F for Fake
I love these kinds of meta movies about fakes and forgery— fits in well with a few movies I watched last year like Close-Up and The Amazing Johnathan Documentary. Definitely seems like a film that will be benefit from numerous rewatches, but from the first watch I can already tell I loved it. The editing and camerawork are sometimes confusing and disjointed, but always mesmerizing. I have yet to see some of Welles’ most famous work, but I am certainly looking forward to it even more after watching this.

Harlan County U.S.A.
Harlan County U.S.A. is a movie that lured me in with its simplicity. For the first thirty minutes, Barbara Kopple seems to be simply documenting the mine workers’ actions as they strike for higher wages. But the more I watched, the more I noticed the beautiful nuances of the film— namely, Kopple’s keen eye for interesting people, both in how they look and what they have to say. Harlan County builds moment to moment until its brilliant climax— a ten-minute stand-off that takes place on a road blocked by protestors.
As a group of (mostly) female protestors form a blockade, the main antagonist of the film (Basil Collins, a man with a true movie villain name) sits at the head of a long line of cars that are waiting to get through. The protestors accuse Collins of open firing on a group of protestors just days earlier and demand he be arrested to the county sheriff, who is physically caught in the middle of the conflicting parties. It’s a truly intense and rewarding scene that shows just how far an issue like a wage dispute can escalate. Kopple directs it perfectly. Suffice to say, I can tell why this film is taught as an “essential doc.”

Sans Soleil
Chris Marker’s Sans Soleil is a visionary, essayistic doc that feels like it would play better in a screening room at The Whitney than on my 13-inch computer screen. Regardless, I found it fascinating. It’s a dense film that can’t be fully appreciated or understood after just one viewing, so I won’t make the mistake of trying to solidify my feelings on it just yet. A lot of the descriptions of Eastern culture and political machinations went way over my head, so I will certainly be revisiting this at some point.

The Thin Blue Line
This movie invented your dad’s favorite true crime Netflix series.
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I don’t feel like getting political about this one, but this viewing reminded me yet again why I hate certain professions, institutions, and kinds of people. If you’ve seen the movie, I think it will be very clear which professions, institutions, and kinds of people I am referring to.

I don't mean this in a demeaning way, but I think this is a great film to show in high schools or to your kids as they get older (one of the film’s key figures is, after all, a sixteen year-old boy). It’s not as gritty, flashy, or bizarre as some of the more recent true crime narratives, but it is competently made and dramatically compelling. As a high schooler, movies (especially documentaries) played a huge role in shaping my opinion on the death penalty. Had I seen this as a teen, I’m sure that it would have only strengthened my feelings on the matter.

The War Room
This is a great behind-the-scenes look at the ubiquitous American political machine and yet it feels like nothing I’ve ever seen before. Watching Carville and Stephanopoulos work is a true delight, as you really feel like you are watching a moment unfold in real time. Knowing the outcome doesn’t hamper this at all— it’s all about the process.

Safety Last!
A pretty amusing little silent film with one really great set piece towards the end. It’s clear to me that Harry Lloyd probably doesn’t receive as much acclaim as he should, as I had never even heard of him before watching this. I'm a fan of Charlie Chaplin and Buster Keaton, but this movie makes me look forward to further exploring the unsung (or less-sung) heroes of silent comedy.

P.S. I feel validated by this movie’s depiction of fabric stores. Joann Fabrics is a stressful place!!

Battleship Potemkin
Despite its age, Battleship Potemkin holds up pretty well thanks to its great cinematography, poetic narration cards, and a few distinct moments of genuine thrill and intensity. The first half drags a bit, but the second half is actually pretty riveting. The Steps of Odessa and One Against All chapters are especially well-shot and narratively exciting.

Metropolis
It may be long, but it’s truly fantastic. The performances and production design really stood out to me, but my absolute favorite element has to be the score. The version of Metropolis I watched included a version of the “original” Gottfried Huppertz score, which feels so ahead of its time. I’d be genuinely shocked if John Williams wasn’t greatly influenced by this score or the work of Huppertz in general. It has shades of Star Wars, Indiana Jones, and even E.T. I have yet to see Moroder’s version of Metropolis, though I’m sure that is great as well!

The Passion of Joan of Arc
I’m just gonna come out and say it: this movie is overrated. There’s nothing particularly bad about it, but there’s nothing particularly exciting either. I like De Niro, Pesci seems to be doing his usual, and Ray Liotta's hyena laugh is (maybe purposefully) terrifying. But I don't know, it's just fine to me.

Pandora’s Box (This review may contain spoilers.)
Woah okay. I had no clue this was going to be about a sugar baby who goes on the run after marrying and then murdering her sugar daddy, only to be murdered herself at the hands of Jack the Ripper!

I didn’t like it per se, but at a certain point I was just like, “wow, I don’t think I’ve ever seen a silent film like this.” Pandora’s Box gets a hesitantly positive review from me right now, but I wouldn’t be surprised if I enjoyed it more on a rewatch.

Oh, and I definitely think that this would be a great movie for someone like Yorgos Lanthimos to adapt. Here's my dream casting for 2022's Pandora's Box:
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Anya Taylor-Joy as Lulu
Colin Farrell as Dr. Ludwig Schön
Timothée Chalamet as Alwa Schön
Bill Camp as Schigolch
Jesse Plemons as Rodrigo Quast
Greta Gerwig as Countess Augusta Geschwitz
Alicia Vikander as Charlotte Marie Adelaide von Zarnikow
Jake Gyllenhaal as "Jack"