Is it too brash to say that this is Pixar’s greatest achievement since their initial glory days? Inside Out is a touching and surprisingly clever coming-of-age movie that is just as much emotionally destructive as it is whimsical and fun. The core concept runs so deep and is so relatable, frankly I’m worried for you if you’re not even slightly moved by this movie when it’s really swinging for the fences in its final third. Fantastic movie, my own anger is thumbing the controls in headquarters because of how long I put this movie off.
Now this is cinema. While I have reservations about the haste and overall pace of the finale and the apparent need for a massive final conflict, Dune: Part Two still manages to be one of the most awe inspiring, visually captivating and transportative pieces of film I've ever seen. The way Villeneuve has managed to make something so succinct and captivating out of Herberts stodgy, self-serious epic is truly amazing; I just want more and more of the world and I can't wait to see where he takes us in Messiah. This will join my limited physical collection on release. Truly the best scifi of this century, and it's not even close.
Once again I am faced with the problem of hype and the ratcheted expectations that it sets going into a movie. While I appreciate everything here, from the 70s styling, unhinged meta storyline and twisty narrative, I can't help but think it didn't meet the sky high bar that was set by the people championing this movie online. It's good, don't get me wrong, but not exactly the horror genre revolution they'd have you believe it is on Reddit and Twitter. Still, a very good time and one I can see myself watching again with the hindsight achieved from the initial watch, I just wish I'd gone in a little blinder and a little less influenced.
There is also a funny irony in the fact that the current cinematic devil (Generative AI) is present in this movie, and has become the sole conversation around it. Intentional? Almost certainly not, but apt nonetheless given where the story goes.
Imagine a period piece Chefs Table, with a simplistic romance subplot woven between the layers of masterful cooking and beautiful imagery. A movie that reminds us that cooking and food preparation, no matter how reserved or complex, is the ultimate expression of appreciation and love. Lovely, cozy viewing, but obviously not for everyone, especially those after a multifaceted narrative or complex interpersonal drama.
Please, let me let you go
Perfectly encapsulates the rare feeling of loving someone who hates themselves; and knowing when to call time on mutually beneficial situationships, no matter how hard it may seem with mental health in the balance. Eating disorders, depression and breakdowns are all represented very effectively and never feel superficial in their usage to service the plot. Unlike most protagonists in these types of movies, Riley is infuriatingly difficult and grating with her constant self destruction, but we're sparingly reminded of her best qualities behind these acts of self-loathing which makes Ethans position all the more relatable, and the relationship between the two feel all the more authentic and believable. Outside of some bumpy dialogue, Parachute is a touching drama about some difficult subjects, but it's done with such authenticity and care that it's hard not to get wrapped up in these characters and their respective wrinkles.
Disappointingly toothless but visually splendid. Never fully confronting it's central idea of female body autonomy and oppressive religious institutions, Immaculate languishes in mediocrity and trite horror tropes outside of it's impressive visual aesthetics and grizzly, gnarly finale.
It's not gutbustingly funny or gutwrenchingly sad, but it is a lovely, rambling, soft story about finding friendship and growth in the unlikeliest of places. A film about closure and putting to bed the parts of ourselves that fester and keep us stuck at certain points of our life. It won't blow you away, but it is a solid comedy-lite drama that's easy viewing and pleasantly warm throughout.
You'll Never Find me is dripping with atmospheric dread, a podcast-on-film shot in a single room between two actors, heavy dialogue slowly unfurling the truth behind these characters and what transpired to bring them both here. A little shallow in depth, once revealed the main narrative is a little underwhelming, but everything else is done so well it overrides the simplistic storyline and brings this one far above its Shudder-fodder peers. One that might improve on a second viewing, or as I let it marinate in my head over the coming days, You'll Never Find Me is another Australian horror gem that does a lot with so little. Solid stuff.
You need to take it down a notch .
Hot off my viewing of Snack Shack, I was pleasantly surprised to see that Adam Rehmeier also directed Dinner in America, a movie I'd attempted to watch a few years back but ultimately bailed on because it wasn't hitting me right. I'm very glad (after being blown away by his latest offerings) that I decided to go back. Push through the awkward opening 15 minutes, and you'll be rewarded with a cute, touching, but somehow rebelliously punk rock rom-com that is so off-pitch with it's peers that it feels wholly unique. A whirlwind from start to finish, grungy but also beautiful? It really is in a class and style of it's own, making it so refreshing and impressive. Yeah, Rehmeier is joining the shortlist of directors I'll unconditionally watch going forward. Now to decided if I want to risk this new found adoration by watching The Bunny Game. We shall see.
