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My first time watching Dog Day Afternoon on the big screen as intended. This film is a tense bank heist drama that is more about the socioeconomic elements that led to the robbery more than the robbery. The script is both extremely well-written and batshit crazy. Hard to believe that this is a true story.

Pacino is incredible as Sonny who is portrayed as a very amateur bank robber but also a relatable human being. He knows a lot about bank protocol but has no desire to cause harm to anyone involved. Meanwhile Cazale gives an understated performance as Sal, who is equally as beaten down as Sonny but decides to handle those feelings in a more cynical way.

I knew the general premise of this film, but I had no idea that it was this comedic. Whether it was the mistakes in robbing the bank or catering to the crowd by back-talking the cops, this film does a great job of easing the growing tension with a well-placed laugh.

Featuring a trans character was progressive for 1975, but I was floored at the relationship between Sonny and Leon. There is an innate sweetness that can’t be ignored and the way they get off the phone with each other was heartbreaking. The dichotomy of that call compared to him slamming the phone down with his original wife told me everything I needed to know.

Overall, I think this film makes you consider how we treat other people. Whether it’s how we treat veterans, the gay community, police, or even how we treat civilians in a bank robbery. In all those cases, comion and empathy can help bridge the gap.

Upgrade is a sci-fi thriller that is familiar in some steps but adds its own unique twists. The comparisons to Cyberpunk and Black Mirror are two good starting places, as this film uses the subject matter of the former but the dystopian cynicism of the latter.

Marshall-Green and Gabriel were both solid in their roles, with Logan having to contort his body uniquely to fit the plot device at hand. The cinematography was unique and also frantic at times, but effective in replicating the tone of the chaos unfolding.

The dialogue had some pretty weak lines but I thought the plot points were well executed. Especially the ending, which completely surprised me and flips the perspective on its head.

Logan Lucky is taking all of Soderbergh’s heist movie prowess into the unique setting of the working class of West Virginia. People calling this a hillbilly Ocean’s 11 are not wrong in plot, but the execution lacks the necessary tension of other great heist films.

The ensemble cast is pretty solid but I wouldn’t say exceptionally memorable, except for Jimmy’s daughter doing a Little Miss Sunshine impression. The story is well written both in premise and heist idea, but Soderbergh let me down in delivering conflict.

This missing tension revolves around the heist and the third act, which never make us feel that the heist will fail and ultimately resolves itself…via insurance? The Swank character was so odd and ineffective in a way that made the whole ending feel unearned.

Overall, it’s a decent effort from all involved but is missing that doubt that could make it truly special.

Ranking Steven Soderbergh

Fallout is the culmination of both the second trilogy but also the entire Mission Impossible franchise. The frantic pacing aptly matches its subject matter who is not afraid take whatever plot paths involve the most death defying stunts that we’ve maybe ever seen.

The action set pieces are incredible both in quality (the skydiving scene is my new favorite of the series), but also in the quantity that is squeezed into this 2.5 hour runtime. I sort of love the idea of Ethan just picking up his favorite crew mates from the series and bringing them all together for a great heist.

The re-introduction of the Julia actually worked for me, as I felt it grounded Cruise for the first time since MI3 and also attempted to close some dead ends. The plutonium/nuclear attack strategy has been used before, but the stakes add even more with Julia.

It’s not a perfect movie, namely the cliche elements of certain speeches (ex: Luther’s monologue) and the reasoning for doing these tactics, but what I love about this film is that it knows what the fans of this franchise like and delivers with a bang.

Ranking Mission Impossible

American Psycho is a modern satire aimed at the hollow materialism of Wall Street at the time and the type of men that thrived in that environment. It’s one of the best performances of Bale’s career and the role that thrust him into superstardom.

The is one of the few films that is both properly haunting and uneasy while also being subtly comedic. Bateman’s narration adds an icy feel to an already desolate character and each successive murder turns the film from a psychological horror into a slasher. At the same time, the ever increasing ridiculousness of his conversations and monologues become funnier the more times you rewatch.

This is my first time rewatching since watching Taxi Driver, and I can’t help but notice similarities. I heard someone say this is like Fight Club but if Tyler Durden wasn’t explicitly explained, and I agree with that fully. It feels like a mix of those two films, but ambiguous enough to never reveal what is real and what’s not.

What caught me on this rewatch is how obvious Bateman commits these crimes, even from the start. The situations just work themselves out with no issues, which I think leads me to believe that not everything we are watching is reality. Then again the blonde prostitute ed what happened when they met again and his lawyer heard his confessional voicemail, so ambiguity is always maintained.

Overall, one of my favorite psychopath movies and always more funny than it’s usually given credit.

