The most subversive moment of Scream VI happens in the first five minutes. Naturally, that’s how these movies have started since assumed final girl Drew Barrymore ate it before the title card in the original. But unlike that first film which is famous for its twists, turns and misdirections, our expectations are never again subverted. Once a trailblazer in the self aware, meta commentary brand of horror, the franchise has devolved into a lazy, bloody gore fest.
And this is a franchise, no doubt about that, not after the rules are laid out by Randy Meeks stand in, his niece Mindy (Jasmin Savoy Brown), a lucky survivor of the previous film. Each Scream movie informs us of the rules according to the film’s position in the larger narrative. We’ve gone through sequel, trilogy, reboot, remake and now franchise. It’s all gotten a little tiresome at this point. “Nobody’s safe.” “Everyone is a suspect.” Yawn.
The attractive cast includes some decent performances, particularly from Jenna Ortega as Tara Carpenter but the overfilled script doesn’t give us a chance to get particularly attached to anyone. Seeing “legacy characters” Kirby (Hayden Panettiere) and Gayle Weathers (Courtney Cox) is fun but too rare. You get the sense of a passing of a torch but none of the new characters grip our interest nearly as much as the OGs. Hang on to that torch Gayle. Come on back Sidney.
Or don’t. Maybe it’s time for this franchise to fizzle. The kills were certainly more brutal, more violent but with none of the cleverness or suspense Ghost Face and Scream are known for. More that amounted to less. And that’s a real shame. Perhaps the magic of the Wes Craven/Kevin Williamson combo that made the early films so successful can’t be remade or rebooted. Or franchised. Maybe what this film gets right is that it’s time to hang the notorious Ghost Face mask in a museum.
I expected to be writing a hit piece. From the word on the street I fully expected this to be a hate watch of a foolish and fumbly attempt at a film to stage back to film messy mess. But y’all…I loved it! Not a remake, it’s more a reexamination of a beloved comedy and characters in the context of a social media obsessed culture. It’s also a more than competent movie musical, I vibed with most of the casting and I thought the songs were creatively conceived and executed with one or two glaring exceptions.
Movie musicals, all musicals really, live and die by the way the songs are contextualized into the world of the play. If we can accept the production’s conceits we can suspend our disbelief and get lost in the musicalized madness. Because most of the world has cell phones, framing the songs in Mean Girls as TikToks and other app related videos makes perfect sense and the songs that employ this device like ‘Cautionary Tale’ and ‘Sexy’ ring most true and believable. The dream sequence is another tried and true trope that works because it’s all imagination, the character’s and the audience’s. It’s easy to make the leap. Songs like ‘Stupid With Love’, ‘Apex Predator’, ‘I’d Rather Be Me’ and my personal fave ‘Someone Gets Hurt’ flow nicely between the real situation at hand and the character’s inner fantasy world.
Where so many movie musicals get it wrong is when they stop the action and all of a sudden we’re watching a music video, conceptually disconnected from the reality of the moment or from the rules set by the rest of the film. Mean Girls falls into this trap with its awkward staging for songs like ‘What’s Wrong With Me’ and my biggest disappointment ‘World Burn’. They don’t necessarily tank the movie but they’re easily its weakest moments.
The biggest beefs I’ve heard overall are with lead Angourie Rice and I understand where the haters are coming from. She can’t sing. Zero. Not at all. All that auto tuning to get to…that? It’s unfortunate and for true theatre queens like myself it’s honestly unforgivable.
Singing voice aside, I see what the director was thinking though. She’s giving plainy brainy gal next door realness the house down boots. The Cady we know, the great La Lohan, was a plastic from the start just waiting to be unleashed and take her rightful place as equal and worthy adversary to the formidable Miss George. This Cady never fits the plastic mold. Even at her height of mean she comes off as a little girl playing dress up; a puny David to Regina’s glamazonian Goliath. This Cady is more true to life because even the kewlest of skewls can’t possibly house four drop dead movie star beautiful gals like the OGs.
Another complaint I’ve heard is that this version tips the balance and makes Regina the more central character. First, I think the book and score of the musical consciously made this shift by adding deeper insight to Regina’s character with bangers like ‘Someone Gets Hurt’ and ‘World Burn’. Most of the songs are about her or sung by her so by musical theatre standards she is the star.
Second, by casting Renee Rapp they had no choice but to make Regina the star. Rapp is one of those talents that can’t help but soak up every bit of the spotlight, leaving the rest of the world in her shadow. And she makes it look so easy. Her Regina maintains her power through authenticity rather than pretension but she also wields her devious manipulation skills with the deftness to match Rachel McAdams’s original incarnation. She’s ferocious and, as the cut but not missed song says, fearless with a natural magnetism that sets her apart not just from the rest of this stellar cast but from any other actor of her generation. And the voice. That. Voice. Other worldly. She is the only one for this role. Just spectacular.
Casting also found a perfect pair in Auli’i Cravalho and Jaquel Spivey as Janis and Damian. Of course the Tony winner and, well, Moana, have incredible singing voices but they were also lovable and hilarious as the acerbic, artsy outsiders. Both had me literally loling at lines I knew were coming and I totally bought their bestie vibes.
I thought Avantika was a vapid, vacant and hilarious dingbat as Karen and I appreciated how authentically high school Bebe Wood’s Gretchen comes across. Christopher Briney’s Aaron Samuels was the one principal character I found completely underwhelming. He and Cady make a good pair simply because both are utterly forgettable. He was just boring. Boring personality. Boring looks. Zero rizz. Busy Phillips was a fantastic Mrs. George, her pathetic pathos more understated than Amy Pohler’s more broadly comedic take. And Jenna Fischer was just adorkable as Cady’s clueless mom.
