The Letterboxd four favorites series continues!
I know. This is late. Life comes at you fast.
I got promoted at work (twice) and am now the Audience Development Editor for the Fort Worth Star-Telegram! I dreamed of working here when I was in school and now I’m an editor. I’m incredibly grateful, and I’m excited for working on more ways to get the news to people who need it.
On the personal front, Taylor and I embarked upon our first big home repair since becoming homeowners after our roof leaked during a massive rainstorm in August. Our upstairs looks brand-new now, and the HOA finally deigned to fix our roof. Our wallet’s a lot lighter, though.
We also visited Costa Rica in September for a vacation to celebrate our birthdays and my in-laws’ birthdays. It’s an absolutely amazing country that I’m surprised more people don’t talk about as a tourist destination. It’s the closest experience to Hawai’i that I’ve had since we left Hawai’i, and it's not that far away. I want to go back soon. Pura Vida!
Oh, and in between all of that, I got to go see Jack Johnson again in Dallas and I saw Pearl Jam in Oklahoma City.
Also, my friend Marshall and I recently launched Friends at Dusk, a podcast all about the films of Christoper Nolan. It’s available at this link, on Apple Podcasts, Spotify and wherever else you listen to podcasts. We just finished our episode on “The Prestige,” so we’ve got a ways to go yet.
And I also found time amid all of that to write some stuff for Book and & Film Globe:
The online discourse surrounding “Knives Out” is exhausting
Velma is officially gay now and people weren’t happy about it
“Our Missing Hearts” is the best book of 2022
Stop trying to “solve” Anthony Bourdain’s death
HBO axes Batgirl; what the HBO Max/Discovery merger means for you
If you want to read more of my stuff from Book & Film Globe, the Star-Telegram’s website, or my site, have at it.
Now, on to all the Top 4s!
July
“Big Hero 6”
This was one of my few Disney blind spots, and also coincidentally my friend Jesus’ (see above) favorite Disney movie, so we watched it together one night. It’s a lot of fun! I loved the mashup setting of San Fransokyo, and Baymax is a pretty cool robot friend. I also enjoyed that the plot centers the brother relationship above everything else.
At times it felt a little too much like a primer for Marvel stuff for the kids (the third-act climax involves a giant portal to the sky), but that’s easy to overlook.
Available to stream on Disney+.
“Cha Cha Real Smooth”
I absolutely adored “Shithouse,” writer/director/producer/star Cooper Raiff’s debut feature about the loneliness you feel when you first arrive at college and the relationships you seek out in order to fill that void. (I’m a 30-something white boy, what can I say.)
So I was primed to love Raiff’s second feature, “Cha Cha Real Smooth,” about an aimless post-grad who becomes involved with an older woman and her daughter after he gets a temp gig as a bar mitzvah party starter.
While I don’t vibe as much with “Cha Cha” as I did with “Shithouse,” I still really enjoyed this film’s core examination of what it’s like to try to make yourself a better person when you don’t really know what you’re doing professionally or personally. This really taps into a lot of what I felt at 22, the age of Raiff’s character here.
Like with “Big Hero 6,” I wish this would have fleshed out the brother relationship a little bit more. And this one is a bit twee, but honestly, if you’re a creative person and you try to make art at all when you’re in your early 20s, I guarantee it’s going to be about your life.
Available to stream on Apple TV+.
“Nope”
“Nope” is one of only two films on this list that I saw twice in the theater. Come to think of it, I’ve seen all three of director Jordan Peele’s films multiple times in the theater. His films lend themselves well to repeat viewings; I’m still catching new things in “Get Out” every new time I watch it. “Nope” is no different.
This movie is a stunning achievement of spectacle and metaphor, a summer sci-fi/horror blockbuster that questions why we feel the need to engage with summer blockbusters at all. Peele also questions the entire Hollywood system, family legacy, why we feel the need to record everything, man’s folly in seeking to control nature, and who gets to be remembered in the film industry.
That’s a lot to unpack for a UFO story. But Peele, and his two lead actors, Daniel Kaluuya and Keke Palmer, pull it off. I can’t stop thinking about this movie.
I saw this in theaters, but I waited so long to write this post that it’s now available on physical media and available to stream on Peacock.
“Norm Macdonald: Nothing Special”
The late, great Norm Macdonald left us on Sept. 14, 2021, after a long but unpublicized fight with multiple myeloma. Before he died, he recorded “Nothing Special,” a standup set filmed live on his laptop and in his office at home. It’s not quite one-take, but it’s clear Macdonald rehearsed this show to within an inch of its life. The result is a wonderful set from a man who knew exactly what he wanted to say at all times and knew how to make it seem effortlessly improvisational. (His bit at the roast of Bob Saget is one of the funniest things I’ve ever seen.) RIP to a true talent.
I could have done without the hagiography segment at the end, where Dave Chappelle, Molly Shannon, David Spade, David Letterman, Conan O’Brien and Adam Sandler just swap stories about him, on account of I feel like Norm would have hated that. (And also could y’all stop interrupting Molly Shannon?)
