Last movie you watched thread - Printable Version

Last movie you watched thread - Printable Version

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- Spangle - 05-07-2015

9/10 - Those calling this one overrated didn't understand the sheer brilliance of this film. This one has some killer direction, acting, sound effects, cinematography, and writing. The director, Jennifer Kent, did a fantastic job setting the mood of this one and knocked it out of the ballpark direction wise. For the aforementioned sound effects, they are truly what cause the scares. Much like in Alfred Hitchcock's classic film Psycho, the sound elicits a major reaction out of the viewer and really sets the tone for the scenes in which that sound is used. Brilliant. Honestly, this one of the most well-executed uses of metaphor of symbolism I have seen in a while, The Babadook is a brilliant film wrongly placed in the "horror" genre. Truly terrifying, The Babadook is more than just a horror film. It is a meditation on life and dealing with loss. It also made me screech like a high school girl being asked to prom by her crush in the way it used that symbolism and hit a home run with it (ahhhh flower symbolism ahhhh). While some scenes are classic horror in the way they elicit a response, the true terror is to be found underneath the skin and the way in which it hits home and brings a feeling to true terrifying life. Ultimately, I recognize this type of film is not for everyone, but The Babadook is a film that let's everyone know how grief feels and brings that feeling to life because ultimately, "If it's a word or it's a look, you can't get rid of The Babadook". Possibly the best film of 2014, this one is not a film you easily get over.

8/10 - This one is slow and I can get why the audience is a little mixed on it, but the critics hit this one right on. Bill Murray is excellent in this one, as is Jeffrey Wright in a supporting role. A tale about a man going on a journey to discover if he has a son and if so, which woman is the mother of that child, this one is simply a slice of life type of film. Nothing extraordinary happens and it is debatable as to if anything happened at all. However, I really do enjoy these type of films for the insight they provide for the characters presented. In Broken Flowers, you really get to really understand Murray's character and his problems and really, you feel bad for him since he is so alone, though he has always been surrounded by people. In addition, Jim Jarmusch's direction is brilliant. He really manages to capture the beauty of life by emphasizing the beauty of the landscape that Murray transverses. Much like life, the beauty is in the details and this film really underscores that. A subtle film that is so subtle it will not really touch a lot of viewers, this one really was moving. On top of that, the comedic moments were well done and actually really funny, but you had to pay attention to catch them. As a whole, Broken Flowers is a very good film that works on multiple levels.

3/10 - Overall, Kiss of Death is pretty unimpressive. In spite of its large, well-known cast, much of it falls flat as it tries to do too much and winds up doing nothing. Nicolas Cage is awesome here, as well as Samuel L. Jackson, but otherwise, it is largely mailed in. The direction is pretty poor and the story seems pretty aimless. Things happen just to happen and, hand in hand with that, the writing is quite poor. Overly Hollywood where there has to be a bad guy that goes down and a happy ending, things wrap up far too nicely for how poorly they could have wound up. Ultimately, these characters seem more like robots who lack real emotion and when they should show emotion, they are incapable of doing so. Sad to watch a good cast fall apart due to poor direction and writing, but that is the case with Kiss of Death.

9/10 - Holy cow this one is terrifying. Literally sitting here in a coma after watching that. Fetal position from the night, for real. Incredible special effects that really send chills down your spine and hold up quite well for being 42 years old. The acting, led by Jason Miller and Linda Blair, is great. Ellen Burstyn and Max von Sydow are also brilliant. The directing and writing are also great and really work well. The story was told well and though the first half is a bit slower, that second half was truly horrifying. This one is an absolute classic in every sense of the word that holds up well and truly provides bone chilling scares that will leave you feeling petrified for long after the film fades to black.

[Image: 220px-TheAwakening2011Poster.jpg]

7/10 - An interesting film, The Awakening is not exactly what I was expecting, but still wound up delivering some good stuff. Firstly, from a horror aspect, there are some truly terrifying scenes that really get the juices flowing. There are not many, but there are some and damn are they effective. The film also sports some great acting from Rebecca Hall and Dominic West who really dominate the screen every time they are shown. The mise en scene is gorgeous, especially the production design. Really beautifully put together all-around. The mystery/thriller portion of this one is interesting and really opens the door for interesting discussions on loneliness, death, and the afterlife. However, the film simply tries to do too much, which is ultimately its undoing. Though ravishingly beautiful and well-written, it overreaches and would have been best served narrowing its focus and really digging deeper into one particular issue. Ultimately, the first three quarters of this one are quite strong, but then comes the lackluster final quarter, which really could have been done better.

