Suncoast (2024)

 Pros: This film deals with a teen sick of caring for her dying brother and uses her freedom to her advantage, finally acting like a typical teenager only to have regrets at the eleventh hour. Though based on a true story, set against a story which made national headlines, the film has a lot going on and while it deals with it well, considering human euthanasia is a touchy subject, but Doris (Nico Parker) is just blinded by her own childhood being robbed, she doesn't seem to care about her brother. Still, this film is good, with solid performances and a great set, it just could have been a whole lot better.

 Cons: You don't know the sick brother's name (Max) or Mom's (Kristine's) name until the film is basically over, which bothers me constantly and Doris's friends sometimes seem genuine and other times don't, so I guess they are typical teenagers but I just feel the film could have been so much more.

Recommend: Maybe

Grade: B

Side Notes:

-Laura Linney is great as a foul-mouthed, hell-bent determined mother to ease her son's passing, but she neglects her healthy, living child in the process. 

-Woody Harrelson is also great as one of the protestors.

-Though I remember this case, the film doesn't mention that Terry Schiavo does end up dying nor does it discuss the importance of a living will.

-For the record, while I'm terrified of dying, I do not wish to be a vegetable for decades on end. 

Rye Lane (2023)

 Pros: While this is ultimately a rom-com and has so many of the traditional tropes, it still manages to feel fresh, from the meet-cute between Yas (Vivian Orapah) and Dom (David Jonnson), who are as different as two people can be and both are dealing with the aftermath of a rough break-up for each of them, but they are drawn together nevertheless. The screenplay is clever and the two leads are brilliant and it isn't overly long so it's like goldilocks, it's just right.

Cons: It does start off weird, with some bizarre flashbacks or memories personified, but you eventually get used to it and those grand romantic gestures just don't happen in real life but it sure makes a good film.

Recommend: Yes

Grade: B+

Side Notes:

-Colin Firth makes a cameo appearance, it's great.

-Meeting each other forces the leads to grow-up which is so sweet.

-When asked Yas describes her relationship with Dom as low-key screwing, which is utterly hilarious.

-It is never appropriate to save your urine in old wine bottles.

The Holdovers (2023)

 Pros: This film is top-notch from top to bottom, even though Paul Giamatti's character is a wretched sod of a human being, though he does redeem himself by the end. He portrays with brilliance Paul Hunham, a history and ancient civilizations teacher whom no one likes; he's tough on his students, sometimes fair but way too strict but he's livid that he's in charge of the left behinds over Christmas break, though eventually, it's just Angus Tully (Dominic Sasso) left as his mother picks her new husband over her teenager son along with head cook, Mary (Da'vine Joy Randolph, superb). Together, they have some interesting adventures and learn fascinating truths about each other and grow as people. The screenplay is great along with a truly realistic setting along with pitch-perfect performances, this film is undoubtedly one of the best of the year.

Cons: Honestly, there isn't a true con, despite all the smoking which was unfortunately, realistic as the film is set in 1970 though it does take you a little bit to figure out that Lydia Crane (Carrie Preston) is a secretary. 

Recommend: Yes

Grade: A-

Side Notes: 

-Mary is actually a great cook, making the most with a little but she's also in deep mourning, her only son was killed in Vietnam as he couldn't afford to go to college and thus missed out on a deferment. 

-Ironically both Paul and Angus are nearly the same person as both had rotten and depressing childhoods. 

-Paul's book idea is actually a monograph on ancient cameras.

-Kids shouldn't get a free ride even if their parents are rich. 

Dumb Money (2023)

 Pros: This film deals with stocks and finances during the darkest days of the pandemic and actually truly captures what the pandemic was like, including most, save the super rich, don masks to prevent the spread of the disease. And that's not the only thing that the rich seemed exempt from, getting prosecuted from being charged with crimes despite ganging up on each other to shut down websites and prevent GameStop stock from being bought, which has got to be all sorts of illegal. This film details the resilience of those hard-working people, determined not to let Wall Street executives win.

Cons: Despite the screenplay explaining the financial terms well, investing money still confuses me and the whole concept of dumb money is still muddled. Still, the film is solid.

Recommend: Probably

Grade: B

Side Notes:

-The cast is brilliant and stacked with talent from top to bottom with Paul Dano leading the way, Pete Davidson as his brother, Shailene Woodley as his wife, Kate Burton and Clancy Brown as his parents and then there's America Ferrera as the hard-working nurse, Anthony Ramos as the actual Game Stop worker who hates his mask, and then Seth Rogen, Nick Offerman, Sebastian Stan and Vincent D'Onofrio as the rich executives.

-Vincent D'Onofrio's character has a pot-bellied pig that follows him around his estate.

-DoorDash driver's should not eat the food they are delivering.

-We don't know what happens Paul Dano's character or any of them really, except the executives, who lose money but not are not publicly charged with anything. However, they will still pay for their poor actions.  

