I find myself in a very strange place in regards to film in this year of our lordt, 2022. I used to frequent the cinema, constantly keeping up to date with next big thing or little gems here or there. That just isn't the case anymore. I love film and I'm lucky to find myself in a place where it's a hobby, but I suppose that strict discipline no longer pushes me to be absorbed in the next piece of some cinema big shot's latest opus. Regardless, someone encouraged me to also do a write up of film, not just video games, asking why I didn't. Honestly, in last couple of years with film my relationship has felt sordid. I often wasn't invited amongst the crowd of consistent filmies nor did I feel as if I could invite my less involved friends to that of the more obscure. It's not that I had to watch films with people but truly, I'm in a point of my life where I just want to. I enjoy seeing their smile, picking at their thoughts after. I think my fondest memories of the cinema this year have been shared! So maybe there will be a theme with this small list. I only want to touch on five. They are five films amongst the very small amount of films I've seen this year that struck a chord with me. There's plenty more that I wanted to watch but that kind of gluttonous viewing experience just isn't in my cards anymore. Maybe one day I'll got back to the buffet table, but for now I'll take the time to appreciate this finer, more intimate meal.
Barbarian - Zach Cregger
Barbarian was one of the last of a series of horror films I watched in October due to it being the Halloween season and all that. It was a fun series of viewings because my friend Zen was looking to expand his filmic side. My sister, Dori, was also looking to just watch horror films in general. It was a strong list that included the likes of Alien, Aliens, Halloween, Cabin in the Woods, The Thing, all V/H/S films, amongst others. It was fun in hindsight to view all those because it kind of led up to this point. This was a newer horror film and what could it deliver I had wondered? I started hearing whispers on social media as well as reviews coming in citing it as one of the most fun and scary films of the year. The trailer did an incredible job hiding everything. I absolutely needed to see this.
What begins as an AirBnB mix up slowly turns feral, taking turns that I wasn't expecting. It makes use of the allure presented to us by the names used in this picture (Bill Skarsgard, post IT, carrying a sort of weirdness about him; Justin Long, placed with a pure wacky energy). I loved this film as a capper for the month of October because everyone who was attending filmic viewings at my house hadn't really seen it (Minus Max). The majority of us were just strapped in for a ride and when the revelation hit halfway through we were all glued to the screen. Just an absolute blast of a horror film.
RRR - S.S. Rajamouli
I had no idea what to expect heading into RRR. I just knew that it was apparently nutso and that it was one of the best films of the year according to a lot people. To me, if I had to pick a pinnacle of a screening that was representative of the friendship I developed watching films in the past year it would be the screening of RRR. Much like the protagonists of this Malywood picture I felt as if I had found kindred spirits; brothers in arms that look out for each other during times of strife (or strive hehe). Genuinely, Jacksonville Savage Base has been kind to me and this film, as a representation of me doing screenings again, will stand tall in the history of landmarks found in what I hope to be a lasting friendship with these guys. Indian cinema stays winning. The most fun viewing of the year.
Decision to Leave - Park Chan-wook
The most romantic film of the year also contains the most memorable ending of all the films I've seen this year. It's also romantic in the strangest way as it is a police procedural with a lot of it being in the head of our detective, Hae-Joon. The feelings in this crime thriller are evocative of In the Mood for Love which recently was ranked the highest amongst Wong Kar-Wai's oeuvre in the 2022 Sight & Sound poll among directors. That's not surprising. This is also Park Chan-wook's best film since Oldboy. The twists and turns in it's narrative are so unreasonable yet so coated in the patina of love that you can't help but feel this is just how deep our protags are in.
This is also already a really strong year of acting performances so it's crazy to think that Tang Wei's performance as Seo-rae stands out. The last lines of the film have stuck with me since the moment I watched those credits roll and it owes a lot to her gripping control of my emotions. Is it a date movie? I'm not sure about that, but it's a testament to love.
Glass Onion: A Knives Out Mystery - Rian Johnson
I could say the same thing about the ending to Glass Onion as I did with Decision to Leave. The final shot of Glass Onion is easily the best among all films I've seen this year. Rian Johnson stays winning again with his deft ability to reframe a character that we've come to know at the start of the film to something completely different in the end. So many little things make this film such a blast to watch. I'm sad I couldn't drag more people to the theater to catch this on the big screen but it's limited run was how the cookie crumbled. With this film I'm reminded of a great line in Roger Ebert's The Great Movies book and that's (I'm paraphrasing here) "Great films will ask you a question the first time you watch it then answer it the second time." It's easily the film that will provoke it's viewer to go in for an immediate second viewing. The sheer tragedy of catching it late on the last night only to wait until the Netflix release a couple of weeks later is a true crime. It is forgiven though, because the movie is just too damn good.
Also, I don't know how the nominations will shape up come awards season but, like Tang Wei, Janelle Monae absolutely devours any scene she's in. An incredible performance.
Everything Everywhere All at Once - Daniel Scheinert and Daniel Kwan
It's weird to me that this feels like an out-of-left-field masterpiece. After all the Daniels have created some really memorable pieces of media the past couple of years. I suppose that comes with the territory of a film that actually lives up to the title. Somehow, someway this film is the embodiment of the overwhelming burden of everyday life. It perfectly captures the assault of feeling as if you must be doing everything everywhere all at once. The performances here are so intimate in capturing a true immigrant tale as well as a portrayal of queer grief. My poor sister, I could tell she felt moments of this film within every fiber of her body. From top to bottom the decisions here are impeccable and it left me with a film that I found to be the best of the year and it's not even close. All the actors and people behind the camera deserve every bit of praise that has come and is coming their way. One of the best films of the past decade and a film I can only describe as almost perfect.
Conclusion
I'm lucky to be here. I'm lucky to be at this very moment, at this very point in time. To the friends that have invigorated my love of films thank you so much. I hope you feel what I feel and if not to that level I hope it's at least enjoyable. I cannot wait to share more new experiences with you, both in terms of introducing you to what I love as well as new films along the way. Genuinely you've revived something in me I long thought dead. Thank you.
No comments:
Post a Comment