Friday, April 10, 2020
Parasite
We like movies for a variety of reasons. Some are just really entertaining, and some make you feel strong emotions. Some of my favorite movies are the ones that are thought-provoking, and make you want to talk to anyone you know who's seen them. I would put Parasite in the last category. My wife and I had a good ten minute conversation right after it was over about everything we'd seen.
Parasite is engrossing from the beginning. I was fascinated at how the poor family was able to slowly work its way more and more into the rich family's lives. Each one of the four family members are cunning in their own way. The movie is in Korean but I forgot I was reading subtitles pretty quickly. The first half of the movie moved at a slower pace, and then the second half got bonkers.
It started with the scene when the poor family is getting drunk while the Parks were away. I wanted to yell at the TV for them to realize that the Parks were going to come back because it was storming. But they were being very reckless.
Then the reveal of the housekeeper and her husband brought up a lot of questions. Did she live in the basement with him too? If she did, where was she the whole time between when she was fired and when she came back to the house? I was confused at first because I thought it made it sound like Mr. Park knew the man was down there, and recognized that he was doing the Morse Code messages with the lights. I realized later that must not have been the case.
As the craziness unfolded later at the birthday party, the main plot point that bugged me at first was why Kim killed Mr. Park. I recognized why he snapped, but it seemed very out of character for him to act that way. I think I understand intellectually why he did it, but not emotionally. I also found it very unlikely that the son would survive being bashed in the head twice by the rock. But is that because the rock brought the family luck? And did the son go down to the basement with the rock with the intention of killing the old housekeeper and her husband? I think he did.
Another question that is open to interpretation is just who the parasite was. Was it the poor family? The housekeepers? The class system in general? I think it's a combination of all of them.
One thing that I didn't understand was why the poor family still lived in the horrible basement apartment at the end of the movie. Their plan at the beginning was to infiltrate this family and each earn a lot of money, so shouldn't they have been able to afford to live a nicer lifestyle? The Park family clearly paid well.
Each scene brings up a lot of questions and interpretations, and I really like that about this movie. What questions or theories do you have?
Parasite is engrossing from the beginning. I was fascinated at how the poor family was able to slowly work its way more and more into the rich family's lives. Each one of the four family members are cunning in their own way. The movie is in Korean but I forgot I was reading subtitles pretty quickly. The first half of the movie moved at a slower pace, and then the second half got bonkers.
It started with the scene when the poor family is getting drunk while the Parks were away. I wanted to yell at the TV for them to realize that the Parks were going to come back because it was storming. But they were being very reckless.
Then the reveal of the housekeeper and her husband brought up a lot of questions. Did she live in the basement with him too? If she did, where was she the whole time between when she was fired and when she came back to the house? I was confused at first because I thought it made it sound like Mr. Park knew the man was down there, and recognized that he was doing the Morse Code messages with the lights. I realized later that must not have been the case.
As the craziness unfolded later at the birthday party, the main plot point that bugged me at first was why Kim killed Mr. Park. I recognized why he snapped, but it seemed very out of character for him to act that way. I think I understand intellectually why he did it, but not emotionally. I also found it very unlikely that the son would survive being bashed in the head twice by the rock. But is that because the rock brought the family luck? And did the son go down to the basement with the rock with the intention of killing the old housekeeper and her husband? I think he did.
Another question that is open to interpretation is just who the parasite was. Was it the poor family? The housekeepers? The class system in general? I think it's a combination of all of them.
One thing that I didn't understand was why the poor family still lived in the horrible basement apartment at the end of the movie. Their plan at the beginning was to infiltrate this family and each earn a lot of money, so shouldn't they have been able to afford to live a nicer lifestyle? The Park family clearly paid well.
Each scene brings up a lot of questions and interpretations, and I really like that about this movie. What questions or theories do you have?
Tuesday, February 04, 2020
How I Would Pick the Oscars
This year I've actually seen a bunch of the movies nominated for Oscars, so I thought I'd do my picks. This is who I would vote for, not who I think will win. Just for background, I've seen five of the nine nominees for Best Picture. I have not seen Parasite, 1917, Jojo Rabbit or Joker.
Best Supporting Actress
Laura Dern, Marriage Story
Laura Dern had a good year, in Marriage Story and Little Women, plus Big Little Lies on HBO. She's not my favorite character in this movie (I really liked Alan Alda), but she puts in a really solid performance as the divorce lawyer for Scarlett Johansson's character. The only other nominee in this category I saw was Florence Pugh in Little Women. If I had a second choice I would throw in Toni Collette from Knives Out. Her character was one of the standouts in that movie.
