FYI while it is her first feature film Lynne Ramsay made several very good shorts that are all available on Youtube/Vimeo
ScarletLion's Movie Log
→ in Movie Reviews
'Mississippi Grind' (2015)
Ryan Fleck and Ana Boden directed 'Half Nelson' which I thought had quite a lot going for it. So I watched this on the back of that movie. It's a pretty neat road trip tale of compulsive gamblers trying to catch a break. The third act is slightly muddled but the message is quite plain to see, and Ben Mendelsohn is his usual formidable self. The rainbow symbolism was also nicely subtle. Enjoyable, if not essential viewing.
6.5/10
X
Favorite Movies
X
User Lists
Nice thread Redpussycat Thanks
__________________
Health is the greatest gift, contentment the greatest wealth, faithfulness the best relationship.
Buddha
Health is the greatest gift, contentment the greatest wealth, faithfulness the best relationship.
Buddha
X
Favorite Movies
X
User Lists
Thanks. I plan to. seems Quebec has alot going for it movie wise these days.
X
Favorite Movies
X
User Lists
'The Bow' (2005)
I've had this movie in my collection for years, and as I knew it was about a boat, i thought it was called "The Bow", as in the hull (front) of a boat. Turns out, it's not. And that confusion sort of sums up how I would feel at the end of the movie. After watching Ki-Duk Kim's 'Spring, Summer, Fall, Winter....and Spring', I delved into this one head on. Like 'Spring, Summer' it's another single location movie, which rather than detract from the tone of the move, adds to it, because we are drawn to the isolated / claustrophobic setting and devoutness of the characters. This is exacerbated with the lack of dialogue, something which drives home the philosophical nature of his movies.
The film's strengths lie in it's ability to intrigue and mystify us with the dynamics of the young girl and the old man who has taken her in. He plans to marry her on her 17th birthday. And we see their relationship develop throughout the first two thirds of the film. There are some truly beautiful moments as you'd expect from Ki-Duk, but what follows in the third act is just something that unfortunately fell flat on my eyes and mind. The spiritual nature of what unfolds is so peculiar that I'm not even sure I was totally on board with what Ki-Duk Kim was trying to tell me. The notion that love can become so powerful that it transcends age and even death is hammered home adequately enough but the final few scenes felt a little forced in their eccentricity, and made me question my understanding of the first two acts.
I'll still be visiting the rest of Ki-Duk Kim's work in the future, but this one just didn't quite match up to the expectations due to the finale. That could well be my lack of understanding, so I'd love to hear any interpretations of what the final few scenes were portraying.
6.5 / 10
X
Favorite Movies
X
User Lists
River of Grass (1994)
Kelly Reichardt's career is something I'm trying to follow and piece together having enjoyed everything of her's I've seen so far. This was no exception. The monotony of life is explored in under 90 minutes as we follow a young woman who just wants a bit more fun while she's on the planet.
It is easy to call this film a Malick homage as it is very derivative of 'Badlands'. But that turns out to be one of it's strengths. What it lacks in originality it makes up for in performances and realism. It was part Badlands, part 70s detective movie, part road movie, part black comedy, part drama. And together with some nice Jazz score and drum workings that remind be of certain scenes in 'Birdman', it just works and being her debut, was a sign of things to come for Recihardt.
You just can't help wanting to know what happens to the characters, even though they are not the greatest examples of human beings. That's what Reichardt seems so good at doing, letting us have a peek on a situation and getting us invested in it.
A very good debut from a very good Director.
8/10
X
Favorite Movies
X
User Lists
'Raw' (2017)
An impressive debut from Julia Ducournau. It meandered between different genres and didn't settle on one. The soundtrack / score was absolutely brilliant, and with big organ / electro / proggy sounds, at times it went quite Dario Argento.
The conforming (or not) to societal norms message was pushed out there early on, and on which at times left the movie with nowhere else to go, and nothing left for the viewer to guess. But the claustrophobic, unsettling nature of the way the movie looks and feels went some way in making up up for that. Can't complain about the performances too, Garance Marillier being the stand out.
Interesting, well executed movie and far far better than most other mainstream movies that proclaim themselves to be "horror". It just lacked a tiny bit of depth to make me really write home about it.
6.5/10
X
Favorite Movies
X
User Lists
Nice review for Raw, Scarlet. I'm really looking forward to seeing this and although you didn't love it, there seems to be enough there for me to. Cheers.
__________________
Too weird to live, and too rare to die.
Too weird to live, and too rare to die.
X
Favorite Movies
Nice review for Raw, Scarlet. I'm really looking forward to seeing this and although you didn't love it, there seems to be enough there for me to. Cheers.
X
Favorite Movies
X
User Lists
'Hush' (2016)
It's my own fault. I wanted a Saturday night movie. I chose a blumhouse home invasion picture, so I can hardly complain at the lack of cerebral tickling. (and I'm a fan of John Gallagher Jnr).
And to be fair it completely did it's job. Solid thriller that entertained a little, even though it tried to be more clever than it was. I ate my popcorn and that's about it.
6.5/10
X
Favorite Movies
X
User Lists
'The Hunt for the Wilder People' (2016)
Taika Waititi's latest film has been recommended to me by several people. So I watched it. It's an endearing story of the bond between a youngster an an older man but at the end of the day it's a rehash of an age old story just with stunning landscape in the background. I preferred the likes of Kikujiro that tell a similar tale but with more originality.
What it does well, it does very well. There are some very funny moments but all in all I truly have no idea why it is rated so highly. There's such a distinct lack of originality and a huge amount of predictability that it falls short of the hype that came with those recommendations.
