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| 20NEEK21 - Film Ranking
let's say this is bc the oscars are coming up and not bc I procrastinated! | | 54 |  | Green Day
Father of All Motherfuckers
Last Night in Soho // 1.6 // Thriller (Psychological)
dir. Edgar Wright
Cannot overemphasize how much of a colossal, gross misfire this was. If throwing a traumatically gonzo murder-rape scene in the middle of a “feminist” thriller wasn’t bad enough, Wright stumbles over his own plot to deliver one of the most tone-deaf 3rd acts I’ve ever seen (with Doctor Who-esque rape zombies and everything). This is probably the most insensitive and irresponsible mainstream film of the 2020s so far. Edgar Wright should stick to comedy. | | 53 |  | Coldplay
Music of the Spheres
Reminiscence // 1.7 // Sci-Fi (Noir)
dir. Lisa Joy
This is a dumb dumb dumb movie. Its few visual pleasures and moments of tension are intriguing, but its bland dystopian world and flaccid exploration of tired themes such as memory, love, etc. etc. make it clear why this film flopped so horribly. It’s a shame because Joy has shown some serious talent as both a writer and a director, but none of it is to be seen here. I’m normally a sucker for sci-fi noirs, but this ain’t it. | | 52 |  | Ozzy Osbourne
Ordinary Man
The Marksman // 2.0 // Thriller (Action)
dir. Robert Lorenz
This is essentially a Clint Eastwood film, but with Liam Neeson in front of the camera and Eastwood’s longtime producer directing. And it’s a bad one at that. Churning through rote drama and suspense-free action scenes at a plodding pace, there’s not one hint of freshness. Even with Neeson’s genuine lead performance, everything here just feels tired. | | 51 |  | Foo Fighters
Medicine at Midnight
Halloween Kills // 2.4 // Horror (Slasher)
dir. David Gordon Green
Perhaps caught in their own heads over the smashing success of the reboot, the writers have returned with an overwrought, overthought examination of mob mentality, not a single moment of which is potent. Green directs the shit out of the slasher bits, but even these are populated by unengaging fodder. Our sense of disbelief is stretched to the absolute limit by the time we reach the ridiculous ending—this wouldn’t be a problem if it had settled for less, but Halloween Kills is a film that so desperately wants to be more. | | 50 |  | Lady Gaga
Chromatica
Venom: Let There Be Carnage // 2.4 // Action (Superhero)
dir. Andy Serkis
A noisy, stupid, ridiculous film that nevertheless eschews modern superhero conventions to deliver a rare blockbuster unconcerned with world-ending ambitions. Rather, it doubles down on its popular protagonist and twists the knife in him for a mercifully brief 90 mins, at the expense of any character development or competent pacing. That being said, it serves an amusing romp that feels like the first film on crack, so it’s no surprise it was an early success story for the pandemic. | | 49 |  | The Weeknd
After Hours
Old // 2.5 // Thriller (Horror)
dir. M. Night Shyamalan
The most hit-or-miss director of our generation is back with another slight thriller, full of gross body horror and supremely out-of-touch character drama. Still, there’s something to be said about how Shyamalan uses his pleasant setting and thoughtful camerawork to squeeze just enough tension out of its bizarre mystery to last most of the runtime. | | 48 |  | The Smashing Pumpkins
CYR
Belfast // 2.5 // Drama (Historical)
dir. Kenneth Branagh
A photo album of some pretty shots and moving moments thrown together without glue, Belfast is a film lacking a core. Disorienting down to its bones, the viewer is never given time to latch onto anything before being thrown into the next tonal lurch or nostalgic reference. Some moments land, others don’t—and few connect. By the end, despite all the turmoil, very little feels changed or evolved in the family, as Branagh fails to provide a compelling purpose for this semi-autobiographical tale. Perhaps he’s made it simply to remember? This explains then, why it’s so clear that these people aren’t people, or even characters. They’re just memories. | | 47 |  | Kesha
High Road
Cruella // 2.6 // Crime (Comedy)
dir. Craig Gillespie
As easy as it would be to hate this campy, corny misfire of an origin story, Emma Stone and Gillespie have such an infectiously fun time roving through the insane (for better and mostly worse) plot that I couldn’t help but laugh along more often than I’d like to admit. While it’s bloated and messy, it’s hardly ever boring. And that has to count for something. | | 46 |  | The Weather Station
How Is It That I Should Look At The Stars
Don’t Look Up // 2.7 // Comedy (Sci-Fi)
dir. Adam McKay
It’s official—Gen X should be banned from satire. It’s not that Adam McKay’s take on the apocalypse is unrealistic or even tasteless, it’s simply that life for the past two years has been far more shocking than many of these gags. Luckily it’s studded with fantastic performances, who bring a great energy and weight when it’s desperately needed. I can’t blame audiences for loving this one though, as Hollywood has been avoiding this “political” subject for decades and it's one that people really resonate with. Indie films have touched on it better and often, but it’s a bit bold for a mainstream film. | | 45 |  | Ghost
Impera
The Tomorrow War // 2.8 // Action (Sci-Fi)
dir. Chris McKay
An absolute mess of a film, Tomorrow War nevertheless boasts an engaging premise and enough action to work well enough for what it is. This film is crazily on and off—some sequences flat out don’t work, and others are damn exciting and memorable. The finale, which luckily feature the film at its A-game, is enough to make you interested in a sequel. So I guess they win? | | 44 |  | Soundtrack (Film)
West Side Story (2021)
West Side Story // 2.9 // Musical (Romance)
dir. Steven Spielberg
Probably serves as a wonderful Content Update for fans of the original, but as someone with no nostalgia for the 1961 version (i.e. I haven’t seen it), this was a beautiful fossil. Brilliant choreography and smart visual choices can’t save a baffling love story with misguided shock-value beats. Spielberg has been living in the past a while now (his last contemporary setting was ‘05’s War of the Worlds), and now it’s clear that he has no clue or interest in what being an American means in 2022. That aspect, more than any, deserved an update. | | 43 |  | The Killers
Imploding the Mirage
A Quiet Place Part II // 2.9 // Horror (Sci-Fi)
dir. John Krasinski
The most “another one” sequel I’ve seen in a long time. Krasinski proves himself as a capable action/thriller director, while the horror falls flat this time around thanks to half-hearted jump scares and some really obvious visual storytelling. Still, thanks to some great editing and a quick pace, this manages to be enjoyable even if it feels like they were saving all the good bits for the third one. | | 42 |  | Lana Del Rey
Chemtrails over the Country Club
Eternals // 2.9 // Superhero (Epic)
dir. Chloé Zhao
