In January. I read three books and watched twenty three films. I have a couple of recommendations for you.
Be good to each other,
Nathan
Reviews
Cinephile No. 1,233 “Conclave”
in Reviews
Recommendation: 4/5 Stars, SHOWTIME
Plot: “When Cardinal Lawrence is tasked with leading one of the world's most secretive and ancient events, selecting a new Pope, he finds himself at the center of a conspiracy that could shake the very foundation of the Catholic Church.” -IMDB
Review: Conclave doesn’t waste any time getting to the event that has rocked the Catholic Church. The Pope is dead, and a system of intense tradition is already in motion. As Cardinal Lawrence (Ralph Fiennes) makes his way to the Pope’s chambers with urgency, you will notice something that will become a recurring theme throughout this film. Natural sound and the music behind each scene are used brilliantly to draw you in and force your attention on the screen.
The second thing that you may notice about this film is that it feels familiar. For fans of the Netflix series, House of Cards, you will find a friend in this story. As fellow Cardinals Bellini (Stanley Tucci), Tremblay (John Lithgow), Adeyemi (Lucian Msamati), as well as a cast of potential leaders, vie to ascend to the church’s highest position, politics and scandal seep into one of the world’s most secretive and ancient events. With the introduction of each new character and the subsequent challenges that might stifle their ascension, your intrigue will grow.
Quickly, you will notice the dividing lines mirror the real world. Beyond obvious dividing lines of language and region, the Cardinals are divided along liberal and conservative factions. Long debated issues, such as a woman’s role in the church, LGBTQ+ membership, and child abuse scandals, force every Cardinal to carefully consider the direction of the church.
We spend much of the film watching Cardinal Lawrence do his best to manage these factions while limiting the impacts of the outside world. Secrets, scandal, diabolical forces, and moments of unspeakable violence are fully felt within the hallowed walls of the conclave. Every man in this collection has a history that could be potentially damning for the church. Every man is motivated by their own selfish ambitions and ability to persuade others. As they debate and whisper in dark corners, they are fundamentally trying to answer a simple question. What is the church? Depending on how one answers that question, where they land in their selection of a new papacy is revealed. On paper, this can all sound mundane and procedural, but I assure you that the level of human drama here is much more enthralling than that.
As a non-Catholic, I found this story to be a deeply fascinating and intriguing world to enter. I also found the tradition alluring. Most of this film feels like a political convention. Any passive watcher of American politics will find this familiar and approachable. But what centers and grounds this story, and makes it worth seeing, is the human element. These men are not without faults, yet from their ranks they are trying to select God’s representative on Earth. As a selection is finally made, a new world is revealed, and a new debate begins. For my money, the twist at the end felt perfectly conceived and wonderfully controversial in the most powerful way possible.
Be good to each other,
Nathan
Point B: Cabo San Lucas
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Back in Mexico with Brandon
Back in January 2024, I looked at Brandon with airline miles burning a hole in my pocket. I had just turned 40. He had just turned 30. We were on the verge of celebrating 10 years together. The stars seemed to be aligning, and the world seemed to be demanding we do something to celebrate these major milestones.
Our last vacation was Brandon’s choice, and he chose domestically. After an amazing week in San Francisco, I found myself hungry to venture away from our shores. I was also starving for some sunshine and sand between my toes. After a little research and some conversation with Brandon, I landed on Cabo San Lucas, Mexico.
This would be my third trip to Mexico. For Brandon, both of his parents are from Colima. For him, this would be a homecoming of sorts.
All-Inclusive – Captive Audience
Once I know my destination, I throw myself into hours of joyous research. I create lists of places to see, things to do, restaurants to try, and the best neighborhoods to serve as a base camp (our home away from home). I adore this part of traveling. We don’t always do everything I stash away, but I love the act of discovery.
When researching the best places to stay in Cabo, I kept running across all-inclusive resorts. We usually stay in hotels or find unique homes to stay in, but this trip seemed to be demanding something different.
After lots of searching and reading tons of reviews, we decided to give Rui Santa Fe a shot. I am so glad we did. For seven days, we ate, drank, relaxed, lounged poolside, and lived without a care in the world. The resort had everything we wanted/needed. In so many ways, we felt like a captive audience bound to some odd version of a cruise ship docked on land.
From now on, when heading to any destination near the ocean, a resort will always be at the top of my list.
The Marina
The first time we ventured outside the resort was on a journey toward the Cabo San Lucas Marina. It seemed like a real opportunity to explore downtown Cabo, see some shops, and experience the local scene.
