Twisters
Scorecard, best movie adaptations, award winner, new pod drop.
There is so much crazy stuff going on in the world right now, it makes us really appreciate the fact that we have movies. How else would we get into a Twitter spat with a guy who has Paul Atreides as his profile picture and calls us idiots because of our taste in movies?
Here’s what we have for you this week:
Concession Stand Scorecard: Twisters
Temp These Takes: We’ve given you the worst, now get ready for the best.
Watchlist Worthy: A Cinderella story for 2024.
New Pod Drop: Kelly’s Pick: Summer time means Summer in Cousins
This week’s movie - “Twisters”
Letterboxd Description:
CHASE. RIDE. SURVIVE.
As storm season intensifies, the paths of former storm chaser Kate Carter and reckless social-media superstar Tyler Owens collide when terrifying phenomena never seen before are unleashed. The pair and their competing teams find themselves squarely in the paths of multiple storm systems converging over central Oklahoma in the fight of their lives.
Best Watched With
This is a get-the-whole-band-together blockbuster. There’s a little something for everyone.
End credit thoughts
The concerns of anyone who is worried about a beloved movie being revisited can be laid to rest. Twisters is everything you want in a summer blockbuster. Great actors (who are easy to look at), constant action, comedy, and well-earned emotional depth.
Expect to be entertained from the opening scene until the closing credits. Director Lee Isaac Chung wasted no time setting up the band-of-friends adventure story, earth-ripping tornados, and high stakes drama.
Daisy Edgar-Jones and Glen Powell have the same amount of onscreen energy as the tornados they are chasing. Their interactions add a romcom element that at times can be like nachos from the ball park–teetering on being too cheesy, but thankfully never crossing the line.
Everytime a supporting character was called to the spotlight (regardless of the duration) they shined brightly. They brought the comedic relief and heart we needed to balance the drama and action. A special standout was Harry Hadden-Paton (of Downton Abbey fame) who plays the most endearing fish out of water we've seen all year.
Our blood pressure was up and our blood was pumping during the tornado chase scenes that all felt like they had real stakes. After watching we can confirm, we will never be living in Oklahoma (we are sure it's great...).
There are no prerequisite from the 1996 Twister to be able to enjoy this movie. If you love it, there are fun nods and easter eggs (Chung even plays with some of the storytelling elements from the first film in an original way). If you've never seen it, or (we know there are none of you here) if you didn't love the first movie, this is a standalone great time. Comedy, action, romance, drama and big country needle drops–there's something for everyone here.
If you’ve been waiting for an excuse, or the right movie to get out to the theaters, here is your sign from the universe that it’s time to butter that popcorn and get your butt out to the theater to see Twisters on the biggest screen you can.
The BEST movie adaptations
Sarah
Zero people will be surprised by my answer. The Lord of the Rings trilogy adaptation is perfection to me. SPECIFICALLY Fellowship of the Ring. They’re all amazing, but this movie will forever be my favorite because of the introduction to the magic. Also, show me a book to movie with better casting. There isn’t one.
Josh
To me, a good movie adaptation keeps what is needed to stay true to the heart of the source material, even if it means removing things or making changes. Perks of Being a Wallflower (2012) is an movie that does an incredible job of translating what is read on the page to what is seen on the screen. It probably helps the adaptation that the author of the book, Stephen Chbosky, also wrote and directed the movie, had a perfect cast, and a solid soundtrack.
Kelly
If I had to choose one movie to watch again for the first time, you would catch me running (knees up) to watch Gone Girl (2014). While the book was amazing…dare I say the movie was better? After experiencing it in theaters, you could consider my mind thoroughly, bent. Rosamund Pike was a master storyteller. I went through an emotional rollercoaster of rooting for her, having sympathy for her, understanding her, and then feeling betrayed because of her unbelievable deception. However, I ate every crumb happily. 🙂↔️
Eric
One Flew Over the Cuckoo's Nest (1975)
While the movie deviated from book in some major ways (shoutout Chief Bromden and his backstory that we never got to see come to life), this is one of my favorite films EVER. Nicholson delivers an all-time performance, as does the rest of the crew. The movie lacks some of the (harsher) details that are spread throughout the book (for example that closing scene on screen feels MUCH less triumphant once you've read the book). The movie is an incredible feature that is devastating, hilarious, and heartwarming - all at the same time. Add this to your list of MUST watches, and don't blame me for any lingering sadness that comes as a result.
New Mexico Drew
If there is a movie that nails the vibe of a book perfectly, it’s No Country For Old Men (2007). The bleak existentialism, and cold hard truth that everyone dies eventually hits just as hard on the screen as it does on the page. There’s also the perfect casting of Javier Bardem as Anton Chigurh and Josh Brolin as Llewelyn Moss.
What’s your take? Hit Reply or leave a comment below and let us know!
Anora (2024) directed by Sean Baker
I’ll be the first to admit that I don’t really care about the hype that comes from the Cannes Film Festival. So when Anora won the Palme d'Or (the top award that goes to the highest rated film from Cannes) I sort of shrugged and moved on. Director Sean Baker is an indie film darling thanks to his 2017 film The Florida Project, so it made sense.
Then I watched the trailer, and I will be the first to admit (once again) that I am on the bandwagon. Mikey Madison, who plays Anora, looks like she’s bringing the Oscar contender heat. I’d like to think Baker imagined two opposite genres–a rom-com and a Russian Mob thriller–and figured out how to marry them. I’m not sure how Anora’s fast marriage will work out, but I’m stoked to watch this one on the big screen.
Letterboxd Description:
Anora, a young sex worker from Brooklyn, gets her chance at a Cinderella story when she meets and impulsively marries the son of an oligarch. Once the news reaches Russia, her fairytale is threatened as the parents set out for New York to get the marriage annulled.
Other movies directed by Sean Baker:
Tangerine (2015)
The Florida Project (2017)
Kelly’s Pick: ✨The Summer I Turned Pretty S1 ✨ #030
🎧 Listen to this podcast at Apple Podcasts or Spotify
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Kelly is back on the Sweet & Condensed podcast for another episode of ✨ Kelly’s Pick ✨
In this episode, Kelly and her co-hosts, Eric and Josh, discuss The Summer I Turned Pretty, a TV series streaming on Amazon Prime Video.
With lively banter and humorous moments, the hosts explore the intricacies of the love triangle central to the show. Kelly champions Team Conrad, Josh defends Team Jeremiah, and Eric mediates with a slight bias towards Kelly.
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Getting myself to the theater to see 🌪️