There was a scene with a woman (I guess) framed in a way that was supposed to look like a painting. However, since I saw a bunch of films who perfected this tableau vivant aesthetic, I couldn't help noticing something's off. Maybe the lighting. I'm not sure. It's a minor detail, but for some reason it stood out for me and really put me off for a moment.
There were some other visual moments in this that lacked perfection, and I realize how much I'm nitpicking, especially given the cinematography is great nevertheless, but lately I've been finding myself more and more attached to the visual side of films, to the point every little detail matters, and I haven't felt like this in years.
Do you remember what scene?
Think perfection is an insane metric plus it's impossible to define many find beauty in flaws, now i'm nitpicking haha. Get what you mean though. I thought it was stunning but my favourite thing about the film was possibly the sound.
Now that I look at it, I'm not even sure he wanted to make it look painterly in the first place.
It's chiaroscuro, but the blocking is weird.
__________________
Look, I'm not judging you - after all, I'm posting here myself, but maybe, just maybe, if you spent less time here and more time watching films, maybe, and I stress, maybe your taste would be of some value. Just a thought, ya know.
Now that I look at it, I'm not even sure he wanted to make it look painterly in the first place.
It's chiaroscuro, but the blocking is weird.
Was going to look for it and take a screenshot of it myself once you told me what it was so thanks for pointing out the exact moment. Honestly, i don't even remember that.
Bean (1997) –
For some reason, I’ve only seen these movies in fragments, despite loving the show. It has a few recycled jokes and some dull humor, but Bean still makes me laugh. I would’ve preferred more bits of him being a mischievous as*hole, as opposed to totally charming though.
Mr. Bean’s Holiday (2007) –
This is much truer to Mr. Bean’s language transcending humor, and it’s unexpectedly pretty. The scenery and music illustrates a lot of French charm in the spirit of Tati, but it loses a lot of it in the final half hour unfortunately.
The Shape of Water (2017) –
Del Toro’s always been very visual, but I think his movies keep getting better in that regard. This almost feels more like a Jeunet flick with the quirky outcast lead and quasi-surreal world. Entertaining dark whimsy with commentary at a focal point.
Sea of Love (1989) –
A good comedy hiding in an ok crime thriller.
Menace II Society (1993) –
This is pretty basic and predictable for a street crime movie, albeit executed really well. Most of the characters seem like cardboard cutouts, but the volatile ones are still anxiety-inducing.
Ghosts of the Civil Dead (1988) –
There’s a story being told, but it takes a backseat to the uncomfortable routine prison life shown. It might be too brooding and monotonous for many, but it has one of the best gritty, vile, misanthropic atmospheres I’ve seen, and a poetic use of the camera.
I still stand by most (if not all) of the criticisms I made in this review, but the fact that I've watched this as many times as I have (at least four by my count) would suggest that it is doing something right even as I'm still inclined to consider it one of Scorsese's weakest films (out of the ones I've seen, anyway).
Class of 1999 (Mark L. Lester, 1990) -
A sci-fi B-movie about a not-too-distant future where high schools are practically war zones and ex-military robots are used to replace teachers. Much like the director's earlier Commando, a good supporting cast and over-the-top action help carry this fairly short movie through a saggy middle section.
The Gift (Sam Raimi, 2000) -
Raimi adds his signature frenzied approach to a rather middling (albeit well-cast) Southern Gothic murder mystery centring around a psychic who starts having visions related to the case in question.
Man on Wire (James Marsh, 2008) -
That movie about the guy who tightrope-walked between the Twin Towers that one time. Definitely one of the better "fun" documentaries.
The Emoji Movie (Tony Leondis, 2017) -
I sort of want to rate it a notch higher because it's almost too obvious a contender for the worst movie of the year (and potentially in the running for worst movies ever made), but it really doesn't do anything to merit such positive consideration.
Camouflage (Krzysztof Zanussi, 1977) -
My second Zanussi after The Illumination that is arguably better (or at least playing to different strengths and being more agreeable in the process). It's much more linear and less overtly experimental in its use of a grad-school narrative as a backbone for philosophical musings and whatnot, which is okay enough but not amazing either.
Miracle Mile (Steve De Jarnatt, 1988) -
Perhaps the high concept of an everyman accidentally finding out about an impending nuclear strike and reacting to it in real time was always going to be more intriguing in theory than in any possible execution (much less the warmed-over After Hours riff that this movie provides) but it picks up enough momentum across its second half to carry it over the finish line.
