2018 - The Rest of the Story

My top 10 is here, but I wanted to say a little about all the other new stuff I saw this year. For the most part, within each category, they're listed in order of increasing admiration.

SUPERHEROES DONE RIGHT

I’ve been more and more ready for the fad of superhero movies to fade, but I

can’t deny there were plenty of great ones this year.

Mary Poppins Returns - Darn right she’s a superhero. One of my favorite things about her is that, unlike a lot of heroes, she doesn’t want credit for the things she does to help people. Nothing can take the place of the original, but this is a lovely homage and a worthy follow-up. Ben Whishaw’s song DESTROYED me.

Deadpool 2 - Loved this, loved all the new heroes (especially the badass Domino), and it has the very best group cameo EVER. Also the best-worst use of time travel.

Avengers: Infinity War - I would not have believed six years ago that Marvel movies would go this dark, but here we are. Of course, I’m sure it will all be undone in the next movie, but it’s amazing how willing the filmmakers were to break the audience’s hearts. I hope you knew what you were doing, Strange.

Black Panther - One of the best movies of the year, period. Not only a great superhero movie, but a great movie with excellent worldbuilding and action. And a villain who has a point. I love the message of this movie, which much of America desperately needs to learn. 

Spider-Man: Into the Spider-verse - (Pictured above.) As good a movie as Black Panther is, I think Into the Spider-verse is even better as a superhero movie. It almost makes me want to get into comic books. Almost. Brilliant voice cast, wonderful animation (in several different styles) and most importantly a great story.

THE HORROR! THE HORROR!

There was SO MUCH good horror this year!

The Nun - The only one of these I’m lukewarm on. I don’t know if it’s that a horror movie monster tends to be scarier without a backstory or what, but I found the eponymous nun far scarier in The Conjuring 2. This is still pretty entertaining, though, and I love the touch of casting Taissa Farmiga.

Halloween (2018) - Not great, but still quite good. I love that they threw out all the other sequels and just showed us what might have really become of a final girl like Laurie if she lived in the real world and not a horror franchise. I love the smackdown of “both sides”-ism, and I adore that this is ultimately the story about three generations of women fighting to survive against a man intent on destroying them.

Anna and the Apocalypse - The holiday setting seems pretty incidental, but it does provide some great visuals (Anna whacking at zombies with a giant plastic candy cane is awesomely ludicrous). Making this a musical was a stroke of brilliance, though. I think that’s the only genre zombies hadn’t yet cracked.

Upgrade - This was really great and tapped into the fear of technology taking over all aspects of our lives. If you thought it was hella creepy when Alexa devices starting laughing to themselves, imagine a piece of software moving your limbs for you. This concept was scary even before the third act twist. Major kudos to Logan Marshall-Green who has to give two performances at once for parts of this movie — one with his arms and legs, and completely different one with his face. Loved this.

Annihilation - This was lovely and atmospheric and scary as heck, and it’s a shame so few people saw it. That bear or wolf or WHATEVER it was will haunt my dreams until the end of time. I also loved that this was about a team of scientists that were all women. Take that, The Thing! (Just kidding, The Thing, I love you but you *are* a sausage fest.)

A Quiet Place - I will never forget sitting for about ten minutes during this movie, holding a chip next to my mouth, unable to eat it because I was afraid to crunch. What an astounding use of silence in a movie. Everyone in the movie’s small cast is terrific, but especially Emily Blunt and Millicent Simmonds.

Hereditary - Another movie that’s effectively horrifying even before everything gets REALLY crazy in the last twenty minutes or so. Toni Collette does some of her best work here, and Alex Wolff (who I became a fan of with last year’s My Friend Dahmer) is incredible. Not what modern audiences might think of as horror, but they’re wrong.

Summer of ’84 - I really, really dug this. I don’t know if this is ripping off the “four young boys, a girl, and some scares” scenario of Stranger Things and It, or if it just came along at the same time, but I like this even more. It’s also a bit Rear Window, down to undermining the protagonist’s suspicions only to robustly confirm them later. The ending to this movie Messed. Me. Up. It’s been a while since a movie genuinely made me afraid to go to sleep.

Suspiria (2018) - (Pictured above.) I would not have thought it was possible to remake one of the greatest, scariest movies of all time and make it work so tremendously well. There’s *just enough* homage to the original, but it never makes nostalgia for Argento’s film do any of the work for it. Amazing.

ANIMATION

The *best* animated film I saw this year is in another category, but there was plenty of beautiful

animation on display in these other offerings. I just wish some of the movies themselves had been a bit better.

Isle of Dogs - There’s so much I love about this movie. It’s really brilliant animation and a great love song to humankind’s best friend. But … why is this white American director telling a Japanese story? Why are almost none of the voice actors Japanese? Why does this story even need to take place in Japan?

Incredibles 2 - I’m in the minority on this, I know, but I never felt a desperate need for a sequel to the original Incredibles. I wasn’t wild about the original film’s position on exceptionalism to begin with, but it was a good plot and felt timely. This movie is entertaining, but it feels at least a decade too late. I wish the whole movie had been about Edna and Jack-Jack.

Ralph Breaks the Internet - (Pictured above.) Not *quite* as tight as the first movie, and I think a lot of the internet in-jokes are unnecessary, but this movie gets a lot right, especially when it goes in on toxic relationships. The princess stuff is great as well, especially when Vanellope finally gets her “I want” song.

ADAPTATIONS

Ready Player One - There’s nothing wrong with this, exactly, and the concept is pretty irresistible. But this is another movie that feels too late for the cultural moment it’s in. White Male Hero saves the world with his fluency in obscure pop culture knowledge. I’m way more interested in the other characters.

A Wrinkle in Time - This was perfectly lovely and I don’t understand why it wasn’t more appreciated. Okay, it’s not perfect, but few novel adaptations are.

Leave No Trace - (Pictured above.) Incredible. I don’t even know what else to say. Beautifully filmed and beautifully acted. Like the director’s previous film, Winter’s Bone, a fascinating look at life on the margins of society.

