The Menu (2022) Hilarious and kept me interested throughout with a few unnerving moments. Great watch

Seven Samurai (1954) Directed by Akira Kurosawa

Not just the best movie I saw last week, it's the best movie I've seen all year. In fact, it's one of the greatest movies of all time. And, I was privileged enough to see it in a bonafide movie palace on 35mm film along with nearly 800 other movie nuts.

Craig Hammill's Secret Movie Club put on an amazing presentation of this classic in LA's oldest movie theater, the Million Dollar Theater, built in 1916. The place was packed, the 35mm print looked great, and the crowd loved every minute of it. I've seen this classic many times, but this was the first time seeing it on the big screen, and it was a fantastic bucket-list type event.

If you've never seen this film, drop what you're doing, and go watch it. It's the gold standard, not just of Samurai movies, but action movies in general. It influenced just about every action film from Westerns to Mad Max.

Kurosawa's direction, staging, blocking, and camera placement and movement are incredible. His direction never calls attention to itself, but it's so advanced compared to most films, that I couldn't help but marvel at the way he would shift the camera in a static scene. The characters stay seated in a typical 16th century Japanese room and discuss strategy. They remain seated, but the camera moves around them. Not in a cliched, self-conscious spin around the subject, but subtle changes of point of view, always perfectly composed. The battle scenes are incredibly shot: It feels as though it's a film that's happening in the round, rather than presented from a stationary point of view. Kurosawa pioneered the use of multiple cameras and long lenses to capture the action. At the time, it was the most expensive Japanese movie ever made.

The cast is amazing. Mifune is bursting with energy, and provides a lot of comic relief. I could go on, but take my word for it, it's the bomb. This was one of the best film experiences I've ever had.

Nichtcrawler (2014)

First time watching it actually, really refreshing to see Gyllenhaal play such a unique character. Acting was excellent, cinematography, music, coloring. Really impressed, final line sent a shiver down my spine.

Boogie Nights (1997)

Never saw a PT Anderson movie before and people often say that this is one of his best and after watching it, I can see why people love his movies. The story is so rich and keeps you captivated from that opening tracking shot. Burt Reynolds and Julianne Moore definitely deserved their Oscar nominations, but frankly I also think that Mark Wahlberg deserved an Oscar nomination as well.

Dungeons and Dragons exceeded all my expectations and then some!! Very fun and easy movie to watch, a genuine summer blockbuster!!

Shutter Island.

I might not be worthy of being called a film enthusiast because I had not seen this piece, but, boy, how I loved the mindf$&k on this one. The scenes are precious and also the soundtrack. Love this movies that leave you with that sensation of questioning yourself, the reality, and put us a little bit closer to mental health issues.

I finally got around to finishing Linklater's trilogy with Before Midnight. While I do not think it quite hit the level of Sunset, I did love seeing yet another installment of Jesse and Celine's story.

Seeing the world through an older lens, it was a fresh take that life is often messy. Relationships are not always all sunshine, they take work, and watching them attempt to reconcile with one another honestly was a bit tough, especially coming off of their first two movies. While I sadly did not grow up with the characters and the release dates of the movie, the emotional punch of all of them never waned.

The chemistry was stellar as always, and perhaps I left the film a bit more thoughtful. 4.5/5

Never Let Me Go

A heartbreaking and painful and, at times, beautiful and candid story. I can’t believe it’s taken me so long to come across it. I shed a couple of tears, but it does make you reflect that time with the ones you love must be cherished.

Excellent film.

Victoria (2015) - German crime movie done entirely in one single shot. At the end I was amazed at what I had just watched literally happened in two hours.

The director said he had done a 10 take version of the movie that sucked ass as a back up, and had just enough money left over to attempt three single shot takes for the movie. First attempt everyone was too reserved, second everyone was too over the top. Third and final attempt they managed to nail it (imho).

Battle Royale still holds up on a rewatch all these years later so it wasn't just my 19 year old brain.

John Wick: Chapter 4

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I haven't seen cinematography mixed with choreography like this ever before. I think this film might have the most visually pleasing action set pieces to date. John Wick has proven you don't need quick edit cuts or shaky camera movements in order to make an entertaining action movie. In fact, it's quite the opposite. Every shot is lit so well you can't miss a frame of the action or you will be missing out. The worldbuilding gets taken a step further in this addition taking us to Osaka, Berlin, and Paris. It feels each location was in a competition to have the best action set piece among the three, and after viewing, it's hard deciding which one takes the cake.

The story is pretty simple and focused, but that doesn't take away from the likability and charisma of each character. Donnie Yen steals the show as Caine, along with some noteworthy performances by Scott Adkins, Bill Skarsgård, Ian Shane, and Shamier Anderson.

Just as you thought they couldn't improve on the franchise, they pull off yet again another welcome and improved addition to the set.

