If we can talk about the best, we can also talk about the worst. I don’t have a whole lot to say except I didn’t see Five Nights at Freddy’s 2, Snow White, War of the Worlds, or Minecraft, so this list is missing those, and from all accounts, it probably shouldn’t be.
10. Back in Action
A real shame that this is the movie Cameron Diaz came out of retirement for. That Netflix money must be worth the tarnish on your career.
9. Opus
There was no real excitement or surprises in a movie that is clearly about cults but acts like it isn’t. We’ve seen a few movies with a similar plot lately and this is the worst of them all.
8. Keeper
Osgood Perkins certainly could have kept this one on the drawing board. He needs to slow down and put something out with a little more care put behind it again.
7. Electric State
There has never been less chemistry between two leads and their computer animated counterparts.
6. V/H/S Halloween
I’ve seen better acting in porn and I know there’s filmmakers out there with a little more creativity.
5. Die My Love
This could have worked if it was played off as an experimental film, but everyone involved has moved way past that part in their careers.
4. The Strangers: Chapter 2
We’re getting dangerously close to this ruining my love for the 2008 original.
3. Happy Gilmore 2
I don’t have much affection for the first one, but this had to have made some fans angry. Cameos lose their appeal when it’s the only thing you’re counting on working every 2 minutes.
2. Shelby Oaks. Bland, ugly to look at, and its direction never felt like it had any.
1. The Woman in the Yard
The worst thing a movie can be is noncommittal. This movie is the King, or Queen, of just that.
The time has come again where I’m supposed to give my top ten movies of the year. Every year I keep all the movies I see in a ranked list, it’s updated every time I see a new film, or every time I think about it. It’s constantly the hardest and easiest thing I ever have to do, because I see movies I know for a fact will be in my top ten and I see others that I hope will make it but ultimately don’t.
These are my ten favorites and not necessarily the best. I would need to watch each movie a dozen more times if I wanted to come up with something that objective.
That’s the thing I love about doing it though, it’s my list. I don’t need to listen to other critics or the internet on what should or shouldn’t be on it. I love some movies that people were middle of the road on and I dislike some that people thought were the best of all time. Movie tastes are subjective and that’s what makes it fun!
Without further ado, here are my top ten movies of 2025.
Well, first I’ll give a few honorable mentions and then countdown in ascending order because it’s more dramatic.
Honorable Mentions:
No Other Choice The Assessment Rental Family Jay Kelly It Was Just an Accident Sorry, Baby
10. Twinless
In a year full of actors playing twins, Dylan O’Brien was the best of them all.
9. Marty Supreme
Timothee Chalamet is the chosen one in this confident story of the quest for perfection turning into self-inflicted bad luck. Some of the most chaotic fun I had all year.
8. The Life of Chuck
A defiant movie that melts your mind with grace where my entire body felt a warmth from tears and fears. Oh yeah, and that dance scene is spectacular.
7. Sinners
Satisfying to no end. Ryan Coogler made a creative and genre expanding triumph. I was in awe of everything brought to the screen here, from the story to the direction of a song that blew my mind.
6. Freaky Tales
Just a fun movie that I really dug. Pedro Pascal was in four movies this year and this was the best time I had with him. The music is a blast and it’s segmented options really kept me on my toes.
5. Caught Stealing
Austin Butler proves he is a leading man in a pretty straight forward story that I couldn’t help but latch onto. Just a cool movie.
4. One Battle After Another
What can really be said anymore? I saw it three times in a theater and it was a monumental experience for every single second. PTA and company solidified his own genre with this output.
3. Warfare
The sound, the realism, the feeling you get while watching this is not comparable. A real life story told by a master filmmaker is such an achievement that I’ll never forget. The brotherhood is felt in a way I had never seen before.
2. Train Dreams
A cinematic achievement that brought me to a point in my life where I am now hopeful for my ancestors. Thank you Clint Bentley and Joel Edgerton. Simply put, watch this movie.