Charlie Wilson’s War is a fascinating historical drama about American interventionism and the later stages of the Cold War. The story centers on Congressman Charlie Wilson’s and his work to arm the people of Afghanistan to fight off the invading Soviet Union.

This feels like a time machine for multiple reasons: the congressman’s staff of only beautiful women, the American hero complex and the use of some of our best 90’s actors. The male gaze of the cinematography is hard to ignore, which led me to believe this entire movie is meant to be from Wilson’s perspective, as that was one of his main interests.

The acting is really great across the board, particularly Hanks, Hoffman and Roberts. Hanks plays a congressman that is self-interested but is also moved by the plight of the Aghan people. While Hoffman plays a sarcastic, rebel CIA agent who is both critical of the US military industrial complex while also participating in it.

The tonality of this movie is very conflicting and it feels like the film itself is conflicted in message. The US interventionist policies are glorified and Wilson is (literally) pronounced as a hero. However Gust is constantly criticizing these same policies and the film ends on a note that the US is only willing to help with war efforts. This duality is interesting, but it doesn’t feel like the film wishes to choose a side.

Rogue Nation is the MI franchise finding its footing both in its story and its cast. While I appreciated the action set pieces slightly more in Ghost Protocol, this installment is much more consistent in all aspects.

The idea of “The Syndicate” aligns well with the shadowy nature of the IMF. While I liked Renner and Baldwin in their full-time roles, the star newcomer is Ferguson. She slides perfectly into the MI universe and immediately has good chemistry with Cruise.

While the script may be the strongest since MI1, I can it the action was good but not groundbreaking. I appreciated the water heist but it didn’t have the practical flair of the Burj Khalifa scene.

Overall it’s a strong script, great new cast additions and still some good action set pieces. That balance makes this the most well-rounded MI installment so far (with films 6-8 still to come).

Ranking Mission Impossible

The Surfer is an Australian sunsoaked fever dream that mixes different types of filmmaking. The cinematography and Cage’s acting is really great, but the story is lacking in an overall direction.

The premise involves Cage returning to his childhood home in Australia (with no accent) and hellbent on buying it back. The locals emasculate him in front of his son and he must get his revenge and pride back.

The first hour is very slow but does a good job of mixing reality and dream sequences so that you never truly know what you’re watching. The ending is far more interesting and unpredictable, but also sort of nullifies the dream elements in the first half.

A lot of interesting ideas, but it doesn’t know what type of film that it wants to be. Ideas of masculinity, cults, family abandonment, and hysteria are all here, but I walked away thinking, “What was the point?”

Max’s Ranking of 2025 Releases

This review may contain spoilers.

Ghost Protocol is another MI film that I’ve seen pieces of but not in full until today. It has both the best and worst aspects of this franchise rolled into one, but I believe it’s far more good than bad.

The action set pieces are some of my favorites in the series so far. The Kremlin and the Burj Khalifa scenes are going to be in Cruise’s Hall of Fame montage one day, while also emphasizing the spectacle in the story.

The story is a tad convoluted and the antagonist’s motives were nihilistic, but that doesn’t bother me with a spy film like this. What did bother me was the ridiculous nature of the last 30 minutes of this film.

The first 2 acts were setting up to be my favorite of the series so far, but I was disappointed in the ending. Suspension of belief is always an element here, but I felt that penultimate garage scene was a lot closer to John Woo’s MI2 than earlier parts of this film. The twist in the final scene was interesting, but I can’t un-see the corniness of the final chase sequence.

The highs are sky high but the lows were lower than they should’ve been, but overall it’s a fun experience.

Ranking Mission Impossible

I had a great time watching Hundreds of Beavers in 35mm with a raucous crowd at Music Box Theater. The atmosphere was like that of a party or concert, which paired well with the zaniness of this film.

While the crowd participation makes this a fun communal experience, I did miss making comments during the silent elements when I watched it at home. However I’m glad I got to experience in both settings.

My Original Review: Hundreds of Beavers

I’ve seen bits and pieces on cable but this my first full watch, and I’m glad this is closer to the quality of the original than the sequel. This film ratchets up the action set pieces and repeats those familiar tropes.

The emotional stakes are all established in the first act. And while they are not rushed like the MI2, they have the opposite problem of bogging down pace and not adding much besides Ethan’s love interest.

Hoffman is always great, but this is the first time I’ve seen him in the classic action villain role and I thought it suited him well. Having a good adversary can make all the difference in this type of movie.

Overall this film is good but not great in almost every category. It’s a solid action franchise so far but certainly has room to grow.

Ranking Mission Impossible

This sequel is where I originally stopped with the MI franchise and it’s easy to see why on a rewatch. It has all the bones of what makes this franchise great but none of the execution.

