Monthly Report: May + June 2013

I didn’t do a Monthly Report last month. The reason why is that the number of new movies I saw in May was a less-than-impressive 1, and making a blog post on just that seemed silly. Fortunately, June proved a bit more fruitful. My movie interest is perking up again, it would seem. It’s just a shame that these two months didn’t have more really great films to offer than they did, but what can you do.

Breakdown (Jonathan Mostow, 1997)
Solid thriller, albeit with no real stand-out quality. Nothing worth going out of your way to check out.
3/5

Cosmopolis (David Cronenberg, 2012)
Zzzzzzzzz…
1/5

End of Watch (David Ayer, 2012)
The story is barely there. Just two cops doing their thing, presented partially found footage style that adds little to the proceedings. What makes the movie work is the convincing performances by Jake Gyllenhaal and Michael Peña, as well as the many brief yet poignant insights into what it’s like to be a police. The movie manages to take familiar situations and tropes and show them in a way that make the implications of them really sink in for the first time. If that makes sense. This one’s worth checking out.
4/5

Kung Fu Dunk (Yen-ping Chu, 2008)
I was hoping for something similar to Shaolin Soccer. This one kind of was, only not as good. One problem was that the martial arts stuff felt shoehorned in and not played to full comedic effect. Even worse was the way too mushy and overly long ending. The early goings of the film did offer some giggles, but not enough to outweigh the bad.
2/5

Descent (Talia Lugacy, 2007)
Not to be confused with spelunking horror film The Descent. This is one of those movies that’s more interesting to think about afterwards than it is to actually watch. In its effort to keep the effects of rape “real”, it internalizes everything to too high a degree. The result is a viewing experience that keeps the viewer at too much of a distance. There are some interesting directorial choices here, and Rosario Dawson‘s performance is a strong one – that her character’s motives are kept somewhat in the dark seems to be the director’s choice – but once you realize what the movie is going for, you realize that it’s not enough to sustain its running time.
2/5

For a Good Time, Call… (Jamie Travis, 2012)
Not all chick flicks are bad. This one kind of is though, or at the very least “meh.” It’s generally a bad sign that when the end credits start rolling, you realize that nothing has really happened. Nothing has changed, there has been no real character growth, and there have been no laughs either – although some of the cameos are smirk-worthy. This film is also proof that dirty language alone is not enough to spice up a film.
2/5

Incendies (Denis Villeneuve, 2010)
A movie very much about its story. It’s full of intrigue and is told well – dual timelines can be tricky, but are pulled off without a hitch here – and I found myself more and more hooked as it went along. Sprinkled in are scenes of stark emotions and shocking violence, almost like interpunctuation. Check this one out if you’re in the mood for a tale with plenty of unexpected turns.
4/5

Hit and Run (David Palmer & Dax Shepard, 2012)
I really liked the dialogue here. The conversations and arguements, particularly the ones between Shepard and Kristen Bell – fiances in real life – had a way of drifting from the personal to the general that I dug like hell. Like, they’d start talking about who’s right, then it becomes about what’s right, then they take themselves out of it completely and try to see everything from the outside looking in. It’s hard to describe properly, but it stood out to me as something movies rarely do. The fact that it’s the same kind of conversations I often end up in myself might have something to do with my fondness for it here. Anyway, the rest of the film was cool too, with a story that hasn’t been done to death and fun characters. Could have done with tighter action scenes, perhaps.
4/5

The Dictator (Larry Charles, 2012)
Nowhere near as good as Borat or Bruno. Felt more like an excuse for Sacha Baron Cohen to try out a new accent for 80 minutes. I did like the helicopter scene and the climax, though.
2/5

A Beautiful Mind (Ron Howard, 2001)
I’m not convinced the movie need to go on for as long as it did; the ending did drag a bit. Overall, though, this was a fascinating story, helped along by two great performances by Russell Crowe (never better) and Jennifer Connelly.
4/5

Never Let Me Go (Mark Romanek, 2010)
This was fine. The acting is decent enough – I was particularly impressed by Andrew Garfield – and the story is a cool and unique one. I would highly recommend reading the novel by Kazuo Ishiguro instead, though. That one is superb.
3/5

Kiss Me (Alexandra-Therese Keining, 2011)
Not as good as that other Swedish movie about lesbians, but still fairly decent. As much of an infidelity drama as a gay romance, this one struggles a bit with an occasionally flat story – remove the homosexuality and marvel at how humdrum the whole thing would seem – but the two leads (Ruth Vega Fernandez and Liv Mjönes) have good enough chemistry and put in strong enough performances to carry the film to a passing grade.
3/5

eXistenZ (David Cronenberg, 1999)
I don’t get it.
2/5

Carnage (Roman Polanski, 2011)
Just four talented actors doing what they do best, with Christoph Waltz and John C. Reilly in particular providing stand-out turns. The end felt a bit abrupt, but then it always seemed to be headed that way, so it’s not a huge drawback.
4/5

