10 of 10 stars. I have rated dozens of Films, and if memory recalls, this is only the 2nd '10 of 10 stars' that I have ever given to this point. As many Film Historians consider this Movie to be a Masterpiece, there is no argument here from me, I agree, this is a Masterpiece, a truly great piece of Filmed Cinema, and I would say one of the best Films to be released around the World in the past 5 years.
The Performances are great. It stars Shia LaBeouf and Noah Jupe alongside Lucas Hedges. The Film is about Shia LaBeouf, and is written by Shia LaBeouf, and amazingly written. He changes his name in the Film to Otis, but it's about Shia LaBeouf. Jupe plays the 'young' Shia LaBeouf (Otis). Jupe blows me away, he was only in the 8th grade when this Film was released and puts on a Performance well beyond his years, a truly great and deep Performance. I am seeing a multi-layered Performance from a 14 year old in this Film, a truly great Delivery from Jupe.
Lucas Hedges plays Shia LaBeouf (Otis) as a young adult. Hedges also puts on an extremely good performance, he's such a capable Actor, and he delivers greatly in a very complex role.
LaBeouf plays his own Dad in the Movie, and LaBeouf puts on one of the best Performances of his career in this Film, perhaps thee best of his career; of all the great Performances of his career, only his Performance in 'Fury' & 'A Guide To Recognizing Your Saints' come to the forefront of my mind for comparison.
This had to be a painful Film for LaBeouf to star in and write, leaving himself completely naked and vulnerable to the World as the Film unfolds; a Film where LaBeouf almost says, yes I'm a pile of pain to others, and this Film may shed some light on the 'why', without calling it an excuse. We are left with a truly beautiful Film. As the brilliant Bob Dylan once said, "behind every beautiful thing, there's been some kind of pain."
All of the Performances from the supporting cast are very good also. FKA Twigs puts on a very good Performance in a smaller but very important role. And also in a smaller but important role, Clifton Collins puts on a great Performance. We all know that Collins can put on amazingly dynamic & intense Performances, but this role calls for subtle intensities, and Collins threads the needle and delivers without over-reaching; such a great Actor.
All of this is Directed & captured fantastically by Alma Har'el.
This is a truly great piece of Filmed Cinema.
Ironic that after this Film, LaBeouf unfortunately continued his off the screen messes, and it included FKA Twigs from this Film. I was hoping that making this Film would end those behaviors, but it didn't. I wish LaBeouf the best, such an amazing Performer, hopefully he can keep it together and guide his passions off the screen as he does so wonderfully on the screen; as LaBeouf has suggested off the screen, he hurts the people closest to him, causing mental pain, not only to others, but to himself. We all know he's been a mess off the screen, and he's a very complex Actor; and many suggest that part of the reason he is able to peel the onion of the craft of Acting so deep on screen is because he's a mess off the screen, and there very well and likely may be some truth to that.
What would Film Historians consider to be the 10 best Films that LaBeouf has starred in to this point of his career? I believe if I asked 100 of the most respected Film Historians around the World, there would naturally be different orders, but this would be their consensus; and they would consider the top 4 to be Masterpieces:
1. The Peanut Butter Falcon (2019) 2. Honey Boy (2019) 3. Tru Confessions (2002) 4. Fury (2014) 5. Pieces Of A Woman (2020) 6. American Honey (2016) 7. Borg Vs. McEnroe (2017) 8. A Guide To Recognizing Your Saints (2006) 9. Disturbia (2007) 10. Transformers (2007)
I disagree with that order, strongly; Tru Confessions and Transformers in Film Historians Top 10?!? Really?!? Not me, I don't think so. Who am I to disagree with Film Historians?...so here is my Top 10 Films starring Shia LaBeouf, and I consider the top 6 to be Masterpieces:
1. Honey Boy (2019) 2. The Peanut Butter Falcon (2019) 3. Fury (2014) 4. Borg Vs. McEnroe (2017) 5. American Honey (2016) 6. A Guide To Recognizing Your Saints (2006) 7. The Greatest Game Ever Played (2005) 8. Pieces Of A Woman (2020) 9. Lawless (2012) 10. Constantine (2005)
The Performances are great. It stars Shia LaBeouf and Noah Jupe alongside Lucas Hedges. The Film is about Shia LaBeouf, and is written by Shia LaBeouf, and amazingly written. He changes his name in the Film to Otis, but it's about Shia LaBeouf. Jupe plays the 'young' Shia LaBeouf (Otis). Jupe blows me away, he was only in the 8th grade when this Film was released and puts on a Performance well beyond his years, a truly great and deep Performance. I am seeing a multi-layered Performance from a 14 year old in this Film, a truly great Delivery from Jupe.
