Rate The Last Movie You Saw.

[Ricky]

Annabelle Review - 9/10 (http://reviewsfromthecouch.wordpress.com/2014/11/05/annabelle/)

"Creepy dolls aren’t anything new to the horror genre, which makes it even more difficult to make a film about one that is both fresh and delivers some solid scares. Surprisingly, Annabelle manages to do both."

[webstar1000]

Annabelle Review - 9/10 (http://reviewsfromthecouch.wordpress.com/2014/11/05/annabelle/)

"Creepy dolls aren’t anything new to the horror genre, which makes it even more difficult to make a film about one that is both fresh and delivers some solid scares. Surprisingly, Annabelle manages to do both."

WHAT?????????? Oh my goodness that was the most ridiculous movie ever. I left it was so bad... 30% on Rotten Tomatoes... and that is GENEROUS.. no offense... I am shocked to see a 9 for this movie.

[Ricky]

And that's why different people have different opinions. :)

[webstar1000]

And that's why different people have different opinions. :)

True... meant no disrespect:) But John Wick made this look like a B movie...

[divemaster]

Just watched Onibaba. Wow, what a great film!

[Still Servant]

an action film light on plot and heavy on carnage

Sometimes this is all I need. After a 60 hour work week, I need something to help me unwind. Throw in an XL bag of heavily salted popcorn, a "litre of cola" and it's a remedy for forgetting the shit week I'm sure I'll be having.

TL;DR - good review, will watch.

That's how I feel too. Some "action" movies get bogged down with the plot. I just want to see cool action and a good pace. Plus, the character has to be a badass. I thought John Wick gives the viewer more than enough to understand who John Wick is and where he is coming from.

[Still Servant]

Another nice review, Ricky. You once again have made me interested in a film that I wasn't planning on seeing despite the fact that I really enjoyed The Conjuring. I think Annabelle might be a nice film to watch before the inevitable sequel.

Many people will disagree with your review, but that's what makes movies so fun to discuss. Everybody sees things differently. If we all liked the same stuff, this would be boring.

[Ricky]

Thanks, Mike. I'd definitely be interested in hearing your thoughts if you see it. I know I'm in the minority, but I liked Annabelle much better than The Conjuring.

[Heather19]

You liked it better than The Conjuring :o

[mae]

Just watched Onibaba. Wow, what a great film!

It is! Very atmospheric. I remember I nominated it in the horror tournament and it got booted off pretty quickly...

[Ricky]

You liked it better than The Conjuring :o

Yes. :ninja:

[fernandito]

Just watched Onibaba. Wow, what a great film!

You've never steered me wrong, so I'll be adding this to my queue in a bit.

[fernandito]

Benny's Video

What a dark, compelling, and ultimately heart breaking film this is. Haneke has all of humanity pegged.

8/10

[divemaster]

Just watched Onibaba. Wow, what a great film!

It is! Very atmospheric. I remember I nominated it in the horror tournament and it got booted off pretty quickly...

I remember that. I had not seen it at the time of the tournament. Even so, I don't really consider it a "horror" film. To me it is a atmospheric drama and character study, ending with a circumstance that could certainly be described as "horrific." I loved the director's use of imagery and repetition throughout the film. The waving grass, the black hole, etc. I especially liked the use of the girl running through the grass at full speed (again, a repeated image) to signify her rising lust.

Just a tremendous film. I watched it on a rental (Criterion version) and was all prepared to purchase it, but I see there is an R2 version with a director's commentary. That's the DVD I want.

[Tommy]

Benny's Video

What a dark, compelling, and ultimately heart breaking film this is. Haneke has all of humanity pegged.

8/10
Haneke is amazing, have you seen The Seventh Continent yet?

[fernandito]

Benny's Video

What a dark, compelling, and ultimately heart breaking film this is. Haneke has all of humanity pegged.

8/10
Haneke is amazing, have you seen The Seventh Continent yet?

Yup. I think that might be my favorite Haneke, actually. The last 10 minutes of that are some of the most heart wrenching moments in cinema I've ever encountered. It's... wow it's amazing. A true auteur.

The only feature film of his I'm missing is Time of the Wolf, I've seen everything else.

Have you seen Dogtooth?

[Tommy]

Benny's Video

What a dark, compelling, and ultimately heart breaking film this is. Haneke has all of humanity pegged.

8/10
Haneke is amazing, have you seen The Seventh Continent yet?

Yup. I think that might be my favorite Haneke, actually. The last 10 minutes of that are some of the most heart wrenching moments in cinema I've ever encountered. It's... wow it's amazing. A true auteur.

The only feature film of his I'm missing is Time of the Wolf, I've seen everything else.

Have you seen Dogtooth?

Funny you mention Time of the Wolf because that is the only one I haven't seen either, Yes I have seen Dogtooth and it definitely has some Haneke-like touches in it, I guess that's why I liked it so much

[Still Servant]

Interstellar - 9.0/10

...

That's all I got right now.

[Ricky]

Damn. I rolled over it hoping for a review link. :lol:

[Mattrick]

All this Haneke talk...and no Amour love? (see what I did there?)

[Still Servant]

Damn. I rolled over it hoping for a review link. :lol:

My bad :lol:. I just couldn't coherently collect my thoughts after that movie. I was actually typing notes for my review into my phone while sitting in the movie theater parking lot.

I could bump it to a 9.5 once I see it again, which won't be until Blu-Ray. I truly believe that film could have gone pretty far in our tournament.

[webstar1000]

Damn. I rolled over it hoping for a review link. :lol:

My bad :lol:. I just couldn't coherently collect my thoughts after that movie. I was actually typing notes for my review into my phone while sitting in the movie theater parking lot.

I could bump it to a 9.5 once I see it again, which won't be until Blu-Ray. I truly believe that film could have gone pretty far in our tournament.

That good eh?

[mae]

I don't know. I felt underwhelmed afterwards.

[Still Servant]

I don't know. I felt underwhelmed afterwards.

That's not surprising. This is the kind of film that is going to split a lot of people.

[Bev Vincent]

The Judge with Robert Duvall and Robert Downey Jr. -- an excellent family drama with some surprising bumps and twists. Good to see Vincent D'Onofrio again, plus Vera Farmiga.

Interstellar -- a mind-twisting story that I mostly enjoyed, although the ending was a little pat. A heckuva ride, though.

[mae]

http://www.vulture.com/2014/11/21-things-in-interstellar-that-dont-make-sense.html

[WeDealInLead]

Buncha Buzzkillingtons. Not even going to click that link.

[fernandito]

Interstellar - 9.0/10

...

That's all I got right now.

Me too. I'll need to see it once more before I give a final verdict. It's just too much to take in at first (that's what she said).

I'll need to weigh the pros and the cons. Initial impressions are very good though. Will probably end up with a score similar to yours.

I've always nagged on how I wish Nolan would move away from guns and violence and give us a human story, and he did just that. The irony is that he had to go all the way to the other side of the galaxy to give it to us lol.

A very powerful film viewing experience. Did you see it in IMAX? Please tell me you did.


All this Haneke talk...and no Amour love? (see what I did there?)

Not his best work, but it is still fantastic. Great performances by both leads.

[webstar1000]

k.... I have heard this so many times guys... is it really a movie that you have that tough of a time rating? I mean... until it has been viewed again? Wow... I think I need to get my ass to the theater!

[fernandito]

http://www.vulture.com/2014/11/21-things-in-interstellar-that-dont-make-sense.html
Well goddamn... admittedly, there are some valid gripes on there, but a lot of those can be explained by either a necessity of the plot, or with a bit of common sense. I don't know why some critics have such a problem with plausibility.

[fernandito]

k.... I have heard this so many times guys... is it really a movie that you have that tough of a time rating? I mean... until it has been viewed again? Wow... I think I need to get my ass to the theater!

Hmm... you certainly can rate it after just one viewing, but the film is so ambitious in scope that you'd be making an assessment without having a complete grasp on the minutiae details.

Despite it's trappings it's actually a pretty straight forward tale. Nolan & Co. dumb the science a bit so that just about everyone can follow along. Don't go in expecting a blockbuster. I know it was marketed as such but it's absolutely not. It's essentially a indie film with a blockbuster budget.

And yes, this is absolutely a film you must watch in theaters. Shell out the extra cash and see it in 70MM IMAX, it must be experienced in this format to get the full effect. The sound design and music are breath taking.

[Still Servant]

My spoiler-free Interstellar review:

Interstellar - 9.0 (http://popculturedmoviemi.wix.com/popculturedmoviemike#!interstellar/c3n8)

I didn't see the film in IMAX. Unfortunately, the closest IMAX theater to me is 30 minutes away and they aren't "true" IMAX. I'm not driving 30 minutes and paying double for just a bigger screen. They can fool others, but they aren't fooling me. I've been to real IMAX theaters and this is not that.

[fernandito]

Do you mind posting your review on here? My work comp has trouble with your site and I don't have a working comp at home.

Thanks!

[Still Servant]

Do you mind posting your review on here? My work comp has trouble with your site and I don't have a working comp at home.

Thanks!

Sorry, I keep forgetting. If it makes it any easier for you, I've optimized the site for mobile devices. It should work nicely on your phone.

Interstellar - 9.0

There are movies and then there are cinematic experiences. Interstellar falls in the latter category. Interstellar is a film about love, humanity and our existence in the universe. It’s a massive film that literally shoots for the stars and you have to applaud director Christopher Nolan (The Batman trilogy, Inception) for his willingness to take a chance on a film of this magnitude. Simply stated - films like Interstellar are why we go to the movies.

Interstellar tells the story of a near-future Earth that is being ravaged by a dust bowl. The Earth is dying and the people who inhabit it look weary and tired. They’ve accepted their fate and seem comfortable in just riding out the Earth as long as possible. They’ve lost all hope. The film does a great job of introducing us to this dusty, gloomy world as well as the characters.

Matthew McConaughey plays Cooper, a former NASA pilot who was forced to give up his career and become a farmer. Cooper lives on a farm with his young daughter, Murphy, teenage son and father-in-law. Instead of rushing this part of the film and blasting us off into space, Nolan takes his time, building the relationships between the characters and the film is better for it. In a film where the scope spans galaxies, a very personal story is being told - one of fatherhood and love.

Soon, Cooper finds himself as a part of a small team on an impossible mission to the very depths of outer space in hopes of finding another planet that can sustain human life. In doing so, he must leave his family behind knowing the chances of ever seeing them again are remote.

Joining Cooper on his mission is Brand, an astronaut played by Anne Hathaway. Rounding out the solid cast is Jessica Chastain and Michael Caine, who plays a professor and is also Brand’s father. The performances are fantastic, but I was most impressed by Mackenzie Foy who plays Cooper’s young daughter. She’s an actress to keep an eye on.

In the hands of a less competent director, Interstellar would have exploded on liftoff. Nolan is such a dedicated and visionary director that you can see the passion he has for this film. It’s also beautiful to see a director working without the restrictions that most directors are burdened with by the studios. It’s easy to see where films get derailed because an artist is told to make certain cuts because of length or other various reasons.

Interstellar is hardly a perfect film. Many will complain that it has too much exposition. Also, the almost three hour run time will test the patience (and bladder) of many viewers. Others will be turned off by the technical jargon about string theory and the theory of relativity that only an MIT professor could understand. Those who invest in the film and open their minds will enjoy it. Those that try to explain every bit of the plot will probably walk away disappointed.

With all that in mind, Interstellar is the kind of memorable film that will have viewers thinking and talking about it weeks after they’ve seen it, and that goes for people who didn’t enjoy it as much as others.

Even if the film gets away from them a little at the end, it doesn’t matter because we’ve become so invested in these characters. At its core, Interstellar is a film about the human spirit to survive. It’s about the power of love and how it can literally transcend space and time. Interstellar is a triumph of the human spirit. The film proves to us that even in the very depths of space, the best and worst of human traits still hold true.

It may take some time, but one day Interstellar will take its place among the very best Sci-Fi films ever made. This includes Stanley Kubrick’s 2001: A Space Odyssey, a film Interstellar has been compared to since it was announced. It’s the kind of film that will inspire young children to become filmmakers and maybe even a few to become scientists.

Whether or not you loved Interstellar, one has to marvel at the power of filmmaking and the sheer magnitude of the endless possibilities of the imagination.

[fernandito]

Marvelous. Excellent review, Mike. I think my review will be just a tad more punishing than yours, but in the end we'll both agree on one thing - it is an absolutely amazing cinematic experience.

[Still Servant]

Marvelous. Excellent review, Mike. I think my review will be just a tad more punishing than yours, but in the end we'll both agree on one thing - it is an absolutely amazing cinematic experience.

Thanks, Fernando! That means a lot! Looking forward to your review.

I can totally see how Interstellar is the kind of film that will divide people. It's also the kind of film that people will really like, but still have a shit ton problems with it. In my case, I saw it at a 5 o'clock showing on Saturday night. I was up at 6am and worked all day. By the time I sat down in the movie theater, I was ready to be transported and just sit back and let Nolan take me on a ride. I had no energy for nit-picking, although I'm aware that the film is ripe for it.

[divemaster]

I don't get to the movies theater all that often--more of a DVD guy these days. However, having today and tomorrow off I decided to take in a couple of movies. So today I saw John Wick. Thumbs up! Good escapist entertainment. Never a dull moment, that's for sure. 4/5.

Tomorrow will likely be Interstellar. Movies like that just have to be seen on the big screen, before any DVD viewing.

[Still Servant]

Tomorrow will likely be Interstellar. Movies like that just have to be seen on the big screen, before any DVD viewing.

Totally agree. I feel that most movies benefit from being seen in a theater, but Interstellar is the rare film that truly needs to be seen on the big screen. It has that larger than life quality to it. I wish I could have seen it in true IMAX. I can imagine how much better the experience would have been.

Just another note about Interstellar. It's amazing how divided the feelings about this film really are. With people in my real life and people online as well. Some people adore the film and others loathe it. I find films like that incredibly interesting. I've already had tons of arguments/discussions about Interstellar.

[Heather19]

Yeah, I had heard some not so great stuff about it, then I came on here I saw you guys raving about it the other day.

Oh and Mike I finally watched Snowpiercer last night :)

[fernandito]

Last three movies I watched

Interstellar - 8.5/10 (review coming soon)
Snowpiercer - 7.5/10
Europa - 8/10

[Merlin1958]

Do you mind posting your review on here? My work comp has trouble with your site and I don't have a working comp at home.

Thanks!

Sorry, I keep forgetting. If it makes it any easier for you, I've optimized the site for mobile devices. It should work nicely on your phone.

Interstellar - 9.0

There are movies and then there are cinematic experiences. Interstellar falls in the latter category. Interstellar is a film about love, humanity and our existence in the universe. It’s a massive film that literally shoots for the stars and you have to applaud director Christopher Nolan (The Batman trilogy, Inception) for his willingness to take a chance on a film of this magnitude. Simply stated - films like Interstellar are why we go to the movies.

Interstellar tells the story of a near-future Earth that is being ravaged by a dust bowl. The Earth is dying and the people who inhabit it look weary and tired. They’ve accepted their fate and seem comfortable in just riding out the Earth as long as possible. They’ve lost all hope. The film does a great job of introducing us to this dusty, gloomy world as well as the characters.

Matthew McConaughey plays Cooper, a former NASA pilot who was forced to give up his career and become a farmer. Cooper lives on a farm with his young daughter, Murphy, teenage son and father-in-law. Instead of rushing this part of the film and blasting us off into space, Nolan takes his time, building the relationships between the characters and the film is better for it. In a film where the scope spans galaxies, a very personal story is being told - one of fatherhood and love.

Soon, Cooper finds himself as a part of a small team on an impossible mission to the very depths of outer space in hopes of finding another planet that can sustain human life. In doing so, he must leave his family behind knowing the chances of ever seeing them again are remote.

Joining Cooper on his mission is Brand, an astronaut played by Anne Hathaway. Rounding out the solid cast is Jessica Chastain and Michael Caine, who plays a professor and is also Brand’s father. The performances are fantastic, but I was most impressed by Mackenzie Foy who plays Cooper’s young daughter. She’s an actress to keep an eye on.

In the hands of a less competent director, Interstellar would have exploded on liftoff. Nolan is such a dedicated and visionary director that you can see the passion he has for this film. It’s also beautiful to see a director working without the restrictions that most directors are burdened with by the studios. It’s easy to see where films get derailed because an artist is told to make certain cuts because of length or other various reasons.

Interstellar is hardly a perfect film. Many will complain that it has too much exposition. Also, the almost three hour run time will test the patience (and bladder) of many viewers. Others will be turned off by the technical jargon about string theory and the theory of relativity that only an MIT professor could understand. Those who invest in the film and open their minds will enjoy it. Those that try to explain every bit of the plot will probably walk away disappointed.

With all that in mind, Interstellar is the kind of memorable film that will have viewers thinking and talking about it weeks after they’ve seen it, and that goes for people who didn’t enjoy it as much as others.

Even if the film gets away from them a little at the end, it doesn’t matter because we’ve become so invested in these characters. At its core, Interstellar is a film about the human spirit to survive. It’s about the power of love and how it can literally transcend space and time. Interstellar is a triumph of the human spirit. The film proves to us that even in the very depths of space, the best and worst of human traits still hold true.

It may take some time, but one day Interstellar will take its place among the very best Sci-Fi films ever made. This includes Stanley Kubrick’s 2001: A Space Odyssey, a film Interstellar has been compared to since it was announced. It’s the kind of film that will inspire young children to become filmmakers and maybe even a few to become scientists.

Whether or not you loved Interstellar, one has to marvel at the power of filmmaking and the sheer magnitude of the endless possibilities of the imagination.

Stellar review!!! You should do this for a living!!

[Heather19]

Last three movies I watched

Interstellar - 8.5/10 (review coming soon)
Snowpiercer - 7.5/10
Europa - 8/10

Have you watched Shivers yet? I was going to watch it today, but I think I got movied out yesterday :lol:

[divemaster]

Interstellar - 8.5/10 (review coming soon)
Snowpiercer - 7.5/10


That's close to where I am on these two. I give Interstellar a 4/5 and Snowpiercer a 3/5; perhaps a 3.5 if I was in a good mood.

[Still Servant]

Stellar review!!! You should do this for a living!!

Thanks so much! I appreciate that. It's just a hobby though :)

I'm glad so many people are watching Snowpiercer. Fernando, I'm surprised you didn't like it more. You listed Europa, is that Europa Report? I thought that was was pretty bad. Couldn't get into it at all.

[Shannon]

Recently watched movies. I rate on a scale from one to five.

