Bottoms (2023): Seligman follows up her excellent Shiva Baby with an…unhinged highschool comedy, that’s mostly high-tempo fun in telling a familiar story with flair. There’s not really that much you can do in this genre to make it feel fresh, but it’s nice to see a different approach to the raunchy treatment that this one has gotten along the years (not that there isn’t some queer raunch here). Rachel Sennott and Ayo Edebiri are reunited after their short short-series (Rachel and Ayo are Single) and their chemistry is very welcome, but all the cast clicks well and the over-the-top dramatic scenes are the highlight of Bottoms. That said, I didn’t feel it was either consistent enough in its wackiness, nor endearing enough with its characters to become an instant cult classic, though I reckon it well get there in time. 7
Lamb (2021): This otherworldly dramatic comedy with a horror label is first and foremost otherworldly. It’s difficult to say much about it without giving away the mystery that lies at its core, which is given ample time to unfold – most likely too much time. But while the film might drag some and never quite goes for a big “bang” moment, I think it’s an intriguing enough broiling of the viewers, who are left with more questions than answers. Yet, there’s enough of theme’s trace to keep ahead of the oddness that Lamb brings with it and while it never excels, it is guaranteed to have a lingering presence after the credits roll – for better or worse. 7
Saw X (2023): It’s always a surprise to me when a new Saw movie comes out, but even so I was rather confused that we’re at the tenth installment. The last one I saw was Saw VI (not bad), I had seen Saw II on release (ughhh) and, of course, the OG (niiiice). So yeah, unnumbered stuff happened between Saw VI and Saw X (i.e Saw 3D, Jigsaw, Spiral), but apparently this one is a sequel to Saw I and a prequel to Saw II. Whatever, right? The important thing is, it’s a fun movie in a universe that’s not always fun in its sadistic, gore-fueled ways, with a decent balance between story and maim-horror-mystery. A chilling throwback scene to the OG makes an appearance, just for that drip of nostalgia that’s keeping us alive, with Tobin Bell a likable, understated good-bad guy. Solid genre stuff – which puts me in a bind, because I would seven it, but I only sevened the iconic original. Ah, well, life. 6+
Arsenie. Viața de apoi (2023): In what has proved to be one of the most controversial Romanian movies released this year, Alexandru Solomon tackles the myth of Arsenie Boca, the modern day spiritual father of Romanian Orthodoxism. It’s all not clear cut of course, but that does not seem to be Solomon’s main concern here. Rather, he explores Arsenie’s instrumentalization in the present day, how this reflects on us as a people and how it is in itself an articulation of the waywardness of our society. By the end we draw the conclusion that we are lost, lost in our faith, but first and foremost lost in our culture and our society. The documentary is not an eminently spiritual piece of work, but that does not mean it should not have a spiritual core, something intrinsic to good filmmaking. 6
Love at First Sight (2023): With such a bland title, it was hard to expect much of this latest Netflix offering, but seeing Haley Lu Richardson in the cast made it hard for me to pass. Alas, barring Richardson and some all around decent performances, this one’s about as trite and cheesy as they come, with few redeeming features, e.g. the all around earnest pleasure of seeing Rob Delaney in anything. Not much else I can say really, it proved difficult to elevate this weak script to anything worth remembering. 5
tributary stu 