Every 12 months since 2015, I’ve been going to the movie show as a lot as attainable, preserving monitor of each film I see (together with ticket stubs, scores, some ideas, and so on). I went 5 occasions in 2015, 9 occasions in 2016, 146 occasions in 2017, 165 occasions in 2018, 193 occasions in 2019, 45 occasions in 2020, 86 occasions in 2021, and 273 occasions in 2022. I not often go watch a film greater than as soon as, however it occurs just a few occasions a 12 months. I attempt to go 3-5 occasions per week, relying on what’s popping out. I have 25 or so theaters inside 15 miles so I get a stable choice each week, the whole lot from huge blockbusters to obscure, one-theater-only worldwide releases. I’m not huge into horror so many notable ones shall be lacking from my rating (Halloween Ends, Smile, Orphan: First Kill, Terrifier 2, Prey for the Devil, Jeepers Creepers Reborn, and so on). With A-list, competition memberships/passes, reward factors, matinee screenings, Discount Tuesdays, and so on, I’d guess it in all probability averages out to solely about $6-$8 or so per film. I go alone more often than not.
I set a aim in January 2020 to go see 200 completely different movies in theaters that 12 months (after doing 192 in 2019), however needed to abandon that in mid-March (after 44 movies) and did not go once more for the following 13 months due to COVID, then slowly began going again in late-March 2021. This 12 months was a bit like making up for misplaced time in 2020/2021.
After ever solely having been to 1 ever earlier than, I additionally went to five movie festivals this 12 months: Savannah Film Festival (15 movies in 3 days), Miami Film Festival (16 movies in 7 days), Outshine Film Festival (6 movies in 5 days), Fort Lauderdale International Film Festival (11 movies in 6 days), and the Gems Miami Film Festival (5 movies in 2 days). For a lot of the competition screenings, members of the solid/crew had been current for the film and Q&As. Some highlights had been Ron Howard after Thirteen Lives, Eddie Redmayne after The Good Nurse, Kerry Condon after The Banshees of Inisherin, Dean-Fleischer Camp after Marcel the Shell with Shoes On, Jeremy Pope after The Inspection, Eric Appel after Weird: The Al Yankovic Story, Jared Harris after The Ghost of Richard Harris, and Michael Ward after Empire of Light.
I attempt to keep away from critiques/trailers/and so on as a lot as attainable earlier than watching one thing, to go in as blindly as attainable. My rating/ideas/scores are for enjoyable, I am not knowledgeable (or good) reviewer and this is not meant to be taken tremendous critically. It’s principally simply an enjoyment rating, primarily based on a rating I give to a film proper after watching it. It’s not likely meant to place movies towards one another, and I have no type of guidelines/necessities/guideline for scores. I similar to going to the movies and preserving rating for enjoyable.
The Worst Person in the World – 10/10 – I have not been this blown away by a duo of lead performances since Marriage Story. I love the best way it was structured like a e book, with necessary chapters of her life. Anyone that is struggling (or has struggled) getting their life collectively in their 20s will be capable of type a powerful bond with this film. It’s full of heartwarming and relatable and exquisite moments however at all times casting a powerful existential shadow. On a technical degree, it is among the finest directed and edited movies of the 12 months. The surreal (and dream/journey) scenes might really feel misplaced in most different movies, however they’re woven in completely right here. Absolutely excellent bittersweet ending and Waters of March was an incredible match to go along with it. Catchy and caught in my head for some time. The type of film that simply makes you soften into your seat because the credit roll. My favourite film of the 12 months.
Aftersun – 9/10
Petite Maman – 9/10
Babylon – 9/10 – Voodoo Mama is one of the best unique tune of the 12 months. Margot Robbie places in one of the best efficiency of the 12 months (with an incredible scene-stealing efficiency from PJ Byrne in the couple of minutes he is in it). ‘For the love of Cinema’ is principally its personal style now (particularly this 12 months with Empire of Light, The Fablemans, Last Film Show, and so on) however this is the cream of the crop. Starts off at 120 MPH, does not let off the gasoline for an hour, then it slows down a bit (perhaps an excessive amount of…), just for it to take one other batshit loopy flip. An wonderful ultimate scene. Damien Chazelle doesn’t miss. The scene the place Margot Robbie, Olivia Hamilton, and PJ Byrne attempt to make a scene work with the brand new sound coordinator is probably the most I’ve laughed in some time.
Top Gun: Maverick – 9/10 – The greatest motion blockbuster in some time. I cannot add something that already hasn’t been stated 1,000,000 occasions earlier than.
All Quiet On the Western Front – 9/10 – Up there with Paths of Glory, Come and See, The Bridge with being among the finest anti-war movies of all time. It has among the greatest manufacturing design for a battle film I’ve ever seen, actually spectacular stuff for a non-Hollywood manufacturing. Very brutal, very grounded.
