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My Week(s) in Reviews: April 12, 2024

The Greatest Hits (Ned Benson, 2024)

With a concept like this one, The Greatest Hits should've been a shoo-in for my favorite movie of 2024, so far. Sadly, this was a bore, missing the mark with just about every decision. First off, the cast is just so dull. I should've fell head-over-heels for Lucy Boynton, but nope, I barely cared at all about her heartbreak and journey. But it's the writing and direction that really doomed this one, filling it with rushed sequence after awkward sequence fueled by the most shrug-worthy needle drops I've probably ever experienced in a film about music and forced chemistry that never once feels natural in its progression. - 4/10

The First Omen (Arkasha Stevenson, 2024)

It doesn't have the 'holy shit' kind of ending that Immaculate has, but I'd say that The First Omen works better as a horror film, overall. The mechanics are just more effective, and the stakes feel significantly more cataclysmic. Plus, the body horror stuff in here is awesome, and the cast as a whole is fantastic. Especially Bill Nighy and the too briefly featured Charles Dance. - 8.5/10

Enjoy!

-Timothy Patrick Boyer.

#film #the first omen #the greatest hits #movie reviews #my week in reviews #movies #movie #cinema #film review #horror movies #romance movies #new movies #2024 movies

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My Week(s) in Reviews: March 29, 2024

Immaculate (Michael Mohan, 2024)

Fantastic vibes. Great use of setting. A borderline powerhouse performance from Sydney Sweeney. And a third act that had me on the edge of my seat begging for them to take it further, "c'mon, you can do it, keep going, go f*ckin' nuts" and it actually listened. I do wish they took it even further, and had done so throughout the entire film, but this one delivers. - 7.5/10

Dream Scenario (Kristoffer Borgli, 2023)

Nicolas Cage is fantastic, but the story pissed me off way too much to actually like the film beyond Cage's performance. Dude's entire class needs to be sterilized so they can never bring even weaker, bigger pussies into the world. I know my reaction to these things mean it's a successful film, but I don't care about that. I want nothing to do with any of it. Except Cage, the world could always use more Cage. - 5/10

The Hunger Games: The Ballad of Songbirds & Snakes (Francis Lawrence, 2023)

A completely forgettable, unnecessary addition to a franchise that I generally really enjoyed. Not necessarily bad - at all - just incredibly forgettable. Also, not nearly enough Jason Schwartzman. - 4/10

Love Lies Bleeding (Rose Glass, 2024)

Katy O’Brian delivers a complex, interesting performance. Kristen Stewart was good, but often feels miscast. Ed Harris is a perfectly slimy scumbag. Things end up getting significantly too weird for its own good, but Rose Glass handles even the most off-the-rails weirdness well enough to make the movie still mostly work as a whole. - 7/10

Damsel (Juan Carlos Fresnadillo, 2024)

This is a movie that exists. I actually really quite enjoyed all of the Millie vs. the Dragon stuff in the cave. But once it tries to get bigger than that, I kinda checked out. - 6/10

Bottoms (Emma Seligman, 2023)

Why didn’t anyone force me to watch Bottoms before now?!? I really needed a comedy one night last week, so I watched it on Prime and holy f*cking sh!t(!!) this movie is so far beyond funny. Really… I was NOT prepared for the outrageous, ridiculous, damn-near-murder-me levels of hilarious that this movie is. So amazing. Why isn’t this already this generation’s Mean Girls?!? - 9.5/10

Enjoy!

-Timothy Patrick Boyer.

#movies #film #bottoms #immaculate #love lies bleeding #the hunger games: the ballad of songbirds and snakes #my week in reviews #dream scenario #damsel #movie #cinema #film review #movie reviews

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My Predictions for The 96th Academy Awards!!

It’s Almost Time!! The Oscars are tonight!

As always, these are my predictions, not necessarily what I want to win. That list would look different in places (mainly the technical categories), but overall they'd be pretty damn close. I did go with my gut rather than logic on some, including Lead Actress, because Emma Stone delivered a performance we'll remember for years, and while Lily Gladstone was damn good, I've already mostly forgotten it.

Despite my being excited for Robert Downey Jr. finally winning an Oscar, I can't lie and say I wouldn't be excited for a Mark Ruffalo upset in Best Supporting Actor. And really, no matter how badly I want my numbers be better than ever, I’ve always got my fingers crossed for shockers of almost any kind. This year it’d be pretty awesome to see Poor Things take Adapted Screenplay and Costume, and for The Zone of Interest to take Sound. Barbie stealing Production Design off of Poor Things wouldn't be a terrible thing, either.

Anyway, there they are. Who do y’all think will take home an Oscar tonight??

Enjoy the Show!

-Timothy Patrick Boyer.

#movies #film #oscars #academy awards #awards #best of 2023 #movie #cinema #oppenheimer #poor things

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My Week(s) in Reviews: March 9, 2024

My brain is already on the Oscars, so these may be even quicker than usual...

