Reviews

! A trigger warning is necessary as there is disturbing cruelty featured in the film, though it does not cross the obvious boundaries it could have. !

I highly recommend Okja. If you have not yet seen it, please do!

This may be an unpopular opinion, but I believe that from what I have seen so far, Okja is Bong Joon-ho's best film. It is just fascinating!

Okja is unique in concept, all while relating to global ideologies, and breathtaking in execution. As a matter of fact, it features my favorite scene in all of cinema. It left me both crying and laughing. One scene is all it took to bump Okja up to a nine for me!

The diversity in thought and characters is remarkable. It is something we don't often get to see in cinema so deeply studied. The contradictory nature of the characters adds an authentic humanity.

From beginning to end, Okja is a captivating and fulfilling experience. Watch it if you haven't!

I had high expectations for this film as it was the Best Picture of 2020. It simply would not have been my choice.

Straight off the bat, the cinematography paired with the color scheme and score pulled me in. Much of the music in the film was haunting and effective, though at times, it fell completely flat, indulging in string clichés, which seemed to contradict the original nature of Parasite.

Parasite is unlike any film I've seen in several regards. It takes a while for the plot to settle in. It's rather special as the circumstances unravel. It is genre-bending and defying. The film shifts in tone several times, which I found refreshing. However, I was both indifferent and negative in response to integral directions taken in the final act.

I appreciate that every single character was flawed and that many of our protagonists were irredeemable.

Slow burns are my favorite type of film. The pacing was mostly tolerable, though I do believe in being slightly condensed, it would be improved. The ending dragged out. We can gather much from what is told in one word. There were many moments that felt like watching a trailer of a greater film in part due to sound mixing, which was disappointing. If the editing was improved upon, I, again, would have enjoyed it more.

Stylistically, for the most part, Parasite is brilliant. Sure, it may have its faults, but it is still worlds upon worlds better than your average film. Does it align with my preferences? Mostly yes, but not entirely. If I preferred the directions taken, it would lean towards an 8 or perhaps even a 9 as the film is built on a remarkable foundation that I truly have never seen done before; it's frankly inspirational.

If there were some different decisions made and some of the editing was improved upon, again, I likely would have bumped this up to an 8 or a 9.

To most, Parasite is a masterpiece, and understandably so. On a technical basis, I am inclined to agree.

I recommend Parasite! :)

Too few people have seen this movie! It has incredible neurodivergent representation and depicts accurate and respectful portrayals of a nonverbal neurodivergent character and the family and mentors caring for him. It is a remarkably groundbreaking film with fun kid-friendly horror akin to The Haunting Hour, which is a show slightly stronger than Goosebumps targeted more towards tweens and teens as opposed to younger children, though I do believe younger kids raised on shows like The Twilight Zone or the aforementioned series and movies like Coraline may not consider it to be all that scary. There is only one particularly strong moment of horror while the rest of it is fairly tame, mostly taking the form of friendly clichés, clever origination, symbolism, and storytelling with the occasional eerie or disturbing visual. The film in and of itself reaches far beyond the horror genre and is a strong family drama/slice of life story. The ending left me in liberated tears. For the first time in a long time, I felt truly connected to a film. So please. If you haven't seen it already, Come Play is an amazing film.

Am I the only person who genuinely likes Space Cop? I'm sure I'm not, but upon watching the film, I found myself rather confused as to why the fan base so frequently s**ts on it. Yes, it 100% does look like something the lads would watch on Best of the Worst and "unironically" enjoy. It's not everyone's cup of tea, I understand that. That also applies to everything ever to exist and even crap that doesn't. But it defied my expectations personally. I by no means have high standards as I do enjoy my fair share of sex pervert schlock along with the high-brow artsy fartsy cinema.

