Swan's 2018 Film Diary

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The Innkeepers
(Ti West, 2011)

[REWATCH]



Interesting that a horror movie where so little happens can still be a good flick. Not amazing, but a good flick.

Alpha
(Albert Hughes, 2018)

[NEW WATCH]



I liked this one, it was visually stylistic but maintained a powerful amount of heart.

Ju-on: The Grudge
(Takashi Shimizu, 2002)

[NEW WATCH]



Really dug it, and I don't think I would have as much if it wasn't so seemingly cryptic. Funny though, when my friends and I finished it I looked on Wiki and it's the third freaking film in the series! DAMMIT!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Tokyo Story
(Yasujiro Ozu, 1953)

[REWATCH]



Ozu was the greatest. A real masterpiece that makes me feel like I've been to 1953 Japan and back. The scene where grandma and grandson are in the field has to be one of my all-time favorite scenes, now.



Love Tokyo Story. How much Ozu have you dug into?
Pretty sure only three - Late Spring, Early Summer and Tokyo Story. They were impactful enough for me to absolutely adore Ozu, though. Interesting because it took me a while to "get" Ozu. At first I didn't like his work much. I guess the more I learned about him, the more I liked them. At this point, Tokyo Story almost made me cry. Weird how that happens.



Sorry if I'm rude but I'm right
Floating Weeds and Tokyo Twilight
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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.



28 days...6 hours...42 minutes...12 seconds
I wanted to like the Innkeepers so much, but my god is it so boringly tepid.
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"A laugh can be a very powerful thing. Why, sometimes in life, it's the only weapon we have."

Suspect's Reviews



I wanted to like the Innkeepers so much, but my god is it so boringly tepid.
Haha, the problem is I can't even say you're wrong. I think if you latch on to the main two characters, it works. Sara Paxton is really enjoyable, in my opinion.



Crazy Rich Asians (2018)

Pretty good, with a great lead actress and an even greater wedding scene. Mostly elevates itself above the dumbest of modern rom-coms, for a classy, fairytale like feel.

Watchmen (2009)

Saw this once before in theater, and watched it again recently - this time the Ultimate Cut. And man... it dragged on and on. Snyder is great technically, but he needs to make better narrative decisions.

The Nun (2018)

Annabelle-level bad. The first ten minutes weren't bad, during which I hoped it would end up being a Hammer-style horror flick. Ended up replacing anything of substance (including gore!) with a bunch of jump scares.

The Predator (2018)

A rushed mess. A shame, knowing how good Shane Black can be.

A Simple Favor (2018)

What I wrote on Letterboxd:

So much potential to be a moody mom murder mystery masterpiece, but falls slightly short with too many noticeable problems. That said, a lot of really great stuff here - including a French cover of "Chick Habit" and, more importantly, a stunning, Oscar-worthy performance by Anna Kendrick.



Scott Pilgrim vs. the World (2010)

Better every time I see it. Man, that Edgar Wright is good.

Pirates of the Caribbean: The Curse of the Black Pearl (2003)

I wasn't so into this one when I was younger - I was way more into the third installment around it's release. My friend and I went to start that one, but didn't get very far before we decided to just watch the first one. I ended up really, really liking it this time. Interesting that as someone older and more film-literate I would respond better to a family adventure movie like this, but hey, I guess that shows how good it is and how good a job the cast and crew did. The craft here is wonderful!

The House with a Clock in Its Walls (2018)

I think it was Captain Spaulding (apologies if I'm misremembering, Cap) who suggested I liked Eli Roth's recent outings only because it's Eli Roth. I quickly shot that down in my head because I really disliked The Green Inferno. For his most recent flick, The House with a Clock in Its Walls, I strangely was not very excited for it at all, despite its director. It seemed very different from his usual stuff. And it was. However, I really ended up appreciating it as a kid's spookfest. I would contend it's lower-tier Roth, for me, but he still did a good job. Still... not enough blood.



“Sugar is the most important thing in my life…”
That's crazy. I would have never thought Roth did anything but pulp / horror films.



Master of My Domain
Scott Pilgrim vs. the World (2010)

Better every time I see it. Man, that Edgar Wright is good.
I agree, but READ THE SOURCE MATERIAL SWAN

Interesting that as someone older and more film-literate I would respond better to a family adventure movie like this, but hey, I guess that shows how good it is and how good a job the cast and crew did. The craft here is wonderful!
Heh, glad someone else appreciates that flick as much as I do. The scene where we find out Barbossa and his crew is cursed is one of the best tone shifts in movie history, dammit!

The House with a Clock in Its Walls
Wait, Eli Roth directed this? How did he even get the job? It's like calling in the weird DVD store clerk to read your kid a bed-time story.

