Ides of March - 2011 - Dir. Clooney

I remember being somewhat excited by the idea of this movie. Clooney runnin' for President. Gosling also doing something in the movie. The trailer hinted vaguely but repeatedly the usual dirty politic cliches. Despite being excited about a Clooney dirty politics movie, I was pretty sure the movie was going to be bland. Although... I don't think I expected the movie to be as bland as it was. The movie is pretty by the books despite having some neat ideas about the nature of a political campaign. The dehumanization of the candidate and projections put upon them by their campaign staff was an interesting suggestion but pretty underdeveloped so I don't imagine they cared to follow up on it. Strangely, I think I had some issues with Gosling, who I usually really like. His lack of warmth throughout the film makes it feel like we're just hitting the same note again and again. And since his character never seems like that great a dude, his "trial" in the film seems... uninteresting. And since the movie aims for a understated feel, resisting cinematically heightening events, there's a kind of reek of Unremarkableness throughout. It never gets the blood pumping, ya know? It feels like such a waste of talent considering the sweet cast they got. Everyone feels a little underused. Nah... Not feeling it.

That poster of Clooney is so goofy!

Moneyball - 2011 - Dir. Miller

I read the script shortly after seeing the movie and I have to admit to liking the script a bit more than the movie OR the script reminded me of things in the movie I liked. So what I'm trying to say is that I feel unsure as to what my opinion of the film is. You know... I liked it. I was thoroughly entertained. I was interested. A fine time. But I suppose it didn't have that little extra oomph that I needed to really get excited about it. Maybe it's because I'm not a huge baseball fan. Or you know... I don't get into it. The movie certainly does a great job of getting me to care about baseball. Or at least, being interested in baseball. And Brad Pitt does a pretty great job. It's a good role for him, because you don't really need to like him, but you kind have to want him to win. And you do... because he is just kind of thoroughly shit on. And watching him throw all different kinds of stuff is delightful. But I think... a lot of that Brad Pitt business is hindsight. While I watching the movie, I dug Jonah Hill. He was just charming enough and a good counter balance to Pitt's bombastic bouts. So you know... I wasn't crazy about the movie... but I would definitely watch it again. And probably like it more the second time around.

Hoffman giving it 110%

Patton - 1970 - Dir. Shaffner

I have to admit to not remembering very much about this movie as I write it. There's war in it. And Patton whips a rag tag army into shape... but he's a thorn in the governments side because he's mean and plays by his own rules. He's good at tanks. Germans lose. I dunno. I suppose, George C. Scott is real good in it. I think I ended up being fonder of Karl Malden though. I JUST WANTED TO SQUEEZE HIM!! I remember feeling like the movie was sort of challenging and really conventional at the same time. And kind of too bland to feel like I wanted to be challenged by it. I suppose I do like the idea of Patton's drive being to take part in the war. That in some way it is his destiny... It's an interesting aspect but I feel like the movie doesn't go much further with it. It seems much more interested having Patton come to grips with the higher ups and the bureaucracy of the war. Which, I suppose, IS more cinematic. I dunno. I just wasn't spurred by the film. The washed-out photography didn't help win me over either. Definitely feels like a Coppola script with all the wise-ass remarks. I dunno, I guess I'm not surprised at it being an American Classic...

Duuuuuuhhhhhhhhh...

Jack Goes Boating - 2010 - Dir. Hoffman

EH. You know... I dunno... I like Philip Seymour Hoffman and all. And I was curious to see what kind of movie he would make. But it kind of looked like a bummer from the trailer and not the kind of bummer I like! So I passed. It slipped into a "About to Get Taken Off Netflix Instant" viewing party. You know, probably my favorite thing about this movie is John Ortiz. He's real great! He's kind of the life of the movie too... It's a shame his whole arc with Rubin-Vega feels shoved aside for Hoffman and Ryan and Grizzly Bear montages. Or I dunno. Maybe that's all they could get out of the relationship. I dunno... I feel like maybe that's what this movie feels like... like they're trying to squeeze the most out of these characters and coming up and little short and left with little that feels inspired or interesting. I do like the visualization sequences, actually, those're pretty badass. I dunno, it doesn't feel Hoffman doesn't do poorly his first time out as director. And I have to admit to being a little bugged by all the Pitchfork indie rock music in it. I guess, it's okay... it's just so PRESENT. And I actually really like the music in the movie. It made me feel like I'd just rather listen to it on my own and go for a two hour walk or something.

