"The Duke Of Burgundy" has a wild opening- a sudden reframing of the premise that would be definitively blusterous in a more conventionally concerned film. With this film, it's actually an establishment of thesis. The two main characters (Sidse Babett Knudsen and Chiara D'Anna, both absolutely outstanding) are in a relationship where sexual dominance is overtly defined, but emotional dominance is wild and fluid. The plot is minimal, we literally spend the entire film watching these two women circle each…
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Candyman 1992
This review may contain spoilers. I can handle the truth.
A too-often elided masterpiece whose influence in both style and substance is echoed in celebrated modern works like those of Ari Aster and Jordan Peele. I am astonished at the complexity of "Candyman," existing at the intersection of history, mythology and social commentary and serving them all masterfully. The ghastly origin of Candyman himself should make him sympathetic, but it mostly serves to justify his fury and make him that much scarier because you know the depth of his trauma.…
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The Apprentice 2024
Ah, the thing we've always wanted. A movie about Mr. Miyagi and Daniel if they were both straight-up demons, devouring one another. Jesus.
Jeremy Strong is incredible, here and elsewhere. Roy Cohn is a despicable figure, but he's undeniably human- driven by whims, vanity, love. That Strong elicits any empathy at all is an act of miraculous acting skill. Sebastian Stan's Trump is so outwardly similar, but every human thing about him eventually reveals itself as ego, insecurity. Every option…
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Emilia Pérez 2024
One thing I've always said is that I love a big swing. Good, bad or ugly, I'll take an ambitious failure over a tedious success. Whatever the hell else is going on here, you could never claim that "Emilia Perez" is tedious.
It's a little odd to watch a film so far into it's discourse half-life. You can't help but engage with it through the prism of other people's responses. Obviously, the issues with star Karla Sofia Gascon are more…
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Tenacious D: Time Fixers 2006
JB: "How could this be happening?"
Time Goblin: "Because of me- the Time Goblin!"
KG: "Dude, it's the Time Goblin!"
JB: "He gobbles time."
Time Goblin: "I got Lincoln to leave the play, cause I knew it would lure you two here. Now I'm gonna kick your asses and steal your little time machine!"
JB: "Yeah? Well there's just one problem with your fuckin' plan you god damn, motherfuckin' stupid piece of shit. We're gonna kick the living fuck outta…Translated from by -
Post Grad 2009
Choosing "Memory" for a cat funeral led by Michael Keaton is the kind of unexpected comedy home run that I watch these sort of layup, forgettable comedies for. Also, Michael Keaton is so funny in everything, and so forcefully good at stealing his scenes in "Post Grad" that I found myself a little disappointed when Carol Burnett got the jokes. Think about that. Seriously, this isn't very good. It's rote and vanilla, only fitfully interesting despite a script by Kelly…
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