Goldeneye

Movie Name: Goldeneye
Year of Release: 1995
Director: Martin Campbell
Starring: Pierce Brosnan, Sean Bean, Izabella Scorupco, Famke Janssen, Judi Dench, Joe Don Baker, Robbie Coltrane, Tcheky Karyo, Gottfried John, Alan Cumming, Desmond Llewelyn, Samantha Bond, Michael Kitchen, Pavel Douglas
Genre: Action
Score out of ten (whole numbers only): 6
Watch it on Amazon

Synopsis and Review

Following a series of films directed by John Glen during the 1980s, which included the stint with Roger Moore, and the brief one with Timothy Dalton, James Bond was in dire need of a reinvigoration which is precisely what Martin Campbell, and new star Pierce Brosnan brought to the long existing series. This episode of the series finds James Bond firstly attempting to prevent a coordinated robbery of a sophisticated helicopter, which he is unable to thwart, enabling the charismatic and lethal Xenia Onatopp from fleeing with the vessel. The newly appointed M, tasks him with investigating what happened after an electromagnetic pulse was deployed in Russia with devastating consequences. Traveling to Russia Bond eventually realizes the man behind the whole Goldeneye weapon is actually a former British Intelligence agent, a former friend of his, Alec Trevelyan. Bond is captured alongside Natalya Simonova, a survivor of the pulse deployment, and they both go through a series of pursuits of Alec and his accomplices, in order to crash their plans of massive destruction (and robbery). 

Ironically enough, director Martin Campbell didn't have much of a track record in terms of feature film direction before tackling "Goldeneye". He had made a name for himself with a series of TV shows and mini series, including "Reilly: Ace of Spies" and "Homicide: Life on the Street", with his sole feature film credits consisting of a few films in the 1970s, followed by the underrated "Criminal Law" in 1988 (with Gary Oldman and Kevin Bacon), "Defenseless" in 1991 (with Barbara Hershey and Sam Shepard), and the futuristic "No Escape/Escape from Absolon" in 1994 (with Ray Liotta and Lance Henriksen). "Goldeneye" however manage to encapsulate much of what action films had become from the work crafted by John McTiernan, Richard Donner, Tony Scott, and James Cameron, and bring a more engaging and muscular number of set pieces that while involving much destruction, it didn't necessarily become borderline a parody of the genre itself (which had happened on the latter films led by Roger Moore in the early to mid 1980s). While there are indeed over the top sequences in the film (the first set piece for instance), Martin Campbell was smart enough to bring some additional dynamics, grit and humor to the proceedings, even if at times, and particularly now with some distance from its release, the film does feel a bit like a bridge between the stylings of John Glen, Lewis Gilbert, and Terence Young, and more of what modern spy films were all about (which included more character development, and not necessarily the kitsch set pieces). The casting was also a successful one, with Judi Dench revitalizing the M character, bringing a much needed antagonism and pulse of vitality to an otherwise predictable supporting role, with the Bond girls, particularly Famke Janssen, creating an iconic villain, one that has no substance to it, but one what she peppers with humor, and an energy that not many have been able to match (before or since). Pierce Brosnan was also a good suit for Bond, even if at times too suave and debonair, something more applicable for instance on his take of Thomas Crown (directed by John McTiernan). The production team was solid, including the memorable title song performed by Tina Turner (written by Bono and The Edge). It's probably the most entertaining of the Bond films of the 1990s and always worth revisiting.  

Wolf Man

Movie Name: Wolf Man
Year of Release: 2025
Director: Leigh Whannell
Starring: Christopher Abbott, Julia Garner, Matilda Firth, Sam Jaeger, Benedict Hardie, Zac Chandler, Ben Prendergast
Genre: Horror
Score out of ten (whole numbers only): 5
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Synopsis and Review

The talented Leigh Whannell has returned, following his well received "The Invisible Man", which premiered right as the pandemic was ramping up. While he has continued his acting endeavors, this is the first directorial endeavor he has released since that film. This time around the narrative follows the story of a family, comprised of Blake, the father, Charlotte, the mother, and Ginger, the young daughter. Charlotte is currently the main provider for the family, as she is a writer/journalist, whereas Blake is taking care of Ginger, until a new job comes along (he is also a writer). They live in the Seattle area, and Blake proposes they travel to Oregon as a family activity, since they've gotten a bit astray from each other, and that's the area where he grew up. It's also an opportunity to check his father's farm, since his father has been officially declared dead after quite some time without giving signs of life (Blake had stop engaging with him quite some time ago). Due to the remoteness of the farm, as they venture out through a forrest, Blake is unsure which path to take, until one of their last neighbors in the area, spots them and volunteers to take them to the property. As they're getting close to the property, Blake spots an individual in the middle of the dirt road, and in order to avoid hitting the individual, he swerves the truck and ends up getting everyone involved in an accident. While no one is hurt, something climbs the truck and takes Blake's neighbor. The creature comes back and while trying to take Blake, only manages to slightly hurt him. The family takes refuge in the family's house, but Blake starts to feel sick, at the same time the creature is closing in on all of them.