Best Supporting Actor
Joe Pesci, The Irishman
This is a really tough category. Brad Pitt probably will win. I am a Brad Pitt fan, but that would be more of a lifetime achievement award than anything. He's had better performances than he did in Once Upon a Time in Hollywood. Anthony Hopkins and Al Pacino are really strong. But I would vote for Pesci. He commands every scene he's in. He does a great job of projecting power without being loud or over the top. Most scenes he's barely talking above a whisper. But it's very effective.
Best Actress
Scarlett Johansson, Marriage Story
Marriage Story wasn't my favorite movie of the year, but it was very well acted. And Scarlett Johansson definitely deserved her nomination (she's nominated twice in two different categories!). I felt like the story was a little tilted more toward Adam Driver, but ScarJo's character was a little more sympathetic. Saoirse Ronan is very good in Little Women, but I liked her better in Ladybird. Ronan is 25 and this is already her fourth Oscar nomination!
Best Actor
Jonathan Pryce, The Two Popes
Joaquin Phoenix is going to win, but I have no desire to see Joker. I loved Pryce's performance as Pope Francis. Like Pesci in The Irishman, he does more with less. He speaks quietly and thoughtfully, and does a great job of capturing the inner turmoil Bergoglio has about his past. Leo DiCaprio and Driver are both really good in their roles too, but I would give Pryce the edge.
Best Director
Martin Scorsese, The Irishman
I have not been a huge fan of many of his movies, but this one is one of his best. It takes its time but doesn't feel slow. The de-aging technology he used for some of the actors was pretty effective. Truthfully, there isn't one director who should be the clear winner in this category. But out of the movies I've seen I would put him in ahead of Tarantino.
Best Picture
Ford v Ferrari
I was really happy to see Ford v Ferrari get a nomination for Best Picture. It's my favorite film of 2019. The racing scenes are great, especially when it gets to Le Mans and it's raining. But some of the other moments are just as good, like the fight between Shelby and Miles, and the scene where Henry Ford gets a test drive in the new car. Christian Bale puts in a great performance as Ken Miles. It's just a very well-made, entertaining movie.
Best Supporting Actress
Laura Dern, Marriage Story
Laura Dern had a good year, in Marriage Story and Little Women, plus Big Little Lies on HBO. She's not my favorite character in this movie (I really liked Alan Alda), but she puts in a really solid performance as the divorce lawyer for Scarlett Johansson's character. The only other nominee in this category I saw was Florence Pugh in Little Women. If I had a second choice I would throw in Toni Collette from Knives Out. Her character was one of the standouts in that movie.
Best Supporting Actor
Joe Pesci, The Irishman
This is a really tough category. Brad Pitt probably will win. I am a Brad Pitt fan, but that would be more of a lifetime achievement award than anything. He's had better performances than he did in Once Upon a Time in Hollywood. Anthony Hopkins and Al Pacino are really strong. But I would vote for Pesci. He commands every scene he's in. He does a great job of projecting power without being loud or over the top. Most scenes he's barely talking above a whisper. But it's very effective.
Best Actress
Scarlett Johansson, Marriage Story
Marriage Story wasn't my favorite movie of the year, but it was very well acted. And Scarlett Johansson definitely deserved her nomination (she's nominated twice in two different categories!). I felt like the story was a little tilted more toward Adam Driver, but ScarJo's character was a little more sympathetic. Saoirse Ronan is very good in Little Women, but I liked her better in Ladybird. Ronan is 25 and this is already her fourth Oscar nomination!
Best Actor
Jonathan Pryce, The Two Popes
Joaquin Phoenix is going to win, but I have no desire to see Joker. I loved Pryce's performance as Pope Francis. Like Pesci in The Irishman, he does more with less. He speaks quietly and thoughtfully, and does a great job of capturing the inner turmoil Bergoglio has about his past. Leo DiCaprio and Driver are both really good in their roles too, but I would give Pryce the edge.
Best Director
Martin Scorsese, The Irishman
I have not been a huge fan of many of his movies, but this one is one of his best. It takes its time but doesn't feel slow. The de-aging technology he used for some of the actors was pretty effective. Truthfully, there isn't one director who should be the clear winner in this category. But out of the movies I've seen I would put him in ahead of Tarantino.
Best Picture
Ford v Ferrari
I was really happy to see Ford v Ferrari get a nomination for Best Picture. It's my favorite film of 2019. The racing scenes are great, especially when it gets to Le Mans and it's raining. But some of the other moments are just as good, like the fight between Shelby and Miles, and the scene where Henry Ford gets a test drive in the new car. Christian Bale puts in a great performance as Ken Miles. It's just a very well-made, entertaining movie.
Wednesday, October 16, 2019
Top Movies of 2016
Timely as always - as we get into the final quarter of 2019, I have my list of the top movies from 2016 (it takes me a while to get around to all the movies I want to see). This year I have a top 9 - the movies I gave at least a 7 out of 10 to from 2016.
