Went and saw The Big Short tonight. Really great movie and really well done. Steve Carell, Christian Bale, Ryan Gosling, and Brad Pitt are all great in it. It had just the right amount of humor in a movie about a pretty serious topic. It was directed and co-written by Adam McKay and is his first foray into more dramatic filmmaking. And I think he did a pretty good job considering he's more associated with comedic stuff throughout his career.
Box Office Films
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To be fair, the third book in the series was atrocious. Wasn't much quality material to work with.
icengineer
- Southern Illinois
For you movie buffs who enjoy Sci-Fi as much as I do. I'm going to order a pizza tonight and watch Blade Runner in celebration of Roy Batty's inception date! Which version should I watch? Original or Directors cut?!?!
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Ransom Stoddard
Ordained Dudeist Priest
- Bloomington, IL
Final Cut
http://www.amazon.com/Blade-Runner-...lade runner&qid=1452280664&s=movies-tv&sr=1-3
There was a box set released that had the 2007 final cut, the original 1982 US release, the 1982 international release, and the 1992 director's cut. The box itself was numbered, and designed to look like a Voigt-Kampff machine and can be found on ebay for under $100. Well worth it if you love the film, IMO.
Even though the 92 version was touted as the Director's Cut, Ridley Scott didn't much care for it and got to do it closer to "right" with the 2007 release. I've seen all of them at least 5 times each (82 release probably 20 or more) and the 07 version is the most satisfying.
Loved it with all the trimmings of the roadshow element as well.
For fans longing for another Reservoir Dogs this is definitely in the same vein.
I caught it this past weekend and your assessment is spot on. In classic Tarantino fashion, he delivers dialogue-driven western with thoroughly developed characters; all of it told essentially in one location. As BWilson25 said, fans of Reservoir Dogs will likely love The Hateful Eight.
Two positive notes and one negative. Jennifer Jason Leigh was fantastic and the score by Ennio Morricone is Oscar-worthy (loved that Tarantino brought him in for this). My only gripe is that I didn't think Channing Tatum fit in well with the rest of the cast.
One of the year's best.
Oscar nominations came out today. My quick reactions:
-Best Picture: 8 nominees this year. Love the Mad Max: Fury Road nomination. The only swap I'd make is Carol for Bridge of Spies. I think this category comes down to The Revenant or Spotlight. Both fantastic films.
-Best Actor: This one comes down to Leonardo DiCaprio vs. Michael Fassbender. I think Leo finally gets his.
-Best Supporting Actor: I'd love to see Mark Ruffalo get this one, but Tom Hardy and Sylvester Stallone are strong contenders. Benecio Del Toro was deserving of a nomination for Sicario.
-Best Actress: Brie Larson should win. I'm a little upset that Jennifer Lawrence got a nomination. Her performance in Joy was nothing short of mediocre.
-Best Supporting Actress: This category could go anywhere. I'm hoping Rooney Mara (she was snubbed back in 2011).
-Best Animated Film: If Anomalisa hadn't come into the running so late, I'd say Inside Out would be a lock. Still going to pick the latter.
-Cinematography: The Revenant will win. Very glad Sicario got a nomination in this category.
-Best Director: Love that George Miller gets a nomination, but this comes down to Inarritu vs. McCarthy.
-Original Score: Pulling for Ennio Morricone from The Hateful Eight. Beautiful music set for the film.
-Visual Effects: I'd love to see Ex Machina steal this one, but it'll likely go to Max Max: Fury Road or The Martian.
-Adapted Screenplay: Wide open. If I had to guess, I'd pick Carol.
-Original Screenplay: Tarantino's The Hateful Eight is snubbed in this category in favor of Bridge of Spies. Very happy with the Straight Outta Compton nomination. The winner will be Spotlight.
Full list of nominees: http://oscar.go.com/nominees
-Best Picture: 8 nominees this year. Love the Mad Max: Fury Road nomination. The only swap I'd make is Carol for Bridge of Spies. I think this category comes down to The Revenant or Spotlight. Both fantastic films.
