TMTW July 2014 Review

A common format, it seems, amongst other bloggers of film and tv, is to recap at the end of each month. I caught onto this through seeing posts by fellow twitter peeps, and thought I would give it a go myself. So, here is my first monthly recap of film and tv.

This month I watched 23 films, which includes 4 rewatches. TV wise, I probably didn't track like I should have, but I will try to list those I continued, finished and started. 

Of the 23, my recommendations would be anything I rate 3 or more out of 5. For me, 3 stars is a good film, worth watching once. These can be for various reasons, which I won't go into here, as that is probably a separate blog entry. I will list below the films based on star ratings. I will do an alphabetical order within these ratings. 

Films

5 star films

None this month.

4.5 star films

Dawn of the Planet of the Apes (review here)

4 star films

Ferris Bueller's Day Off (rewatch)

The Lego Movie

Locke

Mission Impossible (rewatch)

Rise of the Planet of the Apes (rewatch)

Tracks

3.5 star films

Bad Words

Blue Ruin

Cocaine Cowboys Reloaded (Documentary)

Lethal Weapon 3 (rewatch)

Only Lovers Left Alive

Thanks for Sharing

The Wedlock

3 star films

Cold in July

Grudge Match

Insidious Chapter 2

Joe

Red 2

Sabotage

Under the Skin (review here)

I usually write a short review for most films, with major blog entries for some. My short reviews can be found here on letterboxd.com

TV

I watch a lot of different shows, so remembering what I was watching in July is a bit tricky. The obvious ones are True Blood and 24. I started The Strain, The Americans (S1) and Rectify (S1). Recitfy is definitely the pick of the new shows for me this month. Smashed the first season in a few days, whereas The Americans I'm plodding my way through. The Strain is interesting, with excellent details to the horror effects and an interesting mythology. It may be a tad cheesy though. We'll see how the rest of S1 goes. Continued on with True Blood S7, which has been a complete change of pace from previous seasons. It will be damn interesting to see how this all ends in August. 24 finished it's Live Another Day season, which was ok in the end. Not a fantastic season like it's regular 24 ep presentations, but solid entertainment. I hope they bring it back...again.

Seasons I finished were The Bridge (S1) and Penny Dreadful (S1). Both were good, especially towards the latter halves of the seasons. I'll revisit next seasons for both those. And, finally, a show I am currently in is S2 of The Following. S1 was great, but this season has been just ok. It's almost redeveloping itself, so things are still ramping up. I'm up to ep 8.

Thanks for reading. Share your thoughts and/or recommendations below.  

Review: Lucy (2014)

Strange, surreal, yet, in some ways, remarkable. Scarlett Johansson is 3 for 3 for odd roles, but all interesting.

Scarlett plays Lucy, a sort of lost soul perhaps, or just good time gal that lives and studies in Taiwan. Her recent boyfriend gets her entangled with some not so good guys. They're after what she has been conned into delivering to them. Events take place, and that leads to some interesting ramifications.

The film started out a bit so so for me, but, once it got going I was entranced. It kind of takes the ideas behind Limitless (2011) and amps it up substanitally.

I really enjoyed the exploration of using our brain more than what we can, and where that could take us. It's all theory, but, this presentation of that theory is bizarre and exciting.

I suppose, if you look hard enough, this film plays either as a cousin to Her and Under The Skin, or forms part of a trilogy. I would've liked to seen a little more though, as the film runs at a meagre 89 mins.

Rating:

3.5 out of 5.

Review: Dawn of the Planet of the Apes (2014)

A cinema going experience that leaves me greatly satisfied is like nourishment for my soul. It's been at least 2.5 weeks since my last trip, as sickness has kept me away. Well, today, I got to go back to my first love. And, well, what a film! Dawn of the Planet of the Apes is greater than it's predecessor. And, I loved Rise.

Set 10 years after the outbreak of the Simian Flu, humans are barely existing anymore. 1 in 500 were thought to be immune to the Flu virus. The apes of San Francisco have created a home, and do not know if humans still exist. This is, of course, until humans discover their presence whilst on a trek in the woods. 

This film is built on emotion and characters. The story itself is merely a device to bring the interaction between ape and human back into the fold. Although it is still relevant, it's the interaction that provides the excitement, both at a conversation and action level. The motion capture work here is phenomenal, with each ape having distinct features and characteristics. The realism of it all is really something to behold. Even moreso than Rise. I dare anyone to say they didn't believe the apes looked real.

