Longlegs is the best serial killer horror film since The Silence of the Lambs. Oz Perkins infuses dread/terror into every single frame. Utterly terrifying and unsettling, Maika Monroe is hypnotic, while Nicolas Cage will haunt your nightmares. Best of 2024 so far.
@LonglegsFilm
Inside Out 2 is one of Pixar’s best. The message that we have to love every bit of ourselves will resonate with every audience member. I was brought to tears, which did not happen with the first one. It’s a beautiful movie, with a big beating heart.
@Pixar
#InsideOut2
#TheAdamProject
is a tremendously fun throwback to 80’s sci-fi adventures, with a sneaky emotional element. I did not expect to cry. Ryan Reynolds and Mark Ruffalo are great in a Shaw Levy film that would make Spielberg proud.
@ShawnLevyDirect
@VancityReynolds
@MarkRuffalo
Oppenheimer is Christopher Nolan’s protest film, taking three hours to warn not just about how the bomb will doom us, but how it ruined a good man. Cillian Murphy’s best showcase. Robert Downey Jr. is aces, while Emily Blunt has a killer scene.
@OppenheimerFilm
#Oppenheimer
Barbie might be my favorite film of the year so far. Ryan Gosling deserves the Oscar for an all-timer of a comedic supporting turn, while Margot Robbie brings out the humanity in the doll. Greta Gerwig imbues this with impeccable social commentary.
@Barbie
#Barbie
#BarbieMovie
Scream is easily the best sequel and stands tall with the original. Brutally violent but the funniest of the lot, it does the most with the premise since the OG. Plus, what it ultimately is poking fun at this time is a riot. I loved it.
#ScreamMovie
#Scream
@ScreamMovies
I spoke to Sammy Burch about May December today, and wouldn’t you know it, Coyote vs Acme came up, too. She definitely has noticed the outpouring of anger on the internet about this, so for what that’s worth, everyone isn’t just shouting into the void.
Embargo up on
#HouseofGucci
: I was surprised how much I enjoyed this. The first hour or so is a blast. It does go a bit downhill after that, but this is basically well done trash. Lady Gaga and Al Pacino were the most fun, with the soundtrack a
@HouseOfGucciMov
highlight as well.
Dune: Part Two is impressively large in scope and rarely lets up in intensity. This is Denis Villeneuve’s (guerilla) war film, just done on an epic science fiction level. Anyone fond of the first movie will be deeply satisfied here.
@dunemovie
#DuneMovie
#Dune
#DunePartTwo
The Tender Bar is George Clooney’s most heartwarming film and also one of his best. Ben Affleck deserves to win Best Supporting Actor for this vibrant and vivid portrait of the uncle every kid wants to have. It’s a smaller movie, but leaves a big smile on your face. Loved it.
Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 3 is full of heart and brought me to tears on multiple occasions.
@JamesGunn
making it Rocket’s story pays off big. It’s not what you’re necessarily expecting, but it really does land. A perfect ending, too.
@Guardians
#GuardiansOfTheGalaxyVol3
Nightbitch is at its best when Amy Adams is let off the leash. She’s terrific. The weirder Marielle Heller gets to make the story, the better. Runs out of momentum a bit by the end. The trailer is not indicative of the film.
#Nightbitch
#TIFF
#TIFF24
#TIFF2024
Wow. I might have done terribly, prediction wise (still have to count up), but glad I stuck to my guns and never stopped predicting Kristen Stewart.
#OscarNoms
Wow.
#TheFabelmans
is Steven Spielberg laid bare on the screen. The joys, the pain, and the love of telling a story through the lens of a movie camera shines through. I was brought to tears. Judd Hirsch has the scene of the year, while Michelle Williams is terrific.
#TIFF22
Saturday Night is a wonderful testament to the insane miracle that is live television. Jason Reitman keeps the fun/intensity going with a ticking clock that had my heart racing. The entire ensemble rules. A blast!
@SatNightMovie
#SaturdayNight
#TellurideFilmFestival
#Telluride
Angelina Jolie gives a career best performance in Maria, a deeply sad and moving study from Pablo Larraín. Stunning cinematography from Ed Lachman.
