Movies seen in 2025#
(Work in progress as the year progresses, so remember to check every now and then if anything new popped up in the meantime.)
Beware: There are a couple of spoilers ahead as those are predominantly notes for myself. Nothing all too serious, but one or two twists are revealed.
MaXXXine#
"MaXXXine" (2024) is the final entry in the X trilogy. The story continues "X's" Maxine's journey to being a star. The movie's plot resembles "Hardcore" (1980) a lot. The director claims the order is not relevant, but I would watch them as they were released. The style and recreations of the 1980s in this movie are truly remarkable. Funnily enough, despite having XXX in the title, there isn't really that much erotic scenes ("X" had more).
The Last King of Scotland#
"The Last King of Scotland" (2006) has been on my radar since its premiere (in no small part to Juriusz's recommendation), but it never fell in my direction. Now, thanks to Max, it has. Based on true events but mixed with MacBeth [sic!], it tells a story of an Ugandan dictator through the eyes of his Scottish doctor. Strong performances by Forest Whitaker and James McAvoy. It shows nicely why it's better to avoid people in power.
Filth#
"Filth" from 2013 is an adaptation of Irving Welsh's book of the same title. The source material was believed to be unadaptable, but it turned out to be doable, albeit, some framing devices were demoted to one-scene wonders (looking at ya, tapeworm). A story of a terrible cop and a horrible and repulsive person but also kind of sad one, starring fantastic James McAvoy. As the story progresses, we learn to see he's a bit a of an unreliable narrator.
Love Lies Bleeding#
"Love Lies Bleeding" (2024) is yet another example of a movie recreating 1980s to a very granular detail. Colours, props, music, and hairstyles—pure eighties. And the plot had a couple of twists that I didn't see coming. In fact, the plot was unpredictable in general. Huge props for casting Kirsten Steward and Jena Malone as sisters, albeit, it went a little unexplored. Two main characters reminded me of Wachowski's "Bound."
Exit Through the Gift Shop#
"Exit Through the Gift Shop" is a 2010's Banksy's documentary about a man who was making a documentary about Banksy but turned out to be a more interesting subject. I was eyeing this film for a long while but only seeing "F for Fake" last year inspired me to finally have a go at it. It's a high-octane cocktail about street art and art as well, and very funny at that. A bit like a video clip, perhaps. And those narrative layers!
Dark Crimes#
"Dark Crimes" from 2016 is generally a bad movie. The writing lacks and the realisation is far behind, and it's 1 of 2 movies that I know to have 0% on Rotten Tomatoes. So, on paper, it sounds like something to avoid at all costs, right? Well, unless you're me, so...
Cunk on Life#
"Cunk of Life" (2024) is a single-entry continuation on "Cunk on Earth," where titular Philomena Cunk presents us with some wisdoms and interviews real-life scientists, putting them constantly in a tight spot (I can't imagine how they convinced all those people to participate in it, but maybe they did that for laughs as well). Extra points for using "Pump Up the Jam" again.
A Boy and His Dog#
"A Boy And His Dog" is 1975 post-apocalyptic movie with action set in 2024, with young Don Johnson in the titular role (the boy, not the dog). Visually it resembles Mad Max a lot, and it turned out it was an inspiration for his movies. As well as for "Fallout" (e.g., the underground community). The scenography was pretty convincing, with all the sets build from old furniture. Don Johnson speaks a bit like Matthew McConaughey here.
I do find it interesting that the plot starts from a telepathic dog that helps the boy to find "females" which he can basically rape. That is a plot point that would be unlike do be used in the actual year 2024. In all fairness, the closing comment from the dog was controversial even back then, so maybe I'm too harsh with the past here.
But fishing out the old cringe, which possibly wasn't cringe back in the days, is part of an experience of watching old movies.
