By, Sean Frank
FILM
1: Parasite
Parasite is crafted to perfection. Every element, from the acting to the cinematography, to the script feels thought out and carefully executed. It is this attention to detail that kept me invested in the film as it bounces between various genres.
Parasite is a thriller. It is also a comedy and a razor sharp satire with rich characterization that gives it shades of a drama. It is the characters that invested me so thoroughly in this film. Writer/Director Bong Joon Ho gives his talented cast a lot to work with, thanks to his tight script. It moves along briskly but lingers on details such as the reveal of the wealthy family’s modern home or the lower class family’s apartment being filled with “free” pesticide fumigation from outside. Both families have their own perspectives and priorities which seem wholly reasonable to them. The film understands this but shows that it is the large gulf between these perspectives and priorities where conflict bubbles to the surface.
2: Little Women
I have seen the Little Women film version from the 1990s so I already had familiarity with the story. What Writer/Director Greta Gerwig does with her 2019 adaption makes it very unique. She has the film jump around in time as it follows the Marsh sisters in 1800’s New England. While I was occasionally confused, the effect overall is impressive. It made me think about time, memory, and how things change while a somber familiarity lingers. Saoirse Ronan’s Jo is the heart of the film as she finds her voice as a writer. Florence Pugh also impresses as Amy with a complex, confident performance.
3: Us
Jordan Peele’s sophomore effort Us is an astonishing film. It is a parable that can be interpreted many different ways. It involves Lupita Nyong’o’s Adelaide and her family going on a vacation that gets interrupted by murderous versions of themselves. There are some jump scares but the horror comes more from the ideas Peele presents. Since this film is high concept it will fall apart if you think too logically about it; (How did the tethered get all the red jumpsuits & gold scissors etc…). Taken as a parable though, this film succeeds wildly. It left me rattled as I thought about the vastness of the human experience and how many people suffer unseen. Lupita Nyong’o also deserves recognition for dual performances that are layered, physical, and subtle.
4: Avengers: Endgame
While this film is impressive on its own terms, it really becomes monumental if you have seen the previous 22 Marvel movies. A long list of characters come full circle and reckon with their actions from the past 10 years of Marvel cinema. This creates characterization that is rich with drama and themes. Endgame keeps drama in mind as it starts slowly, exploring the grief that comes with half of the population disappearing thanks to villain Thanos. When the action does come it hits hard and gives all the very human superheroes moments to shine.
5: Wild Rose
Wild Rose is a film about Rose, played brilliantly by Jessie Buckley, fresh out of prison and dreaming of becoming a country singer. She lives in Glasgow, Scotland and has two children. The film humanizes her as she struggles to reconcile her responsibilities as a parent and dreams as a singer. Over the course of the narrative she learns, that while she is immensely talented, she can never succeed if she closes herself off. The film concludes with a song and performance which powerfully sums up her emotional journey but doesn’t feel pat or contrived. Wild Rose instead feels wholly authentic thanks to careful direction and committed performances.
6: Midsommar
Midsommar is a great horror film. It is not scary but it is terrifying. It is also very hard to recommend. Florence Pugh plays Dani, who experiences a horrible family tragedy. She decides to go with her boyfriend and others to a festival in an isolated community in Sweden. The horrible events that slowly escalate happen in broad daylight which creates an eerie atmosphere. Dani is also constantly confronted by her grief and the deterioration of her relationship with her boyfriend. Midsommar is unpleasant, dense, and hard to shake once the credits roll. It also features another stellar 2019 Florence Pugh performance, impressively choreographed camera movements, and rich themes of grief and loss.
7: Knives Out
Rian Johnson is a bold & unique writer/director. After one of my all-time favorite directorial debuts with Brick, he has jumped from genre to genre while maintaining a high level of quality. While I loved The Last Jedi, Johnson received a fierce backlash from some fans. This did not seem to deter him. Knives Out is an ensemble murder mystery that subverts expectations and entertains at every turn. Anna de Armas’s Marta is the center of the film. She plays a nurse to a wealthy novelist. Her performance is very engaging and full of empathy. Daniel Craig is also a joy to watch as Detective Benoit Blanc. The rest of the ensemble cast is at the top of their game with carefully calibrated performances that complement each other. Overall though, it is Johnson’s engagingly intricate script and pitch perfect direction that elevate this to a new genre classic.
8: JoJo Rabbit
Taika Waititi has created what is advertised as an "anti-hate satire" with JoJo Rabbit. While this description makes sense it doesn’t convey the amount of heart this film has. It follows Jojo, a young boy who is a Hitler youth member. His mother is hiding a Jewish girl in their home. Hitler also happens to be JoJo’s imaginary friend. The comedy is broad but effective and the drama is much more powerful than I expected. This is thanks to Scarlett Johansson as Rosie; JoJo’s mother, and Thomasin McKenzie as Elsa; the Jewish girl hiding in their home. Both of them are full of compassion and strength as they challenge JoJo and the hate he has been taught. Roman Griffin Davis also impresses as Jojo with a subtlety expressive performance. While this film’s blend of broad comedy and sincere drama won’t work for everyone it did for me.
