Killing Them Softly (2012)

Killing Them Softly (2012)

Directed by: Andrew Dominik
Screenplay by: Andrew Dominik

Genre: Crime | Thriller
Running Time: 97 Minutes
MPAA Rating: R
Viewed: Theater

In America you're on your own.

[IMDb]

Comments: Halfway through Killing Them Softly, I really wasn't sure what I was watching. I thought many of the scenes were amazing, but as a collective the entire film was disjointed. As the credits rolled, I still felt the movie was a bit uneven, but I'll be damned if I didn't enjoy the hell out of it.

I'm really surprised Killing Them Softly was even shown in my theater, as I can't see the general film-going public (that's going only because Brad Pitt's name is on the poster) will really enjoy this movie. (My theater laughs at the idea of getting anything remotely independent.) I was reminded a lot of the George Clooney's The American, a film that I'm sure many went to see for Clooney alone only to find one of the most anti-mainstream films to get such a wide distribution. The American and Killing Them Softly are certainly different, but I felt the overall vibe was similar between them. And for what it's worth, I thought The American was fantastic.

Anyway, back to the task at hand. Killing Them Softly is surely going to divide critics and the public in general. The political commentary feels a bit forced at times, and there's a certain character that ends up being mostly irrelevant to the rest of the film. But the performances are great (James Gandolfini and Scoot McNairy being my favorite), the look is awesome, and despite my issues with the script and its unevenness I felt that Andrew Dominik's direction was pretty good. If you're interested, I'd definitely recommend Killing Them Softly. Just be aware what you're getting yourself into.

Dr. No (1962)

Dr. No (1962)

Directed by: Terence Young
Screenplay by: Richard Maibaum, Johanna Harwood, and Berkely
  Mather

Genre: Action | Adventure | Crime | Thriller
Running Time: 110 Minutes
MPAA Rating: PG
Viewed: Owned Blu-ray

Now... meet the most extraordinary gentleman spy in all fiction!

[IMDb]

Comments: I just watched Dr. No about a month ago when I was anticipating the release of Skyfall. I had hoped to watch a few more Bond films, but I never got around to it unfortunately. Now, I have no excuse as thanks to Amazon's Black Friday sale I own all twenty-two James Bond films on Blu-ray. Naturally, I'm planning on watching all of them in order, but I had to revisit Dr. No first in its restored and pristine glory. It looks great in HD, and is such a fun movie. Sure, the film feels a bit dated at times, but it's such an iconic picture that it's easy to ignore. And Ursula Andress...

Safety Not Guaranteed (2012)

Safety Not Guaranteed (2012)

Directed by: Colin Trevorrow
Screenplay by: Derek Connolly

Genre: Comedy | Drama | Romance | Sci-Fi
Running Time: 86 Minutes
MPAA Rating: R
Viewed: Rental DVD - Family Video

Take the trip.

[IMDb]

Comments: The last of my $1 rentals was without a doubt my most anticipated, Safety Not Guaranteed. In all fairness, this was due to my recent infatuation with Aubrey Plaza after slamming through four seasons of Parks and Recreation. And even though her character is somewhat similar (which wasn't necessarily a bad thing for me), I still found that Safety Not Guaranteed to be a rewarding movie, even if it didn't quite meet my admittedly high expectations (due to the number of positive reviews I've read here). Overall, Safety Not Guaranteed is a fun little flick that despite its similarities to other low budget indie films still finds its own niche, and for that alone the movie is certainly worth a look.

Seeking a Friend for the End of the World (2012)

Seeking a Friend for the End of the World (2012)

Directed by: Lorene Scafaria
Screenplay by: Lorene Scafaria

Genre: Drama | Romance | Sci-Fi
Running Time: 101 Minutes
MPAA Rating: R
Viewed: Rental DVD - Family Video

Nice knowing you.

[IMDb]

Comments: I'm a sucker for a good romantic film, and while Seeking a Friend for the End of the World isn't the best movie, it certainly won me over. Most of that is due to the leads, who despite their 23-year age difference, really had me intrigued in their budding romance (normally I would've just thought that it was creepy). There's a host a known actors in bit parts as well, and seeing familiar faces certainly helped in my enjoyment of the film. It certainly wasn't a bad way to spend $1. (I love cheap rentals!)