-Best Actor: This one comes down to Leonardo DiCaprio vs. Michael Fassbender. I think Leo finally gets his.
-Best Supporting Actor: I'd love to see Mark Ruffalo get this one, but Tom Hardy and Sylvester Stallone are strong contenders. Benecio Del Toro was deserving of a nomination for Sicario.
-Best Actress: Brie Larson should win. I'm a little upset that Jennifer Lawrence got a nomination. Her performance in Joy was nothing short of mediocre.
-Best Supporting Actress: This category could go anywhere. I'm hoping Rooney Mara (she was snubbed back in 2011).
-Best Animated Film: If Anomalisa hadn't come into the running so late, I'd say Inside Out would be a lock. Still going to pick the latter.
-Cinematography: The Revenant will win. Very glad Sicario got a nomination in this category.
-Best Director: Love that George Miller gets a nomination, but this comes down to Inarritu vs. McCarthy.
-Original Score: Pulling for Ennio Morricone from The Hateful Eight. Beautiful music set for the film.
-Visual Effects: I'd love to see Ex Machina steal this one, but it'll likely go to Max Max: Fury Road or The Martian.
-Adapted Screenplay: Wide open. If I had to guess, I'd pick Carol.
-Original Screenplay: Tarantino's The Hateful Eight is snubbed in this category in favor of Bridge of Spies. Very happy with the Straight Outta Compton nomination. The winner will be Spotlight.
Full list of nominees: http://oscar.go.com/nominees
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icengineer
- Southern Illinois
I have a friend visiting from out of town and we decided to catch a movie on Netflix, neither of us had seen it before so we chose The Master. As the final credits were rolling I asked myself what the heck did I just watch?!?! I couldn't figure out the point of the whole thing. I wasn't inspired, entertained, awed, amazed, shocked, or even the least bit satisfied. What did I miss? I have very eclectic tastes and watch vintage, foreign, documentary, anything Criterion, etc. etc. and usually can find some enjoyment in most movies I watch. Not this one! I thought the acting was great, cinematography was awesome, I understood the plot. I was just left feeling very dissatisfied. Anyone else feel the same way about that movie? Maybe it's just me, lol.
Anyone seen Ping Pong Summer? Talk about a fun trip down memory lane! I thought it was an older movie that I had somehow missed, but found out later it was made last year, lol.
Anyone seen Ping Pong Summer? Talk about a fun trip down memory lane! I thought it was an older movie that I had somehow missed, but found out later it was made last year, lol.
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I mirrored your thoughts until my second viewing. I now think The Master was one of Paul Thomas Anderson's better works. In fact, I prefer it to There Will Be Blood, perhaps because it appealed to the psychological/behavioral side of me. The basic themes of power & control resonated throughout with a brilliant performance from Philip Seymour Hoffman.
icengineer
- Southern Illinois
I've come to enjoy and respect your opinions on film the past few years. I'll have to contemplate watching it again in the future and see if I have the same reaction as you. I have to admit though, I almost never see a film a 2nd time if I got nothing out of it the first go. I did enjoy Blood though!
Well thank you! I'm just an amateur film fan who watches a whole lot of movies.
The primary reason I watched The Master a second time was because of Philip Seymour Hoffman. He was my favorite living actor until his passing. Maybe that influenced my change of opinion. Who knows?
Netflix has an underappreciated collection of films. I've kept a spreadsheet (name, year, run time, genre, language, and personal rating) of every movie I've streamed through their service since I first subscribed in 2012. If you're looking for something specific, let me know!
Ransom Stoddard
Ordained Dudeist Priest
- Bloomington, IL
PTA is one of those directors that doesn't always resonate. The first time I saw "Magnolia" I had the same reaction (and this was after having heard Anderson discuss the film). On the second or third viewing I was astounded at the depth and nuance of the characters, his mise-en-scene, and the way the whole thing was edited.
Haven't seen The Master yet, but I found Inherent Vice to be a lot of fun, especially having read the book.
