A Month in Film: October 2024Anora (2024)
Could definitely go down as one of the defining films of 2024, considering how fresh and confident it is. Impressive how laugh out loud funny it is for the majority of its runtime, with some of the lengthiest hysterical sequences I’ve honestly ever seen, and I mean that as a compliment! Superb casting — everyone fits in like a glove.
Watched at the Vancouver Playhouse as part of the VIFF 2024 programming. Staunch difference in the demographics of those in attendance here compared to my first film of the festival — I definitely felt like I was amongst my own. When people talk about how unique film festival audiences feel, I totally felt that here — I’ve never heard a theatre crowd have such a rollicking good time.
Watched at the Vancouver Playhouse as part of the VIFF 2024 programming. Staunch difference in the demographics of those in attendance here compared to my first film of the festival — I definitely felt like I was amongst my own. When people talk about how unique film festival audiences feel, I totally felt that here — I’ve never heard a theatre crowd have such a rollicking good time.
Megalopolis (2024)
You have to keep in mind that it's Coppola at the helm of all of this, one of the most important filmmakers of one of the finest generations of cinema, who has himself poured so much of his life and career into the medium. It's not just his legacy that lends itself to giving any credibility to this film -- I genuinely believe there's some beautiful ideas in here, but it's like they're all caught in a web, unable to break through to the surface. You really do have to see it to believe it. The artificial beauty of some of the shots is unlike anything I've seen before. It's just a shame it all couldn't have been weaved into something more coherent.
Watched at a matinee screening on a day off at the Scotiabank Theatre in downtown Vancouver. Unsurprisingly thin crowd, though I imagine it would be a hoot in a theatre full of people onboard with just absorbing whatever it is that Coppola cooked up.
Watched at a matinee screening on a day off at the Scotiabank Theatre in downtown Vancouver. Unsurprisingly thin crowd, though I imagine it would be a hoot in a theatre full of people onboard with just absorbing whatever it is that Coppola cooked up.
The Substance (2024)
Believe me when I say this one is GROSS. It holds a candle to some of the nastiest body horror films of the 80s, the defining decade of the genre. Taking it to levels we really haven't seen in contemporary body horror films (I'm thinking recent stuff like Titane and Possessor, both well worth watching). And it's not just gross for the sake of being gross -- the ideas here regarding how "the substance" works are laid out in a pretty straightforward matter and totally lends itself to some of the disgusting stuff we see on screen. Wears its influences on its sleeves (The Shining, Vertigo anyone???) and as a movie nerd I love it all the more for that. Superb casting and performances with our two leads -- it's a total home run for both in driving home the fear of aging and how that can take on a life of its own in the underbelly of Hollywood.
Another thin crowd at a matinee screening, this time at the International Village Cineplex in downtown Vancouver. A lot like Megalopolis, which I watched under similar circumstances the day prior, I imagine it would be a hit with a crowd, but for totally different reasons!
Another thin crowd at a matinee screening, this time at the International Village Cineplex in downtown Vancouver. A lot like Megalopolis, which I watched under similar circumstances the day prior, I imagine it would be a hit with a crowd, but for totally different reasons!
Rumours (2024)
Did not really rock with this one... never bought into the premise, which wasn't up my alley in the first place. The zany humour and random changeups left me scratching my head more than anything. I want to complain about the casting (Dance and Blanchett in particular), but I suppose that plays into the intentional randomness of it all.
Watched at the Rio in Vancouver as part of VIFF 2024.
Watched at the Rio in Vancouver as part of VIFF 2024.
The End (2024)
The idea of a post apocalyptic musical sounds neat and all, but once you get going and realizing there’s not much room to work with when it comes to sets/characters, it quickly becomes a drag to get through. George MacKay deserves a lot of credit here though — he’s a real talent and I hope to continue seeing more from him!
Watched at the Vancouver Playhouse as the closing film for VIFF 2024. Great to finally have some film festival experience under my belt, and I imagine this is only the beginning!
Watched at the Vancouver Playhouse as the closing film for VIFF 2024. Great to finally have some film festival experience under my belt, and I imagine this is only the beginning!
Premium Rush (2012)
This feels like it belongs to the same universe as Jetpack Joyride… I’m not sure if that’s a compliment? I guess it appeals to the early 2010s nostalgia buried deep inside me, but there’s not a whole lot going on here that I would call “well done”. Some of the performances here are so unbearably stiff.
Watched on a blu-ray copy I picked up from the Amoeba SF discount section — you win some and lose some!
