I've dropped the movie ball in recent years and I'm slowly picking up the pieces.
I can find 100 best-of listicles so what I'm really after are those that totally captivated you for whatever reason - or surprised you, or disturbed you or left you stunned in your seat and contemplating it for the next week. I'm not really into blockbusters, but something popular and quirky like Everything, Everywhere All At Once (already seen it though) is very welcome. If you're unapologetically gushing about Top Gun: Maverick... I will watch it.
One I watched years ago that I'm yet to encounter someone else mention These Final Hours. Follows a young man in Australia, as the last nine hours of humanity are being counted down. The asteroid has already hit, and the last people are just waiting for the encroaching wall of fire to sweep them out of existence. It was much, much better than I expected. Really moving. Nope might be a shade popular for what you're after, but I really enjoyed it. A solid horror flick oozing with atmosphere. Hunt for the Wilderpeople wholesome, funny, quirky - and also I want to plug some NZ films. Annihilation was pretty wild. I've heard it's polarising for some, so perhaps I'm just an easily pleased goon but I enjoyed the uneasy Sci-fi/horror edge. Two Distant Strangers a short movie where a young black man is stuck in a time loop and continously encountering a racist, white cop. The Rider I'm not one for westerns but this absolutely captivated me. Finding out the main characters aren't professional actors and are instead portraying fictionalised versions of themselves, was something else. That's not a spoiler, just what I found when I looked it up to see if they had been in any other movies.
I do have a list of movies I'm interested in seeing - though I haven't touched it for a few years. Both Annihilation and Hunt for the Wilderpeople are there so we're off to a good start from my perspective! I started with Annihilation yesterday because it's on Netflix and therefore easy. I doubt any sci-fi horror can match Alien or The Thing. I've seen Alien a bunch of times and it still holds up but I'm a bit scared to re-watch The Thing because I have a feeling I might have magnified it in my mind through the emotional lens of nostalgia and it may be disappointing. I really liked Annihilation though. I don't go for horror per-se, but I do enjoy some good, egregious body horror and I liked their choice to unambiguously show the alien and not hide behind the "leave it to your imagination because it's worse than we can show you"
Haven't had a lot of time to watch films this week so Two Distant Strangers was my next choice. When I was growing up it was really common to have a short film supporting the main feature when you went to the cinema and I really miss that experience. I felt sad and a bit angry when they stopped showing them in favour of fucking adverts and upcoming features. But not as sad and angry as this little short. And what an unusual subgenre to highlight the issue. I liked the use of names as the credits were rolling and wondered if the names on the roofs towards the end were real or VFX?
I decided I should post a little comment of gratitude after watching each of the recommended films. Hunt for the Wilderpeople took me back to being a little kid, reading the likes of Treasure Island and Robinson Crusoe. Made me think of the kind of boy's own adventures that the (probably underappreciated) Ripping yarns parodied/revered. Getting Sam Neill for this project must have been a bit of a coup before Taika Waititi really hit the big time with Marvel.
Gohatto, 1999: a japanese movie in a strict medieval military school, where everyone start to become romanticaly obsessed with a new recruit. But I have a weird fascination for medieval japan history, to the point where I must be the only one who enjoyed the Seven samourai. The real thing, 2020: japanese movie in modern time . A normal dude become romanticaly obsessed with a girl driving him into weird situation. I suspect Japan has a tradition of some people being able to entail profound irresistible love. Because thoses 2 movie are totally non realistic for a western eyes.. yet they work. The strangenest is fascinating. I recently watched the last of Sheila, 1973: a murder mystery where everyone is bad, and the reveals piles up. I suspect I liked it more because it is filmed in Antibes, a french city I spend some weeks, in a difficult time, roaming the streets and port at night, like we see them in the movie.
Definitely open to Japanese movies - looking forward to these.
I began last year by watching every single marvel movie which killed my interest in movies for a while. I’m slowly recovering, but I have a bad memory and just recently started logging what I watch on letterboxd. You were never really here is Joaquin Phoenix at his finest, with great direction and editing. Triangle of sadness was alright, but I feel like Ruben Östlund peaked with Force Majeure. That said, rich people projectile vomiting is fun.
I have debated doing this. I stopped superhero movies at Iron Man 2 and have felt no longing, yet I've got a seedbox and a dozen torrent subscriptions so what I end up watching is weird stuff someone else freeleeched or things my daughter has decided she needs to see. Thus, I have zero recommendations for movies. I think I'll skip the superhero onslaught. It is my measured opinion as an industry professional that the best writing is now in episodic, so I've been doing a lot of that. I think the last vaguely-modern movie was that Sandra Bullock vacation thing which is basically a Romancing the Stone remake (my daughter has now seen Romancing the Stone) so I am bereft of recommendations.I began last year by watching every single marvel movie which killed my interest in movies for a while.
oof - I watched most of the Marvel Phase 3 movies because my son was really into them. I now have zero interest in anything MCU or superheroes - TV or film. Watching stuff with your kids is rewarding regardless of the genre or quality. I'm just super indifferent about them now.
