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The Definitive Ranking of the Daniel Craig Bond Films

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Daniel Craig came on to the Bond scene at a time when a course correction was desperately needed. After Die Another Day (2002) took the franchise off the rails, nothing short of a complete reboot could revitalize the franchise and get it back on track. Craig’s run is certainly the most unique as it is the only run with a true character arc. For over 40 years we saw new actors take on the role given little-to-no background and with loose continuity. The idea of an origin story was fresh and allowed for a new generation to become invested in the character and franchise once again. Unfortunately, as with all other actors who portrayed Bond, Craig’s run is not without its flaws. Here is the definitive ranking of Craig’s run as James Bond.

5. Spectre (2015)

Coming in at dead last is one of the franchise’s most disappointing entries. After receiving a cryptic message, Bond sets out to investigate a secret organization where he discovers the author of all his pain.

This entry will always be baffling to me. Director Sam Mendes successfully capped off the Bond origin story with Skyfall and setting up the franchise to continue on as it had in the past. Instead, Mendes continues to dig even deeper into Bond’s past and unravel even more secrets that essentially add nothing to his character and only sidetrack from what could’ve been a great story. The best part of this movie is it’s cold open, which is one of the best cold opens in the franchise. But when your movie fails to achieve that same quality for the remainder of the runtime, something has gone terribly wrong. There are also some fun and impressive action set pieces that add value, here. But that’s essentially all the praise I can give it.

Spectre almost completely ignores the new grounded, grittier Bond that was established by the previous three movies, and instead decides to introduce camp and homage into the mix. The casting of Christoph Waltz is a missed opportunity, as his character is relegated to a bitter and jealous step brother. The attempt to thwart the motives of the prior villains in favor of Blofeld’s personal vendetta is insulting and makes zero sense. This also ignores Bond’s attitude towards women that was so beautifully set up with Vesper Lynd’s death and betrayal. For no apparent reason, Bond and Madeleine Swan fall in love with nothing to support it. The climax is abominable, the theme song is weak, Monica Bellucci is criminally underutilized–I could go on. This movie derails and disrespects its predecessors in every way, making it not only Craig’s worst of the series, but among the worst in the entire franchise.

4. Quantum of Solace (2008)

Renowned as the first Bond movie to be a true sequel, this entry suffers from poor direction and a haphazard story-line. Bond unravels a plot by a secret organization to destroy a country’s resources while dealing with the aftermath of Vesper’s betrayal and death.

Clocking in as the shortest Bond movie to date, this was infamously affected by the writer’s strike, and it shows. I think I like this more than most people. What this movie really has going for it is the action set pieces. This is the only Bond movie to have a car chase (two, actually), foot chase, boat chase, and plane chase all in one movie. Unfortunately, abysmal editing brings down these scenes. The cuts in this movie are jarring and make each sequence extremely hard to follow, particularly the cold open. I’m not sure what director Marc Forster was going for, but it felt like a bad imitation of the Bourne style that just didn’t work well at all.

The plot feels wildly underdeveloped and rushed, which is confusing given the runway they had to really flesh things out. The villain is actually pretty solid, better than Malek and Waltz. He just feels underdeveloped along with everything else. Craig is still great, and Kurylenko is also really good as the Bond girl. With better direction/editing and a more fleshed out plot, there’s no question this would’ve been higher on the list. Still, it’s a fun follow-up to Casino Royale and very rewatchable.

3. No Time to Die (2021)

Marking the last time we’ll see Craig with the mantle, this manages to exceed expectations. Bond is taken out of retirement when an old friend from the CIA turns up asking for help, leading him onto a trail to discover dangerous technology in the hands of a mysterious villain.

Given some horrific plot and character elements that were bound to carry over from Spectre, I had little hope that this would be any better. To my surprise, this not only fully embraced elements that didn’t work from Spectre, but it addressed them in a way that connected. This trims the camp from Spectre almost entirely, except for maybe the villain. Malek may look menacing, but his character motives make no sense and makes some baffling decisions in the climax. Very forgettable. Ana de Armas is a clear standout and her action sequence may have been the best part of the movie. I wish she would’ve shown up throughout the series. She’s a great character with some real charisma. Fukunaga knows how to film action and every set piece looks beautiful. While Craig is pushing his age limits, I never found it distracting or discrediting his ability to handle the stunts.

The choice to double down on Bond’s relationship with Swan doesn’t work, primarily because we still don’t have a credible foundation to buy their relationship. Adding a child to the mix also was a bizarre choice, and just leaves us questioning why we ever had to go any deeper into Bond’s past and psyche than we did up through Skyfall. The cold open is pretty solid and the theme song is great. So while there are plenty of glaring issues that I have with the plot and characters, particularly those created by Spectre, Fukunaga still at least manages to deal with those elements and stick the landing emotionally in the climax, even if I disagree with it. If anything this outing made two things very clear to me: I’m glad Craig didn’t end on Spectre, but he should’ve ended on Skyfall.

2. Skyfall (2012)

The first Bond to cross the $1 billion threshold at the box office, Skyfall completes Bond’s origin story and brings him back into a modern context. Bond’s loyalty to M and the mission is tested when her past comes back to haunt her in the form of an ex MI6 agent.

Many will say this is Craig’s best Bond film. With Roger Deakins hired, this is easily the best looking Bond film to date. From the cold open to the climactic shootout at the abandoned home, it looks flawless. Javier Bardem is a real standout not only due to his performance, but his character has motives you can understand to the point of even sympathizing with him at times. He reaffirms the fact that every Bond movie is essentially as good as its villain. The introduction of Moneypenny is welcome; it’s fun to see how her chemistry with Bond builds to what we see in the earlier Bond films. The gadget department is fairly weak but it makes sense given that Q is only now being introduced to supply them to Bond.