9. Fantastic Beasts
Warner Brothers tried to capitalize on the success of Harry Potter with a new franchise. The first movie is a lot of fun, with standout supporting work from Dan Fogler. I like Eddie Redmayne but his Newt Scamander is pretty boring, holding this back from being a better movie.
8. Rogue One
Another very popular franchise (Star Wars) gets a new offering. I don't think Rogue One measures up to The Force Awakens, but it is still an entertaining movie. Felicity Jones does an admirable job as the main character, and there are some good fan service moments. I could have done without the weird CGI Princess Leia though.
7. The Accountant
I didn't know what to expect going into this, but I was definitely entertained. There are some good twists and turns and great action sequences. Ben Affleck and Anna Kendrick work well together. It's a fun watch.
6. Hell or High Water
This is one of the better westerns I've seen in recent years. Jeff Bridges is tremendous as the Texas Ranger trying to track the bank robbers down. The scene at the T-Bone steak place stands out. I had some issues with the plot that kept me from liking this more, but it has a lot going for it.
5. Hidden Figures
This does a great job of being entertaining and informative. I learned a lot about the origins of the NASA space program. The three leads are all great, and there's excellent supporting work from Kevin Costner, Jim Parsons, Mahershala Ali and others. The scenes involving Taraji P. Henson running to the bathroom are pretty powerful.
4. Sully
Tom Hanks and Clint Eastwood team up, and you know this movie is going to be really good. I like the way the movie is structured, departing from what you would expect. Hanks and Aaron Eckhart are great as the pilots. You really get a sense of how Sully wants to stay out of the spotlight as much as he can. It's also very tense considering we all know how the flight ends.
3. Hacksaw Ridge
I have a vested interest in this story, with the lead character being from Lynchburg (Desmond Doss). This one takes a while to get going, but the war scenes are very powerful. You see just how crazy the Americans are to try to take this ridge, and how this one man saved so many people. It is quite violent but I think that's necessary to tell a brutal war story like this.
2. Nocturnal Animals
This is a movie that I really didn't know anything about going in. But I was very impressed. The story that unfolds in the novel with Jake Gyllenhaal's family is very engrossing. He has a great interplay with Michael Shannon. I really liked the way the two stories intersected at the end.
1. La La Land
This might be my favorite movie from the last five years. There are great musical numbers, but it's the story that pulled me in. I was rooting for Emma Stone and Ryan Gosling's characters to get together from the start. There are so many wonderful scenes. I especially like the pool party and the movie theater. It hits you with a few emotional gut-punches toward the end. I've seen this several times and it never gets old.
9. Fantastic Beasts
Warner Brothers tried to capitalize on the success of Harry Potter with a new franchise. The first movie is a lot of fun, with standout supporting work from Dan Fogler. I like Eddie Redmayne but his Newt Scamander is pretty boring, holding this back from being a better movie.
8. Rogue One
Another very popular franchise (Star Wars) gets a new offering. I don't think Rogue One measures up to The Force Awakens, but it is still an entertaining movie. Felicity Jones does an admirable job as the main character, and there are some good fan service moments. I could have done without the weird CGI Princess Leia though.
7. The Accountant
I didn't know what to expect going into this, but I was definitely entertained. There are some good twists and turns and great action sequences. Ben Affleck and Anna Kendrick work well together. It's a fun watch.
6. Hell or High Water
This is one of the better westerns I've seen in recent years. Jeff Bridges is tremendous as the Texas Ranger trying to track the bank robbers down. The scene at the T-Bone steak place stands out. I had some issues with the plot that kept me from liking this more, but it has a lot going for it.
5. Hidden Figures
This does a great job of being entertaining and informative. I learned a lot about the origins of the NASA space program. The three leads are all great, and there's excellent supporting work from Kevin Costner, Jim Parsons, Mahershala Ali and others. The scenes involving Taraji P. Henson running to the bathroom are pretty powerful.
4. Sully
Tom Hanks and Clint Eastwood team up, and you know this movie is going to be really good. I like the way the movie is structured, departing from what you would expect. Hanks and Aaron Eckhart are great as the pilots. You really get a sense of how Sully wants to stay out of the spotlight as much as he can. It's also very tense considering we all know how the flight ends.
3. Hacksaw Ridge
I have a vested interest in this story, with the lead character being from Lynchburg (Desmond Doss). This one takes a while to get going, but the war scenes are very powerful. You see just how crazy the Americans are to try to take this ridge, and how this one man saved so many people. It is quite violent but I think that's necessary to tell a brutal war story like this.