Eternals essentially proves my thesis that it takes a certain kind of talent to direct a pop film. Zhao has proved herself a master of human-scale drama, but few of her talents translate to the inherently melodramatic genre of superhero films, especially not one of this magnitude. While the cast is amiable and has decent chemistry, these characters don’t pop enough for us to care when the stakes are this high. This is the issue. Small characters work in drama, big characters work in melodrama. There’s simply not enough strong action storytelling to pull off the films ambitions, and while there are some stellar sequences and awe-inspiring visuals, it just proves that making a pop film is just as hard as any. | | 41 |  | Royal Blood
Typhoons
F9 // 3.0 // Action (Drama)
dir. Justin Lin
While the last few entries in the series had no problem upping the stakes or changing gears to keep things fresh, with F9 it’s clear that the franchise is spinning its wheels. Still, this is about as fun as any of the others, with some great action sequences and an admirable, if misplaced focus on the drama elements this time around, including absolutely bizarre flashback sequences and somehow even more thematic emphasis on Family than before. Perhaps this is all to up the emotional stakes so we all care more when people die in the franchise-ending two-parter F10 & F11? Let’s hope those are a bit more ballsy than the film that somehow made them going to space seem forgettable. | | 40 |  | Glen Hansard
This Wild Willing
Cyrano // 3.1 // Musical (Romance)
dir. Joe Wright
As Joe Wright’s intimate direction pairs perfectly with these quietly devastating songs, Friendzone: The Musical proves to be a spotty yet watchable dreamland of platitudinal gender stereotypes and yearning. But for all it’s winning moments (MAJOR bonus points for the beautiful Glen Hansard feature), at its core rests far too dated and overwrought a romance to ever truly win (or break) our hearts. | | 39 |  | Poppy
Flux
Malignant // 3.1 // Horror (Supernatural)
dir. James Wan
It’s insane how many people took this film seriously (or thought that James Wan was), when its clear that this is just a scattershot fever dream from a director that’s given as long a creative leash as he wants these days. Even though it suffers from some massive tonal jerking-around and lots of ridiculous leaps, its just such a high-energy, often enjoyable horror flick that it’s hard to be bothered by it. | | 38 |  | Clairo
Sling
CODA // 3.2 // Coming-of-age (Drama)—Clairo/Sling
dir. Sian Heder
Very nice, but I thought we were done with these. These meaning didactic coming-of-age films that are personal without personality, shot in such a flat, omniscient way and yet are so egregiously solipsistic. Compare the drama in this compared to one much higher on the list, its just not strong enough to work all the time. | | 37 |  | Tame Impala
The Slow Rush
Zack Snyder's Justice League // 3.3 // Superhero (Action)
dir. Zack Snyder
I enjoyed this more than I thought I would, and a lot more than I enjoyed Joss Whedon’s version. The character backstories are fleshed out, which adds actual stakes and tension to the film, and Snyder’s affection for them is clear. The main issue with the project is its length, but the problem also is that this is how long it would take to tell this story and have it work, simply because of the lack of groundwork the DCEU laid for them ahead of time. Snyder’s vision is much more focused and warm than in BvS, and it’s just a joy to see what he had in mind come to life. | | 36 |  | Tropical Fuck Storm
Deep States
Army of the Dead // 3.4 // Zombie (Heist)
dir. Zack Snyder
Another bonkers offering from Snyder, I thought that this was a genuinely fun and moderately creative action film except for very specific scenes. You know the ones. The sad music would come in and suddenly they’re talking very dramatically and it doesn’t work for a second. What does work is Snyder’s knack for exciting action beats and distinct characters (very quickly he establishes who they are, and why you’d never get anyone in his expanded ensemble mixed up). | | 35 |  | Pinegrove
11:11
King Richard // 3.5 // Biopic (Sports)
dir. Reinaldo Marcus Green
Much like Richard Williams, this film coasts off of its charisma and determination, overcoming the usual clichés that dominate the platitudinal genres of sports films and biopics. While most of those films have destiny baked into their bones while their characters feign self-doubt, what’s refreshing and engrossing is that these people have as much faith in themselves as we do. This lends an earnestness and verve that serves the film well, even when its stretched-out perfunctory lows come at the worst times. | | 34 |  | Snarls
Burst
Nobody // 3.5 // Action (Thriller)
dir. Ilya Naishuller
The first film I saw in theaters after they reopened, Nobody worked way better than it could’ve. It’s an example of why action filmmaking is perfect for the medium—they’re works with inherent movement and pace, where characterization is necessary only to help the punches land. Nobody knows this well, using the barest-boned plot I’ve seen actually pull off what it needed to. It does just enough to get us to care, and its a testament to its measured script and Bob Oderkirk’s blue-collar believability that it works as well as it does. From there, Naishuller has all he needs to kick ass, and he does. | | 33 |  | The Weather Station
Ignorance
After Yang // 3.6 // Sci-Fi (Drama)
dir. Kogonada
Kogonada seems trapped between two worlds--one filled with intimate close-ups, fueled by the warm glow of his characters inner lives, and one dominated by oblique Kubrickian wides that only serve to provide distance between the characters and the audience. Perhaps this is some attempt to lean into the objectiveness of Wang's AI mind, but the latter angles, often employed in the strangest of times, falls flat repeatedly. There's much beauty here. We want to know these people and how they feel. Let down the walls. | | 32 |  | Algiers
There Is No Year
No Time to Die // 3.6 // Spy (Action) /
dir. Cary Joji Fukunaga
A mopey but properly thrilling sendoff to Craig’s tenure, his fifth Bond film sits comfortably between its fantastic highs (‘Casino’ and ‘Skyfall’) and its miserable lows (‘Spectre’ and ‘Solace’). It’s also the closest the franchise has come in many years to retaining the ancient charm of its old days without pandering. There are a few too many side-characters (please tell me this isn’t a backdoor pilot for a Amazon Prime Bond show) and the villain lacks pretty much everything necessary to land (despite of a threatening performance from Malek), but the action sequences and even the drama lands with surprising grace. This isn’t an all-timer for the franchise, but it just enough to encourage optimism at its future. | | 31 |  | midwife (USA)
Luminol
The Tragedy of Macbeth // 3.6 // Shakespeare (Tragedy)
dir. Joel Coen
I’ll admit that I’m biased against this film thanks to my difficulty following Shakespeare (I have ADD and the moment I hear something as repetitive as iambic pentameter my mind starts to zone out), but it is marvelous in many ways. Its fantastic cinematography and some of the most striking production design I’ve seen in a while (emulating classic gothic silent films) elevate the film greatly, though I will say it uses them far to little for visual storytelling, instead leaning on Shakespeare’s words above all else. Which of course, is the name of the game. Maybe we should stop making Shakespeare films if we can’t look past the language? | | 30 |  | betcover!!