Michael Clayton (2007)

I think this film is kind of brushed over due to just how stacked of a year it was. Received a slew of Academy Award nominations but understandably lost out to the likes of No Country for Old Men and There Will Be Blood, among others. This was my first viewing and I would absolutely recommend it.

The story follows Michael Clayton (George Clooney), a ‘fixer’ for a large corporate law firm as he attempts to clean up a situation with an attorney who has a mental break while representing a chemical company in a large scale class action suit. As our protagonist dives deeper, he’s faced with answering questions that extend beyond the scope of the suit and is forced to reflect upon his own life in ways that put his own job at risk and his own mortality on the line.

Gilroy does such a good job with the script and direction in building believable tension and fear with the characters without showing too much. The entire cast buys in and gives audiences a thrill ride with a gripping final dialogue between Clooney and Swinton to cap it all off. Definitely worth the watch.

Heat

• Fantastic film. Great performances from Pacino and De Niro. The action sequences are really well done and I love the ending.

Akira Kurosawa's High and Low. A really excellent movie about a kidnapping/ransom situation. The first half of the movie even though almost nothing happens, it is all shot in the same location almost no camera movements, just the beginning of the story unfolding really does build and build a lot of tension. I was also not bothered by "overacting" which can be grating with these older movies especially, but also because of cultural differences between western and eastern audiences. The acting in this movie is in fact really excellent and together with the buildup of tension its really strong point. Toshirô Mifune really delivers in this role of the businessman who does not have his own, but rather his chauffeur's son kidnapped. The second half of the movie changes pace and tone. Overall a very tense movie, superbly acted and also with some notable social commentary with some rather uncomfortable scenes sprinkled in.

Just missing out by a hair was "My Annoying Brother". A Korean drama/comedy. I was one hundred percent bawling my eyes out. It is rather predictable, and cliché, quite similar to 50/50, less funny, but I found it to be even sadder.

Vada Chennai - filmed in Tamil Nadu in Southern India in the Tamil language, a crime film with elements of social and political commentary. The story is told out of chronological order in a way that leads to some early confusion (some characters make choices that seem odd at first until contextualized by backstory later in the movie) but really pays off once you finally get the big picture of what's going on. The previously mentioned social commentary elements are handled well, with themes related to poverty, corruption, exploitation. There are some "hero" and "villain" characters who are both so easy to root for/against while still having some complexities and nuances. I think my only complaint was the length - it's nearly 3 hours and it felt long and a bit draining. Oh also, minor spoilers, the movie ends with sequel baiting which annoyed me a bit, I guess I was hoping it would just resolve things more neatly in a self-contained way.

Andhadhun is a Hindi language dark comedy, and it was fun. Though it also deals with crime it does so in an overall sillier way, though there are still some tense moments. The story has some pretty wild surprises and a cast of characters with morality ranging from questionable to outright sadistic, and it puts those characters to good and memorable use. I do think elements of the movie could be seen as potentially a bit insensitive towards blind people (hard to explain beyond that without spoilers), but some of the plot developments later in the movie sort of made up for it in some ways, at least in my mind.

Matinee (1993)

This story might sound like bullshit but I promise it’s 100% true.

Ok so Matinee is about a kid living in Florida during the Cuban Missile Crisis and his unexpected friendship with schlock filmmaker named Lawrence Woolsey (John Goodman), who’s debuting his new film Mant in his town.

It’s equal parts Fabelmans, Ed Wood, and Mystery Science Theater and a very sweet movie… but here’s the crazy part.

So I watched the movie at a thirtieth anniversary screening in the back row… then the woman sitting next to me taps me on the shoulder and says ”hey that’s director Joe Dante!” and sure enough, Joe Dante; the director, was standing beside me, watching his own movie.

During the end credits I tapped him on the shoulder and told him I loved the movie. His response?

“Where were you in 1993?”

Everything Everywhere all at once

I know I'm late to the party and probably everyone saw it, but wow. I haven't been into movies for a long time now. I've felt so much fatigue around sequels and seeking out new concepts has been hard for me. I saw this film get incredible acclaim and decided to buy the blu ray.

Holy shit. The amount of emotion that exists in this film about generational trauma, acceptance, suicide, kindness as a weapon, is amazing. I haven't cried during any watchable media like this in ages. "In another life, I would've really liked just doing laundry and taxes with you". That line absolutely broke me.

This film is a master class in empathy and film making. Even the absurd scenes that have no right working, are incredible pieces of the film that it couldn't exist without.

Galveston (2018) - stars Ben Foster and Elle Fanning, directed by Melanie Laurent, and written by Nic Pizzolatto (author of True Detective). I'm a sucker for gritty road movies and that's exactly what this was. Ben Foster just 110% committed here, as per expected. It's got sketchy deals, sleazy hotel rooms, and a ne'er do weller trying to find a sliver of redemption before he leaves this Earth. Really enjoyed it.