Watched on a blu-ray copy I picked up from the Amoeba SF discount section — you win some and lose some!
Joker: Folie à Deux (2024)
This one and its predecessor are such non-events… we’re looking at mediocre filmmaking from a copycat director who probably took all the criticisms from the predecessor too close to heart. The result is a lifeless and dreary attempt to be different. I’m not super well versed in musicals, but I would expect at least some of the musical moments might stick with you a bit. I can assure you there’s none of that here. There are fleeting moments of beauty, specifically some of the fantasy sequences, but they’re all caught in between utter boredom. I can get behind a good courtroom drama, but only if I actually care about what’s at stake for the characters, and none of these characters are well developed or particularly likeable.
Watched at Landmark Kanata upon my first return to Ottawa. Not much has changed!
Watched at Landmark Kanata upon my first return to Ottawa. Not much has changed!
Surf's Up (2007)
Chicken Joe forever.
Watched on blu-ray.
Watched on blu-ray.
Rocky III (1982)
The formula is undeniable. Particularly loved the training montage in this one -- couldn't help but feel moved by the ideas of overcoming fear, even if the challenger in this one (Mr. T) feels like he was plucked out of some other movie universe and spawned here. He and some of the other plot devices feel pretty unearned, but at least the brisk pace of the entire thing doesn't give you much time to dwell on any misstep.
Watched on 4K blu-ray. Solid presentation, much like the first two in the series.
Watched on 4K blu-ray. Solid presentation, much like the first two in the series.
Rio Bravo (1959)
Classic American western storytelling here -- characters brimming with life in a super intimate setting, making you feel right at home the whole time. Remarkably patient, letting its characters breathe and win themselves over with the audience before getting into the thick of things. Not like it's a slice of life style of movie, but it's as if I'd be content with just hanging out with all of these characters for a while.
Watched on the recently released (last year) 4K blu-ray courtesy of Warner Bros. It did not have a Canadian release, so my copy is an import. There's a bit of a sheen to the presentation and it's not heavy on the grain. The end result maybe doesn't feel as gritty as I'd like, but I imagine that's just the inherent style of the film.
Watched on the recently released (last year) 4K blu-ray courtesy of Warner Bros. It did not have a Canadian release, so my copy is an import. There's a bit of a sheen to the presentation and it's not heavy on the grain. The end result maybe doesn't feel as gritty as I'd like, but I imagine that's just the inherent style of the film.
Rocky IV (1985)
Probably the most stylistically evolved entry in the series thus far -- really feels like Stallone is pushing to make something that visually stands apart from what we've seen in the series so far. Particularly with the montages. Not just the expected training montage, but also the one that slices footage from previous films while Rocky is reconciling his next moves. And at the same time, we're seeing a lot of unhinged debauchery -- namely a talking robot and a lengthy performance from James Brown himself. The end result is unforgettable and is quintessential 80s throw it all at the wall overindulgence, probably marking itself as the defining "80s" Rocky film.
Watched on 4K blu-ray. Starting to see a more polished presentation as I make my way through the series, with finer grain structure and more HDR worthy moments.
Watched on 4K blu-ray. Starting to see a more polished presentation as I make my way through the series, with finer grain structure and more HDR worthy moments.
Zodiac (2007)
I can't think of a director better suited for this subject matter than David Fincher. The paranoia and obsession is perfectly captured here, in an approach that altogether feels meticulously and professionally crafted in the procedural sense of things. So unique in its ability to relentlessly hold the viewer in, shedding away the layers ever so patiently without ever losing focus on the pervading ugliness of it all.
Watched on the new 4K blu-ray from Paramount. Keeping in mind that the majority of this was shot digitally in the infancy of the format, the presentation here is still decent!
Watched on the new 4K blu-ray from Paramount. Keeping in mind that the majority of this was shot digitally in the infancy of the format, the presentation here is still decent!
The Witches of Eastwick (1987)
Definitely a product of its time (lots of gasps and oh-nos from the audience), but still a fun watch! Great practical effects, especially in the last act of the film. Phenomenal casting for all of the leads here. George Miller's filmography is honestly fascinating, and this is an entry in it that stands entirely on its own.
Screened on 35mm at The Cinematheque here in Vancouver, as part of their "Watch Out, That Woman Has Evil Eyes: Celluloid Witches" programming.
Screened on 35mm at The Cinematheque here in Vancouver, as part of their "Watch Out, That Woman Has Evil Eyes: Celluloid Witches" programming.