Space Cop was clever. It had a compelling plot and characters and, at times, shockingly good special effects. Some of it looked really stupid, but that is absolutely part of the fun of it! I don't say it to poke fun, but even if I did, I know these guys couldn't give a s**t less (I apologize for the censored swearing - it's the only way I can get away with it here). I'm kind of surprised these lads haven't branched out into more serious mainstream cinema. Mike, Rich, and Jay are promising talents. Rich went mainstream alongside Mike as extras in the Drew Barrymore film Never Been Kissed and Rich was furthermore featured on the Ellen DeGenerate show in his viral Dick the Birthday Boy picture. I know Mike could write and direct something groundbreaking for the sci-fi genre as Space Cop does prove that he has original ideas and execution to bring to the table, though I have never seen Star Trek and can't confirm if they're nearly identical. And we all know Jay could write/direct the next big A24 sex pervert horror debut! I'd pay good money to see that, Bauman! (To the tune of Your Song): "I don't have much money, but, boy if I did, I'd suffer at the theater to watch a sex pervert flick." - Elton John and also me

I support the guys no matter what, but after seeing Space Cop, I am even more impressed at the potential I see in them. They have done countless amazing projects and I know if they put their minds to it, they could create a serious masterpiece for the big screen.

Preface:

While The Babadook is renowned as one of the most influential films of the 2010's, Kill List is not NEARLY as recognized as it should be. It is surprisingly obscure for being such an influential film. If you have seen some of the more popular twisted flicks of the mid to late 2010's, you've likely seen this film already, meaning Kill List is another puzzle piece of inspiration to modern horror artists. Not enough people talk about Kill List in the horror community. I am almost certain it is to thank for some of our bests and we shouldn't go without recognizing that and also considering it top tier as well.

I highly recommend Kill List to the proper* audience. If you are easily triggered by strong violent content with extremely shocking moments, I will not recommend this to you as a safety measure. There is an audience for everything and I am judgment-free and caring in my recommendations so as to not steer anyone in the wrong direction. :)

Extended review:

Overall, the technicalities are rather good. The writing, acting, and directing are all great and some of the more mundane visuals are made special by attention to atmosphere - setting, tone, and color. The balance of show and tell was remarkable. The special effects were grizzly and effective, holding emotional impact and serving a purpose for character and plot development. I appreciate the structure - this clearly inspired many others to come, particularly the last act.

If I would have seen Kill List before many of my favorite horror films, I would have rated it very highly, which is why I gave it an 8. I am seeing it from that perspective: the perspective that while these recent horror films are, indeed, groundbreaking and special, Kill List must have inspired some of the greats meaning it is only fair to be considered one of them. If it were to come out in proceeding years, it would have been less impressive; it would blend into the mix of modern horror cinema reminiscent of something vintage while maintaining its footing in its own reality.

Kill List is shocking and emotional and, for its time, brilliant. It gave my mom night terrors.

I recommend Kill List.

(TW: there is heavy racism present in both the book and the movie, though it is more extreme in the book. The villain is racist and the motives are experimented upon in the film. It is ultimately entertaining to watch the villain be outsmarted by a child several times. Racism sucks!)

The weaknesses and strengths oddly balance in the film while the book is more shocking and effective, but I appreciate the feature length experimentation.

If you are an aspiring filmmaker or open-minded cinema geek, you will be far more likely to appreciate this experience than the average moviegoer. I recommend Found mostly because it is under appreciated and achieves the balance of coming of age with horror quite well. Unlike some films, the horror feels right in place.

If you don't mind weaknesses in a passion project with an apparent small budget and you appreciate heartfelt work, tolerate exploitation/boundary pushing horror, and like a good coming of age story to go along with your horror, you may just like Found, the book or the movie.

Extended review:

If you aren't used to extremely* small budget cinema, the quality will likely remove you from the experience, but it is still worth a go.

I am here to offer an honest review with constructive criticism as I do in all of my reviews.

There are weaknesses to the film, but no one can deny its heart. The acting mostly falls flat. The protagonist, Gavin Brown as Marty, is a decent child actor. The parents' performances, Phylis Munroe as Lisa and Louie Lawless as Stanley, for the most part are unconvincing, but are surprisingly powerful when expressing sadness and fear. It's a pattern I've noticed in mainstream cinema as well. Subtleties can be a struggle for some actors whereas "power housing," so to speak, is easier to achieve. Ethan Philbeck as Steve is surprisingly great, as is Scott Schirmer's directing. The characters are always doing something natural and interesting and the movements don't feel forced or staged, which can be a downfall for some films. The score is pretty great for an indie film and adds to the tone. The cinematography and color scheme are mostly typical and unremarkable, but that isn't a downfall as I wouldn't expect something mind blowing from a film such as this and these aspects don't by any means define a film's quality anyhow. A major flaw is the dialogue. A lot of it feels premeditated and, especially with such a vulnerable film like this, similarly to the acting, it can further detach you from the experience.

