Ritsu Sōma

For some reason, I found it difficult to connect with a lot of the new releases in 2024, but some I liked.

There were some memorable theatrical experiences though, and plenty of movies released before 2024 that I saw for the first time and enjoyed quite a bit. So here are some I thought worth mentioning, in no particular order.

The Taste of Things (2023) - This cozy cooking movie is gorgeously shot and a delightful celebration of food and the relationship between those preparing and enjoying. The Baked Alaska in this movie was absolutely inspirational.

Dusty & Stones (2022) - This is one of the most wholesome documentaries I’ve ever seen. I couldn’t stop smiling. Seeing the joy in these men as they fulfill their dreams was delightful.

It made me think how random it is how people latch onto aspects of other cultures. Sometimes they’re made fun of for it, but you never know what it means to them. We find emotional connections in many different, sometimes unexpected, places. I think that’s alright.

Kim's Video (2023) - Another really interesting, adventure of a documentary that touches on themes of obsession and how things can become lost to time.

Fitzcarraldo (1982) & Burden of Dreams (1982) - A wonderful double feature. Werner Herzog is wild. Witnessing his commitment as he struggles to make his movie is more entertaining than the movie itself. His pontifications about the obscenity of the jungle is hilarious.

Speaking of Herzog, his version of Nosferatu (1979) is my favorite of the ones I've seen. Quiet, eerie, and brooding with classic contemplations on death from Herzog.

I saw the "Silents Synced" version of the original Nosferatu (1922) with Radiohead's Amnesiac and Kid A as the accompaniment which made it more enjoyable, but I think I just find it hard to enjoy silent films.

Francis Ford Coppola's Bram Stoker's Dracula (1992) was wild and flamboyant, while Robert Eggers' Nosferatu (2024) had all the sensibilities of a modern horror movie that I just find fatiguing at this point - also, his Nosferatu looked like a zombie Robotnik.

I was able to revisit some of my favorite movies in the theaters this year...

The Lord of the Rings: The Fellowship of the Ring (2001) - The extended editions were rereleased in theater. It was wonderful to see this on the big screen and be fully enveloped in that brilliant score. Still a perfect movie.

Star Wars: Episode I – The Phantom Menace (1999) - I was like 7 years old when this came out, so I don't remember the theatrical experience, if I even went. It was fun to experience in the theater. Sure it's CG backgrounds galore, but they're more aesthetically pleasing than many of the CG backgrounds we get these days. And the amount of random unique characters just on the periphery is impressive. Star Wars used to be my favorite thing, but I've completely lost interest at this point. Still, this movie fills me with nostalgia, and made me think that even bad movies back then had more charm and took more risks than most movies today.

My local theater had a Keanuthon which was incredible. I wish I had gotten to see more films in the the lineup, but I did make it to the John Wick marathon! I just think Keanu Reeves is so damn cool, and these movies are a ton of fun. The first John Wick (2014) is excellent in its simplicity, but I think Chapter 4 (2023) is basically perfect - I've seen it five times in the theater now, which is nuts for me. Also, my girlfriend sat with me through all of them and enjoyed them too for the most part, which is just so wonderful of her and a testament to her dedication to me <3

Which brings me to the interesting theatrical events of the year...

Johnny Mnemonic (1995) presented in black & white. This movie is goofy, a bit long and nonsensical, but it's a good time with some pretty quotable lines. Somehow the cyberpunk noir style comes through so well in the black & white edit, giving the movie a bold and gritty look. But it was the Q&A with the director, Robert Longo, and Academy Award winner (and Milwaukee-native) John Ridley that really made this a memorable screening. Usually when there is a Q&A at the local cinema, it's a member of the cinema asking questions and can feel, at best, like a basic interview and, at worst, extremely cringey. So it was fascinating to be able to listen to these two filmmakers talk about Longo's experience making this - the only feature film he ever made.

Wildcat (2023) - The Q&A with Ethan Hawke and Barry Poltermann after the screening was more fascinating than the movie itself. It was surreal to see Ethan Hawke on stage at MKE Film telling great stories about the making of this. I already love him, but it made me love him more. It made me want to read more Flannery O’Conner. Then maybe on a rewatch I'll appreciate this movie more.

Two of the most stressful movie-going experiences of the year...

I saw the Halloween showing of The Rocky Horror Picture Show (1975). I was a virgin. This is not the way I want to experience a film. I could see enjoying that experience if I was familiar with the movie, but I found it frustrating and stressful trying to watch and hear the movie as chaos reigned around me.

Ryuichi Sakamoto | Opus (2023) - I saw this at a "Super Secret Members Only Screening" in a packed house. Hundreds of people turned out, ready to be surprised by what exciting movie Milwaukee Film would screen just for members, during the film festival no less! I've long been skeptical of Milwaukee Film's decisions as an organization, but this is by far one of the most ridiculous. To expect hundreds of people to sit through two hours of a guy playing piano, shot in black and white, is ludicrous for an event like this. Less than ten minutes in, the energy of the crowd shifted as we all realized this was the movie. Some settled in, others collected their things and headed out. After each song, handfuls of people exited the theater. A couple in front of me represented the dichotomy of the audience - one crying, moved by the beauty of the music; the other hardly able to sit still, eager to leave. As the credits appeared on screen, the remaining 80% sighed in relief and got up. Ryuichi Sakamoto was still there on screen playing just as he had been for the last two hours, but, as it turns out, as soon as credits roll, people are done with a movie.

I honestly don't even know what I thought of the movie itself. I was so distracted by everything going on around it. Just an absolutely bizarre experience.

One final mention so I don't leave off on that note...

Suzhou River (2000) - I love the opening of this movie. It's dreamy and poetic and blends that line between fiction and reality. In sparked in me a desire to pick up my camera again and not be afraid to makes something kind of ephemeral. The rest of the movie is interesting in its filmmaking techniques, and the story is sort of Murakami-esque.

Well, that's it for now. I saw hundreds of movies in 2024 and most of them leave my mind soon after they are over. But I want to be able to remember the ones that affected me at the time, so that's the purpose of reviving this old tumbly blog.

tried to make some chill beats