2020 Movie Log: January

3rd: The Souvenir – Joanna Hogg (2019)
Watched at home with Gioia. I had heard so much about this film beforehand. Specifically that it centers on an unhealthy romantic relationship with an addict. And while that is what the film is about, it’s so much more quiet and meditative than I was expecting. One of the things that really blows my mind about the films is how little Hogg tells us. It’s a really smart and engaging decision. We understand that Anthony is a heroin addict even it’s not hammered home in every scene. Moreover, it feels more true to life that way. There’s a scene in which Julie asks Anthony if he’s high, stating that he acts differently when he is. And while that’s true, by the fact that she’s asking, we know she can’t completely tell. Throughout the film,  that’s the case for us as well. Anthony is charming, boring, engaging, disinterested, high, or sober by slight variations from scene to scene. Because there isn’t a major catastrophe, it’s hard not to root for the relationship even if Anthony is a shitty boyfriend. By the time he starts to do more egregious things, it’s getting too late. As impressive as the story and layout of the film is, what really stands out to me is the filmmaking. There are just so many striking shots. The film takes its name from a portrait and so much of this film feels staged like paintings. Many of the shots and even entire scenes are static, really emphasizing this quality. They’re so intricately detailed you never get bored. Toward the end, for instance, there’s a shot of Julie’s apartment in which a mirror is cracked. There’s no explanation of how it happened but we more or less know.
Grade: A-
The Souvenir – Joanna Hogg (2019)

4th: White Material – Claire Denis (2009)
Watched at home. I still don’t feel like I have a grip on Denis. The three films I’ve seen (this, 35 Shots of Rum, and High Life) have all been so different. White Material is really unlike any movie I’ve seen before. Just it’s the setting, premise, and scope is so ambitious. Denis is able to tell a pretty cutting, powerful, post-colonial story in an hour and a half. I really admired the details that surface in the movie. We gradually learn that Maria is not the heiress of the coffee plantation but married into it through her ex-husband. We see that her ex-husband’s son is half-black and then learn that the mother is his housekeeper. But these details never really surface. The movie is solely focused on whether or not Maria can keep her plantation open for the harvest. The end of the movie is so vicious and filmed in a completely natural way. It’s clear that Denis is trying to show something as unglamorous as possible.
Grade: B+
White Material – Claire Denis (2009)

4th: Smithereens – Susan Seidelman (1982)
Watched at home with Gioia. It’s a pretty fun movie. I thought some parts were incredibly funny. The best part of the film is its setting. It really captures New York and this punk scene in a pretty cool way. The music (by The Feelies) is fantastic. It reminded me a lot of Slacker in how it’s trying to capture a moment and croup of people.
Grade: B
Smithereens – Susan Seidelman (1982)

5th: Annihilation – Alex Garland (2018)
Watched at home with Gioia. I hadn’t seen it since it came out in theaters. It’s so good! Really one of the best movies of the decade. It is easily one of the most visually striking movies I’ve ever seen. I really like all the performances. I think it’s cool that most of the cast are women. I even noticed this time that (as brief as their backgrounds are) they do correlate to the actions of the film. Gina Rodriguez’s character, for instance, is a recovering addict. It makes sense to me that she is the one who doesn’t believe what they’re seeing if she’s had to become sober before. I think each of these factors would make the film pretty good on their own. What really sets it apart is the ending, which may be one of my favorite sequences ever. The way Natalie Portman’s moves with the mirrored cell body is so gripping. I love the music and sound design during this part. It sounds like the actual blares from a Lighthouse. I think the major argument (if you haven’t read the book) against the film is that it’s very ambiguous. But honestly, I’m okay with it here. Maybe I’m just picking and choosing, but I feel like we learn enough to understand the film. Sure, there’s a whole lot of unanswered questions, but there’s enough evidence to potentially answer them. The movie just doesn’t do it. I think there’s a chance we’ll look back and wonder about how this film was made. It’s an A-list, big-budget sci-fi movie that looks amazing, but is weird as hell. I think the obvious comp would be Arrival but besides that, I really don’t know of any others.
Grade: A- / A
Annihilation – Alex Garland (2018)

