OK. So I thought that I'd start rating movies that I've seen on a simple 5 star scale. That way, when I don't take the time to actually write a review of a film, at least some information will be displayed here. Hopefully it encourages some of you to share you're thoughts/ratings too.
Also, it would be fun to have another movie night sometime soon. (Especially with the Holiday Upgrades made to the basement at 581.) Stay tuned.
Also also, because the OCD part of me likes to list/order things, I'll be working on my Rankings-of-Movies-Released-in-2007-[That-I-Saw] list in the next couple weeks. At last count, there are more movies that I want to see than I have seen in '07, but I'll try my hardest to rectify that as the awards season comes into full swing.
So without further ado: Movies I've seen semi-recently...
No Country for Old Men ****1/2
I loved it, and was going to write up something about it, but what I wanted to write about would probably spoil it for those of you who haven't seen it. So see it!
Michael Clayton ****
Like No Country, one of the few movies that lived up to the hype. In any year that's saying something, and this year especially because of all the great stuff that came out.
The Darjeeling Limited ****
Probably only scores so high because the wife and I are such Wes Anderson fans, but really an entertaining movie. (An interesting suggestion about how to see Wes' films: Each of his movies could be taking place simultaneously in an alternate Wes universe. Each story opens a portal into which we get to see these highly stylized, quirky, character-comedies. But I guess if you don't dig it, you don't...
Juno ****
Like in Knocked Up, the scenarios, characters, and dialog are often completely over-the-top, but still manage to convey some really truthful ideas. More specific to Juno is the great writing that's so consistent without being predictable, and persistently witty. We laughed through half the jokes at our showing.
The Mist *** (But barely.)
The more I let go (in terms of plot, etc) and freely interacted with the movie, the more I enjoyed it. Classic King ending. (Good or bad is up to you.)
Eastern Promises **1/2
I was mostly underwhelmed and didn't really get into the story or its characters. But I guess I didn't exactly see the end coming either... meh.
3:10 to Yuma ***
Pretty entertaining western remake. But why didn't he just get on that damn train at the end!!! (Parts of the story bothered me when I should just been happy watching the gun battles. :)
Dan in Real Life ***
Cute, nice and fun. And I mostly forgot that I was watching Steve Carrel and Dane Cook. Which is impressive.
Want to see:
There Will Be Blood, Once, Into the Wild, I'm Not There, Atonement, I am Legend, Superbad...
Wednesday, December 19, 2007
Wednesday, November 7, 2007
American Gangster
I went to see American Gangster the other night with Jeff, Steve, Jon, and Cutler, and came out wondering what I was supposed to take away from the film. The story definitely had it's messages and points to make, but at the end, I felt as if the would-be strongest message (something about the real effects of drugs and drug trafficking in America) was over shadowed by the "Denzel is a Bad Ass" message. I wonder what the original intent/message of the filmmakers was before this film became the (more-palatable) cop drama that I saw?
But yes, the movie is entertaining, and in terms of story-telling, pretty good. I especially enjoyed watching how the film crafted the Crowe/Denzel characters to be so ideally and principally(?) similar. I thought that that aspect of the film was one of the more interesting/effective. I just wish that the film wouldn't have left the ending hanging (morally) wide open. Are we supposed to think that Lucas (Washington): has gotten what he deserved; gets off easy; feels any remorse; should feel any remorse; is to blame; or is just a cog in a faceless machine? I'd love to hear your thoughts.
But yes, the movie is entertaining, and in terms of story-telling, pretty good. I especially enjoyed watching how the film crafted the Crowe/Denzel characters to be so ideally and principally(?) similar. I thought that that aspect of the film was one of the more interesting/effective. I just wish that the film wouldn't have left the ending hanging (morally) wide open. Are we supposed to think that Lucas (Washington): has gotten what he deserved; gets off easy; feels any remorse; should feel any remorse; is to blame; or is just a cog in a faceless machine? I'd love to hear your thoughts.
Wednesday, October 10, 2007
Impromptu Movie Night?!
Summer's over. Let's face it.
Did it go faster than usual? Well, of course not, really... But our 2-month break became 3-, and I thought, before we fall completely off this wagon, we should try to have a movie night.
Does this weekend work well for people? Saturday night?
Screening suggestions? A new theme for this 'club season'? Let me know.
I've been itching to re-watch a couple of favorites from last year (The Fountain, Stranger Than Fiction, Children of Men...), so those are possibilities. Something fairly light and entertaining.
