Year 4: 1 year 52 Movies challenge

Drop by and talk about anything you want. This is where all cheese-related discussions should go
Silverfish
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Re: 1 year 52 Movies challenge

Postby Silverfish » 14 Oct 2016, 10:36

30: Brooklyn (2015)

Saoirse Ronan is Eilis, a young woman in 1952 Ireland who moves away to Brooklyn to start a new life. It follows her gradually become more at home in an exciting but unfamiliar place, until events lead to her needing to return to Ireland for a time.

I enjoyed this, a couple of reservations. What I enjoyed most is Ronan's performance as Eilis. She is a complex character, who approaches things with a mix of dry wit and observation, who finds herself initially unable to adapt to her new home, and gradually comes to find her place in America, with the help of the girls at the boarding house she lives in, and the man she meets and falls for at the local dance hall. Ronan performance is very subtle, with a lot conveyed with a look, or a subtle movement.

Humour is an important part of the film, as it's largely about little observations rather than being a sweeping epic, or a polemic, and so there are little humourous scenes, as Eilis learns, for example, how to eat spaghetti, or that you should where your swimming costume under your clothes. The biggest laughs are from a scene-stealing Julia Walters as her landlady. There are dramatic moments too, but they also feel more personal and small-scale, in particular relating to her relationship with her sister back in Ireland.

I think the film is less sure of itself in the last act, when she returned to Ireland, perhaps because the strength of the film is in Eilis's adapting to her new home, and there is an IMO unnecessary love triangle which feels tacked on. There are some good moments in this section, though, in particular when she puts the vindictive shop manager she worked for in her place.

I think the section in Ireland also nicely sets up the return ferry trip to Ireland, where in contrast to her initial journey, she goes from being the naive newcomer being helped by a fellow traveller, to the experienced guide helping another girl heading to America. I suspect that is part of the reason it is there, and to provide a more definite ending to the film. To be honest, it's hard to see what a more natural ending would be.
Silverfish
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Re: 1 year 52 Movies challenge

Postby Silverfish » 27 Oct 2016, 17:02

31: Finding Nemo (2003)

Marlin (Albert Brooks) the Clownfish is separated from his son Nemo, and has to find his way across the ocean to be re-united with him, with the help of cheerful but scatterbrained Dory.

I enjoyed this, not quite as much as Inside Out, but there was a lot to like about it.

I particularly liked the portrayal of the undersea world, both the friendly, colourful side, and the harsh, threatening side. It also portrays the human world, and world above the ways well, making it clear how alien and strange the fish find it. I think the world of the fish is very well realised, with lots of little details and ideas. The fact that the film is from the perspective of fish that are very small, and near the bottom of the food chain helps to give it a unique perspective.

It has a rich range of emotions, from funny moments, to moments of deep despair, and deeply touching moments, particularly towards the end. I cared about Marlin and Nemo, but I ended up caring for Dory too, who has a really heartbreaking moment near the end, when Marlin wants to go it alone. Also her motto "Keep Swimming" has a nice payoff in the climax, which also pays off the theme of Marlin having to let Nemo stand on his own two feet (as it were), which is probably the central theme of the film.
Silverfish
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Re: 1 year 52 Movies challenge

Postby Silverfish » 02 Nov 2016, 14:59

32: Dream House (2011)

Will (Daniel Craig) moves into a new house with his wife and two children, but there are signs that something is wrong with the house, relating to a terrible crime committed there.

This started fairly well, it was fairly creepy, with a good sense of atmosphere, but then there is a rather unearned twist, which leads to a really stupid revelation at the end. It just doesn't live up a fairly promising beginning.

The twist itself seems to make sense, but it doesn't really have any impact as it isn't really set up. I think for a twist to work it should have clues, or things that, when looked at in a new way suddenly make sense. In this case, thinking more about things makes them make less sense. Also, it's the sort of twist that makes the rest of the movie less interesting. The final revelation is not only stupid, it makes the twist itself less interesting.

