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BlacKkKlansman (2018)
A Compulsivly Watchable Future Classic
Spike Lee remains one of the most interesting American directors working at this moment, regardless of the varying quality of his work as of late, it's immediately apparent with any of his projects that even in his early 60s he remains just as eager to experiment and indulge as he was when he got out of film school. Even his outright bad films contain so much cinematic flair and so many flat out ballsy choices, that they are worth watching. BlacKkKlansman, his best film of late, bounces with so much energy that it's easy to forget how much of the runtime is given to discussion, how much is dedicated for varying parties to reveal their view points and logic. Its a film which bounces effortlessly between black comedy and police procedural, which is filled equally with gut busting wit and sweat inducing suspense, and most importantly which never skimps on entertainment. But Lee is always aware that his film is first and foremost a vehicle to deliver social commentary, and he ends the film on a left field gut punch the likes of which haven't been seen since Do the Right Thing. After 2 hours of laughter and a good time, the final frames of this film left me speechless in a way that few films have, and crystallize the films message in the boldest terms imaginable. Many people will hate this film because of its politics, because it states things that are frankly uncomfortable to think about, but the message is supported by top knotch craftsmanship, the filmmaking on display is inspired to say the least, and it feels like Lee is again filled with the same infectious energy which made him a legend 30 years ago.
Caché (2005)
Cinematic Perfection
In the pantheon of cinema there are an endless number of films that can be labeled "masterpieces" in some context. But only a select few of these films are as engrossingly perplexing as Cache. The setup is quite simple, an upper class educated French family begins to receive video tapes in the mail. The tapes are wrapped in plastic bags and accompanied by disturbing childish drawings. The tapes themselves are even more perplexing, they're long stationary distant shots of the couples home. Most perplexing of all, there's no way the shots could have been obtained without the couples knowledge, as at several points they should have noticed the large bulky camera. To reveal much more would ruin the suspense that unfolds, but secrets are revealed, actions take on a new context, and things get complicated. This is a film which has been dissected endlessly by cinephiles and critics alike, pouring over the film scene by scene, frame by frame, attempting to decipher an enigma. Every new piece of information only broadens the films scope, and inspires more questions than it answers. Rarely have I ever felt as much of an urge to rewatch something. The credit is all Michael Hanekes, every shot has been perfectly conceived, timed, and choreographed to hold the audiences attention and to hit them with maximum impact. This film is designed to frustrate and perplex, but in my there are big themes woven into it. As for answers, I think that will be up to the viewer to make heads or tails of. This is definitely a film which begs to be seen multiple times. Overall I'd call this a definitive Masterpiece, truly one of the greatest thrillers ever made.
Good Time (2017)
Unsettling, Unwavering, Electrifying
Good Time is an unrelenting edge of your seat thriller, that demonstrates the Safdie brothers mastery of both social realism and genre filmmaking. This film uses a b movie set up to hammer home an emotionally riveting story ladened with social commentary. The story is that of Connie a low level criminal who finds himself in increasingly desperate circumstances trying to free his brother whose taken the fall for a crime conceived by Connie. The brilliance of this film stems from the Safdie brothers no hold bars gorilla direction, and Robert Pattinson's powerful central performance. The direction of this film is energetic and eerie, with much of the film made using real locations and non professional actors. This makes the films various twists and turns palpably plausible. For example at one point the characters end up in a Dominos Pizza, desperate to hide. This moment comes off as entirely realistic and earned, where as in another movie it would come off as contrived. But by far the best aspect of this movie is Pattinson's central performance as Connie. Pattinson has taken a lot of flack over the years for his role in the Twilight films, but Good Time cements him not only as capable actor, but among the best working today. Seriously he's Oscar worthy here. All in all Good Time is film that shows the blossoming of both a pair of great new directors, and an actor fully realizing his craft.
