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Polaroid (2019)
Schlock horror done right!
Good example of what you're looking for when you want to just sit down and watch a totally Regular Horror Movie on Netflix and have it *actually be good*. The Goosebumps-tier plot is interesting, all the acting is good and most importantly it's actually wince-inducingly scary and suspenseful throughout. Definite recommend for any "let's watch a new Netflix horror movie" kind of night. :)
Oblivion (2013)
The most amazing, satisfying big sci-fi film since District 9
I'm a sci-fi fanatic and had already high hopes for this one, so was surprised when it transcended them. It becomes clear early on that this isn't a just another generic action movie looking to make a quick buck, but a film that GIVES A DAMN about itself, its story and atmosphere, its music, everything, and that is all too rare a thing these days. The imagery is iconic and leads to a number of the most beautiful scenes I've seen at the movies in ages.
In addition to being a visual triumph, the story blossoms in jawdropping ways. I always try to avoid watching too many ads because they often give away too much, but the way this one unfolded caught me off guard again and again. Cruise does some of his best work ever and the rest of the cast(particularly Olga Kurylenko, who was wasted in the sub-par Quantum Of Solace) match him scene for scene. The beautiful, futuristic M83 score completes the picture.
If you're a fan of Moon, Vanilla Sky, Minority Report, or video game-wise, Mass Effect, Fallout and believe it or not Bioshock, you'd be very well-advised to check this one out. Not because it's a generic sci-fi film, but because, like those titles, it's anything but.
The Mask (1994)
An endearing triumph of humour, style and heart
Giant yellow hats off to Chuck Russell. It's easy to see how many ways this film could've gone wrong, but the commitment to quality is obvious in every single scene. The rubbery, one-of-a-kind effects, stylish art deco setting and vintage comic book vibrance create a terrific atmosphere, and the fact that it's all played so straight might be why it works as well as it does. Peter Riegert's Dt. Kelloway, Peter Greene's Dorian Tyrell and the rest of the mobsters never seem like they'd be out of place in a "serious" '90s crime drama, so seeing them all get caught up in the Mask's cartoonish exploits is a sight to behold.
The excellent supporting cast, including the late, great Richard Jeni, Cameron Diaz' debut performance, Ben Stein at his deadpan best and the superbly emotive dog Milo round out every scene with something great. At the end of the day, the film is, of course, Jim Carrey's, and his stunning comic antics as the Mask are surprisingly rivaled by his Stanley Ipkiss. It's a role he fills with one compelling touch after another, each subtle expression as impressive as his wildest face-pulls. The earnestness with which he embodies what so many of us frequently feel like - a nice guy just desperate to unleash their inner Jim Carrey - is perhaps The Mask's most impressive spectacle.
Super (2010)
Spectacularly off-the-wall, violent, sarcastic, shocking(!), touching....
This is a premise we've seen covered a lot in the past couple years - a low-rung individual becomes a low-budget superhero, with mixed results. "Defendor" featured the brilliant Woody Harrelson as a mentally challenged man in a noir-ish, quietly courageous romp, while "Kick-Ass" gradually eschewed realism for over-the-top(and excellent) action sequences and was ultimately the story of a teen who interferes in the plans of two much more qualified superheros who already happened to be in action, by coincidence(though the film never acknowledges this).
It's fair to compare "Super" to both films, but I think it comes off very favourably. It's almost a distilled combination of their best elements mixed with it's own shocking sense of humour and layers of sarcasm. It's like a better, deeper "Kick Ass" by way of "Wet Hot American Summer". The hilarious Rainn Wilson fills the lead role with absolutely essential pathos and helps make the whole thing work, against frequently steep odds.
An appropriate and appropriately nuts conclusion to the past couple years' trilogy of average joe vigilante films, I was surprised to find "Super" the most satisfying, and relevant, of the three.
Perrier's Bounty (2009)
Instant adventure and loads of fun
An aptly-described "urban western" that fans Crank and Lock Stock should not miss.
