Maybe I’m infected with the marvel mind virus bc of Marvel Rivals but I did enjoy this return. I was a huge super hero guy 6-10 years ago, and I’ve honestly lost all interest until extremely recently. I guess the marketing, video game team has me in their clutches. I will probably watch a couple of the recents marvel movies I haven’t seen soon, but I’m incredibly fatigued at the few quality pictures I’ve seen this year. I need to make a full life change in 2025

Hate this with every bone in my body, and I lost my fight with my other district teachers to teach something else in the near future, so this is where I am.

I almost changed my assignment and revolved it around Inside Out 2 this year, but didn’t get around to altering my classroom assignment to make it work. So once again, I watched Inside Out in my classroom. No new thoughts, it is a real shame how visually weak this is, considering its important themes for any kid.

What can one say about the most magical movie of all?The inner and outer worlds of perception collide, the fear of separation, losing home, losing loved ones, entwined in a madhouse of whimsy and fairy tales. Nearly 100 years old, and yet it still delivers emotion. It does more than hold up visually, it’s stunning what was accomplished in 1939. I know technicolor is impractical to the point of impossibility now, but we have advancements in technology that could recreate its properties if a studio and a director really committed to it. We don’t because it’s painstaking, and requires effort that may not reach immediate dividends. We don’t make films like this anymore because we live in a time where so very few make films to be timeless, or even dare to try.

 As filled with appreciation as I am after revisiting The Wizard of Oz, I find myself dismayed and cynical at where we are now. The ugliness of so many modern films, filled with grey mush and uninteresting lighting. Sets that aren’t real, but generated on the whim of an executive or test screen audiences. I wish cinema felt this full of promise again, so full of wonder. Purpose. This movie, sure, was made for profit. But it was also made with artistic vision, a vision that cut few corners and challenged what had been done before. One of the best movies ever made, made all the better for its quirks and oddities. Timeless.

Formally never in doubt, even if some of its higher concepts feel shallow. Wonderful actors engaging in super serious conversations on the future of the church, with little debate as to what these differences of opinions would lead to in concrete policy. The films language uses space, shadow, light, and focus in such a classic, timeless way that doesn’t just look good now, nor is it some cheap imitation of past works, Conclave will always look good, and will always impress in its technique. 

However, beyond a couple of sincere moments, the dialogue and the debate at its core does feel simplified and too focused on this idea of a wide progressive movement in a church that, despite some recent gestures, is still deeply entrenched in its traditional opinions. I did appreciate the sermon on certainty, and its relevance at the end. The political maneuvering among ancient rites and ceremony, with a noir flair uncovering corruption. Lot to love here, feels like a movie that used to get made all the time. Huge hit with my family, surprisingly.

Straightforward and simple, Abigail delivers on its premise and is a fun, engaging little film. Not particularly shocking, certainly not scary, and the characters are par the course. However, I did like this quite a bit and was perfect watch after bar hopping with friends back in town for the holidays.

Gladiator was always out there in its historical portrayal of Rome, so nothing this film could do would really stretch my suspension of belief any further. In all honesty, having Maximus’ triumph in the original turn out to be all but a shallow, momentary victory is a total positive, and I don’t care that Lucius returning home, much like his father, as a gladiator and reuniting with a woman he loves (in this case, his mother obviously) was without celebration.

However, Gladiator II does fall short in some key areas, particularly in its characters. Denzel is great as always, but I must admit, despite his charm, he doesn’t quite compare to the energy Oliver Reed brought to the original. Part of that is the fact that Denzel has maintained his appeal, and his prestige. An actor like Reed, who had lost his celebrity heights, made him particularly suited to this role. Ridley did realize this, and made Washington more political, but I don’t think this fully offset his motivations that lead to lackluster character progression. Throughout it felt as if characters made choices just bc they believe they should, and the actual weight of choice was left behind. There is also an obvious absence of Russell Crowe, who brought more to the original than he is credited, and couldn’t be replicated in the extremely talented Paul Mescal. 

Ultimately, however, it is in the side and minor characters where I am most left wanting. Djimon Hounsou, Ralf Möller, and  Tommy Flanagan are extremely memorable from the original. Without knowing their names, their impact is approachable and obvious on watching. No such character exist in 2024. None of the other gladiators carry momentum or weight, and their deaths are tally marks with no reprocessing. Whether that’s longer cuts or else, I want more from a director I do nothing but respect. Gladiator II has so much prestige, it just needs to grab it and go.

Ham fisted pugilism, idealist grovel, or political gravy, take your pick. The business of life lately has made me feel like my past criticism has been wishy washy, and towing a middle ground in many a work. Let me set myself forward on the course of a real heartfelt decision. Gladiator is not new (even for 25 years ago) in its ideas, it’s fairly central and standard in its approach. However it’s masterful in tone. Perhaps the greatest film tonally ever made. You can feel the existential desire for glory from every moment of every scene. Even in the RIDICULOUS cuts during the action, it feels furied and pushed by real weight and real desire. This is a film about basic human want, whether that’s sexual tension or vengeance, it’s basic human id at play. Maximus deserves his vengeance. The idea of Rome is greater than its execution, and if that feels obvious turn your brain off and experience simple fruition of our shared society.

You could write many negatives about this films ubermensch philosophies, or it’s waxing poetically of an empires of old, however in my view its understanding of brotherhood outweighs its rightward tendencies. Ridley is many things, but he is not a glorifier of history, if Napolean taught you nothing. Gladiator exists for some as propaganda for ideals that were never true, and a past that isn’t honest, but I feel the films works to disprove these points based on its own plot and character. A tremendous addition, even with my gripes, to any auteur’s oeuvre.

After watching films damn near everyday, or at least averaging that, for a few years, I’ve fallen completely off the wagon this year. I planned on October being a big month and to watch a lot of horror like I do every year, but that drive just wasn’t there. Well, I’m glad U Turn was my first film in a while, because it hits immediately and it rekindles that missing spark. Immediately sets itself apart with its visual identity and cues, it’s so clearly of its era it’s endearing. Oliver Stone has tremendous leeway as a director because of the lengths he’s willing to take his style, and I can completely understand why someone would watch this film and call it garbage, and another sublime. Certainly works best when you take it as tongue in cheek and not at face value, seeing actors of this caliber in such unassuming, sideways roles is more than enough reason to watch this on its own. Billy Bob Thornton and Joaquin Phoenix are the most obvious standouts, but Sean Penn grounds all the insanity with an almost “man out of time” archetype that sells the pitch of this backwards armpit as a microcosm of America itself perfectly. Oliver Stone has a soldier in me.

Silence of the Lambs has such an intense focus on character. Perspective. Experience. The entirety of the film is centered around what is expected of people based on their gender, their body image, their reputation, or their accomplishments. Constantly, Clarice is used as an errand boy, a carrot on a stick to tempt the scary Hannibal Lecter. Every moment oozes gaze, whether Jodie Foster is telling a room of small city cops to leave a conference room, or whether she’s asking a storage units manager to help her with a door, or even brandishing a gun in the dark, desperate and afraid, she is underestimated, overlooked, ignored, or scoffed at.

