Nebraska

IMDB
First time viewed: Yes
Current Release: Yes

Alexander Payne made a black and white movie. It's quite funny and very bittersweet. Will Forte and Bob Odenkirk as brothers is a stroke of genius. It's a very simple and sweet little story and I found it mildly satisfying.

Knights Of Badassdom

IMDB
First time viewed: Yes
Current Release: Yes

Oh man that was a little disappointing. After such a long wait and with such a fun concept and a cool cast too, 5 years on the shelf and then the film finally gets released by a studio who took the film away from the director and re-edited it. Now I can't say if they made the film worse or better, but I can say that it really does feel truncated and the end feels like it was a band-aid hastily made out of left over and repeated footage.

There's some really fun stuff here though, some great comedic and horror moments. Jimmi Simpson is especially hilarious. And there is some nice gore. Although the VFX leave something to be desired.

I did like the film, but I really hope I can one day see the directors cut. I feel like, even if it IS not as good, at least the editing would make more sense...

The Last Days On Mars

IMDB

First time viewed: Yes

Current Release: Yes

Watched With: Mum

Virus on Mars makes you go all zombie! They got some great actors in this which really just elevates everything. Plus the location work and the surprisingly well executed effects for a low budget film help sell the scenario. I guess we've seen this scenario before but the was well made enough that I really enjoyed it. 

Lone Survivor

IMDB
First time viewed: Yes
Current Release: Yes

There's been a few films of late that have seemingly put spoilers directly into the title of the film. Well we kinda know that everyone in the film except for one guy is going to die. It's kinda a bummer, because are we supposed to get invested in these guys, knowing their fate? I get it's a true story. And I get Peter Berg like the army. But this one is pretty heavy handed with the patriotism. The action sequences are very well executed though.

Wolf Creek 2

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

So with the mystery explained and the introduction to our outback villain already completed in the first instalment, all that left to do in the sequel is more of the action. Once again there are a few twists and turns following various protagonists and their unfortunate run-ins with Mick Taylor but it's mostly just more of the same from the first film.

And because the mystery is gone, it's much less scary, however director Greg Mclean seems to have predicted this and has compensated by deciding to make things more fun. There are bigger action set pieces involving car chases and Mick has much more to say this time, which means more morbid Aussie humour.

There was a beautiful roadkill sequence that utilised some good fx. But their big truck explosion really showed their budget, I've seen go-pro footage used effectively in features before but there were some shots here that really had no place on the big screen, it looked like the resolution was less than standard definition, and then de-interlaced, resulting in a very pixelated image that really didn't fit in with the footage surrounding it. I can't believe they let those shots into the film.

Small gripes though, the blood flows and that's really all that matters right? Now as scary or suspenseful as the first film, but a bit more time spent with a fun character.

The Bell Witch Haunting

IMDB
First time viewed: Yes
Current Release: Yes

Easily the worst found footage horror knock off I've ever seen.

Last Vegas

IMDB
First time viewed: Yes
Current Release: Yes

Well the cast seem to kind of go through the motions, and just because of who they are the film is watchable but it's rather predictable. Mary Steenburgen still got it though.

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.