Licorice Pizza – 9/10
CODA – 9/10 – The film equal of a scorching bowl of soup on a chilly day. Soul-warming stuff. Reading the premise, you’d anticipate one thing actually tacky/tearjerky, however this will get round that and earns a bunch of actual tears.
Close – 9/10 – The bus scene was the single-most emotionally-impactful scene of the 12 months. Heartbreaking story of childhood innocence and the results of societal pressures.
The Banshees of Inisherin – 9/10
Triangle of Sadness – 9/10
A Chiara – 9/10 – A extremely distinctive and nice mob film. It does not focus a lot on the mobsters, however the impact a criminal-empire has on the household of the boss. You’re put in the sneakers of the daughther of a mobster, and seeing her navigate and are available to acceptance along with her dad’s state of affairs made for a extremely thrilling film.
Marcel the Shell with Shoes On – 9/10 – You have not lived till you are sitting a full theater of individuals laugh-crying a couple of tiny shell. I saw this in July, could not cease fascinated about it, and went to see it once more in October with the director (Dean Fleischer Camp) in attendance.
Arsenault and Sons – 9/10 – This was a reallllly good crime-thriller. It’s a couple of French Canadian household that owns an everyday small-town storage however are additionally concerned in unlawful low season looking and meat distribution. A detailed-knit spider internet of crime that rapidly unravels and crumbles. It jogged my memory lots of Animal Kingdom. Great rating that helps construct stress all through, wonderful performing all spherical, with an incredible payoff on the finish. The greatest French-Canadian film for the reason that Cannes double-premiere of You’re Sleeping Nicole and Mommy in 2014.
Weird: The Al Yankovic Story – 9/10 -Seeing this in an enormous, bought out, 1200-seat theater with a very raucus and wild late-night crowd full of Weird Al followers was truthfully probably the most enjoyable expertise I’ve ever had on the movies. Something I’d pay rather a lot to expertise once more. Hilarious, perfectly-outrageous, however with quantity of coronary heart thrown in. Score is perhaps inflated a bit primarily based on what number of drinks I had beforehand. Happy that Roku financed it in the primary place, however nonetheless a bummer this gained’t get a theatrical launch. I really feel prefer it was strongly elevated by that.
Stars at Noon – 9/10 – My solely criticism is that it wrapped up so rapidly. I needed one other hour. Claire Denis’ greatest film since 35 Shots of Rum. If somebody requested me to recommend a film that is flown fully underneath the radar this 12 months, it might be this one. It’s full of nice performances, geopolitical spy/thriller intrigue, and
The Whale – 9/10 – Brendan Fraser is rightfully getting lots of reward for this efficiency, however the entire solid deserves it. Hong Chau and Sadie Sink put in two of one of the best supporting performances of the 12 months. Aronofsky’s latest stuff would possibly get too slowed down by spiritual allegory however this labored on many extra ranges.
Novembre – 9/10 – A mixture of Sicario and Zero Dark Thirty. An air-tight, real-life, crime-thriller that does not waste a single second and retains your coronary heart pounding all through (particularly that one raid scene close to the tip, holy shit).
Holy Spider – 9/10
The Ghost of Richard Harris – 9/10 – The greatest documentary of the 12 months. A candy and sincere tribute by 3 sons for his or her legendary, difficult father. It does not draw back from the robust subjects, and the interviews really feel deeply-personal, greater than most documentaries. It covers his faults and his greatness evenly, completely balanced. The Jim Sheridan section is in all probability my all-time favourite documentary interview, completely sincere and revalatory.
Red Rocket – 8/10 – Pound-for-pound the funniest film of the 12 months and one of the best comedy since Don’t Look Up.
Avatar: The Way of Water – 8/10
EO – 8/10 – On one hand, it made me lose all hope in humanity. On the opposite hand, it totally restored it. A fragile stability, and an exquisite little puzzle of a film, and perhaps one of the best total rating of the 12 months.
The Good Boss – 8/10
The Batman – 8/10
The Unbearable Weight of Massive Talent – 8/10
Ramona – 8/10 – Lourdes González is fully mesmerizing in this. One of my favourite performances of the 12 months. A candy, breezy, and quirky comedy-drama. The shade/melodrama of Almodovar, the walk-and-talk romance of Linklater, and the aesthetic of Noah Baumbach, however a beautifully-personal and cute story that makes it stand by itself.
Gagarine – 8/10 – An exquisite and unhappy story of childhood creativeness and loss. It’s an especially distinctive tackle the coming-of-age/old flame/early friendship style. Super candy. Lyna Khoudri is going to be big, I suppose. Came out of nowhere and blew me away. George Washington is considered one of my favourite movies ever, and this jogged my memory lots of that. There was one thing actually comforting and harmless about it.