The Atomic Café (Jayne Loader/Kevin Rafferty/Pierce Rafferty, 1982) -
A montage of archival footage that centres on the creation of the atomic bomb and the ways in which it impacted the world, whether through corny-looking American PSAs or stark documentation of radiation sickness. It may not be anything particularly novel to juxtapose the devastating reality of nuclear warfare against the frequently absurd ways in which it was addressed in the media back home ("duck and cover", anyone?), but this still does an effective enough job weaving it all together into a cinematic installation.
Dead Man's Letters (Konstantin Lopushansky, 1986) -
Gotta hand it to the Soviets to deliver a relentlessly grim tale of the post-nuclear wasteland and one elderly academic's attempts to maintain some semblance of hope as he navigates its many obstacles in a film that can perhaps best be summed up as Threads meets Stalker.
The Gunfighter (Henry King, 1950) -
I do like a good "remorseful outlaw" story and this one certainly delivers in that regard. Anchored by yet another great turn by Gregory Peck (did he ever do a bad one?), sharply written, and efficiently constructed.
Ninja III: The Domination (Sam Firstenberg, 1984) White Material (Claire Denis, 2009) 10 to Midnight (J. Lee Thompson, 1983) Zatoichi and the Chest of Gold (Kazuo Ikehiro, 1964) Zatoichi's Flashing Sword (Kazuo Ikehiro, 1964)
The Dressmaker (Jocelyn Moorhouse, 2015) To Wong Foo, Thanks for Everything! Julie Newmar (Beeban Kidron, 1995) The Belko Experiment (Greg McLean, 2016) Hardbodies (Mark Griffiths, 1984) Desert Hearts (Donna Deitch, 1985)
Scouts Guide to the Zombie Apocalypse (Christopher Landon, 2015) Destry Rides Again (George Marshall, 1939) A Bronx Tale (Robert DeNiro, 1993) R.O.T.O.R. (Cullen Blaine, 1987) The Notorious Bettie Page (Mary Harron, 2005)
The Love Witch (Anna Biller, 2016) Beverly Hills Ninja (Dennis Dugan, 1997) [REWATCH] Logan Lucky (Steven Soderbergh, 2017) One Way Passage (Tay Garnett, 1932) The 15:17 to Paris (Clint Eastwood, 2018)
Thoughts on a Few of the Films:
Is there a sorrier excuse for a horror franchise than the Paranormal Activity series? Each entry is 80-something minutes of passively watching uninteresting people sit around with their thumbs up their ass until sh*t finally hits the fan in the last few moments. "Scares" consist of car keys falling from the counter, pots rattling in the kitchen, cabinets opening by themselves. I guess if you're the type of person whose mind automatically jumps to "My house is haunted!" at the merest creak in the night, then sure, the simplicity of this paranormal activity might be relatable enough to cause a few nervous glances over your shoulder, but otherwise give me a f**king break. I misremembered the first movie being pretty solid, probably because I saw it in a packed theater during its buzzworthy release, but it suffers from the same nothing-f**king-happening syndrome that afflicts the sequels. For the most part, the casts in these movies deliver believable performances. I like the initial attempt at building a backstory to tie the movies together, even though that aspect feels dumber with each entry. And there are brief moments of (squandered) dread to be found, such as the clever utilization of a rotating fan in Paranormal Activity 3. The original's simplicity was borne out of necessity, but the sequels exploit that same simplicity to a slovenly, cynical degree. The only frightening thing about the Paranormal Activity series: how much money it has scammed from the wallets of audiences. Sadly, despite my bored contempt for this series, I still plan on watching the last two entries because apparently I hate myself.
10 to Midnight is a slasher-inspired crime-thriller slathered in sleaze, and it fully delivers the type of trashy, mindless entertainment I've come to expect from Canon Films. Charles Bronson does his Charles Bronson thing, but the real star is Gene Davis as a prank-calling, sex-starved serial killer who strips butt-ass naked before stabbing women to death (because his knife is his penis, as Bronson eloquently puts it). There's more nuance than expected when it comes to moral principals, with Bronson's detective having to resort to underhanded tactics in order to capture the killer while his partner is less willing to sully their badge of honor (even though breaking the law would likely save lives), but the film is mostly concerned with delivering effective violence and montages of boobs. The last act is edge-of-your-seat stuff. Worth watching just to see Charles Bronson hold up a sex toy during an interrogation and yell, "IT'S FOR JACKING OFF, ISN'T IT!"
