Update on the Field (7/8/20)

We've got 110 movies under our belts, and we think it's time for a brief hiatus. We're on vacation this weekend so we won't be back watching more movies until Monday. This past cycle, we had a Korean thriller, a horror movie, a Best Picture winner, a few blockbuster hits, and a couple more! Here are our thoughts:

6/28/20: Mother (2010)
Tom: I punched my ticket to the Bong-hive immediately upon leaving the theater after Parasite. So it was no surprise that I loved Mother, a thriller about a mother trying to exonerate her special needs son after he's accused of the murder of a young girl. Bong Joon-ho just has such a unique vision for his films and Mother his patented tonal shifts that provide for such a fun viewing experience any time you watch one of his movies. I loved it.
Erin: Oh yes okay, this was wonderful. I love Bong Joon-ho so much, and this was a really great movie. Suspenseful, intriguing, and showing the depth of a mother-son relationship, Mother was an excellent addition to our watch list.

6/29/20: Bridesmaids (2011)
Tom: I sort of avoided this one because it was all the rage back when it came out and I had to be the contrarian. Now that I'm not 19 years old anymore, I really enjoyed it. The writing was just so snappy and funny, and I'm officially a full-fledged fan of Melissa McCarthy. And it's hard not to like Kristen Wiig, Maya Rudolph, and the rest of the cast. I'll watch it whenever it's on.
Erin: This is a longtime fave of mine. It gets better and better with each watch. I laugh out loud throughout the entire movie, which doesn't happen often with me. I am more of a *quick breath out of the nose* "Oh that's funny" kind of person. This movie makes me actually crack up.

6/30/20: Argo (2012)
Tom: I watched this back when it came out and I wasn't sure how it would hold up, but it definitely did. I know Ben Affleck has some haters out there, but between Argo, Gone Baby Gone, and The Town, he's a pretty solid director. The entire third act in the airport is a complete triumph in tension building and is textbook thriller content. I think this was a deserving Best Picture winner looking back.
Erin: Dad movie vibes for this one, but in the best way. This film takes a time in history that isn't talked about much, and gives it the Hollywood treatment, literally. Very good!

7/1/20: Gravity (2013)
Tom: Here's another one I didn't expect to like because I'm not a huge Sandra Bullock fan, but I really like space movies. The cinematography in this was top notch, as were the special effects. In terms of the plot, it hit pretty predictable beats although it was enjoyable. I liked it. I'll watch anything with Clooney (even you, Batman & Robin) and I love Alfonso Cuaron.
Erin: There are three settings of movies I avoid: space, sand, and the southwest. But I have to say, I really liked this one! Maybe it's because it hits in my "under two hours please" request, or maybe it's because Alfonso Cuaron is just so darn good.

7/2/20: Begin Again (2014)
Tom: This is a nice, quiet little movie that was a very slight twist on a classic romantic comedy. Keira Knightley and Mark Ruffalo had great onscreen chemistry and it had a surprisingly deep cast including Hailee Steinfeld, Adam Levine (and what looked like a super fake beard), James Corden, Mos Def, CeeLo Green, and Catherine Keener. I also think it's hilarious that there's an entire section on Wikipedia about the writer/director's criticism of Keira Knightley. I thought she was really good!
Erin: I love this director and this movie! I saw it years ago, and it stars two of my top people: Ruffalo and Knightley! I could watch this movie a million times. It's just really sweet and fun.

7/3/20: It Follows (2015)
Tom: Another interesting horror movie! I never really knew what was going to happen next, which is always the hallmark of a good horror movie (or movie in general I guess). The performances were good and the concept was intriguing. I especially enjoyed the swimming pool scene towards the end, I thought it was a unique way to portray the climax of a slasher film. Definite recommend.
Erin: Great movie! It made me really think, and also made me realize that I truly enjoy horror films (sometimes!!) The music was major Stranger Things/Uncut Gems vibes, which added to the uniqueness of the movie. I like that it could have been sort of cheeky or whatever, but it took itself seriously.

7/4/20: Rogue One: A Star Wars Story (2016)
Tom: I knew I'd like this just by seeing the cast, and it was as good as I'd heard. It's at least in my top 3 Star Wars movies along with The Empire Strikes Back and Return of the Jedi. I think the characters were slightly underdeveloped (I especially would have liked more from Riz Ahmed's character) but it played off of the pre-established knowledge of the rest of the universe, especially A New Hope, really effectively. Also, as an aside, Ben Mendelsohn plays slimy villains so well (Animal Kingdom, Ready Player One).
Erin: Major yikes alert: space AND sand. Sigh. No, but this was a good one. Star Wars is just so not my thing. I am so confused always. Can we please get a primary color somewhere? SO MUCH BEIGE. But this was one of the best in the Wars universe. It was fun.

7/5/20: Beauty and the Beast (2017)
Tom: I was never super interested in the Disney live action movies because there are so many original things I'd like to watch, but this was really great. I'm no huge Emma Watson fan, but I think this was the perfect role for her, and Luke Evans was meant to play Gaston. I'm also a Dan Stevens fan from Legion (and yes, Eurovision), so I'm always happy to see him get large-scale roles. Definitely worth a watch.
Erin: Belle is my princess (Belle girls stand up!) so I saw this in theaters with my mom and sister when it came out. It's a cool live action adaptation of the 1991 classic, and I liked the changes made to this one. It respected the original but made the characters a little more…human (lol? Is that a joke? We have watched so many movies I can't even think anymore)

7/6/20: The Old Man & the Gun (2018)
Tom: This was fun! 81-year-old Robert Redford played 70-year-old Forrest Tucker, a man who has escaped prison sixteen times (in fact, he doesn't even remember every prison he's escaped from) and continues to rob banks for fun. I'll note that white privilege is a guy living to escape prison sixteen times, but in a way it was also a microcosm of Redford's career, which has lasted over sixty years. Like Tucker, Redford just can't give it up. Except that he did, because this movie was his alleged final role. But whatever. This movie ruled.
Erin: I like movies where the conflict like isn't even a big deal, and that was this one. The stakes are NOT high, despite like fifty banks being robbed. That's the vibe I'm into always. Robert Redford and Sissy Spacek are in this and they are excellent actors! I feel bad I have only seen a few movies with them in it so far. I'll change that. Also random but the typography in this movie was great.

7/7/20: Judy (2019)
Tom: We avoided renting this one because it was SIX DOLLARS, and it finally came onto a streaming service (EPIX, which we apparently have) for free. I spent last Oscar season railing against Renee Zellweger's inevitable Best Actress win for this movie because I thought Saoirse Ronan had a better claim for Little Women (and I get annoyed when actors win awards for playing real people, but that's an article I'll write in the future). I hate to admit when I'm wrong, so I won't. Renee absolutely deserved to win, but my ballot would have had Saoirse (or Lupita Nyong'o for Us, who wasn't even nominated). That being said, Zellweger was electric as a trainwreck Judy Garland in her final years.
Erin: This was another hit for me! Great batch of movies. Renee Zellweger blew my mind in this one. You can tell she put everything into this role, and truly saw past the sad parts in Judy Garland's Wikipedia page. I would recommend this, and I usually don't like biopics!