First, the script is one of the worst of Cruise’s career and ridiculous even by action standards. The dialogue is dreadful and there are so many plot holes that make you question what you previously watched. 

The fight choreography is really over the top in a noticeable way, especially towards the end. At one point Tom Cruise does some sort of wrestling kick and at another point does a backflip mid-fight.

I will usually correct people when they lump the MI movies with stupid action popcorn flicks like Fast & Furious, but this film proves them right (temporarily).

Ranking Mission Impossible

Mission Impossible is both a fun 90’s action flick with some familiar tropes and a start to one of the biggest Hollywood franchises. Cruise was born to play this role and he realized that too as his career progressed.

The plot structure and overall premise have been done before, and the delivery of the twist felt a little cliche. But the action is worth the price of ission and the best scenes remain burned into your brain.

For example, the silence of the break-in scene and Cruise’s reactions are legendary. I also appreciated the final action set piece with the train, even if I think the explosion propelling Ethan to safety is a little silly.

Overall, it’s a great action flick but feels more like a blueprint of something special rather than a finished product. I’m glad Paramount agreed with me and kept this formula continuing from 1996 to 2025.

Ranking Mission Impossible

Watched on Wednesday May 7, 2025.

Warfare is a heart-pounding real-time war film from Alex Garland and a visceral experience from start to finish. The premise is breezed over and instead we dive right into the mission and eventually combat.

The action set pieces are exciting and the acting is strong all around, but my MVP is the sound design. The emphasizing/muting of individual sound elements emulate what the characters feel as well.

Similar to Garland’s Civil War, the backstory and the overarching story is underplayed, if not completely ignored. I appreciate that the soldiers are also only focused on the mission at hand, but I wasn’t even clear why they were in that building originally.

I enjoy it as a character study and action vehicle, but I wish the mission importance was further explored.

Max’s Ranking of 2025 Releases

The most interesting thing about watching various war movies in a short amount of time is seeing the difference a director can make. For Black Hawk Down, Ridley’s action set pieces delivered but the story was thin. For Full Metal Jacket, Kubrick loves to feature psychopaths and their impact, but the explosive action was minimized until the end.

In Platoon, we have Oliver Stone straddling both lines. The fire fights are incredible but semi-limited and Barnes might be the biggest psychopath of all 3 films. However what Stone really wants to discuss is that war turns men into animals. And he wants to show you exactly how depraved our soldiers can be.

The cast is great across the board and deep with both future A and C list stars. The pace is uneven but the highs or so high that they outweigh the lulls. The village scene will make your stomach turn and the final 20 minutes will have your heart racing.

However the entire story hinges on Chris, who first comes into the Army wanting to make a difference by volunteering. He is exposed to good men (Elias) and evil men (Barnes) in his squad. When Barnes fights dirty, Chris realizes that the only way to defeat him is to become a psychopath just like him.

Oliver Stone will never tell you about the brutality of humanity, he prefers you see for yourself. And that brutality courses through every scene, simply alternating which side provides the victims.

What I appreciated about The ant was the tidiness of its story to match its titular character. While this sequel contains the same characters and overall messaging, the execution is much messier.

I appreciated the buddy cop routine of Affleck and Bernthal but also too much time was dedicated to it. (ex: an entire square dancing song?) I also felt the “transformation” at the crux of the plot never seemed realistic and that they should’ve casted differently.

There are fun aspects and it’s more light hearted than the original, but the plot is a little too convoluted to be taken seriously. The safe house scene is incredible action but it took far too long to get there.

PS: A squad of juvenile autistic super-hackers is both heartwarming and objectively hilarious.

Max’s Ranking of 2025 Releases

I came into this movie with tepid expectations knowing the premise was slightly silly. However, I have to say, I was pleasantly surprised by this above average action flick with some interesting twists. 

The story is layered and doesn’t leave many dead ends or unfinished thread lines, similar to Chris himself. I thought the final twist was predictable, but I liked the family drama after all the action preceding.

While I can’t speak to the factuality of autism and its parental methods, what I can say is his ing terminology is basic but true. Overall, this was better than expected but certainly won’t be winning any awards either.

Full Metal Jacket is Kubrick using his unique filming style to tackle the subject/themes of the Vietnam War. While some will say the language is outdated, I think it aptly serves its theme of the psychological effects of war, both US soldiers and the Vietnamese people.

Within this film, it is split into two different films. The first featuring D’Onofrio in the performance of his career as Private Pyle. Pyle receives the usual verbal abuse from his CO, but is also bullied by his fellow recruits for repeated mistakes. His slow descent into madness is riveting, like Nicholson in The Shining and similarly ends with an exclamation point.