Adam Rehmeier, I was unfamiliar with your game.
A warm, hazy, nostalgic coming-of-age movie that initially seems tropey and overplayed, but by layering in believable human connection and a lot of heart, Snack Shack manages to surpass its awfully generic namesake into one of the finest best-friend-comedies I've seen. Not many movies manage to make me gasp and tear up like this one did, or leave me with the lingering warm feeling of nostalgia for a place or time I never experienced. Kudos Snack Shack, now be a shit pig and get me a fuck dog.
On the positive, Jessie Buckley as a raging, crass Irish free spirit was worthy of the watch by herself. She really carries the majority of the humour here, and it's nice to see she has comedic range outside of the usual dramas that I've seen her in. Colman gives a...predictable performance, but she still manages to command the work she's given with a delicate balance of whimsy, heart and a lick of malice that I couldn't see anyone else delivering. Taken at face value, this is a light, twee, foul-mouthed comedy that I'm sure will delight those that vibe with it's curse-heavy humour and overt British mannerisms.
Now to be negative, I still can't get over how this movie picks and chooses the social battles that it wants to approach, and I think that hurt my overall impression. Its ham-fisted handling of women's suffrage and the fight for female equality in the 1920s is stodgy enough, but the movie then choses to completely forgo the issues of racism or class inequality of the same time period for the sake of modern diverse casting and contemporary inclusivity. It doesn't quite settle with me that the film would go out of its way to make a period piece of this nature, but then so squarely focus on only one issue from said time period while abjectly ignoring, or even erasing, everything else.
While this personally took away from my enjoyment and softened the social message I think the movie was trying to command, I can see those just here for the comedy and the lead stars performances still having a good time.
There is an early 2000's "straight-to-DVD" vibe to this entire movie, where all the lead stars of the previous movies have been axed in favour of silent cameos and reduced voice work for those that remain. That said, I more than enjoyed my time with this one even if it felt a little more reserved in scope and a little shallow in depth. Enjoyable, but clearly missing a few layers that'd take it from middling to great.
Oddball, dark comedy constructed from elements of equal parts Fargo and Taken. There's some pacing problems, but when it's making light of bleak situations and fully weaving it's multifaceted story, it's a delightful, off-piste revenge caper that is easily better than 90% of Neeson's current portfolio.
Now this is how you do a slasher movie. I usually don't go for Eli Roth movies (or silly slashers not called Scream) but Thanksgiving is so much fun from start to finish it's hard to not like this movie. With some darkly humourous lines and squeamish kills to keep things horrific along the way, Thanksgiving is a fun, festive whodunnit that is sure to become a new fan favourite in horror circles, and will probably join the yearly horror rotation for myself. Great fun!
More ham and cheese than a carbonara, Suitable Flesh is overtly campy and almost aggressive in it's attempt to ape the lower budget horrors of the 70's and 80's. Not my sort of thing, but for people who enjoy their horror more on the Chopping Mall side of things, I think you'll be right at home here.
Initially giving off an air of competency, Bagheads greatest trick is making you believe for 30 minutes that this is going to be a decent horror flick. Imitation Talk to Me without all the trappings that make that movie so special. Add in some poor performances and the usual, infuriating horror tropes, and you're left with Baghead; a linear, loud-noise simulator that will only appease those who can shrug off a decent narrative in the name of cheap jump scares and hammy acting.
Leaning more on the mysticism than I thought it would, The Northman is a grizzly, gorey Viking epic that, while the most accessible of Eggers productions, feels somewhat unfinished in its released form. Taken individually, every part of this movie nails the feel of a big budget Norse fable, but when woven together it somehow feels incomplete and a little disjointed? Maybe it'll grow on me as it marinates in my mind over the coming days, but I can't help but feel there is something missing here that would have wrapped it all together.
Cathartic, theraputic, middle-aged mumblecore. In a reference relevant to no one this feels like the Gen X equivalence of The Adults, but with a much bleaker and more cynical outlook and without a scrap of hope. Deadpan and darkly humourous, I feel I didn't get the full gist of what it was putting down, getting somewhat lost in the folds of it's forever rolling dialogue, but I can't say I didn't enjoy my time with Lousy and his dysfunctional group of estranged friends and odd acquaintances. Oddball indie enjoyers will be more than satiated, most others need not apply.
The razor thin line of morality is obfuscated in such a way throughout this movie, I'm still not sure who was in the right or wrong. Dark, bleak but brought to life with a bustling pace and Denzel's flowing charisma, Training Day is worthy of the prestige it has garnered over the last 23 years and is still as enthralling today. Glad I finally got around to striking this one from my backlog, it delivered on all fronts.
