Top 4 of June 2018

What!?! Top four?? Not top five?

Unfortunately, yes this is true. No, I didn't only watch four movies this month. But of the films that I watched, only four of them were worthy of putting on this list of great films that I watched this month. Any fifth films I watched would've stuck out like a sore thumb. I'm not going to single out any of the films that I watched for being not up caliber with the films I put on my list, but I wouldn't want to write and review a film that I didn't thoroughly enjoy through and through.

Instead this month I spent my time playing video games with my good friend Tanner (www.twitch.tv/toontan), reading Aristotle's classic work on drama titled "Poetics" and watching the stunning second season of "Westworld" on HBO. Nevertheless, I'm glad I made some time this past month to watch some films, some of them amazing and some not-so amazing. Here's four of the best films I watched in June of 2018:

#4: In Bruges (2008)

Written and Directed by Martin McDonagh

In his full-length directorial debut, Martin tells a wonderfully fantastic story about two assassins on a seemingly "pointless" holiday in Belgium. Coupled with the fantastic acting of Colin Farrell and Brendan Gleeson against the beautiful backdrop of Bruges, this film was incredibly memorable and wonderfully made. It also includes a surprising appearance from one of my all time favorite actors Ralph Fiennes as the boss-man Harry. Since I watched "Three Billboards outside Ebbing, Missouri" last month McDonagh continues to be an inspiration to me in the realm of truly unique stories and excellent dialogue. I still need to see "Seven Psychopaths" and whatever he comes up with next!

#3: Lady Bird (2017)

Written and Directed by Greta Gerwig

A24 continues to strive ahead of every other production company in the business, and Greta Gerwig's "Lady Bird" is a direct contributor to their success. I became an instant Greta Gerwig fan after watching "Frances Ha" and my love for her was solidified with "20th Century Women". Her directorial debut in this wonderfully beautiful film was spot-on, with incredible performances from Saoirse Ronan and Laurie Metcalf. I could understand the struggle of being a teenager in high school, but the relationship between mother and daughter is ugly and beautiful at the same time, and this movie is spot on with it.

#2: The Insider (1999)

Directed by Michael Mann

I thought to myself: how could Michael Mann follow up his '95 action-drama epic "Heat"? He should've just retired after that. But no, he does it again alongside the wonderfully talented Al Pacino and Russell Crowe. Mann takes a truly captivating "60 Minutes" story and turns it into something wonderfully dramatic for the big screen. Only an all-star cast of Pacino, Crowe and Christopher Plummer could take an almost entirely dialogue-driven story and make it great. Combined with the amazing film-making talent of Mann, this movie has so much to say and says it so incredibly well!

#1: The Wrestler (2008)

Directed by Darren Aronofsky

I was caught off guard by how good this film actually was. I was blind going into it; I didn't know it was directed by one of my all-time favorites Darren Aronofsky, a sports film featuring the wonderfully talented Mickey Rourke, Marisa Tomei and Evan Rachel Wood. On the surface it's a movie about wrestling, but underneath it's about so much more. Rourke plays an old, beat-up wrestler on the verge of retirement trying to reconcile with his daughter and rebuild his life in the wake of his ending career. The movie is shot beautifully; 99% handheld and in your face, transporting you right next to Rourke's side through his journey in the wrestling world. It's beautifully acted as well; Rourke gives an incredibly emotional and stunning lead performance. All in all this was an incredibly powerful, well-made film and I hope to make movies like this in the near future.

Overall, this past month was full of great television and cinema; good ones and bad ones. I can't wait for my chance to re-watch some of these later on this year...or next year when my resolution has run its course. Until next month!

-morgan