Netflix rentals

Terri: Really surprising story line--I kept thinking I could predict what would happen next, but I was wrong. Weird and a little creepy at times, but in a good way. 3/4

Martha Marcy May Marlene: Waited forever to finally see this super-hyped (or at least super-hyped to me) movie. It did not disappoint! Creeped me out in just the right amount. I thought the lead performance (by Elizabeth Olsen) was pretty good too. 3/4

Good movies seen in the past few months (off the top of my head):

• Le Grande Illusion (4 out of 4 stars! AMAZING!)
• The Battle of Algiers
• Never Let Me Go
• Your Sister's Sister
• Attenberg
• Pina 

Decent movies:

• Bernie (with Jack Black)
• A Fistful of Dollars
• Beasts of the Southern Wild (watched yesterday) 
• The Long Day Closes

Since I've been home, I've been watching a lot of Louie (Louis C.K.). And that show is great.

A Separation (1/12/11)

A powerful and ultimately quite unsettling Iranian film about...a lot of things. Mainly relationships, and the love for family, and the way that we hurt others by trying to do what's best for them. Definitely recommended.

3.5/4

Movies watched during winter break

The Descendants (12/11): Cobble Hill Cinema, 2/4 stars
-Definitely a let-down from Alexander Payne.

The Gold Rush (12/11): Film Forum, 4/4 stars
-I forgot how WONDERFUL Charlie Chaplin is! Want to re-watch some more of his films

Of Gods and Men (12/11): Netflix rental watched in San Clemente, 3/4 stars
-very powerful, never want to watch it again

In the Loop (12/11): Netflix rental watched in Monrovia, 2.5/4 stars
-witty yet somewhat tiresome by the end

Senna (1/12): Netflix rental watched in Monrovia, 2.5/4 stars
-depressing yet interesting look at Formula One racing and the legend that is Senna

Pina (1/12): IFC Center, 3.5/4
-Although boring and weird at times, ultimately a very unique and at times amazing experience of watching 3D dancers "breathing" right before my eyes.

Laura (1/12): Film Forum, 2.5/4 stars
-Preminger's great classic whodunit/noir. A lot of fun watching it in a packed house at FF.

Margaret (1/12): Cinema Village, 1.5/4 stars
-two-and-a-half-hour movie with about 20 different plotlines and lots of yelling. Nevertheless, I could appreciate this movie and was actually willing to sit all the way through (unlike Ari, who sat through it fairly unwillingly).

Weekend (1/12): Netflix streaming watched in Brooklyn, 2.5/4 stars
-Very sweet yet perhaps forgettable (?) look at a weekend two gay men fall in love. Felt very honest and I definitely cared about the characters.

Mid-August Lunch (12/10/11)

It's a cliche, but this was a delicious little Italian film. Only 1 hour and 9 minutes long, it tells the story of how a bachelor living with his elderly mother has to suddenly take in three more old ladies and make them all happy.

Although the plot was a little ridiculous, I enjoyed that about it. And watching the son prepare all this delicious Italian food made me wish I hadn't chosen to make teriyaki stir fry for dinner!

The Searchers (9/13/11)

Finally watched the Western that seems to be referenced the most as one of "the greatest westerns of all time" (not sure who called it that, but I'm sure it has been called that).

It was pretty good. I suppose it was quite good compared to the vast majority of westerns out there (I've only seen a handful), and if they'd just cut a bunch of the corny music and melodramatic acting out, I suppose it would have been really quite good.  But as it was, I found it fairly enjoyable.

I have to admit I did feel kind of like an idiot. During the whole second half of the film I kept thinking, "who's the actress? I recognize her from something!" and I was really proud for at least recognizing an actress from an old film. Then I looked her up and it was...Natalie Wood. The fact that I didn't recognize HER is a little embarrassing.

Ah well.

Rating: 3/4 stars

Band of Outsiders (9/12/11)

Saw Godard's Band of Outsiders at Film Forum today. So good! I was a little worried it would be rambling and plotless and pointless. But no, charmingly rambling and sweet and so fresh. "Fresh" is a cliched term to use to describe film, but really, that is the word that came to my mind at the end. I mean, it came out in 1964, but feels so much more youthful and exciting and funny than so many Hollywood movies you'd see today.
But I guess that's not saying anything surprising, really. 

Highlights:

• Old man vaguely fondling the English teacher's butt (and the English teacher not seeming to care at all).
• Dancing at the bar, with Anna Karina talking at the end and it looking very unscripted
• The flashing of all the actors' faces at the beginning title sequence
• Odile "French kissing" Arthur
• Running through the Louvre

Rating: 3.5/4

Also: I felt the girl in this film, Odile (Anna Karina) was totally an iconic hipster in terms of both her personality and her style. 

