tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-87919825089560062382024-02-19T14:47:25.440+11:00Movies and MusingsSteven Savonahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16693973010579672698noreply@blogger.comBlogger137125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8791982508956006238.post-58653495038569731352015-01-04T19:16:00.000+11:002015-01-05T18:27:20.322+11:00December 2014 Film Wrap-Up<div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: inherit; font-size: large;"><b>DECEMBER 7</b></span></div>
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<img src="http://mvfilmsociety.com/film/wp-content/uploads/2014/06/20140505-153557.jpg" height="249" width="400" /></div>
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<span style="font-size: x-large;"><b><i>An Honest Liar </i><span style="font-family: inherit;">(</span></b></span><b><span style="font-family: inherit; font-size: x-large;">Tyler Measom &<span style="background-color: white; color: #222222; line-height: 16.1200008392334px;"> </span>Justin Weinstein, 2014) = 3.5/5</span></b><br />
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<span style="font-family: inherit;"><i>"Magicians are t<span style="background-color: #fefdfa; font-size: 16px; line-height: 22.3999996185303px; text-align: center;"><span lang="EN-AU">he most honest people in the world; they tell you they're gonna fool you, and then they do it."</span></span></i></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: inherit;"><i><span style="background-color: #fefdfa; font-size: 16px; line-height: 22.3999996185303px; text-align: center;"><span lang="EN-AU"><br /></span></span></i></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="background-color: #fefdfa; font-size: 16px; line-height: 22.3999996185303px;">These words are spoken by James Randi early on in </span><i style="background-color: #fefdfa; font-size: 16px; line-height: 22.3999996185303px;">An Honest Liar</i><span style="background-color: #fefdfa; font-size: 16px; line-height: 22.3999996185303px;">, and they form the conceit of this documentary about the magician-cum-scientific sceptic’s storied life. The 86-year-old Randi regaled Thinkers following a screening of the film at the Metro Theatre last month, and he was nothing but candid on the night. But the documentary sheds a more scrutinising light on Randi’s professional and personal life. Through the medium of film, we are reminded that the mise-en-scène of a particular movie (even a documentary) is merely a director’s subjective interpretation of a given subject. Cuts, dissolves, and wipes are all a form of trickery. Filmmaking is fundamentally an act of tomfoolery, and</span><i style="background-color: #fefdfa; font-size: 16px; line-height: 22.3999996185303px;"> An Honest Liar </i><span style="background-color: #fefdfa; font-size: 16px; line-height: 22.3999996185303px;">is in itself one elaborate, honest lie.</span></span></div>
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<span style="background-color: #fefdfa;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="line-height: 22.3999996185303px;">You can read my full </span></span><span style="line-height: 22.3999996185303px;">review</span><span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="line-height: 22.3999996185303px;"> <a href="http://savona93.blogspot.com.au/2015/01/review-honest-liar-2014.html">here</a>.</span></span></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;"><span style="background-color: #fefdfa; line-height: 22.3999996185303px;"><b>DECEMBER 10</b></span></span></div>
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<img src="http://d12vb6dvkz909q.cloudfront.net/uploads/galleries/40361/wet-hot-wide.jpg" height="225" width="400" /></div>
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<span style="font-size: x-large;"><b><i>Wet Hot American Summer </i>(David Wain, 2001) = 3.5/5</b></span></div>
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<span style="background-color: white; font-size: 16px; line-height: 24px;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">Unabashed madness from start to finish. Boosted by a likeable cast, many of whom would go on to bigger, greater things. Crude without being nasty.</span></span></div>
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<span style="background-color: white; line-height: 24px;"><span style="font-family: inherit; font-size: large;"><b>DECEMBER 14</b></span></span></div>
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<img src="http://www.tumblr.com/photo/1280/girlandgun/714792366/1/tumblr_l498viMAXm1qc4i9x" height="224" width="400" /></div>
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<span style="font-size: x-large;"><b><i>Natural Born Killers </i>(Oliver Stone, 1994) = 1/5</b></span></div>
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<span style="background-color: white; font-size: 16px; line-height: 24px;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">It's not offensive, just excessive...like sugar poured on Froot Loops, or pop-up ads on MySpace. An ugly mess. I couldn't wait for those end credits to roll.</span></span></div>
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<span style="background-color: white; line-height: 24px;"><span style="font-family: inherit; font-size: large;"><b>DECEMBER 18</b></span></span></div>
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<img src="http://trailers.apple.com//705/us/media/galleries/focus_features/badwords/BadWords_FocusFeatures_image2_720.jpg" height="208" width="400" /></div>
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<span style="font-size: x-large;"><b><i>Bad Words </i>(Jaon Bateman, 2013) = 3.5/5</b></span></div>
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<span style="background-color: white; font-size: 16px; line-height: 24px;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">I just had to watch this because I'm a spelling geek and I'll watch anything where a spelling bee is the focal plot point. (<i>Akeelah and the Bee</i>, anyone?) It's crass and a bit predictable, but Bateman owns his role as the foul-mouthed protagonist. </span></span></div>
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<span style="background-color: white; line-height: 24px;"><span style="font-family: inherit; font-size: large;"><b>DECEMBER 20</b></span></span></div>
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<img src="http://i.ytimg.com/vi/szaLnKNWC-U/maxresdefault.jpg" height="254" width="400" /></div>
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<span style="font-size: x-large;"><b><i>The Babadook </i>(Jennifer Kent, 2014) = 4/5</b></span></div>
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<span style="background-color: white; font-size: 16px; line-height: 24px;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">An unsettling film cloaked in a brooding atmosphere. The polished production undercuts some of the scares, but this is the calibre of cinema Australia needs to be churning out on a regular basis if the local industry is to be taken seriously.</span></span></div>
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<span style="background-color: white; line-height: 24px;"><span style="font-family: inherit; font-size: large;"><b>DECEMBER 21</b></span></span></div>
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<img src="http://klling.files.wordpress.com/2013/10/halloween-4-michael.jpg" height="225" width="400" /></div>
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<span style="font-size: x-large;"><b><i>Halloween 4: The Return of Michael Myers </i>(Dwight H. Little, 1988) = 3/5</b></span></div>
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<span style="background-color: white; font-size: 16px; line-height: 24px;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">If you can disregard the laughable mask worn by Myers (see above), you'll notice this movie tries harder than the third sequel in a horror franchise is expected to. I was often impressed by the cinematography, and the ending is unabashedly morbid.</span></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: x-large;"><b><i>Shame </i>(Steve McQueen, 2011) = 4.5/5</b></span></div>
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<span style="background-color: white; font-size: 16px; line-height: 24px;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">Pulses with a raw, cathartic resonance. In turns a sexy and tragic meditation on power dynamics. Fassbender is phenomenal.</span></span></div>
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<span style="background-color: white; font-size: 16px; line-height: 24px;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">This was my second viewing and my rating has dropped by half a star. Nonetheless, this is still one of the best films of the post-2000 era.</span></span></div>
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<span style="background-color: white; line-height: 24px;"><span style="font-family: inherit; font-size: large;"><b>DECEMBER 25</b></span></span></div>
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<img src="http://cdn.filmschoolrejects.com/images/homealone2lostinnewyork.jpg" height="187" width="400" /></div>
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<span style="font-size: x-large;"><b><i>Home Alone 2: Lost in New York </i>(Chris Columbus, 1992) = 5/5</b></span></div>
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Look, I'm not even gonna list the reasons this film gets 5 stars from me, because I've mentioned them before on this blog. Just do a search for <i>Home Alone 2</i>. </div>
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<span style="font-size: x-large;"><b><i>The Perks of Being a Wallflower </i>(Stephen Chbosky, 2012) = 4.5/5</b></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="background-color: #fefdfa; font-size: 16px; line-height: 22.3999996185303px;">There are certain movies you watch at pivotal moments in your life that shape your outlook on the future and perhaps even change you as a human being. I imagine </span><i style="background-color: #fefdfa; font-size: 16px; line-height: 22.3999996185303px;">The Perks of Being a Wallflower</i><span style="background-color: #fefdfa; font-size: 16px; line-height: 22.3999996185303px;">will be that type of film for many adolescents (and maybe some adults) around the world. Over the years, Hollywood has bombarded us with countless movies about teenage lives. Some have worked, but plenty have dismally failed due to lazy writing and threadbare characters. </span><i style="background-color: #fefdfa; font-size: 16px; line-height: 22.3999996185303px;">Perks </i><span style="background-color: #fefdfa; font-size: 16px; line-height: 22.3999996185303px;">is very well-written, and the characters are almost painfully authentic. Chbosky achieves the sincerity that John Hughes mastered in the 1980s. I think this has a lot to do with the fact that Chbosky adapted his own novel. He has had a relationship with these characters ever since he concocted them for the page. With full creative control and nurturing hands, he has successfully transitioned them to the screen. </span></span></div>
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<span style="background-color: #fefdfa;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="line-height: 22.3999996185303px;">You can read my full </span></span><span style="line-height: 22.3999996185303px;">review</span><span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="line-height: 22.3999996185303px;"> <a href="http://savona93.blogspot.com.au/2012/11/review-perks-of-being-wallflower-2012.html">here</a>.</span></span></span></div>
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<span style="background-color: #fefdfa;"><span style="font-family: inherit; font-size: large;"><span style="line-height: 22.3999996185303px;"><b>DECEMBER 26</b></span></span></span></div>
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<img src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgd7pcsCBpIk6FU1Hv7c93uhp-3gukfeQsYjX8W7LATqFGwdBqu6rxp_qXpT0bYgHNTVF9Zf9HECPsM5_4p1_zTcBflfzK2TF9EUHGubV3krD_Cyy0eCbNA049L1ink-wVc8u28jQTtvec/s400/metropolitan_4.jpg" height="267" width="400" /></div>
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<b><span style="font-size: x-large;"><i>Metropolitan </i>(Whit Stillman, 1990) = 4/5</span></b></div>
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<span style="background-color: white; font-size: 16px; line-height: 24px;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">Its characters are pretentious, but writer/director Stillman knows this and makes us care for them. Underneath the biting witticisms and banal dissections of essays lie the same anxieties harboured by people not lucky enough to be born into their elite circle. A forgotten gem.</span></span></div>
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<span style="background-color: white; line-height: 24px;"><span style="font-family: inherit; font-size: large;"><b>DECEMBER 28</b></span></span></div>
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<img src="http://www.movpins.com/big/MV5BMTUzMTQyNTM0OV5BMl5BanBnXkFtZTcwMTM1NDkxNA/still-of-keanu-reeves-in-a-scanner-darkly-large-picture.jpg" height="225" width="400" /></div>
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<b><span style="font-size: x-large;"><i>A Scanner Darkly </i>(Richard Linklater, 2006) = 3.5/5</span></b></div>
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<span style="background-color: white; font-size: 16px; line-height: 24px;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">An ethereal visual style and convoluted plot make it difficult to follow, but it's fiercely original with engaging characters. It's the type of film that is made to be seen more than once.</span></span></div>
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<span style="background-color: white; line-height: 24px;"><span style="font-family: inherit; font-size: large;"><b>DECEMBER 30</b></span></span></div>
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<img src="http://s3.amazonaws.com/auteurs_production/post_images/17533/Shadow_of_a_Doubt.jpg?1418650997" height="309" width="400" /></div>
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<span style="font-size: x-large;"><b><i>Shadow of a Doubt </i>(Alfred Hitchcock, 1943) = 4.5/5</b></span></div>
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<span style="background-color: white; font-size: 16px; line-height: 24px;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">It's enshrouded in an unsettling atmosphere of foreboding, and it's absorbing from start to finish thanks to a sense of moral ambiguity and some well-crafted, enthralling characters. Hitchcock suggests that, even when the most threatening danger presents itself, the desire to maintain order may hold sway over the desire to rebel, and this can be extremely detrimental.</span></span></div>
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<b style="background-color: #fefdfa; font-family: Georgia, Utopia, 'Palatino Linotype', Palatino, serif; font-size: 16px; line-height: 24px;">In Summary - The Must-See Films (4.5 or 5 Stars)</b></div>
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<b style="background-color: #fefdfa; font-family: Georgia, Utopia, 'Palatino Linotype', Palatino, serif; font-size: 16px; line-height: 24px;">* </b><i><span style="background-color: #fefdfa; font-family: Georgia, Utopia, 'Palatino Linotype', Palatino, serif; font-size: 16px; line-height: 24px;">S</span><span style="background-color: #fefdfa; font-family: Georgia, Utopia, 'Palatino Linotype', Palatino, serif; font-size: 16px; line-height: 24px;">hame</span></i></div>
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<i><span style="background-color: #fefdfa; font-family: Georgia, Utopia, 'Palatino Linotype', Palatino, serif; font-size: 16px; line-height: 24px;">* Home Alone 2: Lost in New York</span></i></div>
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<i><span style="background-color: #fefdfa; font-family: Georgia, Utopia, 'Palatino Linotype', Palatino, serif; font-size: 16px; line-height: 24px;">* The Perks of Being a Wallflower </span></i></div>
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<i><span style="background-color: #fefdfa; font-family: Georgia, Utopia, 'Palatino Linotype', Palatino, serif; font-size: 16px; line-height: 24px;">* Shadow of a Doubt</span></i></div>
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Steven Savonahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16693973010579672698noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8791982508956006238.post-55735570075312267962015-01-04T13:59:00.001+11:002015-01-04T13:59:57.623+11:00Review: An Honest Liar (2014)<div style="text-align: center;">
<img height="640" src="http://anhonestliar.com/wp/wp-content/uploads/2014/04/19x24-small.jpg" width="481" /></div>
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<b><span style="font-size: large;">Directors:</span> <span style="font-size: large;">Tyler Measom & Justin Weinstein </span></b></div>
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<b><span style="font-size: large;">Writers: Tyler Measom, Justin Weinstein, Greg O'Toole</span></b></div>
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<b><span style="font-size: large;">Stars: James Randi, De<span style="font-family: inherit;">yvi </span></span></b><span class="itemprop" itemprop="name"><b><span style="font-family: inherit; font-size: large;">Peña, Banachek</span></b></span></div>
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<i><span lang="EN-AU">“Magicians
are the most honest people in the world; they tell you they're gonna fool you,
and then they do it.”</span></i><span lang="EN-AU"> </span></div>
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<span lang="EN-AU"><br /></span></div>
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<span lang="EN-AU">These words are spoken by
James Randi early on in <i>An Honest Liar</i>,
and they form the conceit of this documentary about the magician-cum-scientific
sceptic’s storied life. The 86-year-old Randi regaled Thinkers following a
screening of the film at the Metro Theatre last month, and he was nothing but
candid on the night. But the documentary sheds a more scrutinising light on Randi’s
professional and personal life. Through the medium of film, we are reminded
that the mise-en-scène of a
particular movie (even a documentary) is merely a director’s subjective
interpretation of a given subject. Cuts, dissolves, and wipes are all a form of
trickery. Filmmaking is fundamentally an act of tomfoolery, and <i>An Honest Liar </i>is in itself one
elaborate, honest lie. </span></div>
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<span lang="EN-AU">Any magician can pull a rabbit out of a
hat, but James Randi is not just any magician. Inspired in great part by Harry
Houdini, Randi dedicated his early years to feats of escapology. Reckless
stunts such as dangling upside down in a straitjacket above Niagara Falls were
all part and parcel of the gig. But the human body can only withstand so much,
and so Randi would retire as an escape artist and see the industry of deception
through a more critical lens. Randi accepts that many people in the world are
mentally vulnerable and can easily be swindled by those with a grand public
persona, and he considers this a breach of morality. Throughout the film, we
are introduced to the cunning tricksters whom Randi has debunked over the
years, and we learn how Randi sullied their reputations. The archival footage
of Randi stripping Uri Geller’s spoon-bending antics of any “psychic” phenomena
is riveting to watch. There are also intense scenes of self-proclaimed faith
healer Peter Popoff “exorcising” illnesses from his afflicted followers, which
call to mind another documentary in <i>Jesus
Camp</i>. These scenes are genuinely disturbing and entrench Randi as a true altruist
who doesn’t do what he does for the accolades, but rather to uphold the faculty
of reason and the virtue of honesty.</span></div>
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<span lang="EN-AU">Of course, the film is more than a
highlight reel showcasing Randi’s impressive bag of tricks. We are invited to
pry into Randi’s personal life, with a fair portion of the film devoted to the 25-year
relationship between Randi and José Alvarez. While it’s essential this
dimension of the great sceptic’s life is given screen-time, directors Tyler
Measom and Justin Weinstein fail to exercise any sleight-of-hand in their
revelation of the climactic twist, and the irony of a renowned illusionist being
the accomplice to a major ruse with legal implications comes off as
heavy-handed. The very idea of including a twist in a documentary film is artistically
dubious, as it hints at a desire to fictionalise reality. In a film that
grapples with notions of truth, fantasy, and whether seeing is believing, it’s
no surprise the filmmakers would be tempted to meddle with real-life narratives
in such a manner.</span></div>
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Apart from this misstep, <i>An Honest Liar </i>is a mostly engaging celebration
of James Randi which champions the pursuit of knowledge, scientific empiricism,
and not bullshitting your fellow citizens. If you support any of these things,
you should make an effort to see it. Honestly...would I lie to you?</div>
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<span lang="EN-AU"><br /></span></div>
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<span lang="EN-AU"><b><span style="font-size: x-large;">3.5/5 stars.</span></b></span></div>
Steven Savonahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16693973010579672698noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8791982508956006238.post-58016171631434512882014-12-06T12:04:00.000+11:002014-12-06T12:04:08.433+11:00November 2014 Film Wrap-Up<div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-size: large;"><b>NOVEMBER 1</b></span></div>
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<img height="271" src="http://i2.listal.com/image/2097412/600full-theorem-photo.jpg" width="400" /></div>
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<span style="font-size: x-large;"><b><i>Theorem </i>(Pier Paolo Pasolini, 1968) = 4/5</b></span></div>
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<span style="background-color: white; line-height: 24px;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">In a film where characters seldom speak, the glorious images take precedence. Every frame seems to be bathed in rich golden hues. Mysterious, sensual, and rich in symbolism. Perhaps the epitome of arthouse cinema.</span></span></div>
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<span style="background-color: white; line-height: 24px;"><span style="font-family: inherit; font-size: large;"><b>NOVEMBER 2</b></span></span></div>
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<img height="215" src="http://supernovo.net/wp-content/uploads/2014/03/ad1c467platoon04.png" width="400" /></div>
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<span style="font-size: x-large;"><b><i>Platoon </i>(Oliver Stone, 1986) = 3.5/5</b></span></div>
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<span style="background-color: white;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="line-height: 24px;">A boy is toughened into a man through the grisly sights of warfare. Well-acted but it just didn't move me like I expected it to. Maybe I just subconsciously compare every war film to </span></span><i><span style="line-height: 24px;">Apocalypse</span><span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="line-height: 24px;"> Now</span></span></i><span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="line-height: 24px;"> and end up disappointed as a result.</span></span></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;"><span style="background-color: white; line-height: 24px;"><b>NOVEMBER 6</b></span></span></div>
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<img height="277" src="http://bizarrocentral.files.wordpress.com/2012/10/ring-photo1.jpg" width="400" /></div>
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<span style="font-size: x-large;"><b><i>Ring </i>(Hideo Nakata, 1998) = 3.5/5</b></span></div>
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<span style="background-color: white; font-size: 16px; line-height: 24px;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">It would've impacted me more if I'd seen it before the American remake and the countless parodies, but it's still creepy and well-paced. It cares less about cheap jump scares and more about earning our empathy through frightening situations where characters lose their human agency, and that's what the best supernatural horrors should do.</span></span></div>
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<span style="background-color: white; line-height: 24px;"><span style="font-family: inherit; font-size: large;"><b>NOVEMBER 9</b></span></span></div>
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<img height="237" src="http://33.media.tumblr.com/2fe73d1bef1889753143d671ce56566c/tumblr_mvf2puPwTg1qaezrlo1_500.png" width="400" /></div>
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<span style="font-size: x-large;"><b><i>Wings of Desire </i>(Wim Wenders, 1987) = 4/5</b></span></div>
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<span style="background-color: white; font-size: 16px; line-height: 24px;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">A life-affirming film suffused with transient images and words that effortlessly move you. It will remind you why you get out of bed in the morning. It's a subtle crowd-pleaser that doesn't announce itself with pomp and grandeur, but instead creeps up on you when you least expect it.</span></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;"><span style="background-color: white; line-height: 24px;"><b>NOVEMBER 11</b></span></span></div>
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<img height="225" src="http://d3mfoxizwrqdu.cloudfront.net/Film/Y/Young_%20Beautiful%20.jpg" width="400" /></div>
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<span style="font-size: x-large;"><b><i>Young & Beautiful </i>(</b></span><span class="itemprop" itemprop="name"><b><span style="font-family: inherit; font-size: x-large;">François Ozon, 2013) = 3/5</span></b></span></div>
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<span style="background-color: white; font-size: 16px; line-height: 24px;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">This dissection of the politics of sex and love is rather stylish and competent as a piece of filmmaking. However, there's nothing here that advances Ozon's oeuvre. It's the same uneasy combination of playfulness and safety that's frustrated me in his previous films (although I did enjoy 'In the House' quite a bit). It's arthouse melodrama that spoonfeeds the audience every inciting incident they see coming, while presenting them with ambiguous scenes that feel like planted devices rather than organic changes of pace.</span></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;"><span style="background-color: white; line-height: 24px;"><b>NOVEMBER 15</b></span></span></div>
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<img height="266" src="http://www.graffitiwithpunctuation.net/wp-content/uploads/2014/05/CRX6257.jpg" width="400" /></div>
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<span style="font-size: x-large;"><b><i>The Trip to Italy </i>(Michael Winterbottom, 2014) = 4/5</b></span></div>
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<span style="background-color: white; font-size: 16px; line-height: 24px;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">Coogan and Brydon are riotously funny raconteurs in this second outing of great conversation, food, and scenery. As with the first Trip, the laughs are deftly balanced with melancholic truisms. This dapper duo has struck a winning formula. I look forward to any other Trips they may have on their itinerary.</span></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;"><span style="background-color: white; line-height: 24px;"><b>NOVEMBER 16</b></span></span></div>
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<img height="225" src="http://www.nashvillescene.com/imager/ikiru/b/original/4247470/7e83/ikiru2.jpg" width="400" /></div>
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<span style="font-size: x-large;"><b><i>Ikiru </i>(Akira Kurosawa, 1952) = 4/5</b></span></div>
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<span style="background-color: white;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="font-size: 16px; line-height: 24px;">I finally decided to delve into the filmography of Akira Kurosawa. Until now, I hadn't seen a single one of his films. I won't lie. I was expecting more from <i>Ikiru </i>based on its stellar reputation. I guess I was surprised at how </span><i style="font-size: 16px; line-height: 24px;">simple</i><span style="font-size: 16px; line-height: 24px;"> the story was. Nonetheless, there is plenty to admire here.</span></span></span></div>
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<span style="background-color: white; font-size: 16px; line-height: 24px;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">It's a meditation on how finality can summon vitality. Quietly moving, featuring a brilliant central performance by Takashi Shimura.</span></span></div>
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<span style="background-color: white; line-height: 24px;"><span style="font-family: inherit; font-size: large;"><b>NOVEMBER 22</b></span></span></div>
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<img height="209" src="http://wp.patheos.com.s3.amazonaws.com/blogs/christandpopculture/files/2013/05/To-the-Wonder.jpg" width="400" /></div>
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<span style="font-size: x-large;"><b><i>To the Wonder </i>(Terrence Malick, 2012) = 3/5</b></span></div>
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<span style="background-color: white; font-size: 16px; line-height: 24px;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">Transcendentally gorgeous images do not fully atone for wooden characters and a threadbare script. Malick's treatment of religious/divine themes is too heavy-handed.</span></span></div>
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<span style="background-color: white; line-height: 24px;"><span style="font-family: inherit; font-size: large;"><b>NOVEMBER 23</b></span></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: x-large;"><b><i>Escape from Tomorrow </i>(Randy Moore, 2013) = 3.5/5</b></span></div>
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<span style="background-color: white; font-size: 16px; line-height: 24px;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">The work of a filmmaker going for broke, unshackled by convention. Unclassifiable by nature, but think ERASERHEAD shot in Disneyland. This nihilistic satire also functions as a piece of catharsis, with Moore expunging his sullied childhood memories of days at Walt Disney World with his irresponsible father. While I mostly approve of the film's oddness, the third act was too abstract and farcical for my liking. File under "something different" in your watchlist.</span></span></div>
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<span style="background-color: white; line-height: 24px;"><span style="font-family: inherit; font-size: large;"><b>NOVEMBER 27</b></span></span></div>
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<img height="225" src="http://freshfiction.tv/wp-content/uploads/2014/11/horrible_bosses_2.jpg" width="400" /></div>
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<span style="font-size: x-large;"><b><i>Horrible Bosses 2 </i>(Sean Anders, 2014) = 3/5</b></span></div>
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<span style="background-color: white; font-size: 16px; line-height: 24px;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">The laughs are sporadic, and depend more on comedic timing and chemistry than genuinely well-crafted gags. It's a sequel no-one asked for. Just don't take it too seriously and you should have at least <i>some</i> fun with it. </span></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;"><span style="background-color: white; line-height: 24px;"><b>NOVEMBER 29</b></span></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: x-large;"><b><i>Polyester </i>(John Waters, 1981) = 2/5</b></span></div>
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<span style="background-color: white;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="font-size: 16px; line-height: 24px;">The oddball characters and preposterous plot exude no charm, only serving to bore and confound. The movie is firmly rooted in the early 80s and a lot of the humour just doesn't resonate to a first-time viewer in 2014. I feel as though Waters conceived of the Odorama gimmick before he had any vague idea of the narrative. Odorama was not an appendage of the film; the film was an appendage of Odorama. I'm really disappointed by this film, seeing as I loved </span><i style="font-size: 16px; line-height: 24px;">Pink Flamingos</i><span style="font-size: 16px; line-height: 24px;">, the only other Waters film I've seen.</span></span></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;"><span style="background-color: white; line-height: 24px;"><b>NOVEMBER 30</b></span></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: x-large;"><b><i>Videodrome </i>(David Cronenberg, 1983) = 3.5/5</b></span></div>
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<span style="background-color: white; font-size: 16px; line-height: 24px;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">Gory and downright bizarre. A visceral work of body horror that suggests we are what we view. Subversive for its time. Cronenberg deserves praise for the originality of his premise.</span></span></div>
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Steven Savonahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16693973010579672698noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8791982508956006238.post-81439774722909085512014-11-01T16:11:00.000+11:002014-11-01T16:11:26.730+11:00October 2014 Film Wrap-Up<div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-size: large;"><b>OCTOBER 1</b></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: x-large;"><b><i>Don't Drink the Water </i>(Woody Allen, 1994) = 3.5/5</b></span></div>
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<span style="background-color: white; line-height: 24px;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">Surprisingly, it's one of Allen's funniest works. This made-for-TV movie was made in a hit-and-miss period of Allen's career, yet the humour is reminiscent of Allen's early, farcical films. It works because Allen does not awkwardly strive for earnestness. It's pure chaotic fun. It didn't take long for the characters to grow on me.</span></span></div>
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<span style="background-color: white; line-height: 24px;"><b><span style="font-size: large;">OCTOBER 4</span></b></span></div>
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<img height="248" src="http://www.reelgood.com.au/wp-content/uploads/2014/08/short-term-12-1.jpg" width="400" /></div>
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<span style="font-size: x-large;"><b><i>Short Term 12 </i>(<span style="font-family: inherit;">Destin Daniel Cretton, 2013) = 3.5/5</span></b></span></div>
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<span style="background-color: white; line-height: 24px;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">The heavy subject matter does not drag this film into morose territory. Its disposition is always as sunny as the scene depicted on its poster. Scenes of quiet domesticity are interspersed with moments of raw emotion. It's a solid, character-driven work that may not be as provocative as other films about youth in crisis, but it's this subtlety that wins us over. Brie Larson is great and I can't wait to see her in more things.</span></span></div>
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<span style="background-color: white; line-height: 24px;"><b><span style="font-size: large;">OCTOBER 6</span></b></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: x-large;"><b><i>Gone Girl </i>(David Fincher, 2014) = 4.5/5</b></span></div>
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<span style="background-color: white;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="line-height: 24px;">A haunting film about the intricacies of marriage, emotional entrapment, and infidelity. This is moody and ceaselessly absorbing filmmaking. I've always thought that, of all my favourite directors, Fincher is the one who least adheres to the auteur theory. However, with each new film, a </span></span><span style="line-height: 24px;">distinctive</span><span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="line-height: 24px;"> style is beginning to come to the fore. It's best to go into this blind.</span></span></span></div>
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<img height="232" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgrwaw_LEEjspLJgulLmb-AUX3JmJ03SxLlPoqPm94BiPGdR5PfLtU98XMHIOOp2Hi2KjW7qqV7yMH5Ad6ezMFHT1SpMrqNtkufNijh1qBYH5AbVy0MVsTRSMKDWt-h1D4szMWcCGrABVs/s400/melinda" width="400" /></div>
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<span style="font-size: x-large;"><b><i>Melinda and Melinda </i>(Woody Allen, 2004) = 3/5</b></span></div>
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<span style="background-color: white;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="line-height: 24px;">The dialogue is sharp and flows effortlessly, but the direction is just too loose. A film without a backbone. I once again found </span></span><span style="line-height: 24px;">myself</span><span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="line-height: 24px;"> thinking, "Why in the world does Will Ferrell NOT do more serious (or semi-serious) roles?"</span></span></span></div>
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<span style="background-color: white;"><span style="font-family: inherit; font-size: large;"><span style="line-height: 24px;"><b>OCTOBER 8</b></span></span></span></div>
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<img height="262" src="http://diversions.co.nz/wp-content/uploads/2014/09/SecretsAndLies.jpg" width="400" /></div>
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<span style="font-size: x-large;"><b><i>Secrets & Lies </i>(Mike Leigh, 1996) = 3.5/5</b></span></div>
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<span style="background-color: white; line-height: 24px;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">Overlong and maybe even overacted, but there's no denying the honest script and the intimacy we feel with the characters as their lives unspool. I'm just waiting to see another Mike Leigh film that moves me the way <i>Naked </i>did. </span></span></div>
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<span style="background-color: white; line-height: 24px;"><span style="font-family: inherit; font-size: large;"><b>OCTOBER 11</b></span></span></div>
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<img height="266" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgEkc6pr5QrNc7j6hjR70hhTa01EX4xFGCHVBzWI9CPH_uZ7XmTwmVFKQXYnKgloEqPN3AL8pKp_WW55gjEhxgMOIUcYkM8j7-9BVIyBCZM_EPtm3KCwKseI6aHwkk98d452o4_O9a9xaQ/s400/TheTenant+mirror.jpg" width="400" /></div>
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<span style="font-size: x-large;"><b><i>The Tenant </i>(Roman Polanski, 1976) = 4/5</b></span></div>
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<span style="background-color: white; line-height: 24px;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">Its strangeness is emotionally jarring at times, but this gorgeously shot film is nightmarishly vivid. It may not be as frightening as Polanski's two other "Apartment Trilogy" films—REPULSION and ROSEMARY'S BABY. But what it lacks in scares, it makes up for with slow-burning suspense.</span></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;"><span style="background-color: white; line-height: 24px;"><b>OCTOBER 12</b></span></span></div>
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<img height="266" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgG19FtlPPDh0EG8gBG46C8ZNK-KWEP1sNy_IR4WSRPtWJxRhdXxBtzP1wbxB51prgVWtRq0BURk65gK6AbIsADBnpNJzWfqUYZpoLqle7Q8xSfp5AWeYRIFhm1CJeupqCvBp5OfDWb_Qc/s400/Stoker+Matthew+Goode+and+Mia+Wasikowska.jpg" width="400" /></div>
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<span style="font-size: x-large;"><b><i>Stoker </i>(</b></span><b><span style="font-size: x-large;">Park Chan-wook, 2013) = 3.5/5</span></b></div>
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<span style="background-color: white; line-height: 24px;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">A mysterious psychosexual thriller that feels like a romp through the pages of a macabre storybook. The film falters slightly due to a discord between narrative exposition and aesthetic abstractness during the third act. I was lulled into a dreamy atmosphere, but abruptly shaken out of it when the great plot reveal was unveiled.</span></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;"><span style="background-color: white; line-height: 24px;"><b>OCTOBER 15</b></span></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: x-large;"><b><i>That Cold Day in the Park </i>(Robert Altman, 1969) = 3.5/5</b></span></div>
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<span style="background-color: white;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="line-height: 24px;">Beyond its amateurish direction and implausible plot, this early Altman film impressed me with its calculated suspense and enigmatic characters. I really wish I had the privilege of viewing the Region A Blu-ray; alas, I had to endure a very average DVD </span></span><span style="line-height: 24px;">release</span><span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="line-height: 24px;">.</span></span></span></div>
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<span style="background-color: white;"><span style="font-family: inherit; font-size: large;"><span style="line-height: 24px;"><b>OCTOBER 18</b></span></span></span></div>
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<img height="305" src="http://aneeshchaganty.files.wordpress.com/2011/04/grey-gardens-7.jpeg" width="400" /></div>
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<span style="font-size: x-large;"><b><i>Grey Gardens </i>(Albert & David Maysles, 1975) = 3.5/5</b></span></div>
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<span style="background-color: white; font-size: 16px; line-height: 24px;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">A fly (or is that flea?)-on-the-wall doco that finds the beauty in dysfunction and dilapidation. Some scenes languished to the point of tedium (far too many scenes devoted to Big Edie singing). But you've got to commend the Maysles brothers for not suffusing the film with their subjective opinions. It adds to the feeling that the Beales are welcoming you into their home, and not that two directors are giving you a tour of another family's home.</span></span></div>
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<span style="background-color: white; line-height: 24px;"><span style="font-family: inherit; font-size: large;"><b>OCTOBER 19</b></span></span></div>
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<img height="223" src="http://cdn.screenrant.com/wp-content/uploads/shutter-island-review4.jpg" width="400" /></div>
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<span style="font-size: x-large;"><b><i>Shutter Island </i>(Martin Scorsese, 2010) = 3/5</b></span></div>
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<span style="background-color: white; font-size: 16px; line-height: 24px;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">A riddle within an enigma that is visually impeccable and atmospheric, but emotionally opaque. Relies too heavily on its twist.</span></span></div>
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<span style="background-color: white; line-height: 24px;"><span style="font-family: inherit; font-size: large;"><b>OCTOBER 20</b></span></span></div>
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<img height="220" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEid7xZDHfAeLZ9gasdYJ4opLHVBFMlXhRw4lEtYIt9on1x8x4-ZQ7Ep7b0XlcTRmsmFoGC89JDLODh4rkFb8OJPEkQmPjthi-HkfME0J6Ohi9Sh0QVAno_u0CYPUJH7Zb0RZl1Qm_BaG4o/s400/tumblr_lx79nlnXfs1qzzhn1o1_1280.png" width="400" /></div>
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<span style="font-size: x-large;"><b><i>River's Edge </i>(Tim Hunter, 1986) = 4/5</b></span></div>
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<span style="background-color: white;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="font-size: 16px; line-height: 24px;">A criminally underrated/underseen (I blame its generic poster) film that dissects the mythic quality of machismo, the polarising effect of tragedy, and the consequences of parental neglect. Frederick Elmes' homely cinematography immerses us in this bizarre town that's teeming with misfit characters. It fascinates in the same way as </span><i style="font-size: 16px; line-height: 24px;">Picnic at Hanging Rock</i><span style="font-size: 16px; line-height: 24px;"> or </span><i style="font-size: 16px; line-height: 24px;">The Virgin Suicides</i><span style="font-size: 16px; line-height: 24px;">, where one shocking incident garners an air of melancholic ambiguity and serves to uproot a group of youths from their idle, carefree existences. Please endeavour to check this one out!</span></span></span></div>
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<span style="background-color: white;"><span style="font-family: inherit; font-size: large;"><span style="line-height: 24px;"><b>OCTOBER 23</b></span></span></span></div>
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<img height="209" src="http://www.thydemonsbescribblin.com/uploads/2/9/2/8/29282825/7272392_orig.png?404" width="400" /></div>
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<span style="font-size: x-large;"><b><i>Cannibal Holocaust </i>(Ruggero Deodato, 1980) = 2.5/5</b></span></div>
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<span style="background-color: white;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="line-height: 24px;">A repugnant piece of ethnographic exploitation cinema about the redundancy of the xenophobic mindset. You can look at other cultures and condemn them for their </span></span><span style="line-height: 24px;">supposedly</span><span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="line-height: 24px;"> "primitive" practices, but you must realise they are only that way because such rituals are ingrained in their culture, and you would be behaving like them if you didn't have the privilege of being born into a convenient Western </span></span><span style="line-height: 24px;">lifestyle</span><span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="line-height: 24px;">. No humans were harmed in the making of the film; however, the animal killings are legitimate and these scenes make for the most </span></span><span style="line-height: 24px;">uncomfortable</span><span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="line-height: 24px;"> parts of </span></span><i style="font-family: inherit; line-height: 24px;">Cannibal </i><span style="line-height: 24px;"><i>Holocaust</i></span><span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="line-height: 24px;">. I'll never look at a turtle in the same way again.</span></span></span></div>
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<span style="background-color: white;"><span style="font-family: inherit; font-size: large;"><span style="line-height: 24px;"><b>OCTOBER 25</b></span></span></span></div>
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<img height="266" src="http://www.aceshowbiz.com/images/still/all_the_boys_love_mandy_lane11.jpg" width="400" /></div>
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<span style="font-size: x-large;"><b><i>All the Boys Love Mandy Lane </i>(</b></span><b><span style="font-size: x-large;">Jonathan Levine, 2006) = 2/5</span></b></div>
