Film Diary — November 2022
So far, my favorite movie-watching month has been November. Soon, you’ll understand why. Between first watches, new releases, and rewatches, November brought me a lot more joy than anticipated.
Not to mention something very notable happened: I am now lucky enough to have started a membership at my local independent film theater! I’ve been patiently (and impatiently) waiting for nearly a year to be in a good enough place to start this membership, and here I am. I’m both proud and excited for the many, many wonderful films I’ll be seeing all the while supporting independent cinema and my community!
Though I do not seriously review each watch, if you’re interested in being friends on Letterboxd, here’s where to find me. Enough about me though; here’s November’s list.
November Film Diary
11/1/22: Spotlight (2015), written by Tom McCarthy and Josh Singer, dir. by Tom McCarthy
11/2/22: Shattered Glass (2003), written and dir. by Billy Ray
11/4/22: TÁR (2022), written and dir. by Todd Field
11/5/22: Oculus (2013), written and dir. by Mike Flanagan
11/6/22: I Love You, Man (2009), written and dir. by John Hamburg
11/7/22: Wedding Crashers (2005), written by Bob Fisher and Steve Faber, dir. by David Dobkin
11/8/22: God’s Creatures (2022), written by Shane Crowley and Fodhla Cronin O’Reilly, dir. byAnna Rose Holmer and Saela Davis
11/10/22: Pulp Fiction (1994), written by and dir. by Quentin Tarantino
11/11/22: Causeway (2022), written by Otessa Moshfegh, Elizabeth Sanders, and Luke Goebel, dir. by Lila Neugebauer
11/13: The Woman King (2022), written by Maria Bello and Dana Stevens, dir. by Gina Prince-Bythwood
11/14/22: Blue Jasmine (2013), written and dir. by Woody Allen
11/14/22: See How They Run (2022), written by Mark Chappell, dir. by Tom George
11/18/22: Aftersun (2022), written by and dir. by Charlotte Wells
11/19/22: Pearl (2022), written by Ti West and Mia Goth, dir. by Ti West
11/21/22: Funny Games (2007), written and dir. by Michael Haneke
11/23/22: Halloween Ends (2022), written by David Gordon Green, Danny McBride, Chris Bernier, and Paul Brad Logan, dir. by David Gordon Green
11/24/22: Level 16 (2018), written and dir. by Danishka Esterhazy
11/25/22: Luckiest Girl Alive (2022), written by Jessica Knoll, dir. by Mike Barker, based on the novel by Jessica Knoll
11/25/22: Phantom Thread (2017), written by Paul Thomas Anderson and Daniel Day-Lewis, dir. by Paul Thomas Anderson
11/26/22: Blank Panther: Wakanda Forever (2022), written by Ryan Coogler and Joe Robert Cole, dir. by Ryan Coogler
11/26: Lou (2022), written by Maggie Cohn and Jack Stanley, dir. byAnna Foerster
11/27/22: Lady Bird (2017), written and dir. by Greta Gerwig
11/28/22: Dune: Part One (2021), written by Eric Roth, Jon Spaihts, and Denis Villeneuve , dir. by Denis Villeneuve, based on the novel by frank Herbert
11/29/22: The Gift (2015), written and dir. by Joel Edgerton
November Rankings
Honorable Mentions
Black Panther: Wakanda Forever (2022): For a while, Marvel really had me going. By the time Phase Four began, or whichever they’re on now, I was all in. Avengers: End Game had been released and I was uber-pumped for that movie to “tie up loose ends.” But they just keep going and going and going. Black Panther sequels are the only thing I can bring myeslf to be excited for when it comes to Marvel anymore.
That said, I think the cast was brilliant. For me, they were the reason I fell into the world so seamlessly and made my experience more meaningful than expected. I was empowered by the female-driven story. It was incredible to see so many strong (physically, emotionally, spiritually, etc.) women on the screen — even more incredible to see women of color so masterfully successful on screen. The core female cast absolutely rocked this movie, led by a compelling, emotion-drawing performance by a very talented Leticia Wright, and of course, the great Angela Bassett. Aside from oversaturated CGI backdrops, cheesy villain origin stories, and one gigantic plot hole, there were several moments where I forgot I was watching a Marvel movie, much to my delight.
Footnote: I also would like to make note that seeing this with my grandfather and younger brother made this movie-going experience even better for me, because I’m a sap.
Pulp Fiction (1994): Let me begin this by uttering my utter respect for Quentin Tarantino, how I admire his abnormally creative brain and his complete obsession with cinema. The first act had me very intrigued, obviously, and Uma Thurman had me in a chokehold. Other than Tarantino’s wizardous knack for threading several different people’s lives into one harmonious storyline, this movie felt just fine, good even — but I personally wouldn’t say it was great. I enjoyed myself enough, and there were several parts I liked, don’t get me wrong. Though it wasn’t entirely for me, Pulp Fiction is listed in my honorable mentions because it feels like a movie worth watching, whether or not I liked all of it — there was still something to learn from and enjoy throughout.
Tarantino, I’ve noticed in recent first-time viewings, has this adept skill to create such depth in his characters while simultaneously introducing so many. He and Stephen King complement each other nicely in their respective mediums.
