You know what I so LOVE. When a white man with little to no experience in a particular subject barges through the door and says he’s going to revolutionize this thing he knows nothing about because he has all the power of being a white man. Barf. Recently, Dave Franco gave an interview about how he and Alison Brie have written a rom com together. But not just any rom com guys-a “smart” one. First of all, fuck of with this hot take. Second, by labeling your own rom com (something you know nothing about) as “smart” what you’re really saying is all the rest of them are dumb. And you can fuck off with that hot take too because your face is dumb, Dave Franco. Why is it that men are constantly trying to take the romance genre, whether in movies or in books, and “elevate” it. It’s already elevated assholes, and we don’t need your help to make the genre “smart”. Dave references Sleepless in Seattle and When Harry Met Sally as his two road markers for success, which tells me two things. One, he wants to be Nora Ephron and like who doesn’t Dave, get in line. And two, Dave hasn’t watched a rom com in thirty years. So while we all wait on the edge of our seats for Dave’s groundbreaking rom com, let’s take a look at six recent rom coms (from the last three years) that are smart as fuck.
Look, I’m always going to be up for watching Charlize Theron kick some ass. It’s just a thing that will always be worth watching. So when Old Guard started getting some buzz on the interwebz, I was like yes please, I know what I’m watching this weekend. And not only is it top notch ass-kicking, it’s a legit good movie. And it was directed by a Black woman, Gina Prince-Bythewood, so there are so many reasons to watch.
Guuuuuuuyyyyyyys. Cue the actual sobbing tears. Unless you’ve been sleeping under a rock, you probably heard/saw/were inundated by social media posts about the release of Hamilton on Disney+ this weekend. I’ve never made my love for Hamilton a secret. I saw the Original Broadway Cast perform in New York and the experience was nothing short of magical. I saw it again when it came to LA. I know all the words. I am 100% a Hamilton fangirl. So when I heard it was coming to Disney+ I started a countdown. I’ve already watched it three times and I can only imagine I will watch it many, many more over the days/months/years to come. This post isn’t so much a review, but just some of the highlights from my first few viewings and why this production, being filmed in this manner is such a gift.
First, the production value here is fantastic. I love that is was clear you are watching a play, but with the added benefit of being able to zoom in on individual characters. You get the wide shots of big moments, and the close ups for small moments, and honestly, it’s incredible to see. I also liked that there was an audience, but it was an audience who wasn’t intrusive. You could hear the laughter and applause, but it never detracted from the show. Honestly one of my greatest wishes now that we have this is that every show will film like this because it’s wonderful to have these performances captured.
I have always loved Jonathan Groff as King George (hell, I’ve always loved Jonathan Groff). Matt and I were talking about him when we watched Hamilton together and I was like I just don’t understand why any singer of his caliber would ever do anything other than Broadway. And Matt was like I don’t know, Mindhunter is great and it’s cool to switch it up. Then we watched George’s first song and Matt turns to me and goes, “You’re right. Why would anyone who can do that choose to do something else?” It’s amazing what the man does with ten minutes of stage time. *chef’s kiss*
One of my favorite parts of watching the filmed version was getting to see close ups of the cast. Even when you’re in the front row of a production (which I never am because I want to be able to see the whole stage), it’s tough to really see the emotions the actors are portraying. Obviously I knew all these guys were talented actors, but I was blown away by some of these moments. Lin’s face during Quiet Uptown is gut-wrenching. Even having seen the show live before, that was something I missed and I loved being able to see those tiny moments.
Can we talk about the choreography for a minute please? I will be rewatching some of these numbers over and over and over because it is so brilliant and nuanced. The littlest movements, the wiggle of a finger or a roll of a hip have so much meaning. I feel like the choreo gets overlooked sometimes because everything else is so big, but this is a show with basically zero dialogue. Almost the entire show is choreographed. It’s huge and it’s brilliantly done and I know I will be finding new moments to love every time I watch.
And speaking of new moments and little details, I’ve already started finding cool new things to geek out over. Like how in Wait for It (Burr’s song in Act One) he’s extremely contained and compact. He mostly stands center stage and keeps his movement limited. Whereas in Room Where it Happens (Burr’s song in Act Two), we get to see the switch flip. This is the moment when Burr’s character changes, and the difference in movement is breathtaking. In Room, he just explodes with energy, the dancing is fierce and intense, and Burr is all over the stage. It’s a masterclass in character development in just two songs. Brilliant.
