Barbie, Mother, The Vanishing, Zombie For Sale

- Barbie [2023] - 95
This is the first time I’ve gone to see a movie twice in theaters since Movie Pass first came out in like… 2017[?] and I could see stuff again for, essentially, free. While Movie Pass is back, circumstances prevented me from using it for either of my viewings of Barbie. So, if nothing else I have to say serves as motivation, hopefully the fact that I paid for two tickets within a 7-day time period does. This movie is absolutely fantastic, bitingly cold in its review of the world, courageously uplifting to those it sees as needing some assistance, and uproariously fun even if its messages pass you by. I recommend seeing this in the fullest theater you can and unashamedly laughing whenever you feel the urge. I cannot wait for awards season because this is going to absolutely clean up shop.

- Mother [2009] - 91
An early entry from the now very famous, Bong Joon Ho, Mother is a tremendous mystery-thriller. This has been on my list for a very long time and I’ve always passed it by because I thought it was a horror and I just wasn’t quite in the mood. It isn’t. Mother is smartly written, beautifully shot, and excitingly paced; all without ever losing its touching atmosphere or tense plot. I haven’t been a fan of most of Ho’s other work but, watching this makes me feel like I’ve missed something, and now I’ll be making an effort to go back and watch them all.

- The Vanishing [2018] - 56
This film, on the other hand, uh… sucked. I was genuinely surprised by how droll this was because the plot itself is very interesting. 3 lighthouse keepers find a body washed up on their shore shortly after starting their weekslong shift on watch. The body is accompanied by a mysterious chest… and drama ensues. This film could have gotten weird, it could have maintained a deeply dramatic air, or it could have shifted genres entirely and become an adventure film. Instead, it uses shoddy character development, poorly paced narrative structure, and implied dangers to create a very boring, very strange [in the bad way], and very forgettable sort of drama-thriller. It’s one of those movies where the entire plot rests on someone not saying something that’s totally obvious and logical to say. Very dumb, very frustrating. Skip this one if it’s on your list.

- Zombie For Sale [2019] - 91
Zombie For Sale on the other, other hand was excellent. In a world where Shaun of the Dead doesn’t exist, Zombie For Sale is the landmark zombie-comedy that we all talk about. This film is funny, it is self aware, it is ultra-stylistic and ultra-stylish, it’s sweet, it’s well made… the list goes on. I went into this on a whim, just looking for something to throw on while I ate dinner before bed, and I am so glad I stumbled across it. The film has such a small release that its IMDB page doesn’t even credit the writer. In fact, the entirety of the credits there only numbers 11 people… which is almost certainly false. This was just a delightfully silly time and one that is incredibly easy to recommend.