L'argent (1983)
Greed is Corrosive to the Human Soul
Robert Bressons L'argent lays out in 85 minutes with only the sparsest of tools what many philosophers have struggled to properly articulate for centuries. It charts how the careless greed of two schoolboys leads a man down a path of sadness and evil. But it's more than just a nagging generalized critique of greed. It'a a moral tableau of a society descending into inhuman moral bankruptcy, one which the spiritual degeneracy is so suffocating that even the most honest and upstanding citizens are devoured. Bresson presents the story with such matter of fact ellipses that it leaves the viewer emotionally ransacked. His craftsmanship is such that each moment is constructed to hypnotically entice the reviewer. With each twist of fate , every stroke of hypocrisy, the story charges towards a moral abyss, one which most films would struggle to comprehend let alone depict. Bresson enhances his moral scrutiny by using each of his cinematic tools to their perfection, reminding us just how few movies really use cinema to its full potential. This especially comes through in the sound design. The clack of shoes on the pavement, the crackle of money changing hands , the mere shutting of a door, each of these elements are done so precisely and perfectly that it creates cinematic bliss. L'argent is such a peculiar film that the full impact of its ethical existentialism might not strike you on your first viewing, but with each subsequent viewing the weight of its searing indictment swells. If anything, L'argent shows us how far we have to go as a species, and how few of our storytellers have really shown us the weight of our actions on others.
Okja (2017)
Bold and Entertaining in equal measure, without skimping on the Food for Thought
Okja is the story of a girl and her mutant pig, the titular Okja, told in the same vain as E.T. Or Pete's Dragon. But it's also a satire of Corporate America, a heist film of sorts, and a expose on the moral conflicts of food production. Now to some that sounds like a recipe for disaster, but in the hands of Bong Joon Ho (One of the most exciting directors working today, a statement further cemented by the quality of Okja) it's one of the best films of 2017. Okja in all its brilliance, might be Bong Joon Ho's most accessible movie yet, but it's also probably one of the strangest things your likely to see all year. Here Joon-Ho further demonstrates his mastery of his filmmaking craft, effortlessly juggling tones and genres, composing scenes that brim with drama and excitement , and leaving audiences with another multi-layered commentary on capitalism. Where the film may loose some viewers is in its tonal juggling and in a particular character. Firstly the films tonal sifts are elliptical to say the least, transitioning between outdoor adventure scenes, to low key drama, to high octane madcap chases, to blistering satire, to emotionally grueling drama, and at one point between heart wrenching thought provoking drama to slapstick comedy within the same scene. Secondly Jake Gyllenhaal's performance, as an unstable zoologist/television personality with a sweet tooth for booze, (To put it mildly) is turned up to eleven in terms of emotions, mannerisms, and delivery. Your reaction to this character might depend upon your sensibilities. I've read several reviews that describe his character as grating and unintentionally annoying, but I personally found him to be alternately hilarious and pitiful. These factors might be a turnoff to some of you, but to those who are sick of the overly processed assembly line films that infest our modern multiplexes, Okja isn't so much a substitute so much as a revelation, that big budgeted auteur driven films are still plausible, and that films can entertain us while still conveying a nuanced message. I can't recommend Okja enough, see it, and even if you find yourself disappointed or baffled, at least consider that it's something different from the over processed soulless films that plague American Movie theaters at the moment.
Cavalo Dinheiro (2014)
An Immigrants Elusive Fever Dream
Horse Money demonstrates the perfection in Costa's abilities as a filmmaker along with furthering his dissection into the marginalized lives of Lisbon. Like Costa's previous entries in his Fontainhas series, Horse money is rigidly constructed, hypnotically acted, beautifully photographed, and elliptically elusive. It's main evolution seems to be the complete disregard for time and space as it drifts between the past and present, are own world and another with ease.
Colossal Youths ghostly patriarch Ventura returns, but he's deteriorated since his last appearance. While he previously evoked a sense of nobility and grandeur, now he caries with him a sense of defeat and anxiety. His hand constantly twitch with some type of nerve disease and he wanders the halls of some type of institution occasionally being guided by doctors and interrogated by an unseen voice. As figures from Ventura's past (real or imagined) begin to manifest again before him, the already shaky present begins to blur as Ventura confronts both his inner emotional turmoil, his memories, and the looming presence of the history of his peoples oppression.
Horse Money isn't a film that's meant to be glimpsed casually. The act of watching it isn't a pleasurable experience so much as a hypnotic one. This isn't a film that is necessarily for everyone (in fact the best way to fully grasp its full sprawling grandeur would be to catch up on the three other Fontainhas films) and many will be put off by its deliberate aloofness and a lack of of insight into its cultural contexts. But it's hypnotic nature and masterful construction are undeniable, and it's worth seeking out even if you find yourself perplexed to ad nauseam.