Almodóvar takes on crimes of Franco’s fascist regime as only he would: as subtext in a melodramatic tale that would make Douglas Sirk think, “Maybe that’s a little too on the nose.” Somehow, it all stays pretty restrained and all works out for the better. Also, Penelope Cruz is still awesome for those who forgot.
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Eight Men Out 1988
Sayles and 1000 “that guys” give us one of my favorite baseball movies. David Straithern’s “Yeah, we was crooked” still breaks your heart.
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The Nightingale 2018
A revenge fantasy that turns into a compelling meditation on both personal and social trauma. The performances by new-to-me co-stars Aisling Francioni as the titular character and especially by Baykali Ganambarr as her Aboriginal guide are among the best I’ve seen this year. Ditto Sam Clalflin as the heavy—I’ve seen his depiction described as veering into cartoonishness, but I thought he nailed the dismissive evil that flows from finding yourself superior to everyone around you and being able to carry…
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Mass 2021
Pain. Mercy. Anger. Forgiveness. Trauma. Empathy. Doubt. Grace. Death. Life.
Movies are at their best when they explore the biggest parts of life, and nothing is bigger than all of those things that “Mass” tackles. It’s like a play but never feels stagy. It’s a pure actors’ piece but never feels overdone or showy. It uses a real-world issue without feeling either exploitative or preachy. It feels authentic—awkwardness and intensity and catharsis all feel true and earned. The cast gets…
