Crossing: A Georgian grandmother named Lia practically forces her young adult neighbor, Achi, next door to drive her to Turkey so she can find her estranged niece, a transwoman named Tekla. This all has the makings of a light breezy road trip comedy and there are laughs to be had. But despite the rather familiar set-up, writer and director Levan Akin manages to craft more than just an escape for the characters, but how people try to find redemption in themselves. It's more than just Lia's search, it's about her own reckoning and guilt in having driven Tekla away. Should she be forgiven and is there even a relationship that can be saved? And Achi is more than dragged along for the ride. It's a chance from proper self-discovery for him. Even if it's not an escape from the working class trappings, maybe he could find joy and identity amidst the Turkish landscape. And for both of them, it's all the people the cross along the way, reflecting on what could've been, and how that drives us to redeem ourselves, even if we never get the chance to make amends. It's a film that's sensitive and human, but is also not out to provide comfort and safe answers for what we want. And with great chemistry from Lucas Kankava and Mzia Arabuli, it's a reflective film that's grown more and more with every reflection. Like the characters in the film, it's easy to take for granted the experience until you think about how much you gained by the end.
Daughters: The winner of Sundance's top prize in documentary and one of the most acclaimed documentaries of the year for a reason. I was honestly amazed on how much I loved this film because this could've easily been your standard tearjerking shining of a light on a tragic subject matter (which a film like Sing Sing I felt fell into for the most part) but what's great about this film is it's more than reliant being telling you how cruel and unfair the U.S. Criminal Justice System can be. Rather than dictate again an uncaring and unjust reality and potentially feeling redundant, it goes further than what's shown and hits a cord I haven't felt with a documentary film in a long time. More than just compassionate and empathetic towards both the titular daughters as well as the fathers incarcerated, it's poignant but also not overbearing in its message of the importance of parents in a child's life. You get a sense of not only how deep and painful the separation has been for the families but also the genuine love the parents have. It's more than just finally being able to be connected and dance for a change, every word of regret and promise to stay strong for their children. And it's the understated presentation of storytelling that makes the eventual anger and sadness of the reality hit even harder than if they'd simply relayed the events. And for being the debut documentary for the program heads Angela Patton and Natalie Rae, it's beautifully filmed and edited. In my opinion, close to the peak of what modern documentary filmmaking can be, both as a medium of film and a medium of compassion and empathy.
Do Not Expect Too Much from the End of the World: You know a film is incredible when an Uwe Boll cameo is one of the best parts. Without a doubt one of the sharpest and funniest satires about modern middle class I've watched in a while, I was a bit hesitant to get into this film at first given the nearly three hour runtime and I'll be upfront and say Raju Jade's dry, European sense of humor and their distinctly Romanian story with cute references to older Romanian media is not gonna be everyone's cup of tea. But despite the length, this is a film that captivated me for its runtime. I laughed hard at multiple sequences and scenes highlighting the absurdity of the state of the working class in an industrialized world in the 21st Century. Where even media and creativity is shackled and hindered by corporate desires and faux-sympathy for the plight of workers. So much so that escape and at times the only true authentic form of art is via co-opting of a masculine image through Instagram filters. And despite the humor, absurdity, and even bleakness of the reality, it's Jade's sensitive and empathetic direction towards the working class, combined Ilinca Manolache's effortlessly charismatic lead performance that keep you entranced. Even if this isn't normally your type of film, I still highly recommend this if just for an honest yet still tender satire.
Furiosa: Okay, I'll admit that this took awhile to grow on me. It's a monumental task to try and follow something as epic and generation-defining as Fury Road. And while this doesn't quite reach the heights of its predecessor, what I like is that George Miller simply didn't try and follow the same formula in telling another story. It's a lot slower and takes it times in setting up Furiosa and her path. We see more traditional worldbuilding not through action but through the other character interactions. Rather than the non-stop rush of adrenaline that the first film was, it's a film that builds and builds towards the big climax not just with the action but with Furiosa's eventual destination as the badass revolutionary we'd see her as. But at the end of the day, this is also yet another grand adventure in the Wasteland, with great thrilling setpieces, gorgeous cinematography and production, and a sense of creativity and wonder we don't see in a lot of modern blockbusters. Even if this is the end of the road and we never get another saga in the Mad Max universe, this is more than a fitting movie to end the series on, and an accomplishment of its own we got this in the era we did.
