Highbrow Magazine - best films https://www.highbrowmagazine.com/best-films-3 en ‘The Holdovers’ Ushers in a New Holiday Classic https://www.highbrowmagazine.com/24184-holdovers-ushers-new-holiday-classic <div class="field field-name-field-cat field-type-taxonomy-term-reference field-label-hidden"><div class="field-items"><div class="field-item even"><a href="/film-tv" typeof="skos:Concept" property="rdfs:label skos:prefLabel" datatype="">Film &amp; TV</a></div></div></div><span class="submitted-by">Submitted by tara on Fri, 11/17/2023 - 14:00</span><div class="field field-name-field-image field-type-image field-label-hidden"><div class="field-items"><div class="field-item even" rel="og:image rdfs:seeAlso" resource="https://www.highbrowmagazine.com/sites/default/files/styles/large/public/field/image/1holdovers.jpg?itok=i9I0EHxS"><img typeof="foaf:Image" src="https://www.highbrowmagazine.com/sites/default/files/styles/large/public/field/image/1holdovers.jpg?itok=i9I0EHxS" width="480" height="235" alt="" /></div></div></div><div class="field field-name-body field-type-text-with-summary field-label-hidden"><div class="field-items"><div class="field-item even" property="content:encoded"><p> </p> <p><span style="font-size:18px"><span style="font-family:Times New Roman,Times,serif">It seems like <em>The Holdovers</em> has been flying under the radar, which is a shame because it’s one of the best movies of the year. Director Alexander Payne put a lot of effort into giving this movie an old, ‘80s feel and it pays huge dividends. By the end, I was sure just I saw a new holiday season classic that will endure for years.</span></span></p> <p> </p> <p><span style="font-size:18px"><span style="font-family:Times New Roman,Times,serif">Paul Giamatti plays Paul Hunham, an angry, burned-out teacher at a prep school in New England. When the students go home for the holidays, Paul gets stuck having to watch over a group with nowhere to go. After a while, Paul is left babysitting just one remaining student, Angus Tully, played by Dominic Sessa. The premise is simple, but not cliched and sets a great foundation for the rest of the movie</span></span></p> <p> </p> <p><img alt="" src="https://www.highbrowmagazine.com/sites/default/files/2holdovers.jpg" style="height:397px; width:680px" typeof="foaf:Image" /></p> <p> </p> <p><span style="font-size:18px"><span style="font-family:Times New Roman,Times,serif">The dynamic between Paul, Angus, and Mary, a cafeteria worker, makes for a solid core that adds a lot of dry humor and heart to the script. Giamatti is the clear standout in the cast, but Dominic Sessa puts in a great performance, considering this is his first-ever film. Angus’s character is one of the few students who actually does well in Hunham’s class, yet he’s clearly bothered by something in life. Hunham as a teacher is someone who seems to have grown tired of teaching, not because he doesn’t care about what he says, but because of the unenthusiastic, rich students. Seeing his character become warmer towards Angus throughout the film is what makes it a good holiday movie.</span></span></p> <p> </p> <p><span style="font-size:18px"><span style="font-family:Times New Roman,Times,serif">Even though this wasn’t shot on old film, it was produced and edited in a way to replicate movies from the ‘80s and early ‘90s. The cinematography, sound design, and script make the movie feel like a forgotten classic that hasn’t been unearthed until now. The setting of New England in 1970 also contributes to that comforting, vintage tone. <em>The Holdovers</em> is also unique because it’s a holiday film for adults. With its R-rating and sharp script, the only thing that’s missing is a bottle of scotch bundled with the Blu-ray release.