Visually, this film is fantastic, and the use of close up evocative, the acting exceptional, haunting visual language and masterful technical craft, but the true triumph in Silence of the Lambs is its clearcut hypocrisy. Clarice accomplishes so much, she overcomes sexual assault, she builds herself up from such great childhood loss, and through it all she’s levelheaded and utterly determined. Whether it’s to tell her boss and criminal psychologist idol off for sexist comments, or venturing into an unknown basement of a serial killer on her own, to reading between the lines that her fellow FBI agents can’t. She accomplishes what she does not in spite of these disadvantages, or rather perceived disadvantages by her colleagues and enemies, but because of them. It’s no coincidence the senator, hero, best friend, are all women who overcome sexism to excel in their fields. Clarice doesn’t run to Jack Crawford for help, but rather fellow trainee Kasi Lemmons. Fresh perspectives, injected into old fields. Insight-perspective-experience.

Also note: the senators daughter is not some damsel in distress. She was capable of great courage and daring too.

Somehow, this movie manages to make Harvey Keital, Edward Norton, Ralph Fiennes, and Anthony Hopkins all give poor performances, the pacing is terrible, and just about every choice scumbag Brett Ratner makes to try and set this remotely apart from Michael Mann falls flat. The only redeemable quality to this film is to keep the ending from the novel mostly intact, which is a twist I like and wish would’ve found its way into Mann’s vision. Also, I like when Dolarhyde calls Will Graham gumshoe. The overall story is still good, and pretty much the same as Manhunter besides that, which means it’s mostly fine.

Phillip Seymour Hoffman innocent!

Very well made, naturalist horror with a relentless, considerate pace that somehow manages to avoid being dull or boring. In a Violent Nature is unlike any other slasher I have seen, with a perspective that’s unique and an impressive new killer that wears its inspirations from Halloween, Friday the 13th, and The Texas Chainsaw Massacre with pride and just the right amount of reference, avoiding the fate of petty imitator. I will add however, that without a central character to latch onto, I did struggle to attach myself to the film until a ways in, and I hope in the future installment Kris has more character. Of course, I can see that ruining what makes this unique to so many people, and the final shots of the film still create haunting tension without much characterization, but I don’t think Chris Nash will find similar success by just running back this singular concept. 

Grew on me as it went. Great concept, strong execution. Looking forward to the next one.

Watched the B’Twixt: Now and Sunrise cut.

A dreamlike metaphor for horrors obsession with young women and death, with Sheriff Bobby LaGrange (Bruce Dern) representing the subset of horror fans who enjoy these brutal scenes to see “sluts” get what they deserve, as he spells out in the film, and Val Killer’s leathery bargain bin Stephen King character emphasizing with the victims, horror as a means to deal with personal trauma and tragedy. There are long sequences of Twixt dedicated to the typical small town horror writer cliches, and pretty much every character in the film feels plastic, unoriginal, and uninteresting. Certainly that’s the biggest issue, weird interactions and characterizations that doesn’t do the tone any favors.

It’s like FFC is trying to channel Twin Peaks but he’s wide of the mark by a mile. At no point is this really scary or surprising, but it’s certainly moody and atmospheric when it’s just Val Kilmer wandering around against stunning, impressionistic lighting and ghostly backdrops. Like Megalopolis, FFC still has a mastery over visual language, but the dialogue, planning, and theming are sadly muted, sleepy, and sloppy. I actually quite liked the pace of Twixt, the dream sequences were generally effective, but every moment of the film in the real world was brutally boring and dull. Banal even. There’s also a very immature attitude towards Kilmer’s wife and FFC completely ignores what I thought was going to be a focus of the film, the use and abuse of underage girls. Completely waived off. So I’m still disappointed, even if parts of the film are redeemable.

Pretty girls should always smile!

Fearless filmmaking. Not exactly subtle in its messaging, but in body horror that’s often the case. I didn’t know anything about this really, I was not expecting Jekyll and Hyde meets The Fly. This is a true film fans fever dream of a movie, full of obvious reference and plot structures you can trace from Sunset Boulevard, Elephant Man, The Thing, and plenty of Cronenberg. I love how slowly it builds into that completely deranged final act, from such a straightforward beginning. Demi Moore, Dennis Quaid, and Margaret Qualley are all phenomenal and perfect in this film. Quaid especially, he really becomes this repulsive studio head. Nails it. 

I won’t talk much about the theme, because it hits you over the head with it constantly and repeatedly in the final act, but in quick summary it’s a film about the male gaze, it’s damaging affect on women’s psyche, how the pressure that women in the entertainment industry, and women in general, feel to constantly appear younger. The lengths that some go to hold onto that ever decreasing resource. Makeup sure, but steroids, surgery, etc. manifesting as a hatred of oneself, even when you are two sides of the same coin. Very much reminiscent of Love Lies Bleeding earlier this year in structure, and style, but certainly a step farther in its extreme visual language. Really impressive, but I’m going to hold off from the highest of praises I see from some. I wish there was a little more nuance, and especially the ending, while I had a smile the whole time, could’ve stood to be a bit shorter in execution. Still, if you haven’t already, go and see this. Well worth it

Alternating between symbolic and straightforward, obvious and abstract, Megalopolis is not what I expected. It has a supreme sincerity, more than anything else I’ve ever seen, that humanity is a miracle, our differences of opinion can be pushed past and forward, that a utopia is only impossible so long as we choose not to try. Time is love, the future is now, journalism is dead. A very liberal decontextualization of Ayn Rand’s The Fountainhead, arguing against the isolationism and objectivism of her work, but unfortunately maintaining the Randian Hero / ubermensch ideal. Unsurprisingly, the film is beautiful and bold, many sequences feel like an art piece montage with silent film techniques. There is repetition in dialogue, repetition in imagery, long winded speeches, sex, drugs, Elvis, clowns, chariot racing, swastikas, Hitler, nazi imagery, confederate flags and USSR satellites. I think I liked it? I’m not going to pretend I know everything this film attempts, nor would I say it does everything well, but seeing such a massive, self financed swing from one of the all time greats is incredibly rewarding. A truer example of a passion project you could never find. I’m sure this will be aggravating and abrasive to wider audiences, and perhaps this will always be a controversial opinion, but I think taking into context its creation, style, vision, and empathy, Megalopolis stands as an indelible accomplishment. 

Have to say there’s a subplot with a pop star that left a pretty bad impression on me, and leaves me puzzled with its choices and FFC’s motive with the women characters in general. There’s a real misogynist angle to it that is sorta handwaived off, not sure if it’s meant to be poking at the hypocrisy of it all but it’s definitely a low point for me. In general, Megalopolis suffers from very centrist theming, and an obvious patriarchal characterization that does lead to confusion with its otherwise positive ideals of preserving nature, destroying the status quo, etc. An extremely high class perspective dominates the film, and there is very little to be said of how these ideals would be achieved in reality. There’s no magical panacea for all of society’s struggles, and the needs of the lower class, immigrants, the poor, are hardly considered at all in Megalopolis, and they act in the film as little more than tools to further the conflict. 

