Promising Young Woman (2020) directed by Emerald Fennell

Although a movie might appear humorous or satirical on the outside, often the best films are so dark in nature due to their embrace of reality. Emerald Fennell's Promising Young Woman is just that: a darkly twisted look at the way society takes advantage of women. This film is one of the most powerful and needed stories of this entire year and one that I have been waiting to see for months now. Fennell's direction, the dark turns, the performances, and the editing are only some of the best parts about this film and they all work together in such marvelous ways to create a revenge thriller that is not soon to be forgotten. Even though I had some issues with the lack of revenge action that this movie seemed to promise, I was still thoroughly entertained by the fantastic writing and filmmaking prowess that every cast and crew member involved seemed to show.

Working at a coffee shop since dropping out of medical school, Cassandra (Carey Mulligan) is also constantly working to get revenge for a friend of hers from her past. She goes to bars and acts like she is too drunk to walk and when men take her home to take advantage of her, she sets them on the right path. When Cassie meets Ryan (Bo Burnham) and starts to genuinely fall in love with him, she is forced to reconsider her goal and the revenge she is seeking. Emerald Fennell's writing and direction may be what made me most excited about this film but while I still ended up loving it, there were some issues I just could not get behind. My main problem with Promising Young Woman is that it never quite gives its audience the action, excitement, and revenge drama that its trailers so brilliantly advertised. I was expecting one of the most brutal and revenge-fueled thrillers of the year but the unexpectedly slow direction and meticulous character building took me for a turn. Not to say that the choices Fennell made were bad by any means but this is just one of those typical cases of a film not really being what its marketing makes it out to be. I found Fennell's direction very slow and careful and while that could have been good for the characters or their motivations, a lot of this film started to feel empty. I was frankly a bit bored throughout this movie as Cassie begins her investigative revenge and the major plot points definitely take their time to be laid out. However, while I was preparing myself to be disappointed with this film, the third act and the accompanying last fifteen minutes or so were just exquisitely dark filmmaking. This film takes a twist that I could only dream screenwriters and directors had the gall to take every now and then and while I was initially scared of what was to happen to these characters, the ending plays out like clockwork. I loved the cathartic ending of this film and how beautifully Fennell wraps up this story in a powerful, little package.

The socially powerful message that this film carries would not have been executed nearly as well, however, if not for the performance from Carey Mulligan. She absolutely rocks this movie with all of her might and embodies the role of Cassie better than anyone I could ever believe. While I have almost always only seen Mulligan in supporting roles, she truly deserves more leading roles because if nothing else, Promising Young Woman is proof that she can handle that. The way that Mulligan gets into this role and personifies the trauma, distress, and desire for revenge that her character exhibits is just fascinating and she does so in such a subtly powerful way. Mulligan is undoubtedly the best part of this movie and she is able to hoist up the talent around her as well. Bo Burnham is fantastic in his supporting role and while I have been a fan of his comedy and directorial efforts for years, this role is one that I would have never seen him in. His role takes a turn for the type of character that he is playing and I loved seeing the transition in his acting. I don't really think I have ever seen Burnham in a narrative film role before but he takes his character of Ryan and runs with it in ways that I was compelled to keep watching. The technical elements of this film were solid too and while the cinematography was fairly decent, the editing from Frédéric Thoraval was spectacular. This movie is broken up into five different sections of Cassie's revenge plan and the way that they tie together in the end is just masterful. The title cards used throughout this movie to signify the different sections may seem corny at first but their existence is entirely justified by the film's end. I loved how Thoraval cut together this movie and even though no flashy techniques or tricks were ever used, he knows exactly when to linger and when to cut and so many scenes throughout this film are the epitome of perfect timing. While I am still a bit disappointed that this film was not as violent or purifying as I had believed, there is still a lot to love about it and Fennell undeniably crafts one of the most original stories of 2020.

Promising Young Woman is one of the year's best films and one that many (myself included) will be happy to know pretty much lives up to its dark promises. I have had in my head for months now what I thought this movie was going to be (I would still like to see this version) and even though it was not really anything like that, I still loved what I ended up getting. Mulligan and Fennell are an unstoppable force and I loved seeing them tell this story with such ferocity that could not have been done with anyone else. Unfortunately, I don't think this will emotionally reach as many people due to its release plan but its message is clear and told powerfully enough that it deserves to be heard by everyone.

My Rating: ★★★½

Another Round (2020) directed by Thomas Vinterberg

No matter who tries to regulate it or who is opposed to its consumption, alcohol is one of life's greatest bonding substances. It can give people confidence, it can loosen people up, but best of all, it can bring people together. All of this is made abundantly clear in Thomas Vinterberg's Another Round, which is one of the most positive depictions of alcohol that I have ever seen in a film. The way that this movie portrays the consumption of the drug is unabashedly glorious and really focuses on how it brings together this group of best friends. The performances throughout this film are spectacular, the editing is so meticulously timed, and the use of music is just right. Never would I have thought that a film about maintaining a constant level of drunkenness would be this life-affirming but along with the glorious direction from Vinterberg and his warm, welcoming script, he is able to make one of the best films of the year.

Worried that his life and career are becoming too stale, high school history teacher Martin (Mads Mikkelsen) tests a theory with his friends Tommy (Thomas Bo Larsen), Nikolaj (Magnus Millang), and Peter (Lars Ranthe) that humans must maintain a constant blood alcohol level of at least 0.05%. As the three of them go about their lives consistently tipsy, they begin to push the limits of what they can do as their social and professional lives are at stake. Thomas Vinterberg's script is such a positively awesome double threat throughout the entirety of this story because while it is primarily about the real danger of modern alcoholism, it's also about the friendship and bonding that the substance can bring. This film's portrayal of alcohol is so welcoming and warm that it makes for an atmosphere almost as fuzzy as your body when you actually drink. I loved how Vinterberg takes the idea of alcohol throughout all of his characters and incorporates it in their lives somehow. Every character felt completely fleshed out and fully developed, which is a rare thing for a drama of this capacity. Alcohol plays such a large part in telling these characters' stories and the way it courses through not only their blood but through their social lives is written wonderfully. Seeing these characters go through trials and tribulations with their relationships, jobs, and each other is fantastic to see, and writing them as almost trials of this experiment is genius on Vinterberg's part. One of this film's greatest strengths, though, is that it was produced and written in Danish and Swedish. The European attitudes towards alcohol are obviously much laxer and more understanding than that of America and this film proves that a story like this could never be told positively if it were an American-produced movie. I just adored the positive outlook on alcohol and how it makes for a fantastic environment at times. I am so grateful that this film exists to tell this story and in such a positive light above all else.

I am ashamed to say that I have not seen much with Mads Mikkelsen before but his performance in this film is just beyond anything I could have expected. He proves to be one of the best and most underrated actors of his generation and I was completely enthralled seeing him in this role. I could never take my eyes off of him (not just for thirst reasons) and his character continued to be more and more captivating scene after scene. Mikkelsen portrays some of the most astounding emotions for this kind of character and I loved seeing how well he embodied those feelings. The supporting performances from Larsen, Millang, and Ranthe were just as phenomenal and they are all able to play their characters with identifiable ease that is hard to come by amongst cinematic performers. The charisma and energy that they all share is just great and their chemistry together on screen is what truly makes this story feel believable. Along with Vinterberg's writing and direction that bring these characters together to form this positive story, the editing from Janus Billeskov Jansen and Anne Østerud cuts their stories together in the most compelling ways. Chronological time in this film exists in such an interesting way because the editing never quite lets the audience know exactly how much time has passed during this group of friends' experiment. Instead, the editing lets the performances and direction tell those details, and the way Jansen and Østerud let the story play out by itself is just fascinating. The use of title cards, graphics, and hard cuts to silence are all so effective but one of the greatest moments in this movie are its final 10 or so minutes. By the time this story has begun to come to a close and its characters are seemingly wrapped up, Another Round takes a turn for the better. Even after an unfortunately sad plot point that occurs right in the film's third act, the uplifting and undeniably upbeat ending of this film felt so deserved. This is one of the most cathartic endings I have ever seen and thankfully, it did not feel forced or unnatural in any way. I will not spoil anything because audiences just need to experience this astounding ending by themselves but all I will say is that the combination of Mads Mikkelsen, jazz ballet, and a wonderfully original song makes for one of the most satisfying moments in 2020 cinema.

