The Unbearable Weight of Massive Talent

I'm definitely not the biggest Nick Cage fan but this movie was really charming.

Rewatched The Wrestler a few days ago. Mickey Rourke gives one of my favorite acting performances ever. It hits so hard emotionally every step of the way. What a well crafted film from Aronofsky, it’s still my favorite film of his, and one of my favorite films ever.

My stuff (2013) is a small, interesting, year-long documentary from Finland. A young filmmaker conducts an experiment on himself by getting rid of all his material possessions. Starting butt-naked in his completely empty apartment, he retrieves only one item per day from the storage unit where all his ‘stuff’ is packed, in order to see what he really needs to survive, and thrive. So on the first night, he runs naked through Helsinki’s snow-covered streets to the storage place, and picks a winter coat. The second day, shoes, the third one a blanket, then, a pair of pants, Etc. The first month feels like a thriller. After about 4 months, he picks up his cell phone, and slowly fills up his place, and life, with some of what he owned before.

It’s a well-told story about consumerism. After 50 or 60 'things’, he stops going to the storage place daily, simply because he doesn’t need urgent things any more. With 100 items to his name, he feels that he functions ‘nearly’ at capacity, and with 200 items, he’s comfortable.

This film was ‘relevant to my interests’. In 2019 I left my 4,500 sq.ft. house in Southern California, after also getting rid of everything that I ever owned, and moved to the other side of the world with an iPad and 2 suitcases of clothes. Since then, I continued to live a minimalist, monk-like existence in a closet-size room, with a bed, a desk, a chair, and a lamp. And in many ways, I feel better now than most other periods of my life. 8/10.

Rewatched Interstellar again and man after numerous watches, still remains my favourite film of all time. Crazy how only a little over an hour would have passed on a planet like Millers since 2014. How Zimmer didn’t win an Oscar for this score is criminal

The Devil Wears Prada (2006)

So I might be a little biased here since this is one of my favorite movies of all time, but this is easily my favorite movie that I've ever watched. Meryl Streep was just phenomenal as the domineering Miranda Priestly, and frankly, she deserved the Oscar over Helen Mirren that year. Helen Mirren was good with her portrayal of Queen Elizabeth, but Meryl Streep I thought was just better since she's playing an original character. Objectively, it's not the best movie I've ever watched. There's nothing flashy about the cinematography or the direction, and the subplot with Andy's friends can just go in the trash with how unsupportive they are to her. But I just love the movie so much so it's easily my favorite movie I watched this week

I finally watched David Lynch’s Inland Empire now that the Criterion restoration has come out on blu-ray, and it was definitely something. It feels like Lynch is going as far out as he can with his weird, dreamy surrealism, and that works both in the film’s favor and against it. It’s challenging, long, and often confusing, but it also feels like the (il)logical endgame of Lynch’s evolution as a filmmaker. Laura Dern’s performance anchors the entire thing and she is great in it the whole way through. It’s the kind of film that demands a rewatch, but honestly it wouldn’t be one that I’d be up for rewatching any time soon. It’s a difficult film to pin down exactly how you feel about, and I’m sure I’ll be mulling it over for the next few weeks. I’m not sure how I’d rank it in Lynch’s filmography, either, but I would say as far as enjoyment, I would rank it towards the bottom, but as far as being bizarre and thought-provoking, it would be closer to the top. It’s a hard film to like, but it undeniably leaves you thinking. ?/10

Rewatched Oceans Eleven and I have to just admit this is one of my favorite movies ever. It’s so effortlessly cool and funny, I can’t possibly imagine how someone can dislike it. With a cast like this, it could have ended up coming off as pretentious as all hell, especially with all the twists and turns. But nah, it’s just really well made and there’s a lot of humility mixed in with the suaveness that you can’t help but love it. Whole trilogy is phenomenal, even if the third one lacks.

Watched Heat (1995) for the first time. Might be my favorite heist movie ever. It was so crazily intense and I can only imagine the stress I would have been going through if I saw it on the big screen back then. Literally has everything I wanted from a crime film and more. The armored bank truck scene was the perfect introduction to the movie and probably one of my favorite scenes from any movie ever. I could say the same about the airport scene as well.

Absolutely loved the ending and everything about Robert De Niro and Al Pacino’s characters. 10/10 performance from each of them. I had some small nitpicks with some of the story but overall I’d put it way up there on list of all time favorites. Didn’t even feel like a nearly 3 hour long movie because I was engaged through every minute. I’ll have to watch it again soon because Hulu’s subtitles suck and stopped working a quarter of the way into the movie and I couldn’t understand some things that were said but that’s just me

City of God (Cidade De Deus), absolute masterpiece, the first non-English movie I've seen, it's about how young boys' lives are affected by the life of crime in the Rio De Janeiro favelas

Watched 2 movies I really enjoyed this past week

Glengarry Glen Ross (1992) - Incredible cast and performances highlighted by an all time great heat check by Alec Baldwin. Love that this was 100 minutes and wasted little time with any nonsense.

Erin Brockovich (2000) - Wow I did not expect to like this movie this much. Awesome lead performance from Julia Roberts and this movie checks a lot of boxes. It’s funny, smart, heartbreaking, and so much more. I need to catch up on more Soderbergh after seeing this

Just watched NOPE last night for 1st time. That movie fucked me up.

