Films I have watched in 2024
The feature films and documentaries I have watched in 2024, listed chronologically:
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- DirectorMatt ReevesStarsAndy SerkisWoody HarrelsonSteve ZahnAfter the apes suffer unimaginable losses, Caesar wrestles with his darker instincts and begins his own mythic quest to avenge his kind.02.06. Blu-ray on TV. First time.
- DirectorSean Price WilliamsStarsTalia RyderEarl CaveSimon RexA picaresque journey through the cities and woods of the Eastern seaboard of the U.S undertaken by Lillian, a high school senior from South Carolina. She gets her first glimpse of the wider world on a class trip to Washington, D.C.01.06. Vega Scene, Sal 1. First time.
This is completely off the rails in the best way possible. Films like this reminds me why I love film so much, and I really enjoyed the wild odyssey it took me on. 9/10 - DirectorGeorge MillerStarsAnya Taylor-JoyChris HemsworthTom BurkeThe origin story of renegade warrior Furiosa before her encounter and teamup with Mad Max.31.05. Asker kino, Sal 1. First time.
"Furiosa" is completely fine and watchable, but it doesn't bring anything new to the table. Every "Mad Max" movie up until this point has been very different from all the previous movies, but this just rehashes absolutely every element of "Fury Road" and makes it smaller and less magical, mythical and exciting. If you haven't watched "Fury Road", I'm sure you'll enjoy it way more, but my advice would be to watch "Fury Road" instead. I did like Chris Hemsworth's role though, especially his first scene where he seemed to be channeling Peter O'Toole from "Lawrence of Arabia". 5.5/10 - DirectorJon FavreauStarsRobert Downey Jr.Mickey RourkeGwyneth PaltrowWith the world now aware of his identity as Iron Man, Tony Stark must contend with both his declining health and a vengeful mad man with ties to his father's legacy.25.05. Netflix on laptop. Somethingth time.
I hate how many times I've ended up seeing some of these filler Marvel movies... 5.5/10 - DirectorBeeban KidronStarsRenée ZellwegerColin FirthHugh GrantAfter finding love, Bridget Jones questions if she really has everything she'd ever dreamed of having.22./23.05. Netflix on laptop. Third (?) time.
- DirectorCord JeffersonStarsJeffrey WrightTracee Ellis RossJohn OrtizA novelist who's fed up with the establishment profiting from Black entertainment uses a pen name to write a book that propels him into the heart of the hypocrisy and madness he claims to disdain.20./21.05. Prime Video on laptop. First time.
- DirectorBarbra StreisandStarsBarbra StreisandJeff BridgesLauren BacallA shy, middle-aged professor enters into a romantic but non-physical relationship with an unlucky-in-love colleague.18./19.05. Netflix on laptop. First time.
- DirectorIlker ÇatakStarsLeonie BeneschAnne-Kathrin GummichRafael StachowiakWhen one of her students is suspected of theft, teacher Carla Nowak decides to get to the bottom of the matter. Caught between her ideals and the school system, the consequences of her actions threaten to break her.13.05. Asker kino, Sal 4. First time.
- DirectorKaouther Ben HaniaStarsYahya MahayniDea LianeKoen De BouwHis own body turned into a living work of art and promptly exhibited in a museum, Sam, a Syrian refugee, will soon realize to have sold away more than just his skin.12.05. DVD on TV. First time.
This wasn't everything I'd hoped for, especially after watching the masterful "Four Daughters", but it has a lot of qualities and I will be following Kaouther Ben Hania's career with great interest. 6.5/10 - DirectorJerry SeinfeldStarsIsaac BaeJerry SeinfeldChris RickettIn 1963 Michigan, business rivals Kellogg's and Post compete to create a cake that could change breakfast forever.12.05. Netflix on TV. First time.
"This is beyond B.O. It's B.B.O!"
I expected this to be simple and unambitious, but man, it's hard to fathom how anyone could sign off on something so completely unfunny. Jerry has become Kenny Bania. It's watchable, but that's probably because each scene is a maximum of 30 seconds, so you never have time to get bored or properly annoyed. 3.5/10 - DirectorMatt ReevesStarsGary OldmanKeri RussellAndy SerkisThe fragile peace between apes and humans is threatened as mistrust and betrayal threaten to plunge both tribes into a war for dominance over the Earth.11./12.05. Blu-ray on TV. First time.