I don't think Daniel Craig was the best choice for his role as the loving husband discovering things are amiss. It feels unnatural and forced, particularly his attempts at being goofy, or romantic. Overall though, I think the writing and plotting are the biggest problem.
Silverfish
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Re: 1 year 52 Movies challenge

Postby Silverfish » 11 Nov 2016, 17:15

33: The Lady Vanishes (1938)

English Tourist Iris Henderson is returning to England by train, but is drawn into a mystery when the old lady who accompanies her goes missing, and everyone else denies having seen her. She enlists the help of Gilbert, a musicologist who initially she finds unbearable but gradually they come to like each other.

This is a very enjoyable film. It is by Alfred Hitchcock, but it is perhaps more focused on comedy than the tension he is more known for. In particular, the characters of two cricket-obsessed Englishmen. However, it is genuinely tense, with an intriguing mystery that slowly unfolds is well written and well constructed, and builds to an effective climax.

I think the comedy, or just the wit and sense of fun, keep things moving, and make the film more enjoyable. I think it also contributes to the film feeling "modern", despite it's age. In particular, there is a lot of fun banter between the two leads.

I would definitely recommend looking out for it. It's still on iPlayer in the UK, until 2.30PM Saturday.
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Re: 1 year 52 Movies challenge

Postby Silverfish » 28 Nov 2016, 10:56

34: The Orphanage/ El Orfanato (2007)

Laura brings her husband and son to the Orphanage where she grew up, intending to turn it into a care home for disabled children, but her son goes missing, and she is drawn to the conclusion it may be related to his "imaginary friends" who may be linked to the history of the house.

This is a very effective, tense and atmospheric horror movie, but it is much more than that, it is a compelling and poignant drama as Laura continues to investigate her son's disappearance, and the lengths she goes to to continue the search drives a wedge between her and her husband. At times the more "mundane" tragedies and evils are more terrifying and affecting than the supernatural elements.

Overall this was compelling from start to finish. I thoroughly recommend it to anyone who hasn't seen it.
Silverfish
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Re: 1 year 52 Movies challenge

Postby Silverfish » 29 Nov 2016, 17:04

35: Drop Dead Gorgeous (1999)

This is a faux-documentary comedy about a small town beauty pageant where some of the contestants start dying in suspicious circumstances.

I thought this was an enjoyable comedy with a sardonic and sometimes quite black sense of humour. There are a bunch of eccentric characters, and a pretty steady stream of gags and funny lines. It's interesting to see quite a few established actresses in relatively early roles.

Kirsten Dunst is good as the mortuary worker (she applies makeup to corpses), who likes a job where she can practice her tap dancing at work. Denise Richards is a lot funnier and more convincing here than in the World is not Enough. Here she is a the scheming and spoilt Rebecca, whose interviews are filled with vapid but very on the nose cliches about American and Jesus, and whose talent portion is probably the highlight of the film with its glorious bad taste. Amy Adams is also fun, with a performance full of energy.

Overall it was an enjoyable movie and worth checking out.
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Re: 1 year 52 Movies challenge

Postby Silverfish » 10 Dec 2016, 17:17

36: Tinker, Tailor, Soldier, Spy (2011)

In 1970s England, retired spy George Smiley is recruited by a civil servant to investigate the possibility of a mole at the highest levels of the secret service.

I found this a very compelling and engaging thriller. In many ways it is the counter-point to the James Bond films. The James Bond films are full of explosive action set-pieces, gadgets, glamorous locations and colourful characters. In this film, the thrust of the action is gathering information and intelligence, of deciding who to trust, of following leads, and evidence collected in records offices and filing cabinets. The characters are believable and grounded, and the setting is mostly in England itself.

This doesn't mean it doesn't have a sense of style, but perhaps because the action is kept low key and grounded, we get a true sense of the weight of the issues raised, of putting trust in the round person, when national security is at stake.

