Dìdi

I have said it once and I will say it again, I am a sucker for a great coming of age film. Graduating in 2010 let this film hit even better. From T9 to myspace, I was able to feel like I was in a time machine. The movie also helped me realize that we had a lot of unknown by growing up in this time period. It created new challenges and we got to see and feel the emotions that DiDi went through. Along with some of the deep nature that it goes into, it was also really funny. My only really big issue with the film is that 8th to 9th grade is tough, but it seems extra tough for DiDi. In some ways this is a pretty depressing film, but overall it scratched the itch that I had. I think it may be in Oscar talks if we are lucky. Even if it doesn’t, everyone should find some time to see it.

-J

With the exception that none of us are Taiwanese, Dìdi was tailor-made for the ZEJ crew, depicting Chris Wang’s summer before high school in 2008, and all of us at ZEJ were also in high school at that time, so the specificity to that time hit way too close to home for us. Coming-of-age always has an easy time pulling at my heart strings, but this movie played more on the cringe and painful side of teenagehood that certainly made it more unique and powerful, but with much less of the joy that often is coupled with those ideas, and for me, that made it a bit harder watch. Don’t get me wrong, the writing, cinematography and acting are all top-notch, and director Sean Wang, who the movie is largely a depiction of, can clearly produce great cinema, and Dìdi is certainly worth checking out.

-Z

Z 8.75
E 9.0
J 9.0

ZEJ 8.92

Beetlejuice

“We’re very unhappy” -Barbara

“What did you expect? You’re dead!” - Juno

With the second one coming out, I thought that I needed to give this a watch. I remember not really enjoying it, so I needed to see if that thought held up. I can’t lie, the mix of horror and comedy is fun, but I am not sure if it made a great film. The film's plot wasn’t the most complex, and I was amazed at how little we actually see from Beetlejuice himself. The funniest thing to me is how poorly it has aged with his crude humor and even with that we are getting a sequel. Overall, it wasn’t the movie itself but the amazing set and visuals that did it for me. I may not love Tim Burton, but I have to give credit where it is due and say that it is a beautiful movie. Overall, I am a bit confused on why we are getting a second one, but I can say I did like it more than I expected!

-J

I’m just going to lead with this: Jord has no clue what he’s talking about. The character Betelgeuse is a total creep and the same movie done today wouldn’t land the same - no argument. Does that make this film any less delightful? Not at all. Sure, the plot’s all over the place and the whole thing ends kind of abruptly, but what you witness is PEAK Tim Burton and PEAK Michael Keaton. The claymation and character designs combine for one of the most bizarre, charming, and unique depictions of the afterlife and spiritual realm of all time. Betelgeuse is deplorable, certainly, but Michael Keaton absolutely EATS in a role that would help to land him his casting as the Batman (he previously wasn’t thought to be menacing enough). Alec Baldwin & Geena Davis’ tragic romance is adorable, and the Deetz family and their interior designer Otho are so distinct and iconic it’s hard to fully give enough credit. Very excited to see what the sequel can add to the universe that this Halloween classic created.

-Z

Z 8.5
E 8.0
J 7.5

ZEJ 8.0

Blink Twice

Ignoring some necessary suspension of belief and/or plot holes for this movie to really work, that I won’t spoil for you, Zoe Kravitz directorial debut was a really fun suspense thriller that I would definitely recommend. The pacing, cinematography, and acting were all superb, as was the dialogue. I would skip the trailer, as that pretty much gives away the whole movie, and pretty much undercut the impact of the hook, but the how of it all was enough to keep E and I riveted. Your experience going in knowing nothing may be even better than ours. Great flick for a movie night if you enjoy thrillers!

-Z

Z 8.25
E 8.0
J n/a

ZEJ 8.13

Sing Sing

Going into this film, I knew that it had some Oscar buzz, so I wasn't sure if I should be ready to be wowed, ready for tears, or a mixture of both. When it ended though, I sadly didn’t feel like I hit either of them. The concept of using actual prisoners who have been rehabilitated from the program was amazing and definitely my favorite aspect. My issue is that even though the film's premise is intriguing, the storytelling felt somewhat disjointed. I never fully grasped any characters, and I feel like the relationship between the two main actors was rushed and I never felt their true connection. Despite these shortcomings, Sing Sing is a film that deserves recognition for a high quality film. The performances were great, and it has some depth that cannot be matched by other films. I am most likely being harsh, but the film is a must see and I am sure it will be around Oscar time.

