Letterboxd 4 Wednesday - 6/19
Alright, Alright, Alright. You know the drill. It’s time to take a look at the films that are on my top 4 on Letterboxd for this week (which I should add that Letterboxd just recently announced they allowed Patron users to change the banners for the films on there, and it’s really the best option they offered so far). Let’s see what they are.
Before Sunset (2004), dir. Richard Linklater
The second installment of Richard Linklater’s Before trilogy and it’s without a doubt my favorite of the trilogy (even though I love all 3 equally). It masterfully builds on the romantic and warm like feelings that was presented in the first film, but also adds a more compelling look on the concept of love, life, regret, and what does it mean to look back on a moment of time you once had with the person you shared that moment with. All of which is once again aided through the fantastic writing, and the unspeakable chemistry between Ethan Hawke and Juile Delpy amongst so many other factors in terms of making this film as amazing as it is. It’s a romance film that shows the harsh reality of life while showing the beauty of love in the most honest and most beautiful ways possible, and it’s one I love going back to revisit on the regular basis.
Inside Out (2015), dir. Pete Doctor, Ronnie del Carmen
Pixar has been on a hit or miss streak in the last decade or so, but Inside Out I would say is the best film of that streak (and one of their best films period). Not only does the film strives so hard on it’s very unique concept and look into the world of what’s inside in our heads with amazing visuals/animation and the creative ideas that stems from it, but it also pack to the prim with amazing characters (especially Bing Bong), one of the best scores in Pixar’s library, strong thematic crutches, great jokes, and (no pun intended) a heavy dozes of emotionally impactful moments that I couldn’t help but cry to while watching it. Truly a modern day classic in the medium of animation and one that both kids and adults can watch and get something out of it.
Heat (1995), dir. Micheal Mann
Talk about getting your adrenaline up and running, Micheal Mann’s 3 hour crime drama is a tour de force of everything cinema has to offer. I mean you got brillant performances from it’s all star cast, terrific writing that keeps you engaged throughout the entire run time, excellent directing, amazing action sequences, and such an incredible scope of the story and world these characters inhabited in that really makes you feel you’re apart of the whole crime investigation and the crazy twists and turns it takes you. I mean what’s not to love about this film?
Guardians of the Galaxy Vol 2 (2017), dir. James Gunn
Most likely the only time you will see an MCU film on this series, and it’s easily the best film in the entire franchise, and it’s not even a competition. Writing about this masterpiece I feel like it would be a complete disservice in many ways or form, but to sum it up, I don’t think the MCU has (or ever will again) got a film that’s this personal, this real, this unapologetically profound, this unflinchingly weird, this open about examining and deconstructing it’s core characters, and this emotionally impactful that it left me in a sobber mess by the last 30 mins of this film. That’s the power of James Gunn’s vision for ya’l. I may have grown out of my love and overall interest of the MCU over the years (and I don’t any intention to continue the series anytime soon), but my love the whole Guardians trilogy (especially this installment) will never die out, no matter what happens.
That’s all for this weeks edition. Thanks for reading and please subscribe if you want more awesome content like this.