#imogen poots mention

[cerealbishh]

another great outer range interview for isabel! such interesting questions were asked, like what it's like working with lewis, things she's learned and struggled with in doing this show, and her scenes with a specific person... please check it out, if you dare!

[anotheruserwithnoname]

Jenna Coleman's next film, All of You, is slated to debut at the Toronto International Film Festival on Sept. 7!

Jenna has a supporting role in the film, which I confess fell off my radar. She's not actually mentioned in the above blurb for the movie's debut at TIFF. But hopefully a trailer and images won't be far behind. (There is a fan-made trailer that was posted to YouTube a month ago; I don't count that. There was also a film of the same title released 6 years ago)

[oswincoleman]

Finally we have a synopsis for Jenna Coleman’s new film: All Of You, and a mention of her role in the film:

All of You drops us in a virtually indistinguishable near-future, where people have the option to seek out their soulmate by way of an unexplained eye test. It’s not mandatory, but millions opt in to find their alleged true love, leaving Simon (Goldstein) conflicted when his best friend Laura (Poots) decides to partake. Over the course of the next several seasons of their lives, Simon watches as Laura builds a life with her supposed soulmate, Lukas (Steven Cree), and Simon attempts to find his own lover in other women (Zawe Ashton and Jenna Coleman). As they begin to acknowledge that their years of friendship have undeniably become something more, Simon and Laura are forced to deal with the complications of their entangled lives.

[insanityclause]

The ask you got from alexa-santi-author about Goldstein's Instagram post saying Zawe is second from romantic lead. The IMDb page for the film has Imogen Poots as Laura as the romantic lead role who is in the film still with Brett as the two friends posted on the TIFF tweet. I don't know what to interpret from this why Zawe is second from romantic lead.

Jenna Coleman is also tagged mentioned in Goldstein's Instagram post yet neither Jenna nor Zawe are on the IMDb cast for All Of You

Zawe is listed on IMDb. We don’t know what role she has.

As for Jenna, generally IMDb updates are based on published info like the TIFF announcement, which was picked up by the trades. Zawe was mentioned in that, but Jenna wasn’t. They usually don’t update based on an IG post, but you’re welcome to edit the page. They may remove it until it’s confirmed by a different source, though.

[dear-indies]

hey dudes! i was wonderin if you guys cld help me find a blonde woman or enby who has resources that could fit a down-on-their-luck disaster with a penchant for violence? they shld be able to play 25-30, and i wld prefer if they had icons but no worries either way. thank you both for your longstanding service btw, i've asked you guys for so much help over the years

Vanessa Kirby (1988)

Rose McIver (1988)

Claire Holt (1988)

Imogen Poots (1989)

Brie Larson (1989)

Jenny Boyd (1991)

Billie Lourd (1992) Ashkenazi Jewish (maternal grandfather), English, Scottish, Scots-Irish/Northern Irish, Welsh, German, Cajun/French.

Sky Ferreira (1992) Ojibwe, Cree, Chippewa Cree, Cheyenne, Brazilian of Portuguese and Possibly Other descent, Galician Jewish, Bukovina Jewish, Irish, Scottish, English, and French - has Chronic Lyme Disease.

Jodie Comer (1993)

Florence Pugh (1996)

Emma Mackey (1996) - is blonde in Sex Education.

Tati Gabrielle (1997) African-American, 1/4 Korean.

Madelyn Cline (1997)

Peyton List (1998)

The only blond non-binary faceclaim I know of in that age range is Mason Alexander Park (1995) who is Mexican and Spanish (they/them) although they don't necessarily fit that vibe I love them too much not to mention! Also thank for you being so sweet, anon! I hope these suggestions are useful this time around too.

[greenhike]

DAMIE MENDEZ SILVA ( tommy martinez ) is looking for their (ADOPTED) SISTER. they would be 33+ and look like ADRIA ARJONA, IMOGEN POOTS, AUBREY PLAZA, KATE SIEGEL, ANA DE ARMAS, MAIKA MONROE, NAOMI SCOTT, UTP . you DO need to contact them at @thickskill before applying. more info on this connection is available under the readmore.

TW: drug mention, adoption

firstly, it's worth pointing out that damie's older sister is actually his cousin (or other extended family member), who his mother adopted when he was three. she is two years older than him (up to change). the background and reason for her needing to be adopted is utp.

they were pretty much best friends growing up together in ponderosa park, under the care of damie's mother who was a functional addict with a soft spot for y/m. y/m became a keeper for her in many ways over the last ten years, after damie left town, helping her to stay on track, almost parenting her. recently, y/m convinced their mother to seek help for her dependency. (read more info in damie's bio here )

since damie moved back into their home in the last year, they've been bickering mostly because y/m wants to sell the house, and he doesn't want her to. he is also depending on his sister financially (due to his secret, mentioned in his bio).

[philhoffman]

Ending an awfully rough month with one of the gentlest films for this week’s Monday Philm: A Late Quartet (2012), dir. Yaron Zilberman. Hard to pick just ten shots for this post when the movie—and Phil as Robert Gelbart—are so gorgeous throughout.

In the brief making-of featurette Discord and Harmony, Phil talks about how this isn’t a film where someone is dying, no one is robbing a bank—it’s just about life and regular people going through real struggles in their relationships, reckoning with their lives up to now. That really allows the characters (and actors) to shine, making use of the smallest nuances to show how the quartet has fallen out of tune.

So many little things I love about this film, especially on this watch—Robert’s damp, messy, fresh-out-of-the-shower morning hair at the start. His impression of Daniel’s accent. The balance between the cold, undersaturated blues and greens of New York City in the winter and the rich warm tones found in the music, in bed, in the concert hall. I’m not too familiar with Christopher Walken’s career but he brings such a quiet sadness to Peter’s loneliness. Imogen Poots is overacting but it’s kind of camp? Robert’s gives a little laugh, and PSH’s voice is so deep, so bass, it rumbles the speakers on my old TV a bit. For a film about music, there’s an awful lot of silence—which serves as tension, cut softly by an up-bow or violently by Robert’s outburst. 

Especially loved the scenes of Robert jogging through Central Park, because in less than a month I’m gonna be running through Central Park in this year’s NYC half marathon! It’s a funny, full-circle moment when I think about it, since Phil is one of the primary reasons I’m running it to begin with!