</span></span></p> <p> </p> <p><img alt="" src="https://www.highbrowmagazine.com/sites/default/files/3holdovers.jpg" style="height:334px; width:680px" typeof="foaf:Image" /></p> <p> </p> <p><span style="font-size:18px"><span style="font-family:Times New Roman,Times,serif">Even though some scenes are at risk of being overly cheesy, the film does a great job of balancing cynicism and holiday cheer. Everything in the movie manages to work, and it’s a testament to the performances of the actors, the script, and the direction. </span></span></p> <p> </p> <p><span style="font-size:18px"><span style="font-family:Times New Roman,Times,serif">If you can find this in theaters, watch it; if you see it on Blu-ray, buy it; and if it shows on a streaming service, then grab a drink and get ready for a top-tier classic. <em>The Holdovers</em> has what it takes to be a timeless film that will be replayed every holiday season for years to come.</span></span></p> <p> </p> <p><span style="font-size:18px"><span style="font-family:Times New Roman,Times,serif"><strong>Author Bio:</strong></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:18px"><span style="font-family:Times New Roman,Times,serif"><strong><em>Ulises Duenas is a senior writer and film critic at</em> Highbrow Magazine.</strong></span></span></p> <p> </p> <p><span style="font-size:18px"><span style="font-family:Times New Roman,Times,serif"><strong>For Highbrow Magazine</strong></span></span></p> <p> </p> </div></div></div><div class="field field-name-field-tags field-type-taxonomy-term-reference field-label-above"><div class="field-label">Tags:&nbsp;</div><div class="field-items"><div class="field-item even" rel="dc:subject"><a href="/holdovers" typeof="skos:Concept" property="rdfs:label skos:prefLabel" datatype="">the holdovers</a></div><div class="field-item odd" rel="dc:subject"><a href="/alexander-payne" typeof="skos:Concept" property="rdfs:label skos:prefLabel" datatype="">alexander payne</a></div><div class="field-item even" rel="dc:subject"><a href="/paul-giamatti" typeof="skos:Concept" property="rdfs:label skos:prefLabel" datatype="">paul giamatti</a></div><div class="field-item odd" rel="dc:subject"><a href="/holiday-movies" typeof="skos:Concept" property="rdfs:label skos:prefLabel" datatype="">holiday movies</a></div><div class="field-item even" rel="dc:subject"><a href="/best-films-3" typeof="skos:Concept" property="rdfs:label skos:prefLabel" datatype="">best films</a></div><div class="field-item odd" rel="dc:subject"><a href="/dramas" typeof="skos:Concept" property="rdfs:label skos:prefLabel" datatype="">dramas</a></div><div class="field-item even" rel="dc:subject"><a href="/new-movies" typeof="skos:Concept" property="rdfs:label skos:prefLabel" datatype="">new movies</a></div></div></div><div class="field field-name-field-author field-type-text field-label-hidden"><div class="field-items"><div class="field-item even">Ulises Duenas</div></div></div><div class="field field-name-field-pop field-type-list-boolean field-label-above"><div class="field-label">Popular:&nbsp;</div><div class="field-items"><div class="field-item even">not popular</div></div></div><div class="field field-name-field-bot field-type-list-boolean field-label-above"><div class="field-label">Bottom Slider:&nbsp;</div><div class="field-items"><div class="field-item even">In Slider</div></div></div><div class="field field-name-field-videos field-type-video-embed-field field-label-hidden"><div class="field-items"><div class="field-item even"> <div class="embedded-video"> <div class="player"> <iframe class="" width="640" height="360" src="//www.youtube.com/embed/AhKLpJmHhIg?width%3D640%26amp%3Bheight%3D360%26amp%3Bautoplay%3D0%26amp%3Bvq%3Dlarge%26amp%3Brel%3D0%26amp%3Bcontrols%3D1%26amp%3Bautohide%3D2%26amp%3Bshowinfo%3D1%26amp%3Bmodestbranding%3D0%26amp%3Btheme%3Ddark%26amp%3Biv_load_policy%3D1%26amp%3Bwmode%3Dopaque" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen></iframe> </div> </div> </div></div></div> Fri, 17 Nov 2023 19:00:08 +0000 tara 12791 at https://www.highbrowmagazine.com