Category: Movies

If you’re familiar with the species relations in Chronicles of Narnia: Prince Caspian (movie version) or even Wicked: The Life and Times of the Wicked Witch of the West (book version), it brings up the question: who decides who is savage or not?

I thoroughly enjoyed the film. I knew exactly what to expect, and got it. You can’t ask too much of any action/adventure film anymore. Say what you want about Keanu, but you cannot take your eyes off of him. I’m not saying that as a red-blooded woman. Keanu has that power over all of us, just saying.

I vividly remember watching the footage of Oscar Grant’s murder on New Year’s Day 2009. Phones were becoming smarter every day. Citizen journalism was on the rise, even if it didn’t have a name then. The videos disturbed me greatly. So I resisted watching this movie until I was better prepared to consume it.

Ryan Coogler – being a Bay Area native – perfectly captures Bay Area culture. Coogler showed the world what it was like growing up in the Bay in subtle ways, not even taking into account that they filmed on location when and where they could. The dialogue stood out to me in a finite sort of way, the diction was very Bay Area.

Gifted is a wonderful, heart-wrenching picture. Chris Evans headlines as Frank Adler, uncle to the precocious and uber-talented McKenna Grace’s Mary, the gifted of the title. Jenny Slate, Lindsay Duncan, and Octavia Spencer round out the intimate cast.

This side of Nolan was refreshing. I feel like his big blockbusters were merely first rounds to the main event. He has said as much in the run-up to release, as he has wanted to make this movie for many years. But he felt he wasn’t professionally ready to. I’m glad he knew his limitations because a first-time director could’ve fucked it up.