I did a double feature of these two movies and they had an oddly satisfying contrast to each other. Both movies are about love, but have two very different entry points (and conclusions). I wouldn’t say either was my favorite of the year, but I liked them both a lot, and could appreciate the masterful direction of each.
Phantom Thread of course was made by the Master himself, Paul Thomas Anderson, and played to perfection by a fellow master, now retired thespian Daniel Day Lewis (hey, they both have three names). It was claustrophobic, luxurious, tense, and at times unbearable. It was precise and harsh and I really, really liked it. Day Lewis’s character’s name is Reynolds Woodcock, so there’s another selling point.
Call Me By Your Name was straight up gorgeous, lusciously shot in Italy, and depicts viscerally the agony of discovered sexuality, the ecstasy of its realization, and then back to that familiar agony. Chalamet and Hammer are excellent, but the scene that struck me the most was towards the end, when Chalamet’s father, played by Michael Stuhlbarg, delivers such a heartfelt, measured monologue to his son. It’s unlike anything I’ve seen displayed between a parent and child on film. Just pure understanding and love. It was really touching.
The music in each of these is immaculate.