Sep 11, 2015

V For Vendetta. Great film. 5/5. One of my all time favorites.

"Remember, remember!
The fifth of November,
The Gunpowder treason and plot;
I know of no reason
Why the Gunpowder treason
Should ever be forgot! "

 

Sep 11, 2015

Beat Street [1984]

 

Sep 11, 2015

 

Sep 11, 2015

That sounds really interesting. How is it? Any good?

 

Sep 11, 2015

I enjoyed it, it's really nice

 

Sep 12, 2015

Just saw the visit.

Probably my favorite shamalamalan movie.

7/10

Genius plot. Simple yet compelling

 

Sep 13, 2015

holy mountain

 

Sep 17, 2015

I watched No Country For Old Men the other day for the first time and I had to rewatch it again to get a better understanding of but d---, The Coen Brothers delivered once again.
No country for old men , the big lebowski and o'brother where art thou are all classics

 

Sep 19, 2015

Great Movie

 

Sep 19, 2015

 

Sep 19, 2015

GOOD MOVIE .... a tear here and there

 

Sep 19, 2015

Just finished this...loved it

 

Sep 20, 2015

• 
  Elegy of a Voyage 2001
  ★★★★★ Watched 19 Sep, 2015
  
  Published at Aesthetics of the Mind: aestheticsofthemind.wordpress.com/2015/09/20/elegy-of-a-voyage-sokurov-2001/
  
  As with Russian Ark, Sokurov creates an all encompassing atmosphere through narration and open form montage, yielding a sense of presence throughout the film. Open montage, the use of nondescript (yet no less arresting nor beautiful), non representational images, which resonate both forwards and backwards throughout a film, like refrains in the use of a tonic/key note in music, leaves the film’s sense of time unbroken. Even with cuts and scene changes, the film remains fixed, as if the entirety of the work encapsulates a single moment. Shots such as the swimming boy, the moon, and the soldier’s face serve as the ‘tonic’, providing structure to an otherwise poetic form which resembles music more closely than any visual art, such as theater and painting. Films like The Tree of Life, Werckmeister Harmonies, Mirror, and Man With a Movie Camera are comparable in this regard, as are the films of Nathaniel Dorsky and Robert Bresson, to name a few.
  
  Elegy of a Voyage is perfectly observational and contemplative. A narrator, presumably Sokurov himself, leads us through landscapes, a church, a coffee shop, and a gallery. He serves as a proxy for our own selves, as we travel with him on his voyage. Speaking in a contemplative tone, he observes his surroundings with acute awareness, noticing the shifting moon, sun, and clouds, an angry face, an innocent one, those who are kind, and those who scrutinize. Sokurov charms his films with a great deal of texture. The grainy snow, visible wind, and high contrast are all exceptionally affective. The use of such contrast, together with his DOPs ability to photograph the unimaginable, only deepens his ability to elicit feelings of scale and grandeur. One might be overwhelmed by Sokurov’s distinct aesthetic, which carries a somewhat eerie waviness amidst the mise-en-scene, making objects appear almost life-like. There is a certain sense of urgency and even psychological or psycho-sexual emergency in the film’s rhythm, bolstered ever more by a cathartic orchestral score and the use of ominous sound effect. Thoughtful philosophy, though rather incidental, provide direction and narrative backing to superb cinematography.
  
  100/100
  
  No likes
  
  
• 
  Amy 2015
  ★★★★½ Watched 15 Sep, 2015
  
  Benefiting from the absence of cliche talking heads, home video and presented lyrics draw a deep and intimate portrait of a troubled yet exceptionally lively girl. It's not easy to make a cinematic documentary, but Kapadia did it. The accelerated editing and final montage among the best of the year.
  
  86/100 - Excellent
  
  3 likes
  

 

Sep 21, 2015

This was one of my most anticipated movies of the year, and it was fantastic...not quite what I was expecting, but still great none the less...Del Toro & Brolin were absolutely incredible, and Emily Blunt was decent considering the fact her character was pretty one note and didn't really have a lot of depth...I think I still prefer "Prisoners" to this film, but a great follow up...also gotta give a shout out to the GOAT Rodger Deakins and the beautiful cinematography...some jaw dropping shots in this movie

8.5/10

 

Sep 23, 2015

The Terminator, this movie is the absolute GOAT, and T2.

 

Sep 23, 2015

Bug (2006) (Dir. William Friedkin) (Starring Ashley Judd & Michael Shannon)


Bug is a bottled picture that successfully translates a stage play into a powerful cinematic work. The film is cleanly divided between a first act concerned with an emotional connection and a second act that reaffirms and redefines it. The emotional torment feels genuine. The paranoia and intensity of the story is masterfully controlled. The chemistry between the actors is never in question.

Ashley Judd doesn't come off as a movie star once she adopts her midwestern twang and fills out her daisey dukes. Her face emanates a natural, backwoods beauty left untouched by a makeup team. Even her non-Hollywood figure sells us on her character's existence. The baggage she carries comes across visually and is only compounded by her dynamic performance. Her portrayal of a woman in an abusive relationship is uncomfortable to watch.

Michael Shannon plays the rural card that he would go on to nail repeatedly under Jeff Nichol's direction. Preceding Take Shelter, this is a similar and equally powerful role. His unique features lend themselves to the setting and bring a certain gravitas to everything he does. The black rage he can summon when called upon is juxtaposed with his, perhaps underutilized, more gentlemanly and timid side.

A tragic love story, William Friedkin recaptures the tortured mentality of The Exorcist and updates it for the post 9/11 world. Again he roots his horror elements in realistic circumstances that propel the disturbing nature of the film that much further. 4.5/5

 

Sep 24, 2015

• • 
    The Bells of St. Mary’s 1945
    ★★★ Watched 19 Sep, 2015
    
    Review published at Next Projection (nextprojection.com/2015/09/21/celebrating-ingrid-bergman-centenary-bells-st-marys/)
    
    65/100 - Though sharing some amount of moral candidness, The Bells of St. Mary’s is truly another run-of-the-mill Hollywood film full of clichés and melodrama to satiate the appetite of popcorn movie-watchers.
    
    No likes
    
    
  • 
    A Matter of Life and Death 1946
    ★★★★½ Watched 20 Sep, 2015 1
    
    A well executed surrealist blend of fantasy and reality, w/ mesmerizing ahead of its time special effects
    
    85/100 - Excellent
    
    2 likes
    

 

Sep 25, 2015

Tomorrowland: A World Beyond 6/10

 

Sep 25, 2015

dope a--- movie

Place Beyond The Pines

 

Sep 27, 2015

Kingdom of Heaven - Director's Cut

10/10

An absolute masterpiece. Fantastic merger of an old story and commentary on modern Christianity/Muslim religious issues. With some really great performances, most notably Edward Norton who gives off an ethereal and graceful aura that I thought was beyond his range but apparently is not, as well as Orlando Bloom who is as cool as ice and gives the movie the stability it needs. Unlike a lot of epics that I've watched, there's an emotional undercurrent to this movie that pulled me in from beginning to end. Although it's three hours long, the pacing is expertly done and I never felt the long run time at any point. Certainly one of the Ridley Scott's best movies and one of the best epics ever crafted.