in a while.

Do you ever get goodnight or good morning texts from people? Not really. When Correy’s away like he is right now, he normally just calls me in the morning & at night. Other than that... we live together, so there’s no need for the texts. What color are the pants you’re wearing? Charcoal. When did you last go to the doctor and what for? I was trying to get test results.

Are you socially awkward? Mhm. Would you rather watch a comedy movie or horror movie? Horror. But it depends on my mood. Lately I’ve been wanting to watch comedies or rom coms. Who is your favorite actor/actress? Jon Hamm... just because he’s my celebrity crush. Do you know where your family came from? Yup. If you could choose to be any mythical character, which would you choose? A fairy, I suppose. Can you shoot a gun? Yes.

Where are both of your parents right at this moment? Their beds. Have you ever seen a movie so ridiculous you couldn’t watch the rest? Mhm. Does it make you angry when people text short messages back? It makes me feel like they’re angry at me, but it doesn’t necessarily make me angry.

How old are your siblings? 38, 28, and 18. Do you find yourself on Youtube a lot? No. What was the last thing you scratched? My ear. How many people can you fully rely on without fault? Hm.

Are you satisfied with your gender? Yup.

Have you ever kept a successful diary before? Nah, I always gave up on them. Are you good at admitting your problems? Sometimes I am. Have you ever had a hangover? Once. What is something you’re looking forward to in the next three months? Correy coming home! We’re also trying to go to Chicago next month because his best friend is graduating from Navy boot camp, so that’ll be fun... if we get to go.

What time do you normally go to sleep on weekdays? It varies.

What color are the shoes you’re wearing? I’m barefoot.

Looks or personality? Which is more important to you? Personality. Do you know any strippers? Nah.

How many states/countries have you visited? I don’t feel like counting for states. I’ve never left the United States, though.

If you have a job, do you like it? I have two jobs. I don’t really like either of them, but at least at the restaurant I’m kept busy and I’m making bank. Do you think you eat healthy? No. I’m trying to be better about that.

When was the last time you kissed someone? July 9th :(

Would you say you’re a good cook? I don’t think my cooking is anything to brag about. I make a really good peach cobbler, though. If so, what is your favorite thing to cook? Pasta.

When was the last time you took a shower? A few hours ago. Can you say your alphabet backward or not? Yes. If you have a Facebook, how long have you had it? 10 years. Are you sick quite often or hardly at all? Meh. Not much, actually.

Who is your family doctor? I don’t have a doctor. If you had to choose, what color is your favorite? Pink and blue. How many times have you dated the person you’re with now? Once...? Is there anything exciting happening tomorrow? No.

Are you an organized person? Sometimes. How many times have you ever been out of state with your family? A few. Has anyone suspected you of being a different sexuality? No, I don’t think so.

Do you like chocolate or vanilla cake more? Chocolate. Do you tend to judge people before you get to know them? Yeah, but I try not to. Do you fall asleep at school quite often? I did. When was the last time you had blood drawn? Last summer? Does it bother you to have blood drawn or not so much? Not really.

What color is your toothbrush? Purple.

Do you ever floss? Not lately. I need to.

Who would you say is your best friend at the moment? Hattie. How long have you two been best friends? 10 years. What would you say is one word to describe your personality? Awkward. When was the last time you cried? I don’t know... last week? Are you an impatient person? Sometimes. Do you ever wish on 11:11 or do you think it’s a sham? It’s dumb.

Are you the kind of person who has headaches a lot? Yes. What color are your nails painted right now, if any? Revlon’s “Romantique”.

Do you like dressing up for Halloween and other festivities? Sure! Has your cell phone ever rung in class? Yeah.

Speaking of which, what kind of phone do you have? iPhone 8+ Do you sometimes think you aren’t as fortunate as others? Yeah. All the time. I’m not.

Do you think any of your friends are whores? What......? What was the last kind of candy you had? A Crunch bar, I think. Have you ever tried opening your eyes under water? Yeah. How much do you text on your phone, on average? A decent amount. Do you think you have a good relationship with your parents? No. Have you ever been admitted to the hospital? Yes. What would you say is your favorite type of flower? Sunflowers :) Is there anyone who constantly compliments you? Yeah. My boyfriend.

Are you good at expressing your feelings? Nope.

Is there anything you wish you could be doing right now? Sleeping. With Correy.

What color are your bed sheets? A merlot color. What are you asking for, for Christmas this year? Nothing.

Do you normally fall asleep fast or slow? Slow. Does the majority of your wardrobe consist of jeans or sweatpants? Jeans.

Who do you text the most? Correy. What exactly was the last text you sent? “It’s not a problem”

Do you ever feel like just laying down and giving up? Yes. Have you ever lied about your age? Yeah, when I was younger. Lied about your name? ^

#survey

0 notes

helloworlddemo1122-yahoopar-blog · 6 years

Text

The Business of Being Nick Offerman in a Post-Ron Swanson World (Exclusive)

There is a BYOB restaurant in Chicago, indistinguishable from the myriad other brunch joints on the block, until you walk through the orange front door and are greeted by Ron Swanson's face. Everywhere. The walls are lined with Ron Swanson artwork -- pop art and oil paintings, carvings and cross stitchings, even an embroidered tissue box with his face on it -- underneath one of his most iconic quotes: "There has never been a sadness that can't be cured by breakfast food."

"Whisk, yes," Nick Offerman offers when I can't recall the name of the eatery. "They're very generous to me at that establishment." While he imagines he could get a free meal, the actor hasn't actually visited yet. "I'm kind of scared," he giggles. "I don't feel like I can be a normal patron in a weird bacon and eggs museum to my character."