Aubrey Plaza. Wow indeed. Giancarlo Esposito actually gets to show off his incredibly underutilized range, Shia Labouf has never been more annoying, Jon Voight isn’t even acting. Nathalie Emmanuel and Adam Driver have good chemistry, and generally do work as the central leads, but the film around them is so full and innovative that their romance does feel to have a muted impact. Lot of great actors get some spotlight too, I don’t l know what half the character were supposed to be doing at any given time, and that chaotic principle only adds to the films uncompromising structure. I’m pretty moved to see it in theaters again, hopefully it’s still showing in a few days because I was the only one in the theater.

Way better than I expected given the director and the general vibe I got from its promotion. Very tight, well paced, a couple of fun shots here and there. Very much in the vein of an Oceans movie, in a good way. Consistent, engaging, unfortunately straightforward. A couple more curves or a little more humor would push this higher, but it’s not quite a favorite of mine, or even one I would ever return to. Wolfs ultimately doesn’t benefit from a comparison to Oceans, or The Nice Guys for that matter, but it’s solid and it’s some fun. Brad Pitt and George Clooney both play up their age in a sorta hamfisted way, the kid is rather unoriginal and uninteresting, wish there was more Amy Ryan also. Paint by numbers, but alright.

Michael Mann procedural. You got me. Film exists for examples like this. Compelling, moving, 80s cinema. There’s a slight melodramatic pulse, an overwhelming and eery sense of attention and detail. Hyperfixation. Obsession. Watch Manhunter and you feel more than suspense, excitement, or fear. You feel sweat on your brow, a cramp in your side. Tension in your tendons, a spark ready to commit. Beautiful visually, slow but vibrant build. Never boring, or still. Constantly pushing towards more. Leaves you wanting in the best way possible, pretty much forces me to watch all the Hannibal Lector movies this year. Maybe the tv show too. Damn good. Love seeing Brian Cox in things too.

Finally got around to this one, I went in completely blind except for the rave reviews, reviews I truly hoped to match. Unfortunately, this didn’t strike the chord it seems to have for so many others. I quite liked the first 30 minutes or so, the awkward middle school /high schooler dynamic was believable and heartfelt, the interactions, feelings of being oppressed in a small town, some obvious Lynch homage and frameworks that I appreciated and felt were done well. But as this continued, my hopes continued to sink. It’s just too loose. So little holds this together, film is an integral part of my life, and always has been, but I Saw the TV Glow puts it on a pedestal in such a high profile way I struggled to relate to. I understand that media is an attachment, an outlet to experience and lash out  against a world full of pain, cowardice. I understand that being seen in, relating to media can feel like a life outside this world, a reality that can feel realer then our mundane expectations and meandering mediocrity. Perhaps my gripes are the point, and Owen’s character is broken by the reality of his childhood memories, the other life that could’ve been if he’d had the courage to run away. To me this is the most powerful message of the film, but I can’t help but feel much of the runtime is overly fatalistic in a way I didn’t appreciate. 

Existential. Lynchian, heartfelt. I want to love I Saw the TV Glow but I’m unfortunately pushed too far by its pace and lack of focus. I’m glad so many are moved, and I’m glad Jane Schoenbrun’s vision was so impacting. Hopefully her future work flips that switch for me.

You ever seen Elmer Fudd cry tears of sorrow over the body of Bugs Bunny shot down before his time? If not you haven’t truly lived.

Could be the definition of classic. Never drags, constantly pushes, acting is exceptional. I’m partial to give this a perfect rating, but I will pause on that for now: It doesn't feel exceptional, but it’s certainly a work with vision and effort. Love it.

I hate to write simple one liner reviews so I’ll expand on this a little bit, but this just feels like The Force Awakens except for Alien. Rehashes the same tone, I won’t say who I guess but has the fuckin gall to AI in a legendary actor who has passed, which is inexcusable. Say what you want about Ridley’s recent films in the franchise, and take what I say with a grain of salt I guess because I haven’t seen covenant, but at least from what I’ve seen, Ridley takes big swings. They may not be home run for you, but he has ideas. Much like Fede Álvarez’s Evil Dead, he isn’t bringing anything to the franchise but a fresh coat of paint. I’ll give credit, I love the practical effects on the final xenomorph, I liked Cailee Spaeny and David Jonsson’s character was a mixed bag of some interest and otherwise plot driven choice making, but the actor impressed regardless. Both of these characters were worth caring for. The rest were pretty uninteresting, which is disappointing in an alien film with a rich history of side characters and memorable losses. 

Mixed bag. I don’t think it’s as bad as some say, given that the movie is certainly engaging and visually dynamic. But between the use of AI, obvious progression, and unoriginal beats? You f you haven’t seen it yet, wait till Hulu carries it.

Loved the first 30 minutes!

I love the communal spirit Wes Anderson infuses in each of his films, but Fantastic Mr. Fox feels like the pinnacle of that theme from what I have seen of his works (so far). It’s emphasized repeatedly that the main characters are wild animals, which of course is in clear contrast to their human qualities. A secondary theme is one of balance. Life is not all quantifiable, and one’s compulsions are not solely something to stifle and snuff out. As fantastic a fox he is, alone, he cannot provide, protect, nurture a family, let alone a community, without the help of all those we see in his community, whether uncoordinated, or miniature, or quick to panic, or seemingly dastardly. Possum, fox, rat, all have a part to play. I did not read this story as a kid, at least I don’t remember it. I enjoy how it acts much like an inverse of Chicken Run, but has its root appeal and emphasis on similar themes and a common call to a brotherhood of fellow equals.

I love the wolf at the end, is the lone wolf dying? It is odd we see one one his own, so gaunt and slim. Perhaps further showing how alone, no man, fox, or wolf can prosper? Or is this Mr. Fox confronting his ego, the ideal form of the wild. A hunter and killer, better then a fox could ever hope to be. Perhaps it is commentary on how this struggle is universal, and without common language, environment, beliefs, or experiences we are all still relatives engaged in the same fight for liberation, survival. Regardless, another incredible work from Wes Anderson. Haven’t been let down yet, and at this point don’t expect to be. No matter what his characters face, there is an unabashed optimism in the triumph of connection, a love that trumps all adversary.

Looney Tunes vaudeville is an excellent idea

Slight

Watched this along with a couple other shorts in my class to help teach indirect characterization. Effective for that purpose, but like many lesser known Pixar shorts, is relatively worthless on its own.

Watch the DC, fixes many of my issues with Josephine appearing earlier, adding more nuance to different characters, making side characters more compelling and further enriching the core relationship at the heart of Napolean. It’s not the movie that many people wanted when they heard Ridley was making this film, and because of that it’s reputation will likely never fully ascend. But I feel confident it is among his very best, and that its vision is far more interesting than what a more straightforward director would attempt.

Wise Blood is a biting satire, full of comedy and tragedy, equal measure tame and disturbed. You would almost think this was a family picture much of the runtime, with a hokey banjo and fiddle filling much of the silence, alongside plain, but measured, cinematography. Brad Dourif gives a commanding performance, his eyes full of fire and hurt, the words that come out of his mouth rebuking Jesus full of spite and sorrow. Desperate for someone or something to stop his blasphemy and save his soul. I want to reread Flannery O’Connor’s story, since I don’t remember it all that well, but I like how the movie doesn't shy away from the obsession and fanaticism of faith, fervor, and the duality of love and hate. Dourif is a fuse waiting to blow, and in this broken world of abandonment and mistreatment, there is no clear path to salvation.