It's easy to think of Desert Hearts, with its late 1950's setting, gorgeously stark Western landscapes, and its revolving wardrobe of cowboy shirts, as the lesbian Brokeback Mountain, but that lazy comparison doesn't do justice to this beautiful, empowering, hugely underrated/underseen landmark of queer cinema. Notable upon release as the first film to feature a lesbian relationship minus the tragedy and sensationalism, it's a shame that Desert Hearts isn't more well-known. The film is full of longing and tender eroticism. The romance is 100% believable. The performances natural, the dialogue memorable, the soundtrack evocative, the cinematography exquisite. In the opening scenes, I mistook Helen Shaver, star of the picture, as a woman two or three decades older than her real age, due to her restrictive clothing and tightly-bound hairstyle. As the film progresses and she slowly embraces her true self, the hairstyle and wardrobe become freer as she becomes more comfortable in her own skin, passion seemingly providing an elixir of youth and beauty. It's subtle details like this that make Desert Hearts special. I don't think I've seen Patricia Charbonneau in anything else, but I fell in love with her here. (It doesn't hurt that she reminds me quite a bit of Natalie Wood in the looks department.) Great film and a potential new favorite. Very happy to have randomly stumbled across this gem on Filmstruck.
As a huge fan of westerns and James Stewart, there was never any doubt that I'd like Destry Rides Again. The movie is well-paced, well-written, and Stewart once again proves that he's capable of laying on the charm more convincingly than any actor ever. Yet I felt a tinge of disappointment as the movie veered from its playful, silly tone of the first half into more serious, traditional territory. The most enjoyable parts belong to Marlene Dietrich, whether it's her musical numbers or her extended cat fights, and she gets to play a more empowered role than you typically find for women in classic westerns. The final shoot-out, as predictable as it may be, still thrills. I look forward to riding with Destry again since the shift in tone probably won't bother me as much with a re-watch. A classic of the genre for a reason.
Growing up, Beverly Hills Ninja was one of my most-watched VHS tapes. I loved 90's SNL, so naturally I loved Chris Farley. I loved ninjas and anything related to martial-arts. I thought Mortal Kombat was the greatest movie ever made, so the presence of Liu Kang (Robin Shou) as Farley's adoptive brother in the movie was a major bright spot. And apparently ten-year-old me must've been really into physical comedy, because I thought Beverly Hills Ninja was a laugh riot back then. I hadn't watched this movie in many years and was looking forward to a stroll down memory lane. Let's just say that it's, um, not as funny as I remembered. The bulk of the jokes are just Chris Farley crashing into objects. Nostalgia is a powerful thing, though, so despite the movie's lack of quality or laughs, I still find Beverly Hills Ninja fairly enjoyable. For a man of his size, Farley had amazing physicality. The soundtrack is cheesily on the nose ("Kung Fu Fighting," ""Turning Japanese," "I'm Too Sexy" during Farley's striptease), but it's a fun listen nonetheless. It was also nice to finally get some of the jokes and references that went over my head as a kid, such as "Mr. Dojo Risin'." I'm disappointed that the movie hasn't held up well over the years, and it saddens me a little that I can no longer consider this a favorite comedy, but spending 90-minutes enveloped within fond childhood memories is never a bad thing.
I was going to post everything at once, but the post was long and unwieldy, so I'm splitting it into two parts. I'll post the other half tomorrow.
Very proud to be able to say I've never watched any of the Paranormal Activity series and have no intention of doing so. Your ratings and thoughts only cement that resolve.
I'll look forward to tomorrow's post with the other half as I think the only of those I would have actually seen is Destry Rides Again and that would have been decades ago so I can't really comment on it but I do hope to rewatch it in the not too distant future (assuming it is available to me). I do have Ninja III DVR'd for a watch sometime though .... so I could reach the heady heights of having seen two of those you listed
I'll look forward to tomorrow's post with the other half as I think the only of those I would have actually seen is Destry Rides Again and that would have been decades ago so I can't really comment on it but I do hope to rewatch it in the not too distant future (assuming it is available to me). I do have Ninja III DVR'd for a watch sometime though .... so I could reach the heady heights of having seen two of those you listed
As always it's nice to see you post!
You're not missing much. I watched a lot of crap last month. Surprised you haven't yet seen One Way Passage, though, considering how many 30's films you've been watching this year. It's a bit slight, but definitely worthwhile.
Ninja III is spectacularly stupid, but in a fun way. If you want to see a chick ward off evil ninja spirits by randomly busting into aerobic exercises, Ninja III is your film. Leave your brain at home and you should get some enjoyment out of it.
