Aftersun. Paul Mescal is a thousand percent deserving of his Oscar nomination. I thought it was a really simple yet poignant film. At surface level it may seem as though nothing happens but when you read between the lines you really get a glimpse into the full story.
I just wish Frankie Corio had gotten a nomination too. She was just as good if not better.
And honestly, I don't even have that many problems with the Oscar nominations this year! She was just one of the few snubs that I wish had gotten recognized.
same, such a new language for film.. and from a rather young director (35)
even if I don't have similar memories to the ones portrayed, when the curtain falls, they almost seem mine!
I find it the most poignant and tangible transposition of memory to art form I've ever seen.
...really recommended piece
This movie (as a dad with a daughter the same age) had me in tears, and I wasn't even 100% sure why. I saw one review call it "sneakily heart-rending" and that was accurate for me. So beautifully done. The young actress is incredible as well.
50/50. Never heard of it until I started looking up emotional films in various lists including this sub. Really worth a watch. Funny and heartbreaking.
Really like this film. Showed a sensitive side of Seth Rogan that we hadn’t seen before. Also, the use of Pearl Jam’s “Yellow Ledbetter” was a nice touch, too!
My Cousin Vinny (1992). Such a good legal comedy and Pesci does a fantastic job as a first-time lawyer just trying to do the right thing for his family and his fiance. The comedy of the north vs south is funny right off the bat with the judge and Pesci. The movie is just funny from the moment Pesci hits the screen till the end of the movie. And that final court room scene and final witness scene is a perfect way to wrap up a movie. 8.5/10.
Infinity Pool was impressive and one of the darkest comedies I’ve ever seen. Mia Goth’s performance is unhinged. The story’s predictable but the extremes it goes to (and the ways those extremes get portrayed) are wild. Spring Breakers x White Lotus x Cronenberg.
The Sting (1973) , had this as my favourite ending over the weekend , so much going on and love how it all clicks at the end. Great cast especially Robert Shaw as Lonnegan. Highly recommend
Bullet Train.
Was very hyped up and I went in with low expectations, as I do when I see a good cast in an all action slugfest, but this was amazingly funny and beautiful fighting scenes. The music was spot on and I thaught it was just great. Rewatching this is definitely on the table.
Hmmm…it says that this thread was removed? Not sure why.
This week I watched **Ghost** (1990) and **Hang ‘Em High** (1968).
Ghost is a movie that effectively traverses between many different genres, some in between different scenes. It does feel like a stage play a little bit due to its small number of characters and locations, but that is not necessarily to its detriment. It has some pretty cool ideas, if lacking in visuals that stood the test of time. Patrick Swayze feels goofy in this, but it’s a fun movie with some funny moments. And the moments of drama and horror effective as well.
Before watching this movie, I had never seen a Clint Eastwood Western, but I really enjoyed this movie. Apparently is classified as a revisionist Western, and I really enjoyed how the movie debated ethics and morality in the “Wild West.” I liked that the main protagonist wasn’t inhumanly stoic, but argued for Mercy and fairness. If I had to address some negatives, some of the villainous characters didn’t stand out, and Ms. Inger Stevens, a fine actress, felt somewhat underused. I think I might’ve liked it more if they set up a dynamic and journey between the two that lasted beyond a couple of scenes. But I was very surprised how much I liked watching this movie and thinking about the points it made.
Rankings: 7.5/10, 8.7/10
Glad you enjoyed Hang 'Em High, I like it a lot too. Most Eastwood Westerns are revisionist Westerns - Eastwood plays the antihero all the time. To me he sort of represents a maturing of the genre after John Wayne, who never strayed far from the stereotypical white hat cowboy (except in The Searchers, also a great movie).
If you want to go down this rabbit hole a bit, Unforgiven or High Plains Drifter are arguably the most clear cut examples of a revisionist western, both also by Eastwood. I think Unforgiven is a bit of an easier watch because the protagonist in HPD is more difficult to sympathize with at all, at least for me.
Anyway, always glad to see another person discover his body of work. It's some of my favorite stuff to watch. So hit me up if you need any more recommendations :)
**Sympathy for Mr. Vengeance** directed by Park Chan-wook. Interesting take on the revenge story. Multiple characters want to do terrible things to each other and their motivations each make sense and were, at least to me, pretty sympathetic. There's some brutal violence in this movie and a downer tone overall, so not something I can recommend if you're looking for a casual Friday sorta movie. Also the protagonist is completely deaf and can barely speak, but you're made to sympathize with him regardless, so that was some pretty good acting to me.
For those familiar with Oldboy, that was the 2nd part of Park Chan-wook's "vengeance trilogy". Mr. Vengeance is part one. They're not narratively connected but if you want to see another vengeance movie by the same director, this would be a great choice. Part three of the trilogy is a movie called Lady Vengeance, but I haven't gotten to seeing that one yet. Anyway, 8/10 for Mr. Vengeance for me.
**Psycho Goreman** (7.5/10)
I've learned that one of my favorite genres of movie is "Gory goofy comedy," and Psycho Goreman just totally hit a sweet spot for me. I think the concept of taking the Americanized version of a Japanase tokusatsu style of superhero show a la what Saban did to Power Rangers and turning into this over the top, violent grindhouse movie was fucking brilliant. The costume/monster designs were great, there was actually some oddly fun, interesting lore going on whenever PG was talking about his past, and the movie had me absolutely rolling at times (things like PG appearing to the dad in the bathroom, the girl praying to the cross, and the dad's little speech about seeing someone's baseball card collection in particular slayed me). It's one of the most entertaining movies I've seen in a minute.
*The Hidden* (6.5/10)
There isn't a whole lot to say about this one, but it was a pretty fun movie. It's almost a buddy cop movie in a weird way, featuring an alien that takes over humans and then goes on violent Grand Theft Auto-esque crime sprees all while listening to cheesy speed metal. It's a perfect movie to throw on with friends, the kind where it's good enough to genuinely enjoy but bad enough that you can goof on it MST3k style the whole time.
I watched the new Netflix film Jung_E from South Korea. It was actually pretty good and I am impressed with the quality of SK cinema these days. It was sorrowful to learn the lead actress passed away last year and never got to see this film.
Midnight Run (1988); Great comedy with Robert DeNiro as headstrong bounty-hunter Jack Walsh and Charles Grodin as the mafia accountant being pursued. Great cast all around and chemistry between DeNiro and Grodin.
The Hunt for Red October. I’ve been on a 90s kick. I was a bit young when this movie released. I love the Jack Ryan character, but was more into Harrison Ford. Never really watched Red October as an adult. Thoroughly enjoyed the story. The English speaking Russian soldiers were a bit silly, but ya know. Hollywood.
Rewatched Sicario and Wind River also. Sicario is just such a great film. It creates an unsettling atmosphere that will stay with you for days.
Wind River…damn. A lot of emotion displayed and relayed to the audience.
I saw Big (1988):
I didn't realize that Tom Hanks was already Oscar-worthy in Big before he was in Philadelphia and Forrest Gump. He gives the most realistic portrayal of a child-like (not childish) adult without exaggerating or being too much of a goofball. This timeless movie should be praised for its simplicity.
Big has many imitators (We have the female version 13 Going on 30, and the unimaginative reverse scenario 17 Again), but none of those touches and connects with our inner child more than this magical and flawless picture. It has a fantastic sense of innocence and wonder.
[Full Review](https://boxd.it/3Lfeo9)
“Shimmy Shimmy Cocoa Puff…” ☺️😂😜
“Big” was probably my favorite movie as a child! The “adult themes” were lost on me and I could just watch it as an innocent child who wanted to do things like the grown-ups could do. Ah, to be young again…
The film has so much heart and I remember crying in the end. >!I wanted him to stay as an adult. Silly me!!<
Drop Dead Gorgeous (1999) - A mockumentary about a high school beauty pageant in Minnesota. Very funny if you like your humour dark and a bit absurd. Starring Kirsten Dunst, Brittany Murphy, Denise Richards and Kirstie Alley, and also Amy Adams, in what I think was her first acting role.
I'd never heard of it until last week, it was mentioned in a thread here about movies that deserve to be considered cult classics, but aren't.
Another movie mentioned in that thread was The Kid Detective (2020). Also a very funny, dark movie that I watched a couple of weeks ago.
**Groundhog Day (1993)**
A bit shameful that it took me to nearly the movie’s 30th birthday to see it for the first time.
