paramitch

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.

I've been continuing my bingewatch on Max while I do other things, and as always, the show is so weirdly inspiring and maddening -- I would love to have an ocean view one of these days, even on my peasant freelancer salary, so... this show lets me dream, at least. Meanwhile, my favorite house hunters of all time are still the older couple from Seattle who moved to (I think) Mexico or South America, coastal. (I can't remember their exact episode!) They had both worked and saved, and she had survived a major accident and had scars on her face, and the two were absolutely kind people and visibly so in love. She had wanted an ocean view, and the husband gave in at the end (pretty predictably). Then she gave a speech about working for things that matter and the importance of dreams, and I almost teared up. They just seemed like the loveliest people. And on to the snark! (PS -- Sorry these are old, I've been bingeing and it's fun to follow the comments here even if ancient!) That husband, I swear to God, sounded EXACTLY like Corky St. Clair from Waiting for Guffman. You be the judge. I couldn't believe their pick was the freaking two bedroom with three kids. That poor teenaged son basically camping out in the living room! Gah. The husband was so selfish. Life would be a dream to be able to go hang out in a cafe with Adrienne. Or Richard, for that matter! Love both of them so much. Look, I adore sloths too, but sloth man gave me the creeps. He just seemed slightly unbalanced in a way that made me uncomfortable. I was just happy that his wife at least surprised me by showing real backbone and unwillingness to let him run right over her on everything. I felt so bad for that woman, and I know some disliked her, so it's always interesting to see the different impressions. I just felt so sorry for her -- her husband was just so cold and smug, and while he was handsome, he just had this very mean face and demeanor to me. He kept mocking what she wanted, and it was so jarring beside her confessionals, which were basically "I was Googling plane tickets back home" (with her trying to keep her tone light, but she was obviously serious). I felt she was understandably nervous and stressed -- she gave up her entire life and job of 18 years to move across the world, and he just mocked her the entire time. Ugh. (And knowing all along that they didn't get her ocean view, it just felt like an especially sad choice by them or the producers for the storyline.) This is a common issue for me. We see so many of these incredibly privileged people saying they want to see the world and give their children a broader view of life and the planet, while also snarking about their need for open floorplans, state-of-the-art kitchens, huge living spaces, and affluent lifestyles closed off from the "common people" they profess to want to live among. The husband was really unpleasant in this one. Some of his comments were actually hurtful, not to mention slightly icky and superior (like the one about her "not taking instruction well" -- what is she, a child?!). Oh my GOD, this woman drove me nuts. All those genuinely beautiful apartments, and she's complaining about the gorgeous brick alcoves, walls, or ceilings. I mean, she picked this town specifically! It was so incredibly strange. And you could tell she was living this alternate storyline in her head of "brave and independent single mom moves to Italy and inspires millions!" Er, not so much, lady. This was another situation where I wondered if they were purposely trying to find things to complain about because they were such silly little details to be deal-breakers! That kitchen was perfectly nice, darn it. And what is it with these people who want to live in total isolation and turn up their noses at simply having neighbors? I don't get it. Some of these people get upset because there's a house on a hilltop half a mile away, as if they'll have a telescope glued to their lives 24/7. I found her episode so depressing. He's going to be gone all the time, she's pregnant and stuck alone away from people and town, and the worst part was, she was so genuinely sweet and excited about every place she saw! She deserved better than for him to just shove her into his existing former bachelor pad. Ugh. He was the classic HHI hypocrite because he whined about "local color" and wanted to be so "authentic" and "grungy" but of course everything HE wanted was non-negotiable. I loved that the GF said what I think every time this comes up: "If we want to feel like we live in Cambodia, all we have to do is look/go outside." Ugh, this guy and Manbun from Cambodia should get together and spare everyone else. I was so irritated that this guy insisted on inconveniencing everyone else as long as he got what he wanted for himself. I was sold the minute we saw the donkey and pony! I loved that they chose that place. Just so freaking adorable. My sister is a rural vet tech and she also goes around part time locally and feeds/cares for ponies, donkeys, and goats. Her videos of cute happy braying donkeys, goats, and ponies always make me happy. Another HHI mystery (and it's almost always the guy's problem): Oh, horrors, the neighbors! LOL. I have lived in apartments 75% of my adult life and honestly, neighbors are simply a part of my life. And most of the time, they're semi-invisible and give me no issues. I was especially annoyed that she thought that perfectly lovely kitchen's appliances were "old" simply because they were white (i.e., not stainless steel). They looked perfectly modern and clean and new to me. The realtor even noted that the kitchen had actually been renovated fairly recently. I felt SLIGHTLY sorry for the HH because she did look absolutely terrified. Ugh, she is my least favorite kind of HH -- I absolutely understand wanting security and a reasonable amount of safety, but her criticisms were so "rich-person problems" that it was hard to empathize. She did look terrified and not terribly happy to be there. Always love seeing Adrienne! But oh, boy, her friend's voice. Speaking as a formally trained voice nerd, he probably got compliments in karaoke/singing in the car because he has a strong vibrato. The problem is, it's a rather shrill, unpleasant vibrato, and he's singing from his throat, full-blast from note one, and just forcing everything from there. Which also had him frequently going sharp and off-key. He needs to relax, breathe from his diaphragm, and not start every song at 11 -- it's okay to start soft and simple, and then leave the belting for the end. I hated how bitchy and mean he was about other people's looks. I mean, dude isn't exactly a ten himself by his own standards, so his rude comments about other people's hotness or lack thereof really made me dislike him. I was rooting for him to recover from heartbreak in the beginning, but by the end, I just felt like maybe he deserved to be alone if he was THAT shallow and mean-spirited.

