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Written by Rob Schultz (human).

#2,217: Steve Jobs

The Peanuts Movie - ★★★★☆
I was worried this might just be a catalog of classic Peanuts bits. And you know what, even though it was, I was right on board after a couple of minutes. The adaptation to 3D works, the modernized bits blend gently with the not-modernized-at-all bits, and I really liked how Charlie Brown is portrayed as a good, smart kid who is reasonably resourceful, popular, and capable, just lacking in self-esteem. I think this should become a classic.

Housebound - ★★★½☆  
I went into this one cold, which is of course the best way to see every movie, and on this one it paid off. It was almost a slow reveal just how much of a comedy this is. Couple speed bumps when the plot turns around, but this movie was a pleasant surprise.

Spotlight - ★★★★☆
I like watching characters in movies perform their jobs brilliantly because of how much I would like to have a job where I myself could have the opportunity to do excellent work.

I haven't thought this part through, but maybe I always prefer a horror movie that keeps its distance a little and lets the horror speak for itself, instead of getting your face right in there.

Steve Jobs - ★★★½☆
I think that this was a good movie - my favorite Danny Boyle in fact - but also that it's bad history. I don't mind so much, but I bet the Apple-flavored internet crowd that was all mad about this would have loved a Citizen Kane-style angle of "this is obviously a story that's about a real guy, but legally, we assure you, it's not him." But this is a different era.

 

#2,213 - Spectre

Our Brand is Crisis - ★★★☆☆
No no, the plot is something to do with an election. The movie is about revenge. Selfish, shameless, futile revenge. And how it fixes everything.

The Host - ★★★½☆
This was more fun than I was expecting. Maybe I always have a fondness for a movie whose real villain is bureaucracy.

Trumbo - ★★★☆☆
This is a structurally weird movie. Trumbo just wins and wins and wins. I bet it's fun for a bunch of actors to fill out the supporting cast of Hollywood legends.

Spectre - ★★★☆☆
It's fine; it's a Bond movie.
• Maybe the worst song on record though?
• Blofeld could have been handled better, but at least it wasn't a Khan situation.
• Do Bond movies ever have a B-story? - Is this the looming influence of Mission: Impossible?
• I think a little continuity adds flavor to the 007 movies, but in this case: too much.