- O4L - 05-16-2015

Saw the new Mad Max the other day.

Easily the best action movie i've ever seen.

- Maxy - 05-16-2015

Quote:Originally posted by O4L@May 16 2015, 01:31 PM
Saw the new Mad Max the other day.

Easily the best action movie i've ever seen.

I got a gift card to the movies and I'm really considering seeing that. Either that or Avengers but I feel like once I've seen one Avengers movie I've seen them all.

- Wasty - 05-16-2015

Quote:Originally posted by Maxy@May 16 2015, 10:51 AM

I got a gift card to the movies and I'm really considering seeing that. Either that or Avengers but I feel like once I've seen one Avengers movie I've seen them all.

Avengers was pretty good, I think it was a great movie for sure. I've heard some great comments about Mad Max though.

I actually can't wait to see Pitch Perfect 2 lol.

- JayWhy - 05-16-2015

I really want to see Ex Machina. It finally got to my local theater, so I'm trying to decide on going to see that, Mad Max, Pitch Perfect 2 or Avengers. I'm thinking I'll probably only end up seeing 2 of the 4, so narrowing it is difficult.

- ORIGINSZ - 05-16-2015

Quote:Originally posted by Josh*@May 16 2015, 02:39 PM
I really want to see Ex Machina. It finally got to my local theater, so I'm trying to decide on going to see that, Mad Max, Pitch Perfect 2 or Avengers. I'm thinking I'll probably only end up seeing 2 of the 4, so narrowing it is difficult.

I liked Avengers, Mad Max surprised me was really well done I'd certainly recommend it to anyone on the fence

- Spangle - 05-19-2015

7/10 - The Dead Zone is a film that does not do much wrong, but does not much particularly great to be seen as such. It features some really good acting from Christopher Walken in the lead role, as well as typically great direction from David Cronenberg. The writing is really good and it is very well paced. However, ultimately, I felt like the story was a little lacking. Though it had all these good pieces and the idea was really, really good, it came together more like a by-the-numbers television series. Walken's character was essentially put in many different positions throughout the film and I think it would have been well-served if it chose one of these, rather than a bunch of them. The film tried to do much and made itself feel as though it were multiple different films, rather than one single film. In addition, I never found it scary. This isn't a negative, since I just expected a supernatural thriller, but I've seen it listed as a great horror film and I think I must have missed that aspect of it, as I found none of it that scary at all. Certainly, is unsettling, but never once was it scary. Overall, The Dead Zone is a pretty good film with good parts that could be even better if it was a more focused picture.

7/10 - Overall, I really enjoyed Avengers: Age of Ultron. The main problem here is that they tried to do too much and the story wound up feeling clustered. The special effects, however, were absolutely impeccable and completely mind blowing. The acting was solid and the action was well directed. My main problems have to do with the script, as it tried to be too funny, and the amount of characters involved. While the new characters were cool, not only did I not know their names (they may have been said, but I must've missed it if it was), but it just wound up feeling incredibly crowded. However, they did a nice job plotting the film and really did a nice job developing the new characters, while also managing to advance the stories of the other heroes. Their adversary is a worthy one, but at a certain point, you do want them to get on with it and finally take on Thanos. At this rate, it feels like that is 20 movies away, honestly. However, on its own ground, this one is a solid entry into the Marvel Cinematic Universe and brings plenty to the table.

5/10 - The main positive in this one is the acting. Across the board, the large cast did very well and really fought for control over the screen. Very impressive stuff from the cast. In addition, the film is quite compelling and thrilling at times, which is ultimately what you want from a film of this type. However, it is really poorly written and poorly told. The plot seems all over the place and keeps jumping back-and-forth between the present and past, while not being entirely clear on why things are happening, which is annoying. Though I don't need things spelled out for me, some help would have been appreciated. Ultimately, this one's plot was its downfall, which is too bad, because it had the potential to be a really good film with a cast of this quality.

