Blast Through the Recent Past: The Panda's Top 100 Films of the Decade - The List is Complete! I'll Now Be Silent.

[The Panda]

 

Honey Boy (2019)

Directed by Alma Ha'rel

 

"I'm your cheerleader Honey Boy."

 

Most Valuable Player: Shia for Writing and Acting

Awards Count: ASC Nomination

Box Office: 3m DOM

Metascore: 73

Synopsis: From a screenplay by Shia LaBeouf, based on his own experiences, award-winning filmmaker Alma Har'el brings to life a young actor's stormy childhood and early adult years as he struggles to reconcile with his father through cinema and dreams. Fictionalizing his childhood's ascent to stardom, and subsequent adult crash-landing into rehab and recovery, Har'el casts Noah Jupe and Lucas Hedges as Otis Lort, navigating different stages in a frenetic career. LaBeouf takes on the daring and therapeutic challenge of playing a version of his own father, an ex-rodeo clown and a felon. Artist and musician FKA Twigs makes her feature-film debut, playing neighbor and kindred spirit to the younger Otis in their garden-court motel home. Har'el's feature narrative debut is a one-of-a-kind collaboration between filmmaker and subject, exploring art as medicine and imagination as hope.

Critic Opinion: "Those four small lines are basically what is so wrong in our world. Yes, of course, you can "break" boys, but you shouldn't. Broken boys become broken men. "Finding out how much" a boy can take is abuse. Child Otis "finds out how much he can take" and it's a lot, as it happens. But it impacts his ability to function as an adult. By the time he reaches adulthood, his emotional capacity has narrowed to a pinpoint-sized tunnel, and the only thing allowed out is rage. That's what happens when you "break" boys, when you won't hold their hands, show affection, be gentle with them, just like you do with "your daughters." "Honey Boy" is a cry of pain for the neglected boy Otis was, but it is also a cry of pain for James. The most painful truth of all may be that James was doing the best he could. Because what was his father like?" - Shella O'Malley, Roger Ebert

User Opinion: "Yes. Yes to all of this." - @Cap (Pre-Release but true quote)

Commentary: As I said a little over a week ago in my best of the year thread, Honey Boy is a smaller scale film (mostly just taking place within the same motel) but it's utterly remarkable with how much the film resonates.  Ha'rel keeps the screenplay from Shia in reigns, providing a nuanced take at toxic parental relationships and the effects that the high expectations put in a child star might take on them later in their life.  For a film that's mostly interactions between the same two characters, it keeps your attention from the beginning until the end and leaves you moved by a conclusion that feels entirely earned, instead of the sappy feel it could have delivered.

Year Count: 2015 (6), 2017 (4), 2011 (4), 2018 (4), 2010 (3), 2014 (3), 2012 (3), 2016 (3), 2019 (3), 2013 (2)

Director Count: Alex Garland (2)

 

 

 

[The Panda]

 

Black Panther (2018)

Directed by Ryan Coogler

 

"Wakanda Forever!"

 

Most Valuable Player: Ryan Coogler for his Direction

Awards Count: Won 3 Oscars

Box Office: 700.1m DOM

Metascore: 88

Synopsis: After the events of Captain America: Civil War, Prince T'Challa returns home to the reclusive, technologically advanced African nation of Wakanda to serve as his country's new king. However, T'Challa soon finds that he is challenged for the throne from factions within his own country. When two foes conspire to destroy Wakanda, the hero known as Black Panther must team up with C.I.A. agent Everett K. Ross and members of the Dora Milaje, Wakandan special forces, to prevent Wakanda from being dragged into a world war.

Critic Opinion: "The interplay between these competing Afrocentric visions is heady stuff, and not what one generally anticipates from a superhero film. Yet Coogler, working from a script he co-wrote with Joe Robert Cole (American Crime Story), manages to integrate them smoothly into the genre. Whether or not this is the best film Marvel Studios has made to date—and it is clearly in the discussion—it is by far the most thought-provoking. (Though my colleague Ta-Nehisi Coates played no direct role in the film, his recent work on the Black Panther comics was a substantial inspiration. And Vann R. Newkirk II has more, much more, on the thematic resonances of the movie.)  As should be apparent by now, Black Panther brings together one of the most impressive principally black casts ever assembled for a major Hollywood movie. (Klaue is one of only two significant white characters, along with CIA agent Everett K. Ross, played by Martin Freeman.) A particular standout is Jordan, who has now starred in all three of Coogler’s feature films. (He deserved a superhero role this rich for suffering through Josh Trank’s disastrous Fantastic Four.) As has been noted ad nauseum, the single most common flaw of Marvel’s movies to date has been their lack of intriguing or memorable villains. (Ronan the Accuser? Malekith the Dark Elf? Please.) Killmonger—vicious yet relatable, especially once you know his backstory—single-handedly improves that track record to a remarkable degree." - Christopher Orr, The Atlantic

User Opinion: "It's cool as shit." - @aabattery

Commentary: As much as it may seem that I've bashed the MCU and Disney, I have to hand it to them here, Black Panther was in fact cool as shit.  It's absolutely remarkable that we're still able to make epic length blockbusters such as this one, even if you have to dress it up in comic book cinematic universe form (the extended universe stuff is potentially the main drag that this movie has).  It has a dynamic and fun cast, with a standout performance from Michael B. Jordan, who always seems to be able to do his best work when working with Coogler.  I wish all franchise films could be as innovative and great as this one.  Studios should follow the lead here, hire auteur directors and let them run wild with the flick for optimal quality results.

Year Count: 2015 (6),  2018 (5), 2017 (4), 2011 (4),2010 (3), 2014 (3), 2012 (3), 2016 (3), 2019 (3), 2013 (2)

Director Count: Alex Garland (2)

 

 

 

[The Panda]

 

Hunt for the Wilderpeople (2016)

Directed by Taika Waititi

 

"I didn't choose the skuxx life, the skuxx life chose me."

 

Most Valuable Player: Julian Denison and Sam Neill's pairing

Awards Count: Some BOFFY Nominations 

Box Office: 5.2m DOM

Metascore: 81

Synopsis: Bella and Hector, two reclusive country folk, become foster parents to Ricky, a problem child from the city. After some adjustment, things go reasonably well. However, the death of Bella means Hector now has to look after Ricky, and they didn't get along too well. Moreover, her death causes Child Services to decide to send Ricky back to the orphanage. Ricky refuses to go back and runs away, ultimately sparking a national manhunt for him and Hector.