Dune: Part Two (Denis Villeneuve, 2024)

I too would immediately forget Zendaya exists the second Florence Pugh walked in the room. Aside from some issues with the pacing that are probably rather nit-picky (some scenes felt rushed while others seemed to draaaaaag), this was a technical beast. Once again, the casting is just stellar, and the cinematography and VFX are straight-up stunning. Crazy cult-leader-villain Rebecca Ferguson is always the best Rebecca Ferguson. (I'd follow Rose the Hat to the depths of hell.) This is a much more action-heavy piece compared to the first, and it's significantly better for it. The chosen-one stuff is interesting, but not as interesting as the struggle for control over Arrakis. Really, the only things I really didn't love were those pacing issues and the fact that Florence Pugh & Christopher Walken didn't have more screen-time. Yeah, not much else to say, specifically. - 9/10

Nimona (Nick Bruno & Troy Quane, 2023)

Had a bunch of fun with it, but the changes made from the graphic novel really weren't for the better, and the movie Nimona is significantly more annoying. - 7/10

Hypnotic (Robert Rodriguez, 2023)

Awful. Terrible. Truly embarrassing on every single level. What's even worse, is that the entire cast seems to know this, and watching them try to make sense of their garbage decisions and dialogue is so, so painful. - 1/10

Wonka (Paul King, 2023)

I had a few minor issues with some of the songs and several decisions Chalamet made, but overall this was pretty damn delightful. In general, the cast is having a blast in the most entertaining and interesting way possible, and King knows how to deliver a visually exciting family film. I really wish we didn't lose him for Paddington 3. - 8/10

I also revisited some other Villeneuve films. Dune: Part One in prep for the second one... which I enjoyed significantly more this time around. Then the night after seeing Part Two, I did a double feature of Sicario and Blade Runner 2049. Sicario is every bit as good as it was the several previous times I'd seen it. It's truly a masterful piece of cinema. Blade Runny 2049 wasn't quite as good. It's still pretty damn amazing, but there were some pacing issues that were significantly more apparent this time around. I also revisited David Fincher's Se7en as a palate cleanser after Hypnotic. So damn good, every single time. Then I followed Wonka with the masterpiece that is Willy Wonka & the Chocolate Factory. Thankfully, this decision didn't make me enjoy Wonka less like I'd worried it might.

Also, I'll be posting my Official Academy Award Predictions either sometime later tonight or tomorrow afternoon. Stay Tuned!

Enjoy!

-Timothy Patrick Boyer.

#movies #dune: part two #wonka #nimona #hypnotic #film #my week in reviews #movie #cinema #film review #movie reviews #etc.

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My Week(s) in Reviews: February 24, 2024

Oops, got distracted...

The Last Voyage of the Demeter (André Øvredal, 2023)

Unnecessary. And worse than that, boring and completely fogettable - 2/10

Reptile (Grant Singer, 2023)

Benicio Del Toro is unsurprisingly great, and the film itself maintains just the right tone to allow the obvious twists to work for me. I enjoyed it more than I thought I was going to. - 7/10

Next Goal Wins (Taika Waititi, 2023)

Its heart is in the right place, but I just don't think there was actually enough here for a full movie. Also, Michael Fassbender looks like he's sleepwalking in exactly the wrong way and those shoe-horned moments with Taika are just so damn awful. - 5/10

Thanksgiving (Eli Roth, 2023)

Kinda fantastic. I know, I was surprised, too. It's not nearly as amazing as the trailer made for Grindhouse, but Roth keeps the kills as over-the-top while delivering a really fun, extremely modern slasher. The killer was my first guess, but I liked that the film actually had me leaning in other directions before we got to the reveal. I'll gladly go see the sequels. - 8/10

Enjoy!

-Timothy Patrick Boyer.

#film #movies #my week in reviews #movie reviews #film review #thanksgiving #eli roth #the last voyage of the demeter #reptile #next goal wins #movie #cinema #etc.

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My Best of 2023: My Top 10 Films!

Finally! It’s time for My Top 10 Films of 2023! 2023 was another weird year for me in terms of film. As usual, I had a few I championed, but, yet again, a lot of the big guns didn't land the way I'd expected or hoped. As a quick reminder -  My Top 10 Films isn’t necessarily a list of the ‘best’, or ‘my favorite’, but rather a mix of the two that takes both sides of the A&E into as equal consideration as humanly possible. Definitely keep that in mind, especially the fact that how re-watchable each film is weighs in significantly. So, in terms of all that, this list nails my 2023.

First, here are some Honorable Mentions (in no real order), most of which spent at least a little time in the Top 10: Jonathan Glazer's The Zone of Interest (which really deserves that 10 spot, but it's about as far from re-watchable as it gets); David Fincher's The Killer; Sofia Coppola's Priscilla; Kelly Fremon Craig's Are You There God? It's Me, Margaret.; and Takashi Yamazaki's Godzilla Minus One. Any of these could easily claim that 10 spot on another day. As for Martin Scorsese's Killers of the Flower Moon? Sorry, y'all, but it barely cracked my Top 20. No matter how incredibly well-made it was, it was still a solid hour too long. And worst of all, it felt it!

