Letterboxd — Your life in film

Reviews

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  It Follows 2014

  

  Joel Rackel ★★★★

  Not every movie has to be thematically deep or rich to be great. I don’t know that It Follows has anything to say about sex, youth, or death. But, it…

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  The Game 1997

  

  Joel Rackel ★★★½

  One of the biggest suspension of disbelief efforts required ever, but, if you just buy it, man is it a lot of fun. So much happening, the plot builds, you’re…

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  Star Wars 1977

  

  Joel Rackel ★★★★½

  “It’s the ship that made the Kessel run in less than 12 parsecs”
  “Ever since the XP-38 came out, they’re just not in demand”
  “Years ago, you served my father…

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  Ex Machina 2014

  

  Joel Rackel ★★★★ 2

  In the last few decades, sci-fi, action and superhero blockbusters have increased in scale and spectacle--but generally speaking, suspense, stakes, and emotional resonance have not increased accordingly. Bigger is not…

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  Clouds of Sils Maria 2014

  

  Joel Rackel ★★★

  Maria Enders (the divine Juliette Binoche) is acting in a production of a play that she first performed 25+ years ago, indeed, the play that made her a star. This…

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  Inherent Vice 2014

  

  Joel Rackel ★★★ 2

  The joy of reading Thomas Pynchon is: amid all the confusion, conspiracy, and hysteria, there’s enough entertainment value from just his voice, characters, and conversations that you enjoy the moment…

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  A Most Violent Year 2014

  

  Joel Rackel ★★★½

  I took issue with American Sniper’s over-use of exposition. In A Most Violent Year, there’s no exposition at all. We piece together what’s happening as the movie goes along. Identification…

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  Chef 2014

  

  Joel Rackel ★½

  I get that Chef’s plot is a metaphor for John Favreau’s career. This is his break from big budget Hollywood, a passion project. But the film is filled with the…