THE SQUID AND THE WHALE (2005) - Oct. 29, 2006
A really well acted film about a couple going through a divorce, and the effect this has on their two kids. The performances were all quite good, though Jeff Daniels was definitely the standout as a pompous writer whose best days are behind him. Written and directed by Noah Baumbach, who collaborated with Wes Anderson on the Life Aquatic, this reminded me of Anderson's films in some ways. Not in the visual style, obviously, but in the way it was written and in the characters (it sort of reminded me of the Royal Tenenbaums). ***
Short reviews of all the movies I see, rated out of four. Reviews containing spoilers are marked with an (S).
Sunday, October 29, 2006
Saturday, October 28, 2006
Double Indemnity
DOUBLE INDEMNITY (1944) - Oct. 28, 2006
Fred MacMurray was good as an insurance agent who gets caught up in a scheme involving murder in this film noir by Billy Wilder. Barbara Stanwyck made for a good femme fatale, and Edward G. Robinson stole every scene he was in as MacMurray's surly boss. The film was really well written (not surprising considering it was cowritten by Wilder and Raymond Chandler) and featured expectedly snappy dialogue. it slowed down a bit in parts, but was otherwise quite good. ***
Fred MacMurray was good as an insurance agent who gets caught up in a scheme involving murder in this film noir by Billy Wilder. Barbara Stanwyck made for a good femme fatale, and Edward G. Robinson stole every scene he was in as MacMurray's surly boss. The film was really well written (not surprising considering it was cowritten by Wilder and Raymond Chandler) and featured expectedly snappy dialogue. it slowed down a bit in parts, but was otherwise quite good. ***
Friday, October 27, 2006
Saw III
SAW III - Oct. 27, 2006
A decent conclusion to the Saw trilogy (the first Saw trilogy, at least -- obviously, more will me made, though I'm not sure where they'll go from here). Featuring mediocre direction from Darren Lynn Bousman, whose over-reliance on quick cuts got annoying fast. Jigsaw's traps are getting a bit old at this point, and the film seemed somewhat pointless at first, though it did improve as it progressed. On the plus side it was quite brutal, with the highlight clearly being the scene in which Jigsaw receives brain surgery (the audience reaction when the doctor pulled out the little power saw was worth the price of admission alone). **1/2
A decent conclusion to the Saw trilogy (the first Saw trilogy, at least -- obviously, more will me made, though I'm not sure where they'll go from here). Featuring mediocre direction from Darren Lynn Bousman, whose over-reliance on quick cuts got annoying fast. Jigsaw's traps are getting a bit old at this point, and the film seemed somewhat pointless at first, though it did improve as it progressed. On the plus side it was quite brutal, with the highlight clearly being the scene in which Jigsaw receives brain surgery (the audience reaction when the doctor pulled out the little power saw was worth the price of admission alone). **1/2
Thursday, October 26, 2006
Full Tilt Boogie
FULL TILT BOOGIE (1997) - Oct. 26, 2006
An enjoyable and in-depth documentary about the production of From Dusk Till Dawn. Looks at pretty much every aspect of the production of the film, though it doesn't go into pre or post-production, which would have been interesting (though I suppose it would have had to have been much longer at that point). The film unfortunately dwells quite a bit on all the union troubles the production had, at which point the movie slows down considerably. **1/2
An enjoyable and in-depth documentary about the production of From Dusk Till Dawn. Looks at pretty much every aspect of the production of the film, though it doesn't go into pre or post-production, which would have been interesting (though I suppose it would have had to have been much longer at that point). The film unfortunately dwells quite a bit on all the union troubles the production had, at which point the movie slows down considerably. **1/2
Tuesday, October 24, 2006
The Umbrellas of Cherbourg
THE UMBRELLAS OF CHERBOURG (1964) - Oct. 24, 2006
An interesting musical about a young couple in love. It was quite different from the usual musical in that there wasn't a single spoken line of dialogue -- everything is sung (though there aren't really any songs in the movie, more like sung dialogue). It sounds strange, but it actually does work. Featuring some very colourful direction from Jaques Demy, and good performances all around. ***
An interesting musical about a young couple in love. It was quite different from the usual musical in that there wasn't a single spoken line of dialogue -- everything is sung (though there aren't really any songs in the movie, more like sung dialogue). It sounds strange, but it actually does work. Featuring some very colourful direction from Jaques Demy, and good performances all around. ***
Sunday, October 22, 2006
Stray Dog
STRAY DOG (1949) - Oct. 22, 2006
About a cop whose gun is stolen, and who then becomes determined to catch the man who is using it to perpetrate a series of crimes, this was really well directed by Akira Kurosawa, though it was somewhat slow paced. Toshiro Mifune gave an excellent performance as the cop, and though the movie felt slightly overlong, it was really well made (though the quality of the transfer on the Criterion DVD was surprisingly bad). ***
