Breakfast at Tiffany's (Blake Edwards, 1961): Good movie, but definitely a bit of a letdown considering how much I was looking forward to seeing it. Chemistry between two leads is an essential component in films of this type, and Hepburn and Peppard share very little. For example, the early scene when he's shirtless in bed and she lays beside him should be rife with sexual tension, but instead it's a limp d!ck of a scene. Peppard is incredibly bland and keeps the film from reaching its potential, so I never bought into the love story. However, the stunningly gorgeous Hepburn is fantastic. She's the reason this film is so iconic. I also loved the "Moon River" song that's used throughout the film and I thought the ending with the cat and the rain was a powerful scene. The dialogue is great. I can definitely see why Rooney's Asian character offends so many viewers, but misguided or not, I thought he was funny and there's no denying that he fully commits to the role. His character still stands out like a sore thumb, however. A good movie, albeit very flawed; maybe it will grow on me with subsequent viewings.
Bad Words (Jason Bateman, 2014): I like humor that isn't afraid to offend, and that's the forte of
Bad Words. Bateman's direction is pedestrian at best, and I'm not sure if he was the best choice for the lead role. I enjoy his dry delivery, but he's much better at playing the affable everyman than a borderline sociopath. The best scenes feature him and the little kid he nicknames Slumdog as they indulge in various vices. The ending is overwrought and the forced sentimentality involving Bateman's backstory is completely unnecessary, but there are enough laughs to make this a decent comedy.
A Touch of Sin (Jia Zhangke, 2013): Films that string together several loosely connected stories tend to either hit you over the head with THEME (
Crash into me) or the narrative pulls away just as your interest peaks. The former isn't a problem with
A Touch of Sin, but certainly the latter, which kept me from loving this film as much as it probably deserves. The four segments are apparently based on true events in China. I imagine there's also quite a bit of political subtext that wouldn't go over so well in China, making this a rather bold film in that regard.
A Touch of Sin is expertly directed, features some great performances, beautiful cinematography, and some of the most effective uses of violence I've seen in a while. The first segment is by far the best and the most compelling. If the other three segments had been as strong, my rating would be much higher.
Devil's Knot (Atom Egoyan, 2014): I was a bit familiar with the real-life case of the West Memphis Three, mainly because of Johnny Depp's involvement. Some of the courtroom scenes in this film are compelling, but overall it feels too much like a made-for-TV movie. Lackluster direction, southern caricatures, unfocused narrative and I'm-just-here-to-collect-a-paycheck performances. The film also relies too much on text to relay information to the viewer.
Upstream Color (Shane Carruth, 2013): I like weird films that unfold like a puzzle and demand your attention.
Upstream Color is that type of film, but for some reason it just didn't work for me. I had the same problem with Carruth's previous film
Primer. The latter has developed a cult following and is infamous for its complicated time-traveling plot, but I was too disinterested in its delivery to bother paying close attention.
Upstream Color is nowhere near as confusing and the premise is very original, plus it features some stunning imagery, but the flat characterization and fragmented narrative failed to engage me as a viewer.
Rage (Paco Cabezas, 2014): One of the worst Nicholas Cage movies I've seen, and that's saying something, given how many bad films he's been in over the years. Dour, depressing, dull, and devoid of thrills or excitement. Even in bad films, I enjoy watching The Cage do his thing, but this poorly directed, by-the-numbers thriller doesn't even give him the opportunity to overact; instead he just scowls for the majority of the film.
Rage might also contain the most incompetent police force I've ever seen. An early contender for worst film of 2014.
Frances Ha (Noah Baumbach, 2013):
Full Review Here
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