Maestro (2023)

 Pros: Fabulous performances from Carey Mulligan and Bradley Cooper ground this film which covers the vast majority of Leonard Bernstein's celebrated career though he often expressed longing to compose more scores. His wife, Felicia (Mulligan) also had her own career as she was a stage and television actress in attention to juggling their three children and Leonard's (Cooper's) various affairs, usually with men, often a sticking point in their marriage, though she knew about that going in. Still, Leonard adored his wife and mourned her death until his own more than a decade later. The story is also told in an unconventional way, going from scene to scene almost like a stage play at times. The film is solid from top to bottom and the score is especially good considering Bernstein's one of the best composers of the twenty-first century.

Cons: Unsure as I was sick when I watched this, so I'm not sure if there really is a solid con, though the ending was rather abrupt. 

Recommend: Yes

Grade: A-

Side Notes:

-The solid supporting cast includes Matt Bomer, Maya Hawke, Sarah Silverman, Michael Urie (as Jerry Robbins) and Miriam Shor. 

-Out of all the children, only Jamie, the eldest, has a solid role, the other two are background dressing.

-Though both are chain smokers, Felicia actually dies of breast cancer, in a very realistic portrayal of the wretched disease. 

-In addition, Leonard does other sorts of drugs. 

-Still, his talent shines through all of his risky behaviors. 

The Iron Claw (2023)

 Pros: Finally, Zac Efron is in a good film with a leading role worthy of showcasing his acting chops. He portrays the only surviving Von Erich brother, in a large wrestling family headed by a father, Jack (Holt McCallany) whose methods are unconventional at best and cruel and abusive at worst. The film deals with a lot of years and the rises and falls of the various brothers and how Kevin overcomes the curse that haunts the family and it certainly haunts them. I don't believe in curses, instead, you have controlling and unsympathetic father who informs his surviving sons not to cry at David's (Harris Dickinson's) funeral as men don't cry. There is also the lovely romance between Kevin and his eventual wife, Pam (Lily James, who again transforms into an utterly realistic character).

Cons: You don't know how Jack comes to be involved in marketing and getting wrestling matches on TV and then you learn much too late in the film at how he's cooking the books when Kevin's money issues come into light. His father threatens to disown him if he sells the business but you don't know if he follows through on that threat, though he probably did, knowing him. The epilogue doesn't mention that the parents, Jack and Doris (Maura Tierney) do eventually get divorced and I feel that you needed that.

Recommend: Probably

Grade: B+

Side Notes:

-In reality, there were six Von Erich boys, the film eliminates one of them, who ended up also dying by suicide. 

-Three of the Von Erich boys would die from suicide, though Kerry (Jeremy Allen White) had a foot amputated due to a nasty motorcycle accident and then, Michael (Stanley Simons) suffers a shoulder injury and nearly dies during surgery only to recover with a permanent brain injury. David dies of natural causes undoubtedly caused by constantly being beaten up in the rink. He has a ruptured intestine, which has got to be a dreadful way to go.

-In reality, Kevin and Pam have two daughters first and then their boys though the film indicates the opposite. David's daughter died of SIDS but Kerry had two daughters, one of whom would follow in her father's footsteps into the ring. 

-Pam states that she wants to become a vet and it appears that does happen, based on her scrubs and the amount of dogs crammed into that tiny apartment. 

-It is shocking that Jack would have ever touched the clarinet much less coming close to getting a scholarship to college for music but he gave that up, obviously and doesn't like when his wife brings up that he was ever soft. 

Saltburn (2023)

 Pros: Barry Keoghan gives the performance of his life (so far) as the extremely intelligent Oliver Quick who develops an infatuation with the hot and wealthy Felix (Jacob Elordi) and he eventually worms his way into Felix's family, the vain and shallow Elspeth (Rosamund Pike) and the foolish James (Richard E. Grant) and then there's sister, Venetia (Alison Oliver) who is probably the only decent character in the film. The film is slow moving and semi-unpredictable, though also incredibly bizarre and then comes the last roughly five minutes of the film which confirms (or at least confirmed mine) your suspicions and leaves you wondering if you should watch the film again. 

Cons: Though Promising Young Woman is a revelation, a brilliant piece from Emerald Fennell, this one falls short at packing the same relevant, emotional punch even though it does contain the same sort of twisty ending. Justice is not served in this film and it leaves you hollow.

Recommend: Maybe

Grade: B+

Side Notes:

-The set is opulent and over the top.

-The scene and reaction after Felix's body is found is especially disturbing. 

-While eventually the Catton dies off, one by one, the family friend, Farleigh (Archie Madekwe), his fate remains unknown.

-It is never explained how Felix gets away with murdering the whole family, sans James, especially since he tears tubes out of Elspeth's throat.

-The ending is rather rushed. 

-It is also unclear why Oliver lies about his family, other than to gain sympathy but that turns into a disaster. 

-There is also an especially bizarre scene involving Venetia's period blood.