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<span style="background-color: white; font-size: 16px; line-height: 24px;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">Its aesthetic sensibilities echo B-grade horrors of the 70s/80s, and that's where my praise for this film ends. The longer this film went on, the more I found myself consumed by apathy. Sloppy editing, an abundance of clichés, and bland characters drag this film into forgettable territory. I'm not sure how Jonathan Levine walked away from this project and churned out two brilliant films in <i>The Wackness </i>and <i>50/50</i>, but I'm totally okay with the prospect of him never directing horror again. Warm, human stories are his specialty, not people getting hacked to bits.</span></span></div>
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<img height="225" src="http://s3.amazonaws.com/criterion-production/stills/130873-98dddccb185f82585125c48dcb7551a9/Film_570w_ZazieDansMetro_original.jpg" width="400" /></div>
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<span style="font-size: x-large;"><b><i>Zazie dans <span style="font-family: inherit;">le </span></i></b></span><span style="background-color: white;"><span style="font-size: x-large;"><i style="font-family: inherit; font-weight: bold; line-height: 18.2000007629395px;">métro </i><span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="line-height: 18.2000007629395px;"><b>(</b></span></span><span style="line-height: 18.2000007629395px;"><b>Louis</b></span><span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="line-height: 18.2000007629395px;"><b> Malle, 1960) = 3.5/5</b></span></span></span></span></div>
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<span style="background-color: white;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="line-height: 18.2000007629395px;">Imagine Amélie Poulain as a child, and you have <i>Zazie dans le métro. </i></span><span style="line-height: 24px;">Sheer pandemonium from start to finish. Dazzling colours saturate this playful film that was ahead of its time. Eventually, the action unfolds at a pace that is way too quick to keep up with, and we concede defeat to Malle's technical mastery and just enjoy the visual splendour of the sprawling urban playground he has created.</span><span style="line-height: 18.2000007629395px;"><i> </i></span></span></span></div>
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<span style="background-color: white;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="font-size: large; line-height: 18.2000007629395px;"><b>OCTOBER 26</b></span></span></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: x-large;"><b><i>Dark Horse </i>(Todd Solondz, 2011) = 3.5/5</b></span></div>
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<span style="background-color: white; line-height: 24px;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">Genuinely touching tragicomedy that hits many raw nerves. It forced me to look my insecurities dead in the eye. I was a bit disappointed by the abrupt, ambiguous ending, but everything that comes before well and truly atones for it. Solondz's best film since HAPPINESS.</span></span></div>
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<span style="background-color: white; line-height: 24px;"><span style="font-family: inherit; font-size: large;"><b>OCTOBER 29</b></span></span></div>
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<img height="265" src="http://thefilmstage.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/04/an_enemy.jpg" width="400" /></div>
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<span style="font-size: x-large;"><b><i>Enemy </i>(</b></span><b><span style="font-size: x-large;">Denis Villeneuve, 2013) = 3/5</span></b></div>
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<span style="font-family: inherit;">Imagine you're watching a movie one night when something in the frame catches your eye. You notice one of the characters (essentially an extra) looks exactly like you. This is what happens to Adam Bell (Jake Gyllenhaal) in </span><i style="font-family: inherit;">Enemy</i><span style="font-family: inherit;">. When Adam endeavours to track down his doppelganger, he runs into all sorts of complicat</span><span style="background-color: white;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">ions. <span style="line-height: 24px;">The film's Hitchcockian premise fails to materialise as a taut thriller, but </span></span><i style="font-family: inherit; line-height: 24px;">Enemy</i><span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="line-height: 24px;"> is a real head-scratcher of a mystery. The last film I saw with an ending that shocked me so </span></span><span style="line-height: 24px;">intensely</span><span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="line-height: 24px;"> was S</span></span><i style="font-family: inherit; line-height: 24px;">leepaway Camp. </i></span></div>
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<b style="background-color: #fefdfa; font-family: Georgia, Utopia, 'Palatino Linotype', Palatino, serif; font-size: 16px; line-height: 24px;">In Summary - The Must-See Films (4.5 or 5 Stars)</b></div>
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<span style="background-color: #fefdfa; font-family: Georgia, Utopia, 'Palatino Linotype', Palatino, serif; font-size: 16px; line-height: 24px;">* <i>Gone Girl</i></span></div>
Steven Savonahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16693973010579672698noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8791982508956006238.post-51514127343432476742014-10-04T12:26:00.000+10:002014-10-04T12:26:30.024+10:00September 2014 Film Wrap-Up<div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-size: large;"><b>SEPTEMBER 5</b></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;"><b><img src="http://www.trbimg.com/img-53066e56/turbine/la-la-ca-0820-blue-is-the-warmest-color-005-jpg-20140219/1920/1920x1080" height="224" id="irc_mi" style="margin-top: 3px;" width="400" /> </b></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;"><b><span style="font-size: x-large;"><i>Blue is the Warmest Color </i>(</span></b></span><span style="font-size: large;"><b><span style="font-size: x-large;"><span class="_Xbe kno-fv">Abdellatif Kechiche, 2013) = 3.5/5</span></span></b></span><br />
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I generally love when drama films are given the 180-minute treatment. Think <i>Magnolia </i>or <i>Fanny and Alexander</i>. It's a gutsy move, because there are seldom any flashy battle sequences, exhilarating car chases, or other miscellaneous CGI hijinks to pad the generous runtime. You're relying on the strength of your performers and the ingenuity of your screenplay. Characters' neuroses are laid bare for scrutiny as an audience is invited into their minds. I expected to be floored by <i>Blue is the Warmest Color. </i>While the film is by no means a failure, it wasn't imbued with the emotional gravitas I was expecting. Kechiche languishes over the minutiae of day-to-day life but his innumerable close-ups didn't serve to immerse me in the film's central relationship. On a positive note, the performances are fantastic and the cinematography is sumptuous. I also admired the film's rebuke of the Manic Pixie Dream Girl trope.<br />
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<span style="font-size: large;"><b>SEPTEMBER 6</b></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;"><b><img src="http://producerbooster.com/wp-content/uploads/2014/03/25729-thumb.jpg" height="225" id="irc_mi" style="margin-top: 3px;" width="400" /> </b></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;"><b><i><span style="font-size: x-large;">The Immortalists </span></i><span style="font-size: x-large;">(</span></b></span><span style="font-size: large;"><b><span style="font-size: x-large;"><span class="itemprop" itemprop="name">David Alvarado & Jason Sussberg, 2014) = 3.5/5</span></span></b></span><br />
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<span style="background-color: white;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="line-height: 24px;">An oddly touching doco about two men who believe they can "cure" mortality. On the surface, it is easy to dismiss this as pseudo-</span></span><span style="line-height: 24px;">scientific</span><span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="line-height: 24px;"> fluff, but this is actually a balanced film that gave me some hope that my death phobia may one day be redundant. While all the theory about the science of ageing is fascinating, this documentary's accessibility is largely helped by the two eccentric men at the helm of this anti-death crusade—Bill Andrews and Aubrey de Grey. </span></span></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;"><span style="line-height: 24px;"><b>SEPTEMBER</b></span></span><span style="background-color: white;"><span style="font-family: inherit; font-size: large;"><span style="line-height: 24px;"><b> 7</b></span></span></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: x-large;"><b><i>Puberty Blues </i>(Bruce Beresford, 1981) = 2.5/5</b></span></div>
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<span style="background-color: white; font-size: 16px; line-height: 24px;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">While it serves its function as a time capsule for 1970s Sydney, the film treads water and plays things too safe. I'm so glad this was adapted into a TV series (which is quite good), because these characters and scenarios REALLY needed some fleshing out. The measly 87-minute runtime just isn't enough for something memorable to transpire.</span></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: x-large;"><b><i>Gravity </i>(Alfonso Cuarón, 2013) = 4/5</b></span></div>
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<span style="background-color: white; font-size: 16px; line-height: 24px;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">The film is a tactile experience. Moments of immersion and intimacy contrast with scenes of detachment and isolation. I watched this at home in a 3D Blu-ray format, and while I did consider it a spectacular visual experience, I think I made a mistake by not seeing this on an IMAX screen.</span></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;"><span style="line-height: 24px;"><b>SEPTEMBER</b></span><span style="background-color: white; line-height: 24px;"><b> 10</b></span></span></div>
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<img height="294" src="http://midcenturycinema.files.wordpress.com/2014/02/sciuscia-1946-06-g.jpg" width="400" /></div>
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<span style="font-size: x-large;"><b><i>Shoeshine </i>(Vittorio De Sica, 1946) = 4.5/5</b></span></div>
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<span style="background-color: white; font-size: 16px; line-height: 24px;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">A heartbreaking film about the corruption of youth who so desperately wish to do the right thing. Ahead of its time. </span></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;"><span style="line-height: 24px;"><b>SEPTEMBER 12</b></span></span></div>
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<img height="226" src="http://www.newwavefilm.com/images/bonnie-and-clyde-2.jpg" width="400" /></div>
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<span style="font-size: x-large;"><b><i>Bonnie and Clyde </i>(Arthur Penn, 1967) = 4.5/5</b></span></div>
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<span style="background-color: white; font-size: 16px; line-height: 24px;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">The film ushered in the New Hollywood movement. It is an exhilarating ride, propelled by a memorable screen duo. Dunaway is smoulderingly sexy, while Beatty exudes classic everyman charm, even if we're supposed to root against him. Also, wow...what an ending!</span></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;"><span style="line-height: 24px;"><b>SEPTEMBER</b></span><span style="background-color: white; line-height: 24px;"><b> 14</b></span></span></div>
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<img height="216" src="http://mashlyn.files.wordpress.com/2012/08/picture-51.png" width="400" /></div>
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<span style="font-size: x-large;"><b><i>Alice </i>(Woody Allen, 1990) = 3.5/5</b></span></div>
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<span style="background-color: white;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="line-height: 24px;">Not as funny as some of Allen's other comedies, but it's a competent blend of whimsical romantic drama and fantasy. Carlo Di Palma's </span></span><span style="line-height: 24px;">gorgeous</span><span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="line-height: 24px;"> cinematography really stands out here.</span></span></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;"><span style="line-height: 24px;"><b>SEPTEMBER</b></span></span><span style="background-color: white;"><span style="font-family: inherit; font-size: large;"><span style="line-height: 24px;"><b> 15</b></span></span></span></div>
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<img height="242" src="http://www.filmcaptures.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/12/Au_revoir_les_enfants_13.jpg" width="400" /></div>
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<span style="font-size: x-large;"><b><i>Au Revoir Les Enfants </i>(Louis Malle, 1987) = 4.5/5</b></span></div>
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<span style="background-color: white; font-size: 16px; line-height: 24px;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">Wisely, the film does not shock us with brutality. Its horror is subtle; its tragedy quiet yet devastating. An icy colour palette is not the only thing that chills us to the bone.</span></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;"><span style="line-height: 24px;"><b>SEPTEMBER</b></span></span><span style="background-color: white; line-height: 24px;"><span style="font-family: inherit; font-size: large;"><b> 18</b></span></span></div>
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<img height="240" src="http://www.lookingtotheeast.com/wp-content/uploads/2014/07/Audition-1999.jpg" width="400" /></div>
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<span style="font-size: x-large;"><b><i>Audition </i>(</b></span><b><span style="font-size: x-large;">Takashi Miike, 1999) = 4/5</span></b></div>
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<span style="background-color: white; font-size: 16px; line-height: 24px;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">A macabre revenge story with an atmosphere so grim and seedy it feels like you've fallen into a bottomless ashtray.</span></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;"><span style="line-height: 24px;"><b>SEPTEMBER</b></span></span><span style="background-color: white; line-height: 24px;"><span style="font-family: inherit; font-size: large;"><b> 20</b></span></span></div>
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<img height="248" src="http://img2.timeinc.net/ew/i/2014/03/01/The-Double.jpg" width="400" /></div>
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<span style="font-size: x-large;"><b><i>The Double </i>(Richard Ayoade, 2013) = 3.5/5</b></span></div>
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<span style="background-color: white;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="font-size: 16px; line-height: 24px;">We spend more time ruminating than basking in the film's aura, and I feel that detracts from the overall viewing experience. Nonetheless, this is a visually engaging existential nightmare that entrenches Richard Ayoade as one of the most refreshing voices in cinema today. I had a lot of fun noticing all the nods to </span><i style="font-size: 16px; line-height: 24px;">Submarine</i><span style="font-size: 16px; line-height: 24px;">.</span></span></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;"><span style="line-height: 24px;"><b>SEPTEMBER</b></span></span><span style="background-color: white;"><span style="font-family: inherit; font-size: large;"><span style="line-height: 24px;"><b> 21</b></span></span></span></div>
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<img height="296" src="http://www.rapportoconfidenziale.org/wp-content/uploads/2012/06/ramirez-slacker-7_525.jpg" width="400" /></div>
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<span style="font-size: x-large;"><b><i>Slacker </i>(Richard Linklater, 1991) = 4.5/5</b></span></div>
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<span style="background-color: white; font-size: 16px; line-height: 24px;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">Through Linklater's lens, the mundane becomes endlessly watchable. This is an example of perfect casting. The actors nail their roles with nuance. I could've stayed in this bizarre microcosm for at least another hour. "Style over substance" is a phrase often used to belittle a director's work. I think Richard Linklater serves as the antithesis to that. He is substance over style, and I mean that as a major compliment.</span></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;"><span style="line-height: 24px;"><b>SEPTEMBER</b></span></span><span style="background-color: white; line-height: 24px;"><span style="font-family: inherit; font-size: large;"><b> 23</b></span></span></div>
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<img height="249" src="http://i.telegraph.co.uk/multimedia/archive/03031/DownbyLaw-keyimage_3031108b.jpg" width="400" /></div>
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<span style="font-size: x-large;"><b><i>Down By Law </i>(Jim Jarmusch, 1986) = 3/5</b></span></div>
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<span style="background-color: white; font-size: 16px; line-height: 24px;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">It's original, and Jarmusch makes great use of locations. Alas, nothing compelled me to emotionally invest in the story. Personality-wise, I have nothing in common with the three focal characters, nor can I relate to their situation. I daresay the characters even felt archetypal—my "original" compliment was in relation to the film's subversion of traditional prison flick formula.</span></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;"><span style="line-height: 24px;"><b>SEPTEMBER</b></span></span><span style="background-color: white; line-height: 24px;"><span style="font-family: inherit; font-size: large;"><b> 24</b></span></span></div>
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<img height="211" src="http://www.woodyallenpages.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/12/Screen-Shot-2012-12-16-at-11.07.31-PM-1024x542.png" width="400" /></div>
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<span style="font-size: x-large;"><b><i>September </i>(Woody Allen, 1987) = 2/5</b></span></div>
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<span style="background-color: white; font-size: 16px; line-height: 24px;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">You've got problems when an 82-minute film drags. One of Allen's most uninspired efforts. Allen has said he intended for this to be "a play on film." Why didn't he just write a goddamn play? For completists only.</span></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;"><span style="line-height: 24px;"><b>SEPTEMBER</b></span></span><span style="background-color: white; line-height: 24px;"><span style="font-family: inherit; font-size: large;"><b> 27</b></span></span></div>
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<img height="246" src="http://www.thrillandkill.com/wordpress/wp-content/uploads/2013/04/backyard1.jpg" width="400" /></div>
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<span style="font-size: x-large;"><b><i>The Backyard </i>(Paul Hough, 2002) = 3/5</b></span></div>
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<span style="background-color: white; font-size: 16px; line-height: 24px;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">This doco may be illuminating and shocking to the uninitiated, but for past and current wrestling fans, there's little here that you haven't already seen on a late-night YouTube binge. Would have been a much more interesting movie if the subjects had more enlightening views about their "sport" than the generic "It hurts but we love it" spiel, but I guess backyard wrestling doesn't attract a lot of educated people.</span></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;"><span style="line-height: 24px;"><b>SEPTEMBER</b></span><span style="background-color: white; line-height: 24px;"><b> 28</b></span></span></div>
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<img height="257" src="http://cinetropolis.net/wp-content/uploads/2014/05/sorcerer.jpg" width="400" /></div>
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<span style="font-size: x-large;"><b><i>Sorcerer </i>(William Friedkin, 1977) = 3.5/5</b></span></div>
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<span style="background-color: white; font-size: 16px; line-height: 24px;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">A masterclass in editing. A brutal, mud-washed journey of epic proportions where a sense of impending doom clings to the air like dirt to a sweat-soaked shirt. I just wish it had gripped me more, emotionally. The characters felt too identical to one another, and the early vignettes felt a bit unnecessary and displaced.</span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="background-color: white; line-height: 24px;"><b>In Summary - </b></span><b style="background-color: #fefdfa; line-height: 24px;">The Must-See Films (4.5 or 5 Stars)</b></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="background-color: #fefdfa; line-height: 24px;"><i>* Shoeshine</i></span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="background-color: #fefdfa; line-height: 24px;"><i>* Bonnie and Clyde</i></span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="background-color: #fefdfa; line-height: 24px;"><i>* Au Revoir Les Enfants</i></span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="background-color: #fefdfa; line-height: 24px;"><i>* Slacker</i></span></span></div>
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Steven Savonahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16693973010579672698noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8791982508956006238.post-43360762160371509762014-09-02T20:40:00.000+10:002014-09-02T20:40:26.883+10:00August 2014 Film Wrap-Up<div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-size: large;"><b>AUGUST 1</b></span></div>
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<img src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiISUXNhJb1ktHKKBkXpuDc6DtTtU5ckV-8eI-UMD-c89fdrRCNjhB3xvrmNjr3v6BgXmi-NFK_NneVLVMjOy3-466WtUY1ERdhaxIV68gdt6tpg-TWh1jX_o1JW4HcL2GGZSq2QK6ntJA/s400/2003_shattered_glass_002.jpg" height="265" width="400" /></div>
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<span style="font-size: x-large;"><b><i>Shattered Glass </i>(Billy Ray, 2003) = 4/5</b></span></div>
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As a journalism graduate, I expected to enjoy this film. I just didn't expect to like it as much as I did. This is a<span style="background-color: white; font-size: 16px; line-height: 24px;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">n underrated, captivating film that wades through the ethical minefield of journalistic practice. I often tell people that they don't need to know a thing about wine to enjoy <i>Sideways</i>, and in the same way, you don't need to be well-versed in journalistic jargon to get something out of <i>Shattered Glass</i>. </span></span><span style="background-color: white; font-family: inherit; font-size: 16px; line-height: 24px;">The ending, however, left me a little dissatisfied.</span><br />
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<span style="line-height: 24px; text-align: left;"><span style="font-size: large;"><b>AUGUST</b></span></span><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="background-color: white; line-height: 24px;"><b> 2</b></span></span></div>
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<img src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhkh7tfBkAtY4kKnSP1t-j4-pXDa2Yfn7qunRewsfEAoUhttI6Z1D3uI5xYXPvN1k6urovXgBjp_gU_E0Ui23_Xxs9hAPFsS9ssEjC4kiQrxeIEbo-mlIYj8hUSSrJwcyyCcCETS3MYns8/s400/RosemarysBaby_180Pyxurz.jpg" height="215" width="400" /></div>
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<span style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-size: x-large;"><b><i>Rosemary</i></b></span></span><span style="font-size: x-large;"><b><i>'s Baby </i>(Roman Polanski, 1968) = 4.5/5</b></span></div>
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<span style="background-color: white;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="line-height: 24px;">Still one of the scariest films ever made. There's an eerie sense of foreboding throughout the entire thing, and there's something </span></span><span style="line-height: 24px;">tantalising</span><span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="line-height: 24px;"> about seeing </span></span><span style="line-height: 24px;">Rosemary</span><span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="line-height: 24px;">'s walls of trust slowly crumble to </span></span><span style="line-height: 24px;">debris</span><span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="line-height: 24px;">. Although we kind of suspect the conclusion, it still announces its arrival with tremendous force.</span></span></span></div>
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<span style="line-height: 24px; text-align: left;"><span style="font-size: large;"><b>AUGUST</b></span></span><span style="background-color: white;"><span style="font-family: inherit; font-size: large;"><span style="line-height: 24px;"><b> 3</b></span></span></span></div>
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<img src="http://themovieblog.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/05/mov_the-kings-of-summer_130409.jpg" height="300" width="400" /></div>
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<span style="font-size: x-large;"><b><i>The Kings of Summer </i>(Jordan Vogt-Roberts, 2013) = 3.5/5</b></span></div>
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<span style="background-color: white; font-size: 16px; line-height: 24px;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">An offbeat coming-of-age film anchored by charming characters. There are some sublime sequences here, and the beautiful locations are not wasted by cinematographer Ross Riege. Unfortunately, the film does lapse into cliche at times, but considering this is Chris Galletta's screenwriting debut, I can forgive that. The film may not impart any grand epiphanies, but its fiercely refreshing visual style almost acts as a statement in itself.</span></span><br />
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<span style="line-height: 24px; text-align: left;"><span style="font-size: large;"><b>AUGUST</b></span></span><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="background-color: white; line-height: 24px;"><b> 5</b></span></span></div>
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<img src="http://www.theyoungfolks.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/11/away_we_go_photo_10.jpg" height="264" width="400" /></div>
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<span style="font-size: x-large;"><b><i>Away We Go </i>(Sam Mendes, 2009) = 3/5</b></span></div>
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<span style="background-color: white; font-size: 16px; line-height: 24px;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">If a sweet film is what you're after, this will not disappoint. However, it mostly consists of a few great scenes buried beneath layers of mediocrity. Krasinski saves the film from being a total bore.</span></span></div>
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<span style="line-height: 24px; text-align: left;"><span style="font-size: large;"><b>AUGUST</b></span></span><span style="background-color: white; line-height: 24px;"><b><span style="font-size: large;"> 9</span></b></span></div>
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<img src="http://i1232.photobucket.com/albums/ff362/TheScoreBlogger/Twin%20Peaks%20Gourmet%20Guide/better-off-dead-original.jpg" height="225" width="400" /></div>
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<span style="font-size: x-large;"><b><i>Better Off Dead... </i>(</b></span><b><span style="font-size: x-large;">Savage Steve Holland, 1985) = 3/5</span></b></div>
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<span style="background-color: white; font-size: 16px; line-height: 24px;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">I was expecting a bit more from this. I think I'm finally accepting that 1980s romcom tropes no longer have the same magic. There was nothing at stake here because I'm all too familiar with the formula. It feels like I've seen this before, despite the fact it was my first ever viewing.</span></span></div>
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<span style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-size: large;"><b>AUGUST</b></span></span><b><span style="font-size: large;"> 10</span></b></div>
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<img src="http://criticsroundup.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/05/the-king-of-comedy-still.jpg" height="225" width="400" /></div>
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<span style="font-size: x-large;"><b><i>The King of Comedy </i>(Martin Scorsese, 1982) = 3.5/5</b></span></div>
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<span style="background-color: white;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="line-height: 24px;">This black comedy could've done with more laughs, but it's worth a watch for its bizzarely unique vision, refusal to play by the rules, and strong performances by De Niro and Lewis. In a long, </span></span><span style="line-height: 24px;">illustrious</span><span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="line-height: 24px;"> career, it stands as one of Scorsese's most </span></span><span style="line-height: 24px;">ambitious</span><span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="line-height: 24px;"> films.</span></span></span></div>
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<b><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="line-height: 24px; text-align: left;">AUGUST</span><span style="background-color: white;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="line-height: 24px;"> 11</span></span></span></span></b></div>
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<img src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg0hR34VEcx9kJaGHo-1gRQPQHPoNHeWVax160QERVyep4XxExzzX44Y2EWenpw_yF1eRFBgFiEJ1RhUA_iv8ukGbi_AcNdFuNySORR6b_d0MUrVQVw1B0EL-l2vvBEnxdZ2dPMVlM1i5_m/s400/My+Own+Private+Idaho+River+Phenoix.jpg" height="226" width="400" /></div>
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<span style="font-size: x-large;"><b><i>My Own Private Idaho </i>(Gus Van Sant, 1991) = 3.5/5</b></span></div>
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<span style="background-color: white; font-size: 16px; line-height: 24px;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">Heartbreaking, surreal, and emotionally complex. Phoenix is superb, but the film's tonal shifts are irritating. </span></span></div>
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<span style="line-height: 24px; text-align: left;"><span style="font-size: large;"><b>AUGUST</b></span></span><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="background-color: white; line-height: 24px;"><b> 16</b></span></span></div>
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<img src="http://www.worldsgreatestdadfilm.com/images/1.jpg" height="265" width="400" /></div>
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<span style="font-size: x-large;"><b><i>World's Greatest Dad </i>(Bobcat Goldthwait, 2009) = 4/5</b></span></div>
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<span style="background-color: white; font-size: 16px; line-height: 24px;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">A sharp, funny, and morbid satire on the vacuity of celebrity. This is a risky premise that may have crumbled to pieces in other hands, but Goldthwait's direction and Robin Williams' central performance makes this a film of tact and maturity. </span></span><span style="background-color: white; font-family: inherit;"><span style="line-height: 24px;">A word of </span></span><span style="background-color: white; line-height: 24px;">warning</span><span style="background-color: white; font-family: inherit;"><span style="line-height: 24px;">: it may hit too close to home for some viewers, given the circumstances of Williams' death.</span></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: x-large;"><b><i>Eyes Wide Shut </i>(Stanley Kubrick, 1999) = 5/5</b></span></div>
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<span style="background-color: white;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="line-height: 24px;">Since my last </span></span><span style="line-height: 24px;">viewing</span><span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="line-height: 24px;">, </span></span><i style="font-family: inherit; line-height: 24px;">Eyes Wide Shut</i><span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="line-height: 24px;"> moved from #5 to #4 in my all-time top 100 favourite films. Each viewing feels like the first. I compare these repeat viewings to riding an epic roller coaster over and over again. You know where the sharp bends and steep inclines are, but that doesn't eradicate the thrill you experience each time. It haunts you and unashamedly keeps its secrets. I don't think any other film in </span></span><span style="line-height: 24px;">history</span><span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="line-height: 24px;"> has used </span></span><span style="line-height: 24px;">Christmas</span><span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="line-height: 24px;"> lights to greater effect.</span></span></span></div>
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<b><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="line-height: 24px; text-align: left;">AUGUST</span><span style="background-color: white;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="line-height: 24px;"> 17</span></span></span></span></b></div>
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<img src="http://outnow.ch/Media/Movies/Bilder/2005/RedEye/movie.fs/13.jpg" height="260" width="400" /></div>
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<span style="font-size: x-large;"><b><i>Red Eye </i>(Wes Craven, 2005) = 2.5/5</b></span></div>
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<span style="background-color: white; font-size: 16px; line-height: 24px;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">What could've been a riveting suspense flick devolves into a mindless, cliched action film. A rushed mess from a master of horror who should've known better. </span></span></div>
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<span style="line-height: 24px; text-align: left;"><span style="font-size: large;"><b>AUGUST</b></span></span><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="background-color: white; line-height: 24px;"><b> 23</b></span></span></div>
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<img src="http://moviescene.files.wordpress.com/2014/02/heartbeats2.jpg" height="266" width="400" /></div>
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<span style="font-size: x-large;"><b><i>Heartbeats </i>(Xavier Dolan, 2010) = 3.5/5</b></span></div>
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<span style="background-color: white; font-size: 16px; line-height: 24px;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">The film lacks an emotional centre and features unlikeable characters, but it's buoyed by strong dialogue and a vibrant colour palette.</span></span></div>
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<span style="line-height: 24px; text-align: left;"><span style="font-size: large;"><b>AUGUST</b></span></span><span style="background-color: white; line-height: 24px;"><span style="font-family: inherit; font-size: large;"><b> 24</b></span></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: x-large;"><b><i>Clerks II </i>(Kevin Smith, 2006) = 3.5/5</b></span></div>
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<span style="background-color: white; font-size: 16px; line-height: 24px;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">While it just falls short of its predecessor's brilliance, it is often uproariously funny, and the characters grow on you. Boosted by a wonderful soundtrack.</span></span></div>
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<span style="line-height: 24px; text-align: left;"><span style="font-size: large;"><b>AUGUST</b></span></span><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="background-color: white; line-height: 24px;"><b> 27</b></span></span></div>
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<img src="http://www.cinetecadibologna.it/files/stampa/ottobre_2008/Garage_1.jpg" height="266" width="400" /></div>
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<span style="font-family: inherit; font-size: x-large;"><b><i>Garage </i>(Lenny </b><span style="background-color: white; font-weight: bold; line-height: 18.200000762939453px; text-align: left;">Abrahamson</span><b>, 2007) = 3.5/5</b></span></div>
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<span style="background-color: white; font-size: 16px; line-height: 24px;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">Tediously slow at times, but it ultimately captures the solemn quietude of the Irish countryside with stunning beauty. </span></span></div>
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<span style="line-height: 24px; text-align: left;"><span style="font-size: large;"><b>AUGUST</b></span></span><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="background-color: white; line-height: 24px;"><b> 30</b></span></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: x-large;"><b><i>Mud </i>(Jeff Nichols, 2012) = 4/5</b></span></div>
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<span style="background-color: white;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="line-height: 24px;">An absorbing, well-acted tale of sacrifice that steadfastly refuses to be pigeonholed into a single genre. </span></span><span style="line-height: 24px;">Matthew</span><span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="line-height: 24px;"> McConaughey's return to form is one of the best things to happen to the movies (and </span></span><span style="line-height: 24px;">television</span><span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="line-height: 24px;">) over the past five years.</span></span></span><br />
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<span style="background-color: white;"><span style="background-color: transparent; line-height: 24px; text-align: left;"><span style="font-size: large;"><b>AUGUST</b></span></span><span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="font-size: large; line-height: 24px;"><b> 31</b></span></span></span></div>
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<span style="background-color: white; font-size: x-large;"><b><i>Ted </i>(Seth MacFarlane, 2012) = 3/5</b></span></div>
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<span style="background-color: white; font-size: 16px; line-height: 24px;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">Sporadically funny, but I found it tough to suspend my disbelief during the film's more preposterous moments (read: entire third act). It feels like an in-joke that only MacFarlane is in on. It also tries too hard to be vulgar at times.</span></span></div>
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<b style="background-color: #fefdfa; font-size: 16px; line-height: 24px;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">In Summary - The Must-See Films (4.5 or 5 Stars)</span></b></div>
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<span style="background-color: #fefdfa;"><b style="font-family: inherit; font-size: 16px; line-height: 24px;">* </b><i><span style="line-height: 24px;">Rosemary</span><span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="line-height: 24px;">'s Baby</span></span></i></span></div>
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<span style="background-color: #fefdfa; font-size: 16px; line-height: 24px;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><i>* Eyes Wide Shut</i></span></span></div>
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Steven Savonahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16693973010579672698noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8791982508956006238.post-22340778472460480562014-08-03T17:14:00.000+10:002014-08-03T17:14:45.093+10:00July 2014 Film Wrap-Up<div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-size: large;"><b>JULY 6</b></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: x-large;"><b><i>This is Spinal Tap </i>(Rob Reiner, 1984) = 3.5/5</b></span></div>
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Rob Reiner satirises the excessive lifestyles and egos of hard rock musicians as well as the pseudo-profound documentaries that deify them. Much of the humour is subtle and deadpan, and I think the film works best as an exercise in mockumentary-making, rather than as a straight comedy. The most remarkable thing about the film is how Reiner blurs the line between fact and fiction. I became so invested in these characters that I forgot Spinal Tap didn't actually exist outside of this film (at the time, anyway).</div>
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<span style="font-size: large;"><b>JULY 7</b></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: x-large;"><b><i>Groundhog Day </i>(Harold Ramis, 1993) = 5/5</b></span></div>
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It's a film I've seen many times before, and I can now say I have seen it on the big screen. Sure, the film may not benefit from a cinema screening as it's not the most visually exciting thing out there, but I just found it a lot more touching this time. It's a film about selflessness, and it is so rewarding to see Phil Connors (Bill Murray) transform from a bitter, irresponsible man into a kind, giving soul. I also admire the film for not explaining <i>why </i>Phil experiences the same day over and over again. It's a fantastic example of magic realism. </div>
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<span style="font-size: large;"><b>JULY 13</b></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: x-large;"><b><i>Cloverfield </i>(Matt Reeves, 2008) = 1/5</b></span></div>
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I can't even remember how this ended up on my watchlist in the first place. I think I recall some friends talking about it back in high school. I shouldn't have bought into their buzz. I just don't like movies that mostly consist of loud noises and explosions. There...I said it. I guess I was just expecting a lot more suspense and subtlety. <i>Cloverfield </i>serves as a<span style="background-color: white;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="line-height: 24px;"> reminder that even the fastest films can be boring; that a lack of depth, more so than slowness, creates tedium. </span> </span></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;"><span style="background-color: white;"><b>JULY 19</b></span></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: x-large;"><b><i>Hannah Takes the Stairs </i>(Joe Swanberg, 2007) = 3.5/5</b></span></div>
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By now, I know what to expect from a mumblecore film: a meandering plot, naturalistic (often improvised) dialogue, and basic production values. I know I probably won't be blown away, but I don't expect to get bored. Joe Swanberg's <i>Drinking Buddies </i>may be the only mumblecore film that has truly wowed me, but that was mumblecore on steroids. <i>Hannah Takes the Stairs </i>is one of Swanberg's earlier efforts, and while I didn't think it was amazing, it's still a pretty decent flick. Its realism is poignant and its characters are oddly charming. </div>
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<b><span style="font-size: large;">JULY 21</span></b></div>
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<span style="font-size: x-large;"><b><i>A Nightmare on Elm Street </i>(Wes Craven, 1984) = 4.5/5</b></span></div>
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<span style="background-color: white; font-size: 16px; line-height: 24px;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">So, I saw one of my favourite films on the big screen and, for the first time ever, I didn't completely love it. I don't think it has aged that well. The third act drags on quite a bit. The scares aren't as plentiful or as intense as I remember. I think it had a major impact on me for so many years because I first watched it around the age of six. Everything's scarier when you're six years old. </span></span><span style="background-color: white; font-family: inherit; font-size: 16px; line-height: 24px;">Alas, it's still one of the most original horror movies ever made, and when it works, it is truly frightening. I think Freddy Krueger is the perfect horror villain because he's human enough to be a realistic threat, yet his supernatural qualities appeal to the intrinsic fear of the unknown. </span></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;"><span style="background-color: white; line-height: 24px;"><b>JULY 27</b></span></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: x-large;"><b><i>Alien </i>(Ridley Scott, 1979) = 3/5</b></span></div>
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It took me 21 years to see Ridley Scott's highly acclaimed <i>Alien</i>, and it turns out I could've waited many more years and not cared. <span style="background-color: white;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="line-height: 24px;">On a technical level, the film never falters. Scott knows how to create a cold, mysterious </span></span><span style="line-height: 24px;">atmosphere</span><span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="line-height: 24px;">. Sigourney Weaver makes a great heroine in Ellen Ripley. The story, however, left me feeling apathetic towards the characters' fates. I just found the thing so long and boring. I've accepted that I find most sci-fi films uninteresting. I think I have a new rule: if the amount of time spent fighting an evil force is longer than the amount of time talking, I will generally lose interest in that film. </span></span></span></div>
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<span style="background-color: white;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="line-height: 24px;"><br /></span></span></span></div>
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<b style="font-family: Georgia, Utopia, 'Palatino Linotype', Palatino, serif; font-size: 16px; line-height: 24px;">In Summary - The Must-See Films (4.5 or 5 Stars)</b></div>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Utopia, 'Palatino Linotype', Palatino, serif; font-size: 16px; line-height: 24px;">* <i>Groundhog Day</i></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Utopia, 'Palatino Linotype', Palatino, serif; font-size: 16px; line-height: 24px;"><i>* A Nightmare on Elm Street</i></span></div>
Steven Savonahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16693973010579672698noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8791982508956006238.post-15632570706114392202014-06-24T21:10:00.000+10:002014-06-24T21:10:27.344+10:002014 Sydney Film Festival Review: Happy Christmas <div style="text-align: center;">
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<span lang="EN-AU"><span style="font-size: large;"><b>Director: </b>Joe Swanberg</span></span><br />
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<span lang="EN-AU"><span style="font-size: large;"><b>Writer: </b>Joe Swanberg</span></span></div>
