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Wednesday, August 27, 2014

Night Moves - Review

In a truck. Being futile.
Just watched this flick last night, it's an interesting one. It's about a trio of enviro-terrorists getting together to blow up a small dam. It is more of an art film, which means it's slow and brooding. Films like this tend to hinge on good acting and this one is no different, luckily the three leads, pictured above, are definitely up to the task.

Unlike many of the stories I talk about I cannot recommend this one broadly. You sort of have to know what you are getting into. If you are looking for some action and a big finish ending, any sort of summer blockbuster type movie, this one is not for you. If you are an overfeeler about the environment and other causes you might like it, but you might also not like how the activists are portrayed. Try not to internalize. For fans of fine acting, for fans of slow burning drama/thrillers, this one is definitely for you.

You can look at the other films I've reviewed here and get a pretty good idea whether or not I enjoyed myself with this film.

One note on the ending, it tends to make no sense so I'll address it here:

***SPOILERS***

In the end the main character is seen looking through a mirror, over his shoulder, watching some customers do their shopping. They are on their cell phones. This hearkens back to an earlier conversation where people don't care and are happy just having their phones on 24/7. So this mirror shot works as a double metaphor or reference. One, the main character will always be looking over his shoulder and two, that even though he's killed people in order to try to wake people up to the problem people are still just going about their day talking on their phones like nothing happened. The film ends there. A real downer. No matter what you do, what you sacrifice, you'll change nothing at all.

Thursday, August 21, 2014

Frozen - Review

Olaf. My fav.
For those people into family entertainment, musicals or Disney movies in general this is a masterpiece. The story revolves around 2 sisters, one who has super powers and the other who is just super brave.

It's Disney, so you get all of the talking animals and snow men you could ever want, you get the young lovers and the magic of the true love's kiss and all of that. And princesses. It's not Disney if there isn't at least one princess!

I highly recommend this move for people of all ages and tastes, especially for the kids. For young girls it has a lot of very positive imagery without bogging itself down with gender politics.

Some day I will have something bad to say about one of the movies I review. But today is not that day.

Monday, August 18, 2014

Guardians of the Galaxy - Review

Awesome!
So here's a more recent movie currently knocking it out of the park in theaters. Another big Marvel franchise starting up, and doing so with as much fun and wizbang as any other movie this summer.

The story centers around Star Lord, a self nicknamed scoundrel in the Indiana Jones and Han Solo mold. There's a magic McGuffin, an evil overlord working for an even more evil overlord. There are family rivalries, hidden family connections, revenge, comic style violence, self sacrifice and a huge battle during the climax of the movie.

What I liked most about this movie was the tone. Very light and fun the whole time. Star Lord dances, a lot.

It's great all around, but I wouldn't exactly say it's for everyone. If you are into the slow well acted dramas you might not get much out of this movie, but for everyone else who likes the big summer blockbuster or is into the Marvel Universe at all this is probably the best movie all year. Captain America: Winter Soldier and X-Men: DoFP are also good entries, more serious.

Saturday, August 16, 2014

Ghostbusters - Review

Cool, Cooler, Coolest.
Love me some Ghostbusters. This year marks the 30th anniversary of this super awesome movie.

This is one of those movies that gets it perfectly right. I rarely call a movie perfect, but man this is it. The went for a 'creepy comedy' as their goal and achieved it better than any other effort I can think of.

The plot revolves around 3 dudes, and later a 4th, who attempt to start an extermination business. Ghost extermination. Pretty soon bureaucratic interference gets involved and a huge supernatural event occurs, endangering our dear City of New York.

This is Akroid, Ramis and Murray's best work I think, with a supporting cast of Sigourney Weaver, Ernie Hudson and a fantastic Rick Moranis.

Seriously I almost didn't post this because the movie is so awesome I figured everyone had seen it already.

I recommend it for anyone interested in movies. At all.