Okay, without further ado, here they are…

My Top 10 Films of 2023!!

10. Danny & Michael Philippou's Talk to Me

Damn. This was fantastic. I’m still really pissed I missed it in cinemas. Such a super creepy, perfectly executed premise fueled by surprisingly good performances and genuinely terrifying moments, throughout. I especially love that it never heavily relies on jump-scares and just how brutal these spirits get. The desperation and hopelessness of the third act is just the cherry on top.

9. Greta Gerwig's Barbie

Hilarious. Bold. Heartwarming. And not at all subtle. Margot is perfection, which doesn’t always work in the film’s favor, but it knows and acknowledges that, and becomes more interesting by doing so. Gosling is hilarious and interesting and delivers one of the most absurdly audacious performances of the year. Gerwig’s vision, here, is dazzling not only in its use of practical effects, but also its brazen approach to the film’s message.

8. Christopher McQuarrie's Mission: Impossible - Dead Reckoning Part 1

Tom Cruise is out here doing the important work in a time when said important work is more essential than ever. This is a big-screen spectacle of an action film with exciting fights and chases and stunts that get more and more impressive, wild and outlandish throughout. As to be expected from the franchise, the cast all deliver rock-solid performances, and McQuarrie’s work behind the camera is every bit as good as Fallout, despite Fallout still probably being the better of the two films, overall. The plot, action, and editing here are all perfectly intense, working beautifully together to create a truly jaw-dropping piece of action cinema. Once again Cruise and friends prove decisively that popcorn flicks can be art, too, folks. Big, loud, crazy, fun art. So damn good.

7. James Gunn's Guardians of the Galaxy: Vol. 3

Loved it. Every single moment is earned. The needle drops get better and better and build up to a joyous, cathartic, downright amazing moment at the end. James Gunn directs the hell out of his pitch-perfect script, allowing these characters to evolve in a manner as interesting as it is entertaining as it is organic. The Winter Soldier is still the best single film in the MCU, but this trilogy is its heart and soul. Finally… Cosmo is such a Good Dog.

6. Wes Anderson's Asteroid City

There’s good reason why Wes Anderson is one of my very favorite living directors. Asteroid City is a fine example of pretty much all of them. It’s visually stunning (How the f*ck did that production design not get nominated?!) , superbly acted, and written with as much quirky humor as it is raw emotion as it is perfectly balanced existentialism. I may still not quite be fully sold on the framing device, but all-in-all, this is a purely Andersonian oddity, and I loved every minute of it. Plus, I really want to be friends with that roadrunner.

5. Alexander Payne's The Holdovers

Genuinely hilarious and sneakily heartfelt. The tender moments play out so naturally that they pack an emotional wallop, then the brilliant Paul Giamatti or Da'Vine Joy Randolph lets out a perfectly delivered line that’ll absolutely floor you. And I just love the look of it, every single piece of this film looks and feels like it’s straight out of the ‘70s. So good. Probably my favorite Payne?

4. Yorgos Lanthimos' Poor Things

Despite being significantly overlong, Lanthimos' Poor Things is still just so damn good. I hate that Emma Stone’s odds are going down, as she delivers what will likely remain a favorite ‘til the end of the decade. Mark Ruffalo is also a blast, and is very much the upset I'm hoping for most come March 10. I honestly didn’t think he still had a performance like this in him. Dafoe is magnificently weird, and every time he graced the screen was a treat. Yorgos went off, here. This is probably his best work yet. It’s also one of the most visually interesting films of the year. I absolutely loved how this movie was shot. And it’s very easily better than the book. So, y’know, there’ that too.

3. Dos Santos, Powers & Thompson's Spider-Man: Across the Spider-Verse

A masterful amalgamation of animation styles, narrative ideas and next-level voice performances. As visually breathtaking as it is emotionally ambitious as it is structurally exciting and entertaining. This is the exact type of comic book movie that still has me excited for comic book movies.

2. Wes Anderson's The Wonderful Story of Henry Sugar & Three More

I'm kinda cheating, here, as this is technically a collection four individually released short films, and not the originally planned anthology feature. But I don't care. These are all fantastic; masterclasses in adaptation, blocking, production design and acting, the lot of 'em. I want so badly for Wes Anderson to just adapt Dahl's entire bibliography. Head HERE for my full thoughts.

And The Best Film of 2023 is…

1. Christopher Nolan's Oppenheimer

A truly staggering achievement. As ambitious and bold a biopic as we’ve gotten in a very long time. Nolan understands the mechanics of this man and his story in a way that's so philosophically nuanced, and directs scene-after-scene of characters discussing physics and politics in a that makes it edge-of-your-seat shit.

Thank you for reading!

-Timothy Patrick Boyer.