I think I’ll reread A Good Man is Hard to Find and Wise Blood, and then check out the new Ethan Hawke biopic on O’Connor. I’ve abandoned my faith, and she held onto hers. I think Wise Blood makes her main proposition clear, moralism without God in the center is a dead work, in a dead world. Compared to say, Winter Light or First Reformed, I find that a limiting thought. Perhaps that’s what makes her interesting, because she manages to be a compelling story teller despite, relatively, clear messaging. Maybe I’m misreading her intentions, and perhaps my near dive into her work will lead me to different conclusions. Regardless, I found this film intriguing, simple, and off beat. John Huston strikes a careful balance in tone, and I think it works mostly well. Also, love seeing Harry Dean Stanton and Ned Beatty anytime.

Cuckoo is a movie with a million ideas, it’s constantly pushing and pulling the viewer in new and confusing directions, rarely pausing to make sense of the plot that, at least for me, made no sense until the very end. I watched no promotional material before going in, and the movie does very little to keep you informed as to what the creatures are or why they are so focused on Hunter Schafer.  At times the events depicted felt random and disengaged within the story, and for those reason I understand the middling reviews I see so many giving the film on here. But, for me, this all worked in the films favor.

We need more films like Cuckoo. It’s original, and is full of interesting ideas and realistic pain and consequences. Hunter Schafer isn’t just some butterfly knife wielding badass, though she fits that bill perfectly here, but she’s a relatedly lost character whose good intentions are constantly in doubt, and her very presence a burden on a family that would rather not have her around. Before there’s a hint of danger, the film already has a pulse, immediately making clear it’s case that family is not who we are born with, but who we choose to be with instead. I love the choices this film makes in the final act, siblings shielding each other, though they have no blood relation, not even the same species, they’re bond is undeniable. You can’t mimic that kind of love, and the way that Alma chooses to protect her in those closing moments only further proves the point.

Hunter Shafer is phenomenal in Cuckoo. It’s probably not a film for everyone, but her performance is. Nazi scientist, The Shining inspiration, a rogue cop, creatures that take the form of a human, a grand conspiracy. Cuckoo has a lot going for it, maybe too much at times. I loved piecing this movie together, making sense of what I was seeing. Not a single movie I’m rooting for more than this one to be a hit.

Absolutely one of Ridley’s masterpieces, contains some of the greatest medieval fight scenes, an urgent love story, and a deep focus on duty, reason, justice, and faith. Succeeds where Gladiator fails, it’s not hammy or forced moralizing either. If I had any complaint, it would simply be that Orlando Bloom is not a good actor. But it kinda works here. I need to see the directors cut badly.

What is humanity when we pass our natural life force on into machinery, the web, and artifice itself. When flesh and blood turn into metal and wire, when our ID is uploaded and diagnosed through private web servers, when the self is as material as play-doh. The fingerprints of Ghost in the Shell can be found in obvious successors, the Matrix, Cyberpunk 2077, Ex Machina, Avatar, etc. and sure, it didn’t necessarily originate these ideas or methods, but it’s influence is undeniable. Sorta feels like when I watched Casablanca for the first time and saw the traveling sequence that Indiana Jones pulled from. A spark of realization, an understanding that all that is requires the efforts of those before. As it stands alone, Ghost in the Shell has great animation, and a truly burning desire to question who we are when our blood runs cold, who is human, or conscious, when life is no longer determined by heartbeat and breath. What are the requirements for life, when life itself has become a commodity.

Slight spoilers for Old, Knock at the Cabin, and Trap below. 

I’m gonna eat crow and admit I have been unfair to M. Night Shyamalan. I’ve held back from truly appreciating his work bc of one movie he made when I was a child, I don’t have to mention it, you know which one. Last couple years have opened my eyes to who he is as a filmmaker, and that’s a filmmaker I’ve grown to admire. Trap, like Old and Knock at the Cabin continues his run of recent films with an off putting mood and air of unease, a paranoia and anxiety barely contained between desperation, situation, and self preservation. A major theme throughout Trap and many of his films is repression. What people hold under the surface, boiling over in moments of flight, fight, and general danger. The situation of these films is ridiculous. The apocalypse, a beach that rapidly increases your aging, a concert entirely engineered around catching one serial killer. But the premise of these films is not truly the point, and that is where I think the disconnect between some in the film community or those that simply happen to watch his films without proper framing, fall into discontent. 

Trap, too me, is a film also about our collective ignorance in the face of danger around us. How even the weaponization of social media tracking, cameras, data collections, the global panopticon that records and analyses who, where, when we choose to be is not always enough. Cooper should’ve been caught numerous times throughout the concert, but the anonymity of the crowd, the reputation of one’s job, the shield of visual appearance, or the presence of familiar icons of safety like politeness and family ease his escape time and time again. Trap explores the dichotomy of men we often call monsters without a second thought, killers, abusers, traffickers, etc. who at the same time are loving and trusted members of their family and community. Every town, every city has a story not so different from Trap. And Cooper is not some mastermind, even if he is tremendously manipulative. M. Night turns this premise all the way up, while simultaneously playing it very straight. Sure there’s momentary humor, and strange occurrences that work in Cooper’s favor, but that too is life. 

Josh Hartnett continues to impress. He has a truly difficult job in Trap and it would not have worked so well without his subtle desperation, predator lurking under the surface at every point except when staring at his daughter. Ariel Donahue is likewise fantastic, and it must be said Trap is a rare film to rely on a son or daughter of its director in a major film and have it work perfectly. Saleka, who I don’t think I’ve ever heard before, sounded wholly capable of being a pop star in her own right. I think it’s really a testament to M. Night’s capabilities that he was able to make a film that works so well on its own artistically but also as a form or promotion for a budding singing career that shows range and ability. At no point does she feel forced, or her music feel misused. She becomes the anchor during the climax, and acts with convincing passion and bravery. She’s a star in her own right, and shines authentically. 

Huge achievement for all involved. I may have a couple negative things I could say, but I think it rarely matters much in Trap to be worth a mention here. I’ll save them for a rewatch in the future, if they still remain.

God give me more of this film. Far, far too short. By the end time I forgot it was 30m long I was so wrapped up, and then it was over. I need to watch some Pedro Almodóvar films Jesus.

Kubrick figured this film shit out on his second attempt, unbelieving great. After Killer’s Kiss I certainly expected a gradual release. The Killing is basically a less dynamic Oceans 11, and I fuck with that. Noir-Oceans vibe that I love. It’s not silly, it’s not serious, it’s not emotional. It’s fun. The Killing is a master of its  craft realizing, becoming what will be later. It doesn’t have the glitz and glamor, the stars and screenplays of later films. The cinematography is actually less impressive I’d dare to say, than Killer’s Kiss. Yet, The Killing has such an environment, such a feel. Good picture

Feels like I’ve seen this exact movie like 10 times. Down on his luck washed up boxer tries to get out of town with his girl whose stuck in a tricky situation. Kubrick has a couple nice shots of the city life, and the lighting is quite good the entire film. This is, of course, extremely simple and mostly uninteresting. Still Killers Kiss isn’t a terrible experience, nor is it terribly made. In fact, the final fight in the mannequin factory is actually pretty great, I love the hanging hands and how it basically turns into a Middle Ages dual. Solid ending, middling premise and otherwise dull material. However, you can see Kubrick’s vision even here, despite its amateur employ.

