#184. Instant Family (2018)

 

 

Every once in a while, you're just in the mood for something nice and sweet, y'know?

 

I won't act like Instant Family doesn't have its share of problems. The first act is somewhat rocky, the characters' decisions and reactions aren't always super believable (especially in the support group scenes, where I feel like I'm watching aliens pretend to be human), and the muddy colour grading is a bit of a tonal buzzkill. But I suppose the mood is otherwise endearing and heartwarming enough that these issues mostly melt away by the time the story takes off.

 

And what a pleasant little story. You can't help but grow to love this group, partially because the cast has so much charisma and chemistry, and partially because the script balances its tones in such a fresh way (for instance, I found many of the jokes genuinely funny, and not in the meek and bittersweet way that you tend to get in this genre). And even if the movie rarely gets as deep or authentic as it would probably prefer, the fact that it cares so much is usually enough to make it resonate.

 

Plus, it's all in service of an actual cause, so there's an additional layer of sincerity and emotional impact here.

 

Grade: B+

 

#183. The Secret Agent (2025)

 

 

The main talking point with this one seems to be its length/pacing/sluggishness. I'll admit that two hours and forty minutes is a trying amount of time to spend on a movie that only intermittently springs to life, especially when much of the meandering feels so shapeless (though the kinetic camerawork, snappy editing, and lively performances help to keep the energy up), but I think I otherwise liked the slow burn. It gave the setting some immersion, the thrills some tension, and the structure a chance to unfold in bizarre and unexpected ways, especially in the third act.

 

There's also a good balance of personal drama and paranoid thriller here (with some cartoonish surrealism thrown in for good measure), which usually kept me invested in the conflicts and characters, gripped by the plot developments, and on edge whenever we did get some action. So even if I don't think the overall movie's quite as consistent or memorable as the two other Best Picture contenders I've watched thus far, the positives regarding scale, rhythm, tone, and political commentary (the bulk of which probably went right over my head) still make it entirely deserving of the nomination in my opinion.

 

Grade: A-

 

#182. Deep Blue Sea (1999)

 

 

I have a soft spot for late '90s studio schlock, as well as simplistic horror movies where a small group of characters fight to survive in an isolated setting. This one manages to hit both of those weak points, and has a good time doing it, so I can only dock so many points for stupid writing and terrible effects.

 

Actually, if anything, those two qualities only serve to enhance the charm. This isn't a Sharknado situation, where the entire project reeks of laziness and cynicism. No, Deep Blue Sea cares, and plays everything completely straight (with just the right amount of self-awareness), which makes the cornier elements a million times more likeable and fun as a result.

 

Plus, while this earnestness often takes us in some strange directions (the whole religious subplot, for instance, goes over really weird), it also allows for some effective genre scares, creative violence, cheesy dialogue, committed performances, surprisingly decent action set pieces, and LL Cool J's absolute masterpiece of a theme song. The whole thing's a junk heap, but it's a determined and entertaining junk heap.

 

And regardless of where you stand on the movie's quality, I think we can agree that Sam Jackson's big speech is a legitimate top hundred horror moment.

 

Grade: B+

 

#181. Brainstorm (1983)

 

 

There's a reason why the only times you ever hear about this one are when people discuss Natalie Wood's sudden and mysterious death. And that's because, in pretty much all other regards, there just isn't a whole lot worth talking about. 

 

Okay, maybe that's a bit harsh. I suppose Brainstorm has value. The premise, for instance, about technology that can project one person's consciousness and sensations onto another via headset, is pretty creative and ahead of its time, and the sci-fi visuals are generally quite stunning. But that's basically where my compliments end. Everything else feels off to me, from the weak acting (Wood looks bored, Louise Fletcher is all over the place, and I don't even know what Christopher Walken's going for) to the atrocious dialogue to the choppy editing to the uneven sound mixing. And the result is a bewildering, insta-dated misfire, at least in my opinion.