I always loved the women in this show (obviously), and “include women in the sequel” has always been my favorite line. But seeing these ladies up close has given me a whole new level of appreciation for their performances. Not only do they kill it on the vocals, but the acting is off the charts. And I also forgot how much they are onstage. If you watch, even the numbers they don’t have solos in, they are usually on the upper level, still singing and performing and kicking ass. Gah. So good.
Guys, I could literally write a book about this production. How incredible it was to see live, how inspiring it is, how much I love it. And now I have this piece of art that I can access anytime I want and I can absorb and study even more of its brilliance. It’s honestly just such a gift, and in these really dark and shitty times, I needed this burst of light.
Guys. Netflix has been blessing us with all of the bad dance movies and I am here. for. it. I knew Free Dance existed since I’d already discovered the majesty of High Strung, but when I watched High Strung the first time, Free Dance wasn’t streaming yet. So imagine my utter delight when I discovered it on Netflix this weekend. I clicked that shit so fast.
I am so ready to get back to the movies. Like, I’m not actually going to go when they reopen, but I miss going to the movies something fierce. For now, I have to satiate myself with these random new Netflix releases, and while they are providing some small amount of happiness, they’re not quite hitting the mark.
No new movie review today. Instead, I’m reposting my original review for Just Mercy, which is now free to stream for the month of June. Here’s my unedited original review post:
I feel a rant coming on. Because after seeing this movie, I have no idea how Once Upon a Time in Fucking Hollywood is being lauded as a Best Picture with Best Acting nominees and Just Mercy is getting nothing. If it weren’t so upsetting, it would be laughable.
I was planning on starting my Pirates of the Caribbean movie rewatch post series this week, but I think today’s post can be better spent sharing some recent films by Black filmmakers. I’ve seen most of these, but I added a couple to my watch list that I will try to review in the coming weeks. I have always held the position that the easiest thing I can do as an ally is be a consumer of art created by people of color and I really try my hardest to put my money where my mouth is. Now I am working hard to learn more and do more, but I will always continue my support of the arts because that’s where my heart is. So if you’re at a loss, go watch these movies, then go donate (read this post for a list of links).
Men in Black: International (streaming via Starz): Directed by F. Gary Gray and starring Tessa Thompson, this is a fun and entertaining take on the original series. This is a good one to watch if you want a little brain break and want to watch something that will make you laugh.
Us (streaming via HBO): This is one of the movies on the list I haven’t seen because I can’t handle horror movies and this one looks creepy AF. Lupita Nyong’o by all accounts gives an award-worthy performance in the film by writer/director Jordan Peele.
Little (streaming via HBO): Marsai Martin stars alongside Regina Hall and Issa Rae is this comedy directed by Tina Gordon Chism. This is another great one to watch when you want something fun and entertaining. I laughed out loud multiples times.
Queen and Slim (available to rent via Amazon Video): Melina Matsoukas directed this movie starring Jodie Turner-Smith and Daniel Kaluuya. Not going to lie, this is not an easy one to watch, but I was left thinking about it even days after I watched it so that should tell you something.
Shaft (streaming via HBO): I’m bummed I didn’t get a chance to see this one in the theaters, but it’s on my watch list. The movie stars Samuel L. Jackson and was directed by Tim Story.
The Photograph (available to rent via Amazon Video): You know I love a love story, and this was one gorgeous from top to bottom. Stella Meghie directs Issa Rae and Lakeith Stanfield in this dual timeline romance. This is a good one if you need a happy ending.
Atlantics (streaming on Netflix): I discovered this one when I was looking up titles for this post and immediately added it to my watch list. Directed by Mati Diop, this is a supernatural political romance and that was all I needed to read to sell me on it. Mati is the first Black woman to have a film entered in the main competition at Cannes, so yeah, I will be watching this one ASAP.
Selah and the Spades (streaming on Amazon Prime): This is another one I came across while writing this post. Directed by Tayarisha Poe, this film centers on a boarding school and the elite clique of girls who runs it. The description is giving me Mean Girls so I’m here for it.
Just Mercy (available to rent via Amazon Video): Full disclosure: This movie was directed by Destin Daniel Cretton, who is not Black. However, I’m including it here because it tells the true story of Bryan Stevenson so beautifully, it was one of the most impactful films I have ever seen. Both Michael B. Jordan and Jamie Foxx give incredible performances, stock up on tissue before you start watching.
I’ve got a few movies from this list I’m planning on watching, and hopefully you will too. Did I miss any of your favorites? Let me know and I’ll add them to my list!