6/10 - The Bank Job is a well made, well acted bank heist thriller. It interweaves all of the facets of the real life heist and the rocks it turned over very well and that made this one quite a compelling watch. However, the main positive in this one is the fact that it's based on a true story. Without it, a lot of this one would have been far less compelling to watch unfold. The whole heist and everything surrounding it was quite thrilling and, as I said, it was well directed and well acted, however, the non-heist portions and non-controversial parts, kind of fell flat. The amount of webs it weaves is entirely worth watching this one though, because it does quite well. It introduces many scenarios that could overwhelm, yet finds a way to keep its wits about it and not overwhelm its viewers. Overall, The Bank Job is an average bank heist thriller that thrives due to the fact it's based on a true story and it manages to take all of the portions of that truth and add them together nicely.

[Image: Takingchance.jpg]

8/10 - Possibly one of the most emotionally moving films I have ever seen, this one actually got to me a good bit. Kevin Bacon is phenomenal in the lead role and the writing is really strong. This one is just as long as it needs to be, which I really appreciate. They didn't add a bunch of extra fluff to make it longer, because the story needed nothing else to be added to it. Based on a true story, the emotional impact of this one is certainly bolstered by it and really does a great job portraying all that surrounds the death of a soldier and their journey home. A somber film from beginning to end, it does not just tackle the issue of burial, but also of regret, both from those at home and abroad during war. One of the more compelling "war" films I have seen in recent times, Taking Chance is criminally underseen.

- Spangle - 05-22-2015

7/10 - Quite emotionally powerful and funny, Sunshine Cleaning is a pleasant little film about life and, most importantly, life when you're dealt a bad hand. Amy Adams and Emily Blunt are great here and really have good chemistry. Alan Arkin also does well as is typically the case. The film suffers from the trappings of being a small film that certainly limit its scope, as it does feel small in nature, but it is certainly still quite successful. Director Christine Jeffs does a good job in the director's chair and this one is well written, well plotted, and well shot. An entirely unique film in terms of its plot, it does hit many markers when it comes to emotional comedy-dramas, but all the same, the unique focus of the plot really sets this one aside. However, this one's strongest attribute is the way in which it acts as a vehicle for Adams and Blunt to show their strength as leads in a film. Both turn in great performances that certainly hint at their present day status.

7/10 - Sleek, stylish, and sexy, Miami Vice is everything the film should be. The film is gorgeously shot as anticipated because Michael Mann knows how to make some stylish thrillers and this one is no exception. In addition, Colin Farrell and Jamie Foxx both do quite well in the lead roles and really have great chemistry as a duo. As with all actiony type films, it requires some leap of faith, a leap I am willing to take here as it never gets too outlandish. Sure, you can criticize all of the moving parts here and claim a lot of it to be untrue and far-fetched, but to me, it tried to keep an air of realism throughout. It never went too outlandish and unbelievable. I never saw the TV series, yet I managed to enjoy this one a good bit and it was really all I was hoping for. An entertaining, stylish, action crime thriller directed by the ever masterful Michael Mann. I am not necessarily surprised to see that this one is divisive amongst critics between those who love it and those who hate it, but to me, where this one won me over is simply in the style. As I said, it is all too sleek. It's really eye candy in movie form.

8/10 - Featuring incredible action sequences, brilliant car chases, great special effects, beautiful mise en scene, great acting, and stellar direction, Mad Max: Fury Road shows that reboots do not need to be terrible. Though I have not seen the first three, I opted to see this one due to the great word of mouth and ultimately, I was incredibly satisfied. With an absolutely riveting world created that seems vast and unique in nature, Fury Road feels just like an epic action film should. Tom Hardy, Charlize Theron, and Nicholas Hoult, are all fantastic, especially Hoult who really steals the show at times. The makeup is great and completely convincing. However, the real star here for me was the beautiful cinematography (which is gorgeous btw) and phenomenal special effects, which were the definition of perfection. The car chases featured both very well, which is why those scenes were undoubtedly my favorite and probably some of the most exhilarating and well plotted car chases I have seen in a film. Truly a great action film, if I was an action junkie, this would be a 10/10, but I am not. All the same, this is still a great film that provides all the heart stopping action and thrills that it should.

