I can’t believe we’re in December already because 2025 has seemed really long and really short at the same time. Who knows how that happens, but I’m not complaining.
Movie-wise, November turned out to be another theme month. I don’t think anyone planned it as such, but anyway, it was all about history and memory. Or just period pieces. It’s funny how that happens, right?
And oh muh word, things got crazy. Abraham Lincoln hunting vampires kind of crazy. I don’t know about anyone else, but I’m good with that. It keeps life fun, right?
Of course, one big thing from November was the release of the second Wicked movie, and some of you at least may be looking for it in this month’s Top Five. It’s not there. I have to be honest and say that I didn’t care for it much. The music is OK, the acting is more than OK, but the movie tears Baum’s original story into toxic little bits just to shoehorn a couple of characters into Oz who were never meant to be leads. Like Rosencrantz and Guildenstern Are Dead but with music and witches (Read my review here). Only Rosencrantz is a realistic depiction of side characters and doesn’t retcon Hamlet (Rest in peace, Tom Stoppard.).
As for the movies that did make the list, well, here we go. Click on the images for the reviews, of course…
Now You See Me: Now You Don’t
It’s been ten years since the Horsemen’s last caper, and this time they’re bringing along three young upstarts who take pretty quickly to the Horsemen lifestyle. This is one of those movies that I can’t say too much about because it’s too easy to ruin, so I won’t give away too much.
The plot centers around a mondo uncut diamond and an heiress that sells diamonds to shady individuals, which in turn goes to finance various crimes and corruption. The Horsemen have been commissioned to put a stop to all that, of course. There are lots of familiar faces and some great visuals that don’t mean much to the overall plot, but they’re cool while they last.
It’s not perfect, of course. Fun, absolutely. Weak compared to the first two films, yes. Forgettable, probably. Still worth it, though.
Selena y Los Dinos
Yeah, I’m a Selena fan. I reviewed the Selena movie with Jennifer Lopez back in 2020 (read it here), and it’s hard to believe that it’s been thirty years since her murder.
This new documentary focuses heavily on Selena’s relationship with her band, Los Dinos, and how the band’s lineup and style evolved over the years. Put it this way: They weren’t an overnight sensation but worked hard to improve as musicians and played everywhere they could. For Selena’s brother, A.B., it was also a matter of improving as a songwriter.
This documentary is a joy, as it’s a very personal and loving film, cramming in tons of rare footage. Los Dinos filmed themselves a lot, even more than was shown in the 1997 movie, and there are plenty of anecdotes and interviews.
Nuremberg
November, of course, is the beginning of Oscar Bait Season, and Nuremberg, which is about the initial Nuremberg trials, is straight out of the bait store. Most of it centers on Herman Goering, which a lot of critics have taken issue with, but as anyone who has studied the Nuremberg trials knows, Goering, being Hitler’s second in command, was the star attraction, and according to witnesses, a real pain in the neck.
Russell Crowe as Goering is brilliant, as is Rami Malek, who plays Douglas Kelly, the psychiatrist who interviewed him in hopes of writing a book. I hope Crowe at least gets nominated for a Best Actor, because he really deserves it here.
Frankenstein
Speaking of Oscar bait, Frankenstein is another strong contender. It’s visually stunning. It flies by despite being a ponderous two hours plus lots of change. Oscar Isaac is amazing as Victor Frankenstein. Jacob Elordi plays The Creature and puts in an equally amazing performance. Elordi’s really grown on me lately, not that that’s hard, but in the case of the Creature, I’m in awe of the way he moves that six-foot-four frame of his in the Creature’s early scenes.
One of the interesting things about this movie is the irony, especially when Victor is figuring out how to reanimate dead body parts. There’s a pretty lengthy montage of Victor taking a hacksaw to a dead man’s leg while sprightly chamber music plays in the background. It’s probably not for the squeamish, but still pretty hard to look away from.
Back To the Future
This movie was destined to make the number one spot on this month’s list. It’s Back To the Future, so how could it not? I won’t say too much because it’s been such a beloved film for the past forty years, but November was my second time seeing Back To the Future on a big screen, and it would be so cool if this could be a yearly event.
Another post is coming out on Saturday. Thanks for reading, all, and I hope to see you then…
If you’re enjoying what you see on Taking Up Room, please subscribe to my Substack page, where you’ll find both free and paid subscriber-only reviews of mostly new and newish movies, documentaries, and shows. I publish every Wednesday and Saturday. You can also subscribe to my Club 15 Tier, which gives you at least one extra Taking Up Room post every month for a small fee.
Taking Up Room 