2023 Movie Log: April

1st: Jeanne Dielman, 23, quai du Commerce, 1080 Bruxelles – Chantal Akerman (1975)
This film, in every fiber of its being, is a magic trick. It’s utterly hypnotic. I have never seen a movie so confident in its being. It only works because of the time and space Akerman lets the audience live, sit, and think with this character, and yet she never loses control over the audience or the film. If she were alive, and explained the thought process behind each frame of the film, I really don’t think I’d be much closer to understanding how it all works.
Grade: A

1st: Meshes of the Afternoon – Maya Deren, Alexandr Hackenschmied (1943)
I also had this ranked as the 16th greatest film of all time. Happy to see that Sight & Sound agrees with me.
Grade: B

1st: The Fugitive – Andrew Davis (1993)
Well thank god Harrison Ford was sporting a beard at the beginning of this. Never would’ve been able to disguise himself otherwise.
Grade: B-

4th: Akira – Katsuhiro Otomo
Wyclef Jean voice: Akira Akira.
Grade: B-

22nd: Beau is Afraid – Ari Aster (2023)
Ari Aster’s Babylon.
Grade: B+

Author: Samuel

Big fan of TV, movies, and books. Even bigger fan of maniacally recording my thoughts on them in the desperate and inevitably futile attempt to keep them in my memory forever. View all posts by Samuel