Wendy and Lucy (2008)

Wendy and Lucy (2008)

Directed by: Kelly Reichardt
Screenplay by: Kelly Reichardt and Jonathan Raymond

Genre: Drama
Running Time: 80 Minutes
MPAA Rating: R
Viewed: Owned DVD

On the long road, friendship is everything.

[IMDb]

Comments: I dug this.

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!)

Life of Pi (2012)

Life of Pi (2012)

Directed by: Ang Lee
Screenplay by: David Magee

Genre: Adventure | Drama | Fantasy
Running Time: 127 Minutes
MPAA Rating: PG
Viewed: Theater (3D)

Believe the unbelievable.

[IMDb]

Comments: I didn't have a great interest in catching Life of Pi, but it was one of those films where curiosity got the better of me. I had read some intriguing reviews (both here and from critics) that talked about how much they enjoyed the film, so I decided I needed to check it out. (It also looked like one of those movies that would benefit from being seen on the big screen, even though I don't particularly care for 3D.)

Life of Pi was both enchanting and frustrating for me. Ang Lee's direction and the overall look of the movie was spot-on. In addition, there were some truly great emotional scenes that reeled me in and had me totally invested in Life of Pi.

Unfortunately, all of those amazing scenes took place on the boat with Pi and the wonderfully named tiger, Richard Parker. Every time Ang Lee transitioned to present day and showed an older Pi speaking with a writer, my interest level lowered quite a bit. Combined with an overlong introduction, and an interesting, but somewhat saddening ending, I found that my love of Life of Pi started and ended with a fantastic story of a human and a tiger on a boat.

I still recommend checking the movie out though. Despite the faith-heavy dialogue (I'm not particularly religious) and a few other quibbles, I certainly wasn't upset with my decision to see Life of Pi this afternoon. The visuals and cinematography make it worth watching on the big screen.

Also, I'm going to start selling tiger-taming kits with some chum, a whistle, and a stick. If Life of Pi teaches us anything, it's that you too can make friends with your very own tiger!

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.

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.

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.

Argo (2012)

Argo (2012)

Directed by: Ben Affleck
Screenplay by: Chris Terrio

Genre: Drama | Thriller
Running Time: 120 Minutes
MPAA Rating: R
Viewed: Theater

The movie was fake. The mission was real.

[IMDb]

Comments: Ben Affleck has legitimately had my respect for a few years now (not that my respect means anything). I always liked him as an actor (mainly for his roles in Kevin Smith's films), but soon his abhorrent choices in movies turned him into a laughing stock in Hollywood. Then he released his directorial debut, Gone Baby Gone, which I loved and gave a 4.5. He followed up with The Town, one of my absolute favorites of 2010, and a five-star film in my book. This afternoon, I had the absolute pleasure of watching Affleck's latest, Argo. It's fantastic. Outside of David Fincher, I can't think of a director who's scored so well with me recently. Do yourself a favor and check out Argo if you have any interest. It's awesome.

Oh, and Ben Affleck totally looked like Hans Gruber.

The Snowtown Murders (2011)

The Snowtown Murders (2011)

Directed by: Justin Kurzel
Screenplay by: Shaun Grant

Genre: Crime | Drama | Thriller
Running Time: 119 Minutes
MPAA Rating: Not Rated
Viewed: Netflix Watch Instantly

[IMDb]

Comments: The Snowtown Murders is kind of like an artfully made torture porn film. Well, at least some parts. The movie chronicles Australia's "worst serial killer," and the teenager that he involves in the killings. I had read a number of good things about this dark film, and being one that likes heavier cinema, I was ecstatic to learn Netflix was streaming it. While parts of The Snowtown Murders are well done, I found the movie a bit disjointed, which was only compounded by the fact I had a difficult time deciphering the heavily accented Australian dialogue. (One of the things I dislike about Netflix is the lack of subtitles.) But other scenes were very powerful and made for an affecting viewing experience. I can't freely recommend the film, but for those interested it's certainly worth a look.

End of Watch (2012)

End of Watch (2012)

Directed by: David Ayer
Screenplay by: David Ayer

Genre: Crime | Drama | Mystery | Thriller
Running Time: 109 Minutes
MPAA Rating: R
Viewed: Theater

Watch your six.

[IMDb]

Comments: I was really happy when I saw the reviews for End of Watch start to roll in this week. Not only were they positive - they were ecstatic (at least, the ones I've read). I've really liked David Ayer's other films, Harsh Times and Street Kings, and the films he's written haven't been half-bad either (the classic Training Day along with solid titles like The Fast and the Furious and S.W.A.T.). Fortunately, End of Watch falls right in line and is a great addition to the man's catalog.

Jake Gyllenhaal and Michael Peña star as partners in the LAPD. They work in South Central, one of most notoriously difficult places to be a police officer. Gyllenhaal and Peña really work well together, and you feel the bond between the two as brothers. They rip on each other just as much as they count on each other in the line of duty. The film really takes care to establish a trust and friendship between these two; it's something you don't always see.