Let's Be Cops - 4/5
V/H/S: Viral - 2/5 (what a disappointment)
Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles (2014) - 5/5
Eden Lake - 4/5 (one of Michael Fassbender's earlier roles, in a very good thriller no less?)
Into The Storm - 5/5
Dawn Of The Planet Of The Apes (2014) - 5/5
Jessabelle - 3/5

[Still Servant]

Nightcrawler - 9.0 (http://popculturedwithmoviemike.tumblr.com/)

Nightcrawler is a twisted tale of the American Dream. Jake Gyllenhaal plays Lou Bloom, a high-strung, highly driven entrepreneur who discovers he can make a quick buck by selling video footage of crime scenes to the local news.

Gyllenhaal is mesmerizing as Lou and gives one of the best performances of the year. Lou is wide-eyed and emaciated and comes across as dangerously unhinged throughout the whole film. He’s gaunt and sickly and often sports a creepy Cheshire Cat smile. Lou will literally do anything to get ahead in his field.

Like Robert De Niro in The King of Comedy, Lou is endearing, but clearly deranged. He has no problem trading video of horrific events just to make some cash. He uses the misery of others like a warped form of currency.

As bizarre as Lou is, the film begs the question - who is worse? The man video taping the victims of horrible crimes and accidents, or the cut-throat members of the news that are buying it? Perhaps it’s the viewers who are most to blame. They crave images of tragedy that befalls others as part of their breakfast routine.

Nightcrawler is beautifully shot and really captures the seedy underbelly of L.A. Like New York City in Taxi Driver or L.A. in Collateral, the city is literally another character. It feels unpredictable and dangerous, just like the lead character.

Nightcrawler is one of better films to chronicle the ambiguous nature of the news business. In fact, it skewers it pretty good. Especially the lives of news producers who are constantly under pressure for ratings. Rene Russo bursts back onto the scene as a morally bankrupt producer who is just as determined as Lou to get ahead in the business.

Nightcrawler is one of the best films of the year and features a standout performance by Jake Gyllenhaal, a true anti-hero in every sense of the word.

[Ricky]

Nice review, Mike. You hit on a lot of the things that I liked about it, but I wouldn't rate it nearly as high. Nightcrawler is a great character study of Lou (and Gyllenhaal is great) but I didn't think the movie itself was anything to rave about. Great character study, good film. The interactions between Lou and Nina were some of the highlights for me, so I wished they would've played off of that more than they did.

[fernandito]

Mike, I think it would do you good to write a review a few days after you've seen a film, once your blood has cooled a bit. Lot of 9/10's there lol.

[Still Servant]

Thanks, Ricky!

Feev, I usually do wait a day or two to write a review. I feel the same about these films weeks after I see them though. I've seen a lot of solid films this year, especially recently. I think giving a 9 to some of these films is pretty tame. Richard Roeper gave Interstellar an A+ and Nightcrawler is one of the best reviewed films of the year at 94% and John Wick is 85%. I don't think a 9 is that out of line for these films. It's just that I'm seeing them in such close proximity to each other.

I can tell you one thing, I'd give the Europa Report about a 5 if it makes you feel any better. :lol:

EDIT: Another thing to consider is that these aren't the only movies I'm seeing. I'm just more inclined to write a review on something that is A) A recent film and B) is something I really liked. For example, I've seen Chef, St. Vincent, The Giver, 2 Guns, and The Incredible Burt Wonderstone in recent weeks. All of these films vary and none of them would receive a 9.

ANOTHER EDIT: Regarding Nightcrawler, as a professional videographer, the film hit on certain notes for me that it might not for others. The news jargon as well as camera jargon was all stuff I can relate to.

[Ricky]

ANOTHER EDIT: Regarding Nightcrawler, as a professional videographer...

So THAT'S what you do. :lol:

I've seen you hint at being involved in that field before, but I wasn't sure.

[fernandito]

Also, should have clarified - no, I wasn't referring to Europa Report, I'm sure I'll get to that at some point though.

I was referring to Lars Von Trier's WWII masterpiece Europa (http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0101829/?ref_=fn_al_tt_2).

[Mattrick]

Bad reviews are the fun ones to write, Michael lol

[Still Servant]

:lol:

Yes, but it's certainly not the field that Lou is involved in. I've seen that world, but I don't like working for the news. Also, here in CT it's certainly not like L.A. There's even a dig on Hartford in the film.

I like writing reviews for bad movies too, it's just that if I'm going to expend energy I'd rather expend it on something I want people to see. Like I said, I'm very picky about what movies I see and I normally only see something if I know I will like it. At least that's the case for movie I see in theater.

[fernandito]

I like writing reviews for bad movies too, it's just that if I'm going to expend energy I'd rather expend it on something I want people to see...
Bingo.

[divemaster]

Not a movie, but I'm currently halfway through the TV series Broadchurch. Really digging it! Very interested to see whodunnit. Please, no spoilers or even subtle discussion, or I will crawl through the internet and kill you.

And speaking of TV series murder mysteries, I just finished True Detective. Great atmosphere, and the acting was tremendous--especially Harrelson and McConaughey, and everyone else as well. My main quibble with the reveal and revelation:

We are set up to discover some huge far-reaching conspiracy and it turns out the killer and "leader" of whatever cult was behind the murders turns out to be a low-class Parish groundskeeper???? Supposedly the conspiracy involves powerful politicians, businessmen, clergy, etc. No way they all follow some inbred white-trash bayou rat.

[fernandito]

And speaking of TV series murder mysteries, I just finished True Detective. Great atmosphere, and the acting was tremendous--especially Harrelson and McConaughey, and everyone else as well. My main quibble with the reveal and revelation:

We are set up to discover some huge far-reaching conspiracy and it turns out the killer and "leader" of whatever cult was behind the murders turns out to be a low-class Parish groundskeeper???? Supposedly the conspiracy involves powerful politicians, businessmen, clergy, etc. No way they all follow some inbred white-trash bayou rat.

He is not the leader of that cult, just a 'high ranking officer', if you will. Marty and Rust discuss how the other leaders are still out there, but that there is nothing they can do about it; "It doesn't matter, we got our man."

I don't think there is any one particular supreme leader, but if there is it will probably be explored in later seasons.

[Shannon]

True Detective was amazing. Broadchurch was great as well, with one little gripe, which I won't mention until after you finish it. Gracepoint (American remake of Broadchurch) is pretty good as well, as it's pretty much shot for shot, just with prettier/shinier people.

[Randall Flagg]

Viewed Interstellar yesterday. No need to give background info on the movie. Epic in scope and reach, the film benefits from being viewed on the largest format possible.
Methodical, but never boring, the film captures the despair, the hope, the failure, and the "Et tu, Brute?" that mankind is capable of.
Some of the theoretical physics may go over a persons head, but they weren't too technical to enjoy. Several parts defy the attempt to be scientifically correct, but the movie works on every level.
The 3rd reel, ropes it all in and proceeds at an almost dizzying pace.
The film is best enjoyed if the viewer "thinks outside the box...-almost in another dimension"
5/6 on the RFSPRS. I'd give it 6 beers, but one would miss a lot of the movie going to the restroom if they drank 6 during the film.

Loved that books (real books, not digital versions) played a small but integral part in the movie. Watch for Stephen King's Doubleday "The Stand". Clearly focused upon.

Obvious link to the "5th Element" thought of love transcending every dimension.

[Still Servant]

Viewed Interstellar yesterday. No need to give background info on the movie. Epic in scope and reach, the film benefits from being viewed on the largest format possible.
Methodical, but never boring, the film captures the despair, the hope, the failure, and the "Et tu, Brute?" that mankind is capable of.
Some of the theoretical physics may go over a persons head, but they weren't too technical to enjoy. Several parts defy the attempt to be scientifically correct, but the movie works on every level.
The 3rd reel, ropes it all in and proceeds at an almost dizzying pace.
The film is best enjoyed if the viewer "thinks outside the box...-almost in another dimension"
5/6 on the RFSPRS. I'd give it 6 beers, but one would miss a lot of the movie going to the restroom if they drank 6 during the film.

Loved that books (real books, not digital versions) played a small but integral part in the movie. Watch for Stephen King's Doubleday "The Stand". Clearly focused upon.

Obvious link to the "5th Element" thought of love transcending every dimension.

I'm glad you liked it, RF. I think Interstellar is going to be one of those films that people who didn't like it the first time will grow to appreciate it years later when they watch it again.

[Still Servant]

Thanks for jinxing me, Feev. I've been on a run of bad films lately.

Not Cool - 3.0 (https://www.tumblr.com/blog/popculturedwithmoviemike)

Not Cool is one half of the cinematic experiment chronicled on the Starz TV Show The Chair where two directors take the same script and create two different films. Not Cool is directed by YouTube sensation Shane Dawson, who is known for his crude humor and his penchant for playing wildly stereotypical characters, many of whom require him to dress up as a woman.

Not Cool is a failure of a film on so many levels. It mixes moments of cringe-worthy humor with truly heartfelt moments. It’s a schizophrenic film that can’t make up its mind on the kind of film it wants to be. Sometimes it wants to be an off-the-wall comedy willing to go anywhere for the hope of a cheap laugh. Other times it wants to be a serious coming-of-age story.

This is clearly the fault of Dawson as a director who was scared of stepping outside of the comfort zone of his YouTube style of humor. It’s too bad because the quieter moments of the film prove that Shane could have created something special if he would have just allowed himself to stray from his normal style. Another major problem with the film is Dawson as an actor. He cast himself as the male lead, a role he is obviously miscast for.

If it wasn’t for the fact that I watched the whole season of The Chair, I would have steered clear of Not Cool. It has the look and production values of a student film, not the feature it was supposed to be.

It remains to be seen if Shane will have a future as a director. Unless he decides to shed himself of his YouTube persona, I’m afraid he will never become anything more than just that - a YouTube Star.

Hollidaysburg - 4.0 (https://www.tumblr.com/blog/popculturedwithmoviemike)

Hollidaysburg is the other half of The Chair experiment. It’s directed by aspiring filmmaker Anna Martemucci. Where Shane Dawson’s film failed on multiple levels, Anna’s film fails in a completely different way. Shane was trying to make an in-your-face comedy often striving for the shock value. Anna went the more subdued, Indie drama route. The result is a pretentious snoozefest packed with miserable characters.

The film tries so hard to fit in the Mumblecore genre, but fails at creating characters you actually care about. Many of the scenes drag on without a clear direction or any semblance of a story.

Contrary to Shane’s film, Hollidaysburg at least looks and feels like a real film. The cinematography is good and it features a nice soundtrack. As a whole, the acting quality is far superior to Not Cool.

All this can’t wipe away the fact that Hollidaysburg is just not a very good film and only slightly beats out Shane’s film in my mind. I’m actually ashamed to admit that Anna’s film is only marginally better than Not Cool. It should have blown it out of the water. It turns out, the only success that came from The Chair experiment is the fact that two different directors can take the same screenplay and make two entirely different films and completely fail on multiple levels for an array of different reasons.

[Mattrick]

Whiplash: A triumph is a simple word to describe this film. The energy both emotional and kinetic just pulls you in. The varying tones in the cinematography really add to its depth. Miles Teller is tremendous as we watch his progression, from his meek and shy beginnings to some of the most derranged passion you'll see. J.K Simmons has to be a front runner for Supporting Actor. He's so domineering and immaculately as an instructed who instills his own derranged passion on his students. The editing, especially in the final sequence, is as good as youll ever see. If this film isn't nominated for editing it'll be a travesty. The ending is simply incendiary and perfect. There is so much to enjoy in this film. All I've been listening to since watch Whiplash yesterday is Jazz.

[Lookwhoitis]

Whiplash: A triumph is a simple word to describe this film. The energy both emotional and kinetic just pulls you in. The varying tones in the cinematography really add to its depth. Miles Teller is tremendous as we watch his progression, from his meek and shy beginnings to some of the most derranged passion you'll see. J.K Simmons has to be a front runner for Supporting Actor. He's so domineering and immaculately as an instructed who instills his own derranged passion on his students. The editing, especially in the final sequence, is as good as youll ever see. If this film isn't nominated for editing it'll be a travesty. The ending is simply incendiary and perfect. There is so much to enjoy in this film. All I've been listening to since watch Whiplash yesterday is Jazz.

I watched that film twice in a row on the last day of Sundance just to see the ending scene a second time.

[fernandito]

Thanks for jinxing me, Feev. I've been on a run of bad films lately.

Not Cool - 3.0 (https://www.tumblr.com/blog/popculturedwithmoviemike)

Hollidaysburg - 4.0 (https://www.tumblr.com/blog/popculturedwithmoviemike)



LOL

My bad!

[Randall Flagg]

Viewed Horrible Bosses 2 yesterday. Simple review. Not funny. Horribly unfunny. Flop-sweat unfunny.1/6 beers on the RFSPRS.

[mae]

Did you find the first one funny?

[webstar1000]

Did you find the first one funny?

I loved the first one. It has double the score on Rotten Tomatoes though......

[mae]

I think Jennifer Aniston killed it in the first one.

[webstar1000]

I think Jennifer Aniston killed it in the first one.

100% agree.

[Randall Flagg]

Did you find the first one funny?
Yes.

[Still Servant]

Viewed Horrible Bosses 2 yesterday. Simple review. Not funny. Horribly unfunny. Flop-sweat unfunny.1/6 beers on the RFSPRS.

I had a feeling this would happen. I liked the chemistry so I will probably see this one too at some point.

[Still Servant]

The Hunger Games: Mockingjay - Part 1 - 7.0 (http://popculturedwithmoviemike.tumblr.com/)

Mockingjay marks a distinct change in tone for the Hunger Games franchise. In fact, the very name of the series no longer applies to the films.

Where the other two films focused on the actual Hunger Games, an insane institution pitting young adults against each other in a fight to the death, Mockingjay has abandoned this format for a more personal, politically driven story.

The change in focus is an inevitable course for the franchise. It just makes sense, but I can’t help but feel that Mockingjay felt quite jarring in comparison. The film is slower in pace and more claustrophobic. Gone are the wide open arenas and the fast-paced action scenes from the first two films. Instead, Mockingjay takes place either in a dark underground headquarters or blown-out cities.

Also gone is the imaginative special effects. What we get instead is round table discussions about war and how to sell it to the public. Katniss is a hero, but to the powers that be, she’s more of a propaganda piece. She’s essentially a puppet that gets propped up in front of a camera and forced to emote in hopes that she can inspire the population to stand up and revolt.

Katniss is understandably reluctant at first, but complies rather easily and never really questions or opposes it after.

If it wasn’t for Hollywood’s desire to split books into two films in order to maximize profits, I think Mockingjay Part 1 & 2 would probably flow pretty nicely. Then again, we won’t truly know until a year from now.

In the meantime, what we have is a film that feels unfinished. Mockingjay is easily the slowest Blockbuster action film you will ever see. Especially one geared towards a young audience. If it didn’t have The Hunger Games name attached to it, most young adults would steer clear.

[Ricky]

This is the first Hunger Games movie I'm not really excited to rush out and see. I love the books (though Mockingjay is definitely the weakest link) but I think I'm just losing interest in the adaptations. Maybe because it's been such a gap since I read the books.

[Mattrick]

I've heard a lot of people enjoyed Mockingjay the most, which is why I assumed it's getting a two film deal.

[Still Servant]

I've heard a lot of people enjoyed Mockingjay the most, which is why I assumed it's getting a two film deal.

It was planned to split the final book into two films years ago. This is a disturbing trend in Hollywood right now. Twilight's last book was split into two films and the same for Harry Potter. Of course, there is The Hobbit which became 3 films. Kind of crazy.

Ricky, maybe you should just wait until next year. Rent part 1 and then see part 2 in theaters depending on how much you liked part 1.

[webstar1000]

I've heard a lot of people enjoyed Mockingjay the most, which is why I assumed it's getting a two film deal.

It was planned to split the final book into two films years ago. This is a disturbing trend in Hollywood right now. Twilight's last book was split into two films and the same for Harry Potter. Of course, there is The Hobbit which became 3 films. Kind of crazy.

Ricky, maybe you should just wait until next year. Rent part 1 and then see part 2 in theaters depending on how much you liked part 1.

What would you do??? If you could film two at once... for only a little more money (in the grand scheme of things), stay relevant for an extra whole year and double the money.... hmmmmmmmmm. Makes sense to me... even though it is silly and I find it annoying.

[Mattrick]

The two movie thing seems to leave the first movie weaker. To quote honest trailers, Deathly Hallows pt.1 is 'the one you can skip.'

[Still Servant]

I've heard a lot of people enjoyed Mockingjay the most, which is why I assumed it's getting a two film deal.

It was planned to split the final book into two films years ago. This is a disturbing trend in Hollywood right now. Twilight's last book was split into two films and the same for Harry Potter. Of course, there is The Hobbit which became 3 films. Kind of crazy.

Ricky, maybe you should just wait until next year. Rent part 1 and then see part 2 in theaters depending on how much you liked part 1.

What would you do??? If you could film two at once... for only a little more money (in the grand scheme of things), stay relevant for an extra whole year and double the money.... hmmmmmmmmm. Makes sense to me... even though it is silly and I find it annoying.

Oh, I get it. Money rules all and that's all they care about. Like Matt said, one or both of the films end up suffering for it.

I'm sure if they thought of it in 2003, they would have split The Return of the King into 2 movies.

[DoctorDodge]

If I'm honest, I didn't mind Deathly Hallows: Part 1, but that's probably because I had the good sense to wait until the night Part 2 was released before I watched it (literally right before it: luckily, my local cinema screened Part 1 just a couple of hours before the midnight showing of Part 2. It was a pretty great experience, and probably the best way to experience it, as well. It really made me wish that, instead of releasing parts 1 and 2 for some films, we could get back to having intervals for films 3-4 hours long, so at an appropriate point the audience can stretch its legs for a short time and not have our arses ache too much from uncomfortable seats).

I admit, I was skeptical about The Hobbit being split into 3 films, but while I don't enjoy them quite as much as The Lord of the Rings and it's more than a little bit indulgent on Jackson's part, I've gotta admit, I love the added-in stuff that gives us a wider perspective of Middle-Earth and link more nicely to The Lord of the Rings (especially with the Necromancer, stuff only hinted at in the novel but is so great to see on film). It's not as brilliant as the book, of course, but most of what made the book so great for me was Tolkien's storytelling, especially his wonderfully dry wit, and so little, if any of it other than the story itself could be translated effectively into film, so I can enjoy the film on its own merits (most specifically, in ascending order: Middle Earth, Ian McKellen, Martin Freeman, and, even with birdpoo, Sylvester McCoy).

