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A culmination of things watched late this summer and into the new school year. Even though I haven’t had nearly enough time to watch the things that have been on my list, slowly but surely, I’m getting there.
I’ve had the opportunity to go to the cinema more and more often and that’s been a treat. I still haven’t gotten to season three of You, or big-name films like Judas and the Black Messiah, Minari, or Zola, but there’s no rush.
As I write this new films have popped up on my radar: C’mon C’mon, Spencer, House of Gucci, Last Night in Soho, and Belfast. None of them really stand out except for Belfast, so maybe I’ll get to that soon.
In the meantime, here’s all the good stuff I have watched over the past few months:
FILM The Green Knight:
This was the first film I saw inside a real theatre in almost two years. I think I cried a little. The Green Knight is an A24 film starring Dev Patel, Alicia Vikander, and Barry Keoghan to name a few. I don’t know who directed set design and cinematography, but my goodness was the film gorgeous. It’s a medieval fantasy adapted from the 14th-century poem Sir Gaiwan and the Green Knight. I’d read the poem first before seeing it but that’s not totally necessary unless you’re a film + literature nerd like me.
Denzel Washington, Rami Malek, and Jared Leto make magic in this neo-noir crime thriller. Washington and Malek play detectives uncovering the culprit behind a string of murders in the city of L.A in the 1990s. It’s a story of obsession and dark secrets. It’s a throwback thriller with a familiar atmosphere if you’re into the genre.
This is a 2020 drama on Netflix, that watches a D.C lawyer battle bureaucracy and politics to help victims of 9/11. Chronicling the aftermath of the twin towers, Micheal Keaton plays top lawyer, fighting against his own morality and the legal process to determine how much families are worth in compensation with a formula that enraged most. The fund was chronically stiff, left people out because of sexuality or relationship status, and felt cold in the face of trauma that many families experienced. But by the end of the film and with the help of Stanley Tucci’s character Charles Wolf, eventually, the fund is able to pay out billions of dollars in government money to eligible families. The film is based on the book What Is Life Worth? by Kenneth Feinberg.
This was an interesting one. Sydney Sweeney takes a leading role in this “erotic thriller”. A young couple becomes obsessed with their neighbors who just don’t believe in closing their windows. It wasn’t my favorite but it did have a pretty unique ending that I personally didn’t see coming.
I’m not usually a Bond fan, and after watching this I can’t say that has changed. I just couldn’t pass up the opportunity to watch Léa Seydoux, Ana de Armas, Lashana Lynch, and Naomie Harris. These women were gorgeous to watch on screen.
Lamb:
This is an Icelandic dark drama by A24, and it has quickly become one of my favorites. A folktale that follows a strange birth in a couple’s sheep barn, shifting the family dynamics, and creating tension between the human world and the forces of nature.
I’m almost embarrassed to admit that although I grew up in North Carolina, I’d never heard of Tammy Faye or Jim Bakker. Andrew Garfield and Jessica Chastain completely transformed themselves for this performance. It’s an emotional and intimate portrait of Tammy Faye and how she connected to the condemned and to the stranger while being enmeshed in the criminal activity of her husband.
Dune:
A masterpiece. Exquisite. Perfection. This was delicious to watch. From the color scheme of the wardrobe, the cinematography, or the music. Everything is intentional, artful, and careful. No other person should attempt turning Dune into a film. Denis Villeneuve has done it. The cast….incredible. Nothing seems out of place. After watching the film, I immediately ordered the rest of the series from my local bookstore. I pray that Villeneuve continues to adapt the rest of the books. Until then, if you haven’t read Dune please read it. And if you haven’t seen Dune, please watch it in a theatre. It can’t be watched anywhere else.
I haven’t read Emma yet, but I couldn’t pass up getting through Anya Taylor Joy’s backlog. This was such a feel-good film, filled with humor, hope, and all the other good stuff you’d expect in an Austen romance.