Joat Goes Backing.

A Zed and Two Noughts - 1985 - Dir. Greenaway

This movie blew the shit out of me! I had no shit in me for days after seeing this movie! No, I loved this movie. I'd never seen any Greenaway but heard of him an awful lot. I think netflix recommended the movie after I watched... I dunno... something weird with twins maybe. And I was all, hell, why not!? And then let the DVD sit around collecting dust. When I eventually, popped it in. Even from the opening credits sequence, I knew I was going to be in for a treat. So... in case anyone was wondering, this movie could probably be considered pretty pretentious, I suppose. Self-indulgent. Maybe doing too many things at once. There's all kinds of things you can complain about. But if you are me... It's fine. It talks about death and decay and amputees and art. And Car Crashes! It's lit beautifully. HELL, the whole fucking movie is beautiful. It's weird as hell. The acting is really restrained. Themes and motifs criss-cross and leap around the screen. There is so much going on! I most certainly plan to watch the movie several times. And the score is AWESOME! The first thing to stand out is the Time Lapse decay music, which is ridiculous. Oh man, and I got a kick out of the time lapse stuff. AUUUGHG!! The lighting is so crazy in this movie! Visually, the whole movie felt very theatrical. I just liked this thing so damn much.

Heaven is Men's Legs covered in Snails.

Trees Lounge - 1996 - Dir. Buscemi

Man... This movie. I dunno. First off, it bummed me out and not really in a way that felt good. Like... thinking about the ending just depresses the hell out of me. It's not like overly sad or anything, but it's just like... Man... C'mon, Steve... So you know... It's put together well. Which makes it especially impressive that Buscemi directed and wrote it. That guy is so good at doing all different kinds of things! That being said... Despite my admission that the film provoked an emotional reaction, I can't say I was a huge fan. I think partially I never really jibed with mid-ninties american indie dramas or what have you. I get kinda bored. And a lot of the time I think they're goofy. I dunno... Anthony LaPaglia as a mechanic and he's always arguing with Buscemi... it just seems silly to me. It doesn't really bring anything new to the table. It just does it's job really damn well. Chloe Sevigny is pretty great in it, though. But I think she's pretty great in a lot of things. Actually, the cast has a bunch of neat people in it! So that's a cool thing. So I can't exactly say I would want to watch it again, but I'd definitely recommend it to anyone who's all into 90's indies and whatnot. Or if you want to watch Steve Buscemi be real sad. And then creepy. OH MAN! And that Barfly pictured below... that fucking guy...

:(

Odd Man Out - 1947 - Dir. Reed

I'm at the point where I'll watch a Carol Reed movie just because it's a Carol Reed movie. I've yet to see one that didn't get my brains going or at least one that wasn't filled with just a ton of cool ideas about storytelling. Odd Man Out was no exception. At first, I think I struggled with it a little bit. It didn't seem all that interesting and had a strange tone. And it changes locations a lot, adding and taking away characters as it pleased. I was all... what's this movie about? But eventually, everything fell into place. Maybe this is a bit of wacky comparison, but it's a lot like an early Guy Ritchie movie. A lot of characters, plotlines, and goings ons. All of which based around James Mason being on the run. It's a deeper, of course, and less flashy. It's very concerned with ideas of... well, Ideas. Everyone has an belief of where James Mason needs to be and why he is important. So all of the shifting characters and focuses make the film feel sort of uneven and unfocused. But as the film ended, I found it incredibly satisfying. I felt like I had seem something new and different. Which is how I've felt with all of his film. And I just think that it is damn cool to feel that way about a movie that was made more than half a century ago. And also with such a heady basis, it's nice that the film also has a nice light-hearted streak. It makes room for some silliness amongst the ideals, especially with all of the vagabonds that are introduced.

Looks like the Odd Man Out is gettin' it ON!