As for Return of the King - while the thought of it being split into 2 movies boils my bacon, that's a film that definitely could've benefited from an interval to allow the audience for a piss break at the very least, especially towards the end when it just...kept...ending. (Although props to Jackson for trolling his audience. "Oh, finally, it's fading to white, NOW it's actually...OH COME ON!" Seriously, fading to white and even that's not the fucking ending? Who in God's name has a fade-to-white shot that close to the fucking credits?)

Ahem. As you can see, my feelings on long films and chances for a guy to piss are fairly strong on this matter.

[Mattrick]

Thinking about Return of the King being two films made me throw up in my mouth. Thanks Michael lol

[Still Servant]

Thinking about Return of the King being two films made me throw up in my mouth. Thanks Michael lol

Sorry, but that's exactly what would have happened if it was made today. I agree with James though, I wouldn't mind if films had intermissions again. Most people would freak out, but I wouldn't be against it. I don't really need one. My bladder is huge and I never have to go during a movie.

I'm with you James on the Hobbit. It's not as magical as the Rings films, but stretching it to three movies has worked out better than I thought. It has given more insight into Middle Earth. I will pretty much watch anything that takes place in Middle Earth and it makes me wonder if this last Hobbit film is our last journey here.

[Ricky]

Just got back from a screening of Wild. Very, very good. I'll have my full review up in the next few days.

[Still Servant]

Just got back from a screening of Wild. Very, very good. I'll have my full review up in the next few days.

Looking forward to it. I'm not a huge Reese Witherspoon fan, but she's having a good year. It looks like she could get nominated for best actress and she was a producer on Gone Girl, she was actually in talks to play Amy Dunne at one point.

My local theater isn't doing early screenings anymore, which kind of bums me out. I have to look elsewhere now.

[Mattrick]

The Hobbit: An unexpected desolation of the five army's fellowship of the two tower's King.

[webstar1000]

Predestination

I gotta say... what a mind bender. I think I am pretty slick at calling movies and how they end for the most part. It's, to me, one of Hollywood's greatest downfalls. The predictable ending... This movie did not disappoint in the least. It actually blew me away at times! A fresh take on the time travel genre and I would highly recommend it to someone that can pay attention and loves a well done story. Ethan Hawk is great it this movie. I have always liked him and I really would like to see this do better... but it won't. I know some of you will see it and appreciate it for what it is. Movie making genius. Enjoy folks:) 8.5 out of 10 for me!

[Ricky]

Do you mean Predestination? (I looked up Predetermination but nothing came up). I'm guessing you did. I just added it to my Netflix queue based on your recommendation. Who knows when it'll be released on DVD, though.

[webstar1000]

Do you mean Predestination? (I looked up Predetermination but nothing came up). I'm guessing you did. I just added it to my Netflix queue based on your recommendation. Who knows when it'll be released on DVD, though.

I did sorry Ricky. I fixed it. Man oh man what a mind fuck. I will watch it again. It was just one of the best time travels I ever seen. It is one to think about... loved it all. ALL.

[Still Servant]

Predestination

I gotta say... what a mind bender. I think I am pretty slick at calling movies and how they end for the most part. It's, to me, one of Hollywood's greatest downfalls. The predictable ending... This movie did not disappoint in the least. It actually blew me away at times! A fresh take on the time travel genre and I would highly recommend it to someone that can pay attention and loves a well done story. Ethan Hawk is great it this movie. I have always liked him and I really would like to see this do better... but it won't. I know some of you will see it and appreciate it for what it is. Movie making genius. Enjoy folks:) 8.5 out of 10 for me!

I saw the trailer for this on this very site a while ago and I added it to my watchlist. I'm really intrigued by this one. I hope I can find. it.

[webstar1000]

Predestination

I gotta say... what a mind bender. I think I am pretty slick at calling movies and how they end for the most part. It's, to me, one of Hollywood's greatest downfalls. The predictable ending... This movie did not disappoint in the least. It actually blew me away at times! A fresh take on the time travel genre and I would highly recommend it to someone that can pay attention and loves a well done story. Ethan Hawk is great it this movie. I have always liked him and I really would like to see this do better... but it won't. I know some of you will see it and appreciate it for what it is. Movie making genius. Enjoy folks:) 8.5 out of 10 for me!

I saw the trailer for this on this very site a while ago and I added it to my watchlist. I'm really intrigued by this one. I hope I can find. it.
You and me seem to like the same movies. In fact I agree with almost all
Your reviews. You will love this. That's why I beg of you to give a night to CHOSEN.

[Still Servant]

Predestination

I gotta say... what a mind bender. I think I am pretty slick at calling movies and how they end for the most part. It's, to me, one of Hollywood's greatest downfalls. The predictable ending... This movie did not disappoint in the least. It actually blew me away at times! A fresh take on the time travel genre and I would highly recommend it to someone that can pay attention and loves a well done story. Ethan Hawk is great it this movie. I have always liked him and I really would like to see this do better... but it won't. I know some of you will see it and appreciate it for what it is. Movie making genius. Enjoy folks:) 8.5 out of 10 for me!

I saw the trailer for this on this very site a while ago and I added it to my watchlist. I'm really intrigued by this one. I hope I can find. it.
You and me seem to like the same movies. In fact I agree with almost all
Your reviews. You will love this. That's why I beg of you to give a night to CHOSEN.

This is exactly what I was thinking. We seem to have similar taste, so this makes me look even more forward to watching it.

I've never heard of Chosen, have you mentioned it here before? I can't remember. Regardless, I added it to my queue. It sounds interesting. I have the Crackle app so I should be able to find it on there too.

[webstar1000]

Predestination

I gotta say... what a mind bender. I think I am pretty slick at calling movies and how they end for the most part. It's, to me, one of Hollywood's greatest downfalls. The predictable ending... This movie did not disappoint in the least. It actually blew me away at times! A fresh take on the time travel genre and I would highly recommend it to someone that can pay attention and loves a well done story. Ethan Hawk is great it this movie. I have always liked him and I really would like to see this do better... but it won't. I know some of you will see it and appreciate it for what it is. Movie making genius. Enjoy folks:) 8.5 out of 10 for me!

I saw the trailer for this on this very site a while ago and I added it to my watchlist. I'm really intrigued by this one. I hope I can find. it.
You and me seem to like the same movies. In fact I agree with almost all
Your reviews. You will love this. That's why I beg of you to give a night to CHOSEN.

This is exactly what I was thinking. We seem to have similar taste, so this makes me look even more forward to watching it.

I've never heard of Chosen, have you mentioned it here before? I can't remember. Regardless, I added it to my queue. It sounds interesting. I have the Crackle app so I should be able to find it on there too.

I thought I was telling your about it... Could be wrong. Either way... We are very close in taste. Let me know your thoughts on it. I watched all of it on one night. Couldn't stop!

[Still Servant]

After reading the plot synopsis, it sounds familiar. I think we may have talked about it. It seems like an easy to consume show. Each episode is only 22 minutes long.

[webstar1000]

That is right. And I thought we did too. It would take about 5 hours to kill the 3 seasons but you can't stop. Do me a favor and post your thoughts after you see it. I would be interested to know your thoughts on it.

[Still Servant]

That is right. And I thought we did too. It would take about 5 hours to kill the 3 seasons but you can't stop. Do me a favor and post your thoughts after you see it. I would be interested to know your thoughts on it.

Will do. I will also mention that I've always liked Milo Ventimiglia dating back to his Heroes days. He was also good in the last Rocky film.

[Ricky]

Wild - 8.5/10 (http://reviewsfromthecouch.wordpress.com/2014/12/06/wild/)

[Still Servant]

Wild - 8.5/10 (http://reviewsfromthecouch.wordpress.com/2014/12/06/wild/)

Well done, Ricky! Once again you've managed to pique my interest even more. When I first heard about this film, I didn't have much interest. Then I started hearing some good buzz and started looking forward to it to the point where I wanted to see it. Now I'm looking forward to it even more. Then again, I'm not sure if I'll even get a chance to see it in a theater near me.

[Ricky]

Thanks a lot, Mike! I didn't have much interest when I heard about it either (aside from Reese's performance that everyone was buzzing about). That's why I love going to screenings. I've seen some great films that I probably wouldn't have seen otherwise.

Also, I was looking over my to-watch list today and didn't even realize that Wild was on there. It must've been that long ago. :lol:

[Mattrick]

Wild is such Oscar bait. If it's even half as good as Into The Wild I'll be surprised. Will definitely be near the bottom of the list of films I'll watch gearing up for the Oscars.

[Still Servant]

There's nothing wrong with Oscar bait. A film like Unbroken is clearly Oscar bait as well. Speaking of Oscar bait, I will be posting my review of The Theory of Everything shortly.

Also, since I worked all week and weekend, I'm taking Monday off. A theater 20 minutes away is showing Whiplash and Birdman. I don't usually see two in one day, but I'm going to make an exception.

[Still Servant]

The Theory of Everything - 8.0 (http://popculturedwithmoviemike.tumblr.com/post/104641931677/the-theory-of-everything-the-theory-of)

The Theory of Everything tells the incredible true story of Stephen Hawking, one of the most brilliant minds the world has ever seen, and his battle with motor neuron disease. A disease that slowly takes away Hawking’s ability to walk, talk and eventually eat and breath on his own, but doesn’t affect his brain.

Hawking was diagnosed in his 20s but defied experts who gave him just 2 years to live. Miraculously, Hawking is still alive today and he’s still writing books and making speeches. Hawking is played by rising star Eddie Redmayne, who stole scenes from Hollywood royalty in Les Miserables. It’s the kind of performance that will define his career. He literally transforms himself into Hawking, contorting his face until he’s almost unrecognizable. Redmayne also nails the struggle of a person losing his speech. As Redmayne slurs and labors through even the most basic of sentences, you can’t help but feel sorry for the man. It’s truly gut-wrenching.

The Theory of Everything is clearly Hawking’s story. How a man who is so brilliant and full of life can literally be trapped in his own body. Make no mistake about it though, The Theory of Everything is just as much about Hawking’s wife Jane, played by Felicity Jones. Even knowing Hawking’s prognosis, she stands by him. Jane marries him, they start a family and she becomes his primary caretaker, all while putting her own promising career on hold.
Redmayne and Jones give two of the better performances of the year for a male and female lead. She’s easily deserving of an Oscar nomination. Jones gives a strong, steely performance. The audience can easily feel her determination to give her husband the best possible life. I think it’s safe to say that without Jane, Hawking wouldn’t be alive today.

My biggest problem with the film is the third act of the film. Most of the film deals with Jane and Stephen’s marriage and I don’t think the film does a great job of depicting why their marriage fell apart. It just kind of happens. I would have also liked a little more insight on Hawking and some of his brilliant work and how he was able to get his message across even after he lost the ability to speak. I understand the film didn’t want to bog the audience down with technical science jargon, but I would have welcomed to learn a little bit more about some of his ingenious theories that changed the world.

The Theory of Everything is an uplifting film about never giving up and proof how powerful love can be.

[silverdroger]

i watch Interstellar yesterday at night with my family it was nice... i would like to give it 9/10

[Ricky]

The Theory of Everything kind of seems like the type of film that'll be nominated for Best Picture, but won't actually win. It gives me the impression that it's like The Iron Lady in that it's about the main character rather than plot. Would you say that's accurate, Mike?

[Mattrick]

The Theory of Everything kind of seems like the type of film that'll be nominated for Best Picture, but won't actually win. It gives me the impression that it's like The Iron Lady in that it's about the main character rather than plot. Would you say that's accurate, Mike?

That's the truth with almost any bio pic. I can only think of a few that transcend that trapping...Man on The Moon, People Vs. Larry Flynt, Confessions of a Dangerous Mind, Raging Bull. Even a film like Ghandi fell into the biopic trappings.

[Still Servant]

The Theory of Everything kind of seems like the type of film that'll be nominated for Best Picture, but won't actually win. It gives me the impression that it's like The Iron Lady in that it's about the main character rather than plot. Would you say that's accurate, Mike?

Yes, I'd agree with that. The performances are amazing, but many will come away feeling that the story was lackluster in parts.

[webstar1000]

Nightcrawler... WELL DONE! Jake G CONTINUES to impress me. A stellar actor. Looking forward to seeing what he brings as a boxer in his next flick. The picture of him that was released makes him look like a beast!

[Still Servant]

My review of one of the more interesting films of the year that most people haven't heard of (except the people here because I'm pretty sure I've talked about it with some of you).

The Guest - 8.5 (http://popculturedmoviemi.wix.com/popculturedmoviemike#!the-guest/c1pp)

We’ve seen films like The Guest before. The mysterious stranger that blows into town and ends up helping people before moving onto the next town. That’s what The Guest wants you to think it is, but there’s way more than meets the eye here. It’s one of the more interesting and unexpectedly great films of the year.

The Guest tells the story of the Peterson family as their lives are changed when a soldier named David shows up on their doorstep claiming that he served with their son who was killed in action. David is played by Dan Stevens (Downton Abbey), who gives an engaging performance. David doesn’t waste any time ingratiating himself into a family that is still grieving over the loss of their son. He befriends the young son of the family and helps him deal with bullies at school, he bonds with the father over beers, he helps out around the house and shares stories with the mother about her dead son. He’s polite, soft-spoken and friendly, but there seems to be something off about him. Who is he really and what does he want?

Stevens’ performance jumps off the screen. He’s a rising star that’s about to go supernova. As David, he shows his range as an actor. He goes from sweet to sinister sometimes in the same scene. He’s like a deadly Eddie Haskell. Stevens has everything Hollywood looks for in a leading man. He’s good-looking, charismatic and he can act. He’s about to be very busy.

The Guest is directed by Adam Wingard, who directed the cult horror flick You’re Next. Both films have proven that Wingard has a feel for genre films. The Guest has a great 80’s throwback vibe. It’s kind of difficult to put the film in any category. Sometimes it’s a thriller, sometimes it feels like a Western, sometimes it feels like an action film and the second half of the film is clearly a nod to the horror genre. The best evidence of this is a great soundtrack that harkens back to some of John Carpenter’s films. The Guest also includes one of the very best climaxes I’ve seen all year. It’s skillfully staged and the final line of the film is one of the most perfect final lines you will see in a film all year.

The Guest also has great atmosphere. The film takes place during Halloween and they really nailed the feel of a town going through the Halloween season. The cinematography is also top notch. Honestly, the level of polish all around is quite high, which makes me even more disappointed that films like this don’t receive wider releases.

The trailer for The Guest was running before almost every movie I saw for about a month, building anticipation for people like me only to have it receive a limited release. This is another perfect example of Hollywood shielding people from anything that’s new or different in order to protect their profits. It’s a business, I understand that. However, how will you ever know what the public likes if you keep giving them the same stuff?

On the other side of that, as consumers we have to be more open to films like this as a whole so they don’t get relegated to small releases, VOD and instant streaming. All those places are fantastic ways for films like The Guest to find an audience, but it’s also a great way for films to get lost in the crowd. The Guest deserves to stand out because it really is that good.

That being said, I understand why The Guest didn’t get a wide release. It’s a hard movie to sell. It doesn’t fit nicely into any specific genre, there aren’t any big stars in it and it’s certainly not for everybody. However, I would urge anybody that is a fan of thrillers, 80’s horror films or just about anything different to seek this movie out.

[Ricky]

Great review, Mike. The Guest has been on my list for a few months, but now your review has made me want to see it more. I may have to bump it up on my list (though I'll probably wait to see if Netflix gets it before I pay for it on VOD).

[Still Servant]

Thanks, Ricky! This was an interesting film and I had a lot of fun watching it. I'd wait for Netflix. This is the kind of film that Netflix will scoop up pretty quick I think.

[WeDealInLead]

Divergent
I give this piece of shit -987654321234567890. Two hours and absolutely no answers about how Divergent came to be and how exactly-except some vague notion that free thought is dangerous to the system-they would bring down the system. Bad acting, terrible plot holes, ridiculous choices by characters. The protagonist had shot and killed her friends and fellow soldiers while they were under mind control but when she had a choice to end the whole thing by shooting a truly evil person...well, that's just too immoral so let's lay down our guns and hop onto a train moving towards a-- I kid you not-- sunset and even more questions. Here's one question: who gives a shit?

Captain America: Winter Soldier 4/5
Great fight scenes, solid story even though anyone could've called those "twists" from a mile away. The Cap is a dear character to me-he's a patriot but not a nationalist and his allegiance lies with freedom, not a political party. A loyal friend and a truly incorruptible character, I hope the Marvel Universe plays out OK for him and that he gets to kick Tony Stark's spoiled little ass at least once.

Godzilla 4/5
I liked this Godzilla a lot more than the last quazillion versions. I honestly expected very little from it but the creatures looked convincing, the devastation was great (I'm neither anti-humanity nor am I desensitized to violence in movies but in Godzilla movies more is always better), the background story and the fake news clips were neat and that last scene between the creatures was just so damned awesome.

Interstellar 5/5
I walked out of he theatre in a state of shock. Like, what did I just witness? So many cool ideas, so many stunning visuals, so much great acting. I loved the general quietness of the movie. In that way and the use of models it reminded me of the timeless quality of Space Odyssey 2001. It's a movie set in space, it should be quiet, isolating and those big and wide shots should make you feel small and insignificant. Every scene between Murph and her dad were just so heavy; when he was explaining the theory of relativity and he said they might be the same age when they meet again and then realized his words had the opposite effect...I lost it. There is also the understated misery of his son's life. I hardly ever buy DVDs, it's Redbox or Jumbo Video but this one I need on my shelf. Extended version, please.

[DoctorDodge]

My review of one of the more interesting films of the year that most people haven't heard of (except the people here because I'm pretty sure I've talked about it with some of you).

The Guest - 8.5 (http://popculturedmoviemi.wix.com/popculturedmoviemike#!the-guest/c1pp)

We’ve seen films like The Guest before. The mysterious stranger that blows into town and ends up helping people before moving onto the next town. That’s what The Guest wants you to think it is, but there’s way more than meets the eye here. It’s one of the more interesting and unexpectedly great films of the year.

The Guest tells the story of the Peterson family as their lives are changed when a soldier named David shows up on their doorstep claiming that he served with their son who was killed in action. David is played by Dan Stevens (Downton Abbey), who gives an engaging performance. David doesn’t waste any time ingratiating himself into a family that is still grieving over the loss of their son. He befriends the young son of the family and helps him deal with bullies at school, he bonds with the father over beers, he helps out around the house and shares stories with the mother about her dead son. He’s polite, soft-spoken and friendly, but there seems to be something off about him. Who is he really and what does he want?

Stevens’ performance jumps off the screen. He’s a rising star that’s about to go supernova. As David, he shows his range as an actor. He goes from sweet to sinister sometimes in the same scene. He’s like a deadly Eddie Haskell. Stevens has everything Hollywood looks for in a leading man. He’s good-looking, charismatic and he can act. He’s about to be very busy.

