June Movies Part 1: Spider-Man Across the Spider-Verse, The Blackening, Elemental

June is proving to be a busy but fruitful month at the movie theater. So gather round while I tell you about all the amazing movies you need to be checking out!

Spider-Man: Across the Spider-Verse: What a visual spectacle. The original film was an absolute revelation in terms of the animation style and this sequel has levelled up into a whole other stratosphere. It still feels like you're watching a comic book, with so much color, humor, action, and emotion bursting out of every frame. It's indescribably beautiful and even though I did find myself getting a little squirrelly towards the end of the 140-minute runtime, I was never able to tear my eyes away from the screen. 

Here's a very brief plot description. Miles Morales, aka Spider-Man, is going about his day in Brooklyn, on his version of Earth, trying to fight bad guys and still keep up his grades in high school to appease his loving but clueless parents. But Gwen Stacy, aka Spider-Woman, shows up, and there's lots of inter-dimensional drama that leads them into a world with a Spider-Society composed of all the different Spider-Man iterations, some of whom me met in the last movie, and many of whom are brand new to this film. It's all twisty, inventive, and mind-blowing, particularly during one particular escapade that takes place in Mumbattan, an Indian version of Manhattan that felt like it was written just for me. When you've got an Indian Spider-Man berating people for saying chai tea and naan bread, you've made all my wildest dreams come true. So watch this movie right now and get hyped for the sequel.

The Blackening: The minute I saw the trailer for this film, I knew I was going to watch it on opening day. And now I have, and boy was it worth it. As longtime readers know, the only horror I like to watch is comedy horror, and this film delivered in spades (it literally does involve a lot of characters playing Spades). The premise is that a group of Black college friends turn up to a house in the woods that their friend rented out as an AirBnB so they could have a ten-year reunion on Juneteenth. There's a game room in this house, and it contains a very racist-looking boardgame called The Blackening. Turns out that when you play this game, the stakes are quite literally life or death. 

What follows is a raucous 90 minutes of these people trying to play this game that requires them to outdo each other in Black-themed trivia and prove whether or not they are the "Blackest person" in the friend group. Some of them are biracial, some are married to white folks, some have parents who are actually from Africa. They are dark-skinned and light-skinned, straight and queer, and they need to band together to fight against this creepy killer. I will confess, many of the jokes in this movie sailed right over my head, but the two Black women sitting next to me were quoting lines and hooting with appreciation at a number of references that I clearly was not privy to. So if you're Black, this movie is a must-watch, but if you're not, you must still prepare for a thoroughly entertaining time at the movie theater.

Elemental: Set in Element City, this is the tale of Ember, a woman made of Fire. Ember's parents immigrated to Element City from their homeland and had a rough time adjusting to this new place that was never built with Fire in mind. They faced a lot of discrimination, but her father persevered and started his own shop, which he hopes Ember will take over when he retires. However, one day, some pipes burst in the basement, water starts leaking into the shop, and things are looking dire. Ember ends up meeting Wade, a man who is made of Water and serves as a Water inspector (natch) for the City, and they have to team up to help save the shop. Ember has always been raised to believe that "Elements cannot mix," but as she spends more time with Wade, that message starts to feel less true.

As you can tell from that description, this is a movie that is dealing with a lot of themes. There's an immigrant story, there's a love story, there's classic Pixar parent-child dynamics. And the animation is so wildly colorful, inventive, and fun. Every frame of this movie is winsome and clever, and while yes, the plot is fairly predictable, it's never boring. The music by Thomas Newman (aka my favourite movie composer) is also rather gorgeous, a weird blend of Indian and Middle Eastern influences to try and capture the foreign background of the Fire people that made everything start to feel very Bollywood. Which is probably why I liked this movie way more than most critics. If you've liked other Pixar movies, this one should be a slam dunk because it has everything you've come to expect - great animation, inventive storytelling, and plenty of heart. 

Past Lives: A Heartbreaking Romance

I saw Past Lives yesterday. And it made me cry while I was watching it and then I kept on crying as I walked out of the theater. So if you're looking for some catharsis this week, perhaps this is the movie for you. This post is going to be pretty spoilerific, so believe me now when I say you must watch this film, and then come back to read this after you have done so. 

