Free Birds

IMDB
First time viewed: Yes
Current Release: Yes

Yeah it's not good. And it doesn't even try to make the time travel make sense, or do anything intelligent with it. The actors are kind of stranded with this one. Meh.

The Wind Rises

IMDB

First time viewed: Yes

Current Release: Yes

Watched With: Michael

Hayao Miyazaki's final feature film is a mix of war drama character study, dream fantasy and romance. As is usually his style, the stream of consciousness style storytelling means you can never really pick where the film is heading or how little scenes will play into the bigger picture, if at all. Sometimes there's just beautifully observed character moments, a rarity in animation. 

It's a much more somber film than his usual fantastic fare, bittersweet and raisin many interesting themes I'm still pondering over. While I'm an easy sucker for fantasy there and artistry to this I appreciate even while the rambling nature feels less cohesive in a more dramatic setting. It won't ever be my favourite film from the master, but it's very interesting nonetheless.

Mandela: Long Walk To Freedom

IMDB
First time viewed: Yes
Current Release: Yes

Long walk. Loooooong walk. He's not even in prison for that much of the running time, I thought that would be the bulk. But I guess that's not where the drama was. True stories of a whole persons life like this are a hard thing to pull off without feeling episodic or emotionally detached. I thought this one was okay, but man it feels really really long.

RoboCop

IMDB

First time viewed: Yes

Current Release: Yes

Watched With: Michael

Well it can't top the original, and I don't see the need for a remake, at least not with what they did with it. I appreciate the focus on the character relationship between Alex Murphy and his wife and the action and fx are cool. But even though they try to update the satire, with Sam Jackson as a celebrity news commentator, they really miss the mark there. For me, that (plus the excessive gore and great Phil Tippet fx) was the main draw of the original. 

Gary Oldman and Michael Keaton are always fun to watch and they have a small handful of scenes together which is great.There's some cool stuff here but without the great satire, or the wondrous gore.

Winter’s Tale

IMDB

First time viewed: Yes

Current Release: Yes

Holy moly I can't think of a film I've ever seen that is as ill-advised as this. The production value on screen, the calibre of actors involved, all to service this.... story... oh my god. Akiva Goldsman is apparently high enough up the food chain that people aren't allowed to say no to him. And it looks as if he's just cashed in all favours and years of good will for this passion project. 

Miracles and the power of belief and the universe loves you and everything will be okay in the end kinda stuff shits me at the best of times but the ham fisted way this film works is just downright offensive. Really offensive. 

The bad decision making on display here is so horrifying and unbelievable it's amazes. I can't believe a film like this exists. Stunning and horrifying.

Labor Day

IMDB
First time viewed: Yes
Current Release: Yes

I guess I expected a bit more from Jason Reitman and this cast. Doing this kind of blatant melodrama today is a risky proposition and it doesn't matter how hard you try to understate it, it's there and feels oddly out of place in todays film landscape. There is an audience for this kind of film though, I'm probably not it. It's beautifully shot and put together. And It's always nice to know James Van Der Beek is still getting work.

Endless Love

IMDB

First time viewed: Yes

Current Release: Yes

Oh wow. I mean, it really feels like an 80's romance. I know it's based on a book and according to reports, both film adaptations miss the mark. This one is just hilarious in its earnestness. Blatant and limp. Poor Bruce Greenwood, you try so hard.

Are We Officially Dating? aka That Awkward Moment

IMDB
First time viewed: Yes
Current Release: Yes

Oh man I've been so busy I haven't seen a film in almost two weeks! But I finally have a few days off, so I'm going to play catch up, even though the only movies out at the moment are terrible Valentines Day Romance movies. I can regret my decision later.

I really like all the actors in this one. All the young up and coming guys are individually the most charming guys in the other films they've been in. Put them together and they could be the super charisma team that takes hollywood by storm. And yet the script is so terrible and the characters they are forced to play such assholes that not even their superpowers can help them make an interesting or entertaining film.

It doesn't matte how much they call each other out on it, the fact that the characters are self-aware assholes just makes it worse. Filled with really poor exposition, blatant character shifts to justify boring plot mechanics, this one is a shiny turd.