Before stepping out of the Uber, I read to prepare myself for the solicitors who approach with offers to scuba dive, see The Arch via a sea of glass bottom boats, or camel rides along the shore. I have visited Las Vegas countless times, so I felt prepared for whatever might come my way. I was wrong.
As soon as our Uber dropped us off, the first solicitation began. I don’t think I even had the car door completely shut. The solicitations didn’t end until we got into another Uber to leave. Every ten steps, we were approached about some “unique journey,” necklaces/art for sale, or, at the most extreme, handshake drugs.
After thirty minutes of this, I felt myself growing frustrated. Seeking refuge, we bolted toward the first promising bar. Luckily for us, it was a Tiki bar that made a decent Bahama Mama.
Filled with a little liquid courage, we stepped back onto the sidewalk. Like a hesitant Neil Armstrong, solicitations greeted our first steps. For the next hour, we explored shopping centers and local haunts. As we did, I knew what was waiting for us behind the relative safety of solicitation free zones.
As we rode back to the resort, I found myself conflicted. On the one hand, the entire experience felt like a waste. Avoiding catching anyone’s gaze, we felt distracted. We weren’t really soaking up the scenery or paying attention to our surroundings. We were just trying to get from one point to another without being asked to buy something. On the other hand, I knew we were refusing contributions to people’s livelihoods. Everyone we said no to depends on tourists to make ends meet. They weren’t intending to be annoying. They intended to put food on the table, clothes on their backs, and a roof overhead.
An American Election in Mexico
We purposefully chose the week of the election for a vacation in Mexico. Fearing a contentious affair and a repeat of January 6th, I wanted to get as far away from America as my bank account would allow. But this choice also meant we would watch an American election through the eyes of Americans traveling abroad and Mexican citizens. I wasn’t too concerned with the reactions of my fellow Americans. I was more fascinated by the citizens of the country I was visiting, particularly since this population is a favorite punching bag of the now president.
As the results rolled in, I found myself filled with dread and anxiety. I couldn’t believe America was prepared to return to the White House, a convicted felon who spews nothing but vile rhetoric about immigrants, women, trans citizens, people of color, and anyone else who doesn’t show him favor. The very man who attempted to overthrow our democratic system of government would once again be called upon to swear an oath to it. I was dumbfounded with disbelief.
My heart broke for so many people who would be impacted by America’s collective choice, but it was shattered to pieces with thoughts about the immigrant families in his crosshairs. More than likely, I was now surrounded by Mexican citizens who knew or knew someone who has or is attempting to pursue a better life in America, regardless of their status. In a matter of months, their entire lives would be flipped upside down, and American society would be forced to take a long hard look in the mirror and seriously ask itself what it allowed to happen, all because of the price of eggs.
The Art of Doing Nothing
As jarring as the election results were, I remained determined to continue perfecting the art of doing nothing. Typically, when I travel, I like to pinpoint something to do in a neighborhood. After my selected activity is over, I love to spend some time getting to know the neighborhood. This usually means we are in a constant state of exploration and movement.
On the trip, we spent hours doing nothing next to the pool, lying in bed, or deep in conversation over the dinner table. This also meant I had to fight every urge in my body. In my real life, I am not great at sitting still for too long. My calendar is always filled with deadlines and commitments, but doing something entirely different on this trip felt necessary.
After a grueling year, I needed to recharge my batteries. I needed to do nothing for as long as possible. I needed to rest, relax, and reconnect with the love of my life. And that’s what we did. After the trip was over, I felt like my cup was filled to the brim. I felt reenergized and more deeply in love.
San Juan del Cabo Art Walk
I did save two destinations to my "must see list." One was the San Juan del Cabo Art Walk. San Juan del Cabo is a short drive northeast of Cabo, but it felt a world away. Every Thursday evening, between November and June, the town square becomes a vibrant art scene filled with photographers, painters, sculptors, mixed media specialists, and so much more. As we walked the aisles, spending a little time at each station, I was overjoyed by the kaleidoscope of colors and talent before me.
I love great photography, and for years I have wanted to buy a piece of art that represents every international destination I am lucky enough to visit. At the art walk, I crossed paths with an amazing photographer whose editing techniques and framing took my breath away. After digging through his collection, I stumbled across a piece I just had to have. After some conversation about photography and sharing of social handles, a new tradition was born for me.