I started rambling a bit here so I’m just gonna throw it under a cut:

I’ve mentioned before that Phil confided in a friend that he felt this was his best performance. It’s interesting to watch A Late Quartet with that thought in mind. His friend partially agreed, later writing that this performance was the start of what should’ve been—the next, deeper, more powerful, incredible chapter of Phil’s career. He is so clear-eyed, so in control of his body, in sync with the story and his fellow actors and the music. He took violin lessons and was quite good, apparently to everyone’s surprise lmao. Robert’s pain goes so deep, uncertainty and doubts and fears of not being good enough stretching back 25 years, and PSH shows it with the tears in his eyes, a quavering voice, glares of restrained fury and deep breaths.

Anyone at all familiar with Phil Hoffman is probably aware of how hard he was on himself—almost comically, often infuriatingly humble and/or self-critical, take your pick. So I’m glad he was proud of this performance and recognized his own strengths here. He was and is so loved, outside of his work, just for who he was, for being himself, someone so many people would move heaven and earth for. I know I would love him anywhere, doing anything. I’d love him if he fulfilled that fantasy of running away to work at a gas station in the middle of nowhere, unknown and unrecognized, or his other idea of moving to France to teach English, or if he stayed at the deli forever. That’s just how the stars are crossed. But I’m also grateful for what he did do, the souls he brought forth from his own, the lives he lived onscreen and left for us. It’s acting and it’s art and it’s so much more.

Feeling especially emotional tonight because it’s the end of February, the longest shortest month, and this has been a particularly terrible one. It’s one of those illogical quirks of love and grief that he is the reason this time is unbearable and he is also the reason I am able to bear it. Gd, words fail. I just didn’t know what life meant until I met him, is all. Love you in the snow and love you in the sun, Phil.

[losing-is-the-new-winning]

TLAT Fancast 

James Potter - Aaron Johnson Sirius Black - Ben Barnes Remus Lupin - Andrew Garfield  Peter Pettigrew - Jeremy Dozier Lily Evans - Karen Gillan Marlene Price - Imogen Poots Mary Macdonald - Holly Earl Donna Shacklebolt - Antonia Thomas  Frank Longbottom - Jim Sturgess Alice Griffiths - Carey Mulligan 

Honourable Mentions: 

Adam McKinnon - William Moseley 

Carlotta Meloni - Odette Annable

Shelley Mumps - Juno Temple 

[anotheruserwithnoname]

All of You, a science fiction film in which Jenna Coleman plays a supporting role, has been announced for streaming on Apple+ in 2025. I don't know if this is just North America or not.

Jenna's role would appear to be small as no reviews I've seen mention her, but better than nothing!

As of this writing a release timeline has yet to be announced for the SF action film Control, which Jenna filmed another supporting role for just before her pregnancy was announced. Presumably it too will be in 2025. With its star James McAvoy being a pretty big name that one has a chance to get theatrical distribution rather than just film festivals and streaming which has been the case for Jenna's recent films (none of which I personally have been able to see yet, including her nearly-5-year-old Klolkkenluider). One of these days maybe she'll take a role in another Marvel movie or something.

[outerrangesource]

‘Outer Range’ Star Imogen Poots on the Big Finale Twists and Her Hopes for Season 2

How did you initially get involved with “Outer Range?”

I was sent the pilot script the summer before we ended up shooting. And I just thought it was really cool and made an audition tape. I think my boyfriend spent 2/3rds of a day helping me do it. And then I was like, No, it’s not good enough. I threw it away and then did it again. That’s how it started. And I spoke with Brian and Zev, the people who created the show, and learned about the other cast members who were coming on board and yeah, that’s the way it began.

When you talked to Brian, how much did he tell you about Autumn? How much of that backstory was there from the beginning?

The large reveal and the final episode, I knew about. They told me that about three days before we started filming. They had like a year, but they told me three days before. Which is I think is a good thing because it actually meant I was sitting with a real person rather than a twist.

I didn’t know a hell of a lot. As the scripts came in, I learned more. And that’s one of the difficulties of television is you don’t have the full picture initially, like you do with film and theater where you can… You know what you’ve ordered with a three-course meal, whereas this is surprising. But what that does is it keeps you incredibly present because each scene and each episode is its own microcosm. And you have to be ready to engage. I really enjoyed that challenge. I was very aligned with her quest to also find out more, I suppose.

And what is your understanding of her quest?

Well, I was aware that she had a poverty of knowledge. And she was looking to certain writers like Simone Weil, who was mentioned in the script. She was adopting other people’s modes of thinking. And obviously in, I think it’s 7 or 8, she repeats that mantra from “Dune.” She’s someone who, by the end of the season, I understood was far down the rabbit hole of that fixation on maybe this notion of the American hero and that you could become invincible. But her quest, it felt initially familial. It felt like she was trying to figure out who she was, like many of us do, her ancestral roots and stuff, but quickly combining that with a sense of place and home. We would call it nostalgia, but I think for her, it was like gold. It was like a toxic lacerating quest to find out the truth. Because I knew she was Amy, I understood she would’ve been in and out of that hole. I knew that her relationship with death would be perhaps quite casual. Whereas if we think about all of us, death is the only certainty. It’s the cutoff point. What does a life without that threat do to your relationships with other people?

You have so much ground to cover too, in terms of her taking this medication for bipolar disorder and has these messianic tendencies. What was the hardest thing to wrap your head around in terms of your portrayal of Autumn, and how did you do it?

I think the stuff I found hardest was at the beginning of the show. I’d been told by a couple folks when we started filming, people were really worried about the character of Autumn and quite panicked by her as a figure in the show. And I couldn’t wait to get going. I felt like the challenging stuff for me was earlier on when she hadn’t yet subverted or I hadn’t yet been able to subvert that curious wide-eyed omnipresent nymph-esque character.

And I think in a good way, in a way that was useful for the character was often felt not held back, but bound by something else. And it was fun to get that release. That’ve been something which everyone was really encouraging about. That I’m aware that a lot of people have disliked her as a character. And I think that’s quite fun. Maybe it’s more predictable to want to like that kind of a character and what she represents. It was fun to get to do the thing that a lot of actors get to do, but a lot of actresses don’t, so that was fun.

When we see Autumn in the future she is clearly a cult leader of some kind and by the end of the first season she seems to be well on her way. Did you ask Brian to fill in those gaps?

Yeah, I was, I’d say it was like an ongoing conversation. But the truth is, it’s not so difficult to pick up a newspaper and find a less extreme version of this character.