I’m nearing the end of Kubrick’s filmography, and it’s a sobering feeling. There may be some directors I identify with more, and certainly some come to mind whose volume of work far exceeds Kubrick’s where I enjoy more movies than he made, but at this point in my journey through film, picture to picture, Kubrick is probably my goat. Dr. Strangelove was my acceptance film, because the variety of film I’ve seen from Kubrick is rarely matched with other greats, and yet so far he’s batting a home run everytime.

For context, I have not seen Lolita, The Killing, Spartacus, or Barry Lyndon. And I know with the exception of the last I mentioned, they are not typically among his most celebrate work. This next week I plan on watching all of these, and finally tick off a major directors filmic vision. I’m saving Barry Lyndon for last. 

As for this film, what can I say. It’s a satire of the highest form, it made me laugh, it made me chuckle, it made me sad to imagine the world Kubrick inhabited, a cold world with a Cold War, and how despite our Internet, social media, and the ability to communicate with one another like never before, it’s ugly underbelly is just as exposed, just as ignorant, just as ridiculous. Occasionally Dr. Strangelove hits an almost Monty Python comedic sense where dialogue and physical acting intertwine to juxtaposition. It truly felt uncanny when Gen. Ripper reveals the reason for ordering the nukes to launch was fluoride in the water, which beforehand I was confident was a modern conspiracy. The scenes in the plane are, unsurprisingly, shot in gripping fashion, and the recurring score plays off that perfectly. My favorite part was definitely when the war room learns a single bomber remains, and it cuts to George C. Scott, still standing atop a chair from his brief prayer, hand over his head. 

But if you don't get the President of the United States on that phone, you know what's gonna happen to you?

… What?

You're gonna have to answer to the Coca-Cola company.

Capital supersedes value, nationality supersedes humanity, duty supersedes sense. In a world ruled by the moronic, every piece of capital, every nation, and every duty seems ridiculous against the cost of our selfish greed and fear mongering. Kubrick shows this in comedic terms, but make no mistake, he’s making purposeful statements here, biting commentary on how the global position of a country matters little in the face utter annihilation.

A random watch on a whim, melodramatic and cliche, but Orson Welles is very good here, and so is Natalie Wood despite being like 5 years old. Welles uses physical acting and accent work, and is easily the star of the film and the only reason to watch. The plot is ridiculous in a tragic, theatrical sense. The film has that overused classical score present in so many films of the period, and the ending is exceptionally quick. Still, Welles elevates the material, and I couldn’t help but be interested in the story because of him.

Beautiful imagery, a story that’s more fable than anything else, one of the finest scores in film. The sunlight rising across the snow and blood as credits roll, what else is there for her? Nothing, or everything? As I knew already, Kill Bill heavily pulled from this film, but I didn’t realize the extent went beyond visual homage and plot devices. Even the use of animation in Kill Bill is reminiscent to the artwork shown at various times in Lady Snowblood. What is most striking to me, however, is how this film works to display this violence as a direct reaction to the violence inherent in the state, imperialism, misogyny, propaganda, the collusion of power and crime. This is more than pretty action and spurts of neon blood, though of course that is here in plenty. Lady Snowblood is an angry film that questions the value of mercy, and the meaninglessness of revenge, and how both may be equally necessary and equally worthless. 

It could be said that karma can stain the unborn…

Intent and effect. Imagery and blood. Ego and guts.

I was born when she kissed me. I died when she left me. I lived a few weeks while she loved me.

Oh man, why haven’t I heard of this before? Potentially my favorite Bogart movie, the biggest train wreck of emotion I’ve ever had from noir. As a self destructive, though thankfully non violent man, watching Dix destroy and demean himself made me squirm, and ultimately it is those faults, not the doubt of his innocence or the possibility of his actions that craters his chance at love and happiness. Some fantastic acting by all parties here, the grapefruit scene was beautiful, Mel being hit truly irredeemable, just a sincere masterpiece with endless quality. I’m noticing on prime a few Bogart movies are leaving at the end of this month, and despite recently spending my time rewatching Game of Thrones and playing the Elden Ring dlc and College Football 25, I’ll have to fit them promptly. He just might be my favorite actor.

Watching my nephews tonight gave me the opportunity to return to an old childhood favorite of mine. Even for a Disney movie, this is very straightforward and simple, but the humor, environment, and surprising warmth gives The Emperor’s New Groove a timeless, easy attitude that still excels in entertaining kids today as much as it did for me 24 years ago.

A mishmash of ideas inspired by many films, especially Kiyoshi Kurosawa’s Cure and to a lesser extent Silence of the Lambs, Longlegs spends most of its time as an eerie, off tilt procedural not too different from something like Zodiac. However, it distinguishes itself with Maika Monroe’s character Lee, who has, it seems, some form of psychic power that she describes as a “tap on her shoulder.” Later, we figure out who is tapping, and how she came into possession of these powers. Perhaps because of these “powers” Lee is a closed off loner, who struggles with conversation and normal everyday life situations. Her character is easy to root for, as her trauma and repressed memories are clearly tied to the crimes she is investigating. If you stop to think about it, the plot of the film is all very convenient. Or perhaps fated, to happen. You have to suspend your disbelief, and accept what we are told and shown without too much deep thought.

Nicolas Cage will certainly pull some people out of the film, but I loved his performance and felt he worked well in his role. His makeup was my only issue, I do no think the botched plastic surgery look was effective. I also found the conclusion weak compared to what came before it, and the final family actually pissed me off. Lee’s passivity in this scene was really off putting and felt out of character. Sure, she might be in shock, but the whole film we’ve seen her act when shit is going down. Here, she freezes, and allows so much to happen with the doll right there. Also the set up for this scene, with Lee’s own doll and her initial confrontation with her mom, felt pretty pointless. Frustrating conclusion to a truly grim, grimy film.

I expect Longlegs to have a lot of supporters and a lot of detractors. It’s a bold, interesting movie with a real stark visual language and takes massive swings. Some landed really hard, some felt more minor league. Regardless, I recommend seeing this in theaters, I expect I’ll be thinking about this film for quite a while.

Devastating. Not sure a film has ever captured disfunction as realistically and painfully as this. Peter Falk is tremendously believable, pitiable, tragic, while simultaneously easy to despise. Shortsighted, unsure, closed off, embarrassed. Desperate. Gena Rowlands is beyond words, her character is etched in my heart, her work here is timeless and terrifying. 

I had a great deal of difficulty watching this. I saw myself in the sons, seeing this family tear itself apart into demeaning hopelessness. Relating to these characters has opened A Women Under the Influence into my soul, and has left it bruised and battered. I need a cigarette.