Available to stream on Netflix.
August
“Bodies Bodies Bodies”
What happens when you round up a bunch of Extremely Online, self-involved, entitled, narcissistic young people and they start playing a game of Manhunt while waiting out a hurricane? This generation’s “Scream.”
Anyone could be the killer, except in this case, everyone’s been to therapy. Everyone knows how to psychoanalyze themselves and others to a fault. And everyone knows how to gaslight, manipulate and trigger everyone else, even if those words have become so devoid of meaning that they’ve lost their value. And the constant hum of background cellphone usage was perfect and reminded me a lot of “Unfriended,” with how that movie used characters’ online personas to drive the plot forward.
The skewering of Gen Z and younger millennials worked more for me than the humor or the horror — although Rachel Sennott is a star and has impeccable comedic timing (I don’t think I’ve ever heard so many varied line readings of “Oh my God” before). The Disasterpeace score absolutely rocks, as well.
The paranoia, infighting, hysteria, narcissism, constant blame-shifting, virtue signaling and selfishness perfectly capture what it’s like to be Constantly Online now. The internet has bled over into the real world so much that we can’t tell a difference in when we’re performing anymore.
I saw this in theaters, but I waited so long to write this post that it’s now available on physical media and VOD.
“The Girlfriend Who Didn’t Exist”
A part of “Untold,” Netflix’s version of ESPN’s “30 for 30” series, this documentary tells the story of Manti Te’o, whose girlfriend and grandmother both died on the same day in 2012. Except his girlfriend never died. In fact, she never existed at all.
Te’o, as it turns out, was the victim of a massive catfishing scandal on top of dealing with the death of his grandmother. Sports media turned it into a circus, with national talk show hosts speculating as to Te’o’s sexuality (not relevant to play football; certainly not a news story) and relentlessly making fun of him for falling for the catfishing scheme. Watching this now makes me angry that anyone could have treated him this way, especially in the name of journalism. It’s a wonder he ended up as forgiving as he is presented as being in this documentary.
I wish we would ahve learned more about the Mormon church’s influence in Hawai’i (Te’o’s religion is a key factor in this doc), but that would require a whole other episode’s worth of context.
Available to stream on Netflix.
“Light & Magic”
Besides “Get Back,” this is the best documentary on Disney+, hands down. This series details the birth and legacy of Industrial Light & Magic, the effects shop behind “Star Wars,” “Indiana Jones,” “The Muppets” and more. Absolute catnip for the kid in me that would spend hours on the weekends watching special features on DVDs.
Available to stream on Disney+.
“The People Under the Stairs”
Wes Craven’s absolutely demented vision of gentrification, class warfare and white supremacy seems more relevant today than when it was released 30 years ago. A “haunted house” film where the haunts are real, this film clearly influenced Jordan Peele’s “Get Out.” My jaw was on the floor for the entire third act.
And always remember: If you are a landlord, you better be treating your tenants right.
Available on physical media.
September
“Barbarian”
A woman and a man both check into an Airbnb at the same time unbeknownst to one another. When they try to call the owner of the home, they don’t get an answer, so they decide to just spend the night in the same house and deal with it in the morning. So begins “Barbarian,” one of the wildest movies I saw all year. To say any more would spoil the surprise. If you like horror, go in knowing as little about this movie as possible. You’ll thank me later.
Available to stream on Paramount+.
“Bullet Train”
This ensemble film at times feels derivative of “Pulp Fiction” and Guy Ritchie films. But you know what? It’s fun, it’s cartoonishly violent, and it’s got Bryan Tyree Henry and Aaron Taylor Johnson as hitmen named Lemon and Tangerine, respectively. Sometimes, that’s all you need after a rough week — which is exactly how I saw this.
Available on physical media and available to stream on Netflix.
“Identity”
They truly don’t make ‘em like they used to. This ensemble one-location murder mystery whodunit has a twist so wild I never saw it coming, and one of the best (funniest?) “calmly walks away from explosions” moments I’ve ever seen. James Mangold is one of the best genre directors working today, and John Cusack and Ray Liotta are doing some great work here.
Available to stream on Tubi.
“Out of the Past”
This had been on my list for a long time, but I finally watched it as prep for an episode of “Friends at Dusk.”
For my money, this is the best film noir ever made, full of great performances, snappy dialogue and fantastic cinematography. Above all, you want to root for Robert Mitchum from the get-go, even though it may not be a great idea.
Available on physical media.
October
“Double Indemnity”
If “Out of the Past” is the best film noir ever made, this is a close second. Well, maybe third (I do love Bogart’s “The Big Sleep”). It’s a tried-and-true exercise in the best noir trope: Hot, horny, terrible people get in trouble for doing terrible things. All in glorious black-and-white.
Marshall and I talked about this on “Friends at Dusk,” too.
Available on physical media.
“Halloween Ends”
The final film in David Gordon Green’s “Halloween” trilogy divided both audiences and critics upon its release last Halloween. Too idiosyncratic, not enough Michael Myers, blah blah.
