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I'm sure the Lume founder-lady is a very nice person, but I just cannot stand her commercial. She looks kind of deliberately overheated and sweaty and dirty, and then is basically showing us ON HER BODY all the places that sweat, including her crotch and butt-crack, and then as the piece de resistance, STICKING HER BARE FOOT in our faces! I mean, it's so icky to me! I don't need to see the sole of anybody's damn foot that close! Especially while she's telling us it SMELLS! And I frankly hate this whole product type anyway -- weren't we getting away from unrealistic expectations for women? Women sweat just like men. Women can have BO just like men. It's why bathing/showers are a thing! Smell bad? Take a shower! But the idea that we are supposed to be spraying ourselves from head to toe, because God forbid one single part of our bodies smells like a human is so gross to me. It's unhealthy. While I'm ranting, I also cannot STAND Drew Barrymore's new "fake orgasm" online Bingo commercial -- I'm actually embarrassed for her. Does she need the money THAT badly? But it's a whole trend now -- tons of celebs selling their souls for these awful online gaming enterprises that you know are going to cost regular (poor) people way too much REAL MONEY while they make bank for being the spokespeople! Chris Pratt, Jason Momoa, Drew Barrymore, Joel McHale, Samuel Jackson... sheesh, have some dignity, people. I wouldn't put oil on my ice cream even if Martha told me to, but I did have an olive oil Gelato at Batali's Otto restaurant back in 2007 or so, and it was absolutely heavenly. He had a corn gelato too that was equally lovely -- really fun. (And an assortment of delicious grappas!) AAAAAAAAGHGH. I was horrified by the decision to deliberately use a guy who cannot carry a tune for the song, then it seemed to be on permanent repeat, and THEN I swear, I couldn't stop it as a constant earworm for three days and it was just pure hell. I hate this, and I hate all these terrible online gaming commercials! It's gross to me -- I can actually see their souls floating out of their bodies for doing this. Ugh. I'm just irritated at how the commercials act like a medium pizza is going to shrink or expand, feeding any necessary amount of people? So it can be "lunch" for one person, yet in the next commercial, feed a family of four? Okay. This commercial is so weird and uncomfortable-making. They look so stiff and uncomfortable, they actually seem grim and humorless, and -- for a beauty commercial (sorry, I'm gonna be shallow here), they both look really tired and drawn and kind of terrible (and please, Portia, stop the plastic surgery). It's like ever since the revelations that she's kind of a cold jerkwad in real life, Ellen is now free to actually BE a cold jerkwad openly. And that's how she comes off here. I don't know why I don't hate it, but for some reason this commercial I find kind of horrifyingly funny. I laugh every time he hits the little icehouse and the guy and his kid are ice fishing, and the dad looks alarmed and instantly covers his kid's eyes from the sight of naked Cheezit Guy! But I'm always mystified that Cheezit guy reaches the end and grabs the Cheezits while ignoring the giant delicious cheddar wheel right there. I mean, REAL CHEESE. Sigh. (Sorry, I'm on low-sodium, low-fat, so I get very little real cheese. I would totally stick my face in that cheese wheel.) I feel so bad for her because I respect her as a female director and also really think she is so talented and should be a bigger star -- she's beautiful, she can do drama (The Next Three Days) or comedy ("30 Rock," etc.), and it's like she never quite hit the right notes. So I kind of feel like she's just unapologetically getting all the paychecks she can (now she's also hosting game shows! Sigh). Unfortunately, it looks like these commercials are a huge hit because even when people hate them, they are talking about them, so for BK, it seems that any press is good press. The huge discussions, rants, etc., across social media about these horrible commercials are still doing what Burger King wants -- keeping their brand out there. But I agree, they're awful.

Yes!! The first time I poured a Zevia cola it freaked me out that it was clear. It was really strange, although it's interesting to me that colas are just "dyed," I guess, because we expect them to be brown??

Just a further note that I saw that Marcel did spend his winnings on cochlear implant(s) for his mother, and there are videos of him on TikTok surprising her with them. I was really glad he came through with his pledge to do that -- I didn't want it to be something he was using for the camera (not that I thought that, but you know how reality TV can be). It's very moving, and I hope his mom has an amazing time rediscovering her hearing!