FRANCHISE FILMS

Superhero movies were on point in 2018, but other franchises were hit-and-miss.

Fantastic Beasts: The Crimes of Grindelwald - I love being in Rowling’s wizarding world, but I swear these need to be books, not movies. I’m reminded of William Goldman explaining why he wrote a Butch & Sundance movie instead of a book — because he didn’t want to do all the research, and if he wrote a script someone else would have to do that. That feels like what’s happening with these movies, only J.K. Rowling *invented* this world and these characters, so she’s the only one with the information to begin with. I’m sure there are answers forthcoming, but it’s taking longer than it should to get to them with little else to hold onto. I could say so much more about this, but ack, there’s too much else to cover.

Solo: A Star Wars Story - I liked this more than most, it seems, even the belabored “origin story” moments. Alden Ehrenreich was a much better Han than I was expecting and Donald Glover as Lando … GUH. Also, gotta love that surprise cameo.

Mission: Impossible - Fallout - (Pictured above.) How do these movies keep getting better? Remember the first one? I love that they brought Michelle Monaghan back and actually dealt with what this movie universe means for her character. And my goodness, Tom Cruise is just super human at this point. THAT HELICOPTER STUNT OMG.

COMPLICATED LADIES

There are many more of these in my top 10 and in other categories, but I’m so happy to see

roles for women getting so much more nuanced and rounded.

Madeline’s Madeline - I was surprised to see this on so many top ten lists because I did not care for this at all. I mainly went to see it for the glory of Miranda July, and there are some good moments, but it was really frustrating to watch and I felt like I was on quirk overload.

Tully - This was really good, and I’m sad that most people seem to have forgotten about it already. Another exhibit in my “no thanks to kids” file.

Vox Lux - I was COMPLETELY unprepared for the first 15 minutes or so of this movie. I thought I was seeing a movie about a pop star and suddenly a brutally realistic school shooting is happening in front of my eyeballs! I kind of loved the theme in this movie about how nobody cares about anything anymore. I think that’s truer than we realize. Natalie Portman is pretty great here — in a lot of ways, a more serious version of her SNL rap persona.

The Wife - (Pictured above.) Glenn Close’s best work in years and hardly anyone saw it. Also her best argument for an Oscar win since 1988 and, just like that year, she’s probably going to lose to another singer-turned-actress. She plays the wife of an author who wins the Nobel and her absolute refusal to be seen as subjugating herself to her husband’s career is a thrill to watch. As is the moment when she finally shows us what she’s been holding in all this time.

A DISH BEST SERVED COLD

Both of these revenge flicks are stupendous, and had I done a “Second Ten” this year both of these would be in it.

Revenge - What I Spit On Your Grave should have been. Doesn’t force us to watch the actual rape and puts our attention and sympathies squarely and undivergingly on the victim. It’s also frankly a miracle that, for the second half of the film our heroine is dressed so skimpily (she’s wearing more dirt and fake blood than apparel) and yet it never feels as if she’s being exploited by the camera.

Mandy - (Pictured above.) My one complaint is that it needs more Mandy. One of Nicolas Cage’s best performances, and I wish people would stop categorizing it as a “crazy Nic Cage” performance. Nothing he does in this film (including the bathroom freakout) feels false or overdone to me. He lost the person he loved the most and had to watch her being brutally murdered. That will lead to some screaming.

RELIGIOUS ANGST

An interesting pair of flicks about fairly specific religious communities and the expectations attendant upon each.

Disobedience - If you saw the trailer for this, you probably know the gist, but I love the way this movie keeps its cards close to its chest and barely explains anything until the pent-up passion between Ronit and Esti explodes.

First Reformed - (Pictured above.) Paul Schrader’s best work in quite a while and a career-best performance from Ethan Hawke. This is Schrader’s meditation on Bresson’s Diary of a Country Priest, but it could easily be seen as “Taxi Driver with a priest.”

LOVE STORIES AMID TRAGIC CIRCUMSTANCES

If I’d seen either/both of these movies earlier in the year, or even earlier in the month, they might have

been in the top ten. They’re both brilliant, but as a rule I don’t trust my feelings on movies until I’ve had at least

a few days to meditate on them.

Cold War - A music director and a young singer fall in love during the cold war and spend the next decade leaving each other and coming back to each other. This looks exactly like a lost European film from the 1950s.

If Beale Street Could Talk - (Pictured above.) As a white person, I don’t feel qualified to say much about this, except that it is beautiful and heartbreaking. One of several movies this year that make the case for the absolute necessity of more diverse voices in filmmaking and storytelling in general. Perspective is essential to this film. That perfume scene, my God.

DOCUMENTARIES

They’ll Love Me When I’m Dead - I liked this glimpse into the making of Welles’ The Other Side of the Wind, but I kind of wished they’d included what happened between the end of principal photography and when they were finally able to release it.

RBG - Why do we even need that On the Basis of Sex movie when there’s this?

Won’t You Be My Neighbor? - I liked this a lot and was glad it wasn’t just a cry fest. It also felt pretty even-handed for a doc about someone who seems so universally loved.

Minding the Gap - (Pictured above.) Wow. This was extraordinary. The skateboarding scenes alone are beautiful and ballet-like, but what really makes this movie sing are the intimate, frequently heartbreaking interviews.

UNCOMFORTABLE CONVERSATIONS STARTER KITS

As I said with BlacKkKlansman yesterday, this was a good year for movies you can't talk about at Thanksgiving.

Bodied - I was not as wild about this as others, mostly because I found the protagonist an insufferable prick who becomes even more insufferable by the end. I appreciate the distinction the movie makes between personal insults and insults based on demographics, and the climactic rap battle is fantastic. I just didn’t care for where this ended up. Maybe that’s the point, I don’t know.

Sorry to Bother You - Boots Riley treats this as the only film he may ever get to make, which results mostly in an incredibly ballsy debut (though perhaps in need of a little trim). And if you think the premise and tone are insane, JUST WAIT until the third act lunacy.

