A powerful narrative blending themes of alcoholism, masculinity, religion, blue-collar America, & basketball, TWB is a melancholic redemption parable – achieved through somber tonalism, cinematography tints, & deft Affleck performance. 8/10.
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Category: Drama/Indie
Emanuel (2019)
A heartbreaking documentary on one of the darkest & most ghastly acts of violence ever in U.S. history and its effects on a small Charleston church-community, EML is powerful, poignant poetry analyzing faith in the face of unspeakable tragedy. 9.1/10.
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The Irishman (2019)
The culmination of a legendary filmmaker’s career building a genre to surgically deconstruct it over 3.5 glorious hours – with a craftsman, emotionally-powerful allegory on growing old & life’s consequences. Mafia showpiece for the ages. 9.4/10.
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1917
An immersive technical masterstroke impossibly (and groundbreakingly) filmed in one singular continuous shot that could change filmmaking history – stunningly ~wasted by a *shockingly*-soporific plot, opening act, and cast ensemble. 7.1/10.
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Joker (2019)
An ultra-dark sociopathological study steeped in deep nihilistic psychology with wildly-violent social commentary, Joker is A Clockwork Orange x Taxi Driver x RFAD with a career performance by Phoenix on the origins of supervillains. 9/10.
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Ash is Purest White (2019)
An elegant mandarin romantic masterpiece juxtaposing industrialism-and-free-spiritness, random violence-&-sacrifice with classical noir-isms, cinematographical bilateralism, Eastern-cultural majesty, & breakout Zhao Tao performance. 8.5/10.
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Knives Out (2019)
A twisty whodunit that finally finds use for Rian Johnson’s compulsive need for subversion – with classism undertones, (suspiciously)-storied yet uncapitalized Evans & de Armas-led cast, & sharp violin score. A mixed mystery-thriller. 5/10.
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Tigers Are Not Afraid (2019)
A dark, twisted fantasy film unlike anything I’ve ever seen blending Mexico-set narcotics crime drama, horror, & children’s fairy tales with hallucinogenic direction and brilliance in socially-conscious narrative reimagining childhood-trauma. 9/10.
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Euphoria (HBO)
A hypnotic, visually and cinematographically-stunning visceral take on substance abuse/youth finding perfect fit in Zendaya’s nihilistic sarcasm, slow-booming distortion-laden soundtrack, mature themes, & candid modern-HS canvas. 8.7/10.
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Once Upon A Time In Hollywood (2019)
A bonkers fairy tale in classically-Tarantino fashion with pure nostalgia-hued Golden Age-Hollywood homages, soundtrack as provocative as its brilliant screenplay, star-studded cast of stellar performances, & wild QT final act. 8.5/10.
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