Marty, the protagonist (twelve in the movie, ten in the book), is a good character. He is a conflicted, troubled kid with dreams and, overall, I prefer the way he is written in the film as there is a lot shown and not told and the subtleties further help you empathize.

Arguably the biggest character and story flaw in the film are the villain's motives as he admits his influence from a figure who is meant to be an enemy. In the book, he tries and fails at being individualistic and is even more unhinged. His empathy for Marty comes across as creepy whereas the film approaches his empathy with more genuine feelings of brotherly love, which makes for his only soft spot. This ultimately gives you more conflicted feelings towards Steve and makes for a challenging viewing, and not in a good way. I enjoy the book's depiction more, though I can appreciate the experimentation in writing, as the author of the book collaborated on the screenplay with the director.

I feel privileged to be among the minority who catches references to the book in the film. I don't regret reading the book, which surpasses boundaries even more. If you anticipate the film, you should read the book too as it makes watching the movie more fun when you find the Easter eggs.

All in all, Found is undoubtedly unique and original, both the book and the film through their similarities and differences.

The Black Phone is built on a solid foundation from the Joe Hill short story. But the film falls flat in so many ways.

Sure, the visuals are somewhat creepy, but what purpose do they serve? Reminding you that this is a mainstream horror movie and to grasp at anything to make it a less demanding slow burn. If there were more psychological aspects - and NOT what we were met with - it would have been a lot more eerie and mysterious. But of course it had to prioritize targeting its modern teen audience. It had a great deal of potential. The emotional aspects were hard hitting. One of the antagonists had a rather tragic backstory that allows you to sympathize whereas the other antagonist's motives are left vague and implied, calling for something a little more menacing. It creates a great balance. That's an aspect of the film I can admit is very strong, which is what amped my rating up to a 5.

Ethan Hawke's performance was derivative of Bill Skarsgård's Pennywise in It (2017), and maybe that's why people are praising his portrayal of the Grabber. Of course the Grabber's behaviors are indicative of age regression. Nonetheless, it's not entirely individual. When child actress Madeleine McGraw was working with a decent script (and it was generally subpar), she offered the best performance of the film along with Jeremy Davies, who plays her father. The lead actor, Mason Thames, her brother in the film and the protagonist, was average for a child actor, which is to be expected.

One of my favorite parts of the film is the Grabber's mask. It's so haunting to look at. Superb design. Other than that, the visuals aren't in any way remarkable...Aside from the fact that again, like It, we get a child in a yellow raincoat. I understand if this is a nod to Stephen King as Joe Hill, the author of the short story, is his son, but let's PLEASE separate the artists!

All in all, if The Black Phone stylistically took a more indie style approach than mainstream, I think it could have been better. If it was more along the lines of The Others, which worked as a subtle, eerie indie-style film as opposed to It, which worked as a mainstream film, I would have preferred it. There was plenty of potential, but it was ultimately wasted.

