Eyes Wide Shut

IMDB
First time viewed: No
Current Release: No
Watched With: Jordan, Amberly

Another one it's been a while since I last saw. Sadly, Stanley Kubrick's last film and one I am sure I was probably far too immature to process properly when I first saw it.

It's easier to watch now and focus on the story and characters, without all the tabloid publicity that accompanied it on it's release, Mainly concerning the two stars and also the untimely death of the director. It's perhaps a little more straightforward than I had remembered but there's still this Kubrickian undercurrent of dark unease saturating the scenes.

As Dr. Bill's sexual temptations begin at the start of the film you have no idea just how far things will go or where the film ends up. It kind of segues into a mystery thriller but as it never fully resolves these threads it really just serves as an extended obstacle to overcome. The film is very sure about what its intentions are however I know I forget this everytime and always wish for that tangent to become the main story. I suppose if it was all resolved the film wouldn't still have this uneasy mystery about it upon rewatching.

Alan Cumming! Haha, his brief role here is hilarious.

Longest movie shoot at 400 days? That's quite the commitment.

This film has lost none of its potency. It still manages to draw me in, I find it mesmerising.

Marie Antoinette

IMDB
First time viewed: No
Current Release: No
Watched With: Jordan, Amberly

I really appreciate Sofia Coppola's rendition of a historical biopic. She's presented as a Paris Hilton type. The slight modern slant not only makes the character far more relatable but also doesn't bore me to tears. There's something about always staring in this fantasy world of palace life and never addressing the real issues of the country that is so effective, keeping the audience about as in the dark as Marie Antoinette probably was. The accents never bothered me either.

Absolutely stunning visuals. The Hair, costumes, locations and food all look immaculate. Also The cast is populated with many favourites. Easy to win my favour, something Sofia Coppola doesn't always manage to do.

Perhaps a more relatable Marie Antoinette is not what the French public wants. But I do. I love ending it where they did too. Good stuff.

Stand By Me

IMDB
First time viewed: No
Current Release: No
Watched With: Jordan, Amberly

Just had to watch this again after viewing Misery again the other week.

Another Stephen King story but this feels infinitely more Rob Reiner-ish. This is also a childhood favourite of mine. It somehow manages to make me nostalgic for a time and place I've never seen and friends I've never had.

Stellar performances by the 4 leads. Always a joy to watch.

The Host

IMDB
First time viewed: No
Current Release: No
Watched With: Jordan, Amberly

What a fantastic monster movie. It feels so epic, it has so much going on and keeps things moving. And most importantly, the monster is awesome. The Orphanage have done a great job with this dude. That first attack sequence, which happens in bright daylight with a bunch of extras, is just so thrilling.

It's also one of those films that managed to be sad and tragic one minute, hilarious and horrifying the next. I love the way it sets up all the conventions of a hollywood monster movie but then does the exact opposite.

This is at it's heart, the story of a dysfunctional family who have to band together to save the youngest. They all get their own bits to do and the outcome is pretty shocking but very refreshing. Definitely a favourite.

In Time

IMDB
First time viewed: No
Current Release: Yes
Watched With: Jordan, Amberly

Write Up 1 and 2.

And while this film probably doesn't warrant 3 cinema viewings, it was the second of a double feature at the Drive-In which, again, is novelty enough for me to stick it out. Besides, it's pretty fun.

We Bought A Zoo

IMDB
First time viewed: No
Current Release: Yes
Watched With: Jordan, Amberly

Write Up.

Haha, I didn't really write anything much did I. Well I did enjoy it alright. It's VERY Cameron Crowe, filled with whimsical little bits of dialogue that only characters in Cameron Crowe films would ever say. There was one in particular that annoyed me so much, but he managed to retroactively make it better by explaining the origin of it in the last scene of the film. It's sweet enough and Elle Fanning is just adorable. There's nothing pretentious about her laughing in this, it's so genuine it's catching. You can't help but smile.

Added bonus, Saw this at an honest-to-god old school drive-in cinema. Not too often you get the opportunity, so I'll take the novelty over good sound and washed out projection when the film starts before the sun has completely gone down.

Spirited Away

IMDB
First time viewed: No
Current Release: No
Watched With: Jordan, Amberly

Write Up.

So magical. I really love the score too. Beautiful.

Baxter

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

The life of a psychotic bull-terrior as he finds his way from owner to owner in the suburbs of France.

Delightfully black comedy. There have been a few films that are narrated from the point of view of a dog, but none are as twisted as this. Things get especially dark in the latter half with Baxter's final owner, a young boy who it seems is every bit as psychotic as he is.

Extremely enjoyable. If you ever can find a copy, give it a watch.

Close Encounters of the Third Kind

IMDB
First time viewed: No
Current Release: No
Watched With: Jordan, Amberly

Previous Write Up.

A double feature with 2001 makes a hell of a night.

