Reviews

Well, this certainly takes the cake for most disturbing movie of the year. This year definitely had it's share of trauma-inducing moments between The Substance, Kinds of Kindness, The Beast, and more, but none are as committed to the tone and the message as cripplingly as Red Rooms. There are a handful of notable films that cover the topic of snuff from the last 40 years, but none of them have ever taken this approach: focusing on the sickos who participate in the purchasing and consumption of such abominable media, rather than focusing on the sickos who create it. I'd have to say that outside of maybe The Beast, this was the most intrigued I felt while watching a 2024 film. It also made me feel the most passionate about needing to understand every detail of what I just watched when it was over.

While the striking lead actress Juliette Gariepy may not give the performance of a lifetime as her character Kelly-Anne, she does manage to confuse the viewer enough to scare them, again and again throughout the film. This is an upper-tier case of "Are they a good guy or a bad guy?! I cannot figure out their intentions for the life of me!"

Red Rooms is a meticulously balanced French-Canadian psychological horror movie that will creep its way under your skin without you noticing, and when its over, it's highly likely you will feel as if you just watched something that is genuinely cursed, and maybe a little too real.

First, I just need to say, to all the people I spoke with before I saw this movie who told me "This movie is not horny, not hot, not sexy, not interesting, not good, should have gone straight to streaming, or, it was so boring", we are not the same. If you don't find this movie "horny", I honestly have no idea what could possibly capture on-screen sexuality to you outside of straight-up pornography. If this is not a "horny movie" to you, honestly, what is!? What were you expecting from this movie? I am dying to understand. My only thought is that perhaps people who don't understand the psychological basics of S&M don't understand what's going on here???

That aside, I naturally came into Babygirl expecting something "mid" and walked out extremely impressed by what I would consider a flawless film, and definitely a standout in the history of film. Nicole Kidman maintains her status as an absolute queen of delivering complex, provocative characters in erotically charged films that always manage to have just enough separation from one another, yet they are all fully believable as separate fleshed-out individuals (Eyes Wide Shut, and especially To Die For, come to mind first, the latter being one of my favorite movies ever). Noting that, it is INSANELY IMPRESSIVE that relatively new star Harris Dickinson (Triangle of Sadness, The Iron Claw, etc) could get dropped into a movie this intense and FULLY hold his own with the legend Kidman herself. Dickinson delivers one of the most complex and bizarre characters this year, remaining wholly unpredictable and mysterious in a very unique manner, even when the film is through.

This movie is a grower, not a shower, and it absolutely gets better as it goes, one scene after another, the tension slowly grows as it burns hotter and hotter. As things unfold, it becomes more and more clear that Dutch writer/director Halina Reijn has a deep understanding for people with sexual personalities and sexual preferences that go beyond the basic realm of "sex with the person you love". The film absolutely nails the way it showcases the double-edged sword of debauchery: the utmost thrill, and the utter plague.

If you need to see the good guys win in the end, Babygirl is not a movie for you. There are no angels in this film. Trouble is lurking around every corner. It's a film about inner psychological warfare, and it's very real. The soundtrack is phenomenal. The pacing is ace. I honestly can't believe this is by the same person who made Bodies Bodies Bodies - while that movie was fun, it was also pretty dumb (consciously though, I believe) - but this one is almost a spiritual opposite, bursting at the seams with sincere human complexity. I was beyond impressed. Definitely Top 10 of 2024.

Strong, strong movie but probably my least favorite Eggers offering thus far. Well, it's most comparable to The Witch in a multitude of ways, and on par with that, but I feel I would choose that simply because it was one of a kind. All of his other films are wildly original. This one kind of felt like "Why did you actually decide to make this when you could have made another unique film?"

Gorgeous looking movie. Paced very tastefully, but it feels as if Eggers chose coming off as tasteful over striving for entertainment. Though the movie was great overall, it dragged in the middle, and certainly could have used a solid 20-30 minutes cut from it. The middle portion is also the only portion that begins to feel rather cliche and formulaic, a bit too "this feels too much like too many other movies".

The last half hour was definitely the strongest portion in my opinion, and served as quite redeeming. I especially loved the finale - it is exquisite from all angles, but especially visually, and in its direction. I admit I could watch the ending over and over. It's quite incredible.

Another of the films only flaws would be in the casting/acting, in my opinion. While Nicolas Hoult held it all down very, very well. And I still can't believe that was Bill Skaarsgard - he is completely unidentifiable as Orlok, Aaron Taylor-Johnson and especially Lily Rose-Depp were unfortunately inconsistent. While they both had some very strong moments, for every impressive moment, there were just as many that were impossible to take seriously. And while they're both very talented, with a gothic tale meant to be this dramatic, romantic, and tragic - these moments of acting imperfection take away from the potential trance that this movie should otherwise have you in. Herzog's Nosferatu was great because it was one of the most dreamlike films I've ever seen - the whole thing plays like a fever dream and it's never broken - this is the way I feel a Nosferatu film should play. While Eggers' version certainly has its effective sequences, it, much like the aforementioned performances, does not remain consistent in this regard.

Those criticisms aside, Eggers' Nosferatu is still a very strong film. The environments, music, sound design, imagery, and most of the dialogue are excellent. There is much to love about this movie, as is the case with all of Eggers' work. Though it felt slow, I do admittedly already have the desire to see some of the sequences again. Of course, Willem Dafoe was also perfection, and the real show-stealer was the rat-king henchman under the spell of his dark lord. I can't access his name right now cuz I'm on an airplane as I write this, but he was the best part of the entire cast. Let me also say, this is better than 90% of contemporary American horror films, so that too is something to celebrate.

The best movie I have watched in a very long time. Truly flawless.

It's wild that the great Coen Brothers' debut film might actually be their best one. I got choked up again and again, not because of the emotive value of the story itself, but rather because scene after scene I could not believe how perfect the film continued to be as it played out. This thing truly fires on all cylinders, and most importantly, it is so tightly-knit that there is no room for criticism. Every single scene is so crucial, with absolutely no lulls, and all the tasteful things that decorate each of them keep this thing in diamond-form.