The story follows the usual tropes of building a relationship between human and animal, which starts with fear and then comes to understanding and so on. The apes are led by the great Caesar, a truly inspiring character, with awesome presence on screen. He has kept this ape colony together, and helped them to build a safe haven - a home. They live by code, especially 'ape not kill ape'. Caesar has seen the worst of human kind, and doesn't want his apes to fall victim to our ways. Jason Clarke, playing our lead human, is amazing. His character embodies everything that is good about human beings, and it is his fear of war that allows the relationship with Caesar to develop. Unfortunately, not all the humans and apes are as great as their leaders.

The messages sent through this film are strong, and I hope the rest of viewers take note. War mongering has ruined us, and it is all we're known for as a race. Well, perhaps not all for, but, we're certainly pretty good at fighting and killing. Should another race come to earth or an existing develop our intelligence, they'll see us for what we are - killers. This is unfortunate, and the good of will suffer for it. There's a line spoken towards the end, about humans and forgiveness, which resonated so much with me. 

Do yourself a favour, and go watch this film. Listen to it, watch it, feel the emotion pulsating through. If you get bored and find it silly, then I'm sorry for you. 

Rating:

4.5 out of 5.

Review: Under The Skin (2013)

Under The Skin certainly lives up to its name. I've been thinking about it and reading others thoughts on it ever since I got out of a screening just over an hour ago.

I sat there, transfixed to the action on screen. I didn't know what to expect from this film, but in some ways it's not what I had in mind at all. I had been thinking something more in the way of a gory sci fi horror, instead it was more pyschological horror. But, I didn't not like this movie. It's an exercise in art film. The kind of film that most audiences will be "What the fuck?" with.

Scarlett Johansson plays an unnamed character, an alien, that seems to devour men like they were prey. She is cruising a metro area of Scotland in a big white van, asking unsuspecting men for directions, whilst at the same time asking them questions about their life (single, married, family etc). She targets the unattached men, or men that have nothing to go home to. Luring them to her place, which is like some sort of dark room with infinite space, their desire takes over as they walk into an almost black abyss.

This film is designed to be deciphered, but I don't even know if I can truly understand what is happening here. Perhaps you're not supposed to. This is just one for provoking your thoughts, and creating discussion - of which it certainly does....but there is no one meaning or answer.

The music and photography is used to good effect. I do admire what the director has produced here. Scarlett is very good. She plays that fish out of water (an alien) very well. As I said before, I was probably a bit disappointed, but I understand why some people are loving the shit out of this film. Although there is little dialogue, the story and events taking place on screen were still quite engaging. It's no masterpiece or excellent film for me, but overall I think it is quite well made. I'll revisit it one day, even if to try and decipher it some more.

Rating:

3 out of 5.

Review: Transformers - Age of Extinction (2014)

This is the kind of film I have to rate based on how much I enjoyed it, but not for it's quality of character development, acting or story. It's Michael Bay at his most bombastic!

Yep, it's loud, obscene, gratuitous, ridiculous....but hell, I had a really great time at the cinema with this.

I'm a Michael Bay fan. I have been ever since Bad Boys graced the screen, and I haven't looked back. He makes the kind of movies that feed my need for popcorn cinema at its most extreme. Sure, there is The Avengers and Iron Man style of popcorn cinema, and then there is Bayhem.

He's got plenty of haters out there, but, box office shows, plenty of people flock to see his 'onslaught to the senses' films.

I had ear to ear grins while watching this movie. At nearly 3 hours, it is a bit of a stretch, but, Bay is no slouch in the action dept, and he delivers in spades. There's laughs to be had along the way, and some truly awe inspiring effects shots.

Leave your critic hat at the door for this one. Yes, you could tear it to shreds as a critic would, but, let go, and have some fun. Bay certainly is.

Rating:

4 out of 5.

Review: Before Midnight (2013)

I thought the first two were very good. They captured the joy of discovery and falling in love. The conversations were quite natural, and the performances very real.

This film, I think, it is better than the first two. I enjoyed the ensemble scenes at the start, with the conversations between the main characters and others being enjoyable to listen to. Once away from that, the feelings and emotion between the two came across a lot stronger for me in this one. They truly did seem like a couple that is a bit on edge with each other. It was not all lovey dovey, like the first two.

One thing I also loved about this film, was the extended single shot dialogue scene at the start in the car. When you watch it, take note of how long each scene is...barely any cuts there. Amazing to see two actors just completely embodying their characters that way.

Beautiful to see these characters and actors grow with each over nearly 20 years. Well done!

Rating:

4 out of 5.

Review: Oldboy (2013)

I saw the original film a few months ago. I quite liked it. It was dark, and well made. Spent time to show you the real angst of the characters, especially the one imprisoned.