That'd probably make a good movie.
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Letterboxd Profile: https://letterboxd.com/GatsbyG/



Mandy (2018)

Crazy as hell and the most metal flick I've ever seen. Incredibly hypnotic and inventive.

The Endless (2017)

Was hoping for a really really powerful low-budget science fiction film like Coherence or Primer, but this really fell flat for me. Some decently interesting ideas but they didn't really amount to anything, and the amateurish filmmaking really lessened it.

Assassination Nation (2018)

Felt like one huge case of "I'm an enlightened 14 year old with a camera," full of cringe-worthy moments and nothing really profound to say - despite what it may think. The worst movie of this bunch.

Where is My Friend's House? (1987)

A very humble movie that feels like it has a lot to say but doesn't push anything. Warmingly positive, I absolutely loved this. The best movie of this bunch.

Lizzie (2018)

Completely tepid and uninspired, which is a damn shame considering the fascinating subject matter.

Halloween III: Season of the Witch (1982)

A classic, and the only Halloween sequel I like (sorry, 12 year old me). We'll see if the new one can bring it. But man, they really missed out on a great opportunity by going back to Myers after this.

Blaze (2018)

Low-key and contemplative, but I got really absorbed by this one. Ben Dickey as Blaze is astounding.

Blue Jay (2016)

Extremely powerful film that builds as you bond. Paulson and Duplass are tremendous in their roles, both individually and together. It's rare to see on-screen chemistry like these two have.



“Sugar is the most important thing in my life…”

Blaze (2018)

Low-key and contemplative, but I got really absorbed by this one. Ben Dickey as Blaze is astounding.

I always wonder how much my mood or energy level affects my viewings. Dickey is the best thing I've seen this year and Sexton was great as well. I had a hard time with it, it seem kinda scattered even though I knew where we were going.


That voice and his inflection points are worth the price of admission alone.



It's understandable. I would suggest you are right that it is scattered. I was worried for the first ten-twenty minutes because I was really tired at the time but eventually I just got entranced.



Tales of Halloween (2015)

My friend loves this movie and ever since we first watched it a few years ago, we have to every Halloween month. I'm not as in love with it, though it provides a fun enough time. Mostly, it just makes me want to watch Trick r Treat.

Hell Fest (2018)

Surprisingly great fun, if you don't expect anything too highbrow.

In Bruges (2008)

Stunning! Ray and Ken are two characters for the ages, delightfully three-dimensional with a lot of wit to spare. That goes for the overall script, too.

A Star is Born (2018)

I liked very little about this. There were plenty of problems, but the one the made me dislike it from early on was how on the nose all the storytelling was. Every plot beat and every piece of dialogue that comes out of the characters faces just felt like obvious plot devices that kept the characters from feeling anything but one-dimensional. That said, the last twenty minutes had a lot more nuance and subtlety. I wish that creative spark was there for the rest of the film before.

You're Next (2011)

I always dug this one. I remember the hype before it came out in the horror community, and I remember seeing it for the first time. It's good fun.

Night School (2018)

Saw this because my friend was feeling really depressed and I like Tiffany Haddish. She could have been the saving grace of what is an AWFUL film, but she felt underutilized.

Donnie Darko (2001)

A great film for teenagers who feel alienated and outcast. I know I did around 16, and appropriately, I loved this film. As I've gotten older it's interesting seeing it with new eyes, but there is still a lot to like about this flick. Interestingly, my favorite character this time was Donnie's mom. She seemed the most down to earth.



First you stopped including ratings. Now you don't even include pictures? WTF, man!?! This ain't Swan: Unplugged.

You've been wearing out that Movie Pass. I rarely venture out to the theater anymore, so I haven't seen the majority of films you log nowadays. Your reaction to A Star is Born is the most negative one I've seen so far, since most people have been praising it with maybe just a few nitpicks on the side. It looks great to me. What did you think of Lady Gaga's performance?

I had no idea that Eli Roth directed The House with a Clock in its Walls. I can't remember for sure, but I probably did suggest that you were more kind to his recent movies than you would've been if you weren't such a fan of the dude. We're all guilty of that to some degree, though. Glad to see you and your buddy had a good time watching Curse of the Black Pearl. The declining quality of the sequels have destroyed that initial sense of wonder, but the first movie is great fun. I had an embarrassing tendency of trying to mimic Jack Sparrow's mannerisms anytime I'd watch it back in the day. Hard to believe it's been 15(!) years since it came out.

Outside of the trippy, hypnotic visuals, I wasn't a fan of Beyond the Black Rainbow, so I'm hesitant to believe in all this hype surrounding Mandy. I've got Blue Jay on my to-watch list on Netflix. Gonna have to look up Hell Fest since I don't think I've heard of it. In Bruges deserves a re-watch. People love that movie, but I was lukewarm on it, preferring Seven Psychopaths and especially Three Billboards when it comes to McDonagh.