The Guest is directed by Adam Wingard, who directed the cult horror flick You’re Next. Both films have proven that Wingard has a feel for genre films. The Guest has a great 80’s throwback vibe. It’s kind of difficult to put the film in any category. Sometimes it’s a thriller, sometimes it feels like a Western, sometimes it feels like an action film and the second half of the film is clearly a nod to the horror genre. The best evidence of this is a great soundtrack that harkens back to some of John Carpenter’s films. The Guest also includes one of the very best climaxes I’ve seen all year. It’s skillfully staged and the final line of the film is one of the most perfect final lines you will see in a film all year.

The Guest also has great atmosphere. The film takes place during Halloween and they really nailed the feel of a town going through the Halloween season. The cinematography is also top notch. Honestly, the level of polish all around is quite high, which makes me even more disappointed that films like this don’t receive wider releases.

The trailer for The Guest was running before almost every movie I saw for about a month, building anticipation for people like me only to have it receive a limited release. This is another perfect example of Hollywood shielding people from anything that’s new or different in order to protect their profits. It’s a business, I understand that. However, how will you ever know what the public likes if you keep giving them the same stuff?

On the other side of that, as consumers we have to be more open to films like this as a whole so they don’t get relegated to small releases, VOD and instant streaming. All those places are fantastic ways for films like The Guest to find an audience, but it’s also a great way for films to get lost in the crowd. The Guest deserves to stand out because it really is that good.

That being said, I understand why The Guest didn’t get a wide release. It’s a hard movie to sell. It doesn’t fit nicely into any specific genre, there aren’t any big stars in it and it’s certainly not for everybody. However, I would urge anybody that is a fan of thrillers, 80’s horror films or just about anything different to seek this movie out.

I'm really glad you enjoyed The Guest, Mike. I loved how it felt like a rather unusual mix of action and horror (I wasn't surprised in the slightest when I heard that the writer and director of the film said he'd rather been inspired by the first Terminator film, which definitely had a similar part-action-part-horror feel to it). I also liked how there was a lot of humour to it, as well as the unusual relationships he has with each member of the family, especially the more brotherly relationship he has with the young boy of the family. When the final 20 minutes or so kick in, it definitely has more impact (there was a real gasp of total shock from the audience at once point, which is definitely a sign of a great film). It is a shame that not many will see it, but in some ways, I'm not surprised. Like Dredd, which also had more than a few nods to 80s movies, this one has 'cult' written all over it. I won't be surprised if it becomes one of those films that a few people will be raving about how criminally underrated it is in a couple of years.

[fernandito]

Interstellar 5/5
I walked out of he theatre in a state of shock. Like, what did I just witness? So many cool ideas, so many stunning visuals, so much great acting. I loved the general quietness of the movie. In that way and the use of models it reminded me of the timeless quality of Space Odyssey 2001. It's a movie set in space, it should be quiet, isolating and those big and wide shots should make you feel small and insignificant. Every scene between Murph and her dad were just so heavy; when he was explaining the theory of relativity and he said they might be the same age when they meet again and then realized his words had the opposite effect...I lost it. There is also the understated misery of his son's life. I hardly ever buy DVDs, it's Redbox or Jumbo Video but this one I need on my shelf. Extended version, please.

Marvelous, glad to see you enjoyed it.

Good call on the wide shot; there's one scene in particular that I absolutely adore, and it's when Endurance is traveling along the length of Jupiter, and it's a paltry spec of white against the celestial girth of Jupiter. It really did make me feel insignificant and inconsequential and made me think about our galaxy's place in the universe.

Such a wonderful film. I'm sad to see it and its creative team getting snubbed this award season. Luckily my enjoyment of a film isn't predicated on what critics fail to see.

[DoctorDodge]

The Hobbit: The Battle of the Five Armies Review (http://doctordodge.blogspot.co.uk/2014/12/the-hobbit-battle-of-five-armies-review.html)

[Mattrick]

Such a wonderful film. I'm sad to see it and its creative team getting snubbed this award season. Luckily my enjoyment of a film isn't predicated on what critics fail to see.

Hard to say if it will get totally snubbed but I think it's justified. A lot of very good sleeper movies this year. I'm still not sure if I even liked Interstellar or not. Need a second watch. Snowpiercer and Edge of Tomorrow are two sci-fi films I know I enjoyed more this year.




David Gordon Green's 'All The Real Girls' was such a great movie. Such natural dialogue, especially Deschanel when she reveals in bed that she's a virgin, delivered in such a way it couldn't possibly have been written with that delivery in mind. In lesser hands a film with similar material could have easily been a sappy romance or an unfunny rom-com but Green's script finds the middle ground. It's a film about the power of sex, purity and how difficult it is to change as a person in a small town where everyone knows exactly what kind of person you are. And what is love? Is it sex? Is it something that changes you for better or worse? And is sex love or is it something else? A fine depiction of two very different people trying to figure out whatever love is together.

Working my way through Green's catelogue now. Going to watch George Washington tonight probably. Really looking forward to watching Prince Avalanche since Paul Rudd and Emile Hirsch are two actors I have strong affinities for.

[Mattrick]

I never thought I'd love an Alexander Payne film more than About Schmidt but after watching The Descendants for a third time, I think it wins. Such a fantastic film. It's so odd to see Clooney as a family man, a regular, quiet guy who isn't perfect or even exceptionally talented at anything. Clooney has made a career off being the smartest guy (or at least the most skilled) in the room and in The Descendants he's so befuddled trying to figure out how to cope with his responsibilities to so many people in so many ways.There's something about how Clooney runs in his sandals that just makes his character so ordinary and relatable, it's so awkward looking it eradicates any notion of coolness from his character. . Shailene Woodley is a fine young actress and Nick Krause gets me laughing my ass off, yet he's also a part of the most quietly poignant part of the film and successfully takes a character that is basically comic relief and makes him human in an instant. I wish Clooney would play more vulnerable, ordinary characters more often. He's very good at it. Matthew Lillard and Judy Greer look totally made for each other.

[fernandito]

The Descendants was extremely forgettable. Should have been a LifeTime movie. It's not without merit but, I have absolutely no desire to visit it again.

[Ricky]

The Descendants was extremely forgettable... It's not without merit but, I have absolutely no desire to visit it again.

Totally agree with you. I watched it when it was getting all that Oscar buzz and was pretty underwhelmed. Just another movie with George Clooney playing George Clooney.

[Bev Vincent]

Wild (Reese Witherspoon) -- fascinating journey of a woman trying to regain control of her life.

Nebraska (Bruce Dern) -- also a fascinating journey, but laugh-out-loud funny at times. I didn't identify with the family and their turmoil, but I understood it.

[webstar1000]

Gone Girl and Equalizer this past weekend. LOVED both of them. A really good year for quality films. Well done Hollywood!

[Still Servant]

The Hobbit: The Battle of the Five Armies Review (http://doctordodge.blogspot.co.uk/2014/12/the-hobbit-battle-of-five-armies-review.html)

Great review, James! I'm now officially excited to see this film. My anticipation has wavered in recent weeks, but I think your review has squashed any worries I had with the film. I hope to see it this Thursday.

[Mattrick]

The Descendants was extremely forgettable. Should have been a LifeTime movie. It's not without merit but, I have absolutely no desire to visit it again.


Totally agree with you. I watched it when it was getting all that Oscar buzz and was pretty underwhelmed. Just another movie with George Clooney playing George Clooney.

I'm really surprised by this. Clooney's role is comparable to Nicholson's role in Payne's 'About Schmidt' which is as anti-Nicholson of a Nicholson role as you can get. I've seen almost every George Clooney movie and he's always playing a skilled, extremely intelligent, smooth talking, confident man. In The Descendants he has no confidence, we suppose he must be smart since he's a lawyer but he's very dumb in so many ways, he's not particularily skilled doing anything he does in the film and he constantly says the wrong things. Clooney is as anti-Clooney as ever in this one. To me The Descendants is endlessly rewatchable. A great film about family immediate, extended and long past.

[Still Servant]

The Descendants was extremely forgettable... It's not without merit but, I have absolutely no desire to visit it again.

Totally agree with you. I watched it when it was getting all that Oscar buzz and was pretty underwhelmed. Just another movie with George Clooney playing George Clooney.

Interesting. We don't normally disagree on things, but we are on totally different sides on this one. Clooney in no way is playing Clooney in The Descendants. In fact, it's the most un-Clooney performance he's ever given. His character in that film has no confidence. He's wounded and unsure and heartbroken. It's a great vulnerable performance by Clooney. I thought it was a very sold film, I'm not saying it was amazing, but I wouldn't say it was your normal Clooney performance.

Normal Clooney is Ocean's 11. There's no way you can compare his character in Descendants to that character.

[Mattrick]

The Descendants was extremely forgettable... It's not without merit but, I have absolutely no desire to visit it again.

Totally agree with you. I watched it when it was getting all that Oscar buzz and was pretty underwhelmed. Just another movie with George Clooney playing George Clooney.

Interesting. We don't normally disagree on things, but we are on totally different sides on this one. Clooney in no way is playing Clooney in The Descendants. In fact, it's the most un-Clooney performance he's ever given. His character in that film has no confidence. He's wounded and unsure and heartbroken. It's a great vulnerable performance by Clooney. I thought it was a very sold film, I'm not saying it was amazing, but I wouldn't say it was your normal Clooney performance.

Normal Clooney is Ocean's 11. There's no way you can compare his character in Descendants to that character.

Good, someone agrees with me lol. I thought I was taking crazy pills. Alexander Payne has a knack for getting almost typecast actors to play the opposite of their typecast, Nicholson in About Schmidt, Clooney in The Descendants and Dern in Nebraska...a case can even be made for Broderick in Election. It's one of the reasons I love Payne's films so much. His movies are just so human to me, and so beautifully filmed. He's top five in the directors that came from his generation, a generation with some damn good filmmakers in it.

[Still Servant]

You're not going crazy. That being said, I'm hardly a Payne fan. I don't go out of my way to seek out his films like I do with other directors.

I've never seen Sideways and I disliked About Schmidt. I loved The Desscendants and Nebraska though.

[Mattrick]

I've seen About Schmidt like fifteen times lol. Sideways is a very good movie. Election is an great movie too from back in the 90's with Witherspoon and Broderick, if you've never seen it I think it's one you'd enjoy. I'm rewatching Election today since I haven't seen it in years.

[DoctorDodge]

The Hobbit: The Battle of the Five Armies Review (http://doctordodge.blogspot.co.uk/2014/12/the-hobbit-battle-of-five-armies-review.html)

Great review, James! I'm now officially excited to see this film. My anticipation has wavered in recent weeks, but I think your review has squashed any worries I had with the film. I hope to see it this Thursday.

Cheers, Mike. I hope you enjoy the film as much as I did.

[webstar1000]

The Hobbit: The Battle of the Five Armies Review (http://doctordodge.blogspot.co.uk/2014/12/the-hobbit-battle-of-five-armies-review.html)

Great review, James! I'm now officially excited to see this film. My anticipation has wavered in recent weeks, but I think your review has squashed any worries I had with the film. I hope to see it this Thursday.

Cheers, Mike. I hope you enjoy the film as much as I did.

This is great to hear. I was very worried about the end of this. I am happy to know that it is good!

[fernandito]

The Descendants was extremely forgettable... It's not without merit but, I have absolutely no desire to visit it again.

Totally agree with you. I watched it when it was getting all that Oscar buzz and was pretty underwhelmed. Just another movie with George Clooney playing George Clooney.

Interesting. We don't normally disagree on things, but we are on totally different sides on this one. Clooney in no way is playing Clooney in The Descendants. In fact, it's the most un-Clooney performance he's ever given. His character in that film has no confidence. He's wounded and unsure and heartbroken. It's a great vulnerable performance by Clooney. I thought it was a very sold film, I'm not saying it was amazing, but I wouldn't say it was your normal Clooney performance.

Normal Clooney is Ocean's 11. There's no way you can compare his character in Descendants to that character.

Good, someone agrees with me lol. I thought I was taking crazy pills. Alexander Payne has a knack for getting almost typecast actors to play the opposite of their typecast, Nicholson in About Schmidt, Clooney in The Descendants and Dern in Nebraska...a case can even be made for Broderick in Election. It's one of the reasons I love Payne's films so much. His movies are just so human to me, and so beautifully filmed. He's top five in the directors that came from his generation, a generation with some damn good filmmakers in it.

Meh. Clooney playing against his own type cast doesn't necessarily make his performance good or great. Just different. I've noticed an inclination toward performances where expectations are subverted, but I've never subscribed to that. His performance is serviceable in a film that never achieves the poignancy it's aiming for.

Like I said, not without merit, but not a film that warrants a second thought.

[Mattrick]

You're right, it doesn't necessarily make it good or great but he's working outside his comfort zone. For an actor who has played a certain brand of character for a majority of their career to challenge their own screen persona is something to behold, I think. It doesn't always pan out, of course, but when it does it can be magic, like Adam Sandler in Punch Drunk Love or Liam Neeson in Taken...or Wayne Brady on Chappelle's Show haha.

I love this shot in the descendants of Clooney's face dropping behind the hedge. The way it's framed, his tenative expression, it just seems so boyish.
https://scontent-a-lga.xx.fbcdn.net/hphotos-xfp1/v/t1.0-9/p200x200/10351887_10154975346905571_2331964875748749549_n.j pg?oh=b21c16e266521e5a633002a4342013b2&oe=5507260F
HAHAHA
http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-UKw48GMSN-c/Ty1tAc5MDOI/AAAAAAAAAvA/jLCci3jQSGs/s1600/c979d6da-0c0e-44e5-8771-d60dff48782c.gif

[DoctorDodge]

An actor playing against type was what drew me to Filth, I must admit. James McAvoy has played a lot of posh "pretty boy"/geek-type roles (even when he's been playing Charles-fucking-Xavier, he still fits the "pretty boy" type, at least in First Class). Watching a film where he pretty much starts out as an unlikeable **** before slowly being revealed as a man becoming more and more insane certainly made me interested in seeing how he would handle a challenge like that. What made the film one of my favourites of last year though was just how fantastic his performance was in its own right.

I am curious about The Descendants. I remember watching About Schmidt years ago, and just found it too depressing to find it funny. Might have to give it another go, especially since these days I love comedies that are depressing as fuck.

[Still Servant]

I saw Election a long time ago. It might be time to revisit it I suppose.

[mae]

One of the funniest movies ever.

[goheat]

I just finally watched Stephen King's Bad Driver, that I had DVR'd when it originally aired on Lifetime. I actually thought they did a good job on it, and it was pretty graphic for a TV movie...

[Still Servant]

Whiplash - 9.5 (http://popculturedmoviemi.wix.com/popculturedmoviemike#!whiplash/c1o0l)

What would you say if I told you that the 2014 film with the most action-packed, fast-paced scenes in it is a film about a jazz drummer? I know, I wouldn’t believe it either, but that’s exactly what Whiplash successfully accomplishes. It’s one of my favorite films of the year and I found myself truly surprised at how much I enjoyed the experience.

Reading Whiplash’s plot certainly doesn’t stand out as a film that would catch my interest, or the interest of most movie goers. I’m not a fan of jazz music. I don’t dislike it, I’m just indifferent towards the genre. I also don’t have any particular interest in musicians. I respect what they do and the talent it takes to make music, it’s just not my thing. It would have been very easy to pass on Whiplash, to brush it off as a boring film about music. This would have been a huge mistake and it proves that sometimes you have to take a chance on a film even if the subject matter isn’t something you are particularly interested in.

Whiplash tells the story of Andrew, played by Miles Teller, who plays a jazz drummer that attends a highly competitive musical school (think Juilliard) in New York City. One day while practicing his drums, he’s overheard by a professor named Terence Fletcher, played by J.K. Simmons, who is looking to recruit musicians for his jazz band that competes in tournaments around the country. Little does Andrew know that Fletcher isn’t your normal music conductor, he’s a mad maestro looking to put his subjects through a musical boot camp.

J.K. Simmons has made a career of being a dependable character actor. If you don’t know him by name, you would more than likely recognize him from films like Juno and Spider-Man, or from the Farmers Insurance commercials. It’s great to see Simmons take center stage in Whiplash. He’s a force of nature that steals every scene and a lock for an Oscar nomination.

His character most closely resembles R. Lee Ermey’s performance in Full Metal Jacket. Except instead of preparing young soldiers for the horrors of war, Fletcher is preparing musicians for the pursuit of perfection. He’s a mentally, verbally and sometimes physically abusive person. Often berating his students with witty barbs. The main target of his lashings is Andrew, who unlike some of the others students, doesn’t quit. Fletcher’s actions toward Andrew only makes him work harder. He literally gives everything he has - blood, sweat and tears.

Simmons’ juicy role is sure to overshadow Teller’s performance. He’s a star in the making and has proven his acting chops in Whiplash. Teller was great in The Spectacular Now, but his talents were wasted in the young adult adaptation Divergent. Teller’s drive and dedication as an actor mimics that of his character to become a great musician. While preparing for the role, Teller practiced the drums four hours a day, seven days a week for two months.

Teller doesn’t have the typical look of a movie star. Even at such a young age, the scars on his face (from a childhood car accident) already characterize him as ruggedly handsome. Teller brings life to the character of Andrew and does a great job of making him seem likable and relatable, but driven and determined at the same time. He really is two different people. When he’s not drumming, he’s quiet and reserved, shy around girls and content with going to see a film with his father. When he’s on the drums, look out. He’s a man possessed, ready to take down anything in his path and block out everything that will keep him from reaching his goal as the greatest drummer that ever lived. This includes breaking up with his girlfriend in order to focus on the drums.

Andrew’s dedication to his craft begs the question, what is the cost of perfection? This is one of the main themes of the film. At one point, Fletcher states, “There are no two words in the English language more harmful than ‘good job.’” In his mind, there’s nothing more pure than striving for perfection. He believes that everybody should set out for greatness in whatever they do, but it’s getting harder and harder to do that in a society that is satisfied with mediocrity.

The highlight of Whiplash is an intense, frenzied climax that will literally have you on the edge of your seat. That’s not just a movie review cliché line. My butt was almost completely off the seat and my foot was tapping so hard I thought I was going to drill a hole through the floor. The whole scene is fantastic and it has to be seen in order to truly appreciate its greatness. The directing and the acting are perfect. And the editing, oh, god the editing. If Whiplash doesn’t get nominated for best editing, there’s a problem. There must be 150 cuts alone in that final scene. Extreme close-ups of the drums and symbols are mixed with extreme close-ups of Andrew as he spastically beats on his kit, all cut to the beat. It creates a kinetic, energetic pace that I can’t ever remember seeing in a film before, and I’m not sure I’ll see it again for a long time.

