Last Life in the Universe
This movie is a potent catalyst for sitting on your couch, looking at colors, and thinking about life.
It's probably just the mood I was in today, but I really liked this movie. The pacing reminds me a little of another film I didn't care for, Lost in Translation. But where LiT was frustrating with its lack of action, I let LLitU wash over me. The slightly surreal plot combined with the impressive soundtrack and the intensely saturated cinematography makes for a viewing experience which feels like you're underwater, and it was exactly what I was looking for in a movie today.
It was shot on video, which I found a little distracting, but not overly so. Looking at IMDB, it seems LiT is actually 10 minutes shorter than the still brief 112 minutes of LLitU, but I remember it feeling like forever.
I have another of this director's films, 6ixtynin9, which I'll have to watch soon.
Thursday, June 28, 2007
Sunday, June 24, 2007
One Sentence Movie Reviews, Dystopian Future Edition
Children of Men
One of the most powerful explorations of mankind's propensity for extremes that I've seen.
Alternate one sentence review:
Half-Life 2 meets Saving Private Ryan meets 28 Days Later.
One of the most powerful explorations of mankind's propensity for extremes that I've seen.
Alternate one sentence review:
Half-Life 2 meets Saving Private Ryan meets 28 Days Later.
Friday, June 22, 2007
One Sentence Movie Reviews: Go Fuck Yourself Edition
The Departed
While it is an excellent film in its own right, I feel it loses much of its moral ambiguity as compared to Infernal Affairs.
Many of the detail changes between the two films seem designed to make the good guys better and the bad guys worse, almost as if the movie has been dumbed down for American audiences. Other alterations contribute to the movie, but seem highly unlikely (Costigan's affair with Sullivan's girlfriend comes to mind). To be fair, both versions have their share of implausibilities, so I'm not sure I can take points away for that. The final product is a movie that is much grittier and feels more real, but which is lacking some of the stylistic flair and philosophical questioning of the original.
Jack Nicholson is insane.
I'm bored, so I made these. I can't decide which I like more. Your thoughts?
The original.
While it is an excellent film in its own right, I feel it loses much of its moral ambiguity as compared to Infernal Affairs.
Many of the detail changes between the two films seem designed to make the good guys better and the bad guys worse, almost as if the movie has been dumbed down for American audiences. Other alterations contribute to the movie, but seem highly unlikely (Costigan's affair with Sullivan's girlfriend comes to mind). To be fair, both versions have their share of implausibilities, so I'm not sure I can take points away for that. The final product is a movie that is much grittier and feels more real, but which is lacking some of the stylistic flair and philosophical questioning of the original.
Jack Nicholson is insane.
I'm bored, so I made these. I can't decide which I like more. Your thoughts?
The original.
One Sentence Movie Reviews: Samurai Western Edition
The Magnificent Seven
Questionable acting by the secondary cast fails to ruin an otherwise excellent movie.
Man, Yul Brynner is awesome. Steve McQueen is awesome. Charles Bronson is awesome. James Coburn is awesome. Everyone in this movie is awesome - as long as they have top billing. Otherwise, it's a mixed bag.
There's one thing I noticed during Casablanca and again during this movie. People getting shot looks hilariously unrealistic. I'm not sure if it's the lack of blood caps or the acting, but something about it seems really off.
Well, now I have to watch The Departed and The Seven Samurai and A Fistful of Dollars and Yojimbo. Better get to it.
Questionable acting by the secondary cast fails to ruin an otherwise excellent movie.
Man, Yul Brynner is awesome. Steve McQueen is awesome. Charles Bronson is awesome. James Coburn is awesome. Everyone in this movie is awesome - as long as they have top billing. Otherwise, it's a mixed bag.
There's one thing I noticed during Casablanca and again during this movie. People getting shot looks hilariously unrealistic. I'm not sure if it's the lack of blood caps or the acting, but something about it seems really off.
Well, now I have to watch The Departed and The Seven Samurai and A Fistful of Dollars and Yojimbo. Better get to it.
Thursday, June 21, 2007
Blasphemies, etc.
Well, it happened. After eight days of movie watching, I skipped a day. I suppose it was inevitable, really. In any case, I'll try to watch one tonight, before my first day of work at Dick's.
That's right, I'm interning for the ghost of Richard M. Nixon.
I leave you now with proof that my nephew is The Best Baby
That's right, I'm interning for the ghost of Richard M. Nixon.
I leave you now with proof that my nephew is The Best Baby
Wednesday, June 20, 2007
One Sentence Movie Reviews, Part what, IIX? Damn.