Olga – 8/10 – Jaw-dropping efficiency for a first-time actress. Maybe one of the best debut efficiency in some time. Intertwined real-life footage does not work more often than not, however it was excellent in this film. Amazing sound design, lightning (in the gyms particularly), and use of non-actors. Imaginative transitions. Some sports activities movies could make ‘huge competitors climax’ appear corny and faux, however this was the alternative, it was a wonderfully shot climax, like an Olympics documentary or one thing. The present state of affairs in Ukraine provides a complete new parallel/layer to this already-amazing film.
Thirteen Lives – 8/10 – Formulaic however very efficient. A bit too lengthy, however nonetheless an incredible rescue/survival film. If this doesn’t win the Sound Design and/or Production Design Oscar, then I don’t know why these awards exist.
Emily the Criminal – 8/10
Bodies Bodies Bodies – 8/10
En Corps – 8/10 – Beautifully choreographed and uplifting film.
Knives Out: Glass Onion – 8/10
X – 8/10
Everything Everywhere All At Once – 8/10
Tar – 8/10 – I actually want this reduce the final 10 minutes. For me, the right finish level would have been when she’s watching the previous Leonard Bernstein VHS tape at her childhood house, however Cate Blanchett carries this to greatness.
Puss in Boots: The Last Wish – 8/10 – Animated movies aren’t actually my factor, however this was a extremely enjoyable and cute film.
A Hero – 8/10
Crimes of the Future – 8/10
Drunken Birds – 8/10
Doctor Strange: Multiverse of Madness – 8/10
Spider-Man: No Way Home – 8/10 – A extremely enjoyable time.
Official Competition – 8/10 – A biting, meta, and sharp satirical-comedy set in the world of filmmaking. Maybe Penélope Cruz’s best-ever efficiency.
Italian Studies – 8/10
Happening – 8/10
The Northman – 8/10
Huda’s Salon – 8/10 – This got here out of nowhere. Much more brutal and graphic than I thought it will be.
Elvis – 8/10 – Tom Hanks was miscast (it ought to’ve been Bill Camp),however I get that you just want an enormous identify in this. The first couple of minutes suck, however a enjoyable experience after that.
Nightmare Alley – 8/10
Cha Cha Real Smooth – 8/10 – Sweet, lighthearted, distinctive, and refreshing rom-com. I want considered one of these as soon as in some time.
The Menu – 8/10
Alcarras – 8/10 – I love a film that simply blindly throws you head-first into a sophisticated, layered, and relatable household drama. There’s a wealthy built-in historical past that you could slowly piece collectively. The grandpa was wonderful. All of the youngsters felt like their very own pillars to the story. A stern-but-loving dad clumsily making an attempt to maintain it collectively towards a altering tide. Really nice stuff.
Devotion – 8/10
Honk for Jesus. Save Your Soul – 8/10 – One of lately, Sterling Ok. Brown is going to get the popularity he deserves with an enormous award nomination (like he ought to’ve gotten for Waves just a few years in the past). This was actually stable spiritual satire. It’s like a behind-the-scenes model of The Eyes of Tammy Faye.
The Phantom of the Open – 8/10 – Liked this much more than I anticipated. “If life is tea, she’s my sugar” is considered one of my favourite traces of the 12 months. It does really feel like Mark Rylance is at all times taking part in the identical character although.
Black Panther: Wakanda Forever – 8/10
Fire of Love – 8/10
Paris, thirteenth District – 8/10
Brighton 4th – 8/10
Montana Story – 8/10 – Both comforting and unsettling. A extremely low-key household drama that sticks with you. Haley Lu Richardson is simply considered one of my favourite actresses, she’s nice in this.
The Fablemans – 8/10
Drive My Car – 8/10
Lost Illusions – 8/10 – A sprawling epic of early-1800s French publishing (as boring as that sound, it is actually not, it is fully charming and flies by) and an incredible story of ethics vs income. I love that Xavier Dolan simply randomly reveals up in issues.
The Lost King – 8/10 – Surprisingly candy story about discovering the physique of King Richard III. Some of the comedy with the ex-husband character doesn’t land and feels actually dated, however total a stable trendy biopic. I favored that they made King Richard a ghost-like character that adopted her round, it might need been too generic of a biopic in the event that they didn’t do one thing like that.
Corsage – 8/10
Blonde – 8/10
The Inspection – 8/10
She Said – 8/10 –
The Five Devils – 8/10 – That karaoke scene although.