Each of the 4 primary cast members bring just the right balance of nuance, unpredictability, and charisma. The way they work together and each fill the film out with exactly what it needs is just as impressive as the never-ending plot twists themselves. Clearly, having grown up a 90's kid, I've seen a great majority of the films that this film apparently set a precedent for and influenced, but this one still had me feeling like "omg" when half of the twists occurred.

This movie has god-tier style AND substance. The dialogue is rather minimal compared to a lot of films - it's only used when it serves great purpose. The writing and pacing are immaculate. Carter Burwell's breakthrough music score, though mostly consisting of a single repeating theme, hooks into you and feels iconic by the time you are halfway through. Much of the violence was more visceral and awe-striking than I expected, and it all hits like a bag of hammers because with all of these characters, you are properly invested.

I could not possibly give a higher recommendation. This movie is perfect.

The main thing the movie greatly succeeds in is being as seedy as possible. Like many underground extreme films, Porno Gang has a no-budget, shot-on-video type of feel to it that adds an immense amount of jarring realism to all of its raw content.

Porno Gang offers a whole gaggle of characters, and while none of them stand out enough to be that memorable, there is still enough dynamic amongst the group as a whole that it carries the film and keeps it entertaining. There are some scenes in the first half of the film before things go even bleaker, that portray a very unique type of cringe camaraderie. Putting on odd sex shows with the lads for small villages of geriatric people...

Without a doubt, the effectiveness of the sex and gore is where Porno Gang excels. The sex is always grimy and gratuitous and plentiful - never pleasant - always cringe-inducing. Special thanks to context, the gore is especially effective - all the cuts, wounds, and blood look entirely realistic, and feel more real than anything else in the film, so when they hit, they are truly quite disturbing. The first "snuff" scene was definitely the strongest scene in the entire movie - not only does the gore and the man goring himself come off as entirely believable, but so does the entire film crew as they watch in horror, accepting they've just taken a step into one of the most depraved realms of human possibility. This is a scene that will stick with me, and has the power to be traumatizing on a visceral level for those are seeking that sort of experience.

I do think that the experience peaked with that first major gore sequence. After that, everything happens kind of quick and is quite a bit more predictable and a little redundant. The ending was probably the most cliche part, but I'm not sure how else you could end a movie like this.

A Serbian Film certainly offers more in the technical department. It takes this concept and makes it a lot weirder, and then takes it further, and does it all with glossy production and a really cool music score. Porno Gang feels like it was edited to hell - there are cuts all over this thing that follow no cohesive style or structure, but hey, maybe that's how they wanted it to feel. It's a mess, but I think it's supposed to be.

As far as extreme movies go, this one does have quite a bit more versatility and value than your average offering. I wouldn't say it has any artistic merit or anything like that, but it does have just enough personality to stand out in the pack. I don't know what I'm supposed to think of Serbia now that the only media I've seen come out of it are two extreme movies about snuff...

Definitely the most straightforward Miyazaki movie I've seen, and I've seen most of his films at this point. It's a very strong and solid film in a very traditional sense, most of the way through. There's some really strong dialogue and character-to-character relationships that are really the foundation of the entire movie, and then in the last 30-40 minutes it finally veers off into the surrealist territory Miyazaki is worshipped for. Of course, this section is what made it worthwhile to me. There's a fight sequence as part of the finale that almost reminded me of the infamous fight scene from They Live between David Keith and Roddy Piper, and it just kind of beats the viewer to a pulp with how long it goes on, and I think that's the whole point.

I didn't really have an emotional response to this one, but right when the ending credits hit my girlfriend whipped her head towards me, started crying and whined, "But, what happened to Porco?! Why did he leave?!" - and seeing it strike a chord with her won it further points for me.

It might be my least favorite Miyazaki movie, but it's still solid as a brick.

I guess I was the only one on Letterboxd who liked this movie? Not only did I like it...I LOVED it.

I've never seen a Guy Maddin movie before, so this was my first impression, and it was a very strong one. The satire is equal parts on-the-nose and cryptic. The comedy is equal parts brilliant and dumb as rocks.

The American president has a British accent. The Japanese president barely speaks. The Italian president has the personality of a sausage. When the pompous French president goes off on his own, the movie morphs into a French surrealist film. But, my favorite, of all the presidents, was of course, THE CANADIAN PRESIDENT. Have we ever seen a representative of Canada presented as some sort of Fabio-esque overly sensitive sexy-man? This character alone makes the movie worth watching - every single line coming out of this Christoph Waltz-looking man's mouth is pure gold.

Then, you have Cate Blanchett as the aggressive German president, which of course she does very well - bad vibes is what Blanchett does best. She's very hit or miss for me, but this one works really well for her. It's really funny coming on here and seeing Cate Blanchett fans watching this because their fans of her and absolutely hating it. HAAAAAA HA. Clowned you all.

Last cast note, Zlatko Buric simply being in this movie at all is a huge bonus.

A top this movie being completely unpredictable and hilarious as a whole, it is full of really unique visual treats, many of them accomplished through practical effects, which is really nice to see. The whole movie also has this really unique "low budget but ultra polished look" that I loved. I loved when they are still sitting around the gazebo after dark and all of a sudden it looks very strongly like they are now for some reason being shot in front of a green screen. It's small stylistic details like this that keep RUMOURS a dreamlike farce all the way through.

This is a very dry surrealist film, so of course it's not going to be for everyone, but I thought it was a hysterical blast, and so did my girlfriend. Don't sleep on this one if you are into dark comedy or satire - this is tons of fun.

I can't wait to explore a little more Guy Maddin.

A truly painful film to make it all the way through. This is one of the most BLOATED movies I have seen in a long time. I would say that cutting about 45 minutes from the movie would serve it greatly, but honestly I'm not sure what purpose it really serves existing at all.

I'm gonna be honest. I watched this movie for 3 reasons:

1 - I saw this YouTube video that the dude who wrote it made some years ago called "Potion Seller" and I thought it was hilarious, and brilliant, and he seemed like the type of person I would vibe with.

2 - I thought Guadagnino's last film, Bones And All, was a masterpiece.

3 - I listened to the Trent Reznor score beforehand and enjoyed it.