The second half is a more traditional war movie filled with visceral battle scenes and old school war humor. There is a bit of a lull near the middle of the movie, but the final sniper battle was exhilarating during its action and deeply reflective in its resolution.

While the scenes with the prostitutes or the chopper gunner shooting civilians feel random in plot, they are consistent in theme. The reveal of the sniper’s identity only further shows what options the locals of that area have: service the US or shoot them.

My first ever Kubrick film seen on the big screen, and I can’t wait for the next one.

The first ever Black Mirror sequel is a follow up to USS Callister, which continues the plot while adding new backstory. This iteration trades in the psychoanalysis for frantic pacing and action-packed sequences.

The script is really solid and constantly keeps you guessing on next steps (the car scene was so jarring). All of the returning actors are good in their roles again, especially Milioti and Simpson.

It’s tonally very different from its predecessor and a change from the usual BM formula, but I was still encapsulated by the plot and intrigued by the ending.

USS Callister is Black Mirror doing exactly what’s it’s intended to do: using futuristic technology to study human behavior. It is both funny and dystopian in a totally organic way.

The setup for this episode is great as we are initially led to sympathize with Robert and hate his CEO Walton, until their reality and dynamic changes. Milioti brought a sense jolt and hope that is sorely needed, but all ing characters were well done.

One of the very few episodes in this show with a truly satisfying ending. It’s a nice palate cleanser from their usual bleak conclusions.

Eulogy is a typical Black Mirror premise but uses this new technology to craft an emotional story about how time alters our memories. It has the Boomer nostalgia of a Robert Zemeckis film but with sci-fi used to enhance those themes.

Giamatti is excellent and it’s clear that he’s a trained stage actor with his monologues and reaction shots. He also aptly adds relatability with scorn and regret.

A bit slow and predictable in plot but great acting carries it to its emotional heights.

Dumb Money is an entertaining movie about when internet memes collided with major financial markets via GameStop. This is the most 2020-esque movie I’ve ever seen, both for better and for worse.

I was absolutely shocked at the impressive casting across the board for a movie with this budget and subject matter. Dano is great as Keith and most ing performances are good as well, with Davidson being the funniest.

I it the internet lingo was accurate to that period of time, but I couldn’t help but cringe when used on-screen. While this story was always about retail traders taking agency against hedge fund short-sellers, there is a preachiness that feels slightly corny.

But in all honesty, Ramos doing that annoying Meg the Stallion dance not once but twice on screen lowered my rating from 3.5 to 3 stars.

Black Hawk Down has been a blind spot for me in both Ridley’s filmography and well-known war films, and I think this is about what I expected. This has some of the most exciting aspects of any war film but is not without its flaws as well.

First, the visuals in this film are phenomenal. You feel both the frantic scurries of the soldiers on the ground and the aerial precision of the helicopters. The editing is a bit disorientating, but I think that matches the situation being portrayed.

This is one of the most widely recognizable casts I’ve ever seen. There are really no bad performances, but I didn’t feel that we got to spend enough time with any character to fully develop them. 

The start of the movie is very slow and the film is a bit long, which means the intro needed be more efficient. I was able to follow all of the different side plots but the overall motivations for the mission remain a mystery to me.

It’s a really solid film but it needed to focus its overall message and stick with its favorite characters.

And the latest familiar tech element to be turned into a dystopian nightmare is…Tamagotchi? I do always appreciate Black Mirror taking the side of AI versus humans, but this is a story that sounds more interesting than what’s portrayed on screen.

The concept is slightly intriguing but the initial twist was obvious to me and the final twist has no further context to explain meaning.

The ironic thing is that the main character is taking acid and enjoying gibberish through his own lens, which is how I imagine the writer of this episode feeling as well.

Hotel Reverie seems as if it’s going to tackle major issues of Hollywood at the moment including remakes, gender swapping iconic roles and AI taking actor’s jobs. But all of that backstory is just a set up for Black Mirror to do what it does best: making us sympathize with an artificial intelligence.

Instead of AI taking the jobs of actors, it’s actually a human that replaces and lives in their world. The intersection of character and actress for Dorothy is really interesting and that actress did an amazing job.

On the other hand, I didn’t appreciate Issa Rae and especially Awkwafina. They weren’t terrible but they did nothing to elevate some intriguing source material and seemed miscast.

Kicking and Screaming is an intriguing debut for Noah Baumbach focusing on post-graduation anxiety and navigating the next steps once the guard rails of formal education come to an end.

All of core male friends have a certain snappy rapport with each other that makes the conversations entertaining. However the flip side is that a majority of the scenes in this movie are simply conversations and minimal plot movements. This combined with slow pacing overall makes this a subdued watch.

I also didn’t quite understand the ending at all. It seems like they really built up that dramatic airport scene just to go in the opposite direction 10 minutes later. I guess the point is life isn’t how you drew it up, but the execution was as murky as its subject matter.