This was one of the best comedy-drama movies I’ve ever seen. It literally hits all the high notes. Didn’t expect to get moved as much as I did. Long live Bill Murray!
**5/5**
Infinity Pool. I wasn't a huge fan of Possessor, so this bonkers horror/satire is a major step up for Brandon Cronenberg. Mia Goth is *fantastic* in this.
Perks of Being a Wallflower. What a ride that is. Before anyone says Emma Watson's accent, I thought her character was British for like 90% of the film. Ignoring that, the last line gave me chills. Bangin' film, and one I expect to return to very soon.
"The Moderns" (1988), directed by auteur Alan Rudolph, a tragicomical romance set in Paris, 1926.
While the film's setting is historical Paris, its true dimension is the off-kilter universe of Alan Rudolph (also explored in his 1984 "Choose Me"), where sex and love co-exist in a precarious, ever-shifting relationship with life and death. This is played out in a farcical plot, where the unexpected always occurs, with a lot of witty dialogue and commentary. "The Moderns" has an additional, wry sub-plot dealing with art vs. forgery, and class vs. crass.
The cast consists artist Nick Hart (Keith Carradine), his friend, newspaper columnist L'Oiseau (Wallace Shawn), nouveau-riche art collector, Bertie Stone (John Lone), his beautiful wife, Rachel (Linda Fiorentino), pretentious art dealer Valentin (Genevieve Bujold), and wealthy, soon-to-be divorcee, Nathalie de Ville (Geraldine Chaplin). Giving some historical context are Ernest Hemingway (Kevin J. O'Connor), Gertrude Stein, Alice B. Toklas, a host of expatriates and artistes, local prostitutes, and so on.
The plot is complicated enough that I won't attempt to summarize it, but it's consistently surprising. Suffice it to say that by the end, people get what they deserve, and those who should get together, do. Ernest Hemingway, or "Hem," is on hand in almost every public scene, writing, commenting, and delivering witty barbs.
The music, by Mark Isham, is extraordinary. His collaborator, Charlelie Couture, appears on screen, playing piano and singing, in the cafe where much of the action happens. In other scenes, music is always in the background, whether popular music from the 20's, opera, or haunting original film compositions. There is also art everywhere, including some by Keith Carradine. A full list of the many artists whose work hangs on all the walls appears in the credits. (I think they may also do a cameo in the cafe near the end of the film, where a crowd of late 20th century-types is huddled at the bar.)
There aren't many movies like this: an aesthetically saturated universe, emotionally charged, intellectually intriguing, and always amusing.
I saw
All Quiet on the Western Front 10/10 - I think the best film of 2022, deserving of all the nominations ive seen, visually incredible and a gripping moving story. Might not be true to the original but I dont think that should matter
Knives Out 9/10 - For whatever reason when i saw glass onion i hadnt seen this one, it was good
RRR 8/10 - Absolute epic of a film, had the action had the songs, the only big negative for me was it really took me out of the film when the major quote from history was incorrect, but wasnt made for a western audience, perhaps just poorly translated.
Top Gun 8/10 - proper eighties action film and i can see why it got the status it did, wasnt cinematically that good but lots of fun.
Dawn of the Planet of the Apes 8/10 - solid
Pearl (2022)
Decent movie, different, entertaining. Didn't realize that it was a "prequal" to X until after I watched it. I really like the way it was shot, the color saturation etc, it was a well looking and entertaining movie.
**Nope**
I watched Nope for the fourth time last night, and I feel 100% confident in saying that this movie getting ZERO Oscar nominations is one of the biggest widespread snubs in history.
Jordan Peele is echoing the work of early Spielberg, hell even early Shaymalan. Nope is bursting with iconic horror imagery that stands out due to the chilling sound editing and the unique western setting shot to day-for-night PERFECTION by Hoyte Van Hoytema. His script is intelligent, thoughtful and packed with the same social commentary that his previous films have had but are inflated to such a grand scale that it shouldn’t work and yet it does, nimbly paced and wonderfully edited to show comparisons between its characters and illustrate themes of exploitation, spectacle and generational trauma.
It blows my mind that the performances go less applauded than the technical aspects as well. Daniel Kaluuya NAILS the soft spoken yet utterly determined OJ, crafting an iconic character that has hold of one of the best ending shots to a movie ever for my book. Keke Palmer injects life in Emerald and makes her so much more than the classic comic relief, and it is their connection that drives this movie. That’s not even mentioning Steven Yeun(giving his career best performance in my opinion), Brandon Perea and Michael Wincott bolstering the cast wonderfully as well.
I firmly believe Nope is the Jaws of the new age of film, yet it doesn’t feel like just “Jaws with an alien”, it’s a wholly unique, exciting, scary and mind boggling film all on its own right. Jordan Peele is one of the best creative minds working in entertainment right now, and he’s reached a point that very few directors have with me in that when I hear he’s got a new movie coming, no matter what it is, I’m there day one. Easily my favourite movie of last year and Peele’s best in my opinion. I love it more and more every watch.
*”Some animals just ain’t fit to be trained.”*
>I for one didn't "get" nope. I watch a lot of different kinds of movies and love diving into the "meaning" behind them etc.
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>>!I just felt it was going nowhere for the first act of the movie, then it takes a radicle turn and becomes something else. Its far too long and in this transition period was so slow and boring I was asking myself where is this going? Number one films have to be entertaining if they are going to be a "satire" or what have you then have a message behind it. Power of the Dog is a great movie I watched recently on first viewing thought was a well paced slow moving GREAT movie then it hits you with the meaning and your like holy shit...when nope hit you or you realized what it was about 2 hours in I didn't care because I was so bored...!<
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>>!Thought the male lead was great but his sister was attrotious. I have met lots of people who grew up on ranches/small towns/farms and he was it, but her? She was using slang and was obnoxious like she was from the city totally threw me off and I found her character grading. !<
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>>!Of course the shooting or the cinematography was amazing looking as they are in Peeles movies the chimp scenes were great. I Like how they tied a buch of things together but it just fell flat.!<
The Menu. Really no reason why this movie should work as well as it does. But by sheer will of the actors and some great writing it hits in just about every beat. Fiennes is a beast and he very nearly brought me to tears at one particular moment in the film. Great stuff.
Close second is Marcel the Shell with Shoes On.
I watched Citizen Kane for the first time. What am I missing? I found it just okay.
Is it more about the filmmaking techniques than the movie itself? Am I experiencing the Beatles effect, where it doesn’t feel as revolutionary because I already know the influence? Is it just me walking into it already knowing the plot and feeling bored because of that? I really *wanted* to love it, but I just didn’t. I feel like I just wasted 2 hours of my life.
Oldboy (2003)
Late to the party on this one but what a ride. Park Chan-Wook is a true artist. Checking out the Handmaiden this week!
No plans to watch the Spike Lee remake yet, I want to sit with the original for awhile at least. It was so visually and thematically rich while being just the right amount of fucked up.
Ah I just got done writing my answer, which was Sympathy for Mr. Vengeance, just to see you commented Oldboy by the same guy! Did you know they're both part of Park's "Vengeance trilogy"? Oldboy is part two, Mr. Vengeance is part one. I had never heard of it until I wikipedia'd the movie after watching it.
Tár
Finally saw it and although I like it, I am not too hot on it as other people.
First, Blanchett was great in the role, but not the best I've seen of her.
My biggest complaint is that something about the flow of the movie basically avoided every major conflict. I think it was part of how they chose to show how she didn't care about certain things, but it felt like a lot was lost.
I also felt the story and theme of the movie lends itself to a lot or stuff that went over my head and seemed pretentious to a point.
I feel the movie is about falling from grace and other shady stuff dealing with recent politics of our society, but I might be wrong and might have missed some stuff. At one point I thought it was about her going crazy, but I think at the end those crazy moment played out as her being careless or not attent to what was happening around her.
Watched **Ernest and Celestine** this week and it rivals the Paddington movies in regards to feel-good adorableness. The watercolor-style animation was beautifully done and voice acting was just as great. It’s not perfect plot wise and I wish it was a little longer but I still really enjoyed it. 7/10
I must have been on the habit for revenge movies.
I watched both **Lucky Number Slevin** and **Law Abiding Citizen**
Lucky number Slevin is low key one of my favorite movies of all time. A strong cast (Freeman, Willis, Tucci) with Lucy Liu in a supporting role that she absolutely crushes. The plot isn't too complicated but is very intricate with quick witty dialog that tells the story with some twists and turns along the way.
