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Reviews
Poor Things (2023)
Arguably the best film of 2023
Immediately this is one of my favorite films from 2023, and would have received my personal vote for Best Picture at the Oscars. I have yet to see Killers of the Flower Moon, however no matter how good Lily Gladstone was, there's no way Emma Stone's performance was undeserved for winning Best Actress. Everyone talks about how much she gave of herself to the role, but I was most impressed with how convincing she was with the dialogue. She has to slowly grow her vocabulary from that of a child like mind, and in the hands of a lesser actress it would have sounded ridiculous. However she's completely believable and authentic the entire time, and her progress feels natural. The movie is also shockingly hilarious, especially from a petulant Mark Ruffalo performance that is unlike any of his previous roles.
Mission: Impossible - Dead Reckoning Part One (2023)
Completely Under Appreciated
I always know that I'm going to have a good time when I see a Mission Impossible film, as they're one of the few film franchises that has no legitimately bad entries. However I had no idea it was going to be THIS good! It's difficult to create a film with this much action to sustain excitement for its entire runtime, without it becoming numb and getting repetitive. As much as I enjoyed John Wick: Chapter 4, I definitely felt like it hit overload for me after a while. Especially since he kept surviving so many injuries without being a Marvel/DC Superhero. The last movie I can actually think of with this much action without ever getting boring was Mad Max: Fury Road. Like Fury Road, this film uses RIDICULOUS practical effects and stunt work to shoot its action scenes. I highly encourage anyone who watches this film to check out the behind the scenes of these stunts on Paramount Pictures YouTube channel. Say what you want about Tom Cruise, but there is no other actor that better understands how to deliver a summer blockbuster, and puts everything on the line to create it. Between Top Gun: Maverick last year and Mission Impossible: Dead Reckoning this year, he's created the best movie theater watching experience in back to back years. Can't recommend enough on the biggest screen you can find.
Abigail (2024)
It's No Ready or Not, but still a bloody good time
I saw Abigail this weekend. I was especially excited for this film since Ready or Not is one of my favorite films, and this is from the same directing team of Radio Silence and had a similar look. Although I really enjoyed it, there is absolutely no taking Ready or Not's crown.
First of all, I cannot begin to tell you how exponentially better this film would be if the trailers hadn't given away its main conceit. Given how the movie was advertised, I assumed it would be revealed in the film right away. However the movie treats it like a mystery, and isn't revealed until almost an hour in. I can't imagine how entertaining it would have been to be legitimately surprised (if somehow you haven't seen the trailer, DON'T). Secondly it's a super small cast, so every personality matters. Based on the reviews I've seen, I'm obviously in the minority, but I absolutely couldn't stand Dan Stevens in this film. I've seen and read so many reviews talking about how entertaining he was in this and Godzilla X Kong, and I found him terribly obnoxious in both. I don't get the appeal, but I'm missing something.
Thankfully there were stand outs like Angus Cloud (RIP), Kevin Durand as the not so bright Canadian Muscle and especially Alisha Weir who is an Absolute ROCK STAR as Abigail. She is already so, so good, especially as a young actress.
This film is tremendously bloody, so not for the faint of heart. Unrelated to the film, but there was a 9 year old girl at the screening with her parents holding a stuffed animal while watching it, which was definitely an eye-opener.
Reality (2023)
Reality at its Finest
This movie only having a 6.6 average rating feels criminally low to me. This is how I wish more movies based on real events took place. Using the actual transcript, so there's no room for dramatization or fluff. The acting is fantastic, and at under 90 minutes I felt more tension with this movie than most Hollywood action blockbusters. I fear it will be overlooked, but it's a must watch that requires almost no time investment. If not exactly, it's pretty much shown in real time as the actual interrogation took place. I would love any recommendations in the replies of other films based on true events that use factual evidence of what was said and took place in its making.
Kimi (2022)
Less is More
A less than 90 minute taut, exciting thriller from Steven Soderbergh. A perfect example of a film being effective with less is more.
No idea why this film isn't getting more credit. It's rare to find films with a small cast and single location done so well. More exciting than most films that cost millions of dollars more.
Saturday Morning All Star Hits! (2021)
Perfect for Mooney fans and Children of the 80's & 90's
It's not LOL funny, but it is extremely smart, dark in its humor and themes, and captures the era perfectly. I do wish more of an emphasis was placed on making the audience laugh, but there's so much to appreciate if you're a child of the 80's and 90's and a fan of Kyle Mooney. I really want to see Mooney find success and appreciation at the level he deserves.
Scream (2022)
Still in disbelief that the 5th entry in a 26 yr old could be this good.
This was a 4 out of 4 star film for me, and the
best since 1996. There are no bad films in the
franchise for me, but this is the rare movie of
any genre where I truly felt there was nothing
about it I would change.
I so badly want this movie to be a success since
I feel Ready or Not was one of the most under
appreciated films of the past decade, and I really
want these directors to find more success and
opportunities to make new films.