ScarletLion's Movie Log

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the samoan lawyer's Avatar
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'Disobedience' (2018)


I seem to have watched a different film to many of the critics. I'm a fan of Sebastian Lelio but the script, the performances and the general feel of the movie, the plot, the ending just didn't work for me. At times, the acting was like a made for TV movie. It picked up in the third act with some tension cranked up. But this is a misstep from Lelio, and not even a hugely erotic scene between Rachel Weisz and Rachel McAdams could save it. Disappointing. 5/10

Still gonna have to watch it for that scene though.
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Too weird to live, and too rare to die.



3 of those "why haven't I seen them until now" films:

'Little Miss Sunshine' (2006)


First thing I noticed about it was the script. It was very, very good. Laughs, tenderness, intelligence, all packed into a very neat family drama. It is a bit too silly at times (I'm not sure many kids don't realise they are colorblind until they are 15, but if it moves the plot on...) Some great performances - I can't really fault any of them. But the big flaw was the ending. Eugh, that ending. It's the stuff of nightmares. The melodrama and histrionics undid all the great work in the last 90 minutes. I wouldn't go so far as to say it ruined the film, but it did a good job trying. Overall that knocked it down from a 8/10 to a 6.5/10



'Morvern Callar' (2002)


Lynne Ramsay is a god among British film-makers. Has Samantha Morton ever been as good as this before or since? I just love the way Ramsay weaves mysterious "is this really happenning" moments into the mix of her films. This film is about escapism and the plot is very, very thin but it just works. The whole tone of it is almost other worldly. I almost felt like it was a precursor to 'Under the Skin' at times. 7.5/10


'Funny Games' (1997)


Where to start? Haneke is a master of shock and awe. He gets his cast to give wonderful performances, especially from Ulrich Muhe. What a shame we never got to see a lenghty career from him. The scene with the shocking discovery of the body is a long, drawn out, painful one - but absolutely perfect film-making. I could feel my draw dropping. It was almost hyper-real in its' intensity. Haneke's choice to give that moment to us off screen (a death) and then slowly reveal which of the cast it is that has perished (which again is the most shocking choice) is pure genius.

This is a horror film. A horror film wrapped up in garish amounts of suspense and torture. The breaking of the 4th wall is also one of the finest examples I can remember. Haneke is putting us in the moment and toying with us. "You want plausible plot development don't you?" made me laugh out loud. This, along with 'Angst' is one of the greatest in the home invasion genre. A true horror film. Superb. 9/10



the samoan lawyer's Avatar
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Glad you enjoyed both Morvern Callar and Funny Games. I only watched the former for the first time recently and loved it. Funny Games I agree is one of the best home invasion movies, I rated it same as you. Have you ever seen Kidnapped (2010)? You might like it. Technically its not the greatest but its as bleak as you'll find in that genre, bar Angst......obviously.



Glad you enjoyed both Morvern Callar and Funny Games. I only watched the former for the first time recently and loved it. Funny Games I agree is one of the best home invasion movies, I rated it same as you. Have you ever seen Kidnapped (2010)? You might like it. Technically its not the greatest but its as bleak as you'll find in that genre, bar Angst......obviously.
I have not. Added to list. It looks terrifying.



'Tully' (2018)


Jason Reitman directs another Diablo Cody script, and they nail it. It's a tale of how difficult motherhood is. How the pressures of family life can lead to such insane, stressed and disconnected times. Charlize Theron's performance is nothing short of amazing. She is phenomenal in this film. And also had to look the part too.

Although I'm a dad not a mum, the depiction of the whirlwind blur of parenthood really resonated with me....pretending everything is well to everyone, doing things that you think you should not the things you want. The routine, the monotony, the sacrifice of parenthood, it all culminates in an interesting 3rd act, which is a large tonal shift but a good one. This will be near the top of my Films of 2018 list.

