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gianarosegoestothemovies · 3 years

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New Queer Cinema

Starting from the late 1980s through early 1990s, a “new wave” of queer films became critically acclaimed in the film industry, allowing the freedom of sexuality to be featured in films without the burden of approval from the audience. This raw and honest film genre displays the truth, secrets, and vulnerability of the LGBTQ+ community and the representation that is deserved. The New Queer Cinema movement was started by scholar Ruby Rich who wrote “This movement in film and video was intensely political and aesthetically innovative, made possible by the debut of the camcorder, and driven initially by outrage over the unchecked spread of AIDS. The genre has grown to include an entire generation of queer artists, filmmakers, and activists.” (Rich) This movement started from Rich’s writing piece, not the filmmakers themselves. An article by Sam Moore discusses Rich’s start of the movement. He states, “Rich acknowledges that the films and filmmakers she considers under the umbrella of New Queer Cinema (including Todd Haynes, Cheryl Dunye, Isaac Julien, Gus Van Sant and Gregg Araki), don’t share a single aesthetic vocabulary or strategy or concern.” Instead, they’re unified by the ways that they queer existing narratives, subvert expectations and foreground queerness in material where it had been only implicit” (Moore). The journey through the New Queer Movement started with Ruby Rich defining the movement through her writing and inspiring filmmakers to continue producing movies with the correct representation.

Actress from Gone with the Wind Susan Hayward claimed that Queer cinema existed “decades” before an official title was given to the genre. French filmmaker Jean Cocteau created Le sang d'un poète in 1934 which is documented as one of the earliest Queer films. This avant-garde style of film is associated with Queer cinema filmmakers such as and is displayed in many upcoming films such as Ulrike Ottinger, Chantal Akerman and Pratibha Parmar. The influence of Queer theory that emerged from the late 1980s helped guide the movement with the creators. The theory states "Challenge and push further debates on gender and sexuality.” Another closely related statement by feminist theory states,"Confuse binary essentialisms around gender and sexual identity, expose their limitations.” Queer cinema filmmakers were sometimes known to depict their films in a “mainstream” way that is agreeable to the audience. There was no exposure to the truths and horrors that the LGBTQ+ community experience and had a lack of representation of historical elements or themes. The concept of “straightwashing” was described to filmmaker Derek Jarman’s 1991 historical film Edward II. This film received backlash from the LGBTQ+ community due to the film’s queer representation catering to heterosexuality and heteronormativity.

The truth of the movement was for Queer films to stop romanticizing or bringing positive images of gay men and lesbian woman. The push for authenticity and liberation for the community needed to be represented in films. New Queer films were more radical and sought to challenge social norms of “identity, gender, class, family and society.” (Wikiwand.com).

To quote the amazing drag queen of all time RuPaul “Everyone is born naked, and the rest is drag” the idea of gender identity and representation in the community is unlimited, why do you need to follow the norms of society when anything is possible? The late 90s documentary Paris is Burning introduced the audience to drag culture in New York City and the people of color who were involved in the community. The term “aesthetic” was repetitive in the research of New Queer Cinema which suggests the significance involved with the style of the films. The documentary includes the aesthetic of the drag world involving the makeup, fashion, and politics. AIDS activism was involved heavily in New Queer films and ridiculed the failure of Ronald Reagans acknowledgment of epidemic and the social stigma experienced by the gay community. Conservative politics occurred during this movement resulting in lack of media coverage and government assistance for the LGTBQ+ community. This political struggle did not discourage the community and the fight is still continuing today.

Beginning in the 2010s LGBT filmmakers Rose Troche and Travis Mathews created a “newer trend” in queer filmmaking that evolved toward more universal audience appeal. In an article from Wikiwand.com states,

“Rich, the originator of the phrase New Queer Cinema, has identified the emergence in the late 2000s of LGBT-themed mainstream films such as Brokeback Mountain, Milk, and The Kids Are All Right as a key moment in the evolution of the genre.[20] Both Troche and Mathews singled out Stacie Passon’s 2013 Concussion, a film about marital infidelity in which the central characters' lesbianism is a relatively minor aspect of a story and the primary theme is how a long-term relationship can become troubled and unfulfilling regardless of its gender configuration, as a prominent example of the trend” (Wikiwand).

The film Watermelon Woman was one of the first queer films I watched for a film class, and this film allowed me to dive deeper into the subject I care a lot about which is the representation of queer narratives about woman of color. Queer woman and men deal with the most discrimination. It is unfair and cruel to see the difference of racial treatment in the LGBTQ+ community because the backbone motto is full exclusion and equal rights. The film Watermelon Woman shined light on LGBTQ+ black woman and interrogated the “Mammy” stereotype that most films depict about black actresses. Minority narratives were pushed into the circuit of the movement with developed into the later academy-award winning film Moonlight that displays those representations makes film history!

Films to recognize in the height of the New Queer film movement are

Mala Noche (1986), Gus Van Sant, was an exploration of desire through the eyes of a young white store clerk named Walt and his obsession with a young undocumented immigrant named Johnny. The film is shot in black and white on 16mm film, contains many of the early Van Sant fixations that viewers would later see get refined in My Own Private Idaho, including male hustlers, illegality, and class.

Chinese Characters (1986), Richard Fung, this early film asks still-pressing questions about the nature of gay desire when it’s mediated via pornographic images of white men. The video defies genre, mixing documentary with performance art and archival footage to explore the tensions of being a gay Asian man looking at porn.

Looking for Langston (1989), Isaac Julien, this short film, a tribute to the life and work of Langston Hughes, is a beautiful and vibrant elegy. Julien creates a lineage of queer black ancestors for himself. The film moves like the poetry it recites, playing with the gaze and how various eyes look upon the black male body.

Tongues Untied (1989), Marlon Riggs, guided by the writer Joseph Beam’s statement, “Black men loving black men is the revolutionary act,” Riggs goes through his own complicated journey of homophobia from other black people, and then racism in the gay community, to find a community of queer black people.

Poison (1991), Todd Haynes, the three parts of the film tell a story about ostracism, violence, and marginality: the bullied child who allegedly flies away after shooting his father in order to save his mother (“Hero”), a brilliant scientist who accidentally ingests his own serum to become the “leper sex killer” (“Horror”), and a sexual relationship between two men in a prison (“Homo”). Exploits radical work that Haynes later uses in his other films.

The Living End (1992), Gregg Araki, the film follows Luke, a sexy homicidal drifter who has a distaste for T-shirts, and Jon, an uptight film critic in Los Angeles. Both are HIV-positive, and as their relationship unfolds, they fight about being respectful or lustrous.

Swoon (1992), Tom Kalin, a black and white film that romanticizes wealthy Chicago lovers kill a 14-year-old boy named Bobby Franks because they want to see if they are smart enough to do it. The murder is more a play of power between them, with Loeb weaponizing sex as a way to control Leopold.

Rock Hudson’s Home Movies (1992), Mark Rappaport, Rock Hudson’s Home Movies is a documentary made up of glances and innuendos from Rock Hudson’s persona, displaying how this dashing, leading man of the Hollywood Golden Age was a closeted gay man.

MURDER and Murder (1996), Yvonne Rainer, is known for her experimental filmmaking and choreography, this film represents a late-in-life lesbian named Doris who suffers from neuroses and breast cancer. Her partner, Mildred, a queer academic, tells the story of their romance as older women. Rainer also makes appearances throughout the film in a tux, going on rants about smug homophobic parents while showing her bare chest with a mastectomy scar.

1992 was the year of the highest amount of New Queer films being produced and exceeding box office expectations. Upcoming 2000s films such as “Booksmart”, “Call me by your Name”, “The Prom”, and “Rocketman” all represent the truths and authenticity of the LGBTQ+ community and creates pathways for more films to include these cinematic themes. The movement continues to grow and succeed in the film industry with new creators and actors being more honest about the LGBTQ+ community.

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hunterastrid · 3 years

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the unofficial task → astrid hunter

ambition [ 10/10 ] — from telling a few white lies to up her social status in school to engaging in less than legal activities to ensure a seat in parliament, there’s no doubting that astrid will do absolutely anything to get what and where she wants. her eyes look towards the next prize as soon as she feels like she’s got the first in hand.

intellect [ 8/10 ] — astrid is incredibly booksmart, landing top marks in her a-levels and at university. she’s also incredibly good at reading people and knowing what to say to get them to do what she wants. however, she’s got absolutely not street smarts, having grown up middle class in small village in oxfordshire and then going straight for the elite in london. this leads to regularly making decisions without fully seeing how it could come back to bite her.

bond with horseman [ 6/10 ] — she gets bonus points for being juno’s girlfriend, but that’s about all she gets points for. for somebody as family-oriented as gabrielle, astrid hasn’t quite crossed the finish line into full family territory yet. her remaining as an angel for years and making very few moves to climb up the ladder isn’t exactly pleasing to gabrielle, either.

capacity for disaster [ 7/10 ] — as previously stated, astrid’s lack of any street smarts results in making decisions without fully contemplating the long-term impact those decisions might have. she’s also a member of parliament, who are all just lightning rods for scandal. at least her brand of disaster is fairly easy to keep under the radar, and astrid’s excellent at pretending like nothing’s wrong.

outside interests [ 2/10 ] — juno, politics, making men feel inferior, art museums. honestly, astrid focuses on very little besides work and her girlfriend (well, until juno disappears anyways).

killer instincts [ 6/10 ] — if it was based on words alone, astrid would get full marks, always knowing what to say to cut to a person’s core when she wants to. but she gets knocked down a few points because she has very little taste for actually killing, refusing to get her hands bloody for the sake of power (so far...)

#[ task. ]#everybody else was doing it so i simply had to as well #what can i say im a follower #it upsets me how weirdly blurry the text is though like god tumblr why must you hate my images so #kidnapping tw #[ edit. ]

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sallytheseamstress · 3 years

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🍅, 🍎, 🍐, 🍊, 🥝

🍅 : how does my muse feel about plastic / cosmetic surgeries & procedures? is it something they have done or would do? do they mind if others do it?