In addition to fully working as a perilous crime thriller, the film's script is filled with comedy, and the performances bring that out incredibly well. The magnetic Cillian Murphy is a quick hook into the world of the film, but Jim Broadbent is the story's heart, and the eccentric but completely relatable character he paints is a treat to watch. Brendan Gleeson as the titular Perrier is, of course, great.
In short, the film is prime entertainment, whose believable setting acts as a portal into something very unique. Definitely recommended.
Knowing (2009)
Completely gripping, daring, moving.... I loved it
I think the concept of the film Knowing was attractive enough that it would've been worth seeing no matter what, but didn't expect to be as effected by it as I was. This is a powerful, compelling and endlessly suspenseful film that feels like something out of Shyamalan's glory days.
The film-makers clearly really cared for the story they were telling and allow it to live up to its initial premise in unexpected ways. It's not just a blockbuster. It's original, and it takes risks, and they pay off.
The score was also particularly good, one of the more notable and tangible ones I've seen in recent film.
Proyas, Cage, and the writers all did a really good job, and I highly recommend seeing this. 9/10.
Role Models (2008)
Wain's first wide-release is a winner!
I'm a longtime fan of Wain's work, first as a member of Stella and later discovering The State and my now-all-time-favourite-movie 'WET HOT American SUMMER', which he also directed and co-wrote.
I purposely avoided all reviews of this, determined to see it. The commercials made it look like passable swear-and-slapstick humour, but as it turns out, they didn't do it justice. I was happily surprised at how funny it was and especially loved the whole live-action RPG plot which kind of held the whole thing together. Everyone in the theatre laughed their asses off at the movie, and it's actually stuck with me since seeing it last night, which most recent vulgar-coms haven't really done.
All in all, it's a great mix of shock comedy with a good story and script, and I definitely recommend it. Here's to a lifetime of great stuff from David Wain.... I have to admit I was disappointed with 'THE TEN', but this balances it out. I really hope Michael Ian Black and Michael Showalter have roles in his next flick!
1408 (2007)
Equally terrifying and moving... a triumph!
WOW, was this ever good.
I was excited for this immediately after seeing the trailer, and after seeing that the reviews lived up to it, I was doubly so.
John Cusack, who is alone on screen for about 80% of the film, does a superb job as always. His emotional range is amazing, and at times in the film, it takes him nothing more than a facial expression to drag you right down into the emotional hell his character Michael Enslin is currently trapped in.
The scares in the film are absolutely breathtaking, ranging from shocks to carefully built suspense, and the emotional catharises verge on tear-jerking.
Back it all up with a very solid supporting performance from Samuel L Jackson, and you've got a true must-see.
10/10
Pirates of the Caribbean: At World's End (2007)
Rambling and flat....a major let-down in wake of the first two
I want to establish something: I LOVE the first two "Pirates" films. They're two of the best, most perfectly executed movies ever made(or at least of this generation). I went into this one with high expectations....
...but it really just wasn't that good.
It just.... it's like they forgot what made the first two films so special: the tongue-in-cheek, the wit, the charm, the stunts-that-no-one's-ever-done-before. Stuff like the pole vaulting scene, the duel in the barn, the three-way swordfight with the water-wheel and all that.
And the plot..... blistering BARNACLES that was nuts! I was one of the few people I know who actually didn't have trouble following the plot of the second one.... but with this one, I just gave up halfway through. It was like they took the script of the "The Big Lebowski", replaced the characters and sets, added about 20 new plot lines and diversions, and then deliberately put it all together out-of-order.
The was almost nothing new, and when there was, it was almost never that interesting, and when it was, I could almost never tell why it was happening and what it meant.
So, it disappoints me to say....6/10. And if it hadn't been for Geoffrey Rush, who kicked absolute ass, it would've been a 3 or 4.