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<span lang="EN-AU"><span style="font-size: large;"><b>Stars: </b>Anna Kendrick, Melanie Lynskey, Joe Swanberg, Lena Dunham, and Mark Webber<b> </b> </span> </span></div>
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<span lang="EN-AU">Based on the title alone, many viewers will go into <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">Happy Christmas </i>expecting a festive film where characters deck the halls with boughs of holly. While it is technically correct to call this a “Christmas movie”, the latest Joe Swanberg effort does not feel stuck in one season. Shot on grainy 16mm film, the toasty autumnal hues of interior shots feel removed from any Winter Wonderland. But that proverbial mistletoe always hangs over the picture, and we’re reminded that Christmas is fundamentally a time of giving. Yes, gifts are exchanged in this film, but the most salient form of giving is between broken characters who still manage to give pieces of themselves to people who need them more. <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></span></div>
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<span lang="EN-AU">There is nothing groundbreaking about the premise. Jeff (director Joe Swanberg) and Kelly (Melanie Lynskey) are happily married with a two-year-old son. Jeff works in film production, while motherhood has forced Kelly to call a hiatus on her writing career. This pleasant domestic dynamic is shaken up by the arrival of Jeff’s sister, Jenny (Anna Kendrick), who is recovering from a tough breakup. Jenny takes up occupancy in the basement, and is expected to help out with household chores and babysitting duties. It soon becomes clear that trusting Jenny to take care of a two-year-old boy is about as wise as trusting Hamburglar to mind your plate of Quarter Pounders. She strikes up an unconventional relationship with the family’s incumbent babysitter, the pot-dealing Kevin (Mark Webber). She goes to a house party and needs to be salvaged by Jeff when she becomes beleaguered by booze. Jenny is 27, but she has the emotional intelligence and stubborn nonchalance of a moody 16-year-old. Kelly’s stagnation crosses paths with Jenny’s bizarre spontaneity when Jenny suggests for Kelly to pen erotic fiction to make a quick buck. <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></span><br />
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<span lang="EN-AU">Through his direction, Swanberg transforms the mundane into something incredibly enthralling. Much of the dialogue is improvised, and this unpredictability gives us a reason to hang on every word. The beauty of improvised comedy is that not every joke needs to be funny. The comedy in <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">Happy Christmas </i>is the comedy of real life. Sometimes, when you tell a joke to a group of friends, it will fall so flat that not even the crickets will chirp. This film contains pauses that are funnier than the jokes that precede them. There’s a unique tinge of delightful awkwardness that permeates these interpersonal relationships. It’s as though Swanberg and his actors are trying to evoke that special breed of pleasure derived from the misfortunes of others, or what the Germans called <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"><span style="mso-bidi-font-weight: bold;">schadenfreude</span></i><span style="mso-bidi-font-weight: bold;">. </span><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></span></div>
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<span lang="EN-AU">The film’s success rests on its convincing performances, with each actor owning their role. Kendrick acts against type as the boisterous, happy-go-lucky Jenny. However, the film always has good intentions and packs a lot of heart, and Jenny’s characterisation is never <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">nasty</i>. Melanie Lynskey is a warm maternal presence, and it was nice to hear her native New Zealand accent—almost a meta-comment on Swanberg’s insistence to keep things real. Lena Dunham is bursting with energy as Jenny’s friend, Carson. She has a great sense of comic timing. Now, it would be remiss of me if I did not mention the performance of Jude Swanberg—the director’s two-year-old son who steals the show as Jeff and Kelly’s baby boy. I have <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">never </i>heard a movie audience react so enthusiastically to one character’s sudden appearance. If they had an Oscar for Best Infant Performance, this kid would wipe the floor with his diaper-clad counterparts. <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></span></div>
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<span lang="EN-AU">When I saw Joe Swanberg’s <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">Drinking Buddies </i>earlier this year, I said it was a film that would have made John Cassavetes proud. That film invited viewers’ empathy with consummate ease through naturalistic dialogue and performances. It was shot with an intimacy that positioned me as an eavesdropper, and every word and gesture accumulated to ensure there was something at stake, emotionally, for both the characters and the audience. With <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">Happy Christmas</i>, Swanberg falls short of the greatness he achieved with <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">Drinking Buddies</i>, but that charming, endlessly watchable realism is still there. I do not hesitate when I say that Joe Swanberg is one of the most refreshing voices in American cinema today, and one of the greatest directors of naturalistic human drama we have seen in decades. He is carving out a genre that I call Mumblecore Nouveau. The bare-bones principles of mumblecore remain, but the films make use of bigger stars and the production values are more polished due to higher budgets. I look forward to his next endeavour. </span><br />
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<span lang="EN-AU"><span style="font-size: x-large;"><b>3.5/5 stars.</b></span> </span></div>
Steven Savonahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16693973010579672698noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8791982508956006238.post-78789468183620745002014-06-19T21:13:00.000+10:002014-06-19T21:13:12.977+10:002014 Sydney Film Festival Review: Tom at the Farm<div style="text-align: left;">
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<span lang="EN-AU"><img alt="http://www.graffitiwithpunctuation.net/wp-content/uploads/2013/11/tom-at-the-farm-poster.png" class="decoded" src="http://www.graffitiwithpunctuation.net/wp-content/uploads/2013/11/tom-at-the-farm-poster.png" height="640" width="435" /> </span></div>
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<span lang="EN-AU"><span style="font-size: large;"><b>Director: </b>Xavier Dolan</span></span></div>
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<span lang="EN-AU"><span style="font-size: large;"><b>Writer: </b>Xavier Dolan, based on a play by Michel Marc Bouchard</span></span></div>
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<span lang="EN-AU"><span style="font-size: large;"><b>Stars: </b></span></span><span lang="EN-AU"><span style="font-size: large;"><span class="itemprop" itemprop="name">Xavier Dolan</span>, <span class="itemprop" itemprop="name">Pierre-Yves Cardinal</span>, <span class="itemprop" itemprop="name">Lise Roy</span> </span> </span></div>
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<span lang="EN-AU">“Psychological thriller” has almost become a blanket term for any vaguely unsettling film where characters harbour insidious motives. Every once in a while, though, a thriller will make its presence felt and remind you that the word <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">psychological </i>has its roots in the Greek word <span class="foreign"><i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">psykhe</i>, meaning “breath, spirit, soul.” These films hold you captive for their duration and seldom allow any reprieve. Xavier Dolan’s <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">Tom at the Farm </i>is one such film—a far cry from anything Old MacDonald saw in his tenure. </span></span></div>
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<span class="foreign"><span lang="EN-AU">Dolan stars as Tom, an advertising copywriter who travels to rural Quebec for the funeral of his boyfriend, Guillaume. He enters his lover’s childhood home as a stranger, found slumped on the kitchen table by Guillaume’s widowed mother, Agathe (Lise Roy). Agathe is oblivious to Tom’s homosexuality, let alone that he was the partner of her deceased son. And things are set to stay that way when Guillaume’s older brother, Francis (</span></span><b><span lang="EN-AU" style="font-weight: normal; mso-bidi-font-weight: bold;">Pierre-Yves Cardinal), enters the picture. Francis ensures that no sudden revelations will sully the family name. If Tom steps out of line, Francis wastes no time dishing out violent punishment. </span></b></div>
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<b><span lang="EN-AU" style="font-weight: normal; mso-bidi-font-weight: bold;">It is disturbing to watch Tom lose his agency as a human being. What begins as a stern threat quickly develops into aggressive grappling in the cornfield. Fear overlaps with obedience as Stockholm syndrome takes hold, and the two men enter into an intoxicating </span></b><i><span lang="EN-AU">folie</span></i><span class="st"><span lang="EN-AU"> <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">à</i> </span></span><i><span lang="EN-AU">deux</span></i><i><span lang="EN-AU" style="font-style: normal; mso-bidi-font-style: italic;">, with Tom warming to the task of farmhand. While most people’s natural instinct would be to flee the farm as soon as possible, Tom seems to become “institutionalised”, just like those prison walls gracefully envelop Brooks in </span><span lang="EN-AU">The Shawshank Redemption. </span></i><i><span lang="EN-AU" style="font-style: normal; mso-bidi-font-style: italic;">An extra element of intrigue arrives in the form of Sara (</span></i><span class="itemprop"><span lang="EN-AU">Evelyne Brochu</span></span><span lang="EN-AU">), a young woman called over to the farm to act as Guillaume’s girlfriend, adding further entanglements to the web of emotional manipulation. In one scene, Agathe, Francis, and Tom are seated at the dinner table. Agathe asks Tom if Sara has said anything about Guillaume, and Tom does not hesitate to speak in sexually explicit terms. Francis glares piercingly at Tom, realising these are fabricated lines, and that Tom is indulging in passion by proxy.</span><br />
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<span lang="EN-AU"><img height="399" src="http://i.telegraph.co.uk/multimedia/archive/02871/Tom_at_the_Farm_2871222b.jpg" width="640" /></span></div>
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<span lang="EN-AU">Because the film was adapted from a play (of the same name, by Michel Marc Bouchard), the acting was required to be strong. Thankfully, the cast does not disappoint. Dolan portrays Tom as an enigmatic young man who channels the energy of his fear into a quiet inner strength. As Agathe, Lise Roy simultaneously calls to mind the stoic mystique of Barbara Fitts in <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">American Beauty </i>and the haphazard neuroticism of <span class="st">Myrtle Gordon in <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">Opening Night</i>. It is heartbreaking to see her caught in the middle of Francis’ wicked scheme, but we are frequently reminded that this woman can stand up for herself. As the homophobic Francis, </span><span class="itemprop">Pierre-Yves Cardinal looms around every corner like an imposing deadline. His absence from the frame only creates a presence in our minds. Where has he gone? What is he planning?</span><span class="st"> Playing an outright monster is one thing, but it is far more challenging for an actor to pull off the Machiavellian disposition of Francis, whereby tension is always bubbling below the surface, only occasionally coming to the fore. Consistent close-ups of these characters’ faces reveal nuanced gestures that spell anguish, trepidation, and desire. Through his lens, Dolan perpetuates Ingmar Bergman’s famous statement that the human face is the most important subject of the cinema.</span></span> </div>
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<span class="st"><span lang="EN-AU">The disconnect between urban and rural spaces is another of Dolan’s fixations. As an advertising copywriter, Tom’s experience with blood may be limited to a few “bleeding” pens in his shirt pocket. Life on the farm means Tom’s hands are given a fresh coat of crimson after he assists with the birth of a calf. Tom describes the “realness” of the country to Sara: “A cow gives birth, there’s blood. When a dog barks, I really hear it.” A birth and a bark are both actions of release. Tom may crave an emotional release after being forced to suppress his true identity for so long under the conditions of Francis’ game. And therein lies the paradox: everything is “realer” in the country, except for the human spirit. Having fewer things to do means that free will is inhibited. But Tom has lost all understanding of free will by dealing with Francis. Fast forward to a scene at a bar where Corey Hart’s <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">Sunglasses at Night </i>announces Tom’s arrival. Away from the cornfields, everything <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">seems </i>false. The very notion of wearing sunglasses at night, like the speaker of the song, hints at concealment. However, a conversation Tom has at the bar compels him to make a very important decision—perhaps the most real thing he has ever done. </span></span></div>
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<span class="st"><span lang="EN-AU">Xavier Dolan is 25 years old and has already built an impressive </span></span><i><span lang="EN-AU" style="font-style: normal; mso-bidi-font-style: italic;">résumé</span></i><span class="st"><span lang="EN-AU"> of five feature films. He made his directorial debut at the age of 19 with <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">I Killed My Mother</i>, which won </span></span><span lang="EN-AU">three awards at the Director's Fortnight program at the 2009 Cannes Film Festival<span class="st">. <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">Heartbeats</i>, <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">Laurence Anyways</i>, and <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">Mommy </i>have all received widespread critical acclaim. <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">Tom at the Farm </i>is actually the first Dolan film I have seen, but I am now extremely keen to check out all the others. This </span><i><span style="font-style: normal; mso-bidi-font-style: italic;">Québécois</span> </i><i><span style="font-style: normal; mso-bidi-font-style: italic;">prodigy is definitely one to watch. </span></i></span></div>
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<span lang="EN-AU"><i><span style="font-style: normal; mso-bidi-font-style: italic;"><span style="font-size: x-large;"><b>4/5 stars.</b></span> </span><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"></span></i></span></div>
Steven Savonahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16693973010579672698noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8791982508956006238.post-10669211765340347622014-06-15T11:06:00.001+10:002014-06-15T11:35:32.732+10:002014 Sydney Film Festival Review: Life Itself <div style="text-align: center;">
<i><img alt="http://d1oi7t5trwfj5d.cloudfront.net/d2/86/ef02c23b4fee85a9f8dd8869615f/life-itself-poster.JPG" class="decoded" src="http://d1oi7t5trwfj5d.cloudfront.net/d2/86/ef02c23b4fee85a9f8dd8869615f/life-itself-poster.JPG" height="640" width="435" /> </i></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;"><b>Director: </b>Steve James</span><i> </i></div>
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<i>“‘Kindness’ covers all of my political beliefs. No need to spell them out. I believe that if, at the end, according to our abilities, we have done something to make others a little happier, and something to make ourselves a little happier, that is about the best we can do.”</i></div>
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~ Roger Ebert</div>
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I distinctly remember the moment I “discovered” Roger Ebert. I was about 15 years old, browsing <i>Rotten Tomatoes</i> late one night to see what big-name critics thought of Francis Ford Coppola’s <i>Jack</i>—a childhood favourite of mine. I came across Roger’s review and decided to read it in full. I had heard of this critic before, and was curious to see why everyone talked about him. Roger hated the film. This didn’t surprise me; I knew I was in the minority by liking it. What surprised me the most is that I accepted Roger’s criticisms without hesitation. <i>Jack </i>is a film where Robin Williams plays a boy with an ageing disorder that makes him look 40 years old when he is only 10. It is so preposterous and Roger could have easily dismissed it with sweeping statements. But he didn’t simply state that certain scenes didn’t work; he explained <i>why </i>they didn’t work. I kept thinking, “Wow...I’ve never thought about it that way before.” I became fascinated with the idea that <i>any </i>piece of cinema could be reviewed, whether highbrow or lowbrow. That same night, I read about a dozen more Ebert reviews of films I cherished. I learned a lot, and for the next two years, I would follow a routine of watching a film then reading Roger’s review of it immediately afterwards. I have never formally studied film at university. If I sound articulate when I talk or write about film, it is because Roger planted the seeds. I write about movies because of Roger Ebert. He is the reason your eyes are scanning these words. <br />
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<i>Life Itself</i> is directed by Steve James, whose <i>Hoop Dreams</i> was lauded by Ebert as the best film of the 1990s. The documentary draws on excerpts from Ebert’s memoir of the same name. James traces the topography of Ebert’s life in intimate detail. We learn of his roots as college newspaper editor and reporter for the <i>News-Gazette</i> in Champaign, Illinois. Ebert was thrust into the role of <i>Chicago Sun-Times</i> film critic in 1967 following the departure of Eleanor Keane. He did not ask for the role, but he made it his own, and his older colleagues were intimidated by his precocious writing ability and a work ethic usually reserved for senior editors. I do like that the movie represents Ebert as a writer, first and foremost. Yes, film was his forte, but you could give the man any topic and he could string together an intellectually-engaging think piece. He could do it with astonishing speed, too. <br />
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A large focus of the film is Ebert’s complex relationship with rival <i>Chicago Tribune</i> critic Gene Siskel. Their early years co-hosting PBS’ <i>Sneak Previews</i> were rife with tension. When the men disagreed, there was no compromising. Any dispute must have meant at least one person was fundamentally wrong. They found it challenging to like each other. As they transitioned into <i>At the Movies</i>, rapport strengthened and they became more accommodating with one another. This duo was like a pair of siblings whose petty arguments were no match for their mutual love and respect.<br />
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<img height="440" id="irc_mi" src="http://static.rogerebert.com/uploads/blog_post/primary_image/chazs-blog/i-miss-rogers-reviews/primary_roger.and.chaz.at.the.kentucky.derby.jpeg" style="margin-top: 0px;" width="640" /> </div>
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The film acquaints us with Ebert’s widow, Chaz Hammelsmith, who is nothing short of amazing. Roger married Chaz when he was 50. He had feared his twilight years would be spent alone, until he found this incredible beacon of light and hope. In a blog post from 2012, Roger described Chaz as “the great fact of my life”, and “a wind forcing me back from the grave.” Roger must have seen thousands of great love stories played out on celluloid in his career but, to him, the one he was living was the greatest of all. <br />
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The film is a little hard to watch when we see Ebert in his hospital bed. We know this man for his vociferous defence and/or condemnation of films, but cancer has rendered him without a voice. However, there’s something deeply inspiring about these scenes. We see the twinkle in his eyes and he seems to have boundless enthusiasm to participate in the documentary despite everything life has thrown at him. In one of the film’s most shocking revelations, we see an email from Ebert telling Steve James he would only agree to participate in the film if it would show his physical deterioration. Ebert concludes the email with the line, “This isn’t only your film.”<br />
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I admire the film for eulogising Ebert without working on a mythic level. It must have been so tempting to lapse into hero worship, but we’re given extensive insight into Roger’s health problems, his struggle with alcoholism, and his strained relationships with fellow critics. James makes no secret that Roger’s ego may have stretched longer than the running time of Béla Tarr’s <i>Sátántangó</i>. At its core, however, the film paints a loving portrait of a man whose legacy will echo for myriad decades to come. On a personal level, I was surprised that the film didn’t make me bawl my eyes out. I expected it to render me a mess, but no tears streamed down my cheeks. They merely pooled in my eyes, waiting for the ultimate trigger that would compel them to flow. It never came, but Roger would’ve hated a film about his life that tried so desperately to be a tearjerker. I am reminded of Neil Finn’s comment during Crowded House’s <i>Farewell to the World</i> concert: “It feels more like a celebration than a funeral.” When we hear recollections from directors such as Martin Scorsese and Werner Herzog and we see the joy on their faces, we realise they are here to celebrate, too. (Okay, so Marty may have been choking back tears at one point.) <br />
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This film will demolish anyone’s preconceived notions that Roger Ebert was a walking ball of snark, an image he may have accumulated through his many years of bickering with Siskel on television. It strips back that facade of cockiness and shows us the warm, gooey centre of a man with a beautiful mind and a large, giving heart. There is one especially touching scene involving a jigsaw puzzle gifted from Alfred Hitchcock to Marilyn Monroe—it confirms that Roger Ebert was a wonderful human being. Believe it or not, there are still some people who hold an eternal grudge against Ebert for his stance on video games as art, and for a harmless quip he made following the death of <i>Jackass </i>member Ryan Dunn. Hopefully, this film will erase their pathetic prejudices, but it’s likely they won’t make an effort to see it. <br />
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In his memoir, Ebert devotes an entire chapter to his own mortality. He quotes Walt Whitman:<br />
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<i>“I bequeath myself to the dirt to grow from the grass I love / If you want me again look for me under your boot-soles.”</i></div>
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I’ll keep looking for Roger under my boot-soles. I miss him terribly, and when I walked out of my screening of <i>Life Itself</i>, I was more sure than ever about his description of the movies as “a machine that generates empathy.” Roger also said, “It’s not what a movie is about, but how it’s about it.” I like what this film is about, and everyone involved went about it very well.<br />
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<img alt="http://i.imgur.com/rKdlGZZ.jpg" class="decoded" height="490" src="http://i.imgur.com/rKdlGZZ.jpg" width="640" /> </div>
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<span style="font-size: x-large;"><b>4/5 stars (two thumbs up).</b></span> Steven Savonahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16693973010579672698noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8791982508956006238.post-11048706128813853182014-06-09T21:49:00.001+10:002014-06-09T21:54:41.171+10:002014 Sydney Film Festival Review: Locke<div style="text-align: center;">
<img alt="Locke Movie Poster" height="640" itemprop="thumbnailUrl" src="http://static.rogerebert.com/uploads/movie/movie_poster/locke-2014/large_xbgDHskoFfYjYEMGy4Iwcd6yHEi.jpg" title="Locke Movie Poster" width="431" /> </div>
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<span style="font-size: large;"><b>Director: </b>Steven Knight</span></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;"><b>Writer: </b>Steven Knight</span></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;"><b>Stars (or should that be 'Star'?): </b>Tom Hardy </span> </div>
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I have always been mesmerised by films shot in real time. Hitchcock’s <i>Rope </i>is one of the most suspenseful films I have ever seen, and it’s that real time unravelling that helps it achieve that status. The frenetic <i>Run Lola Run</i> moves at a pace that forbids boredom from settling in. Richard Linklater’s <i>Before</i> trilogy proves you can create magic with little resources except two characters and a script brimming with truth. My obsession with films shot in real time overlaps with my fascination for films featuring a handful of characters, or films that take place in one location. Steven Knight’s <i>Locke</i>, which screened as part of the Official Competition at the 2014 Sydney Film Festival, is a film I <i>should</i> like. It is shot in real time, almost entirely in a car. We only see the face of one character. Unfortunately, these elements do not mask the film’s hesitation to—pardon the pun—put its foot on the accelerator. <br />
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Tom Hardy stars as Ivan Locke, a successful construction manager who is happily married with children. On the night before one of the biggest professional challenges of his life, Locke receives a phone call that compels him to drive from Birmingham to London. I will not reveal who the caller is, but this conversation triggers a chain reaction of events that would induce road rage in the most cautious of drivers. Locke’s only companions are the voices that come through his speakerphone. These are the only plot details I will divulge. But, let’s face it, it’s not as though I am omitting a great deal.<br />
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<i>Locke</i> is not a bad film. I would say it is good, but it certainly will not be lingering in my mind when the Festival finishes up. I feel as though it suffers from a case of identity crisis, and, no...I don’t just say that because of Tom Hardy’s forced Welsh accent. Is the film a drama? In one sense: yes. There are dramatic revelations. But I didn’t really <i>feel</i> the drama. It didn’t hit me on a gut level. Others have described it as a thriller. I was actually expecting a thriller going into the film, along the lines of <i>Buried</i> (2010) or <i>Duel </i>(1971). I soon realised this film was not intent on sending a chill down my spine. So, if <i>Locke </i>is not explicitly a drama or a thriller, then what is it? I think of it as an experiment, first and foremost. This is an example of cinema as personal challenge. Knight wrote the script in ten days, and shooting took place over a mere eight days. His execution illustrates that he wanted to make a truly unique film. However, I feel that he got carried away with pushing the creative boundaries and forgot to polish the narrative. Other than some vague comment on the consequences of neglectful parenting, I cannot work out what he is trying to say with this film. Form seems divorced from meaning. I am struggling to deduce any significance from the stylistic choice to shoot the entire film (save for a brief opening scene) inside a car. The confined, vehicular setting feels like a gimmick because it does not complement the story. If it turns out the car is a metaphor for Locke taking control of his life, then I am really disappointed. <br />
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The ambiguous ending may be a hit with some viewers, but I feel it detracts from everything that went before. The loose ends are too glaring for our imaginations to engulf. It would be effective if we could put faces to the voices Locke was conversing with, but that doesn’t happen, so it feels as though our everyman protagonist is returning to the London hotel room where the film’s voice actors congregated to perform their lines over the phone. It does not feel like he is driving towards another character. <br />
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So far, I have detailed the film’s weaknesses, but the film is not without merit. Yes, there are a few flat spots in the narrative that are especially concerning in an 85-minute film where every moment should be essential. But, for the most part, the screenplay is tight. Knight made me care for the characters—even the faceless ones—without embroiling them in grand set pieces. He has enough faith in his dialogue to avoid convoluted and unnecessary inciting incidents. However, I won’t lie that part of me was hoping for things to play out like Scorsese’s <i>After Hours</i>. Producer Guy Heeley confirmed that all the phone calls in the film were genuine conversations. Nothing was pre-recorded. It’s a small detail like this that separates the good filmmakers from the bad ones. Also deserving of praise is the cinematography by Haris Zambarloukos. The reflection and refraction of vibrant lights helps to break the monotony of one man driving his car for almost an hour-and-a-half. Through his camerawork, Zambarloukos hoped to simulate the aesthetics of a spaceship. Maybe that explains why the film’s intention is still so alien to me.<br />
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<b><span style="font-size: x-large;">3/5 stars.</span> </b>Steven Savonahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16693973010579672698noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8791982508956006238.post-19287416357857402382014-06-08T21:01:00.001+10:002014-09-04T18:46:50.857+10:002014 Sydney Film Festival Review: Boyhood<div style="text-align: center;">
<img src="http://d1oi7t5trwfj5d.cloudfront.net/c5/2b/74b0e5544724a5d68fe8ab155b15/boyhood-teaser-poster.jpg" height="640" width="431" /></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;"><b>Director: </b>Richard Linklater</span></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;"><b>Writer: </b>Richard Linklater</span></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;"><b>Stars: </b>Ellar Coltrane, Patricia Arquette, Ethan Hawke</span></div>
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<span lang="EN-AU">Right before my screening of <i>Boyhood </i>at the Sydney Film Festival,
Ellar Coltrane and Cathleen Sutherland walked out on stage to briefly introduce
the film to the packed State Theatre audience. Sutherland is one of the film’s
four producers. The 19-year-old Coltrane is the heart and soul of <i>Boyhood</i>. Coltrane spoke into the
microphone and he sounded 19. I didn’t have the greatest seat, but he looked
about 19, too. Coltrane and Sutherland disappeared behind the curtain and the
film started rolling. Within the film’s first minute, we see a seven-year-old
boy sprawled out on his front lawn, gazing at the sky (essentially what you see
on the film’s poster). When my mind registered that the boy was Ellar
Coltrane—the same 19-year-old I saw in the flesh just moments before—a lump
formed in my throat and I realised I was in for something special. The process
of human ageing had already been laid bare before my eyes and we were just
getting started.</span></div>
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<i><span lang="EN-AU">Boyhood
</span></i><span lang="EN-AU">is a film that will be talked about for decades. Beginning in 2002, director Richard Linklater filmed the same cast of actors (and, by extension, characters) over a period of
12 years. Logistically and emotionally, that’s a gargantuan undertaking. We meet
Mason (Coltrane) as a seven-year-old living with his single mother, Olivia
(Patricia Arquette), and older sister, Samantha (</span><span style="line-height: 115%; mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">Lorelei Linklater). Mason maintains an amicable though stilted
relationship with his father, Mason Sr. (Ethan Hawke). We follow Mason from
childhood through to adolescence, concluding with his initiation into young
adulthood. The film succeeds with its organic narrative. We see a young Mason practising
his golf swing with his stepfather—not because golf is an integral component of
the film (it isn’t), but because kids often practise things. On that particular
day, it happened to be golf. There are no distracting announcements that one
year has ended and another one has begun. No gimmicky title cards to be found
here, folks. <i>Boyhood</i> was shot
entirely on 35mm film to prevent noticeable discrepancies in the quality of
digital footage, and to maintain tonal integrity with cinematography. But the film
needs to mark time <i>somehow</i>, right? Looking
at Mason’s hairstyle is a good place to start. Inevitably, you do notice the physical
maturation of all cast members, but the camera does not linger on their faces with
close scrutiny to reveal the ravages of age. Just as we do not look in the
mirror each day and notice the formation of frown lines, the ageing process in
the film manages to be seamless. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="line-height: 115%; mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">Time is also
marked with popular music. With a diverse soundtrack ranging from Coldplay’s <i>Yellow</i>, to Soulja Boy’s <i>Crank That</i>, to Gotye’s <i>Somebody That I Used to Know</i>, Linklater
understands the emotional power of song—the way a single chord change can
conjure up memories that would otherwise remain repressed. We also see objects
that exist today as anachronisms, such as an iMac G3 and a 20Q. I was initially
disappointed when the camera zoomed in on these items, as I wasn’t expecting
such a degree of self-awareness. However, as more of these technological artefacts
came into view, my disappointment turned into sweet nostalgia. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="line-height: 115%; mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">With a title
of <i>Boyhood</i>, I can understand why some
viewers may expect the film to explore its themes through a narrow scope. As the
film progresses, however, you realise </span><span lang="EN-AU" style="line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">it is not
about growing up as a male. It is about having to grow up, period. Linklater
revisits his obsession with time and impermanence that underpinned the
incredibly moving <i>Before </i>trilogy. There
is a quote from <i>Before Midnight</i>: “Like
sunlight...sunset, we appear...we disappear. We are so important to some, but
we are just passing through.” While <i>Boyhood
</i>does not place as much emphasis on our inevitable demise, it does remind us
that time is indifferent to our struggles—that we belong to something bigger
than us. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span lang="EN-AU" style="line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">I was intrigued by
the audience’s reaction to individual scenes during my screening. On several
occasions, people were laughing during scenes which I considered moving. This is
a sign of the film’s rich emotional depth. It is important to remember that neither
reaction is <i>correct</i>, as the film allows
engagement on a deeply personal level. To tell someone they can’t laugh is to
invalidate their individual history. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<i><span lang="EN-AU" style="line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">Boyhood
</span></i><span lang="EN-AU" style="line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">is imbued with the rare quality of simultaneously
being like every film you’ve ever seen, and being like no film you’ve seen
before. The familiarity arises from the simple scenes of domesticity among
Mason’s family. We are also confronted with standard coming-of-age fare, such
as experimentation with drugs and alcohol and forays into sexual intimacy. <i>Boyhood</i> separates itself from the pack of
generic American suburban dramas by not asking for our empathy, but demanding
it. I often lament how the blockbusters and epics of Hollywood have been
monopolised by the sci-fi, fantasy, and action genres. Regular readers of this
blog would know I adore the drama genre, but I know a large proportion of the
film-going public does not. If more dramas had the emotional gravitas of <i>Boyhood</i>, I think the genre would be back
in vogue. Of course, the film partly achieves its “epic” quality through its
165-minute runtime. While others have complained that this is too long, I was
never bored and wouldn’t have cared if it went on longer. <o:p></o:p></span><br />
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<img height="377" src="http://static.tumblr.com/oc7w7az/sH3n4k95c/image2resize.jpg" width="640" /></div>
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<span lang="EN-AU" style="line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">When the film was
over and I walked out of the cinema, I felt like hugging everyone I know. I
wanted to call up a friend I hadn’t seen in months and ask to catch up over
coffee. I wanted to approach a random pretty girl on the street and ask her out
on a date because we will both be dead someday and that one act of courage
could be the start of something special. I just felt so alive, goddamnit!<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span lang="EN-AU" style="line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">In the final scene of
<i>Boyhood</i>, a character has an epiphany
that people do not seize moments. It’s the other way around. The moments seize
us. It reminded me of how difficult it is to define the present. If I say, “This
is the present,” the sentence is immediately relegated to the past once I stop
talking. The last time a film or television show made me so acutely conscious
of my mortality is when I watched the finale of <i>Six Feet Under</i> and Nate Fisher uttered a sentence that has haunted
me every day since: “You can’t take a picture of this. It’s already gone."</span></div>
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<span lang="EN-AU" style="line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">I just want everyone to see this film. It’s the type of film that can change a life. As someone who saw it at the age of 21, I’m fairly certain it will change mine. Hopefully, you will not remark—like a despondent Olivia realising her life consists of a series of milestones—“I just thought there would be more.” </span></div>
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<span lang="EN-AU" style="line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";"><span style="font-size: x-large;"><b>5/5 stars.</b></span></span></div>
Steven Savonahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16693973010579672698noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8791982508956006238.post-13037533882538024422014-06-01T21:28:00.000+10:002014-06-01T22:36:03.904+10:00May 2014 Film Wrap-Up<div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-size: large;"><b>MAY 5</b></span></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<img height="266" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgxlN3JMlvbnG6R8F0Zf4VPGOLz4vGfGLtKUc6vNNA52UFVsB95jCycqVH9kxAas7JOpjp0wHdLWxKvFY1MQZe_IHFH0Aiz9CBCsDte4BBx7a19813lfgh35X7eou0i3TbGgzeTZqMYcrpi/s400/Carrie3.jpg" width="400" /></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;"><b><span style="font-size: x-large;"><i>Carrie </i>(</span></b></span><span style="font-size: large;"><b><span style="font-size: x-large;"><span class="st">Kimberly Peirce, 2013) = 1/5</span></span></b></span><br />
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<span style="background-color: white; font-size: 16px; line-height: 24px;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">Terrible. The antithesis of subtlety. In the 1976 adaptation, there was an undercurrent of sadness throughout the entire film. We ached for Carrie White and thought all of her bullies were complete dicks. In this film, mood and atmosphere are totally discarded. When bad things happen to Carrie, we think "How unfortunate!", not "How sad!". I wasn't cheering on the good characters and I wasn't despising the bad characters. And when you can't emotionally invest in a film, you sure as hell won't enjoy it.</span></span></div>
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<span style="background-color: white; font-size: 16px; line-height: 24px;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><br /></span></span></div>
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<span style="background-color: white; font-size: 16px; line-height: 24px;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">De Palma's adaptation was a film driven by emotion. Peirce's remake feels superficial and dumbed-down. It is made with the premise that a film featuring many teenage characters must be pitched to teenagers, and fails to appreciate that the emotions of those teenagers are present in people younger and older, too.</span></span></div>
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<span style="background-color: white; font-size: 16px; line-height: 24px;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><br /></span></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;"><span style="background-color: white; line-height: 24px;"><b>MAY 6</b></span></span></div>
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<img src="http://thecinemaniacs15.files.wordpress.com/2012/11/dtrt11.jpg" height="243" width="400" /></div>
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<span style="font-size: x-large;"><b><i>Do the Right Thing </i>(Spike Lee, 1989) = 4/5</b></span></div>
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<span style="background-color: white;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="line-height: 24px;">This was my </span></span><span style="line-height: 24px;">second</span><span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="line-height: 24px;"> viewing of <i>Do the Right Thing</i>—an important, emotionally-charged film that would not be made today. It's fiercely original with memorable characters, and I love how Lee never divulges what the "right thing" is.</span></span></span></div>
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<span style="background-color: white;"><span style="font-family: inherit; font-size: large;"><span style="line-height: 24px;"><b>MAY 8</b></span></span></span></div>
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<img src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgC8xLm4TqfrouSxkl-Wb6amP08OKtX7QrmvGm-jMdtPjl6g5YRZ9yzilA_ktpVmCGrmDsfNDR4ZV57w_tShyphenhyphenSSErINeCLR4RWN-pipZzCH9RlFieiFiQMa82JFEzTU4qx7Mwp-CaN3ZXI/s400/crash_1996_1.jpg" height="225" width="400" /></div>
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<span style="font-size: x-large;"><b><i>Crash </i>(David Cronenberg, 1996) = 2.5/5</b></span></div>
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<span style="background-color: white; font-size: 16px; line-height: 24px;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">A film of daring originality that is unfortunately too cold to penetrate (no pun intended). For the uninitiated, the film is about a deviant subculture of people who channel the energy of car accidents to reinvigorate their sex lives. It just didn't offer a shred of empathy. And perhaps that was the intention as some statement on sexual objectification, but I am allowed to be opposed to that intention.</span></span></div>
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<span style="background-color: white; font-size: 16px; line-height: 24px;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">P.S. I will never look at an automobile in the same way again.</span></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;"><span style="background-color: white; line-height: 24px;"><b>MAY 10</b></span></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: x-large;"><b><i>Another Year </i>(Mike Leigh, 2010) = 3.5/5</b></span></div>
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<span style="background-color: white; font-size: 16px; line-height: 24px;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">For a film that covers an entire year, I expected it to encompass a broader emotional spectrum. Now, I am only 21, so I obviously lack a lot of life experience that informs Leigh's screenplay and, by extension, his characters' lives. That said, I followed these characters from spring through to winter and learned nothing about myself. I feel too much emphasis was given to the Lesley Manville character. It was just really difficult to empathise with her.</span></span></div>
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<span style="background-color: white; font-size: 16px; line-height: 24px;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">This is an actors' and writers' film. It is good, but it lacks the emotional gravitas I was expecting based on the poster's sprawling branches. If the leaves of the tree are symbolic of human experience, then the roots do not run too deep.</span></span></div>
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<span style="background-color: white; line-height: 24px;"><span style="font-family: inherit; font-size: large;"><b>MAY 11</b></span></span></div>
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<img src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiOGmctVPmmg4gexHEIIieUuOzKUIHxp3cTnRIpn3J6rEcaY1i0BT2cAkjUhVTXP-WXRmGbhWoyElH6S8isAP-iRam2PAHat9bGm3otR3Bn8HLtmJV8TfDJuzrHjjgvzjgir2kD4njK6ms9/s400/The-Passion-of-Anna.jpg" height="241" width="400" /></div>
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<span style="font-size: x-large;"><b><i>The Passion of Anna </i>(Ingmar Bergman, 1969) = 3.5/5</b></span></div>
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<span style="background-color: white;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="line-height: 24px;">Far from my favourite Bergman, but still great. The pace was unbearably slow at times, but with his searingly honest dialogue, Bergman never allows enough time for boredom to set in. A bleak exploration of deceit and cruelty, with </span></span><span style="line-height: 24px;">excellent</span><span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="line-height: 24px;"> </span></span><span style="line-height: 24px;">performances</span><span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="line-height: 24px;"> all round.</span></span></span></div>
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<span style="background-color: white;"><span style="font-family: inherit; font-size: large;"><span style="line-height: 24px;"><b>MAY 16</b></span></span></span></div>
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<img src="http://www.thetimes.co.uk/tto/multimedia/archive/00526/Stranger_by_the_Lak_526240a.jpg" height="225" width="400" /></div>
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<span style="font-size: x-large;"><b><i>Stranger by the Lake </i>(</b></span><span class="itemprop" itemprop="name"><b><span style="font-family: inherit; font-size: x-large;">Alain Guiraudie, 2013) = 4/5</span></b></span></div>
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<span style="background-color: white; font-size: 16px; line-height: 24px;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">I'm ashamed to say that I had to wait until I was completely alone to watch this. If anyone else in my household had walked past the TV during a homoerotic scene, they would make ignorant comments. Thankfully, I have the maturity to watch cinema that caters to sexual orientations other than my own. I feel sorry for people who don't, because they miss out on gems like this.</span></span></div>