Whiplash is the kind of film that needs to be seen by everybody. It features two of the best performances of the year by two actors on top of their game. One by an actor just starting his career, and the other by an actor who has paid his dues as a supporting player. Their volatile chemistry threatens to leap from the screen. They’re like a ticking time bomb that you can’t take your eyes off of - or your ears.

[Mattrick]

Whiplash really was a marvel. So goddamn good. I really enjoyed it but that final ten minutes and esecially the final twenty seconds....there is so much story in their faces.

[fernandito]

Great review, Mike. I hope to get to Whiplash sometime soon.

[Ricky]

Great review, Mike. I really don't have any desire to see Whiplash, but you've managed to at least make me curious. :orely:

After reading your review, I'm getting that the film has a kind of a Black Swan vibe, where it's not so much about ballet/drumming, but the pursuit of perfection and the mental toll it takes. Is that fairly accurate? Because I never thought I'd like Black Swan, and it ended up being one of my favorite films of the year.

[fernandito]

Good call, Rick. Black Swan is exactly what comes to mind when I think of Whiplash.

[Mattrick]

I wouldn't say Whiplash is about perfection as much about one man's desire to be the best and another man's desire to bring it out in him. It's one of the most remarkable films in yeas.


The Double: A complete trip of a movie. The movies influences range from Hitchock, Polanski and lynch. There is a very dreamlike quality to this film, as if it takes place in a world nestled in the cracks of our own. The performances are spot on, especially Eisenberg whose two polar opposites sharing the screen makes for some very unique, rapid, back and forth dialogue. The atmosphere of the movie kind of reminds me of Wes Anderson if he were to make his films menacing instead of storybook-like. How much you laugh during this movie will really depend on how much of the dark humour you pick up on and this is where I found very strong resemblence to Polanski's The Tenant, where sequences and images that are creepy and terrifying can also be sadistically hilarious. Some of the funniest things in the film are incredibly cruel. The central setting for the film, a dank office building is where the Dostoevsky is really seen. It's an unforgiving, cold, identity less place considering you need your ID on you at all times. What the office does, and who the Colonel is and what they do what they do is only really inferred in subject or in a way you have to piece it all together. Wasikowska is brilliant as she always is, her modest beauty and frail features really help her create a character like Hannah, whose periodic strength of mind rings clear and her miseries seem to have left her weathered and half digested. This is not a film for everyone. It's weird. It's dark. It's totally surreal. It's one of the most originally photographed films in a long time, and it's odd angles, zooms, usage of lighting and shadows and sporadic splashes of colour really make the world come to life, which helps make these half human characters seem fully human. The execution of the doppleganger is perfection. 5/5

Upstream Colour: What can I say about this film? It's total stream of consciousness, seemingly unglued from time and space. There are many ways to look at the movie and interpret it. There is no real overt plot, merely a general direction the scenes move in. The photography is wonderful and the performances are good and at times intentionally wooden. The movie seems to be begging to be figured out as if it's leaving a trail of breadcrumbs but there's no real reason to follow them. The movie seems to exist only in the moment, never taking time to rehash or foreshadow. It just takes you from one scene to the next, one conversation to the next, without any real idea of what conversations are happening in one place. This is one of those films that really difficult to review at all since it replies entirely on experience to explain. 4/5

Foxcatcher: A well acted film based on a true story. Outside of a few shots it's not particularily anything special to look at (though the previous two films on the same day spoiled me) and I wish the camera was in focus more often. The make up effects in the film are extraordinary. Steve Carrell is barely reconisable, not just because of the nose but what the did to his forehead and his cheeks and his mouth. Cauliflower ears stand right if you've seen them before and the job done on Tatum and Ruffalo is very realisitc. The wrestling sequences are very well done and do a good job of showing the kind of dedication and full body strength it takes to be a wrestler, and the time and energy it takes to be a great wrestlers (a great sequence involves losing over ten pounds in less than two hours). With the performances we get out of two actors who haven't gotten to really flex their dramatic muscles really help carry the story along, I just wish there was more for my eyes to see. A definitely victim of being an ugly good movie which is never as good as a beautiful good movie. The opening scenes, maybe the first five minutes was one of the strongest parts of the film as we see Mike Schultz 'glamorous' life after winning an Olympic Gold Medal. 3/5

[fernandito]

How's Steve Carrell in Foxcatcher

[Mattrick]

He was good but not nomination worthy. Tatum was very good.

[Still Servant]

Thanks for the kind words, guys. I hope you guys enjoy Whiplash.

It shares some common themes with Black Swan, but that's about it. The tone of the film is completely different than Black Swan. It's way more of a comedy and doesn't take the psychological turn that Black Swan does.

Matt, I'm glad you wrote a review on The Double. I saw you mention it on FB, I'm looking forward to it, especially after watching Enemy. Speaking of Enemy, you guys should check that one out too. It's such a mind fuck.

I'm looking forward to seeing Foxcatcher, I'm assuming you viewed the film "by other means."

[Mattrick]

I saw it in theatres. 10 am showing baby, 7 bucks.

[Still Servant]

I saw it in theatres. 10 am showing baby, 7 bucks.

Son of a bitch.

[Mattrick]

That's the best part of having a multiplex near by. It has 24 screens and around Oscar time they're good with getting a lot of the nominees (they re-released Gravity last year for this reason, so I got to see it in 3D). I will go see Whiplash again if they bring it back...can't believe it only showed for one damn week. I love the 7 dollar a.m. showings. With any luck they will also get The Babadook as I'd love to see it on the big screen. Between Jan/February I'll see as many movies as possible in theatres. Last year this time I caught: American Hustle, Gravity, Her, Philomena. Missed Nebraska though, it didn't play long. Hoping to see twice that many this year. With any luck the showtimes of two films will match and be a good enough combined length me and my friend can sneak into a second movie before his kids are off school haha.

[Merlin1958]

Went to see "The Hobbit: Battle of the Five Armies" today with my nephews. Awesome film!!! Peter Jackson, really knows his way around large scale battles!! It was easily the best of "The Hobbit" films and is a "must see", if you enjoy this genre!!!

[Still Servant]

That's the best part of having a multiplex near by. It has 24 screens and around Oscar time they're good with getting a lot of the nominees (they re-released Gravity last year for this reason, so I got to see it in 3D). I will go see Whiplash again if they bring it back...can't believe it only showed for one damn week. I love the 7 dollar a.m. showings. With any luck they will also get The Babadook as I'd love to see it on the big screen. Between Jan/February I'll see as many movies as possible in theatres. Last year this time I caught: American Hustle, Gravity, Her, Philomena. Missed Nebraska though, it didn't play long. Hoping to see twice that many this year. With any luck the showtimes of two films will match and be a good enough combined length me and my friend can sneak into a second movie before his kids are off school haha.

My theater is only 3 minutes away and it's a big one. Unfortunately, they only carry big budget films. Even though they added 3 more screens a few years ago and called it their "Indie Wing", they rarely show any Indies.

[Mattrick]

My theatre has been fixed and flipped so much the past couple of years lol. It was AMC from opening (2002) to 2012, then Empire theatres bought it and flipped and sold it to some firm who prompty flipped it to Landmark theatres who have again fixed it up haha. AMC/Empire were dedicated to showing independent films and have done a great job with it, especially this time of year. I can only hope Landmark who just bought the theatre in the spring will be the same way. We're reaping the rewards of all this flipping...crazy new soda machines with like 60 varieties, 4 Imax screens now, top of the line 3D projectors...now I can drink my whiskey in eight flavours of diet coke!

[webstar1000]

The Guest.

I gotta say... this new guy (I have never seen him before) Dan Stevens... is amazing. What a great movie. It may be of a B nature (no wide release that I know of at this writing) but shouldn't be. Absolutely kept me and my wife on the edge of our seat till the end. What an interesting caracter. A solid 7.5 out of 10 for me.

PS: If you have not seen Predetermination or CHOSEN... make them a part of your holiday watch fest. Some of my favs the last few weeks for sure:)

[mae]

Saw The Interview. Very silly and amusing movie. As a fan of Franco/Rogen type of humor I enjoyed it. Nothing earth-shattering.

[Still Servant]

Like most people, I've been really busy with the Holidays and haven't had the chance to write any real reviews for some of the films I've seen recently. So here are some quick thoughts on films like The Babadook, Enemy, Birdman, Into the Woods, The Hobbit: Battle of the Five Armies, Owning Mahowny and Non-Stop.

Click here for my recent movie round-up: Quick Flicks (http://popculturedwithmoviemike.tumblr.com/post/106353561672/quick-flicks-recent-movie-round-up)

[Ricky]

Mike! You changed the layout of your site! I can't handle change! :panic:

:lol:

EDIT: Just noticed that it's a Tumblr page.

[Mattrick]

Watched 22 Jump Street with the family last night. I hadn't seen the original but it doesn't seem like I missed out on too many inside jokes. They totally overkilled some of the jokes to the point they weren't very funny. The funniest parts of the movie were the understated laughs, like when a sandwich is dropped and Tatum's Q-Tip gets mixed in with it and the subject of his bromance Meet Cute says it's "Like a Meat Q". The subplot with Ice Cube and his daughter afforded most of the best laughs of the movie, though it led to a scene where Tatum's character took some not just too far for propriety's sake, but the film's fake...it totally deflated the building laughter. All in all, I thought the funniest part of the movie was the credits when the film pokes fun at it's own franchise and how ridiculous things could get trying to make each new installment fresh without changing the idea itself, including Jonah Hill being recast as Seth Rogen for 31 Jump Street only for Tatum to welcome him back after his contract dispute. There are some good laughs but I think a lot more jokes fall flat than hit. Still, the movie had an undeniable charm to it that makes me wish the script were a lot stronger. 2/5

[Still Servant]

Mike! You changed the layout of your site! I can't handle change! :panic:

:lol:

EDIT: Just noticed that it's a Tumblr page.

:lol:

Yeah, don't worry, it's the same.

Most of the same stuff can be found on the home page of the website in the Quick Flicks image scroll.

I linked Tumblr in this case because it would be easier for people to read. I also use Tumblr sometimes when I want to write about a film, but not enough to write a real review. It's also more time consuming to have to incorporate the reviews into the site, which is why I like the Quick Flicks section. It's just not worth it unless it's a real review. So Tumblr comes in handy sometimes.

Matt, it's funny you should mention 22 Jump Street. Tomorrow I will be posting my favorite comedies of 2014 list and Jump Street is #2. I loved the movie.

[Mattrick]

The fight between Jonah Hill and Jillian Bell lost the movie a whole star for me. It wasn't even funny awkward, it was just awkward, and wouldn't end haha

[Still Servant]

The fight between Jonah Hill and Jillian Bell lost the movie a whole star for me. It wasn't even funny awkward, it was just awkward, and wouldn't end haha

Come on, that was great. :lol:

[DoctorZaius]

Just took the family to the final Hobbit film. Great entertainment - a really fun ride. No complaints whatsoever.

Just spent the past three nights watching the Back to the Future trilogy with my daughters. I was happy with how well they hold up. The kids loved them - real bonus.

[Melike]

Mike! You changed the layout of your site! I can't handle change! :panic:

:lol:

EDIT: Just noticed that it's a Tumblr page.

:lol:

Yeah, don't worry, it's the same.

Most of the same stuff can be found on the home page of the website in the Quick Flicks image scroll.

I linked Tumblr in this case because it would be easier for people to read. I also use Tumblr sometimes when I want to write about a film, but not enough to write a real review. It's also more time consuming to have to incorporate the reviews into the site, which is why I like the Quick Flicks section. It's just not worth it unless it's a real review. So Tumblr comes in handy sometimes.

Matt, it's funny you should mention 22 Jump Street. Tomorrow I will be posting my favorite comedies of 2014 list and Jump Street is #2. I loved the movie.

I support you using tumblr. So I can follow your blog! Yay.

[fernandito]

Recently watched

About Time - 7/10
Grand Budapest Hotel - 8.5/10
Ender's Game - 4/10

The Godfather (rererererewatch) - 10/10, A+, 100%

[Still Servant]

Mike! You changed the layout of your site! I can't handle change! :panic:

:lol:

EDIT: Just noticed that it's a Tumblr page.

:lol:

Yeah, don't worry, it's the same.

Most of the same stuff can be found on the home page of the website in the Quick Flicks image scroll.

I linked Tumblr in this case because it would be easier for people to read. I also use Tumblr sometimes when I want to write about a film, but not enough to write a real review. It's also more time consuming to have to incorporate the reviews into the site, which is why I like the Quick Flicks section. It's just not worth it unless it's a real review. So Tumblr comes in handy sometimes.

Matt, it's funny you should mention 22 Jump Street. Tomorrow I will be posting my favorite comedies of 2014 list and Jump Street is #2. I loved the movie.

I support you using tumblr. So I can follow your blog! Yay.

Thanks! I try to put all my reviews on Tumblr.

Feev, I'm with you on Ender's Game. Very disappointing film for me.

[Mattrick]

What is a tumblr? I used to smooth rocks in a tumbler. Are they the same thing?

[Heather19]

Well I finally watch The Babadook last night. Loved it. I agree with most, that it's easily one of the best horror films in recent years. That's not say it doesn't have its faults though. Both lead characters were really strong. The kid really unnerved me and made me uncomfortable, while at the same time I worried for him. The mother really gave a powerful performance of someone descending into madness. And I kept going back and forth wondering what was real and what wasn't. I enjoyed the slow buildup of tension that the film creates. And I also think that the storyline was very strong (which is hard to find in horror films these days) that it would have worked without the supernatural elements as well. And the Babadook was a pretty creepy character. One of the other things that I really enjoyed about it was how it didn't rely on jump scares, which have really become overused in horror films. It makes the scary moments in this film unexpected which is a good thing. Where the film fell apart for me however was the ending. But I think this can happen with a lot of films. There's so much buildup that what it amounts too can sometimes be not enough. It wasn't the worst ending, and it didn't ruin the film for me, but it was a bit silly. I'd highly recommend it 8.5/10

[webstar1000]

Like most people, I've been really busy with the Holidays and haven't had the chance to write any real reviews for some of the films I've seen recently. So here are some quick thoughts on films like The Babadook, Enemy, Birdman, Into the Woods, The Hobbit: Battle of the Five Armies, Owning Mahowny and Non-Stop.

Click here for my recent movie round-up: Quick Flicks (http://popculturedwithmoviemike.tumblr.com/post/106353561672/quick-flicks-recent-movie-round-up)

BANG ON.... The ones I have not seen... I will. This list is mint!

[Ricky]

Well I finally watch The Babadook last night. Loved it. I agree with most, that it's easily one of the best horror films in recent years. That's not say it doesn't have its faults though. Both lead characters were really strong. The kid really unnerved me and made me uncomfortable, while at the same time I worried for him. The mother really gave a powerful performance of someone descending into madness. And I kept going back and forth wondering what was real and what wasn't. I enjoyed the slow buildup of tension that the film creates. And I also think that the storyline was very strong (which is hard to find in horror films these days) that it would have worked without the supernatural elements as well. And the Babadook was a pretty creepy character. One of the other things that I really enjoyed about it was how it didn't rely on jump scares, which have really become overused in horror films. It makes the scary moments in this film unexpected which is a good thing. Where the film fell apart for me however was the ending. But I think this can happen with a lot of films. There's so much buildup that what it amounts too can sometimes be not enough. It wasn't the worst ending, and it didn't ruin the film for me, but it was a bit silly. I'd highly recommend it 8.5/10

Thanks for the review, Heather! The Babadook is at the top of my list and your review makes me even more excited to see it (especially how recent horror movies have been let-downs).

[Mattrick]

Well I finally watch The Babadook last night. Loved it. I agree with most, that it's easily one of the best horror films in recent years. That's not say it doesn't have its faults though. Both lead characters were really strong. The kid really unnerved me and made me uncomfortable, while at the same time I worried for him. The mother really gave a powerful performance of someone descending into madness. And I kept going back and forth wondering what was real and what wasn't. I enjoyed the slow buildup of tension that the film creates. And I also think that the storyline was very strong (which is hard to find in horror films these days) that it would have worked without the supernatural elements as well. And the Babadook was a pretty creepy character. One of the other things that I really enjoyed about it was how it didn't rely on jump scares, which have really become overused in horror films. It makes the scary moments in this film unexpected which is a good thing. Where the film fell apart for me however was the ending. But I think this can happen with a lot of films. There's so much buildup that what it amounts too can sometimes be not enough. It wasn't the worst ending, and it didn't ruin the film for me, but it was a bit silly. I'd highly recommend it 8.5/10

Do you mean the final freaky stuff with The Babadook or the.coda at the very end? The Babadook itself is a representation of grief and how both the mother and son's lives revolved around the dead father/husband, how it haunted them. The Babadook is all about moving on from grief and going down to the basement to feed it is a metaphor for what it's like to live with grief, you can never get rid of the loss but you can learn to live with it. I love we got an uplifting ending, I wasn't expecting it.

[Mattrick]

The Hobbit: An Unexpected Journey - I was so bored I couldn't look away. Why were the dwarfs painted over with CGI? It was so damn distracting. Twenty-five minutes in the book started. The action sequences couldn't even get me excited. I really wished all the dwarfs would die by the movies 'ending' but alas, it didn't happen. For all it's glitz and glamour it's an awful movie. They should have made one four hour movie...I cant possibly sit through 7 more hours of this overwrought story. I'd give it one star, but Gollum gives it a second.

[divemaster]

Just saw Cloverfield. It was okay. Nothing special but not a waste of time.

[Heather19]

Well I finally watch The Babadook last night. Loved it. I agree with most, that it's easily one of the best horror films in recent years. That's not say it doesn't have its faults though. Both lead characters were really strong. The kid really unnerved me and made me uncomfortable, while at the same time I worried for him. The mother really gave a powerful performance of someone descending into madness. And I kept going back and forth wondering what was real and what wasn't. I enjoyed the slow buildup of tension that the film creates. And I also think that the storyline was very strong (which is hard to find in horror films these days) that it would have worked without the supernatural elements as well. And the Babadook was a pretty creepy character. One of the other things that I really enjoyed about it was how it didn't rely on jump scares, which have really become overused in horror films. It makes the scary moments in this film unexpected which is a good thing. Where the film fell apart for me however was the ending. But I think this can happen with a lot of films. There's so much buildup that what it amounts too can sometimes be not enough. It wasn't the worst ending, and it didn't ruin the film for me, but it was a bit silly. I'd highly recommend it 8.5/10

Thanks for the review, Heather! The Babadook is at the top of my list and your review makes me even more excited to see it (especially how recent horror movies have been let-downs).

I think you'll like it Ricky. Let me know when you see it.



