AFI 2018: film #21 (first seen at CIFF)
“you taught me well”
still such a rewarding experience with the most superbly constructed and layered main characters i’ve encountered in a while. i almost can’t believe how good it is
AFI 2018: film #20
“i know, you wrote a book about it”
[me trying to fall asleep while the characters constantly discuss their various affairs and if the internet is evil or not] no noise
AFI 2018: film #19 (first seen at CIFF)
“i’ll be with you till the end of the world”
mesmerizing. every second of this is so engrossing to me that this viewing felt only minutes long. i haven’t stopped thinking about it since i saw it in chicago, and tonight it only got better. i almost felt weightless afterwards, in some kind of cinematic trance. joanna kulig gives one of my favorite performances of the year, and the camerawork and lighting…
AFI 2018: film #18
“it’s hard to watch what became of you”
we almost saw something else today at the fest but i’m really glad we chose this instead. definitely more structured than the lure, and even if the latter is really fun, it’s can be a little all over the place. this is more grounded in comparison but so rich in emotion that it held my attention the whole time. a hidden gem for sure
AFI 2018: film #17
“something real”
super cute and the aesthetic really worked, it was vibrant and easy to get into with more serious storylines mixed in really organically. i think some people might be expecting too much from it, but for a sweet and simplistic movie this was really enjoyable
AFI 2018: film #16
“you can be better than me”
this ain’t it. the story felt really inaccessible and the stakes were too low to keep the tension. when it kicks up a few times i’m almost fooled, but loses me again soon afterwards. nicole builds a great character, but as the movie’s beating heart, she just barely keeps this thing alive. i might like it a little more when i’m in a different mood, but i highly doubt i’ll rewatch this any time soon
AFI 2018: film #15
“but still, life goes on”
full disclosure: i did fall asleep, but i was exhausted today in more ways than one. this was charming and kind of funny until i lost track. but something tells me that even if i didn’t fall asleep, my rating would be about the same
AFI 2018: film #14 (technically movie #3 of the fest, but a rewatch this time)
“shut your eyes, and repeat after me...”
the music is blaring but you can’t make out any of the words. the bass is thudding and the crowd is screaming. and slowly some of the characters in the crowd give in, and despite themselves start to sway to the music
i’ve finally figured out the right word for this: haunting. i’ve been taking in way too…
AFI 2018: film #13
“we crave mystery ‘cause there’s none left”
completely muddled. too many little offshoot mysteries going on that never get resolved properly or even brought up again, with ambiguous metaphors attached for no good reason. andrew’s character is not enjoyable or funny to me, he’s boring and obnoxious and lazy. the puzzles he spends his time with carry no real weight and do nothing for me. i don’t hate his character, i could just care less
but…