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The Revenant (2015)
Revenant
Not a nice movie, yeah its super well done; beautiful cinematography, the barren winter landscape, the bear attack is amazing but it's a brutal movie. I wouldn't put myself through watching this again.
Limited dialogue with what felt like hours of Leo rolling around grunting and spitting. I just don't think there is any way he would have survived this. Okay maybe the bear attack but all that time on the land freezing, no food, in the icy water, hypothermia, infection etc would have taken him down, there's just no way. Plus Leo is in pretty good shape by the end, as in not skinny. He would have lost like 30 pounds during this ordeal.
Random...Leonardo goes full Empire Strikes Back Ton-ton "And I thought they smelled bad on the outside."
Deep Impact (1998)
A different experience post Covid
One of my favourite disaster movies, here an ambitious journalist investigating what she believes is a Washington sex scandal discovers that an extinction level comet is going to hit earth. We follow multiple story arcs and characters as the comet edges closer; a teen couple who discover the asteroid, and are entered into a "survivor lottery" doomed astronauts, Tea Leoni's family drama with her aging parents.
I like how everything they are trying to do to stop the asteroid keeps failing. Morgan Freeman telling the people again and again 'we have failed' speaking of which, Morgan Freeman should be the president in all movies that require a president. I liked how the reporter accidentally finds out about "Ela"
And have thought many times over the years about the scene with Téa and her father on the beach as the giant tsunami wave looms; scared, hugging.
Interestingly sections of this movie played out differently for me watching it again post Covid, as president Freeman explains to his tv audience what's happening and that martial law will go into effect, there will be no hoarding, (toilet paper came to mind,) prices will be fixed. It was a different experience now that I'm living in a pandemic.
She's So Lovely (1997)
Uneven
After being released from a mental intuition, an irrational man tries to reclaim the life he had before he was committed 10 years earlier (he thinks it's only 3 months) despite the fact that his wife has divorced him, married John Travolta and moved on in his absence.
Didn't much care for this at all. Good performances from Robin Wright and Sean Penn but the script and characters are all over the place. For the first 20 min Penn is normal, no sign of mental illness, sure he's a thug but he doesn't appear unhinged, then he goes a bit crazy because his pregnant wife is raped -who wouldn't- and wakes up in the morning a changed man who needs to be committed... for 10 years, there was no progression. The scene upon his release in the hair salon was silly. I enjoyed Harry Dean Stanton, got a couple laughs, the ending was ridiculous, mostly this was uneven.
You Can Count on Me (2000)
Family bonds tested
Pretty good, which is mostly down to Mark Ruffalo and Laura Linney who carry this character study perfectly together. For the most part this is about family bonds and how they're tested. 'Sammy' is at first excited that her brother 'Terry' is coming to visit but it soon becomes clear that he's only returned to their sleepy New York hometown to borrow money while also forging a bond with her 8 year old son.
Mark Ruffalo's character is not a nice guy, selfish and he acts the same age as her son, forcing Linney to resort back to the mother role she must have had to take when they were orphaned as children. Very good ending as Sammy has to let her brother go even though we all know he is going to make bad choices. Matthew Broderick provided some laughs as Sammy's boss/ lover.
Wish I Was Here (2014)
Very hard to like anyone in this movie
I wouldn't label this a comedy, its a family drama full of very unlikable people and in saying that its hard to enjoy. Follows a 35 year old struggling actor & father who is forced to learn about life when his father falls ill. No longer able to send his kids to a fancy private school (on dads dime) he's forced to home school and maybe grow up.
I found Zack Braff's character entitled and spoiled, he felt that his sole job was going to auditions. Then he's all, what am I going to do now that my dad has cancer and can't pay for my kids fancy school anymore? Hmmm maybe get a job? Hard to have any sympathy. Kate Hudson and Braff didn't work on any level as a married couple either. She looks beautiful but is a nothing character, has one great dialogue heavy scene with Mandy Patinkin. I struggled with the daughters storyline as well, all brainwashed by religion so that she feels the need to shave her head. I didn't like anyone in this movie.