About a cop whose gun is stolen, and who then becomes determined to catch the man who is using it to perpetrate a series of crimes, this was really well directed by Akira Kurosawa, though it was somewhat slow paced. Toshiro Mifune gave an excellent performance as the cop, and though the movie felt slightly overlong, it was really well made (though the quality of the transfer on the Criterion DVD was surprisingly bad). ***
Friday, October 20, 2006
The Prestige
THE PRESTIGE (2006) - Oct. 20, 2006
Another winner from Christopher Nolan. About a couple of rival magicians who obsess over out-doing each other, this was a really twisty, well made film. Christopher Nolan's direction was quite good, and of course the film was told in a non-linear fashion (which worked really well). Hugh Jackman and Christian Bale were both perfect in their roles, and the film was very entertaining throughout despite a run-time of over two hours. ***1/2
Another winner from Christopher Nolan. About a couple of rival magicians who obsess over out-doing each other, this was a really twisty, well made film. Christopher Nolan's direction was quite good, and of course the film was told in a non-linear fashion (which worked really well). Hugh Jackman and Christian Bale were both perfect in their roles, and the film was very entertaining throughout despite a run-time of over two hours. ***1/2
Breathless
BREATHLESS (1960) - Oct. 20, 2006
I'm not sure if this is my first or second viewing of this film. I know I've seen the first 10 minutes, but after that it stopped being familiar. Anyway, this was a good, surprisingly straight-forward film from Jean-Luc Godard about a man on the run after shooting a cop. ***
I'm not sure if this is my first or second viewing of this film. I know I've seen the first 10 minutes, but after that it stopped being familiar. Anyway, this was a good, surprisingly straight-forward film from Jean-Luc Godard about a man on the run after shooting a cop. ***
Wednesday, October 18, 2006
Flags of our Fathers
FLAGS OF OUR FATHERS (2006) - Oct. 18, 2006
A really well made but somewhat overlong film about the men who raised the flag at Iwo Jima, focusing on the three men who survived the battle and who were forced to tour the country hawking war bonds. Featuring uniformly excellent performances, particularly Ryan Phillippe and Adam Beach, and expectedly stellar direction from Clint Eastwood. The film managed to strike a good balance between visceral combat scenes, and more dramatic scenes with the three men dealing with their memories of the war back home. ***
A really well made but somewhat overlong film about the men who raised the flag at Iwo Jima, focusing on the three men who survived the battle and who were forced to tour the country hawking war bonds. Featuring uniformly excellent performances, particularly Ryan Phillippe and Adam Beach, and expectedly stellar direction from Clint Eastwood. The film managed to strike a good balance between visceral combat scenes, and more dramatic scenes with the three men dealing with their memories of the war back home. ***
Sunday, October 15, 2006
Weird Science
WEIRD SCIENCE (1985) - Oct. 15, 2006
Well, that was definitely one of John Hughes' weaker films, and a bit of a let-down considering that it has attained somewhat of a cult status over the years. About a couple of social outcasts who somehow manage to make a woman with their computer, the sort of fairy tale premise wears thin after a while, and the whole thing is a bit too silly to ever really get into. It was well acted and well made, but it just didn't really work (for me, at least). **
Well, that was definitely one of John Hughes' weaker films, and a bit of a let-down considering that it has attained somewhat of a cult status over the years. About a couple of social outcasts who somehow manage to make a woman with their computer, the sort of fairy tale premise wears thin after a while, and the whole thing is a bit too silly to ever really get into. It was well acted and well made, but it just didn't really work (for me, at least). **
Saturday, October 14, 2006
The Grudge 2
THE GRUDGE 2 (2006) - Oct. 14, 2006
This was a decent sequel, but it's hard for me to completely judge this film as I saw it with a really terrible audience. Featuring three different storylines about people who are affected by that crazy grudge house, the film was, like the first one, basically just a series of scary set-pieces. Some of these sequences were more effective than others, which made the film feel somewhat uneven. And though the whole concept of a long-haired ghost stalking people has lost a bit of its freshness (putting it mildly) the film actually does manage to be pretty creepy in parts, if not very original. I thought this was okay, but who knows, maybe I would have liked it more if I hadn't seen it with such a crappy audience. **1/2