I am still sitting in disbelief as I try and process how much I unexpectedly loved this film but regardless of my personal reaction, Another Round is one of the greatest movies of this entire year. Vinterberg has crafted one of the most welcoming depictions of alcohol in the history of cinema and the way he revolves his entire script around this idea was just fantastic. Just like many others, I have bonded with my friends time after time over alcohol; even though I would never aspire to reach the level that these characters did, though, I was very easily able to connect to the themes of friendship, loss, and struggles for self-confidence. But most importantly, booze.

My Rating: ★★★★★

Ma Rainey's Black Bottom (2020) directed by George C. Wolfe

I think we can all agree that it's about time we start bullying anyone who says that we need more film adaptations of stage plays and this is just one shining example of why. George C. Wolfe's Ma Rainey's Black Bottom is a fairly mediocre movie containing many pieces of what would potentially make a favorite of mine (jazz music, great performances, Chadwick Boseman) but really fails to bring them all together in a satisfying, cinematic way. The elements that did stand out, including the high octane energy of the whole story and the brilliant performances from these two powerhouse performers, are just fantastic and really held this whole film together. However, I could not help but shake the theatrical atmosphere of the film's source material for the life of me and while that could have been a good choice, it never quite worked for me. Even though I was not too on board with a lot of what Wolfe was trying to sell me, I can still see and appreciate why this film is getting so much acclaim.

Ma Rainey (Viola Davis) is a renowned jazz singer known as the "Mother of the Blues" who is trying to record a new album with a white-managed studio. When she goes into the studio to record, she must deal with her management, artistic differences, and a brashly ambitious trumpet player named Levee (Chadwick Boseman) that challenges her every move as the two fight for creative supremacy. This script, written by Ruben Santiago-Hudson and adapted from the stage play of the same name by August Wilson, is a bit lacking when it comes to really delving deep into its characters. The premise that a jazz singer and her horn player are at odds can make for a lot of fantastic tension and I believe that this conflict really only works best on stage. If I were to have seen this film in a live, theatrical setting, I would have appreciated the story a lot more but seeing this tale play out on a screen just did not quite do anything for me. Santiago-Hudson tries his hardest to adapt this story into an exciting, jazz experience but the lack of background and knowledge of these characters makes me care about them a lot less. This is a shame because the two leads and the supporting band all have interesting enough backgrounds to explore but Santiago-Hudson never really goes there beyond the standing conflict between them all in the studio. Wolfe's direction does not do this story any favors either because it felt like it was stuck in a weird sense of staginess that it never dared to escape. If a filmmaker is going to adapt a stage play into a film, I truly believe that they should either dive headfirst into making the film seem as much like a play as possible or go the complete opposite direction and make the film an entirely new approach. Ma Rainey's Black Bottom felt like it was smack dab in the middle of those two and because of that, felt very awkward in its blocking and scene staging. Extended sequences throughout this film felt like they were done in one take and honestly, some 1917-esque shooting techniques would have made this film a lot more engaging theatrically.

The late and undeniably great Chadwick Boseman is the definite highlight of this entire film and his performance alone deserves all of the recognition that it is getting. He embodies this role of Levee better than anyone, including me, could have ever imagined. The charisma and energy that Boseman brings to his performance is astounding and really cements him as one of the most talented performers of our day and age. Even though I was only mildly invested in Ma Rainey's Black Bottom, I am so glad that this film could have been Boseman's last. Not only does he make it his own and steal every scene that he occupies but he really gives the role his all and it functions as an astounding reminder of his late talent. The performance from Davis as Ma Rainey was just as awe-inspiring and her turn as the great jazz singer is mesmerizing to watch. She practically disappears into her role and makes her titular character's presence incredibly known. Both of the leads' performances were great and the supporting cast, including Colman Domingo, Glynn Turman, and Michael Potts were all great as well but I can't help but feel the lack of timelessness to this story. I guess that I am just tired of seeing black performers almost exclusively play roles where their characters are experiencing some kind of oppression or racial conflict because this film did nothing to go against that. Yes, these stories will forever be important to the culture and memories of us all as a people but I am just exhausted of seeing them used as Oscar bait. There are so many genuinely interesting and original black stories out there being made every day and I just wish that studios would give more voices a chance. However, any excuse for Boseman and Davis to flex their talents and for me to listen to some absolutely incredible jazz is always a good time and for that, I am glad that the musicality and technical prowess that this film showed was so prevalent. I don't think this will be one of my favorites of this year for any reason but it was definitely not a complete waste of my time.

Ma Rainey's Black Bottom is a serviceable film but works to send off Chadwick Boseman in the best form possible: a grand performance in what may be one of his best roles. This film is really nothing I feel like I would need to revisit because I knew exactly what it would be within the first act or so and frankly, I am a bit disappointed that this was not as marvelous as I had believed it would be. I loved the performances from its leads and the classic, jazz atmosphere that Wolfe is able to build but as a whole, this movie was just fine. Which is all it really needed to be.

My Rating: ★★★

Lawrence of Arabia (1962) directed by David Lean

AFI Top 100: #7

Well, this was certainly a much more boring film than I would have expected for being one of the most renowned American classics of all time. David Lean's Lawrence of Arabia is a bit of a struggle to get through: not only because of its unnecessarily extended story but because of its slow direction and how little I cared about the protagonist. One of the things that gets pounded in your head from the moment that this film starts, though, is how absolutely beautiful this movie is, so much so the point that I feel like these filmmakers were just basking in it. I can clearly see why this film has become such a classic over the last 60 years but its dated choices and genre setting clearly puts it as a product of its time. While I can appreciate everything that this movie has done for the art of epic filmmaking and boosting the careers of its cast and crew, I just had a really hard time getting into this one.

T.E. Lawrence (Peter O'Toole) is an English lieutenant known for his comedic side and lighthearted approach to life. His military decides to send him to Arabia to unite and lead the contrasting Arab tribes during WWI in order to fight the Turks in that particular country, while he must also grapple with so many different people, conflicts, and faces of war while he tries to accomplish his expansive mission. This script, written by Robert Bolt and Michael Wilson, adapted from the autobiographical writings of T.E. Lawrence himself, is one of my main issues with this entire film. The hero's journey is typically supposed to take an audience through conflict, drama, and renewal for a certain character, all the while making viewers care for this protagonist. This can and has obviously been played with for countless movies and almost every film plot has this idea of a "hero's journey" in some way. What Lawrence of Arabia doesn't do, however, is make me even care about the titular hero. Discussions about the white knighting of this movie aside (which there are plenty), I just could not get into the character of Lawrence at all or what he was trying to accomplish. This film takes such a long time to establish the motivations of the characters and what their end goal even is that I constantly found myself asking what was going on. Perhaps I am just not big-brained enough to understand the political and mental implications of Bolt and Wilson's script but as much as I tried, I could not get invested in what they were trying to sell me. The character of Lawrence is an iconic, historical figure that deserves to have his story told but maybe not in a film that is upwards of 4 hours long. There was simply not enough conflict that Lawrence went through or personal drama which made me even care about his journey in the slightest. This definitely fits the approach of these kinds of epic war films, however, because as popular as they were at the time, I really don't see them being able to be successful nowadays. I'm honestly surprised that this film has become such a classic because, with other films of the time like Ben-Hur and Spartacus, both of which are vastly more exciting and entertaining, I just can't see Lean's film competing.