This is also a great send off for Dench who will likely always be regarded as the best M. She outshines all previous iterations by a long shot and I like the culmination of her and Bond’s relationship. Craig continues to deliver a great performance as we really get to see his loyalty challenged in different ways. It’s not hard to see why this is a fan favorite. The only shame is that Craig’s run didn’t end here given what followed.

1. Casino Royale (2006)

Clocking in at number one and arguably the best in the entire franchise, Casino Royale reboots Bond and propels him into the origin story that we’d never seen before. Bond sets out on his first mission as a 00 to thwart a private banker funding terrorism in a high stakes poker tournament.

The biggest mystery in the franchise to me is why Martin Campbell, who successfully rebooted the franchise twice with my two favorite Bond films, only direct two Bond movies! He’s obviously doing something right so I’m not sure why he wasn’t hired to direct the entire Craig run. The introduction to Bond as a fresh 00 is portrayed with a grounded reality that feels real and intimate. The cold open feels like it could’ve pushed the boundaries for an R rating (it wouldn’t surprise me if there’s a cut out there somewhere). It’s the first time we’ve been able to see what’s made Bond, Bond, and what drives his motives, loyalties and personality that we’ve seen for over 40 years.

Eva Green as Vesper Lynd is by far the best Bond woman we’ve seen on screen. She crushes her part and elevates her performance to the point where we never question her dominance while sharing the screen with Bond. She serves as perhaps one of the most crucial elements to Bond’s personality and shapes his attitude towards women. Mads Mikkelsen gives a phenomenal performance as arguably the best villain in the franchise. Similar to Silva in Skyfall, Le Chiffre’s motives are more than grand schemes of dominance or money, but motives that are fueled by desperation. We rarely get to experience villains acting out of sheer desperation as opposed to calculated, cynical methods. And as someone who loves poker, Campbell gives us a great poker sequence that further establishes Bonds skillset in the field.

The action sequences are riveting and superbly directed, with the construction sequence being one of the greatest of all time. There are really no flaws, here. The pacing takes a small dip after the torture sequence, but ultimately serves the higher purpose of establishing Bond’s crucial relationship with Vepser Lynd. This not only make sits mark as a top three Bond in the franchise, but one of the greatest action movies ever made. Please give Martin Campbell more work.

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Henry’s Top 5 Movies of 2022

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Oscar season is upon us. So, naturally I have been thinking about the movies that left an impact on me in 2022 and how they stack up against one another. Even among the many monotonous releases lacking any sort of originality or innovation (yes, Marvel, I’m looking at you) there were many movies that stood out to me, restoring my faith the in the direction cinema is headed. So, here is my personal Top 5 movies released in 2022.

5. Babylon

Perhaps the most surprising entry to round out my top 5. At the beginning of the year this was easily my most anticipated film of 2022. Chazelle? Pitt? Robbie? TOBEY!? Where could this go wrong? I was surprised when the reviews started coming out and the general consensus on this was “meh.” I did not feel underwhelmed or disappointed walking out of the theater. Chazelle’s depiction of Hollywood and old filmmaking is stunning. I enjoyed each character’s own arcs and following their journey. This represents what I love about movies. There was technical perfection accompanied with a good story. Although there are seemingly many things Chazelle wanted to say, in the end he reminds me that movies are important. He took some ambitious risks and went all out to make the movie he wanted. Sign me up for whatever Chazelle has coming next.

4. Top Gun: Maverick

I mean…what can I say, really? This was THE movie of the summer and feels like this has unanimous approval from audiences everywhere. I saw this front row IMAX and my seat was shaking every time a jet was flying. Cruise filled every scene of the movie with pure adrenaline. I also want to acknowledge that while this did play off plenty of nostalgia from the original, it had its own flare and merit. Honestly, if you’ve never seen the first, I don’t think it would take away too much from your viewing experience. The supporting cast of flyers were excellent in adding enough both emotionally and comically for the audience to buy in and create some tension in scenes of life or death. I rewatched this on an airplane later in the Fall and, while of course I still loved it, I am even more grateful I was able to sit up close on the big screen. Unforgettable experience.

3. Tar

I didn’t know much about this going into my viewing experience, which I think really added to how I watched this and moved through the story. This was far more psychological than I had anticipated, in a pleasant way. Issues continually presented themselves from start to finish and I was on the edge of my seat the whole time to see how they’d be resolved. Cate Blanchett was jaw-droppingly good and deserves the Oscar likely coming her way. She dominated the screen. I really appreciated the tone that was set by Director Todd Fields. It stayed consistent and never really let the audience feel relaxed. Although many questions were posed from the film, Fields did not provide answers. Instead, we got to come to our own conclusions and form our own opinions. I always appreciate that in a movie. It has been fun to have my own interpretations of scenes, then go online and see how differently others have taken certain meanings to be. That’s how a movie should be.

2. The Batman

I’m not usually one to get excited for the trailer of a movie to drop, but I was counting down the days back in 2020 for just the smallest glimpse of what the new Batman was going to be like. I knew as soon as I saw Robert Pattinson beat some clown-faced thug to a pulp in the first trailer released for this film that I was all in. Matt Reeves was masterful in creating the first Gotham that really felt like the hellhole, crime-ridden city it’s chalked up to be. I also appreciate that we didn’t get another origin story where a young Bruce falls in a cave filled with bats and where Martha Wayne gets shot as her pearls spill on the wet sidewalk. After all the Batman movies we’ve had over the years, Reeves managed to give us a fresh take on the Caped Crusader. A younger, more inexperienced and confused Bruce Wayne who hasn’t yet figured out the billionaire playboy shtick is interesting and makes sense. The dark and grimy criminal underworld was fun to explore and meet the characters pulling the strings of Gotham’s politics and crime. How this didn’t get more Oscar nods I’ll never understand.