2. Nocturnal Animals
This is a movie that I really didn't know anything about going in. But I was very impressed. The story that unfolds in the novel with Jake Gyllenhaal's family is very engrossing. He has a great interplay with Michael Shannon. I really liked the way the two stories intersected at the end.
1. La La Land
This might be my favorite movie from the last five years. There are great musical numbers, but it's the story that pulled me in. I was rooting for Emma Stone and Ryan Gosling's characters to get together from the start. There are so many wonderful scenes. I especially like the pool party and the movie theater. It hits you with a few emotional gut-punches toward the end. I've seen this several times and it never gets old.
Sunday, June 24, 2018
Top Movies of 2015
I've gotten through movies from 2015 in my Netflix queue, so it's time to rank them! This year I'm doing a top 9 list, because I did have enough qualify for a top 10 (movies I give at least a 7 out of 10). So here's the list:
9. The Hunger Games: Mockingjay - Part 2
I think the Hunger Games series tried to capitalize on the success of the Harry Potter movies, and while overall they were good, they didn't quite capture the magic of HP. There is some good action in this one, and it has a satisfying conclusion. Not as good as the books but it's pretty entertaining.
8. The Man from UNCLE
This movie is one that definitely exceeds expectations. The retreads of old TV shows can be lazy and boring, but this one is really entertaining. There is great chemistry between the three leads. I didn't really like Guy Ritchie's Sherlock Holmes movies, but he does a great job of making a light, fun action/suspense movie.
7. Creed
After Rocky IV and V I'm not sure we needed more of these movies. Rocky Balboa was an improvement, though. And this is the best one since Rocky III. This might actually be Sly's best performance, capturing how beaten down and depressed Rocky is after his wife dies and his glory days are long behind him. The first big fight Creed has is really well shot. I'm a little nervous about the upcoming sequel but this one is solid.
6. Bridge of Spies
A very interesting Cold War story with a great performance by Mark Rylance. The first half of this movie is really good, as we find out what happens to his character. I didn't like the second half quite as much, with a lot of will they won't they that got irritating after a while. It's a good look at what happened to Francis Gary Powers after he ended up behind enemy lines.
5. Paper Towns
It seems like there were a ton of these type movies that came out around this time. High school coming of age/teen romance indie films. This is my favorite of the ones I've seen. It sets up this interesting character (Margo) but she leaves the picture early in the movie and becomes more of an idea, a symbol for Quentin of what he's missing out on in life.
4. Inside Out
Another Pixar hit. This is a really creative way to tell a story that on the surface is pretty simple. It's full of color for young kids to enjoy, but I think adults can also relate to some of the messages the film has. This is a movie that gets better as it goes along, and not many movies can say that.
3. Brooklyn
I saw this shortly after I saw Lady Bird, so I was interested to see how Saoirse Ronan did. She is really tremendous in this. You are emotionally invested in her story from the beginning. I was rooting hard for her to pick her new life in Brooklyn over her old life in Ireland. I think this captures really well what it was like to be an immigrant in America, not knowing a soul when you come into this foreign land.
2. Spotlight
This is probably the most important story told in a movie in 2015. Everyone knows about the Catholic priest scandal, but this does a great job of showing just how widespread it was and what lengths people went to to protect the church. This story unfolds much like All the President's Men, which is definitely a compliment. This isn't the most emotionally moving film, but there is a lot to admire.
1. The Force Awakens
I understand the criticisms of this movie for being too familiar. The nostalgia factor is at an all-time high, for sure. But that's just what I loved about it. There was something about sitting in the theater watching a Star Wars movie again on the big screen with the familiar music playing that had me hooked right away. I think when you hold this up next to the Star Wars movies that have come after it, it holds up even better. This was my favorite movie of 2015.
9. The Hunger Games: Mockingjay - Part 2
I think the Hunger Games series tried to capitalize on the success of the Harry Potter movies, and while overall they were good, they didn't quite capture the magic of HP. There is some good action in this one, and it has a satisfying conclusion. Not as good as the books but it's pretty entertaining.
8. The Man from UNCLE
This movie is one that definitely exceeds expectations. The retreads of old TV shows can be lazy and boring, but this one is really entertaining. There is great chemistry between the three leads. I didn't really like Guy Ritchie's Sherlock Holmes movies, but he does a great job of making a light, fun action/suspense movie.
7. Creed
After Rocky IV and V I'm not sure we needed more of these movies. Rocky Balboa was an improvement, though. And this is the best one since Rocky III. This might actually be Sly's best performance, capturing how beaten down and depressed Rocky is after his wife dies and his glory days are long behind him. The first big fight Creed has is really well shot. I'm a little nervous about the upcoming sequel but this one is solid.
