Can You Ever Forgive Me? - A film that accomplishes an impressive balancing act, tackling a rather sad and depressing story for drama without ever becoming depressive, all while mining the absurdities of that story for humor without ever becoming comedic. McCarthy and Grant are fantastic. B+
Suspiria (1977) - I liked this movie so much it made me angry that I’d never seen any Argento films. The mix of music, color, and movement is absolutely hypnotic. A-
Suspiria (2018) - If you’re expecting it to be the same as the ‘77 original, you’ll be disappointed, but if you’re expecting it to be the same, why even watch? There are some similarities of course, the basic premise, but also the beautiful (witches’) brew of spellbinding cinematic viscera. How this is accomplish marks one of the bigger differences, though - many have pointed out the striking difference in use of color (though I’d argue Guadagnino’s approach is just as distinct in that regard as Argento’s but in a different way), and the larger focus on the dancing. Ultimately, however, the biggest discrepancy is that of scope. Argento’s film is a nightmare fairy tale, while Guadagnino’s is a nightmare epic. Guadagnino not only gives more space to the supernatural mythology, but also brings in a larger political element. The effectiveness of the latter is up for debate (I go back and forth), but the thematic purpose it serves justifies it, at least in my mind. This isn’t merely a horror film about surviving a dance academy that’s secretly a coven of deadly witches, it’s a real drama about punishment, guilt, and dealing with oppression. Will everything make sense after a first viewing? Almost certainly not. But the good news is the film will crawl into your brain, and remain there until you can’t help but go back for more. A
Outlaw King (2018) - I’m not sure if I fully understand where things went wrong here, it seems like everything was in place for a great film - talent behind and in front of the camera, with a gripping story to tell - and yet this is definitely not that. This feels very much like going through the motions of what this kind of film should be, except they skipped all the parts where they make me care about what’s going on. Still, it’s pretty, and the action’s good, and you can’t not love Chris Pine. C+
Boy Erased (2018) - A powerful story, told in a way that wisely avoids sensationalizing, which makes the most dramatic moments all the more effective. Still, while everything here is competent and compelling, it feels there’s something missing. The final portion of the film makes everything about Hedges’s character’s relationship with his parents, and yet for the rest of the film this thread feels like a subplot at best. Could’ve done with more of that, but in the grander scheme of things I must say I’m glad stories like these are being told. B
Overlord (2018) - I didn’t go in expecting all that much, but this film grabs you right away in throws you into what works surprisingly well as a legitimately serious and dark war movie, with the bonus of a little sci-fi horror thrown in later. Honestly my biggest complaint is, as much as I enjoy Bad Robot’s high production value B-movie style when it comes to the more outlandish elements here, it’s sort of clashing with the actual straight-faced horror of the Nazis and their war. That said, the stakes feel very high throughout, and the action hits hard. Truthfully, there isn’t much more you could want from a movie like this. B+
Police Story (1985) - Jackie Chan movies are something of a blindspot for me that I’ve been slowly trying to remedy. I have to say though, after this one, I’ll probably speed that process up considerably. B+
Nausicaa of the Valley of the Wind (1984) - When it comes to cinematic blindspots, Miyazaki is probably my most glaring. And yet, I can’t help but be thankful for that, when I see a film like this (an instant favorite) and knowing there’s more like it to come in the rest of his filmography. A