Netflix is getting two Knives Out sequels from Rian Johnson: [link]

Yes! Awesome!

ETA: I like Benoit's detective shtick well enough, I hope we get to see more of LaKeith Stanfield's character, and I am SO EXCITED to have a murder mystery franchise to follow! Not sure how I feel about it being on Netflix rather than in theaters (or also in theaters? Unclear) but that is a minor quibble at most.

Very excited about the Rian Johnson news. I assume there may be a limited theatrical run but I plan on nothing these days.

In Criterion news, I just wanted to give a heads up that most of the Marlene Dietrich & Josef von Sternberg collection is expiring at the end of the month.

I'm trying to be better about not going overboard with the expiring films but I've somehow managed to add those and ten other films to my queue. Since I'm now a month behind on my Century+ project and hope to get through the 1930s and the 1940s this month, I don't have high hopes for see many beyond the Sternbergs.

Godzilla vs. Kong is spectacularly dumb with nonsense yet needlessly convoluted plots, with frequently howl-worthy dialog. It also has Kong, who out-acts every single human on screen -- he's cranky, is too old for this shit, and he's HAD It with the stupid people and the aggressive lizard on his tail. He has all the power and weary soulfulness of a legendary boxer past his prime dragged out to open a can of majestic WHOOP ASS on all and sundry. I loved every second of monster-brawlin' in this movie, and the actor who did the motion capture for Kong's face needs to receive some kind of an award, seriously.

Godzilla, by the virtue of being a lizard, is somewhat less expressive (I mean, it's very difficult not to be on Team Kong in this movie) but has some moments of impressive coolness and badassery.

Basically it has all the fun giant-creature shenanigans of Pacific Rim, except with very forgettable human elements. I saw it in a Dolby theater and had a GREAT time, even during the stupid bits (which is most of the movie when the monsters aren't wailing on each other). In the middle of the movie, Kong and a motley crew enter... uhm, some kind of different realm, and even though the whole plot surrounding that is fucking ridiculous, the sequence has a kind of kitschy splendor that almost verges on poetic. They break out a very Vangelis-sounding synth score for the scene, which really worked on me despite everything.

It's available on HBO Max as well as in theaters. If you are in a mood for some loud, dumb fun, you could do a lot worse.

While I was watching Godzilla burn down Pensacola with atomic fire I was thinking "how about a little side trip to Tallahassee while you're visiting?"

I don't know how to feel about Phoebe Waller-Bridges signing on to do Indiana Jones 5. On the one hand, yay for more stuff with her, but on the other, Indiana Jones 5? Really? Is that necessary?

Maybe it'll be a "the odd ones are good" situation, I suppose, but am not sanguine

Have I shared that I only recently realized that while Phoebe Waller Bridge is very talented, she is not also a podcaster (Phoebe Judge) or a musician (Phoebe Bridgers).

Have I shared that I only recently realized that while Phoebe Walker Bridge is very talented, she is not also a podcaster (Phoebe Judge) or a musician (Phoebe Bridgers).

Once again treading into The Great Marti Noxon/Marni Nixon Conundrum.

Or my perpetual confusion about Keith Urban and Karl Urban.

I legit thought that Nicole Kidman married the actor from Lord of the Rings for quite some time! I thought it was cute and I was a little disappointed.