Critic Opinion: "In his third local feature, following “Shopping” and “Paper Planes,” Dennison (whom Waititi met on a commercial shoot three years ago) proves a most affable protagonist, one whose naivete and willfulness largely drive the improbable narrative. But pic’s stealth weapon is Neill, whose typical canny underplaying complements everyone else’s broader notes while lending both the comic and dramatic elements extra ballast.  Shot on various North Island locations, “Wilderpeople” makes full use of the spectacular scenery at hand. Lachlan Milne’s widescreen lensing also heightens the retro feel by indulging in frequent gratuitous zooms, while the original score amusingly incorporates some cheesy ’80s sounds. Other packaging elements are first-rate." - Dennis Harvey, Variety

User Opinion: "I really enjoyed this. Found it very funny, and I'm someone with a bit of a picky sense of humour. Was also very touching. Also, makes me want to visit New Zealand even more than Lord of the Rings did. One of my favourites of 2016." - @Jason

Commentary: Before Taika Waititi become a brand name director, actually right before, he directed this charming little feature that I'd say is the best of his films that I have seen.  It's full of personality, with a dynamic ensemble cast.  There's plenty of absurdity styled wit within the screenplay, but the film also uses its physical and visual comedic elements well also.  It's a charming odd-ball pairing, road trip film that may contain quite a few tropes, but it manages to twist quite a few of them along the way.  Then there's Julian Denison as Ricky Baker, who manages to be just the right level of lovable and obnoxious, paired with Sam Neill the two characters provide nice foil for each other.  One of the most entertaining films from the year it came out in.

Year Count: 2015 (6),  2018 (5), 2017 (4), 2011 (4), 2016 (4), 2010 (3), 2014 (3), 2012 (3), 2019 (3), 2013 (2)

Director Count: Alex Garland (2), Taika Waititi (2)

 

 

 

[The Panda]

 

1917 (2019)

Directed by Sam Mendes

 

"If you fail, it will be a massacre" 

 

Most Valuable Player: Roger Deakins for the Cinematography and Lee Smith for the Editing

Awards Count: Won 2 Golden Globes

Box Office: N/A

Metascore: 79

Synopsis: Schofield and Blake, two young British soldiers during the First World War, are given a seemingly impossible mission. With time against them, they must deliver a message, deep in enemy territory, that will stop their own men, and Blake's own brother, walking straight into a deadly trap.

Critic Opinion: "While the acting and British star power take a back seat in a scenario like this — in addition to Cumberbatch and Madden, Colin Firth, Andrew Scott (the “hot priest” in “Fleabag”) and Mark Strong make brief appearances — Chapman (also seen recently in “The King” and “Blinded by the Light”) and MacKay (“11.22.63”) make you feel their characters’ sweaty determination and desperation.  While there are stylistic parallels to Christopher Nolan’s 2017 WWII drama, “Dunkirk,” there may be more similarities to director Peter Weir’s stirring 1981 Australian WWI film “Gallipoli,” starring Mel Gibson, which also hinged on the plot device of delivering a message to prevent a massacre of Allied troops. “1917” lacks the deeper cultural resonance and more involved, human story of “Gallipoli” but is far more bracingly immersive.  Union general William Tecumseh Sherman once said, “War is hell.” Sam Mendes with “1917” says, “Hold my beer.”" - Cary Darling, Houston Chronicle

User Opinion: *Insert one of @Plain Old Tele's positive quotes from the telegram here, because apparently we're the only ones who'll have seen this prior to Thursday*

Commentary: Made to look as if it were one long tracking shot, although the film breaks this character in a major way at least once (and there's plenty of other moments where it'll be obvious to even a casual eye that a cut was taken), 1917 is an impressive technical feat from Sam Mendes that feels like an ultimate showpiece of a film.  It's gorgeous to watch, even if at times it feels like you're watching somebody play Uncharted in the trenches.  I shouldn't make this out to sound to negative however, as the film is ridden with tension, keeps you on the edge of your seat and is something I'll happily go back to see again in Dolby just to see the spectacle play out again on the big screen.  Definitely take the chance to go see this one in Dolby or IMAX, you won't regret it, as it's absolutely top notch from the technical side of the filmmaking (which I tend to be a bit of a sucker for at times).

Year Count: 2015 (6),  2018 (5), 2017 (4), 2011 (4), 2016 (4), 2019 (4), 2010 (3), 2014 (3), 2012 (3), 2013 (2)

Director Count: Alex Garland (2), Taika Waititi (2)

 

 

 

[The Panda]

 

Grave (Raw) (2017)

Directed by Julia Docournau

 

 

"I'm sure you'll find a solution, honey."

 

Most Valuable Player: Julia Docournau for Writing and Directing

Awards Count: Some Acclaim from Cannes

Box Office: 0.5m DOM

Metascore: 81

Synopsis: Justine is a first-year veterinary student. Her elder sister is studying the same course at the university. Justine was raised a strict vegetarian but, as part of the hazing rituals, is forced to eat meat. Initially this has adverse effects but she soon develops a craving for meat.

Critic Opinion: "Ducournau’s film is horrific, a weird and riotous iteration, shirking most generic conventions. Consumption of human flesh is one of the most aberrant, deplorable and unimaginable acts, and in embracing that taboo subject, Ducournau cleverly achieves a feminist interpretation of cannibalism. It becomes a symbol of independence and freedom, as well as of erotic pleasures of the flesh inextricably intertwined with sex and puberty.  Ducournau has a bold, striking visual style. Stark white or red lighting beats down on the feral, writhing bodies of the students at work or at play. Her camera winds its way underneath Justine’s white sheets, as she thrashes, tormented by her transformation. A dramatic, operatic score by Jim Williams references retro 1970s horror classics." - Katie Walsh, Tribune News Service

User Opinion: "loved this. nuts in a way that reminded me of giallo films from the 70s/80s w/ that dreamlike style to it. even looking beyond the craziness it's one of the better representations of the isolation of young adulthood i've seen in a while." - @CoolioD1

Commentary: Julia Docournau brings out a balls out crazy premise that has no right to work as effectively as it does.  If you took the premise alone, you'd expect it to be a D grade horror film down in the streaming dumps of Netflix, but what you get instead is a smart throwback to classic horror that intermixes themes of sexual freedom and gender issues within the craziness.  Really enjoyed the plot twist by the end of it, you're able to completely buy into the wackiness of it all.  Garance Marillier is excellent in the lead role of the film, which is also part of what makes the entire thing work as well as it does.  A powerful horror film that will certainly leave you grossed out during large portions of it.