PTA recently released a documentary called "Junun" about a diverse group of musicians working together in India. Jonny Greenwood from Radiohead is in it, and its gotten some excellent coverage from magazines like Sight & Sound and Film Comment.
icengineer
- Southern Illinois
Saw The Revenant today. Good movie. Loved the Cinematography and score. It's one you need to see on the big screen first to get the best effect.
Ransom Stoddard
Ordained Dudeist Priest
- Bloomington, IL
I saw it Sunday. Huge, epic, expansive film, and I'm still not quite certain what I saw. It had the feel of a Terrence Malick film to me (Days of Heaven, Tree of Life, The New World). The stories being told about how difficult the production was have me even more in awe of the accomplishment in the visuals of this film.
PTA's work resonates with me on a similar emotional level to Lars von Trier's work (though his films are a bit more drastic). I still have to catch Inherent Vice. Hoping for it to slip onto Netflix one of these months.
It was stunningly gorgeous. The fact that they used only natural lighting is astounding. Each panoramic shot could be taken and used in a calendar. Lubezki is a lock for Best Cinematography.
The story being told left pits in my stomach all while fulfilling man levels of gratification. One of the year's best for certain.
Ransom Stoddard
Ordained Dudeist Priest
- Bloomington, IL
I wasn't aware until this morning, but the story had already been made into a film--1971's "Man in the Wilderness" with Richard Harris. I don't recall having seen it but will look through my DVR archive.
icengineer
- Southern Illinois
Drastic?!?!? That's being kind, lol. Just last night I was trying to explain Antichrist to a buddy of mine and found I couldn't find the words. The opening sequence in that movie was the most amazing opening scene I've ever seen. The music paired with the visuals (there is no dialogue) of the events taking place, had me with my eyes wide open and slackjawed to the finish of the scene. It was unreal! The rest of the movie was so bizarre I still can't believe it. I loved Dogtown (What an amazing set!!) and Melancholia also. Of his other movies I still intend to watch Dancer In The Dark and the two Nymphomaniacs.
FYI for anyone who might consider watching Antichrist (Its on Netflix) be careful who you watch it with. Definitely plenty of XXX content and some other stuff that is definitely not suitable for non-adults. I think a lot of adults would even have a hard time watching some of the scenes. Most definitely not a date night movie either, lol. I watched it alone and was very glad I did.
I'm going to have to go and watch The Revenant again. The theatre was packed and I had to sit waayyy up front so the viewing angle wasn't optimum. I had forgotten it was MLK Day and was expecting my usual great seat at a matinee. Even so, it was a darn good movie and I expect to enjoy it even more the second time around.
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Hahaha, I didn't have my thesaurus on hand for a different adjective. Melancholia is my favorite von Trier film. Admittedly, I have only seen what is available on Netflix, but I really need to see Dogtown. I did watch them back to back, but the Nymphomaniac (I & II) series took a toll on me. He has been open with his battle with depression, which manifests strongly, and strangely beautifully in his films.
If you like the storytelling by von Trier, I strongly recommend Dogtooth. It's a Greek film from Yorgos Lanthimos. That one messed with me for awhile.
Ransom Stoddard
Ordained Dudeist Priest
- Bloomington, IL
Dogville?
Agree on Melancholia. If you're into film theory and the like, read up on Dogme 95. It's a manifesto Von Trier wrote in 95, made some films to go with it, and then turned his back on it. It really informs a lot of his work.
Haha, ah yes, Dogville. Apparently discussing "Dogville" & "Dogtooth" in my previous post became "Dogtown."
Appreciate the recommendation on Dogme 95. I'll have to look into that. Sounds really interesting.
We are now in the lull months of January and February, but there are still a few that I am eager to see. Out on Feburary 5th, Hail, Caesar! is the latest offering from the Coen Brothers and the R-rated (thank goodness) Deadpool comes out on February 12th.