Blindspotting - (Pictured above.) This is a flat-out brilliant movie, made from a script by Daveed Diggs and Rafael Casal who both star in the movie. It’s a vivid portrait of racism, gentrification and police brutality in a setting you don’t see too much in films. This also features another Hamilton alum, Jasmine Cephas Jones.

ROM COMS

As great as this year was for horror, it was almost as good for rom-coms.

Set It Up - Of these five, this is my least favorite, but I still LOVED this. It’s a twist on the office romance, but with a bit of Cyrano de Bergerac thrown in. Giving me more handsome Glen Powell to look at is worth the price of admission, but this movie also gave me the term “over-dick-around,” which is so real and relatable it’s downright rude.

To All the Boys I’ve Loved Before - This was thoroughly charming and a great homage to the teen movies of the 80s. A John Hughes movie without the uncomfortable “I can’t believe that was ever considered acceptable” moments. Also, the love interest in this is SUPER cute.

Love, Simon - There have probably been movies like this before, but certainly not in the mainstream. While this movie normalizes gay romances, it doesn’t ignore how they are different from straight romances and how “coming out” complicates all of these dynamics. Jennifer Garner gets one of the best monologues of the year.

Crazy Rich Asians - Given that this was the first Asian-led movie in like 25 years, it had a lot to live up to — much more than any one movie should ever be expected to, in my opinion. I loved every second of this movie. It was a beautiful, almost Busby Berkeley-esque throwback to the opulent eye candy of Old Hollywood, in a drastically underused setting. Here’s hoping there are many more to come.

Juliet, Naked - (Pictured above.) This is my favorite kind of romance because it’s pretty light on, well, romanticizing. Rose Byrne plays a woman who strikes up an unlikely friendship and eventual romance with a musician (played by Ethan Hawke) who her former boyfriend (Chris O’Dowd) has been obsessed with for years. This was so refreshingly unsentimental, I couldn’t help loving it.

BASED ON A TRUE STORY

Operation Finale - A fine but not terribly remarkable historical drama about Israeli intelligence officers’ 1960 capture of former SS officer Adolf Eichmann, who had been one of the major figures and organizers of the Holocaust. There are some good dramatic scenes, especially between Oscar Isaac and Ben Kingsley, and some well-done tense moments. But this is pretty by-the-numbers.

Vice - There’s a lot to love here, but it feels even more chaotic than The Big Short (which I still liked and was in my “second ten” of 2015). A lot of praise going to Bale, but his performance feels much more like an impression and some incredible makeup. Amy Adams and Steve Carell are the MVPs for my money, Adams in particular.

First Man - Lovely, and the moon landing is spectacular (especially in IMAX). I liked this this was as much about Armstrong’s grief as his achievement (and how the two kind of go hand in hand). I have quibbles about the limited female roles (and I’m not part of the Cult of Claire Foy), but the movie overall is great, and I like seeing that Damien Chazelle can do something so wildly different.

Can You Ever Forgive Me? - Fantastic, and a great portrait of 1990s New York (which is the first New York I ever saw in person). Melissa McCarthy is wonderful, in the kind of prickly role she’s never really gotten to play before. Richard E. Grant is also excellent as her partner in crime. I also have to give a shout-out to Jane Curtin who is especially great in a small role.

The Death of Stalin - (Pictured above.) This just barely didn’t make my top 10. Outstanding and screamingly funny, and hoo boy, scarily relevant to current times (the phrase “false narrative” sent a chill straight up my spine). Everyone is fantastic here (this is part of Andrea Riseborough’s 2018 trifecta, with Mandy and Nancy), and I love that the whole cast just use their natural accents.

THRILLERS

Bad Times at the El Royale - Enjoyable and incredibly stylish. Wonderful ensemble cast, especially Cynthia Erivo. Chris Hemsworth is sex on a stick, but we already knew that.

Searching - (Pictured above.) This is amazing and far better than I expected from the set-up. All of the action takes place on computer screens, phones and surveillance cameras, which doesn’t sound like it would work but it’s really excellent. Everything centers on a great performance by John Cho as a father looking for his missing daughter.

ANTHOLOGIES

Ghost Stories - Loved this, and it reminded me a lot of one of the old Amicus horror movies, like Tales from the Crypt or Asylum. Got to see this at IFC with an intro Q&A from Martiin Freeman.

The Ballad of Buster Scruggs - (Pictured above.) Not all of the sketches are of equal excellence, but I don’t think that matters all that much. The clear champ is the Tom Waits tale, but I also enjoyed the one with Liam Neeson and Harry Potter’s Harry Melling, as well as the one with Tim Blake Nelson. The Coens have such an incredible gift for language, especially in their westerns and Americana films. It’s a form of music, and this movie is another stellar example.

FOREIGN BEAUTIES

Let the Corpses Tan - This modern giallo got a little wackadoo (as gialli are won’t to do), but I ultimately liked it. Incredible use of timestamps.

Burning - Great slow burn Korean thriller, with a wonderful maybe-villain performance from Steven Yuen.

Shoplifters - (Pictured above.) Beautiful, intimate and ultimately heartbreaking. Palm d’Or winner at Cannes. Questions traditional definitions of family. Great performances all-around, but Sakura Ando as the mother is the standout for me.

#SQUADGOALS

It was also a good year for lady teams.

Mamma Mia! Here We Go Again - Look, this was never going to be a critical hit, but I enjoyed it to an indecent degree. Until “My Love, My Life” started and I nearly drowned in snotty, devastated tears. Coming up with a reason for Cher to sing “Fernando” is just … (*chef’s kiss*).

Thoroughbreds - Okay, maybe this one isn’t “goals,” exactly, but the relationship between the two girls in this film is fascinating. Great performances from Anna Taylor-Joy and especially Ready Player One’s Olivia Cooke. 

Skate Kitchen - Great coming of age movie about a girl who loves skateboarding finding other girls who love skateboarding. A good story about friendship and the mistakes we make that screw it up. Also taught me what “credit card”ing is, and OUCH.

Dumplin’ - I loved this so much! Joins a handful of actually good movies about the south. There’s a romance here, and one I like a lot, but it’s secondary to the female relationships. Loved Willowdean but Millie was my favorite.

