Pop Culture
She’s Gotta Have It, 1986 - ★★★
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 🍿
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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