Reply [to hagstrbh@yahoo.com] YES or NO if you think you could make it Saturday. I'll email again if we have enough interested.
Thanks.
Bjorn
ps- I was introduced to another film discussion resource. http://www.armchairdirector.org/ It looks like a little up-start web periodical, all about movies. The reviews look fairly well written. Take a look.
Did it go faster than usual? Well, of course not, really... But our 2-month break became 3-, and I thought, before we fall completely off this wagon, we should try to have a movie night.
Does this weekend work well for people? Saturday night?
Screening suggestions? A new theme for this 'club season'? Let me know.
I've been itching to re-watch a couple of favorites from last year (The Fountain, Stranger Than Fiction, Children of Men...), so those are possibilities. Something fairly light and entertaining.
Reply [to hagstrbh@yahoo.com] YES or NO if you think you could make it Saturday. I'll email again if we have enough interested.
Thanks.
Bjorn
ps- I was introduced to another film discussion resource. http://www.armchairdirecto
Tuesday, July 3, 2007
2 Month Break
Film Club is going to take a 2 month break (this July and August) to let people catch up on their out-of-doors activities and Summer Blockbusters in the theaters. We'll return stronger than ever in September. If you see anything good in the mean time, feel free to post about it here. It's always nice to have suggestions!
Bjorn
Bjorn
Monday, June 18, 2007
P R I M E R
We watched Primer on Saturday night, and I'm glad that everyone was at least as befuddled by the movie as I was the first time I saw it. I enjoyed it just as much the third time through too, so I'd definitely recommend additional viewings.
For more info, Wikipedia has a sizable entry on the film. Also, www.primermovie.com is the film's official sight with a link to a discussion board that is administered by Shane Caruth (he no longer has the forum open to new users, because of spammers, but all of the content is still up).
I own the film now, so let me know if you'd like to borrow it.
Bjorn
For more info, Wikipedia has a sizable entry on the film. Also, www.primermovie.com is the film's official sight with a link to a discussion board that is administered by Shane Caruth (he no longer has the forum open to new users, because of spammers, but all of the content is still up).
I own the film now, so let me know if you'd like to borrow it.
Bjorn
Tuesday, June 5, 2007
JUNE!
Well, Film Clubbers, I've challenged myself for June. My challenge: to pick a movie to screen from the 21st century.
I don't think that it will be a challenge due to any lack of quality film-making so far this century, but it will be challenging to find a film that has as much of a universal impact as some of the movies we've seen so far in this club.
As a club, I'd say that we've stuck to some pretty prevalent themes, although not without variety and contrast... or, to summarize, I think that we could safely categorize the films screened thus far as a bit 'grown up' in taste. So I'm going to breath some life into this group! :) Just kidding. But I would like to find something contemporary (even futuristic!), or funny... something we haven't yet seen.
I'm thinking that the 16th or the 30th look like good dates. Let me know if you have a preference.
And I'll let you know when I have a selection.
Thanks.
Bjorn
Ps- anybody seen anything good recently? Let us know!
I don't think that it will be a challenge due to any lack of quality film-making so far this century, but it will be challenging to find a film that has as much of a universal impact as some of the movies we've seen so far in this club.
As a club, I'd say that we've stuck to some pretty prevalent themes, although not without variety and contrast... or, to summarize, I think that we could safely categorize the films screened thus far as a bit 'grown up' in taste. So I'm going to breath some life into this group! :) Just kidding. But I would like to find something contemporary (even futuristic!), or funny... something we haven't yet seen.
I'm thinking that the 16th or the 30th look like good dates. Let me know if you have a preference.
And I'll let you know when I have a selection.
Thanks.
Bjorn
Ps- anybody seen anything good recently? Let us know!
Monday, May 21, 2007
Disturbia
Saturday night the wife, Kirsta and I went out to the Rosedale Mall to grab a bite to eat and see a movie at the 'new' AMC theater. Being at a mall is always pretty awkward, I feel, as we're just not far enough removed from the high school crowds that regular that scene. But that's a topic for another blog...
Anyway, we had a very decent dinner at Big Bowl where each of us partook in their homemade ginger drink specialties. The ginger tea was delicious. But we had to hurry out of there because I was in charge of the movies, and, of course, I didn't remember any of the start times to the movies we wanted to see -- and my assumption that "there'll be a 9 o'clock show of any of 'em..." was completely wrong. :) The timing worked out amazingly well, however, and we sat down at maybe 7:50 for the 7:45 showing of Disturbia... still catching 10 of the 15 minutes of previews before the feature presentation.