Year Count: 2015 (6),  2018 (5), 2017 (5), 2011 (4), 2016 (4), 2019 (4), 2010 (3), 2014 (3), 2012 (3), 2013 (2)

Director Count: Alex Garland (2), Taika Waititi (2)

 

 

 

[The Panda]

 

Call Me By Your Name (2017)

Directed by Luca Guadagnino

 

"When you least expect it, nature has cunning ways of finding our weakest spot."

 

Most Valuable Player: Timothee Chalamet as Elio

Awards Count: Won 1 Oscar

Box Office: 18.1m DOM

Metascore: 93

Commentary: CALL ME BY YOUR NAME, the new film by Luca Guadagnino, is a sensual and transcendent tale of first love, based on the acclaimed novel by André Aciman. It's the summer of 1983 in the north of Italy, and Elio Perlman (Timothée Chalamet), a precocious 17-year-old young man, spends his days in his family's 17th-century villa transcribing and playing classical music, reading, and flirting with his friend Marzia (Esther Garrel). Elio enjoys a close relationship with his father (Michael Stuhlbarg), an eminent professor specializing in Greco-Roman culture, and his mother Annella (Amira Casar), a translator, who favor him with the fruits of high culture in a setting that overflows with natural delights.

Critic Opinion: "Shades of Apollo and Hyacinthus color Oliver and Elio’s relationship: Oliver, cautious and knowledgeable, tests the waters so gently at first that Elio misses his signals while Elio, bold but still learning, cannot help but clumsily push past boundaries with a teenager’s all-or-nothing self-destructiveness. His desire to impress Oliver is reckless and aggressive, if only because he knows no other way of getting a god’s attention. When Oliver finally tells him in a note, simply and fondly, to grow up, it is not meant as an admonishment so much as a reassurance. Elio always had Oliver’s attention. But Oliver, unlike Elio, is old enough and human enough, not a god at all, to know that such attentions have consequences.  Thankfully, Call Me By Your Name is not a story of those consequences. Those stories are historically important in film, but for once, it’s nice to simply watch a movie about a romance between two bisexual men where the most tragic thing to happen is that their relationship has an inescapable end-date from the very beginning. They only have six weeks, and they spend maybe two of those weeks fully and completely together. Towards the end, Elio says, “We wasted so many days,” a teenager’s short-sighted lament for closeness and pleasures they could have had. It’s only later that he understands that it was those wasted days that made the full ones so special." - Aly Caviness, Midwest Film Journal

User Opinion: "This was something else. Calling it a "gay romance" would be really reductive. It's really a story about first love, and that first person who you feel truly special with. One doesn't have to be gay to identify themselves with these characters. This would actually make a great double feature with The Shape of Water: this movie is obviously much less fantastical, but they are both period love stories with strong dream-like qualities to them about unlikely romances (the two main characters, the Adonis-like Oliver and the comparatively shrimpy Elio, couldn't be further different). These are extremely well-written and realistic parts, and they are brought to life by a pair of men who are fully up to the task and share sensational chemistry with each other. Timothee Chalamet is every bit the revelation he's been made out to be and more; dare I say I don't think I've ever seen a better performance from an under 25 male actor. It's a true star-is-born moment that announces a talent beyond his years. Armie Hammer is similarly excellent, finally building on the promise he showed in The Social Network several years ago in showing that a strong actor lies beneath his Ken doll good looks. While the movie rests entirely on the backs of these two, there's also a great turn in the background from the always-reliable Michael Stuhlbarg, who plays the loving father that we all wish we had. Superb technical work as well. It's definitely a movie that will be staying with me for a very long time" - @filmlover

Commentary: A wonderful romance film from Luca Guadagnino, but it also might be improper to simply call this a romance film when so much more of the depth in the film is less about the relationship specifically, and more about the passage of time and learning to truly appreciate the time you.  Whether that appreciation be for the smaller, wasted moments of life or the ones where you feel the most fully alive.  Timothee Chalamet is absolutely remarkable in the leading role, it's a real shame that he lost out on the Oscar in this film given how strong of a performance it was, it should be a requirement to put him in any prestige film with the need for a young adult male actor.

Year Count: 2015 (6), 2017 (6), 2018 (5), 2011 (4), 2016 (4), 2019 (4), 2010 (3), 2014 (3), 2012 (3), 2013 (2)

Director Count: Alex Garland (2), Taika Waititi (2)

 

 

 

[The Panda]

 

BlacKkKlansman (2018)

Directed by Spike Lee

 

"All power to all people."

 

Most Valuable Player: Spike Lee for his Direction and Screenplay

Awards Count: Won 1 Oscar

Box Office: 49.3m DOM

Metascore: 83

Synopsis: In the 70's, in Colorado Springs, the quirky Afro-American Ron Stallworth joins the police department and is assigned to work in the records room. Soon he offers to work undercover in the Narcotics, but his chief assigns him to infiltrate in a black movement led by Stokely Carmichael instead, where he meets the leader of the students Patrice Dumas. When he sees a Ku Klux Klan advertisement in the newspaper, Ron contacts the organization and is invited to join it. He convinces his chief to let the Jewish detective Flip Zimmerman to go to the meeting posing of Ron Stallworth and they both investigate the organization.

Critic Opinion: "Lee seasons his film with fond and not so fond film references — posters of Blaxpoitation classics such as Shaft; Scarlett wandering zombie-like among the dead of Atlanta beneath the Confederate in Gone With the Wind; clips from The Birth of a Nation, the 1915 lynchfest which revived the fortunes of the KKK.  At times he dilutes the acid with milky droplets of nostalgia for giant afros — Harry Belafonte as an old civil rights sage is almost buried beneath a circle of them — and early disco. He avoids the blind alley of all-cops-are-racist-killers hyperbole, portraying all but one as basically decent. This is no counsel of despair.  Nor is it an early Obamaesque paean to hope and change. On the anniversary of the Charlottesville clash between neo-Nazis and anti-fascists — the one at which the President identified “some very fine people on both sides” — it could hardly be that." - Matthew Norman, London Evening Standard

User Opinion: "I don't get very tense during a lot of movies but I was legit on the edge of my seat during the climax of this film. My heart felt like it was pounding out of my chest, a feeling that only a few horror movies have done for me in my lifetime (although the car scene from Eighth Grade is up there as one of the scariest scenes of the year in a non-horror film). The final moments of the film also hit incredibly close to home, showing footage from the events of Charlottesville, which happened over a year ago. Spike Lee shows us that we, as a country, still haven't changed in four decades. Violence and racism are still prevalent and as loud as it was back in the 70s. This is an incredibly important film that has been released at a time where our country is still divided and is still dealing with the same exact issues that were relevant more than 40-50 years ago. It is heart-wrenching to think about and this film serves as that message." - @Rorschach

Commentary: An excellent return to form by Spike Lee, who is anything but a quiet and soft-spoken filmmaker.  The movie would be solid enough if it were simply a biopic retelling of Ron Stallworth and an embarrassing day for racists eveywhere in America, but Lee of course takes it further and uses the historical story to identify so many areas of the past that really haven't changed at all, people just like to pretend they have.  The film also features some fairly scathing takes on cinematic classics, while still recognizing some of the technical progress they made in the way the scene is crafted, which was a pleasant surprise as films like Birth of Nation should receive a bit more critique than they do.  It's a bold movie to put into wide release in theaters, as it's practically impossible to miss the point of the film by the time the end credits start to roll, and maybe in today's polarized America that's a good thing.  