Sally isn’t very concerned what others do with their bodies as long as they don’t hurt themselves. Where it concerns her, however, Sally has often wished she was prettier, or at least, “beautiful” in the way she conceives it. She never had much self-esteem, and that also goes to her physical attraction. While she never gave much thought to it since Sally would rather spend money on something else, it given the chance, she might consider a cosmetic surgery to at least feel a bit more confident about herself; though, exactly what, she’s not sure.

🍎 : how stable is my muse’s mental health? have they been diagnosed with any mental illnesses and / or conditions? do they have any undiagnosed mental illnesses and / or conditions? do they or should they attend therapy?

Without any doubt, Sally does have social anxiety and while she has learnt through time to manage herself and find ways to soothe herself, it does rear its head from time to time, and usually leads to her getting angry at herself. While Sally acknowledges that she has anxiety in spades, she still hasn’t truly accepted that she might also have depression, mostly as a result of a childhood with a lack of emotional connection and neglect. She has never been diagnosed, however.

🍐 : how intelligent is my muse overall? are they smarter than the average person, or less than? are they primarily self-taught, or did they acquire most of their knowledge in school? are they more street smart or book smart?

Having an esteemed professor and academic as her father, Sally was always encouraged to study and learn. She has some pride in her smarts, though, as she has never been to a school and doesn’t know what other people know compared to herself, Sally can’t tell whether she’s smarter than the rest or not. She has been homeschooled by her father, yet he also insisted she educated herself on several topics, and one of the few places she was allowed to leave the house for was the local library, where Sally spent a good amount of her afternoons. She’s definitely booksmart rather than street smart, though. Her anxiety and caution do help her avoid danger, and has been serving her more or less well as a replacement so far.

🍊 : does my muse desire romance? is it something they would actively seek out, or prefer to happen more ‘ naturally? ’ what is their love life like? do they have any exes or past flings, or crushes?

Sally greatly desires romance, to the point that it is one of her most frequent daydreams. As shy as she is, she would never actively seek out, and truly, would always expect the other to make the first move. She has and has never had any sort of love life, and everything Sally knows about love and romance has been through books and movies; so, it stands to reason, both her expectations and concepts about what partners do is a bit idealized. Her crush on Jack, the first and only one she recognizes as such, is, as far as she’s aware, the greatest love she’ll ever know, even if it will never be returned.

🥝 : does my muse have any ‘ unusual ’ habits, interests, and / or talents? do they hide it, or are they proud of it?

Most of the things she does in secret she considers “unusual”, at least regarding herself; therefore, most of her less well known interests are well kept secrets. Sally loves singing and dancing, but feels awkward when doing it in front of others, and she hoards and collects small trinkets and objects that call her attention, and stores them in labeled jars and matchboxes. When her father realized she had been hoarding these little treasures he threw them all away, claiming that she was simply making a mess and obsessing over worthless junk. While at the time she obeyed and had to agree with him, Sally has now found herself still picking up little things and storing them back... Just that now they’re better hidden.

#. HEADCANONS { try as i may it doesn’t last }#. ANSWERS { i know you think something’s missing }#mxmorganmorph

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doomonfilm · 5 years

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Memories : The Best Films of the 2010s

Only a few years into my tenure as a film blogger, and I’ve been tasked with a monumental undertaking : ranking the top films of the last decade. Reflecting year by year is a journey in its own right, and with things like recency bias to take into account, plus the dice roll of blessing and curse that perspective and time bring to older films, I knew that this would be memorable at best, and stressful at worst.

That being said, I don’t claim to have seen every movie, so I know that there are some ‘glaring’ omissions. I am always open to recommendations for films I should watch (for the purpose of blogging on them or otherwise), but DOOMonFILM has always been about my personal experience as a film fan, first and foremost. Discussion is welcome, and constructive criticism will always be considered, but this is one man’s opinion.

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THOUGHTS ON THE DECADE

The 2010s, despite moments of controversy in terms of diversity, turned out to be surprisingly forward-thinking in hindsight. On more than one occasion in the decade, the film of the year (in terms of awards or in terms of critical/public reception), as well as highlight films of each year, were made by foreign directors. Women and minorities also managed to be recognized in front of and behind the camera at what seemed like a higher rate. Newer technologies were embraced, such as pushes forward in new cameras or directors opting to shoot on devices as small as iPhones, leaps forward in special effects, and a multitude of movies given the iMax treatment. A handful of directors happened to put out multiple movies throughout the decade, and a few of those in that handful managed to make multiple award-winning and widely accepted films. Marvel left such an impact on Hollywood, and the worldwide movie industry, that DC was forced to try and follow suit, and mergers with Sony and Disney were top tier news for months on end. Actors like Scarlett Johanson, Ryan Gosling, Emma Stone and Leonardo DiCaprio, among others, solidified themselves as box-office legends, while actors on both sides of their career (first-timers and those in the twilight of their career) found success throughout the decade. All in all, it was a decade that continued to make me happy to be a movie fan, and as hard as it was to do, I managed to find 100 films throughout the decade to rank.

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100. It Comes at Night (dir. Trey Edward Shults, 2017) 99. Kick-Ass (dir. Matthew Vaughn, 2010) 98. The Peanuts Movie (dir. Steve Martino, Andy Beall and Frank Molieri, 2015) 97. Everybody Wants Some!! (dir. Richard Linklater, 2016) 96. Upstream Color (dir. Shane Carruth, 2013) 95. Avengers : Age of Ultron (dir. Joss Whedon, 2015) 94. John Dies at the End (dir. Don Coscarelli, 2013) 93. Doctor Strange (dir. Scott Derrickson, 2016) 92. Keanu (dir. Peter Atencio, 2016) 91. Free Fire (dir. Ben Wheatley, 2017) 90. Upgrade (dir. Leigh Whannell, 2018) 89. Chappie (dir. Neill Blomkamp, 2015) 88. American Ultra (dir. Nima Nourizadeh, 2015) 87. I, Tonya (dir. Craig Gillespie, 2017) 86. Boyhood (dir. Richard Linklater, 2014) 85. The Grand Budapest Hotel (dir. Wes Anderson, 2014) 84. La La Land (dir. Damien Chazelle, 2016) 83. Ex Machina (dir. Alex Garland, 2015) 82. Nightcrawler (dir. Dan Gilroy, 2014) 81. Sicario (dir. Denis Villeneuve, 2015) 80. Looper (dir. Rian Johnson, 2012) 79. The Killer Inside Me (dir. Michal Winterbottom, 2010) 78. Hell or High Water (dir. David Mackenzie, 2016) 77. End of Watch (dir. David Ayer, 2012) 76. Django Unchained (dir. Quentin Tarantino, 2012) 75. Thoroughbreds (dir. Cory Finley, 2018) 74. Chronicle (dir. Josh Trank, 2012) 73. Melancholia (dir. Lars von Trier, 2011) 72. Black Mirror : Bandersnatch (dir. David Slade, 2018) 71. Detroit (dir. Kathryn Bigelow, 2017) 70. BlacKkKlansman (dir. Spike Lee, 2018) 69. Black Panther (dir. Ryan Coogler, 2018) 68. I Am Not Your Negro (dir. Raoul Peck, 2017) 67. Straight Outta Compton (dir. F. Gary Gray, 2015) 66. Kubo and the Two Strings (dir. Travis Knight, 2016) 65. It Follows (dir. David Robert Mitchell, 2014) 64. Logan Lucky (dir. Steven Soderbergh, 2017) 63. Get Out (dir. Jordan Peele, 2017) 62. Booksmart (dir. Olivia Wilde, 2019) 61. Beats, Rhymes & Life : The Travels of A Tribe Called Quest (dir. Michael Rapaport, 2011) 60. Lady Bird (dir. Greta Gerwig, 2017) 59. Moonrise Kingdom (dir. Wes Anderson, 2012) 58. The Cabin in the Woods (dir. Drew Goddard, 2012) 57. Black Swan (dir. Darren Aronofsky, 2010) 56. Captain America : The Winter Soldier (dir. Joe Russo, 2014) 55. If Beale Street Could Talk (dir. Barry Jenkins, 2018) 54. Avengers : Infinity War (dir. Anthony Russo, 2018) 53. True Grit (dir. Ethan and Joel Cohen, 2010) 52. Three Billboards Outside Ebbing, Missouri (dir. Martin McDonagh, 2017) 51. Whiplash (dir. Damien Chazelle, 2014) 50. Midsommar (dir. Ari Aster, 2019) 49. Journey to the West : Conquering the Demons (dir. Stephen Chow and Derek Kwok, 2013) 48. Sorry To Bother You (dir. Boots Riley, 2018) 47. Mid90s (dir. Jonah Hill, 2018) 46. Logan (dir. James Mangold, 2017) 45. The Killing of a Sacred Deer (dir. Yorgos Lanthimos, 2017) 44. Phantom Thread (dir. Paul Thomas Anderson, 2017) 43. The Hateful Eight (dir. Quentin Tarantino, 2015) 42. Exit Through the Gift Shop (dir. Banksy, 2010) 41. The Irishman (dir. Martin Scorsese, 2019) 40. Suspiria (dir. Luca Guadagnino, 2018) 39. The VVitch (dir. Robert Eggers, 2016) 38. Dogtooth (dir. Yorgos Lanthimos, 2010) 37. The Lighthouse (dir. Robert Eggers, 2019) 36. Annihilation (dir. Alex Garland, 2018) 35. Drive (dir. Nicolas Winding Refn, 2011) 34. Beyond the Black Rainbow (dir. Panos Cosmatos, 2012) 33. The Favourite (dir. Yorgos Lanthimos, 2018) 32. Searching (dir. Aneesh Chaganty, 2018) 31. Tangerine (dir. Sean Baker, 2015) 30. Snowpiercer (dir. Bong Joon-ho, 2014) 29. Under the Skin (dir. Jonathan Glazer, 2013) 28. Dunkirk (dir. Christopher Nolan, 2017) 27. Blade Runner 2049 (dir. Denis Villeneuve, 2017) 26. Baby Driver (dir. Edgar Wright, 2017) 25. Joker (dir. Todd Phillips, 2019) 24. The Neon Demon (dir. Nicolas Winding Refn, 2016) 23. Spider-Man : Into the Spider-Verse (dir. Peter Ramsey, Bob Persichetti and Rodney Rothman, 2018) 22. The Shape of Water (dir. Guillermo del Toro, 2017) 21. The Social Network (dir. David Fincher, 2010) 20. Frances Ha (dir. Noah Baumbach, 2013) 19. Under the Silver Lake (dir. David Robert Mitchell, 2019) 18. Mad Max : Fury Road (dir. George Miller, 2015) 17. Good Time (dir. Josh and Benny Safdie, 2017) 16. Mandy (dir. Panos Cosmatos, 2018) 15. Once Upon a Time in Hollywood (dir. Quentin Tarantino, 2019) 14. Her (dir. Spike Jonze, 2013) 13. The Lobster (dir. Yorgos Lanthimos, 2015) 12. Inherent Vice (dir. Paul Thomas Anderson, 2014) 11. The Master (dir. Paul Thomas Anderson, 2012)

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10. The Last Black Man in San Francisco (dir. Joe Talbot, 2019)

I saw this film as the decade was winding to a close, but it made easily one of the starkest impressions on me of any film-going experience I can recall. The movie looks amazing, the score and soundtrack are powerful, the acting is rich and dynamic, San Francisco is as beautiful on film as it is in real life, and the thoughts that arise from the narrative presented are the kind that hang around and result in personal changes that matter. A shining achievement from a stellar year of film.