You Can Live Forever – 8/10 – This jogged my memory lots of 2018’s Disobedience (starring Rachel McAdams and Rachel Weisz), it is a story of forbidden lesbian love story set in a small-knit, religion-controlled neighborhood, led by 2 nice lead performances. Really good drama with an incredible soundtrack. Plus, I’m a sucker for any Quebec-based movies so this will get further factors.
One Fine Morning – 8/10 – It’s onerous to clarify however there’s at all times a comforting heat to Mia Hansen Love’s movies, and this was no exception. Heartbreaking and exquisite efficiency from Lea Seydoux. Side word: Ending movies with a freeze body is actually corny and it by no means works, its a development that ought to have stayed in the 80s or whereever.
Matilda: The Musical – 8/10
Sam Now – 8/10 – Very considerate documentary filmed over 25 years. 500+ hours of footage reduce all the way down to a journey of 86 minutes, about 2 half-brothers on the lookout for the mom that deserted them with out clarification.
Nope – 7/10
The Gray Man – 7/10 – Totally ridiculous, completely silly, completely satisfying. As far as Netflix’s globe-trotting bloated motion movies go (Red Notice, Six Underground), this is by far one of the best. I know that is not a excessive bar, however this had that ’90s clean examine motion film’ vibe that simply felt proper.
Hustle – 7/10 – A film with this many non-actors will often get distracting, however this pulled it off. A extremely stable sports-drama-comedy.
The Woman King – 7/10
Parallel Mothers – 7/10 – Well-built and well-acted like each Almodovar film, however like All About My Mother and some others, the melodrama chokes out the story and does not go away a lot room for any progress to the story. Penelope Cruz killed it as ordinary. Dollar Store Javier Bardem was fairly good too (it actually did really feel like Bardem wasn’t accessible for the shoot in order that they obtained his doppelganger to exchange him last-minute.)
Dog – 7/10
The Tender Bar – 7/10 – Ben Affleck simply straight up stole the present. He was made for this supporting function and he’d get my vote on the Oscars. One of the sweeter (though a bit over-sentimental) movies of the 12 months. You can simply inform it was a e book first. Mixed in with an incredible soundtrack, introduced down a bit by Tye Sheridan.
Bullet Train – 7/10
Barbarian – 7/10
Plaza Catedral – 7/10
Hit the Road – 7/10
The Forgiven – 7/10 – It felt like a fully-loaded play with 1,000,000 fascinating characters. Great dialogue.
Thor: Love and Thunder – 7/10
See How They Run – 7/10 – If the universe was truthful, we might have a 10-film sequence of Sam Rockwell and Saiorse Ronan fixing crimes collectively. It takes a ordinary whoddunit film, then flips it, then flips it, then flips it once more.
Pearl – 7/10
Bones and All – 7/10 – I needed to like this much more. Michae Stuhlbarg is wasted and I’m so uninterested in Mark Rylance taking part in the identical precise character each film. I get that he is widely-regarded as one of many biggest theater actors of his era, however I discover him very one-dimensional in movie. This was film, however I suppose it might’ve been rather a lot higher.
Hold Me Tight – 7/10 – An wonderful efficiency from Vicky Krieps, however it will get a bit too jumbled/complicated for me to provide it the next rating. It felt like a puzzle lacking just a few items. Maybe that is the purpose. I do not know. The 2 intertwining realities type of mix it collectively.
2nd Chance – 7/10
Three Thousand Years of Longing – 7/10 – George Miller swings for the fences, typically it lands, typically it crashes. This lands, after which crashes.
Coupez! – 7/10 – I went in considering this was only a remake of the (*270*) One Cut of the Dead, however was pleasantly stunned that it went one other layer deep. If you desire a horror-meta-comedy, this is it.
God’s Country – 7/10
Maigret – 7/10 – Decent, predictable, and mostly-forgettable crime procedural set in Fifties France, however does sufficient to maintain you in the murder-mystery. You can determine it out fairly early on although.
Wild Men – 7/10
DC League of Superpets – 7/10
The Box – 7/10
Compartment Number 6 – 7/10
Ambulance – 7/10 – I know I’m purported to hate this, however I simply cannot. I might listing 1,000,000 the reason why it sucks: The fixed tonal modifications (from just a little woman actually being impaled by a fence to a couple wise-ass jokes a minute later), a lot product placement I felt like I was watching the Super Bowl, the solar being blasted into my eyeballs each 5 seconds (we get it Michael Bay, the solar exists), a super-weird marriage counseling scene, the awkward digital camera angles, and so on. All that being stated, it was only a entire lot of enjoyable.
To Leslie – 7/10 – Crippling alcoholism is a standard theme on the movies this 12 months. Andrea Risenborough and Marc Maron are superior in this, however it’s principally one thing you’ve got already seen earlier than.
