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Crimes of the Future 2022
I'm somewhat torn on Crimes of the Future. As an exercise in theme and metaphor, I think it's quite provocative and thoughtful. There's a lot here about sexuality and artificiality that makes for incredible symbolism in terms of how we live our lives, at least to some degree, through a synthetic façade. Which is even more potent (but you have to say it with Kristen Stewart's emphatic pronunciation) given David Cronenberg's sensibilities as a director and how he visually conjures…
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Lincoln 2012
One of Steven Spielberg's best movies of the last twenty years. Partially because this is a film that narratively is just about getting votes in congress, which isn't exactly an enticing premise, and yet everything about it is riveting. Somehow Spielberg (and Tony Kusner) transforms politics and turning votes into this mesmerizing experience that keeps you on edge. And there's something about the verbal sparring here between politicians that's not only exquisite, but it needs to be a thing in…
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Dark Phoenix 2019
I'm in a vast minority, so take this FWIW I guess, but DARK PHOENIX for me is a massive step up from APOCALYPSE. It's the anti-Godzilla KOTM. It’s thin in story, exposition and action, and is almost exclusively devoted to exploring moral debate. Is Xavier right for what he did? Is Jean dangerous or just a byproduct? Should mutants undermine themselves to fit in with society? That's all the film is about. Every scene, every action, everything points back to…
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Nightcrawler 2014
This is the Jake Gyllenhaal show. Or you could argue that it's the Louis Bloom show because Gyllenhaal just disappears. His performance is absolutely unreal and is arguably the best of his career. Louis is creepy, disturbing but also incredibly compelling from beginning to end.
Dan Gilroy's direction is immaculate. Incredible pacing, fantastic sound design and the cinematography is maybe the best I've seen all year. Robert Elswit is great utilizing LA's night light's, neon blares and illumination that almost…