I have a general soft spot for the Hunter Games books, even if I have significant issues with them on the whole. The titular book of this film did catch me by surprise, feeling less trope driven and more assured. After rewatching the Katniss films last year, I was hesitant to give this a chance as I found them largely lacking. But I have to give credit to Francis Lawrence on what is perhaps his best directed film, though that’s not very high bar. Even here, I found the pace both too slow in spots and far too fast in the final act, I do not think it is very effectively portrayed just how manic Snow is in the woods, and his ulterior motives less emphasized and extracted. But on the whole, considering this a far bigger novel to adapt then the previous Hunger Games films, commendable job.

Performances are generally the best in the franchise outside of a moment or two here and there. Part of that is due to these characters being less stock than in previous entries and with a more stirring emotional core / betrayal. Like all successful prequels, there is an impeding sense of doom that fits nicely over the film, much contrasted with Katniss and the inevitability of the good guys winning in YA lit. Overall a pretty good adaption, with some sticking flaws. However, if I were to ever rewatch any of the Hunger Games films again, this would be the one I would choose. Snow’s downfall as a moral character, given what he becomes, is actually interesting. Love seeing Hunter Schafer in things, even in a minor role she stands out.

I’m doing my part. God, I love this

Basically Bad Lieutenant but what if there was a “happy” ending that, honestly, feels more realistic. The police state gets away with its abuse and mistreatment, all Herzog’s film does is amplify that alongside the incredible work of Nicholas Cage. Better then the original maybe? It’s certainly more entertains throughout, and once swept away by the momentum shocking. Cage has a natural humor to most his work, but he really excels here playing at times a stressed out or stringed out cop whose only goal is the prosecution and his own high. Instant favorite, one of Herzog’s best

First time going to see a mystery movie in theaters, and since this isn’t widely available yet I will take particular care not to give any plot details that would not be expected by the films description and trailer.

First, i went into this pretty blind, even for a mystery movie. I’ve only caught a bit of a trailer and wasn’t paying attention, I just knew it was about faking the moon landing. So the fact it’s a romcom caught me by surprise. There’s a lot of footage from the period, and there’s a huge build up of importance to the Apollo mission, a very meaty opening. I think the film strikes a nice balance of lofty ambitions and lighthearted comedy, that did draw a few chuckles from me and the crowd. Plenty of good performances here, Scarlett Johansson gets a lot of opportunities to showcase her range, Channing Tatum does well in a stoic, soft undersides role. Woody Harrelson plays a somewhat familiar character with fun energy. However, the true star for me was Ray Romano. He really shines here, and personally I’m pulling for him to get a supporting actor nomination. Elevated every scene he was in. Need a Rayneissance to happen. 

The film itself does take a long time to get to the conceit, certainly over an hour into the film before faking the landing is brought up. I must say, the way the final act fits together does feel very convenient and handwaivey. The film is strongest when it’s dealing with convincing senators, marketing agencies, building the rocket, etc. The final sequence and the will they won’t they conflict feels fairly weak in comparison. 

Still, I would say this was well shot and had pretty damn good soundtrack. Fly Me to the Moon is lighthearted but sincere, funny and charming, but not all that surprising, and it’s dramatic moments felt somewhat forced. Solid movie, would recommend giving a shot.

Every belief is worth a badass film using that faith for John Wick purposes. May I never outlive that fashion. A film with far more feeling than I ever would’ve expected. ACAB has never felt more universal, and a communist spirit never been  more rewarding. It hides nothing, and at times is painfully straightforward. At the same time, who cares?

God this is depressing. The people we are, the people we were, they’re not always copacetic. But that person we once were, it’s still inside. And when those relationships truly fall out, or die, that part inside us goes to. 

Crushing cinema. Sorta movie that makes you sad to go to sleep, and even sadder when you wake up. Peter Falk is such an amazing presence in every film or episode of Columbo I’ve seen, but his patient rage and haunting insecurities throughout Miley and Nicky is truly another level. Unmatched. Embarrassingly, this is my first time seeing John Cassavetes in any capacity, whether as director or actor. The sleazy grin, manipulative code switching, the desperate plea to the hitman to wait just a minute, more than pushes me to rectify that. Feels like a good time to go on a Cassavetes marathon.

Russell Crowe is a dude playing a dude disguised as another dude, and one of those dudes gets possessed. Seemed unfinished, rushed, and more than a little disappointing, but I like Russell Crowe and while he doesn’t get to have as much fun as some of his last couple movies he’s worth the ticket price. There’s some interesting stuff going on with childhood trauma and addiction, but these plot points feel glossed over and less important as the film makes a beeline for end credits. Get the vibes this was hastily thrown together to profit off the much more exciting and memorable Popes Exorcist. 

Liked the set design of the play house. Nice to see Sam Worthington in something.

We are what we do, and what Ferrari proposes is not the prettiest answer to that perspective, but it is a damn compelling one. 

We all know it's our deadly passion. Our terrible joy. But if you get into one of my cars- and no one is forcing you to take that seat- you get in to win. 

Penélope Cruz with maybe the best performance of last year. Simply ruthless on the screen. Tears every scene away from Adam Driver, tears the whole movie away.

Every film I will watch in 2024. Some goals for this year,

Watch 60 films released in 2024
Watch an additional 10 films from 2023
Watch 25 Westerns 

Directors I would like to have some focus on: 
Akira Kurosawa ~ 10 films
Wong Kar-wai ~ 8 films
Federico Fellini ~ 5 films
Michael Mann ~ 5 films 
Luis Buñuel ~ 4 films 
Charles Burnett ~ 4 films 
Spike Lee ~ 4 films 
Sofia Coppola ~ 3 films
Takeshi Kitano ~ 3 films
Todd Haynes ~ 3 films 
Pedro Almodóvor ~ 3 films

• Avengers: Infinity War
• The Westing Game
• Inside Out
• The Wizard of Oz
• Conclave
• Abigail
• Gladiator II
• Gladiator
• U Turn
• The Silence of the Lambs

...plus 126 more. View the full list on Letterboxd.

1. Dune: Part Two
2. Furiosa: A Mad Max Saga
3. Challengers
4. The Substance
5. Trap
6. Cuckoo
7. Conclave
8. Gladiator II
9. Megalopolis
10. Longlegs

...plus 16 more. View the full list on Letterboxd.

Kinda a retrospective list, whenever I remember I saw something in theaters ill throw it on here too. In order of when I watched them.

• Gladiator II
• The Substance
• Megalopolis
• Alien: Romulus
• Cuckoo
• Trap
• Longlegs
• Fly Me to the Moon
• The Exorcism
• Challengers

...plus 63 more. View the full list on Letterboxd.

1. Oppenheimer
2. Killers of the Flower Moon
3. The Boy and the Heron
4. May December
5. The Zone of Interest
6. Ferrari
7. Godzilla Minus One
8. John Wick: Chapter 4
9. Asteroid City
10. Anatomy of a Fall

...plus 69 more. View the full list on Letterboxd.