1. Black Bag
Slick. Stylish. Sexy. Soderberg. “S” is the letter of the year and Black Bag is my favorite movie of the year. This is the most “right up my alley” movie I have seen since The Killer. We finally have a consistent Fassbender and that makes me so happy. The editing is top notch, the script is tight, and I want that interrogation scene played on my headstone.
A video game cut scene of a movie, where every moment moves the plot backwards. You can definitely tell this was directed by a Youtuber and it hurts. It’s like Chris wanted to throw bits and pieces of every horror movie he liked into one. All that crowdfunded money made for one of the blandest stories and worst looking horror films of the decade.
0.4/5
No Other Choice
You know how chaotic Horrible Bosses is? Well take that to a whole nother level where Park Chan-wook masterfully breaks open what it feels like to be on a job hunt in today’s working world. This is cartoonish, offbeat, rare, and his transitions that will blow your mind in all the best ways.
4.3/5
The Secret Agent
Reverting back to high school math for this review. Imagine a bell curve on a graph and then flip it upside down. The first portion is so intriguing, and it quickly turns into something so uninteresting and bizarre. Wagner Moura is quietly impressive and I’m thrilled that the end of the movie turns everything around.
3/5
Nuremberg
I was very scared this entire movie would be a courtroom drama, but luckily it’s only some of it. This film is so fascinating because of its history and hard truths. Rami Malek is likeable and fierce, Russell Crowe can play a Nazi too well, and everyone else is a killer. Should be contender for many things but will be forgotten in the ether of 2025 releases, which is a real shame.
3.4/5
Keeper
Sleeper. Osbad Perkins. Whatever funny pun you want to use, works here. It was trying so hard to be original that it felt too familiar, and familiar here actually means second-rate.
1/5
K-POP Demon Hunters
The movie itself is very very average, but I could feel the phenomena behind it from the jump. A majority of the songs are bangers and some actually gave me goosebumps. I loved the mix in animation style that was used and the main characters are a lot of fun to live with for the runtime as it exists. I wouldn’t hate seeing more movies like this, but for once the songs overshadowed the message.
3.3/5
Springsteen
A complete nothing of a biopic. It’s never exciting or interesting and it chose a time in Bruce’s life that either felt like 1 month or 10 years, but it was impossible to tell. This also felt like a story of a man who wasn’t famous at the time of this story, or ever, so I was unsure why this was even told, espcially now. (I know he is very famous but this movie doesn’t convey that in the slightest)
2.6/5
Jay Kelly
A movie where George Clooney is basically playing himself should have felt so felt hoity-toity, instead it is one of the most endearing sotires of the year. Noah Baumbach deliciously unfolds a journey that had every ounce of my attention. It is one of the few films this year that made me chuckle, cry, and drop my jaw throughout. The screenplay is tremendous and the ensemble cast is a sight to behold.
I will add that I’m thrilled to see Adam Sandler in more dramatic roles, but we’ve got to calm down on the Best Supporting Actor train.
4.2/5
Song Sung Blue
Hugh Jackson and Kate Hudson are the most impressive actors that can sing, well with each other, that we have this year. Outside of their singing, they did feel a little out of place in these roles. For something that was a biopic, it felt like much more of a fantasy when it clearly wanted to tell a more down to earth story. If I was a Neil Diamond fan, I would have loved this movie, I think.
2.4/5
The Testament of Ann Lee
Amanda, Fucking. Seyfried. WOW her voice is so incredible and whatever type of singing you want to call this, is her wheelhouse for sure. There were moments that gave me chills and I was wrapped up in the symmetrical displays of cinematography. I do my best to care when it comes to religion in any form of a story, but here it comes off as a little posturing (even if it’s historically accurate). The repetitive nature was overstimulating to say the least.
In the words of my finance “I can admire a movie without liking it”
Marty Supreme makes one thing very clear, Timothee Chalamet has the juice. In a role that requires him to not only be athletically skilled, he’s also allowed to show off many other sides of his talent. His performance here will go down as one of the best of the year (look out Leo) and should stand the test of time. Getting to spend almost every second of screen time with Marty Mauser is the delight of the year. Oh, and Timmy is the funniest he has ever been, so now we’re really in trouble.