Last Christmas (2019)
Too good to be true
Emilia Clarke works as a Santa's elf at a year round Christmas store in London, she's really good at making bad decisions. Her life takes an up turn after she becomes romantically involved with a handsome and mysterious stranger over the holiday season.
This was a cute movie mostly down to Emilia Clarke who is always a joy to watch; sweet, happy, sorta goofy, very similar to her character in Me Before You. Henry Golding was also lovely.
I figured out the "big" reveal or twist early on as Tom never changes his clothes or interacts with anyone other than Kate. Emma Thompson is excellent, I've never seen her play this Meryl Streep (Devil Wears Prada) type character before. I will probably watch this again next Christmas.
Lucy in the Sky (2019)
Keep the baby aspirin handy
Weird little movie but I liked it. Mostly down to Natalie Portman who acts her ass off as her mind unravels. Enjoyed her a lot. However the way its been filmed, aspect, ratio and blurry at times on the bottom of the screen as if looking through a bottle had me thinking my vison was playing tricks on me or I was having a wee stroke. Didn't enjoy that and it took me out of the movie as I searched for the baby aspirin.
Interesting, based on true story, which follows astronaut Lucy Cola, who after a life altering experience into deep space must return to earth and reintegrate into everyday life, i.e. Her dull husband, marriage and day to day boredom. Soon Lucy's cosmic experience begin to take a toll on her connection to the real world .
Good cast, Jon Hamm as playboy astronaut, Ellen Burstyn as drinking, smoking, f-bombing grandma. Many other familiar faces. The space program seems pretty relaxed with all the drinking and showing up when you want sorta thing.
Requiem for a Dream (2000)
Brilliant and terrifying
I saw this years ago and it blew my mind, I never forgot it. Disturbing & graphic in a way that I've never seen before. Apparently taken from Hubert Selby Jr's book (I will have to check that out) following a Brooklyn man, his lonely mother, his beautiful girlfriend and his best friend/business partner as the descend into drug addiction. A brilliant, terrifying movie.
Yesterday (2019)
Are you happy Mr. Lennon?
This was good, enjoyable, leaving a smile on your face. Very cool idea for a movie and I have nothing to complain about but this wasn't anything too special either. Just nice and easy. Follows aspiring singer/songwriter Jack Malik who early on gets knocked out by a bus while riding his bike. When Jack wakes up he discovers (mostly through Google searches) that he's living in a world where the Beatles never existed. As a result he's able to pass off their songs as his own and becomes a star.
My favourite part would have to be when Jack meets Robert Carlyle as John Lennon, He asks if if he's happy? Has he had a good life? And how old he is? 78. Wow, that made me happy... and sad.
Lilly James kept reminding me of a young Keira Knightly.
It Came from Outer Space (1953)
Creepy
Creepy 1950's sci-fi film based on a Ray Bradbury short story. Follows an amateur astronomer who, along with a pretty schoolteacher (who's very good at screaming) check out a fallen meteor which in actuality is a crashed spaceship. Nobody in the Arizona desert town believes them of course. Eventually the aliens kidnap several of the local townsfolk and assume their bodies in an Invasion of the Body Snatchers sort of way.
Decent acting, script and spooky music. Russel Johnson, the professor from Gilligan's Island was the only recognizable face to me. The eyeball in the window watching the teacher was freaky.
A Beautiful Mind (2001)
Captures what it must be like to have schizophrenia
Russell Crowe is phenomenal as troubled prize winning mathematician John Nash. This bio-pic tells his life story mostly concentrating on his time at college and working into his marriage and subsequent breakdown. Jennifer Connelly is superb as his wife and its through her that we begin to understand John's range of problems.
(To me) this is the first movie that has successfully captured what its must be like to have schizophrenia, as we the audience also think these characters are real (his roommate) the voices, the paranoia make sense, scary. I never thought about how scary it would be to not know what or who is real. Yup super good. I also liked the music.