More of My Best of 2023...

#film #movies #best of 2023 #oppenheimer #the wonderful story of henry sugar #spider man: across the spider verse #poor things #the holdovers #asteroid city #mybestof2023 #Top 10 Films of 2023 #top 10 #guardians of the galaxy: vol. 3 #mission: impossible - dead reckoning part 1 #mission: impossible #barbie #talk to me #movie #cinema #lists #movie reviews #film review #etc.

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My Week in Reviews: February 3, 2024

Only three this week... oh, plus one, because I forgot to include the new TMNT movie a couple months back when I saw it.

The Zone of Interest (Jonathan Glazer, 2023)

Powerful. Overwhelmingly disturbing. The type of movie that will stay with you for weeks, if not longer. Glazer's direction patiently and unflinchingly studies the banality of evil and the results are devastatingly haunting. Wow. - 9/10

American Fiction (Cord Jefferson, 2023)

Hilarious. And better than that, it has a lot of interesting things to say not only about race and family, but about the absurdity of publishing trends. Sterling K. Brown wowed. I'm not overly familiar with his work, in general, but I especially didn't realize he had such sharp comedic delivery. And Jeffrey Wright has always impressed, and nails the indignant frustration and artistic stubbornness needed for this character. - 8/10

Five Nights at Freddy's (Emma Tammi, 2023)

Bad. Just really, really f*cking bad. I know nothing about the game (nor did even know it was based on a game until late in the promotion of the film), but the general concept should've been an absolute blast. Instead, we got an annoying protagonist, a painfully obvious bad guy, and the most generic, bland kills you could possibly imagine. - 2/10

Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles: Mutant Mayhem (Jeff Rowe & Kyler Spears, 2023)

It was good enough... kinda. They made the turtles lamer than they've ever been before, though. And that really bothered me. Michelangelo isn't supposed to be such an insufferably pathetic dweeb. The animation and character design on the mutants just about makes up for it though, so I guess it wasn't all bad. - 5.5/10

Enjoy!

-Timothy Patrick Boyer.

#film #movies #my week in reviews #the zone of interest #american fiction #five nights at freddy's #teenage mutant ninja turtles: mutant mayhem #tmnt #mutant mayhem #movie review #film review #movie #cinema #movie reviews #etc.

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My Best of 2023: Lead Actor

My Best of 2023 is a series of annual lists in which I pick the best of the best from 2023, all leading up to my official picks for My Top 10 Films of 2023.

These Top 2 are basically tied and I could've rolled a dice for the order of the following three. Beyond that, they are in order (except maybe 10, which should probably be - at least - few spots higher), but they're still very tight. Cillian brings Oppenheimer's inner-turmoil and moral dread to life so well that I was sitting in the cinema muttering to myself, "oh my god... what did we do?", despite being born ~40 years after it was done. Giamatti embodies The Holdovers' Paul Hunham so completely that each emotional and comedic beat knocked the shit out of me. Bradley Cooper so completely transforms into Bernstein throughout long stretches of Maestro, and wholly understands his artistic drive, making the rest work just as well. Leo's performance in Killers of the Flower Moon is a bit of a one-note performance, but it's a hell of a note, and works to not only drive the narrative forward, but also in helping to make clear the complexities of these events. In Rustin, Colman Domingo embraces Bayard Rustin's soul without restraint, turning a mediocre Netflix movie into a must-see biopic. Efron was heartbreaking in The Iron Claw, turning in a performance I quite honestly didn't think he had in him. In American Fiction, Wright is downright hilarious in his stubborn artistic integrity and revulsion of trends in mainstream publishing. What Joaquin achieves in Beau is Afraid is singular in its affecting strangeness. Fassbender's disciplined yet fumbling titular assassin in The Killer is steeped in impressive focus and calm. And Schwartzman delivers a perfectly balanced exploration of grief in Asteroid City. It's a performance that could only be found in a Wes Anderson film, by a Wes Anderson regular.

My Top 10 Performances by a Lead Actor in 2023!

1. Cillian Murphy in Oppenheimer

2. Paul Giamatti in The Holdovers

3. Bradley Cooper in Maestro

4. Leonardo DiCaprio in Killers of the Flower Moon

5. Colman Domingo in Rustin

6. Zac Efron in The Iron Claw

7. Jeffrey Wright in American Fiction

8. Joaquin Phoenix in Beau is Afraid

9. Michael Fassbender in The Killer

10. Jason Schwartzman in Asteroid City

Enjoy!

-Timothy Patrick Boyer.

Next Up: My Top 10 Films of 2023!

More of My Best of 2023...

#film #movies #best of 2023 #oppenheimer #the holdovers #killers of the flower moon #maestro #mybestof2023 #rustin #the iron claw #american fiction #beau is afraid #the killer #asteroid city #jason schwartzman #cillian murphy #paul giamatti #leonardo dicaprio #bradley cooper #colman domingo #zac efron #jeffrey wright #joaquin phoenix #michael fassbender #movie #cinema #etc. #lists

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My Best of 2023: Lead Actress

My Best of 2023 is a series of annual lists in which I pick the best of the best from 2023, all leading up to my official picks for My Top 10 Films of 2023.

