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So I avoided this for the past 30 years due to a distaste for A Nightmare Before Christmas and nearly all things Burton… kinda wish I hadn’t. I would’ve loved this when I was younger. This Roald Dahl dude sure can craft a story.

It is astounding how much Murnau influenced what we think of as beauty in film. The exposition by having the viewer literally read a book is wild, but I actually found it better than the normal struggle with the early 30s era dialogue/dubbing. I was thinking three stars, but added a star for the shadows alone.

A step down from his pinnacle, but still a fitting epilogue to his brilliant Rothaniel and reality series.

About 30 mins too long and a final act that doesn’t pay off the heady setup.

Rewatch with chemistry class.

Exactly what it is. Nothing more... nothing less.

Riveting docudrama that maybe dwelled a tad too long on the scientific handwringing and underreported the overwhelming cost to the layperson.

Honest to a fault. Climax that was simultaneously unbelievable and predictable. Felt that the filmmakers went too far with some themes and were a bit cowardly with others.

Rewatch with Tyler.
Liked this quite a bit more on rewatch. The themes are resonant today, and George and Lenny continue to hold up a mirror to dreamers everywhere.

Remarkable story filmed in a way that was a bit uneven and at some times hard to follow.

Rewatch in Anatomy.
Probably my all time favorite documentary. This movie takes a remarkable story and tells it in a remarkable way.

Beautiful. I get it. Not for me. Quite a shame.

Brilliant move to only tell a few stories and focus strictly on young people.  A moving capsule of a heartbreaking day.

Very good use of multiple film media. I wouldn't have minded just a touch more content at the end.

Very good editing. Love the Linklater slice-of-life vibe. Kinda want a FDOC beer.

With Anatomy class. Maybe my favorite movie about ethics ever made.

With Nick at the theater. 
It’s Star Wars.  I love it.  And yet…. This viewing really made me realize how good modern SW content is. Caught myself wishing this was Andor S2:e4.

I pretty much know this film by heart. It’s so timeless. Feels the same today as it did in the 90s. That says quite a bit about the pains taken by the production team to not date the setting.

Just like Ambrose Bierce, simply ahead of its time. I saw so many little details that are foreign to other films of the day but fit in perfectly in modern cinema.

I know this is hyperbole... but Damien Chazelle really does owe his whole career to JK Simmons. Without his performance this simply would not be what it is.

Rewatch with Tyler. 

It’s hard for me to truly love a movie without a real love story… but this is a damn near perfect little capsule of ion.

There’s nothing like it in the world. When it hits on exactly what you need, exactly when you need it.  

Yeah….

I like movies.

This review may contain spoilers.

Not sure if this was a brilliant atheist movie that fumbled the ending or a mediocre faith-based horror movie that is dangerously close to understanding atheism.

Rewatch in liemax with Tyler.  
First experience with my local theaters “imax” screen. It was loud. *shrug*
As for the movie, I see the brilliance but there is just something that makes me not be able to connect with this one as much as other Miyazaki features.  I’m not sure if it’s the pacing or the super stretchy “rules” to this universe.  Damn, it’s pretty though.

Watched many times over the years with my Anatomy class. A Near perfect biopic and historical time capsule.

Queer sci-fi hero’s journey rock opera black mirror episode.  I am here for it.  

You can’t hate on this and lament lack of originality in modern cinema.

Rewatch with Tyler.  So many little perfect details. This is a masterpiece.  Loved it even more the second time.

Rewatch with Tyler.
Watching the two Ridley Scott prequels made me realize the lack of inventiveness in Romulus. These two movies are so damn creative. Loses points, however, for having the dumbest protagonists in the alien franchise.

Rewatch with Tyler.
This seemed a little less epic on rewatch. I still love the worldbuilding, and the running away in the wrong direction doesn't seem quite so egregious as cinemasins makes it out to be.

Rewatch with Anatomy class.
The final scene is shot so beautifully. "T E A C H E R" had me tearing up a bit on this watch.

So many perfect little details in this. Watching at this point in my life, I still want to hold Miss Kubilek tight and make it all better..... but.... I also recognize the toxic relationship that C.C. Baxter has in store for him....

Powerful, no doubt... but without reading the letterboxd summary I wouldn't know that this was a true story, I wouldn't know how this story ended, and I wouldn't even know which character was the title character.

This is the type of film that makes me miss the theater. This movie deserved more than me huddled over my laptop trying to complete my oscar deathrace. I'm sorry Mr. Ross.

What a remarkable young lady. Perfect choice by the filmmakers to step back and let Samantha take center stage. A moving portrait of pain in purgatory.

On first glance this is a Taiwanese translation of movies I’ve seen dozens of times.  Then you look again, and you see the honesty. You see the pain. You see heart. I want to be Chris’ friend. I want to be Chris’ parent. Heck… I wanna be Chris.

The type of movie that makes you want to be a better person.  I wish I had read less about this movie before seeing it. I feel the most important emotional beats would’ve hit a bit harder.

I'm so sick of live action movies that overuse CGI. It is emotionless, cheap, and ugly.....

Except for these guys.... these guys have figured that shit out.

Matilda: the Musical was one of my favorite films of 2022. In the finale number “Revolting Children” there is a tracking shot that follows the performers through the school and out into yard. The camera never cuts away as the viewer is treated to amazing choreography from the entire young cast. I was gobsmacked…

I’m not sure there is a shot longer than 10 seconds in Wicked. It’s a musical that’s ashamed of its musicalness… this works in the finale because Defying Gravity is an epic that deserves 20 minutes of film… but the rest of the film falls flat. It’s emotionless, gray, and choppy. Cynthia Erivo is brilliant and deserves every bit of praise she is getting, but I’m not sure there’s much else to say about the rest of the cast. 

Oh well… I’m gonna go watch the end of Matilda.

There's a beautiful movie hidden in here somewhere. I have a feeling if i cared as much about opera as I did about pop-punk emo, this would be my favorite film of the year.

I am always astounded at the time and energy it takes to do stop motion. It blows my mind that people could do all this work for a story so bland.

Not sure what’s up with claymation penis at the Oscar’s this year either.

Great framing device for what is pretty much just an interview with Sir Elton. Kinda wish we just got this instead of Rocketman.

Beautiful, but maybe just a touch too heavy on the symbolism.  I’ll be honest, it lost me.

Emotional wallop overshadows the pretty amateur filmmaking. Note-perfect performances from the female leads.

Cute. Not sure about Oscar worthy… but cute. Kinda felt like I’ve seen it before.

Tough but essential. It’s so easy to forget how so much of the world lives. This connects the viewer without being disrespectful to the subjects. The coda adds to the emotion without patronizing.

Rewatch with Tyler. 
Favorite quote from Tyler during the movie:
“She’s gotta wash her hair every day with how much she touches it.”

Kristin Stewart is full Anna-Kendrick-Kristin-Stewart-Impression in this movie… and it is glorious.

This felt like a quirky early 90s indy film in the best possible way. Stan's performance is ridiculously good, and the message of what makes someone's "self" is resonating. Definitely a flick that I'll be thinking about for a long while.