Man or beast? Bradley Cooper turns in an impressively vulnerable performance as a mysterious man who works his way into a well established carnival community in post-depression middle America. Sure he’s handsome and charming, but here’s also deeply traumatized and manipulative. And that’s a great set up for what’s arguably Guillermo del Toro’s richest and darkest film to date. I love the patience here, the story very slowly unfolds as it immerses us in this world. Cooper also slowly and…
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Medicine Man 1992
I rewatched this for one reason - director John McTiernan. Of his relatively short filmography, five movies are slam dunks (Predator, Die Hard, The Hunt for Red October, Die Hard with a Vengeance, and The Thomas Crown Affair). This film is not, but it does offer a glimpse into how the hand of a talented filmmaker can partially salvage a troubled script with questionable characters and a muddled plot. Sometimes a director’s missteps can spark curiosity and be almost as interesting as their hits.
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The Ghost Writer 2010
A solid late career thriller from director Roman Polanski. Setting controversy aside, The Ghost Writer puts the filmmaker’s talents for crafting suspense and unease on display. There are several moments where we feel the anxiety and dread of the titular character, played by Ewan McGregor. What’s really in that book he’s writing, was there someone in his hotel room moments before walking in.. The isolated setting of a rainy Martha’s Vineyard only helps underscore the unease the “ghost” character feels. An effective film from a renowned director, and one that’s proven to be quite reachable as the years have passed.
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The Brutalist 2024
A film of enormous length and scope, but one that also feels equally intimate. Uniquely clocking in at 3 hrs 35 minutes, with a 15 minute intermission, this should be experienced on the big screen - for its epic feel but also its aesthetic. Without speculating on all the themes at play after one viewing, the depiction of poverty and wealth through the eyes of a Holocaust survivor and brilliant architect in post WWII America is captivating and unpredictable. Adrien…
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