The schemer is a classic film archetype. Whether it's "Honest" John from Pinocchio, Moses Pray from Paper Moon, Howard Ratner from Uncut Gems or any of the countless other examples, there's something beguiling about a con man, a character who you love to hate. Mikey, the protagonist of Red Rocket, undoubtedly belongs in that group. He's a despicable person, but he's magnetic and somehow still likeable. You're rooting for him to fail and rooting for him to succeed at the…
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Jupiter Ascending 2015
It feels like piling on at this point to talk about the most obvious negative aspects of Jupiter Ascending, so instead I'll ask this: Why does Jupiter put on heavy makeup to scrub toilets? But seriously, a shirtless wolfman flying around on magic rollerblades is not the kind of silliness I'm looking for in a movie. And Eddie Redmayne's whisper/scream variations are as off-putting as advertised. But the flaws with the film go much deeper than those two characters.
The…
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A River Called Titas 1973
A lot of good individual elements that don't add up to much. Can't decide if it wants to be a melodrama or a farce.
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Something Useful 2017
There's something uniquely feminine about this movie. Leyla is allowed to be intelligent and curious and self-assured while also being nurturing and kind-hearted. Canan is conflicted in a way that feels natural and not plot-driven. There are no villains. No angry screeds or violent confrontations. It's deliberately paced but never boring. Warm but not cloying. It's something special.
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Nomadland 2020
There's an old parable about a bear who lives in the circus. When he's not performing, the bear is kept in a small cage with barely enough room to walk around. So the bear spends his days pacing in circles, the same loop over and over again. One day, the bear's trainer forgets to lock the door. He realizes his mistake and rushes back, fearing that a ferocious animal is on the loose. But he finds that he has nothing…