6/10 - Ultimately, Foxcatcher was a disappointment for me. After loving Bennett Miller's first two features, Capote and Moneyball, I had high hopes that with such interesting subject matter and a great cast, this one would be a home run. It, sadly, was not. However, it is still far from a bad film and instead above average. It is well-written and features some stellar acting from Steve Carell, Mark Ruffalo, and Channing Tatum. The mise en scene is also quite strong and the makeup is stellar. Carell's complete transformation into John Du Pont being the stand out when it comes to the makeup. Incredible work. The costume design is also quite good. However, this one is decidedly not a great film despite these positives because it is far too slow and really plodded along for much of the film. If it had half of the intensity featured in the trailer and was a touch shorter, it would have been a far better film, but as it stood, despite the creepy and odd atmosphere present in every scene, most scenes lacked the intensity needed. There is considerable tension found in most scenes, but they don't have much of an impact. Overall, Foxcatcher could have been far better, but as it stands, is a solid film that continues to show Bennett Miller as a great director who knows his way around biographical dramas.

8/10 - I was hesitant coming into this one as my only prior exposure to David Lynch was Wild at Heart, which I completely despised. However, this one is decidedly better and most certainly worthy of the praise heaped upon it. Featuring a great starring turn from the always stellar Naomi Watts and great direction from Lynch, Mulholland Dr seems to be great proof that Lynch hates his audience and typical storytelling conventions, which make for a great combination in this film. One of the most confusing puzzles I have ever come across in film, Mulholland Dr has some seriously great writing and manages to have numerous moving parts that it brings together quite nicely. Not all the pieces fit and it is hard to determine what the puzzle is actually of, but there's an answer somewhere. What the answer is, I have no idea, because I have no idea what I do not know at this point. The film really manages to set you up nicely and the pull the rug right out from under you with constant twists and turns that you do not expect that makes coming to a conclusion about what you just witnessed all the more difficult. All I know is that something sinister is afoot in Hollywood in this film that feels like a nightmare from beginning to end.

*SPOILERS*
The best conclusion I can come up with is just a fragment of a singular conclusion. For one, it is certainly a comment on people coming to Hollywood who are entirely idealistic and how Hollywood corrupts them, messes with their mind, and makes them entirely jaded. In Hollywood, things seem to happen at random, but rather, they are controlled by a single entity who oversees everything and determines who will have success and who will not have success. The haves and have nots are ultimately determined by who gives in to those in power. If you do, your wildest dreams will come true. However, at the end of the day, to me the key to unlocking this box (lol) is Club Silencio. From that moment in the film on, things certainly take a turn and to fully understand this one, I think that serves as a good starting point. The answer is somewhere there, but what the answer is, I have no idea.
*END SPOILERS*

Ultimately, Mulholland Dr is a fun film to sit down and try to dissect. It's a beautiful work that deserves the praise it has received in spades and will certainly be a film that keeps me thinking for a while after its ending.

- Spangle - 05-22-2015

Quote:Originally posted by Josh*@May 16 2015, 03:39 PM
I really want to see Ex Machina. It finally got to my local theater, so I'm trying to decide on going to see that, Mad Max, Pitch Perfect 2 or Avengers. I'm thinking I'll probably only end up seeing 2 of the 4, so narrowing it is difficult.

If you're still deciding, definitely see Mad Max and Ex Machina. Though I haven't seen the latter, I've heard great, great things.

- Spangle - 05-25-2015

5/10 - Personally, I did not really notice nor care for what I did notice when it came to the "philosophical" element of this one. Truth be told, it felt like they were reaching to try and make what is a pretty typical survival drama hit home and be more profound than it truly is. Any claims to the contrary can be supported because, well, it's a survival drama. I see some reviews commenting on how this one is a study of the will to live, which to me is nonsense and is not a topic that needs to be discussed in film, if this is truly what this film is going for. No duh people want to survive, there is nothing profound to be in that topic. Hell, *SPOILER* one guy just gives up. How is that evident of the will to live? *END SPOILER* Ultimately, Liam Neeson and the rest of the cast are quite strong, the film is well shot, and well told. Throughout, it is very compelling and is a very good survival film. Sadly, the forced in "profound" moments that are anything but that try to hint at the film being more symbolic than it really is, do ruin the movie to an extent. Luckily, the film's intensity and well developed characters make up for it.