8/10



I won't dance. Don't ask me...
I agree with your rating Scarlet. Charliez was absolutely outstanding, but I need to say the script enable it to her, as it's well written and surprising. As you said, I also think it portrayal parenthood quite good. I'm not a parent, that's why I'm careful a little bit But in my opinion it shows, how parents can be stressed and exhausted of every day life, despite they totally love their children.



I agree with your rating Scarlet. Charliez was absolutely outstanding, but I need to say the script enable it to her, as it's well written and surprising. As you said, I also think it portrayal parenthood quite good. I'm not a parent, that's why I'm careful a little bit But in my opinion it shows, how parents can be stressed and exhausted of every day life, despite they totally love their children.
Thanks, yes it was a great script. These two (Reitman and Cody) seem to have some sort of awesome chemistry. It just completely got me this film. Sometimes you just connect with a film and it's characters and this really did it for me. I'll be thinking about it for a long time.



the samoan lawyer's Avatar
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'Tully' (2018)


Jason Reitman directs another Diablo Cody script, and they nail it. It's a tale of how difficult motherhood is. How the pressures of family life can lead to such insane, stressed and disconnected times. Charlize Theron's performance is nothing short of amazing. She is phenomenal in this film. And also had to look the part too.

Although I'm a dad not a mum, the depiction of the whirlwind blur of parenthood really resonated with me....pretending everything is well to everyone, doing things that you think you should not the things you want. The routine, the monotony, the sacrifice of parenthood, it all culminates in an interesting 3rd act, which is a large tonal shift but a good one. This will be near the top of my Films of 2018 list.

8/10

For some reason this never really appealed to me but you make it sound really interesting and something I think I would enjoy. Will definitely get to this asap. Cheers.



For some reason this never really appealed to me but you make it sound really interesting and something I think I would enjoy. Will definitely get to this asap. Cheers.
Mark Duplass is in it too. It's well worth watching.



I won't dance. Don't ask me...
Thanks, yes it was a great script. These two (Reitman and Cody) seem to have some sort of awesome chemistry. It just completely got me this film. Sometimes you just connect with a film and it's characters and this really did it for me. I'll be thinking about it for a long time.
What is awesome in this movie - it's about exhausted mother, but it worked for you (father) and me, who don't have a children. I guess, it's a proof for universality of this movie and me either remeber it for long.
And yes, Mark Duplass! He played here agians his usual emploi



What is awesome in this movie - it's about exhausted mother, but it worked for you (father) and me, who don't have a children. I guess, it's a proof for universality of this movie and me either remeber it for long.
And yes, Mark Duplass! He played here agians his usual emploi
Yeah absolutely. After the movie I was even wracked with guilt because I found the experience almost cathartic and connecting that someone was understanding parenthood so much and putting it to film - though the story is about the mother, not the father.........so should I really be feeling this way as a father and not a mother..........almost the exact same feeling I have on a day to day basis in the real world!



'The Cook, The Thief, His Wife and Her Lover' (1989)


The colours! The colours! You can have all the expensive digital cameras in the world, but this movie shows that lighting, set design and Direction can make a movie. It's an extraordinary film - beautiful, bizarre and barbaric. I've read previously that it has political undertones but I just let the film assault my eyes and brain for the crazy dream like experience that it is. I was mesmerized by the very first frame and didn't stop until the credits rolled. It unfolds like a play, and even the first shot resembles curtains being drawn for act 1. Food, sex and violence are constant themes as the rich gorge on ridiculous dishes and the poor work in the kitchens. It's a stunning film to watch in High Definition, they did a great job of the Blu-Ray transfer, and Michael Gambon is terrific as the vile villain.