I really enjoyed both Glass Onion movies. They’re fun in an old school, murder mystery way. I watched them both for the first time recently. Watch them in order. Parasite is also a FANTASTIC film. Highly recommend. The Death of Stalin is absolutely hilarious. One of my most enjoyable viewings in recent memory. Enjoy!
Tuesday is the new dad + daughter movie day. She's seen the later Glass Onion but not Knives Out so that was my pick on your recommendation. I remember being told about Cut-up technique and I had a strong feeling of it being applied to the genre of murder mystery here, while still being an actual genuine murder mystery romp. I really enjoyed how the tropes were used as misdirection and taking a humorous approach and, like any good show or film, there are obviously many clues dropped to encourage a re-watch, which I'm pretty certain I will do.
So I watched Death of Stalin yesterday and, although I definitely enjoyed it, I ended up slightly disappointed. I think I went in with the wrong expectations though expecting it would be more vicious like In The Thick of It, In The Loop or Veep. It was a clever stomp through the changeover though and some good performances (Beria in particular) and I did like the decision to take it in the direction of a theatrical farce rather than dwelling on the historical brutality.
I recall laughing a lot. Great cast! I mean; Michael Palin and Jeffrey Tambor alone are great. But I thought Jason Isaacs stole the show. It was good ole fashioned cinematic fun.
Armando Iannucci can do little wrong as far as I'm concerned. Anyone that can conjure up Malcolm Tucker is worth watching. Bonus point since both onions are on Netflix too.
I've been thinking of watching Parasite again. I haven't seen it with my kids yet. Just watched Pulp Fiction with my 15 year old son. He said he "thoroughly enjoyed it". Also wanna watch Carl Sagan's Contact with my son anddaughter They're both primed to discuss how& when if science and religion are able to able to coexist.
I might be overestimating the depth, but I'm massively impressed you're able to have conversations like that with your kids about a movie/TV show. I find it hard enough with adults (from my side and theirs). I'm slipping a bit on these recommendations, but I'm considering (re-watching) Parasite with my daughter on our next movie. They're both primed to discuss how& when if science and religion are able to able to coexist.
Everything, everywhere, all at once was my favorite movie of the last 5 years, so you're already off to a good start :) If you're into kinda sad school-age character pieces, I loved Eight Grade by Bo Burnham and Lady Bird by Greta Gerwig American Animals is a really cool heist movie, where they interview and reenact an Actual, Real-Life heist. It's really unique
I'm surprised to learn Bo Burnham directed a movie and I'm intrigued by the idea of using documentary footage rather than being a straight documentary.
The dinner scene in The Square is one of the greatest scenes in cinema I've ever watched. I also found The Killing of a Sacred Deer entertaining.
Saw The Killing of a Sacred Deer last night (Sunday). Absolutely stunning. Lots of food for thought here. I've never studied Greek mythology but I can spot a hint like name dropping Iphigenia. I wouldn't have connected the Deer otherwise. Reminded me of watching movies like Irreversible or Eraserhead for the first time - not least because of the stilted conversation style which is a landmark feature of Lynch's films. I loved how the off-kilter camera angles add to the feeling of unease too.
I've recommended The Lobster to friends in the past, so now I'm wondering to myself why I haven't seen more of Lanthimos?
Be warned, I am no movie connoisseur. The two listed below are on top 100 listicles… but they meet your criteria of leaving an impression that spanned (more than) a week. - Everything Everywhere All at Once (2022): This movie, I sought out before it hit theaters due to cast, producers and concept. After getting my money’s worth in theaters, I dragged two others with me, and they invited me to their viewing parties where they bought the blu-ray to show others. - RRR (2022): It’s action sequences has so many tropes seen in American action cinema, yet follows through to a satisfying conclusion. Must see with friends. Another movie that is refreshing even as a re-watch.
Saw RRR this weekend. I've never had a fever dream but this made me think I was watching a 3-hour superhero Bollywood Rambo during a fever dream. So over the top and brutal and then suddenly, song or dance time. The symbolism and metaphor from a different language and culture is like running poetry through google translate. I kind of get the broad meaning but I also feel like I was missing a lot of detail and cultural cues, not least of which is Alluri Sita Ramaraju and Komaram Bheem being historical figures.
I mean who cares... neither am I. I probably over-emphasised my dislike of popular/mainstream movies (which I have seen a lot of) - my preference just lies elsewhere. I am genuine about watching whatever people recommend in this thread though so thanks for RRR - I don't think I've seen many Indian-made films - just ones about India. I am no movie connoisseur