Written and directed by Celine Song, this is the story of Nora/Na Young (Greta Lee) and Hae Sung (Teo Yoo), who were childhood sweethearts in South Korea. They lost touch at the age of twelve when Na Young's family immigrated to Canada and she changed her name to Nora. Twelve years later, they reconnect (thanks to Facebook, of course), with Nora now living as a playwright in New York City, while Hae Sung is going to college after completing his mandatory Korean military service. They spend some time excitedly reconnecting over video chats despite the vast time difference until Nora realizes she is investing too much time in a man she will not be able to meet for a long while and abruptly calls things off. Shortly thereafter, she meets Arthur (John Magaro) at an artist's retreat.

Twelve years after that, we find Nora and Arthur are a happily married couple, living in a cramped apartment in the East Village as writers, living out their bohemian dreams. But Hae Sung, who is now a typical Korean businessman, is coming over to New York for a week's vacation, and has plans to meet up with Nora. What follows is a dreamy few days where these two childhood sweethearts reunite and contemplate what could have been. But these are also days where Nora always comes home to her husband, who frankly shares his insecurities and thoughts about whether Nora is happy and their married life is what she wanted.

This is a movie about three adults having very grown-up conversations but mostly standing around and looking at each other with very grown-up feelings that you can palpably sense through the screen. It's hard to believe this is Celine Song's directorial debut but she does a masterful job of weaving in dialogue only when it's necessary, but otherwise letting these incredible actors tell us everything we need to know through their expressions. Cinematographer Shabier Kirchner also does his part, making New York look its absolute romantic best on 35mm film and imbuing every frame with an unsurpassable beauty that will make your heart sing. And the music by Daniel Bear and Christopher Rossen is pitch perfect, never overwhelming the scenes, but offering up a sumptuous accompaniment as we go on this emotional journey. 

Past Lives is dazzling and evocative on multiple levels and is sure to get at some core truth that you keep hidden away within you. You'll need to watch the film to learn more about the Korean concept of in-yeon, about how people are destined to meet after they accumulate layers of connections across multiple past lives. As someone who immigrated to both Canada and New York in her childhood and left behind many friends and a sweetheart that she has never spoken to since (hi Keith!) it felt like a true gut punch, and an exercise in contemplating the many lives I could have lived if things had gone a different way. But ultimately those are all past lives. And reckoning with your past is the only way to forge ahead to your future. 

Your Next Binge: The Diplomat or Mrs. Davis

The deluge of TV doesn't stop. Today I have two great shows (one utterly bonkers, the other a bit less so) that you could add to your queue. With impressive leading ladies taking the helm, this might be just what you need if you're jonesing to see some strong, intelligent women on screen.

The Diplomat: Created by Debora Cahn, the show stars Keri Russell as Kate Wyler, a career US diplomat who thought she was about to be posted to Kabul where she could do important work, but has suddenly been sent to the United Kingdom, as their new US ambassador, a position that is largely considered to be all about pomp and circumstance without much substance. Her husband, Hal (Rufus Sewell, who is playing an American here, rather than his usual British self), is a former ambassador who misses the limelight and is struggling to take a backseat as Kate gets mired in an extremely complex international crisis. The only thing more complex might be their marriage, which is decidedly on the rocks, but is limping along due to external forces that we will get to as the season progresses.

I want to be very clear that while this show deals in very serious subject matter and political intrigue, it is also EXTREMELY funny. It is sharply written and witty, and Russell and Sewell are having a grand time leaning into this Tracy-Hepburn dynamic of a couple that shouldn't be together but simply can't be apart either. And the supporting cast is tremendous, with folks like Ato Essandoh who plays her Deputy Chief of Mission, Stuart, and Ali Ahn as Eidra, the CIA station chief. And of course, we've got good ol' Rory Kinnear playing the British Prime Minister and doing it with a blustery blowhard energy that is always entertaining. 

Over the course of eight episodes, Keri Russell is a whirlwind, trying to keep nuclear powers from detonating the planet and using diplomacy and tact and her incredible intelligence to avert catastrophes while she is constantly thwarted by men who want to blow things up. The show takes many twists and turns and always keeps you on your toes. It is shot in great locations, the actors offer up effervescent performances, the writing is crisp, and overall, it's simply a stellar watch. It's an easy and compelling binge, and I am ready for Season 2.