Beyond the art walk, San Juan is filled with amazing little shops, restaurants, bars, and galleries. Brandon and I could have explored for hours, but some fantastic local food and one of the best cups of coffee I have had in some time stole our attention. Despite the distractions, I still managed to explore the streets and steal a few images I will hold dear for some time.
Flora Farms
The other destination I saved to my "must see list" was Flora Farms. North of San Juan del Cabo, this 25-acre organic working farm houses Flora’s Field Kitchen, a spa, bar, grocery store, and a small shopping center. They offer tours, cooking classes, concerts, movie nights, and so much more.
After discovering this destination, I knew that this was how I wanted to end our trip. We arrived a couple of hours before our reservation. We slowly spent our time exploring the shops, spending too much money, sipping coffee, glasses of wine, and tasty cocktails. We were both taken back by this charming secret hidden in the hills of San Juan.
And then we were seated for dinner. They caught wind that it was my birthday. There was a little sign waiting for me at the table, wishing me the happiest of birthdays. We ordered another round of cocktails, a few appetizers, and then I dug into one of the top five pasta dishes I have ever had in my life. I don’t know if I have ever been so fat and happy in my life.
Why Travel
I wish I could travel to some new destination every year. I find these experiences so nourishing to my soul, but they also force me to use a part of my brain that often lays dormant. We are all mired in our routines. I don’t know if we realize how much of our lives are stuck in autopilot. Travel forces me into unfamiliar situations where I am often tested and forced to make rapid decisions. When I give myself over to the experience, I open myself to different cultures and ways of seeing the world. Every time this release feels like an epiphany. It is one of those feelings I wish I could bottle and keep forever, but I know that isn’t possible. I also know that if that were possible, then these experiences would lose their luster. So, I travel. I travel always chasing new experiences, with the hope of being forced to shake off the familiar.
Be good to each other,
Nathan
Musical Thesis: Johnny Cash “Forever Words”
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At the center of every album is a musical thesis. This thesis can be the driving force behind the album, a theme that interweaves songs together, or a feeling you are left with after the last song plays. With some albums, the thesis is easy to find. On others, it is hidden and requires you to be more than a passive listener. These reviews are not about rating an album. Instead, it is about uncovering a musical thesis.
I know you feel the way I change
But you can't change the way I feel
Sometimes I'm a stranger to you
One of a kind
And I think some way you'll make it through
You don't know how to take it
Sometimes you're a stranger to me
One of a kind
Johnny Cash is a rare artist. While he mostly owned one genre for the entirety of his life, his influence knew no bounds. His legend left and continues to mark artists, solo acts, and bands, no matter their relationship to country music.
For me, as a kid growing up and developing his own taste in music in Oklahoma, the music of Johnny Cash has always been omnipresent. In our home, the home of others, on road trips, quick trips, in department stores, and in movies, his music has always been there. It was so ubiquitous that it seemed easy to ignore in some ill-formed scheme to rebel against the music of my parents. I rebelled and ignored until I couldn’t rebel or ignore anymore.
Like lots of people, Johnny Cash’s cover of Hurt forced me to pay attention. His music was no longer background music. It was front and center demanding my full attention, begging to be fully explored. Since that day, that is exactly what I have done.
I have explored his catalog from beginning to end, his recorded concerts, and his television show. With every new discovery, I deeply appreciate the artist. As I listen to this album, I am given a rare opportunity to live in the appreciation of others. For me, Forever Words is more than an album filled with cover songs. It is a tribute to an artist who left an indelible mark on music and popular culture.
But there is more here than a collection of musicians paying their respects to someone they admire and respect. I hear familiar themes, themes Mr. Cash wrestled with all his life. I hear songs for the forgotten. I hear love songs. I hear songs of reflection and perseverance. I hear God and an eternal battle against evils from within and from without. I hear artists channeling the spirit of Johnny Cash, and an attempt to present themselves as co-signers in the fight. No, this isn’t just a collection of songs by artists covering Johnny Cash. It is something much more profound. This is something much more moving.
Be good to each other,
Nathan
Musical Thesis (15/15): Best of Musical Thesis
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Musical Thesis (15/15): Best of Musical Thesis
On August 23, 2016, I published my first album review. The album was Why Are You Okay by Band of Horses. Since that initial review, I have published another 93 album reviews.
When reviewing movies, I am trying to uncover answers to two related questions. How does the film make me feel? Is it any good? When writing these reviews, I keep the answers to those questions at the forefront of my mind.
With reviews of albums, I wanted to do something drastically different. Instead of deciding how good a particular album is, I wanted to view the entire collection of songs as a thesis. If I could easily uncover that thesis, I would then try to judge my own emotions in relation to the artist’s intent.
