“It is a sad truth, but we have lost the faculty of giving lovely names to things. Names are everything.” — Oscar Wilde
One of my favorite parts of writing a piece of fiction is coming up with the title. I agree with Oscar Wilde: Naming a work of art is an art in itself and should always be treated as such. The name that is given to a work of art is massively influential on how that work is received. As a result, I spend an inordinate amount of time thinking about the titles of my books (and the names of my characters, but that’s a topic for another day).
I released my list of the best horror movies I watched this past year, and the best older movies, now it’s time for my list of the best newer movies (released within the decade) that I watched in 2024. As always, check JustWatch to see where the movies may be currently streaming.
Tier 1: Cinematic Masterpieces
Burning (2018) directed by Lee Chang-dong I didn’t know anything about this movie beforehand, other than it was South Korean and highly acclaimed. So it was fascinating to watch while having no idea where it would go—because the film goes to some wildly unexpected places by the end. I don’t want to say what it’s about because any spoilers would detract from the viewing experience, but the only film I can remotely compare it to is The Talented Mr. Ripley.
Dream Scenario (2023) Directed by Kristoffer Borgli In this super surreal movie, some random guy (Nic Cage) starts showing up in people’s dreams around the world. It has a very Charlie Kaufman-esque tone, sort of like a mix between Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind and Being John Malkovich. In fact, Dream Scenario might be better than anything Kaufman himself has done since Eternal Sunshine.
Last week, trailers were released for both a new Jurassic Park movie and a new Star Wars movie, two of my favorite franchises of all time. It wasn’t always that way, however. A lot of writers and filmmakers cite seeing Star Wars as a kid as being the number-one inspiration for their work as an adult, but I didn’t become a Star Wars fan until later in life. The original trilogy was released before I was born, and I had a weird aversion to old movies, so I avoided watching Star Wars. There was something about those 1970s hairdos that turned me off. I remember renting Return of the Jedi on VHS from Blockbuster because it was the newest of the three Star Wars films, but for whatever reason, it didn’t really capture my imagination at the time. Continue reading →
T.Z. Barry 