The direction from Lean is far too spacey and as much as I hate checking the timecode as to not ruin a film's experience, I couldn't help it with this movie. I can not come up with a single reason as to why this movie had to be more than, say, two and a half hours but stretching this story into almost four was one of Lean's worst mistakes. Not only did it test my patience even more but I just genuinely do not think this script has enough solid substance to constitute the overly long runtime. Lean lingers on some scenes throughout this film for way too long and I was just so utterly bored in stretches of this movie that I found myself losing touch with what was going on. The pacing from Lean is just not my style and I had a hard time feeling for anything these characters were going through but if there is one thing for certain, it's that Lean and cinematographer Freddie Young know how to shoot a movie of this scale. A film this epic in size almost requires vast cinematography to capture that feeling and these two do it extremely well. I was in awe of this whole film and nearly every shot could be a painting. If nothing else, Lawrence of Arabia is a technical masterpiece and one that really deserves that title because of its camerawork. The long, sweeping shots of the arid desert paired with some incredible close-ups (that are so unafraid to make the audience drown in Peter O'Toole's eyes) made for such an amazing visual experience and one that makes it clear how beautiful it must have been to see this in theaters upon its release. The lead performance from O'Toole was also fantastic and he embodies this character with such an energy that I could not help but fall in love with him. The humor and lightheartedness that Lawrence displays throughout the movie were spectacular and O'Toole was the perfectly charming leading man to helm this character. So many of this film's pieces are wonderful and the way they work together makes it clear why this movie has such a legendary reputation attached to it. Even though I could not get into the story as much as I desperately wanted to, I can not deny that this whole, visual story was a treasure in itself.

More like BORE-ence of Arabia, am I right? Anyway, now that I've gotten that out of my system, I just want to reiterate how utterly dull this entire experience was for me. David Lean's Lawrence of Arabia is a technical masterpiece and one that looks and sounds better than any other film I have seen from this era. I was constantly astounded by its beauty but appearance can really only go so far when there is not enough material to match and I could definitely classify this film as style over substance. I tried my hardest to at least enjoy myself watching this movie but it only proved to be harder and harder with each passing minute.

My Rating: ★★★

Standing Up, Falling Down (2020) directed by Matt Ratner

Having middlebrow expectations for a film like this is something that is honestly very important to keep in mind and I'm glad that I did because if they were any higher, I would have been disappointed. Thankfully, Matt Ratner's Standing Up, Falling Down lived up to everything that I thought it would be while I enjoyed myself every step of the way. From the performances to the cute story to the predictable but nevertheless emotional plot points, this little film is one that I'm glad I ended up finding time to check out. I may never have experienced any profound impact from its story nor will I honestly remember much of what happened throughout the film but I am happy regardless knowing that I spent 90 minutes very well. And of course, anything that Ben Schwartz stars in, I will happily support because that man's career is one of the most interesting things to me and I love being able to see him thrive in different areas.

Standup comedian Scott (Ben Schwartz) moves back in with his parents after not being able to sustain a career in Los Angeles. It's back home where he meets Marty (Billy Crystal), a dermatologist who is a bit more off-the-rails than one might think. While the two of them strike up an unlikely friendship, they also bond over their successes and failures as both people and to the family around them. This script, written by Peter Hoare, is very very solid and I really enjoyed every little decision that he made. The plot beats might be a bit expected and hit on the emotions that anyone could expect about a friendship-based story like this one but Hoare does it very well. I really liked the distinct personalities that he gives to Scott and Marty and these two characters are able to play off of each other very well. Writing Scott as the younger but somehow more put-together character in the relationship between him and Marty was an interesting choice and while Scott was never too great on his own feet, the things that the characters learned from each other were just saccharine. Both Scott and Marty were such genuine characters and really felt a lot like people we all know, whether it be the person with the failed entertainment career, awkward drunk, or anything else. There was never anything outwardly wrong with the story Hoare writes but a good handful of the subplots were never fully explored. Standing Up, Falling Down ends on a sweet note but leaves a lot of small questions about the characters unanswered. This film also brings up plot points incredibly quick without any prior explanation. These are my only little gripes with the movie, as it could have used more logical reasoning but it still worked overall. Ratner's direction is honestly nothing too extraordinary but he makes it clear that he is able to handle this story in such a short and sweet way that I, for one, could never complain about. Honestly, all movies should be 90 minutes or less and if there's one thing that this film does right, it's that it never tries to be more than it needs to.

The performances from Ben Schwartz and Billy Crystal are really what liven up this film and elevate to a whole other level of watchability. The story itself is great and I could relate so much to a lot of the feelings felt by these main characters but those feelings were made even greater by these two actors. Crystal was expectedly great and practically brings a light to every movie that he is in with his energy and charisma. He is also able to really lock down the dramatic side of his character while embodying the struggles of an older man left to deal with the life he wrecked. As good as Crystal is in this film, I was really taken aback by Schwartz. He has been one of my favorite comedians and artists since his days on Parks and Recreation and I have continued to follow his career with awe because of how diverse his work seems to be. While he typically ventures more on the comedic side of storytelling, it is just wonderful to be able to see him flex the rest of his talents. In fact, I don't think I've seen much dramatic work from him before but Standing Up, Falling Down was really such a grand exhibition of the rest of his talents. Schwartz is so much more capable than I previously believed of spearheading a film in a lead role and this movie just goes to show how great he is in all kinds of genres of storytelling. I also liked how surprisingly brash this movie was with its use of humor. Perhaps that comes from these two leads being masters in their humorous fields but the comedy throughout this movie was actually downright funny. Combining Schwartz's obvious love of classic, cultural nostalgia (I am wholeheartedly convinced that the Howard the Duck gag was his idea) with Crystal's classic, comedy tropes prove to be such a great pairing and one that I never would have predicted could have worked so well.

Standing Up, Falling Down is one of 2020's littlest surprises yet one that I still found myself enjoying from start to finish. Schwartz and Crystal are just magic together and I could have watched them get high and talk about their crumbling lives for hours on end. I genuinely enjoyed this movie more than I should probably give it credit for but if there's one thing I like doing, it's supporting independent filmmakers. It's so nice having one of these little movies that are practically impossible to not enjoy and having the added bonus of the cast and writing is just a delightful thing.

My Rating: ★★★½

Black Bear (2020) directed by Lawrence Michael Levine

Writer's block is one of the worst mental conditions possible for a creative and never would I have thought that a filmmaker could write and direct a story that so accurately portrays that. Lawrence Michael Levine's Black Bear is a fantastic pseudo-thriller that is not at all what you would expect. I went into this film with a general idea of its premise (and the fact it featured Aubrey Plaza did not hurt either) but left with such a wide perspective on how someone could materialize the idea of writer's block. With some absolutely stunning performances from its leads and different styles of editing and cinematography that course through this film's veins, I was entranced by every minute of this. Its darkly comedic and deeply psychological take on such a seemingly innocent thing is what makes this film so compelling; while the twists Levine takes in this story will undeniably turn audiences off, I was mesmerized by what he was trying to say and could not take my eyes off the screen during the entirety of this incredible movie.

