The Help

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

Well it does feel like a sugar-coated pill. They skip over most of the violence and rape and real suffering that I know was apparent at the time, but that's not what this movie is. This is a sweeter more family friendly look at the time and place and it's also very enjoyable, I like this one.

The thing that jumps out at me most about the film is the colours. It's so bright and cheery, everything is painted in golden light. It really feels like a nostalgic memory that's been slightly discoloured (in more ways than one) as a happier time.

The cast here are all dependable, really great. With a running time over two hours (that is barley noticeable) they have time to develop a lot of the characters in to more rounded people and tell so many stories, it's almost surprising it's as cohesive as it is but everything fits together really well.

All the drama in this worked for me. The humour sprinkled throughout works as well. I think it's everything it aims to be. Some may argue it's a little "light" but probably nit that it's very well made and entertaining.

One Day

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

Not for lack of trying, but this one just felt pretty lifeless. The main problem for me was I just could not believe the attraction in the relationship. Especially when the male lead is such a dick all the time.

Everything about the film is very plain. The direction, the editing, the music, it's all very standard. It does the job but the whole affair just seems passionless, just like the main relationship.

Rafe Spall playing the "duckie" archetype was the most enjoyable thing for me. Patricia Clarkson seems to be giving Mark Strong a run for his money in the "I-need-to-appear-in-every-movie" competition.

It's not a good romance unless it has a tragic ending, or at least that seems to be the thinking here. I haven't read the book, perhaps it works there but in the film you see the end coming a mile away and once everything is wrapped up, you have to wait another half hour through all the consequences that never felt earned.

It's wishy-washy, overall not memorable.

The Amityville Horror

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

Here's the old write up.

It's strange that this is the second time in a row where I started to fade towards the end and I think I must have missed some or been confusing it with the remake or a sequel (although I don't think I've seen any of the sequels) but I seem to recall things from this film that I've missed both times I watched it. But I don't know if it's because I was drifting off or that they were never there in the first place.

Still it was good to squeeze in a movie, I've been so busy lately it's been hard to find the time.

Legend

IMDB
First time viewed: No
Current Release: No
Watched With: Side Show Painting Crew

Old write up's here. Another great film to have on in the background while painting, this one's all about the visuals. Really is an odd one but I'm still surprised no-one had ever heard of it before.

Journey to the Center of the Earth

IMDB
First time viewed: No
Current Release: No
Watched With: Side Show Painting Crew

Again, this was more playing in the background as we painted. I've always loved this film. Watching it last night with people who had never heard of it was a bit of an eye opener though, I guess the old school hokeyness never got to me, I grew up with this one, know it by heart. But yes this is very 50's acting. Brilliant!

I think this is one of Bernard Herrmann's lesser scores. Some strange stuff it it. But I do love them matte paintings and the whole old time adventure feel. And I love the way they do the dinosaurs. And Pat Boone can serenade me any day. Still it would probably be better if he or any of the other cast don't try Scottish accents.

DOA: Dead or Alive

IMDB
First time viewed: No
Current Release: No
Watched With: Side Show Painting Crew

Original write up.

Truth is we barley watched this, I just had it playing in the background while we painted sets for a show, but it's something bright and colourful to look up and see every so often.

From Beyond

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

More Stuart Gordon doing H.P. Lovecraft. More Jeffrey Combs and Barbara Crampton. This one is far more successful than Castle Freak but the still over-sexualise Lovecraft for my tastes. Apparently a side effect of opening you mind to other dimensions is that you become as sado-masachist. Don't remember that from any of his stories.

Some bold lighting choices, they use a lot of vivid magenta to suggest the other dimension. It's pretty fun.

The best thing in the film (apart from another deliriously whacked out Jeffrey Combs performance) is the make-up and creature effects. This film probably has more latex appendages and transformations than The Thing. I really love those old school effects so that appealed to me. Some really creative make-up work too. Jeffrey Combs ripping his way out of the mouth of the monster needs to be seen. Seriously.

Priest

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

Hahahha, oh man. Well it's very pretty to look at.

A strange mish-mash of Western, Horror and Sci-Fi, it wears its influences on its sleeve. After an awesome animated opening segment film rolls along with a pretty good pace and fun action.

It completely fails to build any credible characters beyond their stock beginnings so you never care about what you are watching and are free to laugh at the ridiculous dialogue. It's just as hilariously hollywood as the script from Sanctum earlier in the year. There are some real dreadful, unmotivated and unnecessary lines read by the predominantly un-American cast in their best accents. And while they have whole scene foreshadowing events that never come to pass, other fundamental rules about the creatures and the world remain vague and confusing.

But I did find all this very amusing. And I can't fault it technically. It looks great, it's a step up from Legion, the effects, sound and music were great and even the post converted 3D held up in the dark lighting. It is far superior to the horror that was the new Conan The Barbarian's attempt at 3D.

Well I'm glad to finally cross this one off the list, it is another in a long line of extraordinarily late releases in Australia. And while it is a pretty terrible film I did have fun laughing at its ineptitude from time to time.