Year Count: 2015 (6), 2017 (6), 2018 (6), 2011 (4), 2016 (4), 2019 (4), 2010 (3), 2014 (3), 2012 (3), 2013 (2)

Director Count: Alex Garland (2), Taika Waititi (2)

 

 

 

[The Panda]

 

Moonrise Kingdom (2012)

Directed by Wes Anderson

 

"Jiminy cricket, he flew the coop!"

 

Most Valuable Player: Wes Anderson's Screenplay and Direction

Awards Count: Nominated for 1 Oscar

Box Office: 45.5m DOM

Metascore: 84

Synopsis: Set on an island off the coast of New England in the 1960s, as a young boy and girl fall in love they are moved to run away together. Various factions of the town mobilize to search for them and the town is turned upside down - which might not be such a bad thing.

Critic Opinion: "This is a beautiful ode to first love with Anderson’s trademark style. The writing is sharp and witty and the cinematography and set designs are extraordinary. “Moonrise Kingdom” looks like a Norman Rockwell painting come to life.  The adult cast, many of them Anderson regulars, are fantastic. But they are upstaged by the two newcomers, who give the film its delightfully quirky heartbeat. As loners, Sam is an orphan and Suzy has emotional outbursts that alarm her family. I found their relationship to be believable and somewhat relatable.  It’s a beautiful touch on a film rich with beauty." - Michael Compton, Bowling Green Daily News

User Opinion: "You can tell from watching a minute of it that this is a Wes Anderson film. His unique markings are all over this film. You're not going to like this film if you don't like his style, but for those who do, (myself included) it's wholly satisfying. I love how the film is modeled after photographs from the 60s, and Anderson found some really good child actors. It's not for everyone, but I loved it." - @Spaghetti

Commentary: Wes Anderson is one of those rare filmmakers who makes his behind the scenes presence known in just about every shot and sequence you sit down to watch in a film.  Moonrise Kingdom might just be the most signature Wes Anderson-esque movie on his filmmography, and that's not a knock at the movie at all.  The film is absolutely gorgeous to watch, it's like if old photographs from your childhood came to life and you were watching your fantastical childhood memories playout through them.  A sincere and moving ensemble piece that is distinct in its stylings and will be hard to etch away from your memory.

Year Count: 2015 (6), 2017 (6), 2018 (6), 2011 (4), 2016 (4), 2019 (4), 2012 (4), 2010 (3), 2014 (3), 2013 (2)

Director Count: Alex Garland (2), Taika Waititi (2)

 

 

 

[The Panda]

 

The Favourite (2018)

Directed by Yorgos Lanthimos

 

"You look like a badger."

 

Most Valuable Player: Emma Stone, Rachel Weisz and Olivia Colman in the lead roles

Awards Count: Won 1 Oscar

Box Office: 34.4m DOM

Metascore: 90

Synopsis: Early 18th century. England is at war with the French. Nevertheless, duck racing and pineapple eating are thriving. A frail Queen Anne (Olivia Colman) occupies the throne and her close friend Lady Sarah (Rachel Weisz) governs the country in her stead while tending to Anne's ill health and mercurial temper. When a new servant Abigail (Emma Stone) arrives, her charm endears her to Sarah. Sarah takes Abigail under her wing and Abigail sees a chance at a return to her aristocratic roots. As the politics of war become quite time consuming for Sarah, Abigail steps into the breach to fill in as the Queen's companion. Their burgeoning friendship gives her a chance to fulfill her ambitions and she will not let woman, man, politics or rabbit stand in her way.

Critic Opinion: "The Favourite might be the first genuinely upsetting Lanthimos film (it’s maybe too early to describe it as “moving”), and that is squarely down to Colman’s astonishingly fragile performance. Her Anne is a pitiful wretch, alone in her own private world and surrounded by toadies and schemers. Many profess to love her, but she knows that they do so for the immense power she wields. They would plunge the knife into her back in half a heartbeat.  Although nominally a figure of fun, Colman piles on the layers of trauma and neurosis, making her splenetic outbursts feel at once logical and entirely mysterious. In one scene, she looks from a window and sees a small chamber orchestra of sweet pre-teens playing their hearts out. In the harshest possible terms, she insists they withdraw from her lawn immediately." - David Jenkins, Little White Lies

User Opinion: "Barry Lyndon on speed - very entertaining and, like in Barry Lyndon, nice camerawork and superb light; I could have done without some of the postmodernist frill,  I thought the "story" was strong enough to stand on its own but of course most of the audience liked the gags." - @IndustriousAngel

Commentary: There's two things that had historically had a hard time winning me over in the past, those were Victorian-esque period pieces and Yorgos Lanthimos films, yet somehow this one (which was both) succeeded.  There's plenty of hysterical little gags throughout the film, but the real drama comes from the gripping lead performances of the three ladies, the cut throat nature of everything going on is splendidly entertaining.  Maybe at times it feels like the film goes on a bit too long, but when the conclusion comes in with the landing you forget about the length and just want to go back and digest what you just saw.  

Year Count: 2018 (7), 2015 (6), 2017 (6), 2011 (4), 2016 (4), 2019 (4), 2012 (4), 2010 (3), 2014 (3), 2013 (2)

Director Count: Alex Garland (2), Taika Waititi (2)

 

 

 

 

[Dementeleus]

2 hours ago, The Panda said:

 

1917 (2019)

Directed by Sam Mendes

 

"If you fail, it will be a massacre" 

 

Most Valuable Player: Roger Deakins for the Cinematography and Lee Smith for the Editing

Awards Count: Won 2 Golden Globes

Box Office: N/A

Metascore: 79

Synopsis: Schofield and Blake, two young British soldiers during the First World War, are given a seemingly impossible mission. With time against them, they must deliver a message, deep in enemy territory, that will stop their own men, and Blake's own brother, walking straight into a deadly trap.

