Really tried to not be influenced by this one’s reputation as a de facto greatest movie of all time. Found myself pretty underwhelmed by the first hour, which seemed to just be a replay of Leone‘s greatest hits with a bigger budget and more time to indulge in buildup. Was yearning for the tighter pacing of For a Few Dollars More while wondering if this was simply the most widely seen of these films. Then, Blondie and Tuco embark on…
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The Matrix 1999
Partner was cracking me up during this. They hated it. Reacting to it like it was Attack of the Clones 😭
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For a Few Dollars More 1965
Massive step up from A Fistful of Dollars. Instead of getting caught in the weeds of poorly written intrigue, it mostly lets these characters speak through bullets. Despite being much longer, the pacing here is so much better, rallying around more grand set pieces like the bank heist or more intimate moments of action like the hat juggling. That was a little gay, I might add.
This is the first spaghetti western I’ve encountered where characters besides the de facto…
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A Fistful of Dollars 1964
Insane how fully realized Sergio Leone’s style feels from jump. Even though this mostly takes place in a small town, it feels massive. His command of action is spectacular, whenever this is just mayhem and bullet ridden chaos, it’s great. That barrel kill in particular was diabolical.
Eastwood is extremely cool and very handsome. The rest of the characters did nothing for me. I drifted a bit during the petty drama amongst the two gangs, which worries me a little…
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Bridget Jones: Mad About the Boy 2025
Love how much these last two movies matured. This deals with Bridget’s grief in a very honest way and doesn’t run away from the harsher emotions. At its best when it’s a bit more serious, which leaves the casual fling with a dashing Leo Woodall a bit underwritten. Once Chiwetel Ejiofor’s character becomes more prominent, it gets great. Wild that he hasn’t been a romantic lead before.
These are delightful. Love Bridget. I hope to see her navigate bring an empty nester sometime in the mid 2030s. It had better be in a theater though. I can’t fathom Peacock being a decade old.
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Bad Lieutenant 1992
What really seals the deal for me on this one is the constant rumbling of sports commentary in the background. We learn early on that the Lieutenant is a degenerate gambler obsessed with the World Series, but this psychosis goes beyond just being someone who is used to living on the edge. Like many officers of the law, this slimeball shows complete cynical disregard for anyone who crosses his path. He mostly ignores the rape case he’s been put on,…
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Mysterious Skin 2004
Have put this one off for a few years because I knew it was going to be a brutal watch. With today’s tragic news about Michelle Trachtenberg, I decided this was the day.
Not exactly sure what to say about this one because I certainly appreciated it but didn’t love it. I feel like an asshole for saying that because it deals with a very deep, horrific trauma and has resonated with those who have dealt with it themselves in…
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Tales from the Hood 1995
This was such a terrific anthology. Campy enough for anyone to get into while still delivering some truly fucked up set pieces that reckon with various types of black trauma. The best way to see it is to go in blind. I had no idea what was coming and it was just a non stop series of delightful “oh what the hell” realizations. However, since this is turning 30 this year, here are my spoiler light thoughts on the individual…
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Mo' Better Blues 1990
I bet Damien Chazelle talked about this movie every chance he got in film school.
The first Spike joint that I’ve just straight up disliked. There’s no shortage of craft. It’s atmospheric as hell, Denzel & Wesley are charismatic, the music is groovy. This lackluster script just hinges on irritating blowhards who don’t have much to them besides passion for music and contempt for the women around them. An inert hangout movie where everyone has atrocious vibes. Trapped in the locker…
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Erin Brockovich 2000
kinda think this movie is responsible for validating our parents’ belief that you can just kinda walk into an office and elbow grease your way into a high paying job but I’ll let that go because it rules.
Soderbergh just gets how to make these meat and potatoes procedurals move. Julia Roberts is outstanding. I’ve gotta stop saying that I don’t like her because whenever I sit down to watch her in a real movie she kills it. Excited to see her tear it up in After the Hunt later this year.
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