時間 (Jikan)
The Matrix Resurrections // 3.7 // Sci-Fi (Action)
dir. Lana Wachowski
Admirably bonkers yet strangely sedentary, Resurrections finds Wachowski (singular this time) at odds with her own franchise. It’s kind of amazing to watch a creator grapple with this situation through her own decidedly uncommercial way, but it does render a lot of the action sequences and sci-fi plotting pretty damn uninteresting. Then again, the fact that the joy of the film comes from its bizarre reconfigurations and rediscoveries and not from what makes The Matrix franchise traditionally strong seems to mirror Wachowski’s own newfound love for the material—the best thing about these movies is not their meticulous structure and strong action, its that in them, anything is possible. | | 29 |  | Bo Burnham
Inside (The Songs)
Bo Burnham: Inside // 3.8 // Comedy (Musical)
dir. Bo Burnham
Burnham “eh”-ers such as myself found themselves backed up against a societal wall when this came out, as there was no escaping this bizarre example of performance art. As someone who always found Burnham’s style and humor as overtly performative (as both a comedian and director), I had a hard time not spending the whole time removing myself from the camera—our presence affects every single moment. This is hardly fly-on-the-wall verité filmmaking, so his breakdowns could easily have felt disingenuous. What makes it believable is, well, haven’t we all been through the same thing? It’s surprisingly entertaining and amusing, as compelling a curio as it is an art piece. Burnham’s strengths aren’t in acknowledging how hard these times are—they’re in his ability to laugh at them. | | 28 |  | Low
Hey What
The Night House // 3.8 // Horror (Drama)
dir. David Bruckner
The Night House is the latest in a trend of horror films that terrify through emotional realism instead of, well, the usual. These characters are so grounded and believable that you can’t help but hate seeing them in these perilous situations. It’s a freaky film, overcoming its overly familiar territory not just with a strong cast, but a strong sense of atmosphere and visual scares. It’s a great trend. | | 27 |  | Kayoko Yoshizawa
Akahoshi Aoboshi
Bad Trip // 3.8 // Comedy (Prank)
dir. Kitao Sakurai
An honestly brilliant mix of narrative and Jackass-style prank comedy, it’s just really funny to see how real people react to the insane in real time. It’s honestly a hopeful film, because it shows just how many people are willing to help or stand-up when the moment calls for it, and the reveal montage at the end was just lovely. It’s a surprisingly wholesome comedy loaded with ridiculous situations, what more can you ask for? | | 26 |  | Lana Del Rey
Blue Banisters
Black Widow // 3.9 // Superhero (Action)
dir. Cate Shortland
A better-late-than-never addition to the MCU, it’s kinda admirable how little this bothers to tie in to larger plot threads. The surprising amount of time and energy focused on the family element really helped to sell the drama, and the action was crisp and tight, if largely unmemorable. Add in a menacing villain and an unpandering tone, and you get a far better Black Widow film than expected. | | 25 |  | Doss
4 New Hit Songs
The French Dispatch // 3.9 // Comedy (Anthology)
dir. Wes Anderson
Anderson’s latest flick reaffirms that his kitsch acts a satire of seriousness than a dismissal of it, landing time and again as a big-hearted dive into several unlikely relationships. The framing device manages to stick the landing after an uneasy opening, and each of the three stories is brisk and captivating, but the anthology format naturally makes immersion hard at times. It’s an engaging ode to storytelling and a strong return-to-form after Isle of Dogs. | | 24 | | Moon Kissed
I'd Like to Tell You Something Important
House of Gucci // 3.9 // Drama (Crime)
dir. Ridley Scott
Driven by crackling chemistry between Gaga and Adam Driver, Scott nails the melodrama as usual and provides a great deal of satirical humor to boot. Gorgeous design top to bottom. Coulda watched another hour. What were people expecting, an Oscar-bait bio-drama? | | 23 |  | The War on Drugs
I Don't Live Here Anymore
No Sudden Move // 3.9 // Thriller (Crime)
dir. Steven Soderbergh
A slight but engaging piece, No Sudden Move affirms Soderbergh as the modern King of Thrillers. The man knows how to frame a conflict, and as this film slowly ratcheted its way towards the conclusion I was along for the ride every second. | | 22 |  | Citizen
Life In Your Glass World
Spider-Man: No Way Home // 4.0 // Superhero (Action)
dir. Jon Watts
As horribly botched as Holland's Spider-Man is by this point (with a cringe-inducing opening act and flailing character motivations), I've gotta say they absolutely nailed the transition from changing these Watts films from Iron Man sequels into full-blown Spider-Man porn. The new villains and heroes were incorporated so, so well, and they managed to really make everything come together as an action film. I'll just settle for a great Spider-Man flick. | | 21 |  | Snail Mail
Valentine
tick, tick... BOOM! // 4.0 // Musical (Drama)
dir. Lin-Manuel Miranda
While many musical interludes cut into and cheapen the otherwise surprisngly solid dramatic moments, the film magically gets it together for an immensely moving and masterful third act that any writer or artist should connect with deeply. | | 20 |  | CHVRCHES
Screen Violence
The Suicide Squad // 4.0 // Superhero (Action)
dir. James Gunn
Top-to-bottom thrilling action spectacle, but I can't say I bought the team dynamic here as much as Guardians. I'm sick of the bad-guys-are-actually--good-guys-just-misunderstood crap that's been peddled consistently the last decade, but I just can't argue with this sheer bonkers energy that filled every sequence here. | | 19 |  | Foxing
Draw Down the Moon
Shang-Chi and the Legend of the Ten Rings // 4.1 // Superhero (Action)
dir. Destin Daniel Cretton
I was strangely convinced by a lot of what this film did. The way they framed the conflict between their father's and mother's pasts was so delicate and absorbing, and felt properly respectful of the culture rather than just cramming it into an American blockbuster box. Cretton is a great director and proves his action chops here. Even with the stock MCU "hall of exposition" and "friend banter" scenes, this was definitely one of the better Marvel origin films. | | 18 |  | Gang of Youths
