Happy Saturday From the 1980s

Good morning! Hope you had a happy and healthy July 4th if you’re here in the United States. Did you go see a movie over the holiday? I caught up with a matinee of “Horizon: An American Saga — Chapter 1” before heading to our friends’ house for a barbecue, and was surprised at how crowded the theater was for an 1130am showing of a three-hour Kevin Costner Western that’s getting dismal reviews. My dear friend Tim Grierson will join me next week to review “Horizon.” Hopefully, we’ll be more efficient.

We’re midway through 2024, but we also find ourselves stuck in the 1980s, with several movies this week that are either set in that decade or are nostalgic throwbacks. Here’s what Alonso and I reviewed this week on our Breakfast All Day YouTube channel (where we hit our summer goal of 30,000 subscribers last weekend — thank you and woo hoo!):

• MAXXXINE. The third part of Mia Goth and Ti West’s arthouse horror trilogy finds Goth’s Maxine character following her dreams of stardom in 1985 Hollywood, even as her friends are being killed all around her. We liked “X” and we loved “Pearl.” This one feels like a letdown, but it’s got tons of lurid style and an eclectic soundtrack. (And if you’re interested in reading my two-star review of “MaXXXine” for RogerEbert.com, here it is.) In theaters now.

• DESPICABLE ME 4. The Minions are infinite, and so are these “Despicable Me” movies, apparently. We reviewed this sequel on the channel because we had to discuss it on the radio anyway (more on that below), and we were boggled at how totally scattered it is. It’s got eight plots and no plot, but small children will enjoy it. In theaters.

• BEVERLY HILLS COP: AXEL F. Eddie Murphy returns to the role that made him a global superstar 40 years ago, and it fits him like a cozy cardigan. We were shocked at how wildly entertaining this sequel is, which hits the beats and jokes you want while also upping the action and emotional stakes. It’s so good, we wish it were getting a wide theatrical release. Instead, it’s streaming on Netflix.

• BEVERLY HILLS COP (1984). Of course we had to revisit the original “Beverly Hills Cop” to see how it holds up decades later. Alonso has some strong feelings about this one, but we agree the soundtrack is still great. Streaming on Netflix.

• KINDS OF KINDNESS LIVE SPOILER CHAT. No live news this past Friday because of the holiday, but we did do a live spoiler discussion about “Kinds of Kindness” earlier in the week. If you saw Yorgos Lanthimos’ new film and it’s still lingering with you (as it has been for us), check out our chat. And if we didn’t get to your question during the livestream, please feel free to leave it in the comments.

Reaching the halfway point of the year got us thinking about the movies we’ve loved most so far. As you can see from the thumbnail above, we both put “Challengers” on that list, and we overlap on a couple of others. But we also offer some different choices, including a couple of movies Alonso loved that I haven’t even seen yet. What are your favorite movies so far in 2024? Have you seen any of the ones we chose here? I’d love to know.

Also this week, Alonso and I appeared together on KCRW Press Play with our good friend Madeleine Brand. Sometimes we share the air in different places! We discussed “MaXXXine,” “Beverly Hills Cop: Axel F,” “Despicable Me 4” and “Space Cadet,” a lightweight comedy starring a likable Emma Roberts as a Florida bartender who Legally Blondes her way through the NASA astronaut program. It’s cute. Streaming now on Prime Video.

Finally, I’m psyched to share that I’ve been chosen as an Athletic Brewing Company ambassador. If you’ve watched our reviews for a while, you know this is a brand I love and have been proud to work with as an affiliate. Now, I’m honored to represent Athletic on a personal level. We love their non-alcoholic beers and always have them chilled and ready to go in the fridge, particularly the Run Wild IPA and the Upside Dawn Golden. And I’m always happy to see Athletic offered at restaurants and bars, which is happening more often. I’ve been sober for over six years now, and having a delicious alcohol-free beverage available makes it easy to stay social and healthy. Take 20% off your Athletic order with my link and code CHRISTYL20. I’d love to know what you try.

Thanks so much for sharing some of your time with me this weekend. If you’re a Patreon subscriber, don’t forget to vote for the movie you’d like us to review in this month’s Off the Menu poll, where we’re honoring the late Donald Sutherland. And if you’ve found value in my newsletter, I’d be honored if you’d share it with a friend. Have a great week, and I’ll see you back here next Saturday.