The original Broadway and film cast cameos were fun but Tim Meadows and Tina Fey reprising their roles felt a little out of place. I mean I know it’s Tina Fey’s baby and let the queen do her thing but hearing her repeat almost the same exact speech at the thematic climax was one of few moments that felt like I was watching a bad remake rather than the thoughtful reimagining most of the rest of the movie achieves. Just weird to blatantly connect the two movies while also trying so hard to distinguish this new Mean Girls from the original.
Musicals – you either get it or you don’t. And I think the creators of Mean Girls the Musical the Movie, get it. The performances are great and the updates and changes, songs included, are purposeful and intentional. And if nothing else it has introduced the world to Renee Rapp. You’re welcome world.
An excellent summer blockbuster filled with gutbusting giggles and gobs and gobs of gratuitous girl power.
Barbie isn’t for boys. I don’t know if anyone ever implicitly stated this to me as a child but it was as intrinsically understood as the earth being round and the sky being blue. While this is an egregious and blatant example of the absurdity of gender labeling, after seeing Greta Gerwig’s new Barbie film I don’t think it’s all that off base. Barbie-the film, the doll, the pop culture icon-is NOT for boys.
And that is ok. Boys can still enjoy the film. I did. Boys can still play with the doll. I did. (Not near as much as I’d have liked but I took every chance I could take.) But Barbie was created to show little girls everything a girl could do or be or dream. Not all art is made for all people. Barbie was made for girls.
And these girls are on fire, most of all Margot Robbie. The actors I love most are the ones that can make gigantic, kinetic choices while remaining truthful and ultimately, believable. Margot Robbie is precisely this kind of actor. She’s perfect in this. Period. She’s everything you expect from Barbie but it is the constantly unexpected moments, some hilarious, some heartbreaking but all so deeply and intelligently presented that prove she really understands the assignment. I’d say it’s a career making turn if it wasn’t Robbie’s eightieth breakthrough performance. Her performance alone is worth seeing the movie.
It’s girls night every night and Barbie’s female supporting cast are the life of this party. America Ferrara is charmingly relatable as the story’s human protagonist. Her relationship with daughter Ariana Greenblatt feels authentic and provides the majority audience demographic of mommies and their progeny a recognizable on screen facsimile. Kate McKinnon is basically typecast as Weird Barbie, her oddball brand of comedy is perfectly suited to the bizarre and wackadoo role. Issa Rae gets in some legit laughs as President Barbie and Rhea Pearlman is wonderful as Barbie creator Ruth Handler.
And then there’s the boys. Remember, Barbie isn’t for boys. And it especially is NOT for Will Farrell. Farrell is for Farrell, period, and he cannot help but impose his childish brand of imbecility on every role he plays. I have directed and worked alongside actors like Farrell, actors so convinced of their own genius that they are incapable of versatility or improvement. It’s exhausting. Will Farrell is exhausting. He nearly tanks what is an otherwise smart and savvy film like his selfish, self centered performances have done to many other films in the past.
Gerwig and co-writer Noah Baumbach have crafted a clever, thoughtful, layered script. The dialogue is in turns sidesplittingly witty and sparsely insightful, the concept is innovative and the point of view is fresh and of the moment. The one place they falter is in the inclusion and crafting of the male characters. Beyond the shitshow that is Farrell’s performance, Ryan Gosling’s Ken, although crushingly charming, speaks as though he’s a character in a different film. Silly dialogue involving beach offs and a non-diagetic, out of nowhere musical number are incongruent with the intelligent tone and perspective of the rest of the movie. Barbie just isn’t for boys. It’s this inconsistency that prevents me from completely loving the film.
And that’s a shame because they’re an awful lot to love. It’s a visual wonder and will no doubt dominate in the creative awards categories next year. Production Design and Costume Design are a lock. The soundtrack is a bop filled party. The elements, As Dr. Watson said to Sherlock, are coming together sir. (Corky St Clair? Anyone?) Overall Barbie is a great time at the theatre and worth seeing even if it doesn’t exactly live up to its full potential, or its hype.
I know these Disney remakes get more than their fair share of hate and it’s not completely unwarranted. But I come from the world of theatre where remakes, revivals and redos are the name of the game. I’ve seen Fiddler on the Roof eight times, I’ve been in Evita four and when I reflect on them it’s not so much a matter of determining which production was better than the other but rather remembering and celebrating the differences and how their stories intersected with my world view at the time. And it’s in this spirit that I chose to both view and review the brand new live action interpretation of my all time favorite Disney animated feature, The Little Mermaid.
First things first, Halle Bailey is the most exciting new talent Ive seen in an extremely long time and her Ariel is simply resplendent. Effervescent, fresh and effortlessly charismatic. But if you know the story you know that Ariel’s defining characteristic is her singing voice and Bailey’s is one in a generation. Hints of Audra McDonald’s range and musicality, sprinkles of Whitney Houston’s unbridled power and a dusting of Beyoncé’s agility and control come together into the finest vocal performance in Disney’s fabled canon and quite possibly the finest ever recorded to film.
I say without shame, embarrassment or the slightest hint of irony that Part of Your World is my absolute favorite song. Period. It is the most lyrically and melodically sublime pop ballad of all time and OG Ariel Jodi Benson (who I was delighted to recognize in her cameo) performs it iconically. Nostalgia will maintain her performance as my number one but frankly, Halle Bailey sings it better. I mean if there were a gate here to keep I’d keep it but the girl’s performance is truly beyond reproach.