This approach has radically changed how I listen to music. I have always listened to music with a detective hat on my head. This sort of curiosity keeps me busy digging through lyrics and listening closely to the message the artist is trying to get across. For me, there is a lot of joy in a song that tells a complete story, and then discovering what that story means.
With my Musical Thesis reviews, I wanted to do more than try to find what the artist was attempting to express. I wanted to uncover a thesis holding the album together. From there, I wanted to dig deep into how that thesis made me feel.
In 94 albums, I have heard heartbreak. I have heard songs about feeling lost, the passing of time, normalcy, freedom, protest, family, places that matter, America, and so much more. Together, the 94 albums I have reviewed over the last 8 years attempt to describe the human condition. When I think more introspectively, I see ways in which they describe my human condition. Ultimately, this is why I choose to think critically about art. In music, movies, books, and hundreds of other artistic expressions, I am searching for myself.
Since 2016, I have collected songs from each album reviewed in a playlist. I have often returned to this playlist. Each song mirrors a fossil like record of a time and place that can be connected back to my own life. In this playlist, representing the 15 most impactful songs of the last 15 years, I share a small portion of myself with you. I hope you can find your own story to tell in these songs.
Be good to each other,
Nathan
Musical Thesis: Iron & Wine “The Shepherd’s Dog”
in Reviews
At the center of every album is a musical thesis. This thesis can be the driving force behind the album, a theme that interweaves songs together, or a feeling you are left with after the last song plays. With some albums, the thesis is easy to find. On others, it is hidden and requires you to be more than a passive listener. These reviews are not about rating an album. Instead, it is about uncovering a musical thesis.
Have I found you?
Flightless bird, jealous, weeping
Or lost you?
American mouth
Big bill looming
The Shepherd’s Dog served as my introduction to Iron & Wine. When I gave this record a spin for the first time in the early part of the last decade, I was unsure what to expect. I also didn’t fully comprehend the world I was about to enter.
For a few years, I had been flirting with the sounds of Mumford & Sons and Fleet Foxes. Beyond that, I hadn’t dug any deeper into the roots revival or the storied sounds of Americana. Iron & Wine would serve as my gateway drug. This record would take me by the hand and lead me down a path that would reach all the way back to Robert Johnson. Traveling forward to the present day, I would dance with Woody Guthrie, spend hours lost in the sounds of Pete Seeger, and I would get lost in the poetry of Bob Dylan. I would also discover new, emerging, and underground artists who are carrying the torch and keeping the rich tradition of American folk music alive.
But why? Why was this album the catalyst for such a journey? Quite simply, it was Sam Beam’s songwriting. Each song on this album painted beautiful tapestries filled with interesting characters and stories all their own. Nothing on this album is given easily or freely. It begs for repeated listening and intense focus. All these years later, I am still uncovering hidden meanings, messages, and stories buried in the lyrics. Almost without exception, what I discover can be applied to my own life. That feels special to me, and to find it in an American art form stripped of overly produced instrumentation, vocal trickery, and electronic distractions hooked me.
This album does more than tell stories with song, poetry, and prose. It also possesses moments when the pace is accelerated, and the result becomes a jam. I assume many think of folk music as dour and self-reflective. It can be, and that is often what attracts me to the genre, but it can also let its hair down, party, and let loose. Your troubles can be moved to the back burner, and you are encouraged to let the spirit move you.
For me, this album is a celebration of the singer/songwriter. There are an army of people out there who would have you believe this sort of creator is a rare or extinct bird in the world of music. I don’t think they are digging deeply enough. Mired in a world of popular music, you are bound to be disappointed. But if you allow an album such as this to unlock a world of music discovery, I am positive you will begin to see music differently.
Be good to each other,
Nathan
Song of the Moment (December 2024)
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Artist: Band of Horses / Song: The General Specific
I’ve been listening to Band of Horses for nearly fifteen years now. It isn’t hyperbole to say that their album, Infinite Arms, changed my life.
I’ve been lucky enough to see them play live four times. The absolute highlight of my fandom was in 2013 when I watched them play an all-acoustic show at the Moore Theatre here in Seattle. As I listen to this song from Acoustic at the Ryman Volume 2, I am instantly transported back to that show.