Something that has been so interesting about all of Leigh Whannell's projects thus far, is the way he reinvents what sometimes can be considered a clichéd subject matter. With "Upgrade" he took a stab at the revenge B-movie of the 1980s, embedding it with the AI perspective, all the while making the narrative an interesting question at what drives human will, and at what point do we become more than a collection of basic instincts. The same type of deconstructed approach was taken with "The Invisible Man", repurposing HG Wells' novel into something just as harrowing, and yet very much about the role technology has these days, even if in many ways, technology can indeed reinforce unbalanced power dynamics, abuse situations, and the case of the film itself, address how the human body can be changed through it. "Wolf Man" sadly is less of a deconstruction as his prior films have been. The film does start promisingly enough, by indicating that the werewolf strain is associated with a virus of sort, but sadly the film never goes beyond the family in danger situation, with some rather questionable set pieces. The most interesting aspect of the film is the perspective Leigh Whannell gives Blake as he's morphing into something else, and as a consequence of this alteration, his sense of reality is also being warped, almost feverishly so. The film almost feels rushed in a certain sense, as if the filmmakers were aiming to go further with some of the elements the narrative set in motion, but were held back from doing so. There's aspects to admire from the film nonetheless, namely the mood and ability to illustrate a truly remote locale, giving the characters a sense of complete isolation from the rest of the world. The cast tries their best with the material, but they feel miscast, particularly Julia Garner, who for all her talent, feels too young for the role of a mother of a young girl, whereas Christopher Abbott, usually so effective in roles of certain moral ambiguity, creates a rather forgettable Blake in this tale, neither convincingly embodying the adult coming to terms with a possibly damaging childhood, nor this new phase in which he finds himself, where the metamorphosis is neither embraced, nor combatted. The production team is effective, particularly Stefan Duscio's cinematography, Benjamin Wallfisch's score, and Ruby Mathers' production design. It's a watchable film, but hopefully the next project is a more rewarding one for this talented actor/writer/producer/director. 

Civil War

Movie Name: Civil War
Year of Release: 2024
Director: Alex Garland
Starring: Kirsten Dunst, Wagner Moura, Cailee Spaeny, Nick Offerman, Stephen McKinley Henderson, Nelson Lee, Jefferson White, Evan Lai, Vince Pisani, Justin James Boykin
Genre: Action, Adventure, Thriller
Score out of ten (whole numbers only): 5
Watch it on Amazon

Synopsis and Review

Writer/director Alex Garland is back, following the divisive "Men". 

This time around the film takes place in the United States in a non defined timeframe, where a civil war has thrown the country into chaos. Three journalists who are in New York decide to go to Washington, D.C. in order to interview the president, including Lee Smith a war photographer, her colleague Joel, and their mentor Sammy, a gentleman of a certain age. While Lee and Joel want to be in the midst of that journalistic coup, Sammy wants to go to the frontline at Charlottesville, Virginia. They're eventually joined by a young photojournalist by the name of Jessie Cullen, who begs them to take her with them. As the group crosses the country to get to D.C., they witness communities who are trying to live their existences oblivious to what is happening in the rest of the country, but also witness horrifying situations, one of which eventually results in Sammy getting mortally wounded. As they eventually get to D.C., they witness what remains of that fight for power. 

There's been many films about journalists in war conflicts, particularly during the 80s, when that genre seemed to flourish. Those films typically revisited the traumatic wars of the late 60s and 70s, such as Peter Weir's "The Year of Living Dangerously", Rolland Joffé's "The Killing Fields", Oliver Stone's "Salvador", Roger Spottiswoode's "Under Fire", to name but a few, all films that showcased the atrocities of war through the lens of those who documented it. What some of those films managed to do however, was to showcase who those reporters were, what motivated them to stay, and how the events taking place also shaped who they were as individuals/characters (you are changed by the environment in which you exist, something Francis Ford Coppola also captured in "Apocalypse Now"). Somehow of all the films written by Alex Garland, this is the one where his attention to characters is the shallowest, and the least compelling. The writer/director was able to capture and illustrate the context of the reality he has devised, but has somehow forgotten to inhabit this narrative with characters that have some depth and perspective to them. While Kirsten Dunst's Lee has some wariness of the war zone, that hardly constitutes a character trait, while Joel on the other hand is a character devoid of any substance (or meaning), the same eventually extending to Jessie. Sammy as the older and wiser character is written as the conscience of the group (a bit like Brendan Gleeson's character in "28 Days Later", another of Garland's scripts), but even he remains a bit of a cypher, with his sacrifice ultimately being a catalyst for the emotional disintegration of the group, something that is also underdeveloped. This film feels a bit like an extended episode of "The Twilight Zone", with great production values, but one that lacks the bite, insight, and character development to make it truly memorable. The cast tries their best with the characters they have, with Cailee Spaeny and Stephen McKinley Henderson creating the most compelling characters. The production team is phenomenal, including Geoff Barrow and Ben Salisbury's score, Rob Hardy's cinematography, and Caty Maxey's production design. It's a film in love with its topical theme, but undernourished in characters and relationships. Here's hoping the next one is a better endeavor for Alex Garland.  