You think about the notion of wanting to be president, what does that say about a person? There’s something, the ingredients, what if those ingredients fall into the wrong body as we’ve seen evidence of in history. And I think there’s something that was fun to piece together and deeply sad about someone who feels that poverty of identity that they had to embody other thinkers or lean on, even that mantra from “Dune,” that sort of that sense that you can be a superhero. There’s something sort of very insidious about that, I think.

But Brian would tell me about the backstory a bit. And it was quite freeing. It was quite freeing not to know too much, I think. And I could come up with my own reasoning behind certain things because she’s alone and there’s no one to challenge her points of view. That’s how I felt about her. What happens to a person who’s left alone, who’s got really gotten deep in and can fall victim to a cult and can encourage others to do the same?

It’s almost like playing two different characters too, because future Autumn is a completely different person than the person that walks onto the ranch. What was that like?

Yeah, that was cool. I think that needed to happen because I remember them coming towards me with like a makeup brush and I was like, “No, not this character.” But then I was like, “Okay, it’s the future, it’s fine.” And we had to have that to differentiate between the two. But no, it was interesting. I think she’s got a lot of people inside of her. I don’t think, Autumn well, does Autumn know who she really is? Obviously she really doesn’t because otherwise she wouldn’t be in the show. But there’s something about that. She’s role playing. She’s not a shape shifter exactly but I think it’s easy for her to shed the skin.

Let’s talk about the scene of you psyching yourself up in the bathroom, which seems to be the emergence of Autumn as the potential spiritual leader.

Shooting that was so cool because Larry Trilling, our director who did 7 and 8, he was an invaluable asset for the show because he was the one who sat me down and was like, “I think this is where she gets metaphysical. I think she becomes something else personified at this point.” And that was a really fun, open-ended gift actually to get from a director, very freeing. And also he was someone who was keeping tabs if it went too far, they could bring me back. It’s the perfect temperature of a working relationship.

And that scene was amazing because what we have is a stunt double of my character dressed identically. She was doing the boxing stance with me. We were like mirroring each other and the camera came up behind her and then she stepped out of the way. It was just a very clever way of formulating that shot.

And in terms of the actual mantra, it’s lifted from “Dune.” It was really interesting. I used to be really obsessed with hearing poets read their own work. And Allen Ginsburg, when you hear him recite “Howl” in that monotony and that tone, he barely takes a breath. It just comes out like a train on train tracks. I felt like there was something similar to that. It shouldn’t be a performance. It’s inside her, that rhythm that then sets her up to do what she does, which is takes part in a shootout, I guess.

What was it like shooting that final scene and what is your understanding of Autumn’s place in the family going forward?

Yeah, that well shooting that shootout was really fun and I always get really scared around guns and not confident with them. And we had an incredible crew and weapons handlers, so everything felt incredibly safe and then you can do your work. So that was fun. I just don’t like working with guns, but that was fun despite that. And then getting past sort of being ripped to shreds by Tom Pelphrey, who said that in my onesie I looked like, I think it’s like a character from like an American toilet cleaner or something, or a toothpaste figure. It’s some weird character who wears a red onesie apparently. When I wasn’t being ridiculed, I felt very cool in my red one piece. And it just felt like a different show at that point, felt like we were almost parodying something.

The rest of the show didn’t all feel like that but it felt other in a really interesting way. And then in terms of my feeling about the family, it was very strange. I felt quite uncomfortable with that. When Josh was laying me in the bed, it’s like trying to calm down an incredibly feral dog. I felt like a feral dog who was being told that they could now rest and it didn’t feel right. It felt strange. Kudos to Josh, because he carried me across a vast plain and we were doing it in one shot at like four in the morning. And just before we exited frame, I got the giggles when I was supposed to be passed out, so we had to do it all again. It was a fun ending to a very like intense show.

Should the show return, what do you think is next for Autumn?

I certainly have my own hopes for her as a character and the show. It’s unknown at this point, what happens going forward. There are whispers that it will, but then you don’t know. I think with anything as well, because I’m not used to doing stuff more than once anyway. For me I’m kind of like, oh one and done and we made a show about what would happen if a hole appeared on an American pasture. And that’s enough for me. But I also would love to be back with this bunch of actors and creatives again. I get the impression that of course things that were written in season one and things that took place and were set up to be furthered in a second season. I certainly know things that would potentially happen if we were to go again, but we’ll see if the world wants to know.

[insanityclause]

Here's the link to the film under it's original title (but no mention of Zawe or Brett acting in it (just has him listed as writer).

Ok where was Deadline when this was filming?

No clue!

It looks like it’s based on a short film Brett Goldstein wrote/acted in 11 years ago.

[monstroushq]

Any suggestions for the elder Liddel sister?

Oh, I know our Alice writer would be thrilled to have her sister here! I’d say it depends how much older you want to make her, and what “style” of resources you want. If you want to use an FC of a similar age, but age her up by (at most) 5 years, I see Ellie Bamber, Saoirse Ronan, or Anya Taylor-Joy working, with the former two having that more “dreamy” aesthetic, like Alice. If you want someone older than Samara Weaving (Alice's FC), then I see Lily James, Olivia Vinall, Margot Robbie, Imogen Poots, Dakota Fanning, or Gabriella Wilde also working. (Also, I have to give an honorary mention to Jenna Coleman, as she looks very similar to Alice’s sister in the Disney movie, especially in her role in “Victoria”.) I hope one of those suggestions appeals to you! Let me know if you need any more, and members please chime in with suggestions!

[cherries11]

Songs and Inspiration for OCs in my fanfic WitW

I actually based Maja's appearance on an actress, but I didn't mention it in the notes because, who cares, right? But today, I felt like posting it.

But first, here's a song from 2016, which cropped up in my Discover Weekly last February when I started writing this fanfic, and is my current favorite song. So, of course it became its official theme song. I know it starts off weird (which I felt made it so fitting) but please give it at least 2 minutes before you stop playing (or skip to the 1:17 mark to get to the refrain and chorus).

And this song from 2014 which also just cropped up in my Spotify recently and is the song I've been putting on repeat for the last couple of days. I feel like this would play well in that scene in Ch 11 (you know that scene between Maja and Saul where the words "do it" is said).

For the actress whom I based Maja on, please have a look at the gorgeous Imogen Poots. She so pretty!!!

Maja has brown eyes though.

This one is the only one I can find with her hair parted in the middle, but I can see Maja doing her hair like this and, of course, black dress.

For other OCs, for some reason, Hale Madden in my head looks like the character Dane from the show, Theo Graham. I don't make sense, but he's the one in my head, okay?