6. Bridge of Spies
A very interesting Cold War story with a great performance by Mark Rylance. The first half of this movie is really good, as we find out what happens to his character. I didn't like the second half quite as much, with a lot of will they won't they that got irritating after a while. It's a good look at what happened to Francis Gary Powers after he ended up behind enemy lines.
5. Paper Towns
It seems like there were a ton of these type movies that came out around this time. High school coming of age/teen romance indie films. This is my favorite of the ones I've seen. It sets up this interesting character (Margo) but she leaves the picture early in the movie and becomes more of an idea, a symbol for Quentin of what he's missing out on in life.
4. Inside Out
Another Pixar hit. This is a really creative way to tell a story that on the surface is pretty simple. It's full of color for young kids to enjoy, but I think adults can also relate to some of the messages the film has. This is a movie that gets better as it goes along, and not many movies can say that.
3. Brooklyn
I saw this shortly after I saw Lady Bird, so I was interested to see how Saoirse Ronan did. She is really tremendous in this. You are emotionally invested in her story from the beginning. I was rooting hard for her to pick her new life in Brooklyn over her old life in Ireland. I think this captures really well what it was like to be an immigrant in America, not knowing a soul when you come into this foreign land.
2. Spotlight
This is probably the most important story told in a movie in 2015. Everyone knows about the Catholic priest scandal, but this does a great job of showing just how widespread it was and what lengths people went to to protect the church. This story unfolds much like All the President's Men, which is definitely a compliment. This isn't the most emotionally moving film, but there is a lot to admire.
1. The Force Awakens
I understand the criticisms of this movie for being too familiar. The nostalgia factor is at an all-time high, for sure. But that's just what I loved about it. There was something about sitting in the theater watching a Star Wars movie again on the big screen with the familiar music playing that had me hooked right away. I think when you hold this up next to the Star Wars movies that have come after it, it holds up even better. This was my favorite movie of 2015.
Sunday, June 25, 2017
Top 10 Movies of 2014
Now that I've watched all of the movies I wanted to from 2014, I feel like I can do a top 10 list. After a weak 2013 where I was only able to come up with a top 8, we had more contenders in 2014. So here's the list:
10. The Lego Movie
I didn't really know what to expect going into this, but I knew so many people raved about it. While I didn't love it as much as some people, it was definitely very entertaining. The quality of the animation was really impressive. And they added a nice emotional touch with the scenes with Will Ferrell and his son.
9. Into the Woods
I wasn't really familiar with Stephen Sondheim's musical going in, but I enjoyed it. There are some good songs weaving the different characters together. The standouts for me were Anna Kendrick, Emily Blunt and Meryl Streep. James Corden did a good job too, before he got his talk show.
8. St. Vincent
It's good to see Bill Murray still making good movies. He has great chemistry with the boy he begrudgingly takes care of. This movie has some weird parts (Naomi Watts I'm looking at you), but it is probably the funniest movie I saw from 2014.
7. Unbroken
I was really looking forward to seeing this real-life tale of Louis Zamperini. While it didn't have quite the emotional impact it should have, it was still well-made. The scenes on the life raft and then at the Japanese prison camp were pretty harrowing. It's definitely a story worth seeing.
6. Wild
Another very interesting real-life tale of survival of a different sort. Reese Witherspoon is really good in this. The filmmakers do a great job of making you feel like you are on this neverending hike with her. This movie shows that big things don't have to happen to make a movie interesting or meaningful.
5. Gone Girl
I had already read the book going in, so the big twist didn't surprise me. But it's still a well made movie by a very capable director (David Fincher). Rosamund Pike is perfect as Amy. And Tyler Perry is surprisingly good as Nick's lawyer.
4. Fury
It took a little while for me to get into this, but the second half is as harrowing a war movie as I've seen as a while. You get to the point where you get invested in the characters and see their increasing desperation. Brad Pitt as usual commands the screen when he's on camera.
3. Selma
Speaking of commanding the screen, David Oyelowo becomes Martin Luther King Jr. He has a great presence throughout and carries this movie. It does a great job of inhabiting a place and showing just what it was like for African-Americans in 1960s Alabama.
2. Boyhood
This is a very ambitious movie and a memorable one. Richard Linklater's idea of having the actors film this over more than a decade paid off. I really was invested in these characters, especially the boy, as he grew up. Ethan Hawke was tremendous in this and was much more than a one-note character.
1. Whiplash
Damien Chazelle's prelude to La La Land is quite impressive. The interplay between Miles Teller and J.K. Simmons is terrific. Simmons is so menacing that you gulp when you see him walk into the room. There are some great twists that I didn't see coming in the last 20 minutes. And I like the change of pace from the intensity with the quiet scenes between Teller and Melissa Benoist.
