Sunday, March 31, 2013
The Collection
IMDB
First time viewed: Yes
Current Release: Yes
A very tangental sequel to The Collector. A much larger scope, this on is trying very very hard to be the next Saw film but it's just not very compelling.
Saturday, March 30, 2013
It's a Disaster
IMDB
First time viewed: Yes
Current Release: Yes
Watched With: Jordan
This was just wonderful. An ingenious way of doing a no-budget apocalypse, much like Right At Your Door, all confined to one house. This time though, to comedic effect. There's some great well-observed moments and the cast are all great playing off each other.
The pace is kept up and the build to the final moments are riveting and hilarious. Really enjoyed this little number.
Small Apartments
IMDB
First time viewed: Yes
Current Release: Yes
What a strange film. With a very eclectic cast. There's a fairly odd tone to this comedy/drama but it definitely has its moments. And it has a good heart despite its rough edges. A bit of a curiosity but worth a look.
Playing for Keeps
IMDB
First time viewed: Yes
Current Release: Yes
Pretty average romantic comedy. Gotta admit I was playing a video game whilst watching, but nothing stood out as being overly terrible. Again, a pretty cool cast and the film is fine for what it is.
The Town That Dreaded Sundown
IMDB
First time viewed: Yes
Current Release: No
Wow, this is schlocky. I read this was being remade so I thought I should check out the original. Maybe I should have just waited. Seems to be going for a Texas Chainsaw Massacre vibe with the whole documentary reporting narration but it's just not very interesting.
Friday, March 29, 2013
The Blob
IMDB
First time viewed: Yes
Current Release: No
Watched With: Tyler, Jordan
I don't know why it's taken me so long to get around to this one. But I finally watch the original version and now this remake, which was just amazing. Beautiful special effects work. This one is actually scary and threatening. And doesn't have a ridiculous Burt Bacharach theme song.
Kevin Dillon's hair. Hahahaha.
Like The Thing, this is a fantastic modern re-imagining. Very enjoyable.
Thale
IMDB
First time viewed: Yes
Current Release: Yes
Watched With: Jordan
Well I don't know much about Norwegian folklore but I'm guessing if you do you'd have a better idea of what to expect from this one. I missed it at Monsterfest so I'm playing catch up. It's a short film but the pace it very slow and deliberate so it feels much longer. Once you get an idea of what exactly is going on you then have to wait for the film to catch up.
There's a few creepy moments but this feels more like a drama with a bit of mystery and horror thrown in. But it was okay.
Killing Them Softly
A Matter of Life and Death aka Stairway to Heaven
IMDB
First time viewed: Yes
Current Release: No
Finally got around to watching this Pressburger & Powell classic. Some amazing visuals in this one and an interesting decision to make the otherworldy sequences in black and white while the earthbound sequences are in vivid technicolor.
Some funny moments and some great old school effects and a sweet little story. Another one to cross of the list.
The Oranges
IMDB
First time viewed: Yes
Current Release: Yes
Again, a cool cast assembled for an alright dramedy. Enjoyable enough.
Thursday, March 28, 2013
The Host
IMDB
First time viewed: Yes
Current Release: Yes
I was curious. I generally like Andrew Niccol's films. Saoirse Ronan is always watchable. But Stephenie Meyer has found a way to take the Invasion of the Body Snachers trope and reduce it into a vapid teen love triangle (quadrangle?). In the most horrifying way possible. It's something I think could work on the page but making the conceit of a person trapped in the mind of a body someone else is controlling and having interior conversations with themselves comes across pretty funny onscreen. When there's two people sharing the one body and they both love a different boy, you're gonna get some comedy shenanigans right? Really, so much of the film revolves around having to kiss these two different guys. I don't think the target audience will have much of a problem with this though.
Really that's all the film is. It's very small scale. Just people talking in a cave and kissing boys.
Most of the film is pretty funny, intentionally or otherwise, mostly otherwise. William Hurt seems to come out unscathed. Saoirse Ronan delivers a killer duologe with herself at the climax. I think I saw some genuine emotion there. But it felt out of place with the rest of the film.
I wonder if Stephenie Meyer's material hampered Niccol's script. Or if he just treated it with the respect he though it deserved. Or maybe he's just gotten that bad. This film has the worst meet cute dialogue I've ever seen. I felt so bad for the actors that had to try and make it sound real. Yikes.
SURPRISE ALEX RUSSEL! SURPRISE EMILY BROWNING!
That could be a spoiler, but it would be great to see them again if there's a sequel. They do set one up. Then again, if they don't make one, that's really fine too. I think I could see the idea of what they were going for. I think even more-so than Twilight, you can see the intent. But yeah, that concept just should probably not be a film. It probably should not even be a book.
Wednesday, March 27, 2013
Wrong
IMDB
First time viewed: Yes
Current Release: Yes
Quentin Dupieux's follow up to Rubber is just as whacked out insane and absurdly hilarious. If you dig that kind of stuff you'll have a great time discovering this world for 90 minutes. I found this one to be a little less focused than Rubber, if that's possible. You can easily see the connective tissue to that film but here there appears to be a lot of crazy stuff just because. Maybe I'm missing the point, perhaps there isn't one and that's the point. either way there's still some very funny stuff to enjoy. William Fichtner as Master Chang is a standout for me.
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