Chad Liffmann – Page 2 – Spinning Platters

Film Review: “Argylle”

Argylle is a silly waste of (too much) time and (too much) talent

Before we get too far into this review, have you seen the newest Apple laptops and desktops? If not, don’t worry, because Argylle will show you. Yes, the new Apple Original Film, the spy thriller Argylle, is very much a commercial for Apple products. But that’s the weakest of my criticisms. The best thing about Argylle being released is that we don’t have to sit through its excruciating trailer anymore, which seemed to precede every movie in existence for the past four months. The worst thing about Argylle is that the full-length film is just as excruciating.

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Film Review: “The Iron Claw”

The Iron Claw’s energy in the ring can’t overcome its weaknesses outside the ring

Your mileage may vary on how much you care about wrestling. Wrestling only became major sports entertainment in the late 1980s with the growing popularity of the WWF (World Wrestling Federation). But in the early 1980s, the Von Erich family sought fame on wrestling’s biggest stages, but tragedy continued to get in the way. The Iron Claw, a new sports drama named after the family’s trademark wrestling move, hastily captures this incredibly sad, hard-to-believe true story, but lacks emotional thoroughness in between its wrestling matches.

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Film Feature: Chad’s Top 20 Films of 2023

It’s been a great year for movies. All the hubbub about the ‘worst films of the year’ list that Variety put out is making a lot of noise, so I’d like to fire back with a Top 20 of the year list. There are so many to choose from, just look at the thirty movie posters above, all of which I’d consider very good films, great films, and even a few masterpieces. This is not a year to point out the worst, but rather one in which we should highlight the surplus of quality films released. Without further ado, here’s my ranked top twenty of 2023:

Fancy Dance

A criminally underseen indie film in which Lily Gladstone gives another memorable performance playing a resident of the Seneca–Cayuga Nation Reservation searching for her missing sister.

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Film Review: “The Zone of Interest”

Glazer’s newest masterpiece is a terrifying reflection on complicity

The hesitation that I had, and I imagine many people will have, about seeing The Zone of Interest was the fear of having more Holocaust imagery seared into my memory. There have been many Holocaust films made, all difficult to watch, and almost all important to see. It’s necessary that films, books, and oral testimonials accurately depict Nazi atrocities, so that they are never forgotten. That being said, it’s hard to be “in the mood” for a Holocaust film. Shortly into watching The Zone of Interest, I understood that the film’s intentions were not the same as previous Holocaust films. The Zone of Interest is as much about what you do see as what you don’t see, which is just as harrowing, if not more so. The film depicts the banality of evil, showing us a story of chilling complacency.

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Film Review: “American Fiction”

American Fiction is a blisteringly humorous and observant debut

Cord Jefferson has been a writer on a few of the most celebrated television shows of the last six years, including Master of None, The Good Place, Watchmen, and Station Eleven. Transitioning to films, he makes his writing and directing debut with American Fiction. Jefferson focuses all his storytelling wit on creating a prescient satire, and as a result, American Fiction becomes not only a powerful introductory statement for the filmmaker but also one of the year’s finest cinematic works.

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Film Review: “Poor Things”

Poor Things dives headfirst into a strange, beautiful, and horny world

Greek director Yorgos Lanthimos has divided audiences as long as he’s been making movies. To help you resurface some opinionated rage and confusion, or delight, his films include Dogtooth, The Lobster, The Killing of a Sacred Deer, and The Favourite. His films bend surrealism together with absurdism, glittered with idiosyncratic dialogue and characters. They also don’t shy away from weirdness and sex, or weird sex, even. Lanthimos implores you to face brutal honesty and vulnerability, and Poor Things is no different. Cradled within a vibrantly designed world in which to explore themes of sexual freedom and liberation, Poor Things is a masterpiece of creative ambitions.

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Film Review: “Wish”

Wish is Disney’s confusing ode to itself

Remember Peter Pan? Remember Snow White? Do you remember them, they’re on Disney+ right now! These half-hearted, frantic, nostalgic questions, and brand reminders, seem to be at the heart of Disney’s new animated film, Wish, which bears the weight of Disney’s 100th anniversary celebration. Borrowing the beautiful simplicity of Disney’s most iconic song, “When You Wish Upon A Star,” Wish twists the song’s message into a convoluted plot with forgettable characters. The film is a new fairytale that catchy tunes and pretty animation can’t rescue.

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Film Review: “Napoleon”

**A few odd choices can’t keep Napoleon from conquering the screen**

Sir Ridley Scott, the legendary director of Blade Runner, Alien, and Gladiator, is eighty-five. In an impressive stretch for his age (or any age) and profession, he has directed eight feature films in the last decade, with Gladiator 2 slated for next year. Who can blame Scott for working so prolifically — he loves making movies! It’s a treat to have a talented filmmaker churn out a steady flow of films, covering a wide range of genres. His latest, Napoleon, adds another historical epic to his filmography. Despite a few off-kilter artistic choices, Napoleon is an astounding visual achievement, a throwback Hollywood epic that only a few directors, like Scott, can still deliver.

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Film Review: “The Holdovers”

The Holdovers is a comical, instantly rewatchable holiday treat

Filmmakers who take big swings deserve appreciation for taking the risk, even if the swing results in a miss. Director Alexander Payne (Nebraska) took such a swing six years ago with Downsizing, a polarizing if not much-maligned film. Thus, it was refreshing to hear the promising news that Payne was reuniting with his Sideways star, Paul Giamatti, for a new dramedy. The Holdovers is as sad, clever, and intelligent as the best of Payne’s work, but with a surprising lighthearted touch that places it firmly amidst some of the most classic holiday films, and amongst the filmmaker’s best work. Continue reading “Film Review: “The Holdovers””

Film Review: “Priscilla”

Coppola operates with tender precision in Priscilla

When considering last year’s Baz Luhrmann film Elvis (if you will humor me for a moment), it’s a challenge to identify a more tonal antithesis than Sofia Coppola’s Priscilla. Where Elvis is noisy and energetic, Priscilla is quiet and mellow. Where Elvis is over-the-top and wide-reaching, Priscilla is narrow and understated. They are two vastly different films focused on two vastly different characters. Priscilla, though, is the better film. The comparisons are inevitable, despite their distinct objectives. Priscilla represents a delicate portrayal of Priscilla Presley’s experience with Elvis, from meetup to breakup, almost exclusively from her point of view. Continue reading “Film Review: “Priscilla””