His Three Daughters

Movie Name: His Three Daughters
Year of Release: 2023
Director: Azazel Jacobs
Starring: Natasha Lyonne, Carrie Coon, Elizabeth Olsen, Jay O. Sanders, Jovan Adepo, Jose Febus, Rudy Galvan, Jasmine Bracey
Genre: Drama
Score out of ten (whole numbers only): 7
Watch it on Amazon

Synopsis and Review

Following the well received Patrick deWitt's adaptation of "French Exit", writer/producer/director Azazel Jacobs returned with another feature, one that he wrote himself, which premiered at the Toronto Film Festival of 2023, upon which Netflix bought worldwide rights for it, and released it in September of 2024. The narrative follows the story of three sisters, Rachel, Katie, and Christina who reunite in New York, as their father is terminally ill, and they're together to see him through the last moments of his life. Rachel had been with Vincent through his ailment, and is the only one in the family on the lease for the apartment, something that keeps being brought up whenever there's a conversation. There's quite a bit of animosity of Katie towards Rachel, across everything the latter one does, in particular her habits of gambling and smoking pot. The sisters also have daily visits from Angel, a hospice worker who comes over to explain what is happening to Vincent, and what will happen once he passes away. When Rachel's boyfriend shows up, he becomes angered at Katie for her lashing out at Rachel, who has been the sole caretaker for Vincent throughout all the years, when Katie herself lives in Brooklyn and rarely showed up. Katie refers to Benjy as a stranger, but as it turns out, they had met before, and he had been coming over to spend time with Vincent very frequently. The relationship between the sisters boils over when Rachel hits back at all the criticism, including Katie's suggestion that she's less of a daughter, since she's a stepdaughter, to which Rachel states Vincent is the only father she ever knew. 

There's much to admire in Azazel Jacobs' drama, as the narrative slowly unfolds and reveals who these characters actually are. While initially they seem to fit certain stereotypes, namely the irresponsible pothead, the uptight one, and the loopy one, as the film progresses the more nuanced they all start to become, showing more vulnerability, and demonstrating that not all is what it seems (in their lives and in themselves). The film in certain aspects brings to mind Woody Allen's "Hannah and Her Sisters" and "September", firstly because of the similarities some of the sisters' personalities have, and secondly for the somber tone that the film has. A few aspects that prevents this film from truly soaring include at times the overly stagey aspect that it takes, particularly the set up of the feature and the beginning of the narrative itself. The way the characters are positioned in the physical space of the apartment, and even how their lines are uttered, reads as a theater play. Secondly, while a serious and dramatic topic, there's hardly a respite of humor in the entire film, something that Woody Allen has always been so good at embedding in his features, even the more dramatic ones. Lastly, while the casting is spot on perfect, it would be nice to see these performers shaken out of characters they've become accustomed to, and try something different for a change. The three central leads excel, particularly Natasha Lyonne, who manages to mix her usual tough persona, with vulnerability, pain and a melancholy that threatens to dim her light, but Carrie Coon as the uptight and self-centered Katie is solid, as is the quiet affirmation of Elizabeth Olsen's Christina, even if seems like we've seen these performers playing these characters before. The three central leads get great support from the always fantastic Jay O. Sanders and Jovan Adepo. The production team is impeccable, including Sam Levy's cinematography and Rodrigo Amarante's score. A solidly crafted and performed film, worth watching. 

Shattered Glass

Movie Name: Shattered Glass
Year of Release: 2003
Director: Billy Ray
Starring: Hayden Christensen, Peter Sarsgaard, Chloe Sevigny, Steve Zahn, Rosario Dawson, Melanie Lynskey, Hank Azaria, Mark Blum, Simone-Élise Girard, Chad Donella, Jamie Elman, Luke Kirby, 
Genre: Drama
Score out of ten (whole numbers only): 7
Watch it on Amazon

Synopsis and Review

Billy Ray made his name firstly as a screenwriter during the 1990s, having written films such as Richard Rush's "Color of Night", Mick Jackson's "Volcano", and Gregory Hoblit's "Hart's War" (sharing screenwriting credits that is). "Shattered Glass" was his feature directorial debut, of what has been thus far a very solid writing/directing career. The film which takes place in the late 1990s, is based on true facts, follows the story of Stephen Glass, a young journalist, who holds an associate editor role at The New Republic publication. Stephen is well liked by his colleagues and is somewhat sheltered by editor Michael Kelly. However due to internal conflicts, Kelly gets fired, and in his replaced by Charles Lane. Glass writes a story with the title "Hack Heaven", which reaches Forbes Digital Tool. One of the publication's reporters, Adam Penenberg, finds no supporting information/facts to corroborate the story. When trying to contact the individuals mentioned in the story, courtesy of a number Glass has made available, those calls go straight to voicemail. Charles Lane starts suspecting something is suspicious about the story, and as he pokes deeper into the details of the story, he realizes Glass made up all the events and facts that sustain the article. He confronts Glass about the situation, and decides to investigate prior articles he had written, only to realize the falsified facts were something he had equally done with his prior articles. 

