The Worst Person in the World (2021): Joachim Trier has finally provided a spiritual successor to one of my favourite movies, Reprise. This time, we are focused on Julie, a young woman closing in on her 30th birthday, but still meandering through life and love in a #whiteprivilege kind of way. Her life shifts tectonically after falling in love with Aksel, a relationship that’s both blessed and doomed, as Julie goes further within herself, trying to understand who she really is and what she desires. In the manner of yesteryear, the movie conjures distinctive, relatable characters, establishing them firmly for the viewer’s…heart and mind. It should leave you introspective and effusive by the end, in the way only the best of movies do. 9
The Batman (2022): Another decade, another Batman, with everyone’s favourite superhero now in the hands of Robert Pattinson. The Matt Reeves directed movie has some similarities to the 2005 reboot, as the dark and gritty Gotham gets even darker and grittier. Pattinson inhabits the suit with poise, even if at times he veers towards an unpleasantly emo character, while all the co-stars shine around him, making for an exciting ensemble cast, topped by a solid villain. At almost three hours though, I’d argue The Batman could’ve done with some trimming. There are times where it becomes so visceral, that it doesn’t even matter that this new interpretation brings very little in terms of newness to the character or the universe. Unfortunately, some of the writing was plain, at best, undermining the otherwise exceptional execution. So all in all, a fun take, but not quite stellar. 7
The Incredible Jessica James (2017): One of those crazy things happened to me, where I watched a movie I had already seen (quite recently, even), and had no inkling of it until I wanted to rate it. It makes me feel…disconcerted. At least my initial review did say it is “easily forgettable” – well, not any longer! And, to be honest, I think I enjoyed it a bit more than the first time, even if what I wrote back then still stands. Just that after watching Love Life, I must have appreciated Jessica Williams more. So here’s a +1 for the annals of history. 7
Scream (2022): Never having been a fan of the Scream franchise, I had low expectations of this latest entry. In a way, it is more of the same, but with an added “meta” layer that’s supposed to be self-deprecating. Which it is and sometimes that makes for a fun ride; but most of the time, I was just wondering what the purpose of all this is. Eh, that’s me probably being too serious, but it all just never clicked – in spite of the decent cast. 5
Malignant (2021): Just seeing a movie by James Wan brings back fond memories of 2004 and the release of Saw – a twisted piece of cinematic history. Malignant, on the other hand, is a haunted house/body horror movie that’s niche and a too often ridiculous, but does leave some impression on the viewer. If you’re into some gory action, you might just find enough to be satisfied with this movie, but otherwise, it’s going to be a hard sell. 5
tributarystu 