I thought it was an incredibly unique and creative take on a story in the series, and beautifully written and acted. I loved Lupita's performance (she's incredible), loved the understated tension and sadness, and loved the relationship between the two survivors. And the world's best, most patient cat. I ultimately thought it was a genuinely moving and oddly beautiful film -- so more than a throwaway monster movie. It actually had something to say about connections (among humans, and among humans and animals), and about life and death. I loved it. One of the best movies of the year for me -- in a very quiet way. (No pun intended.)

Oh, of course!! I was definitely not saying the Japanese were more civilized -- I was simply making the comparison when it comes to Blackthorn's assumptions. The show did a great job of showing that both sides could be brutal and cruel.

I love Sweeney Todd. It's right up there as one of my favorite musicals of all time. To answer your question as to WHY I love it -- multiple reasons. I think it's the most sweeping and melodic of all of Sondheim's scores, with some gorgeous songs. I love the symmetry and tightness of the plot -- it's downright Shakespearean in its tragedy and irony, and the characters are complex and richly drawn. Sweeney begins as a sympathetic victim so his descent is truly horrifying (the entire point, which is about the dangers of revenge). As the story reaches its climax and conclusion, there is enough dark wit and humor to leaven the darkness, as well as a kind of awful tension in watching just how depraved Sweeney is willing to be for revenge (and Mrs. Lovett for her selfish, warped love/lust). And "The Ballad of Sweeney Todd" in opening and closing the show, interspersed with brief reprises, helps to alleviate some of the horror, as the victims join the chorus and continue to frame the story, so the violence is mitigated somewhat. I still think Sweeney is a masterpiece. The juxtaposition of the gorgeous, sweepingly romantic score with the shockingly violent and tragic storyline, the superb performances, and the brilliant and often witty book/lyrics make it worth the journey for me. I love, love, love the Lansbury/Cariou original cast, although I also think George Hearn did a great job in the recorded proshot version of the stage show as well. I love the movie adaptation -- with reservations. I think Depp sings at an acceptable level, and while Bonham Carter doesn't, Sondheim never really cared about great voices anyway (see also Glynis Johns in A Little Night Music), and I think HBC's performance is absolutely extraordinary -- funny, sexy, tragic -- I would even say she brings a very thin streak of complexity and humanity to Lovett that I have never seen in any other Lovett performance. So I her thin little voice doesn't bother me -- at least she's on pitch. The performance is just so good and so unique for me. I did enjoy Rickman and Spall as well -- perfect casting. And the use of a genuine child as Toby (rather than the adult used in the stage versions) makes it all even more tragic and poignant. The film's "Not While I'm Around" is, for me, a masterpiece for this reason (combined with HBC's incredibly subtle performance). The only negatives I feel about the film are that I feel like the movie blood looks incredibly fake, I feel like Burton overdid some of the onscreen violence, and I missed some of the songs that were removed (especially the "Ballad"). I loved most of the casting on Into the Woods, but I can't stand James Corden as the Baker. He has zero of the charisma or gravitas the role needs (the Baker is arguably the secret heart of the show), I don't feel any chemistry or connection to Blunt's Baker's Wife, and he's by far the weakest singer in the film. I really wish someone else had been cast. Just as with plays, there can be a huge variety in genres in musicals. They don't have to be bright and sunny. Sweeney Todd is a great example of that. I enjoy Sweeney Todd in the same way I enjoy Titus Andronicus or Romeo and Juliet or Medea. To come full circle, this is my problem with the film version of Into the Woods. The stage version has an ending that is so much richer and more bittersweet -- it's more daring. The movie's ending is a pallid, "safe" version that I feel really dilutes what the story was about all along.