Feature films focused on journalists have been a staple for decades. In the 1970s they took a qualitatively jump when Alan J. Pakula directed "All the President's Men", which is of course a classic, but since then other films have tackled life on the newsroom, some with a lighter tone such as Ron Howard's "The Paper", and others more dramatic such as Tom McCarthy's "Spotlight", Steven Spielberg's "The Post", and more recently, Maria Schrader's "She Said". "Shattered Glass" is an investigative story, but one that focuses on the integrity of one of the newsroom scribes, and essentially makes this film an analysis on the games of an impostor, who truly embodied the term impostor syndrome. The film deftly captures the relationship of camaraderie and trust between the characters on the newsroom team, simultaneously demonstrating how potent the illusion created by the central character actually was, and the amount of disbelief that occurred when the mountain of lies that had been created started to collapse. It's a testament to the quality of the writer/director that he doesn't demonize the central character, instead showing that character as someone who is crafting this made-up reality where he is an accomplished and trustworthy journalist, one that is being undone by external events, even if he is the one who has manipulated and fabricated most of the stories he had written. While what we get to know of these characters is somewhat limited, there's much to admire of the unfolding of the narrative as the lies become more and more evident. The cast is uniformly great, particularly Hayden Christensen as Stephen Glass, and the always underrated and superb Peter Sarsgaard as Charles Lane, though they all get additional solid support from Chloe Sevigny, Steve Zahn, Melanie Lynskey, and Hank Azaria. The production team is solid, including Mychael Danna's score, Mandy Walker's cinematography, and François Séguin's production design. A solid film worth watching. 

Madres Paralelas/Parallel Mothers

Movie Name: Madres Paralelas/Parallel Mothers
Year of Release: 2021
Director: Pedro Almodovar
Starring: Penelope Cruz, Milena Smit, Aitana Sanchez-Gijon, Israel Elejalde, Rossy de Palma, Julieta Serrano, Ainhoa Santamaria, Adelfa Calvo, Julio Manrique
Genre: Drama
Score out of ten (whole numbers only): 7
Watch it on Amazon

Synopsis and Review

Following the autobiographical "Dolor y Gloria/Pain and Glory", which featured one of Antonio Banderas' best performances, Pedro Almodovar returned with another female centric narrative. This time around the narrative focuses on the story of Janis Martinez, a professional photographer, whom we first encounter doing a photo shoot with an archaeologist by the name of Arturo. She asks him if it is possible that his foundation will help excavate a mass grave near her pueblo, where quite a few people including her ancestors, were shot during the Spanish Civil War. Families want to be able to put the remains in the cemetery, where they belong. Janis and Arturo have a romantic tryst, which doesn't go any further, as Arturo is married, and his wife is going through some serious health issues. Janis however discovers she's pregnant, and decides to keep the baby, even if Arturo isn't entirely on board. While waiting to give birth in the hospital, she becomes friends with another woman who is also giving birth, a young woman by the name of Ana. Both women give birth at the same time, and both their babies are held for observation due to some minor concerns. They decide to stay in touch with each other. A few months later Arturo connects with Janis in order to check on the baby, and much to her surprise, he openly expresses that he thinks the baby isn't his. Janis decides to do a DNA test on herself and the baby, and much to her shock, the test confirms that she also isn't the mother of the child. During this time, she reconnects with Ana, who is working at a coffee shop near her house. Ana tells her that Anita, Ana's baby, has died as a result of crib death. Janis decides to invite Ana to come work and live in her house. 

"Madres Paralelas" is another great female centric narrative from Pedro Almodovar. It's a film that once again has a variety of different layers to itself, one that examines the roles of women and the various nuances that exist between all of them, something that can be easily visualized by the perspectives that are given to Janis/Ana/Teresa. In parallel with this focus on women, there's also a thread dedicated on looking back to Spain's own history, and how some of the wounds from its Civil War are still very much open, and the longing that families have to find closure regarding it. All these threads make this film very compelling, something that is amplified because this film also manages to have a great central character, a modern woman, of a certain age, coming to terms with what she wants for her future, while also looking back at her ancestry, her roots, and what shaped her to be who she is. While the story itself isn't as inspired as "All About My Mother" or "Talk to Her" or even "Bad Education", it's nonetheless a film that is just as rich, since these characters are more nuanced, have more depth, and feel more authentic as a result of all the threads that are woven. Penélope Cruz is fantastic in the central role, composing a character that is unlike the effusive and dazzling ones she's created for Pedro Almodovar: Janis is a mature woman, someone who is conflicted by some of the unexpected swings life throws at her, but that somehow keeps moving along, not letting herself be deterred by anything. Her scenes with Milena Smit, particularly in the third act are heartbreaking. The supporting cast is equally solid, particularly Aitana Sanchez-Gijon, Julieta Serrano, and Rossy de Palma. The technical team is impeccable as always, with particular highlights going for Jose Luis Alcaine's cinematography, Alberto Iglesias' score, Antxon Gomez's production design, and Paola Torres' costumes. Another great film from one of the most gifted storytellers/directors currently working. 

