Swan's 2018 Film Diary

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I have to return some videotapes.
I haven't been on here in ages, but the whole time I was in the theater watching Hereditary I could only think that you'd love it. Glad I wasn't completely let down hope you're doing great my man.



Super lazy with this stuff at this point. I will post about what I saw recently.

The Mummy (1999)

Nostalgia-fest. Maybe not good but hey, it's still good.

Skyscraper (2018)

I guess I lose all credibility as a cinephile with this one, because I didn't hate it. Thank goodness for that. Cinephiles are quacks. Just kidding. Anyway, Dwayne Johnson is a cool dude.

Leave No Trace (2018)

Absolutely brilliant, I loved it. Very low-key in the best way possible, and works mainly because the father-daughter dynamic is dynamite.

Sorry to Bother You (2018)

I definitely liked it when I saw it, and afterward felt perplexed by what I just witnessed. I haven't thought about it since then much, but I still give it kudos for it's imaginative ways.

Three Identical Strangers (2018)

Goes for shock-value much of the time but it's still a fascinating movie.

RBG (2018)

An interesting person.

Unfriended: Dark Web (2018)

Oh no, everyone watch out, the big bad internet is coming to get you! To be sure though, I know the internet has bad stuff, but this movie takes it to a stupidly farfetched level.

The Equalizer 2 (2018)

I quite liked it. For me, Denzel was always kind of "there," even though I respected him at the end of the day. This movie made me a big fan.

Mission Impossible: Fallout (2018)

HOLY CRAP

Eighth Grade (2018)

What surprised me about this one was just how dark it was at times. But those uncomfortable moments were still important as we followed young, socially-awkward Kayla navigate eighth grade and ultimately, her place in the world. It's something most of us can relate to, in our own ways. But I had a lot of appreciation for quirky Kayla, and thought her dad had the best job in the world as her father.

Blindspotting (2018)

Main pull for me was Daveed Diggs, who I am a big fan of from his work with clipping, and who many know from his work on the Hamilton play (which I've never seen). Here, he gives an absolutely tremendous performance. Dude has talent like it's nobodies business.



Master of My Domain
Mission Impossible: Fallout (2018)
HOLY CRAP
This is good, right? As in, you liked it so much that it made you release a sacred pile of sh*t?
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“Sugar is the most important thing in my life…”
Stopped by the neighborhood to see if you saw Eighth Grade...yep, of course you did.


It opens here this week, been looking forward to it. Not a fan of Burnham's standup, but he looks like he has some solid directing chops.



Though I am a Burnham fan myself, I would guess you don't have to be to appreciate Eighth Grade.



Cave of Forgotten Dreams (2010)

Uncovering history is a spiritual journey.

The Salt of the Earth (2014)

Stunning, a bit depressing, but important.

Hacksaw Ridge (2016)

Works emotionally and viscerally despite some hammy filmmaking. Garfield brings a great performance.

Mission Impossible: Fallout (2018)

They should create the Best Stuntman Oscar this year, just for Tom Cruise in Mission Impossible: Fallout.

Dawn of the Dead (2004)

There are certainly things I like about this movie, like the opening and the Richard Cheese cover of "Down with the Sickness," but much of this is very lackluster for me. I end up bored for 85% of it.

BlacKkKlansman (2018)

After the ending, the theater was dead silent - expect for one woman bawling her eyes out.

The Meg (2018)

It's garbage, and not even good garbage that I can enjoy. Just boring, sleep-inducing GARBAGE.

Madeline's Madeline (2018)

Hallucinatory and dream-like, but never emotionally out of reach. I nearly cried during her monologue near the end, which is the best scene I've watched in 2018 cinema thus far. The first film of the year I unabashedly love.




Miss Vicky's Loyal and Willing Slave
The Meg (2018)

It's garbage, and not even good garbage that I can enjoy. Just boring, sleep-inducing GARBAGE
That's what I've heard from a few people. I mean it was NEVER going to be a good film. It's only hope was to be enjoyably bad but from what I've heard it seems to have missed the mark

Glad you seemed to like Hacksaw Ridge.



I liked it too, just thought some of the filmmaking wasn't the best. Pretty riveting flick nonetheless.



I'm pretty psyched for BlacKkKansman and I'll also throw Madeline's Madeline on the list. I am going to still try The Meg.

I also enjoyed Hacksaw.



The Meg (2018)

It's garbage, and not even good garbage that I can enjoy. Just boring, sleep-inducing GARBAGE.
This is worrying. I am thinking of actually going to the cinema and seeing this. I like Sharknado movies. Hell, I like shark movies, but this already looked like a 'see it at the cinema or don't see it' kind of film. Got me thinking twice now.
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5-time MoFo Award winner.



This is worrying. I am thinking of actually going to the cinema and seeing this. I like Sharknado movies. Hell, I like shark movies, but this already looked like a 'see it at the cinema or don't see it' kind of film. Got me thinking twice now.
I haven't seen the Sharknado movies but I have a friend who loves them and I get the appeal. If I had to guess, take a Sharknado movie and extract all the fun.

It's rated PG-13, too, if that's any indication. They build up to the shark going for a really populated beach, and you want a lot of bloodshed, and it's really pretty stupid and tame.



Miss Vicky's Loyal and Willing Slave
This is worrying. I am thinking of actually going to the cinema and seeing this. I like Sharknado movies. Hell, I like shark movies, but this already looked like a 'see it at the cinema or don't see it' kind of film. Got me thinking twice now.
Are you sh*tting me?!!! You hardly ever go to the cinema and the film that's going to change that is The Meg? The f*cking Meg?!!! You really are a unique one ain't you HK?



The Social Network (2010)

Might be my favorite film of all-time. Whoever got Fincher and Sorkin to work together is the real MVP here.

The House of Small Cubes (2008) [SHORT]

Really, really good. Brief, but impactful. Brilliant concept.

Searching (2018)

I thought this was decently engaging but ultimately too predictable. I particularly did not like the use of music. However, the director was influenced by Shyamalan as a kid, so he gets major points for that.

2001: A Space Odyssey (1968) [70mm IMAX]

It's definitely good with a lot of great, interesting ideas. I like that Kubrick knows exactly what is going on but doesn't need to explain too much. Lesson I take from this: trust your audience.

Alas, I am not nearly as enamored with it as I once was. I like it, but I don't love it, at this point.