Mrs. Davis: Hmm. What does one say about this show? It was created by Tara Hernandez and...Damon Lindelof. Lindelof makes objectively weird TV shows (he was responsible for Lost and The Leftovers), so it should come as no surprise that this show is quite possibly the most insane thing you will watch in 2023. 

Betty Gilpin stars as Sister Simone (before she became a nun, she was Elizabeth), a nun who gets roped into a quest to battle Mrs. Davis, a Siri-like algorithm that has taken over most of humanity. Mrs. Davis purports to be a compassionate AI that is only interested in helping humans, but Simone has never been a fan, claiming that the algorithm was responsible for the death of her magician father (played by David Arquette in some flashbacks!). However, when Mrs. Davis makes a deal with her, she embarks on an epic quest that takes her around the world to find the...holy grail. 

Man, I don't know what to tell you. The show is nuts, and it's very funny, and it's so inventive and pretty to look at, but also utterly incomprehensible. When I was a few episodes in, I was trying to describe it to my fiance, and I had to say the sentence, "I'm not sure yet if she is literally or metaphorically married to Jesus Christ." The show has much to say about technology and the dangers of artificial intelligence taking over our lives, but it also has much to say about a thousand other topics and you get this hodgepodge of science, philosophy, religion, comedy, and drama. Gilpin is a fantastic lead, gamely going for whatever the writers demand of her, and she is surrounded by a supporting cast who all seem to be equally entertained by the ridiculous things they are being asked to say and do. Like with all Lindelof joints, it is so full of ideas and ropes you in at the beginning, but by the end, I didn't feel like it stuck the landing. Thankfully this is just a miniseries, so you get eight episodes that will take you on a self-contained journey. You may not love the destination, but the ride is worth it. I think?

Memorial Day Movies: You Hurt My Feelings & The Little Mermaid

The long weekend has come and gone but I got to see two great movies in theaters. One is a small, charming New York comedy, and the other is a fantastical Disney extravaganza. Both made me very happy.

You Hurt My Feelings: From the mind of writer-director Nicole Holofcener, this is a very New York movie about Beth and Don (the wonderful Julia Louis-Dreyfus and Tobias Menzies), a couple that have been married for many years but are now both having mild career crises and dealing with all that middle age malaise. Their 23-year old son, Elliott (Owen Teague), who they love to bits, is going through his own romantic and career struggles and has that wonderful only child problem where he’s really close to his parents but also subsequently thrown by the co-dependence of their family unit. Beth‘s sister, Sarah (played by the great Michaela Watkins) is also a bit fed up with her job, but is also dealing with her husband’s anxiety over his foundering acting career. So yeah. Everyone’s generally alright, but also a little bit existential, and what follows is a movie brimming with light observational comedy and a bunch of weird and random characters who get to toss off some genuinely hilarious one-liners.

My favorite storyline probably involved Don because he is a therapist who is going through a bit of a slump and his clients constitute a truly magnificent cast of characters who either feel bad for their struggling therapist, or have raging contempt for him. But naturally, Julia Louis-Dreyfus is the star of the show, playing Beth as a woman brimming with insecurities, walking around with a bright but worried smile, trying to keep it all together while she feels like everything’s falling apart. I appreciated how gentle and kind this film was - nothing truly devastating happens, but in classic human fashion, everything feels truly devastating to these people until they can reach a resolution. It made me laugh and it made me feel seen. It’s a damn fine movie.

The Little Mermaid: I know Disney has been wildly hit-or-miss with these live-action adaptations of their classic animated movies. But writer David Magee and director Rob Marshall really hit it out of the park with this one. You all know the story right? Mermaid falls in love with a prince, makes a deal with an evil sea witch to give up her voice in return for legs, and has three days to get true love's kiss. She’s accompanied on her adventures by a crab, a fish, and a bird, and eventually there’s a happily ever after. But oh there’s so much to enjoy in between!

