Alright, here's the full list, with some new entries, based on what I missed and one I've watched since when I first did these (mainly because I wanted to talk a little about it):
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Honorary Mention
When They See Us
I mean, if Barack Obama can put a category of "TV shows that felt cinematic", why can't I? Anyway, this miniseries was a real rough watch, in the best way. I only knew intermittent details of the Central Park Five case before watching it, so seeing the corruption, the railroading and the horror of what these young men went through was enlightening and incredibly disturbing. Director Ava DuVaurnay humanizes five, shows them and their families and the effects their false accusations, their trials, and especially their time in prison had, which makes their eventual exoneration all the more satisfying. This was very powerful in a very soul-penetrating way, leaving you exhausted from the sheer emotional scale of it. It's on Netflix, so if you have it, I can't recommend this enough.
And now to the actual list:
Worst
Midway
Congratulations, Roland Emmerich, you've marked a personal achievement for me. This is the first film I've ever walked out of. At some point, I just saw the combination of hammy acting, heinous special effects, and horrid writing, and figured my time was better spent doing something else. I don't know why I thought this might be worth something. Roland Emmerich has made precisely one good movie in his entire career (the first Independence Day) , and his historical films are generally regarded as his worst. Still, when you combine the bizarre and dull governmental machinations in those with the dull melodrama of Michael Bay's Pearl Harbor and the effects of lower end Asylum movie, you get something basically unwatchable. I don't really know how well it follows the real events of Midway, but I don't really care to know. I don't have any interest in finishing this film.
Terrible
Godzilla: King of Monsters
I don't really mind that this film has a really confusing and simultaneously simple plot that makes no sense. It really is meant to be a showcase of Godzilla and his rogues gallery beating the shit out of each other like in the Showa era Godzilla films. On that front, the fights are poorly lit, confusing, and ultra loud. I couldn't tell what was happening most of the time, and the Abrams style lights make it both so bright to avert your eyes and too dark to actually see anything. This really is the worst because somewhere towards the end of the film, I got a literal headache. I know the movie caused it, because it went away after I left. A movie should not make me feel sick just sitting there watching it. The fact no one saw this and tried to fix it for a big budget, wide release film is somewhat incredible for me. Maybe Godzilla vs. Kong will be better.
The Goldfinch
There's boring, and then there's agonizing. This movie is over two and a half hours and nothing happens in it. It's just a bunch of dull conversations, meaningless drivel on the nature of art and bizarre, dull melodrama that drags on longer than it was welcome. I think I actually fell asleep watching this. I didn't care about the character or his journey or whatever the hell the message was suppose to be... Oh, yeah, there is kind of a message to this, and I found it completely contradicting what is actually shown and is kind of mean-spirited when you think on it. Anyway, movie bad.
Replicas
The fact that three movies beat this out shows something about this list. I don't know. Anyway, I'm not convinced this was a real film. It was literally made by "Entertainment Studios". It feels like a fake movie within a movie or a commercial. You see it in snippets while the actual drama goes on with others. I don't know, maybe I've been in a Truman Show-esque reality show dystopia this whole time, and they made this film as part of that. Anyway, this was terrible in all aspects. Bad effects, an idiot plot that contradicts itself at every turn, poor Keanu Reeves trying to make do with this dull character, and an utterly bizarre ending that makes little sense. It might've been funny, had it also not been dull and tedious.
The Intruder
This feels like a TV movie that made it to screens for some reason. It might've been entertaining, had it not had that TV movie quality writing or the fact nothing happens for the first two thirds of this film or if I actually remembered most of this film. I'll give it this, Dennis Quaid really did sell being a psychopath. A shame it had to be in this film.
The Prodigy
I completely forgot about this until I looked at Letterboxd and realized that in fact, I had seen it. This is yet another "evil kid does stuff" film that is incredibly dumb, really makes no sense, has the dumbest ending I think I've seen in a while, and just doesn't stay in the memory. I can't tell you most of what the hell happens in this movie and what I can tell you would sound idiotic and too bizarre and offensive to be real.
Extremely Wicked, Shockingly Evil and Vile
Zac Efron as Ted Bundy was an idea that might've worked, given how much the two resemble each other. Unfortunately, the film decides not to show how much of a monster Ted Bundy was under his handsome veneer or the magnitude of his crimes for most of the running time, instead showing him as a dutiful, charismatic boyfriend, and him besting the prosecutors. This lovable rogue characterization really sinks the film, even as it tries to acknowledge the awfulness of his crimes at the very end of this film.
The Hustle
Sadly not affiliated with the catchy Van McCoy song from 1975, this was instead painfully unfunny, woefully underwritten, and bizarrely made. Anne Hathaway does a decent British accent, but she and Rebel Wilson lack chemistry and it gets painful to get the same joke constantly in regards to the two. When I saw the film, there wasn't a single laugh. The theater was entirely silent, except for the occasional chuckle. Even at the worst comedies, I hear consistent laughs. That really shows the sheer terribleness of this alleged comedy.
Dumbo
How to make a 70-minute cartoon with a very condensed plot and some elements that haven't aged well (the crows, namely) into a live-action film? Well, Tim Burton decided to make it completely homogeneous, regurgitating both his cliches and the cliches of live-action Disney. There's an interesting element of a Disney satire in this Disney movie, but it's underexplored and doesn't really interrogate its Disney analogue or even the ostensible anti-animal abuse theme it seems to imply at the end. Really, the fact this was all underbaked shows the faults of these films.
Greta
I'll say this, all the actors involved are giving their all, especially Isabelle Huppert, who seems to play her psychaotic role with such ease, it's a bit disturbing. It also has something of a novel resolution. A shame the film isn't well written or that it relies too much on contrivances. Again, despite the craziness of the premise and some of the events, I can't really tell you anything that actually happens in this film, except what happens at the very end.
Gemini Man
Oh, hey, someone woke up Jerry Bruckheimer from whatever crypt he's been hiding in since the mid-2000's, and he's produced another film with innovative director Ang Lee! A shame it was Gemini Man. Ang Lee is an interesting director, and he seems to be on this HFR binge. I actually saw this in HFR, and it looked too naturalistic. It felt like watching a low budget TV show. It made the highly elaborate action look off, especially with the realism that the rest of the film portrays. As for Will Smith the younger, it looks fine at first, but it gets more and more video game like, especially with the HFR, and especially at the end. It was ambitious, I'll give it. That ambition just didn't pan out.
Cats
Yeah, yeah, low hanging fruit. I didn't know anything about this musical going into this film, and coming out, I know even less. This had virtually no story, no characters. Just a bunch of poorly CGI'd, incredibly off-putting cat people singing and dancing about stuff that is never adequately explained. It especially doesn't help that director Tom Hopper uses his signature close-ups, making the ugly looking models even uglier since we can see the unfinished looking models.
Bad
Harriet
Harriet Tubman's story is one deserving of a cinematic telling, given her work as a freed slave turned abolitionist for the Underground Railroad and spy and officer for the Union during the Civil War. Unfortunately, this film doesn't really serve this iconic figure very well. It never shows Tubman as a real human, instead opting to give her too much speechifying and not even character development or even looks into the human behind such a legend. Not helping is the TV movie level production design (using the same sets in many scenes) or the bizarre subplot about her former master who is in love with her. Hopefully, Harriet Tubman might get a film that appreciates the scope of her as a person and her story.
Velvet Buzzsaw
I completely forgot that this POS came out this year on Netflix. I don't know what this was supposed to be. A horror film? A comedy? A satire of the world of high art and its absurdity? Whatever it was, it wasn't executed well, with unsympathetic cartoon characters as leads and a reveal that is both obvious, and defies the logic established in the film. Mainly, I just can't remember much of what happens.
Jexi
Remember the movie Her, where Joaquin Phoenix falls in love with the AI voice on his phone? The premise of this film is what if that AI was psychaotic and tried to ruin his love life? Also add in awful jokes and set pieces that show the writers don't understand how technology works (at one point, the titular AI takes over a Taxi because it's in "The Cloud") or it being a generic rom-com without any seasoning? I laughed hard at Wanda Sykes in the film, but that was it.
Motherless Brooklyn
Ed Norton's adaptation of Jonathan Lethem's novel has similar problems to The Goldfinch. Both are long, very little happens, and it can't seem to get its message or portrays it very well. The reason this is higher on the list is that it at least wasn't that boring, and its pretensions and subsequent failings are occasionally (and unintentionally) funny enough that I was more at ease watching.
Pet Semetary
I probably saw this. I honestly can't remember all that well. All I remember was that it wasn't very good, and wasn't particularly scary. I think it had a very dark ending, and what appeared to be zombie apocalypse, but otherwise, I can't quite discern what happened here.
X-Men: Dark Phoenix
The much vaunted X-Men series. Its inception started the current superhero phenomenon, its films have been consistently successful, and this.... is how it goes out. It's clear that this film went through a number of reshoots and reedits, and was building towards something that was screwed with upon Disney's purchase of 20th Century Fox. The result is so bland and boring, it really doesn't have any memorable impact. It's a shame that such a franchise gets this sort of ending, especially since Disney will likely reboot the X-Men into the MCU in the near future.
The Aftermath
This was just another dour historical drama that is not particularly interesting nor as insightful as it thinks it is. Especially with Jojo Rabbit coming out the same year, this film's attempts to interrogate the legacy of Nazism and the effects of war come off especially weak and a little tone deaf. It also has a dull love triangle at its center. Really, there's nothing else to the film.
Serenity
The much vaunted twist of this film? I guessed it during a particular transition. Honestly, that's maybe the most interesting part of the film and it occasionally does work with that twist and its implications. Otherwise, it's largely a generic neo-noir with a very predictable plot.
The Lion King
This is basically a shot-for-shot remake of the original 1994 classic, except done entirely in CGI. The CGI actually looks impressive and realistic. Unfortunately, that also means that the characters are unexpressive, rendering most of the comedic and dramatic bits of the film nil, and the songs mostly stripped down. This does lessen the impact of the film, as it constantly reminds you that the first film did these elements so well, that we don't really need to see this. Basically, just see the original, and you'll get a better experience.
The Current War
Honestly, while I thought this was bad, I didn't really consider putting this low, until its executive producer began to whine about how studios were pushing blockbuster movies (which he didn't consider "cinema") over innovative or interesting filmmaking. Yet he, a multi-millionaire, decided that he believed in this bland historical drama that said very little about the events or its players nor does anything interesting with the format so much, he saved it from the Weinstein collapse and got it into theaters with his name plastered all over the damn thing, more than the actual director. And this is basically a product. A very specific product for Oscar voters, so that it wins awards and gets a longer theatrical run. It's not really a film that was really meant to be innovative or actually say something. Just get awards and make more money. It's likely that director Alfonso Gomez-Rejon (who made a very interesting film in Me and Earl and the Dying Girl) had to deal with the Weinstein machine just turning this into another one of their prestige pictures and Scorsese put his own elements in there during reshoots (including a bizarre digression into Edison's invention of motion pictures), so whatever he had to say got lost in the shuffle. Really, there's no reason to see this film when you can read books or the Wikipedia article on the subject and get the same impact.
A Million Little Pieces
Already discussed a lot of the problems with this in my review over the past month. Ultimately, this feels like a missed opportunity. By taking this known largely fabricated story seriously, the film ignores the more interesting story of how someone could essentially make up their own history and get accolades over it. As for what the film is, it's basically another drug rehab story that loses a lot of its impact because a lot was made-up and was covered better in other recent films.
Meh
The Kid
I like Vincent D'Onofrio as an actor, but his directoral debut didn't really stick well. The titular Billy the Kid is played by Dane Dehaan, so there's the biggest mistake there. It's largely listless and wanders aimlessly, instead of having a coherent plot. Poor Ethan Hawke doesn't really know what to do throughout. The reason it's not in the other category is that there were elements that worked, including Chris Pratt playing against type as a loathesome villain and some of the John Ford and Sergio Leone style shots in some scenes.
