Holy Motors is one of those films where you are either in for the ride, or not having any of it. It's a perplexing journey, one that defies explanation and convention, that segues between different sections that shift the genres from comedy to drama to musical. The film follows Mr. Oscar (Denis Lavant) as he rides in a limo around the city, getting out as different personas and engaging in a mini-story. Really Holy Motors could be seen as simply a series of short stories a la Fantasia, were it not for in-between scenes featuring Mr. Oscar.
I love this movie so much because it is one of those films you can describe as "pure cinema." Watching the film is like going on an extended journey, and it takes you places you cannot possibly predict. Few films out there can truly surprise you, and this is one that you never know where it's going, ending inexplicably with limousines talking to one another.
What does it all mean? Hell if I know. To me, that's not the point, although I'm sure others out there have written dissertations on what everything means and claim to understand it. Sometimes I just enjoy a movie that entertains while also surprising me. I'm not always a fan of films that are ambiguous or hard to interpret, but sometimes a film comes along that hits the right spots, that can satisfy a craving for creative, adventurous, bold cinema. Director/writer Leos Carax and Lavant collaborate to create one of the most engaging and entertaining films I've ever seen.
Worst Film of the 2010s: The Amazing Spider-Man 2 (2014)
He lied to me
He shot at me
He hates on me
He's using me
He's dead to me
The Spider-Man is my enemy
- "My Enemy" from the soundtrack
The Amazing Spider-Man 2 may not be everyone's least favorite film, and most of you have probably forgotten about it at this point. But boy or boy I can't think of a film I actively dislike from this decade as much as this one. Filled with terrible plotting and hammy dialogue, this film is a strong representation of superhero films that don't understand the Marvel formula. With no less than three villains with little connection, the film juggles multiple unrelated plots in an overstuffed, overlong, boring mess that fails every emotional beat, and delivers some of the worst villains in the Spider-man franchise (Rhino and Electro are both confusing, and the Green Goblin is a recycled mess). I have seen the film twice and besides likable leads, the film has no redeeming values. It's the reason Sony had to loan Spidey to the MCU, and next to Justice League is a prime example of how to kill your superhero series.
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