My January in Media

2019 is off to a solid start! Ten movies in 31 days, ranging from the good and the bad of the '90s to some auteur cinema to some franchise films and more.

Never Been Kissed
This movie was so bad. I was physically uncomfortable the entire time and just kept hoping it would get better and it never did. I don't know why I watched the whole thing when I told myself I would stop watching films I'm not into, but I don't suggest you do the same.

Big Fish
In sharp contrast to Never Been Kissed, Big Fish -- which I watched immediately after -- was really, really lovely. I've always loved Tim Burton movies (I was that kind of teenager), and it makes me sad that watching so many of them is complicated now due to A Certain Actor. But he's not in this one! This movie is a sweet, fantastical tall tale that will make you miss any larger-than-life characters you've lost in yours. It made me cry a lot more than I expected to.

Support the Girls
I didn't dislike this movie, but I didn't really like it either. It does a good job of subtly showing the microaggressions and emotional labor women go through every day -- but it never quite nails its tone. That being said, Regina Hall gives a great performance.

Aquaman
"You know how the first Iron Man movie is like they made a movie around how charming Robert Downey Jr. is? This movie is like they made a movie about how -" "Attractive Jason Momoa is?"  Yeah, Aquaman is absolutely ridiculous. But it's also pretty fun -- and, ya know, Jason Momoa is in it.

Chasing Amy
I didn't expect to like this movie, and I still don't know that I did. But it was surprisingly deep and much more compassionate than I expected.

Solo: A Star Wars Story
Everyone seemed to have A Problem with this movie, but I actually liked it a lot! Sure, it wasn't perfect -- but it was fun and it made me super pumped about Star Wars, which is what a Star Wars movie is supposed to do. Also, Donald Glover was every bit as perfect as Lando Calrissian as I thought he'd be. And I need my closet to be half Lando, half Darkheaded Daenerys (er, Qi'ra).

Tully
There's a big reveal in this film that, unfortunately, I had been spoiled on ahead of seeing it. And yet, it still packed a punch. Like the previous collabs between Jason Reitman and Diablo Cody -- Young Adult and, to a lesser extent, Juno -- this is an incredibly raw film that doesn't always feel nice to watch. But it also stands as a reminder that a good film doesn't have to make you feel good. Plus, Charlize Theron and Mackenzie Davis are incredible.

I Know What You Did Last Summer
How I made it this far in life without seeing this film, I don't know. It's delightful. A perfect companion piece to one of my favorites of all time, Scream, although less (intentionally) funny. I also expected it to be pure ridiculousness, but it actually ended up having a pretty good story!

Eighth Grade
Somehow, the Academy decided to completely shut out Eighth Grade. And while I don't make a habit of complaining about what is and isn't nominated for awards (because, despite my deep love of award shows, they obviously Do Not Matter), that is so messed up. Elsie Fisher deserves a Best Actress nomination. Bo Burnham deserves a Best Director nomination. Josh Hamilton deserves a Best Supporting Actor nomination just for the terrified look he flashes by the fire in the backyard! Anyway. Ignore the Academy and watch Eighth Grade. It's beautiful.

Pet Sematary
For 75% of my viewing experience, I was into this. It felt very 1989, had some horror staples (incompetent parents, an annoying child, a Creepy Local played by none other than Herman Munster). Then the final act happened, and then all I could think was, "...That was wild." I'm not going to spoil it for you, but suffice it to say, I'm dying to know what the remake that comes out in April will be like.

I also watched a ton of TV this month, though I have no idea when? Some new gems: You (terrifying; Penn Badgley was meant to play a sociopath) and Sex Education (I could write a whole essay about why you should watch this, but what more do you need than "Gillian Anderson plays a hot mom/sex therapist"?). Plus, some shows that keep staying gems: The Good Place, Brooklyn Nine-Nine, You're the Worst, Grace and Frankie.

Oh, and I also read some stuff! Book-wise, I'm currently reading Vampires in the Lemon Grove by Karen Russell, and I'm loving it. As for articles: Everyone you know probably shared this article on Millennial Burnout, either to commiserate or complain, but it really is interesting. And this Rolling Stone profile of Jordan Peele is great. The guy's a visionary, and I'm delightfully terrified of what he's going to do next.

Finally, some jams.

We made it through the first month! As the kids say, let's get this bread.