Monday, February 29, 2016

We Are Your Friends

I was hoping for something edgy like "Spring Breakers" but this was just average with only excellent music. 3/5

We Are Your Friends on Netflix

Saturday, February 27, 2016

The Salvation

This modern western has the same brutal gritty feel that "The Proposition" does - that would be a great double feature. 3/5

The Salvation on Netflix

Listen Up Philip

I recently discovered Alex Ross Perry's films when I rented "Queen of Earth", which I felt was the best psychological horror film I've seen in some time. "Listen Up Philip" is a completely different flavor than "Queen of Earth" but just as potent. Perry fashions his characters with a particular cold cruelty to them, and yet I never find myself hating them. It's a deft trick, one few writers can pull off. This is a highly stylized film with a particular type of narration that Woody Allen has been attempting as of late but failing it. By contrast, Perry uses his narration to deftly weave his characters together whilst seemlessly passing the focus of the story between them. This is a master class in story construction and world building, and the actors pull off the script marvelously well. I'm very impressed by Perry's work and I'm quite sad none of his other films are currently available to rent. I think Perry is a true talent to watch in upcoming years - I can't wait to see what he does next. 4/5

Listen Up Philip on Netflix

Friday, February 26, 2016

Tyson

I went into this knowing very little about Mike Tyson's life. I emerge from this rather stunned and shaken by the stories he so freely told about his early life, all the trauma he endured, the great love he had for Cus D'Amato, and what it was like being champion at such a young age. The hatred he has for Desiree Washington and Dan King is palpable, as is, quite frankly, his level of disappointment (and frequent disgust) with himself. I was impressed with his intellect and how well spoken he was given how little education he had, and I hope that one day he can find peace within himself. A very provocative and thought-provoking documentary. 4/5

Tyson on Netflix

Thursday, February 25, 2016

Cruising

I'm not sure what to make of this modern cult classic. The acting is honestly horrid, almost impossibly bad in parts. The plot has more holes in it than Swiss cheese, and the ADR is atrocious. And yet I couldn't bring myself to look away - there is something strangely compelling about this film. Unlike many, I found the end rather interesting and certainly provocative. The fact that I have my own theories about it tells me the movie got me, at least on some level. So for that, it gets three stars. 3/5

Cruising on Netflix

Wednesday, February 24, 2016

The Look of Silence

This is billed as a companion piece to "The Act of Killing", which I found to be a tremendously affecting and emotional story. Part of why "Killing" worked so well was the immediacy of it's subject - every moment of the films served to tell his story and to watch his transformation unfold. However, here in "Silence", I found the subjects too diffuse and hard to connect with. There were powerful moments, but for most of the film I kept tuning out. This was a good idea but done wrong in practice, which is a real shame to me. 2/5


The Look of Silence on Netflix

Monday, February 22, 2016

5 to 7

This wistfully romantic drama showcases another fine performance by Yelchin - tenderly sweet & witty in parts as well. 4/5

5 to 7 on Netflix

Match

This is an exceptionally well done drama with career-defining performances from the 3 leads. Truly amazing, loved it. 4.55/5

Match on Netflix

Sunday, February 21, 2016

October Gale

A simple story told simply & well, a taught drama with no pretense or extraneous information. Well done.  3.5/5

October Gale on Netflix

Saturday, February 20, 2016

Straight Outta Compton

I remember when the album "Straight Outta Compton" came out. I had never heard anything like it - it blew me away completely. I wore out a few copies of that cassette, that's for sure. This caught the magic that was that album and the subsequent drama that followed it. I am honestly stunned that Jason Mitchell and O'Shea Jackson, Jr. did not get nominations for their roles as Easy-E and Ice Cube. I haven't seen any of the films for Best Picture yet this year, but the quality of this film is easily better, in my opinion, to both "The Imitation Game" and "The Theory of Everything" which got nods last year. At the very least Mitchell should absolutely have a spot in the run for Best Actor, of that I'm damn sure. This is a powerful film about a powerful time in music. Watch this film. 4/5

Straight Outta Compton on Netflix

Friday, February 19, 2016

Witch Hunt

Such a tragic story! My heart goes out to both the adults & the children involved in all this. Well done. 4/5

Witch Hunt on Netflix

Wednesday, February 17, 2016

Ted

Alright, I'm going long here, so bear with me. Faithful readers of this blog will know that I have no time for raunchy, absurdist humor that has no grounding to it. Don't get me wrong, I love adult humor, but, if it isn't balanced or grounded in some way it feels like a monkey desperately hurling shit at a wall just to see what kind of pattern it makes. It feels cloying and desperate to me, like someone trying to buy humor with mere shock value. I've taken films to task for this in the past, and I levied the same criticisms at "Deadpool", which I saw earlier today. "Ted" is not such a film. Yes, it has a very absurdist and very raunchy humor to it, but it worked so very well because MacFarlane spent so much time crafting his world. "Ted" takes it's absurd premise and makes it seem so real and delivers it's humor is such a beautifully deadpan way that it succeeds where so many before it have failed. The comic structure of the film is sheer perfection, as is the delivery of the material. The acting was amazing, which I never thought I'd say for Wahlberg. THIS IS HOW YOU DO THIS KIND OF HUMOR PEOPLE. Live it, learn it, love it. A perfect comedy, the best I've seen in a long time. 5/5