The Guard (8/28/11)

Went to see The Guard today with Anja and Ari, as a way to get out the house after being stuck in it all day yesterday due to the hurricane. It was pretty good--Brendan Gleason and Don Cheadle are always solid and reliable actors. The plot was violent, but fairly funny (some parts were a bit cliched). In Bruges was better! (And also had B.G.)

Rating: 3/4

Cedar Rapids (8/24/11)

Sheesh! Four movies in four days. I guess I'm trying to catch as many as possible before school starts in 2 weeks.

Tonight, we watched Cedar Rapids, courtesy of my new free trial Netflix account. A good palate cleanser after the White Ribbon, as it's a short, fast-paced, fun little comedy with good actors (John C. Reilly, always reliable, Ed Helms, and Anne Heche were all solid).

Rating: 3/4 stars

The White Ribbon (8/23/11)

Finally! A movie I really liked. Albeit a disturbing and 2+ hour-long movie. Watched The White Ribbon today on DVD rented from the library.

This is the second time I've rented the DVD; the first time I rented it I couldn't bring myself to watch such a serious, heavy film. But once I started it tonight, I was pretty much enthralled by the story, despite the fact that it is quite deliberately paced. But not boring! Never boring. Michael Haneke, you have impressed me again with your twisted realism. After Funny Games and The Piano Teacher, I have to say this one was more palatable, and I think better overall.

Rating: 3.5/4

Crime d'Amour

Saw a free showing of a "thriller" at the IFC Center yesterday, courtesy of Ari's random membership at the theater.

All I can say is, I'm glad it was free. And that there wasn't really much violence at all, despite a murder taking place. Fairly predictable story line, and as Ari pointed out, Kristin Scott Thomas was really the only interesting character (who eventually gets killed, so...).

Score: 1.5/4 stars

The Wild Bunch (1969)

Saw The Wild Bunch today (8/22) as part of the continuing Robert Ryan retrospective at Film Forum. It's a famous movie, right? Ari and I had definitely heard of the title before. And it got a starred review in TimeOut, so I figured it'd be a safe bet.

Unfortunately, this movie did not hold up so well for me (or Ari). Unless we were missing something. 134 minutes long...lots of shoot outs with lots of ridiculously red fake blood, and lots of people behaving badly. I can only guess perhaps this film was reflective of the uncertain times, with the government, the bounty hunters, and the outlaws all looking pretty bad all the way through. Not really any protagonist to relate to.

So... let's see. 2.5/4 stars.

At Home

Rented Last Days of Disco from the NYPL because I love Chloe Sevigny (from Big Love). And I like watching movies about the glamorous "club scene," I suppose because it lets me live vicariously (as all movies do).

Not so great. Interesting dialogue here and there, but Kate Beckinsdale had trouble controlling her British accent as she tried to play an American. Oddly pointless plot.

But I still love the Sevigny.

Rating: 2/4 stars

Film Forum - 8/14/11

Film Forum Double Feature: Robert Ryan

1. The Naked Spur (Starring Jimmy Stewart and Janet Leigh along with RR)
Psychological Western: 3/4 stars

2. Bad Day at Black Rock (Starring Spencer Tracey)
First Hollywood film to deal with mistreatment of Japanese-Americans: 2.5/4 stars

BOOK!

I just noticed that I also have this blog for books.  Well, OK!

I finished a book that I liked a lot, given to me by Dad for Xmas: The Razor's Edge, by W. Somerset Maugham.  

Definitely well-written and surprisingly modern and relatable, considering that it's 60+ years old.  It inspired me to "loaf" in a foreign land, just as the protagonist in the book, Larry, does.  However, he's trying to find the meaning of life, after his best friend gets killed during WWI.  I don't think I have quite the same issues as he does.  Nevertheless, I too think that "real work" is overrated.  At least the kind of work you do because everyone just expects you to.  I don't think I really have to worry too much about that.  

Although I definitely would still like to live in a completely foreign (completely foreign?  Not sure exactly what that means) country, like Cambodia, or Morocco, or India, for a year or more, just absorbing the culture, and maybe teaching English.  Someday soon, hopefully. 

Spent $9.25 to see the FIRST WEEKDAY SHOWING of a film at the Krikorian today: Coraline. As I paid, I thought, "This better be freakin' worth it. Charging me an extra $1+ just 'cause it's 3D, how dare they...."  Grumble, grumble. 