I was in the hospital over the holidays, which meant I practically memorized several holiday commercials (unfortunately)! Mostly for negative reasons, so here's my silly rant: The Mr. Peanut "Nut Bowl" Ad I don't get this one. I still don't. Mr. Peanut alludes to a "time before nut bowls" then we see vaguely Victorian people stumbling around yelling for each other, then a Victorian girl who giggles that she's "hilarious." The commercial enraged me unreasonably. My many issues: The antique styling but modern language. That there has never been a time before people congregating around food. What is the actual situation? I figured the "hilarious" girl turned off the lights for entertainment which is why the others are moronically yelling for each other with lamps. Or is she typing something?? I just don't get it. Target "Santa" Commercial series I liked the first one of a hot outdoorsy Santa showing up at Target in the snow because I thought it was a clever nod to "Even Santa needs Target." But then the following in the series just made the guy look like a dorky goofball who actually WORKS at Target. WHY??? Then the last one has him at home in his cabin, finding a missed gift, then ORDERING it from Target for delivery. Why?? I thought he WORKED there--? Aghghgh! Wayfair "Gift Swaps" Kelly Clarkson is very natural and funny in these, but the premise is just weird to me. Why advertise Wayfair by just showing people bringing their own stuff to a gift swap? Why aren't they all things they got at Wayfair but they love them too much to let them go? That would have been so much better. And even the cute ending "What the fuuuuudge" she does with Peter Billingsley makes no sense. Why is she saying WTF? Instead she just says it for no reason. It would have been funnier if she had the leg lamp then turned around and SO DID HE. Then she could have had a reason to say it. Etc. I do think it's funny that Peter himself is in it. Amazon "Singing Janitor" Commercial I know it's sweet and I liked the idea of this but I think it's clumsily done. Does the guy just walk around singing this one song over and over? Also, the guy's voice at the end doesn't sound like the same person at all. (Interestingly, the commercial changed his voice in later versions!) Hobby Lobby I know the one with the young couple being set up by the old couple could be seen as sweet, but I hate it so much. I mean, evidently they are each getting these anonymous "merry christmas neighbor" cards multiple times per day and just assume they are from each other? Then we have the old couple beaming ickily from behind the curtains, revealing THEY made all the cards. Like, what do they know about these two people? Do they just have to be a guy and girl (this is Hobby Lobby, after all), as opposed to sharing any commonalities? The "Lonely Table" Ad (Kerrygold) Like many here, I just didn't get this. The "I want you to want me" song choice is really bad. And why is the table inside the boy's house -- then later in all these weird "stalkery" locations? Then it's back in his (new?) house again but not lonely anymore because people are finally around it? Why not just show the boy repeatedly alone at the table but end happily with it filled with people? So much simpler. The Macy's Commercials Alison Brie is really charming in them, but the scripts are horrible and really stupid. Why is her assistant so dumb? He literally asks "Gifts can talk?!" at one point as if he thinks she's being literal. It's embarrassing. Bailey's This looks delicious until the guy BITES the bottle at the end. It grosses me out every time. I can almost feel my teeth biting on glass. Aghghg. Celebrity Endorsement Ads Julia Roberts -- why is she alone on a roof in Paris? Why is she smirking? Does the Eiffel Tower look better when you're a pampered zillionaire actress alone on a rooftop? Ugh. Lily James -- why is her "through the looking glass" commercial starting with her glammed up? Why does she look and act drugged on the "other side?" It's just kind of creepy. I did love the Kroger "Lonely People" spot, the AT&T "call someone you love" commercial with the voices of people giving love and encouragement to people, the Ritz commercial where the little girl makes the Nutcracker and Mouse King stop fighting over some Ritz crackers. And I still love several of the classics in rotation -- the Jingle Bell Kisses (but not the new update, ew!), the Christmas-lights-palm tree, and other classics.

I definitely agree that Sam can be catty about other people -- the difference here was that she was doing it blatantly right to the guy's face. Previously it was more a situation where she and Joel might be bitchy, but they would be catty in private. I was definitely angry that Sam was openly mocking and laughing at the guy and thought he was much kinder than I would have been in response.