Castle Freak

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

Just catching up on some Stuart Gordon. As the title suggests it's about a freak in a castle. Regular collaborator Jeffrey Combs is on hand as the man who inherits this castle.

Once again it's also vaguely based around an H.P. Lovecraft story although doesn't resemble him at all in tone. It's pretty campy and fun. I'm sure he never wrote about Italian prostitutes being chained up and eaten.

The blind daughter element adds a little suspense to a few situations, it's easy to empathise with someone so inherently vulnerable but overall this was nothing very spectacular. Just a bit of gory fun.

Horrible Bosses

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

It's alright. I just think it's a mistake to show outtakes so soon in the end credits, it really ruins any credibility the suspension of disbelief builds up, even in a film a slight as this. It left a bad taste in my mouth.

I'm glad Charlie Day is getting some more feature work, I always loved him on It's Always Sunny in Philadelphia. Super excited I just saw on his IMDB page he's got some part in Guillermo del Toro's next film Pacific Rim. As if I couldn't be any more excited about that film...

He has the hardest job in the film of making it seem like a bad thing that Jennifer Aniston wants to constantly have sex with him, Whereas we all know Kevin Spacey and Colin Farrell can play great assholes.

Ioan Gruffudd has a surprising little cameo too.

Well much of the film you probably have figured out from the trailers. There's not much more too it than that. Like I said before, It's alright.

The Guard

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

Brendan Gleeson is great isn't he? I really liked this one, mainly for the ending, which manages to turn his character into a Western style cowboy legend. But there's also a lot of fun before that.

Seriously though, how many films does Mark Strong need to be in? I feel like he's in every third of fourth film I watch. It's a good thing he's awesome too.

The story is very simple but it's Gleeson's character that's centre stage here. It's a hard thing to pull off writing this kind of mythological character and still maintain such a grounded reality but they pull it off and make it look easy. Really great little film.

Hanna

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

Still Brilliant! Here's my first write up.

I'll just add that there is in fact score in the opening scenes but the first training montage is purely edited sounds that creates a rhythm and the 2nd is a completely abstract soundscape, probably intended to mimic whale song to a certain degree. I noticed this time that motif was used through out.

Also I don't know how I missed this the first time around as it's blatantly obvious, but I picked up a great deal many more allusions to fairy tails and folk stories, which certainly puts the film in an interesting context.

Really great to catch this again before it disappears from cinemas forever.

Eyes Without A Face

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

A classic horror film I was only vaguely aware of until recently and yet watching it, I can see its influence on many films that followed.

It's a very slow moving film and takes it's time to set up the inevitable. Although the graphic scenes are unlikely to shock anyone today there is still a sense of dread hanging over the whole affair.

It took me a little while but I finally recognised Alida Valli from Suspiria. She's equally creepy here, always accompanied by that fanciful little musical motif.

This is a film, like Psycho, where the audience sees both sides of the law at the same time. We are privy to the misdeeds of villains at the same time as following the police investigations to find them. *SPOILERS* Ultimately the Police get nowhere, making their inclusion in the story somewhat superfluous. I don't know if I love of hate that about it. It certainly makes the ending a little more tense when you know they've given up looking for the kidnapped girl and the villains have gotten away with it. There's pretty much no hope for the poor girl at the end. *END SPOILERS*

Despite the deliberate pacing I enjoyed this one. It's full of some great imagery and has a beautiful tragic monster at the heart of the film, in the same league as Frankenstein's monster. Really great to finally check this film out.

Barry Munday

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

I do love me some Patrick Wilson. And he's fantastic in this. Judy Greer is hilarious as well and it has a great supporting cast. Great characters and there's enough of a plot to get you though their antics too.

This was a sweet and funny little film, perfectly pleasant and enjoyable. It didn't really have much to do in the last moments but everything up until there was great.

I haven't heard of Chris D'Arienzo before but apparently he wrote the book for the musical Rock of Ages which is currently being adapted into a film. I also had no idea Patrick Wilson was in The Full Monty on Broadway. Thanks for the heads up Youtube.

Anyway this film is a fun little number, nothing serious or meaty, but perfectly entertaining for what it is.

THX 1138

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

Ahh yes, George Lucas' first film. And you can tell he has a great eye and he's a great editor. That's still true to this day, despite what you might say about the Star Wars prequels and his obsessive tinkering with the originals. The bluray I watched is indeed the "directors cut" with a whole bunch of new effects added. I honestly cannot recall if I have ever seen the original, I think i did a long time ago on vhs once, but I can't be sure.

I do love the minimalist dystopian future the film presents. It's a smart move to make a sci-fi world on a budget and still look so striking. The sound and editing are quite stark and startling at times. It really makes you pay attention. Dialogue is almost secondary, like a texture. Probably why it's one of his best films.

The style is also very distancing. It can be hard to get a handle on the characters, especially at the start. It does leave a lot up to the audience to connect the dots. I do like that about it though.

And Lalo Schifrin's music is great.

Probably not the best film to put on late at night when you are tired but still enjoyed watching through this one again.