I can’t put my finger on her in it but original, charming films like this are my sweet spot.

Never cloying and you have to love a film that celebrates art in so many forms.

They somehow made a tedious Mission Impossible.

As others have said that first third is a killer — a symphony of exposition which treads eventually to some amazing action sequences.  But the film is weighted down by one talky scene after another. And Esai Morales is a badly written, mustache twirling, monologuing baddie. RIP Philip Seymour Hoffman. 

I was actually sort of saddened by this film — normally when the M:I title sequence starts in the prior films I’m thinking “goddamn I love movies!”  This time — “oh, guess it’s time for the title music.”  

The Entity could have fixed it.

The Philippou brothers have only made two feature films, but wow, do they plumb the depths of anxiety/horror in beautiful, jarring, must-look-away movies.

I loved TALK TO ME, but may ire this one even more—BRING HER BACK IS a horror film made by two obvious cinephiles.

Happy being poleaxed by another A24 horror entry.

SXSW 2024 Film # 17

Whatever you think of CIVIL WAR, it’s a technical marvel. The sound design and visuals are stunning and the last third of the film is scarring. IMAX viewing is mandatory. 

People hoping the film will survey American politics or dissect how the domestic uprising in the film could happen will be disappointed. 

It’ll be interesting to see how America reacts to it. The Twitter hot takes about it are….polarized.

The viral SXSW tweets saying it’s an overall masterpiece are written by people aching to get exposure on social, and who aren’t very discerning moviegoers.