Inside Llewyn Davis. I liked it but I feel like I was missing a little something. It’s just not the Coen way to get super sappy. Can’t help but see this movie as the two of them trying to work out how they’d carry on without the other. I’d rank this one third out of their movies I’ve seen, behind No Country for Old Men and Fargo and way ahead of The Big Lebowski.
The Neon Demon. If divisiveness was Refn’s goal, it seems he delivered. Lots of hate and eye-rolling for this one, and I get it to a degree (especially when the director is kind of a troll). But I liked it. I appreciated Lauren Wilford’s perspective. Movies are not just the stories they’re about, but also the way they are about it. Gotta make space in the world for demented fever-dreamy impressionist movies, too.
Bone Tomahawk. It’s a western and a horror film. I shouldn’t have to sell it more than that, but I’ll add that it has a script that just blew my mind. So funny, so sharp. There’s some thematic richness, too, in how these characters (all pretty well-drawn) manage what they face together (some, uh, seriously horrific stuff – fair warning). So pleasantly surprised with this movie. I need a rewatch!
Arrival. I loved the short story collection that this movie draws from. I wish they’d played the extremes just a bit more. Maybe get even more nerdy with the science/linguistics, and even more fragmented/playful with the chronology. Can’t have everything, though. It’s about as good an adaptation as you can ask for that’d still get wide release.
Moonlight. Loved it. Broke my heart many times over. One of my 2016 favorites.
Bølgen (The Wave). With disaster films, you pretty much know what you’re getting into. This one delivers on all the beats you want – peaceful daily life with the foreboding undercurrent; the guy who has a spider-sense about what’s coming; the family drama; the series of traps and mishaps. These can only get so good, but it holds up its end of the deal. This could make a nice double-feature with Force Majeure.
Halloween. It holds up!
Sicario. As visually awesome as you’ve heard. Blunt and Brolin are great as usual, fine, sure, but Benicio Del Toro is probably in my top 5 all time?
Robin Hood: Prince of Thieves. As always, good company elevates everything, so live-tweeting the movie took a fun story to another level.
Chimes at Midnight. Kinda exhausting.
Jack Reacher: Never Go Back. Disappointed. There is some charm in its weird parent-comedy moments, but missed the mark for me. Still a big fan of the first one.
Hush. There’s a pretty bullshit moment near the climax but it’s mostly pretty fun. I had a few shouting-at-the-TV moments, which is mostly what I’m looking for in this kind of movie.
Kubo and the Two Strings. Absurdly gorgeous for stop-motion animation. I’m so impressed. The plot drags at times, but always dazzling in some way or another.
Fantasy, even when it’s rooted in practical details and doesn’t involve any metaphysical impossibilities, is the hardest genre to pull off, for the simple reason that life is interesting. A drama or a comedy that sticks close to experience has the intrinsic virtue of documentary—and, as with documentary itself, less is usually more.
In “Collateral Beauty” and “Passengers,” Two Tales of Gaslighting – The New Yorker
Hell or High Water. A western family heist movie that has it all: quiet moments, comedy, high-stakes action, strong relationships. One of the best of the year.
Man of Tai Chi. Good fightin’. It’s rare that martial arts movies work in some good grappling and wrestling, but it really takes this one to another level. This makes a nice pairing with 99 Homes – about a hero’s incrementally ignoble choices leading to self-destruction. Filed under: Keanu Reeves, martial arts
99 Homes. A tale of greed and selfishness. I think the lead’s motivation is borderline too irrational to hold up, but you never know. Wasn’t expecting so much from Andrew Garfield, but he’s legit. Shannon is the king.
The Ides of March. I don’t think I remember a single thing about this one. ¯(ツ)/¯ Seems like a shame, with Hoffman, Giamatti, Tomei, and Wright on the cast.
Eastern Promises. It’s fine!
Gone Baby Gone. Second viewing (I like my first write-up). One thing I hate in this movie is how a disfigured villain character distances us. Seems like kind of a weasel move. You see similar in True Detective, which also really bothered me. So much of the series lingers in mundane evil and violence, and then… the final villains are freakshows. Lame. I suppose it’s a bit different here with the denouement, but the earlier raid still gets under my skin.
Mark Larson 