the @popcollin reviews

THE TOP 5 1. Once Upon a Time in Hollywood (review) “From the film’s supremely of-the-time soundtrack (including real clips of radio jingles and ads from the now-defunct KHJ-radio Los Angeles) to the phenomenal camera work of cinematographer extraordinaire Robert Richardson to its plentiful, fun-bonus films-within-a-film, Once Upon a Time is […]

THE TOP 51. Avengers: Endgame (review)“Not a minute is wasted, not a scene feels superfluous, and anytime you can offer up a half-dozen genuinely gut-wrenching scenes alongside riffs on everything from Axe body spray to Cheez Whiz, you’ve created something truly special.” 2. Free Solo (review)“Free Solo is a marvelous documentation of perhaps the most […]

THE TOP 51. Roma (review)“From the camera work (which Cuarón did himself) to the sound design to the flawless, incredibly intricate choreography of the film’s many exquisite tracking shots, there’s not a moment in Roma that isn’t an awesome (in the true sense of the word) achievement.” 2. Green Book […]

THE TOP 5 1. I, Tonya (review) “What the key (real-life) players lack, as far as anything resembling a redeeming quality, the people involved in the film more than make up for. Gillespie, Rogers, and the across-the-board stellar cast have made a masterpiece out of a mudpit.” 2. Phantom Thread (review) “I’d argue the […]

THE TOP 5 1. Dunkirk (review) “By making Dunkirk about the individuals and not about the moment (especially since even cursory students of history know the ending), we get dropped into an overwhelming situation, the likes of which haven’t been seen since Saving Private Ryan. The end result may be clear, but […]

THE TOP 5 1. Hidden Figures (review) “It’s a story that few people outside of NASA may have ever heard, but it’s a truly amazing and goosebump-inducing one, and Hidden Figures does a brilliant job sharing it. It’s a movie full of heart and feeling and inspiration, as important as […]

THE TOP 5 1. Manchester by the Sea (review) “The film itself is a masterpiece of the highest order, a life-affirming effort that is equal parts heartwarming and heartbreaking. More than anything, though, it’s a simple ode to grief and loss and coping and making do.” 2. Moonlight (review) “With […]

THE TOP 5 1. The Revenant (review) “Iñárritu follows up last year’s best picture (and Best Picture) Birdman with yet another memorable, ingenious, and engrossing film. Its extended tracking shots, the fog of warm breath clouding the lens, and exclusive use of natural light in unforgiving locations (the untouched forests […]

THE TOP 10 1. Brooklyn “With a rare, endearing sense of grace and tenderness, Brooklyn tells a very simple love story. But underneath the surface is a film of such emotional depth and complexity that its poignancy lingers for a long time after the credits roll.” 2. Spotlight “In director […]

We’re halfway through 2015, which means (of course) that it’s time for my semi-annual list of the best movies of the year so far. In all, I reviewed 39 movies between January and June (including my 500th review since this whole crazy train got rolling)– some great, some atrocious.. but […]