Film Diary: Q1 2025
or The One Where Arthur Finally Watches Ghibli Movies
12 ANGRY MEN (1957)
Put twelve people from various backgrounds in a room, make them uncomfortable, put the life of a young man in their hands, and see how much drama you can squeeze out of that. It’s amazing how much humanity can be explored with that kind of premise, how much conflict can be mined.
This feels as relevant now as it was in 1957. Stick twelve men from New York in a stuffy room to debate the guilt or innocence of a young minority, and I bet you’d find that the questions this film poses would still be prevalent today.
OFFICE SPACE (1999)
Over the years, I’ve come to wonder if I’m not wired to judge comedies fairly — but the counter argument is: Why should I hold comedies to a lower storytelling standard?
Anyway, I watch this, I giggle a few times, but all I can think about is how promising the premise of this story was, and how about a third of the way in, it loses focus and becomes about something other than what it was about when the movie was being established. I was interested in this guy who hates his job and chooses to stop caring about it. I didn’t care in the slightest about the shenanigans that became the focus of the story after that.
HAMILTON (2020)
Musical theater is so magical. Just humans on a stage, moving amongst each other along with the music, singing their hearts out, performing in front of hundreds of humans watching with their hearts wide open. It can be traced to the ancient Greeks, and probably didn’t look all too dissimilar. It’s a form of storytelling on a plane unaccompanied by any other. When the story matches the medium in majesty, you get magic. You get an experience that pierces straight into the soul.
Previously Reviewed in 2020 & 2023
NETWORK (1976)
According to the Brainrot Department on Twitter, the 7th of January is national I’m Not Going To Take It Anymore Day. As such, I’m using that arbitrary designation as an excuse to revisit this Sidney Lumet / Paddy Chayefsky masterpiece. You may ask, what do these two things have to do with each other? Well, according to that very same Brainrot Department, the appropriate response to your inquiry would be: IYKYK.
IT’S A WONDERFUL LIFE (1946)
I was a younger man when I last watched this movie. Swiftly approaching thirty-two, this film certainly strikes at my heart and soul in ways it never could all those years ago.
It’s an amazing thing when a piece of media can rewire your brain, the patterns of your thoughts. It’s a miracle, frankly, that a piece of media can make you reflect on the life you’re presently living and appreciate it in ways you perhaps weren’t before pressing play. What a gift this film is.
THE LITTLE MERMAID (2023)
I totally understand hating on a remake if it makes no improvements to the original, therefore having little reason for existing. This remake makes significant improvements while remaining impressively true to the original. The lore is deeper in this remake. The new songs are wonderful (I don’t despise The Scuttlebutt). Ursula is a fuller character here. Eric is a much better character here, colored with a backstory, wants and dreams of his own — elements that parallel Ariel’s so beautifully. Ariel’s relationship with him is richer — their chemistry is genuinely lovely, adding much-needed weight to the love story at the center of this movie.
Finally, It should be noted that although this number of positive changes have been made, Ariel remains largely the same as the beloved character from the 1989 classic — and spending one additional hour with her certainly allows us connect with our protagonist. In a movie paced so well, this extra time can only be helpful.
Previously Reviewed on July 9, 2023
IN THE HEIGHTS (2021)
“I just want to see the whole world through her eyes” is one of the most romantic lines I’ve ever heard. It says so much with so little — about her, about him.
Yeah, I love this movie. It makes me feel good. It’s one of my handful of go-to rewatches. The vibes are immaculate. That ending is like an enormous hug as warm as the summers in Washington Heights.
Previously Reviewed in 2021 & 2022
SAVING MR. BANKS (2013)
I remember really enjoying this movie when it first came out. I was still in my cinephile infancy then, so this has a special place in my heart.
Watching it now, over a decade after first experiencing it, I can’t help but feel like there is a good story here, but it’s poorly told as it stands. There is a soul at the core of this, but uncovering that soul is a laborious task to say the least. The performances do a good job at keeping this thing together, however — Emma Thompson is very fun to watch in how little fun her character is having.
