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Mr. Right (2015)
Holy Crap I Love This Movie
I ran across this on OnDemand one night and was absolutely delighted throughout. Anna Kendrick is charming as Martha, a down-on-her-luck quirky girl (but not silly quirky ala Garden State, etc). Sam Rockwell (and I'll admit some bias here because he is my favorite) is edgy, sexy and his character is so very interesting. The best thing about this film is the chemistry between the two, which is bananas. The action gets a little out of hand, and it's pretty violent, but overall really fun and refreshing. RZA was a nice touch, and it was good to see Tim Roth, though he gave quite a nod to his character in Reservoir Dogs. Anson Mount was barely tolerable, as usual, but it worked. That's the thing about this film. It works on so many levels that the places that could be better really don't matter. If you want a fun, funny, romantic, action-filled delight of a little film, check it out.
All the Boys Love Mandy Lane (2006)
Really Didn't Want to Like It, But....
I'll start off by saying the bar was set pretty low for this flick. While I love horror, slasher horror is one of my least favorite types. What made this film for me (along with several other reviewers) is the cinematography. It's a real visual treat - pretty in parts, gritty and terrifying in parts, with a "we're stuck in the middle of dry, dead earth" type of despair to it.
I didn't want to think Amber Heard did a good job. I don't think the role of Mandy Lane required much but a really beautiful girl (which she is), but her delivery and execution is spot on. Michael Welch held his own and all the supporting kids were believable.
When the killings start, it's pretty obvious who is doing it. The first murder is particularly brutal. The "twist" is not much of a twist, but it's well executed.
I had a lot of problems with the dialog, but then, I have a lot of problems listening to teenagers talk in real life. So I'm betting the dialog was pretty standard and not as cringe-worthy as I thought. I'm not familiar with the writer (Jacob Forman) and originally decided to watch this movie because I mistakenly thought Jonathan Levine wrote it. He directed it, but I like his writing (The Wackness, Warm Bodies).
Certain parts drag - I get that we need to build that droning, neverending party feeling but I wish there was a way to do that without a droning, neverending party. There is a lot of violence but it's....muffled. I don't know how else to describe it. It's effective because taking the edge out of it makes it seem more real.
If you like horror movies, you might like this. If you like slasher movies, you will probably like it.
Like.Share.Follow. (2017)
Pretty Darn Good
This is social media/stalker/psycho horror movie with solid performances. Keiynan Lonsdale is charming and relatable as Garrett, the rising YouTube sensation. Ema Horvath is captivating as Shell, the fan who loves just a little too much. I kept waiting for her wide-eyed craziness to come off as heavy handed or ridiculous, but she managed to play it pitch perfect.
Some of the dialog was sort of dumb, but overall this was a fun to watch, well-paced movie with good performances and a neat twist at the end. It's not groundbreaking or amazing but it definitely entertains.
The Gift (2015)
"Gordo the Weirdo" is My Kind of Leading Man
When you first start watching this film, you think that Simon is the leading man and Robyn is his leading lady and la de da they move back to Simon's hometown and this guy they run into, "Gordo the Weirdo" is your potential antagonist. And, depending on how you react to the events that occur throughout the course of the movie, you might still think that.
I think this film does a great job of flipping traditional hero/anti-hero ideas and typical protagonist/antagonist roles. Joel Edgerton is a gem. I'd seen him in other things (The Great Gatsby, Star Wars Episodes II and III, Kinky Boots) but this role, and knowing that he wrote and directed, as well as starred, knocked my socks off. I'm glad he made this film, and I think it is extremely well done. If you like slow burn psychological thrillers with a whole lot of tension and cringey moments, this is a must-see.
The Conduit (2016)
What a terrible load of crap
This is soft core porn dressed up like the most boring, non scary horror movie ever. And i get that it's low budget but the quiet parts were super quiet and the loud parts were loud and fuzzy and the dark parts were too dark and the acting was AWFUL.
Seriously, don't watch this. The only performance i didn't hate was the guy who plays Gabriel, and he isn't even credited.
If you're into a movie that will assault your eyes, ears and good sense, go ahead.
A Cure for Wellness (2016)
Gorgeous And Weird
But, what's wrong with weird? Weird sparks our imagination, it tickles our fancies. And, Gore Verbinski knows how to put together a lush, yummy feature.
The acting was quite good, especially Dane DeHaan and Mia Goth, though the always-solid Jason Isaacs stole quite a number of scenes. Also great to see Harry Groener in a little bit more than a bit part. I loved his work on Buffy The Vampire Slayer and it's always good and surprising to see him.
