I keep meaning to set aside time/money to go to TIFF and keep forgetting. Next year.

I loved Dunkirk. I was tense for the entire film, and overwhelmed by the visuals. One thing I liked was that Tom Hardy basically just...flew a plane. He did it skillfully and excitingly, but he had no dialogue that was not him doing his job. he was wonderful at that part, but the thing that makes him a great actor is that when he decides to go ahead and shoot down those fighters, even though he doesn't have the gas and will likely die when he has to land, he conveys his whole thought process with just his eyes showing behind goggles.

I saw a screening of The Dark Tower tonight, and really enjoyed it! Did it make any sense? Maybe not. But it was short, starred Idris Elba, and the sequel could also be good.

I'll be interested to see what reviews say.

Interesting, Jesse. I decided not to see it tonight because it sounded like a mess (and also because I saw both Dunkirk and Kidnap yesterday, and I was a bit movied out.)

I liked Dunkirk fine but don't think the execution lived up to the promise of the concept and format. Kidnap was certainly better than I thought it would be, but I didn't have high hopes going in. It's definitely more interesting than the trailer makes it out to be.

Honestly, just the fact that it was relatively short left me with such a good feeling! When the big final battle started, I thought, oh, here comes the second half of the movie... and then it was over!

Edit: Needless to say, the reviews are terrible. [link] But I basically agree with the Owen Glieberman blurb:

It's a highly competent and watchable paranoid metaphysical video game that doesn't overstay its welcome, includes some luridly entertaining visual effects, and -- it has to be said -- summons an emotional impact of close to zero.

And, Idris Elba.

Exactly.

It's a highly competent and watchable paranoid metaphysical video game that doesn't overstay its welcome, includes some luridly entertaining visual effects, and -- it has to be said -- summons an emotional impact of close to zero.

Excellent. Exactly what I want.

Kind of interesting, kind of navel-gazey essay on intersectionality from Film Crit Hulk: [link]

There is, however, one throw-away line in the essay:

people who actually make it in Hollywood come from more wealth than even those at fancy university (we rarely talk about this).

Do you think that is really true?

Are they talking out behind the scenes people like directors, producers, and studio heads? Because, for example, Tom Cruise, Jennifer Lawrence, and Samuel L. Jackson all come from fairly humble beginnings.