Hello March! I’m just excited that Spring is just around the corner! After the Polar Vortext where temps dipped well below zero here in Minnesota, this week the highs will be in the 40s, woo hoo! [yep, we in MN do get excited about the weather, folks :D]
Oh yeah, I did watch parts of the Golden Globes last night but honestly, I don’t really care enough to dedicate a blog for its coverage. In fact, I even missed the first hour of the Globes as I came home late from running errands, so I just caught up w/ the monologue after the show.
Glad to see Tina Fey and Amy Poehler roasted the all-white HFPA members echoing the #TimesUpGlobes that’s been trending all last week.
‘You won’t even notice’ — Watch Amy Poehler and Tina Fey kick off the 78th Golden Globes in two different cities with this opening monologue fit for the era of physical distancing pic.twitter.com/DbE0OLRV5w
— NowThis (@nowthisnews) March 1, 2021
As for the winners…
Well, the most emotional moment of the night has got to be when the late Chadwick Boseman (I still gets teary eyed even typing THAT) won for Best Actor for his performance in Ma Rainey’s Black Bottom. His wife Taylor Simone Ledward gave such a heart-rending speech… can’t imagine how she must have felt losing such a precious person. We all still miss you, Chadwick…
On a more positive note, I’m SO happy for Chloe Zhao for winning Best Director… AND Nomadland winning Best Motion Picture – Drama.
Congratulations to Nomadland’s Chloé Zhao for winning the Golden Globe Award for Best Director. #NMDLND #GoldenGlobes pic.twitter.com/T7W0UzJQe2
— Nomadland (@nomadlandfilm) March 1, 2021
It’s a historic win as she’s the first Asian woman AND the second woman to win best director of a motion picture (since Barbra Streisand won in 1983 for Yentl).
On the TV front… this double win for Emma Corrin + Josh O’Connor who played Prince Charles + Princess Diana just made me smile
josh o’connor and emma corrin thanking eachother in their respective golden globes win speeches 🥺#GoldenGlobes pic.twitter.com/s9FC8ZywEo
— alex (@poedamnrn) March 1, 2021
In any case, here’s what I watched in February:
NEW-TO-ME MOVIES
Photograph
Such a lovely film… I recommended this in my picks of non-English language romances list. I’m hoping to see The Lunch Box soon!
Blind Date – (French title: Un Peu, Beaucoup, Aveuglément)
Thanks Claire Packer of Cinematic Delights for recommending this delightful rom-com!
In The Mood For Love
I can’t believe I haven’t watched this Wong Kar Wai’s classic sooner. I can see why this film is so beloved by many. The Criterion collection Blu-ray is currently on back-order!
I Care A Lot
Rosamund Pike just won a Golden Globe for her role in this movie. She’s truly one of the main reasons to see this movie!
Shakespea-reTold – Macbeth
Though I love James McAvoy, I did not enjoy this modern Macbeth rendition at all. This star-studded Shakespea-reTold has been a hit and miss for me.
The Father
I saw the play version a couple of years ago at a local theater (which is actually owned by the lead actor on my short film Hearts Want), and it’s one of the most emotional stage performances I’ve ever seen. It’s actually directed and written by its own playwright Florian Zeller, so this is his feature directorial debut.
Raya and the Last Dragon
I got an early screening for this and still working on the full review. My beef with some screeners is that the picture quality isn’t on par with the regular streaming feature, it’s quite obvious the visuals just doesn’t look as sharp as if I were to rent this once it’s available on streaming. I find that annoying and dumb as you’d think they’d want to showcase the best quality screeners for professional critics who’d judge the visual quality of the film?
Palm Springs
My hubby and I was looking for a short-er movie (around 90 minutes) last Saturday night as we got home late from dinner, and this one fits the bill. It’s quite a fun movie that takes the Groundhog Day stuck-in-a-time-loop concept feels fresh and surprisingly sweet despite some raunchy and utterly bizarre moments.
Series:
Lupin
In case you missed my Top 10 list why people should watch this French series, well, let Omar Sy‘s charm + uber coolness sway you.
Wanda Vision
One more episode of season 1!! That last episode’s tone definitely changed between horror and emotional drama… As someone who has lost a mother early in life, this line will stay with me for a while…
Behind Her Eyes
I haven’t quite recovered yet from the bonkers ending and #TomBateman’s hotness 😛 (I’ve seen this British hunk in quite a few things and he’s SO underrated!! I’m still hoping he’d get his breakthrough role one day)
A Discovery of Witches – S2
I have to say the pace of this show could’ve been much improved… but I’m enjoying the gorgeous costumes + scenery… and how hot #MatthewGoode looks in this Elizabethan getup.
Rewatches:
I didn’t have much time to rewatch many things this past month (it was a short month), but I did watch a few favorites.
The American President
Sabrina
Rocketeer
MOVIE(S) OF THE MONTH
The Father
This could be one of the best performances of Anthony Hopkins and perhaps his most vulnerable. Olivia Colman is so amazing as the daughter, and further proves what a fantastic and versatile actress she is (given my first intro of her was in comedic roles). I was really rooting for her in the Best Supporting Actress. Having seen The Mauritanian, I think Colman’s performance was way better and more emotionally-resonant than Jodie Foster’s.
Well, what did you watch in February and what’s YOUR fave movie you saw last month?