21 Bridges
This basically plays like a very special episode of a cop show, just extended to an hour and a half. It has predictable stakes, a predictable twist, and largely predictable arcs. It mostly does this coherently and at least, the superb Chadwick Boseman could sell this material very well. It was mostly just functional.
What Men Want
A largely dull, unfunny rom-com, though this at least has the always charismatic Taraji P. Henson in the lead and some occasionally funny moments. I did cringe at one moment, but mostly it did a competent job just working with its premise, even if it was ultimately mediocre.
Gloria Bell
I wasn't terribly invested in this film, which follows the indie film cliche of "middle-to-old aged white person has problems, hijinks ensue", and is not overall that interesting or has that much to say about anything. That said, Julianne Moore is always very nice to watch, and she has some good chemistry with John Turturro, so that keeps this from being truly tedious.
Men in Black: International
I legitimately couldn't tell you what happens in this film. The plot was largely a McGuffin hunt, if I remember correctly, and doesn't really have much else to it. I know that Tessa Thompson seemed to be having fun as an action lead and Chris Hemsworth had some nice moments with her. Kumail Nanjiani is funny in it, as he normally is. It wasn't terrible as far as big blockbusters go, but I'd rather watch the last two MiB films. And those weren't very good either.
Waves
I think maybe I was harsher in my assessment of this film than I probably should've. Like, I remember just feeling disoriented by the cinematography in the first half and maybe that lowered it in my mind. There was some interesting elements in that first half I should've given more consideration towards, and hence why it is probably higher than I intended. I still didn't care overall for the film, but I think the filmmaker's intentions can still be discerned and understood, (especially with the second half, which is also a lot better than I remember.)
Teen Spirit
I just spent a few seconds trying to come up with something to say about this. I've got nothing. It's colorful. Elle Fanning's a decent singer. This might as well be a featurette on American Idol or the Voice stretched out to a feature length film. It has occasionally interesting or emotional moments, but it's largely sublimated into a bland script and bland lead.
Aladdin
The biggest advantage this has over the last two is that a.) it does have different ideas and different plot points than the original, and b.) those changes largely work or aren't just background fluff. Granted, like the other two, there really isn't a particular reason you should see this over the original, and the ugly set design and overwrought color saturation doesn't help, but I could at least see, without the Disney machine ironing it into another remake, how this could've worked better. Also, Will Smith does a suprisingly good job as the Genie, not trying to co-opt or usurp Robin Williams' iconic performance.
Red Joan
Based on the real story of Melita Norwood, a Soviet spy within the Tube Alloys program (the British attempt to make the atomic bomb during World War II, before it was merged with the American Manhattan Project and its scientists assigned there), the film boasts a good performance by Judi Dench, but undercuts the real story by having its version be simply a misunderstood activist used by other people, as opposed to the real Norwood, who was very devout, aware and unrepentent about what she did, which is far more interesting and thought-provoking than someone tricked into spying (removing the agency of real spies).
Under the Silver Lake
It's funny. Despite waiting for this film, watching it, and reviewing it, I don't actually entirely remember what happens in it. I remember Andrew Garfield acts high and wanders through Los Angeles. There's some conspiracy stuff that is too confusing to unravel. A friend described the film as "Ready Player One, but for hipster d-bags" , which largely summarizes my own thoughts on the film. It's an easter egg hunt, disguised as a conspiracy thriller.
Mister America
Okay, I didn't so much hate this film as I was just confused by it. So many weird, fast jokes. A lot of odd continuity being dumped on me. Some bizarre characters and incidents that come out of nowhere and leave just quickly. It was only when I looked it up did I realize this was actually a spin-off of Tim Heidecker and Gregg Turkington's On Cinema, a show I had never even heard of before watching this. While I didn't find it funny at all, maybe watching the actual show might've enhanced the experience, and gave more context. That's why it's a lot higher than I might've put it otherwise.
Lucy in the Sky
This had the occasionally interesting moment or visual that keeps you interested or at least has a nice atmosphere to it. Unfortunately, the rest of the film doesn't have the substance to back it up. Considerably less crazy or interesting than the real story it inspired, it instead has incoherent babblings on the psychological effect of space travel or being an astronaut, and mostly trudges along until a very predictable, dull conclusion. And Natalie Portman's southern accent is distracting.
The Kitchen
This was originally lower, but the more I thought on it, the less I disliked it. There was potential in this, exploring the machismo of mob movies through the underutilized character of the wife, and the film kind of does this at parts, especially with their underestimation by their male partners and associates. The three leads and Domhall Gleeson are also quite good in their respective roles. It never really goes far enough with that theme and it never seems to reach a point, instead going into mob movie cliches, but there was potential. Maybe a better adaptation might explore this.
Stuber
I thought this was funny the first time I saw it. Then, I saw it again on a plane, and it was significantly less funny. Again, Kumail Nanjiani can be very funny, and Dave Bautista has shown that he has legitimate comedic chops. The two do have a good back-and-forth, but these jokes really work once, and yes, there is no escaping that this is basically a two-hour commercial for Uber. Still, it had some funny moments, I suppose.
Charlie's Angels
Again, can't tell you what happens in this movie. A lot of explosions, some poorly written generic spy plot, some really poorly done action scenes. At least the actresses seem to be having fun riffing on this particular concept, and I do like that there is some continuity given to the other versions. (The various cameos also help). Still, can't think of a reason to actually watch this if you want something good.
Joker
Yes, the controversial choice. Look, Joaquin Phoenix is an excellent actor and as per usual, he delivers a disturbingly good performance as the Batman villain. I did like that it expanded on him being a comedian. The main problem is that the film takes a lot out of Taxi Driver and King of Comedy, but doesn't seem to understand either. Instead, the script underwrites the psychological drama part, the thriller part, the social commentary part, basically every aspect of this film is underdone and underexplored, and Todd Phillips can't really shot this sort of drama well. Honestly, if people weren't constantly talking about this, I would've forgotten I'd even seen it.
Countdown
This is a movie about a killer phone application. Like, this is something that might be made in a plot generator on the internet. At times, the film does seem to be aware of the ridiculousness of its premise and tries to have fun with it. Mostly, though, it's just another Final Destination knock-off that is incredibly boring, incredibly predictable and incredibly not scary at all. And again, it's about a killer phone app.
Hellboy
Having now read some of the original comics, I sort of get that the film was trying to hew closer to the original comics than Del Toro's more whimsical and fantasy oriented version. Unfortunately, the film ends up just being dumb, confusing, overstuffed with characters and concepts that are never fully explained. The effects and sets look awful, and the imagination present in both the comics and the Del Toro films is lost beneath a dull grey palette. That said,.... I did have fun sometimes, so I'll give it that.
Tolkien
JRR Tolkien led a long fascinating life and had a lot of friends and associates. Unfortunately, the film decides not to focus on any of that, instead opting to tell the story of his Dead Poets Society-esque tale of misfits and his service during World War I. Both were influential in the Middle-Earth saga, sure, but it wasn't particularly interesting in its own right nor does it really show how these friendships and events influenced Tolkien as a writer. We get some nods, but nothing really examines how deeply Tolkien's war service and losing some of his friends affected his outlook and especially how it influenced the portrayal of war torn areas and the journey in Lord of the Rings.
Glass
Another perhaps controversial one, given that this film has undergone a reevaluation since I saw it back in January. Me, I still didn't care for it all that much. M. Night Shyamalan's sequel to his acclaimed Unbreakable and Split seems to completely contradict parts of those films to ludicrous effects and gives an entirely predictable, yet utterly bizarre twist and another element that might've served something had actual development been given to it. I did enjoy seeing the characters from both films again, and it does have the potential to spring a new franchise, focused on realistic superheroes. A shame that the rest of the film couldn't follow,
Star Wars: The Rise of Skywalker
I decided to leave off 2019 with this, since it was the end of a particular saga for this era. The movie is also not really that good, pissing away all the development that Last Jedi gave for all the characters to instead give a retread of Empire Strikes Back and Return of the Jedi, with several elements there entirely for fan service (including some truly terrible character moments). No event in this film has any impact, because most of it is reversed or underutilized. The plot is entirely a McGuffin hunt that doesn't take time to sit down and actually give more development to the characters or have them reflect on their journeys. Yet.... at times, when the action was on or I saw the scenery, I did have some moments of fun despite myself. So, fitting for the last film I saw in theaters in the 2010's that it is last here.
Okay
All is True
Kenneth Branaugh did the big cinematic Shakespeare adaptations of the modern age. Ben Elton wrote the funniest series of Blackadder , one of the funniest shows ever made. The two teamed up to do a full-on Shakespeare memoir film. It... was mostly mediocre, largely inventing large parts of Shakespeare's later life, and doesn't seem to have a point or any real purpose other than show melodrama and modern themes (again, largely from conjecture). Still, for what it is, it's good. Branaugh manages a more subdued performance, and he and Judi Dench do well in their roles.
Brightburn
Evil Superman is a very common comic trope, within and without the DC continuity. Still, framing the Superman story as a horror film and using his conventions in that manner could've worked. Unfortunately, Brightburn doesn't really do this in a way other than "hey, it's Superman. But he's a monster". It was scary and thrilling enough, and there is promising in the "horror Justice League" teased at the end, but it could've really expanded on this concept more than it did.
Five Feet Apart
The most notable thing about this film was that I was the only person in the theater. Also that Cole Sprouse sounds exactly like I do to a disturbing degree. Anyway, this follows the Fault in Our Stars format so dogmatically that I think the soundtrack is the exact same. Still, I couldn't help but be slightly invested, if only because of the actors doing their damnest to do well with this material like Haley Lu Richardson, Sprouse and Moises Arias.
Richard Jewell
This was a good film, exploring how one man was destroyed by a spurious accusation that had little actual evidence and much more circumstantial evidence. It manages to portray how Jewell and his friends were barraged by the media and pursued by an FBI that only had a profile and not any actual evidence. Paul Walter Hauser does a great job in the titular role. My biggest gripe is that the much criticized portrayal of real life Atlanta Constitution-Journal reporter Kathy Scruggs, which is always super uncomfortable whenever she (played by Olivia Wilde) is on screen, and completely sinks the film, especially knowing that it was so false, the ACJ is suing Warner Bros. So, yeah.
Isn't It Romantic
I liked the film for the most part. Like most good parodies, it works because it has some affection for the genre that it's parodying and has loving portrayals of the various conventions. That said, it feels more a parody of rom-coms of the 2000's than the more subdued or teenage oriented rom coms of today, and honestly, I couldn't really tell you any joke from the film.
The Best of Enemies
This was kind of Green Book, pt. II. It's about how a white man (a local KKK leader in this case) overcomes his own racism through having a relationship with a black person. It's a similar sort of racial reconciliation film that focuses on the redemption of the white person, over actually developing any of the black characters (notably, there's a scene where a number of white characters are described, and none of the black characters beyond Taraji P. Henson). The real story is mostly muffled (including how that white man found out how working class white people like him and his family were being manipulated by the white upper class in the South by racism to fight blacks and keep both from political and economic power). Nevertheless, the fact that the story has more basis in reality, and isn't nearly as cringy puts it a bit over Green Book (though I really hope it doesn't win an Oscar)
Good Boys
I saw this at an early screening at my college (along with Long Shot), and I consider writing a review for it. I decided against it, because, while I laughed quite a bit, there wasn't really much else to the film. It was very funny, in the standard "hey, these kids are doing adult stuff" sort of way, but beyond that, and a shoe-horned in theme at the end, there really isn't much else to the film.
Cold Pursuit
Another Liam Neeson action thriller where he avenges the death of a family member and take names, chew bubblegum and kick some ass etc. It follows that to a tee, but it's still entertaining enough, especially the nearly Saturday Morning Cartoon villains he fights and the elaborate deaths that are done. Plus, I can't hate a film set partly in my home town of Denver (even has a joke about whether Peyton Manning or John Elway is better.)