(I love you too. )
__________________



Gonna have to look up Hell Fest since I don't think I've heard of it. In Bruges deserves a re-watch. People love that movie, but I was lukewarm on it, preferring Seven Psychopaths and especially Three Billboards when it comes to McDonagh.
I feel the opposite way about McDonagh - I prefer him in Europe, although I've loved everything he's done so far.

I feel the same way about Edgar Wright. He loses something in America...

Hell Fest was fun.
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You're an enigma, cat_sidhe.



First you stopped including ratings. Now you don't even include pictures? WTF, man!?! This ain't Swan: Unplugged.

You've been wearing out that Movie Pass. I rarely venture out to the theater anymore, so I haven't seen the majority of films you log nowadays. Your reaction to A Star is Born is the most negative one I've seen so far, since most people have been praising it with maybe just a few nitpicks on the side. It looks great to me. What did you think of Lady Gaga's performance?

I had no idea that Eli Roth directed The House with a Clock in its Walls. I can't remember for sure, but I probably did suggest that you were more kind to his recent movies than you would've been if you weren't such a fan of the dude. We're all guilty of that to some degree, though. Glad to see you and your buddy had a good time watching Curse of the Black Pearl. The declining quality of the sequels have destroyed that initial sense of wonder, but the first movie is great fun. I had an embarrassing tendency of trying to mimic Jack Sparrow's mannerisms anytime I'd watch it back in the day. Hard to believe it's been 15(!) years since it came out.

Outside of the trippy, hypnotic visuals, I wasn't a fan of Beyond the Black Rainbow, so I'm hesitant to believe in all this hype surrounding Mandy. I've got Blue Jay on my to-watch list on Netflix. Gonna have to look up Hell Fest since I don't think I've heard of it. In Bruges deserves a re-watch. People love that movie, but I was lukewarm on it, preferring Seven Psychopaths and especially Three Billboards when it comes to McDonagh.

(I love you too. )
re: Lady Gaga. She was fine, competent, and definitely has a phenomenal voice. I didn't think she was outstanding, though.

Thanks for the post, dude. Always good to hear from you.



Thelma (2017)

Really great flick. Muted, dark, emotional. Lead actress was awesome.

Hunger (2008)

My new favorite McQueen flick, and a new all-time personal favorite. The way McQueen utilizes things like elliptical storytelling is so rad. The payoff with the hands in the water is out of this world.

First Man (2018)

Didn't convince me of Chazelle's greatness, but I need to revisit it after watching...

Whiplash (2014) [REWATCH]

Convinces me that Chazelle has talent. Intense and tightly-paced, this is a wonderful film. I started rewatching La La Land, and was liking it more this time, too. Who knows, maybe I'll hop on the Chazelle bandwagon after all.

A Nightmare on Elm Street (1984) [REWATCH]

Saw it on the big screen. Doing that always makes me appreciate whatever film I'm watching more, and it did here, too. Kind of dangles around the line between highbrow and lowbrow (both of which I like). It's a slasher, and judging by the audience reaction some of it could be considered dated, but I still think it's very well-made.

The Old Man & the Gun (2018)

I wouldn't be surprised if Lowery wrote this just for Redford, because it's success hinges on his charm and charisma to work. I loved Sissy Spacek as well, and her relationship with Redford. Made me want to be 60 years old. Actually, everyone is good here, including Lowery in the director's seat. Wouldn't be as good if it didn't have the charming lighthearted tone it does.

Polytechnique (2009)

Villeneuve's debut, and it's very interesting seeing early hints at what would become of his style. Overall, it's pretty good, but didn't stun me. I thought it's structure was the most interesting part, and at times seemed to predict the structure of Arrival in some ways (foreshadowing future events with quick images, stuff like that).

Steve Jobs (2015)

LOVED! Sorkin is so good, using showy stylistic dialogue to keep the audience involved, and on a surface level it's whip-smart anyways, but it's best because he's delivering information/subtext to you that you wouldn't even notice unless you were thinking about it. But that's why I love him. Uses style to deliver substance. Boyle's direction beautifully compliments and supports this - stands on it's own but lets the writing live and breath. The performances are great all around, of course Fassbender steals the show.



28 days...6 hours...42 minutes...12 seconds
re: Lady Gaga. She was fine, competent, and definitely has a phenomenal voice. I didn't think she was outstanding, though.

Thanks for the post, dude. Always good to hear from you.
I think people get carried away with the singing performance and confuse it with an acting performance. Jennifer Hudson sang her heart out in Dreamgirls and maybe that's the reason she won an Oscar. Could potentially be the same thing here.