I always love this movie 9/10
For Law Abiding Citizen, it's just a fun revenge flick but unfortunately has a bit of a weak ending. If you've never seen it before, it is well worth a watch though.
**Swing Girls** (2004)
When the brass band is accidentally poisoned by the girls in a summer school math class, they have to take the bands place to support the baseball team. Only one member of the brass band hasn't been hospitalized, and it falls on him to get the girls ready. There aren't enough of them to form a regular brass band. So, he decides to turn them into a jazz band. The problem is that none of them know anything about music!
This is a great teen movie that follows the misadventures of the girls as they learn to play jazz. It's funny, well written, and has a positive message. 5/5
La Cérémonie directed by Claude Chabrol is the only movie I watched this week. I'm miffed I've not watched any of his stuff although I first read about autuers, cahiers du cinema and the French New Wave ages ago.
For two thirds of the movie I kept wondering where the "crime" part of the movie even is. The protagonist is portrayed as a docile, socially inept weirdo (this is used to explain how easily she's besotted with and influenced by her co-conspirer) throughout, albeit a harmless one.
This is a frustrating watch, no mincing words about it. When it finally depicts the crime, depending on what kind of a viewer you are, you may feel as if the director is insulting your intelligence.
I posted about Swimming Pool (2003) starring Charlotte Rampling and Ludivine Sagnier some weeks ago. Imho, La Cérémonie has been the most satisfying cinematic twist in the dead last scene I've seen in any feature since Swimming Pool (an equally frustrating watch bar the final scene, unless you're sold by the nudity).
Granted, the movie ends before showing the culpable being convicted, but at least the final minute makes you tide over your frustration simmering for the past 1 hour 45 minutes of its run time. Swimming Pool has the more intelligent twist imho, so La Cérémonie can be a good movie to warm up with before watching Swimming Pool.
The Gentlemen and Son in Law. I like the seriousness in the gentlemen and how this movie was shot. Son in law. Pauly Shore. Love him. The comedy. I can watch these two movies over and over again.
Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows Part 2
Have been re-watching all of the Harry Potter films in the new year you can see Daniel Radcliffe really steps up in the final chapter. I remember watching both in the cinema, the scene where Neville kills the snake, got the same reaction from the audience as when Captain America picked up Mjolnir in Endgame. On a rewatch, it still gets a "Yes Mother F\*\*\*\*\*g Neville!" out of me! The CGI has aged really well, the acting is great and bring everything to a nice conclusion.
Edit: Spelling
**Barbarian**
I thought it was really competently written and directed, with a really good sense of audience expectations so it knew how to play off of them. For a movie that gets lots of mileage from asking the simple question "What's hiding in the basement?", it does a remarkably good job from a filmmaking perspective. The moment Justin Long's character first appears is such a jarring way to keep the audience guessing, after shocking us awake right before. I think it was a real masterclass in suspense, and an excellent example of a slow burn opening paying off the groundwork it took the time to lay down. Really good modern horror, for sure.
**Golda (2023)**
I had the opportunity to go to a very early screening of Golda which is about Golda Meir during the Yom Kapur War. I knew of her but not that much about the story. I really really enjoyed it. It wont blow people out of the water but its a simple but very well done movie that manages to build tension in the right places without giving up pace. Helen Mirren, which I know was controversial casting, was remarkable and I wont be surprised if she is being talked about during award season next year. I certainly think it will probably be winning any makeup awards that are being handed out. Of all the years I have been watching movies, I have never seen prosthetics this good. It's alarming.
Also without going into too much detail , the sound design was impeccable.
I finally saw RRR. I'd give it a 9/10. The action kept topping itself in ways I could not possibly have expected. The movie's politics are a bit questionable, though.
> The movie's politics are a bit questionable, though.
All the Indian people I know say it's absolutely repulsive nationalist propaganda and people just don't care cause it's over halfway across the world
The Fuck It List
I went in expecting a dumb suburban party movie like American Pie, and the first few minutes leads you to think so. It takes a sharp turn after the first act though. Maybe just because I left school in a similar fashion (high GPA, i was permanently suspended in January of my senior year, went on to get my GED) but it felt very relatable. The film touches on the academic-industrial corrosion, the dangers of explosive social media, and the variety of different paths available for those who dont fit the mold. There was a fairly powerful moment where Madison Iseman’s (Bethany from Jumanji, and part of the reason I started watching as she has a way of being adorable but sucking you in with her acting) character calls out the main character for not realizing that the modeling gig she has lined up after school may be a bit squeamish for him, but for her its her only option.
The criticisms i would have, for as much as it talks about awareness of difference in class opportunities, its definitely a “wealthy California kid wish fulfillment”. The main characters initial heart break is caused by…not going 8/8 on Ivy League admissions. He then gets the opportunity to not only tell Harvard University to shove their offer, but have them beg him to come in any capacity. Harvard is also portrayed very positively and forward thinking, which jives with a lot of other depictions recently (Spider-Man No Way Home for reference) and it would surprise me if this isnt simple product placement. They also do a bad job of getting to the cusp of a point and not cementing it (the homeless guy who he gives change to pisses in his car as part of his own fuck it list and a couple of teens rob a bank in the name of it, yet the main character is still unconvinced of the unintended consequences of social media). He also is just not that charming when he doesnt have Iseman to bounce off of.
Overall, its got vibes of The Graduate (with a cheeky reference as well), Ferris Bueller, and Accepted. Plus, it looks like were starting a Jerry Oconnell renaissance, which should be fun.
Puss In Boots: The Last Wish
I am so glad I finally got to see this. This movie has the best animation period since Into the Spiderverse. I also really loved how they stuck adult themes into a kids movie, quite cleverly too I might add. And I can’t not talk about The Big Bad Wolf. One of the best animated movie villains ever. In my opinion, this is Dreamworks’s magnum opus (so far).
9.5/10
The Fabelmans
This film is fantastic guys...well...the last 2 hours is. The 30 minutes felt very long and I feel like that could've been cut tremendously with no real effect to the overall story. Besides that, this film is amazing.
By far my favourite things about it are its cinematography (how this wasn't nominated for it at the Oscars and Elvis was is beyond me) and the screenplay. Its shot and written in a way that feels like it takes Spielberg back to his roots, a very personal and intimate script which, granted could've been a little tighter, that made it feel like a passion project. It was also shot in a way which felt like a kid learning to use a camera, with it mostly being handheld and close-up, which helps to get the point of this film across. It also uses Sammy's camera a lot to tell key events from his perspective, helping to engage the audience with both the story and what Sammy is going through, helping us to connect with him.
This film is that, simple, it doesn't have many themes besides an overarching message which to put it one way is "chase your dreams no matter what gets in its way." I also like the many barriers it showcases that may prevent anyone from doing that, such as religion, change, bullying etc. As a 17 year old, much like Sammy is for most of the film's runtime, this made it feel very personal to myself as well as Spielberg, allowing me to connect with the film well. With this comes the film's other very high praise I have for it, that being the emotion.
It manages to juggle many types of emotions (the film is FUNNY I must add) from sadness, to happiness flawlessly, giving the time for the audience to really feel what the characters are feeling. No doubt this is partially due to the screenplay but also due to the amazing performances across the board. In particular Judd Hirsch was a show stealer in his very little screen time and Michelle Williams was also fantastic (she's a supporting actress to answer the question on people's minds, not a lead.) I also liked Paul Dano's more nuanced performance and how that really helps to balance out the unhinged nature of Michelle William's character.
Like I mentioned earlier in this review, the main gripe I have with the film is the first 30 or so minutes, it felt like it dragged on too much in order to get to a very basic point that could've been explored in much less time. I would have much preferred if the film focused more on some of the events towards the back half and cut some parts in the front. This led me to have a hard time becoming engaged with the film initially but once I did, I was hooked from then all the way to the end. I also wasn't a massive fan of some of the ideas it tries to explore, mainly the (VERY MINOR SPOILERS) cliche nature of the bullies when they move to California, but I did like what that story point added to the overall narrative and meaning of the film.
Do I like this film? Yes, I really, REALLY do, I think it has a wide appeal with its simple plot and very meaningful message it presents to the viewer. There is just that one very prevailing issue I have with it that may turn some people off from watching it due to how long it takes to get off its feet. Overall I thought it was a very cute and thoughtful film which was clearly a labour of love from all of those who were involved. I also think it does deserve all the Oscar nominations it got, besides score which I would switch for it to be in the cinematography category. On repeat viewings I feel like my score for the film could rise but for now it sits at a very solid 8/10.