The Devils - 1971 - Dir. Russell

I saw it once in college and thought it seemed neat. I hadn't seem any of Ken Russell's stuff so I didn't really know what I was in for. A little slow and sometimes hard to follow. I left just feeling pretty confused but I really enjoyed the oddities that appeared throughout. But the film always sort of stuck with me. This time around, I stumbled upon the movie and threw it on to see if it still appealed to me. But this time around, I was completely blown away. This movie is so bonkers. So delightfully nuts all the while covering a serious topic still pertinent to this day. Sure, the dialogue might be a little rough to follow at times, but it felt worth it. And I like that the movie has a kind of expansive dialogue. It contrasts so well with the silliness of what is often going on visually. Vanessa Redgrave's performance is absolutely one of the best parts. I feel like the movie has the feeling of Trauma that has a tendency to win me over. Everything is so vivid, emotional, and violent. The film's strangeness is persistent but managed so well that it never changes the tone. We aren't pulled out of the universe of the film. I dunno, I just get damn kick out of the film. It's got all the elements I want and I feel like there's still stuff about the movie that makes me want to rewatch it. And it's not so burdensome that I would ACTUALLY be excited to see it again.

Nun In Thought

Shame - 2011 - Dir. McQueen

I had a pretty good idea of what I was going to get when going into Shame. And I was pleased that I got what I wanted. Just a mostly quiet, character driven piece. Not a lot of fire works. Not even a lot of out right conflict when you get right down to it. It ends up being quieter plot-wise than I even expected. There's no nasty reveals. There's suggestions that nasty reveals are to be had though. Even, to be honest, there's not a lot that's shocking about the film. We're just quietly sinking with our hero. The movie is absolutely beautiful. There are some just... incredible shots. But I suppose that's the thing with McQueen. It saves us from sneaking into melodrama at times (If I see one more movie in theaters with a man shedding a single tear, I will shed THREE tears). If I had to throw a weakness out there was the Dude Dialogue. It sounded... part insulting, part tongue-in-cheek, and then just part white noise. Like we were just supposed to ignore it, but... there's not A LOT of dialogue in the script. And I think a good chunk of it was supposed to be white noise. But some of it is done so well, like the flirtatious dialogue. His sister and his boss. Granted, I'm not someone who should judge what men like that sound like when they are together, but it rang false to my ears. All that bitchin' is for a pretty minor part of the story. We spend most of the time with Fassbender, alone. Which is awesome for a script about sex addiction. Also, lemme just say that as a man who no longer lives in the NYC area, this movie made me homesick. WHAT DOES THAT SAY ABOUT ME!? Oh wait... I thought Carey Mulligan was excellent in this. Fassbender was good. Hell, he's carrying the whole movie on his back. But I do feel like Mulligan had a trickier role in this and she just does a great job.

Shame: A Great time to Have in the Big Apple!

The Constant Gardener - 2005 - Dir. Meirelles

I had always kept this film in mind. Knowing it made a big splash when it came out but I never really knew anything about it and never pursued viewing it in anyway. After seeing Tinker Tailor, I figured "Hell! Might as well see some other adaptations!" Obviously, they are pretty different. In fact, Constant Gardener is not your usual spy flick. It's a lot more of a... romance? Or Drama? Set in a world of espionage and Big Pharma with a Kenyan backdrop. The mystery and conflict arises more through the relationship between Fiennes and Weisz. Confusing? Well, it's got a few different faces. Thankfully, they are work together pretty well. In fact, pretty damn seamlessly now that I think about. You'd think it'd be wwwwaaaaayyyy more confusing and fractured than it is. Perhaps because Fiennes and Weisz provide such a sturdy emotional backbone for the film and the tone maintains itself throughout. Even as Fiennes is fleeing Raiders, we don't feel like we've suddenly been jerked into action movie territory. So yeah, it's an engaging enough and well made picture. It didn't exactly blow my socks off, but I got involved and liked it enough that I didn't feel cynical about the dream-y close-ups and occasional overly-ponderous moments.

Hey now, Pete! Button up!