Oof, I was so psyched for this, but yeah, it was bad. And not even in a fun, schlocky way -- just kind of banal and forgettable. There were a few nice creepy moments -- the boys in the woods, the sick guy in the corner of the diner -- but not enough. The irony is, I don't think the original actual story of 'Salem's Lot is all that good to begin with. It's a modern-day Dracula ripoff by King with several placeholder/stock characters (poor Susan, Father Callahan, etc.). But it is fun and genuinely scary. I did think the miniseries from the 70s was really good -- I still remember how scary the vampire kid at the window was, and I absolutely loved the ending (which was different from the book's, and genuinely sad and haunting). But yeah, this was missing all of that. And the worst part was, it did this weird thing where it was sort of "cheating" or speeding up the passage of the sun. I guess it was done for tension, but the thing is, it was unnecessary -- the tension would've been worse if the sun set more slowly. I agree about Mark Petrie (although I thought the actor was fantastic and perfectly cast). I also hated that we didn't meet his parents until the movie was almost over. It completely robs that final scene with Barlow killing them of the power it has in the book and earlier incarnations. We should have met Mark's parents early on and seen how close he was to them, etc. Instead, the final scene was almost comical -- "Oh, look, here are Mark's parents! Oh, dear, those were Mark's parents." Etc. I thought Pullman was okay as Mears -- he tried, and I liked that he looked like an ordinary guy, but the movie removed all the character's backstory and left us with a blank slate. And I didn't think the Susan actress was bad, but she felt miscast to me, like she'd wandered in from a completely different movie and era. Also: Oh, THAT'S who Straker was!! Thank you, I could not figure out where I'd seen him before. I forgot this, but I loved the use of "Sundown" -- it was one of the only moments in the movie I really liked and that gave me a general eerie feeling. It's such a good song and was used very effectively here (and in the trailer). And you and Millennium are right about the frantic pacing and lack of attention to the townspeople. The whole tragedy of Salem's Lot is that we care about the townspeople and it's horrible to watch them fall one by one... and in a bigger sense, to see the town die. I guess on the up side, the perfect adaptation of this book is still out there.

I agree on the Neruda. The poem is about so much love and passion -- the kind that will never completely die even in grief or after death. And Jamie's monologue there is so damn sexy and beautiful. "And when we finally kissed, which was at six o'clock the next morning, we were both trembling so hard we couldn't get our clothes off." (I'm paraphrasing but I think that's it) And I love the movie aficionado ghosts! "Fitzcarraldo or Five Easy Pieces? Fitzcarraldo! Fitzcarraldo!" I especially love how they just stand quietly with Jamie at the end, surrounding him with love as he cries and watches Nina go off with Mark.

I definitely get this -- it's smart scriptwriting, for sure. I just found school so stressful by itself that it would have been richer for me if it hadn't been about athletics and more about simply getting through the stress of being 13 and navigating the changing social world of being a teenager. But I absolutely get it. And it is a terrific movie, regardless.

I'm so tickled there's a topic for this (thanks @Blergh)! I love this movie so much -- loved it as a kid, still think it's a little gem today decades later. I was basically Clifford at the time I saw this movie -- 11 years old, so a little younger -- getting beaten up on a daily basis, shoved down stairs and into lockers, so I loved this movie instantly when I saw it, and how real and thoughtful all the characters were -- especially the kids, from smart, bullied Clifford, to silent, traumatized Ricky Linderman, and more. I agree that Shelly (the very very young Joan Cusack!) is touching as a teenaged girl who adores handsome Moody and would do anything for him... until he turns his scorn and cruelty on her and she realizes how ugly he actually is inside. Paul Quandt also pretty much steals every single scene he's in as Clifford's first friend at the school. "My Bodyguard" really paints how bullying can make kids feel like they are inhabiting a hellish parallel world -- adults THINK they see everything, and think they have all the solutions, but they really miss so much. The scenes of Clifford running for his life while the school functions around him (sports, cheerleading, and orchestra practices, etc.) are great examples of this. I love the characters, from Clifford, Ricky, and the other kids, to Clifford's kind, empathetic teacher (played by the always wonderful Kathryn Grody), to Clifford's father and grandmother, both genuinely nice people. Martin Mull frequently played sort of sardonic asses around this period, so it was nice to see him play a sweet, genuinely caring family man here despite an all-consuming job. I especially love the evolution of Clifford and Ricky's friendship, from the wariness of early friendship, to the conversations about their lives as they search for the motorcycle part (Clifford: "What does your father do?" Ricky: "Watch TV, mostly."). And the culmination of their friendship in the joyful motorcycle ride through the city will always be one of my favorite scenes from any movie. This remains one of my favorite movies lifelong -- beautifully directed by Tony Bill, terrifically acted, especially by Makepeace and Baldwin, and with a gorgeous