Cléo from 5 to 7 1962
★★★★★ Watched 01 Jan 2023
This French New Wave film exceeded my expectations in so many ways. I was overwhelmingly mesmerized. It really felt like seeing magic. What really sealed the hypnosis was the almost ethereal Corinne Marchand portrayal of Florence (Cleo). Critics love talking about presence but Corinne on the screen was the equivalent of butterflies in your stomach and feathers floating in the air.
Elegant, graceful, and astonishingly effortless; I’m not sure if I’ve seen a performance like this. Corinne absolutely soars as the melodramatic musician Cleopatra.
Cleo From 5 to 7 has powerful storytelling, is brimming with heart bursting romance, and is a refreshing look into beauty, inevitable death, and societal expectations.
This has skyrocketed to the top of my favorite film lists. You can see Agnes Varda’s influence in so many modern directors and cinematographers and I can’t wait to dive even deeper into her filmography.
Violent Night 2022
★★½ Watched 31 Dec 2022
The right amount of gratuitous violence, Christmas cheer, and comedy from Violent Night led to one of the better holiday Santa movies to come out in recent years.
Glass Onion: A Knives Out Mystery 2022
★★★ Watched 29 Dec 2022
Provides some laughs and was interesting to watch with the family while it had their attention. Waiting for Netflix to give in and make this an obligatory tv show with rotating detectives.
Guillermo del Toro’s Pinocchio 2022
★★½ Watched 27 Dec 2022
Not as magical as I would have wished but damn, I admire the craft in stop motion animation. Think I may have enjoyed the behind-the-scenes promo more than the actual film.
Synecdoche, New York 2008
★★★½ Watched 25 Dec 2022
Intensely dark and melancholic but acutely thought provoking. This film will in all likelihood make you depressed, but Synecdoche’s examination of life, death, and purpose/ role is a powerful one.
Heavy on symbolism and it could be argued that at times Synecdoche can be almost oppressive with its themes; Regardless, I have a whole new appreciation for the Eternal Sunshine writer and director. It may be hard to recommend this to anyone but serious cinephiles. Its apparent this film meant a lot to Kaufmann and that passion really shines through here.
The Guardians of the Galaxy Holiday Special 2022
★★★½ Watched 24 Dec 2022
Brief, comforting, and a welcome detour for the MCU. I really found myself enjoying the gang getting into the holiday spirit. The musical numbers and Kevin Bacon are pretty darn good too.
Avatar: The Way of Water 2022
★★★★ Watched 17 Dec 2022
An absolute blast of fun. I can understand those not liking the story but, in all honesty, I would watch almost anything if it was filmed in this way.
You have to submerge yourself in these cinematic waters at the theater for full effect!
Dig 2022
★★★ Watched 01 Dec 2022
Entertaining but stunts and general staging could have used more work. Finale being so sloppy really dragged down what was an overall good film.
The Innocents 2021
★★★★★ Watched 10 Dec 2022
Hair-raising and a truly distressing horror experience. The fact that the film has supernatural elements is just masterful subterfuge. Some of this content may not be for everyone…
Circle 2015
★★ Watched 30 Nov 2022
Dumb but good dumb.
Apur Sansar 1959
★★★★★ Watched 26 Nov 2022
The Indian legend and auter Satyajit Ray has painted an immensely powerful and unforgettable tale with the Apu trilogy. These films are colossal feats for Indian and Global cinema and encapsulate what all film makers strive to capture. Apur Sansar doesn’t miss a beat.
Simply magic…
Brief Encounter 1945
★★★★½ Watched 25 Nov 2022
Brief encounter is an absolutely tremendous film brimming with charm and in a league of its own. Its mesmerizing visuals and black and white technical lighting, dazzling performances, and subtle and intelligent writing/screenplay are near flawless. I can’t recommend enough.
Safe 1995
★★★★½ Watched 23 Nov 2022
Julianne Moore is amazing in this. Safe is a thought provoking and simultaneously haunting film. I get goosebumps when I think of specific scenes and how Moore’s character is struggling with her condition and reality. I can’t wait to recommend to friends.
All Quiet on the Western Front 1930
★★★★ Watched 21 Nov 2022
An engrossing and mandatory staple for fans of the war genre.
Bullet Train 2022
★★★★ Watched 08 Nov 2022
Bullet Train harkens back to an era of ensemble action films from the early 2000s and films like Smoking Aces. Bullet Train is a thoroughly funny and action-packed ride.