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<span style="background-color: white; font-size: 16px; line-height: 24px;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">Carnal desire meets carnal demise in this intensely gripping film. It is deftly directed and I particularly admire Guiraudie's aesthetic choices. Despite taking place in one location, visual monotony never threatens to permeate the film. On a less important note, the poster is fucking beautiful!</span></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;"><span style="background-color: white; line-height: 24px;"><b>MAY 17</b></span></span></div>
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<img src="http://i.huffpost.com/gen/1186095/thumbs/o-JAY-BARUCHEL-THIS-IS-THE-END-facebook.jpg" height="265" width="400" /></div>
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<span style="font-size: x-large;"><b><i>This is the End </i>(Evan Goldberg & Seth Rogen, 2013) = 3.5/5<i> </i></b></span></div>
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<span style="background-color: white;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="line-height: 24px;">I'm not entirely sure what I just watched, but I liked it. A delightfully bizarre and outrageously funny film that thrives on spontaneity. It must have been tempting to make this film as a collection of in-jokes with nothing at stake for the viewer, but the film does not venture down that path, and that really impressed me. Oh, and a word of advice: you may want to dust off those </span></span><span style="line-height: 24px;">Backstreet</span><span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="line-height: 24px;"> Boys CDs to get you in the mood for this. </span></span></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;"><span style="background-color: white; line-height: 24px;"><b>MAY 18</b></span></span></div>
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<img src="http://www.criticalcommons.org/Members/brettservice/clips/stranger_than_paradise_disc1_4_clip.mp4/thumbnailImage" height="224" width="400" /></div>
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<span style="font-size: x-large;"><b><i>Stranger Than Paradise </i>(Jim Jarmusch, 1984) = 3/5</b></span></div>
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<span style="background-color: white; font-size: 16px; line-height: 24px;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">A revelation of its era that is unfortunately not as impressive today. I wish the characters were as engaging as the cinematography. Maybe I just expected too much from it.</span></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;"><span style="background-color: white; line-height: 24px;"><b>MAY 19</b></span></span></div>
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<img src="http://www.filmmonthly.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/08/youre_next.jpg" height="266" width="400" /></div>
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<span style="font-size: x-large;"><b><i>You're Next </i>(Adam Wingard, 2011) = 3.5/5</b></span></div>
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<span style="background-color: white;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="line-height: 24px;">It may not be as clever as it thinks it is, but the film is slickly directed and imbued with a wry sense of humour. It was also refreshing to see some jump scares that were genuinely jolting. So much better than two </span></span><span style="line-height: 24px;">similar</span><span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="line-height: 24px;"> films: </span></span><i style="font-family: inherit; font-size: 16px; line-height: 24px;">The Strangers </i><span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="line-height: 24px;">and </span></span><i style="font-family: inherit; font-size: 16px; line-height: 24px;">The Purge</i><span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="line-height: 24px;">.</span></span></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;"><span style="background-color: white; line-height: 24px;"><b>MAY 20</b></span></span></div>
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<img src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiNY51UsKoHuxCiJoMiv7oExur5lrhOhyWxumfo-EcCYlsXXC4MVNzhU7kKmNOVCY9ZrYS_tBBeuclZSOTTp_qB6DLGKfFkS3ENtsvBGWLCBRFuDl6S0HOQzjhIsloB-i6tpGSqhpVX1XM/s400/crying-game3.jpg" height="248" width="400" /></div>
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<span style="font-size: x-large;"><b><i>The Crying Game </i>(Neil Jordan, 1992) = 3.5/5</b></span></div>
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<span style="background-color: white; font-size: 16px; line-height: 24px;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">Jaye Davidson and Stephen Rea give brilliant performances in this bittersweet tale of love and redemption. People can't seem to talk about this film without mentioning its twist. Jordan knows better than to use the twist as a cheap payoff, instead couching it in the middle of the film to magnify everything that has gone before, and make the remainder of the film more interesting.</span></span></div>
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<span style="background-color: white;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="line-height: 24px;">I guess the thing that stopped me from truly loving this film was the lack of an emotional centre. I couldn't squarely identify with anyone as the film teetered awkwardly between political thriller and love story. After such an engaging first act, Jordan attempts to tackle too many </span></span><span style="line-height: 24px;">plot lines</span><span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="line-height: 24px;"> and the film suffers as a result.</span></span></span></div>
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<span style="background-color: white;"><span style="font-family: inherit; font-size: large;"><span style="line-height: 24px;"><b>MAY 22</b></span></span></span></div>
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<img src="http://cinematorium.files.wordpress.com/2009/01/kicking-and-screaming.jpg" height="222" width="400" /></div>
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<span style="font-size: x-large;"><b><i>Kicking and Screaming </i>(Noah Baumbach, 1995) = 4.5/5</b></span></div>
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<span style="background-color: white; font-size: 16px; line-height: 24px;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">This sorely underrated film is so delightfully quotable. I think the key to its success is that it explores the hipster mentality but was made at a time when the word 'hipster' had not permeated mainstream culture. Thus, it doesn't fall into the trap of being self-aware.</span></span></div>
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<span style="background-color: white; font-size: 16px; line-height: 24px;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">Its depiction of life after college is deadly accurate, and these characters' hopes and fears become our own as the film progresses. For a film about pseudo-intellectuals, the film is not lacking in heart. Baumbach understands the disconnect that arises from being well-versed in Keats yet clueless about the trajectory of your own professional life...of referencing theorists but not extending your own theories. All of these characters display a charming, relatable naivety, and it proves a challenge to not fall in love with them.</span></span></div>
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<span style="background-color: white; font-size: 16px; line-height: 24px;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">Oh, and just for the record, the closing lines of this film are some of the most beautiful words you will ever hear.</span></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;"><b>MAY 30</b></span></div>
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<img src="http://i1.ytimg.com/vi/NoSWbyvdhHw/maxresdefault.jpg" height="225" width="400" /></div>
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<span style="font-size: x-large;"><span style="background-color: white;"><b><i>Under the Skin </i>(Jonathan Glazer, 2013) = 4.5/5</b></span></span></div>
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<span style="background-color: white;">On the way to see this, I joked with my friends that 90% of the audience for this film would be horny teenage boys who can't afford Mr Skin subscriptions. First of all, that wasn't the case. Secondly, if any horny teenage boys <i>do</i> see the film to get a glimpse of Scarlett Johansson's lady parts, I'm sure they will walk out of the theatre with a lust for something else: cinema. </span></div>
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<span style="background-color: white;">This was o<span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="font-size: 16px; line-height: 24px;">ne of the most profound, engaging viewing experiences I've had in my entire life. A haunting reverie where atmosphere is key, and where minimalistic plotting allows feeling to come to the fore. The lighting in this film is absolutely incredible...some of the best I've ever seen. Some of the landscapes conjured up my own memories of brisk dawns, rainy afternoons, and seemingly endless nights.</span> </span></span></div>
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<span style="background-color: white;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="font-size: 16px; line-height: 24px;">When I watch a film as powerful as this, I am reminded of the Nietzsche aphorism, "And when you gaze long into an abyss, the abyss also gazes into you." The term 'art film' has long been criticised as a vague, pretentious term, but films like </span><i style="font-size: 16px; line-height: 24px;">Under the Skin</i><span style="font-size: 16px; line-height: 24px;"> justify its existence. I can't stop thinking about this film, and I don't think it will ever leave me. It has formed a communion with my soul.</span></span></span></div>
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<span style="background-color: white; line-height: 24px;"><b>In Summary - The Must-See Films (4.5 or 5 Stars)</b></span></div>
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<span style="background-color: white; line-height: 24px;">* <i>Kicking and Screaming</i></span></div>
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<span style="background-color: white; line-height: 24px;"><i>* Under the Skin</i></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;"><b><span style="font-size: x-large;"><span class="st"></span></span> </b></span>Steven Savonahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16693973010579672698noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8791982508956006238.post-26096243405755726622014-04-30T21:37:00.000+10:002014-04-30T21:37:53.484+10:00April 2014 Film Wrap-Up<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<span style="font-size: large;"><b>APRIL 1</b></span></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjW0dMwqQd3mPaJujrdnI6KwIztRcfbCzO7yf17pbUCTCqnBMtY8010q7Nq8HUdkXS8_VBs5dXXJz7dMbt4YjbItl80lFCIf5m0i_FDd-BVdwQSXrA1k1Nx-RYjKm3Jc2Vu8MXYG7C9cbs/s1600/WAIT.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjW0dMwqQd3mPaJujrdnI6KwIztRcfbCzO7yf17pbUCTCqnBMtY8010q7Nq8HUdkXS8_VBs5dXXJz7dMbt4YjbItl80lFCIf5m0i_FDd-BVdwQSXrA1k1Nx-RYjKm3Jc2Vu8MXYG7C9cbs/s1600/WAIT.jpg" height="268" width="400" /> </a></div>
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<span style="font-size: x-large;"><i><b>Can't Hardly Wait </b></i><b>(Harry Elfont & Deborah Kaplan, 1998) = 3/5</b></span></div>
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<span style="background-color: white; line-height: 24px;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">This is a 90s teen film that awkwardly tries to be an 80s teen film. It contains some engaging dialogue that elevates it above movies of a similar vein, but ultimately, I could hardly wait for it to end.</span></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;"><span style="background-color: white; line-height: 24px;"><b>APRIL 3</b></span></span></div>
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<img src="http://200movies1woman.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/07/akeelah_and_the_bee_2006.jpg" height="266" width="400" /></div>
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<span style="font-size: x-large;"><b><i>Akeelah and the Bee </i>(Doug Atchison, 2006) = 4.5/5</b></span></div>
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<span style="background-color: white; line-height: 24px;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">Wow. I knew Roger Ebert was extremely fond of this one, but even that didn't prepare me for this film's greatness. No one makes a film where spelling is the chief subject matter because they want to get rich. They do it out of passion. Indeed, it took writer/director Doug Atchison 10 years to transition this from an idea to a motion picture, and he had tutored disadvantaged students similar to Akeelah in the film.</span></span></div>
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<span style="background-color: white; font-size: 16px; line-height: 24px;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">Atchison is aware the film may not have wide appeal, implied when one kid says "Spelling bees are serious shit" in a tongue-in-cheek manner. Well, let me tell you: this appealed to me a lot. Maybe it's because I'm a bit of a spelling nerd, or maybe it's because the film's characters are genuinely likeable.</span></span></div>
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<span style="background-color: white; font-size: 16px; line-height: 24px;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">I just really identified with Akeelah's unwavering altruism and determination in the face of misfortune. This could have dissolved into some schmaltzy tearjerker but it resists that urge and manages to be truly pleasant. If I ever have children, this film will be required viewing in the household.</span></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;"><span style="background-color: white; line-height: 24px;"><b>APRIL 6</b></span></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: x-large;"><b><i>The Way, Way Back </i>(Nat Faxon & Jim Rash, 2013) = 4.5/5</b></span></div>
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<span style="background-color: white; font-size: 16px; line-height: 24px;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">A sweet, touching coming-of-age film for the square pegs that cannot fit in round holes. In the opening scene, Trent (Steve Carell) asks Duncan (Liam James), "On a scale of one to ten, what do you think you are?" I answered Trent's question in my head, giving myself a six. Moments later, Duncan revealed his answer: "Six." That's when I knew I would fall in love with this film.</span></span></div>
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<span style="background-color: white; font-size: 16px; line-height: 24px;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">Liam James is a revelation as the painfully shy and withdrawn Duncan. Sam Rockwell's performance as a shameless water park manager is what elevates the film from standard dramedy fare to something very memorable. It's a rare performance imbued with a magnetism that leaves us hanging on every word the character says, all of which are hilarious. Think Robert Downey, Jr. in <i>Kiss Kiss Bang Bang</i>.</span></span></div>
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<span style="background-color: white; font-size: 16px; line-height: 24px;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">Ultimately, the film reminded me of why it's good to live a less-than-perfect life. That way, there is so much room for things that can make it better.</span></span></div>
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<span style="background-color: white; line-height: 24px;"><span style="font-family: inherit; font-size: large;"><b>APRIL 7</b></span></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: x-large;"><b><i>Mulholland Drive </i>(David Lynch, 2001) = 5/5</b></span></div>
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<span style="background-color: #fefdfa; line-height: 22.399999618530273px;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">This is my 11th favourite film of all time. You will not understand it. You may not even enjoy it. But, if you do not watch it, you will miss out on one of the strangest, most hypnotic film experiences possible. Watch it alone. Watch it late at night, with no sources of light around you except for your television. I was lucky enough to watch this on the big screen.</span></span></div>
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<span style="background-color: white; font-size: 16px; line-height: 24px;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">It's a film of idyllic dreams, menacing nightmares, and everything in between. Lynch's loose ends are not drawbacks but embellishments. What I would give to see this for the first time again!</span></span></div>
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<span style="background-color: white; line-height: 24px;"><span style="font-family: inherit; font-size: large;"><b>APRIL 8</b></span></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: x-large;"><b><i>Cinemania </i>(Angela Christlieb & Stephen Kijak, 2002) = 4/5</b></span></div>
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<span style="background-color: white; font-size: 16px; line-height: 24px;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">If you're making the effort to read this, it means you probably enjoy movies quite a bit. Perhaps cinema is in your top three areas of interest. You probably think you're an extreme devotee to the medium because you save the ticket stub from every movie you see at a cinema.</span></span></div>
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<span style="background-color: white; font-size: 16px; line-height: 24px;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">Well, if you watch <i>Cinemania</i>, I guarantee you will feel insecure about your love of film. When compared to these five film fanatics, the average hardcore movie buff is a casual movie-goer.</span></span></div>
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<span style="background-color: white; font-size: 16px; line-height: 24px;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">We're talking about people who watch two to five films each day. One man can recall the exact running time of every film he's ever seen. Another once saw 1000 films over a period of 8 months. He adheres to a special diet that prevents him from going to the toilet during screenings. Each film buff has his or her own idiosyncrasies and viewing preferences. No two are the same.</span></span></div>
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<span style="background-color: white; font-size: 16px; line-height: 24px;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">I think this is essential viewing for anyone who identifies as a film enthusiast. Not everyone is likeable and, indeed, these people have impaired social skills as a result of their cinephilia. But damn, I could listen to them talk all day!</span></span></div>
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<span style="background-color: white; line-height: 24px;"><span style="font-family: inherit; font-size: large;"><b>APRIL 9</b></span></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: x-large;"><b><i>Magic </i>(Richard Attenborough, 1978) = 3.5/5</b></span></div>
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<span style="background-color: white; font-size: 16px; line-height: 24px;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">This psychological horror may not have aged well, but it's too bizarre and unapologetically morbid to dismiss. Hopkins is fantastic in one of his lesser-known roles. </span></span></div>
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<span style="background-color: white; line-height: 24px;"><span style="font-family: inherit; font-size: large;"><b>APRIL 12</b></span></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: x-large;"><b><i>12 Angry Men </i>(Sidney Lumet, 1957) = 5/5</b></span></div>
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<span style="background-color: white;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="line-height: 24px;">A minimalistic triumph, and a testament to why characterisation and dialogue are the two most important elements of a film. </span></span></span><span style="background-color: white; line-height: 24px;">It also serves as an example of perfect casting. </span><span style="background-color: white; font-family: inherit;"><span style="line-height: 24px;">Can't believe I'd never seen this before, </span></span><span style="background-color: white; line-height: 24px;">especially</span><span style="background-color: white; font-family: inherit;"><span style="line-height: 24px;"> </span></span><span style="background-color: white; line-height: 24px;">considering</span><span style="background-color: white; font-family: inherit;"><span style="line-height: 24px;"> I LOVE films shot almost </span></span><span style="background-color: white; line-height: 24px;">exclusively</span><span style="background-color: white; font-family: inherit;"><span style="line-height: 24px;"> in one location.</span></span></div>
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<span style="background-color: white; font-family: inherit; font-size: large;"><span style="line-height: 24px;"><b>APRIL 13</b></span></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: x-large;"><b><i>The Puffy Chair </i>(Jay Duplass, 2005) = 3.5/5</b></span></div>
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<span style="background-color: white; font-size: 16px; line-height: 24px;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">One of those frustrating films that comprises of brilliant individual scenes that don't quite add up to a great film. 'The Puffy Chair' is a good film, and it is worth seeing for its performances and emotional sincerity. I'm just not sure if I'll remember it in six months' time.</span></span></div>
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<span style="background-color: white; line-height: 24px;"><span style="font-family: inherit; font-size: large;"><b>APRIL 15</b></span></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: x-large;"><b><i>Romper Stomper </i>(Geoffrey Wright, 1992) = 3.5/5</b></span></div>
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<span style="background-color: white; font-size: 16px; line-height: 24px;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">A disturbing exploration of the dark recesses of humanity. It's surprisingly stylish (at times reminiscent of <i>A Clockwork Orange</i>), but it feels a bit one-note in the way it uses violence to propel the plot. It just needed to take its foot off the accelerator more often.</span></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;"><span style="background-color: white; line-height: 24px;"><b>APRIL 16</b></span></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: x-large;"><b><i>Lawn Dogs </i>(John Duigan, 1997) = 3/5</b></span></div>
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<span style="background-color: white; font-size: 16px; line-height: 24px;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">Despite strong chemistry between Rockwell and Barton, the film's offbeat vibe feels forced, and its frantic genre-hopping means it often struggles to be accessible. The film's poster features one critic's opinion that this is EDWARD SCISSORHANDS meets David Lynch, so I went into the film expecting that melange. I can definitely notice parallels to the former, but this is far from anything Lynchian.</span></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;"><span style="background-color: white; line-height: 24px;"><b>APRIL 17</b></span></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: x-large;"><b><i>Sideways </i>(Alexander Payne, 2004) = 5/5</b></span></div>
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<span style="background-color: white; font-size: 16px; line-height: 24px;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">Clueless about Cabernet? Perplexed by Pinot? Not in-the-know about Merlot? Wine is only the conduit for this film about the innate need for human attachment. The screenplay, by Alexander Payne and Jim Taylor, is one of the finest ever put to film. The characters are painfully real, thanks largely to affecting performances by Paul Giamatti, Thomas Haden Church, Virginia Madsen, and Sandra Oh, whose facial and body gestures say as much as their words. It's my 12th favourite film of all time!</span></span></div>
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<span style="background-color: white; line-height: 24px;"><span style="font-family: inherit; font-size: large;"><b>APRIL 19</b></span></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: x-large;"><b><i>Requiem for a Dream </i>(Darren Aronofsky, 2000) = 4.5/5</b></span></div>
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<span style="background-color: white;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="line-height: 24px;">A film about the murky depths of dependence. A chaotic concoction of phantasmagoric images. A dark tunnel with no exit. Ellen Burstyn gives one of the </span></span><span style="line-height: 24px;">greatest</span><span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="line-height: 24px;"> performances in the </span></span><span style="line-height: 24px;">history</span><span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="line-height: 24px;"> of cinema.</span></span></span></div>
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<span style="background-color: white;"><span style="font-family: inherit; font-size: large;"><span style="line-height: 24px;"><b>APRIL 20</b></span></span></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: x-large;"><b><i>But I'm a Cheerleader </i>(Jamie Babbit, 1999) = 3/5</b></span></div>
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<span style="background-color: white; font-size: 16px; line-height: 24px;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">It picks worthwhile subjects to satirise (heteronormativity, society's fixation with sex, gender roles), but its execution just feels too heavy-handed. Hasn't aged well. The costumes and sets almost blinded me.</span></span></div>
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<span style="background-color: white; line-height: 24px;"><span style="font-family: inherit; font-size: large;"><b>APRIL 21</b></span></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: x-large;"><b><i>Henry: Portrait of a Serial Killer </i>(John McNaughton, 1986) = 3.5/5</b></span></div>
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<span style="background-color: white; font-size: 16px; line-height: 24px;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">I've seen scarier films, but few films are as downright NASTY as this. This is a hobo's fingernails, mayonnaise left in the sun, maggots feasting on roadkill.</span></span></div>
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<span style="background-color: white; font-size: 16px; line-height: 24px;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">McNaughton does not condemn his depraved protagonist. He is too smart to resort to archetypes. Henry is a man that could live next door to you. Nothing in this film is gratuitous, and McNaughton sustains a constant atmosphere of dread.</span></span></div>
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<span style="background-color: white; line-height: 24px;"><span style="font-family: inherit; font-size: large;"><b>APRIL 22</b></span></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: x-large;"><b><i>Porky's </i>(Bob Clark, 1982) = 4/5</b></span></div>
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<span style="background-color: white; font-size: 16px; line-height: 24px;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">I'm going to be completely honest here. If you are not a male in your late teens or early 20s, there's a good chance you will not like this film. Few films have dared to be this lowbrow, but as a 21-year-old male (who went to an all-boys high school), something about these free-spirited characters getting into mischief struck a chord with me.</span></span></div>
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<span style="background-color: white; font-size: 16px; line-height: 24px;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">I have never been one to rebel against the rules. Call me a "goody two-shoes" type, if you will. Seeing this group of buddies engage in all sorts of boisterous antics was a form of escapism. Not only is it entertaining. It is very, very funny.</span></span></div>
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<span style="background-color: white; font-family: inherit;"><span style="font-size: 16px; line-height: 24px;">I would not like this film if it were made today. It was a product of its time and place, and it's no wonder it is so influential within the teen sex comedy subgenre. I guess I'm not surprised that I enjoyed </span><i style="font-size: 16px; line-height: 24px;">Porky's</i><span style="font-size: 16px; line-height: 24px;">. I'm just surprised I enjoyed it to this degree.</span></span></div>
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<span style="background-color: white; font-family: inherit; font-size: large;"><span style="line-height: 24px;"><b>APRIL 23</b></span></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: x-large;"><b><i>Lilja 4-Ever </i>(Lukas Moodysson, 2002) = 5/5</b></span></div>
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<span style="background-color: white; font-size: 16px; line-height: 24px;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">A terrifying film made scarier by the knowledge that things are even worse in reality. The suspense is incredible. We know things are going to take a disastrous turn, but it's difficult to predict when that turn will occur. Could seem nihilistic or life-affirming, depending on the angle from which you look at it. All I know is that I will sleep tonight feeling extremely grateful for my bed, my family, and my free will.</span></span></div>
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<span style="background-color: white; line-height: 24px;"><span style="font-family: inherit; font-size: large;"><b>APRIL 24</b></span></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: x-large;"><b><i>Clue </i>(Jonathan Lynn, 1985) = 3.5/5</b></span></div>
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<span style="background-color: white; font-size: 16px; line-height: 24px;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">Fast-paced with snappy dialogue which complements the film's frenzied chaos. Accessible despite its unusual source material; however, it becomes less enjoyable as it gets more convoluted.</span></span></div>
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<span style="background-color: white; line-height: 24px;"><span style="font-family: inherit; font-size: large;"><b>APRIL 26</b></span></span></div>
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<img height="280" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiZ-P-ElO1wfBwbz6h50UVhlgK3qGBQHZYWMQkzYRlH6hNwT6GVJYnaFdlJzOBrPZurb9sRMY-ITQVGM8dHHTzyEtt5E5D9CNNbfmnt8uflmYYO0VN9l6-qrmg0voZiAkwtmPdxHli4/s400/the-ring-samara.jpg" width="400" /></div>
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<span style="font-size: x-large;"><b><i>The Ring </i>(Gore Verbinski, 2002) = 3/5</b></span></div>
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<span style="background-color: white; font-size: 16px; line-height: 24px;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">I am yet to see the original, but this is a very stylish remake. Verbinski piles on layers of atmosphere, and the cinematography is brilliant. The scares are effective, too. While there are a few jump scares, the film doesn't rely on them to send chills down viewers' spines.</span></span></div>
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<span style="background-color: white; font-size: 16px; line-height: 24px;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">Despite these positives, I felt rather distanced from the characters, and didn't empathise with them as much as I would've liked. Also, the ending was too congested with detail which made it virtually unbelievable, even within the realm of a horror film with supernatural elements.</span></span></div>
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<span style="background-color: white; line-height: 24px;"><span style="font-family: inherit; font-size: large;"><b>APRIL 28</b></span></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: x-large;"><b><i>Pretty Persuasion </i>(Marcos Siega, 2005) = 3/5</b></span></div>
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<span style="background-color: white; font-size: 16px; line-height: 24px;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">One of the darker black comedies I've seen. Occasionally funny (I actually laughed out loud), but the film seems unsure of its satirical targets, and we as an audience feel unsure about when to laugh. It tries so hard to be "edgy", almost as though it lumps together your run-of-the-mill controversial themes and hopes an intelligent point emerges.</span></span></div>
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<span style="background-color: white; font-size: 16px; line-height: 24px;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">Evan Rachel Wood deserves praise, though. She pulls off this conniving, downright bitchy protagonist so assuredly. I also found Danny Comden incredibly funny. He has an impeccable sense of comic timing.</span></span></div>
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<span style="background-color: white; line-height: 24px;"><span style="font-family: inherit; font-size: large;"><b>APRIL 30</b></span></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: x-large;"><b><i>The Grand Budapest Hotel </i>(Wes Anderson, 2014) = 4.5/5</b></span></div>
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<span style="background-color: white; font-family: inherit;"><span style="font-size: 16px; line-height: 24px;">I have a well-documented love/hate relationship with Wes Anderson. Before today, I had only seen four of his films.</span><i style="font-size: 16px; line-height: 24px;">Rushmore</i><span style="font-size: 16px; line-height: 24px;"> charmed me, and </span><i style="font-size: 16px; line-height: 24px;">Moonrise Kingdom</i><span style="font-size: 16px; line-height: 24px;"> was absolutely captivating. On the other hand, I thought </span><i style="font-size: 16px; line-height: 24px;">The Royal Tenenbaums</i><span style="font-size: 16px; line-height: 24px;">was incredibly pretentious, and I found it extremely difficult to become emotionally involved in </span><i style="font-size: 16px; line-height: 24px;">The Darjeeling Limited</i><span style="font-size: 16px; line-height: 24px;">.</span></span></div>
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<span style="background-color: white; font-family: inherit;"><span style="font-size: 16px; line-height: 24px;">Going into </span><i style="font-size: 16px; line-height: 24px;">The Grand Budapest Hotel</i><span style="font-size: 16px; line-height: 24px;">, I declared that this would be the film to solidify my stance once and for all. I had heard people say this is the most 'Andersonian' Wes Anderson film, so I figured that to dislike this would be to dislike everything the man stands for as a filmmaker.</span></span></div>
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<span style="background-color: white; font-size: 16px; line-height: 24px;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">But you know what? I absolutely loved it! Perhaps the most remarkable aspect of the film is its snappy pacing. It's an incredibly tight film, where each scene feels essential to the one that preceded it. Unlike some other Anderson films where events seem to 'befall' characters, the characters in this film drive the story with great gusto.</span></span></div>
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<span style="background-color: white; font-family: inherit;"><span style="font-size: 16px; line-height: 24px;">In the past, I have criticised Anderson's choices in creating a sense of time and place. One of the reasons </span><i style="font-size: 16px; line-height: 24px;">The Royal Tenenbaums</i><span style="font-size: 16px; line-height: 24px;"> doesn't work for me is that it feels like the Tenenbaum family exists in their own private universe, extricated from humanity. But they live on planet Earth, which is why it's concerning that I felt so distanced from them.</span></span></div>
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<span style="background-color: white; font-size: 16px; line-height: 24px;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">Wes succeeds in the way he builds a convincing mythology around the goings-on inside the Grand Budapest Hotel while convincing the audience that a world exists outside of it (even if the Republic of Zubrowka is fictional). Even in its most preposterous moments, the events are still believable within the realm of Anderson's universe.</span></span></div>
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<span style="background-color: white; font-size: 16px; line-height: 24px;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">They're believable because the characters are so much easier to relate to than the Anderson caricatures of old. This quirky cineaste deserves praise for embellishing his existing tropes while expanding his scope in storytelling.</span></span></div>
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<span style="background-color: white; font-family: inherit;"><i style="font-size: 16px; line-height: 24px;">The Grand Budapest Hotel</i><span style="font-size: 16px; line-height: 24px;"> is the warmest, most human Wes Anderson picture to date, and after sitting on the fence for so long, I am no longer hesitant to call myself a fan.</span></span></div>
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<span style="background-color: white; font-family: inherit;"><span style="font-size: 16px; line-height: 24px;"><b>In Summary - The Must-See Films (4.5 or 5 Stars)</b></span></span></div>
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<span style="background-color: white; font-family: inherit;"><span style="font-size: 16px; line-height: 24px;"><i>* Akeelah and the Bee</i></span></span></div>
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<span style="background-color: white; font-family: inherit;"><span style="font-size: 16px; line-height: 24px;"><i>* The Way, Way Back</i></span></span></div>
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<span style="background-color: white; font-family: inherit;"><span style="font-size: 16px; line-height: 24px;"><i>* Mulholland Drive</i></span></span></div>
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<span style="background-color: white; font-family: inherit;"><span style="font-size: 16px; line-height: 24px;"><i>* 12 Angry Men</i></span></span></div>
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<span style="background-color: white; font-family: inherit;"><span style="font-size: 16px; line-height: 24px;"><i>* Sideways</i></span></span></div>
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<span style="background-color: white; font-family: inherit;"><span style="font-size: 16px; line-height: 24px;"><i>* Requiem for a Dream</i></span></span></div>
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<span style="background-color: white; font-family: inherit;"><span style="font-size: 16px; line-height: 24px;"><i>* Lilja 4-Ever</i></span></span></div>
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<span style="background-color: white;"><i><span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="line-height: 24px;">* The Grand </span></span><span style="line-height: 24px;">Budapest</span><span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="line-height: 24px;"> Hotel</span></span></i></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;"><b> </b></span></div>
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<b><span style="font-size: large;"> </span></b></div>
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Steven Savonahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16693973010579672698noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8791982508956006238.post-49870941733351785952014-04-02T16:02:00.001+11:002014-04-02T20:51:18.986+11:00March 2014 Film Wrap-Up<div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-size: large;"><b>MARCH 2</b></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: x-large;"><b><i>In the House </i>(</b></span><span class="itemprop" itemprop="name"><span style="font-size: x-large;"><b>François Ozon, 2012) = 4/5</b></span></span></div>
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<span style="background-color: white; line-height: 24px;">When a student recounts in impeccable detail what he did on the weekend, his French teacher becomes deeply invested in his every move.</span><span style="background-color: white; line-height: 24px;"> This is a t</span><span style="background-color: white; line-height: 24px;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">horoughly absorbing film with a deliciously dark sense of humour. It derails towards the end by becoming excessively self-aware.</span></span></div>
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<span style="background-color: white; line-height: 24px;"><span style="font-family: inherit; font-size: large;"><b>MARCH 6</b></span></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: x-large;"><b><i>The Darjeeling Limited </i>(Wes Anderson, 2007) = 2.5/5</b></span></div>
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<span style="background-color: white; font-size: 16px; line-height: 24px;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">It moves from one contrived scene to the next. It's not funny enough to be a comedy, nor is it earnest enough to be a drama. Of course, it looks spectacular...but it's Wes Anderson so that's a given.</span></span></div>
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<span style="background-color: white; font-size: 16px; line-height: 24px;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">I've decided that Anderson is officially the director who frustrates me the most. He is an intelligent man who understands cinema. He frames his shots in visually exciting ways.</span></span></div>
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<span style="background-color: white; font-size: 16px; line-height: 24px;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">However, when it comes to the stories he tells, I feel that he makes films for himself more than anyone else. Inviting empathy from audiences isn't his forte. When I watched The Royal Tenenbaums, I could not stop thinking, "Why should I care?" The same question plagued me throughout The Darjeeling Limited. Here, the three brothers are on a journey to see their mother. This matters to THEM, but as a viewer, I didn't see their mother until very late in the film. How am I supposed to care about their journey if I don't care for the person they're going to see?</span></span></div>
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<span style="background-color: white; font-size: 16px; line-height: 24px;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">Essentially, the events of this film are ephemeral. They exist merely to move the plot along. Nothing from this film is going to stay with me. Even a major scene of tragedy did not shake me because its inclusion felt so forced.</span></span></div>
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<span style="background-color: white; font-size: 16px; line-height: 24px;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">As for the characters, they became obnoxious as the film progressed, and they felt like an amalgamation rather than individuals with their own agency.</span></span></div>
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<span style="background-color: white; font-size: 16px; line-height: 24px;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">Oh Wes, how I wish you'd focused less on aesthetics and more on a story I care about...something I could experience rather than watch.</span></span></div>
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<span style="background-color: white; line-height: 24px;"><span style="font-family: inherit; font-size: large;"><b>MARCH 7</b></span></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: x-large;"><b><i>United 93 </i>(<span style="font-family: inherit;">Paul Greengrass, 2006) = 4.5/5</span></b></span></div>
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<span style="background-color: white; font-size: 16px; line-height: 24px;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">This is scarier than any horror film I have ever seen. It is written and directed with tremendous respect for its subjects. By casting unknown actors as the passengers and crew, the tragedy feels a lot closer to home. Greengrass does not paint the terrorists as cartoonishly evil, which indicates his immense trust in the audience's maturity. The film is impeccably edited and the use of handheld cameras makes the action feel very immediate. It is an important film that will stay with me forever.</span></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;"><span style="background-color: white; line-height: 24px;"><b>MARCH 10</b></span></span><br />
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<span style="font-size: x-large;"><b><i>Prince Avalanche </i>(David Gordon Green, 2013) = 3.5/5</b></span></div>
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<span style="background-color: white; font-size: 16px; line-height: 24px;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">The only other David Gordon Green films I've seen are <i>All the Real Girls </i>and <i>Snow Angels</i>. I thoroughly enjoyed both, and <i>Prince Avalanche </i>adds yet another success to his filmography. Its earthy colour palette hit the spot like a mug of warm cocoa. It is a poignant film about isolation and human kindness.</span></span></div>
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<span style="background-color: white; line-height: 24px;"><span style="font-family: inherit; font-size: large;"><b>MARCH 11</b></span></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: x-large;"><b><i>The Night of the Hunter </i>(Charles Laughton, 1955) = 3/5</b></span></div>
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<span style="background-color: white; font-size: 16px; line-height: 24px;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">Ahead of its time with a menacing performance from Mitchum. Alas, it just isn't suspenseful enough. I can understand how a 1955 audience would have been shaken by it, but I was very underwhelmed and even bored.</span></span></div>
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<span style="background-color: white; line-height: 24px;"><span style="font-family: inherit; font-size: large;"><b>MARCH 12</b></span></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: x-large;"><b><i>The Vicious Kind </i>(Lee Toland Krieger, 2009) = 4/5</b></span></div>
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<span style="background-color: white; font-size: 16px; line-height: 24px;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">This gripping drama is incredibly intense at times, but it's also imbued with a wry sense of humour. Adam Scott gives a powerhouse performance—a far cry from the nerdy Ben Wyatt of Parks and Recreation. Despite its dark themes, I believe this film will have wide appeal because it grapples with the tribulations we all deal with in our personal lives. We are creatures of regret. We do things that hurt us for inexplicable reasons, and we all have skeletons dangling in our closets. All of the characters here are in a constant state of flux, which makes for compelling viewing. I was admittedly surprised by how good it was, and I think it's fair to say that Lee Toland Krieger is one of the most promising directors of this generation.</span></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;"><span style="background-color: white; line-height: 24px;"><b>MARCH 14</b></span></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: x-large;"><b><i>The White Ribbon </i>(Michael Haneke, 2009) = 4/5</b></span></div>