#Maria
#TellurideFilmFestival
#Telluride
#spiralfromthebookofsaw
is more than just an excellent horror movie, it may well be the best installment of the franchise yet. Intense in all the right ways, this version opts for for character building, tension, and even humor over just gore (though it doesn’t slouch there)
#EmpireofLight
is a heartfelt ode to film, love, and the magic of the movie theater. The romance between Olivia Colman and Michael Ward is moving, just as Sam Mendes’ love of cinema does. Both projection booth scenes made me cry (my grandfather was a projectionist).
#Telluride
Looks like I’ll be speaking to Sebastian Stan about his Fresh new work (see what I did there?) in the very near future. Love that film and he’s great in it, so this is something to look forward to, trust me.
Thrilled to be quoted in the FYC marketing for Spencer. I truly think Kristen Stewart does work beyond anyone else this year and deserves the Academy Award for Best Actress. At the least, she seems poised for her first Oscar nod.
@neonrated
@AwardsRadar
#KristenStewart
#Spencer
Elemental is lovely. It’s a bit slight, and the plot machinations aren’t as effective as the immigrant tale and love story, but the emotions do really land. Plus, it’s an absolute feast for the eyes and a real technical achievement.
@pixarelemental
#Elemental
@Pixar
Can confirm that Kristen Stewart is on the minds of Academy members. Now, there’s a long way to go, but even if the film itself proves a hard sell, she should still be very much in play for a nomination. Then, the win becomes a possibility.
#KristenStewart
#Spencer
Indiana Jones and the Dial of Destiny isn’t a patch on the original trilogy, to be sure, but there’s more fun to be had than last time out. Harrison Ford is giving his all as Indy one last time, while this has the franchise’s biggest swing to date.
@IndianaJones
#IndianaJones
Air is magnificent. We’ve missed Ben Affleck directing. Affleck, Matt Damon, Viola Davis, and Chris Messina are outstanding. One of the great modern sports films, as well as sneakily a great portrait of a mother believing in her son. Loved it.
#AirMovie
@airmovie
@AmazonStudios
#NoHardFeelings
is very much my jam. Foul mouthed, funny, and with surprising heart, it’s a hoot. Jennifer Lawrence goes all in on the comedy, which pays dividends, with a bonus that she, unsurprisingly, aces the drama. A throwback to 80s comedies that I adore.
@NoHardFeelings
Challengers is ridiculously sexy and a whole lot of fun. The first Luca Guadagnino movie that I’ve completely vibed with. Zendaya, Mike Faist, and Josh O’Connor are all terrific. Just a hell of a time.
@challengersmov
#Challengers
#Zendaya
Saw X is the most character driven installment of the franchise. Having Tobin Bell throughout is a huge boon. You feel the longer length but the twist is among the series’ most satisfying. An upper echelon installment. Stay for the credits!
@Saw
#SawX
#SawTenber
#Saw
#Dune
is mostly terrific, with the important caveat that it’ll become wholly unsatisfactory if the second part doesn’t come to fruition. That being said, it’s top notch sci-fi spectacle, and while dense, could become the next great franchise. Time will tell…
#TIFF
@dunemovie
I had a terrific conversation with James Gunn about Peacemaker, though we hardly just talked about that great show. It was quite the chat, which you can see now at
@AwardsRadar
or on our YouTube channel. Enjoy, and thanks again
@JamesGunn
:
@DCpeacemaker
So,
#AntManAndTheWaspQuantumania
is as close as Marvel has gotten to a Star Wars movie, with little bits of a Rick and Morty feel. Not all of it works, but the hints of what’s to come with Kang have me mostly intrigued. Jonathan Majors is solid, with Kathryn Newton best in show.
The Bikeriders is Jeff Nichols’ most mainstream work to date. Austin Butler, Jodie Comer, and Tom Hardy are suitably intense. There aren’t really any surprises to be found in this one, but it’s a solid film to kick off Telluride.