11th: The Player – Robert Altman (1992)
Watched at home with Gioia. It is an exceptionally funny movie. One that hit both of our sweet spots. It’s dark, cynical, and so outlandish. Tim Robbins’ performance, in particular, is extraordinary. He plays this perfect type of pathetic. It reminds me of the casting in Succession actually. On the surface, Tim Robbins is a tall, handsome man. He dresses stylishly. He has a sweet ride. He works as a high-level movie producer. But he is just scrambling throughout this movie. As much as the character presents as being in control, we can see that he’s unraveling. It’s brilliant. I loved at the end how much he is constantly playing with his greasy, sweaty hair. The plot is laid out in a really amazing way too. You feel like the main tension of the movie will be Robbins dealing with these threats. And it is. But it’s compounded with the fact that at the end of the first act he murders the wrong writer. It sets up the movie to be really surprising and subversive throughout. The end of the film is so funny too. It fits ties everything up perfectly. I was cackling as we see this movie we’ve heard pitched over and over again but this time with Bruce Willis, Julia Roberts, and Susan Sarandon. I loved all the cameos too. I don’t think there’s a lot to say. This movie is one of the smartest and most fun movies I’ve seen in a while.
Grade: A
The Player – Robert Altman (1992)

12th: Mikey and Nicky – Elaine May (1976)
Watched at home. It is an entertaining, well-made movie. But, up until the end, I was sort of wondering where the magic was with it. Why is it so significant? Why is it a Criterion movie? Luckily, the ending more than answers these questions! Throughout the film, we follow Mikey and Nicky. Nicky is pretty clearly a bad person. He’s drunk, paranoid, and out of control. He instigates a quarrel at the black bar. He cheats on his wife. He has a hard time following any type of direction. I think you’re supposed to be more drawn to Mikey who is looking out for him. However, this flips toward the end of the film. We see Mikey hit a woman because she won’t sleep with him. Then we get the revelation that he’s been setting Nicky up. he’s planning on turning him over. So basically, while we’ve been following these two characters and enjoying their company, at the end we’re left to think that they’re both pretty bad. So how does May end the film? By having Nicky gunned down while Mikey refuses to let them in. They’re both punished for their crimes. I thought the look and sound of the movie were amazing. I really liked the score.
Grade: B
Mikey and Nicky – Elaine May (1976)

13th: Corpo Celeste – Alice Rohrwacher (2011)
Watched at home with Gioia. I thought the film was pretty interesting and well made for the first half but nothing incredible. A pretty standard, low-budget, criterion foreign film. I found the second half to actually be pretty amazing. I was shocked by how much my opinion was changing watching it. In the first half, Rohrwacher introduces these questions and tensions that are important but not particularly unique: adolescence, puberty, isolation, and religion. But the way she returns and addresses these themes is so impressive. It’s really exciting! Now, I have to mention that there are kittens murdered in this movie. Which should be irredeemable. I’m still grappling with it. But it does work as a catalyst for Marta to have the courage to leave the Sunday School and start exploring. And I found the movie to totally open up here as Marta and the priest go to his mountain town. The filmmaking and scenery is incredibly striking. The appearance and scene with the other priest is maybe the best in the movie. And of course, the comedic pay-off with the crucifix going over the mountain is wonderful. I’m really excited to check out Rohrwacher’s later films. This certainly showed greatness in parts. And obviously, as a lapsed catholic, this type of film really appeals to me.
Grade: B / B+
Corpo Celeste – Alice Rohrwacher (2011)

14th: Wanda – Barbara Loden (1970)
Watched at home. About halfway through Gioia came home which I will get to later. I thought this movie was exceptionally, almost painfully slow at the beginning. There’s almost no dialogue. Aside from the court scene, Wanda is just wandering aimlessly. Which are cool, super-wide shots, but still it’s extremely slow. The movie does take a turn when we arrive at the bar and see a body on the ground. I laughed out loud. It is a truly funny sequence and really opens the movie up. I think the rest of the film is pretty good. I have read that it is an anti-gangster movie. Perhaps an inversion of something like Bonnie and Clyde. It’s not glamorous. Mr. Dennis treats Wanda like shit. Wanda herself is a totally passive character. I would say she could literally be defined by her passivity. This dynamic asks some really interesting questions. Can Wanda leave her family even if she’s not the archetypical feminist? Can she just exist as a passive, independent character? I feel like it’s an interesting subversion of a lot of female tropes. Now, Gioia I think, would disagree. She made a good point that she’s tired of all these 70s movies in which the female lead is totally passive and usually gets hit. Which, we have watched like three movies in a row (all directed by women) in which a man hits a woman. It does seem like a trope. Whether it’s a reflection of society or an attempt to de-glamorize a genre film, I don’t know. But it certainly is starting to feel like a staple of these films. Anyways, that’s obviously a lot to unpack. And I think that’s my feeling about Wanda in general. I think it’s probably a more interesting and important film than a masterpiece. Still, I’m sad we didn’t get any more films from Loden.
Grade: B
Wanda – Barbara Loden (1970)