1. The Banshees of Inisherin

It’s hard to articulate what exactly I look for every time I go out to the movies, but my experience watching Martin McDonagh’s latest masterpiece was exactly it. It’s rarely enough for a comedy, or a dark comedy in this case, to simply garner a handful of laughs from the audience in order to reach any level of acclaim. While McDonagh’s dialogue was filled with sincere smiles, it was also rich with deep, interesting questions for the audience to wrestle with over the course if its hour and fifty-four-minute run time. Few movies from last year, or any year really, evoked as much sympathy as Farrell’s and Keoghan’s. Four scenes in particular left me pondering my own friendships, how I treat others, and my own legacy I hope to leave behind one day. Is a legacy of only kindness a worthy one? Farrell and Gleason were flawless and backed up by a stellar supporting cast. With a beautiful backdrop on the shores of Inisherin, Banshees tops my list as the best movie I saw in 2022.

I hope if you haven’t seen any of the movies above, you’ll be more willing now to give them a shot. Each of these brings something different to the table, both stylistically and tonally. 2022 was a great year for movies, and I can’t wait to go back and see what I missed.

HONORABLE MENTIONS: All Quiet on the Western Front, Causeway, The Whale, The Stranger, The Wonder, The Northman, Everything Everywhere All at Once

The Definitive Ranking of the Pierce Brosnan Bond Films

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Pierce Brosnan has always been one of my favorite Bonds. I was five years old when Goldeneye came out, meaning that my relationship to Brosnan as James Bond was established entirely by the 1997 Nintendo 64 game of the same name. I experienced a few of the Connery movies at an early age but they never could grab me like the Brosnan movies did. As I’ve gotten older and revisited every Bond film, my eyes were opened to different interpretations of the character – liking some more and some less than Brosnan’s. Nonetheless, I’ll always have a soft spot for Brosnan. He encapsulates the character well and in his own way that is distinct from the others.

Full disclosure: TND and TWINE are a coin toss. The films balance each other out so well that I feel like depending on my mood that day I could justify choosing either one over the other. But I digress. Here is my definitive ranking of the Brosnan Bond movies.

4. Die Another Day (2002)

You already knew it before you began reading this article. There’s no question that Die Another Day is the most disappointing Bond movie of the Brosnan era. The Madonna song alone is likely the worst Bond theme in the entire franchise. But I say disappointing because I think the movie actually had a lot going for it! The story follows Bond sent to investigate a North Korean terrorist. After being captured and tortured by the Koreans and deserted by is own people for 14 months, Bond is traded for one of the Korean terrorists he was sent to investigate. Bond takes it upon himself to hunt down the terrorist and stumbles upon another plot involving an international space weapon. I have to say, everything up until we meet Jinx really works for me. The cold open is action-packed and the idea of Bond being deserted and left to his own devices is intriguing and works really well. Jinx (Halle Berry) is easily one of the worst characters in the entire franchise. It may not be all Berry’s fault, as the script calls for her to speak strictly in quips and eye-rolling one-liners. But she’s truly a cringe-worthy character who was given far more screen time than she deserved. I did enjoy Gustav Graves as a villain. He was fun and his character has a nice twist and is accompanied by some decent henchmen, including Zao and Miranda Frost (Rosamund Pike) as a double agent. But the film just continues to get more ridiculous as it progresses. There’s still room to have fun and appreciate some of the action sequences, such as the car chase on the ice and the cold open. But it reaches a level of silliness that leaves the film completely tenuous from any sort of grounded reality and completely removes any tension that might have been there. While this isn’t completely unwatchable, it merely fails to reach its full potential in almost every way. Without a doubt, this is Brosnan’s least memorable outing as 007.

3. Tomorrow Never Dies (1997)

This is a solid entry for Brosnan. What lacks in its plot is made up for with some great action sequences that stand out among the other Brosnan films. Bond sets out to stop Elliot Carver (Jonathan Pryce), a media mogul’s plan to induce a war between China and the U.K. in order to obtain exclusive global media coverage. This film’s biggest discrepancy from the other Brosnan outings is the plot and its villain. While I enjoyed Pryce’s performance and his embodiment of the character, Carver’s motivations are unclear and uninteresting. It’s difficult to remain invested in a villain whose sole motivation is to get exclusive media coverage of an event. It’s not exciting and the absurdity of the plan isn’t justified by a compelling rationale of any kind. Aside from the plot issues, this film does not lack in its exceptional action set pieces. From the cold open, to the car chase, to the motorcycle chase, the pacing is smooth and leaves little room for down time. Teri Hatcher plays Paris Carver, Bond’s ex-lover and Carver’s current wife, whose involvement I think could’ve been cut a little shorter. Her role was essentially limited to make Bond’s motive more personal, but it just never got there for me. The idea of Wai Lin as a Chinese agent teaming up with Bond worked well and especially made for a great addition to the motorcycle chase. In the end, I liked Brosnan’s performance and the memorable action sequences that provide for a well-paced re-watchable experience. But the lackluster plot and villain cause this one to fall behind the others.