For Olive (the girl in the ice cream parlor), there isn't a particular actress, but she kinda looks like this girl here (Amandla Stenberg).

For Maja's tattoos, like in my reply to @anreeixcobra back in Ch 3, they are a bit abstract in my head and I couldn't find one online. The closest one is below, but replace the planets with stars. Also, Maja's tattoo is only a half-sleeve (up to elbow only).

The stars' beams are more like the way light beams down below.

The scars are more straightforward. They're like bangle bracelets. Again, can't find anything online (scarification isn't as big as tattoos), but they look like the tattoos below although with a bit more space in between, and add two more.

Okay. Now I'll go back to writing chapter 12 (final chapter!!!).

[vorbarrsultana]

Do you have certain fancasts for the lotr characters (asking because of your amazing Arwen gifset)?

Yes, I do! Although I do like PJ’s movies, and some casting decisions worked for me, and some didn't. All hobbits, Legolas, and Thranduil were almost perfect. But, for example, I like Viggo Mortensen as Aragorn, but I also think that his Aragorn is closer to Thorongil than Elessar. He is too young and insecure for Aragorn I imagined reading the books.

So far I (a known Dúnedain stan, who literally can’t choose between Arnor and Gondor, because they all are the best, most awesome humans) have:

Deva Cassel as Arwen from the gifset you mentioned. She is so young, graceful, and gorgeous! And yes, Arwen is the Queen of  Dúnedain, she should be here.

Mads Mikkelsen in Michael Kohlhaas as LOTR Aragorn. He is supposed to look like he is in his late forties, I think. Also, Aragorn's greying hair was mentioned in the books too.

Richard Armitage in Robin Hood as Halbarad. This faceclaim was pretty much accepted by the entire fandom long ago.

Oscar Isaac in Agora looks like Faramir to me. In this movie, his character wears Greek clothes and Byzantine Gondor is a hill I would die on.

But I really need Boromir fancast. 

I don't have any ideas about faceclaim for older Denethor either. I have some ideas about younger Denethor and Aragorn (maybe I'll make a gifset soon? I'm really into this criminally underrated ship, you know).

Adelaide Kane in Reign as Finduilas of Dol Amroth. She looks so beautiful, sublime, and gentle, and just perfect for this type of character in this TV show.

Bruna Marquezine as Lothíriel of Dol Amroth. I've seen someone's edit with her as Lyanna Stark once, and since then I was absolutely certain that she is perfect for one of the Dúnedain.

Luke Roberts (who played Arthur Dayne) as Prince Imrahil. I've seen this done a lot, and I like it? He looks like someone I would trust with anything in heartbeat.

Marina Moschen as (young) Gilraen. I've seen pics with her holding a bow, and it is very Ranger-y.

As for non-Dúnedain, I was thinking about:

Imogen Poots in Centurion as Éowyn of Rohan. I adore Miranda Otto, and the "I am no man" scene is iconic, but I feel like PJ aged Éowyn up a bit in the movies (maybe it's just me, idk). She is supposed to be just 23, and Imogen Poots looks young and tough at the same time.

No Éomer yet, only some ideas. Karl Urban was near perfect, but a bit older than I pictured him in the books. 

Also, Théodred. If his cousins were aged up in the movies, he was certainly aged down, because in canon he is almost 20 years older than them. Still no ideas, sadly.

Théoden is perfect as he is.

Also, Bard! Luke Evans is amazing and totally on point.

If I'll go into Silm territory, then:

I generally go with models for the Elves, and I change my Elvish fancasts very often.

But Katie McGrath in Merlin as Lúthien, because have you seen her in the blue dress in this TV show???

Also, Eoin Macken as Beren. I imagine him to be a very good-looking and romantic guy (in the lone guerilla fighter but actually a real Disney prince way), so...

I've accidentally seen Aneurin Barnard and Freya Mavor together in White Queen and instantly went "wow, Túrin and Nienor", so they have been my fancast ever since.

Eva Green or Lena Heady as Morwen, they both are so stern and beautiful. But I still have no idea how I picture Húrin, Huor, Rian, and Tuor. 

Also, we've talked about Nikolaj Coster-Waldau as Aldarion once.

Wow, it ended up very long. And I love Dúnedain, as you can tell.

[alainasrph]

AlainasRPH replacement series (2/?): El*za T*ylor

In light of recent events, here are some alternate blonde faceclaims! There are a lot out there :)

Bella Heathcote (1987) / Maika Monroe (1993) / Lucy Boynton (1994) / Olivia Holt (1997)

Virginia Gardner (1995) / Josefine Frida Pettersen (1996) / Sasha Pieterse (1996) / Samara Weaving (1992)

Britt Robertson (1990) / Kathryn Newton (1997) / Gabriella Wilde (1987) / Sarah Gadon (1987)

Leven Rambin (1990) / Saoirse Ronan (1994) / Freya Mavor (1993) / Lily James (1989)

not pictured but worth a mention:

Rachael Taylor (1984), Amanda Seyfried (1985), Abbey Lee Kershaw (1987), Evan Rachel Wood (1987), Claire Holt (1988), Elsa Hosk (1988), Holliday Grainger (1988), Imogen Poots (1989), Meghann Fahy (1990), Evanna Lynch (1991), Elizabeth Lail (1992), Annasophia Robb (1993), Skyler Samuels (1994), Anya Taylor-Joy (1995)

note: Use your own discretion to make decisions about FCs. This list is subjective!

[cinemavariety]

Cinema Variety’s Top Favorite Films of 2019

To quote Principal Duvall from the 2004 teen comedy classic Mean Girls: “I just wanted to say that you’re all winners, and that I couldn’t be happier the year is ending” 2019 was both a super difficult year personally, but even more so, I feel as if it was one of the weakest years for cinema in recent memory. Thankfully the last few months of the year have made up for it with a surplus of absolutely incredible cinematic experiences, many of which are reflected in this year’s rankings. I present to you my favorite films of 2019. Check out my rankings from previous years by checking out the links below:

Top Picks of 2018 List Top Picks of 2017 List Top Picks of 2016 List Top Picks of 2015 List Top Picks of 2014 List Top Picks of 2013 List

Honorable Mentions: Midsommar Uncut Gems Parasite 3 From Hell The Death and Life of John F. Donavan **THIS LIST IS IN ORDER AND CONTAINS SOME MILD SPOILERS**

#16 - Ready or Not Directed by Matt Bettinelli-Olpin & Tyler Gillett

Ready or Not looked entertaining enough from the trailers, but it certainly wasn’t anything I was dying to go see. Especially in a movie theatre. However my brother convinced me to go with him and it ended up being one of the most consistently fun and entertaining theatrical experiences of 2019.