Rebel Moon: Part Two: Director's Cut#
"Rebel Moon: Part Two: Director's Cut" (2024) is a follow-up of, unsurprisingly, "Part One." Jokes aside, I was a bit disappointed with the pacing, which was slugging in the first hour, which is something that didn't happen in the first part. It's also narrowed down to one village on one planet. It got better later, but the whole thing is too childish plot-wise for adults and too graphic/sexual for kids. But visually it's stunning, all the designs, etc.
Fahrenheit 451#
"Fahrenheit 451" is 2018's adaptation of a famous dystopian book (there was also one in 1966). I wanted to see it since I got HBO back in 2019, and I finally did it. It's a mediocre movie at best. While the message got strengthened over the years, I think, it still felt like a glorified TV movie. Michael Shannon delivered, as always, but in the end it, there was no katharsis for me.
Dead Bodies#
"Dead Bodies" from 2003, on the other hand, is a TV movie. I wanted to see Andrew Scott in an early role. For a moment there, I thought it was a bit like pre-Tom Ripley, but his character develops in another direction (despite being named Tommy too). What is impressive is how many twists they packed in 80 something minutes. Once you think you got it, there's another one. There were interesting, video-clip like visual representations of inner states of the main character.
Nosferatu#
"Nosferatu" from 2024 is probably a remake with the biggest gap since the remade movie. Murnau's "Nosferatu" was released in 1922, which gives us 102 years. Wow. It's Robert Eggers' movie, so it's a visually impressive slow burner. Totally acquired taste, and if you didn't like his earlier production, there's nothing for you here. Count Orlok's got a really thick accent and is, for the first time, dressed in a Hungarian uniform, to be historically more accurate.
The Pornographer#
"The Pornographer" from 2001 is a movie that I was curious of since its release, mostly because I had an eye for Ovidie back then. A story of a retired porn director who needs to go back to directing, only to learn that things have changed. There is also a relationship with his estranged son. I had no expectations, and it feels like a mix of Finnish vibes with a bit of Yorgos Lanthimos, which produces very weird outcome. Probably not for young people.
One of the things that the movie, which even won an award in Cannes, is known for is that it has scenes of unsimulated sex (i.e., they really had a penetration). It was also mentioned in regards to 2000's "Baise-moi" and 2001's "Intimacy," so I suppose, looking back, it was a thing back then. It didn't catch up because it probably doesn't bring much value to the story. But it's my guess. In any case, no one advertises movies with this feature any more.
A Real Pain#
"A Real Pain" (2003) is a film written and directed and played by Jesse Eisenberg (but not only, he's creating a dynamic duo with Kieran Culkin). It's a love postcard to Poland, which was a surprising refreshment after gloomy as hell "Dark Crimes." This one's very colourful, like Poland in the Summer. A story of two brothers who visit Poland to find a house which belonged to her grandma. Touching, funny, but also not avoiding difficult topic of Holocaust.
Stoker#
"Stoker" (2013) is an American movie done by Park Chan-wook, whom I've seen only "Oldboy" and "The Handmaiden." A story of a young girl whose father died recently. After the funeral, an unknown brother of the father moves in. Things begin to get creepy. Stellar performances from Mia Wasikowska, Nicole Kidman, and mesmerising Matthew Goode. The pacing is slow and visually, it's an homage to Alfred Hitchcock (for a while, I didn't know what year the action could be set, it's so timeless).
Worth noting is that it's a screenplay debut from Wentworth Miller, who's probably most known from his role of Michael Scofield in "Prison Break."
I really liked Matthew Goode's performance. Very chilling. As if he was too smooth to be true. I didn''t know if the movie was supposed to be supernatural or what, and this was adding another layer of uncertainty.
Nosferatu: Phantom der Nacht#
"Nosferatu: Phantom der Nacht" from 1979 is Werner Herzog's approach to Murnau's classic. It's the third time I saw this movie, and I was reluctant because I always found it boring, but this time around, it actually won my heart. And I forgot the ending. Sparse dialogues and showing everything instead of telling it is something I missed the other times. Slow burner with Dracula not being some sort of absolute evil but rather a prisoner of his own fate. Probably not a movie for everyone.
