cricketbat

I thought I had seen Close Encounters of the Third Kind before, but maybe I hadn't. Most of this film was new to me, so I must have only seen a handful of scenes. It's not Spielberg's best. There's definitely some artistry and emotion to it, but parts of this movie drag on too long and characters make decisions that don't feel logical or genuine. Richard Dreyfuss does a convincing job of playing someone driven by an unknown force, and some of the visual effects are still awe-inspiring, but overall, I don't see why Close Encounters of the Third Kind resonated so well with audiences of the time.

*puts on nostalgia glasses* Man! Bloodsport is such a fun action flick! The fight scenes are exciting and there are so many iconic moments and quotable lines. *takes glasses off* Huh. I know I thought this movie was awesome when I was a kid, but now it's obvious that the acting is pretty awful, the dialogue is clunky & cliched, and the story doesn't make a lot of sense. *glasses on* Whoa! A helicopter kick! Jean-Claude Van Damme is so cool! It's no wonder this film was such a hit! *glasses off* How did this make so much money? Look, I know it's not great, but I'll always get a kick out of Bloodsport.

Where the Crawdads Sing casts its net a little too wide. It wants to be a family drama, but it also wants to be a crime thriller, a courtroom drama, and a sentimental romance. Daisy Edgar-Jones does a good job portraying the reclusive Marsh Girl (even though she oddly always seems impeccably groomed), but I was particularly impressed with Jojo Regina's performance as young Kya. When this movie is trying to solve a crime, it's engaging, but I started to lose interest as the romantic saga dragged on. Where the Crawdads Sing is a compelling drama that would have benefited from a more focused approach.