Moonage Daydream – 7/10 – Was value watching in IMAX (not usually this may be stated for a doc), however not my favourite documentary of the 12 months. Memory of a Free Festival has been caught on my playlist since watching this film.
A Love Song – 7/10
Confess, Fletch – 7/10 – Jon Hamm awkwardly and confidently finds himself in the center of an intercontinental murder-mystery. It’s as enjoyable because it sounds. Watch it.
Vengeance – 7/10
Nostalgia – 7/10
Amalgama – 7/10
Wet Sand – 7/10
Argentina, 1985 – 6/10 – The tone was type of bizarre, I went in anticipating a fully-serious trial-drama (about post-dictatorship Argentina and the trial of the army leaders that ordered hundreds of murders), however it ended up being performed for lots of snickers. Still a fairly good legal-drama although.
Clerks III – 7/10
Navalny – 7/10
Sundown – 7/10 – Lowkey, imprecise, sluggish, sun-drenched chiller that sticks with you.
Jockey – 7/10 –
The Duke – 7/10
That Kind of Summer – 7/10 – Not many movies are this sincere and open about sexual experiences.
18 1/2 – 7/10 – Take a bizarre ass flip close to the tip however I loved the bizzaro-alternate-history angle. Watergate advised from a fictional private perspective.
Watcher – 7/10 – Maika Monroe in a psychological-thriller, what extra must be stated?
Last Film Show – 7/10
Everything Went Fine – 7/10
Scream – 7/10
Cyrano – 7/10 – Impressive set items & choreography and an incredible sound monitor (“Wherever I Fall” is a tune I discover myself going again to rather a lot, similar with “Someone to Say”), however a like most of Joe Wright’s work, it finally ends up a bit on the incorrect aspect of bland. The nice long-shot battle scene reminded of lots of what he did through the well-known seaside seaside in Atonement. Bonus factors for the full-on dedication from Peter Dinklage, Kelvin Harrison Jr, and Haley Bennett, you actually felt it on display. Pre-2020 I might see this film having been an enormous crowd-pleasing hit, like The Greatest Showman. Kind of a bummer it flopped so onerous.
Violent Night – 7/10
Spoiler Alert – 7/10
Ali & Ava – 7/10
The Territory – 7/10
The Lost Daughter – 7/10
Lunana: A Yak in the Classroom – 7/10
The Daughter – 7/10
Soul of a Beast – 7/10
Vortex – 6/10 – Technically spectacular, and Alex Lutz had a extremely wonderful supporting efficiency, however there’s solely a lot double-perspective aimless wandering I can take, and it seems 2 hours and 29 minutes is previous my restrict. Dario Argento’s horrible French was actually distracting too, he was actually struggling to get traces out, and never in the pure manner you’d anticipate/need. If you are in the temper to have your coronary heart and soul crushed by the horrors of previous age and the degenerative mind ailments that await many people, I’d extremely recommend The Father or Amour over this film. Hardcore Gaspar Noe followers will prefer it although, he has a novel manner of getting underneath your pores and skin, and he positively digs right here. I favored the maze-like/claustrophobic/cramped really feel of the condo although, that actually elevated the entire thing. The bathe scene and the gasoline scene actually hit, favored these rather a lot.
Pinocchio – 6/10
Beast – 6/10
Decision to Leave – 6/10 – Muddled, complicated, bizarre tonal modifications, however it did look nice. The most disappointing film of the 12 months for me, particularly contemplating The Handmaiden is considered one of my all-time favorites. Neither romantic story nor a crime-drama. It’s type of simply caught in between.
White Noise – 6/10 – 9/10 first half, 3/10 second half. The practice derailment in the film type of occurred concurrently the derailment of the film itself. Neat.
Emergency – 6/10
The Bob’s Burgers Movie – 6/10
Uncharted – 6/10
The Quiet Girl – 6/10 – I had actually excessive expectations for this going in. It was one of many 12 months’s largest indie hits in the UK & Ireland and it was a competition darling all throughout the globe. I thought it ended up being….simply wonderful? It’s a fairly generic story, an undesirable/missed little one will get despatched away to distant relations in the nation they usually bond over shared trauma/unhappiness. It was well-shot and well-acted, however I was principally left disillusioned.
Saint Omer – 6/10
Armageddon Time – 6/10 – Anne Hathaway and Anthony Hopkins made this value watching. Everything else, not a lot.
The 355 – 6/10 – *An okay, generic, time-wasting action-thriller, with each plot twist you’d anticipate and some good one-liners and world-travelling set-pieces (suppose Triple Frontier, or a Jason Statham/Liam Neeson car with higher cinematography).
Brian and Charles – 6/10 – An extraordinarily British Lars and the Real Girl.