#TheBikeriders
#Telluride
#TellurideFilmFestival
I fell hard for
#HookingUp
. An absolutely terrific romantic comedy with brains, laughs, and a real sexy vibe, it even manages to effectively get serious.
@SamRichardson
and
@Brittanysnow
have never been better. My rave review, as it hits VOD on Friday:
Holy shit.
#TheSuicideSquad
is the best film of 2021 so far and an instant classic. Absurdly gory/absolutely hilarious, it beats with the heart of a work that truly cares about its characters. Loved every second. Bravo
@JamesGunn
.
@SuicideSquadWB
is literally as good as it gets.
Nightmare Alley is Guillermo del Toro’s love letter to noir. The more you like him/affection you have for the genre, the more it’ll work for you. Impeccably made and acted but somewhat telegraphed throughout. Entertaining to see such a high art take on this.
#NightmareAlley
I've long held that Kristen Stewart is one of the most underrated actresses in the business. For The
@AwardsCircuit
, I ran down ten of her best performances to date. Take a gander at this
#KristenStewart
top ten list and be sure to leave a comment:
MaXXXine is a bloody good time. Ti West has such a strong command of time and place, the setting really does give extra devilish life to this hoot of a slasher. Mia Goth owns yet again. This franchise rocks.
@maxxxinemov
#Maxxxine
@a24
The Brutalist is a true American epic. At 3.5 hours, you feel the length, but I think Brady Corbet is doing it intentionally. A lot to process/ruminate on, but Adrien Brody, Felicity Jones, and Guy Pearce are excellent. Too long, but never boring.
#TheBrutalist
#TIFF
#TIFF2024
I really loved Top Gun: Maverick. It has excitement, heart, and the best Tom Cruise role/performance in years. This is literally what we go to the movies for. It’s terrific. My rave is at Awards Radar now:
@AwardsRadar
@TopGunMovie
#TopGun
#TopGunMaverick
Lisa Frankenstein slayed me. Kathryn Newton and Xold Sprouse are a riot in a movie that’s as darkly funny as it is surprisingly tender. A massive success from Diablo Cody and Zelda Williams. This is one of my favorite films of the year so far!
@lisafrankenfilm
#LisaFrankenstein
Just wrapped an interview with Dakota Johnson (since all I do is interview people these days, not that I’m complaining). Went well! Listen for it at Awards Radar early next week!
@AwardsRadar
@OurFriendMovie
#DakotaJohnson
Dumb Money is a real crowd pleaser. Taking a potentially complex issue and making it accessible, funny, and even inspiring, it’s a strong achievement. Swiftly directed and well acted. The TIFF crowd ate it up and was cheering at the end.
@DumbMoneyMovie
#DumbMoney
#TIFF
#TIFF23
Thor: Love and Thunder is a fun, tight, and largely self contained Marvel adventure. If not quite as much of a surprise as Ragnarok, this is more evidence that Taika Waititi knows how to make Thor a blast. Heart/humor mix again to make for a real good time.
#ThorLoveAndThunder
The Trial of the Chicago 7 is vintage Aaron Sorkin, script wise, but also tremendously directed and edited. A period piece that has constant echoes to the political issues of today, it’s easily one of 2020’s most urgent films.
@trialofchicago7
#TheTrialoftheChicago7
#DontLookUp
is a very funny pitch black satire about how half the country will get us all killed. Don’t expect an Oscar film, but more a big black comedy. The cast hits the right notes, but it feels like Adam McKay is setting up another level that never happens.
@dontlookupfilm
Kristen Stewart is her reliably strong self in Seberg, a biopic that never quite comes together. It's a shame, since if the film were better, this may have been the vehicle to get Stewart her first Oscar nomination. The performance is deserving, at least.
#KristenStewart
#Seberg
Wonderful
@WildlifeTheFilm
discussion between Carey Mulligan,
@zoeinthecities
, and Jake Gyllenhaal. One of my favorites of 2018. As always, Zoe is the nicest and is a pleasure to briefly catch up with. Bonus points to Jake for a remembering a conversation we had half a decade ago
Promising Young Woman not only is one of the year’s very best films, it should be required viewing for every male in high school, college, and beyond. Emerald Fennell is a genius and Carey Mulligan has never been better.