1. The Godfather
2. The Godfather Part II
3. Apocalypse Now
4. The Conversation
5. Bram Stoker's Dracula
6. The Outsiders
7. Megalopolis
8. The Godfather Part III
9. The Terror
10. Twixt

1. Heat
2. Ferrari
3. Manhunter
4. Collateral
5. The Last of the Mohicans
6. Miami Vice

1. The Empire Strikes Back
2. Star Wars
3. Return of the Jedi
4. Star Wars: Episode III – Revenge of the Sith
5. Star Wars: The Last Jedi
6. Star Wars: The Force Awakens
7. Star Wars: Episode I – The Phantom Menace
8. Solo: A Star Wars Story
9. Rogue One: A Star Wars Story
10. Star Wars: Episode II – Attack of the Clones

...plus 3 more. View the full list on Letterboxd.

1. The French Dispatch
2. The Life Aquatic with Steve Zissou
3. The Grand Budapest Hotel
4. Asteroid City
5. Fantastic Mr. Fox
6. The Wonderful Story of Henry Sugar
7. Moonrise Kingdom
8. Rushmore
9. The Darjeeling Limited
10. Poison

...plus 2 more. View the full list on Letterboxd.

General films I love a lot, flaws and all.

• The Seventh Seal
• Uncut Gems
• The Godfather
• The Godfather Part II
• The Exorcist
• Halloween
• Ganja & Hess
• John Wick: Chapter 4
• GoodFellas
• Jackie Brown

...plus 189 more. View the full list on Letterboxd.

1. Trap
2. Signs
3. Old
4. The Sixth Sense
5. Knock at the Cabin
6. Split
7. Unbreakable
8. The Happening
9. Glass
10. After Earth

...plus 1 more. View the full list on Letterboxd.

1. 2001: A Space Odyssey
2. The Shining
3. Eyes Wide Shut
4. Paths of Glory
5. Dr. Strangelove or: How I Learned to Stop Worrying and Love the Bomb
6. Full Metal Jacket
7. A Clockwork Orange
8. Killer's Kiss

1. Aguirre, the Wrath of God
2. Bad Lieutenant: Port of Call – New Orleans
3. Nosferatu the Vampyre
4. Into the Inferno
5. Grizzly Man
6. Rescue Dawn
7. Cave of Forgotten Dreams
8. Fireball: Visitors from Darker Worlds

1. Princess Mononoke
2. The Boy and the Heron
3. Howl's Moving Castle
4. Porco Rosso
5. Spirited Away
6. Lupin the Third: The Castle of Cagliostro
7. Grave of the Fireflies
8. The Secret World of Arrietty
9. The Cat Returns

1. The Third Man
2. Parasite
3. Apocalypse Now
4. The 400 Blows
5. Titane
6. Taxi Driver
7. Pulp Fiction
8. Paris, Texas
9. The Wind That Shakes the Barley
10. Anatomy of a Fall

...plus 2 more. View the full list on Letterboxd.

Top 250 from the 2000, 2012, 2022 lists using Directors and Critics combined. For 2000 critics used all films receiving at least three votes from either list respectively.

1. Persona
2. 2001: A Space Odyssey
3. Twin Peaks: Fire Walk with Me
4. Citizen Kane
5. The Godfather
6. Ran
7. The Godfather Part II
8. Raging Bull
9. Shoah
10. The Thing

...plus 92 more. View the full list on Letterboxd.

I love Indiana Jones 

1. Raiders of the Lost Ark
2. Indiana Jones and the Last Crusade
3. Schindler's List
4. Indiana Jones and the Temple of Doom
5. Jurassic Park
6. Jaws
7. The Fabelmans
8. Minority Report
9. Indiana Jones and the Kingdom of the Crystal Skull
10. War of the Worlds

...plus 7 more. View the full list on Letterboxd.

1. Mad Max: Fury Road
2. Furiosa: A Mad Max Saga
3. Mad Max 2
4. Mad Max Beyond Thunderdome
5. Mad Max
6. Happy Feet

Only my favorites or especially important ones. Less than an hour long I guess?

1. Meshes of the Afternoon
2. Night and Fog
3. Un Chien Andalou
4. Three Songs for Benazir
5. Mobile Men
6. Atman
7. Life in Holland
8. Anima
9. A Trip to the Moon
10. WHAT DID JACK DO?

...plus 20 more. View the full list on Letterboxd.

If 2021 was when I really first started to care about cinema, 2022 was when I allowed that to take a real hold over my life. Decided to watch 365 movies this year (at least) and kept as up to date on new films as I could. 

Ranked by how much I liked them, not necessarily how good I think they are.

1. Nope
2. The Banshees of Inisherin
3. Crimes of the Future
4. Aftersun
5. TÁR
6. The Fabelmans
7. The Batman
8. Avatar: The Way of Water
9. RRR
10. Moonage Daydream

...plus 68 more. View the full list on Letterboxd.

• The Last Temptation of Christ
• Raging Bull
• Killers of the Flower Moon
• GoodFellas
• The Irishman
• Bringing Out the Dead
• The King of Comedy
• Taxi Driver
• After Hours
• Alice Doesn't Live Here Anymore

...plus 11 more. View the full list on Letterboxd.

1. Suspiria
2. Phenomena
3. The Bird with the Crystal Plumage

1. Alien
2. Blade Runner
3. Thelma & Louise
4. Kingdom of Heaven
5. Prometheus
6. The Last Duel
7. Napoleon
8. The Duellists
9. Gladiator
10. Black Hawk Down

...plus 3 more. View the full list on Letterboxd.

1. The Batman
2. Dawn of the Planet of the Apes
3. War for the Planet of the Apes
4. Cloverfield

1. Batman Returns
2. Batman
3. Beetlejuice
4. Big Fish
5. Edward Scissorhands
6. Sleepy Hollow
7. Sweeney Todd: The Demon Barber of Fleet Street
8. Corpse Bride
9. Charlie and the Chocolate Factory
10. Planet of the Apes

...plus 2 more. View the full list on Letterboxd.

1. The Zone of Interest
2. Under the Skin
3. Birth
4. The Fall

1. Malcolm X
2. Da 5 Bloods
3. Inside Man

1. Pirates of the Caribbean: The Curse of the Black Pearl
2. Rango
3. Pirates of the Caribbean: Dead Man's Chest
4. Pirates of the Caribbean: At World's End
5. The Ring
6. MouseHunt
7. The Lone Ranger

Last year I managed to watch 365+ movies, but I’m not necessarily expecting to go that far this year. Still, here’s a few goals for film in 2023.

Directors whose filmography I want to complete:

Scorsese, Guillermo del Toro, Bong Joon-Ho, and John Carpenter. 

Directors who I want to dive deeper into:

Howard Hawks, Park Chan-wook, Spike Lee, Luis Buñuel, John Ford, Wong Kar-wai, Kurosawa.

At least 30 Westerns 
Watch all of Twin Peaks.
Watch at least 40 films from 2023.

Rewatch franchises before new sequels:

John Wick
Indiana Jones
Mission Impossible 
Riddick
Creed 
The exorcist
Insidious

• The Princess Bride
• It Follows
• The Iron Claw
• Scent of a Woman
• It's a Wonderful Life
• The Muppet Christmas Carol
• The Holdovers
• The Creator
• Oldboy
• Rebel Moon – Part One: A Child of Fire

...plus 330 more. View the full list on Letterboxd.

