Welcome to I Have to Return Some Videotapes! Each month, film buffs Rhianna Mehta and Kevin Maguire will take you through their cinematic journeys with all of their usual insight and humour, as they take advantage of covid-induced indoor time to catch up on their favourite films and explore new ones.

Much like American Psycho’s Patrick Bateman, we felt like our masks of sanity were starting to slip during this pandemic. Unlike Patrick Bateman, we decided to give writing a try before going on any murderous rampages. We decided to write about our favourite, least favourite and biggest surprise film we watched each month. For this month, and our first ever article, we started writing early. We had already chosen the movies we were going to write about, knowing there were still 6 other movies we had planned to watch for the month. In the remaining days of February, those 6 remaining films included Minari, High and Low, and Prisoners. We contemplated changing what we had already written, but even amongst those three films, how could we choose a favourite?

But this conundrum perfectly encapsulates why we decided to write an article: we just like movies. We don’t shut up about them. We like movies so much, we recently watched George of the Jungle. Yeah. So, while we may not be able to cover everything we’d like to talk about (because it would be endless), we hope you enjoy our recommendations on what to watch, what to skip, and what you may want to give a shot.

If you would like to connect with us further on Letterboxd, please find us at rhirhi19 and Kevin_Maguire. If you want to get a sense of our taste, some of our favourites in each genre, and the way we approach film overall, be sure to check out our appearance on The Generalists.

Monthly Favourites:

Rhianna: Sunset Boulevard (Billy Wilder, 1950) Sometimes when a movie has reached such universal acclaim as Sunset Boulevard has, it’s very easy to be let down by the film. I can think of quite a few movies that fall into that category for me (sorry, Interstellar), but something quite magical happens when the opposite occurs and it actually lives up to the hype. I don’t think I can say anything about Sunset Boulevard that hasn’t been already said. What I can share with you is that if you love movies, and if you love movies about movies, make sure you watch this one.

Runner-up: Judas & the Black Messiah (Shaka King, 2021), Incendies (Denis Villeneuve, 2008), High and Low (Akira Kurosawa, 1963) In the future I will try to limit my runner-up to just one film, but this month I really couldn’t decide. These are all fantastic films and have each changed the way I perceive film (they are really that good). One comment on Incendies: the version on Apple doesn’t have English subtitles – so make sure you rent it on Google Play!

Kevin: Judas and the Black Messiah (Shaka King, 2021) This movie is a biopic of activist and revolutionary Fred Hampton. It tells the story of a man who was willing to die to unite the people of the country against those who would use their power to oppress. Lakeith Stanfield and Daniel Kaluuya are both absolutely phenomenal. This movie is beautifully shot with the entire cast giving their best possible performance. If you see one movie from this year, make it this one. You will not be disappointed.

Runner-up: Sunset Boulevard (Billy Wilder, 1950)

Least Favorite:

Rhianna: The Ballad of Buster Scruggs (Joel Coen, Ethan Coen, 2018) While the Coen brothers are usually masterful storytellers, this movie is not one of their finest. The film is a tale of the American West told through 6 vignettes, ranging only from somewhat entertaining to mildly entertaining. The film as a whole seems disjointed, and lacking any clarity in terms of what the directors are trying to convey to the audience. By the time we got to the 5th vignette, I was utterly bored. If you watch this movie, I’d recommend skipping the last two stories.

Runner-up: Bill & Ted’s Excellent Adventure (Stephen Herek, 1989) I’m sorry – I only have enough space in my heart for one metal duo, and that spot is for Wayne and Garth.

Kevin: Silence (Martin Scorsese, 2016) You take Martin Scorsese, Liam Neeson and Adam Driver and what do you get? Two hours of Andrew Garfield. Granted, this might be Garfield’s best performance, but the point still stands. The movie itself is beautifully shot, but that is about as good as it gets. The long meandering story doesn’t leave you satisfied in any way. This might be the only Scorcese movie that I haven’t enjoyed. If you’re a Scorsese fan and have three hours to spare, go for it, but you’ve been warned – you will be disappointed.

Runner-up: Bill and Ted’s Excellent Adventure (Stephen Herek, 1989)

Biggest Surprise:

Rhianna: Walk Hard: The Dewey Cox Story (Jake Kasdan, 2007) I can’t believe it, but this was truly the biggest surprise of the month. There are some movies where my high expectations were met, and then there is this movie, which was a total surprise. I laughed very hard during Walk Hard. While there are parts of this movie that don’t age particularly well, it serves as the perfect parody of every musical biopic I’ve ever seen (I’m looking at you, Bohemian Rhapsody). Just sit back and let John C. Reily serenade you.

Runner-up: High and Low (Akira Kurosawa, 1963), Prisoners (Denis Villeneuve, 2013)

Kevin: Another Round (Thomas Vinterberg, 2020) Drinking at work with your friends? Sign me up! This movie does such an amazing job of balancing humour with the seriousness of alcoholism, which is no easy task. Everyone can relate to trying to escape the mundane doldrums of life. This story reaches ever further beyond our surface level wants and desires, and truly reaches for answers to what makes someone happy, and what makes life worth living. Without spoilers, the ending is an amazing juxtaposition of the celebration of what life has to offer while also providing a sobering reality that life doesn’t always work out for everyone the way they intended.

Runner-up: Incendies (Denis Villeneuve, 2010), The Meyerowitz Stories (Noah Baumbach, 2017)