Dune: Part One (2021): I haven’t seen this film since my first viewing when it came out this time last year. One that first viewing, I didn’t care for the movie. What I did love was the epic-ness of it, how big and cinematic it was. Granted, my viewing was from home, is not the way I wish I would have seen it. It felt plotless in a sense that just felt like a 2.5 hour long car ride that really took us from point A to point B. This time around, I appreciated the film a little bit more. Visually, the film is one of the most beautiful modern blockbuster I’ve seen, which is no surprise coming from Villeneuve. Dune is one of those stories that feels bigger than it presented itself on screen, and it’s often hard to follow along if you aren’t familiar with the books. That said, Dune is an exceptional experience, thoughtfully crafted by someone who has such deep affection for this story and is dedicated to creating the best version possible.
Hot Take:
Amsterdam (2022) was completely unwatchable. I tried…I tried really hard. And I’ll be honest, Taylor Swift kept me engaged until she didn’t (for reasons understood if you watched). I genuinely only gave it a try for one reason (Margot Robbie) and unfortunately even she wasn’t enough to save it for me. The story fell flat for me. There was equal parts too much happening and not enough happening.
Two things I will praise about the film is are set and costume design. There was a visual style behind the film that I appreciated, but not enough to keep me engagement since the plot was twisted around every which way from Tuesday while simultaneously providing no real stakes for me personally.
Top 6 Ranked
6. Pearl (2022)
I watched X earlier this year, though not in theaters. I was able to rent from home and (unfortunately) watched it on my laptop while I was sick. Not an ideal screening, but I was blown away nonetheless. Not long after seeing X is when there was an announcement for this incredible prequel, Pearl. X is a fantastic showcase of Mia Goth’s versatile talent, but Pearl is truly her time to shine. Not only is she bringing Pearl’s character to life on screen, but she’s giving her life behind the scenes by co-writing with Ti West. Pearl really feels like Mia Goth stepping into her talents in the industry, and it feels like a very wonderful beginning to the evolution of her career. I can’t wait to see where she goes from here, in completing the X Trilogy and beyond.
5. Lady Bird (2017)
Teenagers and their roller coaster of emotions. So many feelings, so little room to store them. This viewing of Lady Bird was not my first, and it certainly won’t be my last. Greta Gerwig has thoughtfully constructed a masterpiece of a film, and Saoirse Ronan continues to amaze me in this role upon each viewing. With such an affection for this movie, it’s so easy to plop yourself directly into this relatable teenage world; from raging hormones, to butting heads with family, and awkward teen romance, Lady Bird brings angst, bull-headedness, and love into my heart every single time.
4. Phantom Thread (2017)
Admittedly, I wasn’t sure what I was getting into when I booted Phantom Thread up on Netflix one night. Once the first frame appeared, I was instantly intrigued, weaving through every bit of story that followed. Everything from cinematography to framing to editing, performances and mystifying narrative, this film threaded itself straight into my soul forevermore.
Day-Lewis is not an actor I’ve familiarized myself with yet, but I know of his acclaimed talent — here, I was completely blown away. Mesmerized, my emotions ebbed and flowed as the characters evolved and forged their own paths, giving and taking the narrative on visceral journey. To me, this felt like Cinema, you know? I felt both as though I did and did not belong in the upperclass London fashion setting, loving and hurting through every minute.
3. The Woman King (2022)
I was bummed when I didn’t have a chance to catch this film at my local film center, but at least it was available on VOD shortly thereafter. Once I started Gina Prince-Bythewood’s epic, I was kicking myself for missing this action on the big screen. The Woman King very quickly took hold of my collar and brought me on the ride of my life. Incredible performances, insane badassery, wildly fun and thrilling, yet thoughtful and sentimental, this film had it all, and then some. An instant favorite of the year for me.
2. Aftersun (2022)
Charlotte Wells’ debut feature struck the indie scene like a match and the whole world caught aflame. Personally, this film reached into certain parts of my heart I had not allowed anything else to go in a while. This film draws attention to the smallest of details, and calls attention to the very visceral pain of loving people without ever really, truly understanding them. Utterly speechless and left aching in my bones, Aftersun stunned me beyond what’s imaginable, in the very best way.
Read my full review, Aftersun — Film Review from November 2022.
1. TÁR (2022)
What more can be said about Lydia Tár that hasn’t already been? I will be the first to admit, I went into TÁR without much understanding of the film. Granted, very little information had been officially released, even then, I made it my life’s mission to avoid all additional mention of the film from those who were able to catch the film at festivals and the like.
I went in thinking this film was going to be a little more along the likes of Resurrection (2022), The Night House (2020), or even Men (2022) — a labeled “psychological” thriller with a kind of supernatural, tangible psychological element. After seeing TÁR, even though it wasn’t what I was anticipating, it still lingered in my mind. Then online threads began and podcast episodes released, and my perspective opened back up again because this film was much more subtly haunting than something that’s thrown in the audience’s face. It’s something that sinks its teeth in and the venom spreads slowly and thoughtfully, rather than infecting with immediate impact. Since my viewing in early November, TÁR has not left my head; it’s one of those films that leaves an impression you discover is a permanent mark after a while.
Finally, of course, Cate Blanchett’s performance is one for the fucking books — but, who didn’t already see that coming?
Thank you for reading! In absolutely no way should my personal opinons be taken as gospel. Talking movies is purely subjective for me, and I do my best to be honest and uplifting for the movies I choose to discuss. Follow me on Twitter and Letterboxd for more of me.