Coupling - Season Three (2002)

Coupling (2000-2004)

Created by: Steven Moffat

Season: Three (2001)
Genre: Comedy
Number of Episodes: 7
Episode Running Time: 30 Minutes
Viewed: Owned DVD

Up for a threesome?

[IMDb]

Comments: More of the same goodness with the third season of Coupling. I did find that the episodes tended to be a bit more serious at times, but overall the quality of the show was just as good. One more to go!

Coupling - Season Two (2001)

Coupling (2000-2004)

Created by: Steven Moffat

Season: Two (2001)
Genre: Comedy
Number of Episodes: 9
Episode Running Time: 30 Minutes
Viewed: Owned DVD

More than just a one night stand!

[IMDb]

Comments: I quite like Coupling. It's a fun show that has great writing (the season finale was phenomenal) and a strong cast. There's certainly some issues here and there - like why anyone would want to hang out with Jane, who's ungodly annoying and never has any humanizing moments. Plus, the total lack of realism hurts at times (I'm mainly speaking of how characters act in the most bizarre way possible), but overall I've enjoyed my time with these six individuals. Despite those issues, it's completely hysterical and well worth a watch. Also, I'm totally phoning this review in if you couldn't tell.

Oh, and the teeth! I know it's sort of a stereotype about the British and their teeth, but some of the guest stars they had on the show were awful. Try to find someone on American TV with bad/dirty teeth. It doesn't happen! Even in the post-apocalyptic future when we're being attacked by zombies, those babies are pearly white.

Sorry for going off on a tangent. Teeth are just something I notice... and I noticed it a lot in Coupling.

Lincoln (2012)

Lincoln (2012)

Directed by: Steven Spielberg
Screenplay by: Tony Kushner

Genre: Biography | Drama | History | War
Running Time: 150 Minutes
MPAA Rating: PG-13
Viewed: Theater

[IMDb]

Comments: To be honest, just from watching the trailer and previews, Lincoln didn't do much for me. I knew it would likely be a good film and that I would really appreciate the performances, but nothing about the movie screamed "get to the theater now, you don't want to miss this!" However, my friend wanted to go see Lincoln on Thanksgiving Eve, so I wasn't going to turn the opportunity down. In the end, I'm glad I went. Lincoln, if a bit long, delivers on just about all fronts. It paints the man as human and likeable, and also interjects some surprisingly well-done humor into the mix. I imagine that this film will be nominated for a number of awards, but I don't think anyone is as deserving as Daniel Day-Lewis - he completely steals the show (as expected). It's also Steven Spielberg's best film in years, though I haven't seen either The Adventures of Tintin (which I actually have on order) or War Horse (no desire to see that at all), but I don't think either would top this film. If you're interested in history and don't mind a two-and-a-half hour film with a lot of talking, then I strongly recommend Lincoln. At least then you'll have a understanding of what everyone's talking about come awards season.

Coupling - Season One (2000)

Coupling (2000-2004)

Created by: Steven Moffat

Season: One (2000)
Genre: Comedy
Number of Episodes: 6
Episode Running Time: 30 Minutes
Viewed: Owned DVD

The naughty new comedy about nothing... but sex!

[IMDb]

Comments: Fuck me. Sarah Alexander, where have you been all my life? You are just about the goddamn cutest thing I've ever seen. And those "Nude Practice" skits you used to do on that Armstrong and Miller sketch show? Jesus fucking Christ. Why don't they release those on DVD? You are just so... oh, right. We're here to talk about Coupling.

Coupling has often been described as the British version of Friends, and that's certainly true to an extent (though it's also not giving Coupling enough credit). The show also has some definite Seinfeld influences as well, given the nonsensical relationship rules and phrases that come up over the first season. But the biggest reason why this show exceeds Friends is the writing of Steven Moffat - he of Doctor Who and Sherlock fame. As dumb as the comedy is in Coupling, it's also always smart and the episodes are well-conceived. It's a fun show, and I'm looking forward to watching the following seasons.

Also, have I mentioned Sarah Alexander?