2. The World is Not Enough (1999)

This is yet another strong outing for Brosnan as the plot calls for him to be more emotionally involved in this mission. Bond uncovers a nuclear plot while trying to protect an oil heiress from her former kidnapper, Renard, an international terrorist who can’t feel pain. The plot here feels stronger than that of TND in a number of ways. Bond and M are involved on a more personal and emotional level which brings out a more intriguing side to their performance. Elektra King (Sophie Marceau) is one of my favorite Bond girls and villains in the franchise. Her character is convincing and has everyone eating out of the palm of her hand, making the twist to her character feel earned entirely. On the other hand, Christmas Jones (Denise Richards) is easily one of my least favorite Bond girls in the franchise. She’s not Jinx-level bad, she just doesn’t have the acting chops required to carry her part well. Renard (Robert Carlyle) is an upgrade from Elliot Carver and he checks all of the boxes when it comes to a Bond villain. The bullet wound to is head causing him to lose any feeling of pain and to slowly die gives him an appealing angle because he has nothing to lose. The action set pieces are also worthwhile. The boat chase in the cold open and the ski chase are both memorable and keep the story moving at an even pace. As I mentioned before, this ends up being a coin toss with TND. The plot and villain are stronger here, while the action set pieces tend to lag behind those of TND. Nonetheless, this has a lot going for it and I enjoyed it more this time around.

1. Goldeneye (1995)

Did you really think the number one spot was going to be anything else? After the death of his fellow 00-agent, Bond sets out to stop a Russian crime syndicate from using a secret space weapons program known as Goldeneye. For the longest time, this was the quintessential Bond for me, and in some ways it still is. Brosnan is dialed into the role which tends to break the trend of past Bond films. Actors like Connery, Moore, and Craig seem to take at least one or two movies before they reach the height of their performances and film quality of their respective eras. Brosnan does it all in his first try. From the cold open, to the villain, to the Bond women, to the action set pieces, this film kills it. Alec Trevelyan (Sean Bean) may just be my favorite villain of the entire franchise. His motives are clear, his character is compelling, and his mission feels personal. Xenia is a memorable Bond woman with her seductive and outlandish methods to lure in and kill her targets. The scenes Bond shares with CIA Agent Jack Wade and Russian gangster Valentin Zukovsky are all memorable and provide some nice backdrop to the world in which Bond operates. Let us not forget that this film introduces the revelation that is Judi Dench as M. Her first scene she shares with Brosnan establishes everything we need to know about her from that moment and carries all the way through Skyfall. She knows the kind of person Bond is and doesn’t waste any time to put him in his place. She is likely one of the franchise’s strongest characters and her embodiment of M will not likely be surpassed anytime soon. Not only was this film the basis for the creation of one of the greatest video games of all time, this revitalized the franchise entirely. Goldeneye is everything I want out of a Bond movie and for that, Brosnan will always be among my favorites.

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Our Top 10 Favorite Movies of 2019

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We’re a little late this year, but better late than never, right?. We here at In The Mood For Film canvassed the cinemas this year and saw a lot of goo movies. 2019 was a great year for film! From indies to blockbusters to streaming originals, we were in no shortage of quality pictures. Many outlets have different rubrics and guidelines for creating their end-of-year lists. We chose to go personal. These are our top 10 favorite movies of 2019. Not the best, not the most deserving, simply our favorite 10 films.

ELLIOT’S PICKS

10. Rolling Thunder Revue: A Bob Dylan Story by Martin Scorsese/The Irishman

I know I’m cheating but hear me out: Martin Scorsese released two films on Netflix this year about mythologizing the past. Does that work for you? I couldn’t pick which of these to put at number 10. On one hand, I’m a die-hard Bob Dylan fan who loves the Rolling Thunder Revue-era of Bob. On the other, who doesn’t love Scorsese reuniting with Robert De Niro and Joe Pesci for 3 ½ hours of reflection and rumination? Both of these movies are great at what they do, have fascinating subjects based in truth, yet as viewers, we know we can’t take everything at face value. I’m don’t turn to many movies for “facts” these days. That’s not the role of cinema. But I do look for truth, and Scorsese gave us a lot of it this year.

9. Ad Astra

We’ve been blessed with some thoughtful and provocative science fiction films this decade (Gravity, Arrival, to name a few). Ad Astra is one of those. It’s the story of an abandoned son (Brad Pitt) who goes looking for his father (Tommy Lee Jones) who fled to the depths of the solar system. Little is known about his dad’s status or whereabouts, but that doesn’t stop the mission. Like a lot of good science fiction, it’s not about the science or the fiction. It’s about the mirror it holds up to us–to reflect on our current dispositions and more universal themes (pun intended). Family, work, and isolation are just a few of the ideas imbued throughout the movie. Sure, you can get bogged down in the science if you let yourself. But why would you do that? You’d miss out on the bigger picture.

8. Dark Waters

When I first saw the trailer for Dark Waters, I saw it was directed by Todd Haynes. I thought he seemed like an odd fit to helm this conspiratorial legal drama. After all, Haynes gave us Velvet Goldmine, I’m Not There, and Carol–not exactly the material we’re working with in Dark Waters. I thought maybe he needed the cash as a gun-for hire. But you know what? He crushed it! Mark Ruffalo plays Rob Bilott, an attorney who is about to make partner at his large firm. His firm often did work for large chemical companies. And it’s at this time in 1998 that Rob receives a visit from a farmer (Bill Camp) who complains about the chemical plants near his farm and the damage they are doing to the surrounding area and residents. From here, the movie could easily veer into legal formula (the David-esque lawyer takes on his former Goliath-employer, fights the system, exposes corruption, etc.). I mean, it does do that, but with Haynes’ direction, Ruffalo’s performance is a slow burn allowing his character to react to what he learns. From the gloomy government offices to Bilott’s home to the affected farms, Haynes crafts a terrific docudrama. You can’t help but feel after the movie–feel enraged, encouraged, feel something. It’s ironic that a film about suppressing the truth and covering up didn’t garner more attention. Who doesn’t want us to see this film!?