8/10 - Certainly more than I expected, Deep Cover has many things going for it. Initially, I was expecting your typical 90's "hood" drama that paints life as being terrible and slowly, everyone dies. This does that to a certain degree, but really makes an attempt to transcend the genre in many ways that I really dug, namely the way they use an undercover cop and show some of spoils of the business and not just the negative (though plenty here was negative, obviously), which can get repetitive. In addition, the acting from Laurence Fishburne and Jeff Goldblum really elevated this one a good bit, as the both of them were great, especially Fishburne. The direction was strong, well-plotted, and the film was quite well-written aside from some spotty moments of dialogue that made me cringe a bit. However, overall, Deep Cover is a very good film that really tries to do some new things with its subject matter and does those new things very, very well.

8/10 - What I think I loved most about Super 8 was the way it felt like the old sci-fi films of old from the 1970s and 1980s that Spielberg made. You can tell that this one has his fingerprints all over it (and not just because he was the producer) and I thought JJ Abrams did a great job capturing that childlike enjoyment of the genre. The film takes a similar approach to the aliens as in Close Encounters of the Third Kind, but amps up the thrills and action. In that regard, the special effects were great and really cool to take in. It also did a great job blending that portion of the film with the kids creating a film of their own that also manages to capture the joy of filmmaking. The acting in this one is quite good, especially given the age of the cast members. The film does the romantic element justice and treats its subjects with the respect they deserve, rather than trivializing their actions due to the ages. This film has a heart and soul that is on full display and really becomes infectious as you watch it. I was quite surprised at my level of enjoyment of this one and have to say that this was a resounding success.

9/10 - An all-around beautiful film, The Descendants really strikes an emotional chord in its viewers on multiple levels, both through anger, sorrow, and grief, all of which are handled brilliantly. As is typical, the direction from Alexander Payne is stellar, the story is well plotted, and on top of that, the writing is great on this one. Some really, really, great dialogue and scenes can be found in this one. Truly a great work on that front. For the acting, it was also stellar. George Clooney is great as always, but to me, the show was stolen by Shailene Woodley. I have seen her before and this one came before the films I have seen her in, but I swear, if this girl does not win an Oscar at some point, some serious injustice has been committed. She is a revelation in this film and really soars in the role she was given. Finally, the mise en scene is beautiful (thanks Hawaii), but truly every element, comes together in a film that is truly gorgeous. A film that is moving, touching, and at times, funny, The Descendants is a true winner that shows why Alexander Payne is such a brilliant director.

8/10 - A great adaptation of Roald Dahl's classic story, Charlie and the Chocolate Factory hits all the right notes along the way. Made with childlike enthusiasm and exuberance, the 2005 adaptation is gleefully weird and endlessly entertaining. It does a grab job mixing the touching scenes, funny moments, exciting scenes, and the incredibly weird, and the end result is a film that honestly shocked me. I did not expect to like this one as much as I did, but here I am praising it. Tim Burton's direction is great. The production and costume design are both top-notch as well. As for Johnny Depp, his performance is deliciously weird and he does a great job pealing back the chocolate exterior of Willy Wonka to expose his inner demons. Overall, Charlie and the Chocolate Factory is actually a really good film with great production value and a great starring turn from Depp that really works as a cohesive film.