The Descendants - 2011 - Dir. Payne

I'm a big fan of Payne but I always end up at his movies somewhat begrudgingly. I don't know why. So I begrudgingly made my way to the theater preparing to see what would be a really well made movie with thought behind it and everything. And it was! And you know what, it's not nearly as much of a bummer as it looks like it's going to be. I mean, a movie about a guy reconnecting with this daughters after the wife/mother is dying in a coma? That could've been... a hell of a time. Payne's know-how and Clooney's stupid ass running around keeps "hell" at bay. Clooney has really mastered looking goofy while sneaking/running and he's in full force in this movie. He's at he usual Clooney awesomeness, of course. Woodley plays the teenager daughter like an expert. She's clearly a source of friction but she's not a brick wall. Her character relents has tangible weaknesses, we can access her, which I feel like infrequently happens in these types of movies. It's a really well-paced movie, especially for Payne. I was pulled in and stayed in for the entire movie. The Hawaii locale makes for nice eye candy. I especially liked the plotline involving Clooney's cousins and thought it had a lot of impact in the film. It also allows us to see that sheriff from Twin Peaks with a goofy ass tan. Oh wait!? And can I say that Matthew Lillard was awesome in this? I can and will!

:(

Lenny - 1974 - Dir. Fosse

I wasn't sure I was going to enjoy this movie basically because I never gave much of an "eff" about Lenny Bruce. Understanding that he was an important early foul-mouthed comedian. He never really struck me as all that funny. The film gives me a little spanking for that. Much of the film follows Lenny's obscenity trials and I suppose I'm someone who has a good time watching some musings on our first amendment rights so I had a pretty good time with the movie. No, you know what? I really liked this movie. I got into it. It also helped not having any idea what happened to the man so the movie had nothing but surprises. It's filmed in the usual Fosse manner of having character interviews interspersed between sequences. Some of the party sequences are just awesomely assembled and are probably some of my favorites in recent memory. Hoffman makes for a great Bruce. He has a ton manic energy as very subtly shifts into out of control Lenny. It's fun to see it early on, where he's just brimming with the stuff and has no outlet. If I had to nitpick, the whole arch revolving around the Wife sometimes feels a little artificial. She's so unimportant in the second act that her role in the third sometimes seems a little unwarranted. But hey, I suppose Biopics have a tendency to do that, don't they!? Anyway, a fine film. A fine film, indeed!

Bruce struggles with the Solo Pull My Finger gag...

The Castle - 1997 - Dir. Haneke

I think this was being taken off Netflix so I popped it on. I like Haneke. He seems to enjoy making movies with neat hooks but remain interesting throughout. Often challenging. And you know... Kafka's all right, I guess. Haneke's style mesh really well. It's kind of a strange movie to comment upon because, like the book, it ends mid sentence. And it kind of drones on... so without an ending, you feel like you just witnessed a series of pointless events. Or at least... the movie is repetitive. We watch K bang his head against the bureaucracy of in several different forms. Then it ends. We could play the game where watching the movie could mirror K's experience. But I don't feel like playing that game, even though, you know... I wouldn't be surprised by Haneke pulling that. The movie is fun (to me) though. I like watching that kind of conflict a Man against an overly complicated system. Haneke is more subtle than others, the system doesn't visually loom and scream at K. It crawls. We're treated to several walking sequences. Back and forth. Characters shift spasmodically at times. There are plenty of Funny Games alum about which is fun to see (Plenty meaning three). If this sounds like its up your alley, it probably is. It was up mine. I like Haneke can make a hell of a movie, so there!

Am I in Funny Games, right now?