Taika Waititi's latest film has been recommended to me by several people. So I watched it. It's an endearing story of the bond between a youngster an an older man but at the end of the day it's a rehash of an age old story just with stunning landscape in the background. I preferred the likes of Kikujiro that tell a similar tale but with more originality.
What it does well, it does very well. There are some very funny moments but all in all I truly have no idea why it is rated so highly. There's such a distinct lack of originality and a huge amount of predictability that it falls short of the hype that came with those recommendations.
X
Favorite Movies
X
User Lists
'The Visitor' (2007)
I wanted to see this because I'm a fan of Richard Jenkins. He gives another performance, but he's the only one in it that does. The others plus the dialogue are very wooden and it just feels like they are struggling. Which is a shame as it has some nice moments amid all the post 9/11 paranoia messages. But it never gets above 6 out of 10.
'You can Count on Me' (2000)
Kenneth Lonergen scripts are usually interesting but this didn't really click for me. It's a bit clunky in the sense that it doesn't burst out into any real drama at any point. With his other films at least there seems to be moments of clarity / tension / false hope / pay off. But there wasn't much of anything in this. Ruffalo and Linney are ok as the mixed up siblings. But it's just got average written all over it unfortunately.
I wanted to see this because I'm a fan of Richard Jenkins. He gives another performance, but he's the only one in it that does. The others plus the dialogue are very wooden and it just feels like they are struggling. Which is a shame as it has some nice moments amid all the post 9/11 paranoia messages. But it never gets above 6 out of 10.
'You can Count on Me' (2000)
Kenneth Lonergen scripts are usually interesting but this didn't really click for me. It's a bit clunky in the sense that it doesn't burst out into any real drama at any point. With his other films at least there seems to be moments of clarity / tension / false hope / pay off. But there wasn't much of anything in this. Ruffalo and Linney are ok as the mixed up siblings. But it's just got average written all over it unfortunately.
X
Favorite Movies
X
User Lists
'Lebanon' (2009)
I only heard of Samuel Maoz' debut feature recently when I was researching lists of reviewers favourite "single location movies". This war movie is set entirely inside a tank. It follows a group of young men in the Lebanon conflict of the early 1980s and uses clever camera "POVs" to capture the soldiers surroundings.
There are flaws such as the pace - we are thrust into the narrative head on without really getting to know much about the backstory of anything, and the action does rather fizzle out abruptly. The script is also a bit meandering. But overall the claustrophobia of tank warfare is captured quite well. Not a brilliant film but by no means one that should be ignored.
6.5/10
X
Favorite Movies
X
User Lists
'Free Fire' (2016)
I like Ben Wheatley but this was a misfire (pun intended). It looks nice. There are some decent performances. But overall it's a comedy crime caper that just didn't have enough bite in it. There was so much gunfire, I half expected Bill Murray to turn up and shout "woah woah nice shooting Tex". And At times it just felt like watching your friends play Paintball.
Onto the next one Mr Wheatley.
5.5/10
I like Ben Wheatley but this was a misfire (pun intended). It looks nice. There are some decent performances. But overall it's a comedy crime caper that just didn't have enough bite in it. There was so much gunfire, I half expected Bill Murray to turn up and shout "woah woah nice shooting Tex". And At times it just felt like watching your friends play Paintball.
Onto the next one Mr Wheatley.
5.5/10
X
Favorite Movies
X
User Lists
'Free Fire' (2016)
I like Ben Wheatley but this was a misfire (pun intended). It looks nice. There are some decent performances. But overall it's a comedy crime caper that just didn't have enough bite in it. There was so much gunfire, I half expected Bill Murray to turn up and shout "woah woah nice shooting Tex". And At times it just felt like watching your friends play Paintball.
Onto the next one Mr Wheatley.
5.5/10
I like Ben Wheatley but this was a misfire (pun intended). It looks nice. There are some decent performances. But overall it's a comedy crime caper that just didn't have enough bite in it. There was so much gunfire, I half expected Bill Murray to turn up and shout "woah woah nice shooting Tex". And At times it just felt like watching your friends play Paintball.
Onto the next one Mr Wheatley.
5.5/10
That's a shame. Wheatley's early stuff was great. Kill List is one of my favourite films. But his most recent efforts I haven't found that great. I'll still watch this and see for myself but I never really had high hopes of it.
X
Favorite Movies
That's a shame. Wheatley's early stuff was great. Kill List is one of my favourite films. But his most recent efforts I haven't found that great. I'll still watch this and see for myself but I never really had high hopes of it.
X
Favorite Movies
X
User Lists
A Field in England, Kill List and Sightseers are very good. But this just didn't click. It might just be me though, let me know what you think.
I will do.
1. Kill List
2. Down Terrace
3. Sightseers
4. High Rise
5. A Field in England
for me.
X
Favorite Movies
I'm always interested in the next Wheatley movie but I didn't even put that one on my watchlist. The trailer made it look like he was trying to be Guy Ritchie.
I agree with you on Wilderpeople but I loved You Can Count on Me!
I agree with you on Wilderpeople but I loved You Can Count on Me!
X
Favorite Movies
X
User Lists
'The Man from Earth' (2007)
I watched this on a whim last night. It's like a made for TV movie written by the guys from the Twilight zone. Has some really nice concepts and great script, but the reveal and the last 15 minutes is a bit of a let down.
Worth putting on if you're into indie Sci-Fi though. 6.5/10
X
Favorite Movies
X
User Lists
|