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Last Good Movie You Saw


Gyaruson
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Recently rewatched Drive with a friend of mine who still hadn't seen it. I actually enjoyed it even more than I did the first time, somehow. Anyway, made me realize I still hadn't seen Bronson, by the same director. That was a weird one. Really liked it, though. Has kind of a Clockwork Orange-ish vibe to it. 

 

I'll have to watch Valhalla Rising soon.

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Did a slavery-themed double bill yesterday.

 

Lincoln.

 

It starts with a really terrible bit about a portentous, symbolic dream (though maybe that was recorded as part of Lincoln's history) and, thankfully, leaves it at that. At times, it was tricky to follow some of the elements at play (I assume it's easier for an American audience), but it picks up soon enough and keeps things explained with a minimum of painful expository dialogue. Besides Daniel Day-Lewis, there are lots of great performances that elevate its story. Tommy Lee Jones and James Spader are the other real standouts, but there are great people in smaller parts. My favourite scene would have to be when a racist guy tries to shoot James Spader's character over the whole Thirteenth Amendment thing. Overall, it does a good job of making the history both accessible and engaging.

 

Django Unchained.

 

I have to confess, I'm not a big fan of Tarantino's newer stuff, and this film is barely above an 'OK' for me. It's an odd proposition because the film is just too fucking long but some of the better moments (the baghead segment) could be trimmed. It spends too long on the middle portion, where it tries to establish the dramatic tension, with the result just dragging. And while I get that Candie is a terrible man (as it has to point out at least three times), I never felt like I cared either way about what happened. But, hey, if you want loquacious characters and over-the-top gore, there's that in there, too.

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Should've mentioned this two weekends ago but I rewatched Primer with some buddies.

 

The second time it was much better than the first since I had people to discuss it with. This was their first time so I'm sure they appreciated me explaining some of the bits I got from the first time I watched it. Basically it's a very good movie that gets even better if you realize what you are watching.

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Tarantino doesn't make films as much as he does mash-ups. He makes his films as much as the sandwich-man makes the ham, bread, lettuce, mayonnaise, or cheese in his sandwiches. But Tarantino does splice together a mean sandwich.

 

I saw Stand Up Guys, which I almost put in the "Okay" thread. The script is aggressively bad, and the direction is simply inept, but just *looking* at Chris Walken, Al Pacino and Alan Arkin hanging out together in their old age is worth the price of admission, in my opinion.

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  • 2 weeks later...

This week was spy week, apparently. Watched The Bourne Legacy a few days ago and Skyfall tonight.

 

First up, Bourne Legacy. I'm a massive fan of the Matt Damon trilogy but I really didn't have much in the way of expectations for this one. I enjoyed it as I was watching it and I still think the first half was quite solid, but once it was over I couldn't help but think "that's it?". It's an entertaining movie but I felt the second half was rather unsatisfying. The plot ends up not really going anywhere. There is a great build up but it never really pays off.

 

As for Skyfall, holy shit is this one great. Quantum of Solace bored me to tears but I think Skyfall actually topped Casino Royale. Not much else to say. If you haven't seen it yet, get to it.

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Brick.

 

 

No words can describe how much I loved this movie

 

One of my all-time favourites. I keep telling people to watch that damn film. And it really benefits from a second viewing, too.

 

I guess it can be hard to get a handle on if you're not paying attention. The dialogue is superb once you get the jist of the slang.

 

"Can you raise her?"

"No..."

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I especially loved how unapologetic they were about ignoring the fact it' set in high school. It has nothing to do with the setting and I found that hilariously awesome. I tried to watch a trailer for that Veronica Mars show to see if it was a similar high school noir and oh god no it isn't

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Wreck-It Ralph.

 

Loved it. A real high-calibre film, and rightly so, considering the talent behind it. Maybe it's my screenwriting background showing, but I really appreciated how it introduced its world's 'rules' without slowing down the pace of the film. And, of course, then it went and tied it all together neatly.

 

Also Sarah Silverman didn't get on my nerves; she actually impressed. That is some accomplishment.

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Skyfall.  I haven't seen Casino Royale recently enough to say if I liked Skyfall more or less, but it was a pretty good Bond movie.  It definitely went out of its way to establish that things from  now on are going to be breaking free from the formula, which is mostly good although...

 

 

I'm a little disappointed with the gadgets. I know they were used in every movie and might be considered a cliche by now but they were still one of the things I always enjoyed about Bond. Giving him a gun that never even gets fired and a homing beacon that ends up making things worse was a little underwhelming. As soon as Q said the gun had a print scanner I said to myself "Someone's gonna try to shoot him with it."

 

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The worst part about the DKR name reveal

 

 

was that his name actually was fucking "Robin".  Plot holes and whatever aside, that's a fucking stupid name.  It should have been revealed to be Dick Grayson and let people who are familiar with Batman get a little bit of a bonus.

 

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Stoker.

Best female protagonist I've seen in a long time. Most intense film in a long time. Better than anything I saw last year, possibly better than anything I've seen since There Will Be Blood.

If you can find it playing, you really need to watch it. Try and spoil as little of it as you can for yourself. Brace yourself, because it is *very* intense.

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