Wrap Up: What I Watched In January 2019
In January, good movies are few and far between. So sometimes you have to dig through the depths to find something good to watch in between awards season and blockbuster season. Thankfully, there are some great things coming in February and March, so for this month, here’s what I’ve been watching - that I haven’t been reviewing - the old, the new and the streaming.
Set It Up
Netflix
This 2018 movie came out right around the time of the Great RomCom Renaissance, but even though I wanted to love it (come on - it’s Taye Diggs and Lucy Liu for crying out loud) but it didn’t seem like they knew what tone they were going for and it kept alternating between the stand-by cliches and raunchier comedic lines.
The Verdict: 5/10.
Dangerous Beauty
Netflix
Give me some romance, a long-ago time and some gorgeous costuming and I’m a happy camper. This 1998 flick tells the story of a Venetian courtesan in the 1500s who finds herself torn in both love and life. This based-on-a-true-story movie was entrancing, sexy and fascinating and I truly enjoyed a look into a historical figure I had never previously heard about.
The Verdict: 8/10.
Spider-Man: Into The Spider-Verse
In theaters
I love superhero movies as much as the next person and this one did not disappoint. It has a sense of humor about it that not many cartoons do, and the animation style makes a comic book leap off the page in a way I’ve never seen before. The voice cast is phenomenal and if Avengers: Infinity War hadn’t come out this year, it’d be an easy contender for my favorite superhero movie of 2018.
The Verdict: 9/10
Scott Pilgrim Vs. The Universe
Netflix
This was one that had been on my list for a long time, solely because of how insane the cast is. It came out in 2010 and has Chris Evans, Michael Cera, Anna Kendrick, Brandon Routh and Jason Schwartzman. Come on. That’s crazy. The movie is fine as it is, but even if it doesn’t end up among your favorites, it’s worth watching solely for the, “Whoa I didn’t know he/she was in this!”
The Verdict: 6/5/10
On The Basis of Sex
In Theaters
Granted, I don’t know anything more about Ruth Bader Ginsburg besides what I read lately in the news and on social media, but I thought this movie showed a wonderful side to one of the most influential women in modern American history. I know some people claim it isn’t the most accurate, but depicting her early life, when it all changed for her and her relationship with her husband made me appreciate her even more.
The Verdict: 7/10
The Last Five Years
Netflix (since taken off)
The unique set up for this movie was what drew me to it. Two timelines of the same events, one going forward and one going backward and then meeting in the middle. And a musical to boot. Starring Anna Kendrick. I had to see it. Unfortunately it did fall flat a little bit for me. Kendrick’s performance was enjoyable, but the story didn’t quite fill in everything I felt I needed it to.
The Verdict: 5/10
Unbreakable
Amazon Prime Rental
At another’s recommendation, I sat down with this one to fully be able to understand the now-in-theaters Glass. I enjoyed it quite a bit, but it did lack a bit since I watched it after we’ve had roughly five big-budget superhero flicks a year. If I had seen this almost two decades ago when it came out, I’m sure I would have been way more awed by it. So circumstances had to be factored in for this rating.
The Verdict: 7/10
Glass
In Theaters
Okay, this one didn’t require me factoring in when it came out. M. Night Shyamalan’s end to the trilogy fell way below expectations for me. It carried on the same tone as the first one even though times have changed quite a bit, and that just didn’t quite work for a hero epic. There were a few things off in this for me, and it seemed like every other character was in a different movie than the others.
The Verdict: 4/10
Monty Python’s Life of Brian
Netflix
I’m almost ashamed how long it took for me to see this one, since Holy Grail was one of my favorite movies in high school and college. I enjoyed the expected dry, British humor in this one but it couldn’t quite hold my interest as much as Holy Grail used to. I’d rank it above Meaning of Life but maybe below some of their best Flying Circus skits (dead parrot, anyone?).
The Verdict: 5.5/10