Movies Graded

Director: Abbas Kiarostami Stars: Homayoun Ershadi, Abdolrahman Bagheri, Afshin Khorshid Bakhtiari Runtime: 95  minutes Synopsis:  An Iranian man drives his truck in search of someone who will quietly bury him under a cherry tree after he commits suicide. Verdict:  Oddly enough, my viewing of “Taste of Cherry” reminded me of my first time watching “Requiem for a Dream”. If you’ve seen Abbas Kiarostami’s 1997 drama about a man’s search for someone to assist his planned suicide, you’ll probably find the comparison peculiar. Darren Aronofsky’s highly energetic film centered around drug use may be the technical polar opposite of the minimalistic Iranian modern classic, but they both seize the opportunity to denounce the subject serving as the foundation of the narrative. I understand that they do it in vastly different ways, but this is just a thought that hit me as I was taking in the many conversations held between Mr. Badii and his guests in his old jeep. Right off the bat...

Director: Ishiro Honda Stars: Takashi Shimura, Akihiko Hirata, Akira Takarada Runtime: 96   minutes Synopsis:  American nuclear weapons testing results in the creation of a seemingly unstoppable, dinosaur-like beast. Verdict:  Around 200,000. That’s the number of lives lost in 1945 when the United States shocked the world by detonating two nuclear bombs in Hiroshima and Nagasaki. It’s an unparalleled massacre that left an entire nation mourning for their loved ones, a bloodbath that resulted in years of paranoia. Less than a decade later, “Godzilla” (or Gojira) was brought to the big screen. Revived and empowered by the radiation left by various nuclear tests in the Pacific Ocean, he’s a clear symbol of destruction, maybe even the embodiment of the United States itself. The seemingly indestructible giant lizard’s only goal is to demolish whatever stands in its way including a number of Japanese cities inhabited by fearing civilians. But what captured my attention in this ...

Director: Florian Zeller Stars: Anthony Hopkins, Olivia Colman, Mark Gatiss Runtime:  97  minutes Synopsis:  A man refuses all assistance from his daughter as he ages. As he tries to make sense of his changing circumstances, he begins to doubt his loved ones, his own mind, and even the fabric of his reality. Verdict:  I cannot fathom how difficult life can become for a person suffering from dementia. The mere thought of not recognizing people you’ve known for years, constantly forgetting where you placed some of your belongings, or even not remembering how to do basic activities is genuinely terrifying to me. Florian Zeller’s directorial debut, an adaptation of the acclaimed play he wrote himself, dissects the relationship between a daughter, Anne, and her father, Anthony. The latter was diagnosed with the illness for quite a while now, and has a nasty habit of angering off caretakers with his quarrelsome attitude. Anne is left to pick up the pieces of his actions, f...

Director: Michael Powell, Emeric Pressburger Stars: Deborah Kerr, David Farrar, Flora Robson Runtime: 101   minutes Synopsis:  A group of nuns struggle to establish a convent in the Himalayas, while isolation, extreme weather, altitude, and culture clashes all conspire to drive the well-intentioned missionaries mad. Verdict:  Michael Powell and Emeric Pressburger are a pair of directors who deserve a place on the Mount Rushmore of filmmakers and that is a hill I’m willing to die on. Their work is as captivating as Hitchcock’s classics, as varied and influential as Kubrick’s projects, and yet they rarely pop up in a conversation that features these gigantic names. “The Red Shoes” is probably their most recognizable film, but “Black Narcissus” is a close second in terms of popularity. About a group of nuns’ attempt of establishing a convent in a secluded village located at the base of the Himalayas during the British Raj, the movie merges themes of isolation, cultural clash...

Director: Merian C. Cooper, Ernest B. Schoedsack Stars: Fay Wray, Robert Armstrong, Bruce Cabot Runtime: 100  minutes Synopsis:   A film crew goes to a tropical island for an exotic location shoot and discovers a colossal ape who takes a shine to their female blonde star. He is then captured and brought back to New York City for public exhibition. Verdict:  When a group of white American men set foot on a remote island in the middle of nowhere to make it the main location of their newest film, they are greeted by its local tribe and the giant ape they worship. Kong is unlike anything they’ve ever seen, he’s a colossal beast that is more intimidating than dangerous, an impressive animal whose most striking characteristic is his capability of loving a human being. But in true American fashion, the crew in question only sees him as a potential investment, an attraction that will draw hundreds of thousands of people. To them, he’s just a giant green bill. If it’s not already ...

Director: Satyajit Ray Stars: Kanu Bannerjee, Karuna Bannerjee, Subir Bannerjee Runtime: 125   minutes Synopsis:  Impoverished priest Harihar Ray, dreaming of a better life for himself and his family, leaves his rural Bengal village in search of work. Verdict:  Oddly enough, “Pather Panchali” not only marks my introduction to the legendary Satyajit Ray’s work but also serves as the first step in my hopefully long journey discovering Indian Cinema. I was stunned to realize that I had never seen a movie from the rich South Asian land before and hope to right that wrong in the future, especially after experiencing Ray’s directorial debut and first chapter in the Apu trilogy. What struck me most about the classic is how sincere and human it is. The dynamic, struggles, wholesome moments, and crushed dreams experienced by the poverty struck family at the center of it felt as honest as it possibly could, a miracle considering the many issues that occurred behind the scenes which...

Director: Zack Snyder Stars: Ben Affleck, Gal Gadot, Henry Cavill Runtime: 242   minutes Synopsis:  Zack Snyder's definitive director's cut of Justice League. Determined to ensure Superman's ultimate sacrifice was not in vain, Bruce Wayne aligns forces with Diana Prince with plans to recruit a team of metahumans to protect the world from an approaching threat of catastrophic proportions. Verdict:  In what feels like an eternity ago, comic book fans around the globe were excited to finally get to see the beloved Justice League in action. Zack Snyder, who had been up until this point the creative brain behind the DCEU, was hired to direct his third entry in the franchise after “Man of Steel” and “Batman v Superman”, but had to retreat well into production after tragedy struck his family. Following a battle with depression, his daughter Autumn took her own life in March of 2017 at the age of 20, forcing the director to take a step back to mourn his loss alongside his family....