-J

Add Sing Sing to your must watch list for 2024, as it is one of the most moving and well acted movies of the year. An absolute lock for best picture nominee, Sing Sing tells the true story of a theater group inside Sing Sing Correctional Facility, which allows inmates both an escape and avenue to express themselves in ways they often could not due to their life circumstances. Colman Domingo, who E and I fell in love with BEFORE ANYBODY on Fear the Walking Dead, delivers a commanding performance of “Divine G”, a playwright and actor inside of Sing Sing who was wrongfully convicted of murder. But he is perhaps upstaged by the rest of the cast, who are real life former convicts of Sing Sing playing themselves. Divine Eye, in particular, steals every scene he’s in, and delivers an Oscar-worthy performance if I’ve ever seen one. I was really floored by the very existence of this movie, and how brilliantly it came together.

-Z

Z 9.25
E 8.75
J 8.75

ZEJ 8.92

It Ends with Us

“And as hard as this choice is, we break the pattern before the pattern breaks us.” -Lily

I am very aware that I am not the target audience for this film, but I am very partial to love stories. Overall, I had decent expectations with how much buzz this was getting but was left overall disappointed. A movie with a heavy topic, but I think I struggled to let it hit hard. I hear about all these people having good cry’s throughout the movie and it should come as no surprise that a tough guy like myself didn’t cry, but in reality I don’t even know where I was supposed to. Along with that, it is a ‘blockbuster’ at its core and I did love the needle drops. I think the music drew me in when it was getting stale, but I do recognize that this is a cheap way to engage the audience. Overall, if you read the book I am sure it is great and you should see it, but I was left feeling like this was a fine film.

-J

Z n/a
E n/a
J 7.25

~ZEJ 7.25

Switchback

“Because he told the truth. Once you've heard the truth, everything else is just cheap whiskey” -Sheriff Buck Olmstead

The cast is great, the setting and visuals are great, and the cinematography is cool. Does that make a great movie? Not always. Switchback has some extremely cool elements to it. I think the story does have some flaws though. I think the characters are interesting and I love a cat and mouse movie. The issue is I don’t know if the whole movie was hashed out before they started filming. Overall though, I enjoyed the watch and look forward to watching more movies recommended by the infamous Big Brett!

-J

One of my dad “Big Brett’s” all-time favorite movies, and in the family DVD collection I watched in great volume as a kid, Jord stumbled upon that very DVD in E and I’s house the other day, and upon hearing that it was one of Big Brett’s all-timers, he immediately went out and watched it. Somehow, E had never seen it either, so we decided to give it the full ZEJ treatment. From my memory, this was an awful movie, and a despite a 31 Metacritic score, we were all surprised at how fun it was, and though not a masterpiece, it’s certainly an entertaining C-level movie. At its best, is basically any scene with Danny Glover, and his serial killer character “Bob”, who absolutely EATS in this role. It’s an amazing dynamic, as charismatic and transfixing as Glover is in this, his road companion, baby Jared Leto, is one of the most pointless characters in all of cinema. Dennis Quaid plays a pretty forgettable FBI agent, and is completely outclassed in every way by R. Lee Ermey, “Sheriff Buck”, who is a total scene stealer. At its worst - the entire ending, with a half-baked Mission: Impossible train ending that is such a letdown for the seemingly mastermind plan the friendly neighborhood serial killer “Bob” created. Currently not streaming anywhere, I wouldn’t go out of your way and rent it, but if its ever streaming or you find it in DVD form at a garage sale and still have a way to watch DVDs, and you want to see Danny Glover in a truly captivating heel turn, then it’s a fun throwback to throw on. And as Big Brett would say, “the scenery alone is worth the watch”.

-Z

Z 7.25
E 7.25
J 7.5

ZEJ 7.33

Cuckoo

“That’s a weird way to say it, don’t you see that!” -Gretchen

That quote definitely tells you a lot about the movie. A great and unique story with a great lead actor. What could possibly go wrong? If you see it, you have a chance to see yourself. It had some really impressive imagery, but I could not get over the fact that it was an incomplete story. A fun story, but disappointing execution.

