Evil Dead is a really good explanation of what makes movies fun and interesting (talented artists with a stylistic/thematic POV) and what makes them demoralizing (Corporate IP Slop). You can basically figure out which of the movies are good based on how each of them got made. Here is how I rank them.
It’s Always Sunny in Philadelphia is an iconic show that has been running for more than half of my life. It is a bit daunting to ever go back and watch a show that has been running for this long, but I finally committed after years of false starts. It was as good as I could have hoped for.
Continue reading Ranking the It’s Always Sunny in Philadelphia Seasons
Ben Affleck has directed five feature-length films so far. I ranked them all here. If he directs more, I’ll add them. He has had an interesting (if very inconsistent) career behind the camera so far.
6. Argo [2012] Continue reading Ranking the Ben Affleck Films
Heiny Srour is one of the coolest people alive. If you ever have a chance to see her talk, you should do so. If you have a chance to read her book, you should do so. And obviously, you should watch all of the films she has made and pray she somehow gets to make more. She is a true artist.
Of all the legendary director/lead pairings, it seems to me that John Huston’s work with Humphrey Bogart is a bit unheralded all things considered. I suppose author Danny Ledger thought the same thing and wrote a book about their work together: ‘A Reasonable Amount of Trouble…’ – The Films of John Huston & Humphrey Bogart. This article only discusses and ranks the films Huston directed. Huston also wrote a couple of films that Bogart was in.
Continue reading Ranking the Humphrey Bogart/John Huston Collaborations
Still Need to Watch: Angels of Sin, Diary of a Country Priest, A Gentle Woman
Bresson has been an incredibly rewarding artist to explore. He tackles some of the themes that speak to me the most in art. I hope all of his films are added to Criterion soon.
Wong Kar-wai seems to hold an infamous status with many fans of film. I am here to report that I mostly think – after diving through every feature film of his – I think he’s mostly way too much bark and not nearly enough bite. He has got a great visual sense, but its impact is dulled over time. Many of his films feel like they are less than sum of its parts. It has been interesting and rewarding to go through all of his films, but I do doubt I will rewatch many of them. So it goes.
I was NOT going to watch this show. The final four seasons of Game of Thrones ended up being such a failed gamble that I had decided I had had my fill of HBO adapting these stories, and I would just stick to the books. Whoops. I got sucked back in.
Jane Schoenbrun is an extremely talented filmmaker. I am though at the moment concerned they are on an artistic downward trajectory early in their career, but I remain optimistic that their talent will win out.
Game of Thrones was a genuine cultural phenomenon. Given how badly it ended, you might forget there was a point when it was perfectly fun genre television. I would even say it’s worth going back and watching some of it. And shockingly enough, the spinoff shows are intriguing so far. Find out which seasons were worth the time.
Continue reading Ranking A Song of Ice & Fire Television Seasons
