“Thunder Road”
Living is hard, and living well is even harder; it sure is easy to struggle. So, it’s no wonder it’s so appealing to watch lovable goofs stumble through a funhouse of physical flaps and emotional knee scrapes. It’s humanizing to see nice people mess up and in “Thunder Road” the indie dramedy spitfire born from the singular vision of up-and-comer Jim Cummings, it’s empathetic, pathetic, funny protagonist is always fucking up, but in so many heartfelt, authentic ways. “Thunder Road,” didn’t get a wide 2018 spotlight for any number of reasons, but this film will last. It’ll be discovered and immediately adulated by any passers-by who see Cummings’ delicate portrait of a decent guy having the crummiest year of his life. “Thunder Road” makes you laugh in one moment, cry in the next and the film sticks in your bones. You just hope the audience it so deserves will stumble upon its awkward funeral dancing, committed hand-slap games and bracing blast of community in times of trouble. – Cory Woodroof [our review]
“The Rider”
The best western this side of 2018’s Rio Grande, “The Rider” hurts. It’s a film about letting go of what you love in a place that only values the thing you’ve dedicated your life to— only it lacks a bit of that gruff golden Western charm that helped ease us into pasture. Chloé Zhao took the fading gunslinger mantra that marked films at Old West’s sunset and modernized it as a provocative look at the plight of the largely forgotten American Midwest. Her unique, poetic film feels like a softer touch on the “Unforgiven” or “The Shootist” formula for a new audience, but its sorrow for a time gone past and a tough transition ahead rings just like it did when the cowboys had to hang up the saddle. When Brady Jandreau’s forlorn rider stares across the plains to soak in the grandeur and confront the inevitable, it lingers just long enough to break your heart. Only the best Westerns can brand you with such moving anguish. – CW [our review]
“Can You Ever Forgive Me?”
Lee Israel was kind of a jerk, but life and fate were unkind—no one ever really gave her much of a chance to be anything else. The magic trick Marielle Heller pulls off with “Can You Ever Forgive Me?” is that it never, not once, forgets to let Israel tell her side of the story. It might be hard to empathize with someone who forged a litany of fake letters to pay her rent, but the film goes steps far beyond. It challenges why we are always so quick to dismiss people around us who aren’t perfect, or even barely tolerable. Melissa McCarthy plays a better Grinch than the actual Grinch, but it’s not a performance you can look past as just ornery and elusive. It’s seeded in deep confusion with a crackling of hope overrun by the aches of frustration and unpleasantness. It’s one of the consummate character portraits of the year tucked into a movie about how we learn to live with and love the people around us we just can’t seem to understand. – CW [our review]
“Searching”
Somehow “Searching” was written off as a cut-and-dry thriller despite its solid script, impressively un-corny gimmick, and a knockout lead performance by John Cho. The film, which takes place entirely on computer screens, follows David Kim (Cho) as he struggles to locate his missing teenage daughter, Margot (Michelle La). Along the way, David discovers that his family is not what it seems, and his daughter is not whom he thought she was. Sure, “Searching” drew an astounding $75 million against its $1 million budget and sports that coveted “certified fresh” sticker on Rotten Tomatoes, but it still feels like nobody is talking about this rather excellent movie! From its notably diverse cast to its poignant uses of technology, “Searching” both deliciously leans into melodrama and reflects real life in groundbreaking ways. The first act of the film and its twist-laden final chapter are some of the most tightly-plotted and executed works of screenwriting 2018 had to offer, and even the film’s more formulaic bits are supported by its incisive use of technology. If you didn’t catch it in theaters, pull “Searching” up on your laptop sometime—you’ll thank me for the satisfying (and insanely meta) viewing experience. —LW [our review]
“Widows”
The only flaw of Steve McQueen‘s “Widows” is that it underperformed at the box office. Other than that, it is a masterful portrait of race relations, gender roles, and toxic masculinity under the guise of a tense popcorn thriller. Don’t let the “popcorn escapism” label that “Widows” has been given fool you. Yes, it has a thrilling climactic heist and features melodramatic twists, but at its core, it’s truly a gripping morality tale about trying to survive in a lawless, dog-eat-dog world. Plus, the film boasts a killer ensemble cast. All the actors ranging from the main quartet (Viola Davis, Elizabeth Debicki, Cynthia Erivo, and Michelle Rodriguez) to actors with borderline cameos like Jacki Weaver and Robert Duvall all bring their respective A-game. With “Widows,” director Steve McQueen reminds us that popcorn films can be well-acted, artful and insightful. Maybe the fact that the film is a slight slow burn is what put some audiences off. But it still is a masterwork that more people should discover. –Matthew St.Clair [our review]