Martyrs

IMDB
First time viewed: No
Current Release: No
Watched With: Belinda

Write Up.

An odd double with Totoro. The brief was to find something the opposite of that. I can't think of anything more opposite than this?

My Neighbour Totoro

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First time viewed: No
Current Release: No
Watched With: Belinda

Write Up.

Weeeeeeeeheheheheheeeeee

Clue

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First time viewed: No
Current Release: No
Watched With: Belinda

How awesome is Clue? Yeah, so good. Grew up with this one and know it off by heart. In my older age I appreciate the amazing cast much more. But this is a film that I found hilarious as a kid and can appreciate on a whole new level now. The farcical humour of yesteryear still brings a smile. And I love that on the bluray they've kept the random ending option.

Such a great adaptation of a board game. Who knew? Oh and an amazing score!

The Great Gatsby

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

OMG this movies has the Gravity trailer in 3D attached! YES! Reason enough to see it.

As for the film itself, well, it's a Baz Luhrmann version of Gatsby, which funnily enough was exactly like what it sounds. Somehow it was both over and underwhelming at the same time.

I don't like the actual story that much, I find it quite distancing and I felt the same here. I've never read the book but from what I understand, the appeal is the beautiful prose and the wafer thin story is just a means to hold theme together. They hamfistedly try to cram in as much of that prose as possible and it just kills the film for me. So much metaphor and little regard to actual substance, which makes it very hard for me to care about anyone in the story.  But the actors try gosh darn it, they do. Varying degrees of success.

Once again Luhrmann starts his film off with a bang. A frenzy of editing and sound, I don't think there was a point in the first half where there weren't at least 2 or 3 competing songs playing in the background at all times. But as usual he always sets the audience up to hold on to their seats for a wild ride and then dies halfway through as the film limps to a close. Strictly Ballroom is the only film of his where I enjoy the latter half as much as the first, he just never lives up to the promise of his openings.

It's visually very nice, very stylised, as to be expected. and the 3D is great. Everything looks kind of fake, green screened or cg but it's so consistent that it just seems like part of the world that is created. Baz is never aiming for realism.

It's a tricky one, I haven't quite made up my mind about it. I certainly didn't love it but I don't hate it either.

A Haunted House

IMDB
First time viewed: Yes
Current Release: Yes

Well I really don't like these spoof movies but if I have to see one I'd rather it be one like this, that actually has some semblance of plot and characters to take you through gags that are worked organically into the story and don't just rely on referential humour.

The Scary Movie franchise has devolved into a parade of tabloid celebrities and references to anything that happened to be trending on twitter the morning they shot. I refuse to watch the 5th film, I just can't do that to myself. But back when Marlon Wayans was working on number 2 it still seemed to be trying to have original laughs and fit the jokes into a cohesive story. And this film does that too, so I have to give it props for that, even if I don't find the humour funny.

Behind the Candelabra

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

Steven Soderbergh's film about Liberace was rather musing. While the rise and fall of fame is something we've all seen before, these larger than life characters and their relationship is what makes it worth the watch. Matt Damon and Michael Douglas are wonderful in their respective roles and there's a good supporting cast too. Rob Lowe is slightly horrifying. 

Hope this isn't really the last feature Soderbergh makes. 

Cheerful Weather for the Wedding

IMDB
First time viewed: Yes
Current Release: Yes

This is not as much of a comedy or farce as the trailer makes out. It's a pretty dreary drama steeped to the eyeballs in proper British societal vernacular and behaviour. It almost chokes you with it. But I suppose that is entirely the point of the film. So having said that I'm sure you can guess where things lead.

It's well put together and they try to keep things interesting by keeping all the events on the wedding day and revealing all backstory slowly through flashback scenes interspersed throughout. But it's just not that fun to watch. It's so cold and austere and I really had no sympathy for any of the characters. Just didn't interest me. But some of you out there may enjoy it, if only for the costumes and period.

Black Book

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

Write Up. Watched this one tonight pretty much to show a friend how awesome Carice van Houten is. Cool to see her in Game of Thrones.