COMPANION (2025)
This is one of those movies that do everything just well enough to be considered a good time when all is said and done. The premise is interesting, if not utterly unique. The execution on that premise is shaky from time to time, but solid for the majority of its run. The performances are good, even if the script makes it difficult on the actors here and there. Overall, it’s one of the better genre pictures you’ll see released in the dreaded month of January.
THE APPRENTICE (2024)
If it’s not a sign of good storytelling, it’s the work of truly exceptional performers to make us feel bad for the devil after we’ve spent time watching him do his work, and to (almost) make us root for the devil’s spawn before he grows up to raise hell. Really great stuff from Stan and Strong.
CUCKOO (2024)
I spent so long trying to make out what the point of this was, and by the time the film decided to let us know what the point of this was, I no longer cared what the point of this was. That was ultimately a blessing, because by the end, the point of this wasn’t something I cared for in the slightest — it would have been unfortunate to remain invested until reaching that conclusion.
The relationship between the sisters got me through this.
TRAP (2024)
The twist came a lot earlier than I’m accustomed to seeing from M. Night Shyamalan, but it was still super effective — I audibly gasped when Russ suddenly appeared out of the ground during the concert. I’ve been a big fan of his for years.
THE GORGE (2025)
I should come up with a name or phrase for movies that are directly derailed by the midpoint after starting off on solid footing. The midpoint is generally a plot point where a story is turned on its head, for better or worse. Often, the characters enter a whole new environment. Sometimes, the story does a good job introducing us to one type of movie, and the midpoint thrusts us into a different kind of movie, as a way of turning the story on its head.
The first half of this film is about these two interesting characters learning to live with the circumstances they’ve found themselves in, separately then together. The midpoint turns this into a monster hunter action movie with a sinister conspiracy at the heart of it. I’m sure there are people that would like the second half of this better than the first, but I am not one of those people. It’s a shame the midpoint is making us choose.
MURDER ON THE ORIENT EXPRESS (2017)
I read the book right before seeing this movie at the cinema in 2017. I remember feeling deeply dissatisfied by this back then. For my liking, it wasn’t a good enough adaptation of the novel I quite enjoyed.
It wasn’t until I read Death on the Nile, then subsequently saw the sequel to this film, that I learned to appreciate these movies for what they are. It’s an impossible task to adapt Agatha Christie’s novels with the depth and layers they require — there’s just not enough time in a movie to do so. What this film does (its successors too) is make a good-looking, earnest, entertaining movie based on the novel by the same name. 7+ years removed from reading said novel, I can finally appreciate this film for what it is.
THE MONKEY (2025)
Osgood Perkins is stacking up a filmography of movies that are close to being genuinely good but don’t quite get there. One thing that I’ve learned to absolutely expect from his films is for them to look beautiful — he makes very pretty genre pictures; this one is no different.
I know this movie is based on a Stephen King short story, but even if I didn’t know that, I would have guessed it was after only about a third of the way in. I don’t even know if this is a faithful adaption, but it sure as hell feels like one. I say all of the above as a compliment to the filmmakers.
HEART EYES (2025)
One of my favorite Romantic Comedies in recent memory. Make no mistake, this is a Rom-Com first and a Horror/Slasher second. The former is unquestionably benefitted by the presence of the latter, but its identity is never in question — the film goes out of its way to insist that it is a Romantic Comedy.
It starts with a Slasher cold open, but swiftly establishes itself as a Rom-Com and ends as such, leaving the Horror fans hanging. Then the mid-credit scene comes in, teasing the Horror fans, then pulling the rug from under them yet again — really well done. I respect the filmmakers for sticking to their guns. It makes this movie a genuinely unique Rom-Com, instead of just another run-of-the-mill Horror Comedy.
A REAL PAIN (2024)
This is a small story about two cousins on a trip to their ancestral motherland — it’s so tactfully told, so delicately delivered. It explores such enormous topics as the experience of human suffering and the importance of human connection to overcome and make sense of it all.
Hats off to Jesse Eisenberg, who with his pen and his direction, deftly brought to life characters that feel real, filled with the flaws and complexities that make us human. Oh, and to act as one of those characters, delivering one of the best performances of his career, makes this feat nothing short of an absolute triumph.