Midnight in the Garden of Good and Evil - 1997 - Dir. Eastwood

I was expecting a murder mystery when I started watching this. It is not a murder mystery. I also didn't realize that it was based on actual events, whatever that might mean. I certainly wasn't expecting anything so... strange. So yeah, clearly, I didn't know anything about what I was getting into. It's a bizarre, uneven film. It seems that Eastwood either didn't know what he wanted to do with the film or he knew but couldn't pull it all together. The film leaps between Courtroom Drama and quirky southern character pieces. The Courtroom aspect bothered me quite a bit. It felt completely dramatic. Perhaps it's the mix of both Spacey and Cusack. Spacey's Southern Gentlemen seems to smile through the charges, as does his lawyer. While Cusack seems to remain distant from the entire procedure. Clearly he's rooting for Williams, but always seems to want to avoid being too involved. So, there never feels like too much is driving the story forward. A by-product of the film's attempt to re-create the feeling of the South? Maybe. The problem is that the "feeling" isn't much more interesting. Characters are lightly quirky, but never deep. He get mere sketches of these people so their existence is simply factual and helps color the film, but it doesn't save it from it's lull. Irma P. Hall ends up being the most interesting by far. Or maybe it's just my love of Voodoo ladies. Geoffrey Lewis' role is bizarre. Easily the strangest of the cast of characters, it goes really nowhere. And the "Fly" effects are pretty terrible. They were so bad that I thought maybe it was on purpose when we first see them. It's well-acted and strangely well-paced. For a two-and-a-half hour long movie as problematic, I'd expect this to drag a lot more. It's pretty interesting in the sense of I felt like I was trying to sort the movie out the whole way through, but by the end, realizing there was nothing to sort, I felt let down... and crabby.

It's a JAR, Cusack! You ain't never seen one of these before?

Take Shelter - 2011 - Dir. Nichols

This is a real movie. Not real in a stupid way... but like... It's a great movie. It definitely didn't blow me away. In fact, leaving the theater, I could best be described as being a little disappointed. Perhaps because the film respected me... and didn't do what I figured it would. The majority of this lies in where the majority of the conflict takes place. Rather than it being something where Shannon is trying to solve a puzzle, accomplish a set goal, or find what is giving him nightmares. It's about him living with his nightmares. With his anxieties. And the struggle that comes from making that choice. Shannon is perfect as the struggling husband. I've only seen him in off-kilter roles but to see him playing an ordinary fellah. It really showed his range. He's convincing as all hell and rarely distancing. Chastain is at her best as well. All of a sudden she's popped up, taking very different roles and doing a great job with each. I expected the film to be a well-made thriller rather than a well-made drama and I think the movie excels in that regard. It will probably not satisfy the thrill seekers. And to be honest, when I think about the resolution, it doesn't always feel like it fits. But a really solid drama. There's not a lot of bells and whistles. Enjoyable, tense, and well put together. I may just throw it out there... It feels like a bit of a rarity these days.

Whoa! Hey now! Let's uh... Let's not do that to the girl, okay?

The Verdict - 1982 - Dir. Lumet

Mamet, Newman, and Lumet. Oh, and I guess, Mason too (I just don't know him as well, I'm not trying to knock him or anything). They're all big fucking deals, right? So we already know that we're going to get a certain caliber of work from these fellas. And you know, Verdict is good. I'm not gonna get too excited about it. It didn't exactly feel like a standout picture as far as those involved are concerned. It's your basic courtroom drama. Doesn't really pull many surprises. Paul Newman always makes an excellent drunk. He's just such a nice man! And then we wants to booze it up and be sad! It's always a great thing to watch. I would say, the opening of the movie is pretty awesome though. Just him drinking and playing pinball? It's awesome. Probably what I like most about this is the relationship between Newman and Rampling. Both of whom are excellent and give absolutely nothing away as far as where the relationship is headed. Also, it's just a relationship that quietly hurts by the end, which is cool. It takes up exactly the amount of time it should. And Mason is an appropriately shitty guy. Maybe he's too good, because you want him to get a little more of his comeuppance then he ends up getting. Like you want a pie to hit him in the face during the entire conclusion.

"Jack... I'm trying to do a scene here, ya mind?"

Drive - 2011 - Dir. Refn

A weird, mutant of a film. To some degree, I'm surprised it's gotten the praise it has. It seems like a movie for a certain kind of Idiot. And I'm that kind of Idiot. It's not really one kind of movie... but seems to constantly wish it was a kind of movie. A strange, shifting tone. But perhaps I shouldn't be surprised considering Refn's other work. He seems to love a kind of Ambient hyper violence. The movie is dream-like, unreal. It's 80's soundtrack hums us through the movie. Our unnamed protagonist and his love interest communicate in silent glances. He drives at night, aimless. For a large portion of the movie that is what the movie is. Then tons of violence is heaped onto us. And you know... It's fucking awesome violence. Refn can make a beatin' scene. I'll just throw out the Elevator scene as perhaps the high point in this regard. The violence doesn't even really feel that cathartic because the tension level always feels pretty low. It's a muted b-movie. A well-made B-movie perhaps. Either way. I got a kick out of it. I like the 80's keyboards. I like driving around. I like cute girls and cute relationships. And I like incredible violence. I have no problem with all that stuff jammed together. I'm surprised about the praise... and I wonder if it deserves it. But maybe... everyone wants to see a guy with nothing kick the shit out of assholes.