Critic Opinion: "While the acting and British star power take a back seat in a scenario like this — in addition to Cumberbatch and Madden, Colin Firth, Andrew Scott (the “hot priest” in “Fleabag”) and Mark Strong make brief appearances — Chapman (also seen recently in “The King” and “Blinded by the Light”) and MacKay (“11.22.63”) make you feel their characters’ sweaty determination and desperation.  While there are stylistic parallels to Christopher Nolan’s 2017 WWII drama, “Dunkirk,” there may be more similarities to director Peter Weir’s stirring 1981 Australian WWI film “Gallipoli,” starring Mel Gibson, which also hinged on the plot device of delivering a message to prevent a massacre of Allied troops. “1917” lacks the deeper cultural resonance and more involved, human story of “Gallipoli” but is far more bracingly immersive.  Union general William Tecumseh Sherman once said, “War is hell.” Sam Mendes with “1917” says, “Hold my beer.”" - Cary Darling, Houston Chronicle

User Opinion: *Insert one of @Plain Old Tele's positive quotes from the telegram here, because apparently we're the only ones who'll have seen this prior to Thursday*

Commentary: Made to look as if it were one long tracking shot, although the film breaks this character in a major way at least once (and there's plenty of other moments where it'll be obvious to even a casual eye that a cut was taken), 1917 is an impressive technical feat from Sam Mendes that feels like an ultimate showpiece of a film.  It's gorgeous to watch, even if at times it feels like you're watching somebody play Uncharted in the trenches.  I shouldn't make this out to sound to negative however, as the film is ridden with tension, keeps you on the edge of your seat and is something I'll happily go back to see again in Dolby just to see the spectacle play out again on the big screen.  Definitely take the chance to go see this one in Dolby or IMAX, you won't regret it, as it's absolutely top notch from the technical side of the filmmaking (which I tend to be a bit of a sucker for at times).

Year Count: 2015 (6),  2018 (5), 2017 (4), 2011 (4), 2016 (4), 2019 (4), 2010 (3), 2014 (3), 2012 (3), 2013 (2)

Director Count: Alex Garland (2), Taika Waititi (2)

 

 

 

Um... this is also probably nowhere near my top 100 of the decade. So take my positive review with a grain of salt. 🤔🤣

[The Panda]

 

Snowpiercer (2013)

Directed by Bong Joon-Ho

 

"Know your place. Keep your place. Be a shoe."

 

Most Valuable Player: Ondrej Nekvasil for the Production Design

Awards Count: Awards from some Critics Circles

Box Office: 4.6m DOM

Metascore: 84

Synopsis: Set in 2031, the entire world is frozen except for those aboard the Snowpiercer. For seventeen years, the world's survivors are on a train hurtling around the globe creating their own economy and class system. Led by Curtis (Chris Evans), a group of lower-class citizens living in squalor at the back of the train are determined to get to the front of the train and spread the wealth around. Each section of the train holds new surprises for the group who have to battle their way through. A revolution is underway. 

Critic Opinion: "Life becomes less comfortable the further back you go — leading to squalor in the caboose, where lives are cheap, people live on mysterious "protein bars," and a revolt is in progress, led by Curtis (Chris Evans) a muscular, tortured veteran of the train’s ugly history (John Hurt’s Gilliam, the "greybeard" of the back-of-the-train, is an amputee who’s jury-rigged prosthetics out of odds and ends). Evans hits his Kurt Russell-esque spots, and Tilda Swinton, face distorted with prosthetics, is an ugly revelation as the conductor’s enforcer.  What follows is a long, brutal foray toward the front of the train, a two-hour "advance" that is anything but (they’re still on the train, after all). The Host’s Song Kang-ho plays a mechanic who knows the ins and outs of the train, and also seems to be the only one who perceives the absurdity of the situation.  It’s a wicked, violent parable, and one of the only movies of the summer worth talking about after the credits roll." - Jim Slotek, Toronto Sun

User Opinion: "One of the best sci-fi movies of the last 10 years. Nuff said..." - @The Stingray

Commentary: Bong Joon-Ho's brutal sci-fi action film, Snowpiercer, is brimming with creativity through every sequence.  Seeing the different worlds created in each of those different train carts was a wonder to behold, and it's fairly clever in how Bong uses these to show the transitions between the different social classes.  The monologue at the end may get a little too heavy handed, but that's mostly forgivable given the rest of the film is so engaging and well done.  Snowpiercer also does what any proper dystopian, science fiction story does, it creates a poetic metaphor to the present reality and allows the viewer to relate this to the parallel problems within the world they're living in.

Year Count: 2018 (7), 2015 (6), 2017 (6), 2011 (4), 2016 (4), 2019 (4), 2012 (4), 2010 (3), 2014 (3), 2013 (3)

Director Count: Alex Garland (2), Taika Waititi (2)

 

 

 

[The Panda]

3 hours ago, Plain Old Tele said:

Um... this is also probably nowhere near my top 100 of the decade. So take my positive review with a grain of salt. 🤔🤣

I was limited on positive reviews I could pull from 😂

[Eric Quinn]

5 minutes ago, The Panda said:

 

Snowpiercer (2013)

Directed by Bong Joon-Ho

 

"Know your place. Keep your place. Be a shoe."

 

Most Valuable Player: Ondrej Nekvasil for the Production Design

Awards Count: Awards from some Critics Circles

Box Office: 4.6m DOM

Metascore: 84

Synopsis: Set in 2031, the entire world is frozen except for those aboard the Snowpiercer. For seventeen years, the world's survivors are on a train hurtling around the globe creating their own economy and class system. Led by Curtis (Chris Evans), a group of lower-class citizens living in squalor at the back of the train are determined to get to the front of the train and spread the wealth around. Each section of the train holds new surprises for the group who have to battle their way through. A revolution is underway. 

Critic Opinion: "Life becomes less comfortable the further back you go — leading to squalor in the caboose, where lives are cheap, people live on mysterious "protein bars," and a revolt is in progress, led by Curtis (Chris Evans) a muscular, tortured veteran of the train’s ugly history (John Hurt’s Gilliam, the "greybeard" of the back-of-the-train, is an amputee who’s jury-rigged prosthetics out of odds and ends). Evans hits his Kurt Russell-esque spots, and Tilda Swinton, face distorted with prosthetics, is an ugly revelation as the conductor’s enforcer.  What follows is a long, brutal foray toward the front of the train, a two-hour "advance" that is anything but (they’re still on the train, after all). The Host’s Song Kang-ho plays a mechanic who knows the ins and outs of the train, and also seems to be the only one who perceives the absurdity of the situation.  It’s a wicked, violent parable, and one of the only movies of the summer worth talking about after the credits roll." - Jim Slotek, Toronto Sun

User Opinion: "One of the best sci-fi movies of the last 10 years. Nuff said..." - @The Stingray

Commentary: Bong Joon-Ho's brutal sci-fi action film, Snowpiercer, is brimming with creativity through every sequence.  Seeing the different worlds created in each of those different train carts was a wonder to behold, and it's fairly clever in how Bong uses these to show the transitions between the different social classes.  The monologue at the end may get a little too heavy handed, but that's mostly forgivable given the rest of the film is so engaging and well done.  Snowpiercer also does what any proper dystopian, science fiction story does, it creates a poetic metaphor to the present reality and allows the viewer to relate this to the parallel problems within the world they're living in.