https://www.highbrowmagazine.com/24184-holdovers-ushers-new-holiday-classic#comments ‘Barbarian' Is Surprising, and One of the Best Movies of the Year https://www.highbrowmagazine.com/21707-barbarian-surprising-and-one-best-movies-year <div class="field field-name-field-cat field-type-taxonomy-term-reference field-label-hidden"><div class="field-items"><div class="field-item even"><a href="/film-tv" typeof="skos:Concept" property="rdfs:label skos:prefLabel" datatype="">Film &amp; TV</a></div></div></div><span class="submitted-by">Submitted by tara on Sun, 10/09/2022 - 09:50</span><div class="field field-name-field-image field-type-image field-label-hidden"><div class="field-items"><div class="field-item even" rel="og:image rdfs:seeAlso" resource="https://www.highbrowmagazine.com/sites/default/files/styles/large/public/field/image/1barbarian.jpg?itok=fQNIJHAH"><img typeof="foaf:Image" src="https://www.highbrowmagazine.com/sites/default/files/styles/large/public/field/image/1barbarian.jpg?itok=fQNIJHAH" width="480" height="256" alt="" /></div></div></div><div class="field field-name-body field-type-text-with-summary field-label-hidden"><div class="field-items"><div class="field-item even" property="content:encoded"><p> </p> <p><span style="font-size:18px"><span style="font-family:Times New Roman,Times,serif">It’s been a long time since I’ve seen a movie as unique as <em>Barbarian</em> in a movie theater. It’s a blend of horror, suspense, and comedy, which makes the most out of its relatively small cast and budget. Director and writer Zach Creggar has created a surprising film that is absolutely worth checking out.</span></span></p> <p> </p> <p> </p> <p><span style="font-size:18px"><span style="font-family:Times New Roman,Times,serif">The film begins with a young woman named Tess arriving at her Airbnb to find out that it’s already occupied by a man named Keith. She ends up agreeing, begrudgingly,  to stay in the house for the night and starts to hear strange noises. In the morning she discovers that the rest of the neighborhood is completely run down except for the house she’s staying in. The movie does a good job of building tension while keeping the viewer wondering in which direction things are going.</span></span></p> <p> </p> <p><img alt="" src="https://www.highbrowmagazine.com/sites/default/files/2barbarian.jpg" style="height:656px; width:443px" typeof="foaf:Image" /></p> <p> </p> <p><span style="font-size:18px"><span style="font-family:Times New Roman,Times,serif">There’s a hard shift in tone and plot development halfway through the movie that is bound to have the audience scratching their heads, but it ends up working really well. Justin Long’s character, AJ, is introduced and he delivers what is arguably his best performance ever. AJ’s self-absorbed, idiotic, and despicable nature makes for a fun sequence in the middle of the movie as the ball starts rolling again for the third act. This movie is surprisingly funny and it does a great job of balancing the laughs and the horror. </span></span></p> <p> </p> <p><span style="font-size:18px"><span style="font-family:Times New Roman,Times,serif">One thing that still surprises me is that Creggar -- who is best known for his work on the sketch comedy show <em>The Whitest Kids U’ Know</em> – made this film. His other movies didn’t get nearly as much attention as this as he has surprisingly great horror chops for someone who mostly wrote comedies up until now. </span></span></p> <p> </p> <p><img alt="" src="https://www.highbrowmagazine.com/sites/default/files/3barbarian.jpg" style="height:349px; width:651px" typeof="foaf:Image" /></p> <p> </p> <p><span style="font-size:18px"><span style="font-family:Times New Roman,Times,serif">The early parts of the movie -- where Tess and Keith are talking -- reminded me of their sketches where a lull is created early on, just to have something absurd happen to juxtapose it. Creggar’s unique direction and writing style are what really separate this film from other modern horror movies.