Update on the Field (6/28/20)
We've officially hit 100 movies! If you told me when we started that we'd watch a movie on 100 straight days, I wouldn't have believed you and I think this is a testament to how much fun we're having. This cycle, we ran the gamut again, with a romantic comedy, a franchise sequel, a musical, and a horror movie, among others. Here are our thoughts:
6/18/20: MacGruber (2010)
Tom: We ended last cycle with A Private War and Honey Boy, so we really needed a lighter one. As huge fans of Popstar: Never Stop Never Stopping, I figured we would like this one, and it delivered. It's completely ridiculous and there were certain points in the movie where I just couldn't stop laughing. I love cheesy action movies that this movie parodies, so I think I was destined to enjoy this one.
Erin: I love movies that completely bomb during their first release, but find an audience later on, and this one is for sure one of those movies. This was a ridiculous parody of crappy action movies, and hit all the marks for dumb but funny entertainment.
6/19/20: The Cabin in the Woods (2011)
Tom: There was a while there where horror movies were just atrocious. This movie, though, openly pokes fun at the tropes that made classic horror movies great, and overall it really worked! It didn't take itself too seriously, but on the other hand it was sort of a movie within a movie. If you enjoy horror movies, definitely watch this because it was an awesome twist on one. And Chris Hemsworth (my favorite Hollywood Chris) is in it.
Erin: This film was very much in the same spirit as Scream, one of my very favorite horror movies. The Cabin in the Woods absolutely skewers the “torture” horror movies that were really popular in the previous decade, and has some campy, fun performances.
6/20/20: Zero Dark Thirty (2012)
Tom: I appreciated this movie a lot because it was told from the perspective of a woman (Jessica Chastain), which is exceedingly rare for a war/spy movie. It certainly lived up to the hype, and while I acknowledge that there was an outcry against the movie's "glorification" of torture, I didn't feel it was as cut and dry as critics may have suggested. That being said, regardless, I think it's an important movie to watch to understand how little we know about the workings of the government when it comes to national security.
Erin: I watched this movie years ago, and it really does hold up. Jessica Chastain gives a star-making performance in this film. I know it was controversial when it came out, but you have to give props to a movie that keeps you on the edge of your seat even though you know exactly what happened in real life.
6/21/20: Enough Said (2013)
Tom: So this actually might be my favorite romantic comedy I've ever seen? It's definitely up there. James Gandolfini and Julia Louis-Dreyfus are both incredible. And what I liked the most about it was that it was just a simple story with clean and realistic writing, and it didn't feel as if it was made for Hollywood. I loved this movie so much.
Erin: I watched this movie previously as well, and I LOVE IT!!! It actually was the first time I have seen James Gandolfini in anything, and his chemistry with Julia Louis-Dreyfus was off the charts. Just a lovely, simple, heartfelt romantic comedy.
6/22/20: Into the Woods (2014)
Tom: This movie is a musical and it was fine. I like Anna Kendrick and Emily Blunt, Meryl was good, so were Chris Pine and Billy Magnussen in comedic roles. It also had the little kid from Les Miserables. I honestly probably would have axed most of the last third of the movie. It turned kind of weird and had a tonal shift that didn't really work for me.
Erin: Meh, this one was just okay. I remember watching the play in middle school music class, and the movie just didn’t have the comedic timing of the musical. It was long and boring overall--it was no Les Mis!
6/23/20: Grandma (2015)
Tom: If Hollywood decided to rewrite every single movie to star Lily Tomlin, I wouldn't be against it. The Wolf of Wall Street starring Lily Tomlin? Yes please. Lily Tomlin as the new Batman? Hell yeah! What about The Avengers with her in every role? Disney, I am literally begging you. She was unbelievable in Grandma. It's really funny and touching. And it's 79 minutes long. That's shorter than 2 episodes of 90-Day Fiance! Just watch it!
Erin: I am so obsessed with Lily Tomlin. This movie was another one that was right up my alley--character focused, subtle comedic dramas with lots of heart. Watch this one--I know you didn’t see it yet!
6/24/20: Loving (2016)
Tom: I wasn't very interested in this when it came out, probably since I was smack in the middle of law school and didn't want to spend time on a Supreme Court movie in my spare time. But guess what – if you've been following along since the beginning of this project, you know that we've discovered our love for Joel Edgerton, and he's in this. He and Ruth Negga were really sweet together in this, and it told the fascinating story about how the Supreme Court struck down laws forbidding mixed-race marriage. I enjoyed it.
Erin: Biopics and historical films can be so boring and formulaic, so I really appreciate when a director takes a different approach to that type of film. I like that Loving was super understated and focused on facial expressions and quiet moments, rather than the big moments.
6/25/20: All the Money in the World (2017)
Tom: This movie is famous for being the one that dropped Kevin Spacey during production when his allegations came out. Well, Christopher Plummer took his place and then got nominated for the Best Supporting Actor award at the Oscars. And man, he's just the best. This movie was a slow burn thriller, based on a true story, about the kidnapping of the grandson of the richest man in the world who won't pay the ransom. It's good! A solid B+, but Williams and Plummer were A+.
Erin: This was another movie that covered an under-covered part of history in the United States. I didn’t know about the Getty kidnapping that happened in the 1970s, so this movie did a serviceable job. Mark Wahlberg was weirdly cast in it? But the other lead performances made up for that!
6/26/20: Stan & Ollie (2018)
Tom: I had never really heard of Laurel and Hardy, though I knew that they were essentially a proto-Abbott and Costello. This was about their late career run together, and while it was sad at times, it was a fun one. The makeup team was amazing, and the onscreen comedic chemistry between John C. Reilly and Steve Coogan was electric. Both showed their range, too – the movie brimmed with heart.
Erin: I loved this one!! John C. Reilly and Steve Coogan play Laurel and Hardy during the last tour of their career as a comedy duo. It was fascinating and so well made. I could watch a movie like that every day!
6/27/20: John Wick Chapter 3: Parabellum (2019)
Tom: For our 100th movie, we chose the latest sequel in my favorite series since at least the Nolan Batman trilogy. I might even like it more. This installment was on the same level as the first two, and if you like either of the others, you'll enjoy this one too. The Wick-iverse is just so unique. The series has the simplest stories backed by some of the most fleshed-out world building in film and some of the most creative choreography and cinematography there is. Plus, it's got Keanu speaking literally only in cheesy action movie one-liners. What more can you possibly want?
Erin: John Wick movies are so much fun. There is such a specific aesthetic to the John Wick series: it is a mix of steampunk, Hollywood Regency, and nightclub vibes? It works so well, and Keanu Reeves is bae.