The Burning

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

A fun early 80's summer camp slasher. And the start of the Weinstein legacy. Harvey claims he wrote this before Friday the 13th but I don't know if I believe that. As it is, it's just an alright rip-off. Is this the trailer Edgar Wright was aping in Grindhouse?

Seeking a Friend for the End of the World

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

Write Up.

I like this one well enough. The first half is funny and the second half the drama between this rather odd pairing plays fine.

The Last Wave

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First time viewed: Yes
Current Release: No


An old Peter Weir film I'd been meaning to see for a while. It was dream-like and haunting just as you'd expect. A really great concept that I always wondered why it hadn't been mined more in Australian films and stories. Today is national Sorry Day. Perhaps people here are now more wary of being insensitive or trivialising native beliefs. Everything is so politically correct. You'd have a hard time making this today I think.

But it is fascinating. Weir manages to create a prevailing feeling of quiet foreboding that just increases as the film goes on and things start to become apocalyptic. Spooky stuff. So simply done too. I wondered what on earth it could have been leading up to. The end didn't disappoint.

Great to finally see this minor masterpiece.

Texas Chainsaw

IMDB
First time viewed: Yes
Current Release: Yes

Missed out on the novelty of the 3D.

So I expected the worst from this. It picks up right after the events of the original '73 film which was kinda fun. The family gets all shot up and some rednecks take a baby. Then somehow in present day the baby has only grown up to be about 20 and finds out she's adopted and her grandma just died and left her a house with a Leatherface in the cellar.

There are some good jump scares every time Leatherface is revealed. And there's some good death scenes. I guess that's all most horror fans are really asking for, so it's not a total bust. But there's not much more to it. Alexandra Daddario handles herself well.

Dark Skies

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

Another alien invasion film! but this one is not the big world domination kind. This plays out more like a haunted house story. No surprise given that it's by the company that made Insidious, Sinister and all those Paranormal Activity films. It's not as good as those first two but a great deal more enjoyable than the PA franchise, it actually has some really creepy moments. But there's also a lot of filler. Doesn't add much new to the alien abduction mythology either, but it's put together well enough that it's perfectly enjoyable while you're watching.

War of the Worlds

IMDB
First time viewed: No
Current Release: No
Watched With: Belinda

I grew up with the 1953 film and I love it dearly. Clearly Spielberg does as well and there are many homages to it in much of his work, especially here. But despite the modern setting and obligatory addition of kids for a father/son relationship that is apparently mandatory now, this film is surprisingly faithful to the original novel, more than the George Pal film in my opinion.

It manages to keep all the major beats of the novel and throws our characters into more of the action rather than just being observers and reporters. But it still keeps everything grounded and shot from an eyewitness account perspective. There's no big cheesy shots of national monuments being destroyed. It's also a very post-9/11 take on the story. A lot of ashy imagery and handheld camera work, and a big downed plane that I recall at the time was greeted with audible gasps from the audience.

Oh man I love Tripods so much, and these guys are the best on-screen renditions so far. Great sound design for them too. Much have been a bitch for ILM to composite into Janusz Kaminski's bloomy highlights. Yeesh.

Love the update on the farmhouse scene. Love the two big single take shots, first when the heat rays start up and second, that crazy car shot. The Ferry scene is great stuff. Love that they finally included the red weed.

But the most horrifying moment for me is always being mobbed in the car. The crowds of displaced people are kind of terrifying. I remember the descriptions from the book and I think they captured it in an even more visceral sense.

I don't care much for Tom Cruise. Or for Justin Chatwin. But the rest is all good.

We went and saw a concert of the musical version straight after. Kitschy nostalgic fun. But the two film adaptations are more my style.

Leviathan

IMDB
First time viewed: No
Current Release: No
Watched With: Tyler, Michael

The last film of our underwater adventure marathon, and the 3rd big film in the genre from 1989.This one is basically Alien set underwater. If the alien was a little more like The Thing. It even has a Jerry Goldsmith score and production design by Ron Cobb. Stan Winston does the creature effects. Probably not his best stuff and they show as little as they can get away with.

It's all gravy until the finale where it seems like they just ran out of budget for the final scares and randomly throw in some sharks for good measure. Peter Weller gets a terrible one liner and then punches a woman in the face. Classic.