15th: The Forest for the Trees – Maren Ade (2003)
Watched at home. This may be the most awkward/uncomfortable movie I have ever seen. It is so brilliantly and painfully constructed. I couldn’t help speaking aloud at times I was so uncomfortable for this character, Melanie. The performance, by Eva Löbau, is so wonderful. She’s able to evoke so much empathy from the audience, even as you watch her unravel. I think that’s actually what impressed me most about the film. While it does center itself on Melanie’s awkward interactions and the humor from them, it never really makes fun of her. I think her loneliness and good nature are always ahead of whatever gaffes she commits. It felt so realistic to me. When she goes on the date with the annoying teacher, for instance. You don’t want her to have to go on this date, but you also know how lonely she is. The way this film is shot is probably the hardest thing to overcome. There are aspects of it that really work. It makes these characters feel real and exposed. But the frames are quite unflattering and claustrophobic at times. I don’t know. I was so impressed and delighted by this film. I am really excited to see some more of Ade’s work.
Grade: A-
The Forest for the Trees – Maren Ade (2003)

16th: Can You Ever Forgive Me? – Marielle Heller
Watched at home with Gioia. It’s a wonderful story and Heller does a pretty remarkable job telling it. I was really impressed by her restraint at times. Especially given the source material. The entire film stays focused on Israel’s perspective. Much like Ade’s Forest for the Trees, Heller never makes fun of her characters no matter how outlandish they are. Instead, she focuses on their humanity. In lesser hands, this movie would be outlandish, cynical, and almost slapstick. I’m thinking of something like The Informant (which I like by the way). And while there is plenty of humor here, I would say the prevailing sentiment of the movie is sadness. It’s a decision that works. McCarthy and Grant deliver tremendous performances too. I don’t think you can pull off this movie without these performances. There were a couple of decisions that did bother me. I really liked the score throughout the film, although it was definitely prominent. I wouldn’t be surprised if it were distracting to some. But toward the end of the movie, Heller started incorporating some new music queues that I just didn’t think worked. The one exception being the drag performance of “Goodnight Ladies.” Overall though, a strong movie.
Grade: B+
Can You Ever Forgive Me – Marielle Heller (2018)

17th: Uncut Gems – The Safdie Brothers (2019)
Watched at the Logan with Gioia. It was cool getting to watch this a second time. In fact, that’s what I did with Good Time when it hit theaters. Something about the Safdies I guess. In all seriousness, there’s a lot going on in this movie and it was cool to watch how it’s all constructed. For as chaotic as the movie is, it’s really structured. I’m thinking of the scene when KG is first at Howard’s shop. When he looks at the Gem for the first time he breaks through the glass display. Watching it again, I realized that Howard asks him a half dozen times to not lean on the glass. There’s both a natural and a supernatural explanation of what happens. It just gets lost amidst all of the overlapping noise. I think the same could be said with Howard’s introduction in the film. He’s getting a colonoscopy. We’re meant to know he’s on borrowed time. Yet the ending is still so surprising. I thought the same thing with Arno’s hitmen. You don’t realize it at the time, but he’s lost control of them. It’s much like Howard’s problem throughout the film. No matter what the situation, they both ultimately fall to their instincts. Howard could pay back Arno a hundred times and chooses to keep gambling. Arno’s henchmen get what he needs. Howard wins the bet. But his instinct is to punish him anyway and so he does. It’s interesting to reassess this movie. I really love the Safdie Brothers. I would consider this and Good Time to be two of my favorite movies. But there’s something in both that doesn’t feel totally complete. I think Good Time fades just at the end. I think to some extent, the same happens here. It never gets bad or close to it. It just gets long. I think maybe what I’m missing is a sense of humanity that would pull you in. I hope that’s something they can add to their next movie.
Grade: A-
Uncut Gems – The Safdie Brothers (2019)

19th: Clue – Jonathan Flynn (1985)
Watched at home with Gioia. I don’t even know what happens in this movie. Though I think that’s more or less the point. The cast is phenomenal and really carries the movie. I’d honestly love to check out the script or rewatch to see if I can piece any of the structural elements together. If, for instance, all of the events really occur as the butler recounts them. If there are any inklings to a true series of events or an actual culprit. I love that they split up the endings and divided them amongst theaters. I find that to be truly hilarious. I do wonder if you can have a film that is so dependent on plot not have an actual resolution. This movie, in its construction, doe not have an ending to its mystery. And while that design, I think that it’s hard to really consider it beyond being fun and subversive. Which it was certainly both of those things.
Grade: B
Clue – Jonathan Lynn (1985)