But it was worth it! I'm really glad that I shelled out the extra bucks to see it before it went to DVD, or even to the Academy, where I kind of doubt they'd be showing it in 3D. The effect really helps to make you feel like you're inhabiting Coraline's world. And what a crazy world it is! Kangaroo rats that play in a brass band, glowing gardens, and gross has-been actresses who do flips for scottie dogs. I'm glad I didn't really know the plot before, because it was great not knowing what crazy visual effect was going to happen next. I especially liked the part where Coraline crawls through the glowing tunnel into the "Other" world.

Granted, as my beloved Filmspotting reveiwers noted, the story line isn't especially creative, and the ending is pretty cliched. Nevertheless, this didn't really bother me. I got a little freaked out by the evil Other Mother when she turns evil, but I was prepared for it.

I also really liked the music; it's very French. Except for the They Might Be Giants song, which was almost too obviously composed by the band! I still enjoyed it, though.

Hooray for a change from the typical computer animation! I actually kind of want to see it again....

It's been a while since a movie moved me enough to post about it on here.  But today Mom convinced me to watch Maria Full of Grace, a film she'd seen before.  I knew it was about drug trafficking, and that it made Mom and Leah cry, so I wasn't too excited about seeing it.  

But I'm definitely glad I saw it.  It told this story that could easily have been sensationalized, or sappy, but it just told it very straightforward, with a completely real performance by the lead actress, Catalina Sandino Moreno.  As Mom said, her performance is so natural and powerful that you feel like she's your friend, or one of your ESL students, and you just hope that everything turns out all right for her.  

I've fallen behind in my movie reviews.

Seen 2 in the last 2 days:

1. Gran Torino (Krikorian, yesterday)
Definitely good. But not overwhelmingly good. Not even "slightly watery eyes" good. I just enjoyed it, and was surprised by the large amount of humor in this fairly intense film. Granted, most of the humor comes from laughing at Eastwood's blatantly racist comments, but hey, it's definitely better than nothing. I also really liked that this movie seemed quite realistic in the way that Clint Eastwood's character doesn't change into a saint overnight.


2. Wendy and Lucy (Academy, today)
Saw this for $2, and I hate to say it, but I'm kind of glad that's all I paid. I definitely was glad to have seen this film, but, as I was prepared for, nothing really happens. So you kind of just have to sit back and be patient. It kind of feels like you're in the movie with Michelle Williams as she's trying to find her dog, Lucy. But towards the end, I couldn't help sobbing a little. And I did feel like I could relate to Wendy (Williams) a lot, just in the way that single young women can be treated by society (not that we are necessarily wronged, but just that people do sometimes have a certain way of judging us).

GOOD MOVIE!

I just watched In Bruges.  And I really enjoyed it, despite having to leave the room during some of the extra-violent parts.  I suppose I'm becoming a little more accustomed to violence; I've actually been able to admit enjoying, and recommending, some relatively violent movies (The Beat My Heart Skipped, Slumdog Millionaire).

I guess the deciding factor is whether the violence seems gratuitous, and it doesn't in In Bruges. 

I really liked this film because it has a really different mix of genres.  I suppose it's most clearly a "shoot-em-up" hitman flick, but it's also an affecting story about human relationships, and finally, it's really funny, despite its humor being juxtaposed with a fair amount of disturbing death and destruction.  Even the last lines of the film, which should be sad, make you laugh at the same time.  

Colin Farrell does a great job proving again that he actually can act (I've thought he was a solid actor since Phone Booth, but I think a lot of people don't consider him to be a "serious" actor.)  

All in all, I'd definitely enjoy watching this again (now that I know when to avoid all the bloody scenes); I'll just need to watch a cheesy romantic comedy in the meantime.  Or maybe a documentary about musicians and the meaning of classical music.  (Since I think that's what's next on the Netflix queue.  Thanks, Dad.)

Watched Barton Fink yesterday.  I wasn't sure what to expect; all I knew about it beforehand was that it involved a murder.  The film is extremely quiet and tense, and the murder doesn't happen until about halfway through the film, so I couldn't relax at all!  Not my ideal movie-watching experience. 

Nevertheless, I think I enjoyed the film.  Typical Coens brother mix of macabre and funny.  John Turturro does a great job, and John Goodman was pretty good (although he always annoys me a little bit; I can't really explain why).  

The film didn't really make a lot of sense, but for some reason that didn't really bother me.  Perhaps because Wikipedia told me that it's not supposed to.