On that cold and rainy night in February, I was enamored and in awe of their sound. With nothing to hide behind, but acoustic guitars and a drum set, they sounded raw and unguarded. The music also felt purer and more authentic. To me, this level of vulnerability makes an audience lean in and pay attention. It also forces them to be more forgiving and focused; the atmosphere feels more engaging. The General Specific featured on Acoustic at the Ryman Volume 2 gives me these same feelings. It also makes me hungry to see this band play live again.
Be good to each other,
Nathan
Cinephile No. 1,212 “Beetlejuice Beetlejuice”
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Recommendation: 4/5 Stars, SHOWTIME
Plot: “After a family tragedy, three generations of the Deetz family return home to Winter River. Still haunted by Beetlejuice, Lydia's life is turned upside down when her teenage daughter, Astrid, accidentally opens the portal to the Afterlife.” -IMDB
Review: I know what the world expects of me. I am supposed to begin this review by railing against Hollywood’s lack of creativity, endless hunger for sequels, and ceaseless catering to audiences who expect a known entity. Normally, you would be right. Before the theater lights dimmed and Beetlejuice Beetlejuice began, that is what I expected of myself.
For the first 30 minutes of this film, it seemed as if all our expectations would be met. Everyone would be happy. In those first 30 minutes, all films must present their thesis or reason for being. Sequels must do even more. They must prove their reason for existing.
Far removed from the quaint Winter River of the first film, it takes some effort to pull the Deetz family and Beetlejuice back together in a way that builds upon the original film. But once everyone returns home to a familiar setting after a family tragedy, this film settles into a story that feels both nostalgic and brand-new.
This success can be attributed to Tim Burton. As a director, Tim Burton is an auteur. Much like Wes Anderson, you know a Tim Burton movie from its style and aesthetics alone. But Burton doesn’t do all the heavy lifting alone here. Catherine O’Hara as Delia Deetz steals almost every scene she is in with the same wit and humor that made her the center of Schitt’s Creek. Michael Keaton effortlessly slides back into the role of Beetlejuice, as does Winona Ryder as Lydia Deetz. The newcomers to this story, Jenna Ortego as Astrid Deetz and Justin Theroux as Rory, breathe new life into a story that could have felt stale and forced.
Taken together as a team with a wonderful supporting cast, Burton delivers a wildly creative and unique world centered on a family surrounded by death at every turn. As the story evolves beyond a simple return to Winter River, Beetlejuice’s need to escape his ex-wife coincides hilariously with a daughter who has also been burdened with the gift of seeing ghosts. Tricked by a handsome boy, Astrid stumbles through a portal into the afterlife. Potentially trapped, Lydia is forced to summon Beetlejuice. Of course, the two crossing paths are unsurprising, but so welcomed.
Beyond the inventive story, I also believe Burton’s mixing of practical and visual effects should be commended here. From sets to action pieces to the look and feel of each character, this film superbly nods to the original film while expanding beyond our imagination. Finally, this story also possesses a lot of heart, as a subplot centered on Astrid and her deceased father reveals itself.
Then, there is the climax of this film. Personally, I found the wedding sequence to be wonderfully creative, hilarious, and a smart setting where all the various story lines could come together. For some, the scene may linger too long, but for me it worked perfectly.
If we must resurrect franchises from my childhood, this film gave me everything I wanted and more. It feels both nostalgic and like a natural step forward for these adored characters. It made me want to stay in their world forever.
Be good to each other,
Nathan
Musical Thesis: The War on Drugs “Wagonwheel Blues”
in Reviews
At the center of every album is a musical thesis. This thesis can be the driving force behind the album, a theme that interweaves songs together, or a feeling you are left with after the last song plays. With some albums, the thesis is easy to find. On others, it is hidden and requires you to be more than a passive listener. These reviews are not about rating an album. Instead, it is about uncovering a musical thesis.
And so now, now that you realized
That planets are spheres with oil on the inside
And your God is only a catapult
Waiting for the right time to let you go
Into the unknown, just to watch you hold your breath
Yeah and surrender your fortress
It was the summer of 2014. I was listening to my Discovery Weekly playlist on Spotify. “Under the Pressure” from Lost in the Dream by The War on Drugs came exploding out my speakers with a rush of sound that made me pay attention. When the song ended, I was hooked like a drug addict. I needed to hear more. I had to uncover everything I could about this rock band from Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. And, just like every other band I deeply love, I had to dig through their discography.
This odyssey eventually delivered me to their early work, and the album, Wagonwheel Blues. This first time I dropped the needle on this record, I was unsure what to expect. Would I discover a sound resembling Lost in the Dream and A Deeper Understanding (both albums I consider nearly perfect) or would I point to a moment in time where their sound began to evolve?