I'm out on the east coast now (Virginia), and the Regal theaters near me are playing all the Oscar contenders. In order, Carol, Room, and Brooklyn are on the "must sees" for me.
Just got back from Brooklyn. Quite the enjoyable film with delicate blend of laughs and tears. Interestingly, I didn't think it to be much of a love story, despite there being two love interests. Rather, I felt it was more of a story of a young woman finding herself on her own. It's hard not to be impressed by the performance from Saoirse Ronan. Other than her owning the part, her eyes stole the show.
3.5/4
3.5/4
Last night I double featured Room and Carol.
Brie Larson is well-deserving of her Best Actress nomination. And the young Jacob Tremblay (age 9) was quite good on screen as well. I'm always leery of child actors (not a big fan of kids), but his ability to capture wonderment was a sight to see. I went in without knowing any background of the plot and I must say, I was squirming in my seat for the first hour. The pacing in the first act was textbook. The emotional cycle this film took me on was exhausting. It was the best film of 2015 I will only volunteer to see once.
3.5/4
I felt Carol was the better of the two films I saw last night. Todd Haynes set the stage for the development of a complex relationship dynamic right out of the gate, and it felt completely natural. This is certainly a testament to the performances from Cate Blanchett and Rooney Mara. The writing was superb and the development of their relationship felt as natural and genuine as I've seen in a film in a long time. I felt isolation. I felt loneliness. I felt the need to be understood from both others and the self. Admitting my bias (Mara is my favorite actress), I hope she takes home the Best Supporting Actress Oscar. I still feel she was robbed in 2011 (?) for her role as Lisbeth in The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo. Meryl Streep was handed that award for name recognition alone.
4/4
Brie Larson is well-deserving of her Best Actress nomination. And the young Jacob Tremblay (age 9) was quite good on screen as well. I'm always leery of child actors (not a big fan of kids), but his ability to capture wonderment was a sight to see. I went in without knowing any background of the plot and I must say, I was squirming in my seat for the first hour. The pacing in the first act was textbook. The emotional cycle this film took me on was exhausting. It was the best film of 2015 I will only volunteer to see once.
3.5/4
I felt Carol was the better of the two films I saw last night. Todd Haynes set the stage for the development of a complex relationship dynamic right out of the gate, and it felt completely natural. This is certainly a testament to the performances from Cate Blanchett and Rooney Mara. The writing was superb and the development of their relationship felt as natural and genuine as I've seen in a film in a long time. I felt isolation. I felt loneliness. I felt the need to be understood from both others and the self. Admitting my bias (Mara is my favorite actress), I hope she takes home the Best Supporting Actress Oscar. I still feel she was robbed in 2011 (?) for her role as Lisbeth in The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo. Meryl Streep was handed that award for name recognition alone.
4/4
Kramer
- Des Moines, Iowa
Thanks for the reviews Ian always enjoy reading yours. I'm waiting on Carol to come out on PPV.
I want to see Room.
I'm curious if you saw Creed? I watched it and was surprised even after reading the reviews saying it was very good. I enjoyed it way more than I thought I would.
Any 13 hours reviews?
I want to see Room.
I'm curious if you saw Creed? I watched it and was surprised even after reading the reviews saying it was very good. I enjoyed it way more than I thought I would.
Any 13 hours reviews?
Thanks!
Since November 2014, my best friend and I have run a website/blog where we review the movies we see. He's been a bit busy planning a wedding of late, but he chimes in with full reviews when he can. We're hoping to make it on Rotten Tomatoes as amateur critics someday. The tagline we have is in my signature on IL (I'm the therapist). Unfortunately, we don't have a search feature, so you have to scroll through, but here's our homepage: https://doublefeaturefilmreviews.wordpress.com/. And my full take on Room: https://doublefeaturefilmreviews.wordpress.com/2016/01/29/room-2015/
I loved Creed. Thought it was the closest to matching the quality of the original. Michael B. Jordan is a star. Here's my write-up: https://doublefeaturefilmreviews.wordpress.com/2015/12/05/creed-2015/
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