Angel in Realtime
Licorice Pizza // 4.1 // Coming-of-age (Romance)
dir. Paul Thomas Anderson
Eschewing the common, trite tropes of recent coming-of-age films, PTA naturally falls into something messier and heartfelt. It's a period piece that doesn't rely on constant nostalgia-core nearly as much as it could, and is buffeted by a strong ensemble surrounding its two strong leads. It's a tricky subject, and sure the age difference is a bit ill-conceived, but the most important thing is that by the end of the film, you believe the love story. | | 17 |  | Poppy
EAT (NXT Soundtrack)
Godzilla vs. Kong // 4.1 // Action (Kaiju)—Poppy/EAT
dir. Adam Wingard
An American finally made a great kaiju film, simply by treating the titular monsters as characters and framing the story around them instead of their little humans (a trick Japanese films mastered decades ago). This was top-notch escapist entertainment, and I'm certain that had something to do with it being the first industry success story of the pandemic. | | 16 |  | The Felice Brothers
From Dreams to Dust
The Power of the Dog // 4.1 // Drama (Western)
dir. Jane Campion
Campion's piercing direction makes the severity of the story all the more engrossing, even as she keeps a great many moments at a distance. It's a bit opaque and dreary at times, but there's a deep truthfulness to the film's dramatic intensity, and as it builds to a well-earned final blow, its intentions are suddenly crystal clear. | | 15 |  | Nick Cave and Warren Ellis
Carnage
The Card Counter // 4.2 // Drama (Crime)
dir. Paul Schrader
Grounded in the uniformly grubby browns and reds of these casinos, it's a testament to Schrader's abilities and his characters' attitudes that it feels at one comfy and hellish, like a great many things in modern America. Oscar Isaac gives an expectedly stellar performance, which lends great credence to a masterful character study not quite as bold as First Reformed, but nearly as affecting. | | 14 |  | Claire Cronin
Bloodless
Candyman // 4.2 // Horror (Slasher)
dir. Nia DaCosta
At once looser in its narrative focus yet even more deadset on its social messaging than the original, this new Candyman is bold, unsettling, and extraordinarily timely. It's a bit strange how distant the slasher sequences feel from our characters, but there's such dread in every merciless beat that it always serves to foreshadow what's coming. And most importantly, it definitely doesn't cop out on the ending. | | 13 |  | Trophy Scars
Astral Pariah
The Harder They Fall // 4.2 // Western (Action)
dir. Jeymes Samuel
A rambunctious and blistering action film set in the Wild West, Samuel proves to be a director of fantastic energy and focus. He pries and probes into these people all that he can, but never loses track of his pacing. Filled to the brim with exciting and amusing sequences, what's most surprising is how well the characters land, due in no small part to the strength of this absolutely stacked cast. | | 12 |  | Deserta
Every Moment, Everything You Need
Dune // 4.3 // Sci-Fi (Epic)
dir. Denis Villeneuve
A grimy, expositional chunk of self-serious granite, Dune somehow proves to be the best sci-fi blockbuster in years. That's largely because Villneuve is one of the few pop filmmakers to understand the genre, as he fills each frame with grounded spectacle and grants surprising depth to his characters. He never flinches from building this weird world. Even though this is just the first part, the film never suffers this in its pacing, only in its finale which seems weak compared to the stakes prior. Oh, well. Somehow this did well enough that we'll be getting another--and hopefully soon. | | 11 |  | Japanese Breakfast
Jubilee
Zola // 4.4 // Crime (Comedy)
dir. Janicza Bravo
This is the kinda A24 movie I wish people would overhype. A fresh, tight series of incredible incidents and hilarious happenings, this feels like a Coen Brothers film for the next generation. Its laughs land as well as its thrills, and goddamn if it doesn't just hit the spot. | | 10 |  | IDLES
Crawler
Nightmare Alley // 4.4 // Thriller (Noir)
dir. Guillermo del Toro
Easily the bleakest film of del Toro's repertoire I've witnessed, there's a perverse delight in the way this twists and turns around his protagonists' irredemptive qualities. Bradley Cooper and Cate Blanchette's chemistry is electric--they both play fantastic assholes, and it's amazing to see Blanchette wipe the floor with Cooper's trademark cockiness. Perhaps I get too much of a sick enjoyment from these dark noir trappings, but this is one of del Toro's best. | | 9 |  | Billie Eilish
Happier Than Ever
Spencer // 4.5 // Drama (Psychological)
dir. Pablo Larraín
As immaculately composed as its score, Spencer expresses the hollow, disgustingly rigid opulence of the Princess of Wales’ everyday life to devastating effect. Stewart's virtuosic performance lends an essential weight to the proceedings, and Larraín thankfully eschews tired period drama clichés that could’ve corrupted the subject matter, never flinching from what is essentially a horror story for its protagonist. How could it not be? | | 8 |  | Dale Kerrigan
noise bitch
Titane // 4.5 // Horror (Drama)
dir. Julia Ducournau
At the heart of this gross, anarchic, and restless masterclass is a love story, even if we don't realize it until it's over. Ducournau goes to great lengths to toy with the audience's sympathy, to the point where she sometimes jaggedly jerks the story around like a cat toy on a string. But the fact that we bat at it constantly, no matter where it goes, is a testament to the strength of her visuals and vision. Fuck the Oscars for shafting this one. | | 7 |  | Arab Strap
As Days Get Dark
Pig // 4.5 // Drama (Thriller)
dir. Michael Sarnoski
Purely textural and visual, Pig takes a stock thriller plot and turns it inwards, stoking the drama with such seriousness that you never stoop to chuckle even as it occasionally moves into the incredible. This is the beautiful trend I've been seeing--genre films allergic to condescending irony and unafraid to pursue the beauty of their stories and characters with every tool the medium gives them. More like this please. | | 6 |  | Julien Baker