If The War on Drugs is defined by sweeping guitar solos and lyrics in the same vein as Bruce Springsteen and Bob Dylan, then it is this album where you see the seeds planted of that defining sound. This album isn’t as radio or theater friendly as their later work, but it does possess an unpolished playfulness evoking a more sonically inclined Dylan. The only difference is that what made crowds boo Dylan for changes to his sound works beautifully here.
Overall, the guitar work is cleaner here compared to Slave Ambient. It feels like a band tinkering and trying to uncover a unique sound they can call their own. This sense of experimentation may be the thesis behind the album. So many bands get stuck in endless comparisons to other groups they can never escape. They either double down and ride the wave, or they evolve, return to the lab, and experiment. When The War on Drugs emerged from these sessions, a more ambient approach would define their next album. But when you combine Wagonwheel Blues and Slave Ambient, Under the Pressure makes a lot more sense.
While I am a bigger fan of their later work, I find a deep appreciation for what I hear here. It may not instantly hook me, but it does make me turn up the volume. Most days, that is enough.
Be good to each other,
Nathan
Cinephile No. 1,199 “Fly Me to the Moon”
in Reviews
Recommendation: 4/5 Stars, SHOWTIME
Plot: “Marketing maven Kelly Jones wreaks havoc on launch director Cole Davis's already difficult task. When the White House deems the mission too important to fail, the countdown truly begins.” -IMDB
Review: I wish time travel was possible. There are countless moments in history I would visit. Moments in my own life I want to revisit, and other moments I missed completely. A moment in American history that fascinates me and would be one of my first stops is the space race of the 1960’s. I wish I could have been there to cheer on my country as we barreled toward a new frontier in human exploration. I imagine the setbacks and triumphs would have been intoxicating and consuming for a curious kid. As a student of history, I can only read and watch the accounts of others who stood in awe when we finally landed a man on the moon.
The monumental moment of man’s first steps on a new world always possessed the potential to give birth to conspiracy theories and public doubt. Sprinkle in the Cold War and the fact that the Russians were first in space to the mix, and you get the recipe for a potentially fascinating movie.
Fly Me to the Moon attempts to take the space race and the ensuing conspiracies and morph them into one long marketing campaign that is part romantic comedy and part historic drama. Now, from the outset, I must admit my expectations for this movie weren’t high. But as you read on, I think you will see that I was pleasantly surprised.
Scarlett Johansson stars as Kelly Jones, a Manhattan marketing guru who uses every tool in her belt to land big corporate clients. But there is more to Kelly than meets the eye. She has a checkered and mysterious past ripe for exploitation if the truth ever fell into the wrong hands.
Which is exactly what happens when Moe Berkus (Woody Harrelson) enters the picture. Berkus works for the federal government in the Nixon administration. Among top government officials, there is growing worry that NASA will not land a man on the moon. If America falls short of this lofty goal, there is fear about what America’s failure on a global stage could mean for the Cold War. With this fear, Berkus approaches Kelly Jones with a proposition she cannot refuse; sell the moon or else.
Enter Cole Davis, played by Channing Tatum. Davis is a seasoned combat veteran who once wanted to chase space. Due to health challenges, those dreams were cast aside. Now, he leads the team with a singular mission of getting a man to the moon before the end of the decade. The goal itself is nearly impossible, and NASA is racking up failure after failure and falling further behind the Russians. To Davis, this is part of pursuing groundbreaking work.
With little say in the matter, Kelly Jones enters Davis’s world of NASA. Now, it is worth pausing here to mention that Johannson and Tatum have excellent chemistry together. Every disagreement and tender moment shared between them feels authentic. As they bicker and battle, it feels humorous and heartfelt. As you watch them at war, pay attention to how gross it feels that it took advertising and some old-fashioned capitalism to force people to care about the moon.
As we inch closer to actual launch day, countless battles over mission versus marketing are waged, but then the government’s true intentions are revealed. They see landing on the moon as a national imperative, where failure is not an option. To ensure success, they want Jones to tape a fake moon landing that can be shown if things go terribly wrong. This leads to a hilarious subplot for anyone thinking about voting for RFK.
While the conclusion of this film is widely known, and one of those rare moments that brought the world together, arriving at that final moment still felt dramatic and heavy. It was these scenes that impressed me and made this film feel necessary. As the truth comes out and science wins the day, this story charmed me, romance and all. Without a doubt, I found my mom’s new favorite movie.
Be good to each other,
Nathan