Amai Also Watches

Why did I watch this... It came up, I watched a trailer that looked stupid, and then before moving on read a review that made it sound good. As far as romances go, while it had an odd jump to get over, it was pretty boiler plate, with standard charming and charismatic leads and absolutely predictably typed side characters. As far as bridging the gender gap, it was utter tripe that spend its run time celebrating stereotypes about woman as if it was being enlightened and kind. To be entirely fair, I also skipped the opening because my intention was to see if it lived up to the review I read, and then watched the rest because I kept thinking it was going to go someone meaningful. **

A movie that uses the supernatural to draw out the sentiments of step parenting (ala Buffy vs highschool) and inadvertently (or so I assume) ends up being a perfect example of gas-lighting. While everyone else in the main characters life is easily on board with the whole kid being the antichrist thing, his new wife goes well out of her way to gaslight him into it being his problem. As much as I went into the movie because the promo image had Adam Scott (Parks and Rec for the win!) in it, and he was great as expected, I still found it super hard to get through the water wings scene. ***

I discovered this film reading a reddit Q&A with Alan Tudyk, and figured it'd be about my speed. I liked how this film was all about subverting expectations... at least, right up into the ending. I really don't like a movie that ends (spoilers) with a off the cuff rape joke. I didn't like Riddick macho-ing the lesbian right out of the character in pitch black, I didn't like Eggsy going back to take the kidnapped and imprisoned character's offer of anal sex for saving her, and I didn't like the hillbilly knocking a woman out and dragging her away while everyone else shrugged, smiled and got on with their days. In Riddick's defense, the movie hadn't been very good up until that point, but as for the other ones, a last minute 'why would you tack that unrelated rape scene on?' sours my opinion of a movie I'd been rather enjoying up until that point. ***