The Killing of a Sacred Deer (2017)

IMDb plot summary: Steven, a charismatic surgeon, is forced to make an unthinkable sacrifice after his life starts to fall apart, when the behavior of a teenage boy he has taken under his wing turns sinister.
Directed by Yorgos Lanthimos. Starring Colin Farrell, Barry Keoghan, Nicole Kidman, and Raffey Cassidy.

This movie is SO INTENSE. Even in the first hour in which nothing is happening, the monotone delivery of all the characters lends a really terrifying undertone to whatever's really going on. I don't know that it'd be appropriate to say I liked this movie, but I definitely understood it more than, say, Dogtooth.

3 stars.

How it entered my Flickchart:

The Killing of a Sacred Deer > In Time

The Killing of a Sacred Deer < Quartet

The Killing of a Sacred Deer > The Village

The Killing of a Sacred Deer > His Girl Friday

The Killing of a Sacred Deer < Oscar

The Killing of a Sacred Deer < The Great Mouse Detective

The Killing of a Sacred Deer > I Have Never Forgotten You: The Life and Legacy of Simon Wiesenthal

The Killing of a Sacred Deer > There Will Be Blood

The Killing of a Sacred Deer < I Heart Huckabees

The Killing of a Sacred Deer > The Light In Her Eyes

The Killing of a Sacred Deer > Ant-Man

Final spot: #828 out of 2769.

The Sasquatch Gang (2006)

IMDb plot summary: Young fantasy and science fiction aficionado Gavin Gore and his friends stumble onto some huge footprints in the woods. A local cop, reporter, and a renowned Sasquatch authority investigate, while two of Gavin's dim-witted neighbors hatch a scheme to profit from the situation.
Directed by Tim Skousen. Starring Justin Long, Jeremy Sumpter, Addie Land, and Joey Kern.

This movie is so bizarre. I have just learned that the writer/director also assistant directed Napoleon Dynamite, which makes a lot of sense, because that's maybe its closest relative, though it's not as magical. It's more visibly structured than Napoleon Dynamite, with at least one narrative throughline and "chapters" in which we see established events from other characters' perspectives, which turned out to be a surprisingly interesting way of fleshing out the world. Some of the jokes land, others seem a bit too manufactured to be quotable lines for the Napoleon Dynamite crowd (most of the lines tossed out by the shirtless corn-dog-eating best friend fall into the latter category, while the very brief shot of his entire family eating dinner and realizing they *all* have an aversion to shirts is the former). I like what it's trying to do, though it doesn't always succeed. This one is just weird enough to grow on me.

3 stars.

How it entered my Flickchart:
The Sasquatch Gang > In Time
The Sasquatch Gang < The Front
The Sasquatch Gang < The Village
The Sasquatch Gang > Precious: Based on the Novel Push by Sapphire
The Sasquatch Gang < Children of a Lesser God
The Sasquatch Gang > Struck by Lightning
The Sasquatch Gang < Strictly Ballroom
The Sasquatch Gang < The Absent-Minded Professor
The Sasquatch Gang < Miracle on 34th Street (1947)
The Sasquatch Gang < Harakiri
The Sasquatch Gang > Ender's Game

Final spot: #1165 out of 2768.

The Hateful Eight (2015)

IMDb plot summary: In the dead of a Wyoming winter, a bounty hunter and his prisoner find shelter in a cabin currently inhabited by a collection of nefarious characters.
Directed by Quentin Tarantino. Starring Samuel L. Jackson, Kurt Russell, Jennifer Jason Leigh, and Walton Goggins.

So this is supposed to be an old timey western, but it mostly reminds me of a (much) more bloody version of an Agatha Christie novel. Several characters, all locked together in one location, each with their own secrets that slowly get exposed over the course of the story... even a long monologue from the lead about who most likely committed the crime. It doesn't have quite as much Tarantinoesque dialogue as some of his other movies, but it feels like his version of a fun bottle episode old timey murder mystery. Significantly more interesting than his last western.

3.5 stars.

How it entered my Flickchart:

The Hateful Eight > Another Thin Man

The Hateful Eight < The Front

The Hateful Eight > Men in Black

The Hateful Eight > Auntie Mame

The Hateful Eight < Oscar

The Hateful Eight < The Great Mouse Detective

The Hateful Eight > Before Sunset

The Hateful Eight > The Hidden Fortress

The Hateful Eight > Ant-Man

The Hateful Eight > The Private Life of Sherlock Holmes

The Hateful Eight > Blazing Saddles

Final spot: #822 out of 2767.

The Babadook (2014)

IMDb plot summary: A widowed mother, plagued by the violent death of her husband, battles with her son's fear of a monster lurking in the house, but soon discovers a sinister presence all around her.
Directed by Jennifer Kent. Starring Essie Davis, Noah Wiseman, Hayley McElhinney, and Barbara West.