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9. Inception (dir. Christopher Nolan, 2010)

If Christopher Nolan wasn’t already considered top tier prior to Inception, any doubters were left floored at the close of this masterpiece. For a story that could have easily been way too convoluted for standard audiences, the visuals, direction and pacing guide us through the madness perfectly. For anyone interested in dream depictions on cinema, for fans of stellar action, and for the smart people who know the quality that comes with the Nolan name, this one was a no-brainer.

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8. mother! (dir. Darren Aronofsky, 2017)

After being a bit on the nose with Noah, in terms of a film on religion, most directors would take that as a sign to move on from the topic. For a director like Darren Aronofsky, however, the next step was to seemingly go back to your mind-scrambling roots, dig deeper symbolically, narratively and metaphorically, and come back to the table with one of the most divisive and controversial films of the decade. mother! will clearly be a film ripe for analysis for years to come, and for as subjective and deep an experience as the film is, this reflection is welcome, as it serves to enrich future viewing experiences.

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7. Uncut Gems (dir. Josh and Benny Safdie, 2019)

How long does a film have to be out to be considered one of the best of the decade? In the case of Uncut Gems, I will allow recency bias, as it is clearly evident at the beginning of the closing credits that the film is special and will resonate for years to come. The Safdie brothers already had a classic under their belt with Good Time, and throwing that Sandler magic into the mix only amplifies their heightened and immersive style.

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6. The Florida Project (dir. Sean Baker, 2017)

There are a small fraternity of directors that put out their first films and follow-up films in the 2010s, and while examples of possible award snubs can be found for these directors, there was one clear-cut case of oversight : the 2017 lack of recognition for Sean Baker’s immaculate, beautiful and moving The Florida Project. While Tangerine was certainly the loudest of warning shots a first time director could provide, the amount of growth, nuance and confidence found in this follow-up deserved multiple awards, not just an acting nod for Willem Dafoe. Perhaps Baker’s next film will bring him the recognition he deserves in terms of awards, but he’s already made a clear cut name for himself.

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5. Hereditary (dir. Ari Aster, 2018)

I rediscovered a love for horror films in the 2010s, and a key reason would be the emergence of director Ari Aster. Upon seeing trailers for Hereditary, I knew that it would probably scare the life out of me, but the taste of the story given was so gripping I had to see it. The fact that the trailer was so powerful, only for the movie to unfold in ways that I never would have imagined or discerned from the trailer, was one of the most rewarding film experiences of the decade. Toni Collette also gave a performance for the ages.

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4. You Were Never Really Here (dir. Lynne Ramsay, 2018)

It’s arguable that Joaquin Phoenix may have had the strongest decade of any actor, and for my money’s worth, he was at his best in You Were Never Really Here. Much of the angst presented was previously explored in The Master, and as great as Joker is, it’s essentially the DCEU version of You Were Never Really Here, tonally and in terms of specific elements. Nobody short of the Safdie brothers are making movies that look, sound and feel like this one, and the unfortunate practice of human trafficking hitting the news forefront makes this film as timely as it is sad.

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3. Scott Pilgrim vs. the World (dir. Edgar Wright, 2010)

Hands down the coolest film of the decade. Not since Who Framed Roger Rabbit? had so many elements that I loved from other properties managed to find their way into the same movie, and the way that the gumbo was prepared and served was pitch perfect. As my friend Erin stated after we viewed the film, ‘If you watch this movie and don’t like it, I don’t think we can be friends’. Some of my favorite sequences of any film are in Scott Pilgrim vs. the World, and this is the EXACT kind of film I look forward to one day sharing with my children.

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2. Parasite (dir. Bong Joon-ho, 2019)

Another recent film that made an instant impact. In terms of topics like honesty, entitlement, and family dynamics, nothing I can think of in recent memory is touching Parasite. The parallels between the two families presented are perfect both visually and in the performances, and with each new bit of information presented, much of what you were previously presented is immediately recontextualized and put into question. This film, from front to back, is one of the most gripping journeys a filmgoer can take.

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1. Birdman or (The Unexpected Virtue of Ignorance) (dir. Alejandro González Iñárritu, 2014)

Easily my favorite film of the decade. This is the closest thing to a song-poem that I’ve ever seen presented on film, and it’s heartbreakingly beautiful. Nothing else released in the decade looked or sounded like this film, and the way it meta-reflects on Hollywood, Broadway, superhero films and the importance of actors is equal parts hilarious, thought-provoking and wonderfully frustrating. The film answers enough questions it posits so as to not completely confound the viewer, but it leaves enough open-ended so that repeat viewings are rewarding. A true achievement of film, regardless of decade.

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quilloftheclouds · 5 years

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happy storyteller saturday! out of all of your characters, who’s the stereotypical ‘smartest’? what are some of the others intelligence types? thank you! - llesbianwrites

YO THIS IS A COOL QUESTION

I love thinking about the different intelligence types! It’s partly why I hesitate so much on describing someone as “smart”, because even my “dumb” characters are still remarkably intelligent through unconventional ways~

Most stereotypically smart would probably be The Scientist (who’s a literal scientist, yes), Dione, Celestine, and Captain Io!

Though I can’t speak much as to why The Scientist is, Dione is constantly researching magic and writing in general, really a good personification of “booksmart” and also quite clever with figuring out puzzles. Celestine builds machines based on an understanding of magic and physics, as well as generally being incredibly street smart and capable of understanding more complex concepts. Io’s not much of a writer, but she certainly reads a lot and has an encyclopedia-like breadth of knowledge, as well as performing marvelously in her studies when she was younger. She’s also very quick-witted, and uses this to her advantage in both swordplay and wordplay.

So... logical-mathematical for all four and linguistic for Io and Dione, but severely lacking in inter- and intrapersonal for all of them.

If we’re following the 9 intelligences from Howard Gardener, here’s who I attribute most to each (this is long, so under the cut!):

Naturalist (nature smart): Dione and George both have remarkable connection to their natural environments and a significant understanding of how it works~

Musical (sound smart): Colin!! Colin has both perfect pitch and an extreme skill with playing the fiddle! (Plus some other instruments, too~)

Logical-mathematical (number/reasoning smart): Dione, Captain Io, Celestine, The Scientist. Explained above. ^^ Also Sindre but I can’t explain that because spoilers.

Existential (life smart): Uhhhhh... George...? Maybe? He’s very chill about stuff, and is capable of being philosophical about stuff without it overwhelming him.

Interpersonal (people smart): COLIN. Phoenix and George are also really socially adept! Technically Rose too because she’s really good at manipulating people. ^^’

Bodily-kinesthetic (body smart): Captain Io with her quick reflexes and strategic sword fighting. Isabel with swordfighting and general physical activity. Rose is exceedingly flexible, incredibly skilled with climbing and fighting. Celestine is also remarkably skilled kinesthetically: parkour and sword fighting as well~

Linguistic (word smart): Dione, Captain Io, The Scientist. Colin is also fitting here because, despite his dyslexia, he’s very creative with his words and can understand a lot of complex terms, while also being skilled with storytelling in a comprehensive and engaging manner.

Intra-personal (self smart): Phoenix and George are probably the best here, but to be honest, pretty much all of my characters are terrible at understanding themselves. ^^’

Spatial (picture smart): Colin, Phoenix, Captain Io, Isabel, Rose, Sindre. All sailors so it makes sense in that respect. Best would likely be Captain Io and Sindre, though: both are absolutely remarkable in how well they can keep track of where they are, like they have a built-in compass. And though Io would never ever reveal this, both of them are insanely skilled with image manipulation (art ‘n stuff) and mental imagery!

Interesting how my most commonly thought of “dumb” character Colin fits the most intelligences~

WHOO THAT GOT LONG SORRY. I JUST REALLY LOVE THIS ASK. Thank you for sending it in!!

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polarishpd · 7 years

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Plance Month Day #2: Together. Garrison Rumours

Word Count: 1514 Author: @HunterWizard on Wattpad (also PolarisHPD on Tumblr) Summary: AKA an AU in which Kerberos never happened, Matt Holt never disappeared, Katie Holt is a new girl genius entering the Garrison, and Lance McClain is completely, totally head-over-heels for her.

"They're together?"

"No way."

"The class goofball and the genius? You've got to be kidding."

"Check it out."

"No way."

"We are not together!" Katie Holt enunciates for possibly the fiftieth time that day to the gaggle of annoying classmates currently huddled over her school desks. "Look, he's annoying, he only cares about what girls think, and he puts absolutely no effort into whatever he does. We're never going to be together like that, okay? I don't understand why so many people are accusing me like this today."

So many lies spilling out of Katie's mouth so fast. But telling even one person at the amazing school that is the Garrison would result in a plethora of rumors.

Of course she'd only just joined the school as a first year, gained a reputation for either having a too-smart mouth, a capacity for being possibly the most talented pilot slash engineer or being an introverted sister of legend Matt Holt who really refuses to talk to so many people.

Katie slash Pidge was strange like that, you know?

"Then explain this!" one of the guys excitedly holds up his phone, showing a picture.