Best films of 2023

2023 had some knockout films and performances. A definite rebound from 2022, both qualitatively and quantitatively. Some of the films on this list are in my opinion, modern classics. 

Killers of the Flower Moon

Director: Martin Scorsese

The Holdovers 

Director: Alexander Payne

Poor Things

Director: Yorgos Lanthimos

The Boy and the Heron

Director: Hayao Miyazaki

Anatomy of a Fall 

Director: Justine Triet

May December

Director: Todd Haynes

All of Us Strangers

Director: Andrew Haigh

The Zone of Interest

Director: Jonathan Glazer

Passages

Director: Ira Sachs

Mission Impossible: Dead Reckoning

Director: Christopher McQuarrie

Favorite Performance of the Year: Natalie Portman ("May December")

Favorite Supporting Performance of the Year: Jodie Foster ("Nyad") (with a strong highlight for Julianne Moore for "May December", Mark Ruffalo for "Poor Things", and Ben Whishaw for "Passages")

Favorite Cinematography: Rodrigo Prieto ("Killers of the Flower Moon")

Favorite Score of the Year: Mica Levi ("The Zone of Interest")

Favorite Production Design of the Year: Jack Fisk ("Killers of the Flower Moon")

Favorite Costume Design of the Year: Holly Waddington ("Poor Things")

Favorite Director of the Year: Hayao Miyazaki ("The Boy and the Heron") (with a strong highlight for Jonathan Glazer for "The Zone of Interest")

Best films of 2022

Another year with less than compelling film offerings in my opinion, 2022 just didn't resonate with me quite as strongly as the prior one. Here are my highlights for that year.

Everything Everywhere All At Once

Director: Daniel Kwan, Daniel Scheinert

The Fabelmans

Director: Steven Spielberg

Aftersun

Director: Charlotte Wells

Glass Onion

Director: Rian Johnson

Mrs. Harris Goes to Paris

Director: Anthony Fabian

Bones and All

Director: Luca Guadagnino

Favorite Performance of the Year: Michelle Yeoh ("Everything Everywhere All At Once")

Favorite Supporting Performance of the Year: Ke Huy Quan ("Everything Everywhere All At Once")

Favorite Cinematography: Larkin Seiple ("Everything Everywhere All At Once")

Favorite Score of the Year: Trent Reznor, Atticus Ross ("Bones and All")

Favorite Production Design of the Year: Rick Heinrichs ("Glass Onion")

Favorite Costume Design of the Year: Mark Bridges ("The Fabelmans")

Favorite Director of the Year: Daniel Kwan, Daniel Scheinert ("Everything Everywhere All At Once")

Best films of 2021

In line with the listings I'm currently updating, here's what I compiled for year 2021. A much better crop of films that came out that year, from very different and talented artists. 

Dune

Director: Denis Villeneuve

Licorice Pizza

Director: Paul Thomas Anderson

The Power of the Dog

Director: Jane Campion

Nightmare Alley

Director: Guillermo del Toro

Madres Paralelas

Director: Pedro Almodovar

Belfast

Director: Kenneth Branagh

The Worst Person in the World

Director: Joachim Trier

The Green Knight

Director: David Lowery

Mass

Director: Fran Kranz

Passing

Director: Rebecca Hall

Pig

Director: Michael Sarnoski

Competencia Oficial

Director: Mariano Cohn, Gaston Duprat

Favorite Performance of the Year: Penélope Cruz ("Madres Paralelas") (other two include Benedict Cumberbatch for "The Power of the Dog" and Renate Reinsve for "The Worst Person in the World")

Favorite Supporting Performance of the Year: Kirsten Dunst ("The Power of the Dog")

Favorite Cinematography: Greig Fraser ("Dune")

Favorite Score of the Year: Hans Zimmer ("Dune")

Favorite Production Design of the Year: Patrice Vermette ("Dune")

Favorite Costume Design of the Year: Luis Sequeira ("Nightmare Alley")

Favorite Director of the Year: Jane Campion ("The Power of the Dog")

Best films of 2020

For what it's worth, I used to make yearly lists of the best films of each year, since I started this blog in 2006. When Covid happened in 2020, it upended release cycles, and changed the entire world as we know it, and these lists seemed to be so insignificant in the grander scheme of everything taking place. 

However, now that life has found a new momentum, I've decided to go back to the concept of lists and refine a bit of how I've been organizing them, add a few different categories as well, and provide a bit of a personal opinion on what I've seen for that year. Here's what I compile of the best for the year 2020.