score by the great Dave Grusin. I'm an inveterate shipper, but never really got even the slightest sense that there was a gay romantic subtext, so I'd vote no on that aspect. I don't love the voyeuristic "ogling girls with a telescope" angle, but on the other hand, Clifford actually knows the name of the woman he's looking at -- which is both creepy but also kind of sweet? He doesn't just see her as an object, at least. Man oh man, one of the things this movie gets right is how scary plain old school could be. I was scared of going to the bathroom when bullying was worst and (like Cliff's friend) tried not to go at school at all. And Clifford's father calling the school principal seems like a good "grownup" solution, but of course in reality he just makes everything that much worse for Clifford. Yet even there, as with almost everyone in the movie, the principal comes off as a tough-but-kind real person -- he punishes Moody, then warns Clifford against reporting every little thing, adding kindly, as noted, "Things are tougher here than at your last school, but they're also -- less narrow." It's funny how we can see that scene differently -- it made me like the principal more. He did truly listen to Clifford, but he was also a believably busy, harried, well-meaning admin just thinking Moody was being rude, not realizing how dark the bullying was going. His words to Clifford were at least kind and thoughtful (and did have a kernel of truth). I agree so much! And Dillon and especially Baldwin were both terrific. I also thought Makepeace was just wonderful as well. Clifford's teacher is so thoughtful and kind with him when he asks her about Linderman. She listens very carefully and doesn't interrupt him, then just quietly says she can tell him something true that she does know, if he wants to hear it (and he does). I love Grody as the teacher so much here. You can see the empathy she has for Linderman, and the quiet hope that maybe Clifford will be able to break through to him. I am always oddly touched by Ricky showing up for dinner dressed up in the sweater -- it makes him look somehow much more like a kid, and the effort he went through is so touching. Linderman always looks so close to adulthood otherwise thanks to the jacket and other getup -- it's like we're seeing him without his armor for the first time. The scene of Dad's girlfriend checking out is adorable, and it's not only really cutely written and acted, it's also another example of what this movie does so well -- the adults as well as the kids all feel like real, beautifully observed people. Nobody is just mouthing lines. For example -- if this was a John Hughes teen movie, the adults would feel more like caricatures (and I'm not putting down Hughes -- I love Ferris and Breakfast Club, etc.). But this movie has a sensitive eye for everyone in it, and everyone feels real to me. Clifford's life at the hotel is whimsical and charming, but it also feels real, and it's fun to see him crush on a pretty hotel guest, hang out with the chauffeur, chat with the kitchen staff, etc. Grandma's scene with Ricky always moves me because she understands the scars on Ricky's wrists and Cliff doesn't. When she quietly pulls his hand back toward her, still holding on, and tells him "You're among friends, you're among friends," I always get choked up. I do love that she predicts a long lifeline for him -- the entire scene is just so sweet. Some people have criticized Ruth Gordon's grandma as a distraction but I adore her -- I think she's essential, and that her sense of vibrance, humor, life, and fun are what keep Clifford going in a tough transitional time early on. I love that she brings him a "Back to School" gift of paper and pencils (after pretending to attack him with them). I also love the conversation between Clifford and Ricky about her: Ricky: Do you think she's afraid of dying, maybe? Clifford (thinking for a moment): No. I think she's afraid of... not being alive. Such a beautiful, nuanced little bit of dialogue! I also love that later on at school, Cliff, Ricky, Shelly and the other kids are analyzing their palms and little Quandt's character is declared to be "a sex maniac!" My mom worked for a bunch of motels (and the occasional Ramada Inn) so my sister and I lived briefly at a whole bunch of them one after the other for a year or two, and it was really interesting -- not as fun as Clifford's life in a much nicer hotel, but still kind of cool now and then. I just figured Clifford transferred to public school for logistical reasons -- or even that his father may have worked for the school in a similar management capacity over the food/lodging aspect so it ended when he moved to the new hotel job? I loved Mrs. Jump, her warmth and palpable caring whether seating the kids or teaching them Shakespeare, and have always loved Kathryn Grody ever since. I never saw her as being even slightly intimidated by Ricky at all -- she is conversely matter-of-fact and gentle when he shows up, while it's the kids who are freaked out and scared. Then later when she tells Clifford what happened, you can really feel the empathy she feels for Ricky. I definitely agree with you that she would be one of those teachers that many of the kids would always remember and feel gratitude and affection for. I don't know if it's believable that they have a rooftop suite, but I love it -- it feels so real and lived-in and believable in the film. I also loved the little scenes like Clifford chatting with the other employees or having dinner with the limo driver in the kitchen, etc. I adore Grandma beyond the telling, but LIVER FOR BREAKFAST, Grandma? Aghghghg. Noooo thank you. I