What I Was Watching In October 2020
This was an exciting month for me - the month I got access to HBO Max. And wow could I get lost in that library. I hate to say it, but this insane service might….unfortunately, be worth it. If I have a whole month to myself with no responsibilities, I wouldn’t be able to make it through everything I want to watch.
One thing I want to highlight that isn’t a movie is actually a new Netflix property - a miniseries called The Queen’s Gambit . And it’s kind of incredible. I read the book and decided to check it out…and finished it accidentally in 24 hours. It’s really worth looking into.
American Murder - The Family Next Door
Netflix
It feels weird to call a documentary about a horrible murder good or well-done, but it really is. There is something really unique to this film since the footage is from a lot of different sources without having the shaky-cam Cops vibe that can add a cheap quality to documentaries. This story is incredibly heavy, but I was stuck on every word from beginning to end.
The Verdict: 4/5
This is Paris
YouTube
As a ‘90s kid who was in middle and high school at the height of Paris Hilton mania, this documentary was insanely fascinating. I had heard rumors and talk that a lot of her ‘dumb blonde’ persona was all an act, but I learned so much about her life, and while this isn’t a pity party, you can’t help but feel bad for her. The stuff she’s been through and the weight she puts on her shoulders is an awful lot for one person.
The Verdict: 4/5
Moneyball
Netflix
Since September was a tour-de-Sorkin, I decided I should finish it out with Moneyball. I figured with how much I love baseball, this would be a hit (pun intended), but I didn’t like it as much as I wanted to. I’m not sure what didn’t work for me, because it’s a technically very well-written, well-acted movie and it’s about a topic I like, but I’m not sure how high I’d rank it among other baseball or other Sorkin movies.
The Verdict: 3.5/5
Zodiac
Netflix
When I saw the run time of this movie, I was bracing myself for a long, drawn out, badly paced story. I was entirely, incredibly wrong. This legitimately be one of the best movies I’ve ever seen. I almost gave it a 5/5 but the sheer idea of doing that stressed me out. The cast, the pacing, the writing, the cinematography, everything was right up my alley.
The Verdict: 4.5/5
High Rise
Hulu
Disclaimer: I watched this solely because it stars Tom Hiddleston. I avoided it for a while because I could have sworn it was a horror-adjacent film but Hulu claimed it was a comedy. It, in fact, is not a comedy. It also may be one of the hardest movie-watching experiences I’ve had, outside of Annihilation. I did not enjoy any aspect of this movie, and it’s only getting a 2 because the acting and cinematography were solid.
The Verdict: 2/5
The Addams Family
Prime
I remember rolling my eyes at the ads for this movie in theaters, but it turned out to be awfully cute. This film is nothing spectacular, but it’s fun, and considering it’s free on Prime, it’s well worth a watch. The voice cast in and of itself is practically a masterpiece and is a reason to watch it if nothing else. It’s a fun animated film, and I wish I was posting this before Halloween because it would be a perfect family film for the holiday.
The Verdict: 3/5
Blood Diamond
HBO Max
I have no idea why I put this on my to-watch list, but when I saw it was on the HBO Leaving Soon list I felt like I needed to watch it. Boy, Leo was really wanting an Oscar for a long time, wasn’t he? The movie itself was pretty fascinating but I couldn’t help but roll my eyes at the white savior tone it took on by the end - if it hadn’t done that, I think it would have been a much more solid movie.
The Verdict: 3/5
Driving Miss Daisy
HBO Max
Somehow, without ever watching this movie, I feel like I knew all about it just from it being in the general vicinity of standard pop culture. I really enjoyed it, but it felt predictable. Maybe that’s due to when it actually was released, and maybe it was just the fact that I knew too much of it, but there were a few moments I kinda drifted. However, I recognize it is such a solid movie that we can’t help but know about it.
The Verdict: 3.5/5
The Outsiders
HBO Max
I have no idea how it took this long for me to watch this. The cast alone….I mean, just for baby Rob Lowe and Patrick Swayze, it was well worth my time. I wish I had seen it earlier so I could have some nostalgia related to it, but it still gave me that same fuzzy feeling inside. Also, in a surprise twist, I actually was really impressed with how well they portrayed male friendships. Not something you see every day.
The Verdict: 3.5/5
Amelie
HBO Max
I feel like I should have known this movie was entirely in French, but that somehow escaped me until I pressed play. This movie was incredibly charming and made me smile the whole way through. It is a dreamy, quirky movie that easily drew me in and kept my interest the whole time.
The Verdict: 3.5/5
The Replacements
HBO Max
So first off, I recognize this is not the most amazing movie, but I could not care less. It’s baby Keanu Reeves in the most 2000 movie ever. The soundtrack, the style, the optimistic underdog sports story? It’s everything we need while the world is just on fire. Because who doesn’t want a movie where you know everything will be just fine in roughly two hours?
The Verdict: 3/5
I just started Insecure, so that’ll keep me occupied for two days or so, but then I can’t wait to keep exploring all the movies out there - with that time change coming in a matter of hours after posting this, I can foresee so many movie nights in cozy pjs and spiked hot chocolate.
Welcome to movie night season, everyone.