One of the Sadder Saturdays

In partnership with

It’s Saturday, and it may or may not be a happy one for you after this week’s presidential election, but I’m thankful that you woke up today, checked your email and decided to read my newsletter. I don’t write about politics, but it’s pretty clear where I stand on things. I’ve felt stunned and perplexed since Tuesday; you may feel differently. But a few perspectives I’ve read or listened to have helped provide some deeper understanding of what happened, as well as some guidance forward. I’d like to share them with you:

• Anne Helen Petersen’s essay, “This Is How Much America Still Hates Women.” I discovered her writing during her deep-dive series into Bama Rush, which I linked to a couple of months ago. She articulates the rage a lot of us are feeling.

• Ken White’s essay, “And Yet It Moves.” Thanks to my dear friend Alexis for sharing this one with me. He provides smart advice on how to proceed over the next four years, which has helped me help my son, who feels useless and helpless because he’s 15 and can’t vote yet.

• The Bulwark Podcast. The lengthy post mortem on Wednesday was cathartic, but the Tom Nichols episode the following day was also extremely insightful. Tim Miller is almost as good at sneaky ad reads as I am 😁 

Anyway, you’re here for movies, and we’re really in the thick of it now. Here’s what we reviewed this week on our Breakfast All Day YouTube channel and podcast.

• HERETIC. The adorably awkward, floppy-haired Hugh Grant of ‘90s rom-coms is gone, and in his place is this deliciously evil weirdo in a cozy sweater. This A24 thriller about a couple of Mormon missionaries who knock on the wrong door is clever and well-paced for the first hour or so, but becomes less interesting as it turns into a more conventional horror movie. In theaters.

• GLADIATOR II OUT OF THE THEATER REACTION. Alonso and I went to an early screening of “Gladiator II,” Ridley Scott’s follow-up to his 2000 Oscar winner, and shared some quick thoughts right out of the theater. People feel very strongly about “Gladiator,” as I’ve learned from the comments. We’ll have a full review on Monday once the embargo lifts, so keep an eye out for that.

• EMILIA PÉREZ. I do like a big swing, and “Emilia Pérez” definitely is that. French writer-director Jacques Audiard’s film is about a Mexican cartel kingpin (Karla Sofía Gascón) who hires an attorney (Zoe Saldaña) to help with transitioning into a new life as a woman. And it’s a musical! In Spanish! The ambition of it is often thrilling, but it just doesn’t work as a whole. In theaters now in limited release, streaming on Netflix Nov. 13.

• SMALL THINGS LIKE THESE. Following up his Oscar-winning performance in “Oppenheimer,” Cillian Murphy does more moving work in a much more subdued key in “Small Things Like These.” He stars as a coal merchant in 1980s Ireland who begins to question what’s happening to the young women behind the walls of the town’s convent. Emily Watson is chilling as the mother superior. In theaters.

• THE BEST CHRISTMAS PAGEANT EVER. We were both pleasantly surprised by how much we enjoyed this. Based on the Barbara Robinson children’s book and directed by Dallas Jenkins, creator of “The Chosen” series, this is a faith-based film that secular audiences can enjoy, too. If you’re looking for an old-fashioned holiday comedy for the whole family, this is a good one. In theaters.

• MOVIE NEWS LIVE! Always lots to discuss, including the late, legendary Quincy Jones, a trio of new “Star Wars” movies and the final season of “Stranger Things.” Join us here every Friday at Noon Pacific for our livestreams.

I also talked about several of these movies and more on FilmWeek on LAist 89.3. It’s always an honor to share the air with the great Larry Mantle!

For RogerEbert.com, I reviewed “Weekend in Taipei,” which will make you nostalgic for the 1990s in case high-waisted mom jeans weren’t already doing that for you. Luke Evans plays an undercover DEA agent who crosses paths with his former love (Gwei Lun-Mei) and the son he never knew he had (Wyatt Yang) while investigating a drug lord (Sung Kang). It all takes place over … a weekend in Taipei. Co-written by Luc Besson, this movie knows it’s dumb and offers intermittent laughs and thrills. In theaters now.

Thank you so much for sharing some of your time with me this weekend. Now more than ever, I’m grateful for the lovely folks in this community. If you’ve found value in this newsletter — or at least a decent distraction for a little while — I’d be honored if you’d pass it along to a friend or family member. Have a great week, and I’ll see you back here next Saturday.

Waikiki, Hawaii Resort Getaway For Only $99

Stay 4 nights in luxury Waikiki, Hawaii waterfront accommodations for only $99. Perfect Marina location just steps to famous Waikiki Beach. Easy access to water fun, shopping & entertainment. Buy now and travel anytime in the next 18 months.

Reserve Your $99 Hawaii Deal