I had high expectations for this. With such a great cast and solid foundation, it should have been a win! But it wasn't. There are so many problems with this. For one, it's not all that scary. Not even fun scary. It (2017) genuinely frightened me and was a h*ll of a lot of fun. The special effects here are rather unimpressive with what could have been done. And while it may be attempting to call back to the mini series for its cheesy special effects or striving to maintain the aspect of childhood trauma by being slightly juvenile, it ultimately failed. The writing can fit a lot of the blame, too. What were the entities they saw this time around? Why weren't they as memorable as the first film and why were they, at times, impersonal or repetitive? If Gary Dauberman asked himself this while writing the script, we may have had different scares with better special effects and a more meaningful impact. With some collaboration on the script like there was for the first film, we could've been working with something a bit better. Dauberman seems to work well with a team, so I hope that at the very least, the idea of several screenwriters was tossed up. Another avoidable issue is rather than flashing back to important moments from the first film or beginning with the ending of the first film before a title screen, which would have been sentimental and meaningful, hyping you up while you settle in, we get de-aged nonsense. The lore of Pennywise is an important plot point...And it's also poorly executed and rather unnecessary. The mystery was exciting in the first one and translated to uninteresting the second time around. A point I don't see made all that frequently is in regards to Bill Skarsgård's performance. It seems too different from the 2017 It. His presence overall strayed from the first film for the worse. Nonetheless, he is a very talented actor. What few strong points this film has - good acting, memorable dialogue, tension building, some, at times, vibrant colors and memorable cinematography along with vague scares - ultimately can't save this disappointing adaptation. I recommend It (2017) and the 1990 mini series. I do not recommend It (2019).

It Chapter 1 is great! It's honest and the kids' dynamics are wonderful across the board. The vast majority of the child acting is very believable and they work together as a group and individually. There are truly hilarious moments that offer great comic relief. It balances genuinely disturbing elements with levity, making the horror fun and, at times, quite frightening! While I typically find jump scares to be cheap, boring, and ineffective, it works well with this film as it is meant to be fun and doesn't remain the only method of scaring. There is shock, suspense, tension, and memorable visuals. Bill Skarsgård as Pennywise was great. He offered a particularly unhinged and disquieting portrayal. There are some shockingly graphic moments that will stay etched into your brain and on the other hand, some one-liners you might take with you for the road! It effortlessly manages to balance the characters and plot along with horror and entertainment/comic relief. From a technical standpoint, the cinematography and camerawork are well executed, the references are wonderful, as is the soundtrack and original score, and the writing/directing are remarkable. All in all, it is able to capture the zeitgeist of the eighties. It is exceptional for mainstream horror and, thus far, if not my favorite, is certainly among my preferred Stephen King flicks.

I like the It miniseries! The content present is never too strong as it is accompanied by tasteful visuals, even when handling sensitive subject matter. It's ever-so cheesy, but entirely effective due to its wholesome sentiment. It may be dated, but that adds to the charm. Tim Curry portrays Pennywise the clown as charming enough to convince a child he's harmless while having malicious intent. He is both goofy and scary, just as he should be. But he also brings subtlety to the character. It's the faces he makes and dynamics of his voice that strike a chord. Sadly, some of the entities Pennywise appears as aren't all that impressive, but the memorable shapes are great. They're creepy or they fit well into the universe. The character dynamics of the Losers Club are great both individually and together. The portion of It with the children is obviously stronger as it's more fun and nostalgic, but I appreciate that it didn't reach to be vastly more mature in dealing with the adult portion. It is overall slightly forgettable in some regards. In all versions of It, there is a lot of information being thrown at you. Sure, you process all of it, but you're bound to forget some of it and, due to the nearly two hundred minute length, there will be more to forget, though enough to make for an ultimately memorable experience. Not to mention that a lot of what people remember about the mini series is for all of the wrong reasons. People like to bash the special effects for being unrealistic and poorly made, but I personally, for the most part, love them. They feel surreal and whether or not they had better special effects, it's never going to fully ground you in reality because it's fantastical. It's meant to be these people's unrealistic reality, so the special effects didn't pull me out as much as they did for some people.

It's by no means a masterpiece, but it gets the point across while remaining fun with dull moments here and there. If you like a good plot and character-centric experience with horror elements that aren't all that scary unless you're among the younger audience, then I most definitely recommend It!

I must admit that from a technical standpoint, this film is far closer to a 7 or an 8; I rated it a 4 based on personal preferences as it ultimately was not my cup of tea.

If you don't mind a slow burn with extreme boundaries crossed, appreciate strong religious symbolism that may not be shed in the best light, and tolerate (potentially extreme) discomfort, you may like Mother!. But bear in mind the severity of the content awaiting you.