I liked this episode, even if it maddened and frustrated me by ending with a "to be continued" non-ending. Especially since I think the ending was ready and waiting (more on that farther down). But first -- I'm very divided on the real-life chefs showing up more this season. Especially this season, which is calling out the abuse and toxicity of too many kitchens (and the PTSD of their victims) yet some of the chefs who were lovingly spotlighted here (Thomas Keller, René Redzepi) have been directly called out for direct abuse (Redzepi, who admits it) and for fostering abusive kitchens/climates including sexual harassment and retaliation against those who attempted to report it (Keller, who has not said a word). Chef Kwame Onwuachi's account of his time at Keller's Per Se is brutal and sad. Keller and his kitchens hugely inspired "The Bear" (showrunner Christopher Storer even worked with Keller on a documentary in 2013) and along with Daniel Humm and Charlie Trotter, Keller himself was a partial inspiration for the character of Chef David (McHale's abusive chef here). Keller's "Sense of Urgency" sign also inspired Chef Terry's fictional "Every Second Counts" signs. So Thomas Keller showing up here like the Zen Grandpa, gently teaching Carmy how to roast a chicken, felt really weird and disingenuous to me. While Keller is not supposed to have been as bad DIRECTLY as Redzepi or Humm, his kitchens have been confirmed as famously toxic and brutal on participants. It feels pandering and false to portray Keller and Redzepi as these gentle teacher types when they have helped to create the very culture "The Bear" (especially season 3) is criticizing! But then again, they probably wouldn't have shown up to do the cameos if the show had been more direct about responsibility there. The really odd part is that there is a curious kind of pride for some chefs about surviving that abusive kind of climate -- Michelin-star chef Paul Liebrandt did a piece for YouTube where he rated 11 fine dining scenes from "The Bear" for accuracy, and when the clips of Chef David showed up, he found them accurate and was not even uncomfortable with them, just, "Yeah, we want everything to be perfect and it's worth it in the end." It's a wonderful and informative video, but I was surprised that he didn't seem to recognize the ugliness of the Chef David scenes. I was much more comfortable with seeing Grant Achatz (and the Chef's Table episode on Netflix about his restaurant Alinea and his battle with Stage Four tongue cancer is incredibly inspiring and moving), and his scene here with a star-struck Luca was very funny and charming. (To show another side of Trotter, the chef was also hugely supportive of Achatz in his cancer battle, so he had other sides, to be fair.) Anyway. I feel weird about the glorification of some of the chefs who have contributed to so much toxicity and abuse, but I did like how it culminated with Carmy's confrontation with Chef David -- who just shrugged it off and was even proud of what he did because he felt it honed Carmy into the genius he is. I think that's BS, but it's very believable that DAVID thinks it's true -- and that he is unapologetic. But to see poor Carmy struggle to find the words, to even finally weep after David walked away -- that really got to me. Carmy has been so hard to access this season, so stone-faced, that just seeing him weep was a relief to me. But what I still felt like we missed was one more scene. At the very very end, when poor Syd goes into the hall and has her panic attack, I was absolutely certain -- absolutely certain! -- that when she looked up, Carmy would be standing there, stricken by the realization that he had become what he hated most. That he had perpetrated the cycle of abuse on Syd. So the fact that Carmy remained wholly separate in the very end frustrated me and added to the sense that this episode just ended in the middle, breaking at a very strange point. And with Carmy separate as he has been far too often this season, and I think it weakened the season overall. It's supposed to be his show but he's felt barely there to me. On the plus side -- I loved the farewell dinner (especially Chef Terry blowing Richie a kiss), loved the party, and I loved Chef Terry cooking up the "junk" from Syd's freezer -- so real-life cheffy! It reminded me of Alex Guarnaschelli's open love of over the counter cookies or chips, or Scott Conant's admission that he still misses Creamsicles. Besides, chefs are famous for eating junk at home, so Andrea cheffing up some hors d'oeuvres out of frozen pizza and waffles was awesome. I agree with you, and I liked it, but I also think it wasn't successful at that because the arcs were not completed. There was too little resolution or movement across them for me, in almost every single case (except Sugar, who at least did have her baby). I hate where it left Carmy. This is such a good point. Everyone assumed, but nobody is talking to her. And it feels unnatural to me. That's one of the frustrating things for me this season. Nobody is communicating and just saying what they need to say -- except Marcus! And Syd, with Marcus. And it's such a huge step back -- look at how bad Syd and Carmy are this season in terms of their friendship and partnership, barely communicating, and never one moment of that real connection -- I really missed their "apology" sign gesture and it was strikingly missing this season. I 100% agree with both of these. Even Carmy sending Claire a text... just something to show the ice is breaking. He has been very hard for me to care about this season. There's just no "there" there. And I absolutely think there needed to be something more with Carmy