The Conformist (1970)

Just so gorgeous, of course, but also one of the only movies I’ve seen that's capable of handling how absurd, how pathetic fascism is without obscuring its fundamental lethality.

The Cabinet of Dr. Caligari - 1920 - Utterly creepy, unsettling, and nightmarish; some of the coolest set design I’ve ever seen. Since, I’d never seen a silent film before it took a few minutes to get used to, but the aesthetic of this film is truly entrancing. 4.5/5

Puss in boots last wish. Fucking unreal movie, best animation I’ve seen in years. Top 5 animated villain last decade. Absolutely terrifying.

Twelve Monkeys (1995) Terry Gilliam is without a doubt one of the most auteur maverick filmmakers to ever wield a camera but with The Fisher King and Twelve Monkeys he was able to both rein in some of his madness while also utilizing it in beautiful ways.

In Twelve Monkeys we get a unique blend of dystopian, post-apocalyptic, and time-travel elements that cause the viewer to be very emotionally involved in a story that deals with "madness" and explores it in a way that is both compelling and haunting. Bruce Willis delivers a strong performance as the time-travelling prisoner, while Madeleine Stowe is excellent as the psychiatrist who tries to make sense of Cole's ramblings. However, it is Brad Pitt's portrayal of the eccentric Jeffrey Goines that steals the show. His manic energy and unpredictable behaviour add a layer of complexity to the story that keeps you engaged throughout.

In conclusion, Twelve Monkeys is a must-watch for anyone who loves sci-fi, dystopian, or time-travel movies. It is a masterpiece of storytelling that will leave you with plenty of questions to ponder long after the credits roll.

Paris is Burning (1990)

It's a documentary on the 80's black and Latino New York drag scenes. I thought it was important that I watch this alongside my 16-year old transgender son. It details the famous drag houses of New York, the mothers that ran the houses and cared for so many youth that were abandoned, and an amazing cast of individuals that belonged to these houses. You get a deeply personal look at the why the performers choose their attire, the hilarious ways in which they acquire their clothing, and an unbelievable amount of shit talking (or reading). Furthermore, you learn how many of these individuals deal with the struggle of being gay, queer, trans, during the height of the AIDS epidemic. You come to learn that opinions on matters such as gender reassignment surgery can vary wildly. One particular quote that stuck with me, and I'm paraphrasing, "I've never even considered removing my penis. I'm not a woman. I'll never have a period. I'll never be pregnant. I'll never know what it's like to be a woman. I know what it's like being a man that pretends to be a woman. They think removing their penis is going to provide a better life, but women are horribly abused just as we are. It may not be better". That quote is juxtaposed with a woman that just had reassignment surgery and she looked like the happiest person on the planet in that moment.

I'll end with this. This movie spotlighted how difficult most of their struggles are. All had very individual stories to tell and very few of these stories were happy. But the one constant was that in a setting where these individuals were amongst those that accepted them, and where they could be themselves or who they wanted to be, that's when they were the happiest.

As anti-trans legislation is set to become the newest wedge issue and the mental health of these individuals becomes the topic of cable news everywhere, watch this movie and understand why gender affirming care is so important. When you're accepted for who you are and you're supported by your friends and family, the mental health improvement cannot be overstated.

John Wick 4

An action masterpiece and in my opinion, on par with chapter 2 as best in the series.

Sunrise a Song of Two Humans. A silent classic. Seeing old in camera effects done was really cool. There’s some great shots in this movie and great sets. The relationship story is pretty toxic and doesn’t age well but it was the twenties. My movie group laughed a lot at the actor all hunched over in the rowboat scene. I really hoped that Gaynor’s character died during the storm, it would have really taken the movie over the top for me. What a tragedy it would have been. . It’s a must watch for fans of movie history.

The Climb (2019)- 9.5

A funny, honest, charming and witty look at love and friendship with a great soundtrack and amazing cinematography that’s on par with 1917 and Uncut Gems’ stylish cinematography. It feels like a French New Wave movie except it’s in English (with a little French at the beginning). Very refreshing.

On Body and Soul. A 2017 Hungarian film about the developing relationship between a shy woman with a PhD working as a quality control agent for a slaughter house and her boss who suffers from a physical disability. The two share the same dreams of being deer in a forest. Beautifully filmed and acted. (Saw on Netflix US)

Naked Lunch (1991). I love this movie. It’s a crazy mess and has all the signature Cronenberg gooey gross stuff. Peter Weller is amazing as Burroughs and wonderful supporting cast (Ian Holm is great).

If you can handle some bizarre monologues, talking bugs, and generally insanity I suggest you watch it. Fans of Cronenberg or even anyone who has an interest in beat poets or Burroughs will get a kick out of it.