Midsommar
I think that I was perhaps harsh on this film in my initial assessment. After I got out, I thought it was too long, it was tedious, it didn't stand up with Hereditary. I think that last part really influenced my thinking. After the sort of haywire intensity of that film, this was significantly slower and had a lot more symbolism that wasn't immediately clear. I think I didn't appreciate it then, but I've gradually seen it as a pretty good feature that I should see again to fully understand.
Happy Death Day 2U
So far, this series has proven to be very fun, and this was no exception. I like that they escalate the stakes in this, taking it in a sci-fi direction with parallel earths and time travel, but still manage to keep the spirit and energy of the original around.
Escape Room
Inventive? No. Particularly original? Not really. Entertaining? Yeah. I had some fun watching the various schemes and scenarios that come up, and it could be thrilling. A lot of it was also banal and unoriginal, but it was entertaining enough to keep me going through the running time.
Cold War
With a loaded title like that, this romance set in the early years of Communist Poland promises maybe more explicit politics than it actually has. There's allusions to the Nazi occupation and of course, the Soviet domination of the country, but not much else in that field. (Weirdly, the 1956 Polish October and the protests in Poznan that were repressed are never mentioned). Still, it has a strong romance at its center, and a classic, black-and-white aesthetic that makes it work on that ground, even if its politics could've been clearer.
Captive State
Remember the show V, where aliens take over the Earth, and it's an extended metaphor for an authoritarian takeover and how people would react? This film basically rips it off, but updates it for the modern era. In spite of its somewhat generic tone and aesthetic, it still works, especially at balancing various characters, their relationships, and how they are fighting the alien menace. It keeps you on your feet as you question each character and what they'll do.
Ad Astra
The first two acts of this film are tedious, pretentious, and generally not as interesting as it thinks it is. I generally like these sorts of contemplative space films, but this felt too much like it was trying to be more of a character piece that generally didn't work. What really saves this film is the third act, which combines two stunning performances with gorgeous scenery and excellent writing. I really put it up here because of that final act.
Where'd You Go, Bernadette
Richard Linklater is unpredictable. He could follow a heavily experimental film like Boyhood with a more lowkey comedy like Everybody Wants Some, and this film, and is now doing Stephen Sondheim's Merrily We Roll Along in real time. Anyway, this was a lot of fun. I think the trailer did a massive disservice to the film, misleading people as to what it was about. I won't spoil the entire film, but it's fun to watch, and you get to see some nice pieces of Antarctic setting to marvel over. Plus, it is very funny, and the actors are mostly having fun.
Long Shot
I reviewed this after seeing it at an advanced screening, and I think I was coming off the high of seeing a film before most other people. Still, it was funny. There are moments that strain credibility, and feels a lot like a film that was meant for 3 years ago, but Seth Rogen and Charlize Theron play off each other well, and they manage to put in some actual (if very moderate and watered down) environmental politics in there.
Yesterday
This was a sweet little film. A sort of high concept film about one person who remembers the songs about the Beatles. It uses this to make a pretty sweet romantic comedy about the music industry. It had some nice references to the discography, and I like that they do address the possible issues and other stuff that might not exist in this world.
Never Look Away
A nice German historical drama focusing on 30 years of German history. Sort of leaves out some stuff, and doesn't really resolve itself nor its themes, but still manages to get you invested in the lead and his journey from East to West Germany.
Let It Snow
Like I said in my review of this, it mostly works for the audience it's aimed at. I'm out of that audience at this point, but I can totally imagine a teenager really enjoying this film, and connecting with it on some level. It's a nice little, funny film to put on during the holidays, and I find it hard to really complain or nitpick in this regard.
Ma
Entertaining enough thriller, with Octavia Spencer being very entertaining and terrifying as the villain, combining a somewhat sympathetic vulnerability with a utterly manical, calculating, scheming mind. It was consistently entertaining, even if it had the standard slasher victims as its leads.
It: Chapter 2
While the first was a surprisingly dark, fast paced horror film, this largely digs into the more bizarre elements of the book, and doesn't consistently hit the scares as much as the first one. Still, it had some truly terrifying moments, and the cast of well-known actors are disturbingly good at emulating the kid cast while having their own quirks and growth since the last one. It also had some good cameos for some fun.
The Sun is Also A Star
Another YA romance with the hook of a theme of immigration, with its two leads being children of immigrants. While mostly forgettable (I mostly forgot about this movie until now) and occasionally cheesy, I can't help, but feel a little sympathetic towards this film, given my own background. And again, I expect the audience it's aimed towards to be very much in love with this film and its characters, so I can't fault it too much.
Spider-Man: Far from Home
It's a bit weird that this followed the world-changing events of Endgame, being that it was another smaller-scale Spider-Man film. Still, it had a solid plot with Spidey learning more about juggling his own responsibilities, dealing with them, and how he deals with his friends. It has very funny moments, some great action scenes, and some interesting subtext with Mysterio on the actual process of making special-effects driven films.
Judy
This film really is mostly about Renee Zellweger playing Judy Garland. Having seen some Judy Garland, she does get a lot of her mannerisms and speech down perfectly (even if her singing doesn't quite match). Along with being a good mimic, Zellweger also manages to capture the particular struggles and angst she experiences towards the very last period of her life, as she deals with financial ruin and increasing drug dependency. Overall, a good performance and a good film.
Captain Marvel
While the trailers didn't really impress, the film was fairly surprising in how it did deal with themes of militarism and genocide directly in what was effectively an ad for the Air Force, and have a pretty effective look into the culture of fear and power in militaristic structures. Helps that Brie Larson is super charismatic and is clearly loving playing a superhero.
Britney Runs a Marathon
I'll admit, I didn't like much of the comedy in this, and it has a fairly slow first half. However, I did ultimately come to appreciate the film as I continued watching, especially seeing the emotional journey of this character, and how she tries to fix her life and doesn't always succeeds, but manages to at least try towards a goal eventually. It works in showing the character as a real person and her struggles as very realistic.
Crawl
There's a reason this was added late at this position. I actually thought it was quite gripping and fascinating when I first saw it, especially the idea of a horror film that is set during a natural disaster like a hurricane. However, in the months since I watched it, I haven't thought about it, it didn't really stick in my mind, and there were a few horror movies that were a little better. Still, for what it was, it was good.
Good:
Ford v. Ferrari
Don't really know much about cars or the history of racing, but that isn't really required for this. Instead, James Mangold makes a film focusing on how innovation and radical ideas can triumph, even within a massive corporate structure and the interference of executives (not like he might've dealt with that before...) Matt Damon is very good, but Christian Bale steals the show as the hot-headed engineer dealing with his erratic racing career, and having to fight a bureaucracy while trying to achieve their goal of winning the 24 Hours at Le Mans.
How to Train Your Dragon: The Hidden World
Again, this series manages to be top notch in its animation, its writing, its action scenes. There are some incredible flying sequences in this, and especially some gorgeous scenery, especially in the titular Hidden World. I'd put this higher on the list, but I'll admit, the ending left a bitter taste in my mouth. I didn't like the implications of it or what it says about our real world relationship with nature, or how it goes against the themes of the other two. I felt like a better resolution was there, but it still high quality regardless.
Missing Link
Really feel embarrassed about forgetting about this one when I was first compiling this list, given it just won best animated feature at the Golden Globes, and I really, really enjoyed this film. It was incredibly well-animated, with very distinct and detailed models and settings, along with having some good action. Just as well, as someone who had read a lot of cryptozoology as a kid, the plot was extremely appealing.
Late Night
I've not really seen Mindy Kaling in stuff, but I thought her writing here was pretty good. I liked Emma Thompson, who puts her comedic training to good use as a fictional talk show host who needs some innovation. The two work off each other well, and the film is a good show of the value of new ideas and perspectives, especially in comedy.
Native Son
A very arthouse take on the classic Richard Wright novel, which still retains its themes of race and class, but updates it for the modern age. Features some good symbolism, some good modernized scenes from the novel, and still retains its spirit and ultimate tragedy.
Ready or Not
I wasn't nearly as enamored with this film as others were. That said, this is a whole of damn fun. Samara Weaving has shown to be a good lead in a horror film, and her performance both shows fear and integrity in the face of an increasingly bizarre situation that has numerous twists and turns. A good riff on The Most Dangerous Game, using the hide-and-seek game as a cover for some brutal kills and some hilarious character moments. Overall, a good ole time.
Toy Story 4
While the idea of making another Toy Story after the third one provided such a good send-off was a bit of sticking point, this manages to capture everything we love about the Toy Story films. Returning characters growing, new interesting and funny ones coming in, a nice plot about growing, and a very sad, but ultimately uplifting ending. Honestly, what else need be said?
Scary Stories to Tell in the Dark
I wasn't aware that this was based on an apparently very popular series of books, and captures the horrific images in those books. Some complained about this, but personally, I quite enjoyed the off-putting creatures and imagery that this film invokes. I also like that it's a period piece, and actually comments on the period through its horror and its characters. For a horror movies made for younger teens, I was quite scared, and I could totally see it being a massive favorite in the coming years.
Hobbs and Shaw
I still haven't seen a Fast and Furious film other than this, but if they're as entertaining, bizarre yet easy to follow as this, I might have to give it a try. This was simply a lot of fun, with action, some good comedy from The Artist Formerly Known as The Rock and Jason Stathem, some good performances from the weirdly star-studded cast, and continuing the series theme on family. It was just a good time.
Peanut Butter Falcon
This was a very charming little film, taking the sports movie format and applying it on a smaller scale indie film premise. I like that the film never condescends to its lead with Down Syndrome nor tries to make his story feel overly inspirational. Indeed, the film condemns this sort of behavior and instead, focuses on the character as his own person with ambitions and agency of his own. It helps that the actor, Zach Gottsagen (who does have Down Syndrome) is super charming and charismatic. Shia LeBouf and Dakota Johnson are also pretty good in their supporting roles, as is Thomas Haden Church (of all people) and Bruce Dern.
Last Christmas
I've said before that I'm not really a Paul Feig fan, at least in terms of his films. So, imagine my surprise that I not only enjoyed his latest film, but really enjoyed it. It was very sweet and charming, with Emilia Clarke and Henry Goulding making a good couple, and the Christmas spirit slowly infecting every character within it, especially Clarke's character. Also helps that it is very funny and goes in some weird, unexpected directions for a film like this.
The Irishman
I've given Martin Scorsese a lot of shit this year, as you might've gathered from one of the entries last time, so let me say a few kind words about this film. Unlike Wolf of Wall Street, it seems that Scorsese actually remembered the point of Goodfellas, that being how the allure of crime is ultimately hollow and pointless, and uses that to very good effect in this film. Even if the actual veracity of the story can be placed in question, it still shows how a life of crime is meaningless and ultimately destroys someone, physically or mentally. I prefer Casino over Goodfellas, and this film primarily works more off the former, but the three could be considered a trilogy expanding on the nature of organized crime. And I'd rather this Scorsese knock-off be made by the actual guy.
Dark Waters
A film with a lot of horrifying implication. The true story of a corporate defense attorney who helps a family friend deal with some mysterious cattle deaths ultimately comes across a massive cover-up by a prominent chemical company that has effectively poisoned the world. I normally don't really like Todd Haynes, but his stripped down, semi-realist style works in evoking a conspiracy thriller concerning a real conspiracy. Mark Ruffalo and the ensemble do well to show both a horrified public and a sinister corporation unwilling to be responsible. I highly recommend this film because it shows how far corporations will go to protect their reputations while not spending a dime.
John Wick: Parabellum
It's John Wick. It's still Keanu Reeves doing the most elaborate, almost ballet like action scenes with tons of blood and some inventive kills. It's still a well-built secret society he inhabits and has to fight. It is still a ton of style that makes every frame feel cinematic on its own. It's still all that and even more. Of course it's very good.