and Syd, as I described above here. I was so disappointed in their lack of closeness this entire season. I thought it was sweet and realistic for Chef Terry to go to Syd's -- we saw a fair number of the chefs and FOH people we had met in "Forks," plus several unidentified people at the party who could have been from her restaurant, for all we know. I thought she got exactly what she wanted, a real evening with a bunch of nice, regular people from her world who understood it, and the evening gave her a lot of joy. I agree -- and that's why the character of Carmy suffered this season the most for me writingwise. Nothing was resolved, and so much was negative and tight and walled off. I get why, but at a certain point, I became frustrated with it. I'm also still rolling my eyes at the $11,000 for Orwellian butter. It's one of the few unrealistic plot details that other chefs have called out, and I agree with them. There is simply no way on God's green earth that Carmy would be doing that with such a small restaurant (it's unsustainable even if they were booked for months), that Jimmy would be funding it, or that Nat would be allowing it. The idea that Carmy has had carte blanche the entire time and has been wildly overspending on even the most basic ingredients was just overkill for me -- the utter turnaround on the kitchen and menu was enough for me. I liked this season and loved moments, but Carmy was weakly written, and I felt bad for Jeremy Allen White, who was given so little to work with this season. And so little attention as a character, honestly. He became a supporting character in his own show. I did feel like that was a successful if sad storyline this season -- that Carmy has pushed Syd to the breaking point while being unaware of perpetrating the cycle of toxicity and abuse. I adore Chef Andrea Terry so much, and Colman's portrayal of her. I would watch an entire show about her (with hopeful guest appearances by Chef Luca). It would be so warm and sweet and kind -- the antidote to "The Bear" and its neverending anxiety and stress! I found it very realistic. Chef Terry had been watching Richie from afar and receiving reports on how amazing his progress had been from Garrett (and probably the other FOH folks too), and her conversation with him at the end was poignant and very personal -- she talked about the death of her dad, her lowest point, and buying the restaurant! We also know that in the month or two since (it had to be more than a month just given Sugar's pregnancy), it was implied that Richie kept in very strong touch with Jessica and the others at the restaurant, to the point that he "sent his love" to Garrett and all when he hung up from her. I think he genuinely touched Chef Terry -- and that she was moved to look over and see that he had not sat for dinner, but joined her team one last time. I was disappointed in the lack of resolution there, especially when Carmy is just being a total ass about it after Richie's call and apology right after the opening. I hated how stony and unlikable Carmy has been this season.

Michelin-star chef Paul Liebrandt reviewed that specific scene and said it was "100% accurate," and that you don't send anything out that is unacceptable, especially at Carmy's level. I agree with those hating the food waste, and I would have been happily face-down in that plate myself! But I do think it's realistic and believable that Carmy would toss plates that are not up to par or that have gone cold, etc. I agree. I don't think it was deliberate or anything, and that Pete was suggested as a helpful option for Syd (when mentioning she can't afford a lawyer), but yeah. I also thought it was interesting that the terms Carmy and Nat are offering they seem to think are really good, when Syd is visibly being offered a much better deal (including, evidently, immediate benefits, no 3-month waiting period, etc.) by Shapiro. 1. I agree on the Faks. AGHGHG. I am so sick of them and do not find them cutesy, funny, or interesting. I can't stand them. 2. I do care about Claire, and about Claire and Carmy specifically. Carmy's tailspin this season is directly related to his past abuse, and to his brief moments of love and peace with Claire. It's incredibly sad to me that he is glorifying those moments now but at the same time cannot simply bring himself to fricking apologize. Carmy is so hard to watch -- he's his own worst enemy every single time. 3. I absolutely loved all the food Syd made for Nat and Pete -- especially the "lasagna with the burnt corners" -- the way Nat likes it! That was so typical of Syd's kindness and absolutely reminded me of the omelette last season. Food is Syd's way of showing care and this was lovely. I really didn't like what Tiffany did here at all. I get that she wants Richie at her wedding. But it's also a selfish request. Because she knows Richie isn't over her. She knows the engagement was a shock and he was hurt by it. So pushing him this hard (and even guilting him) to be at her wedding really bothers me here. Richie doesn't have to go to her wedding if it will cause him pain. He can wish her the best yet still not feel ready to do that. But she gave him no opportunity to do that and instead made it all about her. And their daughter would understand. All she would need to be told is that Richie wasn't able to make it. He could call her before or after, wish them well, heck, send them a present. But Tiffany insisting Richie be there is a little cruel and thoughtless to me. I do want them to be family to each other still (both for their daughter's sake and each other's), but Richie is also allowed to set boundaries, and he was nicer about it than I would have been.