Part of me wants to say that the writing was the worst part, but honestly it was a perfect storm of so many elements that simply had no business being piled on top of one another. While none of these three leads seem particularly like they are bad actors, none of the characters were likable OR intriguing enough to carry the film. All of the characters were mildly boring and/or majorly heinous people, but not in an entertaining way. But worst of the three was Zendaya's character - it simply did not suit her at all. I guess we could call it bad casting, but the fact that so many other elements of the film misfired as well, I'm gonna say it's a lot more than that. I loved Euphoria so I know Zendaya is capable of playing iconic characters, but this one was not sellable in just about any regard. 3/4 of her lines did not land. None of the STRAIGHT sexual tension felt sincere. However, the GAY sexual tension was immense, and is one of the only strong elements of the entire film. Of course, all the sexual content may still have appeal to a lot of people due to the three leads having fine physiques, and their bodies being pleasant to look at, but if that's what you want...you can always just go watch porn. A few pleasant sex scenes does not equate to a worthwhile film :)

Though Reznor's score was strong, presenting an obvious juxtaposition from the content itself, it did not function effectively in that regard either. Sure, it was fun the first time they blasted those pulsing synth beats over slow-motion shots of tennis playing, but after the second time, it got uninteresting, and then, by the sixth or seventh time, you're left feeling like "again? Why? Actually, why is this movie still going? Why am I still watching this?". There was definitely some really cool cinematography and editing going on during the tennis sequences, but again, after seeing it a couple times, it becomes overkill, and thus, a fault. On top of all of that, who was in charge of the sound EDITING? They would fade in and start blaring one of the Reznor cues in the middle of a long, stretched out dialogue sequence, so loud that it becomes challenging to stay focused on the conversation, and ON TOP of that, there would be little-to-no tension occurring in those specific conversations, yet the soundtrack would be blasting pulsing synth beats. Nothing about it made any sense.

For the first half of the movie, I was intrigued enough. I figured it would all be building to some really interesting arcs for at least one of the characters, and I figured the story would include some interesting twists, but alas, it did not. It is literally a meandering, structureless love triangle that progresses in a shockingly redundant manner, and each time it repeats itself, it becomes less interesting. By the last 40 minutes, I could not wait for the movie to be over. The characters all become blander, less relatable, and less interesting as it goes. It's the epitome of a slog.

If it weren't for the absolutely despicable horror film, THE FIRST OMEN, which is one of the most uninspired movies I have ever seen, this would take the cake as my least favorite wide release of the year. However, it will have to sit politely at 2nd Least Favorite of 2024.

Making people sit through this entire film more than once could definitely be used as a method of torture for many on this planet. I don't ever want to see it again, and from here on out, I will be weary about Guadagnino movies. Though I loved Bones And All, I liked Call Me By Your Name due to the final half hour redeeming the drab first hour and a half, the Suspiria remake rubbed me much worse. Much like this one, 45 minutes should have been cut from that film. And his next film is an American Psycho remake? Oh, lord. I just don't know...

The most slept-on film I've seen this year. Absolutely gripping. Raw, discomforting, and potentially devastating on a very high level, through and through.

Ever since I saw George MacKay so brilliantly carry the masterpiece film 1917 I have been following him, and this year he has been displaying serious taste in the roles he has chosen. I was curious to give both The Beast and Femme a chance when they were in theaters, but heard nothing about either, and they slipped by. I'm kind of bummed I missed my shot, but I'm very glad I managed to catch them both on streaming before the end of the year because they are both Top 10 of 2024 material. On that note, I think FEMME may very well feature his most impressive performance yet. His character is immensely intense, complex, and scary. On that note, MacKay's shift from young, charming, innocents to deeply frightening antagonists who are scary because they are so human, is one of the most remarkable things in cinema this year. MacKay is absolutely one of the true forces of acting nature in the game right now, and I am very excited to see what the next couple of years bring for him. His upcoming bizarro musical THE END, which he fronts alongside Tilda Swinton, is sure to be a standout.

I was unfamiliar with Femme's other lead actor, Nathan Stewart-Jarrett, who does an equally impressive job, delivering a fully believable character that is fragile and sensitive, with an underlying element of unpredictability and the potential for serious menace. One of the strongest elements of this entire film, is that you never know quite what Stewart-Jarrett's character is thinking or planning. He is a soft-spoken and sneaky on his daring and confusing mission, that effectively places you as the viewer in a position that is almost as jarring as his.

Though FEMME is straightforward in a lot of ways, it still takes you on a nerve-wracking rollercoaster of tension and emotion. It's also filled to the brim with intense gay sex and candied with legit drag culture, amongst plenty of other things. While THE SUBSTANCE would probably be the most intense movie I have seen in a surrealist sense this year, Femme definitely takes the cake as the most intense in an entirely realistic way. Though this movie is one of the best of the year, I do warn you, you should be in the mood for a sincere bit of spiritual pain when you consume this! Fantastic film!

CONCLAVE is a very tastefully constructed film. Structure, writing, music, performances - it's all solid as a brick. But, I think this is one of those cases where the hype train left me expecting more. While this movie has no technical faults, it's primary flaw is that aside from a couple elements, it's the type of film you are likely to forget about entirely 6 months from now. There is a serious lack of memorable sequences, and though all of the performances are very strong, none of them excel enough in any regard as so to leave a lasting impression.

If you are looking for a good movie to watch with your parents, or your grandma, this is a perfect choice, as it features nothing that might be awkward to watch with them, while it's still a great movie. But aside from scenarios like that, this isn't the type of movie I'd tell anyone they need to see in the theater. It's a rock solid drama with just enough thematic uniqueness to make it stand out. Great choice when it hits streaming and you're not sure what else to watch. While it did give my girlfriend and I plenty of themes to inquire about and discuss with each other after the film, which does win it points in my book, it wasn't enough to make the film viewing experience itself any stronger.

The music score definitely stood out. I enjoyed the style of it, but none of the melodies grabbed me enough to make me want to return to it, so in a way it sat in perfectly with the movie, because that's exactly how I felt about the movie itself.

Ralph Fiennes is always a phenomenal choice to carry a film, but this isn't even close to my favorite performance of his, nor his best film. Personally, I'd go with The Baby of Macon, Strange Days, and The Grand Budapest Hotel, just off the top of my head, but the first of those two are bound to DISGUST some people, so who knows, maybe I'm just sick in the head. :)

After seeing vicious & revolutionary comedy artist Conner O'Malley's last short film masterpiece, COREYS, I was VERY excited when I heard a new film RAP WORLD had been released.