There were a lot of similar plot elements to the brilliant 2013 horror film - You’re Next (which by the way is one of my favorites). The plot is about a young girl, who grew up an orphan, marrying into an insanely wealthy family. The family has a tradition of playing a game on the wedding night, and she ends up choosing a game of hide and seek. Unbeknownst to the bride, the family is actually planning to hunt her down and murder her in order to perform some type of satanic ritual.     

Horror comedies only work for me about half the time, but his film has enough graphic violence and intense situations to counterbalance all of the humor throughout. They complemented each other well and the result was a super funny and super bloody cat and mouse hunt of social classes.

#15 - Doctor Sleep Directed by Mike Flanagan

Helming the sequel to The Shining is no easy undertaking whatsoever. Kubrick’s arthouse horror masterpiece will forever remain not only one of my favorite of his films, but also as one of my favorite genre pieces in general. I was immediately relieved when I discovered that Mike Flanagan signed on to direct the adaptation of Stephen King’s sequel - Doctor Sleep.

I already knew beforehand that Doctor Sleep was more of a fantasy story than a direct horror, and also wasn’t one of the most popular of King’s works. The film ended up being a pretty epic fantasy thriller. Flanagan excels in creating his own universe while also honoring the source material, as well as paying homage to Kubrick’s film. However, it shines more when it does its own thing instead of trying to be nostalgia porn.

Most of the film worked for me, some of it didn’t. The recasting of Jack Torrance’s character left a slightly sour taste in my mouth. Ewan McGregor does a great job as the recovering Danny but it is really Rebecca Ferguson who steals the show with her villain character Rose the Hat.

Doctor Sleep proves that Flanagan has become one of the most consistent horror directors working in the industry. There’s always a pulse to be discovered in the foundations of his storytelling.

#14 - High Life Directed by Claire Denis

Claire Denis, one of the most polarizing French auteurs, debuted her first English language film in 2019 with High Life. I had the pleasure of seeing the film on a big screen, and even though I felt a little underwhelmed as an initial reaction to the finale, the film seemed to linger in my subconscious like a haunting unresolved dream. It held up even better on a re-watch, which you can view for free if you have Amazon Prime.

It’s definitely unlike any space film that I have ever seen. The premise surrounds a group of prisoners on death row who are sent to the farthest depths of space on a doomed voyage. All of the occupants are corralled by Juliette Binoche’s character, who plays some type of mad space scientist, is obsessed with collecting their semen in order to create new life in the abyss of the cosmos.

High Life is a slow burn, often minimalist film, which relies more heavily on atmosphere/score/visuals than it does on dialogue or forced plot elements. It’s bewilderingly nihilistic in how it depicts human behavior gone horribly awry. Robert Pattinson gives an understated performance and seems to provide the only glimmer of what seems to be hope by the end of the film.

#13 - Too Old to Die Young Directed by Nicolas Winding Refn

Too Old To Die Young finds the celebrated auteur, Nicolas Winding Refn, sharing his view of humanity and society at its most despicable. Hate seems to seep out of the cracks of every neon-soaked frame in the limited series. Amazon gave Refn free reigns in creating his phantasmagoria.

All of his usual motifs and creative decisions are employed in full force with Too Old To Die Young, sometimes to an almost unbearable degree unless you are a truth Refn aficionado. His long takes, infinitesimal silences between lines, neon lighting, synth score and characters belonging to a criminal underworld are all utilized to great affect within the series.

I won’t lie, I found it to be some of Refn’s most challenging work to date. There are so many aspects to be found within this series that went over my head, it is art that demands a re-watch. And while I believe that Refn’s sensibilities are best conveyed through a film medium, the limited series allows Refn to explore what he wants to convey like an artist adding layer upon layer of colors onto a blank palette.

#12 - Age Out Directed by A.J. Edwards

A.J. Edwards returned in 2019 with his sophomore directorial effort - Age Out (originally titled Friday’s Child). Edwards has served as one of many creatives who worked on the editing team of Terrence Malick’s films in the last decade. Malick’s influence on the director is quite noticeable. Edwards directed his first film in 2014, The Better Angels, which was a decent debut. Whereas The Better Angels oftentimes felt too close of a mimicry of Malick’s style, Age Out utilizes certain aspects of the style while also allowing Edwards to have his own authorial voice.

The film centers around a young man named Richie as he is about to “age out” of the foster care facility in which he was raised - a frightening reality for countless youth in America and around the world. Richie is left to navigate the difficulties of the adult world at a mere eighteen years old, without any family or parental figures to help him along the way. He makes friends with a seedy townie who revels in delinquency and causing ruckus. Also, there is a romantic subplot between Richie and a girl named Joan, portrayed tenderly by Imogen Poots. This relationship seems to be the only saving grace in Richie’s life. However, a turn of events soon reveal that Richie’s traumatic past has gotten the better of him and threatens to doom his entire future.

Edwards shoots the film in a boxed style with a 1.33 : 1 aspect ratio. This aids with the sense of claustrophobia and paranoia that invades Richie’s life. As aforementioned, many of Malick’s motifs are used here: a floating steadicam guiding the audience along, hushed dialogue, montages with classical music, and even some voice overs. However, this aesthetic isn’t heavy handed in any way. In fact, it’s a joy to see directors whose work can almost go into the Malick canon as the auteur has had such an influence on a lot of young, upcoming directors. Age Out is both a coming of age story and a cry of warning for unhealed trauma.

#11 - An Elephant Sitting Still Directed by Hu Bo

An Elephant Sitting Still now holds the spot as the longest running film that I have ever seen. It sits in at just under four hours, and it completely delivers without ever feeling like it drags on unnecessarily. The film technically premiered in 2018 and is considered a 2018 film among critic circles. However, the epic didn’t get a widespread distribution in the U.S. until this year, so I am overlooking this discrepancy. The film was marked with somewhat of a controversy after the director Hu Bo took his own life right after post production was completed. Hu Bo is an author turned director and An Elephant Sitting Still marks his first foray into cinema. It’s one of the best directorial debuts I have ever seen.

The film centers around four different characters during the span of a single day. All of these characters are marked with some sort of tragedy, and many of their stories intertwine in a synchronistic fashion. It reminded me of other masterpieces such an Inarittu’s Amores Perros or Paul Thomas Anderson’s Magnolia. The film takes place in the industrial regions of Northern China, and the barren landscapes reflect an inner emptiness that emanates from all the characters.