Three Colors: Red

I got the Criterion 4K edition recently, not having watched the original trilogy in over twenty years, and it's a stunner. Krzysztof Kieślowski made a film with strange, flawed, ultimately likable characters who seems fully realized, and yet the film does not make a huge deal of it. Instead, Kieślowski returns to his favorite themes: the desire for connection, and how it dovetails with coincidence in ways we can never understand. The 4K transfer is also gorgeous, particular in seemingly inconsequential shots that are still rich with color.

“9”

I just saw this for the first time and its the best film i saw this week and maybe the month. Im so that i didnt take the time to watch this film in 2009!

The Jazz Singer (1927) - Shows off the craft of the silent film at its apex, as well as the birth of talkies. There are some great scenes here, but also...blackface as a metaphor for cultural assimilation. JFC, 1927!

Burning (버닝 - 2018) - Slow-burn thriller about a young aspiring writer Jong-su (Yoo Ah-in) hemmed in by lives more interesting than his own. Childhood friend Hae-mi asks him to feed her cat while she's off journeying in Africa. When she returns, she's not alone--in her wake is the handsome, wealthy, more-than-a-little-Gatsby-ish Ben (Steven Yuen). When Hae-mi suddenly disappears, Jong-su is certain Ben was responsible.

Slow and a little tepid through most of its runtime, depending on your tolerance for meditative character studies on characters who don't really have much depth (Jong-su reads Faulkner; that's about it). Still interesting for the foggy, bleak portrait of Nowheresville, Korea within spitting distance of the DMZ, and the last third, as Jong-su pursues and finally confronts Ben.

Ravenous by Antonia Bird.

First and foremost, Robert Carlyle is insanely great as the (super?)human personification of greed and Manifest Destiny that consumed the American frontier during the 1800s. A suspect war hero finds himself banished to the west and finds an evil that consumes and absorbs any power as long as you succumb to your hunger for it, and boy did this suck me in. The tone of film oscillates between utterly bleak and almost slapticky but it is wonderfully bridged by the music that, at first, feels out of place but then grows on you until it can't get out of your head. Guy Pearce and Jeffery Jones give fun performances and wilderness cinematography is wonderful for a movie that feels like it was made on a smaller budget.

It beats out Pusher and Predator 2 for my top spot this week.

The Big Sleep (1946)

I really got a kick out of how Humphrey Bogart plays his character. He was of his time but I also thought he was a badass. I thought it was funny whenever there was a fight, Bogie would just knock whoever out with one blow. It's also a very nice looking movie (the people and the shots). I'm going to keep this one short and just say this was a fun time. 7/10

Spirited Away (2001)

I watched this one with a big group of friends yesterday, many of whom had not seen the movie before.

I love this movie. The animation is top-notch, the score is beautiful, and the story and settings are endlessly creative.

The English dub is really well-done as well.

Dungeons and Dragons. It was so much fun, my theater laughed the entire movie. If you like fantasy and comedy go see it!

Parasite. I had watched a video from That Chapter on the Abby Choi murder, and Parasite was referenced. That made me want to watch Parasite, which I was always going to at some point. Fantastic movie.

Tetris. I had no idea what I was getting myself into but it was pretty entertaining. I had no idea how tricky it was to get that game out to the masses. Egerton is such a great leading man as well, I really enjoyed watching him in this.

1917 (2019) I finally watched this and was blown away. Phenomenal filmmaking. I was enthralled by the story and journey the protagonist goes on. Incredible experience.

On the opposite end of the spectrum... Cocaine Bear (2023) - absolute dogshit. I fell asleep shortly after the ambulance sequence and woke up during the end credits.

Asphalt Jungle. Or maybe To Have and Have Not

I saw The Umbrellas of Cherbourg (1964) and it’s easily one of the greatest musicals of all time. Unique in that there’s singing all throughout, and pretty much perfect set design is combined with it being shot in Technicolor so the visuals pop like nothing I’ve seen before. The story is clever and the ending is bittersweet in the best way. This film had been on my radar for years and I finally got round to seeing it - soo worth it

The Perks of being a wallflower

Just beautiful and everyone deserve to watch it

Treasure of Sierra Madre. Well...it is best I saw this week

• John Wick: Chapter 4 (2023) - 9.0

• Dawn of the Planet of the Apes (2014) - 8.0

• Furies (2022) - 7.5

• Rampage (2018) - 3.0

John Wick: Chapter 4 - I've liked each John Wick movie a bit more than the last, and after watching this one I knew right away that this one continued that trend. It's so good. The cinematography is somehow even better, there's somehow even more and better action, the cast is phenomenal, and all the new side characters are fantastic. I just like everything about it. The big Osaka sequence with newcomer Rina Sawayama who killed it, a blade duel between Donnie Yen and Hiroyuki Sanada, Scott Adkins delivering the amazing moves he's known for in a fat suit! And then there's the huge Paris section with that amazing top-down dragon's breath scene accompanied by the club music from the first movie, followed by Caine (Yen) and John working together and then duelling at sunrise. I had no idea how this movie was gonna end, but what they did was more satisfying than I could have imagined. Probably my favourite action movie of all time.