- Spangle - 05-29-2015

[Image: The_Kings_of_Summer.jpg]

7/10 - As a sucker for coming of age films, I most certainly enjoyed The Kings of Summer. It was quite funny throughout and really hit all the "teenage angst" markers that it should hit. The problems in the film were relatable and really handled well. The writing is pretty good, not great, but it works well throughout and the direction here is pretty good and the story winds up being told well. The acting is really good. I loved Nick Offerman here, he really played the role of the father really well and brought a certain aura to the role that worked really well. In addition, the characters throughout were really well-developed and their stories made sense. They felt like real human beings everyone knows, rather than just cardboard cutouts of teenagers. However, my main problem here deals with some highly improbable things happening in the plot. I do not want to spoil at all, so I won't say it outright, but for coming of age films, they need to be grounded a bit in reality and not overly outlandish. In this case, this one seems highly unlikely at times, which is odd since the characters and problems are so real and well done. Yet, the plot itself just throws it off a bit at times and really needed to be more realistic.

[Image: SunsetBoulevardfilmposter.jpg]

8/10 - It is damn near impossible to say something bad about Sunset Boulevard. A classic in every sense of the word, this one shows why Billy Wilder's work is so critically acclaimed. Brilliant directed, paced, written, and some great acting from William Holden and Gloria Swanson, come together to form one of the most well-known and popular film noirs of all-time. Riveting throughout, this one tells the story of Hollywood gone wrong and really all comes together well. The narration and identity of the narrator were both great, great touches that really worked wonders for the film. The characters are all well-written and, oddly, sympathetic. Overall, Sunset Boulevard is a really cool film that I cannot recommend enough. Though it may not be my favorite film ever obviously, it is still really, really good and you can easily see why it has gotten the praise it has over the years.

7/10 - Incredibly symbolic throughout, Take Shelter is a film that really rides on Michael Shannon's terrific performance and Jeff Nichols' great direction. Showing incredible vulnerability, Shannon stars in this character study of a broken man dealing with some troubling visions that threaten not only himself, but his relationships, and his marriage. Shannon does a great job portraying this troubled man. The writing here is also very good and it does a great job drawing connections between the storms, both exterior and interior. Overall, I would say this film has many strengths, but none that make it a truly great film. As it stands, it is pretty good, but is missing that "it" factor. Its main negative is that it is a touch too long, even though it is two hours. Some scenes could have been cut and the final result would have been just as effective. However, as it stands, the film shows both the talents of Nichols and Shannon quite well and show is a pretty emotionally impactful film.

8/10 - It is not hard to see the appeal of Ferris Bueller's Day Off. Featuring a great performance from Matthew Broderick, a funny script and great direction from John Hughes, and some oddly touching moments, this one has all the ingredients for a success. Luckily, it takes this ingredients and uses them wisely, ending up with a really good comedy. Though it may get a bit outlandish at times, it really captures the end of high school well and honestly just feels like a good time. It is an enjoyable little film that may not be entirely realistic, sure, but it surely delivers in the entertainment department and is a film that you wish would never end, unlike the end of high school, which cannot come soon enough for many. Overall, Ferris Bueller's Day Off is a classic that I am ashamedly just getting around to, however, it was more than worth the wait as it delivered exactly what I was hoping for: a funny high school comedy with some killer writing and acting.

7/10 - Mrs. Doubtfire is incredibly unique and winds up being a great blend of comedy and heartfelt family drama. Robin Williams manages to blend the two things he was great at in this one: being absolutely hilarious, but also just being a great actor. Throughout, the film really pulls on your heart strings and makes you feel invested as you root for Williams' character to be able to see his children. The film is pretty well-written and is relatively well directed, which also help here. My main complaint is that it did get a little ridiculous at times. There were moments that just angered me with how stupid it was and how far-fetched it was. Sure, the premise is a little far-fetched, but not as out there as some of the stuff that happens in the film itself. Those moments aside, this one is quite funny and incredibly touching and makes for quite the entertaining film.

- Spangle - 06-02-2015

8/10 - An incredibly atmospheric and unsettling film, Frailty features stellar performances from Bill Paxton and Matthew McConaughey, as well as some great direction from first-time director Paxton. Pretty well-written, Frailty keeps you on the edge of your seat throughout its runtime and keeps you guessing as you never know what is coming next. With films that take some twists and turns that are pretty unexpected, the success of the story rests on whether these are expected or not. In this case, they most certainly were not to me, though I would love to watch this one again and try to pick up on those clues. Not horror in the typical sense, this one has a way to get into your mind and mess with it a little bit, but to me, this one is not horror. Sure, after watching it, you kind of feel as though you watched a horror film, but this one struck me as more of a thriller with some elements from horror. Regardless, this one is quite well made and largely underappreciated. Not a fantastic film by any means, this one is still really good.