It kind of got less interesting as it went, but, man, I am really happy that this exists. It was sending me back in time watching these stoney fools working at a movie theater at the beginning of the movie, just screwing off and talking about their plans to make some bum art at, like, one of their parent's places, in this case it was a proposed music album - in my case it was short films shot on a Digital 8 camera that looked exactly like what RAP WORLD looks like. I was like "this was literally me and my friends 2003-2007" - the only difference is I was leaving town frequently to go on music tours, but otherwise this feels EXACTLY like my past life. That's the greatest part about this film. It gets it right. It feels real. This was a very real era, full of thousands and thousands of suburban college-age Americans exactly like these characters. Existing in their little Family Guy-flavored, bongwater-stained bubbles. We were LOSERS and it was the greatest time of our lives. These characters are beyond realistic. And Conner's character is so bad at rapping, so unbelievably bad, that it makes Joaquin Phoenix in I'm Still Here sound like Kool Keith.

If you were a college-aged bonehead in the 2000's, I would recommend giving this maniacal slice of mock-reality a whirl. The full "film" is up on YouTube. But, no matter who you are, you should watch his other short film COREYS, first. Cuz, THAT ONE...wow. Conner O'Malley is on a role...he hasn't made his true masterpieces yet, but I can feel that they are coming VERY soon...

What appears to be a simplistic action-violence film by its trailer is actually quite the complex viewing experience in a multitude of ways. Rebel Ridge is quite the odd film in the sense that it feels as if it's going so many different places while simultaneously repeating itself in the same environments over and over. It's pretty impressive how many times the tension builds and breaks and builds and breaks and builds and breaks, again and again, between the exact same characters, and still manages to remain relatively effective and intriguing all the way through this epic movie. I do say "relatively" though, because while this is the most impressive aspect of the movie, I also do think they may have gone a bit overboard with it. While the runtime of this film is 2 hours and 11 minutes, the repetition in Rebel Ridge makes it feel more like 3 hours.

That aside, Rebel Ridge has MANY strengths. Don Johnson shines once again as a fully believable and wholly despicable corrupt police captain. Haven't seen him in anything notable for quite a while but wow does he murder it in this. Lead actor Aaron Pierre, who I was completely unfamiliar with, carries this long-winded thriller masterfully. His smooth, stoic approach works like magic, and the mystique he brings to the film's hero which is typically more suited for villains, really works and allows Rebel Ridge to excel with such a unique lead character. Emery Cohen, who I absolutely could not stand as Varg in the atrocious garbage heap Lords of Chaos, receives a role much more well-suited for him. He, too, shines as the young cop who seems to need to prove himself to his corrupt captain by being the biggest prick he can be. Last but not least, seeing Pam's husband from The Office in this dramatic role as a cop was quite the freakish experience as well - he pulled it off very well.

I will admit that due to its long windedness, I got lost in the sauce a couple of times and wasn't quite sure what was going on. I'm not sure if that was my own fault, but the film was such a epic trek that I'm not sure if it matters. Either way, I remained intrigued and fond of the movie all the way through.

I consider myself a pretty big fan of director Jeremy Saulnier, and very much enjoyed this unique action-thriller, but I do think that Saulnier may function best when his films stay shorter, simpler, and more brutal (both Blue Ruin and Green Room are some form of masterpieces). I would especially recommend this for fans of macho films from the late 80's and early 90's, as it seems to have an underlying backbone in that realm - though it certainly offers much more on top of that - think First Blood meets L. A. Confidential (but not as masterful as either). There's plenty of violence and it all hits! Very cool, interesting release in 2024! Saulnier is always someone to keep your eye on!

This kind of felt like a raunchier spiritual sequel to Juno, or some other movie that appeals to teenagers, like that. I watched it because I was very impressed with Kyle Gallner in this year's fantastic Strange Darling, and wanted to give more of his recent celebrated works a chance. Plus, I know some people who are REALLY into this movie.

I will say that the main problem I had with this film is that it feels like it was written by a high schooler. It feels like it's trying to shock the viewer hard enough to make them laugh, constantly. It feels to me as if it's trying so hard to be funny, yet the majority of the time, it is not funny. Scene after scene, I found myself thinking, "I probably would have liked this when I was 17". The movie is, however, balanced out with just as much charm and endearment thanks to lead actress Emily Skeggs, who conjures up a very unique, nuanced character that feels more like a real person than about 95% of film characters in general. Of course, the catch, and the "joke", is that she's portraying someone who is "considered retarded" by others in the film. So, her "slowness" is your source of entertainment throughout the film. While it does add up to some really amusing and occasionally touching sequences, that's all thanks solely to Skeggs' phenomenal performance.

On the other side of things, the LEAST enjoyable thing about the film, and perhaps this is due to the writing as well, is that Gallner's character, our lead, and "anti-hero" of sorts, is so unlikeable that he becomes fully ANNOYING far before the movie is over. I was waiting for some kind of character arc, but by the time I got to the 3rd act and realized there would be none, I accepted that I simply hated his character entirely and that kind of taints the entire movie quite a bit. It's not Gallner's fault, as he acted his butt off and allowed this character to be the frustrating monster that he is - it's just the way the character was written and probably directed too that I couldn't stand.

Focused complaints aside, Dinner in America is a thoroughly entertaining film, and the odd relationship between the two main characters keeps it interesting throughout. The overall tone was just so juvenile that I could not fully get behind it. But a lot of people love this, so if you like raunchy comedies or riotous romances, you should probably give it a chance.

Wow. It's been a while since a film shocked me in any sense, but this one certainly had it's moments. The satire runs so deep and hard in this film that there are multiple scenes where I cannot even view it as satire - it just feels like cruel, sadistic filmmaking, but in the most artistic sense possible. This might be the hardest satire ever put to film.

Everything is cohesive and done with a crystal clear, over-arching vision. Though the movie is promoted as dark comedy, I found it impossible to laugh at a solid 50% of the sequences that other freaks might find funny, as they are so insanely harsh both thematically and in delivery. "Over the top" is one way to describe this film, but that's not enough. It is absolutely designed to offend, and it will. It requires an immense suspension of disbelief, but in a manner that sneakily causes you to become part of the film's entire point, as you grow more numb to people being killed like flies as the movie goes on. While the heavy scenes were effectively heavy, I did find many of the more comedic scenes to be HILARIOUS. There was a lot of absurdity to crack up at throughout this movie, there's just even more entirely bleak stuff.