Shit...is that it?

Lance, hands entangled in Katie's hair, Katie's hands travelling up his shirt, their lips messily locked and bodies pressed up against each other, a picture taken in the dark night behind the school dorms.

...SHIT.

"I-uh-that's not me," she weakly tries, causing an outburst of laughter from the group.

"Yeah, sure, Katie. That's definitely not you making out with Lance McClain, two years your senior, hot and definitely dumb?" another one questions sarcastically.

Ah, yes. Katie's technically in the same grade as Lance, upgraded because of her precocious ability.

They're not together, are they? However uncharacteristically Katie, she had just wanted some fun with a senior, a tall, cute, and surprisingly nice guy that she'd been assigned work with. She wasn't expecting a date, cute hugs and kisses. Just some fun.

They aren't together, she reminds herself.

She reminds herself that she wasn't thinking about how kind and sweet Lance always was, actually intelligent even if didn't appear so, how he always made her laugh. Their little stolen cuddles and kisses when nobody was looking.

Her heart beats a little faster, scaring her.

What does she want?

"How did you get that picture?" she weakly breathes out. The classmate gestures for her to tap at the screen, which she does. A scroll later and she has her answer.

Goddamnit.

~~~

"Lance McClain has done it now," someone laughs, someone sitting right next to Lance. He holds back an annoyed growl. Who the hell decided to hack his account and post whatever the hell that was? Yeah, he's since deleted it, but there's such thing as screenshots and social media, and the FUCKING GARRISON.

"Who in their right mind even does that with Katie Holt? Matt's going to roast him alive when he finds out."

"She's definitely not ugly...I'll say that. I see why McClain went for that."

"But she's like...top of the class with Kogane. Wouldn't they make a better pair than with the class clown?"

"Depends. Lance's got that hot goofball thing going. Kogane's the mysterious one. How about Garret? He's really cute."

"True."

"You guys know I'm right here, right?" Lance snaps wearily, flopping his head down on the desk. The not so well-meaning classmates just snicker.

"We don't really care."

Hunk, sitting beside Hunk, can only give him sad eyes. Hunk has never really a confrontational guy, you know? But they're not wrong; Hunk is really cute.

"Look, Katie's great. But we're not together. That picture never should have surfaced," Lance fights.

"Katie seems to enjoy denying the rumor vehemently," another classmate remarks. Lance nearly wants to break the table. "Understandable. Not like someone smart-and arrogant-like her would go for bottom of the class Lance McClain-"

"-shut up now before I actually feel like punching you for saying things like that about her," Lance threatens, cutting in. Hunk pulls Lance up.

"Excuse me sir, Lance isn't feeling well. Can he be excused?"

Iverson, no stranger to the rumour or to quiet back-of-the-class talks, shrugs and lets him go. Something tells him that the boy needs it.

Lance knows the guy is right. Katie's only meeting with him for her own fun. But how the hell is he supposed to tell her that he actually wants it to be more than just fun?

He wants to believe that Katie wouldn't care about him being a total failure in the Garrison while she's this new superstar. He wants to believe that.

Maybe that's why she wants it no-strings-attached.

With a start, he realises what he wants.

He wants to be together.

~~~

"Why did you post that?" Katie questions quietly, hoping that she's conveying enough seething anger even without explicitly saying so. Lance, looking a little remorseful, sits across from her.

"If it's of any consolation, I didn't actually post that. And once I found out, I deleted it."

Katie seems to breathe out strongly, as if relieved, letting out a sigh.

"Oh," is all she answers with.

Lance is leaning on the ladder of his bunk, Hunk gone off somewhere, Katie sitting beside the ladder, looking up at him.

"Are you upset?" he asks. She shakes her head.

"No."

What's with all the one word answers, he wonders? Is it an insult to her, being found out for their little 'affair', for lack of better word?

"Does anybody tease you about it?"

"Only that I'm apparently 'dating' a guy who's two years older than me, but other than that not really."

Katie finally notices how downcast, disturbed Lance looks.

"Who teased you?" she sighs, looking rather 'done' wth the whole situation. Lance can't blame her; he is too.

"Just a couple of people in my class with Iverson. Said that you must be upset that you'd been found out. That you wouldn't be caught dead with me," Lance spits out, a lot more bitterly than he probably should have. Katie, startled, lets out an audible gasp.

"Who the fuck said that?" Lance is surprised at how vehement that sounds. "Who the fuck decided to declare my thoughts and feelings for me?"

"What, don't you agree with it?" Lance questions. Pidge sharply turns to him, her hair bouncing.

"What?"

"Look at you!" Lance exclaims. "You're pretty, a genius, the most talented student the Garrison has seen in years. You're better than Kogane, goddamnit, because you're actually tolerable-!"

"-no, no, shut up! I know where you're going to go with this," Katie cuts him off, glaring angrily.

"-yeah, because you know everything, and I'm the dumbass who got into your class out of sheer luck-"

"-see, see! Look," she says, standing up and grasping his face between her hands. Lance can't deny the blush that appears. "Look at yourself. You're an amazing, smart, clever guy. The Garrison relies on booksmarts, like me. You're smart in a totally different way; I've never met a guy like you, who's somehow so funny and kind and sweet and-"

Katie abruptly stops, letting go of him and sitting down, shielding her face from him.

"-I never thought I'd admit it, but I want us...I want us to be together. Like a couple. Not some teenagers just making out in backyards and dorms. Hell, I don't care what they say, and I don't think you should care for a second because they're totally wrong-I want the whole teenage lovey-dovey drama romance shit."

Then she stops.

Lance, blushing red, heart beating amazingly fast, can't stop a stupid grin from appearing on his face.

So he slides down, sits next to her, and kisses her. Holds her face in his hands, kisses her gently and not like the numerous makeouts they've had throughout her time at the Garrison. Kisses her like she's someone to him. Not like they're just two people looking for some action.

It's beautiful.

Slowly, Katie breaks off, looking fazed, dazed. Then she smiles, jumping and wrapping her arms around him.

"So yes?"