I am not sure I'm totally sold on the likely symbolism for the monster, but I love the way this plays out. And it's a stellar performance from Essie Davis, who exudes such physical and emotional exhaustion from moment one. Some of the horror moments go on a bit long, but that's totally forgivable when the relational moments are as good as they are.

3.5 stars.

How it entered my Flickchart:

The Babadook > Another Thin Man

The Babadook < The Front

The Babadook > Men in Black

The Babadook > Auntie Mame

The Babadook > Oscar

The Babadook > The Reader

The Babadook > Gone in 60 Seconds

The Babadook < Star Wars: The Last Jedi

The Babadook > High Strung

The Babadook < Chariots of Fire

Final spot: #706 out of 2766.

300 (2006)

IMDb plot summary: King Leonidas of Sparta and a force of 300 men fight the Persians at Thermopylae in 480 B.C.
Directed by Zack Snyder. Starring Gerard Butler, Lena Headey, Dominic West, and David Wenham.

This movie is so, so ridiculous. I was probably not supposed to be giggling as much as I did at the awful, cheesy dialogue, but every time these characters opened their mouths it was pretty hilarious. I'm a little bummed that the movie used its stunning cinematography and colors and framing just to show us a bunch of heads getting chopped off. It's a very beautiful-looking movie that is a boring story told strangely.

3 stars.

How it entered my Flickchart:
300 > Love is a Many-Splendored Thing
300 < The Front
300 < Men in Black
300 > Swing Time
300 < Full Metal Jacket
300 < Muppet Treasure Island
300 < Wild Heart Can't Be Broken
300 < Gold Diggers of 1933
300 > Seven Chances
300 > Mr. Magorium's Wonder Emporium
300 > Wild Zero

Final spot: #1200 out of 2765.

Weekend (2011)

IMDb plot summary: After a drunken house party with his straight mates, Russell heads out to a gay club. Just before closing time he picks up Glen but what's expected to be just a one-night stand becomes something else, something special.
Directed by Andrew Haigh. Starring Tom Cullen, Chris New, Jonathan Race, and Laura Freeman.

There are parts of this I really like, some really fascinating scenes, but there's also a LOT of just... wandering and waiting and mumbling, and I find myself anxious to just get on with the story. I appreciate what mumblecore movies are trying to do, but I always feel like I'd like them better cut down into a 20-minute movie. That being said, I really like the 20-minute version of this. The characters are compelling and likable and nuanced, and the ending works. It's not going to land super high on my chart because I did get bored during all the in-between bits, but I'm glad I saw it.

3 stars.

How it entered my Flickchart:

Weekend < Another Thin Man

Weekend > Run Lola Run

Weekend < Lilo & Stitch

Weekend > The Forest

Weekend > Wind River

Weekend > American Graffiti

Weekend > Smokin' Aces

Weekend > Casino Royale

Weekend > Birdman of Alcatraz

Weekend > Bananas

Final spot: #1730 out of 2764.

Kingsman: The Secret Service (2014)

IMDb plot summary: A spy organization recruits an unrefined, but promising street kid into the agency's ultra-competitive training program, just as a global threat emerges from a twisted tech genius.
Directed by Matthew Vaughn. Starring Colin Firth, Taron Egerton, Samuel L. Jackson, and Michael Caine.

I'm torn here. There are parts of this that are really super duper fun -- it's silly, the gadgets are super fun, Colin Firth is delightfully dry, Samuel L. Jackson is delightfully ridiculous -- but it's also ramping up some really unpleasant stuff. Like I'm not a huge fan of not one, but two, horrifying mass murder scenes filmed like exciting action sequences and set to rock anthems. That's a bit much, even for me. I'm not a huge fan of so obviously granting our hero a random woman as a reward at the end. I'm not a huge fan of how the Kingsmen make such a big deal about not taking a life but they want to recruit someone who'd be 100% willing to shoot an innocent dog, no questions asked (does this not seem like the exact kind of person you wouldn't want?). It's kind of like going on an awesome date with a cool, funny, good-looking person who every so often just kicks you in the shins. After a couple of kicks you start thinking, "Hmm. Maybe this date isn't going so well after all." I think I can ignore the shin-kicking enough to remember our time together fondly, but not enough to want to get together again.

3 stars.

How it entered my Flickchart:
Kingsman: The Secret Service > Love Is a Many-Splendored Thing
Kingsman: The Secret Service < Say Anything...
Kingsman: The Secret Service > Men in Black
Kingsman: The Secret Service > Source Code
Kingsman: The Secret Service < Watchmen
Kingsman: The Secret Service > Blazing Saddles
Kingsman: The Secret Service < An Education
Kingsman: The Secret Service < Army of Darkness
Kingsman: The Secret Service < Queen of Katwe
Kingsman: The Secret Service < 2012
Kingsman: The Secret Service > The Nice Guys

Final spot: #818 out of 2763. That seems a bit high, but we'll let it sit for now.