The visual effects are absolutely superb. I don’t know how they managed it, but everyone looks like they’re swimming around under the ocean and the colors are vibrant and everything is beautiful. The actors are top-notch, with Halley Bailey absolutely crushing it as Ariel, while Melissa McCarthy hams it up nicely as the evil Ursula and Javier Bardem delivers as Ariel’s overbearing father, Triton. Daveed Diggs and Awkwafina are perfect voice casting for Sebastian and Scuttle, and Jonah Hauer-King is perfectly adequate as Prince Eric (listen, we don’t watch Disney movies to get robust character development for the princes ya know?). But of course, the star attraction is the music. Under the Sea and Kiss the Girl are Disney’s two greatest songs, and here they get a joyous rendition. Obviously, the new songs they’ve added in are nothing to write home about, but the classics are still absolute bangers, and I was dancing away in my seat. So dive right in and become part of this world - you may never want to leave.

May Blockbusters: Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 3 & Fast X

Head on over to the IMAX, Hollywood's got big action blockbusters coming your way! If you're ready for some mindless entertainment, this is how you should be spending your long weekend.

Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 3: I loved the first Guardians of the Galaxy movie but genuinely cannot remember what happened in the second. So it should come as no surprise that I mostly endured this third installment in the franchise. It mostly serves as the origin story of Rocket Raccoon (voiced by Bradley Cooper), so be prepared for a tragic and emotional tale of the worst that humanity (or in this case, aliens I guess) has to offer. But of course, we still have our stalwart Guardians who are by Rocket's side. When he gets into trouble, they need to embark on an epic journey to piece together his past so they can save his life and secure his future. And they will do so with characteristic bumbling humor and many fight sequences, set to a slew of music.

What I loved so much about the first Guardians movie was the music and the humor. When it came out, it was the funniest Marvel movie by far, and I still cannot hear Come and Get Your Love by Redbone without immediately flashing back to that incredible opening sequence of Peter Quill (Chris Pratt) dancing around a dangerous planet. Unfortunately, this movie was just not as funny, eschewing the quips for extended action sequences instead. Given that it was two and a half hours long, that was just too loud and brash for me to endure. And sadly, the soundtrack simply couldn't pass muster either. The songs were either ones I had never heard before, or deployed just for a few seconds before the loud action sound design overtook any melodies. The only joyous music choice came at the very end when Florence + the Machine sang us out with Dog Days Are Over. Unfortunately, at that point, it was a little too late. 

This movie is still a slam dunk for folks who love this particular franchise within the Marvel Cinematic Universe. And it's gorgeous and visually inventive as always, with plenty of space stuff to tickle your fancy. But if you're ambivalent about the MCU, this is not the film that's going to kick you out of your stupor.

Fast X: I had never watched a Fast and the Furious movie until my fiance made me watch Fast Five on a plane in March. That was in preparation for Fast X, this tenth installment that is currently in theaters, and which serves as a sort-of-direct sequel to Fast Five. The villain in this film, Dante Reyes (played with campy brilliance by Jason Momoa, whose hairstyles keep getting more elaborate as the film progresses), is the son of the villain from Fast Five, and he is wreaking vengeance upon Dominic Toretto (Vin Diesel) for killing his father in that movie. Oops, spoiler alert?

Anyway, that's all the plot I'm giving you, because at the end of the day, this is a Fast and the Furious movie, and you didn't come here for plot, did you? There are incredible car chases across Rome and Portugal, wonderful stunt sequences involving cars, helicopters, bridges, dams, and a bizarre bomb that's merrily rolling along to the Vatican. There's stilted dialogue, corny jokes, terrible acting and great acting. There's also a veritable who's who of cameos from all the insanely great actors this franchise has lured in for a paycheck over the years who have presumably all then stuck around because this is such mindless good fun. I mean, once you have Dame Helen Mirren popping in to do five minutes of a Cockney accent, you know all bets are off.

This movie is fun, dumb, and action-packed. You don't need to know anything before you go into it, but I do think it enhanced my experience somewhat to watch it with my fiance as he provided ongoing commentary on the sheer volume of cameos and callbacks to the previous ten films in the franchise. But if you're just here to watch some shit explode and see some cars go vroom vroom, grab a seat. You'll have a wonderful time. 

May Binges: Beef, The Night Agent, The Big Door Prize, The English

Yes, there’s a writer’s strike on, but that means I am catching up on all the TV that has been relentlessly hitting streaming services in the past few months. I’ve binged several things over the past few weeks, so now it’s your turn!

