The Hunger Games: Mockingjay - Part 1

IMDB
First time viewed: No
Current Release: Yes
Watched With: Michael

Write Up.

I saw an interview with Francis Lawrence where he said they decided to put the first scene of Mockingjay Part 2 at the end of this film. Everyone that's seen the film will know there's a definite end point that would have been really annoying to leave the film hanging on. I think they made the right decision.

As Above, So Below

IMDB
First time viewed: Yes
Current Release: Yes
Watched With: Kate

Another found footage horror, this one following a National Treasure style hunt that ends up going all Event Horizon. The Dowdle brothers have dealt with found footage before. And hell as well. There's some of the usual stuff here, shadowy hooded figures, past traumas resurfacing and my favourite is the ever evolving maze of underground tunnels. They also get the benefit of using claustrophobia and cave ins and drowning and all the other cave exploration tropes. There's some good jump scares and a few tense moments.

The whole idea of this adventure story feels like a great pitch for an Indiana Jones movie. As a horror film it's okay. I found the supernatural adventure story and the found footage style to be a bit of an odd clash though. But I guess that makes it cheaper to produce?

Some fun ideas, I don't know how seriously the movie is taking itself and I found it had to figure out how seriously I should be taking it. Fun adventure and found footage horror. Odd mix.

The Hunger Games: Mockingjay - Part 1

IMDB
First time viewed: Yes
Current Release: Yes
Watched With: Sebastian, Tyler, Warwick

I don't like reviewing part 1's because it's so incomplete. The film ends just as things start to get interesting, which is pretty frustrating. Katniss spends most of the film being kept safe underground or being used as a propaganda pawn and it's not exactly the most exciting stuff because everything is kept separated and we're introduced to a whole lot of stuff that we won't get to see paid off until next year.

Liam Hemsworth finally gets some decent screen time, but still only has as many lines as he did in the other films. And I think it should stay that way, he's best when he keeps his mouth shut. Josh Hutcherson is sadly absent for the majority of the film but what we do see of him is the most interesting stuff. Did they Steve Rodgers him or is that legitimate? And having recently watched film 2, Jenna Malone was missed as well. But as a consolation we get scenes with Julianne Moore and Philip Seymour Hoffman, to whom the film is dedicated.

It effectively lays the ground work for a final show down. There's a few nice squirmishes but they are almost asides. We just get to spend a bit more time with these characters and J-Law sings a song. If the last film delivers this film will have been worth it, but it's hard for it not to feel like a bit of padding.

The Hunger Games: Catching Fire

IMDB
First time viewed: No
Current Release: No

Write Up.

Listened to the commentary track and watched the extra features in preparation for the next in the series. The commentary track as a few interesting things to learn but is ultimately pretty boring. The extras were really cool though, and I didn't know about them shooting in IMAX. I don't think that film even came out here in IMAX. Or if it did, I missed it. Shame, I really like this one.

Interstellar

IMDB
First time viewed: No
Current Release: Yes
Watched With: Tyler

Write Up.

Went to see it again at IMAX. Man it's a frustrating experience. Because there's stuff here that I think is great but those plot points are annoying enough to derail the film for me and the drama really doesn't work for me either. It's a real shame.

Still, there's those of you that love the damn thing, so power to you people. I probably liked it more the second time, now that my expectations were levelled but I'll never be able to fully get behind this story.

Young Ones

IMDB
First time viewed: Yes
Current Release: Yes

This was a really odd film. I enjoyed it, just a strange mix of genres and style. I think it's mainly the score. The music is really different to what I'd expect in this kind of movie. Interesting though. Can't decide if I liked that choice or not.

It's a gritty western family drama at heart with some apocalyptic sci-fi edges. The film has a really great cast that all do good stuff. And it's visually pretty striking too. Also the visual effects here are great.

I really did like the film, even if a few of the stylistic decisions seemed odd to me. Check it out for yourself. If nothing else, the actors and the drama works really well.

Debug

IMDB
First time viewed: Yes
Current Release: Yes

Actor David Hewlett has made a movie. Apparently he's done this before too, but this is the first I've seen or heard of. Low low budget sci-fi b-grade horror, it's not really anything new but it has some nice concepts. Passed the time.

Girls Nite Out A.K.A. The Scaremaker

IMDB
First time viewed: Yes
Current Release: No
Watched With: Tyler, Kate, Andrew

I just HAD to post both of these trailers. Because they are amazing.

The film, not so much.

However it can boast the hilarity of 80's clothing and a killer in a bear costume. It also has one of the genuinely coolest soundtracks for an 80's horror film that I can think of. All the hits of the summer.

If you can make it through the broad performances in the first half, you'll get some pretty average kills in the second. I did enjoy the ending though.

Nightcrawler

IMDB
First time viewed: Yes
Current Release: Yes
Watched With: Tyler

Screenwriter Dan Gilroy makes his directorial debut in this dark satirical thriller and he's done a great job. Jake Gyllenhaal manages to make one of the most despicable characters seen on screen this year a real joy. The character ad the film is refreshingly unapologetic. Amoral, hilarious and horrifying.

There's a few thrilling sequences that, if you're anything like me, will have you squirming and giggling in your seat. And they aren't always the more action based set pieces, like the car chases. The most thrilling scenes are usually simple dialogue scenes where the negotiations of power and our protagonists ambitious tendencies reveal his slightly more psychotic side.

The media satire is not very subtle, but the film as a whole is so entertaining, and I really love the look of the night time digital cinematography. No doubt I'll be seeing this one again soon. Check it out!

Curtains

IMDB
First time viewed: Yes
Current Release: No
Watched With: Tyler

Thought this would follow on thematically from Starry Eyes. 5 Actresses auditioning for a director in a house in the hills, and some of them will do anything for the part...

That trailer shows all the interesting stuff but there's a lot of in between. Samantha Eggar is a scary looking person. I love her character backstory the most, being committed to a mental hospital for research and the director leaving her there, before she breaks out to get to the audition.

There's some alright bits in this one, I did enjoy the ice skating death. I think this concept could be done better though. There's a few twists and turns but it's not particularly thrilling stuff.

Starry Eyes

IMDB
First time viewed: Yes
Current Release: Yes
Watched With: Tyler

Hahahahah wonderful. People that really want something and will do anything to get it, they really can be scary. This is a surreal little piece with some wonderful imagery. A few of the supporting performances are a little big and broad for my tastes, it's certainly funny but I don't know how well that fits in with the rest of the film. Perhaps that's what they were going for though. Anyway despite its few minor flaws it's still a fun piece. Feels a little like a late 70's Italian horror film.

The Guest

IMDB
First time viewed: Yes
Current Release: Yes
Watched With: Tyler, Jordan

If you can avoid watching the trailer for this one, do so. It was really great watching this film having no idea where it was heading. All I knew was that the guys that made You'e Next made this and it got rave reviews at festivals. A wonderfully retro styled low budget thriller/action/horror/drama/comedy thing. It eases you in and then gradually lets elements loose that change the vibe. It's a hell of a lot of fun and easily one of the most entertaining films I've seen this year. A definite must see.

The Hobbit: The Desolation of Smaug

IMDB
First time viewed: No
Current Release: No

Write Up.

Commentary time. The usual stuff here. Pity it's just the two of them chatting, the lord of the rings had 4 tracks with edits from heaps of various cast and crew. Still the extra features are all really great as usual.