Nomadland

Director: Chloe Zhao

Soul

Director: Pete Docter

The Invisible Man

Director: Leigh Whannell

Sound of Metal

Director: Darius Marder

Palm Springs

Director: Max Barbakow

Mank

Director: David Fincher

Favorite Performance of the Year: Frances McDormand ("Nomadland")

Favorite Supporting Performance of the Year: Maria Bakalova ("Borat Subsequent Moviefilm")

Favorite Cinematography: Joshua James Richards ("Nomadland")

Favorite Score of the Year: Trent Reznor, Atticus Ross, Jon Batiste ("Soul")

Favorite Production Design of the Year: Donald Graham Burt ("Mank")

Favorite Costume Design of the Year: Trish Summerville ("Mank")

Favorite Director of the Year: Chloe Zhao ("Nomadland")

Mystery Men

Movie Name: Mystery Men
Year of Release: 1999
Director: Kinka Usher
Starring: Ben Stiller, William H. Macy, Hank Azaria, Paul Reubens, Janeane Garofalo, Kel Mitchell, Geoffrey Rush, Greg Kinnear, Wes Studi, Lena Olin, Eddie Izzard, Claire Forlani, Tom Waits, Pras Michel, Artie Lange, Ricky Jay, Jenifer Lewis, Louise Lasser, Ned Bellamy, Monet Mazur, Michael Bay, Noah Blake, Michael Chieffo, Mark Mothersbaugh, CeeLo Green, Stacey Travis, Doug Jones, Jack Plotnick, Dane Cook
Genre: Comedy, Action
Score out of ten (whole numbers only): 6
Watch it on Amazon

Synopsis and Review

"Mystery Men" is in many ways one very unique film in the sense that many of its creative team didn't work on any feature films following its release, starting with its director Kinka Usher, who went back to directing commercials. The narrative focuses on three friends, who moonlight as wannabe superheroes, namely Furious, Shoveler, and Blue Raja. They all fall under the shadow of the biggest superhero of Champion City, the dashing and invincible Captain Amazing. Captain Amazing finds himself in a huge predicament, much like his publicist indicates, since he has thwarted/imprisoned/or killed any supervillain that has appeared in the city. Fearing the loss of endorsements (since he has no one else to vanquish), Captain Amazing enables the release on bail of one of his most resourceful foes, the cunning Casanova Frankenstein. Casanova has plans of his own, and he soon takes over Captain Amazing. Fearing something truly nefarious is brewing in the city, Furious, Shoveler, and Blue Raja decide to recruit more unconventional superheroes for the their team with the hopes of becoming the saviors of the city (and of the captain). Their first attempt at uncovering what has happened to the Captain nearly results in catastrophe, when they take on Tony P., another master criminal. However Sphinx comes to their rescue, and also gives them a crash course in being a team of superheroes. 

"Mystery Men" could have easily fallen into the spoof genre and go for the facile laugh moment (and at times it does), however it's a film that smartly deconstructs the seriousness of the superhero genre, by placing normal individuals, some of them with questionable powers, at the center of the action. The creative team behind this film also smartly crafted a universe of its own, one where heroes and their villains portend with issues such as capitalism, surviving different family dynamics, and even the typical romantic challenges. The film is populated with cliched characters, but the creators know it so, and the film never assumes itself very seriously, something that the banter between the characters also highlights. There's a verve of irony across all these pseudo-heroes that makes the film always watchable, just as it borderlines on being a quasi-spoof type of film. The cast is another reason to be delighted by this feature, since they all play to their strengths, including Ben Stiller, William H. Macy, Hank Azaria, Paul Reubens, Geoffrey Rush, Greg Kinnear, Lena Olin, Janeane Garofalo. The production team is also top notch, with highlights going to Stephen H. Burum's cinematography, Stephen Warbeck's score, and Marilyn Vance's costumes. There are indeed aspects where the taste level is suspicious, but this is a film that doesn't take itself seriously, and ends up being quite enjoyable. 

Music with an Impact - 2024

 

2024 was an interesting year for the music arena. The Smile released two albums, both of which were great, and Charli XCX became an omnipresent figure in the lexicon of popular music. I personally consumed albums released in 2024, but also from prior years and decades, all of which were a pleasure to discover and admire for their point of view, freshness, and ambition. Timeliness is a quality that just grows in one’s eyes as we grow in age I suppose. The ability to bask in the newness of the recent and the foresight of the innovation of what has been released in the past.

The Smile — Cutouts
Empress Of — For Your Consideration
Charli XCX — Brat
Fennesz, OZMOTIC — Senzatempo
Akira Kosemura & Lawrence English — Selene
Jon Hopkins — Ritual
James Devane — Beauty is Useless
Peter Gabriel — I/O
Autechre — Garbage
Alison Goldfrapp — The Love Invention
Clark — Playground in a Lake
Abba — The Visitors

More favorites that are not illustrated in the list above.