21st: Just Another Girl on the I.R.T – Leslie Harris (1992)
Watched at home. Ariyan A. Johnson is so good in this. It’s a real shame she never became a star. She dominates the film. She’s by far my favorite thing about it. There were some sequences that were really spectacular. The party scene was my favorite. It’s so alive and exciting. I loved the choreographed dance the two girls perform. The movie completely changes halfway through, when we discover that Chantel’s pregnant. While I think it really drives home the messages of the movie, it drastically changes the feel of it. The ending is basically a horror movie at parts. I really liked how Harris leaned into filming it like that.
Grade: B+
Just Another Girl on the IRT – Leslie Harris (1992)

22nd: Ex Machina – Alex Garland (2014)
Watched at home with Gioia. This film is impressive. It’s arguably a flawless script. I was not surprised to learn that Garland got his start as a writer. The way the plot unfolds is really masterful. There are two twists that happen at the end. It’s a really brilliant move. I would guess most people can feel the first twist coming. You’re waiting on Nathan to show his brilliance. Surely, Caleb can’t pull this stunt off just by getting him drunk. What you don’t expect is that while Nathan does catch Caleb, Caleb’s already hatched his plan. What unfolds is what the film’s entire tension has been. What does AVA want? What will she do? The way it unfolds is Shakespearean. She has used Caleb as a means to escape and she does just that. One of the more clever parts of the movie is how you assess these events. If you believe Nathan to be cruel and are satisfied with AVA’s revenge at the end, it more or less confirms her AI status. The opposite is true if you don’t believe in her agency. If there’s anything to knock the movie it would be its lack of humanity. Nathan is a villain. Caleb isn’t much more charming. Any sympathy we feel for him comes from what we learn of his background. I think by design, AVA and the other AI specimens are the most “human” and sympathetic characters in the film.
Grade: A-
Ex Machina – Alex Garland (2014)

24th: Mad Max – George Miller (1979)
Watched at home with Gioia. It’s really excellent. One of the better action classics I’ve ever seen. The movie is able to convey so much excitement just through it’s editing. Some of the sequences are flat out thrilling. It’s really quite something. Especially with the budget and time, it was made. Aside from this component, I think the legacy of the film is obviously it’s world-building. The characters are so strange. This film is obviously way more tethered to reality than say, Fury Road. But still, it is funny, charming, weird, and endlessly compelling to watch. I really loved it.
Grade: A-
Mad Max – George Miller (1979)

25th: Chevalier – Athina Rachel Tsangari (2015)
Watched at home. What a fucking weird movie. Really one of the stranger films I can remember. And honestly, I think I have liked it more in its aftermath than at any point watching the film. It’s a really hilarious parody of masculinity and competition. It kind of takes a while to realize that this is what the whole film will be. One of the things I think that really works is that the characters are related and connected in complex ways. Two of the men are brothers. One is The Doctor’s son-in-law, the other is his assistant and former son-in-law. You don’t realize until after the movie how much stakes and tension is built into these ridiculous competitions. The lip-sync performance is one of the funniest moments I’ve ever seen in a movie. I feel in many ways I’m still assessing this movie. I think it’s one that I could grow to even love if I rewatched it.
Grade: B+

25th: Cléo from 5 to 7 – Agnès Varda (1961)
The first film by Varda that I’ve ever watched. It’s so ambitious. It’s hard to believe how early it was made. It’s stunning to look at and easily one of the best movies I’ve seen in capturing a city. Aside from that, I found there isn’t too much to hold on to. We follow Cléo as she awaits a cancer diagnosis. But she’s pretty helpless throughout the movie. I enjoyed watching, but I’m more excited to check out some of Varda’s other work.
Grade: B

25th: Late Night – Nisha Ganatra (2019)
Watched at home with Gioia. I thought the movie was a little shaky at first. It’s not especially funny. I think you struggle to like Emma Thompson’s character for a while. And I didn’t latch on right away to Mindy Kaling’s character. I think the movie really picks up as it goes along though. When the show starts succeeding in the second act it’s really fun. Moreover, I think the way they intertwined so many of the stories and tensions really paid off at the end. I thought the ending was really successful and arguably the best part of the movie.
Grade: B- / B
Late Night – Nisha Ganatra (2019)