A Beautiful Day in the Neighborhood
After last year's Won't You Be My Neighbor, I had trepidation over this narrative film, especially with the very recognizable Tom Hanks in the lead role. But like its cynical protagonist, it managed to win me over through just its charm. Yeah, Hanks is a little distracting at the beginning (and he never gets the voice fully down), but he easily slips into the role after a bit, and gives an incredible performance. The journey of the lead guy was also interesting, taking the cynicism to optimism route in a very interesting direction that you don't entirely expect and solely towards that character. Finally, I like that director Marianne Heller committed fully to framing the film as an episode of Mr. Rogers Neighborhood, with similar segments and everything.
Dolemite is My Name
Scott Alexander and Larry Karaszewski wrote one of my favorite films, Ed Wood, and decided to take another low budget filmmaker and depict his struggles, in this case, comedian Rudy Ray Moore and his struggle to make his iconic Blaxploitation film Dolemite. They successfully show the struggle of making a small scale film with a small budget and all the difficulties, and the ultimate satisfaction when it manages to get an audience. Of course, the real star is Eddie Murphy, whose performance manages to capture Rudy Ray Moore, Rudy Ray Moore playing Dolemite, and the Dolemite character, and easily transitions between the three. This is a real Oscar-worthy performance that he is giving his all into, but also really relishing and enjoying. Hopefully, he can keep this streak up.
Avengers: Endgame
The capstone to the Marvel Cinematic Universe might have some confusing parts and some continuity issues, but it manages to be engaging, intelligent, and very heartfelt. It serves both as a tribute to the 10 years the MCU has dominated popular culture, but also manages to complete each character's respective journeys, and paves the way for new works, without neglecting either. Plus, it is just fun and awesome to watch. I look forward to seeing how they can top this.
Rocketman
Competing with Eddie Murphy for "best performance in a biopic" is Taron Egerton, who does a spectacular job as Elton John. He has the look down, he has the singing down, he rocks the outfits with pizzazz, but also gets to the central pathos and struggles of the man as he rises to fame and deals with being a gay man during the 60's and 70's. Helping is that the film manages to subvert some of the music biopic tropes, including actually detailing the process of writing the songs and especially how the songs relate to his life through great sequences. I guarantee these songs will be stuck in your head after watching.
Queen and Slim
When I saw this film, it was in a packed theater, and at the very end (won't spoil), a person was so affected by the film and its imagery that she ran out the theater crying. At that moment, I felt that the film sort of achieved the effect it needed to have. It is very contemporaneous in its themes, how the characters act, and how they move around in their environment. It is both incredibly tragic and has very uplifting moments. It is intensely nerve-wracking and keeps you engaged at all times. It simply works on most levels.
Doctor Sleep
This was perhaps the most interesting horror film of the year. It takes the book, the original Shining film, and the original Shining book, and combines them into a strange paranormal story that takes the "shining" to a whole other level, with some spectacular effects to show sequences of characters battling each other through their minds. It helps that, while it takes the imagery of the Kubrick film, director Mike Flanagan is not beholden to it, instead creating his riff on them. This is a must-watch if you are a fan of any of these incarnations.
The Lighthouse
Don't want to say much on this. Partially because we're almost done, and this has taken a very long time to write. Partially because the best way to go into this is not knowing anything. It is one of the most visceral experiences I've had in a theater. Sort of a mix of horror, comedy, period drama, thriller, even fantasy. It really needs to be seen in order to be believe, especially Wilhem Defoe giving a career best performance.
Great
Uncut Gems
I'll admit, it took me a bit to fully "get" this film. I liked it when I first saw it in the theaters, but I didn't get the hype behind it until I let it sit for a little bit, marinate in my mind, and steadily realize that I wanted to see it again. It was not only an enjoyable experience, with a dense plot, a chilling atmosphere, and gripping action, but one that I might revisit in the next few years.
The Kid Who Would Be King
Joe Cornish did an excellent little film called Attack the Block, which was a great low-budget alien invasion film that introduced the world to an actor named John Boyega. Now, with a larger budget, he makes one of the best kids films I've seen in a while. Both homaging and subvert the Arthurian legend, it manages to be fun, exciting, hilarious, and kind of uplifting, with a great message about real potential and the power of groups. I love everything about this, and hope that we get more Joe Cornish in the future.
Once Upon a Time in Hollywood
Quentin Tarantino makes a very Quentin Tarantino-y film, as Quentin Tarantino usually does. It manages to capture the changes that were happening in Hollywood in 1969 (as the name implies), and also combines the climate in Los Angeles at the time. The leads all have a sense of ennui and trepidation about this new era, and the possibilities it has. Combined with that are some real out there action scenes and hysterical comedic scenes and exchanges. In other words, a Tarantino film.
The Last Black Man in San Francisco
A good companion piece to last years' Blindspotting , this takes a look at gentrification in a different light. In this case, generational wealth and property. The main characters have deal with squatting in a home their grandparents owned, and not being able to legally own it. More than that, this is ultimately a film about the idea of "home" and how it can change with different priorities and goals in mind. It is just an overall powerful film to take in.
Hustlers
I complain a lot about Scorsese knock-offs, and how samey they all tend to feel, so here's an example that serves as a counterpoint to all those. This leans into the comedic aspects (it being a Gloria Sanchez production) with gusto, and manages to be visually distinct and balances out its narration and fleshes out its characters. Most notable of all, it boasts a number of great performances, especially leads Constance Wu and Jennifer Lopez, the latter of who gave one of the best performances of the year. Beyond all that, it's just very entertaining to watch, with good jokes and good pacing.
The Mustang
This was the most intense movie of the year. The scale of it just weighs on you, especially since it takes place in a prison. The sheer dehumanization and violence within the setting is shown with such precision and detail, it wears you out just watching it. This is especially shown in Matthias Schoenaerts' performance, which shows his internal angst and bitterness, while allowing his vulnerability to pass through at key moments. With this, the bright spots where he bonds with the horse as part of his rehabilitation indicate a bright spot within this system and a brief glimmer of hope.
The Farewell
I listened to the This American Life segment this was based on, and it hews quite close to that (ignoring some of the later parts). However, seeing it play out in a narrative way, we get more of the character (Lulu Wang's avatar) internal struggle with the central problem of the film and her more Americanized nature while in China, as well as her family's sheer sadness at the entire situation. It's all very affecting, and while applying to Chinese filial norms, can be seen as something of a universal experience.
Parasite
Again, another film that deserves as little knowledge as possible when going to see. All I knew going in was that it was a Korean film and it got weird. I didn't expect what I got, and the themes it went into. It is one of most unique films I've seen in a very, very long time, and goes in the most unexpected directions and shows characters going in unexpected directions, and has something of an unexpected theme.
The Art of Self-Defense
The blackest of black comedies. A Coen Brothers-esque look into a schlub who signs up for karate after an assault, and is gradually indoctrinated into a literal cult of masculinity. With the rise of Gaters and toxic fandom, this is perhaps a pertinent look into how that sort of culture builds and is cultivated through intimidation and control. Beyond the deeper themes, it is incredibly, insane, deeply funny in every single scene. Like I said, though, black comedy, so it's both funny and just a little bit shocking.
Booksmart
I've never laughed as hard or as constantly as I did in this film (and I was, for some reason, the only one in the theater). This was incredibly funny, and had so many interesting memorable jokes that work on so many levels, from subtle jokes to big set pieces. Along with being uproarious, it also has some very meaningful stuff for teens to absorb, including pressure for college, pressure of being LGBTQIA+ , pressure for romance, and pressure of trying to have fun in an academically stressful time. What really places it here are Beanie Feldstein and Kaitlyn Dever , who are hilarious together and individually.
Shazam
DC has been making incredible films recently, it's weird to think. After years of total dogshit, their films are not only watchable, but incredible, and this was incredible. This was incredibly fun, with Zachery Levi clearly having a blast playing the titular character and had some of the best comedy and action I've seen in any superhero movie. It manages to takes its ridiculous premise seriously without being too dour about it, and shows the fun of it, without neglecting the characters. And despite all that, it is so emotionally powerful and poignant, I was in tears for some of the ending. It is not only the best superhero film of the year, but perhaps one of the best period.
Jojo Rabbit
The comedies this year have really stepped up their game. This film most reminds me of a Disney short from World War II called Education for Death, which explores the psychology of a child as they are molded through the Hitler Youth system into perfect soldiers for the Third Reich, devoid of empathy. This film takes those themes and adds a comedic spin to it. Like the other comedies on here, this manages to be both gut-bustingly hysterical, and have a very strong emotional side to it, never downplaying the terror of Nazism or the threat it posed even to its own citizens, while using the comedy to increase this terror. It is a film that only Taika Waititi could've made.
Pokemon: Detective Pikachu
This was very personal to me, being a longtime fan of this franchise. I simply adored this film. I love all the Pokemon it shows from every generation. I love the way they look realistic while still retaining their game designs. I like all the little nods to continuity. I love the way the story integrates many facets of the Pokemon universe while introducing new ones. Even beyond that, I just like that this was just fun to watch. It legitimately made me feel like a kid again, watching Pokemon on my VHS tapes. This will be a film I'll revisit for years to come.
Alita: Battle Angel
Having only recently begun getting into the original manga, I am very impressed with the way the film brought it to life, keeping the spirit and tone of it alive, while making it just a little more realistic. It is incredibly beautiful, with stunning visuals and imaginative designs for each and every character, capturing the tone of the manga without being too dogmatic. It also has the best visual effects of any big blockbuster this year. It is just a stunning picture.
Lego Movie 2
The first one managed to surprise by not just being a massive toy commercial, but also a surprisingly funny satire and just a fun experience with a surprisingly good message. This film takes the elements that work about the first one, and increases them tenfold. This was both hilarious, satirizing various genres and feeling like a sugar fueled adventure conceived by a 12 year old, while being very, very good at it, and having a surprisingly great message that expands on the other film's message, and adds a new element to the film that ties everything very neatly. It's hard not to top this, but there are a few more entries.
Us
Having proved he could sociopolitical horror with Get Out, I think Jordan Peele wanted to prove he could straight-forward horror with Us. Within the first hour of watching this, I realized that, while Get Out was a riff on George Romero and Wes Craven's brand of socially aware horror, this was more John Carpenter, both in its dark, slow moving fashion, and in the way it explicitly explores the conventions of the genre and bring some originality to it. Not to say that Peele is a mimic. In fact, he takes the Carpenter method of slow burning horror and escalates it to nearly nationwide proportions, taking the stalking killer to a whole new level. And as a big John Carpenter fan, it was obvious to appeal to me, along with Peele's very strong talent for directing and writing.
Blinded by the Light
My parents are immigrants from South India. That bit of knowledge is needed to truly understand why this film resonated so strongly with me. This real story of a young Pakistani-British teen and how his creativity is sparked by an obsession with Bruce Springsteen, was very powerful for me. I could very strongly relate to the main character, his drive for creativity (primarily writing), and especially his complicated relationship with his immigrant family. I've had many experiences with my own family similar to that of the main character, and it got hard to watch because of that fact. It was a very emotional experience for me, and that really is the point of the film.
Best of the Year
Knives Out
I've said before, I don't have a set criteria for the best of. It's really a combination of how much each factor worked and more of a gut instinct immediately after. This had that right combination. Again, best thing you can do is go into this with absolutely no knowledge. Not of its plot, characters, anything. It works because it grabs you completely by surprise with every turn. You are just absorbed into this mystery as it gradually unravels more and more to reveal multiple levels. It has a number of shocking twists and details that require multiple viewings to fully get. Combined with great acting, great writing, and superb cinematography (as per veteran crime filmmaker Rian Johnson), it really was the most fun I had in the theater in a very long time. It is a film I recommend to everyone. And that is why I consider it the best film of the year.
