Apocalypse Mal

161. Nouvelle Vague - Despite some decent casting, cinematography/imitation overall, I’m left feeling very empty. VERY So What, Who Cares at trying to nail down Godard’s origin and late 50s filmmaking through this flat script of declarations. On a positive note, its better than Le Redoubtable.

160. His Girl Friday - not a movie for its story but for its play between characters. She can’t resist a scoop! Although I’m not sure this kind of picture is for me, the language dance and charm from the performers should lead to a successful, satisfying viewing for anyone. Nice.

159. If I Had Legs I’d Kick You - ah yes thee chaos indie of Sundance 2025. Occasionally amusing. Sadness. Goes too far at times with the chaos that it lost me. Rose Byrne is fine, yet she was always just Rose Byrne to me here.

158. Die My Love - The Lynne Ramsay experience 101. As predictable as the film is, its boosted by a solid performance by Jennifer Lawrence. Her Grace feels all her own. Its a memorable turn in a movie that is and isn’t so surprising in its assertions.

157. Passion of Mind - In her mind, Demi Moore lives in both NYC and Provence. She’s in a relationship with two different men and regularly has sex with them. Umm I fail to see the problem here! Light on the drama, altogether slight for such an oddly executed life conundrum.

156. Mr. Scorsese - Yes, you get to spend five hours with Marty. Great! There’s a severe lack of outer, deep perspective though. Never wanted talking heads more in a documentary, and I’m shocked. SHOCKED by how many voices are not here. If this gets the kids interested in his work, thats good.

155. Blue Moon (2025) - Ethan Hawke showing all he’s still got it as the lovable loser Lorenz Hart. Its an astounding dance of a performance even when he spends most of the time sat at a bar. A well cast and poignant picture.

154. C.H.U.D. - It kept my focus but this should have been better! Major pros are the under utilized CHUDS and Daniel Stern. NYC politics reallllly weigh this down and bury what should have been a good time monster picture.

153. Tremors - WHAT a cast. A silly western
via Nevada picture with worms attacking folks in the middle of nowhere. Kevin Bacon and Fred Ward are terrific, even when I have no real concern for depth in their or any characters. Its fun and thats the main goal.

152. Godzilla 1985 - Godzilla does the job, yet the picture builds to what is just stuff. Immensely goofy American participation. Raymond Burr?!?! Not memorable for any of its positive attributes.

151. Mary Reilly - Definitely lacking though this was kind of my shit. Feels like a movie coasting on Interview With The Vampire/gothic sleaze vibes. The filmmaking and Roberts’ accent disappoint (but she looks great serving meekness). Malkovich’s dual madness and seductive streak works well.

150. Pale Blood - George Chakiris as a vampire. There are attempts to make him attractive, alas, he looks like Neil Breen. Utterly terrible casting. However, this is incredibly entertaining for a DTV trash movie that messes up vampire rules multiple times. By some miracle, its amusing at every turn.

149. After the Hunt - a dramaaaaa. Julia Roberts is absolutely fire, fighting in a war where nobody can win. Her and Stuhlbarg are tremendous and carry this ship. I was entertained even when the movie seemed to weave a slightly more complicated web than it truly needed to, but I respect it.

Very excited to get these!

148. The Secret Agent (2025) - A stylish, haunting portrait of political refugees and their new normal, focusing on a teacher played by the terrific Wagner Moura. There’s a lot of captivating drama and beauty to this while it portrays such horrors, thankfully never too showy.

147. The Long Walk - solid building in the editing as we get to know these ill-fated gents on the road. All the cast is great, predictably its leads Hoffman and Jonsson. However. That ending nearly ruins what came before it. Ugh. A mostly good film. But I gotta guess test audiences are to blame.

I’m so glad I saw this in the theater. It will probably read flat at home.

146. Kiss of the Spider Woman (2025) - come for J. Lo camping it up, stay for Tonatiuh giving one of the best performances of the year. It may be not as collectively satisfying for me as the non-musical picture from 1985, though Condon’s delight in the theatrical song and drama is quite successful.

145. The Funhouse - horny teens go to the fair, but the funhouse gets ‘em oooOooooOoo. Very thin on plot, occasionally amusing. But its just not great.

144. The Gate (1987) - I’m very glad I never witnessed this movie as a kid because WHHAATTTT this movie is SCARY! Maybe not as an adult but the nightmare content is there. Stephen Dorff was an incredible kid actor!! Its fun. Very out there.

143. TRON: Ares - an incredibly crafted jerk fest for elder millennials/gen x. Lots of fun. Its better than Legacy in many ways, though clearly cannot exist without what its predecessor achieved. Popcorn cinema, oh yeahhh.

There’s a joke at the beginning that made me laugh hard, but its use was actually about the director setting boundaries. An interesting moment. I am curious if this movie was produced by Adam And Eve.

142. Bone Lake - an exercise in trust and patience paired with sexy sex sex behavior that surely will tire some audience members, but I found it pretty entertaining. I wanted something light to keep me awake and it worked, even if it wasn’t light. Maddie Hasson is somehow not Elisha Cuthbert.

141. Him (2025) - feels like a movie that was screwed in the editing room. And even if it wasn’t, its missing major heft and greater exploration of its ideas. Too shallow to work. Looks alright, I guess.

140. Kiss of the Spider Woman (1985) - Solid, heartbreaking performances from both leads. Its a good film, its political intrigue not always strong, but nevertheless a memorable film. Braga’s cinematic moments thankfully never feel camp and give such beauty and pain.

139. One Battle After Another - what the fuckin fuck, cinema. CINEMA. Fiery. Potent. Engaging. Cinema. Sean Penn one scary fuck. Brilliant editing.

138. Highest 2 Lowest - SPIKE!! A good enough movie that I’ll allow the Red Sox slander. Say what you want about how it dances with tone, but its so so so masterful in intention. And above all, this is Denzel being a goddamn gem.

137. Weapons - hmm yeahh not my bowl of water. Wildly undercooked and probably needed to be a little more wacky to work for my tastes.

136. Simply Irresistible - charming, strange. Oddly feels like it should have been a musical to balance the whimsy. Unfortunately Sean Patrick doesn’t have much chemistry with Sarah Michelle Gellar! Those crabs, folks, craaabs.

135. Caught Stealing - lotta pretty good thoughts, a very accessible “worst day ever” starring the charming mess sad boy Austin Butler. Its when you realize the movie isn’t aiming high with the material that it sorta disappoints. Nevertheless, a good time.