Wonder Woman (Patty Jenkins, 2017) The Roaring Twenties (Raoul Walsh, 1939) Nothing Bad Can Happen (Katrin Gebbe, 2013) He Knows You're Alone (Armand Mastroianni, 1980) Aguirre, the Wrath of God (Werner Herzog, 1972) [REWATCH]
Friday (F. Gary Gray, 1995) Next Friday (Steve Carr, 2000) Friday After Next (Marcus Raboy, 2002) Never Too Young to Die (Gil Bettman, 1986) Detroit (Kathryn Bigelow, 2017)
Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 2 (James Gunn, 2017) Vagabond (Agnès Varda, 1985) Bucktown (Arthur Marks, 1975) Look Who's Talking (Amy Heckerling, 1989) Doc Hollywood (Michael Caton-Jones, 1991)
Uncle Buck (John Hughes, 1989) The Boss Baby (Tom McGrath, 2017) Winchester (Michael & Peter Spierig, 2018) The Do-Over (Steven Brill, 2016) Girlfight (Karyn Kusama, 2000)
Monthly Total: 50 Yearly Total: 90
Thoughts on a Few of the Films:
Given the nearly unanimous praise it received, Baby Driver turned out to be a major disappointment. I wanted to punch the titular Baby in the face and break his iPod for much of the movie. He reminded me too much of the obnoxious asshats who upload videos onto YouTube of themselves dancing and lip-synching. His bland, unappealing nature is made even more conspicuous by the supporting cast of colorful, magnetic villains. The movie finally started to grow on me in the second half, once the stakes had been properly raised, and I at least stopped rooting for Baby to get run over by his own car. Jon Hamm was fun until he turned into the Terminator. I'm not a big Jamie Foxx fan, but I thought he was the best part of the movie. I didn't buy Kevin Spacey's turnabout at the end, nor the romance between Ansel Elgort and Lily James. Even the car chases were underwhelming. On a positive note, the sound editing/mixing nominations were well earned, and I admire the film's energy. This is an example of a movie making me sound like a hater just because I thought it fell well short of the hype, even though I liked the movie overall.
Wonder Woman, on the other hand, totally lived up to the hype. I hate how so few superhero movies are stand-alone stories nowadays, and the need to throw multiple superheroes into every film also annoys me, so Wonder Woman getting her own self-contained origin story without the studio making it feel like a really expensive trailer for the next DCEU installment is an automatic plus. Gal Gadot is a goddess and a perfect fit for the character from a physical standpoint, although I'm not yet convinced of her abilities as an actress. Chris Pine, whom I find underrated in general, provides the heart, charm and levity. The WWI setting adds a fresh touch. The fish-out-of-water humor is mostly successful. The score is exhilarating, especially when it kicks in just as Wonder Woman emerges from the bunker during the excellent No Man's Land sequence. I hated the big battle at the end, however, which conjured PTSD flashbacks to Batman v. Superman, and the CGI was surprisingly wonky throughout the movie. Very odd casting choice for Aries, too -- fake-out or not, it was still unconvincing. To call Wonder Woman the best movie in the DCEU isn't much of a compliment, but I'd take Wonder Woman over most of the MCU movies as well.
Sandwiched between the lackluster bookends of Detroit is an excellent film. The long, harrowing sequence at the Algiers Hotel is intense, disturbing, uncomfortable, infuriating, depressing, and about two-hundred other adjectives. Bigelow does a great job of turning viewers into helpless spectators, and the actors/actresses involved deliver believable, difficult performances. I was skeptical that Will Poulter could play a convincing cop (especially after I caught an interview on Jimmy Kimmel Live! where he admitted that he doesn't even know how to drive), but he was very convincing as a despicable piece of sh*t. It's a shame that everything in Detroit outside of the Algiers Hotel is much less effective. The animated prologue adds nothing to the film. The chaotic opening also threw me for a loop, and it took awhile before things settled down and I was able to find anything or anyone to latch onto. The fallout from the Algiers Hotel tragedy and the trials in court aren't given the necessary time and depth. There are also a few instances where the script feels too much like it's directly commenting on today's news rather than the events portrayed within the film, to the point where I would not been have shocked if #BlackLivesMatter had flashed on the screen. Regardless of some of my issues, though, Detroit is a very effective, depressingly relevant film. It might not make my Directed by Women ballot, but it won't miss the cut by much.
