The Lighthouse
Every other film I will ever see, when trying to assess the quality of it, will always be compared to this one. This is without a doubt the best film I’ve ever seen. There are very few films that seemingly perfectly blend peak acting, direction, cinematography, writing, production design, sound design, and ambience all into one incredible package.
The only thing to me that isn’t perfect about the movie is my ability to recommend this to other people, because this film is a lot. Yet this is also why I consider the Lighthouse to be the best film I’ve ever seen. The Lighthouse is haunting. The climax and final shot of this movie are imprinted on my brain. I simply cannot forget them.
This film also features master class performances from both Robert Pattinson and Willem Dafoe, thankfully it’s happening in this film. The aspect ratio (not certain of the ratio exactly and I’m not looking it up unfortunately for you 0 readers) forces the audience’s attention directly at these actors, reciting strange poetry which sounds like it’s written by the ghosts of men dead a century or more before we’ve found them in the state they’re in.
This film also does well what I believe the best films do: leave you with questions and answers that you can formulate yourself based on the film’s information. I can think of four possible interpretations for the purpose of the movie and the themes present throughout, and all of them feel based on the logical ethos of the film.
It’s heady, heavy, it leaves you battered and exhausted when it’s finished and you probably won’t wanna talk for a couple hours. Yes, it’s that good. By my standards, a contender for the best film of the 21st century.