"I thought that was obvious."

~~~

"Holy shit."

"No way."

"Are they actually-?"

"I'm pretty sure it's confirmed now."

Katie and Lance on her bed, Katie completely on top of Lance, both of them with messed up hair, askew clothes, lips and bodies pressed together. And like the cherry on top, Katie is sticking out her middle finger for the whole world to see.

The Garrison is scandalised.

"Captioned: I'm with this guy, and the rest of you can all fuck off now."

"It's beautiful."

Lance quietly high-fives Katie in the corner, the two of them grinning like doofuses at each other, doofuses in love, goddamnit, witnessing the chaos going down at lunchtime.

"Well, at least we know one thing for sure now!"

"What? Katie Holt is actually a rebellious badass, Lance McClain is the smoothest bitch we've ever met-"

"-no, dumbass. They're definitely together."

Definitely.

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helen-oftroy · 4 years

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I wrote a little something something for Doctor Krill, an alien scientist and doctor from @starr-fall-knight-rise's series Humans Are Space Orcs. I hope you like it and if you havent already, go check them out, they are a fantastic writer.

Dear Doctor Krill,

I am a person who has been reading your scientific work for quite some time, even going so far as to join a society that doesn’t, lets say, subscribe, to the laws of “people can’t read your works anymore because you are too chaotic” in order to continue to do so. I am not a scientist or a doctor so forgive me if I sound ignorant writing to you in this way.

Pleasantries aside, I completely agree with your thesis statement of “humans are fucking dumbasses.” As an older sibling to two, one a boy with ADHD and anger issues and one a girl with unresolved daddy issues, I have seen my fair share of stupid. One time my brother accidentally set the stairs on fire and another time my sister almost fell off our sun roof when she went outside after an argument.

In my opinion, the most ironic thing about humans doing stupid things is that some of those things, you have to be really smart to accomplish. My younger brother stupidly built a water bottle bomb that exploded in his face. He was stupid enouh not to wait until he was outside or to handle it with enough care that it would be safe, but he was smart enough to be able to measure the ingredients and put the equipment together correctly.

My younger sister wants to be a scientist and I have no doubt she will accomplish that, but despite having mixed the soaps together without them becoming more efficient, she continues to do so. Kinda dumb. I am not, contrary to my statements thus far, using my opportunity to write you simply for throwing shade at my siblings, I do have a point to make.

My friend Bunny is not booksmart at all, but she is amazingly skilled at hooking a person and making sure that they will be able to benefit her. Manipulative in some eyes but lifesaving for some of her life experiences. My friend Hailey has lived alone or practically alone for so long that she literally doesn’t need anyone. My older brother is good at math but bad at people. My younger brother is good at people but can’t read due to dyslexia. Every person I have listed has been called an idiot in some form or another.

I myself, being neurodivergent, have absolutely no idea how to navigate social situations with tact or empathy, and I can’t read people to save my life unless I spend forever looking at them. However, I have a photographic memory and I could read and write at a high school level when I was in 3rd grade. I was a “gifted kid” and actually ended up skipping a few grades and starting highschool early. I have also been called an idiot.

It has long been my belief that no human possesses a lack of intelligence. Every human being has at least the potential for intelligence of one kind or another. Conversely, every human being has the capacity for idiocy. My thesis for an essay I wrote recently was that no absolute can be applied to humanity. That what it means to be human was for there to constantly be a question, but also a potential that there would be no answers. It is my belief that this constant questioning can drive humans to take risks that they wouldn’t normally take, in order to achieve some answers.

I once read an article about a man who tried dying multiple times, only to be resuscitated, just because he wanted to know what happened after death. It worked, but each time he got retrograde amnesia and had to start over. Eventually they couldn’t revive him in time and he ended up brain dead because of lack of oxygen to the brain. I wonder what he saw. But that brings me to my question, Doc. Do you ever wonder? Are the questions humans have that are normal to every society normal to you? I read that you were an exception of your species and that you question way too much to be acceptable, but is that one of those things?

What would it feel like to die? What would it feel like to be shot? What happens after you die? What would happen if I were to stick my tweezers in this electrical socket? What would happen if I were to lock these two cats in a room together even though they don’t like each other and then make my little sister get them out? What would happen if I were to wave around a metal baseball bat in a lightning storm? What would happen if I ate too many mushrooms? What would happen if I did fall out of this window? Are my lungs really gonna atrophy if I smoke weed every single day for the rest of my life?

Are these questions things that nonhuman beings have? I know even some humans don’t think these thoughts. Anyway, I hope my line of questioning hasn’t ruptured your helium sack. :)

With intrigue,

Que

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starredmark · 4 years

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Mobile Information: About Joseph

Contains Spoilers for part 2, 3, and 4.

basics

full name: Joseph Joestar

gender: cis male

sexuality: Polyamorous Bisexual

age: 18 in main verse

birthday: September 29th, 1924.

physical

hair: brunette, cut sloppily and often drooping into his face and sticking up at odd angles.

eyes: Green

height: 6'4" or 195 cms

weight: 213 lbs or 97 kg

body structure: tall and toned but still pretty lithe compared to his other family members. Broad chest and shoulders but narrows from the waist down.

posture: Being raised by a well-off family, Joseph has learned how to carry himself confidently. He often stands with his shoulders squared and back. Eventually he begins to slouch as his legs begin to get weaker as he ages and he relies on a cane.

distinguishing features: In any of his verses post part 2, Joseph is missing his left hand, which has been replaced with a prosthetic. He does have some various scars left from fights throughout the events of his life, though his hand is what’s most immediately noticable. Star shaped birthmark on his left shoulder.

mental

Joseph Joestar is anti-authoritarian at his root. He doesn’t respect the authority of anyone unless they prove they deserve it, regardless of that person is an actual legal authority or just someone who has some kind of social authority. There is one exception to this, and that’s his Granny Erina, because he is 100% an grandma’s boy. Being raised by his grandmother and Mr.Speedwagon, Joseph got away with a lot more than he probably should have, and he’s always been a bit of a goofball.

It’s easy to underestimate him because he comes off as something of a dunce, but when push comes to shove, Joseph is very quick witted. What he lacks in booksmarts, he makes up for in street smarts and the ability to improvise.

Growing up, he heard many stories of how great of a man Jonathan Joestar was from his grandmother, and Joseph has always aspired to have even a fraction of his inherent sense of justice.

The problem is that… well, Joseph is a bit of a do-nothing. If he can get away without having to do hard work, he will always opt to take the easier way when he can. He figures, so long as nobody else gets hurt because of his sloth-like tendencies, then there’s nothing wrong with that, right? Besides, he’d much rather focus on being funny and having a good time in life rather than being the sort of person who runs themselves into the ground trying to overwork themselves.

As most of the Joestar family is wont to do, Joseph often finds himself in far, far over his head in situations. He approaches them with the desire to “just make it through”– if he can make it through and have everyone be safe, he’s happy. It’s what helps to get him through some of the worst situations. On a deeper level, he knows that even if he can’t make it through something, so long as the people he cares about are safe that life will go on.

biography

Joseph is the child of George Joestar II and Elizabeth Joestar, though was raised by his grandmother, Erina Joestar, after a tragic event– the details of which Joseph was unaware but he believed both of his own parents to be dead. (The truth of the matter was kept mum in attempts to keep him safe from the truth of the stone mask.)

He lived a relatively normal life, except for one thing– his ability to do hamon. It’s something he has been capable of since he was a young boy. Otherwise, all was well until Straizo hunted him down in New York shortly after his 18th birthday. Hearing the troubling news of Speedwagon’s apparent discovery in Mexico, Joseph goes to retrieve his other guardian and seek answers from him.

It requires jumping through some hoops, but Joseph pieces together that Speedwagon is being held at a Nazi encampment in Mexico and he infiltrated the base in time to find himself right in the middle of the Nazi’s failed experiment attempting to find information on Santana.

Joseph and Speedwagon survived the ordeal, but they quickly realized that they were in the middle of something deeply troubling. Speedwagon, deciding that Joseph would be of help after dealing with Santana in Mexico, decided to introduce Joseph to a contact in Italy where he’s aware of other pillarmen being present. Though Joseph and Caesar don’t get along very well to begin with, they are brought together when they come face-to-face with the three Pillar men and Joseph is narrowly spared death in the face of the antediluvians after being given the condition that he improve his hamon and has a rematch with them to stop a slowly dissolving poison placed around his throat and heart.

He eventually manages to defeat them, though it isn’t without it’s losses, both of life and bodily.

Eventually, after settling down and marrying Suzie Q, Joseph fathers a daughter named Holly.

After his daughter grew up and married, Joseph accidentally fathered a child with a woman he’d slept with during a visit to Japan named Josuke Higashikata.

His normal life is interrupted again when his stand manifests for the first time out of the blue. With the aid of the Speedwagon Foundation and a kind man named Avdol, he’s able to figure out that it’s manifestation was caused by Dio Brando, the same man who cost his grandmother and grandfather the happy life they deserved. It is from a troubling call shortly thereafter that Joseph learns that it appears his grandson has manifested one as well. Concerned, he flies to Japan, and his fear is quickly proven to be well-placed as Holly collapses not long after, being slowly weakened by a stand of her own that she is unable to control. Unbeknownst to Joseph, his bastard son is afflicted by the illness as well.

With no other choice, Joseph and his grandson, Jotaro Kujo embark on a journey to find Dio and end his life to ensure the survival of Holly. They succeed, though, again, not without loss.

His life again returns to relative normalcy until his affair is found out and Suzie was furious with him. (Whether it was because of his infidelity or because he abandoned a twenty year old woman all alone to raise a son by herself is up for debate.) While his stand isn’t of much help, and his mind is starting to go, he still visits Japan to assist in the search for the Arrows. He finds a shaky ground to stand on with Josuke, and is rather relieved to see he’s growing into a fine young man despite his absence. (Arguably a better one than Joseph thinks he could have become under his guidance, anyway.)

verses

Main Verse - Set concurrent to part 2, before the defeat of Kars but after receiving the rings.

Verse || Take your chances win or lose - Concurrent to Stardust Crusaders, after Holly’s stand manifests but before the defeat of Dio.

Verse || I’m more concerned for what you’ll leave if you stay - Set post Stardust Crusaders

#OOC || Break time!#mobile info;;#Joseph || God you're such a narcissist you might as well be dancing with yourself #Verse || Take your chances win or lose #Verse || I'm more concerned for what you'll leave if you stay

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remainseatedatalltimes · 5 years

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And the decade ends with a...

So concludes another year, and with it, another decade as well. Now, I wish I could sit here and reflect on what a game-changing, exhilarating and revolutionary year 2019 was in the world of cinema. But I can’t. In fact, in my 8 years of writing this one time annual blog, there has never been a year that was as insipid as this past year was. So much so, that unlike in previous years where I have always started this blog highlighting some of the greats of the year that was, this year I’ve decided to start with the bottom of the barrel. But don’t fret, there are a few glasses of the good stuff left. Not many, but a few.