</span></span></p> <p> </p> <p><span style="font-size:18px"><span style="font-family:Times New Roman,Times,serif">In the end, <em>Barbarian</em> doesn’t try to do anything crazy the way a lot of thrillers and horror movies do. It’s a movie with a good script, great directing, and great acting that does something unique for a wide-release film. It’s one of the best movies of the year, so anyone even remotely interested in horror or suspense should see this.</span></span></p> <p> </p> <p><span style="font-size:18px"><span style="font-family:Times New Roman,Times,serif"><strong>Author Bio:</strong></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:18px"><span style="font-family:Times New Roman,Times,serif"><strong><em>Ulises Duenas is a senior writer at</em> Highbrow Magazine.</strong></span></span></p> <p> </p> <p><span style="font-size:18px"><span style="font-family:Times New Roman,Times,serif"><strong>For Highbrow Magazine</strong></span></span></p> <p> </p> </div></div></div><div class="field field-name-field-tags field-type-taxonomy-term-reference field-label-above"><div class="field-label">Tags:&nbsp;</div><div class="field-items"><div class="field-item even" rel="dc:subject"><a href="/barbarian" typeof="skos:Concept" property="rdfs:label skos:prefLabel" datatype="">barbarian</a></div><div class="field-item odd" rel="dc:subject"><a href="/barbarian-movie" typeof="skos:Concept" property="rdfs:label skos:prefLabel" datatype="">barbarian movie</a></div><div class="field-item even" rel="dc:subject"><a href="/zach-creggar" typeof="skos:Concept" property="rdfs:label skos:prefLabel" datatype="">zach creggar</a></div><div class="field-item odd" rel="dc:subject"><a href="/horror-films" typeof="skos:Concept" property="rdfs:label skos:prefLabel" datatype="">horror films</a></div><div class="field-item even" rel="dc:subject"><a href="/comedies" typeof="skos:Concept" property="rdfs:label skos:prefLabel" datatype="">comedies</a></div><div class="field-item odd" rel="dc:subject"><a href="/new-films" typeof="skos:Concept" property="rdfs:label skos:prefLabel" datatype="">new films</a></div><div class="field-item even" rel="dc:subject"><a href="/best-films-3" typeof="skos:Concept" property="rdfs:label skos:prefLabel" datatype="">best films</a></div></div></div><div class="field field-name-field-author field-type-text field-label-hidden"><div class="field-items"><div class="field-item even">Ulises Duenas</div></div></div><div class="field field-name-field-pop field-type-list-boolean field-label-above"><div class="field-label">Popular:&nbsp;</div><div class="field-items"><div class="field-item even">not popular</div></div></div><div class="field field-name-field-bot field-type-list-boolean field-label-above"><div class="field-label">Bottom Slider:&nbsp;</div><div class="field-items"><div class="field-item even">In Slider</div></div></div> Sun, 09 Oct 2022 13:50:25 +0000 tara 11375 at https://www.highbrowmagazine.com https://www.highbrowmagazine.com/21707-barbarian-surprising-and-one-best-movies-year#comments 'Power of the Dog' Is an Intriguing Drama, But Not the Year's Best Film https://www.highbrowmagazine.com/19046-power-dog-intriguing-drama-not-years-best-film <div class="field field-name-field-cat field-type-taxonomy-term-reference field-label-hidden"><div class="field-items"><div class="field-item even"><a href="/film-tv" typeof="skos:Concept" property="rdfs:label skos:prefLabel" datatype="">Film &amp; TV</a></div></div></div><span class="submitted-by">Submitted by tara on Thu, 12/23/2021 - 12:19</span><div class="field field-name-field-image field-type-image field-label-hidden"><div class="field-items"><div class="field-item even" rel="og:image rdfs:seeAlso" resource="https://www.highbrowmagazine.com/sites/default/files/styles/large/public/field/image/1powerofthedog.jpg?itok=KIJeyt0o"><img