This is an Aronofsky film that misses the mark for me. The writing is far too on the nose and stole me from the moment at times. The technicalities were able to save some of it as I do enjoy the cinematography, directing, and acting. Telling while showing is a pet peeve of mine, so naturally, I'm not the biggest fan of Aronofsky's films thus far, though it is apparent he has improved as a filmmaker since this movie.

All in all, Mother is a film I went into with high expectations and was a bit disappointed by.

I really enjoyed EO. Since this felt strongly original, I was disappointed to find that it's loosely based on another film, but that won't change my rating.

Aside from the titular EO, an adorable donkey (played by six donkeys!), the characters are also intriguing and diverse in writing. While this is EO's story, there are circumstances along the way that further carry the film.

It is visually stunning - the cinematography and directing complement each other wonderfully! I adore the color scheme, though there are deep flashing reds (a seizure warning is necessary as the first scene alone along with a couple of others were overwhelming for me to watch and could likely induce seizures).

I love the way the budget was utilized. It felt very small/low budget at times, even if it obviously put a lot towards the animals and locations, et cetera.

There is shocking violence present, so be on the lookout for that. The viewing is challenging at times, but it is entirely worth it!

My intentions are never to berate or hate. I only intend to offer my honest opinion; I truly mean no harm to anyone who participated in the film.

I greatly anticipated Men, but was shocked that it seemed to fade from the public eye rather quickly. When I finally got around to seeing it, I could tell why.

It's rare for me to say "weird, and not in a good way," but here we are. I went in wearing a very serious lens as it deals with sensitive subject matter and personal triggers, but some of the execution was borderline laughable. The statements being made were clear at points and indistinguishable in others, but overall, I would say I enjoy the symbolism. The acting was alright, ironically my favorite being from the men of the film, particularly Rory Kinnear. As much as I do appreciate Jessie Buckley, her performance wasn't as strong. Slow burn, especially horror, is arguably my favorite kind of movie. It's uncommon for me to label a movie as boring, and I won't make an exception here, but there were undoubtedly scenes that dragged on, even if they were initially effective in being claustrophobic, tension-building, or atmospheric.

The technical aspects of Men were mostly great. I loved the pinks, reds, and greens, even if the red was exaggerated at times, and the setting was absolutely beautiful. I enjoyed the score. The cinematography was quite nice as well. The special effects weren't always that great and I wasn't a huge fan of the writing/directing, but it's safe to say the film itself was built on a solid foundation.

If you are a fan of abstract art, vague and disquieting horror, and are not easily triggered, I will recommend this film for you. To a general audience who wants to see a movie for an engaging and entertaining experience, I would recommend perhaps seeking something else.

TL; DR:

The writing and some of the acting sadly brought the film down for me*, but all in all, it's a solid film and I do recommend it; it's worth it for its strengths. But bear in mind it is by no means an easy watch. It is challenging, frustrating, and deeply depressing, but it is still a beautiful film nonetheless.

Extended review:

After viewing the trailer, I expected bombastic acting from Brendan Fraser as protagonist Charlie and I vastly prefer what I got. He was written to be far more subtle in the emotions he portrayed and I appreciate that. Hong Chau's character, Liz, certainly wasn't my favorite, even if her unwavering ways served a purpose. Sadie Sink was heartbreaking as Ellie and I loved Samantha Morton's depiction of Mary. I wasn't the biggest fan of Ty Simpkin's acting and his character. My major problem is, even though The Whale was adapted from a stage play, the writing is far too on the nose in telling and not showing - and there was much to show. Charlie's home is a character itself and the cinematography is just gorgeous. I enjoyed mostly every technical aspect - directing, as aforementioned, cinematography and setting, score, color scheme, et cetera. It was a brutally honest film with hard-hitting emotion. I'm simply a bit nit-picky. The flaws don't define the film, even if they did slightly drag my opinion down.

The ending was so powerful I wept for minutes. I can't say that's particularly rare, but I must admit it did strike an especially resonant chord within me.

Overall, for its significant emotional impact, I recommend The Whale.

While I recommend this to a general audience, I especially do for those who love film. A casual moviegoer may not appreciate it as much* as it is very strange and non-traditionally entertaining. At any rate, it's well worth your time.