Melissa McCarthy’s Ursula was a bit like watching a very good community theatre actress in the role, hitting the correct notes, hitting her marks but not really breaking any new ground. It’s a shame that with Bailey’s transcendent casting they couldn’t have thought a bit more outside of the box for a more interesting choice. Daveed Diggs and Awkwafina got actual out loud chuckles from me on several occasions as Sebastian and Scuttle respectively and Javier Bardem was an imposing and nuanced King Triton.
The most striking changes to the update are structural and musical. Songs have been cut, added and rearranged to varying degrees of effectiveness. I liked that Part of Your World was not only moved to be the first song we hear, but the decision to move it before she first sees Prince Eric is inspired. It gives our protagonist a much stronger sense of agency and answers longstanding criticism that she goes through all she goes through just for some guy. She’s adventurous and curious and her deep desire to “explore that shore up above” precedes her crush on Eric. The choice to add more scenes depicting Ariel and Eric interacting and getting to know one another also go a long way in providing more realism in their whirlwind courtship.
I did not see much reason for the new songs. Or maybe I just didn’t like the new songs. Little of both really. Adding Wild Uncharted Waters for Prince Eric makes sense for character development purposes and thematically it sets up a nice parallel between the desires and aspirations of Ariel and Eric but the song is lackluster and run of the mill, which certainly aren’t words that I’d use the describe the existing score. Unfortunately I would use similar words to describe Jonah Hauer-King’s singing voice. He sings in the key of beige.
I had the same problem with Ariel’s second song as I have with Ariel’s (different) second song in the Broadway adaptation. Ariel losing her voice is her biggest challenge and the largest obstacle both the character and actor have to overcome. The writers should similarly challenge themselves by not having Ariel sing a huge solo explaining exactly what she’s thinking during this portion of the plot. It just feels like cheating. Especially when the songs are just so so in both cases.
I enjoyed the third and final new song, Scuttlebutt. It’s funny and clever but in such a specifically Lin Manuel Miranda way that it doesn’t fit in very well with Ashman and Menken’s legendary source material. But it’s a fun showcase for Diggs and Awkwafina so I was able to look past its shortcomings. Daughters of Triton and Les Poissons are the only omissions from the original and I can’t say I missed them. If you’re gonna cut any, those are the ones to go.
One of the biggest problems with the film is the overly dark cinematography that in many instances completely obscures the action and the actors’ faces, so often that a good 30% of the runtime is consumed by images too dark to make out. There are also several moments made exponentially scarier through a real life lens. The shark attack, the ship wreck and the final battle would’ve all given me nightmares as a wee one.
However the number one biggest problem with this and most Disney remakes is the uncomfortable uncanniness of the talking and singing real life animals. It sticks out here because only three of the animals seen on film can talk even though hundreds of other animals are shown. It doesn’t work even a little and I hate it a lot. Especially Flounder. Burn it, drown it, shoot it. Just kill it. Poor Flounder…y’all ain’t have to do him like that.
The Little Mermaid is likely the best of the Disney remakes but that doesn’t say all that much really. It’s an okay movie with some good parts and a fantastic lead performance. It doesn’t hold up to its source material, but it surely holds up as a fun and worthwhile bit of summer entertainment.
This might be my most controversial Top Ten Tuesday list so far because Disney fans be crazy. But hey, I’m a controversial guy sooo…let’s do this. As always, I’d love to hear your thoughts in the comments!
10 – Beauty and the Beast
My generation has the distinct pleasure of coming of age right smack dab in the beginning of what’s affectionately referred to as the Disney renaissance. And while the refined animation style of the period certainly made the films pop visually, it is the perfect pop musical genius of Alan Menken and Harold Ashman that give these films lifetime rent free space in my head. From the thrilling opening number to the show stopping Be Our Guest to the modern classic that is the title song this Academy Award winning soundtrack is one of the best ever. And when you’re talking Disney, that’s saying a lot.
9 – Moana
This movie gorgeous! The beautiful blues and greens and blue-greens of the Pacific Islands provide a stunning backdrop for this funny, fateful hero’s journey. Lin-Manuel Miranda is Disney’s modern answer to Alan Menken and all of his songs here are passionate pop bops. How Far I’ll Go, a classic I Want song, is an inspiring and exhilarating number and You’re Welcome is comedic romp through a barely exaggerated toxic male ego. The care and respect given to the authentic recreations of music traditional to the area add a lot of atmosphere and enhances your engagement in the story.
8 – The Lion King
At the time I was iffy about a Disney score by Elton John. Sounds a little silly at this point as he’s a lauded, successful theatre composer but in 1994 he was a flamboyant rock persona and Disney seemed a strange fit. And while the Academy Award winning soundtrack is very Elton it’s very story and character based too. The story is crazy on paper – Hamlet but with lions – but deeply affecting on film. The voice cast is outrageous and fairly Shakespearean too featuring Matthew Broderick, James Earl Jones, Jeremy Irons, Nathan Lane, Ernie Sabella, Rowan Atkinson, Robert Guillaume, Whoopi Goldberg, Cheech Marin and of course, (squeal) TV heartthrob Jonathan Taylor Thomas.