It seems from reviews the main criticism is that it is tackling a dense novel, and either loses something in translation, or is difficult to follow. I haven't read the novel, or any previous adaptations, so I concede it could have missed things out, but it worked in its own right. I don't think there was anything truly important that I missed that a quick glance at the Wikipedia article afterwards didn't fix.

I would definitely recommend this film, but it makes me curious about the BBC TV adaptation with Alec Guinness as Smiley, that I understand is held in high regard.
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Re: 1 year 52 Movies challenge

Postby Silverfish » 19 Dec 2016, 17:52

37: The Imitation Game (2014)

This is a drama based on the life of Alan Turing, in particular his work on breaking the Enigma code during World War 2, and his life as a homosexual, at a time when being a practicing homosexual was illegal.

I am in two minds about this film. On the one hand, I found it a very engaging, and at times very moving portrait of the life of Alan Turing, and his colleagues at Bletchley Park. Benedict Cumberbatch and Keira Knightley in particular put in very good performances as Turing, and Joan Clarke, his close friend at Bletchley Park.

My reservations are that sometimes the dialogue is a bit clunky and trite, and events are condensed and sometimes contrived to make them more dramatic. I don't get the impression the broad sweep of the story is inaccurate, but the details seem to be smoothed over in places to make it more accessible. I think this was probably necessary for it to play to a wide audience. Hopefully it encouraged people to learn more about Turing, Enigma and Bletchley Park.

I think the film did a good job of attempting to address Turing's life and work in a engaging way, covering quite a range of topics, even if it simplifies them.
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Re: 1 year 52 Movies challenge

Postby Silverfish » 31 Dec 2016, 16:30

38: The Factory (2012)

Mike Fletcher (John Cusack) is a cop who has become obsessed with the case of missing prostitutes. When his own daughter is taken, he throws himself in the effort to get her back.

I thought this was a reasonably effective but fairly formulaic "serial killer" thriller. I think the part before the kidnapping is well done, focusing on the conflicts in the Fletcher family. Also John Cusack makes a suitably passionate case for continuing an investigation that initially seems to be stuck, and portrays effectively the desperation of tracking down his daughter. I think the ending strained credibility, unfortunately.

In review, over the year I haven't met my target, but I have achieved the goal of watching more films. I think I'll continue at least the reviews into the new year, as I like thinking about films and how they work. I think I'll make 52 the target again, but again I think the target isn't as important as it is a push to watch more films.
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Re: Year 2: 1 year 52 Movies challenge

Postby Silverfish » 16 Jan 2017, 17:29

1: Mr Holmes (2015)

Sherlock Holmes (Ian McKellen) is growing old in the countryside in 1947. He is determined to recall the details of his final case, that he harbors guilt over, but can't remember why. In the present, Holmes pieces together the details, partly with the inspiration of the boy Roger, who he shares a strange friendship with, and introduces to his love of beekeeping. We also see flashbacks to the case itself, and Japan, where Holmes went in search of a concoction to help his memory.

This is a very interesting film. All the cast play their parts very well, and the film deals intelligently with themes of loss, grief, vulnerability and guilty with restraint, and without becoming mawkish and sentimental. It also wrestles with the idea that logic alone is not sufficient, we need human understanding and compassion, which in the wrong hands could lead to a very sentimental and cloying conclusion. That it can deal with these themes is down, I feel, to a very good cast, and subtle direction.
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Re: Year 2: 1 year 52 Movies challenge

Postby Silverfish » 23 Jan 2017, 11:03

2. Magic in the Moonlight (2014) - A romantic comedy directed by Woody Allen

It is 1928, and Stanley Crawford (Colin Firth) is a misanthropic stage magician who has devoted himself to exposing phony mediums. He is recruited by old friend Howard, to expose Sophie Baker (Emma Stone), who Howard things is trying to con a rich family, but despite his skepticism, he starts to suspect she might be genuine.