agree on the fire escape -- that scared me a little even as a kid! One of the things I think the script for this movie does really well is that to me, Clifford absolutely acts and speaks like a kid who has spent most of his life around adults. The most childlike friend he seems to have before Ricky is Grandma. I definitely think Ricky had to learn how to fight given where he grew up -- either from his (implied awful) Dad or from around the neighborhood. As I mentioned, my Mom worked for a bunch of motels for a few years (and a few hotels -- Holiday Inn, Ramada Inn, nothing very high-end), and living on premises was ALWAYS part of it, so we literally lived in a bunch of different motel rooms for that period. It was honestly really fun in a weird way, although we were super poor. So I find it believable that Clifford and his Dad and Grandma live among the rich, but they aren't actually rich. They just have free lodging and food at the hotel as part of Larry's job, etc. Mike showing up right when the kids are so happy together, then beating Ricky and trashing his bike always upsets me so much. Especially because it's "cheating" -- it's a grown-ass man beating up a kid, and it's so unfair and creepy! Just one more way Moody shows what a coward he is. While I think the ending plot point that Clifford has to fight Moody might not be ideal today, I do actually think it works within the movie itself, and I think it's well handled. Nobody gets badly hurt, and Moody deserves that broken nose (and Mike most definitely deserves to get punched out by Ricky)! And it's not about physical strength or simply beating up the bully in the end, but about simply believing in yourself enough to at least try to stand up for yourself. And that's a tough thing to communicate, so kudos to this sweet, wonderful classic film. Last but not least: Why would the Lindermans (or anyone) question Ricky about his brother's death? It would have looked pretty obvious what had happened. If Ricky said he found his brother that way, I don't think many would have questioned him too closely. He was obviously devastated by the loss. And I'm confused when you talk about Linderman's scar -- I thought it was very obvious that his scar was from his attempting suicide later on after his little brother's death -- that Ricky couldn't live with the guilt. That's why Grandma is so gentle with him. She understands the scar on his wrist and what it means even if Cliff doesn't. This is one of my all-time favorite scores by Dave Grusin -- I just think it's gorgeous, sweet and delicate and whimsical, right up there with On Golden Pond and Tootsie. Thanks for the discussion!

This is one of the few movies I can actually recite. ("Mostly when I'm walking... or anyway, by myself..." is how it starts.) I love it so much, and rewatched it many, many times in my 20s and 30s because it simply gave me so much joy. It also kickstarted my adoration for the late Anthony Minghella (gone too soon) and continued my lifelong crush on Rickman (so great to see him as a rare romantic lead here!). The movie is a lovely romance, but it's more than that -- it's simply filled with warmth and tenderness for its characters, and for people in general. It exudes a palpable love of music, and as a lifelong cellist, it meant so much to me to see Nina and Jamie communicate their love and passion for each other through music -- through the Bach they play together, through the songs they sing, music simply speaks for them. I also adore Nina and she feels so real to me as a character. Juliet Stevenson is AMAZING, and she makes Nina feel like a genuine person, one whose grief is tearing her apart, but who still has great joy for life and living. I love Nina's relationship with Maura her filmmaker friend, and their English lesson and walk is so lovely as they look at the clouds in the sky or visit the cafe. The movie to me feels so warm and loving toward its characters -- toward Jamie, Nina's sweetly grumpy boss, the lovestruck Russian maintenance man, her filmmaker friend, her sister and nephew, Mark the magician/teacher and his students, and so many others. I love Nina's "hopping" first date with Mark (his cheerfully casual line, "Attempted suicide at the age of seventeen -- can't remember why, was sad about something!" is just so weirdly funny). There are so many beautiful little visual moments -- Maura and Nina looking at the big blue sky, the men doing her dishes together and worrying about her, the Russian dancing in her living room, Nina and Jamie cloudwatching in the window, etc. I get a little frustrated with how fast Mark tries to move forward with her (I also prefer Michael Maloney with his HENRY V hairstyle -- the floppy bowl haircut here doesn't do much for me), as he's a little pushy. And I also get a little frustrated with Nina when she quickly (too quickly?) seems to forget what life with Jamie was really like -- or to see what he's actually doing (kindly making it easier to get over him). But oh, man, that final scene between Nina and Jamie, when he recounts their first night together to her, and Nina recites the Neruda poem ("The Dead Woman") to him: Forgive me. If you no longer live, if you, beloved, my love, if you have died, all the leaves will fall in my breast, it will rain on my soul all night and day, the snow will burn my heart, I shall walk with frost and fire and death and snow, my feet will want to walk to where you are sleeping, but I shall go on living This is absolutely the perfect encapsulation of what makes that scene so lovely. Beautifully put! It's all right there -- the playfulness, the way they speak and interact through music, the palpable love... sniffle.