7. I Lost My Body

The opening moments of the Cannes award-winner features a hand being violently separated from a character’s wrist. What follows is told from the hand’s point-of view, hence the title “I Lost My Body” and not “I Lost My Hand.” The hand crawls around Paris, looking for the rest of his (its?) body. It belongs to Naoufel. We explore his past (mostly through his hand’s perspective) and catch up with him in the present as a pizza delivery boy (a bad one at that) who is seeking…something. He meets a librarian that he’s attracted to, and well, I don’t want to spoil anything. It’s somewhat entrancing to watch this hand maneuver across Parisian towns: escaping rats, choking pigeons, and performing some impressive acrobatics. It was written by one of the writers of Amelie (Guillaume Laurant), so there is a certain whimsical aspect that rewards the viewer the more you buy in. I loved how the film doesn’t care to explain how or why this is happening. It doesn’t give us time to sort that out! We need to know what happens with Naoufel and understand him more. I liked the animation style: evocative, yet simple. This is on Netflix, and it’s definitely worth your time.

6. Little Women

I’ve never read the novel Little Women, nor have I seen any filmed adaptation prior to Greta Gerwig’s most recent production of it. What struck me is how relevant she made the themes of the novel. There’s a meta-narrative aspect that only emboldens Gerwig as she tells the story of the March sisters in post-antebellum America. They are preoccupied with the arts, their family, and of course, romance. Jo March (Saorise Ronan) is more preoccupied with her writing while her sisters are focused on their romantic and financial future. Gerwig bounces around in the timeline, but not arbitrarily. By restructuring the narrative, Gerwig manages to make it more personal and timely. Timothee Chalamet adds to his already impressive resume, and Laura Dern and Chris Cooper give grounded performances as the adults that oversee these little women. It’s a wonderful movie.

5. The Two Popes

Admittedly, I don’t remember well when Pope Benedict XVI stepped down and Pope Francis was elected. In terms or history, religious or otherwise, it’s a huge moment! And in 2012, I wasn’t really paying attention to it. Don’t worry, I’m a more informed citizen now, and thanks for Fernando Meirelles’ The Two Popes, we have a smartly imagined conversation between these two men in this time of transition. Anthony Hopkins and Jonathan Pryce play the titular Popes, and I can’t imagine many other actors doing so (especially Pryce, since he and Francis bear an uncanny resemblance). Not only is this a showcase for the actors, but it’s a film with ideas: ideas about the nature of faith, the future of a religion, leadership, humility, and compromise. I found myself engrossed in The Two Popes due to not only the dialogue and narrative rhythm, but the gorgeous visuals as well. And while this is a lot of fantasy and inference, that doesn’t mean there isn’t a lot of truth embedded.

4. Uncut Gems

If you find the characters of Adam Sandler’s comedic films annoying, be prepared to hold him in contempt in Uncut Gems. It’s easy enough to stomach an angry hockey-player-turned-golfer or the son of Satan, but Howard Ratner, Sandler’s character in Uncut Gems, will make your stomach turn through his compulsive actions. Whenever Sandler plays a non-comedic part in a film, we hear far too many reactions along the lines of, “He hasn’t done this since ‘Punch-Drunk Love.’ He can really act!” This doesn’t sit well with me because not only is comedic acting still acting, but people forget about “Reign Over Me,” “Spanglish,” “Men, Women and Children” and “The Meyorwitz Stories.” And even if you find the characters in his comedies annoying, this performance is on another level largely because of the weight attached to all of Howard’s actions. The kinetic chaos reflects Howard’s internal and captures the external of his surroundings. Blending real life events with the fiction of the film is a great concoction. I’m not a gambler, but I was addicted to Howard’s gambling. Not sure what that says about me.

3. Pain & Glory

How many filmmakers could create as wonderful a memoir of their own life as Pedro Almodóvar does with Pain & Glory? It’s an awfully short list and we are grateful Almodóvar gave the world this film. The film stars Antonio Banderas as a film director that shares the same hairstyle as Almodóvar. He is reflecting on the past because of certain circumstances in the present. And from there, Almodóvar takes us on a drug-lined, melancholic journey with his stand-in. It’s easy to see this as quasi-autobiographical, but the director claims many things have been fictionalized. And I know, that sounds like a tired cop out many filmmakers use when they make films through the lens of the self. But it’s not the fiction here that makes this movie so damn good. It’s the meta-qualities, the truth behind much of it that makes this such a beautiful film. Banderas rightfully deserves his Oscar nomination, and in a just world, he would win! I have been wanting to revisit this one for a while–I can only imagine the rewards upon repeat viewing. As an ardent fan of Almodóvar, this was one of my most anticipated films of the year. It did not disappoint. And the final shot of the film? *chef’s kiss fingers*

2. Once Upon A Time…In Hollywood

One doesn’t equate Quintin Tarantino with sentimental, so it causes pause when Once Upon a Time…In Hollywood is described as his most sentimental film to date. Obviously, it’s not hard to be more sentimental than The Hateful Eight or Reservoir Dogs. But Tarantino has a real knack for it. Once is centered around Rick Dalton (Leonardo Dicaprio), a faded actor who is working the TV circuit in 1969 Los Angeles. His good friend and stuntman, Cliff Booth (Brad Pitt), is trying to find his place in the world as well. Around them, the world is changing, with people like Charles Manson exerting an influence and people like Sharon Tate ascending in her stardom. Every Tarantino film can be seen as a love letter to films he loves, but Once is a love letter to the cinema and era of his childhood. It’s a form of historical revision that has informed some of his more recent work. Pitt and Dicaprio have never been better. The soundtrack and sights are wonderfully playful, yet grounded. It’s sincere, nostalgic, and overall, it’s a great ‘hang’ movie.