Year Count: 2018 (7), 2015 (6), 2017 (6), 2011 (4), 2016 (4), 2019 (4), 2012 (4), 2010 (3), 2014 (3), 2013 (3)

Director Count: Alex Garland (2), Taika Waititi (2)

 

 

 

 

[The Panda]

 

The VVitch (2015)

Directed by Robert Eggers

 

"Wouldst thou like to live deliciously?"

 

Most Valuable Player: Anya-Taylor Joy as Thomasin

Awards Count: Critics Circle Awards and Nominations

Box Office: 25.1m DOM

Metascore: 83

Synopsis: New England, 1630: William and Katherine try to lead a devout Christian life, homesteading on the edge of an impassible wilderness, with five children. When their newborn son mysteriously vanishes and their crops fail, the family begins to turn on one another. 'The Witch' is a chilling portrait of a family unraveling within their own sins, leaving them prey for an inconceivable evil.

Critic Opinion: "Played like a campfire tale (the film is loosely “inspired by folklore”), the plot follows a family in 17th-century New England who are excommunicated from a Puritan community. After setting up a solitary home near a foreboding forest, their youngest child goes missing. Fear and paranoia and accusations of satanism start to tear the family apart, and they must discover where the true threat is coming from.  In a genre that too often relies on tired cliches and jump scares, The Witch is something of a gem. Making his feature-length debut, Eggers excels at creating and sustaining a menacing mood without sacrificing story and character. The film provides both opaque suggestions and explicit revelations, along with a set of naturalistic and effective performances. Like any outstanding horror film, its true impact only reveals itself once the credits have rolled and it stays buried under your skin, breaking through every now and then to remind you of its insidious power." - Benjamin Lee, Guardian

User Opinion: "Piece of shit." - @Ozymandias

 

"Loved every minute of this." - @Jake Gittes

Commentary: A bit of a polarizing horror film from 2015, it initially started out with rather glowing reviews and then the horror buff crowd saw it and came away mixed.  I can understand why, in the sense the film is a solid break from the modern horror genre, and is entirely focused on atmospheric horror, so while some found that boring, I found it utterly refreshing.  This was a movie I saw at home during the winter, and felt the need to cuddle up under a blanket in the spooky chills that the movie arouses.  The film sucks you into the world of New England folklore, and gives you the superstitious fright as someone in that time might have in the time period its based in.  A really brilliant piece of mood building by Eggers.

Year Count: 2018 (7), 2015 (7), 2017 (6), 2011 (4), 2016 (4), 2019 (4), 2012 (4), 2010 (3), 2014 (3), 2013 (3)

Director Count: Alex Garland (2), Taika Waititi (2)

 

 

 

[The Panda]

 

Only Lovers Left Alive (2014)

Directed by Jim Jamusch

 

"I wish I'd known him when I wrote Hamlet."

 

Most Valuable Player: Tom Hiddleston and Tilda Swinton as Adam and Eve

Awards Count: Some Critics Circle Awards and Nominations

Box Office: 1.9m DOM

Metascore: 79

Synopsis: Adam (Tom Hiddleston), an underground musician, reunites with his lover for centuries (Tilda Swinton) after he becomes depressed and tired with the direction human society has taken. Their love is interrupted and tested by her wild and uncontrollable little sister (Mia Wasikowska).

Critic Opinion: "Jim Jarmusch's nocturnal romance film Only Lovers Left Alive is like an attic full of memorabilia, photographs, books, old machines and vintage musical instruments. His best film since the 1995 western Dead Man is, once again, an idiosyncratic version of a genre film, in this case a vampire flick, although it's about as far from Twilight as you can imagine. The vampires here, played with elegant sang-froid by Tilda Swinton as Eve and Tom Hiddleston as Adam, are lean, pale, hipster blood addicts. They're not so much living dead as exceptionally cool." - Liam Lacey, Globe and Mail

User Opinion: "Density comes in a variety of forms in the cinema world.  It can masquerade in the form of themes, symbolism, or story-line, but in this case we come across some density by way of atmosphere.  This is a film that is quite frankly atmospheric as fuck.  The atmosphere is displayed in a way that it is so thick to become tangible in nature.  It is through the thick blanket of atmosphere that the emotions are expanded upon.  The atmosphere is nothing less than the perfect complement to the emotions of the two living beings the film centers on.  The first thing I noticed during my viewing was the camera work and look of the film.  Jim Jarmusch is one of those directors who I like to refer to as a superior talent behind the lens.  There is an intoxicating look for the viewer to take in here.  One gets the feeling every shot was made with meticulousness and care as the film lives and breathes off of light and dark contrast.  Nothing less than a showcase of elegant film-making for the viewer to bask in." - @mattmav45

Commentary: Another atmospheric film, and one with lead characters who would typically be the monsters in a traditional horror film, but this is nowhere close to a horror film and more of a melancholic mix between romance, drama and dark comedy.  It's a film that's grown on me over time, likely from maturing and being able to come back to it with more appreciation than I had when I originally watched the movie.  Swinton and Hiddleston are perfect in the roles of immortal vampires, becoming depressed in their own immortality and state of existence.  Jamusch's atmospheric vision is one that leaves you in a bit of a trance as you finish the film, and it lingers on with you afterwards.

Year Count: 2018 (7), 2015 (7), 2017 (6), 2011 (4), 2016 (4), 2019 (4), 2012 (4), 2014 (4), 2010 (3), 2013 (3)

Director Count: Alex Garland (2), Taika Waititi (2)

 

 

 

[The Panda]

 

Holy Motors (2012)

Directed by Leos Carax

 

"I have a plan to go mad."

 

Most Valuable Player: Yves Cape and Caroline Champetier for the Cinematography

Awards Count: Palme d'or Nominee at Cannes

Box Office: 0.6m DOM

Metascore: 84

Synopsis: From dawn to dusk, a few hours in the shadowy life of a mystic man named Monsieur Oscar.

