Thursday, May 1, 2014

Week 16 and 17 in film

I'm Still Here (Casey Affleck, 2010)
Not only a great actor, but Phoenix proves to be funny as well. Had the world doubting if his claimed career move (from actor to rapper) was a hoax. Everyone remembers his Letterman appearance, this film puts it in context. A great joke and a statement against reality shows, unfortunately not funny enough to fill an entire film. 6.5/10


Enter the Void (Gaspar Noe, 2009)
After watching this a couple of years ago it came back to my memory at times. Perhaps better than I remembered? Well, yes, for the first hour, at least, it's great. It is the second half that kills it a bit. Noe's very original choice in narration works against him after a while. Makes the last hour a drag, which is a shame, this film is special. 6/10

Hard Target (John Woo, 1993)
Guilty pleasure, and it's not even bad! John Woo's first Hollywood film is a fast and stylish action flick that has everything that made the 90s action movies great. Van Damme's haircut is film history in itself! 7.5/10

We Own The Night (James Gray, 2007)
Again, a good film from Gray. This is not the most original plot, but directed in a way that feels more like Scorsese than most imitations, and this might not even be an imitation. Phoenix is, as ever, great. 8/10

Cop Land (James Mangold, 1997)
What a mess. A great cast that centers the weakest actor. Fails to entertain which is quite a shame considering that it is a genre that easily amuses me, usually. 4/10

The Hunger Games: Cathing Fire (Francis Lawrence, 2013)
Jennifer Lawrence, Philip Seymour Hoffman, an exciting survival battle? Could be great. Well, forget it. Maybe this film appeals to you if you've read the book, but I couldn't feel with the characters or experience any suspense, at all. And shouldn't it have an ending? Oh wait, we have a new goose with golden eggs. 3/10



Magnificent Obsession (Douglas Sirk, 1954)
Starting to become a Sirk fan. His films are just as beautiful and easy to watch as they are melodramatic. This one is sometimes too melodramatic but contains a very powerful message, not even under the surface this time, or I am missing something... 8/10

White Dog (Samuel Fuller, 1982)
Powerful story about a dog who is trained to attack (and kill) black people. Great metaphor and one very effective horror film. A must see in American cinema. 8/10