I’ve never met a Wes Anderson film I didn’t like, and this one is no exception. Separated into three acts, the film is a love letter to The New Yorker. Specifically under the leadership of Harold Ross, and his unbelievable roster of writers: James Thurber, A.J. Liebling, Joseph Mitchell, Rosamond Bernier, and James Baldwin. My favorite sections of the film were the first (where an artist in prison makes highly sought-after artwork of his muse—who happens to be his lover and prison guard) and the last (the story of a chef, a heist, and a police department). The cast is outstanding: Benicio del Toro, Adrien Brody, Tilda Swinton, Léa Seydoux, Frances McDormand, Timothée Chalamet, Lyna Khoudri, Jeffrey Wright, Mathieu Amalric, Stephen Park, Bill Murray, and Owen Wilson.
A revisionist western with an all-Black cast? Sign me up! I laughed, I cried, and I couldn’t tear my eyes away from the screen. This is one of my favorites of the year. There’s an outlaw, a gang, a love story, and lots of violence. There’s plenty for everyone. You can watch it on Netflix or at certain theatres.
DOCUMENTARY Turning Point:
This is a devastating docuseries into the events that made up 9/11 and the aftermath. It highlights every name to know, every story worth sharing, and a breakdown of the history and foreign policy. This was incredibly heartbreaking to watch, but as we sit on the 20th anniversary of those attacks it’s so important that we never forget. Watch it on Netflix.
Naomi Osaka:
Osaka is one of the most gifted athletes alive— yet she is also young, a woman, and a person of color. As she faces immense pressure in her sport, her other identities also pose complex challenges in becoming her best version of herself, and for defining success on her own terms. This was incredibly motivational to watch. Watch it on Netflix.
Pray Away:
In this documentary, we follow a group of evangelicals in the 1970s who form Exodus International, a group that claims that gay people can “become straight” through prayer and conversion therapy. What follows is abuse, gaslighting, and trauma for so many who were brave enough to tell their stories. Watch it on Netflix.
Untold: Malice at the Palace
Fun fact about me: I know nothing about sports (and I’d like to keep it that way), but I am a sucker for a good sports documentary. Mainly because sports make up such big pop culture moments in our society— but also because I’m nosey. This film replays the famous actors and moments leading up to the 2004 infamous fight in Michigan between the NBA teams: the Pistons and Pacers. Watch it on Netflix.
Untold: Deal with the Devil
This follows Christy Martin behind the scenes: not just how she broke records in the boxing world, but about how her life almost ended at the hands of her husband. It’s an intimate portrait of some of the unique challenges of being a woman in a male-dominated sport. Watch it on Netflix.
Wild Wild Country:
This was a wild wild watching experience. I’d try to describe it in my own words but I think this does it better: “When a controversial guru builds a utopian city in the Oregon desert, it causes a massive conflict with local ranchers. This docuseries chronicles the conflict, which leads to the first bioterror attack in the United States and a massive case of illegal wiretapping. It is a pivotal but largely forgotten, time in American cultural history that tested the country's tolerance for the separation of church and state. Brothers Mark and Jay Duplass serve as executive producers on the series.” Watch it on Netflix.
SHOWSClickbait:
This show was insane. The ending was nothing like I expected. I loved how each episode made you question everything you thought you knew previously. Watch it on Netflix.
Scenes From a Marriage:
Wow. I loved the way these series explored gender, the confines of marriage, sexuality + desire, and so much more. The real question is do I want to get married after watching this lol.
Squid Game:
Of course, I hopped on the bandwagon, and I’m glad I did. I’m beginning to love South Korean dramas for their innate ability to capture complex social issues and turn them into artistry. Squid Games, no matter how gory, was not an exception. Watch it on Netflix.
As we speak I’m in the middle of Insecure (Season 5), and the documentary series Exterminate All the Brutes.
What have you been watching lately?
cover image by https://unsplash.com/@molliesivaram