This Spike Lee remake takes the story, changes it up a bit, and then tries to execute it too quickly. I just didn't feel the time spent with Brolin in the apartment prison was long enough.

His relationship with Olsen's character seemed too forced. The fight scene in the apartment complex with all the goons seemed like a very crappy version of The Raid. The copycat style just didn't work for this. If you're going to do a remake, then take the story and completely immerse it into a new world. But, instead, we've got dumplings as the food again, and some asian influences? Why bother with that? Is it a nod to the original?

Brolin himself is decent enough, but I think the torment was better displayed in the original. The villain himself seems almost comic like in this. I don't know if Sharlto was right for it. Olsen is fine herself...she's got great boobs!

I just think that overall, this is a bit of a half hearted rehash. The effort is just not there, to take something that is considered a cult classic, and do it justice. For a great example, see Infernal Affairs, and then the remake of it The Departed. That's how you do it!

In the end, I thought, on it's own, if the original didn't exist, this would be a good film - i did enjoy it. But, because it is essentially nothing new, and lazy, it is disappointing.

Rating:

2.5 out of 5.

Review: 22 Jump Street (2014)

Well, get ready for a laugh riot....because, this film delivers it in spades. Hill and Tatum bring some more comedy gold.

The story is the same as last time, but, surprisingly, this movie takes the piss out of that - bigger budget, same story...hahaha...hell, it even goes to the point of taking the piss out of future sequels.

There's no point in going into story here - if you've seen the first, you know what it'll be about. The jokes aren't a repeat though, it feels quite fresh. It gets off to a bit of a shaky start, but, there's a point for me that it picked up and never looked back. My face hurt when coming out of this film.

Basically, if you want to laugh your ass off, then get to it! I'd say it is on par with the first.

Rating:

4 out of 5.

Review: The Thin Red Line (1998)

This is my first Terrence Malick film. I've heard about how great he is, but also heard how terrible some people think he is. Well, based on one film, I certainly wouldn't say he is terrible, but, he has a style that is different. It won't be for everyone. Not saying I love the style, but, I do appreciate it.

The film is set in the south pacific, at somepoint during WW2. It starts out like a dream almost. But, slowly we're brought into this world of soldiers, and the film starts to take shape as we follow these soldiers into a brutal battle.

For me, the distinguishing qualities in this film to others is the long glances that Malick uses on his characters. He doesn't seem to be afraid to capture a scene, to let the audience soak it in and think about what you're seeing. The other distinguishing element about this film is the voiceover. It's like we're being told a story, or we're getting an insight into the characters minds. Their fears, their thoughts of this war, life, love and so on. Sometimes I think I got so swept up in watching what was going on, I forgot to listen.

The battle/fight scenes are quite well done, as you would expect of war films. You're caught right in the middle, as soldiers are blown apart by bombs and gunfire around you. Malick again does well to show us this horror, but he juxtaposes this physical violence with the trauma on the soldiers mental state. It's not all blood and guts, but a large character portrait on the toll these soldiers take. I thought it was also interesting to see the Japanese soldiers suffering as well. The 'badguys' are not faceless. They hurt and agonise just like the 'goodguys'.

A twitter/letterboxd friend used the word poetic when describing Malicks films. I have to say, I can see what he meant. There is this seemingly poem like way the film is structured and presented. I certainly admired this movie, and hope to revisit it again one day. It stands up there with some other great war films I've seen, like Apocalypse Now, Platoon and Saving Private Ryan.

Rating: 

4 out of 5.

X-Men: Days of Future Past - Additional Thoughts

I rewatched this a week after seeing it for the first time. Mainly because I had mixed feelings on the first viewing. I now know why - what bugged me was the lack of action sequences. I know, a picky bug bear. This x-men film is like a superhero drama, which studies at a character level the consequences of our actions, and how we as humanity can learn to live and tolerate each other - regardless of differences.

This is all great, but, the exciting action set pieces aren't there to balance it out. Sure, there's the amazing kitchen scene and the finale is pretty good. However, it is mainly backed up by a lot of talking. Again, I don't mind this, but for me, a tent pole X-Men film needs to bring it, and this just falls short.

It still a very very good movie, and it does well to incorporate story threads from all films, but, it is behind First Class and X2 as far as excitment is concerned. Perhaps, after a few more viewings, I may change my mind, but for now, this is how i feel about it.

See also my original review from a week before here: http://toomuchtowatch.blogspot.com.au/2014/05/review-x-men-days-of-future-past.html