Mandy

Nic Cage does a revenge in a surreal black velvet painting aesthetic movie. What more needs to be said? Mandy wasn’t exactly the movie I expected, but it certainly delivered. While not a perfect movie by any stretch of the imagination, it’s pretty much a must see for any Nic Cage fan. Its got an incrediblely etherial soundtrack that just sucks you in, along with a sinister villian who will make your skin crawl. The movie has just enough lore to make think make sense, but not so much to get bogged down in it. Cage’s Red has an iconic outfit which will probably be one of those low-key cosplays you love to notice.

Searching

Searching appears to just be a gimmicky genre movie at first blush. And frankly, it is. However, the gimmick seldom distracts from the solid movie that it surrounds. At moments, the “everything is in a computer screen” strains credulity (one plot thread seems to exist only so that a character has an excuse to set up cameras so that the audience can see particular thing), but ultimately it’s used in an effective way. In particular the opening scene will stick with you long after. Also notable is the fact that it doesn’t do a bunch of moralizing about “too much screen time” or whatever. It recognizes what computers are in the modern world: a tool which can be used for good, bad, or whatever.

The biggest reason why Searching shines is the fact that its plot is very well told and actually well put together. It’s not often that I’m surprised by movies anymore, but this movie did it more than once, to great effect. John Cho’s performance sells everything in not a small way either, which is very good since he must carry a large amount of the movie by himself.

Blindspotting

Blindspotting is about as topical of a movie as you can get. And lots of filmmakers wouldn’t be able to handle just one of the themes that Blindspotting dives deeply on with a fraction of the impact. Things like race, police violence, gentrification, the carceral state, privilege, guns, and vernacular english are given so much attention you’d think you were being lectured at. But the movie weaves this all into the lives of the characters in such a way that makes it feel like a living, breathing world. I also personally just get a kick out of seeing locations in Oakland that I’ve seen before. This movie will also make you laugh out loud harder than any movie in recent memory. However, make no mistake, this is not a comedy. It has plenty of fun moments, but it is a gut punch as well.

BlacKkKlansman

I don’t know if I should be mentioning this movie here, since you probably heard about this movie. Hell, it got nominated for Best Picture! But frankly, I don’t think this movie can get enough praise. Spike Lee is on top of his game so much that it feels effortless. This insane true story seems like a Taratino plot and keeps you hooked from the moment Ron Stallworth picks up the phone to call David Duke. Adam Driver’s Flip Zimmerman plays a great compliment to John David Washington’s Stallworth. Just go see it if you haven’t! It’s great!!!

Sorry to Bother You

My favorite Oakland movie this year (sorry Blindspotting and Black Panther), Sorry to Bother You is never quite what you think it’ll be. Lakeith Stanfield’s starring role as Cash Green lends itself well to his offbeat sensibilities. The incomparable Tessa Thompson steals every scene she’s in. Armie Hammer does a parody of Silicon Valley CEOs for the ages.

Where Blindspotting’s social commentary is deft, Sorry to Bother You’s is like the Kool-Aid Man bursting through the brick wall. And despite all it’s ridiculousness, it never fails to ring true. The startup that is basically modern day indentured servitude feels like it could be the next big “tech” idea. POC using the “white voice” to get ahead isn’t even unheard of, just taken to a comedic extreme here. There’s a lot of enjoy here, especially if you like your movies weird. This movie is weird in spades.

Eighth Grade

I will say off the bat that this movie is my favorite of the entire year, bar none. It hits home in a way that few movies ever have. Following the final week of 8th Grade for Kayla Day, a not-very-social suburban white girl. She wants to make friends and ask guys out, but she just can’t get over her shyness. Everything about this movie that sounds cliche is, but it doesn’t matter. This is one of the most genuine movies I’ve ever seen. One of my favorite performances is Kayla’s dad being unabashedly pround and loving towards his daughter.

This movie also has one of the most intensely scary scenes I’ve ever seen, involving borderline sexual assault. I think it’s important to watch if that’s the kind of thing that you can handle, but it is deeploy off putting and intense. Ultimately, it serves the purpose of what the movie is about.