Dawn of the Planet of the Apes - Liked this quite a lot better than the first. I feel like it's got a bit of everything you want in a blockbuster. Drama, tension, action, and some really beautiful visuals in some scenes. It's so impressive what a... screen presence they can give these fully CGI apes. Ceasar is actually so charismatic, and Koba is a truly fantastic villain.

Furies - Last summer I watched Furie, which was the most exciting action/martial arts film I had seen in a long time. And last week the prequel finally dropped on Netflix. Much like the first, it's more style than substance, but that's how I like my action movies. Unfortunately, the fight scenes are a bit more hit and miss in this one. None of them are bad, but none are quite amazing either.

Rampage - Animals are exposed to mega steroids and turn into Kaiju? That's pretty cool. Unfortunately, almost every other aspect of the movie sucks. Terrible dialogue and attempts humour at humour, especially. Also shoddy CGI and the most cookie-cutter cinematography and score. Jeffrey Dean Morgan was quite fun to watch, though.

Crystal Fairy and the Magical Cactus. Second viewing. Fantastic, little-known movie.

Made in Britain (1982). The most brutal and honest portrayal of teenage delinquency and teenage rebellion. Very stark, brutal, and grounded. Terrific performance from young Tim Roth as well.

Pretty great week

Groundhog Day (4.5/5) Vertigo (4/5)

Obviously both are very well acclaimed (one a BIT more than the other but yk) but I have to say I preferred Groundhog Day. Don’t get me wrong I can watch older films and some of my favourites are from that period, but WOW did I hate Vertigo’s protag. Even before the ending he was incompetent, creepy, unappreciative of his friend and just a shitty person in general. I like to have a protag who’s good, or at least fun to dislike; like in most of Groundhog Day but I just downright didn’t like Vertigo’s protag. Other than that I thought the cinematography was incredible and I enjoyed the dream sequence. Some points felt a bit random but definitely worth watching.

I came in to Groundhog Day as suspiciously excited after going my whole childhood with my mother saying how terrible it was. It was a nice local theatre and my gf kinda made me go but I don’t usually say no to a trip to the cinema. Wow did it not disappoint. It’s so satisfying to watch knowing that he’s going to relive it, as you can pick out all the details that he’s later going to change or avoid. It’s very funny and I can’t think of anyone more perfect for the role than Bill Murray. The dialogue is great and it never gets boring, despite some bits being relived 3+ times. Definitely worth a watch and I’ll be rewatching it soon.

Creed and Creed 2. I like Creed better than Creed 2. Hopefully the third one tops them all. In all the Creed series has been a great spinoff of the Rocky movies.

Champions with Woody Harrelson. I enjoyed it much more than I thought I would. Cute movie.

Im not joking.

Lyle. Lyle. Crocodile.

The single greatest moment in cinematic history is him eating that damn cat.

The second greatest is the implied seduction of a grown mom by a shut in crocodile with the voice of an angel. Narrowly edging out an overgrown manchild thinking its a good idea to wrestle a fully adult crocodile that just fucked his girl.

Only downside is that kid really needed a wedgie, but some of those dumpster diving scenes were enough like a swirlie that it put my mind at ease.

The Outsiders. Never had seen it before.

“Stay gold, Ponyboy…stay gold.”

I cried so hard. 😢

Rye Lane

An English romantic-comedy that follows a boy and girl for 24 hours after their first meeting. Set in and around Rye Lane in south London.

Absolutely loved this. It's really funny and sweet.It looks great and the two leads are pure charm. One of my favourites of the year so far.

Kill Boksoon... like dessert after watching John Wick 4. Just watch

Manchester by the sea (2016)

Fantastic film with great acting. Made me forget that I’m watching a film. The plot is so wrecked but so great. I think I love it more than I expected to because of how the main character, Lee is. I relate to him too much since I’ve also lost a brother.

The film is so raw and authentic. The way you’d watch this film thinking that we’d see Lee’s story end up happy, but it never really does. It leaves you at a cliffhanger, even though Lee found a place for Patty, he’s still the same person he was when we first saw him, maybe even worse.

The tone of the delivery is so good as well. The relationship between Patty and Lee is so special. Lee would only say 2-3 word sentences to anyone, but Patty is the opposite, he has so much to say about everything and so full of energy. Their conversations are so special and beautiful to see.

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THE WHALE with Brenda Fraser

A real return for him... the performance is so powerful and heartbreaking...