Wet Hot American Summer (2001)
One of the best comedies, scratch that, MOVIES ever made.
Scarcely has a movie shot up my favourite films list so fast.
I'm a gigantic fan of the comedy group "Stella"(Michael Ian Black, Michael Showalter, and David Wain), so when I found out they teamed up with some of the best comedians in the biz(David Hyde Pierce, Janeane Garofalo, Amy Poehler, and Molly Shannon, to name a few) to do a movie, I couldn't resist. The first time I saw it I thought it was hilarious. Then I got it for Christmas and watched it again. And again. And again. And again, this time with commentary. And again. Over the course of a week. And during this time I realized it was so much more than just a hilarious comedy. It's a movie that's scarily true-to-life, in so many ways.
I'm truly, madly, deeply, literally in love with this film.
Please, see it for yourself. You'll be glad you did.
Fletch Lives (1989)
As good as the first, and the first is great
Last night my dad noticed that the first 'Fletch' was on the movie channel and the whole family watched it. We had a great time and a ton of laughs and when it was finally over, it struck me that I was going to miss this new character who I'd just been introduced to a couple hours ago...
Suddenly, the announcer comes on: "Coming up next, Fletch is back in the 1989 hit sequel 'Fletch Lives'!". None of new that there was a sequel, so we happily sat back and watched the whole thing.
Lucky for us, it turned out to be just as funny as it's predecessor. The concept and setting were great, as were all the new characters, and Chevy Chase was in top-form once again. Seeing him play Fletch is so satisfying because he's like a much more competent version of Clark Griswold who actually gets to win 'em all.
Thanks for a great evening, Chevy. :)
The Goonies (1985)
A wonderful, just-plausible-enough to happen adventure for the kid in all of us!
Ah, The Goonies.
The ultimate childhood adventure fantasy come to life. Every kid dreams of being Indiana Jones, but some of those battle wounds look pretty painful. And would I really have to kill so many people? The danger still has to be real, though. And I'd want my friends to be there. But where would I ever be able to find an ancient treasure trove that offers all these nuances without leaving my home town? Hmmm....
My 9th favourite movie of all time. Sean Astin gives another flawless performance...and at age 12 to boot! Everyone else in this movie rocks, too. Every scene works perfectly and is filled with humour, thrills, and a lovely yet very true-to-life sense of friendship. This movie gets better each time I watch it, largely due to the fact that in becoming more and more familiar with the gang, they become good friends of yours. Which means you get to be one of the Goonies too.
The Lord of the Rings: The Return of the King (2003)
The Best Movie Ever Made
This is quite simply, the best movie ever made. Accept it. Everything about this movie is perfect. Everything. This is the only movie I've ever seen that I can truly say that about. If you haven't seen this movie, your missing out on the experience of a lifetime. Don't believe me? Will the the fact that it's tied for Most Oscar's Ever convince you? What about the fact that it's the fastest movie ever to gross 1 billion dollars? Sean Astin, Sir Ian McKellan, and EVERYONE else in this movie gives an absolutely phenomenal performance. The special effects are flawless, and even the moments of comic relief are impeccable. If you only see one movie this LIFETIME, make it this one. For the love of all that is good, make it this one.
Army of Darkness (1992)
Bruce Campbell...need I say more?
If the title of this comment didn't make you want to see the movie, maybe these will: Zomibies, shotguns, chainsaws, exploding arrows, evil twins, and time travel. Is there anything about this movie that doesn't rock? If you've ever wondered "Who is this Bruce Campbell guy?", or "Why isn't Bruce Campbell in every movie?" this is the movie for you. In fact, it's the movie for you no matter what. If you haven't seen it, see it now. If you have seen it, see it again. This movie is so good that a scene in "Lord of the Rings: The Two Towers" was actually based on a scene from this movie(almost holding a candle near gunpowder). Be sure to watch the special edition DVD version because it has a few extra scenes inserted into the movie and an alternate ending to watch.