There are also meta elements that add a strange element of realism to this otherwise unbelievable experience. For example, lead actor Benoit Poelvoorde (who puts in a phenomenal performance by the way) involved his real parents and his real grandmother, though they had no idea the true nature of the film they were involved with during the filming of their sequences. Their naivety radiates through the screen in their scenes. These fine details, which only your subconscious may pick up on, make all the shocking sequences that much more hard-hitting.

One thing is for sure and that's the fact that Man Bites Dog exists in a messed-up world entirely of its own. There is only one way to visit this twisted place and that is by watching this film. The French are frickin' nutso, man.

I USED TO BE FUNNY is an above-average mumblecore offering starring Rachel Sennott. Considering how quickly Rachel Sennott has blown up since the confusingly popular BOTTOMS has come out, it almost feels like she owed someone a favor doing this movie. While the movie mostly feels marketed as a comedy, the film itself primarily exists in the realm of heavy-handed drama, and when they do try to infuse comedy, it rarely lands. While the plot is pretty unique and ambitious for this kind of film, it also somehow felt a bit misdirected. On that note, there are certain movies (and often books) that you can consume where you feel almost certain that this story is primarily just something that its writer straight up went through and decided to turn into a feature length media offering - this is 100% one of those movies. My gut tells me that the writer simply went through all of this herself, and decided to tell the story, perhaps primarily because the combination of things feels so specific that it doesn't seem like someone would pair these two themes together any other way, namely the standup comedy details with the nannying plot points. The subject matter isn't interesting enough for someone to focus on without having been through it in reality, I feel, and sadly, it's not quite interesting enough as a movie either. While Sennott's performance is the strongest thing about the entire movie, with it being as dynamic and enjoyable as hers generally are, it doesn't fulfill in many other ways in the end - the only other thing I really found enjoyable in the end was its ambition. Worth watching once for (divine lordess) Sennott fans - not sure who else.

I can see why this documentary was revolutionary when it dropped in the early 90's. It's hard to believe that Robert Crumb and his brothers are actually real. They are the epitome of living cartoon characters. It's insane. I know Crumb himself has his batch of problematic views, and perhaps it's because my father was such a twisted guy, but I felt very at home watching him, his family, and his romantic partners express themselves throughout this entire experience. And, though I was only loosely familiar with Crumb's work previously, you can now consider me a legitimate fan of his, and someone I wouldn't hesitate to call a source of inspiration, and I felt that way by the time I was about 1/3 of the way through this movie.

I very much feel like this may have help set the tone for the most legendary dark comedies of the mid to late 90's to be produced, with films like Welcome To The Dollhouse, Happiness, Gummo, etc. This film feels like an ultimate dark comedy, though it's real...it's an anomaly. The only thing I can even think to compare this to is American Movie, but this is a lot darker. Legendary stuff. All with a curiosity towards the history of transgressive art absolutely need to see this. Also, Ghost World fans! Same director. Crumb comes highly recommended from me!

Thelma is, without a doubt, the most endearing movie of 2024. By far my favorite lighthearted offering of the year.

We are blessed to have such a wonderful film experience fully fronted by 93-year-old silver screen angel June Squibb. She is in nearly every scene. I have loved June Squibb ever since her role as Jack Nicholson's wife in Alexander Payne's highly underrated dark comedy masterpiece, About Schmidt, from 22 years ago, and she was already playing a far-in senior citizen back then! You must also watch About Schmidt if you have never seen it. Real Nebraska hours. So amazing she's still hitting it at 93! Squibb's charm levels are OFF THE CHARTS.

Fred Hechinger adds much value to the film as Thelma's grandson who can't quite get his life together as a young adult, so his only focus by default is watching over his meemaw. He is highly believable in this role, and his character offers a large amount of charming, nuanced humor. Richard Roundtree also adds tons of heart to the film, ending up as some odd sort of fellow senior citizen sidekick to Thelma. Parker Posey makes everything better (one of my favorites ::heart eyes::) and Malcolm McDowell even shows up for a very fitting sequence!

This is a lighthearted comedy but it also turns into a buddy movie and even a bit of a thriller. It hits in almost every way it aims to, and you can watch it with anyone... your kids, your grandma, or by yourself. I may have related to this film on an extra level because the main plot point is relevant and something that may own grandfather fell victim to at one point - senior citizens getting scammed into sending money to con artists whether it be through phone calls or emails, etc - this happens a lot in reality! It's a sort of reprisal naivete that seems to creep in when people get old. Real stuff.

So much heart in this wonderful film. HIGHLY RECOMMENDED.

The hype surrounding Anora is colossal, and it delivered.

I had no idea what to expect going into it, aside from combining all three of Sean Baker's other movies in my head and thinking maybe it will be somewhere in the middle of all of them (The Florida Project, Red Rocket, and Tangerine - all great movies by the way, and all about sex workers). It had some similar tones and focuses, but otherwise Anora was a new beast of its own. I will say that towards the meat of the film, it got WAY more Safdie Brothers than I was expecting! A lot of people yelling over each other for a very long time! Very tense!

The movie sort of moves in three acts, as many great films do. I was getting the feeling towards the beginning it was going to feel a bit like Boogie Nights in structure, and I would say that that was pretty spot on. You have your party, your conflict, and your conclusion. Without saying too much about it, I will say that the ending made the entire movie for me, and my girlfriend agreed. You have a 2-hour experience that is mostly funny and mostly riveting, that all feels a little pulpy while still offering a lot of very on-point details on the sex work experience, but it all feels for-fun until you get to the ending. Rather than an ending that wraps things up nicely in a pretty little bow, it's an ending that unties the bow, and opens the box, and leaves you with the RAW reality of it all. I was a bit in awe taking in the very specific energy of the packed room as the silent credits hit and people very slowly began making their way (very quietly) out of the auditorium.