6/10 - The critics may have been a touch harsh here, but generally, I cannot fault them too hard here, as this one is pretty middling as an overall film. Pretty funny at times, The Men Who Stare at Goats manages to be a satire that takes itself a touch too seriously and goes a little too deep into the "bad weird" territory for me, in that it goes weird, but is not funny in doing so, just weird. At those moments, this one is off-putting. However, luckily, the moments where it is some quality satire and quite funny outnumber them. Also in the "pro" corner for this one is the great cast. I really liked George Clooney and Ewan McGregor here. Jeff Bridges and Kevin Spacey were not quite as good, but still turned in assured performances here. Ultimately, the moments where this one struggles mightily is when it takes itself too seriously and thinks it is being truly profound. As I said, these moments are not many when compared to the strong scenes, but those strong scenes are also short of being great. Overall, this one is an above average film that hits "pretty good" territory at moments, but is largely middle of the road.

7/10 - I've had this feeling with many a film before and yet again, I have no idea how to handle it. That feeling is that this film changed my mind, but I am pretty sure it changed it for the worse. After watching an hour and a half of a man changing into a fly in the biggest "maybe we should ask if we should before we do" warning in the history of the film, I feel different. I feel transformed and, much like Jeff Goldblum's character, it may not be a positive. Anyways, speaking on the film, Goldblum is fantastic. He provides a comedic, smart, and vulnerable, performance as Brundlefly and Geena Davis is also quite good in the film. The direction from David Cronenberg is typically strong, but I just wish the film was way less gory. And less weird, but I guess that comes with the territory, eh? Entirely tragic, The Fly is an incredibly unique film (I mean, tell me about another film where a man turns into half man/half fly) that is...so weird. Like, holy cow is it weird. Did I mention that it is weird? Oh my.

9/10 - All-around, Stand By Me is possibly the best coming of age film ever made. Featuring a heartwarming story, great characters, and strong direction, Stand By Me manages to be touching, funny, and entirely all too charming, as these four young boys travel to see a dead body. All of the actors do a great job, especially considering their young age, but none more so than River Phoenix. He is absolutely phenomenal here and does a great job playing the role of a troubled kid who is smarter and kinder than people give him credit for. In a small role, John Cusack is also really strong and brings the charisma and charm that makes his role in the story entirely believable. Kiefer Sutherland is also really good here. A film that perfectly encapsulates the time period it is set in and one that has the right amount of nostalgia, Stand By Me is a phenomenal film by director Rob Reiner that has stood the test of time and will hopefully continue to be seen as the classic it most certainly is.

8/10 - Honestly, I was not expecting to like this one as much as I did, but yet, here I am. Quiz Show is a truly great film from the typically sure handed Robert Redford featuring strong performances from a great cast that includes John Turturro, Rob Morrow, and Ralph Fiennes. A film about quiz shows and how fixed they truly are, this one really manages to create incredible tension throughout as you watch everything unfold. There were numerous scenes that had me on the edge of my seat waiting to see what unfolded, which I most certainly did not expect. An interesting film about networks, how they operate, and how they create/market celebrities to the public, Quiz Show is a film that often gets lost in the shuffle of the 1990s, but that is too bad. Ultimately, nothing it reveals is overly groundbreaking, yet it still manages to really captivate its viewers and provide an interesting statement on networks and the idea of celebrity. Overall, Quiz Show is a very well made, well written, and well acted, film that works on multiple levels.

- Spangle - 06-05-2015

8/10 - The Sixth Sense is a truly great film, though since it has been 16 years since it was released, I knew the twist, so that portion of it was spoiled for me sadly, but all the same, I really, really enjoyed this one. Well directed by M. Night Shyamalan, this one manages to be scary, touching, and above all, incredibly entertaining. There are numerous scenes here that manage to do all three, but above all, I found this film to be incredibly moving. A study of ghosts (and what they want), as well as the mind of troubled children, The Sixth Sense manages to really move its audience in a truly unexpected way. I did not expect to be practically moved to tears by this one, but there I was, fighting back tears towards the end. Bruce Willis, Haley Joel Osment, and Toni Collette, are all great here, especially Osment who really shows how talented of an actor he is. It also underscores how sad it is that Shyamalan lost his magic touch, since this one shows so much talent. Truly a great film, The Sixth Sense is another top-notch entry in what was a fantastic year for film in 1999.

