21 - 7/10 - Film telling the real life story of a group of MIT students trained up to become card counters in the casino's. Nothing special but was an ok film to pass away a couple of hours.
Puncture Wounds (2014) A low budget action/revenge flick. Not convincing at all, and the plot is by the numbers. It doesn't deliver an action packed climax either, taking place as it does in someones (very small) living room. The bad guys are bruts, the good guys loveable rogues. They even steal a page from the original Rambo film, and have the ex-military man pop into the picture to let the cops know our hero is a just misunderstood after all. I let it run to the end, but was aware the whole time that it's not worth anyones time.
Wow, that gets a ZERO from me, awful awful film. Sci-Fi is right in the toilet right now. Black Metal Veins (2012) This is a dark, brooding, and morbid documentary made by Lucifer Valentine. This is underground filmmaking - way underground. Valentine had to this point made several films that mostly involved people vomiting on each other (no, seriously - check out Slaughter Vomit Dolls). He clearly lives in a world that is far different from what any of us would know - it turns out the gutter isn't the lowest you can go. Now, I've actually met this guy, and the most amazing thing is he's pretty normal, or at least more normal than you'd imagine. His films aren't flippant, he believes in what he does. Black Metal Veins is different in that it's a documentary about drug addiction. But this isn't the sanitized druggy world we usually get served up - Valentine is right in there are the lives of his subjects flush right down the toilet. He's unflinching, never judgmental - even when it's clearly called for - and this makes the film unique. Trust me though, this is nasty. The word "seedy" doesn't even begin to describe it. However, this is real life for some people, and that's what Valentine makes films about. Not for everyone then, maybe it's not for anyone. It's certainly not a good watch, nor is it informative. These are the things we all know goes on, but it's better to pretend they don't. This film is filthy, nasty, and has absolutely no up side. You've been warned.
It doesn't sound like something I'd want to watch but I believe the goal of a documentary film-maker should be cold objectivity, with as little narrative influences as possible.
Dallas Buyers Club - 8.5/10 Brilliant film. Matthew was amazing, really great performance from Jared too.
And as such, this is a very good documentary. The issue you face is do you think you can face watching people injecting every couple minutes, and basically wasting their lives? Several members are in a Death Metal band, but the story they tell is so nihilistic. You know how this one is going to end pretty early on, because while they are initially lucid, once the downward spiral starts you just know there is no coming back. Things they get to see in that life just cascades and snowballs until all hope is gone. The documentary does a good job in showing this to us, but I don't know how many people really want to look under the rock of our society to see the dirt hidden from view.... Non Stop (2014) I went into this expecting a by-the-numbers action/mystery flick. The kind of thing I don't have to concentrate on too much. And it is a bit like that. However, wonders will never cease, they actually made a film that's quite gripping. Not bad considering it takes place almost entirely on a plane, and the plot sounds like something that has been done a few hundred thousand times. It doesn't break any new ground, but I found it compelling and was surprised how much I enjoyed it.
The Zero Theorem - 7.5/10 Very interesting but disorienting film, of course it's made by Terry Gilliam. I find his style to be too much at times. All the production design and colours serve mostly to distract from what is meaty subject matter and very good acting performances. I'd have preferred a more stripped-down, claustrophobic experience but then that probably wouldn't be made by Terry Gilliam would it?
The Way - 7/10 A film centered around the Camino de Santiago pilgrimage. Overall it's a good little film but ultimately tries too hard to be profound. Martin Sheen is as dependable as ever as the lead. The Squid and the Whale - 8/10 A cracking indie film about the effects on offspring caused by the failing marriage of parents. From my own experiences, this was true to life in a number of ways. Amusing in places too and despite its low budget, the depiction of the 1980s was very good. Rust and Bone - 6/10 Comme ci, comme ca. Uncle Buck - 7/10 John Hughes' last film of the 80s, the decade with which he is synonymous. Inevitably it doesn't seem as good compared to when I watched it as a teenager but it remains a decent watch. And I had temporarily forgotten how good an actor John Candy was. The Savages - 8/10 By pure chance, watched a couple of nights before PSH's death. It's a very good film if you can tolerate the bleak subject matter. Somewhat predictably, both of the excellent leads (PSH, Linney) deliver great performances. This is a similar, but inferior, film to "Beginners." In terms of PSH, next up are Doubt and Capote, both of which I've had on Dvd for years but have yet to get around to watching...
Two excellent films, both incredibly acted. PSH is the one and only Capote (Toby Jones, eat your heart out).
Of the two, I'm looking forward to Capote more. I've seen Toby Jones has had a turn as Capote but I'm not going to bother with it.
Doubt is probably one of my favourite dramas of recent times. Just thoroughly top rate. 127 Hours Very impressed with what Boyle did with a story that was obviously very limiting in certain regards. I wasn't big on the use of music in this film, but other than that thought it was pretty much nailed. You know what to expect in a film like this about isolation and a great ordeal, and it was pulled off with a lot of verve. I don't think there's a film of his that I haven't liked yet (don't think The Beach is great by any means, but it's still a fun watch, not to mention the compromises that Boyle was forced into). This is the End Thought this was a good idea when I first heard about it, but wasn't fully convinced that it would work. Was pleasantly surprised though, it ended up being a very fun ride. Have never really liked Jonah Hill but thought he was pretty damn funny in this. McBride stole the show though. That guy is so good at playing an obnoxious prick. Always fun when something hits the mark regarding how ridiculous men are when they get together, and the frivolous dialogue that takes place.
Constantine (2005) Not the worst horror film i've seen but it would have been better without Keanu Reeves in the lesd roll. 5.5/10.
