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I think this criticism is very fair. I don't know what it says about me that Marvel and Star Wars are the only action adventures I care about anymore. Even with Marvel I am only half in. I don't know. I still think there is plenty of everything so I am not going to become a complainer (I hope). Just get a little frustrated when my favorite director has a new movie out this week and there is nothing I want to see at my theater.
Swan's 2018 Film Diary
→ in Movie Reviews
Why do you think you're only half in with Marvel at this point? I mean, Iron Man was it's own film with it's own identity. But Captain America: Civil War? That aint a film!
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Letterboxd
Letterboxd
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Pinocchio has always been one of my favorite Disney films. I'm a film fan of Marvel, but there are a handful of their films that I think are average at best. Iron Man and Civil War are actually two of my favorites from them lol!
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Didn't care for The Strangers but I look forward to the sequel and BiSusan.
Pacific Rim is probably the worst movie I've ever seen that spawned a sequel. I'll pass!
Pinocchio is cool.
Pacific Rim is probably the worst movie I've ever seen that spawned a sequel. I'll pass!
Pinocchio is cool.
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BiSusan.
Pacific Rim is probably the worst movie I've ever seen that spawned a sequel. I'll pass!
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Iro's Top 100 Movies v3.0
I really just want you all angry and confused the whole time.
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It's the best. Although I haven't used it this month and am getting antsy. I just don't care about anything out right now. Maybe Red Sparrow just a little.
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Unsane -
(Steven Soderbergh, 2018)
[NEW WATCH]
I've been getting lazy with my ratings lately and overrating some stuff, but this isn't one of them. I enthusiastically loved this film and if anything I'm underrating it. Claire Foy is a fantastic leading lady in a story that unfolds with many twists and turns and a non-stop feeling of I don't know what I'm supposed to be feeling or who's side I'm supposed to be on.
I'm not sure it will convert anyone to iPhone-filmmaking-land who isn't already into it but I hope I'm wrong about that. There were angles here that would have been impossible without something small and compact like an iPhone, but I think the overall visual quality is up to taste and I think it's a bit jarring. That's something I love and admire, but film purists and people just not used to it may not like it at first. The good news is, you quickly forget it's shot on an iPhone and just get invested in the film.
I'm glad I got to see this with my filmmaking buddy because now he's all in on iPhone filmmaking, and passionate about just making some damn movies instead of sitting around. That's what we're going to work with, at least for now. I really do love iPhone filmmaking and think it has a bright future. It's really just fun and exciting. I'm really happy to see genuinely great talent utilizing iPhones as a way to make movies now, and giving it more and more credibility as a way to make films. If, for nothing else, because it gives young people with dreams as aspiring filmmakers - people like me - an opportunity to make films with what they have. I have kept thinking back to when Scorsese, Coppola, Lucas, guys like that had to go to film school because that was the only way they could get their hands on equipment. And then only a select few were able to actually make full-length films. It's an amazing and revolutionary fact that that's not the case anymore and we can use our phones to make a film. That will only lead to more voices in filmmaking.
(Steven Soderbergh, 2018)
[NEW WATCH]
I've been getting lazy with my ratings lately and overrating some stuff, but this isn't one of them. I enthusiastically loved this film and if anything I'm underrating it. Claire Foy is a fantastic leading lady in a story that unfolds with many twists and turns and a non-stop feeling of I don't know what I'm supposed to be feeling or who's side I'm supposed to be on.
I'm not sure it will convert anyone to iPhone-filmmaking-land who isn't already into it but I hope I'm wrong about that. There were angles here that would have been impossible without something small and compact like an iPhone, but I think the overall visual quality is up to taste and I think it's a bit jarring. That's something I love and admire, but film purists and people just not used to it may not like it at first. The good news is, you quickly forget it's shot on an iPhone and just get invested in the film.
I'm glad I got to see this with my filmmaking buddy because now he's all in on iPhone filmmaking, and passionate about just making some damn movies instead of sitting around. That's what we're going to work with, at least for now. I really do love iPhone filmmaking and think it has a bright future. It's really just fun and exciting. I'm really happy to see genuinely great talent utilizing iPhones as a way to make movies now, and giving it more and more credibility as a way to make films. If, for nothing else, because it gives young people with dreams as aspiring filmmakers - people like me - an opportunity to make films with what they have. I have kept thinking back to when Scorsese, Coppola, Lucas, guys like that had to go to film school because that was the only way they could get their hands on equipment. And then only a select few were able to actually make full-length films. It's an amazing and revolutionary fact that that's not the case anymore and we can use our phones to make a film. That will only lead to more voices in filmmaking.
I'm curious about Unsane, because you didn't say much besides the fact that it's shot on iPhone. Any thoughts on how well written it was or the acting, or anything like that?
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Shot on IPhone is nothing. The question is was it written AND acted on IPhone?
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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.
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.
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I'm curious about Unsane, because you didn't say much besides the fact that it's shot on iPhone.
It feels so random to me that The Strangers would get a sequel ten years later. If memory serves correctly, I thought the first one had a few creepy moments early on, but I liked it less once the carnage started.