Well I finally watch The Babadook last night. Loved it. I agree with most, that it's easily one of the best horror films in recent years. That's not say it doesn't have its faults though. Both lead characters were really strong. The kid really unnerved me and made me uncomfortable, while at the same time I worried for him. The mother really gave a powerful performance of someone descending into madness. And I kept going back and forth wondering what was real and what wasn't. I enjoyed the slow buildup of tension that the film creates. And I also think that the storyline was very strong (which is hard to find in horror films these days) that it would have worked without the supernatural elements as well. And the Babadook was a pretty creepy character. One of the other things that I really enjoyed about it was how it didn't rely on jump scares, which have really become overused in horror films. It makes the scary moments in this film unexpected which is a good thing. Where the film fell apart for me however was the ending. But I think this can happen with a lot of films. There's so much buildup that what it amounts too can sometimes be not enough. It wasn't the worst ending, and it didn't ruin the film for me, but it was a bit silly. I'd highly recommend it 8.5/10

Do you mean the final freaky stuff with The Babadook or the.coda at the very end? The Babadook itself is a representation of grief and how both the mother and son's lives revolved around the dead father/husband, how it haunted them. The Babadook is all about moving on from grief and going down to the basement to feed it is a metaphor for what it's like to live with grief, you can never get rid of the loss but you can learn to live with it. I love we got an uplifting ending, I wasn't expecting it.

What you say makes sense, but it was kinda silly when it just goes to hide in the basement, and then they have to keep feeding it. I don't know, I think it could have been executed in a better way.

[Mattrick]

What you say makes sense, but it was kinda silly when it just goes to hide in the basement, and then they have to keep feeding it. I don't know, I think it could have been executed in a better way.

The Babadook came from the basement, as that is where she locked away everything that was her husband's. The soil/worm combo was more about her accepting her husband's death a little at a time as all she'd done before was get upset if anyone mentioned him, she just tried to ignore it. The Babadook itself is just a product of her repressed grief and the end shows grief never goes away, it just gets a little easier to live with each day. I love the closing lines, "How was it today?" "Quiet." At least that's how I see the end.

[Still Servant]

As far as horror films go this year, there's The Babadook and then there's everything else.

It's not even close.

[Lookwhoitis]

BA-BAAA-DOOOOK!

Im enjoying the effect that the Babadook has had on many boardies. It was the same for me at Sundance where it premiered almost a year ago. Lotta buzz there about the film. I was running around all fest long going BA-BAAA-DOOOOK! and knocking three times on everything to the point my colleagues started getting annoyed with me, LOL

I really enjoy films that affect you psychologically and am glad to see the films merits recognized by the boards film gurus.

[Still Servant]

I still think it's great that you get to go to Sundance.

We're recognizing the merits of the film, it's just too bad the Academy won't recognize its merits. Essie Davis deserves an Oscar nomination.

[Mattrick]

Just saw Cloverfield. It was okay. Nothing special but not a waste of time.

I love Cloverfield, a unique approach to a giant monster movie. I think it's twice the movie Godzilla was at only 25 million budget, compared to Godzilla's 160 million budget. It's just a shame Rob and Beth as characters weren't as engaging as Hud and Marlene were.

[fernandito]

The Amazing Spider-Man 2 -

Peter Parker cries, Gwen Stacy cries, Aunt May cries, Harry & Norman Osborn cry, everyone cries. ("Big scene, everyone cries!" -Tropic Thunder). The villains are as undercooked as their motivations; Jamie Foxx's Elektro goes from meek, docile introvert to murderous rage after a single incident. Harry Osborn, a teenager with no real world experience, is inexplicably placed at the helm of a billion dollar company if for no other reason than to ensure he is at the forefront of the conflict. Plot contrivance is an inherent peculiarity of cinema, but this film cranks it up to 11.

The film could have managed to retain a modicum of salvageability if it drew from the well for which this genre is known for, the action. Alas, what pitiful little action there is is hampered by an over-reliance of poor CGI and slow motion. The film is more concerned with laying the foundations of future installments than it is in making sure it is able to stand on its own two feet. What idling positives it does manage to achieve are owed to the occasional chuckle and Garfield and Stone's undeniable chemistry.

If this creative team remains intact and helms the next installment, count me out. A disaster of a film.

4/10

[Ricky]

4/10? Yikes. There were definitely problems with it, but I wouldn't put it quite that low. While I agree with you that "the film is more concerned with laying the foundations of future installments than it is in making sure it is able to stand on its own two feet," I enjoyed it and thought it was pretty exciting. Not as good as it could've been, but I liked it.

[fernandito]

You're right, that's a bit harsh. I'm promoting it to a 4.1/10 :lol:

I just can't believe that Sony did not learn their lesson from the utter fiasco that was Spider Man 3, a film that was blasted by its own creator for committing the sin(s) this film perpetuated; having too many characters in a film distorts the focus. Attempting to lend poignancy to each character means the film is all over the place, it is never able to find consistency or cohesiveness.

Add that to the fact that the supporting cast is not very interesting to begin with (to borrow another phrase from Tropic Thunder, Jamie Foxx goes "full retard"), and it all begins to fall apart at the seams very quickly. Trying to mesh the pulpy, larger than life zest of the comic book world with the somber themes of life, love and death with any kind of efficiency is a very difficult task which only the most deft of hands can carry out, unfortunately Mark Webb and his writers are not up to the task.

I'm a huge comic book nerd, so films like this usually get some love from me, a lot more than perhaps non comic readers might give. The fact that this film was by and large not able to deliver despite my very low threshold is a damn shame.

[Mattrick]

I heard.the best part of the new films is the quiet scenes between Emma Stone and Andrew Garfiled, but CGI is murky and the plots and villains make all too convoluted.

[Ricky]

Speaking of too many characters, can you imagine if they hadn't cut Shailene Woodley's Mary Jane out of the final film? :lol:

[fernandito]

I heard.the best part of the new films is the quiet scenes between Emma Stone and Andrew Garfiled.
Yes, an unexpected benefit of them being in a relationship in real life no doubt.



Speaking of too many characters, can you imagine if they hadn't cut Shailene Woodley's Mary Jane out of the final film? :lol:
Oh that's right, I forgot about that! Wtf. This turkey was already overstuffed, I'm wondering how the hell they were planning on using her...

Maybe Peter has one or two scenes of flirty dialogue with her, setting her up to be the love interest for pt. 3 after Gwen's death?

I wonder if her cut scenes included crying too, LOL

[DoctorDodge]

I liked Emma Stone as Gwen Stacy at first, but towards the end, her character got to be a bit of a pain in the neck.

[fernandito]

I don't find Stone attractive at all so she was doubly annoying for me.

[Still Servant]

I don't find Stone attractive at all so she was doubly annoying for me.

I think she's adorable. Is it just that you don't like her with blonde hair, or do you just not think she's pretty in general? I personally think she's prettier with red hair.

Anyway, I haven't seen The Amazing Spider-Man 2 because of reviews like yours. I enjoyed the first installment. I know I'm in the minority, but I prefer Garfield as Spider-Man over Tobey Maquire. I just don't like Tobey Maguire.

Not to change the subject, but I find it interesting that if things gets settled and they are able to use Spider-Man in the Avengers films, they will be recasting Spider-Man.

[fernandito]

I just don't find her attractive, she looks like a frog. Much better looking celebrities out there.

And I wouldn't blame them for recasting Spidey. Don't think Marvel would want their franchise tainted by association.

[webstar1000]

Time Lapse... interesting movie. I also caught Foxcatcher and was not that impressed to be honest. Whiplash.. was AMAZING though. Had a big movie day yesterday!

[divemaster]

Went and saw The Gambler yesterday. A bit disappointed. It is a subject of much interest to me but the way the "gambling" was presented was not realistic. I understand that the Marky Mark character was in self-destruct mode and losing money was his way of self-punishment. But while a loan shark might front a gambler, no one would fork over tens or hundreds of thousands of dollars to a guy who bets double double double until he loses. Plus, the way the point-shaving went down in the basketball game was completely unrealistic to anyone who ever watched one basketball game in their life and understands end of game play. It would have been very easy to present it realistically, but nothing about that game rang true.

But overall it was okay. The girl was cute, although I couldn't understand for the life of me what her role was in the movie.

[Still Servant]

Time Lapse... interesting movie. I also caught Foxcatcher and was not that impressed to be honest. Whiplash.. was AMAZING though. Had a big movie day yesterday!

I'm not sure which film you watched first, but watching Foxcatcher and Whiplash in the same day could pose some problems. Whiplash is such a fast film with great energy. Foxcatcher is really slow. They are two films on the complete opposite sides of the spectrum. I can understand why some people won't like Foxcatcher.

I haven't seen The Gambler, but I might go back and watch the original.

[Still Servant]

I just don't find her attractive, she looks like a frog.

California has the hottest frogs I've ever seen.

http://i72.photobucket.com/albums/i194/LicksHisLips/Emma.jpg (http://s72.photobucket.com/user/LicksHisLips/media/Emma.jpg.html)

[DoctorDodge]

Birdman (or The Unexpected Virtue of Ignorance)

First thing I should warn anyone seeing this film: do not expect a straight-up satire of comic book movies. Despite the title and the more than knowing nod to Batman in regards to the casting, this is a very unusual film in which the character's former role is actually a small part of it, or at least, a smaller part of the story than you might expect.

The actual plot of the film is in some ways considerably larger than that, something that feels a little more personal and that we can all (very surprisingly) relate to. An actor who was once incredibly famous due to starring in a series of films as a comic book character is trying hard to adapt a novel of one of his favourite writers to the stage. However, in the days leading up to the grand opening, conflicts with other actors and critics and the mounting pressure threaten to tip him over the edge and ruin his chance of achieving something that's incredibly important to him.

And that's what the core drama of the film is really about - a man struggling to hold onto what's important and wondering if it's even worth it in the process. This was something I found incredibly relatable on a deep level, and considering the main character is a guy who people keep asking for an autograph from on the street, that's something I was really impressed by. In some ways, it reminded me of Black Swan. Don't get me wrong, it's not half as painful to watch and considerably funnier, but the main characters struggling towards a goal and truly despairing over the very idea of failure in the process is a key part of both films.

There is also a fair deal of satire in the film, not just with Birdman and comic book movies but also with actors and how seriously they take their work. Edward Norton is especially hilarious as a famous method actor who takes his performance WAY too seriously. But it's Michael Keaton who really shines here. I went in thinking the film would be a simple self-parody, but what I got was a performance that was absolutely fantastic to watch, as he portrays a man truly struggling to find meaning and importance in his life and to be taken seriously, even while his past or his current actions threaten to ruin that.

While I was watching the film, I was completely unsure what to make of it, especially due to the way it's shot that I think works really well, illustrating the key differences between film, theatre and real life. Now that it's finished, I think it's one I'm going to like more and more on subsequent viewings. For the moment, I'm just going to give it a 9/10.

Oh, and one more thing, regarding Emma Stone (who also appears in the film):


I just don't find her attractive, she looks like a frog.

Yeah, well that's one frog I'd shag any day.

EDIT: Mike, just saw your post, and all I can say is, great minds think alike! :lol:

[Still Servant]

Great review, James! I can't wait for more people here to see Birdman. I'd love to hear more thoughts. You're review really captured my feelings on the film.

I think a lot of mainstream moviegoers might not like Birdman very much. It just doesn't unfold like a typical film. I think the average moviegoer also won't get many of the commentaries on actors, theater, movies, the current state of movies/theater and how much things have changed over the years in terms of how we perceive and consume these mediums. There's quite a bit about mental illness as well. I didn't love the ending, and the drum bed was just plain annoying.

Birdman isn't for everybody, that's for sure, but it's a technical marvel and should be seen by any cinephile.

[DoctorDodge]

Perfectly stated, Mike. Especially on the ending, it didn't quite fit with the tone of the rest of the film for me. And every time I heard the drums, all I could think was, "Damn, the sooner Whiplash comes out over here, the better!" :lol: And it definitely isn't for everyone. As much as I laughed, even the comedy is a little difficult to get into. Kinda like the original version of the Office: you go in expecting a straight up laugh-a-minute comedy, you're gonna be sorely disappointed. There's a lot to digest from the film, overall, which is why I'm liking it more thinking about it than my initial watch of it. Oh, and one more thing:

Regarding the moment where Birdman actually makes an appearance and loads of stuff is blowing up, despite it being intended as parody of blockbuster movies, is it just me, or does the look of an actual Birdman movie look unbelievably fucking awesome? Especially in that giant mechanical bird-thing that reminded me of Bioshock Infinite! :lol:

[Ricky]

Nice review, James! I'll probably end up watching Birdman at some point, but it's not at the top of my list. Reviews like yours make me more interested to check it out though. Plus, the scene with Emma Stone chewing out Keaton's character alone makes me want to see it.

[Still Servant]

Nice review, James! I'll probably end up watching Birdman at some point, but it's not at the top of my list. Reviews like yours make me more interested to check it out though. Plus, the scene with Emma Stone chewing out Keaton's character alone makes me want to see it.

That is a great scene. Frogwoman really does nail it.

I'm with you, James. When that scene you mentioned happened, I was wishing it was an actual movie. Hell, if they made that, they'd make a ton of money. How about this for a movie - FROGWOMAN & BIRDMAN!

[Shannon]

Just finished Whiplash. Loved it. Just downloaded Foxcatcher, Hobbit, American Sniper, Big Eyes, Unbroken, and Into the Woods. Man I have a busy weekend coming up, lol.

[Ricky]

Frogwoman really does nail it.

:rofl:


Foxcatcher

I'll be interested to hear your thoughts on it.

[fernandito]

'Frogwoman', you little bastards :lol:

I want to see Foxcatcher too. I ain't even gonna lie, things based on true story automatically get my attention.

[Mattrick]

I'm the opposite Fernando lol. When I hear 'based on a true story' I almost lose interest. That's probably why I never seem to want to watch biopics. Foxcatcher was worth watching but it's a movie I think once is enough for me. Where as I've watched The Babadook and The Double three times in the past month, and just re-watched Whiplash.

[divemaster]

I think Emma Stone is very attractive.

[fernandito]

When I hear 'based on a true story' I almost lose interest. That's probably why I never seem to want to watch biopics. Foxcatcher was worth watching but it's a movie I think once is enough for me.

You know, I will give you that. While I usually flock to see films based on true stories, I very rarely have the desire to watch them beyond the initial viewing. Something to do with escapism, maybe?

[Mattrick]

Lincoln, Kings Speech are solid films but not sure I'll ever revisit. However movies like The Insider, Quiz Show and Good Night and Good Luck I can watch several times. Maybe it all comes down to the context of the true stories.

[fernandito]

Edge of Tomorrow -

A competently made, visually stunning, and very entertaining science fiction yarn. Cruise plays the role of a war spin doctor whose life is thrown into a tailspin after he is enlisted in a war vs aliens against his will with great aplomb.

The aliens themselves are a visual marvel, as are the exosuits the humans use to dispatch their many-tentacled adversaries. The action tip toes the borderline into shaky cam action, but the line is - thankfully - never crossed and the action remains largely focused throughout.

I wish the film had delved deeper into the heavier implications of fatalism within a wartime context, but sadly its exploration of this is only skin deep, used mostly as a means to get from one set piece to the next. Also, the romantic angle between Cruise and Blunt's character felt a bit forced, but luckily it's kept to a bare minimum.

A very pleasing film with which to turn off your brain to and relax.

7/10

One thing that bugged me though, spoilers I guess?

Why was the commanding officer so hell bent on making sure Cruise went to the front lines? The whole time I kept thinking that he was somehow aware of the time traveling abilities Cruise would come to possess and enlisted him to ensure he fulfilled his destiny, but it turns out he enlisted because hey, 'I don't fucking like you' ?

[Mattrick]

Fernando: Wasn't he being punished for something? I do like how aloof Cruise was able to seem in the early goings in the battlefield, so unlike his super action star career, and slowly become the super action star we all know. Really, one of his best performances all things considering.

[fernandito]

Sorry, I should have been clearer --

Not Bill Paxton's character (although there was a deceitful twinkle in his eye when he said "You'll come around"), I was referring to the Supreme Sargeant or whatever the fuck lol. The one that actually tells Cruise he has to join, the one that Blunt and Cruise have to convince to hand over the machine.

It seemed weird that he would be so adamant about sending someone with no training, who's very obviously terrified of fighting, and whose skill set would be better employed elsewhere, it made me think he knew something the audience didn't and would eventually find out.

[Still Servant]

Just finished Whiplash. Loved it. Just downloaded Foxcatcher, Hobbit, American Sniper, Big Eyes, Unbroken, and Into the Woods. Man I have a busy weekend coming up, lol.

I loved Whiplash too. You have some great movies ahead of you. I'm going to wait to see American Sniper in theaters if I can. If not, I will use other means.


I'm the opposite Fernando lol. When I hear 'based on a true story' I almost lose interest. That's probably why I never seem to want to watch biopics. Foxcatcher was worth watching but it's a movie I think once is enough for me. Where as I've watched The Babadook and The Double three times in the past month, and just re-watched Whiplash.

I wonder why that is. I can't imagine why a story like Foxcatcher or even American Sniper would even matter if it were based on a true story. It's not like either story is very well known. If it didn't say, "based on a true story" most people would have no clue. I can understand films like Ray, Walk the Line or The Social Network because they are about more well known people, but not smaller stories like Foxcatcher. I'll be interested to hear what you think of Foxcatcher, Fernando. It's a very slow, methodical film really grounded in the mundane life of these people. I think it's great though.


Edge of Tomorrow -

7/10

I'm shocked that you didn't like Edge of Tomorrow more. Like literally shocked. It's one of my favorite films of the year and one of the best Sci-fi films of the decade and maybe longer. That might be one you have to go back and revisit. Since you're a gamer, I thought you were a lock to like it more.

[Mattrick]

I'm the opposite Fernando lol. When I hear 'based on a true story' I almost lose interest. That's probably why I never seem to want to watch biopics. Foxcatcher was worth watching but it's a movie I think once is enough for me. Where as I've watched The Babadook and The Double three times in the past month, and just re-watched Whiplash.

I wonder why that is. I can't imagine why a story like Foxcatcher or even American Sniper would even matter if it were based on a true story. It's not like either story is very well known. If it didn't say, "based on a true story" most people would have no clue. I can understand films like Ray, Walk the Line or The Social Network because they are about more well known people, but not smaller stories like Foxcatcher. I'll be interested to hear what you think of Foxcatcher, Fernando. It's a very slow, methodical film really grounded in the mundane life of these people. I think it's great though.