7 – Alice in Wonderland
Another Disney highlight (aka cash cow) from my childhood was the Disney Vault. This was what they called the “limited release” of their classics to VHS. I was not deprived in many ways as a kid but I did covet my friends’ DV collections in those big, colorful, puffy plastic cases. But no, we had partial movies recorded from television on a tape with Police Academy II, a random episode of Cheers and my gramma Joan’s 63rd Birthday Party. And one of those was Alice in Wonderland. It made the list because of the number of times I’ve seen it more than anything else but I do love the supersaturated jewel tones and crazy characters and I think Very Good Advice is one of the most underrated gems of a song in the Disney canon, particularly of this era.
6 – Wreck It Ralph
I didn’t expect to love this movie as much as I did but it got me with it’s mismatched protagonists and eye towards nostalgia. Sarah Silverman can get a little gross in her real life comedy endeavors but she gives an adorably plucky and totally lovable voice performance as outcast turned princess Penelope. John C Reilly adds another lovable oaf to a career filled with lovable oafs as the titular Ralph. And you don’t have to be a die hard gamer to enjoy the classic video game Easter eggs sprinkled throughout. The fact that all the wacky adventures culminate in a touching and truthful lesson on the meaning of friendship is the cherry on top of this unexpectedly sweet treat.
5 – Robin Hood
Robin Hood was another one we had on a pirated from television VHS tape. But in addition to my countless rewatches I think this holds up as one of Disney’s best especially of the post Walt, sketched and xeroxed cheapo era. And while I’m not an Errol Flynn expert I think this is arguably the best presentation of the Robin Hood legend that’s been committed to film. It’s certainly heaps better than Kevin Costner’s Robin of Loxley, Pennsylvania. There’s a charm to it’s acoustic score and songs like Oo-de-lally and Not in Nottingham will always bring a nostalgic smile to my face.
4 – Hercules
I’ve been enchanted by the gods of Mt Olympus since Mrs. O’Keefe‘s 8th grade English class so Disney setting one of those stories to an Alan Menken score was like a dream come true. I love everything about this film. The voice cast! The Muses! Hades! Danny Devito! Zero to Hero and I Won’t Say I’m in Love will duke it out to make my inevitable Top Ten Disney Songs list some day. And I do love Go the Distance even if Michael Bolton cheesed it up on the radio. Broadway stars Roger Bart, Susan Egan, Lillias White and LaChanze join Devito and a hilarious James Woods as Hades make for one of the all time best voice casts in Disney’s impressive history.
3 – Encanto
You can see at this point I’m a sucker for colorful animation and a tuneful score and holy moly does Encanto deliver both. Every single song is a banger and Lin’s (I call him Lin) evolution from Moana to this has me so excited to hear what’s next. The fact that an exposition heavy bop like We Don’t Talk About Bruno can become one of the top songs of the year is a testament to Miranda’s immense talents. It’s a powerful story of generational trauma, forgiveness and redemption overflowing with relatable characters and, my favorite, a heaping helping of magic and mysticism. This is mature, next level storytelling, even for Disney and it’s very promising for the future of Disney Animation.
2 – The Sword and The Stone
I feel like the high placement of this overlooked and underrated gem of a movie will be the most controversial entry on the list. I didn’t own even a taped copy of this one but I rented it several times from both the library and the Spin-a-Dollar Video over by the Kroger. It’s more the story than score that grabs me with this one although the Sherman Brothers’ few tunes achieve a particular geniality. Like I just said talking about Encanto, magic and mysticism are my favorite story elements and this Potter precursor was so wonderfully packed with both that I never got tired of watching it. Merlin is one of my all time favorite Disney characters but this movie is filled with lovable characters; Archimedes, the girl squirrel, Sir Ector, Mad Madame Mim and of course Wart. The Arthurian legend is one of the earliest of the archetypal hero’s journey tales and it has endured for centuries. While Disney’s pre-Camelot origin story prequel may not outlast its source, it will definitely stick with me for the rest of my days.
1 – The Little Mermaid
Picture it. Gulfport. 1989. Hardy Court Cinema 8. My Aunt Tina was chaperoning me and some other cousins to see Disney’s newest movie The Little Mermaid. This movie had been hyped to an unprecedented level and I had eaten up every bit of it. I was close to bursting with excitement when – horror! – it was sold out. At nine years old I was the eldest cousin by several years and the only boy in the group and I still shudder with embarrassment when I think of how hard I sobbed at this news. None of the other kids, little girls, cried, just me. The fact that we simply got tickets to a showing a couple hours later did little to console me. I needed to see this movie and I needed to see it now. Once I finally got in I was immediately obsessed. It was the start of the Disney renaissance, my first exposure to the genius of Alan Menken and it has remained one of my favorite pieces of media, pieces of art, ever since. The animation is stunningly gorgeous, the voice work is perfection and the score – that beautiful, brilliant, buoyant (pun intended) score. I wore out my cassette tape of the soundtrack and it’s no surprise if you know me at all that Part of Your World is unironically and unabashedly my favorite song of any type or genre. It is melodically and lyrically perfect to my ears and Jodi Benson’s performance is second only to Judy Garland’s Over the Rainbow as the greatest all time film vocal performance. I have yet to enjoy any of Disney’s live action remakes but I have high hopes for the upcoming Little Mermaid. Judging by the previews, Halle Bailey is a gifted musician and I look forward to her take on my number one favorite Disney character. Period. And period.
Promising premise peters out quickly in this mangled genre mix n’ match.
I was looking forward to this movie enough that I caught the first showing in my area. The premise of centering Dracula’s familiar Renfield as the protagonist in his own story seemed ripe for creativity and humor. Boy was I disappointed. It wasn’t long before I realized the filmmakers just weren’t sure what they wanted this to be and in attempting to make it a little bit of everything they ended up with a whole lotta nothing.