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<span style="background-color: white; font-size: 16px; line-height: 24px;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">It occasionally meanders and the ambiguous ending is a little unsatisfying, but the film's impeccable cinematography creates a vivid sense of time and place. The dialogue is also rather compelling, drawing us into a tangled web of evil.</span></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;"><span style="background-color: white; line-height: 24px;"><b>MARCH 15</b></span></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: x-large;"><b><i>When Harry Met Sally... </i>(Rob Reiner, 1989) = 4/5</b></span></div>
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<span style="background-color: white; font-family: inherit; line-height: 24px;">"</span><span style="background-color: white;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="line-height: 19.200000762939453px;">Men and women can't be friends because the sex part always gets in the way." Thus declares Harry Burns (Billy Crystal) to his </span></span><span style="line-height: 19.200000762939453px;">acquaintance</span><span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="line-height: 19.200000762939453px;"> Sally Albright early on in the film. It's a statement everyone has given some thought to at some stage in their life, and the film dissects it very thoughtfully. This is a</span></span></span><span style="background-color: white; font-family: inherit; font-size: 16px; line-height: 24px;"> seminal romcom that is funny, perceptive, and subtly touching. Even at its most clichéd points, it doesn't lose its charm.</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: white; font-family: inherit; line-height: 24px;"><span style="font-size: large;"><b>MARCH 16</b></span></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: x-large;"><b><i>Primal Fear </i>(Gregory Hoblit, 1996) = 3.5/5</b></span></div>
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<span style="background-color: white; font-size: 16px; line-height: 24px;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">It pulled the rug out from under my feet a few times, and Edward Norton gives one hell of a debut performance. Unfortunately, its story is let down by nondescript direction. It didn't always hold my attention because it felt as though director Hoblit (who directed crime fiction TV shows before this) was going through the motions behind the camera.</span></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;"><span style="background-color: white; line-height: 24px;"><b>MARCH 17</b></span></span></div>
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<img src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhCCo2U_JkP1oBDU3TuD5kFZtZaxM29PfkeXq0OwVlwTj3X-McTc4j_GIiULet-oa4FZEs8hnlQqfc8xKxgPqscb69hgp5jCH22jFzA2VzJ0tmsFHOXvTcj_tWHfClmQKWMHYKU-nPATtM/s400/One+Flew+Over+the+Cuckoo's+Nest+12.jpg" height="231" width="400" /></div>
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<span style="font-size: x-large;"><b><i>One Flew Over the Cuckoo's Nest </i>(</b></span><b><span style="font-size: x-large;">Miloš Forman, 1975) = 4/5</span></b></div>
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<span style="background-color: white; font-size: 16px; line-height: 24px;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">I had the privilege of watching this on the big screen last month. I've rated it half-a-star higher than I did after my first viewing (which I was too young to appreciate, anyway).</span></span></div>
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<span style="background-color: white; font-size: 16px; line-height: 24px;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">It's still not among the greatest films I have ever seen, and my main problem is that I don't think it required all of its 133 minutes. Nonetheless, it is a powerful piece of cinema which makes us genuinely care about the fates of its characters. Its main strength is its screenplay. The film can go from funny to affecting in a matter of seconds in a way that many screenwriters would envy. Not everyone would love this film, but I imagine very few would hate it. It is timeless.</span></span></div>
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<span style="background-color: white; line-height: 24px;"><span style="font-family: inherit; font-size: large;"><b>MARCH 22</b></span></span><br />
<span style="background-color: white; line-height: 24px;"><img height="225" src="http://images.smh.com.au/2013/06/09/4476051/WadjdaAW-620x349.jpg" width="400" /></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: x-large;"><b><i>Wadjda </i>(</b></span><b><span style="font-size: x-large;">Haifaa al-Mansour, 2012) = 4/5</span></b></div>
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<span style="background-color: white; font-size: 16px; line-height: 24px;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">It's a sweet, quiet film that excels through simple direction. A triumph for Saudi Arabia that should not be ignored, considering it's the first ever feature film shot entirely in that country, and the first feature film made by a female Saudi director.</span></span></div>
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<span style="background-color: white; line-height: 24px;"><span style="font-family: inherit; font-size: large;"><b>MARCH 27</b></span></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: x-large;"><b><i>Clerks. </i>(Kevin Smith, 1994) = 4/5</b></span></div>
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<span style="background-color: white; line-height: 24px;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">The mundane becomes so watchable. We hang on every word spoken by these characters whose existential crises are very relatable. With a budget of only<span style="font-family: inherit;"> </span></span></span><span style="font-family: inherit;"><a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/United_States_dollar" style="background-color: white; background-image: none; line-height: 19.200000762939453px; text-decoration: none;" title="United States dollar"><span style="color: black;">$</span></a><span style="background-color: white; line-height: 19.200000762939453px;">27,575, i</span><span style="background-color: white; line-height: 24px;">t's</span></span><span style="background-color: white; font-family: inherit; font-size: 16px; line-height: 24px;"> a testament to how you don't need extravagant production values to connect with audiences or to hold a viewer's interest. </span></div>
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<span style="background-color: white; font-family: inherit; line-height: 24px;"><span style="font-size: large;"><b>MARCH 31</b></span></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: x-large;"><b><i>Thank You for Smoking </i>(Jason Reitman, 2005) = 4/5</b></span></div>
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<span style="background-color: white; font-size: 16px; line-height: 24px;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">A sharp, biting satire featuring a smarmy though likeable protagonist (Aaron Eckhart). Structurally flawed, but still very worthwhile.</span></span></div>
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<span style="background-color: white; line-height: 24px;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><b>In Summary - The Must-See Films (4.5 or 5 Stars)</b></span></span></div>
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<span style="background-color: white; line-height: 24px;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">* <i>United 93</i></span></span></div>
Steven Savonahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16693973010579672698noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8791982508956006238.post-92010651552890441702014-03-04T16:39:00.000+11:002014-03-04T19:05:10.936+11:00February 2014 Film Wrap-Up<div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-size: large;"><b>FEBRUARY 2</b></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;"><b><img class="irc_mut" src="http://cf2.imgobject.com/t/p/original/f97nM5jBT4QsyELGbfOq8OyvDer.jpg" height="225" id="irc_mi" style="margin-top: 0px;" width="400" /> </b></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;"><b><span style="font-size: x-large;"><i>Bill & Ted's Excellent Adventure </i>(Stephen Herek, 1989) = 1.5/5</span></b></span></div>
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You mean <i>Bill & Ted's Cringeworthy Adventure</i>? This is not so much a film as it is a series of unfunny, outdated vignettes. This is so light it doesn't even cast a shadow. The overuse of words such as <i>dude </i>and <i>excellent </i>just killed me. This appears to be a hybrid of <i>Back to the Future </i>and <i>Wayne's World</i>, but unfortunately it isn't half as good as either of those films. I don't understand why the movie has a cult following.<br />
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<span style="font-size: large;"><b>FEBRUARY 3</b></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: x-large;"><b><i>Jack Goes Boating </i>(Philip Seymour Hoffman, 2010) = 3.5/5</b></span></div>
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<span style="background-color: white; font-size: 16px; line-height: 24px;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">Philip Seymour Hoffman's sole directorial effort is a quiet film that may not stay in your memory, but will certainly not disappoint. Its treatment of human relationships is incredibly mature, and the film just looks fantastic. This film convinced me that we didn't just lose a great actor in Mr. Hoffman, but a great director, too. It's extremely sad that he'll never be able to expand on this respectable work. Vale, you wonderful man.</span></span></div>
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<span style="background-color: white; line-height: 24px;"><span style="font-family: inherit; font-size: large;"><b>FEBRUARY 4</b></span></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: x-large;"><b><i>Monster </i>(Patty Jenkins, 2003) = 4.5/5</b></span></div>
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<span style="background-color: white; font-size: 16px; line-height: 24px;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">A brutal, immensely absorbing film that wants us to understand its protagonist and wisely avoids painting her as a caricature of evil. Jenkins respects the audience and their prudence to make a judgement about the events portrayed. Theron gives the performance of her life, surrendering every ounce of her being to make Aileen Wuornos uncomfortably real.</span></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;"><span style="background-color: white; line-height: 24px;"><b>FEBRUARY 5</b></span></span><br />
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<span style="font-size: x-large;"><b><i>Monsieur Lazhar </i>(</b></span><span class="itemprop" itemprop="name"><b><span style="font-size: x-large;">Philippe Falardeau, 2011) = 4/5</span></b></span></div>
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<span style="background-color: white; font-size: 16px; line-height: 24px;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">The film's simple structure and natural dialogue is what makes it so compelling. A quiet exploration of the politics of grief. I've always loved films set primarily in schools, especially character studies of teachers. The overlap between a teacher's personal and professional life always makes for compelling viewing. I think this stems from my own curiosities when I was a high school student. I would always wonder what each teacher goes home to, and what private mental preoccupations they would bring to school each morning. </span></span><br />
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<span style="background-color: white; font-size: 16px; line-height: 24px;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="font-size: large;"><b>FEBRUARY 6</b></span></span></span></div>
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<img class="irc_mut" src="http://www.riverbank.ie/files/images/500%20Days%20of%20Summer%202_0.jpg" height="266" id="irc_mi" style="margin-top: 0px;" width="400" /> </div>
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<span style="font-size: x-large;"><i><b>(500) Days of Summer </b></i><b>(Marc Webb, 2009) = 4/5</b></span><br />
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<span style="background-color: white; font-size: 16px; line-height: 24px;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">This was my second viewing, and I upped my rating by half a star. I first watched the film when I was in high school, and I thought it was good without being great. I liked its atmosphere and it appealed to my pathos in a beautiful way, but I was annoyed by its forced quirkiness and self-indulgence.</span></span></div>
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<span style="background-color: white; font-size: 16px; line-height: 24px;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">I felt compelled to rewatch this because, over the past year, I've fallen for a girl who is very much like Summer in this film. She doesn't love me back. I mean, I haven't told her how I feel, but if the feeling was mutual, something would have happened by now. I expected to win this girl over because we share some interests, but like this film argues, romanticising trivial commonalities and coincidences is not healthy.</span></span></div>
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<span style="background-color: white; font-size: 16px; line-height: 24px;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">My personal experience allowed me to enjoy this film a whole lot more this time. Scenes that I first thought pretentious are ones I now find endearing and moving. I'm still not a big fan of the ending, but where it counts, this film treats love for what it really is: the cause of and solution to all of life's problems.</span></span></div>
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<span style="background-color: white; line-height: 24px;"><span style="font-family: inherit; font-size: large;"><b>FEBRUARY 7</b></span></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: x-large;"><b><i>Vanilla Sky </i>(Cameron Crowe, 2001) = 4.5/5</b></span></div>
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<span style="background-color: white; font-size: 16px; line-height: 24px;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">A rare film where incomprehensibility is a virtue. It's a profound viewing experience with a myriad of layers. We have several genres at play here: fantasy, mystery, romance, drama, sci-fi, and thriller (with a dash of comedy). What's remarkable is how Crowe doesn't adhere to strict genre conventions, allowing the characters to revel in a haunting odyssey that is never over until the end credits roll.</span></span><br />
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<span style="background-color: white; line-height: 24px;"><span style="font-family: inherit; font-size: large;"><b>FEBRUARY 9</b></span></span></div>
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<b><span style="font-size: x-large;"><i>Back to the Future Part II </i>(Robert Zemeckis, 1989) = 3.5/5</span></b></div>
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It's n<span style="background-color: white;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="line-height: 24px;">ot as emotionally involving as the first, and it's too convoluted to truly love, but it's still a fun flick with captivating special effects. Remember that I'm still fairly new to the </span></span><i style="font-family: inherit; font-size: 16px; line-height: 24px;">BTTF </i><span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="line-height: 24px;">films. I LOVED the first film, and I am yet to watch the third and final </span></span><span style="line-height: 24px;">instalment</span><span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="line-height: 24px;">. </span></span></span></div>
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<span style="background-color: white;"><span style="font-family: inherit; font-size: large;"><span style="line-height: 24px;"><b>FEBRUARY 10</b></span></span></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: x-large;"><b><i>Empire Records </i>(Allan Moyle, 1995) = 3/5</b></span></div>
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<span style="background-color: white; font-size: 16px; line-height: 24px;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">I may not remember it in a month, but for 90 minutes, I was entertained. Good-spirited with likeable characters and a killer soundtrack.</span></span></div>
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<span style="background-color: white; line-height: 24px;"><span style="font-family: inherit; font-size: large;"><b>FEBRUARY 12</b></span></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: x-large;"><b><i>Kiss Kiss Bang Bang </i>(Shane Black, 2005) = 4/5</b></span><br />
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<span style="background-color: white;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="line-height: 24px;">This is a delightful concoction of genres that strikes a perfect balance between comedy and thrills. Robert Downey, Jr. is in top form, and his </span></span><span style="line-height: 24px;">chemistry</span><span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="line-height: 24px;"> with Val Kilmer is just delightful. As you </span></span><span style="line-height: 24px;">would</span><span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="line-height: 24px;"> know, I very rarely watch action films. I did not mind the action </span></span><span style="line-height: 24px;">sequences</span><span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="line-height: 24px;"> in this film </span></span><span style="line-height: 24px;">because</span><span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="line-height: 24px;"> I was </span></span></span><span style="background-color: white;"><span style="line-height: 24px;">deeply invested in the characters caught in the middle of them, and</span></span><span style="background-color: white;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="line-height: 24px;"> </span></span><span style="line-height: 24px;">thoroughly</span><span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="line-height: 24px;"> engrossed in the story.</span></span></span></div>
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<span style="background-color: white;"><span style="font-family: inherit; font-size: large;"><span style="line-height: 24px;"><b>FEBRUARY 13</b></span></span></span></div>
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<img src="http://blog.wallstreetsurvivor.com/wp-content/uploads/264929566c350582540227b42a9e6626.jpg" height="225" width="400" /></div>
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<span style="font-size: x-large;"><b><i>The Wolf of Wall Street </i>(Martin Scorsese, 2013) = 5/5</b></span></div>
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<span style="background-color: white;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="line-height: 24px;">I was </span></span><span style="line-height: 24px;">surprised</span><span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="line-height: 24px;"> by how much I loved this. The film revels in excess but somehow it never felt gratuitous to me. The characterisation of Belfort is ingenious. We hate the character but DiCaprio pours so much energy into the role that we inevitably see the world through his eyes. Scorsese's direction is impeccable, and unlike others, I don't think the running time is too lengthy. Like all great black comedies, it makes you feel guilty for finding it hilarious. Most of all, I was surprised at the tinge of sadness it carried throughout. Watching this megalomaniac cruise through life with all these delusions...it's so miserable to watch. </span></span></span></div>
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<span style="background-color: white;"><span style="font-family: inherit; font-size: large;"><span style="line-height: 24px;"><b>FEBRUARY 14</b></span></span></span></div>
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<img src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgQC3K0pRp-q3JFNKqcENfvOZjv4UBgsbqUKBmxrAfUXOIwy1SoTPDyZrG50U6aQjBQ8p-EGKJaV-NzCalAZMy7rNPhWfiMEqnAGMcfWX1jVT03B_eEwppwUN3accEYliUxRdiMMshMk2d4/s400/Deep_Red_1975_DC_1080p_BluRay_x264-CiNEFiLE_mkv_snapshot_00_21_35_%5B2011_01_06_04_16_54%5D.jpg" height="170" width="400" /></div>
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<span style="font-size: x-large;"><b><i>Deep Red </i>(Dario Argento, 1975) = 3.5/5</b></span></div>
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<span style="background-color: white; font-size: 16px; line-height: 24px;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">As with other giallo films, it is tough to penetrate. However, the script is surprisingly coherent. As expected, it was beautifully shot with a hypnotic score by Goblin. This was only my second Argento film, following <i>Suspiria</i>. As </span></span><span style="background-color: white; font-size: 16px; line-height: 24px;">a major horror enthusiast, </span><span style="background-color: white; font-family: inherit; font-size: 16px; line-height: 24px;">I want to </span><i style="background-color: white; font-family: inherit; font-size: 16px; line-height: 24px;">love </i><span style="background-color: white; font-family: inherit; font-size: 16px; line-height: 24px;">his films so badly. Unfortunately, the best I can do is </span><i style="background-color: white; font-family: inherit; font-size: 16px; line-height: 24px;">like </i><span style="background-color: white; font-family: inherit; font-size: 16px; line-height: 24px;">them.</span><br />
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<span style="background-color: white; font-family: inherit; font-size: large; line-height: 24px;"><b>FEBRUARY 15</b></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: x-large;"><b><i>The Goonies </i>(Richard Donner, 1985) = 3.5/5</b></span></div>
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<span style="background-color: white; font-size: 16px; line-height: 24px;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">It hasn't aged terribly well, and maybe I'd need to be a child of the 80s to truly love it, but it made me feel like a kid again. For an adventure film that doesn't cover *that* much distance, it felt like quite a journey.</span></span></div>
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<span style="background-color: white; line-height: 24px;"><span style="font-family: inherit; font-size: large;"><b>FEBRUARY 16</b></span></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: x-large;"><b><i>Chasing Amy </i>(Kevin Smith, 1997) = 4.5/5</b></span></div>
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<span style="background-color: white;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="line-height: 24px;">An entertaining and touching film exploring the intricacies of love, attraction and friendship. Unlike many films about messy relationships, it argues that we can learn from our mistakes rather than let them destroy us. Ben Affleck and Joey Lauren Adams are painfully convincing in their roles, and </span></span><span style="line-height: 24px;">Jason</span><span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="line-height: 24px;"> Lee is side-splittingly </span></span><span style="line-height: 24px;">hilarious</span><span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="line-height: 24px;"> </span></span><span style="line-height: 24px;">whenever</span><span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="line-height: 24px;"> he opens his mouth.</span></span></span></div>
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<span style="background-color: white;"><span style="font-family: inherit; font-size: large;"><span style="line-height: 24px;"><b>FEBRUARY 18</b></span></span></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: x-large;"><b><i>12 Years a Slave </i>(Steve McQueen, 2013) = 4.5/5</b></span></div>
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<span style="background-color: white;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="line-height: 24px;">This may be McQueen's most conventional film to date. I definitely found </span></span><i style="font-family: inherit; font-size: 16px; line-height: 24px;">Hunger </i><span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="line-height: 24px;">and <i>S</i></span></span><i><span style="line-height: 24px;">hame</span><span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="line-height: 24px;"> </span></span></i><span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="line-height: 24px;">to be more </span></span><span style="line-height: 24px;">rewarding as viewing experiences</span><span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="line-height: 24px;">. However, the man's talent behind a camera cannot be denied. Watching this film is a visceral, uncomfortable experience. But you have to think about why it makes you uncomfortable, and then count your blessings. I'm definitely not </span></span><span style="line-height: 24px;">complaining</span><span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="line-height: 24px;"> about its Best Picture win at this year's Oscars. </span></span></span></div>
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<span style="background-color: white;"><span style="font-family: inherit; font-size: large;"><span style="line-height: 24px;"><b>FEBRUARY 20</b></span></span></span></div>
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<span style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-size: x-large;"><b><i>Halloween</i></b></span></span><span style="font-size: x-large;"><b><i> III: Season of the Witch </i>(Tommy Lee Wallace, 1982) = 0.5/5</b></span></div>
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<span style="background-color: white;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="line-height: 24px;">Not only is it not scary, but it doesn't even have the decency to be campy fun. If not for its title, I wouldn't have the slightest clue this belonged to the Halloween franchise. I </span></span><i><span style="line-height: 24px;">knew</span><span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="line-height: 24px;"> </span></span></i><span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="line-height: 24px;">Michael </span></span><span style="line-height: 24px;">Myers</span><span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="line-height: 24px;"> wasn't in it, but I still wasn't prepared for how bad it would be. It's essentially a sci-fi film, with some moments of [attempted] suspense that lend it the atmosphere of a </span></span><span style="line-height: 24px;">horror</span><span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="line-height: 24px;"> film. Unspeakably weird. Such a mess. If you get any trick-or-treaters, you would have to be one mean bastard to give them this movie instead of candy.</span></span></span></div>
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<span style="background-color: white;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="line-height: 24px;"><span style="font-size: large;"><b>FEBRUARY 21</b></span></span></span></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: x-large;"><b><i>Drinking Buddies </i>(Joe Swanberg, 2013) = 4/5</b></span></div>
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I went to the Golden Age Cinema at Surry Hills one Friday night last month. I had never been there before, and I originally intended to see this film back-to-back with David Lynch's <i>Mulholland Drive</i>. Due to some circumstances, I could only watch <i>Drinking Buddies</i>, which was first on the schedule. I wasn't expecting a lot from it, and I was mainly interested in the film because it stars Anna Kendrick, my number one celebrity crush. </div>
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<span style="background-color: white; font-size: 16px; line-height: 24px;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">Oh man, don't let the generic poster fool you! This film is a treat. Each character feels painfully real, and we switch our allegiances multiple times throughout the film because no one is perfect. It is directed with an intimacy that makes the viewer feel like an eavesdropper. I laughed a lot, and although I think it was capable of a better ending, I left the cinema feeling warm inside. This is a picture John Cassavetes would've been proud of.</span></span></div>
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<span style="background-color: white; font-size: 16px; line-height: 24px;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">In retrospect, I'm glad I didn't watch <i>Mulholland Drive </i>afterwards. I wouldn't be able to focus on it because <i>Drinking Buddies </i>had such a profound impact on me. I thought about it for days afterwards, and I was <i>oh so close </i>to upping my rating to 4.5. Alas, I have decided I am comfortable with my 4. However, this film is a reminder that a film's true worth lies not in its star rating, but in the way it nestles in your heart, mind and soul once it is over. Please make an effort to see this one.</span></span></div>
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<span style="background-color: white; line-height: 24px;"><span style="font-family: inherit; font-size: large;"><b>FEBRUARY 23</b></span></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: x-large;"><b><i>Don Jon </i>(Joseph Gordon-Levitt, 2013) = 3/5</b></span></div>
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<span style="background-color: white; font-size: 16px; line-height: 24px;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">I admire its stylistic choices, but its characters just aren't enigmatic enough and border on archetypal. The shift from comedic scenes to dramatic scenes was too heavy-handed, and the pacing was a bit awkward. I just think it needed a longer runtime to flesh out its story. Like a pornographic video, it leaves you feeling mildly satisfied but ultimately with a craving for something more fulfilling. That said, I am very intrigued to see Gordon-Levitt grow as a director. There's enough promise here to suggest he'll make some great films in the future.</span></span></div>
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<span style="background-color: white; line-height: 24px;"><span style="font-family: inherit; font-size: large;"><b>FEBRUARY 26</b></span></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: x-large;"><b><i>Martha Marcy May Marlene </i>(Sean Durkin, 2011) = 3.5/5</b></span></div>
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<span style="background-color: white;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="line-height: 24px;">It deserves praise for never surrendering its unsettling atmosphere, but structurally, it gets a little boring. It wants so badly to be a mood piece, but it winds up feeling repetitive. The ambiguity felt so forced in the final act. Its main strength is the chilling performance by Elizabeth Olsen.</span></span></span></div>
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<span style="background-color: white;"><span style="font-family: inherit; font-size: large;"><span style="line-height: 24px;"><b>FEBRUARY 27</b></span></span></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: x-large;"><b><i>Risky Business </i>(Paul Brickman, 1983) = 3/5</b></span></div>
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<span style="background-color: white; font-size: 16px; line-height: 24px;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">There are some great individual scenes, but it hasn't aged well and there's nothing to cling to, emotionally. It's a testosterone-fuelled fantasy. </span></span></div>
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<span style="background-color: white; line-height: 24px;"><span style="font-family: inherit; font-size: large;"><b>FEBRUARY 28</b></span></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: x-large;"><b><i>Nebraska </i>(Alexander Payne, 2013) = 5/5</b></span></div>
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<span style="background-color: white; font-size: 16px; line-height: 24px;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">This film confirms that Alexander Payne is still one of the greatest directors working today. His films are like comfort food—slices of freshly-baked apple pie with a side of ice cream. <i>Nebraska</i> engrossed me from start to finish without any extravagant gimmicks. We embark on the journey with as much curiosity as the film's protagonist. It is touching without being emotionally manipulative, and funny without resorting to obvious gags. It is a picture made with genuine human warmth, and you owe it to yourself to see it.</span></span></div>
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<span style="background-color: white; font-size: 16px; line-height: 24px;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><b>In Summary - The Must-See Films (4.5 or 5 Stars)</b></span></span></div>
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<span style="background-color: white; font-size: 16px; line-height: 24px;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><i>* Monster</i></span></span></div>
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<span style="background-color: white; font-size: 16px; line-height: 24px;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><i>* Vanilla Sky</i></span></span></div>
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<span style="background-color: white; font-size: 16px; line-height: 24px;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><i>* The Wolf of Wall Street</i></span></span></div>
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<span style="background-color: white; font-size: 16px; line-height: 24px;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><i>* Chasing Amy</i></span></span></div>
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<span style="background-color: white; font-size: 16px; line-height: 24px;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><i>* 12 Years a Slave</i></span></span></div>
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<span style="background-color: white; font-size: 16px; line-height: 24px;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><i>* Nebraska</i></span></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"> <span style="background-color: white;"></span></span></span>Steven Savonahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16693973010579672698noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8791982508956006238.post-40137541903559418922014-02-27T18:04:00.002+11:002014-02-27T18:04:26.693+11:005 Perfectly Innocent Things That Scare Me for Ridiculous ReasonsFirst of all, I realise this post is incredibly soft and it makes me ashamed to say I studied journalism at university. A lot has been going on in my personal life as of late, and as a result, I have lost my morale to write serious pieces. I thought I'd write something very casual to ease back into writing. That said, I will not slacken off in regards to my writing quality. The topic may be garbage, but I hope my flair shines through.<br />
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I am scared of death because I imagine it will be eternal nothingness. Cockroaches scare me because they fly. Heights don't always scare me, but when they do, it's because I'm picturing myself plummeting to my death, and now we're back at square one. Death, cockroaches, and heights: many people would list these among their top fears. But then there are other things that give me the creeps—things that would not affect the average person. It would take intensive Freudian psychoanalysis to discover why I find these things scary. I should note that these things do not impact me in the same way my major, aforementioned fears do. My major fears usually elicit a physiological response from me. Thinking about death literally makes me shudder, and seeing a cockroach on the ceiling of my room makes me break out in a sweat. My obscure fears, on the other hand, just make me feel general unease. If you share any of these "fears", let me know, and we can start a support group or something.<br />
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<span style="font-size: x-large;"><b>5. Confession Booths</b></span><br />
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When I was seven years old, I had to have my Sacrament of Reconciliation. That was just one of the things I had to do as a student at a Catholic school. At that age, I had no idea confession booths even existed, and my Reconciliation was a face-to-face interaction with a priest. It went smoothly. Eventually, I began watching American movies that contained confession scenes, and I noticed they all took place in this dark booth. The idea of it terrified me. I know what you're thinking, but it has nothing to do with the possibility of molestation. When I was a kid, the idea that a priest would do something of that nature was unfathomable.<br />
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It just looks like a miserable setting to me. Sinners go in and fill the booth with their deepest shames, and the priest regurgitates a list of prayers for him or her to say. A partition separates the two of you, preventing the moment from becoming too real. A confession booth is not a place of happiness. It's also the darkness and crammed space of the structure. I have never been in one, but I imagine it would feel rather uncomfortable and more intimate than is necessary.</div>
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<b><span style="font-size: x-large;">4. The Album Art for Radiohead's <i>The Bends</i></span></b></div>
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What is this? A CPR dummy receiving fellatio? It looks like a still from a David Lynch film, or maybe from Harmony Korine's <i>Trash Humpers</i>. I think the scariest part is how lifelike this inanimate object is. I mean, you can tell it's a dummy, but the colour in its cheeks makes it look very human. If this picture were taken on a fancy camera and had a polished look to it, it would not be as unsettling. It would still be weird, but not downright creepy. Stanley Donwood is the man responsible for this cover. He has designed all of Radiohead's album covers from <i>The Bends </i>onwards, and this cold visage is a far cry from the vibrant colour-fest that is <i>In Rainbows</i>. Donwood found this mannequin and filmed it on an old-fashioned video camera with a video cassette in it.<br />
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What makes it even scarier is that it's for a Radiohead album. If an artist like Katy Perry used this for an album cover, it would be seen as a shift in her artistic vision. But this is a Radiohead record. It only confirms the dark hopelessness that many of their songs conjure up. How fitting that the final track on <i>The Bends </i>is <i>Street Spirit (Fade Out)</i>, a song which Thom Yorke described as "the dark tunnel without the light at the end."<br />
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<span style="font-size: x-large;"><b>3. The Cough at the Beginning of Pink Floyd's <i>Wish You Were Here</i></b></span><br />
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<i>Wish You Were Here </i>is a fantastic song, right? Well, once its intro is over...yes. David Gilmour performed the intro on a twelve-string guitar, and the riff almost lulls the listener into a tranquil trance. Indeed, it was mixed so that the listener would feel like they are hearing the song over a car radio. It's all very relaxing until we hear *BLERGH*, as though an elephant is sneezing. But that's no elephant. That's David Gilmour. Skip to 0:43 in the above video to hear it. It's not really a sneeze, but it's not quite a cough either. It sounds like a demonic growl, and it's as freaky as hell because we don't expect it. I mean, it's not every day you hear a cough in a song. Heck, even Simon & Garfunkel's <i>Voices of Old People </i>avoids it.<br />
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It's still debated whether the cough was intentional or involuntary. One theory posits that it was deliberate, supposed to add to the effect of a man listening to the radio and playing along with his guitar. Then there's the story that Gilmour, a heavy smoker at the time, heard his cough (and subsequent sniffles) in the final recording and decided to kick the habit for good. No matter the reason for its presence, it will always give me chills.<br />
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<span style="font-size: x-large;"><b>2. Crumpets</b></span><br />
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I love eating crumpets, but looking at them is a different story. Heck, just doing the Google Image search to obtain a picture for this blog post made me uncomfortable. When you go to a cafe and order crumpets, it should be common courtesy for the waitstaff to offer complimentary blindfolds. You know what else I hate? Wasp nests, and not simply because they house wasps that can sting the fuck out of you. What do crumpets and wasp nests have in common? HOLES. CLUSTERS OF TINY HOLES. I was browsing the Internet one night and was relieved to discover that many people around the world share this fear. There's even a term for it, although it's not formally recognised in the American Psychiatric Association's <i>Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders. </i>It's called trypophobia, derived from <i>trypo</i>, Greek for "punching, drilling, or boring holes." Sponges, coral, and lotus seed heads are other things that repulse someone with trypophobia.<br />
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If you have <span class="st">synesthesia, your sensory experiences will overlap, or the stimulation of one cognitive pathway may trigger an involuntary experience in another cognitive pathway. You may think of the colour yellow when you hear the number 6, for example. In trying to explain my trypophobia to others, I compare it to synesthesia. When I <i>see </i>the holes, I <i>feel </i>them, too. It's very hard to explain, though. The simplest way of putting it is that small holes clustered together are just disgusting. If you can make it through<b> <a href="http://www.buzzfeed.com/daves4/trypophobia-is-a-real-terrifying-thing-and-you-definitely-ha">this BuzzFeed article</a> </b>without squirming, congratulations...you do not have trypophobia. </span><br />
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<span class="st"><b><span style="font-size: x-large;">1. Wollstonecraft Railway Station, Sydney </span></b></span><br />
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In 2013, I undertook two internships at SBS. Their headquarters are located at Artarmon, meaning I would have to catch a train on the North Shore line—a rare occurrence for me. My stop was St Leonards, a very urbanised station. But right before (or after, depending on your direction) St Leonards lies Wollstonecraft Station. Now, this is a very peaceful station and it doesn't look the slightest bit dangerous. The first time I passed it was just like any other routine stoppage. But I distinctly remember the moment that changed everything. Night had fallen and I was on my way home. My train pulled in at Wollstonecraft, and my eyes immediately darted to a woman sitting by herself reading a book. The station has a sheltered brick seating area, and this woman was the only person inside. She looked to be in her mid-20s and she was dressed entirely in black. A yellowish light above her cast a ghastly glow in her vicinity, almost shrouding her in an aura. This woman was a mystery. Who knows if she was waiting for a train? Maybe she goes there every night to read. I couldn't look away. It was an image of perfect symmetry, but it gave me the creeps. </div>
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From that point on, whether morning or night, I would feel uneasy when my train pulled in at Wollstonecraft. I felt as though that woman was hiding in the wings, as though she lived within the station's walls. It was like something out of mythology. When my train got to Waverton, I knew Wollstonecraft was only one stop away, and I would feel a sick sense of anticipation build in my gut. The platform is located on a sharp 200-metre curve, and I always had these <i>Final Destination</i>-esque premonitions of my train's derailment. The signage at Wollstonecraft also creeps me out. See that large metal sign in the picture above? There's ANOTHER one of those at the other end of the station, and because of their size, I imagine the station developing its own voice, shouting "YOU'RE AT WOLLSTONECRAFT! MUHAHAHAHA!" Lastly, 'Wollstonecraft' was the middle name of Mary Shelley, who of course penned the Gothic novel <i>Frankenstein</i>. Fuck, this station is just too damn ominous. </div>
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If you enjoyed reading this, check out <b><a href="http://savona93.blogspot.com.au/2012/07/im-scared.html">this post</a></b> from 2012 where I listed a heap of my other fears, both major and obscure. </div>
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Steven Savonahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16693973010579672698noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8791982508956006238.post-19229163274645207742014-02-01T13:06:00.000+11:002014-02-01T15:39:55.259+11:00January 2014 Film Wrap-UpFirst of all, two things:<br />
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1. I only watched 14 films last month, which is a fairly low number for me. The main reason for this is that I was a slave to tennis (most notably the Australian Open) for the majority of the month. <br />
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2. In last month's wrap-up post, I vowed I would have finished Woody Allen's entire filmography by now. Sorry to let you guys down, but I'm still not there. Let's just say watching <i>You Will Meet a Tall Dark Stranger</i> was a huge blow to my morale.<br />
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<span style="font-size: large;"><b>JANUARY 4</b></span></div>
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<img src="http://media.screened.com/uploads/0/235/629072-charade_oldie_mcold.jpg" height="216" width="400" /><span style="font-size: large;"><b> </b></span></div>
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<b><span style="font-size: x-large;"><i>Charade </i>(Stanley Donen, 1963) = 3.5/5</span></b></div>
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<span style="font-family: inherit;">Damn...I should have picked a much stronger film to kick off my year of viewing. To my defence, this has all the ingredients of a film I <i>should </i>love. So why didn't it completely satisfy me?</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: white; line-height: 24px;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">Firstly, I should point out that the DVD I watched provided me with a poor print. I would have found something of higher quality if I'd resorted to illegal downloading, as bad as that sounds. The quality was watchable, but quite distracting.</span></span></div>
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<span lang="EN-AU" style="background-color: white; background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">The
film features some great individual scenes and some compelling characters, but
it doesn't come together as a whole. The marriage of suspense and comedy feels
uneasy. This is often hailed as "the best Hitchcock film that Hitchcock
never made," but I feel it lacks the fluid simplicity the Master of
Suspense was renowned for. This is evident in the film's excessive
plot twists.</span></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;"><span style="background-color: white;"><b>JANUARY 5</b></span></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: x-large;"><b><i>The Descendants </i>(Alexander Payne, 2011) = 5/5</b></span></div>