I was being more tongue in cheek with the 'based on a true story' which is often a misnomer when it comes to bad films for marketting purposes. When it comes to true stories there are a lot of factors when it comes to if it interests me. Music biopics must be my least favourite, they are just so obligatory in the way they unfold, and most go along the same roads. The true stories I can get most behind are smaller, unknown stories that usually have real human value or that show changing of times. I'm interested in watching Selma. It's hard to really explain why some true story films I really love like People Vs. Larry Flynt or Moneyball and others that just don't do it for me. I think it all comes down to how the story is presented for me, which is full of intangibles. It's suppose I can get more invested in fiction other than historical films because the characters and the events aren't already written. That doesn't make the stories any worse by any means, but these days halfway through a biopic and check wikipedia and find out how the rest of the story ends in greater detail. I actually read about the events in Foxcatcher in the final few minutes of the movie.

It's a strange way of putting it but fictional characters feel more alive than actors playing real people.

Fernando, I got who you were talking about. It's been awhile since I watched it in theatres but I thought in the opening scene with Cruise and the superior officer he was told exactly why he was being put down. I can't recall if he'd lied about stuff, broken some kind of law or new some truth they wanted to supressed, but I'm pretty sure there was a reason for his going in on the front lines.

[webstar1000]

Whiplash... no kidding when I heard that movie was great. Never thought a drum movie could be so good. WOW!

[DoctorDodge]

Edge of Tomorrow -

A competently made, visually stunning, and very entertaining science fiction yarn. Cruise plays the role of a war spin doctor whose life is thrown into a tailspin after he is enlisted in a war vs aliens against his will with great aplomb.

The aliens themselves are a visual marvel, as are the exosuits the humans use to dispatch their many-tentacled adversaries. The action tip toes the borderline into shaky cam action, but the line is - thankfully - never crossed and the action remains largely focused throughout.

I wish the film had delved deeper into the heavier implications of fatalism within a wartime context, but sadly its exploration of this is only skin deep, used mostly as a means to get from one set piece to the next. Also, the romantic angle between Cruise and Blunt's character felt a bit forced, but luckily it's kept to a bare minimum.

A very pleasing film with which to turn off your brain to and relax.

7/10

One thing that bugged me though, spoilers I guess?

Why was the commanding officer so hell bent on making sure Cruise went to the front lines? The whole time I kept thinking that he was somehow aware of the time traveling abilities Cruise would come to possess and enlisted him to ensure he fulfilled his destiny, but it turns out he enlisted because hey, 'I don't fucking like you' ?

Nice review, Fernando. I quite enjoyed it, and it definitely reminded me of that classic gamer "just a little bit further" attitude. As for a deeper exploration of fatalism in a war time context, I think that's incredibly difficult to do once your main character becomes used to death after it happens so many times. Time loop stories are a fucking bastard to write - the concept is initially interesting, but the problem is, there's only so many times you can do a different take on the same day before it starts to wear thin. (I must admit, after Edge of Tomorrow, I did try to write a time loop story myself, but on a far wider scale: an entire society stuck in the same month over and over again, for so long that people eventually forget what death actually means and have wars or kill each other for fun. It was a story that I really wanted to write, especially what happens when the time loop ends without warning and people are given true death again, but like I said, it was just too much of a bastard to get my head around for it to truly work.) I think Edge of Tomorrow was really successful at telling a great time loop story, and the war setting certainly helped. Think I'll try and watch it again this weekend.

[fernandito]

Edge of Tomorrow -

7/10
I'm shocked that you didn't like Edge of Tomorrow more. Like literally shocked.
You're not the only one, I too thought I would enjoy it more.

I mean, I liked it, it was enjoyable. It was loud and kinetic and beautiful, it's just too derivative. For me to label any film a 'Greatest of XX decade' it has to be original. Something that makes me want to revisit it to mine all the gold I might have missed the first time around.

Like I said it was fun, but it's just not something that's going to stick in my mind after the credits roll. It just didn't have much to say. It has nothing on hard hitters like District 9 or Interstellar.



It's one of my favorite films of the year and one of the best Sci-fi films of the decade and maybe longer.You are too easily impressed my friend lol.

[Still Servant]

Here are my thoughts on a few films I've seen recently: Foxcatcher, Big Eyes, Boyhood, Maleficent, The Skeleton Twins, Under the Skin.

Quick Flicks Movie Round-Up (http://popculturedwithmoviemike.tumblr.com/post/107263415702/quick-flicks-recent-movie-round-up)

[Still Servant]

Easily impressed? No fuckin' way. I'm not the only person saying that. The film got 90% on RT. Give me your 10 best Sci-fi films of the decade and I will tell you Tomorrow belongs somewhere in there.

I honestly think you would have enjoyed the film more if you saw it in theaters when it first came out. You wouldn't have heard months of people like me hyping it up.

[fernandito]

Cool your jets homie; 90% upvote on Rotten Tomatoes, BUT, the average score of those upvotes is only 7.5/10. Metascore has it at 71/100, or 7.1/10 if you prefer. Only a fraction higher than what I gave it. So it seems I'm not too far off from the general consensus. :)

Idk why you have such a problem with 7/10, that's a respectable score.

[Still Servant]

7 out of 10 is average. It's better than an average film. Either way, there haven't been that many good Sci-fi films since 2010. It's not an outrageous statement to say it's one of the best Sci-fi films of the decade so far.

I'm not mad, just tired of people telling me I like everything.

[fernandito]

7 out of 10 is average. It's better than an average film. Either way, there haven't been that many good Sci-fi films since 2010. It's not an outrageous statement to say it's one of the best Sci-fi films of the decade so far.
Ah! I thought you meant decade as in the past 10 years, but you meant since 2010. Gotcha.



I'm not mad, just tired of people telling me I like everything.

I think you're susceptible to Emperor's New Clothes syndrome lol.

It's why I try not to review new films immediately on the heels of watching them in theater, the high of watching the film distorts your judgement. If you had asked me what I thought about The Dark Knight Rises immediately after leaving the theater, I would have told you it's the greatest film in the history of cinema.

[Still Servant]

7 out of 10 is average. It's better than an average film. Either way, there haven't been that many good Sci-fi films since 2010. It's not an outrageous statement to say it's one of the best Sci-fi films of the decade so far.
Ah! I thought you meant decade as in the past 10 years, but you meant since 2010. Gotcha.



I'm not mad, just tired of people telling me I like everything.

I think you're susceptible to Emperor's New Clothes syndrome lol.

It's why I try not to review new films immediately on the heels of watching them in theater, the high of watching the film distorts your judgement. If you had asked me what I thought about The Dark Knight Rises immediately after leaving the theater, I would have told you it's the greatest film in the history of cinema.

Holy shit, that's a real syndrome?

Anyway, like I've said before, I don't truly evaluate how much I liked a movie until I have some time to collect my thoughts. True, I may write a quick sentence here or on social media after the credits role that might not accurately portray my feelings due to being on such a high from that particular film experience, but I never go in depth so soon after seeing a movie.

In the case of Edge of Tomorrow, it's been months since I've seen it and I still really like it. It's one of my favorite films of the year and I think I might actually buy it on Blu-ray. The main theme I took away from the film was how a cocky coward can turn into a badass hero.

[Mattrick]

Birdman was awesome. Funny and tragic. Really interesting way of filming with lots of tracking shots through narrow corridors like a labrynth. I'm not sure if the shots were really as long as they felt or if there was some splice editing whenever they had a chance but as a fan of longshots that really added a lot to the film for me. 5/5

p.s. Didn't get the deal made about the drum tracks.

[Ricky]

For the record, I wasn't amazed by Edge of Tomorrow, either. I liked it (saw it in theaters), but really don't have any desire to re-watch.

[Still Servant]

Birdman was awesome. Funny and tragic. Really interesting way of filming with lots of tracking shots through narrow corridors like a labrynth. I'm not sure if the shots were really as long as they felt or if there was some splice editing whenever they had a chance but as a fan of longshots that really added a lot to the film for me. 5/5

p.s. Didn't get the deal made about the drum tracks.

Many of the shots were just one take. Some of them spanning 20 minutes, but there are quite a few cuts. I must say though, they did an awesome job of making them appear seamless. As an editor, I was able to spot them pretty easily, but they were incredibly well crafted.

I'm not sure what your comment about the drum tracks is eluding to. Are you saying you don't understand why it's getting so much praise or why people don't like it? I know I mentioned having a problem with the drum track, but I also prefaced that by saying I saw Birdman the same day I saw Whiplash. I think that's why the drum track stood out to me. It just sounded like somebody randomly riffing, which from what I've read, is pretty much what it was.

[Mattrick]

I just heard a lot of things like 'I loved Birdman but the drums felt out of place/distracting/bad'. The drums actually reminded me of the score to Punk Drunk Love. I know editors love to sneak in cuts when moving around corners, through doors, around objects where it's easier to hide the seams and there were plenty of opportunities for such tricks so I was really looking hard for them. Even Scorsese has never used so many tracking shots but in Birdman they're done with such fervency they really add to the frantic energy of those couple days. Also enjoyed the way camera positioning at times made it feel is characters talking to the audience when they were really talking through them.

[fernandito]

Same here, Matt. I read on more than one occasion that the drums were an abrasive distraction. Glad to see that's not the case.

[Still Servant]

Same here, Matt. I read on more than one occasion that the drums were an abrasive distraction. Glad to see that's not the case.

At least I'm not the only person that felt that way. Although I wouldn't say it ruined the movie for me. It's certainly not a deal breaker, it's also not subtle, you really notice that it's there.

[Still Servant]

The Grand Budapest Hotel - 9.5 (http://popculturedmoviemi.wix.com/popculturedmoviemike#!about1/c145n)

When we’re young, our parents urge us to try new things, especially when it comes to food, because we might just end up liking something we previously thought was gross. Maybe gross isn’t the right word. As children, we might have steered clear of trying something new because it’s different and just isn’t our taste.

This is how I feel about Wes Anderson’s films. They’re weird and different and just not for my taste. Sure, I can see why other people like his movies, but they’re just not for me. So it goes without saying that I was in no hurry to see The Grand Budapest Hotel. The film was released in March and I’m just now getting around to watching it. My desire to see The Grand Budapest Hotel wasn’t driven by excitement, but as a prerequisite for my Awards season viewing.

Luckily for me, trying new things has carried into my adulthood and I’m thankful to my parents for instilling that in me at such a young age because The Grand Budapest Hotel is a stunning, unique film experience and easily one of the more memorable films I’ve had the pleasure of watching.

That’s not to say that Budapest doesn’t include some of the things that bug me about Anderson’s films, it’s just that it all came together for me this time. I’m not really sure why. Like most of Anderson’s films, almost every shot is meticulously composed and crafted. You can almost see the production designers placing props and nudging them a quarter of an inch per Anderson’s request. The lighting is so beautiful and perfect that you can imagine a gaffer spending hours setting up the lights just to get that perfect hue and tone.

Despite the fact that I was acutely aware of the care that went into every single shot, it never detracts from the story. I was instantly transfixed by these quirky characters (another Anderson trademark) and couldn’t wait to see what kind of crazy shenanigans they were going to get into next.

Budapest tells the story of Gustave, a legendary concierge at The Grand Budapest Hotel that is located in the fictitious country of Zubrowka. The plot seems pretty ordinary at first glance, but trust me, there’s a lot to the story and it weaves its way to some truly unexpected places. Much of Budapest plays like a 50’s road movie in the mold of the Martin/Lewis and Hope/Crosby classics, with a Wes Anderson twist, of course. The whole film revolves around a stolen painting, disgruntled benefactors, a ruthless hitman, a prison, a mountain top cathedral and much more. Trust me, it’s insane.

Most of the film is told via a flashback to the 1930’s as Gustave and his trusted lobby boy, Zero find themselves in increasingly dangerous situations. Ralph Fiennes is charmingly funny as Gustave and it’s easily one of the best performances of the year. What I found most refreshing about his character are his sudden bursts of vulgarity. Many movies are overly populated by cuss words to the point where they have lost their weight. In Budapest, the swear words that come out of Gustave’s mouth really cut like a knife because they are being spoken by somebody who seems so polite and mild-mannered. In fact, they’re some of the funniest moments of the film because of this.

On the surface, Gustave comes off as a prim and proper Englishman, the kind of forgettable character you’d see in one of those sleepy British films from the 60’s. That’s not Gustave, and that’s certainly not The Grand Budapest hotel. You truly can’t judge a book by its cover, and you can’t judge a film by its poster or its trailer. Judging by the ad campaign, it would be easy to look at the bright colors that practically leap from the screen like a pop-up book and think that Budapest is a quaint film about a hotel. In reality, the film is surprisingly violent and fairly dark in many ways.

The Grand Budapest Hotel is one of the most visually stunning films I’ve ever seen. The use of color and lighting are blended to perfection. The film has a surrealistic, dreamlike feel. Since the narrative is being told through flashback, it also feels like a storybook. I’ll be the first one to tell you that Wes Anderson’s films aren’t for everybody, but I urge everybody that is a true fan of cinema to give this film a chance. There’s nothing else out there even remotely similar to Budapest. It’s a one-of-a-kind film that very well might be a masterpiece.

[webstar1000]

Just caught Birdman on the weekend. I was really disappointed. From all I read I expected "more"... something "different"?? Not sure but fought through it. Selma... was amazing on the other hand!

[fernandito]

The Grand Budapest Hotel - 9.5 (http://popculturedmoviemi.wix.com/popculturedmoviemike#!about1/c145n)

This makes me very happy.

In my pants.

[fernandito]

Just caught Birdman on the weekend. I was really disappointed. From all I read I expected "more"... something "different"?? Not sure but fought through it. Selma... was amazing on the other hand!

Take cover bro lol.

[webstar1000]

Just caught Birdman on the weekend. I was really disappointed. From all I read I expected "more"... something "different"?? Not sure but fought through it. Selma... was amazing on the other hand!

Take cover bro lol.

I know... everyone here LOVED it. I think that was why I didn't love it so much. My expectations were over the top... too high. It ultimately led me down a small path of disappointment.

[Shannon]

Birdman: 4 out of 5.

As much as I wanted to LOVE this movie, I couldn't. Yes, it was very good, but that's where I'm forced to stop. Now, I'll be the first to admit, I'm not an "art movie" kinda guy. That's just not me. I'm also not a "it's a comedy but not really" kinda guy. I loved the way it was shot, I thought the performances were fantastic (especially any scenes with Keaton and Norton together), but that's about it. It felt like one long conversation. Michael Keaton talks to Emma Stone and then Emma Stone talks to Edward Norton and then there's a scene with Zach Galifianakis (who had some sort of subplot in the background yet I didn't care enough about to pay attention) and so on. I didn't like the "special powers" or the flying scene. Is he crazy, is it real, no one else is noticing anything, no one else is around when he makes things happen, etc. etc. It had nothing to do with the movie. And also, who shoots themselves in the nose?

Like I said, it was a four out of five for me, but I was expecting to be adding it to my Top Thirty list right now, so I'm a little let down.

Into The Woods: 2 out of 5.

Yuck. The music was plain and non-memorable, the intersecting stories (Little Red Riding Hood, Cinderella, Rapunzel, Jack and the Beanstalk, the Baker's Wife) have been done to hell with very little changing from the stories we know so well. Johnny Depp was in the movie for literally less than five minutes, yet had one of the top billings. The Baker's Wife making out the Prince was a complete departure for the character and I'm glad she died. "Agony" with the two Prince brothers was probably my favorite song. Just ... a blah movie.

Foxcatcher: 3 out of 5.

I loved the trailer. I thought this movie was going to be amazing. For me, it was very hard to get into the story when you didn't like the Channing Tatum character. Dumb, walks around hunched over like an ape, taken advantage of, etc. Steve Carell played an interesting character, but there was no payoff. I understand that the way he was raised turned him into the man he grew up to be, but his bromance with Channing Tatum felt forced. And then with the ending, there was a billion different things he could have done differently. Based on the true story, I get it, but ... I was underwhelmed.

Movies Remaining On My Watch Immediately List:
American Sniper
Big Eyes
Boyhood
Cake
Dumb And Dumber To
Inherent Vice
Selma
The Hobbit 3
The Gambler
The Imitation Game
The Theory Of Everything
Unbroken

[Still Servant]

Just caught Birdman on the weekend. I was really disappointed. From all I read I expected "more"... something "different"?? Not sure but fought through it. Selma... was amazing on the other hand!

Take cover bro lol.

I know... everyone here LOVED it. I think that was why I didn't love it so much. My expectations were over the top... too high. It ultimately led me down a small path of disappointment.

Understandable. This happens from time to time I noticed. I think we here are sometimes victims of our own hype machine driven by our passion for film. It happens.




Into The Woods: 2 out of 5.

Yuck. The music was plain and non-memorable, the intersecting stories (Little Red Riding Hood, Cinderella, Rapunzel, Jack and the Beanstalk, the Baker's Wife) have been done to hell with very little changing from the stories we know so well. Johnny Depp was in the movie for literally less than five minutes, yet had one of the top billings. The Baker's Wife making out the Prince was a complete departure for the character. "Agony" with the two Prince brothers was probably my favorite song. Just ... a blah movie.

Really? I thought Emily Blunt's character stole the film. The makeout scene was one of the funniest scenes in the film. She wasn't into it at first though. It was trying to show how smitten woman can become with the cliched prince. Chris Pine in general was fantastic in this film. Also, that's kind of a big spoiler.

[Shannon]

Re: Into The Woods. Everything was so blah there were no standouts for me. And something I forgot to mention, as a father, I found the whole "leaving the baby with the princess" scene absolutely ridiculous. So again, another character completely ruined in a movie full of ruined characters.

[Still Servant]

I didn't mean for you to go back and put spoiler tags on all your reviews. The reviews were great. The only part I was talking about is when you mention Emily Blunt's character dying.

Some people might be interested in seeing it and I didn't want them to read that and be spoiled. That's all.

[Shannon]

I normally spoilerize everything, but since I was doing multiple thoughts (not really reviews, no time, lol) I figured a SPOILERS ABOUND tag at the top would be best. But then I thought about it again and --as someone who HATES HATES HATES any sort of spoilers-- spoilerized everything. No biggie, better safe than sorry.

Boyhood now. After all the hype and awards, if this isn't the best movie I've ever seen, I'm going to be disappointed. Fingers crossed, see you in three hours.

[Shannon]

Boyhood: 4 out of 5.

A very enjoyable film. Nothing too special, nothing complicated, just a glimpse into a boy's childhood and the things that mold him into the man he grows up to be. Wonderful characters, likeable characters --especially the mother and father, who always put their children first (well, the Ethan Hawke character discovers fatherhood a little later, but once he gets it, he gets it.)--, and the gimmick, while gimmicky, is great. We see a boy turn into an man within three hours. Heartbreak, finding yourself, great parenting, mistakes, love, hard choices, it's all here. It could have been a little little little bit shorter, but it honestly didn't feel like three hours. So, all in all, very enjoyable. It's no Whiplash, but it's definitely my second favorite movie of the awards batch so far. Next is ... The Theory of Everything.

