Favorite films

Recent reviews

• 

  A Real Pain 2024

  ★★★★ Watched 01 Mar 2025

  Movie Night w/ Z:
  (This review written just prior to the 97th Oscars telecast.)

  A truly touching film. Jesse Eisenberg has created a deep character study of pain, generational trauma, and brotherhood.

  Eisenberg handles the grim subject of the Holocaust with care and tenderness… allowing us to laugh AND cry with Kieran Culkin.

  Culkin delivers a truly moving, emotionally piercing performance. His body language, his bravado, his eyes… every movement and every expression convey either his vibrancy or his pain.…

• 

  Good Will Hunting 1997

  ★★★★★ Rewatched 28 Feb 2025

  Family Movie Night in Celebration of Oscar Sunday:
  (This review written just prior to the 97th Oscars telecast.)

  What a beautiful film from start to finish.

  A heartfelt character study… Both Matt and Robin deliver heart wrenching, career-defining performances.

  Matt n’ Ben’s script is authentic and profoundly moving.

  Gus Van Sant handles the story with care, taking us on journey that leaves us emotionally exhausted, but also completely rewarded and fulfilled.

  One of the greatest films of all time.

Popular reviews

• 

  The King of Comedy 1982

  ★★★★ Watched 22 May 2020

  Brilliant (of course).

  I officially reallocate any praise I may have given for The Joker to The King instead.

  The film's observations on the American culture of fame are still relevant today... probably more so.

• 

  Solo: A Star Wars Story 2018

  ★★★ Rewatched 31 Mar 2024

  w/ V, while Z Easter Dinner prepped.

  Flawed and occasionally amateurish but nevertheless entertaining.

  Casting good, story decent, action well-executed.

  Howard has done his best to iron out Lord & Miller’s hokey insensibilities… but the result is a flick that is stylistically inconsistent. Sometimes it feels like Star Wars (Thank you Ron.), other times it feels stupid and awkward (Hey L&M, go back to Lego. Turning Lando into a droid-loving pervert purely for your own juvenile snickers is disrespectful to the…

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