Flight (2012)

Flight (2012)

Directed by: Robert Zemeckis
Screenplay by: John Gatins

Genre: Drama
Running Time: 138 Minutes
MPAA Rating: R
Viewed: Theater

[IMDb]

Comments: I wasn't planning on doing much today, given that I'm off for Veteran's Day, but at the last moment I decided to go catch Flight - the third film I've seen in theaters in the last five days - as it's one that really had me intrigued.

- Despite being somewhat long during the second act, I found Flight to be a compelling character study, mainly due to the compelling acting of Denzel Washington. He's great at portraying the anti-hero, and comes through again here. The film itself hits familiar notes throughout (except for one nice John Goodman appearance toward the end), as pretty much everything I expected to happen did in fact happen. But Washington throws Flight on his back and once again carries it to the finish.

- I can't short-change the fantastic plane crash sequence, though. Even though you knew mostly everyone was going to survive, the tension Robert Zemeckis created was amazing. It's almost worth seeing the movie for that aspect alone. Oh, and Nadine Velazquez in the opening scene, all nekkid and stuff. Ay, Mami.

- It's also nice to see Zemeckis back directing live action films, with Flight being his first since 2000's Cast Away (a personal favorite). He's directed a number of movies I've adored over the years, so here's to some more in the future.

- Despite a couple of issues with the relatively by-the-numbers script, I really enjoyed Flight. It's one that won't be an award winner, but it will surely grip and enthrall its audience. After worrying about the noise level in my theater during the trailers, not much was heard once Flight began. That's almost always the sign of a solid movie, and fortunately, this one's a good one.

Parks and Recreation - Season Four (2011-2012)

Parks and Recreation (2009-????)

Created by: Greg Daniels and Michael Schur

Season: Four (2012)
Genre: Comedy
Number of Episodes: 22
Episode Running Time: 30 Minutes
Viewed: Owned DVD

Because parks don't grow on trees.

[IMDb]

Comments: As I mentioned before, I really dig Parks and Rec. The show has to be one of the most kind-hearted shows on television (in addition to being one of the funniest). And I'm not saying that as a bad thing - I love that all of these characters are inherently good and always try to do the right thing to each other. That just tends to resonate with me, and as a result I genuinely care about them as if they were my friends.

I wish my job was like this.

Prometheus (2012)

Prometheus (2012)

Directed by: Ridley Scott
Screenplay by: Jon Spaihts and Damon Lindelof

Genre: Adventure | Sci-Fi | Thriller
Running Time: 124 Minutes
MPAA Rating: R
Viewed: Owned Blu-ray

The search for our beginning could lead to our end.

[IMDb]

Comments: Here's my original thoughts, because it's late and I'm lazy:

I tempered my expectations of Ridley Scott's Prometheus after the film received a solid but not outstanding reception on its opening weekend (I previously mentioned that I was more excited to see it than The Dark Knight Rises; that perception was a little off). This was for the best as I think I would have been disappointed if my expectations were higher than they were. This pseudo-prequel to Alien is a solid if flawed film, but it definitely was worth the watch.

- The film's scope is so fucking grand that it's hard to latch onto one aspect. The reason Alien worked so well is because behind all of the space suits, evil corporations, and questionable-intentioned androids, the film was a horror story at heart. Man versus beast. And people were down with that. Prometheus has so many ideas and themes crammed into the two hour runtime that there's never one aspect to fully get involved in. (The fact that Prometheus was co-written by Lost showrunner Damon Lindelof feels natural, doesn't it?)

- The film looks GORGEOUS. Granted, I saw it in glorious 2D (as 3D is the worst thing to re-happen to movies in years), but this planet that the crew is on feels so alive. The cinematography and landscapes are awesome, and the ship's design is top notch.

- Michael Fassbender owns. That should come as no surprise, but he was above and beyond everyone else in Prometheus. The only character I enjoyed as much was Idris Elba's. I really didn't like Guy Pearce as the elderly Peter Weyland. I like Pearce, but any time a recognizable actor plays an older person by way of prosthetics and make-up I don't buy it. I didn't here.

- I know I make jokes often about actresses that qualify as #motherofgod material, but there are not many higher than Charlize Theron. Jesus fucking Christ. The woman is made of pure gorgeous. And she seems like an awesome person too if you've ever seen any interviews with her.

