Joy Ride (2023)
Buckle up for a gloriously raucous hot rod in female-led comedy. It’s unabashedly ribald, fiercely sex-positive, and a welcome reprieve by flipping burnt-out gender stereotypes; although its brazenness may eject sensitive viewers. Even a perfunctory “finding roots” theme and the Deadeye character equivalent to a flat can’t stop it from punching the accelerator. Rare proof that empowerment and raunch can both ride in the front seat.

The Idea of You (2024)
A piquant romcom deploying familiar tropes yet elevated by the taboo pairing of an older woman with a younger man revealing societal hypocrisy. While the male interest is the unfortunate embodiment of the manic pixie dream guy, a charming undercooked fantasy, Solène’s family-first sacrifice adds emotional ballast, making the happy ending feeling earned. Formulaic but compellingly human.

Robot & Frank (2012)
A warm, quirky tale about a retired thief and his android caretaker forging an unlikely bond. Sadly undermined by extraneous subplots, the most egregious is Madison’s irrelevant character; and a forced revelation defies credulity. Thankfully, its brisk runtime and central heart prevail.

Wyrmwood (2014)
Aspires to be a hybrid of Mad Max’s chrome fury and Dawn of the Dead’s dreadful horror but misfires and sputters into shambling neutral. Campy absurdity sparks too late amid tonally jarring shifts, while neither horror nor humour properly ignites. Brief spurts of fleshed-out scenes injects potential but is ultimately devoured by the undead. Choose a lane.

Eat, Pray, Love (2010)
“Americans know entertainment, but don’t know pleasure” is this film’s inadvertent epitaph. Profoundly American superficiality, tailor-made for “live, laugh, love” audiences mistaking spiritual tourism for enlightenment. It fully embodies the banal aphorism of its title, pleasant Kodak sunsets masks the starvation of authenticity. A hollow triptych of postcard profundity.

All this vehicular imagery was fun and a little exhausting to write.

I actually watched Falling Down days ago and it was clear to see his disillusionment manifesting. A warning, if you will, that this could be you.

I’ll write a short review in next week’s weekly movie thread.

Manhattan (1979)
A gorgeously shot, romanticized, monochromatic love letter to its namesake. It captures not only iconic scenic landmarks of the city, but relational complexities of love through its earnest writing, dissecting the messiness of human connection filled with hidden insecurities with wit and honesty. This is surprisingly my first Woody Allen film but assuredly not my last.
“You don’t know what love means. I don’t know what it means. Nobody out there knows what the hell’s going on.”

Demolition (2016)
Davis suffers from emotional vacancy following his wife’s death and attempts to feel something, manifests in nihilistic dismantling of life’s structures through antipathic antics, even when context arrives late he’s long been anesthetized by numbness. The anodyne sweetness of the rushed third act fails to buttress lost goodwill. I applaud the tricky cinematic concept but Gyllenhaal’s solidity can’t fully salvage narrative demolition.

Kingdom of the Planet of the Apes (2024)
Visually sumptuous cinematography and CGI can’t elevate this from Beneath its predecessors. It Rises only shortly past Dawn as a middling entry, regurgitating woefully familiar narrative themes while the aptly named Proximus Caesar bastardizes and wages War against the original’s legacy. Its runtime fails to Escape lulls and drags towards a cheap cliffhanger. Not a reinvigorating Conquest for the franchise, but not a completely lost Battle.

The Rezort (2015)
Jurassic Park if stripped of thematic awe and dinosaurs are swapped for zombies. Once you overlook its flawed premise and facile social commentary, it shuffles into surprisingly competent, undemanding genre fare. Never transcending its derivative roots, but delivers a prosaic and crunchy diversion for the undead-starved.

Assassination Nation (2018)
Blatant derivative of The Purge meets formulaic parody of digital-age outrage but lacks the original’s visceral punch. Chekhov’s gun misfires repeatedly as plot points fizzle in the proverbial rain, nearly making its plot holes redundant. Only the well-shot kinetic home invasion sequence provides an isolated spark. Spiritless vim; ultimately as hollow as its characters’ rage.

The details are now fuzzy but I recall loving Palm Springs!

Begin Again (2013)
Liking Carney Once is natural, twice perhaps coincidental, but thrice in a row leads me to surmise I simply enjoy what he has to offer. This melodic tapestry of bruised souls finding harmony amidst the cacophony of life offers a genuine, uplifting story that quietly restores faith in humanity - and the commercialized music industry. This is the second Carney movie I’ve watched in recent months and I am sure now to fast-track the remainder.

The Wild Robot (2024)
The tender odyssey of true familial bonds; of found parenthood, adolescent growing pains, and self-acceptance amidst adversity. Radiating more authentic heart than modern Disney, its creators’ passion are evident in each frame with animation warmth unseen since Into the Spider-Verse and the more recent Ne Zha 2. It is disarmingly pure and allows one to easily overlook its plot holes. This is a true family film.

The King and I (1956)
A spectacle firmly of its bygone era, boasting typical grand sets and dazzling costumes. However, its foundation feels increasingly antiquated and is lacking the enduring charm and compelling narrative found in the The Sound of Music. Technically splendid, emotionally anemic.

Companion (2025)
A present on the concept of self seemingly enveloped in a thriller veneer but ultimately we discover the wrapping to be more substantial than the gift. Its potential for deeper resonance is lost with gaping plot holes and narrative convenience that strains credulity. Yet still an enjoyable surface level experience.

Nobody (2021)
Essentially John Wick stripped of mythos and plunged into a more grounded, suburban reality. It delivers competently choreographed action but lacks a distinctive style or the relentlessness of its inspiration. A fun, visceral ride, yet ultimately feels like a less memorable, albeit decent, copy.

That makes sense but it is prohibitively expensive at nearly $4,000USD which is more than double the price of every other foldable phone. None of the other ones are a trifold though.

Plus Huawei does not come with Google services preinstalled and requires additional steps to do so.

My friend actually has 2 (and 1 regular smartphone) and dailies the Galaxy Z Fold 6. She uses it for work and media consumption and loves it so much she’s mentioned wanting the Huawei Mate XT.

I see the appeal for people who wants/needs the screen real-estate but it isn’t required for regular users. Ultra/Pro models of phones being in a similar position of irrelevancy for people not obsessed with having the best camera.

It’s using global numbers so it would actually be #4 after Ne Zha 2, Détective Chinatown 1900, and Captain America: Brave New World. It is #2 domestic though.