Allison (Aubrey Plaza) is an indie filmmaker who is traveling to a secluded cabin in upstate New York to clear her mind and get a fresh start on writing her new film. Her hosts, domestic couple Gabe (Christopher Abbott) and Blair (Sarah Gadon), are initially thrilled to have her but as the first night goes on, the tension and hostility between them all escalate as the line between reality and fiction begins to blur. There will be mild spoilers regarding the plot structure ahead so be warned if that is not something you want to read. It is practically impossible to talk about this film without at least mentioning its biggest perplexity. Part one of this film begins with Allison at Gabe and Blair's cabin and the story continues for about 40 minutes until a terrible accident occurs. Part two then immediately kicks off, as the same actors are placed in the same cabin as the same characters but their roles are entirely reversed and they all seem to be working as part of a film crew. This incredulously massive shift in the plot took me by complete surprise and even after the film ended, I was still reeling on what exactly had happened. Black Bear takes no prisoners with its jarring twist and it is one that I initially hated due to how unexplained everything was. There are many films that are ambiguous for ambiguity's sake and while I was fearing that this film was going to venture into that realm, I was so surprised at how it all came together. The writing and direction throughout this film from Levine are just spectacular and I was so engaged with every line spoken from the actors' mouths. Whether or not Levine is actually a great writer or I was just laser-focused on where the film was going is still up in the air but no matter what caused my attention span to spike, it accomplished it very well. His direction is fantastic, though, and while the first chapter of this movie was uneasy right off the bat, it continued to be so until the beginning of chapter two. The second chapter is very hectic and is able to hit a lot more comedic beats than the first but Levine still transitions between the two with ease. The story takes some big risks that might not pay off for everyone, as it still has me thinking about it, but if there is one certain thing to say about this puzzle-box of a film, it's that it will inspire some discussion for a long time to come.

While the tangible plot of this film is very difficult to initially get invested in, once you do, it is all worth it. Levine's writing also does a great job of manifesting writer's block into a physical idea. The appearances in this film from the titular black bear are meant to signify Allison's writer's block and eventual completion of her film's idea. This is a very abstract take on the idea of writer's block but I feel like Levine did such an amazing job of putting that frustrating mental state to the screen. And it would not have been portrayed so excellently either without the performances throughout this film. Plaza, Abbott, and Gadon are all amazing in their roles and their dark, mystifying presences really add to the general discomfort of the film. Plaza in particular is just the perfect casting for this type of story. Her trademark, deadpan style of humor fits the character of Allison to a tee and really helps to bring out the darkness of her character. Luckily, that is not the only side of Allison the audience sees and we are able to see Plaza embody the more emotional and mentally heavy side of her character just as well. Plaza is absolutely a powerhouse talent and just brings another layer of mysterious talent to whatever role she occupies. The cast throughout Black Bear all work together to make it so incredibly interesting and baffling at the same time but I also really loved the shift in technical methods. The first chapter of this film is shot and edited in a very distinct tone but clearly shifts as chapter two begins. The cinematography from Robert Leitzell and editing from Matthew L. Weiss were phenomenal and while chapter one was slowly paced but deliberately timed, chapter two was much more frantic, almost in a documentary style. I loved this change of technical form in both the camera and post and it really goes to show how much detail down to every last cut Levine wanted to include in his puzzling but deliciously good time of a film.

Black Bear is one of the most puzzling movies I have seen in years but one that really pays off the more you ruminate on it. Only watching this film once might be a viewer's biggest mistake but besides that, who wouldn't want to watch two more hours of Plaza and Abbott? I really wish I could say that I recommend this movie but in all honesty, I can not. This film takes such a niche, unique approach at physicalizing writer's block and while I ended up loving the existential take on its story, I'm afraid that the majority of people will not.

My Rating: ★★★★

Sound of Metal (2020) directed by Darius Marder

A lot of movies look really pretty. A lot of movies have creative sound design. And a lot of movies might feature a standout performance that makes the overall bland story worth the watch. However, very rarely does a film absolutely shatter my expectations regarding how well every single one of its technical pieces come together. Darius Marder's feature directorial debut Sound of Metal is one of the most gripping looks at disability ever put to screen. While the writing and direction were downright phenomenal, the lead performance and the sound design that revolves around his character stole every second. Never before have I seen a film so uniquely utilize sound and it could not have been better suited for a story like this. Although this film spoke to me perfectly in this time of my life, as I have been studying sound design for a few semesters, it is hard not to be utterly engaged in this story: so much so that this might just be my favorite film of the entire year.

Drummer Ruben (Riz Ahmed) and his singer girlfriend Lou (Olivia Cooke) are part of a small, heavy metal group touring across the country. When Ruben suddenly starts to lose his hearing and go deaf from all of the extended damage to his ears, he must grapple with leaving behind the musical world he once knew and coping with a new world of silence that seems inevitable. The writing and direction throughout this whole film is something on an entirely new plane of filmmaking and I was constantly astounded by the storytelling choices that were made. Director Darius Marder wrote this film with his brother Abraham Marder and the creative fluency between them is just palpable. Compelling from beginning to end, Sound of Metal wastes no time getting right into the central conflict of this story and takes its lead character on such an incredible and emotional journey. Being a heavy metal drummer is something never taken very lightly and placing Ruben in this role and promptly having him leave it is so decimating to his personal work ethic but it makes this film so interesting. Deaf people and heavy metal drummers seem to be on the opposite ends of the audio spectrum and this made Ruben's transition so, so powerful. He was taken on such an interesting journey that never felt out-of-place or ridiculous.

In fact, one of the greatest things I loved about this film was its examination of feeling like you are a burden to the people that you love. People with disabilities can often feel that way and the writing did such a great job of showing how Ruben dealt with that. Every aspect of the writing of this film felt so authentic and it was never cheesy or exploitative of deaf people but rather approached their disability with grace in a genuinely understanding way. The film also does a wonderful job of contrasting Ruben's desire to fix his problem vs. the deaf community's acceptance of what life has dealt them and this made for such a great inner conflict for our protagonist. Marder's direction was so great for this and while this film starts off with a raucous bang, it beautifully transitions into mostly silent scenes for the entire film without ever managing to lose its steam. The "moment of stillness" motif that pulses throughout this film is such a great, personal thing to include when talking about the subject matter and I just adored how Marder tackled it overall.

Riz Ahmed's performance as our lead character is out of this world and his range of acting talents is put on full display here. When hearing about the premise of this film, one might think that the lead character would be very angry and full of resentment towards the world, spending the entire runtime as a grouchy asshole who continuously destroys the life around him. However, while there are definitely those moments of ire that Ruben feels, Ahmed's performance as a whole is so versatile and genuine that I found it hard to believe that he wasn't actually deaf. On top of Ahmed learning the drums and sign language months in advance for this film, his full-bodied performance throughout the movie just goes to show how talented of an actor he is, as he can really make his characters appealing to any audience. I genuinely felt bad for Ruben at multiple points throughout Sound of Metal and while the writing had a lot to do with that, Ahmed was the biggest catalyst. He really embodies this character's struggles and emotional turmoil/handling of the situation better than I would have expected and he just dominates this film. Along with some excellent, supporting performances from Olivia Cooke and Paul Raci, the simultaneous frustration and embrace of fate shown by these actors and actresses were amazing and their dedication to the emotional side of this story was stupendous.