Mikey Madison is fantastic as Anora. Seeing the ads for the film, I expected a bubbly, sweet girl - but she plays a hard, sassy, hustler who is VERY New York City, and it was a pleasant surprise. Anora is a mostly likable character, but not always, and that only adds to her humanity and the overall realism and complexity of her functionality as a main character. You will experience a rollercoaster of ups and downs with her, and the depth feels very real. She is also extremely HOT and there's ALOT of SEX in this movie.

The whole cast is fantastic, but new faces Mark Eidelshtein and Yura Borisov make the strongest imprints as capable actors who deserve much more casting in the future. Eidelshtein stole the show as the most believable rich boy on a rampage ever, and Borisov's nuanced presence was loud AF without the need for many words.

I definitely think this is one of Baker's two finest films thus far, perhaps his best, and one of the best films of 2024. It's really great to see how well this movie is doing. The house was totally packed on a Monday night at 9:30 PM, and I hear it's opening weekend numbers were some of the highest this year. This is the kind of original, sincere, relevant filmmaking that needs to be seen, celebrated, and supported, and it's a joy to see it happening. I'm excited to see Mikey Madison's career bloom after this, and can't wait for more from Sean Baker.

A24 really saw this and thought "we need to give this man millions of dollars. He is the future of horror"???

Well, I wouldn't have seen it in this, but...they were right. And that gives me hope.

This is one of the more psychotic short films I have ever seen, and it's almost entirely in the "WHY would he MAKE THIS?!" sense, which I don't often feel when it comes to any movie with merit (and this one definitely has merit).

Admittedly, this feels much PULPIER than his other films. Much more exploitation. It sits in with BEAU IS AFRAID a lot more than it does with MIDSOMMAR or HEREDITARY, but the humor is buried WAY deeper than it is in Beau Is Afraid. I think the majority of viewers will feel that they should not be laughing at this film, or that there is nothing funny about it...but, it's honestly hard to do anything other than laugh at it.

The acting and directing are both pretty ace, but the writing, though written well, is pure absurdity. This is quintessential sadistic filmmaking. Ari Aster is truly a psychopath, and though I'm a much bigger fan of his feature length films, this certainly expanded my AWE for him even further.

This is the film I'd been waiting for most all year long, and I would say that it did fulfill my expectations. I had checked out writer/director/Frenchie Coralie Fargeat's previous breakthrough film, REVENGE (2017), which was a completely over-the-top, ultra-violent revenge thriller that felt like what you would get if you took the energy of the darkest Hard Summer Festival EDM tracks and adapted them into a horror-ish film. I don't think I've seen any other noteworthy films that felt so "EDM-drenched", outside of maybe Harmony Korine's SPRING BREAKERS; the main difference being that Korine did it in an entirely tongue-in-cheek way, while Fargeat's "living dubstep" vibe feels primarily sincere - typically I would think this would be a bad thing, but somehow with Fargeat it works and feels very right - perhaps it's one of those things that only a French person could get away with.

Once I heard how intense The Substance was supposed to be, and how many people "couldn't handle it" at its initial screenings, along with the synopsis, intriguing cast, and seeing who the director was, I felt very certain the world was about to have something of great note in its hands. I must say that I am a bit surprised just how many people seem to be in love with this movie, when it's so extreme. To me, it mostly blends Extreme French Horror with pure exploitation and, of course, body horror, but in the bigger picture, what it really feels like is the epitome of a B-movie that somehow managed to get made and widely released with an A-list cast and A-level production value. Of course, for me, these are all wonderful things. I'd say this is the greatest B-movie to be released since MANDY in 2018, and it joins a very small group of contemporary B-movies which manage to transcend all elements of cheapness that make most B-movies precisely that, and win over a larger audience.

It seems obvious to say this is an entirely unexpected and astonishing comeback role for Demi Moore. Who would have imagined an A-list actress gone for so long would make her return to the big screen after raising multiple daughters and having her legendary husband turn to a vegetable, in the most extreme and disturbing movie to see a wide release in years? I mean, at times The Substance almost feels like a BASKET CASE sequel. It has to take a lot to mentally commit to something like this. While I think the Oscar nod talk I've heard mentioned around her performance is a bit of wishful thinking, I do find her performance entirely worthy of celebration - she pulls no punches, and, man, her character goes deeper into an abyss than 99% of film characters could ever dare. While her performance was grade A, I would say that only Willa Fitzgerald's performance in Strange Darling is one that reaches a level worth noting above everyone else, this year. Considering Margaret Qualley is one of my favorite actresses overall at the moment, her involvement had me stoked from the start, and added much to enjoy throughout the entire film. Her umbrella of films is quite fascinating at this point, just as it's fascinating that she is allowing herself to become this staple of some sort of frighteningly hyper-sexual archetype. It's funny how her mom freaked out over how "crude" Drive Away Dolls was at the beginning of the year, then her dad was on his way to see Kinds of Kindness with a group of friends, and she told me him to turn around and not watch it. Can you imagine how they felt when they watched The Substance?!?!?! I think one of them might implode. This is probably her most lascivious role yet, aside from maybe SANCTUARY - though I'm a massive fan of the majority of her roles, I've gotta say SANCTUARY still takes the cake as her finest performance, but she is unabashedly diving headfirst into near-pornographic territory in The Substance, and it's very wild. Dennis Quaid was also perfect in this.

Without spoiling anything, I've enjoyed how polarizing the final act of this film has been. While some have said that it was the only part that didn't work for them, a greater quantity have stated the final act is precisely what elevated the film to be a new favorite for them. To me, the final act is exactly what the movie needs. While it was absolutely not what I was expecting, tonally, I welcomed it with a massive smile (while trying not to be fully removed from the finale as my girlfriend ran out of the auditorium amidst an anxiety attack during the ultra-violent "chase scene", and stayed outside for the last 25 minutes of the film). While I found the first 2/3 of the film to be rather repetitive in structure, it's not a bad thing as I believe that is how this story needed to be told. Much like Enter The Void, it is more of an experience you must live (or survive) through, rather than simply a story you are being told in chapters. The final act really breaks the formula up, and wraps things up in a glorious blast of hyper stimulation that is not often seen in movies this century. And, it really shines a light on how much nuanced humor is meant to be underlying through the majority of the movie that precedes it. I could never refer to this as a dark comedy - it is far too brutal for that, but it definitely has plentiful elements of humor. It really is quite a singular film; while the closest I could get to anything is like combining all of Frank Hennenlotter's movies (Basket Case, Frankenhooker, Brain Damage, and Bad Biology) with old school Cronenberg (The Fly, Videodrome, eXiSTeNz), but honestly, even that can't quite encapsulate what The Substance "has done". The only way one can understand what The Substance has to offer is by seeing it.