I enjoyed this quite a lot. I found it very funny, while still engaging fairly well with weighty topics of faith, hope, and and science, but dealing with them in a light-hearted way. Colin Firth and Emma Stone play off each other very well, with the former playing a character with a mix of pessimism, snobbery and misanthropy, and an apparent desire for meaning, and Emma Stone as a lively optimist, but with a sarcastic sense of humour at times, and a direct manner.

This makes me want to explore Woody Allen's movies more. I have previously seen Match Point, where the romance didn't work for me, and the thriller element was good but with a really heavy-handed visual metaphor, and Annie Hall, which I think I probably found funny, but didn't make a lasting impression on me. I might go back to them, as it's been quite a while since I saw them.
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Re: Year 2: 1 year 52 Movies challenge

Postby Silverfish » 01 Feb 2017, 12:32

3: Scoop (2006) - A romantic comedy mystery directed by Woody Allen

Joe Strombel (Ian McShane) is a journalist who is being taken across the river Styx, but manages to get the scoop of the century, that the Tarot Card Killer may be Peter Lyman (Hugh Jackman), a powerful British aristocrat. Unable to follow up on the lead directly, he materializes to Sondra Pransky (Scarlett Johansson), a journalist student, who is in the middle of a magic trick by illusionist Sid Waterman (Woody Allen). She enlists his help in investigating Peter Lyman, but she begins to fall for him.

I found this an enjoyable and lighthearted comedy. Allen is essentially playing himself, and Johansson is playing a young female version of him, which took a bit of getting used to, but I think she played her part well, and I think both of them get some nice funny lines. Jackman character is fairly bland, but he is believable as a charismatic charmer. The mystery element is worked in well without ruining the tone. I don't know if the scoop-from-beyond-the-grave angle adds anything, to be honest.

It's not a great film, but it's certainly an enjoyable one.
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Re: Year 2: 1 year 52 Movies challenge

Postby Silverfish » 02 Feb 2017, 18:14

4: The Ones Below (2015) - A psychological thriller directed by David Farr

Kate and Justin, a couple expecting their first child, introduce themselves to their new downstairs neighbours, but get the feeling there is something strange about them.

This didn't work for me at all. I didn't really empathize with the characters, so the drama fell flat. I don't know what the cause was. It could be the acting, which didn't draw me in, and seemed to vary between naturalistic, and over the over the top, and didn't draw me in. It could be the writing, where I wasn't sure whether they were aiming for a naturalistic feel, or something more melodramatic. It was clear that certain things were supposed to be creepy or strange, but they didn't have any real impact.
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Re: Year 2: 1 year 52 Movies challenge

Postby Silverfish » 06 Feb 2017, 17:03

5: Mulholland drive (2001) - A film directed by David Lynch

A woman is the only survivor of a car accident on Mulholland drive, but doesn't know who she is. She hides in the house where aspiring actress Betty is staying, and they attempt to work out what happened to her. Meanwhile, the director of a film is being pressured to cast a particular actress for a part, for unknown reasons.

This is my first David Lynch film and I enjoyed it. I liked the sense of not quite knowing what is going on, the tantalising sense that something strange is going to happen. There is also a sense of things being just slightly over the line separating the mundane and the bizarre, that I find intriguing. For example, the people putting pressure on the director to cast an actress could in another movie be members of the mafia, but in this movie it is unclear why this actress is important, what motives they have, or how they possess the massive leverage they do.

This makes me want to explore other David Lynch movies.
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Re: Year 2: 1 year 52 Movies challenge

Postby Silverfish » 21 Feb 2017, 16:38

6: Big Game (2014) - An action adventure action adventure film directed by Jalmari Helander

Oskari (Onni Tommila) is sent into the forest to hunt at 13, in a rite of passage to provide himself as a man, following the traditions of his small village in Finland. Meanwhile, when Air Force One and its escort are attacked, the President of the United States (Samuel L Jackson) ejects into the woods, and forms an awkward alliance with Oskari.