The cinematography and editing were solid too but the sound design is what really makes this film stand out amongst the rest of its technicals. The many different perspectives of Ruben's hearing are what made up this sound design in its entirety and the focus on making the film sound like what he hears was just a masterful choice. Going back and forth between an able-bodied listener and Ruben's changing perspective was just magnificent and it really puts one into his shoes to make one feel as if they are experiencing what he is at that moment. The use of bass boosting, scratchy audio, and pure silence only touch the surface of techniques that these brilliant sound designers used to make the audience feel Ruben's pain and I was so enthralled by every choice they made. Just like in many films, this movie capitalizes on the knowledge of how powerful silence can be. Throughout many moments of this movie and especially in the final shots, silence plays such a deeply emotional part that I could not help but be blown away by. Sound of Metal just goes to show how impactful filmmaking can be when there obviously exists that personal touch. This masterpiece of sound design not only manages to ground its story in an emotional state but it brings along its audience in the most spectacular forms possible.

Sound of Metal is exactly what I'm looking for in cinematic storytelling: a grounded and emotional story with meticulous technical details to really enhance the film's experience. I went into this movie with very high expectations after hearing so many raving reviews and this does not happen often but my expectations were actually surpassed. I already see myself rewatching and studying this film over and over again and Marder's use of sound to make this already riveting story even better just proves how masterful he already is at his craft. It's quite a shame that this was a streaming release because this film deserves the theatrical experience more than any other movie of this entire year.

My Rating: ★★★★★

Butch Cassidy and the Sundance Kid (1969) directed by George Roy Hill

AFI Top 100: #73

Sorry, Easy Rider. Sorry, Midnight Cowboy. Sorry, The Wild Bunch. But there is only one classic film from 1969 that I have genuinely enjoyed from start to finish and that would be George Roy Hill's Butch Cassidy and the Sundance Kid. I don't know if it's something wrong with me but I had yet to find a film released in that year often hailed as a classic that I wholeheartedly believed until now. This film is such a fantastic take on the western genre and one that is almost wholly responsible for creating the buddy comedy. The performances from Paul Newman and Robert Redford are incredible, the cinematography and color choices are wonderfully creative, and the humor blends with the adventure better than most modern films I have seen. I may have had a bit of a problem with some of the direction and pacing throughout the film but all of the previously mentioned elements work together to make one of the most exciting and accessible westerns of its era.

Infamous outlaws Butch Cassidy (Paul Newman) and the Sundance Kid (Robert Redford) run a group of criminals called the Hole-in-the-Wall Gang in the early 1900s. As the two of them lead this gang into pulling heists of local trains, the authorities start to catch on and along with their girlfriend named Etta Place (Katharine Ross), the three of them know what they have to do - escape to Bolivia. Based upon the real story of these outlaws, this script, written by William Goldman, is just wonderful and fluently combines comedy into the biographical aspects of the characters' stories. Mostly based on true events, as stated in the film's beautifully serene opening sequence, this movie takes the legends and stories of these outlaws and puts them to screen in such a fresh way that I was not expecting. I am glad that this movie never really fell into the tropes of the western movie and instead of playing off of stereotypes, it was a genuinely unique and interesting take on the genre. Goldman's writing was fantastic, full of humorous one-liners and some amazingly dramatic moments, and this plot never really slows down, which was incredible. The only issue I had with this movie was the direction from George Roy Hill. Since the writing, performances, and technical aspects practically dominate the movie, I could never really feel a distinct, visual style from Hill. Any classic western director could have helmed this and I honestly would have believed it but I specifically had a problem with Hill's pacing. The film itself was so hilarious in many parts and so dramatic in many other parts but combining those two pieces were often times awkward. There are stretches of nothing happening throughout this film that definitely could have been hurried a bit more and many moments of strange silence that offset the humorous tone Hill was trying to establish. While he did well with making Butch Cassidy and the Sundance Kid a great mix of comedy and drama, I still think that the audience could have done without certain scenes in order to really get the story moving.

Along with the wholly original take on this genre, the performances from the main cast and all of the technical choices made throughout this film were just delightful. Newman, Redford, and Ross are all spectacular in their roles, and the chemistry that they all share was so grand - especially between Newman and Redford. Their characters may have been the typical "brains and brawn" dynamic but this movie was really responsible for creating this buddy-comedy genre as well. The two of them prove to be just magic together and make for easily some of the funniest scenes I have ever seen from a film of this time. The two of them were hilarious but Ross's presence as the grounded plot-device character was just as important and while she could be easily dismissed as one of the stereotypical, forgettable women characters, Ross elevates Etta into being just as important. Since Butch Cassidy and the Sundance Kid is based on true events (or so we know), the translation from real life to the silver screen was done beautifully and incorporated some fantastic, creative choices. The transitions throughout this film were great and the use of sepia-tone film for the prologue and transitions were gorgeous. I also very much enjoyed the "real" footage style that Hill opted to use for Butch, Sundance, and Etta's travel to Bolivia. Since there are no known stories or evidence of how they got there, Hill's creative liberties went into full play, as he makes that entire sequence just splendid. The cinematography from Conrad L. Hall was also a big part in making this film stand out from the rest of its often bland genre. His use of movement in the camera was incredible to see and the way he pans and zooms for the sake of the film's many comedic moments were such great choices. Hall is able to tell a funny, visual story through the use of his camera, and being able to do that alone made some of the best gags in the entire film. The more and more that I got through this film, the more and more I realized how special it was going to be and almost every element of this film was executed to make the overall experience unlike any other western I have seen.

George Roy Hill's Butch Cassidy and the Sundance Kid is one of the best westerns I have ever seen and combines comedy with its dramatic plot in such a way that I was genuinely engaged the whole time. Newman, Redford, and Ross are all fantastic together and I adored the unique way that the film was shot. Not only is this film one of my dad's favorite movies, but I am so glad that when I watched it with him that I actually loved it from beginning to end. This movie will definitely be in my mind whenever someone asks for a western recommendation and I really believe that anyone who says the western genre is boring should do themselves a favor and check this out.

My Rating: ★★★★½

Hillbilly Elegy (2020) directed by Ron Howard

I'm not quite sure when people are going to realize that Ron Howard is not a very mindful director but hopefully, this film will be an absolute wake-up call. Hillbilly Elegy is one of the most mindless and insufferable movies made this entire year and one that will, unfortunately, be a favorite among Oscar voters come 2021. This film has no real sense of purpose and no real sense of what it wants to say and goes about this nothingness in the most morally circumventing fashion. Not only was Howard the vastly wrong choice to helm this story but almost every technical piece seems to have worked against him when bringing this story together. The performances are shoddy and cheap, the editing actually breaks up any semblance of pace that was trying to be established, and the cinematography was just plain boring. There are some genuinely good films out there with real stories to tell about growing into success out of a hard life in the South but this movie is definitely not one of them.

