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
The Place Beyond the Pines. Third viewing. I’m going to keep coming back to it. Filed under: Derek Cianfrance.
No Way Out
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
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
Manchester by the Sea. Emotionally exhausting, slow reveals, full of heart.
RoboCop
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
Elle. I… have never seen anything quite like it. Guess I need to catch up on Verhoeven’s other work now.
Interstellar
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
No Country for Old Men. The 10th anniversary is coming up soon (!), and it gets better every time.
A History of Violence
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
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.
In the Bedroom
In the Bedroom. This was excellent. Just lures you in, and you care about every single one of them. In a few decades we’re gonna look back and realize we didn’t appreciate Tom Wilkinson quite as much as we should have. Peak Tomei, too.
The Thing
The Thing. I feel like this one has been in the air a good bit recently. I… don’t understand all the hubbub. It’s fine. Just wasn’t for me.
Going Clear
Going Clear. A bloated redheaded paranoiac congenital liar amasses customers/fans. Hilarity ensues. Didn’t learn a ton, but I suppose it’s nice to be reminded why some things creep you out.
Frankenstein
Frankenstein. The last time I saw this I was in late elementary or early middle school, I think. Probably about a decade too early to appreciate the moral aspect of the horror. Heartbreaking, disturbing, must-watch. Makes me curious about the book…
A Simple Plan
A Simple Plan. Watch this one a couple days after Bill Paxton’s death. He’s great. Could make a nice combo with Fargo.
Children of Heaven
Children of Heaven. I loved this movie within minutes. Amazing piece of work. Majidi gets so much mileage out of the smallest moments. The schoolkids’ foot race at the end was more intense than most blockbuster finales. Anything can be high-stakes if you care about the characters.
Complete Unknown
Complete Unknown. It seems so unfair that a perfectly-fine-but-not-great movie like this gets saddled with a terrible name. Weisz and Shannon are top-notch.
Cold War
Cold War. It’s a bit of a mess but it’s decent. Always keeps moving. Bureaucratic succession drama disguised as action film! Sometimes watching foreign movies I think I’m probably missing a lot of cultural context that would help me settle in.
The Stranger
The Stranger. Edward G. Robinson is a treasure.
Mark Larson 