Favorite films

Recent reviews

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  Gallipoli 1981

  ★★★★½ Watched 16 Mar 2025

  I am an unabashed Peter Weir fan, and I don’t think any other director shows as well the way humans - with their attempts at order and imposed “civilization” - interact with bleak and barren landscapes.  He shows that ultimately hollow hubris with such deftness, and of course Gallipoli is right up there as an example.

  It’s an anti-war war movie, the sort that shows the joys of bonhomie and bonding and patriotism just before everyone gets obliterated.  Gibson’s character loses…

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  Mickey 17 2025

  ★★★½ Watched 08 Mar 2025

  A well-made sci-if adventure about disposability and capitalism, wrapped in Bong Joon-ho’s usual craftsmanship. It’s highly watchable, with a host of talented performers - Pattinson is electric, as always.  

  As one might imagine with a film that resonates so heavily with Right Now, I was nauseated and exhausted by the whole spectacle even while admiring the level of detail and the performances. Where the film fell down for me was in the hanging subplots and the … I don’t even…

Popular reviews

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  Lovely, Dark, and Deep 2023

  ★★★★ Watched 25 Jul 2023

  I love me some horror and mysteries-of-nature podcasts, and National Park disappearances show up quite a bit - “Missing 411” and all that.  This film runs with that framework and takes it much farther than I expected, with an extra twist of the knife that made everything preceding truly horrific.  

  Cosmic horror is so difficult to get “right.” Sutherland nailed it, especially with Georgina Campbell’s fantastic performance at the movie’s core.  Truly disturbing.

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  Witness for the Prosecution 1957

  ★★★★½ Watched 17 Nov 2024

  It’s hard not to like this twisty, witty, oh-so-British black comedy & courtroom drama. All the players are in fine form, from Laughton and Dietrich on down. The script teases just enough that you know *something* twisty is happening, but not necessarily what. I’ve said before in reviews that I can usually figure out a film’s ending within minutes. Not this time!

  Also, how lovely to see someone actually appalled by a miscarriage of justice. Laughton’s barrister obviously loves the game, but he’s principled nevertheless.  Enjoyable film all around.