Originally posted by Spangle@Aug 28 2016, 11:08 AM


For me:

The Silence of the Lambs (if it counts)
It Follows
The Shining
Psycho
The Babadook
Rosemary's Baby
Let the Right One In
The Exorcist
The Witch
The Omen
Poltergeist
The Conjuring
Night of the Living Dead
Sinister
The Descent
The Ring
1408
Drag Me to Hell


Feel like I've missed a few. Really liked yours too though. You're Next and Oculus are really freaky.

That is a great list. The only ones on that list I haven't seen is The Babadook and The Witch, gotta check those out.

I really enjoy SciFi Horror movies. The Thing and Alien are so good.

@Spangs or anyone really

I want to know what you guys think of Don't Breath. i personally liked it and it kept me at the edge of my seat the whole time.

Originally posted by TheLastOlympian07@Aug 30 2016, 04:52 AM
@Spangs or anyone really

I want to know what you guys think of Don't Breath. i personally liked it and it kept me at the edge of my seat the whole time.

Haven't checked it out yet. Horror's tough for me, because nobody wants to go see it in theaters. Probably won't catch it until it hits DVD or I can stream it.

5/10 - Ellen Page stars as Tallulah who is entirely grating and hard to watch due to her impulsiveness, rebelliousness, and frequent poor decisions. For the first hour, Tallulah is really hard to stomach as you watch Tallulah makes abhorrent life decisions that have profound negative impacts on those around her. That said, after an hour, the film does find its stride pretty solidly. Though highly derivative, the film has a nice take on aging, beauty, and motherhood. For many, Tallulah will be truly profound. While I liked what it was trying to communicate, it felt like the film was pushing too hard and trying to force its thematic elements through to their conclusion (particularly through dream sequences and the ending). If the film had stuck in reality, it would have been better communicated, but as it stood, Tallulah was practically beating you over the head and asking, "DO YOU GET IT YET?". Overall, Tallulah is a nice little film with good performances from Ellen Page and Allison Janney that could have been better if it had been more subtle and less in your face.



Alicia Silverstone is bae/10

7/10 - The most shocking part about Clueless is that Cher thought she and Christian would have sex when he brought over Spartacus (which is 3 hours long) for them to watch. Nothing says sex like Kirk Douglas as a Roman for 3 hours. Clueless is a funny, cute, and delightful slice of high school film. While hardly revolutionary, the film is incredibly fun to watch and very funny from beginning to end, plus it has more going on in its mind than many a high school film. Alicia Silverstone is terrific in the lead role and really plays the role of the popular and vapid high school girl. There is honestly not much to say about this one. Quintessentially 1990s, Clueless brings the charm and wit of a 1980s John Hughes teen classic and updates it for the 90s. If only there were movies like this nowadays.



7/10 - The Invitation is a slow, tense, thrilling film that may be a bit predictable and would have been better served sticking to its initial temptations, but will ruin your take on dinner parties regardless. Logan Marshall-Green is very good in the lead role as the grieving, paranoid ex-husband of the party host. As the film progresses, the air of mysteriousness and tension really take hold in this lushly shot film with lighting that more often than not is dreamlike. This dreamlike look is slightly disturbed at the alter, but returns for the ominous, chilling, and thoroughly terrifying final shot. The score from beginning to end is eerie and creepy, often setting the tone. However, the scariest sound is the one accompanying that final shot. Together, it creates a scene that is hard to forget. The Invitation's slow build up is more than worth it, but its climax was predictable from the second the film began, which left me incredibly disappointed even if it had a lot going for it overall.



6/10 - The Legend of Tarzan was far better than I expected. While the dialogue is awkward and both Samuel L. Jackson and Christoph waltz left much to be desired in their roles, the film is still a breath of fresh air when it comes to Tarzan. Uniquely focusing on his days post-Tarzan and his return to the wild, The Legend of Tarzan was impressively greenlit by Warner Bros. Given that it largely does not provide what one wants from a Tarzan film, it was likely ill-advised. Fortunately for me, I liked this new take. I have no desire to see him exclusively in the wild and meeting people for the first time. That film has been done to death. While this film has been done before, it is new for Tarzan and that freshness is enough for me. Plus, Alexander Skarsgaard and Margot Robbie have absolutely sensual chemistry with one another that makes their epic romance all the more believable. From the phenomenal overhead shots of the Congo, the terrific set design, and beautiful costume/production design, The Legend of Tarzan is a true feast for the eyes. The film also tries to tackle the atrocities done to the Congo by Belgium and slavery in general, which is a noble task to try and tackle.

Unfortunately, the major problem for this one is the storytelling. While the dialogue is bad for most of the film, the constant flashbacks are unwanted. The flashbacks should have been the beginning, in which the film could briefly touch on Tarzan's time in the wild. Instead, they are interspersed throughout the film, which really messes with the overall flow. Plus, the poor acting from Jackson and Waltz as previously mentioned, though the writing had a lot to do with this. Finally, this last complaint can be applied to many popcorn flicks nowadays. The constant joke attempts that were swings and misses, while also being completely obvious were terrible. Why must every blockbuster have this nonsense now? Ugh.

As an overall film, The Legend of Tarzan is a bit messy. However, its fresh take and status as complete eye candy visually more than make this live action take on the classic story worthwhile.



5/10 - Borat feels utterly surreal. It is hard to comprehend this film existing, let alone being as acclaimed as it stands today. Risque, gutsy, and impressively smart, Borat is just not my kind of film. Not my type of humor, as it felt like Sacha Baron Cohen just said stupid stuff that sounded funny and could be funny, but feels entirely as if you had to be there to get it. As I was not on the set while filming occurred, I did not find it funny. That said, it is impossible not to find it thoroughly impressive they went through with this audacious attempt at a film considering how many groups it likely offended. Overall, Borat is a classic to many. While it caused me to chuckle a few times, I just did not get it. However, I can certainly appreciate what it attempted to do.



9/10 - Shocking, disturbing, and audacious, The Neon Demon is a neon-drenched behemoth from director Nicolas Winding Refn that is truly a glorious masterpiece. Things really begin to hit the fan in the second half, but even then, the first half is just as equally brilliant. Together, they form a disturbing look at the fashion industry. Undeniably a horror film, The Neon Demon leaves you cool and numb in the wake of its disturbing images of the industry. Refn expertly creates a parallel between the industry and what is portrayed on the screen, eliciting brilliant criticism on the industry and the way in which it destroys young girls, as well as the way in which these girls are victimized and corrupted along the way. Elle Fanning plays the lead role brilliantly, as the innocent, yet decidedly dangerously beautiful Jesse. The dialogue here is terrific, far surpassing many other films from the Danish director. The score from Cliff Martinez is filled with these synthy, creepy vibes that really wrap its tentacles around you and perfectly accent what is on the screen. The cinematography is incredible. From very cool mirror shots to lush looks at Los Angeles, the camera soaks in the neon goodness and is an absolute wonder. I cannot praise The Neon Demon enough. This illuminati-esque, hypnotic, and thoroughly violent and disturbing film from Nicolas Winding Refn could very well be categorized as a masterpiece.

Read more: http://movieswithkevin27.tumblr.com/post/1.../the-neon-demon



6/10 - Angel Heart has a very compelling premise, but it does get a bit off the rails and quite cooky by the end. Mickey Rourke and Robert De Niro are terrific in this chiller from director Alan Parker. Packed to the brim with a creepy atmosphere largely helped by the devilishly good score that really gives you goosebumps, Angel Heart does make for great horror at times. Blending this horror element with neo-noir mystery proves to be no challenge for the more than capable Parker who makes the film both a compelling mystery and then truly horrifying at the very end. That said, the ending is very predictable. By about the halfway point, it becomes clear where the film is going to end up. At about this same time, the film dives fully into the horror waters and this is also where it becomes quite odd. I love horror, but Angel Heart just felt like a compelling premise that was turned into a predictable and forced attempt at making a horror film. Fortunately, it is still quite scary and mysterious even if it does not conclude very well. Overall, Angel Heart features good acting, direction, and music, but its plot lets down the rest of its parts at the end when it decides to move off the reservation and check into an asylum.



8/10 - Charlize Theron showcases her A-list status in Young Adult, a film about a deeply unlikable protagonist initially whose flaws wind up making her sympathetic. As always, director Jason Reitman knows how to capture the emotion of the characters placed before him and pairing him with writer Diablo Cody has certainly produced top-notch results before, as it does here once more. A great blend of character study, development, and comedy, Young Adult may be a bit depressing for some, but is a great look at a deeply troubled woman trapped in adolescence due to mental illnesses. Theron brings this woman to life and makes you simultaneously hate, pity, and sympathize with her along the way as she embarrasses herself left and right along her path towards self-destruction. With Reitman's other films, namely Thank You for Smoking and Juno, I wound up being a fan from the very first shot. Young Adult was very different and actually took some warming up along the way. However, it is hard to deny such terrific dramatic and comedic writing, especially when they are blended together in a film such as this. Overall, Young Adult is a character study. For many, the character will be detestable. However, as more and more layers are peeled off of her, her story arc and development shines through.



9/10 - Selma is an absolutely powerful, moving, and stirring film that makes you want to stand up and fight injustice around the world. With a stunning lead performance from David Oyelowo coupled by a tremendous and large supporting cast, Selma manages to capture the importance of every moment depicted, largely due to director Ava DuVernay's passion for the subject. Her passion bleeds through the screen as you can see the love and respect which she has for those depicted. This passion is contagious as the film truly puts you in the shoes of Dr. King and his fight across the nation, particularly in Selma. Smartly focusing on one event in Dr. King's career and the Civil Rights Movement as a whole, Selma is able to properly broach the topic and give it the weight it deserves, rather than skimming through it as part of a larger biopic. Plus, it allows the supporting cast tor really shine, namely Stephan James and Rep. John Lewis. He is terrific in the role and knocks it out of the park. The film is magnificently written with each word dripping with weight and power. The cinematography is inspired, perfectly capturing the towering presence of Dr. King brought on by the power of his words. Selma is a film that never stops and never stutters. Rather, it is a film that will stick with you for a long time as you revel in the magnitude of its strength.



2/10 - Why don't they just leave?

High-Rise touches on similar topics to Snowpiercer from 2014, namely in regards to themes of social class, social unrest, and the economy. However, it makes no sense. While this building most certainly is a living, breathing entity, these people are workers who just stop going to work when things start happening in their building. When the violence, civil war, and orgies start happening, I just could not comprehend why everyone did not just walk out and move to a new building? While the acting across the board is solid, the thematic elements certainly needed a lot of work as director Ben Wheatley seemed to just toss the kitchen sink at the screen and thought it would all make sense. I get what he was attempting to accomplish with this film and what statements he was trying to make. However, the method in which he used to attack the problems were scattershot at best and ill-thought out. That said, the shots in the elevator are really, really cool and incredibly shot and designed. Honestly, those will be some of my favorite shots of 2016 without a doubt. That said, High-Rise is a pretty disaster with good acting, but obvious thematic dealings and a truly odd, reckless plot undermines the entire proceeding.



