Zotis' Film Watching Diary

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The Transfiguration (2016) Drama/Thriller/Romance

A slow paced and thoughtfully quiet movie that took a realistic look at vampires in a violent coming of age romance. Eric Ruffin played Milo, an awkward 14-year-old loner obsessed with vampires and burdened by a troubled past. Upon meeting Sophie, played by the delightfully charming Chloe Levine, a budding romance began to entwine their disfunctional lives. This was Michael O'Shea's directorial debut, and premiering at Cannes was an impressive feat.







Eighth Grade (2018)

A coming of age story focused on the awkwardness of being a girl in the eighth grade. Elsie Fisher played Kayla, a quiet girl with little to no friends who made youtube videos in her spare time. I thought the movie did a good job of capturing the anxiety of our current youth, with the social awkwardness that comes with this technological era. Kayla was a bit of a social outcast. There were a lot of insightful moments into the lives of people who've struggled with fitting in, making friends, being bullied, and finding their place in the world. The movie was very realistic and avoided the cliches of typical coming of age stories.




I wanted to say more about Eighth Grade, it was a very clever movie. I remember how The Edge of Seventeen claimed it's central character had only one friend, and was "unpopular." But were we supposed to ignore how pretty and cool she was? She wasn't socially awkward, and she was very well dressed. Not to pick on The Edge of Seventeen, you could say it was going for a more entertainment route and wasn't trying to be realistic. But by comparison, I find movies like Eighth Grade to be so refreshing because the characters and everything they go through feel so real. It's the kind of thing that makes life exciting because even if someone is just standing by the side of the pool awkwardly thinking about going in, or doing something basic like putting on their shoes, eating, or opening a door, it's fascinating to watch. The camera work went for some more creative angles, and I liked the way it pursued smoothly through the chaos of scenes, like at the pool party for example.

I've watched a bunch of movies lately, but I've been more concerned with watching than reviewing...



I've been interested in Haley Bennett lately. She feels like a mix between Jennifer Lawrence and Michelle Williams. I didn't really notice her for a long time. I'd seen her in Thank You for Your Service and I think a couple other small roles that didn't really stand out. I did notice her in Kristy, which I think I watched last year, but it wasn't a great movie and I pretty much forgot about her. I'm not sure what put her back on my radar, but I came across her again and she's quite talented.




Swallow (2019)


This was a slow paced movie with a lot of artistic vibes, especially in the set design of the rich condo, and in Haley Bennett's look. She played a newly married wife to a rich business man (I didn't catch his exact job). With plenty of time on her hands, and a bit of an awkward personality, she got herself into trouble by picking up the peculiar habit of swallowing strange objects. When this eventually landed her in the hospital the rest of the family became deeply concerned. This was a subtle movie with a lot of attention to atmosphere. It focused on Bennett's character, her emotional turmoil and quiet observing demeanor. I loved the way this movie played with the strength of Bennett's character and the way that others viewed her as weak because of her quietness. The ending climaxed terrifically.




Lost in the White City (2014)


Haley Bennett played a supporting role to Thomas Dekker in this movie about young artists abroad who spend some time in Tel Aviv where they befriend Bob Morley's character. Dekker and Bennett had a bit of a love-hate relationship, and it wasn't clear if they were a couple or just friends with benefits, but it was a complex relationship made even more complicated by a love triangle with Morley. Bi-sexuality and homosexuality were present, and handled very realistically, but little was explicitly stated on the subject. A lot of movies make a big deal out of homosexuality like we're still being introduced to the idea for the first time. It was very refreshing to see a movie like this where it was just there, normal, and nothing needed to be said about it. Edit: I forgot to mention that the ending of this movie used a technique that always excites me. They zoomed in slowly on an object and cut to credits right before exactly what I knew was about to happen. It left me stewing in the impact of what was implied.




Kate Can't Swim (2017)


An interpersonal drama about two couples hanging out at a lodge, reconnecting old friendships and dealing with intense emotions and sexuality relating to life commitment. One thing that really stood out to me about this movie was the way it dealt with the freedom and complexity of sexuality without being cliche or preachy. This was just a random movie I came across. It was a technically solid movie, but it just didn't impact me enough to get a higher rating.