There is a hollowness to these people as they navigate through life. An Elephant Sitting Still is nothing short of nihilistic. It’s an angry, desperate and hauntingly beautiful cry of pain from a director who was most certainly haunted by his own inner demons. It manages to be both an odyssey of human cruelty and a swan song from a young man who didn’t see a light at the end of the tunnel.

#10 - Joker Directed by Todd Phillips

“It’s getting crazier out there, isn’t it?” These are some of the first lines to be uttered in Todd Philip’s pitch-black satire on society. These lines are what best exemplify the themes that Philip’s was pushing: our society is profoundly sick, everything seems to be getting worse, we have no saviors in sight and hope isn’t always on the horizon. Just from these first utterances, it is clear that Philips is taking all of the political and socioeconomic turmoil of the last four years and has created a problem child that is Joker.

Joaquin Phoenix turns in one of his most disturbed and flawless performances yet - which is no surprise. However, I have yet to see him embody a character so genuinely as he did in The Master. But this isn’t Paul Thomas Anderson, this is Todd Phillips. And the fact that the comedy director even created this piece of art is something that still has me scratching my head. Subtlety is never at play in the film, and there are quite a few plot points that are a little too on-the-nose, even for me. However, all of the other elements redeem it and make this one of the best films of the year. The cinematography is pleasing for the eyes, and the menacing cello scores echoes an existential loneliness that I felt permeate my very being.

The last thirty minutes are exactly what I was hoping from this film. It’s a breath of fresh air to see Hollywood actually stick to creating a nihilistic film that doesn’t once try to water itself down.

#9 - Luce Directed by Julius Onah

Director Julius Onah decided to really step up his game with his latest film Luce. After the dumpster fire that was The Cloverfield Paradox (seriously, thanks for completely ruining what was becoming a dope anthology franchise), Onah has proven that he can be a master of his craft with the proper source material. In regards to the story being told, every element of the film works to its advantage: editing, performances, direction, and most importantly - the screenplay. It’s one of most well written screenplays I have come across in 2019. I immediately could tell from the dialogue that this movie must have been adapted from a stage play, and sure enough upon searching, I found out it was. Not all stage adaptations work, in fact I’d say more than half don’t end up being too effective, but this one stuck its landing and then more.

The story revolves around an overly concerned teacher who contacts Luce’s parents after he writes a paper that comes off as threatening. The paper in question seemed to hold a sentiment in which violence was called for in order to overcome colonialism. It’s important to note that Luce was a child soldier in his native country before being adopted by his parents - played by Naomi Watts and Tim Roth who both gave stunning performances. The rest of the story is an investigation into who their son actually is, which eventually results in moral debates regarding race and identity.

Luce is also a film that effectively helps the audience empathize with the main character, while at the same time questioning whether his intentions are genuine, or a coy to hide something much darker. The truth isn’t always black and white, and this was my biggest takeaway from the movie.

#8 - Monos Directed by Alejandro Landes

Monos felt like a hybrid of elements inspired from great works such as Lord of the Flies, Aguirre: The Wrath of God and Apocalypse Now. This is only the third film to be directed by Alejandro Landes, however it looks and feels as if it was created by a seasoned veteran of the industry.

A group of children guerilla soldiers hold base on a mountaintop where they keep a hostage, watch over a prized cow, and act as a defensive force against an unbeknownst group of enemies. There is little to no exposition in the film. Landes drops the audience off right in the middle of the chaos.

We aren’t exactly sure what these children are risking their lives to fight for, or why they are doing it, but it goes to show the conditions in which they were raised for them to find normalcy in the violent lifestyle of a guerilla soldier. The landscapes are absolutely gorgeous, and there are even a few scenes where I questioned how they accomplished such shots/stunts with a low budget.

#7 - The Beach Bum Directed by Harmony Korine

The Beach Bum might not be the best film that Harmony Korine has directed (it’s certainly no Spring Breakers), but it is easily the most fun. It’s been almost seven long years since Korine’s last project, and I had been waiting in eager anticipation to see what he would do next. He was originally going to do a gangster crime drama called The Trap, which is what I was really hoping from Korine, but that fell through and he ended up making one of the best stoner comedies I have ever had the pleasure of watching.

The Beach Bum is probably Korine’s most accessible and audience-friendly film he’s ever done. I say that lightly though, because it still remains just as highly divisive as his other work. The plot is loose. It follows the misadventures and antics of Moondog, a washed up poet and complete burnout. He is soon sent to rehab for all of his illegal activities, in which he breaks out with the help of Zac Efron’s character, who might have just been my favorite character of the film. Korine seems to have a consistently solid knack to create dirty, seedy and absolutely enthralling characters.

I am really happy that he decided to keep a very similar visual aesthetic to his previous masterpiece, Spring Breakers. Benoit Debie, who is the king of neon lighting and discombobulating camerawork, does a masterful job at creating the textured and visual world of The Beach Bum. Hell, it’s probably one of the main reasons why I decided to see it twice on the big screen.

I’m not the biggest fan of comedies, mostly because I have a very bizarre sense of humor and find most of them to be completely hollow. But Korine’s darkly nihilistic sense of humor suits my sensibilities perfectly and I found myself laughing out loud at various points throughout The Beach Bum. It’s a fun, and even slightly endearing film at certain points thanks to the presence of Isla Fisher’s character as the wife. I look forward to whatever Korine decides to do next. At this point, who knows where he will decide to go with his career. I just hope I don’t have to wait another five plus years to see more of his work.

#6 - A Hidden Life Directed by Terrence Malick

Malick isn’t “back” - he never left. A Hidden Life isn’t a “return to form”. His form has always been there, it’s been evolving since The Tree of Life. In fact, the structure and flow of this film is extremely reminiscent of his past three films.

How far are you willing to walk the path of righteousness, even when the path is marred with pain and unanswered sufferings? How long are you able to cling to your faith when it feels like all hope is lost? How do you fight for what is good, when everyone around you is telling you to submit to forces of absolute evil? These are some of just many questions explored in Terrence Malick’s newest tour de force. As with many of Malick’s recent work, these aren’t questions that are necessarily outright answered during the film. They are instead questions of morality meant to be repeated throughout the story, almost like a mantra or an ode to pure faith.