Little Oblivions
The Humans // 4.6 // Drama (Horror)
dir. Stephen Karam
A delicate family drama framed through the horror of modern life, Karam revels in finding the glued cracks and chipping walls of his apartment setting. So masterful is his use of uncompromising close-ups and visual storytelling that it's hard to believe that this could ever work as well as a play (which he, wrote, directed and won the "Best Play" Tony for in 2016). | | 5 |  | Cassandra Jenkins
An Overview on Phenomenal Nature
The Worst Person in the World // 4.8 // Drama (Romance)
dir. Joachim Trier
Now this is a drama. The Worst Person in the World is smart like the woman sitting next to you on the train is. It’s funny in the same way as the lady who cuts your hair. And like all your best friends, its imperfections are what you adore about it. This is a truly human movie, and humans are beautiful when they’re true. | | 4 |  | Indigo De Souza
Any Shape You Take
The Beta Test // 4.8 // Thriller (Comedy)
dir. Jim Cummings
Incredibly biased toward this film since my name is in the credits (I was the Key PA on this), but I'm immeasurably awed by what Jim was able to do with this. It's an uncompromising erotic conspiracy millenial-thriller that boldly sums up how feels to peak in the age of endlessly accessible and malleable information—it’s as terrifying as it is hilarious. | | 3 |  | Kayo Dot
Moss Grew on the Swords and Plowshares Alike
The Green Knight // 4.8 // Fantasy (Adventure)
dir. David Lowery
A tightly wound coil that lashes out in its bravuraic and haunting final sequence, The Green Knight is sure to piss some off who were looking for a lavish adventure spectacle. But it settles into something far more potent; a laceration of archaic notions such as honor and purity that stays with you in unexpected ways. | | 2 |  | Hayley Williams
FLOWERS for VASES / descansos
The Lost Daughter // 4.9 // Drama (Psychological)
dir. Maggie Gyllenhaal
How far we've come. Even ten years ago, no amount of sympathy would be warranted to this kind of character, but today this is (rightfully) one of the most acclaimed films of the year. Enough words cannot be said about Olivia Colman's performance here, and Gyllenhaal proves an even more exceptional talent behind the camera than in front. This is a stark, masterfully sympathetic look at parenthood, and how impossible it is for some to do it alone. | | 1 |  | Wolf Alice
Blue Weekend
Drive My Car // 5.0 // Drama
dir. Ryusuke Hamaguchi
Like his protagonist, Hamaguchi uses his art as a hammer to bludgeon his way through the language barrier and speak straight to the heart. Drive My Car is impeccably staged and emotionally direct--its length is not due to slowness, just pantience. It takes time to discover people, and its that well-spent time that makes it worthwhile. It's kind of an obvious statement, but this is a film that makes you think, "We're really all the same, aren't we?" And our little differences are beautiful and worthwhile. | |
neekafat
03.21.22 | there is very little rhyme or reason to these albums outside of them sometimes resembling the film's vibe but it took too long Im sorry | ArsMoriendi
03.22.22 | Why isn't Drive My Car Rubber Soul | robertsona
03.22.22 | I saw Hamaguchi's Happy Hour in a theater when it came out and I definitely liked it a ton; gotta see DMC | Divaman
03.22.22 | I didn't see many of these, but I thought Godzilla vs. Kong was godawful. I kind of agree with you on the Snyder Cut, Suicide Squad and Dune. | MiloRuggles
03.22.22 | yoyoyo nice work, subscriban to revisit later
shouts out to Titane and Licorice Pizza, prolly topped my year in tandem (tho i might be forgetting smth) | thecheatisnotdead
03.22.22 | Still need to see Drive My Car, The Lost Daughter, and Worst Person... but agree wholeheartedly with Pig, Green Knight, and The Humans' placement in the top ten. Also really enjoyed The Beta Test, Cummings is now solidly 3-for-3 in my book. | YoYoMancuso
03.22.22 | "yoyoyo"
yes i'm here nice to see you too milo
classmate just recommended me Drive My Car a couple days ago, guess I basically have to watch it now | ReturnToRock
03.22.22 | I am in the demographic that enjoyed Don't Look Up. I didn't think it was fantastic, but above-average? Definitely.
Also, why does Hollywood continue to cast Americans to play Brits, when there are plenty of good British actors of equivalent age? | Trebor.
03.22.22 | My neighbor has THE car from Drive My Car and I'm so jealous | neekafat
03.22.22 | @Ars bc the Beatles aren't good enough also this is mostly 2020s stuff
@the cheat, that's dope I hope you like them! And yes I completely agree
@Trebor jesus so am I now | brainmelter
03.22.22 | nice shouts for The Night House, The Card Counter and French Dispatch. Everyone forgets about those ones. I was pleasantly surprised by how much I ended up enjoying Nightmare Alley. I really enjoyed The Last Duel too. Malignant was a dumb and hilarious but the end is so fun I couldn’t help but smile. The Green Knight is great too but I felt largely unaffected by it though I appreciate the spin on the ‘heroes tale’. Pig and Titane are excellent, saw Pig twice. House of Gucci was just ok. Hell, I’ve seen a lot of these so I’m not going to say much about the others. Still need to see Power of Dog and The Lost Daughter. Spencer might be my favorite movie from last year tbh. I’m seeing Drive my Car tonight actually! For some reasons some AMCs in the LA area are showing it again. I assume because of the Oscar’s. | bludngorevidal
03.22.22 | Power of the Dog's denouement is stunning. Reminds me of the first time I listened to Explosions in the Sky lol | Clumseee
03.22.22 | Ay Neek! I'm a massive Jim Cummings fan. I think Thunder Road, Wolf of Snow Hollow, and The Beta Test are all 5/5s. So cool that you worked on that film! | neekafat
03.22.22 | @Clumsee I loveeeeee Spencer so good pick! Need to see Last Duel, was a bit worried about it but it sounds like my fears are unfounded. Drive My Car is monumental. Didn't know you were in LA too!