The film is visually stunning and really deeply creepy with some of the visual elements - namely the old-school medical equipment at the spa/villa/lab and the, well, EELS.
I felt that the ending was a bit of a cop-out. There was a chance for a real Fall of the House of Usher type of ending all around that would have served the atmosphere of the film a little better, but overall it's worth the watch.
Hush (2016)
An extra star because I heart Mike Flanagan
Hush might not be the best movie ever, but it has that Mike Flanagan pace and tone, which made me like it before I even knew who Mike Flanagan was. I said that Hush might not be the best movie ever, but it certainly isn't the worst. It was concise, paced very well and well-acted by both Kate Siegel and John Gallagher Jr.
I've seen people say that The Man's motives were unclear, that things didn't make sense. To me, that is what pushes this movie a little higher in the originality department. It's fascinating that we don't know The Man's motives, but we see his brutality and madness in full bloom. Yes, he was sloppy and he and Maddie could have killed each other a few times before the end, but that worked for me BECAUSE he was totally unhinged.
This is worth a watch if you like suspenseful movies that contain some violence. The real thing to watch is Mike Flanagan.
I Am the Pretty Thing That Lives in the House (2016)
Gorgeous But Incomplete
This is a visually pleasing film. It's even sort of aurally pleasing. It wouldn't have been detrimental to the plot at all to have Ruth Wilson use her natural accent, but the stilted American accent added to the ambiance of the piece. The plot, on the other hand, as slow moving as it is, is missing a lot. That makes for a sleepy sort of movie that can lull you into a dreamy state, but the payoff just doesn't, well, pay off.
It's pretty enough to watch once, but don't expect too much.
Side Effects (2013)
Totally Satisfying
I really didn't know what to expect when I watched this. I didn't hear about it when it came out - though I'm told it was well-received and much-talked about. I found it while hunting around for something to watch on OnDemand. What a fun story! It's clever to start the film from one perspective and slowly shift to another.
Rooney Mara was superb. At first I thought she was lifeless and wooden, but I really thought about her character and her performance was spot-on. I don't usually like Jude Law, but he was great in this.
Ultimately, though, there's no greater talent in the film than the direction of Steven Soderberg. This movie tastes like one of his, and you can see his fingerprints all over it. It's a totally satisfying psychological thriller that I thought about for a few days after it was over.
Midnight, Texas (2017)
Sigh. Really not good.
I don't think Charlaine Harris is a great writer, but she can turn out an entertaining story. The "Midnight" books were fun because they combined characters and elements of her other books series. The "Sookie" books were represented by the vampire, Lemuel. Bobo Winthrop came from the "Lily" books. The sheriff of nearby Davy was Arthur from the "Aurora" books (woefully misrepresented over on the Hallmark channel, btw). And, finally, Manfred was arguably the most interesting character in the "Harper" books.
I understand a lot of people are upset that the physical attributes of the actors chosen to play the parts are so different than the way the characters are described in the books. I understand, but I also understand it when someone unlikely is cast for specific artistic or creative reasons.
I fail to see anything artistic or creative about this show. An earlier reviewer commented that it's a bummer that the casting directors didn't choose characters that fit their book descriptions because those descriptions were really interesting, and they were looking forward to see how that translated to the small screen. I can agree with that, since Manfred sounded really interesting. But Bobo looks just the way he's supposed to, and the show still kind of sucks.
There's no charm or quirk to this show. It's all flashy, cheesy special effects and polished pretty people with no good dialog. Pass.
Only Lovers Left Alive (2013)
Sumptuous but missing in bits
I'm guilty of an overdeveloped sense of nostalgia, and that can blind me to obvious flaws in films that tug at those tender parts of my psyche. While the logical part of me can see that Only Lovers Left Alive lacks some plot movement, character development and plain old common sense, I can't get over the parts I love. The wild aesthetic, the pop culture reference overload, the overly cool Adam and Eve - characters that would have caused a high school aged me overhaul her appearance and stay out of the sun even more than she already did. Jarmusch creates the perfect, delicious world of intense and wise love, cold and aloof passion and all the right literary references - all wrapped up in a killer soundtrack. I love this film. It tugs at all the parts a cool love story should, and it hits all the places a "cool" vampire story should. It might not be for everyone, but it sure is for me.
The Harvest (2013)
Tense and uncomfortable, but good
I have watched this one a couple of times to make sure I felt about it the way I did the first time I watched it, and I do. It's a slow-building drama with a lot of quiet dialog, but that makes Samantha Morton's outbursts that much more jarring and intense. Michael Shannon is able to convey a lot of emotion with very little action, and the child actors in the film do a good job holding their own. I won't give away any plot, as to talk about any of it would lead me down the spoiler path, but if you like a good thriller with a disturbing concept, this is worth a watch (or three).