Seven Psychopaths (Martin McDonagh, 2012)
Cool and clever film through which I was never sure what was going to happen next. Strong cast too. After In Bruges and this one, McDonagh is certainly a director to keep a close eye on.
4/5

The Campaign (Jay Roach, 2012)
Not the most subtle of satires I’ve seen, to say the least. There are some funny scenes here and there, but a lot of the humor just feels forced and hamfisted. I’m a fan of both Will Ferrell and Zach Galifianakis, but neither manages to do much with what they’re given here. The ending is really damn weak, too.
2/5

Total # of new films seen: 16
Average score: 2.9 / 5
Best film of the months: Seven Psychopaths
Worst film of the months: Cosmopolis

 

Monthly Report: August 2012

August has been an eventful month to say the least. Not so much movie-wise, but my apartment move is largely complete, so hopefully things will return to normal here at the blog soon-ish. In the midst of all the moving mayhem, I still found time to watch a couple of films, most of which were solid experiences. One of those middle-of-the-road months, with no films earning scores of 1/5 or 5/5. Sometimes, that’s all you can ask for.

The Promotion (Steve Conrad, 2008)
A comedy starring Seann William Scott and John C. Reilly as supermarket employees competing for a promotion. This set-up easily leads to certain ideas of what kind of movie to expect. However, rather than a crude laugh-out-loud kind of film, this one tries for a somewhat more down-to-earth and relatable approach to its material. Perhaps the fact that writer-director Steve Conrad had previously written both The Weather Man and The Pursuit of Happyness should have clued me in. The Promotion might not have much of a real point to it, but it moves around its plot with a certain surprising ease and presents some genuinely funny moments. Plus, you can always count on Reilly to deliver a strong performance.
3/5

This Is Not a Film (Mojtaba Mirtahmasb & Jafar Panahi, 2011)
If this is not a film, is it fair to judge it as one? Because as a film, I didn’t like it much. The parts where Panahi, forbidden from working as a director and stuck in house arrest, talks about his planned next movie are good, showing the passion and creativity within that he has been forced to put a lid on. For the most part, however, this is just a semi-dull documentation of a man stuck in his home. It doesn’t make for a compelling watch. That said, this is an important document for many reasons, and the more one knows about Panahi and his situation, the more one will get out of this one. I’m very glad This Is Not a Film exists, and the low rating should not make you think different.
2/5

Eddie: The Sleepwalking Cannibal (Boris Rodriguez, 2012)
Why is it that whenever a film has a really intriguing title, the film itself tends to end up below par? Eddie: The Sleepwalking Cannibal is a slasher-ish movie with some sporadic attempts at comedy, but it’s never really scary, funny, or interesting. The question of whether human lives can be sacrificed for the sake of art is a good one, but it was handled far more compellingly in Stranger Than Fiction. Eddie isn’t a terrible movie, but I can’t think of any solid reason to reccomend it to anyone.
2/5

Art School Confidential (Terry Zwigoff, 2006)
Remember the scenes in Zwigoff’s Ghost World where Enid has to attend summer art class and battle with a teacher who sees hidden meaning in everything and students with no hidden motives to share? This film feels like a spin-off of those scenes. As a tale of one young man making his way through art school, this movie works quite well. Max Minghella is effective in the lead, and the blend between comedy, satire and coming-of-age works. The subplot about a serial killer is an unwelcome distraction, however, and the movie is peppered with great actors who aren’t being used to their fullest potential. Still, while it’s not as good as Zwigoff’s previous efforts, Art School Confidential remains an enjoyable watch.
3/5

Open Water (Chris Kentis, 2003)
If the idea of watching two persons float in the sea for over an hour tickles your fancy, this is the movie for you. Open Water doesn’t manage to create much tension, and the characters are not interesting enough to care about. As such, this while film feels quite flat. Things pick up a bit towards the end, but it’s too little too late.
2/5

OSS 117: Lost in Rio (Michel Hazanavicius, 2009)
Quite a step away from The Artist, that’s for sure. This Bond parody certainly has its charm, and a lot of it can be attributed to Jean Dujardin‘s effective performance. The gags are more hits than misses, it plays off the genre tropes in fun and clever ways, and great effort has been made to make the film look and feel like a Bond film from the 60s – 70s. It’s not a laugh riot like Austin Powers, but it’s still worth a look.
3/5