Everything I've read about Train to Busan has been positive, but I've yet to see it. I hated the first Pacific Rim, so I have no intention of seeing the sequel. Tomb Raider looks enjoyable. I've only ever played the 2013 game for Xbox 360, but it was a lot of fun and very cinematic, and the trailer basically looks like a live-action version of the cut-scenes, so I'm hopeful that I'll get at least some entertainment out of it.
I always seem to be indifferent toward Soderbergh's films, so I have no real expectations for Unsane. I'm pleased to hear how much inspiration you took from it, though, and I think it's great that a highly respected director like Soderbergh is doing his part to give credibility to making films on an iPhone.
Everything I've read about Train to Busan has been positive, but I've yet to see it. I hated the first Pacific Rim, so I have no intention of seeing the sequel. Tomb Raider looks enjoyable. I've only ever played the 2013 game for Xbox 360, but it was a lot of fun and very cinematic, and the trailer basically looks like a live-action version of the cut-scenes, so I'm hopeful that I'll get at least some entertainment out of it.
I always seem to be indifferent toward Soderbergh's films, so I have no real expectations for Unsane. I'm pleased to hear how much inspiration you took from it, though, and I think it's great that a highly respected director like Soderbergh is doing his part to give credibility to making films on an iPhone.
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I think the overall visual quality is up to taste and I think it's a bit jarring.
I'm really happy to see genuinely great talent utilizing iPhones as a way to make movies now, and giving it more and more credibility as a way to make films. If, for nothing else, because it gives young people with dreams as aspiring filmmakers - people like me - an opportunity to make films with what they have.
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I thought that added to the sense of paranoia in the film. All the room around the main camera just begs the audience to search around in it to see if they can find the stalker.
Kinda hearkens back to how the classic filmmakers had to use crap cameras or had to steal them.
Kinda hearkens back to how the classic filmmakers had to use crap cameras or had to steal them.
I always seem to be indifferent toward Soderbergh's films, so I have no real expectations for Unsane. I'm pleased to hear how much inspiration you took from it, though, and I think it's great that a highly respected director like Soderbergh is doing his part to give credibility to making films on an iPhone.
The good thing is, I don't have to stick to one format for the rest of my life. For now, I'm going to use my iPhone, but it's what is inspiring me most. Another positive for me is because iPhone filmmaking is in it's infancy, it will probably only get better.
Because that's all I wanted to talk about. I'm not here to make anyone see or not see a movie, I'm just here to talk about movies the way I want to talk about them.
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Thanks for clarifying.
Seen a few too many flicks since my last post, so I'm going to opt out of the fancy stuff with the pics and info.
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Behind the Mask: The Rise of Leslie Vernon -
I dug it quite a bit for it's innovation and unique take on the slasher genre, and overall liked it, though not as much as I wish I could say I did. Not sure why.
Ready Player One -
Appreciated the Spielbergisms, and enjoyed it fairly well, but that couldn't help this from ultimately being CGI overload for me.
Isle of Dogs -
I never though Anderson was quite on the level of Kurosawa or Ozu (very few can attain Ozu's level of mastery), two directors this film often references, but I still think he's pretty terrific. I am not sure which I prefer between this and Fantastic Mr. Fox, but they are both very different that it's almost not worth comparing.
Contagion -
My favorite Soderbergh flick, and one of my all-time favorites scores. Absolutely eerie as hell with a style that's hard to beat and fits the subject perfectly.
The Death of Stalin -
Clever utilizes Communist oppression as a vehicle for the darkest sort of comedy.
A Quiet Place -
There might be a lot of naysayers about this one soon, but I aint one of them. I loved this film. A Quiet Place beautifully blends a monster b-movie feel with something that has a little more substance, but it never feels pretentious about it and in fact the ending is basically Krasinski owning that b-movie quality. So happy to see some more great work from the Office alumni. I think Emily Blunt is better for Jim than Pam.
Pieces -
If you cherish that sleazy grindhouse aesthetic, it's phenomenal and never gets old.
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Behind the Mask: The Rise of Leslie Vernon -
I dug it quite a bit for it's innovation and unique take on the slasher genre, and overall liked it, though not as much as I wish I could say I did. Not sure why.
Ready Player One -
Appreciated the Spielbergisms, and enjoyed it fairly well, but that couldn't help this from ultimately being CGI overload for me.
Isle of Dogs -
I never though Anderson was quite on the level of Kurosawa or Ozu (very few can attain Ozu's level of mastery), two directors this film often references, but I still think he's pretty terrific. I am not sure which I prefer between this and Fantastic Mr. Fox, but they are both very different that it's almost not worth comparing.
Contagion -
My favorite Soderbergh flick, and one of my all-time favorites scores. Absolutely eerie as hell with a style that's hard to beat and fits the subject perfectly.
The Death of Stalin -
Clever utilizes Communist oppression as a vehicle for the darkest sort of comedy.
A Quiet Place -
There might be a lot of naysayers about this one soon, but I aint one of them. I loved this film. A Quiet Place beautifully blends a monster b-movie feel with something that has a little more substance, but it never feels pretentious about it and in fact the ending is basically Krasinski owning that b-movie quality. So happy to see some more great work from the Office alumni. I think Emily Blunt is better for Jim than Pam.
Pieces -
If you cherish that sleazy grindhouse aesthetic, it's phenomenal and never gets old.