- Even though I have my share of complaints, I really liked Prometheus. I was hooked for the entire two hours, which surprised me because I'm usually passing out early Friday nights from the work week. It's worth seeing on the big screen as well, even if it's not as good as it should be. At least that didn't try to force Sigourney Weaver's iconic "bitch" line from Aliens (like the "get to the chopper" line in Aliens vs. Predator: Requiem), because nothing ruins a prequel/sequel more than shoving ideas from the other movie down the viewers' throats (see: The Hangover Part II). Wow, I really went off on a fucking tangent there. Anyway, go see Prometheus. It's solid.

Skyfall (2012)

Skyfall (2012)

Directed by: Sam Mendes
Screenplay by: Neal Purvis, Robert Wade, and John Logan

Genre: Action | Adventure | Crime | Thriller
Running Time: 143 Minutes
MPAA Rating: PG-13
Viewed: Theater

The threat is not from above, but from within.

[IMDb]

Comments: As I've mentioned previously, I'm not incredibly well-versed in the Bond universe (though I know enough to pick up on some of the great throwbacks in Skyfall), but I've been a big fan of the "new" Bond films with Daniel Craig. OK, so Quantum of Solace wasn't the greatest, but Casino Royale was fantastic and Daniel Craig's take on the super spy is top notch. With all the great press Skyfall was receiving, I was incredibly eager to check it out.

One of the main things I noticed was how stylish and effective Sam Mendes' direction was. I know many worried how a director of mainly dramas would fare in an action driven thriller. I think it was a great success (said in my best Borat voice), and I really enjoyed the look of Skyfall (the lack of the shaky cam was a nice touch too).

Everything falls into place nicely for Skyfall. Despite being a tad long in the first two acts, the film flows nicely and has both a solid story and great action. Plus, everything is set up nicely for future installments, so hopefully that's a go (preferably with Mendes at the helm). If you've enjoyed the Daniel Craig-led Bond films, I can't recommend Skyfall enough. It's rather fun.

Cloud Atlas (2012)

Cloud Atlas (2012)

Directed by: Tom Tykwer, Andy Wachowski, and Lana Wachowski
Screenplay by: Tom Tykwer, Andy Wachowski, and Lana Wachowski

Genre: Drama | Mystery | Sci-Fi
Running Time: 172 Minutes
MPAA Rating: R
Viewed: Theater

Everything is connected.

[IMDb]

Comments: One of the things I've come to enjoy is using subtitles while watching movies. I feel that I catch so much more by reading everything that's going on. To be honest, if I didn't live in an apartment, I probably would just crank the sucker up so I could hear everything. But since I'm a considerate neighbor, subtitles have become the way to go. And boy, I would have loved to have subtitles for Cloud Atlas.

Cloud Atlas is a pretty fascinating film. You'd think dividing six loosely connected stories over the course of three hours could become a colossal clusterfuck, but the film is constructed rather wonderfully. While this unfortunately doesn't make it a masterpiece, Cloud Atlas is a great piece of filmmaking that held my attention during its long runtime (I did get a tad restless at times). My main complaint was not being able to understand what characters were saying at times. Many characters during the various time periods speak in heavy accents (this is most noticeable during the final storyline where borderline gibberish is spoken), and I would have given anything to hit the subtitle button on my remote to fully understand the movie. As it stands, I guess I'll have to wait until the Blu-ray is released to watch in the comfort of my own apartment.

There's a nice assortment of actors in Cloud Atlas, most notably Tom Hanks and Halle Berry, but I'd be remiss not to mention Jim Broadbent. Broadbent owns this movie. Anytime he's onscreen, Cloud Atlas just springs to life.

Cloud Atlas is the type of the film that I feel will become more rewarding with multiple viewings (with the subtitles on). While I'm not super eager to jump back into this three-hour extravaganza, I can only imagine my appreciation for the film will grow. Definitely check it out if you're interested.

Martha Marcy May Marlene (2011)

Martha Marcy May Marlene (2011)

Directed by: Sean Durkin
Screenplay by: Sean Durkin

Genre: Drama | Thriller
Running Time: 102 Minutes
MPAA Rating: R
Viewed: Owned Blu-ray

[IMDb]

Comments: This was really good.

