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Mind-blowing in the best possible way, “The Ornithologist” may not work for everyone, but those willing to embrace its puzzling ingredients will find a rewarding solution: further confirmation of a genuine film artist. “Before I Fall” may sound like it’s just for the younger set, but there are real truths here – and real filmmaking ability. Deutch turns in yet another stellar performance, adding layer upon layer to Sam as the days tick by. It’s a big concept, but director Ry Russo-Young brings her whipsmart indie sensibility to the drama, and the result is a fantasy film grounded in reality. David Ehrlichīased on author Lauren Oliver’s novel of the same, “Before I Fall” could be described as “‘Groundhog Day’ for teenagers,” a repeating-day drama that centers on popular high school senior Samantha Kingston (breakout star Zoey Deutch, who adds both spike and charm to the role), who finds herself trapped in a terrifying time loop that sees her dying early in the morning on February 13, only to wake back up again on February 12.įorced to relive the last day of her life over and over again, Sam cycles through all the stages of grief, before realizing what she needs to do in order to break the spell (spoiler alert: it’s not easy). Every good film of 2017 is destined to be thought of as a reflection of Trump’s America, or a lens through which to see it, but “I don’t feel at home in this world.” is the only one so far that nails the frustration of actually living in it.
#Best movies from 2017 and2018 movie#
Starring the brilliant Melanie Lynskey as a fed-up nursing assistant and a wonderfully deranged Elijah Wood as the rat-tailed weirdo who inspires her to fight back against the status quo, Blair’s first feature makes for one hell of a directorial debut.Įqual parts “Blue Ruin” and “Raising Arizona,” the movie takes the visually terse mode of vigilantism that Blair has perfected with long-time collaborator Jeremy Saulnier and lowers the stakes just enough so that the same notes can be played for occasional belly laughs. What the fuck is wrong with people? That question, which feels more pressing by the day, is at the ruefully dark heart of Macon Blair’s “I don’t feel at home in this world anymore.” a hysterical and hyper-violent morality play for our fucked-up times.
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READ MORE: ‘I Don’t Feel At Home in this World Anymore’ Review: Melanie Lynskey Is A Frustrated Vigilante In Macon Blair’s Delightfully Dark Directorial Debut
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“I don’t feel at home in this world anymore.” Above all else, the movie follows a dreamlike path as it portrays the travails of a man grappling to find stability in life lost in his confusion, we become partners in this quest, as its hypnotic story becomes universal. The film never quite flies off the rails so much as it careens from side to side on the same beguiling path, with the most remarkable outcome being that the enigmatic pieces fit together. But the craziest thing about “Staying Vertical” is that these scenes adhere to a certain internal logic.
Or it could be the prolonged shot of gay sex set to classic rock, in which Leo literally fucks a guy to death. Or it could happen earlier, when Leo wanders through a swamp, hiding from his agent, who demands an overdue script. It might be the moment when filmmaker Leo (Damien Bonnard) finds himself homeless, wandering city streets while carrying his infant child, and gets stripped naked by a pack of homeless people.
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It’s never entirely clear when “Staying Vertical,” French director Alain Guiraudie’s followup to “Stranger By the Lake,” shifts into allegory. READ MORE: Sexual Revolution: France’s Alain Guiraudie On ‘Staying Vertical’ and Why He’ll Never Sell Ou t
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