The first third set me up for a grueling time but the film gets better as it goes on! If the dad stuff doesn’t get you crying, the brother stuff absolutely will. That third act is so lovely and fun and has a surprisingly simple but terrific climax with one of my favorite “creatures” in recent memory. It ain’t Pixar’s finest, but even A- Pixar is a pretty good film from anyone else. Don’t go in expecting a wild, wide…

This movie means nothing. They just went “what’s big right now? incels and antifa? those are the same” and rolled it all into an existing character that could use politically and socially relevant anxieties as developing characteristics... but to make absolutely no “message.” and no, films don’t have to have a message (lemme just preempt that dumb comment someone always wants to make) but it’s so clear that this movie wants you to think it has one. it doesn’t. joker…

In January of 2018 I did a 2am tweet storm about how terrific I think Rian Johnson’s films are and how perfectly they all feel like they‘re tailored to my taste. Five months later, I ran into Rian on the street in my neighborhood and he recognized me because we follow each other on Twitter. (Feel free to roll your eyes and dismiss this whole thing as a pointless humblebrag, but it’s relevant.) We made plans to grab lunch a…