Bete Noire tackles another beloved internet rabbit hole in true dystopian fashion, and this time it’s The Mandela Effect. The plot really leaves you with your imagination to decode what is happening until the “tech” is explained near the end, which works well for storytelling purposes.

Great acting from the two female leads and the ending truly shocked me but is also kind of stupid. Good but not great, like most of the Black Mirror episodes of Seasons 6 and 7 so far.

Common People is Black Mirror aiming its sights at the annoying and predatory subscription models we all know far too well. Both the Rivermind premise and the Dummies app both feel depressingly plausible and feature the worst aspects of modern capitalism.

Once those two storylines are fleshed out, it doesn’t feel like much else happens after that. The Lux addition didn’t feel like it matched the tone of the first half of the episode and I found it far less interesting.

It has some great ideas but it’s mostly sad and slightly boring in its execution.

Watched on Monday April 21, 2025.

Watched on Monday April 21, 2025.

Once I saw today’s date, I knew exactly how I’d be spending my night. One of most recognizable and quotable stoner movies of all time and the movie that launched the Franco/Rogen comedy partnership. The film is equal parts ridiculous and hilarious with each scene more ridiculous than the last.

The first act is dynamite and as much as I appreciate the final gunfight, the middle of the movie and the end of the gunfight really drags (pun intended). This movie is about 20 minutes longer than it needed to be, but that doesn’t stop me from always enjoying anytime I get the chance to rewatch.

High school me would’ve given this 5/5 but it’s still good for some laughs whenever I need it.

Beyond The Sea is a throwback episode where Black Mirror went back to their bread and butter: using technology to analyze the human condition. More than anything, it’s a character study of two men fighting two very different internal struggles.

While David has the most gruesome and depressing possible character introduction, Cliff is dealing with a marriage lacking spark in a new rural town. While Cliff tries to do something nice for David using this new tech, it just reminds him of everything he’s lost.

Hartnett is great but Paul’s dual roles are a true standout for recent episodes of the show. While I expected David to create relationship problems, the ending was far darker than I could’ve imagined.

Even by Back Mirror standards, that was bleak.

Sinners is an original supernatural thriller that is visually stunning in IMAX and a showcase of Ryan Coogler’s large array of directorial skills. Jordan is great in his roles, but both characters are similar.

What I didn’t expect was the importance that music would play on this story. Both the blues music played inside and the folk music outside did a great job of establishing tone. Combined with timed aspect ratio switches, this creates an immersive experience.

The film does lean into horror in the first few minutes but I felt they sacrificed that for action set pieces and comedic relief. Both are effective in this setting, but I did expect horror originally.

There are a few rough patches of dialogue (Steinfeld’s invitation to the closet) but the action rips in a theater and the rules are easy to follow if you’ve ever seen a vampire movie. It also felt like they were between two different endings and opted to just do both instead.

Even with its flaws, it’s exactly the type of movie we ask Hollywood to fund more often and easily the best film so far in 2025.

Max’s Ranking of 2025 Releases

I when someone told me, “have you seen the Nolan film about magicians?” and I was incredibly skeptical. However The Prestige is a huge technical achievement with an airtight script. Absolutely the best possible version of this subject material.

Bale is always incredible but this may be the best performance of Jackman’s career. This is the coolest magicians have ever looked on film, but is mostly just a vessel to study the themes of obsession and rivalry. While Borden will do anything for the sake of the trick, Angier focuses on showmanship and a willingness to play dirty to make up for any deficit in craft.

The film is intriguing for most of its runtime, but is iconic for its twists in the 3rd act, especially the final reveal. Borden’s reveal is a trick Nolan learned in Memento, where the structure of the film mimics its subject matter. The reveal is a sleight of hand that shocks you in the moment but is also surprisingly obvious on rewatch, which is the same way Borden’s wife describes his trick after he explains it to her.

My one critique would be the Angier final reveal and the Tesla storyline. I thought the symbolism of Tesla and Edison’s rivalry on this story was cool, but having to lean on a sci-fi element almost feels like cheating after revealing Borden’s amazing secret.

Loch Henry returns Black Mirror to its usual dark tone but surprisingly does so without technology. There is an uneasiness that let me know there was another shoe to drop, I just didn’t expect that specific shoe.

This is an exploration of society’s true crime obsession and the exploiters of trauma. It brilliantly turns that idea on its own head when the potential exploiters become the exploited.

This one will stick with me for days, both in thinking about the gruesome crimes and the casual disregard of the victims by true crime industrial complex.

Season 6 now has two episodes of Netflix criticizing themselves or their content. Interesting pivot so far.

