Malcolm1980's 2019 Review Thread

[malcolm1980]

1/18

City Streets (Rouben Mamoulian) ***1/2 - It's the 1930's. A racketeer's daughter is falsely accused of a crime and her father lures her non-criminal boyfriend into the business. This is a Pre-Code crime drama. It's not exactly a film-noir because it kind of violates and contradicts a lot of the rules of a traditional film noir (but features some of its tropes, making it a kind of a proto-noir). If I didn't know any better, the lead in this film is almost like an anti-femme fatale of sorts. She's played by Sylvia Sidney who is simply outstanding, quite possibly one of her best performances. A young Gary Cooper plays the boyfriend in a typical Gary Cooper way. This is a pretty great under-seen, underrated Pre-Code gem which more people should definitely check out.

[malcolm1980]

1/19


Glass (M. Night Shyamalan) *** - The third in a trilogy of films by writer-director M. Night Shyamalan which sort of deconstructs comic book and superhero mythology by imagining them happening in a real-ish world. This is the sequel to both Unbreakable and Split. This time, David Dunn is sent to a mental institution alongside "The Horde" and the titular Mr. Glass. First off, this is not a perfect film. Far from it. The dialogue is at times pretty bad and filled with a bit too much exposition, the film feels overlong and the climactic action-fight scene is a bit disappointing and sadly not very well directed. But, still, I liked it. It's still a unique take on the superhero genre. There are a lot of good ideas here though and I, for one, would be very interested to see where Shyamalan takes this series next.

FYRE: The Greatest Party That Never Happened (Chris Smith) ***1/2 - I've heard about this incident and was amused by it but never really knew what the hell exactly went on. This dropped on Netflix (I don't have a Hulu account so the competing other documentary on the same subject matter would have to wait) so I decided to check it out. Wow. It is an unbelievable kind of believable story of a music festival that was doomed to fail before it even began. It is a film which really takes a look on the effect of social media, materialism and the importance of image and hype in modern society. It's compelling stuff.

[malcolm1980]

1/20

Leave No Trace (Debra Granik) ***1/2 - A war veteran suffering from PTSD raises his young daughter off the grid but finds that this living arrangement may not be good for her. I can't help but compare this to Captain Fantastic which is also about a parent raising his kids off the grid but this one strips away any romanticizing of such a life and really gets to the realistic nitty-gritty of the entire thing. The two central performances are both outstanding. Ben Foster, who is really kind of an underrated actor is superb as the father-war veteran. You feel for him, you kind of understand what he's going through. There are times when you're frustrated with him but you still sympathize. Thomas McKenzie is a real find though. She's fantastic as the daughter. I love that despite being raised this way, she isn't depicted as a weirdo. The film's emotional impact really sneaks up on you in the end. Another fine film from director Debra Granik.

Boy Erased (Joel Edgerton) ***1/2 - Joel Edgerton's second directorial effort is an adaptation of Garrard Conley's memoir about his experience in a gay conversion therapy camp. These are one of two gay conversion therapy films, the other being The Miseducation of Cameron Post. I think this one is a better film because even though it's not without its problems, the fact that it has more nuance and is more accessible to people who should be hearing this message (as in, religious/conservative parents of LGBTQ children). It's this quality, I think, that gives it a bit more heft. Lucas Hedges is terrific but I think Nicole Kidman and Russell Crowe made the film better by their performances.

[malcolm1980]

1/24

The Harder They Fall (Mark Robson) ***1/2 - An unemployed sportswriter takes up a job promoting an Argentinian boxer by a crooked fight promoter who stages fixed boxing matches. Boy, just when I thought I've seen everything, I unearth yet another great Humphrey Bogart performance. His performance as an increasingly conflicted writer in this film noir ranks among his very best, almost rivaling In a Lonely Place. For that alone, this is a must-see. The film is also a pretty darn good and gritty example of film noir with a terrific propelling, jazzy score and beautiful cinematography.

Such a Pretty Little Beach (Yves Allégret) ***1/2 - A mysterious young man checks into a hotel in an off-season seaside French town. The film opens with a disclaimer about war orphans which kind of sort of spoils what this film is all about but not really. This film is yet another one of those neat little discoveries that often get overlooked in film lists, film books and film discussions. It's really a fascinating little bit of history too. This is a film which directly deals with the consequences of a recent World War and its repercussions of the populace. The ending, in particular, is beautiful and haunting. More people should check this out.

[malcolm1980]

1/25

Reminiscences of a Journey to Lithuania (Jonas Mekas) ***1/2 - Avant-garde filmmaker Jonas Mekas recently passed away. I know the name but I've never seen a film from him before so as per my continuing tradition, I'm gonna see a film of theirs as tribute. This film is, well, just like the title says. The film chronicles the filmmaker's trip back to his home village in Lithuania. The film feels basically like a montage of home movies strung together but it takes on a life of its own in capturing a specific time and place and takes on an almost dream-like quality and makes you feel nostalgic even though you've never been there. It feels more like a cinematic essay than a documentary or a narrative film. Definitely one to check out for any cinephile.