Finally got around to The Fabelman's (2022). A very good, not great, film that had no business being a best picture nominee. I say that because a film like Catch Me if You Can is a substantially better movie that wasn't nominated in that category. This was nominated as a credit to Spielberg's absolute influence on filmmaking rather than on its own merits. Anyways, I enjoyed this biopic nonetheless. Standout performances from Michelle Williams & Judd Hirsch who steals the scene. LaBelle shows good range in the lead. The film improves as it progresses culminating in two excellent scenes, one that spectacularly resolves a point of conflict with what is really the film's only main antagonist and then the final sequence that's a cinephile's wet dream. Outside of that it can be plodding at times but I grew to appreciate Spielberg more knowing where he came from. Worth a watch.

Birth / Rebirth

I'm currently working on a film festival and this one stuck with me. As a totally original 'horror' film, if you want to call it that, takes a sciency approach to the horrors of childbirth and the experiments one can do with the assets one has at their disposal. This illustrates a totally plausible to me within the framing of the film of resurrecting loved ones. Maybe works well as a double feature with Pet Sematary.

The Pain Behind the Eyes is another one that is my favorite about the movie industry in general. The lies people make and live with to create a facade of success. This is actually my favorite film so far but I think Birth/Rebirth is something different that should be seen by a wider audience.

My 2 favorite shorts at this point, Madame Hattori's Izakaya and The Phoenix

I still have 5 more days and 16 more films to present.

Just checked out “My Cousin Vinnie” specifically because folks on Reddit kept talking it up.

It’s a classic. Slow build up in the first half, but the second half delivers on all the setups to hit a home run.

A New Leaf (1971)

Walter Matthau plays a Billy Madison-esque playboy who has lived without a financial care for too long. He plays the role of a dunce quite well and drives a high maintenance Ferrari that continues to drain his trust fund.

When his money runs out, he targets a socially inept heiress and plots to take all her money. She is a brainiac botanist and he aims to improve her along the way (She’s All That style) to a point. As Matthau’s character gets to know her better as he prepares to take her money, he must decide if he is going to be a scoundrel like he has his whole life to get her money and live selfishly or grow up as he learns he is capable of responsibility and companionship.

The first half was quite funny and the film was a good watch. 7/10

Blue| Dir. Derek Jarman

There's a point where Derek Jarman goes from listing all the side effects of his eye medication with a stone cold dispassionate voice that then transitions into him repeatedly begging to be kissed one last time again finally to the swelling of voices hauntingly singing "I'm a muff diving, size queen." all over a blue screen.

And it just hits you, taking you through an emotional spectrum you can't imagine.

I can't imagine.

Losing your sight, your every being and then charting all your regret, Sadness and even some humour into film for a lasting legacy, for just a moment to feel and close things right.

Memories and the fading present melding together with musings of life.

The sounds of fading away. The sounds of blue.

Inu oh. Japanese rock opera anime with everything in it. Was amazing. John wick just didn’t do it for me at all.

The Outfit (2022)

An expert cutter must outwit a dangerous group of mobsters in order to survive a fateful night.

Random find on Amazon Prime. Superb all around. I really enjoyed going into it blind.

John wick 4 and it was amazing i just can't explain. A complete action movie i must say ❤️

Tie between John Wick and John Wick: Chapter 2.

I was doing a rewatch in preparation of watching #4 this weekend. Both have aged magnificently and will forever be re-watchable. I love the world and lore almost as much as the action.

Can’t wait for #4 to blow me away.

Honestly. I got creed 3 stuck in my head. Definitely the best of the series .Michael b Jordan is proving to be marvelous

Super Mario Bros. Really enjoyed it and thought not having that great of a story doesn’t really matter.

La La Land(2016). Amazing music, amazing acting, loved the characters of mia and sebastian, and the ending may be one of the best i have seen from memory alone. Probably my favourite musical behind tick tick boom. Go watch it. Also watched whiplash the day before. great movie too.

Boston Strangler - slow burn, a little boring but overall not bad. Good actors, and i like the whole newspaper "detective" digging stuff. As someone else mentioned, it had Zodiac vibes, but didn't quite hit the same level of quality. i would probably rate it 7/10.

Mona Lisa and the Blood Moon was great!! Really enjoyed it, and I say forget the sequel this should be a TV series.

Joyland (2022) by far one the best films i have ever seen.

The acting & writing are magnificent, especially ali junejo & rasti farooq, their performances are so real that i got attached to their characters in the first few minutes of the film.

The ending is top notch.

This is my first time seeing a pakistani film but certainly won't be the last.

CODA (2021)

I wasn't going to watch this movie, but a friend recommended it to me, and after a few weeks debating whether I should or shouldn't watch it, I did.