9: The Irishman
The Irishman is unlike Martin Scoreses’s other gangster films. There is no glamour in the violence. While there are hints of glamour in the lifestyle there is much more regret. This is a somber film as Robert De Niro’s Frank Sheeran recounts his career as a hitman and enforcer. CGI de-aging techniques are used during scenes when De Niro, Pacino, & Joe Pesci are younger. This is not entirely convincing but also gives these scenes a glossy coat that works to its benefit; feeling like the haze of memory. Steve Zaillian’s script explores themes of regret and memory deftly as it balances patient plotting with rich dialogue. Scorsese uses his masterful technique in new ways such as displaying text which details gangsters’ abrupt ends as they appear on screen. He also uses one of his signature tracking shots not for a club entrance but for a journey down the hallway of a nursing home to the melancholy strains of The Five Satins – In the Still of the Night.
10: 1917
This is a large scale film but it feels small. It follows Lance Corporal Black and Lance Corporal Schofield during World War 1 as they race to deliver a message that will prevent 1,600 men from walking into a fatal trap. This journey is presented to look like one long shot with hidden edits. Cinematographer Roger Deakins cements his already impressive legacy with compositions and lighting that immerse and impress upon the viewer. Lights and shadow from flairs cascading across the ruins of a bombed out village is a particular highlight. Director Sam Mendes gets natural and emotional performances out of the leads while keeping the action easy to follow and showcasing the horrors of war along the way. This is not the average war film. It feels more like a journey that the viewer becomes a part of thanks to stellar camerawork and production design.
TELEVISION
1: Watchmen (2019)
This series takes place many years after the events of the graphic novel which is considered the best of the form by many. For this reason I was hesitant about the series and how the creators could follow up such a masterpiece of fiction. It turns out they were more than up to the task. This series explores racism, vigilantism, and time while moving a mysterious and intricate plot steadily forward. Regina King is the star of the show as Angela Abar/Sister Night. Her performance conveys strength and vulnerability in equal measure as she learns about her past while digging deep into a mystery.
2: Chernobyl
This mini-series explores the 1986 explosion at the Chernobyl nuclear power plant. It is an excellent drama and also taught me a lot about the event. It centers on two scientists and a Politician who are driven to mediate the effects of the disaster against a government intent on covering it up and denying the extent of the problem. The production design and direction never falter, maintaining a believable representation of the time period while giving us characters to empathize with and root for.
3: The Crown (Season 3)
The Crown follows Queen Elizabeth and the Royal family. Season 3 (set during 1964-1977) features new actors in the lead roles and their performances are on par with the impressive work of their predecessors. While the Royal Family is not a topic I am particularly interested in, this show is just exceptional on all levels. The dialogue is smart, the performances feel real and lived in, the production design is incredibly detailed, and the camera work is full of rich lighting and beautiful compositions.
VIDEO GAMES
1: Fire Emblem: Three Houses (Switch)
Fire Emblem: Three Houses is a tactical role-playing game full of choice and rich characters. Soon after the start, you are tasked with picking one of three houses at Garreg Mach Monastery to be a professor of, teaching your students and readying them for battle. The conflict that follows changes depending on choices made throughout the experience. The gameplay is split into exploring the large complex of Garreg Mach and turn based battles. The exploration sections offer great dialogue and characterization that create bonds with your students. The battles use layers of systems and weapons that can be upgraded and changed as you progress. While this is a niche genre that is not for everyone, I was enthralled by the action and rich drama throughout.
2: Control (PS4)
Control is a third person action-adventure game set in the fictional Federal Bureau of Control. The Bureau is tasked with investigating and containing the paranormal. The player controls Jessie, a civilian with powers of her own, looking to find answers from the bureau about her brother. The action involves gunplay and powers such as telekinesis. Destructible environments elevate the combat and atmosphere. Performance issues and projectiles that are unfairly hard to see coming do deter from the action though. Overall, it was the atmosphere that kept me coming back. Notes found along the way at the Bureau about everyday things such as a book club or personal grievances give the location a great sense of place that, along with the shifting walls, make it memorable.
3: Luigi’s Mansion 3 (Switch)
I have tried but never completed the previous two games in the Luigi’s Mansion series. They are very well made but my horrible sense of direction kept getting me lost. Luigi’s Mansion 3 takes place in a hotel infested with ghosts. Levels are separated into different floors. These smaller, broken up, spaces are easy to navigate and contain great puzzles and engaging combat. Using Luigi’s vacuum is a blast and most items on tables, walls, and shelves are affected by it, which creates a great sense of interactivity. The stationary camera and difficulty aiming the vacuum are occasionally problematic though.