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I had seen this film before, but this was my first watch on Blu-ray. As predicted, it looked spectacular and the movie held up. <span style="background-color: white; line-height: 24px;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">This film is amazing in the way it draws you into the story, making you feel like you belong to the King family. It is immensely rewarding to watch these characters grow, as every sentiment feels genuine. Payne has crafted a picture of real human emotion. Clooney and Woodley are real standouts. </span></span></div>
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<span style="background-color: white; line-height: 24px;"><span style="font-family: inherit; font-size: large;"><b>JANUARY 6</b></span></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: x-large;"><b><i>Safety Not Guaranteed </i>(Colin Trevorrow, 2012) = 3.5/5</b></span></div>
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Based on a novel? Nope. Based on a play? Nope. This quirky film is based on a<span style="font-family: inherit;"> <span style="background-color: white; line-height: 19.200000762939453px;">1997 </span><i>Backwoods Home Magazine</i> classified ad. The film is</span><span style="background-color: white;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"> g</span><span style="line-height: 24px;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">immicky on the surface, but emotionally earnest</span> at its core. Plaza and Duplass give great performances.</span></span></span></div>
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<span style="background-color: white;"><span style="font-family: inherit; font-size: large;"><span style="line-height: 24px;"><b>JANUARY 9</b></span></span></span></div>
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<img src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjQBl_NAu7YOTDUPmyiZc3A8Ek5tsovKtoYdIccEDokmijuG2D3JLgkhrtTfNjvK32Q0vctvmtQlkaR7qbCaI4DxL4jgnqQgD6ZqjKCYFeD1Ro8IckPriNBevhu6OlVcku3_tjceEcxoII/s400/20110123-125250.jpg" height="300" width="400" /></div>
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<span style="font-size: x-large;"><b><i>Kids </i>(Larry Clark, 1995) = 4/5</b></span></div>
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In <i>Kids</i>, a HIV-positive teenager attempts to deflower as many virgins as he can in one day. It's a controversial film, to say the least. It f<span style="background-color: white;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="font-size: 16px; line-height: 24px;">eels almost ethnographic in its brutally realistic exploration of teenage delinquency. Humorous dialogue softens the gloom. I have never liked Harmony Korine as a director, but this film showcases his ability as a writer. </span></span></span></div>
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<span style="background-color: white;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="font-size: large;"><b>JANUARY 11</b></span></span></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: x-large;"><b><i>Muriel's Wedding </i>(P. J. Hogan, 1994) = 3.5/5</b></span></div>
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<span style="background-color: white; font-size: 16px; line-height: 24px;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">It's very entertaining and it does well to avoid kitsch territory. Unfortunately, it feels incomplete. We're forced to invest in Muriel so much that the peripheral characters (with the exception of Griffiths' Rhonda) feel empty.</span></span></div>
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<span style="background-color: white; line-height: 24px;"><span style="font-family: inherit; font-size: large;"><b>JANUARY 12</b></span></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: x-large;"><b><i>Superbad </i>(Greg Mottola, 2007) = 5/5</b></span></div>
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<span style="background-color: white; font-size: 16px; line-height: 24px;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">A timeless film about the thrill of anticipation that harbours a sweet tinge of melancholy beneath its vulgar exterior. Quite simply, It's a tribute to all the crazy shit you get up to with your mates...the wild nights that no one sees coming. <i>Superbad</i> means a lot to me. It's my fourth-favourite film of all time.</span></span></div>
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<span style="background-color: white; line-height: 24px;"><span style="font-family: inherit; font-size: large;"><b>JANUARY 20</b></span></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: x-large;"><b><i>The Mist </i>(Frank Darabont, 2007) = 3/5</b></span></div>
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<span style="background-color: white; font-size: 16px; line-height: 24px;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">While not scary, the terror is convincing and the film is immersive. Let down by an overlong running time and a contrived ending. It's one of the more disappointing Stephen King adaptations. </span></span></div>
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<span style="background-color: white; line-height: 24px;"><span style="font-family: inherit; font-size: large;"><b>JANUARY 24</b></span></span></div>
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<img src="http://www.graffitiwithpunctuation.net/wp-content/uploads/2012/10/the-conversation-original.jpg" height="225" width="400" /></div>
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<span style="font-size: x-large;"><b><i>The Conversation </i>(Francis Ford Coppola, 1974) = 3/5</b></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: inherit;">This is the film that made me feel like a bad film enthusiast. Everyone loves <i>The Conversation</i>, right? Well, I didn't. And I've disliked highly-acclaimed films in the past, but this was different. I felt like I really <i>should </i>have liked this one. I think the problem is that I went in expecting something similar to <i>Rear Window</i>. When I see the word "spying" in a film's plot premise, that's the first film I think of. Obviously, there's so much more going on in this film...a lot of subtext beneath the surface. Ultimately, <span style="background-color: white;"><span style="line-height: 24px;">I couldn't empathise with a single character, and the slow pacing was grating. Also, I almost had to lean in closer to my TV to understand some of the muffled dialogue. I can't call this a bad film. In fact, I would say it outsmarted me. I will just call it a very tedious watch.</span> </span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="background-color: white; font-size: large;"><b>JANUARY 25</b></span></span></div>
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<img src="http://boxofficebuz.com/content/movies/images/2010_you_will_meet_a_tall_dark_stranger_006.jpg" height="273" width="400" /></div>
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<span style="font-size: x-large;"><b><i>You Will Meet a Tall Dark Stranger </i>(Woody Allen, 2010) = 1/5</b></span></div>
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<span style="background-color: white; font-size: 16px; line-height: 24px;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">Of the 41 Allen films I've seen, this is the worst. It's a lazy, paint-by-numbers film that feels like a soap opera on steroids. This is a cautionary tale for why you shouldn't pump out one film per year. I can't believe Anthony Hopkins agreed to be in this. What's sadder is that I can't even call his performance a redeeming feature. If this film were a food, it would be white bread, perhaps specked with mould. I'm sure many people have been sucked into this film by its ambiguous title, but an interesting title does not a good film make!</span></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;"><span style="background-color: white; line-height: 24px;"><b>JANUARY 27</b></span></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: x-large;"><b><i>The Grey </i>(Joe Carnahan, 2011) = 4/5</b></span></div>
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<span style="background-color: white;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="line-height: 24px;">We feel the desperation and isolation of the characters. Beautiful cinematography immerses us in the freezing cold</span></span><span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="line-height: 24px;">. To allude to Dylan Thomas, it's a film about raging against the dying of the light. It's so much more than <i>Liam Neeson vs. Wolves: The Movie.</i></span></span></span></div>
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<span style="background-color: white;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="line-height: 24px;"><i><br /></i></span></span></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;"><span style="background-color: white; line-height: 24px;"><b>JANUARY 28</b></span></span></div>
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<img src="http://cdn3-www.craveonline.com/assets/uploads/2013/11/Her-Joaquin-Phoenix1.jpg" height="224" width="400" /></div>
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<span style="font-size: x-large;"><b><i>Her </i>(Spike Jonze, 2013) = 4/5</b></span></div>
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<span style="background-color: white; font-size: 16px; line-height: 24px;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">An affecting film about the ubiquity and distancing effect of technology. Great as a character study, but as a film I was slightly underwhelmed. I can't exactly put my finger on it, but there was something insincere about the closing scenes. The third act felt a little rushed in general. These reservations aside, HER is still a great film that's worth seeing for its original screenplay, beautiful cinematography, and a remarkable central performance by Joaquin Phoenix. I think Jonze should also be commended for his mature approach to the subject matter. Theodore (Phoenix) is not an archetype...no fedora-wearing "neckbeard" who lives in his mother's basement. He could be your neighbour, your friend, or even you.</span></span></div>
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<span style="background-color: white; line-height: 24px;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="font-size: large;"><b>JANUARY 29</b></span></span></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: x-large;"><i><b>Swimming Pool </b></i><b>(</b></span><span style="background-color: white; line-height: 16.1200008392334px;"><span style="font-family: inherit; font-size: x-large;"><b>François Ozon, 2003) = 3.5/5</b></span></span></div>
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<span style="background-color: white; font-size: 16px; line-height: 24px;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">This erotic thriller offers more than eye candy, and keeps you guessing right 'til the end. Unfortunately, we're left to do too much guessing. There is only so much ambiguity I can take.</span></span></div>
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<span style="background-color: white; line-height: 24px;"><span style="font-family: inherit; font-size: large;"><b>JANUARY 30</b></span></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: x-large;"><b><i>Bernie </i>(Richard Linklater, 2011) = 4/5</b></span></div>
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<span style="background-color: white;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="line-height: 24px;">Only a talent like Linklater could pull off this comedy/crime/drama/mockumentary/biopic concoction. Jack Black is perfectly cast and gives the performance of his career. You can tell that Linklater wrote the script specifically with Black in mind. </span></span></span></div>
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<span style="background-color: white;"><span style="font-family: inherit; font-size: large;"><span style="line-height: 24px;"><b>JANUARY 31</b></span></span></span></div>
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<img src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhKNdzZRT7ztEbx3_58pnHtQwLSL5K93yk2EEP8rdoSNRhPwXsnuYacjibxB7x76y9UxxHcraLtHFIJL0qct9RvfeCpeW_dEf7VwH8CHzS9oaADAkI3SUDIIhqLmDQ3ka99vijyLHScUzb4/s400/sinister-clare-foley.png" height="266" width="400" /></div>
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<span style="font-size: x-large;"><b><i>Sinister </i>(Scott Derrickson, 2012) = 3.5/5</b></span></div>
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<span style="background-color: white; font-size: 16px; line-height: 24px;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">While I think the film tries to be too clever and butchers its ending, it delivers on scares by building an atmosphere of dread. The murders depicted on the found Super 8 footage are especially disturbing. Ethan Hawke is great as usual in the central role, and I feel he is still underrated in Hollywood. One last thing: can we just stop with the trope of scary possessed children? It's getting old. Really old. </span></span></div>
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<span style="background-color: white; font-size: 16px; line-height: 24px;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><b>In Summary - The Must-See Films (4.5 or 5 Stars)</b></span></span></div>
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<span style="background-color: white; font-size: 16px; line-height: 24px;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><i>* The Descendants</i></span></span></div>
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<span style="background-color: white; font-size: 16px; line-height: 24px;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><i>* Superbad</i></span></span></div>
Steven Savonahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16693973010579672698noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8791982508956006238.post-44887160071283838112014-01-23T20:31:00.000+11:002014-01-23T20:31:09.460+11:00The Visceral Beauty of Spoken Word Poetry: Ten of My Favourites<span style="background-color: white;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="line-height: 18px;">Spoken word poetry is arguably the rawest form of human expression. The body becomes a technology, and words fall like dominoes to leave an audience in awe. I feel that poetry is taught in high schools with a certain tired detachment, </span></span><span style="line-height: 18px;">much</span><span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="line-height: 18px;"> like the plays of Shakespeare. Unless the teacher has penned their own body of work, enthusiasm will often be lacking. Students </span></span><span style="line-height: 18px;">mistakenly</span><span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="line-height: 18px;"> believe that all poems must rhyme, and many male students (not me, of course) feel that writing poetry would expose a sensitive side they would much rather keep to themselves. If spoken word poetry was integrated into the curriculum, I believe today's youth would not only be more keen on devouring poetry, but that they would also be inspired to create their own. In this post, I'll share my ten favourite spoken word poems with some brief commentary. I won't bother ordering them, as that would be a futile exercise. Be prepared to feel goose bumps, and it wouldn't hurt to sit beside a box of tissues. Some of these will hit you like a tonne of bricks.</span></span></span><br />
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<span style="background-color: white; font-family: inherit; line-height: 18px;">Stand-up comedians often fabricate certain aspects of their lives for the sake of a good joke. "I was walking down the street the other day..." Were you? Or were you sitting on your couch thinking of jokes for your next set? I don't mind if comedians lie; what matters is that they make me laugh. In the case of spoken word poets, and especially in this instance with Mr. Mali, you get the sense that nothing is a sham. You can feel the legitimacy reverberating from the words. You see the truth in the poet's gestures and facial expressions. Taylor Mali spent nine years as a teacher of English, history, and mathematics. He now lectures and holds workshops for teachers and students the world over. Indeed, his experience as a teacher informs many of his poems. He has even written and performed a poem about something as insignificant as <a href="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=44sXwJgqUyc" style="font-weight: bold;">girls lending pens</a>. He is clearly a man who is passionate about his vocation, as evidenced through this electrifying poem on teaching to make a difference, not a wage. </span></div>
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<span style="font-size: x-large;"><span style="background-color: white; line-height: 18px;"><b><i>That Love </i>- Simone Stolzoff</b></span></span></div>
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<span style="background-color: white;"><span style="line-height: 18px;">In Woody Allen's </span><i style="line-height: 18px;">Vicky Cristina Barcelona</i><span style="line-height: 18px;">, there's </span><a href="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oT-_UjJaFuM" style="font-weight: bold; line-height: 18px;">a scene where Scarlett Johansson's character laments that she is not gifted</a><span style="line-height: 18px;">. She can appreciate art and music, but she doesn't have the talent to create her own. Hence, she must live with so much repressed emotion. Stolzoff's poem is written from a very similar perspective. Here is a young man with a romantic, sensitive soul. All he needs is a girl who will let him love her. Can you really write a love poem if you've never been </span><i style="line-height: 18px;">in </i><span style="line-height: 18px;">love? He needs to find someone who will validate his sweet words. It is frustrating to watch people take love for granted; to see people whinge about their partner's flaws instead of embracing their positive traits. There have been countless times where I've been speaking to someone and they have cautioned me, "Steven, never get a girlfriend!" or "Don't you ever get married!" In these situations, I must resist the urge to tell that person to break up with their partner if relationships really do suck that much. Also noteworthy is the subtle humour Stolzoff injects into the poem, such as the stony facial expression and deliberate pause when he compares finding love to finding a five dollar bill resurfacing from folds of denim. </span></span></div>
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<span style="background-color: white;"><span style="line-height: 18px;"><span style="font-size: x-large;"><b><i>This is Not the End of the World </i>- Neil Hilborn</b></span></span></span></div>
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<span style="background-color: white;"><span style="line-height: 18px;">This is one of my go-to videos on days when I feel like utter shit. Sometimes, it's just so hard to believe that you make a difference to people in this life. You only consider this on your birthday when everyone's standing around a cake, singing </span><i style="line-height: 18px;">Happy Birthday to You</i><span style="line-height: 18px;">. The other 364 days can be a real drag. This poem is a big "fuck you" to the negative feelings within the gamut of human emotion. Hilborn suffers from bipolar disorder, so this poem is understandably close to his heart. He espouses that, to persevere against bipolar and other mental illnesses, one must always be busy, or at least optimistic. Wallowing in self-pity only digs a deeper, more disastrous hole. My favourite line: "Whatever you're feeling right now, there is a mathematical certainty that someone else is feeling that <i>exact </i>thing." If this poem isn't enough to make someone step down from that ledge, I don't know what is.</span></span></div>
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<span style="background-color: white;"><span style="line-height: 18px;"><span style="font-size: x-large;"><b><i>Social Anxiety at 130 BPM </i>- Aaron Burstein </b></span></span></span></div>
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<span style="background-color: white;"><span style="line-height: 18px;">This didn't really appeal to me on my first listen, but it really grew on me over time. Now, I have not been diagnosed with any anxiety disorder, but then again, I've never gone to get tested. All I know is that I can get very, very uncomfortable in social situations where everyone is a stranger. I can't go to parties if I don't know at least one other guest besides the host. As an introvert, loud environments unnerve me. I'm at the train station when I see someone I went to school with. I want to avoid this person, not because I hate him, but because we never spoke that much and small talk is my weakness. Burstein nails the experience of entering a crowded room when you are not gifted with social skills. The whole "expectations vs. reality" dilemma is spot on. "They're just <i>people</i>," you think. "This will be easy." But then you walk in that room and the inane chatter is too grating to bear. With one foot in the door, you already want a change of scenery. I also like how Burstein portrays the fluctuation of thoughts throughout one interaction, giving his poem a stream-of-consciousness flavour. Most importantly, he reminds us that it's okay to fake it 'til you make it. Be The Iceman. </span></span></div>
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<span style="background-color: white;"><span style="line-height: 18px;"><span style="font-size: x-large;"><b><i>Liars, All of Us </i>- Chad Anderson</b></span></span></span></div>
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<span style="background-color: white;"><span style="line-height: 18px;">Earlier in this post, I differentiated between stand-up comedians and slam poets. I said that poets don't lie the way comedians do. This doesn't necessarily mean that poets don't glorify the nastiness of life. There is a difference between lies and concealment. One is a direct untruth. The other is the hiding of a truth. What Anderson's addressing in this meta-poem is the way poets choose to distort the truth in order to get the snaps and applause. A poem is not a photograph. As a poet, you have the opportunity to paint a rosy picture of a sordid scene. This is poetry as therapy, or poetry as distraction. You need to embed some hooks and rhymes in your poem, because if you dish out the bare truth, your audience is going to be depressed. It loses its status as art and becomes confession—the stuff you tell your psychiatrist when all that surrounds you is four walls. </span></span></div>
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<span style="background-color: white;"><span style="line-height: 18px;"><span style="font-size: x-large;"><b><i>Muse for a Restless Leg </i>- Simone Stolzoff</b></span></span></span></div>
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<span style="background-color: white;"><span style="line-height: 18px;">Here's another beautiful poem from the grossly underrated Simone Stolzoff. It's probably the vaguest poem on this list in terms of subject matter, but like Anderson's poem above, it tackles the theme of writing for an audience versus writing for yourself. It's a little tough to decipher, but my interpretation is that Stolzoff wrote this poem as it allowed him to fantasise about life with a girl he loves. However, by the time he finished writing it, he realised that he would have better chances of getting the girl if he actually practised what he preached rather than sharing his desires with a room full of strangers. The line that breaks me every time is "It's awful nice to save the last bite of dessert for someone that you know is coming home." Ain't that the truth? </span></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: x-large;"><span style="background-color: white; line-height: 18px;"><b><i>The Future </i>- Neil Hilborn</b></span></span></div>
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<span style="background-color: white;"><span style="line-height: 18px;">The second Hilborn poem on this list is about Neil's struggles and epiphanies caused by his bipolar disorder. It's a well-written poem, but it's Hilborn's delivery that takes it to a whole new level. His genius is that he can trivialise his own illness without insulting other bipolar sufferers. When Hilborn talks about the symptoms of bipolar, he doesn't speak for everyone. He individualises the illness so well that he can talk about suicidal thoughts with an animated timbre to his voice. By the time he conjures up the portmanteau <i>blowmotion</i>, we have fallen in love with him. Here is a man who wants to make people smile, even when he is sharing the lowest points of his life. I love the homely image of the future as "a small town we're all gonna move to someday." I think Neil Hilborn deserves to be the mayor of that town. </span></span></div>
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<span style="background-color: white;"><span style="line-height: 18px;"><span style="font-size: x-large;"><b><i>Rubik's Cube </i>- Benjamin Barker</b></span></span></span></div>
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<span style="background-color: white; line-height: 18px;">I'm amazed that Barker was able to remain composed during this performance. I still remember the night I lost my last remaining grandparent: September 27, 2004. I bawled my eyes out. The trouble with grandparents is that, when we're children, we don't have a complete understanding of mortality. We know what "old people" look like, and we have some understanding of death, but we don't expect our grandparents to die because they are such a strong presence in our lives. Yes, we know about death, but we don't know how it claims people without warning. What's the difference between cancer and a stroke? The juvenile mind does not know, nor does it want to know. Barker demonstrates his knack for storytelling in this performance, so much so that I almost felt like I had lived his history. The metaphor of a Rubik's cube for a mind ravaged by Alzheimer's works wonderfully, just like Barker's hand gestures. When he describes the vivid colours of World War II, I think of the blissful brutality of <i>The Thin Red Line</i>. This is a thoroughly moving work which deserves more recognition. </span></div>
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<span style="font-size: x-large;"><span style="background-color: white; line-height: 18px;"><b><i>Pine City </i>- Renee Schminkey</b></span></span></div>
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<span style="background-color: white; line-height: 18px;">For a poem that comes from such a personal place, <i>Pine City </i>is surprisingly accessible. We sense Schminkey's genuine pain over growing up amidst a sophomore scrapheap, and the tacky media circuses and gossiping that would follow each instance. She is deadly accurate in capturing the hysteria that surrounds a string of deaths in a small town. I don't say this from experience, but I've read enough national and international news to recognise the outpouring of grief that sounds like it was aided by an autocue, and the way it tapers off when everyone has had their Act of Remembrance validated by another. Schminkey feels smothered by the culture of misery her town has accrued, and her gasps at the start of each sentence are signs that she's surfacing for air.</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: white; line-height: 18px;"><span style="font-size: x-large;"><b><i>OCD </i>- Neil Hilborn</b></span></span></div>
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<span style="background-color: white;"><span style="line-height: 18px;">Even if you're not too familiar with poetry slams or spoken word poems, here's one you might recognise. This is such an important poem in the context of the spoken word community. It is the most-viewed slam poem ever posted on YouTube, and for many people (including myself), it's the poem that sparked their interest in the wonderful world of spoken word. I've already touched on Neil's bipolar disorder in this post, and it just so happens that he is also afflicted by obsessive-compulsive disorder. The "tics" that Hilborn exhibits in this poem are deliberately used for dramatic effect, but otherwise, his OCD is very real. <i>OCD </i>is the best-delivered slam poem I have ever seen. Hilborn starts slow and progressively builds to a crescendo. The result is that we are floored by the climax. I thought my goose bumps were about to mature into fully-fledged geese. You can't fake this emotion. Neil Hilborn's <i>OCD </i>is slam poetry realised to its greatest potential. It is pure magic—the product of an artist, a microphone, and a room full of people hoping to see themselves in another human being. </span></span></div>
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Steven Savonahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16693973010579672698noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8791982508956006238.post-43208717326067400412014-01-01T16:36:00.000+11:002014-01-01T16:36:53.905+11:00December 2013 Film Wrap-UpDecember 2013: The month I watched a ridiculous amount of Woody Allen films, and the month I discovered the pleasure of rewatching my favourite films. Oh, and I finally bought a Blu-ray player!<br />
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For those who are interested, I watched a total of 264 films in 2013. I began with <i>The Seventh Continent </i>and finished with one of my all-time favourites, <i>Scream. </i></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;"><b>DECEMBER 1</b></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: x-large;"><b><i>Black Narcissus </i>(Michael Powell & Emeric Pressburger, 1947) = 4.5/5</b></span></div>
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A psychological drama about a convent of nuns in the Himalayas and their struggle to adapt to new, exotic surroundings. This film is b<span style="background-color: white; line-height: 24px;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">rimming with vibrant colours and atmospheric lighting. It's a subtly erotic drama about isolation and desire. Powell & Pressburger are knocking on the door for a spot in my top 10 favourite directors. </span></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: x-large;"><b><i>Annie Hall </i>(Woody Allen, 1977) = 5/5</b></span></div>
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I'm not going to write too much about this one, as you would already know my thoughts on it. It's my second-favourite Allen film, behind <i>Hannah and Her Sisters</i>. <span style="background-color: white; font-size: 16px; line-height: 24px;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">This is the most important romantic comedy ever made, and it is driven by one of the best scripts ever written, period. I will never tire of this film. It will always be funny and it will never lose its power to move me. Thank you, Woody Allen.</span></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: x-large;"><b><i>Gremlins </i>(Joe Dante, 1984) = 4/5</b></span></div>
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I remember seeing bits of this film (or perhaps the sequel) as a child. I liked what I saw, but I couldn't recollect much of it. That's why I pounced at the chance to see this on the big screen at Dendy Newtown. <span style="background-color: white;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="line-height: 24px;">This movie exists for one purpose: to provide the viewer with a fun time. It succeeds. It's an almost-perfect family film. You can argue that it's too violent to be a family film, but if/when I have kids, I will have no objections to them watching this. Heck, if I handled </span></span><i style="font-family: inherit; font-size: 16px; line-height: 24px;">The Exorcist </i><span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="line-height: 24px;">at age five, what damage will </span></span><i style="font-family: inherit; font-size: 16px; line-height: 24px;">Gremlins </i><span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="line-height: 24px;">do to a young, </span></span><span style="line-height: 24px;">developing</span><span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="line-height: 24px;"> mind?</span></span></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: x-large;"><b><i>A Midsummer Night's Sex Comedy </i>(Woody Allen, 1982) = 3/5</b></span></div>
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It's not Allen's worst film, but it's a contender for his most painfully average. It's lighter than a babycino. It's amusing in parts, but I mostly felt like a passive observer.</div>
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<span style="font-size: large;"><b>DECEMBER 4</b></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: x-large;"><b><i>Brokeback Mountain </i>(Ang Lee, 2005) = 4/5</b></span></div>
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First of all, I am grateful that I was able to tell my Facebook friends I was watching this without getting homophobic remarks hurled my way. This is a<span style="background-color: white;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="font-size: 16px; line-height: 24px;"> quiet film that requires patience, but amidst the silence, there are moments of yearning that roar. It's well-acted and punctuated by a beautiful score. The cinematography is also rather stunning. I miss Heath Ledger. </span> </span></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;"><b>DECEMBER 5</b></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: x-large;"><b><i>Hollywood Ending </i>(Woody Allen, 2002) = 3.5/5</b></span></div>
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Woody Allen has gone on record as saying this is one of his favourites amongst his own films. He is perplexed as to why it raked in so little at the box office. While it's not top-tier Woody Allen, it's certainly an entertaining film that milks a lot of laughs out of a one-joke premise. It's gratuitously self-referential but endlessly watchable. </div>
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<span style="font-size: large;"><b>DECEMBER 6</b></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: x-large;"><b><i>Reality Bites </i>(Ben Stiller, 1994) = 3.5/5</b></span></div>
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<span style="background-color: white; font-size: 16px; line-height: 24px;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">One of several 90s films that dissected the Generation X mentality. Nothing original here, but pleasant nonetheless. It's well-written, and I'm sure many of the lines will stay with me. My favourite: "He's so cheesy, I can't watch him without crackers."</span></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;"><span style="line-height: 24px;"><b>DECEMBER 8</b></span></span></div>
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<img height="261" src="http://almost.thedoctorschannel.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/11/original.jpg" width="400" /></div>
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<span style="font-size: x-large;"><b><i>Back to the Future </i>(Robert Zemeckis, 1985) = 4.5/5</b></span></div>
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I can't believe I waited so long to watch this film!<span style="background-color: white;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"> <span style="font-size: 16px; line-height: 24px;">It is wonderful and it thoroughly deserves its status as a landmark of popular culture. It's funny, entertaining, and unexpectedly touching. I guess I'll have to watch the sequels now!</span></span></span></div>
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<span style="background-color: white;"><span style="font-family: inherit; font-size: large;"><span style="line-height: 24px;"><b>DECEMBER 9</b></span></span></span></div>
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<img height="225" src="http://static.guim.co.uk/sys-images/Guardian/Pix/audio/video/2013/7/30/1375201699292/Ben-Stiller-in-a-still-fr-014.jpg" width="400" /></div>
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<span style="font-size: x-large;"><b><i>The Secret Life of Walter Mitty </i>(Ben Stiller, 2013) = 3.5/5</b></span></div>
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<span style="background-color: white; font-size: 16px; line-height: 24px;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">If <i>The Secret Life of Walter Mitty</i> were a food, it would be one of those giant rainbow-swirl lollipops. It's a dazzling amalgamation of colours and you will concentrate on the subtle details of particular shots with the same intensity of a child poring over a <i>Where's Wally?</i> double-page spread. Does this lollipop taste good? I think it does, but I also think I'd have enjoyed it more if it didn't have so many cracks. This particular film reviewer prefers his movies with a cynical edge that confirms his worldview—life is a series of disappointments, with the occasional intervening success. <i>Walter Mitty</i> is not the type of film that echoes such a sentiment. While the eponymous protagonist does persevere through several obstacles, the film is ultimately a sweet one that will have you exiting the cinema with a smile on your face. Most films that veer into saccharine territory have no idea how sentimental they are. They mistake goodbyes in the rain for profundity. <i>Walter Mitty</i> can get sickly sweet at times, but I can forgive this, for the film is inherently tied to notions of escapism. You can read my full review<b> <a href="http://savona93.blogspot.com.au/2013/12/review-secret-life-of-walter-mitty-2013.html">here</a></b>.</span></span></div>
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<span style="background-color: white; line-height: 24px;"><span style="font-family: inherit; font-size: large;"><b>DECEMBER 10</b></span></span></div>
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<img height="263" src="http://thisrecording.com/storage/essentiallywoody2.jpg?__SQUARESPACE_CACHEVERSION=1243948603601" width="400" /></div>
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<span style="font-size: x-large;"><b><i>Interiors </i>(Woody Allen, 1978) = 3.5/5</b></span></div>
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<span style="background-color: white; font-size: 16px; line-height: 24px;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">It's easily Allen's bleakest film. Do not seek this out if you're after a good time. It's well-written and superbly acted, but the sombreness feels forced. After all, this is Allen's homage to Bergman's chamber dramas. As is often the case, he focuses too much on paying tribute and not enough on saying something. Despite this, I still admire him for giving this a shot. It's quite good considering it was his first proper drama film, following the semi-serious <i>Annie Hall</i>.</span></span></div>
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<span style="background-color: white; line-height: 24px;"><span style="font-family: inherit; font-size: large;"><b>DECEMBER 11</b></span></span></div>
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<img height="225" src="http://static.guim.co.uk/sys-images/Guardian/Pix/audio/video/2013/7/25/1374768512996/Still-from-Frances-Ha-025.jpg" width="400" /></div>
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<span style="font-size: x-large;"><b><i>Frances Ha </i>(Noah Baumbach, 2013) = 4/5</b></span></div>
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I dream of an era where Noah Baumbach is recognised as one of the greatest living directors. I've now seen <i>Kicking and Screaming</i>, <i>The Squid and the Whale</i>, <i>Greenberg</i>,<i> </i>and <i>Frances Ha</i>, of course. I have loved each of these films. <i>Frances Ha </i>is a <span style="background-color: white; font-size: 16px; line-height: 24px;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">film for those who are brimming with passion but have no idea where to place it. It is gorgeously directed, and Gerwig is very endearing as the eponymous character. I expect Baumbach and Gerwig to become one of the great director-actress combinations of our time. </span></span></div>
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<span style="background-color: white; line-height: 24px;"><span style="font-family: inherit; font-size: large;"><b>DECEMBER 12</b></span></span></div>
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<img height="264" src="http://www.themoviejerk.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/2012/07/margaret09.jpg" width="400" /></div>
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<span style="font-size: x-large;"><b><i>Margaret </i>(Kenneth Lonergan, 2011) = 3.5/5</b></span></div>
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<span style="background-color: white; font-size: 16px; line-height: 24px;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">Technically stunning with great performances, but it doesn't warrant its long runtime. It just feels too clunky and disjointed, and there came a point where it was bogged down by legalese. To paraphrase Chaplin, I thought too much and felt too little.</span></span></div>
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<span style="background-color: white; line-height: 24px;"><span style="font-family: inherit; font-size: large;"><b>DECEMBER 13</b></span></span></div>
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<img height="266" src="http://ilarge.listal.com/image/1231318/968full-scoop-screenshot.jpg" width="400" /></div>
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<span style="font-size: x-large;"><b><i>Scoop </i>(Woody Allen, 2006) = 2/5</b></span></div>
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<span style="background-color: white; font-size: 16px; line-height: 24px;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">A farcical waste of talent, time and money. It all feels so contrived. Call me a cynic, but I wouldn't be surprised if Allen only made this film so he could act alongside the beautiful Miss Johansson. I lost count of the number of times he touched her on the arm or back.</span></span></div>
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<span style="background-color: white; line-height: 24px;"><span style="font-family: inherit; font-size: large;"><b>DECEMBER 14</b></span></span></div>
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<img height="225" src="http://toptenfilms.net/wp-content/uploads/2012/08/Anchorman-Christina-Applegate-Will-Ferrell.jpg" width="400" /></div>
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<span style="font-size: x-large;"><b><i>Anchorman: The Legend of Ron Burgundy </i>(Adam McKay, 2004) = 1.5/5</b></span></div>
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Sorry, but I just do not get it. At all. Ron Burgundy is<span style="background-color: white; font-size: 16px; line-height: 1.5;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"> one of the most irritating protagonists in the history of film. This is a weak excuse for satire, and it is depressingly juvenile. I had seen this before many years ago, but </span></span><span style="background-color: white; font-family: inherit; font-size: 16px; line-height: 1.5;">I had to rewatch it to confirm if I found it average or if I truly hated it. I hated it. </span></div>
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<span style="background-color: white; font-family: inherit; line-height: 1.5;"><span style="font-size: large;"><b>DECEMBER 15</b></span></span></div>
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<img height="225" src="http://richardelzey.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/08/robert_ford_007.jpg" width="400" /></div>
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<span style="font-size: x-large;"><b><i>The Assassination of Jesse James by the Coward Robert Ford </i>(Andrew Dominik, 2007) = 4.5/5</b></span></div>
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<span style="background-color: white; font-size: 16px; line-height: 24px;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">One of the great contemporary westerns. It's slow but never tedious. The characters are morally ambiguous, and the cinematography is impeccable.</span></span></div>
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<span style="background-color: white; line-height: 24px;"><span style="font-family: inherit; font-size: large;"><b>DECEMBER 16</b></span></span></div>
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<img height="225" src="http://www.filmblerg.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/09/sweet-and-lowdown.jpg" width="400" /></div>
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<span style="font-size: x-large;"><b><i>Sweet and Lowdown </i>(Woody Allen, 1999) = 4/5</b></span></div>
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<span style="background-color: white; font-size: 16px; line-height: 24px;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">A sweet film that carries undertones of sadness. This mock biopic feels incredibly authentic. Penn and Morton shine in one of Woody Allen's most underrated films. I love Zhao Fei's cinematography in this film.</span></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;"><span style="line-height: 24px;"><b>DECEMBER 17</b></span></span></div>
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<img height="265" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjWLsd08Wt8HNF6M-jpQgpDivPGcn-2eHwJ8fP9XGxSHLIdLMDsjW2DbWWG5Shmf6sS18fwDkm52eu-ylFP80Efhv0oIzvZYsS4h-FnXBGmwMkzEllVohgdso_uiQss5q7vgNWR5tYn8Kc/s400/surviving+christmas+james.jpg" width="400" /></div>
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<span style="font-size: x-large;"><b><i>Surviving Christmas </i>(Mike Mitchell, 2004) = 2/5</b></span></div>
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It e<span style="background-color: white; font-size: 16px; line-height: 24px;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">mbarrasses itself with sitcom sensibilities. A schmaltzy, chaotic mess. It's too juvenile and lazy to love, but it's too harmless to incite hate. I just pity it because it thinks it's more profound than it actually is.</span></span></div>
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<span style="background-color: white; line-height: 24px;"><span style="font-family: inherit; font-size: large;"><b>DECEMBER 18</b></span></span></div>
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<img height="260" src="http://ilarge.listal.com/image/4795477/968full-shadows-and-fog-photo.jpg" width="400" /></div>
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<span style="font-size: x-large;"><b><i>Shadows and Fog </i>(Woody Allen, 1991) = 3/5</b></span></div>
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<span style="background-color: white; font-size: 16px; line-height: 24px;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">Aesthetically interesting with some great patches of dialogue, but I seldom felt involved in the narrative. I much preferred Allen's one-act play <i>Death</i>, which the film was based on.</span></span></div>
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<span style="background-color: white; line-height: 24px;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="font-size: large;"><b>DECEMBER 19</b></span></span></span></div>
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<img height="234" src="http://storiesbehindthescreen.files.wordpress.com/2011/12/a_christmas_story.jpg" width="400" /></div>
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<span style="font-size: x-large;"><b><i>A Christmas Story </i>(Bob Clark, 1983) = 4/5</b></span></div>
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<span style="background-color: white; font-size: 16px; line-height: 24px;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">An accurate depiction of what it's like to be a child at Christmas. A feel-good film that is never sickly sweet.</span></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;"><span style="line-height: 24px;"><b>DECEMBER 20</b></span></span></div>
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<img height="244" src="http://www.whichmovietowatch.com/img/thinred.jpg" width="400" /></div>
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<span style="font-size: x-large;"><b><i>The Thin Red Line </i>(Terrence Malick, 1998) = 4.5/5</b></span></div>