28 Days Later... (2002)
Covid changed this movie for me
I saw this years ago and liked it, found it to be a fresh take in the zombie genre but now watching it during these pandemic days I find myself living in it was a totally different experience. Thing is before Covid this was just another (albeit good) zombie horror movie, now it hits much closer to home, as I'm watching the daily news reports and crazy events unfold around me, my world getting smaller and smaller with each new restriction the events here felt more plausible or actually able to happen. I wonder if these times will change how I look at all end of days/ disaster movies?
Anyways this is from director Danny Boyle, an apocalyptic thriller about a deadly viral outbreak and the resilient Londoners trying to survive in a world of infected, flesh-eating zombies. The (now infamous) opening scenes of our protagonist waking up in the hospital and roaming the empty London streets in his hospital gown trying to figure out WTF is still amazing. Great characters, a good plot, went a bit off the rails for me with the rapey military but up until that point excellent. Brendan Gleeson as the dad with the drop of blood falling into his eye, well done, sad. I'm sure I'll watch this again one day.
About a Boy (2002)
Good
I've seen this several times over the years. It's good. Based on the novel by Nick Hornby, Hugh Grant is an irresponsible, commitment phobic bachelor, living off song royalties from his deceased father. He's never worked a day in his life and seems content enough, filling his days/blocks of time with meaningless but satisfying activities. He befriends the awkward son of a troubled single mother and life changes for everyone.
Hugh Grant does Hugh to perfection -with a sexy edge, good story, funny, awkward, Toni Collette is always great. Nicholas Hoult is painful in the best way.
My Dinner with Hervé (2018)
Peter Dinklage is amazing but
The story of a struggling journalist's unlikely friendship with actor Hervé Villechaize. Not a great bio-pic if I'm honest. Peter Dinklage is amazing as expected especially his unique French accent, Spot on. But the whole story is kind of melodramatic and rambling. Jamie Dornan's character is an addict/mess but left a little vague. Together they drive around in a limo, go to clubs, yell at each other, have many emotions together. Flashbacks show us Herve's life which is fascinating- sad. Great casting especially Andy Garcia' as Fantasy Island's Ricardo Montalban. Bottom line: it's just not all that interesting.
Death Becomes Her (1992)
Take care of your body
I've seen this several times now over the years and I always enjoy it. Perfectly overacted with great special effects, dark comedy and a unique story. Follows a writer and an actress who have tried to outdo each other for years, now their relationship borders on hate as they are fighting over the same man. They both secretly drink Isabella Rossellini's "miracle cure" which mends and stops the effects of aging but soon discover they have become immortal. "Take care of your body" becomes a very real warning.
At times this feels like a 1950's movie. The 20+ year old special effects stand up perfectly today (just thinking about the broken necks and shotgun holes makes me smile) Meryl is Meryl to perfection, Bruce Willis plays a wimpy, nerdy character (hilarious) and Goldie Hawn is the bitter dieting writer.
The Disappearance of Eleanor Rigby: Them (2014)
Great haircut
Really, really boring. The most exciting thing to happen here was Jessica Chastain's extreme haircut. Disappointed. Great cast with Chastain and James McAvoy doing their best but the story is just loose and wandering, not interesting, even as a character study its vague. Multiple disjointed flashbacks take us back to when our couple was happy and in love. I think I might have fallen asleep at some point but I'm not sure it would have made any difference. Follows a young couple as their marriage crumbles after the tragic loss of their child and is shown from each of their perspectives as they try to reclaim the life and love they once knew.
AVP: Alien vs. Predator (2004)
Unexpected slasher flick
I'm a fan of the B movies so I didn't hate this I just wasn't expecting a B-movie from the Alien/Predator franchise. For the most part this is just a teen slasher flick, with monsters fighting each other and killing the silly humans in the darkness (which makes it hard to see what the hell is actually going on). Lots of jump moments and fun kills. CGI monster fights, x-ray predator vision and invisibility, alien acid drool. Fun enough watch, a mindless time waster.