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Alright, next month, some decadal retrospective and Sonic the Hedgehog next month.
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Honorary Mention
When They See Us
I mean, if Barack Obama can put a category of "TV shows that felt cinematic", why can't I? Anyway, this miniseries was a real rough watch, in the best way. I only knew intermittent details of the Central Park Five case before watching it, so seeing the corruption, the railroading and the horror of what these young men went through was enlightening and incredibly disturbing. Director Ava DuVaurnay humanizes five, shows them and their families and the effects their false accusations, their trials, and especially their time in prison had, which makes their eventual exoneration all the more satisfying. This was very powerful in a very soul-penetrating way, leaving you exhausted from the sheer emotional scale of it. It's on Netflix, so if you have it, I can't recommend this enough.
And now to the actual list:
Worst
Midway
Congratulations, Roland Emmerich, you've marked a personal achievement for me. This is the first film I've ever walked out of. At some point, I just saw the combination of hammy acting, heinous special effects, and horrid writing, and figured my time was better spent doing something else. I don't know why I thought this might be worth something. Roland Emmerich has made precisely one good movie in his entire career (the first Independence Day) , and his historical films are generally regarded as his worst. Still, when you combine the bizarre and dull governmental machinations in those with the dull melodrama of Michael Bay's Pearl Harbor and the effects of lower end Asylum movie, you get something basically unwatchable. I don't really know how well it follows the real events of Midway, but I don't really care to know. I don't have any interest in finishing this film.
Terrible
Godzilla: King of Monsters
I don't really mind that this film has a really confusing and simultaneously simple plot that makes no sense. It really is meant to be a showcase of Godzilla and his rogues gallery beating the shit out of each other like in the Showa era Godzilla films. On that front, the fights are poorly lit, confusing, and ultra loud. I couldn't tell what was happening most of the time, and the Abrams style lights make it both so bright to avert your eyes and too dark to actually see anything. This really is the worst because somewhere towards the end of the film, I got a literal headache. I know the movie caused it, because it went away after I left. A movie should not make me feel sick just sitting there watching it. The fact no one saw this and tried to fix it for a big budget, wide release film is somewhat incredible for me. Maybe Godzilla vs. Kong will be better.
The Goldfinch
There's boring, and then there's agonizing. This movie is over two and a half hours and nothing happens in it. It's just a bunch of dull conversations, meaningless drivel on the nature of art and bizarre, dull melodrama that drags on longer than it was welcome. I think I actually fell asleep watching this. I didn't care about the character or his journey or whatever the hell the message was suppose to be... Oh, yeah, there is kind of a message to this, and I found it completely contradicting what is actually shown and is kind of mean-spirited when you think on it. Anyway, movie bad.
Replicas
The fact that three movies beat this out shows something about this list. I don't know. Anyway, I'm not convinced this was a real film. It was literally made by "Entertainment Studios". It feels like a fake movie within a movie or a commercial. You see it in snippets while the actual drama goes on with others. I don't know, maybe I've been in a Truman Show-esque reality show dystopia this whole time, and they made this film as part of that. Anyway, this was terrible in all aspects. Bad effects, an idiot plot that contradicts itself at every turn, poor Keanu Reeves trying to make do with this dull character, and an utterly bizarre ending that makes little sense. It might've been funny, had it also not been dull and tedious.
The Intruder
This feels like a TV movie that made it to screens for some reason. It might've been entertaining, had it not had that TV movie quality writing or the fact nothing happens for the first two thirds of this film or if I actually remembered most of this film. I'll give it this, Dennis Quaid really did sell being a psychopath. A shame it had to be in this film.
The Prodigy
I completely forgot about this until I looked at Letterboxd and realized that in fact, I had seen it. This is yet another "evil kid does stuff" film that is incredibly dumb, really makes no sense, has the dumbest ending I think I've seen in a while, and just doesn't stay in the memory. I can't tell you most of what the hell happens in this movie and what I can tell you would sound idiotic and too bizarre and offensive to be real.
Extremely Wicked, Shockingly Evil and Vile
Zac Efron as Ted Bundy was an idea that might've worked, given how much the two resemble each other. Unfortunately, the film decides not to show how much of a monster Ted Bundy was under his handsome veneer or the magnitude of his crimes for most of the running time, instead showing him as a dutiful, charismatic boyfriend, and him besting the prosecutors. This lovable rogue characterization really sinks the film, even as it tries to acknowledge the awfulness of his crimes at the very end of this film.
The Hustle
Sadly not affiliated with the catchy Van McCoy song from 1975, this was instead painfully unfunny, woefully underwritten, and bizarrely made. Anne Hathaway does a decent British accent, but she and Rebel Wilson lack chemistry and it gets painful to get the same joke constantly in regards to the two. When I saw the film, there wasn't a single laugh. The theater was entirely silent, except for the occasional chuckle. Even at the worst comedies, I hear consistent laughs. That really shows the sheer terribleness of this alleged comedy.
Dumbo
How to make a 70-minute cartoon with a very condensed plot and some elements that haven't aged well (the crows, namely) into a live-action film? Well, Tim Burton decided to make it completely homogeneous, regurgitating both his cliches and the cliches of live-action Disney. There's an interesting element of a Disney satire in this Disney movie, but it's underexplored and doesn't really interrogate its Disney analogue or even the ostensible anti-animal abuse theme it seems to imply at the end. Really, the fact this was all underbaked shows the faults of these films.
Greta
I'll say this, all the actors involved are giving their all, especially Isabelle Huppert, who seems to play her psychaotic role with such ease, it's a bit disturbing. It also has something of a novel resolution. A shame the film isn't well written or that it relies too much on contrivances. Again, despite the craziness of the premise and some of the events, I can't really tell you anything that actually happens in this film, except what happens at the very end.
Gemini Man
Oh, hey, someone woke up Jerry Bruckheimer from whatever crypt he's been hiding in since the mid-2000's, and he's produced another film with innovative director Ang Lee! A shame it was Gemini Man. Ang Lee is an interesting director, and he seems to be on this HFR binge. I actually saw this in HFR, and it looked too naturalistic. It felt like watching a low budget TV show. It made the highly elaborate action look off, especially with the realism that the rest of the film portrays. As for Will Smith the younger, it looks fine at first, but it gets more and more video game like, especially with the HFR, and especially at the end. It was ambitious, I'll give it. That ambition just didn't pan out.
Cats
Yeah, yeah, low hanging fruit. I didn't know anything about this musical going into this film, and coming out, I know even less. This had virtually no story, no characters. Just a bunch of poorly CGI'd, incredibly off-putting cat people singing and dancing about stuff that is never adequately explained. It especially doesn't help that director Tom Hopper uses his signature close-ups, making the ugly looking models even uglier since we can see the unfinished looking models.
Bad
Harriet
Harriet Tubman's story is one deserving of a cinematic telling, given her work as a freed slave turned abolitionist for the Underground Railroad and spy and officer for the Union during the Civil War. Unfortunately, this film doesn't really serve this iconic figure very well. It never shows Tubman as a real human, instead opting to give her too much speechifying and not even character development or even looks into the human behind such a legend. Not helping is the TV movie level production design (using the same sets in many scenes) or the bizarre subplot about her former master who is in love with her. Hopefully, Harriet Tubman might get a film that appreciates the scope of her as a person and her story.
Velvet Buzzsaw
I completely forgot that this POS came out this year on Netflix. I don't know what this was supposed to be. A horror film? A comedy? A satire of the world of high art and its absurdity? Whatever it was, it wasn't executed well, with unsympathetic cartoon characters as leads and a reveal that is both obvious, and defies the logic established in the film. Mainly, I just can't remember much of what happens.
Jexi
Remember the movie Her, where Joaquin Phoenix falls in love with the AI voice on his phone? The premise of this film is what if that AI was psychaotic and tried to ruin his love life? Also add in awful jokes and set pieces that show the writers don't understand how technology works (at one point, the titular AI takes over a Taxi because it's in "The Cloud") or it being a generic rom-com without any seasoning? I laughed hard at Wanda Sykes in the film, but that was it.
Motherless Brooklyn
Ed Norton's adaptation of Jonathan Lethem's novel has similar problems to The Goldfinch. Both are long, very little happens, and it can't seem to get its message or portrays it very well. The reason this is higher on the list is that it at least wasn't that boring, and its pretensions and subsequent failings are occasionally (and unintentionally) funny enough that I was more at ease watching.
Pet Semetary
I probably saw this. I honestly can't remember all that well. All I remember was that it wasn't very good, and wasn't particularly scary. I think it had a very dark ending, and what appeared to be zombie apocalypse, but otherwise, I can't quite discern what happened here.
X-Men: Dark Phoenix
The much vaunted X-Men series. Its inception started the current superhero phenomenon, its films have been consistently successful, and this.... is how it goes out. It's clear that this film went through a number of reshoots and reedits, and was building towards something that was screwed with upon Disney's purchase of 20th Century Fox. The result is so bland and boring, it really doesn't have any memorable impact. It's a shame that such a franchise gets this sort of ending, especially since Disney will likely reboot the X-Men into the MCU in the near future.
The Aftermath
This was just another dour historical drama that is not particularly interesting nor as insightful as it thinks it is. Especially with Jojo Rabbit coming out the same year, this film's attempts to interrogate the legacy of Nazism and the effects of war come off especially weak and a little tone deaf. It also has a dull love triangle at its center. Really, there's nothing else to the film.
Serenity
The much vaunted twist of this film? I guessed it during a particular transition. Honestly, that's maybe the most interesting part of the film and it occasionally does work with that twist and its implications. Otherwise, it's largely a generic neo-noir with a very predictable plot.
The Lion King
This is basically a shot-for-shot remake of the original 1994 classic, except done entirely in CGI. The CGI actually looks impressive and realistic. Unfortunately, that also means that the characters are unexpressive, rendering most of the comedic and dramatic bits of the film nil, and the songs mostly stripped down. This does lessen the impact of the film, as it constantly reminds you that the first film did these elements so well, that we don't really need to see this. Basically, just see the original, and you'll get a better experience.
The Current War
Honestly, while I thought this was bad, I didn't really consider putting this low, until its executive producer began to whine about how studios were pushing blockbuster movies (which he didn't consider "cinema") over innovative or interesting filmmaking. Yet he, a multi-millionaire, decided that he believed in this bland historical drama that said very little about the events or its players nor does anything interesting with the format so much, he saved it from the Weinstein collapse and got it into theaters with his name plastered all over the damn thing, more than the actual director. And this is basically a product. A very specific product for Oscar voters, so that it wins awards and gets a longer theatrical run. It's not really a film that was really meant to be innovative or actually say something. Just get awards and make more money. It's likely that director Alfonso Gomez-Rejon (who made a very interesting film in Me and Earl and the Dying Girl) had to deal with the Weinstein machine just turning this into another one of their prestige pictures and Scorsese put his own elements in there during reshoots (including a bizarre digression into Edison's invention of motion pictures), so whatever he had to say got lost in the shuffle. Really, there's no reason to see this film when you can read books or the Wikipedia article on the subject and get the same impact.
A Million Little Pieces
Already discussed a lot of the problems with this in my review over the past month. Ultimately, this feels like a missed opportunity. By taking this known largely fabricated story seriously, the film ignores the more interesting story of how someone could essentially make up their own history and get accolades over it. As for what the film is, it's basically another drug rehab story that loses a lot of its impact because a lot was made-up and was covered better in other recent films.
Meh
The Kid
I like Vincent D'Onofrio as an actor, but his directoral debut didn't really stick well. The titular Billy the Kid is played by Dane Dehaan, so there's the biggest mistake there. It's largely listless and wanders aimlessly, instead of having a coherent plot. Poor Ethan Hawke doesn't really know what to do throughout. The reason it's not in the other category is that there were elements that worked, including Chris Pratt playing against type as a loathesome villain and some of the John Ford and Sergio Leone style shots in some scenes.