Widows - I hate that people seem to judge this by the “12 Years a Slave” standard as if this is lesser McQueen because it’s different. This is a really great heist thriller with an incredible cast . It’s not quite as strong when gets into “issues,” but it’s still great.

Ocean’s 8 - (Pictured above.) This setup and how it ties to the original trilogy should not work, but it’s done with just the right touch. I love that Ruben is the crossover character and not Rusty or Linus. And these are some seriously awesome ladies. On a superficial note, Cate Blanchett’s wardrobe in this movie is BOSS.

THE LATECOMER

The Other Side of the Wind - Orson Welles spoofs European arthouse cinema and does a pretty good impression of it. He made this off and on in the 1970s and it wasted away, unfinished and in distribution hell, until a few years ago. I’m not sure where this stands against Citizen Kane and Touch of Evil and Chimes at Midnight, but it’s nice to see another Welles film.

Top 10 of 2018

Still working on a mega-post of Everything Else new I saw this year, but here's the top 10. Not necessarily the best -- I don't consider myself an authority on that -- but the 10 that meant the most to me.

"Three bags of Tostitos Scoops I noticed."

"There was a special on these tonight. Three for one."

"Three for one?"

"Yup."

"How can that be profitable for Frito-Lay?"

I didn't expect much out of Game Night, particularly as it was released in February, a notable wasteland for quality movies. So imagine my shock when this turned out to be a near perfect piece of popcorn entertainment. It starts with an exceptionally tight and funny script by Mark Perez (whose previous credits included The Country Bears and Herbie Fully Loaded, so you could be forgiven for not expecting much) and has a phenomenal cast of well-drawn characters, led by Jason Bateman and Rachel McAdams (the latter of whose full comedic gifts are on display for a director who actually knows what to do with her). Jesse Plemons is the MVP, though, playing a "weird" neighbor the game night group continually tries to avoid. Nothing is wasted here; it's a lean 100 minutes with no lulls in the humor or action. And there is an ADORABLE DOG. What more could you want? (Streaming on HBO. For purchase on Amazon/YouTube/iTunes/Google Play/Vudu.)

"Aunt Lucy said, if we're kind and polite the world will be right."

I found the first Paddington movie charming, but the sequel is something quite special. With a story that celebrates community and family (and the magic of marmalade sandwiches!), and even has something to say about the criminal justice system, this is a sequel along the lines of Toy Story 2 -- one that deepens the characters and our affection for them. I'd long been a fan of Ben Whishaw, but between this and Mary Poppins Returns, he's a definite favorite. And Hugh Grant turns in a gloriously hammy performance as the film's villain. Much has been said about the new Mary Poppins movie and how we need movies like that now, and this is very much a film with that kind of spirit and optimism. I think we could use as many of these as we can get. (Streaming on HBO. For purchase on Amazon/YouTube/iTunes/Google Play/Vudu.)

"Sometimes I think that when I'm older, I'll have a daughter of my own or something... and I feel like if she was like me, then being her mom would make me sad all the time. I'd love her because she's my daughter, but I think if she turned out like me that being her mom would make me really sad."

So, I wasn't *exactly* Kayla when I was in eighth grade. I thankfully had a little circle of friends to bouy me through that harrowing time. But there's a lot for me to identify with in this movie, even as a (*gulp*) forty-three year old. The being invited to a schoolmate's party and knowing it was just because their parents made them invite you. The wanting to impress a guy and pretending to be more experienced than you are. The feeling like you're already a failure and a disappointment at barely the start of your life. And perhaps especially the finding out that that person you sort of avoided because you thought they were a little weird is actually pretty great. (Available to rent on Amazon/iTunes/YouTube/Google Play/Vudu.)

"Stand up straight. Stand up. Only pussies and little girls slouch."

Lynne Ramsay's first feature since We Need to Talk About Kevin, You Were Never Really Here is a Taxi Driver for the 21st century, where our modern-day Travis makes his living taking out the likes of Sport and his Iris is a bit more proactive. To say that Joaquin Phoenix's Joe has a lot of demons is an understatement. We see almost as much of his suicide attempts and ideations as his violence against others. And perhaps the most frightening thing is how easy it is to root for him when his targets are what they are. The use of flashbacks is genius -- usually just brief snatches of memories, enough to drive home how these moments inform what's going on in the current timeline. There are a lot of great scenes, but my favorite includes the greatest use of "I've Never Been to Me" EVER. (Available on Amazon Prime.)

"It's the same story told over and over, forever. All any artist can offer the world is how they see

those twelve notes. That's it. He loved how you see them."

The fact that I could enjoy and be moved by this movie in the midst of a frankly historic assault from my uterus about 45 minutes in is proof enough of its power. I'd never seen any of the previous versions until about a month before this came out, but I prepared for the movie by watching them all (and enjoyed each of them in very different ways). I sincerely think this one is the best (though the Garland version might have been if the studio hadn't botched it). I think it fixes what was hard to like about the Norman Maine character and makes the romance much more believable. Lady Gaga is getting most of the attention and her director and co-star Bradley Cooper seems happy to give it to her. But while Gaga is great, Cooper gives maybe the best performance of his career so far, while beautifully directing the film at the same time. The soundtrack deserves a mention too, as it perfectly portrays the character beats of the movie, particularly Aly's transition from making music in Jackson's world to exploring more of what's inside of her. "I Don't Know What Love Is" is still my favorite. (Still in theaters.)

"We are alone. No matter what they tell you, we women are always alone."

Alfonso Cuaron has been making beautiful, game-changing cinema for years, and every frame of this movie is a painting. Inspired by experiences from his youth, this is very much a meditation on memory. Cuaron gives us a glimpse of the life of a young housekeeper. She is close to the family she works for and lives with, but there's very much a line of demarcation between herself and that family. Things get complicated when she has to rely on them for a very personal matter. This is a very intimate story with a lot of big stuff (including the Corpus Christie massacre) happening in the background. (Streaming on Netflix, but if it's playing at a theater near you, you should definitely see it on a big screen.)