We had some powerhouse actresses delivering powerhouse performance all over the place in 2023. Emma Stone never disappoints, but with Poor Things she delivers a uniquely layered, absolutely batshit crazy performance that I have no doubt will wind up near the top of my favorite performances of the decade. Lily Gladstone, who I'd only seen before (in a role I don't remember, honestly) in First Cow turns in an emotional whopper in Killers of the Flower Moon. It's a nuanced performance that so naturally and completely conveys her character's sadness, anger, exhaustion and fear, and it carries the film through even its most never-ending stretches. Natalie always knocks 'em out of the park, and much like the movie itself, her performance in May December is a chameleon-like display that keeps us guessing until her highly disturbing final lines. I'd never even heard the name Cailee Spaeny before Sofia Coppola cast her in Priscilla, and she went on to deliver one of my favorite performances of the year. Her Priscilla is full of immature love and naive hope, and her transition from that to the knowing and experience in the second half is so well calculated. Margot was perfectly cast as Barbie, and brings to life the shattered optimism that personifies the symbol that is this Barbie makes the film's most emotionally resonant moments hit home perfectly. Annette wowed with her understanding of Nyad's stubborn strength and dedication. Carey showed us the weight of being the woman behind Leonard Bernstein in Maestro. Sandra Hüller was absolutely impossible to read in Anatomy of a Fall, and I loved every second of it. Greta Lee made me long for a lost love I most definitely never had in Past Lives. And Sophie Wilde embodied her desperate and terrified character so effectively that I still find myself thinking about Talk to Me, months after seeing it.

My Top 10 Performances by a Lead Actress in 2023!

1. Emma Stone in Poor Things

2. Lily Gladstone in Killers of the Flower Moon

3. Natalie Portman in May December

4. Cailee Spaeny in Priscilla

5. Margot Robbie in Barbie

6. Annette Bening in Nyad

7. Carey Mulligan in Maestro

8. Sandra Hüller in Anatomy of a Fall

9. Greta Lee in Past Lives

10. Sophie Wilde in Talk to Me

Enjoy!

-Timothy Patrick Boyer.

Next Up: Lead Actor; My Top 10 Films of 2023

More of My Best of 2023...

#film #movies #best of 2023 #poor things #barbie #killers of the flower moon #may december #mybestof2023 #priscilla #nyad #maestro #anatomy of a fall #past lives #talk to me #lily gladstone #emma stone #natalie portman #cailee spaeny #margot robbie #carey mulligan #annette bening #sandra hüller #greta lee #sophie wilde #movie #cinema #etc. #lists

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My Best of 2023: Director

My Best of 2023 is a series of annual lists in which I pick the best of the best from 2023, all leading up to my official picks for My Top 10 Films of 2023.

I think 2023 was just a weird year for me. Here's another list where I kinda just got lost after the Top 5 or so, and tossed the rest in all willy-nilly. There's some really great work on display here, though. Nolan outdoes himself with Oppenheimer, taking a 3-hour prestige biopic/courtroom drama and turning it into a heart-racing, disquieting philosophical horror film. While I have major issues with the film as a whole, it's undeniable that Scorsese's directorial work on Killers of the Flower Moon is as patient and angry as it is bold and technically amazing. Lanthimos takes the world of Gray's book and turns Poor Things into a visually stunning, brilliantly acted coming-of-age fever-dream. Gerwig understands the core of what Barbie is, and through this understanding was able to deliver a singular piece of cinema that both skewered and celebrated the universal symbol that is Barbie. Glazer patiently and unflinchingly studies the banality of evil in the devastatingly haunting The Zone of Interest. Wes knocks another one out of the solar system with the hilariously weird Asteroid City. Sofia Coppola once again showcases her unmatched understanding of the weight of celebrity with the damning Priscilla. Fincher nails the philosophical complexities of The Killer with his emotionally detached technical prowess. Triet's cinéma vérité approach to Anatomy of a Fall explores the intricacies of the truth in a manner as neutral as it is intellectually riveting. And Mann's balance between the intimacies of the personal drama and technical precision of the racing sequences carries Ferrari across the finish line.

Here they are...

My Top 10 Directors of 2023!

1. Christopher Nolan for Oppenheimer

2. Martin Scorsese for Killers of the Flower Moon

3. Yorgos Lanthimos for Poor Things

4. Greta Gerwig for Barbie

5. Jonathan Glazer for The Zone of Interest

6. Wes Anderson for Asteroid City

7. Sofia Coppola for Priscilla

8. David Fincher for The Killer

9. Justine Triet for Anatomy of a Fall

10. Michael Mann for Ferrari

Enjoy!

-Timothy Patrick Boyer.