6/10 - The Kingdom, at its best, is a riveting and powerful look at the effects of war on those in the Middle East and in the United States, as well as the politics leading up to modern day conflicts. At its worst, it is an anti-Muslim film that plays far too much into action movie cliches. The positives largely come in the first half, in which the film is far more detective-based as this group of FBI agents head to Saudi Arabia to investigate who perpetrated a bombing in the American compound in the country. Here, the writing is quite good and the film showcases just how much the Saudis hate the terrorists as well. However, it seems as though director Peter Berg thought this was boring and decided it was best for the final half hour to turn into a shoot 'em up action movie that demonizes the Saudis and half hazardly tries to show some of their humanity, only to revert to concluding that everyone - even children - are evil anti-Americans. This is unfortunate, but luckily does not completely wipe out the positives of the first half, in which the film is a very compelling and interesting look at determining the guilty parties behind such an awful attack. If only Berg had confidence in this portion of the film enough to see it through to the end without relying on every cliche in the book.



8/10 - Laid back, stoned, and drunk musings on life, growing up, and love, as only Richard Linklater can do, Everybody Wants Some!! is college to the core. Though a bit far-fetched in its portrayal of college (how does the whole school have 8AM's on the first day) and a bit too movie-esque in that regard, the film is still a crowd pleaser. With terrific writing as always and a stellar cast led by Glen Powell, Blake Jenner, J. Quinton Johnson, and Zoey Deutch, the film is charisma, friendly ribbing, and college confidence in one truly enjoyable bundle. The comedy hits from beginning to end, the romance element actually works, the stupid antics are fun to watch, and the character development for such a large cast is tremendous. Similarly to Dazed and Confused, it is almost a travesty this is a film, due to the truly enjoyable and lovable cast. Not many can make this film feel restrained and not flat out dumb, but Linklater keeps the boys in check and ropes them in when they threaten to get off the rails thanks to his terrific direction and writing. As always, I want to live in a Richard Linklater film.

inb4 HOW COULD YOU NOT LIKE BORAT

Originally posted by Spangle@Sep 4 2016, 08:36 PM
inb4 HOW COULD YOU NOT LIKE BORAT

It's polarizing, much like SBC's comedy in general. A 5/10 makes sense when you're trying to be objective, but I bet most people have it at 2 or 9. Your reasoning was sound

(9 for me)

Originally posted by GCool@Sep 4 2016, 10:41 PM


It's polarizing, much like SBC's comedy in general. A 5/10 makes sense when you're trying to be objective, but I bet most people have it at 2 or 9. Your reasoning was sound

(9 for me)

Very true. Certainly not everyone's cup of tea.

I've watched every single Tarantino film recently and I felt like ranking them.

1. Kill Bill (Part 1 and 2)
2. Reservoir Dogs
3. Pulp Fiction
4. Django Unchained
5. Inglorious basterds
6. Jackie Brown
7. Hateful Eight
8. Death Proof

8-Death Proof
7- Kill Bill
6- Jackie Brown
5- Django Unchained
4- Hateful 8
3- Reservoir Dogs
2- Inglorious Basterds
1- Pulp Fiction

Thank you to My boys @Merica and @Ragnar for the lovely sigs!

SPOILER HEAVY WEEK, I FEEL. TREAD CAREFULLY IF YOU HAVE NOT SEEN A MOVIE I REVIEWED.



7/10 - Heathers may get really odd and cliche at the end, but its dark and biting criticism of the high school social scene cannot be ignored, namely due to its strong writing, good turn from Winona Ryder, and portrayal of teenage angst taken to an extreme. Though its outlandish and downright dark, Heathers is a comedy through and through that really sweeps you up in the comedy of it all without losing track of the larger issues being discussed. Teenage suicide, peer pressure, bullying, and general angst are all discussed in this worthy satire about high school cliques and mass murder. Overall, Heathers' action may not be overly relatable, but it portrayal of the high school scene and the teenage years will likely never age. Though its ending is unsatisfactory, this smart and biting critique of high school will, more than likely, always be funny.



7/10 - The rare actually good horror sequel, The Conjuring 2 serves as yet another example of how James Wan is able to balance good, quality, and well-earned scares with a solid story that keeps you engrossed even when the scary bits take a bit of a break. As with the original, The Conjuring 2 has a lot going for it. Patrick Wilson and Vera Farmiga have terrific chemistry and make for a truly believable married couple who happen to fight demonic presences in homes. Plus, this new story - particularly the nun - made me produce more than a few bricks out of fear. The slow introduction of the presence and then the rising actions of its presence is great. The film is willing to build tension in a horror movie sense while then balancing it with the tension of whether or not everyone will believe the family. Most horror movies just want to skip into everything and just assumes everyone believes in ghosts. However, Wan knows he has skeptics in the crowd and must prove his case in order to scare them as well. This said, there is one major problem with The Conjuring 2 that holds it back; the ending. In order to defeat the demon, Lorraine must use its name against it. How does she know its name? Oh, it told her earlier in the movie. If the name gives humans power over the demon, why would the demon ever give up its name? I like to imagine that this demon was fired as Chief Possession Officer in England after such a rookie mistake. That said, The Conjuring 2 keeps you on edge for the entire film and effectively earns its scares, instead of relying on cheap tricks. Heck, even the jump scares are well earned, merely through the tension and atmosphere Wan creates. Though a minor stepback, The Conjuring 2 takes what made the original terrific horror and repackages it for another story.



5/10 - Nostalgic, moving, tearjerking, and thrilling, The Finest Hours still splits in two because of bad acting, writing, and an underdeveloped romance. Starring Chris Pine in a hit-and-miss performance, The Finest Hours features a lavishly shot 1950s America that makes you nostalgic for this bygone era of oil tankers and fishing communities, even if the tanker did split in two. From the music to the set design to the costume design, this film is the 1950s to a tee and benefits from it throughout.

Additionally, the special effects and rescue sequence are thoroughly thrilling, as are the scenes when the tanker initially suffers from trouble and then tries to save themselves. Here, Casey Affleck shines and is truly captivating as the hated man in the engine room forced into a position to try and save his beloved ship. Based on shore, however, Pine's struggles in acting are matched by a spotty performance Ben Foster and a downright bad and overacted from Eric Bana. To be fair though, the dialogue from the trio of writers leaves this men out to drown in a sea of nonsense. Fortunately, the film is thrilling and handles the disaster element well, which is what we all came to see.

On this front, the film is not just thrilling, but also incredibly moving and tearjerking, especially the ending sequence. Though I feel the romance is underdeveloped (we see them go on a single date and then it jumps three months with them engaged already...oh and then Holliday Grainger just annoys everyone at the Coast Guard), this does not diminish the chemistry between Pine and Grainger, which shines through in more intimate scenes. A film that could explore this chemistry more with more nuanced writing would be greatly appreciated.

Overall, The Finest Hours is a largely satisfying disaster film that suffers from acting and writing, but if that is not your concern, this one more than delivers the disastrous goods and provides good thrills and effects along the way.



6/10 - Brokeback Mountain is slow and methodic, yet incessantly beautiful all the same. With some gorgeous shots of Wyoming in its back pocket, Ang Lee's romantic western is a moving portrayal of gay love in a time when it was unacceptable to the majority of society. Heath Ledger and Jake Gyllenhaal have undeniable chemistry and their love is believable. However, I have many problems with their romance, which prevents me from loving the film. Firstly, Lee decides to show them eating beans and then bang, all of a sudden, they are lovers. Though there is sexual tension between them beforehand, it seems odd that in a time when being gay is so taboo, two men would quickly rush into sex.

Secondly, the film skims through years and opts to ignore the negative side of this romance. Yes, these two love each other. However, what about their wives (Michelle Williams and Anne Hathaway)? What about their children? Not only are they both adulterers, but they ignore their spouses and children repeatedly in the film. I get that they are repressed homosexuals, which is obviously terrible, but it makes it hard for me to feel sympathy for two men who are so morally repugnant. The only mistake these women made was marrying a man who is gay, which apparently makes them deserving of being cheated on. There is no sympathy for the struggles of our gay lovers due to their lack of respect for the women in their lives and, heck, even their own kids. Ennis (Ledger) very clearly never sees his daughters. By the end, he only has a relationship with one (Kate Mara). How is this okay? Lee makes some effort to condemn the deception to Ennis' wife, but quickly reverts to trying to make us feel sympathy for him once more.

That said, their relationship is undeniably electric. Though I have problems with the rushing of it all, Lee does expertly counter this by showing Gyllenhaal's initial hesitation to rush things with Hathaway. Through this, we are able to see his true colors and sexual desires. It is also showcased in his interactions with Hathaway and Ledger. While with his wife, he clearly lacks passion and is on edge. With Ledger, he is loose, free, and head over heels. Lee develops this angle brilliantly.

Additionally, the ending sequence made me into a believer. The clothing, the photo, and the trauma Ennis faces at the end, really hit home. In order for non-gay viewers to truly overcome any prejudices, this scene is almost a much, because it shows how real their love is for them. They did not choose this life. Instead, it was who they are. This is ever present in this scene and is truly the dramatic and romantic triumph of this film. While the development of the romance felt off for me, the ending was easily the best part of this film.

Brokeback Mountain is beloved by many. For me, it is a good western and good romance, but simply never commits to actually developing the romance, instead opting to fast forward to the "good bits" with no build-up. Even worse, it never fully condemns the more reprehensible actions of Ennis and Jack. That said, the emotional power and force of this film is impossible to deny.



7/10 - Carried on the broad shoulders of Will Smith, I Am Legend is a terrifically entertaining piece of science fiction horror with a surprising Christian-infused twist The film has a lot going for it, but above all, provides a great look at the decimation of society and the newly emerging attempts to restore society to its previous levels. Other zombie films have focused on the former element with and the real underbelly of society, I Am Legend introduces enough to the latter element in order for it to be a worthy addition to the genre.