Ted on Netflix

Tuesday, February 16, 2016

My Brother the Devil

This taught drama had good character development that helped sell the story and a moving plot. Solid. 3.5/5

My Brother the Devil on Netflix

Monday, February 15, 2016

The Condemned 2

Randy Orton is really bad at acting & this film has few redeeming qualities. Skip this one, it's not good. 2/5

The Condemned 2 on Netflix

Saturday, February 13, 2016

What We Did on Our Holiday

This odd British comedy took a seriously dark turn half way through and lost me about then. However, the children's hilarious acting saved at least some of the film for me. Meh. 3/5

What We Did on Our Holiday on Netflix

Kurt Cobain: Montage on Heck

I'm sorry, but the man in these home movies did not kill himself. The man who wrote these journals did not kill himself. I don't believe it, cannot believe it. Between this and "Soaked in Bleach", I think the case is well made for a Kurt Cobain that was unhappy, an addict, depressed, and a bit lost, but suicide? No. No. No. 4/5

Kurt Cobain: Montage of Heck on Netflix

Wednesday, February 10, 2016

Queen of Earth

They don't make movie like this anymore. Decades ago, ambitious filmmakers made artful psychological horror films about people descending into madness, but I haven't seen anything in that vein done convincingly in a while. Until now. "Queen of Earth" looks, feels, and sounds like an Igmar Bergman film in all the right ways - even the trailer is done in a late-period Bergman style. Elizabeth Moss gives the performance of a lifetime with her utter chilling descent into madness, and delivers possibly the single most unnerving line of dialogue in a movie I've ever heard. Masterfully done. 5/5

Queen of Earth on Netflix

Tuesday, February 9, 2016

Grandma

I have a lot of mixed feelings about this film, much in the same way I had about "The Diary of a Teenage Girl". In the case of the latter, I'm still digesting the film, and will write about it. For "Grandma", I think I can write tonight. First, Tomlin is exquisite, and I'm not surprised she was nominated for this role. It was a tough role in a tough movie, and I commend her for her work. Having said that, I feel like many of her granddaughter's emotional issues got short shrift, and it *was* her story, not Tomlin's. I wish the writer could have added 15 minute to explore Sage's story in greater depth. However, good film, and solid work by all. 3.5/5

Grandma on Netflix

The Last Witch Hunter

This was honestly god awful, and Diesel just sleep-walked through it. Who green lit this project? Ugh. 1.5/5

The Last Witch Hunter on Netflix

Monday, February 8, 2016

Very Young Girls

Lately I've been watching a lot of documentaries about the sexual exploitation and trafficking of young girls in the US. Up until about two years year ago, I didn't realize what a problem sex trafficking was for this country, and now that I'm learning more it's just terrifying. "Very Young Girls" talks about how the average age of entry into sex-trafficked prostitution in New York City is only 13 years old. If that thought doesn't sober you immediately, then listening to the stories these young girls tell about their years being trafficked will. A sobering and enlightening look into the lives and redemptions of these girls. 4.5/5

Very Young Girls on Netflix

Sunday, February 7, 2016

Closer to the Moon

This black comedy has great action & acting butt plot that doesn't deliver the emotional depths needed. 3/5

Closer to the Moon on Netflix

Saturday, February 6, 2016

Jurassic World

I expected this to be terrible, but it was actually quite fun with really good action. Granted, Chris Pratt is wasted, as are most of the actors with the exception of Jake Johnson, who was great. A fun film, certainly better than Jurassic Park 2 or 3. 4/5

Jurassic World on Netflix

Thursday, February 4, 2016

American Ultra

As Jesse Eisenberg is a fantastic actor who makes great movie choices I will literally watch anything that he's in, and rarely be disappointed. This action comedy was no exception. It was witty, quirky, action packed, and had great performances from everyone. And yes, that includes Kristen Stewart, who was surprisingly effective in this. Definitely a good time. 4/5

American Ultra on Netflix

Wednesday, February 3, 2016

George Washington

I rented this film after having conflicting experiences with two other movies by David Gordon Green, and I was interested to see some of his early work. After this, I am still conflicted. On the one hand, this film is shot with a languid beauty that belies the ugliness and bleakness of the film's setting. On the other, the children that star in this film are not great actors - in fact, I often found myself dragged out of the plot by the weakness of the acting. The script to me felt disjointed and scattered, with long, drawn-out scenes that sometimes took me too far away from the plot and message of the film. And yet, despite these flaws, I found myself rather captivated by it, and I can see why Green drew high praise from many for this effort. For me it was a noble failure, but I can see the genius that lies within it. 3/5

George Washington on Netflix

Tuesday, February 2, 2016

Heist

Dave Bautista is actually a damn fine & natural actor. Gina Carano, however, is not. Good plot, solid action. 3.5/5

Heist on Netflix