Next Up: Lead Actress; Lead Actor

More of My Best of 2023...

#film #movies #best of 2023 #oppenheimer #poor things #killers of the flower moon #barbie #mybestof2023 #the zone of interest #asteroid city #priscilla #the killer #anatomy of a fall #ferrari #michael mann #martin scorsese #christopher nolan #greta gerwig #yorgos lanthimos #jonathan glazer #sofia coppola #justine triet #david fincher #wes anderson #movie #cinema #lists #etc.

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My Best of 2023: Supporting Actor

My Best of 2023 is a series of annual lists in which I pick the best of the best from 2023, all leading up to my official picks for My Top 10 Films of 2023.

This is usually my most difficult category… and almost always my favorite. This year's different. Yeah, Mark Ruffalo delivered one of my very favorite performances of the year, period. But the rest - aside from 8-10 - aren't really in any locked order, despite all delivering great, scene-stealing performances. Both Roberts turned in phenomenal, complex, villainous performances. Downey honing in on his character's ego, and De Niro nailing his character's evil entitlement. Gosling was an absolute blast in Barbie. But he was just Ken, so.... Willem Dafoe was wonderfully weird, but should've gotten more screen-time. Same goes for Cage, whose Dracula really should've been onscreen for every single second of Renfield's running-time. I'm not super familiar with Sterling's work, but I didn't know he had such impeccable comedic delivery. And the final three are all young actors who - much to my surprise - show little to no ego in the way they brought these characters to life. Again, all of these are truly great performances, it's only the order that - for once - has me completely lost (Okay, the Top 4 or so are pretty solid, but after that? Forget about it.)... but I guess this is close enough. Oh, and I have this gut feeling I'm completely forgetting someone I absolutely loved. There's that, too.

Anyway, here they are…

My Top 10 Performances by a Supporting Actor in 2023!

1. Mark Ruffalo in Poor Things

2. Robert Downey Jr. in Oppenheimer

3. Robert De Niro in Killers of the Flower Moon

4. Ryan Gosling in Barbie

5. Willem Dafoe in Poor Things

6. Nicolas Cage in Renfield

7. Sterling K. Brown in American Fiction

8. Jacob Elordi in Priscilla

9. Dominic Sessa in The Holdovers

10. Charles Melton in May December

Enjoy!

-Timothy Patrick Boyer.

Next Up: Directing; Lead Actress

More of My Best of 2023...

#film #movies #best of 2023 #poor things #mark ruffalo #oppenheimer #robert downey jr. #robert de niro #mybestof2023 #killers of the flower moon #ryan gosling #barbie #willem dafoe #nicolas cage #renfield #sterling k. brown #american fiction #priscilla #jacob elordi #dominic sessa #the holdovers #charles melton #may december #movie #cinema #lists #etc.

[mylifeincinema]

My Best of 2023: Supporting Actress

My Best of 2023 is a series of annual lists in which I pick the best of the best from 2023, all leading up to my official picks for My Top 10 Films of 2023.

Da'vine blew me away. I loved her on Only Murders in the Building and that Breakout performance in Dolemite Is My Name, but this was next level. Emily carried so much in Oppenheimer, and her late deposition scene lays it all on the table so effectively. Rachel is now in her mom era, and absolutely killing it. The only thing keeping this from being my favorite of her performances was time travel (Go Watch About Time). Flo always wows... so no surprise she stole every scene of Oppenheimer she was in. Jodie is a legend for a reason, and the friendship and determination with which she fills this character is the best part of Nyad. Anne is a seductive mystery in Eileen, and I wanted so much more of her. Mia is f*cking scary... always... but especially in Infinity Pool. The shifts in Juilanne Moore's character in May December brilliantly shift the film itself; it's campy, it's disturbing, it's utterly hypnotizing. ScarJo got that Wes Anderson delivery down perfect, and created something special in her odd chemistry with Schwartzman. And America got the 10 spot because she got the Oscar nod, honestly. That spot very easily could've gone to Tilda, Maura, Penolope, Kathy or Rosamund.

Here they are…

My Top 10 Performances by a Supporting Actress in 2023! 

1. Da'Vine Joy Randolph in The Holdovers

2. Emily Blunt in Oppenheimer

3. Rachel McAdams in Are You There God? It's Me, Margaret

4. Florence Pugh in Oppenheimer

5. Jodie Foster in Nyad

6. Anne Hathaway in Eileen

7. Mia Goth in Infinity Pool 

8. Julianne Moore in May December

9. Scarlett Johansson in Asteroid City

10. America Ferrera in Barbie

Enjoy!

-Timothy Patrick Boyer.

Next Up: Supporting Actor; Directing

More of My Best of 2023...

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[mylifeincinema]

My Week in Reviews: January 27, 2024

Played a little Oscar/Best of 2023 catch-up, this week. However, I'm still two films away from having seen everything nominated for Best Picture, so I might wait to finish off My Best of 2023... until I've gotten them in (which will hopefully happen this week). Anyway, here's this week's batch of first time viewings.

