Marc Starvaggi

Marc Starvaggi Patron

I like emotionally honest characters and strong themes.

Favorite films

  • Jurassic Park
  • Roma
  • Nausicaä of the Valley of the Wind
  • Lilo & Stitch

Recent activity

All
  • Mickey 17

    ★★★★

  • Pisces

    ★★★★½

  • Swimming with Wings

    ★★★★½

  • Calabasas 1/26/20

    ★★★½

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  • The Brutalist

    The Brutalist

    ★★★★★

    I'm astounded.

    Only vague spoilers below:

    The first sequence of this film culminates in a shot that brought me to tears. The cinematography continues to climb from this point, far and away the best of the year, among the best of the decade. The craftsmanship on display is astounding, as the dedication to every frame mirrors the precision and care that László takes in every aspect of his work as an architect. The score is perfectly utilized, accompanying every moment…

  • Monster

    Monster

    ★★★★★

    I'm having a difficult time writing a review for what I just watched. (Edit: I have returned to this review to add much more perspective on my own work with children and explain why I see so much value in a film like this. I don't often substantially add to a review, but it took a long time ruminating on the reason this is my favorite of the year to sort out articulating it.)

    To categorize this film is to…

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  • Mickey 17

    Mickey 17

    ★★★★

    A little obvious in its trajectory, but as Eliza pointed out the worldbuilding was excellent. @mattspendley said he thought one of the characters was wasted a bit, which Kyle and I agreed with. Still, a funny and meaningful film. A great follow-up to Parasite for Bong, who I think needed to follow that up with something weird like this.

  • Pisces

    Pisces

    ★★★★½

    This eighth short from the Havurah Short Film Festival tonight was the one that moved me the most. I was reminded of my own sisters who live far away. The art was beautiful. The visual storytelling very good. Eliza was touched to see me cry.

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  • Everything Everywhere All at Once

    Everything Everywhere All at Once

    ★★★★★

    I was going to put this at the end of the review, but I thought I would address it first: I wanted to pick this apart. I kept deliberating how I felt about it as I watched it, but as I sit on the 2 train leaving the theater, the more I think about what it accomplished and the more I read what other people have to say about it the more I am convinced that this is a masterpiece.…

  • Barbarian

    Barbarian

    ★★★★

    Deftly executed and thematically strong, this is one of the better films about gender, fear, and sexual violence that I have seen. It's inventive, genuinely startling, sympathetic, occasionally funny, and visually well-directed. A great entry into the elevated horror genre!