Now that the Academy Awards have passed, I can sadly say that Banshees somehow did not win any of the Oscars it was nominated for. At least the nominations made it clear that this film offers some of the best performances and technicalities of the year. Colin Farrell and Kerry Condon were among the best candidates, if not *the* best for Best Actor and Best Supporting Actress as they were both remarkable. Colin especially, as he made you feel SO MUCH for his character Pádraic, who is our protagonist. Brendan Gleeson portrayed Colm like he truly was Colm, which was certainly off-putting, and I mean that in the BEST WAY. Kerry Condon, as aforementioned, was just amazing, and Berry Keoghan was adorable.

Acting aside, this film consists of only strengths. The writing is fantastic, the cinematography is drop dead gorgeous, and the color scheme and directing are memorable. To me, the only aspect I remain bitter about is the last act and ending. It was absolutely meant to end the way it did; if there was any other conclusion, the symbolism and foreshadowing would have been pointless. But a part of me wishes there could have been some other way. It isn't a flaw by any means, but it is a slight disappointment.

Overall, Banshees is hands down one of the best films not only of 2022, but of the decade thus far, and I reckon it'll remain at the top of that list.

TL;DR:

If you are a fan of psychological and supernatural horror and are interested to see one of *the* films that sparked many more like it, then The Babadook is worth giving a chance.

Extended review:

Yes, The Babadook has its influences, but, on the contrary, it is influential. It has aroused more attention and care to horror, particularly the psychological sub-genre and intertwining of grief and supernatural/surrealistic/fantastical natures. Doused in fun clichés and memorable metaphors, I found myself mostly immersed in the experience.

The cinematography and dreamlike Tim Burton style were on-point. Stylistically, this is among my favorite horror films hands down. I appreciate both the brightness and drabness.

While this is a very serious film and I did take it as such, there were borderline laughable moments due to choppy editing, exaggerated and ear-r*ping sound design (much of which was great, but there were some moments that were far too over-the-top, and even if that was intentional, it pulls you out of the initial effectiveness of the film), lackluster visuals (though the vast majority are fantastically phantasmal), and restatement after restatement.

Sure, it's undoubtedly sloppy. There should have been changes to the script and structure before heading into filming as it made much of the last act repetitive and sore. The ending even could have had one minor change to callback and I would've preferred it. The runtime could have been extended for an even slower burn. We could have become more acquainted with repression and triggers. The child actor, Noah Wiseman, is certainly annoying (which he's meant to be) and while he wasn't believable at points, he still managed to tug at my heartstrings. Essie Davis was quite great, as was mostly everyone else in the film.

In terms of mental health, the grief and trauma was approached mostly* accurately.

If you have not seen the film and are curious about it, I certainly suggest you give it a watch!

This is such a good movie! It is most definitely my favorite comedy horror film. It is likely to defy your expectations. I was endlessly impressed at the creativity of the circumstances and how they painted entirely misleading pictures. I think that even if you don't prefer horror films, you will have a fun time watching this as it isn't all that scary, but sets an undeniably gothic tone. But do* be on the lookout for gore. And if you're in it for the laughs, well, you won't be disappointed! It is an intelligent film with fantabulous writing and directing (and I don't often use the word "fantabulous"). The only conspicuous flaw, and, even then, it is only my perception of a flaw, is the visual stylings. It lacks saturation and is all too green. If you have yet to see Tucker and Dale vs. Evil, I highly recommend it.

Can you see the desperation in my capital letters? Please do yourself a favor and watch this movie, it's incredible (though I do suggest reading the parents' guide for potential triggers). Taika Waititi once again proves his mastering at the craft of making a good movie. Hilarious and heartwarming, Hunt For the Wilderpeople will break your heart and put the pieces back together. It inspired me greatly. To write haikus. And I never did, but that's not the movie's fault, I just have too many ideas. It is a fantastic movie that really isn't talked about enough. There should be more conversations about it; I know they would be fun.

TL; DR

In the end, through all of the oddities that unravel, through all of the discomfort and eye-bulging moments, through all of the tears, doubts, and bouts of bad luck, it remains feel-good.