10. The Lego Movie
I didn't really know what to expect going into this, but I knew so many people raved about it. While I didn't love it as much as some people, it was definitely very entertaining. The quality of the animation was really impressive. And they added a nice emotional touch with the scenes with Will Ferrell and his son.
9. Into the Woods
I wasn't really familiar with Stephen Sondheim's musical going in, but I enjoyed it. There are some good songs weaving the different characters together. The standouts for me were Anna Kendrick, Emily Blunt and Meryl Streep. James Corden did a good job too, before he got his talk show.
8. St. Vincent
It's good to see Bill Murray still making good movies. He has great chemistry with the boy he begrudgingly takes care of. This movie has some weird parts (Naomi Watts I'm looking at you), but it is probably the funniest movie I saw from 2014.
7. Unbroken
I was really looking forward to seeing this real-life tale of Louis Zamperini. While it didn't have quite the emotional impact it should have, it was still well-made. The scenes on the life raft and then at the Japanese prison camp were pretty harrowing. It's definitely a story worth seeing.
6. Wild
Another very interesting real-life tale of survival of a different sort. Reese Witherspoon is really good in this. The filmmakers do a great job of making you feel like you are on this neverending hike with her. This movie shows that big things don't have to happen to make a movie interesting or meaningful.
5. Gone Girl
I had already read the book going in, so the big twist didn't surprise me. But it's still a well made movie by a very capable director (David Fincher). Rosamund Pike is perfect as Amy. And Tyler Perry is surprisingly good as Nick's lawyer.
4. Fury
It took a little while for me to get into this, but the second half is as harrowing a war movie as I've seen as a while. You get to the point where you get invested in the characters and see their increasing desperation. Brad Pitt as usual commands the screen when he's on camera.
3. Selma
Speaking of commanding the screen, David Oyelowo becomes Martin Luther King Jr. He has a great presence throughout and carries this movie. It does a great job of inhabiting a place and showing just what it was like for African-Americans in 1960s Alabama.
2. Boyhood
This is a very ambitious movie and a memorable one. Richard Linklater's idea of having the actors film this over more than a decade paid off. I really was invested in these characters, especially the boy, as he grew up. Ethan Hawke was tremendous in this and was much more than a one-note character.
1. Whiplash
Damien Chazelle's prelude to La La Land is quite impressive. The interplay between Miles Teller and J.K. Simmons is terrific. Simmons is so menacing that you gulp when you see him walk into the room. There are some great twists that I didn't see coming in the last 20 minutes. And I like the change of pace from the intensity with the quiet scenes between Teller and Melissa Benoist.
Sunday, March 13, 2016
Top 8 of 2013
This is the first year that I haven't done a full top 10. The reason is that it just wasn't a very strong year for movies. To be in consideration for my top 10 list, I need to give a movie at least a 7 out of 10. And there are only 8 movies that qualified from 2013. I had a hard time picking a favorite, too. There just wasn't one that stood out above the rest. With that in mind, here's my list:
8. The Spectacular Now
In general, I really like high school movies, especially one with a good love story. And the relationship between Miles Teller and Shailene Woodley's characters is what makes this movie stand out. This also has Academy Award winner Brie Larson and Academy Award nominee from this year Jennifer Jason Leigh in small roles.
7. Saving Mr. Banks
Mary Poppins is a classic, and this movie has a great sense of nostalgia throughout. The scenes between Emma Thompson and Tom Hanks are great, and it's interesting to see how Mary Poppins came together. The flashback scenes are not good, though, and that's what kept this movie from being higher on my list.
6. 42
Like with high school movies, I love a good sports movie. And this one has all the ingredients. You really believe that Chadwick Boseman is Jackie Robinson. Harrison Ford is memorable as Branch Rickey. It does a good job of shining a light on just how racist this country was in the 1950s.
5. Blue Jasmine
Every few years, Woody Allen has a gem. While this one is not quite as good as Midnight in Paris, it's very enjoyable. Cate Blanchett deservedly won the Academy Award for her performance. She is at the same time sympathetic and detestable. There are some great performances as well from Louis CK and Alec Baldwin, among others.
4. Frozen
Let it gooooooooooo. If nothing else, this has one of the better Disney soundtracks in recent years. I'm partial to For the First Time in Forever. The quality of the animation really stands out as well. The story is kind of secondary, but Anna is a character that you really grow to root for as the movie goes on.
3. Gravity
Alfonso Cuaron did a wonderful job with this movie. The visuals are really quite remarkable. It's one of those movies that you really need to see in the theater, to get the whole experience. Sandra Bullock and George Clooney work well together, and when he leaves the movie it suffers for it. But it's worth it just for the visual experience.