It’s an action horror crime thriller dramedy spoof and it falls short in every single category. The uneven, meandering tone makes for a difficult, labored viewing experience made even more tedious by a complete lack of credible world building. Director Chris McKay is mostly known for his work on The Lego Movies and assorted projects on Cartoon Network’s Adult Swim and this definitely tracks as the characters and the world they inhabit are as flat and two dimensional as any of the animated worlds he is obviously more used to.
Nicholas Hoult is fine as the title character although he never quite endears himself enough to render Renfield worth rooting for. He’s a simpering wimp, even when fighting like Neo in The Matrix. Yes in this version of the story, Renfield gains superpowers as a result of his notorious insect eating tendencies. Yes it’s pretty dumb but it qualifies for mythos in this half baked storytelling.
Awkwafina…more like awkward-fina amirite? As Renfield’s potential love interest she’s a cringe inducing mess with most her line readings coming across with middle school play levels of believability. I didn’t buy a moment of her aggressive and overdone presentation and I certainly didn’t feel any chemistry between she and Hoult. Judging by this film she should stick to rapping. Nicolas Cage is even a disappointment as a slightly goofy, completely melodramatic Dracula. He has his moments but the whole film I was waiting for him to fully unhinge and, well, still waiting. Even Ben Schwartz who always manages to get a little chuckle from me left me wanting.
There were several performances in the ensemble self help group that got a chuckle from me, especially Brandon Scott Jones, who I recognized from The Good Place, as group leader as well as my real life buddy Michael Sullivan who I did a couple of shows with in New Orleans. Saw my pal Mike Harkins in the background too. Actually playing I spy with the New Orleans setting was the only real entertainment of the evening.
I wanted so, so much more from this film. The action was repetitive, the CGI gore was very CGI, the comedy was feeble and the plot and performances all fell way short of their potential. I don’t recommend this one at all, as a matter of fact I think I’d rather eat bugs.
In preparation for this week’s season 15 finale I’ve decided to rank my favorite past RuPaul’s Drag Race winners. I’m including winners of the US regular and all-stars seasons. I haven’t watched enough of the international franchises to make informed opinions. I’d love to see your rankings in the comments!
10 – JAIDA ESSENCE HALL
Look over there! Jaida’s winning season, season 12, was all jacked up by Covid and by the tomfoolery of Sherry Pie. She has the distinction of being the only winner to be crowned in her living room via Zoom and I think time and distance will add intrigue to this singular moment in time. Lucky for us, she was included in the All Stars All Winners season last year and we were treated to more of her magnanimous, loving personality. She’s a sweetheart diva, a talented seamstress with natural comedic charm and one of my favorites of the franchise.
9 – YVIE ODDLY
The self proclaimed Queen of the Queerdos, Yvie wears her strangeness as a badge of honor. She’s infinitely creative always approaching runway prompts in surprising and unexpected ways. She’s also one of the most intelligent queens to appear on the series and her smarts were her biggest strength in winning season 11. She’s my fave of the art school weirdos and it will be interesting to see where her career takes her.
8 – TRIXIE MATTEL
Trixie is terrible at drag race and she’ll be the first to tell you. Her win on All Stars 3 remains one of the most contentious and controversial of the franchise. However she’s proven to be a remarkable businesswoman outside of the show with a wildly successful makeup line, a healthy music career, an ultra self-branded hotel, a TV series documenting the renovations of that hotel, multiple webseries including the insanely popular Unhhh with my all time fave RuGurl, Katya as well as a sold out world tour again with Ms. Zamolodchikova. Whew! She busy. Obviously she has one of the most accomplished and prosperous post drag race careers and she shows no signs of slowing down any time soon.
7 – BOB THE DRAG QUEEN
Bob is one funny bitch. She has also had a crazy impressive career following her domination of season 8. Her most recent gig is opening for Madonna on her worldwide Celebration Tour. Doesn’t get much bigger than Madonna. She’s also the cohost of one of the most popular queer podcasts, Sibling Rivalry, with Monet X Change who also makes my list. Her show We’re Here with fellow RuGurls Shangela and Eureka O’Hara has received multiple awards and nominations including winning two Emmy Awards in 2022. Add to all of that a recording career, a cosmetics company and a couple of stand up specials and Bob has shown us all the full range of possibilities for a Drag Race winner.
6 – MONET X CHANGE
She’s talented and stylish but it’s Monet’s authenticity that makes her so irresistible. She’s appeared in three seasons, the most on this list, and with each turn she’s endeared us more and more with her charisma, uniqueness, nerve and talent. Her joy in ruthlessly playing the game, shadily making alliances and getting in the head of other queens make her a fun contestant to root for, particularly because her charming methods are never from a place of malice. She’s a queen that I feel like I could get comfy and kiki with. I’m sure I’m not alone in thinking that and her ability to cultivate that feeling in the audience is her biggest strength.
5 – RAJA GEMINI
All hail the Queen of She Done Already Done Had Herses! Season 3 winner Raja is probably the least relatable queen on the list but I think she’s okay with that. Aloof and untouchable is kind of her brand. But she makes the list for her drag more so than her personality. Raja is GLAMOUR hunny. Huh-nny! She turns drag into fashion and fashion into drag. She’s always serving significant references, impeccable detail and full blown glamazonian beauty. She puts her beyond reproach taste to good use as the longtime host of Fashion Photo Ruview with bestie and Drag Race legend Raven, booting and tooting their way through season after season of runway looks.