J.D. Vance (Gabriel Basso) is a Yale law student who is brought back to his Appalachian hometown when he finds out that his mother Bev (Amy Adams) is in the hospital. After coming back, he is forced to reevaluate and reassess the generational relationships he left behind, including with his grandmother Mamaw (Glenn Close) and sister Lindsay (Haley Bennett). Let's start right off the bat: if there is one thing I thought that this movie could at least execute, it would be competence. Putting the questionable morals and work ethic of Vance aside, there is nothing stopping this film from just being a bland, competent, success story with enough dramatic plot points and performances to warrant a good film. That is what Hillbilly Elegy really could have been and even though we all would have forgotten about it within weeks, Howard and screenwriter Vanessa Taylor take this story in such a dissatisfying direction. Based on the autobiography from Vance himself, this film tries its hardest to be a portrait of American life from the perspective of an Appalachian family and while I'm sure his book covers that to some degree, this film had absolutely nothing to say. Apart from blatantly and cheaply inserted scenes showing how life is like in the South, this movie says nothing about the kind of home Vance grew up in. The writing surrounding his relationship with his mother and grandmother was so broken and there was never a sense of purpose to their interactions. There is plenty of family and drug-related drama to keep this film moving but the constant dogpiling of plot points further confused me. No real reason for Bev's drug addiction was ever explored, no real reason for the maternal abuse was ever explored, and no real reason for Vance's academic success was ever explored. Taylor never writes plot points that make sense together and it feels like she just took bullet points from Vance's novel and loosely structured them into what she thought would be a passable story. The main issue with films like these is not even that they don't have anything new to say but that they refuse to take a stance on anything. Howard and Taylor had a lot of opportunities to critique Vance's upbringing and how it made him into who he is today but they instead go the safe route of saying absolutely nothing.

Ron Howard is really just showing his weaknesses at this point and while there are plenty of excellent films throughout his body of work to be proud of, movies like Hillbilly Elegy are starting to take over what he is known for. His direction throughout this film is incredibly misinformed and more scattershot than it should have ever been. There never seems to be an order to the movie and for something as easy as a three-act structure, it never even felt like that was attempted. Every dramatic and supposedly climactic scene would escalate to a ridiculous, unexplained level and then de-escalate like nothing had happened. This happens an ungodly amount of times throughout the already too-long film and there was nothing for this drama to build towards. The editing from James Wilcox contributes to this aimless form of storytelling because the flashback scenes contrasted with the current day scenes never had any real reason to be connected. Editing is supposed to take scenes and drive a story forward but I never felt that with this movie. And like I said before, Howard never tries to take a stance on this often riveting story of Vance. He could have used his novel as an opportunity to criticize Vance's upbringing and how it created him into the public speaker and venture capitalist that he is today but instead opts to go the emotional route but fails immensely. Howard is almost known at this point for his "nice-guy" sense of filmmaking and this general tone was not the right choice for the direction of the story. He never chooses what he wants to do with the film and never lets his audience know what he thinks of Vance and dancing on this middle ground does nothing for either the audience's appreciation for the subject matter or for Howard's talents as a filmmaker. The performances from Adams and Close were pretty abysmal and it honestly hurts me just to type that. They are both some of the most talented and respected actresses in the game for many reasons and it is such a shame to see them go all-out for an offensive and meaningless script such as this one. Both of their performances just felt so plastic and over-the-top and perhaps that's because the rest of the film didn't match up to their talents but it made them appear even worse. Basso and Bennett were *fine* in their roles but something about the energy Adams and Close exuded just never sat right with me. Along with the casual, unwarranted racism and unnecessary amount of screaming, Hillbilly Elegy is just a magnificent failure at anything that has made Howard's previous work at least adequate to the average audience member.

The last thing I would ever want to say about an Amy Adams and Ron Howard collaboration would be that it's superficial but oh god was this superficial. Hillbilly Elegy has no reason to exist outside of its original, novel format, and I feel like if anything, this movie is a warning to any venture capitalists out there who think their story is anything special. Audiences don't want to see your whiny upbringing. Audiences don't want to see your current vanilla life with nothing worthy of complaining about. And above all, audiences do NOT want to see the magnificent talents of Amy Adams and Glenn Close wasted on a script like this.

My Rating: ★½

Dreamland (2020) directed by Miles Joris-Peyrafitte

Okay listen, if I was an impressionable young man living during the Great Depression with nothing to lose, you can bet your ass I would go anywhere with Margot Robbie regardless of what she might have done. Miles Joris-Peyrafitte's Dreamland is a surprisingly solid, little drama and one that continued to entertain me despite its obvious downfalls. This movie takes every turn one could expect it to take and never really tries to stray from its own, beaten path. However, for a film that almost solely focuses on a Dust Bowl romance and has every right to be grimy and boring, this movie is genuinely filled to the brim with awesome stylistic choices. So much of the direction, editing, and cinematography were just phenomenal and while I could definitely tell these crew members were not working together very well, it almost becomes a sort of beautiful mishmash. This film has every right to be bad and to many, it will be, but this movie had just the right amount of creative complacency for me to enjoy.

Eugene Evans (Finn Cole) lives with his family on a small homestead during the Great Depression. When their community finds out that wanted criminal and bank robber Allison Wells (Margot Robbie) is passing through town, the manhunt for her begins but not before Eugene has a firsthand encounter. He ends up sheltering her from the police and while the two of them grow closer and closer, Eugene winds up falling more into her lifestyle than he could have ever bargained for. This script, written by Nicolaas Zwart, contains so many great parts but also fails to really deliver on anything incredibly original. Dreamland goes about its story in the most expected and safe ways possible and while going into this film, that is kind of exactly what I had anticipated. Every plot point was predictable, the pacing of when the biggest, dramatic events would occur was easy to tell, and each and every character went about the plot in such a way that it felt like someone fresh out of screenwriting school could have cooked up. This is so painfully true to the point that a lot of the dialogue even felt ingenuine. Of course, this film is set during the Great Depression era and Western folk speak much differently than we do now but a lot of the terms and phrases that these characters used felt very forced, like something out of an old-timey, political cartoon. Thankfully, this never really detracted from my enjoyment of the film and quite honestly, it added a level of goofiness that worked really well. This movie also never really takes itself too seriously and that can be seen in so many choices with the humor, coming-of-age tone, and lightheartedness that was paired with a lot of the action. Yes, many can rightfully compare this film to the classic Bonnie and Clyde but why would anyone want to when the only trait they share is that they revolve around bank robbers? Dreamland takes what made that classic movie so popular and riffs on the genre with its own, lighter set of feet. Another part of the writing that I really appreciated was the way that Zwart flips the gender tropes of this genre and places the character of Eugene into a much more sensitive, inexperienced, and immature role. Seeing Robbie's character Allison become a lover and also a sort of mentor to him in the ways of being a criminal was fascinating to see and I loved this writer's mild, progressive choices.

Within the first few minutes of this movie, Joris-Peyrafitte makes it quite obvious how many different, creative fountains he sipped from before helming this story. This movie's visual style is such an interesting one to explore because there never seems to be one distinct inspiration or style that Joris-Peyrafitte is trying to emulate. The cinematography from Lyle Vincent was gorgeous and along with many establishing shots, his quicker-than-life movement of the camera was incredibly exciting. There were a lot of camera moves he opted to do that would feel very cheesy or amateurish in any kind of movie, but Dreamland carries that strange quality that always made the camera work. The editing from Abbi Jutkowitz and Brett M. Reed was just as weirdly cooperative as the camera was and so many of the flashback sequences and rapid-fire cuts would stand out in your normal drama fare but worked so well for the blithe tone of this film. While all of these pieces put together might be a bit frantic to follow, I still think it worked for the outlandish story and the chaos that ensued from them working together on-screen could very well be the visual style that Joris-Peyrafitte was going for all along. Accompanying the incredibly unique forms of storytelling were the performances from Cole and Robbie. I have known about Finn Cole as an actor since he has been leading one of my favorite television dramas Animal Kingdom and seeing him in something wildly different was such a nice change of pace. He is one of the most unknown and underrated actors that I have seen working today and I really think he deserves a bigger role to push him into the spotlight. Then again, I think he would also dominate really well in a smaller-budget environment, and that way I could continue to enjoy the work he does without fear of him becoming overexposed. And just like practically all of the films that she does, Margot Robbie disappears into this role and really makes the best of her character. Allison Wells might not be the most compelling case study for a character ever written but Robbie is able to hold her own incredibly well. Like I said before, this film is not going to be everyone's cup of tea but for me, every element worked together to make it a decently fun waste of just more than 90 minutes.