-J

Z n/a
E n/a
J 6.75

~ZEJ 6.75

Aliens 3

“We're All Gonna' Die. The Only Question Is How You Check Out. Do You Want It On Your Feet, Or On Your F***in' Knees...Begging” - Dillon

A new movie, a new director. Alien 3 is directed by David Fincher, and I would guess that this should be my favorite. When looking through reviews, a lot of people say this is when the franchise falls off, and I have to push back on that. Is it worse than the first 2, definitely, but any series hits speed bumps. As Alien focuses on suspense and Aliens on action, what is left for Alien 3? It tried to do a mix of both, which does work, but where I think most would agree the fall is the gimmick they try to pull to make it unique. Right away, I will say it crossed my mind to turn it off and be done. I try my best to be mostly spoiler free, and if you read my last review and seen this film you should know exactly what I am talking about. Overall, I do think it adds to the series in some ways of creating depth, but it does have a decent amount of flaws. My score may be high, but I said what I said.

-J

MILD SPOILERS AHEAD.

Wow. I could not imagine fumbling such a successful start to a franchise harder than Alien 3 did, and literally right from the start, completely invalidating the second movie and Ripley’s character arc. Generally speaking, the end game of this movie with Ripley was a good idea, on paper, one that I think could have worked. But the execution is so poorly done that it’s a wonder David Fincher got more work after this. (Thank Hollywood he did.) There are so many issues with it that’s difficult to even put into words, but the final sequence of luring the xenemorph into its “trap” is one of the worst planned and shot things I’ve seen in any movie. Not sure we’ll continue on to Alien Resurrection after this, which has equally bad reviews, and Jordan gave a 5.5.

-Z

Z 6.25
E 6.5
J 8.0

ZEJ 6.92

Aliens

“Get Away From Her, You Bitch!” -Ripley

Sequels definitely can struggle, and usually do unless you are Star Wars or Christopher Nolan’s Batman trilogy, but the Alien franchise got it right. One of the coolest things that the Alien franchise does is that they use different directors. With James Cameron taking the helm, it trades Ridley Scott's chilling suspense into a bonafide action movie. It's a testament to the franchise's strength that it can excel in both styles. Obviously after the first, some new characters needed to be added, and I think we have the right mixture of personalities. From reading reviews, I may be on an island here, but I think Newt was the best addition to the cast. It creates a new obstacle for escape while also giving Ripley a much more emotional level. Thankfully, Aliens doesn't abandon the practical effects that made the original's Xenomorphs so iconic. We got to witness more of them, and it still almost wasn’t enough! This blend of practical effects and emerging CGI ensures the film holds up even decades later.

Aliens understands what made the first film work. This film still leans on Sigourney Weaver, the Aliens are still terrifying, and even if it leans more to action the suspense still gets to you. At first the action seemed like it may be too much, finding a great balance and creating a sequel that in my opinion exceeds its predecessor. For a franchise I was skeptical of, I am finding a new found love for it, even if I read that they start to decline now. Aliens stands as another masterpiece, a worthy successor that surpasses its predecessor!

-J

Re-watching this again, one thing became clear for E and I, and that is that the original is superior. An entirely different tone, Aliens lacks the tense, gripping horror and the laser-sharp logic that the characters shared in the original. It’s more akin to a war film than horror, but that said, it’s undeniably fun. You can see what James Cameron would later work out in his Avatar series, with his space marines and their energy, camaraderie, and heroism. You also see the beginning of his obsessions with mech suits, which doesn’t have the same punch in Aliens as in the Avatar movies, but you have to get him the benefit of the doubt due to the era. The lore that’s added to xenomorph species with the queen is brilliant, and the whole sequence of entering and escaping the nest was a masterclass. The addition of Newt to the mix was an interesting element to showcase another side of Ripley, but her character was written inconsistently, to the point that it brought me out of the film a bit. Again, I’m nitpicking, as it still is an amazing movie, and certainly propelled one of the greatest movie franchises in existence.

-Z

Z 9.0
E 8.75
J 9.5

ZEJ 9.08

Alien: Romulus

“There’s something in the f***ing water” - Bjorn

After watching 6 movies this summer to prepare for this film, the time has finally come. A franchise I knew nothing about but has grown to be one of my favorite series had a lot to live up to with Romulus. I will say, I went in with anxiety and left with a big smile on my face! It opened us to a world that we haven’t seen often in Alien by being on a planet. Sadly, we didn’t get enough of it in my opinion, but it was interesting to see how dark the world is looking and can help explain motivations from past movies. Along those lines, it was one of my favorite parts of the movie. I think this movie was extremely cinematic in the best ways. The ships looked great, the practical effects mixed perfectly with CGI, and I think it was the best looking movie in the franchise.