Casablanca
Hot damn that's a well-constructed movie.
With all the classics, you find yourself wondering sometimes whether they were great at the time, but now seem quaint or outdated. Well, that wasn't the case with Citizen Kane, and that's not the case with Casablanca.
Hot damn that's a well-constructed movie.
With all the classics, you find yourself wondering sometimes whether they were great at the time, but now seem quaint or outdated. Well, that wasn't the case with Citizen Kane, and that's not the case with Casablanca.
Tuesday, June 19, 2007
One Sentence Movie Reviews: Nicholas Cage is People! Edition
Adaptation
A good movie about a guy writing a screenplay about a book about a guy with a woman and there's another guy in there somewhere.
Pulp Fiction
Quentin Tarantino likes it when people talk.
I liked Adaptation, but I think if I saw it again I'd like it more. There seems to be a lot going on that you'd miss if you weren't looking for it. Brian Cox is awesome; I noticed this the first time around.
One thing I missed the first several times I saw Pulp Fiction: Kathy Griffin is in it. Seriously, I never noticed. And yes, it is a 13 year old movie, but I saw it last night at Red Rock Amphitheater, and it was sweet. They even had a surf band playing before it, and they were sweet as well.
Sweetness all around.
A good movie about a guy writing a screenplay about a book about a guy with a woman and there's another guy in there somewhere.
Pulp Fiction
Quentin Tarantino likes it when people talk.
I liked Adaptation, but I think if I saw it again I'd like it more. There seems to be a lot going on that you'd miss if you weren't looking for it. Brian Cox is awesome; I noticed this the first time around.
One thing I missed the first several times I saw Pulp Fiction: Kathy Griffin is in it. Seriously, I never noticed. And yes, it is a 13 year old movie, but I saw it last night at Red Rock Amphitheater, and it was sweet. They even had a surf band playing before it, and they were sweet as well.
Sweetness all around.
Sunday, June 17, 2007
One Sentence Movie Review: Only One? Edition
Chinatown
Either I'm missing something or that is one hell of an overrated film.
Seriously, if Brick was the movie that pleasantly surprised me, Chinatown is the one which left me scratching my head and asking "that's it?"
I like to think I'm not just a movie escapist who needs everything to end with sunshine and rainbows; I find Requiem for a Dream amazing, and it makes me want to never get out of bed ever again. But I wouldn't say Chinatown has a depressing ending; for it to be an ending at all the players have to learn something, or at least change in some small way. I would be hard pressed to name any character changes from the beginning to the end (going from alive to dead doesn't count).
It's not all black marks from me. The acting is all top-notch. The feel of LA in the 30s seemed real, and the heat of the drought bled off the screen. I just didn't feel what the movie was trying to tell me, and found myself not caring about what it was, anyway.
Either I'm missing something or that is one hell of an overrated film.
Seriously, if Brick was the movie that pleasantly surprised me, Chinatown is the one which left me scratching my head and asking "that's it?"
I like to think I'm not just a movie escapist who needs everything to end with sunshine and rainbows; I find Requiem for a Dream amazing, and it makes me want to never get out of bed ever again. But I wouldn't say Chinatown has a depressing ending; for it to be an ending at all the players have to learn something, or at least change in some small way. I would be hard pressed to name any character changes from the beginning to the end (going from alive to dead doesn't count).
It's not all black marks from me. The acting is all top-notch. The feel of LA in the 30s seemed real, and the heat of the drought bled off the screen. I just didn't feel what the movie was trying to tell me, and found myself not caring about what it was, anyway.
Friday, June 15, 2007
One Sentence Movie Reviews: Heists and High School Gangsters Edition
Inside Man
You could say movies about "the perfect robbery" are cliche as they come, but that doesn't mean you shouldn't watch the good ones.
Brick
I would me remiss if I said this wasn't probably my favorite movie I've watched so far.
Seriously, I really liked Brick, maybe more than anyone I've talked to about it. Does this mean I'm nostalgic for high school, or nostalgic for the 30s? IMDB to the rescue once again, informing me that the role of the assistant vice principal is played by none other than Richard Roundtree. Why did I not see this?
I believe this last batch of movies means that I've watched more in the past 5 days than in the entire year before that. Someone please give me a job.
You could say movies about "the perfect robbery" are cliche as they come, but that doesn't mean you shouldn't watch the good ones.
Brick
I would me remiss if I said this wasn't probably my favorite movie I've watched so far.