Green Border: This is a film that'll be incredibly hard to watch and it took me several days to handle the subject matters. It's as blunt and direct as a film can be in presenting the current immigrant crisis at European borders, and at times, it does feel like it's juggling too many story threads in trying to be as thorough tackle as many perspectives on the refugee crisis from families fleeing to cruel border patrol to activists trying to rescue those caught in between borders. There's even a brief epilogue showing how the crisis during the COVID-19 pandemic that arguably could've been cut. At the same time, you can't help but feel the righteous disgust Agnieszka Holland has, appalled not only at her country but the larger European institution for allowing this to even manifest in the first place, let alone having it persist for more than a decade at this point. It's of no surprise she's been effectively blacklisted by her government. She holds no punches in showing inhumane behavior by border patrol toward migrant refugees, and especially pregnant women and children. Even the small handful of activists and legal counselors for those who successfully cross the border, can't help but feel small against the overall authoritarian European regimes. It's far from an easy watch or a movie to even recommend, but it is perhaps one of the more courageous films I watched this year, if only as a statement against the Polish government.
It's What's Inside: It really is bewildering how Netflix can cheaply and quickly produce some of the worst films of the digital age while also helping promote and advertise some of the more creative titles. I already discussed Daughters earlier but let's talk about a film that surprised me even for one I was already excited about hearing about it out of SXSW and Sundance. The premise of a group of friends reuniting with each other only to switch bodies and have hijinks ensue, lends itself naturally to comedy, horror, and drama but it could also be played safe and cheap without tapping into its fullest potential. And I will admit at the sort I did have hesitancy after hearing the intentionally cringe influencer dialogue. But what I like is how quickly it breaks that safety net around the characters. That even the stereotypical jock bro or vapid influencer are fragile, seething and pathetic. How much do you really know about friends and partners? And if you feel betrayed by an image you had of them, how much of that blindness is their own sneaky behavior and how much of it is your own purposeful ignorance, trying to cling on to some image of stability. It's a fun watch, and one I'd imagine like the characters, would be even more fun with a group of drunk, high high school friends to be with. Also as a 100 fan, I always love seeing Alycia Debnam-Carey around, glad she's having fun.
Kinds of Kindness: The lukewarm reception and even disappointment some had for this film after it premiered at festivals, even from Yorgos Lanthimos fans, reminds me of the reception to Asteroid City, in that I agree and see where the sentiment comes from but also disagree with the response as a whole. I will say that for fans expecting something on the level of Poor Things or The Favorite, you're gonna be underwhelmed and it's also not really a good entry point if you're unfamiliar with Lanthimos' work. It's a back to basics film for him, it's firmly within a safe, comfort house at least as far as his filmography’s concerned, and so if you're also not wowed by his aesthetic this will not be for you. I will also say that the three shorts aren't entirely consistent; the second story was by far my favorite while the third being enjoyable but flawed and the first sadly being my least favorite, with both a lukewarm story and presentation. But like with Asteroid City, I do think it's also a bit underrated because it doesn't feel like Lanthimos-lesser than. It's not just style for style's sake and it's not being weird just to be weird. There is still something primal about how this film will push its characters to show the lengths and boundaries will cross all in service of what they rationalize as love and kindness. It's at the point of being called cruel by others but it's just taboo to potentially alienate and distance those close to them. Plus the performances from Emma Stone, Jesse Plemons, and Margaret Qualley – the latter of which continues to be an MVP in every film I've seen of hers. Even if it's not the best or most creative film, Lathimos still remains an engaging and eclectic filmmaker that at least guarantees that his movies are more interesting than most others this year.
