Films I've Watched

The oscar-bait script is an incredibly by-the-numbers take on this fascinating story. But the direction is competent and the use of color is pretty good. And it’s one of Alexandre Desplat’s more memorable scores.

Just such a well told story with perfect directing choices. From Pacino’s performance to the lack of score to the use of diegetic sound design in its place, every element lands with maximum effect. Wonderful characterization and wonderful pacing.

The new Dune films are incredibly well done. The directing, acting, effects, production design, cinematography, and score are all artful and impressive. The world is textured, intriguing, and layered. But—and I say this not having read the book—there is something lacking in the personal element. Everything is just so epic, mythic even, that I find myself wanting something intimate and human to counterbalance all that spectacle and grand drama.

Now that I’ve seen both films, I’ll finally read the novel, and I bet I might find some of that missing element in those pages.

It’s funny how you can remake a move with the same premise and most of the story beats of the original, and yet you somehow lack any of the charm and miss the entire point of the story that made the original so great. Taken on its own, this Roadhouse remake would be middling at best, but compared against its predecessor, it’s an utter failure. It degrades it from a fairly poignant inquiry into the nature of masculinity (that also happens to be bunches of fun) to a run of the mill “you wouldn’t like me when I’m angry” punchiest.

I was disappointed to see that it was Doug Liman in the director’s chair.

And it always bothers me when you can tell the movie is set somewhere tropical for no other reason than the filmmakers wanted a beach vacation paid for by the studio.

One of the great Pixar films. Original, inventive, heartwarming, funny, and wonderfully balanced. A true gem.

One of the strangest of Disney’s entire animated features lineup. As much as they shaved the jagged edges from the original plot of the novel, this is far from being children’s fair. At the same time, perhaps in an attempt to balance the heavy thematic elements, the cartoony bits feel extra madcap. The result is uneven but quite fascinating, and some of the music and visuals are top notch.

Henri-Georges Clouzot is a master of suspense, as I first discovered when watching The Wages of Fear. This film has you on the edge of your seat throughout, with plenty of mood, intrigue, and a twist I never saw coming.

Tis a silly movie, but full of charm. I really like it when a fantastical scenario is used to explore the mundanest of human situations.

I watch a lot of old movies, and for the most part I’m able to accept antiquated attitudes and values for an artifact of their time without too much judgement. But, jeez, this movie is all about grooming and looking at young girls as little more than marital chattel to be desired and bargained for. Yuck.

Certainly a very interesting and engaging production of the play. Ian McKellen and the rest of the venerable cast is excellent (Annette Bening excepted unfortunately), and it doesn’t suffer the staginess of so many Shakespeare films. On the other hand, it’s pretty over the top at points; the tank that crashes through a wall in the opening scene really sets the tone in that regard.

All in all, I’d categorize this as a fascinating take on the play, but most definitely not a superlative portrayal.

Stylish and moody, the most fully realized and psychologically complex portrayal of Batman on the big screen just happens to have been in this children’s cartoon.

One of the most wonderfully bizarre movies I think I’ve ever seen. With production design as mad as Mad Max: Fury Road’s, a quirky and idiosyncratic score, cinematography that leans heavily on fisheye lenses and swirling bokeh, and a strange and strangely inspired story. Macabre, funny, challenging, and subrisingly heartwarming.

Chris Columbus was the perfect director to capture the mix of whimsy and child-like horror of the first two Harry Potter films. Rewatching it after quite a few years, I’m struck by the perfection of each and every casting choice, the strength of the production design, and the delicate balance of elements.

Such an effective movie, with amazing practical effects and a story very well told. Definitely an artifact of its era, but in the best possible way. One of my favorites.

A cute little romance held together by the charm of Jimmy Stewart.

One of the greatest films ever made, and certainly one of the most groundbreaking. The use of the camera, sound, sets, color, all of it creates an impression and an impact that few movies have ever matched. Breathtaking.

Dreamlike is the word I’d use to describe this film. Even more so than for Miyazaki’s other movies. Dreamlike in it’s logic, its imagery, in its exploration of the interior of a phyche in pain.

A meticulously directed and powerfully performed film that takes its time and isn’t afraid to be subtle. A meditation about power, culpability, and art that creeps up and gets into your head.

A minor but enjoyable entry into the canon for Beatles fans. There’s nothing particularly profound or impactful about the tale of the band’s secretary, but it’s charming and nostalgic.

One of my favorite films of all time. A masterwork of tension, paranoia, and descent into evil. Better on every viewing.

This kind of chamber romance really isn’t my bag. I can appreciate the phenomenal cast though, and there is some enjoyable dry humor.

This movie is such a classic that I can quote nearly every line. It’s so iconic and it’s just so apt. And now that I’m a working stiff as an adult, it hits all the harder. Mike Judge just has a talent for making characters and situations that ring so very true in their absurdity.

There are three themes that dominate Scorsese’s filmography: the experience of under classes and minoritized groups, the psychology of people who do evil things, and a love for cinema and its history.

Killers of the Flower Moon sees his exploration of the first theme extended beyond European immigrant groups to native people, which is fantastic. As he does so well for subjects closer to his own experience, he portrays the Osage people with depth and contradictions and humanity.

When it comes to the theme of the minds of evildoers, that same complexity works here in a way that is in many ways more horrifying than the madness of Travis Bickle. And because it is a true story (made very real by the book), that horror lingers. How could anyone do such things, you find yourself asking again and again.

There’s not so much in the way of cinema history in this film, save for perhaps just a nod at the end.

One of the tightest screenplays ever written. I’ve watched this movie perhaps a dozen times, and every single time I discover new setups and new callbacks. Hilarious and a very solid zombie film to boot.