4 – SYMONE
Before drag race, I thought lip syncing was a joke. After becoming a fan I realized it’s a skill. After watching Symone do it on season 13, I’m convinced it’s an art. Her ability to embody and emote a song through a lip sync is otherworldly. She’s also a beast on the runway, stomping and strutting in fashions that often double as a form of advocacy and activism. Her looks are always thoughtful to the last detail and set off beautifully by her luminous, supple, slippery skin. With her commanding, captivating presence I have to admit that Symone is the only queen that’s ever given me a funny feeling in my nether regions.
3 – BIANCA DEL RIO
Many people place Bianca number one on lists like this and I can’t say I blame them. She’s a formidable competitor, so self aware and self actualized that you never question that she knows exactly what she’s doing. She dominated season 6, possibly the most predictable winner ever, with her razor sharp wit and her ‘Rolodex of hate.’ Bianca is a product of the New Orleans theatre scene and I heard many stories of her comedy and costuming prowess in my years there. She’s an international superstar, playing venues like Wembley Arena and starring in Everybody’s Talking About Jamie on the West End. While her brand of insult comedy isn’t exactly my cuppa tea, she’s undeniably one of the most hilarious people on the planet, drag queen or otherwise.
2 – JINKX MONSOON
Jinkx Monsoon is a theatre queen, queen of my people. She’s also the first to be crowned Queen of All Queens on last year’s All Stars All Winners season. And deservedly so, she’s easily one of the most, if not the most talented performer ever to appear on the series. While a bit of a disaster in the look and paint departments, she’s a phenomenal singer and comedic actress, sharp as a whip in improv and downright uncanny at impersonations. Her snatch game appearances in both season 5 and All Stars 7 are legendary. Most notably, she’s used her drag race fame just as I would, to land a leading role on Broadway. She received rave reviews for her recent portrayal of Matron Mama Morton in Chicago. Next she joins the cast of iconic sci-fi show Doctor Who. Jinkx fully embodies the true essence of drag, elevating its inherent campiness into theatre and high art.
1 – ALASKA THUNDERFUCK 5000
Hiieeeeeeeee! Alaska is the punk queen of drag and my personal favorite of all the winners. Drag began as a transgressive, revolutionary act, a big FU to the oppressive social system that bullied gays into the closet and brutally assaulted the ones brave enough to come out. Alaska embodies this spirit of anarchy with her in your face approach and subversive comedic powers. Losing season 5 to number two on the list, Jinkx Monsoon, Alaska came back to All Stars 2 with a vengeance, dominating in challenge after challenge with her quintessential quick wit and quirky style. She’s endlessly inventive and unceasingly entertaining and her bimbo-esque brand of comedy is right up my alley. She hosts my favorite podcast, Race Chaser, with another RuGurl fave of mine Willam and together they own Moguls of Media, providing countless opportunities for other queens and queers to flourish. It’s hard to choose a favorite among the lovable characters this franchise has introduced me to but I bend the knee to the one and only Queen Alaska, long live the queen!
Marvelous performances, magic and a little murder make this movie a major mood.
Few movies transport me back in time like Practical Magic. Every time I watch I’m right back in Sophomore Year at Millsaps College popping in the VHS before bed for the millionth time. It is, as the kids say, a vibe and one of those movies that never disappoints no matter how many times I come back to it.
The plot is honestly pretty boring if you take away the whole witch thing. The writing and directing are fairly rudimentary although the cinematography will have you packing your bags and searching for a quaint little New England island all your own. The romance has Hallmark Channel levels of schlockyness and the mild horror elements are abrupt and shimmer in that indistinctive turn of the millennium CGI blurriness. But it is the performances that make this movie the film equivalent of chicken n’ dumplings. Or I suppose more correctly a nice homemade clam chowder. Cuz New England.
Sandra Bullock is at her relatable romcom royalty finest. Nobody does heartbreak like Sandy and you immediately feel for the witchy widow as she does her best to be a good mom while avoiding the gossip and glares of the judgy townsfolk. It’s fun to see Nicole Kidman in a playful role from a time when her face still moved. She’s become such an all business, all Botox actor that it’s easy to forget there was a time when she practically burst with charisma. Their chemistry together is wonderfully honest and believable and I think it’s this strong relationship that stamps this film as an ultimate “chick flick,” inarguably one of the best of the subgenre.
Stockard Channing and Dianne Wiest may play aunties but they are mother. Period. These two legends consistently slay but this is some of my all time favorite work from both of them. Every line overflows with wit and wisdom and they reverberate love and warmth in every gesture and expression. It’s hard to think of two film characters that I more wish were real and I would do anything to have an auntie Francis and auntie Jet all my own.
Aidan Quinn is the only turd in this witch’s cauldron. As Bullock’s romantic counterpart he winces and mutters through every scene causing me to wonder where it was he’d obviously rather be. Whereas the ladies fully embrace the off kilter, magic infused, silly circumstances, Quinn seems embarrassed to be making an appearance in a witch movie. Or a chick flick. Maybe both? Who cares he’s a total booger and nearly ruins the enchanted shenanigans.
Practical Magic is a 90’s cinema classic. A comfort film that is filled with memorable characters, heartfelt performances and more than a few genuine laughs sprinkled in. If it’s been a while since you’ve seen it, turn the AC way down, get some snacks, grab your fuzziest blanket and get cozy with the sweetest and prettiest lil family of witches ever caught on film.
When I heard the general story of Yellowjackets – a high school soccer team must survive in the Canadian wilderness after their plane crashes – I thought I knew what I was in for. So much so that last year I watched the first two episodes and quit watching because I thought I could predict where it was headed. Boy was I wrong. Thanks to my friend Taylor whose taste in television always tends to parallel my own I picked it back up and I’m glad I did. Because it’s everything I thought it’d be and so much more.