21 Bridges
This basically plays like a very special episode of a cop show, just extended to an hour and a half. It has predictable stakes, a predictable twist, and largely predictable arcs. It mostly does this coherently and at least, the superb Chadwick Boseman could sell this material very well. It was mostly just functional.
What Men Want
A largely dull, unfunny rom-com, though this at least has the always charismatic Taraji P. Henson in the lead and some occasionally funny moments. I did cringe at one moment, but mostly it did a competent job just working with its premise, even if it was ultimately mediocre.
Gloria Bell
I wasn't terribly invested in this film, which follows the indie film cliche of "middle-to-old aged white person has problems, hijinks ensue", and is not overall that interesting or has that much to say about anything. That said, Julianne Moore is always very nice to watch, and she has some good chemistry with John Turturro, so that keeps this from being truly tedious.
Men in Black: International
I legitimately couldn't tell you what happens in this film. The plot was largely a McGuffin hunt, if I remember correctly, and doesn't really have much else to it. I know that Tessa Thompson seemed to be having fun as an action lead and Chris Hemsworth had some nice moments with her. Kumail Nanjiani is funny in it, as he normally is. It wasn't terrible as far as big blockbusters go, but I'd rather watch the last two MiB films. And those weren't very good either.
Waves
I think maybe I was harsher in my assessment of this film than I probably should've. Like, I remember just feeling disoriented by the cinematography in the first half and maybe that lowered it in my mind. There was some interesting elements in that first half I should've given more consideration towards, and hence why it is probably higher than I intended. I still didn't care overall for the film, but I think the filmmaker's intentions can still be discerned and understood, (especially with the second half, which is also a lot better than I remember.)
Teen Spirit
I just spent a few seconds trying to come up with something to say about this. I've got nothing. It's colorful. Elle Fanning's a decent singer. This might as well be a featurette on American Idol or the Voice stretched out to a feature length film. It has occasionally interesting or emotional moments, but it's largely sublimated into a bland script and bland lead.
Aladdin
The biggest advantage this has over the last two is that a.) it does have different ideas and different plot points than the original, and b.) those changes largely work or aren't just background fluff. Granted, like the other two, there really isn't a particular reason you should see this over the original, and the ugly set design and overwrought color saturation doesn't help, but I could at least see, without the Disney machine ironing it into another remake, how this could've worked better. Also, Will Smith does a suprisingly good job as the Genie, not trying to co-opt or usurp Robin Williams' iconic performance.
Red Joan
Based on the real story of Melita Norwood, a Soviet spy within the Tube Alloys program (the British attempt to make the atomic bomb during World War II, before it was merged with the American Manhattan Project and its scientists assigned there), the film boasts a good performance by Judi Dench, but undercuts the real story by having its version be simply a misunderstood activist used by other people, as opposed to the real Norwood, who was very devout, aware and unrepentent about what she did, which is far more interesting and thought-provoking than someone tricked into spying (removing the agency of real spies).
Under the Silver Lake
It's funny. Despite waiting for this film, watching it, and reviewing it, I don't actually entirely remember what happens in it. I remember Andrew Garfield acts high and wanders through Los Angeles. There's some conspiracy stuff that is too confusing to unravel. A friend described the film as "Ready Player One, but for hipster d-bags" , which largely summarizes my own thoughts on the film. It's an easter egg hunt, disguised as a conspiracy thriller.
Mister America
Okay, I didn't so much hate this film as I was just confused by it. So many weird, fast jokes. A lot of odd continuity being dumped on me. Some bizarre characters and incidents that come out of nowhere and leave just quickly. It was only when I looked it up did I realize this was actually a spin-off of Tim Heidecker and Gregg Turkington's On Cinema, a show I had never even heard of before watching this. While I didn't find it funny at all, maybe watching the actual show might've enhanced the experience, and gave more context. That's why it's a lot higher than I might've put it otherwise.
Lucy in the Sky
This had the occasionally interesting moment or visual that keeps you interested or at least has a nice atmosphere to it. Unfortunately, the rest of the film doesn't have the substance to back it up. Considerably less crazy or interesting than the real story it inspired, it instead has incoherent babblings on the psychological effect of space travel or being an astronaut, and mostly trudges along until a very predictable, dull conclusion. And Natalie Portman's southern accent is distracting.
The Kitchen
This was originally lower, but the more I thought on it, the less I disliked it. There was potential in this, exploring the machismo of mob movies through the underutilized character of the wife, and the film kind of does this at parts, especially with their underestimation by their male partners and associates. The three leads and Domhall Gleeson are also quite good in their respective roles. It never really goes far enough with that theme and it never seems to reach a point, instead going into mob movie cliches, but there was potential. Maybe a better adaptation might explore this.
Stuber
I thought this was funny the first time I saw it. Then, I saw it again on a plane, and it was significantly less funny. Again, Kumail Nanjiani can be very funny, and Dave Bautista has shown that he has legitimate comedic chops. The two do have a good back-and-forth, but these jokes really work once, and yes, there is no escaping that this is basically a two-hour commercial for Uber. Still, it had some funny moments, I suppose.
Charlie's Angels
Again, can't tell you what happens in this movie. A lot of explosions, some poorly written generic spy plot, some really poorly done action scenes. At least the actresses seem to be having fun riffing on this particular concept, and I do like that there is some continuity given to the other versions. (The various cameos also help). Still, can't think of a reason to actually watch this if you want something good.
Joker
Yes, the controversial choice. Look, Joaquin Phoenix is an excellent actor and as per usual, he delivers a disturbingly good performance as the Batman villain. I did like that it expanded on him being a comedian. The main problem is that the film takes a lot out of Taxi Driver and King of Comedy, but doesn't seem to understand either. Instead, the script underwrites the psychological drama part, the thriller part, the social commentary part, basically every aspect of this film is underdone and underexplored, and Todd Phillips can't really shot this sort of drama well. Honestly, if people weren't constantly talking about this, I would've forgotten I'd even seen it.
Countdown
This is a movie about a killer phone application. Like, this is something that might be made in a plot generator on the internet. At times, the film does seem to be aware of the ridiculousness of its premise and tries to have fun with it. Mostly, though, it's just another Final Destination knock-off that is incredibly boring, incredibly predictable and incredibly not scary at all. And again, it's about a killer phone app.
Hellboy
Having now read some of the original comics, I sort of get that the film was trying to hew closer to the original comics than Del Toro's more whimsical and fantasy oriented version. Unfortunately, the film ends up just being dumb, confusing, overstuffed with characters and concepts that are never fully explained. The effects and sets look awful, and the imagination present in both the comics and the Del Toro films is lost beneath a dull grey palette. That said,.... I did have fun sometimes, so I'll give it that.
Tolkien
JRR Tolkien led a long fascinating life and had a lot of friends and associates. Unfortunately, the film decides not to focus on any of that, instead opting to tell the story of his Dead Poets Society-esque tale of misfits and his service during World War I. Both were influential in the Middle-Earth saga, sure, but it wasn't particularly interesting in its own right nor does it really show how these friendships and events influenced Tolkien as a writer. We get some nods, but nothing really examines how deeply Tolkien's war service and losing some of his friends affected his outlook and especially how it influenced the portrayal of war torn areas and the journey in Lord of the Rings.
Glass
Another perhaps controversial one, given that this film has undergone a reevaluation since I saw it back in January. Me, I still didn't care for it all that much. M. Night Shyamalan's sequel to his acclaimed Unbreakable and Split seems to completely contradict parts of those films to ludicrous effects and gives an entirely predictable, yet utterly bizarre twist and another element that might've served something had actual development been given to it. I did enjoy seeing the characters from both films again, and it does have the potential to spring a new franchise, focused on realistic superheroes. A shame that the rest of the film couldn't follow,
Star Wars: The Rise of Skywalker
I decided to leave off 2019 with this, since it was the end of a particular saga for this era. The movie is also not really that good, pissing away all the development that Last Jedi gave for all the characters to instead give a retread of Empire Strikes Back and Return of the Jedi, with several elements there entirely for fan service (including some truly terrible character moments). No event in this film has any impact, because most of it is reversed or underutilized. The plot is entirely a McGuffin hunt that doesn't take time to sit down and actually give more development to the characters or have them reflect on their journeys. Yet.... at times, when the action was on or I saw the scenery, I did have some moments of fun despite myself. So, fitting for the last film I saw in theaters in the 2010's that it is last here.
Okay
All is True
Kenneth Branaugh did the big cinematic Shakespeare adaptations of the modern age. Ben Elton wrote the funniest series of Blackadder , one of the funniest shows ever made. The two teamed up to do a full-on Shakespeare memoir film. It... was mostly mediocre, largely inventing large parts of Shakespeare's later life, and doesn't seem to have a point or any real purpose other than show melodrama and modern themes (again, largely from conjecture). Still, for what it is, it's good. Branaugh manages a more subdued performance, and he and Judi Dench do well in their roles.
Brightburn
Evil Superman is a very common comic trope, within and without the DC continuity. Still, framing the Superman story as a horror film and using his conventions in that manner could've worked. Unfortunately, Brightburn doesn't really do this in a way other than "hey, it's Superman. But he's a monster". It was scary and thrilling enough, and there is promising in the "horror Justice League" teased at the end, but it could've really expanded on this concept more than it did.
Five Feet Apart
The most notable thing about this film was that I was the only person in the theater. Also that Cole Sprouse sounds exactly like I do to a disturbing degree. Anyway, this follows the Fault in Our Stars format so dogmatically that I think the soundtrack is the exact same. Still, I couldn't help but be slightly invested, if only because of the actors doing their damnest to do well with this material like Haley Lu Richardson, Sprouse and Moises Arias.
Richard Jewell
This was a good film, exploring how one man was destroyed by a spurious accusation that had little actual evidence and much more circumstantial evidence. It manages to portray how Jewell and his friends were barraged by the media and pursued by an FBI that only had a profile and not any actual evidence. Paul Walter Hauser does a great job in the titular role. My biggest gripe is that the much criticized portrayal of real life Atlanta Constitution-Journal reporter Kathy Scruggs, which is always super uncomfortable whenever she (played by Olivia Wilde) is on screen, and completely sinks the film, especially knowing that it was so false, the ACJ is suing Warner Bros. So, yeah.
Isn't It Romantic
I liked the film for the most part. Like most good parodies, it works because it has some affection for the genre that it's parodying and has loving portrayals of the various conventions. That said, it feels more a parody of rom-coms of the 2000's than the more subdued or teenage oriented rom coms of today, and honestly, I couldn't really tell you any joke from the film.
The Best of Enemies
This was kind of Green Book, pt. II. It's about how a white man (a local KKK leader in this case) overcomes his own racism through having a relationship with a black person. It's a similar sort of racial reconciliation film that focuses on the redemption of the white person, over actually developing any of the black characters (notably, there's a scene where a number of white characters are described, and none of the black characters beyond Taraji P. Henson). The real story is mostly muffled (including how that white man found out how working class white people like him and his family were being manipulated by the white upper class in the South by racism to fight blacks and keep both from political and economic power). Nevertheless, the fact that the story has more basis in reality, and isn't nearly as cringy puts it a bit over Green Book (though I really hope it doesn't win an Oscar)
Good Boys
I saw this at an early screening at my college (along with Long Shot), and I consider writing a review for it. I decided against it, because, while I laughed quite a bit, there wasn't really much else to the film. It was very funny, in the standard "hey, these kids are doing adult stuff" sort of way, but beyond that, and a shoe-horned in theme at the end, there really isn't much else to the film.
Cold Pursuit
Another Liam Neeson action thriller where he avenges the death of a family member and take names, chew bubblegum and kick some ass etc. It follows that to a tee, but it's still entertaining enough, especially the nearly Saturday Morning Cartoon villains he fights and the elaborate deaths that are done. Plus, I can't hate a film set partly in my home town of Denver (even has a joke about whether Peyton Manning or John Elway is better.)