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<span style="background-color: white; font-size: 16px; line-height: 24px;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">It moves at a pace that allows your eyes to take a leisurely stroll around the screen. A haunting contrast of chaos and calm. With each Malick film I see, I become more fascinated with the man's approach to making movies. </span></span></div>
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<span style="background-color: white; line-height: 24px;"><span style="font-family: inherit; font-size: large;"><b>DECEMBER 21</b></span></span></div>
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<img height="247" src="http://collider.com/wp-content/uploads/the-spectacular-now-shailene-woodley-miles-teller.jpg" width="400" /></div>
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<span style="font-size: x-large;"><b><i>The Spectacular Now </i>(James Ponsoldt, 2013) = 4/5</b></span></div>
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<span style="background-color: white; font-size: 16px; line-height: 24px;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">A quiet, emotionally mature film that wisely refrains from sacrificing believability for extravagant plotting. I thought it deserved a more conclusive ending, but its ambiguity does nicely complement the film's central message that it's okay to be unsure about things because life isn't scripted. If we want a happy Hollywood ending in our own lives, we have to work for it.</span></span></div>
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<img height="225" src="http://www.dvdbeaver.com/film2/dvdreviews37/cassandras%20dream%20woody%20allen/cassandras%20dream%20PDVD_015.jpg" width="400" /></div>
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<span style="font-size: x-large;"><b><i>Cassandra's Dream </i>(Woody Allen, 2007) = 2/5</b></span></div>
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A candidate for Woody's worst film. It's a<span style="background-color: white; font-size: 16px; line-height: 24px;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">n almost impenetrable movie. Woody Allen was the wrong person to direct it. A great cast is wasted on a contrived movie where nothing rings true. It also contains one of the most rushed endings I have ever seen in a film. </span></span><br />
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<span style="background-color: white; line-height: 24px;"><span style="font-family: inherit; font-size: large;"><b>DECEMBER 22</b></span></span></div>
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<img height="225" src="http://beta.images.theglobeandmail.com/a0f/arts/film/article5342028.ece/ALTERNATES/w620/Die+Hard.jpg" width="400" /></div>
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<span style="font-size: x-large;"><b><i>Die Hard </i>(John McTiernan, 1988) = 3.5/5</b></span></div>
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First of all:</div>
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<span style="background-color: white;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="font-size: 16px; line-height: 24px;">1. This was a first-time viewing.</span><br style="font-size: 16px; line-height: 24px;" /><span style="font-size: 16px; line-height: 24px;">2. Some of you may know my views on the action genre. I don't really like it and when I do decide to watch an action film, I am very selective with what I pick.</span></span></span></div>
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<span style="background-color: white; font-size: 16px; line-height: 24px;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">I thought the action sequences in this film were well-directed. The film moves at a very watchable pace and does well to not veer into gratuitous explosions. Although I am no expert in the field of action films, I think it's safe to call this a classic of its genre, but it's only a speck in the history of cinema as a whole. It was good enough, but I won't be watching the sequels.</span></span></div>
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<span style="background-color: white; line-height: 24px;"><span style="font-family: inherit; font-size: large;"><b>DECEMBER 23</b></span></span></div>
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<img height="267" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhwJR7pvNwZvy_vB8pQjrRuqEhMb7yHRZ_SBs4fUXBnL8Ygt4MUTPo-J0C3ddiwNHhB1uzbVrnEWIke97CJPju7LdH7ZKHhb8tTYWbHE_lacUjIMYVry1O1kx66QH2z_LKlUnocuw3kB4Xa/s400/Everything+You+Ever+Wanted+to+Know+About+Sex+4.jpg" width="400" /></div>
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<span style="font-size: x-large;"><b><i>Everything You Always Wanted to Know About Sex * But Were Afraid to Ask </i>(Woody Allen, 1972) = 3.5/5</b></span></div>
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<span style="background-color: white; font-size: 16px; line-height: 24px;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">A hit-and-miss collection of vignettes that allows Allen to showcase his comedic versatility. Whether your tastes are highbrow or lowbrow, you'll find something here that you like.</span></span></div>
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<img height="258" src="http://nerdsontherocks.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/12/badsanta.jpg" width="400" /></div>
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<span style="font-size: x-large;"><b><i>Bad Santa </i>(Terry Zwigoff, 2003) = 3/5</b></span></div>
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<span style="background-color: white; font-size: 16px; line-height: 24px;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">You've got several genres competing for precedence which makes it very awkward to watch. It just feels off. Thornton makes this watchable despite the fact his character feels like a caricature.</span></span></div>
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<span style="background-color: white; line-height: 24px;"><span style="font-family: inherit; font-size: large;"><b>DECEMBER 24</b></span></span></div>
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<img height="279" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhCRCQqZeLOJQ8R2Ex_BgZjmKMlI715BxbNYU6hPwcSpe_w6RAkXwTW0bWXtcMtEGaZX9z2ehCWUeIySc5m-pUJum9TkQhEgSiHB9B_BuciqCc-BCXiq7d69kMeBR5uKtI0qf2U0Pz-Wezd/s400/bullets_over_broadway.jpg" width="400" /></div>
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<span style="font-size: x-large;"><b><i>Bullets Over Broadway </i>(Woody Allen, 1994) = 3.5/5</b></span></div>
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<span style="background-color: white; font-size: 16px; line-height: 24px;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">Jazz-scored pandemonium that almost gave me a headache. This might be the loudest Woody Allen film. There's a lot of dialogue and plenty of music, and it becomes almost overwhelming. Luckily it was well-written with a wealth of great performances.</span></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: x-large;"><b><i>Home Alone 2: Lost in New York </i>(Chris Columbus, 1992) = 5/5</b></span></div>
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My favourite Christmas film, and one that I watch every Christmas Eve (this tradition only started in 2012). </div>
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<span style="background-color: white; font-size: 16px; line-height: 24px;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">10 reasons why <i>Home Alone 2: Lost in New York</i> is better than <i>Home Alone</i>: </span></span></div>
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<span style="background-color: white; font-family: inherit;"><span style="font-size: 16px; line-height: 24px;">1. New York City is a character in itself.</span><br style="font-size: 16px; line-height: 24px;" /><span style="font-size: 16px; line-height: 24px;">2. Brenda Fricker as the Central Park Pigeon Lady (great scene in the loft of Carnegie Hall).</span><br style="font-size: 16px; line-height: 24px;" /><span style="font-size: 16px; line-height: 24px;">3. Tim Curry and Rob Schneider.</span><br style="font-size: 16px; line-height: 24px;" /><span style="font-size: 16px; line-height: 24px;">4. It’s so much darker than the first one…found it really scary as a kid which only made it more enticing.</span><br style="font-size: 16px; line-height: 24px;" /><span style="font-size: 16px; line-height: 24px;">5. I prefer the music in part 2. ‘Christmas Star’ is a beautiful song.</span><br style="font-size: 16px; line-height: 24px;" /><span style="font-size: 16px; line-height: 24px;">6. “Mr McCallister…here's your very own cheese pizza!”</span><br style="font-size: 16px; line-height: 24px;" /><span style="font-size: 16px; line-height: 24px;">7. I like the setting of the Plaza Hotel.</span><br style="font-size: 16px; line-height: 24px;" /><span style="font-size: 16px; line-height: 24px;">8. Duncan’s Toy Chest.</span><br style="font-size: 16px; line-height: 24px;" /><span style="font-size: 16px; line-height: 24px;">9. The significance of turtle doves.</span><br style="font-size: 16px; line-height: 24px;" /><span style="font-size: 16px; line-height: 24px;">10. Cliff.</span></span></div>
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<span style="background-color: white; font-family: inherit; font-size: large;"><span style="line-height: 24px;"><b>DECEMBER 25</b></span></span></div>
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<img height="300" src="http://www.jonathanrosenbaum.net/wp-content/uploads/2011/04/newyorkstories-oedipus.jpg" width="400" /></div>
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<span style="font-size: x-large;"><b><i>New York Stories </i>(Martin Scorsese, Francis Ford Coppola & Woody Allen, 1989) = 3/5</b></span></div>
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Scorsese, Coppola and Allen each direct a featurette in this ode to the city that never sleeps. </div>
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<span style="background-color: white;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="font-size: 16px; line-height: 24px;">Scorsese's segment = Average.</span><br style="font-size: 16px; line-height: 24px;" /><span style="font-size: 16px; line-height: 24px;">Coppola's segment = Abysmal. Co-written by a teenage Sofia Coppola, which may explain why it's terrible.</span><br style="font-size: 16px; line-height: 24px;" /><span style="font-size: 16px; line-height: 24px;">Allen's segment = Good.</span></span></span></div>
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<span style="background-color: white; font-size: 16px; line-height: 24px;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">Overall, this was a disappointing misfire that failed to do justice to such a fascinating city. I expected a much better effort considering the talent involved.</span></span></div>
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<span style="background-color: white; line-height: 24px;"><span style="font-family: inherit; font-size: large;"><b>DECEMBER 26</b></span></span></div>
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<img height="272" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhIRIKAUEk3Rzs9N-BjhJi30z-ihfhM94ZTdtti3d-xOaNdMFBkGW2OABQ9Iy25tVqvh8Wb9hX0leVpBUtOrTFWHDcLN2A3BobzaGmjhT3vc8D2OzNkB0BnCjyYKma_QktBUT8Z-p8S9vUy/s400/anything+else.jpg" width="400" /></div>
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<span style="font-size: x-large;"><b><i>Anything Else </i>(Woody Allen, 2003) = 3/5</b></span></div>
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<span style="background-color: white; font-size: 16px; line-height: 24px;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">This is probably the weirdest Woody Allen film I have seen, and that's quite a statement considering the amount of genre-hopping the veteran has done. It's not weird because of its plot. It's weird because there isn't much of a plot to begin with. It feels less like a film and more like a screenplay read aloud amidst the backdrop of a movie set. The dialogue is snappy and it's funny enough despite the pseudo-intellectual overtones, but the film has no soul. It could have been titled <i>I'm More Cultured Than You: The Movie</i>. I didn't hate it, but I did feel like it was incomplete—a melting pot of ideas and literary allusions waiting to find coherence.</span></span></div>
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<span style="background-color: white; line-height: 24px;"><span style="font-family: inherit; font-size: large;"><b>DECEMBER 28</b></span></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: x-large;"><b><i>American Beauty </i>(Sam Mendes, 1999) = 5/5</b></span></div>
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When I got my Blu-ray player, this was the first film I watched on it. <span style="background-color: white; font-size: 16px; line-height: 24px;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">I didn't think this film could get any more gorgeous. I was wrong</span></span><span style="background-color: white; font-size: 16px; line-height: 24px;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">. </span></span>If you've been living under a rock for the past couple of years, <i>American Beauty </i>is my favourite film of all time. I could waffle on here about how much I love it, but instead I'll link you to <a href="http://savona93.blogspot.com.au/2012/08/personal-bits-american-beauty.html"><b>this</b></a>, where I explain the reasons this film is so dear to me. </div>
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<span style="font-size: large;"><b>DECEMBER 29</b></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: x-large;"><b><i>Lost in Translation </i>(Sofia Coppola, 2003) = 5/5</b></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="background-color: #fefdfa; font-size: 16px; line-height: 22px;">This was another rewatch on Blu-ray. It is probably the most beautiful film about human connection I've ever seen. It's about two lonely people—one an aging actor; the other a young, married college graduate—who find each other in a city where everything is, well, lost in translation. The city is Tokyo, and good lord, it has never looked more spectacular. This movie works for so many reasons, but the main one is that Bob (Bill Murray) and Charlotte (Scarlett Johansson) never turn their relationship into an erotic one. This is not about sex. This is about companionship in a place where you can't really turn to anyone. The contrast between Bob's life experience and Charlotte's naivety is interesting to observe, and makes their relationship all the more intriguing. </span><i style="background-color: #fefdfa; font-size: 16px; line-height: 22px;">Lost in Translation </i><span style="background-color: #fefdfa; font-size: 16px; line-height: 22px;">is not always entertaining, but it is never dull. Even when nothing's happening, everything is so aesthetically pleasing that you can't afford to look away. It makes me sad that this is a fictitious film. I fell in love with these two souls, but I've got to accept they don't even exist in the real world. There's something incredibly poignant about a fleeting connection. How often have you shared a special moment with someone who you never saw again? You lament the loss of contact, but a part of you feels like your meeting was <i>meant </i>to be transient. One last thing: the karaoke scene is very, very special. </span></span><br />
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<span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="background-color: #fefdfa; font-size: large; line-height: 22px;"><b>DECEMBER 30</b></span></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: x-large;"><b><i>The Curse of the Jade Scorpion </i>(Woody Allen, 2001) = 2.5/5</b></span></div>
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I really didn't want to watch this film as I knew it had a reputation as Woody Allen's worst film. But since I vowed to watch every single Woody film, it had to be done. <span style="background-color: white;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="font-size: 16px; line-height: 24px;">It's not the disaster many claim it to be, but it's not that good, either. It's just too damn gimmicky. I did enjoy the interplay between Allen and Hunt, and there are some very nice warm colours in this.</span></span></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;"><span style="line-height: 24px;"><b>DECEMBER 31</b></span></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: x-large;"><b><i>Scream </i>(Wes Craven, 1996) = 5/5</b></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: inherit;"><i style="background-color: #fefdfa; font-size: 16px; line-height: 22px;">Scream </i><span style="background-color: #fefdfa; font-size: 16px; line-height: 22px;">is one of those movies that is scarier than you actually expect. The poster suggests it's just another run-of-the-mill slasher flick, but it's far from that. Wes Craven is playful and the material is never too dark, but when it wants to be, </span><i style="background-color: #fefdfa; font-size: 16px; line-height: 22px;">Scream </i><span style="background-color: #fefdfa; font-size: 16px; line-height: 22px;">can be incredibly unsettling. The opening scene featuring Drew Barrymore is probably my favourite opening scene of all time, and a terrifying one at that. Craven is a genius who knows what horror fans like, and this film is an homage to everything the slasher subgenre is about. It's a quintessential 90s film. Watching this on Blu-ray for the first time in years was interesting. I'll admit that it hasn't aged terribly well, and the third act is a bit sloppy, but I just couldn't bring myself to lower the rating. This film just means too much to me as a horror enthusiast. </span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="background-color: #fefdfa; line-height: 22px;"><b>In Summary - </b></span><b style="background-color: white; line-height: 24px;">The Must-See Films (4.5 or 5 Stars)</b></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="background-color: white; line-height: 24px;">* <i>Black Narcissus</i></span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="background-color: white; line-height: 24px;">*<i> Annie Hall</i></span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="background-color: white; line-height: 24px;">* <i>Back to the Future</i></span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="background-color: white; line-height: 24px;">* <i>The Assassination of Jesse James by the Coward Robert Ford</i></span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="background-color: white; line-height: 24px;">* <i>The Thin Red Line</i></span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="background-color: white; line-height: 24px;">* <i>Home Alone 2: Lost in New York</i></span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="background-color: white; line-height: 24px;">* <i>American Beauty</i></span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="background-color: white; line-height: 24px;">* <i>Lost in Translation</i></span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="background-color: white; line-height: 24px;">* <i>Scream </i></span></span></div>
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Steven Savonahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16693973010579672698noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8791982508956006238.post-22818909791077109012013-12-10T20:26:00.000+11:002013-12-10T20:28:48.884+11:00Review: The Secret Life of Walter Mitty (2013)<div style="text-align: center;">
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<span style="font-size: large;"><b>Director: <a href="http://www.imdb.com/name/nm0001774/?ref_=tt_ov_dr">Ben Stiller</a></b></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;"><b>Writer: <a href="http://www.imdb.com/name/nm0175726/?ref_=ttfc_fc_wr1">Steve Conrad</a></b></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;"><b>Stars: </b><a href="http://www.imdb.com/name/nm0001774/?ref_=tt_ov_dr" style="font-weight: bold;">Ben Stiller</a>, </span><span style="font-size: large;"><a href="http://www.imdb.com/name/nm1325419/?ref_=tt_ov_st" style="font-weight: bold;">Kristen Wiig</a> </span>and <b><span style="font-size: large;"><a href="http://www.imdb.com/name/nm0004395/?ref_=tt_ov_st">Adam Scott</a></span></b></div>
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If <i>The Secret Life of Walter Mitty </i>were a food, it would be one of those giant rainbow-swirl lollipops. It's a dazzling amalgamation of colours and you will concentrate on the subtle details of particular shots with the same intensity of a child poring over a <i>Where's Wally? </i>double-page spread. Does this lollipop taste good? I think it does, but I also think I'd have enjoyed it more if it didn't have so many cracks. This particular film reviewer prefers his movies with a cynical edge that confirms his worldview—life is a series of disappointments, with the occasional intervening success. <i>Walter Mitty </i>is not the type of film that echoes such a sentiment. While the eponymous protagonist does persevere through several obstacles, the film is ultimately a sweet one that will have you exiting the cinema with a smile on your face. Most films that veer into saccharine territory have no idea how sentimental they are. They mistake goodbyes in the rain for profundity. <i>Walter Mitty </i>can get sickly sweet at times, but I can forgive this, for the film is inherently tied to notions of escapism. </div>
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The film is based on James Thurber's 1939 short story of the same name. Ben Stiller stars as Walter Mitty, a <i>LIFE </i>magazine employee who works in the Negative Assets department. The magazine is planning its final issue and depends on an important photograph taken by Sean O'Connell (Sean Penn) which will be used as the cover image. When Walter cannot locate the negative of O'Connell's photograph, he embarks on a global trip to find the photographer himself. What Walter doesn't know is that his journey will uncover a latent lust for life he wasn't even aware he had. The missing negative is not the only thing on Walter's mind. He is infatuated with his co-worker, Cheryl (Kristen Wiig), and concocts elaborate daydreams wherein he is her saviour. We get the sense that Cheryl is the only reason Walter makes the effort of turning up to work. However, he is painfully shy and hesitates to initiate contact with her. He'd much prefer to send her a "wink" on eHarmony. Wisely, the film never threatens to devolve into a cheap "Will Walter get the girl?" scenario. Instead, we wonder, "Will Walter get himself? Will he understand what he is capable of and harness that to do something like ask out a woman he likes?"</div>
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This is such an unusual film and I beg you to abandon all expectations before you watch it. I was hooked by its beautifully-edited trailer but now I wish I hadn't seen it, as I was left slightly underwhelmed by the film as a whole. The first act surprised me with some grandiose hallucinatory scenes that would seem more at home in an action blockbuster. They are well-executed and show that Stiller understands comic exaggeration. The moment Walter leaves New York and flies to Greenland is the moment I began to lose interest. Walter's conversation with a drunken helicopter pilot is amusing but nowhere near as funny as Bill Murray's encounters with Japanese locals in <i>Lost in Translation</i>. The difference: the drunk pilot felt like he was written into the film specifically to be funny; the people of Tokyo could have been anything. Much of the film's second act feels like an advertisement for Walter Mitty, the human being. It was almost like I was watching Walter Mitty's showreel—an audition tape for a reality TV show on adrenaline junkies. The icy landscapes were a huge shift from the sunlit streets of act one, and I felt very distanced. The cinematography in these scenes is gorgeous, but I seldom felt involved. Perhaps this was intentional to prove that Walter does not need anyone's support (not even the audience's) to reach self-actualisation.<br />
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I have no problem with this film being sweet. I do have a problem with <i>how </i>it chooses to be sweet. The honey-coated soundtrack that conveniently arises during "uplifting" scenes is a distraction. We see inspirational words flash up in the background. It's worrying when a film has to literally spell out its messages for an audience. Despite the film's glaring flaws, I was able to suspend my disbelief. As implausible as Walter's journey may be, it springs from an emptiness that most of us can relate to. It speaks to the failure in all of us. We root for Walter because he represents everyone who has ever wanted to escape the trappings of deep ennui. </div>
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<i>The Secret Life of Walter Mitty</i> is Ben Stiller's most ambitious film as director to date. I would also say it's his best-directed film. <i>Reality Bites </i>is nice but forgettable. <i>The Cable Guy </i>is weird for the sake of weirdness. <i>Zoolander </i>is cinematic garbage. I found <i>Tropic Thunder </i>very unfunny and boring. <i>Walter Mitty </i>is only sporadically hilarious. Most of its humour is wrung from wry quips. But it is not primarily a comedy. It shines as an adventure film, espousing that we may have to travel miles to summon ideas that are only two neurons apart. I'll say this about Stiller as a director: he knows what looks good, cinematically. He understands how to make an audience feel something. Give him a few more years and he'll produce something really special. <br />
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<b><span style="font-size: x-large;">3.5/5 stars.</span></b><br />
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<i>The Secret Life of Walter Mitty </i>will be released in Australia on 26 December, 2013. </div>
Steven Savonahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16693973010579672698noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8791982508956006238.post-65166627891485468022013-12-01T19:54:00.000+11:002013-12-01T19:54:38.933+11:00November 2013 Film Wrap-Up<div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-size: large;"><b>NOVEMBER 2</b></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: x-large;"><b><i>Being There </i>(Hal Ashby, 1979) = 3.5/5</b></span></div>
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This one was a disappointment. I love films about people who live sheltered existences, and whom are finally forced to face the outside world. <i>Bad Boy Bubby </i>is my favourite film of this kind. <i>Dogtooth </i>and <i>Rain Man </i>both deal with similar themes. I expected to love <i>Being There </i>because of this subject matter, and also because of Peter Sellers and director Hal Ashby (whose <i>Harold and Maude </i>I quite like). Ultimately, the compelling premise fails to fully blossom. The screenplay is clever and the performances are great across the board, but the film is let down by wearisome pacing. It just drags too much. </div>
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<span style="font-size: large;"><b>NOVEMBER 3</b></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: x-large;"><b><i>Les Diaboliques </i>(Henri-Georges Clouzot, 1955) = 4.5/5</b></span></div>
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I can't believe it took me so long to get around to this one. It is an <span style="background-color: white;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="line-height: 24px;">endlessly intriguing work of suspense that has aged terrifically. It features one of the most jaw-dropping climaxes in the history of cinema. </span></span></span></div>
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<span style="background-color: white;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="font-size: large;"><b>NOVEMBER 9</b></span></span></span></div>
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<span style="background-color: white;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="font-size: x-large;"><b><i>The Exorcist </i>(William Friedkin, 1973) = 5/5</b></span></span></span><br />
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<span style="background-color: white;">Regular readers of my blog will be aware of my immense, undying love for this film. I first saw <i>The Exorcist </i>when I was five or six years old. I found a VHS tape in my uncle's room marked "THE EXORCIST". My uncle warned me not to watch it. He said it was the scariest movie he had ever seen. Of course, this only heightened my curiosity and I put the tape in the VCR about a week later. I was confused, but most of all, I was terrified. Since then, I have seen <i>The Exorcist </i>around 10 times, and it has lost none of its evocative power despite countless parodies and attempts at mimicry. A lot of people find this film funny on repeat viewings. I will concede that I do laugh during certain scenes, but at its core, <i>The Exorcist </i>remains the scariest film I have ever seen. I love how the different story arcs overlap. You have a young girl having her body invaded by a demonic force as she enters adolescence. There's her mother, an actress who cries helplessly as she watches her only child devolve into a "thing upstairs". My favourite character is Father Damien Karras (Jason Miller), a Jesuit priest who suffers a crisis of faith after losing his mother without getting the chance to say goodbye. If you're yet to see this horror masterpiece, do yourself a favour and take the plunge. </span></div>
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<img height="206" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgdQQ3CzHTZ0MVw2em72d-5uNSM1kezFtDrC44_RcTAqjZeaYC_xNLSCc1P3PdyyAdJxX0OXGeCPx5HUs-854vrLAF6rPF6uhmv4DZpt9nN687fcEzUq3OyVkp9TYSbiWf60U2Q0vISy0QE/s400/The+Purge+Movie.jpg" width="400" /></div>
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<span style="font-size: x-large;"><b><i>The Purge </i>(James DeMonaco, 2013) = 2/5</b></span></div>
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Firstly, I should note that I didn't watch this on my own volition. I was at a friend's house and we had a movie night. This movie followed <i>The Exorcist</i>, which is no easy feat. I'll admit that I was very tired when this movie was on, so I didn't fully invest in it. <span style="background-color: white;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="font-size: 16px; line-height: 24px;">That said, there was very little to admire about this hackneyed attempt at profound social commentary.</span> </span></span></div>
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<span style="background-color: white;"><span style="font-family: inherit; font-size: large;"><b>NOVEMBER 10</b></span></span></div>
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<img height="265" src="http://cdn.wegotthiscovered.com/wp-content/uploads/Daydream-Nation.jpg" width="400" /></div>
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<span style="font-size: x-large;"><b><i>Daydream Nation </i>(Michael Goldbach, 2010) = 3.5/5</b></span></div>
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This film, about a high school love triangle, was a nice little surprise! It is well-written and entertaining, and the characters are enigmatic. Unfortunately, it does falter at the end. That's a shame...it deserved a better conclusion. </div>
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<span style="font-size: large;"><b>NOVEMBER 11</b></span></div>
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<img height="249" src="https://fbcdn-sphotos-a-a.akamaihd.net/hphotos-ak-prn2/1176381_10200961877423072_1171055320_n.jpg" width="400" /></div>
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<span style="font-size: x-large;"><b><i>Submarine </i>(Richard Ayoade, 2010) = 5/5</b></span></div>
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Let me tell you about this film. It is a beautiful film. It is a film that every teenager should watch. Oliver Tate is a 15-year-old from Swansea who finds himself infatuated with Jordana Bevan. He tries to sustain a meaningful relationship with her while attempting to save his parents from divorce. Oliver is such an idiosyncratic character, and I see so many elements of him in myself. He peruses the dictionary looking to build his vocabulary. He fantasises about his own funeral and how people would react to his death. He knows Jordana doesn't like romantic venues, so he takes her on a date to one of his favourite industrial estates. Please, please, PLEASE watch this film so we can talk about how delightful and moving it is. It c<span style="background-color: white; font-family: inherit;"><span style="line-height: 24px;">aptures the pain, awkwardness and tentative optimism of adolescence as well as any film I've seen. It's playful yet honest, with a brilliant soundtrack by Arctic Monkeys frontman Alex Turner.</span> </span></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;"><b>NOVEMBER 12</b></span></div>
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<img height="263" src="http://image.toutlecine.com/photos/c/e/l/celebrity-1998-10-g.jpg" width="400" /></div>
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<span style="font-size: x-large;"><b><i>Celebrity </i>(Woody Allen, 1998) = 3/5</b></span></div>
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This is easily one of Allen's most boring films. I'm trying to remember what exactly happened in it, but I'm drawing blanks. It f<span style="background-color: white; font-size: 16px; line-height: 24px;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">eatures a stellar cast and patches of good dialogue, but an ordinary plot and vapid characters make it tough to penetrate.</span></span></div>
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<span style="background-color: white; line-height: 24px;"><span style="font-family: inherit; font-size: large;"><b>NOVEMBER 13</b></span></span></div>
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<img height="240" src="http://goodbadaverage.files.wordpress.com/2013/06/1024853.jpg" width="400" /></div>
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<span style="font-size: x-large;"><b><i>The Dark Knight </i>(Christopher Nolan, 2008) = 3/5</b></span></div>
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This was a rewatch. By now, you should know that I really don't care for superhero films. I try to view them as action or crime films, but I can't see past the cape. Most of them are based on comic books, and I echo David Cronenberg's sentiments that superhero films are adolescent at their core. <span style="background-color: white; font-size: 16px; line-height: 24px;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">I was forced to watch this by a friend, and I didn't care for most of it. Two stars for Ledger's performance; one for the atmosphere. I don't see how I'm meant to enjoy this if I never grew up liking Batman or superheroes in general. </span></span></div>
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<span style="background-color: white; line-height: 24px;"><span style="font-family: inherit; font-size: large;"><b>NOVEMBER 14</b></span></span></div>
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<img height="216" src="http://thisdistractedglobe.com/wp-content/uploads/2007/10/Marnie%20pic%202.jpg" width="400" /></div>
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<span style="font-size: x-large;"><b><i>Marnie </i>(Alfred Hitchcock, 1964) = 3/5</b></span></div>
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It saddens me to say that this is the first Hitchcock film I've seen that I haven't liked. It's a<span style="background-color: white;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="font-size: 16px; line-height: 24px;"> well-acted but clunky psychosexual mystery. None of the characters are likeable and the payoff is bizarre.</span> </span></span></div>
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<span style="background-color: white;"><span style="font-family: inherit; font-size: large;"><b>NOVEMBER 16</b></span></span></div>
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<img height="268" src="http://muchadoaboutdating.com/blog/wp-content/uploads/2012/08/001-two-lovers.jpeg" width="400" /></div>
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<span style="font-size: x-large;"><b><i>Two Lovers </i>(James Gray, 2008) = 3.5/5</b></span></div>
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<span style="background-color: white; font-size: 16px; line-height: 24px;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">A quiet film that gets under your skin with its brutally honest depiction of human relationships. It's wonderfully acted (especially by Joaquin Phoenix), and I think it ultimately argues that the heart, by default, will love.</span></span></div>
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<span style="background-color: white; line-height: 24px;"><span style="font-family: inherit; font-size: large;"><b>NOVEMBER 17</b></span></span></div>
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<img height="265" src="http://cinephilefix.files.wordpress.com/2010/03/in-bruges.jpg" width="400" /></div>
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<span style="font-size: x-large;"><b><i>In Bruges </i>(Martin McDonagh, 2008) = 4.5/5</b></span></div>
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Do you know how wonderful it is when you LOVE a film you expect to merely <i>like</i>? Let me tell you...it's fantastic. That was the case with <i>In Bruges</i>. This film is p<span style="background-color: white; font-size: 16px; line-height: 24px;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">ure entertainment from beginning to end. It's violent without being nasty, and also very funny. Let's not forget those brilliant characters, either.</span></span></div>
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<span style="background-color: white; line-height: 24px;"><span style="font-family: inherit; font-size: large;"><b>NOVEMBER 18</b></span></span></div>
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<img height="215" src="http://img508.imageshack.us/img508/2624/5easy1.png" width="400" /></div>
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<span style="font-size: x-large;"><b><i>Five Easy Pieces </i>(Bob Rafelson, 1970) = 3.5/5</b></span></div>
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<span style="background-color: white; font-size: 16px; line-height: 24px;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">It doesn't contain the most absorbing story, but it's still a worthwhile character study about class anxiety and isolation. Beautiful cinematography by László Kovács imbues the film with a rustic naturalism. Jack Nicholson is in great form here.</span></span></div>
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<span style="background-color: white; line-height: 24px;"><span style="font-family: inherit; font-size: large;"><b>NOVEMBER 19</b></span></span></div>
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<img height="267" src="http://moviecitynews.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/02/a-sepatation-3.jpg" width="400" /></div>
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<span style="font-size: x-large;"><b><i>A Separation </i>(Asghar Farhadi, 2011) = 5/5</b></span></div>
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<span style="background-color: white; font-size: 16px; line-height: 24px;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">One of the most gripping dramas in recent years. A powerful exploration of faith, perspective, truth and responsibility, boosted by powerhouse performances. It's so refreshing to see movies like this one are still being made. It thoroughly deserved its Best Foreign Language Film win at the 2012 Oscars.</span></span></div>
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<span style="background-color: white; line-height: 24px;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="font-size: large;"><b>NOVEMBER 20</b></span></span></span></div>
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<img height="225" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh5mF_ViO6GHdrxtlg0NTdJo3nmNxVtRrz_ii7JbgByzGQdh_7yfu7IizurxJ29IJ5NSyyhKc3QLgKA0prw1HYRZHdIito9iW-hKh2ZDScILeBuK1q4MICpOg923LIezs32MJxbYHC7p_w/s400/two_shot_stairs.jpg" width="400" /></div>
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<span style="font-size: x-large;"><b><i>The Exorcist </i>(William Friedkin, 1973) = 5/5</b></span></div>
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No, you're not seeing things. I watched this film twice in November. This time, I had the privilege of seeing it on the big screen after a Q&A session with none other than Linda Blair, who of course played Regan in the film. A big thank you to Popcorn Taxi for arranging this once-in-a-lifetime screening! Seeing as I have already given my thoughts on the film earlier in this post, I thought I'd take the opportunity to share some interesting things that Blair said during the Q&A session:</div>
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<span style="background-color: white; font-family: inherit;"><span style="line-height: 18px;">1. The Exorcist is a film about good triumphing over evil.</span><br style="line-height: 18px;" /><br style="line-height: 18px;" /><span style="line-height: 18px;">2. The Exorcist is a theological thriller, NOT a horror film.</span><br style="line-height: 18px;" /><br style="line-height: 18px;" /><span style="line-height: 18px;">3. S</span><span class="text_exposed_show" style="display: inline; line-height: 18px;">he doesn't get scared watching the film because she was directly involved in its production.<br /><br />4. Despite starring in the film at a young age, she wasn't disturbed by the things her character said or did because she wasn't raised as a Catholic. That's one of the reasons director William Friedkin chose her for the role.<br /><br />5. She loves Australia because it's one of the only countries that treats her like a human being and not a monster.<br /><br />6. Her final piece of advice: "If you can help another human being or an animal, do it. You will one day have the favour returned."</span></span></div>
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<span style="background-color: white; font-family: inherit;"><span class="text_exposed_show" style="display: inline; line-height: 18px;">Oh, and I'll just leave this here:</span></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;"><b>NOVEMBER 21</b></span></div>
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<img height="266" src="http://5plitreel.files.wordpress.com/2011/09/winwin.jpg" width="400" /></div>
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<span style="font-size: x-large;"><b><i>Win Win </i>(Thomas McCarthy, 2011) = 3/5</b></span></div>
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<span style="background-color: white; font-size: 16px; line-height: 24px;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">Disappointing considering McCarthy's previous efforts (<i>The Station Agent </i>and <i>The Visitor</i>). Not a bad film, but an unremarkable one. This is a dramedy, but I felt that the drama far outweighed the comedy, which made for an uneven, awkward film.</span></span></div>
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<span style="background-color: white; line-height: 24px;"><span style="font-family: inherit; font-size: large;"><b>NOVEMBER 24</b></span></span></div>
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<img height="225" src="http://failedjournalists.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/11/thethirdmanpicture.jpg" width="400" /></div>
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<span style="font-size: x-large;"><b><i>The Third Man </i>(Carol Reed, 1949) = 4/5</b></span></div>
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<span style="background-color: white;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="line-height: 24px;">It didn't blow me away, but it's a well-directed film noir that features brilliant cinematography and a great score. The climax—a </span></span><span style="line-height: 24px;">suspenseful</span><span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="line-height: 24px;"> chase through Vienna's sewers—is something special.</span></span></span></div>
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<span style="background-color: white;"><span style="font-family: inherit; font-size: large;"><span style="line-height: 24px;"><b>NOVEMBER 25</b></span></span></span></div>
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<img height="266" src="http://blogs.mirror.co.uk/movies-mark-adams/whatever-works.jpg" width="400" /></div>
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<span style="font-size: x-large;"><b><i>Whatever Works </i>(Woody Allen, 2009) = 3.5/5</b></span></div>
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<span style="background-color: white; font-size: 16px; line-height: 24px;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">A self-indulgent and unoriginal film about compromise. Despite its flaws, the dialogue is endlessly entertaining. Only Woody Allen at this stage of his career could get away with making a film like this. If any other director had made this, I would probably hate it, but it makes sense as a 2009 Woody Allen film. </span></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;"><span style="line-height: 24px;"><b>NOVEMBER 26</b></span></span></div>
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<img height="213" src="http://cf.foreveryoungadult.com/_uploads/images/dear-zachary-bagbys.jpg" width="400" /></div>
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<span style="font-size: x-large;"><b><i>Dear Zachary: A Letter to a Son About His Father </i>(Kurt Kuenne, 2008) = 4.5/5</b></span></div>
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I'd been meaning to watch this documentary for almost a year. Everyone was saying the same thing about it: "It will make you bawl." I mentally prepared myself before I hit <i>play</i>.<i> </i>An hour and a half later, I was speechless. I felt so many emotions but I had no idea what to do with them. Simply put, <i>Dear Zachary </i>is the saddest film I have ever seen. It also angered me to my core. If you have so much as an ounce of compassion, the film will make you seethe with rage. You will find it almost impossible to believe that so much evil could befall one family. The film is at once <span style="background-color: white;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="font-size: 16px; line-height: 24px;">a loving gesture to a friend and those who cared for him, and a condemnation of an inept justice system.</span> Do not watch any trailers or read any online comments about this film before you watch it. Go in blind. If you know the truth beforehand, the film will fail to land its visceral blow.</span></span></div>
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<span style="background-color: white;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="font-size: large;"><b>NOVEMBER 27</b></span></span></span></div>
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<img height="224" src="http://www.liveforfilms.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/07/The-Conjuring.jpg" width="400" /></div>
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<span style="background-color: white;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="font-size: x-large;"><b><i>The Conjuring </i>(James Wan, 2013) = 3/5</b></span></span></span></div>
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<span style="background-color: white;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="font-size: 16px; line-height: 24px;">I don't get the hype over this one. Yeah, so it's a stylish horror with a few decent scares. I found there was hardly any character development, and the film is especially hampered by a rushed third act where everything becomes all too familiar. I felt the film also suffered from some miscasting. When I see Ron Livingston, I expect him to be funny. I must concede that a film like this is best enjoyed in a packed cinema, but a good film should hold up no matter how or where you watch it.</span></span></span></div>
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<span style="background-color: white;"><span style="font-family: inherit; font-size: large;"><span style="line-height: 24px;"><b>NOVEMBER 28</b></span></span></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: x-large;"><b><i>Manhattan Murder Mystery </i>(Woody Allen, 1993) = 4/5</b></span></div>