8/10 - Midnight in Paris is a great piece of film. I have limited exposure to Woody Allen and am really glad I watched this one. Owen Wilson, Rachel McAdams, Marion Cotillard, and the rest of the large cast are all phenomenal. The direction from Woody Allen is very good and the writing is strong for the most part, though it does falter at times. However, I loved the unique idea here as this one is not really a romantic film in the traditional sense. Rather, it is a love letter to Paris, the past, and the present. A unique film in which a man is able to travel back in time at midnight in Paris, this one shows a man come to terms with who he is and where he is in life by going back in time. Throughout, many scenes are filmed a gorgeous golden filter to them, which gives a feeling of "perfection" and the "golden age" that is allured to many times throughout the film, which provides this film with quite the luscious look to it. In addition, it manages to suck up all the beauty of the city of Paris, both in the day and night, and you can see how easy it is to fall in love with the city. Truly, this one is a very enjoyable film that makes for some easy watching, but also comes packed to the brim with ravishing imagery and some great production elements (great costumes too by the way) that really underscore the brilliance to be found here. Overall, Midnight in Paris is a very good film.

8/10 - A biographical film of epic proportions, Amadeus is a riveting look at Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart through the eyes of Antonio Salieri. Though the accuracy of the film is certainly not 100%, it still proves to be an entertaining and informative biopics that manages to keep you wrapped up for all three hours (I saw the director's cut). F. Murray Abraham is great as Mozart's jealous rival Salieri, but to me, the real star here was Elizabeth Berridge, who plays Mozart's wife. In an innocent, vulnerable, strong, and entirely powerful performance, she manages to keep Mozart focused and keep him grounded, while also doing the same for the viewer. She is marvelous here and turns in an entirely enchanting performance. Tom Hulce, who plays Mozart, does well, but his performance is incredibly over the top and that proves to be a bit annoying at times. In no surprise, the music in the film is truly incredible and enrapturing. The production design and costume design are also top of the line. Finally, the direction from Milos Forman is grand in scale and phenomenal. This one was told quite well and really worked on multiple levels. A riveting film from beginning to end, Amadeus stands tall as a great biopic.

2/10 - How this one got any positive reviews is beyond me. Vulgar, offensive, and unfunny, Friday's attempts at humor are poor at best and horrendous and annoying at worst. The best thing I can say about this one is that it is believable, which is sad. Other than that, the acting is pretty bad, the writing is atrocious, and the direction lackluster. Truly, for a comedy, and comedies are meant to entertain, I was more annoyed than anything that somebody thought people would find this funny. There is no story, other than brief tales shoehorned in to try and make this one resemble a typical film, and the characters are entirely unlikable. The appeal of Friday is lost on me and must have gone over my head, because I may have chuckled once during my viewing of this one. Horrible.

[Image: Invictus-poster.png]

7/10 - I had heard a lot of negativity about this one coming into my viewing of it from those close to me, so my expectations were quite tempered. Yet, I came away quite pleased. The film is as powerful and stirring as it should be given the subject matter and I thought that material was handled gracefully by the sure handed Clint Eastwood. Morgan Freeman and Matt Damon were both impeccable as Mandela and Pienaar, respectively. A film that shows that genius behind Mandela's pushing of success in the 1995 Rugby World Cup for South Africa and how he used it to unite a long divided nation, this one serves as a very good history lesson for those who are unfamiliar with the story and serves as great entertainment as well. Overall, Invictus is a very good historical sports film with fantastic performances that really make the film. You can really feel the tension throughout and it all culminates beautifully at the end. The only thing that makes this one better is that it's true. All-around good film.

- BasedMinkus - 06-05-2015

> Doesn't like Friday.

Never cease to amaze me my friend.

- JHS - 06-05-2015

Bye Felicia