Midsommar
I think that I was perhaps harsh on this film in my initial assessment. After I got out, I thought it was too long, it was tedious, it didn't stand up with Hereditary. I think that last part really influenced my thinking. After the sort of haywire intensity of that film, this was significantly slower and had a lot more symbolism that wasn't immediately clear. I think I didn't appreciate it then, but I've gradually seen it as a pretty good feature that I should see again to fully understand.
Happy Death Day 2U
So far, this series has proven to be very fun, and this was no exception. I like that they escalate the stakes in this, taking it in a sci-fi direction with parallel earths and time travel, but still manage to keep the spirit and energy of the original around.
Escape Room
Inventive? No. Particularly original? Not really. Entertaining? Yeah. I had some fun watching the various schemes and scenarios that come up, and it could be thrilling. A lot of it was also banal and unoriginal, but it was entertaining enough to keep me going through the running time.
Cold War
With a loaded title like that, this romance set in the early years of Communist Poland promises maybe more explicit politics than it actually has. There's allusions to the Nazi occupation and of course, the Soviet domination of the country, but not much else in that field. (Weirdly, the 1956 Polish October and the protests in Poznan that were repressed are never mentioned). Still, it has a strong romance at its center, and a classic, black-and-white aesthetic that makes it work on that ground, even if its politics could've been clearer.
Captive State
Remember the show V, where aliens take over the Earth, and it's an extended metaphor for an authoritarian takeover and how people would react? This film basically rips it off, but updates it for the modern era. In spite of its somewhat generic tone and aesthetic, it still works, especially at balancing various characters, their relationships, and how they are fighting the alien menace. It keeps you on your feet as you question each character and what they'll do.
Ad Astra
The first two acts of this film are tedious, pretentious, and generally not as interesting as it thinks it is. I generally like these sorts of contemplative space films, but this felt too much like it was trying to be more of a character piece that generally didn't work. What really saves this film is the third act, which combines two stunning performances with gorgeous scenery and excellent writing. I really put it up here because of that final act.
Where'd You Go, Bernadette
Richard Linklater is unpredictable. He could follow a heavily experimental film like Boyhood with a more lowkey comedy like Everybody Wants Some, and this film, and is now doing Stephen Sondheim's Merrily We Roll Along in real time. Anyway, this was a lot of fun. I think the trailer did a massive disservice to the film, misleading people as to what it was about. I won't spoil the entire film, but it's fun to watch, and you get to see some nice pieces of Antarctic setting to marvel over. Plus, it is very funny, and the actors are mostly having fun.
Long Shot
I reviewed this after seeing it at an advanced screening, and I think I was coming off the high of seeing a film before most other people. Still, it was funny. There are moments that strain credibility, and feels a lot like a film that was meant for 3 years ago, but Seth Rogen and Charlize Theron play off each other well, and they manage to put in some actual (if very moderate and watered down) environmental politics in there.
Yesterday
This was a sweet little film. A sort of high concept film about one person who remembers the songs about the Beatles. It uses this to make a pretty sweet romantic comedy about the music industry. It had some nice references to the discography, and I like that they do address the possible issues and other stuff that might not exist in this world.
Never Look Away
A nice German historical drama focusing on 30 years of German history. Sort of leaves out some stuff, and doesn't really resolve itself nor its themes, but still manages to get you invested in the lead and his journey from East to West Germany.
Let It Snow
Like I said in my review of this, it mostly works for the audience it's aimed at. I'm out of that audience at this point, but I can totally imagine a teenager really enjoying this film, and connecting with it on some level. It's a nice little, funny film to put on during the holidays, and I find it hard to really complain or nitpick in this regard.
Ma
Entertaining enough thriller, with Octavia Spencer being very entertaining and terrifying as the villain, combining a somewhat sympathetic vulnerability with a utterly manical, calculating, scheming mind. It was consistently entertaining, even if it had the standard slasher victims as its leads.
It: Chapter 2
While the first was a surprisingly dark, fast paced horror film, this largely digs into the more bizarre elements of the book, and doesn't consistently hit the scares as much as the first one. Still, it had some truly terrifying moments, and the cast of well-known actors are disturbingly good at emulating the kid cast while having their own quirks and growth since the last one. It also had some good cameos for some fun.
The Sun is Also A Star
Another YA romance with the hook of a theme of immigration, with its two leads being children of immigrants. While mostly forgettable (I mostly forgot about this movie until now) and occasionally cheesy, I can't help, but feel a little sympathetic towards this film, given my own background. And again, I expect the audience it's aimed towards to be very much in love with this film and its characters, so I can't fault it too much.
Spider-Man: Far from Home
It's a bit weird that this followed the world-changing events of Endgame, being that it was another smaller-scale Spider-Man film. Still, it had a solid plot with Spidey learning more about juggling his own responsibilities, dealing with them, and how he deals with his friends. It has very funny moments, some great action scenes, and some interesting subtext with Mysterio on the actual process of making special-effects driven films.
Judy
This film really is mostly about Renee Zellweger playing Judy Garland. Having seen some Judy Garland, she does get a lot of her mannerisms and speech down perfectly (even if her singing doesn't quite match). Along with being a good mimic, Zellweger also manages to capture the particular struggles and angst she experiences towards the very last period of her life, as she deals with financial ruin and increasing drug dependency. Overall, a good performance and a good film.
Captain Marvel
While the trailers didn't really impress, the film was fairly surprising in how it did deal with themes of militarism and genocide directly in what was effectively an ad for the Air Force, and have a pretty effective look into the culture of fear and power in militaristic structures. Helps that Brie Larson is super charismatic and is clearly loving playing a superhero.
Britney Runs a Marathon
I'll admit, I didn't like much of the comedy in this, and it has a fairly slow first half. However, I did ultimately come to appreciate the film as I continued watching, especially seeing the emotional journey of this character, and how she tries to fix her life and doesn't always succeeds, but manages to at least try towards a goal eventually. It works in showing the character as a real person and her struggles as very realistic.
Crawl
There's a reason this was added late at this position. I actually thought it was quite gripping and fascinating when I first saw it, especially the idea of a horror film that is set during a natural disaster like a hurricane. However, in the months since I watched it, I haven't thought about it, it didn't really stick in my mind, and there were a few horror movies that were a little better. Still, for what it was, it was good.
Good:
Ford v. Ferrari
Don't really know much about cars or the history of racing, but that isn't really required for this. Instead, James Mangold makes a film focusing on how innovation and radical ideas can triumph, even within a massive corporate structure and the interference of executives (not like he might've dealt with that before...) Matt Damon is very good, but Christian Bale steals the show as the hot-headed engineer dealing with his erratic racing career, and having to fight a bureaucracy while trying to achieve their goal of winning the 24 Hours at Le Mans.
How to Train Your Dragon: The Hidden World
Again, this series manages to be top notch in its animation, its writing, its action scenes. There are some incredible flying sequences in this, and especially some gorgeous scenery, especially in the titular Hidden World. I'd put this higher on the list, but I'll admit, the ending left a bitter taste in my mouth. I didn't like the implications of it or what it says about our real world relationship with nature, or how it goes against the themes of the other two. I felt like a better resolution was there, but it still high quality regardless.
Missing Link
Really feel embarrassed about forgetting about this one when I was first compiling this list, given it just won best animated feature at the Golden Globes, and I really, really enjoyed this film. It was incredibly well-animated, with very distinct and detailed models and settings, along with having some good action. Just as well, as someone who had read a lot of cryptozoology as a kid, the plot was extremely appealing.
Late Night
I've not really seen Mindy Kaling in stuff, but I thought her writing here was pretty good. I liked Emma Thompson, who puts her comedic training to good use as a fictional talk show host who needs some innovation. The two work off each other well, and the film is a good show of the value of new ideas and perspectives, especially in comedy.
Native Son
A very arthouse take on the classic Richard Wright novel, which still retains its themes of race and class, but updates it for the modern age. Features some good symbolism, some good modernized scenes from the novel, and still retains its spirit and ultimate tragedy.
Ready or Not
I wasn't nearly as enamored with this film as others were. That said, this is a whole of damn fun. Samara Weaving has shown to be a good lead in a horror film, and her performance both shows fear and integrity in the face of an increasingly bizarre situation that has numerous twists and turns. A good riff on The Most Dangerous Game, using the hide-and-seek game as a cover for some brutal kills and some hilarious character moments. Overall, a good ole time.
Toy Story 4
While the idea of making another Toy Story after the third one provided such a good send-off was a bit of sticking point, this manages to capture everything we love about the Toy Story films. Returning characters growing, new interesting and funny ones coming in, a nice plot about growing, and a very sad, but ultimately uplifting ending. Honestly, what else need be said?
Scary Stories to Tell in the Dark
I wasn't aware that this was based on an apparently very popular series of books, and captures the horrific images in those books. Some complained about this, but personally, I quite enjoyed the off-putting creatures and imagery that this film invokes. I also like that it's a period piece, and actually comments on the period through its horror and its characters. For a horror movies made for younger teens, I was quite scared, and I could totally see it being a massive favorite in the coming years.
Hobbs and Shaw
I still haven't seen a Fast and Furious film other than this, but if they're as entertaining, bizarre yet easy to follow as this, I might have to give it a try. This was simply a lot of fun, with action, some good comedy from The Artist Formerly Known as The Rock and Jason Stathem, some good performances from the weirdly star-studded cast, and continuing the series theme on family. It was just a good time.
Peanut Butter Falcon
This was a very charming little film, taking the sports movie format and applying it on a smaller scale indie film premise. I like that the film never condescends to its lead with Down Syndrome nor tries to make his story feel overly inspirational. Indeed, the film condemns this sort of behavior and instead, focuses on the character as his own person with ambitions and agency of his own. It helps that the actor, Zach Gottsagen (who does have Down Syndrome) is super charming and charismatic. Shia LeBouf and Dakota Johnson are also pretty good in their supporting roles, as is Thomas Haden Church (of all people) and Bruce Dern.
Last Christmas
I've said before that I'm not really a Paul Feig fan, at least in terms of his films. So, imagine my surprise that I not only enjoyed his latest film, but really enjoyed it. It was very sweet and charming, with Emilia Clarke and Henry Goulding making a good couple, and the Christmas spirit slowly infecting every character within it, especially Clarke's character. Also helps that it is very funny and goes in some weird, unexpected directions for a film like this.
The Irishman
I've given Martin Scorsese a lot of shit this year, as you might've gathered from one of the entries last time, so let me say a few kind words about this film. Unlike Wolf of Wall Street, it seems that Scorsese actually remembered the point of Goodfellas, that being how the allure of crime is ultimately hollow and pointless, and uses that to very good effect in this film. Even if the actual veracity of the story can be placed in question, it still shows how a life of crime is meaningless and ultimately destroys someone, physically or mentally. I prefer Casino over Goodfellas, and this film primarily works more off the former, but the three could be considered a trilogy expanding on the nature of organized crime. And I'd rather this Scorsese knock-off be made by the actual guy.
Dark Waters
A film with a lot of horrifying implication. The true story of a corporate defense attorney who helps a family friend deal with some mysterious cattle deaths ultimately comes across a massive cover-up by a prominent chemical company that has effectively poisoned the world. I normally don't really like Todd Haynes, but his stripped down, semi-realist style works in evoking a conspiracy thriller concerning a real conspiracy. Mark Ruffalo and the ensemble do well to show both a horrified public and a sinister corporation unwilling to be responsible. I highly recommend this film because it shows how far corporations will go to protect their reputations while not spending a dime.
John Wick: Parabellum
It's John Wick. It's still Keanu Reeves doing the most elaborate, almost ballet like action scenes with tons of blood and some inventive kills. It's still a well-built secret society he inhabits and has to fight. It is still a ton of style that makes every frame feel cinematic on its own. It's still all that and even more. Of course it's very good.