A Hidden Life is Malick’s first return to chronological and narrative-driven filmmaking since The New World. It has garnered praise almost universally among critics, and is regarded as his best film in ten years since The Tree of Life. While I am in the few who don’t exactly agree that this is Malick’s best film in a decade, I might even dare say that it is among my least favorites of Malick’s recent output, I am still not denying the sublime mastery instilled in every single shot of this film.

A Hidden Life tells the noble true story of Franz Jagerstatter, an Austrian conscientious objector, who refuses to fight for the Nazis in World War II due to his religious beliefs and is eventually executed for it. He is decades later deemed a martyr by the Church - all the more telling as to why Malick decided to tackle this story. The heart of this story is told through letters that Franz and his wife Fani exchange throughout his period spent as a political prisoner. Fani seems to be one of the only people in Franz’s life who sticks by his side. No matter how soul crushing Franz’s decision is for Fani, she understands him well enough to know that death is a better option than spoiling your soul and humanity. “Better to suffer injustices than to do it,” as one character painfully states in the film. And while I wasn’t as emotionally wrecked as I thought I would be by this film, I instead feel inspired by Franz’s commitment to his innate goodness. The back and forth perspectives of Franz and Fani are well executed -  we as an audience get reprieves from the dreary confines of a prison cell to the majestic grandeur of the Austrian mountainside. The mountains and surrounding nature are characters within themselves. Near the finale, as Franz is face to face with his mortality, his mind wanders back to riding his motorcycle through the village on a sunny day as the mountains loom in the background. These are the final desires of a doomed man, something as simple as having the freedom to go outside and feel the grass beneath his feet - to experience the wonders of nature that most people don’t think twice about.

As mentioned earlier, it is far from my favorite of Malick’s oeuvre, and is not without its slight misgivings. It was stated that this was Malick’s return to “narratively focused” filmmaking. But he still utilized his signature elliptical style, and for me these moods oftentimes clashed and kept me at a distance emotionally. I rarely say this with a Malick film, but more of a reliance on dialogue would have worked wonders for me. There are quite a few sequences in which Malick opted for montage instead of a more fleshed out scene, which I believe would have further added to the power of the story.

These are all slight issues, and I myself might be a harsher critic than most simply because I hold Malick to such a high standard. Once you can give yourself to the film, A Hidden Life becomes a true zen experience. It managed to instill a sense of serene presence within myself. I felt very grateful for the most basic and common details of my life and this world. Malick’s work can be such a sensorial rush, and making even mundane objects and rooms look absolutely gorgeous, that it’s as if “everything is shining” in my own life after seeing the film. I look forward to returning to The Church of Malick very soon.

#5 - Ad Astra Directed by James Gray

Ad Astra got a lot of unwarranted hate this year in my opinion. It truly is a shame because I believe that James Gray has struck gold once again. While I don’t adore it to the same degree as I did Gray’s previous feature, The Lost City of Z, Ad Astra succeeds in being one of the most understated space films made in the 21st century.

It’s not exactly a wholly original story, or a plot that is something that we haven’t seen before. It’s the way Gray goes about telling this story and exploring these themes that makes it so very special. It’s not forcing any overreaching philosophical or ethical message onto the viewer, it’s not overly complicated or overly long, and rather than trying to present completely senseless physical explanations to the audience, it just accepts the fiction aspect as “science fiction”.

Hoyte Van Hoytema is a brilliant Director of Photography and he crafts some of the most breathtaking space shots in recent memory. He really captures the breathtaking enormity of the cosmis abyss. The scenes that take place near Nepture during the finale are jaw dropping. We see two characters wrestling each other while suspended midair and the camera pulls out to reveal their absolutely terrifying ordeal while splashes of Neptune’s purple color emanates behind them. What I enjoyed most about the film is this sort of serene, zen atmosphere that Gray creates through the visuals, the score and Brad Pitt’s heartfelt but quietly somber voiceover.

Pitt portrays a lonely, broken and existentially conflicted astronaut. He finds the quiet infinitude of space to be a reprieve from the chaos of conflict happening down on Earth. He feels more at home among the stars than he does on the planet in which he was born. His perspective reminds me of the blue God from Watchmen, Doctor Manhattan, when he’s dwelling peacefully on Mars and laments his feelings toward Earth and all the people on it: “I am tired of Earth. These People. I am tired of being caught in the tangle of their lives.”

James Gray’s Ad Astra, much like his previous two films before this, detail the pains and tribulations of undaunted pioneers as they explore foreign territories. The final monologue of Pitt’s washed over me like a gentle breeze: “I will rely on those closest to me, and I will share their burders, as they share mine. I will live and love.”

#4 - Anima Directed by Paul Thomas Anderson

Interprative dance, experimental film, and visual albums are three of my absolutely favorite art forms. The real MVP of modern cinema, Paul Thomas Anderson, has collaborated with one of the real MVP’s of modern music, Thom Yorke, to create a fifteen minute long music video on the power of human connection.

Thom Yorke plays a sleepy commuter, a passive bystander, a human sheep, a functioning cog in some great machinery. He makes brief eye contact with a pretty woman on the train, and notices that she leaves behind a briefcase. The rest of the short details his efforts as he dodges through obstacle after obstacle trying to find the woman and return the briefcase to her. I couldn’t believe my eyes as Anderson concocts the innermost desires of being seen, understood, and loved. The results are strokes of flashing light projections on concrete walls, bodies undulating as they separate and conjoin simultaneously, giddy humans running through fog, and lovers meeting in the union of hearts.

The final section, Dawn Chorus, is one of the most gentle and blissful experiences I have ever witnessed, let alone one in a film distributed by Netflix. Paul Thomas Anderson and Thom Yorke’s project had me understanding why I fell in love with this medium in the first place.

#3 - 1917 Directed by Sam Mendes

1917 takes the spot as my favorite war film of the decade. Personally, I found it to be one of the best war films ever made in general. What director Sam Mendes and DOP Roger Deakins have created is nothing short of a miracle. It’s the first “single take” war film to ever be made, mainly because this is a feat that is far from easy to pull off. Mendes and Deakins shot the movie in extreme long takes, and spliced them all together to make the whole movie come off as a seamless single take. These tracking shots never leave the side of the characters, we are in their footsteps on the journey the entire time.

1917 has a pretty simple premise: two young British soldiers are given a near impossible mission to cross enemy territory and deliver a message that will stop a deadly attack on over 1,500 soldiers - one of them being the brother of one of the two soldiers sent on the mission. The familial aspect contributes added emotional gravitas to the plot overall.