I never expected to love Guardians of the Galaxy: Vol. 2 as much as I did. The first film was good -- I gave it three popcorns -- but I don't remember much about it. Vol. 2, on the other hand, is one of the most joyful, entertaining movies I've seen in a long time. I'm surprised that the general consensus seems to be that this one isn't quite as good as the first. I'd go so far as to label Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 2 the best MCU film yet, as well as one of the best superhero films, period. There are a lot of jokes in this film, and I'd say 99.5% landed for me. When I wasn't laughing out loud, I was grinning like the Cheshire Cat. The film is weird, irreverent, goofy, silly, exciting, imaginative, loaded with pop-culture references (Giant Pac-Man gleefully makes up for his appearance in Pixels), full of quotable dialogue ("I'm Mary Poppins, ya'll!"), and it even managed to manipulate my emotions to an embarrassingly successful degree. If I had to nitpick, I'd say that the David Hasselhoff references become a bit overkill, the mixtape isn't quite as good as in the first film, and I don't see the point of bringing Stallone aboard for what felt like 30 seconds of screen time, but everything else in Vol 2 is aces. Baby Groot is the cutest thing ever. The hilarious opening credits sequence, when the camera focuses on Groot dancing aloofly while a huge battle takes place in the background, immediately won me over and perfectly set the tone for the rest of the film. The comic timing from everyone in the cast is spot-on. I should hate a film that feels like it was filmed entirely in front of a green screen, but the special-effects are amazing and so god*amn colorful that it's like watching a live-action cartoon on acid. Between this, Logan, Wonder Woman, and Thor: Ragnarok (which I enjoyed significantly more than its predecessors, probably because it also felt foremost like a comedy and a superhero film secondly), 2017 was a stupendous year for superhero movies, and I'm typically apathetic about the genre.
You're not missing much. I watched a lot of crap last month. Surprised you haven't yet seen One Way Passage, though, considering how many 30's films you've been watching this year. It's a bit slight, but definitely worthwhile.
Ninja III is spectacularly stupid, but in a fun way. If you want to see a chick ward off evil ninja spirits by randomly busting into aerobic exercises, Ninja III is your film. Leave your brain at home and you should get some enjoyment out of it.
Added One Way Passage to my ever expanding list of films to try to locate and view. Ninja III sounds exactly like I'd expected and hoped for, my brain is kind of in shut-down mode naturally right now so I might throw it on when herself goes for the expected 'jet lag' nap sometime today.
Looks like your second half of Feb was a little more enjoyable on the whole than the first. We're on the same page with regards The Roaring Twenties and whilst you rate Aguirre higher than I do I still think it's an excellent fillum Only other one of those I've seen is Look Who's Talking which I wasn't a fan of either.
I enjoyed the first Guardians movie more than I expected (not really much into DC or Marvel) so look forward to checking out Vol. 2 whenever it airs on one of our limited channels, I'll probably also give Wonder Woman an outing as and when via the same medium too as it seems to be fairly well received in general.
I've been meaning to start using more 4.5s lately, if only so I can at least start giving certain re-watches the respect they deserve. That brings me to this, which I would definitely consider one of the best sci-fi movies ever made for managing to do so much in such an inventive manner. Now I need to revisit Twelve Monkeys.
Hiroshima mon amour (Alain Resnais, 1959) -
While I can definitely understand those who would complain about the film shifting from oblique montage to relatively conventional melodrama around the 20-minute mark, it's not enough to stop me from thinking more and more of this film each time that I see it (if only because the main character's internal conflict is also presented obliquely enough to demand active interpretation on the part of the audience).
Black Rain (Shohei Imamura, 1989) -
My second Imamura after The Ballad of Narayama definitely feels similar in that it is mostly a quiet drama about tha inhabitants of a small Japanese village that will occasionally interject with scenes of abject horror (in this case, depicting the aftermath of the Hiroshima bombing). The ensuing story - picking up a few years later as a handful of survivors readjust to normal life - is compellingly low-key to the point where picking up on the smallest narrative developments provides the largest emotional resonance.
The Last Metro (François Truffaut, 1980) -
A perfectly adequate drama about life in a Vichy theatre as its Jewish owner must hide in its basement and oversee his wife's operation of the business. Despite the ever-looming threats to the business (not just from Nazis, but also French collaborators who would cause trouble out of spite), this maintains an appreciably languid pace where one can get to know and appreciate the ensemble at work within the theatre and get a sense of their inner lives that makes the film work more than anything else.
The Cloverfield Paradox (Julius Onah, 2018) -
Was there much point in really watching this well after it got a surprise release to largely negative reviews (especially when I was already kind of indifferent to the first two Cloverfield movies)? I guess not, but that didn't stop me. Anyway, I've been somewhat forgiving of space-weirdness movies in the past (hello, Supernova) but this one does very little for me despite that understanding.
Threads (Mick Jackson, 1984) -
I had my doubts that this would live up to its rather intimidating reputation as one of the bleakest movies ever made, but even with that in mind it still packs a remarkable punch as it transitions from a kitchen-sink drama about a bunch of ordinary Brits to a clinically detailed depiction of trying to survive in a post-nuclear environment. Between a blunt visual style that doesn't sugar-coat matters with cinematic artifice and editing choices that use terrifyingly silent and informative title cards to drive home the reality of the matter, this is definitely something that'll stick with me.