Critic Opinion: "This has been a year of leading roles for limousines. M. Oscar's car upstages the limousine in David Cronenberg's "Cosmopolis," and the journeys of both cars seem to be odysseys through their cities, for purposes not very clear to the audience. "Holy Motors" is the more entertaining and funny of the two, although some parts are not funny at all, and many laughs are of disbelief or incredulity. Both end with their limousines going home for the night, answering a question asked in "Cosmopolis," although when the limo in "Holy Motors" gets home, its day is far from over.  Here is a film that is exasperating, frustrating, anarchic and in a constant state of renewal. It's not tame. Some audience members are going to grow very restless. My notion is, few will be bored." - Roger Ebert

User Opinion: "Even as a pure piece of entertainment, Holy Motors works splendidly. It's very funny and engaging and smart and even emotional, which is crazy given how wacky a movie it is. But as Carax's ode to his wife (who died before he could finish the movie), it's a personal and haunting film. Even the funny stuff like the talking cars scene at the end has a sort of melancholy to it. I don't even think it's about the digital revolution (cameras so small and lifelike that you don't see them when you perform your act), though some have argued it is. I think it argues for the importance of movies- for the "beauty of the act," as Oscar puts it- because it argues what movies can do. And for that, I love this movie." - @Gopher

Commentary: Most normally wouldn't associate an art house, avaunt garde style of a film as entertaining, but Holy Motors is a wild ride of pure cinematic fun.  Through all of the different bits and roles that you see Denis Lavant fill, you remain glued to the screen wondering what craziness you would observe next.  Beyond the pure fun spectacle of the movie, it also manages to challenge the viewer into actually thinking about the film they just saw, and gratefully it doesn't have any exposition to do that thinking for you.  It's really a movie you just have to watch and can't really describe, it's something purely original that you've never seen before.

Year Count: 2018 (7), 2015 (7), 2017 (6), 2012 (5), 2011 (4), 2016 (4), 2019 (4), 2014 (4), 2010 (3), 2013 (3)

Director Count: Alex Garland (2), Taika Waititi (2)

 

 

 

[The Panda]

 

Logan (2017)

Directed by James Mangold

 

"Logan, you still have time."

 

Most Valuable Player: Hugh Jackman as Logan

Awards Count: Nominated for 1 Oscar

Box Office: 226.3m DOM

Metascore: 77

Synopsis: In 2029 the mutant population has shrunken significantly due to genetically modified plants designed to reduce mutant powers and the X-Men have disbanded. Logan, whose power to self-heal is dwindling, has surrendered himself to alcohol and now earns a living as a chauffeur. He takes care of the ailing old Professor X whom he keeps hidden away. One day, a female stranger asks Logan to drive a girl named Laura to the Canadian border. At first he refuses, but the Professor has been waiting for a long time for her to appear. Laura possesses an extraordinary fighting prowess and is in many ways like Wolverine. She is pursued by sinister figures working for a powerful corporation; this is because they made her, with Logan's DNA. A decrepit Logan is forced to ask himself if he can or even wants to put his remaining powers to good use. It would appear that in the near-future, the times in which they were able put the world to rights with razor sharp claws and telepathic powers are now over.

Critic Opinion: ""Logan" ends, by contrast, with the mutant children saved by the titular character gathering around his grave. As they leave to head toward an uncertain future, his daughter turns his grave marker on its side to make it an X instead of a cross. This works on several levels: It's a direct visual reference to Wolverine's status as the last of the "X-Men," a deft use of Christian iconography to make a point about the X-Men's larger cause and an emotionally appropriate way of wrapping up the original "X-Men" story (tragically, but with a flicker of hope).  Sadly there will never be a follow up movie to erase "Dark Phoenix" from the canon, like 2014's "X-Men: Days of Future Past" did to "The Last Stand." Thankfully, "Logan" is the final story to occur chronologically within this "X-Men" series, and even if it wasn't, it remains a far more satisfying conclusion to that larger story in every conceivable way. If you want to say a proper goodbye to this series of "X-Men" movies, you're better off spending your time on "Logan" again than "Dark Phoenix" for the first time." - Matthew Rosza, Salon

User Opinion: "Fantastic movie, with the best performances of the main trio I have ever seen in a superhero movie. what a way for Jackman to end his run as Wolverine, the cinematography was so great. really good score, fantastic, brutal action scenes, so many emotional moments. Dafne Keen was really good as X2 was just outstanding, I since bright things ahead for her future. it wasn't perfect, though the beginning was a bit slow and took a whole to pick up, but once it did it grabs hold of you and doesn't let go.  I still think I liked DOFP just slightly better, but this movie is way more unique as far as Superhero films go." - @Kalo

Commentary: Logan clocks in as the *spoiler alert* highest ranking Marvel film on my countdown.  Logan is something entirely new to the men in capes genre, even if the narrative of the film feels slightly derivative of other famous westerns, such as Unforgiven (granted, I love Unforgiven, so copying anything from that movie is A-Okay in my books).  Hugh Jackman's capper on the role of Wolverine leaves you pretty emotional, in fact it's easily the most emotional any of these superhero films has managed to get me.  It's thrilling to finally be able to see a Wolverine film as you can tell Jackman and Mangold had envisioned them, ditching the family friendly label for a big name superhero was fairly bold, but ended up paying off.  This is the proper conclusion to the X-Men saga, even if it's inevitable that more X-Men and Wolverine films follow it, they'll just not count.

Year Count: 2018 (7), 2015 (7), 2017 (7), 2012 (5), 2011 (4), 2016 (4), 2019 (4), 2014 (4), 2010 (3), 2013 (3)

Director Count: Alex Garland (2), Taika Waititi (2)

 

 

[The Panda]

 

Ad Astra (2019)

Directed by James Gray

 

"I will live and I will love."

 

Most Valuable Player: Hoyte Van Hoytema for the Cinematography

Awards Count: Some Critics Circle Nominations

Box Office: 50.2m DOM

Metascore: 80

Synopsis: Astronaut Roy McBride (Brad Pitt) travels to the outer edges of the solar system to find his missing father and unravel a mystery that threatens the survival of our planet. His journey will uncover secrets that challenge the nature of human existence and our place in the cosmos.