Many have unfavorably compared this film to 28 Days Later, due to the evil and anguish portrayed in that film, but that is unfair. Though they are of the same genre, I Am Legend attempts to do more. Instead, of instilling more desolation, it attempts to develop hope, which is admirable. From what I understand, this is unfaithful to the novel, but having never read the novel, I do not really care. Plus, I love The Shining, which is nothing like the novel. Thus, faithfulness to the novel is irrelevant to me when discussing a film. As it stands, the film's exploration of hope and faith in a better tomorrow, as well being the "light in the darkness" is more in line with what I would anticipate in the aftermath of such a disaster. While may will resort to evil as in 28 Days Later, many would try to keep up hope and belief that some force - God or other - will lead them out of this trauma. Ultimately, it comes down to how one grieves and handles strife. Essentially, I Am Legend showcases a different form of handling conflict and executes it very well, particularly evident in the final quote and the actions of Robert Neville (Smith).

The film really shines, however, in the characterization of Neville as the last man on Earth. The loneliness, destitution, and companionship with his beloved dog, Sam, are all traumatic and difficult to watch. The way in which he tries to talk to a female mannequin and talks casually to other mannequins is heart watching and, in my mind, perfectly captures this isolation one would feel if trapped in such a scenario.

In terms of thrills, I Am Legend more than delivers with its fair share of heart attack inducing sequences. That said, a lot of these thrills seem to capitalize on poor decision making from Neville and his dog, which is more tedious to watch than thrilling at times. Though these scenes entertain, they do often fly in the face of the development of Neville as a smart, calculated, and thorough planner of his daily actions.

Adding to the negative, the film's special effects do leave a lot to be desired. Though I thought the depiction of the disease and general concept of the "darkseekers" was well developed, the look and realization of these concepts fell short of expectations. Given that films that came out before and in 2007 had far better effects than this one, it is inexcusable for a film with such a high budget. This, to me, is the main shortcoming of the film, but together with stupid character actions that are against their personality, they add up to really hold back the film from being even better.

I Am Legend is an inspirational look at hope in the face of tremendous odds. Many criticized the addition of the religion, but it is a very apt addition given the situation. Religion exists to give people hope of a better tomorrow. In times of turmoil and anguish, many turn to religion as that "light in the darkness". Thus, it makes a lot of sense for it to be added into a film of this type. Even if it not in the original novel, it is a logical thematic addition. In terms of the film, I Am Legend delivers thrills, hope, and light, but can at times be a bit tedious and suffers from bad effects. All in all, this one is more than worth a watch if you, like me, are one of the few who has not seen film from Will Smith's prime.



8/10 - For a long time, I put off watching Armageddon because I always anticipated it being an overlong, dumb, explosion fest courtesy of Michael Bay. However, the fact that it is a part of the Criterion Collection gave me significant cognitive dissonance. After watching it, Armageddon is unabashedly stupid and if films such as Top Gun, Days of Thunder, and Independence Day, did not exist, I would call it the stupidest film of all-time. Yet, just as with those films, I am unashamed supporter of Armageddon. It may be dumb, but it is a film about human perseverance in times of turmoil and has a heart that is proudly wears on its sleeve.

Though I would be hard pressed to call the acting good, it is never anything worse than average, which is just fine for the perfect example of when the Hollywood machine can churn out a film with a strong directorial vision courtesy of Michael Bay that showcases all that he does right. While it is dumb and loud, Bay's ability to create emotion, thrills, and tension never shines through better than in this film and he, unlike in other endeavors, gets overly side tracked by bad jokes or dumb plots. Instead, he stays honed in on what matters and, even better, the jokes delivered by Steve Buscemi from beginning to end all hit. In fact, they may be one of the best parts of the film.

As with Independence Day, it is hard not be in awe of this film at times. A glorious piece of 1990s cheesy action, Armageddon is filled with impactful one liners that give you chills, action set pieces that thrill, and an uncanny ability to make me fight back tears while watching a film about exploding an asteroid by drilling a hole into it. The tender scenes between Ben Affleck and Liv Tyler, the interactions between Tyler and Bruce Willis, as well as those between Willis and Affleck are all heart breaking put together. Beautifully shot, orchestrated, and written, these particular character interactions stand out in a film that knows how to write camaraderie between its character, especially the drillers.

While its action is obvious, the writing is really what elevates this. The plot may be dumb, but what is not dumb about Armageddon is its ability to create human characters with heart, passion, fears, and shortcomings. The development of their relationships and backgrounds is very impressive for a film of this type. This writing is what got it included in the Criterion Collection and it is not undeserved. The plot may be silly, but those behind the script knew what they were doing and knew how to write an action film. Plot be damned, Armageddon packs an emotional punch while Bay manages to expertly give weight and balance the romance, passion, and action in one deliciously put together spectacle.

Armageddon may be one of the dumbest movies ever in terms of plot, but its writing and willingness to explore the bonds between father-daughter and grown men is an impressive feat for a blockbuster of this type. Color me surprised that this Michael Bay-led disaster was anything but a misguided attempt to entertain teenage boys. Instead stark contrast to initial expectations, Armageddon has a soul where its brain should be, which is more than satisfying enough.



9/10 - The inspiration for many of today's silent killers (especially the driver in Drive), Alain Delon's cool, calculated, and precise performance as the assassin Jef Costello is one of the best performances I have seen in a long time. Delon brings the man to life, but the writing from Jean-Pierre Melville and Georges Pellegrin is terrific as they craft this silent, yet wholly expressive and human character that just happens to be an assassin.

Even better, Melville's direction is tremendous. Willing to take his time developing the characters and the plot, the film is in no hurry to reveal too much and always keeps its audience slightly in the dark, yet all-knowing at the same time, similar to police in the film. Melville certainly does not hold the audiences hand and instead expects us to pick up on the clues and follow the plot with little guidance. For those with a keen eye and the patience for this type of film, Le Samourai is endlessly rewarding and will benefit heavily from future rewatches.

The camera work, namely when it comes to shot composition and the framing is tremendous. The use of color is also intriguing, particularly when it comes to the color of the walls in Oliver Rey's apartment. The man who hired Costello to kill Martey, Rey's apartment walls are entirely white. In fact, the whiteness consumes Costello while he is there briefly. Considering his impending doom and his knowledge of it, this may have some meaning or could have just made for a great shot. Regardless, the entire sequence is terrific.

The color is also evident when contrasting Costello's room to that of Jane Lagrange's room and to Valerie. In a home filled with no color and just a bird, Costello only interacts with color when in the bright and warm colored room of Jane and the vibrantly colored dresses. Given Costello's inclination to wearing drab and dreary clothing, these three interactions with bright lights or more "exciting" colors are worth noting.

Finally, we come to the ending. The source of much discussion and dissection as to what it means, for me the first thing that came to mind was Costello securing an honorable death for himself, first and foremost. His adherence to the code of the samurai necessitates his death for killing his employer. However, it is clear that Costello does feel something for Valerie. Thus, it is entirely possible his final act of trying to fulfill his contract to kill Valerie is an attempt to alert her to the fact that there are men out to kill her. Alternatively or additionally, it is an opportunity to see her one last time and for her to see him die honorably.

Maybe I am way off, who knows. Regardless, the fun of Le Samourai comes in prescribing our own explanation to the film. From what I have seen, the film means different things to different people. I guess it all comes down to your own experiences, worldview, and take on the clues presented by Melville. Considering I have seen that Melville is a nihilist, it is entirely possible the ending is purposely open ended because nothing matters anyways, love is not possible, and the world has no meaning. So, who gives a fuck anyways why he did it? He was just an assassin anyways.

That said, whether or not Le Samourai has any meaning whatsoever and whether or not I interpreted any of it correctly, I loved this film. Terrifically paced, written, acted, and directed, Le Samourai is a tremendous work.



9/10 - A beautiful masterstroke from director Zhang Yimou, Hero is a beautifully constructed wuxia film that is infused with history, Chinese culture, honor, and themes of overcoming hate and the pain that can be caused from not conquering that hate. Through this film, Zhang Yimou not only creates a terrifically entertaining martial arts action film, but he also creates a film that is a moving and stirring look at the unification of China and the sacrifices that went into that monumental step.

With beautiful cinematography to soak up every inch of the screen, Hero shows an adept use of shot composition and construction to go along with the cinematography. Used in conjunction, the significant moving pieces of each shot and the capturing of those moves creates a truly gorgeous film that is breathtaking to view. From beginning to end, Zhang's film presents a unique and melodic look at its action. Personally, my favorite shot comes when our nameless warrior (Jet Li) enters the palace of the King of Qin (Chen Daoming). The long shots in this sequence are incredible and truly soak up the entirety of the beauty of the location.

Additionally, Zhang's constant use of color in the film is incredible, namely in the battle between Flying Snow (Maggie Cheung) and Moon (Zhang Ziyi). The changing color of the leaves is an incredible site and the significance unashamedly escapes me, but is a beautiful use of color all the same. When it comes to the battles, the Zhang's use of color emerges continuously and it is always incredible to view.

Now, of course, the main focus of these types of films are the battle sequences. As the film progresses, each battle sequence takes on new meaning, but is always steeped in Chinese culture and the Chinese concept of honor. These ideals, along with the ideals of a warrior, blend perfectly into terrific choreography of each fight with good special effects throughout. For those unfamiliar with wuxia films, seeing people flying can be a bit much. However, Zhang keeps this supernatural element restrained with a deeply human story and deeply human battles. Though they have unusual abilities, their hearts and souls and apparent for all to see.

(SPOILERS) Thematically, Hero's beauty is continued with a terrific take on the power of hatred. Driven to assassinate the King of Qin due to the King's killing of his family, the nameless warrior manages to overcome his hatred due to Broken Sword (Tony Leung). Moved by his words, "Our Land", the warrior is unable to kill the King because he now understands the motives behind his attempts to unify China. Though he is killed for this, the scene of their mutual understanding is beautiful and wonderfully scripted. However, the film continues on this theme as it shows Flying Snow kill Broken Sword due to his refusal to kill the King. Upon killing her love, she realizes just what her hate brought her: personal anguish. Zhang's execution of this theme is wonderful to watch and underscores the brilliance of Hero, which transcends borders and is a deeply human film, not just one aimed at Chinese audiences.

Overall, Hero is a beautifully crafted film that really shows its beauty in its cinematography, color, choreography, and in its themes. This is a masterful film from director Zhang Yimou that showcases all of the best qualities of wuxia genre, while also balancing the more unnatural elements with a deeply human story that is relatable for all.



3/10 - Mission to Mars is an abject disaster. I know Brian De Palma is an incredibly talented director, but this film is wholly derivative of better films dealing with alien encounters (2001: A Space Odyssey, Close Encounters of the Third Kind, Alien, E.T., and Contact, are ones that come to mind immediately) while being nowhere near as good as any of those films. It is clear that De Palma watched these movies, but it is equally clear that he had no sense as to how they turned out well. What is missing from Mission to Mars is the same sense of wonder and child-like awe at these discoveries, mainly due to the horrific writing.

