I feel like Wes Anderson is so in his element making these Roald Dahl shorts. This has less meat on its bone than Henry Sugar but it still is able to deliver a gut punch ending really effectively. The rollable sets and visible stage hands are so perfect for this short. I'm really really enjoying these.
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The Wonderful Story of Henry Sugar 2023
Ben Kingsley's Imdad Khan trying to tell a secret to two other characters but side-eyeing the camera and saying it's a private matter is such a genuinely unnerving fourth wall break moment, even for a Wes Anderson flick.
Even in his original screenplays, Anderson's films feel like book adaptations in the best way. So it's not a surprise that this is an undeniably enjoyable watch and the multiple bookends of the short are lovely to dive into and out of.…
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Bottoms 2023
I'm sure there has to be a justifiable reason why this movie looks like it does. Still, I feel like I disagreed with so many cinematography choices here that it took a significant hit to this banger script and stellar cast. The decision to shoot this in scope I get, calls to Fincher and Fight Club. However, why make a stylistic choice when you don't even effectively utilize it? Everything seems like it is still being framed for a narrower…
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Jawan 2023
So fucking good. Excuse me while I go and drop my Pathaan rating a tiny bit.
It's not that the other SRK film of the year isn't good. It's just that Atlee's Jawan is so subversive, and allows me to see the breadth of what a classic masala film can achieve. As well as this film's ability to speak and deliver messages to a general audience left me thinking about what Hollywood had to offer. Barbie? Sorry I don't know…
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Passing Time 2023
It’s 3 minutes long but it feels like classic Terence Davies. With a static shot of a serene landscape, Davies’ poetry and Florencia Di Concilio’s soundtrack work in tandem to deliver a powerful emotional wallop.
Can’t wait for new Davies.
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Blue Giant 2023
A rather straightforward story that has an unbelievable narrative pull, Yuzuru Tachikawa's Blue Giant left me in tears at least three times over its two hours. In Tokyo, an unlikely trio of teenagers come together to form a jazz band. They all have their own reasons for being together and being successful, but it is all articulated so clearly and emotionally. And these emotional reasonings are so often communicated in the best way you can communicate something in the cinematic…
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Trenque Lauquen 2023
A filmmaker presents her work named after a town in said town. She sits outside as the film rolls on. The work is a film that I have been thinking about since I saw it last year. A film that deals so much with contextualizing, framing, and storytelling. What an incredible way to reframe this work, and give a quiet peek behind the curtain.
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Girl Picture 2022
Hits the same notes as a lot of other coming of age films, however I think the charm of the three leads as well as the careful direction from Haapasalo make this one to remember. I can't help but see a through line from Julie Andem's SKAM to this, even down to the subtitles letting us know what day it is. And while the goals of both projects are wildly different, I felt a similar tone at times. The figure…
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Shards of Moon 2023
Short, sweet! Made me feel something in two minutes. Bi Gan does it like no other. Train -> moon transition is inspired.
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Theater Camp 2023
A charming time. I feel like I could have been a theater kid in another life, so I got quite a kick out of this mockumentary. I enjoyed the ensemble aspect of the film but I think what really got me was this core friendship in the center of the movie between Ben Platt's Amos and Molly Gordon's Rebecca-Diane. I think it's a hard act to balance a dramatic base with bit-part comedy sections but I think the screenwriters really…
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Stop Making Sense 1984
First watch. Massive IMAX screen with the new restoration. I’m a lucky little fuck. Me resisting the urge to jump out of my seat and lose my shit. Looking around. Everyone’s sat down. Glued to their seats. What the fuck is up with this crowd? What do you do when you hear god? See unmatched euphoria on the big screen? Sit there! Do nothing??
YOU DANCE MOTEHRFUCKER!!!
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Detour 1945
A wicked little noir that is brilliantly penned. There’s so many great twists to this plot of a man trying to hitchhike across the country, but even more so, so many iconic lines of dialogue delivered with such dramatic power. I love Tom Neal’s voiceover performance here. It really adds so much depth to this unfortunate man who just can never seem to make the right decision.
The unexpected rug pull of a finale leaves a sick feeling in my…