To set the scene, my least favourite film of 2019 is a movie (and no, it’s not the one you’re thinking of), that will likely go on to be nominated for several Academy Awards in just a few short weeks’ time. And it should be nominated. There is plenty to praise about this film. But incredible performances, stylish directing and a story centered around one of the most fascinating events in modern history does not always a good film make. Not when it’s told in such an obnoxious, pretentious and self-indulgent way. So, to kick things off, I present to you, my least favourite film of 2019 – Once Upon A Time In Hollywood.

I should say straight off the bat that I am only a moderate fan of Quentin Tarantino’s work. I love his film knowledge and his passion for making unique, and also highly nostalgic films. But I’m also a firm believer that storytelling is at the heart of great cinema, and I often feel Tarantino sacrifices storytelling for brilliant, but often bloated camerawork and cinematography.

I had high hopes for Once Upon A Time In Hollywood however. This was Tarantino working with an incredible cast, telling an original story set within one of Hollywood’s most infamous eras – and when the wonderfully retro and charming trailer dropped, I couldn’t have been more excited. This should have been the perfect canvas for Tarantino to shine.

But instead, Once Upon A Time In Hollywood is a frustratingly tedious, hedonistic film that almost feels like it’s mocking its audience with its in-jokes and smarmy blurring of lines between real events and fiction. In just shy of 3 hours, Tarantino essentially conveys 3 things: actors are self-doubting creatures that need constant re-assurance (no surprise); Hollywood is a game of relationships where not rocking the boat is paramount (again, no surprise – most industries are the same); and that shocking audiences is apparently very easy when you take a non-fiction story and completely change the ending (1 plus 1 equals 7). I know what you’re thinking. How can that possibly make for a near 3 hour film? Well, I refer you back to Paragraph 2 of the Remain Seated At All Times Tumblr blog post titled “And the decade ends with a....”, where I stated that this film is “obnoxious, pretentious and self-indulgent”. Just like that entire last sentence is superfluous…well…you get the point.

So to prove that moving on once you’ve made a point IS achievable, let me then proceed to the other atrocity of 2019: Roadkill. Sorry. I mean, Cats.

Now before anybody jumps up and down and complains that a movie that is – in fact – so much worse than Once Upon A Time In Hollywood isn’t my worst film of 2019, I offer you this one short piece of commentary. Cats is the kind of epic, unequivocal, indescribable disaster that actually transcends awful into a place of almost fascination and reverence. You know what I mean. Like watching a YouTube video of someone mixing paint. You know it’s ridiculous to sit there and watch it – but you can’t look away. You’re transfixed. And I will take that over boring arrogance any day.

Cats is NOT boring. It’s far from it. Much like the musical that inspired it – which so happens to also be one of the worst musicals ever created – Cats is a bold, daring attempt to deliver something no one ever wanted to see. Humans behaving like cats singing boring ballads. Add to it an insipid score that needs serious remastering, awful special effects, and an enhanced story-line that makes zero sense (yes, I know, they’re dancing humans dressed as cats – why am I surprised by a ridiculous story-line?), and you have 90 minutes of sheer bewilderment. The only saving grace: Hopefully the movie has sufficiently taken the last of nine lives from this atrocious musical so that we never have to endure another performance – either in film, OR on stage.

So now that we’ve taken out the kitty litter, let’s look at some of the brighter sparks of 2019. Because, whilst there were actually NO films last year that I reviewed higher than 4-stars, there were still a few gems that warrant some attention. These include last year’s Best Picture winner, Green Book; the dark and twisted take on one of DC’s greatest villains, Joker; the hilarious and earnest original whodunit, Knives Out; and the epic end to the greatest movie franchise in history, Avenger’s Endgame.

But taking the spot of my 3rd best film of the year was the latest film in the franchise that constantly delivers the impossible – a better film with each and every sequel. In its simplest form, Toy Story 4 is a beautiful romantic comedy featuring two stand-out lead characters. But whilst the lovely romance of Woody and Bo Peep take centre stage, it’s the gobsmackingly clever new characters including the show boater with no self-confidence – Duke Caboom– and my absolute favourite new character of 2019 (and spirit utensil) – Forky – that ultimately steal the show. Pixar never ceases to amaze, and Toy Story 4 is no exception. The idea of creating a kids movie positioned around a romantic comedy, where a core character is made of trash, thinks of himself as nothing more, and needs to learn self-worth from scratch, is something truly extraordinary. So thank you Pixar for giving me Forky. A character that taught me so much, even at my age!

Speaking of education, slipping into 2nd place is Olivia Wildes glorious directorial debut – Booksmart. This joyous, hilarious and utterly original coming of age story is spearheaded by stellar performances by its two leads. But it’s the way the film manages to use its often absurd humour to elevate its very sincere reflection of growing up in today’s day and age that really set this film apart. Booksmart continues the trend of unique, smart coming of age stories where young love is not the focus. Instead, it simply heroes its two smart and strong female leads and showcases that there’s no one more important than your best friend.

And so we come to my favourite film of the year – although, favourite is probably not the best word to use given how uncomfortable I found this film to watch. But it’s precisely that discomfort that elevates this harrowing and heartbreaking film to my number one spot. That film: Hotel Mumbai.

I understand that putting a dramatized version of a horrifying real-life event at the top of my list may seem odd – and for many reviewers, this movie felt exploitative. But I couldn’t disagree more. For me, Hotel Mumbai deftly balances the fears and bravery of its protagonists with a dismaying reflection of the motivations (or often lack there of) of the terrorists. Add to that some social commentary on the political failures that made the tragedy far worse, and you have an uncomfortable to watch, but ultimately poignant reflection of just one of recent history’s most horrifying incidents, and my number 1 film of 2019.

Now, to avoid ending this recap of 2019 on such a dire note, I should point out that there are a large number of additional films I feel should be included in this list including Roma and The Irishman. However – given I don’t review movies I see outside of cinemas (how can I honestly review a film I watch on a plane the same way I do on a giant immersive screen), I’ve intentionally left these off the list. Likewise, there’s a number of films I missed this year – including the well-reviewed Parasite, and the latest from the genius that is Taikia Waititi – Jojo Rabbit – that I feel would likely have been quite high up in my rankings had I seen them in cinemas earlier in the year. Although, given Once Upon A Time In Hollywood was my least favourite film – and yet it just walked away with a Best Picture award at the Golden Globes – then perhaps not. Which is probably why I shouldn’t give up my day job. Call me old fashioned, but I like my movies to have a plot. And a point.

But for now, that’s a wrap on 2019. Lets home this new decade brings with it more reasons to return to a cinema near you. See you next year!

#movies #movie review #movie list #best movies #best films #Film Review #film #best of 2019 #year in review #theyearthatwas #hotel mumbai #cats #once upon a time in hollywood #toy story 4 #booksmart #cinema

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gazzhowie · 5 years

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My Top 25 Movies of 2019.

It is indeed time… or at least, as is tradition, it is indeed now overdue for me to dust off the cobwebs from my Tumblr account and post my Top 25 movies of the year.

This time for 2019.

Years 2008 through to present are available in the archive. Frequent visitors know that I’ll throw out a few special mentions to all the films that I wish I could’ve included but couldn’t make them fit yet believe they deserve a shout out regardless and then I get stuck in to what I think are the 25 best films of the year.

As always, films listed are based on their UK release date whether that’s in the cinema or on DVD, VOD etc.

And no, despite several attempts, repeated proclamations on social media AND owning the bloody thing outright for the last 6 months, I still never got round to seeing Ash is The Purest White in time for my self-imposed deadline for this so if you’re here to see that lauded, I will dash your expectations now.

Anyway, without further ado, here’s the ‘also-rans’ and ‘near-misses’ separated per genre that very nearly made the final list:

In terms of comedies, I very much enjoyed The Breaker Upperers, The Favourite, Always Be My Maybe, Mega Time Squad, Good Boys, Brittany Runs a Marathon and – as ultimately disappointing as it turned out to be in comparison to the original – yes, Zombieland: Double Tap.

Dramas I really liked this year were The 12th Man, The Old Man And The Gun, The Man Who Killed Hitler and then Bigfoot, White Boy Rick, Stan & Ollie, Deadwood: The Movie, The Sister Brothers, the first two thirds of Feedback, Hotel Mumbai, The Mule, Shadow, Thunder Road, The Clovehitch Killer, The Nightingale, Destroyer, Vice and, as uncomfortable as it made me, Ray and Liz.

Documentaries I rated highly in 2019 included Leaving Neverland, Free Solo, The Inventor: Out For Blood In Silicon Valley, Divide & Conquer: Roger Ailes and The Amazing Jonathan Documentary.

In terms of horror movies, rather controversially I seem to stand alone in saying I rather liked both Velvet Buzzsaw and The Dead Don’t Die. I also thoroughly enjoyed One Cut of the Dead, Happy Death Day 2 U and In Fabric, the last of which VERY nearly made the final Top 25 cut.

Action movies I was a fan of this year were both Triple Frontier and Triple Threat, The Quake (or The Wave 2: The Quake as it is inexplicably retitled in some countries), We Die Young which features a wordless and stellar Van Damme performance, Furie and Stuber.

On the blockbuster ‘stage’, I fully embraced the absolute utter insanity (or stupidity?) of The Wandering Earth, really liked Shazam! As well as Spiderman: Far From Home and Terminator: Dark Fate. Somewhat controversially, I also had a lot of fun with Jumanji: The Next Level, 6 Underground and Joker (a straight-up masterpiece that last movie most certainly is not!).

Finally, in terms of animation that I liked in 2019 I’d pay mention to How To Train Your Dragon 3, The Lego Movie 2 and Toy Story 4 – the last two being very likeable but totally unnecessary. And of course, Klaus which was a lovely, moving, visual joy that me and my family will return to a lot over the years.

Now… onto that Top 25:

25. BOOKSMART

I really loved this first time I saw it earlier this year. I found it very funny and thought the performances were delightful by the two main leads. I had issues with the clusterfuck that is the film's third act but not enough that I didn't hold a place for it in my Top 10 of the year for pretty much the last four months or so. Then I revisited it again recently and I’ve still got a huge amount of affection for it and there is still a large amount of it that makes me laugh out loud - but that third act REALLY rubs me the wrong way.

Asides from the clunky plot developments that exist purely to give the film conflict and some sort of narrative 'propulsion' it doesn't necessarily need AND on top of the fact that Billie Lourd's entire thing is embarrassing and awful (are we allowed to kind of lean in together and whisper yet that she can't act very well?), what really smarts is for a film that is meant to be this 'progressive' and female-centred, it leans in on the laziest and most horrible of high school comedy tropes - the horny teacher who beds the student! And like cliche dictates it is always a female teacher and male student because even a film as allegedly "progressive" as this is self-aware enough to know that if the sexes were reversed they couldn't / wouldn't get away with it.

In an age of #MeToo and #TimesUp the idea that a female filmmaker would go with this iffy fuckin cliche in her debut movie and have no problem at all leaves a horrible taste over the back end of an otherwise pretty great little film... But yeah, definitely still check out BOOKSMART. Its progressive, millennial bullshit stance is complete piffle. But its comedic set-pieces are a lot of fun.

24. IT: CHAPTER TWO

I don’t understand anyone who's coming away from IT CHAPTER 2 complaining there's a lack of scares. There's not a lack of scares at all. The problem is there scattered across a running time that is not structured well enough to accentuate them. There were some moments where I very nearly jumped out of my seat and left because of their effectiveness - the pay-off to Bev returning home as teased in the trailer? Fuuuuuuck THAT!