1. Parasite

The film revolves around a family of con artists slowly and strategically taking over a wealthier residence. And that’s just the beginning of Bong Joon-ho’s Palme d’Or winning masterpiece. I truly didn’t know where this film would end, partly because I had no time to think about it in the moment. The suspense, the characters, the set, they all grab hold of the viewer and don’t let go until the final frame. There are darkly comedic moments, moments of shocking violence, and moments of complex critique. The ensemble cast is perfection–there’s not a single wrong note in their performances. I loved every minute of Parasite. It’ll certainly cause a provocative discussion on the ride home (or on the couch). I don’t know if there was a sharper screenplay in 2019. Bong’s control of everything from the tone, rhythm, and aesthetic (the house was built from scratch) are all signs of one of the best living filmmakers from any country.

Honorable Mentions:
High Flying Bird
Knives Out
Marriage Story
Richard Jewell

WILLIAM’S PICKS

10. The Peanut Butter Falcon

Shia LaBeouf, Dakota Johnson, and Zack Gottsagen star in one of the most heart-warming and original films of the year. Zak (Gottsagen) lives in a rest home and spends his days watching professional wrestling. Obsessed with the becoming a wrestler, he escapes from the rest home to pursue his dream of becoming a professional wrestler himself. Along the way, he stumbles upon Tyler (LaBeouf) who is running from problems of his own. The two form an unlikely bond as Tyler decides to help Zak pursue his dream. This movie has all the feels, where every aspect of it felt earned by the characters. It was refreshing to experience a wholly original story executed with care and LaBeouf’s chemistry with Gottsagen was nothing short of fun and enjoyable.

9. 1917

Just when I thought I had seen it all, director Sam Mendes manages to break new ground in the war genre. Lance Corporals Blake (Dean-Charles Chapman) and Schofield (George MacKay) are two foot soldiers in the middle of World War I tasked with the mission of delivering a time-sensitive message to stop a Colonel from sending his army of 1,600 soldiers into a deadly trap. Blake is particularly determined to complete his mission being that his brother is among the 1,600 that will likely get killed if the message is not delivered in time. From start to finish there is little room in the story for a dull moment. Mendes’ choice to make the entire movie look like it was shot in one take brings the unique experience of being present with the characters through all of their encounters. At times I was baffled at how they accomplished some of their shots, but it was also done in a way that never distracted me from the story. Roger Deakins remains among the best cinematographers in the business and should walk away with another Oscar. War movies are a dime a dozen, but Mendes really stuck the landing with his unprecedented approach to the genre that will certainly stand the test of time.

8. Ad Astra

It seems every year there’s at least one science-fiction/space movie that makes its mark on the genre. James Gray directed this 2019 space epic that follows Roy McBride (Brad Pitt) on a space voyage to Neptune in hopes to discover the truth about his missing father (Tommy Lee Jones). From start to finish this is easily one of the best looking movies I saw last year. Pitt is asked to do a lot here in order to convey the inner struggles and does it well. The action sequences are helmed beautifully, particularly a jaw-dropping moon rover sequence that was unlike anything I had seen before. While this is not your typical action/adventure sci-fi epic with loud explosions and laser battles every other scene, the film manages to trickle small doses of that into a much more meditative experience than I was expecting, giving me much to reflect on long after my first viewing.

7. Midsommar

Ari Aster blew me away in 2018 with Hereditary, making it my number one movie of that year. Aster continues to impress me with his sense of style and confidence behind the camera in this beautiful-looking horror film. Dani and Christian (Florence Pugh and Jack Reynor) embark on a trip to rural Sweden with their friends to experience the community’s mid-summer festival. Dani is still trying to cope with the death of her sister and parents and attempts to find support through her boyfriend, but the mid-summer community has other ideas in store for her and her friends. I love the fact that Aster attempts something completely different this time around. I’ve never seen horror portrayed in sunlight like this before. Aster proves that he is just as competent directing horror in broad daylight as he is in the dark. Florence Pugh gives an Oscar-worthy performance by putting on a full range of emotions that she has to sell to make the film ultimately work. Aster uses horror as a way to explore deeper themes that ultimately relate to all of us in some way shape or form. Nothing I experienced last year was more unsettling and thought-provoking at the same time and is easily last year’s best horror film. If you’d like to read more of my thoughts praising this film, see my article I wrote back in October of 2019 here.

6. Dragged Across Concrete

S. Craig Zahler is one of the most fascinating directors working today. His work on Bone Tomahawk and Brawl in Cell Block 99 proved that he’s very capable of exploring interesting characters in rough environments and doesn’t allow controversial elements to prevent him from telling the story he wants. Mel Gibson and Vince Vaughn star as Brett Ridgeman and Anthony Lurasetti, two cops who get suspended from the force without pay for roughing up a criminal on a drug bust. In order to make ends meet, the two plan to steal from a sadistic band of criminals, but realize they might not be the only ones after the money. This is probably Zahler’s most well-written film to date. The dialogue feels like it’s coming straight out of a gritty crime novel that makes even the more mundane scenes of dialogue, particularly between Mel and Vaughn, fun and interesting. The way Zahler handles the criminals in this felt unprecedented, which is saying something being how many times we’ve seen bank robbers and heists on screen before. He was able to capture a unique sort of calculated evil that made you fear their presence every moment they were on screen. Gibson and Vaughn also turn in some great performances and had great chemistry together. Zahler definitely leaves me wanting to come back for more. If you’d like to hear more of my thoughts praising this film, check out my review I wrote back in April of 2019 here.