The film is blessed with good special effects (even if the animals towards the end look as if they are straight out of Zoo Tycoon), mainly the effect of the tornado. That scene is a true wonder, as are most scenes in space from an effects standpoint. The camera work in the film really makes the most of this with big, sweeping shots throughout the space shuttles that are so good, it makes me sit back and wonder, "Was this movie really as bad as I am saying it is?" Unfortunately, these good effects and shots do not make up for the rest of the film.

What is not bad, however, is the general plot outline and De Palma's ambition. Using this film as a footing to try and find where we come from, Mission to Mars is a truly optimistic film about discovery, love, and loss. In these areas, De Palma hits consistently. The plot is compelling and interesting, as well highly inventive. Yes, it is derivative, but the plot pulls all the best parts of previous science fiction films and puts it into one film, which hey, I am not going to argue against it too much.

However, the sentimentality of the film is ultimately too much, namely because it feels as if the film is highly manipulative and lacks any heart of its own. This manipulation of emotions largely derives from the horrific writing. The first half hour is not that poorly written. However, afterwards, the film is a slog to get through because of the horrible dialogue. Around every corner is a terrible line from Phil (Jerry O'Connell) that is only matched by his horrible acting. The rest of the cast also suffers from being given terrible lines, but their performances often slip in and out from being solid to atrocious. Don Cheadle is particular has a scene in which he is supposed to cry, but it physically made me ill to watch him try. Gary Sinise is hard to judge since he is so television nowadays. All I see is the guy from CSI: NY, but even then, his performance is so underwhelming, it hurts.

This bad dialogue is so bad, it makes the rest of the proceedings feel incredibly nonsensical and causes them to fall flat. Now, this is also due to the bad storytelling. I like the plot, but it feels as if the film was chopped up in the editing room or just suffered from horrific editing. Either way. As it stands, Mission to Mars practically skimmed through the story and then looked at you at the end of the film and screamed, "CRY AND FEEL AWE". Sadly, it does not work. The ending is so hokey and so half-baked, it ruins any good will the film had stored up from the very beginning. De Palma's attempt at being an explanatory journey of self-discovery feels like an idea that a stoner come up with while, well, baked.

The final sin committed by Brian De Palma's failed Mission to Mars is the pacing. The pacing is dreadful. Towards the end of the movie, I looked at the progress bar and discovered I was merely an hour in. The pacing is simply that bad. This film feels like it ate up my whole evening, yet it took just under two hours.

Mission to Mars is a film that if it were caught up in a tornado and left to die on Mars, nobody should make an attempt to rescue it. Though it has a truly terrific premise, the film is undone by being a highlight reel of better science fiction films, except if those films had no idea how to tell a story, write dialogue, edit a film, or create any emotion, awe, or wonder. As it stands, Mission to Mars is pretty, but simply does not work on really any level.



7/10 - Free State of Jones commits a few key sins, but for me, I really do not care. Yes, it is a bit long. Yes, it does love speeches. Yes, it does cover too much. Yes, interspersing scenes from the future kills the flow of the plot, even if it continues the thematic elements of the film. Yes, it probably does simplify more than a few things. All that said, I still really liked this film.

As I greatly enjoy history and have long craved a new film about the Civil War, I was just about to accept any drivel to make me truly satisfied. Fortunately, this one fits the bill and is slightly better than drivel. Matthew McConaughey turns in a typically charismatic and cool performance as a man I would follow to the end of the Earth and jump through a brick wall if he told me to. Not even as Newton Knight, either. I would jump off a bridge if McConaughey told me to without regret or shame.

A sprawling and ambitious attempt to not only cover the story of Newton Knight, but also the period just before and right after the end of the Civil War in the South including topics such as apprenticeship, the rise of the KKK, inter-racial love, voting, literacy, "emancipation", and reconstruction. This often untold area of the Civil War is told very well in Free State of Jones, even if its jumping through time a bit is a clunky way of approaching the topics. That said, each scene it does show covers the topics it sets out to cover very well and accomplishes its main goal: to inform. Even better, it not just informs, but it entertains with tense and well-constructed action sequences that capture the look and feel of the Civil War. If nothing else, Gary Ross did his homework and that is truly admirable.

Though the general plots expansiveness could have been better handled, Ross does a great job balancing his characters. Focusing in one people from different worlds, he does a good job developing the major players, especially Knight (McConaughey), Rachel (Gugu Mbatha-Raw), and Moses (Mahershala Ali). These characters really have good chemistry with one another and are largely well-written.

The production design and costume design is another major win for Free State of Jones. With shocking attention to detail from the swamps of Mississippi to the battlefield, the film is masterfully crafted. The costume design for the uniforms and clothing is terrific and really impressive with its period detail. This, in addition to the characters, is where the film's bread and butter can really be found. Ross' ability to create well-developed characters and attention to detail is really evident in these two areas and why I found the film to be better than expected.

On the negative side, Free State of Jones' use of the future case does further its examination of the power of prejudice. I mean, Newton's great-great-great grandson looks white, yet the fact that Newton had a child with Rachel means that he cannot marry the white woman he is in love with. Many took issue with the film supposedly mirroring the struggle of blacks with those of whites, but to me, it is not doing that. Instead, it is showcasing how deep and far this prejudice go. For all intents and purposes his great-great-great grandson is white. Yet, in the chance he any black in him, he must go to jail for trying to marry a white woman. Incredible stuff that shows how deeply hatred runs. Unfortunately, Ross has no idea how to work this into the film and the scenes play far too briefly and with little emotional impact. Instead, they are like blips that break up the rest of the film.

Overall, Matthew McConaughey is very good in this film destined to be shown in history classes across the nation. An untold story from the Civil War, the story of Newton Knight and Jones County is an inspirational one of fighting for what you believe in. Though it is a bit long and could have been told better, the acting, characters, and production/costume design more than elevate this one in a well told history film. Above all, I am more than willing to accept this film to try and fill my craving for more historically-based films, especially ones from the Civil War.



7/10 - The classic horror satire from director Wes Craven lives up to the hype. Craven loved him some upset suburban high school girls and this on full display in Scream. A terrific satire and yet still great horror in its own right, Scream makes you laugh and feel scared, sometimes simultaneously. However, who better to mock the horror genre than Craven? The Master of Horror knows the genre better than anyone, thus he knows the rules and knows how to poke fun at them, while using them at their most effective. In all honesty, Scream's greatest accomplishment is justifying the cliches. By having regular people mock the cliches and then fall victim to the same cliches, Craven essentially justifies them and showcases how we would all act the same way as the horror movie characters if it happened to us.

Putting modern day horror satire The Cabin in the Woods to shame, Scream manages to elicit pure terror from beginning to end, especially in the opening sequence. The least satirical scene, it shows off Craven's ability as a horror master. He creates tension, atmosphere, and fear with relative ease, which sets the tone for the rest of the film. The opening is so horrifying, it really makes the rest of the film seem that much scarier. Even better, the mystery surrounding this scene lasts until the end of the film as you are left to constantly wonder who the killer is, with conflicting clues and knowledge of cliches playing through your mind.

The story of Scream is a simple one and one that would be suitable in a typical horror film, but is incredibly effective. As is always the case, suburban horror movies are classic, due to their relatability and the way in which suburban life can be a horror for many (even if it is devoid of monsters). The story is bolstered by the constant references to other horror films that point out the cliches at every turn and almost prep you for them to come up. In many regards, Scream tips its hand so many times, yet you ignore it because you imagine it is simply mocking cliches. Instead, Scream is practically screaming at you to realize that this is a cliche horror film, just a self-aware one. Thus, the films sense of irony is incredibly rich and used very effectively.

That strength does become the main weakness at times, however. The way in which Scream pulls its punches by pointing out scary cliches just before they happen kind of ruins the atmosphere, especially towards the end. Constantly, the film points out scary moments before they happen, which lessens their impact and leaves you laughing more than anything. Given that the film sets out to be both scary and funny, this pulling of punches towards the end leaves you anything but scared. Entertained, sure, but it is clear that Craven lost sense of the balance beam he expertly toed between the two genres in the first and second acts. By the third, he goes "balls to walls" with comedy with little regard for the horror element.

Overall, Scream is a classic for good reason. Funny and entirely scary, the film features good performances across the board and will make you want to watch the referenced horror films all over again (or in my case, for the first time...). I guess have some homework to do.

Originally posted by Maxy@Sep 10 2016, 11:34 PM
8-Death Proof
7- Kill Bill
6- Jackie Brown
5- Django Unchained
4- Hateful 8
3- Reservoir Dogs
2- Inglorious Basterds
1- Pulp Fiction

This is actually probably mine as well, except Jackie Brown is 4 and Django/H8 might switch, idk.

Haven't seen Death Proof though.

I checked out "Legend" on Netflix starring Tom Hardy. Tom Hardy delivers a great performance as both Ronnie and Reggie Kray (twins) but the movie can feel slow sometimes, especially towards the end. Not what I was typically expecting from a gangster movie.

I still enjoyed it though, definitely recommend almost solely because of Tom Hardy.

9gag pretty lit tho

6/10 - Oldboy is often cited as a masterpiece direct from South Korea. For me, it simply was not my thing. The violence was not too much for me, as is often the case. Though excessive in spots, Oldboy simply falls out of my range of enjoyment. As it stands, it is an entertaining ride with a disappointing conclusion that really lets the air of Park-Chan Wook's claustrophobic thriller.

Shot in a way that makes the viewer feel entriely claustrophobic alongside Oh Dae-Su (Choi Min-Sik), the film really does a great job capturing his anguish, loneliness, and torment, as he is locked up for 15 years for reasons unknown to him. The film's thrills continue as he meets the far too trusting Mi-do (Kang Hye-jung) and the mysterious Lee Woo-jin (Yoo Ji-tae), who is the reason he is locked up in the first place.

The fim's willingness to dive into shocking violence is a problem, namely the tongue sequence. It makes sense, but no thank you. Other than that, the acting is well shot and well choreographed, especially when Oh Dae-su fights the men in the compound. A masterfully shot sequence, it almost made me a believer. That scene in particular is not just well shot, but Chan-wook Park does a terrific job creating tension and thrills in that scene, as well as the rest of the way.

This is about where the noticeable positives stop for me, personally. My list of complaints is admittedly longer. Firstly, the beginning. Maybe I am dumb, but I barely realized it was the same guy at the beginning. I got what they were trying to do, but the beginning sequence of Oh Dae-su being very drunk and then winding up in this prison for 15 years was horrifically executed. It was incoherent and made no sense while watching it. I obviously figured out that was what happened at some point, but the film made no attempt to make it a coherent transition. Instead, it showed a drunk guy and then a guy locked up asking why he is being held with very little connection.

