Adventures in Film: April 2024

Dead Poets Society (1989)

This is a film that I probably revisit about every year or two, and while there is a certain amount of twee and cheese to it that becomes more clear and noticeable every year, it's still a film that affects me deeply. I resonate with it so much because of a number of similarities my life draws to the film, and every time I see it it's almost like a reconnection with my younger self and a reevaluation of how I am living to honour the dreams that younger self harboured.

Secrets & Lies (1996)

I wasn't expecting this to be so funny! It's such an interesting blend of narrative filmmaking and realism, taking on a borderline documentary feeling for long stretches as Mike Leigh allows his subjects to simply exist in front of the camera. There is a shot that lingers on two individuals meeting in a diner that I've thought about a lot since seeing this; so much emotion and subtext is shown entirely through performance.

Cross of Iron (1977)

I absolutely love how audacious and willingly abrasive Cross of Iron is from start to finish. The battle sequences are absolutely bonkers, and the decision to make the film from the point of view of German soldiers in WWII is so bold and potentially offensive that I can't help but love it. It's an antiwar film for sure, but the longer that the film revels in a certain style of kinetic and exciting filmmaking in its battle sequences places it right on the razor-thin line of drawing titillation or entertainment from the war elements of the film.

One-Eyed Jacks (1961)

I think I need to see this film again, possibly when I'm less tired, because it just never quite connected with me. Brando is charismatic as hell, but it just never quite sparked anything for me.

The First Omen (2024)

This is probably the biggest surprise of the year for me. Full review on the way.

Monty Python's The Meaning of Life (1983)

Having done an episode of Filthy Hope on Monty Python's Life of Brian, I thought I'd go back and revisit The Meaning of Life. The film definitely contains some of their funniest sketch work, but it just lacks the narrative cohesion that elevates The Holy Grail and Life of Brian into instant classic territory.

Monkey Man (2024)

Full review coming.

Monty Python's Life of Brian (1979)

Check out my full discussion on Filthy Hope here.

Reality (2023)

I gave this perfect 80-minute thrilling docudrama a rewatch because it's just so damn good. I think I enjoyed it even more on this rewatch. I wrote some more thoughts on Reality here.

Rebel Without a Cause (1955)

My first look at the late great James Dean on screen, and yeah. He was incredible, and probably would have been one of the greats. His performance in Rebel is filled with so much maturity and nuance, and he just commands the screen with the sort of confidence you so rarely see from performers at that age.

Narc (2002)

Why do we not make movies like this anymore?? The only reason this came across my radar was the fact that it came in the Neo-Noir box set from Imprint Films; thank God it did! I'm so glad this made its way only my home theatre system. It feels almost like a combination of the grit of David Fincher's Se7en and the class of Michael Mann's Heat. It's dripping with tension and style, but feels like a film that has a thick layer of dirt and filth caked onto it. If this is any indication as to the quality of the rest of the box set, I can't wait to get stuck into more of these films.

Island of Doomed Men (1940)

A lovely little film noir from the early 1940s - quite possibly the perfect Sunday afternoon film.

Godzilla x Kong: The New Empire (2024)

This movie affronted me in such a way that my brain shorted out. You can read my unhinged and desperate thoughts from the immediate aftermath on my letterboxd account.

Freddy's Dead: The Final Nightmare (1991)

This is where the franchise really ran out of steam for me. As with all of these films, there is still a certain amount of charm to it, and the surreal set pieces are still an enjoyable constant driving force through the monotony, but this was a real slog to get through.

Perfect Days (2024)

I took myself in to the Ritz in Randwick to see this on a recommendation from somebody, and I'm so glad I did. Full review on the way.

The Sting (1973)

I managed to check off another Best Picture winning film, something that has proven to be a fairly hit-or-miss task over the years. Thankfully, this was an example of a time that the Academy Awards got it right. The Sting feels like a film from a totally different time to the one it was released into in the best way possible. In fact, the whole thing just feels timeless. Super enjoyable!

The Last Wave (1977)

This was totally my vibe. A few technical nitpicks aside, I was pretty instantly in love with Peter Weir's evocation of Australia drenched in mystery and mythology, something that was constantly resonating with frequencies of Twin Peaks.

Enter the Dragon (1973)

I don't watch nearly enough martial arts films, because on the very odd occasion like this that I put one on, I am always totally blown away. Enter the Dragon is just bursting with so much energy and momentum, and is totally unrelenting in a way that leaves you feeling bruised but exhilarated.

Civil War (2024)

Read my full review here.

The Act of Killing (2012)

I saw The Look of Silence back when I was in university for a class, and have been meaning to see it's predecessor, The Act of Killing, since then. I found myself a DVD copy, and then had to wait for a time in which I felt up for the level of misery I knew that this was going to induce in me. That hunch proved to be absolutely correct; this really fucked me up. I felt sick in my stomach after about ten minutes, and was still feeling it almost a week later. Genuinely upsetting, but also a vitally current documentary film.