Jurassic World Dominion 2022
★ Watched 07 Nov 2022
Too darn cheesy for me. There is almost a good 30-minute stretch of the movie that is actually super fun to watch but then you have to go back to the bad plotlines, contrived side arcs, and the annoying thing where the characters become dinosaur whisperers and hypnotize everything by simply putting their hands up in front of them.
X 2022
★★ Watched 27 Oct 2022
Not any super fresh ideas here but its executed so well that it’s really fun to watch. I somewhat felt that the film resolved hastily but my interest is definitely piqued for how they develop and continue Maxine’s arc. I’m hoping the sequel is an unhinged descent into madness and gore.
Fourth of July 2022
★★ Watched 25 Oct 2022
C.K. I believe went on record for saying its hardest to play yourself as an actor. This idea really manifests in this feature film. An expectedly solid production from Louis C.K. is brought down by the main lead’s acting chops (Joe List). Paula Plum was the standout here in this messy dramedy. Fortunately, the pieces somewhat align together under C.K’s direction for the film and the narrative is definitely engaging enough to warrant a watch.
Men 2022
★★★ Watched 25 Oct 2022
Although the film strives for a chaotic surreal like quality it kind of falls short due to feeling mostly like a horror movie about a shapeshifter.
The Neon Demon 2016
★★★★ Watched 22 Oct 2022
A really fun and twisted movie which is filled with drop dead gorgeous women and is brimming with masterful composition. Half the frames in the movie I really want to just go back and make into wallpapers.
Blonde 2022
★½ Watched 01 Oct 2022
Not sure what hellish fever dream I just watched but at least I enjoyed the cinematography, I guess.
Lou 2022
★ Watched 25 Sep 2022
Terrible film. The one thing that really stood out to me was the black ops CIA operative guy and how he brought the lowest caliber possible to a gunfight and couldn’t shoot through a wooden table two feet in front of him.
Possessor 2020
★★★★½ Watched 24 Sep 2022
Such a cool concept. I really loved how they visualized all the internal struggle between host and possessor. Really fun and gory film.
St. Vincent 2014
★★★ Watched 19 Sep 2022
I know this movie isn’t highbrow art or anything, but damn Bill Murray elevated the film enough to make me teary eyed.
House of Darkness 2022
★★½ Watched 18 Sep 2022
The dialogue was really fun at times. As it dragged on though it got a bit repetitive. Great popcorn flick though.
Never Let Me Go 2010
★★½ Watched 18 Sep 2022
I’d seen this film ages ago but on rewatch didn’t realize how simple the plot was. There is something special hiding here with its sci-fi adjacent plot but it’s hampered by soapiness.
Nope 2022
★ Watched 18 Sep 2022
This film is just bad satire for a director or cinematographer’s need to get the perfect shot. It’s a movie about a glorified balloon animal. Not the type of film I want from Peele.
Emily the Criminal 2022
★½ Watched 16 Sep 2022
Aubrey is great but there isn’t much going for this film sadly.
Thor: Love and Thunder 2022
★½ Watched 10 Sep 2022
So boring. No charm and no wit. This was an unnecessary kiddie film.
The Peanut Butter Falcon 2019
★★★½ Watched 08 Sep 2022
Shia is great as usual but obviously the heart of the film is the star Gottsagen. He is a beautiful soul and delightful character to watch on the screen.
Also, big shout out to Jon Bernthal for his roles in films and tv like The Bear/Wind River. Seems like anything with Bernthal with a super small role ends up being good for some reason.
The Flood 2019
★★ Watched 08 Sep 2022
Overall, a very basic film which lacks a draw even with huge actors.
A Dog’s Will 2000
★★★½ Watched 07 Sep 2022
Fun and full of charm.
Kids 1995
★★★ Watched 06 Sep 2022
Visually pleasing and absolutely nostalgic. The movie felt like a loose documentary at times. I can’t help but think if it was more focused with some work on the musical score it could have been amazing.
Visitor Q 2001
★★★★ Watched 06 Sep 2022
A mixture of the absolute bizarre, taboo, horror/gore, and at times surprising humor makes this film essential arthouse. Takashi Miike will make you uncomfortable. Don’t watch this with your mom.