Additionally, the biggest complaint is the end. Oh Dae-su is held for 15 years because he saw Lee Joo-win have sex with his sister and then he told his friend who spread the news around the school. The sister killed herself as a result (oh wait, excuse me, she was dropped). That is why this happened. Even worse, Chan-wook Park then decided it would be fun if the film became absolute nonsense by having Oh Dae-su have sex with Mi-do who is his daughter. Brilliant twist really. How did he wind up doing this, you ask? Oh well Lee Joo-win, in his endless quest to get payback for his dead sister, had a woman hypnotize the two of them to put them in situations where they will fall in love. This is not a problem with coherence. I understood it. However, these explanations were less than satisfying. I was already torn on whether or not the overall tone and feel were up my alley, but the ending convinced me that Oldboy was simply not my thing. For me, the ending was not just unsatisfying, but outright dumb.

I get that everyone else loves Oldboy. That is fine. I did not hate it. I just would be hard pressed to say I like it. That said, the overwhelming praise will lead to me watching this one again later on. Though, it may be a while since it took me a while to watch it once to begin with since I was convinced it would not be my thing. Now that I have watched it, it seems that my initial impressions were correct. Though I loved the way it was shot and the action in the film is terrific, the incoherent beginning and awful conclusion is a major buzzkill. Sorry.



6/10 - Wonder Boys is the type of film that is difficult to discuss, simply because it elicits so few thoughts as you progress through the film. It is the kind of movie that is released and fades into obscurity, not just because it bombed financially, but simply because it failed to ever make an impression. Though it did not resonate too much with me, I do think that is a shame because there is a lot of good here.

Wonder Boys' biggest sin has to be stereotypical approach to its topics. The general narrative of a lost man finding his path with funny hijinx along the way and the with the help of a few crazy characters is screenwriting 101. Unfortunately, the film really fails to add anything new to the trope and thus, much of what it has to say falls on deaf ears simply because it feels extremely "been there, done that".

This said, this plot is so cliche because it is so effective. Most films that follow this path, if well-executed, can never be outright bad simply because they elicit so much positivity and just make you feel good. In essence, Wonder Boys is a crowd pleaser. For many, this will rank among their favorites simply because of the strong writing and the way in which the film has an indelible ability to bring a smile to your face. Hell, they kill a dog and it is hysterical! That is unheard of in film. The dog dying typically brings a dark cloud over the film, but this one makes it funny. A true accomplishment of the film's pitch black comedy.

The film is also blessed with good performances across the board. Frances McDormand and Katie Holmes turn in good performances, even if their characters are pretty one-dimensional. Robert Downey Jr. plays a good gay druggy, as expected. The only two characters with some real meat to their bones are Grady Tripp (Michael Douglas) and James Leer (Tobey Maguire). Douglas plays the grisled, unhappy, and aimless college professor very well and, though it is certainly not a role you expect to find him in, he demonstrates his considerable range. He does often play unhappy and adulterous characters, yes, but certainly not ones who have merely lost their path. No, his mid-life crisis characters often come with a dose of crazy attached to them. Here, he is the rock and the settled down adult, except he is simply feeling worthless. He finds his worth in the troubled James Leer. For me, Tobey Maguire is often hit-and-miss, eve in the same role. As the unhinged, brilliant, and deeply mentally ill Leer, however, Maguire is a wonder. With only slight emotion shown throughout, he is able to perfectly capture the inner feelings of Leer and bring them to light.

Good acting aside, the film's writing is a little on-the-nose at times, namely as Douglas spoon feeds the audience what the point of the movie actually was. If you did not figure out that Tripp and Leer needed one another and learned from each other, then director Curtis Hanson ensured he literally told you. I am never a fan of movies that simply do not think highly of their audience and Wonder Boys seems to fit the fill.

However, Wonder Boys is simply so pleasant, I cannot complain too much. Often pretty funny, moving, and quite engaging, the film is a true crowd pleaser that possesses a career-best performance from Tobey Maguire. Though the writing is typical, thin, and the dialogue is on-the-nose, Wonder Boys is a largely enjoyable and interesting look at a man finding his path with the help of someone who barely realizes there is a path.



8/10 - Dressed to Kill is a Hitchcock thriller directed by Brian De Palma. As such, the film features gratuitous shots of women showering (I am newish to De Palma, but between this and Carrie, does De Palma have a shower fetish or what?) and violent outcomes for its character. That said, if Hitchcock did not have to deal with censors, Dressed to Kill's level of nudity and violence could very well have been a film he directed. As it stands, De Palma channels his inner-Hitchcock with a spellbinding, twist-filled, and above all, thrilling exercise.

Taking a page straight out of Vertigo, De Palma nails voyeurism throughout this film. With repeated shots of people spying on each other and point of view shots of the same (plus a recording of spying on people), this film is wall-to-wall voyeurism. The use of binoculars to spy on Liz (Nancy Blake) certainly channels Rear Window. That said, Vertigo is clearly the biggest influence giving the voyeurism on display between Kate Miller (Angie Dickerson) and Warren Lockman (Ken Baker) in an art gallery. Lifted straight from Vertigo, this scene is a real highlight of the tension of the film, as well as a scene in which Pino Donaggio's score really shines.

The voyeurism continues on the subway as Liz keeps an eye out for the psychotic killer and the group of men who threatened to attack her. Though the stakes are higher in this scene than in the art gallery sequence, the tension is the same. That is really the brilliance of De Palma in this film. A scene in which a woman stalks a man she wants to sleep with is as tension-filled as a scene in which a woman tries to avoid men with bad intentions. In both scenes, De Palma flips between point of view shots from our "protagonist" (Kate and Liz, respectively) and close-ups of them walking, similar to the same shots in Vertigo of James Stewart. As in that film, the camera work in these scene is tremendous, though the camera work is the real star of this film.

As mentioned, I was a big fan of Donaggio's score, which is pitch perfect in the art gallery and again in the final dream sequence. Both scenes really leave you on edge, in no small part thanks to Donaggio's score, which really captures the moment and leaves you sitting on pins and needles. In that final sequence, the tension is really high. Starting off with a gratuitous shot of Nancy Blake showering (what is it about showers that does it for you, Brian?), this apparent dream sequence is dripping with tension and highlights one of my favorite parts of the film; mirrors and lighting. There is one shot earlier in the film of Dr. Robert Elliott (Michael Caine) leaning up against a wall and, thanks to a mirror, we see his reflection. Subtle foreshadowing to the film's conclusion, I am a real sucker for mirrors and De Palma used it to perfection in this one. Heck, the scene where Liz sees Bobbi in the elevator is only possible because of the mirror. The final sequence shows the same thing as Liz only realizes Bobbi is behind her due to a mirror. This reveal is absolutely chilling and, even if a dream, still incredibly effective at creating tension. Though it adds very little, I also loved the lighting. The emphasis on the shininess of the razor, the doorknob at the end, and the item in the medicine cabinet for some reason made me fall in love even more with this one. The success of this film are in the details and this is simply one of many.

Only real complaints are the blatant sexism and prejudice against transsexuals in the film. As a transsexual is the killer, the criticism is logical. That said, for me, these do not really factor heavily into my rating. Most films wind up being sexist and misunderstanding of transsexuals was rife at the time. Plus, the film does show a positive representation of transsexuals at the end and during the film as it shows them as normal people. Additionally, Bobbi is not the killer because of being a transsexual, but certainly due to a certain degree of split personality disorder.

As a whole, Dressed to Kill is an incredibly detailed and truly splendid thriller from Brian De Palma. Showing influence from Hitchcock, particularly Rear Window and Vertigo, the film is a champion of voyeurism and the effectiveness of mirrors in these types of films. Dressed to Kill is blessed with good acting, top-notch direction, a great score, and great cinematography. At every turn, the film thrills, entertains, and proves to be quite titillating.



6/10 - Battle Royale is a fine film. A compelling premise with clear influence on The Hunger Games, Battle Royale is a gruesome, action-packed film with some good takes on growing up, loss, and teenage love. That said, it is a film with chutzpah. Yes, I understand it kills teenagers for two hours in incredibly graphic ways, but it refuses to deviate too far from classic young adult material.

Compared to The Hunger Games, Battle Royale blows it away. I really hate The Hunger Games films, simply because if a paper bag and Liam Hemsworth were the last two actors on Earth, the paper bag would still win every Oscar. Plus, the film's unwillingness to show the true nastiness of society is really too bad for me. That said, while I hate the hair in that film, I do appreciate the theatrical nature of it. It really makes it that much more screwed up. Really, this is what I wanted from Battle Royale. It hints at it, but it is all too hush hush. We see the impacts on the teenagers, but not on the adults. I assume their parents could not be too happy, right? Unfortunately, we never get to see this element. Instead, it is a classic film aimed at teens in which all adults are bad and not to be trusted because they let you down. In a film that preaches understanding of teens, it could not be less concerned about extending that same courtesy to adults.

This said, the ending is really my biggest complaint. I really want one of these films to ditch the romantic element. Instead, both this and the later Hunger Games decide that their two lovers will survive in a message that "love triumphs all". This may be heartwarming, but annoyingly cliche. I want brutality. I came to watch a movie in which teenagers slaughter each other for survival. Give me what I show up for. Ultimately, I want a film with chutzpah and guts. A film that will leave its two lovers for last and one of them kills the other. Or, even better, no romance and a protagonist that his entirely against the whole Battle Royale program, but eventually opts to begin killing. Thus, becoming a part of the system they fought against. Personally, I feel like that is a better film and has a far more hopeless feeling that I think these films really lack. In this one, the predictable ending that could have been written by Stephanie Meyer and right at home in Twilight is really too bad. How can you kill kids all movie and show so much pathos from other characters losing their crushes/significant others, but not follow through with the "protagonists"?

Battle Royale is certainly action-packed. With good action sequences, it is no surprise to me that everyone is a bag fan of this one. However, I am simply not a big action guy at all. Thus, most of the bullets just get ignored by me for the most part. That said, when the film really goes for hand-to-hand combat and does not have that one guy just spraying bullets everywhere (and missing everyone, but Nakahura, of course), then the action is really much more appreciated.

I know that thus far, the review has largely been me complaining, but I guess that is just because everyone else loves the movie and I came away largely mixed. I did love the setting, the lack of needless exposition, and the general premise of the film. I just wish it was better and that I liked it more, personally. Overall, Battle Royale is a film beloved by many and I can certainly identify the reasons as to why, but it is simply not up my alley apparently. As it stands, the film is slightly above average in my books and works as an entertaining action flick that has a lot to say about growing up, loss, and teenage love.



