Favorite films

Recent reviews

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  In Cold Blood 1967

  ★★★½ Watched 26 Feb 2023

  Too confident in explaining the unknowable, but extremely well shot, and the ending is as emphatic and memorable a concluding statement as I've seen. Another example of Brooks being a very talented visual director who undermines his strengths with his wordiness.

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  The Apple 1980

  ★½ Watched 12 Mar 2025

  This is literally just Phantom of the Paradise except all the of the music, writing, and performances are dogshit (rather than just some). Has a weird religious/morally puritanical streak too.

Popular reviews

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  12 Angry Men 1957

  ★★ Watched 20 Sep 2022

  Life-affirming and inspirational, like winning an imaginary argument in the shower. Posits that institutional racism exists because there are not enough ethically-unbound supermen to single-handedly argue down the NPC masses. Of course I, the viewer, am this person.

  No world exists outside the famous single-room set: When writer stand-in and producer Henry Fonda exits the jury room, it is clear he has ended racism and likely saved the universe. His work here is done, and so is the audience's. We did it.

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  The Boxer's Omen 1983

  ★★★½ Watched 08 Nov 2024

  I now understand Buddhism much more, but also a lot less