"As it turns out, I'm capable of much unpleasantness."

A bit All About Eve, a bit Mean Girls, but with the fate of a nation at stake. This is the film that is causing the most category confusion for awards voting bodies, because a film with three equal female leads is nigh unheard of, even in this, the Year of Our Lord 2018. It shouldn't be this refreshing to see a movie about women wielding power, but here we are. Olivia Colman, Rachel Weisz and Emma Stone all shine, and all the men in the movie are glorious side-fops who are chiefly there to look pretty and curry favor so that the ladies can bestow just a little power on them. I love that this isn't your average musty period piece. It feels very modern, to the point of anachronistic (lol that dance!), and is dagger sharp and wickedly funny. One of my New Year's resolutions is to use "Do shhh when I'm thinking" on a regular basis. (Still in theaters.)

"With the right white man, we can do anything."

Dear me, was this ever a year for movies you can't talk about at Thanksgiving! The greatest of which, in my opinion, was Spike Lee's latest, about a black policeman in Colorado who infiltrates the Ku Klux Klan. Spike makes no bones about drawing clear parallels between the events of the film and our current nonsense. From discussion of the future political implications of David Duke's outwardly polite appeal, to chants of "America First!" to the movie's final moments, it was an essential reminder of exactly where this mess came from. Seeing the Charlottesville footage on the big screen was almost traumatizing, but it's the perfect final note for a movie that's mad as hell. On a lighter note, there's a cameo in this movie that gave me more delight than any moment in any film this year. If you haven't seen it, I won't dare spoil it, but ... (*heart swells*). (Available to rent on Amazon/iTunes/YouTube/Google Play/Vudu.)

"I don’t have time to be their victim, their AIDS poster boy, their cautionary tale. No, I decide

who I am. I’m going to be what I was born to be, a performer, to give the people what they want.

Go to the heavens, Freddie f***ing Mercury."

This movie had me at Brian May's 20th Century Fox guitar fanfare and never let me go (LET HER GO!). This is pure joy from start to finish and the last twenty minutes are the closest thing our world has come to time travel. Rami Malek is rightly getting much kudos for his incandescent performance as Freddie Mercury, but he's supported by a pretty incredible cast, particularly Gwilym Lee, Ben Hardy and Joseph Mazzello, who play bandmates Brian, Roger and "Deacy," respectively. Their chemistry is amazing and I'm thrilled they were recognized as an ensemble by SAG. (Tom Hollander is great too, as manager Jim "Miami" Beach.) I've heard all the complaints, but ... I just don't care. I feel so differently about it. This is a movie about collaboration, about the power of music to bring people together, and about how hard it can be to be different and sometimes music is all that can pull you through. I've been a fan of Queen for many years, but their music sounds different to me now -- deeper, richer. (Still in theaters, hey hey hey heyyyyy.)

"I'm a quiet soul. My favorite sound in the whole world is the sound of a teacup

finding its place... on a saucer."

A cheat? I would argue not, but regardless, it's far and away my favorite thing I saw this year in any medium. Gadsby is in a pretty classic movie cliche for women -- the Woman Trying To Make It In A Man's World. No matter how many brilliant female comedians there are, it's still seen as a "guy's field" and women who do it just as well or better still play second fiddle, even when they're completely nailing it. Gadsby turns comedy itself on its own head, deconstructing the typical stand-up routine and putting it back together as something else entirely. I watched it four times and it wiped me out every time, and I'm floored that Hannah Gadsby did this night after night for months -- opening up her emotional wounds over and over again for an audience and still managing to make them laugh hysterically. (Streaming on Netflix.)

2018 Film Discoveries

Top 10 (or whatever) of this year still to come, but I wanted to do a list of my favorite vintage discoveries from this year. All but one of these I saw in a theater, and the fact that I can say that remains one of my favorite things about living in NewYork.

Listed in the order in which I saw them.

THE PASSIONATE FRIENDS (1949)

(seen on FilmStruck)

Like many, I was prompted to watch this by Paul Thomas Anderson as a companion piece to last year’s Phantom Thread. I don’t like most love triangle stories, because most of them just use what should be incredibly complicated feelings and emotions as a plot device, without dealing with those feelings at all. The Passionate Friends reminded me a bit of The Unbearable Lightness of Being, where a character is torn between two lives - one with a lover for whom they cherish a deep passion and understanding, and one with a spouse with whom they are genuinely happy. Ann Todd is heartbreaking in this, and the end of the film, while simple, blew me away. This is truly Claude Rains’ best work apart from Casablanca and I’m mad at myself for not knowing about this film when I was filling out my BNAT application in 2014 (where we had to take a character actor from Casablanca and list our favorite non-Casablanca role of theirs). (Available to rent on Amazon - if FilmStruck were still around, it would be there as well (*sniff*).)

PEPPERMINT SODA (1977)

(seen at Alamo Drafthouse Yonkers as part of their women filmmakers marathon event)

Probably my favorite entry in Alamo Drafthouse Yonkers’ “films directed by women” marathon, this movie is an utter delight. A stunning feature film debut by Diane Kurys (who went on to direct the Oscar-nominated Entre Nous), it is somewhat autobiographical and centers on two Jewish sisters, one 13 and one 15, who split their time between their separated parents in the early 1960s. They spend most of the year with their mother in Paris, where they attend a strict boarding school, and they spend summer break at the beach with their father. There’s an obvious element of nostalgia here, but it’s not precious about the pain of growing up. This is one of those movies I’d love to live in, if only for the beautiful pastel color palette. (Not available right this second, but Cohen Media is releasing a Blu-Ray in February.)

LIQUID SKY (1982)

(seen at Quad Cinema)

In the world of punk films, there is Liquid Sky and there is everything else. Like Rocky Horror Picture Show before it, this movie inspired a cult following that includes midnight screenings and fans willing to dress up as the film’s oddball characters. Set in present-day (1982) New York, Liquid Sky follows several characters, including male model Larry and Connecticut beauty Margaret (both played by the film’s star, Ann Carlisle). And the closest thing resembling a plot in the film is a group of aliens that land on top of a building and feed off the energy released when people get high on heroine (or have orgasms). It is an assault on the senses in the best way. (Available to stream on Shudder, and for rent on Amazon.)

