Anyone But You (2023) - Movie Review

I don’t like Will Gluck as a filmmaker. Ever since Year One of this blog’s existence, I’ve been weary of the unbearably smug approach he has to storytelling, especially when he’s trying to adapt from other sources. While the first Peter Rabbit film wasn’t that bad (although it was definitely jarring with that EpiPen scene), its sequel along with that awful Annie remake positively reeked of creative influence from someone who thinks he knows so much better than the original writers, and just can’t stop writing checks that his actual skill set can’t cash. Learning that a rom-com from this guy is now out in cinemas is, to put it lightly, concerning, and I can’t say I was looking forward to it. What I can say is that, at long freaking last, I can safely say that I enjoyed a Will Gluck movie.

tick, tick... BOOM! (2021) - Movie Review

Well, my last pick turned out to be a total dud, so let’s try this again. Let’s go with a musical film made by someone I have a reasonable amount of faith can actually pull off this kind of production: Lin-Manuel Miranda. I have all manner of respect for what the guy has done already, between giving Daveed Diggs the kind of platform his talents deserve, and just how brilliant Hamilton is all on its own. However, despite some shared DNA, theatre isn’t cinema. And with him stepping into the director’s chair for the first time here, I am definitely rooting for him but I would totally understand if this doesn’t work out as planned. Not that I even need to entertain the thought of that being the case, though.