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<span style="background-color: white; font-size: 16px; line-height: 24px;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">This is one of Allen's better post-1990 efforts. It's funny, fast, and there is excellent chemistry among the cast, especially between Allen and longtime co-star, Diane Keaton.</span></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;"><span style="line-height: 24px;"><b>NOVEMBER 29</b></span></span></div>
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<img height="215" src="http://cinematrices.files.wordpress.com/2009/09/vlcsnap-000821.jpg" width="400" /></div>
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<span style="font-size: x-large;"><b><i>The French Connection </i>(William Friedkin, 1971) = 4/5</b></span></div>
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<span style="background-color: white; font-size: 16px; line-height: 24px;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">A gritty though sublimely shot crime-thriller. It takes a while to heat up, but it succeeds in all the right places. The highly acclaimed car chase lives up to its hype. It will not disappoint.</span></span></div>
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<span style="background-color: white; font-size: 16px; line-height: 24px;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><b>In Summary - The Must-See Films (4.5 or 5 Stars)</b></span></span></div>
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<span style="background-color: white; font-size: 16px; line-height: 24px;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">* <i>Les Diaboliques</i></span></span></div>
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<span style="background-color: white; font-size: 16px; line-height: 24px;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><i>* The Exorcist</i></span></span></div>
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<span style="background-color: white; font-size: 16px; line-height: 24px;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><i>* Submarine</i></span></span></div>
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<span style="background-color: white; font-size: 16px; line-height: 24px;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><i>* In Bruges</i></span></span></div>
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<span style="background-color: white; font-size: 16px; line-height: 24px;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><i>* A Separation</i></span></span></div>
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<span style="background-color: white; font-size: 16px; line-height: 24px;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><i>* Dear Zachary: A Letter to a Son About His Father</i></span></span></div>
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Steven Savonahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16693973010579672698noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8791982508956006238.post-70070260358651339622013-11-26T17:27:00.000+11:002013-11-26T22:53:44.735+11:00Top 10 Funniest Movie Scenes of All Time Comedy is tough. Writing gags for the screen is always risky as you never know which ones will sink or swim. A joke may cause offence. It may hit too close to home. It could be too highbrow or too lowbrow for your target audience. What matters is that the joke makes you laugh. You don't need to know <i>why </i>it's funny; you just have to <i>feel </i>it. The ten scenes in this post are all very amusing to me. Some of them have made me laugh to the point of tears, while others work on a more subtle level. If you're expecting a masterclass in what makes good comedy, don't get your hopes up. I'll try my best to explain why I find each of these scenes funny, but in some cases, no amount of explanation will account for the subjective nature of comedy. Enough of this small talk...let's get to my picks!<br />
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<span style="font-size: x-large;"><b>10. The Monopoly Guy - <i>Ace Ventura: When Nature Calls </i>(Steve Oedekerk, 1995)</b></span><br />
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First of all, I think the first <i>Ace Ventura </i>(<i>Pet Detective</i>) is mostly an unfunny bore, and that <i>When Nature Calls </i>is one of the better comedy sequels of all time. This is the film where Jim Carrey peaked, comically speaking. His mannerisms are exceptionally funny. This film should be used as an instructional video on how to be funny with your body. In this scene, we have Carrey's Ace Ventura sticking it to a man from high society, who is accompanied by a woman adorned with the fur of a fox. Ace cannot stand this couple's elitism, and when the woman encourages him to "enjoy the fruits of nature", he snaps. The man's resemblance to <i>Monopoly</i> mascot Rich Uncle Pennybags is not the only funny thing here. Ace's confidence and nonchalance in assaulting the man is an hilarious comment on the clash between high and low culture. Of course, there's also the guttural noises Ace makes while parading the man, and his mock dance routine. What completes the scene is Ace's closing remark, "It's lovely, but I fancy myself in autumn." Ace believes he has committed no wrongdoing, just like those who wear animal furs as fashion statements. </div>
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<span style="font-size: x-large;"><b>9. Truth or dare - <i>The Perks of Being a Wallflower </i>(Stephen Chbosky, 2012)</b></span></div>
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This scene is ultimately a tragic one, but it derives its comedic power from the idea that it could happen to you, as well as the overall feeling of awkwardness that pervades it. First, a little bit of context: Charlie (Logan Lerman) is a painfully shy teenager who has made some new friends in his freshman year of high school. He has developed a crush on Sam (Emma Watson), but Sam has a boyfriend. Sam's friend, Mary Elizabeth (Mae Whitman) forces herself onto Charlie and they become a couple against Charlie's wishes. All of this underlying tension reaches breaking point during a seemingly harmless game of truth or dare. Patrick (Ezra Miller) asks Charlie, "How's your first relationship going?" I am not going to repeat Charlie's response here, because I want you to watch the clip. I saw this film at the movies, and everyone in the cinema let out a gasp of shock before dying in a fit of laughter. It's such an uncomfortable scene...such a sad and painful line, but it is also one of the most hilarious things I have ever heard uttered in a motion picture. Things get worse when Patrick dares Charlie to kiss the prettiest girl in the room, and he <i>doesn't </i>kiss Mary Elizabeth. Ezra Miller is the glue that holds this scene together. We know how tragic the scene is, but it never feels depressing because of lines from Patrick such as, "Notice I charitably said <i>girl </i>and not <i>person</i>, because let's face it...I'd smoke <i>all</i> you bitches!" Logan Lerman is also brilliant in his delivery. He treads a fine line between stoicism and nervousness, and I'm reminded of Roger Ebert's praise for Bill Murray in <i>Lost in Translation</i>, where Murray was commended for his subdued comedic presence. Ultimately, this scene is funny because none of the actors (and by extension, the characters) are aware they are in a movie.</div>
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<span style="font-size: x-large;"><b>8. Drug deal gone wrong - <i>Boogie Nights </i>(Paul Thomas Anderson, 1997)</b></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="background-color: #fefdfa; line-height: 22px;">This scene combines hilarity and suspense in a way that few other films have mastered.</span><span style="font-family: inherit;"> </span><span style="background-color: #fefdfa; font-size: 16px; line-height: 22px;">Dirk, Reed and Todd have gone to Rahad's (Alfred Molina) house with the promise to sell him cocaine. That cocaine is actually half a kilo of baking soda. They sit down on the couch, and if they didn't already have enough to be nervous about, there's a mysterious child named Cosmo who is setting off firecrackers FOR NO PARTICULAR REASON!</span> These loud bangs are the heartbeat of the scene, and I can't help but laugh each time one of the men is startled by the noise. Later on in the scene (not shown in the above clip), all hell breaks loose when Todd tries to rob Rahad. The use of Night Ranger's <i>Sister Christian </i>and Rick Springfield's <i>Jessie's Girl </i>also adds to the comedy of the scene. These songs are not a perfect fit for the action that's unfolding, but if they were, some of the humour would be lost. <i> </i> </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="font-size: x-large;"><b>7. Impersonating Michael Caine - <i>The Trip </i>(Michael Winterbottom, 2010)</b></span></span></div>
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Okay, I realise this may count as cheating since <i>The Trip </i>was edited from the sitcom series of the same name. Nonetheless, if this scene doesn't have you in stitches, you may want to check your pulse. What a pleasure it is to watch two talented comics sit across from each other and trade wits. We're not laughing at how closely their impressions resemble the veteran English actor. We're laughing at <i>how </i>they're delivering the expressions. You may have been expecting a standard, run-of-the-mill "My name is Michael Caine..." impression, but Rob Brydon quickly dismisses Steve Coogan when he is accused of this easy, tired routine. What follows is so enthralling to watch. If you got someone to close their eyes and listen to this, they'd probably assume Caine was talking about himself in the third-person. Coogan's impression is just as impressive as Brydon's, and by the time he gets to Caine's "emotional" voice, your stomach will be hurting from all the guffawing. </div>
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<span style="font-size: x-large;"><b>6. Meow - <i>Super Troopers </i>(Jay Chandrasekhar, 2001)</b></span></div>
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This is far from the most intelligent scene you'll ever see. It's a stupid scene involving stupid characters. But who cares? It achieved something that many modern comedies fail to do—make me laugh. The ineptitude of these cops is hilarious in itself. Their complete lack of regard for their duty makes you wonder how they secured their jobs in the first place. I think this scene is funny because all of the characters are in on the joke. Imagine if you were the man in that car. If you heard a cop repeatedly say "meow", you'd get curious about it, wouldn't you? Hence, it's <i>realistic</i>! Also, pay attention to the policeman who's doing the counting. Watch his belly move through the passenger seat window as he laughs. It's a great sight gag.</div>
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<span style="font-size: x-large;"><b>5. Any scene involving Francis the Driver - <i>Superbad </i>(Greg Mottola, 2007)</b></span></div>
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Again, this may be cheating since I haven't highlighted a particular scene. The bottom line is that Francis steals every single scene he enters. Everyone knows a person who behaves like Francis. If he was a character on <i>The Office</i>, he would be Creed. When he tells Seth and Evan that he will do ANYTHING for them if they don't report him to the cops, we actually believe him. We laugh at his subtle creepiness when he says, "You guys know a guy named Jimmy? You totally look like his brother. You totally look like his brother, man." Personally, the scene that gets me the most is when he's driving Seth and Evan to the party. He interjects to encourage Seth to have sex with Jules, and it's so fucking hilarious how oblivious he is to his own inappropriateness. The scene gets funnier when he follows that line with something that borders on a non-sequitur: "You guys on Myspace, or...?" Of course, it's no surprise when he later gets beat up by Mark, the party host. I've got to hand it to Joe Lo Truglio for absolutely nailing this eccentric character. I can't imagine anyone else playing this role.</div>
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<span style="font-size: x-large;"><b>4. Duane Hall - <i>Annie Hall </i>(Woody Allen, 1977)</b></span></div>
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<span style="background-color: #fefdfa; font-family: inherit; font-size: 16px; line-height: 22px;">Everyone forgets that Christopher Walken is in </span><i style="background-color: #fefdfa; font-family: inherit; font-size: 16px; line-height: 22px;">Annie Hall</i><span style="background-color: #fefdfa;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="line-height: 22px;">, and I don't blame them—he gets very little screen time. It's a shame, because he is absolutely fantastic in this scene. Everyone should be familiar with Woody Allen's on-screen persona of the intellectual, nervous, neurotic nebbish. It really comes to the fore in this scene. Notice how Alvy (Allen) is </span></span><span style="line-height: 22px;">condescending</span><span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="line-height: 22px;"> towards Duane without being nasty. The pitch of his voice suggests he is talking to a child rather than an adult. When he leaves Duane's room, he says he has to return to 'Planet Earth'. Poor Duane probably doesn't have the social skills to deduce what Alvy is implying. Nevermind...Duane gets his revenge when he is asked to drive Alvy and Annie to the airport. Just look at how the camera pans from Duane to Annie to a frozen, perspiring Alvy. The death-phobic Alvy knows it is no certainty he will reach his destination.</span></span></span><br />
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<span style="font-size: x-large;"><b>3. The accidental killing of Bill Murray - <i>Zombieland</i> (Ruben Fleischer, 2009)</b></span><br />
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I remember watching this film at the movies with a friend. We were just about the only two people in the cinema. When the film arrived at this scene, we were both in absolute hysterics. I had tears rolling down my cheeks caused by a minute of solid laughter. My stomach was aching. I could not stop myself. The only reason this scene isn't higher on this list is that I've watched the scene a few times since and it hasn't provoked the same reaction. This scene works because Murray is playing himself. If he were playing a random person disguised as a zombie, the scene would lose most of its power. I also love how Murray states his only regret in life is voicing Garfield in the 2004 film adaptation of the comic strip. This scene is a testament to the idea that something can still be funny even if you can see it coming from a mile away. </div>
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<span style="font-size: x-large;"><b>2. Yard sale - <i>Ghost World </i>(Terry Zwigoff, 2001)</b></span></div>
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Sometimes when I need a laugh, I just go to YouTube and watch this scene on repeat for a few times. It always does the trick. Have you ever fantasised about walking into Pizza Hut and asking for a Big Mac? I have, but I've never done it. You want to do it because you're genuinely curious about how the person behind the counter would react, but you ultimately refrain because you don't want to look like an idiot. When Enid charges 500 dollars for one of her old dresses at a yard sale, that's the equivalent of asking for a Big Mac at Pizza Hut. It's just something you should never say because it's too ridiculous to be anything more than a passing thought. But it's hilarious because Enid is deadly serious about it. The customer's facial expression is priceless, but what gets me the most is the way Enid's face scrunches up when she says, "Well, why do you want it? I mean, it would look stupid on you anyway." The customer retorts with "God! Fuck you!", making for one of the greatest and funniest scenes in the history of cinema. </div>
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<span style="font-size: x-large;"><b>1. Ted wrestles Puffy - <i>There's Something About Mary</i> (Bobby & Peter Farrelly, 1998)</b></span></div>
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First of all, I apologise for the poor video quality. It's the best I could find on YouTube. Now, I know many of you were shocked when I made <b><a href="http://savona93.blogspot.com.au/2012/11/the-10-funniest-films-i-have-ever-seen.html">this list of the 10 funniest films I have ever seen</a> </b>and you saw that <i>There's Something About Mary </i>took the top spot. You probably weren't expecting a scene from it to take the crown in <i>this </i>list, but hey, that should teach you to never assume. Yes, I can appreciate biting satire and sharp wit, but sometimes there's nothing funnier than seeing a man toss a dog around a room like a rag doll. This, coupled with my previous post about <a href="http://savona93.blogspot.com.au/2013/11/on-liking-cats.html" style="font-weight: bold;">liking cats</a>, will probably ignite rumours that I am a dog-hater. Let me put those to rest right now and say Ben Stiller could be fighting <i>any </i>animal (yes, even cats) in this scene and I would explode with laughter. It's just a movie, and knowing no dog was harmed gives us free rein to laugh. Actually, the most hilarious part is that the small dog seems to have the upper hand over this pathetic grown man. When Ted's nails claw at the floorboards, I'm reminded of something out of <i>The Evil Dead</i>. It's comic exaggeration at its very best. Seeing Puffy fly out the window is the perfect final touch to this uproariously funny scene which is not for everyone. <b> </b></div>
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Steven Savonahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16693973010579672698noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8791982508956006238.post-36319074002043788342013-11-13T12:53:00.000+11:002013-11-13T12:53:58.325+11:00On Liking CatsI wouldn't call myself a <i>cat person.</i> Rather, I am an <i>animal person</i>. Human babies do nothing for me, but put a duckling in front of me and I'll squeal in delight. It is rare that I come across an animal that I do not like. There's cockroaches, but I'll save that for another post. I've grown up around animals my whole life.<div>
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Some examples of pets I've owned:</div>
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Dogs and cats, however, have been the two constants at the Savona household. At present, we own two cats and one dog. This is our third dog, but I couldn't tell you how many cats we've owned before the current two. Our house is a magnet for cats. It's like they just <i>know </i>they'll be fed if they meow on our doorstep on a rainy night. And of course, once you feed a stray, it does not want to leave. I've never had a problem with their sticking around, because I just happen to love cats. </div>
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I am writing this post in defence of cats. For far too long, felines have copped an unfair amount of criticism for petty and often stupid reasons. I call myself an animal person, but the truth is that I may <i>slightly</i> prefer cats over dogs, only because I feel cats need the extra support. Think of it as rooting for the underdog (or is that under<i>cat</i>?)</div>
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A few weeks ago, a friend asked me, "Steven, why do you like cats?" I was stumped that someone would ask this, as it implies there is something inherently wrong with liking cats. I shouldn't have to justify why I like something that is perfectly harmless and, well, normal. Unless you have an allergy, I can't think of any reason why you <i>wouldn't </i>like cats. And even those people with allergies should concede that their heart is in the right place—that they <i>want </i>to like cats, and that it isn't the cat's fault that they developed such a disorder. </div>
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The view that frustrates me the most is, "I hate cats because they run away from me. Dogs would never do that. They're actually loyal to their owners." See also: "Dogs have masters; cats have slaves." These are flawed mindsets that stem from pure narcissism. That cat is not indebted to be by your side. Cats are independent by nature. I understand if my cats run away when I approach them, and it doesn't bother me. If you accuse a cat of being "selfish" because it runs away from you and only returns when it wants food, doesn't that make <i>you </i>selfish for expecting the cat's world to revolve around you? I find it funny how people will decry neediness in other people, but will crave it from their pets. I think many people hate cats because they don't provide the validation that dogs do. I have other sources of validation; I don't need my cats to provide it. Their lives are short, so why should they spend their time hanging around people? Let them explore and have fun. </div>
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I think so many people openly prefer dogs because it's easier. After all, no one will ever ask you, "Why do you like dogs?" Human beings are egotistic creatures and want an animal that will heed their every call. Dogs are emblematic of power and strength. The bark is a dominant sound. The meow is a passive one. Males are especially fond of dogs because liking cats would be a step towards abandoning their macho cred. Dogs are an extension of the male identity. The human male wants so desperately to be seen as loyal, so he sides with the animal that has been dubbed <i>Man's Best Friend</i>. A dog can tear you apart, while a cat can lacerate you at best. The male wants an animal of brute strength and aggression, because those are the qualities he wants to have. Of course, I do not speak for all males—hey, I am one too, remember?—but merely the ones who yearn for "alpha" status. </div>
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I'm just over the stereotype that there's something miserable about you if you like cats. The archetypal "Crazy Cat Lady" is a notion that should be buried, and we need to stop joking about "dying alone with cats", as though cats are a commodity you invest in once you've surrendered all your will to live. It's getting increasingly difficult to be open about a love of cats. It's confusing. On one hand, cats are the Internet's favourite animal. I can scroll down my Tumblr dashboard and feel confident that I won't be ridiculed for reblogging a cat GIF. But in the offline world, there are still so many things people misinterpret about cats. You're forced to like cats in an ironic, detached manner. You have to convince people that you find them "cute and funny and stuff", but nothing beyond that. The moment you hint that you love them just as you love your family, you're branded a weirdo. </div>
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This post is dedicated to my cats Lucinda and Bruno. Indulge in all the sleep you desire. I'll love you both just the same. </div>
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Steven Savonahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16693973010579672698noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8791982508956006238.post-8768187392438485762013-11-01T12:22:00.000+11:002013-11-01T12:22:40.321+11:00October 2013 Film Wrap-Up<div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-size: large;"><b>OCTOBER 1</b></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: x-large;"><b><i>House of Sand and Fog </i>(Vadim Perelman, 2003) = 3/5</b></span></div>
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<span style="background-color: white; line-height: 24px;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">The story is interesting and the performances are superb, but it's hampered by midday movie sensibilities. The heavy-handed, excessive nature of this film was really pissing me off towards the end. Director Perelman does not know the meaning of subtlety, although I might be able to forgive him as it was his debut film. A lot of people rank this among the most depressing films they've seen, but I didn't feel that emotional hollowness because none of it was believable. </span></span></div>
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<span style="background-color: white; line-height: 24px;"><span style="font-family: inherit; font-size: large;"><b>OCTOBER 3</b></span></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: x-large;"><b><i>Life During Wartime </i>(Todd Solondz, 2010) = 3/5</b></span></div>
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<span style="background-color: white; font-size: 16px; line-height: 24px;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">I expected a more substantial offering from such a talented writer. It lacks the stinging satire of <i>Happiness </i>(its loose predecessor), and you get the sense that this didn't spring from any burning passion in Solondz, but rather a compulsion to make something...anything. It's one of the most disappointing sequels I've ever seen. </span></span></div>
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<span style="background-color: white; line-height: 24px;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="font-size: large;"><b>OCTOBER 4</b></span></span></span></div>
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<img height="240" src="http://static.guim.co.uk/sys-images/Admin/BkFill/Default_image_group/2010/9/22/1285166318088/Enter-The-Void-AKA-Soudai-004.jpg" width="400" /></div>
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<span style="font-size: x-large;"><b><i>Enter the Void </i>(</b></span><span style="background-color: white; font-weight: bold; line-height: 16px;"><span style="font-family: inherit; font-size: x-large;">Gaspar Noé, 2009) = 0.5/5</span></span></div>
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<span style="background-color: white;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="line-height: 24px;">'Style Over Substance: The Movie'. It's virtually unwatchable, and it's the most self-indulgent film I have ever seen. I still can't believe the man responsible for </span></span><i style="font-family: inherit; font-size: 16px; line-height: 24px;">Irreversible</i><span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="line-height: 24px;"> and </span></span><i style="font-family: inherit; font-size: 16px; line-height: 24px;">I Stand Alone</i><span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="line-height: 24px;"> presided over this nonsensical garbage. Sure, the film </span></span><i style="font-family: inherit; font-size: 16px; line-height: 24px;">looks </i><span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="line-height: 24px;">beautiful with its </span></span><span style="line-height: 24px;">kaleidoscopic colours, but like that party guest who dresses immaculately but makes bad conversation, it overstays its welcome. </span></span></div>
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<span style="background-color: white;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="line-height: 24px;"><span style="font-size: large;"><b>OCTOBER 5</b></span></span></span></span></div>
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<img height="225" src="http://media.screened.com/uploads/1/10673/583400-de_niro.jpg" width="400" /></div>
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<span style="background-color: white;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="line-height: 24px;"><span style="font-size: x-large;"><b><i>Raging Bull </i>(Martin Scorsese, 1980) = 5/5</b></span></span></span></span></div>
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<span style="background-color: white;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="line-height: 24px;">This is currently my favourite Martin Scorsese film, and it will take something very special to change that. This is a visceral film—one that is felt rather than viewed. The performance by Robert De Niro is phenomenal, and deserves to go down as one of the greatest of all time. He was so convincing that I was scared of him, despite being on the other side of the screen. The decision to shoot in black-and-white was not really a stylistic choice, but rather a consequence of not finding maroon, oxblood or black boxing gloves (the colours worn by boxers in the 1940s). I'm glad things worked out that way, because this film looks so wonderful. </span></span></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;"><span style="line-height: 24px;"><b>OCTOBER 7</b></span></span></div>
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<img height="225" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-ZFB5l6oaPmk/TuIseq19MdI/AAAAAAAAE68/6Wssc7ChWyI/s400/dinner2.jpg" width="400" /></div>
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<span style="font-size: x-large;"><b><i>My Dinner with Andre </i>(Louis Malle, 1981) = 4/5</b></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: inherit;">WOW! It was SO difficult to pick a still from this movie to include in this post! So much variety in the shots! Of course, if you know what this movie is about, you'll know I'm being sarcastic. Two men (Wallace Shawn and Andre Gregory as themselves) have a philosophical discussion over dinner. That's essentially what the movie is. Oh, and there's also some footage of Shawn travelling to and leaving the restaurant. You'll know if this movie is for you just by reading that plot outline. I think it's a</span><span style="background-color: white;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="line-height: 24px;"> curiously intimate creative experiment. It will test your patience at times, but those who persevere should find it rewarding.</span> </span></span></span></div>
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<span style="background-color: white;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="font-size: large;"><b>OCTOBER 8</b></span></span></span></div>
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<img height="225" src="http://magnoliaforever.files.wordpress.com/2011/08/code-unknown.jpg" width="400" /></div>
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<span style="background-color: white;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="font-size: x-large;"><b><i>Code Unknown </i>(Michael Haneke, 2000) = 2.5/5</b></span></span></span></div>
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<span style="background-color: white;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">This one left me really disappointed, </span>considering<span style="font-family: inherit;"> Haneke is among my top five directors of all time. This is actually the only Haneke film I have not liked. </span></span><span style="background-color: white; font-size: 16px; line-height: 24px;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">I felt like a spectator the whole time. I did not care for anyone's fate. Everything felt stilted and the multiple arcs did not gel together well enough for my liking. </span></span></div>
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<span style="background-color: white; line-height: 24px;"><span style="font-family: inherit; font-size: large;"><b>OCTOBER 9</b></span></span></div>
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<img height="232" src="http://knightleyemma.files.wordpress.com/2008/03/eastern-promises.jpg" width="400" /></div>
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<span style="font-size: x-large;"><b><i>Eastern Promises </i>(David Cronenberg, 2007) = 4/5</b></span></div>
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<span style="background-color: white; font-size: 16px; line-height: 24px;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">This is a stylish crime-thriller featuring a brilliant performance by Viggo Mortensen. I think it does well to resist being excessive. I'm not saying the violence isn't over-the-top at times, but there's a certain believability to it and it never detracts from the story being told. I've now seen two Cronenberg films (yep, I'm a latecomer) and I really want to see more!</span></span></div>
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<span style="background-color: white; line-height: 24px;"><span style="font-family: inherit; font-size: large;"><b>OCTOBER 11</b></span></span></div>
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<img height="161" src="http://www.atthecinema.net/wp-content/uploads/2012/05/The-Year-My-Voice-Broke-image-1.jpg" width="400" /></div>
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<span style="font-size: x-large;"><b><i>The Year My Voice Broke </i>(John Duigan, 1987) = 4/5</b></span></div>
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<span style="background-color: white; font-size: 16px; line-height: 24px;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">A poignant coming-of-age drama about the pangs of adolescent love and the acceptance of our own insignificance in the vast schema of life. It will hit close to home for anyone who's gone through a phase of unrequited love. It was so great to see Noah Taylor and Ben Mendelsohn in early roles! Seriously, this is such an underrated Australian film. Watch it!</span></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;"><span style="line-height: 24px;"><b>OCTOBER 13</b></span></span></div>
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<img height="241" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgaB3nq_VW42Y0PEFn1co0wJsa_pgziwBK3P11PpgZimO9pTF3FPDpZGlJv74kx1AFw9RnN6Kt7-EloLJ0BlemRFMx52LlSHAf88DNhCm01Ff3qIozuKinWtEla9g7cQZ-hHwqcdEg2j50/s400/(2008)+The+Strangers+Screenshot+1.jpg" width="400" /></div>
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<span style="font-size: x-large;"><b><i>The Strangers </i>(Bryan Bertino, 2008) = 1/5</b></span></div>
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<span style="background-color: white; font-size: 16px; line-height: 24px;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">I can forgive a cheesy horror film, but not a boring one. Writer/director Bertino seems to think that suspense can be defined as the absence of action. I didn't root for anyone to stay alive. This is an unoriginal, pointless movie that thinks it's way cleverer than it actually is. No wonder I fell asleep when I tried to watch this some years ago.</span></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;"><span style="line-height: 24px;"><b>OCTOBER 14</b></span></span></div>
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<img height="266" src="http://www.trespassmag.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/06/KillerJoe_2010.12.07_Day19of28_MG_6127.jpg" width="400" /></div>
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<span style="font-size: x-large;"><b><i>Killer Joe </i>(William Friedkin, 2011) = 4/5</b></span></div>
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<span style="background-color: white; font-size: 16px; line-height: 24px;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">Funny, grotesque and intense. It's fun to watch because you can never predict the next scene. It's helped immensely by oddball characters.You will never look at a piece of fried chicken in the same way again.</span></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;"><b>OCTOBER 15</b></span></div>
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<img height="266" src="http://claratsi.files.wordpress.com/2013/05/the-hunt-movie.jpg" width="400" /></div>
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<span style="font-size: x-large;"><b><i>The Hunt </i>(Thomas Vinterberg, 2012) = 4.5/5</b></span></div>
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<span style="background-color: white; font-size: 16px; line-height: 24px;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">An absorbing drama about the damage one lie can do. We feel the pain of its characters and wish we could find a way to intervene. The script is great, and the central performance by Mads Mikkelsen deserves immense praise. It's one of those films that will appease both mainstream and arthouse filmgoers. </span></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;"><span style="line-height: 24px;"><b>OCTOBER 16</b></span></span></div>
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<img height="225" src="http://www.filmblerg.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/05/broadway-danny-rose.jpg" width="400" /></div>
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<span style="font-size: x-large;"><b><i>Broadway Danny Rose </i>(Woody Allen, 1984) = 3.5/5</b></span></div>
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<span style="background-color: white;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="line-height: 24px;">Features some clever gags but there are a few flat spots and the premise isn't milked for its full potential. I was </span></span><span style="line-height: 24px;">surprised at</span><span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="line-height: 24px;"> how good Woody was as an actor here. This is definitely up there with his finest performances.</span></span></span></div>
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<span style="background-color: white;"><span style="font-family: inherit; font-size: large;"><span style="line-height: 24px;"><b>OCTOBER 17</b></span></span></span></div>
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<img height="266" src="http://hollywood.greekreporter.com/files/2012/12/Alps2.jpg" width="400" /></div>
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<span style="font-size: x-large;"><b><i>Alps </i>(Giorgos Lanthimos, 2011) = 2.5/5</b></span></div>
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<span style="background-color: white; line-height: 18px;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">A group of people start a business where they assume the identities of the recently deceased in order to help their clients through the grieving process.</span></span><span style="background-color: white; color: #333333; font-family: Verdana, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 18px;"> </span><span style="background-color: white;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="line-height: 24px;">It's sad to watch a fantastic premise go to waste through such uninspired direction. This could have been something special, especially considering the expertise Lanthimos showed with </span></span><i style="font-family: inherit; font-size: 16px; line-height: 24px;">Dogtooth </i><span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="line-height: 24px;">(2009). As it stands, I can hardly </span></span><span style="line-height: 24px;">remember</span><span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="line-height: 24px;"> a single scene from this...only vague impressions. </span></span></span></div>
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<span style="background-color: white;"><span style="font-family: inherit; font-size: large;"><span style="line-height: 24px;"><b>OCTOBER 19</b></span></span></span></div>
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<img height="225" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiWynC-obD8ckjhs4SWbW3sp0dzIZd2Zs5sSsvdQ1iOnXAe0aHPAfjtfrIDfrf4KEcnc3QjVjUXwC8FocDD9_o4BgeMZ8VJfXEUwqCasAGATXKD7FK3-ln5UApgTjdgIvIsinRyFeuWrDI/s400/waking-life-800-75.jpg" width="400" /></div>
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<span style="font-size: x-large;"><b><i>Waking Life </i>(Richard Linklater, 2001) = 5/5</b></span></div>
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<span style="background-color: white; font-size: 16px; line-height: 24px;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">A work of stunning originality that is pornography for thinkers. It's films like this that change people's lives. The animation is dreamy and the dialogue is endlessly compelling. It's hard to describe this film to someone who hasn't seen it. If you're into philosophy and existentialism, I strongly recommend it. Actually, no, I recommend this film to EVERYONE...because you're all human, and this film is all about capturing Real Human Moments. I should mention that this film bumped Richard Linklater into my top 10 favourite directors of all time. He replaces Steve McQueen at number 10. </span></span></div>
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<span style="background-color: white; line-height: 24px;"><span style="font-family: inherit; font-size: large;"><b>OCTOBER 20</b></span></span></div>
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<img height="225" src="http://3brothersfilm.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/11/brazil2.jpg" width="400" /></div>
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<span style="font-size: x-large;"><b><i>Brazil </i>(Terry Gilliam, 1985) = 1.5/5</b></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: inherit;">Yes, I hated a movie that everyone loves, but you should be used to that by now.<span style="background-color: white;"> <span style="font-size: 15px; line-height: 22px;">It is over-complicated to the point where I just stopped caring. There are too many pointless scenes and it lacks an emotional centre. I couldn't wait for this gigantic mess to end.</span></span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: inherit; font-size: large;"><span style="background-color: white;"><span style="line-height: 22px;"><b>OCTOBER 21</b></span></span></span></div>
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<img height="302" src="http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/it/4/4d/L'ora_del_lupo.jpg" width="400" /></div>
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<span style="font-size: x-large;"><b><i>Hour of the Wolf </i>(Ingmar Bergman, 1968) = 4/5</b></span></div>
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<i style="line-height: 18px;">"The old ones called it 'the hour of the wolf'. It is the hour when the most people die, and the most are born. At this time, nightmares come to us. And when we awake, we are afraid."</i></div>
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<span style="background-color: white; font-size: 16px; line-height: 24px;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">This is a macabre and mysterious work of slow-burning terror. It plays on innate human fears and repressed memories. It makes me wish Bergman had made more horror films! </span></span></div>
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<span style="background-color: white; line-height: 24px;"><span style="font-family: inherit; font-size: large;"><b>OCTOBER 24</b></span></span></div>
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<img height="225" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgnXFcAmJAiaG-A_Ic2ABo21BHMtgQgO0tGc7My_5YTIDVv9kY22KHW6yvLL4dCH7bVqrsHLP2sOpXHVctDVKrqFgysUdCCH4SEFMYHhWBFdC7d50imS-3yBxxL1Pyt-mGR6c4-bqA8x8g/s400/walkabout.1971.1080p.bluray.x264-brmp.mkv_snapshot_01.06.45_%5B2010.09.29_20.52.38%5D.jpg" width="400" /></div>
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<span style="font-size: x-large;"><b><i>Walkabout </i>(Nicolas Roeg, 1971) = 3.5/5</b></span></div>
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<span style="background-color: white;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="line-height: 24px;">It's a film about the unease of culture clash and the failure to communicate that doesn't pick sides</span></span><span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="line-height: 24px;">. The film's vastness swallows you whole. It's immaculately shot, but it's lost much of its revelatory power over time. Some of the editing techniques are very outdated, too.</span></span></span></div>
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<span style="background-color: white;"><span style="font-family: inherit; font-size: large;"><span style="line-height: 24px;"><b>OCTOBER 26</b></span></span></span></div>
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<img height="225" src="http://www.fact.co.uk/media/496836/the_artist_back.jpeg" width="400" /></div>
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<span style="font-size: x-large;"><b><i>The Artist </i>(</b></span><span class="itemprop" itemprop="name"><b><span style="font-family: inherit; font-size: x-large;">Michel Hazanavicius, 2011) = 4/5</span></b></span></div>
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<span style="background-color: white;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="line-height: 24px;">A delightful film that feels remarkably authentic in its recreation of time and place. It's effortlessly charming, and I was relieved to see that it didn't come off as gimmicky. However, I must admit I have doubts about whether this would be </span></span><span style="line-height: 24px;">worthwhile</span><span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="line-height: 24px;"> if it weren't made in the style of a silent film. Oh, and lastly, I would like to see </span></span></span><span style="background-color: white; line-height: 23px;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">Bérénice Bejo in more things. She was cast so well in this!</span></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;"><span style="line-height: 23px;"><b>OCTOBER 27</b></span></span></div>
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<img height="256" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhKPZ4fp8zvVsSHAF-P5FpvGwO0yx1bgE-_g6RKAYa75r0BLx6MlEjqH91MZ0mQJcqktwqji0d6Mw7wsDLHpERRdCUQQiAzUwzf2loJSfcn4jqJ7MFDhecMDeIt3yLOKnmr9xh_z5dWgR9n/s400/SweetHereafter.jpg" width="400" /></div>
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<span style="font-size: x-large;"><b><i>The Sweet Hereafter </i>(Atom Egoyan, 1997) = 3.5/5</b></span></div>
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<span style="background-color: white; font-size: 16px; line-height: 24px;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">A great script and brilliant performances (by Ian Holm and Sarah Polley, especially) make this worthwhile. However, I must admit it was hard to sit through. It's just so gloomy and emotionally intense. Some people have compared this film to Ang Lee's <i>The Ice Storm</i>, which is one of my favourite films from the 90s. Unfortunately, <i>The Sweet Hereafter </i>didn't live up to Lee's film (although I know many people who'd disagree). I may revisit this one day because I think I went into it with too many expectations. </span></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;"><span style="line-height: 24px;"><b>OCTOBER 31</b></span></span></div>
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<img height="225" src="http://rstvideo.com/trailer/files/2011/10/blazing-saddles3.jpg" width="400" /></div>
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<span style="font-size: x-large;"><b><i>Blazing Saddles </i>(Mel Brooks, 1974) = 2.5/5</b></span></div>
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<span style="background-color: white; font-size: 16px; line-height: 24px;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">This is ultimately trash with a few decent gags interspersed throughout. It tries too hard to be edgy and it is SORELY dated. Maybe I was just expecting too much. After all, this film often ranks highly on lists of the funniest films of all time. </span></span></div>
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<span style="background-color: white; font-size: 16px; line-height: 24px;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><b>In Summary - The Must-See Films (4.5 or 5 Stars)</b></span></span></div>
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<span style="background-color: white; font-size: 16px; line-height: 24px;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><i>* Raging Bull</i></span></span></div>
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<span style="background-color: white; font-size: 16px; line-height: 24px;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><i>* The Hunt</i></span></span></div>
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<span style="background-color: white; font-size: 16px; line-height: 24px;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><i>* Waking Life</i></span></span></div>
Steven Savonahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16693973010579672698noreply@blogger.com0