It has been three years since Parks and Recreation -- the NBC sitcom in which Offerman played the surly, mustached, libertarian saxophonist -- left the air, but despite the "proliferation of Ron Swanson," as he puts it, the role didn't lead to the career boon you might imagine. "Across the seven years that we made Parks and Rec," he says, "my cache certainly went up considerably."

But the critical love, the memes and the freakin' breakfast restaurant in his honor leads people to assume certain things that just aren't the case. "They think Parks and Recreation was a huge hit, which it wasn't at all. We were always in danger of being cancelled," Offerman tells ET, seated in a suite at the Beverly Hills Four Seasons with one bright red New Balance sneaker resting on the other knee.

"We might have more viewers right now, on streaming services, than we did when we were actually airing," he adds, noting early seasons didn't factor in online viewership. "That leads people to believe that somehow I'm Jon Hamm or something, and I'm like, 'No. That's not how it was.' I'm very grateful that this character is so successful, but I haven't been offered Batman. Yet."

Not that Offerman has been lacking for work, following Parks and Rec with a run on the second season of FX's Fargo and voice work in animated fare such as Hotel Transylvania and The LEGO Movie. He's just aware of how many projects are in production at any given time and what percentage of that comes to him. "I'm not beleaguered by tons of choices, you know?" he says.

"The business is not beating my door down to try and get me in their projects, so, of the things that come my way, I recognize I'm incredibly fortunate that I can even pick between a couple," Offerman continues. "'Cause my rent is pretty much covered."

When discussing how he picks the projects he does sign on for, the actor frequently defers to his gut instinct. He won't say yes to anything that's not his "bag" -- which excludes anything too trendy "like zombie stuff." "Sometimes there will be a really funny script but there will just be like, a couple homophobic jokes and I'll say, nah, I don't want to be in bed with these guys. Literally," he lists off. And then there's the matter of making sure his schedule lines up with that of his wife of 15 years, Megan Mullally. "We have a two-week rule," Offerman explains, "where we never take a job that will keep us apart for more than two weeks. Which sometimes involves some pretty impressive aeronautical gymnastics."

But in the end, it comes down to following his gut. "And it's really worked out wonderfully," he grins through his overgrown beard, the dark scruff graying at his chin. Credit Offerman's gut for leading him to Ron Swanson, but also to many an indie gem -- his "bread and butter." His latest movie, the musical dramedy Hearts Beat Loud, ticks off all his boxes and then some.

Photo Courtesy of Gunpowder & Sky

Hearts Beat Loud, which opens in select theaters on June 8, sees Offerman play Frank, a record store owner, widower and single dad living in Brooklyn's Red Hook neighborhood and dreading the imminent departure of his daughter, Sam (Kiersey Clemons), for college. When one of their father-daughter "jam seshs" produces a bona fide Spotify hit, the pair grapple with starting their band, called We're Not a Band, growing up and letting go.

"He was the only person we wanted," director Brett Haley, who co-wrote the script with Marc Basch, tells me, having written the role of Frank with Offerman in mind after working together on 2017's The Hero. "He's just the best. He's such a great human being and such an amazing actor and he has so much to give that I don't think audiences have seen. I could just feel that. He's hilarious but can be so sweet and open and I think he's going to surprise people."

"I've literally never had a role half this big," Offerman agrees. "It's funny, there are scenes with Kiersey and scenes with Toni Collette in this film that, when we were shooting them, I felt like a kid at my first dance. I would say, 'You guys!'" His eyes light up as he clasps his hands together. "'I've never had a scene where I'm just a vulnerable guy, like, trying to get a woman to love me! I'm 47 and I've never gotten to do this!'"

The paternal side of Frank came naturally to the actor. When Clemons arrived on set, "I started trying to be cool with her, which of course is super geeky and annoying to her," he laughs. "Our dynamic was established immediately where she's rolling her eyes but also laughing at me, and I was like, Oh! We're Frank and Sam!" The other muscles he was tasked with flexing -- revealing new colors of himself, performing music in front of an audience -- required more effort. But the experience coalesced into something magical. "I've seen the movie several times now and when Kiersey starts singing," he says, "I get goose bumps!"

"I secretly hope I'll stop getting acting jobs, at least for a while, so that I can go build another boat."

Next up, Offerman has a Parks and Rec reteaming, of sorts, as he and Amy Poehler host NBC's crafting competition series, Making It. The show has less of a connection to Ron Swanson than to Offerman himself, who has been pals with Poehler since their early improv and theater days in Chicago (hence, Whisk) and who has been crafty even longer, having learned to woodwork as a boy. Then there is more work on TV (Amazon's Neil Gaiman adaptation, Good Omens) and in movies (another LEGO Movie, the genre flick Bad Times at the El Royale). And then? Well, he'll follow his gut. But he isn't concerned.

"I don't worry about my career, as it were. I don't have ambitions. And I recognize that I'm very lucky that I don't have that actor stress of, Will I keep getting jobs?" he admits. "Because I have this woodshop" -- the aptly named Offerman Woodshop in East Los Angeles -- "and all I want to do is get to my woodshop. I secretly hope I'll stop getting acting jobs, at least for a while so that I can go build another boat."

What's stopping you from saying no, I ask, from taking a self-imposed break from acting?

"I love delivering some sort of medicine to an audience," Offerman replies without hesitating. "Whether it's through laughter or emotion or what have you, that's my favorite thing to do." He shrugs. "But if I couldn't do it anymore, I'm comforted to know I'd be very happy making chairs."