8/10 - Am I the only one who cannot understand how this is a "comedy"? This is not pitch black. It is tragedy. I admit to laughing at times (such as the line "So you're saying that without Hitler we wouldn't exist?"), but as a whole, Storytelling is a heartbreaking tale. What that tale is truly about is diverse, as it feels like this film is simply about rejection and life as a whole. Life is unfair and senseless with Todd Solodnz having serious contempt for that harshness and the unlevel playing field we all face. A truly hollow viewing experience, Storytelling is a tough film to assess simply because it just leaves you feeling defeated and empty above all other feelings.

The theme of rejection is quite clear from the get go, in both the "fiction" and "non-fiction" sections of the film. Marcus (Leo Fitzpatrick) writes a story from the heart about feeling normal and not being a freak, in spite of having cerebral palsy. Despite this, his story is harshly criticized by his professor Mr. Scott (Robert Wisdom). As a result of this rejection, Marcus dumps his classmate girlfriend Vi (Selma Blair) who then goes on to having violent, rapey sex with Mr. Scott. When Vi tries to write about it, it is criticized as being unbelievable, sexist, and racist, despite her pleas that it is true. The same thing occurs in the non-fiction section as Toby Oxman (Paul Giammati) has been rejected in all of his endeavors. The same lies ahead for Scooby Livingston (Mark Webber), who is the focus of a documentary shot by Toby. A slacker with no goals as of yet, the documentary is played for Scooby's classmates who all laugh and mock the poor kid.

Now, what does Solodnz have to say about all of this rejection? Well, it is ultimately captured in the focus of Toby's documentary. An unhappy life for Toby has led to him wondering if the same path lies ahead for current students. Are they all doomed to be unhappy and turn out the same as himself? Well, Solodnz's film emphatically concludes to the affirmative. With a deep anger towards this harshness, Solodnz lashes out by demonizing Mr. Scott in the "fiction" section and killing Scooby's family in the "non-fiction" (note how Consuela kills them, who is looked down upon by the family). Both sets of characters resoundly reject those around them, are incredibly priviledged and prejudiced, while also being self-obsessed and narcissistic.

This ties into the unfairness of everything in the film. In the "fiction" section, Marcus is a kid trying to overcome his disease, yet faces obstacles at every turn and feels like a failure. Vi is raped, yet nobody believes her and writes her off as a racist. In the "non-fiction" section, Scooby is mocked for being lost. Toby is written off as a loser, even by the audience. Brady (Noah Fleiss) is a relatively nice kid, yet he winds up in a coma after a freak football accident. Consuela (Lupe Ontiveros), the Livingston's family housekeeper, is fired simply because the Livingston's youngest son Mikey (Jonathan Osser) is a privileged and spoiled jerk who seems unable to feel any empathy whatsoever. This, of course, comes after Consuela's son is executed after being on death row. Maybe he deserved it, but Consuela certainly did not. Throughout the film, Solodnz is obsessed with examining unfairness and this unlevel playing field through the eyes of the disenfranchised, physically disabled, and the misunderstood. In many ways, these mirror himself as his films have often been written off by critics or simply misunderstood. Fortunately, Solodnz will not lash out by killing them all, but they should take this film as his letter of contempt.

As a film, Storytelling is incredibly well-written, creating engaging characters left and right. Both the "fiction" and "non-fiction" section create characters that I want to explore more and almost regret that the film is so short. As it stands, however, the characters are well developed with little in the way of exposition. This is largely in part to Solodnz's ability to create deeply relatable characters and trust in his audience. He trusts us to get these people and we most certainly do at every turn.

The key to understanding Storytelling lies in Toby's documentary in my personal opinion. Many label this a comedy and Solodnz as "cruel" for mocking these characters. Yet, he is simply showcasing the contempt audiences have for these characters. He presents them in an unbiased manner and begs you to feel bad for them. Yet, all we can do is laugh. This is truly tragedy at its very finest as Storytelling leaves you hollow and empty as you watch these characters pushed down and left for dead at every turn without any hope for their futures. Scooby will fail out. Toby's film will fail. Consuela will never find steady work again at her age. Heartbreaking, taboo, and deeply misunderstood, Storytelling is a stirring look at rejection and the unfairness of society with Solodnz lashing out violently at both.

As a sat to write this review, I was lukewarm about the film. It was only through writing that I realized just how truly brilliant this work was and what Solodnz was able to accomplish right under my nose.



9/10 - A truly melancholy yet poignant experience, In the Mood for Love is a truly devastating look at those on the other side of infidelity. Yet, at the same, purely and subtly romantic. As a result, director Kar-Wai Wong's moving film touches on themes of adultery, marriage, and love, as these two people try to cope with the way in which their lives have been destroyed. Blessed with good cinematography, good acting, and a great score, In the Mood for Love is a wonderful work that really hits home.

After moving in next door to one another, Mr. Chow (Tony Leung) and Mrs. Chan (Maggie Cheung) discover that their spouses are having an affair with one another. What plays out is them imaging their spouses' spending time with one another, as well as them imagining confronting their adulterous partners. Unfortunately for them, their spouses heavy travel schedule prevents any of these interactions from actually taking place, thus leaving them in eternal limbo as they await their returns. As expected, the two fall in love and spend more and more time with one another, but repress their emotions to keep up appearances. By the film they are willing to move on their love, time has passed and they simply can no longer because together as life has brought them extenuating circumstances.

A decidedly melancholy film steeped in themes of respect and loneliness, In the Mood for Love only subtly pays off on its hinting at the main characters' love. Though Mr. Chow and Mrs. Chan certainly hit it off and love spending time with another, the film goes out of its way to showcase the two of them maintaining their purity and not becoming their spouses. Instead, they hold themselves back and keep on just being friends. Wong does great at capturing this element as the romantic tension and longing between the two shines through in large part to the camera work and acting.

In the Mood for Love is incredibly slowly paced, which allows for the full emotional impact of their trauma and regrets to really linger with this audience. Even more, this slow, methodic pacing almost becomes wholly melodic and poetic as Wong weaves his way through this relationship, the crumbling of their marriages, and their later attempts to reconnect but to simply be kept apart. In particular, the discussion of the old method of hiding secrets and then seeing Mr. Chow do exactly as he described while in the ruins of Cambodia is a truly moving and poetic ending to the film. Yet, incredibly subtle and restrained, as is the case with Wong's characters. Plus, this scene does a great job capturing larger topics in the process. it was not just our two protagonists whose lives changed, but also all of Hong Kong. As hinted to at the end, Hong Kong has changed dramatically since they met four years prior to the end of the film. Not only have their former landlady's moved out, but times have changed and people are moving on. The fact that Wong chose to end the film in Cambodian ruins is also attached to this element, considering it is a very visual representation of the way in which time moves on and leaves destruction, ruins, and memories in its wake. The camera work in this final sequence is particularly moving as it moves through these Cambodian ruins as Mr. Chow visits them.

Ultimately, Kar-Wai Wong's In the Mood for Love is a truly tragic exercise in heartbreak, repression, and loneliness. Though these two may love one another, they simply cannot allow themselves to express this in the conservative Hong Kong. If they did, it would be the end of them socially. Thus, they remain silent. Wong does a tremendous job capturing their chemistry even in silent moments and developing his characters, as well as their relationship. Wholly authentic in its portrayal of love and romance, In the Mood for Love is a film that may be very slow, but it is a truly melodic and poetic experience. Due to the circumstances, it also left me in ruins and "crept up on me". After I wrote this review and submitted it, I knew I had to go back and fix the rating. Somehow a 4/5 felt harsh when this film is a real wonder. How someone was able to so accurately capture love and its nuances is incredible. In the Mood for Love is a brilliant work in every facet.



3/10 - Ron Howard's The Da Vinci Code is the film equivalent of the annoying kid that read a book and came to the conclusion that the Bible is all nonsense. From beginning to end, the storyline pokes all sorts of holes and comes to conclusions that could best be described as conspiracy theories, but then again, conspiracy theories often contain less mental gymnastics. I get that this is based on a novel that I have no desire to read, but regardless, it does not stop the film from being tedious, overlong, and self-important. That said, it does have an interesting and mysterious premise that Howard captures quite well as Tom Hanks and Audrey Tautou go around the globe searching for the "Holy Grail".

With far too much exposition for one man to handle, The Da Vinci Code's biggest sin is not going against Church doctrine. Though I may be Christian, I am not Catholic. Thus, the church's beliefs are not my own. Instead, the film's biggest sin is undeniably the sheer amount of exposition. Often told through grainy flashback memories, the film tries to explain everything, but manages to explain absolutely nothing. it is incredible the number of questions I was left with. If Sophie (Tautou) is the last living descendant of Jesus Christ, would her brother not have also been a descendant of Christ? If so, why suggest the staging of the car accident and the cover-up over her? Why not just keep the family alive? Maybe I missed something, but Sophie being the last descendant of Christ feels far too fortunate to narratively make any sense. Also, why Robert Langdon (Hanks)? I get why Sophie's "grandfather" wanted his help, but I do not understand why the Church opted to frame Langdon for murders all over the place. He just studied religious symbols, who cares about him? Figured they would kill two birds with one stone or something?

I guess my questions drive home this point: the writing is terrible. The problems with the writing often can be found in the dialogue, which is incredibly clunky and far too on-the-nose. However, the problems can also be found in the story. I get that the thriller elements are there to make things interesting. While they succeed, they are all so cliche. With a story about revealing cover-ups regarding Jesus Christ, the film managed to pull out every contrivance to be found in the thriller genre and include it in a cliched two and a half hour film, right down to the conclusion. Though well executed and oddly stirring, the ending and Langdon's realization as to where the Mary Magdalene is, could not have been more cliche.

Essentially, the film relies of convenience at every turn. The film has a moment equivalent of Pawn Stars when Langdon just happens to know an expert on the Priory of Scion, Sir Leigh Teabing (Ian McKellen). More conveniently, Leigh also has a private plane to help Robert and Sophie escape from the police. Also, at the end, right before Leigh kills them both, in come the cops. How convenient. There are far more than I can think of, but I would be remiss without mentioning the worst. Police captain Fache (Jean Reno) is intent on catching Langdon because his Bishop told him that he is a murderer with a purely evil heart. Without any evidence or scene connecting things, Fache has seemingly learned the truth: the Bishop lied. What or who exactly clued this man into this fact? Was it divine intervention? Oh wait Jesus was not divine according to this film, so maybe not really any kind of miracle.

