What I Watched the Last Two Weeks
At the Theater
Look at any news in America right now, and you'll find that these two films are as topical as ever. It's unreal. And this world we're living in is sad...
A powerful, painful, punishing masterpiece that is also an overlong slog. It reaches greatness, but only in certain moments. Despite that, I still wish more people could see it, if only for that it is in the tradition of epic cinema. Small screen won't do anything for this film, and nobody saw it in a theater, even those persecuted modern "Christians" who came by the busload to God's Not Dead 2.
★★★1/2 out of ★★★★★
Mike Mills and I are on the same wavelength. This is his second masterpiece, an ode to his mother as Beginners was to his father. Every single thing about this movie, from the aesthetic detail to the brilliant dialogue to the literary ponderings to the 1979 design and soudntrack is absolutely perfect. Full review Monday morning.
★★★★★ out of ★★★★★
On Home Video
For short reactions to the films below, please find me on Letterboxd by clicking the film titles in this section. Also, follow me on Instagram (@speaksmovie), where I post eye-opening screen caps, in pairs, for every film I watch.
dir. Wong Kar-wai, 2000
★★★★ 1/2
dir. Irving Pichel and Ernest P. Shoedsack, 1932
★★★
(FT) = First Time
(RW) = Re-Watch
TV Binge
Lost
Show Runners: Carlton Cuse and Damon Lindelof (2004-2010)
Made it into the early parts of season 3, where my wife hates it, and the TV writer manipulation is at a bit of an all-time high. Still, you can't beat the opening scene of Episode 1, the introduction of Juliet and The Others' barracks. And the greatness is on its way....
Breaking Bad
Show Runner: Vince Gilligan (2008-2014)
Season 5 is the most compulsively watchable the series has ever been for me. Have ran straight through the first part of the season, about to move into the final episodes. DON'T SPOIL ME! I've made it a long way knowing absolutely nothing. So close!
The Numbers
I have watched 11 movies in 2017, so far.
Re-Watched - 2
First-Timers - 9
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2016 Releases - 51
2017 Releases - 0
Haven't seen In the Mood for Love, but I've heard it's a masterpiece.
ReplyDeleteHaven't seen The Most Dangerous Game, but I have read the short story from which it was based on.
Now… on to the movies I've seen in the past 2 weeks.
Last Friday, I saw The Founder. It was amazing, & Michael Keaton gives one of his 3 best performances.
The same day, I saw 20th Century Women. An absolute masterpiece.
The next day, I saw the French film Elle. It was great, & Isabelle Huppert gave an Oscar-worthy performance, although the film was really screwed-up.
The day after that, I saw Silence. I liked it more than you, although I think that they could've cut off about 15-20 minutes off of it. It felt a little overlong. But I still gave 5 stars. (I wish more people could see it as well. It's 1,000 times better than God's Not Dead & God's Not Dead 2. I watched both God's Not Dead & God's Not Dead 2 to see how bad they were. They were awful. They were so bad it went past good & back to bad again, to quote Thora Birch in Ghost World).
On Saturday, I saw 20th Century Women again. I loved it even more this time. It's my favorite film of the year. I actually cried tears of joy at the end of the film. It may also be my new favorite film. It's a masterpiece.
That same day, I saw Hidden Figures again. It's definitely in my top 10 of the year.
This weekend, I will see The Founder again.
Need to see Hidden Figures and The Founder, though I might wait for DVD on the latter. Silence just isn't worth five for me. It's on the lower end of Scorsese's work.
DeleteYou definitely need to see Hidden Figures & The Founder, & you also need to see Lion. That was also a great film.
DeleteI get what you mean about Silence. It's a long & hard watch, but I particularly really liked it.
And you also need to see Fences as well. That was also a great film.
DeleteYou brought up something I wondered, why didn't Christians that flock to these shitty Kirk Cameron movies go out to Silence? Was it because 96% of the cast was Japanese? Can they only see R rated movies if it's about Jesus himself? It's an interesting thing to think about.
ReplyDeleteI wasn't crazy about Silence, it wasn't a bad movie, it just wasn't for me.
It's all about marketing...and intelligence. Silence would be too real and intellectually engaging for the local Southern Baptists around here to handle. I know that sounds like I'm begin judgmental, but... At the same time, it's not a great movie. It's really great at times, but the whole isn't as good as its parts. I feel the same as you.
DeleteUGH In The Mood for Love is so freaking beautiful. It's one of my desert island movies, for sure. The last scene at Angkor Wat is one of my favorite endings of all time, but everything that comes before is just as beautiful and brilliant. So glad you liked it!
ReplyDeleteI did the Breaking Bad binge just after it ended and I am TOTALLY with you on it. The whole entire thing was just compulsively watchable. Brilliant writing, brilliant lensing, brilliant acting from all involved. The last stretch of episodes is DEVASTATING in the the best way. ENJOY!
It really is. Can't wait to get Breaking Bad done. Slow-going as my wife is really busy with school right now. Almost there.
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