2. The Hunger Games: Catching Fire
I liked these books a lot, and this is the best of the movies (I haven't seen the last one yet though). Jennifer Lawrence is a star and she is captivating as Katniss. The visual effects of some of the elements of the games are great. It packs an emotional punch as well as some of the characters start dying. And it has that great cliffhanger ending that's in the book.
1. Captain Phillips
What Paul Greengrass is able to pull off here is keeping the tension throughout even though you know the main character lives. The initial scenes where the pirates come on board the ship are great. Tom Hanks as usual puts in a great performance. Barkhad Abdi is very memorable in his role. In most years this probably would not be my top movie of the year, but in a year with not many other good choices, it made it at #1.
This is the first year that I haven't done a full top 10. The reason is that it just wasn't a very strong year for movies. To be in consideration for my top 10 list, I need to give a movie at least a 7 out of 10. And there are only 8 movies that qualified from 2013. I had a hard time picking a favorite, too. There just wasn't one that stood out above the rest. With that in mind, here's my list:
8. The Spectacular Now
In general, I really like high school movies, especially one with a good love story. And the relationship between Miles Teller and Shailene Woodley's characters is what makes this movie stand out. This also has Academy Award winner Brie Larson and Academy Award nominee from this year Jennifer Jason Leigh in small roles.
7. Saving Mr. Banks
Mary Poppins is a classic, and this movie has a great sense of nostalgia throughout. The scenes between Emma Thompson and Tom Hanks are great, and it's interesting to see how Mary Poppins came together. The flashback scenes are not good, though, and that's what kept this movie from being higher on my list.
6. 42
Like with high school movies, I love a good sports movie. And this one has all the ingredients. You really believe that Chadwick Boseman is Jackie Robinson. Harrison Ford is memorable as Branch Rickey. It does a good job of shining a light on just how racist this country was in the 1950s.
5. Blue Jasmine
Every few years, Woody Allen has a gem. While this one is not quite as good as Midnight in Paris, it's very enjoyable. Cate Blanchett deservedly won the Academy Award for her performance. She is at the same time sympathetic and detestable. There are some great performances as well from Louis CK and Alec Baldwin, among others.
4. Frozen
Let it gooooooooooo. If nothing else, this has one of the better Disney soundtracks in recent years. I'm partial to For the First Time in Forever. The quality of the animation really stands out as well. The story is kind of secondary, but Anna is a character that you really grow to root for as the movie goes on.
3. Gravity
Alfonso Cuaron did a wonderful job with this movie. The visuals are really quite remarkable. It's one of those movies that you really need to see in the theater, to get the whole experience. Sandra Bullock and George Clooney work well together, and when he leaves the movie it suffers for it. But it's worth it just for the visual experience.
2. The Hunger Games: Catching Fire
I liked these books a lot, and this is the best of the movies (I haven't seen the last one yet though). Jennifer Lawrence is a star and she is captivating as Katniss. The visual effects of some of the elements of the games are great. It packs an emotional punch as well as some of the characters start dying. And it has that great cliffhanger ending that's in the book.
1. Captain Phillips
What Paul Greengrass is able to pull off here is keeping the tension throughout even though you know the main character lives. The initial scenes where the pirates come on board the ship are great. Tom Hanks as usual puts in a great performance. Barkhad Abdi is very memorable in his role. In most years this probably would not be my top movie of the year, but in a year with not many other good choices, it made it at #1.
Sunday, February 22, 2015
Top 10 Movies of 2012
I have finally gotten through all the movies I wanted to see from 2012, so I can put together a top ten list. I liked a fair amount of movies from 2012, but when I was putting together a list I noticed that there was a clear top two for me but after that it was tough to rank. So think of #3-10 as basically a tie.
Here's the list:
10. The Dark Knight Rises
Christopher Nolan is my favorite director out there, and although this isn't one of his best efforts it's still well worth watching. It doesn't have the memorable scenes or crazy villain of The Dark Knight, but the last hour is very good, and it's not a bad way to spend an afternoon if it's on cable.
9. The Perks of Being a Wallflower
This is the first movie I have seen Emma Watson in since Harry Potter, and she holds up very well (although her American accent was a little distracting). She was the highlight in this movie about misfits going through high school. I was definitely rooting for her and the main character to get together. Plus this has one of the more fun high school dance scenes (and will get Come on Eileen stuck in your head for the rest of the day).
8. Lincoln
I just saw this Best Picture nominee. The acting is what stands out here, with so many great actors playing small roles. And of course Daniel Day-Lewis deserves every award he got for his portrayal of Abraham Lincoln. It is a little uneven but you can tell the best Hollywood has to offer worked on this movie.
