Michelle O'Connell

Michelle O'Connell Pro

I write sometimes (bylines at RogerEbert dot com, The Film Stage, elsewhere). Often I don’t.

Favorite films

  • Something Wild
  • Mulholland Drive
  • The Lady Eve
  • Chungking Express

Recent activity

All
  • About Time

    ★½

  • Used Cars

    ★★★★½

  • The Black Cat

    ★★★

  • Body Double

    ★★★★★

Pinned reviews

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  • Stop Making Sense

    Stop Making Sense

    ★★★★★

    Seen it a thousand times and still feel like each viewing is new. So much of what I love about Jonathan Demme's work goes beyond his distinctive close-ups or his love of music, live performance, or even his love of humanity in all its strangest forms. All of that is here, but I think what stands out about his films above all else are those small moments in between with minor characters or backing performers getting a moment to shine…

  • New York Stories

    New York Stories

    ★★★★★

    This review may contain spoilers. I can handle the truth.

Recent reviews

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  • Bringing Up Baby

    Bringing Up Baby

    ★★★★★

    Deeply relate to Susan in that I also believe I could befriend a large and dangerous cat with a little music

  • Babygirl

    Babygirl

    ★★★½

    This is maybe a little too neat and tidy for its own good in the end and too eager to reassure but I sure had fun while it was going. Feel like the Eyes Wide Shut comparisons are largely superficial and this is a lot closer to Unfaithful. Can’t really match that film’s thorniness (or horniness) but the focus on Kidman’s self-discovery, fear of getting caught and desire to risk it all because of how thrilling it is is critical to its success. A movie that earns its close-ups, and Kidman really knows how to make the most of them.

Popular reviews

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  • Bottoms

    Bottoms

    ★½

    This review may contain spoilers. I can handle the truth.

  • Emilia Pérez

    Emilia Pérez

    ½

    Dead Dove Do Not Eat