When it comes to The Da Vinci Code, there are many problems. The plot is outlandish and outright dumb. Though the scene with Langdon finding the "Holy Grail" is great, the rest is hogwash. People who believe in Bigfoot would laugh off many of the conclusions in this film. The way it tries to tie in Da Vinci as a method to make itself seem smarter is laughable at best. What, pray tell, does his art have to do with any of this nonsense? The film also tosses in thinkers and other historical scholars along the way as further evidence that Dan Brown apparently read a book and went to history class like the rest of us. Though its historical mentions can be interesting and informative, the conclusions it comes to using them are more than eyebrow raising. Even worse with these conclusions is that the film force feeds them to you and keeps shoveling in food. A few conclusions would have been enough, but instead, The Da Vinci Code is like a grandmother that assumes you are never full. Instead, you must keep eating long sections of wordy dialogue with nonsense about the paintings of Da Vinci, the lies told by the Church, and the truth behind the Crusades.

Though Howard's film is thrilling, its self-importance, superiority complex, and attempts to be profound are often too much to be anything but laughable. If it ditched the religious elements and nonsense conspiracies, all that would be left is a decent and cliched thriller that would, praise the heavens, be far, far shorter. Hell, keep all the conspiracies. Just stop telling me the plot and let me watch the damn movie. Please.



8/10 - A slow, sweet, and often times tragic film from director David Gordon Green, George Washington is a compelling slice of life film about a group of friends covering up a tragic mistake and their summer as a whole. Quite different from Green's later works, such as Pineapple Express, this down-to-Earth film is a pretty simply plotted film with absolutely stellar characters, writing, and acting.

Firstly, however, I have heard a lot of praise for the cinematography. This praise is certainly very fair. As with the rest of the film, it shows signs of its low-budget indie status, but cinematographer Tim Orr does a terrific job in this film. Though it looks low-budget and rough, it never looks amauterish. Instead, Orr moves the camera with confidence and with the skills of a true professional.

As for the writing, this is where the film really shines. With believable characters who also happen to be incredibly relatable, Green does a great job developing his characters and giving them appropriate responses to the challenges that arise throughout the film. No matter what happens, they all react in ways that are certainly within their character. While the film is named George Washington, I would not say that George Richardson is the only kid with any development. Instead, the whole cast of characters is given background without any exposition. Instead, it just shows you and trusts its audience to understand that this is who the character is and where they come from. Coming from the day and age in which exposition is king, George Washington is a true breath of fresh air in that regard.

That said, the voice-over can be a bit much and is the main detraction from an otherwise very good film. Often a little wordy, the voice-over is delivered by a 12-year old girl and sounds far deeper than any 12-year old I have ever met. Thus, an incredibly believable film outdoes itself a little bit with this element as it feels as if it is very much in contrast with all of the other positives of the film. Without the voice-over and attempted depth, George Washington could have been truly great.

Overall, though it shows signs of its low-budget, David Gordon Green's slice of life film George Washington is an often moving look at youth, growing up, death, and this summer that will live on it the memories of its character for the rest of time. Incredibly written with terrific characters and shockingly talented child actors, George Washington is a very good film.



8/10 - A good blend of tearjerking moments, comedy, and great drama, Philomena is the story of Philomena Lee (Judi Dench), an Irish woman who gave birth to a son out of wedlock. As a result, the nuns at her church took her child away and sold him, along with many others, to adoptive parents. Now on a quest to find her son with journalist Martin Sixsmith (Steve Coogan), Philomena is a truly affirmative, moving, and well-constructed true story.

Often times true stories can slack a bit in terms of pace and interest, simply because you can see the way in which the director is constrained and forced to stay to the story. Philomena certainly does not showcase any of this. Instead, director Stephen Frears ably handles this true story that is interesting in its own right, but he does a great job wringing the drama and emotion out of this. As a result, Philomena is not just a film that tells a story of a mother looking for her son. Instead, it is a universal tale of journey and discovery for both Philomena and Sixsmith and a film that has a heart. There is a heart and soul to this film as it passionately tells this tale of injustice.

With truly brilliant performances from Judi Dench and Steve Coogan, Philomena further convinces me that I need to see more of Steve Coogan. I have only seen him sporadically, but that is clearly not enough. Together, they have terrific chemistry and they work together to find Philomena's son and find out what happened to him after 50 years. Dench plays Philomena with incredible class and majesty, as is to be expected for a woman with such dignity and prowess. The scene in which Philomena forgives Sister Hildegard for all of her sins against Philomena is incredibly powerful. The way in which she can forgive someone who wronged her so much is something that we all could learn from. Dench plays the scene to perfection with incredible emotion, yet with equal strength.

The film does a great job not just making me fight back tears, but also dramatically. As the duo try to uncover the mystery, the film is packed to the brim with drama, furthered by the hurdles they must overcome in order to discover the truth. Though cliched in spots in this regard, Frears does a good job executing the cliches and still manages to make it damn near thrilling as they sort through the evidence and find her son. Above all, however, the film is truly emotional, particularly the ending and when Martin discovers the truth about Philomena's son. Frears does a terrific job capturing these moments, while his two leads do a great job capturing the power of those moments and their significance.

Though it may be written off as Oscar bait by some, Philomena is a terrifically well-executed film that is emotional, powerful, and truly dramatic. Telling a deeply compelling real life story, Philomena does its protagonists justice with a film that captures the essence of both of their journeys into the past and into themselves. As a whole, Philomena is a moving film blessed with great acting, directing, and strong dramatic writing.



9/10 - Directed by Krzysztof Kieslowski, Three Colors: Blue is a truly immaculate film. Visually stunning with a pitch perfect score, the opening film of Kieslowski's acclaimed Three Colors trilogy and first entry into his filmography is an utter marvel for the eyes, the senses, and the heart. Utilizing a sapphire look to the film to encapsulate the main theme of grief, the film tells the story of Julie (Juliette Binoche) grieving after the death of her husband and daughter. After initially shutting off the world, she learns to reopen her heart and move on after his death by returning to her generous and loving self. Open to a wide variety of interpretations, it is a tough task to try and put your finger on what this film is ultimately trying to say to you, but one thing is certain: it is brilliant.

With a beautiful score from Zbigniew Preisner, the music takes center stage in Three Colors: Blue with numerous scenes fading to black to allow the music to really hit some high notes before fading back in to continue the scene. There is even a sequence at the end where Kieslowski opts to have the camera go out of focus as Julie and Olivier (Benoit Regent) work on finishing the concerto written by Julie's late husband Patrice. A beautiful sequence of indescribable melody, the film's music really encapsulates the sheer beauty and wonder of this film. I am no music expert, but to say that the music in this film is beautiful and meaningful would be a terrific understatement.

The cinematography is beautiful, but then again, I am a sucker for any significant use of color as is displayed in this film. Often signifying depression, sadness, or simply grief, blue is used to perfection in this film. Though not every shot is draped in blue, certainly a significant portion of it is displaying blue to some degree. The way in which Kieslowski works in the color in seemingly mundane ways is brilliant and highlights the detailed and subtle nature of this masterpiece.

On that point, Three Colors: Blue is an incredibly detailed film that demands to be re-watched multiple times in order to not just pick-up on everything that Kieslowski is laying down, but to also try and come to some kind of determination as to what the film is telling you. For me, the story is about a woman grieving and learning how to deal with that grief. After initially destroying everything that meant something to her old life and liberating herself from that weight, she learns that the past cannot be escaped. Instead, by embracing her past and letting herself move past the pain, she will liberate herself from it. Rather than running, she can stand still and move past her immense grief. That said, maybe I am way off.

Overall, Three Colors: Blue practically never puts a foot wrong. Impeccably crafted with a wonderous score, beautiful visuals, and incredible heart, Three Colors: Blue is a moving, stirring, and passionately told story about loss, grief, and liberating yourself from that grief.



8/10 - I...what. Coherence is a mindbending science fiction film that will toss your brain for loops as more and more absurd things keep occuring and are to be expected. When things keep progressing and getting worse, it becomes even more and mindbending and now my brain hurts. Coherence turned my mind into mush. Yet, it is oddly coherent and makes sense. Even if it is beyond explanation, it never leaves the grasp of director James Ward Byrkit. Instead, it is an audacious directorial debut for Byrkit that should hopefully propel him to handling bigger and, ideally, even more original films.

Incredibly original, it is hard to think of a comparison for Coherence. Some have cited the influence of The Twilight Zone and from what I have heard about that show, it probably makes sense. However, in terms of film, Coherence largely stands alone. Showing the events of a dinner party during the passing of a comet, Coherence is a film that really messes with your mind from beginning to end and forces you to keep up with it. Fortunately, Byrkit avoids any unnecessary exposition, which really helps to add to the atmosphere. This confused and lost party and their fear is matched by the audience as we try to piece things along with them. Byrkit could have lost their confusion if he kept stopping to explain everything. Instead, he pushes the pedal to the metal and plunges forward.

Featuring a largely unknown cast, Coherence is not necessarily a film about its characters. That said, the acting across the board is solid. Plus, the writing of the characters is solid. Nothing extraordinary, nor are they incredibly deep, but their pasts and their stories are important as the film progresses. For them, it is the key to knowing where and who they are.

More than anything, Coherence shows serious ambition. For this to be Byrkit's debut is an absolute wonder. It is not perfect by any means and probably gets too caught up in philosophy and quantum physics to be truly accessible or perfect. That said, a more experienced director would have problems keeping this one under wraps and having it somehow stay coherent. Instead, many would let the film got bogged down within itself and make no sense in the end. For Byrkit, however, things remain oddly linear. Who we are watching is unbeknownst to us, yet everything is the same and the viewer is able to follow the plot without nary a hitch. As Byrkit adds more and more layers to this film, things remain within our grasp and the film never feels like it is too much. It never feels silly. Instead, this air of paranoia and confusion runs rampant and truly arrests the viewer.

Showcasing serious potential for James Ward Byrkit in the director's chair, this mindbending film is a terrifying, atmospheric, somehow coherent, and truly original science fiction film. It is a rarity nowadays to say that, but it is the absolute truth. In creating this original film, Byrkit was incredibly ambitious and trusting of his audience to follow him wherever he opted to go. The end result is a truly engrossing experience that - for lovers of science fiction - will pay off in spades.



7/10 - Dripping with gooey 80s action movie goodness, Batman features Jack Nicholson unleashing his crazy on the world as the Joker. While the modern day films have decided that doom, gloom, and Henry Cavill brooding, are the ways to make a successful Batman movie, Tim Burton's version embraces the crazy. As with all Burton films, it can be wildly over-the-top at times, but never ceases to entertain as Batman (Michael Keaton) squares off with the Joker and has sex with Vicki Vale (Kim Basinger). Go get 'em, champ.

