We’ve reached the end of another excellent year of cinema! 2022 brought us highs and lows, laughs and tears, thrills and chills in spades. What were the best of the best in my eyes? Which films do you need to add to your watchlist before we move on to a new calendar year? Read on to find out!
We’ve reached the end of another excellent year of cinema! 2022 brought us highs and lows, laughs and tears, thrills and chills in spades. What were the best of the best in my eyes? Which films do you need to add to your watchlist before we move on to a new calendar year? Read on to find out!
Babylon (2022) is a period comedy-drama film from writer-director Damien Chazelle. It follows various members of the Old Hollywood film industry during the transition from silent films to talkies – and all the debauchery and degeneracy that entailed. The film debuted to wildly polarizing reactions ahead of its Christmas release by Paramount Pictures. Is this yet another winner by Chazelle, or a misguided misfire?
Continue reading ““Babylon” Film Review: The Magic (and Mania) of the Movies”
Avatar: The Way of Water (2022) is a fantasy adventure drama from writer-director James Cameron and the sequel to the 2009 mega-blockbuster Avatar. It continues the tale of the Na’vi race native to the planet Pandora and their ongoing struggles with human settlers attempting to oust them from their homes in order to strip the land of its resources. The film released in theaters on December 16th and is already well on its way to making a bajillion dollars. How does it hold up to the original?
Continue reading ““Avatar: The Way of Water” Film Review: Family Matters”
Yesterday the Academy announced its shortlists in several key categories for the upcoming 95th Academy Awards. What were the surprise snubs? Which films had an unexpectedly good day? Let’s discuss!
Continue reading “Winners and Losers from the 2023 Oscars Shortlists”
As is often the case this time of year, I’ve been on a mad dash trying to cram in as many new releases as I can before the year is up. Lately I’ve caught up on several 2022 documentaries that are worth talking about briefly here. Enjoy my abbreviated thoughts on Good Night Oppy, Fire of Love, Moonage Daydream, and Sr.!
Continue reading “Film Review Round-Up: Documentary Edition”
Bardo, False Chronicle of a Handful of Truths (2022) is a Mexican black comedy drama film written and directed by Alejandro G. Iñárritu. It stars Daniel Giménez Cacho as a documentary filmmaker who returns to his native country of Mexico and experiences hallucinogenic visions amidst an existential crisis. The film debuted at the Venice Film Festival to mixed reviews, ahead of its theatrical and streaming release via Netflix. Why has this polarized critics and audiences so much?
Emancipation (2022) is a slavery action-drama film from director Antoine Fuqua. Based on a true story, it stars Will Smith as Peter, an escaped slave who flees his masters through the swamps of Louisiana during the Civil War. The film debuted late last month ahead of its streaming release on Apple TV+. Can Will Smith overcome the controversy against him and return to the Oscar conversation?
Continue reading ““Emancipation” Film Review: Survival of the Fittest”
Welcome to the December edition of our Best Picture Power Rankings, in which we take a look at the ongoing race for the biggest category of the upcoming 95th Academy Awards! We have now heard from the first batch of precursors, as we have the AFI and NBR Top 10 lists plus the Golden Globe and Critics’ Choice Awards nominations. How have they shaken up the race? Let’s dive in!
Continue reading “Best Picture Power Rankings: December 2022 Edition”
We have our nominees for the first major precursor of awards season! Which films overperformed at the newly-reformed 80th Golden Globes? What major snubs have shaken up the race? Let’s look at the winners and losers of these new developments!
Continue reading “2023 Golden Globe Award Nominations (Reaction)”
Scriptophile 