Megamind

And this week's Friday night movie has been... Megamind!

Original image located here. Accessed 27th May 2022

I will admit this one took me by surprise: I don't recall it being that big a deal at the time (2010) and some people have compared it unfavorably to the Incredibles. But as it turns out, a lot of people like this and the titular character commands a surprising amount of fangirls. Something must've worked right?

Turns out it did: I had a real ball with this. There were some genuinely funny moments (the first half hour is a riot) and there are some really hilarious jabs at the Superman mythos. But I think this is less a superhero movie and more a character study. Megamind himself is indeed fun to watch and he is indeed a three dimensional character. Throw in a lively performance from Will Farrell and suddenly the fangirls make sense.
And it is more than enough to elevate this movie to being more than a rip off of The Incredibles and being well and truly it's own thing.
Also they have the music of Guns N Roses in a kids movie. Yep, the one time 'World's Most Dangerous Band' is utilized in a (admittedly badass) scene. That deserves something right?

Eurovision Song Contest: The Story of Fire Saga

And this week's Friday night movie has been... Eurovision Song Contest: The Story of Fire Saga!

Original image located here. Accessed 20th May 2022

Well Eurovision was on this week so I couldn't ask for a better time to watch this movie.
It may be an easy target to make fun of Eurovision with it's songs, gaudy outfits and crazy staging. And in a way that was what i was expecting but, much to my surprise, this movie does not go in that direction. Instead it takes the Love Letter approach to its subject and - would you believe - that decision was a wise one.

So yes I did have fun in this and there is indeed genuine love for Eurovision - even to the point of bringing in previous winners in for appearances. There are some genuinely funny moments and the climax is surprisingly touching.
So yeah this movie surprised me. And given the amount of movies I've seen, a surprise like this is a welcome one.

Young Adult

And this week's Friday night movie has been... Young Adult!

Original image located here. Accessed 13th May 2022

You know how it happens: You put a movie on your To Watch List and it stays there. It stays there for so long that you eventually forget why you put it there in the first place. But then again, there is something to be said about approaching something with fresh eyes.

So what this movie is putting forth is a character study: Of a woman who is wrapped up in the idealised teen life that her own life is in a period of stagnation. It's billed as a comedy but I don't believe it is. It is quite a bleak movie. Sure there are laughs but they are few and far between. As mentioned above, I forgot why I wanted to see this movie but somehow I think the anxiety of my approaching middle age could have something to do with it.
So far what I may have typed up sounds anything but a crowd pleaser but the movie works purely through the lead Charlize Theron, who certainly does a lot to make a potentially dislikable character appear in a sympathetic light.
But here's a thought: Does it make all the difference that this character is a female one? Somehow i can't help thinking that if this character was played by a male actor the movie would be disregarded as either a) a Taxi Driver clone or b) incel bait.
So yeah, not an easy watch - more akin to a car crash if anything - but it certainly was compelling.

Spiderman: No Way Home

And this week's Friday night movie has been... Spiderman No Way Home!

Original image located here. Accessed 6th May 2022

I think we all know the big drawcard for this movie. I guess we knew it was coming given the sensation the trailer originally caused. Personally, i couldn't escape it - which is unusual because the MCU tend to keep it's big reveals very securely.
But who am I kidding? I knew it was coming. I knew we will see Tobey, Andrew and Tom all on screen together and it still a treat.

I guess it is inevitable that the MCU will make the attempt to integrate other movies into the canon. Sure the first Avengers movie did it originally but here the concept has been elevated even higher. I suppose this is what happens when you have the resources that only a behemoth such as Disney could provide.
And it works! Okay sure I never saw the Amazing Spiderman movies and yes this movie is kind of playing the same hand that Into the Spiderverse did ("I can do that too!" much?, but this was still great fun. It's fun to see these familiar faces and have them interacting with each other.
But, as mentioned above, we are here to see Tobey, Andrew and Tom all on screen together and it is truly a delight. They all work well off of each other and it is great to see Tobey again and Andrew scoring gold with his efforts.
So yeah, another feather in the MCU's (rather overstocked) cap.