Some initial thoughts on CIVIL WAR on Letterboxd:

MONKEY MAN often adds up to less than it should, but the scene where Dev Patel drives a knife into someone’s neck with his teeth then jerks his head to twist it in further just about makes up for that.

Great trend continues. In the last 4 weeks Neon, IFC Films, and now A24 all had their biggest box office opening weekends in company history.

DHEEPAN: Never know what you're going to get with Audiard. A strikingly well-observed immigrant drama until it suddenly turns into an action-thriller of flaming cars and Wilhelm screams.

THE BEAST is a temporally boundless tapestry of desire, fear, and dread—of humanity at its most passionately alive—that thrums with “the terror of today.”

A pleasure to speak with Bertrand Bonello about his best film yet, for RogerEbert.com: rogerebert.com/interviews/unt…

Once again. NOT GOING OUT OF PRINT.

Dying at “Most people had fun with it.”

Kiyoshi Kurosawa’s next film, SERPENT’S PATH, is on here 🔥

My essay on Civil War - Garland’s themes of death and (re)evolution, how our present serves as the film’s history, the hazards of ideological extremes that turn allies into enemies, and why asking questions about what we see and believe is a necessary discomfort. #CivilWarMovie

Be remiss to mention a Rolling Stone piece that l turned to as I worked on the final edit. Incredibly grateful for the brave & harrowing work of the Palestinian photojournalists who are documenting the ongoing horrors & massacre in Gaza. See the gallery:
rollingstone.com/politics/polit…

On 2nd watch, while I have my gripes with CIVIL WAR, I remain gripped by how Garland challenges us to not view wartime images as separate from the real violence they depict. Wrote about it (& its connection to the imprecatory Psalms) for Christianity Today
christianitytoday.com/ct/2024/april-…

Good writing and, in my opinion, the correct take. CIVIL WAR is not about politics. It's about our willingness to distance ourselves from atrocities that have become commonplace.

Ethan Coen and Tricia Cooke’s DRIVE-AWAY DOLLS is streaming on Peacock.

Big week for the standing in red doorways crowd

If it’s playing near you, I urge to watch CHICKEN FOR LINDA! It’s an early contender for the best animated film of the year. It’s a hilarious, unpredictable, gorgeously animated, and even profound tale of parents and poultry. Here’s my LA Times review: tinyurl.com/2jawpmwk

Do Not Expect Too Much from the End of the World is the only film I can recall that genuinely reminded me of both Jean-Luc Godard and Wonder Showzen

👀👀👀👀 Barry Jenkins

Seeing The Beast tonight. Lea Seydoux's face on the big screen...that's what movies are for