typeof="foaf:Image" src="https://www.highbrowmagazine.com/sites/default/files/styles/large/public/field/image/1powerofthedog.jpg?itok=KIJeyt0o" width="480" height="270" alt="" /></div></div></div><div class="field field-name-body field-type-text-with-summary field-label-hidden"><div class="field-items"><div class="field-item even" property="content:encoded"><p> </p> <p><span style="font-size:18px"><span style="font-family:Times New Roman,Times,serif"><strong>In a new video for <em>Highbrow Magazine</em>, Chief Film Critic Forrest Hartman reviews Jane Campion's <em>Power of the Dog</em>. Starring Benedict Cumberbatch and Kirsten Dunst, the film is a great dramatic Western, replete with a poignant plot and intriguing characters. But even though Campion is a masterful storyteller, Hartman doesn't believe <em>Power of the Dog</em> </strong><strong>is the best film of the year. Hartman explains why.</strong></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:18px"><span style="font-family:Times New Roman,Times,serif"><strong>Watch the video below.</strong></span></span></p> <p> </p> </div></div></div><div class="field field-name-field-tags field-type-taxonomy-term-reference field-label-above"><div class="field-label">Tags:&nbsp;</div><div class="field-items"><div class="field-item even" rel="dc:subject"><a href="/jane-campion" typeof="skos:Concept" property="rdfs:label skos:prefLabel" datatype="">jane campion</a></div><div class="field-item odd" rel="dc:subject"><a href="/power-dog" typeof="skos:Concept" property="rdfs:label skos:prefLabel" datatype="">Power of the Dog</a></div><div class="field-item even" rel="dc:subject"><a href="/benedict-cumberbatch" typeof="skos:Concept" property="rdfs:label skos:prefLabel" datatype="">benedict cumberbatch</a></div><div class="field-item odd" rel="dc:subject"><a href="/kirsten-dunst" typeof="skos:Concept" property="rdfs:label skos:prefLabel" datatype="">Kirsten Dunst</a></div><div class="field-item even" rel="dc:subject"><a href="/new-films" typeof="skos:Concept" property="rdfs:label skos:prefLabel" datatype="">new films</a></div><div class="field-item odd" rel="dc:subject"><a href="/westerns" typeof="skos:Concept" property="rdfs:label skos:prefLabel" datatype="">westerns</a></div><div class="field-item even" rel="dc:subject"><a href="/best-films-3" typeof="skos:Concept" property="rdfs:label skos:prefLabel" datatype="">best films</a></div><div class="field-item odd" rel="dc:subject"><a href="/awards-season" typeof="skos:Concept" property="rdfs:label skos:prefLabel" datatype="">awards season</a></div></div></div><div class="field field-name-field-author field-type-text field-label-hidden"><div class="field-items"><div class="field-item even">Forrest Hartman</div></div></div><div class="field field-name-field-pop field-type-list-boolean field-label-above"><div class="field-label">Popular:&nbsp;</div><div class="field-items"><div class="field-item even">not popular</div></div></div><div class="field field-name-field-bot field-type-list-boolean field-label-above"><div class="field-label">Bottom Slider:&nbsp;</div><div class="field-items"><div class="field-item even">Out Slider</div></div></div><div class="field field-name-field-videos field-type-video-embed-field field-label-hidden"><div class="field-items"><div class="field-item even"> <div class="embedded-video"> <div class="player"> <iframe class="" width="640" height="360" src="//www.youtube.com/embed/rmT00f0Mhng?width%3D640%26amp%3Bheight%3D360%26amp%3Bautoplay%3D0%26amp%3Bvq%3Dlarge%26amp%3Brel%3D0%26amp%3Bcontrols%3D1%26amp%3Bautohide%3D2%26amp%3Bshowinfo%3D1%26amp%3Bmodestbranding%3D0%26amp%3Btheme%3Ddark%26amp%3Biv_load_policy%3D1%26amp%3Bwmode%3Dopaque" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen></iframe> </div> </div> </div></div></div> Thu, 23 Dec 2021 17:19:28 +0000 tara 10815 at https://www.highbrowmagazine.com https://www.highbrowmagazine.com/19046-power-dog-intriguing-drama-not-years-best-film#comments