8.5/10 maybe higher




'Infinity Chamber' (2017)


Interesting little microbudget indie sci-fi film. Great concept, if a little too long. The intrigue of the premise makes the viewer stay until the end and find the 'reveal' of sorts. Not exactly the best film of the year but it's great that these types of movies are still being funded and made. 7/10



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'The Goob' (2014)


Coming of age type film set in rural Norfolk (The Fens). Gritty and harsh in the style of an early Andrea Arnold / Clio Barnard, which I dig. It's not as hard hitting as those types of films but the performances from all 3 or 4 main characters are very watchable. 6.5/10



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'A Prayer before Dawn' (2018)


The true story of an addict in Thailand who faces a 3 year jail sentence and becomes a Muay Thai champion to deal with it. It's very well done, and Joe Cole puts in a more than decent turn as the lead. As great as the fight scenes were (one in particular is very realistically filmed), there were a bit too many of them. This is just my personal preference - I'm not a fan of too much fighting as it tends to distract from any plot, but in this film, this was the plot, so I was kind of on to a loser already. That said it's good to know the story of this pan out as I hadn't read anything about it beforehand. It's also worth reading up on Billy Moore's life since - as the film is not the end of the line. 7/10




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'On Body and Soul' (2017)

[Not Suitable for Vegetarians] I was eager to see this after its award nominations last year. It doesn't disappoint. I wish I'd watched it earlier as it would have appeared in all my self indulgent 'best films of 2017' type lists. It plays out like a spiritual, cerebral take on how we interact and overcome personality traits to appear normal, do normal things, and act the way society tells us to do. In that regard, I found it quite similar to Julia Ducournau's Raw (2016). But in 'On Body and Soul', Ildikó Enyedi has created a hugely ambitious mystery masterpiece love story in the same mould as a Yorgos Lanthimos film. Morcsányi Géza's performance as Endre is absolutely perfect and there are some spellbinding shots of animals in forests. 8.5/10







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'It's Only the End of the World' (2016)


xavier Dolan once again proving what a wonderkid of a writer/director he is. A really engaging script and a fine performance from Vincent Cassel, who I've never really rated that highly before. Dysfunctional family life and the inability to communciate properly is at the core of the movie but also unconditional love. Dolan's ability to create tension between characters on screen is remarkable. 8/10




Continuing my 'How have I never seen this movie until now' season:

'Harry and Tonto' (1974)


Wonderful road movie about getting old and taking time to do the things that you should have done if life hadn't gotten in the way. I imagined it inspired films like 'Up' and 'Little Miss Sunshine' as there are some similar moments.

7.6/10




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'The Third Man' (1949)


It's hyped as one of the classic movies this one, and while there were some fantastic elements of noir and murder mystery, I think I have seen better. It looks lovely (I don't think I've ever seen so many Dutch angles in one film), and the performances are solid, but the middle segment of the movie slightly lost my interest a little. I can imagine it was a real eye opener back in the day though. 7.7/10



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'Naked' (1993)


Witty, cutting, sarcastic dialogue. Sleazy characters. David Thewlis is as great as ever. Mike Leigh shows how the world is full of lonely, desperate people. I enjoyed seeing Johnny's interaction with different members of society. It felt like a Todd Solondz / Jim Jarmusch mash up in that respect. But it also delves deeper into the dark side of society and male / female relations. Whether you like the characters or not, it's very interesting film-making. 7.7/10



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'Come and See' (1985)


I've finally managed to watch it. A truly horrific portrayal of war. The character of Florya looks constantly mortified , and the Director used live ammunition on set and terrified him throughout filming so that must have been a factor. His transformation on screen is something to really savour, although probably not ethically sound. The sense of impending doom and dread is thrust into the viewers face. Even the noise of the planes overhead sound sinister. I'm not sure I'll be in a hurry to watch it again as it is a traumatizing experience but it's quite clear when watching it, that it is a massively important film. I saw 'The Ascent', made by the Director's wife Larisa Shepitko recently and thought that was superb, but this is a step up. It's surely one of the most harrowing, realistic tales of the brutality of war put onscreen. I haven't rated a movie as 10 out of 10 for a number of years. But this is a 10 out of 10. Unforgettable.




the samoan lawyer's Avatar
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Some great films there Scarlet! Particularly glad you loved Come and See. It really is a masterpiece. Regarding Infinity Chamber, is it like Primer? Really didn't like that.


Might watch Tully tonight based on your recommendation.