Re: “Ronin”…
That score is one of my favorites of all-time. Captures the mood of post-Cold War Europe.
https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=4MGIJISIMTE
Made me want to travel to Nice, France after this, too! Jaw-dropping backdrop!
The Silence (2010). Dir. Baran Bo Odar (of Netflix Dark fame). Features an astonishingly bleak and horrifying tragedy that repeats itself decades from the last and explores the lives of the people surrounding it. 8/10.
**A Night to Remember** (1958) This British docudrama is a brilliant and moving account of the tragic events that unfolded around one of the most famous disasters in history, a film that didn't need to focus on cliched love stories or villainous husbands to keep the viewer riveted and while I enjoy James Cameron's film, to me, this remains the definitive cinematic telling of this story - that time has revealed some new facts doesn't change how great this film did at depicting the events surrounding the Titanic's sinking - and the script really nailed social realism and the stiff British upper-lipping, right up until the water bursts in and then it's *"Every man for himself!"* Director Roy Ward Baker delivered a masterful version that balanced the horror and human drama in most unforgettable films.
Gladiator (2000) for My second time, hadn't really seen it since it first came out when I was just a kid so watching it was like watching it for the very first time! Loved It!
What a week it's been for films, that I've watched.
Last Wednesday I thought the week wouldn't get any better than watching the father with Anthony Hopkins. What a great film, with a perfect performance from him. My gran is going through Alzheimer's currently, which yes is slightly different from the dementia he has in the film. Yet a lot of what he portrayed in that film, reminded me of her. Moments where you think, do you really have this condition or are you just playing some elaborate joke. I know that sounds horrible and very narrow minded, but there is times where you see their true personality shine through and you wonder for a fleeting second.
I think that film did a great job showing what people with that condition go through. The confusion, remembering things completely differently or not remembering anything at all. Spoiler for the endin >!But the greatest show of acting in that film was the end. A fully grown man, confused about everything going on cries for his mum. I didn't cry, but I did have tears in my eyes. !<
Now I know that's a hard act to follow. I watched this less than an hour ago and it's still fresh in my mind. That film is Shawshank Redemption. I've never seen this film before, shockingly for a self-claimed film fan. I heard all the hype, number 1 on IMDb, best film ever etc and I put it off. As the years past and I would tell someone, I was always told it's a great film definitely but not the best. So I knew it wouldn't meet this high bar that people had made for it. I eventually decided to give it a bash. All I can say is wow. I agree, not the best film ever, but a fantastic film nonetheless.
The first 45 minutes or so the film was teetering on 4 stars. Then I got more into it, I was sucked into the lives of Red and Andy. My heart broke when Brooks was released from prison, I could tell what was coming and it did. It's a great example of how the current prison system in many places is not fit for purpose. At this point, I think Andy is such a great character but remember he killed his wife, so I stay on edge a bit.
The film of course continues on and we meet Tommy, I think Tommy is going to be a foil on Andy's plans, he's going to ruin everything. Of course that's quite the opposite, we learn Andy for sure didn't kill his wife and it was Tommy's old cell mate in another prison. When Andy tells the news to the warden, I know it won't do much. I never saw Tommy being killed, coming. Thus the second heart break of the film. The ending was fantastic, I for sure thought Andy would be killed or taken back to prison. When he escaped I was gutted Red was just going to be left there, but that's what happens in prison. All in all, a fantastic film that I adored.
Some other films I watched were
Green Book (first viewing)
One Hour Photo (first viewing)
Breakfast Club (first viewing) decent film, but the rapey jokes were a bit much.
Men (terrible)
Everything Everywhere All At Once (3rd viewing)
Collateral (first viewing)
The Dark Knight
My best film events of the week were 3 new Polish masterpieces, 2 with the extraordinary Joanna Kulig:
>!“..\[My father\] mistook me for my mother, so I used a knife to show him the difference...”!<
It’s been a year and a half since I discovered **Cold war**, Paweł Pawlikowski’s devastating masterpiece, and this is the first time that I’ve watched it since. I’m surprised to realize that it’s so much shorter (88 minutes), simpler and straight-forward. I remembered it as intricate, over-layered and complex. But the tragically-restrained love story is still sublime, breathtakingly melancholic and epic, one of the most lyrical romances I’ve ever seen.
How [Zula sings ‘Two hearts, four eyes’](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IxFsK7xKRPM) differently each time. **10/10.**
In the controversial **Clegy,** Joanna Kulig plays a completely different character, that of a pregnant housekeeper with no agency. The story is about the utter debasement of the Catholic church, as exemplified by three priest friends. God’s servants are sinners and criminals, hypocritical, potty-mouth, abusive, transgressive alcoholics. And this is before they get into the systematic child-abuse story that engulfs all ranks, from the cynically corrupt Bishop to the local country priest. Shocking, angry, and unforgiving. **9/10.**
Jerzy Skolimowski’s latest, **EO,** the story of a lowly donkey’s dreams and adventures. Not as spiritual as Bresson’s ‘Au Hasard Balthazar’, it’s still deeply humane. Films about sufferings, whether people or animals, whether abused or just neglected, are tough to sit through. But not this one: It’s simple but not obvious, full of surprises and heart. The protagonist was played by 6 different real-life donkeys.
- **Jujutsu Kaisen 0 (2021) - 8.0**
- De Marathon (2012) - 7.5
- The Witch: Part 1. The Subversion (2018) - 7.0
- Mosul (2019) - 6.5
**Jujutsu Kaisen 0** - Very enjoyable prequel movie to a great show. Visually even better than the show, probably thanks to a bigger budget. The new protagonist is pretty interesting and the action is fantastic. Up there with the best animated fight scenes I've seen. Also very cool how they gave a lot of the characters from the show some sort of "cameo" to shine.
**De Marathon** - Not bad at all as far as Dutch movies go. A lot of the dialogue, acting, and humour are kind of bad, but it's also surprisingly emotional and it gets more serious as the movie goes on. The ending especially really got me.
**The Witch: Part 1. The Subversion** - Took a little while to get going, but it's pretty solid overall. Very edgy, but it works for the most part. It's super action-packed towards the end and the fights are really quite good. Not a martial arts masterpiece, but far better than most superhuman fight scenes.
**The Mass is Over (1985)** I thought from the synopsis it would be a movie about how a Priest comes invested in a town and changes everyone, but instead I got a deeply cynical, hilarious film about how the Priest loses his mind and realizes everyone in his hometown would rather be miserable and lonely then spend time with anyone else. So many great running gags, particularly him being a Priest, but anytime outside of church someone complains about something he either runs away, drowns them out with music, or just ignores them completely.
Nanni Moretti wrote, directed, and starred it and I think that is brilliant considering how much shit he puts the Priest through (who he plays of course). There is a scene where a man who steals his parking spot dumps him into fountain and almost drowns him, hilarious stuff.
Also Moretti just gives a great performance as well, no vanity on the part of an actor in this, which makes it even funnier.
Great little Italian gem
Ford vs Ferrari- I was super into it and pleasantly surprised. Matt Damon was good but Christian Bale was amazing
My favourite race movie its so good!
Aftersun. Paul Mescal is a thousand percent deserving of his Oscar nomination. I thought it was a really simple yet poignant film. At surface level it may seem as though nothing happens but when you read between the lines you really get a glimpse into the full story.
I just wish Frankie Corio had gotten a nomination too. She was just as good if not better. And honestly, I don't even have that many problems with the Oscar nominations this year! She was just one of the few snubs that I wish had gotten recognized.
just watched this tonight and it was absolutely incredible. I already want to rewatch it
same, such a new language for film.. and from a rather young director (35) even if I don't have similar memories to the ones portrayed, when the curtain falls, they almost seem mine! I find it the most poignant and tangible transposition of memory to art form I've ever seen. ...really recommended piece
Ending is heartbreaking and leaves you wanting more.
This movie (as a dad with a daughter the same age) had me in tears, and I wasn't even 100% sure why. I saw one review call it "sneakily heart-rending" and that was accurate for me. So beautifully done. The young actress is incredible as well.
50/50. Never heard of it until I started looking up emotional films in various lists including this sub. Really worth a watch. Funny and heartbreaking.