The Divine Comedy — Fin de Siècle
KMRU — Dissolution Grip
Geotic — To Not Now, Not To Ever, Despair

Apartment 7A

Movie Name: Apartment 7A
Year of Release: 2024
Director: Natalie Erika James
Starring: Julia Garner, Dianne Wiest, Kevin McNally, Jim Sturgess, Marli Siu, Rosy McEwen, Andrew Buchan, Anton Blake Horowitz, Raphael Sowole, Tina Gray, Patrick Lyster, Rachel Atkins, Andre Lillis
Genre: Thriller, Horror
Score out of ten (whole numbers only): 6
Watch it on Amazon/Paramount+

Synopsis and Review

"Apartment 7A" is a prequel to the classic "Rosemary's Baby", which was released in 1968 and was an adaptation of the Ira Levin book with the same name. The film follows the story of Terry Gionoffrio, a young dancer from Nebraska who is trying her shot at stardom in New York City in the mid 1960s. She shares an apartment with two other women, one of whom is her British best friend, also a dancer, an another woman who doesn't particularly like Terry. Terry suffers a dramatic ankle injury while performing on Broadway, which renders her in surgery. Following her accident, she desperately tries to go for auditions, but the scars and frailty of her injury haunt her and prevent her from booking any additional jobs. She also starts to become too reliant on pain medication. Following a particularly grueling casting process, Terry follows big Broadway producer Alan Marchand home, the iconic Bramford apartment building. She hopes of convincing him of her willingness and talent to do anything to be a dancer, but becomes sick due to the medication she has taken. Following her incident, she meets an elderly couple, Minnie and Roman Castevet, who take an interest in her and offer her an apartment down the hall from them, rent-free. They claim they want to help her until she's back on her feet. She soon moves in and is invited to a social gathering by Minnie and Roman, where she meets many of the people living at the Bramford, and where Alan is also in attendance. Something in her drink makes her lose her senses, and when she eventually wakes up, she's in Alan's apartment in his bed, and he implies they've had sex (and that she made the chorus of his show). While her life starts improving, Terry eventually realizes she's pregnant, something that shocks her, but makes Minnie and Roman very happy. However strange occurrences and the persistent nightmares keep bothering her, until one evening she wakes up to find one of her neighbors inside her apartment wanting to attack her. Terry decides to investigate more and the threads she starts pulling raise a series of fears. 

It's fair to state that "Rosemary's Baby" is an iconic film that has withstood the test of time, and that to this day has been a hallmark in the horror genre. It's also fair to state that it is one of those films that does not need to be revisited, or for that matter, need additional chapters to its lore. The way the narrative of that film encapsulates both the time stamp in which it takes place and also some of the political motifs of the era, including the fear regarding sexual assault, women's autonomy and rights, and views on sexuality and marriage, are all handled in a very intelligent manner, something that "Apartment 7A" simply can't match. "Apartment 7A" ends up being an interesting thriller, with a well defined central character Terry, who is surrounded by a series of rather generic characters, save for Minnie and Roman, both of whom however get very little screen time, when in fact they're some of the most colorful and interesting supporting characters the "Rosemary's Baby" universe actually has. The claustrophobic sense of entrapment is well staged, however the characters fail to be as enticing or reptilian as the original feature presented them. 

The cast is solid, particularly the always reliable Julia Garner, who gets great support from the always formidable Dianne Wiest and Kevin McNally. The production team is competent, but highlights go to Simon Bowles' production design, which has some inspiring touches, the same going for Michele Clapton's costumes. While unnecessary, it's nonetheless a watchable feature film. 

Scream VI

Movie Name: Scream VI
Year of Release: 2023
Director: Matt Bettinelli-Olpin, Tyler Gillett
Starring: Melissa Barrera, Jenna Ortega, Jasmin Savoy Brown, Mason Gooding, Hayden Panettiere, Dermot Mulroney, Courteney Cox, Skeet Ulrich, Jack Champion, Josh Segarra, Devyn Nekoda, Tony Revolori, Samara Weaving, Henry Czerny, Andre Anthony, Liana Liberato, Roger Jackson
Genre: Horror, Mystery, Thriller
Score out of ten (whole numbers only): 4
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Synopsis and Review

Following the success of "Scream V", the directing team of Matt Bettinelli-Olpin and Tyler Gillett quickly reunited with the writing team of James Vanderbilt and Guy Busick in order to continue the franchise, this time around focusing on the Carpenter sisters who survived the ordeal of the prior film (leaving Sydney Prescott out of the narrative since the studio refused to pay actress Neve Campbell her asking fee). The narrative focuses once again on sisters Sam and Tara Carpenter. Tara is now in New York going to college, and being closely watched by her sister, who has become an internet villain since rumors started swirling around that she had something to do with the Woodsboro murders, even though her ex-boyfriend Richie Kirsch and his accessory were in fact the killers. As it turns out, a new Ghostface killer appears, slashing across two students who wanted to kill the sisters, and who goes after the sisters and her close knit of friends. That group includes fellow survivors Chad and Mindy Meeks-Martin, their roommate Quinn Bailey, Mindy's girlfriend Anika Kayoko, and Chad's roommate Ethan Landry. As the killer goes after the sisters, causing more death and destruction in the process, a prior victim of the Ghostface menace, Kirby Reed, now an FBI agent comes to NY to aid the group, as does Gale Weathers, and also Detective Wayne Bailey, Quinn's father who is assigned the case. As the group theorizes the logic behind the killings, the slasher manages to cause more death amongst the group, until Kirby and the sisters decide to stage a killbox to trap and destroy the apparently invulnerable killer. 

