What I watched this month: March 2023

Blades of Glory:

Started out the month with a forgettable entry. This film feels like it has aged horribly with its vibe and pales in comparison to the other films that came out around this time. Yes, it is obviously not meant to be the smartest and most ground-breaking film, but it should be funny. When work such as Anchorman and Zoolander exists, films that I feel this one should be compared to, this kind of seems a bit of a pointless watch.

The Meyerowitz Stories:

This is an incredible film. Noah Baumbach’s writing style is so interesting and compelling and really drives the story forward. Just like in Marriage Story, the exploration of family dynamic and human relations is crafted so expertly and the exploration of extreme differences in a family dynamic is taken to its fullest in all the best ways. This film is both hilarious and at times genuinely emotional. Each interaction is carefully constructed and tied in to following interactions to create this overarching narrative and commentary on family and treatment of family. This is such a beautiful watch, cemented by some fantastic performances from Stiller and Sandler in particular.

Fall:

A high, high, followed immediately by a low, low. This film is so boring and stupid. The cinematography and filming technique is genuinely impressive, but that is the only positive thing I can say about this. The story is unbelievably boring and the situation and reactions are annoyingly ridiculous. The twist was predictable and again, stupid. Overall, do not bother with this, guaranteed you have seen a similar ‘trapped’ situation films so save your time.

Competencia Oficial:

A funny, satirical take on actors and the film making process. I had heard about this film and the Oscar buzz it had a few years ago but then forgot abut it until I saw it come up on Netflix. So I thought I would check it out and I am so glad I did. The chemistry between the three characters and how their personalities and egos build and clash with each other during the film making process is a hilarious viewing experience. The method acting purist vs the movie star obsessed with fame and accolades is a dynamic that throws up so many fascinating conflicts, aided by a brilliant script. The film does a great job of exposing the flaws on all sides and leaving the interpretation of the ‘correct’ work style down to your own interpretation. I would encourage everyone to watch this, and I would be interested to see how you interpret it and whose side you are on!

The Whale:

I am sort of conflicted about this film. I definitely do not hate it, but then I certainly do not love it either, it is just sort of ok in my eyes. With all the Oscar buzz and having really enjoyed previous character studies by Aronofsky, I had high hopes for this film and unfortunately, I was underwhelmed. I don’t feel like the story was strong enough here and without a stellar performance from Brendan Fraser, this would have been a much worse viewing experience. I feel like the message and the themes of the film get lost in the overbearing misery of this film. It is a hard watch and I do not think the story does enough to justify that emotional investment and ultimately pay off. There are some interesting concepts here such as grief, struggles with identity and sexuality as well as selfishness. However, these explorations are sacrificed in expense for the visual spectacle of the character and his weight and eating habits. The film relies on Brendan carrying a lot of the film on his back and luckily, he delivers an incredible performance. Aranofsky has made this film in a much more effective way so I would check out the Wrestler to see how this could have been done better.

The Scream Franchise:

Scream is my favourite horror movie and with the recent release of Scream VI, I took it upon myself to marathon these movies. I have a lot to say so will address this in a full review but it is safe to say I had an absolute blast watching this series. Scream delivers everything you could want rom a slasher film and the self-aware, commentary on the genre goes a long way to keeping the series feeling fresh despite the six entries into the franchise.

Jackass Forever:

No matter what, Jackass will always be hilarious. It appeals to that part of you that laughs at someone slipping over or an embarrassing situation but dials it up to the max. The chemistry of the cast and the commitment to ridiculousness makes what could be viewed as childish and uncouth, but in some way makes it wholesome? It seems ridiculous to use the words ‘Jackass’ and ‘wholesome’ in the same sentence but somehow that is my strongest feeling I associate with this film. Twenty years after the first, it feels like a trip down memory lane, a celebration of a commitment to a vision as well as a passing of the baton to a new generation. Their embrace of change and a commitment still to even bigger than before cements Knoxville and co.’s status as legends.

The Believer:

This was a very strange viewing experience that has left me feeling quite weird about it after. The disturbing topic of Neo-Nazis makes for some uncomfortable viewing and the commitment to showing their actions throughout almost all the film is an interesting choice. It becomes apparent about halfway through that this is a metaphor for self-hatred and rejection of identity, yet picking such controversial methods of displaying this really needs a strong message and delicate handling of the material. Sadly, I think this just missed the mark that stops it being a great film, similarly to the Whale.