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Revolver: Guy Richie's 2005 action crime-thriller with Jason Statham has me scratching my head. Here's a film so wrapped up in its own unpredictable style that it drowns out it's own message of anti-egotism. |
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Transformers, Dark of the Moon: While many typical 'Bayformer' problems remain (comedic timing, action scenes turning stale, Bay's misplaced hard-on for military action), not enough are removed to make this anything more than a summer action flick. The CGI is still impressive none the less.
I did personally enjoy the moon story and a further glimpse into the TF mythos, but it just didn't feel like it had enough of those things to keep it interesting. Too little too late. In a nutshell, its better than RotF, about on par with the first movie. If you're expecting much difference in story or characters though, you might be disappointed. |
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No Strings Attached: A look at modern relationships of varying types through a traditional eye, addressing aspects like chivalry, common gender roles and, of course, the risk of getting hurt. A refreshing and mature take on romantic comedies; it might surprise you. If you walk in with a pretense cynicism towards 'rom-coms' though, any enjoyment you'd have might be drowned out.
What places this higher than other run-of-the-mill romantic comedies is how it addresses our generation's obsession with convenience. We have texting, cell phones, instant messaging and social networks that do all the interaction for us, leaving the emotions of said interactions a burden. It address this subtly, in the form of Kucher and Portman's NSA love-life, exchanging a relationship that would take hard work, perseverance and vast patience, for something that can simply fit in their schedules and, in Portman's case, their comfort level. It's not on the nose with it's message, managing to keep the audience emotionally-involved, yet it's self-reflection and social commentary is fantastic. |
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The Source Code: Another in a run of cleverly-written techno-thrillers lately, Source Code stars a soldier repeatedly launched into the last 8 minutes of another man's life during a train bombing in order to find the device and culprit, using experimental technology. If it's original premise isn't enough, you'll be happy to know it's execution is also very well thought-out.
The only major flaw (I can find) is Jake Gyllenhaal's acting feels underwhelming in the film's first half, as if little direction was given to him and he was told to retain one facial expression. Despite this, the film's second half is surprisingly emotional in comparison, and tugs on a few heart strings, out of both plot and acting.
This is another example of how director Duncan Jones of "Moon" fame (and also being David Bowie's son) is more than capable of creating a brain-teasing yet engaging film. With only two feature films under his belt, he's proven to be more than just good; he's talented. I can't wait to see more of his work. |
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Pulp Fiction: Wacky, chaotic, blood-spilling, gun-toting, philosophical fun. Stylish yet independent-looking films like this give hope to filmmakers, with it's simple yet well-written and finely-crafted dialogue and interwoven stories.
However, while I love Tarantino's trademark violence and single-take methods, the film does drag on at times, leaving one to wonder why some scenes take so long or why they're even there. I'm one for character depth, but when those characters don't appear ever again, it can tend to feel wasted, akin to meeting a very fascinating person at a bar then never seeing them again. |
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Limitless: While it's premise is unique and the acting is good, the film doesn't know what to do with itself halfway through. It grabs onto any dangling plot point it can get, and grabs one no one cares about. I was really hoping for an alternate ending to this one; there isn't. However, my favorite part of the film is the "infinite zoom" effect it uses, to convey the depth of Bradley Cooper's new-found intelligence. |
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The Experiment: The American remake of the 2001 German thriller, the story involves a dozen men hired to simulate a prison for two weeks, half as guards, half as prisoners. It lasted six days.
The film primarily follows two men, both pacifists, played by Adrian Brody and Forest Whitaker, who take on very radical personalities rarely seen for them, especially by the end of the film. What pulled me out of the film, though, was the false sense of retrospect through documentary-like flashbacks; the film didn't allow me to think about the contradictive psychology for myself, not enough anyways.
Interestingly, the films are based on a similar experiment performed in 1971 called the Stanford Prison 3xperiment, which ended with similarily disastrous and brutal results. |
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In The Mouth of Madness: John Carpenter's 1994 chilling and mind-fucking take on cosmic and Lovecraftian horror, with emphasis on the resulting insanity commonly seen in said horror. The campy charm known in Carpenter's films is turned down in this, focusing more on his other great skill: atmosphere. The world we're shown is disturbing, self-reflexive, and most of all, questionable. |
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Tangled: A cute and wholesome children's movie that will still give the adults something to laugh at and smile about. |
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Thank You For Smoking: The 2005 political satire that makes you remember the tobacco isue in America without preaching. Instead, it takes a black comedy approach to the issue, then follows an executives moral dilemna. Then goes right back to black comedy. |
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Sleepers: The 1996 court-room and childhood drama based on a true story. Two men get revenge on a security guard years after horrific abuse at his hands in a disciplinary school.
