Ginger and Rosa (2013) - There's a reason "Think Young" is one of the 1960's most ubiquitously remembered platitudes, and appropriately Ginger and Rosa transports us back to 1968 to show growing up in all its messy glory. Carried by the phenomenal performance of Elle Fanning as Ginger, the film will infuriate as much as it pleases and also make you wonder why no one has figured out how to utilize Fanning so well before this.
Breaking Bad: "Buried" - The breakneck pacing that began in last week's premiere doesn't let up in the second episode of the last eight for this fantastic television drama. It's an episode that is every bit as good as the premiere and should give fans hope that this very well could all end on a high note.
Invasion of the Body Snatchers (1978) - It's that rare re-make that's every bit as good, if not better, than the original. Though it loses some of the subtext of the original in favor of an all out paranoid atmosphere, it's still a suspenseful and fun time to watch the dread sink in as the protagonists realize that aliens are masquerading as human beings.
Only God Forgives (2013) - Nicholas Winding Refn's follow up to the visually gorgeous crime thriller Drive carries over the wonderful visual composition but loses the underlying mechanics that made Drive such a surprise. The film is barely tolerable at points and boring at others and the bloody revenge tale isn't interesting or deep enough to make the hypnotic imagery really sing.
What Maisie Knew (2013) - The harrowing portrait of a custody battle as seen through the eyes of a six year old girl played with beautiful unaffectedness by the child actor Onata Aprile. As Maisie becomes the unwitting pawn in the selfish games of her parents and the adults around her, the scorching realism becomes heartbreaking.
The Exterminating Angel (1962) - Provocateur Luis Bunuel's surreal premise about party guests who just can't seem to leave the room after a dinner party is absurd yes, but also simultaneously very, very funny and thought provoking. And Bunuel's attention to the details of the outlandish nightmare make it strangely plausible in context.
Ugetsu Monogatari (1953) - Considered one of director Kenji Mizoguchi's two or three best films and one of the films that helped him gain a greater recognition outside of Japan. Hauntingly ethereal and grandly Shakespearean, the tale of 16th century farmers seeking fame and fortune is a fable but it also feels very true to life.
Amour (2012) - Michael Haneke's unflinching look at love in the face of illness is as hard to watch as it is rewarding. The towering performances of Emanuelle Riva and Jean-Louis Trintignant build up a relationship that feels as if the couple has known each other all their lives and that makes it all the more devastating to watch as Anne deteriorates from a stroke and Georges keeps persevering despite the inevitable.
Targets (1968) - Peter Bogdanovich's debut film is a scrappy little thing, strung together from mismatched parts that shouldn't work but come together in a fantastic final act. The film contrasts an aging horror film star (Boris Karloff) with the horrors of a modern world, a milquetoast man who snaps and goes on a killing spree.
The Butler (2013) - Lee Daniel's sweeping historical epic takes on the broadstroke history of the Civil Rights Movement with a little too much sentimentality and simplicity. On the other hand, the film is filled with enough excellent performances from an ensemble cast, especially Forest Whitaker as the titular butler Cecil Gaines, to make up for its familiarity and how skin deep it is.
"Back to School" - I discuss what returning to college means for the output of my writing on the blog.
The Omen (1976) - Taken removed all these years from its release, The Omen largely falls apart. On its face, it has the classic horror storytelling of Rosemary's Baby and The Exorcist but, unlike those other films, really seems more concerned with shocking us than telling a cohesive and engaging story.
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