Irrelevant But Awesome

Alexa:   I’m a former newspaper journalist, and I’ve always been fascinated by the portrayal of the profession in popular culture. “Spotlight” is hands down the best modern journalism movie I’ve ever seen. It’s an impeccably executed film in its own right, and its depiction of investigative journalism is among the most accurate I’ve seen onscreen. The film follows the Spotlight investigative team at The Boston Globe in the early 2000s and their work to expose the Boston Archdiocese’s attempts to cover up ongoing child sex abuse by Catholic priests in the area. The movie doesn’t embellish the job with overly dramatic monologues or unnecessary action sequences. It’s all developing relationships with sources, poring through documents and making connections, fighting for access to public records and fact checking. It’s a refreshingly no-frills approach to journalism movies, and the stakes still feel high. Tackling systemic injustice head-on is just as pressing today as it was in 2...

Alexa:  I’m a pretty big foodie and an avid sushi lover, so I would honestly be entertained by artful shots of sushi alone. But even if Michelin three-star cuisine is not your cup of tea, you’ll find plenty to love in “Jiro Dreams of Sushi.” The renowned chef at the center of the documentary is an endearing character, and his quest for perfection is fascinating. Jiro embodies the beauty of doing something really, really well. His meticulous attention to detail, dedication to the process and respect for the ingredients and the vendors that supply them prove impeccable cuisine doesn’t have to have a ton of bells and whistles. His sushi is simply rice and fish, but it’s the most expertly crafted medley of those ingredients, each component its own work of art. His restaurant has just 10 seats and it’s located in a subway station because the food speaks for itself. Director David Gelb captures Jiro the man and Jiro the master chef beautifully. And Jiro’s sons are equally compelling...

We live in interesting times. Justice League grossed 96 million dollars in its opening weekend, yet all of the box office analysis of this past weekend are talking about it like Justice League is a disaster financially. How can this be? In what world can 96 million dollars be considered a flop. Sure maybe it performed below expectations or desires, but a disaster? A flop? How is that possible? So, it’s worth it to take a little bit of time and break down the box office results of Justice League this past weekend, to see exactly where it sits. (Note: nothing in this article is meant to be a review or commentary on the actual quality of the movie itself. Just a look at the business side of the movie) First of all, we need to take a look at the budget of Justice League . Justice League reportedly had an estimated budget of $300 million. And keep in mind that this is just the production cost. If you want to include the advertising budget, distribution cost, etc., traditional rul...

Alexa:  Guys, this movie is such a mess, I don’t even know where to begin. The one compliment I will give “Toys” is it’s a delight to look at. Its sets and costumes are bold, fun and capture the playful spirit of childhood beautifully. It’s the sort of place the kid inside everyone would love to get lost, a world of imagination made real. I get the sense that this dynamic vision popped into director Barry Levinson’s mind first, and he built a flimsy story around it to bring it to life. Behind the extravagant spectacle of it all, “Toys” is lifeless. Its characters are devoid of personality. It lacks an emotional hook, so the stakes feel low even though the threat of war hangs in the balance. The sluggish pacing doesn’t help. Without any substance to support it, this visually engaging movie becomes just plain dull. And it’s frustrating because there are some good ideas here. It has the potential to be a captivating world, and its central themes about childhood innocence and the ...

Alexa:  “Sleeping with Other People” is sort of my quintessential Netflix movie - not good enough for me to pay to see it in theaters, an enjoyable way to spend an hour and a half of my time, but probably not strong enough to stick with me for long. It’s a movie I’ve been meaning to watch because of its cast, and it’s so charming and fun largely because of them. It’s packed with great supporting players (though I hate seeing Adam Scott be such a jagweed). Alison Brie and Jason Sudeikis transform two leads who could come across as super unlikable into flawed but endearing people. It has all the trappings of a traditional rom-com, but Brie and Sudeikis have such natural chemistry that Jake and Lainey’s story feels much more organic than a lot of other fare in this genre. Their will-they-won’t-they friendship and the picturesque New York scenery give it somewhat of a “When Harry Met Sally” vibe. But unlike that film, “Sleeping with Other People” never manages to transcend far bey...