5. The Irishman

Scorsese is no rookie when it comes to telling a story about the life of a man working for the mob. But he’s never explored the aftermath and side effects from being in this line of work quite like he does here. Frank Sheeran (DeNiro) tells his story of his involvement in the mob that eventually led to his betrayal of his best friend, Jimmy Hoffa (Pacino). Sheeran slowly moves up the ranks becoming more connected and more involved over the span of his life as it becomes increasingly hard on his relationship with his family. I’ll admit that it took a minute for this film to really sink in for me. It’s difficult not going into a Scorsese gangster film expecting certain things out of it. For this reason I mistakenly overlooked some of the deeper themes that Scorsese chose to explore this time around rather than running over the same old grounds. While a lot of this film is reminiscent of his prior movies, it is about so much more than a man enjoying the life of being a gangster. It focuses more time on Sheeran’s family and how his life commitment to the mob has left his familial relationship completely broken. It’s about a man’s guilt creeping up on him until he realizes it’s too late to fix his mistakes. It’s about the constant choice of having to decide where your loyalty lies. It’s about taking time and relationships for granted. Scorsese does a fantastic job at exploring the glamorous appearance of life in the mob together with the devastating internal and external effects it has on one’s life. Pesci cannot go unmentioned here as he gives one of the best performances of the year. Don’t let the film’s run time keep you from experiencing one of Scorsese’s best of the decade.

4. Jojo Rabbit

Taika Waititi has a rare talent of being able to seamlessly blend comedy with heartfelt and dramatic themes. Here, it is definitely his best showcase of doing so. Based on the book titled Caging Skies, Jojo Rabbit follows a young boy named Jojo (Roman Griffin Davis) who is in training to be in Hitler’s army during World War II. He has every desire to grow up to be the greatest Nazi anyone has ever seen to the point of having Hitler himself (Taika Waititi) as his imaginary friend, cheering him on and motivating him along the way. Jojo begins to confront his ideology when he finds out his mother (Scarlett Johansson) is hiding a young Jewish girl (Thomasin McKenzie) in their house and begins to form an unlikely friendship with her. With a story like this there are so many ways for it to go wrong, and Taika may be the only one who could have pulled it off successfully. The child acting is all around some of the best I’ve ever seen, hitting every comedic and dramatic beat perfectly. Sam Rockwell also gives a great performance that continues to show he knows how to pick and play his roles. The ending is my favorite ending of any movie from last year that is bound to leave you with a smile on your face. If anything this movie puts Taika at the top of his game convincing me that I will see anything he puts his mind to.

3. Marriage Story

With a title like this, a two-hour movie about a divorce was the last thing I thought I was going to sit through. But after my experience with it I found it hard to complain. Noah Baumbach writes and directs a supposedly somewhat autobiographical film about his own experience with divorce, acted out by Adam Driver and Scarlett Johansson. It’s hard for me to tell whether this movie works as well as it does because of the script or because of the performances. Obviously they both go hand-in-hand, but it’s difficult to separate the two for purposes of seeing how this film could’ve been better. Driver and Johansson give the best performances of their careers. There’s something about certain aspects of their performances that feel like they would fall flat if played by anyone else. Scenes that would otherwise come off as “overacting” come off as genuine displays of human behavior. And while the overall theme of the movie is rather disheartening, Baumbach leaves plenty of room for the more warm, sincere moments to work their way in, along with great comedic timing from Driver and a much-welcomed cameo and performance from Wallace Shawn. Perhaps Marriage Story is supposed to refer to the perfect marriage between a script and its actors because in the end, that’s exactly what this is.

2. Once Upon a Time… in Hollywood

Tarantino is well known at this point for his tight scripts filled with exceptional dialogue and violence-infused themes of revenge. To my pleasant surprise, he has also demonstrated that he is more than capable of exploring his sentimental side equally as well. Set on the backdrop of the rise of Charles Manson and his band of followers, a faded television actor, Rick Dalton (DiCaprio) and his stunt double, Cliff Booth (Pitt) find themselves struggling to stay relevant in Hollywood as the 60’s are coming to an end. It became clear as the story moved along that this was a love note to Hollywood and the era in which Tarantino grew up. It is by far his most personal movie to date. He takes no shortcuts in making every scene place you in that specific time period, giving us numerous wide shots of the intricate production design and throwbacks to classic movies and television shows. But what was even more charming was the friendship that was explored between Rick and Cliff. Up through the very last scene you buy every aspect of their relationship and how they depend on one another. It’s easily the most endearing relationship explored between any of Tarantino’s characters over the years and was only elevated by some of the best performances given by Pitt and DiCaprio. While this is his most sentimental film, that is not to say that it is without its frenzy of violence. Much like Inglorious Basterds, the violence here is over the top and may come off as unnecessary. But what might otherwise be seen as a gratuitous scene of violence feels justified within the context of history of when the movie takes place and remains consistent with how Tarantino has handled it in the past. This film has only gotten better with time will go down in history as some of the best work Tarantino has put to screen.