@PromisingFilm
#PromisingYoungWoman
@emeraldfennell
Bradley Cooper puts his heart and soul into Maestro, making this much more a portrait of Leonard Bernstein’s marriage to Felicia Montealegre than just his music. He’s great, while Carey Mulligan comes on in the back half and walks away with the film.
@MaestroFilm_
#Maestro
#NYFF
#BeingtheRicardos
is a dynamite look at Old Hollywood and making television, filtered through some crackerjack Aaron Sorkin dialogue. Nina Arianda, Javier Bardem, and especially J.K. Simmons are terrific, while this may be my favorite Nicole Kidman performance. Just captivating.
Challengers is a grand slam of sexy fun. Zendaya has never been better, Mike Faist / Josh O’Connor give star performances, while I finally go all in on Luca Guadagnino. One of the hottest films in years. My
#Challengers
rave
@AwardsRadar
:
@challengersmov
The Whale destroyed me. Brendan Fraser gives the performance of a lifetime, while Sadie Sink tears your heart out.
@DarrenAronofsky
’s testament to empathy and redemption shatters you, before putting you back together. I’m devastated, but awed.
#TheWhale
@A24
#TIFF22
@TheWhaleMov
My mom passed away suddenly yesterday. She was just 59. I’m completely in shock and numb. She hadn’t been feeling well for a bit and had finally convinced her to go to the doctor, which led to her going to the hospital, and a few hours later she was gone.
I kicked off the Second Annual Awards Radar Awards (aka the Joey Awards) by running down my top performances of 2021, topped by Simon Rex in Red Rocket and Kristen Stewart in Spencer. The full list:
@AwardsRadar
@SimonRex
@redrocketmovie
@Spencer_Movie
#LicoricePizza
is Paul Thomas Anderson at his most charming and romantic. A warm hug of a hangout movie/romantic comedy, it also announces Alana Haim in a big way with a debut performance for the ages. If you love early PTA, it’s what you’ve been waiting for. Utterly delightful!
So, a few weeks ago I got yelled at on Instagram (it happens) by someone who didn’t like my Beau is Afraid review. Then they saw the movie. A full retraction followed.
Also tomorrow, I’m talking again with Jamie Dornan. We had a blast chatting about Belfast last time around, so this time, I expect nothing less as
#JamieDornan
and I discuss The Tourist. Should be fun…
Update: Kenneth Branagh and Jamie Dornan were both lovely, with both interviews full of laughter. Amusingly, my dog had to chime in while I was talking to Jamie (with his predictions, I’m assuming), while Ken’s dog had things to say during our chat!
His Three Daughters is outstanding. Darkly funny, always emotional, with a wallop of an ending. Carrie Coon, Natasha Lyonne, and Elizabeth Olsen are all splendid.
A Quiet Place: Day One is a surprisingly emotional experience at times. Michael Sarnoski continues to find offbeat ways to explore characters. The monster movie aspect is fine, but the humans are very well done. The cat is a superstar.
@AQuietPlace
#AQuietPlaceDayOne
Fingernails is the surprise of Telluride for me. An unexpected delight, it’s funny, weird, and deeply romantic. Riz Ahmed and Jessie Buckley are excellent.
#Fingernails
#TellurideFilmFestival
#Telluride
I absolutely adored A Good Person. Zach Braff puts Florence Pugh and Morgan Freeman through an emotional wringer, but it results in some of the best work all three have ever done. My rave review is at
@AwardsRadar
:
#AGoodPerson
@agoodpersonmov
@zachbraff
The Mauritanian is a real surprise, and may be poised to make a dent in Oscar season. Tahar Rahim, Jodie Foster, Benedict Cumberbatch, and
@shailenewoodley
are quite good. A moving legal drama/human rights story, it’s something to watch out for!
#TheMauritanian
@TheMauritanian