A Taste of Hunger – 6/10
Lightyear – 6/10
Jackass Forever – 6/10
Death on the Nile – 6/10 – The enjoyable factor a couple of murder-mystery is that deaths carry lots of weight. Killing off half of the characters actually destroys that weight and removes any type of funding I had in the film. A enjoyable script and good performing stored this afloat.
Moonfall – 6/10 – Watching Armageddon, The Core, and The Day After Tomorrow 500x occasions every as a child will at all times hold a soft-spot in my coronary heart for movies like this.
The Outfit – 6/10
The Greatest Beer Run Ever – 6/10
Empire of Light – 6/10 – It seemed attractive and sounded wonderful, however total seems like an enormous wasted alternative. There’s an incredible film in there someplace, as a tribute to cinema and theaters whereas following the solid of misfits preserving a theater alive on the south English coast, however it will get buried by a terribly-boring (and kinda creepy) principal relationship, an overly-hammy efficiency by Olivia Colman, and manner too many side-stories.
The Drop – 6/10 – Painfully, absurdly, and splendidly awkward however on the finish of the day, it is a bit too stretched skinny. Like an SNL sketch that goes on too lengthy.
Ride Above – 6/10 – It depends an excessive amount of on being emotionally-manipulative (quadriplegic woman groups up with autistic farmhand to coach horses at a failing household ranch, I imply, come on), however the racing scenes and performing hold this fascinating sufficient.
The Estate – 6/10
Dual – 6/10 – Riley Stearns’s earlier film, The Art of Self Defense, was considered one of my favourite dark-comedies of latest years. I favored the premise, and I favored the alcoholism parralel, however I could not get previous the horrible casting of the 2 leads (Karen Gillan/Aaron Paul).
The Bad Guys – 6/10
Downton Abbey: A New Age – 6/10 – I’ve by no means seen a single episode of the present, however I’ve seen each movies. It did not fairly have the comfy feeling of the primary one, however it was nonetheless charming and overly-extravagant sufficient to be satisfying. Points misplaced for a lot of cliché plotlines.
The Good House – 6/10
On the Come Up – 6/10 – Very clunky in the center and about half-hour too lengthy, however the rap battle scenes make this a worthy watch, particularly the final one.
Eiffel – 6/10
Confessions of a Hitman – 6/10 – My dream film or tv mission is a big-budgeted, sprawling retelling of the Quebec Biker War, however I guess it will do for now.
Catherine Called Birdy – 6/10
Immersion – 6/10
Emancipation – 6/10 – If it wasn’t for the worst color-grading I’ve ever seen in a serious movement image, the worst accent work of 2022, and a ridiculous hand-to-hand alligator vs Will Smith battle, this could’ve been fairly good.
Three Minutes: A Lengthening – 6/10 – It’s an fascinating selection, making a full-length documentary film from a 3-minute clip of a pre-WW2 city, however I suppose it was stretched too skinny.
Fantastic Beasts: The Secrets of Dumbledore – 6/10
All of the Old Knives – 6/10 – Not nice, however I favored the ‘old-school-and-overcomplicated-spy-movies-they-dont-make-anymore’ vibe this had occurring. It actually is a throwback to Nineties camp.
My Name Is Sara – 6/10
Master – 6/10
Don’t Worry, Darling – 6/10
Men – 6/10 – I completely liked Ex Machina. I completely hated Annihilation. This is someplace in the center. Alex Garland has been very ‘type over substance’ for me in his previous 2 options. Jessie Buckley was nice as at all times although.
Where the Crawdads Sing – 6/10
Till – 6/10 – In a vacuum, Danielle Deadwyler’s courtroom scene is in all probability probably the most well-acted and charming single second I’ve seen on the large display this 12 months, and it deservedly ought to get her an Oscar nomination, however the film as a complete wasn’t as nice because it ought to have been.
Call Jane – 6/10
Luck – 6/10
Corner Office – 6/10 – In some moments, it is a actually humorous/relatable satire of office dynamics and the full absurdity of workplace tradition, however more often than not, it is simply too dry and sluggish to work. Really near greatness although. I do love the number of Jon Hamm’s tasks just lately although.
Nocebo – 6/10
Nanny – 6/10
Christmas Bloody Christmas – 6/10 – The first 70 minutes had been good and the two mains had nice/enjoyable chemistry, getting drunk and discussing movies/music whereas folks get brutally murdered round them. Then the final quarter-hour actually dragged, actually stretching for runtime there. Loved the bodily media references all through (Vinegar Syndrome, Severin, and so on.).
Firebird – 6/10
Moon Man – 6/10
Amsterdam – 5/10 – Kind of a large number, however Christian Bale makes it watchable. John David Washington then again places in one of many worst performances of the 12 months.