The Last Year of Darkness: From an outsider perspective, it's rather easy to wave off regular clubbing as a cheap, shallow form to escape nihilism. After all, mainstream culture for the longest time has degraded those who lived lives of vices, chastising anyone who'd even think of divulging in hedonism for a while. And to be fair there is some truth to the fact these are still business at the end of the day and we should indeed not solely live our lives based on quick highs. But I think waving these nocturnal places as 'dirty' and even 'worthless' is rather demeaning and this documentary proves why. After all, there is something to be said about a space within our world in the claws of urban globalized capitalism, where people regardless of race, gender, sex, and economic class are able to connect with each other, be in solidarity with each other face-to-face. Yes, one night of partying isn't going to solve anything – you're still having to go to your dead-end job, social communication with others, you're dealing with mental anxieties and depression. Yet wouldn't it be so much worse without places like Funkytown? That even the rare outing of happiness is better than unending misery in this world? Funkytown may be gone, the spirit of it lives on through communities and cultures that will continue in creating these spaces in the face of modernity and crushing capitalism.
Longlegs: I've seen a lot more backlash to this film in the last few months than when it came out and I have to wonder how much of that was colored by the promotion and word of mouth. Now, was this help a bit too overhyped as the best and scariest movie of the year? Most definitely. Perhaps. And even amongst their young horror catalog, NEON's most successful film to date is not amongst their scariest (Possessor is still probably my favoirte horror movie they’ve acquired). But I do think separate from the hype, this is still effective and creepy horror movie. The cold, symmetrical cinematography from Andrés Arochi Tinajero, the creative and tight editing Greg Ng and Graham Fortin enhancing that unsafe feel, Maika Monroe's reserved performance in being able to show real fear, curiosity, and resilience as she herself wonders what happens if she gets too close to solving the mystery. And most of all the creeping dread and atmosphere Oz Perkins' creates; never leaving you feeling safe and secure even in public spaces and he properly makes night and day feel like a proper escape and respite from unknown horror. I can completely understand being underwhelmed from the hype and advertising, and ill even admit the final act and ending left me lukewarm in a Stephen King manner in that it explains a bit too much. But overall it's still a pretty great horror film in a year that's been great to horror, and a real showcase for Oz Perkins as a horror director to look forward to in the future.
No Other Land: I don't typically say this of films but this is an important movie. Much like 20 Days in Mariupol, this is a documentary I had to watch in batches. Looking at the footage captured can't bring anything but contempt for the various governments around the world who've systematically aided in the genocide in Palestine (and don't at me in the comments, it is a genocide). There's no container for the level of anger that so many innocent families with young children have been forced to live in literally caves. Anger at all the senseless violence and murders that you can only get a hint of but is omnipresent throughout. Anger that basic human rights such as water are literally being sawed through via further disgusting acts of gentrification. It's a cruel and unjustifiable crime against all that's humane and the fact this is even being debated upon as such, is just as sickening. And yet through all the grief and pain of this documentary actually lies hope amongst the Palestinian families who've had to save themselves. A hope built from solidarity from each other but from the handful of Israelis that have stood by their neighbors and fought back against their own government. It's a hope that all this fighting isn't just all for nought, but that any resistance is enough to save whatever is still standing, and that more will come. That one day, they will be free. And for the sake of Palestine, and human decency, I too sincerely wish for that hope to be realized one day.
The Pop Out: Does a majority of my love for this film come from the fact I love the music? …I mean duh, why else would I or anyone watch it if they weren't fans of Kendrick? But being somewhat objective, it's not just the music here that's worthy of praise. Because this didn't just feel like they simply recorded a performance at a concert or Coachella performance, this properly felt like the big event and victory lap that it was. I love that it's not just Kendrick that gets a time to shine, but various other West Coast rappers. Even if it's not a film you'll necessarily watch from start to finish, it's one full of sets worth watching in their entirety. The fact it's great hip-hop is icing on the cake. And just as a time capsule for this moment in time in hip-hop, where a majority were able to stand in solidarity and unity even if it's all in shitting on someone as mediocre as Drake, is something to behold. I don't think there'll ever be another situation like this in hip-hop so being able to have this captured is something else.