"Scream VI" sadly doesn't quite get to the level demonstrated by the prior chapter, which deftly combined the introduction of a new set of characters, while integrating them into the universe created by the original series of films. At some point these extensions of the franchise become similar to a long standing telenovela, in which multiple threads find a way to attempt some integration with the original aspect of the initial storyline. At this time, the narrative feels more and more diluted from what made the original "Scream" a unique property, mostly because the creative team still hasn't decided to take a qualitative jump and simply start a new thread under the concept of Ghostface, but with a whole new character set. Therefore what we get is a bit of a rehashed narrative, which brings to mind "Scream 2", but with more gore and more gruesome and visceral bloody makeup effects. Concerning character development and considering all the time this group spends interacting with each other, most of what we learn about them is focused on the sisters themselves, as their friends and the newly introduced characters remain barely defined sketches (even Gale stubbornly remains something of a persistent question mark). This film does manage to create a suspenseful narrative courtesy of the progressive disclosure surrounding the next victim, but it's a film that accelerates its action, and seemingly strips some coherence from these characters lives, all with the goal of demonstrating an increased body count. It's a rather humor-less chapter in a franchise, though the cast tries their best with the material they have. Courteney Cox is the best highlight in this chapter, whereas the usually reliable Dermot Mulroney feels lost and out of place. Jenna Ortega plays the character on auto-pilot, the same going for Melissa Barrera. The production team is competent without being particularly memorable. It's a bloody but not exactly memorable entry into this franchise.

The Dead Don't Die

Movie Name: The Dead Don't Die
Year of Release: 2019
Director: Jim Jarmusch 
Starring: Bill Murray, Adam Driver, Tilda Swinton, Chloe Sevigny, Steve Buscemi, Danny Glover, Caleb Landry Jones, Rosie Perez, Iggy Pop, Sara Driver, RZA, Carol Kane, Selena Gomez, Tom Waits, Austin Butler, Eszter Balint, Taliyah Whitaker, Maya Delmont, Larry Fessenden, Kevin McCormick, Sid O'Connell, Jodie Markell, Sturgill Simpson, Luka Sabbat, Rosal Colon, Jahi Di'Allo Winston
Genre: Comedy, Horror
Score out of ten (whole numbers only): 6
Watch it on Amazon

Synopsis and Review

Following the release of one of his most celebrated films, "Patterson", Jim Jarmusch returned three years later with a decidedly lighter tone feature, with another stacked cast filled with regulars he typically reutilizes in his features. The film follows the story of Chief Cliff Robertson and his colleague, Officer Ronnie Peterson, both of whom live in the small town of Centerville. They realize something is off when on their way back to the station they realize it's still daylight after 8:00pm, and their digital devices also stop working. They also hear on the radio some disturbing news about polar fracking. The relaxed vibe of the town is shaken when zombies start reanimating. Firstly two, who kill two diner employees, but soon there's zombies everywhere, and most of the inhabitants of the town get attacked and killed. One that seems impervious to the attacks or who manages to overcome them is Zelda Winston, the Scottish Funeral Home Owner, who has some unparalleled dexterity with her samurai sword. As Chief Cliff and Officer Ronnie decide to assess how the town is doing, Officer Mindy who usually minds the station, goes with them, asking Zelda to stay behind supporting the communications. The town is pretty much overrun with zombies, and as much as they try to destroy them, Cliff, Ronnie and Mindy are eventually stuck. Mindy gives in to her despair, but the two men decide to battle it to the end, though Zelda also has a surprise of her own in store.

Jim Jarmusch's films have a rhythm of their own, something that is tied with this relaxed atmosphere that he manages to create with his own brand of storytelling, which in turn is populated with all sorts of uniquely observed characters, some of which even break the fourth wall, and become very self aware of where they are in the scheme of things. "The Dead Don't Die" is his take on the zombie film, one that is lighthearted, yet observational of the way life is changing, and how those changes are impacting how the world spins, eventually resulting in the zombie anomaly in question. The characters that populate this film are all underdeveloped, but are simultaneously very endearingly so, in the sense that they all have quirky traits to them which makes them always interesting to behold and ultimately characters you want to learn more about and spend time with. The director gives just enough time and focus to each of these characters which draws our attention in, including some of the zombies who in some occasions display quite a bit of personality. It's a lighthearted film, one that creates a soft smile, something that can be attested for instance by Tilda Swinton's character, and even by the high strung farmer Miller, portrayed by Steve Buscemi. The goal of this film isn't to illustrate the grotesquerie of the zombie genre, but to call out how our behaviors are indeed having an impact on the overall ecosystem, and that even the quaint little towns, and their quirky inhabitants, as lovable as they are, won't be spared when the time does come. The cast of the film is fantastic, with Bill Murray, Tilda Swinton, Chloe Sevigny, Steve Buscemi, Tom Waits, Danny Glover, Caleb Landry Jones, all creating interesting and imaginative characters. The production team is also top notch, with highlights going to Frederick Elmes' cinematography and Carter Logan's score. While not one of his best endeavors, it's still an entertaining and humorous feature from a unique voice in film.