Beef: This show hits the gas (literally, and figuratively) from Episode 1 and never lets up till Episode 10. It stars Ali Wong and Steven Yuen as Amy and Danny, two people with very different lives who become connected because of a road rage incident that sets them both down a slippery slope of anger, resentment, and betrayal. Yes, it can get heavy, but it’s also insanely funny and impossible to stop watching once you start. 

Every episode is beautifully plotted, ending with delicious cliffhangers that leave you wanting more, but creator Lee Sung Jin ensures that the overarching series is tied up with a beautiful bow at the end. It would be a pity to give away any plot so all I’ll say is that if you want to watch a show about Asian rage, class warfare, and the little choices in our life that lead to absolutely monumental changes in our future, you must head on over to Netflix ASAP.

The Night Agent: Created by Shawn Ryan, based on the novel by Matthew Quirk, this is a taut spy thriller where no one can be trusted and our two scrappy protagonists are up against the might of the US Secret Service, FBI, and the White House. Luciane Buchanan plays Rose Larkin, a woman who discovers her aunt and uncle were undercover agents only when they are mysteriously killed in their own home. Before they were killed, they gave Rose the Night Action number to call for help, which is how she meets Peter Sutherland (Gabriel Basso), an FBI agent monitoring the Night Action phone line. He was tasked with this job by the President’s Chief of Staff, Diane Farr (Hong Chau, in a meaty and very fun role that plays against type from what I’ve seen her in before), who tells Peter to take care of Rose and ensure no harm comes to her while they try to figure out what’s going on here. 

Well, over ten episodes, a LOT happens: many people are betrayed once, twice, or even thrice, the VP’s daughter is suddenly a main character, there’s a terrorist plot afoot, and the body count skyrockets. This show isn’t high art, and a lot of the story beats and dialogue can feel a bit tropey. But it gets truly propulsive and exciting in the second half and ends with a bang. It’s an easy binge, with episodes usually coming in at a brisk 45 minutes. Once you start, you may find yourself unable to stop.

The Big Door Prize: AppleTV+ is really getting to be known for sitcoms with heart, and this show is no exception. Developed by David West Read, based on the novel by M.O. Walsh, this is a weird but beautiful story about what happens in the small town of Deerfield, when a Morpho machine mysteriously appears in their general store. When you put $2 into this machine, it spits out a little blue card that has "Your Life Potential" on it. Well, turns out those little cards pack a punch and pretty soon the whole town is filled with people who are up-ending their hitherto predictable lives to chase their hidden dreams. 

While most of the action centers around Dusty and Cass (played by Chris O'Dowd and Gabrielle Dennis), each episode follows one particular Deerfield resident while also giving us the ongoing plot developments of the other supporting characters. The narrative is complex and intriguing, funny and wistful, and even after you know what everyone's card said, you're still left pondering, Yes, but what does it all MEAN? The finale didn't deliver many answers but teed up a promising Season 2. So while they're on hiatus, I need to get my hands on the novel and do some reading to see what further adventures are due to arrive at Deerfield.

The English: This show was less of a binge and more of a slog as far as I was concerned. Written and directed by Hugo Blick, it's an extremely slow burn Western, and despite only being six episodes long, I couldn't wait to be done with every single episode. Which is a real shame because it does star the divine Emily Blunt as Lady Cornelia Locke, an Englishwoman who arrives in the midst of the American West in 1890 Kansas and is immediately subjected to horrific treatment by evil men until she teams up with a Pawnee scout named Eli Whipp/Wounded Wolf (Chaske Spencer). 

A woman and a Native American set out to wreak vengeance on greedy white men? That should be right up my alley! But oh boy I found all the dialogue too prosy and obtuse. The one thing the show does have going for it is absolutely astounding cinematography and you would be hard-pressed to tear your eyes away from the screen. In fact, perhaps this is a show best watched on mute so you can revel in the sweeping vistas and beautiful sunsets. Otherwise, I found it to be way too violent and harsh, and there were a lot of characters and motivations that were all talk until someone drew a gun and then it was all bullets. If you love Westerns, step right up, because this might be the best show you watch all year. But otherwise, you may be better off with something else.

Young Women's Stories: Polite Society & Are You There God? It's Me, Margaret

Do you want a loving adaptation of a classic American Young Adult novel? Or a completely fresh new tale about a pair of British-Pakistani sisters? Well, either way, have I got something for you.