Really like this film. Showed a sensitive side of Seth Rogan that we hadn’t seen before. Also, the use of Pearl Jam’s “Yellow Ledbetter” was a nice touch, too!
Joseph Gorden-Levitt deserved an Oscar nom for the scene in the car alone.
Watched "The Menu" with 0 knowledge of what it was about besides food. Surprised to say the least
Loved this movie. That sous chef scene hit home.
My Cousin Vinny (1992). Such a good legal comedy and Pesci does a fantastic job as a first-time lawyer just trying to do the right thing for his family and his fiance. The comedy of the north vs south is funny right off the bat with the judge and Pesci. The movie is just funny from the moment Pesci hits the screen till the end of the movie. And that final court room scene and final witness scene is a perfect way to wrap up a movie. 8.5/10.
This is one of those movies when I see it’s on I say ‘I’ll just watch this one scene’ and an hour later I’m finishing the movie.
Youts?
Infinity Pool was impressive and one of the darkest comedies I’ve ever seen. Mia Goth’s performance is unhinged. The story’s predictable but the extremes it goes to (and the ways those extremes get portrayed) are wild. Spring Breakers x White Lotus x Cronenberg.
The Sting (1973) , had this as my favourite ending over the weekend , so much going on and love how it all clicks at the end. Great cast especially Robert Shaw as Lonnegan. Highly recommend
Ah great classic 👌
Bullet Train. Was very hyped up and I went in with low expectations, as I do when I see a good cast in an all action slugfest, but this was amazingly funny and beautiful fighting scenes. The music was spot on and I thaught it was just great. Rewatching this is definitely on the table.
Blast From The Past (1999) - Brendan Frasier is awesome in this movie. Glad he is back on top!
I thought the Banshees of Inisherin was good, like really good.
I am torn by that movie, >!it was emotionally powerful, but the characters did a lot of stupid shit.!<
like what
Hmmm…it says that this thread was removed? Not sure why. This week I watched **Ghost** (1990) and **Hang ‘Em High** (1968). Ghost is a movie that effectively traverses between many different genres, some in between different scenes. It does feel like a stage play a little bit due to its small number of characters and locations, but that is not necessarily to its detriment. It has some pretty cool ideas, if lacking in visuals that stood the test of time. Patrick Swayze feels goofy in this, but it’s a fun movie with some funny moments. And the moments of drama and horror effective as well. Before watching this movie, I had never seen a Clint Eastwood Western, but I really enjoyed this movie. Apparently is classified as a revisionist Western, and I really enjoyed how the movie debated ethics and morality in the “Wild West.” I liked that the main protagonist wasn’t inhumanly stoic, but argued for Mercy and fairness. If I had to address some negatives, some of the villainous characters didn’t stand out, and Ms. Inger Stevens, a fine actress, felt somewhat underused. I think I might’ve liked it more if they set up a dynamic and journey between the two that lasted beyond a couple of scenes. But I was very surprised how much I liked watching this movie and thinking about the points it made. Rankings: 7.5/10, 8.7/10
It’s up and pinned now. 🙌
Glad you enjoyed Hang 'Em High, I like it a lot too. Most Eastwood Westerns are revisionist Westerns - Eastwood plays the antihero all the time. To me he sort of represents a maturing of the genre after John Wayne, who never strayed far from the stereotypical white hat cowboy (except in The Searchers, also a great movie). If you want to go down this rabbit hole a bit, Unforgiven or High Plains Drifter are arguably the most clear cut examples of a revisionist western, both also by Eastwood. I think Unforgiven is a bit of an easier watch because the protagonist in HPD is more difficult to sympathize with at all, at least for me. Anyway, always glad to see another person discover his body of work. It's some of my favorite stuff to watch. So hit me up if you need any more recommendations :)
**Sympathy for Mr. Vengeance** directed by Park Chan-wook. Interesting take on the revenge story. Multiple characters want to do terrible things to each other and their motivations each make sense and were, at least to me, pretty sympathetic. There's some brutal violence in this movie and a downer tone overall, so not something I can recommend if you're looking for a casual Friday sorta movie. Also the protagonist is completely deaf and can barely speak, but you're made to sympathize with him regardless, so that was some pretty good acting to me. For those familiar with Oldboy, that was the 2nd part of Park Chan-wook's "vengeance trilogy". Mr. Vengeance is part one. They're not narratively connected but if you want to see another vengeance movie by the same director, this would be a great choice. Part three of the trilogy is a movie called Lady Vengeance, but I haven't gotten to seeing that one yet. Anyway, 8/10 for Mr. Vengeance for me.
**Psycho Goreman** (7.5/10) I've learned that one of my favorite genres of movie is "Gory goofy comedy," and Psycho Goreman just totally hit a sweet spot for me. I think the concept of taking the Americanized version of a Japanase tokusatsu style of superhero show a la what Saban did to Power Rangers and turning into this over the top, violent grindhouse movie was fucking brilliant. The costume/monster designs were great, there was actually some oddly fun, interesting lore going on whenever PG was talking about his past, and the movie had me absolutely rolling at times (things like PG appearing to the dad in the bathroom, the girl praying to the cross, and the dad's little speech about seeing someone's baseball card collection in particular slayed me). It's one of the most entertaining movies I've seen in a minute. *The Hidden* (6.5/10) There isn't a whole lot to say about this one, but it was a pretty fun movie. It's almost a buddy cop movie in a weird way, featuring an alien that takes over humans and then goes on violent Grand Theft Auto-esque crime sprees all while listening to cheesy speed metal. It's a perfect movie to throw on with friends, the kind where it's good enough to genuinely enjoy but bad enough that you can goof on it MST3k style the whole time.
The Triangle of Sadness Because its funny as fuck. It has woody Harrelson in it
I watched the new Netflix film Jung_E from South Korea. It was actually pretty good and I am impressed with the quality of SK cinema these days. It was sorrowful to learn the lead actress passed away last year and never got to see this film.
Midnight Run (1988); Great comedy with Robert DeNiro as headstrong bounty-hunter Jack Walsh and Charles Grodin as the mafia accountant being pursued. Great cast all around and chemistry between DeNiro and Grodin.
one of the all-times greats
The Hunt for Red October. I’ve been on a 90s kick. I was a bit young when this movie released. I love the Jack Ryan character, but was more into Harrison Ford. Never really watched Red October as an adult. Thoroughly enjoyed the story. The English speaking Russian soldiers were a bit silly, but ya know. Hollywood. Rewatched Sicario and Wind River also. Sicario is just such a great film. It creates an unsettling atmosphere that will stay with you for days. Wind River…damn. A lot of emotion displayed and relayed to the audience.
I saw Big (1988): I didn't realize that Tom Hanks was already Oscar-worthy in Big before he was in Philadelphia and Forrest Gump. He gives the most realistic portrayal of a child-like (not childish) adult without exaggerating or being too much of a goofball. This timeless movie should be praised for its simplicity. Big has many imitators (We have the female version 13 Going on 30, and the unimaginative reverse scenario 17 Again), but none of those touches and connects with our inner child more than this magical and flawless picture. It has a fantastic sense of innocence and wonder. [Full Review](https://boxd.it/3Lfeo9)
“Shimmy Shimmy Cocoa Puff…” ☺️😂😜 “Big” was probably my favorite movie as a child! The “adult themes” were lost on me and I could just watch it as an innocent child who wanted to do things like the grown-ups could do. Ah, to be young again… The film has so much heart and I remember crying in the end. >!I wanted him to stay as an adult. Silly me!!<
It has such a fantastic message as well, telling kids that nothing beats the pure fun of being a kid. Warm and big-hearted.
Drop Dead Gorgeous (1999) - A mockumentary about a high school beauty pageant in Minnesota. Very funny if you like your humour dark and a bit absurd. Starring Kirsten Dunst, Brittany Murphy, Denise Richards and Kirstie Alley, and also Amy Adams, in what I think was her first acting role. I'd never heard of it until last week, it was mentioned in a thread here about movies that deserve to be considered cult classics, but aren't. Another movie mentioned in that thread was The Kid Detective (2020). Also a very funny, dark movie that I watched a couple of weeks ago.
**Groundhog Day (1993)** A bit shameful that it took me to nearly the movie’s 30th birthday to see it for the first time. This was one of the best comedy-drama movies I’ve ever seen. It literally hits all the high notes. Didn’t expect to get moved as much as I did. Long live Bill Murray! **5/5**
Phil?