I found this a very enjoyable movie that seamlessly mixes a few different aspects to make a coherent whole. We have Oskari and his mission to prove himself to his kinsmen, and his father in particular. This is understated, but given real weight and importance. The role of Oskari is played well, with a mix of bravery, bravado, and trepidation.

The president's arrival in the forest, in an escape pod,, and the crashing plane, are treated almost like a visitor from another world, which is an interesting approach. Both Oskari and the president are apprehensive during their meeting, as the former is dealing with unfamiliar circumstances and the later unfamiliar surroundings.

The pair make an interesting and unlikely pairing. Interestingly, the president isn't presented as a badass action hero, but as a somewhat unfit man out of his element. I think the movie works as an off-beat action movie as both of the protagonists have to step up and become the hero, and need to use their brains to outwit their pursuers.

I would definitely recommend this.
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Re: Year 2: 1 year 52 Movies challenge

Postby Silverfish » 27 Mar 2017, 15:28

7: Song of the Sea (2014) - An animated fantasy adventure

Saoirse is a six-year-old girl, and is resented by her ten-year-old brother, Ben. But on her birthday, he discovers she is part-selkie, and they are drawn into a quest to return the fairies back home on Halloween night.

I really enjoyed this. The movie has beautiful hand-drawn animation, both of the magical world and the mundane world, and the rich musical score complements it, and ties into the story, which is partly about the magical powers of song and music.

The story, which is at times comical, dramatic, heart-warming and utterly heartbreaking, mixes the magical and mundane very well, and touches on themes of growing up, dealing with grief and loss, family bonds, and finding your place in the world. In particular, Saoirse is mute, and finding her voice is a very important strand to the plot, as her power is connected to her voice and her song. Also, the characters whether magical or mundane are all very believable, which keeping the movie grounded in reality.

All in all a very rewarding watch.
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Re: Year 2: 1 year 52 Movies challenge

Postby Jamfalcon » 27 Mar 2017, 21:28

Been meaning to watch that one for a while, will have to check it out sometime!

By the way, just wanted to say that I'm still reading and enjoying all of these write-ups, even if I don't have anything to add in response to most. :)
"Jamfalcon's a super weird name" - Graham

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Silverfish
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Re: Year 2: 1 year 52 Movies challenge

Postby Silverfish » 31 Mar 2017, 15:54

8: Basic (2003) - A mystery/thriller directed by John McTiernan

In Panama, an American military training exercise goes wrong, leaving two survivors. As Military Police investigator Captain Julia Osborne (Connie Nielsen), and DEA agent Tom Hardy (John Travolta), who is brought in to interrogate the survivors, they realise the case is more complicated than it at first appears.

I found this an effective mystery, with some interesting twists. When we finally know the truth it seems to hang together reasonably well, and seemed to tie up most of the lose ends. There are certainly more rigorous mysteries out there, but this one at least sustained my interest throughout, and had a satisfying conclusion.
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Re: Year 2: 1 year 52 Movies challenge

Postby Silverfish » 27 Apr 2017, 13:05

9: Hanna (2011) - An action adventure thriller directed by Joe Wright .

Hanna (Saoirse Ronan) is a 15-year old girl brought up in the wilds of Finland by Erik (Eric Bana), an Ex-CIA operative, who trained her as a skills assassin, with excellent survival skills, but only a theoretical understanding of the world outside. To complete her training, she triggers a radio beacon, attracting the attention of CIA officer (Marissa Wiegler (Cate Blanchett) who Hanna is expected to kill. While on the run from Marissa and her agents, she starts to discover more about the world.

I think this is an interesting film. The core of it seems to be Hanna exploring aspects of the world that she had only previously learned about as dry encyclopedia articles. Most striking of these is music, where a theoretical explanation cannot compare to actually experiencing it. I thought the action was very effective and stylishly shot, and seems to be important for the theme of the movie, that of Hanna excelling at combat skills, but largely ignorant of the world around her.