One of the things I liked most about End of Watch was how well-rounded the screenplay was. For all the police work and gunplay, there's a lot of attention paid to the officers' lives and significant others (Natalie Martinez and Anna Kendrick). The humor plays well too as it's competently woven into a well-plotted story.

I did find the finale to be a bit predictable (if nonetheless effective), and a few of the extraneous escapades of our two officers made the film a tad long in the tooth. But ultimately, End of Watch was a gritty, realistic, and well-made piece of filmmaking. Anyone that enjoys cop movies as much as I do should give this one a look.

Bronson (2008)

Bronson (2008)

Directed by: Nicolas Winding Refn
Screenplay by: Brock Norman Brock and Nicolas Winding Refn

Genre: Action | Biography | Crime | Drama | Thriller
Running Time: 92 Minutes
MPAA Rating: R
Viewed: Netflix Watch Instantly

The man. The myth. The celebrity.

[IMDb]

Comments: Nicolas Winding Refn + a fucking beastly performance from Tom Hardy = one interesting and often awesome film.

Sherlock - Season One (2010)

Sherlock (2010-????)

Created by: Steven Moffat and Mark Gatiss

Season: One (2010)
Genre: Crime | Drama | Mystery
Number of Episodes: 3
Episode Running Time: 90 Minutes
Viewed: Netflix Watch Instantly

A new sleuth for the 21st century.

[IMDb]

Comments: After a very compelling debut episode ("A Study in Pink"), I was left underwhelmed by the first season of Sherlock for a few reasons. The main issue I had was that the show was produced so close to the theatrical version, and I'll admit to being more partial to Downey and Law. Secondly, with only three episodes, it's hard to get really become invested in the characters. That means we must rely on the cases, and "A Study in Pink" was the only story that stood out to me. I did love the actors chosen for the roles; Benedict Cumberbatch as Sherlock and Andrew Scott as Moriarty (even though he's only in the last episode) were inspired choices. And I can't forget to give love to Martin Freeman - Tim Canterbury will always have my respect.

Though I'm in possession of the second set of episodes from Sherlock, I may just wait until they're available on Netflix. I just can't find a TV show to really latch onto lately; hopefully that trend will end soon.

Lawless (2012)

Lawless (2012)

Directed by: John Hillcoat
Screenplay by: Nick Cave

Genre: Crime | Drama | Western
Running Time: 115 Minutes
MPAA Rating: R
Viewed: Theater

When the law became corrupt, outlaws became heroes.

[IMDb]

Comments: I fucking love Tom Hardy. To be honest, I never really noticed him until Warrior, but now that I have he's quickly becoming one of my favorite actors (I think this is probably the second or third time that I've mentioned how I really need to sit down and watch Bronson). Hardy owns Lawless, though it doesn't hurt that I really don't care for Shia LaBeouf. LaBeouf's performance is fine in the film, and I honestly believe him when he says he's done doing big Hollywood shitfests. But I can't help but think of him in drek like Transformers and Indiana Jones Part Quatre every time his little idiot face was onscreen.

LaBeouf annoyances aside, Lawless was a damn fine film. The pacing was off at times (something that seems like it plagues all of John Hillcoat's films), and it took a little bit to get moving. However, once the film hit its stride I was hooked. Lawless comes recommended to anyone looking for a solid late-Summer film with some top-notch performances. Yes, even LaBeouf.

Elite Squad: The Enemy Within (2010)

Elite Squad: The Enemy Within (2010)

Directed by: José Padilha
Screenplay by: Bráulio Mantovani and José Padilha

Genre: Crime | Drama | Thriller
Running Time: 115 Minutes
MPAA Rating: Not Rated
Viewed: Owned Blu-ray

[IMDb]

Comments: Pretty damn good too.

There's your hard hitting analysis for the evening.

Elite Squad (2007)

Elite Squad (2007)

Directed by: José Padilha
Screenplay by: Bráulio Mantovani, José Padilha, and Rodrigo
  Pimentel

Genre: Crime | Drama | Thriller
Running Time: 115 Minutes
MPAA Rating: R
Viewed: Owned DVD

On the streets of Rio only the elite survive.

[IMDb]

Comments: Fan-fucking-tastic.

Breaking Bad - Season Two (2009)

Breaking Bad (2008-????)

Created by: Vince Gilligan

Season: Two (2009)
Genre: Crime | Drama | Thriller
Number of Episodes: 13
Episode Running Time: 60 Minutes
Viewed: Owned Blu-ray

Unstable. Volatile. Dangerous. And that's just the chemistry.

[IMDb]

Comments: Let me say this first: Breaking Bad is a terrific show, completely deserving of the praise and fanfare it has received over the last few years. Th performances and writing are all top notch, and I totally understand many people stating this show is one of the greats. But there's a catch. For the life of me, I can't "get into" it. When one episode ends (unless there's a crazy cliffhanger), I have no burning desire to start the next episode immediately after. If there was a cliffhanger, I'd start the following episode, watch the first ten minutes or so, and then save the rest for another day. This is why it took me nearly TWO FUCKING MONTHS to watch thirteen episodes (Jesus, that does make me feel fucking pathetic). Does this make me a bad person with a horrible taste in TV? Possibly.