Chopping Mall (1986)
Delightfully cheesy and a ton of fun.
I was just about to shut this off when one of the killer robot's blew up a girls head with a laser beam as she tried to run away. Wow! This is from the 80's, It's corny, ridiculous, strange, filled with plot holes, gratuitous boob shots (as was mandatory in all 80's horror movies) delightfully cheesy and a ton of fun. A good B-movie.
I guess I would classify this a horror spoof, following a group of teenagers who basically have a shut in at a shopping mall after they finish their shifts at work. Partying, drinking, sexing in the home furnishing department where they have allowed themselves to be locked in until 6am when the high security system opens the doors to the mall. Several couples hook up and then the latest in mall security finds them. Malfunctioning security droids or "Killbots" armed with explosives and shooting deadly laser beams at their targets. The teens arm themselves at the "handy" mall gun store (which is stocked with assault rifles etc.) and try to stay alive. This was a very fun watch.
Dawn of the Dead (1978)
"why do they keep coming here?" "Its what they know."
Surprised by how much I enjoyed this and how it has stuck with me for days afterwards, I can understand why its such a cult fav however these were my initial thoughts...
Wow this is terrible, the dialogue, acting, plot, just about everything is beyond B-movie bad but it's growing on me. The scenes with our group of survivors making a home in the mall and utilizing or playing in all the stores is unique and fun. Probably my favourite parts in the movie. Some social commentary on consumerism, regarding the shopping mall, "why do they keep coming here?" "Its what they know."
The makeup remans awful throughout. The undead just have grey face paint, some red around the eyes, when the zombies are eating someone (guts) its pretty good but the blood is bright artificial ruby red.
In the end, glad I stuck with this, George Romero spawned an entire genre.
Endless Love (2014)
Bland remake with lots of running
I'm not sure what happened here... if this was meant to be a remake of the dark, obsessive love story with Brooke Shields from 1981 it failed completely. This remake quoted as a romantic drama where "passion meets tragedy" watches more like a Nicolas Sparks romance; angsty, clichéd, simple star-crossed lovers, very cookie cutter, high school melodrama.
Storyline follows a privileged but sheltered girl who falls in love with a broody but handsome working class boy and how her disapproving father conspires to keep them apart. Meh.
To me the movie was actually more about the dad, Bruce Greenwood. He steals all the scenes from his young co-stars as we watch him go off the rails because of his inability to deal with grief, let go of the past and overprotectiveness of his family. Redemption comes at a cost.
Honorable mention to Gabriella Wilde as Jade Butterfield who managed to amuse/annoy me with her perpetual running. The girl never walks anywhere, she's like a waif flowerchild, running and dancing in little dresses, waving her arms about.
Blockers (2018)
I got a lot of laughs from this one.
It's cheesy and isn't anything we haven't seen before from the genre but at one point I had to rewind because I was crying-laughing, so It is the perfect movie to watch right now during these pandemic days. Easy turn your brain off entertainment. Good visual comedy as well as the one liners. Story follows three meddling parents who discover that their teenage daughters have made a pact to lose their virginities on prom night. They decide to intervene and stop them by following the girls during the nights various wild festivities.
John Cena was surprisingly funny and Leslie Mann is always a good time. The scene where she electrocutes herself trying to escape from the hotel room was too good. The "ass beer" situation wow, hilarious. Some of the sentimental family stuff went on too long but time well wasted with this movie.
The Rider (2017)
Powerful, beautiful and intimate
This was fantastic, a very powerful & intimate movie, beautiful cinematography and kinda heartbreaking. Follows Brady Blackburn, a young cowboy facing an identity crisis after suffering a near fatal head injury on the rodeo circuit and being told that he can never ride again.
For the most part this is a character study as Brady struggles to find himself; trying jobs outside of the circuit for the first time in his life, hanging with his friends, spending time with his autistic sister and his buddy in the rehab center, his father sells his horse, its a struggle.