There's Something About Mary#
After reading a script to "There's Something About Mary," I decided to see the movie to have immediate comparison of effects. Firstly, it wasn't that funny knowing the puns, which I did not expect for some reason. Secondly, there were more gags than in the script. I think they were improvised during filming. The movie also had a different ending. Cameron Diaz plays Mary in a very subversive way; she's not your typical rom-com sweetheart. And it's positive.
The Substance#
"The Substance" is a visually stunning story of an ageing (and lone) TV star, who's being pushed out by the relentless capitalism. In this aspect, it reminded me a lot of "Bubba Ho-Tep." It also felt a bit like Faustian story and the trickiness of all the deals with a devil. The movie incorporates male gaze equally framing all the bums: of the main character in all her incarnations, of a young lover, and the monster later.
Arthur Miller: Writer#
"Arthur Miller: Writer" from 2017 is a documentary made by Miller's daughter, Rebecca. She shot a lot of interviews with him, which later became this film. There is a bit of history (i.e., with Marilyn Monroe, which was the only thing I knew about him beforehand), but the tastiest part is the old Arthur Miler who shares his life wisdom. The thing that landed the most is when he says that if you want to write something good, it needs to be almost embarrassing for you.
Perfect Days#
"Perfect Days" from 2023 is Wim Wender's movie about a cleaner of public toilets in Shibuya in Tokyo. Slow-paced every-day’s routine of a middle-aged man turned out to be a very appealing lifestyle. Working, taking pictures of trees, listening to music, and reading books. And all by himself, not really talking to anyone, not even coworkers. Like a hermit in the middle of a crowded city.
I realised that the movie shows my favourite part of movies like "Le Samouraï", "The Killer", or "Map of the sounds of Tokyo" where a lone killer is leading a very ascetic life, very ritualised too. Jim Jarmusch took a swing at this in his "Limits of Control." But that was still the killer. Turns out you can make a movie like that without actual killing. It's a relief that you can have a monk-like quality of life without taking anyone else's life at that.
Appaloosa#
"Appaloosa" from 2008 is a western directed by Ed Harris. He also plays the main role. But not the narrator who is played by Viggo Mortensen. The story is, I suppose, classic Wild West story about a dispute in a face of lack of the law, and it resolves as such. The most interesting aspect was chemistry and dynamics between Harris/Mortensen characters. Plus I didn't expect to see Renée Zellweger, which was a nice treat. I haven't seen her in anything in a while.
Fatal Attraction#
As strange as it may sound, I have never seen "Fatal Attraction" (1987). Apart from love scenes, like the one in the elevator, the movie got old pretty well. It can be seen as a cautionary tale for married men or (probably) something about oppressive patriarchy, which shows the initial quality. Glen Close plays a role which usually is reserved for male characters, and she can have a very chilling impression when she's calmly scanning the environment.
Dogs Don't Wear Pants#
"Dogs Don't Wear Pants" (2019) is a Finnish film, which is listed as erotic black comedy, but for the most part, it feels like a drama with an additional layer of funniness. A story of a man who even years after losing his wife is sort of passively moving through life. This changes, however, when he accidentally meats a dominatrix. Due to heavy BDSM imagery at times, it might not be for everyone. Really beautiful camera work and framing and colours. And music.
The part about dealing with the loss of the wife vaguely reminded me of German "Cherry Blossom" (2008). But very vaguely.
I also liked the subtleness of showing how the relationship of the two main characters emerges. Something in Mona's face when she was depriving Juha of breath.
And finally, Mona, when not in her dominatrix attire, reminded me of Lisbeth Salander from David Fincher's "The Girl With The Dragon Tattoo."
Blowup#
"Blowup" from 1966 is a movie about which I read regularly in the TV guide when I was a kid back in the 1990s, but I never actually saw it. It aged well, even if I'm not sure what is strange and what is normal there because the past truly is another country. A story of a photographer who captures something in the background when casually taking picture in a park. Mysterious by design and with a lot of flesh in it.