Man on the Moon (Milos Forman, 1999) -
An above-average biopic that does a decent job of reflecting the off-kilter nature of its subject even if it doesn't quite mitigate the ways in which he might grate on an unsuspecting public with his antics.
Wings of Desire (Wim Wenders, 1987) -
Another classic re-watch that I just had to upgrade to 4.5. The world of the angels and the ways in which they intermingle (or don't) with the mortal realm still proves a source of perpetual fascination, as does said mortal realm itself with its well-executed inclusions of appearing-as-themselves artists like Peter Falk or Nick Cave and the Bad Seeds. This is definitely going into consideration for the next Top 100 I do.
When the Wind Blows (Jimmy T. Murakami, 1986) -
After having absorbed a whole bunch of grimly realistic nuclear-themed movies recently, it's easy to see this animated tale about an ageing British couple doddering around in their cottage as an inferior work that can't help but repeat a lot of the same stuff that was brought up in something like Threads. That being said, I do give it credit for using its kindly old characters to not only satirise the absurdity of how citizen and government alike may react to the prospect of nuclear war but also drive home how thoroughly incomprehensible the effects can be.
The 15:17 to Paris (Clint Eastwood, 2018) -
I've long since accepted that Eastwood is more miss than hit as a director but the tack he takes with his latest real-life hero story (casting the actual participants as themselves in the events leading up to and including their foiling a terrorist attack) is almost too fascinatingly bizarre to dismiss outright. It still doesn't manage to save the film, though.
Lovely little film. The soundtrack is really great, very melancholy. The costume and set design is fairly average. The main part of the film for me was the main girls. They're all performed brilliantly as if they actually exist and you seriously care for them. I would always be shocked when something bad happened to them and I would always smile when something good happened to them, and those reactions were not on purpose. You get to experience the girl's highs and lows, laugh with their casual jokes and get excited by father's mail as if you were a member of the family.
My only gripe is that I experienced a serious drop in interest at the '4 years later' part of the film, not sure if that was me or the film, but fortunately I got invested again in the last 20 minutes.
Brilliant. Holy s*it, this is really interesting. Considering this is one of the most famous scenes in film history, it’s awesome to hear a bunch of well respected film nerds totally dismantle the scene and reveal why it’s so great. I even noticed a few bits about the shower scene that hadn’t caught my eye before! I should really re-watch Psycho again.
Wow, I really went out of my comfort zone going into this film, and I don't regret it. Sarah Polley is a pretty great director and writer, she is able to make everyone act and speak in a way that is almost the same as real life, down to mannerisms and all. Michelle Williams and Seth Rogen are fantastic in the film, it's strange to see him outside comedy. The soundtrack was brilliant and there were some fantastic song choices. There's one fairly obvious, but pretty meaningful visual metaphor. I also think this is the only film I've seen where there's a dream sequence that ACTUALLY adds something to the film.
Also if you didn't find the 'cold water' scene and the last 5 minutes absolutely heart shattering, you truly are a monster!!!
+
Haven’t seen a full-on horror film in quite some time, and my God this was a jump back into the genre. It has that ‘Is she insane or is it real’ atmosphere and holds it for the entire film. They make you aware of this through the film with some very creepy subtleties that aren’t shoved down your throat. The colour pallet is very, very bleak, which helps this atmosphere aswell.
But the main point is; This movie hella scary. Some unique camera techniques, great editing, appropriately placed music, heavy use of the uncanny valley and that bloody story-book make it this way. Whenever there’s a jumpscare or a startling moment, it just happens; no stupid sound queues or ‘shing’ noise. THANK YOU SO MUCH JENNIFER KENT YOU DON’T KNOW HOW LONG I’VE BEEN WAITING FOR A HORROR MOVIE TO DO THIS! The scary scenes walk the fine line of ‘too tame’ and ‘too over-the-top’ absolutely perfectly.
If I was to give a criticism its that the child actor is kinda bad. Whether he’s scraped his knee or he’s being sucked into the pits of hell, he still gives the exact same scream.
Oh my God it's Cricket!
A nice, entertaining, laid back road movie. I don’t live in America so I always like these films that show off the American landscapes and its overall feel.
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Another Hitchcock movie set in a small location, and it has all the element of a great Hitchcock movie, lots of mystery and lots of surprises.
I didn’t like the first 20 minutes of the film when they were in the hotel, it was completely pointless and the attempts at comedy were extremely awkward and silly. I REALLY didn’t like how the last 20 minutes suddenly turns into an action espionage movie, it didn’t fit the film at all. It should’ve been completely rewritten.