A Beautiful Day in the Neighborhood
After last year's Won't You Be My Neighbor, I had trepidation over this narrative film, especially with the very recognizable Tom Hanks in the lead role. But like its cynical protagonist, it managed to win me over through just its charm. Yeah, Hanks is a little distracting at the beginning (and he never gets the voice fully down), but he easily slips into the role after a bit, and gives an incredible performance. The journey of the lead guy was also interesting, taking the cynicism to optimism route in a very interesting direction that you don't entirely expect and solely towards that character. Finally, I like that director Marianne Heller committed fully to framing the film as an episode of Mr. Rogers Neighborhood, with similar segments and everything.
Dolemite is My Name
Scott Alexander and Larry Karaszewski wrote one of my favorite films, Ed Wood, and decided to take another low budget filmmaker and depict his struggles, in this case, comedian Rudy Ray Moore and his struggle to make his iconic Blaxploitation film Dolemite. They successfully show the struggle of making a small scale film with a small budget and all the difficulties, and the ultimate satisfaction when it manages to get an audience. Of course, the real star is Eddie Murphy, whose performance manages to capture Rudy Ray Moore, Rudy Ray Moore playing Dolemite, and the Dolemite character, and easily transitions between the three. This is a real Oscar-worthy performance that he is giving his all into, but also really relishing and enjoying. Hopefully, he can keep this streak up.
Avengers: Endgame
The capstone to the Marvel Cinematic Universe might have some confusing parts and some continuity issues, but it manages to be engaging, intelligent, and very heartfelt. It serves both as a tribute to the 10 years the MCU has dominated popular culture, but also manages to complete each character's respective journeys, and paves the way for new works, without neglecting either. Plus, it is just fun and awesome to watch. I look forward to seeing how they can top this.
Rocketman
Competing with Eddie Murphy for "best performance in a biopic" is Taron Egerton, who does a spectacular job as Elton John. He has the look down, he has the singing down, he rocks the outfits with pizzazz, but also gets to the central pathos and struggles of the man as he rises to fame and deals with being a gay man during the 60's and 70's. Helping is that the film manages to subvert some of the music biopic tropes, including actually detailing the process of writing the songs and especially how the songs relate to his life through great sequences. I guarantee these songs will be stuck in your head after watching.
Queen and Slim
When I saw this film, it was in a packed theater, and at the very end (won't spoil), a person was so affected by the film and its imagery that she ran out the theater crying. At that moment, I felt that the film sort of achieved the effect it needed to have. It is very contemporaneous in its themes, how the characters act, and how they move around in their environment. It is both incredibly tragic and has very uplifting moments. It is intensely nerve-wracking and keeps you engaged at all times. It simply works on most levels.
Doctor Sleep
This was perhaps the most interesting horror film of the year. It takes the book, the original Shining film, and the original Shining book, and combines them into a strange paranormal story that takes the "shining" to a whole other level, with some spectacular effects to show sequences of characters battling each other through their minds. It helps that, while it takes the imagery of the Kubrick film, director Mike Flanagan is not beholden to it, instead creating his riff on them. This is a must-watch if you are a fan of any of these incarnations.
The Lighthouse
Don't want to say much on this. Partially because we're almost done, and this has taken a very long time to write. Partially because the best way to go into this is not knowing anything. It is one of the most visceral experiences I've had in a theater. Sort of a mix of horror, comedy, period drama, thriller, even fantasy. It really needs to be seen in order to be believe, especially Wilhem Defoe giving a career best performance.
Great
Uncut Gems
I'll admit, it took me a bit to fully "get" this film. I liked it when I first saw it in the theaters, but I didn't get the hype behind it until I let it sit for a little bit, marinate in my mind, and steadily realize that I wanted to see it again. It was not only an enjoyable experience, with a dense plot, a chilling atmosphere, and gripping action, but one that I might revisit in the next few years.
The Kid Who Would Be King
Joe Cornish did an excellent little film called Attack the Block, which was a great low-budget alien invasion film that introduced the world to an actor named John Boyega. Now, with a larger budget, he makes one of the best kids films I've seen in a while. Both homaging and subvert the Arthurian legend, it manages to be fun, exciting, hilarious, and kind of uplifting, with a great message about real potential and the power of groups. I love everything about this, and hope that we get more Joe Cornish in the future.
Once Upon a Time in Hollywood
Quentin Tarantino makes a very Quentin Tarantino-y film, as Quentin Tarantino usually does. It manages to capture the changes that were happening in Hollywood in 1969 (as the name implies), and also combines the climate in Los Angeles at the time. The leads all have a sense of ennui and trepidation about this new era, and the possibilities it has. Combined with that are some real out there action scenes and hysterical comedic scenes and exchanges. In other words, a Tarantino film.
The Last Black Man in San Francisco
A good companion piece to last years' Blindspotting , this takes a look at gentrification in a different light. In this case, generational wealth and property. The main characters have deal with squatting in a home their grandparents owned, and not being able to legally own it. More than that, this is ultimately a film about the idea of "home" and how it can change with different priorities and goals in mind. It is just an overall powerful film to take in.
Hustlers
I complain a lot about Scorsese knock-offs, and how samey they all tend to feel, so here's an example that serves as a counterpoint to all those. This leans into the comedic aspects (it being a Gloria Sanchez production) with gusto, and manages to be visually distinct and balances out its narration and fleshes out its characters. Most notable of all, it boasts a number of great performances, especially leads Constance Wu and Jennifer Lopez, the latter of who gave one of the best performances of the year. Beyond all that, it's just very entertaining to watch, with good jokes and good pacing.
The Mustang
This was the most intense movie of the year. The scale of it just weighs on you, especially since it takes place in a prison. The sheer dehumanization and violence within the setting is shown with such precision and detail, it wears you out just watching it. This is especially shown in Matthias Schoenaerts' performance, which shows his internal angst and bitterness, while allowing his vulnerability to pass through at key moments. With this, the bright spots where he bonds with the horse as part of his rehabilitation indicate a bright spot within this system and a brief glimmer of hope.
The Farewell
I listened to the This American Life segment this was based on, and it hews quite close to that (ignoring some of the later parts). However, seeing it play out in a narrative way, we get more of the character (Lulu Wang's avatar) internal struggle with the central problem of the film and her more Americanized nature while in China, as well as her family's sheer sadness at the entire situation. It's all very affecting, and while applying to Chinese filial norms, can be seen as something of a universal experience.
Parasite
Again, another film that deserves as little knowledge as possible when going to see. All I knew going in was that it was a Korean film and it got weird. I didn't expect what I got, and the themes it went into. It is one of most unique films I've seen in a very, very long time, and goes in the most unexpected directions and shows characters going in unexpected directions, and has something of an unexpected theme.
The Art of Self-Defense
The blackest of black comedies. A Coen Brothers-esque look into a schlub who signs up for karate after an assault, and is gradually indoctrinated into a literal cult of masculinity. With the rise of Gaters and toxic fandom, this is perhaps a pertinent look into how that sort of culture builds and is cultivated through intimidation and control. Beyond the deeper themes, it is incredibly, insane, deeply funny in every single scene. Like I said, though, black comedy, so it's both funny and just a little bit shocking.
Booksmart
I've never laughed as hard or as constantly as I did in this film (and I was, for some reason, the only one in the theater). This was incredibly funny, and had so many interesting memorable jokes that work on so many levels, from subtle jokes to big set pieces. Along with being uproarious, it also has some very meaningful stuff for teens to absorb, including pressure for college, pressure of being LGBTQIA+ , pressure for romance, and pressure of trying to have fun in an academically stressful time. What really places it here are Beanie Feldstein and Kaitlyn Dever , who are hilarious together and individually.
Shazam
DC has been making incredible films recently, it's weird to think. After years of total dogshit, their films are not only watchable, but incredible, and this was incredible. This was incredibly fun, with Zachery Levi clearly having a blast playing the titular character and had some of the best comedy and action I've seen in any superhero movie. It manages to takes its ridiculous premise seriously without being too dour about it, and shows the fun of it, without neglecting the characters. And despite all that, it is so emotionally powerful and poignant, I was in tears for some of the ending. It is not only the best superhero film of the year, but perhaps one of the best period.
Jojo Rabbit
The comedies this year have really stepped up their game. This film most reminds me of a Disney short from World War II called Education for Death, which explores the psychology of a child as they are molded through the Hitler Youth system into perfect soldiers for the Third Reich, devoid of empathy. This film takes those themes and adds a comedic spin to it. Like the other comedies on here, this manages to be both gut-bustingly hysterical, and have a very strong emotional side to it, never downplaying the terror of Nazism or the threat it posed even to its own citizens, while using the comedy to increase this terror. It is a film that only Taika Waititi could've made.
Pokemon: Detective Pikachu
This was very personal to me, being a longtime fan of this franchise. I simply adored this film. I love all the Pokemon it shows from every generation. I love the way they look realistic while still retaining their game designs. I like all the little nods to continuity. I love the way the story integrates many facets of the Pokemon universe while introducing new ones. Even beyond that, I just like that this was just fun to watch. It legitimately made me feel like a kid again, watching Pokemon on my VHS tapes. This will be a film I'll revisit for years to come.
Alita: Battle Angel
Having only recently begun getting into the original manga, I am very impressed with the way the film brought it to life, keeping the spirit and tone of it alive, while making it just a little more realistic. It is incredibly beautiful, with stunning visuals and imaginative designs for each and every character, capturing the tone of the manga without being too dogmatic. It also has the best visual effects of any big blockbuster this year. It is just a stunning picture.
Lego Movie 2
The first one managed to surprise by not just being a massive toy commercial, but also a surprisingly funny satire and just a fun experience with a surprisingly good message. This film takes the elements that work about the first one, and increases them tenfold. This was both hilarious, satirizing various genres and feeling like a sugar fueled adventure conceived by a 12 year old, while being very, very good at it, and having a surprisingly great message that expands on the other film's message, and adds a new element to the film that ties everything very neatly. It's hard not to top this, but there are a few more entries.
Us
Having proved he could sociopolitical horror with Get Out, I think Jordan Peele wanted to prove he could straight-forward horror with Us. Within the first hour of watching this, I realized that, while Get Out was a riff on George Romero and Wes Craven's brand of socially aware horror, this was more John Carpenter, both in its dark, slow moving fashion, and in the way it explicitly explores the conventions of the genre and bring some originality to it. Not to say that Peele is a mimic. In fact, he takes the Carpenter method of slow burning horror and escalates it to nearly nationwide proportions, taking the stalking killer to a whole new level. And as a big John Carpenter fan, it was obvious to appeal to me, along with Peele's very strong talent for directing and writing.
Blinded by the Light
My parents are immigrants from South India. That bit of knowledge is needed to truly understand why this film resonated so strongly with me. This real story of a young Pakistani-British teen and how his creativity is sparked by an obsession with Bruce Springsteen, was very powerful for me. I could very strongly relate to the main character, his drive for creativity (primarily writing), and especially his complicated relationship with his immigrant family. I've had many experiences with my own family similar to that of the main character, and it got hard to watch because of that fact. It was a very emotional experience for me, and that really is the point of the film.
Best of the Year
Knives Out
I've said before, I don't have a set criteria for the best of. It's really a combination of how much each factor worked and more of a gut instinct immediately after. This had that right combination. Again, best thing you can do is go into this with absolutely no knowledge. Not of its plot, characters, anything. It works because it grabs you completely by surprise with every turn. You are just absorbed into this mystery as it gradually unravels more and more to reveal multiple levels. It has a number of shocking twists and details that require multiple viewings to fully get. Combined with great acting, great writing, and superb cinematography (as per veteran crime filmmaker Rian Johnson), it really was the most fun I had in the theater in a very long time. It is a film I recommend to everyone. And that is why I consider it the best film of the year.
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Alright, next month, some decadal retrospective and Sonic the Hedgehog next month.