Critic Opinion: "Like many of the more intimate, less ostentatious science fiction films, Ad Astra never loses sight of either the wonder of venturing beyond Earth and the danger inherent in doing so. This isn’t the first time Gray has taken a hero on a journey into the unknown. His previous feature, The Lost City of Z, feels a little like an Earth-based dress rehearsal for Ad Astra. The new movie is superior in every way except perhaps highlighting the color green. The film’s geography takes us on a cross-solar system journey but the real trajectory is deep into the human experience – finding meaning in life and coming to grips with being left behind. The ultimate message is arguably presented a little too explicitly in a line of dialogue late in the film but it’s an easily forgiven indulgence since the odyssey of getting there is so mesmerizing." - James Berardinelli, ReelViews

User Opinion: "The voice-over stuff gave me Blade Runner Theatrical cut flashbacks, but the rest of it worked incredibly well for me. This exploration of male emotional repressment hit a lot harder than I was expecting and Pitt felt incredibly nuanced in his portrayal. Probably need to think on it a bit more" - @TMP

Commentary: Ad Astra?  More like Rad Astra.  James Gray shows that he can do period piece, jungle adventure or a science fiction epic, proving that he is a capable director that has no bounds (even if the tone of voice in many of his movies are similar).  As I've said before, the moon buggie chase sequence is one for the books, such an exquisite use of action that amounts for one of the best scenes that I saw in movie this year.  The film as a whole is methodical and takes its time to let you fall into the cosmos that's been crafted, and for a movie that seems as if it's focused on the stars, the real revelation is found within Brad Pitt's own humanity.  A mesmerizing science fiction film.

Year Count: 2018 (7), 2015 (7), 2017 (7), 2012 (5), 2019 (5), 2011 (4), 2016 (4), 2014 (4), 2010 (3), 2013 (3)

Director Count: Alex Garland (2), Taika Waititi (2)

 

 

 

[The Panda]

 

Crazy Rich Asians (2018)

Directed by Jon M. Chu

 

"God forbid we lose the ancient Chinese tradition of guilting your children."

 

Most Valuable Player: The Film's Ensemble Cast

Awards Count: Nominated for 2 Golden Globes

Box Office: 174.5m DOM

Metascore: 74

Synopsis: Rachel Chu, an American-born Chinese NYU professor, travels with her boyfriend, Nick to his hometown of Singapore for his best friend's wedding. Before long, his secret is out: Nick's family is wealthy, and he's considered the most eligible bachelor in Asia. Every single woman is incredibly jealous of Rachel and wants to bring her down.

Critic Opinion: "The stakes are high for this film, the first major Hollywood project in 25 years to feature an Asian cast. The crossover question is not whether the movie will resonate beyond Asian audiences (it absolutely does) but whether it will entice viewers who are not romantic comedy fans (maybe). As Crazy Rich Asians carefully plays out the rom-com tropes, it is almost possible to hear the director and actors holding a collective breath behind the scenes, willing themselves not to put a foot wrong. It’s easy to imagine a giant sigh of relief at the end, having pulled it off with such crowd-pleasing panache." - Caryn James, The BBC

User Opinion: "When Rachael’s mom showed up in Singapore I fucking lost it with the water works. I reached out and sweezed my mom’s hand.  This was really amazing." - @Cap

Commentary: The first major American made movie to feature an all Asian cast, and it was a huge hit, that alone was a great feat for Jon M. Chu to achieve.  Romantic comedies by the beginning of this decade were a dried up relic of the past that seemed to have no real future in sight.  However, it seems like in the last few years there's been quite a few excellent additions to the genre that seemed to have breathed a little bit of new life into it.  Crazy Rich Asians may not do anything particularly new, but it hits all of the right spots so well that it's hard to not walk out of it loving.  Maybe I am a bit of a suck-up because they made the main character an Economics professor, and utilized game theory within the film pretty well, but even disregarding those aspects it's one of the most entertaining blockbusters from the last few years.

Year Count: 2018 (8), 2015 (7), 2017 (7), 2012 (5), 2019 (5), 2011 (4), 2016 (4), 2014 (4), 2010 (3), 2013 (3)

Director Count: Alex Garland (2), Taika Waititi (2)

 

 

 

[The Panda]

 

Once Upon a Time ... In Hollywood (2019)

Directed by Quentin Tarantino

 

"You're Rick fucking Dalton. Don't you forget it."

 

Most Valuable Player: Leonardo DiCaprio as Rick Dalton and Brad Pitt as Cliff

Awards Count: Won 3 Golden Globes

Box Office: 141.1m DOM

Metascore: 83

Synopsis: Quentin Tarantino's Once Upon a Time... in Hollywood visits 1969 Los Angeles, where everything is changing, as TV star Rick Dalton (Leonardo DiCaprio) and his longtime stunt double Cliff Booth (Brad Pitt) make their way around an industry they hardly recognize anymore. The ninth film from the writer-director features a large ensemble cast and multiple storylines in a tribute to the final moments of Hollywood's golden age.

Critic Opinion: "You don’t have to live in L.A. to dig the nostalgic immersion of this latest creation by the writer/director who no one would dispute is one of cinema’s greatest visionaries, but you probably do have to love this city on some level. I won’t say it’s a love letter to Hollywood/old Hollywood or even the ’60s, though some will surely use that old cliche. That’s much too trite for Tarantino, though. He doesn’t idealize his subjects or his settings so much as devour them and let us devour them with him, often fetishizing (their beauty, their brutality, their sensitivity, their style) then testing them, and at well-timed turns, tearing them open and bringing us along for the ride. And what a ride it is." - Lina Lecaro, LA Weekly

User Opinion: "What would happen if Quentin Tarantino made a film inspired by Wong Kar-wai's Chungking Express? That's the vibe I got from this film: a meaningful portrait of pop culture with many loosely connected stories happening in the same general location.  Tarantino is in full command of the craft, dedicating blood, sweat, and tears to provide a window into his personal nostalgia that oozes cinematic "cool".  This--yes, this--is what film can do." - @SLAM!

Commentary: Quentin Tarantino's ode to the golden age of Hollywood is a wild ride of a film, mixing in sketch tributes, and a loose narrative of a film that's driven entirely by the two movie stars on the front of the poster.  A few of the bits work better than others, but as one whole the film works cohesively and manages to be one of Tarantino's most restrained works to date (which ends up working out in his favor).  The final act of the film is where Tarantino gets to unleash a bit of that constraint, but even there, as the credits role you can tell Tarantino framed it in a way that was more loving than revenge inspired.  It's a moving conclusion to a fantasy that poses the question of what could have been.  (And yes I realized I ended up ranking this above Ad Astra which I ranked a little bit a week ago over this one, rankings are silly and shouldn't be taken to seriously!)

Year Count: 2018 (8), 2015 (7), 2017 (7), 2019 (6), 2012 (5), 2011 (4), 2016 (4), 2014 (4), 2010 (3), 2013 (3)

Director Count: Alex Garland (2), Taika Waititi (2)

 

 

 

 

Edited January 9, 2020 by The Panda