Mission: Impossible - The Final Reckoning (movie, 2025)

Mission: Impossible - The Final Reckoning

Watched June, 2025.

The special effects and stunts are certainly stunning, and in some cases groundbreaking. But the technical aspects of the plot are repeatedly, ridiculously mindless. The whole idea of the entity is illogical - an artificial intelligence has infiltrated the whole of global cyberspace, but people can hope to remove it, instantaneously. Never mind Cruise getting stuck 500 feet below the arctic ocean surface with no protective gear. It's fun to watch, but the plot is a series of illogical battles against illogical people, performing impossible stunts, with tech that has no basis in reality.

Snow White (movie, 2025)

Snow White

Watched June, 2025.

The IMDB rating of this is a "2", and I while I didn't enjoy this movie, it wasn't that unredeemable. The music was mediocre, but the performers milked the score for all they could. There are a lot of references to death for a kids' movie. This movie was supposed to start production in 2020, but was delayed until 2022, in either case while Donald Trump was at the top of USA politics. THAT was inexplicably when Disney decided to make a movie about commoners fighting to restore a hereditary ruler to her throne. This movie was included in Disney+ around the time of the "no kings" protests. And as much as this movie tries to make Snow White out to be brave and just and intelligent, the only reason she is important is because she is the most beautiful. (And when the mirror says "fairest", it's not talking about justice.) But of course, in real life, Gadot (the evil queen) is way hotter than Zegler (Snow).

Where the Boys Are (movie, 1960)

Where the Boys Are

Watched a bunch of times, possibly as early as the '60s.

This is a well done precursor to the Avalon & Funicello formula. Characters are developed, dramatic stuff happens. Gorshin, Hutton, Prentiss, Francis all do fine jobs, and no one is bad. Go see the Elbo Room, it's a real place!

Beach Party (movie, 1963)

Beach Party

Watched a bunch of times, possibly as early as the '60s.

This movie invented the ultra-B beach/music movie formula.
("Where the Boys Are is different and better.)
Gary's review of 'Where the Boys Are'

Avalon figures out that he must totally ham it up, but Funicello was apparently held back by Disney, being barely past her Mouseketeer days (these movies immortalized her for a mediocre job). FA & AF's songs are forgettable, but the awesome Dick Dale plays a significant musical role. The comedy is hit or miss, although the characters don't give Deadhead credit for his great cough drop joke. Forgive me, but I love Lembeck's Von Zipper gang leader role. And there is a pie fight. The wait for Big Daddy's "word" was a nice touch in a lackluster script.

SPOILER QUOTES: Deadhead, referring to the square professor: "If he had a twin, he'd make a good cough drop." (Think Smith Brothers.)

Big Daddy (Vincent Price): "The pit. Bring me my pendulum, kiddies, I feel like swinging."

Rififi (movie, 1955)

Rififi

Watched May, 2025.

This is a great 1950s (French) heist flick, with fantastic details on how the safe is cracked and the heist is accomplished, and then the aftermath when the thieves fence the jewels and attempt to hang on to the cash. The thieves had to circumvent the security and police tech, which were primitive (but not negligible) in 1955, but when you throw in a couple molls everything becomes beaucoup complicated.

It bugs me when a new movie is made in the 21st century but takes place in the past before modern tech. Cell phones and tech kill the plausibility of many 21st-century plots; an encrypted email cannot be hacked (no matter what you see on NCIS) and all catastrophes are solved by an easy phone call. Stick with Rififi: the characters are inherently just tough guys with no tech knowledge and it all just makes sense.

Nonnas (movie, 2025)

Nonnas

Watched May 10, 2025.

This is based on a true story, so I can't fault the movie for putting 80 year old women to work in a NYC restaurant kitchen, but the movie does not explain how many hours they worked or who else worked with them. The romantic subplot must be fictional, because no first-year law student skips studying to spend hours each night at a restaurant (but who doesn't love Linda Cardellini?). The subplot that explains the initial number of customers is nothing short of nasty and pointless. And "gravy", what's with that? If gravy is poured over spaghetti, what do Staten Island paisans pour over mashed potatoes? Ultimately this is a feel-good thing, but the world never needs a movie this mediocre. Only the big-name actors could rescue this.

You Won't Be Alone (movie, 2022)

You Won't Be Alone

Watched May, 2025.

This movie tries hard to tell a culturally important story but is hard to love. If the story were based on actual Macedonian folklore, this would be an 8, but it's apparently a folklore-ish horror fantasy portraying a pre-industrial Macedonian farm community. The translations of the English subtitles are horrifying ("the man, the eyewater he wants"). The repeated use of human entrails is not simply horror graphics, it is significant to the story, but it makes no logical sense (a basic vampire story just involves drinking blood without the self-mutilation). The soundtrack is subdued and interesting, too bad the "Welcome Happy Morning" hymn is left off the soundtrack album. If you want to skip the horror, The Peasants provides good historical fiction from this time period (in Poland).