FRANKENSTEIN CREATED WOMAN (1967)

(seen in 35mm at Quad Cinema as part of their Hammer retrospective)

Not without its controversial aspects (particularly when viewed through a modern lens), this is nonetheless a fascinating take on Hammer studio’s Frankenstein mythos -- with a transgender twist. Cushing’s Frankenstein is intent on trapping the human soul of a recently deceased person, believing he can transfer it to the body of another recently deceased person. His eventual subject is Christina, a woman who has drowned herself in despair over her lover’s death. Frankenstein transfers the soul of this lover, Hans — a man unjustly accused of and executed for murder — to Christina and nurtures her back to health. But hijinks (and death) ensue when Christina is compelled by the spirit of Hans to avenge his death. Again, not without its issues, but still one of my favorite Hammer offerings. (Unfortunately not available to stream anywhere and physical copies are hard to find, unless you’re prepared to give an arm and a leg for them.)

OLD ENOUGH (1984)

(seen in 35mm at Quad Cinema as part of their NY Woman series)

Don’t let this movie’s title put you off! It is a thoroughly engaging coming of age drama about a friendship between an 11-year-old from an upper class family and an older girl from the lower middle class (in true New York fashion, their wildly different worlds are only a couple blocks from each other). The two become friends and learn about each other’s different lifestyles. Like Peppermint Soda, this feels achingly honest and the film’s two leads feel very much like real girls and have a great chemistry. (This movie is also the film debut of a very young and adorable Alyssa Milano.) I got to see this as part of Quad Cinema’s “NY Woman” series, and I’m so glad I took a chance on it. (Available to stream for free on Amazon Prime.)

BABY FACE (1933)

(seen in 35mm at Quad Cinema as part of their NY Woman series)

This is another entry in Quad Cinema’s “NY Woman” series. Barbara Stanwyck is a stone cold badass in this movie and doesn’t give a hoot if you don’t find her “likable.” Her character, Lily, sleeps her way to the top, both socially and financially, and thinks little of the lives she steps on along the way. I love that you can’t pass judgement on Lily’s actions in this movie without also examining what her options are as a woman in this time period. Not only did this movie have to be edited with extra moralizing in order to pass the New York State Censorship Board, it also is one of the handful of films that brought an end to the Pre-Code era in Hollywood. It also features a very young John Wayne in a small role. (Available to stream on YouTube, Amazon, iTunes, Google Play and Vudu.)

STAR 80 (1983)

(seen in 35mm at Quad Cinema as part of their Fosse series)

I watched this and was so impressed by it that I bought it, but I’m not sure I ever want to watch this again. This is the last film directed by the great Bob Fosse and it is brutally ugly. The movie tells a semi-fictionalized version of the tragic story of Dorothy Stratten, who was a celebrated Playboy Playmate and burgeoning actress before she was murdered by her husband Paul Snider. Mariel Hemingway is great as Stratten, but the film centers on a truly brilliant performance by Eric Roberts, who gives Snider a surprising amount of humanity without losing any of his sliminess or giving him one iota of forgiveness. The end of this film is a gut punch, and you can tell Fosse utterly loathes the men in this movie, who treat Stratten — even after her death — as a product. (Available to stream on YouTube, Amazon, iTunes, Google Play and Vudu.)

WELCOME HOME, ROXY CARMICHAEL (1990)

(seen in 35mm at Alamo Drafthouse Brooklyn as part of their Winona Forever event)

Where has this movie been all my life?! When it comes to iconic female role models played by Winona Ryder, Heathers and Beetlejuice are the movies you probably think of first. Oh, and Little Women, of course. But Welcome Home, Roxy Carmichael reigns over them all, and I truly wish I’d known about this movie when I was a teen and could have identified with this scruffy dog lover who doesn’t need a guy in her life bad enough to put up with not being treated like the queen she is. All hail Dinky Bossetti! (Available to stream for free on Amazon Prime.)

LOS SURES (1984)

(seen in 35mm at Alamo Drafthouse Yonkers as part of their I Love Old New York event)

I don’t watch a lot of documentaries, but this one knocked me out. Part of the Yonkers Drafthouse’s “I Love Old New York” marathon, this is a doc about the Brooklyn neighborhood that is now known as Williamsburg. It’s almost unfathomable that the area of Brooklyn seen in this film is the same as the upscale hipster haven that Williamsburg is today. Los Sures was one of the poorest neighborhoods in NYC when this film was made and was once called the worst ghetto in America. The film follows five individuals and is an incredible portrait of a community that struggles with crime and disenfranchisement but also has people who are willing to fight to make it better. (Available to rent on Amazon.)

ANGUISH (1987)

(seen in 35mm at Alamo Drafthouse Yonkers as part of Dismember the Alamo)

It’s been a couple of months since I first saw this and I’m still not sure what I saw. What begins as a creepy mother-son psychic revenge plot with major eye squickiness (and top-billed Zelda Rubinstein!) takes a HARD left turn about thirty minutes in. The trick this movie pulls is one that should definitely be used sparingly, but it really works here and becomes (for me, at least) a much more relatable nightmare. I can’t really say much more without spoiling, and I can’t imagine how they advertised this movie, but it’s a very solid slasher that isn’t like a hundred slashers you’ve seen before. I’m so glad I got to see this in an actual movie theater, and that I think is the ultimate way to see it. Provided you can handle the eye squick. (Hard to find, unfortunately - there’s a Blu-Ray but it’s Region 2. Some Region 1 DVDs for sale by some collectors on Amazon, but you’ll probably get a better price on eBay.)

20 Fall Movies I Can't Wait to See

It's the most wonderful time of the year! For me, anyway. Between the Entertainment Weekly Fall Movie Preview issue (or, as I like to call it, "September Vogue for movie geeks") and the triple whammy of the Venice, Telluride and Toronto film festivals, I start becoming overwhelmed with all the films I want to see.