I can say with great confidence that Little Miss Sunshine is one of the best movies ever made and I strongly recommend it to the appropriate audience. (As harmless as it may appear, it's definitely not a kids' film.)

Extended review:

Every aspect of this film is incredible. The characters are each so individualistic and the actors play their roles and dynamics so perfectly, it doesn't even feel like acting. Abigail Breslin offers a shockingly good performance for a child actor as Olive and was rightfully nominated. Alan Arkin won for Best Supporting Actor as Grandpa Edwin, as he should've. Greg Kinnear was highly effective in his balance of d**k wad try-hard and a genuinely trying person. Toni Collette, my favorite actress, was amazing as Sheryl, of course. Paul Dano gives my personal favorite performance of his as Dwayne and Steve Carell truly transforms into Frank. The directing is solid, the writing is so good I can't even put it into words (and I'm a writer), the color scheme is bright and beautiful, and the cinematography is fantastic. I feel privileged to have introduced this film to people in my life. I firmly believe that everyone should watch this movie at some point in their life. It's quirky without indulging in clichés, grounded in familiarity and the authenticity of being alive in several different stages of life. I think everyone in the audience can relate to the characters in some way or another.

Little Miss Sunshine is a life-changing, eye-opening film that may just leave you glossed or spilling with tears.

There isn't much more to say except for please go watch it if you haven't and if you have seen it, this is your sign to spend another hour and forty-one minutes watching it. :)

Yeah, I felt reborn after this movie, no big deal (half kidding). This is a film in which you may not relate to or find yourself interested in the subject matter outside of the film, but find yourself utterly invested anyhow. It is technically brilliant. The cinematography and color scheme are gorgeous and haunting, the directing is wonderful, the dedication to capturing the zeitgeist through dialect, costume design, et cetera, is impressive, and the writing is overall remarkable. It is everything a movie should be. Daniel Day-Lewis delivers my all-time favorite performance in this film as Daniel Plainview.

The only imperfection worth mentioning is that the last act falls slightly flat, but manages to close out on an iconic ending scene.

TWBB is among the most disturbing films I have ever seen as we are let into the cold, dead heart of the protagonist and are allowed into the tragic worlds of families that challenge you to empathize with flawed characters. It's not a horror movie and isn't packed full of in your face shock that begs you to feel something; it's subtle in its execution and horrifying with its ways. If you have yet to see this film, please do. It is a masterpiece. I highly recommend There Will Be Blood.

I rate The Andy Baker Tape, which is a remarkable title, in my opinion, a 6.5/10. To my surprise, its biggest flaw is the introduction to and addition of the horror genre. For me, it does not work as a horror film - it feels unnatural. It begins as a tender slice of life with a jarring transition into thriller territory, but the charming plot makes the watch entirely worth it. Newfound brotherhood and bonding over good food? It makes for an entertaining and cute experience up until the turn for the worse, which is a double entendre. I don't find this film scary in the slightest, but that isn't such a bad thing. It is a completely competent family film. I recommend The Andy Baker Tape.

From a technical viewpoint, Saint Maud is incredible, I can admit that effortlessly. The directing is wonderful, especially* for a feature length directorial debut, the performances are all great, the cinematography is absolutely gorgeous, the color scheme is laid back and suits the film well, the score stands out and adds character, and the dialogue is remarkable. Its weaknesses simply outweigh its strengths for me. The plot and characters were intriguing to me at the beginning, but didn't captivate me nearly as much as I would have liked by the end, the horror elements were gravely disappointing, and many directions the film took ultimately didn't seem to fit in and created a typical tone which kind of broke my heart as it seemed to be more unique. Its meaningful metaphors and slight ambiguity (depending on interpretation) can't go unacknowledged though as it is a film that gets those missing pieces right. As a film overall, I can understand why it is praised, I simply didn't enjoy it and find it to be overrated. But the film clearly displays potential. I believe if Rose Glass reconstructed her plot and the blueprints, it could have begun and ended the same way with different jelly in the middle and I likely would have enjoyed it far more. Rose is a promising writer/director and I greatly respect her and hope this offers constructive criticism as opposed to insults as I never intend to offend. I truly do look forward to supporting her and her future work! It's certainly looking up from here. It's impressive the name she has already made for herself. I recommend this film for its technicalities and I certainly fall in the minority of not preferring it and there's nothing wrong with that. I won't tell you it's a waste of your time because it's simply not. Everything leads up to an incredible ending and it is a memorable experience. All in all, the worst of it simply outweighs the best for me.