It feels strange to review of one episode of television, so I’ll just log my abbreviated thoughts as I make my way through Seasons 6 and 7 of Black Mirror.

If there is one thing that Black Mirror always does well, it’s concoct a thought-provoking premise that uses existing technology but looks forward to the most dystopian future outcome. This happens here but the inspiration is a Netflix-like streaming service.

I was intrigued by the premise and the ending but was bored by the 40 minutes in the middle. For me, this wasn’t scary nor funny. In fact, it just made me think how this concept could’ve been used in more interesting ways.

An interesting early experiment from Hitchcock where you can see flashes of his legendary filmmaking prowess but he clearly was still honing his craft. The premise is intriguing but every scene involving action, shooting or fighting looks woefully outdated (the chair fight was tough to watch).

I decided to check this out after seeing Lorre’s work in M, and he is the best character here by far. The acting was strangely bland besides Lorre, especially the parents. Their reactions to the kidnapping are nonexistent and the cops show no emotion either.

My least favorite Hitchcock movie I’ve seen so far but the suspense generated from that opera scene is exactly what will make him famous 20 years later. I need to watch the Jimmy Stewart remake soon too.

Ranking Alfred Hitchcock

Sing Sing is a heartfelt drama about the arts playing a critical role in rehabilitation of inmates at one of most dangerous prisons in the US. While it undoubtedly falls into the category of Oscar-bait, this film still features great acting and many former inmates playing themselves in the story.

While Domingo is a great actor, I couldn’t shake the feeling that he was playing a theater kid in a jumpsuit more than an actual inmate, especially in the first two acts. And while I think his performance in the 3rd act is stellar, I think the best character transformation comes from Maclin. His character starts with a hard exterior and learns to accept this play as a catalyst to change the trajectory of the rest of his life.

While the acting / character studies are interesting, I couldn’t help but be slightly disappointed in the plot progression (especially considering the 4.3 rating). Major plot points (deaths, releases from prison) are skipped via time lapse in favor of additional interpersonal scenes. While I understand that this is the crux of the movie, it also felt one-dimensional.

Overall, the acting is the best part of the film and the inclusion of real former inmates was really cool to see, but I wish the plot was slightly more developed.

Max’s Ranking of 2024 Releases

M is the grandfather of serial killer movies and ahead of its time in most technical aspects. This crime thriller probably inspired any number of directors, ranging from Alfred Hitchcock to David Fincher.

The cinematography is a character of its own, gliding through scenes or focusing on angles not normally seen. The editing, particularly during the simultaneous police/mob meetings, was impressive as well. However I did need some time to acclimate to the complete silence between certain scenes.

Community oversight and policing are topics of conversation early in the film, but it centers itself as a moral dilemma dressed as a manhunt movie. I thought Lorre’s expressions were a little distracting, but he and his lawyer’s monologues were powerful.

Overall, it’s a classic for good reason and it’s easy to see the trail of films it inspired. It’s also the oldest film I’ve ever personally watched so far, releasing in 1931.

Watched on Saturday April 12, 2025.

The Amateur is an entertaining thriller with a new twist on some familiar tropes. If anyone has seen the TV show Mr. Robot, Rami Malek is essentially playing his character from that show, except this time he is thrown into a Jason Bourne-like plot.

I appreciated the originality of having the hacker archetype playing the vengeful secret agent role, but the downside is the fight choreography suffers to maintain that narrative. There is a level of suspension of belief that is needed for some of the technology and escapes employed by Charlie, but that did not deter me from enjoying the plot.

I had seen a lot of middling to bad reviews, so my expectations going into this were very low. However I was pleasantly surprised at this solid popcorn flick with a tried and true formula and a cool score.

It’s a low 3.5 stars for me but a 3.5 all the same.

Max’s Ranking of 2025 Releases

The Menu is a movie that is visually stimulating but is increasingly nonsensical the more you think about it. The performances of Taylor-Joy, Fiennes and Hoult are solid but the script they are given is a mess.

The themes of anti-capitalism and class warfare are conveyed with the subtlety of a sledge hammer and the reasoning behind the chef’s action were downright silly. One girl went to an Ivy League school and one actor…made one bad movie? I understand the themes of ruining/spoiling art with capitalism, but the application of these themes was lackluster.

I suppose if you are a fan of fine dining, this could be an interesting criticism. But to me, it’s like the writer started with the concept of “how can service workers get their revenge” and just floundered from there.

Overall, it’s visually impressive and is centered around some interesting artistic themes, but it just didn’t use those themes to craft a viable story.

Hot Fuzz is an utterly hilarious British comedy that satirizes classic action tropes with a unique story. Pegg and Frost have amazing comedic chemistry and the film is successful no matter the genre it is ripping.