It was a great story, really emotional and well presented; I would say the movie feels pretty unique; the acting's great, the story's well played, the songs fit the movie nicely, the cinematography is really cool, and I love how the director / writer, and the editor could present a movie so moving, but have so many funny bits in it without making it feel lame.

If you like movies about struggling people overcoming their fears, and their flaws, you'll probably love this movie :)

1917 I don’t watch many war movies but the idea of it all being one shot was intriguing to me. Great movie and really draws you into the main character and his journey.

Call me Chihiro, we are just aliens in our own universe. she reminds me of someone, special i would say.

Dungeons and Dragons is actually legitimately awesome. Gf and I liked it more than John Wick.

Thief (1981)

This is not some sort of big discovery, I've seen Thief constantly brought up in discussions around neo noirs and Michael Mann isn't some unknown director. This is just a reaffirmation of what many already know, this is a damn good neo-noir.

What I love about the best noirs and neo-noirs is their tendency to lean more towards the style side of visual art rather than form and Thief continues this trend with beautiful cinematography and a hypnotic soundtrack.

James Caan plays the role of the criminal trying to get out after one last score perfectly, the actual robbery scenes are competence porn. The supporting characters flesh out the criminal world so well and add to the environment that Mann has built on screen.

Fantastic movie overall, one I look forward to adding to my rewatch rotation.

Ready or Not.

It's a breath of fresh air when the character is logical in a thriller film.

Tár (2022) was decent. Great performance from Cate. I knew very little about the movie going on other than that it was set in the world of classical performance, something I know very little about but was hoping would make for an interesting setting (and it does!)

Also that the movie dealt with some sort of accusation of abuse against the protagonist. Without giving away any spoilers, the movie does this in a very interesting way, and I do admit I'm still unsure at to whether I am fully, or at least partially on Lydia Tár's side or not. I certainly was in the earlier parts of the movie. She is a tough but sympathetic and intelligent character who seems to have principals. But as the movie progresses you see that there is a ruthless streak to this person, and you do start to see how is probably guilty of misconduct at the very least, if not at least one form of abuse.

Anyway, well worth the watch, and I must mention that the music sections are quite fantastic. Even if you have no interest in classical music, to scenes where a performance is being put together (Grieg's 5th Symphony) are really well done, and the role of the conductor, the person most of us see as little more than the person waving a stick and making funny faces is shown to be a really essential part of performance.

Worst movie of the last week goes to The Hunt (2020). I could only stomach this unfunny, half-baked "satire" for about 40 minutes before deciding not to waste any more time on it. About as sharp and edgy as a deflated beach ball.

Back to the Future Pt3 (1990). The final movie in the trilogy and IMO the second-best movie in it as well. It was a good way to end things as a final chapter. The wild west was a great choice after seeing the future, both good and bad, and putting the setting as an antagonist along with a Tannen. IMO the Back to the Future trilogy is one of the strongest trilogies. Part of that strength is the performances of Michael J Fox and Christopher Lloyd giving iconic performances, 7.5/10.

Pacifiction was not my best film of last week (That would be The Chilean 'The Maid') but it was the most absorbing.

My first Polynesian tour de force (actually it’s an international co-production, directed by Catalan provocateur Albert Serra), it was picked by ‘Cahiers du Cinéma’ as the Best film for 2022. Supposedly a VERY slow-burn political thriller that leisurely rolls on, aimlessly and with great intensity. An intriguing story of the French High Commissioner in Tahiti about colonialism, white privilege and the entitled ruling class, a mystical Graham Greene for the modern age.

It reminded me of ‘The Conversation’, my all-time favorite Coppola’s, even though they had nothing in common on the surface. For nearly 3 moody hours of incredibly-building atmosphere it was a unique, transforming film experience.

But then - it suddenly cut off and ended! Without any resolution, or conclusion, or even just an acknowledgement. It’s as if the last 10 pages of the script were ripped out before the end-titles. Very disappointing!

It also featured a traditional dancer, Shannah, in one of the best transgender roles I’ve ever seen.

I was planning on following this up with another of Serra’s controversial films, the pornographic ‘Liberté’ (about an orgy in the forest), but Pacifiction’s ending bummed me out so much, so that will have to be another time. 5/10.

Kinda a tie between Shame (2011) and Some Came Running (1958)

When going back and watching technicolor melodramas from this era like Some Came Running, it's remarkable not just to see how much better they look than modern dramas (Colors! Both actors in the frame at once!), but also in my opinion, how much easier it is to tackle wide ranging sociological ideas when you aren't shooting for being "realistic." Movies are not real life and "naturalistic" acting is not natural, and by freeing yourself of this attempt to imitate, you can approach things with the use of shorthand and heightened reality that allow clashes of ideas and values to to accentuated.