I liked this a lot, although it didn't have the ordinary gravitas of the first one for me. It felt much more tunnel-visioned and narrow, whereas one of the things I loved about the first was how ordinary and big it felt -- it was simply about a child in a very sweet, well-intentioned family trying to acclimate to a difficult move to a new place. Whereas this was just so, so focused on hockey and sports as the frame, and I don't find those very interesting, although I do like that we have a little girl who plays hockey (more stereotypically a 'tougher' or 'male' sport in pop culture). I thought it was a really smart, well-written story, I just wish the entire thing hadn't been hockey, but more focused around a similar conundrum at school (which is much more fraught and stressful in some ways) and with her life and parents and expectations pressing in around her need to be liked, etc. The hockey made this feel very simple (and simplified) as a story, not that that's a bad thing. Regardless, I did think some of the worldbuilding additions were truly inspired and even brilliant -- especially, for me, the subterranean "Sense of Self" was wonderful, and I loved the way all of those beliefs combined to create that self. So I thought it was genius when Anxiety's manipulations began to replace Riley's previous elements ("I am a good person," "I am a good friend," "I am kind") with more fragile and shaky ones ("I need everyone to like me," "I am a winner!" etc.). I teared up a little bit at the end when all of the emotions hugged because of their love for Riley, and again when Riley's friends forgave her. It's interesting to know about this movie's payscale behind the scenes because I'm very conflicted on it. Amy Poehler was paid $5 million plus bonuses/percentages to reprise Joy, while all the other emotions were offered $100,000 apiece. That's why Hader and Kaling declined to return -- and I can't say I blame them. That is a ridiculous gap in pay, and it really bothers me. Yes, Poehler's character is arguably the "main" character (certainly the main emotional character), but the disparity is SO huge, I can't blame people for being hurt and offended. It's everything wrong with Hollywood to me. Yes, Poehler deserves millions. But maybe Disney could've spread the wealth a little better here? Surely Phyllis Smith deserved more to play Sadness, definitely a major returning character, etc. Anyway, it's Hollywood, whaddaya gonna do. I liked that too -- and it would have been such an easy trope to have her be a Mean Girl. So I really appreciated that Val was a kind, nice person. I agree. What I was expecting was that Riley would have made those THREE goals -- and the coach would kindly say, "Yes, but how you got them shows me you're not ready. I don't want players like that on my team." I mean, we did get this overall vibe in the end. But then again, I just don't care that much about hockey anyway or whether Riley makes the team. It's a good thing if she does, it's a good thing if she doesn't. I liked Anxiety and her place in the story, and thought those elements were really brilliantly written -- my minor nitpick would be that it wasn't much different from Joy's extreme self-focus in the first story. But as someone with lifelong anxiety, it definitely hit home! My favorite thing here was what you point out -- that our Emotional characters got to show much, much more texture and variety this time. I loved Sadness's continued closeness to Joy. I loved Joy admitting weakness and being exhausted by being SO DAMN POSITIVE all the time. I loved Anger coming up with a sweetie-pie solution, etc. One thing I rewound and watched again was the little scene where we saw where all the emotions sleep in their own little decorated nooks, and it was so adorable! You can see that Joy has stars on her ceiling just like Riley (and a statue of Bing Bong!) and laughs in her sleep, you can see that Anger (punching in his sleep, under a punching bag, a sprinkler, and a banner that just says GRRRRR) sleeps next to a cinderblock under a "fire" blanket and has a "swear jar" next to his bed (!!), that Fear sleeps with a teddy bear, a smoke alarm, and like 10 night lights, Disgust wears goggles and sleeps with her lip curled in disgust, and Sadness sleeps under a soft blue blanket with shapes including teardrops and has a box of tissues behind her, with just one picture in the lower niche (I wish we could see what the picture is of!). I was hoping for that too. I was disappointed that the movie -- which in its series can be so nuanced about its view of psychology and human nature -- didn't at least try to present the complexity of crushes at that age, and how you can have intense crushes that are not romantic, if that makes sense? You know -- those teenaged crushes where you just adored and admired certain people intensely and wanted to BE them, that weren't romantic or sexual so much as just pure adoration. And I felt like the movie did kind of give us that with Val for Riley and then back off in a way that disappointed me, out of some fear of Riley being perceived as bi, etc. (As a bi woman, I would LOVE for Riley to be confirmed as bi, but I just think it would have been cool to have Riley crush on Val either way.) This is such a clever detail to notice! I can't believe I never noticed that -- I really think that's fascinating, and I wonder how much thought went into the gender representations there in writing the first movie. It certainly suggests for me that Riley may have slightly fluid gender and/or sexual identity, and that would be awesome if it's just there as a detail, even if it's never spelled out in detail. For me, you've just given me a greater understanding of her character that is now canon.