The confidence you must need to create such a big movie out of something so small, must be immeasurable. Josh Safdie is an absolute genius on multiple levels. He turned a story about a ping pong player into a certified atom bomb. Just when you think you’re going to get a straight forward story about table tennis, it flips into a non-stop thrill ride about self-inflicted bad luck. The volleys between the two aspects ultimately end up meshing into one perfect, out of control, being.
This movie hits a rhythm immediately and never slows down. It’s full of performers that get to be fierce, yet cool and collected. Gwyneth Paltrow makes her biggest impact in twenty years and almost steals the show. I also hate to say it, but Kevin O’Leary brings a mesmerizing aptitude to the fold here and further proves what Safdie can do with non actors. There’s so many other people here too that will blow you away with their execution as well.
In typical Safdie nature, this is the perfect NYC movie that only benefits from its world expanding passion. Moving constantly from place to place compounds the insanity of this story. I promise you won’t know where it’s going. It’s such a fresh world they built here. This movie will impregnate you with every scene and take you to term multiple times. It’s a movie that should not only be talked about consistently throughout awards season, but for years to come.
An all around story that keeps you on your toes. The direction from Jafar Panahi is some of the best of the year. The way he lingers on everything almost pulls your eyes into the screen and I couldn’t wait to see where this story went. I will never forget the final moments of this film.
4.1
The Mastermind
Slow and methodical. Two words you probably wouldn’t use to describe a heist, but that’s how this one plays out. It smartly uses its dumb characters to play out this story. The framing (ha) of this picture is beyond words. If only it was showing something fully intact.
3.3/5
Bad Guys 2
DNF
Wake Up Dead Man: A Knives Out Mystery
My least favorite of the franchise and it’s still a blast. At times it gets a little heavy handed with its mystery, but the characters make this one run like always. Would you be shocked to hear that Daniel Craig isn’t the best at his craft in this? That’s because Josh O’Conner is doing something I’ve never seen before, and that’s to make religious characters fascinating. The costume design is top notch, it’s hilarious, dramatic, and it stays loyal to the franchise while still keeping you guessing. Even though you can feel the length, I’m envious of the superb level of seductiveness this ensemble cast brings to the table.
3.8/5
Sentimental Value
I know this is going to sound too negative, but I found this to be a little dry. After The Worst Person in the World my expectations were so high, clearly too high. Everyone involved in an acting sense is so tremendous. Respectfully, they’re all doing some of their best work and deserve the highest of praises. That being said, I was waiting for the big, or multiple small, emotional moments, and they never fully came. I hate saying this, but it requires a second watch for me, but still lands in my top 20 on the year.
4.1/5
Rental Family
The sweetest Bredan Fraser has ever been. Fraser and the rest of the incredible cast steal your heart immediately with a lovely story that goes in a direction I was happily surprised with. In many ways this can be compared to Lost in Translation, except the people are likeable. Prepare your eyes for tears and your mouth for smiles, Rental Family is the feel good movie of the year.
4.2/5
V/H/S Halloween
Porn has better acting than most of these segments. The camera has become a crutch to the point where this franchise is overwhelmingly forced and repetitive. It’s no longer fun or scary to watch these, which is a shame when 2 is one of my favorite modern horror films. What used to be some of the most original anthology pieces has now become a yearly laughing stock at home. I don’t even know if I should say laughing stock, because I honestly get no physical reaction out of these anymore.
0.8/5
The Plague
Mysterious? Sure. All that mystery ultimately leads to no payoff. The pool scenes are incredible to look at and I really dug the vibes. If someone would have told me equal parts Full Metal Jacket and Let the Right One In came together in a movie, I would have been stoked. Too bad it’s all edging. As always, I was hoping for more Joel Edgerton on screen.
