nickycinema #2

American Honey (2016)

Funny story about this movie, prior to learning about the craziness that is Shia LaBoef, I made it a mission to watch all his movies. I started this movie but never finished because it failed to captivate me, and I was resistant to investing two hours and a half of my time. If I were to rank my favorite movies from this list alone, this movie would probably be last, but I chose to write about it because something about the film stuck with me. It’s the definition of a slow burn film, except in this film nothing really happens. There’s minimal character development, no arc, or resolution of conflicts. It’s essentially a film about a group of, for lack of a better term, “white trash” teens from middle America who are brought together under the guidance of a young woman who takes care of them and encourages them to sell magazines to middle and upper- class Americans across the country. Their relationship resembles the dynamic between a pimp and his woman, but interestingly the “pimp” in this case is a young woman. The story unfolds from the perspective of a young woman who joins this gang of outcasts and the plot centers around their daily existence. While the film touches on elements of romance, drama, socioeconomic discourse, and class dynamics, it predominantly adopts a documentary-like feel rather than adhering to conventional cinematic storytelling. I’ve always appreciated slow-burn movies because I enjoy seeing how directors transform the most mundane things into artistic masterpieces, so I’d recommend this to anyone who understands that logic and is receptive to experiencing art for the sake of consuming something new and different.

Beau is Afraid (2023)

I love Joaquin Phoenix. When I found out that one of my favorite directors, Ari Aster, was teaming up with him I was over the moon and very curious to see where this film would take me. Aster is known for pushing boundaries and Joaquin’s phenomenal acting can fit practically any role, but especially disturbed individuals. This stood true because this movie is nothing short of a clusterfuck. From the very opening scene you’re overstimulated and confused and that feeling lasts for some time, arguably until the end. It’s really difficult for me to describe this movie to other people, and I honestly don’t know if everyone would even like it. It’s dense and at times convoluted but it’s a masterpiece to me. In short, this movie is about a mother and her son’s unconventional and unorthodox relationship. Aster’s meticulous attention to detail throughout the film enables the audience to build a profound connection and adoration for Beau. There’s so much going on in each scene, I’d need multiple watches to fully grasp the layers of nuance interwoven throughout the film. Films like these serve as a reminder of the forgotten art of revisiting a film, as certain movies truly do warrant multiple watches to have a true appreciation for them. This is another really long movie but remaining engaged was not an issue at all. Another pleasant surprise with this film was how funny it is, I did not expect to laugh so hard at how ridiculous the world Ari Aster created was. The unexpected humor provided a necessary counterpoint to the underlying intensity going on and the true dark and depressing nature of the film. This is a gem of a movie, understandably not for everyone, but worth the watch regardless of if you appreciate cinematic ingenuity.

Babylon (2022)

This is one of the best movies I’ve watched in a very long time, and I watch a lot of movies! I might be being dramatic, but I really do mean it. This movie reminded me of the purpose behind my page, @nickycinema, to enjoy and appreciate true artful storytelling. This film is a beautiful telling of the history of modern-day cinema in all its ugliness and glory. The story follows three characters, Brad Pitt, Margot Robbie, and Diego Calva, who are navigating the world of cinema in the 1920s and learning to adapt to all the new changes happening, including the advent of sound in motion pictures. Surprisingly, despite the amazing cast, the film garnered less publicity than I expected, and some viewers were underwhelmed. I have no idea how because I was enthralled by each scene, it had a meta and avant-garde quality and provided a refreshing perspective on the cinematic experience altogether. The one criticism I had was how long the movie was, but it felt justified as the length served a deliberate purpose and everything contributed to the narrative. This movie is a piece of art that (should haha) holds universal appeal, provided you can get over the length. I highly recommend watching if you’re into history or cinema in general. I have so many favorite scenes, but my favorite is when they do a split between Margot and Brad shooting their respective scenes and it’s this beautiful moment of watching them shoot a movie scene in a movie, the score, the emotion, everything. I loved every moment.

Trespass Against Us (2016)

This movie stars accomplished actors Michael Fassbender and Brendan Gleeson and centers around a very complicated and toxic relationship between a father and son. As always, a24 fucking snapped with this one and artfully depicted the pervasive struggle between a son trying to placate his father, often to his own detriment. In the film, Fassbender and Gleeson are a part of an Irish mob and Gleeson, the mob boss, has a tight grip on his son compelling him to continue the family legacy. Michael is torn between the desire to appease his father while preserving the wellbeing and happiness of his wife and kids, who are all intertwined in the chaotic and dangerous lifestyle of the mob. This film adds an interest perspective on the notion of legacy, focusing on the concept of father’s bestowing their legacies upon their heir/successor. It also offers an interesting take on the generational impact between the grandfather, father, and grandchild and how Michael’s upbringing shapes his decisions and what he chooses to pass down to his own child. I absolutely loved the last scene of this movie; it opened with a beautiful scene depicting their dysfunctional family riding around the countryside of Ireland, but the ending was absolutely perfect. It’s also a relatively short film so an easy and worthwhile watch. Another pleasant surprise in this film was just hearing Irish slang, I really want to incorporate all the lingo into my everyday conversations now. This amazing film is currently streaming on HBO Max, I hope you enjoy it as much as I did.