Mick F

The Phantom Menace may not be the greatest episode of Star Wars, but it effectively showcases a brilliant political plot.

Palpatine secretly orchestrates the Naboo crisis and exploits the Senate’s bureaucratic paralysis to discredit the Chancellor as weak. He positions himself as the decisive alternative and wins the Chancellorship by promising action over gridlock. Ultimately, he transforms the Republic into his Empire.

This follows a populist playbook: create or amplify a crisis, attack democratic institutions as slow and ineffective, offer strongman “efficiency” as a solution, and then consolidate authoritarian power while claiming that the system forced their hand.

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She’s Gotta Have It is an unusual blend: part Woody Allen in its talky, neurotic New York energy, and part French nouvelle vague in its playful breaking of form. The story itself is minimal, but Spike Lee seems more interested in his style than in the plot. It feels like watching a young filmmaker experiment, resulting in a vibrant and unique film. I was also pleased to encounter Spike Lee’s Mars Blackmon again: I knew him from his ads with Michael Jordan 🍿

My process for choosing what to watch at home involves trusting my past self, who added items to my watchlist. I can’t recall how this Tony Robbins film made it onto my list. I considered stopping after 5 or 10 minutes, but I decided to keep watching. By the end, I was left feeling confused and unsure about my thoughts on it. This clearly isn’t my typical interest, but my perspective has shifted slightly. I used to think of these types of events as luxury scams, but now I see them as condensed group therapy. If it helps people, then so be it. Documentaries often aim to introduce viewers to unfamiliar worlds, and I must admit that this one succeeded in that respect. 🍿

Wow! This was good. Like really good.

My Licorice Pizza review ended up like this:

I can see he is a very talented cinematographer but I feel frustrated that he keeps teasing me with amazing scenes while never making a movie that can fully awe me.

Well, Mr. Anderson delivered.

This movie refuses to be confined to a single genre. It blends drama, comedy, and contemporary western elements seamlessly. The subject tackles one of the biggest challenges facing our society today. The story is so well-written that it offers multiple perspectives on the issue without providing easy answers, all while remaining entertainin. It’s a mix of The Good, The Bad and the Ugly, The Big Lebowski and any recent Tarantino movie of your choosing.

Here is a list of things I particularly enjoyed: the mundane versus the people, the ICE prediction, the Kennedy Jr. parody, secret societies, and the choice of name for the Christmas Adventurers Club.

I had issues with Anderson in the past — exhibit A: my review of The Master, exhibit B: my review of Phantom Thread — but all is forgiven. 🍿

Hyper frustrant. La trame narrative se déploie en de nombreux arcs, mais nous ne verrons le dénouement qu'au deuxième volet, donc dans un an. J'aurai oublié beaucoup de choses d'ici là. J'ai l'impression que le film se perd dans une folie des grandeurs qui me déconnecte du projet. 🍿

Film efficace et spectaculaire. Je ne comprends pas les critiques qui parlent d'un scénario prévisible ; certes, il l'est, mais rien de scandaleux. Quant à la romance, elle est moins une vraie romance qu'une rencontre qui brise deux solitudes. En ce qui concerne les personnages, le film mérite d'être salué pour sa durée de 100 minutes, ce qui est rafraîchissant. Tout ne peut pas devenir une série. Les décors d'un Paris "futuriste mais proche" sont très convaincants. 🍿

Une comédie pleine de bonnes intentions, mais qui souffre de sérieux problèmes de rythme, surtout au milieu du film. La fin est touchante, notamment le court moment où tous les enfants de la nouvelle génération dorment ensemble dans la même pièce. On trouve aussi quelques bonnes répliques, en particulier dans le car de tournée avec Lââm et les Worlds Apart.

Aujourd’hui sort la 400e édition de ma newsletter minimaliste de foot.
Merci à celles et ceux qui lisent, partagent ou répondent chaque semaine 🙏

Voici l’édito du jour :

Le multiplex de la semaine a surpris : Paris et Marseille se sont pris les pieds dans le tapis. Rien de dramatique, mais un rappel : l’automne n’épargne personne.

Et puis il y a le coup dur pour Désiré Doué. L’ancien Rennais, épuisé par une saison dernière sans pause, tombe au moment où tout semblait repartir pour lui. Triste pour le PSG, frustrant pour les fans… mais peut-être pas si mauvais pour la suite.

Car dans quelques mois, c’est la Coupe du Monde. Et comme toujours, les “sûrs d’y aller” lèvent un peu le pied, pendant que les “candidats” se battent chaque week-end. Doué fait partie des “sûrs d’y aller” — enfin, si la France se qualifie bien sûr. Et ce repos forcé pourrait bien lui redonner le jus dont il aura besoin quand les spotlights de l’été nord-américain s’allumeront.

L’automne casse des élans… mais il prépare souvent des retours.

📬 Pour s’inscrire → https://www.statium.app/

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A new opus that lacks significant novelty, except for the talents of Will Ferrell, the promising new character Poppy Prescott, and a fresh appreciation for Tears for Fears' Everybody Wants to Rule the World. Nevertheless, the Minions still deliver plenty of laughs. 🍿

We were looking for a Halloween movie, and this came highly recommended by a friend. It's neither good nor bad. I suppose a child might enjoy it when they first see it, but I found it, at best, mediocre.

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We chose it because we wanted a family movie with New York vibes. Watching it on its own, rather than immediately after the fabulous first one, allows the movie to shine a bit more. It has a big heart, the bird lady is very touching, and it's a lot of fun.

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Instant hit! It's funny; some — though not all — songs are excellent (Golden, What It Sounds Like). The story presents a nice tale with a moving ending that keeps the door wide open for new movies. While I am not familiar with the Korean inspirations, I did notice some influences from Disney, manga, and Totoro, all wrapped in a unique package. My daughter can't stop singing the songs and learning the dances. It truly deserves its hit status.

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We discover that a nearby city is screening La La Land with live music. We decide to show the kids the famous long take of the opening scene. We have fun identifying the two stitches. Afterward, we all go to bed.

The next day, the kids ask to watch the rest of the movie. They don’t have to ask twice.

The film is now a classic. The story, music, colors, actors, landscapes, and even a handful of Ryan Gosling's surprised expressions are all equally lovable.

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