Swashbuckling fun, Dungeons & Dragons is a humourous, fantastical romp with a dash of heart that is better than it has any right being. An unexpected good time that is an easy recommendation to those after a popcorn adventure film peppered with modern Hollywood humour. Certainly not a masterpiece, but sometimes you just need something that nails the fundamentals and has a great time doing it.
So stiflingly quiet and full of dead air, Ricky Stanicky has probably two good jokes and not much of anything else. It's honestly baffling that Farrelly can go from Green Book to this in such a short amount of time. Awful, inebriation is probably an essential to make this tolerable.
Decently entertaining fantasy horror romp, and the costume designer absolutely pops off in the opening 40 minutes. Better-than-expected popcorn Netflix fodder to turn your brain off to.
When it shrugs off the image of it's predecessor and lets Gyllenhaal do his trademark psychopath routine, Road House is an enjoyable, if a little silly and tonally inconsistent, action romp. McGregor dances on the line of so-bad-he's-good for most of the runtime, but ultimately comes off a little corny, even for this kind of movie. Not bad overall, but I think the overt 80's charm of the original still wins out when compared.
No, you don't need to "see for yourself". It's as awful as everyone has told you. Not funny-bad, just woefully flat, lifeless and uninspired. Do literally anything else with the two hours you'll save skipping this. Read a book, meditate, learn how to do CPR correctly from a YouTube video; so many things you can do that are a better use of time than watching this vapid, hollow shell of a movie.
This review brought to you by the refreshing taste of Pepsi Cola:tm:
Only the 80's could produce a movie about a Ph.D philosophy student roundhouse-kicking a small town into shape, while simultaneously making it an allegory for unfettered capitalism stifling the little guy and how it must be resisted at all costs via unification of said small businesses. It oozes warm 80s idyllic nostalgia with a great soundtrack and simple good-vs-bad morals. Hard not to like, and I had a good time with it overall.
As an HFR enjoyer, this was wonderful to watch in 4K60. There is a clarity that comes with high frame rate that I find captivating compared to standard. Maybe it's the novelty, but it's a shame that the format hasn't found a niche outside of this, Avatar and the Hobbit movies. The action sequences are so fluid and fun to watch, especially during the Wickian finale, that I'm (almost) able to forgive it's awful script work and paper thin plot to see a truck explode at a silky smooth 60 frames per second.
I must go punch that baby
Overflowing with macabre whimsy that only Lanthimos can orchestrate, Poor Things is darkly witty and more than a bit existential. I've seen it thrown around by a few comments but I'll reiterate it here: this really is Barbie done right; twisted and dark but with far more nuance to the same themes of female autonomy, maturity and sexual liberation, as well as gender division, class structures and social acceptance. It manages to cover all these heavy topics while still being one of the most funny, kinetic and slapstick-heavy movies I've seen for a long time. Add on its twisted dollhouse aesthetic and hazy diorama framing that is simply wonderful to look at, it's hard to call this anything but a masterpiece.
Where you go, I go. Right Spaceman?
I really, really wanted to like this one. It pushes all my buttons as far as aesthetic and underlying subtext is concerned, but it just never feels complete in its delivery. Mumblecore stretched to its absolute limit, but with a surprisingly shallow subplot when all is revealed; a shame because it had all the hallmarks of a new favourite for me.
There is a level of raw realism throughout Memory that is subtle and gripping. A mumbling, unsaid tragedy adorned with complex, nuanced characters whose truth is slowly eeked out over side comments and leaky exposition. Actions are used over words to convey further subtle idiosyncrasies of these people, defining who they are and what lead them here. It's very impressive, and a joy to see a movie that treats its audience with a level of maturity and respect to let them parse these broken, damaged people for themselves. One afflicted with a disease that causes them to forget, and one bound by the trauma of her childhood that she'd do anything to forget.
Heavy viewing with some difficult topics to grapple, but definitely worth a watch if you're a fan of these complex, albeit bleak, dramas.
I'll give Cam props for trying to muster something new; a horror based on the hellscape of camming websites, the bedroom-produced adult industry, and the monsters it can create. Fairly on the nose (heh) with its messaging, it's not bad but it's not great either. Middle of the road, passable horror.
Also, strangest Ubisoft product placement of all time. Every single game in that video store was made by Ubisoft, and Ubisoft were featured in the "The Director Would Like to Thank:" section of the credits. I must now investigate how this came to pass.
