Final cut. I go back and forth on the French Plantation sequence, but regardless, this is a towering achievement in cinema. It inspired so many imitators, yet has not lost a single grain of potency in the 46 years since it's release.
One thing I've always admired about Apocalypse Now is how each part feels distinct in Captain Williard's slow descent into hell (or madness, whichever you prefer). This time I was mesmerized by the lighting in the Do Lung…
Gritty, sweaty, unbearably tense masterpiece. It took two viewings to cement its five-star status, but from the opening frame I was hooked. This is probably Friedkin's most underrated film, and the thing that elevates it is the singular focus of the film. It moves so quickly and efficiently, with no wasted shots, and the location and production design create an immersive experience like you hardly get anymore. While Friedkin mostly leans on a realistic style, there are shots that take my breath away in their operatic grandeur, including the final leg of the journey.
"I'm finished."
Paul Thomas Anderson's magnum opus is about a strident man, but it never feels severe. It is often riveting and sometimes even funny. Much like Citizen Kane (which it has often been compared to), There Will Be Blood is so much more entertaining than its reputation would have you believe.
It says a lot about PTA's filmography that this isn't even my favorite film of his. It's maybe third.
All of Kubrick’s films feel distinct, but 2001 is the one that is really unique. Watching this for the first time at 10 was a formative experience for me. It showed me what the medium was capable of, and that sense of discovery has not abated. Every time I rewatch it, I notice something new.
I was struck by two things this time. First, Keir Dullea’s performance is quite good, and deceptively simple. I used to think he was a…
The final entry in Joachim Trier's Oslo Trilogy made me cry twice. The first time I cried was during the oft-mentioned scene of lead Julie wandering through Oslo while everyone else is frozen in place. It is a stunningly shot sequence, full of hope and possibility, that made me realize I am more homesick than I thought I was. It's been over two years since I last saw home, and Trier in this and the other entries in the trilogy…
Well, that was unexpected. It starts off as a moody and scary procedural, but then morphs into something a lot weirder. A big part of that is Nicolas Cage's titular character. My feelings might change on rewatch, but it feels like a big misfire. It's more comedic than scary, and it left me wondering what Perkins is trying to do here. At times, the movie feels like a Silence of the Lambs comedic riff, even including a hilarious Dr. Chilton…
A complete mess. I really wanted to like this one, but it’s just a hodgepodge of genre elements and homages that lack any narrative focus. The result is a suspense-less thriller in search of cheap thrills. It gets an extra star for Mia Goth’s exuberant performance as the lead character.
I really like that the climax of the story is about the b-plot. It’s as if Doc recognizes that the most important part of this whole convoluted mess is not his broken heart or this grand conspiracy, but a guy who needs to get back to his family.
Pablo Larrain creates the anti-The Crown with this social horror psychodrama that reminded me of Shiva Baby, Repulsion, and mother! It is fabulously directed by Larrain, who moves the camera in such a way as to always create a sense of immersion and unease, coupled with impressionistic editing and an unnerving score. But the real star of course is Kristen Stewart. She is simply astounding, doing so much with her face and posture, shifting from scene to scene and even…
Possibly the most assured directorial debut of this century. Charlotte Wells crafted something so purposeful where not a single shot is wasted. This is a memory piece, and the movie's combination of home video, real memories, and imagined moments is both audacious and heartbreaking. Nowhere is this more apparent than in the final shot, which is both formally inventive and crystal clear in its thematic and character-specific resonance.
“Earn this.”
The first third and the last third are some of the best filmmaking Spielberg has ever done.
I really like how Payne uses windows to tell the story. Early on, he uses a shot-reverse shot of Mary looking out a window into the cold winter to symbolize her grief and longing. Later on, he shoots Mary, Paul, Angus, and Danny celebrating New Year's Eve together through a window looking in. The characters are framed by the window, and the warmth of the characters contrast with the cold outside.