2001: A Space Odyssey

IMDB
First time viewed: No
Current Release: No
Watched With: Jordan, Amberly

It's quite the jump from Apollo 18 to this. So good to watch on a big screen from the bluray. Still, I'd love to see a real 70mm print one day.

I always remember the Jupiter mission section of the film the best, as that section feels the most like a contemporary film. It has characters, dialogue, conflict, action, that sort of thing. It's always a surprise when it starts and I remember there's the whole dawn of man and the moon trip first. And with the roadshow overture, entr'acte and intermission (which we utilised) on the bluray you really feel the epic scope of the story that is told so impressionistically.

I have to admit, I always feel slightly fatigued by the end of that trippyness going beyond the infinite. It really does go on for what feels like forever.

The effects in this film are still stunning today. And I'm still creeped out by the silence in space, especially when HAL is going homicidal. There's something very eerie about so much of this. Always the feeling that something terrible or great is lurking just beneath the surface and you're not sure which but you have to be prepared for either.

When dealing with such huge concepts as this, I really appreciate the interpretive approach. It's like a Rorschach blot with an awesome soundtrack. I'm pretty sure that trailer explains more than the film ever does. This is a movie for special occasions. I usually can't watch it more than once a year or so, but I always love it when I do.

I wish we had a Hilton space station we could stay at now though. With awesome retro pink couches.

Apollo 18

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

In my Chronicle write up I mentioned how much I love the found-footage concept. More times than not though, it doesn't really work. I do love the audacity of found-footage from the moon. That's just ridiculous. I only wish the end game wasn't so ridiculous.

I'll be honest I didn't have high hopes for this film after the release was dumped. So I was surprised to find a few moments where the slow build really did work, as well as some genuinely creepy scenes. I think something about the absolute isolations of space makes these situations all the more tense inherently. All credibility goes out the window when it's finally revealed what the big secret is. I think a simpler survival horror story would have been far more effective. But this film takes the b-movie route big time.

One thing I cannot falter is the recreation of the moon surface and period footage. As unlikely as it would be that as much footage as we see was recorded, the authenticity of the environment and the footage is far beyond anything I can recall and I really have to give it big credit for that, as it's something I'm always trying out in my own work.

I note Timur Bekmambetov as a producer, so I presume he helped provide the lunar landscape fx that blend so authentically. It truly is beautiful.

Pity about the end. This is a real could-have-been.

The Breakfast Club

IMDB
First time viewed: No
Current Release: No
Watched With: Jordan, Amberly

Been itching to give the bluray of this a spin for a while now. It's never a bad time to throw on some John Hughes.

And really, this has the gotta be at the top of the list of great teen films, 80's or otherwise. It's hard to encapsulate just how this one works so well and yet seemingly has not real plot. But by using these character archetypes we are all so familiar with and then giving them a chance to play off each other we get some funny, poignant, tragic and memorable scenes.

By any rights, a classic.

Silent Hill

IMDB
First time viewed: No
Current Release: No
Watched With: Jordan, Amberly

Previous Post.

It's so prrdy.

Sex, Lies, and Videotape

IMDB
First time viewed: No
Current Release: No
Watched With: Jordan, Amberly

Wow, it's been a very long time since I saw this little number. Steven Soderbergh's breakthrough film and an extremely enjoyable 90's drama. Also contains one of my favourite pieces of IMDB triva:

"On the first day of production, the producers sent a telegram to Steven Soderbergh; they teased him good-naturedly, telling him they'd heard reports that he couldn't direct traffic. Twelve years later, Soderbergh won an Oscar for directing Traffic."

Hilarious.

James Spader, you are just awesome. Probably the least annoying Andie MacDowell role ever as well.

And apart from the great dialogue and acting, one of the things I find interesting about this film is that it makes me slightly nostalgic for those big cassette videocameras. Beta is better folks.

Labyrinth

IMDB
First time viewed: No
Current Release: No
Watched With: Jordan, Amberly

The Imagination of Jim Henson, The Wizardry of George Lucas, The Excitement of David Bowie!

Another nostalgic all-time childhood favourite. Many would agree that this is far more digestable than The Dark Crystal although slightly more dated. You get humans in this film, a faster pace and musical numbers. Plus Terry Jones' humour coming through in the dialogue. And Brian Froud's amazing designs and Trevor Jones' great 80's-tastic score.

And a young Jennifer Connelly, who is just adorable.

Those that grew up with it love it. Those that didn't might find it odd but I think more of it still works than what doesn't. The puppetry is still incredible. I really love the production design, the forced perspectives, matte paintings, all of it. Some revolutionary CG used in the opening titles. A taste of George Lucas to come...

When I think about it now, the idea of David Bowie trying to seduce a 12 year old girl is rather frightening but, that really the point of the whole film, the ol' "young girl escapes to a fantasy world to help her deal with pressures of becoming an adult" story. I do love them.

Well I have nostalgia blindness with this film. I can't view it objectively when I can recite the whole thing, vocal inflections and all. I will say, loved watching it again on a big screen and on bluray. Looks great.