Nyad (Elizabeth Chai Vasarhelyi & Jimmy Chin, 2023)

Annette Bening, Jodie Foster and Rhys Ifans are fantastic, and I have a soft-spot for underdog movies like this, so I found myself immensely invested in the film. Understandably - given their roots in documentaries - some of Vasarhelyi & Chin's decisions are awkward, particularly in the blocking/shot choices in the smaller, character-on-character scenes, but they're not too distracting in the long run. I'm especially happy with the Foster nomination, as she's really the scene-stealer, throughout. And while the Annette nomination is earned - as she's surely better than Robbie was - don't expect her to beat out our Stereotypical Barbie come time for My Best of 2023... Lead Actress list. - 7/10

Rustin (George C. Wolfe, 2023)

Colman Domingo owns every single scenery-chewing second he's on the screen. This is such a lived-in, emotionally fragile performance that's ultimately far too good for the film as a whole. That being said, the film itself isn't necessarily bad. Wolfe makes consistently makes interesting choices, and the rest of the cast give devoted performances that only pale in comparison to Domingo's powerhouse. But ultimately, there's nothing here aside from that lead performance that manages to move in the manner it's clearly trying for. The moments that are supposed to hit just never hit hard enough. - 6/10

Dumb Money (Craig Gillespie, 2023)

That whole opening chunk that's so painfully trying to be The Social Network is painful. I get it, it's an 'homage' because they're based on books by the same author", I just don't care because it's executed in a manner that screams ripoff rather than homage. It feels like lazy, boring filmmaking. Paul Dano is great, and every minute he's on screen, I was hooked. Some of the supporting cast holds their own well enough, too, but too many of them don't get any chance to shine outside of the forced moments on the page. This was still a concisely written, interesting look into the whole GameStop stock market movement that was all over the news a couple years ago, though. My main problem with that, is that this would've probably been better if they'd waited even just another year (or two) to make/release it. - 6.5/10

The Parallax View (Alan J. Pakula, 1974)

Pakula fills this film with seemingly simple shots that - paired with his patience as a storyteller - drown each moment with fraught tension. Beatty is really good as the rogue, obsessed reporter, here, too. But ultimately the patented lack of resolution makes the finale land with a mere thud rather than a satisfying bang. Still, though, Pakula's work makes this one more than worth watching. - 7/10

A Fish Called Wanda (Charles Crichton & John Cleese, 1988)

Ridiculous. John Cleese makes this wonderfully wacky 180 throughout the film that makes for a lot of fun. Jamie Lee Curtis is as conniving as she is sexy. Kevin Kline is just great (though hardly/barely Oscar-worthy) as the unpredictably fumbling foil. But it's Michael Palin that stole the film for me, as his stuttering 'fool' and the old-lady assassination sub-plot were the moments that made me laugh the hardest; they were such absurdly silly stuff. - 7.5/10

Enjoy!

-Timothy Patrick Boyer.

#film #movies #rustin #nyad #dumb money #the parallax view #a fish called wanda #movie reviews #my week in reviews #film review #movie #cinema #etc.

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My Best of 2023: Cinematography

My Best of 2023 is a series of annual lists in which I pick the best of the best from 2023, all leading up to my official picks for My Top 10 Films of 2023.

I'm missing a couple of the big ones, this year, including two on Netflix, but don't feel like squeezing them in or (in the case of The Zone of Interest) waiting for them to reach my culturally dead part of the state/country. So we're going with what we've got. Despite my issues with the pacing and length of Martin Scorsese's Killers of the Flower Moon, it was so incredibly well shot that it was a no-brainer for first place. Robbie Ryan's work on Poor Things was a straight-up fever-dream. Hoyte Van Hotema's turned Oppenheimer from a biopic into a nightmare of a paranoid thriller. Yeoman once again created an eye-popping feast for Wes Anderson's Asteroid City. Messerschmidt, Sandgren and Laustsen filled their respective films with intense atmosphere. Then Prieto once again wows with his colorful, dazzling work on Barbie, and Messerschmidt returns with fantastic period work on Ferrari. Finally, speaking of period work, Bryld brilliant transports us back to the '70s with his work on The Holdovers. Work that legitimately makes the film feel as though it very well could've been made in the '70s.

My Top 10 Achievements in Cinematography in 2023!

1. Rodrigo Prieto for Killers of the Flower Moon 

2. Robbie Ryan for Poor Things

3. Hoyte Van Hoytema for Oppenheimer

4. Robert Yeoman for Asteroid City

5. Erik Messerschmidt for The Killer

6. Linus Sandgren for Saltburn

7. Dan Laustsen for John Wick: Chapter 4

8. Rodrigo Prieto for Barbie

9. Erik Messerschmidt for Ferrari

10. Eigil Bryld for The Holdovers

Enjoy!

-Timothy Patrick Boyer.