Beyond that, in a seventh movie it is pretty hard to have a unique but connected story, but I think Romulus does a nice job. Now, its biggest complaints are that the fan services are too much and I have to agree that it is a little much. Each act had parallels to past movies, and some were so close it was somewhat cringey. If you haven't watched all 6 other movies recently, it most likely wasn't that big a deal, but it did hurt its score to me. Overall, I won't be writing a review for each movie, but I will leave you with the rankings I have for each movie:

Aliens

Alien

Alien: Romulus

Prometheus

Alien3

Alien: Covenant

….

….

Alien: Resurrection

-J

Romulus plays a lot of fan service and is way too formulaic to be a truly great movie, but for an Alien movie, it’s very fun, and much higher quality than I imagined. With the exception of one “bully” character that didn’t come off as genuine, the acting and dialogue is actually great. Fede Alvarez had a couple strokes of genius - the opening scenes of the bleak mining station, the “Jurassic Park” vibes capturing of an unknown object from the Nostromo wreckage, and the whole collision course with an asteroid belt sequence. This a B-level popcorn flick, a good horror movie, and a great Alien movie, and would highly recommend it if you’re at all a fan of the franchise.

-Z

Z 8.25
E 8.5
J 8.75

ZEJ 8.5

Alien

“This is Ripley, last survivor of the Nostromo...Signing off” - Ripley

With Alien Romulus coming out soon, I decided that I will watch the entire Alien franchise to prepare myself. This has always been a movie that I thought was a bad, old, cheesy horror flick. Now that may be true for the later ones in the franchise, this film isn’t anything close to that. A film that lets you experience terror in the scariest of ways. Alien isn't just a horror film, but it's a masterclass in dread inducing suspense. Ridley Scott crafts a perfect atmosphere aboard the Nostromo that lets you feel just as helpless as if you were part of the crew. Along with the world that is built, the practical effects are essentially perfect. If you are familiar with my other reviews, I touched briefly on this in my review of The Thing. I think practical effects create a much better horror scene and need to be more prevalent in current cinema, especially horror films. Watching that Alien scurry across the table is one of the more horrifying scenes of all cinema in my opinion.

Another thing I need to add that won't be a surprise, but Signourey Weaver is unbelievable in this movie. It had to be somewhat revolutionary in 1979 having a female lead in a sci-fi horror, but I think she nailed it as the face of the Alien Universe and definitely is a reason the movie is so iconic. The crazy thing about this is it isn’t just one thing that has made this movie a widely renowned film, but everything from the mystery of the crew to learning about these extremely simple yet complex Xenomorphs. Lastly, I know this is now a whole series, but the icing on the cake is how the movie ends. At the time it is apparent there is no need to make a sequel, it lets the resolution feel organic and feel wrapped up. These older movies give me a sense of closure that I am missing in recent cinema, and it is probably my favorite part of watching old films. This isn't just a horror film. I think that it is safe to say that it's a timeless sci-fi masterpiece. So, as you prepare for Alien Romulus, do yourself a favor and revisit, or discover for the first time, the original Alien. It's an experience you won’t regret!

-J

Ellen and I also decided to give Alien and Aliens a re-watch heading into Romulus, and amazingly, though we both watched it for the first time just three years ago, there was much that we did not remember. And that was a blessing, as the suspense could remain nearer to the levels they were meant to. Jord has Aliens (the sequel) higher than Alien in rating (9.5 compared to 9.0), but E and I are in agreement that we both preferred the original. It’s a masterpiece, truly, with my only quibbles being a couple of janky shots of the alien, but it is a movie, that perhaps literally wrote the textbook on what a horror movie should be. The restraint of limiting our visual exposure to the xenomorph, the rich lore that is created and displayed of “the perfect organism”, the character’s decision making that is refreshingly logical; it’s truly a masterclass in horror and cinema. For a practical effect, man-in-a-costume monster to look as good as it did, and truly terrifying, is a work of magic. As Jord mentioned, part of the magic of this movie too, is Sigourney Weaver and her brilliantly acted and written character Ripley. The franchise may have been spawned without her, but it would not have been as iconic.