[fernandito]

Inherent Vice - 8/10

There is a profoundly sentimental quote by Hunter S. Thompson in his work, Fear and Loathing in Las Vegas, which bares a great deal of relevancy to Inherent Vice. It goes:


San Francisco in the middle sixties was a very special time and place to be a part of. Maybe it meant something. Maybe not, in the long run... but no explanation, no mix of words or music or memories can touch that sense of knowing that you were there and alive in that corner of time and the world. Whatever it meant...

If we moved the time frame up by a decade, and replace San Francisco with the fictional SoCal town of Gordita Beach, you'd get a strong sense of the the nostalgia which prevails the film, a longing for times gone by. Thomas Pynchon, author of Inherent Vice, was a prominent lover of all things 'low culture' and Anderson extracted and focused on those elements, choosing to structure (I use this word loosely) this noir film around them.

And indeed, no combination of words or thoughts can fully capture the kaleidoscopic essence of IV. The film is less concerned with forming a cohesive tale than it is in immersing the audience into a recreation of Southern California toward the tail end of the 70's. Some, like myself, will praise Anderson's latest offering as a bold, confident, and entertaining romp. Others might lambast it for its messy, unfocused story. Neither would be wrong.

Our avatar in this hazy, psychedelic, lethargic noir tale is P.I Larry "Doc" Sportello (a brilliantly-nuanced Joaquin Phoenix). During the opening sequence, while Larry is in the midst of a mellow high, he is visited by his former girlfriend whom he clearly still harbors an infatuation for. She comes to him not as a lover in wanting, but as a client whom requires his services; foil a nefarious plot to keep her real estate mogul boyfriend out of the 'nuthouse', a plot being orchestrated by the millionaire's wife and her lover.

This impromptu solicitation sets off a chain of hilarious events in which Doc scours the city in an attempt to untangle the cobwebs of a sprawling conspiracy which includes the ire of a powerful, clandestine heroin cartel, and reaches as high as the CIA and the United States Government. Or does it? The feeling of disorientation and turmoil is exacerbated by Doc's strong affinity for drugs. He spends a significant portion of the film under the influence, and it's up to the viewer to determine which events are more than what they seem, and which scenes contain menacing vibrations solely because of Doc's state of mind. During his investigation, Doc comes into contact with an array of eccentric characters, none more so than Josh Brolin's stoic, straight laced LAPD Detective Christian "Bigfoot" Bjornsen. His motivation for seeing to the investigation personally (perhaps too personally) is initially kept under wraps. Fittingly, the film's best and funniest moments are whenever these two diametrically opposed characters share the screen; Doc's grungy, unkempt aesthetic a stark contrast to Bigfoot's clean, shaven, perfectly combed-flattop demeanor.

One source of frustration I will wholly sympathize with is the maddening amount of mumbling throughout the film. I understand that it's an integral part of Doc's DNA, but at times I literally leaned forward in my seat to maximize the chances of me hearing everything that was said. I wish Anderson had put a tighter leash on that.

Inherent Vice is definitely a rare breed of monster. It jettisons conventional story telling with a clear beginning, middle, and end - and instead chooses the events as interpreted by Doc's paranoid mind as the fulcrum on which the film rotates. Criticisms on the film not reaching a clear, tidy resolution will not be unfounded in the slightest, but then again this isn't what the film was aiming for. A very challenging watch, to be sure.. but with the right state of mind (har,har) this zesty, infectious film might be just what the doctor ordered.

[Mattrick]

I think hell is frozen over, me and Shannon have the same #1 and #2 films of the year lol. Our tastes are pretty different too. Just shows how good those movies are. Nice picks Shannon.

[Shannon]

I still have a lot to go, who knows, Dumb and Dumber To might top Whiplash.

Har har har.

[Mattrick]

I still have a lot to go, who knows, Dumb and Dumber To might top Whiplash.

Har har har.

http://www.lionspire.com/wp-content/uploads/2014/08/50246-soooo-youre-telling-me-theres-P7Ga.jpeg

[Still Servant]

Inherent Vice - 8/10

There is a profoundly sentimental quote by Hunter S. Thompson in his work, Fear and Loathing in Las Vegas, which bares a great deal of relevancy to Inherent Vice. It goes:


San Francisco in the middle sixties was a very special time and place to be a part of. Maybe it meant something. Maybe not, in the long run... but no explanation, no mix of words or music or memories can touch that sense of knowing that you were there and alive in that corner of time and the world. Whatever it meant...

If we moved the time frame up by a decade, and replace San Francisco with the fictional SoCal town of Gordita Beach, you'd get a strong sense of the the nostalgia which prevails the film, a longing for times gone by. Thomas Pynchon, author of Inherent Vice, was a prominent lover of all things 'low culture' and Anderson extracted and focused on those elements, choosing to structure (I use this word loosely) this noir film around them.

And indeed, no combination of words or thoughts can fully capture the kaleidoscopic essence of IV. The film is less concerned with forming a cohesive tale than it is in immersing the audience into a recreation of Southern California toward the tail end of the 70's. Some, like myself, will praise Anderson's latest offering as a bold, confident, and entertaining romp. Others might lambast it for its messy, unfocused story. Neither would be wrong.

Our avatar in this hazy, psychedelic, lethargic noir tale is P.I Larry "Doc" Sportello (a brilliantly-nuanced Joaquin Phoenix). During the opening sequence, while Larry is in the midst of a mellow high, he is visited by his former girlfriend whom he clearly still harbors an infatuation for. She comes to him not as a lover in wanting, but as a client whom requires his services; foil a nefarious plot to keep her real estate mogul boyfriend out of the 'nuthouse', a plot being orchestrated by the millionaire's wife and her lover.

This impromptu solicitation sets off a chain of hilarious events in which Doc scours the city in an attempt to untangle the cobwebs of a sprawling conspiracy which includes the ire of a powerful, clandestine heroin cartel, and reaches as high as the CIA and the United States Government. Or does it? The feeling of disorientation and turmoil is exacerbated by Doc's strong affinity for drugs. He spends a significant portion of the film under the influence, and it's up to the viewer to determine which events are more than what they seem, and which scenes contain menacing vibrations solely because of Doc's state of mind. During his investigation, Doc comes into contact with an array of eccentric characters, none more so than Josh Brolin's stoic, straight laced LAPD Detective Christian "Bigfoot" Bjornsen. His motivation for seeing to the investigation personally (perhaps too personally) is initially kept under wraps. Fittingly, the film's best and funniest moments are whenever these two diametrically opposed characters share the screen; Doc's grungy, unkempt aesthetic a stark contrast to Bigfoot's clean, shaven, perfectly combed-flattop demeanor.

One source of frustration I will wholly sympathize with is the maddening amount of mumbling throughout the film. I understand that it's an integral part of Doc's DNA, but at times I literally leaned forward in my seat to maximize the chances of me hearing everything that was said. I wish Anderson had put a tighter leash on that.

Inherent Vice is definitely a rare breed of monster. It jettisons conventional story telling with a clear beginning, middle, and end - and instead chooses the events as interpreted by Doc's paranoid mind as the fulcrum on which the film rotates. Criticisms on the film not reaching a clear, tidy resolution will not be unfounded in the slightest, but then again this isn't what the film was aiming for. A very challenging watch, to be sure.. but with the right state of mind (har,har) this zesty, infectious film might be just what the doctor ordered.

Fantastic review, Fernando! You answered some of my questions/concerns I had with the film. I've been interested in seeing it for a while, but after reading your review I think I have found the correct mindset to watch the film in, assuming it ever opens near me. I loved your ending by the way.

Let me ask you one question though. I've only seen Fear and Loathing in Las Vegas once and I still haven't been able to get through it. My question is, if I'm not that into Fear and Loathing, will I hate Vice, or are the two films a bad comparison?

[Mattrick]

I think Fear and Loathing is maybe the most overrated film of all time. It had it's moments but yeah. I could make a joke like 'whoever liked it must have been on drugs' but I have watched it before on LSD.

[Shannon]

Dumb And Dumber To: 2 out of 5.

Not. Funny.

[webstar1000]

Dumb And Dumber To: 2 out of 5.

Not. Funny.

Totally agree. The first will remain a classic. This... forgotten.

[fernandito]

Let me ask you one question though. I've only seen Fear and Loathing in Las Vegas once and I still haven't been able to get through it. My question is, if I'm not that into Fear and Loathing, will I hate Vice, or are the two films a bad comparison?

They're two very different films. Was it the absurd, surrealism of Fear and Loathing that turned you off to it? There aren't any talking dinosaurs or dancing demons in Vice, if that's what you mean lol.

The humor here comes from the bizarre situations Doc finds himself in and how he reacts to them.


I think Fear and Loathing is maybe the most overrated film of all time. It had it's moments but yeah. I could make a joke like 'whoever liked it must have been on drugs' but I have watched it before on LSD.

Overrated by whom, exactly? It has pretty poor scores on several aggregate websites.

[Heather19]

Thanks for the review Feev! I think maybe you're right, maybe I was trying to make too much sense where I shouldn't have? If I take it as is, it is a lot better. But I do wish there was a more complete story. I still feel like I'm missing something with the Shasta storyline, but maybe that's me trying to pull everything together somehow. I think this is definitely a movie you need to see more than once. I tried to talk to Matt about it after we left the theater, but he couldn't answer any of my questions, he loved it but just said that he needed to see it again to understand it :lol:

[Mattrick]

Overrated by whom, exactly? It has pretty poor scores on several aggregate websites.

People who think it's amazing. Mostly druggies.

[Still Servant]

Let me ask you one question though. I've only seen Fear and Loathing in Las Vegas once and I still haven't been able to get through it. My question is, if I'm not that into Fear and Loathing, will I hate Vice, or are the two films a bad comparison?

They're two very different films. Was it the absurd, surrealism of Fear and Loathing that turned you off to it? There aren't any talking dinosaurs or dancing demons in Vice, if that's what you mean lol.

The humor here comes from the bizarre situations Doc finds himself in and how he reacts to them.


I think Fear and Loathing is maybe the most overrated film of all time. It had it's moments but yeah. I could make a joke like 'whoever liked it must have been on drugs' but I have watched it before on LSD.

Overrated by whom, exactly? It has pretty poor scores on several aggregate websites.

Honestly, I'm not really sure what turned me off to Fear and Loathing. I don't think it was anything in particular. I've been meaning to go back and watch it, but it just hasn't happened. I just kind of putter out every time. From your review, Vice seems like it's a twisty story, but more accessible than Fear & Loathing.

I think what Matt means by overrated is that the film has become a huge cult hit with the posters hanging in more than a few dorms.

[Still Servant]

Taken 3 - 4.0/10

First, let me address the fact that I may come off as a hypocrite because I went to see Taken 3 in theaters. I'm always ranting about what's wrong with Hollywood and films like Taken 3 are the poster child. Just hear me out. I love action movies, always have. I'm also a little OCD about these things. I've seen the other films, so I need to see this one. Sure, I could have waited for a rental, but the reason I saw this in theaters is two fold. First, I spent 5 bucks to see this film so you don't have to. Second, and this is the main reason I saw it in theaters, my Dad wanted to see it. He doesn't go to the movies a lot, and when he does, he prefers to see action films. It's as simple as that.

What follows is not a review. This is a list of everything wrong with Taken 3. Think of it as my version of venting. I've seen a lot of great films recently, so when I see a stinker it really stands out. I also get oddly offended when I see a film that's so poorly made. People get paid money to write, produce and direct this shit. I'm oddly jealous because I believe all of us here could do a better job if given the opportunity. Anyway, keep in mind that I'm not one of those people that will nitpick a film to death. I can suspend belief with the best of them, especially when it comes to an action flick, but sometimes it just gets to be too much:

1: The biggest offense in Taken 3 is the editing. It's a mess. The fast edits in Taken 3 are meant to amp up a scene and create action where there is none. It's there to cover up bad choreography or a poorly shot and plotted action sequence. It's not a stylistic choice. Seriously, this film has more cuts than the hands of a paper factory worker.

2. At one point in the film Liam Neeson is on the run and needs to get in contact with his daughter. In a hit-you-over-the-head-with-a-frying-pan moment early in the film, we are told that Mills' daughter has a very rigid daily routine that includes buying the 4th yogurt drink in the fridge at a convenience store. When his daughter grabs the drink she notices a note that says "drink me now." Mills has now poisoned his daughter so she will be nauseous during class and have to use the bathroom, where he can then have a chat with her. All he had to do was put a note on the drink saying, "meet me in the bathroom at school at this time." Also, it would only take one person to buy the same drink and now that 4th drink is now in the 3rd spot.

3. As we know from watching the trailer, Mills' ex-wife is killed and the cops think he did it. Mills buys a bag of bagels from around the corner and goes home to find his ex-wife dead in his bed. Shortly after, the cops have him at gun point. Instead of giving himself up and explaining to the cops why he didn't do this crime, he beats them up and goes on the run. All he had to do was tell them to go around the corner and talk to the bagel girl, who would be able to tell the cops that she just saw this man a few minutes ago. What murderer in their right mind would kill their wife, go buy a bag of bagels and then go home to the scene of the crime to leisurely eat them over a cup of coffee? Not to mention the fact that Mills just blew up half of Turkey in order to save his ex-wife in Taken 2. What reason would he have to kill her now?

4. While running from the cops, Mills enters a random house that just so happens to have a trap door in the floor of the garage that leads to a sewer. Side note: A man accused of killing his wife, running from the cops escapes through a sewer. Sounds familiar? *cough* Fugitive *cough*

5. Mills somehow finds not one but two of the last remaining payphones in L.A.

6. Mills heads to a gas station and checks the surveillance footage that clearly shows his ex-wife getting abducted. While watching the footage, he's held at gunpoint by two cops. Instead of pleading with them to look at the footage, Mills says nothing. Shockingly, he doesn't even fight them off like he did at his house. He's captured willingly...

7. ...only to free himself while in the back of a squad car on the highway. He ejects one cop from the car and strangles the driver, creating a massive car accident involving multiple cars including a truck carrying a storage container, risking multiple innocent lives.

8. Mills is now in control of the cop car and being chased at high speeds by every cop in the city. In order to avoid their grasp, he drives into a parking garage and makes his way to the top of the garage, because that makes perfect sense when trying to evade the cops. Anyway, trapped like a mouse in a crazy cat ladies house, Mills has no choice but to throw it into reverse and hurl himself down the elevator shaft. The car plummets down the shaft and crashes in a heap at the bottom and immediately is engulfed in flames. 1.6 seconds later we see an arm emerge from the window. 2.4 seconds after that we see Mills on a rooftop somewhere. Who needs to see how our hero narrowly cheated death? Who needs suspense as our hero's life hangs in the balance? It's not like this is an action film or something.

9. A paranoid former CIA operative who has made numerous enemies doesn't lock his front door.

10. His daughter, who has been kidnapped more times than any character in the history of film, doesn't think about asking "who's there" when there is a knock upon her door, nor does she think about looking in the peephole.

11. When Mills, whose ex-wife's throat was slit, visits the morgue, we see that the freshly slit throat looks to be nothing more than a healed scar. Seriously, a first year film school makeup artist could do a better job.

12. Highly trained Spetnatz soldiers can't hit the broad side of a barn while shooting at a man less than 10 feet away.

13. At the end of the film, in a scene that was also shown in the trailer by the way, Mills' daughter is being held hostage in a plane that is taking off. Mills decides that the best way to rescue her is to just drive his car into the landing gear. Don't worry about the fact that if the plane was able to take off there would be no way for the plane with your daughter on it to land without crashing in a ball of fire.

14. Forest Whitaker is playing the exact same character he played in The Last Stand.

15. Mills has finally eluded the cops and is making his way down the road. The cops can't find Mills, but Rusian mobsters seem to have no problem with such things and proceed to force him off a cliff, where Mills survives his second exploding car. Later in the film via flashback, we actually see how Mills escapes. What a novel idea. Despite being in another car accident, Mills isn't shaken and has no signs of injury. He flags down a car and asks the driver if he can borrow it. He then travels a few miles down the road where, lo and behold, he finds the Russian mobsters who just forced him off the road at a liquor store. What proceeds is one of the worst fight scenes I've seen in years. It's poorly executed, poorly shot, poorly edited and overall poor. This can pretty much also sum up the entire film.

I'm sure I have more, but I'd have to watch the film again to remember them all and that's not gonna happen.

[Mattrick]

Sounds like all the problems of the first film (which really, he just throat chops people over and over...wear a goalie mask with a neck protector and Mills can't kill you) with action cranked up to 12.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EoKGNch3Uto

[Still Servant]

Sounds like all the problems of the first film (which really, he just throat chops people over and over...wear a goalie mask with a neck protector and Mills can't kill you) with action cranked up to 12.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EoKGNch3Uto

Comparing this one to the first film is like comparing The Ten Commandments to Step Up. The first film is conventional, but it was at least directed well and shot well. The action and the fights scenes were spot on. You can't say that about this one.

The other thing that I left out and I'm ashamed with myself, is the fact that it's the softest action film you will ever see. The other films were PG13 too, but this feels even more tame. There's not an ounce of blood anywhere in the entire film. You will see more blood and guts on NCIS, which airs on a Network at 8 pm.

[fernandito]

The only good thing to come out of the Taken franchise is the "I will find you" quote lol.

[webstar1000]

The only good thing to come out of the Taken franchise is the "I will find you" quote lol.

Oh I LOVED the first one. I thought it was a great action movie. The others... meh...

[Mattrick]

The only good thing to come out of the Taken franchise is the "I will find you" quote lol.

Correction: This is the only good thing to come out of the Taken franchise

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=b9wfJO58OLU

[Still Servant]

The only good thing to come out of the Taken franchise is the "I will find you" quote lol.

Oh I LOVED the first one. I thought it was a great action movie. The others... meh...

Yeah, the first film is a top notch action film. Nothing genre shattering, but quality action. Besson let the series go when he handed it to Megaton. The guy couldn't direct traffic in a small Texas town.

[webstar1000]

Watched the Judge last night with Downey. You know I really like him... I really liked the movie. It was not Oscar material but a really nice way to spend a couple hours. I found the ending to be a very different ending than the norm thus making it very enjoyable. Love when Hollywood breaks away from what they think the "masses" want. 4 out of 5 for me!

[thegunslinger41]

BOYHOOD I give it a 5 out of 5 Stars...or a 98%+ rottentomato score.

G

[mae]

I really loved it too. Those who just focus on the "gimmick" are missing the poignant story.