I have all the respect in the world for this project, and yet I still feel as if it were a wasted opportunity to do something truly memorable given the timeframe/format. There just wasn't enough there for me to still be talking about Boyhood years or even months from now.
I actually think this is some of Eastwood's better recent work as a director, and although Cooper is an actor I often give a hard time for being over-rated I felt he was quite good in this role. American Sniper is a realistic and compelling modern war film, however I don't think it departs enough from what a movie like The Hurt Locker did (nor is it as gritty and intense) to stand alone as a great modern war film.
Stringing together various whimsical sequences a cohesive plot does not make, and neither should eccentricity be confused for creativity. Apart from that, I enjoyed the music, some of the imagery, and a few scenes as stand-alone material. The eskimo/fish allegory was also interesting.
Reminded me a lot of Killing Them Softly, but not quite as good. Loved the tone and the characters in this one, but spent too much time yawning at predictable plot devices (and a pretty insubstantial plot in general). Still, I'd love to see more movies made in this vein with top notch acting, just a little more originality would be nice.
Just entertaining enough to keep my interest above the idle line, in a very low gear. The humor is flat but pleasant, the story meandering but mildly compelling. I wish they would have laid off the technology angle a bit, it felt like overkill most of the time. Did Twitter finance this project or something?
As far as something mass audiences can access and enjoy, there will probably be only one great tribute to the great Roger Ebert, and this documentary is it (though I'm crossing my fingers for a Ron Howard Siskel/Ebert biopic). If you have even a passing interest in the man, Life Itself will be an enjoyable two hours for you.
The main story was fun and superficially touching enough (if you're a fan of the NFL), but the B plot pandered too deliberately to women/non-football fans and it seemed out of place. As entertainment, this is an easy watch, though it's no work of art.
In essence a mystery film, although one that fails to mount any sort of real tension and instead diverges into something of a meandering allegory. By the end, we've long stopped caring about the stakes and the aha moment isn't very impactful or interesting.
Still, a very fair effort, but one that didn't come through for me. I'm not generally a fan of the "wandering allegorical" format, though this one wasn't too explicitly philosophical -- albeit, not very subtle either. Gleeson was great of course and a pleasure to watch.
Ultimately, the emotional/artistic payoff is not worth the amount of dreary content one must suffer through to arrive at the conclusion.
Dad jokes, easy puns, and lame gags on infinite repeat. The only aspects of it I enjoyed were Wilder's performance and the dance/song routine at the end.
From a technical point of view, The Kings of Summer felt as impromptu and ramshackle as the house the title characters construct within the story. However, Jordan Vogt-Roberts deserves acclaim for last year's offbeat teen dream flick despite his evidently novice efforts as a constructor of narrative.
First to mention, what an incredible soundtrack. Perhaps not the most important aspect of any movie, however the mood/style was arguably the best thing about TKOS and in large part thanks to the musical/emotional journey we're taken on.
Secondly, I have to applaud Vogt-Robers for creating a highly original viewing experience centered on youth without ever coming off as excessively quirky, pretentious, or generally hipsterish (Richard Ayoade, take note). TKOS was a sincere effort and a lot of heart managed to quite naturally shine through an unnaturally stylized aesthetic.
And finally, shit was funny. Even the really awful jokes had my wife and I in fits. The character of Biaggio is in no way a believable addition to the crew of friends, and in fact seems to have been written in solely based on exploiting the eccentricity of actor Moises Arias, but then so be it. The character was weird and hilarious and held our attention in tact through the flat parts of the plot.
This one doesn't win any awards for me nor does it even make my top 20 list for the year, but it is one of those hidden gems you find yourself very grateful to have stumbled upon.
Bare and grim, like most of the movies that come out of this region, though thanks to certain imagery and plot elements could almost be viewed as a realistic fable. Makes my top 20 for 2013, resting at #13 for the moment.
The awesomely creative intro set me up to believe I was about to enjoy something really special. Instead, I was rolling my eyes through 70 minutes of the same mopey indie film cliches and easy-emotion levers I've encountered so many times before. That is until I got to the awesomely creative outro.
I may have thought before that low-hanging stars like Paris Hilton and Lindsey Lohan were the scum of society, but this film reminded me that it's the people worshiping them who are.