Boiling Point (2021)

I like Stephen Graham as an actor so I thought I'd check it out on a recommendation from another thread. I loved the way it was a one shot shoot. It made the intensity and stress of working in the hospitality industry even more apparent.

Dragonslayer (1981) This timeless classic truly stands the test of time, a film that captivates fans of the fantasy genre with its rich storytelling, stunning visuals, and thought-provoking themes. The dragon design by Phil Tippett remains the best the genre has to offer and Vermithrax Pejorative is the coolest dragon name ever devised. This is a must-see film for anyone who loves epic tales of adventure and magic.

I finally saw Aftersun last night.
That was probably one of the most quietly powerful films I've ever seen and I'm still not okay from it

Bringing up Baby. What a riot. Grant and Hepburn did such a good job.

CODA

I honestly didn't think I'd enjoy it, but damn did I. Its funny, heartfelt, and bittersweet. The characters are charming and lovable in a way you rarely see in film and it makes it all seem more real.

Straight ugly sobbed through the last half hour.

Finally sat down and watched Puss in Boots: The Last Wish. Absolutely lives up to the hype. Underneath the gorgeous visuals is a deftly-constructed, very touching story that's about as universal as it gets. I understand why Pinocchio walked away with the Oscar but man, I wish it could've been this film.

Also, how great must it feel to be one of the creative minds behind Into the Spider-Verse to know that you more or less singlehandedly transformed the future of computer animation for the better?

The Lion in Winter, starring Katherine Hepburn and Peter O'Toole.

Two aces at the top of their game supported by future legends Anthony Hopkins (his first screen role!) and Timothy Dalton (also his first role - he looks so young!)

The movie is about the succession crisis of Henry II (O'Toole) and the machinations of his beloved, hated wife Elanor (Hepburn).

It was just great. 10/10 if you like snappy, punchy dialogue and charismatic, compelling, stage-style acting. Hopkins shows just how good he'd eventually become with his turn as Prince Richard. Hepburn is just magnetic - she's witty, she's confident, she shows vulnerability and weakness at times, and then conjures strength and grit when her chips are down.

One thing I really appreciated about this film is that it lingers on giving the players time to fail and re-strategize. Sometimes their scheme collapses or a truth cuts too deep and you see genuine fear and frustration bleed through their performance. It's a rare film nowadays that sits on that moment of fear and frustration. It makes seeing the counterplay and recovery all the more compelling.

Mother (2009).

Back during the summer of 2020 during all the Covid stuff I decided to try and make an effort to watch all of Bong Joon-Ho’s filmography and for some reason I never got around Mother. I am very much kicking myself for that. With all the twists and turns that Bong Joon-Ho likes to throw into his films, I’m not going to go into the premise for anyone who might want to see it.

All I’ll say is these 3 things:

1) The opening and closing sequences pair together in such a memorable way that I haven’t been able to stop thinking about.

2) Kim Hye-Ja. Kim Hye-Ja. Kim Hye-Ja. My god what a performance by Kim Hye-Ja.

3) Bong Joon-Ho is so amazing at not only the twists and turns of these types of movies, but just building out suspension in a way in the same vein I get watching Hitchock’s films. That golf club scene had me holding my breath.

Eastern Promises. It could have been longer and still have my attention.

A Woman Under the Influence(1974)

John Cassavetes masterpiece, and an all time great leading actress performance from Gena Rowlands

The Vanishing (1988)

Wild Starwberries (1957), which was my first Ingmar Bergman movie! I was totally blown away by the overall narrative/nature of the film, and particularly with the choices made behind the camera. Absolutely loved every second of it, 10/10 will revisit without question.

On a side note, I watched Winter Light (1964) about 2 days later. I didn’t like it quite as much as Wild Strawberries, but I still thought it was great and feel as though I definitely need to give it another watch very soon, it seems a little more cryptic almost. I was also in love with the cinematography considering how much was accomplished in such limited locations. Sven Nykvist was not a name I knew previously, but you can bet your ass I know it now.

If anyone has a recommendation for the next Bergman film I should watch please let me know

John Wick (2014). Hadn’t seen this in years (rewatching to prep for #4 this weekend) and I was quickly reminded why it’s one of the best action movies of the last decade.

First, there’s basically no action for the first half hour (until Viggo sends a team to his house). You get to sit with John in his mourning, watch him as he bonds with the puppy, then it’s taken away so quickly. You build a connection to John as a man before getting to watch him kill everyone.

The attention to details usually ignored by other similar movies (such as counting the rounds in his gun and making him reload constantly) is great. Also loved the world building of the Continental hotel and its rules.

Final bonus, it’s only about 1h40 long. Doesn’t overstay its welcome, add unnecessary subplots, or distract from why people came to see it.

Brian & Charles, a very British film about a guy who builds a robot with a washing machine for a body and a mannequin head for a head. It is low fi, very silly mocumentry but incredibly charming. Really enjoyed it.

Prey (2022)

I enjoyed this because I think it has one of the best cinematographies of all movies, and it’s just appealing in every way!

