Rogue One: A Star Wars Story

2017-07-242017-11-29 ~ Mark

Rogue One: A Star Wars Story. It’s not perfect, and I’m a little annoyed that they’re still making these… but, now that they are, I think this is the kind of story I’d like to see more of. Sort of putting some shape around the original 6-episode arc rather than extending it. I wish it were more melodramatic. Also a wee long and kind of a bad script? Dumb fan service (I assume we’re due for lots more) and the CGI Tarkin and Leia are huuuuuuge mistakes. Still, seeing Mendelsohn, Mikkelsen, and Whitaker in the same movie? What a treat! Much, much better than The Force Awakens. Filed under: Star Wars.

Nerve

2017-07-242017-11-29 ~ Mark

Nerve. So fun! Saw it on an airplane. Got such great zip and momentum and soundtrack. It loses some of that momentum as the stakes rise, but minor fault. Worth a watch. It took me forever to realize why Emma Roberts and Dave Franco each looked so familiar even though I knew I’d never seen either one before.

Ocean’s Eleven

2017-06-212017-11-29 ~ Mark

Ocean’s Eleven. It’s decent! It doesn’t have the same zany charm as the first time I saw it, but holds up well enough. Filed under: Steven Soderbergh.

Star Trek: Beyond

2017-06-192017-11-29 ~ Mark

Star Trek: Beyond. These movies are getting worse. :( Hope they don’t keep going this route, where they turn into basically superhero films. I fear it’s too late. Filed under: Star Trek.

Eyes Wide Shut

2017-06-182017-11-29 ~ Mark

Eyes Wide Shut. Third or fourth time I’ve seen it. I like it more. Probably bump this up to #3 after 2001 and The Killing. Overall I’m not a huge Kubrick fan, though. Filed under: Stanley Kubrick.

The Truman Show

2017-06-142017-11-28 ~ Mark

The Truman Show. So, so great. Really lovely blend of comedy and drama. Everyone is perfect in their role.

Close-Up

2017-06-112017-11-20 ~ Mark

Close-Up. I decided to dig into some Iranian films this year. This one is based on a true story where a guy convinces a family he is a famous director and wants to use them in his film. He is found out. This movie re-tells the story… using those same people as the actors. One of those movies where talking about it afterward was more interesting than watching it, but still compelling crazy stuff. The only other Abbas Kiarostami I’ve seen is Certified Copy, and it was marvelous.

The Mummy (1999)

2017-06-102017-11-20 ~ Mark

The Mummy (1999). Why did we ever stop making solid, pure adventure films? These old movies always have a bunch of lazy exoticizing that doesn’t age well, but I miss the spirit of the whole thing.

Her

2017-06-022017-11-20 ~ Mark

Her. Third viewing. Just as compelling as the first time, though these days the hook seems more unlikely and even more unappealing. Filed under: Spike Jonze.

Train to Busan

2017-05-222017-11-29 ~ Mark

Train to Busan. Mostly pretty fun. Genre films are at their best when they let you know the rules and then explore them. It has some surprising worthwhile characters, too. They’re not all zombie fodder.

The Place Beyond the Pines

2017-05-222017-11-20 ~ Mark

The Place Beyond the Pines. Third viewing. I’m going to keep coming back to it. Filed under: Derek Cianfrance.

No Way Out

2017-05-112017-11-24 ~ Mark

No Way Out. Really fun, really twisty, really ’80s. I like this version of Costner – slick as hell, and in deep shit. I wish Sean Young’s character had a bit more going for her. Gene Hackman is one of those actors who does so well playing gross people I have to remember that and counteract it.

The Sixth Sense

2017-05-082017-11-24 ~ Mark

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The Sixth Sense. I didn’t remember this one being as good as it was, but it holds up pretty well for most of the story. Don’t love how it wraps up, but hard to hate the journey there.

Manchester by the Sea

2017-05-012017-11-24 ~ Mark

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Manchester by the Sea. Emotionally exhausting, slow reveals, full of heart.

RoboCop

2017-04-202017-11-24 ~ Mark

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RoboCop. I appreciate the intentional over-the-top-ness but eventually it became a bit tedious for me. Shifts in tone keep you on your toes, though.

Elle

2017-04-172018-02-03 ~ Mark

Elle. I… have never seen anything quite like it. Guess I need to catch up on Verhoeven’s other work now.

Interstellar

2017-04-172018-02-03 ~ Mark

Interstellar. As much as I whine about Christopher Nolan films, he’s got some gifts. My experience the second time around was almost the reverse of my first viewing: I was feeling the family story, and the epic space adventure had me twiddling my thumbs. I need an alternate cut of this movie that removes the “let’s explain the science” interludes. Just gimme the melodrama. The heightened emo stuff just wrecked me.

No Country for Old Men

2017-04-172018-02-03 ~ Mark

No Country for Old Men. The 10th anniversary is coming up soon (!), and it gets better every time.

A History of Violence

2017-04-172018-02-03 ~ Mark

A History of Violence. I remember reading the graphic novel way back in the day. Pretty solid small-town drama. Reminded me of The Equalizer, with the focus on some tidy local drama that caps off with a little road trip to the rich bad guy’s house.

Frailty

2017-04-022018-02-03 ~ Mark

Frailty. A father reveals to his sons that God has called them to kill demons. I really like the use of sound in this one, the full range from silence to full intensity at just the right moments. Also some smart visuals, like how we see humans get killed, but when demons are destroyed, we don’t. It doesn’t give away the truth, because it’s not the point.