Jumanji: I really hated this. I find nothing interesting in this movie. Nothing overtly good or bad. It is the film definition of a harmless blob of meh. I quite liked Jack Black, but the rest of the cast fell really flat for me (usually a fan of all the actors oddly). Plus, the film has 5 different kinds of animals for some reason? It's mainly worthless soldiers, in Jumanji? A film mainly about the jungle and animals? Ugh, I just thought it was so bleh that I loathed it.
Call Me By Your Name: Ahhhh, loved this. It's all about the direction though, the camera's angle and framing remains interesting almost always. The acting is very good, though not amazing. The main actor, Timothee Chalamat or something, did fantastic, and Michael Stuhlberg was also amazing, as always. It didn't stick in my memory as much as I expected it to, but I look forward to watching it again. Big fan!
Phantom Thread: Paul Thomas f***ing Anderson. He's just a titan behind that camera, with the film consistently looking just gorgeous. It was not quite as interesting a script as I was hoping, but I cannot deny the brilliance of nearly all aspects at play. The acting and music are both among the best this year. I hope to watch this again soon to inform my opinion.
Paddington 2: Felt like a "little kid" Wes Anderson film. I thought the script wasn't great honestly, but the direction and overall tone makes it an absolute joy. I was shocked that Hugh Grant stole the show since he was just having a blast. I also love the color palate of the jail scenes. Not quite as good as some people are hyping it up to be, but it's damn solid.
Three Billboards Outside Ebbing, Missouri: Fantastic film. It isn't realistic to life, but it's more a symbolic film that is meant to portray emotions like anger and loss. Frances McDormand and Sam Rockwell give some of the best performances of their career. The writer/director here obviously has a vision, and the script has tons of genuine laughs but also tons of tension and proper drama. I thought about the movie for a solid week afterward.
Killing of a Sacred Deer: This is a film I would recommend to about 4 people. It's slow, disturbing, and completely dry, but, if that sounds interesting, it can be an amazing film to watch. I love symbolic films as I try to piece together the logic through the puzzle pieces the director lays out. I have my own beliefs of the meaning of the film, but I imagine that many others have very different reactions. It's just amazing.
Mudbound: This is a slow film with some very good characters as well as some pretty bad ones. When it excels, it really excels, but, as an overall, it had a good amount of weak moments. I'm glad I watched it, and I enjoyed it immensely. However, it's not amazing and pales in comparison to many movies this year.
Shape of Water: While nowhere near Pan's Labyrinth, one of the best movies ever, it's a really good movie. It has tons of beautiful visuals and memorable moments though I felt the final project was too messy to be "amazing." In a year full of amazing movies, it falls to the wayside for me.
I, Tonya: This is a good movie, with some great moments and performances. Alison Janney is really great, and Margot Robbie is solid. However, it's nothing amazing, and it really pales when put in the spectrum of all the amazing movies this year.
Also, Florida Project is my favorite movie this year. It's a film that truly gets the lower classes of Southern America. It's a disturbing story from the exterior, but, seen through a child's point of view, it can be a place of wonder. The filming of childhood's traumatic events is the only accurate portrayal of trauma I've seen. It felt like a personal film, considering my interest in Disney World as well as my connection to these characters. It's amazing. Lastly, Lady Bird is getting better and better as I see and think about it more often.