I think this is my favorite movie of 2024 so far. It has A LOT of strengths. Almost everything about it is STRONG, but being real about this, what really brings this movie to the TOP, is that lead actress Willa Fitzgerald, who I had otherwise never heard of, delivers the most impressive, iconic, and simply riveting acting performance I have seen this year. As the movie went on, I was more and more impressed by her, and by the ending credits, I was just about moved to tears.

As far as the style of the film, 10-15 years ago I would have said this vibe is a little tired and overplayed, but at this point it is wholly refreshing and satisfying. Due to the use of sequences played out of order, and well, a lot of over-the-top violence, it did remind me a lot of classic Tarantino films more than anything, but absolutely NOT in a bad way. Between 1995 and 2010, there were a lot of people "trying to do Tarantino" but a lot of it felt uninspired. This, on the other hand, is a vicious, no-frills thrill ride through and through, brimming with plot twists and sporadic surprises, and while it's simpler than most Tarantino movies, it still feels like it exists out of passion for film as a format, and wholly to entertain its audience above all else.

On that note, this is definitely a risky movie to put out in this day and age, for a multitude of reasons. It goes a few places that are certain to "divide audiences". Nowadays, people expect almost all "good movies" to exist "for a reason" and to be making some kind of statement. Perhaps this is because outside of superhero movies, franchise money grabs, and the garbage factory known as contemporary American horror, we aren't offered much in the theatrical film arena that exists for sheer entertainment anymore. Strange Darling is a rare gem in the pile this year, especially considering it even made it to wide theatrical release when it stars two no-name actors and a no-name director.

Outside of the relatively unknown, the familiar names were MUCH welcomed. Legends Ed Begley Jr. And Barbara Hershey add the much welcomed and intelligently placed humor to the film when they appear, but it was 90's wonder boy Giovanni Ribisi (Phoebe's brother in Friends) that I was even more shocked to see - though it wasn't his face, it was his name during the closing credits - he was the Director of Photography! What a phenomenal job he did!

As I said, this movie is absolutely going to divide audiences. But, it is my opinion, that this is one of the best movies of the year, and precisely the type of underdog theatrical release that we need to be supporting in order to conjure more original filmmaking in America while we still can! Everything about this rips! So much fun. Kyle Gallner's subtle Tom Hardy'isms were a blast, and Willa Fitzgerald is now a legend in my book. This is destined to be a CULT CLASSIC. Go see it!

Pure fan service but also grade-A entertainment.

This is the first Alien film that has taken all of the collective lore and aesthetics and simply re-used it rather than trying to do something innovative with its story. But, for those not looking to be challenged or surprised, for those who simply seek tense, gripping action with as many xenomorphs and face-huggers as possible, this film is a dream come true. While it lacks in creativity, it absolutely delivers in every other way. Director Fede Alvarez understands how to use tension very well, which is now very clear through the consistency of his films (Don't Breathe, and Evil Dead (2013), before this).

I actually found the beginning of the film to be one of its strongest suits, as it sets its own world and its character's stories up in a very tightly knit and classic-feeling manner. It got me excited for the rest very quickly, but once they get into the ship it goes into fan service mode the rest of the time. The middle of the film is the only section that feels slightly redundant at times, like okay we've seen this before, we can guess what's gonna happen, but it's never boring. It's always very entertaining. Then you get to the final 30-40 minutes and it's just over-the-top and electric, it's theatrical value cannot be denied. It is an immensely fun movie to see in the theater. A lot of the sequences have big, big video game boss battle energy, and I am entirely here for it. We don't get much of that in movies these days. Not anymore.

While the whole cast did a sufficient job, there is only one cast member who truly stood out, and that was the wonderful David Jonsson as our lead's cyborg brother, Andy. Wildly impressive, dynamic, and endearing performance by this legend. I hope to see him in a lot more film and/or TV in the near future. Cailee Spaeny did a fine job carrying the film, otherwise.

While it's not breaking any ground AT ALL, it is one of the most purely entertaining movies I have seen come out this year. Fully worth seeing in the theater and fully worthy of all the praise.

This is easily the most intriguing film I have seen in the last year, and certainly the biggest headtrip.

First and foremost, I must confess that this is the first time in a very long time where I 100% needed to Google an "ending explanation" after the movie was finished. In fact, it might be the only time I truly felt the need to do so. I even rewatched the last 20 minutes again the next morning, trying to make more sense of it, but I still had no idea! If the movie had all felt like empty nonsense, I would consider this a bad thing, but up until its ending, I felt entirely intrigued by and impressed with ALL of its themes and scenarios. So, in this case, I fully respect how puzzling the ending was.

The Beast takes you a lot of different places. So many, in fact, that you will likely ask yourself several times, "How did we get here?!". I went into the movie knowing nothing about it, so having to determine myself that these characters were each "more than just a character" was part of the fun (I determined that was a way I could word it which would avoid spoiling it for you). You'll spend the first act getting to know the characters, and later you'll be like "Wait, do I know this person? Who is that person...actually? What is happening?!" It's THAT kind of movie, and I loved it.

Both of the film's brilliant leads, Lea Seydoux and George MacKay (1917, etc), carry it wonderfully, fusing it with heavy amount of nuance and psychological complexity. By the end of the film, you feel like you've been through something like a full ayahuasca rebirth with each of them. BIG bonus points for throwing Dasha Nekrasova into the mix for a couple of scenes, a surefire way to add to the overall unease AND allure. Double bonus points for all the bizarre "future dolls"!

It's hard to say more about this other than if you enjoy puzzling, surrealist films you absolutely must see this. The first film that comes to mind, and honestly one of the only comparable ones that I can think of, is David Lynch's MULHOLLAND DRIVE. Much like that, this movie is absolutely not going to be for everyone. You've got to want to feel like someone is sticking a couple fingers into your brain and twisting around. And, man, how did they manage to make that internet fortune teller in the final act SO SCARY????? Actress Marta Hoskins laid down legendary vibes!!! So spooky!!! I was finishing this movie at like 3:30 AM and the final act is the spookiest part. I was like "Am I going to be able to sleep after this?!"