Far more entertaining than Zack Snyder's slop, Tim Burton ensures that in portraying the Joker's madness, he never loses sight of the key to all action: FUN. And boy oh boy is this one fun. Gloriously 1980s in its approach to action and fight sequences, the film's special effects and choreography may be a bit stilted and unseemly by today's standards, but were more than good for the time. Plus, they feel very in line with the comic books. From the set pieces to the costumes to the dialogue, Tim Burton's Batman feels like a comic book and this is why the film is ultimately so fun. It knows none of it is too serious, so it has fun with an outrageous premise, plot, and scenarios, as it knows what it is: a summer blockbuster adapted from a comic book that is made to please. This, of course, is not to imply it is not dark. It is far darker than, say, Marvel movies nowadays. However, it stops well short of the grim nature of the new DC adaptations.

Michael Keaton does a very good job in the lead role as Bruce Wayne/Batman, but the real star is Jack Nicholson. Crazy Jack rears his head yet again and has a blast with the absolutely nutso Joker/Jack Napier. From hardcore gangster to gleeful murderer, Nicholson does a killer job capturing the Joker and bringing him to life. He has been upstaged in more recent times by Heath Ledger, but this does nothing to diminish Nicholson's turn as the famed comic book villain. The costume design of the Joker is also stellar. The same goes for Batman with both of their "outfits" being well crafted and, honestly, how I often view the characters. Along a similar line, the production design is also killer. The scene in which the Batplane rains hellfire on the Joker and the scene on the cathedral both highlight this look. Not cartoonish, but decidedly comic book, which is perfect for this type of film.

With solid dialogue, fun action, a compelling plot that does not pertain to blowing up planet Earth (oh boy a throwback to the good old days), and good acting, Tim Burton's Batman features all of the wackiness one might expect from a Burton film (especially in the portrayal of the Joker), but is simply an incredibly well done comic book film that captures the fun, atmosphere, and look of a comic book.



9/10 - Guillermo del Toro has always had a flair for the fantastical and that was ever on display in his directorial debut, Cronos. A vampire film about an unsuspecting man who discovers a device that will give him eternal life, Cronos is a film with considerable heart, but also a terrific atmosphere, special effects, and a knack for making you feel unsettled. Of his works that I have seen, del Toro makes horror-esque films and often dabbled on the outskirts of the horror genre. Cronos is the most horror of any of them, but it is not the type to leave you scared and afraid to turn off the lights. Instead, it is the type of horror film that lingers in the air and in the mind.

With a compelling premise and well thought out mythology behind this mysterious cronos device, Guillermo del Toro creates a sense of mystery that quickly turns into dread as you discover what secrets this device holds. Creating this stiff, atmospheric tension, del Toro's debut never produces outright scares, but it does create significant tension. As Jesus Gris (Federico Luppi) begins to explore the device and transform before our eyes, the film is incredibly tense and retains this sense of mystery, as the film's mythology and explanation of events is ever evolving as we learn alongside Jesus what this device is truly capable of. The unique backstory aside, however, the film does largely stick to typical vampire genre tropes when it comes to the daily life of a vampire. However, del Toro executes these tropes very well and makes them feel fresh and new, in large part thanks to the backstory.

In terms of the writing, it is typical del Toro fare. Smart and well crafted characters who are very well developed and relatable. Particularly, del Toro manages to wring significant pathos out of this film, particularly when it comes to the relationships between Jesus and his wife and his granddaughter. Truly moving, this is the human core to all of del Toro's fantastical films and, as he will later do to perfection in Pan's Labyrinth, he executes it flawlessly. This is not some hollow vampire film. Instead, it is one with a heart and soul, which is always appreciated.

The film's special effects are another one of its major strengths, namely when Jesus is becoming a vampire. The decaying flesh, the ripping of dead flesh, and the full transformation, are really impressive. This is make-up special effects at their very finest and given the film's release date, this work is thoroughly impressive. How they managed to make them look this believable and never silly is a true accomplishment.

Overall, Cronos is a terrific film that showcases the skill Guillermo del Toro already possessed at the time of his debut, as well as hinted at even better things for the director. With a consistently tense and mysterious atmosphere, Cronos is a vampire film that strikes its viewers in the heart with its tension, unsettling events, and emotion.



5/10 - Defiance is a solid action film about a few unsung heroes of the Holocaust that helped to save thousands of Jews through their courageous acts. Starring Daniel Craig, Liev Schreiber, and Jamie Bell, as brothers who help to save the lives of their fellow Jews by forming a forest community and then vigorously protecting that community, the film is packed with action, motivational one-liners, and yet devoid of heart.

After Edward Zwick's terrific handling of other action films (Glory, The Last Samurai, Blood Diamond), I had high hopes for Defiance, in spite of the mixed reviews. As it stands, it is nothing but middling. The action is well shot and incredibly tense. Showcasing the isolation and desperation of their situation, the forest always proves to be a terrific staging area cinematically for the battle sequences. It adds a lair of confusion and disorientation that Zwick captures very well in these battles as they struggle to try and locate the enemy and the enemy struggles to locate them. Above all, the action sequences pack the biggest emotional punch of the film with the bravery and courageness on display and the sheer gravity of the situation in which they find themselves.

That said, beyond the action, there is not much here for me to chew on. The acting is hit-and-miss at best. I love Mia Wasikowska, but her supporting turn was painful. Hearing her cry gave me an ulcer. Liev Schreiber felt deeply insincere with every word he spoke. The only ones with any sort of passion were Daniel Craig and Jamie Bell. Alexa Davalos was solid, but certainly not anything special.

The writing, similarly, is hit-and-miss. I do feel as though the actors struggled with this writing that seemed to lack any punch whatsoever. For such an emotional story that is captured in the battles, the writing is simply sub-par. Every line just feels over-written and too much. The only lines with any real power come from Jamie Bell towards the end with the classic action movie motivational speech, except it actually works and truly gave me chills. Otherwise, however, the writing just felt and truly uninspired.

Finally, the atrocities committed by the Russians and even the Bielskis felt completely glossed over. Their killing was justified simply because they had been wronged and were on the path of vengeance. Despite their faults, the film hoists them up on its shoulders and elevates them to the status of Moses and other Jewish heroes in the Bible. For me, this feels a little much. They did certainly save lives and commit acts of bravery, but this does not make them perfect. It felt as if Zwick was simply uncomfortable criticizing his protagonists, which is really a shame since the film would have benefited from the more balanced coverage.

As a whole, Defiance is a solid action flick, but it lacks heart and emotion, which is inexcusable for a film with this premise. The acting and writing are both incredibly slack and the characterization is bordering on deification. That said, it certainly does entertain and provide some very well shot action sequences that capture the fear and tension of the situation.



8/10 - A thoroughly flawed film, The Light Between Oceans is no doubt the least of Derek Cianfrance's first three mainstream efforts. Overlong with a plot that takes a bit too long to get to the good bits and the tearjerking, The Light Between Oceans receives such high marks for me for one reason: the cinematography. In my ever-so-humble opinion, all of the film's problems are reduced to ash when compared to the everlasting, remarkable beauty of the film. For me, it is easily one of the most beautifully shot films of all-time. Without question. Where it ranks amongst films in terms of cinematography is debatable, but this film is not just eye candy. It is an eye buffet.

The film's plot has to be its weakest element alongside its pacing. A little slow and a little too manipulative at times, The Light Between Oceans keeps shoving melodrama at you and expects you to cry. When it fails, it shoves another handful in your face and shows discontent when you do not begin to bawl. That said, it does manage to get you a few times, especially with the love between Tom (Michael Fassbender) and Isabel (Alicia Vikander), as well as in scenes between Isabel and Lucy, These scenes really tug on the heartstrings and are effective at their goal. In particular, the final letter from Tom to Isabel, as well as the one from Isabel to Lucy really knock you on the ground in fits of crying. This is largely in part to the strong characterization of the major players, as well as the sensual chemistry between Fassbender and Vikander. They just worked together very well and the film benefits tremendously from their irresistible chemistry.

However, as hinted to before, the film takes a little too long to get into things. It lays the groundwork very well, but some better pacing could have helped out this issue. It just felt like the final 3/4's were dedicated to the actual drama of the film. Before that, the first act just kept chugging along and developing the love between Tom and Isabel. While it is a very well developed love story - not so much romance, but certainly love - it is simply unbalanced. It needs more the drama and less of the melo.

Now, pushing those issues aside, the cinematography made me want to run around the theater shouting, "F*** YES". I had to scrape my jaw off the ground multiple times with the beauty of the cinematography and I am not just talking about the beautiful aerial shots of the water. Whether it was cliffs, a shot in the distance from the lighthouse, a shot of the sunset, or shots of the waves crashing ashore, those shots are easily identified as being beautiful. These shots do not set it apart. Instead, what sets it apart are scenes such as the one in which Lucy goes missing. While the scene may be a little filler in the film to a degree, there is no way it could be cut because of the shot of the search party with flashlights in the dark. Brilliantly framed and truly arresting, the cinematography of that scene in particular was so perfect it caused me physical pain. As an overall, the film often takes the feeling of an old-time picture with a goldish hue giving the film the appropriate period look and almost a dose of nostalgia for the 1920s. This goldish hue is truly gorgeous and really blends perfectly with the aforementioned shots of the ocean. Together, all of these wind up producing a truly arresting and visually immaculate film. If this one does not get serious nominations for Best Cinematography, the film gods should blind all voters because they are not using their eyes for their intended purpose.

As a whole, The Light Between Oceans is flawed. A hit-and-miss tearjerker, it is certainly overlong and a little manipulative. That said, I really could care less. The cinematography is not just a 10/10. It is a 500/10. It is that good. Not since I watched Days of Heaven or The New World by Terence Malick have I been this awe struck by the cinematography of a film. There are times when I obviously find it beautiful, but nothing like this. The Light Between Oceans, from grand sweeping shots over the ocean to shots in the town to the slight gold filter on the film, is truly a sight to behold.

Dont Breathe is great btw.liked it better than It follows and witch. Babadook is close.


Hunt for the wilderpeople is a 10/10 Comedy. Fuckin hilarous from start to finish.

Originally posted by McJesus@Sep 18 2016, 10:47 PM
Dont Breathe is great btw.liked it better than It follows and witch. Babadook is close.


Hunt for the wilderpeople is a 10/10 Comedy. Fuckin hilarous from start to finish.

I need to see these two very badly. I almost saw Hunt for the Wilderpeople this summer, but the theater's projector wasn't working for the movie and it was the last weekend it was showing. Damn small indie theaters.