BOTTOMS (2023)
Is this not quietly one of the best comedies released this decade? It’s legitimately funny, it has something to say, it looks nice, the performances are great, it balances over-the-top and grounded well. Yes, it’s a good comedy, but it’s also a good movie with a real, unique voice.
Previously Reviewed on December 17, 2023
NE ZHA (2019)
There isn’t a boring choice made in the entirety of this movie. Time and time again, they decided on an utterly absurd choice over a bland choice, even if the bland choice would have sufficed for the story’s needs.
The most impressive thing about this film, however, is that, after everything this little shit said and did during the nearly two-hour runtime, they managed to make me sympathize with this demon child. He wears his insecurities on his sleeve while he’s being an absolute pain in the ass.
NE ZHA 2 (2025)
This is everything you could have fathomably hoped for in a sequel and more. First and foremost, it’s less silly than the 2019 film. Just like its predecessor, the heart of this story sneaks up on you and punches you hard, through to your soul. The fight sequences were maybe the best I’ve ever seen in animation — genuinely jaw-dropping moments of technical achievement.
I’m thrilled to see how successful this movie has been — the only reason I knew of its existence was all the headlines saying it broke Disney’s record for the highest grossing animated film of all time, undoubtedly destined to become the first to ever cross the two-billion dollar milestone.
THE WAR OF THE ROHIRRIM (2024)
With a modest budget, a PG-13 rating, and a runtime of over two hours, I was hoping this film would provide more meat on its bones than it did. Interesting characters were introduced and a grand story was told. I think maybe the grand story of it all stood in the way of the interesting characters of it all. But as mentioned above, the film had the resources to strike a more satisfying balance (says this one audience member who prefers to find the depth in stories to be disproportionately allocated toward character).
Upon doing some research into the production of this film after my initial review, I came across a statement that alleged Warner Bros fast-tracked this to ensure New Line Cinema (a WB subsidiary) did not lose the film adaptation rights for Tolkien’s novels. This certainly adds context to my feelings toward the lack of depth in the final product.
GLENGARRY GLEN ROSS (1992)
One of my favorite cinematic genres is the great adaptation of a great play. The script is bulletproof, as plays must be. The actors have fleshed out, meaty roles to slip into and prance around in. The direction and cinematography can remain simple, and therefore, are primed for creative flourishes by the artists.
This film is one such great adaptation of a great play.
BO BURNHAM: INSIDE (2021)
This really feels like a piece of art beyond cinema, beyond stand-up comedy, beyond whatever box you want to put it in. This is a creative genius dumping all of his pent-up creative energy into a single project, completely unshackled, unaffected by the expectations of anybody other than the man in the mirror.
The songs are a good example of Bo Burnham firing on all cylinders. But it’s the interludes where it really seems like Bo is flexing his creative muscles. It feels like he was just bored out of his mind, got a random idea or had something to say, and felt compelled to get to work on bringing it to life. Pure, unadulterated art by an artist in his prime.
Previously Reviewed on June 7 & September 27, 2021
LOOKING FOR ALASKA (2019)
“If you take Alaska’s genetic code and you add her life experiences and the relationships she had with people, and then you take the size and shape of her body, you do not get her. There is something else entirely. There is a part of her greater than the sum of her knowable parts. And that part has to go somewhere, because it cannot be destroyed.”
So many changes were made to the book to fill eight chapters at nearly an hour per episode. The changes were made with the source material’s heart and soul in mind, which is all we can ask for as fans of the book.
Miles’ monologue to end the series was altered to better fit the story being told on screen. The above segment, however, holds so much of this story’s heart and soul — it’s fitting that the words recited by actor Charlie Plummer here match those written in John Green’s novel, verbatim.
GRAVE OF THE FIREFLIES (1988)
Around the point Setsuko was eating marbles and wanting to feed her brother rocks, I was prepared to write “every minute from this point forward was diabolical.” But then I thought about the scene before that one and the scene before that one and the scene before that one. I watched the final scene, then went back to rewatch the opening scene. It was only then that I realized every minute from the very first minute was diabolical.