 

Even the alternating aspect ratios, which, sure, probably look really cool in a theater setting, are mostly jarring on a home screen. All the non-virtual scenes (which is ninety percent of the movie) are now covered by both vertical and horizontal black bars, which causes everything inside to look boxed-in, small, and inconsequential. Makes the whole experience feel less cinematic to me, not more.

 

Grade: C

#180. The Public Enemy (1931)

 

 

A.K.A. Enemies of the Public, which is such a pointless rearrangement that it kinda reminds me of Sphinx from Mystery Men. "If you want to be The Public Enemy, you must first become Enemies of the Public."

 

Prior Viewings: 1

 

It's sometimes hard to judge such an influential film on its own merits (especially when said film basically set the template for an entire genre), but The Public Enemy is so fast and modest and electric that it still totally works as a straightforward piece of nefarious entertainment - hand-wringing intertitles notwithstanding.

 

And while the story is your typical "rise and fall" gangster arc, the simple and seminal presentation, combined with the energy and creativity on display, elevates it to almost mythic status. William A. Wellman is constantly using the camera to punctuate the mood and intensity of a given scene (which is extra impressive when you consider that most of the action takes place off-screen), and James Cagney is so commanding and dangerous and transcendent that he not only dominates the movie, but foreshadows actors like Brando and Nicholson with his grinning, charismatic menace. Just an all-timer of a performance.

 

Between the acting (and not just Cagney; this whole ensemble's pretty solid), the nimble pacing, and the creeping tone, this has to be one of the more accessible movies of the '30s. You may want to consider watching it with subtitles, though. Thanks to both the heavy accents and the mediocre audio quality, it's sometimes near-impossible to understand what these characters are saying.

 

Grade: A

#179. Sentimenal Value (2025)

 

 

A.K.A. Affeksjonsverdi. Cool word.

 

Every other year, I make an effort to watch all the Best Picture nominees before Oscar night. I wasn't initially planning on doing that this time, but then I thought that it might make for a fun little assignment within this larger project. So I've decided to go for it.

 

And I'm glad that I did. Sentimental Value is a melodrama that easily lives up to its wistful and evocative title; the kind where you see it and immediately understand why every actor involved got a nomination (Renate Reinsve and Stellan Skarsgård are both as powerful as advertised, but I think Inga Ibsdotter Lilleaas is the true scene-stealer here; every time she showed up on screen, I felt like I was looking directly into her soul), not just because their deliveries are so emotional and resonant, but also because of how much is expressed non-verbally. You can always see the pain and sadness in these character's eyes, and it's consistently heartbreaking.

 

But the movie's strengths don't just lie in its performances. Joachim Trier's direction is delicate and understated, the editing cleverly punctuates the drama by cutting to black after every segment, and I think the house is just a great symbol of this family's histories and traumas. It's all very affecting and personal stuff, with undercurrents of humour and catharsis that keep things from getting too grim or overbearing.

 

Grade: A

 

P.S. What do we think Gustav's gonna get Erik for his next birthday? My money's on Salò, or the 120 Days of Sodom.

#178. Edmond (2005)

 

 

Based on a Mamet play from the '80s, Edmond is about a chummy and repressed businessman who just kinda snaps one evening and sets out for a night of debauchery and sexual release. It sort of combines the feverish, all-nighter vibes of After Hours and Eyes Wide Shut with the vengeful misanthropy of Taxi Driver and Falling Down.

 

Unlike Travis Bickle or William Foster, though, there's absolutely no mistaking how pathetic Edmond Burke is. The power fantasy stuff is almost completely absent, and what we're left with instead is an awkward and often uncomfortable tale of loneliness and frustration. It's not as fun as those earlier comparables, nor is it nearly as consistent (the two scenes with Julia Stiles, for instance, don't convince in the slightest), and the affected dialogue gets a bit tiresome at times, but the intimate scope and dreamlike atmosphere mostly manage to similarly draw you in and keep you guessing.

 

Plus, if you're as big a fan of William H. Macy as I am, you probably shouldn't miss this one. I don't know if he's ever been more ferocious, or more pitiful (which is saying something), than he is here.

 

Grade: B+