1. Ran
2. High and Low
3. Throne of Blood
4. Seven Samurai
5. Rashomon

1. Vertigo
2. Rear Window
3. Psycho
4. The Birds
5. The Man Who Knew Too Much
6. Foreign Correspondent
7. Rope
8. North by Northwest

1. Bad Lieutenant
2. King of New York

1. Jackie Brown
2. Pulp Fiction
3. Once Upon a Time... in Hollywood
4. Inglourious Basterds
5. Reservoir Dogs
6. Django Unchained
7. Kill Bill: The Whole Bloody Affair
8. Death Proof
9. The Hateful Eight
10. Four Rooms

Ranked by preference, not what I think is best necessarily.

1. The Godfather
2. The Godfather Part II
3. The Lord of the Rings: The Return of the King
4. Casablanca
5. No Country for Old Men
6. Parasite
7. The Silence of the Lambs
8. One Flew Over the Cuckoo's Nest
9. Oppenheimer
10. Rocky

...plus 26 more. View the full list on Letterboxd.

The year I decided to start paying attention to film more. 

Films on my watchlist from 2021 I still want to see in no particular order:

Memoria -Apichatpong Weerasethakul 
Judas & the Black Messiah- Shaka King 
Benedetta- Paul Verhoeven 
Annette- Leos Carax
C’mon C’mon - Mike Mills 
Parallel Mothers- Pedro Almodóvar 
The Hand of God- Paolo Sorrentino 
Mass- Fran Kranz
Red Rocket - Sean Baker
House of Gucci- Ridley Scott
No Sudden Moves- Stevan Soderbergh 
Riders of Justice- Anders Thomas Jensee
The Worst Person in the World- Joachim Trier
After Love - Aleem Khan 
Belfast- Kenneth Branagh 
King Richard - Reinaldo Marcus Green
tick, tick…Boom!- Lin Manuel- Miranda 
Lamb- Valdimar Jóhannsson
Cyrano- Joe Wright 
Old- Shymalan 
Last Night in Soho- Edgar Wright

1. The French Dispatch
2. The Tragedy of Macbeth
3. Drive My Car
4. Spencer
5. Titane
6. Dune
7. The Last Duel
8. Mad God
9. Pig
10. Nightmare Alley

...plus 41 more. View the full list on Letterboxd.

1. Dune: Part Two
2. Prisoners
3. Dune
4. Blade Runner 2049
5. Arrival
6. Enemy

Trying to watch 365 movies this year. Mostly new.
Top of list is most recent. I started counting from Christmas 2021.

not counting most shorts. 

+8 for repeat viewings of Matrix Resurrections, Jackass Forever, The Batman, The Northman, Doctor Strange and the Multiverse of Madness, Nope, Everything Everywhere All At Once, The French Dispatch

• This Place Rules
• Shoah
• Blue Collar
• Avatar: The Way of Water
• Evil Dead II
• V/H/S
• The Poughkeepsie Tapes
• The Deer Hunter
• Alice Doesn't Live Here Anymore
• Black Christmas

...plus 365 more. View the full list on Letterboxd.

Fairly recently I started using Tubi, and theres enough obscure/hard to find cinema on a rotating basis that I’ve decided to chronicle what I watch and find on the platform.

1. The Ballad of Gregorio Cortez
2. Suspiria
3. Belly
4. The Lair of the White Worm
5. Martyrs
6. Paprika
7. Cigarette Burns
8. Night Tide
9. Buffalo '66
10. Vera Cruz

...plus 12 more. View the full list on Letterboxd.

1. Logan
2. 3:10 to Yuma
3. Cop Land
4. Walk the Line
5. The Wolverine
6. Indiana Jones and the Dial of Destiny

1. The Big Sleep
2. Rio Bravo
3. Red River

As I’m diving deeper into the 30s and 40s, I’m going to start listing those films here. Maybe in some time I’ll make lists by decade, but not yet.

1. Bicycle Thieves
2. Citizen Kane
3. It's a Wonderful Life
4. Casablanca
5. Mildred Pierce
6. The Big Sleep
7. The Treasure of the Sierra Madre
8. Key Largo
9. The Great Dictator
10. Arsenic and Old Lace

...plus 21 more. View the full list on Letterboxd.

1. Midsommar
2. Hereditary
3. Beau Is Afraid
4. The Strange Thing About the Johnsons

1. Se7en
2. The Killer
3. Zodiac
4. The Curious Case of Benjamin Button

In the Month of Madness and the Macabre, what horror will haunt my screen?

Ranked by preference, just watched Saw right before it. May run through the series.

Mostly new watches, but planning on a couple favorites I haven’t seen for a while.

1. Pulse
2. The Exorcist
3. Halloween
4. Let the Right One In
5. Re-Animator
6. The Exorcist III
7. Shock
8. The Descent
9. The Masque of the Red Death
10. Cigarette Burns

...plus 28 more. View the full list on Letterboxd.

1. Kill, Baby... Kill!
2. Blood and Black Lace
3. Shock
4. Black Sabbath
5. Danger: Diabolik
6. Black Sunday
7. A Bay of Blood

Directing only

1. First Reformed
2. Blue Collar
3. The Card Counter
4. Dominion: Prequel to The Exorcist

Classic monsters are the bedrock for modern horror. This list aims to combine movies based on these immortal archetypes as I see them. From Mary Shelley and Bram Stoker through Universal and Hammer studios, all between and related. Throwing Edgar Allen Poe adaptions as well.

1. Night of the Living Dead
2. Ganja & Hess
3. Dracula
4. Young Frankenstein
5. Let the Right One In
6. Nosferatu the Vampyre
7. The Devil's Backbone
8. Tales from the Hood
9. Zombie Flesh Eaters
10. The Evil Dead

...plus 49 more. View the full list on Letterboxd.

Mid rewatch

1. The Thing
2. Big Trouble in Little China
3. Halloween
4. Prince of Darkness
5. They Live
6. In the Mouth of Madness
7. Escape from New York
8. Assault on Precinct 13
9. Cigarette Burns
10. Christine

...plus 6 more. View the full list on Letterboxd.

1. The Texas Chain Saw Massacre
2. Poltergeist
3. The Texas Chainsaw Massacre 2
4. Body Bags

1. The Shining
2. Misery
3. Carrie
4. The Dead Zone
5. Christine
6. Stand by Me
7. It
8. It
9. Silver Bullet
10. Pet Sematary

...plus 7 more. View the full list on Letterboxd.

Last September I made a list of my 50 favorite films, and I think I will try to do so every September that I remember or continue using Letterboxd. Giving myself 10 extra each year as I continue. 

Lotta recent movies on here, but that’s sorta the point. My favorite movies, right now, in 2023. Roughly ordered, but varies often.

Minor notes: Limited myself to 1 Scorsese and Lynch film each, otherwise a quarter of my list would be theirs and so many of their films vie for my favorite it’s impossible. In the future I will probably do the same for Kubrick.                   

For connected films, like LOTR or The Godfather I used only my favorite individual film. 

• Persona
• The Devils
• The Last Temptation of Christ
• Twin Peaks: Fire Walk with Me
• Cure
• Bicycle Thieves
• Ran
• War and Peace
• Touki Bouki
• Blade Runner

...plus 50 more. View the full list on Letterboxd.