Usually I would never go to a type of movie like this, but the glowing reviews convinced me otherwise, and I can safely say this was so funny. The fact that I’ve seen an adult comedy that doesn’t rely on sex jokes honestly astounds me. All of the actors were on point, they delivered all of the jokes brilliantly. The plot is very interesting with lots of clever twists and turns that I never saw coming. Also Meth Damon is the most amazing person ever created. The soundtrack was pretty cool, sounded like something from Hotline Miami. That tracking shot in the mansion was soooooo cool. All the cute little references were awesome.
This film really takes its time. The ending was a little too abrupt for my liking. Besides that the gore and violence in the film was great. That scene where they were cutting off the girls face was absolutely disgusting and awesome at the same time, it was like looking at a car crash. Just seeing the gross stuff they could get away with back then is amazing.
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Just a very entertaining, funny movie. Tom Hanks is great in this. The slapstick is pretty good. Corey Feldmen and the teens are the best in this (YEAH PIZZA DUDE!). I liked the overall feeling of this nice, American, summer sunlight-saturated suburb where everyone knows everyone. It’s also pretty cool that the film never leaves the cul-de-sac. The sense of mystery and intrigue to know what’s going on was handled very well.
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I liked it very much. Edward Norton’s performance is brilliant. The editing is fantastic, shots are quickly edited together with close-ups to give a very uncomfortable amount of tension. The title is very bad though, I can never remember it. It seems more appropriate for a dark thriller than a courtroom drama.
Pardon the scarcity of text. I don't feel like writing much.
Homoti (1987) -
A Turksploitation E.T. rip-off aka the best worst film ever made. Almost a metaphysical experience! Almost.
The White Bird Marked with Black (1971) -
Another Ilyenko. A folklore-driven film about Hutsul peasants during World War II. Great cinematography.
Affair in the Snow (1968) -
Cold movie, cold snow. Ayako Wakao is a walking piece of art, but her coldness is even bigger than the snowy landscapes of the movies.
A Story Written with Water (1965) -
Yoshida never disappoints me as far as cinematography goes.
Deux fois (1968) -
A decent Zanzibar Group film. Kind of aimless. Has a kinky scene of a girl pissing.
Cruel Gun Story (1964) -
A nice neo-noir heist film with Mr. Hamster as the lead, and a pretty bitter ending. Quite a typical cookie-cutter Nikkatsu production of the time, but still of great value and enjoyability.
Inspector Palmu's Error (1960) -
Finnish cult classic. An Agatha Christie-esque crime plot staged as indoors dialogue-driven intrigue. Not the best film ever made, but a solid one!
Big Deal on Madonna Street (1958) -
A top-notch comedy with a top-notch cast. A great classic in Italy, and it's easy to see why. I had a lot of fun watching it.
The Devil's Eye (1960) -
A great film in general, and a mediocre Bergman film in particular.
…And the Fifth Horseman Is Fear (1965) -
A gritty, dark Czech film on a Jewish doctor in Protectorate of Bohemia and Moravia era Prague.
Le clair de terre (1970) -
Guy Gilles mon amour. I love his montage.
Love at the sea (1965) -
Gilles' first feature length.
The Garden That Tilts (1974) -
A subpar Gilles, but still a good film.
Pine Flat (2005) -
An extreme form of contemplative cinema similar to James Benning films, it's built of several dozens minutes long static shots of nature with some people within the frame (or not). The interlude is the most beautiful part of the film.
The Werewolf Versus the Vampire Woman (1971) -
Eh, I like me some sleaze, but this was painfully mediocre and tedious.
The Deserted Archipelago (1969) -
A surrealist nightmare. Wakamatsu-like cheap yet ravishing black and white cinematography mixed with Oshima-like politics, with Tsukamoto-esque body horror elements, and black comedy (a nun shooting a machine pistol is one of the best images I've seen recently).
Manji (1964) -
A movie that starts off like an overzealous Sirkian melodrama quickly twists and turns into so much more. From the worship of Ayako Wakao's body, to passionate lesbianism, to a series of lies, betrayals and manipulations, to a threesome, to a foursome, to a staggering, hard-hitting finale, it is not a surprise this was based on a Tanizaki novel. Masumura is a beast. I need to watch his entire filmography (dozens of titles!!!) now.
+ Really sad! Whenever you hear about Stephen Hawking you kinda imagine him as a god walking with men, but this film makes you realize he was just an ordinary guy like you or I. The music is great, it’s so good at making you feel emotional. The lighting is very strange in some scenes though. Some people don’t like that it only reflected on the romantic part of his life, but I like it as it makes him seem more human. I have to wonder though, did I only feel emotional because of the manipulative music?