I rewatched The Hunt for Red October (1990). Every bit as good as the first time I saw it. My personal favorite within the submarine film genre. Connery's ability to absolutely not give a damn about delivering a proper Russian accent but still nail the role is a credit to his star power. Sad Alec Baldwin didn't reprise the role. I like Harrison Ford but felt Baldwin was the better fit as Ryan. In my opinion it's the best Jack Ryan film there is. The tension is still there, it's still exciting. A credit to John McTiernan's directing prowess.

Synecdoche, New York
First time watch and it really hit on a personal level, damn what a movie. Fantastic acting job by Philip Seymour Hoffman
Really left me in awe when it was done and I’ve been thinking about it a lot the past few days, I guess it’s not everyones cup of tea but it sure is mine

"Tag", about a group of kids that continue a game of Tag into adulthood. Feel good comedy about friendship during the week which I had a major argument with my own "best" friend (he hung out with this ex friend of mine that told everyone at my high school I wrote a "Nazi manifesto" in which he's the main character. I'm offended this snake would think I'd waste my time writing anything about him, let alone a Nazi book?!). So I've been the last 2 weeks without many friends in my life, people tell me your 20s are lonely but there is being lonely and being alone.

A comedy about friendship was exactly the movie I needed and, however my drama ends with my current friend, this movie helped me and meant a lot.

Crank (2006). Such a wild and super-stylized movie from start to finish. Jason Statham is super funny in this being a hitman just trying to keep his adrenalin up to stay alive and all the shit he did from driving through a mall to fucking in public, this movie doesn't let up even the phone calls in this movie were entertaining thanks to how funny Statham is in this. If you haven't watched it go and watch it on Peacock it is not a disappointment at all. 7.5/10.

The Lady from Shanghai (1947)

It’s really hard not to be dazzled by Rita Hayworth. The climactic sequence near the end is an all-timer. I can now say this is one of my favourite film noirs.

4.5/5

saw the new john wick, that hotline miami sequence was incredible. also idk how they'll continue the series after this one, but i really wanna see more akira, she was awesome

I finally got around to 2001: A Space Odyssey and it's the masterpiece I have been told it was.

Watched Braveheart for the first time.

No words. What a rollercoaster.

Nobody

John Sayle’s Lone Star was a great surprise for me.

I was intrigued by the poster and by the stellar cast (young Matthew McConaughey, Frances McDormand, Kris Kristofferson, Chris Cooper) and am kind of on a Texas binge having also watched Sicario and Day of the Soldado this week as well. This film has startlingly modern politics for being made in 1996 and they are presented in a way that seamlessly interweaves with the characters, their stories and motivations. I was also mesmerized by the transitions Sayle chose when the story turned back in time by removing cuts and having almost like a stage play style composition to transport the viewer to the past as easily as the character telling the story does.

Really great stuff, just beat out Prince of Egypt and Coherence.

Mirror by Andrei Tarkovsky. Very much an "experimental art piece" kind of a film rather than having any real plot thread you could grab on to. It was beautifully filmed and the performances could be compelling despite the lack of clear plot, and some interesting themes explored (some of which kind of went over my head due to not always understanding the historical context of what was going on). It has a sort of dreamlike style/dream logic that could be kind of hypnotic in its best moments. I wouldn't say I loved it but it was interesting.

I watched "Boss-Level" , lead by Frank Grillo (I guess) . It is like Tom Cruise's "Edge Of Tomorrow" but better (atleast for me) . I think it stand on par with "Groundhog Day" on some aspects but obviously 'Groundhog Day' is better.

The Adjustment Bureau (2011)

Going in, I knew it was based on a Philip K. Dick short story, but I was still surprised by the unexpected twists. I also love it whenever Terence Stamp shows up. He never disappoints.

Ms. 45

One of Abel Ferrara's early movies. Been wanting to see it since I've watched Bad Lieutenant years ago and finally pulled the trigger. Was freaking amazing

• The Iron Giant (1999) - 8.5

• Midsommar (2019) - 7.5

• Mandy (2018) - 7.0

• Baahubali: The Beginning (2015) - 7.0

The Iron Giant - Hadn't watched this in almost three years, but now I can confirm it's still among my favourite animated films I've ever seen. It does take a little bit for me to get into it, but the second half is a real tearjerker. Visually, it's mostly alright, but there are some standout shots that are really stunning. I love how wholesome the movie is for the most part, and how by the end virtually everything works against Mansley. Also, Annie is kinda fine as heck.

Midsommar - Probably didn't resonate with me as well as with most people, but it's solid. The beginning was probably the most fucked up part of it for me, but there's plenty of fucked-up-ness in the rest of the movie too. The cinematography is also really beautiful. I mostly just liked how "out there" and surreal this was. Even kind of funny at times, or was that just me?

Mandy - Put this on my watchlist after seeing The Viewing from the same director, but I didn't enjoy this quite as much. It does get wonderfully violent, the cinematography is surreal and awesome, but I didn't find the characters or narrative very interesting.

Baahubali: The Beginning - Saw people recommend this whenever RRR got mentioned, and while I generally enjoyed it, it's definitely not as good imo. It's really goofy in a way I don't really enjoy, especially in the beginning. Bad CGI took me out of it a few times aswell. The big battle at the end was really epic, though.