I just binged this, and I thoroughly enjoyed it, even if some of the logistics made no sense. The team challenges, for instance, are stupid because unlike "The Mole," everyone's goals are still the same, whether Faithful or Traitor. I feel like it would make more sense for there to be a reason for the Traitors to want to sabotage some of the teams, when for now there isn't one (yet people were still using those moments as indicators that people were Traitors). I did love Alan Cumming (whom I already adore beyond the telling), and I loved all the constant Shakespearean puns and witticisms. He was having so much fun with this! Meanwhile, while I absolutely cannot stand Rachel after her childish whiny presence on "The Amazing Race," I did find her occasionally funny here, and I loved her final banishment table because she was so visibly telling the truth and gobsmacked at how gullible everyone was. I also thought Kate was hilarious even though I dislike her. I got a kick out of what an absolute doofus Christian was (his jaw-dropping "announcement" about being recruited had me laughing out loud). I wish we had seen more of the regular, non-reality folks -- poor Amanda and several others were virtually invisible, and I really was disappointed Shelbe wasn't given more airtime either. Even though it's just the way human psychology works, I did get very tired of the predictable "Traitors are evil!" POV from several players, and for that reason I found Andie and their constant weeping and moralizing really tiresome. They were a terrible fit for the show and utterly incapable of even basic "gameplay." While I felt sorry they were so tortured by the emotional aspects of the game, I was very uncomfortable by the end because they were so intensely, visibly vulnerable and unable to stop adding a moral aspect to the game that simply wasn't necessary. The entire reason Andie was kept around was that they were so transparent and biddable -- they were obviously Faithful and just as obviously able to be led anywhere the Traitor(s) wanted them to be. Yet they deluded themselves that somehow they made it to the end as some kind of reward for moral goodness, and just -- yikes. So in the end when Cirie blindsided Andie and Quentin, I did feel sorry for them, but I mostly felt irritation that (as we found out at the reunion) Andie went off and sobbed for ten minutes without speaking. (It's a GAME. Maybe next time don't go on a reality show where the entire PREMISE is to lie and deceive?! Or to be lied to and deceived?) I thoroughly enjoyed the reunion, although there weren't many surprises. A lot of time was given to whether Cirie was morally wrong or somehow evil for what she did, and I thought she defended herself intelligently and well, basically saying, "I came to play a game. I was a Traitor from day one. So I did the best job at being a Traitor I could. Just like anyone else would have." Andie's POV was basically that any kindness on a personal level, any shared confidence was unfair because it made them think there was real friendship there, etc. and it was "unfair" to use those relationships (even if 100% formed DURING THE GAME) to win. Most of the other contestants were absolutely fine with Cirie's play and just appreciated the experience, but by the end of the reunion, Andie, of course, still kept making it personal and talking about how hurt they were and how devastating Cirie's behavior was. Cirie (to her credit) acknowledged the emotional aspect but again just defended her gameplay and finally Andie allowed a hug and let her off the hook (eyeroll). I just have no patience for Andie's weepy weeps about "You betrayed me!" when Cirie's calm response is -- of course -- "Yes, I did. That's the game." I was thrilled for Cirie, enjoyed the game, I just hope season 2 tweaks some of the logistics a bit, and does away with the reality stars.