This was a decent sequel, but it's hard for me to completely judge this film as I saw it with a really terrible audience. Featuring three different storylines about people who are affected by that crazy grudge house, the film was, like the first one, basically just a series of scary set-pieces. Some of these sequences were more effective than others, which made the film feel somewhat uneven. And though the whole concept of a long-haired ghost stalking people has lost a bit of its freshness (putting it mildly) the film actually does manage to be pretty creepy in parts, if not very original. I thought this was okay, but who knows, maybe I would have liked it more if I hadn't seen it with such a crappy audience. **1/2
Friday, October 13, 2006
Eyes Without a Face
EYES WITHOUT A FACE (1959) - Oct. 13, 2006
An eerie film about a surgeon whose goal is to replace his daughter's face after she is disfigured in a car accident. The film is well made and a bit unsettling in parts, but it's too slow-paced to ever really get into. **1/2
An eerie film about a surgeon whose goal is to replace his daughter's face after she is disfigured in a car accident. The film is well made and a bit unsettling in parts, but it's too slow-paced to ever really get into. **1/2
Forgotten Silver
FORGOTTEN SILVER (1995) - Oct. 13, 2006
An enjoyable and well made mockumentary about a fictional unknown New Zealand director who discovered sound and colour before anyone else. The film was entertaining and reasonably convincing (I can see people being fooled by it, though I did find it a bit sad that a classroom full of film students were pretty much all fooled). ***
An enjoyable and well made mockumentary about a fictional unknown New Zealand director who discovered sound and colour before anyone else. The film was entertaining and reasonably convincing (I can see people being fooled by it, though I did find it a bit sad that a classroom full of film students were pretty much all fooled). ***
Kiss me Deadly
KISS ME DEADLY (1955) - Oct. 13, 2006
About a private eye who finds himself embroiled in a conspiracy after he begins to investigate the death of a hitchhiker he picked up, this was a well made film noir. The direction was good (I particularly liked the scene in the boxing ring), as was the acting, though the film was probably a bit overlong. Then there is the bizarre ending, which clearly inspired the glowing suitcase from Pulp Fiction, and which really has to be seen to be believed. ***
About a private eye who finds himself embroiled in a conspiracy after he begins to investigate the death of a hitchhiker he picked up, this was a well made film noir. The direction was good (I particularly liked the scene in the boxing ring), as was the acting, though the film was probably a bit overlong. Then there is the bizarre ending, which clearly inspired the glowing suitcase from Pulp Fiction, and which really has to be seen to be believed. ***
Wednesday, October 11, 2006
Man of the Year
MAN OF THE YEAR (2006) - Oct. 11, 2006
A decent but sort of mediocre film by Barry Levinson about a Jon Stewart-esque comedian who decides to run for president (and wins). The performances were good, and the whole thing was affable enough for the first hour or so, if nothing too great, but things went downhill in the second half. It was definitely too long by at least half an hour; it really starts to drag towards the end. Plus there's a bunch of time spent with Laura Linney's character, a lot of which seems superfluous (the stuff towards the end where the film suddenly turns into a political thriller was out of place and unnecessary). The movie would have probably been better off focusing more on the stuff with Robin Williams, and less on the whole vote-count conspiracy thing (or not at all on the vote-count conspiracy thing, it was pretty stupid). **1/2
A decent but sort of mediocre film by Barry Levinson about a Jon Stewart-esque comedian who decides to run for president (and wins). The performances were good, and the whole thing was affable enough for the first hour or so, if nothing too great, but things went downhill in the second half. It was definitely too long by at least half an hour; it really starts to drag towards the end. Plus there's a bunch of time spent with Laura Linney's character, a lot of which seems superfluous (the stuff towards the end where the film suddenly turns into a political thriller was out of place and unnecessary). The movie would have probably been better off focusing more on the stuff with Robin Williams, and less on the whole vote-count conspiracy thing (or not at all on the vote-count conspiracy thing, it was pretty stupid). **1/2
Sunday, October 08, 2006
Crimes and Misdemeanors
CRIMES AND MISDEMEANORS (1989) - Oct. 8, 2006 (Fourth or Fifth Viewing)
I think I needed to watch a really good movie to get the stink of Texas Chainsaw off me. And they don't come much better than this; this is a great film and almost certainly Woody Allen's best. Featuring excellent performances from Anjelica Huston, Alan Alda, Mia Farrow and Sam Waterston. And then of course there's Martin Landau, who gives what has to be one of the best performances of all time as an opthamologist who has to deal with the guilt after having his mistress killed. Woody Allen is in peak form here: his writing and direction are pretty much perfect, and he gives one of his better performances as a struggling documentarian. Good stuff. ****
