Smiley Face Killers

 Smilley Face Killers could have been grand. It has the director of Rivers Edge, Crispin Glover AND Bret Easton Ellis. Now Tim Hunter, the director, doesn't have the best track record. Ellis, while my favorite author, has had some pretty shit times in film/tv the past decade. Glover is always just Glover so that can go either way. This is the most boring, uninteresting, shitty made, crap written, wooden acted piece of shit i have seen this year. Ellis no longer does riveting, provocative, intelligent work, and that alone is worth a sad face and not a smiley face . 

The Vast of Night

 The Vast of Night could be the best sci fi film of 2020. This is the film Steven Spielberg would have made if he came up with Ty West and Adam Wingard, but with dashes of Edgar Wright and Wes Anderson. The science fiction doesn't even take place until the end but the various long takes, and Sam Raimi camera angles add to tension and paranoia. The 50s setting is perfect and super refreshing for a tale like this. Instantly you are hooked on the characters and you find their jobs become super fascinating(yesterdays jobs, today's hobbies). This is a unique film with slight nods towards old school anthology sci fi series, but it feels totally authentic.  

Powerbomb

 Powerbomb is one of the best wrestling films in quite a while. Zach Shildwacher and BJ Colangelo i have known for years and am super happy for their feature film. It highlights how toxic fandom can be, done to an extreme, it features how grinding in the indies can break one down, and shows a balance between work and home lives. Matt Cross is great in this playing a fictionalized version of himself, as solid as he is in the ring the dude also has acting chops, even Britt Baker delivers here! COngrats you guys! 

Castle Freak

 Castle Freak was not a film that needed to be remade. The original is not a classis by any means but it doesn't lend it self to a remake unless you're going all out. This here felt cheap, just as cheap as the Full Moon original. The original atleast had some camp to it, all this has is tits and ass, very nice tits and ass but if i wanted that i could just watch porn. Speaking of porn i have seen better made porns, better acted porns. This felt like porn, just not as good. "Hey Lovecraft Country will be out next year, let's remake a film loosely based on his work. 

Mank

 Mank is a gorgeous telling of the process of writing Citizen Kane. It is a film fan's film, full of imagery, music, script breaks, cigarette burns and how Hollywood can fuck one in the ass. To me this is a step up for David Fincher, as unlike Gone Girl, this feels like it has heart and passion behind it. It is a bit oscar baity sure but what film about Citizen Kane wouldn't be? It is also Trent Reznor's best score since the Social Network. 

Sound of Metal

 Sound of Metal might have the best acting of the year. Riz Ahmed delivers another powerful performance, this time as a drummer that loses his hearing. It's a story of love, passion, addiction of overcoming life's obstacles. Shit can hit the fan and we have various paths we can enter, and the end of the film truly showcases that. 

Jasper Mall

 Jasper Mall is a documentary about not only the decline in mall culture but also a showcase a town of eclectic hillbillies. This mall was no Mall of America, it was a dirt mall, sure it had anchor stores and national chains but the car show, antique show, southern baptists gospel songs and local floral arrangements gives it that honor. This is a mall i would have hung out in, only i think i would have judged all the people in it sadly. Sure i don't think i'd agree with these people politically but they all have heart and kindness. Don't pass judgement and try to support your local mall. They're dying.