The Perks of Being a Wallflower - 2.5/5
I thought it was far from perfect but effective anyways.
Why do social misfits protagonists always have to be the smartest guy/girl in the room? When I was in school, this was never the case.
I don't know if it's the case in this particular movie, but I always enjoy how the awkward social misfits are also stunningly attractive. Don't see that too often in real life.
Biggest offender in recent memory was the new Spider-Man where Andrew Garfield and Emma Stone are somehow the outcasts...that in itself is less plausible than the entire Spider-Man canon.
Lincoln 8/10 Excellent period piece, well acted. Old Washington looked great. All the preformances were filled with angst & emotion. DDL nailed it as Lincoln.
Sliver lining playbook 8/10 From someone who grew up in a house hold with a crazy person this movie made me feel very uncomfortable because it was so dead on accurate. At times I felt like someone was filming my family & adapted a movie from it. I could have done without the happy ending because that's not what really happens. More than likely if something like that ending would happen in real life it would be soon followed by an disaterous manic episode. The entire cast was great. Denerio was his usual solid self, Jennifer Lawerence was amazing. Her Oscar was well deserved.
Zero Dark 30 9/10 Best movie I have seen in regards to 911. I thought this movie was better than Argo & should have had more consideration for Movie of the year.
Nothing special about this movie at all. The most enjoyable aspect of the movie really was the sets and locations they were using (a bit ironic given the nature of the rescue plot). Good location scouting
Dialogue was boring and repetitive. I swear they used basically the same line, re-worded differently, about 35 times. "One mess up and we're going to be publicly beheaded!"...."You won't be saying that when we're on live TV getting executed!" ...."Tell that to the guy hanging from a construction crane!"....and on and on and on.
Emotionally inert, that sounds about right. I believe that was my main criticism of Lore. Although overall I was a bit more optimistic than you I think.
I've been catching up on Asian cinema the past few days and every time I do, I come up with a couple of real gems. My favourites this time include Castaway on the Moon (which is basically a Korean version of Cast Away.. I shouldn't make a statement like that because the latter was an awful film imo) a very subtle, creative, colorful, feelgood (kind of), compelling drama with a perfect ending, which will probably end up in my all time favourites list. I also enjoyed Suzhou River very much. It felt like a Wong Kar-wai movie, although I liked it way better than any of his movies. I was surprised how director Ye Lou could take an ugly city like Shanghai, and make it look as magical as it did.
Thanks for this - just watched Castaway on the Moon and loved it. The story really sucked me in.
Thanks for this - just watched Castaway on the Moon and loved it. The story really sucked me in.
Very glad to hear this It really is a wonderful movie.
I just watched Incendies. Gets high ratings everywhere as it seems but I'm a bit disappointed. Lots of coincidences and the twist at the end was a bit far fetched. I'd give it a 6.5
The more I think about it, the more I realize that The Master may just be my favourite film of 2012. Just steeped in symbolism.
I'm watching The Master again now, and this time I've kept an eye out for Freddie's mental state stemming from the war. Looking at that, I think it is a big aspect of what made Freddie the man he now is when the movie starts. Of course, in the beginning, he is in a military hospital, where they're discussing the mental struggles of the combat veteran.
Also, seeing the scene again where Freddie is walking back and forth from the wall to the window, I noticed that every time he made a "realization", where he felt something not literal, it was at the window. He couldn't see the wall as anything but a wall, and it constantly frustrated him. I think this comes from his desire to be free, and his fear of confinement. This is mirrored by the motorcycle scene later.
I'm watching The Master again now, and this time I've kept an eye out for Freddie's mental state stemming from the war. Looking at that, I think it is a big aspect of what made Freddie the man he now is when the movie starts. Of course, in the beginning, he is in a military hospital, where they're discussing the mental struggles of the combat veteran.
Also, seeing the scene again where Freddie is walking back and forth from the wall to the window, I noticed that every time he made a "realization", where he felt something not literal, it was at the window. He couldn't see the wall as anything but a wall, and it constantly frustrated him. I think this comes from his desire to be free, and his fear of confinement. This is mirrored by the motorcycle scene later.
I'm not sure what effect the war had on him to be honest. I think he is just a naturally ****ed up person.
Holy **** did Jennifer Lawrence really deserve that Oscar. She was absolutely incredible. Bradley Cooper really stepped into the light with this one too. The only scene with him I didn't like was when he was yelling about his wedding video... the only scene that didn't sell me, but that's being really picky in what turned out to be a very excellent movie.
Man, Lawrence is really here to stay, I hope she has an amazing career because she's earning it.
I'm not sure what effect the war had on him to be honest. I think he is just a naturally ****ed up person.
Some of my thoughts have to do with the fact that he did have the young lady, Doris, in his life before he went to war. She cared enough to send him a letter, and be upset that he didn't respond, and frankly, I don't see a girl being that into the post-war Freddie that we know.
In the processing sequence, the first time Dodd asks him if he's killed anyone, he says no. The second time, he quickly responds yes, and that he killed "Japs in war", and that he doesn't feel bad about it. I think it does kind of bother him, although he justifies his actions. Later, he snaps at Dodd's son-in-law, saying "I served on a warship that sunk 13 ships and won the war". That's one of the only times he acknowledged his time in the army.
