The Last Three Weeks
August has been a grizzly bear of a month for me. Back to work from summer break. Flew to Denver last weekend to see my sister and My Morning Jacket at Red Rocks (which was effin' spectacular!).
I have seriously only watched 8 in the past three weeks, most of those in the last week or so. Super slow for me. I'll get right to it.
Here's the recap of what I watched this week:
I have seriously only watched 8 in the past three weeks, most of those in the last week or so. Super slow for me. I'll get right to it.
Here's the recap of what I watched this week:
Re-Watched
National Lampoon's Vacation (1983)
Directed by Harold Ramis
Written by John Hughes
I decided to skip the reboot and watch the original. I found it in the cheapo bin at Wally World...er Wal-Mart for $7.88 on Blu-ray.
"Ed, I'm not your average everyday fool. Now I want my blue
sports wagon and if you can't get it I'm gonna take my business elsewhere!
Where's my old car?"
The 40-Year-Old Virgin (2005)
Directed by Judd Apatow
Written by Steve Carrell and Judd Apatow
The Film Emotion Blogathon inspired me to pick this for Joy, which, in turn, inspired a re-watch.
"I don't want to cram pimpage."
Stranger than Fiction (2006)
Directed by Marc Forster
Written by Zach Helm
This movie is genius. I adore every single second of it. It was made for me.
"Little did he know that this simple, seemingly innocuous act would result in his imminent death."
Alien (1979)
Directed by Ridley Scott
Story by Dan O'Bannon and Ronald Shusett
Screenplay by Dan O'Bannon
I just love the calm before, yet after, the storm effect of this shot.
Aliens (1986)
Directed by James Cameron
Screenplay by James Cameron
I love how incredibly intense this film is. I feel exactly like the over-acting Bill Paxton...
"We just got our asses kicked, pal!"
First Timers
Mission: Impossible - Rogue Nation (2015)
Directed by Christopher McQuarrie
Screenplay by Christopher McQuarrie
About as close to perfect as blockbuster action movies get. Click here for my full review.
Blade Runner: The Final Cut (1982/2007)
Directed by Ridley Scott
Based on the novel Do Androids Dream of Electric Sheep? by Philip K. Dick
Screenplay by Hampton Fancher and David Peoples
Apart from how incredibly perfect it is in production design, cinematography, and score, I am not really sure why Blade Runner is considered such an essential classic. I mean, I suppose all that is enough. This film is great to look at. It is super slow, though, right? I don't know. I guess I thought there'd be more. I feel a re-watch coming.
3 Women (1977)
Written and Directed by Robert Altman
I'm still gathering my thoughts. Blind Spot review coming Monday night.
Jesse Eisenberg Double Feature
Review coming soon....
The End of the Tour (2015)
Directed by James Ponsoldt
Based on the book Although of Course You End Up Becoming Yourself by David Lipsky
Screenplay by Donald Margulies
American Ultra (2015)
Directed by Nima Nourizadeh
Written by Max Landis
The Numbers
I have seen 152 movies so far this year.
Re-watched - 55
First Timers - 97
See anything good lately?
Ooooooooooooh I am DYING to see what you thought of 3 Women!
ReplyDeleteI'm very intrigued by The End of the Tour - was it any good?
Soon enough, man. Soon enough.
DeleteThe End of the Tour was very good. I loved it.
I'm with you on Blade Runner. The pacing is dreadful, zaps all the life out of the film, leaving nothing but that gorgeous scenery.
ReplyDeleteRoger Ebert made a good point about how may times it's been recut and rereleased over the years. He says something like, if it was perfect, they would've quit remaking it. It is stunning to look at. Really excellent noir-ish tone and plot. But just a slog to get through. I could barely pay attention after awhile.
DeleteI have got to see Mission!
ReplyDeleteYou do. It's so much fun.
DeleteYou can never go wrong with Vacation
ReplyDeleteAnxious to hear what you thought of End of A Tour, I'm really looking forward to seeing it but unfortunately it has a September release date in my country so I'll have to wait.
Right you are, man.
DeleteIt's really great. Definitely go see it when it drops in your neck of the woods.
Well, I'm one of those who thinks Blade Runner is perfect...which is why I gave it a boatload of Fistis. I've never taken issue with the pacing because it's pretty much the perfect example of a sci-fi noir and the storyline is so engaging...and UGH, it's breathtaking to watch!
ReplyDeleteBut, I can understand why some take issue with it...and Ebert's take is pretty interesting.
I love Alien...and I like Aliens, but overacting Bill Paxton ruined a lot of that for me.
I'll say this: I really want to watch Blade Runner again. I feel like it could be enriched by a repeat viewing or two.
DeleteBill Paxton is awful in that movie. So loud. Everything in that movie is so loud and obnoxious, yet I can't help but love it.
I saw American Ultra last week. One of the best films of the year so far. I posted my first review on my blog about American Ultra. I give it 3 1/2 out of 4.
ReplyDeleteI also watched Very Bad Things, the 1998 dark comedy starring Christian Slater, Jon Favreau, & Cameron Diaz. This is by far the darkest comedy I've ever seen. But I liked it. I'll post a review on it soon.
And finally, I watched Titanic on Monday night. Really loved it. It still didn't deserve Best Picture, though. I think Good Will Hunting should've won it that year. Anyway, it was still a marvelous epic. I'll post a review on it soon.
I have not watched The Master yet, but I will soon. I still need to watch a dozen (or so) other films before the summer ends.
I really didn't like American Ultra that much. It had its moments, but it just ended up not being quite as good as I thought it would be.
DeleteVery Bad Things is a cool movie. Very dark indeed. Glad you liked it.
Titanic was destined to win Best Picture. Nothing else stood a chance, though I liked every other nominee a bit better. It's a beautiful film. And it was really amazing to see on the big screen...three times. Haha!
And the fact that you put 3 Women by Robert Altman on there reminds me that I need to start watching some of his films. Love that you put a picture of Sissy Spacek up for 3 Women. I am actually (distantly) related to Sissy Spacek.
ReplyDeleteYes. Watch some Altman, but definitely don't start with three women. Watch MASH, McCabe and Mrs. Miller, The Long Goodbye, and Nashville first. His early 90s stuff is really great as well (The Player and Short Cuts). Such a great filmmaker.
Delete