However, I thought the actual storyline of the CiA agents chasing Hanna and Erik, and the reasons behind the chase, didn't really add anything. The actual reveal seemed very generic, and it seems it would have been better to focus entirely on Hanna, and have the CIA agents as anonymous shadowy figures that we know little about. It seems they didn't reveal enough about them to have a good picture of what their motives were, but enough that they didn't have any sense of mystery..
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Re: Year 2: 1 year 52 Movies challenge

Postby Silverfish » 17 Aug 2017, 12:52

10 Rogue One (2016) - A science fiction war movie directed by Gareth Edwards

The Rebel Alliance gets word that the Empire is developing a superweapon, capable of destroying a planet, but they also discover that the design has been compromised, but to identify it will require a dangerous mission to recover the planets from an Imperial base.

I think the beginning of the film is fairly interesting but I think it gets bogged down in establishing the links to the wider Star Wars story and universe, in particular the scenes with Darth Vader and Grand Moff Tarkin, and I don't find that element really rings true. I also don't think we need to see much exposition about the Death Star and its construction the target audience probably already knows what the Death Star is, and all I think we need to know is that the Empire have a weapon that can destroy the planet, and the Rebels are trying to find out about its fatal weakness.

I also think more time could have been spent on the backgrounds of the main characters, in particular Jyn Erso. We don't really know much that happened to her from childhood to being imprisoned by the empire.

I found the second half, and the climactic assault on Scarif, the highlight of the movie. It benefits from having a simple goal (get the data from the archive), and I found it an effective mix of action, drama and pathos. In this part I did really care about the eclectic band of rebels, and it did feel like an epic struggle for a sliver of hope.

I think the second half makes up for my issues with the first half, and it feels like the second half is the core of the movie, and the first half is more to setup the second half. In any case, I think it was an entertaining movie, and I like that they are trying different sorts of movies in the Star Wars universe.
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Re: Year 2: 1 year 52 Movies challenge

Postby Silverfish » 27 Sep 2017, 13:50

11 Lady Macbeth (2016) - A drama directed by William Oldroyd

In 1860s rural England Katherine Lester is trapped in a loveless marriage, but when her husband and father-in-law leave on business she finds new freedom and pursues an affair with one of the servants, but her newfound freedom is threatened when her father-in-law returns.

This movie revolves around the main character of Katherine, and Florence Pugh plays her very well. She is portrayed as being frustrated about the lack of freedom she is afforded, and clearly relished it when it is available. However there is much more to her than just a victim and she can be calculating and devious in getting what she wants, without apparent regard for the effect her actions have on others. The fact that she can be seen in two different ways, and doesn't reveal her internal monologue makes this a rewarding and complex tale and allows for the story to evolve in unpredictable ways.

The closest to a pure victim is her maid, who is often unwillingly caught up in the power games in the household she serves, and truly has little power to speak up. Even she isn't merely a passive character, there is more to her than that.

The way the movie is shot and the sound design work very well in emphasising the feeling of confinement and the rigid routines in scenes set in the house, and of the openness of the open countryside. There is very little music apart from when it is used to emphasise a few of the more intense scenes, and the relentless sound of clocks and other repetitive sounds add to an uncomfortable and claustrophobic atmosphere, as does the jarringly abrupt way scenes transition.

All in all, this was a very interesting watch, and has stayed with me a week after watching it, with a lot of things to think about. I would definitely recommend checking it out.
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Re: Year 2: 1 year 52 Movies challenge

Postby Silverfish » 06 Nov 2017, 15:15

12: John Wick (2014) - An action thriller directed by Chad Stahelski and David Leitch.

When retired hit-man John Wick (Keanu Reeves) is greaving the death of his wife, he receives a puppy, under her instructions, to help him cope with her death. But when his vintage car is stolen by gangsters, and the puppy killed, he sets out to find the perpetrators and use his finely-honed skills to enact revenge.

