Kick-Ass 2

IMDB
First time viewed: No
Current Release: Yes

Write Up.

Another fun commentary track. Playing spot the wig with the stars hah.

The Heat

IMDB
First time viewed: No
Current Release: Yes


Incredibly extensive and in-depth write up. But yeah I really did enjoy this one. The bluray has 5 commentary tracks, including a mystery science theatre 3000 track and the premiere audience live track. I chose to listen to the director and cast commentary. there's a lot of overlap but still most enjoyable.

The Hobbit: The Desolation of Smaug

IMDB
First time viewed: Yes
Current Release: Yes
Watched With: Paul, Tim, Naomi, Mum, Tyler, Gemma, Tom, Rebecca, Megan, Ben, Tara, Greg, Tammie, Sam et. al.

First impressions, a marked improvement over the first instalment. Less exposition (and singing) and what we do get is spread pretty evenly between scenes of action on the road. The film still suffers from being an adaptation of a book that is merely a series of events. they try and flesh out characters and even add in some to force love triangles upon us. Is it bloat or a much needed reprieve from a series of escalating but largely inconsequential action sequences? I haven't decided yet but I'm leaning towards the latter for the moment. The fact remains I don't know how these characters and their relationships will be paid off yet so this could be integral groundwork to something amazing or all just filler. We'll find out next year.

Once the party gets to their destination though, most of that falls away, the tension picks up and the last half of the film is just nonstop. For the lovers of action, there are some pretty stunning sequences. And finally seeing Smaug in all his glory was definitely worth the wait for me. I don't remember any of those big set pieces from the original story but they were darn cinematic. Benedict Cumberdragon is scary and awesome.

They flesh out the barrel sequence a whole lot and some of it is glorious. And is it just me or did they sneak in some 3d gopro-esque footage into their red photography?

I also really loved those spiders, especially because they had a device which let us understand their dialogue which just made the whole sequence hilarious for me. This film wins the award for most orc decapitations. They get away with some pretty violent stuff in this one. The Necromancer makes a very trippy appearance. That was a pretty flashy battle. It's interesting to see where Gandalf goes off to and I suppose it's something to cut away to but the extended sequences in Smaug in Erebor are so great I just want to stay with them. Couldn't really care less about Legolas in Laketown.

Thorin still has the most interesting character here. We get to see a little prologue with him (and a Peter Jackson cameo reprise from Fellowship) that emphasises his daddy issues. And he begins showing some signs of the same madness towards the end.

Again, I saw this in the high frame rate 3D. I don't know if the cinema has updated their equipment, or if the greater number of CG environments make the process smoother or the camera moves were less erratic in this film or after 2 viewings of the last film I'm just getting used to it, but it really didn't jump out to me as much this time. There's still a little adjustment period at the beginning where you think they shot it on cheap video but after a while it becomes the norm. I'll still want to check this out at IMAX HFR 3D but my local cinema looked much less stroby this time. And the 3D is just amazing when selling the sense of scale of Erebor and our characters proximity to Smaug. Seeing an angry dragon that size moving towards you in 3D space is kind of terrifying.

Also slimy bureaucrat Steven Fry is great.

So, still just a series of events with some filler but the events were FAR more fin this time. And it's all just so pretty I don't really care. I like spending time in Middle Earth.

Frozen

IMDB
First time viewed: No
Current Release: Yes
Watched With: Paul, Tim, Naomi, Louisa, Gemma, Bri, Tom, Rebecca, Megan, Aaron, John, Evie, Tammie, Greg, Matt

Write Up.

Worth coming back to see in 3D just for the short film Get a Horse. Absolutely stunning use of 3D in an animated short that must have been very tricky to pull off in one shot. I can't think of a better way to throw classic Micky into the future and update him for today.

And Frozen looks great in 3D as well. A very striking opening shot and the atmospheric elements look great.

The Secret Life of Walter Mitty

IMDB
First time viewed: No
Current Release: Yes
Watched With: Paul, Tim, Naomi, Cicely, Tom

Write Up.

It was actually slightly more enjoyable with a crowd that were getting into it. The cinematography is still the best thing about the film.

Philomena

IMDB
First time viewed: Yes
Current Release: Yes

Stephen Frears' latest is a feel good true story with an odd couple relationship of Judi Dench and Steve Coogan for added lighthearted comedy between the drama. It's pretty effective, doing everything it can to stay this side of melodramatic, very hard given the story, and for the most part it's successful. Coogan's screenplay and acting keep things pretty low key, which helps greatly. Not sure about all that awards hype but it's an enjoyable little number.

We Are What We Are

IMDB
First time viewed: Yes
Current Release: Yes

I think that trailer gives away too much. Fun to go into this one blind. I did know about the premise though but still enjoyed the film. It's very slow paced though, I probably wouldn't call it a horror, more of a drama with a thriller sort of ending. The cast are great and it's beautifully photographed. It has a sure sense of style about it even if that style is unbearably slow at times. But once things start to crank up towards the end it's pretty thrilling.

The World's End

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

Write Up.

Can't help myself. So much fun times. So much stuff to pick up with each new viewing.

Summer Time Machine Blues

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

Write Up.

The most fun time travel movie ever. And even now I'm still picking up new things they've layered into the background. So great.

Timecrimes

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

Write Up.

So great.

Static

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

Didn't get to see this in 3D unfortunately. I'm curious to see how they used it though.

This looks like a standard home invasion horror and for the first half it is. It's a pretty slow build too. Things take a left turn though. It's a twist we've seen before and it makes the emphasis more on the drama but I don't think the characters were set up well enough for me to be invested in that. Sara Paxton's been getting around a bit of late, come a long way since the Aquamarine days.

Open Grave

IMDB
First time viewed: Yes
Current Release: Yes

There's a really good premise here and a pretty good cast too. I think the audience gets ahead of the mystery a little which means waiting for characters to catch up. And it's hard to get invested in characters when they spend the whole movie trying to figure out who they are. I liked the set-up and the idea of the film a little more than the execution but there's still some good stuff to enjoy here.

Drinking Buddies

IMDB

First time viewed: Yes

Current Release: Yes

Watched With: Tyler

Joe Swanberg really stepped up to the plate with this little number. That whole mumblecore movement seems to have moved on a bit into something that's much more palatable. They've really got it down and these independent filmmakers are now all working with some really great talent too. This one manages to set up all the romantic story beats but keeps defying expectations of cliché.

Our four leads are just amazing, empathetic, heartbreaking and loveable. It's a really interesting examination of a seldom examined kind of relationship and there is great tension in waiting for the smallest thing to push the whole thing out of balance. 

I thought it was really beautiful and oh so bittersweet. Seek it out.

Ender's Game

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

Write Up.

I wanted to see this one again, it keeps growing in my estimation. Really interesting.

Anchorman 2: The Legend Continues

IMDB

First time viewed: Yes

Current Release: Yes

Watched With: Tyler, Naomi

The satire works great this time around. And the insanity seems to have escalated somewhat. Plenty of laughs as should be expected. This that were funny in the first film because they were subtle or unexpected are more front and center here which robs them of much of what value they had in the first place but there's plenty of new jokes to enjoy as well. 

A little of Brick goes a long way but he was given much more to do here and with so much else going on the other members of the crew didn't get as much time to make an impression. The endless cameo parade at the end got a little tiresome and I don't think the end credit scene was really worth the wait but it's still all good fun.