Alex Szurkus

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My reviews are always subjective, yet grounded in objectivity.

A 5/5 is a film that I wouldn’t change a single thing about.

Favorite films

All

Punch-Drunk Love 2002

★★★★ Watched 14 Aug 2023

This film does an incredible job of placing the viewer in the shoes of someone whose mind works in very different, far more erratic, way than most. Punch-Drunk Love is the definition of show not tell and it’s a large part of what makes this film so good. While the lens flares and random flashes of color are distracting and the some of the lighting could use adjustment, the film is certainly unique and captivating.
Big Night 1996

★★★★ Watched 14 Aug 2023

This is a great film about the importance of a strong, virtuous brotherly bond and the lack of true value in a pursuit of power or wealth. It’s also quite humorous. The lighting in a few of the shots could’ve used improvement. Overall, it’s an enjoyable and meaningful film.
P.S. Dear Cinematographer, not everything needs to be centered in the frame. It’s triggering.

My Trip to Al-Qaeda 2010

★★ Watched 24 Jul 2022 2

The story is captivating and the archival footage is well cultivated; I’ll give Gibney that. However, that’s about where the positives end for this film. The cinematography is not good, the animations are bad, and the first half of the film feels less focused on Al Qaeda and more on unaffiliated acts of Islamic terrorism. Honestly, this could have been a great documentary with the same people and the same topic; but, considering its flaws, the film comes across as lazy and more like a lecture than a documentary.
The Battle Over Citizen Kane 1996

½ Watched 26 Jul 2022

The cinematography on the interviews was pretty good. Everything else was bad. This is a film about Orson Wells. Yet, it’s supposed to be about Citizen Kane. The interviews are poorly conducted; it feels like the interviewees are simply spitting out random facts about Orson Wells. The B roll is nothing special; there is no bts footage, only clips from the movie. This is one of the only documentaries that has truly bored me. This is the worst documentary I’ve ever seen.