Also …
“Annette” (Leos Carax), “The Disciple” (Chaitanya Tamhane), “To flee” (Jonas Poher Rasmussen), “The Green Knight” (David Lowery), “The Hand of God” (Paolo Sorrentino), “King Richard” (Reinaldo Marcus Green), “Mogul Mowgli” (Bassam Tariq), “Parallel Mothers” (Pedro Almodovar), “To suit” (Rebecca Hall), “El Planeta” (Amalia Ulman), “The Souvenir Part II” (Joanna Hogg), “Spencer” (Pablo Larrain), “The Tragedy of Macbeth” (Joel Coen).
MANOHLA DARGIS
The best movie was one in a theatre
In July I watched one of the most mediocre movies I’ve seen this year – and it was delightful. After streaming at home for over 16 months, I went to a theater to see Matt Damon sing the white-guy blues in “Stillwater.” The movie was thin and corny and annoying, and I rated it accordingly. And while I regretted it wasn’t better, I was still grateful because it sent me back to theaters, big screens, and other moviegoers.
Those other people did give me a break. They were masked, well, most of them were a bit, but could I be safe and comfortable with these people for an hour or two? I was vaxed and masked, but also still navigated to be back in the world. But the room was great, the screen huge, and I decided I could do it — though first I had to tell a guy near me that, yes, he had to wear the mask he had parked on his chin. He put it on. I sat down, back in the place where I am extremely happy: I was in the cinema.
Since then I’ve personally watched many more new releases, including at two festivals where I stuffed myself like a famished person (thanks to both the Toronto International Film Festival and the New York Film Festival). I had spent the early part of the year on book leave and although I had streamed a lot of new and old movies by then (hello Marie Dressler!), I missed going out (everywhere). I really missed, really big clear images and I missed the rituals, including the quick search for the most perfect seat and the anticipatory wait for the movie to start, for someone to turn on the lights and start the show.
