all that jazz
watched on jan 04, 2024
(taken from my letterboxd review because i accidentally severely went on a tangent)
writing this review with tears in my eyes. so beautiful and poignant once the second half started. roy scheider was absolutely stunning in this, i have no words for how moving his portrayal was as joe gideon, an emotionally unavailable yet incredibly talented man, who realized too much too late. the ny/la musical number was unnecessary and way too long, but i can put all that aside for the sheer emotion, vision, and dedication that embodies this movie. I AM LIVING FOR THE HOSPITAL HALLUCINATION SCENE!! i can't recall the last time a movie gave me such a visceral reaction. THIS is cinema.
shallow grave !
watched on jan 03, 2024
i... do not know where to begin with this. perhaps the beginning? i was intrigued right from the start with the intro credits: fast-paced, high tension, yet intriguing. immediately leading into the last three people you would want as roommates. the introduction of alex, juliet, and david is clever and paints a clear picture of what kind of people they are... they are definitely people you could not trust no matter what lol. and they were roommates! i hadn't watched the trailer prior to watching this movie, so i was surprised when david was the first one to crumble under the pressure of their actions and became completely psychotic. at this point in the film, you notice the trio kind of do a 180, mentally. david was once well-adjusted and seemingly put together, but becomes sheltered and neurotic. alex was carefree and rebellious, only to succumb to anxiety and the pressures of goading his roommates into dismembering a man and taking his money, and is the first one willing to confess to the police. juliet was perceptive and calculating, and, well... pretty much stayed that way. except with added anxiety despite the need for self-preservation. however, they all remained static in the sense of being the one who comes out on top. none of them were wise, despite their inclination for manipulation. it was difficult to root for any one person to be the one who made it out with the money, but THE ENDING, OMG THE ENDING, was still incredibly satisfying.
dog day afternoon
watched on dec 30, 2023
admittedly, the beginning was a little slow, but as soon as the bank robbery became the central focus, i was hooked. i loved seeing al pacino and john cazale being portrayed in a more sympathetic light in a situation where it's easier to paint them as simply heartless criminals. yeah, putting innocent people in this situation is shitty, but the hostages were taken care of, for the most part. al pacino was mindblowing in this; i haven't seen many of his movies, but i couldn't believe just how devoted to this character he was. though there wasn't much known about john cazale's character in this film, you can't help but feel bad for him because he's clearly troubled but wants a better life. but yeah it was nice to watch a movie that recognized the plights faced by war veterans who are greatly struggling not only internally, but also within society.