- DirectorLuca GuadagninoStarsMike FaistJosh O'ConnorZendayaTashi, a former tennis prodigy turned coach, turned her husband into a champion. But to overcome a losing streak, he needs to face his ex-best friend and Tashi's ex-boyfriend.05.04. Asker kino, Sal 3. First time.
This is a mess, but it is quite good in the parts that work. I think a lot of my issues with the film stem from the editing. The whole back and forth in time doesn't work, and I didn't really like the film at all until it jumped back to the beginning of the story. The actors and the film overall have a completely different energy in the earlier scenes that works very well, but all the present day stuff is a hodge podge that is impossible to engage with. The abrupt instances of Trent Reznor and Atticus Ross' score almost never works, and feels extremely mis-timed and forced most places. Apart from the hotel room scene, which is the film's highest point. The cinematography is also very hit and miss, but mostly miss. All the "innovative" techniques to make tennis seem interesting are mostly gimmicky, but I did think the "camera" inside the ball they use at the end was actually exciting, unlike the first person angle and the constant hitting of balls right in your face. Having seen Guadagnino's underwhelming "Suspiria" last year as well, I'm starting to think "Call me By Your Name" was a flash in the pan and that what he's best at it making films that look intriguing, but aren't. 5.5/10 - DirectorRupert WyattStarsJames FrancoAndy SerkisFreida PintoA substance designed to help the brain repair itself gives advanced intelligence to a chimpanzee who leads an ape uprising.01.05. Blu-ray on TV. Second time.
I haven't watched this since before it had any sequels, and I think knowing that it's a beginning to its own series, and not just a prequel to the original really elevates it. I never went to see "Dawn" or "War" when they came out, but I look forwards to finally watching the rest of the modern "Planet of the Apes" films now! 7.5/10 - DirectorKelly ReichardtStarsMichelle WilliamsKristen StewartLaura DernThe lives of three women intersect in small-town America, where each is imperfectly blazing a trail.30.04. DVD on TV. First time.
The Cinematheque in Oslo did a series of Reichardt's films in April, and I missed them all, so I'll have to do it at home instead. The first segment with Laura Dern had a bit of a Jim Jarmusch vibe that I really liked, so the second two fell a bit short by comparison, even though I liked the mood of the last bit with Kristen Stewart and Lily Gladstone. 6.5/10 - DirectorDavid LeitchStarsRyan GoslingEmily BluntAaron Taylor-JohnsonA down-and-out stuntman must find the missing star of his ex-girlfriend's blockbuster film.29.04. Asker kino, Sal 1. First time.
The cast are likeable and the stunts are fun, but overall the film feels flat and unengaging. They should have gone a couple of more rounds with the script, and they should definitely have gone more behind the scenes with the stuntwork within the film, because the highlight of the film is the behind the scenes reel that plays over the credits. 5/10 - DirectorDean ParisotStarsTim AllenSigourney WeaverAlan RickmanThe alumni cast of a space opera television series have to play their roles as the real thing when an alien race needs their help. However, they also have to defend both Earth and the alien race from a reptilian warlord.27.04. Netflix on TV. Second time.
- DirectorKaouther Ben HaniaStarsOlfa HamrouniEya ChikhaouiTayssir ChikhaouiBetween light and darkness stands Olfa, a Tunisian woman and the mother of four daughters. One day, her two older daughters disappear. Filmmaker Kaouther Ben Hania invites professional actresses to fill in their absence.22.04. Vega scene, Sal 2. First time.
This is really,really good. Having the film be about the whole process of Olfa and her daughters working with the actresses portraying Olfa's lost daughters and Olfa herself, the film achieves a realness and honesty that you seldom see in any film, fiction or documentary. It's an incredibly strong portrait of family and a fascinating examination of the path to extremism. 10/10 - DirectorDev PatelStarsDev PatelSharlto CopleyPitobashAn anonymous young man unleashes a campaign of vengeance against the corrupt leaders who murdered his mother and continue to systematically victimize the poor and powerless.20.04. Colosseum kino, Sal 4. First time.