My name is... Drive.

Star 80 - 1983 - Dir. Fosse

It was recommended and getting taken off of Netflix so I figured I'd best make I way to see Fosse's last film. It's... well, it's not All That Jazz. You can see how they were made by the same fella but Fosse's holding back directing-wise. The real centerpiece of the film is FUCKING Eric Roberts. Who is SO weird and pathetic and threatening all at the same time. I mean, I'm really impressed by how many terrible emotion balls that man juggled in this film. Fosse was clearly interested in his psychology rather than Stratten's, who deftly handles her growing fame. Even Hefner and the Bogdanovich are mild. Robert's Clingy Overwhelmed Boyfriend just goes mad in the light of these characters. This does flatten the scenes he isn't in which are usually just about how to handle Eric Roberts. The fact that we know how it will end and the lack of any other proper drama leads to a pretty slow movie. We want it to move faster than it does. We know where we are headed, we're just along for the ride. The nuances of his decline are interesting, I give you that but not portrayed THAT differently from what is a pretty familiar story. I say, a fan of Fosse, Roberts, or nutcases should follow up. But I'm sure you could find better stories about Stardom, Playboy Bunnies, and even creepy boyfriends (although perhaps the boyfriends won't be as weird of Roberts).

No! NO! NO! YOU WEIRD CREEPY FREAK! >:(

The Paranoids - 2008 - Dir. Medina

For some reason, I was really excited about this, even though the trailer set it up to be a kind of run of the mill, artsy loner type movie. And it is. From the overly ponderous opening shot, which I feel really only has a tenuous connection to the movie. It's the kind of opening shot where I feel like I can hear the director say "Wouldn't it be cool if..." From there we get to explore our Protagonist and how much his life is shit. He's shy, with a crappy job, and he can't do what he loves cause he's screwed up, and he also does too many drugs. It's the usual bag. I think Hendler does a really good job doing that and it's directed well, but it's familiar territory. Throw in an old friend who has become successful and is a complete douchebag, things get slightly more interesting, but not much more. Some familiar story-telling tropes get thrown into the mix. I shook my head when the experienced older fellah started giving advice. It's kind of like an Urban Argentinian Garden State, which has good points and bad points to it. It was never an unenjoyable experience and I certainly didn't feel like the film spoke down to me or insulted my intelligence, but I don't feel like it really pushed or pulled me any one way.

Oh yeah, babe, blur your arms for me some more!

Lars and the Real Girl - 2007 - Dir. Gillespie

I had put off this film for a while, fearing it would be a two hour examination of how pathetic and delusional one man can be. Sort of like an emotional car crash, where you can't turn away from the wreak of a man in front of you. It's actually more like a really nice bus ride with old people. It's charming, slowly paced, and any bawdiness is enveloped by it's charm. Assuming the old people aren't the filthy disgusting type of elderly people. The film rarely gets mean, rarely gets too sentimental. It doesn't really take many risks once you get past the premise. It actually ends up just being a much nicer movie than one might expect. Lars' delusion never gets cringe worthy and is often more about his progress to healing than his illness. Sure... I dunno. I suppose if you're looking for hard drama or... well... anything harder. You won't really get it from Lars. Solid performances from the main cast keep it from feeling to light and fluffy. They play it honestly and rarely cheap. The harder to swallow moments come from the townspeople... who as less developed characters, often highlight the Hallmark Card sentiment line that the film is toeing. It was a pleasantly light surprise, the kind of film that really sets out to do a certain job and does it very well.

Get the hint, Gosling! She's trying to read!