I loved it. It’s a wild swing, but it hits more than it strikes out, and it has a lot more to say about trauma and grief than the cloying and didactic “Halloween Kills.”
I wish more horror films would be willing to kill the sacred cow like this. It makes things so much more interesting.
Available to stream on Peacock and also available on physical media.
“Hasan Minhaj: The King’s Jester”
Taylor and I saw Hasan Minhaj right after we moved up to Dallas, and his act is very much the same now as it was then: PowerPoint comedy with a heart of gold, easily alternating from a takedown of Mohammed bin Salman one moment to a joke about how DOs are failures compared to MDs the next moment.
Netflix canceled his show “Patriot Act,” but hopefully it will let him make a couple more comedy specials in this vein.
Available to stream on Netflix.
“Werewolf by Night”
This turned out to be such a fun delight. Who would have known composer Michael Giacchino had such great directorial chops? Marvel did, apparently. This black-and-white spooky season romp oozes Halloween vibes, with a great score (also by Giacchino, natch) and a great werewolf transformation scene that pays homage to “American Werewolf in London” while being its own thing. I hope Marvel does more of these short one-shots.
Available to stream on Disney+.
November
“The Banshees of Inisherin”
What would you do if your best friend decided they didn’t want to be your friend anymore? What would you say if that same friend called you a waste of their time? That’s the premise behind playwright/director Martin McDonagh’s Irish tale of a friendship gone horribly wrong. It sounds sad, and it is; it’s also bleakly funny and touching and has a lot to say about our need to be seen and understood by others. You can feel that ache bursting out with every frame (especially the above, which could be a painting).
Every major cast member in this film got nominated for an acting Oscar, and for once, the Academy got it right.
Available to stream on HBO Max.
“The Fabelmans”
I hate the “it’s a film that’s a love letter to film” cliche, but Steven Spielberg’s latest is a love letter to film in all the ways a love letter matters — heartfelt, earnest, hopeful, a little melancholic and at times very broad.
This is the type of film you can only make with decades of hindsight. It’s loosely based on the real-life story of Spielberg’s parents’ divorce and he uses that as a way to examine his relationship to film. He both lets nobody off the hook for his parents’ divorce and also provides everyone with a sense of grace that can only come with experience.
And on a technical level, writer Tony Kushner and cinematographer Janusz Kaminski are at absolute god-level here. And David Lynch?! Amazing.
Now playing in theaters and available to buy or rent on VOD.
“The Faculty”
High school is angsty enough, but in this movie, puberty really is a monster. This is the most ‘90s thing I’ve seen in a long time, featuring Elijah Wood as this horror movie’s Final Girl. Robert Rodriguez is operating at the height of his campy, creature feature powers here. Killer ‘90s soundtrack, too.
Available to stream on HBO Max.
“Glass Onion: A Knives Out Mystery”
Man, I love the “Knives Out” series. I had high hopes for this sequel and I wasn’t disappointed. Director Rian Johnson and star Daniel Craig double down on the themes and capture the magic of the first “Knives Out” while doing something completely different here. I hope Johnson and Craig make as many of these as they want.
Available to stream on Netflix.
December
“Adult Swim: Yule Log”
If “Barbarian” was a wild horror film that left me slack-jawed, “Yule Log” upped the ante. I won’t spoil anything about this one either, other than it’s about a haunted yule log. An absolutely wild movie that you should stream ASAP if you like horror.
Plus, it features this great exchange:
“I’m not just a drug dealer. I’m also a podcaster.”“A podcaster, is that so? Well, good for you.”
Available to stream on HBO Max.
“Avatar: The Way of Water”
Listen. “Avatar” is a great movie and I will hear no slander on that subject. The visuals are stunning, the camerawork is more inventive than most movies out today, and the action is on par with any other action film. Director James Cameron improves on all of the above in “Way of Water,” a movie that would be a stunning achievement in the film medium even if it weren’t so gorgeous to look at. I’ve seen it in theaters twice now, and the 3D and IMAX really add to the experience. What’s more, this movie wears its fast-beating heart fully on its sleeve, an earnestness that’s hard to come by in blockbusters these days.
Now playing in theaters.
“Romeo + Juliet”
I take it back, this is the most ‘90s movie on this list. I had somehow never seen this before and I finally watched it with Taylor one day as we were watching Shakespeare movies. This movie is insane, maximalist filmmaking of the highest order with amazing visuals and great needle drops. I think it’s my favorite of Baz Luhrmann’s films.
Available to stream on HBO Max.
“Serpico”
Saw this one for the “Friends at Dusk” podcast for our episode on the influences on “Batman Begins.” Al Pacino’s stunning work as Frank Serpico, the only upright cop in New York City, informs his work on “Insomnia,” “Heat” and so much else. A great character study movie.
Available on physical media.
That’s all, folks. If you’ve read this far, thank you. Promise the next newsletter won’t be this long.
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