-Z

Z 9.75
E 9.25
J 9.0

ZEJ 9.33

The Beekeeper

“There are laws for that. Until they fail. Then they've got me.” -Adam Clay

When I first saw a trailer for this movie, I thought to myself “there is no way that this is any good.” Then, over time I heard some murmurs that it is pretty fun. Something I am realizing that I like is movies that do cool things to be cool. That is exactly what this is. A deep story? Great acting? Surprising twist? Well, we have none of that but we do have Jason Statham hook a guy to a truck and have it drive off a bridge. This movie gets a 7.5 because it knows exactly what it is and who it's made for. I had a really fun time. Was a great start to my day when I got rained out of a tee time. If you want a fun action flick, look no farther than The Beekeeper.

-J

Z n/a
E n/a
J 7.25

~ZEJ 7.25

Trap

“You know the Butcher? That freakin' nutjob that goes around just chopping people up?.... This whole concert? It’s a trap” -Vendor

A movie that I was excited about. A really cool concept that seemed like it could be a ton of fun. Trying to trap a serial killer at a concert. What could go wrong? A lot apparently. Was this the worst movie of recent years like my brother thinks? No. Was it fun if you were willing to look at it through that lens? Undoubtedly. Sadly, it's not what I wanted and what I think a lot of viewers wanted. The movie is extremely corny and definitely drags past its welcome. Along with that, the entire pacing is being thrown off by long shots from musical numbers during the concert. The fact M. Night is helping his daughter out is both cute and cool, but it really does hurt the movie. Ultimately, Trap is a missed opportunity. The premise is undeniably intriguing, but the execution falls flat. It's a shame, as with a tighter script and a clearer focus, this could have been a truly gripping thriller with a director like M. Night. Sadly, we have to continue to wait for him to put out top tier cinema again.

-J

Z n/a
E n/a
J 6.5

~ZEJ 6.5

The Firing Squad

Cuba Gooding Jr is a real actor, and this is a real movie you can see in a theater. This is by far the worst movie I have ever seen and I have to think will ever see in theaters. This is absolutely brutal and that is all I have to say about that.

-J

Z n/a
E n/a
J 1.0

~ZEJ 1.0

Kneecap

“Get Your Britts Out!” -*Written on a butt*

A movie I knew nothing about, and that is my favorite way to consume cinema. A wild movie that is following these Irish Rap artists that is both absurd and heartfelt all in one. You have a bunch of rappers that are not actors and a director who has only done shorts and a documentary. When you hear that, you would expect a mediocre and tough movie to get through. What you actually get though is a movie with brilliantly unique cinematography and top level acting. There is a scene early on in the journey where they are performing and doing things I haven’t really seen in movies and is where I realized I am in for an absolute treat. Z, E and myself fully thought they were actors in some mainstream movies, and I also think they could definitely explore that if they want. With the amount of movies I have been seeing this summer, I can not give enough appreciation for something fresh like this. The story is strangely deep and I learned a lot about what is going on in Northern Ireland and other countries around the world. While educating and talking about an important topic, it's also full of laughs. At its core, this is a comedy and will absolutely tickle anyones funny bone that can handle crude humor.

With all that said, it isn’t a perfect movie though. The pacing can be very quick at points which really makes it hard to understand the full timeline of their growth. Also, the resolution to the entire movie was left in the air a bit, but it also is about their rap group which is very much alive. Besides that, I really have very little complaints. In the end, Kneecap is a wild ride that defies expectations. It’s a hilarious, heartfelt, and surprisingly thought provoking film that introduces us to a world of raw talent. If you’re tired of predictable plots and want something fresh, this is the movie for you.

