Pop Culture
- Dual Roomba, par XKCD
- Un sketch de Studio Bagel, avec une parodie d’émission d’époque : La femme, pourquoi pas
- Un sketch de Mister V, Les tubes de la belle époque, relecture moderne d’un sketch similaire des Inconnus.
Tony Robbins: I Am Not Your Guru, 2016 - ★★
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. 🍿
One Battle After Another, 2025 - ★★★★★
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. 🍿
Kaamelott: The Second Chapter (Part I), 2025 - ★★
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. 🍿
Dog 51, 2025 - ★★★½
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. 🍿
Class Reunion, 2025 - ★★½
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.
🍿Today’s Morning Coffee™ (it’s how I call my daily routine of reading RSS feeds) featured Ryan Holiday on The Daily Show. It was exciting to see two of my sources connect in a “wow, you guys know each other” moment. What a great way to start the day! 🍿 × 🏛️ × 🧘♂️
Despicable Me 4, 2024 - ★★★
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. 🍿
Hocus Pocus, 1993 - ★★
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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Home Alone 2: Lost in New York, 1992 - ★★★½
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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KPop Demon Hunters, 2025 - ★★★★★
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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La La Land, 2016 - ★★★★
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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A Haunting in Venice, 2023 - ★★
This movie was disappointing. Despite its beautiful setting in Venice, a star-studded cast that includes Kenneth Branagh, Tina Fey, Michelle Yeoh, and Kelly Reilly, and the promise of an Agatha Christie-inspired whodunit, I didn't fully engage with it. The editing felt odd, the black-and-white flashback scenes were unattractive, and the plot and character development appeared rushed. However, I am still curious about Branagh's adaptations of Death on the Nile and Murder on the Orient Express. 🍿
Holy Cow, 2024 - ★★★
Une variation de Leurs enfants après eux dans le monde des agriculteurs. Tout le monde a trouvé le film charmant, moi aussi, à l'exception de la violence des adolescents, que je trouve folle et peu crédible. Les personnages demeurent attachants malgré leurs actions déroutantes. Les scènes de fabrication de Comté sont apaisantes, offrant une version tranquille de Fred et Jamy.
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Zootopia, 2016 - ★★★★★
I really enjoyed this movie. It's an excellent way for parents to introduce children to the concept of minorities and the challenges they face. The jokes, especially with the sloth, were great. The animation was impressive, and while the scene where animals turn into predators might be a bit scary for children, it was executed very well.
I'm looking forward to Zootopia 2, which comes out this November.
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Michael Clayton, 2007 - ★★★★
The movie serves as a masterclass in moral ambiguity. Every scene is slow-paced yet high-stakes. The lines between heroes and villains are constantly blurred. Characters seek redemption before it's too late, like Tom Wilkinson's character, or grapple with their own morality. Even though Tilda Swinton’s character is evil, she likely suffers from bellyaches and nightmares due to her actions.
I remembered why this film was on my watchlist: Tony Gilroy, the director, is also the creator of Andor, one of my favorite recent shows. I appreciate that both stories feature similar characters in vastly different universes. Both Michael Clayton and Cassian Andor struggle to determine their lines of acceptable behavior.
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Cars, 2006 - ★★★★
I know this movie by heart as it was a household staple during the COVID pandemic when my kids were very young.
They recently wanted to rewatch it for the first time in years, and I still enjoy this movie a lot. I’m not sure why it ranks so poorly among Pixar films on sites that evaluate them, like The Ringer. Owen Wilson and Paul Newman—yes, the legendary Paul Newman!—deliver great performances. The film is fun and charming.
And it has a great after-credit scene.
For French speakers, it’s amusing that the synopsis is quite similar to Camping, which was released the same year. A “winner“ finds himself stuck with “losers” against his will and realizes that these roles are more blurred than they seem.
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Collection de trucs qui m’ont fait rire récemment :
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The Bad Guys 2, 2025 - ★★★½
A fun sequel! It’s a bit over the top, which makes me look forward to its hopefully upcoming "Everything Wrong With..." episode. This was my first movie theater experience in a while, and I really miss it. I should go more often.
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Asterix vs. Caesar, 1985 - ★★★
Ni le plus mauvais, ni le meilleur dessin animé d’Astérix. Il lui manque le charme des anciens (Astérix et Cléopâtre, Les 12 Travaux) ainsi que la qualité d’adaptation et d’animation des plus récents (Le Domaine des Dieux, Le Secret de la Potion Magique ou Le Combat des Chefs).
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Finished watching Stick S1. It takes a little while to get going, but it really picks up.
The sound design of the golf swings is a great motivator to play the sport again. The show explores themes of grief, parenting and mentoring, as well as the communication and frustration between Gen X/Y and Gen Z.
Fun fact: the show was created by Jason Keller, who is married to Andrea Anders, the sister of Sean Anders. Sean Anders is one of my heroes for his work on the Daddy’s Home 1 and 2 films, as well as Spirited.
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