There are moments during this movie when you think wow these unknowns are acting there ass's off. Is that girl really mentally challenged, is the guy in the rehab really brain damaged, am I seeing a man break a horse in real time? Yes they are acting, but most of the characters here are playing versions of themselves that's why its so real, very clever. The director does a fantastic job of pulling emotions and scenes out of non professionals.
The characters are also multifaceted, you start out thinking the dad is going to be the antagonist, the mean guy, or the drunk guy, well he is both of these things but he's also supportive and worries terribly about his son. None of the characters in this are Hollywood's version of or following a cookie cutter character formula, very refreshing.
In the beginning we get a close up of a horses eye, late in the film there is a closeup of Brady's eye, they are the same, they feel the same, just a beautiful film.
The Age of Adaline (2015)
Beautiful. Good but not great
I liked this one, It's good but not great, enjoyed it a lot though. I like time travel stories even though this isn't really time travel but immortality, some of the same timeless rules apply. It follows a beautiful woman who stops aging after a car accident/lightning strike and remains 29 for several decades. When we pick up she is 107 but still looks 29. Except for her daughter (Ellen Burstyn) Adeline refuses to get close to anyone in order to keep her condition a secret and changes her identity and location often but reconsiders her solitary lifestyle after falling in love.
I found this to be a unique and interesting story. I liked the ongoing voiceover, Costumes are beautiful and the numerous flashbacks to different eras are well done. Blake Lively does a great job carrying the movie, I especially enjoyed the scenes where she is mothering over her senior citizen daughter. Throughout she maintains an old fashionedness and loneliness about her. The scenes with her dog really got to me. Harrison Ford is not grumpy for a change and pretty cool the actor they got to portray him as a young man, he looks and sounds just like him. This was filmed in Vancouver but you wouldn't know it. My only real negative would be that the love story which was meant to be all consuming lacked intensity or angst which this story seemed to need.
This made me think, if you didn't age would you could do with all your time but then also how lonely it would be and sad losing everyone especially all the dogs.
Swamp Thing (1982)
So bad and insane it becomes awesome
This was unbelievably bad. It reminded me of those 1950s horror films with its primitive dialogue, hokey action scenes, well dressed damsel in distress and laughable makeup for the monsters except its Wes Craven circa 1982. However because this is so terrible it also becomes very watchable. Its corny, campy fun and at times I couldn't believe what I was seeing or what insane thing was going to come at me next.
Story follows scientist Dr. Alec Holland who is transformed into a plant creature while working on his project to create a new plant/animal species capable of thriving in extreme conditions. Chaos ensues.
Swamp Thing spends his time in an ill fitting rubber suit, roaring and waving his arms at the sky. Damsel in distress is in a ball gown and high heels swimming around in the swamp, endless bad guys get thrown through the air by Swamp Thing or exploded out of boats- this became a joke actually. The last act goes off the rails completely with Adrienne Barbeau taken hostage and tied to a chair during a formal dinner at the bad guys mansion where none of the guests seem to notice or care. The body guard/henchmen is turned into a disfigured little person and the bad guy becomes a sword welding hairy aardvark creature who battles Swamp Thing to the death. You know what, I take it back, this was awesome.
The Devil Bat (1940)
Revenge quest giant killer bats
This was cheesy & corny but fun. My first Bela Lugosi movie. Follows a scientist that makes perfumes and aftershave lotions and his revenge quest to kill the family that got rich off one of his creations but compensated him poorly.
In his lab, with it's many secret doors Mad scientist Lugosi electrocutes common bats which somehow causes them to grow huge, then he creates a new after shave that he gets the family members to sample. The giant bats are attracted to the smell and go for the jugular.
If nothing else this is unique story. It watches more like a play though, with wooden acting and bad photography, at times you can see the wires on the giant bats that swoop in making sounds like eagles. The reporter from Chicago and his photographer were fun, the daughter that doesn't care her brothers are dead and she's next because she can't act, entertaining.