The Fabelmans is truly a movie for everyone! It's a movie loving movie! An mlm! Wait...Anyhow. It is both an inspired and inspiring Spielberg instant classic loosely based on his own life. It is highly cinematic while maintaining its footing in reality.

A big congratulations to the 2023 Oscar nominees for The Fabelmans. Each performance was special and memorable in some way or another, but I'm sorely disappointed at the obvious snub, Paul Dano for Best Supporting Actor, especially considering he was the standout performance. Subtle roles are often overlooked, but considering the schmaltzy nature of the film, the opportunity to finally nominate this inexplicably tremendous actor was staring them in the face...And yet they still didn't cease the opportunity. I'm surprised I didn't see it coming. Hats off to the academy, they're still killing it (joking). The color scheme suits the retro vibe, which is largely in part due to its authenticity from filming with actual film, and the cinematography is spectacular. It wraps up like a gift for the audience and left my heart full. I hoped it would end when it did, not because I was eager for it to be over, but because it was the best possible conclusion for the film. The directing feels very natural when necessary and animated when appropriate. The unnatural elements are likely intentional. It is among the films that wants to remind you that this is a cinematic experience. The score is lovely, especially the theme. The costume design is great and the writing is pretty good for the most part. Truly, it is an undeniably great movie from a technical standpoint and is both a challenging and fun experience overall.

I recommend The Fabelmans.

It took a while for me to arrive at a conclusion about this film, but after deliberating, I decided it was solidly good. It is another vague modern horror film with ambiguity that may warp your definition and opinion of the film. It is one of the few that gets it right as it does have a narrative and details enough to gather your own interpretation without having a slow, pointless, inspired mess. The way it utilized its low budget was impressive and effective. The sound design and special effects were amazing. All in all, it was a remarkably creative and unique film. Its main flaws were held in repetition (and it was effective at times), shock value, and overwhelming visuals. Yes, they are meant to be overwhelming, but they become ineffective in the boundaries they cross. But while they could be jarring and distractingly so, at times, it was perfect for the film. I went in completely blind and had a major "what the f" reaction at the end of the film, which is a sign that it at least evoked enough emotions for me to put care into evaluating how I felt about the experience. And it was a good experience! It creeped me out, it intrigued me, and I found myself connecting with the environment, plot, and characters, which is all extremely integral. Because of this, I recommend it!

Pearl is the prequel to Ti West's "X," the predecessor fitting into the slasher sub-genre whereas this is psychological horror at its finest. Lynchian and accompanied by hands down the best score of 2022, a dreamy, eye-popping color scheme, gorgeous cinematography, charming choreography, memorable costume design, remarkable editing, and mostly improved upon directing, Pearl is an absolute success. At first, I had mixed feelings. The film was, out of the gate, on the nose, which can be tricky to successfully insert, especially in such early moments, but it served its purpose in the end. Pearl is both wise beyond her years and childlike for her age, which results in a haunting paradox and complication for her character and only humanizes her all the more while adding an uneasiness to the already established uncomfortable environment. Mia Goth gave an incredible performance and was, at times, far more subtle than I expected. She showed a wide range of emotions in the film and handled that scale wonderfully. There are some changes I wish would have been implemented in execution in regards to the writing and directing, but it didn't fully take me out of the viewing experience. It is a slow film, offering plenty of time for character and plot development. I love a slow burn and this is among my favorites, though it took a bit of pondering to arrive at that conclusion. The ending was utterly horrifying and made all the more effective by the shocking events and tension leading up. To me, it was the perfect conclusion to the film. It is one of the few films that left me wondering, "Did I love it or did I hate it?" only because it truly scared me beyond logic. Of course when logic took place, I decided it was an incredible film. All in all, I strongly recommend Pearl, deeply disturbing and all.