Other than the message, this film feels like a student project. I don't understand how Sofia could have digressed this much as a filmmaker. What did she have in 2003 that she doesn't have now? Spike Jonze by her side?
Fantastic. There are things the remake does very well, though it doesn't quite put your hairs on end like the original. Anyway, I'm glad both films exist.
My son Nate requested a movie night for his 9th birthday party. I asked the video store clerk, Brent, to recommend something fun and retro in the vein of RoboCop.
A near-perfect execution of realism, if not for the unrealistic portrayal of Lille, France, in particular its climate. I actually live in Lille, and the city as portrayed in this film is unrecognizable.
That's a superficial critique, however, and I actually do rate this as the best of 2013 from what I've seen so far.
Just when you're about to give up on this film, film as a medium, and life itself, Sam Elliot flashes us the top of his pubic hair and all is right again in the world.
Starts out light and lucid but takes a turn for the heavy and weird beyond the midpoint. This is one of those unseen, underrated gems of 2013. Its target audience is small, but if you fit the bill you will be treated.
Comments 101 - 125 of 522
Movie comment on Sunshine on Leith
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Shame on me I guess for having always figured The Proclaimers as a one hit wonder. Some movies are worth it for the fantastic songs alone.Movie comment on Boyhood
devilsadvocado
I have all the respect in the world for this project, and yet I still feel as if it were a wasted opportunity to do something truly memorable given the timeframe/format. There just wasn't enough there for me to still be talking about Boyhood years or even months from now.Movie comment on American Sniper
devilsadvocado
I actually think this is some of Eastwood's better recent work as a director, and although Cooper is an actor I often give a hard time for being over-rated I felt he was quite good in this role. American Sniper is a realistic and compelling modern war film, however I don't think it departs enough from what a movie like The Hurt Locker did (nor is it as gritty and intense) to stand alone as a great modern war film.Movie comment on Arizona Dream
devilsadvocado
Stringing together various whimsical sequences a cohesive plot does not make, and neither should eccentricity be confused for creativity. Apart from that, I enjoyed the music, some of the imagery, and a few scenes as stand-alone material. The eskimo/fish allegory was also interesting.Movie comment on Out of the Furnace
devilsadvocado
Reminded me a lot of Killing Them Softly, but not quite as good. Loved the tone and the characters in this one, but spent too much time yawning at predictable plot devices (and a pretty insubstantial plot in general). Still, I'd love to see more movies made in this vein with top notch acting, just a little more originality would be nice.Movie comment on Chef
devilsadvocado
Just entertaining enough to keep my interest above the idle line, in a very low gear. The humor is flat but pleasant, the story meandering but mildly compelling. I wish they would have laid off the technology angle a bit, it felt like overkill most of the time. Did Twitter finance this project or something?Movie comment on Life Itself
devilsadvocado
As far as something mass audiences can access and enjoy, there will probably be only one great tribute to the great Roger Ebert, and this documentary is it (though I'm crossing my fingers for a Ron Howard Siskel/Ebert biopic). If you have even a passing interest in the man, Life Itself will be an enjoyable two hours for you.Movie comment on The Best of Times
devilsadvocado
You can see the kind of movie it's trying to be, but you can also see the white smear on the court where it fails to hit its mark.Movie comment on Draft Day
devilsadvocado
The main story was fun and superficially touching enough (if you're a fan of the NFL), but the B plot pandered too deliberately to women/non-football fans and it seemed out of place. As entertainment, this is an easy watch, though it's no work of art.Movie comment on Alan Partridge: Alpha Papa
devilsadvocado
I hate to think of where my standards for humor would be if God hadn't given us the Brits to show us how it's done.Movie comment on Calvary
devilsadvocado
In essence a mystery film, although one that fails to mount any sort of real tension and instead diverges into something of a meandering allegory. By the end, we've long stopped caring about the stakes and the aha moment isn't very impactful or interesting.Still, a very fair effort, but one that didn't come through for me. I'm not generally a fan of the "wandering allegorical" format, though this one wasn't too explicitly philosophical -- albeit, not very subtle either. Gleeson was great of course and a pleasure to watch.
Ultimately, the emotional/artistic payoff is not worth the amount of dreary content one must suffer through to arrive at the conclusion.