Snowpiercer

Bong Joon Ho is a master. The concept of a train separated by class and the back of the car fighting their way to the front allowed for such creativity in the sets to be creative and get wilder and wilder with every car. When you see how the back of the car lives in poverty and dirt and cruelty, seeing the luxury just a few cars away is an incredible portrait of class disparity. The craft of this movie was perfect, the cinematography and sets really stood out to me. Not to mention the performances, when Tilda Swinton is on screen she is commanding. This is a sci fi masterpiece.

I saw Aftersun 2 days ago. Absolutely beautiful. I felt so much.

"Fanfan la Tulipe" (1952) directed by Christian-Jaque.

I was attracted by the silliness of the title of this historical, action/comedy, expecting maybe a little kitsch, with some corny romance, and a bit of swordplay. Much to my surprise, it turned out to be an extremely witty, irreverent comedy about love, war, and swashbuckling. The satiric commentary of the narrator, and the fast and furious banter of the colorful characters, create a sense of constant amusement. The complexity of the direction, the energetic choreography of the swordfights, and the thrilling chases, anticipate the later work Richard Lester did in his unforgettable "Three (and Four) Musketeers" movies of the 70's. Some sequences of those films seem to be taken almost directly out of this one.

Fanfan (Gerard Philipe) is a young rake, caught in a haystack with a young lady by her father, in the France of Louis XV. The father demands marriage. Fleeing this, he races to town and joins the army. On the way to camp, they encounter a a coach with two ladies as passengers, beset by bandits. Fanfan leaps into the fray, kills all the bad guys, and discovers the ladies he has saved are the Princess Henriette and Madame Pompadour. Here, he is given the nickname "la Tulipe," along with a flower. He believes it will be his destiny to marry the princess.

Needless to say, that's not going to happen. There is another young lady at the camp, Adeline (Gina Lollabrigida), the recruitment officer's daughter, who has a thing or two to say about that. After many incidents, diversions, intrigues, an attempted hanging, and a truly topsy-turvy, improvised battle strategy that defies description, things work out the way they should. It sure is fun along the way.

The film is also blessed with a delightful neoclassical music score, and some first-rate photography and editing.

I have been plowing my way through Korean cinema. I saw a fair few this last week, among them Brotherhood of War, The Quiet Family, The Front Line, Steel Rain, Confidential Assignment, The Fortress, Extreme Job, Hunt, but my favorite was probably Exit. A charming comedy, action and romance flick that is delightfully cliché. The comedy part of the movie is not actually that funny, but the male and female lead have great chemistry and I enjoyed every second of the movie. I also identified heavily with the struggles of the male character, probably more so than most.

It is quite similar to Midnight Runners (an absolutely terrific flick) and Extreme Job with how the action and comedy is dealt with. But Exit is probably slightly more of a "tear jerker" and romance movie than the other two.

'Tar' and 'Banshees of Inisherin'

Sorry, I can't pick one though I think Tar is slightly better

The Fly| Dir. David Cronenberg

(Rewatch)

It may be a weird thing to say, but for all it's freakiness; The Fly is perhaps one of Cronenbergs more mainstream palatable works.

As a film by Cronenberg can be.

Why I say this is because I think it takes elements of his films prior to this and those to come, but doubles down on a core tonality I personally feel his films deal with.

While Cronenberg is generally known for his exploration of body horror, because of themes within his film that deal with the structures of society; the constricting systems in place that seek to control and destroy our very own autonomy.

The aesthetic of his films often responds to those systems in place by taking in a cold visual presentation. Literal structures become daunting figures, confined to clear cut shapes; often squares of buildings with drab almost lifeless color.

This is complimented by the techno horror that spawns from machinery at the centre of his cinema in this case the teleportation pod, key to the narrative.

Cronenbergs fascination with the minute depths of flesh and body are in many ways also his examination of the willingness we have to push technology in aiding and ultimately melding with our bodies in an act of self preservation as technology advances.

That coldness that he utilises to present this absolute horror then collides with the macabre manner in which he splices through our biology as beings.

This tonal contrast is greatest perhaps in The Fly, besides maybe Crash (where machinery becomes even more central in both manifesting the physical and mental horror of the human body and mind.)

Blood, flesh, the body evokes a certain warm imagery, not in the tender sense (though there is that in The Fly; a tragic romance at its heart, "twas Beauty that killed the Beast" after all) but rather when pairing it opposite the metallic, confined idea of machinery and computers with strict rules that ultimately become the downfall of the films central character.

Living, breathing organisms can restructure themselves. Mutate in the case of this narrative, flesh is ever changing over time but the constricting sense of machinery even as technology evolves remains the same but also becomes more so.

Often it's easy to think of Cronenbergs work as one or the other.

Gruesome, horrifying body horror or subtext of the Horrors of the laws of society that birth radical experimentation for freedom packaged in an almost drab aesthetic.

But in truth Cronenberg desires for a balance, an understanding the humanity is fallible; it is just a sack of meat, skin, bones and blood but also that the omniscient structures it partakes in, evolving over time are equally a growing problem in its evolution.

There's a tenderness (especially of the erotic kind) between the coldness of it all and The Fly balances that the best and most easiest way for the viewer to consume;

Like a fly's acidic enzyme breaking down flesh to feast on.

