I watched The Medallion recently. I'm convinced that they were trying to make it a shitty film. Why bring in Jackie Chan, who's skills are doing martial arts and real stunts, if [you're going to give him super powers, so he doesn't do martial arts and does poorly done wire stunts]? It doesn't make any sense.
I recently saw the 2003 TV version of The Lion in Winter, which is on Netflix streaming. I can't get over how awesome it was. Glenn Close AND Patrick Stewart in the same movie? Starring as Eleanor of Aquitaine and Henry II, embroiled in emotional and literal warfare within their dysfunctional family? Just great. If you like period pieces, or either of those two actors, don't miss it.
Then there's Lady Jane, an interesting (though idealized) take on the story of Lady Jane Grey, who ruled all of England for only nine days. It was super-enjoyable to see a very young Helena Bonham Carter and Cary Elwes unite in a doomed romance. Also, more Patrick Stewart. Heck yeah.
I just watched Erik the Viking on Netflix streaming. It was... odd.
I mean it was fucking terrible. It was directed by Terry Jones in 1989 and it was like he had these vague recollections of working on funny movies, and, look, there's John Cleese even, but he just couldn't quite remember how it was all supposed to go. Every joke fell totally flat. Every action scene was totally weak. There were these weird anachronistic conversations straight out of the Holy Grail style guide that failed to even conjure a wisp of a smile.
But even so, there was SOMETHING there that I really liked. The whole thing is about the soft spoken and sweetly retarded Erik the viking (played by Tim Robbins), son of a viking chieftain (played, weirdly enough, by Andy Rooney), who is dissatisfied with the viking life of killing and pillaging and raping. He's lost in despair after accidentally killing a girl he tried to save from his rapist co-vikings and so seeks guidance from the wise woman Freya (Eartha Kit, who acts the HELL out it). She tells him that the bleak, violent world he lives is was not always thus; the Gods are asleep and the Fenris wolf has swallowed the sun, casting the earth in perpetual gloom and likewise darkening the hearts of men. She goes on to tell him that the sun can be restored if someone were to brave the mystical unknown of the west to find the Horn Resounding and blow it three times to wake the gods up. Determined to find the horn, and perhaps find absolution for killing the girl he tried to save, he sets out with a pack of dopey warriors to brave the dangers of the unknown and make the world a better place.
There are all these surprisingly deep themes playing in the background:
the blacksmiths and warlords who want to stop Erik from bringing peace and hope back into the world since it will hurt their business,
the Hy-Brasillians who refuse to acknowledge their island is sinking (since its never sunk before and so logically it never could) and just sing until they all drown
the viking gods depicted as callous children who take no responsibility for the people who worship them but still pass judgement on them
an ineffectual Christian missionary who can't see any of mythological viking gods or magic and who's lack of faith ends up saving them from the wrath of the gods.
This movie is a total failure, but it is the noble kind, which IMHO puts it head and shoulders over the hollow successes.
Thor. Very silly, but one of the most enjoyable super hero movies I've seen. I don't watch many though. It actually had a story!
It's probably the best of the superhero movies in terms of "movie" qualities: plot and acting and all that crap.
I thought it was awesome. It probably had the biggest risk factor (A god superhero, unknown lead actor, lots of expensive fantasy stuff) but it had such a great payoff. And I think Loki is probably one of my favorite superhero villains in a movie from what happened.
Wanted to see some Slice of Life movies.
Everything Must Go: Great little movie, the other movie that shows Will Ferrel can truely act. He plays an alcoholic, yet such an affable one and I love the relationships he forms within it. It's kind of an uplifting movie, while being harshly real at the same time. (However, I got really annoyed with how they treated the wife-angle within the movie)
Win Win: Fantastic film, amazing acting all around by every single actor. Paul Giamatti is probably the ultimate father figure, and I really felt drawn in by the film and it's setting. My favorite kind of movies are in this vein, where they are real and the drama is very real, and I can completely sympathize with what is happening. It was just really well crafted, and hope it gets the respect it deserves because it's quite a tale of a how Paul Giamatti's family surrogately takes care of the child of a druggie mom and dementia-suffering grandfather. Looooove it.
Drive was a good movie, I especially like how it was filmed and edited, none of that fast cutting crap in a lot of today's movies. (It has it's place but it's overused.) The music was good, but the main song they used for their "emotional" scene was overbearing and really didn't suit the scene or the movie in general. The acting was great, especially Ryan Gosling and Carey Mulligan. The script could have been better, some of the connections between characters were a little too convenient and the ending could have been better. Don't get me wrong, I believe it's the best movie out right now and you should definitely see it.
I saw Departures the other day. I really enjoyed the idea of this movie and the cultural emphasis on the 'passing on' rituals. The music is gorgeous too.