What a stunning, heart-wrenching film.
SPIRITED AWAY (2001)
Only God and Hayao Miyazaki know what the hell was going on here. What do this man’s dreams look like? What do his thoughts present to him while his mind wanders? Oh, to spend a day in his head…
Moment to moment, anything and everything could happen. Thematically, I was following (mostly). Chihiro was established as a sympathetic protagonist almost instantly, so following along through the chaos did not feel like a chore. Watching this was like being on a train, gazing out at my surroundings — I had no idea what was up ahead, but the view from the side is a beautiful one, so I’m peacefully leaning against the window, enjoying every second.
DEATH OF A UNICORN (2024)
It’s a very specific kind of disappointment that I feel when the beginning and end of a film feel like they really belong together, but the whole feels bad while those parts feel good. It’s the kind of disappointment that comes from a story that seems to know what it wants to say, but spends the entire film saying anything or everything else.
There’s a really solid story about the relationship between this father and daughter in here somewhere, but I fear it can’t be unearthed from the movie we’ve been delivered.
PRINCESS MONONOKE (1997)
This is a familiar story told better than the others you’ve heard or seen. It’s a familiar animation style that’s beloved by so many around the world. It’s structurally and allegorically far more accessible than Spirited Away, but it’s no less fruitful in what it has to say. It’s a classic fantasy story about the battle between man and nature, told only how Hayao Miyazaki can tell it.
Let the record show I watched this for the first time in a packed house for an exclusive 4K IMAX screening. What a treat.
MY NEIGHBOR TOTORO (1988)
It’s insane to think about the fact that this film and Ghibli colleague Isao Takahata’s Grave of the Fireflies were released as a double bill in 1988. The vibes are quite literally polar opposites. Where the latter is grim from start to finish, this film is like a warm hug from the first minute to the last. In Grave, when things seem bright, they end up dark. In Totoro, when things seem dark, they end up bright.
I really hope they screened this film second, because frankly, the alternative would be inhumane.
HOWL’S MOVING CASTLE (2004)
I think a moment that really, truly epitomizes the pure, innately wholesome tone that Miyazaki’s movies strike happens at the end of this film:
In order to save Howl’s life and free the fire demon, Sophie desperately needed to retrieve Calcifer from the grasp of the Witch that cursed her at the beginning of the story, turning her into an elderly woman, with all the struggles that come with inhabiting such a body. She doesn’t fight the Witch, who is frail and decrepit now, easily defeatable. She doesn’t scream or shout or threaten to hurt her if she doesn’t hand Calcifer over. Without hesitation, Sophie wraps her arms around the Witch, tears in her eyes, and says, “Please give him back.” When the Witch concedes, Sophie gives her a kiss and tells her she has a big heart.
PORCO ROSSO (1992)
Of the five Miyazaki films I’ve seen so far, this was by far the most grounded in reality.
That said, the protagonist is a war veteran who the ladies love who happens to be a pig, there’s no shortage of strong female characters, the aviation sequences were dazzling in their animation, and the film was overall bursting with the eccentricity I’ve come to love about Miyazaki’s work.
PONYO (2008)
This movie was as colorful and as full of life as I expected. Ponyo and Sosuke were adorable — so much of this film’s runtime is just them hanging out, holding space together, passing time together.
It was during those moments that my mind kept traveling back to the fact that this film was made well into Miyazaki’s career. In fact, it’s the film right before he made his (first) last film in 2013 (before he came out of retirement to make one more ten years later, in 2023). This film was also the successor to an incomprehensible streak of Princess Mononoke (‘97), Spirited Away (‘01), Howl’s Moving Castle (‘04). It’s fascinating to me, that after everything Miyazaki accomplished and the magnitude of the stories he’d told, he chose to tell this smaller, more affable, less thematically resounding tale in 2008.
None of this is meant to be taken as criticism of Ponyo — they’re just observations. I’ve always been interested by the projects great artists choose to take on, and when.