Bardo, False Chronicle of a Handful of Truths – 5/10 – Some of one of the best modifying and set design of the 12 months. The relaxation didn’t work.
Sin La Habana – 5/10
Jurassic World Dominion – 5/10 – If Top Gun: Maverick is the right blockbuster, this is the blandest blockbuster. Too many characters you do not care about, too many silly selections, too many side-plots. It’s satisfactory however I’ll by no means watch it once more. Let this franchise relaxation for some time.
American Dreamer – 5/10 – Peter Dinklage and slapstick comedy can solely carry this up to now.
You Won’t Be Alone – 5/10 – If Terrence Malick directed a folk-horror. Sounds wonderful, however did not do something for me.
Minions: Rise of Gru – 5/10
Benediction – 5/10
Fall – 5/10
Belle – 5/10
Mr Malcolm’s List – 5/10
Spirited – 5/10
Passing – 5/10 – It was sluggish, however wonderful, till the ending blows the entire thing up. God that was unhealthy. That ought to have stayed in the novel, it did not translate to the display in any respect.
Strawberry Mansion – 5/10
Mrs Harris Goes to Paris – 5/10
Arlette – 5/10 – Basically a French Canadian Veep, however not practically as biting or humorous, apart from just a few moments. I can admire the truth that a film mocking the federal government is partially funded by the federal government, particularly in a film about supporting tradition and the humanities, however the ending principally deflates that goodwill.
Memories of My Father – 5/10 – The most dragged-out, melodramatic loss of life scene you’ve got ever seen in your life.
Plan A – 5/10
So Damn Easy Going – 5/10
Ticket to Paradise – 5/10 – Super-safe, super-sanitized, super-predictable, however I am completely happy that movies like this are nonetheless getting made and are bringing folks to the theaters. I additionally want extra movies did blooper reels through the credit like this did, that is at all times enjoyable.
The Automat – 5/10 – If it hadn’t was a glorified Starbucks advert in the center, this would possibly’ve been fairly good.
Maixabel – 5/10
Estacion Catorce – 5/10
The Tale of King Crab – 5/10
The Lost City – 5/10 – Tracy Buttstuff.
Sonic 2 – 5/10
The Contractor – 5/10 – 15 years in the past, this could have been an enormous, $150M-budgeted, franchise-starting, summer time blockbuster starring Tom Cruise or Brad Pitt. Now, it is a lifeless and complicated motion film pretending to have political intrigue. I’m stunned it did not additionally co-star John Travolta.
Mothering Sunday – 5/10 – If you want bare folks strolling round aimlessly, this is the film for you.
Bros – 5/10
The Cow Who Sang A Song Into the Future – 5/10 – It bites off greater than it will possibly chew. It tries to sort out so many points without delay however cannot
Apples – 5/10
Breaking – 5/10 – John Boyega doing his greatest ‘Denzel Washington in John Q’ impression. Some scenes are so over-acted (particularly with the financial institution supervisor), that they change into accidentally-funny.
Les Tricheurs – 5/10
Black Adam – 5/10
Loving Highsmith – 5/10
Lyle, Lyle, Crocodile – 5/10 – If solely this might have lived as much as the fantastic & energetic opening dance/singing sequence between Javier Bardem and Lyle. It all goes downhill from there. Honestly, take out the silly household (horrible casting all-around there, particularly the child) and cliché bad-neighbor, and enhance the Bardem/Lyle scenes by 300%, and you have one thing nice.
Utama – 5/10 – I get it. A household’s lifestyle is dying and a cussed, ageing patriarch is bringing dragging them down with it. It’s obtained nice, sprawling panorama pictures and feels very grounded, however I was simply so bored.
Father Stu – 5/10
Strange World – 5/10
Ahed’s Knee – 5/10 – I really feel like I do not know sufficient about middle-eastern geopolitical points for this to work for me, very like the director’s earlier film (Synonyms).
Memory – 5/10 – As far as “im too old for this shit’ Liam Neeson action movies this year go, this is miles ahead of Blacklight (see: bottom of this), but that’s not a high bar.
Unidentified Objects – 5/10
The Good Nurse – 4/10 – Drab, generic crime story that lacks any tension or suspense. Chastain was good, Redmayne was terrible.
The Eternal Daughter – 4/10 – Watching a Joanna Hogg movie is like accidentally and awkwardly walking into someone else’s therapy session, or it’s like the feeling of waking up and instantly forgetting an insanely-vivid dream. It’s uncomfortable.
Frank and Penelope – 4/10 – Could be good if you’re in the mood for a pulpy, cheap, late-night, Tarantino-ripoff crime movie, but it wasn’t for me.
