|
|
Post by essien on Jun 4, 2018 14:52:05 GMT -5
Hail, Caesar. I thoroughly enjoyed this. I went in with low expectations due to all the luke warm reviews, and I just thought it was a really fun film, set during an interesting time in Hollywood. The ensemble cast were fantastic and Josh Brolin was excellent as the lead. Some real laugh out loud moments too. 4/5
Just three more Coen films left for me to see!
|
|
|
|
Post by tao on Sept 1, 2018 19:41:20 GMT -5
 Sooooo.... It's been a while. I hadn't meant to trail off on my list of films, but I went through a slump where I didn't feel like watching anything, settling for whatever was on cable, and only recently I've gotten back into a mindset where I feel like watching films again. So I jumped back in with this film. Tootsie stars Dustin Hoffmann as a struggling actor who disguises himself in drag in order to take on a role on a soap opera. Finding success in the role, he begins to identify more and more with the female perspective of things, and unconsciously begins to grow and mature in his own attitudes and perspectives. I liked this film, as I felt it was a good mixture between light comedy and opinions about gender roles and stereotypes/expectations of the female sex in the 1980's. Dustin Hoffmann gave a wonderfully nuanced performance as Michael Dorsey/Dorothy Michaels, filling the role with a vigor and subtle comedy that I haven't seen in quite some time. Equally praiseworthy are the performances of Teri Garr and Jessica Lange, the former as Dorsey's girlfriend and the latter as the girl that Dorsey ends up falling for. Bill Murray was an unexpected, but welcome surprise. 9/10 |
|
|
|
Post by tao on Sept 8, 2018 18:48:49 GMT -5
Watched another off the list the other day: Wes Anderson's The Royal Tenenbaums. This... was the least Wes Anderson-ish film of Wes Anderson that I've seen. Sure, the characters were straight up something only he could've done, but the cinematography was more static than what I've become accustomed to from him. Wasn't a knock against him, just... interesting. I really liked the performances from Gene Hackman, Anjelica Huston, Bill Murray and Danny Glover. Gwyneth Paltrow looked like she could fit right in to the Wes Anderson-verse. The story also felt a bit different, as it seemed to be more grounded and down to earth than his other films. Overall, not a bad film.
8.5/10
[Edit]: Just noticed this, but I just need to watch Bottle Rocket, Wes Anderson's first film, and then I'll have seen all his full length features. Sweet!
|
|
|
|
Post by tao on Oct 17, 2018 15:19:29 GMT -5
 This was interesting; not really what I was expecting from Bong Joon-Ho, but then again, I didn't know what to expect in the first place. The acting was quite good, with the performance given by Kim Hye-Ja as the titular mother a standout, and the cinematography was gorgeous (natch). The story was nuanced yet plausible; I don’t quite know how to elaborate more on it though. All in all, this was a good film. 8/10 |
|
|
|
Post by tao on Nov 18, 2018 21:10:21 GMT -5
 Another day, another film bites my cinematic dust. For those who aren’t in the know, “Whiplash” is a film from 2014 starring Miles Teller and J.K. Simmons, the former as an aspiring drummer, enrolled at the most prestigious music academy in the country, and the latter as a famed (and feared) instructor at the academy who takes an interest in him. First and foremost, I really enjoyed this film, but I don’t think I can rewatch it as much as others; I think this feeling primarily lies in the sense that this film embodies an incredible intensity in the characterizations, almost like pushing down on a spring, and there is no real relief until the ending. It’s a feeling that I don’t believe I’ve cinematically experienced, or if I did, then not to this extent. This shouldn’t, and doesn’t detract from the film at large; on the contrary, it elevates almost every aspect of the film into something incredible. Both leads are excellent in their respective roles, with J.K. Simmons being otherworldly in his particular part. Throughout the film, it made me wonder on the natures of obsession and perfectionism. While slight amounts of both are inherent in us all, and these two aspects can be healthy to a slight degree, one has to wonder, “how much is too much? And to what extent is too much?” I was gobsmacked, almost transfixed at the finale. Bravo! 9.5/10 I’m going to dive in to this, forgive me for taking too long. Follow me and I’ll follow you back so we can all laugh at me as I figure this site/app out. Once I get comfy with it, I’ll do my best to help expand their database and everyone’s cinematic knowledge while doing the same to my own. letterboxd.com/Mr_Macaroon/ |
|
|
|
Post by v9733xa on Nov 19, 2018 18:20:16 GMT -5
I'm your first follower!
Post, like, actual reviews on there! It's fun!
|
|
|
|
Post by tao on Nov 25, 2018 14:43:45 GMT -5
 Finally got around to watch this, and I wasn’t disappointed. This hurt. This hurt bad. This was made almost 30 years ago, and that the themes and topics it highlights, that of racism and bigotry, is still present and alive in today’s society speaks volumes about how much more work that needs to be done by all of us in these aspects. Spike Lee writes and directs a simple story, but infuses it with so much meaning and social context that the end result is elevated to something more. Everyone acting in it acquits themselves well, and the film’s usage of the song, “Fight The Power”, fits well on several levels, as the characters fight the powers that be. I can’t recommend this film enough. 10/10 |
|
|
|
Post by tao on Jan 19, 2019 12:00:13 GMT -5
Tried watching Annie Hall last night, and I kept dozing off about halfway; not the movie’s fault, I work 4A-1P and I’m lucky if I can stay up until 8. I’ll try again over the weekend.
|
|
|
|
Post by v9733xa on Jan 19, 2019 19:55:14 GMT -5
Tried watching Annie Hall last night, and I kept dozing off about halfway; not the movie’s fault, I work 4A-1P and I’m lucky if I can stay up until 8. I’ll try again over the weekend. It's very good. Manhattan might be better? Sorry, I know we're supposed to hate Woody Allen but the guy made like 10 great films and 10 other good ones. |
|
|
|
Post by tao on Jan 19, 2019 20:00:16 GMT -5
Tried watching Annie Hall last night, and I kept dozing off about halfway; not the movie’s fault, I work 4A-1P and I’m lucky if I can stay up until 8. I’ll try again over the weekend. It's very good. Manhattan might be better? Sorry, I know we're supposed to hate Woody Allen but the guy made like 10 great films and 10 other good ones. Well, I picked Annie Hall for my challenge list when I made it, so... If I like this one, maaaaaybe I'll check out another 1-2 Woody Allen films in the future. Thanks for the rec though. |
|
|
|
Post by tao on Mar 7, 2019 12:42:53 GMT -5
 Nope, not gonna give up on this challenge. Watched this last night using Kanopy, and it was excellent. Death is a hard subject to ponder upon, but utilizing different characters to examine multiple reactions to the concept is quite commendable. This is one of those films you’d recommend to everyone, but is hard to nail down your exact reasons as to why. 10/10 |
|
|
|
Post by tao on Mar 18, 2019 21:14:49 GMT -5
  Ain’t giving up on this challenge. Both were excellent, except Nausicaä is a bit more heavy handed with its environmentalist message. |
|
