Nothing hits quite like a pulpy, throwaway airport thriller turned into a prestige drama. That this flows this smoothly and builds to a satisfying emotional and almost lyrical denoument makes it all the more wonderful.
In this particular moment in time (I will never write that phrase again, I promise) I also think it’s an important statement that we are not our institutions, and our institutions are not us. That it’s important to release ourselves from the past. How a…
The spiritual successor to Spotlight, which was the spirutual successor to The Insider, which was the spiritual successor to All The Presidents Men which was…. you get it.
I’m forever stuck between wanting to watch at least one elevated journalism movie every couple years and the realization that these movies only get made about the most heinous fucking topics imagineable.
Can already feel this one getting slept on and I am choosing to get preemptively mad about it.
The 2015 version will probably always be my favorite (until Macbeth in space is made. Come on, Hollywood!) but as all adaptations of a story this old should, it reimagines the text in visually imaginative way.
Setting the action in a location so bare and sterile lays extra weight on the performances, which masterfully carry it.
This might be a Mt. Rushmore movie for Denzel and Frances, I especially loved how erratic this Macbeth was compared to past interpretations like Fassbender, who leans more into mania than paranoia.
Could also be my favorite Macbeth death to date. Masterful shit.
First off, while I have been to the movies several times pre and post vaccine, this was my first trip to Cinemapolis, the local indie theater in Ithaca NY, since I saw Little Women in December ‘19. That was pretty awesome in and of itself. The popcorn! Yum!!
As an added bonus, the movie I saw was pretty good too! I basically knew nothing coming in and I was treated to a silly little movie full of funny people.
Shoutout to Sam Richardson and Milana Vayntrub (from the AT&T commercials) especially.
Kinda concerned/angry there was no reference to Uncle Bernie that I could find. WTH?
Oh Greta, you've outdone yourself.
Like many, this is my first exposure to this story and I feel comfortable saying it's as good of an introduction if not better than reading Alcott's novel.
This Little Women is bursting at the seams with energy and confidence. The film was at its best for me when the 4 sisters chatting over each other sustaining 4 conversations at once in the cozy confines of the March home. Like her last film, this feels…
The 2 1/2 star rating was made for this movie: often boring, has mega-cringey 3rd wall breaking but also features Tilda Swinton driving around in a smartcar and cutting zombies heads off with a katana.
Yeah, this is probably the best documentary I've ever seen. Not counting the U2 stuff, of course.
Three Identical Strangers tells the fascinating story of three brothers separated at birth. And that's all I'm going to say.
This story has to be seen to be believed. In the past few years, The Last Jedi is the only other thing I've seen that you need to see spoiler-free.
Just give it the Oscar already.
Grade: 9.5/10
ALTERNATE TITLE: Fight Club, But Good
In the span of a few days, I watched the worst movie MoviePass Ventures will ever release, and perhaps the best. Crazy.
If not for Hell or High Water, American Animals would be the best heist film since Ocean's 11.
Bart Layton's slick, inventive writing and direction gave this genre the breath of fresh air it needed. Which was all the more apparent on the heels of Ocean's 8, which was the genre on…
Between fleeting moments of incredible dramatic potential, a subdued performance by Ethan Hawke and the strangest Beatles reference this side of Watergate, First Reformed probably succeeds as a complex character study.
But because of Newton's 3rd law, this also fails as an engaging story. I wouldn't be so low on it if I didn't believe so strongly in the potential it had.
He did it again.
Wes Anderson's Isle of Dogs has provided us another peek into his beautiful, undeniably twisted mind. As the only active director with an immediately distinct visual style, he's really got to be on his A-game with every movie he makes. So far, so great.
Putting aside how triggered I got at the way cats (the undeniable better pet) were depicted, I loved this movie. It's got imagination, humor, beautiful visuals and a touching story. What more could a guy ask for?
A comedy.....about history...... and Russia..... that's written like a play........ and I didn't love it.
I don't know what happened either.
I guess the best way I can explain this is that in every movie, there has to be a moment that pulls you in. The Death of Stalin just didn't have a moment that did that for me. I saw a lot of opportunities for that to happen, but no one scene could close the deal and get me…
I knew basically nothing about this movie when I walked into the theater tonight. Boy, am I glad I did that.
Turns out, Thoroughbreds is just as good of a movie as it is a surprise. Cory Finley's directorial debut is one of the most assured and palpably entertaining debuts I've seen in some time. I could have watched the scenes with Anya Taylor Joy (who was great) and Olivia Cooke (who was better) for 3 more hours. I hope they all work together sometime soon.