Imagine if "John Wick" was about something. I read that Dev Patel wanted to make an action film and "infuse it with a little culture" and I think he really succeeds at that. Having a little political commentary just in time for the Indian elections is not a bad thing either. 8/10 - DirectorMaria FredrikssonStarsOlaug BakkevollPauline DahlJan FjelltunTwo pious sisters buy an apartment after having witnessed a divine sign - only to realize that the seller of the apartment looks identical to their other sister, who committed suicide some thirty years before.22.04. Klingenberg kino, Sal 2. First time.
I'm sorry to say, I did not get the hype. The story springs out of a big coincidence, but all that follows with twists and turns around every bend became too much. It might appeal to the true crime fans and the tabloid readers, but I lost interest. After a while there are so many story elements thrown at you, without all of them being followed up that I stopped caring. The post-credit cliffhanger really exemplifies this. There's also a discussion to be had about a director's role in a documentary like this, and I was surprised at the places she intervened underways. 5/10 - DirectorClaudia WeillStarsMelanie MayronEli WallachAdam CohenA photographer and her girlfriend are roommates. She is stuck with small-change shooting jobs and dreams of success. When her roommate decides to get married and leave, she feels hurt and has to learn how to deal with living alone.20.04. Cinemateket i Oslo, Lillebil. First time.
For the first five minutes or so, I thought I'd made a huge mistake by going to this movie, and I was not ready to sit through an hour and a half of this tedious student crap. But fortunately the film picked up rather quickly, and for the most part I thought it had a lot to offer. Afterwards, I learned that the first seven minutes were comprised of the original short film that the rest of the film grew out of, so just be warned - it opens as a terrible student film - but it gets better! 7/10 - DirectorDavid LeanStarsPeter O'TooleAlec GuinnessAnthony QuinnThe story of T.E. Lawrence, the English officer who successfully united and led the diverse, often warring, Arab tribes during World War I in order to fight the Turks.19./21.04. Blu-ray on TV. Somethingth time.
I wanted a rewatch of "Lawrence" right now because of "Dune", but it was most interesting because of all the history of the Middle East, that I know I haven't appreciated to its full extent when seeing the film before. 10/10 - DirectorDag Johan HaugerudStarsThorbjørn HarrJan Gunnar RøiseSereba MarvinFollows two colleagues who in different ways struggle with the same issues about their sexuality.17.04. Vika kino, Sal 4. First time.
Haugerud continues the art of the excellent dialogues in a very refreshing film. Despite the feeling that the film exists in its own universe that is slightly different from ours, I think it achieves something that is very true, similar to what modern Norwegian playwrights like Lygre, Brattberg or Fosse do in their plays. 8/10 - DirectorEmily Louisa Millan EideStarsWilliam HeimdalWilliam Heimdal is one of the most talented young painters in Norway, and wishes to master the old classic techniques, but feels he is misunderstood by society, and should have lived in another time. Is he complex, or is it everyone else?15.04. NRK on TV. First time.
I've seldom felt more strongly that a documentary subject should be protected from themselves than here. It feels so vulnerable watching this babyfaced brat go through his formative years, and it really feels like something that should have been too private for someone else to watch - but, of course, you can't look away. Odd Nerdrum's "school" of technically skilled, but ridiculously pretentious wannabes are always fascinating to watch. 6.5/10 - DirectorPete DocterBob PetersonStarsEdward AsnerJordan NagaiJohn Ratzenberger78-year-old Carl Fredricksen travels to Paradise Falls in his house equipped with balloons, inadvertently taking a young stowaway.12.04. Blu-ray on TV. Somethingth time.
I always knew this was going to hit harder and harder the older I got, and sure enough, this time I started crying before it even got sad. 9/10 - DirectorDenis VilleneuveStarsTimothée ChalametZendayaRebecca FergusonPaul Atreides unites with Chani and the Fremen while seeking revenge against the conspirators who destroyed his family.08.04. Klingenberg kino, Sal 1. Second time. *Second time this year