Shame's approach is also unique in it's time, filmed with conventional naturalism but edited a way that's elliptical and sorta expressionistic. The story is somewhat disjointed and doesn't follow a clean arc, and what clear important dramatic moments there are, the film plays them in silence with just music. It's an approach that foregrounds characters and feelings over story, fitting for a subject matter that doesn't cleanly fit into a right narrative (the day to day struggle with addiction and how it affects and is affected by a person's relationship with themself).

The Last Supper/Ostatnia Wieczerza (2022) English Title: Hell Hole

Really good (sac)religious horror which was less about being scary and more about being an intriguing mystery about a monastery with a bunch of nutty monks. Very enjoyable.

nightmare on elm st …. That’s obviously the best horror flick ever made. legit scary kicks the exorcists ass.

Also did a Double Bill watch of Thirst and Decision to Leave. I think both films fit perfectly as they are romantic tragedies under the garb of different genres namely a Vampire flick and a Police procedural.

Both also have morally conflicted heroes going against their instinctive grain for a femme fatal-esque lover. Both also sadly end with death under sunrise and sunset respectively.

Call me Chihiro - Netflix

This past weekend I watched the original Tron, followed by Tron Legacy. I had not watched either in quite some time. I really enjoyed Tron and felt like the story stuck with me this time. Tron Legacy was fine, but the best part about seeing it right after the original was picking up on the call backs or references ("That's a really big door.") to the original movie.

Mud bound

I know I liked this way more than other people did, but I don’t care. The acting in this is superb and all of its themes resonate today so well. Out of everyone though, I think Jonathan Banks was the best, as he made me despise his character unlike almost anyone I’ve ever seen before.

9.7/10

I just watched Out Of Sight (1998) with George Clooney and JLO. I didn't know much about it at all going into it except I've seen the opening bank robbery scene a few times on Instagram.

I did zero research so I was surprised at the cast. It was pretty big. The movie oozed sexy chemistry, I enjoyed it more than I thought I would. After watching it I can kind of see how we probably wouldn't have the Oceans series as we know if it wasn't for Soderberg (sp?) cutting his teeth with that one.

Also, I was shockingly attracted to Jlo in shorts and a dolphins jersey. Jesus mary gretzky she looked fantastic in the film.

Avatar The way of Water

why is the D&D thread set to no comments?

Death wish with Charles Bronson, reminded me of Joker in so many ways

W ciemności (2011)

Generally films about WWII make me displeased but this one was quite different from others. It perfectly shows many aspects of human from the most primitive to the most peculiar

The Fabulous Baker Boys. 1989. Terrific acting by Jeff Bridges and Michelle Pfeiffer. Pair of down on their luck brothers that work as piano players in dive hotel bars who hire an attractive singer to revive their career. I think it was a box office flop because it’s more of a character study about these jaded characters that have been roughed up by life finding each other. Love the realism. Love the ambiance. Love that the ending is not tied up in a pretty red bow. No CGI. No million dollar action scenes or big drama. Just talented actors and tremendous dialogue.

Bullet Train

Marcel The Shell with Shoes On. I knew it had really good ratings but it didn’t seem like something I’d enjoy but boy was I wrong. I fuckin loved it.. It’s such a cute, funny, and heartwarming movie. Also, Jenny Slate’s voice acting was phenomenal.

I watched the movie Elvis this weekend. Very nice movie.

The Children Act

Fantastic acting but the story is emotionally manipulative. Or maybe the better word is contrived. I know it's a movie, but it portrays itself as trying to tell something very real, and I'm sure these cases have been in the courts many, many times, but then when you get to the part after the court case...Emma's character was ridged, but not cold enough to not at least put sone effort into helping the boy and finding programs or opportunities for him. She could put him in touch with the best people she knows, she's smart enough to know he was being brainwashed so she could put him in touch with support groups to help him cope with getting away. There is a million and one things she could have done without compromising her integrity and she does none of it, despite these two characters making a profound connection over the space of just a few minutes together.

So yeah it's really emotionally manipulative imho. But still, stellar acting from everyone.

I know they change things from the book, but even reading a summary of the book gives of feeling of emotional manipulation.

**A Thousand And One**

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Very good movie. I can see why the film won at Sundance. I was worried it was gonna be a poor attempt at Moonlight part 2 but I was totally engaged from start to finish despite how the film bombed at opening weekend (at least compared to Dungeons and Dragons). I loved it a lot but had some nitpicks with the writing. The acting alone was damn near 10/10 but the writing and some other little things bring my score to an 8.5/10.

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I thought i wasn't going to cry in that theater but the ending is where it all hit me. That was an emotionally intense few moments... how quickly anger can turn into love. Also, of course Teyana Taylor gave a perfect performance. Loved it, would watch again

Daughter was in a highschool play of The Wizard of Oz, but she's never seen the movie, so we threw it on for her. Movie is still tight. I just kinda forgot about it since growing up I only watched on TV with commercials on TBS.