25th: Set it Up – Claire Scanlon (2018)
A four-movie day? You bet! Gioia and I watched this after Late Night. Surprisingly, this was my favorite of the day. I thought it was a really charming, smart romantic comedy. Now, I’m not exactly an expert on the genre so I can’t say if it’s truly subversive, but it felt smart enough to wink at, acknowledge, and subvert many of the typical tropes. The main and overwhelming reason this movie works though is because of the chemistry and performance of Zoey Deutch and Glen Powell. I’ve rarely liked characters so much in any film. Not to mention that the supporting cast, for the most part, is pretty good too (well, mainly Taye Diggs and Lucy Liu. One of the things I really liked about the movie is how fleshed out the world was. While I didn’t particularly care for the dynamic between Zoey Deutch’s roommates, I thought it was refreshing that they felt they had a real storyline. I thought the workplace situations for both Harper and Charlie did this much more successfully. The movie definitely wasn’t perfect, but I really, really liked it.
Grade: A-
Set it Up – Claire Scanlon (2018)

26th: Water Lilies – Céline Sciamma (2007)
Watched at home. I haven’t been this blown away by a first film in a while, maybe ever. In a lot of ways, it does what I am hoping to try to do in my screenplay. That it does it so stunningly is both reassuring and pretty intimidating. Sciamma is able to capture adolescent sexuality so stunningly. It is sympathetic and sexy. It feels how you felt in these moments. I think for me, and maybe for everyone, there is a level of discomfort. These are like 14-year-olds after all. Still, the film doesn’t feel exploitative or gross which I think is an incredible accomplishment. I really can’t get over how good this film looks and sounds. It really is one of the best movies I’ve seen.
Grade: A
Water Lilies – Céline Sciamma (2007)

27th: Tomboy – Céline Sciamma (2011)
Watched at home. Sciamma is incredible! She is rapidly becoming my favorite filmmaker. Tomboy is just as good as Water Lillies. It may even be better. I’m amazed at the type of actors and performances she gets. I thought it was impressive with adolescent aged actors in Water Lillies. The main characters here are between 6-10. And they’re amazing. There’s so much compassion in her films. It’s overwhelming. As I was watching, I had the sensation that this was a fun, feel-good movie. Which it really isn’t. It’s so painful and sad. Still, Sciamma portrays her characters with such care it’s hard not to feel affection toward the film. Nothing captured this better than the relationship between Laure and her sister. It’s so tender and sweet. It’s heartbreaking that she so willingly embraces Laure’s identity when everyone else cannot. I really am blown away. I’m sure I’ll be watching Girlhood tonight.
Grade: A
Tomboy – Céline Sciamma (2011)

29th: Paddington – Paul King (2014)
Watched at home. What a remarkable movie. I laughed, I cried, I cried laughing. I really couldn’t help myself. This movie is just so overwhelmingly delightful without ever being saccharine. What I think really sets this one apart, even from great family movies, is how smartly it was designed. All of the characters have great features and personalities and something that ties them into the tension of the movie. It’s so simple and yet still so hard to do. Mr. Brown is overly cautious, Judy is insecure, Paddington is clumsy. These things originally set the characters apart, but ultimately, and seamlessly, bring them back together. What this movie has to say about humanity and indirectly immigration is remarkable. Man, I just loved it. I cannot wait for Paddington 2.
Grade: A
Paddington – Paul King (2014)

30th: Paddington 2 – Paul King (2017)
Watched at home with Gioia. Okay, so this is supposedly like the best-reviewed movie of all time. Does it live up to it? Yup! It’s everything that made the first film so delightful and charming, plus an incredible Hugh Grant performance. It’s so moving at the end too. It really is just a perfect movie. My only request is for Paddington 3 to be a film in which Paddington just has shenanigans with the Browns and nothing bad ever happens. Thanks.
Grade: A
Paddington 2 – Paul King (2017)

31st: Force Majeure – Ruben Östlund (2014)
Watched at home with Gioia. It is dark. I haven’t seen this bitter of a comedy in a while. It’s really well done. The things said and not said by the two lead characters are brutally funny. I also thought the movie looked quite good. There aren’t many skiing movies. It’s a beautiful setting. I was especially impressed with how the “avalanche” incident was shot. The movie hinges on it. It is surprising, confusing, terrifying, and ultimately not damaging. As the characters try to explain it later, you realize as a viewer you’d have a hard time explaining exactly what this incident was. I don’t think there’s a whole lot to knock this movie for. It’s a little too bleak for my taste, but that’s a personal thing. Judged against what it sets out to do, it’s pretty brilliant. We’ll see how the American remake is.
Grade: B / B+
Force Majeure – Ruben Östlind (2014)