Fascinating film. This is my first dose of director Bertrand Bonello. I hear his other films are intriguing in a similar regard. Now, I'm excited that I have more of his works to consume! Excellent!

I scrolled down expecting to see numerous 10-star reviews, but I should have assumed, most cases in which I find a movie to be truly masterful, it goes misunderstood or under-appreciated by the majority.

When Jessie Buckley appeared as one of the leads in I'm Thinking of Ending Things, i immediately wondered "who is this interesting person that maestro Charlie Kaufman chose to front his new movie, and where did she come from?" At least a couple of people said "Beast". I have remembered ever since, and recently it appeared on Amazon Prime, so it was time.

BEAST is a masterful showcase of acting, particularly by both leads Buckley, and the very underrated Johnny Flynn. I was first introduced to Flynn through EMMA (2020), a movie in which the only thing I really took away from is what a capable actor he is. But here, both of them shine on a level I have not seen in anything else. Astonishing performances; as dynamic as acting gets and bursting at the seams with nuance. Throughout the film, they both display immense levels of polarity, at times being wholly tender, and others being wholly frightening. And within that, their chemistry together is unstoppable; the whole film it's a quiet stick of dynamite, and you can feel how soon it's going to explode. The supporting cast are all great as well. The mother played by Geraldine James specifically stood out to me as well, just a revolting presence every time she showed up on screen. Pure heinousness in her eyes.

Now, this is a psychological thriller that absolutely does not spell everything out for you. You'll need to run with your gut and trust your instincts. After the first act, you'll be thinking "Well, no matter how this plays out, it seems predictable", but, that's incorrect, because as it will show you, it's not so much "who did it", but rather "how and why". The second half of the film is full of so many unexpected, intricate turns, and each just seems to be digging you deeper into a grave plot as you watch. You'll also need to be accepting of surrealism because there are a fair share of sequences that may throw you "off" if you're not. I feel that they could have ended the movie about 10 minutes earlier and it would still be a masterpiece, but the ending they do tack on works just as well.

This is a pretty dark experience with a lot of genuine bleakness at its core, but its fused with enough heart and romance to flesh it out into a crucial movie viewing experience. The acting, writing, and directing are all performed at an immaculate level. I know it won't be for everyone, but to me it's a masterpiece. I'm fully on board with both Buckley and Flynn for as long as they decide to keep acting.

This is exactly the TYPE of movie I feel we need more of now, so I really wanted to like it, but sometimes that is not enough. I was originally drawn to this film by mere way of its casting and a few blurbs I'd read about it, making it out to be some indie wonder. The tastefully selected cast is primarily made up of actors who have broken through more recently like Ayo Edebiri and Jacob Elordi, obscure pseudo-celebs like Gibby Haynes and Andy Milonakis, transgressive underground NYC filmmakers like Betsey Brown and her brother Peter Vack, and no-names, and that alone spoke volumes to me.

When I started watching the movie, I discovered that it was directed by the DP of Good Time, one of my favorite movies of this entire century. With the tone and pacing of the first 15 minutes, I really thought I was going to love this movie. It moves quickly, barreling through people and places, almost faster than you can keep up with as a first-time viewer. The style of cinematography has a certain raw value reminiscent of 90's/2000's stalwarts like Harmony Korine or Larry Clark, or more modern films that also channel that energy like the wonderful American Honey. There is value in the believability of youth that is portrayed in this film's early segments - the true energy of college age kids going wild together is captured. Then, we hit the opening credits, which are also mystifying in their own way. Lead actress Talia Ryder lip syncs to a whimsical fairy-tale esque ballad while gazing at herself in the mirror - it is then that it becomes clear that Ryder will be the focus of the film, and it doesn't seem like a bad thing as she is gorgeous.

However, things change after the title card. The pace slows down to more of a butter churn for most of the remainder of the film, and the structure shifts into a rather familiar, and in this case, somewhat redundant, and aimless one. "She's on an aimless adventure and everyone wants her", would be the easiest way of summing it up. This is a structure I've seen so many times before, but most of the other ones I've consumed had a lot more meat on their bones. Talia Ryder is angelic, looks like a model in the most traditional sense, and is totally likable, but her character has more arc and depth in the first 15 minutes then she does throughout the entire rest of the movie, so sadly, eventually, fixating on her SO MUCH does lose its steam in this case. There's not enough character depth in the writing to justify the infatuation that the camera seems to have with her. More humor really would have helped give this movie wings to fly, but I rarely found it to conjure chuckles or leave you with any memorably witty dialogue. On top of this, half of the male characters who appear all seem to have the exact same personality - they all want to flex obscure historical tales and philosophies endlessly - this is funny for a few minutes but after some time, it's like "ok, yeah, we get it...what else?". Simon Rex is actually the king of this energy in this film, and leaves one of the most lasting impressions, almost returning to the vibe of his most recent celebrated role, Red Rocket, in which he portrays characters with arguably pedophilic tendencies. The rest of the male characters simply portray danger or un-trust, one-dimensionally.

As you could assume based off of the rest of this review, the journey goes nowhere. It only feels more aimless as it goes, and ends extremely abruptly. I really like what they were GOING for with this movie, but I just don't think it adds up to anything at all. Even as a tribute to the east coast in general, as it presents itself to be, it doesn't seem to hold much merit for viewers. It has flashes of brilliance but never more than flashes. Even some of the music choices are especially delightful, like putting a choice Minimal Man song over the ending credits, but those count as flashes.

Of course, I could be wrong, but this feels like the EPITOME of a case where the filmmaker chose Talia Ryder as a muse, and just wanted to make a film revolving around her (hence the "camera's obsession" with her throughout the entire film), yet struggled to find a story with any real purpose, inspiration, or cohesion, and maybe even knew that, but had an opportunity to make a movie with this cast, and did it any way. They also used this as a vehicle to have Ryder say "retarded" as many times as possible - the R-WORD is back, baby! Maybe this will be some magical experience for some teenagers or college-age kids, but as a 40-year-old artist, it left me wanting a lot more.