Re: Rate the last movie you saw.
08/12/13 10:27 am | #4537
Pretty good week in movie watching.
Rampart (Blu-ray, 1st viewing) – not exactly the most entertaining movie out there, but it’s a great character study sort of film. I thought it was hard to watch, and you have a sort of hate/sympathy for Harrelson’s character. I’ve always thought he was one of the better actors out there, and this definitely gives him a platform to showcase that. Obviously it hasn’t caught on the way Raging Bull did/has, but the way you feel about De Motta is very similar to how you’ll feel about Harrelson here. I was pleasantly surprised by this film, definitely something I’ll watch again.
7/10
Takers (Blu-ray, 1st viewing) – this was mostly panned by critics and filmgoers alike, but I actually found it to be pretty enjoyable. It doesn’t do anything unique and as far as these sort of heist flicks go, it’s standard stuff. It tries developing far too many sub-plots, most of which add very little to the direction of the film. With the exception of TI and Chris Brown, it has a decent cast too. If you can accept that it’s not going to wow you any fashion, and that there will be some cheesy dialogue (mostly credit to those 2 guys above), you’ll enjoy it at least a little. Maybe I was just in the right mood, but I thought it was a decent little action/heist flick.
6.5/10
Erased (Blu-ray, 1st viewing) – It’s a shame Aaron Eckhart career has taken off here a little late in his acting career, as I think he could have made a solid Batman or Bond. He proves here he has the chops to be a Bond esque sort of character. Outside of him, the movie is so average it’s painful. It sticks to the same old tried and true method that these sort go for. You’ll see the ending coming long before it gets there. If you want to see Eckhart in a lead role, it may be watchable, but otherwise skip it.
5/10
Outlander (Blu-ray, 1st viewing) – I thought the concept seemed pretty cool and I’ve always found Cavaziel to be a solid actor. This also had Perlman in it, so that also gave me some ammunition in support of my purchase. The only thing that was really cool about it were the flashback scenes showing Cavaziel’s back story. Honestly, that whole 5 minute sequence was more interesting that the rest of the movie. Perlman has about 3 lines, and most of the movie is just them fumbling around in the dark, getting picked off one by one by the creature. It’s not a bad movie, but not as original as one might hope for given the cool concept.
5/10
A Dangerous Method (Blu-ray, 1st viewing) – I like Cronenberg and Mortensen’s team-ups, so couple that with Fassbender, and I had to give this a shot. Overall, the movie is very well acted, but I didn’t really feel like there was much direction. This is probably a movie I’d have to watch again, as I feel like there were some subtle plot elements I may have missed, or maybe I’m just over thinking it.
6/10
The Descendants (Blu-ray, 2nd viewing) – He doesn’t have a huge body of work like some of my other favorite directors, but Alexander Payne has definitely favored quality over quantity. I thought this was loaded with emotion, and you really feel for Clooney’s character, the guy just can’t catch a break. Like most of Payne’s films, there’s some humor in there, but it’s definitely not an easy film to watch. Overall, I’m fairly confident in saying this is one of the better films of 2011, and easily one of Clooney’s strongest performances, and that’s saying a lot.
8.5/10
The Place Beyond the Pines (Blu-ray, 1st viewing) – I’ve been eagerly awaiting this one’s Blu-ray release since it was in theaters. I was not disappointed. The trio of stories mesh very well, with each one building on the previous story. It may not have the sort of resolution some are after, but I thoroughly enjoyed it. I think Gosling and Cooper both get a little too much credit, but they’re both good here. I have yet to see DeHann in anything where he wasn’t excellent. As far as films released this year go, this is definitely on the short list of the best.
8/10
Mr. Brooks (Blu-ray, 2nd viewing) – For the second time, I’ve enjoyed this relatively well, but I can’t shake the fact that it has a lot of wasted potential. It has some great actors, but their talents are mostly squandered. Demi Moore’s character isn’t even remotely interesting or likeable, and Dane Cook is his usual annoying self. Costner and Hurt are the strongest in the film, but even they can’t make it great. It has some solid moments, but it’s mostly just okay. It shares a lot of similarities with Dexter, but it lacks the interesting characters that make it so great. It’s certainly not a bad movie; it’s just that it could have been so much better.
6.5/10
Stoker (Blu-ray, 1st viewing) – one of the more original films I’ve seen in quite some time. It’s definitely not for everyone, but I very much enjoyed it. I wasn’t initially very sure where it was going, and though I began to catch on a bit, it keeps you guessing pretty well. I can’t really give anything that it’s similar to, but if you’re looking for something dark and a little different, give this a go. I think Mia Wasikowska was definitely able to prove to me she’s a great candidate for the upcoming remake of Carrie.
7/10
