(Joachim Trier ranking)
(2021 ranking)
Well this blew me away, The Worst Person in the World not only boasts one of the best performances of the year, but it is easily one of the best films of 2021, if not the best.
Almost everything on display here is perfect. If I had a checklist of things I want from a film this fulfils every criteria. Great performances, fantastic story writing and character writing, solid direction, beautiful cinematography, feeling, impressive score…
(Satoshi Kon ranking)
(1997 ranking)
Perfect Blue captures a perfect blur between reality and fiction. Satoshi Kon’s masterpiece shows exactly what you can achieve with animation.
World building and wonderment is left at the wayside for this anime, as Kon operates within the psychological thriller genre more so than any other animated film I’ve seen. It is cold, it is brutal, and it is mindfuckery at its most powerful.
But the deep dive into Mima’s psyche is made all the…
David Lean’s craftsmanship within his epics are so awe-inspiring. I’m not sure anyone could deny their appreciation of the scale and scope of his epics, and Zhivago is possibly his biggest achievement in that field.
The set design, costumes, hair, make-up and cinematography are all stunning, just perfection. You can sit back and even if the story doesn’t take hold of you, the surface level aspects will.
The pacing is also amazing. For a three-hour-plus movie it…
Call me controversial but this is my favourite David Lean film from the ones I’ve seen so far. Oliver Twist is a really atmospheric and moody piece, filled to the brim with texture, intensity and looming shadows and silhouettes.
The visual storytelling is brilliant. It’s beautiful and so gripping. A lot of the most powerful and effective scenes are actually without dialogue and Lean makes sure the film maintains its fantastic pacing and rhythm even when there’s…
(Robert Eggers ranking)
(2022 ranking)
A brutal unwavering spectacle that showcases Robert Eggers at the peak of his powers, The Northman may not be exactly what I expected but it is certainly one of the best of the year so far.
The story at its centre is a simplistic tale of revenge, and so it relies on its storytelling, visuals, setting and direction to stand apart. And it is within these four aspects where the film excels.
Some of the…
(David Lynch ranking)
(2001 ranking)
Getting to see this 4K restoration in 35mm on the big screen was sexy as fuck. I drove an hour to see this with my brother who had never seen it, and we spent the whole journey back just talking about this masterpiece.
It’s deeply effecting in its attempts to terrify, unsettle and confuse, but the puzzle becomes clearer and the film gets better with every watch. I definitely think it’s a lot funnier than people give it credit for too.
It’s just absolute perfection. I love this movie, certainly one of my all time favourites for sure.