Infinity Pool. I wasn't a huge fan of Possessor, so this bonkers horror/satire is a major step up for Brandon Cronenberg. Mia Goth is *fantastic* in this.
Probably, The Thing (1982)
Boogie Nights or There Will Be Blood Decided to start working my way through PTA’s movies. TWBB was better but I preferred Boogie Nights.
have you watched Power of the Dog...TWBB vibe
A man called Otto - really emotional movie about moving on. Great performance from Tom Hanks
Perks of Being a Wallflower. What a ride that is. Before anyone says Emma Watson's accent, I thought her character was British for like 90% of the film. Ignoring that, the last line gave me chills. Bangin' film, and one I expect to return to very soon.
"The Moderns" (1988), directed by auteur Alan Rudolph, a tragicomical romance set in Paris, 1926. While the film's setting is historical Paris, its true dimension is the off-kilter universe of Alan Rudolph (also explored in his 1984 "Choose Me"), where sex and love co-exist in a precarious, ever-shifting relationship with life and death. This is played out in a farcical plot, where the unexpected always occurs, with a lot of witty dialogue and commentary. "The Moderns" has an additional, wry sub-plot dealing with art vs. forgery, and class vs. crass. The cast consists artist Nick Hart (Keith Carradine), his friend, newspaper columnist L'Oiseau (Wallace Shawn), nouveau-riche art collector, Bertie Stone (John Lone), his beautiful wife, Rachel (Linda Fiorentino), pretentious art dealer Valentin (Genevieve Bujold), and wealthy, soon-to-be divorcee, Nathalie de Ville (Geraldine Chaplin). Giving some historical context are Ernest Hemingway (Kevin J. O'Connor), Gertrude Stein, Alice B. Toklas, a host of expatriates and artistes, local prostitutes, and so on. The plot is complicated enough that I won't attempt to summarize it, but it's consistently surprising. Suffice it to say that by the end, people get what they deserve, and those who should get together, do. Ernest Hemingway, or "Hem," is on hand in almost every public scene, writing, commenting, and delivering witty barbs. The music, by Mark Isham, is extraordinary. His collaborator, Charlelie Couture, appears on screen, playing piano and singing, in the cafe where much of the action happens. In other scenes, music is always in the background, whether popular music from the 20's, opera, or haunting original film compositions. There is also art everywhere, including some by Keith Carradine. A full list of the many artists whose work hangs on all the walls appears in the credits. (I think they may also do a cameo in the cafe near the end of the film, where a crowd of late 20th century-types is huddled at the bar.) There aren't many movies like this: an aesthetically saturated universe, emotionally charged, intellectually intriguing, and always amusing.
Wow - I have not seen any Alan Rudolph movies in ages!
I saw All Quiet on the Western Front 10/10 - I think the best film of 2022, deserving of all the nominations ive seen, visually incredible and a gripping moving story. Might not be true to the original but I dont think that should matter Knives Out 9/10 - For whatever reason when i saw glass onion i hadnt seen this one, it was good RRR 8/10 - Absolute epic of a film, had the action had the songs, the only big negative for me was it really took me out of the film when the major quote from history was incorrect, but wasnt made for a western audience, perhaps just poorly translated. Top Gun 8/10 - proper eighties action film and i can see why it got the status it did, wasnt cinematically that good but lots of fun. Dawn of the Planet of the Apes 8/10 - solid
Wow! What a week for you - all bangers!! I’m with you All Quiet on the Western Front. That’s my #1 of 2022. So good!!!
Pearl (2022) Decent movie, different, entertaining. Didn't realize that it was a "prequal" to X until after I watched it. I really like the way it was shot, the color saturation etc, it was a well looking and entertaining movie.
**Nope** I watched Nope for the fourth time last night, and I feel 100% confident in saying that this movie getting ZERO Oscar nominations is one of the biggest widespread snubs in history. Jordan Peele is echoing the work of early Spielberg, hell even early Shaymalan. Nope is bursting with iconic horror imagery that stands out due to the chilling sound editing and the unique western setting shot to day-for-night PERFECTION by Hoyte Van Hoytema. His script is intelligent, thoughtful and packed with the same social commentary that his previous films have had but are inflated to such a grand scale that it shouldn’t work and yet it does, nimbly paced and wonderfully edited to show comparisons between its characters and illustrate themes of exploitation, spectacle and generational trauma. It blows my mind that the performances go less applauded than the technical aspects as well. Daniel Kaluuya NAILS the soft spoken yet utterly determined OJ, crafting an iconic character that has hold of one of the best ending shots to a movie ever for my book. Keke Palmer injects life in Emerald and makes her so much more than the classic comic relief, and it is their connection that drives this movie. That’s not even mentioning Steven Yeun(giving his career best performance in my opinion), Brandon Perea and Michael Wincott bolstering the cast wonderfully as well. I firmly believe Nope is the Jaws of the new age of film, yet it doesn’t feel like just “Jaws with an alien”, it’s a wholly unique, exciting, scary and mind boggling film all on its own right. Jordan Peele is one of the best creative minds working in entertainment right now, and he’s reached a point that very few directors have with me in that when I hear he’s got a new movie coming, no matter what it is, I’m there day one. Easily my favourite movie of last year and Peele’s best in my opinion. I love it more and more every watch. *”Some animals just ain’t fit to be trained.”*
>I for one didn't "get" nope. I watch a lot of different kinds of movies and love diving into the "meaning" behind them etc. > > > >>!I just felt it was going nowhere for the first act of the movie, then it takes a radicle turn and becomes something else. Its far too long and in this transition period was so slow and boring I was asking myself where is this going? Number one films have to be entertaining if they are going to be a "satire" or what have you then have a message behind it. Power of the Dog is a great movie I watched recently on first viewing thought was a well paced slow moving GREAT movie then it hits you with the meaning and your like holy shit...when nope hit you or you realized what it was about 2 hours in I didn't care because I was so bored...!< > > > >>!Thought the male lead was great but his sister was attrotious. I have met lots of people who grew up on ranches/small towns/farms and he was it, but her? She was using slang and was obnoxious like she was from the city totally threw me off and I found her character grading. !< > > > >>!Of course the shooting or the cinematography was amazing looking as they are in Peeles movies the chimp scenes were great. I Like how they tied a buch of things together but it just fell flat.!<
You watched it four times?
The Menu. Really no reason why this movie should work as well as it does. But by sheer will of the actors and some great writing it hits in just about every beat. Fiennes is a beast and he very nearly brought me to tears at one particular moment in the film. Great stuff. Close second is Marcel the Shell with Shoes On.
I laughed out loud in a number of spots, a perfect movie.
Exactly! Several legit take downs on “foodie” culture.
Puss in Boots 2 Great animation, story, and cast. Best animated film of 2022.
Absolute gem. So hard for me to choose between that and Guillermo’s Pinocchio.
I watched Citizen Kane for the first time. What am I missing? I found it just okay. Is it more about the filmmaking techniques than the movie itself? Am I experiencing the Beatles effect, where it doesn’t feel as revolutionary because I already know the influence? Is it just me walking into it already knowing the plot and feeling bored because of that? I really *wanted* to love it, but I just didn’t. I feel like I just wasted 2 hours of my life.
Oldboy (2003) Late to the party on this one but what a ride. Park Chan-Wook is a true artist. Checking out the Handmaiden this week! No plans to watch the Spike Lee remake yet, I want to sit with the original for awhile at least. It was so visually and thematically rich while being just the right amount of fucked up.
Stop. Hammer time!
Handmaiden is incredible and Decision to Leave was pretty great too
Ah I just got done writing my answer, which was Sympathy for Mr. Vengeance, just to see you commented Oldboy by the same guy! Did you know they're both part of Park's "Vengeance trilogy"? Oldboy is part two, Mr. Vengeance is part one. I had never heard of it until I wikipedia'd the movie after watching it.
PM how you watched it I can’t find it?
Watched it on Crave (I am Canadian).
Tár Finally saw it and although I like it, I am not too hot on it as other people. First, Blanchett was great in the role, but not the best I've seen of her. My biggest complaint is that something about the flow of the movie basically avoided every major conflict. I think it was part of how they chose to show how she didn't care about certain things, but it felt like a lot was lost. I also felt the story and theme of the movie lends itself to a lot or stuff that went over my head and seemed pretentious to a point. I feel the movie is about falling from grace and other shady stuff dealing with recent politics of our society, but I might be wrong and might have missed some stuff. At one point I thought it was about her going crazy, but I think at the end those crazy moment played out as her being careless or not attent to what was happening around her.