Son of Ranbow is a cute little movie, but I think would be better appreciated by people who have children or grew up in similar situations (neither of which apply to me).
The Beaver. I was expecting a comedy about a man who talks through a beaver puppet. What I got was a study on mental illness and growing up in the shadow of your father. Not a terrible movie, just not the movie I was expecting. The good acting shows up some of the terrible acting by the minor characters.
Submarine. Hilarious! See it! I don't want to say much about it, but it is a teen-trying-to-have-sex-and-stop-his-parents-breaking-up movie done right.
I saw 50/50 on a date. I literally cringed when the ex-girlfriend was all up on Joseph Gordon-Levitt, which was odd. Normally I only cringe at things involving eyes.
I saw Ghostbusters for the first time ever, and at my favorite movie theater. How have I managed to go this long without seeing this movie? I loved it, but I'm probably the only person ever who hasn't seen it, so no need to go into details here.
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Then there's Lady Jane, an interesting (though idealized) take on the story of Lady Jane Grey, who ruled all of England for only nine days. It was super-enjoyable to see a very young Helena Bonham Carter and Cary Elwes unite in a doomed romance. Also, more Patrick Stewart. Heck yeah.
Must find more period pieces.
I mean it was fucking terrible. It was directed by Terry Jones in 1989 and it was like he had these vague recollections of working on funny movies, and, look, there's John Cleese even, but he just couldn't quite remember how it was all supposed to go. Every joke fell totally flat. Every action scene was totally weak. There were these weird anachronistic conversations straight out of the Holy Grail style guide that failed to even conjure a wisp of a smile.
But even so, there was SOMETHING there that I really liked. The whole thing is about the soft spoken and sweetly retarded Erik the viking (played by Tim Robbins), son of a viking chieftain (played, weirdly enough, by Andy Rooney), who is dissatisfied with the viking life of killing and pillaging and raping. He's lost in despair after accidentally killing a girl he tried to save from his rapist co-vikings and so seeks guidance from the wise woman Freya (Eartha Kit, who acts the HELL out it). She tells him that the bleak, violent world he lives is was not always thus; the Gods are asleep and the Fenris wolf has swallowed the sun, casting the earth in perpetual gloom and likewise darkening the hearts of men. She goes on to tell him that the sun can be restored if someone were to brave the mystical unknown of the west to find the Horn Resounding and blow it three times to wake the gods up. Determined to find the horn, and perhaps find absolution for killing the girl he tried to save, he sets out with a pack of dopey warriors to brave the dangers of the unknown and make the world a better place.
There are all these surprisingly deep themes playing in the background:
- the blacksmiths and warlords who want to stop Erik from bringing peace and hope back into the world since it will hurt their business,
- the Hy-Brasillians who refuse to acknowledge their island is sinking (since its never sunk before and so logically it never could) and just sing until they all drown
- the viking gods depicted as callous children who take no responsibility for the people who worship them but still pass judgement on them
- an ineffectual Christian missionary who can't see any of mythological viking gods or magic and who's lack of faith ends up saving them from the wrath of the gods.
This movie is a total failure, but it is the noble kind, which IMHO puts it head and shoulders over the hollow successes. The original is good too.Either one makes me want to play Burning Wheel.
Wanted to see some Slice of Life movies.
Everything Must Go: Great little movie, the other movie that shows Will Ferrel can truely act. He plays an alcoholic, yet such an affable one and I love the relationships he forms within it. It's kind of an uplifting movie, while being harshly real at the same time. (However, I got really annoyed with how they treated the wife-angle within the movie)
Win Win: Fantastic film, amazing acting all around by every single actor. Paul Giamatti is probably the ultimate father figure, and I really felt drawn in by the film and it's setting. My favorite kind of movies are in this vein, where they are real and the drama is very real, and I can completely sympathize with what is happening. It was just really well crafted, and hope it gets the respect it deserves because it's quite a tale of a how Paul Giamatti's family surrogately takes care of the child of a druggie mom and dementia-suffering grandfather. Looooove it.
Troll Hunter was way better then expected.
The Beaver. I was expecting a comedy about a man who talks through a beaver puppet. What I got was a study on mental illness and growing up in the shadow of your father. Not a terrible movie, just not the movie I was expecting. The good acting shows up some of the terrible acting by the minor characters.
Submarine. Hilarious! See it! I don't want to say much about it, but it is a teen-trying-to-have-sex-and-stop-his-parents-breaking-up movie done right.
I just know this movie is going to end up disappointing me.
I saw Ghostbusters for the first time ever, and at my favorite movie theater. How have I managed to go this long without seeing this movie? I loved it, but I'm probably the only person ever who hasn't seen it, so no need to go into details here.