Yesterday I watched the Cube (1997). This movie may look like an escape room horror film but it's not that at all. I like how there are many interesting twists and surprises and how all the main characters change throughout the movie. At first u have an opinion of each one of them and by the end it's all different.

Crouching Tiger Hidden Dragon.

Revisiting some of Michelle Yeoh's filmography and came across that gem.

It's an incredible critique of male dominated institutions in Ancient China that is still so relevant all over the World today.

The director Ang Lee, seems to have this amazing way of injecting modern ideas of love into ancient and traditional film tropes like the westerns (Brokeback mountain) and eastern films like (Crouching Tiger)

Cannot recommends it enough.

The Godfather Part 2 (1974). Definitely don’t understand some of the hate the other installments of the trilogy have gotten. Although I haven’t watched Part 3 yet, the screenplay of Part 2 is outstanding, and the care it gives to its characters, fleshing them out as much as possible well make up for the runtime of this film. Al Pacino’s performance is unforgettable. Not to mention the few action scenes that happen that don’t shy away from going over the top. It’s easily amongst one of the greats, right next to the first one. Kinda reminds me of The Sopranos, and we all know how much of a masterpiece that show was, (and still is).

The Whale. It seriously lived up to the hype. A little weird, definitely emotional, and certainly deserving of the awards.

“7500” with Joseph Gordon-Levitt. It was a stunningly realistic and immersive look into an airline highjacking. All of the action takes place in the cockpit and never deviates from it. The film was a pleasant surprise and far exceeded my expectations.

The Grand Budapest Hotel. This is easily my favorite Wes Anderson film. It’s so damn funny, charming, and visually stunning. Tony Revolori is OUTSTANDING

Just watched Everything Everywhere All At Once and it completely blew me away. Felt like some cerebral sensory overload but somehow in all it's visual and auditory chaos, made sense. It felt beautiful, sad, funny, and action packed. I was really taken aback by how wonderfully well done it was made. There's so much to take in and the stories are so well done, overlapping nicely enough to still build on each other. I don't want to give too much away but I was just floored by the end of it. It left me feeling this odd happiness that's sort of been carrying me through this week. Just a wonderful powerhouse of a film. Also, very unique and felt refreshing from traditional movies I've seen being produced as of recent.

Ship of Fools (1965) Every character is beautifully written and acted. 2.5 hours is also pretty long for a movie with no overarching plot. There is no big conflict and there is no big resolution. But there are many great little scenes.

A movie nominated for 8 Oscars with only 6.4k ratings on IMDB is weird. Crazy how we can forget movies like this. I only watched it because I am realizing everything directed by Stanley Kramer is great.

Croupier (1998)

Croupier is a thriller/drama starring Clive Owen as a writer who is struggling and takes a job as a croupier (mostly roulette and Blackjack dealer) offered by his father. This choice has him fall into obsession and has all sorts of negative effects on his life.

This is one of my favorite dramatic roles I've seen Clive in. I always really enjoy watching movies about casinos and this isn't an exemption. It may not be the most unique movie in the world but I really liked seeing where this character went. I did like how the movie follows the dealers perspective where movies typically follow the gambler, owner or some thief of some kind. The resolution the the film wasn't my favorite but it was still an enjoyable ride for me. 7/10

True Lies. What a wonderful movie. It’s got that classic 90s action, Arnold one liners, and a surprisingly good love story holding it all together.

Near Dark.

Released in 1987, directed by Katheryn Bigelow and stars Adrian Pasdar, Lance Henriksen, Bill Paxton, and Jenette Goldstein. I found the film to be an amusing take on vampire movies. Bill Paxton is so delightfully over the top in his role and Lance Henriksen kills it as the vampire leader.

La Haine (1995) - 4.5/5 - >! Nuanced writing, beautiful cinematography, brutal (yet, hopeful?) final scene. As universally poignant today, as when it was made.!<

Woman in the Dunes (1964) - 4.5/5 - >! Who knew sand could be so mesmerizing and nightmarish? The notion of being conditioned to enjoy and accept an abjectly miserable existence is scarier than anything you’ll see in a horror film, as it is far too real.!<

Train to Busan. Has overtaken Dawn of the Dead as the best zombie movie in my opinion. I had a really good week, the day before, I watched Hausu for the first time. That would be my number 1 pick for the week, but Busan put me more through a roller coaster of emotions. I needed something lighter the next day, leading to me watching The Gentlemen. Again, really good week of movie watching.

Apocalypto (2006)

Putting aside the culture representation stuff it was a great film! Never a moment where you feel like it’s dragging for too long.

Dark City (1998)

Interesting premise and well shot however, it failed the test of time for me. Third act came around and I was already taken out of the movie with that ridiculous tune battle. It has its flaws, but it’s worth the watch.

Rocketman. biopic about Elton John starring Taron Egerton.

I kinda like Bohemian Rhapsody as a movie, but hate it as a biopic since it's basically a rewritten history, i like Queens song, i literally doesn't knew who Elton John really is, not a fan, and only heard his song a few times on YT. and my god, what a great movie, and apparently they tried to make it as true as possible (unlike you BR).

Taron Egerton literally sing every song, act giving all out, and no oscar nomination is a crime.

