12 Angry Men (1957)
December 30, 2023
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Okay. I get why this one's a classic. I never really considered what you could do with (pretty much) one room and some really good actors; apparently you can tell a really compelling story that tackles racism, toxic masculinity, and dealing with the most unbearable people you've ever met. The escalation of tempers paired with full-frame shots of the men's faces; the impressive acting and commitment to characters that range from dull to sympathetic to just plain annoying; the understanding, however tenuous, that a young man's life is on the line. I know I have this dumb idea in my head that older movies are boring, but honestly, that's just not true. Good storytelling is not limited to color television, dipshit. And I know I don't have much to say on this film, and everything that I could say has already been said by people far more eloquent than I am. But god damn, this movie is good.