Dr. No (1962)

Dr. No (1962)

Directed by: Terence Young
Screenplay by: Richard Maibaum, Johanna Harwood, and Berkely
  Mather

Genre: Action | Adventure | Crime | Thriller
Running Time: 110 Minutes
MPAA Rating: PG
Viewed: Owned DVD

Now... meet the most extraordinary gentleman spy in all fiction!

[IMDb]

Comments: With all the great TV spots I've seen over the last few weeks for Skyfall, plus all the hype around the recent Blu-ray box set release of every James Bond film, I've been feeling a bit like undertaking a few entries in the series. Outside of the Brosnan and Craig movies, the only James Bond film I've ever seen was Goldfinger. So I decided to start tonight with Dr. No, a film that despite being somewhat dated (and silly), I really enjoyed. There's a few other Bond flicks on Netflix that unfortunately expire in two days, so I won't get to see all of them. But I'd at least like to check out as much as I can. Onto the next one...

Edit: I started watching From Russia with Love, but I got tired and planned to finish it later... and then it expired on Netflix.

Parks and Recreation - Season Three (2011)

Parks and Recreation (2009-????)

Created by: Greg Daniels and Michael Schur

Season: Three (2011)
Genre: Comedy
Number of Episodes: 16
Episode Running Time: 30 Minutes
Viewed: Owned DVD

Because parks don't grow on trees.

[IMDb]

Comments: I am really loving this show. It's not perfect, but it's fucking awesome nonetheless.

I've been really slacking on watching other shit though. Between watching Parks and Rec, the massive amount of shit I'm recording on my DVR (Castle, Raising Hope, Arrow, South Park, perennial guilty pleasure The Challenge, The Office, The Big Bang Theory, Last Resort, It's Always Sunny, Mythbusters, and The Walking Dead), and the fact that I've been playing NHL 13 a few hours a night with my hombres, I've had little-to-no time for anything else. I've bought a few things at Best Buy during their Upgrade and Save sale recently (read: entirely too much shit), but I've watched none of it. I don't see too much changing in the next few weeks, but I have two weeks of vacation to burn in November and December because I have no fucking life (I've barely used any throughout the year as I have nothing better to do than go to work). Movies will be watched at that point... I promise.

Parks and Recreation - Season Two (2009-2010)

Parks and Recreation (2009-????)

Created by: Greg Daniels and Michael Schur

Season: Two (2009-2010)
Genre: Comedy
Number of Episodes: 24
Episode Running Time: 30 Minutes
Viewed: Owned DVD

Because parks don't grow on trees.

[IMDb]

Comments: I can't even begin to describe how much Parks and Recreation improved over the last half of Season Two. For the first season, along with the first few episodes here, I enjoyed the show but was never smitten by it. I'm not sure what it was, but my overall enjoyment of Parks and Rec was ramped up during the second half of the season (as evidenced by the fact that I started watching episode 15 after work tonight... and then all of a sudden it was 1:30 in the morning and I'd finished the season).

There's a few things that really improved my enjoyment of the show. The first, because I'm a sap, was the inclusion of a solid romantic storyline between April and Andy. I'm a sucker for this type of romance, and I think it was well done. Secondly, Amy Poehler was my least favorite character early on, and often her mannerisms annoyed the shit out of me. I don't know if I got used to her, or she just honed her character a bit (or a combination of the two), but I really started to like her as the season went on. And finally, how can I not love a show with Ron Swanson?

And for my last ramblings of the evening, I must say that Aubrey Plaza is a winner in my book (meaning I'd like to marry her if given the opportunity). I just love the looks she gave the camera, and like I mentioned her storyline with Chris Pratt was well done and felt both genuine and authentic.

And I want to marry her. (If Alison Brie isn't available.)

Police Story (1985)

Police Story (1985)

Directed by: Jackie Chan
Screenplay by: Edward Tang

Genre: Action | Comedy | Thriller | Crime
Running Time: 101 Minutes
MPAA Rating: Not Rated
Viewed: Owned DVD

You may know the name, but the game has changed.

[IMDb]

Comments: So after I finished watching The Raid: Redemption, I checked out a few of the special features, mostly because I was curious to see the director, Gareth Evans, who had a very white-sounding name. Sure enough, he was a pasty white dude directing an Indonesian film that has serious East Asian influences. Anyway, while talking, he listed of few of his favorite films he watched growing up. Among them, he named Jackie Chan's Police Story, a film I owned but never watched (like 50% of my collection). Anyway, since I had nothing better to do this afternoon, I decided to pop in Police Story while riding a violence high after watching The Raid.

