My one complaint? You’ve got alien species, near-light speed travel, mind-boggling science, global cataclysm, and utterly non-terrestrial technology — and the film never pauses to consider the deeper implications of any of it. This is light escapism about the heroics of science nerds from start to finish, padded with lots of mismatched-buddy comedy. Which is fine, if that’s what you like! Dial your brain to FUN, unplug, and enjoy. (2/2)
I finally saw PROJECT HAIL MARY last night. Thoroughly entertaining, well paced, great cinematography, and a tremendous job on the part of Ryan Gosling holding the whole thing together alone on screen for 80% of the movie. (1/2)
#ProjectHailMary
It’s not one of Pixar’s absolute best — it’s a little too scattered for that, and the typical heartwarming takes a back seat to the chaotic energy. Still? A very, very fun time at the movies. (2/2)
Pixar’s latest,
#HOPPERS, is bananas. It’s incredibly funny, it’s got a manic pace, and you never quite know where it’s going to go next. I really knew very little about the film going in, but I think it would have been even better if I had known absolutely nothing. So if you’re interested, don’t read a synopsis, don’t see a trailer, don’t read a review, just go in cold. (1/2)
Charlie Kirk was a toxic shithead. Doesn’t mean he deserved to get shot in a public forum. The whole thing — everything that the US has become, thanks to the MAGA movement — just makes me sad and depressed. And Kirk’s death will only enrage the Nazis all the more. How about no more killing?
#CharlieKirk
Discovered yesterday that INFOQUAKE has been released in Russia the best way possible: by receiving a fan email from a new reader in Belgorod thanking me for the fantastic book. A nice pick-me-up for the weekend.
If there’s one reason to see FANTASTIC FOUR, it’s the Jetsons-style 1960s vibe. All that faux Atomic Age architecture, neon color, and retro fashion is like popcorn for the soul. Just maybe don’t do like I did and pay $27 a pop to see it in IMAX. (4/4)
Also — here’s a phrase I never thought I’d type — Pedro Pascal is terrible. TERRIBLE. He’s so mumbly and morose and namby-pamby as Reed Richards that he nearly drags the whole movie down with him. I kept wishing that Marvel had kept the John Krasinski cameo casting from DR. STRANGE, because this film could have used a burst of charisma. (3/4)
The film isn’t *bad*, per se. It’s just not particularly interesting. Our villain Galactus is properly menacing, the Silver Surfer is done well, and I found the third act battle of New York engaging. But generally the effects are not top-tier, the plot is full of holes, and the emotional beats feel perfunctory and unearned. (2/4)
I saw FANTASTIC FOUR: FIRST STEPS last night. The theater was surprisingly three-quarters full for a random Tuesday night, but unlike the SUPERMAN screening I attended, surprisingly quiet. No laughter, no cheering, no applause. (1/4)