I think it is fair to criticise its flabbiness though… How the hell its director can talk about his intentions for a four hour cut of this pushed up alongside a three hour cut of the first chapter as some sort of hope for the future feels insane - FOUR hours? This thing is ten minutes shy of three and it feels excessive!

The lack of discipline in the editing bay is quite possibly the reward that comes from delivering a $700.4 million return on a $35 million budget the first time round. That lack of discipline doesn't make for a film as focused as it needs to be... Once you realise an hour in that the story structure is one in which each character is split off to revisit their past and then each character is then going to be given a 'teachable moment', you realise that you've essentially got to watch the same plot point be repeated SIX times round each time. And from a narrative perspective that's both annoying and exhausting, frankly.

Hand on heart though, it's a minor quibble overall because what is there is effective as hell and very entertaining. Think of it cinematically as too big a portion of a great frickin meal... It's a hypocritical complaint also because ultimately there is so much joy in watching these actors go at playing these characters (Bill Hader is an absolute marvel in this and Jessica Chastain lives up to the 'dream casting' suggestion the minute Sophia Ellis turned up in the first one!)

It may well be overlong by a good thirty minutes but it is still an incredibly scary, funny ride... just with a denouement that, once again, shows how hard it is to deliver the climactic goods when Stephen King has given you such utter excrement to work with.

23. THE GANGSTER, THE COP, THE DEVIL

I watched this and flat-out loved it - yet another reminder that you can spin the dial and pick a genre, any genre, and the reality is that South Korea are delivering the best efforts in it nowadays. This is a big, broad, bombastic slice of action pulp that has its cake as a thriller/procedural and eats it as a blockbustery burst of car chases and violent dust-ups.

The remake rights for this are with Stallone and that's a scary prospect really coz if there's one thing problematic about that guy is that he's not ~great~ with playing "evenly" (the stories that came off the CREED II production are terrifying!).

22. AT THE HEART OF GOLD

I watched this with my wife and the both of us just kept shooting aghast and pained looks at one another the longer it went on.

Forensic documentary studies like this are a big interest to me but this was a gruelling yet kind of inspiring watch because it did the right thing in putting the victims front and centre from the get go and throughout.

Child abuse is an abhorrent thing. Doubly so on a scale like this. BUT when you're watching the revelations that it was so commonly known to be going on and covered up to the extent and at the level it was? That is just... there's just no words!

Fantastic little documentary though. If you think you know the full facts on this, you don't! And if the last 4 years are any indication, our generation have found our own Errol Morris coz Erin Lee Carr is responsible for 4 of the best documentaries in that time with this, I LOVE YOU NOW DIE, THOUGHT CRIMES and MOMMY DEAD & DEAREST.

21. ABDUCTED IN PLAIN SIGHT

I find that once in a while there's a true crime documentary so flat-out, jaw-droppingly fuckin... out there, that most of its enjoyment isn't in how utterly astounding it is but mostly the fun you have in telling people the details of it and watching them incredulously go "Fuck the fuck off! This didn't happen? Surely not!"

I saw this in early January when no one was talking a single word about it here in the UK and I spent roughly three months banging on and on about it to anyone and everyone and, sure enough, everyone looked at me like I was mad and kept saying "Fuck the fuck off! This isn’t a real thing, surely??” Then it landed on Netflix and… everyone went bonkers!

It is a tight 90 minute uncomfortable, grim, totally incredulous jaw-dropper detailing what are two of the STUPIDEST parents and the most horribly manipulative paedophile you could imagine. You've GOT to check this out because without this documentary no one would EVER believe the story of… ** SPOILERS here on out ** ... the most horribly manipulative paedophile you could imagine, who moves his family into the house next to a husband and wife with three daughters, befriends them, tricks the dad into giving him handjobs, seduces the mum into heavy-petting sessions - all with the intent of lowering their defences so he can get access to their youngest 11 year old daughter... who he abducts, manipulates by pretending to be an alien into believing there's an alien invasion that can only be prevented by her having his baby and sneaks across to Mexico once she's 12 so he can marry her. Then he gets arrested by the FBI, brought back to America, uses his previous intimate dalliances with BOTH parents to blackmail them into dropping the charges, re-seduces the mother into a long-term sexual relationship, reabducts the young daughter, hides her in a boarding school, poses as a CIA agent and...

... and... and... not one single element of this is UNTRUE! What the FUCK, right?!?

20. MIDSOMMAR

There's issues to be had with this in the sense that at two and a half hours it is needlessly self-indulgent and from a storytelling point of view it suffers like many from that flaw of walking in the wake of THE WICKER MAN's story beats without finding much in the way of variation.

However, it is exceptionally well directed and the building of tension and concern (despite knowing exactly where it will inevitably go) is impressive. It basks in its weirdness and then seemingly delights in getting weirder... You can say you've heard this story before but you won't have SEEN it told with imagery quite like this. The whole shebang wouldn't work half as effectively if not for the performances and they really are great here. Florence Pugh is quite exceptional. She joins Toni Collette in what will clearly be Ari Aster's roster of "Tremendous Performances That Deserve Awards But Won't Get Them".

By the film's end you come to realise the film is leaning into THE WICKER MEN comparisons purposefully - to show us what that movie would look like today, in Trump's America: Obnoxious Americans pissing up against and fucking around with longstanding tradition and history.

19. Us

Ignore all of the bullshit 33,000+ deep dive 'think pieces' spewed out across the internet about this and just judge it for what it is: a great horror thrill-ride with some terrific jump scares etc. but it's not without its flaws. For one, it's too strong a film to get landed with that big and lazy an info-dump conclusion... especially one that kind of clunks against what's gone before - but then, as much as we're clearly not meant to call Jordan Peele out on anything it seems, he IS a vastly superior director then he is a writer if this effort is anything to go by.

Was it really, really requiring of those penetrative essays though on what it "really" means or what Peele's hidden intent was? Could it not just be that the guy made a great horror film with all the very clear subtext of a Romero or Carpenter classic, and there's just nothing more to it than that? Because that's how I’m taking it. Because if I don't and I do actually have to wade through all this internet word clunge about how US is "really" about "the effects of classism and marginalisation" or how the antagonists are "effigies of situational classism", I'd write the film off as a failure of achieving its intent.

To dress it up as more than a relentless, scary cat-and-mouse shocker is like trying to put a monocle on a pig and call it a professor.

18. WON’T YOU BE MY NEIGHBOUR

I went into this as a British person completely unfamiliar with Fred Rogers or any of his past work / impact on America and came away completely reverential to the man and what he stood for and achieved across generations. So much so that this documentary completely changed my outlook on a lot of things. It certainly changed the approach I take in how I communicate with my own children now.

It’s a heartwarming, inspirational ode to a clearly great man and I urge everyone to watch it and allow Mr Rogers to give your jaded perspective on life a reinvigorating kick in the butt.

17. APOLLO 11

This really is magnificent. The 70mm archival footage makes the whole thing make it look like you're watching a big studio blockbuster... and not actual real never-before-seen footage from decades ago.

There's moments within this that are just astounding and intoxicating, making you become completely engulfed in something even though you are well versed in what the outcomes are.

16. LONG SHOT

This was the surprise delight of the year. It was very lovely, fun and funny with a great cast being just thoroughly delightful. Charlize Theron is very rarely utilised in comedy (ARRESTED DEVELOPMENT Season 3 was so long ago) which is a shame coz she's really gifted, as is proven here - the scene where she does hostage negotiation on molly is one of the funniest scenes of the year!

Seth Rogen makes the sort of stuff that is just game-set-match for my particular sensibilities (40 YEAR OLD VIRGIN to SUPERBAD to KNOCKED UP to PINEAPPLE EXPRESS to OBSERVE & REPORT is in itself an all-timer run that puts him up there with Robin Williams, Eddie Murphy and Albert Brooks) and this is a further reflection of that.

They should never have changed the title to something this generic. And it could comfortably lose 15 minutes here or there. But they're minor niggles for a romcom that we'll still be holding in high regard for years to come. And June Diane Raphael SHOULD get awards for the graft she puts in here. She won’t because films like this never get respect like that, but she totally should.

15. JOHN WICK: CHAPTER 3 - PARABELLUM

I flat out loved this (though I still maintain that I don’t even think the star and the director themselves have referred to the film by its 'full name') and I would be more than happy to see an entry to this franchise every two years if they're of this calibre.

CHAPTER 2 had me worried because it looked like there was a limit to just how much 'throwing people down to the ground and shooting them in the head with CGI gunfire and blood added in on top' you could push into a film before it felt tiresome but this completely circumnavigates all worry around that by dialling up the 'quirk' factor which has always been this franchise's most bizarro and interesting element.

And the introduction of Halle Berry to 'the floor' led to a stand-out set-piece that was nothing short of astounding!

I WOULD however have preferred it if this film had adopted a bit of the ol' VH1 Pop-Up Video Show (remember THAT??) approach and just stuck a bubble up during the motorbike sequence that said "We stole this wholesale from THE VILLAINESS because we know it’s unlikely you saw that movie!")

14. READY OR NOT

I offer up the heartiest of recommendations for this - an absolutely first class horror comedy that finds a delightfully irreverent spin on the cat-and-mouse / slasher movie. It really is the ‘little movie that could’ of 2019 that offers up way, way, way more than its marketing and log-line suggest. It’s very funny and has some truly effective jump-scares and, best of all, it has a great ensemble cast doing great work. Double-bill it with KNIVES OUT and thank me later!

13. ARCTIC

This really worked as an effective, throw-you-into-the-mix survival thriller. Mads Mikkelsen is terrific and he really sells the hell out of it.

You don't know just how successfully it has burrowed under your skin and pulled you along on the ride until the final five minutes when you're screaming "NO!" at the screen.

12. AD ASTRA

I still can’t believe this flopped. I genuinely can’t. It's fair to say it doesn't quite stick its landing in making the end of the journey as narratively thrilling as what it took to get there but it doesn't matter - the journey itself is a sumptuous, thrilling and truly exquisite ride taking an easy "APOCALYPSE NOW in space" label and delivering something so, so much more.

For anyone who grew up with any "sins of the father" issues this will act as a ten ton weight dropped onto their chest.

... It also has space pirates and space monkeys!

11. MARRIAGE STORY

The plaudits are all well-earned and I’m saying this as someone who's connected with very little of Baumbach's work other than THE SQUID & THE WHALE.

It's a genuinely enthralling watch due to a fantastic group of actors being set loose to do tremendous work; Adam Driver is superb and Scarlett Johansson raises her game considerably to go toe-to-toe with him but Laura Dern, Ray Liotta and Alan Alda deliver a trio of masterclasses under one roof.

(If there's ANY justice whatsoever in awards season Alda will split everything Best Supporting Actor related with Joe Pesci… He won’t, because there is no justice when it comes to the vast majority of awards season but that is not to say he doesn’t deserve it!)

This is a delicately crafted piece - where your favoured side in a fight you feel you really shouldn't be privy to, is expertly switched around - that comes from a very obvious place of truth.

10. STAND-OFF AT SPARROW CREEK

I really, really liked this. I can see it's a film I'll go back to quite a few times over the years and see if I can spot the 'turn' because, first time round if I’m honest, I very much did not see the reveal coming.

