About Elly (Asghar Farhadi) 57 Good intentions, likable cast - Golshifteh Farhani is quite a find - that doesn't mesh too well with Farhadi's approach and struggles to find footing in a home movie type format. Not a bust; kinda disappointed in this one all the same as I know the director is capable of more.

posted 7 years ago in Lists and Recommendations

I'm withholding Cameron until I get caught up on Piranha II and rewatch Avatar sometime. Not a fan of his, hate T2. Darren Aronofsky: Noah (2014) 76 Black Swan (2010) 59 Requiem for a Dream (2000) 56 The Wrestler (2008) 53 The Fountain (2006) 48 pi (1998) 43 Mother (2017) 40 This guy can be creative visually, a talent sorely lacking in mainstream film, even in my least favorite work of his. I think he needs to get his mind into gear a lot more often where other areas are concerned if he seeks further longevity in the biz. i.e. The Wrestler was not helped at all by its minimalist casting and leaving Mickey Rourke to put in most of the work for copious physical/verbal abuse.

posted 7 years ago in Film General

49/100 Better than the original mini-series in the sense that it doesn't derail in the second half, but it never really clicks either. It nails a terror-laden, unpleasant mood suiting Pennywise more than the mini-series, I'll concede. And Bill Skarsgard is more memorable than Tim Curry as the crazed demon. But apart from that, I didn't like it much. The kid actors are predictably so-so, the mandatory tomboy girl in particular, the script/plot progression feel more swampy and muddled than they ought to, the climax is kind of weak - again, not as bad as in the mini-series - feeling more like an anti-climax.......

posted 7 years ago in General Discussion

Black Christmas (1974) 44 (out of 100) Lone Star (1996) 45 The Mission (1986) 46 I Am Number Four (2011) 48 Halloweentown II: Kalabar's Revenge (2001) 37 Nashville (1975) 52 The Chess Players (1977) 62 Nemesis Game (2003) 68 Aloha (2015) 33 Paris Belongs to Us (1961) 52 Show Me Love (1998) 67 The Words (2012) 37 Punk Love (2006) 53 Paranoid Park (2007) 24 Now how does trash like Joe Morton keep getting roles (gay bribery?) and how is Carly Pope not a bigger star (Canada V.I.P.s being useless as usual?)?

posted 7 years ago in General Discussion

Or A Bronx Tale or Sicilian Vampire or something else......any such facile tripe mob movie that seems to willfully play into the hands of lame, lazy and unnecessary sequels like Godfather III by being even worse. I was never a Joe Mantegna fan, but his whole arc in Godfather III basically sets the mistaken tone for the proceedings......more or less. Ugh.

posted 7 years ago in General Discussion

I rated Jackson's King Kong something like a 64 or a very weak B. That to me is a very telltale indication of a nothing special grade......not a C but hardly even a 7 either or in the range of one. Something you wouldn't begin to think of placing on a top 10 list. Mostly an overindulgent showcase for special effects, but some attention was paid to other things, moreso than in any TLOTR/hobbit movie anyway. And Jack Black......let's just say he's far better left in supporting/minion roles than as any kind of metaphor/mouthpiece for a director.

posted 7 years ago in Film General

Scarface (1983) 46 Apocalypse Now (1979) 85 GoodFellas (1990) 77 The Godfather (1972) 78 Raging Bull (1980) 70 Casino (1995) 73 The Deer Hunter (1978) 65 Taxi Driver (1976) 82 The Godfather: Part III (1990) 52 The Godfather: Part II (1974) 76 Once Upon a Time in America is currently on my "to rewatch first" list.

posted 7 years ago in General Discussion

You mean the 2005 King Kong? It's not that good. Could have been far worse for an overlong popcorn movie, sure, but still.......Mr. Jackson. He's a loser to say the least. Since at least the '90s if not earlier I don't think there's a seriously misguided idea or an element of sheer bloat he isn't willing to put up with nowadays just so he can include it on his filmography and say he went there. Gregory Hoblit: Fallen (1998) 70 Primal Fear (1996) 69 Untraceable (2008) 67 Hart's War (2002) 65 Frequency (2000) 33 Fracture (2007) 30

posted 7 years ago in Film General

I've watched over 100 films from this year so far and haven't come away satisfied. Vincere (Marco Bellocchio) 77 Dare (Adam Salky) 72 Thirst (Park Chan-wook) 70 Big Fan (Robert D. Siegel) 70 Others in the rating range of 7 Solomon Kane (Michael J. Bassett) 69 Armored (Nimrod Antal) 69 Not a good film year imo. I think About Elly, Mother and a few others might help matters once I view them, but right now a year where I can't find at least ten films to rate at minimum 70 is not a good film year to me.

posted 7 years ago in Lists and Recommendations

I thought the True Grit remake sucked. It felt tame for a downer western to me. Anyway, David Fincher next. Fight Club (1999) 84 Se7en (1995) 83 Alien 3 (1992) 77 The Game (1997) 71 Zodiac (2007) 66 The Social Network (2010) 61 Panic Room (2002) 60 The Girl With the Dragon Tattoo (2011) 49 Gone Girl (2014) 47 The Curious Case of Benjamin Button (2008) 45

posted 7 years ago in Film General

Best 5 overall directors I've watched multiple films from, or their complete oeuvre, so far are Edward Yang Sergio Leone Terry Jones Park Chan-wook Zhang Yimou Runner-ups atm would be Akira Kurosawa, Andrei Tarkovsky, Robert Altman, Terry Gilliam and Sam Peckinpah.

posted 7 years ago in Best and Worst

Wild Things (1998) 6/10 Wild Things 3: Diamond in the Rough (2005) 5.5/10 Wild Things 2 (2004) 4.5/10 [b]Wild Things: Foursome[/b] (2010) 3/10

posted 7 years ago in Best and Worst

Bleh. It's a C-movie to me. Spielberg seems to favor sleazy sensationalism like the Croze whore execution sequence instead of mining the important facts for entertainment whenever he makes anything historical. I wasn't expecting a nearly perfect tourist commercial out of old Europe, but he could have made it faintly interesting.

posted 7 years ago in General Discussion

Just as extra ignition, Tony Scott. Enemy of the State (1998) 78 Crimson Tide (1995) 75 Spy Game (2001) 73 Deja Vu (2006) 68 The Hunger (1983) 64 The Last Boy Scout (1991) 58 Beverly Hills Cop II (1987) 56 Unstoppable (2010) 53 Days of Thunder (1990) 48 The Taking of Pelham 123 (2009) 47 Domino (2005) 42 The Fan (1996) 37 Man on Fire (2004) 36 Revenge (1990) 35 Top Gun (1986) 31 True Romance (1993) 29

posted 7 years ago in Film General

This is so overdone but w/e, I'll weigh in myself. Not at all a Star Wars fan, BTW. Mostly immature sci-fi for arrested development types. Star Wars: Episode V - The Empire Strikes Back (1980) 63/100 "Star Wars: The Clone Wars" (2008) 62 Star Wars: Episode IV - A New Hope (1977) 56 tier gap Rogue One: A Star Wars Story (2016) 53 tier gap Star Wars: Episode VI - Return of the Jedi (1983) 45 tier gap Star Wars: Episode III - Revenge of the Sith (2005) 36 Star Wars: Episode II - Attack of the Clones (2002) 32 tier gap Star Wars: Episode I - The Phantom Menace (1999) 27 tier gap Star Wars: Episode VII - The Force Awakens (2015) 16

posted 7 years ago in Star Wars