MOVIE: Fly Me to the Moon (2024)

Fly Me to the MoonYear: 2024Rating: PG-13Length: 132 minutes / 2.20 hours NASA's Gemini and Apollo programs remain the pinnacle of human achievement. Plenty of movies have told these stories of success and tragedy. The Right Stuff (1983), Apollo 13 (1995), Hidden Figures (2016), and First Man (2018) all tried to get somewhat close to what really happened while still being entertaining. Fly Me to the Moon (2024), however, may have leaned too much into the entertainment while being light on the facts. What's worse, in an era of misinformation, this movie could be seen as enforcing conspiracy theories surrounding the event. Considering this movie is a comedy, it shouldn't be taken seriously. If you watch it and have a few laughs while considering a "what if" scenario, then it's harmless fun. In thinking through the "why," though, Fly Me to the Moon provides some chilling Cold War guesses as to the motive behind a conspiracy like this—some of which may be...
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MOVIE: Under the Skin (2013)

Under the Skin Year: 2013 Rating: R Length: 108 minutes / 1.80 hours When someone describes an "artistic" film, what comes to mind? For me, minimalism is often an easy way to identify a movie with the "artistic" descriptor. Under the Skin (2013) is perhaps the most minimalist movie I have ever seen. Minimal dialogue. Minimal plot. Minimal clothes. It's a bit of a rough watch, but I still consider Under the Skin one of those movies you have to see at least once. You know, for its minimalist artistic qualities. I always appreciate it when a movie can tell a story with minimal dialogue. While not nearly as impressive as the 3.5-hour long Jeanne Dielman, 23, quai du commerce, 1080 Bruxelles (1975), there's an unsettling amount of plot that was communicated in this movie without speaking a word. Chalk it up to Scarlett Johansson's stoic performance, but these moments of no dialogue really highlighted what makes us human. Choosing not to talk or not...
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