Favorite films

Recent reviews

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  The Marvels 2023

  ★★★ Watched 12 Nov 2023

  Honestly wasn’t terrible. I laughed quite a bit more than I thought I would and the chemistry between the leads is pretty good. Love the Khan family, easily stole every scene they were in. The plotting is very rough and the final act is extremely ho hum (these heroes really need to start by talking with the “bad guys” and seeing how they can help with their problems). But that’s pretty much par for the course for Marvel.

  At the end of the day, I got to sit in a theater and forget about work and eat some candy. Sometimes that’s all my dodo brain needs. 🦤

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  Symbiopsychotaxiplasm: Take One 1968

  ★★★★ Watched 10 Oct 2023

  The concept of reflexivity is well worn territory in film. On one hand, you have very explicit reflexivity like F for Fake and nostalgia like Cinema Paradiso or The Fabelmans. On the other hand is a more subtle reflexivity, like the monolith and interstellar trip of 2001 and the hidden, behind-the-scenes reflexivity of the probably hundreds of obsessive, possibly self-destructive actors/directors/screenwriters who have slaved away creating films about obsessive, definitely self-destructive characters — Fitzcarraldo, The Phantom Thread, probably every Wes Anderson film, and…

Popular reviews

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  Ex Machina 2015

  ★★★★½ Watched 03 Dec 2019

  I, for one, welcome our new AI overlords.

  
  But seriously: this film is so many things. Feminist empowerment done right, for one. A glimpse at a possible human extinction and evolution. A Genesis story with an imperfect God and an Adam who Eve buries and leaves.

  
  So good. Had to run away when he cut his arm.

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  The Santa Clause 1994

  ★★½ Rewatched 28 Nov 2022

  “Nee-uhl!”
  -Charlie

  A classic for sure… but it’s kind of just holiday fried chicken. It’s tasty, but not as tasty as it is in your memory, leaves you a bit bloated, and gets a bit cold after an hour or so.

  To extend the metaphor: the BBQ sauce with a kick is the hot elves with attitude.