Polite Society: Written and directed by Nida Manzoor (who I've already waxed poetic about when reviewing her brilliant show, We Are Lady Parts) this is a story about Ria Khan (Priya Kansara) who wants to be a stuntwoman, and her older sister, Lena (Ritu Arya) who is an art school dropout, confines herself to her room all day playing loud emo music, and is almost certainly depressed. When the two women attend an Eid party, Lena is introduced to Salim Shah (Akshaye Khanna), a wealthy doctor, who, as Jane Austen would say, is in desperate want of a wife. They hit it off, but Ria can't shake the feeling that something is very off with Salim and his mother, Raheela (Nimra Bucha - who you may remember from Ms. Marvel!), and that there may be more sinister underpinnings to this relationship.

I won't give anything else away but I was constantly wavering between whether Ria just had a very hyperactive imagination triggered by the potential loss of her big sister through marriage, or whether the Shahs truly were evil. Ultimately, the reason to watch this movie is because it is so brilliantly bonkers and ridiculous. It's clearly a low-budget affair, and the special effects are not going to win any Oscars anytime soon, but there's a ton of amazing stunt choreography while the actors are wearing beautiful lehengas. As far as I'm concerned, the genesis of this entire film is that Nida Manzoor thought to herself, "what if I take a traditional Bollywood dance routine, but had the women in beautiful dresses and jewelry punching and kicking people instead?" 

This is a marvelously fun movie, but if you're a South Asian woman, it is also a deeply meaningful critique of the patriarchy and arranged marriages, and how a woman's worth is measured only by the potency of her womb (if you think that's a weird way to phrase it, just wait till you watch the movie.) It's not fully polished and there are parts when the script starts to sag. But I fully endorse the passion and creativity behind this film and can only hope this is the first in a long string of movies we get from Manzoor that highlight the specific lives of British Muslim women while having such universal appeal.

Are You There God? It's Me, Margaret: When I was 13, my friend Sam got a copy of this Judy Blume novel from a relative. She read it, then gave it to me, and together, we both giggled at how ridiculous it was and why on earth these American girls were sitting around chanting, "We must, we must, increase out bust!" We were both Indian girls growing up in Bahrain, and nothing about this book felt very relevant to our lived experience. So apart from that hilarious chant, I didn't give it much more thought until I watched this movie, 20 years later, in New York City, with my American friend, Laura. Maybe the most important thing about this story is that I seem to keep sharing it with my best female friends.

Directed by Kelly Fremon Craig, who also adapted the screenplay, this movie is an absolute joy. I found myself near to tears multiple times (which might also be because I'm about to get my period - thanks, Margaret). While all I remembered about this book was the preteen angst about puberty, I found myself enthralled by the sub-plot about Margaret's religion and her mother's background. Margaret is played by Abby Ryder Fortson, who is simply astonishing and is perfectly cast, while her mother is played by the always magnificent Rachel McAdams, who does a beautiful job of portraying a woman in 1970 who has just become a suburban housewife and is struggling to find her own identity. Kathy Bates is also excellent as Sylvia, Margaret's very loving, but also very Jewish grandmother, who fully understands the tragedy of moving away from NYC to...New Jersey.

This movie spoke to me on so many levels: as a New Yorker, as an atheist, and as an ex-young girl. It beautifully captures the heightened sensations of being on the verge of puberty and the different emotions these girls go through as they get their periods. When I was younger, I swore I would never forget what it was like to be a kid, and I wouldn't be like all the horrible adults around me who simply could not understand the fever pitch of my daily existence. Well, this movie reminded me of how much I had forgotten and for two hours, I was transported back to the days when the only things I needed to worry about were how much I hated wearing a bra (oh, how little has changed!) and how to avoid the mean girls in school (shout-out to Elle Graham who plays Nancy Wheeler and crushes it with her over-the-top confidence and bitchiness!). 

The movie is also chock-full of excellent classic tunes - I still haven't been able to stop humming Son of a Preacher Man or The Wind. It also features a lovely score by...Hans Zimmer, bizarrely enough. But ultimately, this cast and this marvelous script are all you need to have a great time. I cannot recommend this movie highly enough, regardless of your gender. It has something that will speak to everyone and I will definitely be re-reading the novel ASAP. Join me!