Movies to Watch
These past few months have been such a spectacular watching experience. Movies both old and new, with a few on my wishlist to see in a theatre before they move to a streaming service:
The Irishman: 3 hours and 23 minutes of pure Martin Scorsese goodness. This might be my favorite Robert De Niro film— everything from the costuming, to the cinematic filming. This is a crime epic that most films are trying to achieve, but that Scorsese does masterfully. Every minute is earned. It’s also based on a nonfiction book, and every character from Robert Kennedy to Jimmy Hoffa will have you questioning everything you thought about how history is told.
Parasite: You must see this film in theaters— don’t way until it’s out on a streaming service. It’s a South Korean dark drama/black comedy thriller directed by Bong Joon-ho. It is such a good satirical piece on climate, family dynamics, wealth discrimination and class. You’ll be laughing during the first 30 minutes and holding your breath for the rest of the film. The cast is spectacular and Park So-dam, who plays Ki-Jeong or Jessica— was my favorite to watch on screen.
Queen & Slim: If you like Bonnie and Clyde, you might agree that it’s finally time for a redo— but not just any kind. Try one that centers around Black love and identity. A romantic drama, that quickly escalates into an outlaw narrative, you’ll watch this film and want more from Melina Matsoukas, who makes her directorial debut. Plus who isn’t in love with Daniel Kaluuya?
Hereditary: Not new, but one I had to finally see. I am proud to say that I think I have found my favorite horror film. Yes, it has the jump scares. But holy cow, just the filming of it, is spectacular. And who says you can only watch scary movies on Halloween? Grab some blankets and friends to hold on to and you’re in for a treat.
The Report: This is so important to watch.
Inglourious Basterds: If you know me, you know I love Tarantino, hard. Def, top three film directors of all time, after Spike Lee, and John Singleton (Kubrick and del Torro are up there too). This film is for sure a staple in the canon. Pitt gives one of the greatest performances of his life, and this might be the only revisionist black comedy war film that works and is good. It’s pretty bizarre, unhinged, and violent. I am a huge fan of Christoph Waltz because of this film, even though he is well known in German cinema. And Diane Kruger might be my favorite in this all though her scenes are small. Apparently, the title was borrowed from the 1974 war film of the same name, and Tarantino purposefully changed the spelling. Only a third of the film is in English (nods to Waltz, Kruger, and Fassbender all being native German speakers), but what’s so trippy is that I can’t think of a single war film that doesn’t have a battle in it, except this one.
A few I need to catch up on:
The Cave
The Lighthouse
Waves
Last Black Man in San Francisco