Miles Joris-Peyrafitte's Dreamland is that rare film I feel like no one else has any strong opinions on but one that I am not at all disappointed I paid a bit of money to rent. Cole and Robbie are just fantastic together and along with the wonderful cinematography, editing, and production design, this film ended up being much better than I actually expected. While there are and always will be more unique and more original takes on this kind of outlaw story, I am pleasantly satisfied with what I got in this film and would strongly recommend it to any other fans of the genre.

My Rating: ★★★½

Freaky (2020) directed by Christopher Landon

The slasher genre desperately needs a reimagining and thank god for Christopher Landon for being the one to hopefully set it on the right path. Freaky is not the best horror film ever made nor is it the most creative but there is something so hopeful and downright fun about almost everything that Blumhouse puts out. This film is no exception and it proves to be such an outright delight in every sense of the word. The idea taken from Freaky Friday is actually something that I am surprised a horror film has never done before (or if one has, I have not heard of it) and Landon tackles this premise with ease. From the performances to the unabashedly goofy writing, this film knows exactly how to play with its genre in the best ways possible. I might not have been as much of a fan of this as other people it seems like but if there is one thing for certain I can agree on, it's that Vince Vaughn needs to do more genuine horror.

Unpopular girl Millie (Kathryn Newton) is always ridiculed at her school for being unlikable and a bit awkward. The night of the homecoming football game, she is caught by her small town's fabled murderer, The Blissfield Butcher (Vince Vaughn), and after being stabbed by a mystical knife, the two of them switch bodies. Millie then has to go to her friends for help, as they realize she only has 24 hours to get her body back. What I have been absolutely loving about Christopher Landon's films is how he takes previously established and very well-known premises and completely flips them on their heads with a horror-comedy twist. While Happy Death Day might be the best example of this, taking the "over-and-over again" idea of Groundhog Day and throwing in a murderer in the mix, Freaky takes the body-switching theme of the Disney classic and incorporates the murderer as one of the main characters. This is such a radically original idea and one that had so much potential for twists and turns that the audience wouldn't be able to see coming for miles. However, while I do think the idea was executed very well by Landon's direction, it ran out of steam very quickly. The first fifteen minutes or so of this film is spectacular and really gives this movie its drive, as the slasher elements reared their head quite immensely. There are some excruciatingly painful and creative kills throughout this entire film but most are used right off the bat in the beginning. The very opening prologue is really the only time I would classify this film as a slasher because once the body-switching plot point happens, it becomes almost entirely a comedy. This isn't necessarily a bad thing but I was expecting a much stronger blend of the two contrasting genres and I was a bit disappointed when the film played out exactly like I thought it would. The story itself becomes really predictable and I feel like Landon did not utilize nearly enough creative potential that this premise had. There are some genuinely good moments that capitalize on the characters switching bodies but neither the horror nor the comedy sides were prevalent enough to make a huge impact on me. Which sucks because this kind of movie is very much my shit.

From the trailers, it was obvious that the biggest draw of this entire film was going to be Vince Vaughn, and just as I expected, he was undoubtedly the best part. Vaughn's performance as the killer and then as Millie trapped in his body was absolutely spectacular and he embodies both much better than I could have predicted. Vaughn as the Blissfield Butcher was fantastic and his massive build and frankly intimidating demeanor make for a perfect movie murderer and one that I feel like he should be getting more roles for. Vaughn as Millie, however, was just as great and his dainty, bodily movements paired with the painfully stereotypical, teenage lingo was just wonderful and made for quite a hilarious time. This really was the perfect vehicle for Vaughn to thrive in and while there were some moments in here that I would never guess Vaughn would be comfortable doing, he really goes all-out for us and shows no restraint. Newton was astounding too and while her initial character of Millie was practically just your conventional white blonde, the transition into a killer was great. A lot of moments in Freaky are very over-acted, including Newton's transformation into the butcher but if anything, it showed off how talented she is with nonverbal acting. I have seen her in a few, minor roles before but she really gets the chance to shine throughout this whole film. The technical pieces of this movie were never really anything special, but the editing, cinematography, and music choices all played along decently well to make this teenage horror-comedy into something pretty unique. Landon is starting to make a name for himself when it comes to his satires of the horror genre and as long as he keeps putting out products like this, I will happily pay money to see whatever he makes next. There are plenty of better examples of horror-comedies that parody the genre but for what it's worth, Freaky stands on its own as an adorably fun addition to the genre that is worth watching just for the kills alone.

Christopher Landon's Freaky is not one of the most memorable or remarkable horror-comedies to come out of the last few years but it is just wonderful enough to make for a fun experience. Vaughn and Newton are absolutely fantastic in their roles as each other (?) and I am so glad that we are able to get a cute and fun film like this to pass the time. It's no Happy Death Day, that's for sure, but there is just enough substance in this movie to make me want to watch it again. And like I said, cast Vince Vaughn in more horror because he deserves a fun resurgence more than anyone.

My Rating: ★★★

The Lord of the Rings: The Fellowship of the Ring (2001) directed by Peter Jackson

AFI Top 100: #50

Catching up on massively beloved franchises that I have never experienced before is always one of the most rewarding things for me and even though this was my first time seeing Peter Jackson's The Lord of the Rings: The Fellowship of the Ring, practically every expectation I had was met AND surpassed. This film is one of the most astounding sci-fi/fantasy stories ever made and might just well be the most faithful adaptation of an epic in modern cinema. There are so many aspects to adore about this film, from the devoted performances to the thrilling storytelling to the absolutely stunning visuals and there is frankly nothing that I (or anyone for that matter) could suggest to change regarding how impactful this story is. I have never been too into medieval content or anything along the lines of novel-based fantasy but I have a strong feeling that is going to change. This is the best start to a franchise I have ever seen and along with the perfect blend of heart, humor, and action, this might be the start of my new addiction.

In Middle-earth, there exist twenty rings, one of which belongs to the evil entity Sauron (Sala Baker), who devotes his life to corruption. Gandalf the Grey (Ian McKellen) has entrusted a young hobbit named Frodo (Elijah Wood) and his group of allies to take Sauron's evil ring to Mount Doom to destroy it and along the way, he must endure some of the most terrifying and mystical trials to ever exist. Adapted from the classic novel by J.R.R. Tolkien, this film contains one of the most heartfelt and genuinely exciting stories I have ever seen. The script, written by Fran Walsh, Phillippa Boyens, and the director Peter Jackson himself, is absolutely wonderful and perfectly captures the inspiring sense of adventure that radiates throughout this entire film. As we start the film with an amazingly ominous prologue, the audience is able to get a great sense of the world that we are about to uncover and Jackson sets it up incredibly well. Traversing throughout the film, however, is the best part, as the script flawlessly maneuvers from drama to fantasy to wonder to comedy without ever missing a beat. This film actually had a much more lighthearted tone than I expected and even in the most dramatic or dire of scenes, I felt like there was an airiness to it that I genuinely appreciated. Too many fantasy and sci-fi films take themselves too seriously but with The Lord of the Rings: The Fellowship of the Ring, Jackson knows how to perfectly balance the tone of this story. He never lets the film get too serious but also never pretends like the story is to be laughed off and this embrace of joyously fantastical storytelling pays off quite handsomely. Jackson's direction was just spectacular and he paces this film with ease as his cast of characters journey from one distinct location to the next. The heart of this film, however, lies in its characters and while the cast itself may be enormous, it never felt overwhelming with how much diversity there was in the characters' backgrounds. I think that the very ending of this film speaks to just that because simplifying the story down to just Frodo and his friend Samwise (Sean Astin) while the rest of the characters go about their subplots is an absolutely stellar way to continue this franchise into its final two installments.