I felt a lot of tension throughout the movie, what with the content of it. And the characters of Hell's Kitchen are both respectable and hilarious at times. However the film's editing felt sloppy at times, with fade-dissolves in odd places and scenes cutting too quickly and feeling rushed. Even still, it's a fantastic story, but just presented strangely. |
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Un Chien Andalou (An Andalusian Dog): An insane 16-minute film made in 1929 that will A) creep you out B) gross you out C) make you wonder about drugs or D) all of the above. An impacting film in the surrealist movement and it's easy to see why: any semblance of plot is out the window, and one can't help but wonder if it was made purely as a means of shocking the audience or to be scrutinized by psychologists.
Imagine if Eraserhead were made in during the Depression Era. And by Salvidor Dali. |
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Despicable Me: While it has some pretty cute/funny moments from the kids, the film's narrative of following Gru to be the biggest villain lacks the audience's want to see him succeed. Yes, he's a bad guy by nature, but I never felt like he was the kind of villain that warranted any emotional reaction from the audience, that is until he's a little more fleshed out in the movie's second half. |
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Singin' In The Rain: The hilarious musical about 1920s Hollywood. For me, seeing a film with such light-heartedness is incredibly refreshing; makes one realize how cynical some modern comedies can be in comparison. At the same time, aspects of this movie surprised me and made me wonder how this was made in '52, like bizarre dutch angles now and again, its special effects and absolutely spot-on physical comedy. |
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Superman:I know I'll get total backlash for this, but I found myself loving merely half the movie; the beginning. The life and death of Krypton, the mythos of Superman's origin and Marlon Brando's performance are fascinating and I absolutely loved the film for it, while the latter half consists of awkward moments and the uncomfortable silliness of Lex Luthor's bumbling crew.
And the ENDING. God. While I'm fine with science fiction acknowledging alien men flying around in colorful tights saving people from exploding dams, I have a problem when it thinks going really really fast around the planet over and over again turns back time. Somewhere, a quantum-physicist is crying. |
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Lost In Translation: A very touching film about being lonely while surrounded by bizarre, if hilarious, forces; in this case, two Americans find solace in each other while surviving culture shock in Japan. What's most impressive, aside from the cinematography, is it's handling of music. It knows what to play at the right moments, and possibly more importantly, knows when not to play anything at all.
Also, seeing Bill Murray, as stoic as he is, in contrast with the sometimes-obnoxious loudness of Japanese television, pop culture and mindset is ripe with hilarity. Seeing him get tackled by a "masseuse" obsessed with dom/sub characteristics is good times. |
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Prince of Darkness: John Carpenter's darkly-atmospheric and moody take on the Antichrist returning, notably in the form of a scientific goop kept secret by the Catholic church for thousand years.
While not as visually impressive as his other 80s movies, the film does a great job making one feel entrapped yet surrounded by supernatural and incomprehensible forces. Its also clever in its use of science-fiction as a means to present a story about religion. |
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I, Robot: An action sci-fi starring Will Smith as Will Smith. While the action is fun to watch, the film is undeserving of the book's same title, reducing potential concepts like artificial intelligence into neat little Hollywood formulas. |
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The Lady Eve: A cute, screwball comedy about a swindler woman and a dense millionaire scientist. While its cute, its hard to keep up with character intentions. The ending might leave some scratching their heads. Prepare for numerous prat falls. |
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The Town: The Ben Affleck-starred and -directed crime drama about a group of bank-robbing friends in a small Boston neighborhood. What I loved most was the sound: it's gritty, dry and visceral, even voices. Small things like that go a long way in bringing a viewer into the setting. Also, Ben's Boston accent is as good as it was in The Departed; take that as you will. |
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Double Indemnity: A classic crime film about a woman and an insurance salesman who plot her husbands murder and runaway together. Shadows and costume add a subtle, flowy texture to the mood. Scenes are lined with sharp dialogue, deception and cigarette smoke, key characteristics of noir. Today, the film remains a strong example of the genre. |
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The Crazies: While the film starts off fast with the story, it quickly descends into a movie you've seen several times before. It doesn't help that it's scare methods become overused and the main characters, while introduced as interesting and having depth, become stock victims as you predict when who will die next. |
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The King's Speech: A historical drama that also allows itself to also be a quirky comedy. The cast does an amazing job (even the supporting ones), and the emotion put out from the film feels genuine, never forced. The cinematography deserves a mention; watch where the characters stand in each shot as the film progresses. |
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The Tempest: Visually-engrossing film made by Shakespeare enthusiasts for Shakespeare enthusiasts. While the special effects, make-up and costumes seem simplistic, they still captivate. It brings to mind the concept of a theatre with stage actors, but with an actual location and cameras. Imagine watching a play from multiple perspectives. |
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The Good, The Bad, The Weird: A Korean action/adventure/comedy/Western that's currently on Netflix Instant. Three gun-toting bandits all go after a treasure map. Hilarious times and great shoot-outs. |
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A Boy & His Dog: An interesting look at friendship between a guy and his psychic dog, surviving in a post-apocalyptic world. The interaction was clever and put a smile on my face. But then things get weird when the guy is kidnapped by religious zealots wearing cowboy outfits. |
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