Paddington 2 has been a massive hit in the UK and it's extremely well reviewed. It's no Pig in the City. But yeah, go see it.

The animated pop-up book sequence which Vonnie mentions is an homage to the Paddington TV series British kids grew up with in the late '70s and early '80s. Paddington was a little 3D model and everything else was drawn in 2D, and it was narrated by Michael Hordern. It was lovely. Lots of it on youtube.

Going to see The Shape of Water today, using moviepass for the first time.

Saw The Post yesterday and enjoyed it. It was beautifully cast. Streep was wonderful, as usual, but so was Carrie Coon and, well, everyone. I did not think Hanks' performance was weak, but it just can't live up to Robards in the same role. There were a couple of Spielbergian on-the-nose moments, but also some wonderful subtlety. I love that Graham saying "I'm not speaking to you right now" and turning away was such a tiny moment but said so much about her taking her power. I heard a couple of gasps in the audience.

I saw it today and liked it very much. I think The Shape of Water suits my sensibilities better, but I kind of want this to win Best Picture so it underscores how the press is *supposed* to report on political corruption.

But this second movie is on another level. It is a hilarious and heartwarming delight, and is honestly fucking magical in some of its visual imagination. There is a sequence involving a pop-up book that was so lovely, it made me well up and took my breath away. The characters, especially the damn bear, will give you ALL the feelings.

I haven't seen either Paddington movie, but this is a little bit of how I feel just having watched Brigsby Bear, which came out earlier this year. I don't know if it is streaming, but I got it on DVD from the library. So sweet and sad and heartwarming. Highly recommended.

Also, I finally got out to Phantom Thread. I don't really get the Rebecca comparisons. In fact, I rather think they led me astray regarding how to interpret the characters at first.

I liked it, but it didn't wow me. Except for the score, which I agree was magnificent. I suppose I don't see why it is a love/hate movie either, but, then again I hated both The Master and Inherent Vice and other people don't understand that. Still, I was happy to finally see something by PTA that I liked again though I don't expect it to dethrone There Will Be Blood or some of his other earlier stuff for me.

I saw The Greatest Showman last night. It was fun, and I'll watch Hugh Jackman singing and dancing his heart out as often as he wants to do so. But I suspect The Shape of Water will stick with me a lot longer. It's like comparing cotton candy and lobster rolls—there's not a lot of similarity between them (aside from the fact that they're both movies).

Paddington was a little 3D model and everything else was drawn in 2D, and it was narrated by Michael Hordern. It was lovely. Lots of it on youtube.

I watched some of them and I could see where the inspiration for the scene came from. Simple, but evocative. The movie benefits hugely from excellent casting all around, I think. And Ben Whishaw as Paddington's voice lends him just the right amount of sweet naivete.

This is a little bit of how I feel just having watched Brigsby Bear

Tasha Robinson from The Next Picture Show has been a big champion of this movie. I've been meaning to catch it for a while -- looks like it's streaming on Amazon, yay!

Also, I finally got out to Phantom Thread. I don't really get the Rebecca comparisons.

There are superficial similarities plot-wise, at least. Worldly older man takes on a green young girl of uncertain origin on a whirlwind romance, and whisks her off to his place of residence/business where things don't quite meet the eye, etc. Tonally, it diverges from there - Rebecca is very much in a Gothic mould whereas Phantom Thread is... I don't honestly know how to classify it. Cyrill serves nicely as a Mrs. Danvers analog at least at the beginning, although I find her much more interesting and layered. And Alma has much more of steel in her backbone than the second Mrs. De Winter.

I haven't seen much of PT Anderson -- I had mixed feelings about Magnolia and Boogie Nights, so haven't bothered with much of his recent work. PT has me curious to dive in a bit. Hulu is streaming Punch Drunk Love so I might start with that.

I haven't seen much of PT Anderson -- I had mixed feelings about Magnolia and Boogie Nights, so haven't bothered with much of his recent work. PT has me curious to dive in a bit. Hulu is streaming Punch Drunk Love so I might start with that.

I have now seen everything but Hard Eight. (Well, I think I may have seen Hard Eight but I'm not sure.) The Math Greek had been trying to get me to watch Magnolia forever; however, since I resist all movies over two hours he did not have much luck until now. But I caved and we actually watched it as a double bill with Phantom Thread. I liked it a lot more than I thought I would. His favorite PTA is Punch Drunk Love, which I remember liking a lot but I'm such a sucker for westerns that I'd have to see it again before I could rank it above There Will Be Blood.

I remember being a little confounded by Magnolia, although it wasn't unwatchable, but Boogie Nights is my favorite of his (I say that not having seen The Master or Punch Drunk Love or There Will Be Blood -- yet).

I have only seen Punch Drunk Love and There Will Be Blood. I liked them both well enough, but am not really tempted to see the rest of his work.