I really think the main reason I don't have a lasting connection to Breaking Bad is the characters. They're well-written, but I really don't like any of them. Walt started out as a doing a noble but illegal thing, but his actions toward certain characters (particularly in the twelfth episode of Season Two) and lack of visible care for his family makes me feel nothing for him. Jesse was on the right track to be the great anti-hero of the show, but he's such a bitch that it's hard to get behind him. And Skyler, well, she just fucking annoys me. (I was becoming a big fan of Hank's with the PTSD issues that plagued him, but he was barely in the last few episodes.) Many would argue that these characters aren't catered to typical television stereotypes, and I definitely agree. But I need at least one character that I give a shit about; that's what makes me come back every episode.

I have Seasons Three and Four on Blu-ray (naturally), and I think I'll be watching them soon. While I'm not addicted to the show (ha!), I do find it to be great television (despite my complaints). I have a few other things I want to watch first TV-wise (the second season of Workaholics, for example) but I'll be popping the third season in soon.

People Like Us (2012)

People Like Us (2012)

Directed by: Alex Kurtzman
Screenplay by: Alex Kurtzman, Roberto Orci, and Jody Lambert

Genre: Drama
Running Time: 115 Minutes
MPAA Rating: PG-13
Viewed: Theater

Find your family.

[IMDb]

Comments: Listen, I'm a sap for a good drama, and that's exactly what People Like Us is. I generally enjoy Alex Kurtzman and Roberto Orci's output (Star Trek, Mission: Impossible III; though there's been dreck like Transformers too), but People Like Us strays a bit from their usual M.O. and that's a good thing. Chris Pine and Elizabeth Banks shine in the film (see, she's good when she's not a police negotiator!), and if you can stomach a heart-warming film I strongly recommend this one. Sure, it's a little paint-by-numbers, but it's the good kind... I think.

Win Win (2011)

Win Win (2011)

Directed by: Thomas McCarthy
Screenplay by: Thomas McCarthy

Genre: Comedy | Drama | Sport
Running Time: 106 Minutes
MPAA Rating: R
Viewed: Rental DVD - Family Video

In the game of life, you can't lose 'em all.

[IMDb]

Comments: I've really enjoyed Thomas McCarthy's previous directorial efforts, The Station Agent and The Visitor. Win Win follows along the same path, and that's certainly not a bad thing. In fact, outside of an ending that occurred too quickly and wrapped everything up way too neatly, I really enjoyed the shit out of this film. And as much as I love Paul Giamatti, Bobby Cannavale stole the show in this one. I really wish he was in more visible projects. But anyway, you can't go wrong with Win Win. Glad I rented this one.

Shame (2011)

Shame (2011)

Directed by: Steve McQueen
Screenplay by: Steve McQueen and Abi Morgan

Genre: Drama
Running Time: 101 Minutes
MPAA Rating: NC-17
Viewed: Rental DVD - Family Video

[IMDb]

Comments: Shame is a fantastic piece of filmmaking. To be honest, it's something I would have picked up upon its original release, but I've never seen the fucking thing for anything less than $30. What the hell? I guess you need to pay for the privilege of seeing Michael Fassbender's Fassmember. But as I said, Shame is wonderful. The powerful images combined with the intense score left me in awe watching the horrors of Brandon's life due to his sexual addiction. The result is horrifying but completely enthralling. I also have director Steve McQueen's debut film Hunger (starring the Fassmember as well) in my Netflix queue; I'll definitely be hitting that up soon.

And finally, am I the only one that was reminded of American Psycho at times during Shame?

EDIT: Totally just went to the IMDb page to read some more about the film, and one of the top message board threads is titled "This film reminds me of American Psycho." Guess I'm not the only one then.

Days of Heaven (1978)

Days of Heaven (1978)

Directed by: Terrence Malick
Screenplay by: Terrence Malick

Genre: Drama | Romance
Running Time: 94 Minutes
MPAA Rating: PG
Viewed: Netflix Watch Instantly

Your eyes... Your ears... Your senses... will be overwhelmed.

[IMDb]

Comments: By no means am I a Terrence Malick aficionado (the only other film of his I've seen was 2011's excellent The Tree of Life), but it's impossible not to notice the directorial similarities between the two films, even though they were made 30+ years apart. I liked The Tree of Life better, mainly because I was more attached to the main storyline; the plot is fine in Days of Heaven, but it just didn't emotionally involve me like the former. The real star of Days of Heaven is the gorgeous cinematography. Every shot feels iconic (I've often though of starting another blog to post screenshots of my favorite scenes in movies; I'm just too lazy to go back through a movie on my computer though), and I just loved the overall look of the film (particularly the fire toward the end, it's brilliant). Days of Heaven expires in a few days on Netflix Watch Instantly, so go watch it before it's too late.