Greetings, friends!
It’s been a while since I’ve posted content. Life has been WILD this summer, and with the school year kicking into gear, I haven’t had much time recently to write. However, I’ve got some exciting ideas for a future blog series, and I plan to start fleshing them out as soon as I can. In the meantime, I figured I’d share some movies that I’ve checked out over the past several months, along with my reflections on them. I loved some of these films, while others left me cold or drove me a bit nuts. But wherever my opinions may land, I hope you enjoy reading them. Whether you agree with me or think I’m absolutely wrong, I’d love to hear your feedback in the comments!
#1. Blade Runner
Directed by Ridley Scott
My rating: 2 and 1/2 stars
I had high expectations for this one based on its cultural impact, but I was mostly disappointed. The cinematography, sound design, and set pieces were very impressive, and I admired the fusion of cyberpunk with film noir elements. However, the dialogue was clunky, the storyline left me scratching my head, and the main characters felt underdeveloped. Worth watching for Rutger Hauer’s “Tears in Rain” monologue alone, though.
#2. King Richard
Directed by Reinaldo Marcus Green
My rating: 3 and 1/2 stars
Showed this to my family, and they loved it! My respect for it has only grown since my first watch. Will Smith gives a fierce, career-best performance, bringing out the complexity in a character who so easily could become cliché. Over and over again, this movie takes risks that elevate its story past familiar biopic territory, right up to its surprising conclusion. It may be about sports legends, but King Richard cares far more deeply about the inner worlds of its characters than any wins or losses. Plus, the fidelity to real-life details is remarkable.
#3. Bottle Rocket
Directed by Wes Anderson
My rating: 4 stars
Almost finished watching through Wes Anderson’s filmography, and wow, his first movie is a pure delight! So much youthful energy, characters you can’t help but love, a killer soundtrack, and brilliant stylistic flourishes that foreshadowed the wonders to come. Anthony (played by Luke Wilson) may be the hero of this story, but Dignan (played by a never-better Owen Wilson) is its beating heart, the spark of magic that sets it alight.
#4. The Matrix
Directed by Lana and Lilly Wachowski
My rating: 2 and 1/2 stars
I know, I know, rating this sci-fi classic so low (especially after I did the same for Blade Runner) may seem like heresy.
I’ve gotta say, I did enjoy the experience of watching it with my wife, and I can now see why it’s so well-loved. Keanu is as likable as ever, the high-concept is thought-provoking, and the stunt sequences kick ass (they still look great decades on!).
Maybe I would have liked it more if I knew less about the premise going in. Regardless, I couldn’t get past its flaws. I didn’t know enough about Neo’s character to really root for him, and much of the story seemed like setup for the action sequences. Plus, a few plot points had me shouting at the screen in exasperation (to my wife’s delight): Neo pours several rounds of high-powered machine gun fire into a skyscraper office, demolishing the entire window and much of the room, and doesn’t expect to hit Morpheus, who’s tied to a chair in the center of it? Trinity lingers to explain complicated backstory to Neo while they’re literally being pursued by fast-teleporting, invincible enemies who have just killed most of their party? Plus, I’m no fan of the sudden, unexplained hero power-up at the decisive moment. Whatever crazy shit Neo learns how to do (with no hint as to why), I feel like the other characters could look at each other, shrug, and say, “He’s The One.”
Respect, but not my cup of tea.
#5. Whale Rider
Directed by Niki Caro
My rating: 5 stars
Wow. Saw this five years ago at my Dad’s recommendation (he said I’d love it as an anthropology major), and I’d forgotten what a gorgeous, deeply compassionate film it is. So much feeling communicated in every camera shot, every word and look and gesture, yet nothing is overplayed. Keisha Castle-Hughes shines in this lyrical coming-of-age tale, which explores the difficult dance between tradition and innovation and offers a fascinating glimpse into Māori culture. Makes me miss my Kiwi friends a whole lot, and remember why I love whales. Also, Disney’s Moana was clearly influenced by this movie, and the echoes are pretty hard to miss.
#6. Quantum of Solace
Directed by Marc Forster
My rating: 2 stars
Utterly predictable, and a big step down after Casino Royale. I expected to like the Bond franchise more than Mission: Impossible, but so far, it feels like one long advertisement for suits, cars, boats, planes, hotels, and fancy drinks (with a few fun action sequences thrown in to keep things interesting). Daniel Craig’s good looks do all the heavy lifting here. I lost count of all the times he ran away from people and vehicles in this movie. Gotta say, I still enjoyed the experience of watching it with my wife, but that may have been more due to the sushi we were eating…
Excited for Skyfall, though. I’ve heard good things.
#7. The French Dispatch
Directed by Wes Anderson
My rating: 5 stars
Not too long ago, I probably would have ranked this as one of my least favorite Wes Anderson films. I left the theatrical showing back in 2021 feeling delighted, but also dizzy and bewildered. I’ve always enjoyed the heightened style and narrative complexity of Anderson’s films, but this movie seemed far too abstruse. Were Anderson’s detractors right? Had the legendary director finally lost the beating heart of his story in the dense, decorative artifice of his storytelling?
I knew it needed a second viewing, and I’m happy to report that no, The French Dispatch isn’t Anderson off the rails. In fact, it might just be his magnum opus. Now familiar with the complex structure of the film, I was able to enjoy so much that I missed the first time around: the way the cinematography of each vignette mirrors the personality of its narrator; the subtleties of the performances (not a false note among them; the innumerable jokes tucked into the script (it’s easily the funniest film Anderson has ever made); the warm brass of the soundtrack, wistful and joyous and heartbreaking all at once, which moved me every time it appeared; and scenes of breathtaking emotion that hit far harder than I remembered (a prison guard encouraging a convict in an electric chair, two young lovers reveling in each other’s presence, a desolate married couple in the back of a taxi, a solitary writer confessing his loneliness, and that glorious final sequence).
Like any great art, Anderson’s films are challenging the first time you experience them, but deeply rewarding as you revisit them. This was no exception. What might have been a misstep from my all-time favorite director is now probably my all-time favorite of his films, and I can’t wait to revisit it.
Words for Wayfarers 