Pinup for my new series OLYMPIA by David Rubin. Which I’m just posting about here because I forgot to.

Order here: https://www.midtowncomics.com/search?rel=&cfr=t&cat=&q=olympia

Or better yet pickup at your LCS.

more film shit

Uncut Gems

The best Safdie brothers joint is also maybe the best performance of Sandler’s career. It captures the essence of what being a broken yet brilliant hustler and addict is. Score, cinematography, directing, editing, everything here is so well done. Julia Fox is brilliant and beautiful in her role.

1917

New Sam Mendes film is good. Obviously it feels like it owes a lot to Dunkirk which is a more ambitious film than this in a lot of ways. Mendes seems aware of this, and goes in a decidedly different direction. Where Dunkirk opts for scope and scale - 1917 draws it’s strength from the intimacy of it’s focus - staying grounded on our two lead characters and their Journey. Keeping the camera close and avoiding cutting away from them. Lots of talk about the “single shot” feel of the film. And it’s nice certainly, but I think the small moments and nuances of the actors choices really stand out.

Casino

Been rewatching a lot of Martin Scorsese films in the wake of Irishman. And I’ve watched this film probably 10-20 times in various chunks in the last couple months. I love the tragic feel of it. In the end, we fucked it all up. I think I like it even better than Goodfellas. Which is a great film - but it’s always hard to watch because the ending. Which you could argue is tragic in it’s own right - but I don’t know, Henry Hill being a coked out rat was never as poetic as what happened to Pesci, Deniro and Sharon Stone out in the Desert.

The Last Boyscout

Watched this yesterday as I tried to fall asleep. This is a feel good movie for me. I watch it when I’m feeling anxious or depressed. Shane Black films always make me smile. The plot of this film gets convulted at points but is anchored by the incredible characterization and performances of Willis and Wayans. The little touches - Willis character being a huge fan of Wayan’s as a QB - or the speech Wayan’s gives about his wife and unborn child... just some real good fucking writing. Tony Scott too! One of our most gifted american mainstream directors all time. Always such energy, passion, and just fucking grime to a Tony Scott film. I’ve got some writing in me about Days Of Thunder but that’s for another day.

curtpires

Favorite Films of 2019

1: The Irishman / Once Upon A Time In Hollywood

Both films that look backwards in time. Both films that feel meditative on the nature of temporality, and the work of the filmmakers themselves. OUATIH feels like QT’s most emotionally charged film - a meditation on male friendship, but doesn’t pull any punches either -with a final thirty minutes so obscene that only he would dare to attempt.

IRISHMAN - feels like the third in a trilogy that started with Goodfellas and continued with Casino. Also feels like Scorsese and Deniro meditating on the nature of mortality, and the way time grinds us down. Beautiful. Pesci is restrained and genius in his role.

2.Marriage Story

Again another film that feels like a sequel to a filmmakers earlier work. In this case it’s sort of a mirror to the excellent The Squid And The Whale. I like this film because it’s not interested in taking sides, but rather painting a picture of the emotional distress divorce causes, on not just the divorcees but those on the periphery. Lots of talk about how good Driver is, and he is great, but was really impressed with the nuance of Scar Jo’s performance.

FORD V FERRARI

Brilliant performances by Bale and Damon. Maybe the most exciting and immaculately photographed racing scenes I’ve ever seen - Mangold and DP Phedon Papamichael capture the essense of speed in a truly visceral and exciting way.

THE RISE OF SKYWALKER

The most divisive film of the year, but I loved it. It’s swashbuckling, hopeful and emotional in a way that the other films in the recent trilogy have been missing. That kiss scene is weird as hell, but beyond that I think it works.

The King

A return to form for Michod whose earlier works Animal Kingdom and The Rover were both excellent. Epic and sweeping adaptation of the Shakespeare work with memorable performances from Chalamet, Pattinson and Edgerton who also co-writes. Battle sequence near end is incredible, as well.

Too Old To Die Young

Basically a 10 hour nihilistic grindhouse meets arthouse film. One of the most singular and unforgettable experiences of the year. Episodes 4 and 5 are particularly resonant. The chase set to Barry Manilow’s Mandy is the sort of deprived poetry that makes Refn so exciting to me.

Death Stranding

Like Too Old To Die Young this isn’t technically a “film” but it feels like one. The story that plays out across the 40-ish hour game is one of the more interesting narratives I’ve encountered in a while. Kojima’s commitment to building something that connects us - builds instead of tears down, is inspiring. And the last cut scene sequence that reveals the true story of Mads Michelson’s Clifford Unger is truly beautiful and inspiring.

AD ASTRA

James Grey has been one of my favorite filmmakers for a while so naturally I was excited for this long gestating film to release. It’s a beautiful and existential meditation on family and the nature of men set against the backdrop of a space-mission. Bonus points for casting Liv Tyler and making this a weird pseudo-sequel to Armageddon.

Honorable Mentions: The Lighthouse. Joker. Booksmart.

Haven’t seen: Uncut Gems. 1917. A Hidden Life.