The film transforms genres to suit its script. It starts as a deadpan comedy that the British are known for, morphing into a buddy detective tale and ending on a brauny action sequence that rivals any classic.

It’s an extremely thin line to emulate classic well-known movies in a way that is neither disrespectful nor cheesy, and they perfectly execute here. Danny’s love of Point Break and Bad Boys 2 leading to the final act may be my favorite ever pivot in a movie.

I would’ve rated this highly even if it stuck to a dry British comedy, but this blend makes it even better.

Out of Sight is a fantastic blend of part heist movie, part slap stick, and part unlikely romance. During my current Soderbergh deep dive I saw that Out of Sight was playing in 35MM and I knew I had to be there.

Clearly this set the framework for Ocean’s Eleven, both for Soderbergh and Clooney. And while Clooney effortlessly glides around in both, I found this film had a much more satirical nature than Ocean’s. Not only is there legit slap stick comedy (White Boy Bob and Cheadle) but I couldn’t shake the feeling that he was making fun of the coincidences of heist movies.

The romantic scenes are not overplayed but instead give us subtle notions about why Lopez’s character would let Clooney live. I loved Clooney’s speech about having chemistry with someone you see on the street, and perfectly captures the fleeting moment that they are both seeking.

Overall, this film mixes a lot of genres well and the final product has a little something for everyone. I was curious where the plot would go while chuckling most of the way there.

Ranking Steven Soderbergh

The Wolf of Wall Street is a hilarious and quotable biopic with great comedy to accompany grandiose stories. Leo is incredible per usual, but the ing cast of Hill, Robbie, Chandler, Bernthal, and McConaughey were all amazing in their roles.

More than anything, this film is an entertaining ride glorifying the lavish lifestyle of the super-rich, while reminding us that these are not good people. It’s like Scorsese acknowledging the anti-hero element of Stratton Oakmont, but realizing their actions are too much fun to denigrate.

This film is long and the last 30 minutes are boring, but the dialogue and humor of the first 2.5 hours is so good that it’s one of my favorite films to rewatch. 

It’s essentially the biggest “Dudes Rock” movie plot ever but directed with the artistic integrity of one of the best directors of all time. Thank you Scorsese.

Punch-Drunk Love is an anxiety attack but with the payoff of a traditional romantic comedy. It’s a fascinating mix of awkward conversations, dynamic camera movements and an unsettling score.

This begins and ends as a character study of Barry. Whether he is autistic, abused as a child, or just severely socially awkward is never discussed. Instead, we inhabit his mind for a few days. The cuts and score match the franticness that Barry is himself is feeling. While Barry’s naivety and loneliness led him to scammers, it’s only when Lena is involved that he learns to stand up for himself.

While I appreciated that this film made you feel like we are inside Barry’s head, that’s also my biggest complaint. The pacing is off-kilter, the imagery is hypnotic but also pretentiously strange (what was the deal with the piano), and the plot resembled that of a slap stick comedy but without the laughs to match.

I didn’t dislike this film and I thought the 2nd half was much better paced than the first, but I also didn’t love it like I thought I would. The romance scenes may be the best part, but mostly take place in the 3rd act and remain secondary to this weird blackmail story.

I’ll need to rewatch this a few more times to really understand PTA’s message, but overall I was both transfixed and slightly confused on this first attempt.

Misericordia’s first act and premise are basically: “What if the plot of Saltburn occurred in a small French village of older people.” The problem: I personally detested Saltburn and I also didn’t care for this movie, albeit for very different reasons.

I certainly understand that this film is toying with the primal idea of “desire” and all the forms it takes, but I still could not make sense of the actions of any of these characters. After the inciting incident, every scene has Jeremie acting strange around these older villagers, but no one takes action. The plodding walking scenes of Jeremie are dull, while most conversation scenes center on an alibi story that never seems plausible but also has no consequence.

I did appreciate the storyline with the priest. His ideas of onishing the penal system and guilt in general are intriguing, but feel secondary to this messy crime story. The ending seems to indicate that gay desire was not Jeremie’s motivation for staying this long, but instead companionship? But he also could’ve had that with the priest and didn’t seem interested.

I came into this totally blind, having never seen this director and only knowing this as a “Thriller/Comedy”. However at no point was I thrilled nor did I feel it was particularly comedic (the boner scene was the only time I smirked). Overall, this was not my type of movie to begin with (ex: Saltburn) but I also felt the plot was meandering and silly with little payoff.

Max’s Ranking of 2025 Releases

Tombstone is an old school Western filled with classical tropes and amazing execution. Russell and Kilmer were both incredible; Russell has a screen presence that is undeniable and Kilmer shows bravado and vulnerability in the same performance.