2.5/5
Kiss of the Spider Woman
This movie is so unintentionally funny because Jennifer Lopez is the worst aspect of her own movie. I get why they made this partially a musical, but it only detracted from the things that were remotely interesting. The story in the prison with Diego Luna and Tonatiuh is actually captivating but its impact is shortened every time it cuts back to whatever JLO was doing. This is a story that deserved to be told, just in a different way.
2/5
The Roses
Multiple levels of unfunny comedic bashings that continually try to no avail. Its unrealistic nature ruins the realistic setting that could have worked if you played to any of the actors strengths. I never saw The War of the Roses, but this feels like a slap in the face to it. This is all such a shame when most of the people involved have the capabilities of being funny and entertaining. Really hard to watch at times.
Why yes, I would like to put my name in the running to spend eternity with Elizabeth Olsen.
I don’t love to complain, but I’ll get those out of the way first. This movie feels like an eternity and a half. It’s a little complicated, uncomfortable, and sometimes the humor doesn’t quite land. Miles Teller is playing the perfect role of annoying option guy and it’s really hard to tell if it’s acting or not. There always needs to be that more annoying guy, but at points it was a little frustrating to sit through his screen time. So those things made it hard to fully buy in when I felt the choice was so easy from the jump.
Now, there are a lot of positives here so lets get into those. Eternity is so creative! I couldn’t believe something like this hadn’t been put to screen before. Even though I wish the worlds would have been explored a touch more, it was exciting getting to see the behind the scenes of this eternal after life. It asks so many questions. How do you compete with a memory? Who is the best for you? Is it okay to be selfish without regrets? These things have been asked countless times in romcoms, but not in a setting like this.
Now I will say, this movie isn’t the most romantic (probably because I didn’t love either of the male leads), but it has its moments. Elizabeth Olsen in the middle of it all really helps propel the romance forward. Her attendance here is the dreamy glue that holds everything together and she is just so lovely as always. I wish we got more of her and less of the overly comedic and sitcomy style comedy from the rest of the cast. If you didn’t know, this is so much more a comedy than anything else. At times the dark comedy really works, especially since this is technically a dark time in everyone’s life.
It was cathartic, relieving sweet moments of these character’s lives. I’m sure some people will bawl their eyes out at times here, but for me I couldn’t bury myself in some of these characters or the overall comedy. I will say the colors are the most pleasing thing to the eyes here, well, if you don’t count Olsen. Eternity proves that comedy and romance can be both enough and not enough.
I forgot to mention Callum Turner, he’s there too. Hot and there.
Do not steer clear of Ethan Hawke’s performance as Lorenz Hart. He not only transforms into a different person, he is also the most inviting character on the year. Hawke cloaks his real persona while pinning down a role that is so professional and passionate. He also proves more and more that he is irreplaceable. I was only mildly interested in the story but Richard Linklater once again gets away with enchanting an audience by delivering dialogue that you can’t help but fall in love with. Even though they won’t get mentioned in the long run, Margaret Qualley and Bobby Cannavale deserve to be a part of the celebration here too. Ehtan Hawke is perfect and every line of dialogue elevates a pretty uninspired movie, for my taste at least.
3.5/5
Hedda
This very much falls into the -not for me- category of movies this year. While Tessa Thompson as the titular character is a strong contender for one of the better performances of the year, her range is a little wrongheaded and overshadowed by others around her. If emotion was the preferred outcome, I couldn’t seem to find any. Manuscript must have been the word of the year when this story is set and I hope I never have to hear it again, as it was said a profuse amount of times to no regard. I know it’s a film, a drama at that, but this story could have been avoided by everyone just going home and things could have been less dramatic and forced.
2.4/5
Die My Love
WOW. Never did I think I could dislike Jennifer Lawrence as much as I did in Die My Love. This is an agonizing watch (on purpose) but still brought me to the angriest point I have been watching a movie all year. Having talented actors just do crazy things on camera for no reason made for a horrible time. Every word spoken and every movement of the actors’ bodies drove me nuts. I can’t relate to this movie because I’ve never gone through postpartum depression, but I can’t relate to 99% of other movies either. At least they aren’t trying their hardest to be experimental when everyone involved has evolved past that point. It’s like if a tenured professor went to work at Wendy’s, they can do the job but you have to ask yourself, why the fuck would you? Every aspect is a rough time. The lighting is brutal, the direction is a headache, and it made J. Law and Robert Pattison annoying to no end. I guess if you want to see hot people naked, here you go. Just put it on mute so you don’t have to think to yourself “SHUT UP” the whole time like I did.