Also, I think it is a big part of the mystery that is Freddie Quell because Paul Thomas Anderson has said how much of an influence John Huston's documentary, Let There Be Light, had on The Master. That documentary is about WWII soldiers that suffered emotional trauma during war.
Some of my thoughts have to do with the fact that he did have the young lady, Doris, in his life before he went to war. She cared enough to send him a letter, and be upset that he didn't respond, and frankly, I don't see a girl being that into the post-war Freddie that we know.
In the processing sequence, the first time Dodd asks him if he's killed anyone, he says no. The second time, he quickly responds yes, and that he killed "Japs in war", and that he doesn't feel bad about it. I think it does kind of bother him, although he justifies his actions. Later, he snaps at Dodd's son-in-law, saying "I served on a warship that sunk 13 ships and won the war". That's one of the only times he acknowledged his time in the army.
Also, I think it is a big part of the mystery that is Freddie Quell because Paul Thomas Anderson has said how much of an influence John Huston's documentary, Let There Be Light, had on The Master. That documentary is about WWII soldiers that suffered emotional trauma during war.
That's interesting. I didn't know about the documentary.
My feelings came from the fact that he admitted to having *** with his Aunt though I am not really sure we can trust him as being honest. He also mentioned that his mother suffered from mental issues as well.
Either way, I have had a lot of fun wrestling with the movie even months after seeing it. Just a monumental achievement.
Hey hototogisu, I thought you'd appreciate this. So about a month ago, I wrote on the PHI Centre's Facebook page asking them if they could bring the film Lore to their theatres. Today, someone who works there sends me a personal message saying "You asked for us to program Lore, here it is." Kinda cool, right?
Hey hototogisu, I thought you'd appreciate this. So about a month ago, I wrote on the PHI Centre's Facebook page asking them if they could bring the film Lore to their theatres. Today, someone who works there sends me a personal message saying "You asked for us to program Lore, here it is." Kinda cool, right?
Very cool, thanks for the heads up. I've seen you mention Lore quite a bit, I take it this is a recommendation as well?
I see they're also showing that Sorrentino/Sean Penn movie This Must Be the Place. I was looking forward to that last year and it never played anywhere. Wonder if it's worth a trip out or if I should just look for a torrent..hmm..
Very cool, thanks for the heads up. I've seen you mention Lore quite a bit, I take it this is a recommendation as well?
It fell a bit below my expectations, but I think it's worth seeing it on the big screen just for Cate Shortland's directing alone. If nothing else, it's one of the most beautiful-looking films from the past year. Great soundtrack as well.
I liked this movie but I didn't feel like it grabbed me while watching it. Once I started writing my personal review of it though, I appreciated it a lot more. Lee still had the best directing performance of the year IMO, but Haneke was a close 2nd. I absolutely loved the scene at the concert where the camera focuses on the audience the whole time for some reason. I also loved the pacing he used. Just like Anne's deteriorating health, the movie moves along gradually. He doesn't rush to the finish and it works thanks to a pair of stellar performances from Riva and Trintignant.
Stoker (2013), directed by Park Chan-Wook: After her father dies in a mysterious accident, India (Mia Wasikowska) discovers that her Uncle Charlie (Matthew Goode), whom she has never met, will be staying for an extended visit with her and her mom (Nicole Kidman). Uncle Charlie is definitely a little on the weird side, but, for that matter, so is India. Stoker seems to want to be a horror movie, but it more closely resembles a suspense movie--what little horror that the movie generates is dealt with in such a matter of fact way that it precludes lasting impact on the audience. The script provides one interesting character, India, but places her in a plot that totally lacks originality. While I was watching the film, its shortcomings didn't bother me because the direction is so eye-catching. Park's movies don't unfold, they flow, and his command of every aspect of the medium is virtuosic in the extreme, though sadly not in service to much of anything in particular this time around. It's a little frustrating to watch a director whose scripts were such strong points in his Vengeance Trilogy (Sympathy for Mr. Vengeance; Old Boy; Sympathy for Lady Vengeance) use his ultra-elite talent on an uninspired script such as Stoker. Wasikowska, however, deserves credit for doing her best to keep things interesting. She reminds me of a young Isabelle Huppert, and it is fun to watch her emerge as a major talent. An odd sort of movie in the end: disappointing but very watchable in the moment.
Love all the video game references and everything. Cool so see the whole video game world especially since who doesn't think what it would be like for different video game characters to meet each other right? More geared towards kids considering most of the story takes place in Sugar Rush. However despite that it still got a few laughs out and me and was just fun to watch.
Public Enemies 9/10
I like movies about the gangsters whether real or fictional during the 20's and 30's. This one seems to really get at me. I appreciate the performances by Bale and Depp. I think they both really got their roles. The gangsters of the roaring 20's were an interesting breed, they had money, power and had a romantic quality about them so to speak. Gangsters had class, robbed banks with tommy guns and in nice suits then went out to classy bars and hotels at night. Gangsta's on the other hand rob places with their pants pretty much around their ankles. You knew what was going to happen to Depp, at the same time though you know you wanted him to get away.
Watched Lars and the Real Girl last night. Really enjoyed it. After watching this and Blue Valentine recently, Gosling's really jumped to near the top for me. Still need to catch Half Nelson, too.
It really is a wonderful movie.