The French Dispatch 2021
★★★½ Watched 05 Sep 2022
Such an ensemble! Benicio del Toro made this film for me. He is such a good damn actor. Wes Anderson’s The French Dispatch is gorgeous and quirky but that is to be expected. Without the Brody/Seydoux/Toro arc this film may have been skippable.
The Squid and the Whale 2005
★★★★ Watched 05 Sep 2022
Relatable and engaging. Now that I think about it, I stuck a raw bean up my nose for days when I was a kid. Guess it’s a universal childish thing to do. In all seriousness this was a good Noah B film with a great cast and strong performances.
War and Peace 1965
★★★★½ Watched 27 Aug 2022
War and peace is exhausting and relentless. It took me months to finish the film but it was well worth it. Even with its propagandic nature proudly displayed on its sleeve; War and Peace is a once in a lifetime special film.
This amazing production absolutely blew me away at times. Seen some things captured in this film that I didn’t even think was possible from a technical perspective for the time period.
Horrific, artistic, and overflowing with spirit and patriotism; It’s hard to find fault in the film besides its hefty runtime and required investment.
Doctor Strange in the Multiverse of Madness 2022
★★ Watched 14 Aug 2022
For a Sam Raimi film it sort of lacked that delicate balance of camp and drama. You can definitely sense Sam’s touch on the film but maybe the downright absurdity of Strange’s power doesn’t lend well to the underlying themes of humanism that works so well in the original spiderman trilogy. It really just felt like it was weirdly a film about magicians and that’s not really interesting to me.
For a MCU film it was decent.
Elvis 2022
★★ Watched 21 Aug 2022
Serviceable biopic film but honestly everyone will be better off watching a documentary. Sitting through 3 hours of Tom Hanks looking like white Eddie Murphy from The Nutty Professor is not ideal way to spend a day off.
Drive My Car 2021
★★★ Watched 20 Aug 2022
Might be crazy but the one thing I did not enjoy about this film was the driving and the role of the driver in the story. Story felt unique and fresh but felt like it dragged due to being tied down and continually revolving back around to a really awkward and antisocial 23-year-old driver.
Damn scenery in the film is sublime though. I give it that.
Prey 2022
★★★★ Watched 15 Aug 2022
This movie just works as a Horror and Predator film. Prey contains a slew of inspired glimpses of breathtaking film making especially earlier on. Ultimately, it’s videogamey but damn if it ain’t a damn blast! Looking forward to Dan T’s next work.
Eternals 2021
★★ Watched 12 Aug 2022
If this didn’t have Marvel attached maybe this could have been a decent tv show or something. As it stands it doesn’t feel like it belongs in the MCU. I sense lots of people watching just for completionist sake.
Thirteen Lives 2022
★★★ Watched 08 Aug 2022
Good movie and I enjoyed it but thought the editing and speed between days could have been better explored. Ron Howard provides an emotional ride based on a true story without leaning to sappiness.
Master and Commander: The Far Side of the World 2003
★★★★½ Watched 04 Aug 2022
Master and Commander is epic in scale, packed with great acting, amazing sets, and is an all-around absolutely phenomenal production.
Everything Everywhere All at Once 2022
★★★½ Watched 19 Jun 2022
Damn, I want an everything bagel right now. On my way to Dunkin.
Tropic Thunder 2008
★★½ Watched 20 Jun 2022
Throwback to a light and fun time. Those production values actually blow my mind a little.
Hustle 2022
★★★ Watched 12 Jun 2022
Solid sports movie but no surprises on plot and underdog formula. Queen Latifah is the best though.
The Unbearable Weight of Massive Talent 2022
★★★ Watched 11 Jun 2022
I liked it. Nick should have been less subtle though.
RRR 2022
★★★½ Watched 06 Jun 2022 4
Raw talent like this really only exists in Indian cinema and theatre. So damn unbelievably outrageous and funny. A super fun time.
Top Gun: Maverick 2022
★★★★ Watched 04 Jun 2022
Will be an action packed and thoroughly damn fun return to cinema for old and new fans.
Meet Joe Black 1998
★★★ Watched 02 Jun 2022
This film contains a great performance by Anthony Hopkins, as expected.
Although not as philosophical and thoughtful as it’s potential; it packs an emotional punch at key moments thanks to Newman’s musical score.
Some of my favorite moments of this film exist very early on with Hopkins character communicating with the mystery man before he meets him. It would have been neat to further explore that thread.
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