Next Up: Supporting Actress; Supporting Actor

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[mylifeincinema]

My Week(s) in Reviews: January 20, 2024

I got busy reading the brilliant, behemoth book that is Larry McMurtry's Lonesome Dove the past couple weeks, so I really haven't gotten many movies in. Anyway, these are the (new) ones I get see. Also, My Best of 2023 Lists are Finally Complete! I'll be posting the remaining ones throughout the next week, or so, starting with Cinematography on Monday!

Ferrari (Michael Mann, 2023)

Incredibly well made and acted, and the racing sequences (which are just way too few and far between) are magnificent. But the screenplay unfortunately doesn't give us enough truly interesting material to knock it up to the next level. - 7/10

The Exorcist: Believer (David Gordon Green, 2023)

Sloppy, boring, and worst of all, not even remotely scary. - 1/10

Self Reliance (Jake Johnson, 2024)

I had a lot of fun with this one. It's really funny and has a interestingly bonkers premise. Plus, the core message is delivered effectively. - 7.5/10

Retribution (Nimród Antal, 2023)

You know you've got a writing problem when the climactic twist is painfully obvious before the five minute mark. There's some decent tension milked out of the single location gimmick, and Neeson still works as the everyman stuck in the impossible situation, but this would've worked so much better without the lame twist and corny voice modulator. - 4/10

Enjoy!

-Timothy Patrick Boyer.

#film #movies #my week in reviews #self reliance #ferrari #retribution #film review #movie reviews #movie stills #the exorcist: believer #movie #cinema #etc.

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My Best of 2023: Assorted (Editing, Screenplays, Stunts, Score & More)

My Best of 2023 is a series of annual lists in which I pick the best of the best from 2023, all leading up to my official picks for My Top 10 Films of 2023.

I've barely even started to compile most of my major lists, so far. (Most are solid in my head. But there's a lot that I'm blanking on, I'm sure.) This will likely be the only post this week, as I’m wrapping up a book and will be trying to see a few of my final ‘should see’ films of 2023 throughout the rest of the week, but I might try to squeeze Cinematography in before the weekend, as well. Anyway, follow along for plenty of lists coming over the next couple weeks!

This one’s pretty similar to other years. I've added Non-2023 Films, here, seeing as I didn't see enough first-timers for a full list of their own. And I - yet again - didn’t see any Docs, so none of those - yet again - either. Anyway, here are the ‘misfits’…

Production Design:

Poor Things (Runners Up: Asteroid City & Barbie)

Editing:

Oppenheimer (Runners Up: Poor Things & The Killer)

Ensemble:

Killers of the Flower Moon (Runners Up: Oppenheimer & Barbie)

Animated Film:

Spider-Man: Across the Spider-Verse (Runner Up: Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles: Mutant Mayhem)

Foreign Film:

Godzilla Minus One (Runner Up: Anatomy of a Fall)

Breakthrough Performance:

Cailee Paeny in Priscilla (Runner Up: Dominic Sessa in The Holdovers)

Original Screenplay:

The Holdovers (Runners Up: Asteroid City & Anatomy of a Fall)

Adapted Screenplay:

Oppenheimer (Runners Up: Poor Things & Barbie)

Stunts:

Mission: Impossible - Dead Reckoning Part 1 (Runners Up: John Wick: Chapter 4 & Guardians of the Galaxy: Vol. 3)

VFX:

Guardians of the Galaxy: Vol. 3 (Runners Up: Spider-Man: Across the Spider-Verse & Oppenheimer)

Costume Design:

Poor Things (Runners Up: Barbie & Killers of the Flower Moon)

Makeup Design:

Poor Things (Runners Up: Maestro & Guardians of the Galaxy: Vol. 3)

Sound:

Oppenheimer (Runners Up: Maestro & Ferrari)

Score:

Oppenheimer (Runners Up: Killers of the Flower Moon & Poor Things)

Song:

"I'm Just Ken" from Barbie (Runners Up: "What Was I Made For" from Barbie & "Dear Alien (Who Art in Heaven)" from Asteroid City)

And... since I just didn't get very many 'new to me' Non-2023 Films in this past year...

Non-2023 Films:

Park Chan-wook's Decision to Leave (Runners Up: Ron Shelton's Bull Durham & John Wells' Burnt)

Enjoy!

-Timothy Patrick Boyer.

Next Up: Cinematography

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My Best of 2023: Posters

My Best of 2023 is a series of annual lists in which I pick the best of the best from 2023, all leading up to my official picks for My Top 10 Films of 2023.

My Top 10 11 Posters of 2023!

I'm just gonna let these speak for themselves. I'm kinda wild about the Top 5, but the rest are still all shades of great.

Note: As always, these picks have nothing to do with my thoughts or the quality of the films, only the posters themselves and how they sold the films to me.

Enjoy!

-Timothy Patrick Boyer.

Next Up: Assorted (Animated Feature, Foreign Film, Editing, Screenplay, Etc.).

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