0.7/5
The Legend of the Ochi
The ugliest movie I have seen in a very long time. I hate to be so blunt, but oh my goodness was this hard to look at. I’m not sure if the production budget was razor thin or if this was intentional, either way it is painful on the eyes. The costumes are created with the flair of a Wes Anderson adventure, while simultaneously having the effect of a high school drama. I have also never been so off put by sounds in a film, as the noise the creature makes is atrocious and in no way cute. There’s times where the sound design is pulling in so many different directions that I wanted to plug my ears. The Legend of Ochi is an unpleasant experience for two of the five senses, which are arguably the two most important. What should have felt like a new aged E.T., ultimately turned out to be an annoying turn of misadventure and failed design from all angles.
1.4/5
Ballad of a Small Player
Edward Berger really fell off a short cliff after Conclave. Gambling movies are a tough pill to swallow for me, sure you have great gambling scenes in movies like Oceans 11 and Casino Royale, but those are a small part in the scheme of greater things. I don’t feel bad for people that do this type of thing to themselves, so maybe that’s why it is hard for me to buy in. It just felt like Eddy was trying to show off his camera skills without bringing anything new to the table. The color design is off the walls cool, but when the substance isn’t there, it’s hard to see it as anything more than performative. I like seeing Colin Farrell attempt to show off his range, but his skills work so much better when there’s at least a little humor involved.
1.7/5
Nouvelle Vague
Richard Linklater’s second outing in one month plays like a very well made documentary (without talking heads or narration) that might not be all that interesting for the uninformed (me). I might be the worst cinephile in the world after having no interest in watching how one of the most important films in French cinema history came to be. The casting is perfect for people I’ve never heard of, but you can just tell. The set design of the Paris streets is so realistic that I do have to admit I was a little in love with that more than the people. Zoey Deutch feels like she’s speaking a made up language at times, but still stands out in a mostly good way. It felt too hand fed and if I had to applaud, it would be scattered.
2.7/5
Baltimorons
I usually LOVE anything a Duplass brother touches, so I’m disappointed I didn’t have much of a positive reaction to this one. I was so uncomfortable watching these people do such weird and unfunny things throughout the film. The tow yard scene had my attention but after that scene ended it was such a repetitive drag of dullness. I easily understand why I’ve never seen these actors in a movie before.
2/5
Train Dreams
An under talked about film that hasn’t really even been released yet, but I know how these things go. Joel Edgerton is subtle, yet so important in his stature and emotion. When beautiful cinematography and soothing narration come together, it usually leads to an enchanting film, and Train Dreams is no different. This immediately became one of my favorite films of the year and presented me with hope and wonder for my ancestors.
I have been on the Bradely Cooper director train (very short train)since the beginning, but people seem to dislike his attempts. With Is This Thing On? I was once again hooked and entranced with the story he was telling. This follows a man, Will Arnett, in the beginning of a midlife crisis and his turn towards stand up comedy as a form of therapy. First off, I think Bardley cast Will as the lead because he looks exactly like him now, or like if you were to draw him from memory. Arnett doesn’t quite have what it takes to be a leading man in this type of role, but it works 75% of the time. I’m glad Cooper did not cast himself as the lead this time around, because his presence as the friend stole the show and made for one of, if not the best, comedic performances of the year.
I was impressed with the abundant handheld long shots that solely focus on Arnett’s face as he worked through every line of his routine. Justice was brought to the New York comedy scene through many facets and utilizing the real Comedy Cellar and the comics that hang out there was such a nice touch that I applaud the realism. I have been to that club a few times and it was so cool to see it on the big screen as a character of its own. It’s a complicated and insane movie that also pursues the awkwardness of breakups in a graceful way. I love the idea of working through pain with comedy and it leads to my favorite transition shot of the last year or two, you’ll know when you see it.
