Reality (2023): Although I’m not big on American politics, I had some vague background knowledge on what was going on here. Having none probably makes this an even more otherworldly experience, as Reality reconstructs part of a federal investigation based on an actual transcript. The results are…impressive. More than anything, it shows that naturalism in writing a true-to-life interrogation is tremendously difficult to achieve, because writing it as is sounds almost like poor writing. Just watching it all unfold in this very short, but thrilling mystery felt like an eye-opening experience, be it more for technical reasons, than transformative ones. I won’t even go into the politics of it, because that’s not my cup of tea, but as a piece of filmmaking I can only recommend it. 8
Downhill Racer (1969): Found in the Criterion collection, Downhill Racer is a sports movie that’s big on capturing the visceral aspects of downhill skiing, but not as big on telling a captivating story (unless you find an arrogant hotshot ultimately winning captivating). It might be worth watching alone for the fact that it stars Robert Redford and Gene Hackman, or for the nifty editing and exciting shots of the skiing itself, but not much else – although it almost stood out with a twist at the end, which it sadly didn’t have the guts to follow through with. 6
The Flash (2023): I’ve given up on having any expectations from these Marvel/DC universes, so anything that’s not a CGI borefest is already a plus. In spite of all the Ezra Miller drama behind the scenes that did not bolster hopes for The Flash, this cross-dimensional story is…not annoying. Yes, the movie is not uniformly exciting, but it has its moments, thanks in some part to the revival of a classic Batman, as well as Miller’s kooky character(s). It does a reverse Edge of Tomorrow in its finale, in an otherwise stock all out fight scene involving a minor role by the ever-enjoyable Michael Shannon. And that’s about it, a serviceable movie made for a lot of money and on the tails of controversy, but that’s life. 6
Münchhausen (1943): In one of those cases where the context of the movie production proves more interesting than the movie itself, this lavish retelling of a traditional German story dating from the 18th century is impressive in scope, costumes and set design, but tedious in its storytelling. The Baron von Münchhausen is a notorious figure who combines truth with fiction in deceptive ways, though he is treated generously in this depiction. Played by Hans Albers, who made me think of George C. Scott a lot, the Baron tells some grand stories of adventure, crisscrossing historical events, and always falling on his feet whatever came his way. A piece of history in itself, Münchhausen is a curiosity more than anything else. 6
Aloha (2015): Confession time: I knew Aloha was garbage, but I didn’t know, until the moment of writing, it was Cameron Crowe garbage. I still haven’t gotten over what he did to Vanilla Sky, so to see a star-studded movie like this flop so helplessly for 100 minutes was not completely without satisfaction. But then again, it did star some very likable actors (Rachel McAdams, Emma Stone, Bill Murray, Bradley Cooper, John Krasinski), which means I can’t fully enjoy its shortcomings – actually, not even understand them. How is it possible to mess something up so badly? Well, the movie is about a private contractor looking to undermine global security by secretly sneaking weaponry on communications satellite, but mostly reads like a romcom. Must be why everything seems off about this story and its characters, making for a watch that’s both tedious and irritating. 4
tributary stu 