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FLIXCHATTER FILM BLOG 
That line in WandaVision just got me in the feels. That is the best episode of the series as I think this show is just raising the bar of what superhero TV shows can be but it’s also a great tribute to television as a medium and how it explores grief. I do hope it gets a bunch of awards as it deserves them. The only thing I hate about the episodes is that it ends leaving me wanting more. Yet, that I think is the mark of a great show.
I didn’t watch the Golden Globes but I was happy to see that Tina Fey and Amy Poehler as well as several others take a shit at the HFPA while Fey and Poehler also took a shit on Kate Hudson and Music for being nominated as Hudson’s defense of that film only made things worse. She is really a moron. I also heard Anya Taylor-Joy gave her a dirty look when Hudson’s name was called as a nominee.
Yeah, the way Vision delivered the line was just perfect too! I love how they gave us such a wonderfully-emotional backstory for these two unlikely couple. I really cannot wait for the finale but also sad we’d have to wait a while for S2!
I almost didn’t bother to watch the Globes, I mean really it’s becoming less and less relevant anyway. I didn’t know what Hudson’s defense was for Music… what did she say? I have no interest in seeing that. Speaking of Anya Taylor-Joy, glad she and Queen’s Gambit won! So well deserved!
She talked about a lot of the backlash the film is receiving and said that people need to see the movie and see that it inspires good (bullshit). Reading all of the stuff from those who are autistic made me realize that SIA has no business making a film and if you’re making a film about something you don’t know anything about. Don’t bother.
Heh, you’re so right that people should stick to what they know when making films about well, anything, but esp something like Autism. It also seems trite to name the character Music.
I think The Peanut Butter Falcon is one of those good examples of making a sensitive film about someone with a disability. In any case, yeah I won’t be watching Music.
The Peanut Butter Falcon is a film I do want to see despite Shia LaBeouf. There is one good film about autism that I do remember in Temple Grandin with Claire Danes who plays an autistic character yet manages to humanize her really well.
Oh yeah, still well worth a watch despite Shia’s shenanigans. It’s awful what he did and he definitely needs help to get his head straight, but he is a talented actor. I also love Dakota Johnson in it.
After the deep freeze that we had, I’m so looking forward to the 40s and 50s temps this week! I don’t think I’ve seen a lot of new stuff last month. The only new movie I watched was Judas and the Black Messiah. For shows, Lupin and WandaVision.
I didn’t even know The Golden Globes was on until I saw people tweeted about it. I personally don’t care and it sounded like each year they always pissed off people because lack of diversity.
Ha ha, now you know why I tend to decline when you asked me to review movies via screeners. I feel like I can’t truly judge a movie unless I’ve seen it in highest quality as possible.
Hey Ted, would you mind reviewing Judas and the Black Messiah? I haven’t got around to watching that.
Glad you’re enjoying LUPIN and WandaVision too, wish we have more episodes of those two!
Ahah yeah I guess you’re right about the screeners. I actually don’t mind if it’s a drama that doesn’t rely too much on the picture quality but with Raya it just looked so obvious that it’s not the highest resolution that they offer.
Yeah, I’ll try to remember to write a review of it this week. If you don’t see an email from me by the weekend, just text me and remind me. 🙂
Wonderful, thank you!! I don’t need it until early next week, Ted 😊
I haven’t seen any of the Golden Globes footage other than the acceptance speech by Chadwick’s wife. The strength it must have taken for her to do that absolutely floored me, I’m feeling emotional just thinking about it!
Really looking forward to seeing The Father, I’ve read many a good word about it 🙂
Also – so glad you enjoyed Palm Springs! It’s a lot of fun!
That acceptance speech even brought tears to some of the other nominees!! You could tell they didn’t mind at all losing to Chadwick, which is a testament to how beloved he was in the film community. Yeah I get teary eyed thinking about it too!
The Father is heartbreaking but the acting is so phenomenal!! And Palm Springs was really good!
Only seen one of your “new to me” movies (I Care A Lot, which I enjoyed). Really want to see In The Mood For Love. And really looking forward to WandaVision on Friday… 🙂
In The Mood For Love is available on HBO Max if you have it, I’m glad I finally saw it. Yes, can’t wait for WandaVision but also sad it’s the last episode of S1!
Hi Ruth – nice round up!
I didn’t both with the Golden Globes either. Call me an awards snobs but the only ones I tune if for are the Academy Awards and the BAFTAs.
Photograph sounds like a film that I’d really enjoy. It’s on my watchlist. I hope you get to see The Lunchbox soon as it’s one of my favourite international films.
Glad to see you enjoyed Blind Date. It is typically French and very quirky!
Raya and the Last Dragon – that still you’ve chosen has really captivated me. I really like the colours and the rain drops splashing off the brim of the hat. I hadn’t heard of the film before you post so interested to read what you thought of it.
I finished my Mission: Impossible marathon last month but my favourite first timers were Three Billboards Outside Ebbing, Missouri, His Girl Friday and The Edge of Seventeen.
I wish I could watch the BAFTAs but it’s not broadcasted here and I don’t know where I can watch the whole thing online. As you know how I love all things Brits, I’d definitely enjoy watching that more than the Globes!
I think there are similarities between Photograph and The Lunchbox, though Irrfan Khan was obviously a much bigger name.
Oh you haven’t heard of Raya and the Last Dragon? I’d think the promos are everywhere as it’s a Disney movie. I hope you check it out, it’s a pretty good movie.
I haven’t seen Three Billboards Outside Ebbing, Missouri, His Girl Friday nor The Edge of Seventeen. Having just seen Frances McDormand in Nomadland, I probably should see Three Billboards soon.
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