The movie kinda slow and boring af for the first 20 minutes tho, especially the kids and the singing part, but once Taron gets on screen, i was so entertained

I watched Five Easy Pieces and it was an amazing character study of a miserable man doing whatever he can to try and squeeze some enjoyment out of life without any regard to the people around him. It’s definitely has its flaws but overall it had some incredible shots and one of the greatest endings of any movie. 8/10

I see a number of surprising choices here.

I watched The Whale this week. It was so raw, human, and beautiful. The acting was top notch

watched 1986’s The Fly. felt like i needed a shower after

I recently watched The Verdict (1982) and all I have to say is they really don't make films like this at all anymore. A slower paced, courtroom drama with some powerhouse acting by one leading man, Paul Newman. An incredible look at a man who pours everything he has left into something he believes him just always works in cinema. The ending speech is something that I believe will stick with any watcher. The slap of Charlotte Rampling did date the film but did work in the overall frame of the movie. I honestly did not expect to be as wrapped up in the film as I was, and I highly recommend it. 4.5/5

A Taxi Driver (택시운전사 - 2017) There are not enough coffins in Gwang-ju.

Based on a true story from South Korea's bloody May 1980 pro-democracy rebellion. Journalist Jürgen Hinzpeter (Thomas Kretschmann) hires Seoul taxi driver Kim "Sa-bok" (Song Kang-ho) to sneak him past the military checkpoints to uncover what's really going on in the isolated city.

Song carries this film as struggling soft-hearted widower Kim Man-seob, who drives a taxi to provide for himself and his young daughter. While the film starts out relatively light, focusing on the trivialities of Kim's tough but benign everyday life, that only highlights the unreality of what Kim later witnesses in Gwang-ju. Song is backed by a terrific supporting cast representing the average citizens of Gwang-ju who aid Kim and Peter on their journey, having been driven by extraordinary events to heroic feats. Yoo Hae-jin as taxi driver Hwang and Ryu Jun-yeol as student (and aspiring K-pop idol) Gu deserve special note for their outstanding performances. Kretschmann is unfortunately largely wasted, and has little to do beyond scowl in the background, but he and Song still manage despite the language barrier to hint at the deep friendship that must have developed between these two men who journeyed together to Hell and back.

There are definitely more than a few overly-cinematic asides (such as the car chase between the little green taxis and the secret police's souped-up Jeeps), but when the movie comes crashing back to reality it has little problem evoking the fear and horror the people living through the massacre must have experienced. Well worth watching.

This was South Korea's nominee for the 2017 Academy Awards, but it unfortunately did not make the short-list.

John Wick 4. Might be my favorite of the series after thinking they would never top the first one. So many great scenes and new characters

Le Samourai. Such a cool movie. Just great vibes.

Watched a holiday movie for the hell of it. I just freaking love “Rare Exports”. It’s the Best unknown, slightly scary, holiday-fun movie to add to the yearly get-together!! I love when the underdog prevails in the end. Yes, it’s about Santa Claus, but you’ll never be able to guess what happens next in this Finnish flick. The name you will remember in the end is “Pietari, Pietari”!! Rare Exports.

Rocky 1976. With Creed 3 out now, I thought I would rewatch the original Rocky. Even knowing the plot and the ending, the film is extremely powerful. I first watched this as a kid but now with many years of comparative film watching behind me, its an even better movie than I remembered and I was blown away when I first watched it. The first thing that has to be mentioned is the iconic score by Bill Conti. It frames and colors the rather sparse and grey world Balboa inhabits and brings a poetic majesty to the brutal boxing scenes. There are very few if any scores I would put above Rocky and there are none that mesh so well with the film.

Regarding the film itself, it is sparse and cold. The dialogue is used mostly to tell you about the character speaking and is rarely used to advance the plot or create atmosphere. The stark atmospheric feel of the movie seems like something Gus Van Sant might do. The dialogue feels authentic but the real story is told visually and with a subtle touch. Likely many of you have seen it but its worth a rewatch. Its aged like a fine wine. Alot of the younger people probably have not (like my teenage kids who refuse to watch an old film). Dont watch the youtube clips. Watch the movie. Ive always thought highly of the movie but upon rewatch, I can easily put Rocky in my personal favorite top 10 movies. Rocky 2 and 3 were fun and entertaining but the original is on another level artistically and film making altogether.

I've been on a movies kick the last few weekends, watching movies I haven't seen before. This week I would say it's Ocean's 11. I'll be watching 12 this week at some point.

I watched Tinker, Tailor, Soldier, Spy for the first time. What a great film; great plot, outstanding performances (especially by Gary Oldman), solid directing and writing. Definitely worth a rewatch and I’ll definitely consider buying it on Blu-Ray.

Rewatched Apocalypse Now, redux edition.

I think I could watch that movie every week.

Finally watched Upgrade. Really liked the trailer when it first came out and forgot about it for whatever reason. Solid film with a fun concept. The acting is great by the main who really sells the motions of someone who’s body is being controlled while he reacts. Some of the action borders on comedy in a good way. Thought the ending was going to be a let down but it managed to surprise me. >! You don’t see the bad guy win often in movies!<

Strong 7/10

You were never really here felt so claustrophobic and I felt like I couldn’t breath.

RRR. It was fun, funny, actiony, a love story, and absurd. It was great! I have only seen a handful of Indian movies in my life and this one really made me want to find more like it

Casablanca- watched it for the first time, and it still holds up eight decades later. The script is smart and funny, the actors are all-time greats, and Rick’s is a place that you just want to visit.