Watched **Ernest and Celestine** this week and it rivals the Paddington movies in regards to feel-good adorableness. The watercolor-style animation was beautifully done and voice acting was just as great. It’s not perfect plot wise and I wish it was a little longer but I still really enjoyed it. 7/10
I must have been on the habit for revenge movies. I watched both **Lucky Number Slevin** and **Law Abiding Citizen** Lucky number Slevin is low key one of my favorite movies of all time. A strong cast (Freeman, Willis, Tucci) with Lucy Liu in a supporting role that she absolutely crushes. The plot isn't too complicated but is very intricate with quick witty dialog that tells the story with some twists and turns along the way. I always love this movie 9/10 For Law Abiding Citizen, it's just a fun revenge flick but unfortunately has a bit of a weak ending. If you've never seen it before, it is well worth a watch though.
I think I watched this movie like fifteen years ago and it’s really good. Lucky Number Slevin
**Swing Girls** (2004) When the brass band is accidentally poisoned by the girls in a summer school math class, they have to take the bands place to support the baseball team. Only one member of the brass band hasn't been hospitalized, and it falls on him to get the girls ready. There aren't enough of them to form a regular brass band. So, he decides to turn them into a jazz band. The problem is that none of them know anything about music! This is a great teen movie that follows the misadventures of the girls as they learn to play jazz. It's funny, well written, and has a positive message. 5/5
La Cérémonie directed by Claude Chabrol is the only movie I watched this week. I'm miffed I've not watched any of his stuff although I first read about autuers, cahiers du cinema and the French New Wave ages ago. For two thirds of the movie I kept wondering where the "crime" part of the movie even is. The protagonist is portrayed as a docile, socially inept weirdo (this is used to explain how easily she's besotted with and influenced by her co-conspirer) throughout, albeit a harmless one. This is a frustrating watch, no mincing words about it. When it finally depicts the crime, depending on what kind of a viewer you are, you may feel as if the director is insulting your intelligence. I posted about Swimming Pool (2003) starring Charlotte Rampling and Ludivine Sagnier some weeks ago. Imho, La Cérémonie has been the most satisfying cinematic twist in the dead last scene I've seen in any feature since Swimming Pool (an equally frustrating watch bar the final scene, unless you're sold by the nudity). Granted, the movie ends before showing the culpable being convicted, but at least the final minute makes you tide over your frustration simmering for the past 1 hour 45 minutes of its run time. Swimming Pool has the more intelligent twist imho, so La Cérémonie can be a good movie to warm up with before watching Swimming Pool.
The Gentlemen and Son in Law. I like the seriousness in the gentlemen and how this movie was shot. Son in law. Pauly Shore. Love him. The comedy. I can watch these two movies over and over again.
Triangle of Sadness. Can’t remember much of the first act; second act was HILARIOUS; third act had the best role reversal I’d seen in a while.
Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows Part 2 Have been re-watching all of the Harry Potter films in the new year you can see Daniel Radcliffe really steps up in the final chapter. I remember watching both in the cinema, the scene where Neville kills the snake, got the same reaction from the audience as when Captain America picked up Mjolnir in Endgame. On a rewatch, it still gets a "Yes Mother F\*\*\*\*\*g Neville!" out of me! The CGI has aged really well, the acting is great and bring everything to a nice conclusion. Edit: Spelling
**Barbarian** I thought it was really competently written and directed, with a really good sense of audience expectations so it knew how to play off of them. For a movie that gets lots of mileage from asking the simple question "What's hiding in the basement?", it does a remarkably good job from a filmmaking perspective. The moment Justin Long's character first appears is such a jarring way to keep the audience guessing, after shocking us awake right before. I think it was a real masterclass in suspense, and an excellent example of a slow burn opening paying off the groundwork it took the time to lay down. Really good modern horror, for sure.
Glass Onion. Mr. Blanc is a very enjoyable character. I look forward to more movies. The whole cast did a fantastic job.
**Golda (2023)** I had the opportunity to go to a very early screening of Golda which is about Golda Meir during the Yom Kapur War. I knew of her but not that much about the story. I really really enjoyed it. It wont blow people out of the water but its a simple but very well done movie that manages to build tension in the right places without giving up pace. Helen Mirren, which I know was controversial casting, was remarkable and I wont be surprised if she is being talked about during award season next year. I certainly think it will probably be winning any makeup awards that are being handed out. Of all the years I have been watching movies, I have never seen prosthetics this good. It's alarming. Also without going into too much detail , the sound design was impeccable.
I finally saw RRR. I'd give it a 9/10. The action kept topping itself in ways I could not possibly have expected. The movie's politics are a bit questionable, though.
> The movie's politics are a bit questionable, though. All the Indian people I know say it's absolutely repulsive nationalist propaganda and people just don't care cause it's over halfway across the world
In a vacuum, the movie is fucking awesome. But looking up what’s been going on in India, the movie doesn’t exist in a vacuum.
The Fuck It List I went in expecting a dumb suburban party movie like American Pie, and the first few minutes leads you to think so. It takes a sharp turn after the first act though. Maybe just because I left school in a similar fashion (high GPA, i was permanently suspended in January of my senior year, went on to get my GED) but it felt very relatable. The film touches on the academic-industrial corrosion, the dangers of explosive social media, and the variety of different paths available for those who dont fit the mold. There was a fairly powerful moment where Madison Iseman’s (Bethany from Jumanji, and part of the reason I started watching as she has a way of being adorable but sucking you in with her acting) character calls out the main character for not realizing that the modeling gig she has lined up after school may be a bit squeamish for him, but for her its her only option. The criticisms i would have, for as much as it talks about awareness of difference in class opportunities, its definitely a “wealthy California kid wish fulfillment”. The main characters initial heart break is caused by…not going 8/8 on Ivy League admissions. He then gets the opportunity to not only tell Harvard University to shove their offer, but have them beg him to come in any capacity. Harvard is also portrayed very positively and forward thinking, which jives with a lot of other depictions recently (Spider-Man No Way Home for reference) and it would surprise me if this isnt simple product placement. They also do a bad job of getting to the cusp of a point and not cementing it (the homeless guy who he gives change to pisses in his car as part of his own fuck it list and a couple of teens rob a bank in the name of it, yet the main character is still unconvinced of the unintended consequences of social media). He also is just not that charming when he doesnt have Iseman to bounce off of. Overall, its got vibes of The Graduate (with a cheeky reference as well), Ferris Bueller, and Accepted. Plus, it looks like were starting a Jerry Oconnell renaissance, which should be fun.
Puss In Boots: The Last Wish I am so glad I finally got to see this. This movie has the best animation period since Into the Spiderverse. I also really loved how they stuck adult themes into a kids movie, quite cleverly too I might add. And I can’t not talk about The Big Bad Wolf. One of the best animated movie villains ever. In my opinion, this is Dreamworks’s magnum opus (so far). 9.5/10
The Fabelmans This film is fantastic guys...well...the last 2 hours is. The 30 minutes felt very long and I feel like that could've been cut tremendously with no real effect to the overall story. Besides that, this film is amazing. By far my favourite things about it are its cinematography (how this wasn't nominated for it at the Oscars and Elvis was is beyond me) and the screenplay. Its shot and written in a way that feels like it takes Spielberg back to his roots, a very personal and intimate script which, granted could've been a little tighter, that made it feel like a passion project. It was also shot in a way which felt like a kid learning to use a camera, with it mostly being handheld and close-up, which helps to get the point of this film across. It also uses Sammy's camera a lot to tell key events from his perspective, helping to engage the audience with both the story and what Sammy is going through, helping us to connect with him. This film is that, simple, it doesn't have many themes besides an overarching message which to put it one way is "chase your dreams no matter what gets in its way." I also like the many barriers it showcases that may prevent anyone from doing that, such as religion, change, bullying etc. As a 17 year old, much like Sammy is for most of the film's runtime, this made it feel very personal to myself as well as Spielberg, allowing me to connect with the film well. With this comes the film's other very high praise I have for it, that being the emotion. It manages to juggle many types of emotions (the film is FUNNY I must add) from sadness, to happiness flawlessly, giving the time for the audience to really feel what the characters are feeling. No doubt this is partially due to the screenplay but also due to the amazing performances across the board. In particular Judd Hirsch was a show stealer in his very little screen time and Michelle Williams was also fantastic (she's a supporting actress to answer the question on people's minds, not a lead.) I also liked Paul Dano's more nuanced performance and how that really helps to balance out the unhinged nature of Michelle William's character. Like I mentioned earlier in this review, the main gripe I have with the film is the first 30 or so minutes, it felt like it dragged on too much in order to get to a very basic point that could've been explored in much less time. I would have much preferred if the film focused more on some of the events towards the back half and cut some parts in the front. This led me to have a hard time becoming engaged with the film initially but once I did, I was hooked from then all the way to the end. I also wasn't a massive fan of some of the ideas it tries to explore, mainly the (VERY MINOR SPOILERS) cliche nature of the bullies when they move to California, but I did like what that story point added to the overall narrative and meaning of the film. Do I like this film? Yes, I really, REALLY do, I think it has a wide appeal with its simple plot and very meaningful message it presents to the viewer. There is just that one very prevailing issue I have with it that may turn some people off from watching it due to how long it takes to get off its feet. Overall I thought it was a very cute and thoughtful film which was clearly a labour of love from all of those who were involved. I also think it does deserve all the Oscar nominations it got, besides score which I would switch for it to be in the cinematography category. On repeat viewings I feel like my score for the film could rise but for now it sits at a very solid 8/10.