Pretty creepy. The use of stop motion was pretty great.
This was shot on an iPhone? Holy sh*t. The performances from everyone are all brilliant, especially the mother. Maybe it’s because it was shot on an iPhone, but the way the camera shoots the film gives loads of room around the main character. This gives a constant feeling of the character being watched which, intentional or not, is very effective. The last five minutes were a little silly and the main theme sounded like something from a soap opera (The rest of the soundtrack is great though).
Also Josh from The Blair Witch Project’s in this, very nice to see him still getting work.
+ How have I not discovered this totally gnarly movie until now?! This is just one of the most purely awesome movies I’ve ever seen. These dude-bro characters who say ‘dude’ and ‘woah’ are just bodacious. The fact that my main man Keanu Reeves is playing a dude-bro character is just pure perfection. I could not stop smiling internally during this excellent film. I’ll probably see this dozens of times in the future.
A very interesting topic. The camera is super HD, which was cool. The information in this was presented very interestingly, with a great soundtrack, editing and effects.
+ A very good sic-fi. Natalie Portman at it again with the best crying face in the game. The world of the Shimmer is very unique and you want them to stay to see more of it. It was cool to see it go full 2001 at the end, but I don’t see what was the point in portraying it with such emotional music, it wasn’t that sad really. Very nice cinematography. Feels very similar to Sicario and Arrival, so I wonder what it would be like if Denis Villeneuve directed it. It was interesting how it was done as mumble core, but it made me sleepy.
+ Sometimes movie watching looses its magic, the passion to watch them seems to dwindle when everything you see is either "Great" or "Good", but you'll most likely not care about within a week's time. But then you watch something as magical as Nightcrawler, and the passion and magic comes flooding back. This will be one of the first films I think of when reflecting back on my 2018 watches.
This is as pure as a dark thriller can get. I was completely immersed, I haven’t felt that in a while. The main character is a total sociopath, a completely unique specimen. During long scenes you can see him manipulating everyone around him with just his words for personal gain, no sympathy for anyone whatsoever. Jake does a wonderful performance as him. One of my favourite characters in cinema.
The cinematography is fantastic. It was that pure threatening darkness that gives it the ultimate thriller look. The direction is also brilliant. There are slow zooms that are used very effectively. The red car is almost a symbol, you know that when you see it something bad is going to happen.
That shot near the end where Louis is happily negotiating a high price for his footage while it is paused with the lady, and between those two on the screen you can see the paused image of his dead apprentice staring at him. That moment is just absolute pure movie magic.
That shot near the end where Louis is happily negotiating a high price for his footage while it is paused with the lady, and between those two on the screen you can see the paused image of his dead apprentice staring at him. That moment is just absolute pure movie magic.
+ Perfect animation. The sense of adventure of traveling across the island was wonderful. Wes Anderson’s style works with some films and not with others, but I feel it works with this one as it is animated. I saw Fantastic Mr Fox hundreds of times when I was younger so I’m naturally biased towards this film. I don’t like how the other main dogs were completely forgotten about at the half-way mark. The romantic plots felt completely pointless.
The concept is brilliant, having to kill a member of your family to save them all, and the person orchestrating this event can’t be harmed. The fact that it's based on a Greek Tragedy adds to that. I liked the colour pallet, lots of whites. I loved all the uncomfortable disturbing, creepy moments, they really added to the tension. The last 10 minutes were crazy.
But I hated, and I mean HATED the direction. All of the actors deliver their lines completely monotone with no emotion whatsoever. The monotone dialogue makes us not care for the characters, giving the film no tension, which really disappoints me, because I want to experience this horrifying event with empathy and shock, not with neutrality. This worked for the Lobster due to its genre and subject manner, but when you’re doing an intense, psychological thriller it just looks incredibly pretentious. It’s way too long, there’s way too many scenes of the kids dicking around in their wheelchairs and hospital beds. Those moments most certainly killed any tension. The music was also overdone, the overuse of the disturbing music lessens the effect of the music on the actually scary moments.
- The relationship between the teacher and the girl was the the best thing ever, it was so damn sweet. The little girl was so cute! The ending was too abrupt. I feel like they made it sad so they could get their message across, but with an extra five minutes and a happy ending they could get across the message with a more satisfying film.
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I am legitimately shocked at how perfect Nightcrawler and Bill and Ted were. The other films I’ve seen this week don’t belong on the same planet as them. What will April have in store? I don’t know!
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Only other one of those I've seen is Look Who's Talking which I wasn't a fan of either.