Flee – 4/10
You Resemble Me – 4/10 – Watch November instead.
American Underdog – 4/10 – Could’ve been alright with more football and less sentimental-cheesy romance/religious stuff.
Infinite Storm – 4/10 – I’m really burnt-out on survival-dramas. I had trouble staying awake during this one.
Morbius – 4/10
Salvatore: The Shoemaker of Dreams – 4/10 – Once in a while, really talented people get together for a bunch of fast money and make an extended commercial that’s not worthy of their talent.
The Silent Twins – 4/10
Summering – 4/10
Jane – 4/10
Aline – 4/10
Waiting for Bojangles – 4/10
Paws of Fury – 4/10 – The story behind the production of this movie is far more interesting than anything the movie itself offers.
Delia’s Gone – 4/10 – I thought Diane Keaton in Mack & Rita would run away with the honor, but Marissa Tomei in this movie easily puts in one of the worst performances I’ve ever seen on the big screen. It was like a bad parody of Matthew McConaughey in True Detective. Stephan James is picking really bad projects post-Beale Street.
Jane by Charlotte – 4/10 – If a lame Mother’s Day card was made into a movie. The anti-Ghost of Richard Harris. Awkward and clunky.
Studio 666 – 4/10
I Am Here – 4/10
Detectives vs Sleuths – 4/10 – One of the most convoluted, nonsensical crime movies I’ve ever seen (I’ve seen The Snowman and nothing is ever topping that). A total mess from start to finish. Could not keep track of any character or motivation or “case quantity”.
My Policeman – 3/10 – Boring. Really came close to falling asleep a few times. Extremely sedated romantic-drama. I’d rather there was no “future” version of the characters, just the originals. Maybe that would’ve made it better.
Leonor Will Never Die – 3/10 – Too meta. Too quirky. I felt like I was on the outside of an inside joke the whole time.
Last Flight Home – 3/10 – There’s something overly-sanitized, overly-edited, fake, control-heavy, and gross about this documentary. Just didn’t feel right. At its core, its the story of a dysfunctional family milking their father’s assisted suicide for their own needs. A sad, lonely man watching politics on TV in his final days, reminiscing about the good old days and reaching for death, while his family films it.
Rifkin’s Festival – 3/10 – Wallace Shawn was so awful in this. Woody Allen has some classics, but this is rock-bottom.
Marry Me – 3/10
Both Sides of the Blade – 3/10 – I’m a huge fan of Claire Denis, but some of her more recent movies have left me more irritated than anything else. If you want to watch 2 hours of an annoying couple just bicker at each other for no reason, I guess you might enjoy this. I hated all 3 main characters. I didn’t care about what happened at all. Worst love triangle ever.
The Rose Maker – 3/10
Mack & Rita – 3/10 – “She’s so previous each second counts” was the only redeeming line or memorable moment. It felt like a movie that was supposed to come out 20 years ago. Freaky Friday, but creepy.
Firestarter – 3/10
Easter Sunday – 3/10 – Awkward, unfunny, cheap-looking.
Medieval – 2/10 – Some of the all-time funniest/awful line-dubbing by Michael Caine in this. Maybe the worst-edited movie I’ve ever seen. The story is impossible to follow.
Hatching – 2/10
Matrix Resurrections – 2/10
The Railway Children Return – 2/10 – From the poster you’d think this was just a cheesy, bland, forgettable British period drama. It turns out you’d be right.
Enys Men – 2/10 – Every folk horror cliché messily jumbled together into a bundle of total nonsense along with purposefully out of synch audio and bad visuals. 90 minutes of pure cinematic torture.
Please Baby Please – 2/10 – I wonder how they got Demi Moore to be in this. I feel like that’s an interesting story.
Simple Passion – 2/10 – The “French folks having plenty of intercourse” genre hits rock bottom here. It’s like if a Lifetime movie accidentally got approved for an NC-17 rating.
Like Me – 1/10 – A boring & annoying & explicit soap opera masquerading as a full-length feature film.
Blacklight – 1/10 – Possibly the worst “motion” film I’ve ever watched. This was “post-2000 Steven Seagal Action Movie” bad. Embarrassing for all involved.
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17 triple-headers, 4 quadruple-headers, and 4 quintuple-headers.
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The most in a one-week span was 20 movies from Oct 21 to Oct 28.
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Movies I went to see more than once: The Worst Person in the World x2, Marcel the Shell With Shoes On x2, Elvis x2.
Movie Theater Visits by Month:
Favorite Performances:
Past Rankings:
In the following few weeks, I am planning to go see I Wanna Dance With Somebody, Living, No Bears, Women Talking, Alice Darling, M3gan, A Man Called Otto, Plane, The Son, House Party, and Broker.
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