Now, I don't know what you've heard of this film, but what I heard was that I was a rather weak adaptation of Rear Window, but with decent performances by Lebouf, Moss, and Morse... And where I can kind of see where that kind of review is coming from, I really couldn't say that any individual's performance was the reason I ended up enjoying myself in this film.
...I suppose that these actors were all good enough here not to 'screw it up,' which is - now that I think of it - more of a feat than I at first recognized. Especially in a teen-thriller type of movie...
But I did really like this movie. I certainly enjoyed myself during Disturbia more than I have at most of the movies I've seen so far this year (Hot Fuzz being a notable exception). And from what I heard, so did the rest of the people in the theater. Änna, for one, spent much of the last half of the movie so far down in her seat that only her head was touching the backrest... which doesn't sound at first like an "enjoying-oneself-posture," but she was both laughing and screaming out of the fearful pleasure that Disturbia delivered. I didn't get up to see, but I had fun imagining how many of the other people in the theater were in similarly hilarious positions when they let out their own joyous screams.
The last time that I remember that same kind of energy in a movie theater was back in high school when some friends and I went into the first Scream movie, to do just that... (We even brought in large tubs of popcorn to throw into the air at the most appropriate moments.) I don't really see any valuable comparisons between Scream and Disturbia, but I do suppose that the better cast helped out a bit. Especially in the first part of the film. Really though, it was the writing, directing and camera work that made Disturbia an effective movie. I loved the Rear Window references (and others, Blair Witch, even the Matrix) that were introduced with a reasonable mixture of subtlety and in-your-face-ness. I also appreciated the way that the film 'wrapped up' at the end. Maybe I give the director too much credit, because I've heard that some people took the ending to be rushed, out of the blue, and convenient, but I felt like the story pulled up before it delved too deeply into potentially inappropriate/harmful (to the story), or boring territory.
In conclusion: Hurry up and see this one while it's still in the theaters. And try to bring 50 of your closest (more easily startled) friends. You'll have a good time.
Anyway, we had a very decent dinner at Big Bowl where each of us partook in their homemade ginger drink specialties. The ginger tea was delicious. But we had to hurry out of there because I was in charge of the movies, and, of course, I didn't remember any of the start times to the movies we wanted to see -- and my assumption that "there'll be a 9 o'clock show of any of 'em..." was completely wrong. :) The timing worked out amazingly well, however, and we sat down at maybe 7:50 for the 7:45 showing of Disturbia... still catching 10 of the 15 minutes of previews before the feature presentation.
Now, I don't know what you've heard of this film, but what I heard was that I was a rather weak adaptation of Rear Window, but with decent performances by Lebouf, Moss, and Morse... And where I can kind of see where that kind of review is coming from, I really couldn't say that any individual's performance was the reason I ended up enjoying myself in this film.
...I suppose that these actors were all good enough here not to 'screw it up,' which is - now that I think of it - more of a feat than I at first recognized. Especially in a teen-thriller type of movie...
But I did really like this movie. I certainly enjoyed myself during Disturbia more than I have at most of the movies I've seen so far this year (Hot Fuzz being a notable exception). And from what I heard, so did the rest of the people in the theater. Änna, for one, spent much of the last half of the movie so far down in her seat that only her head was touching the backrest... which doesn't sound at first like an "enjoying-oneself-posture," but she was both laughing and screaming out of the fearful pleasure that Disturbia delivered. I didn't get up to see, but I had fun imagining how many of the other people in the theater were in similarly hilarious positions when they let out their own joyous screams.
The last time that I remember that same kind of energy in a movie theater was back in high school when some friends and I went into the first Scream movie, to do just that... (We even brought in large tubs of popcorn to throw into the air at the most appropriate moments.) I don't really see any valuable comparisons between Scream and Disturbia, but I do suppose that the better cast helped out a bit. Especially in the first part of the film. Really though, it was the writing, directing and camera work that made Disturbia an effective movie. I loved the Rear Window references (and others, Blair Witch, even the Matrix) that were introduced with a reasonable mixture of subtlety and in-your-face-ness. I also appreciated the way that the film 'wrapped up' at the end. Maybe I give the director too much credit, because I've heard that some people took the ending to be rushed, out of the blue, and convenient, but I felt like the story pulled up before it delved too deeply into potentially inappropriate/harmful (to the story), or boring territory.
In conclusion: Hurry up and see this one while it's still in the theaters. And try to bring 50 of your closest (more easily startled) friends. You'll have a good time.
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