Dancing at Lughnasa

This was an acting powerhouse but somehow it never captured or held my attention, don't know why. 3/5

Dancing at Lughnasa on Netflix

The Greatest

A saccharine pile of crap I've seen done better a dozen time. I really expected more from these actors. 2/5

The Greatest on Netflix

Quarantine

OK if you never saw [REC], otherwise, meh. Mistake to show camera guy's face. Too much explaining. 3 stars. Jennifer Carpenter's panic attack was epic & good. BUT: The camera guy was a stand-in for us (the viewer). If we meet him, that spell is broken.

Quarantine at Netflix

In A Day

This is an utterly charming British rom-com with a cute little twist. I actually really liked this - it's sweet. 3.5/5

In A Day on Netflix

The Matador

This fascinating documentary follows the life of "El Fandi", a champion matador. Provocative & probing. 4.5/5

The Matador on Netflix

Christopher Titus: Love is Evol

Oh, Titus, how I love thee for allowing me to laugh at your misery! This is fucking GENIUS. 5/5

Christopher Titus: Love is Evol on Netflix

The Diary of Anne Frank

This British production was just marvelous & featured some amazing acting by the lead. Very moving. 4/5

The Diary of Anne Frank on Netflix

The Road

Pre-review tweet: Watching The Road. I get the metaphor, but JESUS THIS KID IS A PUSSY. Man up, boy it's the end of the god-damned world.

Got it all (by which I meant I understood the metaphors at play). Did not enjoy the kid. Viggo was amazing. Destroyed beauty on display. Guess I need to read the book. 3.5 stars.

Follow-up: The visuals are simply incredible. And this post apocalypse is not the usual "just after the event" version we usually see, or the cartoonish quality of say, Mad Max. This is what the world would be if it ended due to some unknown global cataclysmic event.

The Road at Netflix

Day Watch

Reaction one: Wow. 25 minutes into Day Watch. Not good. Looks frigging awesome, but a bad film that looks great is still bad.

Reaction two: Day Watch is so bad I gave up. Disjointed, fragmented half-ideas with stylistic direction are music videos, not feature-length films.

(I have never abandoned a movie before this one. That's how frigging frustrating it was.)

Day Watch at Netflix

Mr. Nobody

Can you both love and dislike a movie? A beautiful film in search of a point, and someone to make it. 3-ish stars. Cinematography on Mr. Nobody is unbelievable, by the way. The depth of field was perfectly used. Visual perfection. See it in High Def if you can.

Followup: Okay, 3.5 stars. 3.75 maybe. My problem with this movie probably stems from the massive re-editing that went on. Without giving anything away, there is a thread in the film that basically doesn't exist anymore. It is given severely short shrift and that fact is obvious. It may as well have been completely removed altogether. Not only would that have cleaned up the errant, dangling remnants but it would have allowed a more cohesive movie. Which is a weird thing to say for such a non-linear film.

Jared Leto is unbelievably great though, and people should watch it just for his performance(s). It brings up huge numbers of questions about reality, the multi-verse, identity and more, and it's worth watching.

Mr. Nobody at Netflix

[REC]

Really enjoyed [REC], but then I rarely see a zombie/virus movie I don't like. This was well done though. Good bloody fun. 5 stars.

[REC] at Netflix

Latter Days

An interesting film about love and homosexuality in the Mormon church. Good concept, but really bad acting. 3/5

Latter Days on Netflix

Manic

Well acted but too preachy. "Dandelion" & "United States of Leland" are similarly themed but far better films. 3.5/5

Manic on Netflix

Mysterious Skin

Not since Pan's Labyrinth have I seen something so scary, sad, and yet hopeful all at once. I'm still crying. 5/5

Mysterious Skin on Netflix

Two Lovers

Sumptuously directed, this powerful film is about love, lies, & sanity. Joaquim Phoenix is so fucking brilliant. 4.5/5

Two Lovers on Netflix