I do have a few minor complaints: the pacing of the 2nd act, the “miracle” by the river, and the really strange place of Wyatt’s wife in this whole story. However none of those items deterred me from enjoying the very strong 1st and 3rd acts.

The action scenes are a thrill and Wyatt’s heel turn in the last 30 minutes is truly a sight to behold. Overall, this film knows exactly what people like about Westerns and hits all of its marks.

RIP Val Kilmer

As a fan of both Soderbergh and the NBA, High Flying Bird should, in theory, be right up my alley. So it makes it all the more surprising that I wasn’t able to truly connect with this movie.

In typical Soderbergh fashion, the cinematography and editing are top notch, but the plot is lacking in movement. The film tackles intriguing ideas of agency and racial dynamics in a league led by black men, but fails to weave these themes into a competent story.

I like this unique idea for a feature film, but you never feel the true stakes of the conflict and the resolution feels anticlimactic. There are bones of a good film here, but these themes still feel largely unexplored.

Ranking Steven Soderbergh

Ranking of all Tom Cruise movies that I’ve seen so far

1. A Few Good Men
2. Mission: Impossible – Fallout
3. Collateral
4. Rain Man
5. Top Gun: Maverick
6. Tropic Thunder
7. Born on the Fourth of July
8. Jerry Maguire
9. Magnolia
10. Mission: Impossible – Rogue Nation

...plus 8 more. View the full list on Letterboxd.

A ranking of all Steven Soderbergh films I have seen

1. Ocean's Eleven
2. Out of Sight
3. Black Bag
4. Erin Brockovich
5. Contagion
6. Ocean's Twelve
7. The Limey
8. Ocean's Thirteen
9. The Informant!
10. Logan Lucky

...plus 3 more. View the full list on Letterboxd.

Ranking all Mission Impossible Movies I’ve seen so far as I prepare for Final Reckoning later this month.

1. Mission: Impossible – Fallout
2. Mission: Impossible – Rogue Nation
3. Mission: Impossible
4. Mission: Impossible – Ghost Protocol
5. Mission: Impossible III
6. Mission: Impossible II

Based on US (non-festival) release dates

1. Sinners
2. Black Bag
3. Warfare
4. Mickey 17
5. Companion
6. The Amateur
7. One of Them Days
8. The ant²
9. Novocaine
10. My Dead Friend Zoe

...plus 9 more. View the full list on Letterboxd.

The top films I’ve seen from the Master of Suspense.

• Vertigo
• Rear Window
• Psycho
• Rope
• The Birds
• The Man Who Knew Too Much

Based on US (non-festival) release dates

1. Dune: Part Two
2. The Brutalist
3. Nickel Boys
4. Hundreds of Beavers
5. Strange Darling
6. Nosferatu
7. A Real Pain
8. Rebel Ridge
9. The Order
10. Anora

...plus 46 more. View the full list on Letterboxd.

Classic films that I still have not seen, and I am waiting for one of my local theaters to show on the big screen.
The praise I have heard makes me think that these deserve a theatrical first viewing.

• Lawrence of Arabia
• Seven Samurai
• Apocalypse Now
• Jurassic Park
• The Terminator
• Terminator 2: Judgment Day
• The Assassination of Jesse James by the Coward Robert Ford
• Solaris
• Citizen Kane
• Barry Lyndon

...plus 20 more. View the full list on Letterboxd.

What a great year for movies

1. The Matrix
2. Fight Club
3. The Sixth Sense
4. Magnolia
5. The Insider
6. Ghost Dog: The Way of the Samurai
7. The Talented Mr. Ripley
8. The Boondock Saints
9. Run Lola Run
10. Office Space

...plus 32 more. View the full list on Letterboxd.

My personal ranking of all the Denis Villeneuve directorial efforts that I’ve seen so far.

• Dune: Part Two
• Sicario
• Arrival
• Blade Runner 2049
• Dune

The Big Picture

• The Silence of the Lambs
• Se7en
• American Psycho
• Psycho
• Memories of Murder
• The Night of the Hunter
• Manhunter
• Klute
• Halloween
• Black Christmas

...plus 19 more. View the full list on Letterboxd.

This list is straight from The Godfather himself

• French Cancan
• The Bad Sleep Well
• The Bitter Tea of General Yen
• Shanghai Express
• The Awful Truth
• The Ladies Man
• The Burmese Harp
• Tokyo Story
• The Last Laugh
• The Blue Angel

...plus 7 more. View the full list on Letterboxd.

The Big Picture

• Good Will Hunting
• Rounders
• The Talented Mr. Ripley
• The Bourne Identity
• EuroTrip
• Ocean's Twelve
• The Departed
• The Informant!
• The Martian
• Oppenheimer