I was thinking female Lord of the Flies meets the Donner Party and elements of those things exist. It’s also Mean Girls on a mountain, but the intricacy and complexity of the story and the writing elevates the material, making it infinitely compelling. The fragile relationships of the teammates are approached with nuance and the plot is veiled in a thick layer metaphysical mystery that bounces between the 1996 plane crash and the survivors in the present. The pacing is perfection, drawing you in bit by sublime bit. It’s a wild ride, surprising and unexpected in the greatest of ways.
The ensemble cast is absolutely stacked with talent. The present day adult cast is comprised of Hollywood legends who are well matched and often outdone by their younger, teenage counterparts. Melanie Lynskey is a standout as Shauna as is Sophie Nélisse as her younger version. Both actresses convey a deep sensitivity that helps to moderate the character’s less admirable behaviors. As a 90’s kid Juliette Lewis and Christina Ricci are my queens and they are their usual badass selves as delinquent Natalie and insane wannabe Misty. That their adolescent analogs Sophie Thatcher and Samantha Hanratty are able to mimic their levels of intensity and pathos is a true testament to the younger actors’ immense ability.
Tawny Cypress and Jasmin Savoy Brown both endow the driven, ambitious leader Taissa with passion and intelligence. As far as the teenagers whose adult doppelgängers have yet to appear, Courtney Eaton walks the line between psychosis and psychic energy as looney Lottie. As the practical, level headed Van, Liv Henson demonstrates maturity and vulnerability while recovering from one terrible injury after another. And as queen bee Jackie, Ella Purnell is the one you love to hate as her metaphorical princess crown slips from her head and is obliterated by the dire circumstances.
Season two is underway with its third episode premiering later today. Jump on this fascinating, fast moving train now. Sign up for a Showtime free trial and get caught up in this intriguing and brutally real story of what happens when the social hierarchy is based on survival rather than superficial popularity.
This is a difficult thing to do which is why I had to add the ‘right now’ qualifier. This is not an all-time list, that’s a whole other thing that’s gonna take a little more reflection and rumination. This list is the people whose acting prowess has my attention currently and that I make a point to check out their work. It’s subject to change at a moment’s notice and it doesn’t include actors that are no longer with us. I also think gendering actors is silly and passé so this list includes all actors regardless of gender.
10- FLORENCE PUGH
This is the first of many actors on this list that I was gooped and gagged to find out wasn’t American after seeing them in an interview. I saw her first in Midsommar and like most people I was totally blown away by her raw vulnerability and genuine presence. And her American accent. I recently saw her again in Don’t Worry Darling where she gives another great performance in a so so film but again with a spot on American dialect. I nearly fell off my couch when I saw her interviewed on this year’s Oscars red (sorry, champagne) carpet and she replied in the poshest, loveliest British lilt. And as you’ll see it’s been happening to me a lot lately.
9 – DOMINIQUE FISHBACK
Swarm is lit. And Dominique Fishback is a big reason why. It’s a big, juicy, all-in performance and it’s absolutely riveting every step of the way. She makes huge choices and she backs them up with intention and emotional honesty. You root for her even when she goes full throttle homicidal maniac mode. She also played a large role in Judas and the Black Messiah, a film I saw but didn’t know who I was watching at the time. I think I’ll go back and watch it again now that I’m a stan of both Fishback and star Daniel Kaluuya who also appears on my list.
8 – HONG CHAU
This lady had quite a 2022 completely demolishing two juicy, completely opposite roles. In The Menu she’s a cold as ice, sadistic minion of Chef Slowick, menacing her way through every stealthy, blade sharp interaction. I was intrigued by that performance but balancing it with her warm, nurturing, deeply human performance in The Whale I was knocked out by her versatility and pure skill. Hopefully her recent successes will lead to her becoming a more familiar presence in Hollywood.
7 – EVAN PETERS
I’ve had my eye on Evan Peters since season 1 of American Horror Story and not just because he’s wonderful to look at. His frenetic energy is infinitely interesting and his choices are unexpected and inventive. As an actor of any credibility you get to a point where the obvious line reading comes to you naturally. Finding surprising and different ways to read a line that is still specific and character driven is next level skill. Evan Peters is solidly on that next level and it exciting to watch. He received some flack last year for humanizing Jeffrey Dahmer with his hypnotic performance but I think this speaks volumes to his abilities as an artist.
6 – COLIN FARRELL
Until this year Colin Farrell was not on my radar, even though he’s been a marquee actor for decades now. But with the one two punch of The Banshees of Inisherin and The Batman in 2022 he’s become one of my faves. You can’t blame me for overlooking the star known for sorry remakes of Miami Vice, Fright Night and Total Recall and as fakeout Grindlewald in the sorry Fantastic Beasts franchise. But I caught In Bruges after being truly astonished by his remarkable work last year and now I am convinced of his greatness. Or potential greatness because I have a feeling his best work is ahead of us.
5 – MELANIE LYNSKEY
Melanie Lynskey is another actor that I had no idea wasn’t from the United States. She’s a kiwi and New Zealand is no doubt proud of her exemplary work in both film and television. I was first introduced to Melanie in Ever After as the cheeky, chunky stepsister to Drew Barrymore’s Cinderella, whose British accent isn’t fooling anyone. She stood out in small roles in But I’m a Cheerleader and Sweet Home Alabama and until recently was one of those constantly working Hollywood players whose face is way more recognizable than her name. But not anymore! It’s so much fun to see her finally getting her due with critically acclaimed, outstanding work in both The Last of Us and Yellowjackets.