Watching John Wick was a bit odd. I felt the first Act was very strong. Keanu's depiction of grief is very powerful, and you get a clear sense of someone feeling adrift and directionless. You also get the sense that in planning revenge that he is focusing his grief into a powerful rage. In particular, there is a scene where Wick breaks through the floor to get his horde of weapons, where you feel the force of every strike. Also, the first Act builds up John Wick's mystique as the "Boogeyman" or "Baba Yaga".

However, I found the actual action dull. I can't quite put my finger on the issue, but it didn't seem like Wick was struggling. There is plenty of bloodshed, but it never really felt like John Wick is overcoming the odds, or in genuine danger. Perhaps part of the issue is that almost all of the baddies are mooks, that Wick mows through without them offering any real resistance.

Whatever the issue, the action didn't work for me, and as the action is the core of an action movie, that led to the rest of it falling flat. In particular, the film had a potentially-interesting idea of the Continental Hotel, a sanctuary for gangsters, that operates according to its own code, and where violence is strictly prohibited. If violence itself had weight, then breaking the rules of the Continental would itself feel more significant.
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Re: Year 2: 1 year 52 Movies challenge

Postby Silverfish » 08 Nov 2017, 14:56

13: The Shining (1980) - A horror film directed by Stanley Kubrick

Jack Torrence (Jack Nicholson) is offered a job as winter caretaker of the Overlook Hotel, where he is to stay with his wife and son for the winter to maintain the hotel while it is empty. He initially relishes the idea of the chance to work on his book, but over time isolation and the strange atmosphere of the hotel take their toll on Jack's sanity.

When watching a "classic" film like this, one that has entered pop culture to the point The Shining does, I don't think you can ever get the feeling of what this would have been like when watching it without knowing what to expect. I think The Shining has lost some of its power but is still a very effective horror movie. Jack Nicholson was an interesting person to cast, and he plays a range of "shades" to his character, from his normal self to completely unhinged, with various shades of angry or disturbed, so it is unclear at times whether we are seeing someone just frustrated and angry, or losing his grip on reality.

I think the way it is edited contributes to the powerful atmosphere. The film is often sparing with how much information it reveals about what is happening, or the actual timeframe of events. We also never really have a consistent viewpoint character: We see events through different perspectives at different times, and it is often unclear what is real and what is fantasy. Also, the unnatural emptiness of the hotel is a big part of the atmosphere.

To sum up, I understand why it is hailed as a classic. I certainly think it is a powerful work of horror.
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Re: Year 2: 1 year 52 Movies challenge

Postby Silverfish » 31 Dec 2017, 16:04

14: Kiss the Girls (1997) - A thriller directed by Gary Fleder

Forensic psychologist Alex Cross (Morgan Freeman) goes to Durham, North Carolina to investigate the disappearance of his niece Naomi. On talking to the local police, he finds out that her abduction may be one of a string of kidnappings in the area, and he joins the team attempting to track down the perpetrator.

I think this is a fairly effective thriller, with a suitably creepy villain, but the film feels pretty generic and predictable. It doesn't do anything particularly original. It also doesn't have the level of craftsmanship to elevate this to being more than just an average, fairly forgettable, by-the-numbers, thriller.
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Re: Year 2: 1 year 52 Movies challenge

Postby Silverfish » 31 Dec 2017, 17:00

15: Free Fire (2016) - An action comedy directed by Ben Wheatley

A tense arms deal in a Boston Warehouse breaks down into a firefight between the buyers and sellers.

I think this is an interesting and funny take on the action movie, as it is entirely based on a single firefight on a single night, and it deals with a small group of combatant's, each with their own personality, with no real disposable characters. People live or die through their wits, through lucky shots, and by being in the right place at the right team, which seems to ring true to me. Also, the sound design makes the shots have real impact.

I don't know if the movie quite works for me, as I think it is a bit too off-beat. I could see it growing on me with repeated watchings. It certainly is original and has an interesting way of looking at things.

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