Strange Darling: Is this thriller a bit of style over substance? Sure I'll concede there. But when the style is this captivating, making the story all the more entertaining to follow through its complicated web, I have a hard time complaining about the style. I love how saturated the color palette is and how vibrant everything pops, particularly red and blues. Much has been made about how publicly the film was shot on 35mm – and perhaps it was a bit of a mistake to have a literal graphic before the film announcing that – but the results speak for themselves in how much grit you can get when you actually shoot on film. Not to mention Kyle Gallner continues to show why he's the modern Scream King. And Willa Fitzgerald who I was not familiar with at all delivers a wildly engaging performance. It's a film I can't talk much more on without hinting at spoilers so you should go into this film as blind as possible but the spider web we follow Gallner and Fitzgerald on is one that was incredibly enjoyable and I look forward to the J.T Mollner’s next film.
The Substance: I think I've exhausted my love for this film on numerous different subs and if you really wanna know my full thoughts on this film, follow this link. I won't go into too much detail than I already have (and because I will no doubt continue to do so for years to come) but to summarize this is just a near perfect film in my eyes and the very peak of filmmaking this year. From the performances from the dual leads in Demi Moore and Margaret Qualley who give it their all, not just the body horror make-up, but the slow descent of a woman driven not just by society's standards of beauty but by her own years of self-hatred and loathing. To Coralie Fargeat's directing and editing style which takes the hyper saturated sunbaked colors, quick cuts, zooms, and exaggerated sound effects of her last film Revenge and blows them to glorious proportions. Just from a sensual perspective, this film is a rush of disgust and quick high that'll leave you giddy in how delirious it gets but there's also a level of control to it all that has to be acknowledged. To the story which is endlessly and gleefully fun with its dark humor and dissection of pop culture's fascination with sex, youth, and beauty. Yes, it may not be the deepest story ever but again it's presented and told in such a thrilling way that even if you guess the destination, it's a thrilling journey nonetheless. To a maniacally unhinged Dennis Quaid either unafraid to chew up all the scenery…or just unaware or how over the top and unintentionally hilarious and threatening he is (honestly either is possible). Again I've talked A LOT about how much I love this film and I will talk more about how awesome it is for years. This film more than lived up to the hype and I instantly will be first in line for Coralie Fargeat's next movie.
There's Still Tomorrow: The film that made rounds last year for being the highest grossing Italian film of last year, even outgrossing Barbie in Italy. And after waiting a year to be able to view it, it more than lives up to the hype. And like with Barbie, it's a tough balancing act between the dreamlike tone of the setting and the comedy against the very real sexism and patriarchal society of a post-World War II Italy. The sets may look cheap and inauthentic but that actually adds to a classic Hollywood feel the film creates that enhances the unfair reality of the culture at the time. And yet thanks to the confident direction that never feels too heavy handed, and the performances from actresses not just the director Paola Cortellesi in the lead, but Emanuela Fanelli and especially the eldest daughter played by Romana Maggiora Vergano, it is able to showcase the gravery and grit of the Italian women in WWII to have their dignity not seen but adequately recognized. Plus, this contains without a doubt one of the best needle drops of an Outkast song ever put to film. You'll know it when you hear it and it actually had my jaw drop at how ingenious the incorporation was.
The Wild Robot: It's being called the best animated film of 2024 and even if this year was as competitive a year as 2022 or 2023, I think this would still be a contender for one of the best within the medium. As expected, the animation is beautiful with the hand drawn storybook art style carried from The Bad Guys and The Last Wish, meshing beautifully with the story. And something I quite like is the expressions and movements. They remind me of WALL-E jn how they're expressive but nor overtly cartoony as to look like it's just human faves on an animal or robot. The voice acting is also really strong: from the lead performance Lupita Nyong'o to Pedro Pascal to even side actors like Bill Nighy and Catherine O'Hara, for once in a Dreamworks film it doesn't feel like a collection of actors in a studio doing their public schtick. These feel like proper cartoon characters given life through their performances. And the story of adoptive parenthood and even feeling like an ourcasy who just wants to help (with more than a little autistic coding towards Roz) while not groundbreaking, still has a lot of warmth and authentic emotion as the best of any family movie should. It does get a bit complicated at the end with a sudden shift towards action for it's final act (an issue a lot of Western animated films have been having for years now) but that's a nitpick. Glad to see Dreamworks back on track
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