1. Parasite

Where do I start? I don’t think a day has gone by that I haven’t thought about this movie in some way or another since I saw it. Directed by Bong Joon Ho, the story follows an unemployed Korean family of four, struggling to get by on a day-to-day basis. When the son gets a job as a tutor for a wealthy family, the rest of the family slowly begins to con their way into different jobs, leeching off of the lifestyle of the wealthy family every chance they get. From the moment the movie starts it never lets go of you until the credits roll. Every scene of this movie is perfected in its craft, all of which is enhanced by the performances from the incredible cast. Each character proves vital to the story and not a line of dialogue is wasted. The subtitles augmented, rather than hindered the overall experience. The themes here are ripe for dissection and thought-provoking discussions, allowing for a more thoughtful experience upon subsequent viewings. Parasite offers it all and there isn’t one element that could’ve been refined. This is 2019’s best movie and nothing else comes particularly close. In the words of the director himself, don’t let the 1-inch tall barrier of subtitles prevent you from experiencing one of best movies of the decade. You won’t regret it.

Honorable Mentions

  • Ford v. Ferrari
  • Doctor Sleep
  • John Wick Chapter 3; Parabellum
  • Toy Story 4
  • Apollo 11
  • Knives Out
  • Uncut Gems

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Criminals, Crooked Cops, and Cigarettes: A Look at Mel Gibson’s ‘Payback’

in Reviews by

Mel Gibson and Brian Helgeland had everything going for them in the ’90s. Mel nabbed his two Oscars for producing and directing Braveheart, and Helgeland nabbed his Oscar for adapting L.A. Confidential, both of which are some of the finest American films of the latter half of the 20th century. The two met during the production of Conspiracy Theory, which was also written by Helgeland. During that time Helgeland came across The Hunter, a crime novel written by Donald Westlake (under his pseudonym Richard Stark). After working it into a script, he had Mel read it over and even offered him to star in the lead role. Mel agreed to the part and Helgeland took on his first feature film as the director. Payback would be their last movie to close out the century, and while not recognized as an instant classic and huge success at the time of its release, there’s no question that it is one of my favorite crime/noir movies of all time and it deserves more recoginition.

It’s important to note that there are two different versions of this movie: the theatrical and director’s cut. Surprisingly, I actually side with the studio executives for once and enjoy the theatrical cut more than Helgeland’s version. The director’s cut has an entirely different third act with some additional scenes sprinkled throughout. If you are checking this movie out for the first time, seek out the theatrical version first before watching the director’s cut. There’s no question that the theatrical version is far superior. For purposes of this article, I am strictly referring to the theatrical cut.

Payback stars Mel Gibson as Porter, a small-time thief who stands ready to make his next big score. When his buddy Val comes along with a job involving a large payout, Porter agrees to help out. After completing the job and collecting the cash, Val, along with Porter’s wife, double cross him and leave him with nothing but two bullets in his back. Left for dead and empty-handed, Porter recovers from his wounds with one thing on his mind: $70,000. Determined to get his just due, Porter crosses paths with a variety of different criminals, a pair of crooked cops, and two crime syndicates, stopping at nothing to take back what is rightfully his.

It is immediately apparent that this film lacks a typical hero, per the noir tradition. The opening credits roll as Porter wanders the streets stealing from all walks of life. He steals from the homeless, doesn’t tip his waitress, dines and dashes, and lifts a credit card from a middle-class guy to go on a spending spree. Within the first five minutes I’m already wondering how I’m supposed to get behind this character for the rest of the movie. Every other character in the movie is just as bad, if not worse in a lot of ways. But what this movie does so well is that despite being void of “good guys” to root for, it still finds a way for you to root for the bad guy.

It becomes clear throughout the movie that it is not so much focused on what you know about the characters, but how you feel about them. Porter clearly does some despicable things, but at the same time he doesn’t necessarily feel like a despicable person. Val on the other hand, feels scummy. Not only do his actions reveal his true character, but there’s no shaking the slimy vibe that his character gives off. Other smaller characters give off a similar vibe despite not knowing anything about them. I love that about this movie. It’s not looking to dive into the history of the characters and their past in order to invoke how you should feel about them. It doesn’t feel the need to establish an origin story for Porter in order to justify why he does what he does. It allows you to feel around the room of each scene and pick up on the vibes of each character, telling you exactly what kind of person they are and how you should feel about them.

The world-building is excellent here and I can’t help but think it inspired certain elements of the world-building in John Wick. Porter’s journey doesn’t stop at Val, but leads him up the ladder of a crime syndicate that is headquartered at a hotel. We never really know what it is that they do or how each member got in their position, but we’re given just enough to get a sense of this extensive criminal underworld that prowls the city. The story could take place during the 70s just as much it could take place in the 90s. We don’t even know exactly what city the movie takes place in and yet, it works to its benefit. We’re just thrown into Porter’s world and watch how he deals with it and its various characters.

As I mentioned earlier, Porter is not a “good guy” by any standards. Regardless, we still find a way to sympathize with his situation. He’s clearly a loner with no connections and has no where to go. The only place he has to go after being shot is his apartment where his double-crossing wife still lives. Despite her shooting him in the back, it’s clear that he still cares about her, giving us a window into his attitude towards his relationships. He ultimately reconnects with his past acquaintance played by Maria Bello, who runs an escort business and helps Porter track down the right people. Their relationship further allows us to see Porter’s somewhat softer side and helps us to look past some of his more indecent behavior. Mel’s narration is also excellent. It lends us some insight into his character and how he interprets the situations happening around him.

Payback is easily one of the most underrated films of both Mel and Helgeland. At just over an hour and a half, its pacing is incredibly smooth and is able to build a small, but palpable world without spending too much time on its set up and back story of characters. It’s difficult to think of another one of Mel’s characters from his movies that rivals that of Porter. He’s one of the coolest characters and I wish we could’ve followed up with his character in a second movie. Remember this movie the next time you’re in the mood for a quick crime noir movie. It’s smooth, it’s fun, it’s Payback.

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Mel Gibson is Back

At one time, Mel Gibson was the kind of actor who could make any movie he wanted. He had the

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