1917 is more of an experiential war film than it is a action or battle focused war film. It’s best to be seen in an IMAX because the sound design and the invasive tracking shots make you feel as if you are walking along these two soldiers as they face grave perils on their quest to deliver the message. I very much so enjoyed that they kept the plot small and intimate, without resorting to constant firepower to keep the audience engaged. That isn’t too say that the movie doesn’t have more than enough of its fair share of nail biting action sequences, and also plenty of gruesome shots depicting the carnage that World War I brought. These soldiers have to army crawl over rotting corpses, while rats and crows are seen pecking and chewing through the remains. The filmmaker doesn’t turn a blind eye to the horrors that war produced. To me, this is one of many reasons why I believe 1917 is superior to other popular recent war films such as Dunkirk. I don’t want my war films to be sanitized. War needs to be portrayed as it truly is - acts of complete inhumanity.

Dare I say that 1917 is Come and See for the 21st century. While Come and See is most definitely the superior film, there were echoes of the classic Soviet Union masterpiece that ring throughout 1917. Maybe it’s the expertly crafted tracking shots, maybe it’s the maddening use of sound design/editing, or maybe it’s the shell shocked expression that is engraved on one of the main characters faces near the finale.

1917 does an amazing job of being very loud, but also utilizing silence in certain scenes to great affect. The juxtaposition is most expertly crafted during one scene that involved flares popping off in the sky, lighting up the ruins of a city, as one the characters runs away from enemy fire. It’s an absolutely exhilarating scene. I ended up bawling by the end of the movie, mostly just because of all the pent up anxiety and distress I felt throughout. You don’t see many films that take place during World War I anymore. But 1917 shows it is not a time period to be forgotten about.

#2 - The Lighthouse Directed by Robert Eggers

I had been eagerly anticipating Robert Eggers’s follow-up film after he released The VVitch back in 2016. At first it was reported that he was going to be doing an adaptation of Nosferatu, which I still think would be a great story for Egger’s to adapt, especially after witnessing what he instead decided to make - The Lighthouse.

Shot gorgeously in black & white on gritty 16mm celluloid, the film looks like it comes from a completely different era (the dialogue as well). There were many shots that had a similar look to some of Bergman’s early work on the Faroe islands.

The Lighthouse has a fairly simple plot. Robert Pattinson plays Winslow who goes to work for a seasoned lighthouse keeper named Thomas who is played by Willem Dafoe. Winslow is new to being a wickie and Thomas takes him under his wing to show him the ropes. Thomas orders him about incessantly in a brute and abusive manner.

There is a minimalism to the plot, however all of the other elements are done so perfectly that the daily grueling routines of these wickies becomes nothing short of hypnotizing. The sound design and score ratchets up the harsh conditions of the island. Wind sounds like its constantly shrieking outside - a reminder of the unease that seems to be building to an overflow. The dialogue, diction, and accents are all completely authentic to the time period and setting that the story is taking place in. Eggers commitment is second to none when it come to detail and authenticity with aspects such as the character’s accents and inflections. A real case of cabin fever befalls the two men who both seem to become obsessed with the mystical light that emanates at the top of the light house.

While I really enjoyed The VVItch, I absolutely adored The Lighthouse and find it to be a much stronger work from Eggers. I think what I vibed with most about it is that the movie doesn’t feel the need to be confined to one particular genre. Whereas The VVitch was literally about a witch bringing misery to a Puritan family, it was constricted to be somewhat of a horror film. However, The Lighthouse manages to be many different tones: a fever dream surrealist film, an arthouse horror, a slapstick comedy, and a nautical retelling of many ancient sea myths. And all of these different tones worked together and bounced off each other in perfect harmony.

I found myself both laughing and completely repulsed by the images I was seeing - especially within the last act of the film which succeeded in shaking me up and making me feel both bewildered and slightly nauseated. It ends up being a gritty, dirty, and uncompromising journey into total psychosis. By the conclusion of the film, the audience comes to the same realization as the two characters - there really was enchantment in the light after all.

#1 - Waves Directed by Trey Edward Shults

Waves is an operatic cry for people to be better to one another. It is by far my favorite film of the year, and I truly believe it to be one of the finest films ever made. It earned itself a well deserved spot in my Top 25 Favorite Films of the Decade.

Trey Edward Shults started out his cinematic career on a strong note with Krisha. He delivered once again with his sophomore debut - It Comes at Night (even if I do find it to be easily the weakest of out the three he has directed). But for me, Waves is where Shults really experiments with his style to such a fine tuned degree that we find the director not calming down his vision or becoming more “grounded”, instead he expands upon his prowess with one of the most powerful family dramas I’ve ever seen.

Shults is another director who made my list this year who is somewhat of a protege of Terrence Malick. Shults worked as an intern for Malick on both The Tree of Life and Voyage of Time. It is quite clear the influence that Malick has on Shult’s vision. But Shults, even more-so than Edwards who also made my list this year, has taken Malick’s inspiration and created something wholly his own.

Shults has created an experiential rollercoaster of actions, consequences and the toxic fallout than can come from such actions. Waves is essentially two films in one. The first half is the energetic, chaotic and traumatic first half in its depiction of toxic masculinity taken too far, to the eventual accident that changes all of the characters lives. The camera is constantly floating in this portion, or shall I even say flying through the air and around the characters. The camera has no limits in what it can do and that along with the editing, and most noticeably the insanely perfect soundtrack/score, this portion ends up feeling like one prolonged anxiety attack.

The second half of the film switches character POVs masterfully. There’s a psychedelic shift of perspective from the brother’s eyes covered in flashing lights from the back of a police car to his little sister’s eyes in the back of their parent’s car (you have to have seen the film to completely understand what I am referring to of course). This second half of the film is where the camera slows down a little. This portion is more character focused and less interested in being flashy through its aesthetic. We get more dialogue, more character details, and a lot more tears in this half. It’s like a long cathartic release after experiencing an hour of trauma and abuse. It succeeds in tearing you apart, to only slowly piece you back together.

As mentioned previously, Shults’s soundtrack decisions were the cherry on top for me. Tame Impala, Animal Collective & Tyler the Creator are three of my favorite artists and their music is utilized perfectly within the story. What made this film so special to me, other than the fact it all takes place in the state in which I grew up in, was that no other film has better reminded me of my own humanity in years. This film makes me want to be a better brother, a better friend, a better son, and a better person in general. You never know when a single moment can shatter your entire world. In the end, it left me with a strong message that struck me to my core: appreciate what you have in life, and tread carefully.