Annihilation (2018)

I was freaking out while watching this movie, but I feel like I appreciate it so much more in retrospect. It is a trippy science fiction instant classic. Alex Garland has proven himself as a new master of unsettling sci-fi. The ending of this movie is open ended, but I'm somehow unconvinced of the open-endedness. Can we trust the Natalie Portman's biased account of what happened in the shimmer? Can we trust what we saw on screen? I don't know and it troubles me.

Good Time (2017)

This is an intense heist movie that takes place in gritty Queens. Robert Pattinson, who has become quite the actor, robs a bank with his mentally challenged brother, who he must free from jail. Basically, anything that can go wrong goes horribly wrong. It's really intense because you're just waiting for the next thing to spiral out of control. It's a combination of the (very) shaky, uncomfortably close camerawork and the unnerving music and Robert Pattinson's frenetic acting that keeps you at the edge of your seat. The dark and shadowy lighting is ominous. I think my heart rate was actually elevated throughout this movie, tensely quivering in anticipation. 

The Hateful Eight (2015)

I think the perfect word to describe this movie is self-indulgent. For one, it is way too long, clocking around three hours. And when your movie is so long, it can't be so slow--I kind of fell asleep a little in the middle. The story is told in several distinct chapters, which enhances the epic grandeur that Tarantino tries to evoke. And I understand that the first few set up the story, but they are too long for just setup.  There is the usual gratuitous amount of hyperbolic graphic violence and lots of inappropriate language. I'm all for free speech, but Tarantino  is a little too comfortable using the N-word. The most problematic aspect of the movie: no likable characters.

That being said the movie does some things very well. The storytelling is strong. I am surprised that Tarantino wasn't nominated for his screenplay. The story is mostly told linearly, but there is one chapter of flashback to make a crucial revelation that totally turns the story on its head. The last half of the movie is significantly better than the first. Most of the movie takes place in a single room, and we change perspectives in this one room. Some chapters also use narration, which is out of place since it is only present in some chapters, but it somehow works. The cinematography is also pretty incredible. The white snow is expansive and there is a great shot that is half pure white and half pure blue sky. But the very best aspect of this movie is Ennio Morricone's score. It is quintessentially western. 

Anomalisa (2015)

This is a highly unusual stop-motion animation. The content is funny and then a little strange. The figures were 3D printed. The range of emotions is vast. I think it is hilarious that there is no effort to hide the lines where the face detaches from the head. Especially around the eyes, it sometimes looks like glasses. The figures walk pretty naturally, if a little bit slow. We aren't used to such realistic animation. They actually look like humans, not cartoons. It is actually a little disturbing, in my opinion.

I love the title: in reference to Lisa, who is an anomaly. She is an anomaly because she has a unique voice. Tom Noonan voices all of the non-main characters, male and female. At first, it is slightly confusing. This is an adaptation from a play, in which there are only three actors and this effect was able to be recreated in animation. That would not have been believable in a live-action movie.

Welcome to Me (2014)

This movie was very strange. Just listen to the premise: a woman with borderline personality disorder wins the lottery and uses her winnings to buy a talk show.  She basically aspires to be Oprah. How do you make a personality disorder funny? Leave that to Kristen Wiig.  This movie has the same feel as The Skeleton Twins--it is sort of slow, has its moments, but drags in the middle. Wiig lives in a casino for some reason, has some weird obsession with swans, and she silently, uncomfortably stares into the camera a lot.  Basically, her character is pretty crazy and Wiig just runs with it. It's so ridiculous that it just barely works. This only works because of her, and Joan Cusack is pretty funny too.