@bludngo agreed, I really need to give it another watch but its so hard to come back to lolol
@Clumseee thanks dude!! He's brilliant, and just a stellar guy. It was an amazing experience, was my first feature I ever worked on! Started my career out in LA | DoofDoof
03.22.22 | Black Widow above No Time to Die? Nah
Watched 3 and 16 but surprised either is in 'best of the year' conversations - 3.5-4 sorta level for me
'Dune' was solid | neekafat
03.22.22 | Not like No Time to Die is some kind of action marvel either tho | Trebor.
03.22.22 | It's crazy how many good movies there were last year and how few of them got Oscar noms | budgie
03.22.22 | i hate your taste
except for cummings, he's solid, and his werewolf slasher film was amazin
beta test is pretty kewls | Kompys2000
03.22.22 | Lovely writeups neek, I've hardly seen any of these since I spent most of the past year on older stuff, but you got me itching to check some of these (despite your harsh words I'm still deeply curious about Last Night in Soho) | JeetJeet
03.22.22 | Nice to see some love for Zola, Pig, and Titane. And yea Last Night in SoHo was dogshit. So disappointed with that one. | MiloRuggles
03.22.22 | >Last Night in SoHo was dogshit
jumping in to [3] this, it's awful | neekafat
03.22.22 | @Trebor yeah the oscars this year are poopy
@budgie you'll never get over me not liking Beast (;
@Kompys thank you sir (: lemme know if you end up checking any of them!
I half expected sput to batter me for the Last Soho hate, so glad to be proven wrong < 3 | Lord(e)Po)))ts
03.23.22 | I can’t really put a lot of weight into your ratings considering you give out 2.5+ reviews to MCU movies and that diminishes your credibility for everything above 2.5 and simultaneously makes me not trust anything you rate below 2.5 but what I can and will say is that Pig and Green Knight are both great movies, Old was the most hilariously terrible thing I’ve ever seen, Titane looks awesome, I’m disappointed to hear last night in soho was bad, Shang chi was not better than the suicide squad but the half I managed to watch was at least better than eternals, let there be carnage was one of the worst super hero movies ever made, and I don’t need to see that Godzilla or black widow movie to know they don’t deserve anything above a 2.5 | Gyromania
03.23.22 | pig was extremely boring but power of the dog was fucking superb. amazing way of curbing what seemed to be a story of redemption | Gyromania
03.23.22 | the green knight was visually striking and i enjoyed it overall, but i'd also lump that in with the most overrated movies of 2021 | neekafat
03.23.22 | Yeah yeah yeah neeka enjoys pop too much what else is new, I spent all of film school getting shit for liking Marvel, glad tou agree with some things tho pots
@Gyro yeah but I know so many people that think its overrated that I’m not sure it can be | Gyromania
03.23.22 | I was very excited for that movie. I wanted so badly to love it but it failed to leave a strong impression on me. Maybe it was the pacing or just general awkwardness of most scenes. I can see why people loved it more than me but idk .
Pig was just such a nothing movie. And normally I'm a fan of those (like Burning, Ilo I'll, Shoplifters) but at least those had interesting subject matter. It was another movie I expected to love but ended up perplexed by the praise. | budgie
03.23.22 | has anyone seen CarousHELL 2 yet | garas
03.23.22 | Oh man, I really hated the second half of The Green Knight. Visually it was fantastic all the way through, but the way they changed the original legend was disappointing. I'm a huge sucker for medieval stuff, but I don't want to re-watch that again I think. On the contrary, The Last Duel from last year gave everything I hoped for. | neekafat
03.23.22 | @Gyro idk what Pig has to do with Shoplifters but I do hear you on The Green Knight
@budgie no
@garas I get it man! I was a little scared off of The Last Duel bc I didn't wanna see another white guy directing a rape movie after the abomination that was Last Night in Soho but I've heard a lot of people say it was pretty tasteful so I might give it a peep, I love Ridley Scott | Jasdevi087
03.23.22 | you only have to look at how thoroughly upset Titane has made the turbonerds on rym to know it's a fucking good movie | Gyromania
03.23.22 | i was just comparing them insofar as not being super plot driven. there is a plot in pig obviously, but it's a very slow, meditative movie, not a lot of action or deep character development, a bit monotonous.idk the link made so much more sense to me at the time lmao | Gyromania
03.23.22 | "I was a little scared off of The Last Duel bc I didn't wanna see another white guy directing a rape movie after the abomination that was Last Night in Soho"
based. white guys shouldn't direct movies about rape
bummer to hear last night in soho wasn't good because i thought that looked great from the trailer i saw | neekafat
03.23.22 | ahhh yes I getchu, that much makes sense
and yeah if you agree with me there i.e. white men then you'll probably not vibe with Soho lol | Colton
03.23.22 | neekafat i don't watch movies but i think u are cool | Colton
03.23.22 | and you know a lot about the movies | porcupinetheater
03.23.22 | Any list with Titane near the top is a good list, sick | neekafat
03.24.22 | Thanks colt/porc < 3 | Egarran
03.29.22 | Great write-ups, thank you.
During Nightmare Alley I was hit with the unfortunate realisation that I don't really care for Del Toro's movies. His designs are obv beautiful but the characters and plots of his movies are, well, kinda lame. | ReturnToRock
03.29.22 | @Egarran I figured out years ago that if a movie is PRODUCED by Del Toro, there is more of a chance I'll like it (The Orphanage, Book of Life, Legend of the Guardians, Kung Fu Panda, Rudo Y Cursi, Scary Stories) than when he directs, in which case my reaction is usually 'oooh, pretty...but so what?' (Pan's Labyrinth, Hellboy 2, and Pacific Rim, which I actively dislike.)