-J

On a Saturday I checked what was playing at the Varsity Theater, a local Des Moines theater that plays many indies films, and on Sunday the ZEJ team was going to Kneecap, having heard nothing about it prior to seeing it was playing. This year’s entry for the country of Ireland for Best International Film, a fact that makes perfect sense, as it was not only a blast to watch, but is a champion of the Irish language and Irish culture. That champion, here, is the hip hop trio Kneecap, who plays themselves in what is a semi-biographical movie about the formation of their band. The fact that the band plays themselves is hard to fathom, as I was convinced that they were all professional actors, particularly DJ Provai. They all had a naturalness and genuineness to them that was really impressive. The band is a pioneer in Irish-language rap, which is showcased in the movie, and it’s honestly amazing. The trio showcases a few of their verses in this movie as they navigate their dramatic lives in Northern Ireland, and Irish or not, their music slaps. This is kind of a 8-Mile for Ireland, but with more stakes, as their goal of preserving their language and culture feels like a higher calling. Stylized, but not overly, its fast paced, funny, and treats you to the unexpected delight of Michael Fassbender, an amazing get for an Indie. Highly recommend.

-Z

Z 8.75
E 8.5
J 9.25

ZEJ 8.83

Problemista

*Normally we don’t feature solo reviews on emails, but Jord started Problemista, his power went out, and he couldn’t muster the energy to finish it, so that tells you where his head’s at on this one.

As A24 fans, the trailers for Problemista had us intrigued early on this year, and since we missed its brief time in theaters, we were pumped to to finally be able to stream this. But after watching, we were less pumped. The biggest issue we had was that it was surprisingly boring. I had a hard time staying engaged for was not even a very long movie - 98 minutes. That said, Julio Torres is fun to watch, and as this was his directorial debut, there were many elements of his comedy and style and that give me great hope for his future. There’s a kind of Wes Anderson style story-telling to this movie but in very much Julio’s own voice that I did enjoy. For her part, Tilda Swinton brings a dynamic-ness to an otherwise one-note character that helped a bit, but her character was so intolerable that it made the boringness of the movie less interesting. Can’t recommend this one, but do keep an eye out for Julio Torres’ future work.

-Z

Z 7.25
E 7.5
J n/a

ZEJ 7.38

Deadpool & Wolverine

“Welcome to the MCU! You’re Joining at a Bit of a Low Point.” -Deadpool

The MCU may be at a bit of a low point, but I do think this is a move in the right direction. Going into this film, I was a bit skeptical. My big worry was how does Deadpool's humor age and do we really need another film. Turns out, it ages great (or I haven’t aged well) and it was extremely fun. I found myself laughing a lot and just really enjoy the Deadpool fighting sequences both in this movie and my Deadpool rewatches. Along with that, I think my favorite part of the film was the needle drops. Yes they are very on the nose and in your face, but I think they had great choices of songs that I found myself singing along to in the theater.

Of course, this isn’t a perfect film. The fourth wall breaking gets a little old at times and I know the point of them fighting is to be ridiculous, but I think it found the spot beyond that. This is a popcorn flick and I am curious to see how it mixes within the rest of the universe. I think you have to tread very lightly putting Deadpool in anything other than his own movie, but we will see how it works. Lastly, having Wolverine in it I thought was very random, but it works beautifully. It was fun seeing him again in the role. Along with him, the cameos are all fun (I will keep this spoiler free) and am curious if they are fully done too. Deadpool and Wolverine's MCU debut is a breath of fresh air amidst a potentially stale superhero landscape. The perfect blend of Deadpool's signature humor and Wolverine's classic badassery creates a dynamic duo that is both entertaining and nostalgic. Whether you're a die-hard fan or a casual viewer, there's something to enjoy in this popcorn flick.

-J

If you followed E & I’s recent re-watch of Deadpool & Deadpool 2, you knew we were worried about Deadpool & Wolverine, particularly given the low Metacritic score (56 as of 7/29/24). But Deadpool & Wolverine emerged as our favorite of the trilogy, and its quality makes me question the taste of those critics producing such a low score. My lone complaint is one too many needle drops with slow motion scene entrances, and I understand there’s a fair amount of fan service, but there’s so much good about this that that is all forgiven many times over. I laughed nearly the whole film, and this is probably at a tie with Hundreds of Beavers for the funniest movie of the year, which is saying something. Hugh Jackman, who is the real-life embodiment of Wolverine, and Ryan Reynolds, who is the real-life embodiment of Deadpool, join the MCU, fight each other and fight together, was so rewarding for a lifelong fan of the genre, and particularly Hugh, who entered my life as Wolverine when I was just 8 years old. Emma Corrin and Matthew Macfadyen were great foils to the pair of regenerative heroes, and the story was well written. I understand Deadpool isn’t for everyone and maybe that contributes to the critical reviews, but if Deadpool is for you, this is the Deadpooliest Deadpool yet, and you’ll have so much fun with this one.

