Lawrence of Arabia - 2/5

This is a very uneven film. Some of the cinematography is spectacular; some is mundane. Some of the actors are chewing the scenery; some are phoning it in. Some of the slow, desolate scenes convey a feeling of isolation; some are useless padding. It’s extremely long, to the point that fully half of the runtime could be cut out without significantly impacting the narrative, which is itself a crime against cinema. Even some of the action scenes are boring, which should just never happen. Instead of being taut, the script is practically obese.

Closest comparison: It’s like Patton with the pacing of 2001: A Space Odyssey.

Setting: Adventure
Plot: War
Tone: Drama

Murder by Death - 3/5

This is a dumb screwball comedy that works pretty well, all things considered. The mystery is nonexistant, but constantly changes its own rules and is very much not the point of the story. Instead, the draw of the film is the sheer audacity of the premise and jokes, hoping to keep a quick enough pace that its audience won’t raise an incredulous eyebrow at its nonsense. Its satire of the (relatively) famous detectives is less scathing commentary than it is silly caricature and as such it is an enjoyable, if forgettable, romp.

Closest comparison: It’s like Spaceballs by way of Clue: The Movie.

Setting: Mystery
Plot: Screwball Comedy
Tone: Dry Comedy