Movies That Matter

Adam and Nicole talk Indiana Jones, reviewing Dial of Destiny and the franchise as a whole. We give our definitive rankings on the five films and talk about how Indiana Jones has weathered the changes in movies while staying surprisingly consistent over time. At heart, the franchise is a swashbuckling adventure featuring a likable hero, a rare commodity these days.

Adam recommends the Insidious franchise and Nicole recommends Vienna Blood.

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Lexy and Nicole discuss Elemental and the stereotypical immigrant story. Lexy liked the movie better than Nicole despite agreeing the plot and writing were clunky. Performances by the actors elevated the poor material. The story sticks to a very stereotypical immigrant story casting the first generation american child against the prescribed path of her immigrant parents. It does little to tread any new territory beyond the basics.

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Nicole recommends Zootopia. Lexy recommends the Litter Robot.

Justin, Stacy, and Nicole discuss the Miles Morales Spider-Verse and Spider-Man's introduction in the 1960s as the first modern superhero. We are blown away by the animation first and foremost and the sheer creativity on display. We talk about the origins of Spider-Man as a novel character being a relatable teen and discuss how new Spider "people" fit into a modernized version of a superhero. 

Justin recommends Everything Everywhere All At Once, Stacy recommends The Blackening, and Nicole recommends Miracle Workers.

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Garret and Nicole discuss The Little Mermaid and the story's place in the queer canon. We both enjoyed the film, while not necessarily agreeing on the need for a remake. We dissect some of the crucial changes that fundamentally alter the message of the movie particularly the changes to Ursula. We discuss the origins of the story that is itself an analogy for queer love and the queer coding in the 1989 original.

Garret recommends the original Hans Christian Anderson's The Little Mermaid. Nicole recommends Franz Kafka and The Trial.

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Garret and Nicole discuss Are You There God? It's Me, Margaret the film adaptation of Judy Blume's beloved novel. We praise the movie for its heartfelt emotion, never straying into saccharine messaging or melodrama. We both agree Kathy Bates was miscast. We discuss the horrors of puberty and some of the movie's themes about a religious upbringing.

Garret recommends Dear Mr. Henshaw. Nicole recommends a menstrual cup.

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Justin, Adam, and Nicole discuss Renfield and the enduring legacy of Dracula. We enjoyed the movie's fresh take on Dracula, one of fiction's most enduring characters. We found the movie funny and the characters appealing. We talk about why Dracula continues to be a popular figure on film going through some history and canon with a larger discussion about the appeal of vampires.

Justin recommends Invicible. Adam recommends Weather Man. Nicole recommends book and movie About a Boy.

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Garret and Nicole review Duneons and Dragons: Honor Among Thieves and the importance of role-playing games. We were both delighted by the movie, particularly the ensemble cast and the wonderful world building. We discuss the merits of building commmunity in role-playing games and the benefit of hobbies in general.

Garret recommends trying Dungeouns and Dragons or an escape room. Nicole recommends the movie Tetris.

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Adam and Nicole talk all things Scream. We give our rankings for the six released movie and discuss the franchise's endurance and it's ability to shift with the times. 

Adam recommends True Dective Season 2 and The Dry by Jane Harper. Nicole recommends Mythic Quest.

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Justin and Nicole discuss Cocaine Bear and America's War on Drugs. We both enjoyed the B movieness of it all, the diversity of the cast, and its 80s authenticity. We segue into a discussion on the harms of the War on Drugs and why America can't seem to reform drug policy based on evidence.

Nicole recommends Justified. Justin recommends Ozark.

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Lexy and Nicole discuss M3GAN and the costs of relying on A.I. for companionship, particularly on childhood development. We were surprised how much we liked the movie and impressed with the creation of M3GAN technologically. We discussed how relying on screens/technology for our relationship needs it degrades our emotional well-being.

Lexy recommends The Devil in Me. Nicole recommends The Two-Family House.