It's a great little film. The performances are terrific (James Badge Dale is the best actor of our generation, frankly) and Henry Dunham has delivered a hell of an interesting film - all long shots into dark corners of a big dank space, scenes shot with natural torchlight and headlight beams. It's never not interesting to look at.

It's essentially RESERVOIR DOGS re-spun so the diamonds are replaced with missing fire arms and the back alley warehouse in LA is replaced with a militia compound in backwoods America.

9. KNIVES OUT

I found this to be a tremendous amount of fun; the somewhat obvious result that is birthed from a great writer/director putting a terrific script in front of an exceptional cast, designing a fabulous set for them to let loose inside of and then stepping out of their way for quality to reign.

There's a barely tolerable Edgar Wright version of this where the filmmaking is of course "the star", the editing is distracting and the music is purposefully kitschy.

This very much isn't that.

It's decidedly UNshowy and by being so comfortable in its own skin, emulating a classic style of storytelling not so much told anymore, it really stands out as an excellent piece of original cinema.

8. DOLEMITE IS MY NAME

I urge you all to completely buy the hype: DOLEMITE IS MY NAME is every bit as fantastic as everyone is saying and Eddie Murphy is like awards-worthy great in it.

You don't have to have seen DOLEMITE to have fun with this but having done so certainly accentuates it.

It's very funny, surprisingly moving and is a genuinely great ode to the importance of following your passions and not letting anyone stifle your creative aspirations... Hell, if this thing existed 25 years ago I myself would be as prolific as Lee fuckin Childs by now.

Da'Vine Joy Randolph gives THE best supporting actress performance of the year. From straight-up out of nowhere.

Genuinely can't wait to watch this a few more times down the road.

7. AVENGERS: ENDGAME

I think there's two ways of looking at AVENGERS: ENDGAME - as a film in its own right with an atypical start, middle, end, etc. AND as a piece of cinematic event-level entertainment.

In the case of the former, it is pretty damn great though not entirely without its flaws:

Give the narrative set up and logical lay out a single seconds thought and this entire thing crumbles to the ground. On top of that, it takes a while to bed down and get going and its tonal scattershot approach across the first forty-odd minutes is a little jarring. Quite literally you're coming out of that first hour with your head-spinning from laughing and then getting whipped into sombre, dour moments... slapped with narrative leaps and 'we're putting the team back together' beats.

Then the 'points of purpose' settle in and quite frankly we're off to the fucking races, man. Captain Marvel is a repeated, annoying goddamn useless 'deus ex machina' and the entire use of Paltrow/'Rescue' is just irritating. BUT everything 45+ minutes is so, so, so, so flipping ACE that shit like that can't even destabilise it.

There's critics out there deriding this as 'Fan Service: The Movie' and, you know what, damn fucking straight it is and there's nothing wrong with that.

(Although it could be argued that a clunky 'let's put all the women together in one shot' moment that lands with a thud is 'fan service' taken too far and not pitched within proceedings well enough for it to be anything other than cloying.)

The entire middle hour of these three hours is a play within a play; only the play its playing in just happens to be TWENTY-TWO OTHER MOVIES!

They could have phoned this in haaaaaard by this point and it is so, so, so commendable that they didn't. Hell, a lot of the films problems lie in the fact that they tried as hard as they did to really do doing something you wouldn't be expecting with this!

As an 'event', there will never be anything like this again in my lifetime, I don’t think. I knew this walking out of it. There'll be more JUSTICE LEAGUE type failed rip-offs. Marvel themselves will try and replicate it with the law of diminishing returns playing into effect. But there will NEVER be something so accomplished from something so long-form on such a grand stage as this again as far as I’m concerned.

6. CRAWL

I’ve went back for multiple viewings of this and absolutely LOVED it even more each time.

It's a lean, bullet-fast, brutal B-movie creature feature that does not fuck around: There is a complete lack of JAWS like foreboding, skulking around... This is straight-up, in your face, nasty, fast carnage. Anyone going in expecting a knowing, winking PIRANHA 3D / SNAKES ON A PLANE type deal is in for a hard slap.

It's pitch perfect entertainment in the sense that it grabs you and then just keeps turning the screws ("Oh, she's battling an alligator in a flooded crawlspace!" "Aww, man! It's a full on storm and there's TWO alligators now!" "Holy Fuckballs - There's MANY alligators and a hurricane now??").

The last 25 minutes alone are an all-out, relentless assault upon your ability to breathe steadily.

This is the best B-movie of 2019!

5. DRAGGED ACROSS CONCRETE

My wife and I are big fans of S. Craig Zahler's BONE TOMAHAWK and BRAWL IN CELL BLOCK 99 (two of the best films of the last decade) even though it's becoming more and more apparent he's quite far from our own political stance.

This, Zahler's latest effort, drops the latent suggestion and presents its right-wing, racist immoral world view with no restraint or apology. And regardless of your political stance, if you're there for the story and the filmmaking craftsmanship you'll find this to be tremendous stuff.

It's like a cut-price, gutter level version of Michael Mann's HEAT; a tale of cop and criminal convergence, told at a thoroughly unhurried and unconcerned pace... Only Zahler would think to interrupt his narrative to propose a short story within the story (about a mother returning from maternity leave) that's only there so that he can hurt you with it.

Mel Gibson's presence here laid up against the subject matter is the very definition of provocative and contentious but there's no getting around the fact that he is as tremendous an actor as he is an awful, awful human being. And by all counts he's REALLY very awful.

Gibson is every shade of ace in this and he's ably supported by Vaughn, who's rightly leaning away from the comedic persona he's broken too badly.

This is a languid, unapologetically nasty film but it's also an excellent one. It's so not for everyone but if you've liked BONE TOMAHAWK and BRAWL IN CELL BLOCK 99 then this is a must. In fact, it's both easily Zahler's best film and one of the best films of the year.

4. MISSING LINK

I think this really is an absolute jewel and I can't understand why more folk aren't screaming about it. It's very funny and visually wondrousness (that boat-in-the-storm INCEPTION homage action sequence is fabulous). The magnitude of talent that would have gone into making this via stop motion... knowing that it takes one week to complete one to two minutes of useable footage!

The creases in the texture of each characters clothing as they move too? WOW! I’ve always adored Laika's output but this was the first for me where the sheer care and attention to detail really shone!

For one, it's easily one of the funniest movies of the year. For another, it looks totally gorgeous. And best of all, it gives kids their very own GUNGA DIN / RAIDERS OF THE LOST ARK cinematic adventure type experience.

3. FORD VS. FERRARI (aka LE MANS ’66)

I’m so glad in the same very year where ‘Film Twitter’ nearly blew itself up over the ‘Marvel / Tentpole Cinema / Scorsese / No original studio films anymore’ debate, I got to experience something as majestic and very nearly perfect as FORD VS FERRARI (aka LE MANS '66).

It's got such a tremendous old fashioned style to it that I hope they do what they did with LOGAN and give us a black and white edition and we have 60s era style movie credits to open and close it. It's that kind of movie.

Yet at the same time it manages to display all the high end technical filmmaking majesty backed up by wall-to-wall terrific performances (only Josh Lucas lets the side down with his inability to deliver anything above unsubtle, cartoonish panto villainy).

It's a gorgeous, kinetic, enthralling and by the end a surprisingly tender and moving piece of cinema. I completely adored it.

2. ONCE UPON A TIME IN… HOLLYWOOD

I fell in love hard with Tarantino's ONCE UPON A TIME IN HOLLYWOOD straight-out-the-gate and fell harder with repeated viewings. It's a beautifully shambolic, meandering 'day in the life' sort of deal that plays out as a dry, knowing comedy with a sideline in impending, escalating dread... before becoming, well, something else entirely that's so shocking and out of left field that it feels so courageous because of how swiftly it will divide a viewer.

What's so monumentally lush about it is that it is made by a cinematic craftsman who is essentially writing a love letter to everything he adores/adored about a very specific time in a very specific place within the industry that made him. It is framed, lit and shot with aplomb but on top of that every single thing inside of the frame is chockfull of things that are background noise to somebody and yet incredibly meaningful, funny and knowing to true TV and cinema fans.

If there's any complaint to be made about this movie it's that Tarantino's continued insistence on shoe-horning Zoe Bell into his films is absolutely hurting his product: The woman can't act, can't judge the tone of a scene, is flat-out incapable of putting in a performance consistent with what is going on around with other actors and she is routinely a very hard, very annoying distraction that draws you straight out of the film.

You could argue that it is a listless movie because, in the conventional sense people expect of a narrative, does anything truly happen in the atypical Act 1, Act 2 and Act 3 type of way. But I'd counter-argue that all the enjoyment is in just spending time watching these characters move around and interact with one another.

Knowing the history of Sharon Tate and what happened to her at the hands of The Manson Family fills the entire proceedings with a sense of nausea-inducing nervousness about what we're going to see and to what degree. It's like a pressure valve sat in the background, slowly filling and expanding and just waiting to explode. That it eventually does but in the manner it does, is... well it's audacious... and yet questionable... and still entertaining as hell.

1. THE IRISHMAN

Without a hint of exaggeration, at least once a day every day since I first saw this film I’ve found myself thinking back to both DeNiro's "phone call" scene of which no words would convey its brilliance and Pacino's final scene and the sound he makes in it. The former is genuinely just one of the most haunting, astoundingly natural pieces of acting you'll see from a truly great actor you'd kind of forgot was capable of going to places like this.

This really is a straight-out-the-gate, instant, flawless, completely majestic work of art. It is a master craftsman signing off on a genre he revolutionised in much the same way Clint Eastwood closed down his connection to the western with UNFORGIVEN.

It is three and a half hours long and it doesn't feel remotely close to that... and that's saying something considering most of the film's real awesomeness lies in scenes that are allowed to breathe and just sit or in points being driven home through the repetition in the mundanity of these characters' lives. Because that's the other thing that's really terrific about it - it's not a re-tread of GOODFELLAS or CASINO; there's nothing remotely glamorous about this 'life' - Scorsese presents it as this 'working class stiff' gig where being the right-hand man to some of the most powerful crime figures and industry heads of the 50s, 60s, 70s, etc is really not all that higher up past being a truck driver in the same era.

The much-talked about de-ageing stuff on the actors is a little jarring at first (the first scene of DeNiro in his late 20s or something makes you squelch in your seat a little and think "Fuck, this is going to be bad isn't it?") but it settles in and gets much better as the timelines between character and actor shorten - the work on Pacino in particular is first rate.

The performances are across the board superb - DeNiro and Pacino in particular are so bloody brilliant here that it wakes you up to how fallow and shit they've been for so long. But really, this is Pesci's movie. He gives what is the performance of the year by turning in a really human, considered turn... and in the process circumnavigating the expectations that comes from having this particular actor in this particular genre with this particular director.

Not enough reviews talk about how extremely fuckin funny the movie is - and it is very laugh out loud funny with some of the lines and interactions (Pacino and Stephen Graham together are hilarious!) - and no words accurately describe how truly sad and surprisingly moving it is in the final stretch.

... I don't believe a single word of the source material it’s based on but it's resolutely not important to have to buy into the ('fake'?) memoir in order to appreciate the film adaptation as this massive, majestic piece of cinematic myth making - one that I genuinely can't wait to see again many times over the years!

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