4 – DANIEL KALUUYA
Another Brit that I would have sworn to you was as American as apple pie, Daniel Kaluuya is a whole vibe. He’s effortlessly authentic and oh so cool and aloof. His work in Get Out is his best so far, honest and sympathetic and very funny all at once. He was incredibly intense and super hot in 2021’s Judas and the Black Messiah, blended in in the best way with the excellent ensemble of last year’s Nope and stood out in the excellent ensemble of Black Panther: Wakanda Forever. He’s only just getting started and it’s exciting to watch his trajectory to superstardom.
3 – ANYA TAYLOR-JOY
Talk about magnetism. Anya Taylor-Joy has an otherworldly weirdness that makes it difficult to look away. And I don’t know why you’d want to. Her debut in The Witch was one of the most talked about horror performances of many years. She created an iconic television character in The Queen’s Gambit giving us a glimpse of the madness and the narcissism that often accompany genius. And in 2022 this girl was on fire showing versatility and range with three very different performers first austere and dreamy in Last Night in Soho, saucy (pun intended) and savvy as a cynical outsider in The Menu and stunning and stylish in Amsterdam. Like the other ladies that fill out my top three if she’s in it, I’m watching it. Period.
2 – ELIZABETH MOSS
Elizabeth Moss is the most skilled actor on this list and quite possibly working in Hollywood today. Her ability to convey massive volumes of emotion and pathos in a simple look is uncanny and oftentimes blood chilling. In The Handmaid’s Tale she maintains a palpable intensity in every single frame, her character psychotically committed to protecting her family and enacting revenge on her oppressors. I have a visceral response to her work unlike anything I’ve felt before. I believe every word, every expression and that is rare indeed. The Handmaid’s Tale unfortunately can’t last forever and I will be front row for whatever project she’s onto next.
1 – MARGOT ROBBIE
I admire Margot Robbie for her adventurous spirit, her willingness to bravely take on challenging and varied roles, seeming to value both substance and style in her eclectic assortment of projects. And she’s Australian. Who knew? Not me. She’s always dazzling, overflowing with charisma and effervescence in every role. In 2022 she was mesmerizing as a ballsy, brassy starlet in Babylon and showed equal girlboss energy in the offbeat Amsterdam. She’s a powerful presence, dominant and tragic in I, Tonya, the movie that kicked off my love affair with her. She’s nearly steals Once Upon a Time in Hollywood from Brad Pitt and Leo DiCaprio, two of the biggest stars ever, with her stunning supporting turn as Sharon Tate. She proves a worthy and capable acting partner to the likes of Charlize Theron and Nicole Kidman in her heartbreaking turn in Bombshell. And she’s playful and completely unhinged as Harley Quinn in the so so Suicide Squad franchise. There seems to be nothing this woman can’t do and certainly nothing she won’t try. I look forward to her upcoming star turn as Barbie as well as any and everything that comes next.
If gut-busting laughter is what you’re after give this gun a shot.
Jim Abrams & The Zucker Brothers didn’t invent the spoof genre but man did they perfect it. The genius of their earliest and most successful films lie in their faithful adherence to comedy’s more tried and true and most basic conventions. Wordplay, taboo subjects, incongruencies of scale and emotion – all of the hits are here in every nook and cranny of these films. These filmmakers have created massive, hysterical hits with their Looney Tunes versions of disaster films (Airplane!), war movies (Hot Shots!) and the police procedural with my favorite, The Naked Gun: From the Files of Police Squad!
The script alone would read like a straightforward cop drama albeit one with a healthy amount of absurd non sequiturs. The hilarity comes from the juxtaposition of the high stakes story and the hijinks occurring on the screen. Being a film from 1988, I went into my rewatch expecting an abundance of ‘that hasn’t aged well’ moments typical of comedies from this time. I was delighted to realize there wasn’t really an offensive moment. I think that speaks to the purity of the comedic traditions employed by the film’s creators.
The most problematic thing about it is O.J. Simpson’s appearance in the cast. Obviously they had no way of knowing what was to come but a line about his character being a good man “who would never hurt anyone” stuck out and chilled my bones a little bit. His character’s primary gimmick is being injured in more and more horrible and ridiculous ways so at least repeat watches serve as a sort of eternal karmic justice for the fallen hero.
The rest of the cast managed to move forward without the suspicion of murder casting a shadow over their legacy. It’s filled with Hollywood vets and again the genius here lies in their ability to play it straight while surrounded by complete buffoonery. Leslie Nielsen is inarguably the GOAT when it comes to this style of acting. No one else comes close really. His uncanny ability to remain stoic and serious while going through the most idiotic situations is the stuff of legends. Priscilla Presley’s limited acting skills almost work to her advantage and she has some accidentally hilarious moments. While her chemistry with Nielsen doesn’t necessarily read as romantic, her trust and reliance on him do come across as genuine connection.
The movie spawned two sequels and in my memory the second film is still pretty great but the premise is spread a little thin by the third. It’s been years since I’ve watched them, maybe sometime they’ll get a throwback all their own. While there are some naughty bits in The Naked Gun, they’re legitimately funny and seem almost tame compared to todays content and overall the movie is a wholesome, pure comedy existing only to entertain. It’s a good ol time, asking nothing of you but to shut off your brain and get a little stupid along with Detective Frank Drebin and the rest of the campy crew over at Police Squad.
Cliff’s Notes: Rotted & Relatable Reviews 