It's not a "lights off" type of movie, and I wouldn't classify it as horror, but it's a tense thriller in the vein of Fatal Attraction or The Gift. And, it's worth mentioning Samantha Morton again - she plays her role with utter abandon. You believe that she is her character and she's utterly captivating. While she does have shouting and drooling to get her point across, her subtle changes in facial expression and the scariness of her smile is awesome too.
It Follows (2014)
Solid and Oddly Beautiful
This film's feel...or is it a taste? It's captivating. The 60's-70's aesthetic mixed with a few futuristic details really do accomplish the intended point - to make the film feel like a dream. I won't say anything about the "villain" in this one - you really have to watch it to get it, and even then you might need to watch it twice to catch all the gorgeous imagery and the tiny background details. For a horror fan, it is a hugely satisfying experience and far exceeded my expectations. The feeling of dread is wonderfully communicated and the film leaves you just enough off-kilter to feel like you have gone through something profound by the time it is over.
Also, I felt like Keir Gilchrist was super in The United States of Tara and I was stoked to see him play a prominent (and pivotal) character.
Jug Face (2013)
Such a Surprise
I had no idea what to expect going into this film. I refrained from looking it up on IMDb prior to watching, and I didn't recognize any of the characters at first.
This may be the first role Sean Young has ever had that she didn't COMPLETELY screw up. Now, before you jump all over me, Sean Young fans, it's OK for you to like her. I simply can't stand her. Most of the time, she'd be hard-pressed to act her way out of a paper bag. Her turn as our protagonist's spiteful, evil mother is pretty darn good. I wish she'd gotten more coaching on her accent - it was atrocious, and it seemed that the longer the film went on, the worse it got.
And by evil I mean mean-spirited and nasty, not supernatural evil. You'll have to watch this film yourself to decide which parts you think are supernatural and which parts are interesting explorations into small community hysteria.
Overall I was really impressed, and I would like to see more out of Chad Crawford Kinkle.
Before I Go to Sleep (2014)
OK. So Here's the Thing
The good things about this movie:
1. It's interesting. I mean, it holds your attention and you don't find yourself drifting into thinking about your overdue taxes or whether or not it's going to rain tomorrow.
2. The actors are pretty good. Obviously. It's Nicole Kidman and Colin Firth, for Pete's sake. They have both shown that they are pretty good actors. I've never seen Colin Firth play a role like this (nuh uh, you have to watch it to find out what sort of role) and I enjoyed that. Nicole Kidman did her normal pretty darn good job. Tommen from Game of Thrones was in it, and I was excited that Mark Strong played a character that's different from a lot of characters he plays. No spoilers! You have to watch it to find out.
3. The score definitely made the movie more suspenseful. It really added a lot to the movie. So kudos to the person who wrote it. I'm too lazy to open another browser window to find out who it was but I'm sure I'll remember to do that later. It was a good score.
*UPDATE - I had to go look up Mark Strong's name because I thought it was better to be specific than say "that guy who.." and less spoilery so I looked up the music department and there are a crapload of names in it. So good job, Music Department of Before I Go to Sleep. You all did a great job.
The bad things about this movie:
1. There were some plot holes. I don't really agree with some of the other reviewers and what they say were plot holes. Some of those things they wrote about are pretty explicitly explained. You just have to listen to ALL the dialog, but just part of it when they're yelling or a big secret is about to be revealed. Vigilance, people.
2. Movies like this, about this particular topic (the memory thing, not the other bits) make my brain hurt. I wonder what that would be like, if it's really possible. I mean, I know it's possible, but REALLY REALLY possible? I wonder about that.
Overall, the movie was better than I expected. If you want something that will hold your attention and has a nice tension, check it out.
The Babadook (2014)
Beautifully Executed
I am not going to post any spoilers, because the delight of this film is watching the plot unfold and drawing conclusions on your own. I will say that the performances are stellar. Essie Davis excels at creating tension and inciting sympathy, even if you don't know what to think of her character. Noah Wisemen is amazing. The first time I watched it, I thought his performance was over the top, but upon a second watching I realize he was pitch perfect. The film is atmospheric and creepy and truly, truly terrifying - if you interpret it the way I did.
I love that Jennifer Kent had her feature film debut this way, and that some of the budget was crowd-funded. I would love to see her make another full-length film.
If you didn't like it the first time, give it another watch and open yourself to it emotionally. That's the film's power.