The + Friday + Five: 09.27.24

The Friday + Five* is a brief list of things I have found meaningful, challenging, joyful, soothing, or quirky from the week. Some weeks will have themes, while others will feel like they were gathered by a raccoon hyped up on six shots of espresso. You’ve been warned.

Your Friday Five: 09.27.24

I took a break last week as I was on the road, and something had to give. In any case, today is the movie edition. Disclaimer: I would be a terrible movie critic because I pretty much enjoy any movie. I also love a good franchise, but I do not include the fact that, inspired by , I just watched all the Alien movies (minus the Predator ones) in preparation to see Alien: Romulus — which I never got around to seeing in the theater. Also, FWIW my all-time favorite franchises are Fast & the Furious, Harry Potter, Spiderman, and The Hunger Games. Don’t judge me.

Okay, 5 Movies I’ve watched in the past few weeks and, depending on your taste, all worth the couch time. Please keep in mind these are not reviews, so don’t @ me :-)

Shortcomings — Directed by Randall Park and starring Justin H. Min, Sherry Cola, and many great cameos, this was a satisfying rom-com with many awkward moments experienced and terrible choices made. If you are Asian American, it’s a must-watch as it could prompt some interesting questions.
Breathe — Starring Jennifer Hudson, Milla Jovovich, Quvenzhané Wallis, and Common, this is set in a post-apocalyptic time in the not-so-distant future when the air is unbreathable. The reviews are not great, but the Black-centered narrative was a great experience.
Civil War — Starring Kirsten Dunst, Wagner Moura, Cailee Spaeny, Stephen McKinley Henderson, and others, this film will not be what you think it is. While it uses warring America, which seems all too possible and near as the backdrop, it is much more about the journalists.
A Quiet Place: Day One—Unlike the first two, this installment was Directed by Michael Sarnoski instead of John Krasinski and stars Lupita Nyong'o, Joseph Quinn, Alex Wolff, and Djimon Hounsou. It is definitely in the suspense/alien/horror genre; if you “enjoyed” either of the first two, this is a satisfying addition.
Twisters — Starring Daisy Edgar-Jones, Glen Powell, and Anthony Ramos, if you enjoyed the 1996 Twister starring Helen Hunt and Bill Paxton, this new one will satisfy your tornado-wrangling soul. It’s not a reboot or sequel, but it does give a few nods back to the original, which is worth rewatching so you don’t miss them.

Okay, that’s it. At the risk of seeing my readership plummet, I saved my cinema confessions until the end: I have never seen any of The Godfather movies, and I am pretty sure I have never gotten through a Lord of the Rings or Hobbit film without a good sound nap at some point in the middle.

Comments on The + Friday + Five are always open to everyone, so feel free to drop some random readings and tantalizing tidbits below.

The Amalgamation is made possible through your financial and viewing support, so please consider becoming a free or paid subscriber.

From the Camera Roll: As I mentioned in my vocational announcement, one of my dreams is that I’ll see one of my books stocked at an airport in five years. While I am not sure it will be a religious one, looking at these titles at a Philadelphia airport bookstore, maybe it should be. Good Lord, many great titles and authors who offer a different perspective could be included, but it looks like the Prosperity Gospel is selling well. Ugh.

*The Original Friday Five was a weekly-ish post from my 2010s SF Gate’s City Brights blog. If you stumble across anything that you think would fit, please feel free to drop me a note.