If there is one thing about this film that I have known about for years now but was not allowed to speak on due to me not having ever seen it is the visuals. Fantasy films are almost required to be interesting to look at but I feel as if too many, even from the time period around 2001, rely far too heavily on one technique. Either the entire film feels fake due to the overuse of CGI and computer animation or the entire film feels amateurish and cheap due to poorly designed costumes and sets. The Lord of the Rings: The Fellowship of the Ring, however, strikes the perfect balance between the two to make this universe as visually pleasing as all hell. The costuming throughout this film is wondrous and it was so mesmerizing to see how every character really had their own unique style. I could tell every race of mystical character apart very easily and the absolute range of costumes and set design build this world better than I would have ever believed. The computer side of the visuals is what really impressed me, however, as the CGI and VFX absolutely blew me away. It is no wonder why this movie has become so renowned for its visuals and at this point, it is practically a baseline for what your fantasy-adventure film should look like. Although I still do not think many other films have achieved the level of artistry and pure care that this one has, it is still flabbergasting to see how well this film has held up. The performances from the entire cast were also fantastic and it is so rare that a cast as big as this all get along so well and all actually seem like they are happy to be there on set. The performances from Wood, Astin, and McKellen were stupendous and while this film is also occupied by the talents of Cate Blanchett, Orlando Bloom, Sean Bean, Christopher Lee, and John Rhys-Davis among others, it was great seeing them all so devoted to their parts. This cast is one of the best ensembles ever assembled and the sheer passion that can be seen in their performances just truly cements how much better a film can be when it's made by a bunch of nerds.

The Lord of the Rings: The Fellowship of the Ring is an undisputed work of pure art whose three-hour runtime flies by like no one's business. Peter Jackson has undoubtedly made a name for himself for a reason and with this franchise, I really believe that he might be one of the best fantasy filmmakers to ever have lived. Even though I have never been too into the fantasy genre, this film has undeniably helped to change my mind and I can thank Jackson for that as well. Now all I need to do is devote myself to watching the extended versions if I ever want to call myself a TRUE fan.

My Rating: ★★★★½

Ammonite (2020) directed by Francis Lee

I tried my hardest, guys. I REALLY tried my hardest not to compare this to Portrait of a Lady on Fire but when a film like Francis Lee's Ammonite is as tenderly made as it is and focuses on a period-piece romance between two women, it is very hard not to see the comparisons. For many reasons, though, I really don't think that Lee's film has come even close to the mastery of the genre as Céline Sciamma's masterpiece. This film is a very well-acted and gorgeous-looking story that touches on just about every element a romance film needs in order to be effective but for the life of me, I was just never sold on any bit of it. The chemistry between the two leads was practically absent and while the sex scenes were definitely... a choice... I just could not get myself to care about their romance in the slightest. It's quite a pity, actually, because when you have two amazingly talented performers and a masterful crew who obviously know what they are doing, it's a shame to have it all go to waste on an unmemorable and frankly fetishized film like this.

Paleontologist Mary Anning (Kate Winslet) works along a shoreline in 1840s England, running a shop with her mother Molly (Gemma Jones). When a man named Roderick Murchison (James McArdle) stops by, he proposes that his wife Charlotte (Saoirse Ronan) learn from Mary in order to give her something to do because of her melancholia. After time spent together, Mary and Charlotte soon discover a romance deeper inside themselves just waiting to happen. It would seem almost impossible for a film starring Saoirse Ronan and Kate Winslet to be bad because these two incredible artists are so at the top of their game and this film could have been the perfect vehicle for them. Their performances are the best parts of this movie and they each give so much energy towards their characters that really shows how mature and skillful their careers have become, especially Ronan. Seeing them on screen together, however, was where I began to have issues. The chemistry between these two is just plain awkward and I don't believe that they were the best together for this film. Individually, they absolutely rock but when their characters' stories begin to intersect is when I just had a really hard time feeling anything. This is mostly due to Francis Lee's writing and direction, which is honestly the core of Ammonite's problems. There is nothing outwardly wrong with the way that this story plays out and Lee even shows great handling of the romance genre but his writing just felt inappropriate for the time period and tone that this story was trying to go for. There is a weird veil of humor throughout this whole movie that I couldn't help but feel was incredibly corny and so many of these moments undercut what should have been a more emotional beat. This strange comedy that pulses through the plot's drama did not fit too well and I just think that Lee had a very hard time deciding the direction for this film. Lee also includes some offensively obvious symbolism throughout this film that nearly made me laugh in the theater. From Charlotte's wedding ring falling off before her and Mary's first kiss to Mary literally eating hard-boiled eggs after going down on Charlotte, I just did not appreciate the direct, thematic approach that Lee takes with so many choices in this film, as they only made the tone more bewildering.

The direction that Lee takes with this story is highly predictable and it's never really a good sign when I can tell early on in a film exactly what is going to happen. All of this movie's emotional beats and story developments are laid out very early on and are never really given much time to develop themselves. Because instead of telling the potentially beautiful story that was right in front of him, Lee spends too much time on the eroticism of his characters. The romance between Mary and Charlotte never felt earned and their stories just felt mashed together for the sake of a relationship between the two. The proceeding sex scenes that happened between them were also quite strange, to say the least, and I just could not get past the fact that they were written and directed by a straight, white, man. I would never say who is right or wrong when it comes to sexuality and sexual behavior but these scenes just felt fetishized to the extreme and I still do think it's important to remember that it was Lee writing and directing. I was a bit uncomfortable with those sequences and although Ronan and Winslet have stated in interviews that they felt comfortable with each other and what they were doing (which is great! It's how sex scenes SHOULD be conducted), I never felt like they were earned at all because of the lack of genuine chemistry and textual romance. However, despite the fact that this story and its accompanying romance almost felt undeserved and unfinished in its entirety, it was gorgeous to look at. If nothing else, the cinematography from Stéphane Fontaine paired with the sound design was just exquisite and made Ammonite feel gorgeous. Fontaine is able to capture the dreary atmosphere and still life of England in this time period very well and his utilization of closeups was just great. I could feel every rock surface that Mary climbed and hear every little scrape of her cleaning tools and thanks to this film's technical departments, I was at least able to enjoy the visual storytelling that I was watching unfold.

Francis Lee's Ammonite is a forgettable and unremarkable romance film that has so much potential going for it wasted on the skewed vision of a male filmmaker. It might sound like I am absolutely bashing on this movie (which I am!) but it's important for me to remember not to discredit the work of all the people on set. There are so many incredible elements that make this film look and sound amazing but at the core of its story is where I find too many faults to ignore. I hate to make comparisons like these, especially between two films released very close together but Ammonite is just the result of a straight, white, man who saw Portrait of a Lady on Fire and thought "hey, let me try!" And just as is the case for many generations of film and its particular genres, the French have done it far better.

My Rating: ★★½