There's exceptions, of course (I don't much care for The Witches 2020 or Puss In Boots, and I really disliked the Hobbit trilogy) but by and large it checks out. | neekafat
03.29.22 | @Eg thanks!!
v v strange takes but I suppose I can imagine his films being a hard pill to swallow
Hellboy 2 is one of my favorite modern action films lol and Pan's Labyrinth, well... yknow | Egarran
03.29.22 | Well said RTR, completely agree.
The Orphanage is so good.
Indeed neek, when I first saw Pan's Labyrinth I thought this was the best new director to appear and he would more or less save movies. I suppose those expectations were a bit too high. Hard to forgive The Hobbit, though.
I'm glad he never got around to do Mountains of Madness. | budgie
03.29.22 | i watched some of nightmare alley and couldnt stand it. didnt realize it was del toro
though now im actually looking at his filmography and i dont like any thing of his ive seen | neekafat
03.29.22 | he literally left hobbit bc it was gonna be shit and they wouldn't let him make it only two movies, idk how you could blame him for that | Egarran
03.29.22 | Budgie just drifting in with the honest truth.
OK I don't give him all the blame for the hobbit then. But I must hate someone associated with it. | Divaman
03.29.22 | I'd go with Evageline Lilly. | Trebor.
03.30.22 | From what I understand Nightmare Alley is a pretty faithful remake so that's why it has a lame 1940s plot. Probably worked back then
"I'd go with Evageline Lilly."
She got cucked hard. They had an agreement with her that she wouldn't just be a love interest, and then they rewrote it at the last minute | tectactoe
03.30.22 | Nice list, glad to see PIG so high. I recommend ANNETTE if you’re into Carax (though it’s still quite unlike anything he’s previously done, it has a similarly surreal narrative disposition), IN FRONT OF YOUR FACE (I’m always a sucker for Hong), and MEMORIA (not my favorite Joe, but top three for sure, and my favorite of 2021). | Divaman
03.30.22 | Yeah, but she seemed out of place in Middle Earth. I thought she stood out like a sore thumb. I'm joking about blaming all the issues of The Hobbit films on her. But I felt she was one more negative element. | Egarran
03.30.22 | That love subplot was so terrible. | neekafat
03.30.22 | I thought the structure of Nightmare Alley was pretty intriguing, but whatever
@tectac Never seen any Carax but I'll check! Same for In Front. Memoria is high on my list, trying to see it when the exhibition comes to LA!
Hobbit isn't even that bad outside of Desolation which sucks | Trebor.
03.30.22 | Belfast winning best ORIGINAL screenplay is such a joke | neekafat
03.30.22 | agreed, what a terrible script | Storm In A Teacup
03.31.22 | And here I am trying to finish season 6 of how i met your mother. I watched two movies on this list and seen nothing else. Ugh. | Storm In A Teacup
03.31.22 | Isn't Evangeline lilly just a younger liv tyler? | neekafat
03.31.22 | All i know is she’s absolutely smokin in Lost | lucazade22
03.31.22 | I really didn't like Drive my Car or Lost Daughter. Honestly, last couple of years have been really disappointing for movies. On my iMDb 2020/2021 are my worst rated years by far | neekafat
03.31.22 | I can't understand not liking both of them
There's a lot of weak stuff this year but I'm just loving the direction indies/dramas are going in | neekafat
03.31.22 | what stuff did you like this year? | lucazade22
03.31.22 | I enjoyed The Last Duel, The Mauritanian, CODA, Bo Burnham Inside, Free Guy, Nobody, Licorice Pizza, Worst Person in the World etc.. but none of them stack up with some favourites from recent years (Capernaum, Parasite, Collective, I lost my body...) or even more mainstream ones like Star is Born, Love Simon, Upgrade, Marriage Story. It's all opinions though of course! | neekafat
03.31.22 | did you by any chance go to film school | lucazade22
03.31.22 | I didn't! I remember watching Oldboy a few years after it came out and from then I was hooked. Still my favourite film to this day | neekafat
03.31.22 | hahaha sorry i was just teasing. I really wasn't a big fan of CODA or A Star Is Born, but I like a lot of the films you listed! Still haven't seen Oldboy somehow | Gyromania
03.31.22 | gotta say that king kong vs godzilla movie was bad af. i enjoy some of those movies, but they really need to stop with the yawn-unducing, poorly fleshed-out human plotlines, and maybe stop adding contrived shit like "hollow earth". i thought the suicide squad was very overrated but that harley scene is so good. i need to check out drive my car, i've heard good things from a few people now. overall idk, 2021 didn't seem like a rockstar year in film (more so in television imo). in fact, i think the last few years have left me wanting. | Gyromania
03.31.22 | oh, gotta check out nightmare alley too, just waiting for a decent torrent (refuse to watch cam) | lucazade22
03.31.22 | @neekafat - did wonder if you were pulling my leg...hard to tell on message haha!
