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Movie Reviews

AnimatedMovie Reviews

Wolfwalkers

Wolfwalkers 2020 ★★½ Watched Nov 13, 2020 joshmatthews’s review published on Letterboxd: To preface this review's coming negativity, this movie's animation stuns, delights, inspires, and awes at times. It could be, arguably, one of the best animated movies ever, just in terms of its visuals -- including compositions, colors, framing,…
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December 22, 2020
Movie Reviews

On the Waterfront

On the Waterfront 1954 ★★★★★ Rewatched Nov 12, 2020 joshmatthews’s review published on Letterboxd: Strong anti-mob, maybe pro-Catholic movie about a dock worker, or longshoreman, who works for the American mob in NYC. The mob controls the longshoremen's union.  The waterfront's a spot of high corruption, therefore, yet a passionate…
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December 22, 2020
Movie ReviewsWar

The Deer Hunter

The Deer Hunter 1978 ½ Rewatched Dec 21, 2020 joshmatthews’s review published on Letterboxd: This review may contain spoilers. I object to this film as a fraud, conjuring up the wrong emotions. It asks us to sentimentalize the Vietnam experience via small-town characters traumatized by it.  "The Deer Hunter" is an…
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December 22, 2020
Movie Reviews

It’s a Wonderful Life

It’s a Wonderful Life 1946 ★★★★ Watched Nov 17, 2020 joshmatthews’s review published on Letterboxd: Probably there has no movie that argues for small-town American bourgeoisie lifestyle more than "It's a Wonderful Life." Too bad it is paired with hokey theology. The entire movie, a riff on "A Christmas Carol," depends…
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December 22, 2020
Movie Reviews

Burning

Burning 2018 ★★★ Watched Nov 19, 2020 joshmatthews’s review published on Letterboxd: One problem with watching a movie about disaffected young people who think they are just like the characters in "The Great Gatsby" is that, if you're a middle-age bourgeois guy like me, you see them as sort of…
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December 22, 2020
Movie Reviews

La Haine

La Haine 1995 ★★★ Rewatched Nov 20, 2020 joshmatthews’s review published on Letterboxd: Two points of view for this movie. One POV is the cinematography, watching just for that. An astounding work, so many great shots, plus editing. Probably because this is black-and-white, which makes everything better, generally, it's higher…
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December 22, 2020
Movie ReviewsWar

Movie Review: 1917

Three out of Five Stars Directed by: Sam Mendes Written by: Sam Mendes and Kristy Wilson-Cairns Starring: George MacKay, Dean-Charles Chapman, and several surprise cameos from famous actors Music by: Thomas Newman The most striking aspect of Sam Mendes’ new World War I movie, 1917, is the backgrounds. Rare…
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February 3, 2020
ActionMovie Reviews

Ford v. Ferrari (Movie Review)

Directed by: James MangoldWritten by: Jez Butterworth, John-Henry Butterworth, Jason KellerStarring: Matt Damon, Christian Bale, Jon Berntha Ford v. Ferrari promises a showdown between car companies. It is, partly, and it fulfills the promise of its title in spectacular fashion, with one of the most spectacular racing scenes I’ve…
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December 6, 2019
Movie Reviews

Abominable (2019)

Here on the Great Plains, some of us escape the coming winter by heading to the movie theater.  It was October 11, 2019, the first snow of the year, and about fifty people—half of them little kids—were sitting in the theater to watch the newer…
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October 12, 2019
Movie Reviews

Joker (2019)

Todd Phillip’s Joker opens this weekend with plenty of national anxiety, thanks to media hype.  At my theater, a police officer—to put it in the words of the theater owner I spoke to—“made his presence known” by looking in on our screening.  This is the…
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October 4, 2019