I'm not really sure what my life has come to. Not only did I willingly go see a Nic Cage movie in theaters, but now here I am recommending it.
The plot of The Unbearable Weight of Massive Talent is pretty ridiculous, which despite my dislike of Nic Cage made me want to watch it. It stars Cage as a fictionalized version of himself as he struggles with his career and family life. He accepts a $1 million offer to go to Majorca to be the guest of honor at a superfan's birthday. Things take a turn when he gets caught up with the CIA who believe the superfan, Javi Gutierrez, to be criminal mastermind and arms dealer. Javi is played brilliantly by Pedro Pascal (the real reason I actually went to see the movie...).
There are plenty of groan worthy parts of the movie, at least for me who is not a Cage fan. It's very much a Nicolas Cage movie. It's weird and celebrates his long career. But I will say, despite everything in me wishing I didn't have to, Cage and Pascal had great chemistry and their moments made for a good buddy comedy.
If you're a Nicolas Cage fan, you'll probably love it. If not, it might still be worth a shot if you enjoy a good buddy comedy and can sit through some cringey humor. If I can sit through it and get some enjoyment out of it, I'm sure anyone can.
For Fans Of...
Check out my newest newsletter called "For Fans of...". Each month, I'll be giving recommendations for popular media to keep the enjoyment going. Sometimes you'll see recommendations for books, sometimes movies or TV shows. This month I share some books for anyone who enjoyed Our Flag Means Death and Netflix's Heartstopper.
You can sign up to receive "For Fans of..." (along with some of our other newsletters) here.
Staff Picks
Book pick from Andrea
Hamnet - Maggie O'Farrell
Hamnet is a fictionalized version of Shakespeare's early life and marriage. It tells the life and death of Shakespeare's only son. A beautifully written story that made me laugh and cry. The character development was perfect. I was tremendously moved by how the author was able to verbalize how grief consumes a mother. It may begin slow, but is well worth the read.
Book pick from Susan
Cloud Cuckoo Land - Anthony Doerr
Novelist tells me the theme of Cloud Cuckoo Land is the Web of Connections that bind our lives, but as I finished the book, the image that sprang to mind was Dorothy clicking her heels and repeating "There's no place like home". Except sometimes we don't appreciate home until we've left it. And sometimes we can find our true home in the most unexpected places
The characters in Cloud Cuckoo Land are spread across the centuries and across the globe, their lives connected by an imagined first century fable written by the very real Antonious Diogenes. Each of them are shown struggling to find their way home in times of war and upheaval. The author weaves the threads of their stories into a brilliant tapestry. Some of their endings are bittersweet, but they all do find their way home.
Book pick from Martha
With Love from London - Sarah Jio
For those who like sadness with their love stories, this book is for you. I liked it for the librarian main character and bookstore setting, and that she finally got a happy ending.
Book pick from Lindsay
Killers of the Flower Moon - David Grann
I decided to read Killers of the Flower Moon when I learned that it will be released as a movie directed by Martin Scorsese later this year. The book is an eye opening true crime novel that delves into the "Reign of Terror" when dozens of Osage Native Americans were murdered between 1918 and 1931. The book is a compelling read, but also devastating because of the treatment of the Osage Nation that allowed these murders to be covered up for so long. This narrative non-fiction is told from three perspectives and did not disappoint, a must read before seeing the movie.