7. The Five-Year Engagement
Emily Blunt is starting to grow on me, and that really started with this movie. She is great here balancing comedy and drama. I like that is at times very funny but also feels very real in terms of the trials and tribulations of being in a relationship. It's the best comedy of the year.
6. Flight
This was billed as more of a disaster movie. But what you get is even better, a harrowing portrayal of a man's battle with alcoholism. It stands up there with classics like The Lost Weekend and Days of Wine and Roses, and that's largely due to Denzel Washington. He's not exactly a sympathetic character but you keep rooting for him to beat the disease and he keeps losing. It's hard to watch.
5. Zero Dark Thirty
Another Best Picture nominee, this was definitely well-made. Jessica Chastain is terrific in a cast otherwise dominated by men. Some parts really work, others are not quite as good as I thought they would be. It's definitely worth seeing just to see what led up to killing Osama bin Laden.
4. Skyfall
This is the best of Daniel Craig's Bond movies, and probably the best Bond theme in at least 20 years. There are some great scenes, especially in the first half of the movie. Javier Bardem is lacking a bit as the villain but it's definitely entertaining.
3. Silver Linings Playbook
This is #3 on my list pretty much solely because of Jennifer Lawrence. She shines in every scene she's in. I love the back and forth between her and Bradley Cooper. This has some flaws, but it's one of the best movies of the year.
2. Argo
Argo is the most edge of your seat movie I've seen in a while. It does a great job of building suspense. Even if you know what's going to happen, you can't wait to see how it's going to get there. It's tense and a fascinating history lesson.
1. Les Miserables
This is the only movie from 2012 that I own and have seen multiple times. Les Mis is one of my favorite musicals and I have no problems with the movie adaptation. Some people don't like all the tight shots and Russell Crowe and how long it is. But the music is outstanding, the performances are great and it's very moving. Many people were crying for several minutes after it ended. Plus Samantha Barks! Love her as Eponine.
Here's the list:
10. The Dark Knight Rises
Christopher Nolan is my favorite director out there, and although this isn't one of his best efforts it's still well worth watching. It doesn't have the memorable scenes or crazy villain of The Dark Knight, but the last hour is very good, and it's not a bad way to spend an afternoon if it's on cable.
9. The Perks of Being a Wallflower
This is the first movie I have seen Emma Watson in since Harry Potter, and she holds up very well (although her American accent was a little distracting). She was the highlight in this movie about misfits going through high school. I was definitely rooting for her and the main character to get together. Plus this has one of the more fun high school dance scenes (and will get Come on Eileen stuck in your head for the rest of the day).
8. Lincoln
I just saw this Best Picture nominee. The acting is what stands out here, with so many great actors playing small roles. And of course Daniel Day-Lewis deserves every award he got for his portrayal of Abraham Lincoln. It is a little uneven but you can tell the best Hollywood has to offer worked on this movie.
7. The Five-Year Engagement
Emily Blunt is starting to grow on me, and that really started with this movie. She is great here balancing comedy and drama. I like that is at times very funny but also feels very real in terms of the trials and tribulations of being in a relationship. It's the best comedy of the year.
6. Flight
This was billed as more of a disaster movie. But what you get is even better, a harrowing portrayal of a man's battle with alcoholism. It stands up there with classics like The Lost Weekend and Days of Wine and Roses, and that's largely due to Denzel Washington. He's not exactly a sympathetic character but you keep rooting for him to beat the disease and he keeps losing. It's hard to watch.
5. Zero Dark Thirty
Another Best Picture nominee, this was definitely well-made. Jessica Chastain is terrific in a cast otherwise dominated by men. Some parts really work, others are not quite as good as I thought they would be. It's definitely worth seeing just to see what led up to killing Osama bin Laden.
4. Skyfall
This is the best of Daniel Craig's Bond movies, and probably the best Bond theme in at least 20 years. There are some great scenes, especially in the first half of the movie. Javier Bardem is lacking a bit as the villain but it's definitely entertaining.
3. Silver Linings Playbook
This is #3 on my list pretty much solely because of Jennifer Lawrence. She shines in every scene she's in. I love the back and forth between her and Bradley Cooper. This has some flaws, but it's one of the best movies of the year.
2. Argo
Argo is the most edge of your seat movie I've seen in a while. It does a great job of building suspense. Even if you know what's going to happen, you can't wait to see how it's going to get there. It's tense and a fascinating history lesson.
1. Les Miserables
This is the only movie from 2012 that I own and have seen multiple times. Les Mis is one of my favorite musicals and I have no problems with the movie adaptation. Some people don't like all the tight shots and Russell Crowe and how long it is. But the music is outstanding, the performances are great and it's very moving. Many people were crying for several minutes after it ended. Plus Samantha Barks! Love her as Eponine.