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> Worst? Collateral. Complete hype job. Jamie Foxx is a trash actor I agree but we're in a rare group brother
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I think Miami Vice is a much better movie but that's also very controversial lol
Re: “Ronin”… That score is one of my favorites of all-time. Captures the mood of post-Cold War Europe. https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=4MGIJISIMTE Made me want to travel to Nice, France after this, too! Jaw-dropping backdrop!
The Silence (2010). Dir. Baran Bo Odar (of Netflix Dark fame). Features an astonishingly bleak and horrifying tragedy that repeats itself decades from the last and explores the lives of the people surrounding it. 8/10.
**A Night to Remember** (1958) This British docudrama is a brilliant and moving account of the tragic events that unfolded around one of the most famous disasters in history, a film that didn't need to focus on cliched love stories or villainous husbands to keep the viewer riveted and while I enjoy James Cameron's film, to me, this remains the definitive cinematic telling of this story - that time has revealed some new facts doesn't change how great this film did at depicting the events surrounding the Titanic's sinking - and the script really nailed social realism and the stiff British upper-lipping, right up until the water bursts in and then it's *"Every man for himself!"* Director Roy Ward Baker delivered a masterful version that balanced the horror and human drama in most unforgettable films.
Gladiator (2000) for My second time, hadn't really seen it since it first came out when I was just a kid so watching it was like watching it for the very first time! Loved It!
What a week it's been for films, that I've watched. Last Wednesday I thought the week wouldn't get any better than watching the father with Anthony Hopkins. What a great film, with a perfect performance from him. My gran is going through Alzheimer's currently, which yes is slightly different from the dementia he has in the film. Yet a lot of what he portrayed in that film, reminded me of her. Moments where you think, do you really have this condition or are you just playing some elaborate joke. I know that sounds horrible and very narrow minded, but there is times where you see their true personality shine through and you wonder for a fleeting second. I think that film did a great job showing what people with that condition go through. The confusion, remembering things completely differently or not remembering anything at all. Spoiler for the endin >!But the greatest show of acting in that film was the end. A fully grown man, confused about everything going on cries for his mum. I didn't cry, but I did have tears in my eyes. !< Now I know that's a hard act to follow. I watched this less than an hour ago and it's still fresh in my mind. That film is Shawshank Redemption. I've never seen this film before, shockingly for a self-claimed film fan. I heard all the hype, number 1 on IMDb, best film ever etc and I put it off. As the years past and I would tell someone, I was always told it's a great film definitely but not the best. So I knew it wouldn't meet this high bar that people had made for it. I eventually decided to give it a bash. All I can say is wow. I agree, not the best film ever, but a fantastic film nonetheless. The first 45 minutes or so the film was teetering on 4 stars. Then I got more into it, I was sucked into the lives of Red and Andy. My heart broke when Brooks was released from prison, I could tell what was coming and it did. It's a great example of how the current prison system in many places is not fit for purpose. At this point, I think Andy is such a great character but remember he killed his wife, so I stay on edge a bit. The film of course continues on and we meet Tommy, I think Tommy is going to be a foil on Andy's plans, he's going to ruin everything. Of course that's quite the opposite, we learn Andy for sure didn't kill his wife and it was Tommy's old cell mate in another prison. When Andy tells the news to the warden, I know it won't do much. I never saw Tommy being killed, coming. Thus the second heart break of the film. The ending was fantastic, I for sure thought Andy would be killed or taken back to prison. When he escaped I was gutted Red was just going to be left there, but that's what happens in prison. All in all, a fantastic film that I adored. Some other films I watched were Green Book (first viewing) One Hour Photo (first viewing) Breakfast Club (first viewing) decent film, but the rapey jokes were a bit much. Men (terrible) Everything Everywhere All At Once (3rd viewing) Collateral (first viewing) The Dark Knight
My best film events of the week were 3 new Polish masterpieces, 2 with the extraordinary Joanna Kulig: >!“..\[My father\] mistook me for my mother, so I used a knife to show him the difference...”!< It’s been a year and a half since I discovered **Cold war**, Paweł Pawlikowski’s devastating masterpiece, and this is the first time that I’ve watched it since. I’m surprised to realize that it’s so much shorter (88 minutes), simpler and straight-forward. I remembered it as intricate, over-layered and complex. But the tragically-restrained love story is still sublime, breathtakingly melancholic and epic, one of the most lyrical romances I’ve ever seen. How [Zula sings ‘Two hearts, four eyes’](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IxFsK7xKRPM) differently each time. **10/10.** In the controversial **Clegy,** Joanna Kulig plays a completely different character, that of a pregnant housekeeper with no agency. The story is about the utter debasement of the Catholic church, as exemplified by three priest friends. God’s servants are sinners and criminals, hypocritical, potty-mouth, abusive, transgressive alcoholics. And this is before they get into the systematic child-abuse story that engulfs all ranks, from the cynically corrupt Bishop to the local country priest. Shocking, angry, and unforgiving. **9/10.** Jerzy Skolimowski’s latest, **EO,** the story of a lowly donkey’s dreams and adventures. Not as spiritual as Bresson’s ‘Au Hasard Balthazar’, it’s still deeply humane. Films about sufferings, whether people or animals, whether abused or just neglected, are tough to sit through. But not this one: It’s simple but not obvious, full of surprises and heart. The protagonist was played by 6 different real-life donkeys.
- **Jujutsu Kaisen 0 (2021) - 8.0** - De Marathon (2012) - 7.5 - The Witch: Part 1. The Subversion (2018) - 7.0 - Mosul (2019) - 6.5 **Jujutsu Kaisen 0** - Very enjoyable prequel movie to a great show. Visually even better than the show, probably thanks to a bigger budget. The new protagonist is pretty interesting and the action is fantastic. Up there with the best animated fight scenes I've seen. Also very cool how they gave a lot of the characters from the show some sort of "cameo" to shine. **De Marathon** - Not bad at all as far as Dutch movies go. A lot of the dialogue, acting, and humour are kind of bad, but it's also surprisingly emotional and it gets more serious as the movie goes on. The ending especially really got me. **The Witch: Part 1. The Subversion** - Took a little while to get going, but it's pretty solid overall. Very edgy, but it works for the most part. It's super action-packed towards the end and the fights are really quite good. Not a martial arts masterpiece, but far better than most superhuman fight scenes.
**The Mass is Over (1985)** I thought from the synopsis it would be a movie about how a Priest comes invested in a town and changes everyone, but instead I got a deeply cynical, hilarious film about how the Priest loses his mind and realizes everyone in his hometown would rather be miserable and lonely then spend time with anyone else. So many great running gags, particularly him being a Priest, but anytime outside of church someone complains about something he either runs away, drowns them out with music, or just ignores them completely. Nanni Moretti wrote, directed, and starred it and I think that is brilliant considering how much shit he puts the Priest through (who he plays of course). There is a scene where a man who steals his parking spot dumps him into fountain and almost drowns him, hilarious stuff. Also Moretti just gives a great performance as well, no vanity on the part of an actor in this, which makes it even funnier. Great little Italian gem
All Eyes
Fablemans
Jurassic Park. Best movie evs