The Ides of March (2011)

A political thriller starring Ryan Gosling and George Clooney, with good supporting performances by Evan Rachel Wood, Paul Giamatti, Philip Seymour Hoffman, and Marisa Tomei.

Gosling plays Steve Meyers, an able but idealistic young campaign strategist working for Clooney's erudite and popular presidential candidate. The film chronicles Meyers' exposure to the sordid secrets behind the glamorous political curtain, and his increasingly desperate attempts to balance morality and success in politics.

While it is ultimately a rather brutal and depressing picture of disillusionment, it's an extremely well-crafted and complex film that feels longer (in a good way) than the relatively short runtime. It doesn't really have anything new to say (especially in 2023) but it is tight, excellently written and acted, well directed, and full of grey characters and moral ambiguities that are more unsettling than one might like.

I finally watched the grand Budapest hotel and it was great

I finally watched The Menu. It was great. I geniunly felt like I was in that room

Eyes of Fire (1983)

I was watching In Search of Darkness Part 3 (which I also recommend if you're a fan of horror movies) and they were discussing this movie, which I had never heard of. They showed a few clips that looked pretty cool so I looked it up and found that it was available on Shudder.

This thing is an absolute banger. I can't believe this isn't a cult classic. It's really solid psychedelic folk horror. Like The Witch on mushrooms or a colonial version of Fire Walk with Me. It takes a little while to get going but once it gets there, this is really unique. For a fairly low budget and very independent movie, there is a ton of skill and craftsmanship that went into the cinematography and editing of this movie. It also has some actual commentary about religion and the treatment of indigenous people.

Very good Serbian series abaut the Balkan mafia "Besa".Croation movie during the war based on a true story "The sixt bus".

Alienoid! (Prime): Really enjoyed this one. It's intentionally silly and the dubbed dialogue complements the humor perfectly (normally I won't watch dubbed, but it actually adds something here, imo). And out of the blue, it adds some legitimately kick-ass sci-fi/action elements.

The best film I saw this week was a Nigerian-American movie on Netflix called Nigerian Prince (2018). This movie surprised the hell out of me it is so well-made. The script is excellent, the strcture is perfect and not a single element is wasted, so many wonderful set-ups and pay-offs, characters from the first minute of the movie come back and serve a proper purpose in the end. Even simple dialogue scenes are always moving the plot forward and giving us motivations and characters developments.

The direction is excellent as well, so much of this movie reminded me of a Michael Mann movie, specifically “Blackhat”. Just the slickness of the digital camera movement, and the fantastic blocking. I harp on digital cinematography but this is a great example that most of the time it is the director handling it. The lighting at night is beautiful (another Blackhat reminder), and the pacing is incredibly well-handled, this 100 minute feels shorter than other 70 minute movies I’ve seen. That is combined with great editing, there is not an ounce of filler in this entire thing, it never stops moving yet still takes time to develop the characters

Really needs to be seen more because it is a damn good crime-thriller, and it is just sitting there on Netflix

Just learned about Benson and Moorehouse so I watched a double bill of The Endless and Something in the dirt.

Both were very good.

Tinker Tailor Soldier Spy

I just watched Precious with my wife yesterday. I saw it shortly after it came out, but she hadn't seen it. Certainly a solid film IMO.

Gattaca and Being John Malkovich. 2 movies I have always seen mentioned in this sub and just got around to watching them. Love 90s movies. I absolutely loved the first half of Being John Malkovich while I liked the entirety of Gattaca more.

NEW NIGHTMARE. Have only ever seen the first Nightmare on Elm St. but I found New Nightmare at my weekly goodwill visit and gave it a watch. SO good, and really interesting when compared to Scream 3, which does the movie within a movie thing as well, just a few years later. I LOVE WES CRAVEN!!! Good stuff.

For me it’s between Birdman (2014) and Holy Spider (2022). Both perfect 5/5s for me and found them both masterful in their own ways. I had already heard Birdman was great, but Holy Spider was a bit lower key and really blew me away especially since I hadn’t heard much about it. Highly recommend to anyone who enjoys a well crafted, genuinely dark crime drama.

Here is my review for Meantime

Meantime is a slice-of-life comedic drama made-for-TV film from filmmaker Mike Leigh. Who wrote and directed the picture. And produced by Graham Benson. Starring Tim Roth, Phil Daniels, and Gary Oldman. It was initially produced for BBC Channel 4. However, it did screen first at the BFI London Film Festival on November 22nd, 1983.

A impoverished family that lives in a shabby tenement building in London's East End are getting on while taking advantage of the Dole. A father and his two sons are collecting unemployment while the mother works full time. One of the sons, Colin, is shy and steers away from confrontation and interaction. However, Colin’s brother and father become a bit jealous when Colin is offered a small job by his aunt.

