The Best Movies of 2019 — The Year in Review, Ranked for Filmmakers

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Ranking movies at the end of their respective years is always a difficult task. Some films may seem fresh and exciting in my mind now, but in a year, it may be completely forgotten. Still, these “Best Of” lists provide a unique time capsule into where the zeitgeist was at the time.… Keep reading

Best Netflix Original Movies of 2019, Ranked for Filmmakers

With every year that passes, Netflix has continued to evolve and grow as a contender against major studios. 2019 proved to be no different. From gangster epics to quirky Rom-Coms to stylish period pieces, Netflix has proven its eclectic taste as a powerhouse production studio. With big contenders competing for the most prestigious awards, 2019 Netflix movies have dominated. Among the record-breaking number of Netflix movies produced in 2019 (over 70), we managed to create a list of the 10 best 2019 Netflix movies. 

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15 Best Film Noir Movies of All Time, Ranked for Filmmakers

The golden age of cinema is surprisingly dark. From 1941 to 1959, American audiences were captivated by melodramas about hard-boiled detectives, dangerous dames, and pulpy mysteries with literary origins. It’s a style that would later be known as film noir. Many of the movies in that classic film noir era-inspired cinema for decades to come. In recognition of that, we’ve compiled a list of the best film noir movies of all time — not only from a critical perspective but also by their influence on the genre and beyond.

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Top 30 Best Neo-Noir Films, Ranked for Filmmakers

What’s black and white and red all over? It could be a newspaper — or it could be a neo-noir film.

 

It’s hard to tell. Neo-noir is notoriously difficult to classify. An offshoot of the historical film noir genre, it’s painted in such broad strokes that it can subvert, parody, heighten, or reimagine the prototypical stories of its predecessor and still be considered “neo-noir.”

 

Many of the greats have made their bones in the genre, even if their movies don’t appear the same at surface level.

 

So — how can you tell? We’ve put together a list of the best neo-noir movies to answer that.… Keep reading

20 Best Movies of the Decade, Ranked for Filmmakers (2010—2019)

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As much as people bemoan Hollywood being devoid of ideas, the truth is that major studios and independent filmmakers alike continued to push the boundaries of what you could do with film in the 2010s. From small-scale projects to blockbusters that doubled as art, movies delivered in this last decade.… Keep reading

The Best Movies of 2016 — The Year in Review

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By 2016, the Marvel Cinematic Universe was in full swing. However, superheroes were far from the only films coming out in the mid-2010s as a resurgence of independent filmmaking came to the forefront. Filmmakers, such as Martin Scorsese, would make films radically different than anything that would come before and after.… Keep reading

The Best Movies of 2013 — The Year in Review

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2013 was an idiosyncratic year at movie theaters. Yes, you had hopeful tales of love, but many films dealt with the economic downturn still reverberating throughout the country from the Great Recession. You saw more characters struggling to make ends meet, and economic anxiety was still a prevalent theme during this year.… Keep reading

The Best Movies of 2011 — The Year in Review

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2011 was a year where ambitious filmmakers embarked on deeply personal projects. From Terrence Malick’s ambitious chronicling of the universe in Tree of Life to Martin Scorsese’s tribute to filmmakers of the past with Hugo, there was plenty for cinephiles to chew on this year.… Keep reading

What is Italian Neorealism in Film? Defining the Style

The impact of Italian Neorealism in film cannot be overstated. The works of Roberto Rossellini, Federico Fellini, and other major Neorealist directors are undeniable when it comes to the influence they have had on cinema throughout the world. They also had an immense effect on a young boy growing up in Queens named Martin Scorsese.

 

We’re going to look at a series of seminal Italian Neorealist films, including; Roma Citta Aperta, Ladri di Bicicletti, I Vitelloni, La Strada, and Viaggio in Italia and how they informed stylistic decisions in some of Scorsese’s best films.

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Joker Movie Review: Todd Phillips and Joaquin Phoenix Humanize Chaos

Joker Script DownloadBest Joker ActorsJoker ControversyJoker Movie Review

Todd Phillips’ new film Joker, starring Joaquin Phoenix, is a realistic take on the super villain that wants viewers to empathize as they watch him descend into homicidal madness. The best moments come from capitalizing on the medium of cinema during the strongest parts of the script, but it needed more of these moments.

 

Phillips has created something unique to comic book movies, and Phoenix brings a worthy performance. I believe the filmmakers made the movie they wanted to make, but the film doesn’t entertain like a Joker movie should, doesn’t take advantage of Gotham the way past directors have, and didn’t captivate me the way I had hoped. … Keep reading