A friend asked me back in February what movies I was looking forward to this year, and I didn't have much of an answer. But I do now. So for M.D. (and anyone else who's interested), here are twenty movies coming out between now and the end of the year that I CANNOT WAIT to get in my eyeballs.

(from Mandy)

MANDY (9/14)
I've been hearing about this since Sundance. The latest from Panos Cosmatos, who made Beyond the Black Rainbow. That, plus a reportedly bazonkers Nic Cage (more bazonkers than usual, even) is all I need to know. (Trailer)

TEA WITH THE DAMES (9/21)
Maggie Smith, Judi Dench, Eileen Atkins and Joan Plowright, drinking and dishing about their careers. What could be better? (Trailer)

THE OLD MAN & THE GUN (9/28)
Yes, it has Casey Affleck in it, which might be a dealbreaker for some. But it's also Robert Redford's swan song before he leaves acting for good, and Sissy Spacek is supposed to be really fantastic in it. (Trailer - omg they used the Butch & Sundance font!)

(from A Star Is Born)

A STAR IS BORN (10/5)
Not gonna lie, this is my *most* anticipated film of the fall. It blew people away at Telluride and Venice. I've been watching the previous incarnations, and there's a moment in the trailer for the new one that I realized is a very specific callback to all of the previous films and I can't even think about it without crying. (Trailer)

BAD TIMES AT THE EL ROYALE (10/5)
Drew Goddard's follow-up to Cabin in the Woods, and it looks like a very different endeavour. I'm not that into movie trailers these days, but this one is great and I hope the film has that same cool, creepy feel they're trying to sell. (Trailer)

FIRST MAN (10/12)

Another movie that slayed at the end-of-summer festivals. It's Damien Chazelle's follow-up to La La Land with Ryan Gosling as Neil Armstrong. I've tried to be cynical about this one, but I can't. I'm DYING at the controversy over the American flag thing, though. (Also at the idea that a story about American astronauts landing on the moon wouldn't be inherently fiercely patriotic.) (Trailer)

HALLOWEEN (10/19)

Everything I've seen of this so far has been incredible. I'm thrilled to see Jamie Lee Curtis back as Laurie Strode and to see Michael Myers as an actual human villain, not a death-proof killing machine. I also kind of like that they're pretending Halloweens 4, 5, 6, H20 and Resurrection never happened. (No need to touch 3, of course.) (Trailer)

SUSPIRIA (10/26 limited, 11/2 expanded)

The original is one of the more messed-up horror films of all time, as well as a movie I love, and I'm looking forward to seeing what Luca Guadagnino does with this (it seems miles from his previous film, Call Me By Your Name). I'm glad, to begin with, that it doesn't look too similar to Argento's version, because I couldn't deal with that. (Trailer)

(from Widows)

BODIED (11/2)

This was the most talked about movie from Fantastic Fest last year. I watched the trailer once, but didn't quite ... get it? I mean, I get that it's a rap battle movie, but I'm curious what sets this apart. Anxious to slap eyeballs on it. (Trailer)

THE OTHER SIDE OF THE WIND (on Netflix 11/2)

A previously unreleased film by Orson Welles? YES PLEASE. The documentary about the making of this film, They'll Love Me When I'm Dead, is being released concurrently with this. (Trailer)

PETERLOO (11/9)

New Mike Leigh movie. 'Nuff said. It looks different from most of the stuff he's done, in that he doesn't usually make films with this kind of scope. Topsy-Turvy is a glorious exception, and if that's anything to go by, I am really excited to see this. (Trailer)

FANTASTIC BEASTS: THE CRIMES OF GRINDELWALD (11/16)

I was mildly interested in the first film but didn't fall in mad love with it. This one, however, is going to give us some beloved characters and settings we're familiar with -- Dumbledore! Hogwarts! NICHOLAS FLAMEL! (Trailer)

WIDOWS (11/16)

Steve McQueen directing an all-female heist movie? With Viola Davis, Cynthia Erivo, Jackie Weaver, Liam Neeson, Daniel Kaluuya, Carrie Coon, Colin Farrell and Robert Duvall? I am so here for this! (Trailer)

THE BALLAD OF BUSTER SCRUGGS (on Netflix 11/16)

I'm always up for a new Coen Brothers joint, and this one is a western anthology. Starring Tim "we thought you was a toad" Blake Nelson from my favorite Coen flick (so far), O Brother, Where Art Thou?. (Fun fact: another member of the cast is Harry Melling, aka Dudley Dursley.) (no trailer yet)

RALPH BREAKS THE INTERNET (11/21)

I don't care what else is even in the movie, They had me at the Disney Princess scene. (Trailer)

THE FAVOURITE (11/23)

The new Yorgos Lanthimos. Loved The Lobster and loved Killing of a Sacred Deer even more. This looks utterly bonkers (even better -- PERIOD bonkers!). And that cast! (Trailer)

IF BEALE STREET COULD TALK (11/30)

New film by Barry Jenkins, who directed Best Picture-winner Moonlight. It looks beautiful, and it's based on a James Baldwin book, and I'm so ready. (Trailer)

ANNA AND THE APOCALYPSE (limited 11/30)

Another Fantastic Fest favorite from last year. A zombie Christmas musical. Deck the halls with blood and guts, baby! (Trailer)

(from Roma)

MARY POPPINS RETURNS (12/19)

Why have we not seen more of this since that teaser that played during ... was it the Super Bowl? Anyway, Emily Blunt as Mary Poppins, with a supporting cast that includes Lin-Manuel Miranda, Meryl Streep, Julie Walters, Emily Mortimer, Ben Whishaw, and even Dick Van Dyke (though not as Burt - we'll see if that accent returns). (Trailer)

ROMA (12/14)

The latest from Alfonso Cuarón and his first feature film since 2013's Gravity. Heard this was incredibly emotional. And semi-autobiographical. It's being released by (on?) Netflix, but it will also have a theatrical run. (Trailer)

**********

POSSIBLE WILD CARD:
Clint Eastwood's latest (The Mule) is in post-production, and he is well known for dropping movies into the schedule unexpectedly. Haven't seen or heard anything about this yet, but Eastwood cares not for your fall movie schedule. Clint gonna Clint. (If this slips into the Oscar race, Bradley Cooper could be looking at a possible FIVE Oscar nominations this year alone.)

