Just watched it and I agree with you. I think I would be more sold if they called this some sort of prequel series, Chapter 0, etc. As it is it feels like a (very) extended trailer.

True— big budget movies tend to have a high bar to clear with regard to being too "formulaic" (and imo, rightfully so). I don't think the bar moves artificially though, but rather big budget movies are more likely to color within the lines to please the studio. They make boatloads of money by giving audiences mostly…

On the contrary, I think Iggy is just disappointed that after making the relatively bold move of deciding to tell the story from the apes' perspective, they don't capitalize on the shift much because they are inevitably constrained by the formula. I think he's pretty much on board with the apes being the good guys,…

I haven't seen the movie, but it appears Iggy's issues are not with the casting choices or roles but rather with the performances themselves being a bit derivative or underwhelming (eg. Harrelson "doing his best Marlon Brando" and Caesar "glowering through the movie").

Re: Laura Linney and Xerxes, the problem is less that she's devoted to her brother and more that she allows the guilt of being 'normal' to trap her from having a somewhat ordinary life, and she probably uses it as an excuse to play it safe and get out of taking her own leaps of courage. Notice at the end of that scene…

On the other hand, I'd say a B/B+ is an appropriate rating for formulaic-done-well. It's not a bad grade by any means. I like the idea of A/A- grades being reserved for those movies that are not only technically great and enjoyable, but also contribute something original to films.

WOW, I DIDN'T KNOW THAT WAS AN OPTION!!!!!!!!!!

If it makes any difference, the Chairman's reasons for his reticence and the ways that he "loved her from afar" are made a bit clearer in the book. I do remember it kinda coming out of nowhere in the movie.

JUST LEAVE IT ALONE AND MAKE SOMETHING ORIGINAL

"The criminal has undertaken to commit a morally repugnant act to cause harm to their victim. Whether or not the victim is phased shouldn't really matter."

Those who are interested in The Little Hours should check out the series Another Period. Same style of anachronistic dialogue and deliberately incongruous rap. It's silly but I kind of love the combination whenever I see it.

Zouk's line delivery is consistently great, and being ugly never slowed down a comedian (quite the opposite actually).

Depending on the reviewer, I'd fully expect them to have wisdom that the average person doesn't have, depending on a combination of taste, academic knowledge (of filmmaking or movie history) and actual number of movies watched.

See, this is funny to me because Brie seems positively subdued on Glow, compared to her characters on Mad Men and Community. She wasn't playing adorable or likable characters there either.

I'm gay and a beautiful pair of breasts are the absolute tits.

As someone who's into big beefy dudes with big puppy eyes, Alex Riley can get it. Mmph.

It reminds me a little bit of Freaks and Geeks in that although the tropes are very well-trodden, the actors are charming enough and the era nostalgia is strong enough that the audience doesn't really seem to mind.

I like her just on the basis that the actress is doing great playing her, but I also kinda wonder why people don't see how unoriginal the character is. I've mentioned earlier that she's an Allison from Breakfast Club retread, and "unapproachable weirdo who is secretly sensitive and has a heart of gold" is kinda tired.…

I thought that at first, but as the scene unfolded I think it's less about Carmen's lesbian sexual awakening than it is really just innocent curiosity about having a glamorous female friend for the first time.

I've actually rediscovered ketchup recently after years of avoiding it. Partly it has to do with learning more cooking skills and understanding how crucial the interactions are between sweet, sour, salty, and bitter flavors. Ketchup is a fantastic condiment that is very versatile as a base for more complicated sauces.…