#amazon streaming

HONEY BOY (directed by Alma Har’el) 

YEP YEP YEP. This movie is another Medicine Movie. If you don’t know, “Medicine Movie” is a term I use to describe a movie that literally has the power to heal me, to make me feel better no matter what mood I’m in. And while Honey Boy deals with some really heavy subject matter, the way it goes about telling its story and the heart and love that obviously went into making this movie shines through each scene like a warm hug. 

NOAH JUPE. I just felt like screaming his name. Because, DAMN THIS KID CAN ACT. Noah Jupe is the glue that holds this movie together. I mean, don’t get me wrong; Shia is a fucking genius and the emotion he brings to his character is heartbreaking, and Lucas Hedges is such a sweet sweet boi. But, come on. Noah steals every single scene he is in. He is incredibly honest and sincere, so believable and full of emotion. You can always tell that his character is ready to scream and on the verge of breaking down or maybe laughing out loud? There’s a crazy behind his eyes, but at the same time he does a brilliant job to remind us that he’s still just a 12 year old boy who wants his dad to love and see him.  Just some really, really brilliant work. I can’t wait to see where this kid goes. 

The structure of the movie is also really dope, telling the story in an almost drug infused flashback from older Otis’ (Lucas Hedges) point of view while he is in rehab. A lot of film use this “I’m in Rehab now and here’s what happened so now Imma work out my shit” plot device, but this found a way to not make it unique. I think a lot of it has to do with Hedges, who has so much rage, but in his heart you can tell he’s still that little 12 year old kid who just wanted a normal childhood. 

This movie pretty perfect, and left with a lot of tears flowing down my sweet face. The script, OMG HOW COULD I FORGET THE SCRIPT. Kill it Shia, like, Hollywood superstar Shia Labeouf YES. Whew, okay, I needed a moment. But damn, this script reads like a play, and director Alma Har’el captures that so well in her directing, choosing to utilize long shots and let the actors and the dialogue tell the story. There isn’t any crazy cinematography gimmicks or lens flares galore: just real humans telling honest and heartbreaking stories. And boy oh honey boy, does it break your heart. 

I need to finish the series since I fell asleep but it’s really fun and got me thinking how in the hell did Japanese culture develop into what it is today? Why are the Japanese so focused on politeness and reverence of their elders and Americans are SO not. I know they’re a homogenous culture and that has a lot to do with it but why are their values SO different from so many places on earth?

he doesn’t understand the concept of binge watching a show. because they only put out like 10-12 episodes then it takes like 8 or more months for any more episodes to be released. and he doesn’t like that format. 

I just want to get some preliminary thoughts on this show out there now that I’ve watched all eight episodes.

First, it’s true what everyone is saying about Rachel Brosnahan. She is terrific, funny, charming, and her performance as Midge is one of the best things I’ve seen in a TV show this year. But don’t overlook Alex Borstein, who has been great in so many things and overlooked and under-appreciated for so long it’s obscene. She’s soooo very good here as coffee house booker Susie Meyerson it’s ridiculous. After a career playing small roles here and there, or known primarily for MadTV and her voice work on Family Guy, it’s nice to see her have a moment to really shine and show us what she can do in a co-lead. (She was great in the HBO series Getting On, btw, alongside Laurie Metcalf, another great talent finally getting her day in the sun in Lady Bird.)

Second, I think the show does a pretty solid job of demonstrating the inside baseball world of the late 1950s comedy scene (that is admittedly still far too insular), and even if it gets some things wrong, it feels right, which in a piece of art is more important than simple historical accuracy. At its heart, The Marvelous Mrs. Maisel is a domestic drama fairytale, and it carries with it all the trials and tribulations thereof. In the fifth episode, “Doink,” after Midge bombs repeatedly, I found myself thinking that I don’t know if I’ve ever seen a show or a film that demonstrates how often this happens - and discusses the reasons why (unprepared material, going off-script, etc.) - as thoroughly as this one hour of TV.