Looking back on my time with this film, I noticed it worked as a personal form of therapy. This taught me that life happens to us, which is something I really need right now. Cooper crafts another adult film that will hopefully work for the masses. It’s filled with cameos that are let off the leash and situations that are justified and hilarious stories about life. It inspired me to look at relationships and life choices differently. There’s just something so real within the way Cooper chooses to tell stories about larger than life people in a smaller world.
Twin Cities Film Fest: 10 Days. 150+ Movies. 2 Theaters.
My stats: 7 Days. 6 Movies. 2 Theaters.
This was my second ever festival experience and my first at TCFF and it’s safe to say there are many ups and downs to the whole thing. Here I will get into both sides of the coin and offer up my thoughts on all the films I saw, whether it was in person or at home with the screening pass.
Before the fest even started I had the director of I’ve Seen All I Need to See reach out to me for a collaboration. This was such a cool opportunity that I couldn’t pass up. I was able to create a post for a competition on instagram and thankfully two people won the chance to go see the movie. I was unable to see the movie in person but watched it on the streaming pass. If you like moody dramas and metal music, it’s worth checking out!
I went through my first day scenario and Hamnet thoughts in a separate blog that you can find on my page, but I will touch on that a little more. I firmly believe sitting front row for a big time awards film affected my thoughts on it and that sucks. While the story wasn’t my typical cup of tea, everyone involved in it was, and I didn’t like it as much as everyone else seemed to have. Now I’ll never see it again for the first time and I might not ever want to in general. I’ve had a few situations where an important movie was watched in undesirable circumstances and I never take the time to go back to them. To end this paragraph I do want to give anonymous shoutouts to a few TCFF employees that reached out to me to discuss my issues that night, you were truly helpful and understanding.
My second day was a much better time all around, as I was placed in a better seat and got to see one of the better surprises of the year in Christy. Can you believe Sydney Sweeney made a better combat sport biopic than The Rock this year?? Sweeney is likeable, at least to me, for the first time in her acting career. If you ignore her on again, off again accent, this is by far her best and most dynamic performance that we’ve seen from her. Sure, it’s not the greatest in the realm of biopics and its over two hour runtime isn’t ideal, but this does a lot of different things right. Seek it out when it hits theaters very soon.
I know I said my second day at the fest was better all around, but that was a lie. That’s because I walked up on a guy actively breaking into my car as I was leaving the movie. I heard a car alarm go off in the direction of where I was walking and took the time to hit the lock button on my fob just in case it was mine. Sure enough, it was for me! And there was a guy standing at my car asking if the alarmed car in question was mine. Now listen, I’m a person with a pretty calm demeanor, so I wasn’t immediately upset or yelling at this guy. I just asked him what he was doing at my car and he tried to gaslight me by saying he walked up to it with the windows and door already open. At this point I had already locked the car again, yet his hand was still on the door handle. I told him “I can take care of my own car” and he said okay and got into his own car (which of course was right next to mine) but not before a few more seconds of spouting lies. I slammed my door shut and headed home.
I took a few day break from the fest and returned back to the theater on Tuesday night to check out a movie called Cotton Candy Bubble Gum. The only reason I chose this one was because of its timing (my fiance was working) and it was a comedy, so I thought I would give something different a chance. This night was a disaster to say the least… Ten seconds into the movie, I knew this wasn’t for me. It’s a bad sight when a writer makes a comedian unfunny on screen while using every curse word and Final Cut Pro filter to only bring the movie down even more. I say all this with having only watched ⅔ of the films because of technical issues. Twice within the middle section of the movie, it cut to black. On that second instance, I cut my losses and left the theater knowing nothing could have changed my mind on the thing anyway.