The Killer Inside Me (Michael Winterbottom, 2010)
I had a hard time following along with the details of this movie. The general premise was clear enough, but how the film moved from scene to scene threw me off a bit. Maybe the fact that I didn’t find the characters interesting or worth caring about had something to do with it. I could also have done with less soundtrack dissonance. At least the acting was decent.
2/5

Certified Copy (Abbas Kiarostami, 2010)
Like Before Sunrise and Before Sunset in many ways, but much denser and more complex – for better or for worse. I was fascinated by the subjects discussed and covered, and enthralled by the way the film was shot. There’s a lot of impressive cinematography here for a movie that’s largely just two people talking to each other. Certified Copy is probably too much to be taken in entirely in just one viewing – at least for me – but I’m looking forward to revisiting it at some point. There is more to be had from this film, of this I’m sure.
4/5

The Dark Knight Rises (Christopher Nolan, 2012)
It’s the same kind of kinetic, impressive and grandiose action film that we’ve come to expect from Nolan in this franchise. Most of what was good in the past two films is good here too. It’s a fitting conclusion to the series, and it’s among the better films I’ve seen this summer. Still, with a movie like this it seems more important to explain why it’s not a 5/5 than why it’s a 4/5. It is the weakest film of the trilogy. It’s overcrowded, with screen time being spread to thin between the various characters. Some decisions with regards to the story feel unnecessary, and while there’s nothing wrong with the action scenes and set pieces, they don’t quite pack the oompf that feels required for the follow-up to The Dark Knight. These are relatively small complaints, though. It’s still a really good movie, as expected. Now I’m eager to see Nolan try something new.
4/5

Sin Nombre (Cary Fukunaga, 2009)
Which film is more admirable: the one that does something new and intriguing, or the one that sticks to something familiar but does it so well that it still stands out from the pack? Sin Nombre belongs to the latter category. It’s a thriller about people from Honduras and Mexico trying to make it to the US. It’s also about street gangs: the threat they pose, and the allure with which they sway people to their ranks. The story may not present many surprises, but the movie is still a treat to behold thanks to Fukunaga’s more than capable directing, the tight pacing, and the fine performances, of which Edgar Flores‘ shines brightest.
4/5

Total # of new films seen: 10
Average score: 2.9 / 5
Best film of the month: The Dark Knight Rises
Worst film of the month: Eddie – The Sleepwalking Cannibal

 

My Top 10 Favorite Movies of 2006

When I start putting one of these lists together, I first check which movies I’ve given high scores to during the years to get a general selection of likely candidates. Then I pick my favorites. No attempt is made to add variety to the list just for the sake of variety. I simply try to determine which ten films I liked the most from that year.

This 2006 list is very heavy on comedy. I count five clear-cut comedies and three more where humor plays a substantial part. That 2006 was a great year for this genre of film isn’t something I have reflected upon before, but there it is. It’s no secret that I’m very fond of films that make me laugh and smile, so one of these years were bound to pop up sooner or later in this series. The way things look at the moment, the eventual 2005 list will feature an unusually high amount of films of a different genre. Again, not a concious decision.

This doesn’t mean that 2006 was a weak year for more serious film. Plenty of great stuff from a variety of genres was released upon the world. The multitude of comedies on here is not due to a lack of competition. It’s just that I happen to love these funny movies so much.

As usual, this is 2006 as listed on IMDB. Also note that this is a list of my favorite films of the year, and nothing more.

10 – LUCKY NUMBER SLEVIN (Paul McGuigan)

“You mean this isn’t the first time a crime lord asked you to kill the gay son of a rival gangster to pay off a debt that belongs to a friend whose place you’re staying in as a result of losing your job, your apartment, and finding your girlfriend in bed with another guy?”

A smart crime thriller in which a young man (Josh Hartnett) finds himself caught in a war between two crime lords due to a case of mistaken identity. The main draws here are the funny dialogue that has its own unique rhythm to it, and the contrived but delightful plot. And Lucy Liu, whose role as hyperactive neighbor Lindsey surprisingly steals the show despite her being in the presence of some of the all-time greats in Morgan Freeman, Ben Kingsley, Bruce WIllis and others.

9 – TALLADEGA NIGHTS: THE BALLAD OF RICKY BOBBY (Adam McKay)

“Hakuna matata, bitches!”

Sitting down to watch a Will Ferrell comedy is a bit of a gamble, as he has about as many misses as hits on his resume. This one is hilarious though, as his standard idiotic man-child character meets the world of NASCAR. A lot of credit needs to go to the supporting cast, especially John C. Reilly as his held-back team mate and Sacha Baron Cohen as the stereotypically French antagonist. Holds up surprisingly well on a rewatch, too.