One time I bought some nuggets and I wanted barbecue sauce to dip them in. I couldn't find barbecue sauce anywhere in my kitchen or fridge, so I got so frustrated I threw the nuggets away. Then I opened to fridge and realized the barbecue sauce was just hidden behind the orange juice the whole time.
So I understand exactly how Thomas Jane's character feels at the end of this movie.
A been-there-done-that premise that at least the director takes a been-there-done-that approach and instead of relying on any story that poses itself as inventive, he instead shoots the film in a more inventive way. Using a oner to open the film and then filling the rest of the film with cool angles and snorricams.
That said, even that can only hold a tired premise up to an extent, and once you've given the film credit for being visual and have gotten use to the style, by about the hour mark you are just counting the moments until it's over.
The first time I watched Infernal Affairs was this amazing time when I was young, mid-2000s, discovering all kinds of eastern Asian films. Imagine making that an objective and within a six month period you watch Oldboy, Battle Royale, Memories of a Murder, Audition and the Infernal Affairs trilogy. Sort of changes your whole perspective.
Then Scorsese came out with The Departed and the eternal debate began of which is better.
So this time watching, it's pretty evident The Departed…
This week I'm watching movies for Hysteria Fest, the horror festival I run in St Louis. It's not until October and I'll give longer writeups to all the films when it's closer, but just wanted to give a quick shout out to this cool little short. I love slashers in a camp site setting and I love humor that works. Funniest time jump title card maybe ever.
If you're a horror filmmaker, feel free to submit, and if selected you'll play at a great venue (Arkadin) and I'll cover your film here on Letterboxd and for Zekefilm
Cheers!
I like how Lee Isaac Chung directs this like a Terrence Malick film, but only when the characters are at the beach. Suddenly it becomes wide-angles, rando nature and whispering narration. Otherwise it's a just a handheld indie film.
Which seems inconsistent, but honestly I feel the same way. When I go to a beach or an open field, I feel like I'm in a Malick film. And I whisper to myself, "What is life? What is humanity? Are we…
I tend to not love comic book movies, for a myriad of reasons, but one being that I didn't read comics as a kid and never saw the appeal.
But I like this movie, because not only is it a good movie, but it feels like a good comic book movie and it shows a style and pace and excitement that feels like what someone who loves comics gets out of them.
On the surface, this movie appears to be about the love of film, racism, sexism, adultery, misbehaving men, the work environment and mental illness. But when you look closer, it's actually about cinema, nostalgia, community, the 80s, Thatherism, a changing time in England, and art bringing us together. But it's really about today and how times repeat themselves. But it's also about caring for each other, seeing past our differences, love...............................................
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The tagline to this on letterboxd is literally "BETTER IF ALL THESE MEN WERE DEAD. THINK ABOUT IT!" lmao
Anyway, this is one of Kurosawa's more comedic movies. It kinda blends a lot of elements he's always played with. You have the samurai element. But in his modern-to-the-times films, he would play in the noir genre as well, and when Mifune finally makes the right decision in this film, he gets assaulted and has the sort of beaten-hero demeanor and…
Sometimes at the absolute most inopportune times, I think of the girl in this movie just chowing down on the dogshit-filled pancakes and I'll start laughing til I cry. Like during interviews and funerals I'll think of it. Embarrassing.
Idk about you all, but I constantly hear people ask "when are we finally going to get a movie that combines The Terminator with Portrait of a Lady on Fire???"
Well good news, we finally got it!
This movie is scattered and messy and completely in love with its own structure, and I see the harsh criticisms that range from anywhere from 'homophobic' to 'pro-life- to 'racist'. But honestly I think it's simply a film that's primary objective is its…