Now Wednesday night was a big night, I was seeing Bugonia. The Newest film, and most recent collaboration between Yorgos Lanthimos and Emma Stone. I knew nothing about this film going in, except Stone was bald in it and that’s all I needed. I knew a lot of people at this screening and for the first time, this felt like a community event. There was a photobooth set up from the studio and they were handing out free t-shirts. These things brought a memory I will never forget.
Now as far as the movie goes, I wasn’t quite as impressed. I will start with the things I was impressed by though. Emma is sensational.This was the most I have liked her in the Yorgos era. Not only was the shaving of her head worth it, it was necessary. The score is brilliant and magnifies the intensity of everything happening on screen. Yorgos also knows how to make the small things feel huge. Now Jesse Plemmons, he was out of place. I usually love him, but this felt like something he would have done early on in his career. The story also felt too similar to a different film that I won’t spoil (and yes I know this is a remake* of a 2000’s film). I can admit this is a very weird film while also feeling too accessible for the “normies”. Usually you walk away from a Yorgos film talking about how little you understood but how you still loved the ride. Here I understood everything and was left a little unimpressed with the outcome. I’ll score this one a 3 out of 5 here because of how much I loved Emma in it.
The screening of the fest for me ended up being Rental Family. I had plans to see a couple more on the final night but life happens.
Now Rental Family. Starring Breandan Fraser, this immediately became one of my favorites of the year. Brendan has recently been such a sweet presence on screen and this movie was no different. It takes this story in lovely directions that I was not expecting. I don’t have too much to say on it, mainly because my eyes hurt, but seek this movie out when you get a chance. It’s the feel good movie of the year with performances that will steal your heart, and I’m not exclusively talking about Fraser. I was so happy I was able to make a movie at the Edina Mann theater work in my schedule.
Thank you to everyone that put these films on at TCFF. Thank you TCFF, MNFCA, and everyone that has read this. I will always be grateful for the opportunities to attend events like this. My experiences weren’t the most ideal at times, but some things weren’t in anyone’s control.
Final Ranking of Films
1. Rental Family 2. Hamnet 3. Christy 4. Bugonia 5. I’ve Seen All I Need to See 6. Cotton Candy Bubble Gum
Maybe if I ever become a full time movie person, I will have time for more films at festivals.
Let’s get one thing straight before I get into too many thoughts on this movie, If I Had Legs I’d Kick You is absolutely a horror film.
Told in the most intimate of ways, this hardly pulls away from what Rose Byrne is suffering through. You feel her frustration, pain, and annoyance with the world she has found herself in and Bryne is the most stretchable she has ever been. Ultimately this performance proves that she has a spot saved for her in the best actress race. You’ve seen similar things from Rose, like in Neighbors, but you’ve never seen her open a hole this big. She is medicinal and makes me always want to score 100% on breakfast.
I can only imagine what parents have to go through on a day to day basis and here it only elevates the fear I’ve had about being one for my entire life. Luckily I’ve already made the decision to not be one and this solidifies my choices even more. This was two hours of not being able to breathe or get a break from something that wasn’t even real, it was like a faraway dream where all I wanted to do was unplug. It doesn’t blame or shame anyone for their actions and definitely helps you understand this life. That being said I still wanted therapy after.
I can give all the praise in the world to Bryne, and Conan for his best role since the Valentines Day episode of The Office, and even A$AP Rocky giving his second competent performance of the year (what a world we live in), BUT If I Had Legs I’d Kick You doesn’t work in the most complete sense. You get lost in the world the more it’s built and it stumbles the more it opens up. If parenting is this difficult, I legitimately don’t understand how there could be any satisfaction from it. It is a flood of emotions at times and I couldn’t help but ask myself why? The weird intricacies only confuse the plot even more and it double parks in your brain instead of being reasonable. Sure, at times it is humorous in the ways it portrays how humans cope with certain feelings, but it feels too little too late, and too strange for everything else going on.
While this is a prolific look through a microscope at what motherhood can be like, it’s also an irritating piece that forces you to meet Rose Byrne on her level. That level is scarce these days, which makes it even more frustrating that you unfortunately can’t wait to hang this one up.
Dallas Fisher 