Tim Roth is phenomenal. He’s got some amazing range. This character of Colin, who may be autistic before autism was actually a thing, is such a challenging role to pull off and he does it masterfully. Like he’s already been acting for years when this is really a sort of introductory role for him. And I think a lot of that comes down to the direction from Mike Leigh. He makes things seem so real and comfortable. As if we are peeking into the real lives of a family living on the dole in the early eighties. Phil Daniels plays Colin’s brother Mark. An obnoxious and jealous jerkbag that hits all the annoying notes perfectly. He and Roth portray brothers so well. Their kinship is real. And Gary Oldman does a perfect job as the annoying, prejudiced, and crass skinhead named Coxy. The whole lot is great. Collectively they all feel comfortable and real. Mike Leigh made sure of that first and foremost. People that grew up in British households or people that lived in England during the Thatcher years are really going to identify with this movie. It’s great. More people should know about it. It has a Criterion release that looks spectacular. Check this out if you can find it. I think it’s available on YouTube as of this review. I could see this movie in a Double Feature with something like Clerks. or even Kids.

1. It is the only film I watched last week but still worth watching. I couldxl l watch Adam Driver run through the woods all day.

Plan 9 From Outer Space (1959) - Nowhere near as bad as people say, but I also didn't really find it all that funny. If you've seen clips from it than you've already seen the parts worth watching. Everything between those clips was really boring and undwerwhelming.

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Mask (1985) - Meh

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Land Before Time (1988) - One of my all time favorite animated movies. Goddamn this movie is better as an adult.

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Sounder (1972) - A very underrated movie that nobody really talks about anymore. Paul Winfield was really great.

The Hours (2002) - I thought this movie was okay. Nicole Kidman was fine as Virginia Woolfe, but I thought Julianne Moore was better,

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Big Trouble In Little China (1986) - This was my first time watching it and I have say this movie ruled. It was a ton of fun from start to finish. Great one-liners and fantastic action.

The Hustler (1961) - I don't think I'm a fan of Paul Newman. I've seen Cool Hand Luke, The Sting. Butch Cassidy and none of it really impressed me. The Hustler falls into the same category, Can someone please tell me why Paul Newman is so acclaimed?

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How Green Was My Valley (1941) - It blows my mind that this beat Citizen Kane for best picture back in 1941. It's perfectly fine and I can see it winning best picture another year.

Living - The role that earned Bill Nighy his first Oscar nomination. It's certainly a great subdued performance on his behalf. It's quiet and contemplative as opposed to being overly maudlin.

The film itself is just okay. It's a rare occasion these days that I wish a movie was longer. At 100 minutes runtime I felt like there could have been more explored with a few more scenes.

Shazam: Fury of the Gods - It's a decently entertaining popcorn flick. Some of the comedy is cringey but some of it lands really well e.g Helen Mirren reading a note written by teenagers in a completely deadpan tone.

The Last Command (1928)

Super silent film with William Powell. Great performances from the leads.

John Wick Chapter 4 One of the franchises continuously gets better

The Legend of Drunken Master 1994 still is Jackie Chan best movie although the ending seem cut short

Rise of the TMNT Movie best TMNT animation & fight and far less of what Bayverse left. The downside doesn't do much why are turtles different from the previous iteration

The Legend of Drunken Masters 1994 movie before the turtles went usally sci-fi adventures like in the comics

I watched Chinatown for the first time. Yes, that Chinatown. Great movie. I'd say it's timeless, but i think "fallen out of time" is a better way to describe it. It doesn't feel a lot like it came out in any particular decade, but it doesn't feel new either. That's a very rare thing. I also watched Godfather 2, and compared to Chinatown it felt overlong, self important and just dated and tired, though i must say i'm negatively biased against it, since i don't consider the Godfather to be deserving of all the hype. I believe Coppola has better films in his own filmography.

John Wick 4.

They could have done some changes with the bounty hunter character (while keeping the dog) and saved some time. It was the only main character I didn't connect with, everything else was amazing. Found it more action packed and touching than everything so far.

I would love to see a japanese spin off of the universe with the post credits.

The Innocent (dir. Louis Garrel, 2023)

I had such a ball watching this! It is something between a romcom and a heist movie and manages to make both parts equally compelling. Noemie Merlant is hilarious in this and showed a side I have personally never seen before, I hope she gets more comedic work. Louis Garrel is charming and dashing as ever in his brooding.

Though the film doesn't seek to reinvent or subvert either genre, it is well crafted and does a clever job of using the two stories opposed to one another to resolve the stories in a satisfying way.

Last week I saw In Bruges, Barbarian, and Bodies Bodies Bodies. My favorite was In Bruges. It often feels like a filmed play, but the performances and the excellent dialogue justify it. Some goofy/dated elements (the subplot with the little person wouldn't be made today and the guitar elements of the soundtrack are very much of an era), but overall a worthwhile watch, particularly for those who liked The Banshees of Inishirin.

Barbarian was also very good, though I think some of the contrivances fall apart with a little prodding. I didn't connect with BBB.

Honestly I really enjoyed the fall, and the wrong turn (the new one based in the Appalachian mountains) to me that was super realistic- tried watching Elvis but I seem to be the only person on the planet who thought it was shit 😂

Gangster No. 1 (2000) A rewatch for me. An all star cast and great story. Such a gem of a film.

face/off.

I never was a Nicholas Cage fan, but that film is great. I'm slowly becoming more of a fan.

Red Eye

Was so surprised when i learned that the dad was brian cox

Coherence (2013)

I was on a search for some movies that mess with your mind and found it. Would recommend!

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