Saturday, January 5, 2013
The Hobbit: An Unexpected Journey
IMDB
First time viewed: No
Current Release: Yes
Watched With: Michael
Write Up.
So I saw this again at IMAX HFR 3D. I gotta say I enjoyed the HFR much more this time. I don't know if it's because the 3D system is different, or the screen was bigger or I was just more prepared for what to expect, but it was definitely easier to swallow.
Taxidermia
IMDB
First time viewed: No
Current Release: No
Watched With: Tyler, Naomi
I think this and Kontroll are the only films from Hungary i've ever seen. This is surreal, horrifying and pretty funny too. Just bizarre. But well worth a look. 3 Generations of men from the same family, 3 stories. All very very odd. And apparently all representative of Hungary's history at the times represented, however I really don't know anything about the subtext, so all I'm going off is what I see. It's pretty incredible.
I think this and Kontroll are the only films from Hungary i've ever seen. This is surreal, horrifying and pretty funny too. Just bizarre. But well worth a look. 3 Generations of men from the same family, 3 stories. All very very odd. And apparently all representative of Hungary's history at the times represented, however I really don't know anything about the subtext, so all I'm going off is what I see. It's pretty incredible.
Let the Right One In
Friday, January 4, 2013
The Orphanage
IMDB
First time viewed: No
Current Release: No
Watched With: Tyler
A beautiful and heartbreaking ghost story that's filled with beautiful visuals, great performances and real drama and scares. One of the best of the decade. Great to watch again, it's been long enough since I'd last seen it that I only vaguely remembered all the details. And then as they came back watching it I remembered just how great the end is. Another great Spanish horror.
A beautiful and heartbreaking ghost story that's filled with beautiful visuals, great performances and real drama and scares. One of the best of the decade. Great to watch again, it's been long enough since I'd last seen it that I only vaguely remembered all the details. And then as they came back watching it I remembered just how great the end is. Another great Spanish horror.
Doomsday Book
IMDB
First time viewed: Yes
Current Release: Yes
Apocalyptic anthology film from Korea. 3 short stories. The first, a zombie type virus outbreak/romance. It was pretty good. The second had a robot obtaining enlightenment, causing a lot of philosophical sci-fi debate. An amazing premise and I really liked the ideas in it, but it was pretty much like watching a play, all talk and no action. The third was probably the most well rounded of the lot and the premise is delightfully absurd, so I won't spoil it here, but it was by far my favourite.
All are very stylishly made and they are an impressive looking collection of films. Some really great moments here and there.
Juan of the Dead
IMDB
First time viewed: Yes
Current Release: Yes
Amazing. This one kicks it in the dick. A must see for zombie fans.
Thursday, January 3, 2013
Jack Reacher
IMDB
First time viewed: Yes
Current Release: Yes
Watched With: Michael
A nice solid B-Action movie. It's not trying to be the biggest blockbuster ever made, it's pretty simple and straightforward detective story and it has some fun moments. Tom Cruise gets a cooler than cool character to play and we get a brief but delightful Werner Herzog as the villain. The end was a little meh ok, it's shootout time, but the start was surprisingly startling and unnerving so it balanced out.
Wednesday, January 2, 2013
Life of Pi
Tuesday, January 1, 2013
Film List 2012
This year I saw 613 films. 308 were for the first time. 312 were new releases. I went to the cinema 196 times. And for the first time in a long time I actually saw more films with other people than without. Perhaps this means I'm becoming more sociable. I have a new viewing location in my database as well, as I saw 6 films on a plane this year. One release I actually had a hand in getting to the theatres, so of course, my number 1 position is incredibly biased. Take that, and everything else of the list, with a grain of salt.
Here's a list of new releases I saw for the first time this year. Once again, there is a massive list of films I have yet to see, but they shall have to wait until next year now.
Movies that blew me away:
Movies I really really loved:
Movies that were great:
Movies that were good:
Movies that were okay, I guess:
Movies that were more problematic than not:
Movies I just didn't go for:
Movies that just.... No. No, no, no:
Hope you enjoyed your movies this year! Excited to see what 2013 brings.... *cough* Gravity *cough*
Monday, December 31, 2012
Compliance
IMDB
First time viewed: Yes
Current Release: Yes
Watched With: Myself
So unbelievable it must be true. Yikes. Gripping stuff, also extremely frustrating...
The cast are great, especially Ann Dowd and the fast food restaurant manager who is tasked by the voice on the phone to do some questionable things.
It's a great bad situation movie, revealing some rather alarming things about human nature.
Father's Day
IMDB
First time viewed: Yes
Current Release: Yes
Watched With: Myself
Oh man. It's been a very long time since I watched a Troma film. Actually I haven't seen that many now that I look at their catalogue, I know them more by reputation. Very low budget, but extremely graphic and balls out insane. This film certainly fits the bill. Gloriously insane. Very entertaining.
The film is very funny. Filled with laugh out loud moments. Some intentionally and some, well it's harder to tell. Such a fine line to walk. The Grindhouse nature of the film gives them a bit of license for the very rough around the edges production. And they ape the 80's late night television programming very well.
The tone is a little inconsistent, but overall that's not really an issue, it's not aiming to be perfect. It's a very silly film and if you can stomach the graphic content it's damn entertaining.
Trouble with the Curve
IMDB
First time viewed: Yes
Current Release: Yes
Watched With: Myself
Grizzly old Clint Eastwood. Grrrr. Baseball. Grrr.
Add to that a bit of sports movie and a romantic comedy starring Amy Adams and Justin Timberlake. Enjoyable enough. Baseball's not really my thing though. So I was left with a very formulaic film with some hilarious lines that seem to have been written because they just thought it would be amusing to make Clint Eastwood say them. I guess they were right, it was pretty amusing.
Sunday, December 30, 2012
When the Wind Blows
IMDB
First time viewed: Yes
Current Release: No
Watched With: Myself
Could not find a trailer, not sure if one even exists, so instead you get David Bowie's themes song.
Nothing like a happy little piece of animation to start the day. This is one of the classics of nuclear holocaust films and I can't believe it's taken me this long to get around to watching it. I remember the graphic novel being in my primary school library and flicking through it once or twice.
The animation is facinating. The low budget is quite apparent, but the mixture of miniature photographed backgrounds and cel animation and stop-frame, as well as video and graphics in some segments is intriguing.
Our two main characters are so frustratingly naive. It's both adorable and annoying. Crumbs! Watching them slowly die of radiation sickness over an hour of animation has its ups and downs.
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