@gyromania - you can get Nightmare Alley on YIFY (yts.mx). Perfect quality
| Gyromania
03.31.22 | i tried to grab it on yify about a week ago and it kept redirecting me to spam sites even with my adblocker on, not sure why, unless it was a mirror site. gonna check again rn! | neekafat
03.31.22 | the whole reason godzilla v kong was fun is bc the humans didn't have nearly as much screentime and they treated the monsters as protag/antagonist. but yeah check Drive My Car asap
@luca I have a questionable sense of humor hahaha sorry! | budgie
03.31.22 | "Hobbit isn't even that bad outside of Desolation which sucks"
bruh | neekafat
03.31.22 | if all you're doing is wishing it was lord of the rings dark/high/v serious fantasy or whatever then sure yeah you'll hate it but its a genuinely fun action/adventure most of the time. there's a lot of dumb shit tho no doubt | budgie
03.31.22 | i love cheesy fantasy (conan the barbarian movies are classic) so that's not it, the hobbit films are a disgusting sacrilege and i can't imagine how anyone could enjoy them even as vapid popcorn films | Divaman
03.31.22 | I actually enjoyed them. But the Evangeline Lilly sub-plot was ridiculous. And they weren't even in the same stratosphere as the LOTR films. | neekafat
03.31.22 | yeah of course they weren't i dont even think Jackson was trying to be | Gyromania
04.01.22 | the hobbit movies are fucking awful but lotr still brings the heat all these years later. immortal movies | neekafat
04.01.22 | lot of ice cold takes going around here | budgie
04.02.22 | hobbit movies being awful is not a cold take neeka lol come on get real. | Winesburgohio
04.02.22 | a shame that After Yang is more of an a24 movie than a kogonada movie because it had so much squandered potential, really frustrating. hoping i'll be proven wrong by a rewatch somewhere down the line | tectactoe
04.02.22 | Not in a rush to get to that one after thinking COLUMBUS was one of the most hollow shells of a film I’d ever seen - am I mistaken? Need I give Kogonada a second chance? | tectactoe
04.02.22 | Also, neek, Hong Sangsoo is an acquired taste but more often than not I’m on his wavelength. He’s like a Korean Rohmer but with a lot more imbibing and casually unexplained narrative surrealism. | neekafat
04.02.22 | @wines agreed, I liked a lot about it but was let down by a lot too
@tectac I love it but I don’t know Rohmer either hahaha, I watch a lot of movies but my tastes skew very modern and pop, I’m not much of a scholar but I wanna change that | neekafat
04.02.22 | Wait no I have heard of The Green Ray—i think in comparison to Worst Person in the World | tectactoe
04.02.22 | THE GREEN RAY is lovely. My favorite Rohmer is THE AVIATOR'S WIFE followed by (probably) CLAIRE'S KNEE and MY NIGHT AT MAUD'S. But he's got a ton of gems. And plenty that I've also yet to see (a lot of his mid-to-late career work). Wouldn't mind doing the rest of that discog run someday, actually 🤔 | Gyromania
04.02.22 | I genuinely had no idea people defended the hobbit movies. I went to see every one of them in theatres and I was so hoping they would be good, but the over reliance on CGI and bad pacing made them very difficult to get into, for me. Makes one appreciate LotR that much more for their use of practical effects and hand-made/hand painted set pieces and authentic armour and so on. | Gyromania
04.02.22 | Meek what are your top 10 favourite movies? | Winesburgohio
04.02.22 | The Hobbit was a cynical cashcow exercise in cliché and tedium, totally fucking horrible | neekafat
04.03.22 | Ok :) | neekafat
04.03.22 | Tectac I’ll keep those in mind!
@gyro uhhhhh actually lemme think about that | Divaman
04.04.22 | Saw Death on the Nile tonight. It's pretty old-fashioned, style wise. | neekafat
04.04.22 | I thought Death on the Nile was alright! Not all the drama landed but I appreciated them trying to dig deeper into the mystery this time around. Def better than Belfast! | Gyromania
04.04.22 | Watching drive my car tonight | Divaman
04.04.22 | I enjoyed it OK. I've always liked the character of Hercule Poirot. And Gal Gadot has something special. | neekafat
04.04.22 | Gal Gadot was shining, that's for sure
@gyro give me your thoughts! | Lord(e)Po)))ts
04.09.22 | Can’t believe I’m saying this but I watched Black Widow tonight and it was actually quite good. It’s funny, after Hawkeye she’s the character that LEAST needed a solo film but it turns out that ~lowering~ the stakes instead of raising them is the best thing the MCU could be doing for themselves at this point. Best supporting cast of any marvel movie in recent memory and Yelena is pretty much the only marvel character I’m interested in seeing more of at this point and I don’t even know who the fuck she is.
Contrast that with No Way Home, a movie that tried to one up even Infinity Wars in scale, where the actual MCU characters are by far the worst parts of the movie and the titular hero can’t even find a plot of his own across three whole movies without calling for an adult, and it really sheds light on the dire state of the MCU | neekafat
04.09.22 | Wow interesting Neek isn’t a fucking idiot for liking a Marvel movie hmmm
Jkjk glad you liked it. And yeah No Way Home’s biggest fault was that Holland’s version has completely flatlined since Homecoming | Hyperion1001
04.09.22 | having candyman above malignant is in absolutely insane take. malignant was probably the most inventive and creative horror flick I’ve seen in a couple years and candyman was a heavy handed misfire directed by someone who has a clear disdain for the horror genre. | Lord(e)Po)))ts
04.09.22 | @neek Lmaoo I mean I’d give it about a 3 but yeah I was really surprised by it. I appreciate that marvel has actually managed to not only introduce a tonne of new female characters lately, but have them vastly outshine everyone else. I didn’t like Shang chi much but that’s another good example because Xialing was the standout by far | Lord(e)Po)))ts
05.13.22 | I didn’t realize titane was by the director of Raw and now I’m so stoked. Watching it now | neekafat
07.27.22 | "having candyman above malignant is in absolutely insane take"
weird you seem to have access to the internet and yet also think this is a rare take?
Pots how was Titane? | Gyromania
07.27.22 | 2.4 for Halloween kills is very generous | Gyromania
07.27.22 | The Candyman reboot was so spectacularly awful and full of contrived politics.
Spiderman no way home was a very w.e movie, I thought it would be way better after all the hype but was mostly boring fanfare
Don't look up at 2.7 is also highly generous, that movie was way too on the nose and I agree gen x is dogshit at satire. I did like the very ending of the movie at the dinner table tho, that felt like the least manufactured moment in the film.
The matrix resurrections is a hard 1/5 tho. A movie so amazingly bad it makes revolutions look like a superb conclusion to the matrix storyline. The acting was bad. The special effects were embarrassing, the plot was asinine. I can't think of a single good thing to say about that movie | Egarran
07.27.22 | Pretty sure you're not the intended audience for Don't Look Up. | FreakMachine
08.14.22 | "Misguided shock-value beats"...
Its almost a 1for1 remake of the original, which is a modern-day retelling of Romeo And Juliet | neekafat
08.14.22 | I know what it is lol | FreakMachine
08.14.22 | My favourite movie of all time. |
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