Film 2452 - Quiz Lady

Intro: Back home after two weeks in Fuerteventura and before going back to the movies, this is the first film I watched.

Film 2452: "Quiz Lady" (2023), Jessica Yu
Watched: From the computer
Language: English
Watched with: Bill
Thoughts: Not groundbreaking, but I enjoyed it. It delivered exactly what I expected (and was looking for).
It’s always nice to see Sandra Oh, she’s a great actress and definitely deserves more roles on both the big and small screen, and here she’s no exception: she’s playing a very different character from what I’ve seen her do in the past. She’s loud and in your face, channelling crazy and unhinged energy. And look, she didn’t reinvent the wheel, but she definitely delivered. Especially next to Awkwafina, who is her exact opposite here. Reserved and invisible, her Anne gives off almost on-the-spectrum energy, especially when it’s time to play the game and answer all the questions.
Again, "Quiz Lady" isn’t giving anything we haven’t seen before, but the great chemistry between the two leads keeps the boat afloat, and it works.
Cast: Awkwafina, Sandra Oh, Paul Reubens, Jason Schwartzman, Holland Taylor, Tony Hale, Jonnie Park, Will Ferrell.
Box Office: /
Worth a watch?: I think this TV movie is a good vehicle for both Awkwafina’s and Sandra Oh’s talent, and if you like these two actresses, then this film is definitely for you. For everyone else, "Quiz Lady" is a fun enough ride that delivers some enjoayble moments and works as good, lighthearted entertainment.
Awards: It won Outstanding Television Movie at the 2024 Emmy Awards, securing Awkwafina and Sandra Oh (on her 14th nomination!) finally that Emmy win.
Key word: Linguini.
Trailer
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Film 2436 - One of Them Days

Intro: I missed this movie when it came out, but I remember reading good stuff about it. So, when I had the chance, I finally gave it a go.

Film 2436: "One of Them Days" (2005), Lawrence Lamont
Watched: From the computer
Language: English
Watched with: No one
Thoughts: I did enjoy this movie. I thought it was funny, and the two leads had great chemistry. I didn't know Keke Palmer before seeing her in "Nope", so I'm relatively new to her, but damn, she's good! I think she has great comedic timing and an undeniable star quality.
That said, I struggled a bit with all the slang the screenplay uses. It's clear that this is an American product catered to an American audience, and at times I either didn't understand what they were saying or what they were talking about. Additionally, I thought the story was a bit overly chaotic just for the sake of it. Still, I had a good time watching "One of Them Days".
P.S. This is singer SZA's movie screen debut. She is an Academy Award nominee (for "All the Stars" from the "Black Panther" movie) and a 7-time Grammy winner.
Cast: Keke Palmer, SZA, Vanessa Bell Calloway, Lil Rel Howery, Katt Williams, Maude Apatow, Janelle James.
Box Office: $51.8 million
Worth a watch?: It's a fun ride, and Keke Palmer and SZA work well together. Syreeta Singleton (the screenwriter, on her first attempt writing for the big screen) is definitely one to watch.
Awards: /
Key word: Payday Whenever.
Trailer
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Bengi

Film 2429 - Marty Supreme

Intro: I had really high expectations for this one, considering the stellar reviews, crazy marketing campaign, Oscar buzz and yeah, its protagonist.

Film 2429: "Marty Supreme" (2025), Josh Safdie
Watched: At the movies
Language: English
Watched with: Niamh
Thoughts: I didn’t realize this movie shares its director with “Uncut Gems,” one of the most stressful movies I’ve ever watched. And “Marty Supreme” isn’t a walk in the park either.
I can’t really say that I loved it, to be honest, but I liked it enough for a number of reasons. It’s not my kind of movie: it’s so loud and fast-paced, and at times so intense and stressful, that I couldn’t fully enjoy it. This experience wasn’t as extreme as the “Uncut Gems” one, but it still affected (or tainted) my overall perception of the movie. That said, I did appreciate Timothée Chalamet’s performance — which I think could win him his first Oscar — and I love that Fran Drescher is finally back to acting. Overall, though, the standout performance for me was Odessa A’zion’s: she’s extremely talented, and her time in this movie proves it. I also appreciated the set pieces; I think the overall vibe and atmosphere were well built and convincingly recreated. Some really interesting music choices are included as well and, although not historically accurate, they really work.
Overall, I didn’t like it as much as I would have loved to, but I don’t regret committing to this two-and-a-half-hour movie.
P.S. The conceiving scene at the beginning reminded me of the movie “Look Who’s Talking”.
Cast: Timothée Chalamet, Gwyneth Paltrow, Odessa A'zion, Kevin O'Leary, Tyler Okonma, Abel Ferrara, Sandra Bernhard, Fred Hechinger, Fran Drescher.
Box Office: $79.5 million (so far)
Worth a watch?: If you’re a fan of Timothée, Josh Safdie’s filmmaking style, or the yearly award-season race in general, this movie is hard to miss. I was hoping for a more traditional biopic-style execution and less narrative craziness, but it’s as entertaining as it is stressful at times. It’s also a bit odd to see Timothée and Gwyneth Paltrow in sex scenes — but it is what it is.
Awards: Nominated for 3 Golden Globes for Best Motion Picture – Musical or Comedy and Best Screenplay, it won Best Actor in a Motion Picture – Musical or Comedy (Timothée Chalamet). 3 nominations at the upcoming 2026 Actor Awards: Outstanding Performance by a Cast in a Motion Picture, Outstanding Performance by a Male Actor in a Leading Role (Chalamet), Outstanding Performance by a Female Actor in a Supporting Role (Odessa A'zion).
Key word: Table tennis.
Trailer
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Bengi

Film 2366 - Crazy Rich Asians

Intro: Back at home after two amazing Spanish weeks, the first I watched is one that I hadn't seen since it came out in theaters.

Film 2366: "Crazy Rich Asians" (2018), Jon M. Chu
Watched on: My computer
Language: English
Watched with: Michael
Thoughts: I really wanted to rewacth it because I remembered I enjoyed it, although I didn't necessarily remember the story in full.
This second watch was fun, I kinda forgot that Awkwafina had her major moment thanks to this movie that launched her into mainstream stardom (though now her popularity has definitely faded a bit due to overexposure), and in general "Crazy Rich Asians" is a very well don romcom.
I think Henry Golding is particularly charming here, more a scene stealer than Constance Wu, who has more female competition to deal with (Gemma Chan, Lisa Lu, obviously Awkwafina, but mostly a pre-Oscar Michelle Yeoh) and didn't necessarily pop for me as the lead character.
Overall, 9a very entertaining movie and especially beautiful to look at (I'm actually surprised it didn't get nominated for costumes and set design at the Oscars).
Film 1680 - Crazy Rich Asians
Film 2366 - Crazy Rich Asians
Cast: Constance Wu, Henry Golding, Gemma Chan, Lisa Lu, Awkwafina, Harry Shum Jr., Ken Jeong, Michelle Yeoh.
Box Office: $239 million
Worth a watch?: If you love romcoms, this is definitely a good watch, funney enough, very pretty to look at (both visually and because of the actors in it) and entertaining. There's a sequel coming up (and possibly a third one), so no time to (re)watch it like today.
Awards: 2 Golden Globe nominations for Best Motion Picture - Musical or Comedy and Best Performance by an Actress in a Motion Picture - Musical or Comedy (Constance Wu).
Key word: Our own.
Trailer
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