[malcolm1980]

1/26

Born Beautiful (Perci Intalan) *** - The sequel to Die Beautiful has Trisha's best friend Barbs living her life and trying to struggle with her VERY complicated love/sex life as a trans woman. This caused minor controversy due to the fact that despite bleeped lines/censored scenes, it still got slapped with an R-18 rating. There's nothing particularly graphic here, as far as I can tell though the film will cause a lot of old church ladies who wander in for the free air-conditioning to clutch their pearls. As for the film itself, it's often very, very funny and Martin Del Rosario shines as Barbs and features a scene-stealing performance from Lou Veloso. However, I found its handling of the darker, more serious issues problematic and a bit lacking. It's still a solid enough dramedy though.

If Beale Street Could Talk (Barry Jenkins) ***1/2 - Director Barry Jenkins's follow up to Moonlight is an adaptation of a work by James Baldwin. It's about a young black man in jail on a false rape charge and his young pregnant girlfriend's efforts to try and free him. The original novel was published in 1974 and it's just infuriating that the film's subject matter is just as relevant today as it probably was then. The non-linear structure makes things even more heartbreaking yet also gives it a beautiful, almost dream like quality. The performances are all pitch perfect. Both Stephan James and KiKi Layne deserve to be big stars and Regina King deserves all the awards. This will probably end up in my 2018 list.

[malcolm1980]

1/27

The Kid Who Would Be King (Joe Cornish) ***- The first time I saw the trailer and they presented the premise, I rolled my eyes. I'm like, "Oh God, not another King Arthur riff." But then it started winning me over and it seemed it could be a fun movie. The same thing happened, sort of, in the actual film itself. Set in the modern era, a 12 year old boy pulls out a sword from the stone and is destined to save the world from Morgana, the evil sorceress. Directed by Joe Cornish who also did Attack the Block (this is kind of a family-friendly version of that film), the film though set in current times feels nostalgic in its genre trappings, pulling liberally from both Steven Spielberg and quite a bit of Terry Gilliam in the process. The result is a film which I think if I saw it in my pre-teen years would be something I would be watching again and again. The climactic scene, I must say, feels like pure childhood joy. It does nothing groundbreaking but it's very well-made fun for kids.

Can You Ever Forgive Me? (Marielle Heller) ***1/2 - Based on the true story of a rather misanthropic writer Lee Israel, once a successful biographer but now currently unable to pay her bills, decides to forge and sell letters allegedly written by famous writers. Hearing this premise and hearing who was cast in the role, at first I thought this was going to be a laugh out loud broad comedy and yes, a lesser filmmaker could have mined this premise for laughs. Although there is still some humor in it, it is, in fact, a drama. Melissa McCarthy absolutely blew me away in this. She gives this rather unpleasant character so much humanity that you can't help but empathize with her. She's more than just that loud actress. Matching her is Richard E. Grant who, likewise, does the same with his character and they work so well together. I wasn't a big fan of director Marielle Heller's previous film. This is so much better.

Get Me Roger Stone (Dylan Bank/Daniel DiMauro/Morgan Pehme) ***1/2 - As of this writing, Roger Stone has been arrested by the FBI for God knows what which gave me the spark to actually finally see this documentary. This, of course, follows campaign strategist and lobbyist Roger Stone, one of the infamous architects of the Donald Trump presidential campaign in his Machiavellian quest to win at all costs. This is fascinating and scary stuff, and thanks to recent events after this film was made, also kind of funny. If you're a liberal or even a decent human being, you will find him a loathsome person by the credits end, but with a better understanding of his worldview, no matter how much you may disagree with it.

[malcolm1980]

1/30

The Saphead (Herbert Blache/Winchell Smith) *** - Based on a play, this is about a young man who's the son of a rich man but he's being duped by a duplicitous broker who married into the family. This is actually Buster Keaton's first starring film role. For a Buster Keaton film, it is pretty understated and is fairly dramatic. There are no elaborate stunts and very little slapstick. But Buster Keaton's stone face persona is fully formed and he shines in this role. The film itself is a fairly solid, I guess you could say it's more of a dramedy than an outright comedy and "talky" and subtle for a silent film which is why it isn't as popular as other Buster Keaton's works. But it's worth a look if you're a Keaton fan.

[malcolm1980]

1/31

Minding the Gap (Bing Liu) **** - This Oscar-nominated documentary follows a group of skateboarders as they navigate the stark realities of young adulthood while confronting their tragedies and demons. I actually didn't know what to expect and I was bowled over by how great this film is. It's sometimes uncomfortable to watch since you are actually seeing real people dealing with real problems and the fact that it would hit so close to the bone, it occasionally makes you reflect on your own life as well. It is beautifully human and reminds you that sometimes the most compelling drama is sometimes just the ordinary everyday human being in all their faults and follies. This film kind of answers the question, what if a Richard Linklater film was documentary because it definitely feels like it. Yes, it's probably my favorite documentary of the year so far and one of the best films of the year period.

[malcolm1980]

2/1

Canoa: A Shameful Memory (Felipe Cazals) **** - Based on a true story of five university employees who were lynched by people in a small town for being communists (they're not), incited by the local right-wing priest. I've never heard of this Mexican film before it was released in Criterion and praised publicly by both Guillermo Del Toro and Alfonso Cuaron. I'm glad it happened because this is a superb film. It is structured like a mockumentary but that does not detract from the stunning power this film has. This was based on an incident that happened in the late 1960's and was made in the 1970's but everything still feels relevant and familiar and will similarly get you angry. It's a provocative piece of cinema that simply has to be seen. Highly recommended.