Seriously, I really liked Brick, maybe more than anyone I've talked to about it. Does this mean I'm nostalgic for high school, or nostalgic for the 30s? IMDB to the rescue once again, informing me that the role of the assistant vice principal is played by none other than Richard Roundtree. Why did I not see this?
I believe this last batch of movies means that I've watched more in the past 5 days than in the entire year before that. Someone please give me a job.
One Sentence Movie Reviews: 100 POSTZ!! Edition
The Aviator
I really can't come up with any witty remarks about this well-made movie.
Dr. Strangelove etc.
It's 96 minutes long, and I'm reasonably sure I could cut 10 or 15 more out of it.
Don't get me wrong, I enjoyed the movie. It has one of the funniest final lines in recent memory. But it's Stanley Kubrick, the man who would later give us A Two and a Half Hour Shot of A Spaceship Gliding Towards a Large Object in Space. As a side note, IMDB tells me that James Earl Jones' character was named Lt. Lothar Zogg. Win.
As for The Aviator, I mean literally what I said. It's well-directed and acted. I enjoyed watching it. It will probably not go on any favorite movie list of mine.
Umm, it's really long and has Alan Alda in it?
I really can't come up with any witty remarks about this well-made movie.
Dr. Strangelove etc.
It's 96 minutes long, and I'm reasonably sure I could cut 10 or 15 more out of it.
Don't get me wrong, I enjoyed the movie. It has one of the funniest final lines in recent memory. But it's Stanley Kubrick, the man who would later give us A Two and a Half Hour Shot of A Spaceship Gliding Towards a Large Object in Space. As a side note, IMDB tells me that James Earl Jones' character was named Lt. Lothar Zogg. Win.
As for The Aviator, I mean literally what I said. It's well-directed and acted. I enjoyed watching it. It will probably not go on any favorite movie list of mine.
Umm, it's really long and has Alan Alda in it?
Thursday, June 14, 2007
One Sentence Movie Reviews, Part III
Perfect Blue
OMFG what's going on.
The Good, The Bad, and The Ugly
How does an Italian make such a damn good western?
Perfect Blue is disturbing and violent and excellent and has rekindled my desire to watch the annie-mays; TGTBaTU is stylish and violent and excellent and has rekindled my desire to watch Clint Eastwood pretend to do things on film.
Topic switch!
Imagine my delight upon reading my BBC news feed and seeing this headline:
Alas, it's about virus-infected computers, not virus-infected humans.
Damn.
OMFG what's going on.
The Good, The Bad, and The Ugly
How does an Italian make such a damn good western?
Perfect Blue is disturbing and violent and excellent and has rekindled my desire to watch the annie-mays; TGTBaTU is stylish and violent and excellent and has rekindled my desire to watch Clint Eastwood pretend to do things on film.
Topic switch!
Imagine my delight upon reading my BBC news feed and seeing this headline:
Alas, it's about virus-infected computers, not virus-infected humans.
Damn.
Wednesday, June 13, 2007
One Sentence Movie Reviews, Part II
Life of Brian:
I mean, I guess it's funny.
Infernal Affairs:
I do so enjoy a good identity drama.
Also, I'm about two thirds through Perfect Blue. Diagnosis: disturbing.
Next project: watch The Departed, discuss, repeat.
I mean, I guess it's funny.
Infernal Affairs:
I do so enjoy a good identity drama.
Also, I'm about two thirds through Perfect Blue. Diagnosis: disturbing.
Next project: watch The Departed, discuss, repeat.
Tuesday, June 12, 2007
One Sentence Movie Reviews
North by Northwest:
I want to have a threesome with Cary Grant and Eva Marie Saint.
Road to Perdition:
I never knew Tom Hanks could be so menacing or Jude Law could be so creepy.
But seriously, North by Northwest is fairly to greatly awesome. My one complaint: the ending seems incredibly sudden. DANGER DANGER DANGER DANGER hey we're ok PHALLIC IMAGERY THE END.
Road to Perdition is excellent. I don't really know what else to say about it.
I want to have a threesome with Cary Grant and Eva Marie Saint.
Road to Perdition:
I never knew Tom Hanks could be so menacing or Jude Law could be so creepy.
But seriously, North by Northwest is fairly to greatly awesome. My one complaint: the ending seems incredibly sudden. DANGER DANGER DANGER DANGER hey we're ok PHALLIC IMAGERY THE END.
Road to Perdition is excellent. I don't really know what else to say about it.
Sunday, June 03, 2007
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)
Posts