Police Story wasn't exactly what I expected. While bookended by some amazing fight sequences, most of the narrative has more of a comedic tone. While I enjoyed the style originally, I was soon ready for the film to progress forward (I'm mainly looking at the scene where Chan answers four phones at once). The movie is described as a good cop (Chan) who needs to clear his name after an officer is murdered, but none of this happens until about 75 minutes into the film. So when there's a relatively pointless comedy scene, I began to get a little antsy waiting for the real action to pick up. Regardless, Police Story is worth a watch for the fucking tremendous action sequences. It's amazing people weren't killed when they were performing these scenes (although reading through IMDb's trivia suggests that Chan had the absolute shit beat out of him). No wonder he retired from action films recently.

Looper (2012)

Looper (2012)

Directed by: Rian Johnson
Screenplay by: Rian Johnson

Genre: Action | Sci-Fi | Thriller
Running Time: 118 Minutes
MPAA Rating: R
Viewed: Theater

Hunted by your future. Haunted by your past.

[IMDb]

Comments: I was a huge fan of Rian Johnson's debut film Brick. I thought it was an outstanding piece of work that took an odd gimmick (a film noir where characters talk like it's 1940, even though it's the twentieth century) and made it work completely. His follow-up film, The Brothers Bloom, didn't make the same impression on me. It was well-acted and well-written, but I never was able to fully invest myself in the film. Unfortunately, I felt the same about Looper. It's a really good film, but it just left me cold after it was over. I love Joseph Gordon-Levitt, Bruce Willis, and especially Emily Blunt (goddamn you John Krasinski!), but I could never get into any of their characters. I didn't feel the burning and drive that set each individual on their course of action. And while I never thought Levitt's facial prosthetics would bother me, I do wonder if they made me less invested in his character, simply because I knew it was fake. Either way, the fact that was I thinking about them proved to be a distraction regardless.

From a distance, I appreciated what Rian Johnson created. But up close, I felt the entire film was a little cold to the touch. I really like and respect Johnson, as his occasional guest spots on Filmspotting have made me realize his passion for filmmaking. However, there's something about his movies that just don't resonate with me. This could be entirely a "me" thing, but I do wonder if others feel the same. Despite this, I heartily recommend checking out Looper. Cold or not, it's a damn fine film.

The Avengers (2012)

The Avengers (2012)

Directed by: Joss Whedon
Screenplay by: Joss Whedon

Genre: Action | Adventure | Sci-Fi
Running Time: 143 Minutes
MPAA Rating: PG-13
Viewed: Owned Blu-ray

Some assembly required.

[IMDb]

Comments: Original review:

Granted, my expectations for The Avengers were pretty goddamn high, but I think the movie delivered... for the most part. The first hour was handled relatively well, considering the mammoth task of reintroducing a shitload of characters. It was slow at times, but a few action scenes and jokes here and there helped move it along. The real meat of the film is the final act, which is the Mecca of superhero gratuitousness. And it was fucking awesome. If some of those scenes didn't get your blood pumping wishing you could fight along with the team, then you aren't a true... nerd(?).

I think that Tom Hiddleston completely stole every scene he was in. While he was great in Thor, Loki transforms into a completely different beast in The Avengers (and his interaction at the end of the film with The Hulk might have been the funniest scene). Speaking of the green guy, Mark Ruffalo is pretty awesome stepping into the role of Bruce Banner. I'm always a fan of consistency with actors, but if the new actor is a better fit (see: Maggie Gyllenhaal in The Dark Knight), it's usually for the best.

So in the end, Joss Whedon did pretty damn well with The Avengers. He successfully managed six heroes, gave them all pretty equal screen time, and somehow managed to make Scarlett Johansson and Jeremy Renner not seem completely worthless in comparison to the overwhelming superiority of the other superheroes. People have been going gaga over The Avengers, and even though I don't think that it's the greatest thing ever (sorry, but The Dark Knight Rises is going to blow this out of the water), it's still rather good and awesome as hell.

And that's without seeing the 3D version - amazing! (This is referencing my complete disdain for everything 3D, excluding real life.)