Lucas Hedges plays Shia LaBeouf (Otis) as a young adult. Hedges also puts on an extremely good performance, he's such a capable Actor, and he delivers greatly in a very complex role.
LaBeouf plays his own Dad in the Movie, and LaBeouf puts on one of the best Performances of his career in this Film, perhaps thee best of his career; of all the great Performances of his career, only his Performance in 'Fury' & 'A Guide To Recognizing Your Saints' come to the forefront of my mind for comparison.
This had to be a painful Film for LaBeouf to star in and write, leaving himself completely naked and vulnerable to the World as the Film unfolds; a Film where LaBeouf almost says, yes I'm a pile of pain to others, and this Film may shed some light on the 'why', without calling it an excuse. We are left with a truly beautiful Film. As the brilliant Bob Dylan once said, "behind every beautiful thing, there's been some kind of pain."
All of the Performances from the supporting cast are very good also. FKA Twigs puts on a very good Performance in a smaller but very important role. And also in a smaller but important role, Clifton Collins puts on a great Performance. We all know that Collins can put on amazingly dynamic & intense Performances, but this role calls for subtle intensities, and Collins threads the needle and delivers without over-reaching; such a great Actor.
All of this is Directed & captured fantastically by Alma Har'el.
This is a truly great piece of Filmed Cinema.
Ironic that after this Film, LaBeouf unfortunately continued his off the screen messes, and it included FKA Twigs from this Film. I was hoping that making this Film would end those behaviors, but it didn't. I wish LaBeouf the best, such an amazing Performer, hopefully he can keep it together and guide his passions off the screen as he does so wonderfully on the screen; as LaBeouf has suggested off the screen, he hurts the people closest to him, causing mental pain, not only to others, but to himself. We all know he's been a mess off the screen, and he's a very complex Actor; and many suggest that part of the reason he is able to peel the onion of the craft of Acting so deep on screen is because he's a mess off the screen, and there very well and likely may be some truth to that.
What would Film Historians consider to be the 10 best Films that LaBeouf has starred in to this point of his career? I believe if I asked 100 of the most respected Film Historians around the World, there would naturally be different orders, but this would be their consensus; and they would consider the top 4 to be Masterpieces:
1. The Peanut Butter Falcon (2019) 2. Honey Boy (2019) 3. Tru Confessions (2002) 4. Fury (2014) 5. Pieces Of A Woman (2020) 6. American Honey (2016) 7. Borg Vs. McEnroe (2017) 8. A Guide To Recognizing Your Saints (2006) 9. Disturbia (2007) 10. Transformers (2007)
I disagree with that order, strongly; Tru Confessions and Transformers in Film Historians Top 10?!? Really?!? Not me, I don't think so. Who am I to disagree with Film Historians?...so here is my Top 10 Films starring Shia LaBeouf, and I consider the top 6 to be Masterpieces:
1. Honey Boy (2019) 2. The Peanut Butter Falcon (2019) 3. Fury (2014) 4. Borg Vs. McEnroe (2017) 5. American Honey (2016) 6. A Guide To Recognizing Your Saints (2006) 7. The Greatest Game Ever Played (2005) 8. Pieces Of A Woman (2020) 9. Lawless (2012) 10. Constantine (2005)
