The Silence of the Lambs

two of the greatest acting performances of all time, no notes. always loved how claustrophobic & unsettling the framing is on those up-close shots & getting to see it in theaters only turns that feeling up to eleven.

Matt and Mara

continuing my matt johnson spree with a film i thought was cute - maybe with characters i felt were kind of pretentious & annoying at times, but cute nonetheless. mara especially, both when she goes "what's the point of running together if we're not keeping together" & then absolutely dusts her man the second he gets a cramp & also when she complains that her husband's bandmates found it weird that she doesn't like music but is still married to a musician, like yes they're right it's insane to marry a musician & not like music - & not just his music, but music in general? what are we even talking about man how does that happen getting carried away sorry, anyway: coffee shop bit was hilarious, matt johnson even at his most toned-down is still a riot, great performance by deragh campbell; not a film to write home about but still a pleasant watch.

12 Angry Men

might be the greatest film in cinema history

The Dirties

[with commentary] go pro shot is still so chilling. sweatpants are out, dude.

Operation Avalanche

Speed Racer

extremely colorful & unique visual experience, but doesn't excel at any of the more "traditional" narrative devices that i find myself gravitating towards in films & as such didn't really do it for me. loved the beginning classroom scene as it transitioned from young speed drawing on his test to him daydreaming of racing against those same drawings, but that appeal was quickly lost on me when the entire film looks like a fever dream. ultimately i respect the vision & it's still a fun watch regardless, just wasn't a film made for me.

Mars

bittersweet knowing this is the whitest kids' last hurrah but i'm thankful that this was finally released. everybody in the troupe has their shining moments throughout the film, but fittingly i think trevor in the last fifteen minutes trumps everything the film does in its first two acts - of course he does though, he never missed. if there had to be a final WKUK project, i'm glad that this was it. impossible to give an impartial rating but it's five stars in my heart & that's all that matters. GFYDL & rest in peace trevor moore

Operation Avalanche

got on the matt johnson bandwagon with nirvanna the band the show the movie (https://boxd.it/dEYxnV) & through the web series, the viceland show, the dirties (https://boxd.it/dTP4P9), blackberry (https://boxd.it/dI32Lp), & now operation avalanche, he has yet to disappoint. unreal camerawork as with all of his films & the car chase scene especially is a masterpiece - honestly might be a hall of famer as it literally had me on the edge of my seat. & again, as with his other work, the film is incredibly funny when it needs to be, though it also makes the shift from comedic mockumentary to paranoid thriller in an instant & makes it work all the same. matt johnson simply doesn't miss & i cannot wait for tony so i can continue to sing his praises.

The Dirties

struggled to get through the beginning of this out of sheer secondhand embarrassment, but the film really comes into its own during the second half. the scene of matt setting up the gopros at the end is phenomenal, & the film is worth watching for his performance in the final 10 minutes alone (& also for probably the coolest end credits of all time). great film.

Nirvanna the Band the Show the Movie

Reservoir Dogs

tim roth's accent is unbearable

The Celebration

certainly not a style that's meant for everyone but the cinematography here was revolutionary imo. such raw & immersive camerawork that somehow takes this massive manor & turns every scene into an intensely claustrophobic mess as we watch this family completely fall apart. i had never heard of the "dogme 95" movement prior to this film, but hats off to anthony dod mantle for his exceptional work within the movement's technological limitations, allowing the film's writing & direction to shine through even more as a result. 14/52 (https://boxd.it/Rfn6u)

Moneyball

docking half a star because yes it does very much bother me that they didn't do their homework & make sure that the song that billy's daughter sings actually existed in 2002 ("the show" by lenka released in 2008)

The Kid

almost started this review by saying i was conflicted on how to rate this film, but i don't think i am. because while yes, i thought it was pretty cute most of the way & the eponymous "kid" gives an outstanding performance for a 5 year old, i cannot in good faith give this anything remotely resembling a good rating given the "flirting angel" that attempts to seduce chaplin towards the end is a 12 year old - one whom a 35 year old chaplin would go on to impregnate & marry just a few years later. feels like a big ask to separate the art from the artist here, & i'm a little disappointed in myself in not having known this history before choosing it for the criterion challenge. 13/52 (https://boxd.it/Rfn6u)

Chime

i could just be an idiot but i did not understand this. great from a technical perspective & has a chilling & unsettling atmosphere, but the film feels so experimental to the point that kurosawa forgot for the film to have any real plot or purpose. i get that it's meant to be vague but it's truly just an empty, unsubstantial 45 minutes. definitely disappointed by this, but if kurosawa's other work manages to channel the same sense of dread while adding a little more meat on the bones then i'll remain hopeful.

BlackBerry

really digged the shaky handheld-esque camerawork here. baruchel, howerton, & johnson all kill it in their respective roles but i especially loved howerton in the "angry bald man yells at everyone" role. was definitely worried going into this that i'd find it tough to separate him here from him as dennis in always sunny but he nails it.

Nirvanna the Band the Show the Movie

every other review on here is some variation on "how did they make this" but truly this film is absolute magic - lightning in a bottle, if you will. chaotic, unique, surprisingly sweet, but most of all just insanely hilarious. also very nice of them to include an update day reference in here because my knowledge of ntbts pretty much starts & ends at clips like wii shop wednesday so i'd like to think they did that for me specifically. OBAMNA

Nirvanna the Band the Show the Movie

City of God

phenomenal on all fronts, but what stood out to me most was the quality of acting by the children in this. so raw & real & just unbelievable knowing that many of them came straight from the favelas themselves. every character just felt so important & the film does an amazing job at showcasing each individual story without it becoming too confusing - each character arc woven into the overall narrative so skillfully. also man i'm such a sucker for the cuíca, loved how prominent it was in the score.

Man on Fire

not a single redeeming quality about this film. plot is boring, dialogue is terrible, & the editing & cinematography are so obnoxious i wanted to turn the movie off just to find whoever's responsible & beat them with a hammer. music choices are questionable at best & it all drags on for far too long.