Movie comment on Young Frankenstein
devilsadvocado
Dad jokes, easy puns, and lame gags on infinite repeat. The only aspects of it I enjoyed were Wilder's performance and the dance/song routine at the end.Movie comment on The Kings of Summer
devilsadvocado
From a technical point of view, The Kings of Summer felt as impromptu and ramshackle as the house the title characters construct within the story. However, Jordan Vogt-Roberts deserves acclaim for last year's offbeat teen dream flick despite his evidently novice efforts as a constructor of narrative.First to mention, what an incredible soundtrack. Perhaps not the most important aspect of any movie, however the mood/style was arguably the best thing about TKOS and in large part thanks to the musical/emotional journey we're taken on.
Secondly, I have to applaud Vogt-Robers for creating a highly original viewing experience centered on youth without ever coming off as excessively quirky, pretentious, or generally hipsterish (Richard Ayoade, take note). TKOS was a sincere effort and a lot of heart managed to quite naturally shine through an unnaturally stylized aesthetic.
And finally, shit was funny. Even the really awful jokes had my wife and I in fits. The character of Biaggio is in no way a believable addition to the crew of friends, and in fact seems to have been written in solely based on exploiting the eccentricity of actor Moises Arias, but then so be it. The character was weird and hilarious and held our attention in tact through the flat parts of the plot.
This one doesn't win any awards for me nor does it even make my top 20 list for the year, but it is one of those hidden gems you find yourself very grateful to have stumbled upon.
Movie comment on The Selfish Giant
devilsadvocado
Bare and grim, like most of the movies that come out of this region, though thanks to certain imagery and plot elements could almost be viewed as a realistic fable. Makes my top 20 for 2013, resting at #13 for the moment.Movie comment on The Sessions
devilsadvocado
Seems the characters were on a more intense emotional journey than the audience was. I rate this one on the bad side of mediocre.Movie comment on Short Term 12
devilsadvocado
The awesomely creative intro set me up to believe I was about to enjoy something really special. Instead, I was rolling my eyes through 70 minutes of the same mopey indie film cliches and easy-emotion levers I've encountered so many times before. That is until I got to the awesomely creative outro.Movie comment on The Bling Ring
devilsadvocado
I may have thought before that low-hanging stars like Paris Hilton and Lindsey Lohan were the scum of society, but this film reminded me that it's the people worshiping them who are.Other than the message, this film feels like a student project. I don't understand how Sofia could have digressed this much as a filmmaker. What did she have in 2003 that she doesn't have now? Spike Jonze by her side?
Movie comment on 3:10 to Yuma
devilsadvocado
Fantastic. There are things the remake does very well, though it doesn't quite put your hairs on end like the original. Anyway, I'm glad both films exist.Movie comment on 42
devilsadvocado
Poor Jackie Robinson. "I changed the face of sports for future generations of black athletes and all I got was this shitty movie."Harrison Ford is terrible. Someone needs to make a gif of his reaction to Robinson hitting the homeroom near the end of the movie.
Movie comment on Videodrome
devilsadvocado
My son Nate requested a movie night for his 9th birthday party. I asked the video store clerk, Brent, to recommend something fun and retro in the vein of RoboCop.Well fuck you Brent. You ruined my son's life.
Movie comment on La vie d'Adèle
devilsadvocado
A near-perfect execution of realism, if not for the unrealistic portrayal of Lille, France, in particular its climate. I actually live in Lille, and the city as portrayed in this film is unrecognizable.That's a superficial critique, however, and I actually do rate this as the best of 2013 from what I've seen so far.
Movie comment on Cosmopolis
devilsadvocado
I appreciate and respect the filmmaker's vision here. Just please don't make me watch it again.Movie comment on Tripping with Caveh
devilsadvocado
Caveh is truly a strange dude. Will was a good sport, but I don't think he'll be returning any of the guy's phone calls for a while.Movie comment on Road House
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Just when you're about to give up on this film, film as a medium, and life itself, Sam Elliot flashes us the top of his pubic hair and all is right again in the world.Movie comment on Le Week-End
devilsadvocado
Starts out light and lucid but takes a turn for the heavy and weird beyond the midpoint. This is one of those unseen, underrated gems of 2013. Its target audience is small, but if you fit the bill you will be treated.Showing items 101 – 125 of 522