(Five Because) Movies That Are Completely Bonkers

The most recent Pure Cinema Podcast was about mind-meltingly bonkers movies. There are a lot of ways to go with this, but here are my "five because."

RUBBER (2010) (trailer)

Most of this movie is a classic slasher setup, except that the killer in this case is a rubber tire. That's not a euphemism. An actual rubber tire. We see it come to life, learn how to roll, and eventually learn that it can destroy things -- first by rolling over them and crushing them, then when it encounters larger objects and even humans, by psychically causing them to explode. There aren't many things I love more than when a filmmaker gets some harebrained idea and commits to it utterly and completely, and this is absolutely one of those movies. I'm not as in love with the framing device of the in-universe "audience" watching the proceedings from afar (though it does give us the line "Hey, wait! It's not the end! He's been reincarnated as a tricycle!" aka one of my favorite lines of dialogue EVER), but director Quentin Dupieux made a story about a serial killer rubber tire WAY more compelling than it has any right to be. (available to rent on Amazon)

THE BABY (1973) (trailer)

This movie only could have been made in the 1970s. A social worker begins working with "Baby" -- a physically grown male who is kept in a large crib and wears a diaper. He supposedly suffers from a developmental disorder, but we eventually learn that his mother and sisters have been doing this to him -- perversely denying him even the most basic conditioning and development. They torture him to discourage him from attempting to stand, walk and talk, keeping him in a perpetual infantile state (Baby's "dialogue" is even dubbed by an actual cooing infant - GAH). And one of his sisters (played by Messiah of Evil's Marianna Hill) occasionally sneaks into his room at night for ... you know, we're not shown exactly what, and I'm pretty thankful for that, but it doesn't take much guesswork. The social worker, it turns out, has designs of her own, and the climax, while admittedly batshit insane, actually makes sense and does a good job of tying everything together. (available to rent on Amazon)

FATEFUL FINDINGS (2012) (trailer)

A master class in what a friend of mine calls "anti-timing" (what is the exact wrong moment to cut? what is the exact wrong time to deliver a line, and the exact wrong line to deliver?), this movie is the work of Neil Breen, former Las Vegas real estate agent and architect turned auteur. In addition to producing, writing, directing and editing the film, Breen stars as Dylan, a man who is imbued with supernatural powers after finding a mysterious rock as a child and who uses his hacking skills to uncover "secret government and corporate secrets." This movie contains several "love" scenes between people who clearly don't want to touch each other, an amazing scene in which Breen's character tearfully tells his friend who's just apparently committed suicide that he can't get him out of this jam, and a climax in which a number of generic "corporate types" in power suits take their lives in various ways after having their secrets exposed (though the film never troubles itself with exactly what those secrets are). I know a lot of people don't have much patience for movies like this, made by people who are not "real filmmakers" and don't have any level of fluency in cinematic language. But I'm fascinated by people like Breen who have a dream and just go for it, not caring what anyone else thinks or even if they know what they're doing. And I kind of love getting a peek into Breen's mind and trying to piece together what he's trying to say. #NOMOREBOOKS (available to rent on YouTube)

HAUSU (1977) (trailer)

Save us, Kung-Fu! One of the best entries in the "fantasy horror" subgenre, Hausu is absolutely bazonkers and the kind of stew you'd get if you put together "Pee Wee's Playhouse," The Shining, Suspiria, The Grudge and the boat ride scene from Willy Wonka and the Chocolate Factory. Director Nobuhiko Obayashi, who prior to this was best known for his TV ads (including the Charles Bronson-starring Mandom commercials), was inspired by his young daughter's descriptions of her strange dreams to create this wackadoo film about a group of girls who go to a house for the summer and who each meet their untimely demise when the house "eats" them in various and utterly insane ways (one girl is literally eaten by a piano). There are no male heroes to save the day here; the few male characters in the movie are all ineffectual and have little or no impact on the story -- though they contribute to the overall hysteria. The closest thing to a "masculine hero" in the movie gets his butt stuck in a bucket and ultimately is turned into -- I'm not kidding -- a giant, roughly man-shaped pile of bananas. BANANAS. (streaming on FilmStruck)

GOODBYE UNCLE TOM (1971) (trailer - NSFW)

(Apologies for the somewhat nondescript screenshot; Google Image search for this movie is a LANDMINE.)

The other four movies on this list are "fun" bonkers. This one is utterly outrageous in a very different way and not fun at all. Nevertheless, it's horrifyingly compelling and I suspect pretty historically accurate (the last 10 minutes or so notwithstanding). If you liked 12 Years a Slave but didn't think it went quite far enough to show the atrocities of slavery in America, check out this film and afterwards go punch a Confederate flag-waving alt-righter in the face (bonus points for screaming "BECAUSE YOU'RE WHITE" like the guy at the end of this movie). Perhaps the most bonkers thing about this movie is how it was made. The filmmakers, Franco Prosperi and Gaultiero Jacopetti, were mostly known for shockumentaries like Mondo Cane and Addio Africa, and turned their documentarists' eyes toward the American slave trade, shooting the movie as if they had gone back in time (seriously!) to the antebellum South and were just filming what was going on in front of them. Meaning that they staged (with underpaid Haitian actors) the most degrading, humiliating acts of oppression imaginable as if they were current events. From the opening scene, where a black child is fed scraps under the dinner table as if he were a dog, to a scene near the end of the film, where a young slave girl "offers herself" to one of the filmmakers (saying that she prefers white men because they're "smaller"), this movie is Off. The. Charts. And just when you think it can't get crazier, the present-day (1970s) coda pushes it right over the edge. (available to rent on Amazon and iTunes, if you dare -- be sure to get the English version)