-Z

Z 8.75
E 8.75
J 8.5

ZEJ 8.67

It Follows

“It could look like someone you know or it could be a stranger in a crowd. Whatever helps it get close to you.” -Hugh

Right away, I think this film shows its hand in telling you that it is not your typical horror film. Instead of a slasher mentality, it created all forms of horror through a slow burning dread. Obviously there are a lot of underlying themes throughout the film, I think the true shine is how the director creates the setting. Dark and lingering shots following a mystery where not only the actors are watching over there shoulder, but you are too. The quote given above is its whole premise, and the fact that once you are followed you can never truly get rid of it is terrifying and is beginning to be copied in other modern horror films, and much worse in my opinion. I don’t always love horror, but I do appreciate its uniqueness. Along with that, I think Maika Monroe gives a great performance and shows how she earned her spot in Longlegs and deserves every label of ‘Scream Queen.’

Now the story is unique and the cinematography is superb, I think it still is what it is at it's core: a low budget horror. Does that make it bad? Absolutely not. I think it is a better horror film than 90% of what we are getting now, but that doesn’t make it perfect. Along with a few plot holes, like not trying to find an actual solution to the problem, it bothers me at times too, but overall I enjoyed it throughout the run time. It Follows is a chilling departure from the typical horror fare. While there are some plot points that leave something to be desired, It Follows remains a memorable and thought-provoking piece of horror cinema that deserves recognition for its innovative approach to the genre.

-J

Z n/a
E n/a
J 8.0

~ZEJ 8.0

I Used to Be Funny

No quote this time, just *insert Phoebe Bridgers song* to make it more emotional

That being said, I need a list of all movies with a Phoebe Bridgers needle drop, because that almost to a certainty means the movie was made for me. I threw this movie on because of Rachel Sennott who was great, but I don’t think I was ready for how heavy this was. Yes, it has its comedic parts as Rachel is very funny, but definitely was not the point. This movie did a great job of creating an environment that let you empathize with what she was dealing with, even if you didn’t ultimately know why. Mental health is not something easy to portray, but I think this film did a good job of showing its many faces. I did sadly find it somewhat predictable and did guess where it was going much before the film intended. Along with that, the ending seemed to find a resolution in about 2 minutes, when the rest of the film was a slow burn letting you be fully engulfed in what she was going through. Despite these issues, Rachel was great and it was good to see her in a different role from what she plays in Shiva Baby, Bottoms, and Bodies, Bodies, Bodies. Despite the fact this movie may not be an A-Film, I think it does let her demonstrate her range and how naturally funny she really is. Ultimately, I Used to Be Funny is a raw and honest exploration of mental health. Rachel Sennott’s performance is undeniably captivating, showcasing her range as an actress and that we will be seeing her more and more as time goes on. While it has a predictable story and rushed conclusion dampens its impact, it's a great take on such a heavy topic. I Used to Be Funny is a reminder that even the funniest people carry their own burdens, and it’s okay to not always be okay and surround yourself with people who care.

-J

Z n/a
E n/a
J 7.5

~ZEJ 7.5

Deadpool 2

Oh Deadpool 2 - did we judge you too harshly? Yes, yes we did. E & I’s opinions of Deadpool 1 & 2 have completely reversed after the re-watch, as the sequel has aged like a fine wine and the original like a blue cheese that isn’t supposed to age and just gets moldier but not the good kind. Deadpool 2 is better written, has a better story-arc, is funnier, has better action sequences, better villain(s) and unlike the first one, has Josh Brolin, who thanks to being pre-MCU, got to double dip in this Fox production as another Marvel character, Cable, and as he did with Thanos, just puts on a master-class. There are still a few carryover LOL-random and sex jokes, but they’re done with more class and timeliness here. Zazie Beetz as Domino is brilliant character in her finite screentime, and Ryan Reynolds continues his perfect embodiment of Deadpool. Early critic reviews for Deadpool & Wolverine are pretty mid (we’ll see it on Thursday so stay tuned for the ZEJ review), so tempering my expectations for that, but so glad we watched DP2 again.

-Z

Z 8.5
E 8.5
J n/a

~ZEJ 8.5