Scoop (2024)

Much like She Said from a couple of years ago, this never quite got going for me. It's a frustratingly average film about compelling subject matter.

The Antisocial Network: Memes to Mayhem (2024)

I really need to stop thinking that these Netflix documentaries are ever going to be good. They very rarely are.

Ricky Stanicky (2024)

I did my dues as a die hard Bad Friends listener and watched this on Amazon Prime, and to be quite honest my expectations were rock bottom (especially given how much I loathed Green Book). Happily, this was significantly funnier than I had reason to believe, largely driven by John Cena's performance. To be perfectly honest, this film was worth it so that we got an episode of Bad Friends with John Cena and Zac Efron.

Halloween: Resurrection (2002)

Good God. Definitely the worst Halloween movie, possibly one of the worst movies I've endured.

Mad God (2022)

I will be rewatching this film every year until the day that I die. Exceptional in every way.

Late Night with the Devil (2024)

Review coming soon.

Beyond Re-Animator (2003)

This film is entirely worth watching if only to see a rat face off against a severed penis. Glorious.

Mad Max: Beyond Thunderdome (1985)

A large chunk of this feels like classic Mad Max, but about halfway through it becomes a kids film. It's kinda cool that all of these films have a distinctive feel to them, but for me Thunderdome is the one that works the least for me.

May December (2024)

Rewatched this with my partner and I probably enjoyed it even more. Can't wait to see it a third time.

Master Gardener (2023)

I liked this more than The Card Counter, but First Reformed is still head and shoulders above the rest of Schrader's late-career work. Joel Edgerton absolutely kills it.

Malum (2023)

This had some pretty gnarly gore and effects, but the scaffolding of film around those effects completely fell apart in the first twenty minutes. It doesn't work as a feature, and it's a real shame because the screenplay lets the rest of the film down on such a profound level. Watch this as a lesson in the importance of a coherent screenplay.

Deathstalker (1983)

I watched the entirety of this through a mixture of confusion and hilarity. How does a movie like this exist? And why did they bother putting that monster on the cover if it isn't going to show up once in the actual movie? I guess to trick people like me into seeing it. It's like if somebody filmed me and my brother playing with action figures as ten-year-olds and then added a bunch of unnecessary female nudity and sexual violence. Why does every man in this movie just want to rape everyone? Why do none of the female characters wear tops? Baffling, hilarious, entertaining and completely incompetent.

Not Quite Hollywood (2008)

This was an absolute blast of a documentary that traces the history of the Ozploitation movement in Australian cinema with added commentary from Quentin Tarantino. Absolutely essential viewing for anybody at all interested in Australian film.

The Fabelmans (2023)

Another rewatch with my partner, who hadn't seen this one. I remember thinking at the time when I saw this in theatres that it didn't quite work for me; that there was some emotional ingredient missing from it that would elevate it. Well, this time that emotional core really worked for me, and I had cried twice inside the first fifteen minutes of the film. I think we've been spoilt by Spielberg over the years, because if anybody else made a film this technically proficient and emotionally resonant about their childhood we would be way more vocal in our praises.

Roadgames (1981)

I loved this Australian update on the Rear Window story from the point of view of a truck driver, up until its final act in which it becomes a little too ridiculous for its own good. Always love seeing Jamie Lee Curtis on screen, and it was a bit of a thrill to see her in such a shamelessly Australian film.

To Catch a Killer (2023)

This was my partner's pick, and I'm not going to lie, the presence of Shailene Woodley on the cast list did set my expectations pretty damn low. While my opinions on Woodley as a performer and screen presence haven't changed, this pleasantly surprised me in a lot of ways. It builds really well to an exciting, tense final showdown.

Elephant (2003)

There's something about Elephant that has left a bad taste in my mouth. I'm not quite sure if it's the taste that the film wanted to leave in my mouth, given the subject matter, or if it's a taste of exploitation. There's no doubt it's a powerful film, and the choice to really lean into the verite style works wonders.

Turkey Shoot (1982)

This was lurid, exploitative, unnecessarily violent, B-grade trash and I loved it. Thanks to Not Quite Hollywood for turning me onto this, and thanks to Brollie for making it available to see.

Anyone But You (2023)

I saw this on a plane, and I think that was the perfect environment to see it in. The geography of Sydney being butchered did drive me a little insane, but that wasn't enough for me to not enjoy the hell out of Anyone But You.

Baby Reindeer (2024)

Full review coming.

Blue Steel (1990)

Beneath the '90s neon haze, excessive blood squibs and high contrast lighting is a queer allegory that feels years ahead of its time. These cops are horny, and I'm here for it. After seeing Narc, this was the second film I've dipped into on Imprint's Neo-Noir box set.