I think I needed to watch a really good movie to get the stink of Texas Chainsaw off me. And they don't come much better than this; this is a great film and almost certainly Woody Allen's best. Featuring excellent performances from Anjelica Huston, Alan Alda, Mia Farrow and Sam Waterston. And then of course there's Martin Landau, who gives what has to be one of the best performances of all time as an opthamologist who has to deal with the guilt after having his mistress killed. Woody Allen is in peak form here: his writing and direction are pretty much perfect, and he gives one of his better performances as a struggling documentarian. Good stuff. ****
Saturday, October 07, 2006
The Texas Chainsaw Massacre: The Beginning
THE TEXAS CHAINSAW MASSACRE: THE BEGINNING (2006) - Oct. 7, 2006
Hate is not a strong enough word to describe my feelings for this film. I loathed this movie. I despised it. I thought that there was nowhere to go but up after the last one, but I could not have been more wrong. This was an unpleasant, boring, repugnant and ugly little film. The characters were flat and underdeveloped, even by horror movie standards; the same goes for the plot. The film simply lurched from one scene of sadistic gore to the next - it's neither scary nor suspenseful - with nothing propelling the movie forward other than a desire to be as gross and unpleasant as possible. This was essentially a snuff film, but then I'm sure that even some snuff films are made with more intelligence and artistry than this festering, putrid pile of rat vomit. ZERO STARS
Hate is not a strong enough word to describe my feelings for this film. I loathed this movie. I despised it. I thought that there was nowhere to go but up after the last one, but I could not have been more wrong. This was an unpleasant, boring, repugnant and ugly little film. The characters were flat and underdeveloped, even by horror movie standards; the same goes for the plot. The film simply lurched from one scene of sadistic gore to the next - it's neither scary nor suspenseful - with nothing propelling the movie forward other than a desire to be as gross and unpleasant as possible. This was essentially a snuff film, but then I'm sure that even some snuff films are made with more intelligence and artistry than this festering, putrid pile of rat vomit. ZERO STARS
Thursday, October 05, 2006
The Passion of Joan of Arc
THE PASSION OF JOAN OF ARC (1928) - Oct. 5, 2006
About Joan of Arc's last days before being burned at the stake, this was an interesting film. It was definitely well made, though the abundant use of close-ups did get a bit tiresome after a while (the protagonist is seen almost exclusively through close-ups -- I think it must be some kind of record). **1/2
About Joan of Arc's last days before being burned at the stake, this was an interesting film. It was definitely well made, though the abundant use of close-ups did get a bit tiresome after a while (the protagonist is seen almost exclusively through close-ups -- I think it must be some kind of record). **1/2
Wednesday, October 04, 2006
The Departed
THE DEPARTED (2006) - Oct. 4, 2006
A really well-made film by Martin Scorsese about a violent mobster, the undercover cop trying to take him down, and the corrupt cop helping him out. The film was exceptionally well acted, and unsurprisingly, very well directed. It was probably a tad overlong, but that's a minor complaint. ***1/2
A really well-made film by Martin Scorsese about a violent mobster, the undercover cop trying to take him down, and the corrupt cop helping him out. The film was exceptionally well acted, and unsurprisingly, very well directed. It was probably a tad overlong, but that's a minor complaint. ***1/2
Lost in La Mancha
LOST IN LA MANCHA (2002) - Oct. 4, 2006 (Second Viewing)
A documentary about the disastrous and ill-fated production of Terry Gilliam's Don Quixote. This was an interesting film, if only to see all the things that can go wrong over the course of making a movie. This wasn't particularly something I needed to see twice, but it was entertaining. ***
A documentary about the disastrous and ill-fated production of Terry Gilliam's Don Quixote. This was an interesting film, if only to see all the things that can go wrong over the course of making a movie. This wasn't particularly something I needed to see twice, but it was entertaining. ***
Sunday, October 01, 2006
Goodfellas
GOODFELLAS (2006) - Oct. 1, 2006 (Third or Fourth Viewing)
A classic. What can I say about this movie? It was perfectly directed by Martin Scorsese (who always seems to find the perfect musical accompaniment to every scene), and features really excellent performances from Robert DeNiro, Joe Pesci and Lorraine Bracco, and an electrifying lead performance from Ray Liotta. It was really long but doesn't feel it at all. I have no complaints about this movie. ****
A classic. What can I say about this movie? It was perfectly directed by Martin Scorsese (who always seems to find the perfect musical accompaniment to every scene), and features really excellent performances from Robert DeNiro, Joe Pesci and Lorraine Bracco, and an electrifying lead performance from Ray Liotta. It was really long but doesn't feel it at all. I have no complaints about this movie. ****
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